The Feasts of the Lord

Beginning at sundown this Friday evening is the start of the High Holy day in the Jewish calendar; Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement. Two weeks ago I wrote a post about the Feast of Trumpets/Yom Teru'ah or Rosh Hoshana (see Days of Awe, Sept. 3). Some may ask why we as Christians should even care about the Feast or Holidays of the Jewish faith, and not too long ago I might have agreed with them. But, again not too long ago, my eyes were opened to the prophetic pictures that were laid out by God when He gave these feasts to the Children of Israel.

Leviticus Chapter23 lists the Feasts of the Lord. You will notice that there are eight festivals or feasts listed. Some will argue with me and say that there are only seven feasts, but notice that He lists Shabbat (Sabbath) as the first and the most important. It is so important He listed it as the fourth Commandment (Exodus 20:8-11), right after 1) I am the Lord your God, you shall have not other gods before me, 2) Don't make any graven images, or bow down to them 3) don't use my name in vain or vulgar usage 4) remember the Sabbath. It's that important to God that He makes sure his people understand the most important Feast/Holy day comes every seven days.

The Greeks understood this when they tried to Hellenize Israel during the second Temple period. During that time they forbade the use of the Jewish Calendar on the theory that if you don't know what day it is, you don't know when to worship. Not realizing that every priest knew the calendar by heart and could reproduce it on demand. Also, the Greeks were unable to stop the cycle of the Moon or the seasons, and all farmers know that better than anyone. The Jewish calendar is on a Lunar schedule, and looks like this:

This is the more common design for the Jewish calendar in that it can slide the Gregorian (common calendar that we use) around inside the Jewish. The notes around the outside point out the various feasts. Starting in the First Month (Nisan - *Note here, all of the names of the months listed are essentially Babylonian in nature. If you read through the Old Testament or Torah you will not find a month named, it will be identified as a number of the month) on through the 12^th month, with the 13^th short month which was added every 6^th year which allowed them to fudge the days forward or back as needed to get the days in align; as the calendar is based on the moons schedule not the suns.

By looking at the calendar, you might notice something else; all the feasts fall into two specific time periods Spring and Fall. For an agrarian society, this could really make sense, as most of the work will have already been done and you would have time to do the celebrating. But I feel God had a better reason, here He was giving a big hint about His plan of Salvation, Redemption and the coming of our Lord Yeshua HaMachiach (Jesus the Messiah).The first four feasts, known as the Spring Feasts, start with the First month on the 14^th day, the children of Israel are instructed to remember and celebrate, and remember, the great Passover. This will be followed by the 7 day Feast of the Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:4-8). During this time they were to eat bread without any yeast (chametz). These two were to commemorate Gods mercy on His people when He sent the last plague upon the Egyptians, and took the lives of all the first born in their homes (Exodus 12:1-28). Only if the people of Israel had been faithful, and followed the command of Moses (Moshe) and placed the blood of the sacrificial Lamb upon the doorposts and lintel of their homes would the angel of death 'pass over' that home. The unleavened bread was to help them remember the haste with which they left Egypt, not enough time to let the yeast work through the lump of dough and make it rise.

The next two feasts, First Fruits and Shavu'ot, are agriculture in origin, but have been also given liturgical significance. On the 16^th of the first month (the day after the beginning of the 7 day feast of unleavened bread) they were to take the first of the grain they harvested (barley) to the priest to offer as a wave offering before the altar of the Lord(Leviticus 23:9-13). The next day would then begin the counting of 7 weeks full weeks (or 50 days after the wave offering of first grains) for the next feast; the Feast of Weeks (Leviticus 23:15-22). 50 days (Pentecost in Greek) represented the time from the crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites to the reaching of Mt. Sinai and receiving of the Law. This Feast represented the beginning of the Summer Harvest. On the completion of the counting (on the 50^th day) they were to offer two wheat loaves baked WITH yeast (the only bread baked with yeast that ever entered the temple) were waved before the altar of the Lord.The significance of these first four Feasts for the Christian church is paramount. Christ was our Sacrificial Lamb who came as the Suffering Servant Messiah (Mashiach ben Yoseph) (Isaiah 53), who was the sacrificial lamb, slain for our sins on the afternoon of day before Passover, who arose as the First Fruits of the grave on the day of the offering of First Fruits. Christ then appeared to the disciples for 40 days before He ascended into heaven, and the angel of the Lord told the Disciples to wait in Jerusalem; they waited for 10 days before the Holy Spirit came upon them (50 days). This represents the First of the Harvest (the birthday of the Church) of the Gospel of Christ. The two loaves, baked with yeast (chametz) represents the Church being both Jew and Gentile. Through this we can see that Christs first comming is represented in each of the Spring Feasts and can be celebrated as such; but what about the Fall Feasts, how is He represented there, or is He?

On the first day of the 7^th month is the Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:23-25), throughout Israel (and anywhere there is a Jewish congregation) you will hear shofars (rams horns) being blown. It is a day of rest, a sacred congregation. It was, and is, a call to remind people, to wake them up to their faith; it was exactly 10 days before the High Holy day, the Day of Atonement. On the 10^th day of the 7^th month was the day set aside for Judgment (Leviticus 23:26-32). For the Jew, this is the day of the sealing of the Books of Life or Death for the year; if he was righteous and had made atonement for his sins, his name was inscribed in the book of Life, if not, otherwise. The period between these two days are called the Days of Awe, and are used to reflect upon the past year, to determine if there were any sins of commission or omission that need to be repented of before the books are sealed.The last Feast is the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). Five days after Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) the 15^th of the 7^th month, begins the 8 day festival of living in booths, it was to help them remember the times of wandering. God wanted the Jews to celebrate the fact that He provided shelter for the Israelites in the wilderness (Leviticus 23:33-43). Jews will worship, eat meals, sleep overnight, and decorate the booths; it is a time of celebration of what the Lord has done for them.

For the Christian, we can see the prophecy of the second coming time of the Lord in the Fall Feasts. The Feast of Trumpets is seen in the coming of Christ, as the Bridegroom who comes to take His Bride, the Church home with Him (1Cor. 15:51-53). Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) represents the Final Judgment (Rev. 20:11-15) by God on the Great White Throne reading what was written in the books; Praise the Lord, we have the confidence that our names are written in the Lambs Book of Life (Rev. 21:27). The Feasts of the Tabernacles helps remind us that we are just sojourners here in this world, this is not our true home. The huts also helps remind us that Christ has prepared a new home for us (John 14:2), and represent our homes in Heaven with Him.Chaverim, how could we ignore such a beautiful prophetic look at Christ's sacrifice for us, the birth of His bride, the Church and His Second Coming for His Bride and not stand in Awe? L'Shana Tova Tikatevu – May you be inscribed (in the Lambs book of Life) for a good forever.

Baruch HaShem

Proverbs – משלי) 3)

My personal Bible study is taking me through the book of Proverbs, and for now and the next few weeks, my postings will probably come directly from them. If you haven't spent much time reading Proverbs, you are missing out on a lot of just in general good advice and thinking (see Proverbs Ch 1). A vast majority of the Proverbs were written by Solomon (1 Kings 4:32). He was the third King of Israel, a son of King David, who was a man after Gods own heart.

When Solomon was made King, he prayed not for riches, but for wisdom to rule his people. God heard and blessed him with both (1 Kings, 3:4-15; 2 Chron. 1:7-12). His sayings were written down during the time of his reign, and compiled into a book during the time of Hezekiah. The Bible records that Solomon's wisdom was beyond any that were before or after (1 Kings 3:12; 4:29-34). If all of this is true, and his wisdom came from Adonai, then maybe we ought to listen too, and understand what He is trying to teach us?

Why did I start with the 3^rd chapter? Because this one jumped out and grabbed hold of me, and this is how I know the Lord is trying to teach me something; you know how you can have read a verse innumerable times, yet you read it once more and it just speaks to you! That is when He is talking through your heart. This chapter is just chock full of wisdom in short paragraphs, cause and effect seems to be the way Solomon taught. If you will do this, this will be your reward; if you don't this will happen. I really wanted to write about verses 9 and 10 which talk about the cause and effect of tithing; but the verses just before them (5-7) really spoke to me; so I guess I will have to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit (רוח הקודש - Ruach HaKodesh).

The Hebrew language is a very earth based language. Where the English we use is pretty succinct in its definition of each word; Hebrew tends to have more than one definition for each word and this changes each time depending on how the word is used. Take for instance ruach (רוח) the word I translated spirit for the Holy Spirit. The word can also mean breath, as when Yeshua (Jesus) breathed on the disciples and said to them "Receive the Holy Spirit" (John 20:22); from that we can draw the conclusion that the Holy Spirit (רוח הקודש - Ruach HaKodesh) is the very Breath of Adonai. Beautiful concept isn't it?

In English Proverbs 3:5-6 reads:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
       and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him,
       and he will make your paths straight.

(Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV)

Pretty powerful words, written again with a promise. But I find that if I look at the original Hebrew, I find a slightly stronger set of words. The word that is translated Trust (בטוח - betach), can also be more completely translated as 'boldly confident', and I find that I like that concept more. The name of God used is el-Adonai (אֶל־יְ֭הוָה) indicating the 'God of mercy, the God the Father'. The next phrase translated 'all your heart' (בְּכָל־לִבֶּ֑ךָ- bechol-li'becha) is actually hyphenated meaning that the two words together bring the meaning of 'whole or all, inner man, mind or heart'. You can see that we are developing a more complete understanding of the words used here. The entire next phrase, in Hebrew has a similar understanding but slightly different twist. In English 'and lean not on your own understanding', where the phrase (ךָ֗וְאֶל־בִּֽ֝ינָתְ אַל־תִּשָּׁעֵֽן׃)
 ve'el-benetecha al-tisha'en can be translated 'do not try to support yourself with your own knowledge or discernment'. Wow, is that ever an inflective phrase.

Verse 6 in English reads: 'in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight,'. In Hebrew it has a slightly different bent because of the way that the Jew looked at his faith. To the Jew, his faith was a journey, a walk. In fact, those that most closely 'walked' their faith were called tzadik (צדיק) or 'walks upright'. In Hebrew the verse looks like this ( בְּכָל־דְּרָכֶ֥יךָ דָעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝ה֗וּא יְיַשֵּׁ֥ראֹֽרְחֹתֶֽיךָ׃ ) transliterated – bechol-deracheicha dah'ehu vehu ye-yasher orechoteicha which can be translated as meaning 'your whole journey, know him, and he will make your road smooth'. Rabbi Paul knew this when he alliterated his, and others faith, to a race (1 Cor. 9:24; Gal. 2:2, 5:7; 2 Tim. 4:7), and think how much nicer, and faster a smooth road or path would be for the racer.

Let's put this all together with the new version:

Be boldly confident in God your Father in your whole heart

Do not try to support yourself with your own knowledge;

But on your whole journey, know him and he will make your road smooth.

     (Prov. 3:5-6)(Stephens Translation)    

But Solomon didn't stop with that thought there, he took it even further:

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.

8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones. (Prov. 3:7-8 NIV)

The Hebrew reads (אַל־תְּהִ֣י חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ יְרָ֥א אֶת־יְ֝הוָ֗ה וְס֣וּר מֵרָֽע׃) and is transliterated – al-tehi chacham be'inecha yera et-Adonai vesur mera. One way to translate to English would be to read it as saying 'Don't be cunning to your own conceit, fear God the Father and turn aside from evil'. Not only do we get the earlier translation meaning of don't be conceited to the picture of someone trying to be sneaky around God, but just like a father, he knows all that is going on around him. We just have to turn away from that evil. Why, you may ask, because Solomon was always putting in a cause and effect.

Verse 8 reads in Hebrew (רִ֭פְאוּת תְּהִ֣י וְ֝שִׁקּ֗וּי לְשָׁרֶּ֑ךָ לְעַצְמֹותֶֽיךָ׃)–rif'ut tehi lesharrecha ve'shik le'atzmovteicha; and because of the Hebrew word pictures can be translated as 'it will be a healing to the center of yourself'. Slightly different word picture here; this is the effect of turning away from the evil and fearing God.

Let's try to put this altogether then in a new look translation:

Be boldly confident in God your Father in your whole heart

Do not try to support yourself with your own knowledge;

But on your whole faith journey,

know him and he will make your road smooth.

Don't be cunning to your own conceit

Fear God the Father and turn aside from evil

It will be a healing to the center of yourself.

(Prov. 3:5-8)(Stephens Translation)

Chaverim, Be bold in the Lord, know Him and He will make your paths smooth and be a healing to your inner core.

Baruch HaShem

Days of Awe

If you have any Jewish, or even Messianic, friends, you might find them a little distracted, introspective of late. You might find this true even more over the 10 day period from September 7^th to 18^th. We are entering a period of the Jewish calendar called the High Holy days. The month of Elul (August 10^th – Sept 7^th this year) is a period of repentance before New Year (ראש הושענא - Rosh Hashanah)/Feast of Trumpets (יום תרועה - Yom Teru'ah) which begins the '10 Days of Awe' before Day of Atonement (יום כיפור - Yom Kippur) September 18^th (or Tishri 10^th if you are following the Jewish calendar). These are days where you review the previous year, to see if there is any unfulfilled vow, whether you have hurt someone unintentionally (or intentionally), how can I improve myself in the coming year, etc. I think you get the point. Anyway, you might be getting a phone call or some communication from your friend, asking forgiveness, or wanting to make up for something they have or haven't done.

In the Temple times, this was when the High Priest would prepare himself for entering the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur and perform the ritual of atonement for the people of Israel (see Leviticus 16) by sprinkling the blood of a goat on the Mercy Seat on the Ark of the Covenant. If the High Priest had not confessed all of his sins and made sacrifice for them, he would die in the Holy of Holies before the Shechinah Glory (השכינה פאר - presence of God). This period of ritual cleansing took the 10 days prior to the Day of Atonement as preparation with ritual sacrifices, period of introspection, bathing and preparation of robes etc. Everything had to be just right.

During this period our Jewish minded friends are confronting two actions of faith I have written about recently Repentance (בתשובה - Teshuva) and Fear of the Lord (ליראה את־יהוה - le-yirah et-Adonai). As a review, Teshuva means more than just repentance (being sorry, recognizing a wrong and being sorry about it); (שוב - shuv) means to physically turn. We turn our actions from destructive to good, and turn our hearts from evil to God. Special services are held in the synagogues, and the Shofar (שופר - rams horn) is sounded daily, to wake the people to repentance and teshuva.

Fear of the Lord (ליראה את־יהוה - le-yirah et-Adonai) is an expression that always bothered me, how can you love and fear something at the same time? Fear has such a negative connotation in the English language, you fear snakes, spiders, or bugs; not a loving God. Here again, the English language is woefully inadequate to complete the thought. The Jewish idea here is actually three levels of fear, the first level is the fear of unpleasant consequences or punishment (yirat ha'onesh). This is fear not only of physical pain, but also what we believe what others think or expect of us, and about us. The second type of fear (yirah) is still a fear of unpleasantness, the fear of breaking Gods laws (yirat Ha-Milkhut) and the resultant punishment if you do. The third (and highest) level/ kind of fear is that of a profound reverence for life from 'rightly seeing'. This level discerns the Presence of God in all things and is sometimes called yirat Ha-Romemnut – 'Awe of the Exalted' where fearing and seeing are linked and united. We are elevated to this level of reverent awareness, holy affection, and genuine communion with God's Holy Spirit (רוח
הקודש - Ruach HaKodesh). This love for good creates a spiritual antipathy for evil, and conversely, hatred of evil is a way of fearing God (Prov. 8:13, John 3:20-21).

According to Jewish tradition, on Rosh Hashanah the destiny of the wholly righteous, the tzaddikim (צדיקים), are written in the Book of Life (הספר החיים), and the destiny of the wholly wicked, the resha'im (רשעים) are written in the Book of Death (הספר המוות). Most people, however, won't be inscribed ion either book, but are given ten days, until Yom Kippur, to repent before sealing their fate. Here we see the effects of yirat ha'onesh and yirat ha-Milkhut working, while they try to make sure all their deeds are covered. These ten days between Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur are called the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah – The Ten Days of Repentance. These are days that call for sincere personal repentance so that our name is written in the Book of Life.

As Messianic/Christian believers, we maintain that the Judgment Day has come and justice was served through the sacrificial offering of Yeshua for our sins (2 Cor. 5:21). All those who truly belong to Him are written the 'Lambs Book of Life' or Sefer HaChayim (ספר החיים) (Rev. 3:5). As believers, who belong to Yeshua our Messiah, we eventually have to stand before Him in the judgment of believers, called the' Judgment seat of Christ' (2 Corinthians 5:10) where we will not fear condemnation, but give and account of how we 'walked out' His salvation in this world. We will receive the award we deserve (sort of an award ceremony), rewarding acts of service done during our allotted time here on earth in our mortal state.

We also know that there are two other judgments to come; the 'sheep and goats' judgment at the end of the Great Tribulation period (Matthew 25:31-36), and the 'Great White Throne' judgment at the end of the Millennial Kingdom period (Revelations 10:11-15). Common to each of these judgments is the inevitability that all, both living and dead, saved and unsaved, will ultimately give an account of their lives before Yeshua as the True Judge (Romans 14:11-12, Isaiah 45:22-25).

The central theme of Rosh Hashanah is to recall that God is our Creator, our King, and therefore our righteous Judge. Since our souls are 'on loan' from God, we have the moral obligation to serve Him as our true King and to answer to Him as our righteous Judge. The Scriptures declare that every person who has ever lived will face judgment one day (Hebrews 9:27). This is because the Lord is the God of Truth and His judgments define the nature of reality itself. Indeed the Scriptures reveal that there are heavenly 'books' that contain detailed records of all that we did (or did not do) during our time here 'on earth' (Revelations 10:12).

Chaverim, today you are writing the 'Book of your Life'; every action of your life – every thought, decision, deed – is being 'recorded' in the archives of Heaven itself. When your soul returns to account for itself before God one day, this 'book' will be opened before the 'Judge of the Universe' (אלוהים- Elohim) (Matthew 12:36). Ultimately each of us will have to confess the truth about who we are, and what we have become. We can begin that process now through confession of our sins (1 Cor. 11:31). If we refuse to do this, we may be 'chastened' so that we may not be condemned along with the world (1 Cor. 11:32). Most Christians are encouraged to practice self-examination before partaking of the elements of the Lords Table (communion) (1 Cor. 11:28-29), whereas self examination and confession should be part of our everyday lives as followers of the Messiah (1 Cor. 11:30-31, 1 John 1:7-8, James 5:16).

Now I know that those in school don't want to hear this, but Life is a test and that you will one day stand before Christ to give account for every detail of your life. We need to be mindful of eternity and of the inevitability of your own personal judgment day. If the thought of this causes you anxiety, what do you need to do differently in your life so that you may have confidence for that day (2 Cor. 5:9, Heb. 12:1)? There is great glory coming your way, Hallu-ya (הללו יה)! May God help you 'to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory' (1 Thess. 2:12).

Barukh Moshi'einu