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THE SIGNIFICANCE OF GOD’S APPOINTED TIMES
Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let the mighty man not boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on the earth; for I delight in these things” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 9:23, 24 The Lord tells us to boast in understanding and knowing Him. His appointed times invites us into this understanding and knowledge in two ways … through His creation and through His written word. Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years … Genesis 1:14 By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. Genesis 2:2, 3 From the beginning of creation God determined to put lights “(sun, moon and stars) in the heavens for signs and for seasons and for days and for years, and He separated from the 6 days of the week, the seventh day to be blessed and sanctified. Throughout scripture God ‘separates’ – the holy from the profane, a people separated onto Him, etc. And we know that He does this to show us His lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on the earth. God introduces His appointed times to Moses in Leviticus 23. The Lord spoke again to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, “The Lord’s appointed times which you shall proclaim as holy convocations – My appointed times are these.” Leviticus 23:1 As we read through the chapter we see specific Festivals to be observed, their purpose, their specific month and day, and the way the Lord wants them to be observed. “It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generation in all your dwelling places.” repeated in Leviticus 23:14, 21 & 31 “So Moses declared to the sons of Israel the appointed times of the Lord” Leviticus 23:44 We can conclude that the Lord expected the sons of Israel to continue to observe these Festivals throughout their generations. But what of the people from the nations that are not the sons of Israel? What will take place during the Millennial? The following passages all take place during the Millennial and included are the Sabbaths, the new moon, and the Feast of Booths … extended to ALL NATIONS.
Millennial blessings extended to the gentiles. Isaiah 56:1-8 Thus says the Lord, “Preserve justice and do righteousness, For My salvation is about to come, And my righteousness o be revealed. How blessed is the man who does this, And the son of man who takes hold of it; Who keeps from profaning the Sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any evil.” Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely separate me from His people.” Nor let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.” For thus says the Lord, “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant, To them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial, And a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name which will not be cut off. “Also the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord To minister to Him, and to love the name of the Lord, To be His servants, everyone who keeps from profaning the Sabbath and holds fast My covenant; Even those I will bring to my holy mountain And make the joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.” The Lord God, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares, “Yet others I will gather to them, to those already gathered.” Isaiah 66:22,23 “For just as the new heavens and the new earth which I make will endure before Me.” Declares the Lord, “So your offspring and your name will endure.” “And it shall be from new moon to new moon and from Sabbath to Sabbath All mankind will come to bow down before Me,” says the Lord.
Zechariah 14:16-19 (This is the millennial period) 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. And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them. If the family of Egypt does not go up or enter, then no rain will fall on them; it will be the plague with which the Lord smites the nation who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths. This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths.” If ANYONE observes God’s appointed times to be ‘justified’ by the law, he has fallen from grace. The ‘invitation’ to all Believers to observe the Festivals brings with it a blessing.. it includes a heart’s desire to know and understand God in a deeper way … to have a greater understanding of how Jesus and His disciples lived their lives. However, there is NO JUSTIFICTAION in these observances! Only in Jesus do are we justified by faith through the Messiah! Galatians 5:1-6 It was for freedom that the Messiah set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you received circumcision, Messiah will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Messiah, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Jesus the Messiah neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything but faith working through love.
Why observe the Festivals? The Lord gave the children of Israel specific days of the month and purposes to celebrate… these were not deleted as the children of Israel were told to observe them forever. We now embrace them with a Spirit of Love … and a knowing that EVERYTHING is fulfilled in Jesus!
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