The Jewish Holidays, Foundations of Christianity, Keys to Prophecy: They're Not Just for Jews

By Judy Robbins Reeves

The Jewish holidays are not really Jewish -- they are G-d’s! He commands the observance of the holidays in Leviticus 23 and refers to them as, “My feasts,” belonging to Him and not to the people. Much of the teaching derived from these special days is the foundational “milk” the early church was built upon. Today, they are a mystery.

Nestled within the ancient traditions (observed to this day) are secrets spelling out the events occurring at the end of the age. Open a doorway into a world that is both past and future; a world that is the “undiscovered territory” to a majority of people in the two major religions calling the Bible “G-d’s Holy Word.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: May 11, 2006
• ISBN: 9781467031929

Judy Robbins Reeves

Judy Reeves was brought up in a Christian home. She first learned of the significance of the Jewish holidays in relation to prophecy from her paternal grandfather, Rev. L. Wesley Robbins in the late 1970’s. After decades of study, Judy published a workbook and a teacher’s guide entitled The Jewish Holidays: G-d’s Prophetic Calendar (available from AuthorHouse) to be used for teaching small Bible study groups. Judy and her husband Raymond have been using this curriculum in classes at Community Bible Church in San Antonio, Texas since 1999 where the average weekend church attendance is nearly 10,000 people. She occasionally takes time from her busy schedule to speak at Universities and church seminars.

Book preview

© 2006 Judy Robbins Reeves. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse  04/20/2022

ISBN: 978-1-4259-2990-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4670-3192-9 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in

this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views

expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the

views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

To my mom and dad, Don and Ginny Robbins,

Who gave me the foundations of faith on which I continue to

stand.

And to Joe Good of Hatikva Ministries, who gave me the

tools to answer my questions.

19984.png19977.png

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHART #1 - Cycle of the Jewish Calender

CHART #2 - Timeline of the Birth of John the Baptist and Jesus (Y’shua)

PREFACE

CHAPTER 1 - Introduction to the Biblical Holidays

RABBINICAL TEACHINGS OF THE 7,000 YEARS OF TIME

MESSIAH BEN DAVID,

CHAPTER 2 - Purim, A Celebration from the Book of Esther

DATES

TRADITIONS

MAIN CHARACTERS

THE STORY OF ESTHER

Act 1 - Olam ha Seh, The Present Age

Act 2 - Atid Lavo, The Future Age or Age to Come

Act 3 - The Power Struggle

Act 4 - Setting the Trap

Act 5 - The Trap is Sprung

Finale

IMPORTANT EVENTS RELATING TO THE 17TH OF NISSAN AND PURIM

TO CELEBRATE THIS HOLIDAY FOR YOURSELF

CHAPTER 3 - Passover Preparations

THE SEARCH FOR LEAVEN

BEDICHAT HA CHAMETZ

Candle

Feather

Wooden spoon

Bag or Linen Cloth

Burned

TO CELEBRATE THIS HOLIDAY FOR YOURSELF

CHAPTER 4 - Passover and Unleavened Bread

DATES

SIGNIFICANCE BEFORE LEAVING EGYPT

SIGNIFICANCE BEFORE THE CRUCIFIXION

Y’SHUA’S LAST WEEK AND EXODUS PARALLELS

Saturday night to Sunday - Nissan 10

Sunday night to Monday - Nissan 11

Monday night to Tuesday - Nissan 12

Tuesday night to Wednesday - Nissan 13

Wednesday night to Thursday - Nissan 14

Thursday night to Friday - Nissan 15

Friday night to Saturday - Nissan 16

Saturday night to Sunday - Nissan 17

TRADITIONS

The Haggadah

Seder

The Roasted Shankbone

Matzah

Roasted egg

Bitter Herbs

Charoset

Karpas

Salt Water

Four Cups of Wine

Afikoman

Cup of Elijah

TO CELEBRATE THIS HOLIDAY FOR YOURSELF

CHAPTER 5 - SHAVUOT: PENTECOST

DATES

NAMES OF THE FEAST

PROPHETIC PARALLELS

One Accord or Unity

Loud Sounds From the Heavens

Flames or Sparks of Fire and Tongues

Three Thousand Souls

THEMES PAST

Wedding Canopy

Betrothal Supper

Betrothal Contract

THEMES FUTURE

TRADITIONS

TO CELEBRATE THIS HOLIDAY FOR YOURSELF

CHAPTER 6 - SABBATH

THE PROPHETIC THEMES OF SABBATH

CONCLUSION

TRADITIONS

TO CELEBRATE THIS HOLIDAY FOR YOURSELF

Challah Recipe

CHAPTER 7 - ROSH HA SHANNAH: FEAST OF TRUMPETS

PREPARATIONS

DATES

THEMES AND NAMES OF THIS DAY

New Year’s Day

Day of Judgment

Gates of Heaven

Court is in Session

Awakening Trumpet Blast

The New Moon

Day of Concealment

Day of Remembrance

Days of Awe, The Time of Jacob’s Trouble

Birth pains of the Messiah

The King

TO CELEBRATE THIS HOLIDAY FOR YOURSELF

CHAPTER 8 - THE WEDDING

THE WEDDING AS SEEN IN ROSH HA SHANNAH

Fetching the Bride

The Wedding Garments

Images in Ceremony

THE WEDDING AS SEEN IN YOM KIPPUR

The Conclusion of the Ceremony

Judgment

Now That We are Wed

New Name, New Job, New Wardrobe

THE WEDDING AS SEEN IN SUKKOT

CHAPTER 9 - YOM KIPPUR: THE DAY OF ATONEMENT

TRADITIONS

THEMES

Judgment is Sealed

Face-to-Face

Armageddon, Gog and Magog, and the Battle for Jerusalem

DAY OF ATONEMENT

Offerings of Bulls and Goats

Offering of the Scapegoat

Rewards

The Great Trump

Gate/Door Closed

Jubilee

TO CELEBRATE THIS HOLIDAY FOR YOURSELF

CHAPTER 10 - SUKKOT: FEAST OF TABERNACLES

DATES

NAMES

The Festival

Feast of Ingathering

Festival of Great Joy

Festival of the Nations

Festival of Dedication

Festival of Light

THEMES

The Feast of Leviathan

The Eighth Day

Clouds of Glory

TRADITIONS

The Sukah

TO CELEBRATE THIS HOLIDAY FOR YOURSELF

CHAPTER 11 - CHANUKAH

HISTORY

THEMES AND NAMES

TRADITIONS

TO CELEBRATE THIS HOLIDAY FOR YOURSELF

APPENDIX 1 - TERMINOLOGY

TERMS FOR THE MESSIAH

The Branch

Arm or Hand of G-d or the L-rd

Y’shua

Rock

Shield

Strong Tower

Banner or Ensign

Rod

TERMS FOR THE MILLENNIUM

The Last Days

The Day of the L-rd

In That Day

TERMS FOR THE TRIBULATION

Birth Pains

In That Day

Days of Awe

The Day of the L-rd

SUMMARY

APPENDIX 2 - THE THIEF

APPENDIX 3 - IN THE KINGDOM

APPENDIX 4 - IN THE LAST DAYS THERE WILL COME FALSE PROPHETS

APPENDIX 5 - A WORD TO THE WISE

APPENDIX 6 - THE WEDDING ON THE SEVENTH DAY

APPENDIX 7 - THE YOKE

APPENDIX 8 - UNDER THE LAW

APPENDIX 9 - NISSAN 17

APPENDIX 10 - THE 7,000 YEARS OF TIME

APPENDIX 11 - THE FESTIVAL OF THE WATER LIBATION

APPENDIX 12 - THE RAPTURE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PREFACE

Beware! This book contains information that should change your life forever! It will show you truths that will leave you asking, Why was I never taught this before? Hopefully, it will make you ask yourself and others many questions about your doctrine and the traditions you have been keeping - questions about their validity and history (Jeremiah 16:19).

After over eighteen years of pursuing the truth, countless hours of research, and seven years of teaching and developing the curriculum The Jewish Holidays G-d’s Prophetic Calendar, this book is the result of those questions that I asked myself.

The Jewish Holidays G-d’s Prophetic Calendar was published in 2003 as two separate pieces, a Student Workbook and a Teacher’s Guide. It is available to order from Author House (www.Authorhouse.com) or your favorite bookstore. At the time, I realized there were other volumes about the same subject but no way to teach these truths. The curriculum was engineered to work compatibly with or without any of those other books. However, my students demanded more - more detail, more Scripture; hence the birth of this work. (Plus, I believe G-d has shown me other perspectives of His holidays.)

Many times in my life I have joked that I should have been born in Missouri, The Show Me State, as I am never content to believe something just because someone tells me it’s true. I’ve never liked the term blind faith and have since found out that there is no foundation for that term in Judaism as there is in Christianity. My beliefs were not weakened through questioning - on the contrary, they were strengthened many times over. Over the years I have had the privilege of having many of my students tell me how their lives have been enriched by the study of these biblical holidays - even years later.

Leave your preconceived notions of what G-d requires of you behind as you begin this journey. If you are (or want to be) a serious student of the Bible and not just a pew warmer then take the time to delve into G-d’s Word and the information gathered within these pages. If you would rather be blind and ignorant, then read no further! If after reading it, you choose to ignore the G-d-given holidays and continue as you have in the past, know this - instead of sinning in ignorance you will be sinning in rebellion. Wow! Harsh words, I know. Many times I prayerfully considered deleting them for fear of turning many readers away. But the time is short - I am not the only one saying this. And because of this, the time for being gentle and evasive is past. For to whom much is given, much is required. (Underlined emphasis is mine.)

Luke 12:47-48a And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. (48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required:

Matthew 13:10-17 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? (11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. (12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. (13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. (14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: (15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. (16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. (17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

With the Scriptures (and information tying it all together) contained in this book, you, the reader, are given much. This carries the G-d-given blessing of having abundance. This abundance is not that of material wealth (although is does not exclude it), but one of the knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. It is my prayer for you that this study will encourage you to search the Scriptures, and in so doing, come to a renewed awe and a deeper understanding of what we have been given in this age, for this time.

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

TO THE BIBLICAL HOLIDAYS

Jews or Christians of any sect or denomination need to explore the holidays described in the Torah (The Old Testament, also called the Tenach) and learn about them. They are most commonly referred to as the Jewish holidays. If you are Jewish, you are probably familiar with what I am talking about, and you may have celebrated some or all of these holidays. If you are Christian, you probably know very little and may be uncertain regarding their significance to you. In this book you will find out just why they are so very important, regardless of your religious up-bringing.

One thing you will find out about the holidays is that they are all prophetic. Prophecy might not be your bag of chips, but the real importance about prophecy is verification and substantiation. Big words, but what they mean is that the Bible can be proven true by verifying its written facts. This includes prophecies that came to pass after being recorded. Most Christians believe that Jesus came as a fulfillment to Old Testament prophecies, but they fail to acknowledge that He was (is) Jewish, was born to Jewish parents, and brought up with Jewish customs and traditions, and celebrated all of the biblical holidays. Most Jews will admit to the historical evidence for the existence of the man Jesus but not to His fulfilling the conditions of being the Messiah. This study will help you knit together the fabric of the Old and New Testaments and find the truth that can be seen in the tapestry of the holidays.

So many people today have seen the movie The Ten Commandments that even in Israel, they think Moses looked like Charleton Heston and the pharaoh looked like Yul Brenner, and for many of us it is the only knowledge we have about Passover. Yet Passover is only one of eight festival holidays G-d gave in Leviticus 23.

Each festival is teeming with rich, colorful traditions mandated by Rabbis of the ancient world, and guess what: They all teach about the coming of Messiah, Jesus, Y’shua in Hebrew. The spring festivals tell about the first coming and the fall festivals about the second coming - and not in brief, cryptic glimpses, but in calculated detail. Most people assume the Jewish holidays are celebrated because specific events happened on those days, but in fact, just the opposite is true. The events happened on that day because G-d set the day apart from the beginning of time - as an appointment for future events to take place, as types and shadows employed to teach us. In 1986 this discovery revolutionized my view of the Scriptures and revitalized my Bible study. I challenge you to let it do the same for you.

Let’s take a little trip: Pretend it is 2,000 years into the future and you are an archeologist with a special interest in paleography (ancient writings). The team of people you are working with is excavating a site on the North American Continent, believed to be an extremely ancient dwelling. Among the artifacts discovered is a scrap of miraculously preserved parchment containing these puzzling words, . . . not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. In your quest to piece together the lives these ancients lived, you might hypothesize that they must have lived under an incredible infestation of rodents, to find prose noting the absence of their scurrying.

Today you might smile, or even chuckle, that a future archeologist might draw such an erroneous conclusion. But you have knowledge of which these future people are ignorant. The sights and sounds, tastes and smells conjured by the reading of that piece of poetry is not a mystery to you. You may envision family traditions such as gift giving, charity projects, or singing. You hear the music associated with the holiday and wish for snow (or not). Or your mouth waters at the thought of your favorite foods, like pumpkin pie, turkey, and Aunt Martha’s fruitcake. (All right, maybe not all favorites, but you get the picture.) Unless you are familiar with the culture, it is very difficult to interpret the customs.

Another example of this can be seen in the commercial from many years ago for Wendy’s that made such a hit. Where’s the beef became the catch phrase in conversations and the punch line for jokes. But if one wasn’t savvy to the commercial, the phrase had no impact.

This same type of phrasing occurs throughout the Old Testament, but because most people do not recognize these catch phrases, they don’t know what’s going on. Do you begin to see how the study of the festivals listed in the Torah might open your eyes to a whole new understanding of the Scriptures?

Ecclesiastes 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

This verse shows the adage, history repeats itself, and it is important to remember when studying the holidays - a hint of what’s to come.

Although this book is called the Jewish Holidays, I refer to them that way only because that is the name recognized by people all over the world. However, after reading the verses below, consider who these special days really belong to: (a) Jews (b) G-d or (c) Christians. Should they really be called the Jewish Holidays?

The Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible uses numbers that have been assigned to every word in the Bible. These numbers are then back-referenced to the original language in which they were written and the specific word used in its place. Throughout this study I will be referring to these numbers as they give a magnified look into the meanings of each word. Following is one such verse where the Strong’s numbers are inset to make it easier to refer to words other than the ones chosen by the translators of whichever Bible you are using. I have chosen these two that I emphasized in bold and will discuss them shortly.

Leviticus 23:2-4 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts <04150> of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations <04744>, even these are my feasts <04150>. Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation <04744>; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings. These [are] the feasts <04150> of the LORD, [even] holy convocations <04744>, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons <04150>.

Also look at Leviticus 26:2-4 and 12. Notice that G-d sets the Sabbath and the festivals aside as belonging to Him (which is the definition of the word holy), and He does this throughout the Bible.

There are many definitions from the Hebrew dictionary for the word that the King James Version (and a few others) uses for the word convocation (#4744). For example the NIV uses assemblies. The Strong’s Dictionary defines the #4744, the Hebrew word mikra (mee KRAH), as something called out, i.e. a public meeting (the act, the persons, or the place) also a rehearsal. (Whenever you are reading your Bible and come across this word, think rehearsal and see if you don’t find a deeper understanding of what is being conveyed in the passage.)

Next let’s take a look at the other word I emphasized in this verse, translated as feasts (#4150) or seasons in the King James Version or as appointed times or appointed feasts in other versions. In Hebrew, it is the word mo’ed (mow ED). Strong’s defines it as: "an appointment, i.e. a fixed time or season; specifically, a festival; conventionally a year; by implication, an assembly (as convened for a definite purpose); technically the congregation; by extension, the place of meeting."

Appointments differ from anniversaries, and while we may be accustomed to thinking of the festivals as commemorating an event — such as the Passover, when Moses brought the people out of Egypt) making it an anniversary — G-d calls them appointments and rehearsals for something scheduled to happen in the future. One of my students referred to them as prophetic charades, and I think that is an accurate term.

Notice how one definition for the word mo’ed, time or season, is the same as the phrase used in the New Testament verse from Thessalonians below. Paul is telling these people, Thessalonians, gentiles not Jews, that he doesn’t need to tell them about the times and seasons (mo’ed) because they already know about them and know they refer to the day of the L-rd! And after completing this study, you will know too - not because I have told you, but because you have investigated the facts in the Scriptures themselves. The day of the L-rd is a term that refers to a specific prophetic time period. Why haven’t we been taught these things?

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

It is also easy to see that a mo’ed is being referred to in the following verse in Daniel 7:25. (Also look at Psalms 104:19, and Jeremiah 8:7.)

Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

I propose to you that the spirit of the antichrist, or false Messiah (he is not so much anti or against as he is false, or fake), which is the he referred to in the above verse, has been working hard for centuries. He has already changed the times and the laws. The perfect example being that, for the most part, G-d’s people are not celebrating G-d’s holidays (or holy days)! Why not? We have allowed the traditions of the world to replace those given by G-d! Are we any better than the scribes and Pharisees Y’shua was condemning in Matthew 15:3 . . .And why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? (NAS) The scribes and Pharisees had come to Y’shua with a complaint that the disciples were breaking the tradition of the elders by not washing their hands. Y’shua’s response, paraphrased, was that while the disciples may be breaking the tradition of the elders, they (the scribes and Pharisees) were breaking the commandments of G-d to honor their father and mother, and they were giving a gift to the church for absolution for their dishonor. Now, I don’t think Y’shua was saying the disciples should not wash their hands before eating. I feel the focus of this discussion was to say, You hypocrites! How can you point your fingers at them when you yourselves are going against what G-d commands. In Matthew 15:9 He goes on to say about these hypocrites, But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Their transgression was not the same as ours, but does that make this verse any less applicable? The church has been cheated. It has disregarded the eight holidays given by G-d and adopted two that were created by man and were originally based in pagan worship. Eight G-d-given for two manmade! How could we be so blind?

Christians, as you go through this study and see Messiah Y’shua in all the festivals, I hope you will remember this and not be like the scribes and Pharisees and point your finger at the Jews who have had this information for centuries and say, "How could they be so blind?"

In this next verse set time is translated from the Hebrew word mo’ed, the word for festival, and refers to a special time of blessing that comes with celebrating a festival. Remember, the word mo’ed not only means festival, but also appointment - they are synonymous. The festivals are appointments that G-d has set aside to perform specific deeds.

Psalms 102:13 Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion : for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.

This next passage in Isaiah 14, is spoken by satan. (I refuse to capitalize the name of satan. In Hebrew ha satan means the adversary, and is a term used for the prosecuting attorney in a court of law. From this we can see part of satans job description as shown in Job 1 and Revelation 12:10 as he appears before G-d to accuse us.) Notice the word congregation is the same word we have seen before, mo’ed, but here it is translated atypically from the rest. I feel this shows satan’s temporary rule over the holidays. It’s as though he’s playing king-of-the-hill.

Isaiah 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation <04150>, in the sides of the north:

Ezekiel 44:24 And in a dispute they shall take their stand to judge; they shall judge it according to My ordinances. They shall also keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed feasts, and sanctify My sabbaths. (NAS)

In the above verse, it appears that a portion of the prerequisites for being a judge is the keeping of the festivals and the Sabbath. Today we hear about the Ten Commandments having to be removed from before our courthouses, yet how much better off would we be if we really allowed our judges to be godly men and women? 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 states that in the future we are to be judges - what do you think our standards will be with Y’shua the Messiah sitting as ruler?

In the following verses from Daniel, the words appointed time are translated from an Aramaic word that means festival. I find this very exciting, and believe these passages are referring to the end of the age and the coming of the Messiah on a festival — these are things that we should know!

Daniel 11:35 Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.(NIV) (See Appendix 5.)

Daniel 8:19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.

Habakkuk 2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait