The Fall Feasts (Part 2) - Sounding the Alarm to Return, Repent, and Rejoice!
Reverend Lita Theodos is a Jewish believer and is the founder and director of Living Waters Ministries, a Messianic, worship dance, teaching and healing ministry. She co-pastors with her husband, Kerry who is Greek and together as Jew & Greek they represent the “One New Man”. They have a Training & Resource Center in Belleville, NJ where they have teachings and offer a wide selection of Messianic and worship resources. Beginning Sat., Nov. 1, 2014 they will be starting a Messianic fellowship and Torah bible study (1st & 3rd Thursday evenings) etc. in Newark, NJ. Call (973) 661-5217 (sorry, no texting) or email livingwatersmin@msn.com for schedule of services, events, directions, and other information.
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by Messianic Pastor Lita Theodos
Sounding the shofar during the first Fall Feast known biblically as the Feast of Trumpets or traditionally as Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year calls Messiah’s bride to stop her ungodly ways and return to her first love, the Lord. God uses the shofar blast to get our attention letting us know that we are about to enter His presence. Traditionally during Rosh HaShanah an individual is inscribed in the Book of Life. It is followed by the 10 Days of Awe (Yamim Noraim) when they are admonished to repent of their sins and perform good deeds in order to merit being sealed in the Book of Life. This culminates on the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur, the most solemn day in the Jewish community marked by repentance, fasting and prayer. However, Jewish people who do not know Jesus as their Messiah must do this every year. As believers we know that we cannot earn salvation, it is a free gift from God (Eph. 2:8-9). Jesus, the Messiah is the only atonement for sin. By receiving Him in our heart as Lord and Savior of our life we can be permanently sealed in the Book of Life. Biblically the Day of Atonement (covering) was to provide an atonement for the sins of the people of Israel. It was a holy day established by God for Israel because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the people (Lev.16). As stated in Leviticus 23:26-32 it was to be observed on the tenth day of the seventh month (Tishri 10 which will occur sundown Fri., Oct. 3rd to sundown Sat., Oct. 4th). It was a day of confession for 24 hours when the individual was to “afflict their soul” and also be conscious of their sin as a nation. Absolutely no work was to be done on that day, otherwise that person would be cut off from his people. |
Only on this day the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle with the blood of the sacrificed animal making atonement for Israel’s sins. It states in Lev. 17:11 that atonement is in the blood. Forgiveness was received through repentance and believing that the high priest’s intercessory ministry was acceptable to God (Heb. 9:7).
As believers we know that Jesus Christ is our great High Priest in the order of Melchizedek (Heb. 5:6-10) who entered the tabernacle in heaven with His own blood to make final atonement for our sins (Heb. 4:14-16; 9:11-28; 10:1-14, 19-22).
In the last days the Day of Atonement will be fulfilled when all Israel shall mourn for the Messiah and accept the atonement He has made. When the Lord returns He will open up a cleansing fountain for Israel and the nations of the earth’s sins (Ezek. 47:8-12, Zech. 12:10; 13:1, Rev. 22:1-2).
The last and greatest Feast is the Feast of Tabernacles, Feast of Ingathering or Sukkot (Lev. 23:33-43). It begins on the fifteenth day of the seventh month and lasts for seven days (Tishri 15 which will occur sundown Wed., Oct. 8th through sundown Wed., Oct. 15th). The eighth day was a solemn assembly called Shemini Atzeret. No work was to be done on the first or eighth day.
Tabernacles was the third and final pilgrimage when all the adult Jewish males were required to go up to Jerusalem and stand before the Lord.
The major themes of this Feast include the harvest and the wilderness. After the Lord allowed the Israelites to flee Egypt and they wandered in the wilderness He had them make booths (sukkot), also described as temporary dwellings, tabernacles or huts.
They represented God’s provision for us in the wilderness. The booths which were temporary dwellings made of branches reminded us that one day we will have a permanent dwelling as we tabernacle together in the Glory of the Lord (2 Corin. 5:1-7). This Feast is also a time to give thanks for Jesus’ earthly ministry because He was the Word that became flesh so that He could tabernacle with us on earth (John 1:14).
The Feast of Ingathering was held at the end of the harvest season when God’s abundant provision was clearly seen (Ex. 23:16). It’s a time to renew our faith in the Lord who will provide regardless of our circumstance and to celebrate God’s goodness. In the last days this Feast points to the enormous harvest of souls that will be gathered from the nations. After Jesus returns all the nations’ representatives will go up to Jerusalem during Sukkot to worship the King of Kings (Zech. 14:16-19).
The three main elements of the Feast were the booths, the lulav (Lev. 23:40) which includes the palm, myrtle, willow branches with the etrog (citron - sweeter than a lemon) and rejoicing.
While the booths reminds us of the wilderness, the frailty of life and our dependence on God to be our dwelling place on earth, the lulav represents abundance and completion as well as points us to the Promised Land. The etrog represents the harvest. It’s sweet taste is symbolic of someone who knows Torah (God’s Word) (Ps. 119:103-104) and it’s fragrance depicts a person who lives out the Scriptures in their daily life. As believers we are called to know and be obedient to the Word of God. As we live this out daily we will become a fragrance of Messiah to those around us.
On the last day of the Feast, the Temple worship included a prophetic water pouring from the pool of Siloam. It was at this time that Jesus cried out, “…If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.” (John 7:37-38)
Believers who allow the Holy Spirit to take control of their life will have their spiritual thirst quenched as they continually drink from the living waters.
The Fall Feasts can help prepare the church, Christ’s bride to meet her Bridegroom. The bride in all her busyness with the preparations for the wedding must stop, returning her attention to her groom so her love won’t grow cold. The bride must repent of this and anything else unclean in her heart so that her wedding gown will be pure white reflecting the holiness of the Lord. Finally as she walks down the aisle to meet Jesus, her Bridegroom she will be radiant and rejoicing for this is the wedding of the Lamb! See you there!
As believers we know that Jesus Christ is our great High Priest in the order of Melchizedek (Heb. 5:6-10) who entered the tabernacle in heaven with His own blood to make final atonement for our sins (Heb. 4:14-16; 9:11-28; 10:1-14, 19-22).
In the last days the Day of Atonement will be fulfilled when all Israel shall mourn for the Messiah and accept the atonement He has made. When the Lord returns He will open up a cleansing fountain for Israel and the nations of the earth’s sins (Ezek. 47:8-12, Zech. 12:10; 13:1, Rev. 22:1-2).
The last and greatest Feast is the Feast of Tabernacles, Feast of Ingathering or Sukkot (Lev. 23:33-43). It begins on the fifteenth day of the seventh month and lasts for seven days (Tishri 15 which will occur sundown Wed., Oct. 8th through sundown Wed., Oct. 15th). The eighth day was a solemn assembly called Shemini Atzeret. No work was to be done on the first or eighth day.
Tabernacles was the third and final pilgrimage when all the adult Jewish males were required to go up to Jerusalem and stand before the Lord.
The major themes of this Feast include the harvest and the wilderness. After the Lord allowed the Israelites to flee Egypt and they wandered in the wilderness He had them make booths (sukkot), also described as temporary dwellings, tabernacles or huts.
They represented God’s provision for us in the wilderness. The booths which were temporary dwellings made of branches reminded us that one day we will have a permanent dwelling as we tabernacle together in the Glory of the Lord (2 Corin. 5:1-7). This Feast is also a time to give thanks for Jesus’ earthly ministry because He was the Word that became flesh so that He could tabernacle with us on earth (John 1:14).
The Feast of Ingathering was held at the end of the harvest season when God’s abundant provision was clearly seen (Ex. 23:16). It’s a time to renew our faith in the Lord who will provide regardless of our circumstance and to celebrate God’s goodness. In the last days this Feast points to the enormous harvest of souls that will be gathered from the nations. After Jesus returns all the nations’ representatives will go up to Jerusalem during Sukkot to worship the King of Kings (Zech. 14:16-19).
The three main elements of the Feast were the booths, the lulav (Lev. 23:40) which includes the palm, myrtle, willow branches with the etrog (citron - sweeter than a lemon) and rejoicing.
While the booths reminds us of the wilderness, the frailty of life and our dependence on God to be our dwelling place on earth, the lulav represents abundance and completion as well as points us to the Promised Land. The etrog represents the harvest. It’s sweet taste is symbolic of someone who knows Torah (God’s Word) (Ps. 119:103-104) and it’s fragrance depicts a person who lives out the Scriptures in their daily life. As believers we are called to know and be obedient to the Word of God. As we live this out daily we will become a fragrance of Messiah to those around us.
On the last day of the Feast, the Temple worship included a prophetic water pouring from the pool of Siloam. It was at this time that Jesus cried out, “…If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.” (John 7:37-38)
Believers who allow the Holy Spirit to take control of their life will have their spiritual thirst quenched as they continually drink from the living waters.
The Fall Feasts can help prepare the church, Christ’s bride to meet her Bridegroom. The bride in all her busyness with the preparations for the wedding must stop, returning her attention to her groom so her love won’t grow cold. The bride must repent of this and anything else unclean in her heart so that her wedding gown will be pure white reflecting the holiness of the Lord. Finally as she walks down the aisle to meet Jesus, her Bridegroom she will be radiant and rejoicing for this is the wedding of the Lamb! See you there!