YHVH's Word - Simply Truth

 A moment of frustration becomes a long blog post of explanation!

An update on following YHVH's biblical calendar according to it's simplicity rather than according to man's traditions and complex interpretations.

Deuteronomy 30:11-16 
“For this command which I am commanding you today, it is not too hard for you, nor is it far off.   It is not in the heavens, to say, ‘Who shall ascend into the heavens for us, and bring it to us, and cause us to hear it, so that we do it?’  Nor is it beyond the sea, to say, ‘Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, and cause us to hear it, so that we do it?’  For the Word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart – to do it.   See, I have set before you today life and good, and death and evil, in that I am commanding you today to love יהוה your Elohim, to walk in His ways, and to guard His commands, and His laws, and His right-rulings. And you shall live and increase, and יהוה your Elohim shall bless you in the land which you go to possess."

I am writing this special note as an update specifically regarding my previously published blog posts about the first harvest/first fruits at the time of Unleavened Bread, and even more specifically regarding the counting of the days of omer.

When I first wrote those 2 posts ("Counting the Days", and "Shavuot - YHVH's Biblical Pentecost"), I was not clear on the scriptures surrounding the first harvest and the count of the days to Shavuot which happens during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  I was new in my journey of reading YHVH's Word to take it at face value (literally instead of spiritualizing everything), and putting it into practice in obedience.   
I was searching His Word and changing my lifestyle and habits according to His Word on many things, but there were (and still are) parts of His Word that I was not familiar with or did not know about.  (It is hard to admit that after a lifetime of claiming to follow YHVH and reading His Word, I know so little about what His Word actually says but know so much of what people say that His Word says!)

I was instead following the practices and traditions of many modern Messianic Jewish and Christian groups and many groups of Rabbinic Judaism regarding specific topics such as counting the days to Shavuot.  I was trusting that they were following the Bible’s teaching.

After studying many scriptures regarding this and other topics, I have come to realize that the Bible is more simply clear and plain in this teaching than what many groups will admit it to be. 

 Psalm 118:8,9
It is better to take refuge in יהוה than to trust in man. 
It is better to take refuge in יהוה than to trust in princes.

The more time I spend reading YHVH's Word, tuning out any preconceived interpretations that come from my many years being taught by different people in many denominations of Christianity (as much as I can), the more amazed I am at how much He has created this life of humanity on earth to be dependent on Him for everything!  All parts of life on earth are part of the picture He has created that mirrors or sheds light on His Kingdom and His plan for dwelling with humanity for eternity!

Two quick examples:  He has put in place a way for mankind to know when each new month begins...the sighting of the new moon (new moon and new month are the same word - chodesh).

Genesis 1:14,15
 And Elohim said, “Let lights come to be in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and appointed times [moedim], and for days and years, and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth.” And it came to be so.
(take note of the word moedim - it will be important a little further along)

He has also put in place the way to know when each new year begins (which new month begins the new year)...the sighting of ripening barley (aviv actually means a green ear of barley) in the land of Israel.  Once the barley is in aviv stage, then the next new moon is the first month of the year.

In both of these examples, He is in control of when the new moon is sighted and when the barley reaches the aviv stage.  If we are to follow His instructions to keep the commanded festivals on the dates He commanded, then we must DEPEND on Him to show us the proper counting of these dates, rather than trusting on man's calendar based on scientific calcution.

I don't know about you, but for me, this type of dependence on YHVH for even knowing when a new month begins and when a new year begins brings such a sense of safety and complete trust!

I could go into more detail...the command to keep the Shabbat on the seventh day (which is even named Shabbat).  Six days of work, and then one shabbat of rest in Him.  Six years of growing crops, and then one shabbat year of rest for the land.  Seven cycles of these seven years and then the year of Jubilee follows (seven times seven plus one is 50 years...just as seven days times seven weeks plus one day is 50 days, counted from waving the aviv barely until Shavuot/Pentecost).

(What does all this counting do?  It keeps our minds and hearts focused on YHVH daily and weekly and yearly!)

The weekly six days plus Shabbat is also mirrored in the time of mankind on earth (like the six days of creation and then Shabbat) - 6000 years of mankind on earth (2000 years of world desolation, turning away from God; the flood; Tower of Babel, etc  + 2000 years of instruction from God - Torah; nation of Israel  + 2000 years of the days of Messiah encompassing the world) and then 1000 years of Messiah's reign on earth (millennium) equals 7000 years.

Hosea 6:1-3  (spoken to the Israelites)
Come, and let us turn back to יהוה. For He has torn but He does heal us, He has stricken but He binds us up.  After two days He shall revive us, on the third day He shall raise us up, so that we live before Him.  So let us know, let us pursue to know יהוה.  His going forth is as certain as the morning. And He comes to us like the rain, like the latter rain watering the earth.

What a promise, considering one day is like one thousand years!
This promise in Hosea could have several meanings or layers of fulfillment (as biblical prophecy many times does).  One of these very likely could be that YHVH, through Hosea, is pointing to the end of the 2000 years of Messiah (2 days), the time of the beginning His reign on earth as KING during the Millennium (3rd day).  At this time His chosen people will be drawn to Him.  They will know Him!  And they will live with Him.

2 Peter 3:5-9
For [mockers] choose to have this hidden from them: that the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by the Word of Elohim, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water.  And the present heavens and the earth are treasured up by the same Word, being kept for fire, to a day of judgment and destruction of wicked men.  But, beloved ones, let not this be hidden from you: that with יהוה one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.   יהוה is not slow in regard to the promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward us, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
(and the rest of the chapter continues the discussion of the end of days)

I don't know if I am making sense in trying to put some pieces together.  Do you see my excitement of how the Word of YHVH and plan of YHVH is so rich and meaningful and how every piece, large and small, fits in perfectly with all the others?  Every part of our lives with YHVH through His Messiah Yahshua is meant to turn us in dependence and obedience toward HIM...everything points to HIM!
I did not "see" these things before I began to be obedient to His Word.  When I was not keeping the Sabbath on the actual seventh day, I never thought about these things.  When I was not watching the moon to determine the times to keep God's commandments, I was not thinking about these things.  Now I see more and more every day how much I am and want to be totally dependent on God!  He is much more in my daily thoughts and actions than ever before!

These are just meant to be quick examples.  I don't intend to go into great detail regarding them.  I just wanted to give a glimpse of the intricacy of how everything in YHVH's Word is related and how dependent we are on HIM to guide us daily, weekly, yearly - throughout our lifetimes, throughout the time of mankind on earth!

Now, back to the specific topic of counting the days to Shavuot:

Since this blog is a telling of my journey in simple obedience to YHVH through Yahshua the Messiah, the Living Word, and since I am constantly learning more and discovering more as I journey with YHVH in His Word, I want to continue to post updates on these things that I discover.

This spring, at the beginning of the new year according to YHVH's instruction, I was reading through the biblical instructions for keeping Pesach (the evening meal), the week of Unleavened Bread, and the day of waving the first harvest of barley (which also begins the counting of days until Shavuot).

I wanted to be sure that I was clear on what Scripture says about observing and keeping these commanded appointed times.  And I was looking for how these things showed up in other parts of Scripture and in YHVH's overall plan.

I discovered that I was not clear.  I was assuming that I would keep the Pesach meal just as many others do - at the end of the 14th day ("between the evenings" is the Hebrew wording used to instruct the timing of the slaughter of Pesach lambs).

Leviticus 23:2-5
"Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, and say to them, ‘The appointed times [moedim] of יהוה, which you are to proclaim as set-apart gatherings, My appointed times, are these: 
Six days work is done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a set-apart gathering. You do no work, it is a Sabbath to יהוה in all your dwellings. 
These are the appointed times [moedim] of יהוה, set-apart gatherings which you are to proclaim at their appointed times. 
In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, between the evenings [bein ha arbayim], is the Passover to יהוה."

Numbers 9:2-3
 “Now, let the children of Israel perform the Passover at its appointed time [moed].  On the fourteenth day of this month, between the evenings [bein ha arbayim], perform it at its appointed time [moed]."

Exodus 12:5,6
 "Let the lamb be a perfect one, a year old male. Take it from the sheep or from the goats.  And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then all the assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it between the evenings [bein ha arbayim].

As I began to read some articles written by various people who keep YHVH's commanded feasts, I began to find some disagreements between people and groups (imagine that!).  Some said the evening of the 14th of the first month would be at the beginning of the 14th (since the day begins in the evening at sundown).  Others said that the Bible says to slaughter the lambs "between the evenings" (bein ha arbayim, as opposed to erev, which simply means evening), which would be late afternoon on the 14th....almost at the end of the 14th.  Then the time taken for preparation of the Pesach meal would mean that the meal would be eaten at night, on the beginning of the 15th.

Both groups had very convincing arguments.  And some groups had some not-so-nice things to say about the groups who did not interpret Scripture the same way they did (again, imagine that!).

Can you see why I began to get frustrated?

I have spent many frustrating hours in the past few months reading the teachings and thoughts of various groups who claim to follow the Bible in its instructions regarding….

1.  When to have the Pesach meal - at the beginning of the 14th in the evening or the end of the 14th in the evening?
NOTE: Just so you know, I ended this particular frustration by turning away from all the written interpretations of man and just reading the Scripture.  I compared all the places in the Word that use the phrase "between the evenings" and concluded that it was pointing to the end of the 14th to sacrifice the lamb, and then the meal would follow a few hours thereafter at the beginning of the 15th at night. Then I looked at the story of the LAMB of YHVH, the ultimate Pesach Lamb, and the time of HIS sacrificial death...in late afternoon on the 14th. And that is when I had my simple Pesach seder meal.  I began preparing it in the late afternoon on the 14th and ate it after dark on the 15.  It was wonderful!  And it was so meaningful to read the story of Yahshua's sacrifice and the connection to the original Pesach in Egypt!

2. When to observe the first harvest, which included the waving of the sheaf of first fruits barley by the priest.   AND

3. When to begin the count of 50 days to Shavuot, which was commanded to begin the same time as the waving of the first barley harvest

Because of my realization that I should be relying much more on YHVH's Word and not on man's calendars to tell me when to obey YHVH's Word, I want to be as obedient as I can be in my simple understanding of YHVH's Word.  This is why I was reading articles written by people and groups who claim to follow God's Word (not always such a good idea!).

I had the same frustration when I took a closer look at the observance of the day of waving the first barley harvest and beginning the count of days to Shavuot.  In the past, this part of the feast of Unleavened Bread had been a bit unclear to me, and I had not really taken time to read and understand the Word regarding this command...until now.

What the Scripture says about the waving of the first harvest of barley may seem to be vague at first...

Deuteronomy 16:6-10
...but at the place where יהוה your Elohim chooses to make His Name dwell, there you slaughter the Passover in the evening, at the going down of the sun, at the appointed time [moed] you came out of Egypt.   And you shall roast and eat it in the place which יהוה your Elohim chooses, and in the morning you shall turn and go to your tents.  Six days you eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there is a closing festival to יהוה your Elohim – you do no work.   Count seven weeks for yourself. Begin to count seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the grain.  And you shall perform the Festival of Weeks to יהוה [Shavuot/Pentecost] your Elohim, according to the voluntary offering from your hand, which you give as יהוה your Elohim blesses you.

Leviticus 23:8-11, 15-16
..."And you shall bring an offering made by fire to יהוה for seven days. On the seventh day is a set-apart gathering, you do no servile work."
  And יהוה spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and you shall say to them, ‘When you come into the land which I give you, and shall reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest to the priest.  And he shall wave the sheaf before יהוה, for your acceptance. On the morrow after the Sabbath the priest waves it.....
And from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, you shall count for yourselves: seven completed Sabbaths. Until the morrow after the seventh Sabbath you count fifty days, then you shall bring a new grain offering to יהוה."

Many of the Messianic Jewish congregations and groups (and some Christian groups who actually keep God's moedim) follow the "traditional" calendar of Rabbinic Judaism, which interprets these Scriptures to mean that the waving of grain and beginning of the count of 50 days should begin on the day after the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (which is on the 15th)...so that would mean that the count always starts on the 16th.

I was looking at several calendars and noticed they all said that the waving of grain and the counting were on the 16th, and I was confused because I had just read that the count should begin on the day after the Sabbath.

So I went looking online.  I read many online articles.  Again, I read many conflicting "proofs" and interpretations of Scripture.  Every time I read a new article or a new interpretation, my frustration level continued to grow and grow.

At the height of my frustration, when I really just wanted to be obedient to my YHVH and His Word and yet all I was reading was bickering arguments and complex analogies of Scripture, I came to a point of saying “if the Bible is so vague and unclear about such important commanded and appointed times, then what is the use of trying to obey?”

Immediately after this thought, I would remind myself that it is man’s traditions and analysis of Scripture that is deficient, not Scripture itself!  So I would stop reading the (at times vitriolic) teachings of various groups, each attacking the others’ interpretations and claiming to have the right way of following God’s commands, and I would go back to the Word itself, in the original Hebrew language, and read it again and again.

After reading these Scriptures several times, and after comparing the original Hebrew with other Scriptures (using tools like Strongs and E-Sword), I saw suddenly how simple, direct, and clear the Word is on this point!

There are 3 words in use in solving this question:  shabbat (singular), shabbatot (plural of shabbat), and shabbaton (a related word to shabbat but not the same usage and meaning).  I won't go into great detail here, because this is something you can also search for yourself!  I will just give an overview of what I saw as I searched the Word.

The issue of conflict between groups is that the first day of Unleavened Bread (the 15th day of the first month) and the seventh day of Unleavened Bread (the 21st day of the first month) are both days of rest and no work according to Scripture.  (See Leviticus 23)

Some groups call these two days of no work, shabbats.
But they are not called shabbats in the Scripture.  They are called holy rehearsals or holy assemblies (miqra kodesh).  In fact, the only days that the Scripture refers to as shabbats are the actual Shabbats (seventh day of the week).  The only other time the word shabbat is used to describe any other day is in Leviticus 16:31 about Yom Kippurim (Day of Atonement)...and here it is called a shabbat shabbaton (a shabbat of rest).  The word shabbat, when used alone, refers strictly to the seventh day of the week throughout Scripture. 

How wonderful to come to a point of such peace after being in a state of such frustration!

It was so simple to see that the Shabbat (weekly seventh day) that occurs during the week of Unleavened Bread is the Shabbat that Scripture refers to when commanding us to begin counting the 50 days to Shavuot/Pentecost.  

And that is when I started my counting!  

Let me ask again....what is the purpose of all this counting?

Well, I don't know all the answers.  And I am sure that at some point some deeper meanings and connections will be made plain to us who keep YHVH's commands.

But for now, I can tell you that YHVH's command to count 50 days until Shavuot keeps my mind and heart focused on Him daily!  It is a constant reminder, like the moon, and like the weekly Shabbat, and like many other other reminders He provides in daily life....a reminder that HE is the center of my life, of all life!

Thanks for hanging in there with me during this long explanation of a seemingly small realization!

As we count the days, may we continue to be focused on HIM, on our Passover Lamb, our KING in love and obedience!

Gina

 

Watch and See What YHVH Will Do...

                                Be Alert....Watch...and  PRAY!






Monday was the last day of the week of Passover (Pesach), Unleavened Bread (Chag HaMatzot), and the Day of Firstfruits (the second day of the week of the Feast of Unleavened Bread).  It was such a good week of celebration and time with YHVH for me!  I so enjoyed making my own unleavened bread (matzah) and feasting on lamb and bitter herbs (and other good stuff!).  I enjoyed the extra commanded time of restful hours!  I enjoyed the spring time weather in Oklahoma.  I mostly enjoyed time with Adonai rehearsing and remembering His faithfulness to His people!


And now we are "Counting the Omer" (the omer is the sheaf of firstfruits barley waved before Adonai on the Day of Firstfruits).  YHVH commands us to count every day for 7 weeks plus one more day from the day of Firstfruits until Shavu'ot/Festival of Weeks (Pentecost), for a total of 50 days (Leviticus 23).  So I am counting!  Today is Day 9. 


One of the great things about celebrating Passover is that we are commanded to REMEMBER the time of slavery in Egypt and how YHVH brought His people out of Egypt by HIS Mighty Hand!  (Deuteronomy 16; Exodus 12)  So during Passover, we rehearse the story of Moses and the children of Israel and their exodus from Egypt.  I read the story out loud during my Passover Seder meal, and I also read the story at various times during the entire week.  What a great story!  What a great reminder of YHVH's covenant faithfulness to His people from beginning to end!


And this brings me to today's topic...the current times of upheaval in our world (the "end times").
I believe we are living in the "last days", the "end times", the final countdown before the forever reign of YHVH through His Son Yahshua over the entire earth and all that is, was and ever shall be.


One of my favorite parts of the story of the Israelites' exodus from Egypt is found in Exodus 14:


The Passover blood of the lamb had been spilled and applied to the doorways of the followers of YHVH.  
The lambs had been eaten in the meal of haste.  
The people of YHVH had been chased out of Egypt after the death of every firstborn, animal and human, in Egypt.  
The mass of people  had made it to edge of the Red Sea in a hasty retreat from a panicked and grieved nation of Egyptians.  
They were well on their way to freedom, when suddenly they realized that the Egyptians were chasing them.  
They were trapped, cornered against the impenetrable and uncrossable expanse of water..... 
And then.....



Exodus 14:10-18
  And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes and saw the Egyptians coming up after them. And they were greatly afraid, so the children of Israel cried out to יהוה. 
And they said to Moses, “Did you take us away to die in the wilderness because there are no graves in Egypt?  What is this you have done to us, to bring us up out of Egypt?  Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone and let us serve the Egyptians?’ For it would have been better for us to serve them than to die in the wilderness.”  And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the deliverance of יהוה, which He does for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you are never, never to see again.   “יהוה does fight for you, and you keep still.” 
And יהוה said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me?  Speak to the children of Israel, and let them go forward.  And you, lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and let the children of Israel go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.  And I, see I am hardening the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. And I am to be esteemed through Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen.  And the Egyptians shall know that I am יהוה, when I am esteemed through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.” 

And what happened?  Well, you know the story of the dividing of the waters, the walking across on dry land, the demise of the Egyptians who tried to follow....it all happened the way YHVH said it would!


Current Events
How ironic that during the celebration of Passover this year, so many things around the world would come up against Israel and threaten to overtake them:


Let's take a look at a few current and possibly future events unfolding:

• The recent Facebook page that called for a Third Intifada against Israel to happen on May 15th.  (Although the page was finally removed, the plans are still underway for thousands or even millions of Arab civilians to march against Israel's borders on May 15th and "take back the land.")
• The upcoming "Gaza Freedom Flotilla" part 2.  Another fleet of 15+ ships is set to sail sometime in the latter half of May against Israel's maritime blockade.  Many nations are part of this organization.
• The recent bus station bomb in Jerusalem; the recent slaughter of an Israeli couple and three of their children by two teenage Palestinians; the recent shooting of a Jewish man who was visiting Joseph's Tomb as part of his Passover week celebration....(and the list goes on).
• The continued weekly firing of rockets by Hamas from Gaza into southern towns in Israel.
• The recent "reconciliation" of two factions of Palestinians, Fatah and Hamas, with plans to unite and take back the "occupied land" in Israel, creating a Palestinian nation.
• The recent backing of many UN nations for such a "Palestinian nation" to be created without the support or cooperation of Israel (i.e. by force).
• The ongoing upheaval in many Middle Eastern nations, and the underlying support of the Muslim Brotherhood that seems to be coming to the forefront at a rapid pace.
• The constant threats and statements by leaders of various nations saying that their goal is to "wipe Israel off the map."

I could go on with many other additions to this list, but for the sake of space and time I will stop there.

The point is that Israel is very quickly coming to a place of being backed up against a wall, completely unable to defend herself.  (And what happens when she tries to defend herself?  The world complains and cries "Foul!")

But guess what?  

All of this is already laid out in YHVH's plan book...His WORD!

We should not be surprised.

We should not be worried or afraid.

It might get difficult.  
It might get bloody.  
It might be very hard to experience.  

(Perhaps I should just be blunt and say "it WILL" instead of "it might be.")

If you are in the large number of people who think that these "events" won't affect you, that it is all about what's happening in the Middle East, that this is all Israel's problem, I am sorry that you will be sadly mistaken and rudely awakened, probably at a time much sooner than many people realize!

These things are shakings, groanings, warning signs, birth pangs of an event that will affect the whole world, every person in existence, every nation from smallest to greatest.

The truth is that YHVH is and always will be true to His Word...true to His covenant with His people!

We can only count on this one thing.  YHVH has drawn up the plan, and He will stick to it until the end!

We must stand on His WORD and stand with His nation Israel!  We who call ourselves followers of Yahshua are grafted into the nation of Israel.  We must be ready to live every day according to the Word of Adonai.  

Although Israel as a nation (past and present) does not deserve YHVH's faithful everlasting covenant, HE WILL FULFILL IT FOR HIS GREAT NAME'S SAKE!   (Remember, when saying that Israel does not deserve it, we ourselves are in the community of Israel!)

1 Samuel 12:20-22 

 And Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this evil. Only, do not turn aside from following יהוה. And you shall serve יהוה with all your heart, and do not turn aside after worthless matters which do not profit or deliver, for they are worthless.  For יהוה would not cast away His people, for His great Name’s sake, seeing it has pleased יהוה to make you His people. 

Deuteronomy 20:1-4  

“When you go out to battle against your enemies, and shall see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them, for יהוה your Elohim, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you.   And it shall be, when you draw near to the battle, that the priest shall come and speak to the people, and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel: You are drawing near today to battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not fear, or tremble, or be afraid before them, for יהוה your Elohim is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’"

2 Chronicles 20:15  
...and he said, “Listen, all Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat!  Thus said יהוה to you, ‘Do not fear, nor be afraid of the face of this great army, for the battle is not yours, but Elohim’s. 


What do we do at this time?  We stand and behold the working of YHVH on behalf of His people and His land!
What do we do while we are standing and watching?
We pray!!
We pray YHVH's Word back to Him, asking Him to fulfill it all.
We ask for His mercy in the midst of His judgment.


We can pray just as Daniel did...
Daniel 9:15-19  
“And now, O יהוה our Elohim, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand, and made Yourself a Name, as it is this day – we have sinned, we have done wrong!  O יהוה, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your displeasure and Your wrath be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your set-apart mountain.  For, because of our sins, and because of the crookednesses of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become a reproach to all those around us.  And now, our Elohim, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the sake of יהוה cause Your face to shine on Your set-apart place, which is laid waste.  O my Elohim, incline Your ear and hear. Open Your eyes and see our wastes, and the city which is called by Your Name. For we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great compassions.  O יהוה, hear! O יהוה, forgive! O יהוה, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my Elohim, for Your city and Your people are called by Your Name.” 

Psalm 106:1-12  

Praise Yah! Oh, give thanks to יהוה, For He is good! 

For His kindness is everlasting. 

Who does relate the mighty acts of יהוה? Or declare all His praise? 

Blessed are those who guard right-ruling, 

Who do righteousness at all times! 

Remember me, O יהוה, in the acceptance of Your people; 

Visit me with Your deliverance, 

To see the good of Your chosen ones, To rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, To make my boast with Your inheritance. 

We have sinned with our fathers, We have acted perversely, 

We have done wrong. 

Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; 

They did not remember Your many kindnesses, But rebelled by the sea, the Sea of Reeds. 

But He saved them for His Name’s sake, 

To make known His might. 

And He rebuked the Sea of Reeds, and it dried up; And He led them through the depths, Through a wilderness. 

And He saved them from the hand of the hater, And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. 

And waters covered their adversaries; Not one of them was left. 

Then they believed His words; They sang His praise. 

(also read Psalm 79)

Today, we cry out to YHVH, the Elohim of Israel...

Do it again YHVH!!  Save Your people from the hand of the many haters!  
Do it for Your Great Name's sake!

So what exactly is about to unfold in all these world events?  
Of course, I do not know.
But I know that the Word of Adonai is true, and some things have yet to come about.
It appears that these things are well on the way...


I read and reread the promises of YHVH still to come.  
I cling to them with hope and trust in the Elohim of Israel.


Zechariah 2:4-13
... saying, 'Jerusalem is to remain unwalled, because of the many men and livestock in it.  For I Myself am to her,’ declares יהוה, ‘a wall of fire all around, and for esteem I am in her midst.’ ” 
 “Oh, Oh! And flee from the land of the north,” declares יהוה, “for I have scattered you like the four winds of the heavens,” declares יהוה.  "Oh, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Baḇel.”   For thus said יהוה of hosts (for the sake of esteem He sent me to the gentiles which plunder you): “For he who touches you touches the apple of My eye.  For look, I am waving My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. And you shall know that יהוה of hosts has sent Me.  Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For look, I am coming, and shall dwell in your midst,” declares יהוה.   And many gentiles shall be joined to יהוה in that day, and they shall become My people. And I shall dwell in your midst. And you shall know that יהוה of hosts has sent Me to you.   And יהוה shall inherit Judah, His portion in the Set-apart Land. And He shall again choose Jerusalem.
 “Hush, all flesh, before יהוה, for He has roused Himself out of His set-apart dwelling!” 

Ezekiel 36:22-28
Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My set-apart Name’s sake, which you have profaned among the gentiles wherever you went.  And I shall set apart My great Name, which has been profaned among the gentiles, which you have profaned in their midst. And the gentiles shall know that I am יהוה,” declares the Master יהוה, “when I am set-apart in you before their eyes.  And I shall take you from among the gentiles, and I shall gather you out of all lands, and I shall bring you into your own land.   And I shall sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean – from all your filthiness and from all your idols I cleanse you.   And I shall give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. And I shall take the heart of stone out of your flesh, and I shall give you a heart of flesh, and put My Spirit within you. And I shall cause you to walk in My laws and guard My right-rulings and shall do them.  And you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. And you shall be My people, and I shall be your Elohim. 

(read all of Ezekiel 36-39, and of course, so many other places throughout the Word)


Oh how exciting!  I long for the day when this shall come to pass!!


For now, I watch and wait and see the Mighty Hand of YHVH work the salvation of His people!
And I pray!


Standing on His True Word, beholding His Mighty Acts,


Gina

Adonai's New Year - Eternally Tied to His Salvation!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Last night at sundown, the new moon (Rosh Chodesh) began the month of Nisan.

What is so special about that?

This is YHVH's commanded beginning of the new year!

It is also the beginning of the preparations for the spring appointed feasts of YHVH.

When Moses and the children of Israel were in Egypt, and the Lord was bringing warning after warning and plague after plague to Pharoah and the Egyptian people, YHVH prepared Moses and the Israelites for what He was about to do.

This isn't just about how YHVH delivered His people from slavery in Egypt. This isn't just about what He did for them with the lamb's blood on the doorposts and the passing over of the death angel and salvation of all Israel's firstborn. YHVH gave a picture, a pattern to His people that would unfold and grow deeper and richer as His Kingdom plan unfolded over the decades and centuries to come.

Exodus 12:1-2
(After one of many plagues failed yet again to sway Pharaoh's heart...)
YHVH spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt; he said, "You are to begin your calendar with this month; it will be the first month of the year for you."

This was the first command given to the people by YHVH as they were about to leave Egypt, follow Him to the land of inheritance, become His covenant people in His covenant land, and begin to fulfill all His purposes for them as His people and for the nations.

The first command...

...a new beginning...

...so important for what was about to unfold...

...stepping out in trusting YHVH when things looked like they wouldn't happen the way He promised...

knowing that HIS timing and timeline are perfect!

Take a look at what comes right after this command in Exodus 12...

[YHVH said] 'Speak to all the assembly of Israel and say, "On the tenth day of this month, each man is to take a lamb for his family...it is to be without defect...a male in its first year...You are to keep it until the fourteenth day of the month, and then slaughter it at dusk...take some of the blood and smear it on the two sides and top of the door-frame at the entrance of the house....Here is how you are to eat it: with your belt fastened, your shoes on your feet and your staff in your hand; and you are to eat it hurriedly. It is ADONAI's Pesach [Passover]. For that night, I will pass through the land of Egypt and kill all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both men and animals; and I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt; I am ADONAI. The blood will serve you as a sign marking the houses where you are; when I see the blood, I will pass over [Hebrew: pasach] you - when I strike the land of Egypt, the death blow will not strike you. This will be a day for you to remember and celebrate as a festival to ADONAI; from generation to generation you are to celebrate it by a perpetual regulation."'
Exodus 12:3-14


YHVH's command to observe the new year leads directly into preparation for
Pessach (Passover)
...which then leads to
the Feast of Unleavened Bread
...which leads to
the Day of First Fruits
...which leads to
Shavuot or Feast of Sevens (Pentecost).

And the exciting part of all of these feasts is that Yeshua is the fulfillment of them all! They are a picture of HIM!

Even more exciting is that these feasts lead into the fall feasts.
And guess what?! Yeshua is the fulfillment of those too!

Do you see the way YHVH has laid out His covenant, His love, His plan, His salvation, His desire to dwell with His people? He has commanded us to observe these feasts and appointed times, and He uses them to show us HIMSELF!!

How awesome!

Today, since this is the new year, I only want to focus on the command to observe the new year.

It is very interesting to look at some of the events that happened on this day of this month throughout different parts of YHVH's timelime according to His Word.















It was on this day that Noah opened the covering of the ark and saw that the ground was dry.

Genesis 8:13 By the first day of the first month of the 601st year the water had dried up from off the earth; so Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked; and, yes, the surface of the ground was dry.


On the 27th day, he left the ark with his family and the animals.



This day seems to be a day of new beginnings and of cleansing.

In Exodus 40:2, YHVH commanded Moses to set up and anoint the tabernacle, HIS Dwelling Place, on the first day of the first month.
Then YHVH filled it with Himself!

Exodus 40:2 (see also verses 33-34)
YHVH said to Moses, 'On the first day of the first month, you are to set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting. Put in it the ark for the testimony, and conceal the ark with the curtain. Bring in the table, and arrange its display. Bring in the menorah, and light its lamps'...(etc).



In 2 Chronicles we find Hezekiah involved in another important event happening during this month...the process of cleansing the temple.

2 Chronicles 29:3-7
In the first month of the first year of his reign, [Hezekiah] reopened the doors of the house of YHVH and repaired them. Then he brought in the priests and Levites and said to them, "Listen to me, Levites: consecrate yourselves now, consecrate the house of ADONAI the God of your ancestors, and remove the filth from the Holy Place. For our ancestors acted treacherously, they did what is evil from the perspective of YHVH our God, they abandoned him, they turned their faces away from where YHVH lives and turned their backs on him. They sealed the doors of the vestibule, put out the lamps and stopped burning incense and offering burnt offerings in the Holy Place to the God of Israel.

...and then in verses 15-19...
They gathered their kinsmen, consecrated themselves and, in keeping with the king's order and YHVH's words, went in to cleanse the house of YHVH. The priests went in to cleanse the inner part of the house of YHVH; all the unclean things they found in the sanctuary of YHVH they brought out into the courtyard of the house of YHVH, where the Levites took and carried them out to the Kidron Valley. They began consecrating on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they reached the vestibule of YHVH. Then they consecrated the house of YHVH in eight more days; so that on the sixteenth day of the first month, they had finished. Then they went to Hezekiah the king and said, "We have cleansed all the house of YHVH, including the altar for burnt offerings and the table for the showbread. Moreover, we have reconditioned and consecrated all the articles that King Achaz threw out during his reign, when he was sinning; and they are there, in front of the altar of YHVH."



It was on this day of the year that Ezra began his journey from Babylon back to Jerusalem to rebuild the House of YHVH (funded by the King of Persia!).

Ezra 7:9-10
[Ezra] began going up to Jerusalem from Babylon on the first day of the first month and arrived on the first day of the fifth month, since the good hand of his God was on him. For Ezra had set his heart on studying and practicing the Torah of YHVH and teaching Israel the laws and rulings.



YHVH gave Ezekiel a detailed vision of the blueprints of a temple that has yet to be built (and therefore must be coming in the future!). In the chapters preceeding Ezekiel 45, you can read for yourself the details of this amazing temple.

And then YHVH told Ezekiel how and when to cleanse and purify the temple.

Ezekiel 45:18-21
YHVH ELOHIM says this: 'On the first day of the first month you are to take a young bull without defect and purify the sanctuary. The priests will take some of the blood from the sin offering and put it on the door-frames of the house, on the four corners of the altar's ledge and on the gate of the inner courtyard. You are also to do this on the seventh day of the month for everyone who has sinned inadvertently. Thus you will make atonement for the house. On the fourteenth day of the first month you are to have the Pesach...


(Did you notice that the Feasts are still being observed during the time of this future temple?)


What an important day of new beginnings and cleansing
this day is!

This is about more than "new year's resolutions."
This is about seeking YHVH's commands, His law, His Torah, His precepts...seeking to live HIS way, always!
This is about coming before Him in purity and in His righteousness, about His Dwelling Place, about HIS SALVATION by the BLOOD of the LAMB!

There will be more to come on that topic soon as Pesach draws near...are you preparing for it?

I am!

In the eternal, everlasting covenant of our YHVH,

Gina