MORE DETAILS ABOUT KEEPING GOD’S WAYS

In Leviticus, Chapter 22 God continues to speak with Moses about the requirements of the priesthood and the offerings which they will administer for the people. God points out that the priests are to treat the sacred offerings from the people with great respect.  Certain offerings were set aside specifically for feeding the priests and their families. No one else was to participate in these meals except for those who are officially designated members of the priest’s families.   God spells out the rules for the members of the priest’s households and clarifies exactly who may come to the table with the priests and eat of the sacred offerings.

The word “respect” came up a lot in this discussion of God and Moses.

The offerings were to be accepted with respect and they were never to be abused or wasted. It was clarified once again that the offerings brought for this purpose should be offerings without blemish.

There were even special rules and regulations to determine how old a calf could be before it became a sacred offering. A calf was not to be taken from its mother until the eighth day.

This rule concerning the “eighth day” is found all through the Old Testament writings and it seems to be applied to almost any form of new birth; not just that of the sacrifices, but also for circumcision and for times of blessings by the priests. We will talk more about this later in other teachings.

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to our every Thursday bible study called COME AS A CHILD. Today’s lesson will cover Leviticus Chapters 22 and 23. If you missed last week’s lesson you may review it here:  https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/disabled-priests/.

GOD’S ANNUAL FEASTS AND FESTIVALS

Now we come to one of my favorite chapters in the bible.

Leviticus, Chapter 23; is yet another chapter where God spells out his commandments to keep His feast days and His festivals. God begins talking to Moses by reminding him that these are “appointed” times.

APPOINTED TIMES

An appointed time is not the same as any other time.

An appointment is a certain scheduled time on the calendar that you are not supposed to miss.

If you make a doctor’s appointment; you are expected to keep it.

The doctor has set aside his valuable time to spend just with you.

In the Sabbaths and appointed Feasts and Festivals; God has set aside His very valuable time to spend just with us.

These are sacred times.

These days are times that He specifically appointed and called festivals.

We are never to take this schedule for granted.

The appointed times of God are to be set aside specifically for sacred assemblies of God’s people to worship God.

We have written several other articles concerning “appointed times” and you may review them here: https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/sacred-appointed-times-and-seasons/, https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/seasons-why-place-so-much-emphasis-on-seasons/ .

THE SABBATH

Every week God has appointed a special sacred time to meet with us.

That special time is called a Sabbath.

God has commanded over and over that we work for six days and rest on the Sabbath, or the seventh day of the week.  See this article for more details:  https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/work-six-days/

Notice that He says “the seventh day” not the first or the second or the third day; or the fourth or the fifth or the sixth day; but the seventh.

Every seven days God has set aside sacred time to spend with His people. It has been so from the very foundations of the earth and the very beginning of creation. The Sabbath is a time for sacred assembly.

A “sacred assembly” is a set-aside time for people to gather to worship God. God guarantees that He will be there each Sabbath to meet with us. This occurs every seventh day.  This is a day of rest for God and it is a day of rest for mankind.

We have written many articles here about keeping Sabbath. You may review them by clicking on any of the following links: https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/keeping-sabbath/  https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/sign-of-the-sabbath/  .

THE FIRST FOUR FEASTS (THE SPRING FEASTS) THAT HAVE BEEN FULFILLED BY CHRIST

PASSOVER AND UNLEAVENED BREAD

In Leviticus, Chapter 23 God explains to Moses in specific terms which days are His sacred festivals.

God begins with the Passover and The Feast of Unleavened Bread. He explains to Moses that the people are to have a sacred assembly during this time. The Passover is to begin at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month in every year.

This is a very specific, set-aside, spelled-out and appointed time.

God says that The Feast of Unleavened Bread begins on the 15th day of that month and lasts for seven days.

During this time the people are to eat unleavened bread instead of bread made with yeast.

On the first of these days there is to be a sacred assembly.

There is to be no work done on this day. The people are to bring their food offerings to the LORD for seven days. On the 7th Day there is to be another assembly of the people and God in which no work is to be done.

We have written many articles in this blog concerning Passover and Unleavened Bread. If you wish to read them again; you can find them by clicking on these links:SEASONS – PASSOVER UNLEAVENED BREAD WAS PART OF THE COVENANT OF GOD AND HIS PEOPLE – COME AS A CHILD – LESSON 191  CELEBRATING EARLY FIRST FRUITS AND RESURRECTION DURING PASSOVER WEEK IN GOD’S SPRING HOLY DAYS  MENU FOR PASSOVER 2018  A PRETTY CRAFT TO USE AT PASSOVER  PASSOVER SEDERS CAN STILL BE CREATIVE AND UPBEAT EVEN THOUGH IT IS A SERIOUS AND SACRED TIME  CLEANING UP FOR UNLEAVENED BREAD – DAY 15 OF 365 DAYS TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE .

We now know that Christ has become our Passover Lamb. He fulfilled this feast when He died, was buried and then rose again in the Resurrection. We keep it each year to REMEMBER and out of THANKSGIVING AND LOVE for what Our LORD has done for us.

OFFERINGS OF THE FIRSTFRUITS

God told Moses that when the people entered the promised-land and reaped their first harvest that they were to bring a sheaf of the first grain they harvested from each crop to the priests as an offering for the LORD. On the day after the Sabbath, in the time of firstfruits; the priest was to wave the offering before the LORD so that it could be accepted by Him.

FristFruits consists of two times; early first fruits and latter first fruits. For this reason some people hear the phrase used here for “firstfruits” and think it is referring to Pentecost. It is actually referring to the time of “early firstfruits” and the barley harvest.

Later firstfruits refers to the harvest of the wheat crop and the time of Pentecost.

Both crops are considered to be “firstfruits” because they are the first two harvest seasons of the year. The barley harvest is called EARLY FIRST FRUITS and the wheat harvest is called LATTER FIRST FRUITS.

The barley harvest is observed on what we are calling FIRSTFRUITS and the wheat harvest is observed on what we are calling PENTECOST which happens during the LATTER FIRST FRUITS during the early harvesting seasons of spring.

At the time of the harvesting of the barley harvest the people would bring their first sheaf of barley on the day after The Passover (the second day of Unleavened Bread called FIRSTFRUITS), and the priest would wave the sheives before God to be accepted as an offering from each household. This is called the day of EARLY FIRSTFRUITS.

The next spring harvest was the wheat harvest. This is the time called the LATTER FIRST FRUITS and the people are to bring a sheaf of wheat for the priest to be waved before God for acceptance as an offering on that day. That time would always occur on the Day of Pentecost; which always comes on “the day after the Sabbath.” The calendar of our modern day would show a Saturday for the Sabbath and Pentecost occurring on a Sunday; the day after the Sabbath.

At Early Firstfruits the people were required to sacrifice a burnt offering to the LORD.  This was to be a lamb a year old without defect, together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with olive oil. This was a food offering that would be presented to the LORD as a pleasing aroma – and along with it would be a drink offering of a quarter of a hin of wine.

The people understood they must not eat any bread, or any type of new grain, until the day after they brought this offering to God. (God was to get the FIRST and the BEST; before the crops could be eaten and enjoyed by the people.) This was showing gratitude and respect to God and acknowledging Him as provider of all of the needs of the people.

We have spoken often of the different types of grain and drink offerings in this blog.  If you need a reveiw; you may find them here:  HOW THE SACRIFICIAL OFFERINGS TEACH US THE WORK OF CHRIST – COME AS A CHILD – LESSON 209  THE GRAIN OFFERING – COME AS A CHILD – LESSON 207  CELEBRATING THE PEACE OFFERINGS IN A MEAL AT GOD’S TABLE – COME AS A CHILD – LESSON 202  SIN OFFERINGS – COME AS A CHILD – LESSON 208  BEGINNING TO STUDY LEVITICUS – BURNT OFFERINGS – COME AS A CHILD – LESSON 199

It is interesting to note that God says of these days that “this is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; wherever you live.”

Guess what?

We are now part of those “generations to come.”

We are to be keeping these feasts. They have not been done away with. They are GOD’S feast; not the Jewish Feast of Ancient Israel; though the Jewish people have been faithful for all of these years to keep them.  The Christian celebrations proclaim the Messiah. They are the Feasts and Festivals of God and they speak of The Messiah. God never changes. The only change now is that animal sacrifices are no longer required; because Christ gave his life to be our holy sacrifice; once, for all, forever.”

The ancient people had to bring their required animal sacrifices and offer them up to God every year; because they were living in the times before Messiah had come. Our offerings today exist in the form of our prayers, fasting, financial gifts, our service and our actions toward the benefit of others in daily life.

The time of Early Firstfruits is a good time to talk to God about the substance of our offerings.

Are they acceptable to Him?

Are we bringing our very best to God?

Do these things change from year-to-year according to how God has destined for us to walk before Him?

Sometimes prayer, service, good deeds and financial offerings are ALL required; sometimes they are only required one at a time.  It is determined by the blessings that God has provided you in whatever purpose He has destined for your life.

How will you know?

Through prayer and obedience to God.

God will give you answers. Just be obedient and listen to the prompting of God’s Holy Spirit. You will know what God expects from you; be obedient to that knowing.

One thing you can know for sure is that NONE of our offerings will be acceptable unless they are given from one who is covered in the blood of Jesus.  It is Jesus working in us that makes our offerings holy and acceptable to God.

The Offering of Firstfruits is mysteriously ignored in many of today’s churches.  It is my constant prayer that the people wake up to this commandment of God.  If you read the Old Testament you will find that understanding the elements of Firstfruits is essential to understanding our relationship with God.

I have come to associate the fact that the occurrence of Firstfruits on the 2nd Day of Unleavened Bread after The Passover is symbolic of the facts that Jesus has now fulfilled on this day.  I believe that the day of Early Firstfruits is the day that commemorates Christ’s resurrection from the grave.  As the priest waved the sheaves before God to be accepted as an offering; Christ came to be our wave sheaf offering on Early Firstfruits.  His Resurrection was positive proof that He was perfect and without sin.  He became the firstfruits of many who would later come into God’s Kingdom.  He was the first; our first and our best offering to God.  He is what makes our puny human offerings become acceptable.  Without Him; we really have NOTHING of value to offer; but with Him our offerings become good and acceptable before God.

We have written many articles in this blog about the time of the Offering of Early Firstfruits.  If you wish to review them you may click here:  CELEBRATING EARLY FIRST FRUITS AND RESURRECTION DURING PASSOVER WEEK IN GOD’S SPRING HOLY DAYS  COMING INTO THE SPRING HOLY DAYS, COUNTING THE OMER – PART ONE – EARLY FIRST FRUITS  SEASONS – COMING INTO THE SPRING HOLY DAYS – COUNTING THE OMER – (PART THREE)  SEASONS – COMING INTO THE SPRING HOLY DAYS – COUNTING THE OMER – PART TWO – HISTORY MARCHES ON WITH THE GIVING OF THE FIRST FRUITS OFFERINGS.

This spring feast day has also been fulfilled in Christ.

By being the first to rise from the dead; He became the firstfruits of eternal life.

Now we keep this feast to REMEMBER and to say we are THANKFUL for the good and gracious way that God has loved us and cared for us and provided for us throughout all of history.  With the Passover we remember how Christ died for us.  With Firstfruits (which is the 2nd Day of Unleavened Bread after Passover) we remember how Christ rose from the grave!  Firstfruits is a celebration of Salvation and Resurrection.

THE FEAST OF WEEKS (PENTECOST)

In ancient days this was the time of the offering of the wheat harvest.  God told them to count fifty days from the time of the Early Firstfruits offering (the 2nd day of Unleavened Bread) up until the day called Pentecost. Seven Sabbaths would pass during this time after Passover and then a new offering was to be brought before the LORD.

The people were to bake two loaves made with two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour (wheat flour) and the two loaves this time were to be baked WITH yeast and waved before the LORD. This is the LATTER FIRST FRUITS offering.

The ancient people had to bring seven male lambs, each a year old without defect and one young bull and two rams. These were burnt offerings to be offered along with the wine and the grain offerings. These were the food offerings.

One male goat was to be sacrificed as a sin offering and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. The two lambs would be waved before the LORD for a wave offering along with the bread of the firstfruits. These offerings would be consumed inside the tabernacle area by the priests and their families.

No work was to be done on this Day of Pentecost, and a sacred assembly was to be called together. This too was to be a lasting ordinance for the “generations to come, wherever they lived.” That would be me and you again. We are the “generations to come!”  This feast is to be kept wherever we live right now.

Animal sacrifices are no longer required on this day. Spiritual sacrifices ARE acceptable and expected by God.

Again God reminds Moses of how the corners of the fields are to be left un-harvested for the poor. This is how they are able to gather their sacrifices for the firstfruits offerings that are required. A way is provided even for those who think there is no way. God always looks after His people. We are to make a way for the poor and the needy to be able to have food on this day (and every other day too; but this day served as an important reminder.)   We are not to forget to be generous and we are ALWAYS to share our bounty and abundant blessings with others.

This day has also been fulfilled in Christ.

After Christ ascended back into Heaven to be with the Father and to begin to prepare a place for us to live with Him forever; He knew we would miss Him. He knew we would still need His spirit to help us to keep God’s ways and to walk in righteousness before Him. That is why God sent the Holy Spirit on this day; The Day of Pentecost.

Now we can have God’s spirit living inside of us; leading us, guiding us and helping us to keep God’s ways.

At Pentecost; we REMEMBER and we review how God gave Moses the Laws and we are THANKFUL of the way He sent His Holy Spirit to live in us in order to help us to keep His ways forever. We are comforted that God is dwelling among us in this way.

We have written many articles concerning Pentecost in this blog.  A few are noted here:  THE DAY OF PENTECOST  EXPERIENCING PENTECOST IN A VINEYARD – OH THE PLACES WE SHOULD GO

Pentecost is the fourth and the last of the annual SPRING Holy Days.  There are three more that we are commanded by God to celebrate and keep in the Fall season.

THE LAST THREE FALL FEASTS THAT WILL BE FULFILLED IN THE DAYS TO COME

All of the spring feasts of God have already been fulfilled by Jesus Christ, Our Messiah.

The next three feast days; the Fall Feasts of God, have not yet been fulfilled.

When we look at history and we read of the ways that the spring feasts were fulfilled by God right on time, within His perfect schedule; do we not expect that God will do the same thing concerning these last three feasts?

We are always watching and waiting to see what these appointed times will reveal as God orchestrates His story into the history of mankind.

THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS

God told Moses on the first day of the seventh month there should be a rest day with a sacred assembly accompanied by the blowing of trumpets. The people were not to work on this day and they were to bring a food offering.

This feast prophetically and symbolically proclaims that Christ will one day return again.  At that time He will be crowned King of Kings and Lord of Lord’s and He will rule and reign for a thousand years on the earth.

His Beloved; His Church will rule and reign with Him.

The sound of the trumpet announces that One of Great Royalty is coming.  It is a coronation day.  It is the coronation of Christ as King of the Universe.

One day He will return and we must make ourselves ready. This feast day ushers in what is called the Ten Days of Awe. These are the ten days between The Feast of Trumpets and The Day of Atonement. Ten Days to get right with God before The Day of Atonement arrives. The trumpets warn us to “get ready.,”

We have written many articles about The Feast of Trumpets in this blog. You may review any of them here:APPLES AND HONEY FOR A CHRISTIAN CELEBRATION OF THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS  THE RAM’S HORN – ROSH HASHANAH MEDITATIONS – MEDITATION 2 – SEASONS  ON THE FIRST DAY OF FOREVER – SHORT MEDITATIONS FOR THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS – MEDITATION NO. 1 – SEASONS  A PEOPLE MADE READY – COME AS A CHILD – LESSON 226  THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS 2018 – ROSH HASHANAH FROM A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE – SEASONS  BE HOLY – COME AS A CHILD – LESSON 225  WELCOME TO ELUL  TESHUVAH – A SERIES OF ELUL MEDITATIONS- MEDITATION 2 – SEASONS

THE DAY OF ATONEMENT

Ten days after The Feast of Trumpets comes The Day of Atonement. God told Moses that the tenth day of the seventh month would be The Day of Atonement.

This is NOT a feast day; but it is a fast day.

We are to deny ourselves food for the sake of being closer to God. Instead of eating our food on this day; we offer it up as a sacrifice.

This is a day of Sabbath rest. There is to be no work. It is a sacred, holy day; a time to be in communication with God and to be asking for His mercy and forgiveness; and that He will always consider that Jesus has provided atonement for our sins; so that we may be free from any judgments or wrong-doings found in the books of heaven.

On this day; God blots out our sins of the last year from his books. He does this with the blood of Christ for those who have accepted and believe in Christ as Messiah. This wipes the slate clean for yet another year of life. On this day it is said that God decides whether we are to live or die in the coming year. It is all written in His books and once the books are closed on this day; they are sealed and cannot be changed. One should be careful to be right with God before the books are closed at the end of the 24 hour period of time.

On this day that is considered the Highest Holy Day of the year and a very sacred time we either receive mercy and forgiveness or judgement.  Our prayer is to have our names written into the Book of Life which allows us to live forever with God in His Kingdom of eternal life.  We wish each other “Shana Tova” which means “a sweet year and a good standing before God within the new year.”

We have written many articles in this blog concerning The Day of Atonement. You may review them here:  THE DAY OF ATONEMENT AS SPELLED OUT IN LEVITICUS 16 – COME AS A CHILD LESSON 222  “I WILL GO UP TO THE LORD; PERHAPS I CAN MAKE ATONEMENT FOR YOUR SINS” – COME AS A CHILD – LESSON 179  A CHRISTIAN OBSERVANCE OF YOM KIPPUR – THE DAY OF ATONEMENT – SEASONS.

THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES

Five days after The Day of Atonement comes The Feast of Tabernacles.

God gave Moses instructions for the people to keep The Feast of Tabernacles on the fifteenth day of the seventh month.

This festival was to last for seven days. The first day was to be a sacred assembly. Food offerings were to be brought before the Lord. On the last day there was to be another sacred assembly. The first day and the last day are days in which no work can be done. The last day is to be a closing, special assembly.

God instructed Moses to tell the people to take the branches of leafy trees and to build a temporary shelter to dwell within during these days. This shelter is called a Sukkah.

This blog has written many articles about the significance of the sukkah. The most famous stories about sukkahs are the ones the author calls “The Sukkah Stories” which speak about the sukkahs of the great men of Israel’s history. If you wish to read some of these stories; you can review some of them here: THE SUKKAH OF MOSES – PART THREE OF THE SUKKAH STORIES SERIES – PEN ART  THE SUKKAH THAT JACOB BUILT – STORY TWO – ANOTHER STORY FROM THE SUKKAH STORIES SERIES  ABRAHAM’S SUKKAH – FROM THE SUKKAH STORIES SERIES- STORY ONE  (We plan to publish more Sukkah Stories some time this month during the coming studies of The Feast of Tabernacles.) I wrote these Sukkah stories for my husband to read to our children and now grandchildren during The Feast of Tabernacles every year.  It is part of the tradition of passing on the stories of God from generation to generation.  I seem to update them almost every year with some other little golden nugget that God revealed during the last feast.

The symbolism of these seven days of The Feast of Tabernacles which is the last feast of God’s Annual Holy Days of the year represents the time of the millennial reign of Christ on the earth. 1,000 years of peace and safety and abundance. 1,000 years of everyone keeping and cherishing God’s best ways to live.

Will this not be an awesome and amazing time?  For now we are just rehearsing; but at whatever time God feels is right; we will truly be celebrating this feast throughout eternity.

There will be no more war, no more hunger, no more pain and no more hate. The wolf will dwell with the lamb and the leopard will lie down with the goat and no harm will come to them. Today we carry out this feast by looking forward to and rehearsing this coming time.

It is a time of great joy!

It is a time of great worship!

We have written many articles about The Feasts of Tabernacles in this blog. You may review them by clicking here: BUILDING A SUKKAH FOR THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES – SEASONS  THEREFORE; LET US KEEP THE FEAST! – A CHRISTIAN CELEBRATION OF SUKKOT – SEASONS .

God tells Moses that the offerings for these feast days are over and above all of the regular Sabbath offerings. Those who observe God’s Feast and Festivals today prepare and plan ahead. They set aside offerings above their regular tithes all through the year to provide for what they will need during these feasts and festivals of God. Offerings are also provided for those who have fallen upon hard times and for the widows and orphans who need financial help. No one is to do without during God’s Holy Days, Feasts and Festivals.  These are times of abundance and joy for all of God’s people.

Everyone is to be included, loved and cared for.

All are welcomed to come to the Feasts of God!

The family of God has open arms for anyone who embraces and loves the ways of God and believes in the eternal salvation provided by Jesus Christ.

If you look at all of the feasts and festivals of God in one big summary you will learn everything you need to know about the past, present and future of God’s Holy Kingdom.  Every little nugget of gold is buried within the knowledge of these days.  All of the important stories of the history of man and God come out.  All of the symbolism and ritual that concern the coming Messiah are there, and all of the proof that this title belongs to Jesus Christ are there; hiding within these feasts and festivals.  Every good way to live is explained.  Every answer to every prayer of mankind is given.

God’s calendar is so much better than mankind’s calendar.  The wisdom and the beauty of how He has planned out these days for us is beyond measure.  The worth of these days and the keeping of them in our hearts is more precious than all of the treasures of the earth combined.

THEREFORE; LET US KEEP THE FEAST!