Moedim – מועדים
Continued from the last post where we looked at an overview of the Spring Moedim – Our heavenly Fathers Appointed Times/ Seasons/Signs.
The fall Moedim or last of the 7 annual appointed times/feasts begin in September in the Hebrew month of Tishrei.
The calendar months are shown in a chart below:
The spring feasts/moedim, clearly reveal the first coming of Jesus our Messiah/Yeshua our Mashiach:
Rosh Chodashim – The Biblical/spiritual New Year [Nisan 1]
Preparing for Passover – Spring – cleaning house
Passover Pesach – Celebration of freedom/deliverance
The Passover Seder – Nisan 15 (evening of the 14th)
Unleavened Bread/Chag HaMatzot – Messiah’s Burial – Nisan 15-22
Sefirat HaOmer – Counting from the Omer – Nisan 16 – Sivan 5; the countdown to Shavu’ot.
Firstfruits – Reishit Katzir- Messiah’s Resurrection; Nisan 17
Pentecost – Shavu’ot – The giving of the Torah at Sinai and the giving of His Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit to the Church – Sivan 6-7
Due to the length of the previous post, Shavuot,
pronounced Sha-voo-ote/ Pentecost,
it is included here first, as the last of the Spring Moedim.
Links for more on each of the Moedim are included throughout the text and for Shavuot at link below:
https://www.minimannamoments.com/2-x-3000-a-marriage-made-in-heaven/
Its’ purpose was the Offering of the harvest – First Fruits in the month of Sivan, mid-May to mid-June, seven weeks plus one 50 days after the First Fruits of Unleavened Bread.
The Greek word for Pentecost meaning 50. It was symbolized by the basket, which at Shavuot would have held the wheat recently harvested.
Leviticus 23:15. And you shall count from the next day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete; 16. To the next day after the seventh Sabbath shall you count fifty days; and you shall offer a new meal offering to the Lord. 17. You shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven; they are the first fruits to the Lord. 18. And you shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bull, and two rams; they shall be for a burnt offering to the Lord, with their meal offering, and their drink offerings, an offering made by fire, of sweet savor to the Lord. 19. Then you shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lamb of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings. 20. And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering before the Lord with the two lambs; they shall be holy to the Lord for the priest. 21. And you shall proclaim on the same day, that it may be a holy gathering to you; you shall do no labor in it; it shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. 22. And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not make clean riddance up to the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning of your harvest; you shall leave them to the poor, and to the stranger; I am the Lord your God.
This commandment to leave the corners and not to glean is the only commandment in Leviticus 23 that deals with something other than these special days. The reason for this command is that this reminds the farmer that the crop is not his, but the Lord’s; it also ties in with the story of Ruth and Boaz.
The Feast of Weeks is not on a specific date, but the start of it is determined by counting the weeks, seven weeks plus one day, which is why it is called Weeks.
As already mentioned, the Greek name is Pentecost, meaning 50, for the 50 days or 7 weeks plus 1 day. Counting the days between them ties the two First Fruits together, just as Yeshua/Jesus ties His resurrection, ascension, and the giving of the baptism of His Holy Spirit at the Feast of Weeks/Pentecost.
Exodus 19:1 tells us that in the 3rd month, the month of Shavuot, the people were at Sinai. This chapter tells how He gave the Torah to His people and for this reason Weeks/Shavuot, also celebrates the giving of Torah. The emphasis on Torah brings to mind the statement.
You shall have no other gods before Me.
This means we must leave ALL our idols behind, which is hard to do in this materialistic, Nicolaiton-like, Humanist, pleasure-filled age. In our fleshly carnal lives, old habits die hard, clearly seen with the children of Israel during their years in the wilderness; and today, in our focus on material things instead of being doers of the things Messiah speaks of in Matthew 25:35.
For I was hungry and you gave Me to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, 36. and I was poorly clothed and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.
Because in Exodus 19:8 all the people answering said, All that the Lord has spoken we will do and this was on Shavuot; this day is likened to a wedding, tying His people permanently to Him.
The Fall Feasts reveal:
the Messiah coming for His bride
the kellat Mashiach – Bride of Messiah,
the 2nd coming of our Savior,
the national conversion and atonement of Israel, God’s original-covenant people,
and – especially regarding Sukkot –
the final restoration of the earth in the olam habah/world to come:
Yamim Nora’im – Days of Awe:
Rosh Hashanah–Trumpets – Yom Teru’ah on Tishri 1 –
the Messiah coming for His bride/the kellat Mashiach –
i.e., the church/ecclesia or Bride of Christ.
https://www.minimannamoments.com/apocalypse-of-the-teruahs-cry/
Day of Atonment – Yom Kippur – Tishri 10 – Israel’s national salvation
Tabernacles – Sukkot – Tishri 15-21 – A picture of the millennial kingdom
Hoshana Rabbah – Tishri 21 The seventh day of Sukkot
Shemini Atzeret – Tishri 22 – The 8th day of assembly following Sukkot
Simchat Torah – Tishri 23 – Celebration of the giving of the Torah
More relevant posts found on home page under main heading:
The Hebraic Biblical Spiritual Year begins with Passover/Pesach and the Hebrew/Jewish civil year in Israel begins in the fall. Preparations for these days begin with a 30 day period of repentance/teshuvah during the entire month of Elul.
The Fall appointed times/mo’adiym for Israel are outlined in Leviticus 23:23-44.
Then the next 10 days begin on Tishri 1 with the
Feast of Trumpets/Rosh Hashanah,
and end on Tishri 10 with the
Day of Atonement Yom Kippur,
These first 10 days of the civil new year are called the
Ten Days of Awe – aseret ye’mei teshuvah: עֲשֶׁרֶת יְמֵי תְּשׁוּבָה.
In Hebrew they are also called:
The High Holy Days –
Aseret Yemei Teshuvah – Ten Days of Repentance.
This takes place during the first 10 days of the month of Tishrei, which is usually between late August to late September.
Days of Awe is the name of these days from
Rosh HaShanah to Yom Kippur,
these days are for each person to focus on repentance and on choosing to be a better person during the coming year than they were in the year just completed.
In Psalm 119:59 David knew he was not perfect: and we all need to be like him as he said, I considered my ways.
All of us must admit that since the beginning of time there has only been One perfect being Who walked the earth – our Messiah.
The Fall Appointed Times are intended to remind us each year that everything we say or do should be done for eternal reasons reminding ourselves that all our words and actions have eternal consequences and results
The Fall Appointed Times
can help us to understand an eternal truth.
Almost all believers are at least aware to some extent of the
Biblical Fall Holy Days:
Rosh HaShanah/Yom Teruah/Feast of Trumpets,
Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement
and Sukkot /Tabernacles.
https://www.minimannamoments.com/midweek-mannabite-the-sound-of-the-trumpet/
Over the years, more and more churches have begun to add, or in some way recognize these days.
In Judaism, these Days are referred to in terms of
repentance and asking for forgiveness
and then
having sins covered from one year to the next,
through the substitutionary sacrifice made on Yom Kippur.
As we read and study these days in the full context of Scripture, we learn that the most important part of them is not about the here and now, but about the eternal aspect. These days, as well as all of the other Appointed Times, were provided so that we would have a temporary symbolic reminder in helping us to be more focused on the eternal reality of our existence and future goal.
These Appointed Times/Moedim, are to continually remind us that we are an eternal spirit/soul living temporarily in a physical body and to be more mindful of the Heavenly, not the Earthly.
Why is this important?
Because if we are living solely for the present, then our hearts are focused on the things of this world which include the snares and traps of the enemy in the form of addictions, fornication, greed, envy, gluttony, adultery and all other sins as we read in:
1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the boasting of life—is not from the Father but from the world. The world is passing away along with its desire, but the one who does the will of God abides forever.
Also in Romans 8:7-8
For the mindset of the flesh is hostile toward God, for it does not submit itself to the law of God—for it cannot. 8 So those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
and Romans 8 doesn’t end there… it goes on to say in verse 9:
However, you are not in the flesh but in the Ruach (Spirit)—if indeed the Ruach Elohim dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Ruach of Messiah, he does not belong to Him.
This dichotomy between the temporal of the Flesh and the Eternal of the Spirit is also revealed in Galatians 5:16-17:
But I say, walk by the Ruach, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Ruach, but the Ruach sets its desire against the flesh—for these are in opposition to one another, so that you cannot do what you want.
We can clearly see that the battle is not about being good or bad, it is about living for either the temporal or the eternal and as it says in Colossians 3:1-2:
Therefore, if you have been raised up with Messiah, keep seeking the things above—where Messiah is, sitting at the right hand of God. Focus your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
The Fall Appointed Times are intended to remind us each year that everything we say or do must be done for eternal reasons because our words and actions have eternal results or consequences.
Sometimes called the Day of Memorial
The Hebrew name is Zichron – Memorial or Remembrance,
More well known as Rosh HaShanah/ ראש השנה /New Year.
This time can be a good opportunity for us to remember all that our Heavenly Father has done for us and for each of us to respond to the ongoing call to teshuvah/repentance,
a time of reflection in preparation for remembering the Day of Atonement that Messiah is indeed our atoning sacrifice.
This time is sometimes referred to as the Feast of Trumpets/Yom Teruah, the Bible does not specifically call this a feast, and neither is a trumpet mentioned in the Hebrew text. The shofar/rams horn, is blown as a call to repentance.
Leviticus 23:23. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24. Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall you have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of horns, a holy gathering. 25. You shall do no labor in it; but you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.
Tradition has noted this day as being the anniversary of Creation, which is how this day became known as Rosh Hashanah/New Year. Civil Years are dated from this day, while months are counted from Nisan, Passover/Pesach which is also the start of the spiritual new year.. The year 2022 is the Hebrew year of 5782 and moving into 5783.
Tradition also has the Day of Memorial as Judgment Day. Matthew 16: 27. For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will give back to each according to his actions.
The focus of synagogue services are prayer and repentance. There are services the first evening, the next morning, then a late afternoon service which has a custom called Tashlikh, meaning cast, during which sins are symbolically cast into the sea. This is based on Micah 7:19.
He will again have compassion upon us; he will suppress our iniquities; and you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
The whole congregation throws bread into the nearest sea, lake, or river. Cast your bread upon the waters.. Ecclesiastes 11:1 and Micah 7:19 says ..You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. The water needs to be flowing to represent the washing away of sin. The waters of Rosh Hashanah symbolize the creation of the world and its new beginning, as with each individual and the casting away of sin. Most important in this event is a call for forgiveness, for each individual to forgive everyone of everything each has against someone.
True repentance cannot bear fruit until the repentant person forgives every one of every little thing and every big thing. Nothing can be held back.
Matthew 6:12, 14, 15. You must right now forgive our sins for us, in the same manner as we have completed forgiving everyone of everything, big and little, against us. 14. For if you would forgive all other people their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15. but if you would not forgive all other people, neither will your Father forgive your sins.
The Day of Memorial celebration lasts two days because it is so difficult to precisely determine the day for the new moon, the 1st of Tishrei, other months are less critical than Tishrei 1.
At meal times, round loaves of hallah/challah bread are a symbol of the ongoing cycle of life/chaim. Many dip pieces of bread or apples in honey which speaks of hope for a sweet year about to begin.
The Day of Atonement In Hebrew:
Yom Kippur – יום הכיפורים, Yom HaKipurim
Its’ purpose is for repentance and forgiveness of sins.
Also called Shabbat Shabbattone meaning Sabbath of Sabbaths, indicating the Holiest Day of the Year, and no manner of work is done on this day, Tishrei 10, which is between early September and early October.
The Scriptures referred to are Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37-41. These are called the Sh’ma Yisrael, which means, “Hear, O Israel..”
Leviticus 23:26. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 27. Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement; it shall be a holy gathering to you; and you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.
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And you shall do no work in that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. 29. For whatever soul it is who shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. 30. And whatever soul it is who does any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. 31. You shall do no kind of work; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32. It shall be to you a Sabbath of rest, and you shall afflict your souls; in the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, shall you celebrate your Sabbath.
It is important for Christians to recognize that even though we are made righteous by faith and by the blood of the Lamb, we are not to be presumptuous, because not one of us has been perfected and all need to improve during this coming year. It is this desire to be who our Heavenly Father wants us to be, that compels us to walk in daily repentance, however we are to be especially watchful during this time that His instructions have established a season of repentance.
The last of the 7 is Tabernacles/BOOTHS
The Hebrew name is Sukkot
and another English name often used is Tabernacles
the purpose of this feast/appointed time, is for the
First Fruits of the Fall Harvest
celebrated on Tishrei 15, which is mid-September to mid-October.
Leviticus 23:33. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 34. Speak to the people of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Booths for seven days to the Lord. 35. On the first day shall be a holy gathering; you shall do no labor in it. 36. Seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord; on the eighth day shall be a holy gathering to you; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord; it is a solemn assembly; and you shall do no labor in it.
The Feast of Booths begins at sundown on Tishrei 15. Most Christians usually call this the Feast of Tabernacles, however the correct term is Feast of Booths because the Hebrew word used is Sukkot, referring to the flimsy shelters that are required, and because it has no relationship to either the tabernacle in the wilderness or to David’s tabernacle.
Booths are made, based on Leviticus 23:42. You shall dwell in booths seven days; all who are Israelites born shall dwell in booths; 43. That your generations may know that I made the people of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God. 44. And Moses declared to the people of Israel the feasts of the Lord.
These booths are made from palm fronds or leafy branches, and are not supposed to be very stable, meaning they are not good for protection. Men are to live in the booths during the entire time of the feast. Women have the option of living in the house or staying in the booth, although meals are to be eaten in the booth. Meals are shared with friends, neighbors, and especially the poor and the entire feast is celebrated as a family, doing everything together and the children are involved in every part of the celebration.
Nehemiah 8:17,18 And all the congregation of those who were come back out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in the booths: for since the days of Yeshua (Joshua) the son of Nun to that day the children of Yisra’el (Israel) had not done so. And there was very great gladness. Also day-by-day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the Torah of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the prescribed form. (Jerusalem Bible, Koren Publishing, Jerusalem).
On the first day the reading is from Zechariah 14:1-17
It seems from scripture that Jesus/Yeshua celebrated Sukkot.
John 7: 2. And the Feast of Booths of the Jewish people was near.
John 7:10. And as His brothers went up to the feast, then He also went up, not openly, but in secret. Messiah honored every season of His Father and never suggested any changes to them and neither has author of the New Testament suggested changing any of these Biblical seasons.
Sukkot, or Booths, is the third First Fruits of the seasons being the Fall harvest. The first fruits are to be brought in a basket, as described in First Fruits during Unleavened Bread.
As the Feast begins, the trumpets are blown for the first time since the first of the month Elul, the month before Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are announced by the shofar, the call to repentance. The trumpet, however, is a call to rejoice, and a call to war.
Links below:
https://www.minimannamoments.com/sheltering-presence-god/
https://www.minimannamoments.com/sukkot-the-promise-of-a-permanent-dwelling-place/
https://www.minimannamoments.com/in-the-end-its-all-about-yeshua-jesus/
In celebrating Sukkot each celebrant carries a collection of branches, called Lulav. The Lulav is taken to the Western Wall in Jerusalem according to the following Scripture: Leviticus 23:40. And you shall take on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.
Tradition uses Four Species as very important symbols. The two best known symbols speak of unity, which represents both unity of purpose and unity of the Jewish people:
The citron = the heart;
the palm branch = the spine;
the three myrtle leaves = the eye;
the two willows = the mouth.
The total number of items included are 7.
The palm branch and the three myrtle leaves are held in one hand, the citron and two willows in the other. These are waved to the North, South, East, and West to show that every corner of the earth belongs to God. This is a parallel to the 70 bulls offered which were meant to secure blessings for the 70 nations of the ancient world.
Next there is the etrog, having both taste and a pleasant aroma, this is to symbolize a person who knows Scripture and does good deeds. The lulav, a branch of the date palm whose fruit has a taste but no aroma, symbolizes someone who knows Scripture but does not do good deeds!
The myrtle, having no taste but does have an aroma, symbolizes a person who does not know Scripture but does good deeds. The willow, having neither taste nor aroma, symbolizes the person who neither knows Scripture nor does good deeds!
More detail on the Lulav at link below:
Anyone not in Jerusalem/Yerushalayim carry these Lulav to their synagogue and wave them while reciting Psalms 113-118. They walk in procession around the inside of the synagogue seven times, reciting prayers for deliverance. The basis for this is from when Joshua marched around Jericho seven times on the seventh day.
And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the glory shall be a canopy. 6. And there shall be a booth for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain. Isaiah 4:5,6.
The first day, from sundown to sundown the next day, is a Sabbath, but feast day Sabbaths are partial Sabbaths. The partial Sabbath is noted in
Leviticus 23:6.
And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. 7. In the first day you shall have a holy gathering; you shall do no labor in it. 8. But you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord seven days; in the seventh day is a holy gathering; you shall do no labor in it.
The second day is the Libation, which refers to:
pouring water from the Pool of Shilokh/Siloam on the altar.
Water from this pool was used with the ashes of the red heifer.
On the third day, Ecclesiastes is read as a reminder of human frailties, a follow-up of Yom Kippur.
The sixth day is a cry for salvation,
Hoshea na rabah
Save us now! Let us increase!
This is a time for repentance, which is necessary for salvation, and a reminder of Yom Kippur. On this day during the 2nd temple period/Messiahs’ day, there was a procession through the streets of Jerusalem, singing Hoshea na! from Psalm 118:25.
Hoshea na,
written in Greek as Hosanna,
means Save us! Now!!
Some scholars say that this could have been the date of Messiahs’ triumphal entry, however, the date is not what is most significant. The important point is that all those at Messiahs’ triumphal entry knew about this practice and the full meaning behind it.
The 7th day is another partial Sabbath, called Shemini Atseret meaning Conclusion. This is celebrated back in the house. On this day the children pray, thanking God for a good harvest and praying for rain for the coming year for the next good harvest. John 7:37. And on the final Sabbath day of the feast Jesus stood and cried out saying, If anyone would drink he must continually come to Me and he must continually drink. 38. The one who believes in Me, just as the Scripture said, rivers of living water will flow out from his inner being. 39. And He said this about the Spirit, which those who believe in Him were about to take: for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Other Scriptures confirming this are:
Proverbs 18:4. The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters, and the fountain of wisdom like a flowing brook.,
and Isaiah 58:11. And the Lord shall guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and make strong your bones; and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
Living water is a symbol of Torah – the Word of God.
The 8th day is a post-Biblical holiday called Simchat Torah/Joy of the Torah, which in Jerusalem/Yerushalayim, is combined with Shemini Atseret/Conclusion. Simchat Torah is annually the most joyful day, when the reading of the Torah is completed each year according to Deuteronomy 34:5-12; and the reading for the coming year is started once again.
Genesis 1:1-31. The first verses of Genesis are read immediately following the reading of the last verses of Deuteronomy to provide continuity, so there will not be a time that Torah reading is completed. This too hints at the continuing cycle of life.
The appointed seasons from Leviticus 23 are completed however there is one more Israelite/Jewish holiday, mentioned in John 10:22
This holiday is Hanukkah, and means Dedication. Although normally spelled Hanukkah in english, and sometimes spelled Chanukkah, the correct spelling is Khanukkah.
This is celebrated on 25 Kislev, which is late November to late December.
As there is no reference to Khanukkah in Leviticus, it is not included in the 7 moedim and has been covered in posts links below:
https://www.minimannamoments.com/hanukkahchanukah-believers-today/
The Feast of Booths/Tabernacles completes the annual agricultural cycle and it’s a time to remember all that our Heavenly Father has brought us through, individually and collectively and encourage our brothers and sisters as we walk with Messiah.
Romans 12:8. or the one who encourages in encouragement: the one who shares, in sincerity without grudging, the protector or guardian giving aid in diligent eagerness, the one who is merciful in cheerfulness.
This is also a time for family and a time to look for the Messianic reign, to prepare His bride and ready ourselves for the wedding feast of the Lamb.
Revelation 19:5. And a voice came out from heaven saying, You, all His servants, and those who fear Him, the least and the greatest, (Psalm 115:13) must continually sing praises in honor of our God. (Psalm 22:23, 134:1, 135:1) 6. And I heard a sound like a great crowd and like a sound of many waters (Ezekiel 1:24, 43:2) and like a sound of strong thunders saying, Hallelujah, because our God the Lord of Hosts did reign. (Exodus 15:18, Psalm 22:28, 93:1, 99:1, Daniel 7:14, Zechariah 14:9)
Let us rejoice and be glad and we will give Him the glory, because the marriage festival of the Lamb has come and His wife has prepared herself 8. and it was given to her that she would be clothed in brilliant pure fine linen: for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. (Isaiah 61:10)
Then he said to me, You must now write: Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, These are the true words of God. (Revelation 19:9) 37.
These are the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy gatherings, to offer an offering made by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering, and a meal offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day; :38. Beside the Sabbaths of the Lord, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which you give to the Lord. 39. Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep a feast to the Lord seven days; on the first day shall be a Sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a Sabbath. 40. And you shall take on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days. 41. And you shall keep it a feast to the Lord seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42. You shall dwell in booths seven days; all who are Israelites born shall dwell in booths; 43. That your generations may know that I made the people of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God. 44. And Moses declared to the people of Israel the feasts of the Lord. (Leviticus 23:37-44)
The offerings mentioned for these feasts include animal sacrifices, which no Christian would make. The Jewish people have not offered animal sacrifices since the temple was destroyed in 70 AD because the sacrifices can only be offered in one place – on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. Even now, nearly 2,000 years after the destruction of the temple, the temple mount is still in the hands of heathens, since the Mosque of Omar stands directly over the rock where Abraham offered Isaac, which scripturally is the only place in the world that a Israelite/Jewish priest can sacrifice an animal other than the red heifer.
No Christian would ever need to offer an animal as a sacrifice because, even though Leviticus 17:11 says that the blood makes atonement, the blood of the Lamb of God, which is still being poured out for us Matthew 26:28, IS our atonement.
Although it’s not necessary to keep all the traditions, we do need to study the Hebrew Scriptures and familiarize ourselves with the facts on which the Israelite/Hebrew/Jewish traditions are based, and be a doer of everything Scripture requires.
Would it not be respectful to our Heavenly Father that each congregation carefully bring to remembrance appropriate celebrations and phase out the inappropriate pagan elements we have become accustomed to in our own denominational traditions? However, the most important thing is to bring Christians/believers to a better understanding of our Heavenly Father and His commandments and to observe the same seasons that Messiah Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach celebrated.
Each season is significant in meaning for every life committed to serving Him and this is the timetable Messiah, every New Testament author, all the apostles and disciples followed.
This annual schedule is referred to as The Rhythm of Life and if we follow it is very clearly the culmination of a process.
First comes redemption at Passover/Pesach; then the purpose of redemption which was receiving the Torah on Shavuot; and, finally, these lessons are brought into our everyday lives when we find our joy in observing the commandments at Sukkot.
Additionally, Sukkot is the fulfillment of the process of Teshuvah/repentance and Yom Kippur/atonement, when we successfully escape out of the snares of sin.
Matthew 5:17, 18. Do not think that I came to abolish the Torah or the Prophets: I did not come to abolish but to bring spiritual abundance. 18. For truly I say to you: until the sky and the earth would pass away, not one yod or one vav could ever pass away from the Torah, until everything would come to pass. (Luke 16:17)
Maybe if we are to see the power of the 1st century ecclesia/church in our communities and nations today, we need to match that early ecclesia/church in holiness, love, unity, and obedience to what they knew as Scripture. Remember all they had was what we term as the old Testament and sometimes when we say old, we think its no longer important to our lives….and it is still very relevant according to Jesus/Yeshua!
In conclusion here is a brief history of the removal of our Hebrew Heritage and roots. It is very sad concerning the way the ‘Church’ has acted, however it is important every one who calls themselves a Christian should be aware of the historical facts.
The reason Hebrew Heritage/Jewish Roots were lost early in Church history is that many of our often-revered Church Fathers were anti-Semitic, and deliberately changed their celebrations and altered various doctrines specifically to make a complete break from Judaism. Justin Martyr, Polycarp, and Marcion were among those in the 2nd century who began the onslaught against the Hebrew/Jewish people and Judaism itself. In the middle of the 2nd century, Marcion was the first to write that the New Covenant had replaced all previous covenants – and at the time he was known as a heretic. John Chrysostom, known for powerful, sermons in the 4th century, gave a series of 17 extremely anti-Semitic sermons at the time when the pagan celebration of Ishtar, the fertility goddess, was made official to replace Passover/Pesach for the celebration of Messiah Jesus’ death and resurrection. Some had begun this celebration of Ishtar late in the 2nd century. Also, the Roman winter solstice celebration in honor of the god Saturn was established as the celebration of Messiah Jesus’ birth. In the 5th century Augustine brought Greek philosophy into Christian theology, which has continued to influence the Church to this day.
In the 4th century the new celebrations made an official separation from Hebrew/Israelite/Judaism and opened the door to violence against the Jewish people, who because of this often view Christians even today as “the enemy” and in light of history with good reason. It is a sad and shameful fact that over the centuries Christians have exceeded all other groups combined in the killing of Gods chosen people/Jews. These include numerous persecutions and massacres, with brutal attacks on entire Jewish villages, all through Europe right through to the Holocaust.
Research shows that in 1492 Ferdinand and Isabella forced all the Jews to leave Spain. These forced exoduses were common, with Jews moving from one country to another, virtually all over Europe, where every European country expelled them at least one time. Jews were forbidden to own land until they migrated to the colonies in American. The Spanish Inquisition is well known for cruelty to the Jewish people, where forcing conversions were imposed. It’s because of these historical events that the symbols of crosses and references to crusades are among the most evil things imaginable to Jewish people.
To understand the Hebrew Heritage and Jewish roots of western Christianity, we need to look at the Hebrew Scriptures; where among the 1st things the Church did to separate from Judaism was to change the Appointed Times/seasons of the Lord, which should be essential for believers to honor just as Jesus did. Recall the words of the Lord to Joshua in 1:8:
This Book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth; but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written on it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.
There are some Days of Teshuvah
remaining and we would do well to examine our ways…
and if we are wandering off that straight and narrow way…
it’s time to teshuvah –
https://www.minimannamoments.com/returning-to-your-first-love/
Turn back NOW
to our Heavenly Father with
ALL of our hearts and cling to Him with ALL of our strength
and allow Him to change us from the inside; so that in these days of darkness we will be the lights shining ever brighter. We are to be that beacon of hope to those who are hopeless; pointing to the One Who can forgive, redeem, restore, save, heal, deliver, sanctify and cover us in His precious Blood and lead us into everlasting life/chaim. Every year this cycle continues and will remain until He returns and we know…
Below in a nutshell although there seems to be variations on the date … the following according to hebcal.com are this years dates for:
Rosh Hashana 2022 / רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה 5783
begins at sundown on
Sunday, 25 September 2022 and ends at nightfall on
Tuesday, 27 September 2022. 1-2 Tishrei 5783.
Rosh Hashanah ראש השנה –
literally head of the year,
is the Jewish Civil New Year. It is the first of the
High Holidays – Yamim Noraim – Days of Awe,
celebrated ten days before Yom Kippur.
Rosh Hashanah is observed on the first two days of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. Described in the Torah as יום תרועה -Yom Teruah,
a day of sounding the Shofar – Day of blowing.
Yom Kippur / יוֹם כִּפּוּר /Day of Atonement
for Hebrew Year 5783 begins at sundown on
Tuesday, 4 October 2022 and ends at nightfall on
Wednesday, 5 October 2022.
10 Tishrei 5783
Yom Kippur – יוֹם כִּפּוּר or יום הכיפורים, Day of Atonement,
is the holiest day of the year in Israel and themes are
atonement and repentance.
Traditionally observed with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services. Yom Kippur completes the annual period known as the High Holy Days or sometimes the Days of Awe.
Sukkot / סוּכּוֹת/ Feast of Booths
Sukkot for Hebrew Year 5783 begins at sundown on
Sunday, 9 October 2022 and ends at nightfall on
Sunday, 16 October 2022. 15-21 Tishrei 5783
Sukkot – סוכות or סֻכּוֹת, sukkōt, or sukkos,
Feast of Booths, Feast of Tabernacles
celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei – late September to late October. It’s one of the 3 Shalosh regalim on which they were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem/Yerushalayim.
Can we say with the children of Israel/Yisrael…
-
כֹּל אֲשֶׁר-דִּבֶּר יְהוָה נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע.
“All that God has spoken, will we do and obey.”
Exodus 24:7
Shalom shalom mishpachah/family
and cheverim/friends!
It’s all about Life and Relationship,
NOT Religion.
You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.
NOT SURE?
YOU CAN BE..
SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.
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This Season of Joy
The Eighth Day assembly.
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