shimini-atzeret

Shimini Atzeret / Eighth Day Assembly

The Twenty-second Day of the month Tishrei - beginning at sundown on Friday October 17, 2003.

This follows the seven days of Hag Sukkot.

This day is the original Simchat Torah - Rejoicing in the Torah. [In recent times, Simchat Torah was rabbinically changed to the following day and made the date of restarting an annual Torah reading cycle.]

The Torah is foundational to the entire Bible. It is the Word of God that became flesh. It is the Creator’s instruction manual. It was known by Adam. On Mt. Sinai, it was written (in condensed form) by Yeshua in stone – not to be changed.

The Prophets build upon the foundation of the Torah. They chronicle God’s continued dealings with man to teach obedience to His Torah.

The Psalms musically put in our hearts a love for God’s Torah: “O how I love Your Torah; it is my meditation all the day” – Psalm 119:97.

The Apostolic Writings explain how the Torah was and will be fulfilled by Yeshua. The redemption pictured by the Passover was fulfilled almost 2000 years ago, by the crucifixion of Yeshua. But Yeshua’s return to raise the righteous dead, pictured by the Day of Trumpeting, is yet to be fulfilled. When Yeshua said that He came to fulfill the Torah and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17), He did not immediately fulfill all of the Torah, and He did not abolish any of it. (In our day, this verse is vastly misconstrued to mean that He fulfilled all of the Torah at that time, and in so doing abolished it, which is contrary to the first part of the verse.)

In the Torah Festivals, we have a most complete gospel – from redemption, through purification, to glorification. This gospel is presented through sight, sound, taste, aroma, and communal actions. It is given through feasting and fasting, and through symbols such as matzah (unleavened bread), wine, shofar (ram’s horn trumpet), and lulav (plants used during the Feast of Tabernacles). It is given through celebration and singing, and through solemn offerings of animals, grains, and aromatic spices. All of these picture Yeshua’s past, present, and future – some now as prophetic pictures, and some now as memorial pictures.

Yeshua is our Living Torah, and the Torah is foundational to our entire Bible. We carry the Torah scroll as a representation of the unchangeable Word of God, and as a symbol of our living Messiah.

Today we celebrate the future fulfillment of the Torah.

The Torah Scroll is carried around the congregation seven times; with each circuit, a portion of Numbers is read, a Psalm portion is sung, and an explanation given.

Prelude Deuteronomy 16:13-17 (The full reading is Deuteronomy 14:22 - 16:17)

Reader A * Amen “You shall observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that you have gathered in your corn and your wine: and you shall rejoice in your feast, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within your gates. Seven days shall you keep a solemn feast unto Yahweh your God” . . . and they shall not appear before Yahweh empty: Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of Yahweh your God which he has given you.

Note: Yahweh's offerings were always brought/prepared prior to a Sabbath or festival, for use on the Holy Day. Festival offerings were food: money could be brought for buying festive foods prior to the Holy Day. Collections are never to be taken on a Holy Day, and the festival tithe is never for travel or lodging.

1st Circuit Numbers 29:12-16

Reader 1 * Amen And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have an holy convocation; you shall do no servile work, and you shall keep a feast unto Yahweh seven days: And you shall offer an elevation offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet aroma unto Yahweh; thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year; they shall be without blemish:

All sing: Psalm 1 v.1

On the first day of creation, God created light and darkness.

On the first millennial day -- Adams day -- man learned good and evil.

2nd Circuit Numbers 29:17-19

Reader 2 * Amen And on the second day you shall offer twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:

All sing: Psalm 1 v,2

On the second day of creation, God separated the waters above and beneath the earth.

On the second millennial day -- Noah’s day -- God brought the waters back together (flood) then separated them again.

3rd Circuit Numbers 29:20-22

Reader 3 * Amen And on the third day eleven bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish;

All sing: Psalm 48

On the third day of creation, God created dry land and plants.

On the third millennial day -- Abrahams day -- God promised Canaan with abounding food.

4th Circuit Numbers 29:23-25

Reader 4 * Amen And on the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:

All sing: Psalm 82

On the fourth day of creation, God created the sun and moon.

On the fourth millennial day -- Messiah’s day -- King David, priests, and Yeshua came.

5th Circuit Numbers 29:26-28

Reader 5 * Amen And on the fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:

All sing: Psalm 94

On the fifth day of creation, God created fish and birds.

The fifth and sixth millennial days are called “the last days.”

6th Circuit Numbers 29:29-31

Reader 6 * Amen And on the sixth day eight bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:

All sing: Psalm 81

On the sixth day of creation, God created beasts, and man at the end.

The fifth and sixth millennial days are called “the last days.”

The Beast of Revelation and the Son of Man appear at the end of the sixth millennium.

7th Circuit Numbers 29:32-34

Reader 7 * Amen And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:

All sing: Psalm 92

The Seventh Day was Sabbath. The Sabbath Millennium approaches, when Yeshua shall reign!

(End of Circuits)

Total: 70 BULLOCKS

Eighth Day Numbers 29:35 - 30:1

Reader 8 * Amen “On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly: you shall do no servile work therein: But you shall offer an elevation offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet aroma unto Yahweh: ONE BULLOCK, one ram, seven lambs of the first year without blemish: Their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bullock, for the ram, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual elevation offering, and his grain offering, and his drink offering. These things you shall do unto Yahweh in your set feasts, beside your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your elevation offerings, and for your grain offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.” . . . “This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded.”

The Eighth Day represents the New Creation -- Eden (Paradise) restored on a renewed earth. God’s Covenant is fulfilled! The single bullock represents the Kingdom of Messiah that replaces all seventy kingdoms.

Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.

1 Kings 8:54 – 66

Reader 9 * Amen Solomon . . . stood up in front of the altar of Yahweh . . . and shouted this blessing over the entire community of Israel: “Blessed be Yahweh, who has given rest to his people Israel, just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the wonderful promises he gave through his servant Moses. May Yahweh our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never forsake us. May he give us the desire to do his will in everything and to obey all the commands, laws, and regulations that he gave our ancestors. And may these words that I have prayed in the presence of Yahweh be before him constantly, day and night, so that Yahweh our God may uphold my cause and the cause of his people Israel, fulfilling our daily needs. May people all over the earth know that Yahweh is God and that there is no other god. And may you, his people, always be faithful to Yahweh our God. May you always obey his laws and commands, just as you are doing today.” Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices to Yahweh.

Oct 6 evening 2004

Simchat Torah

Rejoicing in the Day of the Fulfilled Torah

Exodus 6:6-7 "I am Yahweh . . . I will separate you . . . I will deliver you . . . I will redeem you with an outstretched arm . . . I will take you for My people and I will be your God"

FIRST CIRCUIT

Yeshua -- Emmanuel (god with us) -- will dwell with us, fulfilling the old and renewed Covenant.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 - "Behold, the days are coming," declares Yahweh, "when I will renew My covenant with with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah . . . I will be their God, and they shall be My people . . . they shall all know me . . .

Psalm 37:9, 11, 29 - Evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for Yahweh shall inherit the earth . . . The meek shall inherit the earth, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity and peace . . . The righteous shall inherit the earth, and dwell therein forever!

SECOND CIRCUIT

God destroyed the earth once by water (in Noah's day), and will again destroy the earth -- but with fire. The New Earth will be renewed by fire.

Matthew 5:5 - Yeshua said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."

Isaiah 66:22-23 - "For just as the renewed heavens and renewed earth which I will create will endure before Me," declares Yahweh, "so your offspring and your name will endure. And it shall be from New Moon to New Moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all mankind will come to bow down before Me," says Yahweh.

THIRD CIRCUIT

Yeshua said, "I go to prepare a place for you." Then John said, "I saw renewed heavens and a renewed earth . . . And I saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down out of the heavens from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."

Revelation 21:1-3 - And I saw a renewed heavens and a renewed earth; for the first heavens and the first earth had disappeared, and there was no longer any sea. And I John saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down out of the heavens from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His peoples, and God Himself shall dwell among them."

Genesis 2:8-9 - And Yahweh Elohim planted a garden eastward in Eden; and out of the ground Yahweh Elohim caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden

FOURTH CIRCUIT

Eden and Paradise are translations of the same original Hebrew word (Edan).

Revelation 2:7, 22:2 - "To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God."

There was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Genesis 2:10 - Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden

FIFTH CIRCUIT

There will be the water of life – the Yar-Edan (Jordan) is the Descender from Eden.

Revelation 22:1 - Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb,

Genesis 3:17-19 - Then to Adam He said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it'; Cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; and you will eat the plants of the field; by the sweat of your face You will eat bread, till you return to the ground,

SIXTH CIRCUIT

There will be no more sorrow.

Revelation 22:3 - There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him;

Exodus 34:30 - "When all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone!"

Matthew 17:2 - "(Yeshua) was transfigured before them, and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as light."

SEVENTH CIRCUIT

Moses, angels, and Yeshua at times appeared clothed in light.

A multitude from all nations will stand before God clothed in robes of light.

Revelation 3:5, 18, 7:9 - "He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in raiment of light." --

"I counsel you to buy of Me . . . raiment of light, that you may be clothed, and the shame of your nakedness not appear.

"A great multitude . . . of all nations . . . stood before the Lamb, clothed in robes of light."