Matthew Meant It

These are notes from my Torah Study Messianic Bible thought I would share.

Leviticus 21:1–24:23; Ezekiel 44:15–31; James 1:1–18

The truth is that as Believers in Yeshua, we are His ambassadors, royal family, and priests—we represent Him; therefore, each of us are held to a high standard of morality when interacting with the world and each other.

 

Biblically, we are called to sanctify God’s holy name:

 

"Do not profane My holy name, for I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites.  I am the LORD, who made you holy."  (Leviticus 22:32)

 

In Judaism, this is considered the most important mitzvah (commandment) of the 613 mitzvot (plural of mitzvah) in the entire Torah.  Our behavior must exemplify our relationship with God.

 

In this way, we can be lights shining in the darkness.

 

"Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house."  (Matthew 5:15)

 

While we are all His representatives, each of us has a unique role in Adonai’s plan.  When we strive for greatness in whatever purpose God has given us in that Divine plan, and work on developing all of our God-given gifts and qualities, then we can bring honor to Him and light to the world.

God’s Plan Revealed in His Appointed Meeting Times

 

"The Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are My appointed festivals [moadim], the appointed festivals [meeting times or feasts] of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies"’"(Leviticus 23:1–2)

 

In addition to instructing the Kohanim (priests) on how to meet with and serve Him, God gave the Israelites instructions about observing the moadim (special meeting times and festivals).  These include the following:

• Shabbat (Sabbath) on the seventh day;
• Pesach (Passover) for seven days beginning at sundown on the 14th day of the first month of Nissan;
• Bikkurim (Firstfruits) on Nisan 16;
• Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) 50 days after Pesach ends;
• Rosh Hashanah (New Year) on the first day of the seventh month (Tishrei);
• Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) on the 10th day of the seventh month; and
• Sukkot (Tabernacles) for eight days beginning on the 15th day of the seventh month.
• God introduces these appointed meeting times with the Shabbat —a holy day that reminds us God is the Creator of heaven and earth.  
• It testifies to the fact that God is still actively involved with His creation and sustaining it.  That is the starting point for faith. Since the Israelites are commanded to keep the Shabbat "in all your dwelling places (Leviticus 23:31)," the Shabbat forges a link between the Creator and every Jewish household. 
• The other appointed times listed above are sometimes referred to as the Feasts or Festivals of Israel but, in actuality, God says they are the appointed times of the Lord—His moadim. 
• These moadim were not merely meant to be remembrances of times past; each one gave the Israelites clues to God’s future plan of redemption for them and the world.  That is, each of these moadim or appointed feasts point to the Messiah in profoundly spiritual ways.
  

As Believers, we are privileged to see how Yeshua has either already fulfilled these feasts in His first appearance on earth or will fulfill them at His Second Coming.

 

Yeshua fulfilled the festivals of Pesach (the Passover sacrifice of a lamb on Nisan 14) with His final sacrificial/atoning death on Nisan 14 as the unblemished Lamb of God (Isaiah 53; John 1:36; Hebrews 9:11–14, 22–24).

 

In this offering of Himself, Yeshua also fulfilled Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement).

 

Yeshua then became our Bikkurim (Firstfruits) of the barley harvest held on Nisan 16 when He resurrected on Nisan 16 as the first of all who will rise from the dead on the Last Day (Psalm 16:8–11; Acts 2:24–28; 1 Corinthians 15:20–23).

 

Shavuot (Pentecost) on Sivan 6 is a celebration of the giving of the Torah.  On this same day (Sivan 6), Yeshua poured out His Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) onto His Believers.  

 

The Ruach wrote the Torah on their hearts, empowering the Believers to live holy lives (Joel 2:28; Jeremiah 31:31–33; Acts 2).

 

The Fall festivals of Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets or New Year) and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) will be fulfilled when the shofar blows and Yeshua returns to establish His reign on earth.  It will happen this way:

 

"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet [shofar]; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed."  (1 Corinthians 15:52)

Matthew 5:17-19

¹⁷ “Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete. ¹⁸ Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah — not until everything that must happen has happened. ¹⁹ So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.