Parashat Emor (V’yikra/Leviticus 21-24) 5782, B”H

In the springtime, we looked at the Biblical Spring Feasts.

As we near autumn, today let’s revisit that passage of Scripture from Leviticus that describes the feasts, but this time we will focus on the Biblical Autumn Feasts! Most people call them the Biblical Fall Feasts and I do admit it is easier to say . . . but since . . . Adam and Eve and the Fall . . . yeah I just personally prefer the word autumn. It’s just me, I know. A little too obsessed with linguistics. Go ahead and call them the Fall Feasts, it is perfectly fine 🙂

This post will be a quick overview on the autumn feasts. In future posts I will help us look more deeply at each of these.

Are you familiar with the autumn Biblical feasts?

The Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles are the special days outlined in the Bible that are celebrated in autumn.

Each of the Biblical Autumn Feasts can also be called by its Hebrew term:

The Feast of Shofars = Yom Teruah*

The Day of Atonement = Yom Kippur

The Feast of Tabernacles = Sukkot

*Note: Yom Teruah is more widely known as Rosh HaShanah. Yom Teruah is the literal translation for the “Feast of Trumpets” and is more Biblical. Rosh HaShanah signifies “Head of the Year” meaning this is a celebration of the Jewish New Year.

Just like the Biblical Spring Feasts, Messiah Yeshua (Jesus Christ) fulfilled the prophetic meaning of each of these Biblical autumn feasts (moedim). The Hebrew word “moedim” more literally means “appointed times.” These are appointments that God made for us – the appointed feast times to meet with our Creator! What a privilege! Throughout the year, we gather to experience these feasts. The Autumn Feasts are no exception, in fact, they are extremely eschatologically significant because they point us to the end of days.

The Feast of Shofars (Yom Teruah)

The Feast of Shofars is more commonly called “The Feast of Trumpets” in English. But most people who think of a trumpet think of a beautiful brass instrument in the marching band. This autumn feast has nothing to do with those! A more correct translation is the “Feast of Shofars.” The ram’s horn was used as an instrument – an alarm to warn and even alert the enemy.

Have you ever heard several shofars played at the same time? The sound is awe-inspiring.

If you want to have a profound experience, find a place where the shofars will sound this Yom Teruah (Rosh Hashanah)! You will undoubtedly be touched by the sheer magnitude of the sound and inspired by all it represents for God’s people.

It is like a rehearsal. We will know what to listen for the day the trumpet (shofar) sounds:

“He will send out His angels with a great shofar, and they will gather together His chosen from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:31

I love to hear my boys practicing their shofar skills a few days before Yom Teruah! It is a wonderful way to bring in the Hebrew New Year!

The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)

Another one of the Biblical autumn feasts is Yom Kippur. This is the most solemn occasion on the Jewish Biblical calendar. This is a day of fasting as people ask for forgiveness for the sins committed during the past year. When the Temple was still standing, this was the day when the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies to make atonement on behalf of the people.

Today, we know that Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) has provided our atonement (Hallelujah!!!) so most followers of the King of all kings participate by fasting and praying for Israel.

The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot)

Immediately after Yom Kippur, Jewish and Messianic believers begin setting up their sukkahs (outdoor tabernacles) for the upcoming Biblical autumn feast known as the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot).

The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) is great fun! Many English speakers know this feast as the Feast of Booths. But booths? That’s a little hard for us to understand, unless you have seen an actual sukkah.

A sukkah is a tabernacle – a temporary structure intended for nonpermanent residency!

This feast is a lot like camping (but better) and lasts for a whole week! It is definitely family-friendly!

If you’d like some ideas on how to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, check out this post I wrote about ways our family celebrates Sukkot. And make sure you get your FREE printable Selfie Scavenger Hunt for Sukkot!

It is said that the best time to visit Israel is during the autumn feast of Sukkot. The entire nation sets up their temporary structures. The sukkahs are decorated and there is plenty of food. Did you know it is commanded to be joyful during these holy days of Sukkot? It is truly a celebration that the LORD chose to dwell with us.

Zechariah prophecies of a future time when all the nations will celebrate Sukkot, so it is certainly something we ought to learn about and participate in to understand the full meaning of our Scriptures! It really is like a dress rehearsal for the last days!

“Then all the survivors from all the nations that attacked Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, Adonai-Tzva’ot, and to celebrate Sukkot. Furthermore, if any of the nations on earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Adonai-Tzva’ot, they will have no rain.” Zechariah 14:16-17

I encourage you to learn more about the Feast of Tabernacles as autumn draws near. A fun project (especially if you have boys) is to build a backyard sukkah! Invite your friends and neighbors, and you will have a wonderful time of fellowship as you live out the Word of the LORD!

For a more thorough, theological look at the Sukkot and the spiritual meaning of it, I encourage you to check out my post: “Living Water at the Feast of Tabernacles: Exploring John 7.” You will discover the reason “why” our Messiah proclaimed that He is the Living Water!

If you have questions about the Biblical autumn Feasts we would truly love to help you! And most importantly, if you have questions about the Messiah, please let us know and we would love to share the Good News with you. We hope that following the LORD at His Word is important to you and hope that this post will help you in your faith journey! Please subscribe so you don’t miss any new posts! Shalom!

L’shanah tovah! May you have a very happy New Year!

Parashat Acharei Mot (V’yikra/Leviticus 16-18) 5782 B”H

Atonement.

That’s not a word most of us use every day, so if you aren’t quite sure of its meaning, let me suggest that breaking it into its three syllables.

At-one-ment.

It is a theological term meaning to be made whole again, reconciled to God.

God’s Son, Yeshua (Jesus), sacrificed His life to make atonement for our sins.

I was asked an interesting question about the atonement recently and it fits perfectly into our study:

If Yeshua (Jesus) is our atonement, why did He make His sacrifice following the Passover meal rather than on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)?

This is a very fair question.

Our reading from Leviticus 16-18 addresses this question since this very week we will celebrate the Passover Feast, yet this passage discusses Yom Kippur.

Yom Kippur included a necessary sin offering and burnt offering, sprinkling of blood around the Ark of the Covenant’s atonement cover, as well as a ritual involving a literal scapegoat.

When Yeshua (Jesus) was crucified, He who knew no sin became sin for us.

Yeshua (Jesus) was our sin offering.

“We have an altar from which those serving in the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals—whose blood is brought into the Holies by the kohen gadol as an offering for sin—are burned outside the camp. Therefore, to make the people holy through His own blood, Yeshua also suffered outside the gate. So let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing His disgrace.” Hebrews 13:10-13

Remember the 5 offerings listed in Leviticus and their purposes?

The purpose of the sin offering was to cleanse the penitent of their unintentional sins. Yeshua (Jesus) knows we will fail. He knows we will sin unintentionally, despite all of our best efforts to please our LORD. The atonement included forgiveness for these mistakes.

He was also our burnt offering.

The burnt offering had an aroma that pleased God. The smoke rose like incense before Him. “…walk in love, just as Messiah also loved us and gave Himself up for us as an offering and sacrifice to God for a fragrant aroma.” Ephesians 5:2 (emphasis added)

According to Leviticus 1:3, the burnt offering also had to be a male, without blemish.

We see that Yeshua fulfilled the spiritual requirements related to the burnt offering for atonement of sin.

“You know that you were redeemed from the futile way of life handed down from your ancestors—not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with precious blood like that of a lamb without defect or spot, the blood of Messiah.” 1 Peter 1:18-19 (emphasis added)

But our Savior didn’t stop there.

He fulfilled the requirements of the Yom Kippur sacrifices, but He actually did more than that.

He went above-and-beyond.

You see, every year on Yom Kippur (this occurs in the autumn), the High Priest would make atonement on behalf of the people. Israel was symbolically restored as God’s people one time every year.

Can you imagine the burden of sin?

How would you feel if your sins could only be forgiven once per year, and the rest of the time you carried that weight on your shoulders?

The only perk would be that sin was taken seriously. Great effort was made to avoid sin. Nowadays, many people sin nonchalantly, figuring they are “forgiven” so there is no need to flee sin. This is an error in thought. We should always flee from sin and immorality (2 Tim.2:22).

Yeshua (Jesus) shed His blood; the perfect atonement sacrifice. And in so doing, He actually fulfilled the other 3 offerings of Leviticus.

Our Messiah became the meal/grain (matzah) offering

Remember the meal or grain offering? The type of grain being referred to here is matzah, the same unleavened substance we use every Passover. The meal or matzah offering consisted of unleavened flour and oil mixed with frankincense and salt. It was placed over fire.

Have you ever studied a piece of matzah?

Notice that it is striped and pierced.

“But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities.
The chastisement for our shalom was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5

Yeshua (Jesus) became our meal offering. At his birth, He was given frankincense by the wise men (Matthew 2:11). Yeshua used matzah at the Passover meal.

“And while they were eating, He took matzah; and after He offered the bracha, He broke it and gave it to them and said, “Take; this is My body.” Mark 14:22

Our Savior’s body was broken for us, just like we break the matzah during the Passover meal.

Our Savior was offered up as a fragrant aroma, just as the meal offering was matzah and oil mixed with frankincense.

Matzah + oil?

The body of Messiah + the anointing, abiding, consoling Presence of the Holy Spirit (Ruach haKodesh).

The atonement was seasoned with salt.

Salt was not only a preservative, it was used to treat wounds.

He was wounded for our transgressions, but this holy sacrifice would bring healing to the nations and we would become the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13).

He was raised up by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit.

Do you see all of the connections here?

Do you see how intricately interwoven the Scriptures are, truly?

I bet you never thought of frankincense having anything to do with Passover!

Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) also became our guilt offering

This is the offering that required restitution. We have willingly and disobediently gone against God’s Word. Our Redeemer chose to forgive us of our grievous offenses by making atonement for our sin.

Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) became our shalom offering

Remember that verse above, Isaiah 53:5? The chastisement for our shalom was upon Him.

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him.

We couldn’t have peace if it weren’t for His sacrifice.

The common peace offering in Leviticus was a lamb.

“…Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29

So to answer the question: Why did Messiah die at Passover rather than Yom Kippur?

The LORD has His reasons, but it seems to me that He chose Passover because He did more than what could’ve ever been done on Yom Kippur.

At Passover, Yeshua (Jesus) truly embodied every aspect of the meal. He symbolically shared His body and His blood with the disciples at the Passover seder meal and then went on to literally give up His body and blood for the sake of lost humanity as He was horrifically nailed to the cross as atonement.

He is our Passover Lamb and He died so we would be able to see how throughout history, He has masterfully planned every detail of our divine rescue.

He came to rescue us from sin and death, and He did it in the most profound way.

Be encouraged today, that our LORD made a way where there seemed to be no way and bridged the chasm so we could be forgiven. He has atoned for our sin!

The atonement that Messiah Yeshua (Jesus Christ) made for us is a permanent atonement. Not once a year, not once in a lifetime, it is a permanent, ongoing atonement that ensures we are covered by His blood and presented as cleansed and holy before our Perfect and Holy God.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah! In His great mercy He caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Messiah Yeshua from the dead. An incorruptible, undefiled, and unfading inheritance has been reserved in heaven for you. 

By trusting, you are being protected by God’s power for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. You rejoice in this greatly, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials. 

These trials are so that the true metal of your faith (far more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire) may come to light in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Messiah Yeshua. 

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. And even though you don’t see Him now, you trust Him and are filled with a joy that is glorious beyond words, receiving the outcome of your faith—the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:3-9

Those of us who have a relationship with our Savior Yeshua ha Mashiach (Jesus Christ) know that He made atonement for our sins. If you do not know this important Truth and do not yet have a relationship with your Creator, please know this: God sent His Son to die in your place, as atonement for you, so that you could be reconciled to God. If you will trust Him today with your eternal future, you can have the confidence and peace of knowing you will live eternally with Him. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to find out more about our LORD and His ways!

updated 10/3/22 5783 B”H

What would it be like to experience forgiveness . . . only one time a year?

If you know anything about the Jewish holy days (Biblical feast days), you may know that Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement.

Strict repentance and special rituals had to be completed (as outlined in Leviticus 16 and Leviticus 23) in order for the Israelites to – yearly – receive forgiveness.

It has been traditionally believed that the names of the forgiven are written in the Book of Life on Rosh Hashanah/Yom Teruah, and sealed for the year on Yom Kippur.

The pressure must have felt intense. The fear of missing the mark could have been debilitating.

Failing in just one point could render the religious practitioner disqualified.

Talk about feeling burdened.

Maybe depressed.

Probably overwhelmed.

And definitely hungry. (It is a day of fasting!)

There was an element of hope, though.

Yom (Hebrew for “day“) Kippur (Hebrew for “atonement”) was considered the most Holy day of the year because the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies to conduct the requirements for atonement on behalf of the nation of Israel.

Every year, the ceremony was to be repeated, a rehearsal for a future spiritual reality.

Besides prayer, song, and worship, the shofar is sounded, both to bring the assembly together and serves as an alarm of proclamation.

Yom Kippur is an amazing picture of what Messiah came to do

Messiah Yeshua (Jesus), God’s Son, came to earth to serve as the atoning sacrifice for our sins – once and for all.

Now, instead of a yearly propitiation, forgiveness became available to all who would put their trust in Him and follow His Way.

Interestingly enough, the observance of Yom Kippur changed quite drastically after Messiah’s resurrection and the prophesied destruction of the Temple in 70AD. Now, the day no longer centers on animal sacrifices.

Isn’t it intriguing that today’s not-yet-believing Jews have to wrestle with this reality?

Many who refuse to accept that Yeshua (Jesus) is indeed the Messiah have to accept that the sacrificial element of Yom Kippur was interrupted.

Rather than accept substitutionary atonement, there are new, man-made “substitutions.”

Today, in the place of the now-absent Yom Kippur sacrifice, there is a great emphasis throughout the Jewish High Holy Days on teshuvah (repentance) and liturgical prayer or davening.

While there is certainly nothing wrong with intentional reflective times and repentance, and nothing wrong with praying and seeking God, the point of the Atonement of Yeshua is what He has done, not what we can accomplish, because truly without Him we can accomplish no-thing.

The reality is, Messiah died in our place. To save us.

Should Christians fast on Yom Kippur?

I personally believe that followers of the Savior ought to fast in solidarity with the God’s chosen people of Israel.

It is my opinion that those of us who have experienced redemption and the ongoing, everlasting, merciful, abundant forgiveness of our loving Messiah ought to spend some extra time on Yom Kippur fasting and praying for those who are in Yom Kippur services and yet do not yet understand that their Messiah has already come and is coming back soon.

Fast and pray, not out of obligation, but out of love for Israel.

What Leviticus reveals about the Day of Atonement and Passover

Yom Kippur and the Coming Reign of Messiah

There are many Messianic prophecies in the Bible, but what is found in Zechariah 12 in particular regarding mourning (i.e. genuine, travailing repentance) is very much related to Yom Kippur. We know that Messiah Yeshua will come back after the time of the tribulation and wicked nations will be about to attack Jerusalem.

ADONAI Tzva’ot will handle it: “It will happen in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem” (Zech.12:9).

It will be a troubling time and two out of three inhabitants of the land won’t survive all that occurs.

One third will remain, and will call upon the Name of the Lord, and He will answer them, as He always does.

This third I will bring through the fire.
    I will refine them as silver is refined,
    and will test them as gold is tested.
    They will call on My Name
        and I will answer them.
    I will say, ‘They are My people,’
    and they will answer, ‘ADONAI is my God.’

Zechariah 13:9

Some of the text in Zechariah 12-14 can be complex, but the important detail that you must not overlook is the glorious fact that Yeshua Himself will save Jerusalem!

Then ADONAI will go forth and fight against those nations as He fights in a day of battle. In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives which lies to the east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a huge valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north and half of it toward the south. Then you will flee through My mountain valley because the mountain valley will reach to Azel. Yes, you will flee like you fled from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then ADONAI my God will come and all the kedoshim with Him. In that day there will be no light, cold or frost. It will be a day known only to ADONAI neither day nor night—even in the evening time there will be light.  Moreover, in that day living waters will flow from Jerusalem, half toward the eastern sea and half toward the western sea, both in the summer and in the winter. ADONAI will then be King over all the earth. In that day ADONAI will be Echad and His Name Echad.

Zechariah 14:3-9

The vivid descriptions of the end of days in Matthew 24 and in other passages use imagery that relates to the Biblical feasts of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. A “Great Shofar” will sound, just like the Shofar HaGadol used for Yom Kippur services.

“He will send out His angels with a great shofar, and they will gather together His chosen from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

Matthew 24:31

It will be the inauguration of Messiah Yeshua, ben Elohim, ben David, ben Adam ruling New Jerusalem as King as He reigns during the Messianic age! We gain a much richer depth of understanding when we realize that the feasts outlined in Scripture are intended to very clearly show us what is to come and give us great hope in which to anchor our faith. Much of the “future” spiritual reality is very much an already-present reality – so rest in Him and enjoy life in abundance!

May you and your family enjoy the fall feasts together as we eagerly await the triumphant return of our Savior, Messiah Yeshua!

Do you have questions about the fall feasts? Leave a comment, and we will be happy to do our best to assist you! Shalom!