We are walking in today: The Most High's Appointed Times and Seasons! Who Is Counting Your Days??
Counting the Omer day 10--Psalm 119
Yodh
73 Your hands made me and formed me;
give me understanding to learn your commands.
74 May those who fear you rejoice when they see me,
for I have put my hope in your word.
75 I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous,
and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
76 May your unfailing love be my comfort,
according to your promise to your servant.
77 Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.
78 May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause;
but I will meditate on your precepts.
79 May those who fear you turn to me,
those who understand your statutes.
80 May I wholeheartedly follow your decrees,
that I may not be put to shame.
give me understanding to learn your commands.
74 May those who fear you rejoice when they see me,
for I have put my hope in your word.
75 I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous,
and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
76 May your unfailing love be my comfort,
according to your promise to your servant.
77 Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.
78 May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause;
but I will meditate on your precepts.
79 May those who fear you turn to me,
those who understand your statutes.
80 May I wholeheartedly follow your decrees,
that I may not be put to shame.
Tehillim (Psalms) 104:19 The moon marks off the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down. Not only are the festivals themselves, appo
year."
Bereshit (Genesis) 18:10-14 Then the Most High said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son." Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to
herself as she thought, "After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?" Then the Most High said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' Is anything too hard for the Most High? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son." Not only did the announcement of Isaac’s birth occur on Passover, but the birth of Isaac also occurred on Passover, as we can see from this next passage. Bereshit (Genesis) 21:1-3 Now the Most High was gracious to Sarah as He had said, and the Most High did for Sarah what He had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. The Most High was designing and creating His divine appointed times on the fourth day of creation. The purpose was and is to teach us about His plan of redemption through Yeshua the Messiah. "And The Most High 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". (Gen.1:14) The Most High's appointed times is based on the moon, lunar time. Today, we observe the Babylonian calendar, which is based on the sun, solar time, but The Most High's appointed times hasn’t changed. The Most High is the same yesterday, today, and forever. A key word that we must understand in Genesis 1:14 is seasons. This word has been translated and interpreted incorrectly for centuries. The root meaning of the word season is the Hebrew word "moade or moadim", it means "an appointed time, a
festival." In the Hebrew Tanach, (O.T.) Genesis 1:14 translates "… and they shall serve as signs, and for festivals, and for days and years." Psalm 104:9 "The Most High's appointed times the moon for seasons" the word seasons again is "moadim" which is "appointed times, festivals." Therefore, we can say the Most High in His time appointed the moon to determine the appointed times and festivals. In the ancient times the prophets and the apostles looked to the moon to determine the time of the month. They understood that the new moon marks the beginning of a month, and a full moon the middle of a month. This was the ancient and the Most High inspired method of counting months. We need to realize that these "moadim-appointed times" were set in the earth prior to the creation of any living being. The Most High had already created a timetable for His children to meet with Him. Elohim does not make mistakes, nor does He change His mind. In Genesis 1:14
says, "Let them be signs, and tokens (these lights) of Elohim The Almighty God provident care". Provident care points to a sign of The Most High's covenant. These appointed times are signs of The Most High's agreement with us, that He is our El Elyon our sustainer and we are His people. It says in the book of Hosea, "My people perish for lack of knowledge". For centuries, there has been a veil over the Church producing an ignorance of His appointed times. This has continued to keep the division between the Christian and the Jew, and also has made Christianity to look like a new religion with new holy days. The solar calendar (Julian/Gregorian) and pagan inspired feast days have been substituted for The Most High's divine holy days. Much of the pagan holy days came from the Roman Church, and again the reason was to separate the Church and its followers from the Jewish people. In The Fullness Of Times", it says in Acts 3:21, the heavens have received The Messiah Yeshua, and are retaining Him until the times of complete restoration of all things that Elohim, the Almighty spoke by the mouth of all His holy prophets from ages past. One area that the Holy Spirit is trying to restore in the Church is the Festivals of the Lord. In most Bibles festivals is translated feasts. "And God The Most High spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their seasons." (Lev. 23:1-2, 4) We need to take special note that these feasts are not called Jewish holy days; but the Most High calls them "My feasts", "The Feasts of The Lord". The word seasons again, is the Hebrew word "moadim", which is "the appointed times, and festivals." They are intended for all the followers of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, both the natural branches and those who have been grafted in (Rom. 11). These appointed times and festivals were given to Israel and were commanded to be observed throughout their generations forever. (Ex. 12:14,17; Lev. 23) When the children of Israel left Egypt many Gentile people left with them. They were called foreigners or sojourners, and also observed the appointed times and festivals/feasts. When a Gentile believer observes the feasts, that person is exercising their rights of citizenship (Eph. 2:19) as well as obeying The Most High's commands. When you learn these feasts, you learn of The Most High's ways, the I AM THAT I AM and His covenant. Remember, a covenant is an agreement between two people; therefore in each feast there is a promise from the Most High establishing His covenant with us. If we don’t understand or have a knowledge of the feasts, then we don’t know the promise that the Most High has given us. Most of us lead very busy lives, and we carry appointment books so that we do not forget our scheduled appointments. In a way God has His own appointment book HIS APPOINTED TIMES SET in which He schedules special appointed times with sacred assemblies to meet with Him in anointed times of praise, worship, and fellowship with Him. On these special appointed times His presence will be especially revealed to us. Of course, in His appointed times, the Most High wants to meet with us every day, and when we take time to fellowship with Him He is always there. But, there is a special blessing that comes when His children meet Him on the appointed times and feasts that He perpetually set in His word. In Leviticus 23, the Most High lists the appointed time of the weekly Sabbath and the seven Feasts of the Lord celebrated throughout the year. Each feast points to Yeshua past, present, and future, and is a picture of the redemptive work in our lives. The seven feasts are celebrated in two different seasons, which correspond to the two agricultural seasons. In Israel there is a time of rain in the spring (former rain) and a time of rain in the fall (latter rain). This division relates to the two appearances that Messiah is to make on the earth: "…and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." (Hos. 6:3) The four spring feasts are: Passover (Pesach), The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Matzot), The Feast of First Fruits (Bikkurim), The Feast of Weeks (Shavuot), also known as
Pentecost. The work of Messiah Yeshua during His first coming is seen most clearly in these feasts, as related to the former rain. The three fall feasts are: The Day of Blowing The Trumpet or Shofar (Yom Teruah), more popularly known as Head of the Year (Rosh Hashanah), The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). These fall feasts take place in YHVH's seventh month, Tishri, which is the time of the latter rain, and contains revelation on Messiah’s second coming. The rabbi's according to the Talmud had two opinions on the Messiah’s coming. One opinion was that Israel will be redeemed in the month of Tishri; another opinion is that they were redeemed from Egypt in Nisan, and in Nisan they will be redeemed. (Nisan is the first month in which the spring feast of Passover is observed). We know that both opinions of the rabbis are correct. the Most High's gave His people these appointed times and feasts to prepare them to recognize their Messiah when He came. As we all know, most of the Jewish people have not yet recognized Him. Yeshua said, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." In Matthew 24, the disciples asked Yeshua, "What will be the sign of your coming?" He tells them in verse 36 "But of that day and hour knows no man…" In Deuteronomy 29:29 it says, "The secret things belong to the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children for ever…" Paul writes in I Thessalonians 5:1 "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write to you." The Gentile believers of the first century were attending synagogues, observed the Sabbath, the Feasts, therefore knowing their prophetic significance. Yet, today most of the Church is in ignorance in this area. Many of you are thinking, but Paul wrote we no longer have to observe the appointed times and feasts or the law. This is a huge study in itself that I encourage you to search out. I have found that Paul observed the appointed times and feasts. Much of his writings have been misinterpreted due to wrong translations of words. For example, the word law in the New Testament in certain scriptures was referring to the legalism brought about by the added rabbinical laws, and not to the laws God set in the Old Testament. This misunderstanding has made Christians think that the Old Testament and its laws are obsolete. In the book of Galatians and Colossians it is often interpreted that the apostle Paul was condemning those believers who were celebrating the feasts. This is not true; actually he was saying that the feasts lead to Messiah. I am not saying that observing the appointed times and feasts is required for salvation; at the same time because of the way the Church has been taught, believers feel they no longer have to observe the appointed times and feasts. Basically, the nature of the human being is "If I don’t have to do it, I am not going to." The appointed times and The Feasts of the Lord have a great deal to teach all believers who have made Yeshua the Messiah the Lord of their lives, bringing a new depth and fullness in our relationship with Him. In every appointed time and feast of God’s calendar we find Yeshua. Yeshua Himself being Jewish, observed all of God’s appointed times and feasts. Shouldn’t we want to celebrate what our Lord celebrated?
Prophetically, this was a representation of the type of church and believer that joins themselves to Israel and the Jewish people. When Ruth joined herself to Naomi, all the appointed times and Feasts of the Lord were already set, and Ruth observed them, saying, "your God is my God, where you go, I will go, where you die, I will die." Ruth was saying the ways and laws of Israel are now going to be my ways and laws. We know that Ruth’s obedience brought forth the lineage of our Messiah, Yeshua. Another way that the true Ruths of the Church today can show their love, commitment, and faithfulness to the God of Israel and the Jewish people is by joining in the observance of the feasts. Just imagine what impact it would be on the Jewish people, if the entire Church worldwide were to keep and celebrate the appointed times and feasts. This would make the Jew jealous (Rom. 11:11); drawing them back to their God, bringing a final restoration of Israel, which in turn will usher in the return of the Messiah. Do you bind your personal destiny to the destiny of the Most High's appointed times?" I am not saying you have to convert to Judaism, but I am asking you to search your own heart. We can say we love the His word and yet live and speak contrary to it!! Based on our actions who is it that we serve?!? Are we willing to learn about the Most High's appointed times and feasts, or are we set in our traditional thinking? So I leave you with this question, do you bind your personal destiny to the destiny of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to the Most High's ways? We will close with the scriptures: Bereshit (Genesis) 1:14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, And let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so. ayikra (Leviticus) 23:4-7 "'These are HaShem’s appointed feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times: HaShem’s Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the firstmonth. On the fifteenth day of that month HaShem’s Feast of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast... Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:15-16 "'From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to HaShem. Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:24 "Say to the Israelites: 'On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:27 "The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made to HaShem by fire. Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:34 "Say to the Israelites: 'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month HaShem’s Feast of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:37 ("'These are HaShem’s appointed feasts, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing offerings made to HaShem by fire--the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings required for each day. Devarim (Deuteronomy) 31:10-11 Then Moses commanded them: "At the end of every seven years, in the appointed time of the year for canceling debts, during the Feast of Tabernacles, When all Israel comes to appear before HaShem your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing. Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 33:20 Look upon Zion, the city of our festivals; your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful abode, a tent that will not be moved; its stakes will never be pulled up, nor any of its ropes broken. Habakkuk 2:3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. Tehillim (Psalms) 75:1-8 {For the director of music. [To the tune of] "Do Not Destroy." A psalm of Asaph. A song.} We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds. You say, "I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly. When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm. To the arrogant I say, 'Boast no more,' and to the wicked, 'Do not lift up your horns. Do not lift your horns against heaven; do not speak with outstretched neck.'" No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man. But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. In the hand of HaShem is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices; he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs. Zechariah 8:19 This is what HaShem Almighty says: "The fasts of the fourth (17th of Tammuz), fifth (Tisha B'Av), seventh (fast of Gedaliah) and tenth (10th of Tevet) months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace." Concerning the Tabernacle, we have a very unusual use of moed. It is used 140 times! The usage suggests that our appointments with HaShem t
Asaph.} Why have you rejected us forever, O God? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture? Remember the people you purchased of old, the tribe of your inheritance, whom you redeemed--Mount Zion, where you dwelt. Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins, all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary. Your foes roared in the place where you met with us; they set up their standards as signs. In this next passage we see both uses of moed, as the place of the appointment and as the time of the appointment. Eicha (Lamentations) 2:5-7 The Lord is like an enemy; he has swallowed up Israel. He has swallowed up all her palaces and destroyed her strongholds. He has multiplied mourning and lamentation for the Daughter of Judah. He has laid waste his dwelling like a garden; he has destroyed his place of meeting. HaShem has made Zion forget her appointed feasts and her Sabbaths; in his fierce anger he has spurned both king and priest. The Lord has rejected his altar and abandoned his sanctuary. He has handed over to the enemy the walls of her palaces; they have raised a shout in the house of HaShem as on the day of an appointed feast.
Revelation 22:8-10 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!" Then he told me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. Luqas (Luke) 21:20-28 "When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.
For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. "There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Mashiach also has an appointed time, a moed: Matityahu (Matthew) 26:17-18 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Yeshua and asked, "Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?" He replied, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.'" Amen!
No comments:
Post a Comment