Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Salvation Revealed In The Old Testament: Part 2 – The Significance of God’s Festivals

The world of Christendom embraces holidays that are built on non-Christian traditions.  Yet the Bible reveals the entire plan of the saving grace of Jesus Christ in the Festivals of God that were given to Israel when they left Egypt.  Let’s first identify these days and then look to the Christian events of which they were a foreshadow.

SEVEN ANNUAL FESTIVALS
1.  PASSOVER Leviticus 23:4-5 ESV "These are the appointed feasts of the LORD, the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for them.  (5)  In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the LORD's Passover

2.  FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD
Leviticus 23:6  And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.  (7)  On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work. 

3.  FEAST OF PENTECOST ALSO CALLED THE FEAST OF WEEKS (COUNT 50)
Leviticus 23:15-16 ESV  "You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering.  (16)  You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the LORD.

4.  FEAST OF TRUMPETS (Jews call it Rosh Hashanah)
Leviticus 23:24 ESV "Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation.


5. DAY OF ATONEMENT (Jews call it Yom Kippur)
Leviticus 23:27-28 ESV "Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the LORD.  (28)  And you shall not do any work on that very day, for it is a Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the LORD your God.

6.  FEAST OF TABERNACLES (Jews call it Sukkot)
Leviticus 23:34 KJV Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.

7.  THE LAST GREAT DAY (Jews call it Shemini Atzeret: The Last Great Day
Leviticus 23:36 KJV Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.

It was on this Festival Day that Jesus stood up and proclaimed…

John 7:37-38 KJV In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.  (38)   He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Within the seven annual Festivals, there are seven annual Sabbaths or days of convocation; holy days.

SEVEN ANNUAL SABBATHS OR HOLY DAYS (Days of Convocation or Meeting)
1.  1st Day of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:7)
2.  7th Day of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:8)
3.  Pentecost or Feast of Weeks (Leviticus 23:15-22)
4.  Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:24)
5.  Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:27)
6.  1st Day of The Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:34-35)
7.  The Last Great Day (Leviticus 23:36)

THE SEVEN ANNUAL FESTIVALS PICTURE GOD’S COMPLETE PLAN FOR SALVATION

Just before Israel left Egypt, God told Moses that this month is the beginning of the year.  Passover would mark this month in the future and tell us today when that month is.

Exodus 12:2-3, 6-7, 11 KJV This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.  (3)  Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: (6)  And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. (7)  And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. (11) And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover.


1.  Passover pictures the death and burial of Jesus Christ the Lamb of God.  It also pictures our baptism when we die to sin and come under the redeeming and reconciling blood of Jesus.  Our sins our passed over and we are saved from the penalty of sin.  STEP ONE FOR A CHRISTIAN IS REPENTANCE, STEP TWO IS BAPTISM. SEE PENTECOST UNDER No. 3 & Acts 2:38

2.  Feast of Unleavened Bread pictures the Christian putting sin out of their life and taking on holiness or righteous behavior.  Paul calls holiness, the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
  1 Corinthians 5:8 KJV Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

3.  Feast of Pentecost pictures the start of the Christian Church and receiving the Holy Ghost; both of which, every Christian needs in order to be able to walk in holiness (the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth).   The Christian Church was started on the Feast of Pentecost about 31 A.D. 
Acts 2:1 KJV And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (38) Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (39) For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
STEP THREE IS RECEIVING THE HOLY GHOST (NECESSARY TO LIVE IN HOLINESS & FOR SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE IN GOD’S KINGDOM)

4.  Feast of Trumpets pictures the resurrection of the Saints at/and the return of Jesus Christ. 
1 Corinthians 15:52 KJV In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Revelation 11:15 KJV And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
THE RESURRECTION WILL BE THE COMPLETION OF THE BORN AGAIN EXPERIENCE THAT STARTED WITH BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST AND CULMINATES AT CHRIST’S RETURN AND THE CHANGING OF OUR BODIES INTO SPIRIT AT THE RESURRECTION

5.  Atonement pictures Satan the Devil being bound for a thousand years and all sin being placed on its originator’s head; the fallen Lucifer/Satan/The Devil/Adversary.
Revelation 20:1-2 KJV And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.  (2)  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

6.  Feast of Tabernacles pictures the millennial rule of the Saints with Christ for 1000 years.
Revelation 20:4 KJV And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

7.  The Last Great Day pictures the White Throne Judgment and the completion of the plan of salvation; which is salvation for the righteous and damnation for the wicked.
Revelation 20:11-15 KJV And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.  (12)  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  (13)  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.  (14)  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  (15)  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The LORD is an on time God.  He has a plan that is mapped out in His WORD.  The entire plan of salvation was foreshadowed by His Festivals given to ancient Israel.  It all began with Abraham.  God has placed a significance; on certain numbers like 3, 7 and 12.  We need to know God’s WORD.


Copyright © 2006, 2011  Thomas C. Blake

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Salvation Revealed In The Old Testament: Part 1 -- The Significance Of Numbers



We saw in the story of God requiring Abraham to sacrifice Isaac; that it was on the third day that he was to be sacrificed.  On that day, the man through whom the lineage of Christ would come; was established.  Through Abraham would come, the Savior.  This would ultimately mean restoration for the righteous and doom for the wicked.

Genesis 22:2 &  KJV And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.  4) Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

In the Story of Joseph, while he was in Pharaoh’s prison, God gave him the interpretation of two dreams of Pharaoh’s servants and the dreams came true.  It was shown in those dreams that the Butler would be restored and the Baker would be hanged.

Genesis 40:9-13 KJV And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me;  (10)  And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:  (11)  And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.  (12)  And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days:  (13)  Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.

Genesis 40:16-19 KJVWhen the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head:  (17)  And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.  (18)  And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days:  (19)  Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.

Genesis 40:21-22 KJV  And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:  (22)  But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.

Salvation Came To Jonah And To Nineveh On The Third Day
Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights.

Jonah 1:17 KJV Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

The city of Nineveh was a three days journey in breadth.  It took Jonah three days to go from one end to the other to proclaim God’s message to repent.  The people did and were saved.  The entire city was marked by God for destruction; but now was saved.

Salvation Comes To Mankind On The Third Day When Christ Rose From The Dead
When Jesus Christ was resurrected, salvation was secured for all who would believe on Him and be baptized.  Salvation was secured for the righteous and damnation for the wicked, the unbelievers.  This was secured on the third day.

Matthew 20:19 ESV and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day."

There are also three festival seasons given to Israel.  The seven Feasts of the LORD fall in three seasons when all men were to give a special offering.

Deuteronomy 16:16 ESV "Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), and at the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles). They shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed.


God Builds On the Number Twelve
There were twelve tribes of Israel upon which God build his nation Israel and there were twelve apostles on whom Christ built His church.  The nation and the church, will be united as The Holy Nation of priests in New Jerusalem; The Holy City.

Revelation 21:2-3, 12 & 14 ESV And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  (3)  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  (12)  It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed—(14)  And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.


Seven Is Sanctified And Signifies Completion
There are other numbers that have significance.  Seven is completion and the seventh is sanctified.  There are seven days of creation and the seven day week; the seventh is the Sabbath and is sanctified.  There are seven annual feasts of the LORD, given to Israel and seven annual Sabbaths.  Israel was on a seven year agricultural system.  The seventh year was a land Sabbath; a sanctified year when no crops were to be cultivated.  Seven cycles of seven years was declared a time of restoration.  It was the fiftieth year of Jubilee.  All debts were forgiven every seven years; but after seven cycles of seven years; all property and land went back to the original owners.  If grandpa lost the farm in a poker game, it was returned to his children and grandchildren.  No one person would destroy his family’s inheritance.  All would be restored.  There are also seven weeks counted between Passover and Pentecost.  Pentecost means count fifty. 

CREATION
Genesis 2:2-3 ESV And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.  (3)  So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

SABBATH
Exodus 20:8-11 ESV "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.  (9)  Six days you shall labor, and do all your work,  (10)  but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates.  (11)  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

This study will continue with Salvation Revealed In The Old Testament:  Part 2 – The Significance of God’s Festivals



Copyright © 2006, 2011  Thomas C. Blake

Thursday, November 18, 2010

We Are The Prey Of A Master Hunter -- Spiritual Warfare: Part 1 Introduction

This time of year reminds me of my past hunting experiences in Wisconsin.  We lived in the whitetail deer capitol of the Midwest and the number one county for hunting in the state.  There are few activities that compare to entering the woods before the early dawn, while it is dark, still and quiet.  It is an experience that every whitetail deer hunter is familiar with; especially during bow hunting season.  Weeks of scouting the patterns of the deer paths and scoping out the perfect place to perch are necessary if your hunt is going to be successful.  To listen to the woods come alive around you, the sounds of squirrels and birds; is an awesome moment to savor.  It seems that the blue jays lead the deer right to you; but you have been there at both dawn and sunset; for weeks, observing their patterns.  You know their bedding and you know their moves.  At the first rays of sunlight the deer is in the sights of your bow.  All is quiet and the game is yours. 

My attempts at bow hunting white tail deer were never successful as a hunter; but the hours of meditation in the solitude of the woods are special remembrances.  The one lesson above all learned from bow hunting is that it takes readiness and preparedness; and this doesn’t happen by accident.  Hunting requires a great deal of preparation, education and practice to become skillful.

Unfortunately, we are the prey of a master hunter.  He is our greatest adversary and he stalks us as a hunter does whitetail deer.  He knows our patterns.  He has been observing us morning, noon and night.  He is in camouflage and has found the perfect perch to sit and wait for the right moment to attack.  He leaves nothing to accident, but has studied us in detail.  The effectiveness of our defense will be in our preparation and readiness.  These both take a certain mindset or attitude.  Our attitude can set us up to be a conqueror or to be conquered.  We can either be the hunter or the hunted.  Our adversary is the Devil; but we can be on the offensive and send him packing.  We can be ready to quench his fiery darts and use our greatest offensive and defensive weapons.

Our adversary the Devil works under three forms:

1.  Subtle serpent; to beguile our senses, pervert our judgment, and enchant our imagination.

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

2.  Angel of light; to deceive us with false views of spiritual things, refinements in religion, and    presumption on the providence and grace of God.

2 Corinthians 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

3.   Roaring lion; to bear us down, and destroy us by violent opposition, persecution, and death. Thus he was acting towards the followers of God at Pontus, etc., who were now suffering a grievous persecution.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

The Apostle Paul reveals the armor of God Ephesians chapter 6.  God gives us a shield of faith to quench the fiery darts of the Devil.  But we need the mindset of salvation, a helmet that protects what we allow in our minds, because a shield is only good if we have the mind to use it.  We have the sword of the spirit which is the word of God.  It cuts both ways and is doubled edged for offense as well as defense.  But here again, it requires us to have the mind to use it.

Ephesians 6:16-17 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  (17)  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”

We will be looking further into the armor of God in more detail.  This is an introduction into a series on Spiritual Warfare.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, I thank you for not leaving me defenseless.  You have given us your armor to fight against our spiritual adversary the Devil.  Keep me strong in your protection and armor.  Help me to pray continually without ceasing and be instant in prayer; in Jesus’ name, Amen.