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believe that the seventh day of the week (Friday sunset to Saturday
sunset) is the day Yahweh has set apart, and is a memorial of His
omnipotent creative power, Genesis 2:2-3. The
Sabbath day is a holy day of rest, Exodus 20:8-11;
which points to that greater Millennial rest of salvation, Matthew
11:28-30; Luke 4:16-18; Hebrews 4:1-6. Yahweh freely offers
the Sabbath as an opportunity to accept and experience His marvelous
creation and redemption; Mark 2:27-28; Hebrews 4:7-11.
By participating in the Sabbath we express our belief in YahShua as
the Creator and as the Author and Finisher of our Salvation, Hebrews
12:2. The Sabbath rest is a symbol of our love, loyalty and
commitment to Yahweh, Exodus 31:13. By consecrating
a portion of our time that He has designated for our rest and worship,
we show our subjection to His will, and recognize His dominion over
our life and over the whole creation. A "Sabbath rest" remains for
His people, Hebrews 4:9, a day of delight and
not a day of works, Isaiah 58:13. Return
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New
moons will be kept in the Kingdom, Isaiah 66:23.
We believe that the scriptural months are delineated by the unseen
moon called the Mulad, 2Kings 4:23; Nehemiah 10:33;
Psalm 81:3. This speaks of our faith that Yahweh will renew
the moon and grant us a new month. We use a round Challah to typify
the moon being full in the heavenlies-receiving the light that we
will see as the month progresses. "...and when it is wholly extinguished,
its light is consumed in heaven; and on the first day it is called
the new moon, for on that day light is received into it." Book
of Enoch (Laurence' Translation); chapter 77 verse 14. The
Scriptural day begins and ends with sunset, Leviticus
23:32; Judges 14:12 and 18; Mark 1:32. Click
here to view our Rosh Chodesh Liturgy.
Rosh Chodesh dates
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Festivals
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Pesach/Passover
We believe that the commemoration of the precious sacrifice of YahShua
the Messiah is observed annually on the evening (beginning) of the
14th of Abib/Nisan. as the 13th ends, according to the original Pesach
in Egypt when the death angel came over midnight of the 14th, Exodus
12:13-14. In humbly partaking of the Pesach, we give witness
that we accept the shed blood of our loving Savior for our sins, Numbers
28:16; Luke 22:15-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29. The symbols used
are those instituted by YahShua: eating unleavened bread representative
of His broken body, Exodus 23:18; 1 Corinthians 10:16,
and drinking the fruit of the vine as the symbol of His shed blood,
Deuteronomy 32:14; Isaiah 65:8-9; Matthew 26:27-29.
Our love for YahShua and humility among the brethren is also
acted out in a footwashing ceremony as directed by our beloved Savior
and Redeemer, according to John 13:3-17. Return
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Feast
of First Fruits / Resurrection
The
word first fruits means 'a promise to come' and Messiah is
our promise of resurrection and eternal life. Yahshua is the
fulfillment of this festival, by raising from the dead on
the First Fruits after Passover. 1 Cor 15:
20 But Messiah has indeed been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. Yahshua tried
to explain the agricultural correlation with His death, burial
and resurrection in John 12: 23-24 Yahshua replied, "The hour
has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the
truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces
many seeds. Eph 5:1-2 Be imitators of
Elohim, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life
of love, just as Messiah loved us and gave Himself up for
us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to Yahweh. Lev
23: 9,14 The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the Israelites
and say to them: …bring to the priest a sheaf of the first
grain you harvest. He is to wave the sheaf before the LORD
so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave
it on the day after the Sabbath. You must not eat any bread,
or roasted or new grain, until the very day you bring this
offering to your Elohim. This is to be a lasting ordinance
for the generations to come, wherever you live. Rev
1: 5-6 and from Yahshua HaMachia, who is the faithful
witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the
kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us from
our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and
priests to serve his Elohim and Father--to Him be glory and
power for ever and ever! Amein. Return
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Feast
of Unleaven Bread
We believe that after partaking of the Passover, we strive to live
a sin-free life of obedience as we observe the following seven days
of Unleavened Bread, Leviticus 23:6; Matthew 16:12;
Mark 8:14-15; Luke 12:1; Romans 6:13-22; 1 Corinthians 5:6-8. Symbolizing
the initial step toward righteousness and coming out of sin, this
first day of Unleavened Bread on the 15th of Abib/Nisan is a time
we delight in observing, for this Sabbath begins the seven days of
the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The seventh or last day is also a Sabbath,
Abib/Nisan 21, and pictures the complete coming out of the worldly
way of sin and rebellion to follow the righteousness of our Savior,
YahShua the Messiah, Exodus 12:15, 20; Numbers 28:17-25;
Acts 20:6-7. We gladly rid our houses of all leavened products
for seven days to remind us of cleansing ourselves of false doctrine
which could lead to sin, for by physical acts we learn a spiritual
lesson. Unleavened bread is eaten for these seven days, allowing us
to symbolically take in the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth,
1 Corinthians 5:7-8. Return
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Counting
the Omar
We
believe that the counting is remembering each step our spiritual
ancestors took
leaving behind the Land of Oppression in the Exodus until we
came to stand at the base of the mountain and received the Torah
on Shavuot. Leviticus
23:15 The
counting is also remembering each day the disciples waited in
Jerusalem awaiting the gift of the Spirit. Acts
1:3-8 Each step we take transforms us into a
people who at Passover become physically free into a people
who at Shavuot / Pentecost become spiritually free. Return
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| Shavuot
/ Pentecost
We believe the day of Shavuot / Pentecost or Feast of Weeks is a
Sabbath day and the third Annual Sabbath and is a very special convocation,
Leviticus 23:15-21; Numbers 28:26, and is
counted from the day after the weekly Sabbath that falls during
the days of Unleavened Bread. Seven Sabbaths, seven complete weeks
are counted, bringing us to the day after the weekly Sabbath known
as Sunday or the first day of the week. It is observed as a memorial
of the day Yahweh made the covenant with Israel at Sinai, Exodus
24:4-8. It is also the day that YahShua promised He would
endue His assembly with power from on High, Luke
24:49; John 14:26, 15:26; Acts 1:4-8, which was fulfilled
when Yahweh's Holy Spirit was sent on Shavuot to this earth, Acts
2:1-18, to abide with His people forever, John
14:16. Shavuot / Pentecost or Feast of Weeks points to the
initial harvest of souls, a kind of firstfruits unto Yahweh,
Romans 8:23; 11:16; 16:5; 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 and 16:15; James
1:18; Revelation 14:4. Return
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Yom
Teruah / Blowing of Trumpets
We believe that we eagerly look for the return of YahShua the
Messiah, our Savior, for when He returns at the sound of the
last shofar (trumpet) and voice of the archangel we shall receive
our reward, 1 Corinthians 15:22-23 and 51-53;
1 Thes. 4:14-17; 1 Peter 5:4; Revelation 2:23; 22:12. Yom
Teruah is the fourth Annual Sabbath and begins the seventh month
and is a set-apart convocation, Leviticus 23:24-25,
reminding us to keep our minds on heavenly things so
that we rejoice upon the return of our Savior at the last shofar,
Luke 21:27-28. A blowing of shofars remind
us of this signal calling Israel to assemble, to prepare for
journeying; and an alarm for war, Numbers 10:1-10.
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Yom
Kippur
/ Day
of Atonement
We believe that the Yom Kippur points to YahShua's having made the
Atonement for us. Having been reconciled through YahShua,
Romans 5:6-11, 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; Colossians 1:19-22; Hebrews
2:18, we joyfully tell others of His glorious work. As the
ninth day of this seventh month ends at sunset and a new day begins
Lev. 23:32, we neither eat nor drink for 24
hours until sunset of the tenth, which ends the day, Leviticus
16:29-31, 23:27-32, Numbers 29:7. We are reminded how human
and carnal we are and how needful we are of the Atoning Sacrifice
of YahShua. We also look forward to the destruction of Satan, Hebrews
2:14, and the world's being at-one with YahShua and our Heavenly
Father, Acts 27:9; Revelation 20:1-3. Atonement
is the fifth Annual Sabbath and also brings in the Jubilee year. Historically
it is the highest set-apart day of the year. Return
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Sukkoth
/ Feast of Tabernacles
We believe that the Sukkoth shows the righteous one-thousand-year
reign of our soon-coming King YahShua,
Zechariah 14:16. A time of peace, prosperity and happiness
shall prevail when YahShua rules, putting into effect the laws
of His Father Yahweh, which are especially studied during the
Sukkoth, showing our faith in Yahweh's eventual sovereignty
over the entire earth. A commanded Assembly where Yahweh has
placed His name, Sukkoth is observed seven days starting on
the 15th day of the seventh month (Tishri 15 through 21), the
first day is the sixth Annual Sabbath, Leviticus
23:34-36, and 43; Numbers 29:12. The Feast of Tabernacles
lasts seven days, plus the Last Great Day, which YahShua the
Messiah observed, John 7:37, making it
an eight-day celebration. Return
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Last
Great Day
/ Eighth Day
We believe that the final culmination of the plan of Yahweh is completed
in the great harvest of all humans who have ever lived, Revelation
20:5, and the eternal judgment of Yahweh is performed,
Revelation 20:11-15; Hebrews 6:4. Known as the White Throne
Judgment, Matthew 25:32, it is prefigured by
the eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles, the seventh Annual Sabbath
called the Last Great Day. It is the time of Yahweh's ultimate salvation,
Leviticus 23:36; Numbers 29:35; John 7:37-38.
It is then that a new heaven and earth will be enjoyed, Isaiah
66:22; Revelation 21:1. The Sabbatical-Jubilee cycle is also
indicative of Yahweh's plan of redemption in entering His "rest."
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Hanukkah
/ Feast of Dedication
We believe that YahShua Himself celebrated Hanukkah, which is
mentioned in John 10:22-23 as the Feast of Dedication. It was
on that day that He proclaimed Himself as a "Light to the World!"
This makes the Set-apart Day special for Messianic Gentiles.
It was, after all, the Feast of Dedication of His Father's House.
YahShua's first conversation in this section of Scripture is
about miracles, the main theme of the Set-apart Day. YahShua
and His disciples celebrated Hanukkah as a solemn yet joyous
time to remember the victory of the Jews over the Syrians, the
People of YHWH over assimilation. After the destruction of the
second Temple in 70 CE, it seems that many Jewish people lost
their zeal for the celebration. It is thought of by many modern
Jews as a holiday, which represents the need to fight for religious
freedom. We as believers in Messiah YahShua can see the significance
in this celebration of YHWH'S faithfulness towards His people.
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Tu
B'Shevat / 15th of Shevat
Tu
Bishvat is a celebration of the earth and it's produce, held
on the 15th of Shevat (28 January). It is based on the theme
in Genesis where Yahweh and human beings are in partnership
with the concern for the natural environment. Humans take responsibility
for the earth and Yahweh cares for the whole universe. Gen
1: 11 Then Elohim said, "Let the land produce vegetation:
seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with
seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so.
12 …And Elohim saw that it was good. 13
And there was evening, and there was morning--the third day.
29 Then Elohim said, "I give you every
seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every
tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for
food. Gen 2: 9 And the LORD Elohim made
all kinds of trees grow out of the ground--trees that were pleasing
to the eye and good for food. 15 The LORD
Elohim took the human being and put him in the Garden of Eden
to work it and take care of it. By celebrating this commissioning,
we remember and remind others that their concern for the land
and it's produce is not a trend but a lifelong commitment. This
is a day to commemorate our connection to Eretz Israel and the
bounty it provides Yahweh's people. Return
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Purim
We believe that Purim is the yearly festival commemorating the
deliverance of the Jewish people in the days of King Xerxes
of Persia (called Ahasuerus in Hebrew), as described in the
Biblical book of Esther. The Book of Esther, which is read in
its entirety in the synagogue on Purim, tells of a Jewish girl
named Hadassah, also known as Esther, whose circumstances put
her in a position to save her people from an evil plot to annihilate
the entire Jewish population of the Persian Empire. The story
is full of delightfully ironic twists and extraordinary coincidences
The Book of Esther demonstrates that Yahweh's promise to preserve
his people cannot be overcome. Even though the book expresses
no acknowledgment of Yahweh, his hand is evident in the outplay
of events. Mordechai and Esther may have been Yah-fearing Jews,
but the text itself leaves this open. One could as easily read
the story as being about two determined secular Jews participating
in Yahweh's unfolding drama without even knowing who was behind
it, just as secular Zionists and modern Israelis have done --
fighting for the sake of the people while failing to acknowledge
the Yahweh who assures their eventual success. From the Exodus
to the Persian Gulf War, history is full of incidents in which
the Chosen People have survived when the odds were against them.
Is it only luck, or is it the Yahweh of Abraham, who promised
to preserve his people? Esther is a story of Yahweh at work
behind the scenes. Yet someday He will step out from behind
the curtain. Will you be glad to see Him? Return
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Holy
Half-Shekel |
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