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

 

Psalm 80: The Shepherd and the Vine (Part 2)

"...Turn us back, O Elohim of Hosts, and cause your Face to shine, that we might be saved!..."

As we begin looking at the second part of Psalm 80, let's start where we left off in Part One - with verse 7 (see above).

This is the plea of the psalmist, the cry for mercy, for the Salvation of YHVH, for His favor upon His wayward people.  Three times Asaph the psalmist cries out for YHVH, the Shepherd of Israel, to turn His people back to Him that they might be saved.


Why should He do it?
Why should He listen?
Why should He act on behalf of this people?

Let's continue reading...


 Psalm 80 (continued) 
        
8 You brought a vine out of Egypt; You drove out the nations and planted it.
9 You cleared a place for it, and caused it to take deep root, and it filled the land.
10 Hills were covered with its shadow, and the mighty cedars with its twigs.
11 She spread her branches to the Sea, and her shoots to the River.
12 Why have You broken down her hedges, so that every passer-by plucked her fruit?
13 The boar out of the forest ravages it, and the wild beast of the field devours it.
14 Return, we beg you, O Elohim of hosts; look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vine,
15 And the stock which Your right hand has planted, and the Son whom You made strong for Yourself.
16 It is burned with fire, it is cut down; they perish at the rebuke of Your face.
17 Let Your hand be upon the One at Your right hand; upon the Son of Adam whom You made strong for Yourself,
18 And we shall not backslide from You.  Revive us, and let us call upon Your Name.
19 Turn us back, O Elohim of hosts, and cause Your face to shine, that we might be saved!


Not many weeks ago, we were observing YHVH's appointed time of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and now we are almost at the end of counting the days for 7 weeks plus one day until Shavuot.  During these important appointed times, we have been reminded of YHVH's faithfulness to His people in bringing them miraculously out of the land of Egypt, saving His people with His own strong Right Arm of salvation (otherwise known as the Mashiach - the Messiah - the One Who Saves)!

The second part of Psalm 80 is a wonderful reminder yet again as we continue to reflect on the faithfulness of YHVH to His people.

The psalmist speaks of YHVH's faithfulness in bringing Israel out of bondage in Egypt, specifically reminding YHVH of how He brought Israel out as a vine and planted her in the land which He promised and provided - HIS Land of inheritance for HIS chosen people.

In route to the promised land, the "Vine" (Israel) stopped at Mt Sinai where she entered into a covenant with her Elohim, her Husband, in the receiving of the covenant agreement, the Torah. 
Side note:  While not specifically stated in YHVH's Word as such, Jews traditionally celebrate Shavu'ot as the day YHVH gave His people Israel the Torah on Mt Sinai, and His people said "yes"!
Israel said "We will do everything YHVH has said!"  (Exodus 19:7-8)  And thankfully, even though Israel broke her part of the covenant time and again, YHVH has been and always will be faithful to HIS covenant with His people.

Isaiah 54:5-8
 “For your Maker is your husband, יהוה of hosts is His Name, and the Set-apart One of Israel is your Redeemer. He is called the Elohim of all the earth. For יהוה has called you like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when you were refused,” declares your Elohim.“For a little while I have forsaken you, but with great compassion I shall gather you.  In an overflow of wrath I hid My face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I shall have compassion on you,” said יהוה, your Redeemer. 

Hosea 2:16-23

"And it shall be, in that day,” declares יהוה, “that you call Me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer call Me ‘My Baʽal.’  And I shall remove the names of the Baʽals from her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.  And in that day I shall make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the birds of the heavens... And I shall make them lie down in safety. 

 “And I shall take you as a bride unto Me forever, and take you as a bride unto Me in righteousness, and in right-ruling, and kindness and compassion...in trustworthiness, and you shall know יהוה. 

“And it shall be in that day that I answer,” declares יהוה, “that I answer the heavens, and they answer the earth, and the earth answer the grain and the new wine and the oil, and they answer Yizreʽel.  And I shall sow her for Myself in the earth, and I shall have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion. And I shall say to those who were not My people, ‘You are My people,’ while they say, ‘My Elohim!’ ” 

We see in verses 8-11 of Psalm 80 that this Vine, Israel, flourished and grew under YHVH's care and covered the land, shadowing the hills and even the mighty cedars, spreading from sea to river.

And then we read why Asaph is crying out for YHVH to return to Israel and cause Israel to return to Him:  in verses 12, 13, and 16 Asaph reveals that YHVH has broken down Israel's hedges and allowed the beasts to plunder the land, the vineyard.  Israel was perishing at the rebuke of YHVH's face!

The obvious question is "Why?"  "Why would YHVH break down the hedges of His own wife, His own inheritance?"
And I hope that the answer is also obvious to all of us who are human beings, flawed, prone to sin, never able to uphold the covenant with our God perfectly without His help...

Israel broke the covenant.
Israel broke the relationship.
Israel turned away from her Husband, her Maker, her Redeemer.

Let's look at the situation as portrayed in Isaiah 5.


Isaiah 5:1-7

Please let me sing to the One I love, a song for my loved One regarding His vineyard: my loved One has a vineyard on a fertile hill.   And He dug it up and cleared it of stones, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a watchtower in its midst, and also made a winepress in it. And He waited for the yielding of grapes, but it yielded rotten ones. 
“And now, O inhabitant of Jerusalem and man of Judah, please judge between Me and My vineyard.  What more could have been done to My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why, when I waited for the yielding of grapes, did it yield rotten ones?  And now, please let Me inform you what I am doing to My vineyard: To take away its hedge and it shall be burned; to break down its wall and it shall be trampled down; and I lay it waste; it is not pruned or dug and thornbushes and weeds shall come up; and I command the clouds not to rain on it."
For the vineyard of יהוה of hosts is the house of Yisra’ĕl, and the man of Yehuḏah is His pleasant plant. He looked for right-ruling, but see, oppression; for righteousness, but see, weeping. 

Another interesting side note:  the Hebrew scripture includes two plays on words in Isaiah 5:7.   The Hebrew word for right-ruling or judgment is mishpat משׁפט, while the word for oppression is mispach which means slaughter/bloodshed  משׂפח.   The word for righteousness is tsedakah  צדקה, while the word for weeping (or a shriek of anarchy or covetousness) is tse'akah צעקה. 

Of course, it should come as no surprise to us when we read this story and compare it with the cry of Asaph  regarding Israel's condition in Psalm 80.

This is where we should stop and thank YHVH that this condition is NOT the end of the story between Him and His people!

This is where we should stop and thank YHVH for His faithfulness to His covenant with His people even when his people are not faithful to Him!

Even when He turns His back on His people for a short time, He is faithful to turn back to His people in everlasting compassion and redemption.  Just as Asaph cries for YHVH to return and to visit this vine that He planted and turn the vine back to Him, YHVH promises in Isaiah 54 that He will have eternal compassion and will be their Redeemer!

During my most recent trip to Israel in January and February, I was part of a group that was praying God's Word regarding His promises to His people regarding His land and His covenant of redemption.  We were traveling through many parts of Israel, praying YHVH's Word.

One thing that really caught my attention during this trip was the theme of "planted in the land."
YHVH has fulfilled and continues to fulfill His promise to plant His people in the land, never to be uprooted (Amos 9:15)!  

Methuselah:  a baby palm tree
in Israel...sprouted from a 2000
year old seed!

We saw it in the desert, blooming with life.
We saw it in the villages in Samaria, teeming with life.
We saw it in the sprouting of a seed long "dead".  (Methuselah, a baby palm tree that was sprouted from a 2,000 year old seed that was found in Masada!)

Do you know that there is only one place in all of YHVH's Word where He says He will do something with all of His heart and all of His being?
He commands His people to love Him with all our hearts and souls and beings (the Sh'ma...Deuteronomy 6:5).

What does He say HE will do with all His heart and being?

Jeremiah 32:37-41
 ‘See, I am gathering them out of all the lands where I have driven them in My displeasure, and in My wrath, and in great rage. And I shall bring them back to this place, and shall let them dwell in safety.  And they shall be My people, and I shall be their Elohim.  And I shall give them one heart and one way, to fear Me all the days, for the good of them and of their children after them.  And I shall make an everlasting covenant with them, that I do not turn back from doing good to them. And I shall put My fear in their hearts so as not to turn aside from Me. 
And I shall rejoice over them to do good to them, and shall plant them in this land in truth, with all My heart and with all My being.’ 

How exciting!

Go back and look at Asaph's cry, his plea of desperation on behalf of the people of Israel. 

And see how YHVH answers, for eternity!

But the story is not complete without seeing the VINE who came from the Vine...the Branch who sprouted from the stump of Israel...the Incorruptible Seed who is the Right Arm of Salvation of YHVH...the everlasting Covenant that YHVH has made with His people found in verse 17 of Psalm 80...the Living Word of YHVH...

Yahshua! 

YHVH is Salvation (the meaning of Yahshua's name)!

1 Peter 1:22-25

Now that you have cleansed your lives in obeying the truth through the Spirit to unfeigned brotherly love, love one another fervently with a clean heart, having been born again – not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible – through the living Word of Elohim, which remains forever, because “All flesh is as grass, and all the esteem of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the Word of Elohim remains forever.” And this is the Word, announced as Good News to you. 

Isaiah 11 (excerpts)

And a Rod shall come forth from the stump of Jesse, and a Sprout from his roots shall bear fruit.   The Spirit of יהוה shall rest upon Him – the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of יהוה, and shall make Him breathe in the fear of יהוה... And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, standing as a banner to the people. Unto Him the gentiles shall seek, and His rest shall be esteem.... And He shall raise a banner for the nations, and gather the outcasts of Israel, and assemble the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. 

And this leads directly into Isaiah 12...a cry of thankfulness to Yah!

 And in that day you shall say, “I thank You יהוה, though You were enraged with me, Your displeasure has turned back, and You have comforted me.  S

ee, El is my deliverance, I trust and am not afraid. For Yah, יהוה, is my strength and my song; and He has become my deliverance.” 

 And you shall draw water with joy from the fountains of deliverance. 

  And in that day you shall say, “Praise יהוה, call upon His Name; make known His deeds among the peoples, make mention that His Name is exalted.  

Sing to יהוה, For He has done excellently; this is known in all the earth.  C

ry aloud and shout, O inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Set-apart One of Israel in your midst!” 

Yahshua said about Himself:  "I am the true vine, and My Father is the gardener.... I am the vine, you are the branches. He who stays in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit. Because without Me you are able to do naught!"  (John 15:1,5)

What is interesting to me as I continue to dig (no pun intended) further into the living soil of God's Word is how intertwined Israel and Yahshua are!

This is a topic for another blog post, but I just want to mention it here because it is so evident in Psalm 80.  

The Son in this Psalm refers to both, separately and inseparably, Yahshua the Redeemer, the Right Arm of YHVH and Israel the son, the people of YHVH.

The Vine refers to Israel the people who came from Israel the man (Jacob), the fallible, fallen, sinful, obstinate nation.  The Vine also refers to Yahshua, who came from Israel but also is the Redeemer of Israel and the Creator of Israel and Husband of Israel and Messiah of Israel, the infallible, perfect spotless lamb, King of kings, sinless offering of redemption!

But as I said, this is a topic for another blog post!

For now, let's celebrate and thank YHVH for His faithfulness and enduring compassion and love for His people, planted in His land as His beloved Vine!

Resting in the shadow of His faithfulness,

Gina

Shavuot (the Feast of Weeks) - YHVH's Biblical Pentecost

(Update note:  since writing this particular post, I have studied the related Scriptures more.  See the blog post called YHVH's Word - Simply Truth for more on these Scriptures.)

Chag Sameach!
(Have a joyful feast!)

Today I am observing and celebrating Shavuot! This is the 50th day of the count of the omer. We have counted 7 weeks plus one day from the time of Passover, as commanded by YHVH, and today is that day!

I am not working today. I have baked some bread (well, actually biscuits) from some good old-fashioned homemade Oklahoma whole-wheat flour. I have acquired some grapes from the first crop of a farm further south. And I am reading the Word of YHVH. What a great day!

Do you remember that Passover (Pesach) is three celebrations at one time? Passover is immediately followed by HaBikkurim or Day of First Fruits, which begins the week of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It is on the day of First Fruits (the celebration of the earliest crop - barley) that we are to begin the count of 7 weeks until Shavuot (also known as Pentecost, which simply means 50 days). In this way, Shavuot and the Passover appointed times are very much connected with each other.

Shavuot is the celebration of First Fruits of the spring harvest...including wheat, grapes, olives, etc.

Here is what YHVH has to say about Shavuot:

Leviticus 23:15-21

"From the day after the day of rest -that is, from the day you bring the sheaf for waving -you are to count seven full weeks, until the day after the seventh week; you are to count fifty days; and then you are to present a new grain offering to YHVH. You must bring bread from your homes for waving-two loaves made with one gallon of fine flour, baked with leaven -as firstfruits for YHVH. Along with the bread, present seven lambs without defect one year old, one young bull and two rams; these will be a burnt offering for YHVH, with their grain and drink offerings, an offering made by fire as a fragrant aroma for YHVH. Offer one male goat as a sin offering and two male lambs one year old as a sacrifice of peace offerings. The cohen (priest) will wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before YHVH, with the two lambs; these will be holy for YHVH for the cohen. On the same day, you are to call a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work; this is a permanent regulation through all your generations, no matter where you live."


Deuteronomy 16:9-11

"You are to count seven weeks; you are to begin counting seven weeks from the time you first put your sickle to the standing grain. You are to observe the festival of Shavu'ot [weeks] for YHVH your God with a voluntary offering, which you are to give in accordance with the degree to which YHVH your God has prospered you. You are to rejoice in the presence of YHVH your God - you, your sons and daughters, your male and female slaves, the Levites living in your towns, and the foreigners, orphans and widows living among you - in the place where YHVH your God will choose to have his name live."

According to Exodus 23, YHVH wanted His people to come to Jerusalem (the place where He has chosen to have His name live) to celebrate the festivals of Unleavened Bread, Shavuot, and the Festival of the Ingathering (the final harvest of the year).


Shavuot is also the day when observant Jews celebrate YHVH's giving of the Torah, His Word, His commands, His instructions. This date is not directly stated in the Word, but rather it is based on a rough calculation that comes from Exodus 19:1...
In the third month after the people of Isra'el had left the land of Egypt, the same day they came to the Sinai Desert.

This is roughly the same time frame as the 50-day count of the omer from the time of Passover, which was a commemoration of the exodus from Egypt.
The rest of the chapter tells of YHVH's time with Moses on Sinai and the giving of His Word, the Torah.


And of course, in Acts 2, the talmidim (disciples) of Yeshua were all together celebrating Shavuot in Jerusalem with the rest of the Jewish people, as commanded by YHVH, when the Holy Spirit was given to them. Thousands on that day had their eyes unveiled and saw the truth of who Yeshua is...they were a sort of First Fruit of the harvest.


If you want to read more in depth discussions of why believers in Yeshua should follow YHVH's Torah rather than Christian traditions of man, I will list some websites that go into much greater detail about Shavuot and the richness of this commanded Festival.

Bereans Online:
http://www.bereansonline.org/
Click on "ENews" and then click on "Shavuot" (in the left column labeled "Parashat")

Hebrew for Christians:
http://www.hebrew4christians.net/Holidays/Spring_Holidays/Shavuot/shavuot.html
(or go to www.hebrew4christians.net and click on "Holidays", then find Pentecost/Shavuot under "Spring Mo'edim")


I also want to point out that in Oklahoma, today is not a day most people will be celebrating. The irony is obvious. We have just had the worst outbreak of tornadoes in one time period in Oklahoma recent history. Just two days ago we had the worst hail storm in recent history. These storms have created mass destruction for many people, including area farmers. Some have lost their entire crops of wheat that were just getting ready for harvest. This is always a threat in Oklahoma...storms in spring are part of the territory. But this year seems to be more hard-hitting than the average year.

However, I know that today is YHVH's commanded day for rejoicing and bringing in celebration to Him the first fruits of the spring harvest. We must do this!
We must do as YHVH commands in His Word. We must take Him seriously. We must be serious about the relationships with Him we claim to have and want to have. We must come to Him on HIS terms - not on our terms, not on the terms of man-made tradition.
YHVH blesses obedience to His Word!
(I know some may say this is legalistic thinking, but actually it is YHVH's own Word...and that is what I trust.)

I am convinced for myself that now is the time to stop following traditions of man and to start living YHVH's Word the way He has said to. I, for one, am changing everything in my life that has not lined up with YHVH's Word.

And so today I celebrate His GIVING...giving of the harvest, giving of sustenance, giving of His Word, giving of His instructions, giving of His relationship, giving of His Salvation, giving of His Holy Spirit. He is writing His Word on our hearts of flesh!

In Yeshua, our Messiah

Gina

Counting the Days...

(Update note:  since writing this particular post, I have studied the related Scriptures more.  See the blog post called YHVH's Word - Simply Truth for more on these Scriptures.)

Shabbat Shalom!


Not only is today Shabbat (and I am so glad!), but it is also day 25 of the count of the Omer.

We are halfway between Pesach and the Day of First Fruits (when the counting begins) and Shavuot, also known as the Feast of Weeks and Pentecost (when the counting ends).

What exactly is an "omer", and why do we count it?

An omer is a unit of measurement. It is basically a sheaf of grain. The omer, in this particular commandment, was the very first fruit of the earliest harvest (barley) that was brought to the priest and waved as an offering before YHVH. This is what YHVH commanded at the time of Pesach and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Directly after commanding the waving of the sheaf of first fruits, YHVH commanded that we count 7 weeks plus one day (50 days) and then have another feast celebration of harvest.

So we aren't really counting the omer (or the sheaf of grain). We are actually counting the DAYS between the first waving of the earliest first fruits (at Pesach) to the next commanded offering of the first fruits of all the crops (at Shavuot).


Let's look at it as commanded in YHVH's Word:


Leviticus 23:9-22
(We will start with what YHVH said about the day of First Fruits and go from there...)

YHVH said to Moses, "Tell the people of Isra'el, 'After you enter the land I am giving you and harvest its ripe crops, you are to bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the cohen [priest]. He is to wave the sheaf before YHVH, so that you will be accepted; the cohen is to wave it on the day after the Shabbat....

From the day after the day of rest -that is, from the day you bring the sheaf for waving -you are to count seven full weeks, until the day after the seventh week; you are to count fifty days; and then you are to present a new grain offering to YHVH....
The cohen will wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before YHVH, with the two lambs; these will be holy for YHVH for the cohen. On the same day, you are to call a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work; this is a permanent regulation through all your generations, no matter where you live.

When you harvest the ripe crops produced in your land, don't harvest all the way to the corners of your field, and don't gather the ears of grain left by the harvesters; leave them for the poor and the foreigner; I am YHVH your God.'"


Deuternomy 16:6-11

(We will start with what YHVH commands regarding Pesach and go from there:)

...at the place where YHVH your God will choose to have his name live - there is where you are to sacrifice the Pesach offering, in the evening, when the sun sets, at the time of year that you came out of Egypt. You are to roast it and eat it in the place YHVH your God will choose; in the morning you will return and go to your tents. For six days you are to eat matzah; on the seventh day there is to be a festive assembly for YHVH your God; do not do any kind of work. You are to count seven weeks; you are to begin counting seven weeks from the time you first put your sickle to the standing grain. You are to observe the festival of Shavu'ot [weeks] for YHVH your God with a voluntary offering, which you are to give in accordance with the degree to which YHVH your God has prospered you. You are to rejoice in the presence of YHVH your God.


It would appear that there is really nothing else to say about what YHVH has commanded. He told us to count the days (7 weeks plus the next day, which equals 50 days) until the harvest and then to have an appointed celebration, the Festival of Weeks or Pentecost (which means "50", as in "50 days").

So we count!


On a side note (but not really), as I was reading these verses and also reading the Torah portion for this week, I noticed something...

Did you notice verse 22 in Leviticus 23?
The verse about leaving part of your grain unharvested for the poor and the foreigner?

Well, interestingly enough, in this week's Torah portion (which is Leviticus 16:1-20:27), there is another reference to this command.


Leviticus 19:9-10 says "When you harvest the ripe crops produced in your land, don't harvest all the way to the corners of your field, and don't gather the ears of grain left by the harvesters. Likewise, don't gather the grapes left on the vine or fallen on the ground after harvest; leave them for the poor and the foreigner; I am YHVH your God."

Just as YHVH meets our every need and provides for us, we must also do for others. This thought is echoed by Yeshua in other places in the B'rit Hadashah (New Testament) reading for this week.

Also in this week's Torah portion, in Amos 9:7-15, YHVH uses the language of harvest, crop, and land to describe His future promises to His people Israel:

He promised that He would give the order and shake Israel among the Gentiles as one shakes a sieve, letting no grain fall to the ground.

Then He says "'When that day comes, I will raise up the fallen tent of David...sweet wine will drip from the mountains...I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel...they will plant vineyards and drink their wine, cultivate gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant them on their own soil, no more to be uprooted from their land, which I gave them,' says YHVH your God."
This is happening now and will continue to unfold into the future!!

You know, I think we miss so much when we become distant from the land, from the day-to-day seasonal growing and harvesting, sowing and reaping. We miss so much when we don't work the land and see and live this important life-giving relational truth in a practical day-to-day way!

So, today as I celebrate my weekly rest of Shabbat, and as I continue to count the seven weeks until Shavuot, I also celebrate YHVH's work of growth and harvest in His people!
I celebrate His planting of His people Israel eternally in their dwelling place with Him!
I celebrate that YHVH is the giver of manna, daily bread!
I celebrate His grafting of me into His olive tree, His people, His kingdom!
I celebrate my Redeemer Yeshua, the Bread of Life, the First Fruits from the dead!
I celebrate that I am a branch connected to the Vine of Yeshua!

I celebrate that my YHVH is a God of the land, the harvest, the fruit. I am so glad that He does not just use symbolic language but instead uses LIFE, the life He has given us, as a way to know Him and live with Him. So as I count every day and live every day, I want to know His Word, His ways, His Truth, His purposes.

In Yeshua, our Bread of Life,

Gina