Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year

The Lunar New Year, the most celebrated festival in Asia, also known as the Spring Festival shares many commonalities with biblical feasts. It is most similar to the Jewish Passover. Take a look at this comparison chart:

It appears the original message of God’s deliverance may have reached the far East but deviated through the years. The Bible offers insights about the likely spiritual origins and meanings of these ancient customs. History also indicates the continued intersection of these cultures. In 1605 a Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci documented his encounter with a Chinese Jew in Beijing. Curious readers may be interested in Chinese and Jews: Encounters between Cultures by Irene Eber (Jerusalem: Bialik Institute, 2002);

As we celebrate the Lunar New Year this week, we can worship the God who is planning for a grand celebration feast in heaven when Jesus welcomes us to enjoy eternal spring.