A very dear friend of
ours has a love for the Jewish people, and was seeking to impart something of a
Messianic Jewish vision at the church which he attended. The pastor was very
open, and permitted him to do teachings on all of the Holy Days of Leviticus
23. His teachings on the Holy Days were well attended, and apparently well
received. I was impressed that such teachings would go over so well!
Then
the High Holy Day season came upon us. None – not even one – of these
people had any interest at all in actually celebrating these Holy Days. They
apparently were interested in learning about these days. But when it came to
actually “doing,” there was no interest.
It
has been my experience that much more learning takes place by doing. For
instance, you could go to “
This
applies also to Scripture. We can study Torah,[1] but if
we don’t actually obey the Instructions God has given to us in His word, we
will not learn all that God has for us. Once I began actually obeying the mitzvot,[2] I began
learning more of what God was trying to teach me. Why should He teach you more
if you aren’t obeying what he already taught you?
The
Holy Days of Leviticus 23 are God’s divine appointments. It is curious that
many will be very careful to be on time for their doctor or dental
appointments. However, God has His appointment calendar for when He wants to
meet with His people. If you are Jewish, you are “His people.” Also, if you
have accepted Yeshua[3] as your
Messiah and Savior, you are also “His people.” You have been grafted into the
Jewish Olive Tree described by Rav Sha’ul (Paul) in Romans 11:17-24. As such,
you are no longer “excluded from the Citizenship[4] of
Israel” that Rav Sha’ul tells us about in Ephesians 2:11-13. As “citizens” of
We
have encountered books with such titles as “The Feasts of
I
have heard of Christians say that they observe commandments that are mentioned
in the New Testament or commandments that came along before Moses, that is,
“before the Law.” This is typical Dispensational Theology, and is very poor
theology. However, they are ignorant that the mo’edim
(“Feasts” or “appointed times”) were given to us long before Moses,
even long before there were any Jews! In fact, the mo’edim were instituted even
before there were men to obey them! The first mention of the mo’edim was in Genesis 1:14, where God said, “Let there
be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons,
and for days, and years.” The term “mo’edim” is in
this verse. However, the KJV mistakenly translates “mo’edim” as “seasons.” Regretfully, the KJV
is held is such high esteem that most succeeding
English translations repeat the same mistakes that are in the KJV. I’m not picking on the King James Version. It’s a
pretty good translation. But it isn’t perfect! It would be nice if succeeding
translations at least attempted to eliminate such errors.
The point that I am trying to make is that
even those who hold to Dispensational Theology might want to consider observing
the Feasts of YHWH, because the mo’edim are
first mentioned in Genesis 1:14, which was “before the Law.” I confess to
having major problems with Dispensational Theology. One of the major errors is
that it basically “dispenses” with the Law. However, the Newer Testament gives
a very interesting definition of sin: “Whosoever
commits sin transgresses also the Law: for sin is the transgression of the
Law (that is, Torah).” [6] That’s what Yochanan (John) said, not me! I’m just the messenger.
Those who claim to believe the Bible should take note of these things.
Also, they should note Yeshua’s own words in Matthew 5:17-19. Yeshua
Himself says, “Think not that I
have come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets: I have not come to destroy, but
to fulfill. 18For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, mpt one jot or one tittle shall in any way pass from the
law, until all be fulfilled. 19Whosoever therefore shall break one of
these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he
shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and
teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of
heaven.”
Paul the
Christian,
or Rav Sha’ul the Pharisee?
Of course, we have some who recognize
that Yeshua was very “pro-Torah,” but then “Paul the Christian” came along and
did away with the precepts of Torah. Actually, Paul the Christian was in
actuality “Rav Sha’ul the Pharisee” (Acts 23:6).[7] In order
to understand the writings of Paul, you need to have a Jewish mindset, and
understand the Scriptures (including the Newer Testament) from a Jewish frame
of reference. Jews have their own form of Dispensational Theology. However, in
Christianity, succeeding “Dispensations” replace earlier Dispensations. In
Judaism, succeeding Dispensations are added to the previous Dispensations.
Some believers claim to be “New
Covenant” Christians, not bound by the “legalism” of the Tanakh (O.T.). However, they are often completely ignorant of what
the “New Covenant” is! Jeremiah 31:31-33 tells us that the New Covenant is
God’s Torah being written on our hearts! Those who refuse to accept this “Old
Testament” definition should take note: This passage is also repeated in
Hebrews 8:8-10 and
The very first of the “feasts”
mentioned in Leviticus 23 is Shabbat (the Sabbath). Shabbat also predates
the “Law,” having been instituted at Creation, as the seventh day of Creation.
“1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished,
and all the host of them. 2And on the seventh
day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from
all his work which he had made. 3And God blessed
the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from
all his work which God created and made.” [8] Therefore, since it predates the “Law,” according to Dispensational
Theology, Christians should observe Shabbat. However, the Council of Nicea in 325 CE instituted “Sunday” (the sacred day
of sun worshippers) as the sacred day for Christians. The Council of Nicea was really the birth of Roman Catholicism. We do not
hold the Council of Nicea to be in any way authoritative.
However, Protestant Christianity adopted Sunday as its sacred day, as well as
other Catholic holidays such as Easter and Christmas. Both Catholics and
Protestants have (for the most part) abandoned the Biblical Sabbath and the
Biblical holy days of Leviticus 23.
YOM KIPPUR (DAY OF ATONEMENT)
As I write this, the Holy Day of Yom Kippur is approaching. We
learn about this day in Leviticus 16, which describes how it was observed in
the days of the Mishkan (Tabernacle),
as well as during the time of the Beit HaMikdash (
In Leviticus 23:26-32,
we have some instructions on how the rest of us who are not cohenim
in the days of the Temple, and how we can still observe this Holy Day today:
“Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there
shall be a Day of Atonement (Yom HaKippurim:
lit., Day of Atonements). It shall be an
holy convocation (mikra kodesh)
to you; and you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by
fire to YHWH. 28And you shall do no work in that same
day: for it is a Day of Atonement, to make an
atonement for you before YHWH your God. 29For whosoever shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be
cut off from among his people. 30And whosoever does
any work in that same day, the same soul I will destroy from among his people. 31You shall do no manner
of work: it shall be a statute forever throughout your
generations in all your dwellings. 32It shall
be unto you a Sabbath of rest, and you shall afflict your souls: in the
ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall you
celebrate your Sabbath.”
In verses 28, 30, 31, and 32, we are commanded to rest, to refrain
from work. Check out your calendars in advance and let your employer know you
would like to have off for the religious holidays coming up. In
“AFFLICTING THE SOUL”
We are commanded to “afflict” our souls. This has been
interpreted as fasting. We see this in Psalm 35:13b: “I humbled my
soul with fasting.” We see the same thing happening in Psalm 69:10. Also,
in Acts 27:9, we read “the fast was now already past.” All good Bibles with
notes indicate very correctly that this is a reference to the autumn fast, or
Yom Kippur. Therefore, it is understood that afflicting our souls means
fasting. In Judaism, all those beyond bar/bat mitzvah age (13 and up) are expected
to fast on Yom Kippur unless there are health reasons preventing us from
fasting. The Holy Day begins on the 9th day of the seventh month at
sunset and ends at sunset 24 hours later, on the 10th day of the seventh
month. On the sacred biblical calendar, this holiday is usually observed
between late September and early October. In Isaiah 58:6-12, we read:
“Is not this
the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the
oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? 7Is it not to deal your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor that are cast out to
your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you hide not
thyself from your own flesh?
“8Then shall your light break forth as the morning, and your health
shall spring forth speedily: and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory
of YHWH shall be your reward. 9Then shall you call,
and YHWH shall answer; you shall cry, and He shall say, ‘Here I am.’
If you take away from the midst of you the yoke, the putting forth of the
finger, and speaking vanity; 10And if
you draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then
shall your light rise in obscurity, and your darkness be as the
noonday: 11And YHWH shall guide you continually,
and satisfy your soul in drought, and make fat your bones: and you shall be
like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. 12And they that shall be of you shall build the old
waste places. You shall raise up the foundations of
many generations; and you shall be called, the repairer of the breach, the restorer
of paths to dwell in.”
It is traditional in Judaism to do good deeds, particularly deeds
of charity at this time of year. The money you save by not eating on Yom Kippur
can be used to feed the hungry.
MIKRA KODESH – HOLY CONVOCATION
Like all Holy Days (including Shabbat), Yom Kippur is a mikra kodesh,
correctly translated as a “holy convocation,” or a “holy calling together.” In
other words, we should ideally be assembling together for the observance of
this day with others who are also observing this day. This is easier said than
done. Some may be living in areas in which no one else observes the Biblical
holidays. You do what you can! If I were in an area in which there were
no Messianic believers, I would go to a non-Messianic synagogue for the
observance of these Holy Days, something my wife and I have done often in the
past.
The Holy Days are all to be observed as “a statute forever
throughout your generations in all your dwellings.” We learn this in
Leviticus 23:14, 21,
31, and 41. I have
heard people say, “Do I have to observe the Biblical Holy Days?” No, you
don’t have to do anything! You have the choice of obeying God or disobeying
Him. However, I would prefer to obey Him and reap the blessings than to disobey
Him. You do what you want. And if you are a Believer in Yeshua, I can’t
understand why you wouldn’t want to obey Him by celebrating the days He
has set aside.
LIVING LIKE ANGELS!
All of the Holy Days are
historically important to remember things that God has done for
“On Yom Kippur, we live the way the angels live: We refrain from
eating, drinking, marital relations – we even refrain from wearing leather
shoes. The written Torah tells us that we are to ‘afflict our souls’ on Yom
Kippur, and the Oral Law, as encapsulated in the Talmud, explains exactly how
to do that: Just as the angels neither eat nor drink nor make love, neither
do we.” [9]
That’s interesting! Rabbi Yeshua said the same thing: “For in the
resurrection, they shall neither marry, nor are they given in marriage, but are
like the angels in heaven.” [10] Yeshua also told us that “the kingdom of heaven is not eating or
drinking.” So the Rabbis are right! When we abstain from food and drink, as
well as marital relations, we are living like the angels! We are also putting
our bodies into submission to our spirits! This is part of what it means to be
human. The animal doesn’t know how to deny himself, and doesn’t even care to do
so. We deliberately deny ourselves in order to “afflict our souls” and bring
ourselves closer to God.
As with Rosh HaShanah (Biblically called
“Yom T’ru’ah”), it is traditional to wear white on
Yom Kippur. This reminds us of the promise written by Isaiah (
We generally avoid leather or fur. It is interesting to see Jews
walking to synagogue on Yom Kippur, all dressed nicely in their suits and ties,
but wearing sneakers on their feet!
This is the last of the Yamim Nora’im (Days of Awe), in which Jews seek to have their
names inscribed in the Sefer Chaim (Book of Life) by doing acts of repentance,
prayer, and charity.
We learn in Hebrews 9 that Yeshua already purchased our atonement.
If we are “in Yeshua,” then our names are already in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
However, we see Yom Kippur as a day to fast and pray for the day of
Prophetically, all the Holy Days have fulfillments.
Pesach (Passover) and Shavuot (Pentecost) have already been fulfilled. The
autumn holidays will have future prophetic fulfill-ments.
Yom Kippur in Leviticus is
“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants
of Jerusa-lem, the spirit of grace and of supplications.
And they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced,
and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for his only son,
and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his
firstborn. 11In that day there shall be a great
mourning in
This is perhaps the day that Rav Sha’ul told us about in Romans
11:25-27: “For I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this
mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part
has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. 26And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, ‘There
shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from
Jacob.’ 27For this is my covenant to
them, when I shall take away their sins.”
Curiously,
although this is