The Holy Days: The Crossroads of Faith A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray. (Isaiah 35:8)” “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25)” Something is happening in the realm of the Spirit. Your spirit has already detected it. The true Believer is returning to “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (Jude 1:3)” Our Messiah is calling you, who outside the camp, from beyond the veil of the Holy of Holies to come up to Zion. Our Heavenly Bridegroom is inviting His bride to come up higher to view the land from atop Mount Zion. To come and sit “with him in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6)” I have asked our Heavenly Father to saturate these words with the Spirit of Truth that He will guide you into all truth. (John 16:13)” Some of this is going to sound very new. “[Messiah] said to them, “Therefore every Rabbi of the Torah who has been instructed about the Kingdom of Heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” (Matthew 13:52)” “…the Bereans were of more noble character…for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what…said was true. (Acts 17:11)” In fact, to some of you, it is going to sound very Jewish and you’d be 1/12th right. Let me ask you, “What advantage then has the Jew (to you personally), or what is the profit of circumcision (to you)? Much in every way! Chiefly (Primarily) because to them were committed the oracles of Yahweh. For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the Faith of Yahweh without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let Yahweh be true but every man a liar. (Romans 3:1-4)” You see, the Jew is the preserver of the Faith. “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a Torah giver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people. (Genesis 49:10)” As Gentiles, we had a faith called paganism. Unfortunately, if we do not get our eyes sanctified we still look through the eyes of paganism trying to decipher the Scriptures. Basically, that’s what’s got us into the mess we’re in today. “You…worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. (John 4:22)” When the rest of Israel had left the Faith, it was Judah that preserved our Religion. So, rightly when this Full Messianic Message of the Kingdom came it would be sent by Jews first. “I am not ashamed of the Full Messianic Message of the Kingdom, because it is the power of Yahweh for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. (Romans 1:16)” “Indeed, all the prophets from Shemuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days. And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant Yahweh made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ When Yahweh raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways. (Acts 3:24-26)” It’s about now, you might be saying to yourself, “But I don’t want to be a Jew!” In reality, it is the Flesh (your evil inclination) that is resisting being numbered with Israel. “Thus says Yahweh: Keep justice, and do righteousness, for My salvation is about to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who lays hold on it; who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and keeps his hand from doing any evil. Do not let the son of the foreigner who has joined himself to Yahweh speak, saying, Yahweh has utterly separated me from His people; nor let the eunuch say, Here I am, a dry tree. For thus says Yahweh: To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast My covenant, even to them I will give in My House and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to Yahweh, to serve Him, and to love the name of Yahweh, to be His servants-- Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant-- Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations. The Sovereign Yahweh, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, Yet I will gather to him others besides those who are gathered to him. (Isaiah 56:1-6)” SABBATHS: YAHWEH’S APPOINTED TIMES That’s why I am here tonight. I want to talk to you about all the Sabbaths – the Moedim – the Holy Days. Do not learn the way of the Heathen; do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the Heathen are dismayed at them. (Jeremiah 10:2)” “And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying, ‘Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of Yahweh, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations (set-apart gatherings), even these are my feasts (appointed times). (Leviticus 23:1,2) SEVENTH DAY SABBATH The very first Holy Day is the weekly Sabbath. “Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of Yahweh in all your dwellings. (Leviticus 23:3)” The seventh day of the week (Friday sunset to Saturday sunset) is the day Yahweh has set apart, and is a memorial of His omnipotent creative power. It is blessed, sanctified and set apart for sacred use by the Elohim first observed by Yahweh Himself. “And on the seventh day Elohim ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And Elohim blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which Elohim created and made. (Genesis 2:2-3)” The Sabbath day is a holy day of rest. Furthermore, all mankind is required by divine law to keep holy the seventh day of the week. The Sabbath command is one of the Ten Commandments, a law that is not only scheduled to outlast this universe but which every soul on earth is obliged to observe. Therefore as long as heaven and earth shall last, the seventh day of the week is the Sabbath day. Disobedience of Yahwehs law, of which the Sabbath commandment is merely a part, is sin. These unequivocal facts cannot be rejected without serious consequences. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of Yahweh thy Elohim: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:8-11)” Why is the Sabbath so important? Because it points to our greater Millennial rest of salvation. It was our Messiah that said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)” You see, neither the Sabbath nor any part of the Torah is burden, it is a privilege. “Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it? Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it? No, the Word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. (Deuteronomy 30:11-15)” It’s your choice. “And with whom was [Yahweh] angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did Yahweh swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief. Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the Full Messianic Message preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not share in the faith of those who obeyed. (Hebrews 3:17-4:2)” As you can see, Sabbath desecration is strongly condemned by the true prophets of Yahweh and their inspired messages have been recorded in the Scriptures for the benefit of succeeding generations from every nation under heaven. “I am Yahweh your Elohim; follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Keep my Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us. Then you will know that I am Yahweh your Elohim.… I swore to them in the desert that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter [Children of Israel] through the countries, because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths, and their eyes lusted after their fathers idols. (Ezekiel 20:19-24)” YahShua the Messiah kept holy the seventh day of the week and the Scriptures testify to the fact that it was his custom to do so. (Luke 4:16) The Seventh day Sabbath is also the divine Sign which the Elohim of Israel places in the minds of His people. It is Yahwehs Signature, which He inscribes on the believers mind to commemorate his work of creation, sanctification and salvation through King Messiah YahShua. The Sabbath is, in fact, the eternal memorial token of the perpetual covenant between The Almighty and the Commonwealth of Israel. Whats more, it will continue to be so even in the New Heavens and the New Earth. Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths to be a SIGN between me and them, that they might know that I am YAHWEH, that sanctify them… And hallow my Sabbaths; and they shall be a SIGN between me and you that ye may know that I am YAHWEH your Elohim. (Exodus 20:12&20) “And YAHWEH spake unto Moses, saying Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a SIGN between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am YAHWEH that doth sanctify you… Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a SIGN between me and the children of Israel forever. (Exodus 31:12,13,16,27) Do you remember when the subject of what to do with the Gentiles that were turning to Yahweh was brought to Rabbi Yakkov (James)? Do you remember his verdict? “Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to Yahweh: but that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day. (Acts 15:19-21)” Rabbi Sha’ul that was there and witness the verdict said, “For it seemed good to the Ruach HaKodesh, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things (Acts 15:28).” New converts, both Jews and Gentiles alike, regularly attended the synagogue for worship on the Sabbath, and the fact that interested Gentiles in Antioch requested further instruction of Rabbi Sha’ul on the next Sabbath is irrefutable evidence that no separate Sunday meetings were being held there by those early Believers. In other words, the Gentiles were willing to wait a full week, till the next Saturday, for a meeting. Why? Because they knew that Rabbi Sha’ul and his companions did not normally meet for worship on a Sunday, but would instead be available for discussion again on the next Sabbath. On the next Sabbath almost the whole city arrived for the meeting. (Acts 13:42-44) Yahweh values His Sabbath days more than any human mind can appreciate. They are to Him a unique, spiritual treasure of inestimable worth. Try to understand His pleadings in these amazing words: And I gave them my statutes, and showed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am YAHWEH that sanctify them. (Ezekiel 20:11-12) For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me, says YAHWEH, So shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me, says YAHWEH. (Isaiah 66:22-23)” ROSH CHODESH or NEW MOON “Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day. (Psalm 81:3)” Next we are to sanctify our month by blowing a shofar and offering back to our Heavenly Father our month at the New Moon. When is the New Moon? ...and when it is wholly extinguished, its light is consumed in heaven; and on the first day it is called the new moon, for on that day light is received into it. (Book of Enoch 77:14) Wait a minute, the Scripture says, “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. (Colossians 2:16)” Exactly, Rabbi Sha’ul is talking to Gentiles that have embraced the Faith. He is saying, “Don’t let anyone criticize you in connection with eating and drinking, or in regard to a Scriptural Holy Day or New Moon or Sabbath.” It’s not much different today. The minute you want to follow the example of Scripture people start screaming legalism. On the contrary, “These are a shadow of the things that are to come; the body [is] of the Messiah. (Colossians 2:17)” So every time I am celebrating New Moon or Sabbath I am celebrating the soon coming Kingdom. For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me, says Yahweh, So shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me, says Yahweh. (Isaiah 66:22,23)” The Annual Sabbaths of YAHWEH, Elohim of Israel PASSOVER The commemoration of the precious sacrifice of YahShua the Messiah is observed annually on the evening (beginning) of the 14th of Abib/Nisan as the 13th ends, according to the original Passover in Egypt when the death angel came over midnight of the 14th, Exodus 12:13-14. In humbly partaking of the Passover, we give witness that we accept the shed blood of our loving Savior for our sins, Numbers 28:16; Luke 22:15-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29. Using the Tabernacle as out type, we come through the door called the Way. The very first thing we see is in the Outer Court is the Brazen Altar. It is here that we beheld the “lamb of Yahweh, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29).” We knelt at the base of that old almond tree at the place called Gulgolet converted into a gallows for crucifixion of the suffering Messiah, typified by the Brazen Altar where the Passover Lamb was sacrificed. And there we received remission of sin through the shedding of blood. “…without shedding of blood is no remission. (Hebrews 9:22)” “The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. (Exodus 12:13)” “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Messiah our Passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:7,8)” “In [Messiah] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of Yahwehs grace (Ephesians 1:7).” “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Messiah, a lamb without blemish or defect. (1 Peter 1:18,19)” “These are they who have come out of the Great Tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, they are before the throne of Yahweh and serve him day and night in his Temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his Tabernacle over them. (Revelation 7:15)” The symbols used are those instituted by YahShua: eating unleavened bread representative of His broken body, Exodus 23:18; 1 Corinthians 10:16, and drinking the fruit of the vine as the symbol of His shed blood, Deuteronomy 32:14; Isaiah 65:8-9; Matthew 26:27-29. We then sealed our conversion process through Mikveh (water immersion) for the remission of sin, which is the circumcision of heart. Our love for YahShua and humility among the brethren is acted out in a foot washing ceremony as directed by our beloved Savior and Redeemer, according to John 13:3-17. “Rabbi Kepha replied, “Repent and be immersed, every one of you, in the “onoma” cause or reason of Messiah YahShua for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)” “Whoever believes and is immersed will be saved…(Mark 16:16)” Because Messiah YahShua shed His blood for us He has the legal right to wash us. “Rebbe YahShua answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” (John 13:8)” “In [Messiah] you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Messiah, having been buried with him in Mikveh and raised with him through your faith in the power of Yahweh, who raised him from the dead. (Colossians 2:11-12)” “This is the one who came by water and blood–Messiah YahShua. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. (1 John 5:6-8)” The Brass Lavar symbolizes this process. This New Birth and Circumcision is the beginning of our salvation. The Greek word for “salvation” is “soteria” which describes a complete deliverance: body, soul and spirit. This word correlates to the Hebrew word, “y’shuw`ah” which means complete salvation, deliverance. “…you shall call His name YahShua, for He will save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21) “Now may the Elohim of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our King Messiah YahShua. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)” “[Messiah] delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us (2 Corinthians 1:10)” Through the Passover experience in the Outer Court we have been translated out of the Sitre Ahurah (Kingdom of Darkness) into the Kingdom of Light – a Kingdom of Priests – the Kingdom of Messiah. “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of Yahweh, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of Yahweh; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love (Colossians 1:9-13)” We have and are continuing to experience this salvation process. We are heading for the triumph of the Holy Place. “…being assembled together with them, [Messiah] commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, which, He said, you have heard from Me; for Yochannan truly immersed with water, but you shall be immersed with the Ruach HaKodesh not many days from now. (Acts 1:4,5) “When the Day of Shavuot (Pentecost) had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)” “In [Messiah] you also trusted, after you heard the Word of Truth, the Full Messianic Message of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14)” “Did you (gentiles) receive the Ruach HaKodesh when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Ruach HaKodesh. (Acts 19:2)” FEAST OF UNLEAVEN BREAD “On the fifteenth day of that month Yahwehs Feast of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast. (Leviticus 23:6)” After partaking of the Passover, we strive to live a sin-free life of obedience as we observe the following seven days of Unleavened Bread, Matthew 16:12; Mark 8:14-15; Luke 12:1; Romans 6:13-22; 1 Corinthians 5:6-8. Symbolizing the initial step toward righteousness and coming out of sin, this first day of Unleavened Bread on the 15th of Abib/Nisan is a time we delight in observing, for this Sabbath begins the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The seventh or last day is also a Sabbath, Abib/Nisan 21, and pictures the complete coming out of the worldly way of sin and rebellion to follow the righteousness of our Savior, YahShua the Messiah, Exodus 12:15, 20; Numbers 28:17-25; Acts 20:6-7. We gladly rid our houses of all leavened products for seven days to remind us of cleansing ourselves of false doctrine which could lead to sin, for by physical acts we learn a spiritual lesson. Unleavened bread is eaten for these seven days, allowing us to symbolically take in the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, 1 Corinthians 5:7-8. FEAST OF FIRSTFRUITS “Yahweh said to Moses, Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. He is to wave the sheaf before Yahweh so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to Yahweh a lamb a year old without defect, together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil-an offering made to Yahweh by fire, a pleasing aroma-and its drink offering of a quarter of a hin of wine. You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until the very day you bring this offering to your Elohim. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. (Leviticus 23:9-14)” The word first fruits means a promise to come and Messiah is our promise of resurrection and eternal life. YahShua is the fulfillment of this festival, by raising from the dead on the First Fruits after Passover. 1 Cor 15: 20: “But Messiah has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” YahShua tried to explain the agricultural correlation with His death, burial and resurrection in John 12: 23-24: “YahShua replied, The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” “Be imitators of Elohim, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Messiah loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to Yahweh. (Eph 5:1-2)” “Yahweh said to Moses, Speak to the Israelites and say to them: …bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. He is to wave the sheaf before Yahweh so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until the very day you bring this offering to your Elohim. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. (Lev 23: 9,14): “…and from YahShua HaMochiach, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his Elohim and Father--to Him be glory and power forever and ever! Amein. (Rev 1: 5-6)” From the Feast of Firstfruits we begin to count 49 introspective steps from salvation to regeneration to walk from the door of the Sanctuary to the Golden Menorah. There YahShua HaGadol met us there in the midst of the light of the Menorahs. “I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden Menorahs, and among the Menorahs was someone “like a son of man,” dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the Aleph and the Tauv, the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Sheol. (Revelation 1;12-18)” We see that each Menorah represented the righteous congregation that proclaims His Word. And we, as part of the Menorah, had to be full of the pure, virgin, pressed, olive oil – the Holy Spirit. “…when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. (John 16:13)” SHAVOUT or PENTECOST “From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to Yahweh. From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to Yahweh . 18 Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to Yahweh, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings-an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to Yahweh. Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. The priest is to wave the two lambs before Yahweh as a wave offering, together with the bread of the firstfruits. They are a sacred offering to Yahweh for the priest. On that same day you are to proclaim a sacred assembly and do no regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am Yahweh your Elohim. (Leviticus 23:15-22) It is at Pentecost, or more correctly Shavuot, that we may come and make our wave offering of New Grain before Yahweh. Shavuot is wholly futuristic in its perspective and work. We are coming to show Yahweh our seed. In the Tanach, the seed is coming. In the Gospels the seed came to die, be planted and resurrect as a harvest of seeds to be presented before Yahweh. In the Book of Acts, the seed lives. From the Epistle of Romans to Jude, the seed speaks out of the abundance of His heart. And in the Revelation, the seed reigns! Do we possess the seed? Messiah YahShua is: the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15), the seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16) and the seed of David (John 7:42). “Rebbe YahShua replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. (John 12:23-26)” “Do not plant two kinds of seed in your vineyard; if you do, not only the crops you plant but also the fruit of the vineyard will be defiled. (Deuteronomy 22:9)” Through the miracle of Shavuot, Yahweh wants us to understand the importance of the purity of the Seed. YOM TURAH or FEAST OF TRUMPETS “Yahweh said to Moses, Say to the Israelites: On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present an offering made to Yahweh by fire. (Leviticus 23:23-25) We eagerly look for the return of YahShua the Messiah, our Savior, for when He returns at the sound of the last shofar (trumpet) and voice of the archangel we shall receive our reward. “We believe that YahShua died and rose again and so we believe that Yahweh will bring with YahShua those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Sovereigns own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the King, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the King himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of Yahweh, and the dead in Messiah will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the King in the air. And so we will be with the King forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17)” Yom Teruah is the fourth Annual Sabbath and begins the seventh month and is a set-apart convocation, reminding us to keep our minds on heavenly things so that we rejoice upon the return of our Savior at the last shofar. “At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. (Luke 21:27-28)” YOM KIPPUR or DAY OF ATONEMENT “Yahweh said to Moses, The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made to Yahweh by fire. Do no work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before Yahweh your Elohim. Anyone who does not deny himself on that day must be cut off from his people. I will destroy from among his people anyone who does any work on that day. You shall do no work at all. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. It is a Sabbath of rest for you, and you must deny yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening you are to observe your Sabbath. (Leviticus 23:26-32) Yom Kippur points to YahShuas having made the corporate Atonement for us. Having reconciled the whole Commonwealth through YahShua. “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Messiah died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But Yahweh demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Messiah died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from Yahwehs wrath through him! For if, when we were Yahwehs enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in Yahweh through our King Messiah YahShua, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:6-11)” We are reminded how human and carnal we are and how needful we are of the Atoning Sacrifice of YahShua. Yom Kippur is the fifth Annual Sabbath and also brings in the Jubilee year. Historically it is the highest set-apart day of the year. SUKKOT or FEAST OF TABERNACLES “Yahweh said to Moses, Say to the Israelites: On the fifteenth day of the seventh month Yahwehs Feast of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work. For seven days present offerings made to Yahweh by fire, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present an offering made to Yahweh by fire. It is the closing assembly; do no regular work. …So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to Yahweh for seven days; the first day is a day of rest, and the eighth day also is a day of rest. 40 On the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm fronds, leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice before Yahweh your Elohim for seven days. Celebrate this as a festival to Yahweh for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. Live in booths for seven days: all native-born Israelites are to live in booths so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt. I am Yahweh your Elohim. (Leviticus 23:33-43) Sukkoth shows the righteous one-thousand-year reign of our soon-coming King Messiah YahShua, “Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, Yahweh El Shaddai, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:16)” A time of peace, prosperity and happiness shall prevail when YahShua rules, putting into effect the laws of His Father Yahweh, which are especially studied during the Sukkoth, showing our faith in Yahwehs eventual sovereignty over the entire earth. A commanded Assembly where Yahweh has placed His name, Sukkoth is observed seven days starting on the 15th day of the seventh month (Tishri 15 through 21), the first day is the sixth Annual Sabbath, Numbers 29:12. The Feast of Tabernacles lasts seven days, plus the Last Great Day, making it an eight-day celebration. THE LAST GREAT DAY The final culmination of the plan of Yahweh is completed in the great harvest of all humans who have ever lived, Revelation 20:5, and the eternal judgment of Yahweh is performed, Revelation 20:11-15; Hebrews 6:4. Known as the White Throne Judgment, Matthew 25:32, it is prefigured by the eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles, the seventh Annual Sabbath called the Last Great Day. It is the time of Yahwehs ultimate salvation, Leviticus 23:36; Numbers 29:35; John 7:37-38. It is then that a New Heaven and New Earth will be enjoyed, Isaiah 66:22; Revelation 21:1. The Sabbatical-Jubilee cycle is also indicative of Yahwehs plan of redemption in entering His rest. The Last Great Day, was celebrated by YahShua the Messiah in John 7:37, “On the last and greatest day of the Feast, YahShua stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.” It is typified by the communion we have beyond the “parokhet,” the curtain in the Sanctuary that divided the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. Then you realized that the immersion of the Spirit is the “Key of David” that allows you into the Holy of Holies. “These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. (Revelation 3:7)” But be warned, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery (which got the two priests, Nadab and Abihu in trouble – they offered strange fire). Instead, be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18)” Then the Spirit said something odd, “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Messiah and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in Yahweh, instruction about Mikveh, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. (Hebrews 6:1,2)” Those concepts are Outer Court things, we must move into the Most Excellent Place, the place of maturity, the third place – the King’s Chambers. There is a transition from two wills in the Outer Court into one will when we come into the Holy of Holies. “I saw the Sovereign seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Above him were Tzar HaPanim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is Yahweh Elohim; the whole earth is full of his glory. (Isaiah 6:1-3)” I saw the Mercy Seat and the Shekinah – the brightest of bright lights – between the two Karuvim. And I realized that from Passover to Pentecost to Yom Kippur everything was bringing us to this point in the Holy of Holies. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of Yahweh, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of Yahweh. (2 Corinthians 3:18)” Each Holy Day has its glory but it is the accumulation of glory - glory to glory – Passover to Tabernacles brings us to the Holy of Holies. “…till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of Yahweh, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Messiah (Ephesians 4:13)” “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love Yahweh, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If Yahweh is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:28-31)” “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of Yahweh! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of Yahweh; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. (1 John 3:1-2)” “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of Yahweh; and everyone who loves is born of Yahweh and knows Yahweh. (1 John 4:7)” The Book of Hebrews is “Present Truth.” It speaks to what Messiah YahShua HaGadol is doing now. The very name “Hebrew” comes the name “Eber” which comes from the Hebrew root word “ay-ber” meaning “region beyond or across.” So, the name Eberite or “Hebrew” carries with it the concept of transition. The Priesthood is changing, moving from the perspective of the future to the perspective of the present. Moving from man’s point of view to the mind of Messiah. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Messiah YahShua (Philippians 2:5).” The anointing is ever present flowing down from our ascended High Priest. This is called the “MeleckiTzaddik Principle.” We are Zadokite Priests, a forever royal, priesthood and our High Priest – is called the MeleckiTzaddik – King Messiah YahShua. “This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us (Acts 7:38)” The same Elohim that brought the Children of Israel out of the land of oppression – Egypt – revealing His name to them by the mouth of Moshe, bringing them up to the Mountain of Revelation – Horeb – through the Wilderness of Preparation to the plains of Midian – the place of the New Covenant – across the River Jordan – Judgment – to conquer Jericho – the place of the New Moon, is bringing a New Generation out of oppression, through testing and trial, to reveal to them His name and the name of His Son causing them to understand the true meaning of covenant, crossing them over judgment through His salvation giving them the understanding of New Beginnings – the realization of Sabbath and the Holy Days. “Thus says Yahweh: Keep justice, and do righteousness, for My salvation is about to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who lays hold on it; who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and keeps his hand from doing any evil. Do not let the son of the foreigner who has joined himself to Yahweh speak, saying, Yahweh has utterly separated me from His people; nor let the eunuch say, Here I am, a dry tree. For thus says Yahweh: To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast My covenant, even to them I will give in My House and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to Yahweh, to serve Him, and to love the name of Yahweh, to be His servants-- Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant-- Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations. The Sovereign Yahweh, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, Yet I will gather to him others besides those who are gathered to him. (Isaiah 56:1-6)”
Posted on: Wed, 02 Apr 2014 03:32:39 +0000
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