Continental Reformed and Festivals

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Those quotes do not prove your point as they do not prove what they say from the text of Scripture.

My point is simply that Jeroboam's sin is that he violated YHWH's commands regarding his worship. That what 1 Kings 12:32 is speaking about is his moving the Feast of Tabernacles. Those quotes prove that my view is not a novelty in reading it that way, indeed a Puritan and respected conservative scholars read it that way too.

That may well be the case, but this view has not been shown to be Biblical. And even on an NPW basis there is nothing to stop Jeroboam setting up a rival Feast of Tabernacles as long as he did not stop the original.
 
I accept the RPW, what I am trying to figure out is how it responds to certain problems. What I find is that, with respect to Holy Days, the Presbyterian doctrine rests upon a very specific reading of 1 Kings 12 which it not clear cut.

I have been reading a number of books on how the psalms were used by Israel in its worship. One idea is that at the Feast of Tabernacles a festival took place celebrating the enthronement of YHWH. Now, did that happen or not? Well it is not recorded in the OT, however many things that Israel did in its worship are not recorded in the OT. So we find alot of Israel's worship was uncommanded and yet acceptable to YHWH. :confused:

Moderator hat on. On that note, it may be worth a reminder that while we often, seasonally it seems, discuss the church calendar, holy days, etc. the regulative principle of worship itself is accepted reformed doctrine on the Puritanboard. In discussing it be careful and don't pee in the pool (see http://www.puritanboard.com/f67/what-reformed-board-24779/).
 
That may well be the case, but this view has not been shown to be Biblical.

Verse 32 is pretty clear, "And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah". What was the feast in Judah that is being refered to here? The commentators I have read are unanimous all attesting to the fact that it was the Feast of Tabernacles.

But even let us assume that it was not Tabernacles, where does Scripture say that it was sinful?

"Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan." (1 Kings 28-30)

The fact is, the worship of Israel was limited to YHWH's commands, the same is not necessarily true for the NT church.
 
That may well be the case, but this view has not been shown to be Biblical.

Verse 32 is pretty clear, "And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah". What was the feast in Judah that is being refered to here? The commentators I have read are unanimous all attesting to the fact that it was the Feast of Tabernacles.

But even let us assume that it was not Tabernacles, where does Scripture say that it was sinful?

"Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan." (1 Kings 28-30)

The fact is, the worship of Israel was limited to YHWH's commands, the same is not necessarily true for the NT church.

The text says it was like the Feast in Judah, but does not say that it was an absolute replacement. The main argument of the inspired writer is that Jeroboam devised such worship from his own heart. Which is what Papists and Prelates do when they invent holy days for themselves.

Moreover the Presbyterian position rests on more than this text.
 
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We are certainly free to discuss "problems" of understanding accepted doctrine like the RPW. I can't promise you will find answers to such satisfactory; I have no control of that. I will say that a campaign against the RPW under the guise of asking questions will certainly be found unacceptable.

I accept the RPW, what I am trying to figure out is how it responds to certain problems. What I find is that, with respect to Holy Days, the Presbyterian doctrine rests upon a very specific reading of 1 Kings 12 which it not clear cut.

I have been reading a number of books on how the psalms were used by Israel in its worship. One idea is that at the Feast of Tabernacles a festival took place celebrating the enthronement of YHWH. Now, did that happen or not? Well it is not recorded in the OT, however many things that Israel did in its worship are not recorded in the OT. So we find alot of Israel's worship was uncommanded and yet acceptable to YHWH. :confused:

Moderator hat on. On that note, it may be worth a reminder that while we often, seasonally it seems, discuss the church calendar, holy days, etc. the regulative principle of worship itself is accepted reformed doctrine on the Puritanboard. In discussing it be careful and don't pee in the pool (see http://www.puritanboard.com/f67/what-reformed-board-24779/).
 
The text says it was like the Feast in Judah, but does not say that it was an absolute replacement.

The Feast has to have been one of those that required the Israelites to go to Jerusalme otherwise verse 27 is pointless. Of these three great feasts (Deut 16) Tabernacles was on the similar day (Lev 23) hence we can reasonably infer that the Feast of Tabernacles is the feast under question. Further, this is how the Jews themselves understood it (e.g. Abarbinel).

The main argument of the inspired writer is that Jeroboam devised such worship from his own heart.

I think that it is more than that; The Deuteronomistic history shows how YHWH told Moses how he was to be worshipped and narrates how Jeroboam broke with this divinely instituted worship for his own political ends. He set up a rival system of worship corrupting the worship that YHWH set up, not by his additions per see but by going against the explicit instructions YHWH gave to Moses the law-giver. We have Golden Calves, contrary to the explicit commandment of YHWH; we have a priesthood, against the explicit commanded by YHWH; we have a new location, contrary to the explicit commandment of YHWH; and we have the feasts of YHWH changed against the explicit commanded by YHWH. So Jeroboam sets up a rival system of worship, a system explicitly forbidden by YHWH, and so sins against YHWH.

To celebrate Easter is not to set up a rival system of worship, nor does it break any explicit commands of YHWH. The one true living God is worshipped and glorified. There is just no comparison. Hence, it seems that the Continental Reformed saw that whilst the example of Jeroboam forbade innovations in the worship of God, the keeping of days to celebrate key events in the life of Christ and the Church did no violation to the RPW. Hence the Second Helvetic Confession states:

Moreover, if in Christian liberty the churches religiously celebrate the memory of the Lord's nativity, circumcision, passion, resurrection, and of his ascension into heaven, and the sending of the Holy Spirit upon his disciples, we approve of it highly...​
 
The Feast has to have been one of those that required the Israelites to go to Jerusalme otherwise verse 27 is pointless. Of these three great feasts (Deut 16) Tabernacles was on the similar day (Lev 23) hence we can reasonably infer that the Feast of Tabernacles is the feast under question. Further, this is how the Jews themselves understood it (e.g. Abarbinel).

You are correct to say that in setting up a rival feast Jeroboam desired to keep people from the true service, but on an NPW basis he cannot be condemned merely for setting up a rival feast.

Besides as I have said before, Popish and Prelatic holy days do deflect from God's appointed holy day (the Sabbath). Just as all man-made inventions devised under the NPW detract from the elements of worship which God has ordained.
 
You are correct to say that in setting up a rival feast Jeroboam desired to keep people from the true service, but on an NPW basis he cannot be condemned merely for setting up a rival feast.

I think he can, but then that is a completely different issue.

Besides as I have said before, Popish and Prelatic holy days do deflect from God's appointed holy day (the Sabbath).

The Continental Reformed obviously didn't share your opinion.
 
You are correct to say that in setting up a rival feast Jeroboam desired to keep people from the true service, but on an NPW basis he cannot be condemned merely for setting up a rival feast.

I think he can, but then that is a completely different issue.

Besides as I have said before, Popish and Prelatic holy days do deflect from God's appointed holy day (the Sabbath).

The Continental Reformed obviously didn't share your opinion.

The Continental Reformed did not, but I don't care.
 
Willem Teelinck (Continental Reformed), The Path of True Godliness, p. 101:

[Rules that help distinguish between truth and lies, walking in divine truth promotes godliness] For example when debating whether to maintain Lenten Eve (Fat Tuesday), Epiphany (when the wiseman saw Christ), and other Roman Catholic holidays or to radically abolish them, some people may say yes and others no. However, the godly immediately know the right way, for they understand that Roman Catholic holidays have no basis in Holy Scripture and that regular observance of them offers occasion for much sin. The celebrations cause great disorder in the places or homes where they are observed and become a stumbling block to real holiness as they strengthen the old man. The godly swiftly conclude that Reformed Christians who would gladly abolish or ignore the feast days have the truth on their side.

Jacobus Koelman (Continental Reformed), The Duties of Parents, p. 73:

100. Do not allow your children to celebrate the days on which unbelief and superstition are being catered to. They are admittedly inclined to want this because they see that the children of Roman Catholic parents observe those days. Do not let them attend carnivals, observe Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras), see Santa Claus, or observe Twelfth Night, because they are all remnants of an idolatrous papacy. You must not keep your children out of school or from work on those days nor let them play outside or join in the amusement. The Lord has said, "After the doings of the land of Egypt, where you lived, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, where I bring you, you shall not do: neither shall you walk in their ordinances" (Lev. 18:3). The Lord will punish the Reformed on account of the days of Baal (Hosea 2:12-13), and he also observes what the children do on the occasion of such idolatry (Jer. 17:18). Therefore, do not let your children receive presents on Santa Claus day, nor let them draw tickets in a raffle and such things. Pick other days on which to give them the things that amuse them, and because the days of Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost have the same character, Reformed people must keep their children away from these so-called holy days and feast days.

Wilhelmus a Brakel (Continental Reformed), The Christian's Reasonable Service, Vol. I, pp. 38-39:

Objection #4:

The Jewish church also instituted various practices passing them on to subsequent generations which nevertheless were not commanded, such as fasting in the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth month (Zec. 7:5 and 8:19); the days of Purim (Est. 9:21-26); the feast of the dedication (John 10:22). In similar fashion the Reformed Church also has her traditions, which implies that also now we may and must uphold tradition.

Answer:

The practice of fasting was commanded by God; the determination of necessity, time, and circumstances was left to the church (Joel 2). Special days of thanksgiving are also commanded, the occurrence and frequency of which are to be determined by the church. There is no basis in the Word, however, upon which the church may legislate the observation of such days for subsequent generations. Such practices should be denounced and the church should not observe them. This is true also for our so-called feast days which ought to be eliminated. Regarding feast days consult Res Judicata by [Jacobus] Koelman, as well as his other scholarly and devotional writings. Other external religious ordinances and circumstances are principally commanded in the Word of God, the stipulations of which are left to each individual church, and consequently are alterable according to time and place. In doing so, however, all superstition must be avoided and such practices must not have an adverse effect upon doctrine and practice. Thus, the perfection of the rule of Scripture will not be violated, nor will the use of unwritten traditions be advocated.
 
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