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Awesome! What an experience! Festive and holy! And he is so funny! We were so blessed.

What did I learn?

- I learnt what he word Jew means. It means Praiser of the Living God. Am I a Praiser of the Living God – like the Jew? Makes one think.

- The Lord inhabits the praises of Israel, as is written in Psalm 22:3b ‘you are the praise of Israel’. I don’t read ‘your are in the praise of other nations’. Makes one think.

- Ialso learnt that the phrase ‘Here I am’ in the Bible comes from ‘hineini’ which means – you have my full attention, my all. That is what the Lord wants, not casualness. When the Lord called Abraham, Abraham said hineini. Oh boy, then he was tested to make sure he was serious. He had to sacrifice his only son from his wife. Isaac became a picture of the Messiah. They were both special babies from the Lord. They were both sacrifices. They were both willing sacrifices. Isaac, being in the region of 20something, young, strong could easily out manouvre his dad of 100something. He had to get onto the altar himself. Abraham would not have been strong enough to pick him up. He was tied up purely to stop him jerking and falling off when the knife was to kill him. Both Isaac and Abraham. They were both obedient and acted out the meaning of hineini:  Here I am – you have my all. I am yours. How do we answer? Makes one think.

Chag Sameach

 A greeting used to mean ‘Happy Holiday’ during the festivals.

Lulav and Etrog: Unity of the Jewish People
One of the most important customs of Sukkot is the recitation of the blessings over the Four Species: an etrog (citron), a lulav (palm frond), three sprigs of hadassim (myrtle) and two branches of aravot (red willow).
According to the Midrash, the Four Species represent the four types of Jews that comprise the People of Israel, whose unity is emphasized on the holiday of Sukkot:
1.The etrog, which has a good fragrance and taste, represents a person with both wisdom (Torah learning) and good deeds
2.The hadas has a good fragrance, but cannot be eaten, representing a person with good deeds, but who lacks wisdom
3.The lulav is edible, but has no scent, representing a person with wisdom but without good deeds, and
4.The aravah has neither taste nor smell, thus representing the person who lacks both good deeds and wisdom or Torah learning.
The lulav is only considered kosher if all four species are taken together – if one is missing, the entire lulav is invalid. So too it was with the incense mixture used in the Holy Temple in ancient times, of which there were 11 ingredients. One of those, the chelbanah was a spice with a terrible smell, and yet the entire mixture was considered invalid if that or any other spice, was omitted.
From this, we learn that all Jews must work together and remain united, as one People, regardless of our differences.

For more info: www.israelnationalnews.com

“Build for Me a sanctuary that I may dwell amongst them.” (Exodus 25:8)

For more info: http://www.templeinstitute.org/events.htm

Simhat Torah for 2010 will be on 1 October.

Through the years a (manmade) observance was added to the Feast of Tabernacles on the 8th day. Simhat Torah means ‘Rejoicing in the Law.’  The Torah or the first 5 Books of the Bible is split up into 54 portions, 1 portion for each Sabbath of the year. The Rabbis added corresponding sections from the Prophets to these readings. Messianic Rabbis also added corresponding sections from the New Testament. The connection between the different sections are amazing.

On Simhat Torah the last section of Deuteronomy is read as well as the first section of Genesis.

For more info and reading:

The Jewish Festivals – Hayyim Schauss

Christ in the Feast of Tabernacles – David Brickner

www.hebrew4christians.org

A message from Israel Today:
Yom Kippur – we want to remind our readers that Yom Kippur is this Saturday (beginning Friday evening), and encourage everyone to utilize this God-appointed date to seek the Lord, take stock of your spiritual life, and join with millions of Jews in praying for Israel’s full and complete redemption.

The dates for 2010: 23 – 30 September. Hohana Rabba – 29th, Shmini Atzeret – 30th, Simchat Torah – 1 Oct.

Leviticus 23:39(NIV) So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the Lord for seven days; the first day is a day of rest, and the eighth day also is a day of rest.

Leviticus 23:42(NIV) Live in booths for seven days. All native-born Israelites are to live in booths so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

This Feast is also known as Succot in Hebrew, Feast of Ingathering and Feast of Booths. This was at the end of the agricultural year and was celebrated with great joy, singing, dancing, eating and drinking. It was often just called The Festival.

During this Feast we are to look back to the forty years the Israelites had lived in the desert and take note that the Lord never left them. We are to remember that even in our own desert times of unbelief and disobedience, the Lord is still there. Every year the Jews and Believers build little shacks to stay in, even if only during the day or for meals, during the Feast. This temporary shelter reminds us that we live this life only temporarily. It is a time to humble ourselves, remember that we need the Lord, and that the Lord is the One Who Delivers, Jehovah Jireh. We must keep our eyes on the Lord who is our Redeemer, our Provider and our Covering.

Two ceremonies developed through the years that took place during the Feast of Tabernacles even before the time of Yeshua. The one is the Water-Drawing Ceremony. This was to remember the Lord’s provision of much needed water in the desert and the harvest. This ceremony took place every morning for 7 days during the Feast at the Temple in Jerusalem. Isaiah 12:3 would be shouted: With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. On the final day, which is also called the Great Day, or Hoshanah Rabbah, a climaz is reached and the people would call out “Please bring salvation now. Please, God, please, save and bring salvation now!” The Hallel or Psalms 113-118 would also be sung. Isaiah 44:3 is also remembered: “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.”

Yshua, being Jewish, had to go to Jerusalem for these feasts. It was on this Great Day, Hoshanah Rabbah, that He said, as is written in John 7:37(NIV) On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.

John 7:38(NIV) Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”

The second ceremony was the Illumination Ceremony. During the Feast the Temple was lit up and Jerusalem was illuminated for everyone to see from a great distance. The significance is that the people recognized the Lord as the true light as is written in Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? On this day with the Temple illuminating the night in Jerusalem, Yeshua said as is written in John 8:12(NIV) When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Saying this, the religious leaders who had said that a prophet does not come out of Galilee (John 7:52), had to recognize Isaiah’s prophesies as is written:

Isaiah 9:1b(NIV) but in the future he will honour Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan.

Isaiah 9:2a(NIV) The The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;

Isaiah 49:6b(NIV) “I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine, for the light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.

Many Believers have started celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles. There is a prophecy in this respect as is written in Zechariah 14:16(NIV) Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.

During this Feast of Ingathering the doors or openings of the booths are never closed. This is an invitation for anyone to join the family. Yeshua said in John 10:19(NIV) “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me ,he will be saved.” We should use the time of this Feast to intercede more heavily for our loved ones.

www.all-threads.com

For more info and reading:

Bible

The Jewish Festivals – Hayyim Schauss

The Torah Blessing – Larry Hugh

Christ in the Feast of Tabernacles – David Brickner

Celebrating Jesus in the Biblical Feasts – Dr Richard Booker

www.thewatchman.org

www.hebrew4christians.com

www.hebcal.com

http://www.templeinstitute.org/sukkot.htm

http://www.netglimse.com/holidays/sukkot/laws_and_customs.shtml

This year of 2010 it falls on 18th September.

(NIV)Leviticus 23:27  The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves.

During the thirty days before Rosh Hashanah, a shofar was blown every day to warn the people that Rosh Hashanah was coming. It is a time to reflect on one’s life. On Rosh Hashana we are to judge ourselves and turn, so that in ten days time we will be judged righteous. We must ask ourselves whether we are serving the Lord, are we living for the Lord or are we living very worldly lives?

It is written in Hebrews 9:11 When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves, but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

On this day the High Priest would go into the Holy of Holies to atone for the sins of the nation. It is also know as the Day of Judgement. Yeshua fullfilled this feast by shedding His blood for all our sins and entering the Holy of Holies in heaven to make atonement for us. This day also points to the final Judgement Day. For us today, we fast or deny ourselves and reflect on our lives and on our relationship with the Lord. We approach the Lord and humble ourselves. It is a day of repentance.

It is written in James4:8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you who are double-minded.

James 4:10 Humble yourself before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

For more info and reading:

www.all-threads.com

Bible

www.thewatchman.org

www.hebrew4christians.com

Celebrating Jesus in the Biblical Feasts – Dr Richard Booker

The Torah Blessing – Larry Hugh

This is a one day feast. This year, 2010, it falls on 9 September.

(NIV)Leviticus 23:24 “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts.’”

This is the month of Tishri, the first month on the Jewish civil calender. The Hebrew name for the beginning of the year is Rosh Hashana. Trumpets are blown throughout the day. The purpose of this day is to prepare for the Day of Atonement, 10 days later.

The use of trumpets has also been associated with warfare and the second coming of the Messiah. It is written in Joel 2:1 “Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming.”

We are to give ourselves a wake up call and decide where do we stand in our relationship with the Lord.

Food for thought – There is this possibility that Yeshua was born during the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. More specifically, there is the possibility that He was born on the Feast of Trumpets. There is the possibility that Zechariah’s division did duty during June/July or Shavuot and Elizabeth became pregnant shortly after. When she was 6 months pregnant during Chanukka, Mary conceived. Three months later John was born during Passover and Mary was then 3 months pregnant. Six month later Yeshua was born during the Feast of Tabernacles.

Trumpets are blown to announce the coming of a king.

Trumpets are blown to call the Lord’s army to battle.

Trumpets are blown to call us to worship.

www.all-threads.com

For more info and reading:

Bible

Prayer Alert 09-40, December 18,2009

Christ in the Feast of Tabernacles – David Brickner

Celebrating Jesus in the Biblical Feasts – Dr Richard Booker

Study Guide Level 4 Hebraic Roots Teaching Institute – W.A. Liebenberg

www.thewatchman.org   

http://www.thewatchman.org/en/articles/article_when_messiah_p1.php

www.hebrew4christians.com

It is written in (NIV) Leviticus 23:2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of the Lord, which your are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.’”

The first one mentioned is the Sabbath. (Lev 23:3)

The sencond one is the Passover which includes the Feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread and Firstfruits. (Lev 23:4-14)

The third one is the Feast of Weeks. (Lev23:15-22)

The fourth one is the Feast of Tabernacles which includes the Feasts of Trumpets, Day of Antonement and Tablernacles. (Lev 23:23-44)

It is important to realize that these feasts were honoured and celebrated and NOT done away with, by Yeshua and His disciples. Read the New Testament very carefully and you’ll see for yourself. We must come to the point of deciding to walk as Yeshua did or are we following manmade changes?  As it is written in:

 (NIV) 1John 2:3 We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.

1John 2:4 The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

1John 2:5 But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him:

1John 2:6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.