The first stage of the harvest takes place with the offering of the first of the firstfruits of barley (Leviticus 23:10,11). The main barley harvest could not begin until the firstfruits were offered to and accepted by Yahweh. The first stage of the harvest was fulfilled by Messiah’s resurrection and ascension. The second stage took place with the main barley harvest. That harvest precedes the wheat harvest. It was fulfilled by the resurrection of many saints of old (Matthew 27:52,53). These saints did not die again, but taken to heaven just as Yeshua was. The third stage was the offering of the firstfruits of the wheat harvest (Leviticus 23:17). That will be fulfilled by the resurrection at the sound of the seventh trumpet and last trumpet. At that time only the firstfruits of the harvest of souls in Messiah will be resurrected and offered up to Yahweh. Since two loaves of bread were waved in Leviticus 23:17, each loaf is a separate stage of the resurrection. Therefore, the second wave loaf will be called stage four of the harvest. It will be fulfilled before the end of the seventh trumpet whereas stage three is fulfilled at the beginning of the seventh trumpet. Stage five of the harvest takes place at the reaping of the main wheat harvest (Matthew 13). That will be fulfilled after the destruction of the wicked at Armageddon.

The Five Stages of the First Resurrection

1) First of the firstfruits of the barley harvest
2) The main barley harvest
3) First loaf representing the firstfruits of the wheat harvest.
4) Second loaf representing the firstfruits of the wheat harvest.
5) The main wheat harvest.

The parable of the wheat and the tares of Matthew 13 deals with the entire wheat harvest whereas the Feast of Weeks/Shavuot deals with only the firstfruits of the wheat harvest (Exodus 34:22). If the wheat harvest pictures the resurrection of all believers, then who do the firstfruits represent? In Revelation 14:4, the 144,000 are said to be “the firstfruits unto Elohim and the Lamb”. We can learn more about the firstfruits in Leviticus 23:15-21 where it deals specifically with Shavuot.

In verse 17 of Leviticus 23 we are told that two wave loaves of leavened bread represent “the firstfruits unto Yahweh.” Leaven is symbolic of sin. Therefore, these wave loves represent people, not Messiah. Messiah is represented by the unleavened grain offering of Leviticus 23:13. If the 144,000 are the firstfruits, then either one loaf equals 72,000 people or each loaf consists of 144,000 people totaling 288,000 believers. The latter is true; there are two groups of 144,000 believers representing the firstfruits and totaling 288,000.

The group in Revelation 14:4 was not “defiled with women.” What are women symbolic of in scripture? Babylon the great is spoken of as a mother that has harlot daughters (Revelation 17:5). These women (the mother and her daughters) represent false religious systems. Therefore the 144,000 in Revelation 14 were not defiled by false religions. This could only speak of the early assembly before corruption set in. This corruption was just beginning in the Apostle Paul’s day since he spoke about wolves and false teachers within the assembly. This early group of 144,000 saints kept themselves pure and undefiled by that corruption.

They are called “virgins” in verse 4 which has an even deeper meaning than not being defiled by false religions. According to Leviticus 21:10,13,14, the high priest was only permitted to marry a virgin of his own people. Yeshua is now Yahweh’s High Priest. Therefore, his bride must be a virgin Israelite. Since this group of 144,000 are virgins and since they are from the early assembly that was comprised of only Israelites, they must be Yeshua’s bride.

Yeshua was speaking to part of his future bride (his disciples) in John 14:2-4. They will be among the 144,000 of Revelation 14. What is even more interesting is how a literal Israelite wedding is symbolized in Yeshua’s prophesy. Reading from the “Aid to Bible Understanding,” Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Pennsylvania, 1969, pages 114,115; “As to the wedding itself, the central and characteristic feature was the solemn bringing of the bride from her father’s home on the date agreed upon to her husband’s home, in which act the significance of marriage as representing admission of the bride into the family of her husband found expression. … The bridegroom took the bride to his house, or the tent or house of his parents.” Yeshua, the bridegroom, will return to his brides home, earth, and take her back to his father’s house, in heaven, where they will spend seven years celebrating. Seven days was the usual time for an Israelite wedding celebration.

Now let’s look at the 144,000 of Revelation 7:1-4. The winds that are being held back represent the wrath of Almighty Yahweh that begins the Day of Yahweh. Since that is a future end-time event, this group of 144,000 is sealed over 1900 years after the group in Revelation 14. The group in Revelation 7 are alive in the latter days and the group in Revelation 14 were alive in the Apostolic days (the former days).

There is another instrumental factor involved in the development of a successful harvest; that is, the former and latter rains. Without these two rainy seasons, the harvest would not be fruitful. Let’s read a few verses concerning this.

Hosea 6:3 - “Then shall we know, if we follow on to know Yahweh: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.”

James 5:7 – “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Master. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.”

When the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the believers in Acts 2, it was the fulfillment of the former rain; the Holy Spirit being “living waters” (John 7:38,39). The former rain was instrumental in the development of the 144,000 of Revelation14. The latter rain will be poured out in the latter days and will be instrumental in the development of the 144,000 of Revelation7. That latter rain, incidentally, will be poured out on the Feast of Weeks / Shavuot at some point in the future. It will only be poured out on those obedient saints that are keeping that feast on the correct day as were the saints in Acts 2.

There is one other scriptural reference to these 288,000 saints. It is found in 1 Chronicles 27:1-15. We know that Aaron, for example, was a “type” of Yeshua our High Priest; that the Israelite passage through the Red Sea was a type of baptism, etc. The 288,000 firstfruits are also the fulfillment of a type. They are the anti-type of that which is spoken of in 1 Chronicles 27. The captains and officers of verse 1 were to serve King David in any matter that arose throughout the year. This statement is fulfilled by that in Revelation 14:4, “These are they which follow the Lamb wherever he goes.” King David is a type of King Yeshua, the anti-type. Just as these servants in 1 Chronicles 27:1 served King David in all matters of his kingdom, the 288,000 firstfruits serve King Yeshua in all matters of his kingdom.

Verses 2-15 tell us there were 24,000 officers that served the king each month for 12 months (12 x 24,000 = 288,000). Two wave loaves with 144,000 people representing each loaf = 288,000. King Yeshua has a government to run. His saints will rule with a rod of iron by his side (Revelation 2:26,27; 12:5). The 288,000 firstfruits will be the highest ranking officers in that kingdom government. Everyone else resurrected in the main harvest will be reigning in a position of lesser importance in the kingdom (Revelation 20:4).

In summation, Revelation 14:1-5 is a vision of the first group of firstfruits to be resurrected. These saints were resurrected during the third stage of the first resurrection that is pictured in Revelation 12:5. The fourth stage of the first resurrection will occur in Revelation 14:14-16. Then the second group of firstfruits representing the second wave loaf of Leviticus 23:17 will be resurrected. This group includes the 144,000 that were sealed in Revelation7 and have since lost their lives at the hands of the beast.

Revelation 14:1-5 does not necessarily follow Revelation13 in the story flow since it concerns heavenly events that may not coincide with the earthly events that are spoken of.

The saints that are harvested in Revelation 14:14-16 are seen standing on the sea of glass in Revelation 15:2. They have been resurrected and brought before the throne of Yahweh in heaven. Again, they are the 144,000 that were sealed in Revelation 7, later persecuted by the beast of Revelation 13 and killed because they would not worship it nor receive its mark.

Many who profess to obey Yahweh’s dietary laws are not very zealous in their approach to keeping them. We have been well informed by the health community on the “evils” of eating too much fat or sugar. So we carefully check each product to make sure it is not laden with either. Shouldn’t we be even more careful to check for ingredients that Yahweh says we should not eat? Is abstaining from pork chops, bacon, ham, shrimp, and lobster sufficient? Should we go no farther in attempting to abstain from unclean animal products hidden in supposedly edible food?

Peter’s vision in Acts 10 is often used by both opponents and proponents of the dietary laws. What is usually overlooked is Peter’s zealousness towards these laws. He said he had “never” eaten “anything” that was common or unclean (vs.14). We, too, should be so zealous.

1 Cor.3:16,17 reads, “Know you not that you are the temple of [Yahweh], and that the Spirit of [Yahweh] dwells in you? If any man defile the temple of [Yahweh], him shall [Yahweh] destroy; for the temple of [Yahweh] is holy, which temple you are.”

That being the case, we should diligently guard our temple from defilement. The key word here is “diligently”. King Artaxerxes decreed the following concerning provisions for the House of Yahweh in Jerusalem;

 ”Whatsoever is commanded by the Elohim of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the Elohim of heaven:” (Ezra 7:23a).

The “House of the Elohim of heaven” is the body of each believer in whom His Spirit dwells. It must be diligently guarded from defilement by that which Yahweh proclaims will defile it. In Lev.11, Yahweh tells us exactly which animals are unclean abominations that cause defilement when eaten. He concludes His list with vss.45-47;

“For I am the Yahweh that brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your Elohim: you shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps upon the earth: To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.”

 We should “make a difference” by being diligent in reading ingredient labels to search for that which would defile us and Yahweh’s temple.

Once A Pig Always A Pig

Some people have the mistaken belief that since some unclean ingredients are added in such minute quantities and are so highly processed they are somehow cleansed and therefore, permissible. However, in the same way that an Ethiopian cannot change the color of his skin or a leopard its spots (Jer.13:23) neither can man change an unclean animal to a clean one no matter how much processing it undergoes. This is why we should not eat Jello brand gelatin even though it bears a kosher “K” on the package. Although the company cannot guarantee it uses only gelatin derived from beef bones, liberal Rabbis allow pork gelatin because it has been processed at very high temperatures. The stricter Orthodox symbols such as a K ,U, or V encircled are usually very reliable and can be trusted in designating clean products, but not always. If given a choice of several similar products, always choose the one with a kosher symbol as opposed to no symbol at all. A kosher symbol not only identifies products made with clean ingredients, but it also assures us that the machinery and utensils used to make the product were properly sanitized and that only healthy animals were used.

Gelatin also finds its way into marshmallows and products containing marshmallows like cereals, candies, and snacks. Certain brands of apple juice that are not Kosher certified may have used unclean gelatin or bones to clarify the juice. The gelatin is added to the cloudy juice which causes the sediments to stick to it. The gelatin is later removed by adding animal bones which causes the gelatin to stick to them. The bones are then removed leaving clarified apple juice. If you by “natural” apple juice that appears cloudy and is not Kosher certified, it does not mean it did not undergo that process. It may mean the process was only partially completed to make it appear as though it is a natural product.

Enzymes

Enzymes are used to coagulate and curdle milk when making cheese. There are generally four types of enzymes; microbial (artificially or chemically produced), vegetable (from a plant source), rennet (from the stomach of suckling calves or sheep), and pepsin (from a pig’s stomach). Sargento cheeses, for example, are made using microbial (or synthetic) enzymes. Kraft , on the other hand, cannot guarantee their enzymes to be from a clean source. Kosher cheese is available, but is usually hard to find unless you live near a Jewish community. Many kosher products, including kosher cheese, can be purchased over the internet.

There are also several varieties of very inexpensive processed cheeses that are made from inferior quality cheese known as “grinder.” “Grinder” can be from spoiled or contaminated cheese. It is melted, reprocessed, and solidified with assorted binders to disguise any foul taste. “You get what you pay for” as the saying goes. It may cost more to eat clean and healthier, but the benefits far outweigh the cost.

Whey

A waste by-product of the cheese making process is whey. It finds its way into many products such as candy, ice cream, bread, snacks, etc. As cheese curdles, a thick liquid begins to separate from it. This liquid contains whatever enzymes were used to make the cheese. Therefore, if pepsin (from a pig’s stomach) was used, any product containing that whey would be unclean as well. It is important to read labels on the products you buy. If it contains whey, be sure the product is Kosher certified. This would assure you the whey was from a clean source.

Be On Guard

Contamination of our food supply comes in many different forms from many different sources; insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, drugs, food additives, chemical additives, etc.  A recent article in a local newspaper concerned the feeding of our nation’s cattle, hogs, poultry, etc., with 19 million pounds of antibiotics each year. The National Research Council did a study on this practice and found that the antibiotics created strains of disease-causing bacteria that are resistant to the antibiotics and infect humans. They recommended consumers cook meat thoroughly and take other precautions, such as washing cutting boards and knives after chopping chicken.

The safest, healthiest way to eat is from your own organic garden. Since that is not always possible or practical, we must be watchful in selecting products for our family to eat.

The following is an assortment of things to consider.

When making maple syrup, it is a practice of some companies to drip pork fat into the boiling syrup to keep the froth down. Buy only Kosher certified syrup.

Turkey sausage seems like a good alternative to pork sausage until you realize it may be stuffed into hog casings.

The ground beef, chicken, or turkey from your local grocer may have been ground through a grinder that was used for pig and not sanitized. A past edition of Dateline showed an undercover operation in which the ground beef from 100 stores in 10 different cities was tested. Six out of ten stores in Miami, for example, were selling ground beef with ground pork in it. The same was true of almost all the cities tested. The program also told the story of one man’s death from eating a supposedly “all beef” hamburger. The burger was contaminated with pork resulting in a trichina worm making its way to his brain and killing him.

Think twice before ordering a restaurant pizza, even if you know they use clean cheese. They slice it with the same rolling cutter they used on the previous customer’s supreme pizza with pepperoni and sausage.

Culinary Curiosities

Below is a list of a few food additives that you should be aware of.

 Alpha Amylase – It is used in flour to break down starches and is derived from hog intestines.

Carmine (cochineal) – This is a crimson coloring derived from an insect (coccus cacti, L). It is used to color red apple sauce, yogurt, chewing gum, fruit cocktail cherries, confections, baked goods, soft drinks, and meats.

Civet, absolute – This is used as a flavoring for beverages, ice cream, candy, baked goods, and chewing gum. It comes from an Ethiopian cat.

Cystein, L form – This is an amino acid that can come from horses, humans, or may be synthetic. It is used as a nutrient in bakery products. I noticed it for the first time in fresh bagels from a major grocery stores bakery.

Glycerides, Glycerol, Glycerine – All can come from unclean animal sources. Most toothpastes and mouthwashes contain glycerine.

Natural Flavorings – These can be derived from civet (cats), castorium (beaver), ambergis (whales), etc. They are indeed “natural,” but certainly not clean.

Shellac – This is an insect secretion used in glaze for confectionery products.

Eating Blood or Fat

The following Scriptures forbid the eating of animal flesh that contains blood; Gen.9:4; Lev.3:17; 7:26; 17:10-14; Deut.12:16; Acts 15:20,29. That being the case, we need to be sure that the meat we eat has had the blood properly drained. The only way to do that is to slit the live animals throat allowing the blood to be continually pumped out by the heart. The flesh is then salted to draw out any remaining blood. Broiling the flesh will draw even more blood out. If the animal is killed prior to bleeding, which is common in many slaughter houses, the heart will not aid in pumping all the blood out. Whatever blood remains in the flesh will contain whatever diseases, poisons, impurities, or toxins where in the animal’s blood at the time of death. “AIDS,” for example, is carried through the blood stream of humans. The same is true of diseases found in animals. When the Word says, “the life is in the blood,” the opposite may be true as well, “death is in the blood.”  Therefore, seek to buy Kosher meats which have been properly bled. Kosher frankfurters and salami are usually readily available as is chicken.

We are also to abstain from eating fat (Lev.3:17; 7:24). As with blood, fat contains poisons and impurities. It also, as the medical community has proven, contributes to high cholesterol, heart disease, and a host of other ailments. All excess fat on kosher meat should be trimmed off before cooking. The skin should be removed from poultry since most of the toxins and fat are found there. Broiling helps to remove much of the fat as it does the blood. There are many products that list fat in the ingredients such as soups, pies, and other baked goods. Be sure to read the labels and select only kosher certified products.

Conclusion

Yahweh has given us some sobering words from the prophet Ezekiel;

“Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.” (Ezek.22:26).

Let us not profane Yahweh or His holy temple (our bodies) by not discerning between clean and unclean products to eat. There is great reward awaiting those who are zealous for the way of Yahweh and who are diligent in carrying out His will.

The purpose of this study is to understand what disgusts Yahweh the most and what should be disgusting to us as well. But first, let’s look at a few things that men consider abominations, but really aren’t.

Genesis 43:32 – “And they set a place for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.”

The Egyptians were a proud and exclusive people who considered foreigners abominable, especially the Hebrews who were undoubtedly a much hairier people which can lead to the false belief that they are unclean or dirty people.

Genesis 46:34 – “That you shall say, Thy servants’ trade has been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.”

Their disgust at shepherds may also have to do with being dirty or smelly. A herd of sheep can smell pretty bad causing their shepherd to smell bad as well. It can also have to do with the Egyptian view of sheep. If sheep were taboo for religious reasons, then their shepherds would be looked upon as taboo breakers.

Now to the real abominations.

Leviticus 11:9-13, 42-44 – “These shall you eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever has fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall you eat. And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you: They shall be even an abomination unto you; you shall not eat of their flesh, but you shall have their carcases in abomination. Whatsoever has no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you. And these are they which you shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, . . .Whatsoever goes upon the belly, and whatsoever goes upon all four, or whatsoever has more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them you shall not eat; for they are an abomination. You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps, neither shall you make yourselves unclean with them, that you should be defiled thereby. For I am Yahweh your Elohim: you shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall you defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

Certain “foods” of today are an abomination to Yahweh. He says that when we eat these animals that are disgusting to Him, that we then become disgusting in His sight (vs.43). He also says that His people are to consider them abominable as well. How would you feel if your child picked up dog poop and ate it? I would be gagging and want to vomit. We are Yahweh’s children. He does not want us to eat disgusting things.

It is not nitpicking or too legalistic to refuse to eat certain products because they contain unclean animal byproducts. Its for our own good and for Yahweh’s good pleasure that we keep ourselves pure and holy.

Leviticus 18:6-23 concerns forbidden acts such as incest, adultery, human sacrifices, homosexuality, beastiality, etc.

Lev.18:26,29 – “You shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourns among you: . . . For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.”

In 1 Corinthians 5:1-5, we read about a man in the congregation that committed incest by having his father’s wife. The Apostle Paul’s judgment was to excommunicate the man or to cut him off from his people. This time it was only men cutting off another man from his congregation and it may have been temporary providing the man repented. However, a time will come when Yahweh will do the cutting off and it will be forever.

Question: What would you do if you were walking through a forest and you came across a 14 ct. gold statue of Neptune (the pagan mighty one of the sea) worth about $5,000?

Deuteronomy 7:25-26 – “The graven images of their mighty ones shall you burn with fire: you shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto you, lest you be snared therein: for it is an abomination to Yahweh thy Elohim. Neither shall you bring an abomination into your house, lest you be a cursed thing like it: but you shall utterly detest it, and you shall utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.”

Deut.17:1 – “Thou shalt not sacrifice unto Yahweh thy Elohim any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto Yahweh thy Elohim.”

Yahweh desires unblemished, spotless sacrifices. This is why Yahweh could accept nothing less than a sinless (unblemished) man to die as the atoning sacrifice for mankind. He also desires for us to be unblemished sacrifces as we read in 2 Pe.3:14:

“Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that you may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”

That may seem impossible to do, but as long as we confess our sins, we will have all our unrighteousness cleansed and become spotless again.

Deuteronomy 18:9-12 – “When you are come into the land which Yahweh thy Elohim gives you, you shall not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto Yahweh: and because of these abominations Yahweh thy Elohim drives them out from before you.”

Believers today are not to resort to such sources for their information, guidance or revelation. Yahweh has given us His Son and Scripture. We are to hear them.

Deuteronomy 22:5 – “The woman shall not wear that which pertains unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto Yahweh thy Elohim.”

We may not know the full reason why Yahweh gave this commandment, but we do know the result when someone breaks it. That person becomes an abomination in Yahweh’s sight.

Deuteronomy 24:4a – “Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before Yahweh:”

A man cannot remarry an ex-wife if she remarried and was later divorced.

Deuteronomy  25:13-16 – “You shall not have in your bag diverse weights, a great and a small. You shall not have in your house diverse measures, a great and a small. But you shall have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shall you have: that your days may be lengthened in the land which Yahweh thy Elohim gives you. For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto Yahweh thy Elohim.”

The same would be true of any kind of measurement including gas stations putting water in their tanks, contractors ordering far more cement than what is needed for a job, moving the boundary markers of your land, etc. I once bought a bunch of bananas in Greece. When I returned to my room and removed the bananas from the bag, I found a giant black banana at the bottom. It was placed their to increase the weight my purchase costing me more.

Deuteronomy 27:15 – “Cursed be the man that makes any graven or molten image, an abomination unto Yahweh, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and puts it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.”

Any image or idol that is used for worship is an abomination to Yahweh. That includes all the statues you see in churches today, all the crucifixes with images of Christ on them, and all the religious art depicting images of people that are prayed to like the virgin Mary.

Proverbs 3:32 – “For the froward is abomination to Yahweh: but his secret is with the righteous.”

“Froward” here means to be perverse or stubbornly obstinate. Pharoah comes to mind as that type of person.

Proverbs 6:16-19 – “These six things does Yahweh hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brethren.”

May we never commit such abominations. A heart that devises wicked imaginations is someone who takes the time to think up evil things to do and feet that are swift in running to mischief is just the opposite. They don’t even stop to think. They just do evil without thinking.

Proverbs 12:22 – “Lying lips are abomination to Yahweh: but they that deal truly are his delight.”

This is why Revelation 21:8 says all liars are destined for the Lake of Fire. Yeshua is the truth and his followers must walk in truth as well. Satan is the father of lies. We must not follow his example, but Yeshua’s.

Proverbs 17:15 – “He that justifies the wicked, and he that condemns the just, even they both are abomination to Yahweh.”

There are judges in our judicial system today that are provoking Yahweh’s wrath every time they allow the guilty to go free while the victim’s suffer.

Proverbs 28:9 – “He that turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.”

 How many people in Christianity today are guilty of this? Many today are ignorant concerning the Scriptures and are being deceived concerning the law, but there are also many who are very learned in the Scriptures and yet, refuse to hear the law. A day is coming when these people will stand before Yeshua and he will say to them, “Depart from me you workers of lawlessness. I never knew you.”

Proverbs 29:27 – “An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.”

Its hard to believe that a follower of Yeshua can be considered an abomination, but that is how the wicked view us. That would mean that all human beings, including those in the Body of Messiah, are considered abominable! Thankfully, however, those in the Body are not considered abominable by Yahweh.

Luke 16:15 – “And he said unto them, You are they which justify yourselves before men; but Elohim knows your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of Elohim.”

This is similar to idolatry. Whatsoever man values above Yahweh is an abomination to Him. In this case, the Pharisees love of money was abhorred by Yahweh. For many people it is their cars and still others, their wardrobe or clothing. The true riches that we as believers should be seeking after are those of the Spirit; eternal riches that no man can steal from us.

Revelation 21:7-8 – “He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his Elohim, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Abominable people will be cast into the Lake of Fire. How does someone become abominable? By doing those things mentioned above; the things that Yahweh says are abominations that make us abominable.

Ezekiel 43:8 – “In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger.”

Israel defiled Yahweh’s name by their abominations. This is mostly speaking about their idols. If we are going to be holy as Yahweh is holy and not defile His Name, we must separate ourselves from any and all abominations.

If you have been committing any of the abominations spoken of in Scripture, I admonish you to repent and walk in a way that is not abominable/disgusting to your Creator. It doesn’t matter whether you have been committing beastiality, homosexuality, cross dressing, incest, witchcraft, idolatry, or any other abomination. There is forgiveness available from Yahweh through the shed blood of His Son Yeshua who died for you. He took the punishment for your sin (death) upon himself so that you can live forever justified before Yahweh. You need only to repent of your sin (turn away from it) and confess the Master Yeshua the Messiah as your Savior asking him to cleanse you of your sin. He will do so and empower you to overcome sin and death so that you may live forever in his Kingdom. May it be so.

Since you are a Sabbath keeper there is no need to explain to you the importance of Yahweh’s laws and obedience to them. You also should be aware of Yeshua’s statement in Mt.5:17,18,”Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled .” The “law” referred to here is not only the ten commandments, but any other law that has not been totally fulfilled yet. Examples would include dietary laws, and laws forbidding bestiality, relations with relatives, tattoos, etc. 

Among those laws that have not been totally fulfilled are the annual “Feast days” or “Holy days” that were commanded as “statutes forever” (Lev 23:21,31,41). Concerning these Holy days, Ellen G. White wrote, “If the children of Israel needed the benefit of these holy convocations in their time, how much more do we need them in these last days of peril and conflict!” – 6 Testimonies 39,40

Having said that and having a knowledge of the continued existence of the weekly Sabbath, the question must be asked, “Why don’t you also keep Yahweh’s seven annual Sabbaths also known as His Holy Feast Days?” The answer lies on page 243 of “Seventh-day Adventists Believe … A Biblical Exposition of 27 Fundamental Doctrines.” The book quotes Col 2:16,17 and Eph 2:14-16, as well as Gal 4:10,11 on page 254, as proof texts that the so-called ceremonial law, including the seven yearly Holy days, have been “nailed to the cross.” Those days, incidentally, are the first and last days of the Feast of Unleavened, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), the Day of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Last Great Day. These Holy days are spoken of in Lev 23.

The following is the true scriptural understanding of these Holy days, which reveal to Yahweh’s people His entire plan of salvation.

Let’s begin this study by quoting a passage from the book mentioned above. On page 252 we read,”While the weekly Sabbath was ordained at the close of Creation week for all mankind, the annual sabbaths were an integral part of the Jewish system of rites and ceremonies instituted at Mount Sinai, …which pointed forward to the coming of the Messiah, and the observance of which terminated with His death on the cross.”

First, the giving of the law at Mt. Sinai takes place in Ex 20 whereas the institution of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened takes place in Ex 12. The same false reasoning is used by Sunday keepers to discredit the weekly Sabbath. They say that it was part of the “Jewish” law given at Mt. Sinai and therefore Christians don’t have to obey it. However, just as we can show that the Sabbath existed in Ex 16 before the law was given, so too, can we show that Passover and Unleavened existed in Ex 12 before the giving of the law.

We also know that the annual Sabbaths are not Jewish laws just as the weekly Sabbath is not a Jewish law. They are Yahweh’s holy laws.

The statement quoted mentions that the annual Sabbaths “pointed forward to the first coming of the Messiah.” This can be said about Passover and the Day of Atonement but what about the other five Sabbaths? In what way did they point to Messiahs coming? Yes, they had animal sacrifices on those days that pointed to Messiah but so did the weekly Sabbath (Nu 28:9,10). Just as we don’t do away with the weekly Sabbath because of its’ associated sacrifices, we shouldn’t do away with the annual Sabbaths because of their associated sacrifices. A truth not yet understood by many is that each high sabbath has a future fulfillment at Messiah’s second coming.

 The statement quoted also states that the annual Sabbaths ended at Yeshua’s death. If that is true, why were the Disciples observing the Day of Pentecost (Feast of Weeks) in Acts 2? Were they ignorant of the fact that that Holyday was nailed to the cross over fifty days earlier? Hardly likely. Why do we also see Paul and other brethren observing these days in I Cor 16:8; Acts 27:9 (the fast was on the Day of Atonement); Acts 20:6,16; and Acts 18:21? Sunday keepers will discredit the weekly Sabbath by saying the disciples went to the synagogue to witness to the Jews, not to observe the Sabbath. Will you use the same erroneous logic to discredit the feast days? Were they there only for the purpose of witnessing to the Jews? In Acts 20:16 Paul was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem for the Day of Pentecost. Acts 24:11,12 show us that Paul went to that feast to worship, not to witness to the Jews.

The truth is, these days were not nailed to the cross. That false teaching arose because people didn’t understand Col 2:14-17; Eph 2:15; and Gal 4:10. The Apostle Peter was correct when he said that Paul’s epistles contained certain things which were hard to understand (II Pet 3:15,16). Couple that difficulty with the erroneous translations of the KJV and it becomes even more difficult to discern the truth.

The following analysis will hopefully enlighten you concerning the true meaning of those verses so that you may understand Yahweh’s ways and walk in them.

Galatians 4:10 

A Sunday keeper will say that this verse proves that Paul was condemning the continued observance of the weekly Sabbath as a form of bondage. Adventist theologians will say that this verse proves that Paul was condemning the continued observance of the annual Sabbaths as a form of bondage. Neither belief is true because both groups take this verse out of context. Paul himself said that all of Yahweh’s laws are holy, just, and good (Rom 7:12). If that is true, can it be said that any part of Yahweh’s holy law was not good? Even the law of animal sacrifices was good in that it pointed the Israelites to Messiah. So what did Paul really mean when he wrote verse 10?

 If Paul was writing to the Gentile converts in Galatia, who had been heathen worshipers of pagan deities before their conversion to Yeshua, then his meaning is as follows. He says in verse 8,” . . .when you knew not God [Yahweh], you did service unto them which by nature are no gods.” In other words they were idolaters who neither served Yahweh nor walked in His laws. They knew nothing of His commandments and laws except what they had heard from Israelites living in their city. But then verse 9 states that after they were converted they began to be known of Yahweh, which prompted Paul’s question,”Why do you want to return to the way you were before you were converted? Why do you continue to observe days, months, times, and years that were ordained by pagans? Why do you wish to be slaves to the weak and beggarly elements of pagan so-called holy days?

The holy days that they were returning to are comparable to the false holy days we have today such as Sunday, Easter, Lent, Christmas, Goods Friday, Holy Thursday, Ash Wednesday, all of which were declared holy by the “mother church” in Rome and not by Yahweh. Yahweh declared in Lev 23 which days were His holy days.

If Paul was writing primarily to the Jewish converts in Galatia, then his concern would have been with the attempt to gain favor in Yahweh’s sight through the observance of such days. Paul warned them several times not to seek justification by the law or to attain salvation through works. To do so would be to place oneself “under the law” again. The entire epistle is an admonition against such a perverted view as justification by law. So Paul is warning the Galations not to observe these times for the wrong reasons. He is not telling them to forsake observing them altogether. Incidently, the weekly Sabbath would have to be included among the “days” Paul mentions if he was writing primarily to Jewish converts.

Think about it; Why would Paul tell us to keep the Feast of Unleavened in I Cor 5:7,8 and then tell us not to keep any days in Gal 4:10? Why did he desire to keep the upcoming feast in Jerusalem in Acts 18:21(KJV) and then tell the Galatians that they were not permitted to keep any feasts?

Colossians 2:14-23 

Sunday keepers will use these verses to prove that the weekly Sabbath has been nailed to the cross. Adventist theologians will use these verses to prove the annual Sabbaths have been nailed to the cross. Neither view is correct based on several mistranslations, added words not found in any Greek texts, and poor Bible exegesis (study). 

Let’s first determine the context of chapter two. In verses 4 and 8 Paul warns the Colossians about deceivers. Then again, in verse 18, Paul gives his final warning about these same deceivers. In what way were they trying to deceive the Colossians? Verse 8 tells us that they were trying to exalt the traditions of men over the Messiah (verses 8 & 19).

Notice carefully the context; the traditions of men in verse 8, 18, and 22. The verses that occur between 8 and 22 must be understood based on the context of the traditions of men .

Now we can understand the key word in Col 2:14, “ordinances.” The Greek word for ordinances here is a form of the root word “dogma” which means man-made rules, laws, commandments, precepts, etc. Paul is not talking about Yahweh’s ordinances in this verse. He is talking about mans ordinances or traditions. This same word is used in Col 2:20 pertaining to the doctrines and commandments of men; in Lu 2:1 pertaining to a decree from Caesar Augustus; in Acts 17:7 pertaining to a decree from Caesar; and in Eph 2:15, which we will look at later. It always pertains to mans commandments, not Yahweh’s. Compare the word dogma with the Greek word that pertains to Yahweh’s ordinances, “dikaioma.”
This word dikaioma was used in Lu 1:6 pertaining to the ordinances of Yahweh and in Heb 9:1,10 pertaining once again to Yahweh’s ordinances.

Therefore, Paul is saying in verse 14 that the traditions and commandments of men are the issue, not Yahweh’s laws. But what was nailed to the cross? The Greek construction shows that the “handwriting” was nailed, not the ordinances. At this point I would like you to read an excerpt from the noted Adventist theologian Dr. Samuele Bacchiocchi’s book entitled, “From Sabbath To Sunday,” page 348.

“What did Paul mean by the cheirographon (a term used in antiquity in the sense of a “written agreement” or a “certificate of debt”)? Was he referring to the Mosaic Law with its ordinances, thus declaring that God nailed it to the cross? If one adopts this interpretation, there exists a legitimate possibility that the Sabbath could be included among the ordinances nailed to the cross. There are indeed certain authors who hold this view. But besides the grammatical difficulties, “it hardly seems Pauline,” writes J. Huby, “to represent God as crucifying the ‘holy’ (Rom 7:6) thing that was the Mosaic Law.”

As Dr. Bacchiocchi stated, the handwriting or, in Greek, the cheirographon was a certificate of debt. Whenever a man sins against Yahweh his sin is imputed against him. When men exalt the traditions of men over the commandments of Yahweh, as the Pharisees did (Mt 15:3,9) for example, they sin against Yahweh. The Messiah became sin for us and when He was nailed to the tree so were the sins that were imputed against us. Yahweh’s holy ordinances were not nailed to the tree, the certificate of debt resulting in our death sentence was nailed to the tree. That is why Paul said the Colossians were “dead in your sins” in verse 13. The principalities and powers of verse 15 caused the people to sin by their man-made laws but Messiah was victorious over them.

This brings us to the crucial verse 16. It was the deceivers of verses 4,8, and 18 that were judging the Colossians regarding the things mentioned in verse 16. They had been imposing their man-made commandments and traditions upon the Colossians. Paul told them not to allow anyone to judge them concerning those matters. An important addition was made in the KJV that does not appear in any Greek manuscript. The word ”is ” in verse 17 was added, which changes the meaning of Paul’s statement. Retaining the word “is” implies the thought of shadow vs. reality. In other words, Messiah fulfilled the shadow of the things mentioned in verse 16. However, if you remove the added word “is”, it implies that we should not let any man outside the body of Messiah judge us in respect to these things. Indeed that is in line with the context of Paul’s previous statements. Notice Col 1:18 & 24 and Col 2:19, all of which teach us that the body of Messiah is the church or all true believers.

There are several other points worthy of mention concerning verses 16 & 17. Verse 17 states that these things “are” a shadow of things “to come” not that they “were” a shadow that was now fulfilled. Paul wrote this epistle approximately 30 years after Yeshua’s death and yet he still spoke of them as unfulfilled shadows. Notice also that the word “days” in verse 16 is in italics. This means it was also added as was “is” in verse 17. The sabbath in this verse is the weekly Sabbath since the word “holyday” refers to the annual sabbaths. The proper Greek translation of this word is “feast day.”

Adventists always use Is 66:23 to show that the Sabbath is not done away with because it will be kept in the new heaven and new earth. However, this verse also mentions the New Moon in the new heaven and earth. Using the same logic it would mean that the New Moon of Col 2:16 is not done away with as well. Almighty Yahweh created the moon for the very purpose of keeping His Holydays. Ps 104:19 says, “He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.” The Hebrew word for seasons is “Moed” meaning “an appointed time.” It is the same word used in Gen 1:14 for “seasons” and Lev 23:2 for “feasts.” Each of Yahweh’s Holydays are appointed times whose keeping is determined by the New Moon.

One more point about verse 16. If you believe verse 16 does away with the feastdays and new moons then you also must believe that it does away with eating and drinking to be consistent.

The correct translation of Col 2:16,17 is, “Let no man therefore judge you in eating, or in drinking, or in respect of a feastday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath (which are a shadow of things to come) but the body of Messiah.”

Ephesians 2:15 

The final “proof text” to be considered is Eph 2:15. Again we see the Greek word “dogma” (ordinances) meaning man-made commandments. Having that in mind let’s begin in verses 11-13. Paul explains that before one accepts Messiah as his Savior he is separated from the commonwealth of Israel, he is without Yahweh, and he is uncircumcised. However, once he accepts Messiah he becomes an Israelite, circumcised in the heart, and at one with Yahweh. Notice what is abolished in verse 15. It is the enmity or the hatred between the Israelite and the Gentile that was abolished. This hatred was caused by the commandments and traditions of men. For example, Paul alludes to a “middle wall of partition” between Jew and Gentile. This was a literal wall that Paul uses in a figurative sense to make his point. The Jews decreed, ( they made a dogma), which stated that if a Gentile crossed over the wall separating the Court of the Jews from the Court of the Gentiles surrounding the temple, that they would be immediately killed. This was not a commandment of Yahweh. In fact, Yahweh never even commanded such a wall to exist. That dogma created a hatred between the two peoples which Messiah destroyed creating one new man and so, making peace.

I cannot impress upon you enough the importance that Yahweh places on the observance of all His Holy days. Each has a very special meaning, for example, not only does the Feast of Unleavened picture the putting away of sin from our lives, but it is also a memorial of Yahweh’s great deliverance of Israel from Egypt (Ex 13:6-9). Can we, with a clear conscience, say that such a great event no longer needs to be memorialized by observing it in honor of Yahweh’s great mercy? We continue to memorialize the Creation by observing the weekly Sabbath don’t we?

It is often said by opponents of the annual Sabbaths that they are a “yoke of bondage.” Can that be true in light of the following verses: Deut 16:11,14,15; 2 Chr 30:21-23? These days were for rejoicing. They were treated the same way the pagan world treats Christmas. It was something that every Israelite couldn’t wait for. The “yoke of bondage” referred to in Gal 5:1 concerns becoming a slave by trying to be justified by law instead of by grace through faith (Gal 5:4).

Is 1:14 is another verse used to abolish these Holydays. The context shows that Yahweh hates the appointed feasts of Israel (“your appointed feasts”) because they keep them hypocritically with evil in their hearts (verses 10,16-20). If verse 14 abolishes the feast days, then verse 13 abolishes the sabbath and verse 15 abolishes prayer.

The prophecy of Zechariah reveals that the Feast of Tabernacles will be kept by “everyone that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem” (Zech 14:16-19). In other words, after the battle of Armageddon mentioned in verse 2, Yahweh will destroy those that were directly involved (verse 12). However, after their destruction their will still be people all over the world that did not fight against Jerusalem. They will be obligated to keep the Feast during the millennium or be punished (verse 19).

Spiritual Israelites also face major punishment if they don’t keep Yahweh’s appointed Feasts. Whoever has leaven in their house or eats leavened food during the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened, “that soul shall be cut off from Israel” (Ex 12:15,19) “whether he is a stranger (Gentile) or born in the land.” Anyone who does not afflict his soul (by fasting 24 hours) on the Day of Atonement, or does any work on that day, will be “cut off from among his people” (Lev 23:29,30).

This study is by no means all there is to know about the Feasts. It only supports the continued observance of these days. You have yet to hear of the tremendous importance and prophetic meaning of each Feast.

Time is running out for us to remove the blemishes from our worship of Almighty Yahweh. Please do not put off studying this issue for the cares of this world can easily distract us.

Exo 12:16  And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, savethat which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.

Exo 12:17  And you shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall you observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.

Exo 12:18  In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.

The first day of the Feast is a commemoration of the exodus from Egypt. What do you suppose is the purpose for observing the last day of the Feast?

Exo 12:19  Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eats that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.

Exo 12:20  You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall you eat unleavened bread.

Why did Yahweh command us to remove leaven from our houses? Leaven figuratively represents undesirable things in our lives that Yahweh would have us to remove from our walk with Him and Yeshua.

1Co 5:6  Your glorying is not good. Know you not that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. For even Messiah our Passover is sacrificed for us:

1Co 5:8  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.

Here we see that malice and wickedness, which is sin, is a type of leaven. Paul was prompted to write this in reference to the man who was committing fornication by having his father’s wife.

Mat 16:6  Then Yeshua said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leavenlof the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

Mat 16:7  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.

Mat 16:8  Which when Yeshua perceived, he said unto them, O you of little faith, why reason you among yourselves, because you have brought no bread?

Mat 16:9  Do you not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up?

Mat 16:10  Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up?

Mat 16:11  How is it that you do not understand that I spoke it not to you concerning bread, that you should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

Mat 16:12  Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

Here we see that false doctrine is a type of leaven.

Luk 12:1  In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware you of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Here we see a third type of leaven which is hypocrisy. To understand the kind of hypocrisy Yeshua was referring to, let’s read Matthew 23:27-28;

Mat 23:27  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

Mat 23:28  Even so you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Yeshua was a sinless man; a man who knew the truth and had all his doctrines correct; and who was sincere, not hypocritical.

Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

By ridding our houses of leaven, we show our desire to rid our lives of sin. We want to be sinless as Yeshua was. Is that possible?

1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The moment we are cleansed of all unrighteous, we are sinless. Confessed sin cannot stick to us. The problem is, we are yet flesh and continue to sin.

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Yeshua the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of [Elohim].

Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds.

Heb 12:4  You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

There is a battle taking place in believers. The inner man desires to obey Yahweh and keep His commandments, but the outward man of flesh strives against and sometimes yields to sin. Here is how Paul puts it in Romans 7:

 14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. 17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully concur with the law of [Elohim] in the inner man, 23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my  mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my  members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25 Thanks be to [Elohim] through Yeshua Messiah our Master! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of [Elohim], but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

Paul explains this same war a little differently in Galatians 5:

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that you cannot do the things that you would.

Gal 5:18  But if you be led of the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The victory in this war lies in walking in the Spirit. What does it mean to “walk in the Spirit”?

As I see it, that phrase can have at least three meanings;

1)      If we are in tune with the Holy Spirit and hear what it is saying to us, not allowing anything to dull our hearing, then we can walk were it leads .

An example of this would be:

Acts 8:29  Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join yourself to this chariot.

The Spirit spoke to Philip who heard and obeyed. He walked in the Spirit’s leading.

2)     Ezekiel 36:27  And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgments, and do them.

It seems that Yahweh would do this in conjunction with the written Word. For example, if the Spirit guides us into all truth (John 16:13) and Yahweh’s Word is truth (John 17:17), then the Spirit will guide us to understand His Word (the Scriptures) and lead us to repentance and obedience.

3)     After writing about “walking in the Spirit”, Paul goes on to write:

Gal 5:24  And they that are Messiah’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

When we first believed our old man was crucified with Yeshua.

Rom 6:6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

By the “old man” is meant our corrupt self/nature before receiving Yeshua. However, as a man who is crucified  is still alive though he can’t move and act as he previously did, so our old man and its body of sin is “crucified” in that it is restrained by Yahweh’s grace and Spirit, yet it still has great influence over us.

Paul goes on to say:

Rom 6:12  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Sin is still alive, but we should not allow it to rule over us. The way to do that is by continually putting it to death.

Rom 8:13  For if you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do mortify (put to death) the deeds of the body, you shall live.

Rom 13:14  But put on the Master Yeshua Messiah, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Col 3:5-10 Mortify (put to death) therefore your members (parts of the body) which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil desires, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of Elohim comes on the children of disobedience: In which you also walked some time, when you lived in them. But now you also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

1Pe 2:11  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

In the four passages above, it is the believer that must act to put away sin through the help of the Holy Spirit and not allow it to become our master once again.

Mat 16:24  Then said Yeshua unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

What are some ways we can deny ourselves?

The fact that the Feast of Unleavened Bread lasts seven days pictures this ongoing process of putting to death sin, discarding false doctrine and feeding on the unleavened bread of truth, and living sincere, honest and open lives before our Creator.

The last day of the Feast would picture the end of that lifelong process ending when our flesh literally dies. Up until then, we have been figuratively dead, but then literally. We cease abstaining from leaven at our death. Afterwards, our resurrection unto a literal new life will take place.

I do not believe we will be leaven free until after our resurrection based on Lev 23:17:

You shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto Yahweh.

These loaves represent the firstfruits of the wheat harvest or the first fruits of the harvest of souls at the resurrection. They are baked with leaven showing us that even the first saints to be resurrected will have been leavened. Only Yeshua was unleavened or sinless. His resurrection is pictured in Lev 23:10-13 with the waving of the sheaf of the firstfruits of the barley harvest which was pure grain without leaven.

So let’s continue to look unto Yeshua, the author and finisher of our faith, who has saved us from our sins. And let us continue to search out the leaven in us and put it out of our lives until we are unable to do so.

There is firm historical support showing that the Hebrew phrase “ben ha-erebim” (between the evenings) was a time period between noon and sundown (See ‘Historical Evidence to Support a Passover Sacrifice at the End of Abib 14′). There is virtually no historical evidence I know of to support that phrase meaning twilight. One can find many modern day commentators and Bible translators supporting that position, but their position is based on opinion, conjecture, and a misunderstanding of Hebrew thought on this subject. By ‘Hebrew thought’ I mean their beliefs as far back as three hundred years prior to Messiah Yeshua, not their thoughts after 70 C.E.. Although Jewish thought on this subject did not change at that time, some people believe it did.

The phrase in question appears eleven times in the Hebrew text. Five of those times pertain to the Passover.

Ex.12:6 – “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 .”

Lev.23:5 – “In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is Yahweh’s passover.

Num.9:3 – “In the fourteenth day of this month, at even , ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.”

Num.9:5 – “And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that Yahweh commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.”

Num.9:11 – “The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs .”

The context of these scriptures are not very helpful in determining the meaning of “Between the evenings” (in bold print). The remaining six verses, however, are quite helpful.

Ex.16:12 – “I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am Yahweh your Elohim. The “flesh” the Israelites would eat “between the evenings” was quail (vs.13). The question is, if “between the evenings” means twilight, which is a period lasting approximately 40 minutes, how did the Israelites manage to catch, kill, clean, cook and eat the quail in that short time period? It is obvious that much more time is required to do all that. They may also have had to start fires to cook the quail. We shouldn’t assume that they had fires ready in anticipation of the quail coming.

Ex.29:39,41 is repeated in Num.28:4,8 so we need only look at Num.28:4,8 to understand the next four uses of “between the evenings.”

Num.28:4,8 – “The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even ;
And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even : as the meat offering of the morning, and as the drink offering thereof, thou shalt offer it , a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto Yahweh.”

Both phrases in bold type are from the Hebrew “ben ha-erebim.” These verses deal with the time of the evening sacrifice. Keep in mind that a Hebrew day ends at sunset as we study these verses.

First, the historical testimony of Josephus places the evening sacrifice at “about the ninth hour” or approximately 3:00 p.m. (Antiquities 14.4.3). This agrees with his statement that the Passover lamb was sacrificed “between the ninth and the eleventh hour” (Wars 6.9.3). Two different sacrifices, both occurring at about the ninth hour and both fulfilling the command to sacrifice “between the evenings.”

Secondly, we have the clear meaning of two other Hebrew words to assure us of the meaning intended. The word “one” used in verse 4 is the Hebrew word “echad” which can also mean “first” as in Num. 29:1 and many other texts.

Num.29:1a – “And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation;”

More importantly is the Hebrew word translated “other” in verse 8. It is “sheniy” meaning “double ie: second,” according to Strong’s Concordance. “Sheniy” is the most common Hebrew word for “second.” If the “other” lamb, or more correctly, the “second” lamb, were sacrificed after sunset it would have been sacrificed on a new day making it the first lamb sacrificed that day. Both lambs had to be sacrificed the same day, the first one in the morning and the second one between the evenings or late in the day, but before sunset.

That leaves us with one verse left, Ex.30:8. Josephus says this was done at “sunsetting” (Antiquities 3.8.3). He does not say “sundown” or “sunset.” This time period, in the Jewish culture, begins at noon. The sun begins setting at that time. It continues to set until it vanishes from sight beginning a new day. Ex.30:8 – “And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even , he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before Yahweh throughout your generations.”
The Tabernacle in the wilderness was made out of animal skins which means they would not allow much light, if any, to enter the sanctuary. If Aaron waited until sundown to light the lamps, he would not have had any light to see what he was doing. This would especially be true when the moon was not full. Lighting the lamps before sunset would make more sense. Also, if Aaron had to light the lamps, burn incense and offer the evening sacrifice after sunset, when did he have time to offer the Passover sacrifice? Twilight only lasts about 30 minutes.

Interestingly, Lev.23:3 uses the Hebrew word “ereb” concerning the time for lighting the lamps and 2 Chr.13:11 uses “ereb” for the time of the evening sacrifice. Therefore, ereb and ben ha-erebim are interchangeable as far as these times are concerned.

Conclusion: The weightier evidence, both historical and scriptural, is clearly in favor of “between the evenings” meaning a time period before sunset. Appealing to modern day commentators and translators is fruitless since support can be found for both views. History, however, cannot be refuted and neither can context.

To begin with we must understand that Yahweh’s plan of salvation existed before the creation of the worlds. That plan included the slaying of His son Yeshua as we read in Rev.13:8;

 ”And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

Not only was it part of Yahweh’s plan to provide His son as the lamb, but Yahweh Himself was the one who bruised him as we read in Is.53:10;

“Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him; he hath put him to grief.”

Considering these two verses we must conclude that Yahweh bruised Yeshua, as His Passover lamb, at the exact time that He decreed the Israelites to kill their Passover lambs.

Yahweh is a mighty one of perfection and exactness. Would He not have slain His lamb at the correct time? Yahweh has an appointed time for everything whether it be the resurrection of the dead, judgement day, the day of Yeshua’s second coming, etc. The appointed time of His son’s death was firmly established before the foundations of the world as well. It is this premise that must be kept in mind as we study the correct time for the Passover sacrifice.

Matthew tells us that Yeshua died about the ninth hour which is equivalent to 3:00 pm. (Mt.27:45-50). This time, then, would be the fulfillment of Ex.12:6 and the phrase “kill it in the evening” or more correctly “between the evenings.” The Jews have always understood the first evening to begin at approx. 3:00 pm and the second evening to begin the moment the sun sets. Others believe the phrase “between the evenings” to mean from sunset to darkness or the time known as twilight. Interestingly, two Hebrew words were translated twilight in the KJV neither of which were ever used concerning the Passover. In addition, the Jews had another phrase (between the suns) that they used to denote the time between the setting of the sun and the appearance of any star (Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica – John Lightfoot, Vol. 3, pg.217).

The phrase “between the evenings” appears 11 times in the Hebrew text. Five of those pertain to Passover leaving us with six verses to examine and interpret its meaning. Ex.29:39,41 and Num.28:4,8 concern the morning and evening sacrifice which was offered daily. Since they all say the same thing we need only examine Ex.29:38-41;

“Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually. The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even : And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering. And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even , and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto Yahweh.”

Two lambs were to be offered each day; one in the morning and the other between the evenings. The word “one” in verse 39 is the Hebrew “echad” which can also mean “first” as in Num.29:1;

“And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.”

The word “other” in verse 39 is the Hebrew “sheniy”. According to Strong’s Concordance it means “double ie: second.” If the other lamb or more correctly, the second lamb, were sacrificed after sunset then it would be a new day making it the first lamb sacrificed. This is one reason the Jews always sacrificed the second lamb at 3:00 in the afternoon.

The next use of “between the evenings” is found in Ex.30:8;

“And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even , he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before Yahweh throughout your generations.”

The Tabernacle was made from animal skins which means they would not allow much light to enter the sanctuary. If Aaron had waited until sundown to light the lamps he would not have had any light to see what he was doing. Lighting the lamps before sunset would make more sense. If Aaron had to light the lamps after sunset and offer the second lamb after sunset, when did he have time to offer the Passover sacrifice?

The last usage of “between the evenings” is found in Ex. 16:12,13;

“I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am Yahweh your Elohim. And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host.”

The word “even” in verse 12 is “between the evenings” and the word “even” in verse 13 is “ereb.” Some say that ereb means sunset therefore “between the evenings” must be twilight. However, ereb and ben ha arbayim (between the evenings) are used interchangeably. Lev.23:3 uses ereb concerning the time of lighting the lamps and II Chr.13:11 uses ereb concerning the time of the evening sacrifice. Therefore the quails could have come into the camp by 3:00 pm and been eaten before sunset. Twilight only lasts approximately 40 minutes. If the quail didn’t come in until sundown, how did the Israelites manage to catch, kill, clean and cook them before dark? Incidently, according to “Aid to Bible Understanding”, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., 1971, under the heading “Quail” it states that they often fly at night which brings into question the assumption that they came in at sundown to roost in the trees. Ex.16:13 says the quail “covered the camp” implying that they landed on the ground and not in trees. Since this was a miracle performed by Yahweh, He could have brought the quail in at any time. He did not have to bring them in at the normal roosting time of other birds.

“Between the evenings” means just that; a period of time that falls between two different evenings. Scripture undoubtedly teaches that evening begins the moment the sun sets. It then continues on towards morning. Scripture never states that a second evening begins when twilight ends. It does show that another evening can occur as early as 3:00 pm (ereb).

Those who believe the lamb was killed after the sun set beginning the 14th of Abib also say that the Hebrew phrase “ba ereb” always means the end of the day. However we find the same phrase used pertaining to the Passover in Jos.5:10;

 ”And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.”

The Israelites kept the Passover at even (ba ereb) meaning at the end of the fourteenth. Deut.16:4,6 also use “ba ereb” to show the sacrifice occurred at the end of the fourteenth.

“But at the place which Yahweh thy Elohim shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even , at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt.”

What does the phrase “going down of the sun” mean? The same Hebrew construction is found in Josh.8:29;

“And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down , Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.”

The underlined words are the equivalent Hebrew found in Deut.16:6 (at the going down). A similar occurrence is found in Josh.10:27;

“And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day.”

Again, the underlined words are the equivalent Hebrew of Deut.16:6. Joshua was obeying Yahweh’s commandment found in Deut.21:22,23;

“And if a man commited a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day ; (for he that is hanged is accursed of Elohim;) that thy land be not defiled, which Yahweh thy Elohim giveth thee for an inheritance.”

The body had to be buried the same day it was hung on the tree. That means it had to be buried before sunset. Therefore, when Deut.16:6 says,” sacrifice the Passover at even (ba ereb), at the going down of the sun,…” it shows that “ba ereb” in this case means prior to sunset. Incidently, the word “eventide” in Josh.8:29 is “ereb” clearly showing that the king of Ai’s body was both hanging on the tree and buried before sunset.

It is also believed by some people that the word “until” in Ex.12:6 means “up to” or the beginning of the fourteenth.

“And ye shall keep it (up ,not in Hebrew) until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.”

The same Hebrew word also means “through till the end” as we see in Ex. 12:15,18;

“Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel… In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.”

If “until” meant the beginning of the day then we would be permitted to eat leaven on the seventh day of the feast (Abib 21).

Notice also this crucial point; The Hebrew of Ex.12:18, “on the fourteenth day of the month at even,” is the exact same phrase in Josh.5:10 declaring the time when Joshua kept the Passover. In Ex.12:18 it means the end of the 21st day and in Josh.5:10 it means the end of the fourteenth. Lev.23:32 shows this phrase to mean the end of the ninth day.

It is often said that Ex.12:6-14 refers to Abib 14, especially the phrase “this night” in verse 12. If we understand that “between the evenings” (vs.6) means approximately 3:00 pm, then obviously “this night” must mean Abib 15. It all depends on your understanding of the meaning of “between the evenings.” Notice, however, verse 14. “This day” (the day Yahweh passed over them) shall be a memorial ; and you shall keep it a feast to Yahweh throughout your generations; you shall keep it a feast forever.” Whenever Yahweh memorializes a day He does so by making it a Sabbath just as He memorialized His finished work of Creation, the Day of Atonement, Trumpets, etc. He also memorialized the day He passed over Israel by making it a Sabbath, Abib 15. That is why the term “feast” is used in this verse. The Hebrew word is “chagag” which was also used in Ex.23:14; “Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.” A chagag is a special time of rejoicing and dancing. Certainly, Abib 14 cannot be considered a chag or chagag in any way. It is merely the day that the Passover lamb was sacrificed.

Let’s look at a few more Old Testament verses.

Deut.16:1 – “Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover unto Yahweh thy Elohim: for in the month of Abib Yahweh thy Elohim brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.”

Since Moses told the Israelites not to come out of their houses until morning (Ex.12:22), some people assume that they came out of Egypt the following night, Abib 15. The phrase “brought thee forth out of Egypt” refers to the period of time beginning with the killing of Egypt’s firstborn males.

 Ex.13:14-16 – “And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand Yahweh brought us out from Egypt , from the house of bondage: And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that Yahweh slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to Yahweh all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem. And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand Yahweh brought us forth out of Egypt.”

That final act of Yahweh’s strength is what delivered the Israelites or what “brought them forth.” That act occurred at midnight on Abib 15. The following morning the Israelites left in a great hurry. They did not have time to leaven their bread (Ex.13:33,34). If the killing of the firstborn occurred at midnight on Abib 14 the women would have had at least ten hours to leaven their bread before they left at sundown.

It is taught that the killing and eating of the Passover Lamb takes place on Abib 14. Ex.12:43-50 outlines this eating concerning strangers. Notice verse 51;

“And it came to pass the selfsame day , that Yahweh did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.”

The “selfsame day” can only refer to the previous verses concerning eating. The selfsame day the Passover was eaten they came out of Egypt; Abib 15 (Num.33:3). Those that keep Passover at the beginning of Abib 14 believe it was eaten that night followed by the exodus the next night.

II Chr.35:1-19 recounts Josiyah’s Passover. Verse 14 suggests the sacrifices and offerings took place hours before nightfall in order to complete them. Since twilight is only a period of approximately 40 minutes, how could they kill, bleed, clean and cook so many offerings and sacrifices in so short a time? This verse takes place after they had roasted the Passover offerings which would have taken several hours.

It is implied in verse 14 that the priests were busy with burnt offerings from before sunset until night and therefore, the Levites took charge of the passover lambs themselves. Yet, verse 11 implies that the priests sprinkled the blood [of the passover lambs] from their hands. Verse 14 then implies that after they finished sacrificing the lambs for the people [and by extension, after the priests finished sprinkling the blood for the people], the Levites began sacrificing lambs for themselves and the priests. Once the priests finished sprinkling blood they began offering burnt offerings until night.

Beginning of the 14th proponents use verses 16 & 17 to teach, “The whole service of the Passover [including eating] was observed that day (in one day) just as Moses prescribed; that is, on the 14th.” (emphasis & brackets mine). The KJV says, “So all the service of Yahweh was prepared the same day to keep the passover…” Notice the difference in the emphasized words.

Moffatt’s translation is often used to support that view. It says, “In this way, the whole service of holding the passover in honor of the Eternal and sacrificing burnt-offerings on the altar of the Eternal was carried out that day…” The phrase in bold type is not in the Hebrew. It simply says, “all the service of Yahweh was prepared the same day…” Moffatt’s version leads one to believe that it is talking about a Passover service or ceremony whereas the Hebrew shows the service to be people prepared to conduct the passover ceremony. This can be seen by verses 2-5,10,14-16. Each family division had a specific service to perform and to prepare for. Verse 16 says that all those that had a service to perform were prepared the same day, Abib 14.

The last Old Testament verse we should read is Eze.45:21 .

 ”In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.”

This verse does not say “and a feast of seven days” thereby making a distinction between Passover and Unleavened. According to Strong’s Concordance, Passover can mean either the festival or the victim (the sacrifice). Passover in this verse would refer to the festival. Verses such as Ex.12:6; Nu.9:5; and Lev.23:5 refer to the victim. Many people do not understand this and erroneously assume the killing and eating must take place on the same day. Once the Passover is sacrificed at the end of the fourteenth it is eaten as the first meal of the feast.

What does the New Testament tell us about Passover? First let’s look at some clear scriptures beginning with Jn.18:28 .

“Then led they Yeshua from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.”

This verse has led many people to believe that these Jews were about to eat the Passover at the wrong time since Yeshua supposedly ate it the night before. This has led to the belief that the Pharisees kept Passover on Abib 15 and the Sadducees (whom Yeshua supposedly followed) on Abib 14. If you will check verses 3, 12, & 28 of that same chapter, as well as Jn.19:6, you will note that the Jews of verse 28 included “chief priests” and “captains”. The chief priests were, beyond a shadow of a doubt, Sadducees. Luke 22:52 reveals the “captains” to be “captains of the temple”, again Sadducees. Therefore, these Sadducees had not eaten the Passover yet.

Jn.13:1,2 – “Now before the feast of the passover, when Yeshua knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended . . .”

This verse tells us that the supper of Abib 14 took place before the Passover. It was not the Passover.

John 13:2-30 – It is believed by many that this supper took place on the night of Abib 14 which they consider to be the time when the Passover Lamb was eaten. After the foot washing, they sat back down to the supper table. Yeshua then dipped a sop and gave it to Judas Iscariot at which time Satan entered him. Yeshua then said, “That thou doest, do quickly” (vs.27). The disciples did not know why Judas was leaving, but they suspected he was going to buy things they needed for the feast (vs.29). What?! How could the disciples think so nonchalantly of this sudden departure from the Passover supper unless, of course, it was only a common supper the night before the true Passover supper. Had Judas been sent from the true Passover supper the disciples would have been shocked. And what merchants would have their shops open to allow such a purchase on the night of Passover? Obviously the disciples thought shops would be open because it was the night before the lamb was eaten.

The supper in John 13 is the same supper of Mt.26:20,21; Mk.14:18; and Lu.22:22,23. John 13:1 says that supper was “before the feast of the Passover.” The reaction of the disciples to Judas’ departure confirms the fact that this supper was before the Passover supper.

Jn.19:14 – “And it was the preparation of the passover , and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!”

If Yeshua had just finished eating the Passover the previous night, how can it be the “preparation of the passover” at about noon the next day? The “preparation of the Sabbath” ends as the weekly Sabbath day begins. The “preparation of the Passover” must also end as the Passover begins. Since this verse refers to Abib 14 at noon, then the Passover could not have begun yet. It will have begun at least three hours later at the normal time of sacrificing the lambs. If one believes the lambs were sacrificed at the beginning of Abib 14, then all of Abib 13 would be the “preparation of the passover.”

Lu.22:1 – “Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.”

As in Eze.45:21, Passover in this verse would refer to the entire festival and not the victim.

This brings us to the most difficult part of this study; understanding what took place at the last supper. What was Yeshua and his disciples doing the night he was betrayed? Was he partaking of the Passover meal with its lamb and bitter herbs or was this a pre-Passover meal?

Lu.22:7-18 – “Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of Yahweh. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of Yahweh shall come.”

Verse 7 means that Abib 14 had begun. Why would they begin preparing for Passover after the sun had set? To prepare the Passover, if that were the Passover meal, would mean to bring the lamb to the priests, have it killed, bleed it, clean it, carry it back to the room that they still needed to get, cook it for hours after they kindled a fire and carve it up. Not to mention the lines of people waiting to have their lambs killed after sunset (thousands of lambs)!

Verse 16 adds the words “any more” which are not found in the oldest Greek manuscripts (Vatican, Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus). The added words imply that Yeshua had just finished eating the Passover. Omitting the words implies that Yeshua did not eat the Passover. Although he desired to eat the Passover with his disciples the following night, he knew he couldn’t because he would be dead.

In The Mishnah, Pesahim 6:4, it reads,

A. A festal offering derives from the flock of sheep or from the herd of oxen, from lambs or from goats, from males or from females.

B. And it is eaten for two days and the intervening night [to the night of the fifteenth of Nisan].

Since John’s gospel suggests the Jews had not yet eaten their Passover lambs, and since the lambs were traditionally killed at 3:00 p.m. on Abib 14, I think it is logical to believe Yeshua and his disciples were partaking of this “festal offering” on that “intervening night”. The festal offering could be eaten on the daylight portion of the 13th, the night beginning the 14th, and the daylight portion of the 14th. Then, on the night of the 15th, they would partake of the Passover lamb.

Matthew, Mark and Luke each say “they made ready the Passover” in preparation for the “last supper”. Since Josephus says the Jews considered the Passover to be “a feast of eight days”, the beginning of Abib 14 would begin Passover in that context. The first meal partaken of would have been the festal offering on the night of the 14th. The disciples made everything ready to begin the Passover by securing a room, making sure it was unleavened, preparing the festal offering, etc.

In the Evangel accounts of the last supper, Yeshua and his disciples were having the festal offering, a pre-Passover meal. They did not eat the Passover since the priests did not begin killing them until the following afternoon. That is why John 18:28 says the Jews hadn’t eaten the Passover even after Yeshua’s trial began.

The Passover meal was a family gathering in which the women and children also paricipated. When Yeshua attended the Passover as a boy of twelve he accompanied his family (Lu.2:41,42). Yet, in Yeshua’s last supper the women and children are conspicuously absent. All that were present were Yeshua’s male disciples who were linked to him socially rather than through kinship. Where were the women who followed Yeshua throughout his ministry? Where is Peter’s wife or the wives of the other married disciples? They were not in attendance because that was not the Passover meal.

Mk.15:21, Lu.23:26 – Simon was forced to carry Yeshua’s torture stake. It is said that he was coming out of the “country” (Gr. agros meaning – country, farm, farmland, fields, etc.). The argument is put forth that if Passover was a high sabbath (Abib 15), Simon would have been at the Temple or synagogue and not in the fields. That is true. The opposite holds true as well. If the night of Abib 14 began Passover, Simon would have come out of the fields to observe it the night before carrying Yeshua’s stake. The most likely scenario is that Simon came out of the fields the morning of Abib 14 for the purpose of observing Passover that afternoon.

1 Cor.5:7 reads, “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Messiah our passover is sacrificed for us:”

Paul tells us that OUR passover lamb has been sacrificed “for us” or on our behalf. Who sacrificed it for us? Is.53 tells us that Yahweh bruised His Son and smote him. Did Yahweh have our Passover Lamb sacrificed at the wrong time? No. That being true, then Yeshua and his disciples could not have eaten the lamb the night before. If Yeshua did eat it the night before, and if he did it correctly, then Yahweh sacrificed Yeshua at the wrong time. The only way to reconcile this dilema is to acknowledge the fact that what Yeshua did in the evangel accounts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke is being misunderstood. When translating from Hebrew to Greek and from one culture to another, it can easily lead to error as it has concerning the Holy Names. John’s evangel was written in such a way as to leave us no doubt as to when Passover took place.

There are more scriptures to support an end of Abib 14 Passover offering as opposed to a beginning of the fourteenth offering. The content of this study should suffice to enlighten the seeker of truth.

” And the Jews’ Passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves.”

 The act of purifying themselves involved both a physical and spiritual cleansing. First, let’s look at some examples of physical cleansing or physically sanctifying oneself. In Num 9:6-14 we read,

 ”And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the Passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day: And those men said unto him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of Yahweh in his appointed season among the children of Israel? And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what Yahweh will command concerning you. And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the Passover unto Yahweh. The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it. But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the Passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of Yahweh in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin. And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the Passover unto Yahweh; according to the ordinance of the Passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.”

Here we see an example of being unclean physically and therefore being unable to keep Passover. The same principle applies to us today. If, for any reason, we become unclean, we are forbidden to observe Passover at that time and must wait until the fourteenth day of the second month to keep it. There are several ways to become unclean besides touching a dead body. Among those that the scriptures mention are childbirth, which renders the mother unclean for up to eighty days; menstruation; eating the flesh of unclean animals; leprosy; and physical discharges of the sex organs, including emission of semen during sexual intercourse.

 Another example is found in 2 Chr 30:1-3.

“And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of Yahweh at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover unto Yahweh Elohim of Israel. For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the Passover in the second month. For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.”

Continuing in verses 15-20,

“Then they killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of Yahweh. And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of Elohim: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites. For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto Yahweh. For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the Passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Yahweh pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek Elohim, Yahweh Elohim of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. And Yahweh hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.”

In this example, the King interceded for those that were unclean and Yahweh personally purified them. Whether this can be done today for unclean saints only Yahweh knows. The most prudent thing to do is to be sure that you remain clean for Passover rather than relying on Yahweh to cleanse you miraculously. Let’s read Ezr 6:19-22;

 ”And the children of the captivity kept the Passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month. For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the Passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves. And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek Yahweh Elohim of Israel, did eat, And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for Yahweh had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of Elohim, the Elohim of Israel.”

This purification involved the priests and Levites. Since believers today are called a “royal priesthood” then we too, should be sure that we are purified or cleansed before we keep the Passover. The Passover is eaten on the night of the first day of the Feast of Unleavened. By that time every believer should have removed all leaven or all fermented products from his house (Ex.12:15,18,19). Leaven throughout scripture is symbolic of sin, false doctrine and hypocrisy as we read in the following verses;

Mat 16:5-12 – “And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Then Yeshua said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. Which when Yeshua perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.”

Luke 12:1 – “In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”

1 Cor 5:6-8 – “Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Messiah our Passover is sacrificed for us: 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.”

The “old leaven” spoken of in verse 8 consists of all the false doctrines we have believed until now. If we have any false doctrines remaining in our minds we are to search them out, as we would leaven in our houses, and discard them. The same is true of hypocrisy and sins that we have not repented of. If our false doctrines, hypocrisies and sins are not pointed out to us by our fellow brethren, or even unbelievers, then we are to examine ourselves, to search our own souls thoroughly, to be sure we are free of leaven. If we go before Yahweh in prayer and ask Him to reveal our hidden faults to us, He will. This was the attitude of David as we read in Psa 139:23,

 ”Search me, O Elohim, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

This should be the attitude of any truly converted person. Jeremiah showed this attitude in Jer 10:23-24 when he said,

 ”O Yahweh, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. O Yahweh, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.”

If we do not allow Yahweh’s Holy Spirit to correct us or to show us our faults He may have to correct us in anger. As the writer of Hebrews said,

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living Elohim.”

Concerning the symbols of the bread and the cup that we take to remember the death of our Passover Lamb, Yeshua, the Apostle Paul wrote, in 1 Cor 11:28-32,

“But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Master’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Master, that we should not be condemned with the world.”

The Passover season is the best time of the year to take a long, hard look at ourselves, to judge ourselves to be certain we are walking in a pleasing way in Yahweh’s sight. It is also a time when we must be sure that we are physically clean in our flesh. The Apostle Paul made a statement in 2 Cor 7:1 that sums up what our obligation is, especially at this time of year.

“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of [Yahweh].”

It makes no sense to keep the Feast of Unleavened, which symbolizes the purity of the believer, if we knowingly have sins, false doctrines and hypocrisies within us. That would be hypocritical. Yahweh is calling us to be pure in heart, mind, and body. This is the time of the year where He commands us to come before Him in an undefiled physical and spiritual condition to worship Him in spirit and in truth. The wise man will do just that.

The “Present Jewish Calendar” was introduced by Hillel ha-Nasi II in 358/59 C.E. This corresponds to the same time period in which many false doctrines arose among believers. After the death of the Apostles and the firstfruits of the Jews, the remaining Gentile converts, who were not as strong in the faith, yielded to many of these false doctrines. Any changes made in the determination of the calendar would have gone unopposed by true believers.

Proponents of the Hebrew calendar say it was passed down through Moses. If that is so, how did the Israelites back then reckon time so accurately as to be able to follow Postponement Rules #3 & 4?

Rule 3: “Any time the molad of Tishri occurs in a common year, on a Tuesday after 20 seconds past 3:11 A.M., the Feast of Trumpets is postponed to Wednesday – and, by rule 2, again postponed to Thursday.”

Rule 4: “When the molad of Tishri – in a common year immediately following an intercalary year – occurs on a Monday, on or after 43 1/3 seconds past 9:32 A.M., the Feast of Trumpets is postponed to a Tuesday.”

Did they have the means to determine seconds or minutes, or even more impossible, fractions of seconds? How could they possibly know when the molad (conjunction) of Tishri was if the moon is invisible for several days during the time of conjunction? Since they could not be that accurate in Moses’ day, that tells me that at least those two rules were added hundreds of years later when man became capable of such accuracy.

Assuming they did have the capability to measure time that accurately, The Mishnah proves the Jews were not keeping time according to the Hillel calendar. Keep in mind The Mishnah was written around 200 C.E. whereas the Hillel calendar was introduced in 358 C.E.

In Pesahim  7:10 B we read,

“[If] the sixteenth of Nisan coincides with the Sabbath, they are to be burned on the seventeenth.”

If the 16th of Nisan [Abib] = Sabbath then,

the 15th of Abib = Friday and,

the 14th of Abib (Passover) = Thursday.

Yet, what does the Hillel Hebrew Calendar teach? According to this calendar, Passover cannot fall on a Tuesday, Thursday, or Sunday. Therefore, this calendar teaches the Jews to keep Passover contrary to what the Mishnah was teaching Jews 150 years earlier.

Another example is found in Menahot 10:1 A, (1) and (2).

“R. Ishmael says, ‘The omer was brought

(1) “on the Sabbath from three seahs [of barley],

(2) “and on a weekday, from five.”

Here again, in speaking of Abib 16 in which the omer (wave sheaf offering) was brought, it could have fallen on a Sabbath or a weekday (including Sunday). If it fell on Sabbath, Abib 14 would be a Thursday. This would again contradict the Hillel Calendar and prove it did not exist since the time of Moses.

The entire Hebrew calendar is based upon the proper determination of the molad of Tishri. If that determination is wrong, all the Holy Days for that year will be incorrect. The reason Tishri 1 is the foundation is because it is the only new moon that is holy. But according to Yahweh’s calendar Abib 1 is the first day of the religious year (Ex.12:2). Since when does one determine holy days by starting in the seventh month and working backward and forward? Abib 1 is the first day and all succeeding holy days are based on that day.

If the foundation of a building is weak it will collapse. The foundation of the Hebrew calendar is Tishri 1. Since the molad of Tishri 1 can only be determined by scientific computation, which was unavailable to ancient Israel, the entire calendar structure must collapse. The Parushim of Yeshua’s day did not have such scientific capabilities either. Therefore the rules and regulations governing the current Hebrew calendar are man-made and uninspired. They were added by blinded Israelites who did not have Yahweh’s Holy Spirit to guide them.

Yahweh’s calendar is simple and is based on the signs of the lights in the firmament of heaven (Gen.1:14). We know that the visible sign of the setting of the sun determines the beginning and end of Yahweh’s appointed times. But the visible sign of the new moon is needed to determine the beginning of each month. There is no use in creating such heavenly sights as a sign if they will not be used when sighted. The Hebrew calendar does not use the visible new moon to determine the first day of the month. Instead, Tishri 1 is set by following a list of man-made rules that are manipulated by men to cause the feast days to fall on whatever day pleases them.

The first day of the seventh month is a holy day by Yahweh’s decree. Just as man cannot move the Holy Sabbath to Sunday, he cannot move the Holy High Sabbath of the Day of Trumpets to whatever day suits his needs. Even though the Parushim sat in Moses seat in Yeshua’s day, they would not have had the authority to alter that decree. Psalm 81:3 says, “Blow the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed,. . .” Who appointed the time, Yahweh or the Parushim? Gen.1:14 says Yahweh appoints times, not man.

Consider also Psalm 104:19, “He appointed the moon for seasons:” “Seasons” is the Hebrew “mowadah,” a form of “moed.” In other words, Yahweh appointed the moon for festivals or sacred appointments. Why would He do that if man could set festivals without the use of a visible moon? An invisible moon (the molad of Tishri 1) would not fulfill this verse since the saints of old could not know the exact moment of the molad.

The history of Israel records the use of signal fires on mountain tops to notify the authorities to sanctify the new moon. Why would they use such a signal if they knew well in advance which day was the first of the month? According to the Hebrew calendar, even if they saw the moon it would not matter since their date was previously determined by computation.

1 Sam.20:5 – “And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.” Some people use this verse to show that David did not need to see the visible new moon to know when the month began. Since the new moon can be seen on the 29th or 30th day, it is logical to assume that David made this statement on the 29th day knowing that the moon was not seen that evening. Therefore it had to be seen the following evening since no months consist of 31 days.

The Encyclopedia Judaica states that Tishri 1 can occur as much as two days before the visible new moon. That would also mean the full moon would occur two days after the Feast of Tabernacles has begun when, in reality, the full moon should mark the first day of the feast. The same would hold true for the Feast of Unleavened. A great deal of emphasis is placed upon the seat of Moses and who sits in it today. However, it is irrelevant concerning this issue. When the Pharisees in Yeshua’s day had caused the people to break Yahweh’s commandments in order to keep their own traditions, the Messiah let them know about it (Mt.15:1-20). Since Yeshua kept the feasts with the Jews and never mentioned any calendar errors, we can assume that there weren’t any. If there were calendar errors, then Messiah sinned with them. Yet we know that he was sinless. Therefore, calendar errors arose after Messiah’s day.

Yeshua pointed out the fact that the Pharisees, who sit in Moses’ seat, were causing the people to sin against Yahweh’s commandments. Since we are to sin no more, then we should not follow those who sit in Moses’ seat if they too, cause us to sin.

I do not believe any Jew who has not accepted Yeshua as the Messiah can sit in Moses seat. I base this belief on the Apostle Paul’s parable of the olive tree in Rom.11:17-21. Any Israelite who rejects Messiah and walks in unbelief is as a branch broken off the tree (vs.20). They will not be saved unless they emulate Paul by believing in Yeshua (vs.14). Some Israelites believed and are therefore called “the election” (vs.7). The rest were blinded including those who sat in Moses seat. All that is written from vss.7-15 pertains to them. Yes, they can be grafted onto the tree again, but only if they do not continue in unbelief. 2 Cor 3:14-16 says, “But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Messiah. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Master, the vail shall be taken away.” Any modern day Parushim who refuses to believe that Yeshua Messiah has come in the flesh cannot possibly sit in Moses seat.

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