For the sixth week of seven weeks of the 50-day count of the omer.
Numbers 20–26; Ezekiel 5–18; and Psalms 45–51
Most of this week’s blog discussion points will be on these passages. The full year’s Bible Reading Schedule can be found on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links.”
If you have general comments or questions on the weekly Scripture readings not addressed in a blog post, here’s a place for you to post those. Just use the “leave a reply” link below.
How does the mysterious ritual of the red heifer relate to Yeshua’s atoning death on the cross? Below is a list points of how Yeshua’s death fulfilled every aspect of the curious red heifer ritual.
Is celebrating the biblical feast of Shavuot (aka the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost) optional for the born-again, redeemed Israelite believer in Yeshua the Messiah in the 21st century?
The short answer is, “NO!” unless one considers the clear commands of the Word of Elohim to be merely suggestions and not commands. “NO!” unless one rejects following the examples of Yeshua, the Apostle Paul and the Book of Acts followers of Yeshua. “NO!” unless one has become so conditioned to following the traditions of men that have made of non-effect the Word of Elohim that they have become blind and deaf to the clear truth of the Scriptures.
You see, we live in an age where the majority of so-called “Bible believers” and church people are more concerned about feelings, popularity, majority consensus, what others think, having fun, being entertained, the lust of the flesh and eyes that most either don’t know what the Word of Elohim says, or don’t care. Oh, they will swear otherwise, but their actions speak louder than their words. Amos the prophet describes this spiritual sickness well when he referred to apostate Israel as suffering from a “famine of the hearing of the words of YHVH,” (Amos 8:11). You see, the word “hearing” in Hebrew is shema, which means not just “to hear,” but “to do and to obey” as well. It seems that nowadays, like then, a lot of folks hear, but few obey.
On May 27, 2012, we will be celebrating the biblical feast of Shavuot (Lev 23:15–22, Acts 2:1; 20:16). On this blog, and on our ministry website (hoshanarabbah.org) we have been promoting our congregation’s and our ministry’s Shavuot celebration to those in our local area (the Pacific Northwest U.S. region). Well, what prompted this blog post was an interesting response I received today from someone who thanked us for the announcement, but was sorry they couldn’t make it to Shavuot because they had a birthday party to attend instead.
So, I submit, once again, the question, is celebrating Shavuot optional? Let me list the reasons why it is not — according to the Word of Elohim:
So now what’s your excuse for not celebrating Shavuot as YHVH Elohim in the Scriptures commands?
Numbers 15:37–41, Put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners. In this passage of scripture, YHVH instructs the Israelites to wear a tassel of blue thread attached to the four corners of their garments. Why? So that when they would look on these tassels they will remember to do all the commandments of YHVH and to be set-apart (or holy) unto Elohim. They were to wear tzitzit as a sign of being set-apart forever!
The tassels or tzitzits are not unlike the wedding ring one wears as a physical and outwardly visible reminder of one’s marriage vows and commitment to one’s spouse.
Yeshua wore tzitzits (see Matt 9:20; Mark 14:36; the Greek word for hem means “tassel”).
An unintended benefit of wearing tzitzit—other than fulfilling the Torah command to do so—is that when people see you wearing them, they will often ask you what they are. This has given us many opportunities to share the message of the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith with those around us. Though not their primary purpose, tzitzits can, nevertheless, become an evangelism tool. This has happened to me many times.
Please share with the readers of this blog spiritual encounters you have had while wearing your tzitzits.
For more information on the law of the fringes, read my article on the subject at http://www.hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/tzitzit.pdf.
YOU ARE INVITED!
Memorial Day weekend (May 25–27) this year also happens to be the biblical Feast of Weeks, Shavuot or Pentecost—one of YHVH’s commanded festivals (Lev 23:15–22, Acts 2:1; 20:16).
You are invited to join us in Canby, Oregon (just south of Portland) for this weekend-long event. For details and registration, go to http://shavuotnw.org/.
From the Depths of Slavery to a Kingdom of Priests
YHVH’s command for us to count the omer as a countdown to the Feast of Weeks or Shavuot (or Pentecost, Lev 23:15–16 and Acts 2:1) memorializes the Israelites journey from spiritual babyhood to adulthood. During this 49-day count, Israel ascended from out of the depths of slavery and suffering in Egypt, was baptized in the Red Sea, and then arrived at Mount Sinai—a place of a spiritual standing before YHVH as a kingdom of priests (Exod 19:6). It was there that YHVH gave them his instructions in righteousness—the Torah on Shavuot. This time period represents Israel’s passage from slavery to freedom. They came out of slavery permeated with the leaven—the sins, values, and pagan concepts—of Egypt leaving it all behind as pictured by the Feast of Unleavened Bread. YHVH gave Israel 49 days to overcome and to get rid of the impurities of Egypt, and to become the nation Israel—a holy priesthood (Exod 19:6) and the bride of YHVH (Ezek 16:8; Jer 2:2; 31:32). There, at the foot of Mount Sinai, YHVH wanted them to become his ambassadors to this world of his heavenly kingdom and truths. Continue reading
For the fifth week of seven weeks of the 50-day count of the omer.
Numbers 12–19; Jeremiah 43–52; Ezekiel 1–4; and Psalms 38–44
Most of this week’s blog discussion points will be on these passages. The full year’s Bible Reading Schedule can be found on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links.”
If you have general comments or questions on the weekly Scripture readings not addressed in a blog post, here’s a place for you to post those. Just use the “leave a reply” link below.