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FOUR IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
#1 It is written that spiritual things are
spiritually discerned 1 Cor 2:14. And, that the spirit of God is given to those who obey Him Acts 5:32. Daniel was told
that the wicked shall not understand Dan 12:10. If we take the time to look up the festivals in almost any commentary,
bible dictionary or other bible help, we will see that the teachings of the Church of God were taken almost word for word
from these publications. This material was written over one hundred years ago. WHY THEN, are we RELYING on the
writings of Commandment Rejecting, Law Hating; MEN! MEN who CANNOT DISCERN Spiritual Things! MEN who utterly refuse
to obey their Heavenly Father?
#2 Paul tells us that the sabbath and holydays are shadows of
things to come. They are prophetic in nature Col 2:16-17. WHY THEN do we spiritualize away the Feast of Unleavened
Bread, declaring that it has only to do with a Christian's walk with Christ and ignoring it's prophetic significance?
#3 It is self evident that the festivals are harvest festivals, intimately related to the harvests in Judea.
We declare that the spring festivals picture a spring harvest of firstfruits, while the fall festivals picture the fall harvest.
WHY THEN, are meanings assigned to most of the fall festivals, which have nothing to do with the fall harvest and everything
to do with the spring harvest? Even declaring that the spring harvest of firstfruits itself, comes on a fall festival,
the Feast of Trumpets.
#4 WHY are we told that the Feast of Tabernacles represents a one thousand year period,
when scripture says that; one day is as thousand years and a thousand years is as one day with God 2 Pet 3:8? Either
this festival has NO time frame meaning or it MUST represent Seven Thousand Years.
PASSOVER
In the fourteenth day of the first month is the LORD'S PASSOVER. And on the fifteenth day of the same month
is the feast of unleavened bread Lev 23:5-6. You shall take a lamb on the tenth day and keep it until the fourteenth
day. Then you shall kill it in the evening and put it's blood upon all three sides of your door posts. You
shall roast the lamb whole and eat it that night. Anything that remains until morning you shall burn. The blood
shall be a token upon your houses and I will PASS OVER YOU when I go to destroy the Egyptians. Ex 12:1-14. Then the
destroyer went through the land at midnight Ex 12:29.
Since the destroyer went through the land at midnight on
the fourteenth day of the first month, it was essential to put the token of blood upon the doorposts before MIDNIGHT.
The lamb was slain immediately after sunset ending the thirteenth and beginning the fourteenth day or there would have been
NO passing over. With no blood upon the doorposts at midnight the firstborn of Israel would have been killed.
Further, the command to burn any part of the lamb left over in the morning, makes it obvious that it was intended that the
PASSOVER be eaten before morning. Of necessity, it would have been killed and roasted during the previous evening.
This was to be observed as a memorial forever Ex 12:14. Some of the specifics however, were meant for that particular
night only. For they were commanded not to go out of their houses during the night Ex 12:22. This was to keep
them under the token of blood, lest being out in the streets and not under that sign, they be killed. Our LORD, the
very one who commanded these things went out after the passover meal into the garden, showing that that command was no longer
binding but was just meant for the dangers of that one night JOH 18:1. Likewise THE NECESSITY OF PUTTING BLOOD UPON
DOORPOSTS AND OF KILLING THE LAMB BEFORE MIDNIGHT NO LONGER EXISTS. As long as the sacrifice took place on the fourteenth
day of the first month, as a memorial, the timing was no longer important. This is shown by the fact that our LORD was
sacrificed on the afternoon of the fourteenth day.
NEVERTHELESS, the example of our LORD in taking the PASSOVER
during the evening beginning the fourteenth day should be sufficient for us Mat 26:17-20. It is clear that He had to
observe this PASSOVER at this time, in view of His imminent arrest and murder. Since the passover lamb had to be sacrificed
at the TEMPLE, it is also clear that these sacrifices were occurring through the whole day beginning at sunset starting the
fourteenth day, in Judea at that time. It is also interesting that none of the scripture writers comment that this timing
was in any way unusual.
SYMBOLISM
Jesus Christ, our Passover sacrificed for us 1 Cor 5:7.
The LAMB slain from the foundation of the world Rev 13:8. ALL SACRIFICES represent Jesus Christ, our maker giving Himself
for His creation. The PASSOVER lamb pictures Christ atoning for the sins of His called out ones. As Israel was
the called out of Egypt, the firstfruits have been called out of the spiritual Egypt of this society. As the blood of
the lamb was put on the doorposts of Israel, so Christ's blood has been placed upon the doorposts of our hearts, shed
for the remission of sin Mat 26:28. For without shedding of blood there is no remission Heb 9:22. Christ
paying the penalty for our sins, we come under His protection. AS Israel was called out, we are called out, one being
a type of the other.
Christ did not change the symbols of PASSOVER, to unleavened bread and wine, for they
were always associated with PASSOVER and the law of sacrifice, being the MEAT offering (grain or meal) and the Drink
offering. The unleavened bread represents the broken body of Christ, but it also represents Christ as the bread of life Mat
26:26 and Joh 6:48. The wine represents the shed blood of our LORD. Taking the bread and wine demonstrates that
we should be taking Christ into ourselves, that we should become like Him. Keeping the Father's commandments and
allowing Christ to live within us. Following His example and allowing His will and the Father's will to be performed
in us, that we might be conformed into the image (a likeness, a replica) of the SON OF GOD Rom 8:28-29, so that Christ might
have MANY BRETHREN and the Father might have MANY CHILDREN. We must become LIKE HIM. HE KEPT HIS FATHER'S COMMANDMENTS
Joh 15:10. TO BE LIKE HIM, WE MUST ALSO KEEP THE FATHER'S COMMANDMENTS!
It should be noted here
that the bread and wine taken at PASSOVER represent Christ, the true LAMB of God. This is true not only of the PASSOVER
service but of the entire seven days of unleavened bread. This festival pictures not only the putting out of the leaven
of sin, it also pictures the taking into ourselves the perfect nature of Jesus Christ. Therefore great care should be taken
in ensuring that the bread and wine used are fitting symbols. The Jewish kosher for passover labeled white flour matzoth
lacking nutritional value and devoid of salt Lev 2:13 and made without oil is DEFINITELY NOT a fitting symbol of the wholesomeness
and purity and perfection that is Christ. Unleavened bread should be made with the best available stone ground whole
wheat flour, seasoned with salt and made with extra virgin olive oil and the purest possible water. One should avoid
using regular table salt which is iodized and filled with anti caking agents, use only pure salt. You are the
salt of the earth Mat 5:13. It is because of your REPENTANCE and the INDWELLING of CHRIST that
you may be accounted righteous and enabled to keep God's commandments. This makes you very special and your
presence on the earth makes the earth worth saving. The olive oil pictures the holy spirit, the water, the living
waters and the whole wheat, the wholesomeness and purity of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ knowing that He was
come from God, arose and washed the feet of His disciples Joh 13:1-17. He did this as an example of service Joh
13:16 and Luk 22:25-27. ONLY those who become like Christ, who DO the Father's WILL may enter God's Kingdom!
Those who Love God and Man Mat 22:37-39 with ALL their hearts! Christ and the Father hate the deeds of the NICOLATIANS REV
2:6 and Rev 2:15. There is NO place in the Father's Kingdom for POWER DRUNK, DOMINATING, TYRANTS who are so
PETTY, SELFISH, CONTROLLING and SMALL MINDED that they feel justified in dictating everything a person does,
even down to telling people when and how to cut their hair. Such LITTLE men will NEVER be allowed to occupy positions
of AUTHORITY or even be allowed to ENTER the GLORIOUS KINGDOM OF GOD!
UNLEAVENED BREAD
The
Feast of Unleavened Bread begins on the fifteenth day of the first month and ends on the twenty-first day of the first month
Ex 12:15-20. You shall eat nothing leavened and you shall have no leaven within your dwellings. This festival
lasts a complete seven days. The first and the last days being holy days upon which no work may be done.
Israel
went out of Egypt on the fifteenth day of the first month, the first day of this feast. This day is a memorial of the
coming forth from Egypt. Israel journeyed six days and came to the Red Sea. On the sixth day they passed through
the Red Sea, upon dry land, while the armies of Egypt were all drowned. The six days of creation reveal a completed
physical creation in Genesis, while the seventh day was a sabbath of peace in the presence of God. Even so, the six
days of Unleavened Bread reveal a six thousand year process of the spiritual creation of the Firstfruits of the
New Covenant. While the seventh day celebrates a millennium, a sabbath of peace in the presence of God. The
leaven represents sin and for six thousand years God is putting sin out of and purifying His firstfruits!
SYMBOLISM
Israel as a type of God's firstfruits, was called out of Egypt even as the firstfruits have been called out of
this world. The first six days of unleavened bread represent six thousand years 2 Pet 3:8 that God is calling
out His firstfruits and purging from them the leaven of sin. From righteous Abel through Noah, Moses, Elijah,
Joshua, Daniel, Job, David and Isaiah to John, Paul and the thousands of others called to this way of the ETERNAL GOD.
The first day is HOLY because it marks the beginning of God's plan for humanity, His plan to qualify a people to be
reborn as the spiritual children of God For six thousand years the task continues. The seventh day is holy because
it represents a millennium, a sabbath of rest, in the presence of God.
On the sixth day, Israel was baptized in
the Red Sea 1 Cor 10:1-2. Baptism washes away sin, through Christ Acts 22:16, thus Israel symbolically fulfilled a
role, as a type of the called of the new covenant. Baptism is a figurative death of the old sinful nature and the begetting
of a new nature in Christ. It is a type of DEATH AND RESURRECTION! As Israel was baptized in the sea near
the end of the sixth day, so spiritual Israel SHALL rise from death in a resurrection of the firstfruits on the end
of the sixth day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread! At the end of six thousand years, God will complete the process of
calling out and purifying His firstfruits and raise them up in the resurrection! Total VICTORY through the POWER OF
GOD will be achieved over the god of this world, even as total victory was granted to Israel at the Red Sea. The sixth
day pictures the firstfruits, unpolluted by the leaven of sin, through the application of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God,
resurrected and given VICTORY over satan. The seventh day pictures a sabbath, a millenium of rest Heb 3:9
for the people of God.
It has often been taught that Israel went through the sea on the seventh day.
There is nothing in scripture to support this error.
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THE FEAST OF FIRSTFRUITS
After passing through the Red Sea, Israel continued their journey
to the Mountain of God. On the fiftieth day after the Wave Sheaf offering would, in future, be made and about forty-five
days after crossing through the sea they entered into a marriage covenant with their God. They agreed to obey Him
in all things and He agreed to love and bless them. This was the Feast of Firstfruits or Feast of Weeks or Feast of
the Covenants. This journeying of Israel shows the first aspect of this festival.
The second aspect is shown by
the command that when they enter the land, they are not to begin the spring harvest or eat of any new crop until a sheaf of
the new harvest has been presented to God Lev 23:10-21. This was to be presented on the day after the sabbath, which
comes after PASSOVER. The Wave Sheaf Offering must be presented during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. If Passover
happens to fall on a Sabbath, then the Wave Offering must be made on the first Day of Unleavened Bread, since the next, day
after the Sabbath, one week later would fall outside the Feast of unleavened Bread! After this first harvest sheaf
was presented to God, seven sabbaths were to be counted and the day AFTER the seventh sabbath was proclaimed the
Feast of Firstfruits. Seven sabbaths are seven weeks or forty nine days. The next day, the fiftieth day, represents
a NEW BEGINNING, being the first day after seven cycles of seven! The wave sheaf begins the spring harvest and the festival
of Firstfruits or Pentecost, celebrates an expansion or an increase. One sheaf was presented to
God on wave sheaf day. Two leavened loaves were presented with a sin offering on the Feast of Firstfruits, the fiftieth
day. The leaven shows imperfection while the sin offering covers and atones for this imperfection. Advancing from
one to two loaves provides the inescapable element of addition or INCREASE.
It is an error to think that the Holy
Spirit was first given and the new covenant church began on the Feast of Pentecost in the first century AD. Jesus gave
the Holy Spirit to His disciples on the day of the Wave Sheaf, NOT ON PENTECOST John 20:19-22. ALL the ancient prophets
and men of God had been given the Holy Spirit. Even limited research into their lives will prove this. The presence
of God's spirit in David, Elijah, Daniel, Abel, Enoch, Noah and so many others only serves to prove that God has
been calling out some to be firstfruits of the new covenant throughout the course of history, as symbolized by the week of
Unleavened Bread. Indeed. one need only read the words of the angel to Zacharias to see the truth of this Luk 1:15.
These many souls were called in faith that Christ would complete His mission, for He was the lamb slain from the foundation
of the world Rev 13:8, His sacrifice was planned for from the beginning, which is why the sacrificial system existed from
the beginning Gen 4:3-4. Jesus said that if He did not complete His misson the comforter would not come Joh 16:7.
It was absolutely necessary for Him to make atonement for sin and justify the faith of the Father in calling these people
or the plan would END, right there. Once He had been sacrificed and resurrected and had been presented to the Father,
the plan for an atonement for sin was completed.
Christ's disciples were to remain in Jerusalem until Pentecost
because; God would demonstrate with tongues of fire, to everyone that He was leaving the temple building to dwell
in men so that they would become, exclusively, His new temple, thus declaring the Mosaic covenant to be over and
To publicly demonstrate that He would pour out His spirit upon ALL FLESH on this day, in future Joel 2:28, as quoted by Peter
on this day.
SYMBOLISM
The engagement period for the saints ends with the resurrection on the sixth
day of unleavened bread. Made spirit, the marriage covenant with Christ is completed and they celebrate the wedding
feast, after which they return with Christ to serve mankind, pouring out the Holy Spirit on all flesh Joel 2:28 on the Feast
of Firstfruits, to begin the process of bringing them into the new covenant as well. As God publicly poured out His spirit
upon those called out in Acts 2:1-18 on the Feast of Pentecost, so He will pour out that same spirit on ALL FLESH on
the same Feast. THE FIRSTFRUITS ARE A PEOPLE CALLED OUT OF SEASON, AS A KIND OF FIRSTFRUITS OF THE NEW COVENANT.
THE NEW COVENANT is a MARRIAGE COVENANT which the FIRSTFRUITS will enter at the MARRIAGE
OF THE LAMB. Right now these Firstfruits are espoused to the LAMB! Even so, ALL FLESH shall be espoused to the
LAMB on the Feast of Pentecost and shall become a part of the BRIDE OF CHRIST, at their change.
The
wave sheaf beginning the spring harvest represented the resurrected Christ being accepted by the Father as the first of the
harvest of souls Joh 20:17. Pentecost pictures the expansion of the calling into the New Covenant to include
ALL flesh, the Holy Spirit being poured out upon ALL flesh Joel 2:28.
MARRIAGE IN ISRAEL
In ancient times it was considered an obligation of parents to provide a bride for their sons. Following the example
of Abraham and Isaac as well as God providing a wife for Adam. Usually parents of different families got together and
made an agreement. Of course they would consult with their children but they provided some wisdom and experience to
balance the hormones of youth. They would often exchange gifts to make the agreement official. On the appointed
day the groom would journey to the bride's home with his friends. There he would meet his bride and bring her back
to his father's house for a wedding feast, before going out to make their own home.
Even so; God calls
some to be espoused to His Son. After a lifetime of preparation they rest until the Son comes to get them. When
He collects His bride, coming with His angels, He then returns to His Fathers house for the wedding feast. After this
feast of REJOICING with His Father and friends they return to the earth to set up their new home.
This beautiful
analogy describes a resurrection on the sixth day of unleavened bread, followed by the wedding feast and ending with
the return to the earth.
NO MAN HAS ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN EXCEPT CHRIST John 3:13 and Acts 2:34
That
is absolutely true! It does NOT mean that no man will ever ascend to heaven. It simply means that there is a great
gulf between heaven and earth that no flesh can cross. Jesus did not ascend into heaven until He was changed into spirit,
then He did. So, men, when changed into spirit will be able to follow Him. It is unimaginable that the Father
would not want to see His new children. This is the great desire of any new father. And we children should be
longing to see our Father. We shall inherit all things Rev 21:7. Surely we should be able to go to our inheritance
and see our Father. Read Rev 15 where the saints are shown in heaven before the throne of God while the seven last plagues
are being poured out. The resurrection occurs when the seventh trump BEGINS to sound Rev 10:7, there
are still seven vials to be poured out. Read what those vials are! It takes weeks to move armies and do all those
things, the saints will be with the Father receiving their lot during this time.
THE 1290 & 1335 DAYS
From the time that the abomination is set up, there shall be 1290 days Dan 12:11. Blessed is he that waits and cometh
to the 1335 days Dan 12:12 Daniel, you shall stand in thy lot at the end of days Dan 12:13. Now the Holy Spirit
is given to those who obey God Acts 5:32. It therefore appears quite impossible that it would be given to people who
are actively resisting Christ at His coming. Since the spirit is to be poured out on ALL flesh Joel 2:28 and All men
are to be blessed on the 1335th day, it is clear that Christ will come and put down all resistance BEFORE the 1335th day.
Therefore the seven last plagues will be poured out and Christ will actually return WITH His saints during the period between
the sixth day of Unleavened Bread and just BEFORE the 1335th day.
When the abomination is first set up, there shall
be 1290 days until the resurrection, forty-four days more will come UP TO the 1335th day. Daniel
and his fellow saints will stand in their lot (receive their reward, responsibility, inheritance) 1335 days after the abomination
has been set up and all are blessed. At this time, on the Feast of Firstfruits God's spirit is poured out upon
ALL FLESH Joel 2:28.
1290 days after the abomination is set up, the resurrection will occur on the sixth day
of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. During the next 44 days the seven last plagues will be poured out, thus coming UP
TO the 1335th day, while the wedding feast takes place in heaven. Jesus Christ will return DURING these
44 days with ten thousands of His saints Jude 14. Yes, He came to get His saints at the resurrection on the 6th day of
Unleavened Bread, NOW Jude says, He is coming back WITH His saints to establish His Kingdom on the earth Rev 5:10. They
will rout their enemies and establish the Kingdom of God, then God's spirit will be poured out upon all flesh on
the 1335th day, the Feast of Pentecost!
Read carefully now; I am NOT saying that the Feast of Firstfruits
is the 45th day after the sixth day of Unleavened Bread every year, this varies somewhat from year to year.
I AM saying that the saints will stand in their lot, receive their inheritance, at the end of the days, that
is on the 1335th day. (on the 45th day after the completion of 1290 days) Dan 12:13. I am also saying,
that God's Word is precise. The Kingdom of God and the resurrection WILL COME, during a year in which there are 45
days from the sixth day of The Feast of Unleavened Bread until Pentecost. This does not occur very often but
in 2012 the sixth Day of Unleavened Bread falls on April 12 and the Feast of Pentecost falls on 27 May, exactly
45 days later, precisely fulfilling this schedule and permitting a NEW BEGINNING on the 45th day after the resurrection, on
the Feast of Pentecost! Counting back 1335 days from the Feast of Pentecost in 2012 brings us to 30 Sep 2008!
The beast and false prophet will be destroyed Rev 19:20 and satan will be removed for 1,000 years some time
during this last 44 days as the last plagues are poured out and the kingdoms of this world are destroyed Rev 20:2. Then
the Holy Spirit will be given when Pentecost comes, establishing the New Covenant with ALL FLESH on the 1335th day.
On that day, there shall be a new beginning for all mankind. Truly, ALL people shall be BLESSED on the 1335th day Dan
12:12. All mankind shall be espoused into a New Covenant with God, establishing a worldwide Kingdom of God on
the same Feast of Pentecost, upon which the Old Covenant was made, establishing the Kingdom of God with Israel.
Please study our pages on THE COVENANTS and the APPALLING ABOMINATION.
Our END TIME CHART page may
help in clarifying the various end time periods.
PLEASE READ ALL SCRIPTURES GIVEN, PRAY FOR GUIDANCE
AND DILIGENTLY SEARCH YOUR BIBLES.
Festival dates for 2008, based on the observation of the new moon may be found
at the end of our BIBLICAL CALENDAR page.
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