Celebrating The Feasts of Israel: Explore the Depth of Our Faith In Jesus Christ and Pass It on to the Next Generation

By Werner Sonderegger

This unique book captures God's plan for the Feasts of Israel; with their Biblical history, rich traditions and triumphant fulfillment in Christ. It will open your eyes to see how relevant these Feasts are to your everyday Christian life and will serve as a powerful tool to pass your faith in Jesus Christ to the next generation. Interwoven throughout this book you find testimonies, songs, christian theology, topics of discipleship, and suggestions of a Christ centered celebration of these Feasts in your own family. The richness and personal nature of these Feasts is waiting to be unfolded in the story of Jesus Christ throughout the Bible. Be ready to discover God's great plan for you, your family, and this world as it is portrayed in this second expanded edition of Celebrating the Feasts of Israel.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 26, 2019
• ISBN: 9781644928776

Book preview

Chapter 1

Danger / Preface

Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus

Your life is about to change! Are you wondering why? Continue to find out. Let’s take a little journey back in time. Imagine yourself living in a small peaceful village nestled in the countryside about a day’s journey from Jerusalem. The time is 20 BC. Are you ready?

Today is not an ordinary day. You are eager to begin your journey from your hometown village to Jerusalem. There you are now walking along the way and bringing with you a lamb out of your flock. You chose this particular lamb only after careful observation and inspection. Your eyes did not find one single blemish.

However, there is something heavy in your heart. You feel convicted and guilty of having sinned by unintentionally breaking one of God’s commandments. You had condemned yourself for being so foolish. But now you have a new sense of hope and are looking forward to your arrival at the temple in Jerusalem. You made up your mind to obey God’s command for such situations—bring a lamb without blemish as a sin offering. God explained in Leviticus, For the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the LORD. It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible (Leviticus 17:11).

As you walk along the way you look down at your lamb. Your eyes meet. Yet the silence is only interrupted by a soft baa. Your thoughts are captivated by what will happen in the temple. Finally, after many hours have passed, you arrive. God had very specifically described in His command how your lamb needed to be sacrificed. You cannot just drop the lamb off at the temple as if writing a check for the debt you owe. No, not at all! You personally will go to the priest.

The priest will not kill the lamb for you. No, you will. God instructed that you place your hands—and by that, your sins—on the head of the innocent and blameless lamb. Then you pierce it to its death. Only then will the priest take some of the blood of the lamb with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offerings. He will pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. The fat of the lamb he will remove and burn on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. In doing these things, the priest will make atonement for you and your sin which you have committed, and you shall be forgiven.

Text: Leviticus 4:27–35

Let’s go even further back in time when Israel was held enslaved in Egypt. Again there is a lamb sacrificed without any defect. It became to be the first Passover Feast.

And they shall take some of the blood (lamb) and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. (Exodus 12:7)

For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood (of the Passover lamb) on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you. (Exodus 12:23)

You will find that John speaks about a Passover lamb in the New Testament. He calls Jesus the Lamb of God.

The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

Jesus Christ became our Passover lamb. The penalty for our sins was paid by the blood He shed for us on the cross.

God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. (Romans 8:3)

Do you remember your visit in the temple? The lamb of your sin offering? Interesting that you personally laid your hands on the head of the lamb and by it your sin and then killed it. And now we are seeing Jesus Christ having before his crucifixion a crown of thorns placed upon his head. Like it was by your sin offering, you are personally called to come to the cross, to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. It was your sins that Christ carried and by his death paid the penalty for it on the cross. Why, you may ask?

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:16–17)

Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrew 6:18–20)

The Feasts of Israel are in essence the story of Jesus Christ, your messiah. Come along by walking in the footsteps of Jesus through the Bible. The feasts were a foreshadowing of things to come. Christ Himself is the substance of this shadow. They also carry God’s marvelous plan for you. Pray as you read. Meditate on each Bible reference to dig deeper in God’s word. Don’t lose what God reveals and speaks to you. Write it down.

Jesus explained:

I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life. (John 8:12)

We Christians are called to be a light in this world. Christ in you is that light. Wherever you are today, simply by your presence, the darkness knows it is in danger because of your willingness to follow Christ. Why, you may ask? Listen.

I (Jesus Christ) am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me. (Acts 26:17–18)

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life. (John 8:12)

Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. (Philippians 1:27)

Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:12)

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. (2 Timothy 4:7)

Go boldly forward. Listen to the words of Paul:

I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (Ephesians 3:14–19)

My passion and prayer for you is that you experience your faith in Christ as a joyful fountain of life. Receive a new revelation about the solid rock you have built your faith on. He is with you! Take some time with God to reflect on the following song.

He Looked Beyond My Fault

by Dottie Rambo

Amazing grace shall always be my song of praise,

for it was grace that brought my liberty;

I do not know just why He came to love me so,

He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.

I shall forever lift mine eyes to Calvary,

to view the cross where Jesus died for me,

how marvelous the grace that caught my falling soul;

He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.

I shall forever lift mine eyes to Calvary,

to view the cross where Jesus died for me,

how marvelous the grace that caught my falling soul;

He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.

Chapter 2

The Feasts of the Lord

These Are the Feasts Commanded by God

The feasts of the Lord are identified as the ones God commanded the Israelites to celebrate. We will later focus on some festivals (The Feasts of the Jews) which have significance for us as Christians, but are not commanded by God. This is similar to certain celebrations in today’s Christian community, such as the tradition of celebrating Christmas or Easter. It might be a shocking thought for you that, in fact, Jesus Christ did not command us to celebrate these feasts. He did tell us, however, to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.

The Lord’s Supper

For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me. In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it. For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again. (1 Corinthians 11:23–26)

I believe that we indeed have reason to celebrate Christmas and Easter with great joy. Having said this, I fervently urge you to celebrate in a way that gives all the honor to God, and expresses our undivided thankfulness and worship to Him alone.

All the feasts of the Lord were given to the Israelites by God. Each feast bears God’s specific instructions regarding exactly how and when to celebrate. These feast days are the Lord’s appointed festivals. God had the Israelites proclaim these days as official days for holy assembly. These were additional Sabbath days, and like all other days, they began at sundown. It was mandatory for all male Israelites to travel three times a year to God’s temple in Jerusalem to celebrate these feasts.

Text: Exodus 12, 20:1–21, 31:12–18; Leviticus 23; Deuteronomy 5:12–18

Sabbath Candle

Insight

The Sabbath is observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening. In Judaism, Sabbath is the seventh day of the Hebrew calendar week, in English known as Saturday.

The Sabbath

Introduction

What did God have in mind when He made the feast days as additional Sabbath days? The Sabbath or Shabbat (Hebrew) is a special day in Judaism. Sabbath means rest. Along with circumcision, these two are the sign and seal of the Old Covenant. God commanded that no ordinary work is to be done on this day. It was a day of rest, commemorating the rest of God in creation. The Sabbath is part of the Ten Commandments and of the feasts. Any violation of this day would be judged by death.

Jesus lived under the Old Covenant but fulfilled it with His shed blood on the cross. He gave us a New Covenant.

Matthew 26:27, then he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

The Sabbath pointed to Jesus Christ in whom we as believers find redemption and the true rest of God.

In Judaism, the Sabbath is the most important day of the week. They even refer to it as the queen. Today, every Friday at sunset, Jews welcome the Sabbath with prayers and readings from the Torah in the synagogue. They will continue the Sabbath celebration in their homes with songs and a festive dinner, which typically includes challah bread, wine, and the Sabbath candles. This special dinner closes with a thanksgiving prayer. It is full of rich tradition and ritual.

Sabbath or Sunday?

What day should we Christians celebrate; the Sabbath or Sunday? It is a question of covenant. Under the Old Covenant with the law; it is the Sabbath. Christians are under the New Covenant. The old is fulfilled. Christians also have a sign and seal of covenant, which is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Lord’s Day or Sunday is a voluntary day of worship. It marks the day of Jesus’s resurrection; the completion of our redemption and of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Text: Isaiah 28:9–11; Acts 2:1–4; Galatians 4:10–11; Colossians 2:11, 17–18

Sabbath / Practical Guide

Practical Guide

Insight

Yeshua is believed by many to be the Hebrew or Aramaic name for Jesus. The name is extensively used by Messianic Jews as well as by others who wish to use the original pronunciation of His name.

Yeshua translates to Joshua, meaning Yahweh is Salvation.

Celebrating The Sabbath (Simplified Version)

Sabbath starts at sundown on Friday eve. Have a festive dinner table set with some candles (Sabbath candles). It is customary that the mother along with the oldest daughter light the candles. The mother prays a prayer of blessing. Next, the mother and father may honor each other by expressing how thankful they are for each other by using some specific situations. Sing a song of praise. A prayer of blessing is spoken by the father before he serves the wine. Your son will love to be a part of this.

Next is the traditional hand washing. Pass a pitcher of water with a basin and a towel from person to person. Every Sabbath dinner needs to have some challah bread that is typically covered by a special cloth napkin at the table. Pass the challah bread and enjoy the dinner.

Lighting of the Sabbath Candle

Traditional Sabbath Celebration

The following steps and prayers are from Messianic Jewish traditions for the Sabbath. Remember, these are not laws. The intention is to give you a jump start for your own family traditions and prayers as you look and listen to Jesus Christ.

Blessing of the Sabbath Candle

The Sabbath candles are lit by the woman of the house before sundown on Friday. After she lights the candles, she waves her hands over the flames three times as if welcoming in the Sabbath. Covering her eyes with her hands, she recites the following blessing:

Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to be a light to the nations and who gave us Yeshua (Jesus) our Messiah the Light of the world.

Parents and children may use this opportunity to add their own words of blessing and offer expressions of love and appreciation to each other.

Insight

Kiddush, meaning sanctification, is a blessing recited over wine or grape juice to sanctify the Sabbath and Jewish holidays.

Kiddush for Sabbath

Normally, the Kiddush is recited by the father of the house while holding a cup of wine. First he recites Genesis 1:31–2:3 as a declaration to bear witness that God created the world and everything in it:

Then God looked over all He had made, and He saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day. So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished His work of creation, so He rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when He rested from all His work of creation.

After this, the father thanks God for the gift of the Sabbath day:

Blessed art Thou, Adonai our God, King of the Universe, who creates the true fruit of the vine—Yeshua. Blessed are You, LORD, King of the Universe, who made us holy with His commandments and favored us, and gave us His holy Sabbath, in love and favor, to be our heritage, as a reminder of the Creation. It is the foremost day of the holy festivals marking the Exodus from Egypt. For out of all the nations You chose us and made us holy, and You gave us Your holy Sabbath, in love and favor, as our heritage. Blessed are You, LORD, who sanctifies the Sabbath.

After this blessing is recited, it is customary to give each person some wine from the Kiddush cup.

Challah Bread

Insight

The priest washed in the basin before entering to God’s presence in the temple on behalf of Israel (Exodus 30:17–21). Some emphasis that this ritual portrays a picture that points to Jesus. Jesus Christ washed away our guilty conscience so that we can draw near to God (Hebrews 10:22).

Messianic Jews emphasizing here that the washing of our hands is intended to show gratitude to God for His sanctification of us.

In contrast, some point to Mark 7:3–16 where Jesus opposed this traditional ritual of cleansing. Note here the distinction that Jesus was speaking against a cleansing that was based on the law of the elders.

Blessing of the Challah

There are two loaves of challah bread on the Sabbath table symbolizing the double portion of manna which God provided on the day before the Sabbath (Friday) for the Jews while they wandered in the wilderness (Exodus 16). The two challah breads are under a cloth as a reminder that dew was all around the camp when they awoke in the desert. Together these serve as a great reminder of God’s provision.

A bowl of water for handwashing and a small towel are handed from one person to the next. After handwashing, the father lifts the challah loaf and says the blessing over the bread.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, Master of the Universe, who gives us the Living Bread from heaven. Amen.

The father cuts the challah bread and distributes it to those around the table.

The Sabbath Meal

The Sabbath meal begins. Note: Jews normally do not say grace before meals, but rather after they have eaten. They do not bless the food either but rather acknowledge that God is the one who provides for their sustenance.

Grace After the Meal

Blessed are you, LORD our God, Master of the Universe, who nourishes the whole world in goodness, with grace, kindness, and compassion. He gives bread to all flesh, for His mercy endures forever. And through His great goodness we have never lacked, nor will we lack food forever, for the sake of His great name. For He is God, who nourishes and sustains all, and does good to all, and prepares food for all His creatures which He created. Blessed are You, LORD, who nourishes all. Amen.

Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who gave to us the way of salvation through the Messiah Yeshua, blessed be He. Amen.

Sabbath Day / Shabbat

Remember (Mark 2:27) that the Sabbath is a gift of God to us, a time of rest and reflection, a joyful time set apart from the busy week when we can focus on what is important in our lives. Each family will be different. Here are some Saturday activity ideas to get you started:

It’s family time!

There is something special about waking up to the smell of fresh baked bread on a Saturday morning. Or how about some homemade pancakes with maple syrup? You will be surprised how much fun it is to prepare some