THE MOEDIM (APPOINTED
TIMES) - AN INTRODUCTION The Moedim (moe-eh-DEEM - "Appointed Times"), are typically called, "Jewish holidays" but in the Bible are referred to as God's feast days. These include: Pesakh (Passover), Matzah (Unleavened Bread), Yom Habikkurim (First Fruits), Shavuot (Pentecost), Rosh HaShannah, Yom Kippur and Succot (Tabernacles). Also given consideration in this section are the Shabbat (Sabbath) and the Yovel Year (Jubilee Release). Knowledge of the mystical meaning of these appointed times is critical to an understanding of events taking place in the book of Revelation. We will also look beyond the three dimensions of the world we live in, including the relationship between time and space, and how these are tied to the Sabbath and the Tabernacle/Temple. The Moedim are spoken of throughout Scripture but presented as a group in Leviticus chapter 23. We will especially focus on how they are dealt with in the Millennium. PESAKH/MATZAH/YOM HABIKKURIM Although Yeshua died on Pesakh as the Pesakh Lamb, he actually fulfilled the Yom Kippur sacrifice (see below on Yom Kippur). Passover will still be celebrated in Ezekiel's Temple for seven days (Ezekiel 45:21-24). The feast of Unleavened Bread is done in conjunction with Pesakh.Historically, Yeshua died on Pesakh, was in the ground during Unleavend Bread SHAVUOT In Judaism, Shavuot is traditionally understood to be the day that God gave the Torah to Moshe (Moses) on Mount Sinai. It is also on this day that God poured the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) on the 120 Jews in the upper room in Acts 2, apparently indicating that the Torah has been written upon their hearts. (Jeremiah 31:33). Shavuot however, is missing from Ezekiel's Temple. Click here for more information on Shavuot
and the Millennium. The "spring" feasts are associated with Yeshua's first coming. Yeshua died on Passover. He was in the ground on Unleavened Bread. He was resurrected on Yom HaBikkurim (First Fruits). The Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) came to His disciples on Shavuot. ROSH HASHANNAH This marked the beginning of the Civil year (not the religious year) and is a day of blowing shofars. It was celebrated on the first day of the seventh month. This festival also seems to be missing from Ezekiel's Temple, however on the first day of the first month (beginning of the religious year) there is a festival for cleansing the sanctuary (Ezekiel 45:18-19). When the Children of Israel were getting ready to leave Egypt, God told Moshe that the month of Nisan (nee-sahn') was to be the first month of the year for them (Exodus 12:2). It was only later that the seventh month became accepted by the Hebrews as the month for marking the years. Apparently, in Ezekiel's Temple, God is restoring the beginning of the religious year to its rightful place, marking our freedom from the world system. YOM KIPPUR Every year on this day only, the High Priest entered past the Veil into the Holy of Holies to make atonement for our souls. For this reason the Veil represents the Yom Kippur sacrifice. The Bronze Altar represents the actual sacrifices themselves. The only thing needed to properly perform most sacrifices is an altar. When the exiles began returning from Babylon, they immediately rebuilt the altar and began to sacrifice on it. Only after this did they rebuild the Temple, and lastly the city walls. The Yom Kippur sacrifice however, requires the Temple as well as the altar. At the moment Yeshua died on the cross, the Veil of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom, indicating that the requirements of the Yom Kippur sacrifice had been fulfilled and it was no longer necessary to perform this sacrifice (Hebrews 6:4 is centered around this.) However, the altar was left intact, indicating that the other sacrifices were not done away with (as can be seen by the fact that Paul still sacrificed.) The Romans later destroyed the (second) Temple and altar, but this does not indicate the end of the sacrificial system. (If it did, then the system would have ended with the destruction of the first Temple, hundreds of years earlier, and Yeshua's sacrifice would have been in vain.) In Ezekiel's Temple, there is no Yom Kippur sacrifice, however other daily sacrifices are still performed, including sacrifice for sin. See Yom Kippur and the New Covenant and The Sacrificial System from the previous section. (Use the BACK button to return to this article.) SUCCOT This is the most joyous of all the Lord's festivals and the one that all the nations will be required to go up to Jerusalem to celebrate during the time of Ezekiel's Temple (Zechariah 14:16-21). Succot (which is itself the seventh festival) is related to the Messianic Age. Succot is to be celebrated for seven days. However, in Leviticus 23:36 it is written of Succot:
In the midst of describing a seven-day festival, God mentions an "eight day." This "extra" day is called Shemini Atzeret ("the eighth conclusion"). It is celebrated on the eighth day of the feast of Tabernacles, on the day of Tishrei 22. On Tishrei 23, is Simcha Torah, meaning "rejoicing in the Torah". The Jewish people celebrate Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah as one day. It is considered the eighth day of the celebration of Succot and represents Olam Haba, the time that comes after the Millennium. The eighth day is therefore, a picture of eternity -- and rejoicing in eternity is associated with the Torah.
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