An Introduction to the Set Apart Times of YHWH

Have you ever wondered what the set apart times are in the Bible? In addition to the weekly Sabbath, there are seven times of the year that YHWH tells us to set apart. These times are special, and not only because we are told to celebrate them. Each holiday has significance historically, prophetically, and in the life of the Messiah. Paul wrote in Colossians that these times are a shadow of things to come. That means we have a lot to learn from these holidays.

The set apart times are:

Passover
Matzah Week / The Feast of Unleavened Bread
First Fruits

Shavuot / Pentecost / The Feast of Weeks

Yom Teruah / Feast of Trumpets

Yom Kippur / Day of Atonement

Sukkot / Feast of Tabernacles

While specific dates are given in Scripture, the Biblical calendar doesn't mesh perfectly with the Gregorian so the dates move a bit each year. 

Needing clarification is the truth that these are not "Jewish holidays." No, no, no. These are part of Scripture, so if you are a Bible believer these are yours, regardless of nationality or bloodline or family traditions. While these have largely only been kept by Jewish people, YHWH never, ever says that only part of his people should celebrate them. Deuteronomy 16:14 expressly tells us that foreigners who join the community of YHWH's people should celebrate these days too, so no matter your background the Creator invites you to these times. He made them for his honor, but also for our enjoyment and erudition. Two of the greatest gifts ever bestowed on humanity - YHWH's instructions for living and the Holy Spirit - were given at Shavuot. The Messiah was born during the Fall Feasts and of course crucified on Passover and resurrected during Matzah Week. Perhaps the most joyous time in history will be on Yom Teruah at the returning of Yahusha. These times are stunning in their significance.

A brief overview of the set apart times:

Passover: In the Biblical year Passover is the very first feast. We see the Israelites keep Passover just before the Egyptian exodus. They were instructed to brush the doors of their homes with blood from a lamb, we are reminded that the Messiah was the perfect sacrificial lamb. That's not just an allegory either, Yahusha was killed on Passover. 

The Feast of Unleavened Bread: This is a week long celebration that starts the day after Passover. Leavened/yeast bread and other products are forbidden this week. As yeast is a very small ingredient that rabidly transforms all the dough, we are reminded that the small things in our life make a huge impact. It was during this week when the Messiah rose from the dead.

First Fruits: This day happens during Matzah Week, but there is a lot of debate as to when. This is when the first of the barely harvest was to be presented before YHWH. First Fruits is the day the Messiah resurrected from the dead and presented himself to the Father. It is also when we are to start counting fifty days.

Shavuot: Fifty days after First Fruits we are to celebrate Shavuot. This is a day of great significance as the instructions on how to live were given at Mount Sinai and then shortly after Yahusha's ascension into heaven, the Holy Spirit was given on the day of Shavuot.

Yom Teruah: The first of the fall feasts, Yom Teruah means something like Day of Sounding. All those verses that talk about a trumpet sounding when the Messiah returns? It will happen on that day.

Yom Kippur: Under the Levitical priesthood this was a very significant day because it's the day that the priests made atonement for all of Israel's sin with the two goats. Today we can celebrate that the Messiah has atoned for our sins. Prophetically, it is thought that this will be the day that the earth is judged and the people who have been atoned for by Messiah will be separated from those who have not.

Sukkot: This is a beautiful look ahead to when YHWH will dwell or camp with us. With that in mind, it's no surprise that it is believed the Messiah was born during this time. This eight day celebration usually looks like a camping trip, with the commandment being to dwell in tents. Others build a temporary structure on their property and spend time there throughout Sukkot.

Why should we be keeping the feasts?

-We are told to keep these set apart times forever (Exodus 12:14). And you know what? This isn't a bad thing. These are times of joy. Thinking otherwise illustrates a lack of trust in our Creator, that we could think so negatively about him to believe he is hosting parties just so we can be miserable during them. This is not the case at all. Each set apart time is a gift from him; a time for celebration, rest, joy, thanksgiving, time with family and friends, delicious foods, and fun memories. I refuse to treat that like a burden.

-We see the Messiah celebrating these times in Scripture. He even hosts a Passover meal (also known as the last supper). And he is supposed to be our example, right? So one of the answers to those WWJD bracelets is, "celebrate the feasts!"

-Paul exhorts us to keep the feasts (1 Corinthians 5:8). Even after the Messiah was ascended into heaven we are told to keep these festivals.

-Scripture tells us not to let anyone judge us for doing this (Colossians 2:16). In his all knowing, YHWH knew we would be facing some peer pressure to not keep the feasts. I think that's why in Colossians he reminded us to not let other's opinions make our decisions for us. It's not man's choice. It's YHWH's instruction.

Are there benefits to celebrating YHWH's set apart times?

To quote Paul, "Much in every way." Most people keeping the cultural holidays do so because they feel like they are beneficial. The benefit could be that it's something fun to look forward to, or that it's an excuse to spend time with family and friends or to take a break from work, or that it's a way to celebrate love or show people you care. And these are for times that are man made or have very dark origins. How much more then can the Biblical holidays bring goodness into our lives? Here are a few of the opportunities you will have in keeping celebrating the Biblical holidays.

-Deeper relationship with the Messiah. Everything about the festivals points to him. We are going to get a a better understanding of who he is when we start celebrating the feasts. It gives us a closer look at his life (we know what he was doing at these times of year), and we can prophetically see what his return will be like.

-Taking ownership for faith in a concrete way. Believing and trusting can feel a little abstract at times. It is nice to do something tangible to grow in faith and relationship with YHWH. These are regular times to slow down and refocus on faith.

-Understanding Scripture in much more depth! The festivals are a significant part of both Old and New Testament Scripture. We are going to miss a lot of details if we aren't at least somewhat familiar with what these are. And we know that all of Scripture is useful for teaching, correcting mistakes, and training in character.

-Sharing experiences that those in the Bible had. Keeping Passover is something Moses did. And Miriam and Joshua. And the Messiah and the disciples. King Josiah and Apostle Paul too. How cool is it that we can relate to them in this way? These set apart times bring members of our faith together over thousands of years, and can make Scripture come alive to us.

-Building relationships with other believers. A Passover meal or Sukkot celebration is a great time to journey to be with others in the faith. Sharing these special times together can foster lasting friendships and meaningful relationships.

This is just a brief introduction to the feasts. There is so much more richness to each one! For more on individual feasts, go here.

The Biblical Invitation We've Missed to the Fall Feasts

Did you know that you've been invited to special celebrations your whole life? I don't know about you, but I missed this even though I literally lugged the invitation around with me in my Bible case. Each of us has been invited to take part in the glorious times known as the Biblical holidays or feasts.

If the Messiah invited you to a party what would your response be?

Seriously, imagine what that would be like. What kind of special evening would the King of the Universe have in mind? What kind of food would be served? How would the tables be set? What would you wear? How would he feel if you refused to go?

He sent his servants to invite them to the wedding party. But they didn't want to come. -Matthew 22:3

Do you know this parable? In this story Jesus told there is a king who was hosting a wedding party. A five-star banquet had been prepared by a top chef, special clothing had been designed and tailored with skill, tables were set, candles were lit, attention had been given to each lovely detail, and finally all of it was ready. But they didn't want to come.

YHWH holds seven special feasts a year. And his people decline the invitation. Like in the Messiah's parable we have had better things to do. "This is a busy time of year for me." "Work has been crazy." "We are set free from that." It's not that we didn't get the invitation. It's not that something is physically keeping us away. We just have refused to come. How does this make the host feel? Verse seven, The King was furious and invited someone else.

Don't miss out on this invitation from the Creator. Change which box you have been checking on these kingdom RSVPs. Three of his feasts are coming up soon! We aren't far away from the celebrations of the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot but there is still time to make it to these parties. Did you know that our Messiah honored and celebrated these times? And not only that but the nature of each feast speaks a different truth about who YHWH is and his redemptive plan for us.

The kingdom of Heaven is like a party no one wants to go to.

Now is the time to plan to celebrate as YHWH instructed us (see Leviticus 23). Make plans to keep these feasts, whether that's on your own, with your family, your church community, or traveling to connect with others.

Since God did not give us Gregorian calendar dates for his feasts there is some confusion as to exactly when they fall. If you are involved with a group I would personally go with their dates so you can celebrate as a community. If not, study and pray about what you should do.

Take some time to familiarize yourself with the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and Tabernacles and begin to plan. How should you accept the King's invitation? Put in for vacation from your job and plan to have the no-work days free. Will you be going camping or building a sukkah for Sukkot? Can you gather friends for a party or would you like to give gifts? You don't have to know how to do everything perfectly to accept this invitation, and really it is a learning and growing process that becomes more joyous and special with each year. The kingdom of Heaven is like a king preparing a feast for his son. Invite to the party as many as you can find. Say yes this year!

More about the fall Bible holidays:
The Beginner's Guide to the Feast of Trumpets

Honoring Yom Kippur as a Believer in Messiah

The Feast of Tabernacles: What it Means and Why You Should Celebrate It

Bible Reading for Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits

These are Scripture passages about the Biblical spring holidays of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits. These verses will give you more insight into the Biblical information about these holidays, as well as events that happened at these times. Reading these passages is a great way to prepare for these holidays, and it's also a great way to celebrate and honor God on the actual days. Saturating yourself in the pertinent Scriptures is a great way to build anticipation for these special times and to calibrate yourself to our Creator's calendar! Here are Scriptures to read for Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits. They would also be great to study on the day of or to have children act out as part of the festivities.

Bible Reading for Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits:

Exodus 12 - The Passover story of the Israelites leaving Egypt

Leviticus 25:5-12 - Instructions for keeping Passover and Unleavened Bread

Numbers 9:14 - All believers should celebrate the Biblical holidays

Deuteronomy 16:1-8 - Overview of the Spring Feasts 

Matthew 26-28 - The Last Supper and Death of the Messiah 

Mark 14 - The Passover meal of the Messiah 

Luke 22 - Passover meal and interrogation of the Messiah 

John 13-17 - The words of Messiah at the Passover meal

Acts 12 - YHWH frees Peter from prison during the Feast of Unleavened Bread

Acts 20:6 - After Unleavened Bread, Paul and Luke left Philippi

1 Corinthians 5:7-8 - Paul admonishes believers in the Messiah to celebrate the Bible holidays

More on the Biblical holidays:
The Beginner's Guide to Passover
The Beginner's Guide to Unleavened Bread
How to Celebrate First Fruits

What is Hallowed?

If you're not familiar with the truth of what happens on Halloween and its origins, check out this teaching from Torah to the Tribes. Human and animal sacrifice, rape, ritualistic abuse, kidnapping, murder, invoking evil spirits. That's what Halloween is.
Yes, you may say, but I'm not celebrating those things.

Sure, but is the occult's black sabbath something you want to associate yourself with? Paul wrote very plainly that he would not do something if it caused his brother to stumble or fall away from the faith (1 Corinthians 8:13). Does widespread Christian celebration and acceptance of Halloween dissuade people from following Yahusha?

Who does Halloween keep from entering the Kingdom of Heaven?

Those in the occult looking for truth. If our holy days aren't distinctly different, how can they know there is a better way?

Victims of ritual abuse. Those the occult has harmed are desperate for healing and the truth and love of YHWH. But if they see supposed Bible believers dressed as witches or churches decorated with haunted grave yards those symbols are enough to trigger panic and anxiety that will keep them far away from the truth.

Women and children who have suffered domestic violence.  Millions of people have been covered in real blood. They have felt terror that those covering themselves in fake blood can't imagine. Does dressing up as a murderer or victim of a violent crime bring life to these precious ones?

Those from other religions that can see no difference in their faith. Acting like the rest of the culture doesn't show anyone who YHWH is. This denies other faiths the opportunity to see truth.

Anyone who can see the hypocrisy of the Christian faith. While most of the church is in denial about it, the rest of the world can see the clear contradiction between the teachings of Scripture and participating in Halloween. This is not exactly a call to righteous living.

There are millions and millions of people who stumble over the fact that those claiming to serve the God of Light participate in such horrible darkness. When we are involved in Halloween we are saying that the day is truly honorable and worth being set apart. That word hallow? Yahusha used it when he prayed, "Hallowed be the name of YHWH." The definition of hallow is literally to "honor as holy." Do you believe that this day of wickedness should be honored as highly as the very name of YHWH? When we participate (in any way, no matter how small) in Halloween (Hallow[ed] e[v]en[ing]), that's exactly the message we send to all of these people.

What about providing safe alternatives to Halloween? 3 John 1:11 says not to imitate evil. Imitating the evil practices of Halloween is not okay if you dial it down to "family friendly." It's still going against what Scripture expressly says and imitating wickedness. The only safe alternative is keeping YHWH's feast days. If you want to celebrate the fall harvest, do it at Sukkot when it's permissible and honorable to YHWH.

Some verses to consider before participating in the black sabbath of the occult:

Isaiah 5:20 - Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light, and celebrate pagan holidays in place of YHWH's moedim.

John 8:12 - I am the light of the world whoever follows me won't walk in the darkness of Halloween.

1 Corinthians 10:21 - You cannot drink the cup of YHWH and the cup of shedim. You cannot live a righteous life and participate in demonic holidays.

Ephesians 5:11 - Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, not even once a year. Instead expose it.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 - Abstain from every form of evil. Even if it's "just for fun."

Yaakov 1:27 - Pure and undefiled religion is to keep yourself unspotted from the world. All the time.

2 Corinthians 6:14 - What fellowship has righteousness with Torahlessness? What common ground is there for keepers of Torah and wickedness? None.

Yaakov 4:4 - Friendship with the world is enmity with YHWH. Even if you're just being friendly as a marketing campaign for Yahusha.

Matthew 22:37 - The first and greatest commandment is to love YHWH. Not to love the things this world does.

2 Corinthians 11:3 - I fear your minds may be corrupted away from the simplicity that is in Moshiach. I'm worried that you're doing things Yahusha wouldn't.

Deuteronomy 12:4 - You shall not worship YHWH in this manner. You can't celebrate something with origins in paganism and have it honor YHWH. He hates it.

1 Corinthians 10:9 - Neither let us test Messiah, as those who were destroyed. Do you want to find out the hard way Halloween celebration is not righteous?

1 Timothy 4:1 - In the latter times many will depart from the faith, giving heed to the teachings of shedim, believing it's okay to do things YHWH warns against.

Deuteronomy 18:10 There should not be found among you divination, enchantment or witchcraft. Whoever does these things is detestable to YHWH. Even if it's what everyone else is doing.

We have all participated in things that don't honor YHWH, but we can stop today! Do you believe that the power of Yahusha fully overcomes darkness or not? Because if it does our lives and holidays should demonstrate that.