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The Biblical “Feasts” of Hebrews 6!
“beyond the preliminary teachings about the Messiah”
Chapter 7 Part 2 Preview: Does the book of Hebrews—directed to a Jewish audience—use “encoded language” to tie the “preliminary principles about the Messiah” directly to Israel’s seven annual Feast Days? Part 2 continues making the case, using a familiar apostolic text, that the Feast Days actually epitomize Yeshua’s (Jesus’) ultimate objectives, with a primary emphasis on the Last Day—the Eighth Day!
Continuing:
Then ironically, the Eighth Day is the seventh Feast Day; count them in Leviticus 23. The Eighth Day is in reality the seventh day of the first “millennial week”, ending the week, not beginning a new one!
The survivors of the Great Tribulation and the Day of Yehovah (the “Lord”) have an opportunity for repentance, actually “they, and their children, and their grandchildren forever” (Ezekiel 37:25), and this is associated with “the Eighth Day”. This annual commemoration will be well understood during the Everlasting Kingdom. For those who have survived this long, the final “warning shot fired across the bow” was made by the threat of starvation; remember: no rain, no food.
Eternal Judgment is the very purpose of these two back-to-back days. Yeshua will separate the “sheep from the goats” immediately upon His return. That account is a synopsis of all of the parables preceding Matthew 25:31, but it is not a parable itself. Even tho terms “sheep” and “goats” are used, and that sounds rather parabolic, this is a quite literal event. The “goat like people”, the stubborn, will be like stubble in a fire.
Matthew 25:31-34,41,46 When the Human Son comes in His splendor, and all His spirit messengers with Him, He’ll sit on the throne of His splendor. 32 All the nations will be gathered in front of Him, and He’ll separate them from each other, just like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He’ll put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father! Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world... 41 Then He’ll say to those on His left, 'Go back to your journey away from' Me. You are doomed to the everlasting fire that was prepared for the devil and his angels... 46 They’ll go away for an eternal punishment [6], but the righteous to eternal life.’”—The Gabriel Bible
[6] The Gr. root word of “penalty” is kolazo: “to cut off or prune, as trees and wings.”
Yeshua’s remarks about the meaning of the Last Day of the Feast are all found in the book of John. As you read His comments about this time, preferably in context, you will see that the Last Day is all about the resurrection that precedes the first year of the Everlasting Kingdom (not just a millennial kingdom), pictured by the Eighth Day.
These Last Day references are for us:
John 6:39-40 And the will of the One who sent Me is that I won’t lose any of those He has given Me, but should raise them up during the Last Day. 40 Because My Father wants everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him to have eternal life, and I’ll raise them up on the Last Day [of the Feast].
John 6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws them. Then I’ll raise them from the dead on the Last Day.
John 6:54 but anyone who eats My body and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I’ll raise them from the dead on the Last Day.
John 7:37 On the Last Day of the Feast—the Great Day—Yeshua stood and spoke out, “If anyone is thirsty they should come to Me and drink.
John 11:24 Martha replied, “I know that he’ll rise in the resurrection on the Last Day.”
This Last Day reference also concerns the wicked:
John 12:48 Those who reject Me and don’t accept My words have something to judge them—the words [5] I have spoken will judge them on the Last Day.
[5] Isaiah 5:24
Yeshua’s comments in John on the Last Day of that particular year are virtually all we have to determine what the Last Day commemorates!
The mention of a First resurrection definitely implies at least another resurrection. Our goal is to be resurrected from the dead, and participate in Elohim’s (God’s) family plan. But most of the 'chosen ones' (saints) won’t be fortunate enough to be living when Yeshua returns. There is a “first [or better] resurrection” for the 'chosen ones', but the Last Day is about a resurrection to judgment, whether good or bad, for everyone else. Technically, there are two resurrections at that time. I believe that these next two are only twenty-two days after the First Resurrection—on the Last Day! The book of Daniel clearly specifies a Judgment where both the righteous and the wicked are resurrected in the time frame of the single greatest “time of trouble” “since there was a nation up until that same time”. He was told that this is “the time of the end”.
Daniel 12:1-4 AT THAT TIME, Michael will take a stand, the great commander who stands for your people, and there will be a time of trouble [the Great Tribulation, worse than 536 A.D, The Worst Year In History], such as there has never been since the first nation up until that time, AND AT THAT TIME [during the “time of the end!”] your people will escape, everyone whose names are still found {niphal} recorded in the Book [of Life]. 2 Multitudes of people sleeping in the dust of the earth will wake up, some of them to everlasting life, and the others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. 4 But Daniel, keep this message a secret, and put a seal on the book until the time of the end. Many will travel around quickly, and knowledge will greatly increase.
Daniel further described the Last Day—Judgment Day, in chapter 7. In Daniel’s vision he saw: The Ancient of Days (Yehovah) on His throne, one hundred million witnesses, the books being opened, the Beast being destroyed, One who appeared to be the Son of Man coming in the clouds, and an Everlasting Kingdom (not a one-thousand-year-long kingdom) being established, “that that will never be destroyed.
Daniel 7:9-14 I watched until thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated. His clothing was as white as snow, and the hair on His head was like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, and its wheels were like blazing fire. 10 A river of fire flowed out from before Him. Millions served Him, and one hundred million stood before Him. The court 'convened', and the books were opened. 11 I kept watching due to the boastful voice that the horn [Antimessiah] spoke with, I watched until the wild beast was killed, and its body was destroyed and 'thrown' into the blazing fire. 12 As for the other wild beasts, their sovereignty was taken away, but their lives were prolonged [3] for a period of time.
13 In my vision that night I saw what looked like a Human Son [man] [4] coming with the clouds of the sky [or of heaven], and as He was approaching the Ancient of Days, they escorted Him into His presence. 14 He was given dominion, splendor and a Kingdom, so that people of every nation and language would serve Him. His Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom that will never pass away, and His Kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
[3] These beasts are alive and kicking (not ancient history) when Yeshua meets up with the Ancient of Days in the very next verse! [4] Messiah in the form of a human being: See all the commentaries on this page.
This resurrection where the relatively righteous, and the wicked are judged simultaneously, during “the time of the end”, is referred to in Revelation as the White Throne Judgment; and no it’s not after the thousand years, as you just read in two places in Daniel; and the Revelation account adds even more information:
Revelation 20:11-14 Then I saw a 'large' white throne, and the One who was sitting on it. The earth and sky fled for safety [7], but their location [or place] wasn’t known. 12 I saw the dead, those of lower status [small] and the highly esteemed [great] standing in front of the throne, and the books were opened [8], including the Book of Life. The dead were judged by the 'records' in the books based on what they had done [their ‘works’]. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and death and sheol gave up the dead in them. Everyone was judged based on what they had done [their ‘works’]. 14 Death and Sheol [9] [Ar/Heb meaning grave] were thrown into the lake of fire. The second death is the lake of fire.
[7] If the covenant with 1,000 generations of humanity is honored, then we still need the earth intact: (Deuteronomy 7:9, Chronicles 16:15, Psalms 105:8). [8] This happens in the time frame of Daniel 7:10, as the beasts are biting the dust (verses 11-12). [9] The profound prophecy in verses 14-15 occurs at the very beginning of the Everlasting Kingdom. On Judgment Day there will no longer be anyone in a grave awaiting judgment—no dead, no unopened graves! The people resurrected to life will never face death again. And those resurrected to death will burn up in the fiery pit without further delay. But humans surviving into the 7th millennium will live on long enough to face their own judgment one way or another. Even priests during the 7th millennium will lose their wives to death: Ezekiel 44:21-22. Then after the 7th millennium, a great many will burn up in a fire storm—verses 7-10 above! Consider the entire context of Isaiah 25. The entire process will take 1,000 generations, most of it yet to occur! Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 105:8; 1 Chronicles 16:15, this is a three time covenantal promise!
John also described the White Throne Judgment as a day when two resurrections take place:
John 5:25-29 I tell you with absolute certainty that the time is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of Yehovah, and those who 'respond' will live. 26 The Father has life in Himself, so He has also enabled the Son to have life in Himself, in the same way. 27 More importantly, He has also given Him the authority to judge everyone, because He is the Human Son.
Separate Resurrections
28 Don’t be amazed at this, because the time is coming when everyone in their graves will hear His voice 29 and come out—those who have done good things to a Resurrection resulting in life, and those who have committed evil to a Resurrection resulting in Condemnation [4].
[4] This statement alludes to Daniel’s Judgment Day statement (12:1-3). Judgment Day will occur during the most horrific time in world history. Yet “at that time your people [Israel] will be saved.”
During the second and third resurrections the sheep and the goats are separated, but as the account states, both groups are clueless as to why they are being rewarded, or punished! These are not the 'cherished ones' who were already resurrected, but that is another topic, explained in Are the “Unsaved” Lost?!
We read that on Judgment Day, even the wicked will be brought back to life for one day. It says that “the dead will hear” and that “ALL who are in their graves will hear”. The wicked “goats” will not be disembodied spirits, they will be combustible humans! (Malachi 4:1-3)
The sheep of this general resurrection, the White Throne Judgment, will enter the Everlasting Kingdom, and they enter on the Last Day. While the goats experience everlasting condemnation (death).
What about “Death and Sheol” being “thrown into the lake of fire”, as mentioned above? Would that mean, as so many teach, that there could be no more humans after that point in time, and that all of the human race had become immortal beings by then, living in New Jerusalem?
In Revelation 20, we read about “Death and Sheol” [the grave] being eliminated. Wouldn’t that essentially be what happens when absolutely no one is dead—ALL of the dead have been either raised to Life or turned into ashes—when the slate is clear? No one is dead, no one is in Sheol?
Aside from the comments specifically mentioning that the Adversary (Satan) will be bound for a thousand years, and the havoc that he will stir up then, sort of a footnote; the entire book of Revelation is a chronological account of the time of the end, but most of Christianity believes that once the Adversary is bound for the thousand years, in chapter 20:1, that the Judgment Day of that same chapter and the entirety of the last two chapters of Revelation, chapters 21 and 22, are describing events that we’ll have to wait a thousand years to experience. In reality we win right away!
Let’s look at Revelation 21 and see if the wicked are finished springing up among us, and see if indeed humanity itself is gone, or if 1000 years has passed. In fact we’ll see that we are just past the end of this age with humans still occupying the earth and even visiting New Jerusalem (the fiancee or bride—the regathered Israel) on the New Earth, made ready (about to be) married. People continue to opt to become wicked, and are even loitering outside of New Jerusalem, destined for the lake of fire (still there), that consumed the Beast and the false prophet, “the lake that burns with fire and sulfur”. We see that strictly within the city there are no more tears. Yehovah is living here with humanity, and humans are being offered “living water” for the first time, with no mention of a thousand year postponement!
Revelation 21:1-8 I saw a New Heaven and a New Earth, because the first heaven and the first earth were gone [1], and there was no more sea [2]. 2 I saw the 'cherished' city, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from Yehovah, like a bride beautifully adorned for her husband [Isaiah 49:18]. 3 I heard a loud voice from the sky say, ‘Look, Yehovah’s tabernacle [dwelling place] is among humanity [Gr. anthropos]. He will live with them and they’ll be His people, and Yehovah will be with them, yes Yehovah Himself will be with them.” 4 Every tear will be wiped from their eyes, and there will be no more death [3] or mourning or crying or pain, nor will the previous painful state exist anymore, because the previous evil things have gone away. 5 The One who was seated on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making everything new.’ And He said, ‘Write this down, because these are the faithful and true words of Aloha. [4]
6 Then He said to me, “I am the Aleph and the Tau [Greek: Alpha & Omega], the Beginning and the End. I will allow anyone who is thirsty to drink freely from the spring of living water. 7 Anyone who is victorious will inherit these things. I will be their Aloha and they will be My sons. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the sinful, the unclean, murderers, male prostitutes, sorcerers, idolaters and all liars 'are destined for' the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.
[1] This is the equivalent of the new earth that appeared after Yehovah sent a great flood “to destroy the earth” in Genesis 9:11. [2] Which sea? Isaiah 11:14-16; Isaiah 51:10-11. The seas, plural, are well represented in the Everlasting Kingdom: Psalm 72:7-9; Isaiah 5:30; Isaiah 24:14-15; Isaiah 60:5; Jeremiah 31:35-36; Ezekiel 26:5 and 47:10,15; Habakkuk 2:14; Zephaniah 2:6-7 and Zechariah 14:8. Unfortunately many people believe that the New Heavens and New Earth don’t even arrive until after the thousand years! (See the time frame in Isaiah chapters 65 & 66.) [3] The cessation of tears and death begins as soon as the Everlasting Kingdom is established! Check the entire context of Isaiah 25, particularly v.8. Yet the wicked are excluded from this blessing. 1 Corinthians 15:23-24 says, “But everyone in their order, Messiah was the firstfruit. Later, at His coming, those who are the Messiah’s [will be restored to life]. 24 Then the end of these events comes, when He’ll have handed over the Kingdom to Yehovah the Father, when every ruler and every government and every powerful force will have been overthrown.” Many assume that there is a 1,000 year gap between verse 23 and verse 24. They assume that it will take Yeshua 1,000 years to conquer the world. Have they read any prophecies? Zechariah 14 is a detailed account of the hottest spot on earth being conquered in a blitzkrieg (lightning war), it’s called the Day of Yehovah (the “Lord”). The seige of the earth only begins at the Mount of Olives. Ezekiel 38 and 39 is another specific account of the conquest. Some postpone these chapters too. Consequently they must, for example, also think that it will take 1,000 years for Him to “make My 'cherished' name known in the midst of My people Israel” (Ezekiel 39:7) as well. [4] “of Aloha” was deleted from the Greek translations’
Malachi was describing the Last Day; the fates of the righteous and the wicked, but without necessarily specifying the dead.
Malachi 4:1-3 ;There is certainly a day coming, burning like a furnace, when all of the arrogant and all the wicked will become chaff. The coming day will set them ablaze,” says Commander Yehovah. “It won’t leave so much as a root or a branch. 2 “But for those of you who revere My name, the Sun of righteousness will rise with healing in His wings. You’ll go out and leap like calves set loose from their stall. 3 You’ll trample down the wicked; they’ll be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when this is done,” says Commander Yehovah.
The context of this Judgment Day passage concerns the time when Elijah returns, and the Day of Yehovah (v.5)!
Coming Full Cycle
There is a connection between the Passover, that began our quest for eternal life, and the Last Day, that makes it a reality for so many.
John 6: 4 The Passover Feast of the Jewish people was near.
It is quite probable that the statements of John 6 were made on the actual date of the Passover, Abib the 14th. Why waste a good Feast Day?
Here is the common factor concerning both the Passover and the Last Day.
John 6:35,39-40 Yeshua told them, “I am the bread of life. Anyone who comes to Me will never be hungry, and anyone who believes in Me will never be thirsty... 39 And the will of the One who sent Me is that I won’t lose any of those He has given Me, but should raise them up during the Last Day. 40 Because My Father wants everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him to have eternal life, and I’ll raise them up on the Last Day [of the Feast].
Why do you suppose that Elohim referred to the resurrection in the context of “the Last Day”? Thruout the entire Feast Day cycle we should be anticipating the end result—the LAST DAY, or culmination, of this evil age, in preparation for rulership starting on the first day, or perhaps the first Passover, of the seventh millennium! During the last three and one half years of this age, we will be preparing for rulership in the Everlasting Kingdom. We will have been resurrected on the Day of Trumpets of year 6000. Elohim has waited for this resurrection since before the foundation of the earth. Those of us who diligently sought Elohim, and found His favor, will serve as the leadership in the age to come—the age that begins when Yeshua says: innermost being will flow rivers of living water”.
THE EIGHTH DAY: Celebrating a thousand generations of humanity!
It seems a bit ironic, but The Eighth Day is the seventh Feast Day; count them in Leviticus 23. The Eighth Day is in reality the seventh day of the first “millennial week”, ending the week, not beginning a new one!
The Last Day ends the sixth millennial week, and we know that there will be a millennium of rest to follow, but could the seven thousand year plan only be the first week of a much longer plan?
We have seen the inception the first millennial week, but could the seven thousand year plan only be the first week of a much longer plan?
Elohim, on three occasions in Scripture, told of a One Thousand Generation Plan, all three of these Scriptural passages are confirmations of the covenant that Elohim swore in an oath to Abraham’s descendants! Are you certain that you want to opt for this to be figurative?
Deuteronomy 7:6-11 because you are a special people to Yehovah your Elohim. Yehovah your Elohim has chosen you to be His treasured possession out of all the nations on the face of the earth. 7 Yehovah didn’t set His affection on you or choose you because you were more numerous than any other nation, since you were the smallest of all nations. 8 Rather, it’s because Yehovah loves you, and is honoring the oath that He swore to your ancestors. That’s why Yehovah has brought you out with a strong hand, and redeemed you from slavery and from the 'oppressive grasp' of Pharaoh King of Egypt. 9 So remember that Yehovah your Elohim is the only Elohim, the faithful Elohim. He keeps His covenant with enduring love for a THOUSAND GENERATIONS [1] of those who love Him and obey His Commandments. 10 But He repays those who hate Him in person, destroying them. He won’t be slack with anyone who hates Him. He’ll personally repay them. 11 So you must obey the Commandments and the unchanging tenets and the regulations that I give you today.
[1] Surely if Yehovah had provided more details about the Covenant He had sworn (Hebrews 6:13-16) to a THOUSAND GENERATIONS, rather than just repeating that the Covenant was a sure thing (Psalm 105:8-11 & 1 Chronicles 16:15-18) people would believe He wasn’t kidding about the duration, right?This one thousand generation covenant is integrally involved with the Words that He commanded, obeying these commandments and physical blessings.
1 Chronicles 16:12-18 Remember the marvelous things He has done, His wonders, and the judgments He has spoken, 13 you Israelites His servant, you descendants of Jacob, His chosen ones. 14 He is Yehovah our Elohim. His judgments are in all the earth. 15 Remember His covenant forever, the words that He commanded to a THOUSAND GENERATIONS [1], 16 the covenant that He made with Abraham, His oath to Isaac. 17 He confirmed it with Jacob as a permanent rule, and to Israel as a never ending covenant, 18 saying, “I’ll give you the land of Canaan, the territory of your inheritance.”
[1] Surely if Yehovah had provided more details about the Covenant He had sworn (Hebrews 6:13-16) to a THOUSAND GENERATIONS, rather than just repeating that the Covenant was a sure thing (Psalm 105:8-11 & Deuteronomy 7:9) people would believe He wasn’t kidding, right?Psalm 105:8-11 He remembers His Covenant forever, the commitment that He made for a THOUSAND GENERATIONS [1], 9 the covenant that He made with Abraham and His oath to Isaac. 10 He confirmed it to Jacob as a permanent rule, and to Israel (Jacob) as an EVERLASTING COVENANT [See Ezekiel 37:26]. 11 He said: “I’ll give the land of Canaan to you as the region of your inheritance.”
[1] The word for “Perpetual” in Hebrew is “olam.” In this context it means for ages into the future (but not the past): forever or in perpetuity. So “PERPETUAL GENERATIONS” apparemntly means that the human race could continue FOREVER! Yehovah could be reproducing sons and daughters FOREVER! Deuteronomy 7:9 mentions a “a thousand generations” (50,000+ years) here on earth, but the sky is literally the limit!How long is a generation? Ironically or not, there are different “definitions” of “generation” possible in the Bible. It is not a fixed time. Here is one definition concerning the covenant with Abraham. This generation is on the high side.
Genesis 15:2,5-6,13,16,18-21 But Abram said, “Yehovah [“Yeshua”], what could You give me since I still have no 'children', and the person who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?”... 5 Then Yehovah took him outside and said, “Look up into the sky and count the stars, if you’re able to count them.” Then He told him, “That’s the number of your descendants.” 6 'Abraham' believed in Yehovah, and He credited it to him as righteousness... 13 Then 'Yehovah' said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, and be oppressed as slaves for four hundred years... 16 Then in the fourth generation they’ll return here, since the wickedness of the Amorites hasn’t fully developed... 18 On that same day Yehovah made a COVENANT with Abram and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, from the river of Egypt to the great Euphrates River: 19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.”
To cram a “thousand generations” between Abraham’s time and the end of the seventh millennium would make a generation only about five years long! Perhaps there is a 120,000 year plan. Or was Elohim exaggerating about His covenant in His oath to Abraham?
Over the years the covenant has had some major setbacks, but that will change when the terms of the Jeremiah 31 New Covenant are implemented. Note that “everlasting” in the Hebrew means a very long time, if not eternity.
Genesis 17:1-9 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yehovah appeared to Abram, and told him, “I’m the Conqueror. Come into My presence and be blameless. 2 I’ll establish My covenant between Me and you, and increase your numbers greatly”.
3 Abram fell facedown, and Elohim told him, 4 “As for Me, My covenant is with you! You’ll be the father of very many nations. 5 You’ll no longer be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, because I’ve made you the father of very many nations. 6 I’ll make you exceedingly fruitful. Your descendants will establish many nations. Kings will be descended from you. 7 I’ll establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, thruout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be your Elohim and the Elohim of your descendants after you. 8 I’ll give you and your descendants after you the land where you are living, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I’ll be their Elohim.” 9 Elohim said to Abraham, “Your responsibility is to preserve My covenant, you and your descendants after you thruout their generations.
Abraham’s descendants were to number as the stars of heaven, that are beyond counting. That is the end result of a literal thousand generations. I believe that Elohim’s, statement: “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars”, was also not an exaggeration, but rather a clue revealing that these descendants will eventually colonize the heavens, due to the extreme limitations of the earth! While you may think this is preposterous; the numbers don’t lie!
Part 1
Chapter 8 is “The First Day of The Week”: The Countdown to Pentecost!
