I wasn’t going to do an exposé
on the Messianic Jews, because I already went over such doctrines of eating
unclean foods being a sin (which it’s not) in my unclean foods article here, so
I thought it would be sufficient enough. Sadly, with seeing more and more
Judaizers deceiving others, I felt the urgency to bring you this article. Judaizers
can range from an individual Christian believing in keeping the Laws of
Moses/Hebrew Traditions to the Seventh-day Adventist Church that stresses the
importance of the Sabbath and then to the Black Hebrew Israelites who are only
mere religious black supremacists. That’s the nicest way I can put it.
In all honesty, there’s a lot I respect about individuals who go the extra mile to keep the Laws of Moses, and there’s a lot of wisdom and truth in the midst of the symbolism of Passover, Feast Days, and understanding parables by looking through a Hebrew lens. I also really enjoyed a lot of the book given to me by a Seventh-day Adventist titled, “National Sunday Law.” It really exposed the Catholic Church as the Whore of Babylon to which I completely agree with. With that said, let’s get down to exposing the lies in the midst of some truth…
The Biblical leg that Messianics stand on is that:
1.) God never changes. Malachi 3:6.
2.) If we love God we keep His commandments. John 14:15.
Which of course both these Scriptures are very much true, but as every false doctrine and denomination uses Scripture to back up their stance, it is cherry-picking, and not using Scripture for Scripture.
We have the other extreme of lukewarm believers who use God’s grace to sin willfully (Hebrews 10:26) turning the grace of God into lasciviousness (Jude 1:4). God’s grace is to teach us to deny ungodliness (Titus 2:11-12) and keep the commandments… So just like sinless perfectionist, the Messianics are trying to go to the other extreme to counter such apostasy in The Church today. Establishing their own righteousness in The Law. (Romans 10:3).
Don’t get me wrong, I am not one of these lukewarm believers who redefine faith and grace… “By faith alone, by grace alone”... I believe in works through grace to be saved. For my entire stance you can read this article here.
2 Corinthians 3:11-14 ~ 11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. 12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 13 And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
“But God doesn’t change and the old covenant was not done away with,” I’ve heard it again and again, it is true, the lukewarm church turn the Lord into a God that changes… They throw out the baby with the bathwater, throwing out the Moral Law with the Ceremonial Law.
The Moral Law for example… We see homosexuality is a sin in Leviticus 18:22; and many homosexuals will use other Levitical Laws that are not part of the Moral Law such as mixing fabrics (Leviticus 19:19) or cutting hair (Leviticus 19:27) to accuse the believer evangelizing that the believer is a cherry-picker of what commandments remain and what commandments don’t.
What truly affects the soul; cutting hair or sexual immorality? Sex is a spiritual act so I think it is pretty obvious if you use some common sense. Not to mention many of such laws were for priests; ceremonial laws.
Is mixing fabrics or cutting hair repeatedly commanded in the New Testament? No. Is homosexuality repeatedly commanded in the New Testament? Yes. (Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 1 Timothy 1:10.)
We see this with the Ten Commandments as well…
Exodus 20:3-17 ~ 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 13 Thou shalt not kill. 14 Thou shalt not commit adultery. 15 Thou shalt not steal. 16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
Romans 13:8-10 ~ “8 Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
Five of the Ten Commandments are repeated here directly in Romans 13:8-10. Obviously part of the Moral Law; as for the rest of the commandments…
The first three commandments are referring to loving God.
To not commit idolatry or blasphemy if we love Him.
1.) Thou shalt have no other gods before me
2.) Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image
3.) Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain
The last five commandments are referencing to loving our neighbor.
These are the commandments listed in Romans 13:8-10.
6.) Thou shalt not commit adultery
7.) Thou shalt not kill
8.) Thou shalt not steal
9.) Thou shalt not bear false witness
10.) Thou shalt not covet
So what is the 4th and 5th Commandment?
4.) Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy
5.) Honour thy father and thy mother
Of course we are to honor our father and mother…
Ephesians 6:1-2 ~ 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;
Not honoring our parents is not loving, committing adultery on our neighbor is not loving, killing our neighbor is not loving, stealing from our neighbor is not loving, lying to our neighbor is not loving, coveting our neighbor is not loving.
Idolatry is spiritual adultery towards God, so of course it is not loving. The same goes for blasphemy.
1 Corinthians 10:14 ~ Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
1 John 5:21 ~ Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
Colossians 3:8 ~ But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Matthew 22:36-40 ~ 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
So all we have left is the Sabbath Day. The Moral Law remains and even the Ceremonial to some extent, a lot of The Law was symbolism to represent a state of the human soul, this is why The Law is referred to as a schoolmaster (Galatians 3:24-25). I’ll explain this further as we go along, so please do not get side-tracked and stay with me… Let’s go back to explaining The Fourth Commandment…
The Sabbath
Exodus 20:8-12 ~ 8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Now let’s look to the New Testament for every commandment is repeatedly commanded in the New Testament as well…
Matthew 12:1-14 ~ 1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. 3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; 4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? 6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. 7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day. 9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: 10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. 11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? 12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. 13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. 14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
Mark 1:21 ~ And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
Luke 13:10-16 ~ 10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 11 And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. 12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. 13 And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. 14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. 15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? 16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
Luke 23:56 ~ And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
- Jesus taught on the Sabbath, as did the apostles (Acts 13:14-44)
- Jesus and the disciple’s plucked corn on the Sabbath
- Jesus healed on the Sabbath
- Jesus said it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath, teach, preach, study, pray, help others. We are to keep everyday holy… We are to live a Sabbath life; consecrated and sanctified.
Acts 15:21 ~ For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
They rested on the Sabbath… It didn’t mean they lied in bed all day and did nothing. I had a Seventh Day Adventist REBUKE my husband and my church for evangelizing on Saturday (Sabbath). Be aware of modern-day Pharisees.
Mark 2:27 ~ And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
Man was created to glorify God (Isaiah 43:7, Ephesians 2:10). So if the Sabbath was part of glorifying God than it would be that man was created for the Sabbath to keep it to glorify God. But we see the Sabbath was made for man, to rest, preach, teach, study, etc. just as Jesus did.
Exodus 31:17 ~ It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
Hebrews 4:9-12 ~ 9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. 12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
The Sabbath is a sign… Symbolism… It is a sign forever to preach, teach, study and refresh ourselves in God so we enter into the eternal rest; Heaven. As I said before, we are to live a Sabbath life; consecrated and sanctified. Not works of ourselves, but God-ordained works by grace.
Ezekiel 20:12 ~ Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.
What is a New Testament sign of sanctification? Baptism.
Romans 6:1-8 ~ 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Circumcision
Again, the physical circumcision is a sign of the covenant.
Genesis 17:11 ~ And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
Acts 7:8 ~ And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.
Even in the Old Testament we see what the physical circumcision represents, the circumcision of heart. Giving up our will, to do God’s will.
Deuteronomy 10:16 ~ Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.
Jeremiah 4:4 ~ Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
Romans 2:25-29 ~ 25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. 26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? 27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? 28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Romans 3:30 ~ Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
Hebrews 11 Faith! Obedient Faith!
Many think that the Old Testament believers were saved by The Law and New Testament believers are saved by faith through grace, but that’s just not the case as revealed in Hebrews 11.
There is a distinction between Old Covenant and New Covenant Signs because in the New Covenant the Lamb of God came to die for us, but Jesus chose to die before the foundations of the world, (1 Peter 1:2, Revelation 13:8).
So it was always a Covenant of Obedient Faith by Grace, but the signs from Old and New Covenants are different yet symbolizing the same Covenant of Faith.
Jeremiah 31:31-34 ~ 31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Galatians 4:21-31 ~ 21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Why do you choose to put yourself under bondage of The Law when you can put yourself under The Blood by faith to be crucified with Christ by grace?
Romans 4:9-12 ~ 9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
Acts 15:24 ~ Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
1 Corinthians 7:19 ~ Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God
Galatians 2:3 ~ But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
NEITHER Titus was compelled to be circumcised. Not compelled.
Galatians 5:6 ~ For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
Galatians 6:15 ~ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
2 Corinthians 5:17 ~ Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Ephesians 4:24 ~ And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Colossians 2:11 ~ In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Ezekiel 36:26 ~ A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Circumcision of heart is the change in us… From a life of sin and worldliness, to a life of righteousness and sanctification. Being baptized into a new life, which we are adopted into by grace.
Don’t get me wrong… Circumcision has been shown to be the healthier option to prevent Urinary Tract Infections, etc. I do wonder though… The crunchy side of me… If God’s intention for health reasons was to have the foreskin removed than why create the foreskin in the first place? It was a sign… Just as Sabbath is a sign… Just as Baptism is a sign. The signs don’t save, what the sign represents does.
Speaking of health though…
Unclean Foods
Be sure to go check the whole study I have about unclean foods here:
http://seek-christ.blogspot.ca/2015/01/vegetarianism-unclean-foods.html
Animal Sacrifice
Psalm 51:10-16 ~ 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. 15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. 16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Again, mention of a clean heart… A contrite heart… That is what God desires and not the killing of an innocent animal. You are to be the sacrifice!
Romans 12:1-2 ~ 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
1 Samuel 15:22 ~ And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
Hosea 6:6 ~ For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
Matthew 9:13 ~ But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Then why did God command for burnt offerings? The healthiest and spotless lamb. A sign to give God the best… A school master (Galatians 3:24). If you sin and have to give a lamb, an ox the next week, another animal and another animal… These innocent animals are dying for your sins. Innocent lives and your flock is depleting. It’s to teach that sin has consequences. That sin brings death (James 1:15). So what is the logical thing to do? Stop sinning. You are to die daily (1 Corinthians 15:31). You are to be baptized into Christ’s death (Romans 6). You are to be the sacrifice (Romans 12:1).
1 Timothy 1:5-10 ~ 5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: 6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; 7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. 8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; 9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
Romans 6:10 ~ For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
1 Peter 3:18 ~ For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
Jesus is our Passover Lamb. Exodus 12.
John 1:29 ~ The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
The Pharisees started using animal sacrifice carelessly; it was turned into a business in the temple. Go to synagogue, sacrifice an animal because we all sin and go on your merry way.
Matthew 21:12-13 ~ 12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
It’s the same heart condition as the Modern Church today, nothing new under the sun. Instead of selling animals to sacrifice, the modern church abuses Jesus’ blood as a free pass to sin. “We all sin! It’s under the blood!”
Do not use His blood and not forsake your sin…
Hebrews 10:26 ~ For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Galatians 2:20-21 ~ 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Titus 2:11-12 ~ 11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Feast Days
Now, to be clear I no longer celebrate Christianized pagan holidays such as Christmas and Easter. It is Biblically clear Jesus wasn’t born on December 25th and it is clear Jesus is the Passover Lamb. I do not condemn those who keep these Feast Days nor condone keeping the Feast Days if the heart intent is to only replace pagan holidays. We need to celebrate God and the meaning… Not just a reason to feast.
Just like people who practice Christmas; there are those who celebrate pure materialism and those who keep Christ-centered in Christmas (even though it has nothing to do with Christ.) So I will go through the Biblical meaning… My husband and I don’t really celebrate anything… We have started keeping Passover, but not to the legalistic ways of Messianics.
We do not get caught up in Hebrew Roots. It’s about the purpose, not the practice. Just like Sabbath is a sign, just like circumcision is a sign, baptism a sign, head-covering a sign, etc. With that said what is the sign of the Feast Days? Jesus.
The Feast of Passover
Leviticus 23:5 ~ In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's Passover.
We see the first Passover in Exodus 12 was when the Israelite slaves were liberated from Egypt by The Lord. We see the Israelites put the blood of the lamb on the doorframes of their homes (Exodus 12:23) so the destroyer would not bring death to that home. Covered in the Blood of the Lamb to protect from death.
Jesus died on Passover (John 19:14), He was the Lamb of God (John 1:29), and His Blood saves us from death (Romans 5:9).
1 Corinthians 5:7 ~ Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
Leviticus 23:6 ~ And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
Leaven is a representation of sin, (Mark 8:15, Luke 12:1). Jesus lived a sinless life so He is unleavened bread, as He said that the bread is His body, (Matthew 26:26), He is the bread of life that came down from Heaven, (John 6:33-35).
After the Israelites were liberated from Egypt, they wandered through the desert and received manna from Heaven, (Exodus 16:4). Jesus is the bread of life that came from Heaven, as already stated above. The bread used in this Feast, Matzo, is striped just like Jesus’ body for us, (Isaiah 53:5)
1 Corinthians 5:8 ~ Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
The Feast of First Fruits
Leviticus 23:10-11 ~ 10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: 11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
Self-explanatory, bringing in the first fruits of the spring crops to the priest at the temple. Jesus is the first born of every creature, (Colossians 1:15) He was resurrected on this Feast Day.
1 Corinthians 15:20-23 ~ 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
The Feast of Pentecost
Leviticus 23:16 ~ Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord.
This is a harvest celebration. Spiritually symbolizing the harvesting of both loafs of Jewish and Gentile believers into Salvation and receiving the Holy Ghost in Acts 2. This is the last feast day we have seen fulfilled.
Acts 2:1 ~ And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
The Feast of Trumpets
Leviticus 23:24 ~ Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.
Many believe this to be the day that the rapture will happen. Post-tribulation rapture, of course.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 ~ 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 ~ 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
The Feast of Atonement
Leviticus 23:27 ~ Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord.
Believed to be the Second coming of Christ when God will pour out His grace on the Jewish people.
Zechariah 12:10 ~ And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
Romans 11:1-6 ~ 1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying, 3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. 4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
I am not honestly convinced that the Jewish people will have grace poured out upon them just because they are merely Hebrew. I would say the Day of Atonement is for all races; not just those from the Tribes of Israel. God is not partial, (Acts 10:34).
The Feast of Tabernacles
Leviticus 23:34 ~ Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord.
God’s Tabernacle is in Heaven and will be brought to Earth when the Lord takes back this world to reign over it.
Zechariah 14:16-19 ~ 16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. 17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. 18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. 19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
Conclusion…
All these signs and symbols point to Jesus, which is another point I need to quickly make. I speak English so I say Jesus, not Yeshua, but Jesus. So do not become condemning when I say Jesus instead of Yeshua. It’s about the character behind the Name, His authority, so whether you say Jesus, Yeshua, Isa, etc. etc. etc. It doesn’t matter as long as you are referencing Him as Who He is, The One and Only Almighty God!
If I go by my middle name, Marie, which is the French variant, someone in Italy would reference me as Maria which is the Latin variant. In English it is Mary, in Hebrew I would be referenced as Miryam or Mara. They are still referring to me in who I am in my character. There are variants to many names in each language so let’s not get caught up in legalistic semantics.
Live the life these signs represent… If you are dead to yourself than you are alive unto God. We are not saved by The Law, but rather saved by God’s grace that awakes us to repent and believe, living a righteous, sanctified life. Do not get caught up in idolatry of the Hebrew race, culture and traditions. God’s grace has come to the Hebrews and the Gentiles; not just coming for the Gentiles in the New Testament, but we see examples such as Ruth and Rahab who were Gentile women accepting The Faith in the Old Testament. Ruth having the honor to be an ancestor of Jesus in the physical. We are all His children accepted into His Kingdom if we live according to His Grace.
Acts 15:9-10 ~ 9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Mark 1:25 ~ And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Titus 2:11-12 ~ 11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Romans 8:3-4 ~ 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Galatians 2:16 ~ Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
When it comes down to it, I will not condemn you for keeping The Law… At the same time I will explain all that I have just explained in love so that you understand grace. Grace brings us to belief and sanctification, not to put us under The Law, but for ourselves to be fully dead. Someone who is crucified doesn’t have to keep the checklist of The Law, because we walk after the Spirit. I will not condemn someone who understands the signs of all these things that in every sign it represents Christ’s death, resurrection and His Second Coming, but do not come at me being a Pharisee or I will rebuke you just as my Lord Jesus Christ did.
Colossians 2:16 ~ Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Here is my pastor’s teaching on this topic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcQoNlIvk-s
Galatians 5:16-18 ~ 16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Be blessed & stay sanctified,
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