The Festivals of Yahweh or Moedim (Appointed Times) were given by the Most High, El Elyon, to be observed by those who love and reverence Him for all time. They were not, as 'orthodox' Christians claim, abolished by the Messiah (Christ). Seven of these nine annual festivals were commanded in Torah by Yahweh Himself (Leviticus/Vayikra 23) and two (the winter festivals) were added by the Jews, without revelation, to commemorate later historical events. The seven mandatory festivals (see Fig.1 & B. Explanation below) were observed by both Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) and by His apostles and are as much a part of the Messianic or 'New' Covenant as they were of the Mosaic or 'Old' Covenant. They were given both so that people could understand the coming of the Messiah and the rôle that the Messiah would play in redeeming and restoring both man and the earth to Yahweh, our Heavenly Father, following the fall in Eden. The three autumn (fall) festivals have not as yet been fulfilled.

To the 7 annual festivals is added the weekly Shabbat or Sabbath which is the foundation of Israelite life. Its observance both protects and inspires Yahweh's people and is based on two fundamental premises: First, that Yahweh created the world in six days and rested on the seventh; and Second, that He intervened in history to take the Israelite people out of the bondage of slavery in Egypt. Together with the seven festivals, the Shabbat provides the physical and spiritual rhythm of Yahweh's people, defining their rest days and days of celebration and commemoration. They form the "way of life" of all true Bible-beliving Christians. Together with Rosh Chodesh or the New Moon observance and the Shabbos Shabbaton or Sabbatical Year (one year in every seven to allow the land to rest) these make a total of 10 Moedim or Appointments when true, obedient believers are obliged to formally assemble in congregations of spiritual families to worship Yahweh.

Historically, however, the sabbaths and festivals were either replaced by pagan festivals (like Christmas and the Sunday Sabbath by apostate Christians) or were added to by the Talmudic Jews who rejected the Messiah and added lots of man-made festivals (like Tu b'Shevat, Yom haShoah, Lag b'Omer, etc.). In the New Covenant Church of God (B'rit Chadashah Assembly of Yahweh) we follow neither the Christianised pagan traditions (Christmas, Easter, Lent, Halloween, etc.) nor acknowledge the accretions made by the Jews (still accepted by many Messianic Jews), but observe the simplicity of the biblical revelation.

Many of the directives given in Torah concerning the Festivals are no longer applicable in the Messianic New Covenant because they were filfilled in the death and resurrection of Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ). Thus neither the Mosaic animal sacrificial system and associated ceremonial Torah, nor the Levitical Priesthood that administered it, are any longer applicable. What were therefore prophetic pointers are now commemorations. For some idea as to how the festivals are celebrated by NCCG/BCAY, please see the essays, sermons and FAQs on our Festivals Page.

Concerning dating the sabbaths and festivals: within the theocratic state of Israel all calculations, with the exception of the weekly solar Sabbath, were based on the timing of the New Moon, itself a monthly observation known as Rosh Chodesh making the 9th Moed that we observe. This means that the dates of the festivals change relative to our solar calendar.

The Sabbath is observed from 'Friday' sunset to 'Saturday' sunset (the seventh day), or at a fixed time like 1800 (6 p.m.) in extreme northerly or southerly sub-Arctic/Antarctic and Arctic/Antarctic lattitues), or from Saturday sunset to Sunday sunset between longitude 31° east of Greenwich (the Jordan River or eastern boundary of the Nation of Israel and the approximate location of the Garden of Eden, believed to be where Jerusalem stands today, where the first Sabbath was observed) and the artificial human-made International Date Line (IDL)

Finally, the first day of each new month, as measured by the New Moon, is set-apart to Yahweh and in theocratic Israel. In the Old Covenant this was marked by special sacrifices (Num.28:11-15) over which the trumpets were blown (Num.10:10; Ps.81:3). In the New Covenant as in the Old, both the New Moon and the regular Sabbath provided an opportunity to consult the prophets. It is so observed by Messianic Israelites. (We do not calculate the day of observance of the weekly Sabbath on the basis of the new moon as some Messianic Jews do).