Post by R' Y'hoshua Moshe on Apr 5, 2007 22:43:26 GMT -8
A Date With The King
Chol HaMoed - Chag HaMatzah
By Reuel D.
Chol HaMoed - Chag HaMatzah
By Reuel D.
Our God is jealous. At Mt. Sinai He betrothed to Himself a people whom became “B’nai Elohim” (the people of God). Today the people of God still exist…And, our God is just as a jealous husband as He was back then. In our intermediate festival reading we see the following proclamation,
“…for you shall worship no other god: for YHVH, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”
– Shemot/Exo 34:14
The Hebrew word for “God” whether it is a false god or the God of Yisrael is the word “El” or “Elohim”, meaning “mighty one” or “mighty ones”. If the King of the Universe makes a date to meet with His betrothed and some other god or “mighty one” in the life of His betrothed keeps her from that intimate meeting…this kindles the jealousy and anger of The Great King. When it comes to matters of Adonai’s worship, He is like a husband jealously guarding the honor of the marriage-bed. If you are married, for a moment imagine inviting your very special betrothed, your wife, to a special intimate meeting only to wait and wait for her to show up. It turns out she never does. Imagine to your horror that it was that very day that your beloved met with another one more mighty in their estimation. It was for such a one that they rejected your feast of love; you’re very special meeting. How would you feel?
These intimate meetings are very special to the Husband of Yisrael and all those whom have joined it’s commonwealth. The Hebrew word for these meetings is the word “moed”, the plural being “moedim”. Besides the weekly Sabbath and it’s meeting that serve as a sign between Elohim and B’nai Elohim (the children of God), the book of Shemot (Exo.) outlines the following in chapter 34:23 for His people,
“Three times in the year all your males shall appear before Adonai YHVH, the Elohim of Yisra'el.”
These three appearances are actually more than just three dates with The King. A similar text appears in Shemot (Exo.) 23:14. In this passage the word for “times” that is used to communicate the three various times that all males are to appear before Adonai is the Hebrew word “ragal”, which can mean “to walk along”. So, literally three times a year all able-bodied males of the commonwealth of Yisrael would travel or “walk along” to keep these three moedim. The first trip and appearance actually involved three separate meetings. The first being Pesach, the 14th of Nisan (Aviv). The second was the 1st day of Chag HaMatzah (The Feast Of Unleavened Bread), and the third being the last and seventh day of Chag HaMatzah. The men of Yisrael and whoever came with them would then travel back to their home. The second appearance before the Elohim of Yisrael in Yerushalayim as mentioned in our text was for Shavuot (The Feast of Weeks). Many know it as Pentecost. In total, this was actually the fourth “moed”, the fourth appointed time and holy convocation for all able-bodied males in the commonwealth of Yisrael. These four moedim constitute the spring feasts of Adonai.
The third appearance as outlined in our passage in Shemot (Exo.) was specifically tied to Chag HaSukkot (The Feast Of Tabernacles). But, the men of Yisrael and all whom came with them traveled early to make this feast as there were two other moedim or appointed times connected with this third appearance. Specifically, Yom Teruah (The Day of Trumpets - many know it as Rosh Hashanah) and Yom Kippur (Day Of Atonement). These two moedim directly precede Sukkot as they are spiritually necessary as prerequisites for those whom would participate in the Feast of Sukkot. The feast of Sukkot is an eight-day observance with two holy convocations and Sabbaths attached to it, the last being Sh’mini Atzeret (the concluding eighth day).
Thus, the fall feasts constitute four additional separate meetings during the same time span. From the three appearances spoken of Shemot (Exo.) 34:23 we derive eight actual meetings incumbent upon all able-bodied males whom are apart of the commonwealth of Yisrael. To attend these meetings they would drop everything; work, school, play, or whatever they had planned. For the dedicated and obedient Israelite, nothing would stand in the way to make these meetings. They prepared much in advance for supplies and made sure that they had sufficient time for travel so they could make it to the these special meetings of Adonai. Now, if you are married, imagine how it would make you feel for your special betrothed to go through great lengths, preparation, and sacrifice just to meet you for the intimate date that you had arranged? She shows up excited and passionate. She had prepared herself for you and…she is beautiful. It tell you the truth, when God’s people do this for Him out of their great love for Him, it warms the heart of the King of the Universe.
It was and is the blood of the lamb that set the children of Yisrael free. But, free to do what? In Shemot (Exo.) 5:1 it says,
“Afterward Moshe and Aharon came, and said to Par`oh, "This is what YHVH, the God of Yisra'el, says, 'Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.'"
One of the reasons we have been set free is to have a special date with The King and He wants us to take His dates seriously. In Mattityahu (Matt.) 22:2-14 our Master and Rabbi said,
"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast, but they would not come. Again he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "Behold, I have made ready my dinner. My oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the marriage feast!"' But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise, and the rest grabbed his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them. When the king heard that, he was angry, and sent his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited weren't worthy. Go therefore to the intersections of the highways, and as many as you may find, invite to the marriage feast.' Those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together as many as they found, both bad and good. The wedding was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn't have on wedding clothing, and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?' He was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him into the outer darkness; there is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.' For many are called, but few chosen."
We see that the King in this parable took His feast very seriously. He had gone through great preparation and lengths for the guests. But, they did not take it seriously. We recall the man at the end of the parable whom did not have the proper wedding garment. The garment was necessary to enter the feast. To have the proper wedding clothing you had to follow the King’s instruction. One could not enter the feast at any old time and according to one’s own terms. The Feast was celebrated according the terms of The King. Otherwise, the person didn’t celebrate the feast in the end with the rest of the guests. Not only did our forefathers have dates with The King, not only do we have current dates with The King, but we are also preparing ourselves for a future date with our beloved King. All of the Moedim, all of the Feasts of Adonai are preparing God’s future people for the coming betrothal of The King. Each year that we meet to celebrate our Heavenly Father’s appointed times and feasts we are being prepared by each meeting for different aspects of the coming marriage feast between Adonai and His people.
The haftarah portion of this season’s reading in the book of Yechezk’el (Ezek.) begins with the following future prophesy…
“As the flock for sacrifice, as the flock of Yerushalayim in her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men; and they shall know that I am YHVH.”
- Yechezk’el (Eze.) 36:38
As we read further in this haftarah we also read about the prophecy of the dry bones. At first Yechezk’el literally describes the congregation of the frozen chosen. They had lost their zeal, they had lost their hope, some of them even feared that they had been cutoff…they were dead in the ground. But, this is not the future of God’s people. We serve the God of hope. The book of Mishlei (Proverbs) 23:17-19 proclaims,
“Don't let your heart envy sinners; but rather fear YHVH all the day long. Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off. Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path!”
Today we are preparing our feet to walk on the right path. Each festival we rehearse and celebrate is preparing us for the coming wedding feast of The Lamb. But, The Feast will be celebrated according to His instruction and His
. We cannot presume to bring in our own garments into this feast and sneak into the feast when it is convenient to us. If we hear the call of Adonai we must make preparation. We must prepare ourselves in advance according to His instruction for the coming betrothal of The King. We must not be satisfied with and found stagnant in the realm of convenience and comfort if we are to properly prepare ourselves. He will betroth His future bride, the congregation of Yisrael, the congregation of Yeshua The Messiah. But, as we read earlier our Master said, “For many are called, but few chosen." But, for those whom are chosen, Adonai says the following about the future betrothal of God’s people. In chapter 37 verses 26-28 He states,
“Moreover I will make a covenant of shalom with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them forevermore. My tent also shall be with them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. The nations shall know that I am YHVH who sanctifies Yisra'el, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them forevermore.”
We are looking forward to Adonai’s sanctuary being in our midst once again. It will be then when we will truly be betrothed to our Heavenly Father when His tent covers us and when His saying is fulfilled which states, “I will be their God, and they shall be my people”. And, He says His sanctuary will be in the midst of us forevermore. I believe this is also when the wedding feast of The Lamb of God will take place. In the book of Revelation 19:5-8 it says,
“And a voice came out from the throne, saying, Praise our God, all His slaves, and the ones fearing Him, the small and the great. And I heard as a sound of a numerous crowd, and as a sound of many waters, and as a sound of strong thunders, saying, Hallelujah! Because the Lord God Almighty reigned. Let us rejoice and let us exult, and we will give glory to Him, because the marriage of the Lamb came, and His wife prepared herself. And it was given to her that she be clothed in fine linen, pure and bright; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.”
In our previous passage the Prophet hears the sound of a numerous crowd like the sound of many waters. I believe this is what the Prophet Yeshayahu (Isai.) speaks of in chapter 2:2-3 of his prophecy where it says,
“It shall happen in the latter days, that the mountain of YHVH’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many peoples shall go and say, "Come, let's go up to the mountain of YHVH, to the house of the God of Ya`akov; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For out of Tziyon
shall go forth, and the word of YHVH from Yerushalayim.”These nations are flowing to the marriage Feast Of The Lamb where they will be betrothed according to His Father’s
. What will this feast look like? Do the prophets describe it any further? Yeshua gives us a hint about this feast before he ascended to His Father. At the last Pesach seder that our Master observed with His talmidim (disciples) in Mattityahu (Matt.) He said,“But I say to you, I will not at all drink of this fruit of the vine after this until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of My Father.”
And, in Luke 22:15-15-16 Yeshua said,
“….With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
From Yeshua’s own words He states that Pesach (Passover) will actually have a future fulfilling in the Kingdom Of God! And, believe it or not, the prophet Yechezk’el (Ezek.) actually describes this future event for us in detail. He speaks of the Prince Of Yisrael whom will rule over Yisrael in the future… The Prophet Yechezk’el (Ezekiel) in 45:21-25 says the following,
“In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, you shall have the Pesach, a feast of seven days; matzah shall be eaten. On that day shall The Prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bull for a sin offering. The seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to YHVH, seven bulls and seven rams without blemish daily the seven days; and a male goat daily for a sin offering. He shall prepare a meal offering, an efah for a bull, and an efah for a ram, and a hin of oil to an efah. In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, in the feast, shall he do the like the seven days; according to the sin offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meal offering, and according to the oil.”
1Yochanan (John) 3:2-3 says the following,
“Beloved, now we are the children of God, and it was not yet revealed what we shall be. But we know that if He is revealed, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is. And everyone having this hope on Him purifies himself even as that One is pure.”
The Great King is preparing for this very special future meeting…are You?
Chag Sameach!
