Category: Appointments With God

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Apostolic Writings Appointments With God Atonement Discussions Torah

Yom Kippur: Confidence before God under Messiah’s covering

When Yeshua died, the veil separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place was torn from top to bottom. Thanks to Yeshua, the separation between God and man has been bridged by Yeshua Himself. Photo by www.LumoProject.com via FreeBibleimages.org.

Some teach that the Day of Atonement (יוֹם הַכִּפֻּרִים Yom haKippurim, “Day of Coverings”) is a day when the people of God plead their case that their good will outweigh their bad on Heaven’s scale. Rather, God’s word teaches that we can have sober, humble, repentant confidence in what God’s Mashiakh (Christ) has done to cover and remove ours mistakes, disobedience and treason.

One of the key themes of the Bible book of Leviticus is the Tabernacle as Heaven’s way to bring those “far off” from God’s presence near by the spilled life of the substitute, the sin offering. This also is the key theme of the book of Hebrews, but it takes the message further in showing Who always has been doing the real work of reconciliation, with and without an earthly Tabernacle or Temple.

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Appointments With God Discussions Trumpets

Song of Moses, song of the redeemed (Deuteronomy 32)

Illustration "Sing a New Song" by Freeimages.com/Amy Burton via Creative Commons License

Being “Torah-observant” is not a “holier than thou” pursuit of perfection. Rather, it’s about listening to the Creator, observing where our lifestyles diverge from Heaven’s instructions and seeking return to the LORD’s ways. That restoration is possible by the perfect Atonement Offering, the Mashiakh (Christ). That’s the lesson of the Torah reading הַאֲזִינוּ Ha’azinu (“listen”) and a good preview of Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonement).

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Apostolic Writings Appointments With God Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah Trumpets

Judgment Day: Day of the LORD is a day of awakening

Darkness falls over Buenos Aires, Argentina. Photo by Marcelo Gerpe/Freeimages.com via Creative Commons License.

Yom Teruah (Day of Blowing [Trumpets]) has a number of nicknames, such as Rosh haShanah (New Year). Regardless of what you call it, Yom Teruah has a special purpose in God’s calendar. It’s a day of remembrance, a day of gathering, a day of awakening and a day of offerings. But mostly, it’s the Judgment Day. It’s a day when the wicked are judged and the righteous are vindicated by the Mashiakh (Messiah).

Apostles Paul and Yokhanan wrote a lot about this day, as did the prophets.

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Appointments With God Chanukah Pentecost/Shavuot

Shavuot (Pentecost): Spirit-transformed to follow God’s Law

Colorized photo of a wheat harvest in Pennsylvania in 1943. Photo by John Collier, public domain photo.

Shavuot for Jews. Pentecost for Christians. We can have a great dialogue with our brethren in faith in the Holy One of Israel about the lessons taught in this memorial of the revelation of God. The Word was spoken and written at Sinai, become flesh in Yeshua the Mashiakh (Jesus the Christ), and put into action by the transformation of the Spirit.

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Apostolic Writings Atonement Discussions Torah

Leviticus 16; Hebrews 4–10: ‘Because we have a great High Priest…’

Mosaic from the church of Sant'Apollinare in Clase, Ravenna, Italy, circa mid-6th century AD. Photo by Dick Stracke via Wikipedia Commons.

Here’s the lesson of Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonement): The LORD wants us to enter His “rest.” He wants our old way of life to be covered over and the guilt taken away, so we can enter His presence.

This study of the combined Torah reading אחרי מות Acharei Mot (“after the death”) and קדושים Kedoshim (“holinesses”), covering Leviticus 16–20, will be focusing on Hebrews 4:14–10:39. This which dives deep into the role of Yeshua (Jesus) as our High Priest, so we can learn Heaven’s lessons in the parables of the Tabernacle and Yom haKippurim.

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Apostolic Writings Appointments With God Discussions Torah Unleavened Bread

Exodus 14:1–15:21: Seventh day of Unleavened Bread teaches repentance, salvation and righteousness

Crossing the sea in the 1956 movie "The Ten Commandments" (PARAMOUNT PICTURES)
Crossing the sea in the 1956 movie "The Ten Commandments" (PARAMOUNT PICTURES)

The seventh day of Chag Matzot (Feast of Unleavened Bread) is a memorial to the crossing of the Red Sea. It’s not only the zenith of most movies about Israel’s flight from Egypt but also a parable about every believer’s path to repentance, salvation and righteousness.

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Appointments With God Unleavened Bread

Unleavened Bread: First-born of Israel grow in grace and knowledge

Imagine sacrificing a lamb to save a donkey? Photo by www.LumoProject.com from http://www.freebibleimages.org.

The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread pictures the beginning of a new living way. But that new living way was not joyous when Israel left Egypt — days of affliction — and our departure from our “house of bondage” isn’t either. They were learning to live in a way, and so are we. God writes His law deep in our hearts, which flow with “living water.” We are to grow in grace and knowledge as we get older. We never stop growing, even when we are very old.