Here is a link to my Yom Teruah study guide: https://www.hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/yom_teruah.pdf
Here is a link to my YouTube channel with numerous teachings on the biblical feasts including Yom Teruah: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5EzE5DQnrHfWWbczzkRo6IOnglxhbRfM
Stay tuned for my notes on the teaching that I will give tomorrow. I will post them shortly.
An Introduction to the Biblical Feasts
The seven biblical feasts are a chronological step-by-step template of YHVH’s plan of redemption or salvation for mankind. This process begins with Passover — a picture of a believer’s initial salvation, and concludes with the Eighth Day — a picture of eternal life for each bonafide and glorified member of the spiritual family of Elohim. The first step in this spiritual journey starts with one’s turning their back on spiritual Egypt, which is the realm of the world, the flesh and the devil, and embarking on a life-long spiritual journey that leads one progressively to higher planes with the ultimate goal being the paradise of the New Jerusalem — literally a heaven on earth.
Sadly, the church system has failed to reveal these essential truths to believers. It has robbed the saints of their biblical, Hebraic and Torah-based heritage including an understanding of the biblical feasts and has replaced it with many lies. This has left believers without a full understanding of both their spiritual heritage and destiny. For most believers caught up in the Babylonian church system, it’s merely a matter of getting saved, doing some good works along the way and going to church. Beyond that, one bides their time standing on the street corner waiting for death or the rapture bus — whichever comes first — to take them to heaven. But is this all there is to the believer’s life? What is supposed to happen from the point of one’s initial salvation until they “get to heaven”? Hmm?! Now there’s a good head-scratcher for most!
Thankfully, YHVH hasn’t abandoned his spiritual children to wander aimlessly through the wilderness of life. He has a plan for each of us. From start to finish, this plan is revealed in YHVH’s seven biblical feasts. The understanding of this can literally revitalize one’s spiritual life imbuing it with purpose and meaning. An otherwise one-dimensional, monochromatic and monophonic movie called life suddenly comes to life in full-3D, multi-dimensional, polyphonic surround-sound with high definition color. That’s the energizing power that comes with an understanding of the biblical feasts.
Once a follower of Yeshua understands the plan of salvation in the biblical feasts, these festivals become the focal point of the year. Plans and preparations are made well in advance to celebrate them as they serve as the rendezvous points of the spiritual body, family or community of believers.
All these feasts have Yeshua at the center, and so they bring us closer to him.
YHVH’s feasts act as a spiritual road map to show us where we’ve come on our spiritual journey, where we’re at, and where we’re going on to. Furthermore, they help us to understand what we need to be doing along the journey. They provide us with a sense of direction, and a hope for the future.
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The biblical pilgrimage or aliyot (singular: aliyah) festivals are Passover (Pesach) and Unleavened Bread (Chag haMatzot) and the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost (Shavuot) in the spring and the Feast Tabernacles (Chag haSukkot) in the fall. At these feasts, the Torah, the Word of Elohim, commands all of YHVH’s his people Israel to come up (or make aliyah) to the place where YHVH has chosen to place his name. There they are to worship and serve him as they fellowship with joy with their Israelite brothers from far and near.
What are the reasons and benefits for YHVH’s people to faithfully and obediently celebrate his holy or set-apart feasts as he has commanded in is Set-Apart Word?
The new moon was sighted by multiple witnesses this past evening marking the first day of the seventh month on the biblical calendar. This means that Yom Teruah, the Day of Trumpets/Shofars, will be on Monday, September 30. A joyous Yom Teruah to all!
My family and I (at least the ones who can make it) will be celebrating Yom Teruah at home as a high holy day Shabbat. This means that I will be shutting down my business, no work, and spending the day with YHVH and our family focusing on the meaning of the day.
Ten days from now, on the tenth day of the seventh biblical month, will be Yom Kippur on Wednesday, October 9. Five days after that will be Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, starting on Monday, October 14 and lasting until Sunday, October 20. The first day of Sukkot is a high holy day Shabbat. Shemini Atzeret, the Eighth Day, another high holy day Shabbat, will be Tuesday, October 21.
As I have done my entire life (since 1960), except for several years in the 1990s when I was part of the Sunday church world and failed to honor the Sabbath and biblical feasts, I, along with my wife, will be taking the time off from our daily work to honor these divinely mandated, set-apart times and to be with YHVH Elohim and his people.
May YHVH bless you as you honor and obey him by celebrating these appointed times!
Parashat Vayelekh — Deuteronomy 31:1-30
Haftarah — Hosea 14:2-10; Micah 7:18-20; Joel 2:15-27**
Prophets — Zephaniah 3; Haggai; Zechariah 1:1 – 4:14
Writings — 2 Chronicles 16:1 – 22:12
Testimony — Revelation 4:1 – 10:11
Most of this week’s blog discussion points will be on these passages. 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 or the “share your thoughts” box below.
The full “Read Through The Scriptures In A Year” schedule, broken down by each day, can be found on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links.” There are 4 sections of scripture to read each day: one each from the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, and from the Testimony of Yeshua. Each week, the Torah and haftarah readings will follow the traditional one-year reading cycle.
** A different Haftarah is read when it is a special sabbath in Jewish tradition. This week it is Shabbat Shuva (Sabbath of Return) on the traditional calendar. Otherwise, Isaiah 55:6 – 56:8 would be read.
Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 9/29/19 through 10/5/19.
Please enjoy this little video from our most recent overseas trip. It contains some beautiful video and stills of YHVH’s plant kingdom and other natural wonders of creation.
Revelation 3:14, The church at Laodicea.
Life is a series of tests. We either pass or fail them. YHVH is the school teacher who determines whether we will pass or fail, not us. His Word is our text book that tells us how to pass. If we learn the lessons and put to practice the things we have learned, we will pass. If not, we will fail.
The problem is that we’re not just in a regular school classroom where if we fail, it’s really not a big deal in the bigger scope of life. Our classroom is this life. Whether we pass or fail will determine not only whether we will obtain eternal life or eternal damnation, but if we pass, the grade we get will determine our level of rewards in YHVH’s eternal kingdom. There are a couple of things going on here.
When YHVH calls us with his holy calling and we respond, we have a choice. The choice we make will determine whether we will be the least or the greatest in his kingdom (Matt 5:19). If we choose to obey him only a little, we will be least in his kingdom. If we choose to obey him all the way, we will be the greatest in his kingdom. Our level of obedience to his commandments determines our level of rewards in his kingdom.
If we give him our all, like Ruth did when she chose to forsake the world and follow Naomi, we can become the bride of Yeshua. Ruth is a prophetic picture of Yeshua’s bride. The heart-attitude of the bride is: your people will be my people, your Elohim will be mine, and where you go, I will go.
Yeshua refers to his bride in the book of Revelation. She is unreservedly faithful to him. Yeshua’s bride is comprised of those who are follow the Lamb of Elohim wherever he goes; they don’t just follow him only when it’s convenient!
And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: and they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. (Rev 14:1–5)
Yeshua demands total and unreserved commitment from his disciples. He said that his followers would need to love him more than anyone else including one’s closest family members. He said that he who loves mother and father, son or daughter more than him is not worthy of him (Matt 10:37). He said that whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever seeks to lose his life for Yeshua’s sake will find it (v. 39).
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