The Reason Why

Let us take a look at what Yahweh's Instructions tell us about His Set Apart times. In previous studies I've gone over the descriptions given for each 'feast day' and many have seen how they are 'types and shadows' reflected in the life and times of Y'shua and the end times scenario yet to come. Now lets focus on why we are to observe them. 

Each 'feast day' covered in this posting is linked to a previous in-depth study for your further research, so you will see that I am not 'adding to or taking from' His word. This particular study will single out its reason and how we should observe each set time in today's world. I believe we are at that point where we worship YHWH in spirit and in truth.

Note that I have combined Passover with Unleavened Bread because the passover offering was made the evening before the first day of Unleavened Bread. I know it was common for the entire 8 days to be called The Passover but as you see, only the last few hours of daylight of the 14th day are set apart for the passover. Yahweh's days are counted from sunset to sunset, so the passover offering kicks off the days of unleavened bread. First Fruits, Feast of Weeks or Feast of the Harvest cover the time line up to Shavuot.

Passover/Unleavened Bread

The passover offering was made to YHWH as protection from death, it was the blood of the lamb painted on the doorposts and lintel that was a sign to Yahweh to pass over that dwelling and not kill any first born that may be inside. This was the final plague He brought against Pharaoh convincing him to let His people go. They leave on the 15th day of the first month which is the first day of Unleavened Bread, to be observed for all time. And when ask why and what does it mean, the answer is:

It is the passover sacrifice to YHWH Elohim because He passed over the houses of the (descendants of Jacob and the mixed multitude) in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians. 

His people are instructed to do this so they remember the day of their departure from the land of Egypt for as long as they live. The blood of the lamb was a sign to YHWH and saved them from death - they were set free from being slaves to Pharaoh. In modern times our acceptance of the shed blood of His Son is also a sign to YHWH, and sets us free from our old sin-nature, saving us from death eternal. We will be passed over on the day of His Wrath.  The Blood of the Lamb was shed for our sake. Yahshua is the Spiritual Bread from heaven, without blemish, without sin, without leaven.

Feast of Weeks/Shavuot

"Feast of Weeks" is the time of counting the days (49 days = 7 weeks) from the barley harvest. Day 50 is Shavuot. The barley harvest is not date specific because it can ripen and be ready for harvest on different days, year after year, depending on the weather. Day 50 was when the new grain offering was made. The new grain at this time was of the wheat harvest. All in all, this time period was for folks to offer the best of the best from their harvest to the priest to offer up before Yahweh. We should remember to always be thankful for His abundance in our lives and not hesitate to give the best of what we have to those in need. We should not try to put a date on something which He did not.

Trumpets

(this link covers more than just the Day of Trumpets)

This day is for making a joyful noise, something pleasing to our Creator letting him know that we are here and not to forget us, as we praise Him as our Elohim and rejoice in all His Ways. It is the first day of the seventh month according to Yah's Calendar.

Atonement

(once you click on this link you'll need to scroll down a bit to reach the Day of Atonement study)

The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement, a day to practice self denial, the day on which expiation is made on our behalf before Yahweh. It is a day we resist from tending to our usual daily 'things' and realize the importance of Yahshua who laid down his life for our sake. We should be silent this day as he goes before Yahweh on our behalf.

Sukkot

(after you click on this link, scroll down to the part about Sukkot)

This is the time of the in-gathering of Yah's people, which begins on the 15th day of this seventh month. It is a time when Set Apart believers will be gathered together and inherit the promised land.  

The cycle for the year is complete.

In observing our Creator's set times we are being trained up in order to enter His Kingdom on earth at the return of Y'shua. His set times remind us of being set free from slavery to our old sinful ways by way of His Son; to offer up the best of the best to our Creator giving thanks for His abundance in our lives. We give our offerings to the poor and needy, the hungry and thirsty and we care for widows and orphans in our communities.  We are being made ready to receive His Spirit as we continue on His path of righteous living. The sounding of the trumpets bring our attention to the beginning of the seventh month and on the tenth day we give our full attention to our Father in Heaven where Y'shua offers atonement for our sins. In all this we are made ready to be gathered together with other Set Apart believers to receive our inheritance, the land of Canaan with Yahshua as our king and high priest.

Remember that we are not to substitute what we think is right and proper. Since the temple or priesthood no longer exist, we adapt accordingly and do not travel to Jerusalem three times a year or stay home and pretend we honor Yahweh with our traditions. All added tradition only confuses the issue and takes away from Yah's intentions. 

1. Remember how He set His people free from bondage and has done the same for us 
2. Remove leaven/temptations from our homes and lifestyle so we don't fall back into our old sin nature
3. Give freely of what we have to our brothers in need thanking YHWH for His abundance in our own lives 
4. Become ready to receive His Set Apart Spirit, the Comforter who is the Spirit of Truth 
5. Obey Yahweh and speak the testimony of His Son, do not be silent about the Good News of the Kingdom to Come 
6. Be humble - it is in the hands of Yahshua to go before Yahweh on our behalf and offer atonement for our sin 
7. Look forward to the day of Messiah's return when we shall be gathered together and set down on our land as promised.

Search Scriptures and you will find that we are not instructed to observe or celebrate the birth, death or resurrection of our heavenly Father's Son, Yahshua the Anointed One. It is not a commanded holiday, feast day or set apart time found anywhere in Scriptures. Yet millions of people take part in various man-made rituals associated with Christmas and Easter while ignoring the Creator's Instructions, not knowing they are only mimicking pagan practices dressed up as Christianity. Ash Wed., Lent, Holy Week, Good Friday nor any Sunrise Service activity is found to be endorsed by YHWH; in fact we are warned against adopting the practices of pagans. Once you come out of Churchianity don't let yourself be led down the path of Judaism either. Jewish Traditions are just as big of a distraction from the truth as all other man-made religions. Let me point out that it is out of love and compassion that I share this truth, and encourage you to read Scriptures to learn this for yourself; study to show yourself approved. There are No Dead Ends on His Path - Once we discover a truth lets not stop there and set up camp in a perceived comfort zone. Falsehoods continue to fall away like the scales fell off Paul's eyes - it took me a few years of casual study before I began see more clearly, but imagine what it would be like to have His Light go on all at once!

The Fall Appointments

These are the set times of Yahweh to be celebrated as sacred occasions:

Leviticus 23:23-44

• On the first day of the 7th month sound the shofar;
• The 10th day of this month is The Day of Atonement; 
• On the 15th day of this 7th month begin the Feast of Booths
• Followed by the 8th Day, a solemn gathering

It has been noted that Yah's Set Apart times are also types and shadows of things to come, that those which occur during the spring have been fulfilled by the death and resurrection of Yahshua, and that the ones which occur in the fall (the 7th month) are yet to be fulfilled. These could be related to events recorded in Revelation:

The 7th Seal, which has yet to be opened...

The 7 Shofars, which have yet to sound....

The Gathering of Yah's Chosen People...

Yahshua as our king and High Priest

After 1,000 years Yah restores all things

Leviticus 23:23

Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, "Speak to the Israelite people thus: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe complete rest, a sacred occasion commemorated with loud blasts. You shall not work at your occupations and you shall bring an offering by fire to YHWH Elohim.

23:27

The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be a sacred occasion for you: you shall practice self denial, and you shall bring an offering by fire to YHWH Elohim; you shall do no work throughout that day. It is a Day of Atonement on which expiation is made on your behalf before Yahweh your Elohim. Whoever does not practice self denial throughout that day will be cut off from his kin, and whoever does any work throughout that day, I will cause that person to perish from among his people. Do no work whatever; it is a law for all time, throughout the ages, in all your settlements. It shall be a sabbath of complete rest for you and you shall practice self denial; on the ninth day of the month from evening to evening, you shall observe this sabbath.

And again in Numbers 29 with more details:

In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a sacred occasion: you shall not work at your occupations. You shall observe it as a day when the horn is sounded (a day of festivity). You shall present a burnt offering of pleasing odor to YHWH: one bull of the herd, one ram, and seven yearling lambs, without blemish. The meal offering with them - choice flour with oil mixed in - shall be 3/10 of a measure for a bull, 2/10 for a ram and 1/10 for each of the seven lambs. And there shall be one goat for a sin offering, to make expiation in your behalf in addition to the burnt offering of the new moon with its meal offering and the regular burnt offer with its meal offer each with its libation as prescribed, offerings by fire of pleasing odor to YHWH.

29:7

On the tenth day of the same seventh month you shall observe a scared occasion with you shall practice self denial. You shall do no work. You shall present to YHWH a burnt offering of pleasing odor: one bull of the herd, one ram, seven yearling lambs, without blemish. The meal offering with them - of choice flour with oil mixed in - shall be 3/10 of a measure for a bull, 2/10 for the ram, 1/10 for each of the seven lambs. And there shall be one goat for a sin offering of expiation and the regular burnt offering with its meal offering each with its libation.

New moons, regular offerings, blasts of the shofars, atonement, 7th month, days of the month... how do we apply these rules to our modern days? How do we know God's Calendar of Months? If the temple nor the the priesthood exist, how are we to make offerings? Did Y'shua fulfill all offerings? How do we observe these times without causing YHWH to become upset with us?

We can keep these days as sacred occasions and not work at our occupations. We can shout out to YHWH on the first day and practice self denial on the tenth day. We can live as examples of what it means to be Set Apart and study out the Word of Elohim to be familiar with these appointments He put in place for us. We should not substitute other behavior or traditions and think we are pleasing Him. 

A 'sacred occasion' is akin to a dignified ceremony; solemn; earnest. 'Self-denial' is akin to setting aside our own interests; restraining our own desires; being in control of our impulses as we refrain from indulging ourselves (turn off the TV, radio, computer, phones, etc...)

On the first day of the 7th month of Yah's Calendar we observe the Feast of Trumpets as a sabbath's day rest and do no work on this day. Shout praises unto Elohim, let Yahweh know you're here! Then on the 10th day of this 7th month, set it aside as a dignified ceremony wherein not only do we treat it as a sabbath of rest and do no work but also deny ourselves our usual activities. Go without eating regular meals this day, be in prayer about your life and where you stand in the Word and know Y'shua the Son of Elohim is making Atonement in our behalf. Let us be worthy of this friendship with the one who laid down his life that we could gain life eternal.

Sukkot = The Ingathering of Yah's People

This is one of the set times where the males traveled to Jerusalem, after the end of season harvest, to make the appropriate offerings at the temple, and they lived in huts or tents while there. Only during every 7th year did the entire household attend this Feast of Booths. We can treat the first day as a sabbath day of complete rest and do the same for the 8th day. If we want to 'camp out' in our own backyards, I don't see why not as long as we remember we do this so that we teach future generations that YHWH made His people live in booths when He brought them out of Egypt.

There are many groups who like to advertise a gathering place for folks to celebrate Sukkot, which seems like a good thing, when in reality Yah chose Jerusalem, the last place He attached His Name was there, so how can we think we are honoring him if we do it our own way, where ever we choose?  We should know enough by now not to make it up as we go along.

!!! HOLD EVERYTHING !!!

Here is one of the unforeseen benefits of studying topics such as this. I had recently read a post from folks already celebrating the First Day of the 7th Month, which I thought was aligned in October, not September, but I never followed that trail at the time. Right now while looking for a calendar to share I found out where that discrepancy came from... turns out to be a rabbinic error in adding a leap month when it was not necessary.  Here is a quote from The Refiner's Fire:

For 2016 our calendar and the traditional Jewish calendar are FAR off! The reason is, the traditional calendar applies a fixed cycle of leap years, so for 2016, the traditional calendar is a leap year when it should not be! It has Nisan a whole month late! Our calendar has Nisan falling at the correct date so Pesach (passover) falls just after the Vernal Equinox, i.e., Spring. Thus our calendar for 2016 differs from the rabbinic 2016 calendar for all dates after February 9th!

So let it be known - how can we please our Creator if we don't even know what day it is? and whose fault is that? and how do we remedy this?  I see another study on the horizon! Stay tuned! 

And I also see why YHWH Elohim said this:

Isaiah 7:11 What need have I of all your sacrifices... I have no delight that you come to appear before Me - trample My courts no more. Bringing your offerings is futile, incense is offensive to Me. New moon and sabbath you proclaim solemnities and assemble with wickedness I cannot tolerate. Your new moons (months) and your fixed seasons (man's traditions and substitutes for Yah's moedim) fill Me with loathing - they have become a burden to Me, no longer a joy. When you lift up your hands in false praise and worship I will turn My Eyes away from you.

The Days of Unleavened Bread

YHWH's Set Apart times for us are not the usual man-made holidays spawned from traditions that you find printed on most modern day calendars, nor are they simply Jewish holidays. He put them in place as one set of rules for all people - His fixed times for all generations, throughout the ages. He set the pattern for us way back then, just as He showed the pattern of the Tabernacle to Moses and instructed him to build it just as he had been shown, we, too, have been shown the pattern of becoming His Set Apart people. 

~ Pesach is the Hebrew word translated "Passover"
~ Chag HaMatzah is Hebrew translated "Feast of Unleavened Bread" 

From my studies of Scripture I have learned Passover is not a set apart time by itself; the 'pass over offering' was made during the evening of the 14th day and immediately gives way to the seven days of Unleavened Bread. Also, the entire time (14th through the 21st) traditionally is referred to as Pesach, which I think is misleading in general as  anything kept 'traditionally' is always a red flag in my mind.

A lot happened before Pharaoh finally let Yah's people go. We'll fast forward to Exodus 12 when YHWH tells Moses and Aaron that this month will be the beginning of the months, it is the first month of the year. The people, Hebrews and a mixed multitude that accepted YHWH as their Elohim, were instructed to take a lamb per household on the 10th day of this month and keep it until the 14th day of this month, to be slaughtered at twilight.

They were further instructed to take some of the blood of the lamb and, using a bunch of hyssop, put it on the doorposts and lintel of the houses in which they were going to eat the roasted lamb, not leaving anything left over until morning. They were to be fully dressed and ready to travel, and they were to eat it hurriedly: It is a passover offering to YHWH.

Exodus 12:12- For that night I will go through the land of Egypt and strike down every first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and I will mete out punishments to all the (false) gods of Egypt... And the blood on the houses where you are staying shall be a Sign for you: when I see the blood I will pass over you, so that no plague will destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

This day is one we shall remember and celebrate throughout the ages, for all time. 

Exodus 12:15- Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread- on the very 1st day (of the 7, on the 15th) you shall remove leaven from your houses. The first day and the seventh day are sacred occasions and no work is to be done, only whatever is to be eaten may be prepared.

Exodus 12:17- you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread for on this very day (the 15th of the 1st month) I brought you out of Egypt, to be observed throughout the ages as an institution for all time.

Exodus 12:18- In the first month from the 14th day at evening you shall eat unleavened bread until the 21st day of the month at evening. No leaven is to be found in your houses- whether one is a stranger or a citizen of the country- you shall eat nothing leavened.

Exodus 12:24- You shall observe this as an institution for all time, for you and for your descendants. :25 And when you enter the land that I will give you, as I promised, you shall observe this rite... And when your children ask why and what does it mean, you shall say, 'It is the passover sacrifice to YHWH Elohim because He passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but saved our houses.'

Please note that He tells us to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread from the 14th until the 21st. Those seven days of yeast free breads begin with the pass over offering. The act of Faith, painting the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and lintel, was a Sign between Yah and those Set Apart believers.

Exodus 13:49- There shall be one law for the citizen and for the stranger who dwells among you.

Leviticus 23:4- These are the set times of YHWH, the sacred occasions, which you shall celebrate each at its appointed time: In the first month, on the 14th day of the month, at twilight, there shall be a passover offering to YHWH and on the 15th day of that month YHWH's Feast of Unleavened Bread- for seven days.

If we are not in the Promised Land now, are we to be observing this rite? If the priesthood does not exist, should we offer up a lamb at this time? We are to 'remember' why YHWH makes this a set apart time, and observe it as a sacred occasion, but can we take matters into our own hands by making a celebration out of it according to our own imagination? 

A year after He set them free from Pharoah, they did make the passover offering and observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This was after the Tabernacle was set up and YHWH was in their midst. He had moved from the mountain to the tent where He attached His Name. When Solomon built the temple, that is the last place we know of where Yahweh attached His Name. There is only one House of Elohim. Also, for us, the Lamb has already been sacrificed which set us free from bondage to sin. There is no longer a sin offering necessary, no passover offering is required yet we keep the the appropriate days as Shabbats, remove leaven from our lives for those seven days and remember why:

Deuteronomy 6:21- We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt and YHWH freed us from Egypt with a mighty hand. YHWH wrought before our eyes marvelous and destructive signs and portents in Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his household, and He freed us from there, that He might take us and give us the land that He had promised to our fathers. Then YHWH Elohim commanded us to observe all these laws, to revere Him as our Elohim for our lasting good and for our survival as is now the case. It will be therefore to our merit before YHWH our Elohim to observe faithfully this whole Instruction as He has commanded us.

As they were were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, we are slaves to today's world system, and by the blood of the lamb, Y'shua, we have freedom from the old pagan ways, freedom from our old sin nature and made ready to receive the promise of eternal life. The shed blood of Y'shua we accept as our covering, as a Sign to the Almighty to save us from death, that we may rest in His Kingdom for eternity.

Deuteronomy 16 gives us a little more detail for this set time. It reads that a passover offering is made to YHWH and slaughtered in the place Elohim will choose to establish His Name. For 7 days no leaven shall be found among you. You cannot slaughter the sacrifice wherever you choose but at the place YHWH chooses to establish His Name. In the morning you may start back home; on the 7th day of Unleavened Bread hold a solemn gathering, do no work.

In today's world, we are not able to bring a passover offering to YHWH which would normally be handled by the priesthood at the temple, but we must also remember that His Son was our one time sacrifice. He is our Lamb whose blood was shed for our sake. 

Hebrews 10:11
For every high priest who stood and ministered daily, offered again and again the same sacrifices which never were sufficient to purge away sins. But this Priest (Yahshua the Anointed One) offered one sacrifice for sins, and forever sat down at the right hand of Elohim (where he waits for his kingdom to come). For by one offering he has perfected forever, them who are sanctified by him. After which the Ruach haKodesh testifies by saying, This is the covenant I will give them after those days; says Master Yahweh... I will put my Torah/Instructions into their minds and inscribe it on their hearts and their iniquity and sins I will not remember against them.

Now, where there is a forgiveness of sins 

there is no offering for sin demanded.

There is no need to make a passover offering because Y'shua has fulfilled that requirement. We can, however, be free of leaven those seven days and hold a solemn assembly on the 1st and 7th days and do no work on those days. We do this because we remember how YHWH set our ancestors free from slavery, in bondage to Pharaoh in Egypt - this same pattern was revealed in Y'shua, who sets us free from eternal death, by willingly laying down his own life that we would gain life eternal.

If we 'remember' as Elohim says to, then we can understand how this applies to us today. The blood of the lamb was/is a sign to YHWH to pass over those who chose/choose to obey, follow, observe His Instructions. If you don't have the testimony of Y'shua, the blood of the lamb (a Sign) on your doorposts and lintels (heart and mind), then you cannot be saved, passed over, from destruction. This would mean, to be saved (from eternal death) is to obey YHWH's instructions, by Faith, and in obeying His Instructions you accept that Y'shua gave his life, his blood was shed that we may have life eternal.     

Take notice in regards to what has been added to the simple Word of Elohim as a quote from the Jewish Virtual Library:

On the first night of Passover (first two nights outside of Israel), Jews are commanded to have a special family meal filled with ritual to remind us of the significance of the holiday. This meal is called the Seder, which is a Hebrew root word meaning “order.”  The Seder, however, is no ordinary holiday meal - there is a specific set of tasks that must be completed and information that must be covered in a specific order. To correctly follow the process, the text of the Passover seder is written in a book called the Haggadah. The content of the seder is summed up in fourteen parts... end quote.

Now you tell me, after reading Scriptures and knowing what Yah's instructions are, has His Word been added to? This invented celebration is pure hog-wash in comparison to Scriptures.

The Definition of Haggadah: 

• The Passover Haggadah is a set form of benedictions, prayers, midrashic comments and psalms recited at the seder ritual on the eve of Passover. (this is Not a Commandment of YHWH our Elohim...)

It's no wonder Isaiah shares these Words of YHWH in 1:10 as he relates how it was in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah: 

"Hear the word of YHWH the instructions of Elohim! What need have I of all your sacrifices? I am sated with burnt offerings of rams, and suet of fatlings, and blood of bulls, and I have No Delight in lambs and goats that you come to appear before Me... trample My courts no more! Bringing oblations is futile, incense is offensive to Me. New moon and sabbath, proclaiming of solemnities, assemblies with wickedness, I cannot abide. Your new moons and fixed seasons fill Me with loathing, they are become a burden to Me, I cannot endure them..."

This is exactly why we are not to worship Elohim in our own way, or try to approach Him as we see fit. If we follow tradition we are not following YHWH or Y'shua haMashiyach.  Remember, Y'shua also warns of the end times, that it will be like it was in the days of Noah, like the days of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Remember, it is about Yahweh's perfect timing, not religious ideals, traditions. our own creative imagination or customs.

In this day and age 
let us obey 
and follow His Instructions best we can.

Set apart the 1st and 7th day as Sabbaths
to do no work,

And remember why this time 
is appointed by our Creator.

Read Scriptures
Remember and see the pattern

The pattern which reveals the days to come.

Remove the leaven from your life

Let no temptations be found in your home