The Council of Jerusalem (the council of the Apostolic fathers or the Apostolic Conference) was formed by the twelve Apostle Of Yeshua whom the Christians call Jesus around the year 50 AD in Jerusalem. 

Acts 16:4 (NKJV)

⁴ And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem.

The council decided that Gentile converts to Christianity were not obligated to keep most of the Mosaic law, including the rules concerning circumcision of males.

One of the early discussion which took place in the council of Jerusalem was the passage by Apostle James the Just, whose judgement was adopted in the Apostolic decree written in

Acts 15:19-29
…we should write to them [Gentiles] to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood…” (NRSV)

Due to the fact that most of the gentile converts were defiling themselves by returning back into the act of eating foods which were sacrificed to their small deities, committing sexual immorality, fornication etc, , this is why this become an issue, and the other issue was the ritual of circumcision…

The council put an emphasis on this prohibition:

The Council did, however, retain the prohibitions on eating blood, meat containing blood, and meat of animals not properly slain, and on fornication and idolatry. 

God’s holy feasts:
The sign of a believer had to also reflect the keeping of the holy seasons or feasts of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as stated in Leviticus 23:1-44 

The biblical feasts of God, feasts like Passover, the Sabbath, Shavuot (Pentecost), Rosh hashanah (feast of trumpets), the day of Atonement, and the feast of tabernacles were elaborated and taught in details by the Council of Jerusalem to the Christian community.

Acts 16:20

Acts 16:20-21 (NKJV)

²⁰ And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; ²¹ and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.”

The gentiles were supposed to adapted to the act of keeping the commandments of God, according to the prophetic requirement of that generation.

Remember that back then those who followed the gospel of the Apostles had to renounce their pagan forms of practices (if they were gentiles), and in return they had to start to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who commanded the Jews to keep the Sabbath Holy.

Mark 1:21

[ Jesus Casts Out an Unclean Spirit ] Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught.

Luke 6:6

[ Healing on the Sabbath ] Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered.

Acts 16:13

And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.

Acts 13:44 (NKJV)

⁴⁴ On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.

Acts 18:4 (NKJV)

⁴ And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.

Acts 17:2 (NKJV)

² Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

Quote; “the understanding of God’s feasts in the Hebrew, Jewish calendar; is the knowing of the Messiah’s prophetic appointed times” reveals the Messianic end time prophecy with a more clear understanding. 

Article written by Ap Ngabo for the Council of ngabo