Ambassadors

We are here to be a light to the Way.  Where we currently reside if we are believer's in Messiah is not our home or country.  An Ambassador represents his home country.  If we truly represent the Father we must live the lifestyle we are instructed to by the Father.  Consider Sampson.  When he was confronting the culture he was effective.  When he tried to join the culture he was ineffective 

Php 2:15 in order that you be blameless and faultless, 

children of Elohim without blemish in the midst of a 

crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine 

as lights in the world, 

 
     Sampson is an example of being called to be different. 

His was the vow of the Nazarite. He was to be unique, 

set-apart for Yahweh’s purposes. Sampson was not effective 

in his calling as a visual aid for one reason. He went down 

to the Philistines and 
rather than being in confrontation to the culture there, he 

chose to participate in it. This is what I see in the churches 

today and why following Abba’s instructions are so important. 

Sampson’s big failure was not so much in violating his Nazarite 

vow but in beginning to participate in the cultural value 

system that he was supposed to be confronting. 
     It is completely impossible for us to live out this 

Elohim – centered existence in confrontation of the cultural 

values that we live with and with which we disagree if we 

are openly or even secretly participating in the value 

system in which we oppose. The great failure of Christianity 

is its tendency to adopt the cultural values and the 

lifestyle values of the very culture we are supposed 

to be distinct from. Just as when Sampson lived a 

lifestyle completely separated to Elohim’s values 

he was effective, so too when we live according to 

Abba’s instructions we can be effective. When Sampson 

compromised with the value system he represented he 

lost his power and effectiveness. The same thing 

happens to us. Our task is to be a part of this 

confrontation between the culture of Elohim and 

the culture of the world. Our task begins and ends 

with discipleship for ourselves and our family. We 

must recognize that “faith is more often than not 

counter-cultural, that the values it elevates – 

selflessness, love, faith – are often ignored, 

belittled, or perverted by the society we live in. 

And if Jesus really is Lord, as the Gospels, the 

apostle Paul, and the church insists, then nothing 

else is, so why should it matter what society thinks, 

does, or says?”3  

Now pictures from yesterday and today's Menorah lighting






 Today the girls helped their brother-in-law with baking some goodies.  For a

running commentary and more pictures visit my daughter's blog at

esthersmeadow.blogspot.com





















Shalom 

We the Temple

 Day 2 of our celebration.  For a running commentary on the pictures you can visit my daughters blog at             https//www.esthersmeadow.blogspot.com

We can have fun besides focusing on rededicating our lives the to the Father.  Now with that in mind I am giving a couple of articles that pertain to this time of year. 


https://www.facebook.com/notes/jim-staley/christmas-hanukkah-and-the-antichrist-part-1/1893972727490675
https://www.facebook.com/notes/jim-staley/christmas-hanukkah-and-the-antichrist-part-2-when-was-jesus-actually-born/1894592807428667


Our bodies, according to Paul, are the temple of the living Elohim. 1Co 6:19  Or do you not know that your body is the Dwelling Place of the Set-apart Spirit who is in you, which you have from Elohim, and you are not your own?
1Co 6:20  For you were bought with a price, therefore esteem Elohim in your body and in your spirit,1 which are of Elohim. Footnote: 1See 7:23, 1 Peter 1:18-19.
If our bodies have been purchased with a price then we should by all means begin renewing them with the head.  Rom 12:1  I call upon you, therefore, brothers, through the compassion of Elohim, to present your bodies a living offering – set-apart, well-pleasing to Elohim – your reasonable worship.
Rom 12:2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim.
What do we fill our minds with.  ( I speak to myself here).  What do we spend time looking at and working on.  Do we fill our minds with these things?  Php 4:6  Do not worry at all, but in every matter, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to Elohim.
Php 4:7  And the peace of Elohim, which surpasses all understanding, shall guard your hearts and minds through Messiah יהושע.
Php 4:8  For the rest, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is righteous, whatever is clean, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report, if there is any uprightness and if there is any praise – think on these.
Php 4:9  And what you have learned and received and heard and saw in me, practise these, and the Elohim of peace shall be with you.

if we are filling our minds with everything pure, lovely and good what do we watch on TV.  If we are working and striving for what honors and brings Esteem to the Father then we begin to fill our minds with these
Deu 6:4  “Hear, O Yisra’ĕl: יהוה our Elohim, יהוה is one!
Deu 6:5  “And you shall love יהוה your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your might.
Deu 6:6  “And these Words which I am commanding you today shall be in your heart,
Deu 6:7  and you shall impress them upon your children, and shall speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up,
Deu 6:8  and shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
Deu 6:9  “And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.


Isa 6:9  And He said, “Go, and you shall say to this people, ‘Hearing, you hear, but do not understand; and seeing, you see, but do not know.’
Isa 6:10  “Make the heart of this people fat, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and shall turn and be healed.”
Isa 6:11  Then I said, “יהוה, until when?” And He answered, “Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, and the houses are without a man, and the land is laid waste, a ruin,
Isa 6:12  and יהוה has removed men far away, and the forsaken places be many in the midst of the land.
Isa 6:13  “But still, there is a tenth part in it, and it shall again be for a burning, like a terebinth tree and like an oak, whose stump remains when it is cut down. The set-apart seed is its stump!” 

A Man After Elohim's Heart

This young lady could hardly wait for the time to light our Menorah.  She asked this afternoon, she asked before supper and she worked hard trying to get supper cleaned up so we could gather around the table to light the candles.  Before the big ceremony we sat down and discussed why we are celebrating this day which is not one of the Father's Moedim.  All the girls could tell you about the importance of being a dedicated follower of the Father.  The feast of dedication has begun.

Psa 19:7  The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
Psa 19:8  The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Psa 19:9  The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
Psa 19:10  More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Psa 19:11  Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
Psa 19:12  Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Psa 19:13  Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Psa 19:14  Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Consider King David.  Scripture calls him a man after Elohim's own heart.  Why.  I would say it is because he loved the instructions given to him by the Father.  Look over the Psalms.  They are filled with love and praise for the Torah.  I think people today who say the Father's instructions are no longer valid because they have been done away with are missing something very important.  They are missing the very words of the Father to His set apart people.  Ps. 1:2,3    Ps. 119.  and more.
Here is another very good post on  re-dedication .

http://www.honorofkings.org/why-revival-really-tarries/

If it is truly your desire to be a man or woman after Elohim's heart I believe you must consider the Father's instructions, Torah to be a vital part of that life style
See  also yesterday's post.

News and Good News

  So, how often do you have the opportunity to share the Scriptures with those around you?  More often than not I have opportunity to share with those I come in contact with when I have some of my daughters with me.  You see, I believe that being set apart means we dress accordingly.  So, people take notice more so when my girls happen to come along. Today was no different.
   I needed to stop in a Menards to obtain some items for work I am currently doing for someone here in Illinois.  A vendor for the local paper stopped me and asked about my subscribing for getting the paper on the weekend.  He made it very attractive price wise.  So, I told him I was not sure how much longer we were going to be in the area.  He said that was no problem as it could be done on a month to month basis and handed me a paper.  It was good for getting the local news, had comics and sports in it.  I told him that we are careful of what influences we allow into our home and we could get the news from the internet.  Sports has all kinds of bad influences that we don't want to surround our children with and comics, do they build up or tear down?  I would rather have my children read the Scriptures.  So, he then produced a $10 gift card where I could get a two month subscription free.  So, I then said I would have to pray about it before I would allow it.  He said he has been doing this for 12 years now and has never heard someone say that.  He is a Christian and reads his Bible.
      I said I felt it was more important for my children to read the Scriptures than to read a local paper.  He asked if they would start with the book of John?  I said no, the first 5 books in the Bible are the most important because you can not understand John without first . understanding the beginning of the Scriptures.  He then started to list Matthew, Mark, Luke...I said no, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.  He asked me if my girls had ever read Isaiah?  Yes, they have.  So, he then asked me if they start at the beginning how they would ever read about Jesus?  I started by saying the Messiah is talked about in Gen. 3:15 and then Abraham and Isaac, the picture of Messiah that is there.  So, he then asked the girls about Psalms and Proverbs and I told him the Messiah is also talked about in those books and with that he took the paper out of my hand he had given me and told me he had papers to sell.  So, we walked on to finish what we had started.
   The next opportunity was at a local grocery store.  Esther had noticed a lady wearing a skirt as she walked through the produce department.  This lady was taking notice of the warm weather apparel that people were wearing and you could tell she was not enthused about it.  Then Esther said, as she turned toward us and noticed my girls were wearing clothes that were modest, she put on a smile and started to approach us.  She mentioned it was nice to see some people who actually wore clothes during the summer.  I told her we thought it was important to wear clothes that are modest.  So, as she held out this little 1 inch by 1 inch booklet with some Scripture verses in it, she then said "I take it you are KJV only".  As I told her, no, we are not, she suddenly had a desire to be away from us.  As she was moving away I told her to please give those little booklets to those who do not have any Scripture to read and she said she would.
    So, what is the news, the good news?  The Kingdom of Yahweh Elohim is coming.  His son will reign here on earth and we are His ambassadors.  Are you ready?  Being KJV only cannot save you.  Reading your Bible cannot save you.  Telling others about Messiah cannot save you.  We are saved by grace through an active faith.  That active faith is demonstrated by being obedient to the instructions of the Father to His set-apart people.  Being set apart brings opportunity to share the Good News.  For more on what it means to be set apart I am in the process of writing a book.  If you would like to read an excerpt i will post one here shortly.

Thy Kingdom Come

I had the opportunity today to talk about what Shavuot/Pentecost is.  Yahweh our Elohim gave His bride His instructions to be His set-apart people.  At pentecost, His Spirit was given to advance the Kingdom, which is the good news of the gospel.  People, we need to repent and seek His face, we need to return to His instructions for His set-apart people.  If you truly love Yashua, and His Father, Yahweh Elohim, you would be obedient children.
1Jn 5:1  Everyone who believes that יהושע is the Messiah has been born of Elohim, and everyone who loves the One bringing forth also loves the one having been born of Him.
1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of Elohim, when we love Elohim and guard His commands.
1Jn 5:3  For this is the love for Elohim, that we guard His commands,1 and His commands are not heavy, Footnote: 1See 5:2, 2 John v. 6, John 14:15.

1Jn 2:3  And by this we know that we know Him, if we guard His commands.1 Footnote: 1See 3:6.
1Jn 2:4  The one who says, “I know Him,” and does not guard His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1Jn 2:5  But whoever guards His Word, truly the love of Elohim has been perfected1 in him. By this we know that we are in Him.2 Footnotes: 1Gen. 17:1, Ps. 119:1, Mt. 5:48. 2See 3:24.
1Jn 2:6  The one who says he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked.
1Jn 2:7  Beloved, I write no fresh command to you, but an old command which you have had from the beginning. The old command is the Word which you heard from the beginning.1 Footnote: 1See v. 24.

Friends, if you are in churchianity and say you love Yahshua but do not follow/guard His commands as given in Torah you are deceiving yourselves.  You will one day find yourself in this situation...

 7:21  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ shall enter into the reign of the heavens, but he who is doing the desire of My Father in the heavens.
Mat 7:22  “Many shall say to Me in that day, ‘Master, Master, have we not prophesied in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and done many mighty works in Your Name?’
Mat 7:23  “And then I shall declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work lawlessness!’1 Footnote: 1 See v. 15.
The time is short, the kingdom is near.  Please look diligently into this.

http://myksheartsathome.artistwebsites.com/

This Too May Answer some Questions

What Does “Holy” Mean?
The word "Holy" comes from the Hebrew word 'Kodesh' which means "set-apart to the Creator." The Creator YHWH tells us: Leviticus 11: 44 ‘For I am YHWH your Elohim, and you shall set yourselves apart. And you shall be set-apart, for I am set-apart.' Leviticus 20: 26 ‘And you shall be set-apart to Me, for I YHWH am set-apart, and have separated you from the peoples to be Mine.' 1 Peter 1: 16 "because it has been written, “Be set-apart, for I am set-apart.” (Notice Peter was quoting and teaching the Torah) We are called to be Set-Apart to YHWH, to be a separate and distinct people. This is what he means when he calls us out of the world, to be obedient to him and to be set-apart in what we do, what we eat, in the feast days we keep, the day of rest, etc. We are to be Set-Apart TO YHWH, and not FROM Him, as the rest of the world is following the prince of this world – satan. Let's picture a little scenario here, of YHWH looking down on Earth from heaven: YHWH is thinking to himself; “Hmm, look at those atheists.” “They are decorating Christmas trees, just like the Christians.” “And the Christians are coloring Easter eggs and having egg hunts, but so are those atheists.” “And atheists are eating whatever they want, and so are the Christians.” “Obviously the atheists don't keep my feast days, but neither do the Christians who claim to love me.” “I would expect atheists to not keep my Sabbath, but the Christians who have my Word that tells them the Sabbath is a sign between me and my people forever, well, Christians don't keep the Sabbath either.” “And the atheists live lawlessly without my Torah, but so do the Christians who claim to know me.” “ Surely the atheists don't call upon my name, but neither do Christians.” “They are not even set-apart from each other, I told them I would know them by their fruit, and their fruit looks all the same to me.” 1 John 2: 4 The one who says, “I know Him,” and does not guard His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Here's the last verse in the entire bible, as it was written (translated) in the KJV: Revelation 22: 21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. They seem to have removed something during translation, let's see what was removed and who receives this "grace:" Revelation 22: 21 The GRACE of our Master Yahusha Messiah be with the set-apart ones. Conveniently they re-wrote that last verse to make it seem that the Messiah's grace would be "for all," when that's certainly not the case. Grace or favor is for the set-apart ones only. Revelation 22: 11 “He who does wrong, let him do more wrong; he who is filthy, let him be more filthy; he who is righteous, let him be more righteous; he who is set-apart, let him be more set-apart."
Wrong and filthy are bad, and righteous and set-apart are good. Let's examine the following as well: Revelation 22: 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, Elohim shall take away his part from the Book of Life, and out of the set-apart city. We can see in the last chapter of the entire bible and even in the last sentence, the favor (grace) shown to the people from the Messiah is for those who are set-apart. The good people are set-apart, and those who are set-apart are only the ones who inherit the kingdom of YHWH, which is also called “The SetApart City.”. Not set-apart? Then you are NOT getting grace from the Messiah, or eternal life with the Creator!
John 3: 16 John 3: 16; For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. A beautiful verse for sure. The well known John 3: 16, the one that a lot of the Christians like to hold up and tell you "this is all you need to know to be saved." Please tell me where it says that exactly? The " that's all you need to be saved" part, where does it mention that in scripture about John 3: 16? It says this in James; "the devils also believe, and tremble." So are the devils saved as well, since they also believe? Or is there more to it than that?
When Adam and Eve were walking in the garden, do you think they believed in our Creator? I would assume so, since they walked and talked with him. Their "beliefs" were probably never called into question. What happened then? THEY DISOBEYED. Their belief in the Creator was NEVER an issue. It was the fact that they did not obey him, and that's what brought sin into the world. There is more to being considered one of the Creator's people than merely just "believing." What happened with Cain and Abel? 1 John 3: 12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And why did he slay him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
Abel was the obedient one and did as YHWH commanded. His sacrifice was accepted. Cain did what he thought instead, which was something different from what YHWH commanded and he was rejected. It doesn't matter what he thought. All that mattered was DOING what YHWH commanded. You can “believe” anything you want. Beliefs won't save the devils, and beliefs won't save you. You need to OBEY the Creator. If you disregard his Torah, you are considered evil and wicked according to the Creator and according to the Messiah. Proverbs 28: 9 He that turns away his ear from hearing the law (Torah), even his prayer shall be abomination. John 9: 31 Now we know that Elohim hears not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of Elohim, and does his will, him he hears. Hebrews 5: 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Acts 5: 31-32 Him has Elohim exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Deliverer, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Set-Apart Spirit, whom Elohim has given to them that obey him. Deuteronomy 6: 25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before YHWH our Elohim, as he has commanded us. In the end times.... Revelation 20: 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before Elohim; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is
the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Revelation 20: 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (notice it is WORKS and not just beliefs) John 3: 16 is a beautiful verse and gives us reassurance and hope, but there's more to it than just believing. Are You #1 or #2 in the Plan? Many years ago, a marriage covenant was set up between YHWH and his bride. They had an agreement that since he saved her and freed her from bondage, he would continue to provide for her and to protect her as long as she loved only him, was faithful to him and would keep their marriage covenant. After a while she did seek after another and broke the covenant. He scattered her abroad, out of his house. But he loved her still and told her that he would take her back if she would come back into the covenant. He told her he would send his son back to get her, and that he would recognize her because she would be set-apart from everyone else and doing what he said. He would make it easy and would write it all down. He said that he wouldn't change and that the covenant wouldn't change. That way there would be no confusion. It was written that she would even practice the triumphant reunion by celebrating these feasts that were written down, so she would know what the appointed time is!
BUT he warned her that there would be an enemy who would try to tell her that he doesn't mean what he says, and that the enemy would even lie and say that YHWH had changed the covenant himself. But she should not believe the enemy, for YHWH meant what he said. She would know his son because the son will say what YHWH has said, and that because she knows the father she'll have no problem recognizing the son. He'll know the covenant perfectly, and he's going to pick her up at the appointed time. But sadly the bride listened to the enemy. He mislead her to the point of her not knowing the appointed time to meet, and he actually got her to believe that YHWH didn't mean what he said and that he threw out the wedding covenant!! I know it's unbelievable but she actually tells
people that she knows that he'll still love her, provide for and protect her even though she completely disregarded his wishes, was unfaithful, had others before him! She even keeps the feast days of his enemy but ignores YHWH's! So his son will come back, and one of two things will happen. #1. He will leave her standing on the Earth and she will watch him leave. His horrific words “Depart from me” will ring in her ears. Only then will she realize that she never, ever should have listened to the enemy. Now she will be forever doomed, because he only came back the one time for her and he didn't recognize her. He couldn't, she had no idea that he meant what he said, he had never changed the covenant and despite all the warnings, she chose to believe a lie over the one who could truly save her. His truth was real, and she realized this too late. The ironic thing is, he told her this might happen!! OR #2. She will realize she was being told lies by the enemy, and just in time she will see the error of her ways and go back into covenant. She will re-learn the appointed feast times and know when to expect him. She will realize that she has to turn back to the marriage covenant called "Torah" (the word for “turn back” is "repent”). She will start doing everything he said to do, then she will be marked by him and when his son returns he will be able to identify her easily, and he will take her off to the wedding feast to live forever with him!!!

Shoob, Scott. Exit Babylon (p. 76). Beit Tefillah Publishing. Kindle Edition.
Used by permission

Answering Questions.

I was curious before with the teachers of Torah and as you know I did explore. Could you please explain in more detail the following? 

Your teachings tell of the Christian's responsibility to adhere to the original Torah, the commandments given to God's people. Right? As is stated in 2 Timothy 3:16 - "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" Where does the New Testament fall in the Torah Believer's understanding ? Is it considered scripture at all? 

Yes, The New Testament is Scripture.  However, it is commentary on the Torah.  We cannot have a proper understanding of the NT without knowing and understanding Torah.  Yahshua, Messiah came as the Lamb of Elohim to be a covering for our sin.  There is no salvation apart from the atoning work of Messiah.  We are saved by grace through faith in His work on the stake.  The Jewish people failed to be the "priests and representatives" to the rest of the world that Yahweh desired.  Paul took the gospel or good news to the lost tribes of Israel scattered abroad.  (see who is Israel I will repost something about this)   You see, Messiah says He came to seek and save the lost sheep of Israel)  Paul says we as believers are grafted into Israel.  Paul, if read correctly and lining up with the rest of Scripture actually does not say the law is done away with.  Paul talks about 3 or 4 different laws.  Peter tells us in II Pet. to be very careful how we interpret Paul concerning the law as he speaks at a very deep level.  Everything in Scripture lines up with the rest of Scripture.  There are no inconsistencies.  If there is a seeming contradiction it is in how we interpreted it, not in the Scriptures.

The 119 ministry folks did make a lot of convincing arguments but my question is specially centered around why some Torah observers quote out of the New Testament but choose to live from the Old Testament? I do believe that God does not change, and I don't see God changing in the New Testament either. I see fulfillment of Prophecy and continuing of God's ordered plan for the Christian life. I see that the Old Testament clearly teaches the Sabbath Day but I also see the events laid out in the New Testament that clearly indicate an observance of the Lord's Day (commemorating Christ's Resurrection) which was clearly held on the First day of the week.

Ok, New Testament living.  Messiah said if you love me keep my commands.  Whose commands is He endorsing?  Yahweh Elohim's.  which are the Torah.  Torah is actually mistranslated.  It should actually be called "instructions"  The instructions that were given to Moses for the set apart people of Elohim were actually a marriage contract.  The bride failed to keep her part of the contract so Elohim divorced her and sent her out of the land.  For Elohim to again remarry her would be to go against the instructions He had given, so there had to be a death, enter Messiah, a death.  Now the marriage contract never was done away with.  In the contract are the instructions of what Elohim desires His bride to be and do.  Blessings if you follow it and Curses if you do not.  So, we keep Torah not out of because we have to but because it is a demonstration of our love for Messiah.  Do we keep it perfectly, no, so we have I John 1:9.  We do what we can to the best of our ability, not because it saves us but because we desire to demonstrate our love for Messiah.
    The first day of the week.  Worship was conducted not on the first day of the week.  In Matt. where the ladies are coming to the tomb.  Scripture actually says "as it was dawning toward the first day of the week."  In Jewish terms this would be Saturday evening just before the sun set.  The Lord's day comes completely out of sun worship through Constantine and the Roman church.  Everywhere in the NT Paul and others taught at the synagogues on the Sabbath as was their custom.  The Roman church does not hide the fact that it changed the appointed times of Yahweh.  Just look at any encyclopedia.  Daniels tells us there would come one who would change the times and appointed days of Yahweh.  In the early 300's ad the council of Nicea things were changed and hidden so that people would actually be in sun worship.  This would include Christmas and Easter.  Easter is on a sunday every year.  Passover, the appointed time of Messiah's death changes every year.  Do the research and you will see that Christmas and Easter are pagan.
   Here again, Yahweh does not change.  His set apart appointment day remains the 7th day.  It is a day of rest.  6000 years to work and then the Sabbath rest of His kingdom.  To have the day of rest on the first day of the week destroys the type that was established back at creation.  Satan is a deciever.  In the last days even the elect could possibly be decieved, so great is satan's lie.
Consider this, If we are to live as Messiah did, He is our example, and he rested on the 7th day why would we do anything different?  There is no place in the Scriptures that Elohim says to worship on the first day because He changed things.

His resurrection (John 20:1), His first and second appearance to the disciples (John 20:19 & 26), the first sermon preached by Peter (Acts 2:14-15), the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1), the first baptisms (Acts 2:41), Pauls 7 day visit at Troas, mentions gathering for breaking bread with believers on the first day of the week, not the Sabbath.(Acts 20:6-8), collections for the poor (1 Corinthians 16:2), John the Revelator's Vision on the Lord's Day (Revelation 1:10). 
I will get back to this with another posting.
You need to reference every scripture that talks about the Lord's day.  The Lord's day refers to day of atonement.
Constantine changed things and used the term "Lord's day"  It never in Scripture refers to the Sabbath that Yahweh appointed for His set apart people to keep.

I also see that the disciples were faithful for adhere to the commandments as taught by Jesus who didn't come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. So I don't believe the Sabbath Day and the Lord's Day are the same. Which wouldn't make Jesus changing the Law at all. The New Testament Christians observed the Lord's Day because of all the events listed above that took place on that day (first day of the week) I see it as the Law was in place and still is up to and including Christ's coming, crucifixion and resurrection. Then, when that was fulfilled, which was prophesied in the Old Testament, a new beginning was established. 
No, a new beginning was not established.  the words for New Testament mean a renewed covenant, the old was not done away with but renewed by the blood of Messiah.  It is a marriage covenant.  I will also post more on this.

Based on the important new events told in the New Testament which the Old Testament believers could not experience until Christ came, why is it not acknowledged by Torah believers that it is acceptable to meet and honor the Lord on a Sunday? Why is it considered a life and death error? 
Because, Yahweh never changed who His set apart people were and the instructions He gave.  To worship Him in this way is an abomination according to Deut as it is worshiping Him in a way He does not want.  He says very specifically do not worship Him using the way the pagans do.  The pagans worship the sun on the first day of the week.  Remember the 10 virgins?  Only 5 were admitted to the marriage supper (the ones who kept the marriage contract)  I will also post on this

I am very interested in hearing your explanation. There are other questions I have too that I have come across as I have taken the call to be a Berean and studied scripture - such as the women's headship veiling, modest dressing, fellowshipping of the saints etc. But I'll leave those to later. 
K

Keep the questions coming.  Also if there is more I need to clear up from my hurried post here.

Long Overdue!

Shalom, Friends,
It seems like forever, since I have found the time to post any updates.  I will attempt to remedy this situation in the coming weeks.  I have a daughter who would like to help me in posting updates and so she will stand in for me to help out.
     We are currently observing the first of the spring feasts of Abba Elohim.  Passover started last night.  Now some of you must be wondering that if the church celebrated Easter last month why are we celebrating Passover this month.  It really is quite simple if you are willing to do your research and then be willing to change over to Elohim's calendar.  Not the Jews calendar but Yahweh's which he gave to His set apart people.  His feast days are a direct line to His prophetic time table.  Messiah Yahshua came the first time as the Lamb of Elohim which takes away the sin of the world.   He did this through the conception at Hanukkah and then being born during Yom Turuah or Tabernacles (not Christmas.  Are you willing to worship the Father in spirit and Truth?).   He died as the Passover Lamb starting the week of Unleavened bread.  He did not die as the Easter bunny and has nothing to do with that pagan idolatrous celebration.  Look up the references to Easter.  Elohim tells His people He wants nothing to do with how the pagans celebrated their gods or mighty ones.
Deu 12:30  guard yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire about their mighty ones, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their mighty ones? And let me do so too.’1 Footnote: 1See also 18:9, Lev. 18:3, Jer.10:2, Ezek. 11:12 & 20:32, Eph. 4:17, and 1 Peter 4:3 
Deu 12:31  “Do not do so to יהוה your Elohim, for every abomination which יהוה hates they have done to their mighty ones, for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their mighty ones. 
Deu 12:32  “All the words I am commanding you, guard to do it – do not add to it nor take away from it.1 Footnote: 1See also 4:2, Prov. 30:6, Rev. 22:18-19.
That mixing of religious ceremonies is an abomination to Him.  It has nothing at all to do with our hearts being in the right place and Elohim knowing what is in our hearts.  It all has to do with what is in the heart of Elohim.  It explains how the Groom wants His bride to be.  Yahshua tells us if we want to demonstrate our love for the Father we must walk as He walked.  He walked in perfect obedience to the Father's instructions as given in Torah.  If you say Paul says we are no longer obligated to keep the law then you are calling what Yahweh says is good, and perfect and just, something evil.  Paul is only one witness.  You cannot use more of his letters to prove your point.  Something must be established by 2 or more witnesses.  Besides I stand with what the Messiah says over Paul  (Paul never said the law was done away with if you do your homework and He kept Torah as well.  You can see my earlier posts about why Stephen was stoned and about Galatians).  Messiah says that He did not come to do away with the law in Matt. Besides if you do away with the Law you are taking away from the Scriptures.
 Mat 5:17  “Do not think that I came to destroy the Torah or the Prophets.1 I did not come to destroy but to complete. Footnote: 1The Law and the Prophets is a term used for the pre-Messianic Scriptures. 
Mat 5:18  “For truly, I say to you, till the heaven and the earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall by no means pass from the Torah till all be done.1 Footnote: 1Lk. 16:17. 
Mat 5:19  “Whoever, then, breaks one of the least of these commands, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the reign of the heavens; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the reign of the heavens. 
Ok, Please be diligent and see if Easter or Christmas has to do with pagans.  You can look at sites from Too long in the sun or 119 ministries.

I will say, where we are currently at, things are beautiful. Here are some of the birds we have seen.

Some of the beautiful creation around us.

 I don't remember if I posted pictures of my last two paintings or not but here they are:  Changed into His image:  metamorphosis

 The Lion of the Tribe of Judah.  There is also a lamb in the clouds with a dove and a couple of angels and a serpent.

 My second daughter was married last Sept.  We look forward to heading back to MN in a couple of weeks to be with Ben and Michaelle for a while.

I hope to be done writing my book on being set apart by Tabernacles this year.  I also have a couple of paintings I would like to start and I have started a curriculum with some workbooks but do not know when I will  have any of this ready as I must finsih what I have already started first.

Until next time may you seek the truth and not be deceived.  Search out the Scriptures apart from your

churches' doctrines.  They may lead you astray.  

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, watch, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 

1Pe 5:9  Resist him, firm in the belief, knowing that the same hardships are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

I Peter 1:8-9

A friend has asked me about this passage of Scripture.  I will give context from the Scriptures versions.  Also I like the translation of Kenneth Wuest.  Mr. Wuest was the Greek professor for Moody Bible Institute.
1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the Elohim and Father of our Master יהושע Messiah, who according to His great compassion has caused us to be born again to a living expectation through the resurrection of יהושע Messiah from the dead,
1Pe 1:4  to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and unfading, having been kept in the heavens for you,
1Pe 1:5  who are protected by the power of Elohim through belief, for a deliverance ready to be revealed in the last time,
1Pe 1:6  in which you exult, even though for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by manifold trials,
1Pe 1:7  in order that the proving of your belief – much more precious than gold that perishes, and proven by fire – might be found to result in praise and respect and esteem at the revelation of יהושע Messiah,
1Pe 1:8  whom having not seen, you love; in whom you exult with unspeakable and esteemed joy, yet not seeing, but believing, 
1Pe 1:9  obtaining the goal of your belief: a deliverance of lives. 
1Pe 1:10  Concerning this deliverance the prophets have sought out and searched out, prophesying concerning the favour for you,
1Pe 1:11  searching to know what, or what sort of time, the Spirit which was in them was pointing out concerning Messiah, when it was bearing witness beforehand the sufferings of Messiah, and the esteems that would follow,
1Pe 1:12  to whom it was revealed that they were serving, not themselves, but you, in these matters which now have been announced to you through those who brought the Good News to you by the Set-apart Spirit sent from heaven – into which messengers long to look into.

KJV
1Pe 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Word of Yahweh translation
1Pe 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of praise:
1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Scripture from ancient Eastern text
1Pe 1:8  Whom you have not seen, but whom you yet love, and in whose faith you rejoice with exceeding joy that cannot be described;
1Pe 1:9  And you will receive the reward for your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Greek interlinear
1Pe 1:8  ονG3739 WHOM   ουκG3756 NOT   ειδοτεςG1492 [G5761] HAVING SEEN   αγαπατεG25 [G5719] YE LOVE :   ειςG1519 ON   ονG3739 WHOM   αρτιG737 NOW   μηG3361 "THOUGH" NOT   ορωντεςG3708 [G5723] LOOKING,   πιστευοντεςG4100 [G5723] δεG1161 BUT BELIEVING,   αγαλλιασθεG21 [G5736] YE EXULT   χαραG5479 WITH JOY   ανεκλαλητωG412 UNSPEAKABLE   καιG2532 AND   δεδοξασμενηG1392 [G5772] GLORIFIED,  
1Pe 1:9  κομιζομενοιG2865 [G5734] RECEIVING   τοG3588 THE   τελοςG5056 END   τηςG3588 πιστεωςG4102 υμωνG5216 OF YOUR FAITH,   σωτηριανG4991 "THE" SALVATION   ψυχωνG5590 OF "YOUR" SOULS;  

Wuest:

In order that the approval of your faith which faith was examined by testing for the purpose of being approved, that approval being much more precious than the approval of gold which perishes even though that gold be approved by fire testing may be discovered after scrutiny to result in praise and glory and honor at the time of the revelation of Yahshua Messiah.

whom having not seen you love because of His preciousness, in whom now not seeing yet believing you are to be rejoicing with an enexpressible and glorified joy upon the occasion of your receiving the promised consummation of your faith which is the (final) salvation of your souls.

I believe what we are seeing here is the fact that salvation is not complete until Messiah has been revealed at the second coming.  Salvation cannot be a once for all thing if it is something that is a process.  We see here and other places in Scripture that our salvation is not dependent upon a one time prayer of repentance.  It is dependent upon how we run the race that has been set before us.  In I John we are told several times that our love for the Father is demonstrated by our keeping His commands.

KJV

  1Jn 2:3  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 

1Jn 2:4  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 

1Jn 2:5  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 

It is interesting to note John says it is not a new command but the old.  Nothing was done away with.  Nothing was added.  

1Jn 2:7  Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. 

John uses very plain language if we have eyes to see and ears to hear

1Jn 5:1  Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 

1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 

1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 

1Jn 5:5  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 

Amazing Week

We have truly had an amazing week for the start of this years Hanukkah.  It began with the birth of our second grandchild.  I took Laurie over to our daughter's on Sunday and left her there to head back home to get some more work in.  The midwives arrived and then decided Sarah would not be giving birth that day and it would be a couple of days yet.  So they too left.  Well, Laurie then became Sarah's labor coach and the rest became history.  From the time the midwives left and the time Sarah gave birth was four hours.   Laurie was able to do the delivery and catch Taliyah Margiah before the midwives were able to make it back.  Taliyah Margiah means Yahweh's restful morning dew.  Laurie and a couple of the girls spent the week there helping out and allowing Sarah to get the rest she needed.

Hanukkah, festival of lights.

Proud Grandmother and stand in midwifeProud mom and dad with new daughter, 

Grandpa saying a blessing over the new grandchild

A Nation Mourns

Today is Yom Kippour.  Day of Atonement.  For the past 10 days I have wondered how to go about the celebration of today.  For myself, My sins have been atoned for by the shed blood of Messiah, Yahshua, the Son of Elohim who opened the door to the Father.  A co-worker I talked with said it this way "you are having your own personal revival".  I asked my daughters, what they thought about how to pray and they said we should pray for the peace of Jerusalem, for peace for where believers live and the governments.  Pray for healing for those who are in need,  my brother as he recovers from heart surgery and my mother as she recovers from hip surgery and for those stuck in churchianity, that they would come out from her and be set-apart through obeying the instructions of Father.
  While I agree with all of these and will be fasting and praying today, I think Father showed me so much more during the night.  Yom Kippour is a national day of fasting and prayer for the nations.  As a grafted in wild olive branch I too will be in mourning with Israel.  Why?  They have missed their Messiah, they are antagonistic towards anything having to do with Yahshua HaMashiach.  They are worldly like the rest of us as they rely upon the teachings of men rather than going back and obeying the very words given them by Father.  We too in churchianity have added to and taken away from the word of Elohim, until it is something totally different from what He intended for us.  It is no longer recognizable as the "way in which we should go".
  I have been told we do not need to keep these divine appointments, they have been done away with.  So my question is "why would Elohim do away with something He pronounced pure and good"?  These divine appointments are going to be done in the end Time Kingdom of Messiah.  Scripture tells us that, so why not start now?  Ask Father to take your blinders off and see Scripture in its totality, To see Scripture as it was intended.  Get rid of your denominational biases and start to live the way Elohim intended.  You will be amazed at how much more sense the Bible makes when you start seeing the whole picture.
  Yom Kippour, Day of Atonement is also a day of judgement for the nations.  The nations have been weighed and found wanting.  Where is the national cry of repentance for the sins we find ourselves so wrapped up in.  For the fists that shake at Yahweh Elohim and His Word.  We are a nation against Elohim.  We are no longer one nation "under God".  We have a Muslim for a president and he continues to take this nation further and further from the Scriptures.  And Believers just stand around as if this is normal every day behavior.  We should be on our knees before the throne of Elohim weeping for these sins.
1.  No prayer in schools unless you happen to be Muslim.
2.  Teaching of homosexuality as normal beginning in kindergarten all the way to high school in every         subject through common core curriculum.
3.  Federal courts encouraging the marriage of Homosexuals
4.  The calling of evil, good and good, evil.
5.  Abortion.  The sacrifice of our heritage on the altar of Baal.
6.  The shedding of innocent blood.  Murders, shootings,
7.  Pride

Pro 6:16  These six matters יהוה hates, And seven are an abomination to Him:
Pro 6:17  A proud look, A lying tongue, And hands shedding innocent blood,
Pro 6:18  A heart devising wicked schemes, Feet quick to run to evil,
Pro 6:19  A false witness breathing out lies, And one who causes strife among brothers.
Pro 6:20  My son, watch over your father’s command, And do not forsake the Torah of your mother.
Pro 6:21  Bind them on your heart always; Tie them around your neck.
Pro 6:22  When you are walking about, it leads you; When you lie down, it guards you. And when you have woken up, It talks to you.
Pro 6:23  For the command is a lamp, And the Torah a light1, And reproofs of discipline a way of life, Footnote: 1Ps. 119:105.

2Ti 3:1  But know this, that in the last days hard times shall come.
2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, thankless, wrong-doers,
2Ti 3:3  unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, haters of good,
2Ti 3:4  betrayers, reckless, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of Elohim,
2Ti 3:5  having a form of reverence1 but denying its power. And turn away from these! Footnote: 1See v. 13, Isa. 24:5-6, Mt. 24:12, Rom. 1:30-31, 2 Thess. 2:3-11.
2Ti 3:6  For among them are those who creep into households and captivate silly women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,
2Ti 3:7  always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2Ti 3:8  And as Yoḥane and Mamrĕ opposed Mosheh, so do these also oppose the truth – men of corrupt minds, found worthless concerning the belief;

To be envied with desire is the man who does not go after the plans or counsels of the wicked nor remains in attendance with those who sin habitually, nor remains assembled with those who mock Elohim. But he takes joy in the Torah of Yahweh and nourishes his mind upon it day and night Ps. 1:1,2. M Race translation

We truly live in a day where the whole world has gone crazy.  Nothing makes sense any more.  But we have been told these days were coming.  They are here now and we wonder what is happening.

Seed of Abraham.net tells us about this feast

THE DAY OF ATONEMENT

by Avram Yehoshua

---

Unlike Passover which recognizes and rejoices over Israel’s deliverance from oppression and slavery, Yom Kipor (pronounced yom key-pour), centers around the High Priest’s ceremony that cleanses the nation for past sins of the year. Leviticus 16 gives a detailed account of what happened in the days of Moses. The life of the nation hung in the balance. Nothing approached this day in solemnity. This was the most holy day of the year. Atonement or forgiveness was not automatic.

Sin means separation from God; non-life, death. The daily question was, ‘How could a man in covenant regain his status of righteous when he sinned?’ God provided for the individual Israeli in the Mosaic sacrificial system. And for the nation as a whole, He gave them the Day of Atonement. This day of fasting is a holy Sabbath, the only day of fasting commanded by God in Scripture.

Sacrifice represents the penalty that God exacts for sin: death. The animal dies but is a picture of what should happen to Israel. Atonement happens on this day due to the sacrifice, the giving up of one life for another. Atonement is also expressed in words like expiation which means, ‘to root out, to do away with, to cover, to blot out, to wipe away sin.’ It can be spoken of as ‘at-one-ment’ or ‘peace’ between God and Israel. Another word that describes what happens is reconciliation. God and Israel are in perfect fellowship again after Israel has broken it. Fellowship is restored as if the sin never happened. The Day was associated with mercy, forgiveness and restoration.

All ancient peoples recognized the need for the giving up of a life for the forgiveness of sin and the restoring of fellowship with their gods. We see this in the grade B movies where the village virgin is thrown into the volcano as a human sacrifice, to appease the volcano god.

In biblical times pagans would sacrifice their new born infants at ceremonies designed to appease the god. It was a high price to pay for good relations with the gods but the ancient peoples did it; so great was their fear of, and need of their gods. The Prophet Micah alludes to this pagan practice when he states:

‘Will Yahveh be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, Oh Man, what is good and what Yahveh requires of you: to do justice; to love forgiving-loving-kindness, and to walk humbly with your God’ (Micah 6:7-8, my translation).

The reference to giving one’s firstborn for personal sin springboards off of what the surrounding nations were doing for offending their gods. They were offering their sons and daughters into the sacrificial fires of their gods, and even Israel would succumb to this horror (2nd Kgs. 16:3; 17:17; Jer. 7:31, etc.). Satan is very cruel and those who want to remain blind, walk in perversion and death.

Yom Kipor is literally Yom HaKiporim, the Day of Coverings. The God of Israel covered or forgave Israel’s many sins by the death of a goat. When we step back from this ceremony, it seems very strange to our eyes. How could the death of a goat cleanse all of Israel from sin? But this is God’s world and He makes the rules and the ceremonies for His people. This particular one of course, pictured Yeshua giving His Life for the sins of Israel, that we mightremain in Covenant with Yahveh.

Aaron the High Priest

The greatest function of the High Priest of Israel was done on the Day of Atonement as he reconciled sinful Israel with their holy God, Yahveh. The High Priest first had to offer a bull for a sin sacrifice for himself and his family (Lev. 16:3, 6). He was not to come into the Holy of Holies, where Yahveh literally dwelt in the midst of His Shekinah Glory Presence, on any day that he chose. He could only come in on one day of the year; Yom Kipor (16:2, 29).

Aaron the High Priest would bathe and put on linen garments to perform his high priestly functions (v. 4). These were not the majestic clothes that he usually wore which reflected his position in Israel. They were simple linen garments. He would receive two goats from the community of Israel and whichever the lot fell on, would be the sin sacrifice for Israel to Yahveh (v. 5). The other goat would have the sins of Israel placed upon its head also, but would not be sacrificed. It would be driven into the Wilderness, into a barren place (vv. 8, 10). Aaron would also sacrifice two rams, one for himself and his family, and one for Israel. These were whole burnt offerings to Yahveh, symbolizing that Aaron and Israel were wholly dedicated to Yahveh.

Aaron would first take incense with him into the Holy of Holies, and the blood of the bull for his own sins and those of his House, and he would sprinkle the Gold Cover of the Ark of the Covenant, seven times (vv. 13-15). Then he would sprinkle the ground in front of the Ark, seven times also. He would repeat this procedure with the blood of the goat for the nation (vv. 3, 11-15.)

After this, Aaron would place the blood of the goat on all the articles of the Tabernacle (the seven branched Lampstand, the Gold Altar of Incense, the Gold Table which held the Bread of Yahveh, the Bronze Wash Basin and the Bronze Altar of Sacrifice), cleansing them from defilement. Having been in the midst of sinful Israel for the past year (vv. 16-19), these things became polluted.

Then he would take the goat termed azazel, and placing his hands upon its head, confess all the sins of Israel upon it (v. 21). The goat would be driven into a barren place in the Wilderness, bearing the sins of Israel ‘on its head’ (v. 22).

Aaron then bathes again, puts on his full high priestly garments and offers both his and the com-munity’s sacrifice for dedication, the rams (vv. 23-24). The bull that Aaron used for his own sin sacri-fice is not burnt on the Bronze Altar but taken outside the Camp of Israel and burned in its entirety (v. 27).

This ceremony took place mid-way through the biblical year, six months after Passover. Yom Kipor is on the seventh month and the tenth day (v. 29) of God’s year. It’s a day when Yahveh states that Israel is cleansed from all her sins (v. 30). Israel for her part, humbled herself and afflicted themselves (fast), on this ‘Sabbath of Sabbaths’ (v. 31).

Cease From Striving

Yahveh emphasizes the importance of the Day of Atonement by stating that all Israel must afflict or humble themselves and that anyone who didn’t would be cut off. Three times it states (within six verses), that the people must afflict themselves (Lev. 23:27, 29, 32), and those who didn’t would be cut off from the people. To afflict, humble or deny meant that Israel was to realize that they didn’t have anything in themselves to boast about before God. It was a proper attitude for one to appear before God, looking to Him for forgiveness, without pride in their hearts.

Fasting, going without food and water, was the way that the physical meaning of the word ‘to afflict’ was carried out. Fasting is a way of setting apart that which is necessary for physical life and was pleasurable to Israel. It allowed them to enter into what Yahveh was doing for them in a very focused way. It spoke of their setting apart their carnality, their flesh, their ‘physical’ for the things of God, that His Will would be done in their life. It’s the greatest picture of death to self: if you don’t eat, you die. And three times (within four verses), Yahveh says that they must not work on this day. The penalty being that they would be destroyed by God Himself (Lev. 23:28-29, 31).

We are to cease from our strivings ‘do to’ for God, die to self and ‘rest’ in Him, that He might work His works through us, by His Spirit. Fasting for one day weakens us. We don’t want to do anything. It shows us that we really don’t have much, in our own strength. With this understanding of our carnal condition, it makes it easier for us to give way to Him in all things, every day.

In Lev. 23:32 (and also 16:31), we find the term Shabat Shabatone שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן a Sabbath of absolute rest. It speaks of perfect trust in Yahveh for the forgiveness of, and freedom from, their sin and guilt. It speaks of not striving in one’s own strength to please God.

When God speaks of rest on Shabat (Hebrew for Sabbath), it’s not confined to the physical. Yahveh was telling them that they had to learn to really trust Him for their very life, their food, their clothes and their well being. This would bring them true peace and rest. They couldn’t make atonement for themselves and they had to realize this in the depth of their being. They were given this special opportunity once a year. It pictured them accepting, by way of obedience and trusting in their God, the covering or forgiveness of their sins that God provided.

As we might expect, for Israel to realize this total forgiveness once a year was a very precious source of life for them. Every Israeli knew he stood in good fellowship or ‘at peace’ with his God. Yahveh was removing the sins of Israel and all were to cease from their work and striving to be holy, and allow God to cleanse them and make them holy. Yahveh was setting them free again, a picture of the Sacrifice of Yeshua.

We see that Yom Kipor was not established to appease an angry God but quite the contrary, that Yahveh, the holy and loving God, made a way for forgiveness to be had for His people Israel. This also allowed Him to continue to literally dwell in the midst of His people. Even with the best intentions, Israel sinned against Him. Their response was gratefulness and a life that desired to love Him with all their heart, soul and strength and their neighbor as themself.

The Symbolism of the Day of Atonement

The Book of Hebrews declares Yeshua to be the Eternal High Priest of Israel (3:1; 4:14-15; 5:5, 10; 7:26, etc., see also Ps. 110:4 and Zech. 6:12-13). Aaron’s bathing pictured the purity and moral cleanliness of Yeshua. Aaron on this day wore only the simple, white linen garments, a picture of Yeshua as humble and pure. Yeshua, God the Son, became a Man and He further humbled Himself by His sacrificial death to truly atone for Israel (both Jew and Gentile who believe in Him).

Aaron needed a sacrifice for himself before He could offer the sacrifice for Israel. This spoke of the mediator himself needing to be cleansed from sin so that he could be sinless before Yahveh, in order to reconcile Yahveh and sinful Israel. Yeshua, sinless (2nd Cor. 5:21, Heb. 4:15), only needed to offer Himself as the Sacrifice (Heb. 9:11-15; 10:12), for sinful Israel.

Aaron could only come into the Holy of Holies one day a year. And in this, he had to stand and perform his duties and leave. Yeshua, once He gave His own life’s Blood, is now seated in the very Presence of Yahveh (Heb. 1:3; 10:12; 12:2). Not even the angels sit in the Presence of the King of Israel. Yet this High Priest, Yeshua the Messiah, has sat down in His Presence. This speaks of Yeshua as deity, and also His completed sacrifice, once and for all. He doesn’t have to repeat it. His Work as Forgiver, Purifier and Cleanser of Israel is fulfilled (Mal. 3:3).

The goat that was sacrificed for the sins of the people pictured Yeshua as the Sacrifice. The goat symbolized His humanity and ours. We are all like goats, very stubborn. Of course, Yeshua overcame His Adamic nature by death to self. Now, in Yeshua, we die to self, that our stubbornness may not determine our eternal existence. The alternative, as carnal believers, is that we continue to be ‘god’ in our life and on Judgment Day, will be sent to Hell for not trusting in Yahveh and what He has done for us.

When Aaron would sprinkle the blood of the goat seven times upon the Ark Lid and seven times upon the ground or dirt, we see the Picture of Yahveh and Israel being brought together by the Blood of Yeshua. The Ark Cover pictures Yahveh as it’s pure gold. The dirt pictures what Israel is made from. Yahveh and Israel have now been brought together, reconciled and made one, by the Blood of Yeshua. In a very real spiritual sense, the Father has been sprinkled with the Blood of His Son to effect reconciliation in Israel.

The Mercy Seat, is not really a seat, and the word for mercy is not found in the Scriptures relating to the Ark’s Lid or Cover. Twenty seven times the word kah-po-ret כַּפֹּרֶת is used and it always refers to the cover that was upon the Ark of the Covenant. It’s a cover of pure gold (Ex. 25:17), called kah-po-ret zah-hav כַּפֹּרֶת זָהָב which literally is a .gold cover.’ The phrase, ‘mercy seat’ comes from the idea that God is sitting upon it, and that Israel’s sins are forgiven on the Day, God being merciful.

Leprosy in Scripture is also seen as a typical picture of sin. Leprosy literally eats away or rots the flesh while one is still alive. This is an apt description of what sin does in our relationship with God. Sin eats away or rots the soul, while one is still ‘in covenant’ with God. But the relationship is not what it should be.

The goat termed azazel¹ in Hebrew (Lev. 16:8, 10, 20), pictured the Israeli who said they ‘believed in God’ but he really didn’t trust Him. It was ‘just words.’ He wasn’t relying on God and the sacrifice to cleanse him. Instead, he was relying on his own righteousness, or his self-righteousness.

The symbolism for today is of the believer who says he ‘believes in Jesus’ but doesn’t surrender his life to Him, that God might mold the Image of His Son upon them. In this the believer has been stubborn (like a goat), toward the Holy Spirit. The believer at this point, like the Israeli before him, is relying on his own self-righteousness and won’t submit to God’s way of dealing with sin. Therefore he will carry his own sins upon his own head on the Great Day of Judgment in Heaven. He will then be sent into what the barren or solitary place (Lev. 16:22) symbolized: Hell.

Rabbi Eliya deVidas (1575 A.D.), in effect has said the same thing. He wrote that the meaning of Is. 53:5, which says,

‘He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities’ is that since the Messiah bears our iniquities, which produce the effect of His being bruised, it follows that whoso will not admit that the Messiah thus suffers for our iniquities must endure and suffer for them himself.’²

The unrighteous ‘believer’, not learning to trust God to deal with his sins, continues to bear them himself, trying in some way, ‘to prove’ that he is ‘good enough.’ This is ‘works righteousness’ a righteousness based on the doing of ‘good deeds.’ But the doing of good deeds can never transform the soul into the nature of God. Only the Blood of Yeshua can.

Another parallel of the unclean leper, with the believer who is stubborn, is seen from where the leper was sent to live; outside the Camp. In Lev. 13:46, it states this about the leper:

‘He shall remain unclean. All the days during which he has the disease, he is unclean. He must live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the Camp.’

The leper’s uncleanness or sin separated him from Israel proper. In Revelation, those who are unclean sinners won’t be allowed into the heavenly city of Jerusalem but will ‘live outside the Camp’:

‘But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and fornicators and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the Lake that burns with Fire and brimstone, which is the second death’ (Rev. 21:8).

‘and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it’ (the holy City), ‘but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life’ (Rev. 21:27).

‘Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the Tree of Life, and may enter by the gates into the City. Outside are the dogs’ (male prostitutes), ‘and the sorcerers and the fornicators and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying’ (Rev. 22:14-15).

The second goat on Yom Kipor pictured the sinner who didn’t trust in the first goat to make them clean before God. As such, they were symbolically removed from the people of God. This is what will happen to all who profess Yeshua, but have denied the cleansing Work of His Spirit in their lives.

Many have thought that this goat was sent or given to Satan. This makes azazel out to be a proper noun (a name), for a goat headed demon god. But this is not acceptable. On Israel’s holiest day of the year, would Yahveh have them offer a goat to Satan? And in the very next chapter after the ceremony for the Day of Atonement in Lev. 16, Yahveh expressly states that Israel was not to offer up any sacrifices to goat headed demons:

‘They shall no longer sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat demons with which they play the harlot. This shall be a permanent statute to them throughout their genera-tions.’ (Lev. 17:7)

The perverse understanding, that azazel was a fallen angel, comes from a Jewish tradition, prevalent in Yeshua’s day. It was adopted by many ancient Christian theologians and is still with us today. Azazel was not a fallen angel or satyr (goat headed demon) but an ancient technical term that means, the ‘entire removal of sin’.³ In this case, azazel should be translated as, ‘the goat of total removal of sin’ from the Camp of Israel. In the days of Aaron the High Priest, they would take this goat far out into the Wilderness and leave it there. It wasn’t part of Israel any longer.

The King James Version and the New American Standard Bible, following Davidson⁴ and others, comes close to this when they translate azazel as, ‘scapegoat.’ It’s one that bears another’s sin. As such, it was a picture of the Israeli who didn’t trust Yahveh. But scapegoat, in one sense, could be used for any general sin sacrifice as it bore the sin of the person offering it. What was different about this goat was that it wasn’t sacrificed and that it represented those who didn’t trust in God for their sins to be dealt with. As such, it pictured total removal of these Israelis from the Camp. So ‘scapegoat’ is not a good term for it.

In the days of Yeshua, they’ take this goat and lead it over a cliff. What it prophetically pictures is the departure or total removal of all carnal believers from the Bride of Messiah on the Day of Judgement.

Yeshua is not the scapegoat, as many unfortunately teach and believe. The scenario for Lev. 16, the Day of Atonement, has Israel’s sins already being forgiven by the death of the first goat (a picture of Yeshua), whose blood is sprinkled on the Ark and the Earth in front of it. This allowed Yahveh to reside in the midst of Israel.

The second goat, not sacrificed (and therefore not able to atone for anyone’s sins), is led out of the Camp of Israel (Lev. 16:22), separated from Israel, to ‘live’ in a place ‘cut off’ from God and Israel. This goat pictured the Hebrew who, although ‘believing in God’ with his mouth, didn’t really believe or trust God with his heart. This goat pictured the Hebrew whose sins remained upon himself, for the sins of Israel were placed upon this goat and it says that it would bear those sins upon itself (Lev. 16:21-22). This Hebrew didn’t accept God’s way of forgiveness, symbolizing the believer that trusts in himself, who will be condemned to Hell.

Aaron would finish by offering dedication sacrifices for himself and Israel, having bathed again to appear before Israel in his glorious priestly clothes. This pictures Yeshua being raised by Yahveh to His present glorified state. One day we shall all see Him as He is (1st John 3:2).

The bull of Aaron’s was taken outside the Camp and burned. This is what the writer of Hebrews speaks of, in us joining Yeshua outside the Camp, in His shame. Yeshua was sacrificed ‘outside the Camp’ meaning the city walls of Jerusalem.⁵

Being ‘outside the Camp’ meant that one was not part of Israel. Yeshua was rejected by the sinful leadership of Israel that day. Yet God used something ignominious, the rejection and death of Messiah, to call all those who desire to be cleansed from their sins, to identify with Messiah in His rejection and death (Heb. 13:7-16).

The dating of the Day of Atonement, the tenth day of the seventh Hebrew month, conveys total and full, holy completion. Seven is the biblical number for holiness and completion (e.g. the seven days of Creation week), and ten conveys the unity and strength of the number one, multiplied or magnified (the zero on the end simply amplifying the one). Both numbers together convey a sense of total completion, fullness and holiness that rids Israel of sin in its entirety. Hallelu-Yah! The Day of Atonement symbolized the total removal of sin from Israel, both in terms of those who trusted Yah-veh, and those who didn’t.

Original holiness was restored on this day. And Yahveh was able to continue to dwell among His people. This was the reason for the sacrifice and death of one, so the other could be freed (from sin), and live.

Yahveh is very serious about our observance of this day. His mentioning that people would be cut off, is the most powerful way for Him to express the importance of this Day for all of us. It’s a time for us to renew our faith and trust in Him. It’s a full day of fasting, praying, praise and Scripture that we might see afresh our position or place in Yeshua, and what He’s done for us in forgiving our sins and making us holy. It’s a time of reaffirming, of receiving from Yeshua our High Priest, a greater understanding of Who He is, and what He has done for us. And then we can pray for Jews and Gentiles to come to believe in Messiah Yeshua, along with our friends, relatives and anyone else the Lord brings to mind.

The Prophetic Picture of the Day of Atonement

Unlike the spring and summer Feasts, the Day of Atonement has yet to see its fulfillment in terms of it being a prophetic picture. It reflects the Great White Throne Judgment of Heaven:

‘Then I saw a great white Throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence Earth and Heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the Throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them. And they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death, the Lake of Fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire’ (Rev. 20:11-15).

This is the fulfillment of Yom Kipor, the Day of Atonement, for it’s a Day of Judgment for one’s sins. One must have the Blood of the Lamb of God upon their soul to be written in the Book of Life.

Before Judgment Day Yahveh will save Israel ‘after the flesh.’ This should happen when Yeshua returns to reign for a thousand years. The Apostle Paul wrote:

‘For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery so that you will not be wise in your own estimation that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in and so all Israel will be saved. Just as it is written,

‘The Deliverer will come from Zion. He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. This is My Covenant with them, when I take away their sins.’ (Rom. 11:25-27)

The Prophet Zechariah writes what will happen to the Jewish people on that day, and the nations that come against her:

And in that Day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. I will pour out on the House of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced. And they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn’ (Zech. 12:9-10).

‘In that Day, a Fountain will be opened for the House of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity’ (Zech. 13:1).

When Israel looks upon Yeshua, the Pierced One, they will see both their blindness and their sinful hearts. They will be so overwhelmed by their new understanding of who Yeshua is, that they will weep bitterly over their past blindness. Yahveh will not leave them there. His Fountain of Life will cleanse them from their sins and bring them into His Kingdom. Their past sins will be atoned for. The ‘sign’ that Yeshua spoke of will be His return to rule:

‘And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the Heavens, and then all the tribes of the Earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the Heavens with power and great glory.’ (Mt. 24:30)

The traditional interpretation of ‘all the tribes of the Earth will mourn’ should give way to, ‘all the Tribes of the Land (of Israel), will mourn’.⁶ The Hebrew word for Earth and land (of Israel), is identical. In this context, Yeshua is speaking of Israel recognizing their Messiah.

The prophetic picture of the autumn Feasts looks like this:

1 First, the Tribulation. Israel, like much of the world will be devastated.

2 Yom Teruah (The Feast of Trumpets): The King Himself comes to establish His rule in Jerusalem at Ezekiel’s Temple for a thousand years (Rev. 20:4-6). This is the Day of Joy Unspeakable expressed by tremendous shouting and praise.

3 Yom Kipor: There are ten days between Yom Teruah and Yom Kipor. This would equate with the thousand year reign of the Lord before the Great Day of Judgment, right after judgment on Gog and Magog (Ezk. 38:2, 3, 14ff, Rev. 20:8).

Yom Kipor will be the Day of Judgment for the world, after the thousand year reign of Messiah Yeshua in earthly Jerusalem (Rev. 20:4-6).

ORTHODOX JUDAISM AND THE DAY OF ATONEMENT

After the destruction of the Temple and the city of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. by the Roman general Titus, the Jewish people found themselves in a very serious dilemma concerning sacrifice and forgiveness of sins. With no Temple, the Rabbis said there could be no sacrifice.⁷ And with no sacrifice, there was no way to cleanse anyone of their sins, either on a daily basis or for Yom Kipor. And with that, the function of the Aaronic Priests, as designed by Yahveh, fell into disuse. The Rabbis devised another way for sins to be dealt with.

The Rabbis became the authority for the Jewish people. This is when ‘Orthodox Judaism’ or ‘Rabbinic Judaism’ rose to prominence over the Temple, it’s sacrifices and the Aaronic Priesthood. Orthodox Judaism is not what Yahveh gave to Moses. It lacks the very center or core of Israel’s relationship with Yahveh: priest, Tabernacle (and later Temple), and sacrifice.

The Rabbis realized that something had to fill up the gap where the sacrifices were on the Day of Atonement. They finally came to this: if one did good works or justice, and continually returned to God through prayer, and fasted and prayed on the Day of Atonement (and read the passage in Lev. 16 in the synagogue), then God would see this and accept. It would be, they said, as though the High Priest offered up the prescribed sacrifices for the day.

The Rabbis ‘ordained’ this by twisting Scripture from Hosea that says, ‘For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.’ (6:6) And with that, they set up a system of religion that ‘looks like Moses’ but is not. This is Israel ‘doing their own thing’ in contradistinction to what God has called for, or rather, the best that they could do under the circumstances.

Some Orthodox Jews, knowing the importance of the blood for forgiveness of sin (Lev. 16; 17:11, etc.), will take a rooster or a chicken a day or two before, and slay it for their atonement. This is condemned by the Rabbis but one can easily see the tension between what the Rabbis offer, and what Yahveh has commanded for the remission of sin.

The synagogues are packed on this day, the whole community collectively seeking forgiveness from God. For the previous nine days, since the rabbinic but not biblical, ‘Rosh HaShannah’ (the New Year), they have been seeking forgiveness for past sins against their fellow man. On this day, they direct their thoughts wholly to God.

The Rabbis say that on Yom Kipor, the judgment for one’s life, for the coming year, is entered into the ‘book’ and is sealed. This of course, has nothing to do with the Day of Atonement for one’s past sins but is really a superstition for the future.

For this day, no food or water will be taken. It’s a complete fast, just as Moses and Jesus did. Unfortunately, Jews are not allowed to bathe on this day, something that we saw the High Priest doing twice. The wearing of cosmetics and deodorants, etc., is also prohibited, along with the wearing of leather shoes (which symbolizes luxury). On this day, all men and women are equal. Money and status don’t matter (that’s why no leather shoes; in the ancient world, leather shoes or sandals were a sign of luxury). And there is to be no sexual relations on the night of Yom Kipor. This finds biblical reference in that when Israel was to meet Yahveh at Mt. Sinai, God demanded that for the three days preceding, no one was to engage in sex (Ex. 19:15).

Most of these restrictions can be lifted where a threat to life or health is involved. In fact, children under the age of nine and women in childbirth (from the time labor begins until three days after birth) are not permitted to fast, even if they wanted to. Older children and women from the third to the seventh day after childbirth are permitted to fast but are permitted to break the fast if they feel the need to do so.

It’s customary to wear white on this Day. It symbolizes purity and calls to mind the promise that one’s sins shall be made as white as snow (Is. 1:18). Some people wear a Kittel, the white robe in which the dead are buried. Both the color and the fact that it’s clothes that one is buried in, convey the sense of one’s desire to be white and pure (sinless) before Yahveh and totally focused on Him (dead to self).

The Rabbis have made it a whole day of prayer in the synagogue. In Orthodox synagogues, services begin before sundown and go into the night. Then they return, early in the morning (about 8 A.M.), and continue until about 3 P.M. People then usually go home for an afternoon nap and return around 5 P.M. for the afternoon and evening services, which continue until nightfall. The services end shortly after dark with the blowing of tekiah gedolah, a long blast on the shofar. There is usually some form of refreshment served before the people go home to break the fast amongst themselves.

HOW TO OBSERVE THE DAY

Everyone who believers in Messiah Yeshua should be fasting and praying for forgiveness and cleansing on Yom Kipor. It’s on this day that Yeshua, as our High Priest unto His Father, seeks forgiveness for His Bride, for all her sins of the past year. If the prophetic character of Yom Kipor means anything, it means this. The Apostles, after the Resurrection, held this day in especial reverence as they kept all the holy days at the Temple (Acts 21:20).

Ruti and I fast all day from sundown on the evening before, till dark the following day. No food and no water. It’s an affliction or a humbling of ourselves before God (Lev. 23:27, 29, 32). On a ‘normal fast’ one drinks only water. But it’s actually easier to fast a day without water than with water. This is because the body, once satiated with water, wants food. But if there’s no water than that becomes the point that the body focuses on and food doesn’t seem that important.

As you come up to the fast, you might want to eat ‘light.’ Eat things that day like salad, brown rice, vegetables, soups, fruit and plenty of water. This will help the next day.

Break the fast with water first. Then some watermelon if you can. If not watermelon or something juicy like cantaloupe, perhaps some brothy soup. A bowl and a light sandwich or salad should be enough for the night. Of course, many sit down to a full meal and live to regret it.

It’s really wonderful to have a full 24 hour period to seek our Lord and to be with Him. To pray, to commune with the Master for hours is a privilege indeed. And actually, this is what Yahveh made us for; to fellowship and spend precious quality time with Him. This is a reality of the cup of com-munion. To come to know Him in a greater way and to fall in love with Him all over again.

In this humbling or affliction of going without food and water, symbolically we are ‘dead to self.’ To afflict ourself means not only to forego food and water. It also means to ‘stand’ before Yeshua as ‘dead’ or in humility. Ask Yeshua at the beginning of the fast to lead you; as to what to do, who to pray for, and how to wait upon Him. Here are some conceptual realities of the day that He might lead you to consider:

1 It’s a time to forgive those that have hurt you and have offended you, from your heart. And if you can’t, tell Him so, and ask Him to help you to do so. He will.

2 It’s a time specifically with Yeshua, our Father and the Holy Spirit, and to ask for our sins to be forgiven. We want to be honest with Him about our sins, our failures and our distractions. We have nothing to boast of or to say that we have earned a favorable judgment on our behalf. It’s a total gift from Him. He sacrificed Himself so we could be forgiven, cleansed and glorified. It’s a time to realize God’s total forgiveness and cleansing for the year’s past sins. It’s on this Day that we can come into a greater understanding of divine love and forgiveness.

3 It’s a time to meditate on our death so we can more fully obey Him in this life. This is known as a greater consecration unto Him. It’s a time to re-dedicate and re-consecrate ourselves to our King. As He came to do the Will of the Father, so we too should have the same desire to do His Will.

4 It’s a time to be quiet before Him, waiting upon Him, listening for His Voice. It’s a time to be in His Presence.

5 It’s a time to express our deep gratitude for what He has done for us.

6 It’s a time to praise and to worship Him. And to also read Scripture. Some texts to consider are Lev. 16; 23:26-32; Matt. 26-28 and Rev. 20-22. Even though Matthew deals with the Passover, it shows us our Yeshua and what He went through so we could have Atonement on the 10th day of the 7th month of every year, and also on the Day of Judgment.

7 It’s a time to pray for others, both believers and unbelievers.

On this Day we pray especially for ourselves first, that we would come to a deeper experiential understanding of where we are at in Him and Who He is. Ruti and I then turn ourselves to lifting up others, our family members, both believers and unbelievers. As the Lord leads, we pray for each of them and each other.

After that we turn our attention on the Jewish people and pray for them, that Yeshua would remove the veil that blinds them to Him, and that our efforts to bring them to Yeshua would bear much fruit. And also of course, anything that the Spirit wants to do through us, for others in the world. This is not set in concrete but is a flexible guideline that we follow.

1. He has called us to follow Him, to be obedient unto death. At the very least, death to self. And for this, we must seek Him continually. Johannes Schneider writes in the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament that there are five places in the Synoptic Gospels where it’s recorded that Yeshua tells us to pick up our cross and follow Him.⁸ We must be ever learning Who our Messiah is that ‘we believe in’ (Mt. 11:28-30; 23:8, etc.). He who lives a lifestyle that doesn’t imply His Death, for the shaping of their practical life, is His enemy (Phil. 3:18).⁹ Schneider says that,

‘the proper starting’ point ‘is the carrying of the cross by the condemned man. This suggests a beginning of discipleship which then becomes a lasting state.’¹⁰

We must be ready to suffer, even unto death, for the Name of our precious Yeshua. With this heart attitude we will bear much fruit for Him. And when the Day of Judgment comes at the End of Time, we will hear Him say,

‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your Master’ (Matt. 25:21).

We are His servants. He has bought us with the price of His life’s Blood (1st Cor. 7:23). We must be about our Messiah’s Business. This is the attitude to have on Yom Kipor, and every day thereafter.

Why Do We Observe the Day of Atonement?

1. To obey Yahveh (Lev. 23:26-32).

2. To follow in the footsteps of Yeshua. Yeshua observed the Day every year of His Life. Also, all the Apostles and believers continued to observe the day, before and after the resurrection (Acts 21:20 by inference).

3. To experientially know that our sins are forgiven for the past year and that we are ‘clean’ before God.

4. To forgive all those that have offended us.

5. To ‘find out’ exactly where we are with Yeshua, taking the whole day to seek Him, etc.

6. To pray for family, friends, Jews and others, as the Lord leads.

7. To spend 24 hours (at least our waking hours), in His Presence.

As we enter into the reality of this day, we find Him and ourselves in a way that no other day can bring us. For on this Day we come to sense the complete and total removal of our sins by our High Priest Yeshua. How can Yahveh dwell within us? Because of the ever present Blood of Yeshua our Messiah. Let us reverently and gratefully fall before Him and be silent.

Bibliography

Baron, David. The Servant of Jehovah (Jerusalem: Keren Ahvah Meshihit; originally published in 1922; 2000).

Brown, Dr. Francis; Dr. S. R. Driver, Dr. Charles A. Briggs, based on the lexicon of Professor Wilhelm Gesenius. Edward Robinson, Translator. El Rodiger, Editor. The New Brown, Driver, Briggs, Gesenius Hebrew and English Lexicon (Lafayette, IN: Associated Publishers and Authors, 1978).

Davidson, Benjamin. The Analytical Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1979).

Stern, Dr. David. Jewish New Covenant Commentary (Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Covenant Publications, 1992).