Doctrine

DIETARY LAW

Leviticus 11:1-23 and Deuteronomy 14

We believe that Yahweh established a dietary law for us to follow, even now at this age in time. We are set apart for Yahweh, we are His chosen people. We are to stay pure so that we may not defile Yahweh or the place of His dwelling. To defile means to make foul, unclean, pollute.

Lev. 11:44 "For I am Yahweh, your Father in Heaven. You must consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. So do not defile yourselves with any of these small animals that scurry themselves along the ground."

Deuteronomy 14:2 "You have been set apart as holy to Yahweh, your Father in Heaven, and He has chosen you from all the nations of the earth to be His own special treasure."

In the Old Testament, Yahweh's place of dwelling was the Tabernacle. After the sacrifice of Yahshua, we became the dwelling place for Yahweh's spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:19 "Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the holy spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by Yahweh? You do not belong to yourself."

THE SABBATH

The Sabbath is a day of rest, it is observed from sundown to sundown, starting on Friday and ending on Saturday. It is a blessing and a sign between Yahweh and His people and it is to be observed from generation to generation. We are to observe it just as Yahweh did when he finished all of His creation. We dedicate this day to do His will and not our own. And Yahweh promises to protect us and we shall rejoice if we remain faithful.

Genesis 2:1-2, "On the seventh day Yahweh had finished His work of creation, so He rested from all His work. And Yahweh blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when He rested from all His work of creation."

Exodus 31:13 "Tell the people of Israel: ‘Be careful to keep the Sabbath day, for the Sabbath is a sign of the covenant between me and your from generation to generation. It is given so you may know that I am Yahweh, who makes you holy."

Isaiah 58:13, "Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don't pursue your own interest on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as Yahweh's holy day. Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day, and don't follow your own desires or talk idly."

TITHING

The tithe is 10% of your gross wages that you take to the house of worship. Yahweh is owner and provider of all things we posses. Therefore it is important that all be used for His purpose and glory. It is also an act of gratitude, and honor to Yahweh, your Father in Heaven. And when we bring our tithes, Yahweh promises to bless us abundantly.

Deuteronomy 12:5-7, "Rather, you must seek Yahweh, your Father in Heaven at the place of worship He himself will choose from among all the tribes-the place where his name is honored. There you will bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your sacred offerings, your offerings to fulfill a vow, your voluntary offerings, and your offerings of the firstborn animals of your herds and flocks. There you and your families will feast in the presence of Yahweh, your Father in Heaven, and you will rejoice in all you have accomplished because Yahweh, your Father in Heaven has blessed you."

Tithing is a great spiritual and materialistic reward, an important part of life for believers in Yahshua. With tithes you help those that serve in the temple, you help the needy, the orphan, the widow and you honor Yahweh.

BAPTISM

Baptism is a divine institution; it is a step of faith, repentance, and conversion to obtain salvation, eternal life through Yahshua. It symbolizes death to sin, and new life in obedience to Yahweh our Father in Heaven.

Through Adam came death. Through Yahshua came life. Romans 5:17, "For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is Yahweh's wonderful grace and His righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Yahshua."

Romans 5:21, "So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now Yahweh's wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with Yahweh and resulting in eternal life through Yahshua the Messiah"

Matthew 3:13-16, "Then Yahshua came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter Him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?' Yahshua replied, ‘Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness,' then John consented. As soon as Yahshua was baptized, He went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and He saw the spirit of Yahweh descending like a dove and lighting on Him."

SALVATION

One thing we all have in common is that we are all going to die. Good or bad, righteous or wicked, death awaits us all. Now while death may be a mystery to some, it's not a mystery to all who believe in Yahshua. Believers in Yahshua, live with the hope that we will rise again to meet with our Creator. If there were no hope in a future resurrection, our faith and preaching of the gospel would all be in vain.

John 5:25-29, "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out - those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned."

Daniel 12:2, "Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those that are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those that lead many to righteousness."

Job 19:25-26, "I know that my Redeemer lives and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my body has been destroyed, in my flesh I will see Yahshua."

PASSOVER

Also known as the "Feast of Unleavened Bread", celebrated on the 14th day of the month of Nisan (March-April) in the Hebrew calendar.

Exodus 12:26-27; "Then your children will ask, ‘What does all this mean? What is this ceremony about?' And you will reply, ‘It is the celebration of Yahweh's Passover, for He passed over the homes of the Israelites in Egypt. And though He killed the Egyptians, He spared our families and did not destroy us.' Then all the people bowed their heads and worshiped."

The Israelites were slaves in Egypt for more than 400 years until their freedom. Until Yahweh told Moses and his brother Aaron to tell Pharaoh to free the Israelites from slavery. But Pharaoh refused and plagues came upon him and all the land.

The final plague was the death of all the firstborn males and animals in the land. This was to show that Yahweh had authority and power over Pharaoh and all the Egyptian gods that protected the house of Pharaoh. Therefore Yahweh told Israel to get ready for a long journey, and to prepare a meal. The meal consisted of a lamb or goat with no physical defects, bitter herbs and unleavened bread.

They needed to prepare the lamb for the meal, then take the blood of the lamb with a specific type of branch called hyssop and spread it over the doorpost. When the angel of death came that night, it would see the blood and pass over the home and the plague of death would not harm their firstborn.

The exodus is to Israel what the death and resurrection of Yahshua is, to believers in him. Israel commemorated their deliverance from Egypt in the Passover and believers in Yahshua, commemorate their redemption from sin in Yahshua. The sacrificed lamb/goat symbolizes an expression of devotion, thanksgiving, or the need for forgiveness. The bitter herbs symbolized the bitter experience of the Israelites in Egypt. And finally the unleavened bread symbolized sin.

PENTECOST

Also known as the "Feast of Weeks, Harvest and First fruits", celebrated in the month of Sivan (May-June), 50 days after the Passover or exactly 7 weeks after Passover.

Deuteronomy 16:10-11, "Then you must celebrate the Festival of Harvest to honor Yahweh, your God. Bring Him a freewill offering in proportion to the blessing you have received from Him. It is time to celebrate before Yahweh, your Creator, at the place He chooses for His name to be honored. Celebrate with your whole family, all your servants, the Levites from your towns, and the foreigners, orphans, and widows who live among you."

During these seven weeks Yahweh blessed the grain and wheat harvest with rain and fertility. The people would honor Yahweh by bringing forth the first produce of the land.

In the New Testament, during the forty days, after the death of Yahshua, He reappeared several times to His disciples...

Acts 1:4-5, "In one of these meetings as He was eating a meal with them, He told them, ‘Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you what He has promised. Remember, I have told you about this before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the holy spirit."

And seven weeks after Yahshua's resurrection, believers in Yahshua were in Jerusalem, in one place when Yahweh's spirit descended upon them. Yahweh blessed them by empowering them with His holy spirit. Enabling them to speak in tongues they had never spoken before, and therefore communicate with Jewish pilgrims. A sign of unity between Jew and Gentile.

Yahweh's spirit descended upon 120 people on that day in Jerusalem. And fulfilled the promise of His holy spirit that would never leave us, and guide us to all truth.

John 14:16-18, "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another counselor to be with you forever, the spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him, but you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you."

John 14:26, "But the counselor, the holy spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."

FEAST OF TRUMPETS

This feast is celebrated on the first day of the seventh month Tishri (September-October) in early autumn. It is to be celebrated with the sounding of the Shophar (a ram's horn) and a special offering to Yahweh.

Numbers 29:1, "Celebrate the festival of trumpets each year on the first day of the appointed month in early autumn. You must call an official day for holy assembly, and you may do no ordinary work."

Leviticus 23:23-25, "Yahweh said to Moses, ‘Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. On the first day of the appointed month in early autumn, you are to observe a day of complete rest. It will be an official day for holy assembly, a day commemorated with loud blasts of trumpet. You must do no ordinary work on that day. Instead, you are to present special gifts to Yahweh."

Believers in Yahshua today celebrate this feast announcing the prophetic application of Yahshua's return. In the book of revelation 7 trumpets were given to 7 angels and after each trumpet was blown a major event would occur. But at the sound of the last trumpet blast, that was the sound that would announce Yahshua descending from the heavens, on a white horse to announce His throne, and the beginning of a holy war against all forces of evil.

Revelation 11:15-18, "Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven: ‘The world has now become the kingdom of Yahweh and of his Messiah, and he will reign forever and ever.' The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones before Yahweh, fell with their faces to the ground and worshiped him and they said,

"We give thanks to you Yahshua, the Almighty the one who is and who will always be for now you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were filled with wrath, but now the time of your wrath has come. It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants the prophets, as well as your holy people, and all who fear your name, from the least to the greatest. It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth."

DAY OF ATONEMENT (YOM KIPPUR)

This feast is celebrated in the month of Tishri (September-October) five days before "The feast of Tabernacles". It is a feast in where Yahweh called his people to gather. They needed to fast (not eat or drink anything) to indicate repentance of their sins. They needed to come before Him with a humble heart, giving Him undivided attention and dedication.

Leviticus 23:27-29, "You must observe it as an official day for holy assembly, a day to deny yourselves and present special gifts to Yahweh. Do no work during that entire day because it is the Day of Atonement, when offerings of purification are made for you, making you right with Yahweh, your Creator."

In the Old Testament the high priest would purify themselves before entering the holy of holies. Then the priest would bring a special offering, interceding for the sins of the people. In the New Testament Yahshua entered the Tabernacle of heaven and interceded for our sins before Yahweh our Heavenly Father.

Hebrews 9:11-12, "So Yahshua has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With His own blood-not the blood of goats and calves-He entered the most holy place once for all time and secured our redemption forever."

Because we constantly sin, we observe this special Day of Atonement and use to reconcile with Yahweh our Creator through Yahshua. It's not a day of sorrow but a day of joy. Because of Yahshua's sacrifice, the shedding of His blood we are able to come to Yahweh, ask for forgiveness of our sins and celebrate redemption and salvation.

TABERNACLE

This feast is known as "Feast of the Lord, booths" or just simply "the feast" because of its popularity. It is celebrated on the fifteenth day of Tishri (September-October).

Leviticus 23:40, "On the first day gather branches from magnificent trees-palm fronds, boughs from leafy trees and willows that grow by the streams. Then celebrate with joy before Yahweh, your Creator for seven days."

Passover commemorates leaving Egypt and Tabernacles commemorates the journey through the wilderness when Israel left Egypt. This is also a feast of thanksgiving, showing Yahweh gratitude for protecting Israel as they wandered through the wilderness on their way to the promise land.

Yahshua went to the Temple for the feast of Tabernacles, showing that He too celebrated the feast. However because it was a time that the religious leaders were looking to persecute Him, He quietly made an entrance.

John 7:10, "But after his brothers left for the festival, Yahshua also went, though secretly, staying out of public view."

John 7:14, "Then, midway through the festival, Yahshua went up to the Temple and began to teach."

Today we show our gratitude towards Yahweh, for He protects us through our journey in the wilderness until we reach the promise land. And even though it may get difficult at times we will still rejoice and celebrate to Yahweh.

Final Note...

The feasts are to remind us of who created us and who owns us. They are holy convocations, each with a purpose and an appointed time. Showing us how Yahweh wants to have a relationship and dwell among His people.