Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine. ”And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.”
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of the One having called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.…
1Peter 2:9,10
We are grafted into spiritual Israel as one, when we accept the Jewish Mashiach/Messiah Yeshua/Jesus.
This means we are no longer a gentile because as we saw last post…
So Yes we are one of His Am Segulah – Treasured People
עַם סְגֻלָּה
But
do we have Passover Faith?
Pesach Emunah?
So where is the
genesis/b’resheet/בְּרֵאשִׁית
beginnings
of
Pesach/Passover/פֶסַח?
What has Passover got to do with the book of Exodus?
It is because the very first Passover/Pesach is recorded in that book.
Exodus/She•mot/שֵׁמוֹת..
Passover/Pesach
is primarily the remembering of the children of Israel’s
exodus/deliverance/crossing over
out of Egypt
and the subsequent giving of Torah, (first 5 books of the Old Testament); and confirming of the covenant relationship made with YHVH, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob/Israel.
He gave Moses the directions of how to approach Himself and the 10 sayings/commandments, which were to give directional boundaries in establishing a new way of life; with new leadership and a new society.
All this is recorded in the Torah, and all the requirements that the Lord God gave them to cover their sins was incorporated within the sacrificial system. God instituted these requirements until the prophetic fulfillment by Yeshua/Jesus, His Mashiach would come. Messiah was to fulfill the law, Matt. 5:17-19; meaning:
He would confirm and complete the prophetic and typological parts of the law and the prophets. Yeshua/ Jesus came to preserve every jot and tittle of it
unchanged, until the end of the age.
“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me. . . . If you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.” (John 5:39, 46)
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:27)
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob/Israel called the children of Israel, His Am Segulah – His treasured people. This was because they were chosen to be in covenant with Him/married to Him; and be a witness unto Him to the rest of the nations.
The season we are in is that of the Passover/Pesach.
What is the origin of Passover/Pesach celebration and
what does it entail and
how is it important to our halakah/walk and chaim/life?
The following is what He asked His
am segulah
to do
It is written for us in the book of Leviticus,
also known as
the book of sacrifices
and sometimes called:
Torat Kohanim = the law of the priests;
because it deals largely with the various offerings brought to the Lord for sacrificial purposes in the Tabernacle/tent of meeting.
Vayikra/Leviticus begins where the book of Exodus ended, with God/YHVH, calling to Moses from the Tabernacle/tent of meeting, regarding the laws of the various animals and meal offerings that may be offered as sacrifices. Lev. 1:1
Why is this important?
Because…
The sacrificial system of the Old Testament was a means of
GRACE
by which the relationship between YHVH/God and humanity
begins to be restored.
Here we must pause a moment
and take a closer look at the Hebrew word for
GRACE
because
By grace/chen we are saved through faith/emunah
The Hebrew word translated as grace is חן
(hhen, Strong’s #2580) and is a two-letter parent root.
“Let us then approach the throne of grace/chen with confidence, so that we may receive mercy/racham and find grace/chen to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
we enter in byGrace/Chen.
Ultimately, the sacrificial system was inadequate, which is why Yeshua/Jesus came to earth. However, the 5 main Old Testament sacrifices are really worth knowing, as it helps us understand all that Messiah fulfilled.
The main meaning is that:
animal and bird sacrifices are no longer required;
and much of it was fulfilled at Passover/Pesach.
The Old Testament can be said to revolve around a system of sacrificial offerings performed by priests during rituals to atone for the sins of humanity, especially of Israel. These offerings of innocent blood covered the sins of the people and are recorded through most of the Old Testament. Genesis 3:20 may allude to the first sacrifice, where the LORD God offered garments of skin to Adam and Eve to express devotion and commitment to His priests (humanity) serving in His temple (the Heavens and the Earth), an act that may foreshadow the Burnt Offering more fully described in Leviticus.
The historical account we are given in Genesis and Exodus records both Gods heavenly/celestial actions, as well as Him choosing Israel as His own treasured people/am segulah. The God/YHVH and King of the Universe, Who led the Israelites out of Egypt and made a covenant with them at Mount Sinai and His presence came to live among them in the ark. This was located within the holy of holies at the center of the Mishkan/The Tabernacle, which was constructed as the focal point, the center of the covenant made at Mt. Sinai.
Now, God/YHVH was in the midst of His people and the book of vayikra/leviticus, reveals how He instructed for them to approach Him, a Holy God/YHVH, and how to be in relationship with Him.
The key for that time was the sacrificial system.
There were sacrifices made before the Mishkan and for example, the following individuals called, righteous ones – tzaddikim; were said to have offered animal sacrifices long before the Tabernacle/Mishkan was consecrated for Israel/Yisrael.
Abel, Adam’s first son, offered the best of his sheep upon the same altar to the Lord. Gen. 4:2-4
Noah after Noah left the Ark he offered sacrifices of the clean animals to the Lord in thanks for having survived the global flood. He knew the difference between clean and unclean animals. Gen. 7.
Abraham build at least four altars and offered animal sacrifices upon them.Gen. 12:7,8 13: 4 13:1; 22:9.
Isaac also built an altar and offered sacrifices.
Gen. 26:25.
Jacob built two altars and offered sacrifices.
Gen. 33:20, 46:1
Moses built several altars before he was given revelation of the Mishkan at Mount Sinai. These included the sacrifices made after the battle with Amalek. Exodus 17:5 As well as the sacrifices made at the foot of Mt Sinai after receiving the book of the covenant. Exodus 24:4 –6
How is it important to us?
What is the purpose of studying the sacrifices made in theTabernacle/Mishkan in the wilderness?
Isn’t this irrelevant to us today?
If we, non-Jewish Believers, have not studied the TeNaKH/Old Testament/Covenant, we will not be able fully understand the New Covenant/Brit Hadashah.
Why?
Because it is all about Our Heavenly Fathers’ plan to provide a Messiah Jesus/Yeshua Who will restore the broken relationship with Himself.
There are many terms used in the
Brit Hadashah/New Covenant/Testament
such as:
the Lamb
Atonement
Unleaven
Leaven
Blood sacrifice etc.
They will not have any meaning if we have not understood the Tabernacle/Mishkan and its purpose.
The book of Hebrews cannot be fully appreciated without the understanding of the tabernacle/Mishkan plan and true worship. Although the Mishkan is the past, it is most certainly a shadow/pattern/type of Mashiach/Messiah and the blueprint of YHVH/HaShem’s redemptive Covenant plan for Israel/Yisrael and whosoever will….
Sin,
sacrifice
and
confession and repentance
is the
korban principle.
Korban (Hebrew: “sacrifice” קרבן)
(plural: Korbanot קרבנות),
in Judaism, is the term for a variety of sacrificial offerings described and commanded in the Torah.
Such sacrifices were offered in a variety of settings by the ancient Israelites, and later by the Jewish priesthood, the Kohanim, at the Temple in Jerusalem.
A Korban was usually an animal sacrifice, such as a sheep or a bull that underwent shechita (Jewish ritual slaughter), and was often cooked and eaten by the one bringing the offering.
When a person sins against the Lord,
he or she deserves to die!!
The soul that sins it shall die. Ezek. 18:20
As we were ALL born in sin
and ALL have fallen short of the glory of God;
we have NO hope without a savior/redeemer.
Satan, the adversary and accuser, would come before God/YHVH to make a case for the persons soul…
BUT God/YHVH/YaHoVeH
allows the death of a sacrificial victim
to take the place of the Sinner.
PAUSE HERE a Moment and reread that last statement!
The adversary and accuser,
is after our eternal soul/spirit
that is his mission –
to separate us from our Heavenly Father for ever…
BUT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER
allows the death of
an innocent sacrificial victim
to take the place of the Sinner!!
The guilty person would lean his hands upon the head of the animal and said this confession.
I deserve to die instead of this innocent animal but the Lord mercifully accepts the death of this in one in my stead.
When God sees the shed blood, or the ascending smoke of the sacrifice, He forgives the sinner based on his faith and repentance.
Thank you Father for Your provision through Messiah.
Before reading on, consider this…
the sinner had to kill the sacrificial animal
it became the victim of the sinners sin.
If we were still under the old covenant we too would have to take the life and spill the blood of the innocent sacrifices to cover our sins.
Yes we are under the re-newed covenant however…
taken to its full conclusion
our sin killed Jesus/Yeshua!
The Torah States that out of all of the various kosher animals, only 3 kinds would be acceptable for sacrifice upon His altar. They had to be free of all defects, they were:
oxen = a bull, cow or a calf
sheep = a ram, ewe or a lamb
goats = a buck, a doe or a kid.
Note that each kind of these animals is domesticated and peaceful they are not predators.
Besides these animals only two birds were allowed to be sacrificed:
turtledoves and pigeons
both of which are likewise peaceful.
In addition to these a poor person could offer
grain offerings
which were used to provide bread for the priests.
The five types of Korbanot
The Hebrew word korban
comes from the root koraw meaning:
to come close;
specifically to come close to God.
These offerings korbanot were meant to
bring someone who was far off from God, close again.
Ultimately Jesus/Yeshua has made the permanent WAY back to the Father for us; for us who were far off to come close to Him. He was the perfect sacrifice and His innocent shed Blood cries MERCY/FORGIVENESS
for us concerning our sins.
The offerings were reflected in His life and death
He paid the price for us!
Below are the five types of offerings in the Old Testament:
the Burnt Offering, Olah עֹלָ֤ה chapter 1
the Grain Offering, Minchah מִנְחָה chapter 2
the Peace Offering, Zevah haShelamiym זֶבַח הַשְּׁלָמִים chapter 3
the Purification Offering, Korban Khatta’at קרבן חטאת chapter 4
and the Tresspass/guilt Offering Asham אָשָׁם chapter 5
These should not be viewed as legalistic rites one must perform to earn our Heavenly Fathers GRACE.
The Prophet Samuel said,
to obey is better than sacrifice. 1 Sam 15:22,
and Jeremiah likewise negates Burnt Offerings for atonement and says that disobedience results in calamity.Jer. 44:23.
Rather, the sacrificial system in the Old Testament
was a means of GRACE
by which one who unintentionally sinned might make reparations for that sin without paying with his or her life, or with the life of his or her child.
The system was an outward expression of a person or community’s inward desire to restore the broken relationships between humanity and God and humanity and the world.
Can we see Messiah in all the offerings?
עלה Olah or mowlah o-law’
1 Olah, the ascending or burnt offering:
The Hebrew word for burnt offering is
עלה
olah,
from the root Ayin-Lamed-Heh,
meaning: ascension.
The first offering is literally,
an offering of ascent
commonly called
the Burnt Offering.
‘Korban Olah’ {קרבן עולה}
which literally means:
‘a sacrifice/offering that goes up’.
The purpose of the Burnt Offering was for
general atonement of sin and
expression of devotion to God.
The instructions for the Burnt Offering are given in
Lev 1:3-17. The offering could be a bull (1:3), sheep or goat (1:10), or dove or pigeon (1:14). The animal was to be burnt whole overnight (6:8-13), though its skin was given to the priest (1:6).
This was a free will sacrifice that was consumed entirely by the fire on the altar. The sacrificial victims had to be an animal or a bird that is without defect. As that animal is slaughtered the priest catches its blood in a pan and sprinkles it on the altar. That animal is then cut up salted and entirely burned.
Normally semikhah,
the leaning of the hands
SEMIKHAH (Heb. סְמִיכָה; “laying,” lit. “leaning” of the hands).
on the head of the animal, and viduy/confession of sin, accompanies this sacrifice though in case of a bird olah, semikhah is not performed.
Burnt Offering– Leviticus 1:3-17; 6:8-13
Wholly burned up on the altar.
Sweet aroma to God. Unblemished animal.
The meaning for us:
We must be completely dedicated to God.
Matthew 22:36-40; Ephesians 5:2.
The fulfillment in Messiah Yeshua:
He was spiritually perfect and willingly gave His life for us.
2 מנחה
Minchah –meal or grain offering or cereal offering.
The word minchah, means: gift or a present.
min-khaw’; from an unused root meaning to apportion.
The purpose of the Grain Offering was a voluntary expression of devotion to YHVH/God, recognizing His goodness and provision.
The instructions for the grain offerings are given in Leviticus 2. Generally it was cooked bread—baked (2:4), grilled (2:5), fried (2:7), roasted, or made into cereal (2:14)—though always seasoned (2:13), unsweetened, and unleavened (2:11). Unlike the whole Burnt Offering, only a portion of the offering was to be burnt (2:9). The remainder went to the priests for their meal (2:10).
It was bloodless.
This was a free will offering of flour prepared with
flour, olive oil and frankincense
usually brought by a person of modest means.
Any flour offering must be baked quickly to prevent the yeast in the dough from rising and so keeping it as unleavened bread. Remember yeast is a type of sin. Like the animal sacrifices, these minchah offerings must also be salted.
Grain Offering – Leviticus 2:1-16; 6:14-23.
A minchah accompanied all burnt offerings.
It was a sweet aroma to YHVH/God.
Flour, oil, frankincense and salt.
The meaning for us:
We must live by every Word of God,
be led by His Holy Spirit,
pray always and endure. Matthew 4:4.
The fulfillment in Messiah Yeshua:
is as the bread of life.
He was broken for us –
broken bread and poured out wine – His life His blood.
The manna that our Heavenly Father gave His children in the wilderness came from heaven; it kept them alive but they still died physically. Yeshua/Jesus is the bread from heaven that when we eat we will never die. He is the bread of everlasting life.
Conclusion in next post, meanwhile below are links to posts on and around Passover/Pesach week.
Have a blessed week, you are greatly loved and prayed for daily.
Please don’t leave here without assurance of your salvation that
you are one of His Am Segulah – Treasured People,
and that you Have Passover Faith
Pesach Emunah
and the deep inner knowing that you are sealed to the day of redemption by the Blood of Messiah Jesus/Yeshua.
Not sure ..you can be…
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord, Your Passover Lamb
and soon returning King
and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are very precious in His sight.
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute, SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
The word for work in Hebrew, avodah, is the same used for prayer.
Sometimes spelled with a b instead of a v: Abodah;
as the letters b bet and v vet in Hebrew are interchangeable
Avodah connotes service.
(It is also the word for slavery, which is involuntary service.)
The various usages of this Hebrew word found first in Genesis 2:15 tell us that YaHoVeH/God’s original design and desire is; that our work and our worship
would be a seamless way of living.
In some verses the word avodah means work, as in to work in the field and to do common labor.
Work is not only a necessary part of life, it is a form of service to the world, to the rest of humanity, and to YaHoVeH/God. We are meant to be of service, to be partners/coworkers with God in the ongoing creation of the world.
24 you are to observe this thing for it is a statute to and your sons forever –to the age. 25 It will be/come to pass when you come to the land which the Lord/Adonai will give you, just as He spoken/promised, that you shall keep this service/avodah. 26 And it shall be/come to pass, when your sons/children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?/ What is this Avodah you have?’ 27 that you shall say, ‘It is a sacrifice of Pesach to Adonai/the Passover sacrifice of the Lord, who passed over the houses of the sons/children of Israel in Egypt/Mitzrayim when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.’ ” So the people bowed their heads down and worshiped. 28 Then the children of Israel went away and did so; just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.
The annual sacrifice of Pesach/Passover commemorates the night that the children of Israel/Yisrael were reborn; and it is the service/avodah that the nation is commanded to keep each year forever.
Jesus/Yeshua and all the New Testament authors celebrated them.
Notably, there is not one word in the New Testament suggesting that the church/ecclesia/called out ones, should stop honoring these Appointed Times/Moedim.
moe-eh-DEEM. מוֹעֲדִים
These special times are also referred to as
mikra’ei kodesh
(מִקְרָאֵי קדֶשׁ),
“times in which holiness is proclaimed” (Lev. 23:2).
Passover/Pesach is the name of the celebration of the release of the children of Israel/Yisrael from Egyptian/Mitzrayim bondage. It is celebrated with a Meal/feast called Seder.
It is also called the Haggadah/the telling; as the history of their deliverance is recounted during the meal.
It is a matter of historical fact that in the year 196AD the celebration of Passover was replaced with the worship of Ishtar, the Babylonian and Syrian fertility goddess.
The name Ishtar was written in Greek as Istar because there is no ‘sh’ sound in the Greek language; because the Greek and Latin letters for I are pronounced EE, Istar became Easter when spelled with English letters.
The celebration of Ishtar brought with it eggs and rabbits, symbols of reproduction. This was done on purpose to separate from Hebrew/ Jewish roots and to make it easier for heathens to become ‘Christian’ by letting them retain the pagan customs. This was satans attempt to replace Messiah’s fulfillment of Passover as the Lamb of God, with the pagan-based Easter.
The great dispute, known as the Easter Controversy began in the 2nd century A.D. This is when Roman Bishops and Emperors sought to unite their entire kingdom empire, the eastern Asiatics (Israel and surrounding areas) with the western Roman churches (Italy and surrounding areas) for the purpose of celebrating EASTER their replacement of Passover, on the exact same day of the week. This plan was not fully successful until Emperor Constantine called for it, at the Council of Nicaea A.D. 321-325.
He ordered all Churches to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday. The ancient Church had celebrated the Resurrection correctly during the Passover [Nisan 14], which could fall on any day of the week, but the Churches near Rome (later known as Roman Catholic), had abandoned the practice because they hated the Jews, and fixed the date to the first Sunday after the first full moon of Spring. Our ‘Christmas’ was substituted for the Roman winter solstice celebration of the Roman god Saturn.
This information may shock many believers that this is true and it does not take much effort to check this out through research and to read that in Matthew 26:17 Luke 22:15 and John 13 there is no mention of Easter. Nor did Jesus/Yeshua ever tell us to celebrate His birthday! It’s a tradition of men and has sadly become commercialized with all the wrong emphasis. Jesus/Yeshua never said, I will celebrate Easter with you.
He said I have looked forward to eat this Passover Seder with you. So the question remains why are we referring to this appointed time of the Lord as Easter unless we are still pagans/ idolaters? It’s a subtle deception of the enemy and certainly something to think about!
3 John1:4 says . I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my [spiritual] children are living [their lives] in the truth.
The Truth is Yeshua/Jesus Himself.
He is the Way, the Truth and the Life; we must follow Him not traditions of men and doctrines of demons. Religious traditions are spoken of in several places.
Paul said in Acts 17:22
So Paul, standing in the center of the Areopagus [Mars Hill meeting place], said: Men of Athens, I perceive in every way [on every hand and with every turn I make] that you are most religious or very reverent to demons.
He said to them, All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. Colossians 2:8 Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men
Jesus said, further,
“full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.”
That is precisely what the millions are doing today.
The traditions and doctrines of men make the Word of God of none effect. The traditions of men.
“Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.” (Mark 7:13 KJV)
The commandments of men.
“This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men…” (Mark 7:9 ESV)
Matthew 15:9 They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’
Paul wrote to Timothy,
‘Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will depart from the faith; giving heed to seducing and deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons (1 Tim. 4:1; ‘doctrines of devils’ – KJV
A doctrine is a teaching or a set of principles. The “doctrines of demons,” then, are things that demons teach; a set of beliefs or a teaching which demons try to propagate throughout the church for the purpose of deceiving the believers. Since demons are not visible (and if they were, we would hardly invite them to speak in church), they must take a deceptive route to get their false message heard.
1 Timothy 4:1, the ungodly teachings of Satan. Those who follow the doctrines of demons “will fall away from the faith.”
Coming back to the Pesach/Passover…
As a nation the Israelites were enslaved and repressed and cried out not knowing if that cry would be heard. The God of Israel did hear their cries and answered with miracles signs and with a deliverer.
That night was the end of Israel’s oppression and slavery and their houses were delivered.
This is why at the first spring Appointed Time of the Lord/Moedim, it is customary for the children to ask
‘why will tonight be different from all other nights?’
It is because Israel was set free as a new nation,
Our deliverance has come, however, the path laid out before us by Adonai/YeHoVeH is still to be completed and how we walk along the WAY, will determine how our lives will unfold.
Will we follow His commands and inherit the promises or,
will we go astray and wander away from those promises and His peace/shalom?
We were oppressed by and enslaved to sin and we too cried out, not knowing if anyone would respond. Our Heavenly father heard our cries and answered with the most miraculous sign of the ages.
At Passover/Pesach, we too are reborn
because the shedding of the innocent blood of our deliverer Messiah Yeshua, Who was and is,
according to John/Yochanan 1:29
the lamb of God who is taking away the sin of the world.
How?
By obedience to His Heavenly Father’s will
and this was to fulfill His prophetic destiny
prophesied in the TaNaKH/Old Testament Scriptures.
(remember at the time he was on the earth there were no New Testament writings).
Obedience is the Lambs’ blood on your doorpost…
since our Heavenly Fathers’ sovereign purposes are fixed according to the counsel of His own good pleasure.
His obedience demanded a sacrifice and the shedding of innocent blood.
To redeem us and restore the way to the Father.
Everything He did was to glorify the Father. He only spoke and did what He was told to do and say. His blood was the perfect price paid, and still speaks today, crying mercy/ forgiveness for each one of us.
The Korban principle from Leviticus 17 states: when a person sins against the Lord he or she deserves to die. The accuser/ satan comes before God and makes a case for the person soul however god allows the death of a sacrificial victim to take the place of the sinner.
The guilty person leans his hands on the head of the animal and says this: I deserve to die instead of this innocent animal (an ox, sheep or goat;) but the Lord mercifully accepts the death of this innocent one in my stead.
When God sees the shed blood, or the ascending smoke of the sacrifice, He forgives the sinner based on his faith and repentance.
the korban (קָרְבָּן qorbān), also spelled qorban or corban, is any of a variety of sacrificial offerings described and commanded in the Torah.
The plural form is korbanot, korbanoth or korbans.
A korban was a kosher animal sacrifice, such as a bull, sheep, goat, or a dove that underwent shechita
(Jewish Ritual Slaughter).
The Hebrew word korban comes from the root korav meaning to come close, specifically to come close to God. The offerings/ korbanot were meant to bring someone who was far from God back into close fellowship once again.
Hebrews 9:22 without the shedding of blood there is no remission.
The substitutionary shedding of blood,
the life for life principle, is essential to the true
He opened up His own body to be the perfect sacrifice for sins by his shed blood we have complete atonement before the Lord.
The Levitical system of animal sacrifices
was meant to foreshadow
the true and abiding sacrifice of Jesus/Yeshua,
as the means of our reconciliation with God
and if they are not merely covered
they are taken entirely away.Hebrews 9:24
He is not dead He is alive.
We were dead in our sins…
and only the blood of the sinless lamb of God/YaHoVeH can take away our guilt and make us alive to God, in and through Him.
The Lamb’s blood must be applied and remain on the doorpost of our hearts.
There is no other way and we must be mindful of what we are celebrating and why, and not just thoughtlessly join in with religious traditions of men and doctrines of demons.
We are to be making certain that we are not named among Revelation 2’s seven churches and in particular the one at Ephesus; who were guilty of the sins of the Nicolaitans.
Their doctrines compromised with worldly ways, amounting to idolatry, materialism and tolerance of immorality.
Passover/Pesach reminds us…
we are new again,
we are set free
and it also draws to our attention that our salvation is only the beginning.
It is up to us how we will walk the path that is laid out before us.
It is up to our free will whether we wander off that path and misuse our salvation.
What will we choose?
His way or our way?
Will we follow His commands and walk in the ways of our savior?
What is this Avodah you have?
For there is hope – ki yesh tikvah
because
It is a sacrifice of Passover/Pesach
to YeHoVeH the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Israel.
Thank you Father/Avinu for the Pesach/Passover sacrifice of Your Son Jesus/Yeshua.
It is by His Blood that we have been PASSed OVER.
Strengthen us to walk in the path You have set for us and to follow Your commands.
פסח Pesach Passover 2021 begins Saturday, March 27
at sunset and ends Sunday, April 4 at nightfall.
For those new to the site, below is a list of links for more on the Spring Appointed Times of the Lord.
Copy and paste the link below in your browser for youtube to watch ‘The Passion.’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ho4tUQiYtg
Amazing Love ! How can it be ,
That thou, my God shouldst die for me!
His true Shalom/Peace
rest upon each one in Jesus/Yeshuas’ Name.
‘Mishpachah’ ‘Family’
משפחה
Mish-pa-KHa
you are greatly loved and prayed for daily..
this Pesach/Passover,
make sure you are secure in the knowledge you are saved…
NOT SURE? YOU CAN BE..
SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.
Most Christian believers know what is meant by ‘taking communion’, or ‘the Lord’s supper’ or ‘the breaking of bread and drinking of wine’.
However what is not always taught is that it is rooted in, and has its’ origins in, the Passover meal of the Israelites PesachSeder.
Also called Pesah, Pesakh – פֶּסַח and pronounced Pay-sak.
Seder סֵדֶר
pronounced SEE-dur-(seyder);
Seder is a Hebrew root word meaning order/arrangement..the same root from which the word siddur comes, meaning: prayer book.
Passover begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nisan
(late March or early April in the Gregorian calendar).
Passover is celebrated for seven days in Israel.
In the same way Israelites have celebrated Passover as a celebration of freedom observed by Jews everywhere.
The name derives from the story of the angel of death passing over the homes of Hebrews; when the 10th plague, the death of the first-born children, came upon the Egyptians.
However many are not aware of how it is connected and integral to the Lords supper/ communion. This is because many have not yet accepted Yeshua as Messiah. They are not aware of the implications of, and the messianic secrets revealed in the Seder and in the order sequence of the Meal itself.
It is not a sumptuous 5+ course-style banquet, but contains symbols of remembrance of the miracles that the Lord performed for the children of Israel as they were leaving Egypt.
The telling of the Passover story.
The Maggid – מטיף – Hebrew: maggīdh – literally, narrator, messenger, is the highlight of the Seder.
The Seder, which follows a carefully prescribed series of steps, includes a dinner of highly symbolic foods that are prepared on a Seder plate.
There are different versions and some have 14 steps and some 15.
The Sages designed the Passover Seder as 15 steps to make a participant enormously successful and the key to unlocking the code is that Passover is the time when each Jew embarks on a personal journey from slavery to freedom.
The Haggadah, which is pronounced ha-gah-da, is a small book that is used at the Passover table each year.
The Haggadah – הַגָּדָה – means: The telling.
And it’s a fulfillment of the mitzvah – מִצְוָה, to each Israelite.
mitzvah – מִצְוָה
The first use is in Genesis 26:5 where God says that Abraham has “obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments (מִצְוֹתַי mitzvotai), my statutes, and my laws”.
The charge to tell your son, of the Hebrews liberation from slavery in Egypt; as described in the Book of Exodus in the Torah.
“And thou shalt tell thy son in that day, saying: It is because of that which the LORD did for me when I came forth out of Egypt.” Ex. 13:8).
Ha Laḥma Anya
מָא הָאלַחְ עַנְיָא
‘This is the bread of affliction‘…
(literally: Behold the poor bread)
are the opening words of a declaration in Aramaic, designating the matzah as the bread of affliction and inviting the needy to join the meal.
Ha lachma anya, d’akhla avatana b’ar’a d’mitzrayim.
This is the bread of affliction, which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt.
It ends with:
This year we are here, next year may we be in the Land of Israel. This year we are slaves, next year may we be free men.
The Haggadah – הַגָּדָה – telling;
The purpose of the Haggadah
Ve-higgadta le-vinkha –
And thou shalt tell thy son,
Ex. 13:8,
The outlines of the steps of the Passover Seder.
1Kaddesh (Sanctifcation):The word is derived from the Hebrew root Qof-Dalet-Shin, meaning holy.
Kiddush: (Blessing over wine) Blessed are You, O Lord our God, (Ruler/King or) Sovereign of the universe, creator of the fruit of the vine.
This is a blessing over wine in honor of the holiday.
The first cup, the Kiddush, of wine is drunk, and a second cup is poured.
The 4 cups of wine, known in Hebrew as arba kosot.
2Urechatz (Washing), A washing of the hands without a blessing, in preparation for eating the Karpas.
3 Karpas (Vegetable): A vegetable (usually parsley) is dipped in salt water and eaten. The vegetable symbolizes the lowly origins of the Jewish people; the salt water symbolizes the tears shed as a result of our slavery. Parsley is a good vegetable to use for this purpose, because when you shake off the salt water, it looks like tears.
4Yachatz (Breaking): One of the three matzahs on the table is broken.
Part is returned to the pile, the other part is set aside for the Afikomen.
Matzot that have been placed in a white bag called a matzah tosh are taken out and shown to everyone.
The leader then says.
This Is the lechem oni – the bread of affliction – which our forefathers ate in the land of Egypt.
All who are hungry – let them come and eat. All who are needy – let them come and celebrate Passover with us.
Very significant of Jesus/Yeshuas’ declaration “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. (John 6:35) To eat these promises is to eat this living bread and live forever (John 6:51).
5 Maggid (The Story): A retelling of the story of the Exodus from Egypt and the first Passover. This begins with the youngest person asking The Four Questions, a set of questions about the proceedings designed to encourage participation in the seder. The Four Questions are also known as Mah Nishtanah. (Why is it different?), which are the first words of the
MahNishtanah, are the first two words in a phrase meaning Why is tonight different from all other nights? usually asked by the youngest guest. Then the seder leader replies by asking what differences they notice. There are variations on the questions, however the youngest person then replies that there are four ways in which they notice a difference about Passover:
On all other nights we eat bread or matzah, while on this night we eat only matzah?
She-bechol halaylot anu ochlim chametz o matzah, halaylah hazeh kulo matzah?
On all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables and herbs, but on this night we have to eat bitter herbs?
She-bechol halaylot anu ochlim she’ar yerakot, halaylah hazeh maror?
On all other nights we don’t dip our vegetables in salt water, but on this night we dip them twice?
She-bechol halaylot ain anu matbilin afilu pa’am echat, halaylah hazeh shtei pe’amim?
On all other nights we eat while sitting upright, but on this night we eat reclining?
The fourth “question” refers to the ancient custom of eating while reclining on one elbow. It symbolizes the concept of freedom and refers to the idea that Jews would be able to have a celebratory meal while relaxing together and enjoying each others’ company.
This question became part of The Four Questions after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E. Originally the fourth question, mentioned in the Talmud (Mishnah Pesachim 10:4) was: “On all other nights we eat meat which has been roasted, stewed, or boiled, but on this night we eat only roasted meat.”
This original question referred to the practice of sacrificing the Paschal lamb at the Temple, a practice that ceased after the Temple’s destruction. Once the sacrificial system was abandoned the rabbis replaced the fourth question with one about reclining during the Passover seder.
6 Rachtzah (Washing): A second washing of the hands, this time with a blessing, in preparation for eating the matzah.
7Motzi Matzah (Blessings over Grain Products and Matzah): The ha-motzi blessing, a generic blessing for bread or grain products used as a meal, is recited over the matzah. A blessing specific to matzah is recited, and a bit of matzah is eaten.
8Maror (Bitter Herbs): A blessing is recited over a bitter vegetable (usually raw horseradish; sometimes romaine lettuce), and it is eaten. This symbolizes the bitterness of slavery. The maror is eaten with charoses, a mixture of apples, nuts, cinnamon and wine, which symbolizes the mortar used by the Jews in building during their slavery
9Korech (Sandwich): some maror on a piece of matzah is eaten with some charose. The sandwich used to include a piece of the paschal offering (Lamb). As there are no more animal sacrifice, so there is no paschal offering included.
10Shulchan Orech (Dinner): is a simple meal, gefilte fish and matzah ball soup are traditionally eaten.
11Tzafun (Dessert):The piece of matzah set aside earlier is eaten as “dessert,” the last food of the meal. Different families have different traditions relating to the afikomen. Some have the children hide it, while the parents have to either find it or ransom it back. Others have the parents hide it. The idea is to keep the children awake and attentive throughout the pre-meal proceedings, waiting for this part.
12Barech (Grace): The third cup of wine is poured, (the Ge’ullah – Redemption) and grace after meals is recited. This is similar to the grace that would be said on any Sabbath. At the end, a blessing is said over the third cup and it is drunk. The fourth cup is poured, including a cup set aside for the prophet Elijah, who is supposed to herald the Messiah, and is supposed to come on Passover to do this. The door is opened for a while at this point (supposedly for Elijah, but historically because Jews were accused of nonsense like putting the blood of Christian babies in matzah, and we wanted to show our Christian neighbors that we weren’t doing anything unseemly).
13Hallel (Song):Several psalms are recited. Yehallelukha Adonai Eloheinu al Kol Ma’asekha (“All Thy works shall praise Thee”) is a benediction of praise, or Nishmat Kol Ḥai (“The breath of all that lives”), is the Nishmat hymn – Birkat ha-Shir.
A blessing is recited over the last cup of wine and it is drunk.
14Nirtzah (Closing): A simple statement that the seder has been completed, with a wish that next year, Pesach may celebrated in Jerusalem meaning that the Messiah will come within the next year.
For believers in Messiah it is the fulfillment of the Passover lamb by His own sacrifice.
So all the elements have a particular and specific meaning to them and are significant for both the original and spiritually fulfilled Passover thousands of years apart.
The Mysterious hidden Afikomen אפיקומן ; pronounced: ah-fi-co-men.
During the 4th part of the seder meal (called Yachatz – divide), a plate of unleavened bread is lifted up.
On it are three pieces of matzah stacked On top of each other.
The Seder leader takes the middle piece, calls out “Yachatz,” and breaks it in half.
Splitting the matzah is a memorial to the splitting of the sea.
These various understandings of Yachatz underscore that both slavery and salvationare within the broken matzah, thereby highlighting the central theme that salvation can instantly emerge from the most abject situations of suffering.
“lehecm oni”, (“Poor Man’s Bread”), the Gemarah in Maseches Pesachim (115b) derives that the matzah of seder night must be broken: “ma darko shel ani beprusa…just as a poor person eats a broken piece of a loaf, so too matzah must be eaten as a broken piece”.
Afikomen אפיקומן means:
That which comes after!
At the Passover seder table, three matzahs are placed in a stack, inside a special bag called a matzah tosh.
Before it is broken the following is said.
This is the bread of brokenness……
These 3 are said to represent Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The middle one representing Isaac, is broken to recall how he was offered himself in sacrifice in obedience to the will of his father! The binding of Isaac is a clear picture of how Jesus/Yeshua yielded Himself to be sacrificed by God, His Father.
Consider how the Akedah provides a prophetic picture of the Lord Jesus as the Lamb of God – SEH haELOHIM, who takes away the sins of the world. John 1:29.
Both Isaac and Jesus were born miraculously,
both were only begotten son’s,
both were to be sacrificed by their fathers of Mount Moriah;
both were to be resurrected on the third day. (Genesis 22:5; Hebrews 11:17 – 19).
Both willingly took up the means of his execution, both demonstrate that one life can be sacrificed for another –the ram for Isaac and Jesus for all mankind.
Another tradition is that the three matzot represent the people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, respectively. This raises some questions; why would the priests be depicted as broken in this case? Isn’t Jesus/Yeshua the high priest of our confession? (Hebrews 3:1) Didn’t He provide eternal redemption by means of shedding His Blood in the Holy of Holies made without hands? (Hebrews 9:11–12; 10:11–12, 21–23).
Why would the symbolism of the broken priests included in the Passover Seder? Didn’t the prophet Isaiah in chapter 53 foretell that the Messiah would be wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities and by His stripes we are healed?
Could it be a reference to a broken corrupt system that Messiah came to heal in more ways than one?
In the Hebrew mindset the middle of something is it’s heart. LEV. When the middle matzah is broken it’s a reminder to all believers of how the Fathers’ heart must have been broken to see the pain that Jesus/Yeshua endured by taking our sins upon Him at the cross. We looked previously at the matzah and the stripes and the holes in it and their significance.
Remembering that like the unleavened bread, He was pure without any trace of leaven in it, as His body was without any sin. This is the LEV, the HEART of the Passover message It is the LEV – HEART of the gospel.
The larger piece of this matzah is called the afikomen. The smaller half is returned to its place between the other two matzahs, and the larger half is placed in a bag,
or wrapped in a cloth,
and then it is set aside to be eaten as a dessert after the meal. It is in commemoration of the paschal sacrifice. Set aside so it does not get mixed up with the other pieces on the table.
In ancient biblical times, the Passover sacrifice used to be the last thing consumed during the Passover seder during the First and Second Temple eras. The afikomen is a substitute for the Passover sacrifice according to the Mishnah in Pesahim 119a.
The practice of hiding the afikomen was instituted during the Middle Ages by Jewish families to make the seder more entertaining and exciting for children, who can become antsy when sitting through a long ritual meal.
The Afikomen has been part of the Passover since the second Temple times that would’ve been part of the Passover service during the time of Yeshua. The Greek word used in the New Testament is aphikomenos it is a participle that means he is coming that has definite messianic nuances.
Was it symbolic of a divine Trinity?
This is certainly possible as an image of hashilush hakodesh – the three fold/ triune nature of God; having the focus on the broken middle piece of the matzah, which is a picture of suffering Messiah Yeshua Ha Mashiach.
When we consider that this piece is taken and wrapped up and carefully hidden from view only to be discovered at the end of the Passover seder by little children.
This surely is the image of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus/Yeshua from the dead. It is only after partaking of the lamb of God who was slain for our transgressions and sins; do we understand and take hold of the reward given to those to seek for Him.
If so, then that which pointed to the second part of the trinity, is broken and it is even given a name – called by Afikomen.
It was saving the best until last and to be looked forward to, as something special and to be rejoiced over when found and consumed! (Very symbolic!)
The broken matzah wrapped in a cloth or napkin, was also as a remembrance of the way the Israelites left Egypt with their soon-to-be matzahs, as described in the Torah:
‘The people picked up their dough when it was not yet leavened, their leftovers bound in their garments on their shoulders.’
Depending on the family, either the leader usually the head of the household in the group hides the afikomen during the meal or the children at the table “steal” the afikomen and hide it. Not every family ascribes to the ‘stealing’ part so as not to encourage stealing as being acceptable behavior.
If the seder leader hid the afikomen the children at the table must search for it and bring it back. They receive a reward (usually candy, money or a small gift) when they bring it back to the table. Likewise, if the children “stole” the afikomen, the seder leader ransoms it back from them with a reward so that the seder can continue.
This ransom or reward is indicative of Mark 10:45.
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
Yeshua/Jesus is recorded in Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45 referring to Himself as “a ransom for many,”
When it is found they remove the cloth wrapped around it revealing the broken Afikomen. Once the afikomen is returned to the seder table, each guest receives a small portion at least the size of an olive.
This is done after the meal and normal deserts have been eaten so that the last taste of the meal is matzah.
After the broken afikomen is eaten, the Birkas haMazon (grace after meals) is recited and the seder is concluded.
It is only at this point that the Passover is complete!
Although the afikoman represents the Israelites liberation from Egyptian exile.
That redemption, however, was not a complete one, as they are still awaiting the final redemption with the coming of Moshiach.
Setting aside or hiding the larger half of the matzah reminds us that the best, the real redemption, is yet to come, still hidden in the future.
The symbolism is clear as they all would have understood the references to the broken matzah was the action taken by Jesus/Yeshua as He sat with His disciples, taking the middle piece he broke it and said;
This is My Body broken for you.
Then it was wrapped in cloth just as His broken body would be wrapped in a burial cloth not many hours later.
The broken matzah was hidden away just as His body was placed in the tomb hidden from view. Messiah has been hidden from His people for over 2,000 years and many have not found Him yet…
As before stated, the Passover Seder cannot be complete without finding Afikomen and and returned to the table so each guest can eat a piece of it. So Israel as a nation cannot find its completion without the Messiah. This signifies that the Jewish people will search for their missing Messiah, their Afikomen and they will fulfill their destiny as He is revealed to them.
Afikomen is actually a Greek word which as mentioned earlier means that which comes after.
Hebrew: אֲפִיקוֹמָן, based on Greek epikomon [ἐπὶ κῶμον] or epikomion [ἐπικώμιον], meaning “that which comes after” or “dessert”) is a half-piece of matzo which is broken in two during the early stages of the Passover Seder and set aside to be eaten as a dessert after the meal. a word that comes from the Greek word for “dessert.”
It is so called not because it is sweet, but because it is the last item of food eaten at the Passover seder meal.
Zechariah 12:10 Luke 22:19; Romans 11: 25-26.
Messiah is not among His people at this point BUT.. He will be, because…
He is the Afikomen,
the One who comes after,
and He WILL come again.
Similarly as with Passover, so it is with all to whom He comes.
Only in His coming can we find our completion.
When He is found – He is the missing piece/peace/shalom; and He is the one broken for us. The Afikomen of our lives.
The conclusion,
the completion,
for we are complete in Him.
The matzah is the bread of communion, some call it the Eucharist from the Greek word Eucharista. It is in the scripture, however, it has nothing to do with the bread.
Psalm 136, Luke 22:14–23, 1Timothy 6:6–8. It is what He spoke over the bread.
Eucharista means to give thanks or say a blessing and it is what has been the traditional Hebrew Blessing for millennia. The confusion maybe because Jesus/Yeshua said it over the bread and it isnot the bread itself; then tradition, doctrine and dogma take over and we miss the truth of the root meaning.
The Israelites have said this Hebrew Blessing/ Eucharista for a long time and it is called the MOTZI.
HaMotzi Pronounced: ha-MOE-tzee
The traditional HaMotzi blessing is recited before eating bread (or bread stuffs) and is one of the most frequently said of the Hebrew blessings, used for Shabbat, holidays, and other occasions:
That bread was unleavened bread. Unleavened bread is any of a wide variety of breads which are prepared without raising or leavening agents; (ingredients that cause flour to rise); such as yeast, baking soda, baking powder and beaten egg whites.
Known as Matzah within the Jewish community–it represents a symbolic element with great importance. Unleavened breads are generally flat breads; however, not all flat breads are unleavened.
This is probably what Jesus/Yeshua would have said over the unleavened bread.
Hamotzi (Blessing over bread)
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, (Ruler/King or) Sovereign of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.
This is an indication that the emphasis is not the bread itself that is the most important it is the blessing of thanks that is.
Luke 12:15, for one’s lifedoes notconsistin the abundance of his possessions.
God is the author and preserver of man’s life; goods are not. But of the place and position and fullness of the giver in the life of the receiving believer. What is important is how much thanks we give for what we have. Spiritual poverty is worse than physical poverty.
In Messiah we are rich and prosperous spiritually because the bread, the Afikomen that He spoke the Eucharista over was the symbol of His suffering and death and He knew it and still gave thanks for it, knowing what He was about to go through.
The Powersecrets of the Eucharista is in it’s meaning for Thanksgiving and those who give thanks in all things, bring the power of God into a curse and turn it into a blessing. In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1Timothy 6:6 -8
The hidden Afikoman of eucharista is Messiah the blessing of the one….
who returned from the tomb, and will soon return to us again, the Afikomen will return to complete our Passover seder….the blessing of that which comes after.
Please Do Not leave this page without the surety in your heart that this Passover you have
Messiah our Passover Lamb, our Tamid in your life and heart as the days draw ever closer to the end of the age..Open the Dalet of your heart and let the King of Glory in..
Make sure Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
NOT CERTAIN?
YOU CAN BE..
Its all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are greatly loved and very precious in His sight.
He longs to give you the Shalom He paid the ultimate price for..
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute, SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.
When we say it out loud it sounds like our English word mystery. It’s basically the same word. Mystery involves something hidden, secretive. Mis•tor is used interchangeably in the Bible with the word se•ter which is also the root of this noun (may also be an adjective): S.T.R.
Mis•tor or se•ter may also be a place of refuge where one can feel safety and security. Imagine the extent of safety and security we may receive when we make God our se•ter, our hiding place.
‘You are my hiding place; you shall preserve me from trouble; you shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.’
Psalm 32:7
Spring – Aviv-Abib-abyb
is coming very soon and so is the first month of the Hebrew spiritual year, and the seventh month of the secular calendar, now also called Nisan. It’s in this month the first appointed time of Pesach-Passover is celebrated. Meaning an ear of corn, the month of newly-ripened grain. (Exodus 13:4; 23:15)
Aviv-Abib signifies green ears of grain, or fresh fruits and ran from mid-March to mid-April.
Spring is coming and the Song of Solomon gives an amazing prophetic insight when he says behold the winter is gone. Song of Solomon 2:11
This Song of Songs declares the old is gone. We have seen that as believers symbolically God is our bridegroom and we are His challah/kallah, His bride.
(The final step in the Jewish wedding process is called – Nissuin – the word comes from the Hebrew verb – hsn – (Read from R to L and pronounced nasa) – which means, to carry. This describes the bride who would be waiting for her groom to come – to carry her off to her new home!)
These important words are directed to us, the ecclesia, the called out ones.
Song of Solomon 2:11
In this passage the word for winter in Hebrew literally means the season of hiding.
Our salvation is about the ending of the old life and the beginning of a new. The ending of winter – the season of our hiding – and of the coming of spring – aw-beeb’ – abib – אָבִיב
That is what the old life is – winter, the time of hiding (has tav)…
and living in the darkness.
Messiah died and rose in the spring time to end the winter- the time of hiding – in our lives.
Just before Passover/Pesach is the time of Puwriym – Purim, which is considered a minor holiday and literally means to cast the lot.
Purim occurs 30 days (1 month) before Pesach/Passover on the 14th day of the month of Adar—the day established by Mordechai and Esther as a day of ‘feasting and rejoicing’ in commemoration of the Jews’ salvation from Haman’s evil decree in the year 3405 from creation. (356 BCE) Often considered the most joyous day of the year!
Passover begins on Friday, April 19, 2019 and ends Saturday, April 27, 2019
This is the start of a new year in the annual spiritual calendar; beginning the cycle of 7 appointed times of the Lord. We have just looked at the them in the last post, secrets to a life of feasts.
Now is a great time to think about the cycles of life and see them in a new light and with a different perspective as they unfold this year. One of these years Messiah will complete them.
Maybe it will be this year?
Here is yet another reason to see our Heavenly Fathers’ hand in our lives from the very beginning – as the cycle of life in us – has its origins at Pesach/Passover.
Everything has a beginning and an end. Alef and Tav. The beginning precedes all other stages and details, and the end follows all of them. The beginning, if it is a true beginning, contains the seeds of all that is to follow; and the end, if it is a true end, is the completion and fulfillment of everything that preceded it.
This being truth, then the beginning and the end each embody the entire process, both in their own way.
Each is the mirror image of the other.
A true understanding of the beginning reveals the end, while a true understanding of the end uncovers the essence of the beginning. Completing the cycle.
The Way of Life in Messiah Yeshua – Derech/derek, Emet, Chaim. I am the Way Truth and Life – anochi ha Derek v’hemet v’chaiyim.
John 14:6 I am the way and the truth and the life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me and means we cannot have the Father without the Son.
“The Way of Life”- חיים דרך – Derech Chaim (pronounced – DE-rekh KHY-yeem) – the path of life, including the life cycle and manner of sojourning.
When “The Way of Life”- Derech Chaim- becomes our way of life,
from morning to night and
beginning from life’s Purim to Passover;
every moment becomes a link in a cycle, a season of perpetual joy as we realize our purpose in life, actualizing our deepest potentials, in which there is no greater joy.
Our baby steps begin from the Purim/Puwreem moment of choosing Messiah, which is the pathway towards where new life begins.
God’s sovereignty, together with our free will to Puwriym-Purim, to cast our lot with Him, means that when we do, the process of spiritual renewal begins.
In the same way, as Jesus/Yeshua told Nicodemus, you must be born again born from above of water and of blood. Both physically and spiritually, with the water of natural birth and spiritual renewal through His word and similarily both the blood of childbirth and of His sacrificial death.
The feasts which God gave to the nation of Israel are so filled with truth about Yeshua/Jesus and contain prophetic revelation concerning God’s plan to redeem and restore.
Leviticus 23:2 Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of the LORD, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.’
The Spring Feasts take place between Nisan and Sivan. Passover – Preparation Day (Pesach)
Feast of Unleavened Bread (Chag HaMatzot)
Feast of Firstfruits (Yom HaBikkurim)
Feast of Weeks/Counting the Omer/Pentecost (Chag Shavuot)
The Fall Feasts take place in Tishrei.
Day of Trumpets (Yom Teruah) Day of Atonements (Yom HaKippurim)
Feast of Tabernacles (Chag Sukkot)
8th Day Assembly (Shemini Atzeret)
There are two important words in this passage. The 1st is feast, and the 2nd is assemblies (or ‘convocations’ in some translations.)
The Hebrew word is feast/mo’ed which means ‘an appointment, that is, a fixed time or season; specifically a festival’. The 2nd interesting word is ‘assemblies’ or ‘convocations’. The Hebrew word used is ‘miqra’ which means ‘something called out, that is, a public meeting.’ But it also has the thought of ‘a rehearsal’. So God was setting in a ‘fixed time’ during the year when the nation of Israel would be ‘called out‘ to gather together, every year, to ‘rehearse’ future coming events.
Even from the beginning – genesis – beresheet of this chaim – life/lives, we are part of His cycle of life-(lifes) and we all started out exactly this same WAY.
Has everyone already completed a cycle of appointed times?
There are secrets hidden within the womb – rachem/racham. (rekh’-em)
The Hebrew word for womb is רֶחֶם Strongs 7358
Racham/rechem pronounced (rekh’-em)
Rachamim means mercy/mercies. (Notice the plural IM)
The word also means tender mercy, compassion and love.
Here within this place, His Torah is a living picture of our Heavenly Fathers pattern in life and godliness/holiness. 2 Peter 1:3 the Derekh chaim – the path of life, including the life cycle and manner of sojourning. Holiness-set apart.
In truth, everyone alive has experienced the appointed times of the Lord before we even breathed one breath of earth’s air.
Each one of us completed a years ‘cycle of life,’ as represented by His Appointed times -in the very first Season of our Hiding!
If this is the case and we believe LIFE was at the moment of conception, then we are already 9 months old when we leave the womb!
This is the first time zinc sparks have been captured in a human egg. Human life begins in a bright flash of light as a sperm meets an egg, scientists have shown for the first time, after capturing the astonishing ‘fireworks’ on film.
An explosion of tiny sparks erupts from the egg at the exact moment of conception-highlighting the very moment that a new life begins..
The moment life began – the genesis of us was a Holy spark, the divine impartation when the eternal soul, the spiritual part of each of us was implanted within the physical genesis of a human body.
In a previous post we looked at a moedim life as a natural annual cycle. To bring a further correlation to this subject are some facts which are probably well known to many believers; however it bears repeating because of its stunning connections.
If you have seen it before, be encouraged to examine it one more time in the light of all the things that Ruach haKodesh/ Holy spirit has been revealing to us, for we will surely gain even greater insight. His Word is alive and ever new.
The story is enhanced a little by adding in some pertinent information related to each appointed time.
Moedim מועדים – moe-eh-DEEM. A plural Hebrew word meaning “appointments” or “appointed times” Holy Days in Lev. 23:1-44
Zola Levitt discovered an amazing correlation between the Moedim and the gestation and birthing process of a human baby, from conception to birth. While preparing for writing a book for new parents, Zola contacted a gynecologist for some help in understanding gestation.
During that session, the gynecologist showed him a series of pictures, pointed to the first one (an egg and a sperm) and said, “On the fourteenth day of the first month, the egg appears.”
The statement struck a chord in his Messianic Jewish mind because that was the date of Passover. He remembered the roasted egg on his family table every Passover.
Now, for the first time, he knew what it meant! Not wanting to lead the gynecologist off from the subject at hand, he didn’t say anything, but continued to listen.
Passover represents ovulation and new life, the egg appears.
On the fourteenth day of the first month in the gestation cycle begins the
Baby’s development (ovulation): Ovulation— the release of an ovum (egg) from the ovary— occurs on the fourteenth day of the month and begins the pregnancy, a new life for the baby.
God instructed Moses that the Passover Feast should take place on the fourteenth day of the first month. During the Passover Feast the Jews place an egg on the table symbolic of the new life granted by the sacrifice of the lamb in Egypt. We are no doubt all familiar with the pagan easter (Ishtar) egg that also represents new life.
Messiah’s crucifixion on Pesach/Passover gave us the chance for life everlasting.
Passover/Pesach signified the salvation of Israelites from bondage and the beginning of a new life in the Promised Land. Yeshua/Jesus was sent to be the blood sacrifice for all mankind. Anyone who accepts Messiah as their Savior has a new life in Heaven.
What is interesting about his revelation is that during the Resurrection Season, three of the Jewish Feasts take place – Passover, Unleavened Bread and First Fruits.
The gynecologist continued: “The egg must be fertilized within 24 hours, or it will pass on.” This reminded Zola of the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the seed or grain that “fell into the ground and died” in order to produce a harvest, the first fruits of which was presented to God.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread, the planting of the seed or the fertilization, occurs the night following the Passover Feast. (Within 24-hours the human egg must be fertilized or it will pass on.) Twenty-four hours after the Passover Feast Jesus/Yeshua was buried. His burial in the earth, prepared for each of us, the glorious resurrection to come.
Jesus/Yeshua’s ministry as the Seed. The seed of any plant must be planted in the ground before it can sprout, become a branch and a new creation, and bear fruit. Jesus/Yeshua was buried in a tomb to arise and lead His followers/disciplesto bear fruit.
Next, the gynecologist said, “Within two to six days, the fertilized egg attaches itself to the wall of the womb and begins to grow.” And, sure enough, the Jewish evangelist thought, “The Feast of First Fruits is observed anywhere from two to six days after Passover!”
Implantation of the human egg marks the moment when the fertilized egg arrives safely in the uterus and begins its miraculous growth into a human being. This process may take anywhere from two to six days before it implants.
The Festival of First Fruits, the spring planting, is not on a definite time cycle and occurs on the Sunday following the Feast of the Unleavened Bread. It could be the day after, or it could be almost a week away. This represents the Resurrection of Messiah.
It is evident that God designed the conception of each of us in accordance with those first three majestic feasts, so appropriately fulfilled by our Lord. In so many respects everything that God impregnates us with, goes through a cycle that begins with conception and culminates in victory. In order to truly embrace the new thing, we must first crucify and bury the old thing.
Jesus/Yeshua was crucified, buried and resurrected giving us entitlement to eternal life. Just like the fertilized human egg, after His burial He traveled into hell’s gates and defeated death. It was in this victory that He was able to rise with all power in His hands. The seed had been planted that opened the doors for us to have everlasting life through redemption.
Israel’s Feast of First Fruits occurred on the Sunday following Passover, or 2-6 days following Passover. A sheaf of the first harvested grain was waved before God as a statement of faith that Jehovah-Jireh would see and provide for the needs of His people and in thanksgiving for His goodness.
Jesus/Yeshua’s resurrection as our Bread of Life, rose from the dead on the third day after His crucifixion. The planted Seedarose to become the first fruit – firstborn from the dead (spiritually) becoming the first, the genesis of new creatures – God’s harvest under the Re-New Covenant.
Baby’s development (implantation): The fertilized ovum (egg) travels 2-6 days in the fallopian tube, before implanting in the endometrium (the womb’s lining).
This is the Festival of First Fruits!
Rejoice and be exceedingly glad! Jesus/Yeshua, Our Lord and King, overpowered death!
Rose from the dead!
Not only did He have all power in His hands, but He bestowed upon us that same resurrection power!
Next, he was shown a photo of an embryo showing arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, toes, a head, eyes, etc. The caption said, “Fifty days.” The gynecologist continued, “Around the fiftieth day, the embryo takes on the form of a human being. Until then, we don’t know if we have a duck or a tadpole.” Zola thought, “That’s Pentecost!”
50th day the embryo becomes a new creature – a human fetus. That’s the day you can hear the heartbeat – the 50th day, which is the festival of Pentecost/Shavuot, where new creatures are made.
Israel’s Feast of Weeks/Shavuot/ Pentecost, occurred fifty days after First Fruits. New grain was offered to God in thanksgiving for the grain harvest. Jesus/Yeshua’s ministry His harvest is The Ecclesia Called Out Ones, the Body of Messiah and it had its genesis on this day. The ministry of His disciples was and is to harvest souls for God’s Kingdom.
As the fertilized ovum divides and grows in the shelter of the mother’s womb, it becomes recognizable as a fetus with human characteristics at approximately fifty days of gestation. From this time, the developing baby becomes even more human in appearance, a new creature.
That is Shavuot/Pentecost/Weeks!
That is the day the Israelites confirmed their covenant at Sinai as God’s people. So with us, we are confirmed in our covenant in Messiah, when we receive His Holy Spirit.
No wonder the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 139 v 13 – 14: “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee: for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well.”
From now till Pentecost, the next feast, is a long wait. So does some special event in human development occur before then?
Dr. Mathison put it this way: “Well, of course, we have a slowly developing embryo here for a long time. It goes through stages, but there is really no dramatic change until becomes an actual fetus.”
She showed Zola a chart picturing an embryo becoming a fetus.
Then there is a period of general growth for every baby. The senses then start to develop. Sight is not first because there is nothing to see there.
Hearing is first.
The next picture showed the embryo at seven months. The gynecologist said, “On the first day of the seventh month, the baby’s hearing is developed. For the first time, it can hear and distinguish sounds outside the womb.”
Zola knew that was the date for Israel’s Day of Trumpets (Yom Teruah):
This day occurred on the first day of the seventh month. Trumpet blasts acknowledged God’s presence in the land, announced the beginning of the High Holy Days, and signaled God’s finality for the harvest.
Messiah will return in the clouds to call the saints (His followers) to Him for eternity. This blessed event will be accompanied by the blast of God’s trumpet and the shouted command to come up to Him. At approximately the seventh month of gestation, the baby’s hearing is developed, and he or she could hear the sounds accompanying Messiah’s appearing.
The gynecologist continued, “On the tenth day of the seventh month, the hemoglobin of the blood changes from that of the mother, to a self-sustaining baby.” Then the blood begins to change.
Fetal blood must change to adult blood so that the baby can take its oxygen and breathe its own air when it is born.
That change occurs around the 10th day of the seventh month, which is the Day of Atonement – the blood acceptable.
Zola thought, “That’s the Day of Atonement, when the blood was taken into the Holy of holies!” and placed upon the rachum MERCY kapporet seat of the ark of His presence! Could it also be like the womb-rachum containing His shekinah glory?
The scripture says the blood speaks – for it cries MERCY – rachum.
On the Day of Atonement, the 10th day of the 7th month, the High Priest, according to Mosaic Law, took the blood of sacrificed lambs into the Holy of Holies and presented it as an atonement for the sins of Israel.
Leviticus 17 says:
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that maketh atonement for the soul.”
The blood acceptable – just as in the baby the blood is made acceptable to sustaining life after birth!
Israel’s Day of Atonement/Yom Kippur is the most important and Holiest day for devout Jews, it occurred on the tenth day of the seventh month.
This day was set apart to atone for sins.
Set apart – Holy
People sought forgiveness of sin through sacrifice of goats. The sacrifices symbolized God’s promise to forgive and forget sins, if there is confession and repentance.
Scripture states that, Israel will be saved during the Tribulation, as they come to accept Jesus/Yeshua as their Messiah. Redemption for any Gentile or Jew must come through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. Like the goat for Azazel, used in this day’s sacrifice, Jesus/Yeshua became our Scapegoat, taking upon Himself our sins and dying for them.
Baby’s development (blood— hemoglobin A): Oxygen is carried throughout the body by the iron-containing protein, hemoglobin, found in red blood cells. The baby’s hemoglobin, hemoglobin F, begins changing to adult hemoglobin, hemoglobin A, in the seventh month of gestation. This change in hemoglobin better adapts the baby to live in the outside world, breathing atmospheric air, rather than living in the womb, having his/her mother do the breathing.
Next, the gynecologist said, “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, the lungs become fully developed.
Then in the 15th day of the seventh month, the tabernacle or the houses of the spirit, the lungs, are finished. That is the first day of a safe delivery. If born before then, the baby would have a hard time breathing.”
And Zola thought, “That’s the festival of Booths/Tabernacles/Sukkot, a time of celebrating the Temple, home of the Shekinah Glory or Spirit of God.” In the New Testament, the Greek term pneuma, normally translated as “breath,” is applied to the “Holy Spirit.”
Israel’s Feast of Tabernacles/Booths/Sukkot, occurred on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. This joyous feast celebrated the days that God lived with the Israelites in the wilderness, when they lived in temporary accommodations (booths) and worshiped in a portable tabernacle.
Immediately after Messiah’s Second Coming, scripture indicates He will dwell with His people for one-thousand years called the Millennial Kingdom.
The unborn baby’s lungs begin to mature enough to support life outside the mother’s body during the seventh month. “Spirit” and “breath” come from the same word, whether in Old Testament Hebrew (ruach) or New Testament Greek (pneuma). God blew His breath/ spirit into Adam, which He has transferred to every generation since.
The birth of the Ecclesia was accompanied by the sound of a rushing wind, the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. The Ark of the Covenant was the dwelling place of the Shekinah Glory, where God had instructed the Israelites to prepare Him a Holy/set apart, dwelling place within the fallen earth; so He could temporarily dwell with His creation; for He cannot be in the same place where sin is present.
Now the Tabernacle made without hands Yeshua/Jesus; made the WAY for each of us to Have His presence within the tabernacle of our hearts. Our bodies being that Holy/set apart place, within which He can abide/tabernacle. We will finally tabernacle with Him beginning on that 8th last great day, redeemed by Jesus/Yeshua.
If we go all the way into another month and a half for a full-term pregnancy, we land on the 25th day of the month Kislev. We now have 10 Jewish months of 28 days, or 280 days, which is a full-term pregnancy, and that day is Chanukah, the Feast of Rededication, or new life; and that is the birth day. Any pregnancy will fit on that calendar of the seven feasts as they are announced in Leviticus, Chapter 23.
Birth takes place on the tenth day of the ninth month. Eight days after birth, in Jewish families, a son is circumcised. Zola noted that the eight days of Hanukkah are celebrated right on schedule, nine months and ten days after Passover.
Israel’s Feast of Hanukkah (Dedication, Lights, Chanukah): This feast was held ten lunar cycles (280 days) into the Hebrew calendar. After the defeat of Antiochus, this festival symbolized victory for and a new birth of Israel.
The eight candles may represent “the eight day of creation” (eternity), and these candles are lit by the Shamash (the servant candle), as Jesus/Yeshua came as the Suffering Servant to be the Light of the world.
After Messiahs rule in the Millennial Kingdom, scripture states the New Jerusalem (Heaven) will descend to Earth. We will live eternally with our Savior in this place of unimaginable beauty and true shalom/peace.
The baby is delivered (born) after approximately 280 days of gestation. The baby is an eternal person, because he/she possesses an eternal soul/spirit. This is the genesis of chaim on the earth and is the time where he or she will make a freewill choice which WAY will be followed.
No human being could have understood the gestation period 3,500 years ago. The establishment of the God’s Appointed Holy Days was given to Moses by God, Himself. Its correlation with the human gestation period is not only remarkable but clearly proves Intelligent Design and the existence of an Creator beyond this world that guides the affairs of man.
On Wednesday, April 19, 2006, Zola Levitt went home to be with the Lord but what a marvelous insight that he left for us.
This is the miracle of life(s)/chaim and true proof that we are not some random evolutional soup. We have a Creator, a Father, who made us in His own image, with love and kindness and with details beyond miraculous.
Think seed… and how God planted within the seed all the instructions for life(s)/chaim – for its development – all within itself and correlating it with His Appointed Times to foreshadow the process of events that would bring redemption to each one of us!
Mem – concealed hidden the place where the seed is planted – think womb – heart/lev – aretz /earth, soil. The seed is the container of the instructions and patterns – the blueprint of life(s) written by THE authority, THE Creator.
Mem in the paleo Hebrew from the word Mayim meaning waters, as in life abundant seas. It is symbolized by water for the way that many living things can be pulled out of it, (fish, as in fishers of men)- and also refers to the waters of childbirth and the amniotic fluid that protects the baby within the womb!
During Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles/Booths, which is a seven day feast, the Kohanim (Priests), performed the sacred water libation. During the days of Temple service, priests would pour out water and wine as part of the ceremony.
The water pouring ceremony at The House Of The Water Drawing: The Water Libation Ceremony, known as Nissuch Ha-Mayim (nisukh hamayim) ניסוך המים
Like the breaking/pouring forth of the waters at the birthing time – This was also the ceremony when Jesus/Yeshua cried if you drink of Me you will not thirst again. He is the living water – the water of life/chaim.
Take the word torah and leave out the vowels and reverse the order, read trh (R to L like Hebrew) – hrt is says h(ea)rt.
Yeshua is the HEART of Torah.
To take Gods Word TORAH to HEART, we must leave the things of our winter and the season of our hiding and enter His spring and in doing so, enter the heavenly cycle of New life so meticulously and beautifully prepared and detailed in His Appointed Times.
When you remove thealef – Jesus/Yeshua, who is the truth; from the wordtruth,all that remains is dead… so
make certain Jesus/Yeshua is the truth in your Chaim/life(s) today…
This is a great opportunity to share with a family who are expecting another child.
Shalom, Shalom!
Don’t leave this page without making a decision.
Its all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are greatly loved and very precious in His sight.
He longs to give you the Shalom He paid the ultimate price for..
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute, SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.
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