Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today is Monday February 9, 2009 and we are continuing our studies on the book of Leviticus.

Today's Message: Feasts of Worship
The Feasts of Worship are symbolic of Christ's entire work of salvation, they are a reminder of how blessed we are to know Jesus Christ.

Today's Bible Reading: Leviticus Chapters 22-23
You can read the chapters by clicking on the link above, if the link does not work you can copy and paste this link into your browser: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2022-23&version=9

God gave specific instructions to the children of Israel concerning the Feasts of worship."And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.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.These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's passover.And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein." (Leviticus 23:1-8). Passover was the first Feast and it symbolizes redemption from sin by Christ,the Lamb of God who died for our sins.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread began the day after the Passover and symbolizes the sinless Christ,as the Bread of Life. "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." (John 6:32-35). Israel's abstinence from leaven for seven days was a reminder that they were a holy people separated to their Lord God. It also symbolizes the believer's holy walk, putting away leaven, a figure of sin. After we receive Christ as our Savior, we partake of His life through His Word which cleanses us from sin, making us holy.

The Feast of First fruits was the Sunday after Passover, "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD.And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings." (Leviticus 23:9-14). At the Feast of First Fruits, one sheaf (handful of grain) from the first harvest was waved before God as an act of faith that He would give a great harvest.

The Feast of First fruits is symbolic of resurrection, for Christ arose on that Feast Day. The resurrection of Christ is our confidence of the great harvest day when all the dead in Christ shall be resurrected. "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (I Thessalonians 4:14-17).

The Feast of Weeks was fifty days after the Feast of First fruits, "Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD.Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest." (Leviticus 23:16-20). This time they offered new meat (bread) with leaven. God required the two wave loaves because they were symbolic of both Jewish and Gentile believers who would later make up the Church. "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." (I Corinthians 5:7-8).

Today, we no longer need a special day to celebrate what Jesus has done in our lives, the Feasts of worship are a joyful reminder of how blessed we truly are. The next time you see one of these Religious days marked on the calendar take some time to thank Jesus for being the one who redeemed you and cleanses you daily from your sins simply by asking Him to forgive you.

Today's Psalm: 10:2-4
"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;"

Today's Prayer:
Dear God,
Your Word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You; for it teaches me to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before You.Even when it brings about hurtful circumstances help me to do the right thing in keeping with the Christ-filled nature I received upon the day of my salvation.May I not be found lacking in integrity but rather be characterized by my integrity as it honors my Father in heaven.In Jesus' name...........Amen.

Have a wonderful and blessed day/night and enjoy your week.
God Bless,
Christina

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