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Jesus Prepares His Table Just For You

Jesus Shares His Life & Love With You

The Renewal Of Communion - In The Last Days

10/22/2014

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Those humble shall be raised up to be with the Lord forever! Alleluia!
Luke 14
Healing on the Sabbath: Man rescues the Ox - God rescues the sick (Both break the Sabbath) 
Taking the lower seat at the feast: The proud are humbled; the humble are honored

7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. 11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

The Parable of the Great Banquet

15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”

16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ (is the "Time of the Banquet" the Last Days "All is now ready"

18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ (Busy with investments)

19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ (Busy with my business)

20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ (busy with relationships)

21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

22 “ ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads (Journey) and country lanes (The Fenced) and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ ”  


COMPEL: to compel (constrain), doing so with urgency (as a pressing necessity). anágkē ("a necessity") calls for timely help, i.e. strong force needed to accomplish something compulsory (absolutely required). This kind of situation is typically brought on by great pain or distress - distress, necessity.From ana and the base of agkale; constraint (literally or figuratively); by implication, distress -- distress, must needs, (of) necessity(-sary), needeth, needful.

The POOR: not the wealthy who can repay
The CRIPPLED: those who have no destiny - the hopeless
The BLIND: If their eyes were opened they would believe vs. Those who think they see
The LAME: The injured, hurting, needy who know they need a crutch - the truth of God's presence could set them free to walk and leap and give praise to God.

Can't make this stuff up! "Compel Them to Come" "Go to those who JOURNEY and to those who are FENCED!" - At the Feast Mary said, "They have no more wine!" Jesus Said, "Come to me". "I am the Bread of life - whoever eats the bread that I shall give shall never hunger. Whoever drinks the drink that I shall give - out of your life my life will flow..." We say, "Lord its no longer we who are alive but you who is alive inside us!" Blessed are those who come to the Table - The Glorious table of God!

Thought some of your might enjoy this - From Luke 14:23 as per the Surfside Gathering last night: And the Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways (find the JOURNEY people) and hedges (find the FENCED people), and COMPEL "them" to come in (to Sharon & Sal's House), that my house may be filled...

Here's the actual Greek from Strongs: 
Highways = hodos --> Short Definition: a way, road, journey
Hedges = phragmos --> Short Definition: a hedge, fence, partition from a root phrag- to fence in, to stop

Compel here is (as Jesus would) lovingly urge them to His Great Feast (The Communion Table - as The Great Feast is not the Wedding Feast of the Lamb) It begins: a man gave a great feast. Greatness in the midst of the other parables has to do with priority, This Feast is a God Feast. It is food that feeds for eternity. It is much more important than any other meal in this life. So to Compel means to verbally and physically urge them to come to God's Table. He has it prepared. Those invited found every excuse to excuse themselves - too many other things to do. So we are to go to those at "Journey" who have no destination, ie. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who leads us to a destination: His Table where we feed on eternal life in the face of those looking on from a temporary one. Then find those who are "Stopped" or "Fenced" from the Destination - take them by the hand and lead them to their place at the Lord's Table (no fence) to eat and drink the joy of salvation with US comprised of:

The POOR: healthy just not the wealthy who can afford to repay
The CRIPPLED: those who 'don't have a leg to walk on' who have no sense of destiny - the hopeless
The BLIND: If their eyes were opened they would believe vs. Those who think they see everything just fine in their own eyes
The LAME: The injured, hurting, needy who know they need a crutch - the truth of God's presence could set them free to walk and leap and give praise to God - they just need someone to care

He said - those who were invited will never taste a morsel of the Feast that you sit down to eat!

Are you rejecting the call to daily and regular Communion - from house to house... breaking bread with those who have found the warmth of the fire of the glorious presence of Jesus? Are you distracted from spending 3-5 minutes a day to digest a small piece of eternal life and sip the fountain of eternal life?

I want to COMPEL you to take the hand of Jesus. He will lead you to His Table. It is better than lookout mountain, its a mirror that reveals His Face. When we are in His presence we can see forever! Alleluia! Jesus died, rose and revived to become Lord of the dead and the living so that in His presence we feed on life forever more!


Find those who Journey          Tell them I have no fence     Mary, "They have no wine"     Jesus, "Come to me"
COMPEL THEM 

◄ 315. anagkazó ►

Strong's Concordance
anagkazó: to necessitate, compel
Original Word: ἀναγκάζω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: anagkazó
Phonetic Spelling: (an-ang-kad'-zo)
Short Definition: I force, compel
Definition: I force, compel, constrain, urge.HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 315 anagkázō – to compel (constrain), doing so with urgency (as a pressing necessity). See 318 (anagkē).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from anagké
Definition
to necessitate, compel
NASB Translation
compel (3), compelled (2), force (1), forced (1), made (2).


Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 315: ἀναγκάζω

ἀναγκάζω; (imperfect ἠνάγκαζον); 1 aorist ἠνάγκασα; 1 aorist passive ἠναγκάσθην; (from ἀνάγκη); (fr. Sophoclesdown); to necessitate, compel, drive to, constrain, whether by force, threats, etc., or by persuasion, entreaties, etc., or by other means: τινα, 2 Corinthians 12:11 (by your behavior toward me);τινα followed by an infinitive, Acts 26:11; Acts 28:19; Galatians 2:3, 14 (by your example); ; Matthew 14:22; Mark 6:45; Luke 14:23. 

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
compel, constrain.From anagke; to necessitate -- compel, constrain.

see GREEK anagke


From Root Word

318. anagké ►

Strong's Concordance
anagké: necessity
Original Word: ἀνάγκη, ης, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: anagké
Phonetic Spelling: (an-ang-kay')
Short Definition: necessity, constraint, compulsion
Definition: necessity, constraint, compulsion; there is need to; force, violence.HELPS Word-studies
318 anágkē (perhaps cognate with 43 /agkálē, "arm," which is derived from angkos, "a bent/uplifted arm poised to meet a pressing need") –necessity; a compelling need requiring immediate action, i.e. in apressing situation.

318 /anágkē ("a necessity") calls for timely help, i.e. strong force needed to accomplish something compulsory (absolutely required). This kind of situation is typically brought on by great pain or distress (so Diod., LXX, Abbott-Smith).

["In classical Greek many words take their stem from anank-. The verbanankazō denotes the outward influence or pressure exerted bysomeone upon another. . . . At times there is implied in anankazō the idea of 'force,' thus it can even mean 'to torture' someone" (Liddell-Scott).]

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from ana and agchó (to compress, press tight)
Definition
necessity
NASB Translation
compulsion (3), constraint (1), distress (3), distresses (1), hardships (1), inevitable (1), necessary (2), necessity (3), need (2), obliged* (1).


Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 318: ἀνάγκη

ἀνάγκη, (ης, ἡ;1. necessity, imposed either by the external condition of things, or by the law of duty, regard to one's advantage, custom, argument: κατ'ἀνάγκην perforce (opposed to κατά ἑκούσιον), Philemon 1:14;ἐξ ἀνάγκης of necessity, compelled, 2 Corinthians 9:7; Hebrews 7:12 (necessarily); ἔχω ἀνάγκην I have (am compelled by) necessity, (also in Greek writings): 1 Corinthians 7:37; Hebrews 7:27; followed by an infinitive, Luke 14:18; Luke 23:17 R L brackets; Jude 1:3; ἀν. μοι ἐπίκειται necessity is laid upon me, 1 Corinthians 9:16; ἀνάγκη (equivalent to ἀναγκαῖον ἐστι) followed by an infinitive: Matthew 18:7; Romans 13:5; Hebrews 9:16, 23 (also in Greek writings).

2. in a sense rare in the classics (Diodorus 4, 43), but very common in Hellenistic writings (also in Josephus, b. j. 5, 13, 7, etc.; see Winers Grammar, 30), calamity, distress, straits: Luke 21:23; 1 Corinthians 7:26; 1 Thessalonians 3:7; plural ἐν ἀνάγκαις, 2 Corinthians 6:4; 2 Corinthians 12:10. 

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
distress, necessity.From ana and the base of agkale; constraint (literally or figuratively); by implication, distress -- distress, must needs, (of) necessity(-sary), needeth, needful.

see GREEK ana
see GREEK agkale

Luke 15
The Parable of the Lost Sheep - the 1%
The Parable of the lost Coin - the 10%
The Parable of the Lost Son - the 50%

Luke 16
The Parable of the Shrewd Manager - Faithful with Little (Can't serve God & Money)
The Self-Righteous are Lost in Sin - Everyone wants into The Kingdom of Heaven but the law condemns their sin until dead and separated from God forever

Luke 17
Forgiveness and Faith
One out of ten - His tithe from the earth

7 “Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? 8 Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” (See the book of Ruth)


Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy
One out of ten - His tithe from the earth

11Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosyb met him. They stood at a distance 13and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

14When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.


17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Leads into:

The Coming of the Kingdom of God and the Second Coming of the King

20 Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, 21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

22 Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. 23 People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. 24 For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. 25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

26 “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

28 “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building.29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

30 “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. 32 Remember Lot’s wife! 33 Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. 34 I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 35 Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” 36 "Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left."

37 “Where, Lord?” they asked. He replied, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.”

The reason for Verse 37?
A thought: Body, soul, spirit - Jesus returns and the dead in Christ are raised first then those who are alive and remain - as Jesus promised those are at His Table receiving His Body and Blood in Communion "I will raise you up in the last day!" When He does, he gives us a new body. The old body remains for the vultures? 
He also says we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. New Bodies and New Life - Eternity with Jesus!

Englishman's Concordance
Strong's Greek 315
9 Occurrences


ἀνάγκασον — 1 Occ.
ἀναγκάζεις — 1 Occ.
ἀναγκάζουσιν — 1 Occ.
ἠναγκάσατε — 1 Occ.
ἠνάγκασεν — 2 Occ.
ἠναγκάσθη — 1 Occ.
ἠναγκάσθην — 1 Occ.
ἠνάγκαζον — 1 Occ.

Matthew 14:22 V-AIA-3S
GRK: Καὶ εὐθέως ἠνάγκασεν τοὺς μαθητὰς
NAS: Immediately He made the disciples get
KJV: Jesus constrained his
INT: And immediately he compelled the disciplesMark 6:45 V-AIA-3S
GRK: Καὶ εὐθὺς ἠνάγκασεν τοὺς μαθητὰς
NAS: Immediately Jesus made His disciples
KJV: straightway he constrained his
INT: And immediately he compelled the disciples

Luke 14:23 V-AMA-2S
GRK: φραγμοὺς καὶ ἀνάγκασονεἰσελθεῖν ἵνα
NAS: and along the hedges, and compel [them] to come
KJV: and compel [them] to come in,
INT: hedges and compel to come in that

Acts 26:11 V-IIA-1S
GRK: τιμωρῶν αὐτοὺς ἠνάγκαζονβλασφημεῖν περισσῶς
NAS: the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme;
KJV: synagogue, and compelled [them] to blaspheme;
INT: punishing them I compelled [them] to blaspheme Exceedingly

Acts 28:19 V-AIP-1S
GRK: τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἠναγκάσθηνἐπικαλέσασθαι Καίσαρα
NAS: objected, I was forced to appeal
KJV: spake against [it], I was constrained to appeal
INT: of the Jews I was compelled to appeal to Ceasar

2 Corinthians 12:11 V-AIA-2P
GRK: ὑμεῖς με ἠναγκάσατε ἐγὼ γὰρ
NAS: you yourselves compelled me. Actually
KJV: in glorying; ye have compelled me: for
INT: you me compelled I indeed

Galatians 2:3 V-AIP-3S
GRK: Ἕλλην ὤν ἠναγκάσθηπεριτμηθῆναι 
NAS: was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.
KJV: a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
INT: a Greek being was compelled to be circumcised

Galatians 2:14 V-PIA-2S
GRK: τὰ ἔθνη ἀναγκάζεις Ἰουδαΐζειν 
NAS: how [is it that] you compel the Gentiles
KJV: why compellest thou the Gentiles
INT: the Gentiles do you compel to Judaize

Galatians 6:12 V-PIA-3P
GRK: σαρκί οὗτοι ἀναγκάζουσιν ὑμᾶς περιτέμνεσθαι
NAS: in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised,
KJV: they constrain you
INT: [the] flesh these compel you to be circumcised

FROM root word anagke
Strong's Greek 318
18 Occurrences


ἀνάγκαις — 2 Occ.
ἀνάγκη — 7 Occ.
ἀνάγκην — 7 Occ.
ἀνάγκης — 2 Occ.

Matthew 18:7 N-NFS
GRK: τῶν σκανδάλων ἀνάγκη γὰρ ἐλθεῖν
NAS: blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks
KJV: for it must needs be
INT: the temptations to sin for necessary [is]indeed to comeLuke 14:18 N-AFS
GRK: καὶ ἔχω ἀνάγκην ἐξελθὼν ἰδεῖν
NAS: a piece of land and I need to go
KJV: and I must needs go and
INT: and I have need going out to see

Luke 21:23 N-NFS
GRK: ἔσται γὰρ ἀνάγκη μεγάλη ἐπὶ
NAS: for there will be great distress upon the land
KJV: great distress in
INT: there will be indeed distress great upon

Luke 23:17 Noun-AFS
GRK: ἀνάγκην δέ εἶχεν
KJV: (For of necessity he must
INT: of necessity now he had

Romans 13:5 N-NFS
GRK: διὸ ἀνάγκη ὑποτάσσεσθαι οὐ
NAS: Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection,
KJV: Wherefore [ye] must needs be subject,
INT: Therefore necessary [it is] to be subject not

1 Corinthians 7:26 N-AFS
GRK: τὴν ἐνεστῶσαν ἀνάγκην ὅτι καλὸν
NAS: of the present distress, that it is good
KJV: the present distress, [I say], that
INT: the present necessity that [it is] good

1 Corinthians 7:37 N-AFS
GRK: μὴ ἔχων ἀνάγκην ἐξουσίαν δὲ
NAS: under no constraint, but has authority
KJV: having no necessity, but hath
INT: not having necessity authority moreover

1 Corinthians 9:16 N-NFS
GRK: μοι καύχημα ἀνάγκη γάρ μοι
NAS: of, for I am under compulsion; for woe
KJV: for necessity is laid upon
INT: to me boasting for necessity indeed me

2 Corinthians 6:4 N-DFP
GRK: θλίψεσιν ἐν ἀνάγκαις ἐν στενοχωρίαις
NAS: in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,
KJV: in necessities, in
INT: tribulations in hardships in distresses

2 Corinthians 9:7 N-GFS
GRK: ἢ ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἱλαρὸν γὰρ
NAS: or under compulsion, for God loves
KJV: or of necessity: for God
INT: or of necessity a cheerful indeed

2 Corinthians 12:10 N-DFP
GRK: ὕβρεσιν ἐν ἀνάγκαις ἐν διωγμοῖς
NAS: with insults, with distresses, with persecutions,
KJV: in necessities, in
INT: insults in hardships in persecutions

1 Thessalonians 3:7 N-DFS
GRK: πάσῃ τῇ ἀνάγκῃ καὶ θλίψει
NAS: in all our distress and affliction
KJV: affliction and distress by your
INT: all the distress and tribulation

Philemon 1:14 N-AFS
GRK: ὡς κατὰ ἀνάγκην τὸ ἀγαθόν
NAS: would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will.
KJV: it were of necessity, but
INT: as effect of necessity the good

Hebrews 7:12 N-GFS
GRK: ἱερωσύνης ἐξ ἀνάγκης καὶ νόμου
NAS: is changed, of necessity there takes place
KJV: of necessity a change
INT: priesthood from necessity also of law

Hebrews 7:27 N-AFS
GRK: καθ' ἡμέραν ἀνάγκην ὥσπερ οἱ
NAS: who does not need daily, like
INT: every day necessity as the

Hebrews 9:16 N-NFS
GRK: διαθήκη θάνατον ἀνάγκηφέρεσθαι τοῦ
NAS: a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death
KJV: a testament [is], there must also of necessity be
INT: [there is] a will [the] death [is] necessary to bring in of the [one]

Hebrews 9:23 N-NFS
GRK: Ἀνάγκη οὖν τὰ
NAS: Therefore it was necessary for the copies
KJV: [It was] therefore necessary that the patterns
INT: [It was] necessary then [for] the

Jude 1:3 N-AFS
GRK: ἡμῶν σωτηρίας ἀνάγκην ἔσχον γράψαι
NAS: I felt the necessity to write
KJV: it was needful for me
INT: of us salvation necessity I had to write

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As at the Wedding of Cana His Glory Covers the Earth as the Waters cover the Seas
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The Sun, Moon & Stars Are For Signs & for Seasons

10/9/2014

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Blood Moon Over The Wailing Wall October 7, 2014
Very Very Compelling! In CommunionFire the following research makes me rethink phrases we have heard described by those sharing about their encounters in CommunionFire like: "flashes of light" "flashing blade of a sword" "The stars and the heavens in His eye" "orange sky that seemed like an omen or warning" (several times) "Seeing Jesus in the Universe" The Sun was shining very very bright" "The arc of light went from 5 o'clock to 7 o'clock" All I saw was... All I felt was... It was just great peace... I saw Him coming in the clouds riding a horse... I was with the disciples at the Mount of Olives watching the ascension and I saw the bottom of His feet..." You've got to see this... (Click on each of the videos to the right. If you only watch one watch the third video "Feast Day Eclipses" - watch it and the rest of this post will come to life. All of them are worth watching.)

SIGNS Hebrew: Omen/Warning
SEASON: Hebrew: Appointed Time (as in the seasons of the Hebrew Calendar

NOTE these dates
(This is the 8th Tetrad and the only one of its kind that will occur for the next 1,000 years in conjunction with Solar Eclipses and Feast Days and next Tetrad won't occur for another 600 years)

2014
4/15/14 Blood Moon Passover
10/8/14 Blood Moon Feast of Tabernacles/Sukkot
11/27/14 ONLY time in history Hannukah & Thanksgiving occur together

2015
3/21/15 Nissan 1 (Solar Eclipse) The first day of the Hebrew Calendar
4/4/15 Blood Moon Passover
9/14/15 Partial Solar Eclipse Tishrei 1 Feast of Trumpets** (Feast of the New Moon)
9/28/15 Blood Moon Feast of Tabernacles/Sukkot

** When Jesus died on the Cross there was a partial Solar Eclipse as on 9/14/15 where the feast of trumpets represents the foreshadowing of the resurrection of the dead.
BLOOD MOONS, COMMUNION & COMMUNIONFIRE?

Thought for the day: Pale full moon looks like the Eucharistic Bread. Blood Moon looks like a cup of wine when looking straight down from overhead. Another aspect of the CommunionFire as an indication that the Lord is even at the door!? Could the Blood Moon & Eclipses of the Sun - The Son - the Fire - the Glory (a type of Christ - that when He gives thanks and blesses the bread our eyes are opened and we recognize Him - ie., the sun/Son disappears immediately from Emmaus and reappears in "their midst" in when Cleopas and Mary share about their encounter with the disciples in Jerusalem?) Luke 24:13-49 (Ronnie - check out verse 50!) This year in the middle of the Tetrad 1st time in history Thanksgiving (Eucharist-the great Thanksgiving) and Hannukah (Means re-dedication of the temple & is called the Festival of Lights) occur at the same time.... it will never happen again! Ummm... "Can't make this stuff up!"
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Pesach: Passover & Feast of Unleavened Bread
Level: Basic


Significance: Remembers the Exodus from Egypt

Observances: Avoiding all leavened grain products and related foods; Family or communal retelling of the Exodus story

Length: 8 days (Some: 7 days)
And this day shall become a memorial for you, and you shall observe it as a festival for the L-RD, for your generations, as an eternal decree shall you observe it. For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove the leaven from your homes ... you shall guard the unleavened bread, because on this very day I will take you out of the land of Egypt; you shall observe this day for your generations as an eternal decree. - Exodus 12:14-17Seder Plate

◄ Exodus 12 ►
New International Version
The Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread

1The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2“This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. 3Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamba for his family, one for each household. 4If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. 5The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 6Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. 7Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. 8That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. 9Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water, but roast it over a fire—with the head, legs and internal organs. 10Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. 11This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover.

12“On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. 13The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

14“This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to theLord—a lasting ordinance. 15For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel. 16On the first day hold a sacred assembly, and another one on the seventh day. Do no work at all on these days, except to prepare food for everyone to eat; that is all you may do.

17“Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. 18In the first month you are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day. 19For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And anyone, whether foreigner or native-born, who eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel. 20Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread.”

21Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. 22Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. 23When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.

24“Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. 25When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. 26And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’ ” Then the people bowed down and worshiped. 28The Israelites did just what the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron.

29At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well. 30Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.

Description of Jewish Tradition

Pesach, known in English as Passover, is one of the most commonly observed Jewish holidays, even by otherwise non-observant Jews. According to the 2000-01 National Jewish Population Survey (NJPS), 67% of Jews routinely hold or attend a Pesach seder, while only 46% belong to a synagogue.

Pesach begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nissan. It is the first of the three major festivals with both historical and agricultural significance (the other two are Shavu'ot and Sukkot). Agriculturally, it represents the beginning of the harvest season in Israel, but little attention is paid to this aspect of the holiday. The primary observances of Pesach are related to the Exodus from Egypt after generations of slavery. This story is told in Exodus, Ch. 1-15. Many of the Pesach observances are instituted in Chs. 12-15.

The name "Pesach" (PAY-sahch, with a "ch" as in the Scottish "loch") comes from the Hebrew root Pei-Samekh-Cheit, meaning to pass through, to pass over, to exempt or to spare. It refers to the fact that G-d "passed over" the houses of the Jews when he was slaying the firstborn of Egypt. In English, the holiday is known as Passover. "Pesach" is also the name of the sacrificial offering (a lamb) that was made in the Temple on this holiday. The holiday is also referred to as Chag he-Aviv , (the Spring Festival), Chag ha-Matzot , (the Festival of Matzahs), and Z'man Cheiruteinu , (the Time of Our Freedom) (again, all with those Scottish "ch"s).

Pesach Laws and CustomsProbably the most significant observance related to Pesach involves avoiding chametz (leaven; sounds like "hum it's" with that Scottish "ch") throughout the holiday. This commemorates the fact that the Jews leaving Egypt were in a hurry, and did not have time to let their bread rise. It is also a symbolic way of removing the "puffiness" (arrogance, pride) from our souls.

Chametz includes anything made from the five major grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats and spelt) that has not been completely cooked within 18 minutes after first coming into contact with water. Orthodox Jews of Ashkenazic background also avoid rice, corn, peanuts, legumes (beans) and some other foods as if they were chametz. All of these items are commonly used to make bread, or are grown and processed near chametz, thus use of them was prohibited to avoid any confusion or cross-contamination. Such additional items are referred to as "kitniyot." (usually pronounced as in Yiddish, KIT-nee-yohs).

We may not eat chametz during Pesach; we may not even own it or derive benefit from it. We may not even feed it to our pets or cattle. All chametz, including utensils used to cook chametz, must either be disposed of or sold to a non-Jew (they can be repurchased after the holiday). Pets' diets must be changed for the holiday, or the pets must be sold to a non-Jew (like the food and utensils, the pets can be repurchased after the holiday ends). You can sell your chametz online through Chabad-Lubavitch. I have noticed that many non-Jews and non-observant Jews mock this practice of selling chametz as an artificial technicality. I assure you that this sale is very real and legally binding, and would not be valid under Jewish law if it were not. From the gentile's perspective, the purchase functions much like the buying and selling of futures on the stock market: even though he does not take physical possession of the goods, his temporary legal ownership of those goods is very real and potentially profitable.

The process of cleaning the home of all chametz in preparation for Pesach is an enormous task. To do it right, you must prepare for several weeks and spend several days scrubbing everything down, going over the edges of your stove and fridge with a toothpick and a Q-Tip, covering all surfaces that come in contact with food with foil or shelf-liner, etc., etc., etc. After the cleaning is completed, the morning before the seder, a formal search of the house for chametz is undertaken, and any remaining chametz is burned.

The grain product we eat during Pesach is called matzah. Matzah is unleavened bread, made simply from flour and water and cooked very quickly. This is the bread that the Jews made for their flight from Egypt. We have come up with many inventive ways to use matzah; it is available in a variety of textures for cooking: matzah flour (finely ground for cakes and cookies), matzah meal (coarsely ground, used as a bread crumb substitute), matzah farfel (little chunks, a noodle or crouton substitute), and full-sized matzah (sheets about 8 inch square, a bread substitute).

Some people observe an additional strictness during Pesach known as gebrochts, from a Yiddish word meaning "broken," although I'm not sure what brokenness has to do with this restriction. Those who observe gebrochts (or more accurately, "no gebrochts") will avoid any matzah product that has come into contact with liquid after being baked. The rule arises from a concern that matzah may contain bits of flour that were not completely cooked and that would become leavened upon contact with liquid. People who observe this strictness cannot eat many common traditional Pesach dishes, such as matzah ball soup, and cannot even eat charoset on matzah at seder. They are careful not to spill seder wine on their matzah, and promptly remove the wine spilled as part of the seder. Observance of this additional restriction is not common, but many people become exposed to it because it is followed by the Chabad-Lubavitch, who are active in Jewish education. Some have criticized gebrochts for unnecessarily complicating Pesach and taking some of the joy out of this celebration of freedom for no good reason, noting that the premise of this rule contradicts codes of Jewish law that explicitly say it is impossible for matzah to become chametz once it is baked. Nevertheless, this effort to more fully observe G-d's law is worthy of respect, even if you are not inclined to add this restriction to your own Pesach experience.

The day before Pesach is the Fast of the Firstborn, a minor fast for all firstborn males, commemorating the fact that the firstborn Jewish males in Egypt were not killed during the final plague.

On the first night of Pesach (first two nights for traditional Jews outside Israel), we have a special family meal filled with ritual to remind us of the significance of the holiday. This meal is called a seder , from a Hebrew root word meaning "order," because there is a specific set of information that must be discussed in a specific order. It is the same root from which we derive the word "siddur" , (prayer book). An overview of a traditional seder is included below.

Pesach lasts for eight days (seven days in Israel). The first two days and last two days of the holiday (first and last in Israel) are days on which no work is permitted. See Extra Day of Holidays for more information. Work is permitted on the intermediate days. These intermediate days on which work is permitted are referred to as Chol Ha-Mo'ed, as are the intermediate days of Sukkot.

When Pesach Begins on a Saturday NightOccasionally, Pesach begins on a motzaei Shabbat, that is, on Saturday night after the sabbath has concluded. This last occurred in 5768 (2008), and will not occur again until 5781 (2021). This complicates the process of preparing for Pesach, because many of the preparations normally undertaken on the day before Pesach cannot be performed on Shabbat.

The Fast of the Firstborn, normally observed on the day before Pesach, is observed on Thursday instead. The search for chametz, normally performed on the night before Pesach, is performed on Thursday night. The seder should be prepared for as much as possible before Shabbat begins, because time should not be taken away from Shabbat to prepare for Pesach. In addition, there are severe complications dealing with the conflict between the requirement of removing chametz no later than mid-morning on Saturday, the prohibition against eating matzah on the day before the seder, and the requirement of eating three meals with bread during Shabbat! For further details, see an excellent summary from the Orthodox Union, the world's largest, oldest and perhaps most respected kosher certification agency.

The Pesach SederAnd if your son asks you in the future, saying, What are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, that the L-RD our G-d commanded you? You will say to your son, We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt; and the L-RD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. The L-RD gave signs and wonders, great and harmful, against Egypt, against Pharaoh, and against all his household, before our eyes: And he brought us out of there to bring us in, to give us the land that he promised our fathers. -Deuteronomy 6:20-23The text of the Pesach seder is written in a book called the haggadah. The haggadah tells the story of the Exodus from Egypt and explains some of the practices and symbols of the holiday. Suggestions for buying a haggadah are included below. The content of the seder can be summed up by the following Hebrew rhyme:

Kaddesh, Urechatz,Karpas, Yachatz,Maggid, Rachtzah,Motzi, Matzah,Maror, Korekh,Shulchan Orekh,Tzafun, Barekh,Hallel, Nirtzah

Now, what does that mean?

1. Kaddesh: SanctificationA blessing over wine in honor of the holiday. The wine is drunk, and a second cup is poured. 

2. Urechatz: WashingA washing of the hands without a blessing, in preparation for eating the Karpas. 

3. Karpas: VegetableA vegetable (usually parsley) is dipped in salt water and eaten. The vegetable symbolizes the lowly origins of the Jewish people; the salt water symbolizes the tears shed as a result of our slavery. Parsley is a good vegetable to use for this purpose, because when you shake off the salt water, it looks like tears. 

4. Yachatz: BreakingOne of the three matzahs on the table is broken. Part is returned to the pile, the other part is set aside for the afikomen (see below). 

5. Maggid: The StoryA retelling of the story of the Exodus from Egypt and the first Pesach. This begins with the youngest person asking The Four Questions, a set of questions about the proceedings designed to encourage participation in the seder. The Four Questions are also known as Mah Nishtanah (Why is it different?), which are the first words of the Four Questions. This is often sung. See below. The maggid is designed to satisfy the needs of four different types of people: the wise one, who wants to know the technical details; the wicked one, who excludes himself (and learns the penalty for doing so); the simple one, who needs to know the basics; and the one who is unable to ask, who doesn't even know enough to know what he needs to know. At the end of the maggid, a blessing is recited over the second cup of wine and it is drunk. 

6. Rachtzah: WashingA second washing of the hands, this time with a blessing, in preparation for eating the matzah 

7. Motzi: Blessing over Grain ProductsThe ha-motzi blessing, a generic blessing for bread or grain products used as a meal, is recited over the matzah. 

8. Matzah: Blessing over MatzahA blessing specific to matzah is recited, and a bit of matzah is eaten. 

9. Maror: Bitter HerbsA blessing is recited over a bitter vegetable (usually raw horseradish; sometimes romaine lettuce), and it is eaten. This symbolizes the bitterness of slavery. The maror is dipped in charoset, a mixture of apples, nuts, cinnamon and wine, which symbolizes the mortar used by the Jews in building during their slavery. (I highly recommend it -- it's the best tasting thing on the holiday, and goes surprisingly well with horseradish! My recipe is included below.) Note that there are two bitter herbs on the seder plate: one labeled Maror and one labeled Chazeret. The one labeled Maror should be used for Maror and the one labeled Chazeret should be used in the Korekh, below. 

10. Korekh: The SandwichRabbi Hillel was of the opinion that the maror should be eaten together with matzah and the paschal offering in a sandwich. In his honor, we eat some maror on a piece of matzah, with some charoset (we don't do animal sacrifice anymore, so there is no paschal offering to eat). 

11. Shulchan Orekh: DinnerA festive meal is eaten. There is no particular requirement regarding what to eat at this meal (except, of course, that chametz cannot be eaten). Among Ashkenazic Jews, gefilte fish and matzah ball soup are traditionally eaten at the beginning of the meal. Roast chicken or turkey are common as a main course, as is beef brisket. 

12. Tzafun: The AfikomenThe piece of matzah set aside earlier is eaten as "dessert," the last food of the meal. Different families have different traditions relating to the afikomen. Some have the children hide it, while the parents have to either find it or ransom it back. Others have the parents hide it. The idea is to keep the children awake and attentive throughout the pre-meal proceedings, waiting for this part. 

13. Barekh: Grace after MealsThe third cup of wine is poured, and birkat ha-mazon (grace after meals) is recited. This is similar to the grace that would be said on any Shabbat. At the end, a blessing is said over the third cup and it is drunk. The fourth cup is poured, including a cup set aside for the prophet Elijah, who is supposed to herald the Messiah, and is supposed to come on Pesach to do this. The door is opened for a while at this point (supposedly for Elijah, but historically because Jews were accused of nonsense like putting the blood of Christian babies in matzah, and we wanted to show our Christian neighbors that we weren't doing anything unseemly). 

14. Hallel: PraisesSeveral psalms are recited. A blessing is recited over the last cup of wine and it is drunk. 

15. Nirtzah: ClosingA simple statement that the seder has been completed, with a wish that next year, we may celebrate Pesach in Jerusalem (i.e., that the Messiahwill come within the next year). This is followed by various hymns and stories. For more information about how the Pesach seder compares to a traditional Jewish weekday, Shabbat or holiday meal, see Pesach Seder: How is This Night Different.

Pesach will occur on the following days of the secular calendar: 

Jewish Year 5774: sunset April 14, 2014 - nightfall 
April 22, 2014  
Jewish Year 5775: sunset April 3, 2015 - nightfall April 11, 2015  
Jewish Year 5776: sunset April 22, 2016 - nightfall April 30, 2016  
Jewish Year 5777: sunset April 10, 2017 - nightfall April 18, 2017
Full Moon = Bread?
Blood Moon = Wine?

Does the Miracle of CommunionFire tie-in to the Signs and Season's of the final Tetrad and Eclipses? Could this be the subject of the Final Awakening and Latter Rain outpouring of the Holy Spirit as tied together by Joel and The Early Church? Consider the following...

Click Here For The Hebrew Calendar for year 2015 (Israel) You can also access 2014 etc...
Feast of Tabernacles/Sukkot 
Level: Basic


Significance: Remembers the wandering in the dessert; also a harvest festival
Observances: Building and "dwelling" in a booth; waving branches and a fruit during services
Length: 7 days

...On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the Festival of Sukkot, seven days for the L-RD. -Leviticus 23:34The Festival of Sukkot begins on Tishri 15, the fifth day after Yom Kippur. It is quite a drastic transition, from one of the most solemn holidays in our year to one of the most joyous. Sukkot is so unreservedly joyful that it is commonly referred to in Jewish prayer and literature as Z'man Simchateinu , the Season of our Rejoicing.

The Feast of Booths or Tabernacles/Tents

Leviticus 23: 33Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,34"Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths for seven days to the LORD. 35'On the first day is a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work of any kind.

Cross References
John 7:2
But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near,

Leviticus 23:42
Live in temporary shelters for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters

Leviticus 23:43
so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.'"

Numbers 29:12
"'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. Celebrate a festival to the LORD for seven days.

Deuteronomy 16:13
Celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress.

Deuteronomy 16:16
Three times a year all your men must appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles. No one should appear before the LORD empty-handed:

Deuteronomy 31:10
Then Moses commanded them: "At the end of every seven years, in the year for canceling debts, during the Festival of Tabernacles,

1 Kings 8:2
All the Israelites came together to King Solomon at the time of the festival in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month.

1 Kings 8:65
So Solomon observed the festival at that time, and all Israel with him--a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath to the Wadi of Egypt. They celebrated it before the LORD our God for seven days and seven days more, fourteen days in all.

1 Kings 12:32
He instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival held in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. This he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made. And at Bethel he also installed priests at the high places he had made.

Ezra 3:4
Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day.

Nehemiah 8:14
They found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month

Zechariah 14:16
Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.

Sukkot is the last of the Shalosh R'galim (three pilgrimage festivals). Like Passover and Shavu'ot, Sukkot has a dual significance: historical and agricultural. Historically, Sukkot commemorates the forty-year period during which the children of Israel were wandering in the desert, living in temporary shelters. Agriculturally, Sukkot is a harvest festival and is sometimes referred to as Chag Ha-Asif , the Festival of Ingathering.

The word "Sukkot" means "booths," and refers to the temporary dwellings that we are commanded to live in during this holiday in memory of the period of wandering. The Hebrew pronunciation of Sukkot is "Sue COAT," but is often pronounced as in Yiddish, to rhyme with "BOOK us." The name of the holiday is frequently translated "Feast of Tabernacles," which, like many translations of Jewish terms, isn't very useful. This translation is particularly misleading, because the word "tabernacle" in the Bible refers to the portable Sanctuary in the desert, a precursor to the Temple, called in Hebrew "mishkan." The Hebrew word "sukkah" (plural: "sukkot") refers to the temporary booths that people lived in, not to the Tabernacle.
Picture
He Prepares a Table Before Us
Sukkot lasts for seven days. The two days following the festival, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, are separate holidays but are related to Sukkot and are commonly thought of as part of Sukkot.

The festival of Sukkot is instituted in Leviticus 23:33 et seq. No work is permitted on the first and second days of the holiday. (See Extra Day of Holidaysfor an explanation of why the Bible says one day but we observe two). Work is permitted on the remaining days. These intermediate days on which work is permitted are referred to as Chol Ha-Mo'ed, as are the intermediate days of Passover.

Building a SukkahYou will dwell in booths for seven days; all natives of Israel shall dwell in booths. -Leviticus 23:42In honor of the holiday's historical significance, we are commanded to dwell in temporary shelters, as our ancestors did in the wilderness. The temporary shelter is referred to as a sukkah (which is the singular form of the plural word "sukkot"). Like the word sukkot, it can be pronounced like Sue-KAH, or to rhyme with Book-a.

The sukkah is great fun for the children. Building the sukkah each year satisfies the common childhood fantasy of building a fort, and dwelling in the sukkah satisfies a child's desire to camp out in the backyard. The commandment to "dwell" in a sukkah can be fulfilled by simply eating all of one's meals there; however, if the weather, climate, and one's health permit, one should spend as much time in the sukkah as possible, including sleeping in it.

A sukkah must have at least two and a half walls covered with a material that will not blow away in the wind. Why two and a half walls? Look at the letters in the word "sukkah" (see the graphic in the heading): one letter has four sides, one has three sides and one has two and a half sides. The "walls" of the sukkah do not have to be solid; canvas covering tied or nailed down is acceptable and quite common in the United States. A sukkah may be any size, so long as it is large enough for you to fulfill the commandment of dwelling in it. The roof of the sukkah must be made of material referred to as sekhakh (literally, covering). To fulfill the commandment, sekhakh must be something that grew from the ground and was cut off, such as tree branches, corn stalks, bamboo reeds, sticks, or two-by-fours. Sekhakh must be left loose, not tied together or tied down. Sekhakh must be placed sparsely enough that rain can get in, and preferably sparsely enough that the stars can be seen, but not so sparsely that more than ten inches is open at any point or that there is more light than shade. The sekhakh must be put on last. Note: You may put a water-proof cover over the top of the sukkah when it is raining to protect the contents of the sukkah, but you cannot use it as a sukkah while it is covered and you must remove the cover to fulfill the mitzvah of dwelling in a sukkah.

You can buy do-it-yourself sukkah from various sources online, or you can build your own. I built my own with four 4x4 poles and four 2x4 boards, bolted together and secured by smaller pieces of 2x4 board. My walls are made from canvas painter's drop cloth, attached to the frame by D-rings and curtain hooks. It can be assembled or disassembled in less than two hours by two people.

It is common practice, and highly commendable, to decorate the sukkah. In the northeastern United States, Jews commonly hang dried squash and corn in the sukkah to decorate it, because these vegetables are readily available at that time for the American holidays of Halloween and Thanksgiving. Many families hang artwork drawn by the children on the walls. Building and decorating a sukkah is a fun family project, much like decorating the Christmas tree is for Christians. It is a sad commentary on modern American Judaism that most of the assimilated Jews who complain about being deprived of the fun of having and decorating a Christmas tree have never even heard of Sukkot.

Many Americans, upon seeing a decorated sukkah for the first time, remark on how much the sukkah (and the holiday generally) reminds them of Thanksgiving. This may not be entirely coincidental: I was taught that our American pilgrims, who originated the Thanksgiving holiday, borrowed the idea from Sukkot. The pilgrims were deeply religious people, living their lives in accordance with the Bible. When they were trying to find a way to express their thanks for their survival and for the harvest, they looked to the Bible for an appropriate way of celebrating and found the fall harvest festival of Sukkot. This is not the standard story taught in public schools today (that a Thanksgiving holiday is an ancient English pagan custom that the Pilgrims brought over), but that story doesn't fit with the Pilgrims' strict biblical views.
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Feast Of Trumpets

Numbers 29
1'Now in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall also have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work. It will be to you a day for blowing trumpets. 2You shall offer a burnt offering as a soothing aroma to the LORD: one bull, one ram, and seven male lambs one year old without defect;…

Smith's Bible Dictionary
(Numbers 29:1; Leviticus 23:24) the feast of the new moon, which fell on the first of Tisri. It differed from the ordinary festivals of the new moon in several important particulars. It was one of the seven days of holy convocation. Instead of the mere blowing of the trumpets of the temple at the time of the offering of the sacrifices, it was "a day of blowing of trumpets." In addition to the daily sacrifices and the eleven victims offered on the first of every month, there were offered a young bullock, a ram and seven lambs of the first year, with the accustomed meat offerings, and a kid for a sin offering. 

(Numbers 29:1-6) The regular monthly offering was thus repeated, with the exception of the young bullock. It has been conjectured that 

(Psalms 81:1) ... one of the songs of Asaph, was composed expressly for the Feast of Trumpets. The psalm is used in the service for the day by the modern Jews. Various meanings have been assigned to the Feast of Trumpets; but there seems to be no sufficient reason to call in question the common opinion of Jews and Christians, that if was the festival of the New Year's day of the civil year, the first of Tisri, the month which commenced the sabbatical year and the year of jubilee.

Library
Appendix xv. The Location of Sychar, and the Date of Our Lord's ... 
... comp. The Temple,' &c., p.295), the Feast of Trumpets, or New Year's Day,
the Day of Atonement, and the feast of Esther, or Purim. ... 
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/appendix xv the location of.htm

Reading the Law with Tears and Joy 
... The seventh month was the festival month of the year, its first day being that of
the Feast of trumpets, and the great Feast of tabernacles as well as the ... 
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/reading the law with tears.htm

Whether the Ceremonies of the Old Law Ceased at the Coming of ... 
... spirit: the feast of the New Moon, to Lady Day, when appeared the first rays of
the sun, ie Christ, by the fulness of grace: the feast of Trumpets, to the ... 
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the ceremonies of the 3.htm

The Sacred Officers and Sacred Occasions. 
... (3) The Feast of Trumpets, October 1. (Lev.23:23-25; Num.29:1-6), the beginning
of the civil year. (4) The Day of Atonement, October 10. ... 
/.../the way of salvation in the lutheran church/chapter iii the sacred officers.htm

Instructed in the Law of God 
... It was the time of the Feast of Trumpets. Many were gathered at Jerusalem.
The scene was one of mournful interest. The wall of Jerusalem ... 
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 56 instructed in the.htm

At the Unknown' Feast in Jerusalem, and by the Pool of Bethesda. 
... of joy, willing givers brought from all parts of the country the wood required for
the service of the Altar; or else the Feast of Trumpets' on the 1st of ... 
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xii at the unknown.htm

At the Feast of Tabernacles - First Discourse in the Temple 
... on the breeze, or the clear blast of the Priests silver trumpets seemed to ... Truly,
well might Israel designate the Feast of Tabernacles as the Feast' (haChag ... 
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter vi at the feast.htm

At the Feast of Tabernacles 
... But the most impressive ceremony of the feast, one that called forth greatest ... day,
the priests sounded a long, shrill blast upon their silver trumpets, and the ... 
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 49 at the feast.htm

Whether Sufficient Reason Can be Assigned for the Ceremonies ... 
... The feast of Trumpets was a kind of invitation whereby they prepared themselves
to keep the following feast which was kept on the tenth day. ... 
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether sufficient reason can be.htm

In the Last, the Great Day of the Feast' 
... of worshippers, who on the last, the Great Day of the Feast,' are leaving ...
willow-branches, with which, amidst the blasts of the Priests' trumpets, they adorned ... 
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter vii in the last.htm

"How did Jesus fulfill the meanings of the Jewish feasts?"

The way in which Jesus fulfilled the Jewish feasts is a fascinating study. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the Jewish prophet Amos records that God declared He would do nothing without first revealing it to His servants, the prophets (Amos 3:7). From the Old Covenant to the New, Genesis to Revelation, God provides picture after picture of His entire plan for mankind and one of the most startling prophetic pictures is outlined for us in the Jewish feasts ofLeviticus 23.

The Hebrew word for “feasts” (moadim) literally means "appointed times." God has carefully planned and orchestrated the timing and sequence of each of these seven feasts to reveal to us a special story. The seven annual feasts of Israel were spread over seven months of the Jewish calendar, at set times appointed by God. They are still celebrated by observant Jews today. But for both Jews and non-Jews who have placed their faith in Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, these special days demonstrate the work of redemption through God’s Son.

The first four of the seven feasts occur during the springtime (Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, and Weeks), and they all have already been fulfilled by Christ in the New Testament. The final three holidays (Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles) occur during the fall, all within a short fifteen-day period.

Many Bible scholars and commentators believe that these fall feasts have not yet been fulfilled by Jesus. However, the “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13) for all believers in Jesus Christ is that they most assuredly will be fulfilled. As the four spring feasts were fulfilled literally and right on the actual feast day in connection with Christ's first coming, these three fall feasts, it is believed by many, will likewise be fulfilled literally in connection to the Lord's second coming.

In a nutshell, here is the prophetic significance of each of the seven Levitical feasts of Israel:

1) Passover (Leviticus 23:5) – Pointed to the Messiah as our Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7) whose blood would be shed for our sins. Jesus was crucified on the day of preparation for the Passover at the same hour that the lambs were being slaughtered for the Passover meal that evening (John 19:14).

2) Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6) – Pointed to the Messiah's sinless life (as leaven is a picture of sin in the Bible), making Him the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Jesus' body was in the grave during the first days of this feast, like a kernel of wheat planted and waiting to burst forth as the bread of life.

3) First Fruits (Leviticus 23:10) – Pointed to the Messiah's resurrection as the first fruits of the righteous. Jesus was resurrected on this very day, which is one of the reasons that Paul refers to him in1 Corinthians 15:20as the "first fruits from the dead."

4) Weeks or Pentecost (Leviticus 23:16) – Occurred fifty days after the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread and pointed to the great harvest of souls and the gift of the Holy Spirit for both Jew and Gentile, who would be brought into the kingdom of God during the Church Age (see Acts 2). The Church was actually established on this day when God poured out His Holy Spirit and 3,000 Jews responded to Peter's great sermon and his first proclamation of the gospel.

5) Trumpets (Leviticus 23:24) – The first of the fall feasts. Many believe this day points to the Rapture of the Church when the Messiah Jesus will appear in the heavens as He comes for His bride, the Church. The Rapture is always associated in Scripture with the blowing of a loud trumpet (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18and1 Corinthians 15:52).

6) Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:27) – Many believe this prophetically points to the day of the Second Coming of Jesus when He will return to earth. That will be the Day of Atonement for the Jewish remnant when they "look upon Him whom they have pierced," repent of their sins, and receive Him as their Messiah (Zechariah 12:10andRomans 11:1-6,25-36).

7) Tabernacles or Booths (Leviticus 23:34) – Many scholars believe that this feast day points to the Lord's promise that He will once again “tabernacle” with His people when He returns to reign over all the world (Micah 4:1-7).

Should Christians celebrate these Levitical feast days of Israel today? Whether or not a Christian celebrates the Jewish feast days would be a matter of conscience for the individual Christian.Colossians 2:16-17tells us, “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” Christians are not bound to observe the Jewish feasts the way an Old Testament Jew was, but we should not criticize another believer who does or does not observe these special days and feasts (Romans 14:5).

While it is not required for Christians to celebrate the Jewish feast days, it is beneficial to study them. Certainly, it could be beneficial to celebrate these days if it leads one to a greater understanding and appreciation for Christ’s death and resurrection and the future promise of His coming. As Christians, if we choose to celebrate these special days, we should put Christ in the center of the celebration, as the One who came to fulfill the prophetic significance of each of them.

Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/Jewish-feasts.html#ixzz3FgIiqBAw
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The Power of Holy Communion by Joseph Prince

10/8/2014

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Picture
The wine of his blood breathes filling us with new life
PictureClick the Picture
What Is The Holy Communion?The Holy Communion, known also as the Lord’s Supper, represents the greatest expression of God’s love for His people.

Two items are used in the Holy Communion—the bread which represents Jesus’ body that was scourged and broken before and during His crucifixion, and the cup which represents His shed blood.

When Jesus walked on earth, He was vibrant, and His body was full of life and health. He was never sick. But before Jesus went to the cross, He was badly scourged by the Roman soldiers, and His body was torn as He hung on the cross.

At the cross, God also took all our sicknesses and diseases and put them on Jesus’ originally perfect and healthy body, so that we can walk in divine health. That is why the Bible says by His stripes, we are healed (Isaiah 53:5, 1 Peter 2:24).

In Luke 22:20, Jesus tells us that the cup is the “new covenant in My blood”, and the apostle Paul tells us that the blood of Jesus brings forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:14, Ephesians 1:7).

Why Do Believers Partake Of The Holy Communion?Besides being born again in Christ, a healthy body and mind are the greatest blessings anyone can have. And the Holy Communion is God’s ordained channel of healing and wholeness.

On the night that He was betrayed, Jesus ate His last supper with His disciples. And knowing what He would accomplish through His sacrifice, He instituted the Holy Communion (Luke 22:19–20, 1 Corinthians 11:24–25).

His loving instruction is that we are to remember Him as we partake of the Holy Communion. Jesus wanted us conscious of how His body was broken for our wholeness, and His blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins. And whenever we partake in this consciousness, we “proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26).

Today, when we partake of the bread, we are declaring that Jesus’ health and divine life flows in our mortal bodies. And when we partake of the cup, we are declaring that we are forgiven and have been made righteous. Jesus’ blood gives us right standing before God, and we can go boldly into God’s presence (Hebrews 4:16). When we pray, we can be sure that God hears us!   



Click Here To Watch Pastor Joseph Prince Share On, And Lead You, In A Time Of The Holy Communion

How Do I Partake Of The Holy Communion?Before you partake, remember that the Holy Communion is not a ritual to be observed, but a blessing to be received.

Because it is not a ritual, there is no prescribed bread or special drink required. In the Last Supper, Jesus used whatever He had at the table—bread commonly eaten at supper, and whatever they were drinking.

To partake, first, hold the bread in your hand and say:

Thank You, Father, for the gift of Your Son. By the stripes that fell on His back, my body is healed from the crown of my head to the very soles of my feet. Every cell, every organ, every function of my body is healed, restored, and renewed. In Jesus’ name, I believe and I receive. [Eat the bread.]

Next, take the cup in your hand and say:

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your precious blood. Your sin-free, disease-free, poverty-free life is in Your blood. And Your shed blood has removed every sin from my life. Through your blood, I am forgiven of all my sins—past, present and future—and made completely righteous. Today, I celebrate and partake of the inheritance of the righteous, which is preservation, healing, wholeness and provision. Thank You Lord Jesus, for loving me. Amen. [Drink the wine.]

How Can I Find Out More About The Holy Communion?To find out more about what Joseph Prince has taught on the Holy Communion, you may wish to check the resources available on our ministry's online store.

Our ministry has also received praise reports from believers who have partaken of the Holy Communion and seen healing and protection from the Lord manifest. You can find these in the Praise Report page
 on our ministry website. We pray that as you read them, faith will fill your heart and cause you to look to Jesus for whatever you need while you partake of the Holy Communion.

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