God's holy days, as outlined in Leviticus 23, were faithfully observed by Jesus Christ and the apostles, establishing a clear precedent for the New Testament church. From His childhood, Jesus kept the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, as recorded in Luke 2:41-43, and continued to observe the Passover during His ministry, as seen in Luke 22:14-16, where He instructed His disciples to prepare for the traditional observance. Jesus also taught that the Passover would be kept in the Kingdom of God, changing only the symbols to bread and wine as a memorial of His death, a practice affirmed in Luke 22:17-20 and across all four gospels. Additionally, Jesus observed the Feast of Tabernacles, as detailed in John 7, attending secretly due to threats but still participating and preaching powerfully during the feast. His dedication to these holy days, including the weekly Sabbath, underscores their importance for His church, which continues to keep the Feast of Tabernacles with inspired preaching services. The early church, following Christ's example, observed these festivals, with the book of Acts documenting their adherence to the Days of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, and other holy days. Paul, in Acts 20 and I Corinthians 16:8, referenced Pentecost to Gentile converts, indicating their familiarity with and observance of these days. Paul also urged the Corinthians in I Corinthians 5:6-7 to keep the feast of Unleavened Bread, using the symbolism of leaven to address spiritual sin, and affirmed Christ as the Passover sacrifice. In I Corinthians 11:23-26, he provided instructions for the annual Passover memorial on the 14th day of the first month of God's sacred calendar. Furthermore, Luke records Paul's awareness of the Day of Atonement in Acts 27, and even the Feast of Trumpets is indirectly referenced in Colossians 2:16, showing the early church's commitment to all of God's festivals. Jesus Christ, as the Head of the true church, set the example for observing these holy days, commanding His disciples to follow suit, as seen in Luke 22:8 and John 7:8. The apostles, including Paul, Peter, and John, taught and practiced these observances, passing them on to the church, as evidenced by Paul's instruction to Timothy in II Timothy 3 to continue in the teachings of the Old Testament Scriptures. These seven annual holy days—Passover, Days of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles, and the Last Great Day—form a complete picture of God's plan of salvation, intended to be kept by His church continually to maintain true worship and understanding of His purpose.

God has established a deliberate plan to build children in His image, and each of His holy days highlights a specific step in this work. Leviticus 23 lists the festivals and holy days He gave His people, beginning with the weekly Sabbath, which reminds us of His purpose. These holy days are kept to ensure we never forget His plan for mankind and pass it on to future generations. Jesus and His disciples observed these Old Testament holy days even after He returned to His Father, with new meanings assigned to them. Jesus changed the symbols of Passover to bread and wine, representing His body and blood given for our forgiveness. The days of Unleavened Bread signify the need to come out of the world and conquer sinful natures, while Pentecost marks the founding of the New Testament church and the giving of His Holy Spirit. The Feast of Trumpets represents Christ's return at the last trumpet, when He will gather His elect, both living and dead, to enter God's Kingdom and rule with Him for a thousand years. The Feast of Tabernacles, in the fall, symbolizes a thousand years of peace and prosperity after Christ's return, during which those alive and children born in that time can be saved. The Last Great Day of the Feast foreshadows the Great White Throne Judgment, a time when those who died in ignorance of God's way will be resurrected to physical life and given the opportunity to learn and accept His way. God gives us His feast days so that we might remember His plan and strive for a better resurrection.