Throughout recorded history mankind has struggled with the major questions of life. Philosophers have gone many directions to seek answers to the great questions of life. In modern times the answers have come down to two opposite choices: There is a point to life (religion), or we are just the result of random natural selection (evolution).

How can we know which way to go? How do we choose wisely? As we'll later see, God provides us with weekly and annual reminders of the amazing course He has set for us.

An atheist influences young Christians

Early in December 2011, lifelong and noted atheist Christopher Hitchens died from cancer. Hitchens rose to fame with his 2007 book God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. His premise is that most bad things in history can be laid at the feet of religion in general—Christianity primarily, though he also indicts Islam.

He was correct in pointing out that many bad things have been done under the name of Christianity. But he failed to understand that much that has been called Christian is far removed from the true Christianity of the Bible. As a result, his reactionary view blinded him to the enormous blessings legitimate Christian teachings have brought to the world—such as the end of slavery in Britain and the United States, support for the poor, hospitals to care for the sick, schools to teach across income and social levels, etc., plus civil laws based on biblical principles.

Increasingly, misguided views such as Hitchens' are gaining traction—and not just with atheists. Young evangelicals are leaving the churches of their youth because they don't like being told how they should live their lives. They don't like being told premarital (or extramarital) sex is wrong, that living together outside of marriage is sin, that abortion is murder or that God hates homosexuality (Laura Stepp, "Why Young Evangelicals Are Leaving Church," CNN.com, Dec. 16, 2011).

Regrettably, too many who have identified themselves as Christians have bought into Hitchens' argument. They see God as the source of discomfort in their lives. They want religion to be a support for lifestyle choices rather than a mirror to see the need to change to be more like God and to answer life's big questions.

Betting on God

Rather than assuming that God's way of life is too demanding or the source of mankind's troubles, let's consider another perspective.

Blaise Pascal was a French mathematician, physicist, writer, inventor and philosopher who lived in the early 1600s. He is famous for his "wager" (Pascal's Wager). He argued that even if one could not prove (or disprove) the existence of God through reason, there is still much to be gained from wagering that God does exist—and little to gain from wagering that God doesn't exist. Consequently, a rational person should simply "wager" that God does exist and live accordingly. Pascal contended that whether God does or doesn't exist, it's in our best interest to live as if He does. I would add that it's also in our best interest because God does answer the big questions of life.

The downside to the atheist philosophy is that it naturally progresses to "every man for himself." Without the restraints on behavior that God shows as necessary for our benefit, we tend to favor self over others. History shows that when civilizations get to the point of unrestrained selfishness, they collapse. King Solomon summed this up almost 3,000 years ago when he wrote, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25).

What is God's counteroffer?

Specifically, what does the Bible—God's Word—show as the answers for the big questions? Amazingly, God presents those answers through having us observe His weekly and annual festivals and Holy Days.

God cataloged these for all to see in Leviticus 23. They show us God's desire is to save human beings from sin and death and give us His glory—eternal life in His divine family called the Kingdom of God (see Hebrews 2:10). We'll look at each of God's festivals to see how His plan for humanity unfolds.

The first festival and Holy Day listed is the weekly Sabbath on the seventh day of each week (Leviticus 23:3). We learn the purpose of life only by first acknowledging God's sovereignty in declaring holy time and how we should live. The Sabbath is vital to building a strong relationship with God.

Answers from annual festivals

The annual festivals then begin to unfold the process of how God will bring mankind to His glory. The first step in God's plan of salvation is revealed through the first annual festival—the Passover (Leviticus 23:4). Jesus Christ was crucified on Passover, paying the penalty for our sins through His shed blood (see Matthew 26:28). The Passover symbols of unleavened bread and wine that Jesus presented before His death and resurrection solemnize a truly repentant Christian's relationship with Him.

The next festival, following immediately, is the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread, marked at the beginning and end by special Holy Days (Leviticus 23:6-8). During these seven days God uses leaven to symbolically represent sin—the violation of His law—which we need to put out of our lives. Partaking of unleavened bread in this context represents the acceptance and development of godly character. That takes us personally on the road to righteousness by humbly coming under Christ's sacrifice and then living God's way of love and truth (see 1 Corinthians 5:7-8).

Destiny in God's family

Have you ever heard that your destiny is to become part of the God family? Think of the meaning that understanding would give your life! You were born to have eternal life—the ultimate abundant life (John 10:10).

Jesus was asked several times what was needed to inherit eternal life (see Mark 10:17; Luke 10:25; 18:18). His answer was that we keep God's commandments, serve others and not trust in the wealth of this world. To do these things we need to think like God thinks, for which we need God's Holy Spirit. Observing the Passover pictures our commitment to following God's instruction. To make that commitment we need to seek Christ's help to change our thinking—called repentance—and declare it official though the ceremony of baptism. The Passover–Unleavened Bread season reflects all of this understanding.

God's festivals help us understand much more of what God would have us do and become even in this lifetime. Those big questions of life will be answered in God's incredible plan of salvation revealed through keeping His festivals.

In the next installment of this topic, we'll cover the additional meaning of God's festivals, but to help you learn more in the interim, we recommend our free Bible study aid booklet God's Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind. Read in detail about how we can learn from God's festivals the wonderful future He desires for all humanity. Also, to help in answering the big questions of life, be sure to read the Bible study aid What Is Your Destiny?