Feasts of the Lord

As we approach the Fall Feasts of the Lord Yahshua the Messiah, I wanted to encourage everyone to take a minute, read the following email from Jim Searcy and do what you can to celebrate these most important events.

The Feasts of God were designed to represent the first and second coming of the Lord Yahshua the Messiah.  We are supposed to know this as Christians and celebrate the Feasts.  By doing so, God promises we will not be in darkness concerning the timing of the Second Coming as it will occur according to the Feast Cycle.

Below is an email from Jim Searcy that I think will help everyone who wants to give glory and honor to the King in celebrating the feast designed by God to give glory to His Son.

As we celebrate the Feast of Trumpets... pray for the peace of Israel as UN and EU troops encompass the city of Jerusalem.  Fulfilling the prophecy of Yahshua the Messiah in Luke.  Time is growing very short.

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Dear Friends -

The following is a summary of how to celebrate the Fall Feasts of the
Lord as a believer in Messiah Yahshua, the Lord Yahshua the Messiah.

ROSH HASHANAH - FEAST OF TRUMPETS - Sept 27-28, 2003
The scriptural recommended way of observing the Feast of TRUMPETS is
the way Ezra lead the people of God. The book of the Law, the book of
Deuteronomy, should be read September 27-28. You will be blessed if
you read the entire book of Deuteronomy on the Feast of Trumpets.
Seek the Lord for the gift of grace, the gift of repentance at this
time. Seek the Lord while HE MAY YET BE FOUND!

YOM KIPPUR - DAY OF ATONEMENT - Oct 6, 2003
Here is the link for the GJiGT Messianic celebration of Yom Kippur:
http://www.dccsa.com/greatjoy/YOMKIP.HTM

The Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur came on the tenth day of the
seventh month (Tishri-Sept./Oct.) and the fifth day before the feast
of tabernacles (Lev. 16:1-34; Num. 29:7-11). According to Leviticus
23:27-28, four main elements comprise this most significant feast.

First, it was to be a "holy convocation," drawing the focus of the
people to the altar of divine mercy. The Holy One of Israel called
the people of Israel to gather in His presence and give their
undivided attention to Him.

Secondly, they were to "humble their souls" ("afflict your souls,"
Lev. 23:27). This is the ONLY BIBLICALLY required and specified FAST
DAY of the year. Fasting is good for the soul, and this 10th and
final day of seeking to find God's grace to find repentance, fasting
is a good idea. Israel understood that this was a day for mourning
over their sins. The seriousness of this requirement is reiterated in
Leviticus 23:29, "For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be
afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his
people."

Thirdly, offerings are central to the day of atonement. The Bible
devotes an entire chapter (Lev. 16) to them. They are also listed in
Numbers 29:7-11. In addition to these, when the day fell on a
Sabbath, the regular Sabbath offerings were offered.

The fourth and final element of the day involved the prohibition of
labor. The day of atonement was a "Sabbath of rest" (Lev. 23:32), and
the Israelites were forbidden to do any work at all. If they
disobeyed, they were liable to capital punishment (Lev. 23:30).

The center point of this feast involved the high priest entering the
most holy place, where only the high priest could go, and only on
this ONE day of the year, to make atonement for the sins of the
nation of Israel.

Before entering, the high priest first bathed his entire body, going
beyond the mere washing of hands and feet as required for other
occasions. This washing symbolized his desire for purification.
Rather than donning his usual robe and colorful garments (described
in Ex. 28 and Lev. 8), he was commanded to wear special garments of
linen. Also, the high priest sacrificed a bullock as a sin offering
for himself and for his house (Lev. 16:6). After filling his censer
with live coals from the altar, he entered the most holy place where
he placed incense on the coals. Then he took some of the blood from
the slain bullock and sprinkled it on the mercy seat ("atonement
cover,") and also on the ground in front of the ark, providing
atonement for the priesthood (Lev. 16:14-15).

Next he sacrificed a male goat as a sin offering for the people. Some
of this blood was then also taken into the most holy place and
sprinkled there on behalf of the people (Lev. 16:11-15). The blood
was sprinkled on the mercy seat for a KIPPUR or covering of the sins
of the people of the nation of Israel. Then he took another goat,
called the "scapegoat" (for "escape goat"), laid his hands on its
head, confessed over it the sins of Israel, and then released it into
the desert where it symbolically carried away the sins of the people
(Lev. 16:8,10). The remains of the sacrificial bullock and male goat
were taken outside the city and burned, and the day was concluded
with additional sacrifices.

According to Hebrews chapters 8, 9, &10, this ritual is a symbol of
the atoning work of Messiah, our great high Priest. He did not need
to make any sacrifice for Himself but shed His own blood for our
sins. As the high priest of the Old Testament entered the most holy
place with the blood of sacrificial animals, Yahshua, Yahshua entered
heaven itself to appear on our behalf in front of the Father (Heb.
9:11,12).

Each year the high priest repeated his sin offerings for his own sin
and the sins of the people, giving an annual reminder that perfect
and permanent atonement had NOT yet been made. But Yahshua, through
His own blood, accomplished eternal redemption for His people (Heb.
9:12). Just as the sacrifice of the day of atonement was burned
outside the camp of Israel, Yahshua suffered outside the gate of
Jerusalem, being sacrificed on the day of preparation for Passover,
on a Roman Cross, at dark, Wednesday, Nissan 14, 30 CE. Truly,
Messiah Yahshua, is BOTH our Passover, and Our Great High Priest. His
Blood, only His blood, can be the KIPPUR for our sins. He sacrificed
His own Blood so that He might redeem His people from sin (Heb.
13:11,12).

The modern Jewish Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) is devoid of blood
sacrifice; but, does include a ten-day period (called "days of awe")
of penitence, prayer, and fasting, in preparation for the most solemn
day on the Jewish religious calendar. The feast of Rosh Hashanah (the
head of the year) initiates this ten-day period. How sad is the
traditional Jewish greeting at Yom Kippur - "I hope your name is
written in the book of Life." How wonderfully different it is for
those who KNOW Messiah Yahshua, who thereby may KNOW their name is
written in the Book of Life.

It is not too early to be seeking God's grace to be able to find
REPENTANCE in the coming days of AWE.



Shalom & Simcha,
Jim Searcy