IN DEPTH INFO ON FEAST DAYS / SABBATH (PASSOVER - FIRST FRUITS -PENTECOST) (TRUMPETS-YOM SABBATH
"The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations,these are My feasts.
'Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation.
You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.'"
(Leviticus 23: 2-3 NKJV)
In the Bible, God places the Sabbath Day at the head of the list, a Cornerstone of sorts…and so it is. Because all the other Biblical Feasts include “Sabbath†days, it’s important that we understand the Feasts in the lights of the Sabbath.KIPPUR-TABERNACLES)...
“…On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the Lord's Passover.â€
(Leviticus 23:5 NKJV)
When God delivered Israel from the bondage of slavery, he brought 10 plagues upon Egypt. The last plague was the death of the firstborn throughout the land. The only ones to survive this plague of death were those who followed God’s instruction and placed the blood of a spotless lamb upon the doorposts of their dwelling. For those covered by the blood, death “passed over†and they lived.
The message of Passover is pure and timeless – Past, Present, and Future – the Blood of the Lamb causes death to Passover!
Today Passover is a commemoration; a remembrance of this deliverance and of the message – Salvation is by the blood of the Lamb! Throughout the world millions celebrate Passover each year with a special meal called a “Sederâ€. “Seder†means “Orderâ€, and a Seder meal is an ordered recounting of the story of God’s deliverance – Past, Present, and Future – by the Blood of the Lamb.
STBM hosts a yearly Passover Seder meal highlighted with Drama, Dance, Music, and special guests. For a Passover celebration you will never forget, join Simchat Torah as we commemorate and rejoice in our heritage and future.
From Egypt to the present day, the Feast of Passover declares the Salvation of God for all His people – Salvation through the Blood of the sinless Lamb of God – Yeshua, Jesus Christ!
FIRST FRUITS
“When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest,
then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest.â€
(Leviticus 23:10 NKJV)
First Fruits always follows in the week of Passover, during the 7 days of Unleavened Bread. Beginning at the Passover meal (Seder), unleavened bread is eaten for 7 days. The unleavened bread (matzah) reminds us of the haste in which the Children of Israel were delivered from Egypt.
But the unleavened bread has a far deeper significance as well. Leaven, in the Bible, is symbolic of sin, so to be “unleavened†means to be “sin-lessâ€. Now matzah is pierced and striped during the baking process, so for the 7 days of Passover we eat unleavened bread, symbolizing the sinless, though pierced and striped, “true bread which came down from heaven†(John 6:32).
First Fruits, like Passover is tied to the harvest season. The newly ripened grain was cut from the stalk and the sheaf was presented as an offering to the Lord each year following Passover. In many years there were 3 days and 3 nights between the sacrifice of Passover and the raising up of the first fruits of the harvest. In the year that Yeshua was sacrificed as our Passover Lamb, there were exactly 3 days and 3 nights from His death until His raising from the dead on First Fruits.
“But now Christ is risen from the dead,
and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleepâ€
(1 Corinthians 15:20 NKJV)
SHAVUOT (PENTECOST)
“Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath;
then you shall offer a new grain offering to the Lord.â€
(Leviticus 23:16 NKJV)
“Shavuot†is a Hebrew word meaning “Weeks†and refers to the 7 complete weeks between First Fruits and the Sabbath of Shavuot. Now Shavuot may not be a familiar word to some, but Pentecost is certainly a well-known day. “Pentecost†is the Greek word for “Fiftyâ€, and refers to the same 50 days (7 weeks + 1 day) between First Fruits and Pentecost, or Shavuot.
After being delivered from Egypt on Passover, the Children of Israel began the journey towards the Promised Land. When they came to Mt. Sinai the Lord told them to prepare for a miraculous occurrence on the 50th day. On the day of Shavuot, exactly 50 days after being delivered from Egypt, God appeared on the top of Mt. Sinai, pouring out His Spirit and power, giving the Torah to Moses. More than just Ten Commandments, the Torah is God’s teaching, instruction, and direction given to those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
In the year that Jesus was sacrificed as the Passover Lamb, His disciples also counted the days until Shavuot. Exactly 50 days after His Resurrection on First Fruits, they were gathered together in the Upper Room when something miraculous occurred:
“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire,
and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and
began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.â€
(Acts 2: 1-4 NKJV)
50 days after the deliverance from Egypt the Holy Spirit was poured out on Mt. Sinai in the giving of the Torah…
50 days after the deliverance of Yeshua, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples in the Upper Room in Acts 2…
50 days after First Fruits, the anticipation of Shavuot takes place around the world as we await the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit, to prepare the way for His return, to empower His disciples in the work of the Kingdom, to make ready the Bride for her Bridegroom!
YOM TERUAH (FEAST OF TRUMPETS)
“In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a Sabbath-rest,
a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocationâ€
(Leviticus 23:24 NKJV)
“Rosh Hashanah†means “Head of the Year†and it begins the civil New Year. The Biblical name for this Feast is “Yom Teruah†– “Day of Trumpetsâ€. With the sounding of trumpets and shofars (ram’s horns) the New Year is ushered in and the prophetic fervor of expectation is renewed. From Genesis to Revelation, the trumpet sounds! The Lord’s Voice like a trumpet forms and breathes life into all of creation. His Voice sounds the deliverance from Egypt, and thunders forth His teaching from Mt. Sinai. The trumpet gathers His people for worship, for journeys, and for battle. The trumpet announces the coming of the Bridegroom for the bride, and the trumpet sounds the coronation of the King as He ascends His throne to rule. The Voice of the Lord resounds through the prophets, proclaiming the “Good News†of the blood of the Lamb, the power of His Spirit, and the promise of His Presence. The 7 Trumpets of Revelation again sound His deliverance, His Kingdom, and His reign, as the King of kings, and Lord of lords, establishes His throne upon the earth.
Each year as Yom Teruah arrives with the sounding of trumpets, we remember the Voice and promise of our King, the Creator, and the perfector of creation. As Paul reveals in his letter to the Corinthians, even the moment of the Lord’s return is signaled by the familiar sound of His Voice like a trumpet (Rev.1:10), heard from Genesis to Revelation, and on Yom Teruah – the Day of Trumpets!
“…in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,
and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.â€
(1 Corinthians 15:52 NKJV)
YOM KIPPUR
“Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement.
It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls,
and offer an offering made by fire to the Lordâ€
(Leviticus 23:27 NKJV)
“Yom Kippurâ€, literally the “Day of Atonementâ€, is considered the highest Holy day of the Biblical year. This was the one day each year when the High Priest would enter the most sanctified place in the Tabernacle – the Holy of Holies. All the sins of God’s people were carried by the High Priest before the Ark of the Covenant, called the “Mercy Seat of Godâ€. Once inside he would atone for sin by placing blood upon the Ark of the Covenant, and calling out in the Name of the Most High God! The High Priest made atonement by confession, by blood, and in the Name of the Lord. This is Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement for sin, by the High Priest.
Today in Synagogues around the world, Yom Kippur is commemorated as a solemn day of fasting and prayer, repentance and forgiveness, and atonement by blood. Attendees dress in white signifying the cleansing and forgiveness of the Lord. Through confession and prayer, the blood atonement of the High Priest is commemorated, the Name of the Lord is exalted, and the forgiveness of sin is experienced before the “Mercy Seat†of the Lord. This is Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement for sin, by the blood of the Lamb.
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books…And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fireâ€
(Revelation 20: 11-15 NKJV)
In Revelation 20, the Lord is seated upon His throne, the books are opened, and the living and the dead are judged. Those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life are declared innocent, holy, and righteous in Him. This is Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement for sin, the great Day of the Lord; Forgiveness, Grace, and Mercy, Salvation and Redemption – Past, Present, and Future – by confession, by His blood, and in the Name above all Names – Yeshua, Jesus Christ.
Each year people travel from around the world to join with us for this awesome day of Prayer, Repentance, and Rejoicing. Please be part of Yom Kippur with Simchat Torah Beit Midrash!
SUKKOT (BOOTHS) - FEAST OF TABERNACLES
“The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the Lord. On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it.â€
(Leviticus 23:34 NKJV)
“Sukkot†means “Boothsâ€, and refers to the booths or sukkahs that the Children of Israel dwelled in during the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. Sukkot is known as the Feast of Tabernacles because it refers to these temporary dwelling places in the wilderness, surrounding the Tabernacle of the Lord in the midst of His people. As God instructed us in Leviticus, today people all over the world dwell in booths for seven days during the Feast of Sukkot. It’s a significant experience commemorating the journey from slavery in Egypt, to freedom and the Promised Land. It’s a time of reflection upon the not so distant journey from the slavery of sin, to freedom in the Messiah. A journey of protection and empowerment by the dwelling, or tabernacling Presence of the Lord; and a journey that reminds us, we hold this Eternal Treasure – Yeshua, Jesus Christ – in earthen vessels; temporary dwellings of flesh and bone.
Sukkot is a week of great celebration because Sukkot reminds us that God not only dwells among us, but within us! The Prophet Isaiah calls Him “Immanuel†– a Name which means “God With Us to Save†(Isaiah 7). Sukkot reminds us that the Lord is with us; that He is returning to tabernacle among us for 1000 years, and that He is establishing His Kingdom on the earth, as it is in heaven. “… and of His kingdom there will be no end." (Luke 1:33)
