HOLY DAYS WHAT DO THEY PICTURE
| We have been
taught that the Holy Days picture a plan and they run
together to form what will happen in the future. The
Holy Days picture the results and ways to combat sin.
If we look at what has happened to God’s plans, all of
them have been affected by sin. Isa 14:12 “How
you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the
morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who
weakened the nations! Isa 14:13 For you
have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I
will also sit on the mount of the congregation On
the farthest sides of the north; Isa
14:14
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I
will be like the Most High.’ Firstly, we
have learnt that the sons of God and the angels were
put on earth along with the dinosaurs. Some of these
spirit beings rebelled against God and wanted to join
together and take over the very throne of God. They had
wrong thinking, their minds were set on greed and
power, they were discontented with what they had been
given and coveted the rule of the universe. The result
of this sin resulted in the destruction of the earth
and the universe. Gen 1:1 In the
beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Gen
1:2
The earth was without form, and void; and darkness
was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God
was hovering over the face of the waters. The above
verses show the destruction that occurred to the earth
after the rebellion of the alliance between some of
the sons of God and some of the angels. God then made
the earth suitable for human habitation. Then God
created original man and gave him the earth as his
home. The following verses show
how original man rebelled against God. Rom 1:18 For the
wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress
the truth in unrighteousness, Rom 1:19 because
what may be known of God is manifest in them, for
God has shown it to them. Rom 1:20 For
since the creation of the world His invisible
attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the
things that are made, even His eternal power and
Godhead, so that they are without excuse, Rom 1:21 because,
although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as
God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their
thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Rom 1:22
Professing to be wise, they became fools, Rom 1:23 and
changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an
image made like corruptible man—and
birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Rom 1:24
Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in
the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies
among themselves, Rom 1:25 who
exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and
worshiped and served the creature rather than the
Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. Rom 1:26 For this
reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even
their women exchanged the natural use for what is
against nature. Rom 1:27 Likewise
also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman,
burned in their lust for one another, men with men
committing what is shameful, and receiving in
themselves the penalty of their error which was due. Rom 1:28 And even
as they did not like to retain God in their
knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to
do those things which are not fitting; Rom 1:29 being
filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,
wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of
envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they
are whisperers, Rom 1:30
backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters,
inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Rom 1:31
undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving,
unmerciful; Rom 1:32 who,
knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those
who practice such things are deserving of death, not
only do the same but also approve of those who
practice them. Original man
rebelled, they did not want God in their lives, these
people simply refused to acknowledge God. They were
destroyed with a flood because of their sins. Gen
9:11
Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again
shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the
flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy
the earth.” The
above
verse is referring to two different floods. Noah’s
flood and the flood that destroyed the original man.
When Noah’s flood occurred, the earth was not
destroyed. Noah’s
flood: Never again
shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood. Original
man:
Never again shall there be a flood to destroy the
earth.” The
following
verse shows that the earth had to be renewed, this was
the result of the flood that destroyed original man. Psa 104:29 You
hide Your face, they are troubled; You take away
their breath, they die and return to their dust. Psa
104:30
You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And
You renew the face of the earth. When God
destroyed original man with a flood, He then renewed
the face of the earth. He was preparing the earth for
the Adamic creation. After these
events, God created Adam and Eve. Again, we have sin
destroying what could have been a beautiful creation.
Satan tempted the woman and sin entered once again. Gen 3:12 Then the
man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me,
she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” Gen 3:13 And the
LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have
done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and
I ate.” Gen
3:14
So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you
have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field; On your
belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the
days of your life. Adam
and
the woman quickly disobeyed God and sin entered into
the Adamic creation. Adam and Eve were thrown out of
the garden and the Tree of Life was guarded by
cherubim. Sin
once
again ruined the plans God had for Adam and Eve. Now
we
will look at the nation of Israel. God wanted to make
a special nation of Priests to show the world how to
live by God’s laws and be examples for others to
follow. Exo 19:5 Now
therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep
My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to
Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. Exo
19:6
And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a
holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall
speak to the children of Israel.” Num 14:11 Then
the LORD said to Moses: “How long will these people
reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me,
with all the signs which I have performed among
them? Num
14:12
I will strike them with the pestilence and
disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation
greater and mightier than they.” However,
they would not listen to God, they did not want to
know God. They would not obey the commandments or
listen to anything they were told. Sin has
ruined everything; God has His beautiful Holy Days to
show us how we can avoid sin as much as possible. We
are human and we cannot be perfect and not sin. No
matter how hard we try we will still sin, while we are
in this human state. However, God looks on our heart
and sees that we are trying hard not to sin. He does
all He can to help us to learn from the mistakes of
others, the Bible records these sins as examples for
us to learn from them. If we look
at the Holy Days openly and honestly, we will see that
each one shows us about sin, how to avoid it, how to
master the pull of the wrong ways, how to live our
lives as God would want us to live. Looking to
God as the light, the guide, the way to live. PASSOVER In
the
Old Testament, the Israelites killed a lamb, this
Passover lamb was to be a foreshadow of when the
lamb of God, Jesus Christ died for our sins. Exo
12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a
male of the first year. You may take it from the
sheep or from the goats. Exo
12:6 Now you shall keep it until the
fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole
assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill
it at twilight. This
lamb
was a symbol of when Christ would come in the future
and die for the sins of Israel. Notice it had to be
a male without blemish. 1Pe
1:19 but with the precious blood of Christ,
as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. In the New
Testament, Jesus died on the Passover day to pay the
penalty for our sins. We no longer kill the lamb for
the Passover, Jesus was the Passover lamb. Before the
Passover service we examine ourselves, we look at our
sins, we work on them. Trying hard to overcome them
and put them out of our lives. We confess them to God
we tell God that we are truly sorry for sinning, we
repent of our sins, we ask God to be merciful to us
and forgive us for our many sins. 1Co 11:28 But let
a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the
bread and drink of the cup. 1Co 11:29 For he
who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and
drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the
Lord’s body. 1Co 11:30 For
this reason many are weak and sick among you, and
many sleep. 1Co 11:31 For if
we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 1Co 11:32 But
when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord,
that we may not be condemned with the world. 1Co
11:33
Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to
eat, wait for one another. 1Co 11:34 But if
anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come
together for judgment. And the rest I will set in
order when I come. 2Co 13:5 Examine
yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test
yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus
Christ is in you?—unless indeed
you are disqualified. 2Co 13:6 But I
trust that you will know that we are not
disqualified. 2Co
13:7
Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we
should appear approved, but that you should do what
is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. We take the
Passover service, knowing that our sins are
responsible for the death of Jesus. A totally innocent
man, who gave His life for us. We eat the bread and
drink the wine, which are symbols of Christ’s body and
blood. We take these symbols picturing the very body
and blood of Christ and eat and drink them, so that
Christ is now in us, He is the bread and wine we have
just ingested. He is part of us now, we want Him to be
in us so we can live like He did. He now lives in us,
that is what we want and need. Mat 26:26 And as
they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and
broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said,
“Take, eat; this is My body.” Mat 26:27 Then He
took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them,
saying, “Drink
from it, all of you. Mat 26:28 For this is My
blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many
for the remission of sins. Mat
26:29 But I say to
you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine
from now on until that day when I drink it new
with you in My Father’s kingdom.” We wash each
other’s feet which is a type of washing away our sins.
It is also an act of humility. Joh 13:1 Now
before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew
that His hour had come that He should depart from
this world to the Father, having loved His own who
were in the world, He loved them to the end. Joh 13:2 And
supper being ended, the devil having already put it
into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to
betray Him, Joh 13:3 Jesus,
knowing that the Father had given all things into
His hands, and that He had come from God and was
going to God, Joh 13:4 rose
from supper and laid aside His garments, took a
towel and girded Himself. Joh 13:5 After
that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash
the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with
the towel with which He was girded. Joh 13:6 Then He
came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord,
are You washing my feet?” Joh 13:7 Jesus
answered and said to him,
“What I am doing you do not understand now, but you
will know after this.” Joh 13:8 Peter
said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus
answered him, “If I do
not wash you, you have no part with Me.” Joh 13:9 Simon
Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also
my hands and my head!” Joh 13:10 Jesus
said to him,
“He who is bathed needs only to wash his
feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean,
but not all of you.” Joh 13:11 For He
knew who would betray Him; therefore He said,
“You
are not all clean.” Joh 13:12 So when
He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and
sat down again, He said to them,
“Do you know what I have done to you? Joh 13:13 You call Me
Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. Joh 13:14 If I then, your
Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also
ought to wash one another’s feet. Joh 13:15 For I have given
you an example, that you should do as I have done to
you. Joh 13:16 Most assuredly,
I say to you, a servant is not greater than his
master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who
sent him. Joh 13:17 If you know
these things, blessed are you if you do them. Joh 13:18 “I do not speak
concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen;
but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘HE WHO
EATS BREAD WITH ME HAS LIFTED UP HIS HEEL AGAINST
ME.’ Joh 13:19 Now I tell you
before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you
may believe that I am He. Joh
13:20 Most assuredly,
I say to you, he who receives whomever I send
receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him
who sent Me.” It is very
clear by the above scriptures that the Passover
pictures the fact that humanity has sinned which then
required the innocent blood of Jesus to pay the
penalty for the sins of mankind. The Passover is about
thinking about the sacrifice Jesus made for us, the
love He has for us, that He would give His own life
for us, and die a terribly cruel death for the
different types of sins. It is about looking at
ourselves, the sins that are in our lives, and our
efforts to confess them to God and try to put them out
of our lives. Asking God to help us see our sins and
to put them out of our lives. We are to change to
really try to put sin from our lives. If we could only
understand what sin has done, the trouble it has
caused and the wedge it puts between us and God. DAYS
OF
UNLEAVENED BREAD The days of
Unleavened Bread picture putting sin out of our lives,
during this seven-day period we are to look at
ourselves and try to live our lives without sin. We
think about the consequences of sin and see how it
separates us from God. During this festival we eat
unleavened bread every day to remind us that it
pictures the bitterness of sin, and that we must try
and put sin out of our lives. It would be a good idea
to have bitter herbs with our unleavened bread. Exo
12:15
Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the
first day you shall remove leaven from your houses.
For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day
until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off
from Israel. The
following
scriptures show again that the days of Unleavened
Bread are for us to put sin out of our lives. We are
to get rid of the old leaven, which is a type of sin,
because now Christ was sacrificed for us. In a
nutshell, the feast teaches us to put sin out of our
lives and replace sin with the correct ways to live,
to have sincerity and truth in our lives. 1Co
5:7
Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be
a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For
indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. The
days
of Unleavened Bread also picture the time when Israel
left Egypt, again this is a type of leaving sin
behind. God wants us to remember this time also during
this feast. Exo
12:17
So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
for on this same day I will have brought your armies
out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall
observe this day throughout your generations as an
everlasting ordinance. Deu
16:1
“Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover to
the LORD your God, for in the month of Abib the LORD
your God brought you out of Egypt by night. Deu
16:2
Therefore you shall sacrifice the Passover to the
LORD your God, from the flock and the herd, in the
place where the LORD chooses to put His name. Deu
16:3
You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days
you shall eat unleavened bread with it, that is, the
bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of
Egypt in haste), that you may remember the day in
which you came out of the land of Egypt all the days
of your life. Deu
16:4
And no leaven shall be seen among you in all your
territory for seven days, nor shall any of the meat
which you sacrifice the first day at twilight remain
overnight until morning. Deu
16:5
“You may not sacrifice the Passover within any of
your gates which the LORD your God gives you; Deu
16:6
but at the place where the LORD your God chooses to
make His name abide, there you shall sacrifice the
Passover at twilight, at the going down of the sun,
at the time you came out of Egypt. Deu
16:7
And you shall roast and eat it in the place which
the LORD your God chooses, and in the morning you
shall turn and go to your tents. Deu
16:8
Six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the
seventh day there shall be a sacred assembly to the
LORD your God. You shall do no work on it. It is plain
that the days of Unleavened Bread picture putting sin
out of our lives even the name indicates this. We know
that leaven pictures sin. We are to keep the feast
with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, but
not with old leaven nor with the leaven of malice and
wickedness. WAVE
SHEAF The sheaf is
waved before God asking that we be accepted as
firstfruits of God and offer a prayer of thanks, for
showing us the truth of this ceremony, for being a
firstfruit, the knowledge of eternal life, and for the
sacrifice of Jesus. To the best of my knowledge the
Wavesheaf has been restored by this era of the church,
I am unaware of it being kept in the Philadelphian
era. Lev 23:11 He
shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted
on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the
priest shall wave it. Lev 23:12 And you
shall offer on that day, when you wave the sheaf, a
male lamb of the first year, without blemish, as a
burnt offering to the LORD. Lev 23:13 Its
grain offering shall be two-tenths of an ephah of
fine flour mixed with oil, an
offering made by fire to the LORD, for a sweet
aroma; and its drink offering shall be of wine,
one-fourth of a hin. Lev
23:14
You shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor
fresh grain until the same day that you have brought
an offering to your God; it shall be a statute
forever throughout your generations in all your
dwellings. We don’t
sacrifice a lamb as a burnt offering today, so we
offer a prayer of thanks to God, to offer ourselves to
God as one of the firsfruits, thanking Him for the
knowledge of the feast and the knowledge of eternal
life. An offering of thanks to Jesus for His
sacrifice. 1Sa 15:22 So
Samuel said: “Has 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 heed than the fat of rams. 1Sa
15:23
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And
stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because
you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has
rejected you from being king.” PENTECOST Pentecost
pictures the receiving of the Holy Spirit of Power.
With the holy spirit, we can understand the Bible and
learn, grow, and overcome. We have God living in us,
and we want to live as He lived and lives. With the
Holy Spirit living in us we have the best chance of
living as God would want us to live. There are two
phases of the spirit given, firstly the earnest of the
spirit is given at baptism and then later the holy
spirit of power is given when God decides the person
is ready to learn the truths of eternal life. If we
have the Holy Spirit, we should be led by it and
therefore be capable of overcoming sin, we should
allow the Holy Spirit to lead us. Act 2:1 When the
Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with
one accord in one place. Act 2:2 And
suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a
rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house
where they were sitting. Act 2:3 Then
there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire,
and one sat upon each of them. Act 2:4 And they
were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to
speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them
utterance. Act 2:5 And there
were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from
every nation under heaven. Act 2:6 And when
this sound occurred, the multitude came together,
and were confused, because everyone heard them speak
in his own language. Act 2:7 Then they
were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another,
“Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? Act 2:8 And how
is it that we hear, each in our own language in
which we were born? Act 2:9 Parthians
and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in
Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Act 2:10 Phrygia
and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya
adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and
proselytes, Act 2:11 Cretans
and Arabs—we
hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful
works of God.” Act 2:12 So they
were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one
another, “Whatever could this mean?” Act 2:13 Others
mocking said, “They are full of new wine.” Act 2:14 But
Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice
and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in
Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my
words. Act 2:15 For
these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is
only the third hour of the day. Act 2:16 But this
is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: Act 2:17 ‘AND IT
SHALL COME TO PASS IN THE LAST DAYS, SAYS GOD, THAT
I WILL POUR OUT OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL FLESH; YOUR SONS
AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, YOUR YOUNG MEN
SHALL SEE VISIONS, YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS. Act 2:18 AND ON
MY MENSERVANTS AND ON MY MAIDSERVANTS I WILL POUR
OUT MY SPIRIT IN THOSE DAYS; AND THEY SHALL
PROPHESY. Act 2:19 I WILL
SHOW WONDERS IN HEAVEN ABOVE AND SIGNS IN THE EARTH
BENEATH: BLOOD AND FIRE AND VAPOR OF SMOKE. Act 2:20 THE SUN
SHALL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS, AND THE MOON INTO
BLOOD, BEFORE THE COMING OF THE GREAT AND AWESOME
DAY OF THE LORD. Act 2:21 AND IT
SHALL COME TO PASS THAT WHOEVER CALLS ON THE NAME OF
THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED.’ Act 2:22 “Men of
Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man
attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and
signs which God did through Him in your midst, as
you yourselves also know— Act 2:23 Him,
being delivered by the determined purpose and
foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless
hands, have crucified, and put to death; Act 2:24 whom God
raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because
it was not possible that He should be held by it. Act 2:25 For
David says concerning Him: ‘I FORESAW THE LORD
ALWAYS BEFORE MY FACE, FOR HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND,
THAT I MAY NOT BE SHAKEN. Act 2:26
THEREFORE MY HEART REJOICED, AND MY TONGUE WAS GLAD;
MOREOVER MY FLESH ALSO WILL REST IN HOPE. Act 2:27 FOR YOU
WILL NOT LEAVE MY SOUL IN HADES, NOR WILL YOU ALLOW
YOUR HOLY ONE TO SEE CORRUPTION. Act 2:28 YOU HAVE
MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE; YOU WILL MAKE ME
FULL OF JOY IN YOUR PRESENCE.’ Act 2:29 “Men and
brethren, let me speak freely to you of the
patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried,
and his tomb is with us to this day. Act 2:30
Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had
sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his
body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the
Christ to sit on his throne, Act 2:31 he,
foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection
of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades,
nor did His flesh see corruption. Act 2:32 This
Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all
witnesses. Act 2:33
Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God,
and having received from the Father the promise of
the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now
see and hear. Act 2:34 “For
David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says
himself: ‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, “SIT AT MY RIGHT
HAND, Act 2:35 TILL I
MAKE YOUR ENEMIES YOUR FOOTSTOOL.” ’ Act 2:36
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know
assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you
crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Act 2:37 Now when
they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and
said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and
brethren, what shall we do?” Act 2:38 Then
Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of
you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of
the Holy Spirit. Act 2:39 For the
promise is to you and to your children, and to all
who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will
call.” Act 2:40 And with
many other words he testified and exhorted them,
saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Act 2:41 Then
those who gladly received his word were baptized;
and that day about three thousand souls were added
to them. Act 2:42 And they
continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and
fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in
prayers. Act 2:43 Then
fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and
signs were done through the apostles. Act 2:44 Now all
who believed were together, and had all things in
common, Act 2:45 and sold
their possessions and goods, and divided them among
all, as anyone had need. Act 2:46 So
continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and
breaking bread from house to house, they ate their
food with gladness and simplicity of heart, Act 2:47 praising
God and having favor with all the people. And the
Lord added to the church daily those who were being
saved. Once again we see that
ways to combat sin is involved in this Holy Day. If we
have the Holy Spirit then that helps us to fight
against sin. We should be led by the Holy Spirit, and
if we are led by the Spirit we can fight against sin. It is plain to see that
Pentecost pictures receiving the Holy Spirit. We must
use the spirit to overcome sin we have to allow the
spirit to lead us. When wrong thoughts come into our
mind, we must allow the spirit to show us how to think
correctly. Always think the best of people and
situations. Do not dwell on wrong thinking and putting
people down. We must let the spirit
lead us. Rom 8:14 For as
many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons
of God. In the
following scripture we see how to be led by the Holy
Spirit. Act
16:7 After they had come to Mysia, they tried
to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit
them. With the
power of the spirit, we are capable of doing the right
thing and overcoming sin. The spirit gives us the
ability to overcome, we must put on the armour of God
to fight against sin and Satan. Rom
8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of
bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit
of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba,
Father.” Rom
8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our
spirit that we are children of God, Rom
8:17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God
and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer
with Him, that we may also be glorified
together. TRUMPETS The day of
Trumpets is a memorial. It pictures an event that has
already happened. It is a memorial of the time that
God gave the Ten Commandments to Israel. This is the
law of God; we must keep the law. We must know what
the law is. If we are to put sin out of our lives, we
have to know what sin is, the law tells us what sin
is. Sin is the
transgression of the law. 1Jn
3:4 Whoever commits sin also commits
lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. Lev 23:23 Then
the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Lev 23:24 “Speak
to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh
month, on the first day of the month, you shall have
a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a
holy convocation. Lev
23:25
You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall
offer an offering made by fire to the LORD.’ ” Exo 19:18 Now
Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the
LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended
like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain
quaked greatly. Exo
19:19
And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and
became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God
answered him by voice. Exo 20:1 And God
spoke all these words, saying: Exo 20:2 “I am
the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land
of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Exo 20:3 “You
shall have no other gods before Me. Exo 20:4 “You
shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of
anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the
earth beneath, or that is in the water under the
earth; Exo 20:5 you
shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I,
the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the
iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the
third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, Exo 20:6 but
showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and
keep My commandments. Exo 20:7 “You
shall not take the name of the LORD your God in
vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who
takes His name in vain. Exo 20:8
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Exo 20:9 Six days
you shall labor and do all your work, Exo 20:10 but the
seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In
it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your
daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female
servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is
within your gates. Exo 20:11 For in
six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth,
the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the
seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath
day and hallowed it. Exo 20:12 “Honor
your father and your mother, that your days may be
long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving
you. Exo 20:13 “You
shall not murder. Exo 20:14 “You
shall not commit adultery. Exo 20:15 “You
shall not steal. Exo 20:16 “You
shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Exo
20:17
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you
shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male
servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his
donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” Notice
the
following Psalm which is for the day of Trumpets,
notice it says blow the trumpet in the new moon. Then
notice there are some of the Ten Commandments listed,
no foreign gods. Then I am the God who brought you out
of the land of Egypt. If we really open our hearts and
minds to the truth, we can see that the feast of
Trumpets pictures the time the Ten Commandments were
given. The Commandments of God show us what sin is,
and how to avoid it. Psa 81:2 Raise a
song and strike the timbrel, The pleasant harp with
the lute. Psa 81:3 Blow the
trumpet at the time of the New Moon, At the full
moon, on our solemn feast day. Psa 81:4 For this
is a statute for Israel, A law of the God of Jacob. Psa 81:5 This He
established in Joseph as a testimony, When He went
throughout the land of Egypt, Where I heard a
language I did not understand. Psa 81:6 “I
removed his shoulder from the burden; His hands were
freed from the baskets. Psa 81:7 You
called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered
you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at
the waters of Meribah. Selah Psa 81:8 “Hear, O
My people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you
will listen to Me! Psa 81:9 There
shall be no foreign god among you; Nor shall you
worship any foreign god. Psa
81:10
I am the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the
land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide, and I will fill
it. The
Ten
Commandments are the law. To break God’s law is sin.
The Feast of Trumpets shows us how to think about the
law of God and His ways. The Feast of Trumpets is a
memorial of the giving of the Ten Commandments. The
giving of the law. If we keep God’s law it will be
easier for us not to sin. God
wants
us to win the war against sin, and He gives us all we
need to fight the fight against sin. FEAST
OF
TABERNACLES This
seven-day festival pictures, that God had the
Israelites live in booths for 40 years. That was a
temporary dwelling, just as our lives today will only
last for a certain period of time. We are temporary
too while we are physical. During the feast, we think
about how our lives are temporary, we sit in our booth
every day for a period of time, and consider that we
are indeed temporary. Also we need
to learn from the mistakes that the Israelites made
during the 40 years of wandering, we have to learn
from their sin and try not to act and think the way
they did. They did not want to hear God or obey God;
we must see their sin and be different. We need to
fear, love and obey God. The Israelites did not want
the promised land, we must want and love the knowledge
that leads to eternal life. God the
Father brought the Israelites out of the land of
Egypt. After only a short time, they had rebelled so
much that the Father would no longer go with them. The
Father said He would not go with them otherwise He
would consume them. Exo 33:1 Then the
LORD said to Moses, “Depart and go up from here, you
and the people whom you have brought out of the land
of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your descendants
I
will give it.’ Exo 33:2 And I
will send My Angel before you, and I will drive out
the Canaanite and the Amorite and the Hittite and
the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. Exo 33:3 Go up to
a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not
go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way,
for you are a stiff-necked people.” Exo 33:4 And when
the people heard this bad news, they mourned, and no
one put on his ornaments. Exo 33:5 For the
LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the children of
Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. I could come
up into your midst in one moment and consume you.
Now therefore, take off your ornaments, that I may
know what to do to you.’ ” Exo
33:6
So the children of Israel stripped themselves of
their ornaments by Mount Horeb. The sins of
the Israelites were so numerous, God the Father ran
out of patience with them, they did not appreciate all
that He had done for them. He brought them to the
Promised Land, but they did not want to go in because
of lack of faith, they feared the giants and other
things. God
says in the following scripture they put Him to the
test 10 times, I think it was more like 110. Num 14:20 Then
the LORD said: “I have pardoned, according to your
word; Num 14:21 but
truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with
the glory of the LORD— Num 14:22 because
all these men who have seen My glory and the signs
which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have
put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not
heeded My voice, Num
14:23
they certainly shall not see the land of which I
swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who
rejected Me see it. We need to
look at the sins the Israelites committed and make
sure we do not have the same sins in our own lives. The Feast
pictures that we are temporary. During the Feast, we
build a booth. We sit in the booth for a portion of
each day, this is an ideal time to talk about how we
are only temporary on this earth, it is also a good
time to discuss the sins of the Israelites, so that we
do not fall into the same sins as they committed. It is hard
to understand that these people had God with them,
they had Moses, they could ask him anything about God,
they had the miracles that God performed for them, but
still they did not believe, they took their eyes off
God and concentrated on their physical needs. They
were blind and could not see. During the
Feast, each sermon for each day should be about the
events during the time the Israelites wandered for 40
years. They were only living in temporary conditions,
that state of wandering was not permanent. This is a
type of our lives today, we are only here for a short
period of time, just as they wandered for 40 years
that was only temporary. Every day we should learn
about the events that happened during this period of
time. We can look
at the great miracles God performed for them, we can
look at the time at Sinai and the getting of the Ten
Commandments. We can look at how God brought the
Israelites to the Promised Land, but the beautiful
land was rejected by the Israelites. The Promised Land
is a parallel of our calling today. We can look at the
attitudes of the Israelites compared to the attitudes
of Joshua and Caleb who wanted the Promised Land.
There were twelve spies who went into the Promised
Land, they were leaders of each tribe, but only two
brought back a good report of the land. During the
Feast Jesus taught in the temple. He taught about the
Father. We must know all about the Father, this is a
perfect time to learn all we can about the Father and
Christ. We can look and understand why Joshua and
Caleb were different to the other spies. The other
spies hated the Promised Land, it was a beautiful land
full of beautiful produce, but it was difficult, there
were giants and other obstacles in there that the ten
spies were afraid of. What about Josua and Caleb, how
did they feel about the conditions in the Promised
Land? We have to have their attitudes, their spirit
led minds, the minds and hearts that look to God for
guidance in every situation. We can look
at the fact that the Israelites were a stubborn,
stiff-necked people, they rebelled on many occasions,
they rejected God the Father and the Holy Spirit, all
they cared about was the physical. 1Co 10:5 But with
most of them God was not well pleased, for their
bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 1Co 10:6 Now
these things became our examples, to the intent that
we should not lust after evil things as they also
lusted. 1Co 10:7 And do
not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is
written, “THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND
ROSE UP TO PLAY.” 1Co 10:8 Nor let
us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did,
and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 1Co 10:9 nor let
us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and
were destroyed by serpents; 1Co 10:10 nor
complain, as some of them also complained, and were
destroyed by the destroyer. 1Co
10:11
Now all these things happened to them as examples,
and they were written for our admonition, upon whom
the ends of the ages have come. It is plain
to see that the Feast reminds us that we are indeed
temporary, and that we need to look at how the
Israelites sinned during the 40 years of wandering in
the wilderness and how we should try to avoid these
sins in our own lives. Remember that none of the
original Israelites went into the Promised Land except
those who were under 20 years of age at the time of
leaving Egypt, and Joshua and Caleb. Num
32:11
‘Surely none of the men who came up from Egypt, from
twenty years old and above, shall see the land of
which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because
they have not wholly followed Me, The
Last
Great Day This holy
day pictures when we will be resurrected to spirit. A
permanent state. Also pictures the bulk of humanity
being resurrected. We do not
sit in our booth, on the last great day, we have to
take it down before the last holy day begins. This day
does not picture the temporary state that is pictured
during the feast. It pictures a permanent state of the
spiritual. The Last
Great Day shows that the battle against sin will be
over, if we love, fear and obey God, we will be
resurrected to Spirit and rule with Christ and the
Father. Sin is what has caused every evil and
everything against God. However, if we try to overcome
our sins and try with our whole heart to worship and
obey God, we will eventually be changed to spirit
which is a permanent state. Lev
23:36
For seven days you shall offer an offering made by
fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall have a
holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering
made by fire to the LORD. It is a sacred assembly,
and you shall do no customary work on it. Num 29:35 ‘On the
eighth day you shall have a sacred assembly. You
shall do no customary work. Num 29:36 You
shall present a burnt offering, an offering made by
fire as a sweet aroma to the LORD: one bull, one
ram, seven lambs in their first year without
blemish, Num 29:37 and
their grain offering and their drink offerings for
the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, by their
number, according to the ordinance; Num
29:38
also one goat as a sin offering, besides the regular
burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink
offering. The
following
scriptures show clearly that the Last Great Day
pictures the resurrection to Spirit. That is why the
day is not pictured by temporary things like the feast
is, it is clear that it is a permanent state once we
are made spiritual. Joh 11:23 Jesus
said to her, “Your
brother will rise again.” Joh 11:24 Martha
said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the
resurrection at the last day.” Joh 11:25 Jesus
said to her, “I
am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in
Me, though he may die, he shall live. Joh 11:26 And whoever lives
and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe
this?” Joh
11:27
She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are
the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the
world.” Joh 6:39 This is the will
of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given
Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at
the last day. Joh
6:40
And this is the will of Him
who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and
believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I
will raise him up at the last day.” Joh
6:44
No one can come to Me unless
the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise
him up at the last day. Joh
6:54
Whoever eats My flesh and
drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise
him up at the last day. |