THE HOLY LAND CONNECTION - PART XI
In light of the previous post, consider the following historical events and signs in the heavens that have fallen consistently on God’s appointed feasts.
•The Lunar and Solar Eclipses connected to the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ:
1.Feast of Passover 4/3/33 Partial Lunar Eclipse Saros Series 71
The Bible specifically says the sun was darkened between noon and 3:00pm the day Jesus hung and died on the cross. Yet it is interesting to note that even though NASA does not record any solar eclipse occurring on 4/3/33 (only 3/19/33) there are many ancient non-biblical sources that do cite a mysterious solar event occurring right around this time. One source, for example, is Phlegon Trallianus’ record in his history, Olympiades, "In the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad [AD 32-33], a failure of the sun took place greater than any previously known, and night came on at the sixth hour of the day [noon], so that stars actually appeared in the sky; and a great earthquake took place in Bithynia and overthrew the greater part of Niceaea."
•The Tetrad of 1493 through 1494 was tied to the repulsion of the Jews from Spain during the Spanish Inquisition.
1.Feast of Passover 4/2/1493 Total Lunar Eclipse Saros Cycle
2.Feast of Tabernacles 9/25/1493 Total Lunar Eclipse Saros Cycle
3.Feast of Passover 3/22/1494 Total Lunar Eclipse Saros Cycle
4.Feast of Tabernacles 9/15/1494 Total Lunar Eclipse Saros Cycle
(The saros cycle for the Tetrad of 1493 through 1494 is not available on the NASA website at this time.)
•The Tetrad of 1949 through 1950 is tied to the rebirth of the nation of Israel declared May 14, 1948.
It should be noted here that even though Israel declared themselves a nation in 1948, the first permanent government took office on Jan 25, 1949. Israel had a transitional government in 1948. In this way, the tetrad can tie to the year 1949 for the first elected office of that year and the birth year still be 1948.
1.Feast of Passover 4/13/1949 Total Lunar Eclipse Saros Cycle 121
2.Feast of Tabernacles 10/7/1949 Total Lunar Eclipse Saros Cycle 126
3.Feast of Passover 4/2/1950 Total Lunar Eclipse Saros Cycle 131
4.Feast of Tabernacles 9/26/1950 Total Lunar Eclipse Saros Cycle 136
•The Tetrad of 1967 - 1968 is tied to the 6-Day War when Israel gained control of Jerusalem
1.Feast of Passover 4/24/1967 Total Lunar Eclipse Saros Cycle 121
2.Feast of Tabernacles 10/18/1967 Total Lunar Eclipse Saros Cycle 126
3.Feast of Passover 4/13/1968 Total Lunar Eclipse Saros Cycle 131
4.Feast of Tabernacles 10/6/1968 Total Lunar Eclipse Saros Cycle 136
•The Solar Eclipse pattern of 2008, 2009 and 2010
We have a solar eclipse that occurs on the 1st of Av three years in a row.
1.The 1st of Av 8/1/2008 Total Solar Eclipse Saros Cycle 126
2.The 1st of Av 7/22/2009 Total Lunar Eclipse Saros Cycle 136
3.The 1st of Av 7/11/2010 Total Lunar Eclipse Saros Cycle 146
It is interesting to note that in August 2008, the banking system started to collapse in the United States which in turn has led to the almost total collapse of the world banking system. This is one event among many that is setting the stage for one global currency system which will be controlled by the mark of the beast. In addition, it was on Rosh Hashanah or the Feast of Trumpets on September 29, 2008 that the stock market again fell 777 points. Interesting to note is that in Jewish history and rabbinical writings, solar eclipses are seen as an event that has never bode well for the gentile nations whereas lunar eclipses have been seen as a bad omen for the Israelites.
•The Tetrad of 2014 & 2015 as well as the Solar Eclipses matching Israel’s religious & civil new year
Keep in mind that the 2014-2015 tetrad is the only one in the near future that aligns itself with the Jewish holidays. There are other recent tetrads that have occurred and future tetrads will occur as well. One tetrad occurred in 2003 – 2004 and future tetrads are found in 2032-2033, 2043-2044, 2050-2051, 2061-2062, 2072-2073, and 2090-2091. The difference between these tetrads and the 2014 - 2015 tetrad is that in 2014-2015 all the eclipses align with the Jewish holidays. The others do not. This is significant and we should take note.
1.Feast of Passover 4/15/2014 Total Lunar Eclipse Saros Cycle 122
2.Feast of Tabernacles 10/8/2014 Total Lunar Eclipse Saros Cycle 127
3.The 1st of Nissan 3/20/2015 Total Solar Eclipse Saros Cycle 120
4.Feast of Passover 4/4/2015 Total Lunar Eclipse Saros Cycle 132
5.The 1st of Tishri 9/13/2015 Partial Solar Eclipse Saros Cycle 125
6.Feast of Tabernacles 9/28/2015 Total Lunar Eclipse Saros Cycle 137
In addition, this tetrad does not mean that the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ at Tabernacles has to occur on Tabernacles in the year 2015. What it does suggest is that some major event will be happening that is tied to Israel just as the past tetrads on the feasts tied to Israel. The First Tetrad that landed on the feasts dealt with the scattering of the Jews. The second tetrad on the feasts dealt with the rebirth of Israel and the re-gathering, the third tetrad on the feasts dealt with the 6-Day War and the recapturing of Israel, and the fourth tetrad on the feasts will also be a major event dealing with Israel. Any one of the following events could occur: Restart of the building of the temple and the daily sacrifices for Israel, start of the Tribulation, the abomination of desolation, or beginning of the Great Tribulation (last 3.5 years). We can not say for sure, but one thing we can say is that the signs are revealing that the season to prepare and watch is here! We know that soon there will be a rapture of the church, the coming of the Anti-Christ and False Prophet, the beginning of the Day of the Lord (tribulation), the rebuilding of the third Jewish Temple, and the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ! Let’s watch and live as children of the day and as wise virgins!
Summing things up, it is obvious that significant events occur when the sun and moon eclipse on the Feasts of the Lord. We should not dismiss these occurrences as mere coincidence or meaningless, but rather fulfillments of the testimonies of the Prophets of God (Joel 2:10, Joel 2:31, Amos 5:20, Amos 8:9, Zephaniah 1:15, Amos 5:8 etc.) as well as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s testimony who warned that the sun would be darkened and the moon would turn blood red before the Day of the Lord and his second advent (Matthew 24:29, Revelation 6:12, Revelation 8:12, etc.). We should also keep in mind that this is not date setting, but rather watching and knowing God’s time table and season of the Lord’s return. Jesus said to the religious leaders of his time in Luke 12:56, "You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why do you not analyze this present time?” And in Matthew 6:13, "And in the morning, 'There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?” I can understand how disheartening it would be to have laid out the plan so that your people could be ready only to have them dismiss or neglect it for whatever reason. We are to be wise virgins and not foolish virgins, preparing ourselves to be in the presence of the Lord.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
THE HOLY LAND CONNECTION - PART X
DEFINING:
•Passover = The Hebrew feast day commemorating the sacrificial lamb in Exodus where the Angel of Death passed over Israel while the firstborn in Egypt were slain. It also is the same day the Lord Jesus Christ, our Lamb sacrifice for our sins, was crucified.
•Tishri = Tishri is the seventh month of the religious year for Israel and the first month of the civil year for Israel. This month holds the feasts of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Tabernacles (also known as Sukkoth).
•Rosh Hashanah = This is a two day feast occurring on Tishri 1 and Tishri 2 of the Hebrew calendar. This is also called the Feast of Trumpets or Yom Teruah. It is very possible that this feast day is tied to the rapture of the Christian church prior to the start of the tribulation because the Feast of Trumpets also signifies the Day of the Lord.
•Yom Kippur = This is known as the Day of Atonement. It is considered to be one of the most important of Jewish holidays of the year. It is a day set aside to atone for the sins of the past year. It occurs on the 10th day of Tishri. It is found in Leviticus 23:26-32.
•Sukkoth (Feast of Tabernacles) = The feast of Sukkoth begins on Tishri 15, the fifth day of Yom Kippur. It is a joyous feast day while Yom Kippur is one of the most solemn of feast days. Sukkoth is a feast day with a festival atmosphere. It marks a season of rejoicing. Sukkoth means booths and refers to temporary dwelling places the Jews gather into during this holiday. Most Christian scholars believe the feast of Sukkoth is the feast for the 2nd Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ when he returns with his saints on white horses at Armageddon.
•Tetrad = When four consecutive lunar eclipses are all total eclipses, the group is known as a tetrad.
•Saros Cycle = The saros cycle is an eclipse cycle with a period of about 18 years, 11 days, and 8 hours (approximately 65851/3 days) that can be used to predict eclipses of the sun and moon. One cycle after an eclipse, the sun and moon return to approximately the same relative geometry, and a nearly identical eclipse will occur west of the original location. (As you study, you will see that the saros cycle appears to be very connected to the biblical calendar and God’s MOEDS. Approximately every 50 years, God may be marching month by month on the biblical calendar to reveal his sovereignty in his plan of redemption and his faithfulness in keeping covenants by proclaiming through his lights (sun and moon).
•Nissan = The first month of the Jewish religious year that occurs in the spring time. Passover occurs on the 15th day of this month.
•Av = Av is the fifth month of the Hebrew Calendar and means ‘Father’. It is a time of mourning for the Jews. There are two festivals that are in Av and they occur on the 9th and 15th of Av. On the 9th of Av is Tisha B'av which is a sad day when Jews fast. Take a look at all the events that have occurred on the 9th of Av throughout Jewish History:
o1312 BCE - The generation of Jews who came out of Egypt under Moses' leadership 16 months earlier were condemned to die in the desert and the entry into the Land of Israel was delayed for 40 years. As related in Numbers 14, when the 10 of 12 spies that Moses sent to the Land of Canaan returned with their disheartening report, the people wept all night -- the night of Av 9th -- proclaiming that they'd rather return to Egypt than attempt to conquer and settle it. Basically, these 10 spies were slanderous of God’s word and his promise to go before them, fight for them, and deliver the land into their hands. Therefore, God decreed that the entire generation would wander in the desert for 40 years until that last of them died out, and that their children under the leadership of Joshua will enter the land he promised as Israel's heritage. Consequently, the 9th of Av has been a cursed day throughout Jewish history.
o586 BCE - The 1st temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar (100,000 Jews died/Millions exiled)
o70 CE - The 2nd temple was destroyed by General Titus (2 million Jews died/1 Million exiled)
o135 CE - The Bar Kochba revolt was crushed by the Emperor Hadrian (100,000 Jews were slaughtered)
o136 CE - General Turnus Rufus leveled Jerusalem, rebuilt it as a pagan city to be called Aelia Capitolina, and forbade Jews to enter.
o1095 CE - Pope Urban declared the 1st Crusade (thousands of Jews died/many communities obliterated)
o1290 CE – Expulsion from England, the Jews of England were expelled by King Edward I
o1492 CE - Spanish Inquisition & the expulsion of Jews from Spain
o1914 CE - WWI started, stemming the resentment for the Holocaust
o1935 CE - Hitler enacted a law that propelled the nation toward the infamous Nuremberg Laws of the Holocaust
o1943 CE - The beginnings of the deportation of the Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka
oFuture - It is very possible that abomination of desolation could fall on this day as well
Even though God has allowed so many difficult things to occur on this fast day of the fifth month, he has also promised to restore joy and gladness to it proving his faithfulness yet again.
Zechariah 8:19, “Thus says the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.”
DEFINING:
•Passover = The Hebrew feast day commemorating the sacrificial lamb in Exodus where the Angel of Death passed over Israel while the firstborn in Egypt were slain. It also is the same day the Lord Jesus Christ, our Lamb sacrifice for our sins, was crucified.
•Tishri = Tishri is the seventh month of the religious year for Israel and the first month of the civil year for Israel. This month holds the feasts of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Tabernacles (also known as Sukkoth).
•Rosh Hashanah = This is a two day feast occurring on Tishri 1 and Tishri 2 of the Hebrew calendar. This is also called the Feast of Trumpets or Yom Teruah. It is very possible that this feast day is tied to the rapture of the Christian church prior to the start of the tribulation because the Feast of Trumpets also signifies the Day of the Lord.
•Yom Kippur = This is known as the Day of Atonement. It is considered to be one of the most important of Jewish holidays of the year. It is a day set aside to atone for the sins of the past year. It occurs on the 10th day of Tishri. It is found in Leviticus 23:26-32.
•Sukkoth (Feast of Tabernacles) = The feast of Sukkoth begins on Tishri 15, the fifth day of Yom Kippur. It is a joyous feast day while Yom Kippur is one of the most solemn of feast days. Sukkoth is a feast day with a festival atmosphere. It marks a season of rejoicing. Sukkoth means booths and refers to temporary dwelling places the Jews gather into during this holiday. Most Christian scholars believe the feast of Sukkoth is the feast for the 2nd Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ when he returns with his saints on white horses at Armageddon.
•Tetrad = When four consecutive lunar eclipses are all total eclipses, the group is known as a tetrad.
•Saros Cycle = The saros cycle is an eclipse cycle with a period of about 18 years, 11 days, and 8 hours (approximately 65851/3 days) that can be used to predict eclipses of the sun and moon. One cycle after an eclipse, the sun and moon return to approximately the same relative geometry, and a nearly identical eclipse will occur west of the original location. (As you study, you will see that the saros cycle appears to be very connected to the biblical calendar and God’s MOEDS. Approximately every 50 years, God may be marching month by month on the biblical calendar to reveal his sovereignty in his plan of redemption and his faithfulness in keeping covenants by proclaiming through his lights (sun and moon).
•Nissan = The first month of the Jewish religious year that occurs in the spring time. Passover occurs on the 15th day of this month.
•Av = Av is the fifth month of the Hebrew Calendar and means ‘Father’. It is a time of mourning for the Jews. There are two festivals that are in Av and they occur on the 9th and 15th of Av. On the 9th of Av is Tisha B'av which is a sad day when Jews fast. Take a look at all the events that have occurred on the 9th of Av throughout Jewish History:
o1312 BCE - The generation of Jews who came out of Egypt under Moses' leadership 16 months earlier were condemned to die in the desert and the entry into the Land of Israel was delayed for 40 years. As related in Numbers 14, when the 10 of 12 spies that Moses sent to the Land of Canaan returned with their disheartening report, the people wept all night -- the night of Av 9th -- proclaiming that they'd rather return to Egypt than attempt to conquer and settle it. Basically, these 10 spies were slanderous of God’s word and his promise to go before them, fight for them, and deliver the land into their hands. Therefore, God decreed that the entire generation would wander in the desert for 40 years until that last of them died out, and that their children under the leadership of Joshua will enter the land he promised as Israel's heritage. Consequently, the 9th of Av has been a cursed day throughout Jewish history.
o586 BCE - The 1st temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar (100,000 Jews died/Millions exiled)
o70 CE - The 2nd temple was destroyed by General Titus (2 million Jews died/1 Million exiled)
o135 CE - The Bar Kochba revolt was crushed by the Emperor Hadrian (100,000 Jews were slaughtered)
o136 CE - General Turnus Rufus leveled Jerusalem, rebuilt it as a pagan city to be called Aelia Capitolina, and forbade Jews to enter.
o1095 CE - Pope Urban declared the 1st Crusade (thousands of Jews died/many communities obliterated)
o1290 CE – Expulsion from England, the Jews of England were expelled by King Edward I
o1492 CE - Spanish Inquisition & the expulsion of Jews from Spain
o1914 CE - WWI started, stemming the resentment for the Holocaust
o1935 CE - Hitler enacted a law that propelled the nation toward the infamous Nuremberg Laws of the Holocaust
o1943 CE - The beginnings of the deportation of the Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka
oFuture - It is very possible that abomination of desolation could fall on this day as well
Even though God has allowed so many difficult things to occur on this fast day of the fifth month, he has also promised to restore joy and gladness to it proving his faithfulness yet again.
Zechariah 8:19, “Thus says the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.”
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
THE HOLY LAND CONNECTION - PART IX
God’s Calendar, the Feasts of the Lord, and Signs in the Heavens
There are four major types of calendars used today: 1. Linear (260-day count cycles used by Mayan, Aztecan, Guatemalan Highlands); 2. Solar calendars which are synchronized only for the tropical year or equinoxes of the sun (used by Gregorian and based on the Julian calendar derived from the Old Style Roman calendar); 3. Lunar calendars, based only on the lunar phases and does not synchronize on the tropical year (used by Islam); and 4. Lunisolar calendars which coordinate all three astronomical phenomena (used by Hebrew, Chinese, India). Lunisolar calendars take into account the rotation of the earth on its axis which = 1 day; the revolution of the moon around the earth which = 1 month; and the revolution of the earth around the sun which = 1 year. Within these 4 types of calendars there are upwards of 40 different calendars still in use today by various people groups. The most widely used is the Gregorian calendar which was put into effect on Oct 15, 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII after neglect of the Julian calendar that added to already known inaccuracies. Yet, even though people are tracking time and seasons on their calendar systems, God is also tracking time and seasons on his which we can see was established in the very beginning! Consider Genesis 1:14, “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for SIGNS, and for seasons, and for days, and years,” and Psalm 97:6, “The heavens declare His righteousness, And all the peoples have seen His glory.”
Realizing this, the word “SIGN” in Hebrew is the word “Owth”, which in context means the sense of appearing (as a signal yet to come that is both figurative and literal) as a flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence; mark, or miracle sign, and token. God commanded Israel to follow The Feasts of the Lord for a reason. As we become more familiar with the Hebrew Calendar, we see that there are months and days that the Feasts of the Lord fall that connect to these signs in the heavens. In addition, as we become familiar with the Old Testament and the significant events of Jewish history, we realize how God may be working consistently to fulfill his plans according to his MOEDS / APPOINTMENTS or FEASTS. Remember the Feasts are the Lord’s, not some stuff that Israel came up with to do just for the sake of doing! And we, the Bride of Christ (both Jew and Gentile in Christ) are to be aware of and follow God and his customs, statutes, laws, precepts, feasts, fasts for the sheer purpose of delighting and loving Him and preparing our hearts for his second coming. This is a big deal! So much so that we should take note of what the Anti-Christ seeks to do in the future in Daniel 7:25, “And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws.” Remember, “Moed” means a fixed time or season and the Anti-Christ realizes that if the saints begin to function on God’s calendar and are aware of His appointed times revealed by the Feasts, it puts the Most High’s saints in “the know” and prepared for his second coming. In addition, God has proclaimed that the lights (sun and moon) of Genesis 1:14 will be the beacons that his second coming is very near. Acts 2:20, “THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME.
God’s Calendar, the Feasts of the Lord, and Signs in the Heavens
There are four major types of calendars used today: 1. Linear (260-day count cycles used by Mayan, Aztecan, Guatemalan Highlands); 2. Solar calendars which are synchronized only for the tropical year or equinoxes of the sun (used by Gregorian and based on the Julian calendar derived from the Old Style Roman calendar); 3. Lunar calendars, based only on the lunar phases and does not synchronize on the tropical year (used by Islam); and 4. Lunisolar calendars which coordinate all three astronomical phenomena (used by Hebrew, Chinese, India). Lunisolar calendars take into account the rotation of the earth on its axis which = 1 day; the revolution of the moon around the earth which = 1 month; and the revolution of the earth around the sun which = 1 year. Within these 4 types of calendars there are upwards of 40 different calendars still in use today by various people groups. The most widely used is the Gregorian calendar which was put into effect on Oct 15, 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII after neglect of the Julian calendar that added to already known inaccuracies. Yet, even though people are tracking time and seasons on their calendar systems, God is also tracking time and seasons on his which we can see was established in the very beginning! Consider Genesis 1:14, “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for SIGNS, and for seasons, and for days, and years,” and Psalm 97:6, “The heavens declare His righteousness, And all the peoples have seen His glory.”
Realizing this, the word “SIGN” in Hebrew is the word “Owth”, which in context means the sense of appearing (as a signal yet to come that is both figurative and literal) as a flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence; mark, or miracle sign, and token. God commanded Israel to follow The Feasts of the Lord for a reason. As we become more familiar with the Hebrew Calendar, we see that there are months and days that the Feasts of the Lord fall that connect to these signs in the heavens. In addition, as we become familiar with the Old Testament and the significant events of Jewish history, we realize how God may be working consistently to fulfill his plans according to his MOEDS / APPOINTMENTS or FEASTS. Remember the Feasts are the Lord’s, not some stuff that Israel came up with to do just for the sake of doing! And we, the Bride of Christ (both Jew and Gentile in Christ) are to be aware of and follow God and his customs, statutes, laws, precepts, feasts, fasts for the sheer purpose of delighting and loving Him and preparing our hearts for his second coming. This is a big deal! So much so that we should take note of what the Anti-Christ seeks to do in the future in Daniel 7:25, “And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws.” Remember, “Moed” means a fixed time or season and the Anti-Christ realizes that if the saints begin to function on God’s calendar and are aware of His appointed times revealed by the Feasts, it puts the Most High’s saints in “the know” and prepared for his second coming. In addition, God has proclaimed that the lights (sun and moon) of Genesis 1:14 will be the beacons that his second coming is very near. Acts 2:20, “THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
THE HOLY LAND CONNECTION- PART VIII
The Feasts of the Lord
The word “Feast” in Hebrew has nothing to do with food as it does in English! How far off we are if we think that the Feasts of the Lord are only about getting together to eat! On the contrary, they were established as symbols of the greater realities of heaven that are yet to come just as were all the other customs and practices of the Jewish people that God commanded them to do. According to Psalm 89:15, I have been blessed in my inner spirit with an intimacy with the Lord as I keep seeking to understand and appreciate the spiritual blessings symbolized by the Feasts of the Lord. Consider Psalm 89:15 which is referencing the Feasts of the Lord. It says, “Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are the people who know the joyful sound [who understand and appreciate the spiritual blessings symbolized by the feasts]; they walk, O Lord, in the light and favor of Your countenance!” In this one verse there is a blessing waiting all those who seek understanding, and the blessing is learning more about loving God. Another verse to know is Leviticus 23:2. It says, “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them. The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim, holy convocations, even these are my appointed feasts.” There is a wealth of knowledge in this verse too when looked at through the Hebrew context. The underlined words are to be taken notice of in the Hebrew to develop a right understanding of this verse. The word “Feast” in Hebrew = “Moed” and means an appointment or a fixed time or season; also a signal (as appointed beforehand) or an appointment as in a (sign or a time). “Convocation” in Hebrew = “Migra” and means that something is called out as in a public meeting or a rehearsal. “Proclaim” in Hebrew = “Qara” which means the idea of accosting a person who is met; it is to call out or to address by name, them that are bidden, invited, mentioned, published or read. Therefore, taking these words in context helps us see how and why the Spring Feasts were the dress rehearsals of Jesus’ First Coming to the very day, hour and even minute! In his faithfulness, God wanted his people to be prepared for the Messiah’s coming so he had them rehearse the Feasts every year for centuries to help prepare them to recognize Jesus’ literal fulfillment and symbolism behind them. It is interesting however to think how so many could miss seeing Jesus as Messiah after all his faithful and compassionate ministering? It makes one think: How did those who were waiting for Jesus at the gates of Jerusalem proclaiming Him as the Messiah and shouting “Hosanna in the Highest!” as He rode in on the donkey know it was him while so many others didn’t? Were these people blessed according to Psalm 89:15! Maybe they knew the joyful sound and were PROCLAIMING in the truest sense of the word! So, let’s look, it was on Passover that Yeshua died, the Feast of Unleavened Bread that Yeshua was in the grave, the Feasts of First Fruits that Yeshua rose from the grave, and the Feast of Pentecost that the Ruach HaKodesh (The Holy Spirit) was poured out just as Jesus said. What is fascinating is that in the Feasts of the Lord we begin to see that our God isn’t hiding himself from us in any way. Rather he has revealed and laid out his plan of salvation and redemption for all mankind in a very APPOINTED and SCHEDULED way. He has a calendar and an agenda that he follows faithfully and he is beckoning his children to get back on his calendar system and not the world’s calendar system. Let’s look at the Fall Feasts. In the same way, the Fall Feasts are the dress rehearsals for Jesus second coming to the very day. On a Feast of Yom Teruah (Trumpets) some time in the future, Jacob’s Trouble will begin. On a Feast of Yom Kippur some time in the future, Israel will call upon Messiah and their blindness will be removed. And on a Feast of Tabernacles some time in the future, Yeshua’s millennial reign on earth will begin. There is much more, but I pray you will cultivate the desire to learn about the feasts of the Lord and get the blessing in your personal relationship with Jesus as well as an unbreakable assurance that is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:4-6.
The Feasts of the Lord
The word “Feast” in Hebrew has nothing to do with food as it does in English! How far off we are if we think that the Feasts of the Lord are only about getting together to eat! On the contrary, they were established as symbols of the greater realities of heaven that are yet to come just as were all the other customs and practices of the Jewish people that God commanded them to do. According to Psalm 89:15, I have been blessed in my inner spirit with an intimacy with the Lord as I keep seeking to understand and appreciate the spiritual blessings symbolized by the Feasts of the Lord. Consider Psalm 89:15 which is referencing the Feasts of the Lord. It says, “Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are the people who know the joyful sound [who understand and appreciate the spiritual blessings symbolized by the feasts]; they walk, O Lord, in the light and favor of Your countenance!” In this one verse there is a blessing waiting all those who seek understanding, and the blessing is learning more about loving God. Another verse to know is Leviticus 23:2. It says, “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them. The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim, holy convocations, even these are my appointed feasts.” There is a wealth of knowledge in this verse too when looked at through the Hebrew context. The underlined words are to be taken notice of in the Hebrew to develop a right understanding of this verse. The word “Feast” in Hebrew = “Moed” and means an appointment or a fixed time or season; also a signal (as appointed beforehand) or an appointment as in a (sign or a time). “Convocation” in Hebrew = “Migra” and means that something is called out as in a public meeting or a rehearsal. “Proclaim” in Hebrew = “Qara” which means the idea of accosting a person who is met; it is to call out or to address by name, them that are bidden, invited, mentioned, published or read. Therefore, taking these words in context helps us see how and why the Spring Feasts were the dress rehearsals of Jesus’ First Coming to the very day, hour and even minute! In his faithfulness, God wanted his people to be prepared for the Messiah’s coming so he had them rehearse the Feasts every year for centuries to help prepare them to recognize Jesus’ literal fulfillment and symbolism behind them. It is interesting however to think how so many could miss seeing Jesus as Messiah after all his faithful and compassionate ministering? It makes one think: How did those who were waiting for Jesus at the gates of Jerusalem proclaiming Him as the Messiah and shouting “Hosanna in the Highest!” as He rode in on the donkey know it was him while so many others didn’t? Were these people blessed according to Psalm 89:15! Maybe they knew the joyful sound and were PROCLAIMING in the truest sense of the word! So, let’s look, it was on Passover that Yeshua died, the Feast of Unleavened Bread that Yeshua was in the grave, the Feasts of First Fruits that Yeshua rose from the grave, and the Feast of Pentecost that the Ruach HaKodesh (The Holy Spirit) was poured out just as Jesus said. What is fascinating is that in the Feasts of the Lord we begin to see that our God isn’t hiding himself from us in any way. Rather he has revealed and laid out his plan of salvation and redemption for all mankind in a very APPOINTED and SCHEDULED way. He has a calendar and an agenda that he follows faithfully and he is beckoning his children to get back on his calendar system and not the world’s calendar system. Let’s look at the Fall Feasts. In the same way, the Fall Feasts are the dress rehearsals for Jesus second coming to the very day. On a Feast of Yom Teruah (Trumpets) some time in the future, Jacob’s Trouble will begin. On a Feast of Yom Kippur some time in the future, Israel will call upon Messiah and their blindness will be removed. And on a Feast of Tabernacles some time in the future, Yeshua’s millennial reign on earth will begin. There is much more, but I pray you will cultivate the desire to learn about the feasts of the Lord and get the blessing in your personal relationship with Jesus as well as an unbreakable assurance that is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:4-6.
Monday, October 12, 2009
THE HOLY LAND CONNECTION- PART VII
THE BLESSINGS OF A HEBRAIC MINDSET ARE UNDERSTANDING
Knowing the True Meaning of Words
One way to experience the rich heritage of our faith is by learning the real and powerful meaning of words. Words have meaning and it is in the Hebrew language that God has chosen to reveal so much about Himself. For example, why might you call Jesus, Yeshua? Often you hear Jesus called "Yeshua" or "Yeshua Ha’Mashiach" because ‘Messiah’ in Hebrew = Ha’Mashiach. This is the actual name His mother gave Him and this is because Mary heard and obeyed the message given to her in a dream of what to name Him. Angels also came to both Mary (Luke 1:31) and her future husband Joseph (Matt 1:21) and told them what to call this coming child. The only reason we know Jesus’ name to mean ‘salvation’ is because ‘Yeshua’ in Hebrew actually means salvation. So, the people in Israel who knew him when he walked the earth called him "Yeshua." Should we hear and obey the same instruction? You can visit Living Word Pictures at http://www.livingwordpictures.com/ to learn more about the real meaning of the words in our faith.
THE BLESSINGS OF A HEBRAIC MINDSET ARE UNDERSTANDING
Knowing the True Meaning of Words
One way to experience the rich heritage of our faith is by learning the real and powerful meaning of words. Words have meaning and it is in the Hebrew language that God has chosen to reveal so much about Himself. For example, why might you call Jesus, Yeshua? Often you hear Jesus called "Yeshua" or "Yeshua Ha’Mashiach" because ‘Messiah’ in Hebrew = Ha’Mashiach. This is the actual name His mother gave Him and this is because Mary heard and obeyed the message given to her in a dream of what to name Him. Angels also came to both Mary (Luke 1:31) and her future husband Joseph (Matt 1:21) and told them what to call this coming child. The only reason we know Jesus’ name to mean ‘salvation’ is because ‘Yeshua’ in Hebrew actually means salvation. So, the people in Israel who knew him when he walked the earth called him "Yeshua." Should we hear and obey the same instruction? You can visit Living Word Pictures at http://www.livingwordpictures.com/ to learn more about the real meaning of the words in our faith.
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