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

Increase Our Numbers Like Sheep

Who's heard this verse before? Ezekiel 36:37 - "This says the Master YHWH: I will once again allow the house of Israel to call upon Me, to do this for them: increase their numbers like sheep." 

The house of Israel is the name for the ten northern tribes. Tribes that are now lost in the nations: they left the land of Israel, intermarried with other cultures and basically disappeared without a trace. However they are not lost to YHWH. He knows where his people are and promises that one day he will restore all twelve tribes together.

Since these people are not lost to YHWH, how are they considered lost? It's because the world and the people themselves have no idea that YHWH longs for them to turn to him and come back into his kingdom. Most people in our culture are lost. They've lost their bearings. They've lost the compass of YHWH's instructions as directions to live by. They have no idea that it's likely they have physical ancestry in the people who spent forty years wandering the desert. They have not been taught how to follow YHWH. He longs for individuals worldwide to turn back and become part of his people. He wants them back.

Do you see the implications that this verse gives? Since all who turn to YHWH and serve him get grafted into Israel (whether or not they have family lineage there), that means that you get to pray this. That Israel would grow and grow like crazy.

YHWH has given us the gift of this prayer. Something he will bring about, we can be part of by praying for him to bring the lost sheep of Israel back. More and more people will become part of the community that serves YHWH, keeps his feasts, sets apart the Sabbath day, follows his instructions, and glorifies the life and death of Yahusha. He will bring them back.

Increase our numbers like sheep.

Related posts:
The Two Houses: Israel and Judah in Scripture
Understanding the Other 88% of the Bible

14 Make Ahead Meals for Shabbat

"Tomorrow is Shabbat to YHWH; bake what you'd like today, and cook what you'd like to cook; and what is leftover save for tomorrow." -Exodus 16:23

This verse has really inspired me to stop cooking on Shabbat. Even those of us who enjoy kitchen work need a break so that we can rest and enjoy YHWH's set apart day. This is a clear instruction that we should plan to have food leftover that we can eat on Shabbat. 

I've put together a few recipes that you can make ahead of time and then eat on the Sabbath. Many of them actually recommend making a day or two prior to let the flavors come together more. All of these recipes can be served cold or at room temperature. This isn't because I think it's wrong to reheat a casserole in the oven or run a slow cooker on Shabbat (though some believe it is). With the warmer days at this time of year the cool food is welcome, at least for me! Plus your kitchen doesn't need to be heated up.

These meals start with fresh veggies, beans, quick cooking grains like lentils and quinoa, and pasta so they come together quickly - perfect for hectic Fridays! You can save yourself even more time by doubling the recipe and enjoying it for Friday (or Thursday) dinner and then again on Shabbat. The recipes are each pretty well rounded in my opinion so they really don't need any accompaniments, but if one dish dinners aren't your thing you could serve any of these with bread, sliced cheese, salad greens with vinaigrette, and fresh or frozen fruit for dessert.

14 Make Ahead Meals for Shabbat:

Summer Green Bean Salad from Making Thyme for Health
This is great cold or at room temperature. In lieu of the chickpeas, I like to eat this with hummus.

Greek Lentil Salad from Cookie and Kate
Go ahead and dress the lentils and veggies the day before but leave out the spinach until just before serving so it doesn't wilt.

Farro Tabbouleh with Burrata and Hummus from Half Baked Harvest
If you don't have burrata this will still make for a filling meal served with pita bread and lots of fresh veggies.

Broccoli Tahini Pasta Salad from Love and Lemons
This salad stores really well for a few days in the fridge. Add a green at the last minute for even more veggies.

Quinoa Gado Gado Bowl from Minimalist Baker
You can steam the veggies in this or leave them raw. I would leave the quinoa, veggies, and dressing separate and then let everyone assemble their own combination on Shabbat.

Roasted Asparagus Wheat Berry Salad with Pesto from A Beautiful Plate
This recipe can be completely finished a few days before Shabbat. Just pull it out of the fridge when you're ready for lunch or dinner.

Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad from Well Plated
Sweet potatoes, black beans, and quinoa makes for a very filling salad. I like to set this out on the counter in the morning so it's at room temperature for lunch.

Everything But the Kitchen Sink Pasta Salad from Half Baked Harvest
Make this delicious pasta salad when your fridge is full of odds and ends that need used up. Tieghan says this salad is actually best made a few days ahead of time making it perfect for a Shabbat meal.

Chickpea Salad Stuffed Avocado from Making Thyme for Health
In lieu of stuffing avocados you could serve this salad in sandwich form.

Roasted Beet Lentil Salad from Oh My Veggies
I would combine all the ingredients the day before eating. Lentils and beets are a great combination. A little goat cheese in here would be good too.

California Chicken, Avocado, and Goat Cheese Salad from Half Baked Harvest
Prepare your ingredients ahead of time but don't combine them until you're ready to eat to keep your lettuce nice and crisp.

Black Bean Sweet Potato Salad with Jalapeno Lime Vinaigrette from Vanilla and Bean
Mix everything including that tasty vinaigrette the day before then add the spinach at meal time.

Summer Abundance Bowls from Half Baked Harvest
How fresh do these look? Use any type of grain to go with whatever fruit is in season, veggies, greens, a sprinkle of nuts or seeds, and cheese if you like.

Grilled Corn and Zucchini Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette from Minimalist Baker
This salad is one of my favorites! When I have fresh tomatoes I roast them and use instead of the sundried tomatoes and water. So good!

Want more recipes? 
Get familiar with what Scripture says about what we should eat.
Here are slow cooker meal ideas you can make for the Sabbath. Plus, more here.
Summer salads more your pace? Here are more great ones!
Here are casseroles to make ahead for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert.
And make your life easier with the No Stress Guide to Sabbath Day Meal Prep!

5 Things The Messiah Taught About the Sabbath

These are some of the things the Messiah said about the Sabbath day. Religious leaders were often upset with his actions on the Sabbath, not because he was breaking God's laws about the set apart day, but because he was setting aside the tedious man made rules they had made up. Jesus was always in favor of going back to the simplicity of what Scripture instructs, so that keeping the Sabbath is doable for all of God's people.

The Messiah always kept and honored Shabbat. We see him eating in someone's home, instead of buying food in the marketplace. We see him teaching, in place of doing his carpentry work. We see him going to congregation, as opposed to working at home. He walks with his disciples, instead of saddling up a horse or hiring a chariot for transportation. All of those things he did to honor YHWH's set apart day. He also talked about the Sabbath.

Here are five things the Messiah taught about the Sabbath day:

1. "Sabbath was made for mankind." -Mark 2:27
The Living God created the Sabbath for us. Not for his own benefit. Not for the angels. Not for the sake of having rules. Not only for the people who lived 3,000 years ago. He made it for us, as a beautiful gift he knows we need! Jesus taught that the Sabbath was a gift from YHWH especially for us.

2. "The son of man is master of the Sabbath." -Luke 6:5

The Messiah chose to describe himself in relation to the Sabbath, and that shows us part of his identity that he values. Mastering something doesn't make it null and void. On the contrary, when someone says they have mastered something - whether that's organic chemistry, croissant baking, or a second language - it means they have purposefully spent a lot of time on it and it's important to them. Why would we treat the Messiah's declaration of the Sabbath differently? He was speaking of the Sabbath because it's something he cares about.

3. He made a practice of teaching people on the Sabbath. -Luke 4:31

Many of us have been told  that it doesn't matter what day of the week we worship YHWH, but isn't it worthwhile to see that our Savior made it a point to do this on the seventh day of the week? He didn't limit himself to teaching one day a week but his habit was teaching on God's set apart day. Jesus organized his life with respect to this day. We can also see that he expects his people to learn on the Sabbath.

 

4. "It is permitted in the law to do good deeds on the Sabbath." -Matthew 12:12

Many have taken the accusations of the Pharisees to mean that the Messiah violated the Sabbath. Truthfully they were only accusing him of breaking their own traditions, not commandments of God. Jesus teaches here that it's okay to disregard man made rules or expectations for what the Sabbath day looks like, as long as we honor Biblical instructions. He also tells us here that the Sabbath contradicts nothing that YHWH has said because we are free to keep all of his commandments on this day.

5. People get healed on the Sabbath. -Mark 3:5
Whoa. The number of times Jesus healed someone on the Sabbath show that God is trying to communicate something with us. While healing is certainly possible any day of the week it is worth noticing that the Messiah consistently healed those who came to him on the Sabbath!

This list is not exhaustive but we can see that the Sabbath day was something important to both the Messiah and to the writers of the Gospels. Many teachings recorded in Scripture were spoken by the Messiah on the Sabbath and then reiterated by Paul and others on later Sabbath days. We can now make the same choice to honor YHWH's set apart day.

More on the Sabbath:
What to Do on the Sabbath
Sabbath in the New Testament
Did Jesus Break the Sabbath?