Discerning the Sound of the Trumpet(Shofar) for Our Generation - Part 3
The Sabbath and Feasts are called God's mo'adim, "appointed times." The mo'adim are first mentioned in Genesis 1:14, where we are told that the lights in the heavens are to serve as indicators of God's mo'adim (translated "seasons" in KJV). This shows us that God had His appointed times, His mo'adim, in mind from the very beginning of Creation, even before He created man.
The Sabbath and the Feasts are the times which God has appointed for His people to assemble together for "holy convocations." (See Lev. 23:2.) The Hebrew word translated "convocation," mikra, means a calling together or a rehearsal. Rehearsal means practicing for the real thing. When we hear the call and assemble together in holy convocation at God's appointed times, our assembling together is a rehearsal for the real thing.
"But isn't Jesus 'the real thing'?" some Christians say. "And didn't He render sabbaths and holy days obsolete? Doesn't Colossians 2:17 say that these things were mere shadows?"
The NASB does say "mere shadows"; however, the belittling word mere is not in the Greek text. That is why it appears in italics in the NASB, to indicate that it was added by the translators. Colossians 2:17 does not say that the sabbaths and holy days "were" a shadow. It says they "are" a shadow, present tense. Why is this important? It is important because it shows us that Paul still regarded the Sabbath and Feasts as a presently-existing shadow of the Messiah, and not as a bygone shadow of the past which had been made obsolete by the New Covenant.(* see note below) The shadow of the Messiah is still with New Covenant believers. When we step into the Sabbath and Feasts, we are stepping into the shadow of the Messiah.
"But what good does it do to step into a shadow?" some ask. Ask the people who brought the sick out into the streets in an effort to get them into the shadow of Peter as he passed by. (See Acts 5:15.) Let me ask you a question. Suppose Yeshua was in the next room over from you, standing in such a way that you could not see Him, but you could see His shadow being cast into the room where you are. Would you not want to step into His shadow? If people were blessed by the shadow of Peter passing over them as he walked by, do you not think that we can receive even greater blessings by stepping into the shadow of the Messiah?
Yeshua is, indeed, "in the next room." He is in the heavenly realm. Even though we cannot see Him, His shadow is still being cast into "this room," the earthly realm where we presently dwell. When we honor God's appointed times, we are stepping into the shadow of the Messiah.
Many disciples who have been stepping into this shadow from Sabbath to Sabbath and from Feast to Feast can testify that it has brought them great blessings. If you doubt the testimony of present-day disciples, then hear the testimony of the Bride in the Song of Solomon when she says this of her Bridegroom: "I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste" (Song of Solomon 2:3).
As we celebrate the Fall Feasts this year, may the blowing of the shofar on Rosh HaShanah remind us that we are stepping into the shadow of our Bridegroom Yeshua. As we observe Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, may we be thankful for the atonement that we have in Him. As we sit in the shade of our sukkot during the Feast of Tabernacles, may we sit down under His shadow with great delight, and may His fruit be sweet to our taste. Happy Holidays!
---Daniel Botkin
*Paul's criticism in Colossians was not directed toward the observance of God's appointed times. Paul was criticizing those who insisted that these appointed times be observed in strict accordance with man-made traditions. The appearance of the words man/men six times in Colossians chapter 2 should make it obvious that Paul was criticizing only man-made doctrines and commandments. The commandment to observe the mo'adim is not a man-made commandment.
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https://danielbotkin6.wixsite.com/gatesofeden/index-of-archived-articles
GOE Volume 6