Now
let us confirm and establish the appointed times that we are to present
ourselves before the Father, the prerequisite and the rationale for these
specific times.
- Daily/Regularly offering
First
and foremost I perceived that most professing believers have not fathomed and
come to the understanding and realization that there is a prerequisite by which
one can draw near to the Father and the appointed times which the Lord has ordained
to appear before Him this prerequisite is paramount.
The
first of these appointed times are daily. Morning and evening a thanksgiving and
the rationale for this offering it is to express one’s gratitude to God for His
goodness in the morning and His faithfulness in the evening as illustrated by
King David who in his last words, instructed the priests saying; “Stand every
morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at evenings.” According to
King David, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to your
name, O Most High, to declare your loving kindness in the morning, and your
faithfulness every night” (Exodus.29:38-46; Numbers 28:3-8; 1Chronicles .23:30-31;
Psalms 92:1-2).
- On the Weekly Sabbath Day (Saturday)
This
is a fellowship/peace offering which unites the body of Christ, the church in
fellowship with one another, and with the Father and the Son as we have been
duly instructed by the apostle Paul saying: “The cup of blessing which we bless
is it not the communion (fellowship) of the blood of Christ? The bread which we
break is it not the communion (fellowship) of the body of Christ? For we,
though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread”
(Leviticus 23:3; Numbers 28:9-10; 1Corinthians 10:16-17).
Now the rationale for the weekly offering on
the seventh day Sabbath it is in commemoration and remembrance of God’s
creation as we have been duly instructed saying: “Remember the Sabbath day, to
keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh
day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, or
your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or
your cattle, or your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the
LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and
rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed
it” (Exodus 20:8-11).
- Monthly
This
is a thanksgiving offering commemorating the beginning of a new month which is
depicted by the New Moon. For we have been duly instructed saying; “At the
beginnings of your months you shall present a burnt offering to the LORD: two
young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish”
(Numbers 28:11).
We
should all know by now that, the body and blood of Jesus Christ have replaced
all burnt offerings and it is now the sweet smelling aroma that satisfies the
will of the Father.
It
is also very important to note that this monthly offering will be required to
be offered in the future, for thus says the Lord; “For as the new heavens and
the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me," says the LORD,
" So shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come to
pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all
flesh shall come to worship before Me," says the LORD” (Isaiah 66:22-23).
A
close examination reveals that, every offering is besides or in addition to the
regular/ daily burnt offering.
- Passover/Days of Unleavened Bread including the
Feast of First Fruits
- Passover
This
is a fellowship/peace offering commemorating the death of Jesus Christ Who died
to pay the penalty of sin in man’s stead. Therefore, observing it reflects
one’s appreciation and gratitude and thanksgiving to Jesus Christ for redeeming
us from the death penalty of sin because the wages of sin is death.
- Days of Unleavened Bread
Days
of Unleavened Bread commemorates Christ’s perfect, sinless life in the flesh
and a reminder that we to avoid and keep away from sin all the days of our
physical life
- Feast of First Fruits
This
is the Sunday which falls during the seven days of Unleavened Bread and the rationale
for this festival is to commemorate the day the Lord presented Himself to the
Father after His resurrection and gave humanity a new life in the spirit and
through Him; both Jews and Gentiles have access by one Spirit to the Father.
And
so, we have received the consolation saying; “But God, who is rich in mercy,
because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in
trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and
raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in
Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of
His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Leviticus 23:4-14;
Numbers 28:16-25; 1Corinthians 5:7-8; Ephesians 2:4-7).
- Feast of Weeks/Pentecost
This
is a fellowship/peace offering and the rationale or objective for appearing
before the Lord and offering the Lord His offering on this day it is to
commemorate the arrival of the Holy Spirit who is given to us as our Teacher, Helper,
Guide, Comforter, and Provider as promised by Jesus Christ saying; “But the
Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach
you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
We
have received the consolation saying; “But you have an anointing from the Holy
One, and you know all things.” And, “But the anointing which you have received
from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the
same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a
lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him” (Leviticus 23:15-22;
Numbers 28: 26-31; Acts 2: 1-4; John 14:26; 1John 2:20; 27).
- Feast of Trumpets
This
is a fellowship/peace offering commemorating the beginning of the seventh month
and our victory and deliverance from this evil world when the Lord will send
His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His
elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other (Leviticus
23:23-25; Numbers 29:1-6; Matthew 24:31; 1Thessalonians 4:16).
- Day of
Atonement
This is a fellowship/peace offering and a day
which commemorates and honors Jesus Christ as our Sin Bearer, and our High
Priest who makes intercession to the Father on behalf of our sins.
- The Feast of
Tabernacles
This
is a fellowship/peace offering commemorating the day on which the Word became
flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only
begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. The day in which we received
our permanent dwelling, and the arrival of the King of kings and Lord of lords,
and so, this festival honors and glorifies Jesus Christ as the King of Kings,
and Lord of lords (Leviticus 23:39; Numbers 29:12-34; Zechariah 14:16-21).
- The Eighth Day
It
is a fellowship/peace offering, commemorating the circumcision of Jesus Christ,
by which Gentiles have now become fellow citizens of the commonwealth of Israel
and are no more strangers and foreigners of the covenant of promise and the rationale
for this Day is to give honor and glory to Jesus Christ as the Eternal One.
(Leviticus 23:39; Numbers 29:35-39; Ephesians 2:11-13; Colossians 2:11-14).
Therefore,
coming before the Lord on days which He has not ordained is useless and vain
for this is what the Lord says; “When you come to appear before Me, Who has
required this from your hand, to trample My courts? Bring no more futile
sacrifices; Incense (prayer) is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the
Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies --- I cannot endure iniquity and the
sacred meeting.”
“Your
New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I
am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes
from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are
full of blood” (Isaiah 1: 12-15).
Some
may consider this as slavery, but this is what the word of the Lord says;
“Having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” This is
the only act of righteousness that can produce the fruit of holiness and at the
end everlasting life: This is the only act of righteousness that when practiced
the doer is made righteous even as Christ is righteous (1John.3:7; Romans 6:18,
22).
The food for the Lord's offerings is the prerequisite or the pass word to the throne of grace without which no one is worthy to present him/herself to the Father. This is practically what Jesus meant when He said; " "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
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The choice is yours.
With brotherly love
Lucius Joseph
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