Any or all of these elements could have been in John's mind as he pointed out Yeshua to those who had become his own followers.  But one of those followers--also named John--recounted the Baptizer's declaration at the beginning of his Gospel in order to introduce a subtle theme, one which would crescendo on the day of Yeshua's crucifixion.  Yeshua would be the ultimate Passover Lamb, the initiatory sacrifice of the final Redemption even as the original Passover sacrifice had initiated the first redemption from Egypt and became the archetype of the entire sacrificial system.

The first three Gospels clearly portray the final meal eaten by Yeshua and the twelve in the upper room on the eve of Yeshua's arrest as the Passover Seder (Mt. 26:17; Mk. 14:12; Lk. 22:7, 15).  Just as clearly, John's Gospel seems to place that final meal prior to the actual celebration of Passover.  John 13:1-2 tells us that the meal was held "before the Feast of the Passover" and, in fact, John's description of the upper room gathering makes no mention of the elements of the Passover Seder.  In addition, John reports that the Chief Priests refused to enter Pilate's headquarters on the following day "so that they would not be defiled but might eat the Passover" (18:28).  John also refers to that day--the day of Yeshua's crucifixion--as "the day of preparation for the Passover" (19:14), in other words, the 14^th of Nisan on which the Seder would only later be eaten. 

Interestingly enough, Jewish tradition (Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 43a) indicates that Yeshua "was hanged [i.e. on the cross] on Passover eve." One manuscript of the Talmud from Florence even adds "on the eve of the Sabbath," providing a double confirmation of the day.

Many suggestions have been made to resolve the apparent contradiction between the accounts of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) on the one hand, and that of John on the other.  Often such attempts focus on reconciling John's account to the others by reinterpreting the verses cited above (see the NIV Study Bible notes, for example).  More likely, however, John simply followed a different--Judean--dating system, one used by the Temple priesthood with whom John had personal connections (John 18:15), while the other Gospels followed a Galilean tradition of dating, which was only natural for Yeshua and his Galilean disciples, according to which the Seder fell one day earlier, i.e. Thursday evening. [For more information on the identification of the Last Supper, see Harold Hoehner, Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ, Zondervan, 1977).

The greater question, however, is: why John did play down the identification of the Last Supper--in which he was an active participant--with the Passover Seder?  As a Galilean, he certainly recognized Yeshua's celebration of the Passover on Thursday night as a legitimate Jewish option.  What purpose was served by employing a different reckoning of the day and drawing attention to that reckoning in his account of Yeshua's final days?

In fact, from the opening presentation of the "Lamb of God," Yeshua's Passover ministry is a recurring theme in John's Gospel. But it is in the closing chapters of his Gospel that John brings these scattered rays of light into focus on the person of Yeshua on the cross.  According to John, Yeshua was tried and condemned at the break of day on the eve of the Passover (19:14) and led off to be crucified later that morning.  That afternoon, "between the evenings" (from 3:00-5:00PM; Mishnah Pesachim 5:1), the priests would be busy in the temple slaughtering the multitude of Passover lambs required for those who would celebrate the feast that night in the city, including the chief priests themselves (18:28).  Just as they began their work, Yeshua, the Passover Lamb of God, was using his final breath to proclaim, "It is finished!" (19:30; cf. Mark 15:34-37, "the ninth hour" being 3:00PM in the Synoptics). 

With the combined Passover-Shabbat rapidly approaching, the Jewish leaders sought to speed the death of those crucified by having their legs broken, so that they could be buried before the "entrance of the Sabbath" (John 19:31-32).   The two revolutionaries executed along with Yeshua suffered this final indignity, but Yeshua himself was exempted, having already died.  Surprisingly, John notes:  "For these things came to pass to fulfil the Scripture, 'Not a bone of him shall be broken" (19:36).

Search the Scriptures and you will not find a single Messianic prophecy making this prediction.  The detailed descriptions of Messiah’s sufferings in Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 apparently miss this fact, which is based not on prophetic insight but on the detailed instructions concerning the original Passover lamb, concerning which we were instructed, "you are not … to break any bone of it" (Exodus 12:46). 

But, far from misappropriation of Scripture, John sees in this small detail the hand of the Sovereign God, who so orchestrated both the times and seasons, along with the actions of hostile and ignorant men, that He might thereby reveal the true significance of Yeshua's sacrifice. This fact, noted only by John, is the final confirmation that Yeshua is indeed the ultimate Passover Lamb, bringing through his death the final Redemption to Israel and to the world.

The Fall Feasts, from A Handbook of the Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith, 2019

By Noam Hendren

The feasts of the Lord, as laid out in Lev 23, can have agricultural, historical, or religious-prophetic significance; and sometimes a combination of all of these. The three fall festivals (although one of these is a fast day) reflect all three areas of significance, with an emphasis on the fulfillment of God’s redemptive purposes.

The Feast of Trumpets / Rosh Hashanah

The fall feasts begin on the first day of the seventh month with “a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets” (Lev. 23:24, ESV). The significance of this special day is originally laid out rather laconically in Lev 23:23–25. Numbers 29:1–6 adds a list of special sacrifices to be offered on this day, but there is no further discussion of the significance or practice of “the Feast of Trumpets.” In fact, nowhere in the Scriptures is there any indication that the day was actually commemorated in biblical times. Nevertheless, in rabbinic Judaism this day has become one of the most sacred days of the religious calendar, the beginning of the High Holidays: Rosh Hashanah (literally: the head of the year), the Jewish New Year. According to Jewish tradition, on this day God judges every human being to see if they are worthy to be inscribed in the “Book of Life” for the coming year. There is, however, no evidence that a fall new year festival was ever celebrated during the First or Second Temple periods. (See Safrai 1974, 2:843-44. Also NIDOTTE 3:1019-20, s.v. “ראש השנה”) 

Later tradition aside, what is the most likely significance and intent of the Feast of Trumpets as given in the Torah? It must be related to the act of blowing the trumpet as a memorial and, secondly, to the placement of this holiday in the divine calendar. Though later rabbinic tradition specifies that the instrument must be a shofar (a ram or goat horn), Lev 23 makes no mention of a specific instrument. The first questions are: Why were instruments trumpeted in biblical times, and who is the object of this “memorial” or reminder?

Numbers 10 gives four reasons for blowing trumpets: 

1. To assemble the people at the tent of meeting (10:2-3).
2. To cause the tribes to break camp andset out during the desert wanderings (10:2, 5-6).
3. To call for God’s help in threat of war: “that you may be remembered before the LORD your God” (10:9).
4. To call for God’s attention at appointed times—including new moons and the feasts—to witness the nation’s obedience in fulfilling his ordinances: “They shall be a reminder of you before your God” (10:10).

The feast of trumpets is designated “a holy convocation”; thus, the assembling of the people before the Lord is clearly intended. Similarly, in view of the coming Day of Atonement, an appeal to God for his attention and help is significant. The special sanctity of that day and the serious repercussions for not fulfilling its precise requirements were clear: improper approach to the presence of God in the holy of holies could result in instant death (Lev 16:1–2, 13). Similarly, the failure of a person to properly “humble himself” on this day would cause him to be “cut off from his people” (Lev 23:29–30). Thus, while the Day of Atonement carried great promise, it also threatened severe judgment for disobedience. 

On Shabbat Shuva, the Sabbath day that falls between Rosh Hashanah and the Day of Atonement, Joel 2:15–27 is read in every synagogue. This passage captures the significance of the blowing of trumpets on Rosh Hashanah as a preparation for the coming Day of Atonement. The chapter opens with the call to “blow the trumpet in Zion” as a warning of the coming judgment of God upon his people. To avert this judgment, the trumpet is again blown to summon the people to national repentance and as an appeal to God to “spare your people!” (Joel 2:12–17; cf. NIDOTTE, 1:1080, s.v. “זכר”).

Maimonides, the medieval Jewish rabbi and philosopher, summarizes: 

Although the blowing of the trumpet on the New Year’s Day is an ordinance of Scripture, it also bears a symbolical significance, as if calling: Ye sleepers, awake from your sleep; and ye who are in a deep slumber, arise; search into your actions, turn with repentance, and remember your Creator! (Mishneh Torah, Repentance 3:3–4)

Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement

In contrast to Rosh Hashanah, the Day of Atonement is given detailed treatment in the Torah. Leviticus 23:26–32 summarizes the requirements of the day for the people and states its purpose: “to make atonement for you before the LORD your God.” Leviticus 16 goes much further, giving precise, step-by-step instructions for the high priest’s actions—and the people’s participation—on this unique day.

The Day of Atonement constitutes the climax of the sacrificial system detailed in the book of Leviticus. The sacrifices mandated in Lev 1–7 were necessitated by God’s taking up residence in the midst of his people in the tabernacle (Exod 40:34–38; cf. 25:8–9). As the most holy God, the Lord would not dwell in the midst of a sinful people. Following the golden calf episode, God had declared, “You are an obstinate people; should I go up in your midst for one moment, I would destroy you” (Exod 33:5). His presence in the tabernacle therefore required daily sacrifices, both communal and personal, in order to maintain or restore a right standing before God.

The sin and guilt offerings in particular (Lev 4–5) made atonement for unintentional sins. Openly rebellious sins could only be atoned for—and thereby not “defile the land/sanctuary”—by the death of the perpetrator (Num 15:22-36; 19:13; 35:31–34). But whether through oversight or neglect, many personal and community sins would not have been properly atoned for, which allowed for an accumulation of guilt and moral uncleanness resulting in God’s judgment or even withdrawal from his people (Lev 15:31; 20:3; Num 19:13, 20; Ezek 5:11; 36:17). Yom Kippur provided yearly atonement for the nation and a cleansing of God’s dwelling place from the defilement of a sinful people (Lev 16:16).

The procedure of the Day of Atonement parallels that for the ceremonial cleansing of a man or a house which has been healed from ‘leprosy’ (Lev 14:1–8, 48–53). In the latter, two birds are used: the first is slain and its blood is used to sprinkle the person being cleansed; while the other bird is set free alive, symbolizing the total removal of defilement. On the Day of Atonement two goats are chosen (Lev 16:7–10): One goat is slaughtered and its blood is used by the high priest to sprinkle and thereby cleanse the tabernacle and its furniture, beginning with the “mercy seat” or “atonement cover” (kapporet) resting on the ark of the covenant (Lev 16:15–19, 32–33). The high priest lays his hands upon the second goat and confesses the sins of the nation, symbolically making this goat the nation’s sin-bearer. He then sends the “scape-goat” into the wilderness, carrying with it the sins of the nation and thus completing the atonement ritual (16:20–22).

For their part, the people of Israel were full, though passive, participants in the events of the day. While the high priest represented them in the atonement rituals, the people expressed their sincere repentance and earnest appeal for God’s mercy by “afflicting their souls” and abstaining from all work (Lev 16:29; 23:29–30). This self-deprivation would include fasting (cf. Isa 58:3, 10; Ps 35:13) and perhaps the wearing of sackcloth. The book of Jonah, which is traditionally read in the synagogue on this day, describes the repentance of the people of Nineveh in similar terms (Jon 3:5-9). According to the Mishnah, washing, anointing with oil, wearing sandals, and marital relations were also forbidden (Yoma 8:1; see Hartley 1992, 242).

No descriptions of the commemoration of Yom Kippur are found in either the Hebrew Bible or the New Testament. The only sign that the day was kept is found in the oblique reference in the book of Acts 27:9: “The voyage was now dangerous, since even the fast was already over.” But the central elements of the Day of Atonement are highlighted in Heb 9–10, as a limited foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice provided by Jesus.

In parallel to the earlier spring festivals, the Day of Atonement seems to prefigure another event in God’s redemptive calendar. The prophets speak of a day in which the nation’s sins will be cleansed in preparation for Israel’s inheritance of God’s kingdom promises. In Zech 3, this future cleansing was prefigured by prophetic pre-enactment, with the high priest, Joshua ben Jehozadak, representing the sinful nation (Zech 3:3-5). Zechariah 3:9–10 summarizes the result, “I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day, declares the LORD of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbor to come under his vine and under his fig tree.”

Similarly, the new covenant promise in Jer 31:31–34 states, “‘They will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,’ declares the LORD, ‘for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.’” This ultimate “Day of Atonement” will enable Israel to enjoy the fulfillment of God’s eternal covenant with Abraham: a holy nation walking in relationship with her God and enjoying his blessing to the full in the land of promise (see Jer 31:1-14; cf. Rom 11:25-29).

Sukkot: The Feast of Booths

The feast of Booths, or Tabernacles (Sukkot) was the final pilgrimage feast in the religious calendar and the preeminent holiday of the seventh month, perhaps even of Israel’s entire sacred year (Hartley 1992, 381). Leviticus 23:39 designates it as “the feast of the Lord” and later it is referred to simply as “the feast” (1 Kgs 8:2; cf. John 7:1). Israel was commanded to keep the feast “to the Lord” with singular rejoicing (Deut 16:14-15) and it was chosen as the holiday at which the law of Moses would be read to all the people—men, women, and children—every sabbatical year (Deut 31:10-13). This was most likely because it was the best-attended pilgrim feast and ideal for entire families. It followed the work-intensive harvest season, and usually occurred during  good travel conditions: the roads were baked dry by the long, rainless summer, and moderate fall temperatures were the norm.

The Feast of Booths has multiple associations in the Scriptures. The book of Exodus emphasizes the agricultural significance of the holiday, naming it “the feast of ingathering” (23:16–17; 34:22–23), and similarly Deuteronomy recognizes it as a feast of thanksgiving and joy following the harvest, celebrating the abundant provision of the Lord (16:13-15). While recognizing its links to the harvest season, Lev 23:41–43 calls the holiday “the Feast of Booths” and emphasizes the historical rationale for dwelling in booths for seven days; namely, as a reminder of God’s care and provision for Israel during the wilderness wanderings (Hartley 1992, 381). The addition of a “solemn assembly” immediately following the holiday gave it its eight–day character (23:36; cf. Neh 8:18).

God himself had dwelt in a temporary dwelling in the midst of his people during the wilderness wanderings. This fact, as well as subsequent historical developments, gave the Feast of Booths unique religious and prophetic significance. Both the dedication of Solomon’s Temple (1 Kgs 8:1–2) and of the rebuilt altar following the Babylonian exile (Ezra 3:1–4) coincided with this holiday, giving it a temple association. Later still, Ezra read the Torah in the vicinity of the temple,which moved the people to resume the celebration of the feast, even erecting booths in the temple courts (Neh 8:14-18). It is likely that the later eight-day celebration of Hanukkah, the rededication of the temple, was styled after the feast of booths, as indicated in 2 Maccabees 10:6–8 and 1:18–36 (Moore 1971, 2:46-50; Edersheim 1958, 334-35).

The prophetic promises of the Lord’s return to dwell among his people with the establishment of his kingdom on earth were naturally linked with this feast. In the Torah, God had promised that if Israel would truly walk in his ways, “I will put my tabernacle in your midst and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you, and I will be your God and you will be my people” (Lev 26:11–12 NET). The language used shows an intentional allusion to the garden of Eden, God’s original “tabernacle” on earth, where he walked with Adam and Eve (Gen 3:8). John picks up this theme when he writes, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us…”(John 1:14), using the Greek term skenoo , “take up residence,” derived from the noun skene, “temporary quarters,…tent, hut” (BDAG). The prophet Zechariah echoes this promise and the wilderness experience in Zech 2:4–5, 10. The fulfillment of this promise with the establishment of the kingdom is predicted in Zech 14, where also the kingdom association of the Feast of Booths is made explicit.

“And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one…. Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths” (Zech 14:9, 16).

The New Testament agrees emphatically, anticipating God’s rule in the midst of his people: “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them” (Rev 21:3). 

By the first century, a number of ceremonies had developed which expressed the people’s prayer that the kingdom associations of the feast would be realized in their day. The first was the illumination of the temple, which began on the evening following the first day of the feast. Huge candlesticks were set up in the courts of the temple, illuminating the entire city and symbolizing the light of the coming kingdom of God. The roots of this ceremony may be connected with the Shekinah, the manifest glory of God, which filled the temple at its dedication under Solomon (1 Kgs 8:10-11), was removed prior to the destruction of the first temple (Ezek 10–11), and will be restored to the temple with the establishment of the kingdom of God (Ezek 43:1–9; cf. Zech 2:4–5, 10–11).

While the Levites played music on the steps leading down to the court of women, sages and other leading men danced until dawn before the crowds. Concerning the nightly spectacle, the Mishnah remarks, “Whoever has not seen the rejoicing of the water-drawing [Beit HaShoeva] has never seen rejoicing in his life” (Sukk 5:1).

As morning came, the water libation was performed (Sukk 4:9–5:1). Having filled a golden flagon with water drawn from the pool of Siloam, at the time of the morning sacrifice the priest would pour out the water at the base of the altar, to the cheers of the masses who had accompanied him. This act constituted a prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon Israel at the inauguration of the kingdom of God, in accordance with the verse from Isaiah, “And you shall draw forth water with joy from the well of salvation” (Isa 12:3; J. Sukkah 5:1; 55a).

Immediately the crowds began a recitation of the Hallel Psalms, Pss 113–118, and, waving palm branches, they circled the altar chanting the words from Psalm 118:25–26, “Hosanna! Save us, we pray, O LORD!” and “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!” In Jesus’ day, languishing under the Roman occupation, the people were desperate for the coming of God’s kingdom and the Messiah who would liberate them. Each day of the feast the spectacle would be repeated, but on the seventh day, Hoshana Rabbah—the “great Hosanna”—they circled the altar seven times. In a final, desperate appeal, with one voice they cried out for God’s salvation now! 

On that last, great day of the feast, John tells us, 

Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive… (John 7:37–39).

--------

Works Cited

VanGemeren, Willem A., ed. NIDOTTE. Accordance electronic edition, version 2.4. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997.

Edersheim, Alfred 1958. The Temple: its Ministry and Services. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Hartley, John E. 1992. Leviticus. WBC 4, Accordance electronic edition, version 2.5. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Moore, George Foot 1971. Judaism in the First Centuries of the Christian Era, Vol. II.New York: Schocken Books.

Safrai, S. and Stern, M., eds. 1974. The Jewish People in the First Century [JPFC], Vol. II. Philadelphia: Fortress Press.

After Yeshua was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod,
Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked,
"Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?  
We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."  (Matthew 2:1-2)

In the day of atomic clocks and nanosecond precision, it may be difficult for us to imagine an error of possibly three to seven years in fixing the earthly starting point of the most important Life in history.  Nevertheless, the basis of the modern calendar--linked supposedly to the year of Yeshua's birth, as calculated by the monk Dionysius Exiguus in 525 CE (AD)--has long been challenged.  Today, common estimates of Yeshua's actual year of birth range from 7 BCE to 1 CE.  But recent discoveries and today's computer technology have thrown new light on the historical circum­stances surrounding Yeshua's birth, including the dating of certain key events.

This dating hinges on three Biblical assertions: The call for a Roman census brought Joseph and Miriam to Bethlehem (Luke 2:1); the death of King Herod occurred after Yeshua's birth (Matthew 2:19-20); and the appearance of a unique "star" brought the Magi to Jerusalem (Matthew 2:1-2).  Of these three, the last two are closely linked in Matthew's Gospel and they have been the subjects of groundbreaking research in recent years.

Herod's Death and Messiah's Birth

Modern editions of Josephus' writings indicate that Herod died in 4 BCE, thus providing the latest possible date for the birth of Yeshua.  All additional data (historical and astronomical) have been viewed in the light of this, supposedly solid, historical anchor. Recent research in earlier editions of Josephus' writings at the British Museum, however, has revealed that all modern editions have reproduced a copyist's error from the 16^th century.  Once corrected, the date of Herod's death according to these writings must be revised to 1 BCE, by early February, some ten weeks before Passover when Herod's son Archelaus departed for Rome to have the inheritance of his father's kingdom confirmed by Caesar (Antiquities XVII.9.3). 

This corrected dating immediately opens the door for new astronomical confirmation.  For exam­ple, Josephus indicates that Herod died shortly after executing two rabbis for inciting civil disobe­dience.  He reports that on the day of the execution "that very night there was an eclipse of the moon" (Antiquities XVII.6.4).  Computerized reconstruction shows that there was a total eclipse of the moon, visible from Judea, on January 10, 1 BCE.  No comparable eclipse was evident in the years prior to this, something which had always posed a difficulty for the 4 BCE dating of Herod's death and Yeshua's birth.

"We have seen his star…"

Beyond this, the 1 BCE date for the death of Herod has also thrown a whole new light on the star of "the King of the Jews" which the Magi followed to Judea.  The Magi, of course, belonged to an ancient caste of natural philosophers who served as court advisors in the countries east of the Roman Empire.  Their expertise included astronomy/astrology and it is this which drove them to make the long and difficult journey from "the east" to Jerusalem.  'What had they seen and when had they seen it?' both Herod and we would like to know (Matt. 2:7). 

On Rosh Hashanah, September 11, 3 BCE, Jupiter, the planet (literally "wandering star") repre­senting Kingship and the birth of kings came into "conjunction" (apparent near-contact in the sky) with Regulus, the star of Kingship and the brightest star in the "king" constellation of Leo (the lion).  Leo, in turn, was also associated with the tribe of Judah and the Jewish nation generally.  A one-time conjunction of this kind would not have set the Magi packing; it was not so unusual.  But when Jupiter entered a "retrograde phase"--seemingly reversing his direction relative to the fixed stars and later resuming his normal course--this conjunction repeated itself, not once but twice in the following months (February and May of 2 BCE).  The uniqueness of the event was undeniable.  

Finally, nine months after the first conjunction, on June 17, 2 BCE, Jupiter and Venus (the Mother planet) appeared in close conjunction as they were setting in the west shortly after sunset. In this once-in-a-millenium conjunction, also in the constellation of Leo, the two planets seemed to meld into one, forming the brightest "star" in the heavens that the Magi had ever seen.  The inescapable conclusion to be drawn from the entire series of celestial events was clear: A great Jewish King had been born in the Land of Judea toward the setting sun.

"King Herod…was disturbed"

When the Magi arrived in Jerusalem seeking the newborn "King of the Jews," we are told that Herod "was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him" (Matt. 2:3).  But why?

Much is known about Herod the King, especially from Josephus' writings, and all of it corrobo­rates the character of the man as revealed in Matthew's Gospel.  Herod was the son of an Idumean, Antipater, whom Herod claimed was Jewish.  Rejected by the Jewish people as a Roman lackey, Herod was more than "disturbed."  He was severely paranoid and during his reign he murdered every potential rival, including his Hasmonean wife and three of his own sons; the last one just five days before his own demise.  Caesar Augustus was said to have commented wryly concerning the would-be Jew, "I would rather be his sow than his son."  

As he was dying, Herod ordered all the most prominent Jews of Judea gathered into the hippo­drome in Jericho, to be executed immediately upon his own death.  This in order to assure that there would be national mourning at his passing--even if not for him personally (Antiquities XVII.6.5).  Needless to say, Jerusalem had every reason to be "disturbed … with him."

A Standing Ovation

After learning that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, five miles to the south of Jerusalem, the Magi set out immediately to find him.  It was night and they rejoiced to see Jupiter, the King's "wandering star," positioned due south, hovering over their destination (Matt. 2:9-10).  Suddenly they noticed that Jupiter had just that night entered a retrograde phase again and so appeared to be standing still in the starry field, not having changed its position since the previous night.  This final astronomical "coincidence" convinced them that God was confirming their quest and leading them on to the King.

It was the week of Hannuka when the Magi made this final trek and entered the "house" where Joseph had moved his family following Yeshua's birth at least forty days before (Matt. 2:11; cf. Luke 2:21-24).  Already the young King is described not as an infant (brephos, cf. Luke 2:16) but as a child (paidion), indicating that in fact the birth had taken place some months earlier--perhaps already on the night of the June 17^th celestial extravaganza.  Computer recon­struction again can tell us exactly on which date Jupiter began its retrograde "loop" and "stood still" in the sky over Bethlehem.  The day when the Magi laid their gifts before the King of the Jews was…December 25, 2 BCE.

 “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, 
born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, 
so that we might receive adoption as sons…. and if a son, then an heir through God.”
Galatians 4:4-7

“But when the fullness of time had come”… 

The musical “Jesus Christ Superstar” asks, “Why'd you choose such a backward time and such a strange land?  If you'd come today you could have reached a whole nation; Israel in 4 BC had no mass communication.”  

In fact, God is never late and He’s never early.  He’s always right on time!  The Roman empire of the first century provided the ideal conditions—political, social, religious, and technological—for the spread of the Good News of Yeshua the Messiah from a middle eastern backwater to the capital in Rome, “to the end of the earth’ (Acts 1:8).

The same thing is true in our own lives: God knows just what to do at precisely the right time to achieve His good purposes in and through us.  The question is not whether God will “show up” on time, but will we be ready to meet and walk with Him when He does!

“God sent forth his Son, born of woman”…

As the saying goes, “Like father, like son.”  When the Father sent His Son into the world, God himself had come to be our savior.  And through a young Jewish woman “the Word”--who was God--“became flesh” (John 1:1, 14).  God’s Son became one of us, like us too in every sense of the word (apart from sin), that He might cover our fallenness with His flawlessness.

“The Son of God a man became, that sons of God we might be named.”

 “born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law…”

Yeshua was the quintessential “nice Jewish boy!”  

The Sovereign Lord willingly subjected himself to the Law which He had given; living out its demands perfectly in the most challenging circumstances.  And having passed the test of trial and temptation, He became the Righteous Redeemer for His people Israel (and all others) who have failed.  But redemption involves more than freedom from our well-deserved punishment for sin.  Neither does redemption mean freedom from the righteous requirements of the Law.  The Redeemer intends to liberate us from the power and presence of sin in our lives “so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:4)

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

 “so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”

The classic film “Ben Hur” includes a scene in which Judah Ben Hur, formerly a condemned Jewish slave, is officially adopted by the Roman general Quintus Arrius whom he had saved during a sea battle.  As in Judah’s case, Roman adoption usually involved adults who were considered worthy to bear the name, uphold the dignity, and steward the wealth of their adoptive fathers.

In our case, our adoptive Father is the very one who sent His Son to redeem us, condemned slaves to sin, helpless and hopeless apart from God’s gracious intervention.  And through Yeshua we too are introduced to an intimate relationship with the Father (“Abba”), who also promises us an eternal inheritance in the Kingdom of His Son.

As adopted sons and daughters of God, empowered by His indwelling Spirit, we too must “walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (I Thes. 2:12; Col. 1:10); that we too might become “like Father, like son.”

Parashat Shmini (Leviticus 9-11) In our day and age, we are quite protective of our freedom of choice.  Our culture tells us that “our way” is good and true for us, and no one should judge or criticize our personal decisions, so long as they don’t infringe on the freedom of choice of others.  In fact, the only thing that is really not tolerated in today’s society is what is called “intolerance”: that is, not affirming that the choices and lifestyles of others are “true and good” for them--even if I choose to live differently.

As followers of the Messiah, we too often assert our freedom of expression and choice as an ultimate value—even in our relationship with God.  The Corinthian believers had a popular saying, “All things are lawful for me” (1 Corinthians 6:12), by which they asserted their freedom to do pretty much whatever they wanted, even participating in pagan feasts and engaging in sexual immorality.  Their gross misunderstanding of what it means to be “free in Christ” – based on what they considered to be their superior “knowledge” – led them to betray both God and His law of love; that is, seeking the best for their brothers and sisters in Yeshua and their fellow human beings.

This week’s Torah portion, Shmini, is found in Leviticus chapters 9 through 11.  Following the completion of the tabernacle and the descent of God’s glory to indwell the Holy of Holies (Exodus 40), Leviticus opens with a painfully detailed description of the various sacrificial procedures to be conducted there, followed by the ceremony installing Aaron and his sons as priests.  Beginning in chapter 9, Aaron and his sons actually begin to function as priests to the Lord, offering the necessary daily sacrifices on the altar.

But in chapter 10, tragedy strikes!  Aaron’s two eldest sons, Nadav and Abihu, “offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them” (Leviticus 10:1).  Intoxicated with their newly endowed authority and sense of privilege—and perhaps with alcohol as well, as the following verses seem to hint—Aaron’s sons had exercised their priestly “freedom” to worship God as they saw fit “and fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.” (Leviticus 10:2).

As with the worship of the golden calf, which Aaron had described as a “feast to the Lord” (Exodus 32:5), Nadav and Abihu’s chosen style of worship was contrary to the will and ways of God.  In both cases, the judgment of God fell on those who presumed to worship Him as they pleased.

The New Covenant Scriptures give a wide variety of acceptable models and instructions for worshipping the Lord, with no small degree of personal latitude.  But according to Yeshua, as he spoke with the Samaritan woman, God takes pleasure in worshippers who “worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).  We must worship Him “in spirit”, from the heart and not merely with external rituals; but we must also worship Him “in truth”, in accordance with His will and ways, so that He is accurately reflected and truly magnified in our worship.  No “golden calf” worship  of our own making can be acceptable to Him!

In fact, our entire lives are to be acts of worship flowing from hearts filled with adoration for God and reflecting His character, so that we might truly exalt Him in this, His tabernacle.  As Paul challenges us in Romans 12:1,

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1–2)

Wishing you God's shalom from Israel!

Keren-Yeshuah.org

Is God a sexist? Parashat Matot (Tribes; Numbers 30:1-32:42)

This week’s Torah portion, Parashat Matot, opens with extended instructions limiting a woman’s freedom to make binding oaths; apparently giving a male figure in her life veto power over her personal decisions. Was this a divine ‘green light’ for male domination in Israelite society?  Or, perhaps, a not-so-subtle acquiescence to a sexist attitude which assumed female incompetence or inferiority?

First things first, it should be clarified that the oaths or vows discussed in our passage were not civil contracts, like taking out a mortgage, but were personal acts of devotion to the Lord, usually involving sacrifices and other offerings to be brought to the Lord’s sanctuary (Cf. Numbers 29:39).  The most imposing vow that could be taken was the Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:1-21).  The Nazirite voluntarily restricted his diet, his choices, and his family responsibilities in order to devote himself, for a period of time, to God’s service.  When his vow had been fulfilled, he too was required to offer a series of costly sacrifices (vv. 13-15).

Other vows might be taken when making a special request for God’s favor, as in Hannah’s desperate prayer that God would put an end to her lifelong barrenness.  First Samuel 1 tells us:

“She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.  And she vowed a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”” (1 Samuel 1:10–11). 
In short, her son Samuel would become a life-long Nazirite.

Another shocking example is Jephthah’s thoughtless vow, which resulted in the sacrifice of his dearly beloved daughter (Judges 11:30–39).

Clearly, vows to the Lord could have implications and effects that went far beyond the individual who made them!  And that seems to be the importance of the instructions given in Numbers 30.

Our Torah portion opens with a concise statement concerning the sanctity of promises made to the Lord.  In Numbers 30, verse 2 we read, “If a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.”  Similarly, according to verse 9, an independent woman (a widow or divorcee) was personally responsible to fulfill her own vows.

The rest of the chapter deals with the exceptions to this rule, when vows can, in fact, be nullified; particularly, when the person making the vow is a dependent member of a family unit which could be negatively affected by their unilateral commitment.    

For example, Numbers 30 verses 10 through 12 tell us:

“And if [a woman] vowed in her husband’s house or bound herself by a pledge with an oath, and her husband heard of it and said nothing to her and did not oppose her, then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she bound herself shall stand. But if her husband makes them null and void on the day that he hears them, then whatever proceeds out of her lips concerning her vows or concerning her pledge of herself shall not stand. Her husband has made them void, and the LORD will forgive her.” (Numbers 30:10–12).

In the ancient world, women lived in families led and provided for by a father or a husband.  The intense physical demands of pre-industrial agricultural labor, as well as the dangers which threatened unprotected females, restricted their participation in the production aspects of the family economy.  For this reason, “widows and orphans” are presented in the Bible as people in desperate need, precisely because they had no such covering and no means to survive independently.  As in the book of Ruth, a widow’s one hope was that a family redeemer would be found who would take her under his protection (see Ruth 3:9-13). 

Thus, when our passage speaks of the oaths and vows which dependent women take on themselves, it is clear that such actions had serious implications for the rest of their family, and especially for the one ultimately responsible to fulfill all family obligations, that is, the father or husband.  Like credit card debt or a gambler who wagers the family car, personal vows could place an entire family’s welfare at risk and therefore the responsible family provider was given the right to nullify (or confirm) vows taken by his dependents. 

Far from being an arbitrary restriction on the personal freedoms of the woman, this principle recognized that the family is an interdependent organism which must be protected for the sake of every family member.  Each family member also had a crucial role to play in the overall family economy and a personal decision to “opt out”—for example, by taking a Nazirite vow—could have disastrous results for all.  This was especially true in an era when physical survival, rather than personal fulfillment, was the critical need and not at all to be taken for granted. 

Our economy today is obviously very different and the possibilities for both men and women to contribute significantly to the family income are almost limitless.  At the same time, in our modern western society, the rights of the individual and their personal fulfillment are considered inviolable.

Nevertheless, the Scriptures reaffirm the absolute priority of the community—whether our family, our congregation, or our society—and they call upon us to sacrifice our rights and self-interest for the good of the whole.  As Paul writes to the Corinthians, ““For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.” (1 Corinthians 9:19). 
And he instructs us, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3–4).

Wishing you God's shalom from Israel! 

Keren-Yeshuah.org

“… a Sabbath rest for the people of God” Parashat Emor:  Leviticus 21-23

How can I experience God’s Sabbath rest? And what is the significance of the Sabbath commandment for believers today?

This week’s Torah portion, Parashat Emor, presents the Feasts of the Lord which Israel was commanded to keep. When we think of the “Feasts of the Lord”, we generally recall the yearly pilgrim festivals like Passover, Shavu’ot (or Pentecost), and Tabernacles; or perhaps we might remember the “High Holidays”: the Feast of Trumpets (also known as Rosh Hashanah or the Jewish New Year) and the Day of Atonement . But God’s list of holy days, as recorded in Leviticus 23, actually begins with the weekly commemoration of the Sabbath, which in many ways is the model for all the other holidays.

In Leviticus 23 God commands Moses to “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘These are the appointed feasts of the LORD that you shall proclaim as holy convocations; they are my appointed feasts. Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the LORD in all your dwelling places.’” (Leviticus 23:2–3 ESV). The same introductory formula, “These are the appointed feasts of the LORD, the holy convocations…” (Leviticus 23:4 ESV) is repeated before the yearly feasts of the Lord are listed—making a distinction between them and the weekly Sabbath day and at the same time showing their common features as “Feasts of the Lord.”

Like the yearly feasts, the Sabbath day has both a commemorative and a prophetic significance, along with a present-time practical application. The Sabbath day commemorates two of God’s greatest creative and redemptive works: God’s creation (or redemption) of the heavens and the earth out of the primordial chaos (the “Tohu veVohu” of Genesis 1:2) and His redemption (and creation) of Israel as a nation out of slavery in Egypt. 

The Ten Commandments, as given in Exodus 20, give the rationale for the Sabbath in these words: “Forin six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Thereforethe LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” (Exodus 20:11 ESV). The parallel account in Deuteronomy 5 links the same commandment to Israel’s redemption: “You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Thereforethe LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.” (Deuteronomy 5:15 ESV).

Prophetically, the Sabbath day looks forward to the universal rest and peace which God will establish along with His Kingdom at the return of Yeshua the Messiah. Genesis 2 records God’s resting at the completion of creation just prior to the description of the Garden of Eden in all its perfection—the embodiment of God’s Kingdom on earth. Isaiah 11 looks forward to the redemption of the fallen world and the reestablishment of that “Garden of Eden” perfection by Messiah the son of David. At that time, Isaiah writes, “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.” (Isaiah 11:6 ESV). 

The Book of Hebrews cites Psalm 95 to show that neither Moses nor Joshua was able to bring the nation into God’s Sabbath-Kingdom rest. “For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God,” (Hebrews 4:8–9 ESV). That rest will only be fully manifested when Yeshua returns to set up His Kingdom on earth. Nevertheless, we who have put our trust in Messiah Yeshua experience His rest in anticipation of that future day: “For we who have believed enter that rest” (Hebrews 4:3 ESV); “for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.” (Hebrews 4:10 ESV).

Yeshua invites us to enter His rest by faith today, relying on His perfect work on the cross and resting from our own striving: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 ESV)

Wishing you God's shalom from Israel!

Keren-Yeshuah.org

What are we to do when, by all appearances, God has given us a “mission impossible”--  an unreasonable demand that, given our circumstances, our personality, or our lack of resources, we simply cannot be expected to meet? Parashat Shelach Lekha - Numbers 13-15

Welcome to Kadesh Barnea! From this place the Lord ordered Moses to send out twelve spies into the Land of Canaan, each a leader in his respective tribe and together representatives of the people as a whole.  Their task was to report back on both the quality of the Land and the strength of the people whom they needed to overcome in the conquest.

We might ask, why was it necessary to send the spies?  God had repeatedly assured Israel that the Land of promise was “a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8 ESV). And He had promised to give Israel total victory over all who opposed them.  He says, “For I will give the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you” (Exodus 23:31 ESV).  Why didn’t God simply order the armies of Israel to attack without this seemingly unnecessary delay?

God doesn’t believe in “blind faith”—a leap in the dark mentality that ignores or even denies reality.  He doesn’t call on Israel, or on us, to “lower the bar” of faith and to pretend that the forces that oppose us ‘aren’t so bad after all’. On the contrary, through the twelve spies God forces Israel to confront the overwhelming odds that they face in taking the Land.  Those same spies had testified that God’s promises concerning the good land were completely true.  But would they—could they—trust God to fulfill His promises concerning the conquest of the Land, in spite of the giants and fortresses that they had also seen there?

The God of Israel had already vanquished Egypt, the greatest empire of that day with the mightiest army, and He had led His people triumphantly to the edge of the Promised Land.  He had faithfully provided for every need of over 600,000 Israelites during their year-long sojourn in barren wilderness of Sinai.  

God had shown Himself trustworthy in every way, and yet the nation refused to trust Him now and, as a result, God condemned that generation to death in the wilderness (14:22-24).  As a final act of rebellion, the people attempted to reverse their fate by launching a desperate attack on their own, but God was not with them and they were roundly defeated. (14:39-45)

The colossal failure of faith at Kadesh Barnea became the classic example of rebellion against God, recalled repeatedly in the Scriptures, including Psalm 95 and the book of Hebrews.  There we, as believers in the Messiah Yeshua, are called on not to retreat from our absolute confidence in our Savior, who has already conquered the most powerful enemies--sin and death-- for us. 

Though our society and culture might pressure us to compromise and even deny our faith, to conform our ways to the standards of the world and to take comfort in its company, Yeshua the Messiah summons us to trust Him to overcome all opposition and to lead us into the greater rest and blessing that only He can provide.

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” (Hebrews 4:14 ESV)

Every situation that we face is a “giant”, a “mission impossible”, if we judge it by God’s standard of victory.  There is no way that we can respond to the daily challenges and pressures of our world and truly reflect the character and ways of God perfectly in our own strength.  As one person said, “Living for the Lord is not difficult, it’s impossible!  Only God Himself can do it!”

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16 ESV)

Our all-powerful God is intent on leading us in total victory daily, no matter what “giants” we may be facing.  And as we rely on Hisunlimited strength and obey His voice, He will bring us into His promised blessing, that we might “inherit the land” with Him.

Wishing you God's shalom from Israel! 

Keren-Yeshuah.org