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Friday, November 6, 2015

HANUKKAH & YOM KIPPUR FESTIVALS & FEASTS - NYOBS 47.15

HANUKKAH & YOM KIPPUR
FEASTS & FESTIVALS
Trumpets – Atonement - Rosh Hashanah - Passover Pentecost ­Purim Booths – Jubilee

First Word

·         Feast and Festivals commemorated an historical event in the life of Israel or marked the beginning or ending of an agricultural year. – The poor, orphaned, widowed and the traveler were welcomed to MOST of the feast.
·         The Law of Moses established seven festivals of enjoyment and times of rest from work.
·         Three Great Pilgrimage Festivals - Passover PentecostTabernacles/Booths
·         Two High Holy DaysYom Kippur/Day of Atonement Rosh Hashanah/Trumpets
·         Two Days of RestWeekly SabbathMonthly New Moon Sabbath
·         Festivals and feast Added LaterHanukkah - Purim
·         An addition Festival - Jubilee occurred every 50 years, a time when all Hebrew debt was forgiven and all Hebrew slaves freed and the land returned to its original tribe and owner.



Jewish Calendar
·         The Jewish months and their different spellings are based on Babylonian influence. – Note their new year starts in April and is based on their agricultural growing seasons.-  Planting -
·         I list these because of the confusion that comes with the different dates listed in the different books of the Bible as well as the different commentaries. – Example; Abib & Nisan are both the 1st month in the New Year. 
·         Ecclesiastical New Year refers to early Christianity; starts the 1st month – Nisan - April.
·         Civil New Year refers to the agricultural practices; starts the 7th month - Tishri – October.
·         Leap years have 13 months… There is a Metonic cycle of 19 years. – Twelve are common years and seven are leap years. – The 12th month (March) becomes Adar 1 and the 13th month is added and becomes Adar 2 -- I INCLUDE ALL THIS TO DRIVE YOU ABSOLUTELY CRAZY…
·         To further complicate it, these months fall between our months; for example, Nisan the 1st month would be between March & April – Iyar the 2nd month would be between April & May.
·         Ecclesiastical Year (religious year)
1.     April – Nisan – Nisanu - Abib
2.     May – Iyar – Iyyar – Ayaru - Ziv
3.     June – Sivan – Siwan - Simanu
4.     July – Tammuz – Tamuz – Dumuzu - Dumuzi
5.     August – Ab - Abu – Av
6.     September – Elul – Ululu
7.     October – Tishri – Tishrei – Tashrtu – Ethanim
8.     November – Marchesvan – Marheswan – Martheshvan – Cheshvan – Arakhsamna - Bul
9.     December – Kislev – Kislew - Kislimu – Chisleu – Chislev
10.   January – Tebeth - Tebetu – Tevet
11.   February – Shebet – Shebat - Shevat – Sebat – Shbat – Shabatu
12.   March – Adar – Adaru
·         If you are serious about dates… Hang on to this chart - It’s not found anywhere else.

THREE GREAT PILGRIMAGE FESTIVALS
#1 - Feast of Passover
·         Passover (Pesach) is a spring festival associated with barley – Observed on the evening of the 14th day of Nisan or Abib (April) the first month.  – It was on this evening that Israel left Egypt. - The meaning of the word Passover is primarily “to pass over” - a suspension of justice - withholding punishment – to spare – DRIVE YOU CRAZY NOTE; they called the first month of the religious year Abib, but after their exile they called it Nisan.
·         The Seder (service) began the first night at sundown with the main feast recalling the last meal the Jews ate in Egypt; remembering their captivity and liberation.
·         Four Questions were to be asked by the youngest child present.
1.   Why is the night of the Passover different from all other nights of the year?
2.   Why do we use unleavened bread? – NYOBS 05.11 - LORDS SUPPER
3.   Why bitter herbs and the dipping of vegetables? – NYOBS 25.19 – PASSOVER FOOD
4.   Why the cushions at the host chair? – NYOBS 32.17 – PASSOVER
·         The Host responds by reciting the history of Israel’s passage from bondage to freedom.
·         This is the First of the three great Festival pilgrimages for Israel to remember its past and renew their faith in God. – Every male was expected to observe the three pilgrimage feast. The first and last day were kept as Sabbaths or holy convocations where no work was performed and the people came together and offered sacrifices.
·         The feast of Unleavened Bread occurred on the 15th day as part of Passover closely intertwining and forming a double festival for SEVEN more days and all bread that was consumed was unleavened.
·         As the life of the blood was drained from the sacrificial animal so the life of the leaven was removed from the bread.  – The disposition of leaven symbolizes the casting out of insincerity.
·         The feast originated in the home, but was later transferred to the Temple. – Neither the hired servant nor the uncircumcised male could partake of the meal, but could observe it on the corresponding day of the second month.
·         The feast was instituted by God commemorating the historic deliverance of Israel and their flight from Egypt – This is when the death angel passed over the Israelites killing all the first born of Egypt. – Because of the haste of being ready to leave, the Hebrews made their bread without leaven with no time to wait for it to rise. – Eventually the two celebrations were merged into one.
·         In the New Testament, Jesus attended Passover at the age of twelve and at the age of thirty three He was crucified during the Feast of Passover festival. – His blood being the ultimate sacrifice to redeem us from the power of sin and death. – Peter’s imprisonment and deliverance was also at this same season.
Exodus 12:13 – The blood is a sign; I will pass over the blood
13 The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.
(ESV)
Leviticus 23:6 – Feast of Unleavened Bread
6 On the next day, the fifteenth day of the month, you must begin celebrating the Festival of Unleavened Bread. This festival to the LORD continues for seven days, and during that time the bread you eat must be made without yeast. (NLT)
Luke 2:41-42 – Jesus observed Passover at the age of twelve
41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.
42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom.
(ESV)
Colossians 1:20 – Christ’s blood on the cross reconciled us
20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.
(NLT)
Acts 12:3 – Peter arrested during Feast of Unleavened Bread
3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. (ESV)
1 Corinthians 5:7 – Dispose the leaven of insincerity – New Lump
7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. (ESV)

#2 - Feast of Pentecost
·         Pentecost is a spring festival also, celebrating the wheat grain harvest and follows Passover on the 6th day of the month of Sivan (June). – This is a one day festival observed as a Sabbath in the tabernacle; this gathering marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of the seasonal offering of first fruits.
·         Feast of First Fruits Feast of Harvest - Feast of Weeks are the other names it was known by – Originally it was an agricultural festival, but later became associated with the religious history of Israel and was transformed into the observance of the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai 50 days after the Death Angel passed over them in Egypt with their departure and arrival at Mount Sinai.  
·         Pent means 50 – The feast name comes from the fact that this festival occurs early in the third month; 50 days after the offering of the barley sheaves at the feast of unleavened bread on the first Sabbath of Passover. -  It is counted from the second day of the feast.
·         It is regarded as the Second of the three obligatory observances, and falls between Passover and Tabernacles. - The community was expected to come together to show their gratitude toward God with their first fruits of the early harvest.
·         This Holy Convocation offering included the first fruits of their produce and the waving of two loves of leavened bread. – The feast lasted only a single day and marked the completion of the Wheat harvest and no one was allowed to work on this day.
·         Free will offerings were to be made; it was a day of rejoicing with the family, the Levite, Widow, Orphan and the poor.
·         In the Apocrypha; the book of Jubilees lists all the covenants of the OT in this feast. NYOBS 16.34 – THE ESSENES - DEAD SEA SCROLLS - (I encourage you to get a copy of the Apocrypha to understand the thinking of the Israelites.)
·          In the New Testament; on the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit filled the followers of Jesus in an upper room and they began to speak in languages that were not their own. – Numerous attending this festival experience the outpouring of the Gifts of the Spirit
·          Some Students believe that this gift of the Spirit and the other gifts passed away with the early disciples, but scripture says different; the gifts of God are irrevocable. -  NYOBS 08.02 – TONGUES – NYOBS 20.36 – THE HOLY SPIRIT -
Exodus 19:1 – Egypt Passover to Mount Sinai & Torah; 50 days
1 On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. (ESV)
Exodus 34:22 – Feast of Weeks
22 You shall observe the Feast of Weeks, the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year’s end. (ESV)
Exodus 23:16 - Feast of Harvest – Feast of Ingathering
16 You shall keep the Feast of Harvest, of the first fruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field. You shall keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labor. (ESV)
Acts 2:1-4 – Day of Pentecost – Spoke in other tongues
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
(NIV2011)
Numbers 28:26-31 – Feast of Weeks
26 On the day of the first fruits, when you offer a grain offering of new grain to the LORD at your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work,
27 but offer a burnt offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD: two bulls from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old;
28 also their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for each bull, two tenths for one ram,
29 a tenth for each of the seven lambs;
30 with one male goat, to make atonement for you.
31 Besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, you shall offer them and their drink offering. See that they are without blemish. (ESV)
Romans 11:29 - The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable
29 For the GIFTS and the calling of God are IRREVOCABLE. (NKJV)

#3 - Feast of Tabernacles
·         Tabernacles is a Fall Harvest Festival - It is also called the Feast of Booths or the Feast of Ingathering. – This is the Third and last in the series of the great Festival pilgrimages. - This festival commemorated the wanderings of the Israelites while in the wilderness.
·         The festival requirement was that they had to dwell in Arbors or Booths. - They would make a temporary tent or booth as shelter out of interwoven Myrtle, Palm or Willow branches along with sticks and fruits from the harvest as a commemoration and reminder of God’s protection during their flight from Egypt and their meager accommodation while in the wilderness. – After the Babylon captivity, the willow became an emblem of sorrow. -  Many booths could be found all year on top of their homes and shared with the sojourner.
·         The festival took place at the end of the harvest season year in the month of Tishri (October) 15th through the 21nd, 5 days after the Day of Atonement which ended Tishri 10th. – The first and eighth days were holy convocations (Sabbaths) with days of rest. – There was rejoicing with the Priest, family, servants, widows, orphans as well as the traveler.
·         The Feast portion took place for a period of seven days and was also a festival of thanksgiving to God for The Ingathering from the threshing floor and the wine press.
·         The Solemn Assembly portion took place on the eighth day the 22nd; the last day known as the Great Day - All ceremonially clean and physically capable males were required to go to the “Tabernacle” with their offerings. This marked the conclusion of the Ecclesiastical year.
·         Every seven years they were required to read publically the Law; the Torah to all the people during this festival.
·         Note: Later on, another day was added to the festival known as Simhath Torah (Joy of the Law) just for the purpose of the JOY of reading the Law publically.
·          In the Antiquity of the Jews; Josephus calls it the greatest and holiest day of the Jewish feasts.  - I encourage you to get a copy of the Antiquity of the Jews by Josephus the Jewish Historian. - (He was born the year that Jesus was crucified.) - NYOBS 22.03 – JOSEPHUS
·         In the New Testament; it was on THIS last day of this feast that Jesus stood up and said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink”. – Some thought He was the Christ; the Prophet that was to come, but there was a division among the people over him.  Some of them wanted to arrest him, but oddly enough, no one laid hands on him.
Exodus 23:16 - Feast of Ingathering
16 You shall keep the Feast of Harvest, of the first fruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field. You shall keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labor. (ESV)
Numbers 29:35 – The Eighth Day – A Solemn Assembly
35 On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly. You shall not do any ordinary work, (ESV)
John 7:37-38 - If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink
37On the LAST DAY of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (ESV)
John 7:40-41– Can the Prophet; the Christ come from Galilee?
40 When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.”
41 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? (ESV)
John 7:43-44 – Division among them – Arrest Him
43 So there was a division among the people over him.
44 Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him
(ESV)
Numbers 29:12-40 – Offerings for the Feast of Booths
12On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall keep a feast to the LORD seven days.
13 And you shall offer a burnt offering, a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD, thirteen bulls from the herd, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old; they shall be without blemish;
14 and their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for each of the thirteen bulls, two tenths for each of the two rams,
15 and a tenth for each of the fourteen lambs;
16 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.
17 On the SECOND DAY twelve bulls from the herd, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish,
18 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities;
19 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings.
20 On the THIRD DAY eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish,
21 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities;
22 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.
23 On the FOURTH DAY ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish,
24 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities;
25 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.
26 On the FIFTH DAY nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish,
27 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities;
28 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.
29 On the SIXTH DAY eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish,
30 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities;
31 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offerings.
32 On the SEVENTH DAY seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish,
33 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities;
34 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.
35 On the EIGHTH DAY you shall have a solemn assembly. You shall not do any ordinary work,
36 but you shall offer a burnt offering, a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish,
37 and the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities;
38 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.
40 So Moses told the people of Israel everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses. (ESV)
Deuteronomy 31:10-11 - Feast of Booths – 7 Years; Read Torah
10 And Moses commanded them, “At the end of every seven years, at the set time in the year of release, at the Feast of Booths,
11 when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. (ESV)
Psalm 137:1-2 - Wept by the Willow trees – Emblem of Sorrow
1 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.
2 On the willows there we hung up our lyres. (ESV)

Two High Holy Days
#1 - Feast of Trumpets
·         New Moon Festivals were a MONTHLY Sabbath of rest, with special sacrifices and the blowing of trumpets.
·         Seventh Month Festival - The first day of the SEVENTH new moon Tishri (October) 1st and 2nd was set aside as the Feast of Trumpets, the foremost of the new-moon celebrations; this began the Civil New Year for the Jews.  
·         Trumpets were blown from morning to evening.  It was observed as a solemn day of rest, ceasing from hard labor, beginning with the sounding of the Shofar (a hollowed-out ram's horn).  It was accompanied with special memorials, sacrifices, general rejoicing and the reading of the Law in public.
·         Some students believe that the origin of the blowing of the Seventh Month Trumpets were to counteract the influence of the Babylonian New Year Festival which occurred at the same time while they were in Babylonian captivity.
·         Later in history “Trumpets” became associated with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year that is celebrated in the fall. – It’s the first of the High Holy Days - "Rosh" is the Hebrew word for head, "ha" is the definite article, and "shanah" means year; thus "Rosh Hashanah" means 'head [of] the year', referring to the Jewish New Year’s Day.
·         Rosh Hashanah is a two-day celebration, which begins on the first day of Tishrei (October) which is the first month of the Jewish CIVIL YEAR, but is the seventh month of the ECCLESIASTICAL YEAR. – (Don’t even try to wrap you head around this – See my chart.)
·         The custom of eating symbolic foods such as apples dipped in honey were to evoke a "sweet new year".
Numbers 29:1-6 – Feast of Trumpets – Holy Convocation
1 On the first day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a day for you to blow the trumpets,
2  and you shall offer a burnt offering, for a pleasing aroma to the LORD: one bull from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish;
3  also their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for the bull, two tenths for the ram,
4  and one tenth for each of the seven lambs;
5  with one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you;
6  besides the burnt offering of the new moon, and its grain offering, and the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offering, according to the rule for them, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD. (ESV)

#2 - Day of Atonement
·         The Day of Atonement was also known as Yom Kippur and is the Holiest day of the year. There was no FEASTING because for approximately 25 hours, they were to FAST and REST. – This is the only Law of Moses that required everyone to fast - It included careful cleaning of the Tabernacle, cleansing of the High Priest and of oneself; fasting and attending a holy gathering and ceasing all activities of work.
·         It was observed once a year on the 10th of Tishri, the seventh month (October), ten days after the Fall New Year to atone for their sins.  An offering of Incense was made by the High Priest in the Holy of Holies. – This was the only time of the year that the Priest entered into the Holy of Holies.
·         Two goats were selected; one was sacrificed and with the other; the sins of the people were symbolically placed on the “Scapegoat” which was released and then driven into the wilderness bearing their sins.
·         Atonement Means “to cover over” – This same word was use by Moses to cover over the ark inside and out with tar or pitch so that you could not see the wood. – The blood of Jesus covers over inside and out the sin of the Christian; out of the sight of Almighty God.
Leviticus 23:27-32 - The Day of Atonement
27 Howbeit on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement: it shall be a holy convocation unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
28 And ye shall do no manner of work in that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before Jehovah your God.
29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day; he shall be cut off from his people.
30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any manner of work in that same day, that soul will I destroy from among his people.
31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
32 It shall be unto you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye keep your Sabbath. (ASV)
Numbers 29:7-11 - Offerings for the Day of Atonement
7 On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation and afflict yourselves. You shall do no work,
8 but you shall offer a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma: one bull from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old: see that they are without blemish.
9 And their grain offering shall be of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for the bull, two tenths for the one ram,
10 a tenth for each of the seven lambs:
11 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the sin offering of atonement.
Leviticus 16:9-10 – Scapegoat – Sin atonement - Wilderness
9 Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the LORD and sacrifice it for a sin offering.
10 But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to be used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat. (NIV2011
)

Two Festivals Added Later

#1 - Festival of Dedication – Hanukkah
·         Dedication is also called Festival of Lights or Hanukkah – The festival was instituted on the 25th day of the 9th month of Kislev (December) as a day of Remembering and Thanksgiving by Judas Maccabeus.
·         On Kislev (December) 25th 167B.C the temple was polluted with pagan sacrifices by Antiochus Epiphanes IV, king of Syria; he forbid the Jews to engage in sacrifices, rites, feast and worship of any kind.
·         On Kislev (December) 25th 164B.C, three years later to the day, the rag tag devout followers of Jehovah who desired the “freedom of Worship” formed The Maccabean Revolt a battle of the few against the greater forces of the Seleucid army; obtained victory and forced the repeal of the ordinances against the free worship in Israel.
·         Israel recovered and cleansed the sanctuary and brought forth a new altar which was then dedicated. – Children were told of the brave stores of The Maccabees in order to stir in them the desire to emulate them.
·         This became an eight days festival celebrating the cleansing and rededication of the Temple after its desecration by the Greeks three years earlier. – If it were not for the Maccabees, the monotheistic faith of the One God of the Jewish people might have perished. – SELAH -
·         You can learn more about the Maccabees by reading about them in the Greek Apocrypha; the 1st and 2nd book of Maccabees. – These books were left out of the canonized Bible because they were never a part of the Hebrew Bible and have not been found in any Hebrew form.
·         Hanukkah is the only Jewish festival that is not ordained or mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. Interestingly, Christians celebrate CHRISTMAS, the birth of Jesus Christ on the same day as the Jews celebrate the “Freedom of Worship” of the one True God Jehovah; neither of which is commanded to be celebrated.
·          According to the Talmud, the Jews found a lamp in the Temple with a one-day supply of oil, but it stayed miraculously lit for the eight days of the festival.  – The relighting of the candelabras took on the name Festival of Lights. – Each day one additional candle is lighted until a total of eight candles is reached. - They sang the “Hallel Psalms”; which is a very, very lengthy Psalm. - Psalms 113:1
·         NOTE: Some students think, and I understand why, that Hanukah was considered a second celebration of the eight days of the Feast of Tabernacles.
·         The Great Historian Josephus calls The Festival of Lights the Freedom Of Their Worship
·         The Apocrypha tells the story of Judas Maccabeus carrying on the war on behalf of Israel.
·         In the New Testament - This was also the Festival when THE JEWS asked Jesus to plainly tell them if He was the Messiah or not.  - He answered them with a similitude about how Sheep know their Master voice and obviously they were not His sheep; but He did go to say, “The Father and I are One.”
John 10:22 – Hanukkah – 25th – Festival of Dedication
22 It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication. (NLT)
John 10:23-30 – Tell us Plainly – Are you the Messiah?
23 Jesus was walking in the temple complex in Solomon’s Colonnade.
24 then the Jews surrounded Him and asked, “How long are You going to keep us in suspense? If You are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25 I did tell you and you don’t believe,” Jesus answered them. “The works that I do in My Father’s name testify about Me.
26 But you don’t believe because YOU ARE NOT MY SHEEP.
27 My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me.
28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish—ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand.
29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
30 THE FATHER AND I ARE ONE.” (HCSB)

The Apocrypha

1 Maccabees 1:59 - Dreadful desecration on the Altar – 25th  
59 On the 25th of the month they offered sacrifice upon the altar which was set up on the altar of burnt offering.
1 Maccabees 3:2 - Revolt – Judas Maccabeus
2 Then his son Judas, who was called Maccabeus, arose in his stead and all his brothers and all who had stood by his father helped him, and with gladness carried on Israel’s war.
1 Maccabees 4:52 - Offered sacrifices on the New Alter – 25th
52 And they arose on the 25th day of the ninth month that is the month of Chislev (December), in the one-hundred and forty-eighth year, and offered sacrifices according to the law upon the NEW altar of burnt offering which they had made.
The Works of Flavius Josephus

Antiquities 12:7:7 – Festival of Lights – Freedom of Worship
7 Now Judas (Maccabees) celebrated the festival of the restoration of the sacrifices of the temple for eight days, and omitted no sort of pleasures thereon; but he feasted them upon very rich and splendid sacrifices; and he honored God, and delighted them by hymns and psalms. Nay, they were so very glad at the revival of their customs, when, after a long time of intermission, they unexpectedly had regained the FREEDOM OF THEIR WORSHIP, that they made it a law for their posterity, that they should keep a festival, on account of the restoration of their temple worship, for eight days. And from that time to this we celebrate this festival, and call it LIGHTS. I suppose the reason was, because this liberty beyond our hopes appeared to us; and that thence was the name given to that festival. Judas also rebuilt the walls round about the city, and reared towers of great height against the incursions of enemies, and set guards therein.

#2 - Festival of Purim
·         Purim comes from the book of Ester in the Bible – Queen Ester, the king’s Jewish wife, along with her cousin Mordecai, foiled the plot to kill all the Jews by the evil schemer named Haman who cast “Purim(lots) to determine what day to carry out his evil plot of annihilation and extermination of the Jews. – This festival came with Joy and Feasting commemorating the remarkable deliverance from the evil Haman.
·         It was the reversal of fortune for the Jews who were under an edict of death by the Anti-Semitic state. - With the help of Ester and Mordechai, the Jews were given the authority to fight for themselves and their lives were spared.
·         Purim is happily celebrated on the 14th day of Adar (March) for the un-walled villages and 15th day of Adar for the fortified villages; this is the Last month of the Ecclesiastical religious year. – As in other festivals, the rich were called on for charity giving to the poor. 
·         The reading in the Synagogue of the “Megillah” which is “The Scroll of Ester” took place.  When Haman’s name is read from the scroll, the people shouted “Let his name be blotted out” and “The name of the wicked shall rot”. – Then the NAMES of the sons of Haman are all read out in one breath to signify that they were all hanged at one time. – The rest of the day was filled with merrymaking, gift exchanges and food.
·         From the Apocrypha, in the 2nd book of Maccabees this festival is referred to as “MORDECAI’S DAY
Esther 9:20-22– Purim - Jews saved from their enemies
20  And Mordecai … obliging them to keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same, year by year,
22  as the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and gifts to the poor.
(ESV)
Esther 9:26– Purim named after Pur (casting lots)
26 Therefore they called these days Purim, after the term Pur.
(ESV)
Esther 9:28– Purim - Keep throughout every generation
28 that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, in every clan, province, and city, and that these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants.
(ESV)
Apocrypha

2nd Maccabees 15:36 – Mordecai’s Day
36 And he hung Nicanor’s head from the citadel, a clear and conspicuous proof to all of the Lord’s help.  And that all decreed by popular vote of the people never to let this day go by without observing it, but to celebrate the thirteenth day of the twelfth month which is called Adar in Aramaic – The day before MORDECAI’S DAY.





Three Days of Rest
#1 - Sabbath 7th Day -
·         There were two reasons taught for the observance of the Sabbath.
1.     The Sabbath was a day set aside by God for rest because He rested on the seventh day after creating the world. – Sabbath began at sundown on Friday when families would gather for a special meal; the observance would continue through Saturday till sundown. – The sacrifice meal would include a burnt offering of lamb, a grain offering, and a drink offering.
·         Saturday morning they would go to the synagogue for a solemn assembly; then the rest of the day was spent reading God’s Word, resting, and eating; it was a day of joy.
·         Sabbath - The Aramaic word means to cease; desist – The idea was not that of relaxation or refreshment, but that of the complete cessation of activity from sunset to sunset. –The Sabbath was not to be PROFANED in any way with work. - The Talmud has 39 main categories of work that was to be avoided.-  (As a child, the Baptist church I attended would not allow me to go to a movie or to go swimming on Sunday; NO ACTIVITY)
2.     The Exodus Remembered - Israel was reminded that when they were in bondage in Egypt THERE WAS NO REST. – This Sabbath rest included all their family, servants, foreigners and livestock. – There is no express mention of the Sabbath before the Exodus. – The Exodus passage fixes the origin of the Sabbath in the bondage of Israel, thus the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. – It’s a sign between Jehovah and Israel.
Genesis 2:2-3 - God rested on the seventh day
2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.
3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.
(ESV)
Exodus 20:8-11 – No one is to work anymore on the Sabbath
8 Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
9 You have six days each week for your ordinary work,
10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your LIVESTOCK, and any foreigners living among you.
11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. (NLT)
Mark 2:27 -Sabbath made for man, not man for the Sabbath
27 And he said to them, The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
(ESV)
Numbers 28:9-10 – Sabbath - Burnt offering lamb, meal & drink
9  “On the Sabbath day, two male lambs a year old without blemish, and two tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with oil, and its drink offering:
10  this is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.
(ESV)

#2 - Sabbatical 7th Year
·         The law provided for the land to remain unplanted every seventh year allowing the land a needed time of rest. – Whatever remained in the field was left for the poor. – Debts were to be canceled allowing people to have a fresh start.
·         The purpose was: RENEWAL of land, HOPE with the cancelation of debts and LIFE with a fresh start.
Exodus 23:10-11 – Let the land rest in the seventh year
10 For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield,
11 but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the beasts of the field may eat. You shall do likewise with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard. (ESV)
Leviticus 25:2-7 – NO sow, reap, prune – Share what comes up
3 For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its fruits,
4  but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the LORD. You shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard.
5 You shall not reap what grows of itself in your harvest, or gather the grapes of your undressed vine. It shall be a year of solemn rest for the land.
6 THE SABBATH OF THE LAND shall provide food for you, for yourself and for your male and female slaves and for your hired worker and the sojourner who lives with you,
7 and for your cattle and for the wild animals that are in your land: all its yield shall be for food.
(ESV)
Deuteronomy 15:1-3 - End of Seven Years release the debts.
1 At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release.
2 And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release what he has lent to his neighbor. He shall not exact it of his neighbor, his brother, because the LORD’s release has been proclaimed.
3 Of a foreigner you may exact it, but whatever of yours is with your brother your hand shall release. (ESV)


#3 - Jubilee 50th Year  
·         A Jubilee year occurred after seven sabbatical years (7X7=49) which would be the 50th year.
·         It was also a Sabbatical year for the land allowing this to make two years in a row for the land to remain fallow and any indebted land would revert to its original owner.
·         There was a price adjustment in sales in view of the approach of the Jubilee year.
·         Any Hebrew who had sold themselves into service would be released to freedom.
·         Note: We certainly know about the Jubilee year, but scripture does not report that the sabbatical year or the Jubilee years were actually observed, but were grudgingly withheld.
Leviticus 25:8-12 – 50 years - Year of Jubilee
8 You shall count seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, so that the time of the seven weeks of years shall give you forty-nine years.
9Then you shall sound the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement you shall sound the trumpet throughout all your land.
10And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan.
11That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; in it you shall neither sow nor reap what grows of itself nor gather the grapes from the undressed vines.
12For it is a jubilee. It shall be holy to you. You may eat the produce of the field. (ESV)
Jeremiah 34:9-11 - Changed their minds & took back slaves
9 everyone was to free their Hebrew slaves, both male and female; no one was to hold a fellow Hebrew in bondage.
10 So all the officials and people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their male and female slaves and no longer hold them in bondage. They agreed, and set them free.
11 But afterward they CHANGED THEIR MINDS and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again. (NIV2011)


The feast were an acknowledgment that the seasons were the work
 of the one God YAHWEH and were given for the benefit of man.

It acknowledged God as the provider with unbounded love towards
the chosen people of Israel; the beneficiary of His Divine favor.

The sacrifices offered hope of forgiveness and reconciliation to God.

It’s an acknowledgement of sin and a devotion to God’s laws.
It’s a mixture of sorrow for sin and Joy of the Lord.

As Christian Gentiles we have been grafted into the Jewish Vine.

“I was excited when they said, let’s go to Church”.

Psalm 122:1 – I was glad to go into the House of the Lord
1 I was glad when they said, “Let us go to the house of the LORD!”
Romans 11:17 – The Christian has Jewish Roots
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and YOU, being a wild olive, was GRAFTED in among them, and did become partaker with them of the root of the fatness of the olive tree; (ASV)


LIFE IS CHOICE DRIVEN
THE CHOICES YOU MAKE TODAY
HAVE ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES




In the multitude of counselors,
there is wisdom.
Proverbs 11:14


I am grateful to those that went before me providing concepts, ideas, historical information, and scripture verses.  Because of them I can stand on their shoulders and see further that I otherwise ever could have.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
A commentary; Critical, Experimental and Practical - Eerdmans
All the Parables of the Bible – Herbert Lockyer
All the Promises of the Bible - Herbert Lockyer
An Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words - W.E. Vine
Antiquity of the Jews – Flavius Josephus
Apocrypha – Edgar J. Goodspeed
Bible Almanac; The – Packer Tenney White
Expositors Bible Commentary: The – Frank E. Gaebelein
Exposition of the Parables – Benjamin Keach
Fascinating Bible Facts – Publications International
Harper's Bible Dictionary – Harper & Row
Illustrated Bible Dictionary – Nelson’s
Illustrated Bible Dictionary; The – Tyndale
New International Dictionary of the Bible: The - Douglas – Tenney
Thru the Bible Series – J. Vernon McGee
Victor Journey through the Bible; The – V. Gilbert Beers
Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible - Tenney





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