Considering that the fall feasts are a blessed and wonderful time for all of us to gather together and magnify His name and for all the blessings He has given, it's just hard for me to understand how anyone could view the law of Yahweh as some kind of a burden or yoke. It really isn't.
The feast days are based on Yahweh's calendar in scripture, not based on a Roman calendar or a Julian calendar, but based on Yahweh's calendar.
There are many different understandings, I know, as to what moon phase specifically might designate the first day of the month, but what we do is look for the new crescent of the moon, after the moon has been dark here locally, and it's usually visible certain days of the month.
Just to the left of the sun, within an hour after sunset, you're going to see a small sliver of a crescent moon, and it's actually very beautiful.
It occurs once every moon cycle, which is approximately every 29 1/2 days. Sometimes the lunar month will be 29 days, and sometimes it'll be 30 days. It's either one or the other.
The first month of Yahweh's new year is near the springtime, as opposed to the middle of winter, January 1, as it's on the Roman calendar, and exactly seven moon cycles after that beginning point on the first day of the seventh month, the seventh moon cycle, Yahweh commanded us to keep the Feast of Trumpets or Yom Teruah, literally a day of sounding.
My family and I are going to go up to the nearby hill. It has a very nice view to the west, and we'll watch the sun go down. As soon as the sun goes down, we're going to keep our eye on the western sky, just to the left of sunset, and look for the very thin sliver of a crescent-shaped moon.
It's going to be the first day of the seventh month, called the Feast of Trumpets. Once we know the first day of the seventh month, we can just count our days and know when the other days are supposed to be. Yahweh says on the tenth day of the seventh month is the Day of Atonement.
If you come to the chat room, and want to hear a live report of new moon sightings, if you see it, or maybe you don't, just meet us all there, and we'll share what we all see.
The Feast of Trumpets specifically is mentioned in Numbers 29 and other places, but in Numbers 29 it's mentioned.
Numbers 29:1 - `And in the seventh month, on the first [day] of the month, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work. For you it is a day of blowing the trumpets.
Leviticus 23:24 - "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: `In the seventh month, on the first [day] of the month, you shall have a sabbath-[rest], a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
This day is to be observed as a Sabbath. It's a time of shouting and blowing trumpets and rejoicing. The Hebrew name for this day is Yom Teruah, which literally means day of alarm or day of sounding.
A definition of Teruah in the Hebrew Lexicon is number 8643, and it means alarm, signal, sound of tempest, shout or blast of war, alarm or joy.
We look at Numbers 10, it gives some details. They used silver trumpets there.
Numbers 10:1 - And YAHWEH spoke to Moses, saying:
Numbers 10:2 - "Make two silver trumpets for yourself; you shall make them of hammered work; you shall use them for calling the congregation and for directing the movement of the camps.
Numbers 10:3 - "When they blow both of them, all the congregation shall gather before you at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
Numbers 10:4 - "But if they blow [only] one, then the leaders, the heads of the divisions of Israel, shall gather to you.
Numbers 10:5 - "When you sound the advance, the camps that lie on the east side shall then begin their journey.
The word Teruah here used in the above verse, "blow a Teruah," means to blow the alarm. The alarm may have a different sound, as you'll notice here, if they blow with one trumpet, if they blow an alarm, the alarm has a different sound than a regular long trumpet blast.
What I'm going to do here is I'm going to play the trumpet sound we usually use to open the meetings, and I'll show you the difference between at least what's traditionally considered to be a regular trumpet blast and an alarm.
[trumpet blasts]
This portion is a regular trumpet blast, and the short version right here you hear is considered to be the alarm. That's the alarm.
Numbers 10:6 - "When you sound the advance the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall begin their journey; they shall sound the call for them to begin their journeys.
There is a difference between an alarm and a regular trumpet blast.
Numbers 10:7 - "And when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow, but not sound the advance.
Numbers 10:8 - "The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; and these shall be to you as an ordinance forever throughout your generations.
Numbers 10:9 - "When you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before YAHWEH your Elohim, and you will be saved from your enemies.
Numbers 10:10 - "Also in the day of your gladness, in your appointed feasts, and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be a memorial for you before your Elohim: I [am] YAHWEH your Elohim."
The trumpets were made of a whole piece of silver. They were blown on the days of gladness, on the solemn days, the beginning of the month, and blown over burnt offerings and peace offerings.
Many believe this feast is symbolic of Yahushua's return or our own advancement toward the promised land at Yahushua's return.
Yahweh may gather His people together with a sound of the trumpet, the last trump. The Feast of Passover observed in the spring represents Yahushua's sacrifice with the Feast of Unleavened Bread representing our sinless state, as a result of His sacrifice, as we partake of that. Also, it is Yahweh's desire to live an unleavened or sinless life after receiving Yahushua.
The Feast of Weeks, which is the next feast following that, is also called Pentecost or Shavuot. It's considered to be representing the giving of the Torah and the giving of Yahweh's Spirit in Acts 2, when they were all assembled together on the day of Pentecost.
We have four other holy days, a total of seven holy days. That's three of them, because there's the first and last days of unleavened bread and also the day of Shavuot or Pentecost, Feast of Weeks. So that's three.
The fourth holy day would be the Feast of Trumpets. The fifth would be the Day of Atonement, and the sixth would be the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles, and the seventh holy day would be the last great day.
The first, all the way down through the line here, and the next one in sequence that has not been fulfilled would be Yahushua's return at the last trump. We're at the Feast of Trumpets.
1Corinthians 15:51 - Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed --
1Corinthians 15:52 - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
The Feast of Trumpets is considered to be a Sabbath. It's a day of rest. You are allowed to cook on the feast days, which are holy days, with the exception of the Day of Atonement.
We like to have a gathering or meeting where scripture is read, the trumpets are discussed. Many of those who have shofars or ram's horns will sound them on this day.
Of course, we all need to be ready for that last trump when Yahushua will return, and we need to be purifying ourselves, preparing ourselves to meet the bridegroom.
I would encourage every one of us to focus on that in the coming weeks, because if Yahushua was to come right now, are we ready? Are we really ready? I know that many things seem to be awaiting fulfillment before He actually returns, but if we should die five minutes from now, it would be as if He did come five minutes from now to us.
Let's be ready, because Yahushua is seeking that pure bride. HalleluYah. The next observance in the seventh month is the Day of Atonement. That's mentioned in Leviticus 23:27.
Leviticus 23:27 - "Also the tenth [day] of this seventh month [shall be] the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to YAHWEH.
It's the tenth day of the seventh month. You count the ten days.
Leviticus 23:28 - "And you shall do no work on that same day, for it [is] the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before YAHWEH your Elohim.
Leviticus 23:29 - "For any person who is not afflicted [in soul] on that same day shall be cut off from his people.
Leviticus 23:30 - "And any person who does any work on that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people.
Obviously, Yahweh does not want us to work on the Day of Atonement. He says He will destroy those who do. If we know this is the Day of Atonement, and we purposely go out and work, we are in danger of judgment.
Leviticus 23:31 - "You shall do no manner of work; [it shall be] a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
Leviticus 23:32 - "It [shall be] to you a sabbath of [solemn] rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth [day] of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your sabbath."
When it is the ninth day of Yahweh's month, and the sun goes down, and the evening comes, that designates the tenth day, when the next day begins, the Day of Atonement.
Yahweh is specifying for us here when His days begin. From evening to evening, we shall celebrate our Sabbath.
Considering the warnings given here, I think we would do well to obey the commandment here to rest and to afflict our souls. What does it mean to afflict our souls? In Isaiah 58, Yahweh is criticizing the people for focusing on fasting and not focusing enough on the weightier matters of the Torah, such as relieving the oppressed.
We see an example of where afflicting our souls is a reference to fasting.
Isaiah 58:5 - Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? [Is it] to bow down his head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to YAHWEH?
It says a fast is a day for a man to afflict his soul.
Isaiah 58:6 - "[Is] this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?
Isaiah 58:7 - [Is it] not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
Isaiah 58:8 - Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of YAHWEH shall be your rear guard.
Isaiah 58:9 - Then you shall call, and YAHWEH will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, `Here I [am].' "If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
Isaiah 58:10 - [If] you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall [be] as the noonday.
We see here in verse 10, the afflicted soul is the one going hungry, and in verse 5, the afflicting of the soul is fasting. Fasting is what afflicting the soul is specifically referencing.
Of course, if we fast and afflict our souls, but we don't turn away from sin, that doesn't do us any good. That's not really a pleasing fast to Yahweh, and that's what He's pointing out here.
If there are any matters in our lives where we need to turn away and repent, personally or collectively as a body, that's the time to do it. Make sure we do it before the Day of Atonement, or our fast will not be accepted.
It's a good time of year to confess our sins we've committed corporately, a time of fasting and prayer, seeking Yahweh's mercy together and yet remembering that we receive that mercy through Yahushua the Messiah. HalleluYah.
We can confess our sins and also, as Daniel did, the sins of our fathers.
Daniel 9:20 - Now while I [was] speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before YAHWEH my Elohim for the holy mountain of my Elohim,
He was confessing his sin and the sin of my people Israel. There is a precedence here. I think that's something we ought to be practicing, as Yahweh's people.
We begin our fast and our rest at evening, the beginning of Yahweh's new day. In the Torah, we see that the high priest had special duties he would do. He put special garments on, and he would go into the holy of holies.
One time a year, he would actually enter the holy of holies. He sprinkled blood on the ark of the covenant and around it, and he would make atonement for the people and for the tabernacle.
It's predicted in scripture that Yahushua the Messiah would be our high priest.
Psalms 110:1 - <> YAHWEH said to my Master, "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."
Psalms 110:2 - YAHWEH shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies!
Psalms 110:3 - Your people [shall be] volunteers In the day of Your power; In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth.
Psalms 110:4 - YAHWEH has sworn And will not relent, "You [are] a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek."
We see in these verses here, Yahushua is sitting at the right hand of Yahweh, and so He's in the throne room of Yahweh, sitting at Yahweh's right hand. He's also a priest, and so a priest, one of His functions is to offer offerings.
He is a high priest, not of the earthly tabernacle, but of the heavenly tabernacle, and so there are priests functioning in the earthly tabernacle, and that's the Levites, and that's okay, but there's a heavenly tabernacle of which Yahushua is the high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Scripturally, as we noted earlier, there is only one time, according to Leviticus 16, the high priest was permitted to enter the earthly throne room, the holy of holies, where the ark of the covenant was placed, and that was on the Day of Atonement.
We know that Yahushua Messiah Himself would be an offering for sin.
Isaiah 53:10 - Yet it pleased YAHWEH to bruise Him; He has put [Him] to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see [His] seed, He shall prolong [His] days, And the pleasure of YAHWEH shall prosper in His hand.
It makes perfect sense that if the Messiah is seated at the right hand of Elohim as a priest, then He must bring an offering. In this case, it was His own blood. He would be in the throne room, sitting at Yahweh's right hand, our high priest forever. HalleluYah.
Hebrews 9:24 - For Messiah has not entered the holy places made with hands, [which are] copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of Elohim for us;
Hebrews 9:25 - not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another --
Hebrews 9:26 - He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
The high priest entered the earthly tabernacle as a representation of what Yahushua would be doing in entering the heavenly tabernacle.
In the same way the Aaronic high priest made atonement for the tabernacle, the blood of Yahushua keeps the dwelling place of Yahweh cleansed from the defilement that our sin would otherwise bring, as we boldly approach the throne of grace.
Hebrews 4:14 - Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Yahushua the Son of Elohim, let us hold fast [our] confession.
Hebrews 4:15 - For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all [points] tempted as [we are, yet] without sin.
Hebrews 4:16 - Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
This throne room in the heavenlies is actually seen in the book of Revelation.
Revelation 4:2 - Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and [One] sat on the throne.
Revelation 4:3 - And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and [there was] a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.
If you read all the way to chapter 5, you'll find that Yahushua the Lamb appears in the midst of it. His presence there gives us the blessing to have our prayers heard and remembered before Yahweh continually.
Revelation 5:8 - Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Revelation 8:3 - Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer [it] with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
Our prayers are offered as incense before Yahweh.
Psalms 141:2 - Let my prayer be set before You [as] incense, The lifting up of my hands [as] the evening sacrifice.
In our prayers, we confess our sins before Yahweh and the sins of our fathers. Someone said, "Where is that in the Torah?" We find it in Leviticus 26:40-42.
Leviticus 26:40 - `[But] if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me,
Leviticus 26:41 - and [that] I also have walked contrary to them and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt --
Leviticus 26:42 - then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham I will remember; I will remember the land.
It's that covenant that brings us to the promised land from which we will reign when Yahushua returns. We'll talk about that a little bit more a little bit later.
Someone might wonder, "What's the purpose in observing this day, if the Messiah has already fulfilled the Day of Atonement? Why do we need to participate in keeping this?"
Well, I found that the idea of "The Messiah fulfilled it, therefore, we don't have to do it," to be a very incorrect, unscriptural philosophy.
The word translated "fulfilled" means to do. For instance, if I told my son to go bring me a glass of water, and he did it, then he fulfilled my commandment.
Well, the Messiah was commanded to do certain things. He fulfilled them. Just the fact He fulfilled Yahweh's commands does not mean we don't have to do it. For instance, He fulfilled other commandments like "Do not commit adultery." That doesn't mean we're free to commit adultery now.
He fulfilled the purpose of baptism. We don't take away the act of going under the water just because that baptism is a physical representation of something that Yahushua has done for us. We don't take away one to establish another one.
So just because Yahushua did fulfill a commandment or its purpose doesn't mean that we are free to break that commandment. For me, I think the fact that Yahushua has done all these things is all the more reason why we would want to do it. Don't they point to Him? They absolutely do.
We realize in an even greater way the purpose of all of these feast days, these commandments, we memorialize the great and awesome works of Yahweh through Yahushua the Messiah.
Isn't that an awesome thing to commemorate, the fact that Yahushua entered that throne room for us with His own blood, that we might receive access to the heavenly Father?
That's the whole reason why He's the way, the truth and the life. That's part of what brought us salvation and forgiveness of sin, enabling us to come boldly before the throne of grace.
Is that not something that we want to memorialize? Absolutely. So the idea that Messiah did all that, so we ignore it now, that doesn't make any sense. The Day of Atonement is an awesome reminder and memorial of the awesome work of Yahushua.
Many people want to memorialize His birthday, but unless He had done the things He had done, which is became our Passover, sent the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, and enters that throne room with His own blood to give us access to the Father, Him being born wouldn't have accomplished anything. It wouldn't have been anything at all.
The key things He had done was He died for our sins, that we might receive salvation when He was resurrected, so that we might also be resurrected and enter that throne room. He says, "He who overcomes, I will grant to sit with me on my throne, as I sat down on my Father's throne."
That's when we will truly enter that throne of grace. Some believe the Day of Atonement is also symbolic of when Yahushua will completely destroy the last enemy, after the last trump, at the end of the 1,000 year reign, when Satan will finally be thrown into the lake of fire.
Then all sin will be atoned for, and those who have chosen righteousness will forever be with Yahweh. The Day of Atonement is actually mentioned in the New Testament in the book of Acts.
Acts 27:9 - Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them,
Acts 27:10 - saying, "Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives."
Luke, the writer of Acts was using the fast. It says the fast was already now past, in verse 9, as a referenced point of time. Apparently, sailing was more dangerous in late autumn after the fast was over.
The Day of Atonement is actually what this fast is. After the Day of Atonement had passed, it was more dangerous to be sailing the waters. Apparently, Luke, in passing, expected the readers to already be familiar with the fast, the Day of Atonement. He expected his readers to already know about it.
Sadly, most people today do not have any idea what was meant when it says the fast was already past. Why? Because they do not keep the Day of Atonement, as commanded by Yahweh.
If we keep the Day of Atonement, we see the scripture, "The fast was already passed," that must be talking about the Day of Atonement. We miss out.
On the Day of Atonement we do fast. We neither eat bread nor drink water. It is a somber time of considering our ways, recognizing the atonement found in Yahushua the Messiah, who is now seated at the right hand of Yahweh. We do not complain about it or seek various modern ways to make it easier on us. It is a day to afflict our soul, and we do that.
Yahweh anointed the Messiah Yahushua as both king and priest. Formerly, the kings were of one line, and the priests were of another line, but Yahushua, like Melchizedek, is a priest and king, after the order of Melchizedek. Actually, the word Melchizedek means king of righteousness.
Melchizedek was a king that Abraham even had to pay tithes to, so he was the king of Salem, which we believe is modern day Jerusalem. Yahushua will reign from Yerushalayim in the age to come, being the Messiah, the Son of David.
The next observance in the seventh month, October this year, is the Feast of Tabernacles.
Deuteronomy 16:13 - "You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress.
Deuteronomy 16:14 - "And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, who [are] within your gates.
Deuteronomy 16:15 - "Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to YAHWEH your Elohim in the place which YAHWEH chooses, because YAHWEH your Elohim will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice.
It's very interesting, at this feast we are expected to rejoice. When we do have the right attitude of thanksgiving, we will see that we do have a lot to rejoice about, because of the harvest.
I realize in today's concrete and grocery store world, not many people have their minds set on the harvest.
It seems to me that when men build their cities with their thousands of buildings, and sidewalks, and asphalt, and light pollution blocking the stars, and noise pollution blocking the sounds of creation, the songs of birds and different things, it has a way of making men marvel at the works of man and forget about the works of Yahweh.
But if we step into the countryside on a regular basis, we can see and behold the character of Yahweh through what He's made. We can better realize that without Yahweh continually supplying the rain upon our land and His abundant provision, there would be no harvest. If there is no harvest, there would be no food at your Wal-Mart, and there would be no life on the earth for us.
That's something we ought to be thankful for. We have a lot of reasons to rejoice, not only for the harvest physically but the spiritual harvest, the people that Yahweh has called out into His awesome, awesome light.
In the food, today we eat like kings, just an endless choice of fine dishes. You name it, it's out there. We need to be careful that we do not take that for granted and that we do take the time to give Yahweh thanks and rejoice in the harvest.
That's one of the reasons for the feast. People say, "The feast is just a bunch of sacrifices." Not true. It's also a day of rest on the first day of the feast. It's a time of remembering the harvest and rejoicing in the temporariness of this world. We can read about all the feasts in Leviticus 23, from Passover until the last great day.
Leviticus 23:24 - "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: `In the seventh month, on the first [day] of the month, you shall have a sabbath-[rest], a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
Leviticus 23:25 - `You shall do no customary work [on it]; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to YAHWEH.'"
Leviticus 23:26 - And YAHWEH spoke to Moses, saying:
Leviticus 23:27 - "Also the tenth [day] of this seventh month [shall be] the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to YAHWEH.
Leviticus 23:28 - "And you shall do no work on that same day, for it [is] the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before YAHWEH your Elohim.
Leviticus 23:29 - "For any person who is not afflicted [in soul] on that same day shall be cut off from his people.
Leviticus 23:30 - "And any person who does any work on that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people.
Leviticus 23:31 - "You shall do no manner of work; [it shall be] a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
Leviticus 23:32 - "It [shall be] to you a sabbath of [solemn] rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth [day] of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your sabbath."
We see Yahweh is listing these days in succession. It is a very good chapter to start learning about the feasts.
Leviticus 23:33 - Then YAHWEH spoke to Moses, saying,
Leviticus 23:34 - "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: `The fifteenth day of this seventh month [shall be] the Feast of Tabernacles [for] seven days to YAHWEH.
Leviticus 23:35 - `On the first day [there shall be] a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work [on it].
The fifteenth day of the seventh month is the first day of that feast. That's a day we are supposed to reset. It's the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles. We're also to dwell in tabernacles. Some people say, "You can't keep these other things like do sacrifices and different things he's asking you to do on the holy days."
If you keep reading in verse 36, he says:
Leviticus 23:36 - `[For] seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to YAHWEH. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to YAHWEH. It [is] a sacred assembly, [and] you shall do no customary work [on it].
Yahweh says to make an offering by fire and to have a holy convocation and to rest. There are three things He asks us to do. Can we make an offering made by fire to Yahweh? No, not without a literal high priest to function in the temple. Some are of the mind, since we can't make the offering by fire, we can't keep the feast, so why bother?
To them, I like to give the chickens and ducks analogy. The chickens and the ducks analogy involved this. Let's say if I ask my son, "Please go to the barn and feed the chickens and the ducks," and he goes out to the barn, and he looks in the barn, and he sees that the ducks have flown away.
They're somewhere on the property, don't know where they went. The chickens are there, but he comes back out of the barn, and a few hours go by, and I ask him, "Did you feed the chickens and the ducks?" And he says, "Well, no." I say, "Why?" He says, "Because there were no ducks. I couldn't fulfill your commandment; therefore, I didn't feed the chickens and the ducks, because there were no ducks."
I say, "Well, did you feed the chickens?" "Well, no, because there were no ducks, and so I could not fulfill your commandment." "Well, you could do what you were able to do." "Well, Dad, I couldn't keep your commandments, so I said, 'Why bother?'"
Do you get the analogy? Yahweh said, yes, make the offering made by fire to Him.
We can't do that part, but we can do the holy convocation, and we can refrain from working on that day, and we can gather together and keep the Feast of Tabernacles in every possible way we can, and that shows a heart that wants to be obedient to His Word, rather than make excuses for why we don't want or can't do what He said.
I think we have a lot to enjoy on this feast. Let me just share with you how the Feast of Tabernacles really is such a great blessing. The first day of the feast is kept as a day of rest, just as Yahweh commanded. The eighth day, being the last great day, is also considered not really to be a part of Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles, but that's also a holy convocation and a day of rest.
We go out, and we build a sukkah, a lot of us, or a temporary dwelling made with surrounding trees and branches, or some people just bring 2 X 4's and build one, and dwell in tents, or any kind of temporary dwelling. I think the reason why Yahweh said that you can make them out of the local woods is because not everybody could afford a tent. Tents were more expensive in those days.
The point was to mimic what the children of Israel had done when they went through the wilderness, and most of them dwelled in tents. We can also dwell in tents, and we can also make a temporary dwelling out of different branches and things in the surrounding area.
Actually, to this day, the Bedouin shepherds in Israel still, during certain times of the year, dwell in those temporary structures. That's kind of interesting.
I don't believe this feast was intended to be a resort style getaway vacation with all kinds of air conditioned cabins and all the finer things of life. I think it's supposed to be a reminder of what the children of Israel endured before they entered the promised land and also a reminder of what we are supposed to do.
We're supposed to have the mindset that the world we live in today is temporary. This is not where we're getting our thrills.
The things we are looking to is we're looking forward. In Hebrews, it talks about the men who had faith, Enoch, Abraham and different men, and the things they were focused on, they looked toward the city that did not have foundations.
Hebrews 11:8 - By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
Hebrews 11:9 - By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as [in] a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;
Hebrews 11:10 - for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker [is] Elohim.
Hebrews 11:13 - These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them , embraced [them] and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
That's what we need to do. No matter what kind of physical house or physical possessions we might have, we have to realize we are strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Hebrews 11:14 - For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.
Hebrews 11:15 - And truly if they had called to mind that [country] from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.
Hebrews 11:16 - But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly [country]. Therefore Elohim is not ashamed to be called their Elohim, for He has prepared a city for them.
Yahushua went to prepare a place for us. The things we are looking at today are all temporary. When we come together at the Feast of Tabernacles, we realize this is really what our life is. It is a temporary thing, and we live in temporary structures. No matter how beautiful and strong your house might be, one day it will fall.
It can be a test that we dwell in these tents and trying to figure out how to make food and different things. We learn the less than pleasant life of living in tabernacles. We don't have the conveniences and comforts of home, but the children of Israel, as they were in their tents, were expected to not complain and not murmur.
That's something we have to keep in mind when we keep the feast. Don't be murmuring in your tents. We believe it's a very good thing to practice. The days may come when we don't have our comfy little houses to dwell in. Maybe those who have made it a point to learn how to live with less during this time, they'll be more prepared for whatever is to come in the future.
Maybe tribulation or some kind of persecution will come up, and we may have to live in these tents. You never know. So, might as well learn now. At least learn to live without being so reliant upon the world to provide you with the things you need, as far as food and different things.
Of course, we all believe it's Yahweh who provides everything, but learning how to live without relying on city water and all those kind of things is a very good practice.
Leviticus 23:39 - `Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of YAHWEH [for] seven days; on the first day [there shall be] a sabbath-[rest], and on the eighth day a sabbath-[rest].
There's two Sabbaths, actually three that will happen during this upcoming Feast of Tabernacles in October. There's the weekly Sabbath in the midst of this week. The Sabbath will be right in between.
That's a time when we're called to gather and have these Sabbaths, the first and last days of the feast and the one in between.
Leviticus 23:40 - `And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before YAHWEH your Elohim for seven days.
Leviticus 23:41 - `You shall keep it as a feast to YAHWEH for seven days in the year. [It shall be] a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month.
Leviticus 23:42 - `You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths,
Leviticus 23:43 - `that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I [am] YAHWEH your Elohim.'"
We are born again Israelites. HalleluYah. He said, "That your generations may know." The feast is intended to be an instructional method for proclaiming to our children the awesome works of Yahweh. We need to make instructing the children as a key part of the feast.
While the world will appeal to the carnal nature of children; even their holy days, holidays, focus on the children, their gifts, and candies, and all those different things, the carnal nature. I think Yahweh's feasts need to appeal to the spiritual needs of our children, especially in this age.
I think the feast will be most enjoyed if you're able to have the opportunity to gather and dwell among brethren for the entire length of the feast. It's like a time of getting your spiritual batteries recharged. It really is. It's also a time to remember how temporary our life is.
In spite of the minor test of dwelling in booths, or tabernacles, or tents, or whatever, the feast really is a spiritual blessing, and time of rejoicing, and fellowship, and worship, and praising Yahweh under the stars and around the campfire, and getting to know each other, and also remembering how temporary our life is and consider that one day our tabernacle will be with Yahweh forever.
Revelation 21:3 - And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of Elohim [is] with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. Elohim Himself will be with them [and be] their Elohim.
Don't we long for that day to come, when all the children of Israel and all those who are grafted into Israel, through Yahushua, will all dwell together with Yahweh Most High?
We might as well get used to observing these days, because in the age to come and the 1,000 year reign of Yahushua the Messiah, they're going to be enforced upon the earth. Let's read about that in Zechariah 14:8.
Zechariah 14:8 - And in that day it shall be [That] living waters shall flow from Jerusalem, Half of them toward the eastern sea And half of them toward the western sea; In both summer and winter it shall occur.
Has this happened yet? No, don't see it yet. Obviously, it has not happened. What else is going to happen?
Zechariah 14:9 - And YAHWEH shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be -- "YAHWEH [is] one," And His name one.
That will be an awesome thing. In that day, there won't be this practice of saying His name is Adonai, and HaShem, and the Lord, and God and all these other things. His name will be one, and all that vanity will come to an end.
Zechariah 14:10 - All the land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. [Jerusalem] shall be raised up and inhabited in her place from Benjamin's Gate to the place of the First Gate and the Corner Gate, and [from] the Tower of Hananeel to the king's winepresses.
The area southwest of Jerusalem will be a plain, and Jerusalem will be lifted up and glorious, visible for miles away. Yahweh will be the King. He will rule the earth.
Zechariah 14:11 - [The people] shall dwell in it; And no longer shall there be utter destruction, But Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.
No more utter destruction, no more weapons of mass destruction, no more suicide bombers, security checkpoints and land for peace treaties. No more of that.
Zechariah 14:12 - And this shall be the plague with which YAHWEH will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, Their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, And their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths.
Zechariah 14:13 - It shall come to pass in that day [That] a great panic from YAHWEH will be among them. Everyone will seize the hand of his neighbor, And raise his hand against his neighbor's hand;
Zechariah 14:14 - Judah also will fight at Jerusalem. And the wealth of all the surrounding nations Shall be gathered together: Gold, silver, and apparel in great abundance.
Zechariah 14:15 - Such also shall be the plague On the horse [and] the mule, On the camel and the donkey, And on all the cattle that will be in those camps. So [shall] this plague [be].
This wealth is going to be brought to Yerushalayim. All this wealth people today are killing themselves to get, it'll be all for nothing, because it's going to be brought to the land of Yerushalayim.
All the people today who are arguing over the land, the land belongs to us and to whom Yahweh shall choose. The remnant of Israel will return and take that land. Those who are among the remnant will dwell there, and Yahweh will be known by that awesome act.
Jeremiah 23:5 - "Behold, [the] days are coming," says YAHWEH, "That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
Jeremiah 23:6 - In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this [is] His name by which He will be called: YAHWEH OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Jeremiah 23:7 - "Therefore, behold, [the] days are coming," says YAHWEH, "that they shall no longer say, `As YAHWEH lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,'
Jeremiah 23:8 - "but, `As YAHWEH lives who brought up and led the descendants of the house of Israel from the north country and from all the countries where I had driven them.' And they shall dwell in their own land."
HalleluYah. Yahweh lives. He will do it.
Zechariah 14:16 - And it shall come to pass [that] everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, YAHWEH of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
How about that? All the world is going to learn what the Feast of Tabernacles is like. This feast that we're going to be keeping this coming fall, the whole world is going to learn what that's all about, Jews and Gentiles alike, not just Jews, not just Israelites.
All nations will come up and keep the Feast of Tabernacles. Many believe Yahweh just made that for the Jews. Not so. When we see His ultimate will being done on earth, as it is in heaven, what happens? The whole world keeps His feast days.
If they would open up the scriptures, they'd see it's not abolished. The right time to see that is now.
These are the rules of the kingdom. If we want to be rulers, we need to know the rules. May Yahweh open our eyes to see the truths in the scriptures, that we might repent and conform to His ways.
Maybe there's other things we don't know about yet that we need to learn. We need to keep our eyes continually open to what He has to teach us.
Zechariah 14:17 - And it shall be [that] whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, YAHWEH of hosts, on them there will be no rain.
So if you don't come up to the feast and be thankful for the harvest, you won't have one. He'll send a drought upon the earth, and there will be no harvest.
Zechariah 14:18 - If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they [shall have] no [rain]; they shall receive the plague with which YAHWEH strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
Zechariah 14:19 - This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
Yahweh wants us to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. Do you get that picture here? Don't give me that "I can't do this part over here." You can do, Yahweh knows you can do what you are able to do. You're able to rest. You're able to dwell in booths. You're able to rejoice before Yahweh. Don't we see His will here? Do we believe His Word when He says it will happen?
Are our minds set on Yahweh says it, we do it, that settles it, or Yahweh said it, let's see if we can figure some way to get out of it?
I have no doubt that those who claim to have Yahushua living in them ought to be doing the things that He did. He kept this feast. He had to keep the feast, or He would have been disobedient to Yahweh, and He could not have been our Savior.
Aren't we supposed to live like Him? If He kept the feast, that settles it for me. Those who reign with the Messiah in that age are going to be quite familiar with the feast, and we'll be looking forward to keeping it. We've been keeping it all along.
Only this time, it'll be a whole lot better than anything you'll find at Eminence. You're going to find the feast of Yahweh to be wow. Can't wait until that time.
I'm sure He can really put on a great feast. What we observe today is just a little taste of what is to come. Colossians 2 does not say that the feast days were a shadow of things to come. It says that they are a shadow of things to come.
We shouldn't let any man judge us for keeping these days. That's the correct understanding of Colossians 2.
The feast days we observe today are a shadow of things to come, obviously, Tabernacles being one of them. Let's gather together. Wherever Yahweh leads us to gather together, let's gather together. If He leads you to come to Eminence, or wherever He wants you to gather, gather.
The day may come when the scattered brethren will not be able to. Maybe persecution will arise, and we'll have a difficult time being able to gather. Let's take advantage of our advantages.
Let's gather together and learn from one another. Let's seek Yahweh together and praise His name together.
Let's sing together, share His love to our children together, rejoice in Yahweh's blessings together, enjoy a time when we don't have to wonder if we're going to be persecuted, a place where Torah keeping and calling upon the name of Yahweh are commonplace, a little taste of what's to come.
Let's gather together, share some meals together, pray together, grow together, and grow stronger in love for one another and love for Yahweh Most High, because love really is the purpose of it all. It is a blessing, believe me. Better yet, believe Him.
Yahweh knows best. Don't miss out.
May Yahweh bless you and may He have mercy on us all.
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