Speak      May 18th 2012

Welcome to the Lord house and join us as we discover new insights into the Word of God through this week's scripture reading. The Lord said to Moses, 'Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: A priest must not make himself ceremonially unclean. We see this in Leviticus 21:1 "And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people:" During last week's scripture reading we discussed what it meant to live a holy life. This week I want to continue with the theme of holiness, specifying that the priests must adhere to a higher standard of sanctity since they ministered to the Lord on behalf of the people. They were to present the food offerings to the Lord, the food of their God, and they were to be holy. This fact is found in Leviticus 21:6 "They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, [and] the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy." God prohibited them from following several customs of the heathen nations, including shaving their heads, shaving off the corners of their beards, cutting in the flesh, and marrying prostitutes or divorced women. And did you know that a priest who was deformed, blemished, or defiled could not even go into the Holy of Holies in the Temple of Jerusalem. Yeshua conformed to this exacting standard of holiness. As our High Priest, He was without sin. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin. We are told this in Hebrews 4:15 "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin." That is why I tell you that we must be attentive to the fact that Yeshua is coming back for a people without sin and be prepared for His coming, living lives that are worthy of Him. We know this to be true from 1 Peter 1:14&15 "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;" The Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: These are my appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies. Please turn with me to Leviticus 23:1-4 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, [Concerning] the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim [to be] holy convocations, [even] these [are] my feasts. 3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day [is] the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work [therein]: it [is] the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings. 4 These [are] the feasts of the LORD, [even] holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons." God not only sanctified people and land, but also time. That's right people, place, and time are a three-strand cord held together by the One who sanctifies and makes each one holy. In the second part of God lists is the annual Callings of Holiness, in which He appoints certain days as celebrations or memorials of Him. These are called Moed YHVH. Indeed, the Hebrew word “moed” itself means “appointed time, place or meeting.” This word is often translated as festival or feast. YHVH is the sacred name of the Lord. It is often transliterated as Yahweh.  Many English Bibles substitute “the LORD” wherever YHVH was to occur in the text, out of respect for the name of God, which is why Moed YHVH is translated feasts of the Lord in Leviticus 23:1. Similarly, Jewish people will read YHVH as Adonai “Lord” or HaShem “the Name” in an effort to prevent using the name of the Lord in vain. Now you may be wondering if the Feasts of the Lord are relevant to the Believers of today. People often refer to God’s appointed times as the “Jewish holidays” and the “Feasts of Israel.” And many non-Jewish Believers don't observe them, fearing that they will appear “too Jewish” or to have “come under the old law. Yet God called them HIS feasts, and His appointed times. Therefore if they belong to God, then they are also the privilege of the people of God, both Jew and Gentile. If these appointed times were only for Israel, then we might also be tempted to think that the Messiah and even scripture itself were only for Israel. The following are seven specific designated times of God:

The first Shabbat is the Foundation. The first 'appointed day' is Shabbat "the 7th day".  All the other feasts build upon this foundation. The Hebrew word Shabbat comes from the root S-B-T, which means to cease, to end or to rest. That is what we are to do. For one day a week, creative activity is to come to a halt. Shabbat symbolizes our 'works' being finished. It's an eternal sign that God created the universe in six days and rested on the seventh, as well as a commemoration of the Exodus from Egypt. Exodus 31:15-17 "Six days may work be done; but in the seventh [is] the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth [any] work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, [for] a perpetual covenant. 17 It [is] a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed." and Deuteronomy 15:5 "Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day." Although we have come to expect a five-day work week, in the ancient world, the concept of having a day off was radical. However it is written that in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. We see this in Exodus 20:11 "For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."

The second is Passover: Festival of Deliverance. This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord, a lasting ordinance. We are told this in Exodus 12:14 "And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever." The second appointed day is Passover, followed by seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread The Hebrew root of Pesach (P-S-CH) means to pass over, to exempt or to spare, since the angel of death 'passed over' the Israelites in Egypt when he saw the sign of the blood on their homes in Egypt. Today we also recognize that the blood of the Lamb of God, who is Yeshua, symbolically covers the doorposts and lintels of our lives in order that the coming wrath of God will 'pass over' us. You know one day the judgment of God will come upon the earth and it is at that time, God will once again 'pass over' His people in Jerusalem and rescue them. Like birds hovering overhead, the LORD Almighty will shield Jerusalem; He will shield it and deliver it, He will ‘pass over’ it and will rescue it. We are told of this in Isaiah 31:5 "As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver [it; and] passing over he will preserve it." The coming seven plagues described in Revelation 16 are reminiscent of the plagues God poured out upon Egypt in order to liberate the Israelites. Yet no matter what happens in the last days, we are to be confident, knowing that God is our refuge and strength, and our perpetual help. Even if the mountains fall into the sea, we should not succumb to fear we know this from Psalm 46. On the first night of Passover, Jewish families gather together for the Passover Seder, a ritual feast at which the story of their deliverance from Egypt is retold, as Scripture commands.

The third is counting the Omer: Yeshua's Resurrection is a Sign of Things to Come. From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. We are told this in Leviticus 23:15-17 "And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: 16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD. 17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; [they are] the firstfruits unto the LORD." At the beginning of the barley harvest, the first sheaf was presented in the sanctuary. Traditionally speaking, some Jewish sects believed that the Omer was to be counted on the day after the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, since this is a high Sabbath. Others argued that the count must start on the day after the first of the regular seventh day Shabbat, indicating that it would always be a Sunday. However we may not have the definitive answer on this one until we reach heaven! Yeshua was resurrected during the Feast of Unleavened Bread on the day of waving of the Firstfruits, the first day of counting the Omer. Furthermore, He also appeared to His disciples throughout the period of counting the Omer. From this, we understand that He is the first fruits of those who will also be raised up into new life. This fact is found in 1 Corinthians 15:20&23 "But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the firstfruits of them that slept. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming." Now on to the fourth one which is Shavuot: Promise Fulfilled. When the day of Pentecost came; all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. We see this in Acts 2:1-4 "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Shavuot is an agricultural festival associated with the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. It’s also called the Feast of Weeks because it’s celebrated seven weeks after the beginning of the Counting of the Omer as we saw in Leviticus 23:15&16. Hellenist Jews called this holiday Pentecost; from the Greek meaning 50 since it falls on the fiftieth day after Passover. On this day, the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles who awaited this fulfillment of the promise found in Acts chapters 1 and 2. Please turn with me to Acts 1:4&5 "And, being assembled together with [them], commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, [saith he], ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence."

On to the fifth Rosh Hashanah "Yom Teruah": The Call to Repentance. On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of Sabbath rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. We see this in Leviticus 23:24&25 "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first [day] of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. 25 Ye shall do no servile work [therein]: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD." Although the first day of the seventh month on the Hebrew calendar is traditionally celebrated as Jewish New Year "Rosh Hashanah", the Torah calls this day Zikhron Teruah, a memorial day accompanied by a blast of horns. A teruah usually signals an alarm or call to pay attention to a command. It's also a call also to self-examination leading to repentance. Indeed, this is the first day of the High Holy Days called Yamim Noraim "Days of Awe", the ten days of repentance when Jews consider their behavior in the past year and ask forgiveness from those whom they have wronged. Don’t you think as believers we need to do this as well? For these ten days culminate in Yom Kippur "Day of Atonement" and blowing the shofar on Yom Teruah.

Then we come to number six Yom Kippur "Day of Atonement": a Covering for Sin. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves “fast” and not do any work; whether native-born or a foreigner residing among you. We are told this in Leviticus 16:29 "And [this] shall be a statute for ever unto you: [that] in the seventh month, on the tenth [day] of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, [whether it be] one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:" Yom Kippur, which falls on the tenth day of the seventh month, is a Sabbath of Sabbaths. While a regular seventh-day Shabbat is a time of joy and feasting, this Shabbat Shabbaton is a day to fast and afflict our souls we are told of this in Leviticus 16:31 "It [shall be] a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever." Anyone who refuses to afflict their souls on this day is cut off from his people. We see this fact in Leviticus 23:29 "For whatsoever soul [it be] that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people." The Hebrew word for afflict shares a root with humility. This is fitting since as we afflict ourselves through denial of food and drink, we identify with the afflicted of this world and are spurred to good deeds towards those who are homeless, hungry, and poor. Isaiah tells us that this is the fast that is acceptable to the Lord in Isaiah 58. Now Kippur comes from the root kapar, which means to cover. On this day, we remember Yeshua who gave His life for a kapara. His blood covers our transgressions as we see in Romans 3:23&24 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:" and 1 John 2:2 "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world." I would say that His sacrifice is not one that we should take lightly. Please turn with me to Hebrews 10:29 "Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"

Finally we reach number seven; which is Sukkot the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths: the Prophetic Promise. On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of sabbath rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. We are told this in Leviticus 23:24 "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first [day] of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation." Five day after Yom Kippur, God appoints the time of Sukkot for joyous celebration. For seven days, starting on the 15th day of the seventh month, we are to live in sukkot, which is a temporary dwellings and rejoice before the Lord. This festival is a memorial of the time the Israelites lived in sukkot in the wilderness after God delivered them from Egypt. The sukkah is a picture of the covering and protection that God gives us. This holiday reminds us that even in a desert wilderness, God provides for our needs. Indeed, scripture tells us that in times of trouble He will hide us in His Sukkah. We see this in Psalm 27:5 "For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock." Sukkot also points us forward to the Messianic Age. For in scripture, the number seven represents fulfillment or completion. This seventh feast will be fulfilled when the Messiah returns and tabernacles with us. God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning; crying or pain for the old order of things will have past away. We see this fact in Revelation 21:3-5 "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." Oh what joy awaits us in that day! We can take heart in knowing that our current afflictions are light and momentary in comparison to the eternal weight of glory they are achieving for us. So do you know feel God's appointed times been abolished? I believe that biblical prophecy related to Sukkot demonstrates that they are not. In Zechariah 14, when the Messiah returns to win a victory for Israel against all the nations who have come against her, all the survivors of the nations will be commanded to keep the Feast of Sukkot. All the nations that refuse to keep the Feast of Sukkot will be cursed with drought. So you see the Callings of Holiness, which are infused with so much spiritual and prophetic significance, are an annual cycle. So I tell you today to jump in at any point, and celebrate the greatness of our God! Time is short, so praise His holy name for the Messianic Prophecies are coming true and Yeshua will be returning soon. Please join me in prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You for all You have done and are going to do and we ask that You help us to be courageous and of strong in faith. Keep our feet firmly planted on the path to righteousness. I Ask You and thank You  in Yeshua's mighty name, Amen.

Rev. Dr. Karla Potter