מוֹעֵד
moed
Strongs #4150
Phonetic Spelling: mo-ade’
Today as disciples/believers in Jesus/Yeshua as Messiah; we learn about, observe and celebrate the Appointed Times of God as if they were something just recently discovered, a new trend, the latest thing; when in fact they have been followed since Moses was instructed concerning them.
It’s only new to us, not to the children of Israel; and even they were more aware of their significance in earlier times.
In truth God set things in sync. in Genesis:
It is most probable that in Genesis 1:14, where ׳ מ אֹתֹת, the reference is to the sacred seasons as fixed by moon’s appearance; and so also ׳ עשׂה ירח למ he made the moon for sacred seasons Psalm 104:19, although many Lexicons & Commentaries refer these to the seasons of the year.
The word translated as seasons
in the Hebrew Masoretic Text (MT) is
moedim (H4150),
which means
appointed times.
Let Them Be…For Feasts?
Many folks associate the word seasons in Genesis 1
with the feasts of YHVH outlined in Leviticus 23
because it is the same Hebrew word moedim used in that text:
The Hebrew noun מועד moed,
Strong’s #4150
is translated as
appointed time, meeting, or season.
It literally means an appointment.
Genesis 1:14
HEB: וְהָי֤וּ לְאֹתֹת֙ וּלְמ֣וֹעֲדִ֔ים וּלְיָמִ֖ים וְשָׁנִֽים׃
KJV: and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years
Read that verse again replacing seasons with appointed times or festivals and it takes on a much richer meaning. Considering that God/Yahweh/YHWH, made the sun, moon, and all the stars for not only days and years and signs (something else to consider), but also for appointed times.
The plural moedim (מועדים), refers to any of the 3 mandatory Pilgrimage Festivals of Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot.
Shavuot (חג השבועות), also called Weeks or Pentecost.
This marks the climax of the Passover Season,
the giving of Torah at Sinai
and the
giving of the Ruach (Spirit) at Jerusalem.
It is the genesis/beginning
of the Re-New-ed Covenant
for all nations, tribes, and tongues…
Centuries and millennia ago the Lord’s seasons and appointed times were critical to daily life.
For them it was crucial to watch the sun and moon and stars and fix their eyes on the heavens.
Why?
Because they had to be sure when to plant,
when to wait,
when to harvest and
when to let the land lie follow.
In Luke 21:25 Jesus/Yeshua said there will be signs and they that see them would know.
This was also His accusation towards the religious leaders of the day, the fact that they did not recognize Him, that the signs should have confirmed His coming to them but they did not see them, or worse, chose to both ignore and deny them.
Matt 16:3 and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.
His disciples asked Him what they should be looking for..
Matt 24:1-51
Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
Matthew 24:1-51, Mark 13:1-37, Luke 21:5-36
Destruction of the Temple,
Signs of the Times and End of the Age
For the people, the waiting between events was just as important and as anticipated as the appointed times on certain days.
And they simply lived in harmony with the natural cycles of life and of the heavens and met with God when He said it was time.
Every farmer/ gardener knows, we plant and watch and wait for the fruits and crops to be declared ready and ripe before reaping the harvest.
Wrong timing means a poor harvest; which is why He waits patiently for the precious fruit of the earth. James 5:7,
In Luke 6:37 it is implied throughout these verses, that God acts as we are exhorted to act. They give a picture of the gracious spirit of God.—καὶ.
Give — Liberally to those that need your assistance; and it shall be given unto you —
For your kindness and liberality will naturally gain you love and respect; and God also, by His supernatural grace, will influence men’s hearts in your favour.
Good measure,
pressed down,
shaken together,
and running over —
Messiah makes use of these 3 phrases to express all the different kinds of good measure, according to the different nature of the things measured.
Some of them, to make the measure good, must be pressed down and trodden, like grapes and olives;
some of them must be shaken, as the several kinds of grain;
and some of them must be running over, such as all sorts of liquids.
The meaning of giving this
good measure into one’s bosom,
is an allusion to the eastern dress, which were long pieces of cloth wrapped round their bodies, and girded up with a girdle.
Their garments being of this kind, they could receive into their lap or bosom a considerable quantity of such dry goods as they sold by measure.
Μὴ κρίνετε, μὴ καταδικάζετε,
judge not, condemn not.
By judging, we decide as to the goodness or badness of an action: by condemning, we determine as to the person, what (punishment) the guilty has deserved.
Proverbs 10:5
In this the son is not wise because he stops to wonder if the correct time for harvesting has come. Is he not following events closely, so he doesn’t know what time it is?
However the son is wise because he gathers in Summer which is the appointed time, God’s timing.
Regardless of his understanding, he is to respond wisely and gather because the season has arrived.
The second part says he who sleeps in harvest time is a son who causes Shame.
There are many reasons God’s children fall asleep during a time of harvest.
It may be because we are sick, distracted, lazy or just think we know better than what God is telling us.
Whatever the reason we sleep, the outcome is that we miss the harvest because we weren’t paying attention to the time, to the season, to the Kingdom of the heavens, to the cycle of life and His/our appointed time.
This is why the children of Israel were instructed to Count the Omer because they were commanded to Count the days from Passover/Pesach to Pentecost/Shavuot.
Jesus/Yeshua kept and fulfilled the Appointed Times – Precisely.
It was crucial because they needed to know where they were according to Gods’ timetable. His schedule, His calendar; for the simple reason they would be ready to reap when it was time.
The reason we have a problem following Gods calendar, and the reason we fail to observe and do; is because we are keeping our own calendar, our own schedules, and our own plans and purposes, and our own important dates – those that are not on His calendar/ annual rhythm of life.
We need to remember that God’s calendar is
His will and His way..
and it has not changed since He initiated it with Moses.
It is men who have changed it and obscured the biblical rhythm of lifecycles. Instead of looking up we have our heads buried in busyness and business and miss even the most obvious things going on around us..
Here is a back handed compliment, in that, if you are under assault/attack in various ways then we are causing problems for the adversary/ha satan because we are keeping His commands.
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 1Peter 4:12,13
Nevertheless it is time to
wake up
stay alert
be on guard
and watch
so that our Heavenly Father’s seasons will not pass us by un-noticed any longer.
We are to be wise children and keep in sync. with our Heavenly Father, so that we will be ready for His gathering of the harvest when the summer arrives.
It was fulfillment prophetically, and as are all things pertaining to the coming of Messiah, this is a time to both reflect and prepare. The harvest of Shavuot/Pentecost may be more significant than we realize.
When He told them in Matthew 24 Mark 13 Luke 21, to wait in Jerusalem until the promise came, He was referring to Daniel 9:27 7:1311:31 and Joel and Isaiah 13:10 Ezekiel 32:7
It was not an enforced, all-restricting, lock-down; they were fully cognizant of the Time of the Omer and its significance. Pentecost/Shavuot, was waiting for the first fruits harvest, however the coming of the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh on Shavuot was a new experience and it initiated a spiritual harvest – the first fruits of Messiah’s resurrection.
3000 Jewish individuals were converted to Messiah in one day. We often miss the significance because we do not know His seasons.
3000 perished were Lost in the wilderness.(Num 26:10)
and it is not coincidence that 3000 was the number SAVED at shavuot/pentecost!
They were not new prophecies. He was reiterating prophecies already in the Torah, prophets and writings, which they were familiar.
Certain events have occurred in past generations however, the key is Matthew24:33 when all these things happen at the same time…
This is the generation that will not pass until all be fulfilled.
A harvest season may be the season of His return but He said we do not know the day nor the hour but be assured, the Bridegroom WILL COME for His Bride.
Paralambano – Greek: παραλαμβάνω
Strong’s #3880: paralambano
(pronounced par-al-am-ban’-o) from 3844 and 2983; to receive near, i.e. associate with oneself (in any familiar or intimate act or relation); by analogy, to assume an office; figuratively, to learn:–receive, take (unto, with)
verse 40 and 41. At the midnight hour which is more accurately: the mid of night.
Immediately before the washing of his feet in John 12:26/7 He said,
A short time is light among you walk in the light while you have it so you can become the children of light.
So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” John 12:35
While you have the Light, believe in the Light [have faith in it, hold to it, rely on it], that you may become sons of the Light and be filled with Light.
Verse 36b When Jesus had said these things, all these things he left and HE HID FROM THEM they would not be able to find him.
There is a time coming when He is not going to be found by those seeking.
The DOOR of grace will be closed as in was to the ark…. and the flood came and took them all away. Door/dalet I AM the Dalet/Door. Messiah is our ark.
Harvesting The Crop of SEEDS.
Mark 4:26, 29
How to succeed in sowing a seed
Everything Yeshua/Jesus taught them was in parables.
Examples of truth are enveloped in a simple story that gave a clear meaning to the listeners, that is; if they had ears to hear and eyes to see.
Secrets of the kingdom of the Heavens/Shamayim, hidden since the foundation of the world
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world. Matthew 13:35
We are living in the days the prophets spoke of and whatever we choose to believe will not change the truth our personal opinions are of no value unless they precisely echo the words of Yeshua/Jesus.
He said every word will be fulfilled, that means the bad as well as the good.
In Gods ways,
death initiates life….
and darkness is dispelled by light;
forward and upward are His directions
and we leave as we came – with nothing…
The kingdom of God, the kingdom of the heavens; Jesus/Yeshua said it has come. He told us to pray for it to continue to come; so it is a critical element in our individual walk.
There are many references to it and what it is like what its composition is and how to recognize it.
Here in Mark it is likened to a person who cast seed on the earth.
This is all the individual does
and as the days pass,
the seeds spring up and grow.
Although the man does not know how it grew.
God is the supplier of all seed (Nun/Noon) and we need to have faith to turn over our hands, so that the seed might fall to the ground and become a great harvest in our lives.
For by it self the earth brings forth fruit.
It doesn’t need our help it’s not even the seed or the one who sows that produces the crop but the soil by it’s self with no help from humans.
Truly this is a mystery
What proof do we have that the seed we sowed is the same seed that sprouts and grows?
First the stalk after that the head and after that the full grain in the head
As soon as the crop is ready to yield itself, immediately the man sends forth the sickle because the harvest has become.
The evidence is all circumstantial we think that since something grows where we put the seed it has grown from our seed that we planted.
The truth is that from the moment it leaves our hand and is covered with soil we do not see the seed again. We just trust that the seed we sowed is the same seed that will grow is and is the one that pushes up through the earth.
We wait,
sleep at night,
awake in the day
but how it grows we just don’t know
and our work was done at the sowing
This seed once nestled into its womb
and place of birth,
the earth,
then Life springs forth –
that life comes from the soil of the earth.
Another verse of this parable says the
seed is the word of God
and the
earth is the life of the individual
and the type of ground/ Life.
Here He is giving the progress of the seed both as how it is received and then what is produced.
First the stalk
This is the framework the structure that is planted deep in the life-giving soil and will support the plant.
To understand the parable is the mystery of the seed and despite all of our knowledge of science and biology, we still cannot explain why/how seeds sprout and grow.
The first point is:
that the seed is like the grace/chen of God which is an essential part of the process of becoming a disciple. We have to pray and realize that if God is not in it all of our efforts will come to nothing.
We have to be willing to be discipled from the Grace/Chen of God and not our own egos. When God is not at the heart of our efforts to spread the good news, then we are simply witnessing and not making disciples. Initially we need to get rid of our pride, prayerfully humble ourselves and ask our Father to give us the grace/chen to both reach and make disciples in faith.
It is the foundation which must be stable, likened to the house built on sand or rock a sure foundation is essential or in any kind of storm it will not withstand the elements and be destroyed.
Next the head
wheat
This is the container for the fruit that will yield the fruit for the crop. The stalk must be strong to hold this head of fruit.
corn
It is like a house and within it is the precious new life/chaim.
We too are His House on the earth and since Jesus/Yeshua came, we are the containers, the precious fruit of the earth that He waits patiently for.
The second point of the parable is the slow progression of growth: first the blade,
then the ear,
then the full grain in the ear.
We mature in faith with baby steps and saints are not made in 24 hours. Developing faith is a life time project because we change and grow in stages. Discipling is the process of mentoring people from one stage of faith to another, and having the discernment to recognize when someone is ready for the next step. Unless grace/chen has done its work, a person cannot be rushed in their development – just like growing corn, it takes 90 days not 30.
It cannot be grow any quicker. We can plant, water, fertilize, but corn will take about 90 days to ripen. Some flowers like daffodils brought inside in the early spring forces them to open but we can’t force corn. Mentoring others in faith means: having patience and a discerning eye to know when someone is ready for the next challenge to their faith muscles being stretched. Sadly some never progress beyond a certain stage and even regress, it’s all a matter of choice and freewill.
The next is the full grain in the head or ear.
At this stage the fruit comes forth abundantly
It is to be noted that it takes a specific time to develop, it’s perfect in its time.
Ecclesiastes 3:11. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Everything in God’s creation tells us of His ways.
They are always in perfect time and in Godly order.
Life/nun gives way to fullness/chet/50/shavuot/pentecost, and the seed grows through its stages to full maturity the full corn in the ear.
It began as a seed in a human hand small and dormant not dead but sleeping in a kind of stasis, awaiting the perfect conditions predetermined by its creator.
When those conditions were applied from its humble origin in the seed realized it’s God assigned destiny and it reached its potential to the fullest extent.
So the third point of the parable is to recognize the harvest. When people are ready to be spiritually fruitful, they are ready to do whatever Holy Spirit leads them to do. If you have ever seen a field of corn or any crop that has reached its moment of glorious maturity it is a sight moving like the waves of the sea.
A grand Vista of proud growth pristine standing tall reaching for the sky and sunshine and yet it is not serving it’s true and final purpose it is failing to fulfill that which God has created it for. It has matured so it cannot grow anymore it is complete and ready but its final goal is not yet realized.
And the next verse 29, harvest has come, and the man sends forth the sickle. All that hard work: from birth to growing up, to establishing foundation and of maturing through life
and now
to be cut down in it’s prime?!
Life gives birth to death…and yet in that death,
finally it is now able to fulfill its’ God appointed destiny…
He grew up a shoot Isaiah 11:1
A shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.
Only to be cut down in His prime and yet from Him came such abundant seed which today is still multiplying from His death.
The seed the farmer sowed into the ground is a reference to us today, we like the seed, have being scattered on the ground…
and His call to us today is to sprout and grow
but like the seed we won’t know how.
But God….
as we are the containers of the seed we have within us His life/chaim. His Ruach/His Spirit and by it’s self/ Himself/His Spirit produces a crop;and with every Appointed Time of His Annual Life Cycle we are refilled and brought to fullness at Shavout/Pentecost ready to GO and Make Disciples of all nations sowing precious seed of our own for His Kingdom.
Matt 13:23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:1-15.
Mishpachah/family and Cheverim/friends, Our Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is calling us to lay down our lives.
Come,
come now,
and don’t delay.
The kingdom of His heavens is at hand, even at the door
and the head is full of grain
and the crop is ready;
which means He will come with His sickle –
so let us willingly, humbly, yield ourselves,
because the time of harvest has come.
He grows us up to cut us down.
It is His way, He did it with His only begotten Son Jesus/Yeshua; so why would we think it would be any different for us.
He matures us to our fullest potential and then takes us for Himself and uses us for His purposes.
Let us gladly, jointly, surrender all, to the gatherer of His harvest because we cannot know how seeds sprout and grow – only the one who created every seed understands this mystery.
He plants us, gives us Life, makes us grow and be a ready crop..
Now He comes For His Harvest!
Aware that the mp4 below is obviously ‘out of season’ in its timing but be encouraged to listen in amazement to this presentation of HALLELUJAH sung by Kaylee Rogers who loves Jesus with all her heart.
What makes this talented singer even more special is, Kaylee is a challenged child, overcoming autism and ADHD. She is, in the truest sense, an OVERCOMER as the BIBLE speaks of and so are her many precious schoolmates at the wonderful KILLARD SCHOOL for special needs children in Northern Ireland.
These scriptures have never seemed more real! Matt 18:3 “Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matt 19:14 But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Oh my! How much we can learn from children such as these!
P.S. For those counting, today is day 32, which is 4 weeks and 4 days of the Omer; day 49 will be Wednesday night May 27th 2020.
Shalom shalom mishpachah and cheverim! You are loved and appreciated and prayed for daily.