Practical Restoration
Biblical Holidays
Biblical Holidays
IMPORTANT NOTICE - Welcome to the “Practical Restoration” area of our website. The Practical Restoration pages are designed to help you put into practice the Restoration points covered throughout this website. They are specifically designed for those who are already familiar with Restoration and desire help in getting started. If these ideas are new to you, please refer to our home page where you will find information on the various Restoration areas.
This page contains practical information on how to Celebrate the Biblical Holidays.
This page contains practical information on how to Celebrate the Biblical Holidays.
New Moon Celebrations: The Countdown to Biblical Holidays
Any time you have an important event, it is common to anticipate it with great expectation. This is often done by counting down to that special moment. Nothing could be more important than the Biblical Holidays since they reveal Yahuwah's Great Plan of Salvation for mankind. As would be expected, Yahuwah directed His people to have such a count down.
In order to determine the correct timing of Yahuwah's appointed times you must count the biblical months. This is done by looking for the first new moon of each cycle. In fact, the Hebrew word for month is "khodesh" and it literally means "new moon". It is only by implication that translators use the word "month". This is because it is the new moons that determine each new month. Every Biblical Holiday is scheduled in relation to a particular day in a month. So, every time you reach a new month, or new moon, you are closer to the next Biblical Holiday. Scripture records actual new moon celebrations. These are not celebrations that celebrate the new moon, but rather they act as countdowns to the Biblical Holidays. The closer we get to the next Biblical Holiday the greater the excitement and celebration. Numbers 10:10 alludes to this when it says:
Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD [Yahuwah] your God. (KJV) [brackets mine]
To get a better understanding of this verse we can look at the original Hebrew word for "solemn days". This word is "mo-ed" and refers to the appointed times or Biblical Holidays. The phrase "beginnings of your months" refers to the new moons. So with this understanding the verse would go something like this:
Also in the day of your gladness, and in your Biblical Holidays, and in your New Moons, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD [Yahuwah] your God. (KJV) [brackets mine]
So this verse reveals the gladness that is associated with the Biblical Holidays, and New Moon celebrations. It also shows that they act as memorials for these very important days. Just imagine the celebrations, the trumpets being blown, and the sacrifices that all point to the work Yeshua did for us when He was hung on a stake to become our Passover Lamb, protecting us from the angel of death!
Print Your Own Abib Calendar and Learn How to Use It
Steps
1. Click Here to go to the page where you can get your Abib and current calendar.
2. The calendars will list the date and time of the new moon sightings in the upper left corner. If you prefer to use our blank calendar to create your own, just record the date and time of the New Moon sightings and place them on your blank calendar. It's good practice to learn how to create your own calendar from a blank one. When placing the first day of the month on your calendar, you must know what day of the week the New Moon was spotted. Once you have the date the New Moon was spotted you can use a modern calendar to determine the day of week it was sighted. For example, the new moon for the 3rd Biblical month was spotted on June 13, 2010 in the evening in Israel. If you look on a modern calendar you will see that it was spotted on Sunday evening, which is the first day of the week. Since Biblical days begin at sundown you will place the first day of the new month on the top of your Abib calendar in the 2nd day of the week slot. From there begin to write in 29 or 30 days. You will not know exactly how many days there will be in each month until the next New Moon is spotted. This is where the watching comes in. You can anticipate it to be from 29 to 30 days. Once you have your calendar numbered out you can check ours to double check accuracy. Even though the new moon is supposed to be spotted in Israel, you can look for it in your area just for the experience and learning. You will be surprised the insights Yahuwah may give you.
3. Determine which biblical month you are in by looking back to the month of Abib. Abib is always the first month. For starters you can simply go to our home page where we have the current month listed. Then just write it's number on the top of your blank calendar. For example: Fourth Biblical Month after Abib
4. Remember that the primary reason for the New Moon sightings is to countdown to the Biblical Holidays, and to know when these important wedding rehearsals are to take place. It's much like carrying the attitude of newlyweds.
5. When the new moons come, celebrate with your family and share why it is so important. Remind them that there was a time when Yahuwah was angry with Israel's new moon celebrations, because they continued to participate in idolatry and celebrated the new moons with an unclean heart. We are to always turn from our sins, and come before Him with joy and celebration because of His work of freeing us from our sins.
When Do I Celebrate Passover?
If you have not read the background on the month of Abib please click here. You will need it to understand what is written below.
Passover is the first Biblical Holiday of the year.
On the 10th day of Abib a lamb was to be brought into your home and observed until Passover.
Passover is to begin on the 14th of Abib at twilight. Leviticus 23:5
It's important to note that Biblical “days” begin at sunset. For instance, the Sabbath (Saturday) would begin on what most people would call Friday night. So all of the Biblical Holidays would start in the evening, the day before the date listed on most calendars. Also, please note that you may be led to actually bring a lamb to your home. It may be good to do as a teaching tool. The children will probably become very attached to it. Then you can teach how Yeshua is our Passover Lamb and was sinless and did not deserve to die. Like the precious lamb, He died to take the punishment for our sins so that we could live with Yahuwah forever. However, it's extremely important to understand that the Passover Lamb should only be killed in Jerusalem where Yeshua died. It would be a serious offense to sacrifice a lamb outside of Jerusalem and not according to Yahuwah's prescribed way. It should also be understood, that all of our teaching on the Biblical Holidays is on how to celebrate and teach them, and not to officially observe them. They can only be officially practiced with the Temple and all of the priestly institutions setup as prescribed in Scripture. It's also important to understand that we do have a heavenly Temple setup right now, where Yeshua continually mediates for His people. This does not mean that the earthly Temple will never exist again. A time is coming when it will be rebuilt and the Biblical Holidays will officially be practiced again. Until that time, we must celebrate them the best we can, and pray for the Temple to be built once again. In fact, the prophet ZephanYahu (Zephaniah) records a special promise for those who are sorrowful for the way the appointed times are treated as a reproach. (Zep. 3:18 NKJV recommended)
To see the 2010 Calendar for Abib and Passover click here.
How do I Celebrate Passover?
Passover is traditionally characterized by a formal dinner called a Seder. The Seder is usually very ordered, with each element representing a part of the Exodus story. Although, the Bible clearly commands Yahuwah's People to celebrate Passover each year, it does not give detailed information on how to do so. A fascinating fact regarding the history of the Jews, is that even though most have not recognized Yeshua as Messiah, their Seder clearly shows the prophetic implications of Yeshua. However, as believers in Yeshua, it's our responsibility to purposely reveal Yeshua in the Passover. For this reason, we recommend using a Messianic Seder Order. You can find many versions online. We have found Robin Sampson's website to be very helpful, particularly her book, A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays. Another idea, is to have your family partake in an order more closely aligned with the original exodus. That is, standing up, with a staff in hand, cloak tucked in, and sandals on their feet, ready to depart Egypt. The most important thing is to fulfill the requirement of teaching your children, so they will know what Yahuwah did in Egypt and the Messianic prophetic fulfillment of Yeshua. When done correctly, these will provide fond memories for your children, and most importantly, introduce Yeshua in the Biblical Holidays.
Jewish Dance In Passover
Scriptures in the original Hebrew language designate Passover as a "chagag" which means we are to celebrate it with circular dance. In referring to Passover Exodus 12:14 says:
"And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD [Yahuwah] throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever." (KJV)
The words above, in bold face, are English translations for the Hebrew word "chagag" which is defined in the Strong's Hebrew concordance as:
"properly to move in a circle, that is, (specifically) to march in a sacred procession, to observe a festival; by implication to be giddy: - celebrate, dance, (keep, hold) a (solemn) feast (holiday), reel to and fro." H2287
So, from this definition we can see that Jewish Circular Dance will be a part of our Passover Celebrations forever!
Removing all forms of Egypt from Passover
Please note, that the traditional egg on the seder plate is a remnant from the Babylonian era, and has idolatrous pagan origins. For this reason, we encourage Believers to omit the egg and the traditional Seder plates that have a set place for the egg. While this may sound trivial to some, it is extremely inflammatory and disrespectful to our Savior and Bridegroom, to have elements of His enemy present at this special dinner.
The Seder
The basic elements of the Seder dinner are:
The Roasted Lamb (or lamb shank to represent the lamb),
Bitter herbs (often herbs dipped in horseradish) to depict the bitterness of slavery,
Some include celery dipped in salt water to depict the tears of slavery,
Fruit salad made of apples, raisins, and walnuts in a white sauce representing the mortar used to make the bricks of their toil,
Matzo (unleavened bread) as commanded by Yahuwah, to remind them that they left in haste,
Wine/Grape Juice
You can find many menus and recipes on the web for your dinner. Your Messianic Seder Order may also have a suggested menu.
Suggested Readings:
The Book of Exodus, particularly chapter 12.
The Gospel Accounts of the "Last Supper", the Crucifixion, and Resurrection
The Greatest Mystery article from this website, to see how Yeshua's last Passover was an invitation to Betrothal
A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays, By Robin Sampson.
The Seven Festivals of the Messiah, By Eddie Chumney
When and How Do I Celebrate Unleavened Bread?
The Biblical Holiday of Unleavened Bread begins on the 15th of Abib and lasts for 7 days.
The first day is to be a Holy Convocation, or in Hebrew it's called a mik-raw' and refers to an assembly and rehearsal. (Leviticus 23:7)
So, we are to have a Holy Rehearsal or Sacred Rehearsal on this first day. This ancient rehearsal corresponded to the day Yeshua was buried. So the day after the Passover Lamb was sacrificed and the day after Yeshua died, sin or (leaven) was removed from all the homes that practiced the Biblical Holidays. This is a picture (or type) of what Yeshua did when He died on Passover, removing sin from His people. It's also a picture of what can happen in your family when you practice the Biblical Holidays, and your children learn from them that Yeshua is the Passover Lamb.
This seven day celebration of Unleavened Bread comes the day right after Passover, making for an eight day celebration. This is similar to the latter harvest Holiday of Tabernacles, where we have a seven day celebration with an extra distinguished celebration day added by Yahuwah, making it an eight day celebration also. Because Harvests point to Salvation in Yeshua, a one day celebration is just not enough!
On the last day of Unleavened Bread, we are to have another mik-raw' or Holy Rehearsal and do no regular work. (Leviticus 23:8)
Last but not least, Unleavened Bread is a "chagag". Which means that we are to celebrate it with Jewish Circular Dance. We know this from Exodus 23:14-15 and by using our Strongs Hebrew Dictionary/Concordance.
Scripture says:
"Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. (15) Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)"
Exodus 23:14-15 KJV
Again, Our Strongs Hebrew concordance reveals that the words above, typed in bold face, are translations of the Hebrew word "chagag" which means:
"properly to move in a circle, that is, (specifically) to march in a sacred procession, to observe a festival; by implication to be giddy: - celebrate, dance, (keep, hold) a (solemn) feast (holiday), reel to and fro." H2287
Please note that in the Bible, Passover and Unleavened Bread are often treated as one feast, and the words are used interchangeably, even though they are distinct appointed times of Yahuwah. Also, since the Feast of First Fruits always ends up being held sometime during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, all three can be considered one holiday. They all point to Salvation in Yeshua!
Let us sum up by using Leviticus:
"In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S [Yahuwah's] Passover. (6) And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD [Yahuwah]: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. (7) In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. (8) But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD [Yahuwah] seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein." Leviticus 23:5-8 KJV
I highly recommend copying our Abib calendar and getting used to keeping track of time Yahuwah's way. For the time being you will still have to use your "modern" calendar as well, but it is extremely important that we know how to keep track of Yahuwah's appointed times.
When Do I Celebrate First Fruits?
In Leviticus 23, Yahuwah gives instructions regarding the Biblical Holiday of First Fruits. It is a prophetic Holiday that foretold of Yeshua's Resurrection. He would later rise from the dead on this very Holiday. In the verses below, Yahuwah instructs them to wave their first fruits on the day following the Sabbath, after they harvest their crops in the Promised Land. He then instructs them to do this for the generations to come, making it a permanent Holiday
(Leviticus 23:10-14 NIV) "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. {11} He is to wave the sheaf before the LORD [Yahuwah] so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. {12} On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the LORD [Yahuwah] a lamb a year old without defect, {13} together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil--an offering made to the LORD [Yahuwah] by fire, a pleasing aroma--and its drink offering of a quarter of a hin of wine. {14} You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until the very day you bring this offering to your God. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live."
So, from the above verses we know that First Fruits was to begin after they entered the land and harvested its crop. They were to take the first fruits of this crop and wave it before Yahuwah on the day after the next Sabbath. You may have noticed, that even though Yahuwah instructs them to celebrate this wave offering to commemorate when they entered the promised land, He does not say when they entered the land. Since that happened thousands of years ago, we need more information to determine when we are to celebrate this Holiday. For this information we can go to Joshua 5:10-12 NIV:
"On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. {11} The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. {12} The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate of the produce of Canaan".
From this Scripture, we read that they first ate from the Promised Land on the very day after Passover. We also know that they were not to eat of the produce until they made their First Fruits wave offering. Since Passover is always celebrated correctly on the 14th of Abib, then that particular year they celebrated First Fruits on the 15th of Abib. (The Holiday of First Fruits will always occur on the day following the Sabbath that occurs after Passover, so it will not always be the day after Passover. For instance, when Yeshua died on Passover, First Fruits fell after 3 days and 3 nights.)
It's also important to understand what is meant by the Sabbath. Some believe it is referring to the Annual Sabbath of Unleavened Bread. However, the correct interpretation is to refer to the weekly Sabbath. In this way, all of Yahuwah's Instructions regarding the Biblical Holidays will line up. But this is a different subject that we will not go into at this time.
So to answer the question, “When should I celebrate First Fruits?" We are to celebrate it on the day after the weekly Sabbath that falls after Passover. So when Passover begins on the 14th of Abib, we are to look for the next weekly Sabbath and then celebrate First Fruits the next day. Please remember that Biblical Days begin in the evening. So when the daylight portion of the Sabbath arrives, we should begin our First Fruits celebration that evening, since it becomes the next day. If you do not know how to determine when the month of Abib occurs please read our section that gives its background by clicking here.
How Do I Celebrate First Fruits?
There are several important things to keep in mind when it comes to First Fruits. One, is that Yeshua rose from the dead on this Biblical Holiday. Another, is that no one was allowed to eat of their new harvest until this wave offering was made to Yahuwah. Think of it like this: Imagine that you only get paid for your job two times a year. Once during the early harvest season, and once during the late harvest season. Now imagine that you are not allowed to spend any of your early harvest paycheck until the day First Fruits comes around, so that you could have your paycheck waved before Yahuwah on that day. After that, then you could go and spend it. Now add one more point: You could only wave your paycheck at the very place were Yeshua was crucified, Jerusalem! Lastly, if you did not wait to wave your paycheck to Yahuwah on this day, and you did not do it in Jerusalem, you would not only lose your check, but also get kicked out of your country forever.
Now if your thoughts at this time are, "that's kind of sad," then you are not getting the big picture. The day Yeshua rose from the dead is the day that all believers were then able to raise from the dead with Him. It can be considered the day of all days when looking at our Redemption. Yeshua was the first dead person to ever rise from the dead, never to die again. Sure, some rose from the dead like Lazarus when Yeshua brought them back to life, but they died again. Yeshua did not, and All those who are in Him when they die will rise again never to die. That is the Great Harvest!
Yahuwah set up this beautiful Holiday with its set time thousands of years before Yeshua ever came to earth. The Jews were bringing the first fruits of their land with great anticipation and excitement to have the Priests wave it before Yahuwah. In fact, they would come from all over the Promised Land to do this at Yahuwah's direction. It is known as one of Yahuwah's appointed times. Then a day came, when Yeshua (Emmanuel, Elohim with us) rose from the dead on this very Holiday, fulfilling His appointed time. Yeshua (Salvation) is the reason for the season!
With this in mind, our celebrations should be conducted with great joy and excitement. It's no wonder that Yahuwah has ordained us to be dancing during this season. As you celebrate, whether you lift up your pay check, your crops or flags, remember that it is your understanding of what Yeshua did for us that you are lifting up to Yahuwah. You are symbolically lifting up Yeshua, the First Fruit to Yahuwah, acknowledging that you know what He did for us, and that you are grateful for it.
Before I close, let me just say that I used the paycheck example in an attempt to help people understand how the Jews may have felt when they brought their crops before Yahuwah. They did not get to eat any of that crop (or spend their pay check) until this very day. When they brought their wave offering, it was not their entire crop. It was a portion of the first crops that were ready for harvest, but they were not allowed to eat any of their crops before this was waved. This wave offering was also more than just waving it before Him. It was an actual offering that they gave back to Yahuwah.
Leaving Egypt Behind
When Yahuwah brought the Israelites out of Egypt, He did it in a relatively short period of time. However, when it came to getting Egypt out of the Israelites, it took a lot longer. In fact, the entire adult population died out, with the exception of Caleb and Joshua, before the Reproach of Egypt was removed. Because of their unbelief and disobedience, Yahuwah promised that that generation would never enter His rest. It is extremely important that we leave the ways of the pagans behind us, and not follow in their ways if we want to experience Yahuwah's rest.
Scripture records the very day when Yahuwah removed the reproach of Egypt from the Israelites. It was after the disobedient generation had died, and the next generation had been circumcised, just before they celebrated Passover. The day after Passover, they entered the Promised Land. (see Joshua 5:2-12) There is definitely a connection between the Biblical Holidays and removing the reproach of the pagans. No matter what specific plans we have to celebrate First Fruits, let's remove all known pagan traditions.
An example would be the Sunrise Easter Service. A close examination of First Fruits will show that Yeshua rose from the dead after three days and three nights in the grave. This would put His resurrection sometime during what most would call Saturday evening, and not Sunday morning. Although it is true that the women found the tomb empty in the morning, this does not mean that He had risen immediately prior to that. Remember, that what most call Saturday evening is what the Scripture would call the beginning of the 1st day, or the day after the Sabbath. This is because Biblical days begin in the evening. The reason I bring this up, is because the pagans had a holiday they called "Ishtar", which is pronounce Easter. This day was related to the worship of the so-called sun-god, and they would have a sunrise service. As believers in Yeshua, we should strive to worship Yahuwah without the pagan influences of past traditions. This becomes easier when we follow the Biblical Holidays found in the Old Testament and revealed in the New Testament.
A Word of Caution
Due to the beautiful nature of the Biblical Holidays and the fact that they so clearly show Yeshua in Elohim's Great Plan of Salvation, you will want to share this information with your family and friends. By all means do so, however, let me make a suggestion. Instead of telling them that the traditional holidays are satanic counterfeits to the Biblical Holidays, simply share what you have learned about the Biblical Holidays. This kind of approach will be similar to not taking away their fake pearls until you have given them the real ones. People who love Elohim are going to be very protective of the Holidays they have been practicing all their lives. If you tell them that they are counterfeits before they have time to listen to what you have to say, they may very likely refuse to hear anything you have to say after that point. The better approach, is to let the beauty of the Biblical Holidays speak for themselves. In that way, the individual who truly loves Yahuwah more than man's traditions, will recognize that what they have been doing is wrong and want to change it themselves. In that way, it is their internal decision to take off the fake pearls and put on the new ones! However, with that being said, you need to keep control of your Biblical Holiday Celebrations. You will always have someone who wants to introduce something into them that is not Biblical. Even at the risk of hurting peoples feelings, it is better to start your celebrations as close to the truth as you can make it, because it is very hard to change things once they are established. An example of this can be found in 7th day Sabbath. The early church practiced the 7th day Sabbath for centuries. It was only after pain of death that people were coerced to change it to Sunday. Now, even though there is no Biblical support for Sunday Sabbath, and very much against it, the church continues to practice this. So the point I am making here, is to start things out right because it can be very difficult to change later.
Icing On the Cake
Now that we have covered the foundational issues of your First Fruit Celebration, let's talk about making it pretty. Since the earthly Temple no longer exists in Jerusalem, we can not wave our first fruit offerings as prescribed, that time will come later. For now, we need to give the day the honor it deserves the best we can. One way to do this is to use Messianic Dance costumes, flags and streamers. This brings honor to Yeshua, and lets everyone who is around know that something very special is taking place. Combine this with Jewish Dance and festive food, and you will have the makings of a beautiful event that your children will always remember. You can learn Jewish Dance from our website by clicking here. To see some examples of how to get set up with costumes visit our Dance Resource page. Remember, you can do this in your home, as well as at organized events. Since this is a grass roots movement, many will be done in the home.
When Do I Celebrate Shavuot?
AKA: (Pentecost) (Feast of Harvest) (Feast of Weeks) (Betrothal)
Shavuot is correctly celebrated by counting off 7 full weeks plus one day from First Fruits. This will make it exactly 50 days from First Fruits and always end up being on the first day of the week. Since the correct timing is related to First Fruits, it is important that we celebrate First Fruits at the right time. Those who determine First Fruits based on the Annual Sabbath, that falls the day after Passover, will not be able to meet all of the requirements listed in Leviticus 23:15-16, which states:
"From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the LORD [Yahuwah]." (NIV)
If you use the Annual Sabbath to determine First Fruits, then the part in the above verse that says: "up to the day after the seventh Sabbath" will present a problem to you. There is no way to get 50 days from the day after the seventh Sabbath. That can only be done when you correctly use the weekly Sabbath to determine First Fruits. You may not completely understand what I'm am saying here until you actually try to work it out on paper, then it becomes clear. If you use the weekly 7th day Sabbath, you will not only line things up with Leviticus 23:15-16, but all of Yeshua's appointed times will line up also. It's these kinds of details that make it important to keep an Abib calendar and follow it. People want so desperately to be able to set dates on their calendar in advance for the entire year, so that they can schedule time off from work etcetera. However, Yahuwah set His appointed times up in such a way that we must not only watch for them, but change our schedule when we are finally able to determine when the appointed time will be. This makes sense, when we realize how it all relates to Yahuwah's Harvest, and how our attention should always be there.
How Do I Celebrate Shavuot?
AKA: (Pentecost) (Feast of Harvest) (Feast of Weeks) (Betrothal)
The very first Shavuot was when Yahuwah gave the 10 commandments to His people at Mount Sinai. It was at this time that He Betrothed Himself to the children of Israel. Yahuwah established it as a permanent Biblical Holiday to not only remember this, but to prophetically point to His Promise of the New Covenant Betrothal. In New Testament times, it was on this very Holiday that Yahuwah poured out the Holy Spirit, birthing the New Covenant Betrothal. It was the prophetic fulfillment of Yirmehyahu (Jeremiah) 31:33 where Yahuwah said that He would one day place His law on His peoples minds, and write it on their hearts. It was the Birth of the New Covenant Believers.
The Bible gives specific instructions on what we are to do on this Holiday:
We are to give a freewill offering (Deu 16:10).
We are to celebrate it with Circle Dance [chagag] (Exo 23:14, 16).
Remember that it is our Wedding Rehearsal for our Marriage to Yeshua (mikraw')
We are to invite our family, our hired hands, our pastor (Levite) , any strangers, widows and orphans (Deu 16:11).
They are to be celebrated in Jerusalem (where Yahuwah placed His Name) (Deu 16:11).
(Like all of the Biblical Holidays, they can not be officially observed without the Temple in Jerusalem. Because of this, we simply commemorate or celebrate these Holidays, rather than officially keeping them in Jerusalem.)
Additional Suggestions to Make Your Shavuot Celebration Special
Be counting down from First Fruits until the 50th day of Pentecost (Shavuot)
Have a barbeque along with your Jewish Dance and Worship.
Invite a Special Guest Speaker to teach about Shavuot.
Conduct Baptisms, since this is the Day that Celebrates the New Covenant Betrothal
This is a great time to conduct your Wedding Betrothals for the same reason.
Let all your guests know that the next Biblical Holiday is a rehearsal, and prepares us for the day Yeshua comes for His Bride (Feast of Trumpets).
Any time you have an important event, it is common to anticipate it with great expectation. This is often done by counting down to that special moment. Nothing could be more important than the Biblical Holidays since they reveal Yahuwah's Great Plan of Salvation for mankind. As would be expected, Yahuwah directed His people to have such a count down.
In order to determine the correct timing of Yahuwah's appointed times you must count the biblical months. This is done by looking for the first new moon of each cycle. In fact, the Hebrew word for month is "khodesh" and it literally means "new moon". It is only by implication that translators use the word "month". This is because it is the new moons that determine each new month. Every Biblical Holiday is scheduled in relation to a particular day in a month. So, every time you reach a new month, or new moon, you are closer to the next Biblical Holiday. Scripture records actual new moon celebrations. These are not celebrations that celebrate the new moon, but rather they act as countdowns to the Biblical Holidays. The closer we get to the next Biblical Holiday the greater the excitement and celebration. Numbers 10:10 alludes to this when it says:
Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD [Yahuwah] your God. (KJV) [brackets mine]
To get a better understanding of this verse we can look at the original Hebrew word for "solemn days". This word is "mo-ed" and refers to the appointed times or Biblical Holidays. The phrase "beginnings of your months" refers to the new moons. So with this understanding the verse would go something like this:
Also in the day of your gladness, and in your Biblical Holidays, and in your New Moons, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD [Yahuwah] your God. (KJV) [brackets mine]
So this verse reveals the gladness that is associated with the Biblical Holidays, and New Moon celebrations. It also shows that they act as memorials for these very important days. Just imagine the celebrations, the trumpets being blown, and the sacrifices that all point to the work Yeshua did for us when He was hung on a stake to become our Passover Lamb, protecting us from the angel of death!
Print Your Own Abib Calendar and Learn How to Use It
Steps
1. Click Here to go to the page where you can get your Abib and current calendar.
2. The calendars will list the date and time of the new moon sightings in the upper left corner. If you prefer to use our blank calendar to create your own, just record the date and time of the New Moon sightings and place them on your blank calendar. It's good practice to learn how to create your own calendar from a blank one. When placing the first day of the month on your calendar, you must know what day of the week the New Moon was spotted. Once you have the date the New Moon was spotted you can use a modern calendar to determine the day of week it was sighted. For example, the new moon for the 3rd Biblical month was spotted on June 13, 2010 in the evening in Israel. If you look on a modern calendar you will see that it was spotted on Sunday evening, which is the first day of the week. Since Biblical days begin at sundown you will place the first day of the new month on the top of your Abib calendar in the 2nd day of the week slot. From there begin to write in 29 or 30 days. You will not know exactly how many days there will be in each month until the next New Moon is spotted. This is where the watching comes in. You can anticipate it to be from 29 to 30 days. Once you have your calendar numbered out you can check ours to double check accuracy. Even though the new moon is supposed to be spotted in Israel, you can look for it in your area just for the experience and learning. You will be surprised the insights Yahuwah may give you.
3. Determine which biblical month you are in by looking back to the month of Abib. Abib is always the first month. For starters you can simply go to our home page where we have the current month listed. Then just write it's number on the top of your blank calendar. For example: Fourth Biblical Month after Abib
4. Remember that the primary reason for the New Moon sightings is to countdown to the Biblical Holidays, and to know when these important wedding rehearsals are to take place. It's much like carrying the attitude of newlyweds.
5. When the new moons come, celebrate with your family and share why it is so important. Remind them that there was a time when Yahuwah was angry with Israel's new moon celebrations, because they continued to participate in idolatry and celebrated the new moons with an unclean heart. We are to always turn from our sins, and come before Him with joy and celebration because of His work of freeing us from our sins.
When Do I Celebrate Passover?
If you have not read the background on the month of Abib please click here. You will need it to understand what is written below.
Passover is the first Biblical Holiday of the year.
On the 10th day of Abib a lamb was to be brought into your home and observed until Passover.
Passover is to begin on the 14th of Abib at twilight. Leviticus 23:5
It's important to note that Biblical “days” begin at sunset. For instance, the Sabbath (Saturday) would begin on what most people would call Friday night. So all of the Biblical Holidays would start in the evening, the day before the date listed on most calendars. Also, please note that you may be led to actually bring a lamb to your home. It may be good to do as a teaching tool. The children will probably become very attached to it. Then you can teach how Yeshua is our Passover Lamb and was sinless and did not deserve to die. Like the precious lamb, He died to take the punishment for our sins so that we could live with Yahuwah forever. However, it's extremely important to understand that the Passover Lamb should only be killed in Jerusalem where Yeshua died. It would be a serious offense to sacrifice a lamb outside of Jerusalem and not according to Yahuwah's prescribed way. It should also be understood, that all of our teaching on the Biblical Holidays is on how to celebrate and teach them, and not to officially observe them. They can only be officially practiced with the Temple and all of the priestly institutions setup as prescribed in Scripture. It's also important to understand that we do have a heavenly Temple setup right now, where Yeshua continually mediates for His people. This does not mean that the earthly Temple will never exist again. A time is coming when it will be rebuilt and the Biblical Holidays will officially be practiced again. Until that time, we must celebrate them the best we can, and pray for the Temple to be built once again. In fact, the prophet ZephanYahu (Zephaniah) records a special promise for those who are sorrowful for the way the appointed times are treated as a reproach. (Zep. 3:18 NKJV recommended)
To see the 2010 Calendar for Abib and Passover click here.
How do I Celebrate Passover?
Passover is traditionally characterized by a formal dinner called a Seder. The Seder is usually very ordered, with each element representing a part of the Exodus story. Although, the Bible clearly commands Yahuwah's People to celebrate Passover each year, it does not give detailed information on how to do so. A fascinating fact regarding the history of the Jews, is that even though most have not recognized Yeshua as Messiah, their Seder clearly shows the prophetic implications of Yeshua. However, as believers in Yeshua, it's our responsibility to purposely reveal Yeshua in the Passover. For this reason, we recommend using a Messianic Seder Order. You can find many versions online. We have found Robin Sampson's website to be very helpful, particularly her book, A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays. Another idea, is to have your family partake in an order more closely aligned with the original exodus. That is, standing up, with a staff in hand, cloak tucked in, and sandals on their feet, ready to depart Egypt. The most important thing is to fulfill the requirement of teaching your children, so they will know what Yahuwah did in Egypt and the Messianic prophetic fulfillment of Yeshua. When done correctly, these will provide fond memories for your children, and most importantly, introduce Yeshua in the Biblical Holidays.
Jewish Dance In Passover
Scriptures in the original Hebrew language designate Passover as a "chagag" which means we are to celebrate it with circular dance. In referring to Passover Exodus 12:14 says:
"And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD [Yahuwah] throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever." (KJV)
The words above, in bold face, are English translations for the Hebrew word "chagag" which is defined in the Strong's Hebrew concordance as:
"properly to move in a circle, that is, (specifically) to march in a sacred procession, to observe a festival; by implication to be giddy: - celebrate, dance, (keep, hold) a (solemn) feast (holiday), reel to and fro." H2287
So, from this definition we can see that Jewish Circular Dance will be a part of our Passover Celebrations forever!
Removing all forms of Egypt from Passover
Please note, that the traditional egg on the seder plate is a remnant from the Babylonian era, and has idolatrous pagan origins. For this reason, we encourage Believers to omit the egg and the traditional Seder plates that have a set place for the egg. While this may sound trivial to some, it is extremely inflammatory and disrespectful to our Savior and Bridegroom, to have elements of His enemy present at this special dinner.
The Seder
The basic elements of the Seder dinner are:
The Roasted Lamb (or lamb shank to represent the lamb),
Bitter herbs (often herbs dipped in horseradish) to depict the bitterness of slavery,
Some include celery dipped in salt water to depict the tears of slavery,
Fruit salad made of apples, raisins, and walnuts in a white sauce representing the mortar used to make the bricks of their toil,
Matzo (unleavened bread) as commanded by Yahuwah, to remind them that they left in haste,
Wine/Grape Juice
You can find many menus and recipes on the web for your dinner. Your Messianic Seder Order may also have a suggested menu.
Suggested Readings:
The Book of Exodus, particularly chapter 12.
The Gospel Accounts of the "Last Supper", the Crucifixion, and Resurrection
The Greatest Mystery article from this website, to see how Yeshua's last Passover was an invitation to Betrothal
A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays, By Robin Sampson.
The Seven Festivals of the Messiah, By Eddie Chumney
When and How Do I Celebrate Unleavened Bread?
The Biblical Holiday of Unleavened Bread begins on the 15th of Abib and lasts for 7 days.
The first day is to be a Holy Convocation, or in Hebrew it's called a mik-raw' and refers to an assembly and rehearsal. (Leviticus 23:7)
So, we are to have a Holy Rehearsal or Sacred Rehearsal on this first day. This ancient rehearsal corresponded to the day Yeshua was buried. So the day after the Passover Lamb was sacrificed and the day after Yeshua died, sin or (leaven) was removed from all the homes that practiced the Biblical Holidays. This is a picture (or type) of what Yeshua did when He died on Passover, removing sin from His people. It's also a picture of what can happen in your family when you practice the Biblical Holidays, and your children learn from them that Yeshua is the Passover Lamb.
This seven day celebration of Unleavened Bread comes the day right after Passover, making for an eight day celebration. This is similar to the latter harvest Holiday of Tabernacles, where we have a seven day celebration with an extra distinguished celebration day added by Yahuwah, making it an eight day celebration also. Because Harvests point to Salvation in Yeshua, a one day celebration is just not enough!
On the last day of Unleavened Bread, we are to have another mik-raw' or Holy Rehearsal and do no regular work. (Leviticus 23:8)
Last but not least, Unleavened Bread is a "chagag". Which means that we are to celebrate it with Jewish Circular Dance. We know this from Exodus 23:14-15 and by using our Strongs Hebrew Dictionary/Concordance.
Scripture says:
"Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. (15) Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)"
Exodus 23:14-15 KJV
Again, Our Strongs Hebrew concordance reveals that the words above, typed in bold face, are translations of the Hebrew word "chagag" which means:
"properly to move in a circle, that is, (specifically) to march in a sacred procession, to observe a festival; by implication to be giddy: - celebrate, dance, (keep, hold) a (solemn) feast (holiday), reel to and fro." H2287
Please note that in the Bible, Passover and Unleavened Bread are often treated as one feast, and the words are used interchangeably, even though they are distinct appointed times of Yahuwah. Also, since the Feast of First Fruits always ends up being held sometime during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, all three can be considered one holiday. They all point to Salvation in Yeshua!
Let us sum up by using Leviticus:
"In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S [Yahuwah's] Passover. (6) And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD [Yahuwah]: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. (7) In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. (8) But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD [Yahuwah] seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein." Leviticus 23:5-8 KJV
I highly recommend copying our Abib calendar and getting used to keeping track of time Yahuwah's way. For the time being you will still have to use your "modern" calendar as well, but it is extremely important that we know how to keep track of Yahuwah's appointed times.
When Do I Celebrate First Fruits?
In Leviticus 23, Yahuwah gives instructions regarding the Biblical Holiday of First Fruits. It is a prophetic Holiday that foretold of Yeshua's Resurrection. He would later rise from the dead on this very Holiday. In the verses below, Yahuwah instructs them to wave their first fruits on the day following the Sabbath, after they harvest their crops in the Promised Land. He then instructs them to do this for the generations to come, making it a permanent Holiday
(Leviticus 23:10-14 NIV) "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. {11} He is to wave the sheaf before the LORD [Yahuwah] so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. {12} On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the LORD [Yahuwah] a lamb a year old without defect, {13} together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil--an offering made to the LORD [Yahuwah] by fire, a pleasing aroma--and its drink offering of a quarter of a hin of wine. {14} You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until the very day you bring this offering to your God. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live."
So, from the above verses we know that First Fruits was to begin after they entered the land and harvested its crop. They were to take the first fruits of this crop and wave it before Yahuwah on the day after the next Sabbath. You may have noticed, that even though Yahuwah instructs them to celebrate this wave offering to commemorate when they entered the promised land, He does not say when they entered the land. Since that happened thousands of years ago, we need more information to determine when we are to celebrate this Holiday. For this information we can go to Joshua 5:10-12 NIV:
"On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. {11} The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. {12} The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate of the produce of Canaan".
From this Scripture, we read that they first ate from the Promised Land on the very day after Passover. We also know that they were not to eat of the produce until they made their First Fruits wave offering. Since Passover is always celebrated correctly on the 14th of Abib, then that particular year they celebrated First Fruits on the 15th of Abib. (The Holiday of First Fruits will always occur on the day following the Sabbath that occurs after Passover, so it will not always be the day after Passover. For instance, when Yeshua died on Passover, First Fruits fell after 3 days and 3 nights.)
It's also important to understand what is meant by the Sabbath. Some believe it is referring to the Annual Sabbath of Unleavened Bread. However, the correct interpretation is to refer to the weekly Sabbath. In this way, all of Yahuwah's Instructions regarding the Biblical Holidays will line up. But this is a different subject that we will not go into at this time.
So to answer the question, “When should I celebrate First Fruits?" We are to celebrate it on the day after the weekly Sabbath that falls after Passover. So when Passover begins on the 14th of Abib, we are to look for the next weekly Sabbath and then celebrate First Fruits the next day. Please remember that Biblical Days begin in the evening. So when the daylight portion of the Sabbath arrives, we should begin our First Fruits celebration that evening, since it becomes the next day. If you do not know how to determine when the month of Abib occurs please read our section that gives its background by clicking here.
How Do I Celebrate First Fruits?
There are several important things to keep in mind when it comes to First Fruits. One, is that Yeshua rose from the dead on this Biblical Holiday. Another, is that no one was allowed to eat of their new harvest until this wave offering was made to Yahuwah. Think of it like this: Imagine that you only get paid for your job two times a year. Once during the early harvest season, and once during the late harvest season. Now imagine that you are not allowed to spend any of your early harvest paycheck until the day First Fruits comes around, so that you could have your paycheck waved before Yahuwah on that day. After that, then you could go and spend it. Now add one more point: You could only wave your paycheck at the very place were Yeshua was crucified, Jerusalem! Lastly, if you did not wait to wave your paycheck to Yahuwah on this day, and you did not do it in Jerusalem, you would not only lose your check, but also get kicked out of your country forever.
Now if your thoughts at this time are, "that's kind of sad," then you are not getting the big picture. The day Yeshua rose from the dead is the day that all believers were then able to raise from the dead with Him. It can be considered the day of all days when looking at our Redemption. Yeshua was the first dead person to ever rise from the dead, never to die again. Sure, some rose from the dead like Lazarus when Yeshua brought them back to life, but they died again. Yeshua did not, and All those who are in Him when they die will rise again never to die. That is the Great Harvest!
Yahuwah set up this beautiful Holiday with its set time thousands of years before Yeshua ever came to earth. The Jews were bringing the first fruits of their land with great anticipation and excitement to have the Priests wave it before Yahuwah. In fact, they would come from all over the Promised Land to do this at Yahuwah's direction. It is known as one of Yahuwah's appointed times. Then a day came, when Yeshua (Emmanuel, Elohim with us) rose from the dead on this very Holiday, fulfilling His appointed time. Yeshua (Salvation) is the reason for the season!
With this in mind, our celebrations should be conducted with great joy and excitement. It's no wonder that Yahuwah has ordained us to be dancing during this season. As you celebrate, whether you lift up your pay check, your crops or flags, remember that it is your understanding of what Yeshua did for us that you are lifting up to Yahuwah. You are symbolically lifting up Yeshua, the First Fruit to Yahuwah, acknowledging that you know what He did for us, and that you are grateful for it.
Before I close, let me just say that I used the paycheck example in an attempt to help people understand how the Jews may have felt when they brought their crops before Yahuwah. They did not get to eat any of that crop (or spend their pay check) until this very day. When they brought their wave offering, it was not their entire crop. It was a portion of the first crops that were ready for harvest, but they were not allowed to eat any of their crops before this was waved. This wave offering was also more than just waving it before Him. It was an actual offering that they gave back to Yahuwah.
Leaving Egypt Behind
When Yahuwah brought the Israelites out of Egypt, He did it in a relatively short period of time. However, when it came to getting Egypt out of the Israelites, it took a lot longer. In fact, the entire adult population died out, with the exception of Caleb and Joshua, before the Reproach of Egypt was removed. Because of their unbelief and disobedience, Yahuwah promised that that generation would never enter His rest. It is extremely important that we leave the ways of the pagans behind us, and not follow in their ways if we want to experience Yahuwah's rest.
Scripture records the very day when Yahuwah removed the reproach of Egypt from the Israelites. It was after the disobedient generation had died, and the next generation had been circumcised, just before they celebrated Passover. The day after Passover, they entered the Promised Land. (see Joshua 5:2-12) There is definitely a connection between the Biblical Holidays and removing the reproach of the pagans. No matter what specific plans we have to celebrate First Fruits, let's remove all known pagan traditions.
An example would be the Sunrise Easter Service. A close examination of First Fruits will show that Yeshua rose from the dead after three days and three nights in the grave. This would put His resurrection sometime during what most would call Saturday evening, and not Sunday morning. Although it is true that the women found the tomb empty in the morning, this does not mean that He had risen immediately prior to that. Remember, that what most call Saturday evening is what the Scripture would call the beginning of the 1st day, or the day after the Sabbath. This is because Biblical days begin in the evening. The reason I bring this up, is because the pagans had a holiday they called "Ishtar", which is pronounce Easter. This day was related to the worship of the so-called sun-god, and they would have a sunrise service. As believers in Yeshua, we should strive to worship Yahuwah without the pagan influences of past traditions. This becomes easier when we follow the Biblical Holidays found in the Old Testament and revealed in the New Testament.
A Word of Caution
Due to the beautiful nature of the Biblical Holidays and the fact that they so clearly show Yeshua in Elohim's Great Plan of Salvation, you will want to share this information with your family and friends. By all means do so, however, let me make a suggestion. Instead of telling them that the traditional holidays are satanic counterfeits to the Biblical Holidays, simply share what you have learned about the Biblical Holidays. This kind of approach will be similar to not taking away their fake pearls until you have given them the real ones. People who love Elohim are going to be very protective of the Holidays they have been practicing all their lives. If you tell them that they are counterfeits before they have time to listen to what you have to say, they may very likely refuse to hear anything you have to say after that point. The better approach, is to let the beauty of the Biblical Holidays speak for themselves. In that way, the individual who truly loves Yahuwah more than man's traditions, will recognize that what they have been doing is wrong and want to change it themselves. In that way, it is their internal decision to take off the fake pearls and put on the new ones! However, with that being said, you need to keep control of your Biblical Holiday Celebrations. You will always have someone who wants to introduce something into them that is not Biblical. Even at the risk of hurting peoples feelings, it is better to start your celebrations as close to the truth as you can make it, because it is very hard to change things once they are established. An example of this can be found in 7th day Sabbath. The early church practiced the 7th day Sabbath for centuries. It was only after pain of death that people were coerced to change it to Sunday. Now, even though there is no Biblical support for Sunday Sabbath, and very much against it, the church continues to practice this. So the point I am making here, is to start things out right because it can be very difficult to change later.
Icing On the Cake
Now that we have covered the foundational issues of your First Fruit Celebration, let's talk about making it pretty. Since the earthly Temple no longer exists in Jerusalem, we can not wave our first fruit offerings as prescribed, that time will come later. For now, we need to give the day the honor it deserves the best we can. One way to do this is to use Messianic Dance costumes, flags and streamers. This brings honor to Yeshua, and lets everyone who is around know that something very special is taking place. Combine this with Jewish Dance and festive food, and you will have the makings of a beautiful event that your children will always remember. You can learn Jewish Dance from our website by clicking here. To see some examples of how to get set up with costumes visit our Dance Resource page. Remember, you can do this in your home, as well as at organized events. Since this is a grass roots movement, many will be done in the home.
When Do I Celebrate Shavuot?
AKA: (Pentecost) (Feast of Harvest) (Feast of Weeks) (Betrothal)
Shavuot is correctly celebrated by counting off 7 full weeks plus one day from First Fruits. This will make it exactly 50 days from First Fruits and always end up being on the first day of the week. Since the correct timing is related to First Fruits, it is important that we celebrate First Fruits at the right time. Those who determine First Fruits based on the Annual Sabbath, that falls the day after Passover, will not be able to meet all of the requirements listed in Leviticus 23:15-16, which states:
"From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the LORD [Yahuwah]." (NIV)
If you use the Annual Sabbath to determine First Fruits, then the part in the above verse that says: "up to the day after the seventh Sabbath" will present a problem to you. There is no way to get 50 days from the day after the seventh Sabbath. That can only be done when you correctly use the weekly Sabbath to determine First Fruits. You may not completely understand what I'm am saying here until you actually try to work it out on paper, then it becomes clear. If you use the weekly 7th day Sabbath, you will not only line things up with Leviticus 23:15-16, but all of Yeshua's appointed times will line up also. It's these kinds of details that make it important to keep an Abib calendar and follow it. People want so desperately to be able to set dates on their calendar in advance for the entire year, so that they can schedule time off from work etcetera. However, Yahuwah set His appointed times up in such a way that we must not only watch for them, but change our schedule when we are finally able to determine when the appointed time will be. This makes sense, when we realize how it all relates to Yahuwah's Harvest, and how our attention should always be there.
How Do I Celebrate Shavuot?
AKA: (Pentecost) (Feast of Harvest) (Feast of Weeks) (Betrothal)
The very first Shavuot was when Yahuwah gave the 10 commandments to His people at Mount Sinai. It was at this time that He Betrothed Himself to the children of Israel. Yahuwah established it as a permanent Biblical Holiday to not only remember this, but to prophetically point to His Promise of the New Covenant Betrothal. In New Testament times, it was on this very Holiday that Yahuwah poured out the Holy Spirit, birthing the New Covenant Betrothal. It was the prophetic fulfillment of Yirmehyahu (Jeremiah) 31:33 where Yahuwah said that He would one day place His law on His peoples minds, and write it on their hearts. It was the Birth of the New Covenant Believers.
The Bible gives specific instructions on what we are to do on this Holiday:
We are to give a freewill offering (Deu 16:10).
We are to celebrate it with Circle Dance [chagag] (Exo 23:14, 16).
Remember that it is our Wedding Rehearsal for our Marriage to Yeshua (mikraw')
We are to invite our family, our hired hands, our pastor (Levite) , any strangers, widows and orphans (Deu 16:11).
They are to be celebrated in Jerusalem (where Yahuwah placed His Name) (Deu 16:11).
(Like all of the Biblical Holidays, they can not be officially observed without the Temple in Jerusalem. Because of this, we simply commemorate or celebrate these Holidays, rather than officially keeping them in Jerusalem.)
Additional Suggestions to Make Your Shavuot Celebration Special
Be counting down from First Fruits until the 50th day of Pentecost (Shavuot)
Have a barbeque along with your Jewish Dance and Worship.
Invite a Special Guest Speaker to teach about Shavuot.
Conduct Baptisms, since this is the Day that Celebrates the New Covenant Betrothal
This is a great time to conduct your Wedding Betrothals for the same reason.
Let all your guests know that the next Biblical Holiday is a rehearsal, and prepares us for the day Yeshua comes for His Bride (Feast of Trumpets).
Overview:
The Biblical Holidays are foundational to Restoration, as they prophetically point to each element of Yahuwah's Great Plan of Salvation. If you are not familiar with the Biblical Holidays please click here to learn more. The articles below are designed to help you learn how to practically celebrate these very special days. Due to the importance and power of these Holidays, satan has worked hard to make it difficult for Yahuwah's people to celebrate them, especially in the area of keeping track of when they are to be celebrated. Because of this, we will have to address Yahuwah's method for determining the Biblical Holidays, which may seem difficult at first. With practice however, it will become second nature. As you explore this you will also see where Yahuwah's Heart is, and how much He loves His people. So keep up your courage as we go into detail regarding this, the payoff will be enormous.
When Do I Celebrate The Biblical Holidays? (Background)
The timing of the Biblical Holidays is one of the most fun and exciting aspects of the Bible. It is also one of the most unknown aspects of Scripture, as most people do not celebrate the Biblical Holidays at all. Many people who do, simply follow a set calendar, which unfortunately, almost always does not correspond to the correct timing. The reason for this, is that Yahuwah has set up the Holidays in such a way that one must keep constant watch for His Appointed Times. In this section, we will show how to determine when we are to celebrate the Biblical Holidays, as instructed by Yahuwah. In order to get started, we must first cover a little background. The accurate timing of all of the Biblical Holidays will be dependent upon an understanding of this important information.
The focal point in the timing is intimately tied to the harvest in Israel, and initially began when Israel was taken out of Egypt. It also starts in the month Yeshua died on the cross and rose from the dead, bringing Salvation to His people. By the way, Yeshua is Jesus' Hebrew name, and is the same word used in Hebrew for Salvation. Jesus is Salvation!
This harvest in Israel is so important to Yahuwah, that it determines when the first month of the year can begin. All other months are numbered in relation to when the Harvest month begins. An early mention of Yahuwah's special month can be found in Exodus 12:1-3 where it records:
“The LORD [Yahuwah] said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household.” (NIV)
A little further down, Scripture records that these lambs are to be without defect, and that they are to slaughter them at twilight on the 14th of the month. (Exodus 12:5-6) This becomes important later, as Yeshua was crucified on the 14th of this month, fulfilling His appointed time and became our Passover Lamb. He was sinless and without defect.
In Deuteronomy 16:1 Yahuwah says:
“Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover unto the LORD [Yahuwah] thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD [Yahuwah] thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.” (KJV)
In the above verse, the word “month” is a translation of the Hebrew word “kho'-desh” (H2318) and means “the new moon”. By implication it can refer to month because it is the new moon that determines the beginning of each month. However, one gets a better understanding when the Scripture is read as “New Moon”. In this way it would read like this:
“Observe the New Moon of Abib, and keep the Passover unto the LORD [Yahuwah] thy God: for in the New Moon of Abib the LORD [Yahuwah] thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.”
So, this Scripture is instructing Yahuwah's people to observe the new moon of Abib. The next question is, “What does Abib mean?”
The word Abib is pronounced "Aveev". You will sometimes see it spelled like this "Aviv". It refers to a stage of development of Barley. (Barley is a crop that matures early in the annual harvest season.) This can be seen in Exodus 9:31-32:
"And the flax and the barley were smitten, because the barley was Abib and the flax was Giv'ol. And the wheat and the spelt were not smitten because they were dark (Afilot)."
One of the things this passage is saying, is that the barley crop was destroyed by the hail because it was in the stage of Abib, but the wheat and the spelt were not destroyed because they were dark. To understand this, one must look at the way grain develops. When barley is young and dark green it is flexible and less susceptible to damage by hail. When the barley gets more mature it reaches a stage that is called “Abib,” and has a lighter yellowish color. The reason the wheat and the spelt were not damaged, is because they were still young and green making them more flexible, thus less likely to be damage by the hail. These latter crops are part of the latter harvest, and will reach their mature stage at a later time of the annual harvest. The stage of Abib is the earliest stage that the barley can be eaten. One of the reasons why it is so important for the crops to be harvest ready, is because during the Feast of First Fruits the Jews are instructed by Yahuwah to wave the first fruits of their harvest. Yeshua is known as our First Fruits, and rose from the dead on this very Holiday.
With this being said, we can now bring this information together to help us determine when the first month of Yahuwah's year is. We know from the above Scriptures that Yahuwah made the month the Israelites left Egypt as the first month of the year. We also know that Deuteronomy 16:1 says:
“Observe the New Moon of Abib, and keep the Passover unto the LORD [Yahuwah] thy God: for in the New Moon of Abib the LORD [Yahuwah] thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.”
So what the Scripture is saying, is that we are to observe the new moon after the crops reach the stage of Abib and keep the Passover. If the barley crop is not at the stage of Abib, then the Passover and the first month may not begin.
Think about this for a minute. What this means is that if the harvest is not ready, then the first month of the Biblical year may not begin. Yahuwah is using the Harvest as a picture of man's redemption. This is the month He would be crucified on a stake and brought redemption for mankind (A spiritual Harvest of Mankind). Yahuwah's heart is so much on redemption that He only named one month out of the year. Sure, you will see other months named in Scripture, but there is no record that Yahuwah named them. In fact the modern Hebrew months have at least one named after a false deity. The Gentiles are no exception as our months also have pagan origins. I say this to show that we all have a much greater pagan influence in our lives than many people are aware of. Instead, we should bring our minds and hearts to where Yahuwah's are. That is on the Harvest and the Biblical Holidays.
So in Yahuwah's method of keeping track of the months, it is directly tied to the harvest of crops and points to the work of the harvest of mankind into His Kingdom, when Yeshua became our Passover Lamb, saving us from the angel of death! In Yahuwah's “calendar”, or measuring of time, He always points us right back to the work Yeshua did, when He died for us on Passover and rose from the dead on First Fruits.
With all this being said, we can now explain how to determine the first month of Yahuwah's year, so that we can begin our countdown to the Biblical Holidays and Elohim's Appointed Times.
How to Determine the First Biblical Month
In the Passover season, people who are actually in Israel must check the barley crop to see if they can find any in the stage of Abib. If Aviv crops are found, then we begin to watch for the next new moon. Once that is spotted, you have the beginning of the year. It can be calculated to within a few days when it should be spotted. Each lunar month is 29 or 30 days long. If cloud cover prevents anyone from spotting the new moon on the 29th day, then the 30th day becomes the New Moon Day by default. For your convenience we have created this years calendars based on the Aviv and New Moon sightings in Israel:
Click Here for Your Biblical Calendars
Some people, such as astronomers, get caught up with the way they calculate the new year. However, Yahuwah's heart is on Israel and the Spiritual Harvest of mankind, and not the so-called scientific way of calculating the new year. It really is important that we place our hearts where Yahuwah's is, and search for the harvest in Israel which leads us to the ultimate Harvest of mankind, by proclaiming and practicing the Biblical Holidays.
Once you know when Yahuwah's first month begins, you can then begin your countdown to the Biblical Holidays. The timing of all of the Biblical Holidays will be referenced from this month.
For an example we have included a Report on the month of Abib for 2010
I like to use this particular year as an example because First Fruits fell on the same day of the week it did when Yeshua rose from the dead. Remember that First Fruits always falls on the day after the Sabbath following Passover. So although it will always fall on the first day of the week, it will not always be three days and three nights from Passover the way it was when Yeshua was crucified. So by looking at this particular month you can see what day of the week Yeshua was crucified. Notice that it was not on "Good Friday". For a reference point, the New Moon was spotted 3/17/2010 at 5:52 PM, according to the Gregorian Calendar, in Jerusalem, Israel. Since Biblical days begin at sunset, this makes the first day of Abib to correspond with only the night time portion of 3/17/2010, and the daylight portion of 3/18/2010 as shown below.
The Biblical Holidays are foundational to Restoration, as they prophetically point to each element of Yahuwah's Great Plan of Salvation. If you are not familiar with the Biblical Holidays please click here to learn more. The articles below are designed to help you learn how to practically celebrate these very special days. Due to the importance and power of these Holidays, satan has worked hard to make it difficult for Yahuwah's people to celebrate them, especially in the area of keeping track of when they are to be celebrated. Because of this, we will have to address Yahuwah's method for determining the Biblical Holidays, which may seem difficult at first. With practice however, it will become second nature. As you explore this you will also see where Yahuwah's Heart is, and how much He loves His people. So keep up your courage as we go into detail regarding this, the payoff will be enormous.
When Do I Celebrate The Biblical Holidays? (Background)
The timing of the Biblical Holidays is one of the most fun and exciting aspects of the Bible. It is also one of the most unknown aspects of Scripture, as most people do not celebrate the Biblical Holidays at all. Many people who do, simply follow a set calendar, which unfortunately, almost always does not correspond to the correct timing. The reason for this, is that Yahuwah has set up the Holidays in such a way that one must keep constant watch for His Appointed Times. In this section, we will show how to determine when we are to celebrate the Biblical Holidays, as instructed by Yahuwah. In order to get started, we must first cover a little background. The accurate timing of all of the Biblical Holidays will be dependent upon an understanding of this important information.
The focal point in the timing is intimately tied to the harvest in Israel, and initially began when Israel was taken out of Egypt. It also starts in the month Yeshua died on the cross and rose from the dead, bringing Salvation to His people. By the way, Yeshua is Jesus' Hebrew name, and is the same word used in Hebrew for Salvation. Jesus is Salvation!
This harvest in Israel is so important to Yahuwah, that it determines when the first month of the year can begin. All other months are numbered in relation to when the Harvest month begins. An early mention of Yahuwah's special month can be found in Exodus 12:1-3 where it records:
“The LORD [Yahuwah] said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household.” (NIV)
A little further down, Scripture records that these lambs are to be without defect, and that they are to slaughter them at twilight on the 14th of the month. (Exodus 12:5-6) This becomes important later, as Yeshua was crucified on the 14th of this month, fulfilling His appointed time and became our Passover Lamb. He was sinless and without defect.
In Deuteronomy 16:1 Yahuwah says:
“Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover unto the LORD [Yahuwah] thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD [Yahuwah] thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.” (KJV)
In the above verse, the word “month” is a translation of the Hebrew word “kho'-desh” (H2318) and means “the new moon”. By implication it can refer to month because it is the new moon that determines the beginning of each month. However, one gets a better understanding when the Scripture is read as “New Moon”. In this way it would read like this:
“Observe the New Moon of Abib, and keep the Passover unto the LORD [Yahuwah] thy God: for in the New Moon of Abib the LORD [Yahuwah] thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.”
So, this Scripture is instructing Yahuwah's people to observe the new moon of Abib. The next question is, “What does Abib mean?”
The word Abib is pronounced "Aveev". You will sometimes see it spelled like this "Aviv". It refers to a stage of development of Barley. (Barley is a crop that matures early in the annual harvest season.) This can be seen in Exodus 9:31-32:
"And the flax and the barley were smitten, because the barley was Abib and the flax was Giv'ol. And the wheat and the spelt were not smitten because they were dark (Afilot)."
One of the things this passage is saying, is that the barley crop was destroyed by the hail because it was in the stage of Abib, but the wheat and the spelt were not destroyed because they were dark. To understand this, one must look at the way grain develops. When barley is young and dark green it is flexible and less susceptible to damage by hail. When the barley gets more mature it reaches a stage that is called “Abib,” and has a lighter yellowish color. The reason the wheat and the spelt were not damaged, is because they were still young and green making them more flexible, thus less likely to be damage by the hail. These latter crops are part of the latter harvest, and will reach their mature stage at a later time of the annual harvest. The stage of Abib is the earliest stage that the barley can be eaten. One of the reasons why it is so important for the crops to be harvest ready, is because during the Feast of First Fruits the Jews are instructed by Yahuwah to wave the first fruits of their harvest. Yeshua is known as our First Fruits, and rose from the dead on this very Holiday.
With this being said, we can now bring this information together to help us determine when the first month of Yahuwah's year is. We know from the above Scriptures that Yahuwah made the month the Israelites left Egypt as the first month of the year. We also know that Deuteronomy 16:1 says:
“Observe the New Moon of Abib, and keep the Passover unto the LORD [Yahuwah] thy God: for in the New Moon of Abib the LORD [Yahuwah] thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.”
So what the Scripture is saying, is that we are to observe the new moon after the crops reach the stage of Abib and keep the Passover. If the barley crop is not at the stage of Abib, then the Passover and the first month may not begin.
Think about this for a minute. What this means is that if the harvest is not ready, then the first month of the Biblical year may not begin. Yahuwah is using the Harvest as a picture of man's redemption. This is the month He would be crucified on a stake and brought redemption for mankind (A spiritual Harvest of Mankind). Yahuwah's heart is so much on redemption that He only named one month out of the year. Sure, you will see other months named in Scripture, but there is no record that Yahuwah named them. In fact the modern Hebrew months have at least one named after a false deity. The Gentiles are no exception as our months also have pagan origins. I say this to show that we all have a much greater pagan influence in our lives than many people are aware of. Instead, we should bring our minds and hearts to where Yahuwah's are. That is on the Harvest and the Biblical Holidays.
So in Yahuwah's method of keeping track of the months, it is directly tied to the harvest of crops and points to the work of the harvest of mankind into His Kingdom, when Yeshua became our Passover Lamb, saving us from the angel of death! In Yahuwah's “calendar”, or measuring of time, He always points us right back to the work Yeshua did, when He died for us on Passover and rose from the dead on First Fruits.
With all this being said, we can now explain how to determine the first month of Yahuwah's year, so that we can begin our countdown to the Biblical Holidays and Elohim's Appointed Times.
How to Determine the First Biblical Month
In the Passover season, people who are actually in Israel must check the barley crop to see if they can find any in the stage of Abib. If Aviv crops are found, then we begin to watch for the next new moon. Once that is spotted, you have the beginning of the year. It can be calculated to within a few days when it should be spotted. Each lunar month is 29 or 30 days long. If cloud cover prevents anyone from spotting the new moon on the 29th day, then the 30th day becomes the New Moon Day by default. For your convenience we have created this years calendars based on the Aviv and New Moon sightings in Israel:
Click Here for Your Biblical Calendars
Some people, such as astronomers, get caught up with the way they calculate the new year. However, Yahuwah's heart is on Israel and the Spiritual Harvest of mankind, and not the so-called scientific way of calculating the new year. It really is important that we place our hearts where Yahuwah's is, and search for the harvest in Israel which leads us to the ultimate Harvest of mankind, by proclaiming and practicing the Biblical Holidays.
Once you know when Yahuwah's first month begins, you can then begin your countdown to the Biblical Holidays. The timing of all of the Biblical Holidays will be referenced from this month.
For an example we have included a Report on the month of Abib for 2010
I like to use this particular year as an example because First Fruits fell on the same day of the week it did when Yeshua rose from the dead. Remember that First Fruits always falls on the day after the Sabbath following Passover. So although it will always fall on the first day of the week, it will not always be three days and three nights from Passover the way it was when Yeshua was crucified. So by looking at this particular month you can see what day of the week Yeshua was crucified. Notice that it was not on "Good Friday". For a reference point, the New Moon was spotted 3/17/2010 at 5:52 PM, according to the Gregorian Calendar, in Jerusalem, Israel. Since Biblical days begin at sunset, this makes the first day of Abib to correspond with only the night time portion of 3/17/2010, and the daylight portion of 3/18/2010 as shown below.
Click On Calendar to Enlarge
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