Jimmie
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Leviticus 23: God's special appointed times.
This chapter falls under the weekly Torah/Bible study portion named "Emor" (spoke). God is speaking to Moses, giving him instructions to the people of Israel. They have left Egypt. They have received the Commandments at Mt. Sinai and have been united as a "One Holy People" (Am Echad). These instructions started with the 12 Tribes of Israel plus the mixed multitude that joined Israel. Now, all who have embraced Yeshua/Jesus as LORD and Savior are part of the extended Community of Israel. As grafted-in believers, we have the privilege to celebrate these special appointed times that God has given us. Some call them "Jewish Holidays," yet God calls them "His holidays" (Holy Days)
"Tell the people of Israel, the designated times of Adonai which you are to proclaim as Holy Convocations are MY designated times>"
Chap 23:3 The “Sabbath Day,” which is a “day of rest,” a time of worship and coming together to worship Adonai and learn from HIS Word through His teachers, pastors, rabbis, evangelists, etc. There is much disagreement among mainstream Christianity, but the truth of the matter is that the Sabbath day was NEVER changed to Sunday. Not that it was bad to come together on Sundays, as any day of the week is a good time to come together. It just became customary for the believers in the first century to come together on the “first day of the week” as mentioned in Acts, to fellowship and eat together, but the believers ALWAYS considered Saturday, the Sabbath, the special and the officially appointed day for rest, worship, and Bible study. So, instead of a change, one more day was added; the first day of the week, to honor the resurrection of Messiah Yeshua, to come together, break bread, and fellowship, and learn from scripture like all churches do today.
23:5 The Passover and days of unleavened bread symbolize Messiah Yeshua in our lives as the “Lamb of God” who took away the sin of the world. He was the "substitute lambs" whose blood was smeared on the doorposts of the houses in Goshen, where the Angel of Death "passed over" and death did not come to the firstborns. He is also the “Bread of Life”, who was “roasted in the fires of judgment for our sins, whose blood was shed for our sins, once and for ever. The “matzah” bread without leaven symbolizes Yeshua as the Bread of Life, without sin (leaven). And his blood is symbolized by the wine.
23:10 The Feast of First Fruits and Shavuot; counting 50 days from the time of Passover, to celebrate the blessing of a good and fruitful harvest of grains (wheat and barley, the main crops). Just as a seed needs to die and be buried in the ground to "spring up and blossom," thus Yeshua was the "firstfruits" of resurrection. He died, was buried (placed in a tomb), and rose from the dead on the third day. On Shavuot or “Pentecost,” two leavened loaves of bread were made, each weighing about 5 pounds, and were “waved” by the priest before the LORD in a special ceremony.
These loaves symbolize the blessings of YHVH, they could also represent Israel and the Nations, “2” is the number of “unity” and “division” we are all “united” to YHVH by Messiah Yeshua and have been “divided” or “separated” from the lost world of sin, YET, we still have our sin nature, noted by the leaven in the loaves of bread. It was also on “Shavuot” that the Torah was given on Mt. Sinai. It is known as the "Feast of Weeks" or in Greek "Pentecost". As we remember from Acts 2, this was the time that the Holy Spirit was poured out on those gathered in Jerusalem. They were there as they had been accustomed to doing for the past 1,450 years. What was "new" on Pentecost day was the pouring out of the Spirit, which had never happened before. Yeshua spoke about sending the "comforter," who would take his "physical" place on Earth. Every believer has the Holy Spirit living inside his or her body, something unimaginable in the time of Moses.
23:23 The Feast of Trumpets, “Yom Teruah,” symbolizes the start of the “days of Awe” when we reflect on our own relationship with Adonai. How do we measure up to God’s standards? Lacking? Fall short? I would say YES. The time of "blowing the trumpets or shofars" is a "wakeup call," one could say. Like John the Baptist, " who proclaimed: "' Repent and prepare the Way of the LORD. 10 days later comes “Yom Kippur,” the day of “covering” or “Atonement,” which was when the high priest came into the Holy of Holies, once a year, to commune with Adonai. This day points to Calvary, when Yeshua’s blood “atoned” for our sins, past, present, and future. It is a day of fasting, repentance, and soul searching. It is a day when we are accustomed to dressing in white.
23:33: The Feast of Tabernacles, or "Sukkot," is a joyous festival, when the “harvest” is in, kind of like Thanksgiving in the USA. This was the time when God came to earth in human form as Yeshua, born in Bethlehem (Beit Lechem), "The House of Bread", being raised as a craftsman and a teacher of Torah, a healer of diseases, a raiser of the dead, and a sacrifice for our sins. This festivity was for 7 days, “7” the perfect number, and a special “8th” day, “Hoshanah Raba”, when the customary reading of the Torah starts over again from Genesis. It also symbolizes when the Israelites lived in tents, “temporary dwellings,” as our bodies are “temporary dwellings” for our souls and for the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.
Chapter 24: The Menorah, the lamps were lit from dusk to morning, the menorah was made of gold, which symbolizes perfection. The flame/light symbolizing Yeshua, who is the “Light of the World” and the “all-consuming fire,” and also, all believers are the “lights of the world” reflecting the SON light! We can look at the oil inside the lamps on the Menorah as the Holy Spirit. We are the wicks, and we need to stay in contact with the Holy Spirit in order to "shine brightly".
The“Table of Shewbread,” which was in the Holy place across from the Menorah, had 12 loaves of unleavened bread, representing the 12 tribes of Israel, again, Yeshua the “Bread of Life.” So, we need to celebrate these days that the LORD God has separated and has included all of us as participants, so we can "shine" as the "lights of the World" reflecting Yeshua who is also the "Bread of Life".
Have a blessed week.
This chapter falls under the weekly Torah/Bible study portion named "Emor" (spoke). God is speaking to Moses, giving him instructions to the people of Israel. They have left Egypt. They have received the Commandments at Mt. Sinai and have been united as a "One Holy People" (Am Echad). These instructions started with the 12 Tribes of Israel plus the mixed multitude that joined Israel. Now, all who have embraced Yeshua/Jesus as LORD and Savior are part of the extended Community of Israel. As grafted-in believers, we have the privilege to celebrate these special appointed times that God has given us. Some call them "Jewish Holidays," yet God calls them "His holidays" (Holy Days)
"Tell the people of Israel, the designated times of Adonai which you are to proclaim as Holy Convocations are MY designated times>"
Chap 23:3 The “Sabbath Day,” which is a “day of rest,” a time of worship and coming together to worship Adonai and learn from HIS Word through His teachers, pastors, rabbis, evangelists, etc. There is much disagreement among mainstream Christianity, but the truth of the matter is that the Sabbath day was NEVER changed to Sunday. Not that it was bad to come together on Sundays, as any day of the week is a good time to come together. It just became customary for the believers in the first century to come together on the “first day of the week” as mentioned in Acts, to fellowship and eat together, but the believers ALWAYS considered Saturday, the Sabbath, the special and the officially appointed day for rest, worship, and Bible study. So, instead of a change, one more day was added; the first day of the week, to honor the resurrection of Messiah Yeshua, to come together, break bread, and fellowship, and learn from scripture like all churches do today.
23:5 The Passover and days of unleavened bread symbolize Messiah Yeshua in our lives as the “Lamb of God” who took away the sin of the world. He was the "substitute lambs" whose blood was smeared on the doorposts of the houses in Goshen, where the Angel of Death "passed over" and death did not come to the firstborns. He is also the “Bread of Life”, who was “roasted in the fires of judgment for our sins, whose blood was shed for our sins, once and for ever. The “matzah” bread without leaven symbolizes Yeshua as the Bread of Life, without sin (leaven). And his blood is symbolized by the wine.
23:10 The Feast of First Fruits and Shavuot; counting 50 days from the time of Passover, to celebrate the blessing of a good and fruitful harvest of grains (wheat and barley, the main crops). Just as a seed needs to die and be buried in the ground to "spring up and blossom," thus Yeshua was the "firstfruits" of resurrection. He died, was buried (placed in a tomb), and rose from the dead on the third day. On Shavuot or “Pentecost,” two leavened loaves of bread were made, each weighing about 5 pounds, and were “waved” by the priest before the LORD in a special ceremony.
These loaves symbolize the blessings of YHVH, they could also represent Israel and the Nations, “2” is the number of “unity” and “division” we are all “united” to YHVH by Messiah Yeshua and have been “divided” or “separated” from the lost world of sin, YET, we still have our sin nature, noted by the leaven in the loaves of bread. It was also on “Shavuot” that the Torah was given on Mt. Sinai. It is known as the "Feast of Weeks" or in Greek "Pentecost". As we remember from Acts 2, this was the time that the Holy Spirit was poured out on those gathered in Jerusalem. They were there as they had been accustomed to doing for the past 1,450 years. What was "new" on Pentecost day was the pouring out of the Spirit, which had never happened before. Yeshua spoke about sending the "comforter," who would take his "physical" place on Earth. Every believer has the Holy Spirit living inside his or her body, something unimaginable in the time of Moses.
23:23 The Feast of Trumpets, “Yom Teruah,” symbolizes the start of the “days of Awe” when we reflect on our own relationship with Adonai. How do we measure up to God’s standards? Lacking? Fall short? I would say YES. The time of "blowing the trumpets or shofars" is a "wakeup call," one could say. Like John the Baptist, " who proclaimed: "' Repent and prepare the Way of the LORD. 10 days later comes “Yom Kippur,” the day of “covering” or “Atonement,” which was when the high priest came into the Holy of Holies, once a year, to commune with Adonai. This day points to Calvary, when Yeshua’s blood “atoned” for our sins, past, present, and future. It is a day of fasting, repentance, and soul searching. It is a day when we are accustomed to dressing in white.
23:33: The Feast of Tabernacles, or "Sukkot," is a joyous festival, when the “harvest” is in, kind of like Thanksgiving in the USA. This was the time when God came to earth in human form as Yeshua, born in Bethlehem (Beit Lechem), "The House of Bread", being raised as a craftsman and a teacher of Torah, a healer of diseases, a raiser of the dead, and a sacrifice for our sins. This festivity was for 7 days, “7” the perfect number, and a special “8th” day, “Hoshanah Raba”, when the customary reading of the Torah starts over again from Genesis. It also symbolizes when the Israelites lived in tents, “temporary dwellings,” as our bodies are “temporary dwellings” for our souls and for the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.
Chapter 24: The Menorah, the lamps were lit from dusk to morning, the menorah was made of gold, which symbolizes perfection. The flame/light symbolizing Yeshua, who is the “Light of the World” and the “all-consuming fire,” and also, all believers are the “lights of the world” reflecting the SON light! We can look at the oil inside the lamps on the Menorah as the Holy Spirit. We are the wicks, and we need to stay in contact with the Holy Spirit in order to "shine brightly".
The“Table of Shewbread,” which was in the Holy place across from the Menorah, had 12 loaves of unleavened bread, representing the 12 tribes of Israel, again, Yeshua the “Bread of Life.” So, we need to celebrate these days that the LORD God has separated and has included all of us as participants, so we can "shine" as the "lights of the World" reflecting Yeshua who is also the "Bread of Life".
Have a blessed week.
