Tag Archives: Appointed Times

Rooted in Yehovah

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This is the tenth article in the “New Life” series, written to address the needs of those seeking or those new to their faith in Jesus. This series may also be helpful to anyone who suspects that something is missing from their faith walk. 

In last week’s article, entitled Hatred and Heresies, we encountered some of the lies and heresies that have been passed down through the centuries since the Gentile and Jewish followers of Jesus separated.  This week, let us turn to more pleasant topics to learn how we are called to be rooted in Yehovah.

Who is Yehovah?  Yehovah is the name of the God we worship, the only true God, our Creator.  His name has been hidden from us for centuries, but He is once again making it known to His people. There are many false gods who are impostors introduced by hasatan.  Hasatan means “the adversary” in Hebrew. In English, we call him Satan, but it is not really a name.

Even though I have used Hebrew words in previous articles, I used English terms at the beginning of this series because they are familiar to most people. The Hebrew terms I will use from this point on were lost to Gentile followers of Jesus for centuries. Gentiles have much to learn from Jews, and Jews have much to learn from Gentiles.  This is not a new religion or a strange cult. Our Father’s plan from the beginning is to establish His kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven, and he intends to include everyone who chooses to belong to His Son.

As I mentioned in last week’s article, the Gentiles established Sunday as the day of worship to honor their sun god. Our Father, Yehovah, commands that the seventh day of the week shall be a day of rest, a day of fellowship with Yehovah.  We can worship and visit with Yehovah any day of the week, but the seventh day, Shabbat (Sabbath), is our special day with Yehovah. 

So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation (Genesis 2:3).

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy (Exodus 20:8-11).

Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am [Yehovah] who sanctifies them (Ezekiel 20:12).

It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed (Exodus 31:17).

For centuries, we have believed that we were honoring Jesus by celebrating Christmas and Easter.  However, Christmas and Easter are pagan holidays.  The Gentile leaders added Jesus to their pagan celebrations when they separated from the Jews. Thus, they started a new religion, mixing the sacred with the pagan. Yehovah established seven appointed times throughout the year to honor His Son, Yeshua.  In Hebrew, Yeshua means “salvation” and “deliverance.” 

The appointed times (also called Feasts) begin in Spring.  The first is called Passover, and we remember when the angel of death passed over the homes where blood had been placed on the doorposts and lintels of the houses.  The death of the firstborn was the last of the ten plagues against Egypt.  Later, the firstborn Son of Yehovah, would be sacrificed to set people free and to pay their sin debt.

In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am [Yehovah]. The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt (Exodus 12:11-13).

The next day he saw [Yeshua] coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29)!

The Feast of Unleavened Bread begins on the day after Passover and continues for seven days.  During this time, we remove the leaven from our houses and eat only unleavened bread.  The leaven represents sin.  We are reminded to remove any sin from our lives. 

“[Yehovah’s] Passover begins at sundown on the fourteenth day of the first month. On the next day, the fifteenth day of the month, you must begin celebrating the Festival of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:5-6).

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For [Yeshua], our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:6-8).

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die (John 6:47-50).

The third feast is called First Fruits.  The Feasts are centered around the three harvest times in Israel.  Barley is harvested in Spring, wheat is harvested in Summer, and produce such as olives and grapes is harvested in Autumn. The Israelites were commanded to bring to Yehovah the best part of their harvest to honor Yehovah for blessing them with good food. We bring our best because Yehovah always gives His best. Yeshua (Jesus) is our First Fruits, the promise of resurrection for all of us.

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine (Proverbs 3:9-10).

But in fact [Yeshua] has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Corinthians 15-20).

The fourth feast is celebrated approximately seven weeks later and is called the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot in Hebrew).  This is the day that Yehovah gave His commands on stone tablets at Mt. Sinai and made a covenant with the Israelites.  The Israelites broke the covenant right away and worshipped false gods.  Three thousand people lost their lives as a result. This is also the day, many years later, when the Holy Spirit descended on the followers of Yeshua and wrote Yehovah’s law on their hearts.  Three thousand people gave their lives to Yeshua and became His followers.

All the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!” (Exodus 32:3-4)

 Moses told them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Each of you, take your swords and go back and forth from one end of the camp to the other. Kill everyone—even your brothers, friends, and neighbors.” The Levites obeyed Moses’ command, and about 3,000 people died that day (Exodus 32:27-28).

The festival of Shavu‘ot arrived, and the believers all gathered together in one place. Suddenly there came a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them. They were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) and began to talk in different languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak (Acts 2:1-4).

Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of [Yeshua] for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away all who have been called by the Lord our God.” Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”

 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all (Acts 2:38-41).

The feasts of Yehovah are both memorials to what Yehovah has already done for us and teaching tools to prepare us for what He will do for us in the future.  The last three feasts are held in the autumn and are rehearsals for what is still to come. 

The fall feasts begin with the Feast of Trumpets or Yom Teruah (day of blowing, shouting).  The Jewish people today call this day Rosh Hashanah (the head of the civil year). 

The Feast of Trumpets is a day for blowing shofars and trumpets and for shouting.  The blast of trumpets or shofars often signaled the people to go to war or to march.  Many believe that this will be the time when Yeshua returns to rescue His people and to rout hasatan and his followers.

 And [Yehovah] spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy rehearsal. You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall present a food offering to [Yehovah].” (Leviticus 23:23-25)

The blowing of trumpets or shofars also begins a ten-day period in which we remove any sin in our lives. It is a time for serious reflection as we ready ourselves for the Day of Atonement, known in the Bible as Yom HaKippurim (day of coverings).  It is often called today Yom Kippur (day of covering). This was the day when the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies in the Temple to make atonement for the people.  Yehovah explains how this day is to be observed in Leviticus 16. Today, we connect this to our High Priest, Yeshua, who made atonement for our sins by dying in our place.

 [Yehovah] said to Moses,“The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present a food offering to [Yehovah]. Do not do any work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before [Yehovah] your God. Those who do not deny themselves on that day must be cut off from their people. I will destroy from among their 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 day of sabbath 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).

For [Yeshua] did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before [Yehovah] on our behalf. And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. If that had been necessary, [Yeshua] would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice.

 And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also [Yeshua] was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him (Hebrews 9:24-28).

The seventh and final celebration that Yehovah provides is called Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles or the Festival of Shelters.  The Israelites recalled and celebrated how Yehovah dwelt with them for forty years in the wilderness as they dwelt in temporary shelters called sukkot in Hebrew.  Today, we also recall that Yeshua, Son of Yehovah, came to live with us and among us.  We eagerly await His return to remove evil from our midst and reign over us (Revelation 7 and 21).

And [Yehovah] said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. Begin celebrating the Festival of Shelters on the fifteenth day of the appointed month—five days after the Day of Atonement. This festival to [Yehovah] will last for seven days. On the first day of the festival you must proclaim an official day for holy assembly, when you do no ordinary work. For seven days you must present special gifts to [Yehovah]. The eighth day is another holy day on which you present your special gifts to [Yehovah]. This will be a solemn occasion, and no ordinary work may be done that day (Leviticus 23:33-36). 

This is a brief introduction to the appointed times of Yehovah. The appointed times celebrate what Yehovah has done for us, but they are also teaching tools from our Father. There is a lot of good information online and in books about this topic. Peter and I have written other articles on each of the appointed times.  As always, ask the Holy Spirit (Ruach haKodesh) to guide you. Yehovah is calling us to be rooted in Him.

Hatred and Heresies

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This is the ninth article in the “New Life” series written to address the needs of those seeking or those new to their faith in Jesus. This series may also be helpful to anyone who suspects that something is missing from their faith walk. Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash.

In last week’s article entitled “Our Hidden Past Revealed,” we learned that we had inherited lies resulting from the split between the Gentiles and the Jews.  Gentile leaders were not content to merely go their own way.  They began an “anti-Jewish” campaign that is still in effect to this day. I personally have encountered numerous Christians who hold Jews in contempt and want nothing to do with them because they are “Christ killers”.

After the split, followers of Jesus were no longer allowed to keep the Sabbath or other appointed times outlined in Leviticus 23. If caught, they could be put to death. Followers of Jesus were forced to break the dietary laws that God had established. These things were forbidden because they were considered “Jewish.”  Never mind that the very God they were professing to worship had established the laws permanently.  Thus began the heretical teaching that the law of God was defective or no longer valid. This stems primarily from a misinterpretation or misunderstanding of some New Testament passages, such as Hebrews 8:13. Others will cite Matthew 5:17 and declare that Jesus Himself said the law is now ended.  Apparently, those who teach such nonsense failed to continue to read even the next two verses. 

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:17-19).

Do we, then, nullify the Law by this faith? By no means! Instead, we uphold the Law (Romans 3:31).

If you read chapters 5 through 7 in Matthew, you will notice that Jesus repeats some of the law and extends our accountability each time.  For example, not only is murder a sin, but so is being angry or even calling others insulting names.

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca, is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell (Matthew 5:21-22).

Pagan practices of the Gentiles were introduced to replace the now-forbidden appointed times. Followers of Jesus were now to worship on Sunday (the day of the sun god).  In pagan religions there are many gods, but the chief god is the sun god.  Christmas and Easter now replace the seven feasts.  The only exception is what is now called Pentecost, which was originally known as the Feast of Weeks. Followers of Jesus were required to keep a pagan solar calendar rather than the Biblical calendar, which was based on lunar cycles, so Pentecost rarely falls on the same day as the Feast of Weeks. Sam Nadler’s book, Messiah in the Feasts of Israel, shows how the feasts or appointed times established by God help us better understand His Son and what He has done and is doing for us.

Many of the leaders, now known as “church fathers,” wrote articles condemning all Jews, even the Jewish followers of Jesus. The Jews were called “Christ killers,” a term that is still around today among those claiming to follow Jesus.  In truth, the Jewish leaders were forbidden by the Romans to put anyone to death. The Jewish leaders handed Jesus over to the Romans to be crucified.  We are all responsible for His death because He paid our sin debt.  If Jesus had not paid our debt, all of us, Jews or Gentiles, would be lost forever and without hope.

 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.”[ Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, or anger gives a foothold to the devil (Ephesians 4:26-27).

May I never join in their meetings; may I never be a party to their plans. For in their anger they murdered men, and they crippled oxen just for sport (Genesis 49:6).

Passages in the New Testament were misinterpreted or even changed to accommodate the false teachings. In recent years, other manuscripts have been discovered.  We now know that much or all of the New Testament was originally written in Hebrew, not in Greek.  There is now evidence of changes in the Gospel of John and in some of Paul’s letters that clearly show the attempts to “support” the false teachings.

The church fathers (John Chrysostom, Tertullian, Origen, Jerome, Ambrose of Milan, Ignatius of Antioch, Origen of Alexandria, Irenaeus of Lyons, Augustine of Hippo, and many others) wrote about their hatred of the Jews.  They spread many lies, including the heresy that Gentile followers of Jesus have now replaced the Jews and inherited God’s promises and blessings to Israel.  This clearly opposes what God has said in the Bible about Israel and the Jews. God’s promises do not change or fail. Michael L. Brown’s book, Our Hands are Stained with Blood shows how Christians’ hatred of Jews has continued through the centuries.

Another heresy is that the Old Testament is no longer valid and that those who follow God’s laws are “under the law”.  The term “under the law” is misunderstood.  It is a Hebrew idiom that means that a person has violated God’s law and is now subject to punishment.  It does not mean that the law is no longer valid.  In fact, those who teach that we should not follow God’s law are themselves very much “under the law.”

There is also the heresy that Jesus came to create a new religion.  In the first place, God hates religion. Instead, God desires to have a relationship with us. Religion is a man-made system to worship God or false gods on our terms. God is our Creator, King, and Judge, and He determines how we will worship Him. God wants to walk and converse with us, but only on His terms. When we choose to worship on our own terms, we fall into one of Satan’s many traps.

Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:23-26).

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing (Zephaniah 3:17).

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me (Revelation 3:20).

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24).

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:1-2).

 Praise God that people are awakening to the truth about their origins as followers of Jesus!  There are many books and articles written on this subject that tell the true history.  A book that we and many others have found helpful is The Messianic Church Arising!: Restoring the Church to Our Covenant Rootsby Robert D. Heidler. There are many YouTube videos on this subject, but a word of caution.  Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in your selection and to help you discern the truth.  Even with all the troubles in the world, we are living in a glorious age of restoration.  God continues to establish His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.

Our Hidden Past Revealed

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This is the eighth article in the “New Life” series written to address the needs of those seeking or those new to their faith in Jesus. This series may also be helpful to anyone who suspects that something is missing from their faith walk. 

After His death and resurrection, Jesus gave His followers final instructions.  He was about to ascend to Heaven to take His place on the throne next to His Father.  It was time for His followers to take over what He started and expand the population of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.  The apostles (sent ones) were to continue His work of sharing the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven with the rest of the world.  Once they received power from the Holy Spirit, they were ready to begin their assignments from the Father.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:16-20).

 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit upon you, just as my Father promised. Don’t begin telling others yet—stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven” (Luke 24:49).

Jesus’ followers went out into the world to spread the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven. Both Jews and Gentiles believed and joined them. Jesus did not come to start a new religion as has been erroneously taught.  Jesus came to expand the Kingdom of Heaven to those outside Israel. The Gentiles were to be “grafted in” to what already existed.

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-47).

 For Christ himself is our way of peace. He has made peace between us Jews and you Gentiles by making us all one family, breaking down the wall of contempt that used to separate us. By his death he ended the angry resentment between us, caused by the Jewish laws that favored the Jews and excluded the Gentiles, for he died to annul that whole system of Jewish laws. Then he took the two groups that had been opposed to each other and made them parts of himself; thus he fused us together to become one new person, and at last there was peace (Ephesians 2:14-15 TLB (Living Bible).

Although they all now believed in Jesus, the Jews and the Gentiles came from very different backgrounds. This led to many arguments, jealousies, and misunderstandings among them. They were still struggling to yield to the Holy Spirit and be directed by Him. The Holy Spirit unifies people and would have cleared up all the misunderstandings had they yielded to Him. The followers had not yet learned to forgive and reconcile their differences.  Instead, they nursed their jealousies and resentments.  Finally, there was a split between the two groups.  The Gentiles held a council (Council of Nicea convened by Constantine) and decided to break away from the Jewish believers and anything they considered to be Jewish.

Since the Gentile leaders took away the Appointed Times (Leviticus 23) that God had commanded, they had to produce replacements for worship. The Gentiles were accustomed to worshipping and serving many pagan gods. They were used to pagan rituals.  When the Gentile followers broke away from the Jewish followers, they replaced God’s ways with pagan rituals. This has led to the misunderstandings and heresies that prevail even today. I will go into more detail about the lies we have inherited in future articles, since this is a complicated and often misunderstood topic.

O Lord, my strength and my stronghold, my refuge in the day of trouble, to you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth and say: “Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies, worthless things in which there is no profit (Jeremiah 16:19).

 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is God’s powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven. This message was preached first to the Jews alone, but now everyone is invited to come to God in this same way. This Good News tells us that God makes us ready for heaven—makes us right in God’s sight—when we put our faith and trust in Christ to save us. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scripture says it, “The man who finds life will find it through trusting God” (Romans 1:16-17).

He will give eternal life to those who patiently do the will of God, seeking for the unseen glory and honor and eternal life that he offers. But he will terribly punish those who fight against the truth of God and walk in evil ways—God’s anger will be poured out upon them.There will be sorrow and suffering for Jews and Gentiles alike who keep on sinning. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who obey him, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. For God treats everyone the same (Romans 2:7-11).

The lies, misconceptions, and heresies have continued for about 2000 years.  Now that we are growing closer to the time of Jesus’ return to earth as King of Kings, the Holy Spirit is waking people up and showing them the truth.  Followers of Jesus are now learning their true past, their true origins in the faith.  We are now, more than ever, able to discern the true will of our Father.  We are learning to worship and serve Him as He desires.