Hosea 7:7 They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured
their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth
unto me.
Hosea 2:20 I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness:
and thou shalt know the LORD.
7 Hold thy
peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for
the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests.
Here we go; the can of worms has officially been opened.
“THE DAY OF THE LORD!”
Sure, this is a significant phrase, directly linked to
eschatological events, but in Christianity, what correlation is failed to be
made is what the Hebraic meaning of the “The Day of the LORD” means. It is an
idiom which refers to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonements, which in turn is also
labeled, “The LORD’s Day” or “The Day of the LORD,” because it is His day in
which the righteous are saved and atoned for and the wicked are judged and
punished.
Every significant event dealing with redemption is linked
with one of the Feasts of the LORD found in Leviticus 23. In the Hebrew
language they are Appointed Times; rehearsals with past present and future
fulfillments. God gave us His Calendar; He doesn’t go by the Gregorian calendar
or arbitrarily picks a date out of his Yarmulke and says, “Ah, this will be a
nice day for Armageddon to take place!”
Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much
the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Many Christians believe this is talking about Sunday. No,
it’s not even talking about Saturday Sabbath, but Yom Kippur. Yochannon (John)
was exiled on Patmos and received his revelation on “The LORD’s Day” aka: Yom
Kippur!
We may know the season, but not the day or the hour, why?
Because throughout history man perverted and in some instances lost the
reckoning of true time according to God’s calendar, not to mention the changes
in the earths tilt and orbit over the years has caused us to add a leap month,
a second month of Adar some years into the Hebraic calendar. Also there have
been variant interpretations on the verses regarding the introduction by God of
His Calendar and some confusion in regards to the exact Hebrew words used and
their meanings has caused various versions of the Hebraic calendar to be
produced and kept over the years and so we may be close in our approximation of
observing the appointed times at the right times, but ultimately we do not know
for sure and these reasons are why know the season but not the day or the hour
of Messiah’s return.
I believe in celebrating the Feasts of the LORD within the
framework of the calculated Hebrew calendar set up by the Sanhedrin just before
they were forced to disband, so that Jews throughout the Diaspora could observe
the Feasts of the LORD together in unity. If Yeshua had a problem with the
decisions concerning the calendar and the celebration of the Feasts, He had
ample opportunity to do so.
I agree that the Hebrew year is wrong and not correct, as we
do not celebrate the feasts days on the exact days because there is no standing
Temple, active Levitical Priesthood or authoritative Sanhedrin that can set the
Calendar by the Aviv, the Barley.
So as to not separate ourselves from Judaism by as much as we
already are by being Netzari Jews, I will agree with my Orthodox brothers and
admit the shortfalls of the current calendar yet wait for the 3rd Temple and
for the Moshiach to return and set the calendar right.
Our focus verse first is applicable to 605 BCE when the
Babylonians destroyed Judah and Jerusalem and carried off her inhabitants.
Ultimately it applies to the judgment of the world at the end of time when
Messiah returns to which a multiplicity of prophetic verses can be referenced
here, but I will only site a few.
(Isa. 2:12, 13:6-9; Jer. 46:10; Ezk. 13:5, Joel 1:15, 2:1;
Amos 5:18; Matt. 24; I Thess. 5:2)
You see this verse Zeph. 1:7 refers to the whole earth being
judged (v. 2,3;3:8), Israel cleansed (3:11-13) and the righteous remnant
returns to the newly cleansed earth (3:14-20).
The following is taken from my personal Statement of Faith:
I DO NOT believe, nor adhere to in any way the
Pre-Tribulationalist or Dispensationalist view of the End Times, this view is
so young (little over 100 years old), it in no way could be the view of
Natsarim Judaism of the first century. It has NO roots in Judaism, and did not
even exist in Christianity till the 19th century. Its main views are totally
contrary to Judaism period. Here is a general view of the chronology of the End
Times: Immediately AFTER the Tribulation (Mt.24:29; Mk.13:24) the Messiah will
appear in the sky (Dan.7:13-14; Mt.24:29-31; I Thes.4:16-17) there will be a
final trumpet (Rev.8:2; 11:15; Mt.24:31; Is.27:13; I Thes. 4:16-17; I Cor.
15:52) and there will be a resurrection (I Cor. 15:50-55; I Thes.4:16;
Rev.20:4-6; Is.25:8; Hos.13:14; Ezk.37:1-14) and a gathering together to
Messiah in the sky (Mt.24:29-31; Mk.13:24-27; 2 Thes.2:1; I Thes.4:17). This is
followed by the Messiah coming with His set apart ones. In other words the
“rapture, and the “Battle of Armageddon” happens all in one shot. (Jude1:14-15=
I Enoch 1:9; I Thes.3:13; Rev.19:11-16; Zech.14:4-5). After this, the 1,000
year reign of Messiah is established (Rev.20:1-3, 7). The “rapture” is the regathering
of Israel to the Land of Israel at the return of Messiah, and not a pretrib
rapture of the “Church.””
To further solidify that this is Yom Kippur we are speaking,
if you will note, a “prepared” sacrifice is mentioned, meaning a sacrifice that
has been set aside beforehand and lots were cast for the sacrificial goats
during Yom Kippur. Some may say, “Ah, but what about the guests? Sounds to me
like Passover.” No one eats on Yom Kippur so there is no feast to invite one
to. Sure, you can the same argument that the Passover Lamb was “prepared” and
traditionally we are to invite “guests.” But Passover was never referred to as
the “Day of the LORD,” even though punishment was dished out on Pharaoh.
Passover was Israel’s day, not the LORD’s, the focus was His peoples
deliverance moreso than the judgment of the wicked. As far as the fasting, that
has become a tradition derived from the verse to “afflict ones soul,” however
fasting is never explicitly commanded. Yom Kippur, it is the LORD’s Day because
the focus is primarily on the judgment and punishment of the wicked that He
dishes out and in the case Israel’s deliverance is secondary, which after the
enemy has been judged and the remnant saved and sealed a celebratory feast, the
Marriage Supper of the Lamb is made.
“The “sacrifice” mentioned refers to Christ’s atoning work on
the cross of Calvary (Heb. 10:12), in the phrase “bid his guests,” God is
inviting His people to accept this offering and come into a right relationship
with Him (Matt. 10:6; 15:24).” – Key Word Study Bible.
8 And it
shall come to pass in the day of the LORD's sacrifice, that I will punish the
princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange
apparel.
Again, further allusions to Yom Kippur; Passover was never
about punishing Israel. Here it speaks of Israel’s royalty, King and Priest
taking on and imitating the pagan religious practices of the nations around
them and this is precisely what happened in King Manasseh and Amon’s time. Not
only is the Gentile wicked punished on Yom Kippur, but the unrepentant
backslidden of Israel.
It is a Jewish tradition that on Yom Kippur the books of
heaven are opened, specifically three books, one for the righteous, the wicked
and the “in between” and on that day the fate of all whose names are in those
books are sealed, the righteous to life, the wicked to death and the “in
between” is determined by if they repent before the end of the that day or not.
The “strange apparel” refers to pagan ritual garb, but on a
spiritual level I see it as our attempts at divine righteousness.
Isa. 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our
righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our
iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
We need to put on Messiah (Rom. 13:14; Gal. 3:27). We need to
put on the garments of righteousness (Isa. 59:17, 61:10). And on Yom Kippur,
traditionally everyone wears white to symbolize righteousness.
