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The Jewish Feasts are not “For Jews Only”; Call Them “The Feasts of the LORD” as Stated in Holy Bible & Tanakh
Why The 43,000 Christian Denominations Worldwide Should Be Celebrating The Feasts of The LORD?
As believers/saints, we are called to obey the commandments and statutes. Why is the church, the 43,000 Christian Denominations worldwide not celebrating the 3 Feasts of the LORD for the Fall Season? As stated in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
Please read Leviticus 23. Are the words “Jewish Feasts” in Leviticus 23? The answer is more than likely no, but for years, media, Jews, & other believers/saints have continued to refer to these feasts as the “Jewish Feasts”. Leviticus 23:4 states, “These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.” The Jews & many of the 43,000 Christian denominations observe Pentecost, which is a feast of the LORD. If the believers/saints who are Gentiles observe Pentecost, then why aren’t they observing these 3 Feasts of the LORD?
The church, both the Jews & Gentiles are not doing what they are called to do. As a result, many people are dying due to a lack of knowledge and not because it is the will of God. They are doing things out of tradition instead of obeying the Word of God. For example, many Jews do not believe in Yeshua (Acts 21:20). As apostasy continues to grow rampantly in the church; there continues to be separation in the church among both the Jews and Gentiles. Let’s see if we can change the way that people think and start obeying the Word of God now before this season ends on October 5th.
The Sabbath is a Feast of the LORD; Holy Convocation Should Occur on Saturday & not Sunday
The Sabbath is considered one of the feasts of the LORD, & it was not changed by the LORD. Here are three scriptures that confirmed this: Leviticus 23:1, Mark 2:27-28, & Hebrew 4:3-11. The Sabbath should be celebrated by all believers/saints from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. Leviticus 23:3 states, “Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.” We are commanded in the Fourth Commandment of the Ten Commandments to “Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy”. In every language, the Sabbath means Saturday.
“The Catholic Church even boasts that, by its own authority, it changed the Sabbath to Sunday. In Daniel 7:25 a prophecy is given that the little horn, which represents the end time false church, will want to change times and laws. Given the evidence above, we are lead to the conclusion that the breaking of God's law, especially His seventh-day Sabbath rest, is the mark of the Beast”. (Source: http://www.biblestudy.org/prophecy/what-is-the-mark-of-the-beast.html).
Many of the 43,000 Christian denominations worship on Sunday, which is not biblical. They should change to Saturday.
The 3 Feasts of the LORD for the Fall Season
These are the “Solemn Appointed Times with God” in September/October 2015. The 3 feasts of the LORD for the Fall Season are the Feasts of Trumpets also called Rosh HaShanah, Day of Atonement also called Yom Kippur, and the Feast of the Tabernacles. The dates for these 3 LORD’s Feasts are based on God’s calendar, the Hebrew calendar, which is different from the calendar that is used every day, the Gregorian calendar (http://antipas.net/heb_cal_2015-16.htm). The seventh month is called Tishri in the year of 5776 on the Hebrew calendar, which corresponds with the month of September on the Gregorian calendar.
The Feast of The Trumpets (Rosh HaShanah)
According to scripture, Leviticus 23:23-25 states, “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord.”
The Date for The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh HaShanah): The first day of the month on the Hebrew calendar corresponds with Monday, September 14 on the Gregorian calendar. Since the holidays starts the day before at sundown on the Gregorian calendar, therefore the Feast of Trumpets should be observed from Sunday, September 13, 2015 at sundown to Monday, September 14, 2015 at sundown.
How is The Feast of Trumpets Observed?
The Feast of Trumpets is celebrated by blowing trumpets (shofar) 100 times to announce the setting up of The LORD’s eternal court. You can sound the shofar at http://www.manifestthetruth.com/blow-the-shofar-and-play-gospel-songs.html. Typically, a blessing will be said over two loaves of bread, known as challah. Challah also stands for the circle of life, and the hope that our lives endure without end. Apples dipped in honey are another Rosh HaShanah tradition. It symbolizes the hope for a "sweet year" ahead. Honey is spread on challah. Tzimmes, a mixture made from carrots, cinnamon, yams, prunes, and honey, is also traditional.
In the article, The Feast of Trumpets in the New Testament by Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D., Andrews University at https://www.biblicalperspectives.com/books/festivals_2/3.html states, “The Feast of Trumpets in the Old and New Testaments reveals that God is not in the business to punish but to save. He uses attention-catching methods to warn and lead His people to repentance before executing His judgments. By means of the annual trumpets blasting, He summoned His people in Old Testament times to repent and amend their lives in view of the judgment going on in heaven. The same clarion call is sounded today to mankind by the flying angel of Revelation, who proclaims with a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come" (Rev 14:7).
Christians today, like God’s people in ancient times, need to hear the annual trumpet-call of the Feast of Trumpets to stand trial before God and seek for His cleansing grace. After all, Christians too need to be reminded periodically that "we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body" (2 Cor 5:10). The Feast of Trumpets provides a much needed annual wake up call to prepare oneself to stand before God’s judgment by repenting and forsaking sinful ways.
The Feast of Trumpets reminds us annually that the heavenly court will soon close the books and Christ will come to cleanse the faithful, to punish the wicked, and to bind Satan (Azazel) before destroying him "in the lake of fire" (Rev 20:10). This reassuring message inspires us to live godly lives with joy, confidence, and hope while "awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13).”
The Ten Days of Repentance/Teshuvah
The ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are days of repentance, when Jews and now believers/saints can express remorse for their sins through prayer and fasting. In the article “What is Yom Kippur?” states, “The ten days leading up to Yom Kippur are known as the Ten Days of Repentance/Teshuvah. During this period Jews are encouraged to seek out anyone they may have offended and to sincerely request forgiveness so that the New Year can begin with a clean slate. If the first request for forgiveness is rebuffed, one should ask for forgiveness at least two more times, at which point the person whose forgiveness is being sought should grant the request. The rabbis thought it was cruel for anyone to withhold their forgiveness for offenses that had not caused irrevocable damage.
This process of repentance is called teshuvah and it is a crucial part of Yom Kippur. Teshuvah literally means "return" and is the word used to describe the concept of repentance in Judaism. Although many people think that transgressions from the previous year are forgiven through prayer, fasting and participation in Yom Kippur services, Jewish tradition teaches that only offenses committed against God can be forgiven on Yom Kippur. Hence it is important that people make an effort to reconcile with others before participating in Yom Kippur services.”
In the article, “What is Teshuvah?” states, at http://judaism.about.com/od/judaismbasics/g/teshuvah.htm, “If a specific person has been wronged the offender must ask that person for forgiveness. The final stage of teshuvah is resolving to never commit such a sin again. According to Jewish tradition, by the third request the person who was wronged is required to grant forgiveness if the offender is sincerely remorseful and is taking steps to prevent similar wrongs from happening again. Because teshuvah requires the sinner to ask forgiveness of the person they have offended it has been argued that a murderer cannot be forgiven for his or her crime. In order to do so they would have to ask the person they killed for forgiveness. There are two other offenses that come close to being unpardonable: defrauding the public and ruining a person's good name. In both cases it is nearly impossible to track down every person who was affected by the offense, for instance, every person affected by a monetary crime or every person who heard a rumor.”
In the article, “The Feasts of the Trumpets in the New Testament” states, “Just as in the typical Levitical system the trumpets were blown during the ten days preceding the Day of Atonement to call the people to repent and stand trial before the heavenly court, so in the antitypical service an angel calls with "a loud voice" upon mankind to repent and worship God because "the hour of his judgment has come" (Rev 14:7).”
The believers/saints should worship, praise, and pray to God. In addition, the believers/saints should confess & repent of their sins, forgive others, and fast. An excellent e-book called The Power of Fasting and Prayer: Practical Principles of Prayer and Fasting for Today by Bennie Mostert and Peet Grobbelaar & a 1 page reference called, “Using the Holy Bible to Teach Repentance and Forgiveness” can be downloaded at http://www.manifestthetruth.com/prayer-and-fasting.html.
The Dates for the Ten Days of Repentance/Teshuvah: Begins on Monday, September 14, 2015 at sundown and ends at sundown on Tuesday, September 22, 2015.
A Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur):
A Day of Atonement also called Yom Kippur is the holiest day on the Hebrew Calendar and it is the second feast of the LORD for the Fall Season. Leviticus 23:26-32 states, “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.”
The Date for a Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur): The tenth day of the month on the Hebrew calendar corresponds with Wednesday, September 23 on the Gregorian calendar. Since the holidays starts the day before at sundown, therefore, a Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) should be observed from Tuesday, September 22, 2015 at sundown to sundown on Wednesday, September 23, 2015.
How is a Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) Observed? Yom Kippur is the final Day of Judgment, when each person's fate is sealed by God for the upcoming year. It is observed as a day of repentance, self-denial, charitable works, prayer and fasting. Leviticus 23:27 describes it as "afflicting your souls" and during this time no food or liquid may be consumed. Yom Kippur is a complete Sabbath. No work is done on this day. The book of Jonah is read on Yom Kippur in remembrance of God's forgiveness and mercy.
Jewish tradition tells how God opens the Book of Life and studies the words, actions, and thoughts of every person whose name he has written there. If a person's good deeds outweigh or outnumber their sinful acts, his or her name will remain inscribed in the book for another year. On Yom Kippur, the ram's horn (shofar) is blown at the end of evening prayer services. If one has observed the holiday properly by the end of Yom Kippur they will have made peace with others and with God.
In the article, “What is Yom Kippur?” at http://christianity.about.com/od/biblefeastsandholidays/p/dayofatonement.htm states, “There are three essential components of Yom Kippur:
Teshuvah (Repentance)
Yom Kippur is a day of reconciliation, when Jews strive to make amends with people and to draw closer to God through prayer and fasting. The ten days leading up to Yom Kippur are known as the Ten Days of Repentance. During this period Jews are encouraged to seek out anyone they may have offended and to sincerely request forgiveness so that the New Year can begin with a clean slate. If the first request for forgiveness is rebuffed, one should ask for forgiveness at least two more times, at which point the person whose forgiveness is being sought should grant the request. The rabbis thought it was cruel for anyone to withhold their forgiveness for offenses that had not caused irrevocable damage.
This process of repentance is called teshuvah and it is a crucial part of Yom Kippur. Although many people think that transgressions from the previous year are forgiven through prayer, fasting and participation in Yom Kippur services, Jewish tradition teaches that only offenses committed against God can be forgiven on Yom Kippur. Hence it is important that people make an effort to reconcile with others before participating in Yom Kippur services.
Prayer
Yom Kippur is the longest synagogue service in the Jewish year. It begins on the evening before Yom Kippur day with a haunting song called Kol Nidre (All Vows). The words of this melody ask God to forgive any vows people have made to God and not kept.
The service on the day of Yom Kippur lasts from morning until nightfall. Many prayers are said but one is repeated at intervals throughout the service. This prayer is called Al Khet & asks for forgiveness for a variety of sins that may have been committed during the year. The Jewish concept of sin is not like the Christian concept of original sin. Rather, it’s the kind of everyday offenses like hurting those we love, lying to ourselves or using foul language that Judaism views as sinful. You can clearly see examples of these infractions in the Yom Kippur liturgy, for instance in this excerpt from Al Khet:
For the sin that we have committed under stress or through choice;
For the sin that we have committed in stubbornness or in error;
For the sin that we have committed in the evil meditations of the heart;
For the sin that we have committed by word of mouth;
For the sin that we have committed through abuse of power;
For the sin that we have committed by exploitation of neighbors;
For all these sins, O God of forgiveness, bear with us, pardon us, forgive us!
When Al Khet is recited people gently beat their fists against their chests as each sin is mentioned. Sins are mentioned in plural form because even if someone hasn’t committed a particular sin, Jewish tradition teaches that every Jew bears a measure of responsibility for the actions of other Jews.
During the afternoon portion of the Yom Kippur service the Book of Jonah is read to remind people of God’s willingness to forgive those who are sincerely sorry. The last part of the service is called Ne’ilah (Shutting). The name comes from the imagery of Ne’ilah prayers, which talk about gates being shut against us. People pray intensely during this time, hoping to be admitted to God’s presence before the gates have been shut.
Fasting
Yom Kippur is also marked by 25 hours of fasting. There are other fast days in the Jewish calendar or Gregorian calendar, but this is the only one the Torah or Holy Bible specifically commands us to observe. Leviticus 23:27 describes it as "afflicting your souls" and during this time no food or liquid may be consumed.
The fast starts an hour before Yom Kippur begins and ends after nightfall on the day of Yom Kippur. In addition to food, Jews are also forbidden from engaging in sexual relations, bathing or wearing leather shoes. The prohibition against wearing leather comes from a reluctance to wear the skin of a slaughtered animal while asking God for mercy.
Who Fasts on Yom Kippur?
Children under the age of nine are not allowed to fast, while children older than nine are encouraged to eat less. Girls who are 12 years or older and boys who are 13 years or older are required to participate in the full 25-hour fast along with adults. However, pregnant women, women who have recently given birth and anyone suffering from a life-threatening illness are not required to observe the fast. These people need food and drink to keep up their strength and Judaism always values life above the observance of Jewish law.
Many people end the fast with a feeling of deep serenity, which comes from having made peace with others & with God.”
The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot):
The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) is the third & final Feast of the LORD for the Fall Season. Leviticus 23:33-44 states, “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord. On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein. These are the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day: Beside the sabbaths of the Lord, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the Lord. Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days. And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the Lord.”
The Dates for The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot): The 15th day of the month on the Hebrew Calendar corresponds with September 28th on the Gregorian calendar. Since the holiday starts on sundown the day before, therefore the Feast of Tabernacles will begin on September 27th at sundown for 7 days & the seventh day ends at sundown on October 4th. The eighth day begins at sundown on October 4th and ends on sundown at October 5th.
The Jewish Feasts are not “For Jews Only”; Call Them “The Feasts of the LORD” as Stated in Holy Bible & Tanakh
Why The 43,000 Christian Denominations Worldwide Should Be Celebrating The Feasts of The LORD?
As believers/saints, we are called to obey the commandments and statutes. Why is the church, the 43,000 Christian Denominations worldwide not celebrating the 3 Feasts of the LORD for the Fall Season? As stated in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
Please read Leviticus 23. Are the words “Jewish Feasts” in Leviticus 23? The answer is more than likely no, but for years, media, Jews, & other believers/saints have continued to refer to these feasts as the “Jewish Feasts”. Leviticus 23:4 states, “These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.” The Jews & many of the 43,000 Christian denominations observe Pentecost, which is a feast of the LORD. If the believers/saints who are Gentiles observe Pentecost, then why aren’t they observing these 3 Feasts of the LORD?
The church, both the Jews & Gentiles are not doing what they are called to do. As a result, many people are dying due to a lack of knowledge and not because it is the will of God. They are doing things out of tradition instead of obeying the Word of God. For example, many Jews do not believe in Yeshua (Acts 21:20). As apostasy continues to grow rampantly in the church; there continues to be separation in the church among both the Jews and Gentiles. Let’s see if we can change the way that people think and start obeying the Word of God now before this season ends on October 5th.
The Sabbath is a Feast of the LORD; Holy Convocation Should Occur on Saturday & not Sunday
The Sabbath is considered one of the feasts of the LORD, & it was not changed by the LORD. Here are three scriptures that confirmed this: Leviticus 23:1, Mark 2:27-28, & Hebrew 4:3-11. The Sabbath should be celebrated by all believers/saints from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. Leviticus 23:3 states, “Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.” We are commanded in the Fourth Commandment of the Ten Commandments to “Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy”. In every language, the Sabbath means Saturday.
“The Catholic Church even boasts that, by its own authority, it changed the Sabbath to Sunday. In Daniel 7:25 a prophecy is given that the little horn, which represents the end time false church, will want to change times and laws. Given the evidence above, we are lead to the conclusion that the breaking of God's law, especially His seventh-day Sabbath rest, is the mark of the Beast”. (Source: http://www.biblestudy.org/prophecy/what-is-the-mark-of-the-beast.html).
Many of the 43,000 Christian denominations worship on Sunday, which is not biblical. They should change to Saturday.
The 3 Feasts of the LORD for the Fall Season
These are the “Solemn Appointed Times with God” in September/October 2015. The 3 feasts of the LORD for the Fall Season are the Feasts of Trumpets also called Rosh HaShanah, Day of Atonement also called Yom Kippur, and the Feast of the Tabernacles. The dates for these 3 LORD’s Feasts are based on God’s calendar, the Hebrew calendar, which is different from the calendar that is used every day, the Gregorian calendar (http://antipas.net/heb_cal_2015-16.htm). The seventh month is called Tishri in the year of 5776 on the Hebrew calendar, which corresponds with the month of September on the Gregorian calendar.
The Feast of The Trumpets (Rosh HaShanah)
According to scripture, Leviticus 23:23-25 states, “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord.”
The Date for The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh HaShanah): The first day of the month on the Hebrew calendar corresponds with Monday, September 14 on the Gregorian calendar. Since the holidays starts the day before at sundown on the Gregorian calendar, therefore the Feast of Trumpets should be observed from Sunday, September 13, 2015 at sundown to Monday, September 14, 2015 at sundown.
How is The Feast of Trumpets Observed?
The Feast of Trumpets is celebrated by blowing trumpets (shofar) 100 times to announce the setting up of The LORD’s eternal court. You can sound the shofar at http://www.manifestthetruth.com/blow-the-shofar-and-play-gospel-songs.html. Typically, a blessing will be said over two loaves of bread, known as challah. Challah also stands for the circle of life, and the hope that our lives endure without end. Apples dipped in honey are another Rosh HaShanah tradition. It symbolizes the hope for a "sweet year" ahead. Honey is spread on challah. Tzimmes, a mixture made from carrots, cinnamon, yams, prunes, and honey, is also traditional.
In the article, The Feast of Trumpets in the New Testament by Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D., Andrews University at https://www.biblicalperspectives.com/books/festivals_2/3.html states, “The Feast of Trumpets in the Old and New Testaments reveals that God is not in the business to punish but to save. He uses attention-catching methods to warn and lead His people to repentance before executing His judgments. By means of the annual trumpets blasting, He summoned His people in Old Testament times to repent and amend their lives in view of the judgment going on in heaven. The same clarion call is sounded today to mankind by the flying angel of Revelation, who proclaims with a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come" (Rev 14:7).
Christians today, like God’s people in ancient times, need to hear the annual trumpet-call of the Feast of Trumpets to stand trial before God and seek for His cleansing grace. After all, Christians too need to be reminded periodically that "we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body" (2 Cor 5:10). The Feast of Trumpets provides a much needed annual wake up call to prepare oneself to stand before God’s judgment by repenting and forsaking sinful ways.
The Feast of Trumpets reminds us annually that the heavenly court will soon close the books and Christ will come to cleanse the faithful, to punish the wicked, and to bind Satan (Azazel) before destroying him "in the lake of fire" (Rev 20:10). This reassuring message inspires us to live godly lives with joy, confidence, and hope while "awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13).”
The Ten Days of Repentance/Teshuvah
The ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are days of repentance, when Jews and now believers/saints can express remorse for their sins through prayer and fasting. In the article “What is Yom Kippur?” states, “The ten days leading up to Yom Kippur are known as the Ten Days of Repentance/Teshuvah. During this period Jews are encouraged to seek out anyone they may have offended and to sincerely request forgiveness so that the New Year can begin with a clean slate. If the first request for forgiveness is rebuffed, one should ask for forgiveness at least two more times, at which point the person whose forgiveness is being sought should grant the request. The rabbis thought it was cruel for anyone to withhold their forgiveness for offenses that had not caused irrevocable damage.
This process of repentance is called teshuvah and it is a crucial part of Yom Kippur. Teshuvah literally means "return" and is the word used to describe the concept of repentance in Judaism. Although many people think that transgressions from the previous year are forgiven through prayer, fasting and participation in Yom Kippur services, Jewish tradition teaches that only offenses committed against God can be forgiven on Yom Kippur. Hence it is important that people make an effort to reconcile with others before participating in Yom Kippur services.”
In the article, “What is Teshuvah?” states, at http://judaism.about.com/od/judaismbasics/g/teshuvah.htm, “If a specific person has been wronged the offender must ask that person for forgiveness. The final stage of teshuvah is resolving to never commit such a sin again. According to Jewish tradition, by the third request the person who was wronged is required to grant forgiveness if the offender is sincerely remorseful and is taking steps to prevent similar wrongs from happening again. Because teshuvah requires the sinner to ask forgiveness of the person they have offended it has been argued that a murderer cannot be forgiven for his or her crime. In order to do so they would have to ask the person they killed for forgiveness. There are two other offenses that come close to being unpardonable: defrauding the public and ruining a person's good name. In both cases it is nearly impossible to track down every person who was affected by the offense, for instance, every person affected by a monetary crime or every person who heard a rumor.”
In the article, “The Feasts of the Trumpets in the New Testament” states, “Just as in the typical Levitical system the trumpets were blown during the ten days preceding the Day of Atonement to call the people to repent and stand trial before the heavenly court, so in the antitypical service an angel calls with "a loud voice" upon mankind to repent and worship God because "the hour of his judgment has come" (Rev 14:7).”
The believers/saints should worship, praise, and pray to God. In addition, the believers/saints should confess & repent of their sins, forgive others, and fast. An excellent e-book called The Power of Fasting and Prayer: Practical Principles of Prayer and Fasting for Today by Bennie Mostert and Peet Grobbelaar & a 1 page reference called, “Using the Holy Bible to Teach Repentance and Forgiveness” can be downloaded at http://www.manifestthetruth.com/prayer-and-fasting.html.
The Dates for the Ten Days of Repentance/Teshuvah: Begins on Monday, September 14, 2015 at sundown and ends at sundown on Tuesday, September 22, 2015.
A Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur):
A Day of Atonement also called Yom Kippur is the holiest day on the Hebrew Calendar and it is the second feast of the LORD for the Fall Season. Leviticus 23:26-32 states, “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.”
The Date for a Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur): The tenth day of the month on the Hebrew calendar corresponds with Wednesday, September 23 on the Gregorian calendar. Since the holidays starts the day before at sundown, therefore, a Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) should be observed from Tuesday, September 22, 2015 at sundown to sundown on Wednesday, September 23, 2015.
How is a Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) Observed? Yom Kippur is the final Day of Judgment, when each person's fate is sealed by God for the upcoming year. It is observed as a day of repentance, self-denial, charitable works, prayer and fasting. Leviticus 23:27 describes it as "afflicting your souls" and during this time no food or liquid may be consumed. Yom Kippur is a complete Sabbath. No work is done on this day. The book of Jonah is read on Yom Kippur in remembrance of God's forgiveness and mercy.
Jewish tradition tells how God opens the Book of Life and studies the words, actions, and thoughts of every person whose name he has written there. If a person's good deeds outweigh or outnumber their sinful acts, his or her name will remain inscribed in the book for another year. On Yom Kippur, the ram's horn (shofar) is blown at the end of evening prayer services. If one has observed the holiday properly by the end of Yom Kippur they will have made peace with others and with God.
In the article, “What is Yom Kippur?” at http://christianity.about.com/od/biblefeastsandholidays/p/dayofatonement.htm states, “There are three essential components of Yom Kippur:
Teshuvah (Repentance)
Yom Kippur is a day of reconciliation, when Jews strive to make amends with people and to draw closer to God through prayer and fasting. The ten days leading up to Yom Kippur are known as the Ten Days of Repentance. During this period Jews are encouraged to seek out anyone they may have offended and to sincerely request forgiveness so that the New Year can begin with a clean slate. If the first request for forgiveness is rebuffed, one should ask for forgiveness at least two more times, at which point the person whose forgiveness is being sought should grant the request. The rabbis thought it was cruel for anyone to withhold their forgiveness for offenses that had not caused irrevocable damage.
This process of repentance is called teshuvah and it is a crucial part of Yom Kippur. Although many people think that transgressions from the previous year are forgiven through prayer, fasting and participation in Yom Kippur services, Jewish tradition teaches that only offenses committed against God can be forgiven on Yom Kippur. Hence it is important that people make an effort to reconcile with others before participating in Yom Kippur services.
Prayer
Yom Kippur is the longest synagogue service in the Jewish year. It begins on the evening before Yom Kippur day with a haunting song called Kol Nidre (All Vows). The words of this melody ask God to forgive any vows people have made to God and not kept.
The service on the day of Yom Kippur lasts from morning until nightfall. Many prayers are said but one is repeated at intervals throughout the service. This prayer is called Al Khet & asks for forgiveness for a variety of sins that may have been committed during the year. The Jewish concept of sin is not like the Christian concept of original sin. Rather, it’s the kind of everyday offenses like hurting those we love, lying to ourselves or using foul language that Judaism views as sinful. You can clearly see examples of these infractions in the Yom Kippur liturgy, for instance in this excerpt from Al Khet:
For the sin that we have committed under stress or through choice;
For the sin that we have committed in stubbornness or in error;
For the sin that we have committed in the evil meditations of the heart;
For the sin that we have committed by word of mouth;
For the sin that we have committed through abuse of power;
For the sin that we have committed by exploitation of neighbors;
For all these sins, O God of forgiveness, bear with us, pardon us, forgive us!
When Al Khet is recited people gently beat their fists against their chests as each sin is mentioned. Sins are mentioned in plural form because even if someone hasn’t committed a particular sin, Jewish tradition teaches that every Jew bears a measure of responsibility for the actions of other Jews.
During the afternoon portion of the Yom Kippur service the Book of Jonah is read to remind people of God’s willingness to forgive those who are sincerely sorry. The last part of the service is called Ne’ilah (Shutting). The name comes from the imagery of Ne’ilah prayers, which talk about gates being shut against us. People pray intensely during this time, hoping to be admitted to God’s presence before the gates have been shut.
Fasting
Yom Kippur is also marked by 25 hours of fasting. There are other fast days in the Jewish calendar or Gregorian calendar, but this is the only one the Torah or Holy Bible specifically commands us to observe. Leviticus 23:27 describes it as "afflicting your souls" and during this time no food or liquid may be consumed.
The fast starts an hour before Yom Kippur begins and ends after nightfall on the day of Yom Kippur. In addition to food, Jews are also forbidden from engaging in sexual relations, bathing or wearing leather shoes. The prohibition against wearing leather comes from a reluctance to wear the skin of a slaughtered animal while asking God for mercy.
Who Fasts on Yom Kippur?
Children under the age of nine are not allowed to fast, while children older than nine are encouraged to eat less. Girls who are 12 years or older and boys who are 13 years or older are required to participate in the full 25-hour fast along with adults. However, pregnant women, women who have recently given birth and anyone suffering from a life-threatening illness are not required to observe the fast. These people need food and drink to keep up their strength and Judaism always values life above the observance of Jewish law.
Many people end the fast with a feeling of deep serenity, which comes from having made peace with others & with God.”
The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot):
The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) is the third & final Feast of the LORD for the Fall Season. Leviticus 23:33-44 states, “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord. On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein. These are the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day: Beside the sabbaths of the Lord, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the Lord. Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days. And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the Lord.”
The Dates for The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot): The 15th day of the month on the Hebrew Calendar corresponds with September 28th on the Gregorian calendar. Since the holiday starts on sundown the day before, therefore the Feast of Tabernacles will begin on September 27th at sundown for 7 days & the seventh day ends at sundown on October 4th. The eighth day begins at sundown on October 4th and ends on sundown at October 5th.
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