Traditions added to the Instructions of YHWH

Definition of "tradition" from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary

1. An inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior
2. A belief or story or a body of beliefs or stories relating to the past that are commonly accepted as historical though not verifiable
3. The handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction
4. Cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions
5. Characteristic manner, method, or style

What we shall discover is that the established thoughts and behavior of the elders were handed down to the Pharisees as in Definition #3 and eventually became the religion we know of today as Judaism: a cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs and institutions (as are most religions). As we uncover the Hebrew origins of our faith, there are traditions we should not add to our spiritual awakening thinking we are pleasing Elohim.

Mark 7:5 The scribes and the Pharisees ask Y'shua, "Why don't your disciples walk according to the traditions of the elders? His short answer is: "You hypocrites... You have left the Commandment of Elohim and have embraced the tradition of men.  And you despise the Word of Elohim because of the tradition that you have handed down..."

Matthew 15:3 records the same... the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem ask Y'shua why his disciples transgress against the traditions of the elders. He asks them, "Why do you transgress the Commandments of Elohim because of your traditions?"

Written Torah was pitted against the oral traditions of the Pharisees who were nullifying the Word of YHWH by their traditions - he would not instruct his followers to do likewise.

YHWH did say this, through Isaiah. It is what had happened back then and has continued to happen throughout time, including today's world:

Beginning with Isaiah 1:11, Yah said: What need have I of all your sacrifices... I am sated with burnt offerings of rams, suet of fatlings, blood of bulls; and I have no delight in lambs and he-goats. Who asked that of you, that you would appear before me? Trample my courts no more; bringing oblations is futile, incense is offensive to Me. New moon and sabbath you proclaim solemnities in 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. And when you lift up your hands, I will turn My eyes away from you; though you pray at length, I will not listen. You hands are stained with crimes. -- Wash yourselves clean; put your evil doings away from My sight. Cease to do evil; learn to do good. Devote yourselves to justice; aid the wrongly accused. Uphold the rights of the orphan; defend the cause of the widow. Let us reach an understanding, says YHWH Elohim.

YHWH also lets us know, eventually:

Isaiah 66:23 And new moon after new moon, and sabbath after sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship Me.

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Traditions have been handed down and Satan has made it easy for us to overlook them in our excitement to obey our Creator. So I ask, are we doing something because we think it's right or because we know it's right? Are we pleasing ourselves or are we pleasing YHWH by obeying His Command? His Instructions in Righteous Living are not traditions. If we're not careful to see the difference between His original commands and what man has added, we will inadvertently begin to 'worship' the created thing instead of the Creator. If we do things our own way we are doubting the Word of Elohim and have fallen into the same trap set by Satan in the Garden. 

Romans 1:25 - They exchanged the truth of Elohim for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise...

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Following is part of the discussion that prompted the need for a better understanding of 'tradition' according to Scriptures. The original post was about YHWH no longer being happy with people who were not keeping His Set Apart times according to His Instructions. The hot spot became the keeping the 7th day sabbath. The discussion went the way of many a FB discussion: rapid fire posting and loss of context. The names have been changed and my comments begin with 'Corn'. My added after-the-fact notations are in italics. Spen's comment was in response to the original post referencing what Yah said in Isaiah 1:11.

Spen: But He was talking to the people who were keeping the biblical feast days and they were keeping all the biblical laws. They weren't keeping pagan holidays. They were keeping Passover, Shavuot, and Tabernacles. They were slaughtering animals. 

This is correct. They had been keeping His 'feast days' according to Torah, but as time went by, they started changing how they were doing things, falling short of Yah's Instructions.

Note: Spen now offers a quote from Isaiah 1: 11 overlooking that I had entered that same quote as my first response. These verses I have provided above.

Gard: "Your" not His.  ie. I hate "your" feast days, "your" new moon....  It makes it clear to me that He is talking to people that are not keeping "His" ways.

Note: He is talking to His people who have changed the way they keep His set times.

Corn: Yah specifies 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. ~ Those same people began to mix pagan traditions with His Instructions. The same happened with the church system when Constantine incorporated pagan traditions into Christianity. This really helps me to understand His building anger and the Day of Wrath to come. Now consider how many in this day and age who claim to be coming back to Torah, have taken His plain instructions for His set apart times and changed them to fit their idea of how they should be done. For example: today's months are according to the Gregorian calendar, not His way of keeping track by new moon reckoning. If we aren't starting the month on the right day then how can we keep the 7th day count set apart? Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot were to be kept in Jerusalem which was the last place He chose to attach His Name, so we shouldn't be trying to keep them anywhere we choose, turning His Set Apart times into our Fixed Seasons.

Corn: Over time, for example, Judaism has taken the simple instruction of keeping the seventh day set apart and turned it into 24 chapters. This is included in the Mishnah where Oral Law was finally being recorded. Oral Law is what Y'shua referred to when speaking against what the Pharisees promoted.

Quoted from the Jewish Virtual Library:

The Oral Law is a legal commentary on the Torah, explaining how its commandments are to be carried out.

Question: who can keep Sabbath according to His heart and not our own.

Corn: It can be done, but first we must remember the Sabbath day and keep it set apart. He must have known we were going to get so far off track that He had to tell us to 'remember''. We begin to 'remember' by reading Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, the first 5 books of Scripture also known as Torah, Yah's Instructions for His creation.

Point brought up: oh, they didn't do it right then, but we're doing it right now?

Corn: As with most of His Instructions, adaptations need be done in these modern times. His Instructions have not changed, but the times we are living in are nothing like the good old days.  We do not substitute what we think is right. 

Gard: We can only obey to the best of our understanding. As we learn more it becomes easier.

Note: We do not stop learning or else we begin to stagnate on that part of His Path. By our patience we gain understanding as we continue to read His Word and grow in our faith.

Question: The Jews were so afraid of breaking the Sabbath they added extra laws. Didn't the Father know their heart?  I don't see how they did it wrong, now all the sudden we do it right.  I believe the Father was taking about something deeper.

Yahweh tests us to reveal what is in our heart. 

Deuteronomy 8: You shall faithfully observe all the Instruction that I enjoin upon you today, that you may thrive and increase and be able to posses the land that YHWH Elohim promised on oath to your fathers. Remember the long way that YHWH your Elohim has made you travel in the wilderness these past forty years, that He might test you by hardships to learn what was in your hearts: whether you would keep His commandments or not....Romans 2:5 - But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when Yah's righteous judgment will be revealed.

Corn: They weren't afraid. The 24 chapters I mentioned from the Mishnah are basically what the rabbis think should be done and how it should be done, adding their own ideas to Yah's instructions. They don't think we are smart enough to figure it out for ourselves. The religious leaders wanted to keep their power over the common folk which is one of the reasons Y'shua said to beware the leaven of the Pharisees (a little leaven affects the whole batch). It is about right or wrong - Many are Not doing it 'right' these days, adding the same traditions the Pharisees included. Many have mixed those traditions in with His Instructions and it started long ago.

Note: It becomes apparent that we three do not agree on the definition of 'tradition' which became a stumbling block toward a unified understanding.

Mark 7:5 ~ The scribes and the Pharisees ask Y'shua, "Why don't your disciples walk according to the traditions of the elders? His short answer is: "You hypocrites... You have left the Commandment of Elohim and you have embraced the tradition of men. ... And you despise the Word of Elohim because of the tradition that you have handed down..." 

Matthew 15:3 records the same... the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem ask Y'shua why his disciples transgress against the traditions of the elders. He asks them, 
"Why do you transgress the Commandments of Elohim because of your traditions?"

Note: In those verses we learn Y'shua is pointing out The Traditions of the Pharisees go against the Instructions of YHWH.  These traditions are woven into the religion of Judaism. This is the key I missed in trying to explain myself.

Questions: Which oral laws were so bad as to be sin? Which traditions are we not allowed to do on Sabbath?

Note: This is when I realized I needed to excuse myself from this discussion and proceed with Scriptures to find the answers that explained the difference between keeping Yah's Way His way or doing things the way we think is right and pleasing.  I refer back to Isaiah 1:11. Nadab and Abihu are good examples as well as Jeroboam.

Corn: A tradition we should not partake of is lighting candles, for example. It is not a matter of His allowing us to, it's just not part of His instruction pertaining to the 7th day shabbat.

Gard: At least their traditions are recognizable when you read the Bible. For instance, Christmas seems to not be biblically based whatsoever. I see no harm in lighting candles. I also don't see it as necessary. Is it a harmful tradition? I think it is a good way to get everyone's focus around the table. Is it necessary to drink or harmful to drink a cup of coffee on the Sabbath? A tradition we follow.

Note: Drinking coffee on the sabbath is not a tradition, it is customarily done by many people by habit, any day of the week. Although, if you only drank coffee on the 7th day because it was the sabbath, then you have created a tradition which is not according to Yah's instructions.  The mention of a candle on the table to get everyone focused is similar to how a seance is performed. I am NOT saying that is what you intend, but I AM trying to make you see what is tradition. We should live as close to His Word as possible so our deeds are not misleading to others. Yahweh's Instructions in Righteous Living are not traditions. They are laws, rules, teachings and commandments He has provided for us. His is the perfect governing system for our health and well being, not a burden.

Corn: I should have said, Lighting of Shabbat candles is a Jewish tradition added to the Word of God which is not necessary as part of the 7th day rest, and not to be confused with what we eat or drink. Also, Christmas is a tradition and you're right, it is not biblically based. Most of us have given up celebrating it yet we still hold onto other traditions. 

Here is what our Creator said in regards to keeping the 7th day rest:

Genesis 2:2- By the seventh day YHWH completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then He blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which He had created. (He has set the pattern for us)
Exodus 35:2-For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Set Apart day, a sabbath of Complete Rest to Yahweh Elohim.... (this day is not for ourselves but to honor Him)
Leviticus 23:3- For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of Complete Rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any work; it is a sabbath to your Elohim, in all your dwellings.
Deuteronomy 5:12- Observe the sabbath day to keep it set apart as Yahweh your Elohim commanded you. (Keep the day of rest according to His Instructions)

As it is written in the Ten Commandments, we are told to remember:

Remember the sabbath day and keep it set apart. Six days you shall do all your work but the seventh day is a sabbath of Mine. You, your family, your hired hands or your work animals or the stranger who is visiting your town shall do no work. I made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them in six days and on the seventh I rested, therefore I blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart.

Corn: Do we want to follow His Commandments or not? Are we lighting candles for ambiance, or because we live off grid, or are we trying to copy Jewish tradition?  Are we cooking full fledged meals this day or do we have enough left overs from the 6th day? Are we causing others to work on this day, or using our farm animals to work, or did we get it all done in the prior six days so everyone could rest on this day, just as our Creator has told us to do.

Exodus 16:23- Then he said to them, "This is what Yahweh meant: Tomorrow is a sabbath observance, set apart to Him. Bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning." (get all your meals prepared the day before so you don't have to 'kindle a fire' on the sabbath to do any cooking) 35:2 For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Set Apart day, a sabbath of Complete Rest to Yahweh Elohim. You shall not kindle a fire in any of your dwellings on the sabbath day.

Note: Kindling a fire took a lot of time and was considered work back in the day. Many of us only need flip a switch or turn a knob to light the stove which is fine for reheating yesterday's leftovers. We prepare on the 6th day enough for two days.

Spen: Yahshua condemned the jews for lighting candles, or a fire? I don't understand. What is the definition of tradition. Maybe the traditions were something really awful and we haven't recognized it. What are the traditions that are so heinous in the eyes of the Father.

Everything has been written for our benefit so we would not make the same mistakes as they did. There is nothing new under the sun. Nothing is hidden that won't be revealed.  We have no excuse, only the choice: obey or don't obey our Creator.

Question - What is the harm of copying a tradition unless it is anti-biblical? It is an American tradition to salute the flag. Where does it forbid lighting candles.

Where does it tells us to light two candles on the sabbath? It doesn't. It is an added tradition. Anti-biblical? That means anti-Elohim, doesn't it? Do we want to go there?  Celebrating the 4th of July is tradition, celebrating Chanukkah is tradition, celebrating birthdays year after year is tradition. All of these are man made holidays, not required by our Maker to keep or observe. They are distractions from His Truth. Most of us have been brainwashed from birth with all this 'american' fanfare and thanks be to Elohim we are seeing the truth in all things.

Spen: I don't know. I don't think it is a sin. But we keep saying they kept the Sabbath wrong with their traditions, so what we're they?

Corn: Traditions of man that have been added to His Instructions is what I'm trying to point out.... (which is why I am doing this study)

Gard: Misunderstanding tradition - Okay, stay isolated from everyone! You just might copy one of their traditions? I am sorry but I am I am aggravated. Are you saying that if anything is a tradition it is wrong?

Never said nor intended that and never meant to aggravate anyone .... once again another reason I left the discussion to regroup with Scriptures.

Question - which ones where added? He said don't add or take away from the word, so clearly the scribes did.  So what was added? And what was taken away? I'm not saying any of those traditions are a sin. I'm asking is there some great sin we are missing?

Corn: OK.... I am seriously being misunderstood here so give me a moment to see if I can regroup and make sense. (I left the discussion last night and have been working on this study.)

Admission of how chaotic this discussion had become:

Gard: I am just not grasping this sorry. I do see that we need to question traditions or maybe I am think habits or culture? Are we to isolate on the Sabbath so that we don't fall into traditions? Are we just to read scripture, argue if the earth is flat and go home? A gathering without any kind of traditions would just suck!

Whew!

"A gathering without traditions would suck."

Best go back and read some of our Creator's advice about copying other peoples traditions and why He instructed them to tear down the altars, posts, idols and destroy other areas of pagan worship, removing them from the land He was giving them. There you will find that even then they disobeyed Him and kept some of the people, the animals, the traditions, etc... look where it has gotten us today: Folks still want to embrace 'tradition'. No wonder He has stored up His anger for that coming Day of Wrath.  I don't want to be part of His anger and hope my prayers are received as a pleasing aroma to Him. Let's all stay on the straight path that leads to the narrow gate.

Now let me present what is written about tradition in Scriptures so that we may understand why we need not incorporated Jewish Tradition into the clear Instructions given us by our Creator. Yahweh once asked how long we would spurn Him.  How many times does Yahshua have to point out that the traditions of the elders which have been passed on to the Pharisees is transgression against the Father's Instructions?

Matthew 15:3 Y'shua is speaking to the Pharisees:

Y'shua answered them and said, Why do you transgress against the Commandments of Elohim because of your traditions?

Mark 7:1
The Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem and gathered around Y'shua. They saw some of his disciples who were eating without washing their hands first. All Yehudeans and the Pharisees, if they do not carefully wash their hands they would not eat because they hold to the traditions of the elders. And there are many other traditions that they have been taught in washing of cups and pots and brass vessels and of beds. (Jewish traditional kosher laws which have been added to YHWH's instructions concerning dietary laws)

Colossians 2:8

Beware, or else any man make you naked by philosophy and by vain deception, according to the doctrines of men, according to the rudiments of the world and not according to Y'shua Messiah.

Matthew 15:6 ~ Y'shua is speaking to the Pharisees:

Thus you nullify the word of Elohim for the sake of your tradition.

Mark 7:6 ~ Y'shua was saying this to the Pharisees and scribes:
And he said to them: Isaiah the prophet did well prophesy about you hypocrites! As it is written, This people honor me with their lips. But their hearts are very distant from Me. And vainly they fear Me while they are teaching the doctrines of the commandments of men. For you have left the Commandment of Elohim and embraced the tradition of the sons of men: the washing of cups and pots and many others that are like these. You have rejected the Commandment of Elohim that you might establish your tradition. (Jewish Tradition still practiced to this day)

1 Peter 1:15 ~ But you be Set Apart in all your conduct, as he is Set Apart who called you. Because it is written: "Be you Kadosh even as I am Kadosh."  And you are thus, you call on the Father .... who judges everyone according to his deeds, since you know that neither with perishable silver nor with gold were you redeemed from your vain doings which you had by tradition handed down from your fathers.

Esther 9:20 - Mordecai recorded these events and sent dispatches to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus charging them to observe the 14th and 15th days of Adar every year... to observe them as days of feasting and merrymaking and sending gifts to one another and giving presents to the poor. The Jews made a tradition out of what they had begun to do which Mordecai prescribed for them. 

Esther 9:27 - ... the Jews undertook and irrevocably obligated themselves and their descendants, and all who might join them, to observe these two days in the manner prescribed at the proper time each year.* 

*This Jewish Tradition is known as Purim. It is not one of Yah's moedim as it was instigated by Mordecai and supported by Esther who made the people obligated to them, just as they had assumed for themselves the obligation of the fasts with their lamentations (fast days in commemoration of national calamities).

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What are the traditions of the elders passed down to the Pharisees that found there way into the religion of Judaism and copied by the Messianic Hebrew Roots people?  Many of them were picked up during the Babylonian exile and brought back to Jerusalem after those seventy years.  The names of the months and names of the days, for example, were learned in Babylon.  Our Creator did not name them, but had numbered them.  If you really want the answer about 'traditions of men' and will use Scriptures as your foundation, then take a look at the Jewish Virtual Library and do a key word search.  Most every doctrine of Judaism has been heavily tainted with traditions handed down by the elders to the Pharisees to the rabbis. They do not simply rely on the written Word found in Torah, but have added the Mishnah, Talmud and Kabbalah. Rabbis believed without an oral tradition, some of the Torah's laws would be incomprehensible. This simply is not true.  Mysticism is an integral part of Chasidic Judaism, for example, and passages from kabbalistic sources are routinely included in traditional prayer books. The mystical school of thought came to be known as Kabbalah, meaning "to receive, to accept." The word is usually translated as "tradition." 

It is not just the Jews that Yah is angry with; His wrath is against all teachers who lead others astray regardless of nationality or heritage.  Read Scriptures and let His Spirit open your eyes to the Truth.

Here is another example: Making fringes on the corners of a garment and adding a blue cord is the command. The knotting and wrapping of strings is tradition.

Tradition has turned "fringes" into ornamental tzitzits complete with mystic overtones by wrapping and knotting them, denoting numbers and applying the system of gematria, which is numerology, which is from pagan traditions. That is one of the 'traditions' I am pointing out. I do not deny the command or that Set Apart believers, including Y'shua, wore garments with fringed corners, but they were not knotted, beaded, braided or color coordinated clip-ons.

We are most capable of understanding the instructions left for us by our Creator and without the temptation of discovering deeper meanings. He does expect us to make an effort, such as reading Scriptures and studying in fellowship with other Set Apart believers. When we show Him our intent and abide by His Instructions, best we can in this day and age, He gives us understanding as we are comforted with the truth revealed to us by His Spirit. Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, rabbis, preachers and all the church fathers lose their perceived power, importance, money and control over the common folk when the common folk start reading Torah, and all of Scriptures, for themselves.

We have successfully peeled back the layers of Christian deceptions and religious traditions and found our place in Torah. Now lets peel back the next few layers of tradition and leave Babylon behind us.

Click Here to go to my study Traditions of Man

Click Here to go to my study Sneaky Little Traditions

Abiding by His Instructions: The Moedim

When we come into covenant with our Maker there are terms of that covenant we are to abide by. A section of those terms are instructions in observing specific set apart times, His moedim. There are segments of those instructions we are unable to fulfill these days because the temple no longer stands in Jerusalem nor is there the priesthood to handle the daily affairs of temple life. This includes the various offerings which were to be brought to the temple in Jerusalem three times a year: the passover offering, Shavuot and Sukkot. Neither are we to substitute what we think is right in the meantime. His Set Apart times are meant to be observed throughout the generations, which we can do in 'remembering' why they were done and realizing how they train us up for a future time. We still treat them as sacred times and observe them as the Sabbaths that they are, sans sacrifice, offerings and traveling to Jerusalem.

Y'shua is the Lamb of Elohim and his blood was shed for the forgiveness of sin. In this he has become our High Priest offering atonement on our behalf. He has gone before the throne of Elohim for our sake, seated at His right hand until the day of wrath. He also pointed out that 'we' are the temple, as he knew the destruction of the physical temple would come. Designating our physical bodies as 'temples' makes it possible for the Spirit of YHWH, the Ruach haKodesh to dwell within.  This Spirit comforts us with truth.

Because of the sacrifice of His Son we are no longer obligated to make a passover offering which was originally for the sake of painting the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and lintels of the houses believers were living in, protecting from 'death' that night and set free from bondage to Pharaoh in Egypt. Nor should we try to substitute any other behaviors at this time.  They were also instructed not to delay nor wait for the dough to rise before they left, hence the days of Unleavened Bread. We, too, can eat unleavened bread for seven days in remembrance of the mighty works of our Creator. We treat the first and the last day as Sabbaths. We can take this opportunity to read and share from Exodus to remember why Yah did what He did. 

The Feast of Weeks is a tough one to fulfill as most of us are not farmers, raising barley and wheat. And, again we cannot bring an offering to the priest in Jerusalem on the fifty day count after the barley harvest. One can't even rely on an accurate day of when the barley harvest begins in Israel, let alone count off 50 days! So even our attempts at observing Shavuot is iffy at best.

Leviticus 23:10- When you enter the land which I am giving to you and you reap its harvest, you shall bring the first sheaf of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before YHWH for acceptance in your behalf (on the day after the weekly Sabbath). 14 Until that very day, until you have brought the offering, you shall eat no bread or parched grain or fresh ears, it is a law for all time throughout the ages in all your settlements. 15 from that day after the Sabbath you shall count off seven weeks; until the day after the seventh week - fifty days (total) - then you shall bring an offering of new grain to YHWH - two loaves of bread (of the first fruits) as a wave offering, as first fruits to YHWH. 20 The priest shall offer these- they shall be set apart to YHWH, for the priest. 21 On that same day hold a celebration, a sacred occasion - do no work at your occupations. This is a law for all time in all your settlements, throughout the ages.

During this time called the Feast of Weeks we can observe it by being thankful for His bounty in our lives. We give Him our best every day and are content with what we have. We are grateful for how He has provided for our needs as we see to the needs of others. We must not substitute vain imaginings to replace His Instructions. If you can't take the first sheaf of the harvest to the priest to make an offering in your behalf, don't fake it with anything else. Jeroboam was 'faking it' and did not turn back from his evil ways whereby the House of Jeroboam incurred guilt.

The next appointments are referred to as the fall feasts, set times of Yahweh to be celebrated as sacred occasions. 

Leviticus 23:23-44

• On the first day of the 7th month sound the trumpet;
• 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

After further study I have learned that the Day of Trumpets was originally called a Day of Shouting as in making a joyful noise unto Yahweh. Searching out this moed further, I came across something I had totally missed before! 

Numbers 10:

Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Make two silver trumpets. Of hammered work you shall make them, and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for breaking camp. And when both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. But if they blow only one, then the chiefs, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. When you blow an alarm, the camps that are on the east side shall set out. And when you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that are on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out. But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow a long blast, but you shall not sound an alarm. And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations. And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before Yahweh your Elohim, and you shall be saved from your enemies. On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts and at the beginnings of your months (new moon), you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings. They shall be a reminder of you before your Elohim: I am Yahweh your Elohim.”

Do you see what I see? Two Silver Trumpets - not shofars (ram's horn) - to be sounded to gather the congregation, or to be blown over burnt offerings and sacrifices of peace offerings and to be sounded at the new moon sighting and appointed feasts. Two silver trumpets. So I must ponder this: if we can no longer make offerings and not gather at the temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem, the only time (other than wartime) we would sound two silver trumpets would be at the sighting of the new moon (Jerusalem time) and at Yom Teruah, the day of shouting, making a joyful noise of thanksgiving to our Creator. But wait! Only the priests were in charge of these two trumpets!  So, what are regular old joes doing blowing on their shofars whenever they feel like it?

Leviticus 23:23 ~ YHWH 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.

On the first day of the 7th month of Yah's Calendar we may observe the Feast of Trumpets as a Sabbath's day rest and do no work on this day. Shout praises unto Elohim, let Him remember 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 or fast if you are able, stay off the computer and turn off the TV and radio, 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.

Leviticus 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 Yah 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.

Next up is Sukkot, the in-gathering of Yah's people, which begins on the 15th day of this seventh month. This is another one of the set times where the males traveled to Jerusalem, after the end of the season's harvest, to make the appropriate offerings at the temple, and they lived in sukkahs while there. Only during every 7th year did the entire household attend Sukkot. We 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' with our family in our own backyards for the seven days, I don't see why not as long as we remember we do this so that we teach future generations that Yah made His people live in make-shift shelters when He brought them out of Egypt. He left the 'light on' but it wasn't at Motel 6. Read from Scriptures every day and night, Genesis through Deuteronomy, remembering the awesome power of our Creator, Yahweh.

There are many groups who like to advertise a gathering place for folks to celebrate Sukkot, which seems like a good thing, but in reality Yah chose Jerusalem as the last place He attached His Name, so how can we think we are honoring him if we do it our own way, and wherever and however we choose? We know enough not to make it up as we go along. I refer back to Jeroboam. 

Follow His Instructions. Do not substitute what you think is right and pleasing. Think about what Nadab and Abihu were doing, remember what Jeroboam did, and make the realization we are not to improvise.

We must abide by the Creator's Instructions, the terms of His covenant, and follow Him with all our heart, doing what is right in His sight; and not substitute anything in place of His Instructions lest we become displeasing or provoke Him and incur guilt. Continue to read Scriptures and let the Ruach haKodesh reveal His Truth. 

From my studies I share the basic outline of how to keep Yah's Set Apart times in this day and age within His parameters. See how different and easy it is compared to the various offerings and engagements from the Hebrew Roots Messianics plan of action which cost money, time and travel? and how simplified compared to Jewish tradition (oral law: the very thing Y'shua taught against).

I can understand why our heavenly Father said this in 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 (calendar 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.

Satan has a counterfeit for almost everything put forth by our Creator; let us not fall into this same pattern. The example of Jeroboam is what happened in 1 Kings 25 when he (out of fear of losing his position of power) convinced the Israelites (who had chosen him as king) that they did not need to go to Jerusalem to worship YHWH anymore. Jeroboam had built 2 temples, one in Bethel and the other in Dan, in which he had a golden calf placed in each, telling them 'this is your god'. He convinced them that 'God was Everywhere' and it was okay to worship Him anywhere. This is not according to Yahweh! Jeroboam also made cult places and appointed priests from the ranks of people who were not descendants of Levi. This same example applies to religious traditions of today when teachers and leaders and preachers convince folks of things that just aren't right in comparison to what is actually recorded in Scriptures.

Click Here to go to the study

Who is Israel? 

 and Scroll Down to the heading:

The time of Solomon - Division of the Tribes

for more about Jeroboam's deception

YHWH's Method of Counting - Part III

Welcome to Part III 

Which is linked to Part II

Continuing the Study on Yah's Method of Counting

This will conclude the discussion Mrs. G and I had about Yah's method of counting days and months. It involved so much more than we could have kept track of during the commenting session on FB and I needed to do more research in order to see 'right from wrong' and to let His Spirit reveal the truth of the matter. I have included both sides of this discussion to be fair and show I am not just offering my opinion or dismissing Mrs. G.  She, like many others, have a heart for Elohim and desire the truth but get snared in rabbit trails that can be exposed when held up to the Light of Torah, the Writings, The Prophets or the Renewed Covenant.

Mrs G provided the following Scripture references insisting, "The Sabbaths were on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th days."  I noticed, while I read her references from my copy of the Tanakh, some comparisons between translations can be misleading. I don't know which version she quotes from. My added comments are in (blue italic parenthesis).

I'd also like to point out that before we get to Chapter 5 in Joshua, they had crossed over the Jordan River and recently defeated Jericho, but the territories of the Promised Land have yet to be settled, no crops have been grown, no harvest to be done yet, so the set apart time of First Fruits wasn't really being observed. First Fruits is part of the barley harvest time frame and I have no idea where 'old corn' comes from. The 16th day is neither here nor there in this story.  Read on a few paragraphs and Mrs. G quotes Scripture correctly from Leviticus about when the offering of first fruits is to occur, yet still doesn't make the connection. Also, First Fruits is not date specific. Barley doesn't always ripen on the same exact day year after year.

Mrs. G: In Joshua 5, we find the children of Israel keeping the Passover, the Sabbath, and First Fruits on the 14th, 15th, and 16th respectively.

Joshua 5:10-12 - And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even (towards evening) in the plains of Jericho. And they did eat of the old corn of the land (the produce of the country, unleavened bread and parched grain) on the morrow (15th) after the Passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land (16th); neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year. (Verse 11-12 On the day after the passover offering, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the country, unleavened bread and parched grain. 12 On that same day, when they ate of the produce of the land, the manna ceased = Note: the manna ceased on the same day, the 15th day which is the first day of Unleavened Bread, not the 16th day)

Part of misunderstanding the sabbath days comes from the fact that there can be more than one during the times of His Feast Days (moedim).  The seven day count from each new moon always remains the same, but the High Sabbaths can fall on the same count or a day before or after. Perfect example is the Days of Unleavened Bread which lasts for seven days: the first day is a Sabbath and follows the regular seventh day of rest. The last day of Unleavened Bread is the 21st day, and is also a Sabbath and falls on the same day as the regular seventh day of rest.

"But where does it say it was the Sabbath on the 15th day?" (which sabbath is she asking about?) The Passover and Unleavened Bread Lev. 23:5-7... In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is Yahweh's Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto Yahweh: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

But what is this holy convocation spoken of in verse 7?  Mrs. G believes that this is the Feast of First Fruits, even though they have not yet planted any barley to be harvested. (The 'holy convocation' is the first day of unleavened bread which is a sabbath day and not the day of the first fruits offering.)

Lev. 23:9-11 - And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When you come into the land which I give you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before Yahweh, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. (This cannot apply to Joshua Chapter 5 because they have not yet settled into their territories or began farming, so there is nothing to harvest at this time; nothing to bring to the priest.)

Mrs. G: So what did this month look like then? The Sabbaths were on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th days.  I'm putting all the witnesses together:
Passover was held on the 14th. (and was part of the seven day count, the sabbath day of rest.)  The Sabbath was held on the 15th. (this is the first day of Unleavened Bread, a High Sabbath.)  And First Fruits was held on the 16th (first day of the week). (didn't happen because all things necessary for the observance of First Fruits were yet to be in place. Don't even get me started on days of the week!)

Let me go over our Father's Set Apart Times for us, in regards to this particular study. 

The passover meal at twilight on the 14th day of the month kicks off the Days of Unleavened Bread: The 7th day was set apart by Yah and He told us to keep the 7th day set apart. This is the regular Sabbath day of Rest, every 7th, 14, 21 and 28th days each month. The passover meal is to be eaten on the 14th day before the sun goes down, which triggers the first day of Unleavened bread. The First Day of Unleavened Bread is a High Sabbath, following the regular Sabbath day of Rest, on the 14th day. From the 15th to the 21st (seven days) unleavened bread is to be eaten. The last day is also a High Sabbath which falls on the regular Sabbath day of Rest.
First Fruits/Wave Offering = Deuteronomy 16 Yah names this time the Feast of Weeks. The fiftieth day (Shavuot) is a sacred occasion, a day of 'new grain' offering from the wheat harvest. As instructed in Leviticus, seven weeks are counted off from when the sickle is first put to standing grain of the barley harvest. As I have learned, both wheat and barley are planted at the same time but barley ripens earlier than the wheat, so this Feast of Weeks begins the day of the barley harvest. The first fruits of this harvest (sheaf) are taken to the priest as an offering to YHWH which he presents to Him on the day after the regular Sabbath day of Rest. On the day after those seven weeks, the 50th day, is when a celebration is held commemorating the blessings of YHWH shown in the bounty of the wheat harvest. Notice: This is not a 'date specific' event but hinges on the harvesting of barley, the day the first sheaf is cut. Barley doesn't ripen the same day year after year.

Note:  If the harvest began 2 or 3 days before the regular sabbath, the first sheaf was still taken to the priest, but the priest would wait until after the day of rest before making the Wave offering. The count of days to Shavuot began with the first sheaf being cut.

Mrs. G goes on to say we cannot have a Sabbath day on the 14th day of the month because it is always a work day, Scripture says it is the "preparation" day. She points out that He says the 7th day of the "week" not the 7th day of the month... look at First Fruits, we see it is the first day of the week but the 16th day of the month, count back...  again in the crucifixion week, He is our First Fruit, the 1st risen from the dead...

At this point I was ready to just drop the whole thing because the key to making sense of any of this is to reckon days according to YHWH's reckoning; seven is not eight.  I now begin to feel like I am ironing out deep wrinkles from something that has been tightly folded up for a long time.  I need that old pop bottle with the sprinkler top that Grandma used to ease out the creases.

We know by reading Genesis about His works, He finished His Work of Creation in 6 days and rested on the 7th, but Mrs. G challenges that:

"... that is what He did, where does it say to do as He did?"

Why on earth would we Not Want to do as YHWH did ??
He sets the example for us in all things. He counted from the first day of creation; we count from the first day of the month. The first day of the month is the sighting of the new moon, day one.

Here is what Yah says in regards to keeping the 7th day rest:

Genesis 2:2- By the seventh day YHWH completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then He blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which He had created

Exodus 35:2 "For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Set Apart day, a sabbath of Complete Rest to Yahweh Elohim.... 

Leviticus 23:3 'For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of Complete Rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any work; it is a sabbath to your Elohim, in all your dwellings.

Deuteronomy 5:12 'Observe the sabbath day to keep it set apart as Yahweh your Elohim commanded you.

As it is written in the Ten Commandments, we are told to remember:

Remember the sabbath day and keep it set apart. Six days you shall do all your work but the seventh day is a sabbath of Mine. You, your family, your hired hands or your work animals or the stranger who is visiting your town shall do no work. I made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them in six days and on the seventh I rested, therefore I blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart.

At this point I should probably begin a Part IV, but will carry on to wrap this up because I forgot about "New Moon Day" which is part of that 8 day count doctrine. Mrs. G says it comes right from Scripture itself, many verses.  So I went in search for these many verses.

Numbers 10 mentions sounding the two Silver Trumpets at the time of the new moon. I grew up in a town that sounded a 'noon whistle'. It was one cycle of the alarm at the fire department. When it sounded folks new it was 12 noon and many checked their watches to keep them set correctly. The sounding of the Silver Trumpets let folks know it was the first day of the month, and a new count of days began.

10 "Also in the day of your gladness and in your appointed feasts, and on the first days of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be as a reminder of you before your Creator. I am YHWH your Elohim."

The NIV calls it a New Moon Feast instead of the first day of the months.  There was no command to celebrate the sighting of the new moon. It wasn't included in any feast day. However there was the sounding of the two silver trumpets to signal the first day of the month so those in hearing distance knew it was time to start a new count of days, with each 7th day always the regular day of rest set apart to our Creator.

~~~

 Links to related Studies

Feast of Weeks = Shavuot

Keeping His Feast in Today's World

Three Days and Three Nights

Days of Unleavened Bread

More about Pagan Holidays

Halloween, christmas, easter, and others... even though I took part in these festivities (from my birth through the mid 90's) I have learned the difference the study of Scriptures.

My friends and family say any time is a good time to praise (Jesus)... but even by unknowingly taking part in pagan rituals, one is NOT bringing praise to YHWH nor His Son, but you make Satan feel pretty good. He loves deception as he is the father of lies.

This 'keep christ in christmas' and believe 'jesus is the reason for the season' are just wrong. Not because I don't believe in Y'shua, but because I DO believe AND understand what YHWH is telling us, as it is written in the Original script - Leviticus in particular.  YHWH gave His people specific times to keep and observe forever, to remember Him, His power and glory and how He has brought us to where we are today. These appointed times (moedim) are:

• Pesach/Passover
• Chag HaMatzah/Unleavened Bread
• Yom HaBikkurim/First Fruits
• Shavuot/Pentecost
• Yom Teruah/Feast of Trumpets
• Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement
• Sukkot/Feast of Tabernacles and then the 8th Day which is
• The Last Great Day

All other man-made traditional holidays we've been taught and celebrated since birth are not of our Creator but are of pagan origins - Satan inspired to lead us away from our Elohim YHWH.