Post by R' Y'hoshua Moshe on Apr 23, 2008 15:44:47 GMT -8
This Is Just The Beginning
[/size]A d'rash for The Seventh Day of Chag HaMatzah
By Re’uel D.[/center]
As we have observed Pesach (Passover) and the days of Chag HaMatzah (The Feast of Unleavened Bread) we have been taught several important truths. The first truth is that Avinu Melchenu (our Father and King) desires to show us from His
that He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and great in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin for those whom make “t’shuvah” (who repent). Adonai is rich in grace towards those whom repent and turn from their wickedness, from lawlessness, from a Torahless life, and turn to Him for deliverance. He has taught us that after He has delivered us we must remove the leaven from our lives. Leaven is a spiritual picture of sin. It puffs us up into something we were not meant to be. Adonai has given His instruction (His ) so we can know what leaven and sin is (1Yochanan/John 3:4) so that we may identify it and remove it from our lives . We have learned about the Lamb of Elohim whom diverted the Angel of Death from visiting our houses. And, through the blood of this Lamb we have been delivered so that we may keep future moedim (future dates) with our Great King.This season of Pesach stretches across the ages, even to the end of the age. In the book of Revelation chapter 13:8 we see that indeed Yeshua is described as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. It was the very beginning of Adonai’s plan. Thus, it is fitting that it is the first of all the Feasts and our spiritual new year. We know that this time of Pesach has a profound spiritual reality as the great King Himself has made a great sacrifice and has sacrificed His own spotless lamb, His very Son, that we may experience deliverance from Egypt and our spiritual darkness and bondage. By doing this He knew that this would lead to first fruits of righteousness as Messiah would be reaped from the Earth, an offering acceptable to Adonai, to the benefit of Yisrael and the Nations.
All of the moedim, all of the appointed times and feasts of Adonai form a single model and picture revealing His plan of redemption. The slaying of the Lamb and the exiting of Egypt was just the beginning. After this Mt. Sinai is the next stop on our trip. We cannot presume to skip the Sinai experience. And, after experiencing it we will understand why. Adonai’s plans and instructions cannot be fully understood without directly experiencing them for ourselves.
After Yeshua redeems us and instructs us to remove sin (leaven) out of our lives, He than begins to prepare us for a more full revelation of Himself and will teach us what it looks like to walk with Him in holiness. But, before this happens we first must receive mikvah (baptism) as we are in the need of further spiritual cleansing. And, this is what B’nai Yisrael (the children of Yisrael) experienced as they left Egypt. The received a mikvah after they experienced their Pesach and left Egypt. They had made a permanent choice to cross through the Sea of Suf (the Red Sea) never to return to Egypt. As we move on to our next moed (appointed time) we begin to count the days leading up to Shavuot, otherwise known as the feast of “Pentecost”, or “Weeks”. We count these days leading up to Shavuot by counting the daily omer. The word “omer” means “sheaf”. For the majority of Judaism this counting begins the morrow after the First day of Chag HaMatzah (Unleavened Bread) after the time that the First Fruits would been offered to Adonai. In 1Corinthians 15:20 we are instructed that Messiah was the first fruits from the dead, “But now Messiah has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruits of those who are asleep.”. The first harvest had taken place and we now look forward to the second harvest and the second phase of Adonai’s plan in which His people will be further sanctified and gathered to Him.
Shavuot (Pentecost) is the time that the
was given at Mt. Sinai. It was the time that Adonai formally presented His words and instructions for living to the nation of Yisrael and to the mixed multitude whom sojourned with them. It was also the time that another sort of first fruits of the Messianic Covenant came forth as the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) was poured out on all Messianic believers (as we see in the book of Acts chapter 2). As we prepare ourselves to renew our commitment to receive the of Adonai in our lives, and for some even the very first time, there is a tradition that is kept during these 49 days leading up to Shavuot that magnifies the Kingdom Of Elohim in our lives. Traditionally the book of Tehellim (Psalms) chapter 119 is read throughout the counting of the omer. There are 49 days of the counting of the omer. Tehellim is divided by the Hebrew Aleph-Bet (21 letters). Out of the 49 days of counting the omer if we do not count the Shabbatot (Sabbaths) that already have their respective readings, we are left with 42 days. Thus, during the days leading up to Shavuot (the anniversary date of the giving of on Mt. Sinai) we are able to read all of Tehellim 119 exactly twice if we read a section a day (represented by the Hebrew Aleph-Bet as seen in Tehellim 119). Tehillim 119 is all about how wonderful and great the of Adonai is! This is a beautiful way to meditate on the word of Elohim each day leading up to Shavuot. There is a special blessing that is pronounced each day during the counting of the omer. It goes like this, “Baruch atah Adonai Elohenu melech ha-olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al sefirat ha-Omer.”. This means, “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us by His commandments and commanded us concerning the count of the Omer.”. We then recite the count of the omer, saying, “Ha-Yom, Yom “(Hebrew day)“ l’omer”, wich means, "Today is the “(day)“ of the omer."
In the Haftarah reading for the seventh day of Chag Hamatzah we read the words of Yeshaiyahu (Isaiah) The Prophet. He prophesied the following in chapter 11 verse 10, “It will happen in that day that the nations will seek the root of Yishai (Jesse), who stands as a banner of the peoples; and his resting place will be glorious.”. In the book of Romans chapter 15:11 -12 the Emissary Sh’aul (Paul) writes, “Again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him." Again, Yeshaiyahu says, "There will be the root of Yishai, he who arises to rule over the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles will hope."
It says that this root of Yishai will rule over the Gentiles. This means this King will have laws to follow. And, this King is obedient to His Father. The following is a command for any future King ruling over Yisra’el given by our Heavenly Father, The King of the Universe. Devarim (Deuteronomy) 17:18-20 states, “It shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this
in a book, out of that which is before the Cohanim the Levites: and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear YHVH his Elohim, to keep all the words of this and these statutes, to do them; that his heart not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he not turn aside from the mitzvah (command), to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Yisra'el.”When our Master Yeshua returns He will be just as
observant and obedient to His Heavenly Father as He was when He Kept perfectly on Earth the first time. And, as His talmidim (disciples) we are commanded to be like Him. Indeed, Yeshua our Rabbi confirms this at the very end of the book of Revelation in chapter 22:13-21. He says to us, I am the Alef and the Tav, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed are those who do his mitzvot (commandments), that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. I, Yeshua, have sent my angel to testify these things to you for the assemblies. I am the root and the offspring of David; the Bright and Morning Star." The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" He who hears, let him say, "Come!" He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the water of life freely. I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to them, may God add to him the plagues which are written in this book. If anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, may God take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. He who testifies these things says, "Yes, I come quickly." Amein! Yes, come, Lord Yeshua. The grace of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah be with all the holy ones. Amein.”.We cannot skip Shavuot and the Mt. Sinai experience. It is intimately connected with the Spirit of Adonai. As scripture states, “I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my ordinances, and do them (Yechezk’el/Ezekiel 36:26-27). The
of Adonai in one’s heart becomes a Tree of Life to all those whom partake of it. And, it is an integral part of the plan of redemption. May we follow the course that Adonai has laid out for His people.Chag Sameach!
