Texting with Gabriel

This is not my typical study... It was originally posted December 23, 2009 and updated in 2012.

From my Scripture studies, I wanted to provide a parable-like conjecture of "text" messages that Gabriel, who only spoke with a couple of people in the Biblical record, "might" send out if only we were only able to text to him about this Santa shopping frenzy time we now call the Christmas season.

I pray this will encourage you to do your own detective work with the clues provided in the 'Gospel' of Luke. There is NO "thus saith The Lord" here as respects the timing of the birth of Jesus, yet the story line follows the balance of the Bible with a focus on the Creator's calendar and the priestly services at The Temple.

Please know that this is not intended to be criticize anyone, or focus too much on today's holiday shopping season, but it does ask you to reconsider what you think you know because it is time to wake up from the spiritual slumber of tradition and open your eyes to the Bible.

The bright light of truth is not when He was born but why:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 3:16-17

It's time to get in sync with God's calendar, time to get connect with the life and "light" of God's Word and the Messiah who came not to start a new religion but to save the world.

Let's start and consider an admonishment of Paul in his letter to the Ephesians:

"Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart." Ephesians 4:17-18

We must no longer walk darkened in understanding. The reality of this admonishment is to that we are to walk and think just as Yeshua of Nazareth did.

He is the Son of man, the "One" born as a humble child in Bethlehem. He is the Savior of the world and the Kings of Kings, the promised Jewish Messiah. If He is your King today you can open your mind and soften your heart to listen to God's truth found in His "Word" and no longer walk in hardness of heart as Gentiles do.

The relationship with your Creator is more important than the words here so what you do with that is up to you because God always gives us a choice. In the beginning, God gave Adam and Eve a choice between two trees. I hope you will see He still continues to do so today. We can choose the Asherah or the Menorah, but above all choose Messiah.

God gives us us choice because He wants us to choose His way of life and that way is the way of mercy, grace and love tht starts with repentance. If The Father did not give us a choice, our response to Him could not be in love because love requires choice.

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God is the only One who can really know the intentions of any one's heart. 

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So, I pray you find this insightful and helpful in turning back to walk with Messiah. Turning back is the Biblical definition of "repentance". It was the message of John the Baptist (the Mikvah man) that he undoubtedly learned from the message Ezekiel taught. The word given the prophet says:

“Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations." Ezekiel 14:6

“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin." Ezekiel 18:30

John the Baptist was the son of Zechariah, John was a Levite priest and he preached from the powerful words of the scroll of Isaiah...

"In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” Mathew 3:1-3

The ancient message of repentance is the same message of the Jewish people that is in keen focus during the 40 days of the Season of Repentance (teshuva) beginning in the Biblical sixth month now called Elul. Our goals are not so different and the story of John tracks to the 'Season of Repentance' that begins with the sixth Biblical month.

Repentance was the key message delivered by Jesus in Galilee before He called His disciples so let's not lose sight of Him:

"From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17

After some consideration, I decided to make this post as a part of my own repentance, because The Scriptures are not really about tradition or religion, they are about God's truth.

Jesus warned us of the 'religious' traditions of men. You can pray for understanding as you read His words for yourself in Mark 7:1-13.

The Scriptures are about the light of God's truth plain and simple. Take nothing away from them or add to them is an ancient admonition from Moses, and no matter how hard the decision, we must all take heart to decide for ourselves, to chose life and what we get to do in an expression of love if we want walk in the light and path of God's "truth" or stumble along in the dark of men's "tradition" that can put a stumbling block before us.

If you choose God's truth, it is time to get out of your comfort zone and study the Bible like a Berean as you read the details given in the Gospel of Luke.

When I was kid, it seemed that everyone including me 'knew' that Christmas was a celebration of the birth of Jesus. Yet, despite that, I adored a Santa figurine complete with a light inside and was more excited about the Christmas tree adorned in gold and silver and gifts galore underneath in our living room than I was about anything else. I confess too, that I even robbed myself of my own Christmas gifts because I always took a sneak peek at my presents under the wrapping.

The main focus taught by both my parents was don't worry about your gifts under the tree, but on Christ. I even remember our pastor saying something like, "we [think] this may be" the time of our Savior's birth, we are not sure because Christmas is never mentioned in the Bible.

Wow, what a statement! It always blew my mind, and it it took some 40 years before those words finally hit home for me as I decided to read the Bible for myself trusting the Psalm:

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you." Psalm 32:8

Commercialism, even a day called "Black Friday" has now taken over Christmas and few even acknowledge the word Christ in Christmas. It seems we are losing our memory through tradition, but there is much more to the truth of the story than that...

Gabriy'el whose Hebrew name means "Warrior of God" might just have a thing or two to say about the timing of this message. I do think that as his name suggests, Gabriel would get right to the point (pun intended). After all, the Biblical record is pretty clear. There are few words, but a BIG message. Just check the evidence for yourself: read Daniel 8 and Luke 1. These are two places where Gabriel is identified. And as you read take note, Zechariah the priest questioned Gabriel's message and he was struck dumb, lacking the power of speech until the birth of his son John (Yochanan).

So let's consider a parable-like commentary I've called, "Texting with Gabriel." But remember, it does not matter what you read here. The burden of truth is for you to discover from God's Word, not mine.

You alone need to examine the facts and come to your own conclusion.

Question: Gabriel, since it's Christmas time, can you tell us... weren't you the messenger, the "angel" that proclaimed that the Savior was born to the shepherds tending sheep in the cold winter pastures of Bethlehem at Christmas time some 2,000 or so years ago?

Text: Good question, so let's clear the cold winter air. Actually "Christmas" is a term coined from the two words Christ's Mass and believe me, there no insult intended here, but the word Christmas was not coined to declare the birthday of Yeshua. The word came from the middle English "Christemasse" over a 1,000 years AFTER the earthly birth of Yeshua Messiah. Even Sir Issac Newton wrote about this. He like many other Bible scholars - have shown that Christmas is not Yeshua's actual birthday. But this can be a time of great rejoicing because this winter time does correspond with the time frame that many of the disciples and early Jewish Believers knew quite a bit about, it is the time of Dedication, the Festival of Lights called Hanukkah.

This truth has been lost to some, but it is now being recovered as people read John 10:22 and reflect on the Festival of the Dedication that likely marks the time of our Savior's conception.

The week-long celebration was known in ancient Judea as the Feast of Dedication of the Temple. Today, it is still called Hanukkah, in Hebrew that word means 'dedication'. It is linked in history because this "Festival of Lights" was also the time that marked the celebration of the feast of Dedication when the Maccabees reclaimed the Temple some 165 years before Messiah's arrival as the son of God. The Maccabees were lighting the Menorah at this winter time for good reason.

Question: Hey wait a minute, you wrote the name Yeshua, but you meant Jesus right?

Text: Yes, but you can know His great name is not English, Latin or Greek. His name is Hebrew, it is "Yeshua". It literally means salvation and you can see this in Exodus 15:2, Isaiah 12:2, Micah 7:7, Habakkuk 3:18 and Psalm 27:1 as well as 30 other Psalm verses written by none other than king David.

Yeshua is the great name of salvation and it represents His mission for mankind!

You see, the Bible was recorded by Jewish people in Hebrew, so Hebrew is really important, it is the pure language of God. Yeshua is the name I was honored to deliver and to speak about. The name of the Savior born in Bethelem or Beit Lechem (which means House of Bread in Hebrew) is the name His family and friends used, and it is the only name His disciples called out to. It is the name you too can know, after all, Yeshua the promised King is returning.... Don't you want to be able to call out to Him by His name?

Just check any reputable dictionary or encyclopedia, because "remembering" names is very important and a key to a better understanding of Scripture because names in the Bible are critical, not coincidental. They fit into the timing and glory of God. After all, "remembering" the time of the nativity story actually begins with Zechariah, whose name means "Yah remembers".

Question: But why does the story of Jesus, I mean Yeshua begin with "remembering" Zechariah?

Text: Zechariah, was a Levite priest. His wife was Elizabeth. They were direct descendants from Aaron, the high priest and brother of Moses and their story recorded in Luke's gospel gives us "a key" to understanding the time period of The Lord's first coming as humble Messiah ben Joseph, but to understand you have to learn God's eternal calendar shown in the Bible, not Pope Gregory's calendar that was just introduced in 1582.

Luke tells us that Zechariah was serving in the Temple according to the order of each priestly service appointment times and 1 Chronicles shows us that this order of service was first distributed by King David and Zadok the priest. Ceck it our for yourself  in 1 Chronicles 24:1-19. There you'll find 24 "orders" of priests who were to serve and tend to their scheduled duties in the Temple. Zechariah’s scheduled order was named Abijah and it was the 8th of 24 orders. Abijah priests served in the 8th week in the rotation from Nissan 1 (March-April) when the Temple duties re-cycled each Biblical year during the Passover month.

Luke tells us that Zechariah on duty at the Altar of Incense standing just before the curtain to the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies) in the Temple at Jerusalem. He was chosen for the once in a lifetime opportunity to burn incense at the altar on the priest's roster of Aviyah (Abia) during the appointed holiday of the Feast of Weeks known in Hebrew as Shavuot although many today have renamed that day as Pentecost.

Question: When is this on the Hebrew calendar?

Text: Zechariah's division Abiyah served in the month of Sivan. This is the month of Shavuot and it occurs exactly seven weeks of Sabbaths and a day (50 days) after the first Sabbath following Passover.

1Chronicles 24:19 provides the epilogue to the 24 priestly calendar assignments and it shows us the origin of that order was from the command of YHVH God. King David's duty was simply to get the word out:

"These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the LORD, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him."

The “course of Abia” (Abiyah in Hebrew) is recorded in 1Chronicles 24:7-18:

"The first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,
the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,
the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,
the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,
the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,
the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,
the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,
the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,
the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez,
the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel,
the twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul,
the twenty-third to Delaiah, and the twenty-fourth to Maaziah."

By the way, have you ever thought about the names of the 24 Elders in Revelation with a possible Chronicles connection?

"And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshiped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned." Revelation 11:16

Question: Why are names so important in the Bible?

Text: God uses words and people's name in Scripture by no coincidence whatsoever. Look at that seventh name Hakkoz, it means "thorn," the eighth Abiyah means "Yah is my Father." If you are thinking wow, Yeshua provided His earthly life offering wearing a crown of thorns, just look at the other names in 1Chronicles 24:11:

"The ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah"

Here, we see the name following "Yah is my Father" is speaking of Yeshua יֵשׁוּעַ which is the name of Jesus given in Luke 1:31 and it means none other than "Salvation." It is followed by the name Shĕkinah which means "dweller with Yah."

So, by these names you can Zechariah's appointed duty that day was performed right on time in God's plan. As Chronicles shows us it was on the 8th of 24 priestly assignments during the Biblical calendar year. Remember, this differs from today's Gregorian calendar year that begins in January because God calendar is not concerned with Pope Gregory's.

That appointed “course of Abiyah” or Yah is my Father, is the time when I, Gabriel was sent as God's messenger to speak to Zachariah as he was standing before the Altar of Incense according to God's exact appointment time and plan. I was very honored to tell Zechariah that he and Elizabeth would have a son. His parents would give him the name John or in Hebrew Yochanan.

In knowing name's are important to the message of the Bible, we should look at all the names of the 24 priests that were appointed by David. Here they are in order:

YHVH contends YHVH has known
dedicated barley
my king is YHVH from the right hand
thorn YHVH is (my) father
he is saved dweller with YHVH
God restores He will raise
canopy dwelling of the father
cheerfulness he hath said
swine to break
freed by YHVH God strengthens
He will establish weaned
YHVH has drawn consolation of YHVH

As the son of a Levite, John would also be a priest like his father but he would become like Elijah, chosen by God to "prepare the way" and to proclaim King Yeshua as the glorious Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world.

The Passover has always been a sign that God would save His people (Exodus 12:13). The sending of Elijah was also prophesied to be a sign that God would save His people (Malachi 4:5-6).

In Yeshua's ministry, after He worn those thorns as a crown He was raised up on the almost forgotten day of First Fruits. He drew men to Him, weaning them from sin, freed by God so that they could be strengthened by God. He now takes the exalted position at the right hand of God in Heaven's Tabernacle.

Zachariah and Elizabeth were blessed by God because as Luke says, "... they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless."

They followed in the Torah walk of God as everyone should. That included honoring His calendar.

Question: Wow, I think I can do the math now, in fact anyone can... Since John was conceived right after Shavuot around the summer month of June, then nine months later would be sometime around March near Passover nine month later. After all, Elizabeth conceived John the Baptist AFTER Zechariah had finished his Temple service, right?

Text: Yes, Luke 1:23 tells us: When his time of His priestly service was completed, Zechariah returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. If we go forward 38 weeks in the timeline of a normal pregnancy, we see that John the Baptist was likely born right around the time of Passover.

Now here's the thing you need to know about the birth of Yeshua and it is there in plain sight if you just look.

I visited Mary in the 'sixth' month of her pregnancy. Read Luke 1:26 for yourself.

Mary visited Elizabeth in the sixth month. Keep reading Luke and you will see this plain as day in Luke 1:36. 

Question:

Is it that simple? If we count (9) nine more months then it would mean that Yeshua was possibly born at the time of the Fall Feasts, the time of harvest not an ice cold, dreary winter.

Text: Anyone can do the math. It's important.

By this we might see Yeshua conception was some 38 weeks earlier during the time of repentance around Yom Kippur the Day of Atonement.

If you think about it we get to celebrate the "Light of the World" and His miracle conception by the Holy Spirit of God at this time of repentance (teshuva) and His birth likely around the Spring Feast time. Consider Passover.

By this I trust you can see the key to understanding the times and seasons as well as the themes of the Bible is to let Scripture interpret Scripture. You need to seek the truth in Scripture and ask God to help you understand the message He gives in the stories.

After all, Yeshua's witness of light is a burning Menorah light, not a Christmas tree decorated in gold and silver. The message is tied to the service of a Levite priest standing in reverence at the altar, not some Santa Claus climbing down in a soot filled chimney.

If you didn't know this, learn from Luke and John. After all, in Revelation another man named John saw Messiah not by a Christmas tree but in the middle of a seven branched Menorah like the one Moses put in the Tabernacle:

"Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest." Revelation 1:12-13

Yeshua explained as he instructed John to record what he saw:

"Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will happen hereafter; the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden menorot. The seven stars are the angels of the seven assemblies. The seven menorot are seven assemblies." Revelation 12-13 HNV

Ask God to give you the light of His Spirit to understand this. Consider, if Jesus walked down your street would He choose the house with the light of a menorah in December or the house with a string of lights wound around a tree cut from the forest decorated with silver and gold?

When you believe what you see in the Bible, you will believe Jesus and come to know that the Menorah and the ordained timing of The Lord's Feast Days gives us a proper understanding of God's appointments with mankind and His plan. After all, God calls them His "appointment days" for a reason. Everyone should study and honor all they can about these awesome Holy Days, because they represent the seven point plan of God that will restore life with Him as it was meant to be since the beginning!

Christmas traditions as we know them today are not a part of The Lord's Feast Days nor are they part of the vision and plan of restoration for His Kingdom. The Feast Days show us that plan.

In fact, when Messiah returns to give rest to the earth, even the fir trees will rejoice as they will no longer be destroyed each year. How can we know, believe the Bible, it says:

The whole earth is at rest, [and] is quiet: they break forth into singing. Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, [and] the cedars of Lebanon, [saying], Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us. Isaiah 14:7-8

The so-called sacred Christmas tree in your home has a very shocking problem.

Just open the Bible to the beginning, is it any coincidence that you will see that deception and sin began with a tree?

This great deception began with the devil, he has pulled it off ever since convincing the world that what God warns against, what God destains seems good and is a delight to the eyes. This falls right into Satan’s deceptive scheme of lies. By blinding people to truth, Satan deceives people into accepting pagan customs into their homes because it looks dazzling, smells good and reminds us of goodness.

Open your Bible to Ephesians 6:12, there Paul wrote that we “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Yet most professing Christians, never understand this simple truth and they ignore the plain warnings in Genesis and Jeremiah…

"Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the nations… For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest... with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move." Jeremiah 10:2-4

I once told Daniel this: I am come for your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me.

I’m the archangel Gabriel, but it took me 21 days to work though the unseen battle and at the end of the day, I could not do it alone, how about you?

HaSatan and his minions always seek to mix, blend in so they can confuse and blind people to truth. The learning curve begins in dark paganism as they morph from the way of the heathen into shiny warm and fuzzy customs and green tree traditions. If you are wondering about the reference to green trees consider the words of the Bible.

It's not that a green tree in itself is bad, its how they are used in false worship.

In the beginning The LORD God commanded Adam and Eve to not sin by a tree; and in the end He commands everyone to come out of sin. Check out Revelation 18:4. God shows mercy, yet the LORD condemns using pagan ways in His worship:

Deuteronomy 16:21-22 “You shall not plant for yourself an Asherah of any kind of tree beside the altar of the LORD your God, which you shall make for yourself. You shall not set up for yourself a sacred pillar which the LORD your God hates."

If you are thinking "wait", that only applies to a green tree near the Temple, think again. By the gifting of the Holy Spirit, as a believer; a stone of that that Temple altar is now you. So, be a follower too and follow God's life instruction. Oh, and if you think the Bible does not deal with green trees decked out with silver and gold decorations... think again and look at Jeremiah's words!

"Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not." Jeremiah 10:2-4

And if you just think about it logically, just consider the weather. Why would shepherds tend ever to their sheep in the open fields of Bethlehem in the middle of an icy frozen winter? You are right, they wouldn't. Not only is the ground hard and frozen in winter, but after all, none, not one of the seven appointed Feast Days of The Lord God are in the winter.

God keeps all of His appointments with man on His creation calendar, they are His ordained Biblical Feast Days - none are found on man's religious solar calendar. God's calendar reflects all of creation, not just part of it.

It is important to know something more. Many do not realize it, but the shepherds of Bethlehem tended some very special sheep in the pastures there. They were none other than the spotless sacrificial lambs, the "offerings" to be made to The Lord God of Israel in Jerusalem.

By this, can you see the Biblical theme of our great shepherd, The Messiah?

Yet, there is more, much more! The story of Bethlehem begins as the Bible tells us it was also known as Ephrath. Interestingly, Ephrath אֶפְרָת means "place of fruitfulness". Imagine that!

The sheep of Bethlehem should also remind us of the story of David who was also born in Bethlehem being called out from tending the sheep flocks of his father there to shepherd the people of Israel as their king, anointed after he battled Goliath of the Philistines.

It is important to notice what David was doing as a shepherd.

David's storyline shows us he ultimately was taking care of some very special sheep as well, a people God named Israel, both native and adopted and it shows us the promise of Messiah, the eternal King of the universe. A foundation of the prophetic promise of the Kingdom of God begins in 1Samuel 24:20 when the king chosen by men, Saul tells the shepherd David that he knows he is the one chosen to be king by Almighty God:

“And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.”

Not long after that, Saul spoke those words to the shepherd David, Nathan the prophet declared the 'Word of God' to David, it was the same Kingdom promise Yeshua was preached all across the land of Israel. The Kingdom gospel message is the one found in 2Samuel 7.

Try to imagine if you can, Jesus declaring the promise God gave Nathan (in Hebrew meaning "giver") to His servant David. During the ministry of Jesus, this was the 1,000 year old “forever” promise that everyone, literally anyone living in Israel knew by heart and waited for.

They all knew it as the kingship of Melech HaMoshiach born in Bethelem.

Bethlehem’s first appearance in Scripture involves the birth of Rachel's second son Benjamin. Benjamin was the younger brother to Rachel's firstborn son Joseph. Benjamin was born in sorrow on the road to Bethlehem because Rachel רָחֵל whose name means "ewe" (a female sheep) died during his childbirth. It is no accident that the witness to this event established by Jacob still stands today some 3,600 years later. Rachel's tomb is still standing between Bethlehem and Jerusalem, never post to antiquity.

And like king David, it was in Bethlehem that Yeshua the Messiah, the great shepherd and King was born as the Son of Man and the lamb of God. John knew that. That is why is said: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"

Bethlehem is important. When we consider the shepherds of Bethlehem, we must realize there was no need to bring large herds of young, beautiful sheep to Bethlehem in the dead cold of winter because there were no pilgrimage Feast offerings at the Temple altar in the winter.

Of the seven "appointed" Feast Days of The Lord YHVH, only three of them are the required "pilgrimage" Feasts which are the High Holy Days in which all men were to go to Jerusalem. They are 1) Passover (Pesach) followed by the 50 day count to 2) Shavuot (Pentecost) and then after Yom Kippur (Atonements Day) and the concluding 8 day celebration time of 3) Sukkot (Tabernacles).

Following the sixth month of Elul, Trumpets Day begins the joyous period of announcing that the appointed fall Feast Days of the Lord have arrived. This is seen throughout the Scriptures. Look for your self:

• Exodus 23:16
• Exodus 34:22
• Leviticus 23:33-43
• Numbers 29:12-34
• Deuteronomy 16:13-15
• 1Kings 8:3
• 2Chronicles 7:1
• Zechariah 14:16-19
• John 7:2
• Matthew 24:35
• 2Peter 3:7
• Revelation 21:1

The Bible also tells us that Joseph and Mary were righteous like Zechariah and Elizabeth. If Zechariah had not served as a priest he would not have been at the right place at the right time serving The Lord beside the Altar of Incense in The Temple.

This too is very important to you! It means they kept the Torah just like Zechariah and Elizabeth as the instruction of God.

Walking in the Torah, honoring God's word was the requirement of those that were entrusted to raise the Son of God. This is why they were chosen. They were on the way to Jerusalem at the end of Mary's pregnancy for a simple reason. It is required by Torah. Passover is a pilgrimage Feast in which all men of Israel are to appear before The Lord in Jerusalem.

Can we imagine that Jacob and Rachel were likely doing the same, honoring the pilgrimage before the instruction was given by God in the Torah of Sinai? Please re-read Micah 5:2 and Matthew 2:1.

If you say, well the New Testament does not explain that, there was a census, that's why they were headed to Jerusalem. Well, consider if you were King Herod, when would you call a census? Would you do it when the men and families of Israel were scattered all across the land, or would you do it when the men were all gathered together for Shavuot in and around Jerusalem? Think about that for a minute as you sip on your egg nog.

Question: So, can it be that Yeshua came in the Spring Feasts and He will return during the Fall Feasts and that the Day of Trumpets marks a "trumpet day" for the King, THE King of the Universe?

Text: Yes... you need to know that! It is critical to your future. The day makes the announcement of the King's coming, His presence on Earth. You have seen the old movies. In the days of old, a King's arrival is always pre-announced with trumpeting. People need to properly prepare for the arrival of the King. It was the same at Mount Sinai when the shofar sounded at Shavuot.

God was coming down to the Mountain in Fire and smoke. It was the same for the humble Messiah and it will be the same before He returns to the Mount of Olives as King which is the place of His ascension to the Heavenly Sanctuary to serve as the role of High Priest interceding before the throne of God.

A trumpet, a shofar always sounds loudly to alert God's covenant people to look up to the coming of the Creator.

Trumpets Day is a day of joyous celebration and shouting marking the beginning of the fall fruit harvest season in Israel (grapes and olives). It also warns everyone of the coming day of Judgment. That is why the book of Revelation describes the 7 trumpets. Each month, starting with the first month of Nisan at Passover a trumpet is to be blown on each new moon know as Rosh Kodesh.

Seven months (seven Trumpet blast) later we arrive in the seventh month of Tishrei and it contains the metaphor of a fall harvest. This fall feast time is an appointed time or moedim. It will announce and reveal the coronation of The King at His return. The host of angels even celebrate in God's instruction for joyful shouting on The Day of Trumpets, just read Luke 2:8-20 for yourself.

When we re-read Leviticus as Yeshua did throughout His life as He studied in the Jewish synagogue of Nazareth, we find that "Trumpets" is the only Feast Day that God's word does not tell us has a purpose for the day, but we can easily know its mystery. It falls in a time of repentance and declares the coming of awe for the arrival of King Yeshua as His humble lamb of God mission concludes.

Question: Then, why in the world do we celebrate Christmas as a memorial of Messiah's birth?

Text: The idea to celebrate Christmas as Messiah's birth on December 25th originated in Babylon and it was carried on and engaged by Constantine in Rome on the ancient Roman winter solstice date, to replace the pagan holiday celebrating the birth of a pagan false "seed of woman" god.

This came to world focus in the early 3rd century. Many people do not know that history but this is not time to be judgmental, condescending or critical as we learn to move forward in the light of truth and even greater understanding of the Bible and our Creator.

As to Rome, anyone can read this from Collier's Encyclopedia:

"After the triumph of Constantine, the church at Rome assigned December 25 as the date for the celebration of the feast, possibly about A.D. 320 or 353. By the end of the fourth century the Christian world was celebrating Christmas on that day, with the exception of the Eastern churches where it was celebrated on January 6. The choice of December 25 was probably influenced by the fact that on this day the Romans celebrated the Mithraic feast of the Sun-god (natalis solis invicti), and that the Saturnalia also came at this time."

Did you know that because of this history, a winter Christmas was actually illegal in early America when our original colonists outlawed it in the 1600's? It was even banned by state law in Massachusetts until 1856 because even the Presbyterians and the Baptists all knew of its pagan historic origins and they understood the unchanging Biblical record which has been ignored for the past 140 years or so.

Believe it or not, the first session of Congress in 1789 opened on December 25th and it wasn't until 1870 that President Ulysses S. Grant declared Christmas a federal holiday along with July 4th, News Year's day and Thanksgiving.

Today, desception and confusion remains infused in the traditions of men as the nations of Ethiopia, Egypt, Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Serbia, Macedonia, and Moldova celebrate Christmas on January 7th. Churches in Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Antioch, Alexandria, Albania, Finland on December 25th as we now do in America.

Question: So when did Messiah first come into the world?

As you have already seen, the Bible points us toward the truth but the exact date is not declared. Yet, religious tradition tends to hide reality and the simple truth. You have to open your Bible and dig in to seek to know the truth in the details of the pure light of the Word.

Proverbs 25:2 it written to encourage you: "It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out."

After all, the Bible is not just an old story book, it contains the eternal living, loving unchanging voice of God for all of mankind and God wants you to seek Him. The timing of the Feast Days, the order of the Levitical sacrifices and offerings, the Altar, the Temple, God's calendar... all of these are very important to you if you seek the glory of the blueprint of God's salvation plan.

All of "the word" of God is a portrait of Messiah Yeshua, our Great High Priest and Savior and it starts with The Torah. Yeshua said so Himself: "For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me." John 5:46

His story of repentance and salvation is contained within the imagery of the offerings, the Priestly duties and connected to each of the Lord's appointed Feast Days as the revelation of atonement and judgment is shown in the Yom Kippur service. Revelation describes this. It begins with John seeing Messiah Yeshua standing in the Holy place by the seven flames of the Menorah.

If we just look, even the roster order that the priests were named to serve in at the The Temple is vitally important today if we are to understand the Word of God. The Spring Feasts are shadow images into understanding the past work of the humble Messiah and the Fall Feasts are windows of the future of King Messiah. Nothing has changed with God, His Feast Days are as important today as they were for those that followed Him out of Egypt.

Question: Can you explain more? I feel uneasy about what you are saying, I feel some serious discomfort kicking in here because this conflicts with my traditional belief even though I know the Bible never once tells us Christmas day is the time of Jesus' birth.

Text: Yes, I understand your frustration.

The pulpit that follows Constantine's decrees has unwittingly placed the Feast Days of YHVH in the pit. People seek consistency in their beliefs and attitudes in any situation where one feels inconsistency. That is normal, so you must seek the truth in the Bible and pray to God and ask Him to send the teacher of His Spirit for understanding.

You see, Mary's pregnancy is tied to the Biblical calendar and Elizabeth's story as narrated by the gospel writer known as Luke.

Question: So, are you saying the Feasts are important to Believers today?

I thought that they are "Jewish" holidays and that they were done away with, finished at the cross?

Text: The Feasts, all seven of them, show the plan of salvation as God's eternal unchanging appointed times. The Bible in Leviticus 23:2 plainly says they are the forever Feasts of The Lord. They are the Festivals of God - not man or religion. Yeshua is God in the flesh, the Son of God and it just so happens He is a Jew. Being so, the Feasts are His and they are to be honored by all God's people - for ever not just the Jewish people!

The fact that the Jewish people honor them is one reason you should, after all a big purpose in this is that the Jewish people provide a light for the Gentiles. You can read that for yourself in Luke 2:32 and Isaiah 49:6.

A part of the light is the "appointments" of God kept by the Jewish people from the times of the Exodus. The appointments show the timing of God's plan for His interactions with mankind. Its simple, if you don't know them and honor them, you will not be on time or even know when to "show up" for God's appointments and you will miss God's blessings for you in celebrating these days with the Jewish people today.

Honor them or you are going to miss out something awesome in God's plan. No disrespect intended at all, after all, Jesus or rather Yeshua, is from the tribe of Judah, but despite what may be misunderstood, these are not only "Jewish" festival day they are The Father's. Thank God, the Jewish people have been faithful to honor His Word, the oracles of God. They were chosen to do this and remember this too: salvation is of the Jews first then the Gentiles. This is not a matter of priority but of reality and the redemption of the world relies on this fact.

Think about it. All the disciples were Jewish and they first gave the gospel to the Jewish people as taught by Rabbi Yeshua, the Jew. His Jewish followers never converted to a new religion, instead they came into an understanding of the covenant of God and the promise of Messiah.

Since many Jewish people have been ever faithful to the Sabbath Feasts of God, these holy days have become synonymous with the Jewish people. That's why many call them "Jewish" Feasts and that is a very good thing. Much like the time of Messiah's birth and His great name - the Feast Days of The Lord have been not fully understood for some 1,700 years by those that rejected the Jewish people and these days as God's eternal appointments. But you can clear this up for yourself, your family and friends if you will seek truth and apply God's Word in your life. The Word of God is not done away with, it's eternal, every jot and tittle. So open your Bible, read it and get in sync with the Creator's calendar.

The Feast Days are the planned "appointments" of God. These seasons mark the divine time windows that God chose from creation to redeem mankind and the Earth as He intended it. The Feasts of the Lord are a part of creation, that's why the Star of Bethlehem is such a vital part of the story. God's appointments, His seasons of "Moedim" give us the prophetic outline of Messiah's springtime death on the tree at Passover and His resurrection at First Fruits. According to Revelation 12, the stars even tell us about His Feasts.

The storyline continues in real time with the Feast of Trumpets. The 7 days of Tabernacles represents His marriage supper "of the lamb" celebration during the week long feast called the Feast of Tabernacles.

"And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years" Genesis 1:14

Just as the Messiah has fulfilled the first four spring Feasts at his first coming, He will fulfill the final big three fall Feasts when He returns in glory again to Jerusalem. In this manner, the Feasts represent the early and latter rains described in Scripture with a dry summer in between. To understand the future, we must seek Messiah in Genesis, Exodus, Numbers and Deuteronomy as our foundation as well as the Prophets and the Writings so that the Newer Testament testimony like that given in Luke will make sense. All of these will be restored as the fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:31 begins!

Like all books, start at the beginning, or you won't be able to follow the unfolding story line of the scrolls.

Question: Granted, the gospel of Luke states that Mary went visit Elizabeth in Elizabeth's 6th month of pregnancy. When Elizabeth saw Mary, the unborn John leaped, he kicked for joy in her womb, why was that?

Text: This confirmed the prophecy I was honored to give that John the Baptizer - would be anointed with the Holy Spirit while yet unborn. I do pray that ALL people come to understand the truth here. Though he was not yet born, John's joy and excitement was stirred by the very presence of Messiah Yeshua BEFORE either was born.

This shows us that life from God begins at conception, not at birth. All people must come to understand what that means today.

Question: So are you saying we have it all wrong about Christmas because we do not understand the Bible? if so, what does God think of a Christmas tree with all its lights and gifts?

Text: I implore you, I encourage you, OPEN and READ your Bible. Take it to heart, your heart. It is God's LIVING and UNCHANGING word written for you. None of it is done away with. Just turn to Jeremiah 10 and read the opening of chapter for yourself without any prejudice, and you will read what God's has to say about green trees on a stand decorated with silver and gold balls. Believe me, you may never bow down to a tree pick up your gifts again.

Sadly, you will see the trees are brutish and foolish because they represent ancient idol worship from Babylon and beyond. The decorated trees are from the false worship of Ashteroth, they are derived from Ba'al worship which is described throughout the Bible as a grievous sin. Ba'al was also called Molech, the Canaanite false idol.

Do your own research, modern scholars can attest that both Molech and Ba'al represent the same pagan god, a false god of wood and stone that can't speak or move, a god that exists only in the vain imaginations and traditions of men planted in their minds and hearts by the deceiver. The supposed idol wife of Ba'al was Asherah and the wife of Molech is Ashteroth. Asherah and Ashteroth are symbols of false worship of this ancient pagan fertility goddess. This false idol goddess was known to the Greeks as Aphrodite and to the Egyptians as Isis. The pagan names may morph and change over time and culture, but the unholy idols established in Babylon do not.

Look, I know you are shocked by all this, but remember you've been innocent since you did not know!! But remember, innocence ends with truth. So, now that you do know - its time to get busy like John the Baprist preached and repent in teshuva. Pray, read and study your Bible returning to truth from now on. Take on the example of Mary and Joseph for heaven's sake, choose to show God you love Him by living in righteousness. This is not about doing away with salvation by grace, it's all about doing what is right because you love your Creator.

Question: What do you mean, what example do Joseph and Mary give us for living today?

Text: Like Zechariah and Elizabeth they honored and remembered God's word. That is why they were called righteous. Take note, they even observed His instruction as recorded by Moses by circumcising the baby Yeshua, and presenting Him in the Temple on the 8th day (of Tabernacles). Then, just as the Torah teaches that mothers may not present an offering until 7 days pass because they are unclean after a son was born, Mary did the same. Unclean does not mean sinful, it means one cannot stand before the Lord to give an offering.

Both Mary and Joseph, went to Jerusalem to present an offering at the Temple. There was no coincidence they were there. If they had not obeyed the Word of God, they would not have been in the right place at the right time to see saw the devout Simeon whom they met them in the Temple. The Holy Spirit had promised Simeon he would see the Messiah before he died and he did that very day. When Simeon saw Yeshua, he blessed Him and said, "My eyes have seen Thy salvation". Both Joseph and Mary were amazed that he knew His name, "salvation" when he declared "My eyes have seen thy Yeshua"!

They also saw the faithful Anna at the Temple, God's house of prayer. Anna had been going there for years, waiting on Messiah. She was the second witness. Two witnesses are required by Deuteronomy 19:15 and validated again in Matthew 18:16 and 2Corinthians 13:1.

Mary and Joseph honored all of God's teaching and instruction, which in Hebrew means His Torah. They even honored the requirement of two witnesses. YOU too can honor God's instruction, it's there as light post as you walk through life and it demonstrates love toward God and your fellow mankind. You too can honor His "appointed" Feast Days, they are His set-apart "holy" days. Trust me, you don't want to miss an appointment with God. How else are you ever going to begin to really understand God's future plan of salvation and restoration for yourself and mankind?

Question: Wait a minute, I am confused, I thought my pastor said the Feast Days were done away with. Are you saying that they still apply to me today?

Text: Yes. They still apply to you today, that is if you love The Lord.

Yeshua, our Creator came to earth as the Son of man to save you. He is the word of God in the flesh. He spoke the commandments. The Feast Days are his teaching and instruction (Torah). As the Word (Memra) of God, He gave us His instruction for living and worship when He spoke with a thunder-like voice from Mount Sinai and gave us His Torah teaching and instruction in the wilderness. When He did this, He was giving His covenant to those that would receive the grace of salvation by the blood of the lamb and make covenant with Him. Israel and the sojourners with them followed The Lord out of Egypt and through the sea. Yes, it was Yeshua that spoke the Ten Commandments from the fire of the mountain to the assembly below. He called them Israel and the same Yeshua, the one you call Jesus is God. It was He that dwelt among them in a Pillar of Fire and He is the One their descendants "followed" into the Promised Land.

The Newer Testament verse in Acts 7:38 says so, just read it for yourself.

This same book of Acts, also refers to the Israelites as the “church". But this word church is really from the Greek word "ecclesia". It means "assembly" and the assembly of God's children began in the wilderness journey out of Egypt. In fact, according to the NASB Bible version, two early manuscripts of the book of Jude render "the Lord" in verse 1:5 as follows:

Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. Jude 1:5

It is amazing, but there is actually no word with today's meaning of "church" anywhere in the Bible.

God's children, His assembly of people are those that would walk in His love and follow in His covenant instruction that began on the day of Pentecost some 3,500 years ago as the "assembly" came out of Egypt on Passover and heard God speak at the Mountain of Sinai 50 days later. The first-century Jewish believers that wrote the New Testament, the same people that we read about in the book of Acts, were a continuation of the same assembly of God's people He calls "Israel". Like the ancient Israelites and the sojourners with them in the wilderness that followed the cloud of glory fire, they too, saw the glory of God, but in the form of a man.

Question: Wow, are you saying The Set-apart Feast Days of YHVH given in the wilderness of Sinai are for us today as a part of God's plan?

Text: Yes, the appointed Feast days are the prophetic shadow-pictures that show us the plan of salvation and redemption by Messiah Yeshua our Creator and Savior. These seven "moedim" are "appointments" and they represent the seven appointments in the plan of God YHVH for mankind. Anyone can understand these truths. They represent the message of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. After all, the UNCHANGING Bible is a message in which which every word, every instruction is important! Try not to speed read or skip around through His Word from verse to verse, it is too staggering, too deep, too meaningful. When you realize there are no numbered verse in the original it becomes clearer, easier to understand. If you skip verses, the message will become confusing, beyond your understanding.

The Lord's seven Appointed Feast Days correspond to the seven days of creation and they are the time windows of His interactions with us. They are literally the foundation light upon which His salvation (Yeshua) is built upon. That's why God gave us the symbol of the golden, seven branched Menorah, it graphically represents God's Spirit and His appointed plan as a message of salvation, sanctification, resurrection, glorification, redemption, atonement and eternal life.

Think about it, you should replace the Christmas tree with God's appointments, after all, it is the true representation of God's plan for eternal life. That is why the Savior King - Messiah Yeshua is seen in the middle of the seven candlesticks of the Menorah in the last book of the Bible - it is called His "Revelation" for a reason! Just read it for yourself:

"And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; in the midst of the seven candlesticks [one] like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle." Revelation 1:12-13

Question: What does this mean?

Text: It means you need to get prepared and help others, "your lamp stand" needs to be ready for the fulfillment of the Feasts of The Lord. But you need God's Spirit, his oil of your lamp to understand. That is why Jesus, whose Hebrew name is Yeshua, gave us the parable of the lamps, the virgins and the wedding in Matthew 25. King Messiah Yeshua, the "Bridegroom" will come to His "Bride", and He will "tabernacle" in His Kingdom with His assembly of followers. So walk His way.

In Psalms 119:105 we can see that Scripture here describes God's Word, the Torah, as "a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path”. The five lamps in the parable are fueled by oil representing the Holy Spirit. The five is a reference to the Torah, the five books of Moses in which he recorded the words of God.

After all, we are now in the season of "dedication" in 2012... (see Numbers 7:84 2Chronicles 7:9 John 10:22). Today, we call it Hanukkah, in Messiah’s time it was not Christmas, but it was known as the 8 day festival of the Dedication of Lights. It was just as John wrote, it was the time called "Dedication". Some now even call it the Feast of the Maccabees, but the Bible shows us it existed long before those great warriors. It began when Solomon dedicated the Temple.

May God bless you and your family during this time of dedication as you seek to worship Him in truth, and in Spirit.

So start studying the Scriptures today, every day. Pray for understanding, open your eyes, your heart and your Bible, and you will know how to walk in His ways like Joseph and Mary did! The Scriptures were given to you by the Creator of the Universe as a guide to show you how to live an abundant, blessed life (John 10:10).

Messiah Yeshua practiced what He preached, He lived and lives in accordance with all of His’ holy teaching, He shows us THE perfect example to follow (1 Peter 2:21) and it isn't religion or tradition, the Torah is God's teaching and instruction, His Kingdom Constitution.

Believe it or not, He is not a "Greek" Jesus... He has the face of the Messiah Yeshua from the tribe of Judah.

"For if he who comes preaches another Yeshua, whom we did not preach, or if you receive a different spirit, which you did not receive, or a different gospel, which you did not accept, you put up with that well enough." 2 Corinthians 11:4

Don't just take what is written here without first searching it out for yourself, then consider Hosea's words as he recorded:

"I wrote for them the many things of my law, but they regarded them as something alien." "What will you do on the day of your appointed feasts, on the festival days of the Lord?" "Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them." Hosea 8:12; 9:5; 14:9.

Light and truth abounds for those who have the eyes and ears to see and hear.

Celebrate the feasts of YHVH.

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If you like to view an excellent astronomical presentation on the the Star of Bethlehem from the book of Matthew created by the Griffin Observatory and as seen on MSNBC just click here. The "star" was a real event! This scientific presentation is based strictly on NASA lunar-phase tables and the description of the celestial image of the heavens described in Revelation 12.

It's time to focus on God's holidays, His Holy Days - not the holidays and traditions of mankind. You certainly don't have to take my word for this, nor should you, but even TV's The History Channel has a thing or two to say about the truth and traditions of Christmas trees, Santa Claus, mistletoe, wreaths and songs of boughs of holly and yule tide logs. I encourage to watch the video, it will open you eyes!

Luke's account is well worth repeating here:

Luke 1:5-25: “There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zachariah, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zachariah saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zachariah: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

And Zachariah said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

And the people waited for Zachariah, and marveled that he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on [me], to take away my reproach among men.”

Luke 1:26-37: “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus {Yeshua}. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

Notice the timeline is given to us by Luke... "in the sixth month" of Elul.

Now look further at Luke's message from Zachariah:

Luke 1:67-75 "And his father Zachariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, Blessed [be] the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation {Yeshua} for us in the house of his servant David; As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy [promised] to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; the oath which he swore to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life."

God's word holds many mysteries when we do not seek its simple truth - and all we need to do is look into the word and dig in. At the end of the story of Zachariah we are given a prophecy. A prophecy that tells us:

1. God is the God of Israel. So, we need to know just who is Israel.
2. God visits His people. So, we need to understand God appointment days.
3. God saves His people. So, we need to know Yeshua means salvation.
4. God will allow us to serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness. So we need to know just how to live a set apart righteous life.

Sometimes the truth seems stranger than fiction.

After all, despite what we have been traditionally taught about Christmas, we need truth, the key to understanding the appointed holy days God gave us to celebrate we must first understand that God gives us His teaching and instruction for living because He loves us and He never changes His mind.

He teaches us some very simple guidelines about how we are to live and how we are to worship Him. It's the original message of the Deceiver to fall for the idea that God does not mean what He says or that He changes His mind. Don't fall for that massage any longer. Seek only God's ways and remember that it is important what you do once you know the truth because:

“For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." Luke 12:48

Once we know the truth, God will require it of us to do something about it! Don't just sit there.

It’s time to stop following tradition, it's time to allow our Heavenly Father to instruct us!

Much of Christianity today is no different than ancient Israel in the days of the prophet Hosea. They thought that they could celebrate unholy days offered up in Ba’al worship, but they had no idea that their compromise with heathen tradition would cause them to be divorced by YHVH and sent away into exile (see Jeremiah 3:8; Amos 5:21-27; Galatians 4:8-11).

If you are one of those who would rationalize, not knowing you are standing on the wide road “God knows my heart” or if you say “They may have started out as pagan holidays, but we make them holy days for Christ”, I urge you to please consider what our Savior teaches in Matthew:

Matthew 5:13-14 "You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. You are the light of the world..."

Matthew 5:16-17 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

Matthew 19:17 "And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."

He repeated this teaching in His Revelation letter to the church of the Laodiceans.

Be zealous. Be zealous in the pursuit of good. Paul told us what is good. He taught us to consent to it and to prove to others what is good.

"Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." "If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good." "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 7:12, 16, 12:2

In conclusion, Yeshua told us His view on traditions. Listen to Him:

Mark 7:9, 13 "And he said unto them, Full well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition." "Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which you have delivered: and many such like things you do."

In a close study, is Christmas really any different from the religious traditions of the Pharisees?

Yeshua draws a very sharp contrast between the word of God, and the traditions of men. Set opposite to the traditions of men, Jesus held up the word of God spoken by Moses. Jesus affirmed that these religious men laid "aside the commandment of God" rejected "the commandment of God" and were "making the word of God of none effect" by not keeping what "Moses said".

Yeshua upheld what Moses wrote and for His children to observe and do what Moses said (Matthew 12:1-3). The reason of course being that Moses wrote the spoken words of God (see Exodus 20:1,12).

Who is the word of God... and just what did He tell Amos?

Amos 5:21,23 "I hate, I despise your festival days... Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy instruments."

Others may may a good case case for another day, but one thing is clear, Constantine's Christmas day is the wrong day. Jeremiah declared this for all to hear:

Jeremiah 10:1-4 "Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen... For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not."

For an in depth resource to further Biblical study on this timing of the birth of Yeshua Messiah, TorahCalendar.com offers a unique proof study that ties other Scripture into the Fall Feast date of The Birth if Messiah.

What does this all mean? 

It's time for you to repent and return to God's voice, return to hear and do His word and walk in the faith of His Kingdom path so that you can ready your lamp for your coming assignment. 

It means we need to know "Who is the One Called Jesus.

Consider a prayer: Please, God guide me by your Spirit as to what I should hear and do.

It's time to repent and return to God's voice, return to hear and do His words and walk in the faith of His Kingdom path so that you can ready your lamp for your assignment. 

Stretch out your hand, and take from the tree of life, and live forever.

Open a Bible, read it, listen to God's voice and do Yeshua's teaching about the forever jots and tittles. 

You can learn how the things which are written in the Torah, the Prophets, and the Psalms are concerning Messiah and you can teach others to live life like Jesus, it's love in God's way:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." John 3:16-17

Today is the time, open your eyes if you're dead in your own valley of dry bones.

Look up and you'll recognize Messiah from Abraham's promise passed on to Isaac and Jacob as written by Moses in the Torah. You can see Him too in the Prophets and the Writings.

Repent and walk your Emmaus Road with Messiah. Study the Scriptures He taught every Sabbath that are filled with doing life God's way in the Kingdom, and tell others about Him. Be a gatekeeper until the house is complete.

Shalom.