Hag Pesach sameach! Glory to God for all those innocent lambs slaughtered that night in Egypt for the redemption of His people — and for any Egyptians who also feared YHVH and obeyed Him that night — and even moreso for that Lamb slaughtered on that one-of-a-kind Passover almost 2000 years ago! Had the Israelis not slaughtered their lambs and sprinkled the shed blood around their door frames, they would have suffered just as the Egyptians did. Whosoever does not apply with faith the shed blood of the crucified Lamb of God — Yeshua the Nazarene, King of the Jews — as his/her only means of deliverance and salvation from the wrath of God will likewise suffer with all others who do not. Continue reading “Passover and First Fruits”
John 14:23-29: Yeshua’s Peace in Troublous Times
Spring has begun! A new season, bringing warmth. We have a new situation in the world now with the break-out of the Corona Virus. We need to come up with a new way of gathering together when the government is telling us that we are not able to. Praise God for the possibilities of virtual congregational services in such an unusual time, looking forward to the time that we can again physically come together. Continue reading “John 14:23-29: Yeshua’s Peace in Troublous Times”
The Mighty Act of Yeshua’s Birth
Ps 145:1-13 David’s praise.
I will extol thee, my God, O King; and I will bless your name forever and ever.
Every day will I bless you; and I will praise your name for ever and ever.
Great is YHVH, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall praise your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.
I will speak of the glorious honor of your majesty, and of your wondrous works.
And they shall speak of the might of your terrible acts: and I will declare your greatness.
They shall abundantly utter the memory of your great goodness, and shall sing of your righteousness.
YHVH is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great lovingkindness.
YHVH is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all his works.
All your works shall praise You, O YHVH; and your saints shall bless You.
They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and talk of your power;
To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion throughout all generations.
Yom Kippur and Communion
We are celebrating communion today as a congregation, remembering the Lord’s death until He comes [again]. Yeshua’s death on the cross on Passover in 30 AD was more than the Passover of the many lambs in Egypt around 1446 BC. The Passover was an [unleavened] sacrifice to deliver God’s covenanted chosen people by His sovereign authority and wisdom, long before they were ever born. All they needed to do was to believe what He told them to do, and to obey Him: each family must slay a male lamb of the first year that was without blemish, and sprinkle its blood on the sides and top of the doors at the threshold into their homes. This would protect them from the death of the first-born son in each family, which God was going to do to the Egyptians as the final judgment against Pharaoh and his nation in order for Pharaoh to let Israel go. Continue reading “Yom Kippur and Communion”
What Time Is It, and What Day Is Today?
(Updated from the article, No One Knows The Day Or Hour – 27 Feb 2015)
The Full Moon in September was visible this past Friday the 13th and Saturday the 14th. In Jewish terminology, this past Full Moon was on the Sabbath. This is during the sixth Hebrew month on the Jewish calendar, called Elul. The next New Moon will mark the beginning of the seventh month of Tishrei, or Etanim. This New Moon will also fall on Friday night/Saturday, the 27th/28th of September, two weeks following the Full Moon. Simple, right? Not for those who simply follow the calendar of modern Judaism for keeping the holidays, the set times of YHVH, the God of Israel, our Redeemer in Yeshua the Messiah/Jesus Christ. Continue reading “What Time Is It, and What Day Is Today?”
Shavuot/Pentecost – Feast of [Seven] Weeks/50 Days
Tomorrow, Sonday, is the celebration of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, and the Christian holiday of Pentecost. They are one and the same, except that the two calendars have diverged. In this case, the celebration on the Sonday, the 50th day of the seven weeks since the resurrection of the Passover Lamb of God, is in line with the Word of God through Moses to Israel, and to us who believe in Yeshua/Jesus as both Lord and Messiah, our God and Savior. He is YHVH who came in flesh and blood to redeem us from our sins. Continue reading “Shavuot/Pentecost – Feast of [Seven] Weeks/50 Days”
2Pt 3: The Day of YHVH Is Coming
Peter begins this chapter by reminding his brothers and sisters in the faith of what both the prophets during the Old Testament and also the Apostles of the Lord and Savior in the New Testament have spoken: “knowing this first”, that scoffers [among even the people of God] will come in the last days, living according to their own lusts, and saying that there are no indications/signs that the Lord is coming; nothing has changed since the creation of the world. If Christians and Jews do not believe in their heart that the Lord and Judge is coming, why should we expect others to take the matter seriously?! If believers are not praying the last prayer of the Bible – “Even so, come, Lord Jesus”! – why should we expect Israel to say “Blessed are you, Lord Jesus/Yeshua, who comes in the name of YHVH!”? Continue reading “2Pt 3: The Day of YHVH Is Coming”
A Sign Spoken Against
One thing about Christmas is that it is not a celebration of a shadow or type, looking for the One of whom Moses and the Prophets spoke. It is focused on Him who came — the Son has come, the Light shines brightly!
Ps 69: 5-9 (6-10 Heb) O God, You know my foolishness, and my sins are not hidden from You. Let not those who hope in You, O YHVH God of Hosts, be ashamed because of me; let not those who seek You be confounded because of me, O God of Israel. Because for Your sake I have borne reproach; shame has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my brothers, and an alien to my mother’s children (Mk 3:21; 6:3; Jn 7:1-5). Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me. (Rom 15:3)
Lk 2: 29-35 [Simeon] took [Yeshua] up in his arms and blessed God and said: Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel. . . .Behold, this One is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against, . . .that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
Messiah Has Come!
What joy and hope this gave to those who heard the good news/glad tidings when the angels sang, and the Israeli Jewish shepherds in the field heard the joy of the Father in Heaven over the birth of His only-begotten Son, Yeshua, the King of Israel! And what comfort and expectation it gave to those who were waiting for the long-anticipated Messiah whom God first spoke of to our first father and mother in the Garden of Eden! In the sovereign wisdom of God, this expectation and hope were not fully fulfilled at the birth of the Lord, or even during His life and death and resurrection; no, that fullness of the Law and the Prophets waits for the return of this same Yeshua/Jesus to return in great power and glory, to be Lord of every man, and to whom all must confess that He is YHVH! What a glorious day that will be, and the new song to be sung by the saints and the angels! Continue reading “Messiah Has Come!”
New Moon of 7th Month: God Remembers His Covenant With Israel
(Collage by Connor Madison)Ps 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.
Num 29:1-6
The New Moon celebrations were given by YHVH to Israel to commemorate, both under the Law of Moses and also in the future Millennial Kingdom (Lev 23:24; Num 10:10; 28:11-15; Ezek 46:1-8). The New Testament tells those who are now believers in Yeshua/Jesus not to make too much of days, months, seasons, years, festivals, New Moons, Sabbaths – all of these things being shadows of things to come, but the substance is Messiah. (Gal 4:9-11; Col 2:16-17)
The Lord has told us that all of the Scriptures are written about Him, and we know that all of the sacrifices and holidays/appointed times are also fulfilled by Jesus in the entirety of His first coming, and in the anticipation of His coming again to fulfill all that is written in the whole of the Bible, which still waits for the Kingdom of God to come. God has given His set holy-day times to remember who He Is, what He has done, and what He will do. Even the Lord’s Supper/Communion serves those purposes. (1 Cor 11:26; Mt 26:26-29) Continue reading “New Moon of 7th Month: God Remembers His Covenant With Israel”