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..
Respect is
what we owe,
love is what
we give.
The
"Appointed Times" of YHWH continues... The
Spring Season of HOLY DAYS
Passover
celebrates freedom and justice!
- The Biblical Holy
Days where designed by our CREATOR
- to be home Worship
affairs with family and friends.
- and it is modeled
after the Last - Passover - Supper.
The Passover is observed annually on the 14th day of the 1st month Abib/Nisan
(March-April), 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.
Passover celebrates freedom! This
symbolism, of freeing the faithful from the shackles of a satanic slave
system, has inspired many brave men and women, in many lands throughout
the ages, in their struggle for freedom.
Some people are afraid of freedom!?!? 
This appointed time was very important to YAHWEH.
It 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).
The history of Passover officially begins with the “blood of the
lamb” that frees the ancient Israelites from slavery.
The spiritual symbolism pictures the faithful Believers freed
by justification of YAHWEH and redeemed by the Messiah. Both events are symbolized through the Passover observance.
Redeemed means that something has been bought back from the
marketplace.
Justification means that someone has been judged and found
not-guilty.
Surviving Passover means the
faithful of YAHWEH have been found not guilty.
Our sins washed away in the sea of forgetfulness.
This 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 HIS
guidance and “putting on” a new person to insure our freedom.
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 which began in
the time of Moses. The home
Worship instructions for Passover are in Exodus ch.12-13.
In the Roman time of Yahshua, Jerusalem was a very busy place
during the Holy Days, as it swelled to nearly five times its normal
population of 125,000. The
Jews were joined by many people, from many nations, some had journeyed
great distances. The miles
are long and hard in the desert, but they came from many lands to gather
in Jerusalem to show their respect to the CREATOR at Herod’s Temple.
YAHWEH’S Passover Rite dramatically entered the world stage with
the blood of lamb protecting the Hebrew people from the Death Angel in
Egypt, freeing the people from slavery.
It continues with the death of the Messiah as the innocent “lamb
of GOD” redeeming [a-l-l] humanity from the slavery of sin. “. . .
Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us [all]. . .” 1Corinthians
5:7.
- It’s
not: What would Jesus do?
- It’s:
What did Jesus do?
"Keep
the traditions just as I delivered them to you." -
1 Corinthian 11:2
Yahshua not only
observed Passover, but as prophecy foretold, He fulfilled it!
“Good things come to those who wait,” and the hope of a
redeeming Messiah was a long awaited spiritual event going back in time
thousands of years. It was
given first to Adam (Gen.3:15), and is a concept recorded in one of the
oldest books of the Bible, Job 19:25-26, “For I know my redeemer
liveth . . .”
The death of Yahshua exactly fulfills the prophecy of the suffering
messiah given by Prophets Isaiah ch.53 and Daniel 9:26.
For the Christians, it represents that Yahshua fulfilled the Laws
of Redemption, making available the hope of eternal life for all humanity
(Jno.1:29).
 The Passover observance was commanded by Yahshua, he clearly
stated, “. . . Do this in remembrance of me” (Luk.22:19).
The concept of freedom from slavery continues in the New Covenant
but on a higher level. Yahshua
freed our spirits from slavery to the dark side.
The
slaying of the lamb at Passover, foreshadowed the greater redemption found
in YAHWEH’S anointed Lamb. For those who can hear, John the Baptist’s introduction of
Yahshua at His baptism was loaded with meaning. His prophetic statement was fulfilled on this very day of
Passover: “Behold the Lamb of GOD which taketh away the sins of the
world” (Jno.1:29).
Yahshuas' death is our memorial observance, but we also celebrate His
freedom and His message of hope for the future.
This Holy Day teaches the New Covenant congregation a very special
personal one-on-one spiritual message.
It is an everlasting commitment of a future Heavenly wedding
ceremony of the faithful church to the Messiah, witnessed by the FATHER,
HIS faithful Angels, and the Old Testament Saints.
 The Passover prophetically pictures a promise for a future
Passover with our Messiah, in the Kingdom with all of His faithful in
attendance (Mat.26:29; Mar.14:25; Luk.22:18).
Sometime in the future the Antichrist will counterfeit the
Messiah’s steps and try to fulfill as many messianic prophecies as
possible. On this day he will
stage a fake death either by assassination or some type of accidental
death in an effort to impersonate the wounded Messiah (Isa.53:5-6;
Rev.13:3).
“Coincidental dates?”
YAHWEH 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).
Be
humble, and temper our lofty pride.
The Days or Feast of Unleavened Bread
(Hebrew: Hag Ha-Matzot), begins on the 15th day, 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 night time, 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 yearly observance teaches 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.
The symbolism of bread was very important to our CREATOR.
In the Tabernacle/Temple it was to be displayed at all times
(Exo.25:30). Yahshuas’ life
continued this symbolism. He
was born in Bethlehem, in Hebrew it is called Beth Lechem, meaning House
of Bread. He continually
used the image of bread and growing grain in His teachings.
In one of His most famous miracles, the feeding of the 5,000,
Yahshua literally showed that He is the “bread of life,” and he who
“eats the bread of life will live forever” (Jno.6:47-51).
When He died, He was wrapped in white linen and buried in the
earth, and managed to do it on this very Holy Day of Unleavened Bread.
And finally, He rose, He was “brought forth from the earth.”
To the New Covenant congregation, Paul said: “Therefore purge
out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are
unleavened. For indeed
Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor
with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of
sincerity and truth” 1Corinthians 5:7-8.
This passage clearly shows Paul teaching that “keeping the
Feasts” is not just for the Jews but also for the new Christians.
Many people believe the sun shines through their bellybuttons.
It is the center of the universe syndrome.
The Apostle Paul was admonishing the congregation to perform a
personal spiritual housecleaning, to humble ourselves, to purge out false
teachings and redirect our spiritual path in the footsteps of our
Messiah’s living example (1Pet.2:21).
Some of the things to “put off” during the spiritual house
cleaning are the sinful nature, “the works of the flesh,” a list is
found in Galatians ch.5.
Abstaining from eating leavened products depicts the ongoing
personal responsibility of every Believer to abstain from sin, this
process is called “personal sanctification.”
Preparing for this eight-day, Holy festival was normally
completed before Passover. In the Bible leavening is symbolic of the sin of pride.
Proud, vain, boastful, big ego, are the opposites of
“walking humbly with your GOD.”
All the people would understand the simple analogy of leavening -
puffed up bread - is symbolic of puffed up people.
This is a “biggie” message from our CREATOR.
First at Passover, HE dazzles us with miracles while learning to
fear spiritual death, and now we will spend seven days of our daily life
in a spiritual “walk in the newness of life” (Rom.6:4).
Tempering our personalities, through focusing on this ungodly
characteristic of pride in humanity.
The leaven (sin) must be cleansed from our dwellings (and
hearts). To physically
commemorate the Seven Days of Unleavened Bread, all food items (except
animal food) containing leavening products were put out of the house and
not eaten during these Holy Days. Leavening
is yeast, baking soda and baking powder, which is used in bread,
cookies, cakes, etc. It
takes some planning and preparation, the house (and heart), must be cleaned, almost
sterilized, of every crumb of bread or anything that has leavening in it
- every speck of sin must be purged.
Removing sin from the house (and heart), is a tough job.
Everything is cleaned and scrubbed, it gives new meaning to the
term spring cleaning. The
historical lesson is taken from 2Kings 23:19-22 where King Josiah raged
through Israel like a tornado cleaning out the pagan altars from the
land, even YAHWEH was impressed with his Passover preparation.
This is serious deep cleaning, leavening must be removed from
every hiding place, from every corner of the house (and heart), from the back of the
cabinets, to behind the refrigerator, under the sofa, etc.
 HEALTH BENEFIT: 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. Good health
responds well to the spiritual exercises of housecleaning with loved
ones.
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! They
figured the Jews were in league with the devil to curse them 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.”
The Days of Unleavened Bread prophetically pictures the time
in the Kingdom, when after partaking of the promised future Passover with
our Messiah in YAHWEH’S main hall, He will lead all His faithful to new
Heavenly mansion and headquarters built especially for them.
“Coincidental dates?”
On the first day, the exodus journey from the bondage of Egypt
began. On the last day, the
Hebrew people marched through the Red Sea to safety (Deu.16:3).
The final fall of the first revolt of Jewish resistance at Massada
happened on this day (Flavius Josephus War of the Jews).
 Celebrating
the resurrection
- of the righteous!
The Feast of Firstfruits,
(Hebrew: Hanafat Ha'omer or Day of Omer Waving),
is observed on the first Sunday
after Passover, during the seven days of Unleavened Bread, Lev.23:9-14.
It is a joyous feast day, celebrating the
resurrection of the righteous!
 The yearly observance reminds the faithful that this was the
day when Yahshua was raised and presented the first harvest of redeemed
spirits (the Old Testament Saints) to YAHWEH (Mat.27:52-53).
The Christians generally know this day as Resurrection Sunday
because Yahshua rose from the dead on this day.
Today it is generally known as Easter based from the Roman times
where it adapted some Greek pagan fertility rites of the goddess Ishtar.
The original name “Firstfruits” has much greater symbolism.
It means that there is an order to things, if there is a
“first” then there must be a second, and a third, etc.
And that is the essence of Christian hope, to be called worthy in
the next harvest of spirits (Rom.8:11).
The secrets of the resurrections are thoroughly illuminated by the
Apostle Paul in 1Corinthians 15:20-23,“But now is Christ risen from
the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen
asleep.” Verse 23, “But
each in his order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are
Christ’s at His coming.”
The day prophetically pictures the called out faithful of
the Church of the Messiah, now being presented to YAHWEH as the
second-fruits harvest of righteous souls of Earth.
“Coincidental dates?”
It is interesting to note that this day has had other amazingly
symbolic resurrection events unfolding on this yearly anniversary date: On
this day the Ark rested on Mount Ararat and the human race was resurrected
following the flood (Gen.8:4).
And almost two thousand years later, Moses led the Hebrew people
through the Red Sea to be resurrected as a nation from the death bondage
of Egypt.
Forty years later Israel crossed the Jordan river, and the people
enjoyed the Firstfruits of the promised land (Jos.5:10-12).
While under Persian rule the entire nation of Jews found themselves
trapped in a satanic plot of annihilation.
Through the courage of Esther they were rescued from certain death
and given life in a great story of deliverance restoring the nation of
Israel to their land (Book of Esther).
-
And now the resurrection of the Messiah (1Cor.15:20).
- Just
a coincidence?
- Or is the
CREATOR showing us HE is in charge
- by precisely and symbolically fulfilling
HIS prophecies?
ATTENTION:
A
day of new revelations from YHWH!
The Day of Pentecost, (Hebrew:
Hag Ha-Shavuot or Feast of Weeks), is a yearly Holy convocation observed
by counting fifty days from the Day of Firstfruits, Lev.23:15-22.
It is a time of a festive atmosphere because it is the day of new
revelations from YAHWEH!
-
This Holy Day was born in ancient times, when Moses brought
the Torah down from Mt. Sinai, beginning YHWH'S mystical union with
the Hebrew church, (Exo.19:11).
-
-
About 1500 years later, in the time of Apostles, this day was
known as the day that the Holy Spirit, the Ruach HaKodesh of YHWH,
was sent by Yahshua-Jesus to the true believers, beginning His
mystical union with the Hebrew-Gentile Messianic Church.
The historical name is the Feast of the Harvest to symbolize
a harvest - a harvest of souls. A
harvest of the faithful who have it in their heart to believe and follow
HIS commands.
In ancient times the Jews believed only they were the chosen of
GOD. In modern times many
churches believe that only they are chosen of GOD.
Satan enjoys spilling blood over this issue - it’s one of his
biggest cons. Here, on this
Holy Day, lies the simple answer waved in front of you, but many do not
see.
The Temple ceremony required the high priest to wave two loaves of
bread over the altar as an offering to YAHWEH.
The offering of two loaves of bread is a product of craftsmanship
(different from a harvest or blood offering).
Unlike the previous Holy Days with symbols of unleavened bread,
these two loaves of bread are made with yeast - the symbol for sin.
With a skilled hand each loaf begins with the best ingredients, it
is then mixed, stirred, kneaded, risen, flattened, risen again, and then carefully baked to perfection.
Think about it, it sounds a lot like the spiritual evolution of the
Hebrews and gentiles, being guided by the hand of our CREATOR.
In GOD’S world it’s a no-brainer, the Bible always talks of
salvation for both the Hebrews and the gentiles - anybody with a belly
button.
Here on this Holy Day they are spiritually represented as two
loaves of bread offered to YAHWEH.
The observance of the day teaches us the significance of the
birth of the New Covenant Messianic assembly, when the gift of the Holy
Spirit poured out of the Heavens to the assembled Believers as described
in Acts ch.2.
Yahshua was the
Firstfruit accepted into Heaven. He
is our representative in the Great White Throne Room, and now through Him
the faithful are consecrated to the FATHER.
It was one of Yahshua’s last promises He made to His church: “.
. . the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in
My name, He shall teach you all things . . .,
Peace I leave you . . ., let your heart not be troubled, neither
let it be afraid” John 14:26-27.
This day also publicly announces the start of the
Age of
Grace, and
the faithful appreciate the blessing of living under our CREATOR’S Laws.
The ancient command was to leave the corners of the cultivated
fields for the poor and the stranger.
Today the spiritual symbolism teaches evangelism, sharing the
bounties of the field now becomes sharing the Gospel and the Law with
others, “as workers in the field” readying the crop for the
time of the great fall harvest.
[ Click
for more info: Newsletter Index
look for Pentecost
Newsletter ]
The day prophetically pictures the church receiving their
power, and instructions, for the new job of the Millennium rule coming
shortly. This officially
makes them the spiritual elite forces of the Messiah, ready for service in
the coming Messianic Kingdom.
“Coincidental dates?” The giving of the Law to Moses on
Mount Sinai, signifies the birth of the Hebrew Church (Exo.19:11).
The giving of the Holy Spirit signifies the birth of the Hebrew-Gentile
Messianic Church (Act.ch.2).
- It will be a long summer
growing season under this Age of
Grace.
- "The Lord is not slack concerning His
promise,
- as some count slackness,
- but is long
suffering toward us,
- not willing that any should perish
- but that all should come to repentance."
- 2Peter 3:9
-
-
Click for: Early-Fall Holy Days
From
the book
The Mystical Rites of our CREATOR
ISBN 0-9675266-0-4
Copyright © 2000-2013 White Stone
Communications - HomeWorship101.com
Last modified: February 11, 2013
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