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Holiday Closings
Every Saturday (Shabbat/Sabbath)
July 4th 2011 (Independence Day)
September 5th 2011 (Labor Day)
September 29th 2011 (Yom Teruah)
October 8th 2011 (Yom Kippur)
October 12th 2011 (1st Day of Sukkot)
October 20th 2011 (Last Day of Sukkot)
November 24th 2011 (Thanksgiving)
EXPLAINATION OF HOLIDAY CLOSINGS?
Holiday Feast: Feast of Trumpets
Date this year: Thursday, September 29th; it begins at sundown Wednesday, September 28th, 2011.
Biblically Accurate or Hebrew Name: Yom Teruah (Pronounced YOM te-ROO-ah), translated “day of sounding” or “day of blasts” (of the shofar)
Biblical Significance: Yom Teruah is “a day of complete rest for remembering, a holy convocation announced with blasts on the shofar.” (Leviticus 23:24 CJB)
Spiritual Relevance: Yom Teruah is a wakeup call and an announcement of the coming of the King. When the shofar blasts, there is very little time left to prepare for the King’s arrival, as He follows close behind. Yom Teruah will be fulfilled soon in the Second Coming—the last wake up call for mankind. As we observe this feast now, awaiting His return, we hear the shofar sound in our hearts and we are called to rest in His will and remember to whom we belong. The shofar is meant to awaken God’s people and cause us to remember our covenant. “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” We must awaken our brethren and redeem the time, as the days are evil (see Ephesians 5:14-16). (For more Scriptures on the sounding of the shofar awakening God’s people, see 1 Thes. 4:16-17, 1 Cor. 15:51-52 and Rev. 20:4.)
Observance Suggestion: Come together in either a family, ministry or community group. Focus on prayer and worshipping God. Go outside at sundown (if you are not already there) and sound the shofar. There is an official blast for this day called a “teruah”, but it is hard to sound. It sounds like a fire alarm and requires skilled shofarim (shofar blowers). For those of us less experienced, many like to sound three simple blasts into each of the four directions. This will equal 12 blasts total (the number for divine government), prophetically symbolizing the coming of the King and the establishment of the Kingdom of God in our area. Yom Teruah is also a good day to present to God promises yet unfulfilled, because this is a time of awakening faith in our spirits as well.
Notes: This day is often referred to as Rosh Hashanah, which translated means “Head of the Year”. This name of the feast refers to the Jewish civil calendar, which begins on this day. However, this is not the beginning of the Biblical New Year, which comes 13 days prior to Passover (see Exodus 12:1-2). On another note, non-Jewish translations of the Bible often refer to a “shofar” as a “trumpet”. They are not the same. There are texts in which ADONAI commands the construction and use of a trumpet. There are also texts in which a shofar, or ram’s horn, is blown. This feast includes the blowing of a shofar, not a trumpet. In contemporary times, the long shofars we sound are not ram’s horns at all, but horns of Kudu antelope from Africa.
Holiday Feast: Day of Purging
Date this year: Saturday, October 8th; it begins sundown Friday, October 7th, 2011
Biblically Accurate or Hebrew Name: Yom Kippur (Pronounced YOM kee-POUR), translated “day of purging”, known as the Day of Atonement
Biblical Significance: Yom Kippur is the day on which the children of Israel seek God to forgive the sins of their nation. The high priest only entered the Most Holy Place in the temple on this day of the year, and with a blood sacrifice for himself and the nation. The scapegoat was also released into the desert after the sins of the nation had been spoken over it. On this day, Yahweh decided whether or not to forgive the children of Israel and send their sins far away from them.
Spiritual Relevance: There is a final day of purging. It is the day of the final judgment spoken of in Revelation 20:11-15. On this day, the Ancient of Days sits on His throne to judge all people. He will review the Lamb’s Book of Life. Anyone whose name is not found written in the Book of Life will be eternally purged out of the presence of God and thrown into the lake of fire. This is the fulfillment of Yom Kippur.
Observance Suggestion: As we receive an understanding of the final fulfillment of Yom Kippur, we are moved to intercede on behalf of the lost. Scripture commands us to deny ourselves on this day and do no regular work (see Leviticus 23:27-32). Hence, we are to fast from all food and beverages, even water. We should also confess and repent of our own sins, and seek God in intercession for those who do not yet know Him. We need a reminder that the lake of fire is real, and some people will spend eternity estranged from God, in everlasting torment.
Notes: This day is very significant for the children of Israel, but it should also be important to believers who are not Jews. We were told to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” If we are faithful in this commission, we will decrease the number of individuals sent to the lake of fire. But have we been faithful? Are you and your family or congregation faithful to witness to others? This is a good day to review and renew our commitment to sharing the love and the message of Messiah Yeshua with a dying world.
Holiday Feast: Feast of Tabernacles
Date this year: October 13th through 20th; it begins sundown October 12th & ends sundown October 20th, 2011
Biblically Accurate or Hebrew Name: Sukkot (Pronounced sue-COAT)
Biblical Significance: ADONAI commanded the children of Israel to live in booths for seven days and to worship Him in a sacred assembly on the first and eighth days. The booths are symbolic wilderness shelters, commemorating the Israelites trek through the wilderness after God delivered them from slavery in Egypt and was preparing them to enter the Promised Land. On the first and eighth days, God’s people are commanded to do no regular work. Hence, these days are Sabbath days, whether they fall on the 7th day or not. Each day, offerings made by fire are to be presented to God. These are in addition to all regular gifts given.
Spiritual Relevance: The Feast of Tabernacles will find its fulfillment when the New Jerusalem comes down out of the sky and the dwelling of God is with men forever, as described in Revelation 21:1-22:6. “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” This day must come after the fulfillment of Yom Kippur. Otherwise, the murderers, witches, thieves and Satan worshippers would all be present while God’s people dwell with Him. All tears would not be wiped away from our eyes, because those who oppose God and are in covenant with demons would still live among us. Additionally, the presence of God, in His fullness, cannot dwell together with sin. God has given each one a choice. Humans that choose not to have their sins atoned by the Blood of the Lamb of God will still be in sin, even after their bodies have died. This sin cannot stay in the presence of God. Once He arrives, in Revelation 20:11, all sin must be purged from His presence.
Observance Suggestion: As Christians, we often feel as though we do not have to keep the Feasts of ADONAI, and we dread having to learn new traditions and rites. Sukkot can be a particularly challenging feast to keep because it requires building a temporary shelter and living in it for a week. However, as a person who has kept this feast, I can tell you that it is a delight for the whole family! God will truly meet you in your sukkah (temporary shelter), and it will be like having an open-air tabernacle right in your yard. Last year, just prior to Sukkot, I had a dream that Yeshua was walking through a camp full of temporary shelters in a row. As He spoke, His people came out of the “tents” and stood before them. He then said, “These are my faithful ones.” Whether we want to admit it or not, keeping the feasts of ADONAI is important to Yeshua! He wants to meet with us, and He is disappointed when we don’t show up! Prayerfully consider building a sukkah this year, or spending time in someone else’s sukkah during Sukkot. It will change your life. The offerings He requires now are prayers, praise and gifts to our congregations and ministries. Come into the King’s chamber during Sukkot, and bring a gift!
Notes: Sukkahs are often constructed with four posts and three enclosed sides, with one side remaining open. The roof should not be enclosed by any man-made material. Instead, it should be covered with branches. Position the branches so that the sky can be seen clearly through them. This aids in our communion with God during this time. During this time of year, it does not rain in Israel. It does rain in the US and other parts of the world, however. For this reason, some people use clear plastic on the roofs of their sukkahs. Then they place the branches over the plastic. Others only spend time during the day in the sukkah, and return to their homes for evening sleep. Still others use camping tents instead of sukkahs. All of these options fulfill the scriptural requirements. Seek God for practical ways you, your family and/or congregation can observe this feast to draw near to God and prepare for dwelling with Him forever.
(Explanation of Holiday/Feast Days are taken from “Awaiting His Return” Monthly Newsletter, {October 2001 Volume 5 Issue 1} written and published by Markita Smith, Founder of The Truth In The Spirit)
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