Praying for God's Leading

Lead Me Lord

Wendy Blight

"Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."

Psalm 119:105 (NIV)

Devotion:

Do you pray for direction, and hear nothing?

Do you wonder if God even heard your prayers?

Friend, you are not alone. Often I come before God, pouring out my heart in prayer, seeking His will for different areas in my life. Then I hear nothing. He is silent. Not wanting to wait, I forge ahead on my own. In my busyness, I fail to sit and wait. No time, I say, because someone is waiting for an answer. No time, I say, because I need to act now.

Yet, when I examine Scripture, God consistently teaches: sit, pray, and wait. Jesus began His ministry by fasting forty days alone in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). He spent an entire night alone in prayer before choosing His twelve disciples (Luke 6:12).

Esther fasted and prayed for three days before she took the bold and courageous step of going before the king on behalf of her people, knowing it could mean her death (Esther 4:8-16).

Elijah went into the wilderness for forty days to hear the "still small voice" (1 Kings 19:11-18).

What do these great people of faith teach us? To know God's leading, to hear His voice, we must listen and wait. Maybe we think God is silent because we never take the time to sit in God's Word and wait. When we do, He promises it will penetrate us to the marrow of our bones, to the deepest places in our heart. Hebrews 4:12 says His Word is living and active and "sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow" (NIV).

When we choose to get alone with God, He promises to meet us there. Jeremiah 29:13-14a says, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you" (NIV). Take the challenge to meet Him in His Word.

Do you want direction? Follow these steps.

1) Read God's Word: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the [woman] of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (NIV) God was actively involved in the writing of Scripture. It is the infallible and authoritative Word of God written to speak Truth into your life today.

2) Study God's Word: 2 Timothy 2:15 says, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" (NIV). When you study His Word, He plants it deep within your heart. His Spirit then takes the Word and bends your heart in His direction, enabling you to hear His Voice.

3) Pray God's Word: Isaiah 55:11 says, "...so is My Word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purposes for which I sent it" (NIV). Prayer is God's living Word spoken out of your mouth. When you pray in faith, you hold God' Word up to Him in prayer. You put Him in remembrance of His Word, and His promise is that Word will not return void. Furthermore it shall accomplish that which He purposes and pleases.

Join me today in applying God's Word to the circumstances in your life. Know that when you do, God promises to do abundantly more than you could ever ask or imagine!

Heavenly Father, I need direction in my life today. You seem distant and silent. Yet I know that You are not because You promise to never leave me or forsake me. Today, I commit to search Your Word. Open my eyes that I may see the wonderful things in Your Law. Give me eyes to see and ears to hear Your direction in my circumstances. Thank You, Lord, that in my seeking You will meet me. Thank You that as I trust in You completely, You will lead me down Your paths! In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner: The Transforming Power of God's Story by Wendy Blight

He Speaks to Me, Priscilla Shirer

Stop by Wendy's blog.

Application Steps:

Commit one area of your life or one situation with which you struggle to hear the Lord. Search His Word for verses that speak to your situation. Write them down on a card, commit them to memory, and pray them back to God. Wait and watch for God to do a mighty work. Share your story with me on my blog. I would love to celebrate God's faithfulness with you.

Reflections:

Sit and soak in Psalm 119 and marvel at the many blessings that flow from knowing and obeying God's Word.

Power Verses:

Read, study, and pray the verses listed in the body of the devotional.

© 2009 by Wendy Blight. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

Sinning

Why Do We Still Sin?

Q. If we are to walk in the spirit so as not to sin, why do we still fall prey to sin? i try hard not to sin but I find that I keep slipping up, letting temptation get the better of me. I’m afraid God will just give up on me. What can I do?

A. You won’t be able to completely stop sinning until the Rapture. Our sin nature prevents it. Even Paul couldn’t stop (Romans 7:19-20). Keep on doing the best you can, confess when you fail, and know that God has already forgiven all of the sins you’ll ever commit, (Col. 2:13-14) so He’s not going to give up on you. (Romans 8: 38-39)

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Sin

Struggling With sin

Q. I struggle with a particular sin that seems to have a stronghold on me. I commit this particular sin because I like it. I know it is wrong but I do it anyway… because I like it After I commit this sin I feel guilty and remorseful. I repent and ask God to forgive me only to go right back and do it again. It’s as if there are two of me warring against each other. It has become a vicious cycle.

How does one stop doing something that is wrong when, if we are honest with ourselves, we like it. I like to use the analogy of pizza because I love pizza. If pizza became a sin tomorrow I would have trouble because I like it…a lot. So then, it seems to me that until I stop liking some thing I wont stop doing it. If so , then how do you stop liking something that you truly like…do you see the frustration that I’m experiencing.

Another way to look at it might be that we will always like sin and it will always be a struggle. When Jesus said we have to pick up our cross and deny ourselves daily does this mean the denial of the pleasures of sin. I just want to stop doing certain things. As Christian I feel like such a hypocrite. Sometimes it seems like I’m fighting a losing battle. I’m so frustrated!

A. First of all, stop beating yourself up. We all sin, and we all commit the same sins over and over. Even the mighty Paul had this problem. “For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:18-19)

The only hypocrites among us are those who deny they have problems similar to yours. For some it’s over eating, or drinking too much. Others can’t control their tempers, or their lusts, or their envy, or their pride. Still others have idols they can’t lay down, like their possessions, their bank accounts, or their leisure activities. If sin wasn’t pleasurable we’d have no trouble denying it. You make it sound like yours might be less socially acceptable than some others, but that’s just man’s opinion. In God’s view all sins are unacceptable.

The guilt you obviously feel is the devil trying to steal your joy. It sounds counter-intuitive, but the best way to get rid of a recurring sin is to stop giving it so much importance. The devil exploits the importance we give to our sins by heaping on extra guilt for committing them, which actually has the effect of making a repeat offense more likely. Pretty soon we feel so bad that we’re hiding from God, like Adam in the garden, and that’s just what the devil wants.

When you sin, confess and receive your forgiveness. (1 John 1:9) For God, that’s the end of it and He forgets it ever happened. You do the same. Repeat the verse from James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Guilt does not come from God. You resist the devil by seeing the guilt for what it is, his effort to drive a wedge between you and God, and rejecting it.

Pretty soon you’ll find you’re not doing it as much anymore and you’ll have deprived the devil of one more weak spot to probe. Stay focused on James 4:7, keep your guard up, and when you stumble forgive and forget, just like God does. Eventually you’ll achieve the victory you desire.

The most important thing for all of us to remember is that this life isn’t about pleasing ourselves. It’s about thanking God for saving us. We do it by adopting behavior that pleases Him.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Suicide

Is Suicide Forgivable?

Do you think the one sin not forgivable is suicide since it is a murder against the Spirit that dwells within the believer?

Do you think the one sin not forgivable is suicide since it is a murder against the Spirit that dwells within the believer?

Like Paul said, I still do the things I hate and have problems doing the things I wish I could.

With that in mind sometimes I wonder what that sin is but then I think how Christ Jesus never loses anyone, so how can we as believers commit this sin which has no pardon since we were all predestined, justified, sanctified, and gloried from the beginning.

And if by doing so meaning we were never in Christ, why would it even come to a question of pardon since the non-believer doesn’t feel the need for penitence?

A. Obviously Paul didn’t commit suicide and I don’t think he was worried about just one sin in Romans 7. He was admitting that although saved he was still a sinner. And you can’t kill the Spirit of God, just like you can’t kill the spirit of man. Both are eternal. Suicide is the murder of one’s own body.

Hebrews 10:12-14 says that Jesus died once for all time. That means all our sins, past present and future were dealt with at the cross. This includes suicide, the last sin of a person’s life. And because God knew all of our sins before we took our first breath it doesn’t take him by surprise if a believer dies at his own hand. He saw it before it happened, took it to the cross with all our other sins, and paid for it there.

The only unforgivable sin is to reject the pardon the Lord’s death made available to us, because that’s the only remedy for our sins that God has provided. If we reject that, then we’ve put ourselves outside of God’s forgiveness.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Will there be gods in the Millenium?

Gods In The Millennium

Q. Your site remains one of my favorites. Keep up the good work and thank you for this excellent forum.

My family was reading the book of Micheas recently and I came across a passage I find confusing. For reference, the first five verses of chapter four are as follows:

4:1 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared in the top of the mountains, and high above the hills: and people shall flow to it.

4:2 And many nations shall come in haste, and say: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob: and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth out of Sion, and the word of the Lord out of Jerusalem.

4:3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off: and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into spades: nation shall not take sword against nation: neither shall they learn war anymore.

4:4 And every man shall sit under his vine, and under his fig tree, and there shall be none to make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken.

4:5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god: but we will walk in the name of the Lord, our God, for ever and ever.

Sounds like a prophecy of the millennium. But in verse 5 it says that all people will walk in the name of their god (small ‘g’) while we (Israel, presumably) will walk in the name of the Lord. Who are these other gods? This implies that there will still be other belief systems, other gods, or other paths to God in that time. This makes me wonder about Muslims, Hindus, etc. in our own present time. I believe that Jesus Christ is the ONLY path to God and salvation and that the other belief systems are myth and error; but this verse gives me pause - have I misunderstood something? What is your understanding of this verse? I appreciate your insights.

A. You’re correct in seeing Micah 4:1-5 as a Millennial passage. Verse 5 has been interpreted in various ways. Some say that it should be translated as follows. “For all people may now walk every one in the name of his god: but we will walk in the name of the Lord, our God, for ever and ever.” Others, and I’m inclined toward this view, say that at some point during the Millennium people from among the nations will begin to reject the God of Israel in favor of other gods, who they might be is not clear, but that Israel will remain faithful forever. This is consistent with scripture that tells us of a massive rebellion at the end of the Millennium, when Satan is freed for a time. (Rev 20:7-9).

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

3 Signs of Moses, what does it mean?

The Three Signs Of Moses

Q. In Exodus 4, Moses is giving excuses to God why he’s not the man for the job. God replies in giving him 3 signs that will cause the elders of Israel to believe Moses is their deliverer sent by God. I understand that the plagues, that come later, were demonstrations of God’s supremacy over the gods of Egypt (at least one of the lessons from the plagues). My question is, what were the 3 signs to the elders to typify that they would believe that Moses was indeed sent by God? (staff to a serpent, leprous hand, and water from the Nile poured out turning to blood on the ground) These appear to be similar to the plagues, but not quite.

Thank you so much for your website!

A. If I understand correctly, you’re looking for meaning beyond the supernatural nature of the signs that would convince the Elders of Israel that Moses was indeed sent by God. I’ve never seen anything on this in the commentaries I’ve read, but here’s what I know.

The serpent is a model of Satan. By turning the rod into a serpent big enough to frighten Moses and then having him pick it up by the tail (something no snake handler in his right mind would do since it left the head free to come around and bite him) God was demonstrating his power over Satan, something only He has.

Through out the Bible, leprosy is a model for sin. In his gospel to the Jews, Matthew had Jesus heal a man of leprosy as His introductory miracle. Curing leprosy was symbolic of forgiving sins, something only God can do.

Blood is the symbol of life, something only God can give. So you have something only God has, something only He can do, and something only He can give symbolized in the three signs. To the Jewish mind, these three things would have clearly identified God as the power behind Moses.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Moses and Aaron

Two Questions About Moses And Aaron

Q. It is so wonderful to be able to ask a bible scholar those questions that no one I know is able to answer. Thank you for the time you take to respond so thoroughly to everyone’s questions.

I have two questions. Why did God have the Israelites that worshiped the golden calf killed, but do nothing to Aaron who fashioned the calf? In fact, he later made him a priest.

The other question is, why was God so angry with Moses and Aaron over the water miracle in the desert, that they were not allowed to enter the promised land?

A. Aaron’s mistake was in bowing to the demands of the people. (Exodus 32:1) It was they who demanded that he make an idol for them. He was being weak, but they were committing blasphemy.

In Exodus 17:6 God had Moses strike a rock to make water gush forth. Later, in Numbers 20:8 he was told only to speak to the rock, but instead in anger he struck it again. This was a violation of God’s command but it also ruined a lesson God was trying to teach us.

In 1 Cor. 10:4 Paul said that the rock was a model of Christ. He was to die once for all time to produce rivers of living water, the Holy Spirit. (John 7:37-39) After that one time all we have to do is ask to receive the Holy Spirit.

By striking the rock twice, Moses violated the model that God was trying to create for us.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Idolatory?

You Shall Not Make An Idol Of Anything

Q. Something I’ve been concerned about lately (to the point of severe distress) is the arguments I’ve heard against images of Christ, and how that is clearly in violation of the second commandment. Arguments I have heard include that Aaron and the Israelites created the golden calf to be representative of THE God, not a non-specific pagan one and that God was clearly against ANY representation of himself since in Deuteronomy it’s pointed out that no one saw the face of God on Mt. Horeb and that in the New Testament it says that the Godhead cannot be likened unto gold or stone. I’m familiar with the iconoclasts and am very much afraid for the people I care about who genuinely love God, but have images of Christ (although they do not worship the images) in their homes. Even my church has a drawing of Christ in the sanctuary. I don’t want to be idolatrous. (I’ve also heard that to represent the symbol of the cross is sinful –I’m talking about the empty cross as well as a crucifix.) What do you think about these issues?

A. I think the opinion you’ve been taught about images is a little extreme. The golden calf represented Mnevis, one of Egypt’s gods, not the God of Heaven. There have been efforts to suggest that the calf was really a depiction of God, but it think it’s a bit of revisionism.

God told His people not to construct an idol of anything and then bow down before it in worship. (Exodus 20:4-6) The question people ask is whether making the idol is wrong or whether it’s worshiping the idol that violates the commandment. In my understanding, both are forbidden.

That said, I don’t think putting a copy of a painting of Jesus in the church equates with making an idol, because people aren’t bowing down before the picture, or considering it an object of worship. (The same is true of the empty cross, but I do believe that some make the crucifix or a statue of a “saint” into an object of worship.)

If the very picture of Jesus violates the commandment then any painting or photograph of anything in all of creation would likewise be a violation. I believe the intent of the commandment is to prohibit making a tangible object of worship.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Why is Satan released at the end of the Millenium?

Releasing Satan

Q. At the end of the millennium, God releases Satan from the lake of fire. Why? Where do we find more information about this in the scriptures?

A. God actually releases Satan from his imprisonment in the Abyss. (Rev. 20:3) I believe this is part of God’s purpose for the Millennium. Think about it. Why a 1000 year interlude between time and eternity? I think it’s to answer three accusations man has hurled at God through the ages.

In justifying his sinfulness man has said,

1) “The devil made me do it.” So the devil is bound for 1000 years.(Rev. 20:3)

2) “It’s the influence of all those unbelievers.” So at the beginning of the Millennium, all unbelievers are taken from Earth.(Matt. 25:41)

3) “It’s because you went away and left us.” So God comes to Earth to rule in person from Jerusalem.(Ezek. 43:7)

After 1000 years of perfect in person rule with the devil bound, what’s the outcome?

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. (Rev. 20:7-9)

That’s all we’re told, but here’s my opinion.

Remember, at the beginning of the Millennium Tribulation Survivors who become believers after the Church is Raptured come into the Kingdom in their natural states to re-populate the planet. Their children are the ones who Satan recruits. Even after 1000 years of perfect rule by the Lord Himself, there’s still enough rebellion in the hearts of natural man that as soon as Satan’s released they rise up in arms against the Almighty.

I think the whole purpose of the Millennium is to demonstrate that there’s no condition possible under which natural man can live in peace with God. Satan is released to help prove this point.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Atheist

Question: "What does the Bible mean when it says “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’”?"


Answer: Both Psalm 14:1 and Psalm 53:1 read, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” Some take these verses to indicate that atheists are stupid, i.e. lacking intelligence. However, that is not the meaning of the Hebrew word translated “fool.” In this text, the Hebrew word is nabal which refers more to a “moral fool,” e.g., someone without morals. The meaning of the text is not “Unintelligent people do not believe in God.” Rather, the meaning of the text is “Immoral people do not believe in God.”

Many atheists are very intelligent individuals. It is not intelligence, or a lack thereof, that leads a person to reject belief in God. It is a lack of morals that leads a person to reject belief in God. People do not reject the idea of there being a Creator Being. Rather, people reject the idea of there being a Creator Being who demands morality from His creation. In order to clear their consciences and relieve themselves of guilt, people reject the idea of God as the only source of absolute morality. Doing so allows atheists to live however they choose—as morally or immorally as they desire—with no feelings of guilt for their refusal to be accountable to God.

Several prominent atheists have admitted this. One famous atheist, when asked what he hopes to accomplish through atheism, declared that he wants “to drink as much alcohol and have sex with as many women as possible.” Belief in a divine Being is accompanied by a feeling of accountability and responsibility toward that Being. So, to escape from the condemnation of conscience, which itself was created by God, one must deny the existence of God in order to deny the moral pull of the conscience.

This is not to say that all atheists are immoral people. Many atheists live relatively moral lives. The point of “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’” is that a lack of evidence of His existence is not the true reason people reject belief in God. People reject belief in God due to a desire to live free of the moral constraints He requires and to escape the guilt that accompanies the violation of those constraints. “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them … men are without excuse … their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools … Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie” (Romans 1:18-25).


Website: www.gotquestions.org

How should we respond to betrayal?

Jesus Betrayed by Judas

by Max Lucado

When betrayal comes, what do you do? Get out? Get angry? Get even? You have to deal with it some way. Let's see how Jesus dealt with it.

Begin by noticing how Jesus saw Judas. "Jesus answered, 'Friend, do what you came to do.' " (Matthew 26:50)

Of all the names I would have chosen for Judas it would not have been "friend." What Judas did to Jesus was grossly unfair. There is no indication that Jesus ever mistreated Judas. There is no clue that Judas was ever left out or neglected. When, during the Last Supper, Jesus told the disciples that his betrayer sat at the table, they didn't turn to one another and whisper, "It's Judas. Jesus told us he would do this."

They didn't whisper it because Jesus never said it. He had known it. He had known what Judas would do, but he treated the betrayer as if he were faithful.

It's even more unfair when you consider the betrayal was Judas's idea. The religious leaders didn't seek him, Judas sought them. "What will you pay me for giving Jesus to you?" he asked. (Matthew 26:15) The betrayal would have been more palatable had Judas been propositioned by the leaders, but he wasn't. He propositioned them.

And Judas's method ... again, why did it have to be a kiss? (Matthew 26: 48--49)

And why did he have to call him "Teacher"? (Matthew 26:49) That's a title of respect. The incongruity of his words, deeds, and actions--I wouldn't have called Judas "friend."

But that is exactly what Jesus called him. Why? Jesus could see something we can't...

Jesus knew Judas had been seduced by a powerful foe. He was aware of the wiles of Satan's whispers (he had just heard them himself). He knew how hard it was for Judas to do what was right.

He didn't justify what Judas did. He didn't minimize the deed. Nor did he release Judas from his choice. But he did look eye to eye with his betrayer and try to understand.

As long as you hate your enemy, a jail door is closed and a prisoner is taken. But when you try to understand and release your foe from your hatred, then the prisoner is released and that prisoner is you.

From
His Name is Jesus
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2009) Max Lucado

Rewards

Our Eternal Rewards

1 Corinthians 3:5-15

The Lord is not only our Savior and Judge; He is also our Rewarder. God will generously recompense us for our deeds which survive the fire of His judgment. These rewards can be for something as simple as giving someone a cup of cold water (Matt. 10:40-41) or as momentous as dying a martyr's death for Christ. Nothing will be overlooked by our God.

Matthew 25:21 describes these rewards as praise from the Lord, increased responsibility in the kingdom, and entrance into the joy of Christ. Scripture also speaks of several crowns which God will give to those who have faithfully lived for Jesus rather than for themselves. In heaven, we will have the opportunity to cast them before Christ's throne in worship (Rev. 4:10-11).

Daniel 12:3 says that those with insight will shine like the brightness of the heavens. The more obediently we have lived for Christ, the greater will be our capacity to reflect His glory for all eternity.

Our greatest reward will be the Lord Himself. We'll have a relationship with Him that will be absolutely perfect. No sin will ever come between us. As much as we enjoy the Lord on earth, our relationship will prove even richer and more satisfying in heaven.

What we do in this life will determine to a great degree how God blesses us in the life to come. If we live for Him now, we will have the privilege of laying our crowns at His feet. Since no one will want to come to His throne empty-handed, we should view each day on earth as an opportunity to invest for eternity.

Website: www.intouch.org

Feasts of Israel

The Feasts of the Lord--Part I

FEASTS OF THE LORD (most of the following study is taken from The Seven Feasts of the Messiah by Eddie Chumney)

HEBREW NAME ENGLISH NAME TIME OF OBSERVANCE

1. Pesach Passover Nisan 14

2. Hag HaMatzah Feast of Nisan 15-21

Unleavened Bread

3. Bikkurim First Fruits (of The morrow after the the Barley Harvest) sabbath during Hag HaMatzah

4. Shavout Feast of Weeks/ Fifty days from the Pentecost Feast of First Fruits

5. Yom Teruah Feast of Trumpets Tishrei 1 (Rosh HaShanah)

6. Yom Kippur Day of Atonement Tishrei 10

7. Sukkot Feast of Tabernacles/ Tishrei 15-21 Booths

THE APPOINTED FEASTS

The Festivals of the Lord found in Leviticus, chapter 23, were given to us by God so His people could understand the coining of the Messiah and the role that the Messiah would play in redeeming and restoring both man and the earth back to God following the fall of Man in the Garden of Eden.

The Festivals are divided into two major portions, depending upon whether they occur in the spring or the fall. The Spring Festivals teach about the First Coming of the Messiah, and the Fall Festivals teach about the Second Coming of the Messiah. During the course of the year, the rains come in Israel at two primary times - the spring and the fall. In Hosea 6:3 we read- "...His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth." The "latter and former rain" in this passage is commonly interpreted and understood to be the coming of the Holy Spirit.

The "former and latter" rain also refers to the First and Second Coming of the Messiah. The Hebrew word for the former rain, found also in Joel 2:23, is 'moreh', which means "teacher". Jesus, the teacher, was sent by God to the earth to faithfully teach us righteousness, just as God faithfully sends us the rain. (Isaiah 55:10-11) The harvest (believers in Christ) is the product that the rain (Jesus) produces.

The Apostle Paul, in Colossians 2:16-17 refers to the Feasts as a "shadow of things to come." The first four Feasts or Festivals, which are Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, and Pentecost, primarily teach about the significant events in the First Coming of the Messiah and why these events were an important part of God's redemption of man.

The last three Feasts, which are the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah) also known as Rosh HaShanah, the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths (Sukkot), give us a fascinating insight concerning important events that surrond the Second Coming of the Messiah. God gave the Festivals to teach about the death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah, the empowering of the believers by the Holy Spirit, the resurrection of the dead, the coronation of the Messiah, the wedding of the Messiah (which we have already outlined in a previous study, but will include portions here as well), the Millennium, and much more.

The Bible also provides some powerful reasons for studying and understanding the Seven Festivals of the Messiah:

-The Feasts are in the Bible, and all the Bible is inspired by God. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

-The Feasts are a shadow of things to come that teach us about the Messiah. (Colossians 2:16-17, Hebrews 10:1)

-God gave the Feasts so we could learn and understand God's plan of redemption for the world and our personal relationship to Him. (Romans 15:4)

THE BIBLICAL CALENDAR AND THEIR MONTH OF THE YEAR

MONTH OF MONTH OF
NAMES OF MONTH OUR MONTH CIVIL YEAR SACRED YEAR

Tishrei Sep 1st 7th

Cheshvan Oct 2nd 8th

Kislev Nov 3rd 9th

Tevet Dec 4th 10th

Shevat Jan 5th 11th

Adar Feb 6th 12th

Nisan (Aviv) Mar 7th 1st

Iyar Apr 8th 2nd

Sivan May 9th 3rd

Tammuz June 10th 4th

Av July 11th 5th

Elul Aug 12th 6th

To fully understand the Feasts being appointed times given by God, it is important to understand the Biblical Calendar that God gave to us. There are two primary calendars in the Bible. The first one is called the Civil Calendar and is used from Genesis 1:1 to Exodus 12. The first month in the Civil Calendar is Tishrei. Rosh HaShanah, or the Jewish New Year, the first day in the Civil Calendar, is the beginning of the New Year. The second calendar in the Bible is the Religious Calendar. The Religious Calendar is used from Exodus 12 to Revelation 22. God established the Religious Calendar in Exodus 12:2- "This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you." The month that God was referring to was the month which is called Nisan. Prior to God establishing the month of Nisan as the first month in the Religious Calendar, Nisan was the seventh month in the Civil Calendar. God gave the Religious Calendar so that we could understand that these Feasts, which He gave and which are His appointed times and foreshadow important events in redemption, would happen on the days He ordained on the Religious Calendar. These important days on the Religious Calendar are the same days that He gave as Festivals in Leviticus, chapter 23.

HISTORICAL APPLICATION OF THE FEASTS

FEAST HISTORICAL APSECT

1. Passover Israel's deliverance out of Egyptian bondage

2. Unleavened Bread The going out of Egypt

3. First Fruits Crossing the Red Sea

4. Pentecost Giving the Commandments at Mount Sinai

5. Rosh HaShanah Blowing the 'Shofar' (trumpet) (Feast of Trumpets) Jewish New Year

6. Day of Atonement Priest entered the Holy of Holies Cleansing of the people's sins

7. Tabernacles Entering the Promised Land/Great Rejoicing

MESSIANIC APPLICATION OF THE FEASTS

FEAST MESSIANIC FULFILLMENT

1. Passover Death of Christ on the Cross (tree)

2. Unleavened Bread The burial of Jesus

3. First Fruits The resurrection of Jesus

4. Pentecost Pouring out of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2)

5. Rosh HaShanah The resurrection of the dead/ (Feast of Trumpets) Rapture of the believers

6. Day of Atonement The day of Christ's Second Coming

7. Tabernacles The Messianic Era/Millennium

SPIRITUAL APPLICATION OF THE FEASTS

FEAST SPIRITUAL APPLICATION

1. Passover Repent and trust by faith in the shed blood of Jesus

2. Unleavened Bread Sanctification and separation from evil represented by water immersion (baptism)

3. First Fruits Walking in newness of life

4. Pentecost Immersion (baptism) in the Holy Spirit and faith in God

5. Rosh HaShanah Hear the calling (shofar (trumet)) of (Feast of Trumpets) God for our lives

6. Day of Atonement Yielding ourselves to God so that we may live (face to face) in His Presence

7. Tabernacles A daily rest in the Messiah and having the rest of His Kingdom in our hearts

SIGNIFICANCE IN BRIEF

1. Passover Reminds us that God is the forgiver of sin who grants us eternal life in His Kingdom through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Passover

2. Unleavened Bread Depicts putting sin out of our lives

3. First Fruits Christ, the firstfruits risen from the dead, afterward, those who are Christ's at His Coming

4. Pentecost Serves to remind us that our Creator still works miracles, empowering us to carry out His work in this world

5. Rosh HaShanah Looks forward to the return of Jesus Christ (Feast of Trumpets) (rapture of the Church), and to the resurrection of the "dead in Christ" -the hope of Christians

6. Day of Atonement Pictures the loving reconciliation we have with God, made possible through Christ's sacrifice It also shows the remarkable truth that Satan will eventually be removed so that humanity can at last attain reconciliation with God on a universal basis

7. Tabernacles Represents the Millenium, the reign of Christ on Earth for 1,000 years of true happiness and utopia

OVERVIEW OF THE SPRING FESTIVALS

The four Spring Festivals are Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, and the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost.

These four Spring Festivals are joined together as an interrelated unit. The Feast of Weeks is considered the conclusion to Passover. The season of Passover is not considered totally over until Pentecost is completed.

Passover begins in Egypt (a type of the world), where the children of Israel had become slaves. In the days of Joseph, there was a famine in Israel and the children of Israel went down to Egypt and gave themselves to rulership under Pharoah. Because of this, Pharoah had legal ownership over the people. This ownership could be broken only by the death of Pharoah, thus freeing the children of Israel to go to the Promised Land. When Pharoah died, his rulership over the children of Israel was legally broken and the people were free to go to the Promised Land.

Spiritually speaking, Pharoah is a type of Satan. Until you accept Jesus into your life, Satan has legal ownership over you. By the death of Jesus, the legal ownership that Satan has over our lives is broken and we are free to enter into the spiritual promised land of God and receive all the promises that He has promised to us.

>From the crossing of the Red Sea (Nisan 17) to the day Moses met God on Mount Sinai were 47 days. For 47 days the children of Israel traveled through the wilderness before they came to Mount Sinai on the third day of the third month. (Exodus 19:1) God instructed the people through Moses to sanctify themselves before He visited them three days later on Mount Sinai, which would be the sixth day of the third month. (Exodus 19:10-11) This day would be the fiftieth day following the crossing of the Red Sea. It came to be known as the revelation of God at Mount Sinai. This day, being the fiftieth day from the crossing of the Red Sea on Nisan 17 would be the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost.

>From the Exodus story, we can see tht the Lamb was slain on the fourteenth of Nisan, the day of Passover. On the fifteenth of Nisan, the day of Unleavened Bread, the people left Egypt. On the seventeenth of Nisan the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea, and 50 days later on the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, God gave Moses the Commandments.

In the studies of the Feasts that will follow, we will see how Jesus died on Passover (Nisan 14), was in the sepulcher on the day of Unleavened Bread (Nisan 15), and was resurrected on the day of First Fruits (Nisan 17), and the Holy Spirit empowered the believers 50 days following Jesus resurrection on the day of Pentecost. We will also learn what these Feasts mean to the believer and how they relate to our personal relationship with God.

OVERVIEW OF THE FALL FESTIVALS

The Fall Festival season begins with a 40 day period called, in Hebrew, 'Teshuvah', which means "to repent or return". This 40 day period begins in the sixth month of the Religious Calendar, and concludes on the tenth day of the seventh month, which is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Each morning in the synagogue following the morning prayers, a trumpet (shofar) is blown (except on sabbaths and the day preceding Rosh HaShanah, the Feast of Trumpets). The Biblical name for Rosh HaShanah is Yom Terah, which means "the day of the awakening blast". We call it the Feast of Trumpets. God gave us this day to teach us about the resurrection of the dead, the coronation of the Messiah, the wedding of the Messiah, and more. This day is both the Jewish New Year and the beginning of a period of soul searching known as the High Holy Days, culminating on Yom Kippur. Therefore, the last 10 days of the 40 day period of Teshuvah or repentance, is also called the high Holy Days.

The first and second days of the 10 High Holy Days (Tishrei 1-10) are collectively known as one day. (Nehemiah 8:1-2,13) The seven day period from Tishrei 3 through Tishrei 9 is called the Days of Awe or the Awesome Days. God gave these special days on His calendar to teach us about the future tribulation period on earth. These seven days will correspond to the seven years of the tribulation, known in Hebrew as the "birthangs of the Messiah".

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement is observed on the tenth day of the seventh month. (Leviticus 23:26-32) Since Rosh HaShanah teaches us about the resurrection of the dead, the coronation of the Messiah and the wedding of the Messiah, and the Days of Awe teach us about the tribulation, Yom Kippur teaches us about the literal Second Coming of the Messiah when He will setHis foot down of the Mount of Olives. (Zechariah 14:4)

The Feast of Tabernacles is observed the fifteenth day of the seventh month of Tishrei to the twenty first day. This Festival teaches us the joy of the Messianic Kingdom or the Millennium.

There are four important aspects to remember when dealing with each of the seven Great Festivals of the Lord:

1. All of the Festivals are, at the same time, both historical and prophetic.

2. All of the Festivals teach about the Messiah, or Jesus.

3. All of the Festivals are agricultural in context.

4. All of the Festivals teach about your personal relationship with God and how you are to walk with Him as you grow in the knowledge of Him, from being a baby believer to a mature believer.

THE MEANING OF THE WORD "FEAST" IN THE BIBLE

There are two important Hebrew words that appear in Leviticus, chapter 23, and each word is translated as 'feast' in English. In verse 2, the word for feast is the Hebrew word 'mo'ed'- "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, concerning the feasts (mo'ed) of the Lord..." The word 'mo'ed' means an appointment, a fixed time or season, a cycle or year, an assembly, an appointed time, a set time or exact time. By understanding the Hebrew meaning of the English word "feast", we can see that God is telling us that He is ordaining a "set time or exact time or an appointed time" when He has an apointment with humanity to fulfill certain events in the redemption. Jesus came to earth at the exact time ordained by God as Paul wrote in Galations 4:4, and God has an exact time or set appointment when, in the future, He will judge the world as written in Acts 17:31.

In verse 6 is another Hebrew word translated as "feast"- "And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast (chag) of unleavened bread..." The Hebrew word 'chag', which means a "festival", is derived from the Hebrew root word 'chagag', which means to move in a circle, to march in a sacred procession, to celebrate, dance, to hold a solemn feast or holiday. God gave the Festivals as cycles to be observed yearly so that, by doing them, we can understand God's redemptive plan for the world, the role that the Messiah would play in that redemption, and our personal relationship to God concerning how we grow from a baby Bible believer to a mature Bible believer.

THREE TIMES A YEAR THEY WERE TO ASSEMBLE

There are a total of seven Feasts (the divine number for perfection or completeness in the Bible). God divided the seven Festivals into three major Festival seasons. The Feast of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits are in the Hebrew month of Nisan, which is the first month of God's Religious Calendar in the spring of the year. The Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, is observed in the third month which is the Hebrew month of Sivan. The Feasts of Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles are observed in the seventh month of Tishrei, which is in the fall of the year. Three is the number of complete and perfect testimony and witness. (2 Corinthians 13:1, 1 John 5:8) So the Feasts are a witness to God's divine plan and the role of Messiah fulfilling that plan.

UNDERSTANDING THE FEASTS

In Leviticus 23:2 it is written, "...the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations..." The Hebrew term translated as convocation in Leviticus 23:2,4 is 'miqra', which means "a rehearsal". God gave the Festivals to be yearly "rehearsals" of the future events in the redemption. Because God gave the "rehearsals" to teach us about the major events in the redemption, if we want to understand those events, then we need to understand what God was teaching us by these rehearsals. We will do this in the study as we get into the Feasts themselves.

The Feasts of the Lord--Part II

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Online Bible Prophecy Studies; Please feel free to email me, Jason, at group@spintheweb.com if you have any questions or comments on this article, or on the subject of the pretribulation rapture, or if you wish to share any scriptures with me.

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