Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh_1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Yahshua/Jesus is the WORD made flesh. See how the WORD proclaims the feasts of the LORD? Following I hope will be some encouraging and useful commentary. ( I do not proclaim to be a called teacher just one zealous to help others see)Lev_23:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
Lev_23:4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
Lev_23:37 These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:
Lev_23:44 And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD.
2Ch_2:4 Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.
Ezr_3:5 And afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the LORD. (emphasis mine)
Not one time does it say "feasts of the JEWS". Albeit the Jews are pretty obedient to them.
It is a misconception that some Christians believe the appointed times of Yahweh do not apply to them. That's akin to saying Yahshua/Jesus does not apply to the Jews.
So, the question is: Since you claim to believe and follow Yahshua/Jesus/ THE WORD, are you following, obeying, doing that WORD?
Or did you inherit lies and have been keeping feasts/holidays appointed by man?
It would be worth checking into for anyone that truly desires to please our Father Yahweh.
Or do you think the unchanging Yahweh changed and has two sets of rules thereby producing a divided house of which He says can NOT stand?
Luk_11:17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.
Are we not ONE in Yahshua?
Joh_17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Eph_4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Eph 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
He did not tear down that wall that was between us so that those who followed His instructions could start doing like the world. He tore down the wall so that the world could join the common wealth of Israel. WE are grafted in. Into what? The VINE. Who is the vine? It's certainly not the world.
Joh_15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Yahshua is the vine. And Yahshua is the WORD.
So you see, yes there is still some of our brother, THE JEWS, that need to have the veil removed so that they can recognize their Savior in Yahshua. But so do most Christian believers need to recognize Yahshua IS that WORD and they should obey it if they claim to be followers and desire to be "doers" of that word.
And one big chunk of a problem...... Too many think that the "new testament" letters of Paul teaches you that that WORD, or at least how they see the written version of it, is no longer applicable.
Paul would roll over in his grave!
His letters and ALL of the "new testament" writings are certainly inspired by Yahweh but in no way do they diminish or do away with the WORD that has been from the beginning.
As a matter of fact, when read in context, every bit of it magnifies what was written in what we refer to as the "old testament". And unless you were someone who was educated in the scriptures you would have a hard time understanding what Paul was conveying in all of those letters. Peter even spoke of this happening.
2Pe_3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
Many scripture references that people have been taught as"proof" that we no longer have to keep Yahweh's appointed times are grossly taught out of context. Unfortunately it isn't that easy to just share the correct context with someone. Most people don't want to put the effort into searching it out. That along with pride, the stronghold of hearing the same teachings for so long, and a deeply rooted desire to stay in the comfort zone of tradition, makes most people reject the actual truth of scripture while believing the one trying to share that truth is the one that is way off and into a strange thing.
You cannot force the truth on anyone nor is it our place. Boy! I'm glad I figured that out.
This twisting of scripture has been happening for 2000 years. Paul was a scholar, one of the best in his day, well educated in the scriptures. He was also well educated in what the Pharisees taught, which included additional "laws" (so keep that in mind when you see Paul taking about "law"; you need to know which ones he's referring to).
An average Joe listening to him or reading his letters could easily get all twisted in "their" perception of what he was trying to say. It would be equivalent to a first grader trying to understand Einstein. That is why in Acts it speaks of how the new converts will CONTINUE to learn as they go into the Synagogues on every Sabbath and can learn all of the ways of being a follower, and doer or the WORD/Yahshua/Jesus. Or else they were saying that all we have to do is the few things they mentioned in the previous verses. That could NOT be all as that would leave open a whole plethora of obscene behavior and practices unbecoming of the children of Yahweh.
Act_15:20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
Act 15:21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
These few things were put to the forefront for the new convert to go ahead and start obeying so they wouldn't be so offensive to those who were already obeying these things. The new converts were into some nasty wild practices that didn't jive with Yah's set apart instructions. Eating of blood, sexual perversions of all sorts, eating what they sacrificed to their idols and so on.
New converts were not expected to automatically start donning tzitzits and reciting the Shema' to their children and blowing a shofar while knowing exactly how to observe the feasts. And neither were those who did already practice those things expected to tolerate in their Synagogues someone who didn't want to let go of their blood sausage and perverted sex behavior and the likes. "A little leaven leavens the whole lump".
But anyway, no one was expected to learn everything in a day so these things were put to the forefront to help make it easier for all involved.
Act 15:21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
Yahshua also spoke of this.
Mat 23:1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
Mat 23:2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
Mat 23:3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
Amazing huh? That Yahshua/Jesus actually bid that we listen to, OBSERVE AND DO the teachings of Moses which is the written WORD, instructions of Yah. "Moses' seat" is an old Hebrew idiom. Look it up.
Seeing that scripture can be easily twisted just by reading it or even hearing it is all the more confirmation that it is truly the work of Yahshua that opens the eyes of the one who desires to know the truth. "Seek and you will find". It doesn't say go listen to someone and just believe whatever they say. We are to "study to show ourself approved".
We NEED the foundation to stand on. And we NEED the revelation of it.
The Aleph and the Tav. The Alpha and the Omega. The beginning and the end. The first and the last.
Jas_1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Amein, Shalom and thank you Yahweh
