MESSIAH FULFILLS THE FEAST OF FIRST FRUITS Published by Sowing the Word of God - APRIL 17, 2016

Transcription

1 MESSIAH FULFILLS THE FEAST OF FIRST FRUITS Published by Sowing the Word of God - APRIL 17, 2016 The Day of First Fruits is one of YHVH s appointed days commanded in the Law (Torah.) These days can be hard to understand for us because we have been removed from the Biblical Calendar. The Gregorian Calendar which we use today causes much confusion when trying to understand the Feasts of YHVH. 1

2 The Day of First Fruits takes place during the weeklong Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread, and it is appointed on the first day of the week, following the weekly Sabbath. To help us better understand, here is an example if Passover were to fall on a Wednesday: Biblical months are numbered not named. We see man-made names being used later in the Bible after Babylonian exile, but our Creator distinguished the months by number. Passover is always on the 14 th day of the first biblical month. Let s say that Wednesday (the 4 th day of the week) is Passover. The following day Thursday, being the 5 th day of the week and the 15 th day of the month, would then be the 1st day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread which is also a Sabbath day. (The first and last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread are Sabbath days, this is not to be confused with the weekly 7 th day Sabbath.) This feast will last until the following Wednesday (4 th day of the week and the 21 st day of the first biblical month.) The Appointed Day called First Fruits would then fall on Sunday, the 1 st day of the week, following the weekly Sabbath day, on the 18 th day of the first month. The timeline I just described is most likely the true timeline of Messiah s Crucifixion (Passover), Death (Unleavened Bread) and Ascension to the Father (First Fruits), and a full three days and three nights in the heart of the earth, as prophesied. This timeline could not have been a Good Friday crucifixion to an Easter Sunday resurrection, which is a day and a half at best, as Christianity teaches us. In fact, upon close examination of the text it is most likely that Messiah rose from the grave on the 7 th day (Biblical Sabbath Day) because the women came to the tomb very early on the first day of the week (Sunday) to find that He was already gone. (Keep in mind that the Jews acknowledge that a day is from sundown to sundown and not from midnight to midnight, as we are accustomed to with the secular Gregorian calendar.) Let us examine the Law (Torah) to learn of this appointed time called First Fruits. Leviticus 23: And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 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. 11 He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12 And you shall offer on that day, when you wave the sheaf, a male lamb of the first year, without blemish, as a burnt offering to the Lord. 13 Its grain offering shall be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to the Lord, for a sweet aroma; and its drink offering shall be of wine, one-fourth of a hin. 14 You shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your God; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 2

3 Exodus 23:16 16 Also you shall observe the Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field; also the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field. It is only by this knowledge of the Law (Torah) that we can gain true understanding of the scripture below. 1 Corinthians 15: But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ s at His coming, 24 then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. The Feast of First Fruits marks the day when Messiah ascended up to the Father as our First Fruit offering. We cannot have understanding of the Scripture in 1 Corinthians above if we do not have an understanding of the Law (Torah) where these feast days (appointed times) are given. Colossians 2:16-17 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival (feast, holy day) or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance (body) is of Christ. Many do not rightly divide the verse above. Many do not understand that Paul is speaking to former gentiles telling them not to let anyone judge them for keeping the appointed feast days found in the Law (Torah), because these days are shadows and rehearsals of Messiah s fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets or what many refer to as the Old Testament. Paul said that these days are shadows of things to come and that the substance or body (the Greek word soma ) is of Messiah. Paul was not saying don t let anyone judge you for keeping man-made or pagan holidays! These former gentiles who turned to Messiah were to turn to the truth of the Word of God and to the Father, not away from them. This is just one example. There are seven appointed times outlined in Leviticus 23, all of which point to Messiah and His fulfillment of the Scriptures. Matthew 5:17-19 Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches 3

4 men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Just as Messiah said above, fulfill does not mean, abolish so why does Christianity teach us this? Just as Messiah did not regard the teaching of men, we must not regard the teaching of men, but rather examine the Scriptures to learn truth. The truth is, Good Friday is a man-made holiday that replaced the appointed time called Passover. Easter is a man-made holiday that replaced the appointed time called First Fruits; they are man-made meaning you will not find them in your Bible. Our Creator gave us appointed times to meet with Him for a purpose. He gave them so that we would recognize the signs of our coming King. Sadly, many wellintentioned believers do not have any knowledge of these days. If we believe or teach that the Law (Torah) of our Creator has been abolished we will never be able to see nor understand the depth of His plan for salvation or of His judgment. Jeremiah 8:7-9 Even the stork in the heavens Knows her appointed times; And the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow Observe the time of their coming. But My people do not know the judgment of the Lord. 8 How can you say, We are wise, And the law of the Lord is with us? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood. 9 The wise men are ashamed, They are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord; So what wisdom do they have? Matthew 16:1-3 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said to them, When it is evening you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red ; 3 and in the morning, It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening. Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. Are we called to be at peace or at one with the world, or are we called to be separate from it? John 15:18-22 If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will 4

5 keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. There are many more scriptures like these that tell us to come out from among the worldly and be separate, holy, and set-apart unto Yehovah. So let me ask you; does the world love Good Friday, Easter, Christmas, Halloween? Days that we are told are about Messiah, but are not commanded nor found in God s Word? Does the world love and keep the sanctified 7 th Day Sabbath, Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), The Day of Trumpets, The Day of Atonement or the Feast of Tabernacles, which are found in God s Word? And which do you keep? Which do you cling to? Do we keep empty, hollow manmade days with no substance or body, or do we keep the Holy Days of our Creator, which are called the very Body of our Messiah? And are we not called His body in the Scriptures? And did you know that the Hebrew word used for these appointed times is the word moed which also means congregation, or body of people? If these man-made holidays were truly holy or set apart unto our Father, the world would have no part in them. The appointed times of our Creator can only be found by seeking Him through His Word, because they are hidden from the eyes of the world and revealed only to those who seek Him. As we read in 1 John above, if it is not of the Father it is of the world. Isaiah 29:13 Therefore the Lord said: Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men Matthew 15:7-9 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 8 These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, 5

6 But their heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. The Father gave His people appointed times with a great purpose. Let that be enough! Let us cast aside the appointed times of man and proclaim the will and authority of the Father here on earth, by returning to the Word that our Creator gave as a sign between Him and His people. May we be as His people who know the signs of the times, because we are sober, awake, watching, and are ready for what is to come. Let Him not find us sleeping at the time appointed. Mark 13:35-37 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch! 6