Happy Sabbath, and Welcome to The Feast!
Guest_Elyna : I will ask Bro. Luke to open the meeting with prayer, please.
Lucan : Dear heavenly Father. We thank you for the blessing of this time of convocation. We pray that our ability to connect with each other will continue to improve as we go forward. We are ever blessed as we come together during the feast days, and Tabernacles in particular, as we look forward to the Last Great Day. We pray that this season will provide us with opportunities to hasten that day effectively, both in our lives and in readying others for the harvest. In the name of Yahshua we pray, amen
Guest_Barb : Amen
Zahakiel : Amen.
Guest_Elyna : Amen.
Guest_Daphna : Amen
Guest_Naraiel : Mane
Guest_Victoria : Amen
Guest_Naraiel : Amen, Amen
Guest_Elyna : Welcome everyone to this Sabbath and the opening of the Feast of Tabernacle (or the dwelling in booths or tent) of Yahweh. Because of the short time we have to introduce this very broad topic of the feasts, we can only, rightly give a summary of it, the most, or a testimony the least of, why the feasts are an essential part of our preparation time here on earth. The feasts are important, for us as the called out people of the Almighty, for our families, AND are important in claiming the world for Yahshua.
I will begin with a few rhetorical questions and statements for you to reflect upon. And during the course of the presentation or at the end whenever you are moved to share or answer a question you judge essential, please do so. If at the end you still have questions unanswered, we can discuss them or further on them by email.
Questions: Why did Yah command ancient Israel to keep through times, hence for us today? What were the benefits of those holy convocations for Israel? What does the «Time of refreshing coming from the presence of Yah mean?» How is the church today suppose to draw nigh to Yah especially in the perilous times we are living in, where if it were possible the very elect would be deceived?
Now consider this: when we are in communication we must consider--time and place -Assembling of ourselves together -Commune often with one another -working harmoniously together -Having a common purpose. How can Sabbath keepers justify their observance of the 7th day Sabbath and not the other feasts?
Now let us look at the bible passages relating to the Feasts in Leviticus 23. It is a long passage. Say when you are finished.
The Feasts of the Yah from Leviticus 23 with cross-references in other books of the Bible. (Cross-ref. Exodus 23:14-19) And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, [Concerning] the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim [to be] holy convocations, [even] these [are] my feasts. (vs.1, 2) The Sabbath: still exists and will remain unto eternity (See Isaiah 66 and Revelation 22) Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day [is] the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work[therein]: it [is] the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.(vs.3) The Sabbath Offerings (Numbers 28:9,10) «And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour [for] a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof: [This is] the burnt offering of every sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering. »
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Finished.
Guest_Barb : Finished
Guest_Adriel : Finished
Zahakiel : Finished.
Guest_Daphna : Finished
Guest_Elyna : The Passover Feast: has found its fulfillment at the death of Yahshua. (Cross-ref. Exodus 12:14-28; Numbers 28:16-25; Deuteronomy 16:1-8) These [are] the feasts of the LORD, [even] holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth [day] of the first month at even [is] the LORD'S Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month [is] the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day [is] an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work [therein].
The Feast of Firstfruits: was a ceremony within the feast of unleavened bread. It was a reminder that the full harvest belongs to Yahweh.
The Feast of Pentecost: feast of pilgrimage of gratitude to Yah for his bounties of harvest; day in which the Holy Spirit fell upon the waiting disciples. Commemorated the New Covenant and the latter rain that has begun to fall.
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Finished.
Guest_Barb : Finished
Guest_Adriel : Finished
Guest_Daphna : Finished
Guest_Elyna : The Feast of Trumpets(Cross-ref. Numbers 29:1-6): This feast is described as a memorial. According to E. G. White, the SDA prophetess, this feast was celebrated during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah. She says: “This day was a festival, a day of rejoicing, a holy convocation, a day which the Lord had commanded the people to keep with joy and gladness; and in view of this they were bidden to restrain their grief and to rejoice because ‘This day is holy unto the Lord your God,’ Nehemiah said. ‘Mourn not, nor weep. . . . Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ The earlier part of the day was devoted to religious exercises, and the people spent the remainder of the time in gratefully recounting the blessings of God and in enjoying the bounties that He had provided. Portions were also sent to the poor, who had nothing to prepare. There was great rejoicing because the words of the law had been read and understood” (Prophets and Kings, p. 662.)
And the antitypical Day of Atonement or investigative judgment from 1844.
The Day of Atonement: A feast that is still full of significance for the people of Yah t hat are already in covenant with Him as well as those seeking to enter in. Our High Priest is atoning for us in heaven. (Cross-ref. Numbers 29:7-11) I remember being in awe and so thankful for the beauty of holiness when I saw a reenactment of the Sanctuary symbolisms.
The Feast of Booths (or Tabernacle): Still celebrated today; is a representation of the Tabernacle in heaven. (See Hebrews 8:1-13; Rev.14:15, 16) Will meet its fulfillment when the Saints spend a thousand years in heaven. (Cross-ref. Nehemiah 8:13-18). Say when finished.
Guest_Adriel : Finished
Guest_Daphna : finished
Zahakiel : Finished
Guest_Barb : Finished
Guest_Elyna : These [are] the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim [to be] holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, everything upon his day: Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD.
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Finished
Guest_Elyna : Now this is the last part and it is about this feast we are celebrating today. It is long.
Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day [shall be] a Sabbath, and on the eighth day [shall be] a Sabbath. And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. [It shall be] a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I [am] the LORD your God. And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD. Please say when finished.
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Finished.
Guest_Barb : Finished
Lucan : Finished
Zahakiel : Finished.
Guest_Adriel : Finished
Guest_Daphna : Finished
Guest_Elyna : There are a few things to notice in this long passage regarding the feasts which are: 1) The seventh day Sabbath is named among the Feasts--The Holy Convocations of Yahweh the Almighty. 2) Some of these feasts were tied up with Yahshua's sacrifice such as the Passover, the Day of Atonement, yet most of them had the purpose of sanctification and of rejoicing before the Yahweh. 3) These times were holy times which signify they had and have even today the potential to make Yah's people holy. Amen?
Zahakiel : Amen
Guest_Adriel : Amen
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Amen
Guest_Elyna : The SDA prophetess Ellen G White tells us: “When the doctrine we accept kills sin in the heart, purifies the soul from defilement, bears fruit unto holiness, we may know that it is the truth of God.” [Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, page 146, paragraph 3]
Guest_Barb : Amen
Guest_Elyna : Paul gives us also a hint on that when he said: «...let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." (1 Cor. 5:8), pointing us to the Spirit of the keeping of the feasts in which we keep them today.
Another thing is that just as «the Sabbath was made for man» said Yahshua, (and not for the Jews only), the other Holy Convocations of Yah, were not made either for the Jews, neither were they passed away with the death of Christ, but they were given for the sanctification of man until a people should be perfected for the heavenly abode. The feasts are important for us today, and are a part of a whole--the new covenant Yah has made with us in Yahshua. If the old covenant was made through the sacrificial system, ceremonies and rites, the New Covenant has been established through Yahshua, the Messiah with its new ways: the refreshing times the time of restitution of all things (Acts 3:21; Isaiah 58:9-12), after the breach that had been made. You see if the Sabbath, one of the feasts of Yah was restituted in the 1800's and I say, if the Adventist people had been faithful and accepted the Victory message brought to them by Elder Jones & Waggoner, Yah might have restituted the other ones in their time as well. However that blessing was for the Church today.
Yah restituted: The New Moon. The Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Feast of Tabernacles. Well, we are in the season of the Latter Rain a counter part of Pentecost.
We can clearly see here that the feasts of Yah were distinct from the sacrificial system. While included them were not them. I don't know how everyone understands, has understood the feasts, but by pondering upon the subject, I have realized this fact to be so. You probably know this verse that says « Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He takes away the first that he may establish the second. Heb. 10: 9,10. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all] Hebrews 8. He took away the sacrifices to establish the real or the Redeemer Yahshua. Here is the passage I referenced above in relation to the feast of Tabernacles. Hebrews 8:1-13 (Say when you are finished)
Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law. Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things,* as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Finished.
Lucan : Finished
Guest_Barb : Finished
Guest_Daphna : Finished
Guest_Adriel : Finished
Zahakiel : (she is not at 13 yet...)
Guest_Elyna : (...) For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
The point I want to bring forth from this passage is that it appears that the feasts are part of things already established in heaven. As the priest on the earth offered gifts according to the law and those were a shadow of heavenly things, therefore Christ, the Mediator, our High Priest must necessarily offer the real things, the spiritual gifts from us on the earth as they are offered in heaven: our praises, thanksgiving, our time, wealth, etc. That is to say that the feasts as events are perhaps a shadow of things in heaven that will meet their antitypes when Yahshua returns the second time.
I am trying to shorten some things here. Now at the death of Yahshua these ceremonies that had to do with the «unapproachableness» of Yah, were taken away or became obsolete. The point here is that the feasts, the Holy convocations, were only made more sure with the death of the Son, His death, did not take those holy times away. As it says, he took away the first (sacrifices), to establish the second (His atonement for us). So, in the new covenant, the object that sanctifies or makes Yah approachable has been replaced by the real, or Yahshua, so those feasts would be more sure.
I will share with you now a few quote from EG White in support of the feasts: Say when you are finished.
Quote: «In the days of Christ these feasts were attended by vast multitudes of people from all lands; and had they been kept as God intended, in the spirit of true worship, the light of truth might through them have been given to all the nations of the world. With those who lived at a distance from the tabernacle, more than a month of every year must have been occupied in attendance upon these holy convocations. The Lord saw that these gatherings were necessary for the spiritual life of His people. They needed to turn away from their worldly cares, to commune with God, and to contemplate unseen realities. If the children of Israel needed the benefit of these holy convocations in their time, how much more do we need them in these last days of peril and conflict!» (6T 39) End of quote.
Guest_Adriel : Finished
Zahakiel : Finished.
Guest_Daphna : Finished
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Finished.
Lucan : Finished
Guest_Barb : Finished
Guest_Naraiel : Finished
Guest_Elyna : If the children of Israel needed the benefit of these holy convocations in their time, how much more do we need them in these last days of peril and conflict!» (6T 39)
Quote: «When Israel marched out of Egypt, they made their first encampment under the shelter of green boughs at Succoth. And for more than fifteen hundred years the Hebrew nation by the command of God left their houses, and dwelt one whole week in tabernacles of green boughs, to commemorate the encampment of their fathers under the palm branches of Succoth. These seasons of sacred recreation were fraught with both physical and spiritual blessings to Israel. God’s people still need seasons of quiet and reflection—seasons in which the soul may undisturbed commune with its Maker.» (ST 02-02-82) end of Q
Quote: «Let all who possibly can, attend these yearly gatherings. All should feel that God requires this of them. If they do not avail themselves of the privileges which He has provided that they may become strong in Him and in the power of His grace, they will grow weaker and weaker, and have less and less desire to consecrate all to God. Come, brethren and sisters, to these sacred convocation meetings, to find {Yahshua}. He will come up to the feast.» (2T 575) Say when finished.
Zahakiel : Finished.
Guest_Barb : Finished
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Finished.
Guest_Daphna : finished
Guest_Elyna : Last quote
Guest_Adriel : Finished
Guest_Elyna : Quote: «Well would it be for us to have a feast of tabernacles, a joyous commemoration of the blessings of God to us as a people. As the children of Israel celebrated the deliverance that God wrought for their fathers, and his miraculous preservation of them during their journeyings from Egypt to the promised land, so should the people of God at the present time gratefully call to mind the various ways he has devised to bring them out from the world, out from the darkness of error, into the precious light of truth. We should often bring to remembrance the dependence upon God of those who first led out in this work. We should gratefully regard the old way-marks, and refresh our souls with memories of the loving-kindness of our gracious Benefactor.» (ST 10-17-85)
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Finished.
Guest_Barb : Finished
Guest_Adriel : Finished
Guest_Daphna : Finished
Guest_Adriel : & Amen
Guest_Elyna : So, will I repeat with the Apostle Paul, "...let us keep {this} feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." (1 Cor. 5:8). Any questions and or comments?
Zahakiel : C
Guest_Elyna : Go ahead.
Zahakiel : I have two, actually. They were taken from different points of your study, but they actually have a very similar idea. The first is your statement that if the early SDA Church had kept the light revealed to them, for example, by accepting the 1888 message, Yahweh would have restored additional truths to them as well and likely the feast days. I am just finding it interesting to imagine what that would have looked like. The entire SDA Church keeping the feasts
It would, perhaps, have slowed or prevented the spread of corruption that eventually led to their fall.In terms of the general principle, I recall a couple statements from Mrs. White, in which she says that resisting a sin makes it easier to resist future temptations and similarly, an act of transgression opens the floodgates, making it more and more difficult to repent. So that seems to be a "chain" of events that works both for ill or for good and it really emphasizes how important it is to accept and apply every bit of light we do receive for who knows what Yah may reveal next?
The second comment is related to a quote... let me see if it is still on my screen. "Guest_Elyna : Quote: «In the days of Christ these feasts were attended by vast multitudes of people from all lands; and had they been kept as God intended, in the spirit of true worship, the light of truth might through them have been given to all the nations of the world. "
It has been a while since I have read that. Normally, I have focused on the statement that immediately follows, indicating that the people of the modern generation need the feasts even more than Israel did. And while that's still a true and valuable quote, the explanation as to WHY that is can be found here. The feasts are a wonderful way to speak about the Gospel. They get attention; they offer the opportunity for interaction that can't easily be found at other times. And, connected to my first comment, if they had been faithfully kept by Yah's people, we would not have had so many falls and the need for a coming-out so many times. End.
Guest_Elyna : Yes. I believe if they had reached that point of having restored the feasts, It would have been a great thing. They might have shook the world, as in the days of Paul. End.
Guest_Pastor_Chick : C
Guest_Elyna : I was really blessed by doing this. And I learned so much in a short time. AlleluYah! Go ahead.
Guest_Adriel : Amen
Guest_Pastor_Chick : I do not see any particular merit in *keeping* the feast per se. There are MANY groups today who are "keeping the feasts". But, they make no advancement in the faith. They become more legalistic for the most part demonstrating more exclusivity as the Jewish Church did. On the other hand, for the true church which has the true gospel, the times of refreshing can work to their advantage spiritually and to the advantage of any who may be blessed to attend and hear the truth as it is in YAHSHUA. END.
Guest_Elyna : Amen.
Zahakiel : C
Guest_Adriel : Amen
Guest_Naraiel : Amen
Guest_Elyna : That is the point I meant to stress, that the feasts are part of the whole plan of redemption. Go ahead.
Zahakiel : In agreement with what pastor said, and this was said explicitly to Israel as well by Isaiah, if the instructions of Yahweh are merely "obeyed" because of obligation or tradition, they do not have any benefit to the development of character. In fact, that serves only to harden one into routines, and may even inspire bitterness or doubt if they are not done joyfully, and in faith. The right spirit must come first, and then the things we do serve to refine the faith that we already received from the Father and Son. End.
Guest_Barb : amen. C
Guest_Elyna : Hence, only those that accept the Victory Message can truly enjoy the benefits of these times of refreshing. Go ahead Sis. Barb
Guest_Barb : I am blessed to be 'away' from my daily routine and duties during this feast. I look forward to the fellowship, sharing of praise and testimonies and the going through the Lessons on Faith. I believe that, for even those of us who have read this before there are new things to see as we go over it again; the same as when Yah's Spirit reveals new things as we re-read the same Scriptures from time to time. End.
Guest_Adriel : Amen
Guest_Naraiel : Amen
Guest_Elyna : Any other comments?
Guest_Adriel : C
Guest_Elyna : or questions. Go ahead.
Guest_Adriel : I'm also looking forward to this time of fellowship and a break from work.
Thank-you Sis Guerline for leading out in this meeting.Guest_Elyna :
Guest_Adriel : And I'm also looking forward to going through Lessons on Faith again. End
Guest_Naraiel : yes
Lucan : C
Guest_Elyna : Praise Yah for this time of the feast of Tabernacles. I am looking forward for the blessings from it as well. Go ahead.
Lucan : Something David mentioned in an email beforehand about this meeting was "what the feast means to you," or something similar. I remember when I was a child first learning about Yahshua returning at some point soon and peeling back the heavens. I didn't have much of a grasp on prophecy or anything, so I remember when I would go outside to play, a lot of times I would just sit or stand around looking up at the sky wondering if it was about to happen, so I could catch it.
Guest_Adriel : (Awww)
Lucan : Now, I knew it said He'd come unexpected, so I also reasoned that by expecting Him and looking up like that I might be preventing it; sort of a "watched pot never boils" kind of thing.
Guest_Adriel :
Lucan : I still kept catching myself looking up over the years, though.
Guest_Adriel : Amen
Lucan : I recall learning about Tabernacles when I first came into the Church; it was the first camp meeting that happened after I considered myself a CSDA, though I wasn't present for it. The idea that the booths or tabernacles had to be without solid roofs so that the people could look up and see Yahshua's return was a great blessing to me. It was a blessing to learn that "looking up" wasn't preventing anything, and that we have an active part in causing Yahshua to return sooner.
So, while we don't have booths anymore, to me Tabernacles is a time of looking up spiritually - making sure that I'm ready for Yahshua to come back any moment, and hopefully, at this upcoming last day of the feast each time. And, sometimes, still looking up literally too.
<End.>Zahakiel :
Guest_Barb :
Guest_Adriel :
AmenGuest_Elyna : Amen.
Guest_Naraiel : Amen
Guest_Elyna : Anyone else who would like to share what the feast of Tabernacles means to them? If not I will ask Br. David to close the meeting with a prayer.
Zahakiel : All right, let us pray. Almighty Father in Heaven, we thank you for the record of your love toward us, as shown in the Scriptures, and also in the transcripts of our own lives, which are even now being written. We each have evidences of your care for us, testimonies to share, blessings to recount, and as we draw nearer together through refined and improved communication, and as we have this time given to us in this Feast of Tabernacles, may we continue to share these blessings one with another, remembering the sacredness of the occasion, and the purpose for these days that is within your will for us. Let us ever be "looking up" in eager anticipation of your return, while looking around on earth, to see how we may hasten it for your everlasting glory. Bless us and guide our words and interactions in these coming days. We ask this in the name of your Son, Yahshua, Amen.
Guest_Pastor_Chick : Amen.
Guest_Elyna : Amen.
Guest_Barb : Amen
Lucan : Amen
Guest_Daphna : Amen
Guest_Adriel : Amen
Guest_Elyna : Thank you for being present and Blessed Feast.
Guest_Naraiel : Amen
Guest_Elyna : And good night all.