Whew! I just got back from Portland, Oregon. We went there to help support the children's program for a Messianic conference. We have learned that having a children's program opens the doors for many who would not otherwise venture to attend. The conference was beautiful with great music and many good teachers.
This conference had lots of things to do and learn. So I am told. We were busy with the 50+ children that were there, so I only gleaned a little from people who did hear the things that were presented. However, we also had lots of things planned - to teach, encourage, and help the children to know and understand our Creator a little better.
We started out designing and decorating backpacks to carry the things we need to get through life - and to help them get through a HUGE maze that Jeff made for them - to "earn and learn" their way through; then they saw that making a sock puppet is a little like building people. We need a "heart" - some kind of fiber (good/bad - hard/soft - dirty/clean) to fill us; "eyes" to see truth; a "nose" to breathe in the Word; a "mouth" to speak His Word - even "hair" to
cover us with His mercy. There are lessons in just about all we do - if we take the time to explore them.
In the concluding program for the adults, I had the chance to speak - for a couple of minutes. "In A Nut Shell" - I encouraged them to LIVE what they are learning! Learning and teaching isn't enough. You can teach your children to memorize scripture. You can get them to follow orders and sit still. All good - BUT, if you are NOT living it - you may be wasting your time. Don't forget - they are watching you - AND, they learn more from your EXAMPLE than from your words. Remember The Shema? Hear and DO!
In last week's story, Mrs. Noah and Hannah were in the basement, waiting for Max and Zak to bring Dr. Bob so he could help remove a large box that had fallen on Mrs. Noah. But, as they waited, talking about Rivkah and her journey to marry Yitz' chak, Hannah discovered that MOOGY had gone looking for help, too! He was SOMEWHERE in the maze of boxes that had fallen in the basement. BUT WHERE?
In Portland I invited teens to write articles, jokes, stories - draw pictures -
This invitation we give to you, too.
WE would love to hear from any interested teens!
Teens!
We want to open doors for any and all teens who would like to share their talent and skill to encourage others as we learn to walk this way with stories, poems, art, thoughts, jokes, games, puzzles, and searches.
The Wondolowski Gang - Nicholas, Valerie, Felicia, and Jacob, are developing some neat stuff - but with their studies (they are home schooled), they could use some help and encouragement. We think there might be more teens out there that might like to contribute. Want a little competition? Contests? Prizes?
Now Showing On YouTube: The Creator's Calendar
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Here Comes The Bride
In this week's Torah portion we meet Isaac, truly a man outstanding in his field! And it is there that Isaac meets his bride. I must confess, however, that the more I studied this portion the more convicted I became of the importance of this project. It is my hope that YHWH will continue to bless me with inspiration, insight, wisdom, knowledge, understanding and revelation concerning his pure Torah. I also pray that he will continue to bless us with the provision to continue the AWAKENING IN THE WORD triennial Torah Study. For far too long, the Spirit of Messiah has been stirring in the hearts of believers encouraging them to leave the pollution of Babylon and to drink from the pure living waters of his Word. Unfortunately, many believers leave the Christian Church, seeking to live the Torah observant life. But the only information available to them is commentaries, study bibles, teaching materials, and even synagogues filled with the even more toxic pollution of rabbinic Judaism.
In this week's portion we are told that Isaac meets his bride and enters his deceased mother's tent, loved her and was comforted by Rebekah. We all understand that their marriage was consummated. It is truly a very romantic moment. But then I read in the writings of the rabbis that Rebekah was only three years old when Isaac married here. WHAT! Three years old! Yes you have read correctly. Many of the rabbis' teach that Rebekah was a mere three years old, when she walked to the well carrying a heavy stone jar upon her shoulder, and then drew 250 gallons of water to satisfy the thirst of 10 camels, and then carried an even heavier full stone water jug upon her shoulder back home. This also means, however, that the patriarch Isaac (who was 40 at the time) consummated a marriage with a three year old. This whole concept is repulsive. This is not righteousness it is child abuse. This is not at all what the Torah teaches.
I want so desperately to provide the body of Messiah with a Torah commentary that will enlighten, inspire, and equip the body of Messiah to fulfill the calling to be the Image of YHWH in the world. Please pray that the Creator will continue to bless us all with discernment in these matters. Teach us YHWH to know the difference between clean and unclean, tahor and tamie, pure Torah and the pollution of popes, and rabbis.
Join me again this week on AWAKENING IN THE WORD, as we journey together on the ancient path of faith walking through the Torah one step at a time.
Shalom
Glenn McWilliams.
In this week's portion we are told that Isaac meets his bride and enters his deceased mother's tent, loved her and was comforted by Rebekah. We all understand that their marriage was consummated. It is truly a very romantic moment. But then I read in the writings of the rabbis that Rebekah was only three years old when Isaac married here. WHAT! Three years old! Yes you have read correctly. Many of the rabbis' teach that Rebekah was a mere three years old, when she walked to the well carrying a heavy stone jar upon her shoulder, and then drew 250 gallons of water to satisfy the thirst of 10 camels, and then carried an even heavier full stone water jug upon her shoulder back home. This also means, however, that the patriarch Isaac (who was 40 at the time) consummated a marriage with a three year old. This whole concept is repulsive. This is not righteousness it is child abuse. This is not at all what the Torah teaches.
I want so desperately to provide the body of Messiah with a Torah commentary that will enlighten, inspire, and equip the body of Messiah to fulfill the calling to be the Image of YHWH in the world. Please pray that the Creator will continue to bless us all with discernment in these matters. Teach us YHWH to know the difference between clean and unclean, tahor and tamie, pure Torah and the pollution of popes, and rabbis.
Join me again this week on AWAKENING IN THE WORD, as we journey together on the ancient path of faith walking through the Torah one step at a time.
Shalom
Glenn McWilliams.
The Feast Of Shavuot
Chag(1) Ha Shavuot or The Feast of Weeks could well be called Chag HaShemot or The Feast of Names. Throughout the scriptures as well as tradition this feast of YHWH has been called by many names;
Chag HaShavuot-Feast of Weeks
Atzeret- Conclusion
Pentecost- Fiftieth
Yom HaBikkurim-Day of First Fruits
Chag Hakatzir- Feast of Harvest
Zeman Mattan Toratenu-Time of Receiving Torah
Each of these names describes some unique attribute of this particular feast. The first three names for this feast, Chag HaShavuot, Atzeret and Pentecost are closely connected. All of these names are related to the commandment to count the weeks between Chag HaBikkurimii which followed Chag HaMaztotiii and Yom HaBikkurim.iv
"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering;seven Sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto YHWH." (Leviticus 23:15-16)
This period of counting is known as Sfirat HaOmer, or The Counting of the Omer. An omer is a measure or sheaf of either barley or wheat. Before any of the newly harvested grain could be eaten or used an omer of the first fruits of the grain was brought to the temple for a wave offering. This bringing of the first fruits happened three times a year as we shall see. But for now, let us focus upon the counting. Between the first wave offering of the barley harvest, and the second wave offering of the wheat harvest, YHWH commanded that we make a counting. We should take note that there are two different counting's involved in determining the day of this feast. The first counting mentioned is the counting of Sabbaths. From the time of the first wave offering we are to count seven Sabbaths, and the next day is Chag HaShavuot. It is from this counting of shavuot or weeks that the feast received the name Chag HaShavuot or Feast of Weeks. We are also instructed to number fifty days. It this counting of fifty days that the Apostolic Writings make reference to when the Feast of Pentecost is mentioned.v Since this 50th day also marks the conclusion of the counting's, this Feast is also sometimes referred to as Atzeret HaSfirah, the conclusion of the counting, or Aztzeret Pesach, the conclusion of the Passover season.vi While two different methods of counting are given the outcome is still the same. Seven times seven days equals 49 days plus the day after the Sabbath and we have 50 days. The instructions for locating this particular feast on the calendar are quite specific. But even with very specific instructions given there is still controversy over when Chag HaShavuot is to be celebrated. The controversy stems from two different readings concerning the starting point for the counting. The Torah reads,
"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath. . ." (Leviticus 23:15)
The issue in debate is the definition of the phrase "the Sabbath" as it is used in this passage. . .
"In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is YHWH'S Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread unto YHWH; for seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto YHWH seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. And YHWH spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest unto the priest; And he shall wave the sheaf before YHWH to be accepted for you:on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it." (Leviticus 23:4-12)
Rabbinic Judaism teaches that the "Sabbath" referred to in this phrase is the first day of Chag HaMatzot which YHWH commanded to be a day without work. By equating this commandment for a day without work to the Sabbath the rabbis have established that Chag HaBikkurim would be the day after the first day of Chag HaMatzot. Thus, on the Rabbinic calendar Chag HaBikkurim is assigned the fixed day of the 16th of Nissan. For Rabbinic Judaism Passover is on the 14th of Nissan, Unleavened Bread begins on the 15th of Nissan, First Fruits is celebrated on the 16th of Nissan and 50days later is Chag HaShavuot. The dilemma encountered in this means of counting is that it does not fit the description of the Torah. We must remember that there are two ways of counting: counting the weeks or Sabbaths and counting the days. Both of these means must be in agreement. According to the Torah Chag Shavuot is to be celebrated not only on the 50th day of the counting of the omer but on the day after the seventh Sabbath.
"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete:Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto YHWH." (Leviticus 23:15-16)
The Karaite Jews, the Samaritans, as well as a minority of Rabbinic Jewsvii, have long recognized this inconsistency in the practice of fixing an assigned date to Chag HaBikkurim. If Chag HaMatzot began on Wednesday, then Chag HaBikkurim would fall out on a Thursday. Fifty days later would be Chag HaShavuot also falling out on a Thursday.viii The problem is that there is no commandment designating Wednesday the 49th day of the counting of the omer as a Sabbath. The Torah clearly teaches that Chag HaShavuot is to be "the morrow after the seventh Sabbath". With this being said, it would stand to reason, that the title "Sabbath" at both ends of the counting process are referring to the weekly Sabbath, and not the first day of Chag HaMatzot. In the Karaite reckoning of time, Chag HaBikkurim would fall out on the first day of the week the day after the weekly Sabbath. Fifty days later, again on the first day of the week, the day after the weekly Sabbath, would be the celebration of Chag HaShavuot. There are several other details that would seem to confirm this method of reckoning. We should note that YHWH gave specific datesix for both the Passover (the fourteenth day of the first month) and Chag HaMatzot (the fifteenth day of the first month) but did not assign a fixed date for Chag HaBikkurim. Instead it is assigned by following the Sabbath, which would always place it on the first day of the week. Second we should take note that in this particular passage where the counting is assigned, YHWH never refers to the Passover or Chag HaMatzot as "the Sabbath". The title "The Sabbath" seems to be reserved for the weekly Sabbath. The Apostolic Writings may also shed some light on this matter. Since the debate begins the establishing of Chag HaBikkurim we may see how this plays out in the life and death of Messiah.
The Christian Church has traditionally held to the erroneous custom that Y'shua was crucified on Friday, in the grave on Saturday, and rose from the grave early Sunday morning. Even counting partial days the whole event would have taken only three days and two nights. If the Feasts of YHWH are indeed shadow pictures pointing to the Messiah then the rabbinic reckoning would line up perfectly with the Church's teaching. The Passover (Messiah) is sacrificed on the 14th, Unleavened Bread (Messiah's un-decaying body is in the tomb) on the 14th followed by First Fruits (Messiah's Resurrection) on the 16th. For many believers in Y'shua this would seem to verify the rabbinic reckoning. But a careful look at the words of Messiah may change this impression. Responding to the scribes' and Pharisees' request for a sign Y'shua said,
"An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days, and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:29-40)
The sign that Messiah gave to verify that he was/is indeed the Messiah is the fact that he would be three days and three nights in the belly of the earth. If the Church and the rabbis agree on the dating of Chag HaBikkurim as being the day immediately following Chag HaMatzot, then they also agree that Y'shua is not the Messiah, for he did not fulfill the very sign he gave to prove that he was! Clearly the testimonies of the Apostolic Writings declare that Y'shua was raised from the dead on the first day of the week.
"In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher. And behold there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. . .and the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Y'shua which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said." (Matthew 28:1-6)
"And very early in the morning the first day of the week they came unto the sepulcher at the rising of the sin. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us way the stone from the door of the sepulcher? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. And entering into these pulcher, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Y'shua of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: . . .now when Y'shua was risen early the first day of the week he appeared first to Mary Magdalene. . . " (Mark 16:2-9)
"Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, brining the spices which they had prepared, and certain others, which them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. And they entered in and found not the body of the Lord Y'shua." (Luke 24:1-3)
"The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulcher, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher. . ." (John 20:1)
If our faith demands that Y'shua spoke the truth about who he is, then he fulfilled the sign of Jonah that he gave to the scribes and Pharisees. In other words, if Y'shua rose from the dead on the first day of the week and was three days and three nights in the belly of the earth then he could not have possibly been crucified on Friday as the Church teaches. Instead Y'shua would have been crucified on Wednesday afternoon and risen between Sabbath and the first day of the week. Again if the Feasts of the Lord are indeed shadow pictures of Messiah, then this would mean that Chag HaBikkurim fell out on the first day of the week. This would only be possible if Chag HaBikkurim is understood as being the day after the weekly Sabbath. With this said, then if would also appear that the feast of Pentecost recorded in the book of Acts likewise fell out on the first day of the week. The only biblical evidence to support this possibility is circumstantial at best. Luke writes in the book of Acts,
"And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Shaul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight." (Acts 20:7)
This meeting most likely was at sundown following the Sabbath. A similar passage appears in the writing of Shaul,
"Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the congregations of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let everyone of you lay by him in store, as Elohim hat prospered him that there be no gatherings when I come." (1 Corinthians 16:1-2)
He we learn that it was the practice of the believers to gather together on the first day of the week. If Pentecost falls out on the first day of the week it should not surprise us then to read,
"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place." (Acts 2:1)
Thus we may here find some tenuous evidence that in the time of Y'shua that Shavuot fell upon the first day of the week. Beyond this rather thin evidence there is little in the Apostolic Writings to add to this debate. Regardless of when Chag HaShavuot is celebrated the message of the counting should not be missed. We should remember the response of our father Jacob when questioned by Pharaoh concerning the patriarch's age. Jacob responded,
"The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and devil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage." (Genesis 47:9)
Here we see that righteous Jacob has counted the days of the years of his life. We too should count each day as a blessing. By counting our days we begin to appreciate each day and live it to its fullness. The Moses prayed,
"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."(Psalm 90:12)
We should also take note that the counting is to begin with the barely harvest and end with the wheat harvest. Barley is, for the most part, considered to be coarse grain used primarily as animal fodder. It is therefore often associated with our base or animal nature. We see the evidence of this in its use in the Sotah Laws.x When a husband suspects that his wife is unfaithful he brings her to the temple to undergo a very sobering ritual. As the jealous husband and suspected wife approach the altar an offering of coarse ground barley meal is brought without oil or frankincense. The barley is to represent the fact that the woman was acting from the lower animal nature. As we count the omer from Chag HaBikkurim to Chag HaShavuot we should be moving from the coarse animal nature to the refined spiritual nature. It is hoped that by counting the days we will build upon each day utilizing it as Moses prayed to apply our hearts to wisdom. This movement from the flesh to the spirit may be understood to connect with Chag HaShavuot in another way. As we have already stated above Josephus and the Talmud both make reference to Chag HaShavuot as "Zeman Mattan Toratenu" a time of receiving Torah". While nothing in the Tanach specifically identifies Chag HaShavuot as the day that Moses received the Torah, tradition has chosen this day as a special time of celebrating the reception of the Torah. This tradition started largely due to the destruction of the second temple, and the forced exile of the children of Israel from Jerusalem. After the extinguishing of the Bar Kochba rebellion of 135 C.E. the Jewish people were largely dispersed and without a temple, priesthood, or home. It was becoming impossible to keep the Torah as received from Moses without the temple. Therefore in 140 C.E. the Sanhedrin convened in the village of Usha (Modern Haifa) and decided to change the focus of Chag HaShavuot from its agricultural foundation to the celebration of the receiving of the Torah on Mount Sinai which took place in the third month of the year.xi So it is that Chag HaShavuot became the celebration of Torah and the birthday of the nation of Israel. When we connect the concept of Chag HaShavuot with giving of Torah and the move from the barley to wheat, from flesh to the spirit we may also begin to understand why the Ruach HaKodeshxii was poured out on the followers of Messiah during Chag HaShavuot. The Book of Acts reports,
"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with Ruach HaKodesh, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Ruach gave them utterance." (Acts 2:1-4)
Needless to say this event caused quite a stir in Jerusalem at the time. Since Jews from all of over the country and from other countries were in Jerusalem for the feast this was an opportune time to preach the message of Messiah Y'shua. And this is what Kepha did. In response to the crowd's curiosity and suspicion Kepha declared that this event was simply the fulfillment of the words of the prophet Joel:
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit." (Joel 2:28-29)
This prophecy is reminiscent of two other prophecies;
"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." (Ezekiel 36:26-27)
"Behold the days come saith YHWH, that I will make a new covenant with house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Nor according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith YHWH: but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days saith YHWH I will put my Torah in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people." (Jeremiah 31:31-33)
We may understand from these passages that the move from barley to wheat, from flesh to spirit is the difference between keeping the Torah in the power of our own flesh, and keeping Torah by the compulsion of the Ruach HaKodesh stirring our heart to love YHWH. Shaul would describe this difference in very practical terms.
"But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Messiah, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come we are no longer under the schoolmaster." (Galatians 3:23-25)
Maybe these two connected celebrations of the first fruits of the field are indeed a shadow picture of the renewing of the covenant. The first representing the time when the children of Israel roughly kept the Torah as it was imposed upon them from the outside. The second wave offering may represent the fact that we are now to keep the Torah from within, by the compulsion of the Ruach stirring in our hearts. We should note that the wave offering of Chag HaShavuot is not simply flour or raw grain, but two loaves baked with fine wheat flour.xiii The fine flour speaks of a life well refined. What may be surprising to some is that these loaves were also to contain leaven. As we learned during Chag HaMatzot leaven is a sign of sin, rot, and decay. This serves as a reminder that prior to Messiah's return we may keep the Torah by the compulsion of the Ruach HaKodesh but we still keep it imperfectly. Therefore we should never become prideful or arrogant about how we keep the Torah. Though we may outwardly look acceptable and refined on the outside we all still suffer with leaven within. Therefore we continue to wait with the rest of creation for the completion of YHWH'S restoration work through Messiah. These two tablets may also serve as reminders of the two houses; the House of Israel and the House of Judah that were divided by sin, yet shall be united by one and the same Ruach HaKodesh. The Two loaves may also remind us of the two tablets of that Moses received on Sinai. These tablets were the work and writing of YHWH.xiv These were the tablets that Moses threw down from the mount and broke. The second set of tablets that were written on was the work of Moses.xv These second tablets are the shadow picture of our hearts being offered to YHWH that he may write his Torah upon them. Again the leaven demonstrates that our hearts and motivations are not always pure and therefore our keeping of Torah not perfect.
This message is somewhat confirmed by its location in the yearly cycle of the feasts. Shavuot issituated between the spring and fall feasts
Chag HaShavuot-Feast of Weeks
Atzeret- Conclusion
Pentecost- Fiftieth
Yom HaBikkurim-Day of First Fruits
Chag Hakatzir- Feast of Harvest
Zeman Mattan Toratenu-Time of Receiving Torah
Each of these names describes some unique attribute of this particular feast. The first three names for this feast, Chag HaShavuot, Atzeret and Pentecost are closely connected. All of these names are related to the commandment to count the weeks between Chag HaBikkurimii which followed Chag HaMaztotiii and Yom HaBikkurim.iv
"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering;seven Sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto YHWH." (Leviticus 23:15-16)
This period of counting is known as Sfirat HaOmer, or The Counting of the Omer. An omer is a measure or sheaf of either barley or wheat. Before any of the newly harvested grain could be eaten or used an omer of the first fruits of the grain was brought to the temple for a wave offering. This bringing of the first fruits happened three times a year as we shall see. But for now, let us focus upon the counting. Between the first wave offering of the barley harvest, and the second wave offering of the wheat harvest, YHWH commanded that we make a counting. We should take note that there are two different counting's involved in determining the day of this feast. The first counting mentioned is the counting of Sabbaths. From the time of the first wave offering we are to count seven Sabbaths, and the next day is Chag HaShavuot. It is from this counting of shavuot or weeks that the feast received the name Chag HaShavuot or Feast of Weeks. We are also instructed to number fifty days. It this counting of fifty days that the Apostolic Writings make reference to when the Feast of Pentecost is mentioned.v Since this 50th day also marks the conclusion of the counting's, this Feast is also sometimes referred to as Atzeret HaSfirah, the conclusion of the counting, or Aztzeret Pesach, the conclusion of the Passover season.vi While two different methods of counting are given the outcome is still the same. Seven times seven days equals 49 days plus the day after the Sabbath and we have 50 days. The instructions for locating this particular feast on the calendar are quite specific. But even with very specific instructions given there is still controversy over when Chag HaShavuot is to be celebrated. The controversy stems from two different readings concerning the starting point for the counting. The Torah reads,
"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath. . ." (Leviticus 23:15)
The issue in debate is the definition of the phrase "the Sabbath" as it is used in this passage. . .
"In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is YHWH'S Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread unto YHWH; for seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto YHWH seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. And YHWH spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest unto the priest; And he shall wave the sheaf before YHWH to be accepted for you:on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it." (Leviticus 23:4-12)
Rabbinic Judaism teaches that the "Sabbath" referred to in this phrase is the first day of Chag HaMatzot which YHWH commanded to be a day without work. By equating this commandment for a day without work to the Sabbath the rabbis have established that Chag HaBikkurim would be the day after the first day of Chag HaMatzot. Thus, on the Rabbinic calendar Chag HaBikkurim is assigned the fixed day of the 16th of Nissan. For Rabbinic Judaism Passover is on the 14th of Nissan, Unleavened Bread begins on the 15th of Nissan, First Fruits is celebrated on the 16th of Nissan and 50days later is Chag HaShavuot. The dilemma encountered in this means of counting is that it does not fit the description of the Torah. We must remember that there are two ways of counting: counting the weeks or Sabbaths and counting the days. Both of these means must be in agreement. According to the Torah Chag Shavuot is to be celebrated not only on the 50th day of the counting of the omer but on the day after the seventh Sabbath.
"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete:Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto YHWH." (Leviticus 23:15-16)
The Karaite Jews, the Samaritans, as well as a minority of Rabbinic Jewsvii, have long recognized this inconsistency in the practice of fixing an assigned date to Chag HaBikkurim. If Chag HaMatzot began on Wednesday, then Chag HaBikkurim would fall out on a Thursday. Fifty days later would be Chag HaShavuot also falling out on a Thursday.viii The problem is that there is no commandment designating Wednesday the 49th day of the counting of the omer as a Sabbath. The Torah clearly teaches that Chag HaShavuot is to be "the morrow after the seventh Sabbath". With this being said, it would stand to reason, that the title "Sabbath" at both ends of the counting process are referring to the weekly Sabbath, and not the first day of Chag HaMatzot. In the Karaite reckoning of time, Chag HaBikkurim would fall out on the first day of the week the day after the weekly Sabbath. Fifty days later, again on the first day of the week, the day after the weekly Sabbath, would be the celebration of Chag HaShavuot. There are several other details that would seem to confirm this method of reckoning. We should note that YHWH gave specific datesix for both the Passover (the fourteenth day of the first month) and Chag HaMatzot (the fifteenth day of the first month) but did not assign a fixed date for Chag HaBikkurim. Instead it is assigned by following the Sabbath, which would always place it on the first day of the week. Second we should take note that in this particular passage where the counting is assigned, YHWH never refers to the Passover or Chag HaMatzot as "the Sabbath". The title "The Sabbath" seems to be reserved for the weekly Sabbath. The Apostolic Writings may also shed some light on this matter. Since the debate begins the establishing of Chag HaBikkurim we may see how this plays out in the life and death of Messiah.
The Christian Church has traditionally held to the erroneous custom that Y'shua was crucified on Friday, in the grave on Saturday, and rose from the grave early Sunday morning. Even counting partial days the whole event would have taken only three days and two nights. If the Feasts of YHWH are indeed shadow pictures pointing to the Messiah then the rabbinic reckoning would line up perfectly with the Church's teaching. The Passover (Messiah) is sacrificed on the 14th, Unleavened Bread (Messiah's un-decaying body is in the tomb) on the 14th followed by First Fruits (Messiah's Resurrection) on the 16th. For many believers in Y'shua this would seem to verify the rabbinic reckoning. But a careful look at the words of Messiah may change this impression. Responding to the scribes' and Pharisees' request for a sign Y'shua said,
"An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days, and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:29-40)
The sign that Messiah gave to verify that he was/is indeed the Messiah is the fact that he would be three days and three nights in the belly of the earth. If the Church and the rabbis agree on the dating of Chag HaBikkurim as being the day immediately following Chag HaMatzot, then they also agree that Y'shua is not the Messiah, for he did not fulfill the very sign he gave to prove that he was! Clearly the testimonies of the Apostolic Writings declare that Y'shua was raised from the dead on the first day of the week.
"In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher. And behold there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. . .and the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Y'shua which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said." (Matthew 28:1-6)
"And very early in the morning the first day of the week they came unto the sepulcher at the rising of the sin. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us way the stone from the door of the sepulcher? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. And entering into these pulcher, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Y'shua of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: . . .now when Y'shua was risen early the first day of the week he appeared first to Mary Magdalene. . . " (Mark 16:2-9)
"Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, brining the spices which they had prepared, and certain others, which them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. And they entered in and found not the body of the Lord Y'shua." (Luke 24:1-3)
"The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulcher, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher. . ." (John 20:1)
If our faith demands that Y'shua spoke the truth about who he is, then he fulfilled the sign of Jonah that he gave to the scribes and Pharisees. In other words, if Y'shua rose from the dead on the first day of the week and was three days and three nights in the belly of the earth then he could not have possibly been crucified on Friday as the Church teaches. Instead Y'shua would have been crucified on Wednesday afternoon and risen between Sabbath and the first day of the week. Again if the Feasts of the Lord are indeed shadow pictures of Messiah, then this would mean that Chag HaBikkurim fell out on the first day of the week. This would only be possible if Chag HaBikkurim is understood as being the day after the weekly Sabbath. With this said, then if would also appear that the feast of Pentecost recorded in the book of Acts likewise fell out on the first day of the week. The only biblical evidence to support this possibility is circumstantial at best. Luke writes in the book of Acts,
"And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Shaul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight." (Acts 20:7)
This meeting most likely was at sundown following the Sabbath. A similar passage appears in the writing of Shaul,
"Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the congregations of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let everyone of you lay by him in store, as Elohim hat prospered him that there be no gatherings when I come." (1 Corinthians 16:1-2)
He we learn that it was the practice of the believers to gather together on the first day of the week. If Pentecost falls out on the first day of the week it should not surprise us then to read,
"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place." (Acts 2:1)
Thus we may here find some tenuous evidence that in the time of Y'shua that Shavuot fell upon the first day of the week. Beyond this rather thin evidence there is little in the Apostolic Writings to add to this debate. Regardless of when Chag HaShavuot is celebrated the message of the counting should not be missed. We should remember the response of our father Jacob when questioned by Pharaoh concerning the patriarch's age. Jacob responded,
"The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and devil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage." (Genesis 47:9)
Here we see that righteous Jacob has counted the days of the years of his life. We too should count each day as a blessing. By counting our days we begin to appreciate each day and live it to its fullness. The Moses prayed,
"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."(Psalm 90:12)
We should also take note that the counting is to begin with the barely harvest and end with the wheat harvest. Barley is, for the most part, considered to be coarse grain used primarily as animal fodder. It is therefore often associated with our base or animal nature. We see the evidence of this in its use in the Sotah Laws.x When a husband suspects that his wife is unfaithful he brings her to the temple to undergo a very sobering ritual. As the jealous husband and suspected wife approach the altar an offering of coarse ground barley meal is brought without oil or frankincense. The barley is to represent the fact that the woman was acting from the lower animal nature. As we count the omer from Chag HaBikkurim to Chag HaShavuot we should be moving from the coarse animal nature to the refined spiritual nature. It is hoped that by counting the days we will build upon each day utilizing it as Moses prayed to apply our hearts to wisdom. This movement from the flesh to the spirit may be understood to connect with Chag HaShavuot in another way. As we have already stated above Josephus and the Talmud both make reference to Chag HaShavuot as "Zeman Mattan Toratenu" a time of receiving Torah". While nothing in the Tanach specifically identifies Chag HaShavuot as the day that Moses received the Torah, tradition has chosen this day as a special time of celebrating the reception of the Torah. This tradition started largely due to the destruction of the second temple, and the forced exile of the children of Israel from Jerusalem. After the extinguishing of the Bar Kochba rebellion of 135 C.E. the Jewish people were largely dispersed and without a temple, priesthood, or home. It was becoming impossible to keep the Torah as received from Moses without the temple. Therefore in 140 C.E. the Sanhedrin convened in the village of Usha (Modern Haifa) and decided to change the focus of Chag HaShavuot from its agricultural foundation to the celebration of the receiving of the Torah on Mount Sinai which took place in the third month of the year.xi So it is that Chag HaShavuot became the celebration of Torah and the birthday of the nation of Israel. When we connect the concept of Chag HaShavuot with giving of Torah and the move from the barley to wheat, from flesh to the spirit we may also begin to understand why the Ruach HaKodeshxii was poured out on the followers of Messiah during Chag HaShavuot. The Book of Acts reports,
"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with Ruach HaKodesh, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Ruach gave them utterance." (Acts 2:1-4)
Needless to say this event caused quite a stir in Jerusalem at the time. Since Jews from all of over the country and from other countries were in Jerusalem for the feast this was an opportune time to preach the message of Messiah Y'shua. And this is what Kepha did. In response to the crowd's curiosity and suspicion Kepha declared that this event was simply the fulfillment of the words of the prophet Joel:
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit." (Joel 2:28-29)
This prophecy is reminiscent of two other prophecies;
"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." (Ezekiel 36:26-27)
"Behold the days come saith YHWH, that I will make a new covenant with house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Nor according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith YHWH: but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days saith YHWH I will put my Torah in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people." (Jeremiah 31:31-33)
We may understand from these passages that the move from barley to wheat, from flesh to spirit is the difference between keeping the Torah in the power of our own flesh, and keeping Torah by the compulsion of the Ruach HaKodesh stirring our heart to love YHWH. Shaul would describe this difference in very practical terms.
"But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Messiah, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come we are no longer under the schoolmaster." (Galatians 3:23-25)
Maybe these two connected celebrations of the first fruits of the field are indeed a shadow picture of the renewing of the covenant. The first representing the time when the children of Israel roughly kept the Torah as it was imposed upon them from the outside. The second wave offering may represent the fact that we are now to keep the Torah from within, by the compulsion of the Ruach stirring in our hearts. We should note that the wave offering of Chag HaShavuot is not simply flour or raw grain, but two loaves baked with fine wheat flour.xiii The fine flour speaks of a life well refined. What may be surprising to some is that these loaves were also to contain leaven. As we learned during Chag HaMatzot leaven is a sign of sin, rot, and decay. This serves as a reminder that prior to Messiah's return we may keep the Torah by the compulsion of the Ruach HaKodesh but we still keep it imperfectly. Therefore we should never become prideful or arrogant about how we keep the Torah. Though we may outwardly look acceptable and refined on the outside we all still suffer with leaven within. Therefore we continue to wait with the rest of creation for the completion of YHWH'S restoration work through Messiah. These two tablets may also serve as reminders of the two houses; the House of Israel and the House of Judah that were divided by sin, yet shall be united by one and the same Ruach HaKodesh. The Two loaves may also remind us of the two tablets of that Moses received on Sinai. These tablets were the work and writing of YHWH.xiv These were the tablets that Moses threw down from the mount and broke. The second set of tablets that were written on was the work of Moses.xv These second tablets are the shadow picture of our hearts being offered to YHWH that he may write his Torah upon them. Again the leaven demonstrates that our hearts and motivations are not always pure and therefore our keeping of Torah not perfect.
This message is somewhat confirmed by its location in the yearly cycle of the feasts. Shavuot issituated between the spring and fall feasts
Monday, August 18, 2008
In-depth look into the Torah
Join Glenn McWilliams each week in the "professor's study" for an in-depth look into the Torah according to the 154 bite - sized portions that were studied during
the time of the Messiah.
the time of the Messiah.
From the time I was a little boy, I wanted to have a big family. Seven children seemed the perfect number. That way, I reasoned, I would have a different child to go fishing with every day of the week. I worked with children all of my adult life, working at various summer camps, church drop-in centers, and child-care facilities. Unfortunately when I was finally ready, and of age to have children of my own, I was informed I could not. For fourteen years my first wife and I tried to have children. I went to every specialist in the city of Pittsburgh and they all sadly agreed that I would never father a child. I eventually adopted two children, and contented myself by simply loving all children as my own. I believe my wife felt differently. She eventually left. Then through a series of unforeseen circumstances, and at the age of 40, I married my current wife who had been widowed with five children. It wasn't until after I was married that I realized that YHWH had fulfilled my dream. I was now the father of seven children! But it was not to end there. Two months after our wedding my wife informed me she was pregnant. Nine months later my son, Sean Michael McWilliams, was born. I remember thinking of Abraham and Sarah, and thought to myself, "Now in my old age should I know pleasure?" In time, however, my joy turned to anxiety, when I remembered what Abraham was asked to do with the son of his old age. Every time I looked at my son sleeping in his crib, I would think of Abraham being asked to elevate his beloved son Isaac upon the altar.
This week's portion is a powerful lesson about the love and fear of Elohim. Without the promise of reward for obedience, or the threat of punishment for failure, Abraham willingly and obediently did what the Sovereign of the universe asked him to do. His only possible motive was love for the Creator. Love for YHWH should always be the motive for our actions, offerings, and sacrifices.
We are all called to love YHWH with our whole, heart, mind and being. And yet, from years and years of living in a consumer society most of us have been trained up to buy instead of give. Most of us are more willing to purchase a product than simply give out of love. We look for the bigger bang for our buck. I am very excited that more and more believers are being transformed by the power of the Torah. Almost daily I encounter loving brothers and sisters that have been transformed from consumers to servants. It is a joy to see so many people responding to the calling of the Spirit to live the Torah as Moses received it and as Yeshua taught it. I am also very grateful to those who have responded to our invitation to partner with us in supporting the restoration of the Ancient Triennial Torah Cycle and the development of a "leaven free" Torah Commentary. We at A Rood Awakening are working diligently to provide believers with a very powerful educational tool to help equip the body to live and teach the pure Torah.
Abraham was asked to offer up his son. We are asked to offer up our lives, as living sacrifices. I am asking, that if you benefit from this weekly teaching, please consider lifting up your finances in prayer, and ask the Father if it is his will for you to support this weekly Torah study with a donation. Please consider Awakening in the Word in your giving. As was true of YHWH in his request that the children of Israel make an offering "from the heart" for the building of the Tabernacle, we too desire only gifts given from a heart stirred by the Spirit.
I pray that you are being blessed by our efforts.
Shalom,
Glenn McWilliams
Monday, August 4, 2008
In-depth Torah Teaching
Join Glenn McWilliams each week in the "professor's study" for an in-depth look into the Torah according to the 154 bite - sized portions that were studied during the time of the Messiah.
We at A Rood Awakening Ministries International have been working diligently to proclaim the message of the "Pure Torah." So many believers are feeling the stirring of the Holy Spirit calling them to come out of Babylon, Egypt, Rome, or whatever other religious system they have been languishing in, and to return to the Hebrew Roots of their faith. Every week we receive numerous e-mails, phone calls, and visits from people wanting to know where to begin their journey, their studies and their walk. A number of pastors and former pastors have written asking what study bible they should get, or what commentary series they should use. These questions are difficult to answer. The sad reality we face is the fact that all of the study bibles, commentaries, and resources used in the Messianic Movement are either written from a Christian perspective or from the perspective of Rabbinic Judaism. Both of these choices are filled with the pollution of the Pharisees. We have been working diligently to produce resources for those who hunger and thirst for the Pure Torah. Awakening in the Word is a weekly Torah study, based on the Ancient Triennial Torah Cycle in use in the land of Israel in the time of Yeshua. Each week we produce a written commentary as well as a one hour video commentary and make them available FOR FREE on line. We are also finally going to print with the first installment of the collected weekly Torah commentaries. It is our hope that at the completion of the three year cycle, we will have created the first "leaven-free" Torah study for believers. This is a monumental project.
But this project is just the beginning. Yeshua taught " Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free!" (John 8:32). We not only want to set you free from the pollution of the Pharisees (be they Christians or Jews) but we want to raise up an entire army of FREEDOM FIGHTERS ready and able to liberate others. Already we are making plans to begin yet another project: The T.D.F.--THE TORAH DEFENSE FORCE. THE TORAH DEFENSE FORCE will be a "boot-camp" for "beginners" who are just coming out of the pollution of man made traditions, and are under attack from former pastors, parishioners, friends and family. We want to equip you for the battle.
The goal of the TDF is to
1. Raise up warriors ready and able to defend the Pure Torah
2. To provide you with the necessary ammunition for the frontline battles
3. To teach you how to use your weapon
4. To teach you how to be a straight shooter
5. How to take captive the hearts of those who would be your enemy.
6. To equip you to teach and train others in the Pure Torah.
7. To set a powerful army into action.
Please help us in this battle to defend the PURE TORAH and liberate believers. Encourage others to join us on this ancient path of faith as we walk through the Torah one step at a time.
Shalom
Glenn McWilliams
About Glenn McWilliams
Glenn has been teaching Torah in his and other home fellowships for years, while at the same time recording and writing teaching materials to help other believers grow in their understanding of the proper place of the Torah in a believer's life .
To Read Glenn's Complete Biography, Click Here.
We at A Rood Awakening Ministries International have been working diligently to proclaim the message of the "Pure Torah." So many believers are feeling the stirring of the Holy Spirit calling them to come out of Babylon, Egypt, Rome, or whatever other religious system they have been languishing in, and to return to the Hebrew Roots of their faith. Every week we receive numerous e-mails, phone calls, and visits from people wanting to know where to begin their journey, their studies and their walk. A number of pastors and former pastors have written asking what study bible they should get, or what commentary series they should use. These questions are difficult to answer. The sad reality we face is the fact that all of the study bibles, commentaries, and resources used in the Messianic Movement are either written from a Christian perspective or from the perspective of Rabbinic Judaism. Both of these choices are filled with the pollution of the Pharisees. We have been working diligently to produce resources for those who hunger and thirst for the Pure Torah. Awakening in the Word is a weekly Torah study, based on the Ancient Triennial Torah Cycle in use in the land of Israel in the time of Yeshua. Each week we produce a written commentary as well as a one hour video commentary and make them available FOR FREE on line. We are also finally going to print with the first installment of the collected weekly Torah commentaries. It is our hope that at the completion of the three year cycle, we will have created the first "leaven-free" Torah study for believers. This is a monumental project.
But this project is just the beginning. Yeshua taught " Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free!" (John 8:32). We not only want to set you free from the pollution of the Pharisees (be they Christians or Jews) but we want to raise up an entire army of FREEDOM FIGHTERS ready and able to liberate others. Already we are making plans to begin yet another project: The T.D.F.--THE TORAH DEFENSE FORCE. THE TORAH DEFENSE FORCE will be a "boot-camp" for "beginners" who are just coming out of the pollution of man made traditions, and are under attack from former pastors, parishioners, friends and family. We want to equip you for the battle.
The goal of the TDF is to
1. Raise up warriors ready and able to defend the Pure Torah
2. To provide you with the necessary ammunition for the frontline battles
3. To teach you how to use your weapon
4. To teach you how to be a straight shooter
5. How to take captive the hearts of those who would be your enemy.
6. To equip you to teach and train others in the Pure Torah.
7. To set a powerful army into action.
Please help us in this battle to defend the PURE TORAH and liberate believers. Encourage others to join us on this ancient path of faith as we walk through the Torah one step at a time.
Shalom
Glenn McWilliams
About Glenn McWilliams
Glenn has been teaching Torah in his and other home fellowships for years, while at the same time recording and writing teaching materials to help other believers grow in their understanding of the proper place of the Torah in a believer's life .
To Read Glenn's Complete Biography, Click Here.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Hebrew Story of Creation
Comparing The Story of Creation from Many different Cultures
While the story of creation may have been passed down from one generation to the next in oral fashion, the catastrophic event of the flood would have possibly stopped the oral tradition dead in its tracks. Here we must consider the reliability of the testimony of Adam and Eve being kept intact for 2,000 plus years.
The second event to interfere with the possible transmission of the ancient tales of creation was the confusion of languages, leading to the development of diverse ethnic groups and cultures.
It should not surprise us to discover that each ethnic group has within its cultic literature some variation of the creation narrative. It should also not surprise us to discover that a number of these “creation myths” contain similar patterns and details to those in the biblical account.
From Africa come the following stories:
The Ancient One, known as Unkulunkulu, is the Zulu creator. He came from the reeds and from them he brought forth the people and the cattle. He created everything that is: mountains, streams, snakes, etc. He taught the Zulu how to hunt, how to make fire, and how to grow food. In the beginning there was only darkness, water, and the great Elohim Bumba. One day Bumba, in pain from a stomachache, vomited up the sun. The sun dried up some of the water, leaving land. Still in pain, Bumba vomited up the moon, the stars, and then some animals: the leopard, the crocodile, the turtle, and finally, some men, one of whom, Yoko Lima, was white like Bumba.
From Japan:
Before the heavens and the earth came into existence, all was a chaos, unimaginably limitless and without definite shape or form. Eon followed eon: then, lo! Out of this boundless, shapeless mass something light and transparent rose up and formed the heaven. This was the Plain of High Heaven, in which materialized a deity called Ame-no-Minaka-Nushi-no-Mikoto (the Deity-of-the-August-Center-of-Heaven). Next the heavens gave birth to a deity named Takami-Musubi-no-Mikoto (the High-August-Producing Wonderous-Deity), followed by a third called Kammi-Musubi-no-Mikoto (the Divine-Producing-Wondrous-Deity). These three divine beings are called the Three Creating Deities.
From China:
In the beginning the heavens and earth were still one and all was chaos. The universe was like a big black egg, carrying Pan Gu inside itself. After 18 thousand years Pan Gu woke from a long sleep. He felt suffocated, so he took up a broadax and wielded it with all his might to crack open the egg. The light, clear part of it floated up and formed the heavens; the cold, turbid matter stayed below to form earth. Pan Gu stood in the middle, his head touching the sky, his feet planted on the earth. The heavens and the earth began to grow at a rate of ten feet per day, and Pan Gu grew with them. After another 18 thousand years, the sky was higher, the earth thicker, and Pan Gu stood between them like a pillar 9 million li in height so that they would never join again. When Pan Gu died, his breath became the wind and clouds, his voice the rolling thunder. One eye became the sun and one the moon.
From Maya:
In the beginning were only Tepeu and Gucumatz. These two sat together and thought, and whatever they thought came into being. They thought earth, and there it was. They thought mountains, and so there were. They thought trees and sky and animals. Each came into being. Because none of these creatures could praise them, they formed more advanced beings of clay. Because the clay beings fell apart when wet, they made beings
In all of these various stories we witness similar elements to those in the biblical narrative of creation, such as primordial chaos, division of water, winds fluttering over the water, the creation of living things from clay, etc. While some modern scholars may use these similarities to challenge the authenticity of the biblical account, I would argue that these similar details help to establish the truth of the biblical account. What becomes evident from these different stories is that at some point in every culture’s history, its members stood in the present and questioned where they came from. It is the answer to this question of origin that establishes the character, meaning, and purpose of a culture, as well as its future direction. While many cultures may have wrested the answer to the question of their origin from various ancient tales and the apparent evidences of nature, this cannot be said of the people of Israel. While elements of the biblical narrative may have been known and passed down through Noah and his descendants, the version that we know and study in the Torah was revealed to Moses some 2,000 years after the events. While we may easily imagine the truth of this story changing with each culture’s language and circumstances, these variations were corrected at Mount Sinai. We should also recall that the ancestors of these diverse people groups all came from Noah and his sons. At one point in their history, they all knew and believed in the one true Elohim. Over time, however, most of these people groups fell to superstitions, myths, and polytheism. Some may be surprised to discover that even the ancient Hebrew people assimilated the cultures around them and held varying beliefs about creation and the number of elohim. We must remember that the ancient Hebrew people were not always monotheistic.
Because of this cultural drifting from the truth into polytheistic myths and legends concerning the beginning of the universe, we may understand the Creator’s desire to reestablish the truth upon Mount Sinai. We may ask why the Creator waited until Sinai to reveal the truth of His identity as the sole Creator of the universe. As we have already stated above, the answer to this question of origin establishes a culture’s character, meaning, purpose, and direction. We should, therefore, see in this revelation of the story of creation a direct relationship between the Creator and the children of Israel, their character, identity, meaning, purpose, and future.
While the story of creation may have been passed down from one generation to the next in oral fashion, the catastrophic event of the flood would have possibly stopped the oral tradition dead in its tracks. Here we must consider the reliability of the testimony of Adam and Eve being kept intact for 2,000 plus years.
The second event to interfere with the possible transmission of the ancient tales of creation was the confusion of languages, leading to the development of diverse ethnic groups and cultures.
It should not surprise us to discover that each ethnic group has within its cultic literature some variation of the creation narrative. It should also not surprise us to discover that a number of these “creation myths” contain similar patterns and details to those in the biblical account.
From Africa come the following stories:
The Ancient One, known as Unkulunkulu, is the Zulu creator. He came from the reeds and from them he brought forth the people and the cattle. He created everything that is: mountains, streams, snakes, etc. He taught the Zulu how to hunt, how to make fire, and how to grow food. In the beginning there was only darkness, water, and the great Elohim Bumba. One day Bumba, in pain from a stomachache, vomited up the sun. The sun dried up some of the water, leaving land. Still in pain, Bumba vomited up the moon, the stars, and then some animals: the leopard, the crocodile, the turtle, and finally, some men, one of whom, Yoko Lima, was white like Bumba.
From Japan:
Before the heavens and the earth came into existence, all was a chaos, unimaginably limitless and without definite shape or form. Eon followed eon: then, lo! Out of this boundless, shapeless mass something light and transparent rose up and formed the heaven. This was the Plain of High Heaven, in which materialized a deity called Ame-no-Minaka-Nushi-no-Mikoto (the Deity-of-the-August-Center-of-Heaven). Next the heavens gave birth to a deity named Takami-Musubi-no-Mikoto (the High-August-Producing Wonderous-Deity), followed by a third called Kammi-Musubi-no-Mikoto (the Divine-Producing-Wondrous-Deity). These three divine beings are called the Three Creating Deities.
From China:
In the beginning the heavens and earth were still one and all was chaos. The universe was like a big black egg, carrying Pan Gu inside itself. After 18 thousand years Pan Gu woke from a long sleep. He felt suffocated, so he took up a broadax and wielded it with all his might to crack open the egg. The light, clear part of it floated up and formed the heavens; the cold, turbid matter stayed below to form earth. Pan Gu stood in the middle, his head touching the sky, his feet planted on the earth. The heavens and the earth began to grow at a rate of ten feet per day, and Pan Gu grew with them. After another 18 thousand years, the sky was higher, the earth thicker, and Pan Gu stood between them like a pillar 9 million li in height so that they would never join again. When Pan Gu died, his breath became the wind and clouds, his voice the rolling thunder. One eye became the sun and one the moon.
From Maya:
In the beginning were only Tepeu and Gucumatz. These two sat together and thought, and whatever they thought came into being. They thought earth, and there it was. They thought mountains, and so there were. They thought trees and sky and animals. Each came into being. Because none of these creatures could praise them, they formed more advanced beings of clay. Because the clay beings fell apart when wet, they made beings
In all of these various stories we witness similar elements to those in the biblical narrative of creation, such as primordial chaos, division of water, winds fluttering over the water, the creation of living things from clay, etc. While some modern scholars may use these similarities to challenge the authenticity of the biblical account, I would argue that these similar details help to establish the truth of the biblical account. What becomes evident from these different stories is that at some point in every culture’s history, its members stood in the present and questioned where they came from. It is the answer to this question of origin that establishes the character, meaning, and purpose of a culture, as well as its future direction. While many cultures may have wrested the answer to the question of their origin from various ancient tales and the apparent evidences of nature, this cannot be said of the people of Israel. While elements of the biblical narrative may have been known and passed down through Noah and his descendants, the version that we know and study in the Torah was revealed to Moses some 2,000 years after the events. While we may easily imagine the truth of this story changing with each culture’s language and circumstances, these variations were corrected at Mount Sinai. We should also recall that the ancestors of these diverse people groups all came from Noah and his sons. At one point in their history, they all knew and believed in the one true Elohim. Over time, however, most of these people groups fell to superstitions, myths, and polytheism. Some may be surprised to discover that even the ancient Hebrew people assimilated the cultures around them and held varying beliefs about creation and the number of elohim. We must remember that the ancient Hebrew people were not always monotheistic.
Because of this cultural drifting from the truth into polytheistic myths and legends concerning the beginning of the universe, we may understand the Creator’s desire to reestablish the truth upon Mount Sinai. We may ask why the Creator waited until Sinai to reveal the truth of His identity as the sole Creator of the universe. As we have already stated above, the answer to this question of origin establishes a culture’s character, meaning, purpose, and direction. We should, therefore, see in this revelation of the story of creation a direct relationship between the Creator and the children of Israel, their character, identity, meaning, purpose, and future.
Monday, May 5, 2008
The Feast of Weeks
Chag(1) Ha Shavuot or The Feast of Weeks could well be called Chag HaShemot or The Feast of Names. Throughout the scriptures as well as tradition this feast of YHWH has been called by many names;
* Chag HaShavuot-Feast of Weeks
* Atzeret- Conclusion
* Pentecost- Fiftieth
* Yom HaBikkurim-Day of First Fruits
* Chag Hakatzir- Feast of Harvest
Zeman Mattan Toratenu-Time of Receiving Torah
Each of these names describes some unique attribute of this particular feast. The first three names for this feast, Chag HaShavuot, Atzeret and Pentecost are closely connected. All of these names are related to the commandment to count the weeks between Chag HaBikkurimii which followed Chag HaMaztotiii and Yom HaBikkurim.iv
"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering;seven Sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto YHWH." (Leviticus 23:15-16)
This period of counting is known as Sfirat HaOmer, or The Counting of the Omer. An omer is a measure or sheaf of either barley or wheat. Before any of the newly harvested grain could be eaten or used an omer of the first fruits of the grain was brought to the temple for a wave offering. This bringing of the first fruits happened three times a year as we shall see. But for now, let us focus upon the counting. Between the first wave offering of the barley harvest, and the second wave offering of the wheat harvest, YHWH commanded that we make a counting. We should take note that there are two different counting's involved in determining the day of this feast. The first counting mentioned is the counting of Sabbaths. From the time of the first wave offering we are to count seven Sabbaths, and the next day is Chag HaShavuot. It is from this counting of shavuot or weeks that the feast received the name Chag HaShavuot or Feast of Weeks. We are also instructed to number fifty days. It this counting of fifty days that the Apostolic Writings make reference to when the Feast of Pentecost is mentioned.v Since this 50th day also marks the conclusion of the counting's, this Feast is also sometimes referred to as Atzeret HaSfirah, the conclusion of the counting, or Aztzeret Pesach, the conclusion of the Passover season.vi While two different methods of counting are given the outcome is still the same. Seven times seven days equals 49 days plus the day after the Sabbath and we have 50 days. The instructions for locating this particular feast on the calendar are quite specific. But even with very specific instructions given there is still controversy over when Chag HaShavuot is to be celebrated. The controversy stems from two different readings concerning the starting point for the counting. The Torah reads,
"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath. . ." (Leviticus 23:15)
The issue in debate is the definition of the phrase "the Sabbath" as it is used in this passage. . .
"In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is YHWH'S Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread unto YHWH; for seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto YHWH seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. And YHWH spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest unto the priest; And he shall wave the sheaf before YHWH to be accepted for you:on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it." (Leviticus 23:4-12)
Rabbinic Judaism teaches that the "Sabbath" referred to in this phrase is the first day of Chag HaMatzot which YHWH commanded to be a day without work. By equating this commandment for a day without work to the Sabbath the rabbis have established that Chag HaBikkurim would be the day after the first day of Chag HaMatzot. Thus, on the Rabbinic calendar Chag HaBikkurim is assigned the fixed day of the 16th of Nissan. For Rabbinic Judaism Passover is on the 14th of Nissan, Unleavened Bread begins on the 15th of Nissan, First Fruits is celebrated on the 16th of Nissan and 50days later is Chag HaShavuot. The dilemma encountered in this means of counting is that it does not fit the description of the Torah. We must remember that there are two ways of counting: counting the weeks or Sabbaths and counting the days. Both of these means must be in agreement. According to the Torah Chag Shavuot is to be celebrated not only on the 50th day of the counting of the omer but on the day after the seventh Sabbath.
"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete:Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto YHWH." (Leviticus 23:15-16)
The Karaite Jews, the Samaritans, as well as a minority of Rabbinic Jewsvii, have long recognized this inconsistency in the practice of fixing an assigned date to Chag HaBikkurim. If Chag HaMatzot began on Wednesday, then Chag HaBikkurim would fall out on a Thursday. Fifty days later would be Chag HaShavuot also falling out on a Thursday.viii The problem is that there is no commandment designating Wednesday the 49th day of the counting of the omer as a Sabbath. The Torah clearly teaches that Chag HaShavuot is to be "the morrow after the seventh Sabbath". With this being said, it would stand to reason, that the title "Sabbath" at both ends of the counting process are referring to the weekly Sabbath, and not the first day of Chag HaMatzot. In the Karaite reckoning of time, Chag HaBikkurim would fall out on the first day of the week the day after the weekly Sabbath. Fifty days later, again on the first day of the week, the day after the weekly Sabbath, would be the celebration of Chag HaShavuot. There are several other details that would seem to confirm this method of reckoning. We should note that YHWH gave specific datesix for both the Passover (the fourteenth day of the first month) and Chag HaMatzot (the fifteenth day of the first month) but did not assign a fixed date for Chag HaBikkurim. Instead it is assigned by following the Sabbath, which would always place it on the first day of the week. Second we should take note that in this particular passage where the counting is assigned, YHWH never refers to the Passover or Chag HaMatzot as "the Sabbath". The title "The Sabbath" seems to be reserved for the weekly Sabbath. The Apostolic Writings may also shed some light on this matter. Since the debate begins the establishing of Chag HaBikkurim we may see how this plays out in the life and death of Messiah.
The Christian Church has traditionally held to the erroneous custom that Y'shua was crucified on Friday, in the grave on Saturday, and rose from the grave early Sunday morning. Even counting partial days the whole event would have taken only three days and two nights. If the Feasts of YHWH are indeed shadow pictures pointing to the Messiah then the rabbinic reckoning would line up perfectly with the Church's teaching. The Passover (Messiah) is sacrificed on the 14th, Unleavened Bread (Messiah's un-decaying body is in the tomb) on the 14th followed by First Fruits (Messiah's Resurrection) on the 16th. For many believers in Y'shua this would seem to verify the rabbinic reckoning. But a careful look at the words of Messiah may change this impression. Responding to the scribes' and Pharisees' request for a sign Y'shua said,
"An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days, and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:29-40)
The sign that Messiah gave to verify that he was/is indeed the Messiah is the fact that he would be three days and three nights in the belly of the earth. If the Church and the rabbis agree on the dating of Chag HaBikkurim as being the day immediately following Chag HaMatzot, then they also agree that Y'shua is not the Messiah, for he did not fulfill the very sign he gave to prove that he was! Clearly the testimonies of the Apostolic Writings declare that Y'shua was raised from the dead on the first day of the week.
"In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher. And behold there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. . .and the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Y'shua which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said." (Matthew 28:1-6)
"And very early in the morning the first day of the week they came unto the sepulcher at the rising of the sin. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us way the stone from the door of the sepulcher? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. And entering into these pulcher, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Y'shua of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: . . .now when Y'shua was risen early the first day of the week he appeared first to Mary Magdalene. . . " (Mark 16:2-9)
"Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, brining the spices which they had prepared, and certain others, which them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. And they entered in and found not the body of the Lord Y'shua." (Luke 24:1-3)
"The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulcher, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher. . ." (John 20:1)
If our faith demands that Y'shua spoke the truth about who he is, then he fulfilled the sign of Jonah that he gave to the scribes and Pharisees. In other words, if Y'shua rose from the dead on the first day of the week and was three days and three nights in the belly of the earth then he could not have possibly been crucified on Friday as the Church teaches. Instead Y'shua would have been crucified on Wednesday afternoon and risen between Sabbath and the first day of the week. Again if the Feasts of the Lord are indeed shadow pictures of Messiah, then this would mean that Chag HaBikkurim fell out on the first day of the week. This would only be possible if Chag HaBikkurim is understood as being the day after the weekly Sabbath. With this said, then if would also appear that the feast of Pentecost recorded in the book of Acts likewise fell out on the first day of the week. The only biblical evidence to support this possibility is circumstantial at best. Luke writes in the book of Acts,
"And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Shaul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight." (Acts 20:7)
This meeting most likely was at sundown following the Sabbath. A similar passage appears in the writing of Shaul,
"Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the congregations of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let everyone of you lay by him in store, as Elohim hat prospered him that there be no gatherings when I come." (1 Corinthians 16:1-2)
He we learn that it was the practice of the believers to gather together on the first day of the week. If Pentecost falls out on the first day of the week it should not surprise us then to read,
"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place." (Acts 2:1)
Thus we may here find some tenuous evidence that in the time of Y'shua that Shavuot fell upon the first day of the week. Beyond this rather thin evidence there is little in the Apostolic Writings to add to this debate. Regardless of when Chag HaShavuot is celebrated the message of the counting should not be missed. We should remember the response of our father Jacob when questioned by Pharaoh concerning the patriarch's age. Jacob responded,
"The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and devil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage." (Genesis 47:9)
Here we see that righteous Jacob has counted the days of the years of his life. We too should count each day as a blessing. By counting our days we begin to appreciate each day and live it to its fullness. The Moses prayed,
"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."(Psalm 90:12)
We should also take note that the counting is to begin with the barely harvest and end with the wheat harvest. Barley is, for the most part, considered to be coarse grain used primarily as animal fodder. It is therefore often associated with our base or animal nature. We see the evidence of this in its use in the Sotah Laws.x When a husband suspects that his wife is unfaithful he brings her to the temple to undergo a very sobering ritual. As the jealous husband and suspected wife approach the altar an offering of coarse ground barley meal is brought without oil or frankincense. The barley is to represent the fact that the woman was acting from the lower animal nature. As we count the omer from Chag HaBikkurim to Chag HaShavuot we should be moving from the coarse animal nature to the refined spiritual nature. It is hoped that by counting the days we will build upon each day utilizing it as Moses prayed to apply our hearts to wisdom. This movement from the flesh to the spirit may be understood to connect with Chag HaShavuot in another way. As we have already stated above Josephus and the Talmud both make reference to Chag HaShavuot as "Zeman Mattan Toratenu" a time of receiving Torah". While nothing in the Tanach specifically identifies Chag HaShavuot as the day that Moses received the Torah, tradition has chosen this day as a special time of celebrating the reception of the Torah. This tradition started largely due to the destruction of the second temple, and the forced exile of the children of Israel from Jerusalem. After the extinguishing of the Bar Kochba rebellion of 135 C.E. the Jewish people were largely dispersed and without a temple, priesthood, or home. It was becoming impossible to keep the Torah as received from Moses without the temple. Therefore in 140 C.E. the Sanhedrin convened in the village of Usha (Modern Haifa) and decided to change the focus of Chag HaShavuot from its agricultural foundation to the celebration of the receiving of the Torah on Mount Sinai which took place in the third month of the year.xi So it is that Chag HaShavuot became the celebration of Torah and the birthday of the nation of Israel. When we connect the concept of Chag HaShavuot with giving of Torah and the move from the barley to wheat, from flesh to the spirit we may also begin to understand why the Ruach HaKodeshxii was poured out on the followers of Messiah during Chag HaShavuot. The Book of Acts reports,
"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with Ruach HaKodesh, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Ruach gave them utterance." (Acts 2:1-4)
Needless to say this event caused quite a stir in Jerusalem at the time. Since Jews from all of over the country and from other countries were in Jerusalem for the feast this was an opportune time to preach the message of Messiah Y'shua. And this is what Kepha did. In response to the crowd's curiosity and suspicion Kepha declared that this event was simply the fulfillment of the words of the prophet Joel:
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit." (Joel 2:28-29)
This prophecy is reminiscent of two other prophecies;
"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." (Ezekiel 36:26-27)
"Behold the days come saith YHWH, that I will make a new covenant with house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Nor according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith YHWH: but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days saith YHWH I will put my Torah in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people." (Jeremiah 31:31-33)
We may understand from these passages that the move from barley to wheat, from flesh to spirit is the difference between keeping the Torah in the power of our own flesh, and keeping Torah by the compulsion of the Ruach HaKodesh stirring our heart to love YHWH. Shaul would describe this difference in very practical terms.
"But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Messiah, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come we are no longer under the schoolmaster." (Galatians 3:23-25)
Maybe these two connected celebrations of the first fruits of the field are indeed a shadow picture of the renewing of the covenant. The first representing the time when the children of Israel roughly kept the Torah as it was imposed upon them from the outside. The second wave offering may represent the fact that we are now to keep the Torah from within, by the compulsion of the Ruach stirring in our hearts. We should note that the wave offering of Chag HaShavuot is not simply flour or raw grain, but two loaves baked with fine wheat flour.xiii The fine flour speaks of a life well refined. What may be surprising to some is that these loaves were also to contain leaven. As we learned during Chag HaMatzot leaven is a sign of sin, rot, and decay. This serves as a reminder that prior to Messiah's return we may keep the Torah by the compulsion of the Ruach HaKodesh but we still keep it imperfectly. Therefore we should never become prideful or arrogant about how we keep the Torah. Though we may outwardly look acceptable and refined on the outside we all still suffer with leaven within. Therefore we continue to wait with the rest of creation for the completion of YHWH'S restoration work through Messiah. These two tablets may also serve as reminders of the two houses; the House of Israel and the House of Judah that were divided by sin, yet shall be united by one and the same Ruach HaKodesh. The Two loaves may also remind us of the two tablets of that Moses received on Sinai. These tablets were the work and writing of YHWH.xiv These were the tablets that Moses threw down from the mount and broke. The second set of tablets that were written on was the work of Moses.xv These second tablets are the shadow picture of our hearts being offered to YHWH that he may write his Torah upon them. Again the leaven demonstrates that our hearts and motivations are not always pure and therefore our keeping of Torah not perfect.
This message is somewhat confirmed by its location in the yearly cycle of the feasts. Shavuot issituated between the spring and fall feasts
* Passover
* Chag HaMatzot
* Chag HaBikkurim
* Chag HaShavout
* Yom Teruah
* Yom Kippurim
* Chag HaSukkot
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)