Newsletter: 2008-06 The Spring Holy Days

“Holy Day” Greetings from HomeWorship 101™

“…The feasts of the Lord,
which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations,
these are My feasts.”
- Leviticus 23:1
.
“These are the feasts of the Lord,
holy convocations
which you shall proclaim at their appointed times.” - vs.4.

The above verse clearly states that these are YHWH’s Holy Day not just Jewish Holy Days, and that we are to proclaim them at the “appointed times”. This year, once again, man’s preprinted calendar with Holy Day dates are in conflict with the dates set by YHWH. Appointed times means YHWH appoints the times, and HE show us the times by signs of the moon (Ps.104:19).

There is a lot of talk by religious and political leadership on reinstalling family values, but they haven’t a clue on how to get there. YHWH knows what the problem is but man will not listen. Mostly, faith has evolved into spectator event, where the clergy perform and the laymen observe, Sunday service is nothing but a religious production, and the church buildings with their bigger is better design have more of a country club mentality then mirroring the early church. Jew or Christian, the similarities run the same, the faithful have forgotten that YHWH’s Holy Days in Leviticus ch.23 are not just religious obligations; they are a treasure trove of our CREATOR'S Wisdom. YHWH in HIS infinite wisdom designed the Holy Days to have many in-depth and multilevel meanings, all with perfect symmetry leading to one place, HIS Kingdom. By having the family walking together on YHWH’s Ancient Path and watching the spiritual opera of HIS Holy Days, YHWH is trying to help us understand HIS plan for humanity and HE wants us to actively participate. That participation begins at home with family homeWorship, reinforcing Divine family values.

Observing the Holy Days is not a religious requirement for salvation. They are observed out of love and respect for our CREATOR, and HIS Covenant with us (1Jno.5:3). We observe them not out of a legal religious obligation, but we look forward to learning from them, to seek to understand their higher Divine lessons, and to celebrate them. Just as any skilled professional is required to take additional training or annual refresher courses, these are the annual spiritual refresher courses designed by our CREATOR. They are for a-l-l of HIS Believers to practice their spiritual training and maintain a high level of performance - lest we forget and lose our way (Mat.25:1-13).

YHWH’s Covenants are the bricks that make up HIS Ancient Path, the Golden Rule is the mortar that binds them together, and HIS Holy Days are the informational signs, the mile markers, the guardrails, that help us stay on HIS Path.

“True religion is the life you lead,
not the creed you possess.”

The Believers are commanded to grow in knowledge and grace (2Pet.3:18), to be a living sacrifice . . ., transformed by the renewing of your mind (Rom.12:1-2). The Holy Days are a personal, spirit-training series of Heavenly lessons, with subtle instructions, which picture a greater spiritual truth. They repeat every year, lest we forget, to teach understanding, to all - men, women and children - that our CREATOR is still in control of the Heavenly Powers of the Universe and HIS promises to humanity will be fulfilled.

YAHWEH’S Holy Days, dispose of your demons through reflection and afflicting your soul, to have a change of heart and repent. They connect us to a Heavenly timetable - signs to watch - and they give us hope for the future. They put us spiritually in control and encourage us to: live-learn-and grow - HONORABLY!

In my book and website, I have endeavored to teach some of the multi-level meanings of the Holy Days. For example, the Holy Days have historical lessons (I call them coincidental dates?) - which we should honor by their remembrance. They teach current day character building lessons - which we should learn and improve ourselves. They teach us health lessons for the mind and body – which we should learn, to improve our physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being (Jon.14:1, 27; 2Tim.1:7). They are a “shadow of things to come” as they picture a prophetic, Messianic message of hope. They are future prophecies of events (some on a planetary scale) yet to unfold (Col.2:16-17) - which we a-l-l should watch for. For more info. on the spring Holy Days log on to: http://www.homeworship101.com/holy_days_spring.htm

Imagine,
being the personal friend of YAHWEH.

Our premier Biblical example of faith, honor, and respect, is Abraham. He was a man of great faith and he lived life by two great commandments, he loved and honored YAHWEH, and he showed love and compassion for his neighbors – even ones he didn’t care for very much. “He was called a friend of GOD” (Jas.2:23). When Abraham wanted to pay respects to YHWH he sought out the person called King-Priest Melchizedek, the King of Salem and “the Priest of the most high GOD.” He received Abraham, and presented him with two items prophetically pointing to the salvation of the Messiah, bread and wine. Then Melchizedek blessed both GOD and Abraham (Gen.14:18). In Abraham’s life we see the first examples of the Rites of the Jerusalem Church: Bread and wine, GODLY hospitality, Angels helping the faithful, the laying on of hands, bestowing blessings, anointing, and the Covenant relationship.

We have learned much about YHWH since the time of Abraham. Just think back, the Bible, very specifically, tells us that King-Priest Melchizedek met Abraham and shared bread and wine with him. Abraham knew bread and wine were important YHWH but could not understand the big picture that we know today. Yet he faithfully observed the rite of bread and wine with King-Priest Melchizedek because it was important to YHWH. Moses was another man of faith and he learned a little more about YHWH’s mysterious symbolism of bread and wine (lamb’s blood), which saves and protects the faithful. Today in the life of Yahshua we are blessed know all the mysteries of the symbolism of bread and wine. Sadly, most of the faithful only know fragments of the story – Satan has been busy corrupting spiritual knowledge.

~ On the 14^th day… The Passover (April 21^st) ~

“In reality,
we Christians are nothing more
then a sect of Jews.” - G. C. Lichtenberg

I talked about the Sabbath in my last newsletter being the first official Holy Day, and YHWH’s Passover is HIS second most important Holy Day. Passover is mentioned 48 times in the Hebrew Bible and 28 times in the New Testament. The Passover observance is so important that it is the only Holy Day listed with a provision for observing it exactly one month later if you miss it the first time (Num.9:10-11). Passover is the oldest, continuously observed religious holiday on the planet. There are Biblical hints that Passover extends all the way back to the first family when Abel made an offering of firstlings of his flock of sheep (Gen.4:3-7). Today’s official Passover observance is a 3,500-year-old tradition that began in the time of Moses. The home Worship instructions for Passover are in Exodus ch.12-13.

The preparations that began on the 10^th day have been completed, and the stage is set. It is interesting to note that YHWH teaches us these spiritual lessons via HIS Holy Days, in chorological order; from living in the chaos of sin, to living an eternity in YHWH’S Heaven. Here on the first Holy Day the curtain rises on YHWH'S annual Spiritual Opera with Passover and the chosen sacrificial lamb.

The Temple picture of the sacrificial lamb speaks volumes for those who can see. One spiritual lesson is that it prophetically points to the suffering messiah who will be YHWH'S sacrificial lamb to redeem humanity. The redeeming Messiah was the first prophecy given to Adam and Eve to give them hope (Gen.3:15), and now, for those who can see, this is the first prophecy shown to all humanity in YHWH’s Holy Days.

In His final week on earth Yahshua was deliberately arranging His activities around the events associated with the selection, testing and death of the Passover lamb. The Essenes, and the Disciples knew the spiritual symbolism of the coming Holy Days - they were getting a bad feeling. Yahshua even warned them two days before that He was to be crucified - they were not happy (Mat.26:2). They knew the writings of the Prophets all too well, they had heard Isaiah’s prophecy of the suffering Messiah (ch.53) many times: “. . . He is despised and rejected by men . . ., He was wounded . . ., He was bruised . . ., He opened not His mouth . . ., He was led as a lamb to slaughter . . ., He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken . . ., His grave with the wicked . . .,” - they were worried. Log on to read the whole story: http://www.homeworship101.com/bb-c7a_are_you_the_messiah_prelude.htm

On the evening beginning the 14th day, Passover (commonly called the Last Supper), was observed by Yahshua and the Apostles. Later that day, while Yahshua was dying from His crucifixion, only a few hundred yards away on the Temple mount, the Jews were killing their Passover lambs. For those who can see, the spiritually symmetry of YHWH’s Opera could not have been more perfect – and there is not a dry eye in the house.

On the first public Passover night when YHWH freed HIS people from bondage in Egypt, HE showed the faithful that the pagan rulers and their evil world have no future. Surviving the Passover night means one has been found 'justified and redeemed' (Exo.ch.12-13). Redeemed means that something has been bought back from the marketplace. Justification means that someone has been judged and found not guilty. In other words, humanities sins washed away in the sea of forgetfulness, and that is a good thing for the spiritual bank account. Your position before YAHWEH now changes - for the better!

This also is important to the Christian church, as there are many New Testament references teaching justification, Romans 3:24-28, 4:25, 5:1-9, 8:30; Galatians 2:16-17. If we accept the ruling than we must respect HIS (YHWH) position of authority. We are justified, found not guilty - for the time being. Now we have to stay that way, and we do that by accepting YHWH'S guidance and “putting on” a new person to insure our freedom and await our Covenant rewards.

The Passover provides the on-ramp to YHWH’s Ancient Path. Without the blood sacrifice of the innocent lamb on Passover to redeem a-l-l humanity from the curse of sin, there would be no hope of ever reaching YHWH’s heavenly Kingdom. Through the Passover, on the higher spiritual level, humanity has been redeem and justified, now all we have to do is recognize the Divine opportunity before us and accept the responsibility to walk the GODLY path.

We have seen YHWH’s power and authority, we heard HIS teachings or proposal, and on the previous 10^th day we tested everything to our satisfaction, the next step is ratification of the Covenant. Ratification means to publicly swear allegiance or commitment to it. And that is accomplished by drinking of the Cup of the Covenant, or the cup of wine in the Passover ceremony, in Christianity it is called communion.

Humanities redemption began with the ancient Israelites by the blood of Passover. The blood of Passover that saved them was the blood of the lamb that the ancient Israelites were told to put on their doorposts. And some centuries later, humanities redemption was fulfilled when Yahshua, the innocent “lamb of GOD,” was sacrificed on Passover. The faithful symbolize this by drinking red wine during the Passover, and communion rite, by doing so one is symbolically ratifying the Covenant with YHWH. To learn more log on to: http://www.homeworship101.com/bb-c10_mystery_of_the_bride.htm

How To Observe Passover

There is some debate on how to properly observe the Passover, our example, as always, is Yahshua. He and John the Baptist were part of the religious order called the Essenes. They were the serious Bible scholars, the true Believers, and the faithful watchers of the day. They were wise to the prophecies and they were making preparations. To the Essenes, righteousness meant a person also had to be right in his heart, he had to be right with his brother, and lastly he had to be right with GOD.

The Essenes felt that the rabbinical Sadducees and the Pharisees had become more like political parties then a religious order. They considered the priesthood was corrupt, and the Temple worship was not pure in YHWH’s Spirit and Truth - it had become ritualistic. It suffered from many of the same problems we have today in our worship centers; it had become ritualistic and overblown with pomp and ceremony. It had become corrupted by the leaders using the heresy of Nicolaitanism (putting a religious leader between YAHWEH and the people Rev.2:15). They felt that the people were misled and lost, that the rabbis were condemned for their corruption, and righteousness has been reduced to mere ceremonialism. They saw a corrupted Sanhedrin which totality conquered the common people, keeping them on a tight leash, while the rich were treated with favors. The Essenes would have nothing to do with it. Seeing all this around 200 B.C.E. they decided to remove themselves from the mainstream religious society and prepare themselves for the “great event,” the arrival of the long awaited Messiah. They built a settlement in the wilderness, outside of Jerusalem in Qumran, on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea.

Now here is something to get you thinking, do you see what happened? The Essenes rejected rabbinical Judaism and returned to the roots of their faith. One might wonder what did they turn to. I’m not sure of any specific name, but it was how the Hebrew faith was practiced when YHWH ruled Israel, beginning in the time of Moses for about 450 years, until the Israelites rejected HIS rule and began a government based on earthly kings (1Sam.8:11-18). If one wants to be spiritually honest then we must rediscover how the Hebrew faith was practiced when YHWH ruled because that is how Yahshua did it, and when He returns He will rule the way His FATHER did. For more info. see the attached “Christian Passover.” Or log on to http://www.homeworship101.com/NL_2006_05.htm

~ On the 15^th day… Days of Unleavened Bread (April 22nd) ~

"Divine Knowledge: humbles great men,
astonishes the common man,
and puffs up the little man."

The 15th day begins the first Holy Convocation of the season, the Days of Unleavened Bread. This was the first day that Yahshua-Jesus, the "bread of life," was put in the grave and began preaching to those in Hades (Jno.6:47-51; Luk.23:54-55; 1Pet.3:19).

These Holy Days teach us to approach YHWH and Yahshua with humility. They teach us to be humble and temper our lofty pride and to curb our desire to be important. The lesson cautions us not to indulge in triumphalism, dogmatism, or overconfidence. And YHWH teaches us this through home Worship.

Too many people think the sun shines through their bellybutton - so to speak, and with that haughty attitude one will never learn anything. Participating in the Holy Days means one is about to receive the Wisdom of YHWH'S Kingdom and that Wisdom cannot be misused. So the these first Holy Days begin with a warning lesson about the sin of pride which was played out for all the world to see long ago in ancient Egypt between Moses and Pharaoh. The Divine message is: Be humble, and temper your lofty pride or you will wind up in ruin like Pharaoh (Exo.ch.13-15).

“When pride comes, then comes shame;
but with the humble is wisdom.” - Proverbs 11:2

The first moral lesson of the Holy season is showing humanity that pride is the worst sin of all, and must be brought under control before any spiritual learning can begin. (Or you will never understand the mysteries revealed in HIS Spiritual Opera of Holy Days.) The faithful are justified through the Passover blood but they must learn how to remain that way. The Bible has many verses that teach humility because people cannot learn how to remain justified and sanctified if one is too prideful to heed YHWH’s teachings. To remind humanity of this, the preparations for these first Holy Days means removing all food leavening products from your house and diet. And while we are cleaning out our houses of puffed up foods, symbolically, we must make the effort to remove the leaven of prideful sin from our hearts because the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1Cor.5:7-8); and we should also clean out the bad doctrines we follow because they will lead us astray (Heb 13:9). For further study on Holy Days observance log on: http://www.homeworship101.com/holy_days_spring_observance.htm

During these first Holy Days when are to clean up our houses and throw out all leavening products, it is symbolic throwing out the puffed up and phony material world, and start a new beginning of walking a GODLY path in ones life. YAHWEH is not only interested in your freedom, but also in your spiritual condition. HE is not a gotcha kind of GOD trying to keep you out of Heaven; He cares about what you are going to be. HE wants to teach you to transform your condition, to be baptized and reborn into a new understanding.

Another Holy Day lesson that YHWH is teaching us is that HE knows that some people may be less then meticulous in their personal habits, so HE wants to teach all humanity that being neat, orderly, and learn that living in a clean house has health benefits for the physical body.

~ On the first Sunday after Passover… Day of Firstfruits (April 27th) ~

‘I love it when a plan comes together.’ – YAHWEH

The prophecies of the mystery of the Messiah was known way back in time. To send a redeemer to save humanity from the curse of sin was the first promise YHWH made to Adam & Eve after they left the Garden of Eden, and they passed it on through their generations. Later in time, YHWH once again renewed the promise to Noah in the Rainbow Covenant. All the supernatural beings in the heavenlies knew of the promise but were not quite sure how it would actually come to pass. YHWH withheld the exact details because Satan also hears the prophecies and he would do all he can to stop the redemption of humanity. When Yahshua finally fulfilled HIS mission on earth the whole population of the heavenlies was happily watching with amazement – the only unhappy ones were Satan and his followers.

“Of these Messianic claimants,
only one, Jesus of Nazareth,
so impressed His disciples that He became their Messiah.
And He did so after the very crucifixion
which should have refuted His claims decisively.
But it was not Jesus’ life
which proved beyond question that He was the Messiah, the Christ.
It was His resurrection.”
- Ellis Rivkin, Professor of Jewish history at Hebrew Union College

On this day when Yahshua was ‘resurrected’ to immorality he made a wonderful entrance into the Kingdom and presented the first harvest of redeemed spirits (the Old Testament Saints) to YAHWEH (Mat.27:52-53). They were cheering Yahshua as He entered the Throne Room shouting, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. To receive power and riches and wisdom. And strength and honor and glory and blessing,” Revelation 5:12. He was making His way through all the well-wishers when suddenly a hush fell over the Throne Room, and all eyes turned to the Throne. YAHWEH the FATHER was standing up to make a pronouncement, HIS voice thunders through the Kingdom, as HE announces to all in the Universe, that HE now gives Yahshua His Covenant reward for faithful service, a highly exalted position in the Kingdom.

"To stand before men on behalf of God is one thing.
To stand before God on behalf of men is something entirely different."
- Leonard Ravenhill

Yahshua kneels, and YAHWEH bestows a triple anointing: He is a Prophet (Deu.18:18), He is a High Priest (Heb.ch.7-8), and He is King (Ps.45:6-8). YAHWEH now gives Him a Name above any other, not only in this world, but also in that world which is to come. YAHWEH hath put all things under His feet, and made it known that at every knee should bend, of those in Heaven, and those of the Earth, and of those under the Earth, and that every tongue should confess that Yahshua is the Messiah, to the glory of YAHWEH the FATHER (Phi.2:9-11; Eph.1:22-23).

Yahshua rises, and YAHWEH hands Him the keys to death and Hades (Rev.1:18). Yahshua then takes His seat, at the right hand of YAHWEH (Mar.16:19). As the trumpets mark the event, praise and cheer erupts from the Throne Room, on this day of Firstfruits, it was one of those most-excellent moments in the Kingdom. All is well in the Universe!!!

Just to prove YHWH’s superiority to the faithful here on earth, there is also another odd story that goes with the resurrection. Writings collected in the Ante-Nicene Library (a large volume of books containing the writing of the first and second century church), describe that more then twelve thousand of the Old Testament Assembly walked thru Galilee for forty days (Mat.27:52-54). Just think of it, these are dead people resurrected to life that the living people recognized. Most Bible teachers skip over this passage because the account of this amazing supernatural event seems so bizarre.

After the forty days they were taken to a holding place in YAHWEH’S Third Heaven, and are now asleep with the righteous dead that have died since that event (2Cor.5:8). They are awaiting their immortal bodies, given when Yahshua calls them near the end of the Age of Grace.

The curtain closes on the first act of YHWH’s Spiritual Opera.

And the universe awaits
for the revealing of the Covenant Children of YAHWEH
from New Earth.

<>< <>< ><> ><>

“Why do you call me Lord, Lord
and do not do the things which I say?” – Luke 6:46

What I have just briefly described here is a wonderful spiritual story, rich in history and heavenly symbolism. Yahshua’s’ fulfillment as the innocent lamb of YHWH to fulfill the Blood of the Covenant was one of those stunning mysteries of YHWH. It may not occur to many people today, but in these Holy Days Yahshua through His physical life, spiritually fulfilled, all the Heavenly symbolism precisely. Yahshua as the lamb of GOD, was crucified on Passover, buried on Unleavened Bread, raised on Firstfruits, and as we will see in the next Holy Day, He had sent the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Four coincidences are really hard to explain away, thereby confirming that YAHWEH is in control and there is hope for the future! To simply dismiss all this and just call this day an Easter celebration with Easter eggs and bunnies, is an insult to YHWH and Yahshua, in this new millennium, let us have enough intellectual honesty to get the pagan 'Easter' out of 'Resurrection Sunday.'

Other coincidental dates? YHWH either fulfills, or takes steps to fulfill, many of HIS Covenant promises on HIS Holy Days, proving to humanity that HIS hand is in control world affairs. In the paragraph above, I have describe how the life and death of Yahshua fulfilled the Messianic prophecies in the spring season of Holy Days, and here are some other events: YHWH makes a Covenant with Abraham and reveals the promised land (Gen.15:18). The Passover supper is eaten in preparing for the Exodus (Exo.12:41). The first Passover in Canaan - the Covenant renewed (Jos.5:3-12). The Book of the Law was discovered and reaffirmed under Josiah (2Chr.34:14-31). The dedication of the Second Temple (2Chr.36:19). The Last Supper - the New Covenant is affirmed in the Messiah (Luk.22:19-20). See my Holy Day web pages for more coincidental dates, http://www.homeworship101.com/holy_days_spring.htm

In closing remember, YAHWEH'S Holy Days are home Worship family days where everyone is encouraged to participate which reinforces the family values we are so lacking in today’s society. There is a time and place for “formal” ceremony and Worship during the high Holy Days, but home Worship is less rigid, more down-to-earth and from-the-heart. In the time of the Apostles, there might be a service at the synagogue or Temple, but then the faithful would go home, prepare a Sacred meal, and continue their Worship either alone or with family and friends. In Christianity it is called "Table Fellowship," and it is modeled after the Last - Passover - Supper. Log on: http://www.homeworship101.com/holy_day_observance.htm

Enjoy the journey of learning…

Please remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and for all those who stand with Israel (Ps.122).

Take care. Wishing you all Holy Day Blessings, Errol.
**********************************************
Errol Mueller, chronicler extraordinaire
e-mail: errol@homeworship101.com
website: www.homeworship101.com
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WSC Newsletter 2008-06, posted 04/19/08.

Copyright © 2008 Errol Mueller. All rights reserved. Short quotations, page copying, or redistribution for personal or non-commercial group study is permitted and encouraged, provided they are copied in total with no alterations or deletions. Author’s name, website address, and copyright notice must be included. If any other use is desired, written permission is required.
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Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version of the Holy Bible.

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