Newsletter: 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 holiday dates are in conflict with the Holy Day dates set by YHWH (Passover in calendar 4/9, new moon 4/10). Appointed times means YHWH appoints the times, and HE show us the times by signs of the moon (Ps.104:19). YHWH appoints the time HE meets with HIS people, if you observe on a different day then you miss the “appointed time” with HIM.

The Passover is observed annually on the 14th day of the 1st month, April 10^th (Lev.23:4-5). It is a solemn time, a memorial service, because there is death in the air. Death is the price paid for freedom. Knowing we will soon be free of slavery, the day also brings an anxious and joyous feeling.

The Days of Unleavened Bread begins on the 15th day April 11^th, and are observed for seven days, with the first and last days a Holy convocation (Lev.23:6-8). Death has passed - we are alive! We are justified in the eyes of GOD! Now we must purge out the leaven of sin and rejoice over the wonderful new year ahead!

The term Holy convocation has added some confusion to this Holy Day season because, technically speaking, Passover is not a Holy convocation, it is the “night to be much observed” (Exo.12:42). Except for the nighttime, it is okay to work on the Passover day. The Bible says the fifteenth day is a Holy convocation. For some reason the ancient rabbis have ignored verse 5 and merged their Passover observance into the first Days of Unleavened Bread. They made it one seven day holiday period called the Feast of Passover, with all Jews performing a Seder on the first night, and some on the first two nights, beginning on the fifteenth day of the month.

The Feast of Firstfruits is observed on the first Sunday after Passover April 12^th, during the seven days of Unleavened Bread (Lev.23:9-14). It is a joyous feast day, celebrating the resurrection of the righteous!

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

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).

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.

The Holy Days are ordained for all the Believers in our CREATOR, because all together they picture the major spiritual steps in HIS great master plan to save a-l-l humanity (not just a small group),from the destructive effects of the evil dark powers leading to HIS Eternal Kingdom. They are the Holy Days which we will all celebrate forever (Isa.66:23; Zec.14:16).

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!

~The Holy Days are a Treasure Trove of our CREATOR'S Wisdom~

"Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
for You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day." - Psalm 25:4-5

The Holy Days are ancient spiritual keys to a timeless treasure trove of our CREATOR'S Wisdom. YAHWEH is trying to help us, and in HIS infinite wisdom HE designed the Holy Days to have many in-depth and multilevel meanings, all with perfect symmetry leading to one place - HIS Kingdom. They have historical lessons - which we should honor by their remembrance. They teach current day character building lessons - which we should learn. They teach us health lessons for the mind and body. They are a “shadow of things to come” as they picture a prophetic, Messianic message of hope. They are future prophecies of human catastrophes with many on a planetary scale (Col.2:16-17) - which we all should watch for.

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. Through the spiritual opera of the Holy Days HE is trying to help us understand HIS plan for humanity and HE wants us to actively participate.

YHWH’s Holy Convocations hands on! They designed to encourage the individual Believer to actively participate and in-turn gives us a place in HIS Universe. It is a time to put the daily drone of our material pursuits aside, and take a day to honor, learn, and pay respect unto our CREATOR. We show love and respect for our Heavenly FATHER, through study, thanksgiving, songs of praise and dance, and joyous feasting with friends and family. This in turn will strengthen your mind, body and spirit.

~The Holy Days Teach us about YHWH’ Ancient Path...~

The beginning of Biblical understanding is, as always, with the name first. The Hebrew words for “ancient path,” is netivot ‘olam, meaning “perpetual path.” In the Biblical context it would mean the “perpetual way of faith,” specifically, YHWH’S eternal Way of Faith.” YHWH’s Ancient Path is HIS Way of Faith. We know our CREATOR, YHWH, does not change, and HIS Way of Faith is revealed through HIS Holy Days. 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 on-ramps, informational signs, the mile markers, the guardrails - they are everything that helps us stay on HIS Path. The article continues http://www.homeworship101.com/fyi_ancient_path_of_YHWH_%20GOD.htm

~The Holy Days Teach us about YHWH’s Covenants…~

“But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
on those who fear Him,
and His righteousness to children’s children,
to such as keep His Covenant,
and to those who remember His commandments to do them
the Lord has established His throne in heaven,
and His kingdom rules over all.” - Psalm 103:17-19

YHWH could easily destroy Satan and the rebellious angels but then that would make YHWH just a simple dictator. The key to understanding why this spiritual scenario of humanity has to play out is because there are Kingdom Laws and those Laws apply to all members of the Kingdom equally, even YHWH has to follow them, and to redeem HIS creation HE has to do it via legal means. In other words, this world has been mortgaged over to Satan - so to speak, and YHWH wants to buy it back – so to speak.

The Biblical Book of Ruth with its touching story of love, devotion, and redemption, is symbolic of the Kingdom’s legal aspects. YHWH wants to redeem the faithful of HIS Creation and that is accomplished by the evolution of YHWH’s Covenants with humanity. In all, there are three universal Covenants, and five with Israel, which also have universal aspects. Christian’s are ministers of the Covenant because the Covenants are the legal means by which humanity is entitled to redemption (eternal life in YHWH’s Kingdom). We live under the curse of sin, subject to death, YHWH loves HIS Creation and wants to prevent that. That is the basic reason for the need of the Covenants. These spring Holy Days shows us and proves that YHWH keeps HIS Covenant promises. The article continues http://www.homeworship101.com/NL_2006_02.htm

~The Holy Days teach us about YHWH’s Messianic Prophecies…~

It’s not, what would Jesus do?
It’s, what did Jesus do?

Jesus not only did the Holy Days – He fulfilled them!

Today the question is, when it comes to religious Holy Days, what did Jesus do? Many forget that those who believe in Christ follow a Hebrew Messiah and He kept His FATHER’s ordained Holy Days listed in Leviticus ch.23. As a matter of fact Yahshua/Jesus not only observed the Holy Days, He fulfilled them! He was crucified on Passover (the Last Supper), He was buried on the Days of Unleavened Bread, He was resurrected of the Day of Firstfruit (Resurrection Sunday/Easter), and He sent the Rauch HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit, on Pentecost. Chances are that when He returns as the conquering Messiah, He will fulfill the fall season of Holy Days. So the question remains, if we follow Christ then why are we following the Popes holidays instead of Christ’s example?

~The Holy Days Teach us about YHWH’s Tribulation Prophecies…~

“…and causes the earth and those who dwell in it
to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.”
- Revelation 13:12

Satan’s major problem is that he always wanted to be GOD and have everyone worship him (which is why he originally fell from heaven). Later in time, he tried to tempt the Messiah into worshipping him, and that did not work (Mat.ch.4). Now, Satan and his demonic angels are cast to the Earth, and Satan, by some mysterious slight-of-hand, will possess the body of the human political leader - the Antichrist. He will masquerade as the - counterfeit - messiah, he will want the whole world to worship him (Dan.8:24), and he will also counterfeit the Messianic prophecies in YHWH’s Holy Days for his own glory. The article continues http://www.homeworship101.com/NL_2007_04.htm.

~The Holy Days Teach us about YHWH’s Health & Character Path…~

Too many people think the sun shines through their bellybutton - so to speak. This 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. To remind humanity of this, the preparations for these first Holy Days means removing all food leavening products from your house. And while we are cleaning out our houses of puffed up foods, symbolically, we must make the effort to remove the leaven of sin from our hearts because the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1Cor.5:7-8). It is symbolic of 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.

The physical preparations for the spiritual lessons began on the 10^th day when we were required to test the theology we follow, or test our method of achieving eternal life. The preparations for the next Holy Days of Passover and Unleavened Bread, is that we should clean out our dwellings of all leavening products. The spiritual lesson is that we should expel from our characters anything that puffs us up. The physical lesson is to clean the place in which you live. I know for some people the thought of spring-cleaning sends shivers up their spines. But there is a reason for it; good health responds well to the spiritual exercises of housecleaning with loved ones. 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.

This is spring cleaning for the spirit and the soul. It would be easy to dismiss all this housecleaning and say it is the purity of the heart that counts, but our CREATOR knows keeping your clothes and living quarters clean will help in promoting vigorous health. It is interesting to note that during the Black Death plague of Europe’s middle ages, the rabbis passed the word to get the dwellings of the faithful Passover clean (Lev.ch.13-15). The Jews listened and cleaned out their slums. Their mortality rates were only 5-10% of the population compared to Europeans much higher numbers. Do you think the Christians opened up their Bibles and learned? Fahgeddaboutit! Do you think they would ask the Jews what they did? Fahgeddaboutit!! They figured the Jews were in league with the devil and promptly began to kill them. It only took about 3,500 years for the rebellious humans to learn the Biblical lessons of cleanliness and sanitation. It is a great example of how “governments will always do the right thing - after they have exhausted all other possibilities.”

I would even suggest taking your spring-cleaning one step further. Knowing that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1Cor.6:19), then during this time of eating unleavened foods, eat a little lighter, drink some cleansing teas, and maybe do a colon cleansing to restore your body’s health. When I began researching herbal healing I discovered that in the days before modern medicines and fast foods, people would eat light at the beginning of spring and drink some cleansing teas. When I mentioned this to some of my friends and relatives, they mentioned that they remembered when they were young that their grandparents would always do something like this in the early springtime. I commented, what has changed in the human body in modern times? Nothing! What was good for the body back then is still good. And seeing today’s high incidence of colon cancer I would suggest that we all get busy cleaning out our temples along with our dwelling places.

One more point often missed by the religionists. Salt (pure sea salt), and barley grass, were required offerings at the Temple in Jerusalem. Knowing that YHWH only wants the best, for those who can see, HE showing us that consuming sea salt and barley & wheat grasses does wonders for your health, and it would be the first steps in cleansing your body and promoting better physical and mental health. (Learn more on sea salt log on: http://www.homeworship101.com/fyi_salt_covenant.htm )

~The Thinking Person Has to Ponder…~

Man’s holidays or YHWH’s Holy Day? There really is no comparison. What I have listed is only a small sampling of what YHWH’s Holy Days offer the Faithful.* The shear complexity of the Holy Days alone proves that they are more then just an ethnic tradition. In the Heavenly Kingdom these Holy Days took a great deal of planning to produce the multifaceted Kingdom lessons, and the Angels sweat the details! Even in the Kingdom there is paperwork, and the Angels put a lot of work into bringing YHWH’s design to reality. They had to do intensive research. They had to be sure the specialized materials would be available for use by the people. They had to catalog the time cycles over thousands of years. And they had to be sure that all the events were executed with perfect timing. (*For more information see the newsletter index and scroll down for the various above-mentioned themes to my Holy Day Newsletters.)

YHWH’s plan for humanity’s destiny gives us all hope for the future. It is the same spiritual “story of hope” told to Adam and Eve, and passed on through their descendants as an oral history all the way to Noah. After the flood, Noah taught this same oral history to his descendants. The key action figure in this spiritual opera was revealed in the first prophecy to humanity recorded in the Adamic Covenant, the promised Messiah, and the prophecy plays out in these first Holy Days.

Imagine,
being the personal friend of YAHWEH.

YHWH wants HIS people to be faithful in HIM, honorable and respectful in life, and our premier Biblical example 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 major 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. (See also Mystery of the Bride a perfect Passover story.)

~ On the 14^th day… The Passover (April 10th) ~

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

The Sabbath is 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 from the curse of sin. 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 because they observe Passover on the 15^th night. Here one can plainly see the tragedy of missing YHWH’s appointed time. 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 “Christian Passover,” log on to http://www.homeworship101.com/NL_2006_05.htm

~ On the 15^th day… Days of Unleavened Bread (April 11th) ~

"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. 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

~ On the first Sunday after Passover… Day of Firstfruits (April 12th) ~

‘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; Luk.2:14; Jno.10:25, 14:12-15; 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. And 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.

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“Why do you call me Lord, Lord
and do not do the things which I say?” – Luke 6:4

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, and it bears repeating, on 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 on the next Holy Day of Pentecost that He had sent the Holy Spirit. 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 historical / coincidental dates to honor. 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

"Let them first learn--to show piety at home."
1 Timothy 5:4

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," it is modeled after the Last - Passover – Supper and fellowship is great for the mind, body, spirit, and family. Log on: http://www.homeworship101.com/holy_day_observance.htm

Enjoy the journey of learning…
> Spring Holy Days: http://www.homeworship101.com/holy_days_spring.htm
> Spring Holy Days - How to: http://www.homeworship101.com/holy_days_spring_observance.htm
> Order of Rites: http://www.homeworship101.com/sp-t8_order_of_rites.htm
> Christian Passover: http://www.homeworship101.com/NL_2006_05.htm
> Newsletter Index: http://www.homeworship101.com/NL_01index.htm

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.
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Errol Mueller, chronicler extraordinaire
e-mail: errol@homeworship101.com
website: www.homeworship101.com
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WSC Newsletter 2009-04, posted 04/07/09.

Copyright © 2009 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.
For information, email or call (334) 678-0913. White Stone Communications (Rev.2:17), Dothan, AL.
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Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version of the Holy Bible.

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