the torah calendar home printable

8/14/2019 The Torah Calendar Home Printable

1/163

The TorahCalendar:

YHWHs Days of Worship

By Norman B. Willis

2

By Norman B. Willis, 6008 (2008)Copyright Nazarene Israel 6008 (2008)First Edition, 6009 (2009)

All rights reserved. Good use permitted.

This book is published in its first edition. If you

have comments, loving suggestions or questionsto help us improve this publication, please sendthem to us, to benefit future readers:

Nazarene IsraelP.O. Box 787

Anderson, CA 96007USA

Email: [email protected].

May the name of YHWH be glorified:

Amein.


2/163

3

Shemote (Exodus) 12:14

14 Now this day will be a memorial to you, andyou shall celebrate it as a feast to YHWH;

throughout your generations you are to celebrate itas a permanent ordinance.

4

Table of Contents:

Authors Notes 7

Why the Torah Calendar? 9

About Calendrical Drift 11

The Sabbath 37

The New Moons 55

Aviv Barley and the Head of the Year 76

The Passover and Unleavened Bread 86

The Wave Sheaf and the Pentecost 118

The Four Fasts of Zechariah 137

The Day of Trumpets 153

The Day of Atonements 164

The Feast of Tabernacles 175

The Last Great Day 188

The Jubilees and Shemittah 195

Hanukkah 215

Purim 234

Going Deeper 278


3/163


4/163


5/163


6/163


7/163


8/163


9/163


10/163


11/163


12/163


13/163


14/163

27

malice and wickedness, but with theunleavened bread of sincerity andtruth.

As a second witness to this, Acts 20:6 shows us thatthe disciples were still keeping the Days of UnleavenedBread many years after Yeshuas resurrection.

Maasim (Acts) 20:66 But we sailed from Philippi after thedays of Unleavened Bread.

We also know that the Apostle Shaul continued toobserve the Israelite Festival of the Pentecost on theHebrew calendar.

Qorintim Aleph (1stCorinthians) 16:88 But I will remain in Ephesus untilPentecost.

We know that Shaul kept Pentecost on the HebrewCalendar (rather than on the Roman Christian one)because he went up to Jerusalem (and not Rome).

Maasim (Acts) 20:1616 For Shaul had decided to sail pastEphesus, so that he would not have tospend time in Asia; for he was

hurrying to be at Jerusalem, ifpossible, on the Day of Pentecost.

In Acts 27:9, the disciples kept the Day of Atonement,even though it was many years after Yeshua hadalready been resurrected. The Day of Atonement ishere called the Fast, because it is traditionallyobserved by fasting.

28

Maasim (Acts) 27:9-109 Now when much time had beenspent, and sailing was now dangerousbecause the Fast was already over,

Shaul advised them,10 saying, "Men, I perceive that thisvoyage will end with disaster andmuch loss, not only of the cargo andship, but also our li ves."

The reason the voyage was now dangerous was thatthe Day of Atonement takes place in the fall, at the time

when the weather changes from summer to winter.Boat travel on the Mediterranean can be stormy inwinter, and therefore it is dangerous. However, thepoint here is that the apostles were still keeping thefestival days found in the Torah, and not convertedRoman festival days.

YHWH blesses those who keep His festivals.

Maasim (Acts) 2:1-21 When the day of Pentecost hadcome, they were all together in oneplace.2 And suddenly there came fromheaven a noise like a violent rushingwind, and it filled the whole house

where they were sitting.

At least some of the blessings associated with keepingHis festival days are still to come, in the future. InColossians 2:16-17, the Apostle Shaul tells us that theSabbath, the festivals and the New Moon Days are allshadows of things still to come. That means just asYHWH poured out blessings on those who werekeeping His festival days in the past, YHWH will pour


15/163


16/163


17/163


18/163

35

Vayiqra (Leviticus) 23:4242 You shall dwell in booths for sevendays. All who are native Israelites shalldwell in booths.

The rabbinical ruling in the first century was likelyidentical to the rabbinical ruling of today, which is thatfor health and safetys sake, anyone who is sick, old orpregnant does not actually have to stay in a tabernacle,but can rent a room in an inn. However, even thoughMiriam was pregnant, there was no room at the inn.Therefore Joseph and Miriam had to dwell in a

tabernacle (or a booth, or a manger), in keeping withLeviticus 23. While this might have seemed like aturnabout for Joseph and Miriam, all of this came topass so that Yeshua might be born in a temporarydwelling (a tabernacle) on the first day of the fall Feastof Tabernacles, in prophetic fulfillment of the feast.

But even though Yeshua was the second fulfillment of

the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles), Zechariah 14 tellsus that there will yet be a third fulfillment.

Zechariah 14:16-1716 And it shall come to pass thateveryone who is left of all the nationswhich came against Jerusalem shallgo up from year to year to worship the

King, YHWH of hosts, and to keep theFeast of Tabernacles.17 And it shall be that whichever of thefamilies of the earth do not come up toJerusalem to worship the King, YHWHof hosts, on them there will be no rain.

There is even a fourth fulfillment prophesied, in theBook of the Revelation:

36

Gilyana (Revelation) 21:33 And I heard a loud voice from thethrone, saying, " Behold, the tabernacle

of Elohim is among men, and He willdwell among them, and they shall beHis people, and Elohim Himself will beamong them,4 and He will wipe away every tearfrom their eyes; and there will nolonger be any death; there will nolonger be any mourning, or crying, or

pain; the first things have passedaway."

This shows us why the Apostle Shaul warned us not tolet anyone but the Body of Messiah tell us what days ofworship to keep. It is because they are propheticshadow pictures of wonderful blessings still to come.


19/163

37

The Sabbath (Shabbat)

The Fourth Commandment is the command to keep theSabbath. The Sabbath was one of the Ten Commandsthat YHWH inscribed in stone.

Shemote (Exodus) 20:8-118 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keepit set apart.

9 Six days you shall labor and do allyour work,10 but the seventh day is the Sabbathof YHWH your Elohim. In it you shalldo no work: you, nor your son, noryour daughter, nor your male servant,nor your female servant, nor yourcattle, nor your stranger who is within

your gates.11 For in six days YHWH made theheavens and the earth, the sea, and allthat is in them, and rested the seventhday. Therefore YHWH blessed theSabbath day and set it apart.

The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week, and thefact that YHWH inscribed the commandment to rest(i.e., to sabbath) in stone should give us some idea ofthe degree of importance and unchangeability thatYHWH assigns to it.

The reason YHWH assigned the Sabbath as theseventh day of the week is that YHWH created the

heavens and the earth in six days, and then rested onthe seventh day.

38

Breisheet (Genesis) 2:2-32 And on the seventh day Elohimended His work which He had done,and He rested on the seventh day fromall His work which He had done.3 Then Elohim blessed the seventhday and set it apart, because in it Herested from all His work which Elohimhad created and made.

However, YHWH not only rested on the seventh day,

but He also was refreshed.

Shemote (Exodus) 31:12-1712 And YHWH spoke to Moshe, saying,13 "Speak also to the children ofIsrael, saying: 'Surely My Sabbathsyou shall keep, for it is a sign betweenMe and you throughout your

generations, that you may know that Iam YHWH who sets you apart.14 You shall keep the Sabbath,therefore, for it is set apart to you.Everyone who profanes it shall surelybe put to death; for whoever does anywork on it, that person shall be cut offfrom among his people.

15 Work shall be done for six days, butthe seventh is the Sabbath of rest, setapart to YHWH. Whoever does anywork on the Sabbath day, he shallsurely be put to death.16 Therefore the children of Israelshall keep the Sabbath, to observe theSabbath throughout their generationsas a perpetual covenant.


20/163


21/163


22/163


23/163


24/163


25/163


26/163


27/163


28/163


29/163


30/163


31/163

It i t l h E ki l ld i i t


32/163

63

It is not clear why Ezekiel would give us a requirementto assemble on the New Moons in the future when theTorah does not require us to gather on them now.However, Isaiah 66:23 does give us a second witnessthat in the future, all Israel will be required to gather

before Him on the New Moon Days.

Isaiah 66:2323 And it shall be thatfrom New Moon Day toNew Moon Day, and fromSabbath to Sabbath, allflesh shall come toworship before Me,declares YHWH.

)23(

|

In the last chapter we saw that the timing of theSabbath is determined by a count of seven. However,

all of YHWHs other appointed times are based on thenew moon days. For one example, the Passover is tobe held fourteen days after the new moon of the firstmonth is declared (Exodus 12:6). Yom Kippur, or theDay of Atonement is to be held on the tenth day afterYom Teruah (the New Moon of the Seventh Month)(Leviticus 23:27). Since the timing of these festivals isbased on the timing of the new moons, if the new

moons are declared on the wrong day, it throws off thetiming of all the rest of the festivals as well.

YHWH appoints times when He wants to meet with Hisprospective bride Israel. Now, if our Fiance has a datewith us, but we do not show because for some reasonor other we are not paying attention to His calendar,what is He going to think? Do we want to stand the

King of the Universe up for a date?

64

Sincto knneedNew

appoiabouare d

Accobe n

earthmoosaid tTo lconjudirecthethe s

the declaowing whto know h

Moon, so

nts. Ther the Newoing things

ding to mew when i

(in the 3is in this

o be in co

ok at itnction, thion from toon is notn (and he

ation of thn to celeow YHWHe can me

efore, letMoon Dayaccording

dern astrt sits in li

oclock pkind of lijunction r

another w moone earth avisible isce the na

e New Morate YH wants uset with Hi

s take sos, so weto YHWH

nomy, ae betwee

sition, abear alignlative to t

ay, whenits in th the sun decause ite, lunar

on is so eHs festivto determon the ti

me time tan be cerwill.

oon is tho the sun

ove). Whent, thee earth.

the mooe sameoes. Theis conjoinonjunction

sentialls, we

ine thees He

learnain we

ught tond the

en theoon is

is ineneral

reasond with).

become before it can be seen from the earth has to do


33/163

65

A total solar eclipse is a type of lunar conjunction. Atotal solar eclipse takes place when the moon sitsdirectly in between the sun and the earth, blocking thesuns light. However, the moon does not have to

eclipse the sun in order to qualify as a conjunction.

Again, the reason we do not have a total solar eclipseseach month is that the orbits of the earth, the sun andthe moon are not perfectly flat and parallel. Rather,they sit at angles to each other.

As shown in the diagram on the previous page, thereason the lunar conjunction cannot be seen from theearth is that the suns light reflects back towards thesun. However, as the moon continues to orbit the earth(counter-clockwise in the earlier illustration), it soon

reaches a position (midway between 2 and 3 oclock inthe earlier illustration) where part of the bright side ofthe moon can now be seen from the earth, at eventide.This thin reflection is called the First Crescent Sliver ofthe New Moon, and this is the New Moon of Scripture.

In the chart below, the New Moon corresponds to thefourth row down from the top, and the third or the fourth

frame from the left. Exactly how bright the moon has to

66

become before it can be seen from the earth has to dowith a variety of factors, including clouds, weather, dustin the air, and other factors affecting visibility.

Once the first crescent sliver of the new moon can be

seen from the earth, the New Moon Day is declared.

The chart above gives us a typical progression of thephases of the moon over weeks. The first frame (in theupper-left-hand corner) shows the moon in its firstquarter, at 50% illumination. Eight days later the moonis full, at 100% illumination. Then, approximatelyseven days later the moon moves into its last quarter,at slightly more than 50% illumination. Finally, roughly

seven more days and the moon again moves intoconjunction, and cannot be seen, because all of thesuns light reflects back off of the far side. (This issometimes called a no moon). Then eight days later itis back in its first quarter again, although in this chart itis at slightly more than 50%.

Notice that there are at least two days in the above

chart in which the moon is visibly full. There are also


34/163


35/163


36/163


37/163

is an appointed time (), it is not a pilgrimage Aviv Barley and the Head of the Year


38/163

75

pp ( ), p g g

festival ().

We should also recognize the fact that it makes nosense to think that YHWH would use the word keseh

(

) to describe the New Moon, when He just usedthe word Hodesh () to describe it. Therefore, the

word keseh () must mean something else.

What the word keseh () refers to is not exactly a

full moon, but the moon when it is plump, and clothedwith light. As we will see in later chapters, this

describes the Passover and the Feast of Tabernaclesperfectly, as these are pilgrimage festivals, and theybegin on or about the full moon, when the moon isgenerally waxed fat, and plump, and is clothed withlight. Therefore, Psalms 81:3 is the command to blowthe shofar on the Passover, and on the First Day of theFeast of Tabernacles.

3 Blow in the New MoonDay a shofar, in the plumpmoon, on the day of ourpilgrimage feast.

|)4(

76

Aviv Barley and the Head of the Year

Once we know how to determine the New Moon, nextwe need to know how YHWH wants us to determinethe start (or the Head) of the Year. In order to do this,let us look at the Exodus, for this is where YHWH tellsus when He wants the Head of the Year to be.

In Exodus 9:31-32, YHWH caused a plague of hail to

fall on the Land of Egypt. The flax and the barley weredamaged (struck) by the hail, because they were in anadvanced stage of development.

Exodus 9:31-3231 Now the flax and thebarley were struck, for the

barley was in the headand the flax was in bud.32 But the wheat and thespelt were not struck, forthey are late crops.

)31(

|

) :32(

|

The New King James tells us that the barley was struck

because it was in an advanced state of maturity whereit was in the head. The Hebrew word for this is Aviv.()

Soon after the Aviv barley was struck, YHWH toldMoshe and Aharon that this month is the head ofmonths for you; it is the first month of the year to you.This tells us that the first month of the year comes justafter the barley in the Land of Israel becomes Aviv.


39/163


40/163


41/163


42/163


43/163


44/163


45/163

(back to earth), at the timeyou came out of Egypt.

eat it in haste. It is thePassover to YHWH.


46/163

91

you came out of Egypt.

The interpretation that the Passover should be offered

at twilight does not make sense, because it takesseveral hours to dress out a lamb, and then cook it.

The passage continues with the instructions as to howthe first Passover was to be eaten.

7 And they shall take some of theblood and put it on the two doorposts

and on the lintel of the houses wherethey eat it.8 Then they shall eat the flesh on thatnight; roasted in fire, with unleavenedbread and with bitter herbs they shalleat it.9 Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at allwith water, but roasted in fire itshead with i ts legs and its entrails.10 You shall let none of it remain untilmorning, and what remains of it untilmorning you shall burn with fire.

Next, verse 11 specifies we are to eat the Passover inhaste, with our loins girded, sandals (or shoes) on our

feet, and our staff in our hand.

Exodus 12:11And so shall you eat it:loins girded (belt on yourwaist), your sandals onyour feet, and your staff in

your hand. And you shall

)11(

|

92

Passover to YHWH.

The word naaleichem (

) can mean sandals, butit can also mean shoes, or boots. A direct translationwould be something like, what you go upon.

The phrase in haste is , which means, in hasty

flight. This is Strongs OT:2649.

OT:2649 chippazown (khip-paw-zone');from OT:2648; hasty flight:

Looking up Strongs OT:2648, we get:

OT:2648 chaphaz (khaw-faz'); aprimitive root; properly, to start upsuddenly, i.e. (by implication) to

hasten away, to fear:

In other words, the Passover is to be eaten hastily. Wemust eat as if we are ready to flee at any moment.This is surely how our forefathers ate the Passover inEgypt, since they had been told they would surely bedriven out after YHWH had struck all the first born.

Shemote (Exodus) 12:12-1312 'For I will pass through the land ofEgypt on that night, and will strike allthe firstborn in the land of Egypt, bothman and beast; and against all theelohim (gods) of Egypt I will execute

judgment: I am YHWH.13 Now the blood shall be a sign for

you on the houses where you are. And


47/163

that the only way this commandment works is if wehold the Passover on the conjunction of the 14th/15th.

the morning after the Passover meal. However, theplundering of Egypt is spoken of in the past tense (e.g.,


48/163

95

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

{} P 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Shemote (Exodus) 12:19-2019 For seven days no leaven shall befound in your houses, since whoevereats what is leavened, that sameperson shall be cut off from thecongregation of Israel, whether he is astranger or a native of the land.

20 You shall eat nothing leavened; inall your dwellings you shall eatunleavened bread.'"

Now let us skip ahead in the narrative, and we willcome back to verses 24-25 later. Verses 29-35 showus that the children of Israel did not have time to takean extra day to plunder Egypt, in that they were sentout of Egypt in haste.

Shemote (Exodus) 12:33-3433 And the Egyptians urged thepeople, that they might send them outof the land in haste. For they said, "Weshall all be dead."

34 So the people took their doughbefore it was leavened, having theirkneading bowls bound up in theirclothes on their shoulders.

Verses 35 and 36 are often used to say that theExodus was actually a slow event (or that the Passovertook place on the conjunction of the 13th/14thof Aviv),

because the plundering is mentioned in the narrative

96

had done), showing that the children of Israel hadalready plundered the Egyptians before the morningthey were driven out.

Exodus 12:35-3635 And the children ofIsrael had done accordingto the word of Moshe, andthey had asked from theEgyptians objects of

silver, and objects of gold,and garments.36 And YHWH gave thepeople favor in the eyes ofthe Egyptians, so that theygave them what theyasked. And theyplundered the Egyptians.

)35( |

)36(

|

Verse 39 confirms that the Exodus was a hasty event,in that the children of Israel had not been able to delay,nor did they even have enough time to prepare food forthemselves.

Shemote (Exodus) 12:3939 And they baked unleavened cakesof the dough which they had broughtout of Egypt, for it was not leavened,since they were driven out of Egypt,and had not been able to delay, norhad they prepared food forthemselves.


49/163


50/163


51/163


52/163

26 And it shall be, when your childrensay to you, 'What do you mean by thisservice?'

Mattai (Matthew) 26:2323 He answered and said "He who


53/163

105

service?27 that you shall say, 'It is thePassover sacrifice of YHWH, who

passed over the houses of the childrenof Israel in Egypt when He struck theEgyptians and delivered ourhouseholds.'" So the people bowedtheir heads and worshiped.

But if one of the purposes of the Passover is to teachour children about the first Passover, how do we do this

if we cannot offer a lamb until the Temple is rebuilt?

Rabbinic Jews teach their children about the Passoverby holding a traditional meal that they call a PassoverSeder service. Although the Seder plate no longercontains lamb, the Seder service remains largely thesame as it was in first century times; and if we read theaccount of the Last Supper with the idea that Yeshua

was leading a Seder, we see striking similarities.

For instance, in the Middle East, slaves typically stoodwhile their masters ate, in order to wait on them.However, since the children of Israel were now free,they no longer had to stand and serve their Egyptianmasters. Therefore, the rabbinical tradition became tolean (or recline) at the Passover table as much as onecould, in celebration of the fact that one was free.

Mattai (Matthew) 26:2020 Now when evening came, Yeshuawas reclining at the table with thetwelve disciples.

One also dips food into a bowl (or dish).106

23 He answered and said, He whodipped his hand with Me in the dishwill betray Me.

One blesses YHWH, breaks bread, takes four cups ofwine (each at specific times), and gives thanks.

Mattai (Matthew) 26:26-2826 And as they were eating, Yeshuatook bread, blessed and broke it, andgave it to the disciples and said,

"Take, eat; th is is My body."27 Then He took the cup, and gavethanks, and gave it to them, saying,"Drink from it, all of you,28 For this is My blood of the New(Renewed) Covenant, which is shedfor many for the remission of sins.

The word Psalms means praises, and the PassoverSeder usually concludes with the singing of one ormore psalms in praise.

Mattai (Matthew) 26:3030 And when they had sung a hymn,they went out to the Mount of Olives.

The Peshitta Aramaic tells us that Yeshua and hisdisciples sang praises (i.e., Psalms).

Mattai (Matthew) 26:30And they sang praises, and went forthto the mount of Olives. (Peshitta MRD)

However, even though Yeshua almost certainly heldthe Last Supper as a Passover Seder service, the LastSupper had to be held the evening before the Passover

occasionally uses the terms for leavened bread andunleavened bread (and ) interchangeably insome places leaving the reader to know what is what


54/163

107

Supper had to be held the evening before the Passover(on the conjunction of the 13th/14th), because Yeshuawas to be the fulfillment of the Passover Lamb, which

was offered on the afternoon of the 14th

of Aviv (Nisan).

Qorintim Aleph (1st

Corinthians) 5:7For indeed Messiah our Passover wassacrificed for us.

Additionally, both the Aramaic and the Greek textsshow us that the bread used during the Last Supper

was leavened.

Matthew 26:26And as they were eating,Yeshua took bread, andblessed, and brake; andgave to his disciples, and

said: Take, eat; this is mybody.(Murdock Peshitta)

dk PEHMatthew 26:26[wvy lqv !ys[l !yd

acqw $rbw amxl

yhwdymltl bhywwnh wlwka wbs rmaw`yrgp

The word bread in the Peshitta is , which is the

Aramaic counterpart to the Hebrew word lechem(

, meaning a leavened loaf). Similarly, the Greek

word for bread is Strongs NT:740, artos (a;rton),which means a raised (or leavened) loaf.

NT:740 artos (ar'-tos); from NT:142;bread (as raised) or a loaf.

To be fair, we should point out that this fact is not

completely conclusive in and of itself, as the Torah108

some places, leaving the reader to know what is what,based on the context. For example, in Exodus 29:23,YHWH commands Moshe to take leavened cakes

(

) from the basket of unleavened bread (

) thatis before YHWH.

Exodus 29:2323 one loaf of bread, onecake made with oil, andone wafer from the basket

of the unleavened breadthat is before YHWH.

)23(

|

It is also sometimes suggested that the Last Supperwas a traditional Sabbath meal, since traditional Jewsoften share a loaf of leavened bread called challah at

the start of Sabbath. However, the Last Supper couldnot have been held on the Sabbath, because Yeshuawas in the grave for three days and three nights.

Mattai (Matthew) 12:4040 For as Jonah was three days andthree nights in the belly of the greatfish, so will the Son of Man be three

days and three nights in the heart ofthe earth.

By the first day of the week, Yeshua was already risen,having been raised either early on the first day of theweek, or on the Sabbath.

Mattai (Matthew) 28:1


55/163


56/163


57/163


58/163

the house, nor shall you break one ofits bones.47 All the congregation of Israel shallk it

The Wave Sheaf and the Pentecost


59/163

117

keep it.48 And when a stranger dwells with

you and wants to keep the Passover toYHWH, let all his males becircumcised, and then let him comenear and keep it; and he shall be as anative of the land. For nouncircumcised person shall eat it.49 One Torah shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells

among you.

[For more information as to why the requirement ofphysical circumcision was not done away with atYeshuas death, please see the Nazarene Israelstudy.]

While some may find the traditional Passover Seder agood way to teach these things to their children, others

may prefer to pray, eat their meal in haste, and thenspend the rest of the evening reading the story of theExodus, and the accounts of the Last Supper andYeshuas sacrifice in the Good News.

118

If one counts the Passover and Unleavened Bread asone festival, then the second of Israels festivals is thePentecost. The word Pentecost means count fifty, butcount fifty from what? What is the starting point to thiscount to fifty? The answer lies in the interplaybetween Leviticus 23 and Joshua 5.

Leviticus 23:10-1110 "Speak to the childrenof Israel, and say to them:'When you come into theland which I give to you,and reap its harvest, thenyou shall bring a sheaf of

the first fruits of yourharvest to the priest.11 He shall wave thesheaf before YHWH, to beaccepted on your behalf;on the day after theSabbath the priest shallwave it.

)10(

|

:

)11( |

:

Verse 10 tells us that when the children of Israel dwellin the Land of Israel, they are to bring a sheaf of thefirst fruits of their barley harvest (called an Omer, (

to the priesthood. The priesthood then waves thisOmer (Wave Sheaf) before YHWH on the day after the

weekly Sabbath (

).


60/163


61/163


62/163


63/163


64/163

27 Then he shall confirm acovenant with many forone week; but in themiddle of the week He

Seventeen verses later, Yeshua tells Miriam not tocling to Him, as He still had to ascend to His Father.This was in fulfillment of how the Wave Sheaf must be


65/163

129

shall bring an end to

sacrifice and offering. Andon the wing ofabominations shall be onewho makes desolate, evenuntil the consummation,which is determined, ispoured out on thedesolate."

:

Matthew 12:40 tells us that Yeshua would be in thegrave for three days and three nights.

Mattai (Matthew) 12:4040 For as Jonah was three days andthree nights in the belly of the great

fish, so will the Son of Man be threedays and three nights in the heart ofthe earth.

We know that Yeshua was resurrected either on theSabbath, or at the start of the first day of the week(when the Sabbath ends and the first day of the weekbegins). Either way, He was fully risen on the first dayof the week (when the Wave Sheaf is to be offered).

Yochanan (John) 20:11 Now the first day of the week MaryMagdalene went to the tomb early,while it was still dark, and saw that thestone had been taken away from the

tomb.130

waved before YHWH on the first day of the week.

Yochanan (John) 20:1717 Yeshua said to her, "Do not cl ing toMe, for I have not yet ascended to MyFather; but go to My brethren and sayto them, 'I am ascending to My Fatherand your Father, and to My Elohim andyour Elohim.'"

All of this fits perfectly with the Torah Calendar, whichcalls for the Messiah to be cut off in the middle of theweek, raised three days and three nights later (eitheron the Sabbath, or at the end of Sabbath, as the firstday of the week begins), and then to ascend to HisFather on the first day of the week as the propheticfulfillment of the First Fruits of Barley (the Omer).

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Pass. 1ULB 2ULB 3ULB

Omer 5ULB 6ULB 7ULB 5 Om 6 Om 7 Om

8 Om 9 Om 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30 31 32 33 34 35

36 37 38 39 40 41 42

43 44 45 46 47 48 49

Pent.

Pass. = Passover in the middle of the week3ULB = Yeshua raised on the third day (or at end)Omer = Yeshua ascends as the Wave Sheaf

Pent. = Pentecost (always first day of the week)


66/163


67/163

Ivrim (Hebrews) 1:66 But when He again brings thefirstborn into the world, He says: "Letall the messengers of Elohim worshipHi "

23 But each one in his own order:Messiah the First Fruits, afterwardthose who are Messiahs at Hiscoming.


68/163

135

Him."

Yeshua was also the first one to be raised from thedead.

Gilyana (Revelation) 1:55 and from Yeshua Messiah, thefaithful witness, the firstborn from thedead, and the ruler over the kings of

the earth.

As the first born of the dead, Yeshua is also the firstborn of many brethren.

Romim (Romans) 8:2929 For whom He foreknew, He alsopredestined to be conformed to the

image of His Son, that He might be thefirstborn among many brethren.

Scripture also tells us that Yeshua is the first fruits ofthose who will be resurrected unto eternal life.

Qorintim Aleph (1 Cor.) 15:20-2320 But now Messiah is risen from the

dead, and has become the First Fruitsof those who have fallen asleep.21 For since by man came death, byMan also came the resurrection of thedead.22 For as in Adam all die, even so inMessiah all shall be made alive.

136

Surely Yeshua was the First Fruits of all of these thingson His Fathers Torah Calendar.


69/163


70/163


71/163


72/163


73/163


74/163


75/163

assassinated took place. However, while Gedaliahwas assassinated on the first day of the seventhmonth, the Fast of Gedaliah is not observed until thethird day. Some have suggested that this two day lag-time exists because Judaism forbids one to mourn on af

Could the answer be that while the House of Judah hasfaithfully lamented the destruction of YHWHs Temple,the Temple will be rebuilt, as it is written in Ezekiel 40-46; and then the House of Judah will rejoice? In that

f


76/163

151

festival day, even when a loved one dies. Also, sinceRabbinical Judaism celebrates New Years Day for twoconsecutive days, the Fast of Gedaliah was likelypostponed until the third day of the month.

Now let us ask ourselves, if these four traditional daysof fasting are not even necessarily held on the samedate as the events they commemorate, then why does

YHWH tell us that some day, these four days ofmourning and tragedy will be observed as times of joy,gladness, and cheerful feasting?

Zekaryah (Zechariah) 8:18-1918 Then the word of YHWH of hostscame to me, saying,19 "Thus says YHWH of hosts:

'The fast of the fourth month, the fastof the fifth, the fast of the seventh, andthe fast of the tenth shall be joy andgladness and cheerful feasts for theHouse of Judah. Therefore love truthand peace.'

Some believe this passage shows us that YHWH

approves of these traditional fast days, and that in thefuture, all of Israel will keep these fasts. However,while YHWH must certainly be pleased that Judah hasso long lamented the destruction of YHWHs Temple,this passage does not tell us that all of Israel will keepthese four days as fasts. Rather, it tells us that theHouse of Judah will keep them as days of joy, gladnessand cheerful feasting. But why?

152

happy day their mourning and fasting will be replacedby joy, gladness and cheerful feasting, as their blessedand cherished Temple will finally be restored.


77/163


78/163


79/163


80/163


81/163

Nehemiah 8:1313 Now on the second day the headsof the fathers' houses of all the people,with the priests and Levites, weregathered to Ezra the scribe, in order tounderstand the words of the Torah.

The Day of Atonements (Yom Kippur)


82/163

163

The rabbis today celebrate Rosh Hashanah on the firsttwo days of the seventh month, identical with how Ezrathe priest did so.

There are many other rabbinical customs surroundingYom Teruah which we will not attempt to explore here.

164

The tenth day of the seventh month is called by severalnames, but it is usually called Yom Kippur, or the Dayof Atonement. However, the Torah actually calls itYom HaKippurim ( ), or The Day of the

Atonements (plural).

The Day of the Atonements is the most set-apart day ofour year. YHWH tells us not to do any work at all on

this day, for YHWH promises to cut off anyone whodoes not make this a day of complete rest.

Leviticus 23:26-3226 And YHWH spoke toMoshe, saying:27 "Also the tenth day of

this seventh month shallbe the Day of the

Atonements. It shall be aset-apart gathering foryou; you shall afflict yoursouls, and offer an offeringmade by fire to YHWH.28 And you shall do nowork on that same day, forit is the Day of

Atonements, to makeatonement for you beforeYHWH your Elohim.29 For any person who isnot afflicted in soul on that

same day shall be cut off

)26( :

)27(

|

:

)28(

|

:)29(


83/163

9 Their grain offering shall be of fineflour mixed with oil: three-tenths of anephah for the bull, two-tenths for theone ram,10 and one-tenth for each of the sevenlambs;

3 "Thus Aharon shall come into theSet-apart Place: with the blood of ayoung bull as a sin offering, and of aram as a burnt offering.4 He shall put the Set-apart linen tunicand the linen trousers on his body; he


84/163

167

11 also one kid of the goats as a sinoffering, besides the sin offering foratonement, the regular burnt offeringwith its grain offering, and their drinkofferings.

Hebrews 9:7 tells us these sacrifices were to atone forsins the people committed in ignorance.

Ivrim (Hebrews) 9:77 But into the second part the highpriest went alone once a year, notwithout blood, which he offered forhimself and for the people's sinscommitted in ignorance.

However, the High Priest also sent a scapegoat forthinto the wilderness.

Vayiqra (Leviticus) 16:1-341 Now YHWH spoke to Moshe after thedeath of the two sons of Aharon, whenthey offered profane fire before YHWH,

and died;2 And YHWH said to Moshe: "Tell

Aharon your brother not to come atjust any time into the Set-apart Placeinside the veil, before the mercy seatwhich is on the ark, lest he die; for Iwill appear in the cloud above themercy seat.

168

shall be girded with a linen sash, andwith the linen turban he shall beattired. These are Set-apart garments.Therefore he shall wash his body inwater, and put them on.5 And he shall take from thecongregation of the children of Israeltwo kids of the goats as a sin offering,and one ram as a burnt offering.6 "Aharon shall offer the bull as a sinoffering, which is for himself, andmake atonement for himself and forhis house.7 He shall take the two goats andpresent them before YHWH at the door

of the Tabernacle of Meeting.8 Then Aharon shall cast lots for thetwo goats: one lot for YHWH and theother lot for the scapegoat.9 And Aharon shall bring the goat onwhich YHWH's lot fell, and offer it as asin offering.10 But the goat on which the lot fell to

be the scapegoat shall be presentedalive before YHWH, to make atonementupon it, and to let it go as thescapegoat into the wilderness.11 "And Aharon shall bring the bull ofthe sin offering, which is for himself,and make atonement for himself and


85/163


86/163


87/163


88/163

In rabbinic thought, Israel enters mortal danger eachyear during the Fall Festival Season. In rabbinicalthought, Yom Teruah symbolizes divine judgment, andYom Kippur is also a time of judgment. After thesetimes of danger, Israel then dwells in sukkot, which areplaces of safety and freedom. In rabbinic thought, this

is also why YHWH tells us that the Feast of Sukkot is to

16 "Three times a year all your malesshall appear before YHWH your Elohimin the place which He chooses: at theFeast of Unleavened Bread, at theFeast of Weeks, and at the Feast ofTabernacles; and they shall not appear

before YHWH empty handed


89/163

177

is also why YHWH tells us that the Feast of Sukkot is tobe a time of rejoicing at the many blessings that YHWHhas given us.

Devarim (Deuteronomy) 16:13-1713 "You shall observe the Feast ofTabernacles seven days, when youhave gathered from your threshingfloor and from your winepress.

First tithe

14 And you shall rejoice in your feast,you and your son and your daughter,your male servant and your female

servant and the Levite, the strangerand the fatherless and the widow, whoare within your gates.

Third tithe

15 Seven days you shall keep a sacredfeast to YHWH your Elohim in the

place which YHWH chooses, becauseYHWH your Elohim will bless you in allyour produce and in all the work ofyour hands, so that you surely rejoice.

Second tithe

178

before YHWH empty-handed.17 Every man shall give as he is able,according to the blessing of YHWHyour Elohim which He has given you.

Great Commission. Heart condit ion.

The Feast of Sukkot is often thought of as being eightdays long. However, in actuality it is seven days long,and is then followed immediately by a one-day festivalcalled Shemini Atzeret, which means essentially, TheEighth Day Assembly, or The Last Great Day.

Vayiqra (Levit icus) 23:33-4433 Then YHWH spoke to Moshe,

saying,34 "Speak to the children of Israel,saying: 'The fifteenth day of thisseventh month shall be the Feast ofTabernacles for seven days to YHWH.35 On the first day there shall be a set-apart gathering. You shall do nocustomary work on it.

36 For seven days you shall offer anoffering made by fire to YHWH. On theeighth day you shall have a set-apartgathering, and you shall offer anoffering made by fire to YHWH. It is aset-apart assembly, and you shall dono customary work on it.


90/163


91/163

saying, "If anyone thirsts , let him cometo Me and drink.38 He who believes in Me, as theScripture has said, out of his heart willflow rivers of living water."39 But this He spoke concerning the

Spirit whom those believing in Him

19 This shall be the punishment ofEgypt and the punishment of all thenations that do not come up to keepthe Feast of Tabernacles.

Ezekiel 45 further tells us that in the future, the Prince

of Israel will offer burnt offerings during the feast


92/163

183

Spirit, whom those believing in Himwould receive; for the Set-apart Spiritwas not yet given, because Yeshuawas not yet glorified.40 Therefore many from the crowd,when they heard this saying, said,"Truly this is the Prophet."41 Others said, "This is the Messiah.

Zechariah 14 tells us that in the future, the nations ofthe world must come up to Jerusalem for the Feast ofTabernacles, or else they will have no rain.

Zechariah 14:16-2116 And it shall come to pass thateveryone who is left of all the nationswhich came against Jerusalem shallgo up from year to year to worship theKing, YHWH of hosts, and to keep theFeast of Tabernacles.17 And it shall be that whichever of thefamilies of the earth do not come up toJerusalem to worship the King, YHWH

of hosts, on them there will be no rain.18 If the family of Egypt will not comeup and enter in, they shall have norain; they shall receive the plague withwhich YHWH strikes the nations whodo not come up to keep the Feast ofTabernacles.

184

of Israel will offer burnt offerings during the feast.

Yehezqel (Ezekiel) 45:2525 "In the seventh month, on thefifteenth day of the month, at the feast,he [the prince] shall do likewise forseven days, according to the sinoffering, the burnt offering, the grain

offering, and the oil."

The Book of Acts gives us an example of how YHWHprotects His people with tabernacles.

Maaseh (Acts) 15:12-1712 Then all the multitude kept silentand listened to Barnabas and Shauldeclaring how many miracles andwonders Elohim had worked throughthem among the Gentiles.13 And after they had become silent,Yaakov answered, saying, "Men andbrethren, listen to me:14 Shimon has declared how Elohim at

the first v isited the Gentiles to take outof them a people for His name.15 And with this the words of theprophets agree, just as it is written:16 'After this I will return, and willrebuild the tabernacle of David, whichhas fallen down. I will rebuild its ruins,and I will set it up;


93/163

8 Now there were in the same countryshepherds living out in the fields,keeping watch over their flock bynight. 9 And behold, a messenger ofYHWH stood before them, and theglory of YHWH shone around them,

and they were greatly afraid.10 Th th l id t th "D

The Eighth Day Assembly

When YHWH gave us the Torah Calendar, He did notchoose the days at random. Rather, He incorporated


94/163

187

y g y10 Then the angel said to them, "Donot be afraid, for behold, I bring yougood tidings of great joy which will beto all people.11 For there is born to you this day inthe city of David a Savior, who isMessiah YHWH.

And:

Mattai (Matthew) 2:7-127 Then Herod, when he had secretlycalled the wise men, determined fromthem what time the star appeared.8 And he sent them to Bethlehem andsaid, "Go and search carefully for theyoung Child, and when you havefound Him, bring back word to me, thatI may come and worship Him also."9 When they heard the king, theydeparted; and behold, the star whichthey had seen in the East went before

them, till i t came and stood over wherethe young Child was.10 When they saw the star, theyrejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

188

y , pspecific days into His calendar in order to give usprophetic shadow pictures of the things He haspurposed to come to pass.

In the last chapter on Sukkot we spoke briefly about theLast Great Day of the feast. This Last Great Day is

also called Shemini Atzeret, which means, essentially,The Assembly of the Eighth (Day).

While the Assembly of the Eighth is often thought ofsimply as the final day of the Feast of Sukkot, it isactually a separate festival. This is in much the sameway as the Passover is followed by the seven Days ofUnleavened Bread. However, in this case, the seven

days of Sukkot are followed by the one day Assemblyof the Eighth (Shemini Atzeret).

In Hebrew, the word Atzeret ( ) means not just an

assembly, but a very special kind of assembly. Itindicates that ones host is not letting one go home.Rather, ones host is holding one over for an extendedperiod of time. Strongs Concordance defines the word

atzeret (

) in this way:

OT:6116 àtsarah (ats-aw-raw'); oràtsereth (ats-eh'-reth); from OT:6113;an assembly, especially on a festivalor holiday:

When we look up the root at Strongs OT:6113, we get:

OT:6113 àtsar (aw-tsar'); a primitiveroot; to enclose; by analogy, to holdback; also to maintain, rule, assemble:KJV - be able, close up, detain, fast,keep (self close, sti ll), prevail, recover,

refrain, reign, restrain, retain, shut( ) l k t t ithh ld ( lf)

But if the earth is to last for seven thousand years, thenwhy would the Feast of Sukkot last for eight days? Andwhat is the symbolism of the eighth day?

In truth, the Feast of Sukkot lasts only seven days. Weknow this because it is only for seven days that the

children of Israel are to dwell in booths.


95/163

189

(up), slack, stay, stop, withhold (self).

Shemini Atzeret, then, shows us that YHWH intends tohold us back, to detain us, or to close us up in somefashion for the eighth day. But in what way doesYHWH intend to detain us, or to hold us over?

The Apostle Kepha (Peter) tells us that one propheticday can symbolize a thousand earth years.

Kepha Bet (2nd

Peter) 3:88 But, beloved, do not forget this onething: that with YHWH, one day is as athousand years, and a thousand yearsis as one day.

Notice, then, that Scripture tells us that the CreationWeek was seven days long.

Breisheet (Genesis) 2:22 And on the seventh day Elohimended His work which He had done,

and He rested on the seventh day fromall His work which He had done.

If the Creation Week lasted seven days, and if oneprophetic day can represent a thousand earth years,then the Creation Week is symbolic of a seventhousand year plan for the earth and its inhabitants.

190

Vayiqra (Levit icus) 23:41-4341 You shall keep it as a feast toYHWH for seven days in the year. Itshall be a statute forever in yourgenerations. You shall celebrate it inthe seventh month.

42 You shall dwell in booths for sevendays. All who are native Israelites shalldwell in booths,43 that your generations may knowthat I made the children of Israel dwellin booths when I brought them out ofthe land of Egypt: I am YHWH yourElohim.'"

The eighth day of Sukkot, then, is really a separatefestival. Leviticus 23:36 tells us that we are to hold anassembly (

) on this eighth day in order to bring an

offering made by fire. We are also to do no ordinary orlaborious work.

Vayiqra (Leviticus) 23:3636 For seven days you shall offer anoffering made by fire to YHWH. On theeighth day you shall have a set-apartassembly, and you shall offer anoffering made by fire to YHWH. It is aset-apart assembly, and you shall dono customary work on it.

Verse 39 then tells us to keep the first and the eighthdays of the festival as set-apart sabbaths of rest.

Vayiqra (Leviticus) 23:3939 'Also on the fifteenth day of the

seventh month, when you havegathered in the fruit of the land you

19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joyin My people; the voice of weepingshall no longer be heard in her, nor thevoice of crying.20 "No more shall an infant from therelive but a few days, nor an old man

who has not fulfilled his days; for thechild shall die one hundred years old


96/163

191

gathered in the fruit of the land, youshall keep the feast of YHWH for sevendays; on the first day there shall be asabbath-rest, and on the eighth day asabbath-rest.

It may be that the first day of the feast symbolizes the

first day of the Creation Week, when YHWH Elohimcreated the heavens and the earth.

Breisheet (Genesis) 1:1-21 In the beginning Elohim created theheavens and the earth.2 The earth was made formless andvoid; and darkness was on the face ofthe deep.

If the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles symbolizesthe first day of Creation, could it be that Shemini

Atzeret symbolizes how we will go to the New Earth,which Isaiah speaks of?

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 65:17-2517 "For behold, I create new heavensand a new earth; and the former shallnot be remembered or come to mind.18 But be glad and rejoice forever inwhat I create; for behold, I createJerusalem as a rejoicing, and herpeople a joy.

192

child shall die one hundred years old,But the sinner being one hundredyears old shall be accursed.

While the Feast of Tabernacles is symbolic of manythings, it is also symbolic of the New Earth, for theBook of the Revelation tells us that in the New Earth,

the Tabernacle of Elohim will be with men.

Gilyana (Revelation) 21:1-41 Now I saw a new heaven and a newearth, for the first heaven and the firstearth had passed away. Also there wasno more sea.2 Then I, Yochanan, saw the set-apartcity, New Jerusalem, coming down outof heaven from Elohim, prepared as abride adorned for her husband.3 And I heard a loud voice fromheaven saying, "Behold, theTabernacle of Elohim is with men, andHe will dwell with them, and they shall

be His people. Elohim Himself will bewith them, and be their Elohim.4 And Elohim wi ll wipe away everytear from their eyes; there shall be nomore death, nor sorrow, nor crying.There shall be no more pain, for theformer things have passed away.


97/163


98/163


99/163


100/163

Pass.

Wave 2 Om. 3 Om. 4 Om. 5 Om. 6 Om. Shabt

8 Om. 9 Om. 10 11 12 13 Shabt

15 16 17 18 19 20 Shabt

22 23 24 25 26 27 Shabt

29 30 31 32 33 34 Shabt36 37 38 39 40 41 Shabt

While the 49-year cycle has some attractive features,there are also some difficulties. Chief among these isthat the 49-year pattern appears to violate thecommandment given in Leviticus 25:3, which tells us toplant six years.


101/163

201

36 37 38 39 40 41 Shabt

43 44 45 46 47 48 Shabt

Pent.

Pass. = Passover (Pesach)Wave = The Wave Sheaf OfferingOm. = What day of the Omer CountShabt = Shabbat (Seventh-Day Sabbath)Pent. = Pentecost (fiftieth day)

Those who teach a 49-year Jubilee cycle tell us thatthe 50thyear of the Jubilee cycle is also the 1styear ofthe new Jubilee cycle. This, they say, is because theYovel is built upon the Shemittot (Shemittah land

sabbaths), which are based upon the concept ofcounting seven years. They claim that the concept ofrecurring sevens is inviolable, and they also say that itmakes sense to count this way, because it appears tofollow the same pattern as the Pentecost cycle.

43 44 45 46 47 48 Shem

Yovel 2 3 4 5 6 Shem

8 9 10 11 12 13 Shem15 16 17 18 19 20 Shem

22 23 24 25 26 27 Shem

29 30 31 32 33 34 Shem

36 37 38 39 40 41 Shem

43 44 45 46 47 48 Shem

Yovel 2 3 4 5 6 Shem

202

Vayiqra (Leviticus) 25:22 "Speak to the children ofIsrael, and say to them:'When you come into theland which I give you, thenthe land shall keep a

sabbath to YHWH.3 Six years you shall sowyour field, and six yearsyou shall prune yourvineyard, and gather itsfruit;4 but in the seventh yearthere shall be a sabbath ofsolemn rest for the land, asabbath to YHWH. Youshall neither sow your fieldnor prune your vineyard.

)2(

|

:

)3(

|

:

)4(

|

This commandment to plant and reap for six years

before allowing the land to rest in the seventh yearappears to run parallel to the Fourth Commandment,which tells us to labor six days, and then to take a reston the seventh day.

Shemote (Exodus) 20:8-118 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keepit set apart.


102/163


103/163


104/163


105/163


106/163

Judaism traditionally calls for an immersion (baptism)on the day before Yom Kippur, the most set-apart dayof the year.

Luqa (Luke) 3:21-23

21 When all the people wereimmersed, it came to pass that Yeshuaalso was immersed; and while He

14 Then Yeshua returned in the powerof the Spirit to Galilee, and news ofHim went out through all thesurrounding region.15 And He taught in their synagogues,being glori fied by all.

16 So He came to Nazareth, where Hehad been brought up. And as Hiscustom was He went into the


107/163

213

also was immersed; and while Heprayed, the heaven was opened.22 And the Ruach HaKodesh (HolySpirit) descended in bodily form like adove upon Him, and a voice came fromheaven which said, "You are My

beloved Son; in You I am wellpleased."23 Now Yeshua Himself began Hisministry at about thi rty years of age.

As we will show in the next chapter on Hanukkah,Yeshua was probably born on the first day of the FallFeast of Sukkot (Tabernacles). Since Yom Kippur

takes place five days before Sukkot, Yeshua wouldhave been about thirty years of age when He beganHis ministry.

As another witness that Yeshuas ministry may havebegun around the Sukkot timeframe, notice that afterbeing tempted of the Devil for forty days, Yeshuareturned to Natseret (Nazareth), and announced thatHe had been sent to proclaim release to the captives.

Luqa (Luke) 4:13-2113 Now when the devil had endedevery temptation, he departed fromHim until an opportune time.

214

custom was, He went into thesynagogue on the Sabbath day, andstood up to read.17 And He was handed the book of theprophet Isaiah. And when He hadopened the book, He found the place

where it was written:18 "The Spir it of YHWH is upon Me,Because He has anointed MeTo preach the Good News to the poor;He has sent Me to heal thebrokenhearted, to proclaim liberty tothe captives and recovery of sight tothe blind, to set at liberty those who

are oppressed;19 To proclaim the acceptable year ofYHWH.20 Then He closed the book, and gaveit back to the attendant and sat down.

And the eyes of all who were in thesynagogue were fixed on Him.21 And He began to say to them,"Today this Scripture is fulfilled inyour hearing.

Finally, we should state that in all Shemittah and Yovelyears, the Wave Sheaves are taken from wild barley,which may be symbolic of Ephraim.


108/163

24 And when he had taken all away, hewent into his own land, having made agreat massacre, and spoken veryproudly.

After two years, Antiochus sent tax collectors to speak

peaceable words to the people, so as to plunder thecity through deception. After collecting their taxes, theGreek tax collectors then set up a fortress within sight

35 They stored it also with armour andvictuals, and when they had gatheredtogether the spoils of Jerusalem, theylaid them up there, and so theybecame a sore snare:36 For it was a place to lie in wait

against the sanctuary, and an eviladversary to Israel.37 Thus they shed innocent blood on


109/163

217

p gof the Temple Mount, and massacred anyone whobrought offerings to YHWH.

1 Maccabees 1:29-4029 And after two years fully expired

the king sent his chief collector oftribute unto the cities of Judah, whocame unto Jerusalem with a greatmultitude,30 and spake peaceable words untothem, but all was deceit: for when theyhad given him credence, he fellsuddenly upon the city, and smote it

very sore, and destroyed much peopleof Israel.31 And when he had taken the spoilsof the city, he set it on fire, and pulleddown the houses and walls thereof onevery side.32 but the women and children theytook captive, and possessed the cattle.33 Then builded they the city of Davidwith a great and strong wall, andmighty towers, and made it a stronghold for them.34 And they put therein a sinful nation,wicked men, and fortified themselvestherein.

218

yevery side of the sanctuary, anddefiled it:38 insomuch that the inhabitants ofJerusalem fled because of them:whereupon the city was made an

habitation of strangers, and becamestrange to those born in her; and herown chi ldren left her.39 Her sanctuary was laid waste like awilderness, her feasts turned intomourning, her Sabbaths into reproach,her honour into contempt.40 As had been her glory, so was her

dishonour increased, and herexcellency was turned into mourning.

Antiochus then encouraged all his subjects to convertto the Greek religious system, and he forbade all otherworship, including the worship of YHWH.

1 Maccabees 1:41-5041 Moreover King Antiochus wrote tohis whole kingdom, that all should beone people,42 And every one should leave hislaws: so all the heathen agreedaccording to the commandment of theking.

43 Yea, many also of the Israelitesconsented to his religion, andsacrificed unto idols, and profaned theSabbath.44 For the king had sent letters bymessengers unto Jerusalem and the

cities of Juda [Judea], that they shouldfollow the strange laws of the land.45 And forbid burnt offerings, and

52 Then many of the people weregathered unto them, to wit, every onethat forsook the Torah; and so theycommitted evils in the land;53 And drove the Israelites into secretplaces, even wheresoever they could

flee for succour [relief].

By courting those without zeal for the Torah, and


110/163

219

sacrifice, and drink offerings, in thetemple; and that they should profanethe Sabbaths and festival days:46 And pollute the sanctuary and theholy people:

47 Set up altars, and groves, andchapels of idols, and sacrifice swinesflesh, and unclean beasts:48 That they should also leave theirchildren uncircumcised, and maketheir souls abominable with all mannerof uncleanness and profanation:49 To the end they might forget the

Torah, and change all the ordinances.50 And whosoever would not doaccording to the commandment of theking, he should d ie.

Between his incentives for Greek worship and penaltiesfor YHWH worship, Antiochus was largely successful ingetting the people to abandon the Torah.

1 Maccabees 1:51-5351 In the selfsame manner wrote he tohis whole kingdom, and appointedoverseers over all the people,commanding the cities of Juda [Judea]to sacrifice, city by city.

220

having driven away the faithful, Antiochus then ordereda statue of Zeus to be erected in the Temple, andbegan requiring the sacrifice of pigs on the altar.

1 Maccabees 1:54-59

54 Now the fifteenth day of Kislev (theninth month), in the hundred and fortyfifth year, they set up the Abominationof Desolation upon the altar, andbuilded idol altars throughout thecities of Judea on every side.55 And burnt incense at the doors oftheir homes, and in the streets.

56 And when they had rent in piecesthe books of the law which they found,they burnt them with fire.57 And wheresoever was found withany the book of the testament, or ifany consented to the law, the kingscommandment was, that they shouldbe put to death.58 Thus they did by their authorityunto the Israelites every month, to asmany as were found in the cities.59 Now on the five and twentieth dayof the month they did sacrifice uponthe idol altar, which was upon the altarof [Elohim].


111/163


112/163

What shall we say about man-made celebrations, suchas Hanukkah and Purim? At first we might note thatthese celebrations are not commanded anywhere inthe Torah. However, Yeshua was in Jerusalem atHanukkah time, here called the Feast of Dedication.

Yochanan (John) 10:22-2322 Now it was the Feast of Dedicationi J l d it i t

Divre HaYamim Aleph (1st Chronicles)24:1a, 3, 5-191 Now these are the divisions of thesons of Aaron.3 Then David wi th Zadok of the sons ofEleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of

Ithamar, divided them according to theschedule of their service.5 Thus they were divided by lot, one

th f th


113/163

225

in Jerusalem, and it was winter.23 And Yeshua walked in the temple,in Solomon's porch.

Hanukkah is traditionally celebrated by lighting candles,

oil lamps, or other lights, and it was during this samegeneral time frame that Yeshua told us that He was thelight of the world.

Yochanan (John) 8:1212 Then Yeshua spoke to them again,saying, "I am the light of the world. Hewho follows Me shall not walk in

darkness, but have the light of life."

Yeshua confirms that He is the light of the world.

Yochanan (John) 9:55 As long as I am in the world, I am thelight of the world."

While it is an involved proof, some scholars furtherbelieve that Yeshua was conceived during Hanukkah.While we will not list the whole citation here, FirstChronicles 24:7-19 tells us that the Levitical priesthoodwas divided into twenty-four divisions, and that theirschedule of service was then chosen by lot.

226

group as another, for there wereofficials of the sanctuary and officialsof the house of Elohim, from the sonsof Eleazar and from the sons ofIthamar.

In Antiquities 7, Josephus tells us that each divisionserved for a period of one week.

365 He divided them also into courses:and when he had separated the priestsfrom them, he found of these prieststwenty-four courses, sixteen of the

house of Eleazar, and eight of that ofIthamar; and he ordained that onecourse should minister to [Elohim]eight days, from Sabbath to Sabbath.366 And thus were the coursesdistributed by lot, in the presence ofDavid, and Zadok and Abiathar thehigh priests, and of all the rulers: and

that course which came up first waswritten down as the first, andaccordingly the second, and so on tothe twenty-fourth; and this partitionhas remained to this day.[Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews7:365-366 (Alt: VII 14:7)]


114/163


115/163


116/163


117/163

Divre HaYamim Bet (2 Chron) 36:17-2117 Therefore He brought against themthe king of the Chaldeans, who killedtheir young men with the sword in thehouse of their sanctuary, and had nocompassion on young man or virgin,

on the aged or the weak; He gave themall into his hand.18 And all the articles from the houseof Elohim, great and small, the

2 While he tasted the wine, Belshazzargave the command to bring the goldand silver vessels which his (fore)father Nebuchadnezzar had taken fromthe temple which had been inJerusalem, that the king and his lords,

his wives, and his concubines mightdrink from them.3 Then they brought the gold vesselsthat had been taken from the temple of


118/163

235

, g ,treasures of the house of YHWH, andthe treasures of the king and of hisleaders, all these he took to Babylon.19 Then they burned the house of

Elohim, broke down the wall ofJerusalem, burned all its palaces withfire, and destroyed all its preciouspossessions.20 And those who escaped from thesword he carried away to Babylon,where they became servants to himand his sons until the rule of the

kingdom of (Media-) Persia,21 to fulfill the word of YHWH by themouth of Jeremiah, until the land hadenjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as shelay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fu lfil lseventy years.

Nebuchadnezzar was succeeded by Evil-Merodach,

and then by Belshazzar, who made a great festival.

Daniel 5:1-41 Belshazzar the king made a greatfeast for a thousand of his lords, anddrank wine in the presence of thethousand.

236

pthe house of Elohim which had been inJerusalem; and the king and his lords,his wives, and his concubines drankfrom them.

4 They drank wine, and praised thegods of gold and silver, bronze andiron, wood and stone.

Because Belshazzars heart was lifted up, and becausehe made a point of denigrating the Temple vessels,YHWH gave Belshazzar a sign that he would soon die.

Daniel 5:5-65 In the same hour the fingers of aman's hand appeared and wroteopposite the lampstand on the plasterof the wall of the king's palace; and theking saw the part of the hand thatwrote.6 Then the king's countenance

changed, and his thoughts troubledhim, so that the joints of his hips wereloosened and his knees knockedagainst each other.

Since no one could read the writing, the prophet Danielwas brought in to interpret the sign.

Daniel 5:18-3118 O king, the Most High Elohim gaveNebuchadnezzar your (fore) father akingdom and majesty, glory andhonor.

19 And because of the majesty that Hegave him, all peoples, nations, andlanguages trembled and feared beforehim. Whomever he wished, he

praised the elohim (g-ds) of silver andgold, bronze and iron, wood andstone, which do not see or hear orknow; and the Elohim who holds yourbreath in His hand and owns all yourways, you have not glori fied.

24 Then the fingers of the hand weresent from Him, and this writing waswritten.25 "And this is the inscription that was


119/163

237

executed; whomever he wished, hekept alive; whomever he wished, heset up; and whomever he wished, heput down.

20 But when his heart was lifted up,and his spirit was hardened in pride,he was deposed from his kinglythrone, and they took his glory fromhim.21 Then he was driven from the sonsof men, his heart was made like thebeasts, and his dwelling was with the

wild donkeys. They fed him with grasslike oxen, and his body was wet withthe dew of heaven, till he knew that theMost High Elohim rules in the kingdomof men, and appoints over it whomeverHe chooses.22 "But you his son, Belshazzar, havenot humbled your heart, although you

knew all this.23 And you have lifted yourself upagainst the Master of heaven. Theyhave brought the vessels of His housebefore you, and you and your lords,your wives and your concubines, havedrunk wine from them. And you have

238

written:MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.26 This is the interpretation of eachword. MENE: Elohim has numbered

your kingdom, and finished it;27 TEKEL: You have been weighed inthe balances, and found wanting;28 PERES: Your kingdom has beendivided, and given to the Medes andPersians."29 Then Belshazzar gave thecommand, and they clothed Daniel

with purple and put a chain of goldaround his neck, and made aproclamation concerning him that heshould be the third ruler in thekingdom.30 That very night Belshazzar, king ofthe Chaldeans, was slain.31 And Darius the Mede received the

kingdom, being about sixty-two yearsold.

King Darius the Mede was then succeeded by Koresh(Koresh), of Persia. YHWH inspired Koresh toproclaim a release and a return for all of the Jews, sothey could return to the Land of Israel.

Ezra 1:1-41 Now in the first year of Koresh kingof Persia, that the word of YHWH bythe mouth of Jeremiah might befulfilled, YHWH stirred up the spirit of

Koresh king of Persia, so that he madea proclamation throughout all hiskingdom, and also put it in writing,saying,

Those who returned immediately began rebuilding theTemple, but their efforts were frustrated by theSamaritan inhabitants of the land. Though partlydescended from the Ephraimites, the Samaritans weremainly descended from foreign stock, which the kingsof Assyria had brought in to resettle and repopulate the

land. These Samaritans did whatever they could tofrustrate the Jewish efforts to rebuild.

Ezra 4:1-24


120/163

239

2 Thus says Koresh king of Persia:Al l the kingdoms of the earth YHWHElohim of heaven has given me. AndHe has commanded me to build Him a

house at Jerusalem which is in Judah.3 Who is among you of all His people?May his Elohim be with him, and lethim go up to Jerusalem which is inJudah, and build the house of YHWHElohim of Israel (He is Elohim), whichis in Jerusalem.4 And whoever is left in any place

where he dwells, let the men of hisplace help him with silver and gold,with goods and livestock, besides thefreewill offerings for the house ofElohim which is in Jerusalem.

The total number of Jews returning was only some fortytwo thousand, which was but a fraction of the millions

of Jews living in Media-Persia at that time.

Ezra 2:6464 The whole assembly together wasforty-two thousand three hundred andsixty.

240

1 Now when the adversaries of Judahand Benjamin heard that thedescendants of the captivity werebuild ing the temple of YHWH Elohim of

Israel,2 they came to Zerubbabel and theheads of the fathers' houses, and saidto them, "Let us build with you, for weseek your Elohim as you do; and wehave sacrificed to Him since the daysof Esarhaddon king of Assyria, whobrought us here."

3 But Zerubbabel and Yeshua and therest of the heads of the fathers'houses of Israel said to them, "Youmay do nothing with us to build ahouse for our Elohim; but we alonewill build to YHWH Elohim of Israel, asKing Koresh the king of Persia hascommanded us."

4 Then the people of the land tried todiscourage the people of Judah. Theytroubled them in building,5 and hired counselors against themto frustrate their purpose all the daysof Koresh king of Persia, even until thereign of Darius king of Persia.


121/163


122/163


123/163

Having become drunk with wine, King Ahasueruscalled for his beautiful wife Vashti (whose namemeans, And drink), to show off her figure to the otherleaders of his realm. Vashti refused, and King

Ahasuerus became furious. After his anger subsided,he began to seek a replacement for Vashti.

Esther 2:1-41 After these things, when the wrath ofKing Ahasuerus subsided he

Esther 2:5-85 In Shushan the citadel there was acertain Jew whose name was Mordecaithe son of Yair, the son of Shimei, theson of Kish, a Benjamite.6 Kish had been carried away fromJerusalem with the captives who hadbeen captured with Yeconiah king ofJudah, whom Nebuchadnezzar theking of Babylon had carried away.7 And Mordecai had brought up


124/163

247

King Ahasuerus subsided, heremembered Vashti, what she haddone, and what had been decreedagainst her.

2 Then the king's servants whoattended him said: "Let beautifulyoung virgins be sought for the king;3 and let the king appoint officers in allthe provinces of his kingdom, thatthey may gather all the beautiful youngvirgins to Shushan the citadel, into thewomen's quarters, under the custody

of Hegai the king's eunuch, custodianof the women. And let beautypreparations be given them.4 Then let the young woman whopleases the king be queen instead ofVashti." This thing pleased the king,and he did so.

It is in this context that we meet Mordechai, a Jew ofthe tribe of Benjamin, possibly related to King Shaul,son of Kish. We also meet his beautiful adopteddaughter Hadassah, who is also called Esther.Mordechai brought Esther to the kings palace, thoughhe charged her not to tell anyone she was Jewish.

248

7 And Mordecai had brought upHadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle'sdaughter, for she had neither fathernor mother. The young woman was

lovely and beautiful. When her fatherand mother died, Mordecai took her ashis own daughter.8 So it was, when the king's commandand decree were heard, and whenmany young women were gathered atShushan the citadel, under thecustody of Hegai, that Esther also was

taken to the king's palace, into thecare of Hegai the custodian of thewomen.9 Now the young woman pleased him,and she obtained his favor; so hereadily gave beauty preparations toher, besides her allowance. Thenseven choice maidservants were

provided for her from the king'spalace, and he moved her and hermaidservants to the best place in thehouse of the women.10 Esther had not revealed her peopleor family, for Mordecai had chargedher not to reveal it.


125/163


126/163


127/163


128/163


129/163


130/163


131/163

4 So the king said, "Who is in thecourt?" Now Haman had just enteredthe outer court of the king's palace tosuggest that the king hang Mordecaion the gallows that he had preparedfor him.

5 The king's servants said to him,"Haman is there, standing in thecourt." And the king said, "Let himcome in."6 So Haman came in and the king

Mordecai the Jew who sits within theking's gate! Leave nothing undone ofall that you have spoken."11 So Haman took the robe and thehorse, arrayed Mordecai and led himon horseback through the city square,and proclaimed before him, "Thus

shall it be done to the man whom theking delights to honor!"12 Afterward Mordecai went back tothe king's gate. But Haman hurried tohis house mourning and with his head


132/163

263

6 So Haman came in, and the kingasked him, "What shall be done for theman whom the king delights tohonor?"Now Haman thought in his heart,"Whom would the king delight tohonor more than me?"7 And Haman answered the king, "Forthe man whom the king delights tohonor,8 let a royal robe be brought which the

king has worn, and a horse on whichthe king has ridden, which has a royalcrest placed on its head.9 Then let this robe and horse bedelivered to the hand of one of theking's most noble princes, that he mayarray the man whom the king delightsto honor. Then parade him on

horseback through the city square,and proclaim before him: 'Thus shall itbe done to the man whom the kingdelights to honor!'"10 Then the king said to Haman,"Hurry, take the robe and the horse, asyou have suggested, and do so for

264

his house, mourning and with his headcovered.

Now we can also surmise why Queen Esther has notasked King Ahasuerus her question straightaway,though it was important enough to risk her life for.Perhaps she also needed some assurance that herpetition and requests would be listened to, in light ofthe fact that the king had earlier been drinking withHaman. However, now that she sees Mordechai beinghonored publicly, it will seem safe to ask her question.

Esther 6:13-1413 When Haman told his wife Zereshand all his friends everything that hadhappened to him, his wise men and hiswife Zeresh said to him, "If Mordecai,before whom you have begun to fall, isof Jewish descent, you will not prevail

against him but will surely fall beforehim."14 While they were still talking withhim, the king's eunuchs came, andhastened to bring Haman to thebanquet which Esther had prepared.


133/163

10 So they hanged Haman on thegallows that he had prepared forMordecai. Then the king's wrathsubsided.

Then, after it is revealed to the king that Mordechai isthe man who raised the queen, the formerly anti-

Semitic King Ahasuerus gives his signet to Mordechai,making him the second in command of his realm. ThenQueen Esther begs the king with tears to spare her life,as well as the lives of her people.

Haman, the son of Hammedatha theAgagite, which he wrote to annih ilatethe Jews who are in all the king'sprovinces.6 For how can I endure to see the evilthat will come to my people? Or howcan I endure to see the destruction of

my countrymen?"7 Then King Ahasuerus said to QueenEsther and Mordecai the Jew, "Indeed,I have given Esther the house ofHaman and they have hanged him on


134/163

267

Esther 8:2-81 On that day King Ahasuerus gaveQueen Esther the house of Haman, theenemy of the Jews. And Mordecaicame before the king, for Esther hadtold how he was related to her.2 So the king took off his signet ring,which he had taken from Haman, andgave it to Mordecai; and Estherappointed Mordecai over the house of

Haman.3 Now Esther spoke again to the king,fell down at his feet, and implored himwith tears to counteract the evil ofHaman the Agagite, and the schemewhich he had devised against theJews.4 And the king held out the golden

scepter toward Esther. So Estherarose and stood before the king,5 and said, "If it pleases the king, andif I have found favor in his sight andthe thing seems right to the king and Iam pleasing in his eyes, let it bewrit ten to revoke the letters devised by

268

Haman, and they have hanged him onthe gallows because he tried to lay hishand on the Jews.8 You yourselves write a decreeconcerning the Jews, as you please, inthe king's name, and seal it with theking's signet ring; for whatever iswritten in the king's name and sealedwith the king's signet ring no one canrevoke."

Shortly after Pentecost, messengers went forth with anew decree, that the Jews could defend themselvesagainst all attackers on the day that they were to beattacked.

Esther 8:10-1210 And he wrote in the name of King

Ahasuerus, sealed it wi th the king's

signet ring, and sent letters bycouriers on horseback, riding on royalhorses bred from swi ft steeds.11 By these letters the king permittedthe Jews who were in every city togather together and protect their lives to destroy, kil l, and annihi late all the

forces of any people or province thatwould assault them, both little childrenand women, and to plunder theirpossessions,12 on one day in all the provinces ofKing Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth dayof the twelfth month, which is the

month of Adar.

When the thirteenth day of the twelfth month came, theJews enemies were overpowered.

11 On that day the number of thosewho were killed in Shushan the citadelwas brought to the king.12 And the king said to Queen Esther,"The Jews have killed and destroyedfive hundred men in Shushan thecitadel, and the ten sons of Haman.

What have they done in the rest of theking's provinces? Now what is yourpetition? It shall be granted to you. Orwhat is your further request? It shallbe done."


135/163

269

Esther 9:11 Now in the twelfth month, that is, themonth of Adar, on the thirteenth day,the time came for the king's commandand his decree to be executed. On theday that the enemies of the Jews hadhoped to overpower them, theopposite occurred, in that the Jewsthemselves overpowered those whohated them.

Hamans ten sons were also put to death.

Esther 9:6-146 And in Shushan the citadel the Jewskilled and destroyed five hundred men.7 Also Parshandatha, Dalphon,

Aspatha,

8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha,9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, andVajezatha 10 the ten sons of Haman the son ofHammedatha, the enemy of the Jews they killed; but they did not lay ahand on the plunder.

270

be done.13 Then Esther said, "If it pleases theking, let it be granted to the Jews whoare in Shushan to do again tomorrowaccording to today's decree, and letHaman's ten sons be hanged on thegallows."14 So the king commanded this to bedone; the decree was issued inShushan, and they hanged Haman'sten sons.

In verse thirteen, Ester asks the king to allow the Jewsto defend themselves against their enemies once more,on the fourteenth day of the month. Yet, Ester alsoasks permission to hang Hamans ten sons, eventhough they were already dead (and even listed byname in verses seven through nine). Could it be thatthe reason Esther wanted to hang their corpses up in

the sun was, in the aftermath of Hamans earlier order,to make it perfectly clear that no one who would messwith the Jews was safe in King Ahasuerus empire?

Some of the Jews were finished defending themselveson the thirteenth of the month, while others needed anextra day.

Esther 9:15-1715 And the Jews who were in Shushangathered together again on thefourteenth day of the month of Adarand killed three hundred men atShushan; but they did not lay a hand

on the plunder.16 The remainder of the Jews in theking's provinces gathered togetherand protected their lives, had rest fromtheir enemies, and killed seventy-five

Esther 9:20-2620 And Mordecai wrote these thingsand sent letters to all the Jews, nearand far, who were in all the provincesof King Ahasuerus,21 to establish among them that theyshould celebrate yearly the fourteenth

and fifteenth days of the month ofAdar,22 as the days on which the Jews hadrest from their enemies, as the monthwhich was turned from sorrow to joy


136/163

271

, ythousand of their enemies; but theydid not lay a hand on the plunder.17 This was on the thirteenth day ofthe month of Adar. And on thefourteenth of the month they restedand made it a day of feasting andgladness.18 But the Jews who were at Shushanassembled together on the thirteenthday, as well as on the fourteenth; and

on the fifteenth of the month theyrested, and made it a day of feastingand gladness.19 Therefore the Jews of the villageswho dwelt in the unwalled townscelebrated the fourteenth day of themonth of Adar with gladness andfeasting, as a holiday, and for sending

presents to one another.

Because of these things, Mordechai and Esther wroteto their people, commanding that the fourteenth andfifteenth days of the twelfth month (Adar) be kept as afestival forever, in perpetuity, among all the Jews.

272

j yfor them, and from mourning to aholiday; that they should make themdays of feasting and joy, of sendingpresents to one another and gifts tothe poor.23 So the Jews accepted the customwhich they had begun, as Mordecaihad written to them,24 because Haman, the son ofHammedatha the Aga

the torah calendar home printable

Documents