RESTORING THE FEASTS

Leviticus 16:29
And this shall be a statute FOR EVER unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:

Leviticus 16:31
It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute FOR EVER... See More

Lev. 23
: it shall be a statute FOR EVER throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute FOR EVER

it shall be a statute FOR EVER throughout your generations

And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute FOR EVER in your generations:

Jesus kept the feasts [John 2:23; 7:2-10] and he led his life as an example to us. [1 Peter 2:21-23]

Acts 18:20-21
When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not; But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means KEEP THIS FEAST that cometh in Jerusalem:

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.


Acts 20:16
For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.

We are instructed from Christ, concerning the Passover, to “do in remembrance of me” [Luke 22:1-19]

Luke 22:1
Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.

Luke 22:7-19
Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME

What was Christ doing? He was eating a Passover supper. The Passover was set up to foreshadow Christ’s sacrifice at the cross. It makes since that we would now do this “in remembrance” of him.


1 Corinthians 11:23-26
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

Many have used the phrase, "as often as ye drink it..." for evidence that Jesus was not talking about the Passover, but he was talking about communion. They incorrectly assume that Jesus is giving us freedom to drink this cup "often". When Jesus said, "as often as you do this..." he was NOT saying we could do this often as we like! Remember, what where they doing? They were doing a Passover meal. How often do you do a passover meal? Once a year! He was saying, "Every time you do this....(Every time you do a Passover meal...)". That is, every time you take the PASSOVER cup and the PASSOVER bread, we do it in remembrance. Before, we were commanded by God to do Passover in remembrance of God freeing the Israelites from bondage of slavery. Now we are commanded by Jesus to do the Passover (or at least part of the Passover) in remembrance of Him freeing His people from bondage of sin and death.

Christians actually get the tradition of communion from the Catholic church. And just like the Catholic church incorporated the pagan holidays, such as Easter and Christmas, with their religion, so they did with other pagan rituals such as their Mass/Communion.

We are instructed by God, through Paul to keep the feast of unleavened bread.

1 Corinthians 5:6-8
Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: THERE FORE LET US KEEP THE FEAST, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.


Zechariah 14:16-19
And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.

Isaiah 66:22-23
For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

The 7 Feasts of YHWH

The 7 feast of YHVH
by Dev Reynolds

Shavuot
Pentecost
The Feast of Weeks

The seven annual set-apart festivals or appointed times (moedim) of YHVH, of which the Feast of Shavuot (Pentecost) is the third in the annual feast day cycle, are prophetic shadow-pictures or symbols of the steps man must take to be reconciled to his Heavenly Father. They are the complete plan of salvation or redemption rolled up into seven easy-to-understand steps. Though a child can understand these steps, the truths contained therein can at the same time be expanded and unfolded until one literally has rolled out before oneself the entire message of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation—a message that to the human comprehension is staggering, deep and rich beyond understanding. These feast days are literally the skeletal structure upon which the truths of the entire Bible hang. The message of redemption, sanctification, salvation, the atonement, glorification, eschatolo­gy, the history of Israel, the entire Gospel message, the covenants, the marriage of the Lamb, the Bride of Messiah and Yeshua the Messiah are all prefigured within the glorious spiritual container of YHVH’s set-apart feast days contained in seven steps—seven being the biblical number of divine perfection and completion.

Why Study and Celebrate YHVH’s Appointed Times?

The Feasts are a prophetic shadow-picture of things to come (Col. 2:16-17; Heb. 10:1). When they were given to ancient Israel they pointed forward to future events that would occur to the nation of Israel. The spring feast days, for example, pointed to Messiah’s first coming while the fall feast days point to his second coming leading into the Messianic Age (Millennium) and into eternity beyond.
All the feast days point to Yeshua. The name Yeshua means salvation and these days all point to the various steps of the path of salvation that Believers find themselves on.
Many of the feast days point back to historical events that occurred in Israel’s history from which we can learn lessons and which are representative of our own spiritual journey (1 Cor. 10:1-6,11).
The people of YHVH are commanded to keep what Scriptures calls the appointed times. They are times when he makes an appointment that he will meet with his people (Lev. 23:1-2,4). It is at these festivals or com­manded assemblies that YHVH teaches his people about his wonderful plan of salvation or redemption of the world through Yeshua the essiah.
The Feasts are in the Bible and the whole Bible is the inspired word of Elohim (2 Tim. 3:16).
The feast days set forth the pattern of heavenly things on earth (Heb. 8:1-2,5; 9:8-9,23; Exod. 25:8-9,40; 26:30; Num. 8:4; Ezek. 43:1-6, 10-12).
We as physical beings need physical means and methods to help us understand spiritual things. YHVH gives us the natural to help us to understand the supernatural (spiritual) (1 Cor. 2:9-13).

An Overview of the Seven Moedim of YHVH

To understand Shavuot we must understand how it fits into the context of YHVH’s other seven annual festivals or appointed times that come before and after Shavuot. Together, as we have discussed above, all seven festivals of YHVH form a glorious mosaic, each building upon the one before as YHVH’s plan of salvation expands and unfolds. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
The first feast of YHVH’s annual festival cycle is Pesach (Passover), which is the first step in a parade of seven prophetic dress rehearsals or set-apart convocations or appointed times when the Creator of the universe met with his chosen and called out people. These special occasions all point to the redemptive work of Messiah Yeshua in the life of the Believer. There are three high day festivals (called moedim) in the spring of the year that are pro­phetic shadow-pictures of Messiah’s First Coming to earth, and there are four fall festivals which are prophetic shadow-pictures of his Second Coming at the end of the age.

The Feast Days Represent the Seven Steps of YHVH’s Plan of Redemption/Salvation For Mankind

Passover (Pesach)
The first festival in YHVH’s glorious lineup in the steps of redemption is Pesach, which occurs in the early spring of the year at the time of the rebirth of the creation after a long and dead winter season. Likewise, it was the time of the birth of the nation of Israel. The Children of Israel had been enslaved in Egypt for many years, but they could not extricate themselves from the death grip of Pharaoh, a picture of Satan, without some help from above. YHVH heard their cries of anguish, told them to sacrifice a lamb and smear the blood on the doors of their homes. This they did by faith and YHVH extended his grace and mercy upon them when he caused the death angel to spare them when he passed over their homes. Though sinful and worthy of death, YHVH delivered the Israelites from the wages of their sins, which is death, and at the same time the Egyptians, who were also sinners, received judgment unto death because they were not under the blood of the lamb. The blood of the lamb made it possible for Israel to leave Egypt freely.
Spiritually one must leave the world (spiritual Egypt), a place of spiritual oppression and slavery, darkness and false religion. It is the realm or kingdom of Satan, the prince of death. One cannot leave the kingdom of dark­ness on one’s own strength. One cannot free oneself from slavery to the strong tyrants and masters of this world, the flesh or the devil. A greater power than these must deliver us from these slave masters who maintain humans in their death grip. Only by the blood of the Lamb of YHVH smeared on the door posts and lintels (our actions and thoughts) of our houses (our lives) will the death angel pass over us, for Yeshua the Lamb of YHVH defeated the enemy at the cross and defeated the death sentence or death grip of sin by resurrecting from the grave on the third day after his death (Col. 2:12-15). The Israelites, by faith, trusted in the blood of the Lamb and by YHVH’s grace their sins were not credited to their account, but were forgiven causing the death angel to pass over. At that time they physically began to leave Egypt.

Days of Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzot)

The Israelites left Egypt on the first day of this seven-day long festival. Leaving Egypt was a relatively simple process, but now began the process of “getting Egypt out of them.” Dying to self and overcoming all the sinful habits in our lives is a process. We cannot do this of our own efforts but need the redeeming work of Messiah. This is illustrated during this feast by YHVH’s command to remove all the physical leavening from our homes. Leavening is a type of sin and pride since yeast causes bread to rise and puff up. The sin of pride and hypocrisy leads one to believe that one is in a better spiritual state than one actually is. This is the state of spiritual delu­sion in which humans naturally find themselves. YHVH has given men six days (6000 years) to come to real­ize this. The seventh day of this week-long festival is a High Sabbath day that pictures YHVH’s Messianic Age (Millennium) when humans will be living in harmony with YHVH and resting in the saving work of the blood of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. It represents victory over sin (leavening). Israel celebrated the Passover in the Promised Land then marched around Jericho for six days. On the seventh day, the walls of Jericho came down! Because of context of this passage it is very likely that Israel marched around Jericho dur­ing the seven days of Unleavened Bread and on the seventh day of that festival the walls of Jericho came down (Josh. 6:10-7:1-16). If so, this very well could be a prophetic picture of a similar scenario of what will occur when the exiled Israelites return to the land prior to the second coming of Yeshua the Messiah. YHVH will have to supernaturally destroy those Canaanite inhabitants of the Promised Land who will be blocking Israel’s entry into the land—their promised inheritance.

The Feast of Weeks, Feast of First Fruits or Pentecost (Shavuot)

This is the third of the seven festivals of YHVH and occurs in the late spring of the year. Humans are not able to remove sin from their own lives by their own efforts anymore than one can pull oneself up by one’s own bootstraps. Sin is too much a part of our mind, will and emotions. We need the working and enabling power of the Set-apart Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) in our lives to bring sin to light and to help us to overcome it. This happens as we begin to feed upon the Word of YHVH-Yeshua the Messiah and little-by-little our lives come into confor­mity with that Word or with the life of Yeshua. He is the Word of YHVH made flesh (John. 1:14; Rom. 8:29). This is pictured by the Children of Israel receiving the words and instructions on how to live a set-apart and sanctified life (contained in the Torah-Instruction or Teaching) of YHVH Elohim at Mount Sinai during the Feast of Weeks. This was repeated during the Apostolic Era on the Day of Pentecost as Yeshua promised to send the Comforter to live inside of Believers aiding them at arriving at the truth of YHVH (John. 14-16). This promise was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2).

The Day of Trumpets or (literally) the Day of the Awakening Blast (Yom Teruah or commonly called Rosh Hoshana)

This is the fourth festival of YHVH Elohim and hence the fourth step in his plan of salvation. Yom Teruah occurs in the late summer or early fall season of the year. The spring feast days all relate to the work Yeshua accomplished on the earth at his first coming while the fall feast days (of which Yom Teruah is the first) picture the work he will do on earth prior to and after his second coming. This day pictures the beginning of the Great Tribulation period just prior to the return of Yeshua the Messiah. This festival also pictures the time when Messiah is calling his bride, born-again Believers, to ready themselves spiritually for the return of Yeshua, the Bridegroom. The call will go out for her to come out of the world, to fill her lamp with the oil of the Ruach HaKodesh and to put on robes of righteousness in preparation for the marriage supper of the Lamb. During the ten-day period between this appointed time and the next appointed time (Yom Kippur) is when the Great Tribulation occurs and when many will be saved out of this tribulation (the Great and Innumerable Multitude, Rev. 7:9). After the tribulation pe­riod, which terminates with the blowing of the seventh trumpet (in Hebraic thought called the Last Trumpet), the resurrection of the righteous dead and the catching away of the righteous living occurs (Rev. 11:14-18 and 12:10 with Matt. 24:29-31). This occurs before the Wrath of Elohim (the Bowl Judgments of Rev. 15-16).

The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)

The fifth of the seven festivals of YHVH occurs ten days after the Day of Trumpets. This day pictures when the end of the age (man’s 6000 years) will come to a completion. This period of grace will terminate. All who are saved will have been saved and removed from this earth as YHVH pours out his final judgment (called the Wrath of Elohim and which is different than the Great Tribulation that occurred just prior to this) upon the wicked and godless rebels left upon the earth. This period will culminate with the Battle of Armageddon at which time Yeshua the Messiah will return to earth as the Conquering King to defeat his enemies, marry his bride—the righteous saints—and rule the earth with a rod of Iron for 1000 years. At this time Satan will be bound and cast into the bottomless pit.

The Feast of Tabernacles or Booths (Sukkot or Succoth)

This festival represents the time period when the harvest of souls is completed (therefore, it is a harvest festival occurring at the beginning of the fall season when the agricultural harvest of the fruit of the earth is completed, as well) and a great feast occurs called the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. King Yeshua will have put down all of his enemies (the Beast, the False Prophet, the Antichrist, Satan and all else who opposed YHVH Elohim). This festival is a time of great rejoicing and merriment and is often referred to simply as “the Feast.” YHVH commanded his people to celebrate it for seven days. It is a picture of the 1000-year reign of King Yeshua on earth (called the Mes­sianic Age or Millennium) from his headquarters in Jerusalem. This will be literally a time of paradise on earth.

The Eighth Day (Shemini Atzeret)

This is the seventh and final feast of YHVH and occurs the very next day after the last day of Sukkot. Eight is the biblical number of new beginnings and this day pictures what occurs after the Messianic Age and after man’s 7000 years on this earth. It is at this time that eternity in YHVH’s kingdom occurs. This is the time of the New Heaven and the New Earth; the time when New Jerusalem comes down from heaven. We find this time period described in Revelation 21 and 22. Scripture does not give many details about eternity, but just enough to whet our appetites and inspire our hopes to press onward to be overcomers with Yeshua so that we will be participants in his glorious and everlasting kingdom.
There is a lot here and it is a very rich picture. Who but the unsearchable and all-wise mind of our Creator could have created such a wondrous plan of redemption?

The Feast of Shavuot

Shavuot is the third festival in YHVH’s cyclical parade of annual sacred appointed times. It is also known as the Feast of the Harvest of the First Fruits (Exod. 23:16), Day of First Fruits (Num. 28:26) and the Feast of Weeks or Shavuot (which is Hebrew for weeks) (Exod. 34:22; Deut. 16:10, 16; 2 Chr. 8:13). Shavuot falls fifty days “from the day after the [weekly] Sabbath” (NKJV) that falls during the Days of Unleavened Bread, hence the name Pentecost (“count fifty”) in the Apostolic Writings (Acts 2:16). According to the first-century Jewish histo­rian, Flavius Josephus, the concept of counting fifty, hence the name Pentecost, was expressed by the Jews of that day by the Hebrew word Asartha (Ant. III, x, 6). Rabbi S. R. Hirsch in his Torah commentary refers to it as Azereth (The Pentateuch-Leviticus, p. 663). Both of these references seem to point to the Hebrew word VRMG atzerah (or atzereth) (Strong’s H6116/TWOT 1675c) meaning an assembly or solemn assembly.

YHVH through his Torah instructed his people that Shavuot was…

a day of rest where laborious or servile work was prohibited (Lev. 23:21)
a commanded assembly (Lev. 23:21)
a time when the priests offered up offerings and sacrifices (Lev. 23:18-20)
a time when all males were to bring the tithes of the increase of their income (Exod. 23:14; Deut. 16:16)
a time when the priests were to offer up as a wave offering to YHVH two loaves of leavened bread made of the freshly harvested wheat (Lev. 23:17-20)
to occur where YHVH would place his name and all were to go there to celebrate it (Deut. 16:11)
a time of rejoicing (Deut. 16:11)
to be forever (Lev. 23:21)

An Agricultural Festival With Prophetic Implications

Ancient Israel was an agricultural society that had a spring harvest of grain and a fall harvest of fruit. The spring harvest consisted of the smaller barley harvest which began during the Days of Unleavened Bread and the much larger wheat harvest occurring fifty days later at Shavuot. Both the barley and wheat harvests were prophetic shadow pictures symbolizing new life and new creation and both were presented to YHVH by the priests for his acceptance—a sheaf of barley on wavesheaf Sunday during Hag HaMatzot (the Feast of Unleavened Bread) (Lev. 23:10-11) and two loaves of leavened wheat bread on Shavuot (Lev. 23:17).
In the first presentation of the firstfruits of the barley harvest that the priests waved or lifted heavenward we see a shadow picture of Yeshua who upon his resurrection Saturday evening, just before the setting of the sun, ascended to heaven on the first day of the week to be accepted by the Father (John 20:17). Literally, Yeshua was the first of the firstfruits of the resurrection from the dead.
Fifty days later was Pentecost when the priests offered to YHVH the two loaves of leavened bread made of wheat from the first fruits of the larger of the two spring harvests. This foreshadowed the larger harvest of souls during the time period from the giving of the Ruach HaKodesh (the Set-apart Spirit) until Yeshua’s second com­ing. We are at the close of that time period now as the end of the age draws near. The Feast of Pentecost in Acts chapter two ushered in this time period with the harvest of thousands of souls (Acts 2:41,47). It must be inserted here that an even larger harvest of souls for the kingdom of YHVH is yet to occur during the fall feast days, which corresponds with the largest harvest of the entire year—the fall fruit harvest. This will occur just prior to and after the return of Yeshua as an innumerable multitude of people get saved out of the Great Tribulation and when many more will be saved during the Messianic Age (Millennium) itself.

The Prophetic Implications of The Feast of the Harvest of Firstfruits

As we have noted above, The Feast of the Harvest of Firstfruits is another name for Shavuot (Exod. 23:16; 34:22; Num. 28:26). At Passover time the barley (Exod. 9:31 cp. chap. 12) was ready to be harvested in the land of Israel. Fifty days later at Pentecost the larger wheat crop was ready for harvest (Exod. 34:22). Barley and wheat were the two main grain crops of Israel (Deut. 8:7-8; 2 Chron. 2:15; Jer. 41:8). In the late summer occurred the larger harvest of fruits and vegetables.
These three harvests coincided, as noted above, with the three pilgrimage festivals: Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles. The success of these three harvests was contingent upon the arrival of the fall (early or former) rains and the latter rains of the spring. In biblical and rabbinic thought these rains speak of not only the outpouring of the Spirit of Elohim upon the earth, but of an outpouring of YHVH’s Torah-understanding and glory, as well. This double meaning may be referred to as Spirit of Elohim and the Torah-truth (or the Word) of Elohim. This concept is expressed in many ways in many places throughout the pages of Scripture (e.g., spirit and truth, John 4:23-24 and 1 Peter 1:22; letter and spirit, 2 Cor. 3:6; Col. 1:6, grace and truth; truth in love, Eph. 4:15; truth and life, John 14:15; judgment and mercy, Jas. 2:13; power and authority, Luke 4:36; word and spirit, Eph. 6:17; as well as logos and rhema, Moses and Elijah, “Old” and “New Testaments”; Mount Sinai and Mount Moriah/ Zion; and the list could go on).
The land of Israel and the rain and harvest cycles are prophetic of outpourings of YHVH’s Spirit and the revelation of his Written Word. “The rains are prophetic of the outpouring of the Set-apart Spirit upon people’s lives individually as they accept Yeshua into their lives and allow the Set-apart Spirit to teach and instruct them concerning the ways of Elohim. The early rain and the latter rain also teach us about the pouring out of Elohim’s Set-apart Spirit in a corporate way upon all flesh. The early rain refers to the outpouring of the Set-apart Spirit during Yeshua’s first coming and the latter rain refers to the outpouring of the Set-apart Spirit dur­ing Yeshua’s second coming during the fall feasts” (The Seven Festivals of Messiah, by Eddie Chumney, pp. 97-98). Chumney goes on to note that harvest speaks of the salvation of people with the spring harvest representing those who would receive Yeshua as Messiah in the present age with fall harvest representing those who would come to Messiah at the end of the present age (ibid., p. 98).

The Three Pilgrimage Festivals

Shavuot is one of three Pilgrimage (or Aliyah) Feasts when the Israelites were commanded to go up to the place wherever YHVH had chosen to place his name (Exod. 23:14-19; Deut. 16:1-17). That place corresponded to where the Tabernacle and later the Temple was located. Since the Temple was eventually located in Jerusalem that city become the physical destination for the people of Elohim to fulfill their spiritual obligations before him.
Three times each year YHVH commanded his people to go Jerusalem—on the Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread in the early spring, fifty days later on the Feast of Pentecost in the late spring, and then several months later at the end of the summer for the Feast of Tabernacles and the Eighth Day. In time the prophets of Israel realized that physical Jerusalem would become the destination for all the people of the nations during the Millennium (Messianic Age) (Zech. 14:16-19), even as it had been up until the first-century before the destruction of the Temple (Acts 2:5-11).
YHVH reveals in his Torah several things that his people are to do pertaining to the three aliyah festivals. They are to appear before YHVH Elohim (Exod. 23:15-19) in the place where he has chosen to place his name (Deut. 16:2, 16), they are to bring their tithes and offerings to this place (Exod. 23:15; Deut. 16:16-17), they were to have a solemn assembly (Deut. 16:8, 15; Lev. 23:4) and to rejoice (Deut. 16:14).
The imminent Jewish rabbi of nineteenth century, Samson Raphael Hirsch, as to why we separate ourselves from the world during these three feast days, said in his commentary on Deut. 16:16: “Three times in the year all the individual members of the nation of Israel are to appear out of all isolation personally before the Presence of the One (Elohim) of the nation in the circle around the one common Sanctuary and thereby become conscious of each one being in connection with all the others, with Elohim, and with His Torah” (The Pentateuch—Deuter­onomy, p. 310). Shema Israel! Hear and obey the word of Elohim and be blessed!

Set-apart Times

These feast days are set-apart times for YHVH’s set-apart people. They are divine appointments between the Cre­ator of the Universe and his called-out ones. They are love feasts between YHVH-Yeshua and his Bride, the Saints of the Most High Elohim. The seven annual appointed times of YHVH are the perfect seven-step divine plan of how YHVH-Yeshua will redeem his backslid people Israel, his adulterous bride, back to himself. These days are the embodiment of the Gospel (Good News) message of the coming marriage between Yeshua and his Bride and the establishment of his kingdom upon this earth in a full and universal sense! We show our belief, faith, love, antici­pation and obedience to him by walking them out. What will you be doing?
To not set aside time for them from one’s secular schedule is to ignore the call of the Bridegroom, Yeshua, for us to go out to meet him. It is to deprive oneself of the joys of communing with the Set-apart (Kadosh) One of Israel in this special and set-apart way. It is to disregard and treat as common and profane set-apart times that YHVH established for him and his people to come together. It is to disregard the covenants, the national consti­tution and marriage agreement between YHVH and his people—born again, Messianic Believers who have been grafted in to the olive tree of Israel through a relationship with Yeshua, the Messiah, the Anointed Sent One of Israel. To disregard YHVH’s feast days is to show disregard for his Torah-commands—his precepts, teachings and instructions in righteousness. To do this is to violate his commandments, which is sin (1 John 3:4)!

It’s About Love and Marriage

Yeshua said that if we love him we would keep his Torah-commandments (John 14:15). It is all about love. Love for YHVH and love for the members of the Body of Yeshua. So where will you be and what will you be do­ing during the upcoming set-apart feast days of YHVH Elohim: the Day of Trumpets (Yom Teruah), the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) and the Eighth Day (Shemini Atzeret)?
Our Master and Redeemer, Yeshua, the Messiah of Israel, is returning again SOON! Man has been on this earth for more than 6000 years. The ancient Jewish rabbis and sages have known and taught for thousands of years that man will be upon this earth for 6000 years walking in sin and rebellion against the Torah (instructions and commandments) of YHVH, but then immediately after that the Messiah will come to establish his kingdom upon this earth ruling from Jerusalem for 1000 years (the Messianic Age).
King Messiah Yeshua is coming again soon. Are you ready? He is calling his Bride, that is you and me, to prepare herself for the marriage supper of the Lamb. YHVH’s feasts are a beautiful shadow-picture of these glorious events for which the whole earth has been waiting, groaning in travail in anticipation ever since YHVH called a man out of Babylon nearly 4000 years ago and gave him the name Abraham. Are you a child, by faith, of this great man of faith? Will you hear the cry of the Kadosh One of Israel, blessed be his name, to come out of Babylon for a season, to separate yourself from this world and its anti-Messiah and anti-Torah system and keep his feast days in holiness and righteousness out of love for your Bridegroom, Yeshua and out of love for your fellow Believers, the Body of Yeshua?

The Two Loaves of Bread

Bread is symbolic of many things in Scripture. It is a metaphor for the Word of YHVH (Matt. 4:4). Yeshua the Messiah is the Word of Elohim made flesh (John 1:1-14) and is therefore spiritual bread. He is the spiritual manna that sustains the Believer’s life spiritually (John 6:25-58). Believers partake of bread in remembrance of and iden­tity with Yeshua’s life and death on this earth (Matt. 26:26; 1 Cor. 11:24). YHVH’s Torah instructs us that bread was to be part of the Passover meal. One of YHVH’s seven annual festivals is called the “Feast of Unleavened Bread.” In the Tabernacle and the later Temple service bread was an important component in many of the sacrifices and offerings. Finally, in the Tabernacle itself we find the Table of Showbread containing twelve loaves of bread repre­senting the tribes of Israel.
But all this bread has one thing in common: it is unleavened. Why? Leavening in Scripture almost always represents sin (1 Cor. 5:6-8; Gal. 5:9). The bread that represents the Word of YHVH, the Person of Yeshua and the sacrifices and offerings that pointed to Yeshua had to be free of leaven (Lev. 2:1-17). To impute sin to the Written and Living Word of Elohim is blasphemous. Yet, interestingly enough, on the Day of Pentecost YHVH’s Torah instructed the Levites to make two loaves of leavened wheat bread from the new wheat crop and offer them up before YHVH. The two loaves of leavened bread were offered in conjunction with seven lambs, one bull and two rams as a burnt offering in addition to a goat as a sin offering and two lambs as a peace offering. Normally a peace offering was a private matter. This is the only example of a community peace offering in the Torah (Artscroll Tanach Series Vayikra/Levitcus, p. 401). The two loaves of bread were to be waved before YHVH in conjunction with the two lambs of the peace offering (Lev. 23:16-20). Why two lambs? Who is the Lamb of Elohim? Yeshua the Messiah is that Lamb (John 1:29, 36; Rev. 13:8). But why two lambs? Because he offered himself up as a sin offering for both the Jews and the people of the nations. (More on this point to follow.) All must come to the Father through him and there is salvation through no other than Yeshua the Messiah (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Why did YHVH instruct his priests to offer leavened bread at this one time?
These two loaves of bread speak of YHVH’s grace toward sinners. The unleavened bread on the Table of Showbread in the Set-apart Place of the Tabernacle’s sanctuary represented the twelve tribes of Israel in a puri­fied, sin-free (unleavened) state in the very presence of YHVH himself. Contrariwise, the leavened bread waved with the meat that was offered on the Altar of Sacrifice (see Lev. 23:18; the bread itself was not burnt, see Lev. 2:11 and see ArtScroll Vayikra/Leviticus Commentary on this verse) in the Outer Court of the Tabernacle represents Believers coming to Yeshua still in a state of spiritual impurity. When offered together with the sacrifices, which point to Yeshua’s work on the cross of redeeming sinners, the leavened bread was accepted—leavening and all. YHVH in his grace does not expect people to come to him in a sin-free state. He loved us while we were still sinners (Rom. 5:8; John 3:16) and sent Yeshua, his Son, to redeem us from the penalty of sin, which is eternal death (Rom. 6:23). But a new Believer is not expected to stay spiritually leavened. The refining process begins in the Outer Court of the Tabernacle and by the time YHVH is finished with his people they will be totally unleavened abiding in his presence in the Sanctuary of his Tabernacle.
But why are there two loaves of leavened bread? Eddie Chumney points out that Pentecost speaks of the birth of Israel as a nation at the foot of Mount Sinai as well as the birth of a congregation of Believers in Yeshua through the Spirit of Elohim on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 (Chumney, pp. 94-95). Who are these two congre­gations? They are the two houses of Israel. This can be stated in many ways:
The two loaves of bread that the priests lifted or waved on Shavuot represent:
Jews and Gentiles
the House of Judah and the House of Ephraim/Israel, which are the two houses of Israel (Isa. 8:14 Jer. 31:31-33; Heb. 8:8-10)
the two olive trees (Zech. 4:3; Jer. 11:10, 16-17; 2:18, 21; Rom 11:13-24; Rom. 11:4)
the two sticks of Ezekiel 37:15-28
the two witnesses of Revelation 11:3-4
Moses and Elijah of Malachi 4:4-6
the two-fold path of spirit and truth which leads to the Father in heaven to which Yeshua makes refer­ence in John 4:23-24
Batya Wootten, in her book, Israel’s Feasts and Their Fullness, adds the following:
two nations (Ezek. 35:10)
two chosen families (Jer. 23:2-4)
two sinful sisters (Ezek. 23:2-4)
two lampstands (Rev. 11:3-4)
two cherubim over the Mercy Seat in the Tabernacle (Exod. 25:18-20)
two tablets of stone upon which the Ten Words (Commandments) were written (Exod. 34:29)
two silver trumpets (Num. 10:2-3)
These series of two all speak to the same thing: the two houses of Israel. Let us briefly explain this:
The Word of Elohim, the Bible, is divided into two parts: the Former and Latter Covenants. These are the two loaves of bread. The House of Judah was given charge over the First or Former Covenant (“Old Testament”) (which includes YHVH’s Torah) and the House of Ephraim was given charge over the Latter or Renewed Covenant (“New Testament”) (Wootten, p. 203). Both of these covenants were prophesied to be for the whole house of Israel (Jer. 31:31-33), but Judah was given the Torah for safekeeping (Gen. 49:10) while the Renewed Covenant was primarily given to the “Gentiles” or people of the nations. Paul teaches that those who were formerly spiritual Gentiles once they are grafted into the olive tree of Israel through the redemptive work of Israel’s
Messiah (Yeshua) they are no longer spiritual Gentiles, but are Israel (Rom. 11:13-24; Eph. 2:11-19; Rom. 4:16; 9:8-11; Gal. 3:7, 9, 14, 28-29).
“The appointed wave offering of this feast teaches us that the Father loves both the houses of Israel. They are his two chosen families (Jer. 33:24).
“However, while the fine bread of truth can be found in the teachings of both houses, both also contain leaven. We need to work to bring forth only that which is of the finest flours from our divided family. We need to leave the leaven behind.
“Let us reunite! Let us eat of the latter day bread of Shavuot! As New Covenant priests of Israel, let us wave both loaves before our Father (1 Pet. 2:9). Let us bring in from our dwelling places two loaves of bread for a wave offering, let them be of very fine flour, baked with leaven as first fruits to YHVH (Lev. 23:17) (Wootten, p. 204).
There are two loaves of bread. What is the significance behind the number two? In Hebrew thought the number two represents the concept of duality, “for there is diversity in every part of YHVH’s Creation. Only in the Creator Himself does absolute Oneness prevail” (The Wisdom In the Hebrew Alphabet, p. 55 by Rabbi Michael L. Munk). The number two corresponds with bet c, the second letter in the Hebrew alphabet, which pictographically represents a house. According to Rabbi Munk, the house (home) is the focal point of holiness on earth and ad­ditionally pictures the spiritual House, Sanctuary or Set-apart Temple of YHVH, and to man, who himself is to become a miniature temple. There is a blessing in duality when opposites work together (e.g. negative and positive in electricity, male and female in a marriage, heaven and earth, the logos and rhema Word of YHVH, this world and the world to come) to achieve a common beneficial purpose (ibid., pp. 55-58).
The fact that these two loaves of bread contain leavening represent the fact that all the people of YHVH have sin in their lives and to one degree or another and have absorbed pagan traditions of men by which YHVH’s word has become of non-effect (Matt. 15:6; Mark 7:7-9) for which the command to the people of YHVH is made to come out of Babylon (Revelation 18:4). Both the House of Judah (the rabbinic Judaism of today) and the House of Ephraim/Israel (modern Gentile Christianity) have strayed from the truth of YHVH’s word (the former has rejected Yeshua, the Living Torah and the latter has rejected the Written Torah given to Moses) and contain the leavening of religious doctrines of men.
Alfred Edersheim notes that these two loaves of leavened bread were actually public thank offerings that the ancient Israelites offered up to YHVH. The fact that they were leavened speaks of the imperfectness and sin of those making the offerings (The Temple: Its Ministry and Services, p. 210). The fact that YHVH ordained and ac­cepted this thank offering laced with leavening (a biblical metaphor for sin) speaks of the unconditional love and mercy of YHVH toward his sinful people and desire to reconcile himself to man, in spite of man’s sinful condition. For Scripture records that YHVH loved us while we were yet sinners (Rom. 5:8) and that Yeshua suffered on the cross for our sins while we were still in our wickedness to bring us to the Father (1 Pet. 3:18).

The Giving of the Torah At Mount Sinai

Not secondary to what we have already discussed regarding important things that occurred on Shavuot was the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai that occurred on this day, as well. YHVH gave his people the words of life to live by, but because of the hardness of their hearts they were not able to be faithful to him. Like a wife who says “I do” in response to her wedding vows, but cannot remain faithful to her marriage covenant agreements, so Scrip­ture likens Israel to such a woman. On Pentecost in the book of Acts however, Yeshua betrothed Israel all over again and this time gave her a heart of flesh to replace her heart of stone, by filling her with the Ruach HaKodesh (Set-apart Spirit) empowering or enabling her to keep his Torah-commandments. In other words, Yeshua, the Living Torah-instructions of YHVH, came to take up residence within the very hearts and minds of Believers through the indwelling and empowering presence of the Ruach HaKodesh thereby living out Torah from within each born-again Believer even as he lived out the Torah-Word of YHVH when he walked this earth. Isn’t this a beautiful picture of YHVH’s love and care for his bride, his people? This is all part of the wonderful plan of salva­tion/redemption that YHVH laid out thousands of years ago to bring people into a life-giving relationship with himself through his instructions in righteousness, the Torah, all through his Son, Yeshua the Messiah, the Living Torah who now leads and guides his people through the wilderness of life not via a pillar of fire over a physical tabernacle, but through the fire of the Ruach HaKodesh living in the spiritual temple of each individual believer’s life and guiding them from within.
On Shavuot the first century Believers were empowered from on high with Ruach HaKodesh, called the im­mersion in the Ruach HaKodesh (baptism of the Set-apart Spirit) (Acts 1:5,8). As a result we see Peter being trans­formed from a spiritual mouse (compare John 20:23 with John 21:3) into a spiritual lion or dynamo (Acts 2:14-41). The immersion or saturation in the Ruach (a different and subsequent occurrence than being simply born again) is for the purpose of being empowered with supernatural gifts and enablements (the gifts of the Ruach, see 1 Cor. 12) in order to be equipped to go out into the harvest field of human souls, spiritually empowered, ready to bring in the spiritual harvest of souls. On the Day of Pentecost YHVH wrote the Torah into the hearts of the Messianic Believers by the Ruach (Spirit) and then supernaturally empowered them to take both the message of Torah—the light of his truth—coupled with the Good News of the Redeemer, Messiah Yeshua—the Living Torah word of Elohim—to a lost and dying world. This is the fundamental message and purpose of Shavuot in the Book of Acts.

On Shavuot the First of The Three Great Shofar Blasts Occur

Scripture speaks of three great trumpet (shofar) blasts:
The First Trump, (or shofar blast), which is blown on Shavuot, relates to the giving of the Torah (Matan Torah) at Mount Sinai (Exod. 19:16, 19).
The Last Trump (or shofar blast) is blown on Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets or Rosh Hoshana) is the day of the awakening blast calling the saints to prepare their spiritual garments in preparation for the coming Messiah/Bridegroom. This shofar blast corresponds to the Last Trumpet blast of Revela­tion 11:15 after which the resurrection of the righteous occurs (1 Cor. 15:51-53).
The Great Trumpet or Final Trumpet (or shofar blast called the Shofar HaGadol) is blown on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) signifying the Day of Judgment and the return of Messiah Yeshua as the King and Judge of the earth. Matthew says that Messiah returns with a great sound of a shofar (trum­pet) (Matt. 24:30-31). Perhaps this is a reference to the Shofar HaGadol.

Genesis 22 and The Three Trumpets

The First and Last Trumpets relate to the two horns of the ram caught in the thicket on Mount Moriah. The ram represents Yeshua the Sacrificial Lamb. The thicket represents human sinfulness. Humanity is entangled in the thicket of sin and needs a way to get free. Yeshua the Messiah, the Lamb (ram) slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8), who while hanging on the cross wore a crown of thorns. Is this not a picture of the “ram caught in the thicket” of the sins of the people? Scripture says that the sins of humanity were laid upon Yeshua (Isa. 53:6). The crown of thorns is a picture of this. Furthermore, in Matthew 13, in Yeshua’s Parable of the Sower, we see that some of the seed was cast into the thorns, which Yeshua explained represents the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches that choke out the word of YHVH. These references to thorns and thicket are a picture of sin. The wages of sin is death. In Gen. 22 Isaac was about to die, but the ram caught in the thicket that YHVH provided was a type of Yeshua (i.e. Salvation) and became a substitute sacrifice for Isaac. Isaac was set free and the ram was sacrificed instead. The left horn of the ram signifies mercy and grace. Hebraically, the left hand of YHVH always signifies this. Furthermore, the left horn of the redemptive ram signifies the purpose of the First Coming of Messiah Yeshua as the Suffering Savior (Messiah ben [son of] Yoseph), as one bringing mercy and grace, and not quenching a smoking flax or breaking a bruised reed, like a meek and quiet Lamb to the slaughter. The right horn of the ram caught in the thicket represents judgment. Elohim’s right hand is the hand of power, might and judg­ment in Scripture. Thus, this horn represents the Second Coming of Messiah, who is seated at the right hand of the Father (Acts 2:32-33) who will come this time in power as King of Kings to rule with a rod of iron and to judge the living and the dead.
That is why the First Trump (representing the Left Horn of the ram) is sounded on Shavuot representing YHVH’s grace and mercy upon his people from Abraham until the Second Coming—a time for his people to repent and return to him
Pesach (Passover) to Yom Teruah (the Feast of Trumpets) is the time of the “Church Age” of grace. Between the festivals Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), a ten-day period on the biblical calendar, prophetically pictures when this time of judgment will occur. In between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur (in Jewish tradition called the Ten Days of Awe) is the time of the Great Tribulation which is the time for YHVH’s people to “get their act together” spiritually and repent (turn from sin or get their spiritual garments ready for the mar­riage supper of the Lamb) so they will not fall under the final judgment of Yom Kippur—called the Wrath of Elohim—during which time the Great or Final Trump will sound and Messiah will return to this earth to judge the living and the dead.
Genesis 22:4 says that Abraham saw the “place” (i.e. Mount Moriah) afar off “on the third day”. This is scrip­tural prophetic code for something significant. Mount Moriah is the place of Messiah’s crucifixion. So Abraham saw by faith the place and work of Messiah Redeemer’s death afar off time wise. “On the third day” signifies two things. First, a day in Scripture, in this instance, symbolizes 1000 years (2 Peter 3:8), and so it represents the third one-thousand-year period from the time of Abraham (approximately. 1872 B.C., according to Josephus). Messiah would come as the Sacrificial Lamb in three days or in the third millennia from Abraham’s time. Yeshua was born and died in the first millennia A.D. (common era), or the third millennia from Abraham. Second, the phrase, “third day” can represent the time or millennia of Messiah’s Second Coming, as well, as we shall see.

The Third Day—A Prophetic Picture

Let’s explore the idea of the Third Day a little more. In Exodus 19:11 YHVH tells the Israelites to consecrate themselves and wash their clothes for two days, then “be ready against the third day: for the third day YHVH will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.” Every detail in YHVH’s word means something and is important. Don’t read over the details too quickly, for you might miss some wonderful nuggets of truth hidden therein! Exodus 19:1 says that the Israelites arrived at Sinai in the third month. Rabbinic tradition teaches that YHVH most likely gave this order to the Israelites on the third day of the third month. Rabbinic tradition also teaches that this Third Day—the day YHVH gave the Ten Statements or Commandments—was on Shavuot.
Now let’s connect the dots. Shavuot and the giving of the Ten Statements was a day when YHVH, for the first time in recorded biblical history, sounded the heavenly shofar—known as the sounding of the First Trumpet. This relates back to the ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham could see “the place” (Mount Moriah) afar off in three days which related to Messiah’s first coming three millennia later. Likewise, the Israelites were to be ready “on the third day” to receive the Written Torah thundered from Messiah’s lips (in his pre-incarnate state, see Acts 7:38; 1 Cor. 10:4) at Mount Sinai. But the “third day” reference here is also a prophecy analogous to Abraham’s “third day.” The connection? Abraham saw the death of the Redeemer on Mount Moriah and the Israelites were living out a prophecy that pointed to the same time when Messiah would come as the living Torah culminating on the Feast of Shavuot. (More on this later in this study.) The “third day” reference for both Abraham and the Israelites has the same relevance, for both were living in the Second Century B.C. (i.e. before the birth of Yeshua, the Messiah) who was born near the beginning of the First Century A.D.—or the third millennia, or third day prophetically, from both the time of Abraham and the Israelites.
Though not directly relating to Shavuot though very much related to the theme of the “third day” and to the three trumpet blasts, let’s flesh this idea out a little further. As Yeshua, the Living Torah, came on the third day, so he will return on the third day after his first coming—or, in the third millennia after his first coming. That is, he came in the first millennium of our common era, and we have just passed into the third millennia of our common era and are now in the twenty-first century. According to prophecy, Messiah will return in this third millennia, or third day. Here are the Scriptures:
Hos. 6:1-3, “Come, and let us return unto YHVH: for he has torn, and he will heal us; he has smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know YHVH: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.”
This is a prophecy about the restoration of his people Israel in marriage covenant to him. But it is also referring to the resurrection of the saints or, the bride of Messiah, who will participate in the marriage supper of the Lamb of YHVH. The saints are Israelites who are part of the Romans 11 olive tree whose root goes back to Abraham and to YHVH.
Luke 13:32, Yeshua said, “…Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.” Yeshua was speaking of his ministry on earth at his first coming as well as his being resurrected on the third day. But, the “third day” is also a reference to his Second Coming in the third millennia or third day after his First Coming. As he was “perfected” on the third day and raised from the dead, we his saints will be “perfected” or resurrected at his Second Coming in the Third Millennia. The Ten Statements were given at Mount Sinai on the third day after two days preparation. That is, the Children of Israel had two days to prepare and on the third day YHVH would give them his law from Mount Sinai. Similarly, Yeshua has had his people prepare themselves for 2000 years and in the third thousand-year period (or the seventh thousand year since creation—i.e. the Shabbat Millennium) Messiah will return to resurrect his people after which the 1000-year Sabbatical Millennium will commence.
John 2:1 says, “And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee...”
Likewise, this is a prophetic statement referring to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb to occur after the Second Coming of Yeshua Messiah in the third 1000-year period after his First Coming.
Even after two days of preparation, Ancient Israel was still not ready (spiritually) to receive the Torah from YHVH. On Shavuot, at Mount Sinai, YHVH entered into a marriage covenant with the Children of Israel, but they were not ready to live up to the terms of that covenant. Those terms, simply stated, involved being faithful and obedient only to YHVH, Israel’s spiritual marriage partner, and to his instructions in righteousness, the Torah. This Israel quickly demonstrated they were not willing to do, for they had hardly said “I do” to their marriage vows when they made and began worshipping the golden calf—bringing in the worship practices of a pagan deity from Egypt—calling it YHVH and in doing so, saying they were having a feast unto YHVH. Between the time of the Feasts of Shavuot and Yom Teruah (the Day of the Awakening Blast, commonly called Rosh Hashana) when Moses received the second tablets of stone from YHVH containing the Ten Commandments, Ancient Israel, the bride of YHVH, prepared herself not only to receive YHVH’s instructions again, but this time to be faithful to her mar­riage vows. This Israel did. She remained faithful to YHVH for approximately 38 years in the Wilderness after which she entered the Promised Land and “stayed the course” until after the death of Joshua.
Similarly, Messianic Israel of the first century a.d. received the Torah on the fleshly tablets of their hearts written by the finger of the Ruach HaKodesh on Pentecost. But starting at about a.d. 70 with the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and continuing up through the Second Jewish Revolt of a.d. 135 until the time of Em­peror Constantine (in the fourth century) the second century bride of Messiah had for the most part abandoned YHVH’s Torah-commandments and turned, to one degree or another, to mixing in golden calf worship (Sunday worship, Christmas and Easter celebrations and many other pagan beliefs and traditions that exist in Christendom to this day).
In our day, is not YHVH calling out a remnant who are leaving behind the pagan traditions of golden calf worship and returning to the ancient blessed paths of YHVH’s Torah-instructions in righteousness? Does not the book of Revelation speak of a group of end-time saints who will say “I do” to YHVH, and whose identifying mark is their faith in Yeshua the Messiah (i.e., the Gospel message) and yet who faithfully keep YHVH’s Torah-com­mandments (Rev. 12:17 and 14:12)? Are these remnant Believers not preparing themselves for the Second Coming of Messiah at the Feast of Trumpets when Yeshua, the Living Torah, will return to marry his Spiritual Bride—the saints, or sanctified ones, of YHVH? As the Children of Israel entered into the Promised Land under the leader­ship of Joshua, so YHVH’s spiritual bride will enter into the Spiritual Promised Land of the Millennium and the Kingdom of YHVH under the leadership of Yeshua the Messiah.

Why Fifty Days Between the Wave Sheaf Offering and Shavuot?

Fifty is the number of complete redemption or liberty. In Ancient Israel all debts were forgiven every seven years. This was called the seven-year cycle. Each seven years one had to let their land rest—no crops were planted. This was called the land Sabbath. Seven 7-year cycles equaled 49 years. In Scripture we see that 7 is the number YHVH uses to signify completion or perfection. Therefore, 7 sevens, or 49 years, signified total completion. Seven Sab­baths represents redemption, liberty or rest in its fullest or ultimate sense. The fiftieth year was therefore the year of Jubilee when all slaves were set free, all land was returned to its original owners and when all debts were for­given. If Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread signified deliverance from sin (Egypt), then Shavuot, occur­ring 50 days after the Wave Sheaf Offering during the week of the Days of Unleavened Bread, symbolizes total redemption, deliverance and victory over sin. How? By the glorious power of the indwelling presence of the Ruach HaKodesh (Set-apart Spirit) in a person’s life.

The Torah Written On Tablets of Stone At Sinai and On the Heart In the Upper Room

YHVH wrote the Ten Words on two tablets of stone with his finger and gave them to man on Shavuot at Mount Sinai. Similarly, it is the Ruach HaKodesh’s (YHVH’s Set-apart Spirit) work to write the Torah-instructions or commandments of YHVH on the fleshly tablets of our heart. Scripture says in 2 Corinthians 3:3 that “Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Messiah ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Ruach of the living Elohim; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.” The Spirit of Elohim came on Shavuot to empower man to live and obey Torah by faith from the heart (not just in a mechanical, legalistic, letter-of-the-law fashion). Ancient Israel received the same Gospel message (Heb. 4:2), but it did not profit them since they did not have faith and because their hearts were hardened (verses 6-7). They did not have the indwelling pres­ence of the Ruach (John 7:39). This would not happen until Yeshua returned to heaven to be glorified after which the Comforter (Set-apart Spirit) would be sent (John 14:16; 15:26; 16:7; See also Jer. 31:31 and Ezek. 11:18).

Shavuot At Mount Sinai Versus Shavuot (Pentecost) In the Upper Room

The Commandments of Elohim were originally written on tablets of stone at the first Shavuot (Exodus 24:12); then at Shavuot in the upper room (referred to as Pentecost) on our hearts (Jer. 31:33; Psalm 40:8; 37:31; Is. 51:7; Ezek. 11:19-20; 36:22-27; 2 Cor. 3:3; Heb. 8:10). Originally the commandments were written by the finger of Elohim on two tablets of stone (Exod. 31:18); then at Pentecost YHVH’s commandments written by the Ruach (Spirit) of Elohim (2 Cor. 3:3; Heb. 8:10) on the heart of man. Three thousand were slain at the golden calf incident (Exodus 32:1-8,26-28); on Pentecost the reverse happened: three thousand were saved or born again (Acts 2:38-41). The let­ter of the Torah was given at Sinai; in the Brit Chadashah (Renewed Covenant) the Spirit of the Torah was given (Matt. 5-7; Rom. 2:29; 7:6; 2 Cor. 3:6). The Torah-law was originally given on Mount Sinai (Exod. 19:11); at Pen­tecost the Torah was written into the hearts of men in the “Upper Room” of the Temple in Jerusalem, or Mount Zion (Rom. 11:26; Heb. 12:22; 1 Pet. 2:6). Thunderings, fire and tongues of various languages occurred at both Shavuot at Sinai and Pentecost at Jerusalem.
Jewish Midrash (interpretation of Scripture) teaches that when YHVH was speaking out the Ten Commandments visible sound waves actually left his mouth—liquid, audible fire. Exodus 20:18 says that the people saw the thunderings (plural, not singular thunder). Midrashicly (allegorically) this means that as YHVH’s voice left his mouth it split into the 70 known languages extant on earth at that time and traveled around the entire camp and then to each Israelite. Israel had a “Pentecostal” experience in the wilderness! The Feast of Shavuot at Sinai was a rehearsal (or miqra) of Shavuot in the Messianic Scriptures (Brit Chadashah). The phrase “voice of the words” in Hebrews 12:19 referring to what the Israelites heard at Sinai may be a reference to what the rabbis are referring to in the Midrash when they say that the liquid, audible fire went to each individual Israelite, for the word words in He­brews 12:19 is the Greek word rhema which means an individual word from the Ruach (Set-apart Spirit) of YHVH. So in Sinai each Israelite heard YHVH’s word in 70 languages, while on Pentecost when the fire of YHVH went onto each person, each person not only heard the Gospel preached in their own language (Acts 2:6–11), but those present were empowered to speak or evangelize the Gospel message in the tongues or languages of that day.
Yeshua commanded his disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until Pentecost where they would be “immersed with the Ruach HaKodesh” (Acts 1:5). He further told them that they would “receive power (literally explosive, dynamic or dynamite-like power) after that the Ruach HaKodesh is come upon you …” (verse 8, first part). And what was the purpose for that dynamic immersion or in-filling of the Ruach HaKodesh (Set-apart Spirit)? “...[A]nd ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (verse 8, last part). Were they, under the empowerment of the Ruach to preach a Torah-less (or even anti-Torah) message? Assuredly not!!! They were commanded to preach the Gospel message of the Written and Living Torah to the Jews first and then to the world as Yeshua commanded with signs and wonders following (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18). He taught the glorious and liberating message of Torah to a lost, hurting and dying world with signs and miracles following even as he commanded his disciple to do under the power and gifts of the Ruach. One author states this so aptly, “The complete saturation of believers with the Set-apart Spirit bestowed many supernatural gifts and enablements for declaring the Good News with power and effectiveness (Acts 1:8). This is reasonable, for if the work of YHVH could be accomplished through human abilities, the ‘enduement (or clothing upon) with power from on high’ would be rendered unnecessary and meaningless.”
This author continues, “It is a mistake to isolate one manifestation as evidencing this in-filling. Pentecost represents a many-faceted demonstration of His presence, as we shall see. Some of the spiritual abilities with which the church was endowed are these: word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, and speaking with tongues, both heavenly language and foreign languages of men (1 Cor­inthians 12; 1 Corinthians 13:1). You will discover that gifts to the ministry are included in this equipping. (Ephe­sians 4:8,11)” (ibid.).
Simply stated, he says, this Set-apart Spirit baptism was for the equipping of those who would be used of YHVH with whatever they needed, on any occasion and under any circumstances, to be an adequate witness and to do the works of Elohim (John 14:12).
He says, Today, more than ever, we must have these spiritual talents working in us so that the Gospel of the kingdom may be published into all the world for a witness before the end comes (Matthew 24:14). The fact that Pentecost is also identified as the Feast of Harvest gives us some spiritual insight concerning the harvest of souls that Elohim desires to be reaped from the earth. The Bible teaches that Yeshua was the Son of Man who came to sow good seed—the word of YHVH (Luke 8:5-11). The Body of Messiah is the reaper sent forth for harvesting (John 4:38; Matthew 9:38). Through Spirit-filled witnessing, the harvest of earth will be reaped. It is for this reason that Yeshua made the declaration, “Ye shall receive power after that the Set-apart Spirit is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me … unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The people of YHVH can never be effective and productive in this harvest without an abundant anointing or baptism of the [Set-apart Spirit]. Pentecost symbolizes ANOINTING FOR THE HARVEST. A yearly observance of this biblical memorial day by the believers serves to remind us of our total dependence upon the Set-apart Spirit to give us the guidance and anointing we must have for this spiritual harvest of earth. The apostle Peter referred to it as a “time of refreshing” (ibid.).

Legend of the Blessed Ones

The descendents of Jethro, the father in law of Moses, have some interesting legends being told about them. During the time of Jeremiah, while all the people were being exiled to Babylon, the Blessed Ones were saved on account of obeying their father and taken to a land of Paradise. The story is alluded to in the Bible.

There is a wonderful account of the Blessed Ones in Volume Two of the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. At the present time, this writing does not appear to be in English form online.

Here is one version of the legend according to Alexander the Great.
According to Alexander, he was able to visit this paradise and see them in person.

The Promise to the Rechabites

Another account of the Rechabites, per the Legends of the Jews:

One of the descendants of Jethro was Jonadab, son of Rechab, who, when he heard from a prophet that God would destroy the Temple, bade all his children, as a toke of mourning, to drink no wine, use no oil for anointing themselves, nor cut their hair, nor dwell in houses. The Rechabites obeyed this command of their sire, and as a reward for this, God made a covenant with them that their descendants should always be members of the Sanhedrin, and teachers of Israel. The covenant with the Rechabites was even stronger than that with David, for to the house of the latter God promised to keep the covenant only if his descendants were pious, but He made an unconditional covenant with the Rechabites. God rewarded them for their devotion to Him in this way, although they did not belong to the Jewish nation. From this one can gather how great would have been their reward if they had been Israelites.


Here is an account that Matthew supposedly wrote (not in English), who also visited the Blessed Ones. This account is stored at :

St. Catherines Monastery at Mt. Sinai

St. Catherine's is the largest religious library, next to the Vatican. It contains the biblical original manuscripts and many ancient documents.

Cambridge University translated the Matthew documents into English. Here is the translation:

Cambridge Translation/critical analysis of text

100 THE ACTS OF MATTHEW.



THE ACTS OF MATTHEW.

The Acts of Matthew the disciple which he did in the country of the
Kahenaf^, in the peace of the Lord. Ameji.

And Peter and Andrew were on their return from the country of
El Barbar. And they had estabHshed them in the faith, and had taught
them the precepts of religion. While they were journeying on the road
Matthew met them. And they embraced one another with a spiritual kiss ;
and he said unto them : " Whence have ye come?" They said unto him:
" From the country of El Barbar." Matthew said unto them : " And I also
have come from the country of the Blessed." And each one of them told
him what sufferings had befallen him. Matthew said unto them : " The city
in which I have been, the Lord Jesus the Christ is present with them
every day : and He keepeth a feast with them. He setteth up His throne
in the midst of their church in the early morning, and He teacheth them
His precepts. And when I entered their city, and preached amongst
them, and proclaimed the Gospel in His name, they said : ' We know
this Name.' I said unto them : ' Who hath taught it to you ? ' They said
unto me : ' Be patient, and trouble not thyself until the morning ; thou
shalt look on Him Whom thou hast preached unto us.' And when the
f. io8a morrow came the Lord Jesus the Christ came riding upon a shining cloud,
and all the powers of heaven praising Him. And when I saw Him, in the
abundance of joy I exulted in the Holy Ghost, and cried, saying: ' Ascribe
ye glory to the King of kings ; and exalt His greatness to all genera-
tions.' And we remained three days praising Him in the church. And
when the three days were ended He blessed us and ascended to heaven
with great glory.

" Then I said unto them, ' How have ye become worthy of this honour?
that the Lord Jesus the Christ should keep a feast with you ? ' They
said unto me : ' Hath not the tale of the nine tribes and a half reached
thee, which the Lord caused to enter the Land of Promise? We are
they. When it is mid-day, Gabriel, the angel of the Lord, cometh
unto us ; and there come with him the hundred and the four and forty
thousand infants whom Herod slew ; they defiled not their garments in

^ i.e. " priests."



THE ACTS OF MATTHEW. lOI

the world. And when they sing praise we sing praise with them, and
when they say Alleluia, we say it with them. But as for gold and
silver we do not wish for it in our country. We eat no flesh and drink
no wine in our country ; but honey is our food and our drink. We
do not look on the faces of our women with desire ; the first boy who
is born we present him as an offering to God, that he may serve the f. io8b
temple all his life, when he is three years old. Our drink is not the water
from wells dug by the hands of men ; but the water which we drink is the
water which overfloweth from Paradise. We do not wrap ourselves in
clothing made by the hands of men ; but our clothing is from the
leaves of trees. Our country heareth no lying speech, and no one
knoweth of it. No man weds two wives in our country ; and no boy
dieth before his father. And the younger speaketh not in the presence
of the elder. Lions dwell with us in our country ; they hurt us not, and
we hurt them not. When winds blow, we smell from them the scent of the
garden of Paradise. There is no cold in our country, and no snow, but a
breath of life ; and it is temperate.'

" And when I had heard [this] from them, I longed to dwell in their
country ; and my eyes were dazzled from hearing the sweetness of their
speech."

And Peter and Andrew praised God for this, and besought Him
to reveal unto them to what place they should go. And the Lord
appeared to them and said unto them, " My peace be upon you, O My pure
disciples! whom I have chosen before all mankind. Be strong, and believe ;
for I am dwelling with you always ; I will never be absent where ye are."
And they worshipped down to the ground. And they said: "We bless f. 109a
Thy name, O Lord ! and we thank Thee always. Command us on which
way we should go."

And the Lord commanded Peter to go forth to the city of Rome, and
Andrew to the city of Masya, and Matthew^ to the city of Kahenat.
Matthew^ said unto the Lord: " I know it not, and I have never entered
it." The Lord said unto him : " Art thou still of little faith .' go on this
path, which will bring thee to their city." And then a cloud arrived, and
carried Peter and Andrew until it brought each one of them to his place
wherein the Lord had commanded him to preach. And Matthew^ walked
a little way, and he lifted up his eyes to heaven and prayed, and said :
" O Thou, the Holy Lord, Jesus the Christ, my Lord ! Who taught
Abraham, and fulfilled His oath to Isaac ; and established His testimony

1 MS. "Matthias."

Origination of Watchers

Here is a sight that compares the Book of Jubilees, The Bible, Enoch, and various ancient writings side by side to piece together the Genesis account. He has pieced together the origination of Watchers and fallen angels using these books. Interesting read - despite the fact that he believes we descend from aliens and numerous gods. ;) Also, check out his page on Giants - he has some amazing pictures of tools discovered from the era of the Giants.