How the rapture of the body of Yeshua and how it is like a Jewish wedding ceremony

A friend of mine sent me a wonderful article about the rapture of the body of Yeshua and how it is like a Jewish wedding ceremony.  I have posted the article below and hope that you will find it informative and enjoy it as much as I have. 

Jewish Wedding Ceremony

By Joy Wriston

http://www.raptureready.com/soap2/wriston1.html

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I was brought up in a church that believed in the Pre-Trib Rapture but in college encountered other views. I noticed that they mostly used the same verses but interpreted them differently so wondered if my interpretation could be the one that was wrong. Then I discovered Zola Levitt and his explanation of the Jewish roots of the Rapture confirmed for me that the Pre-Trib view is the accurate one.

This is my synopsis of his teaching gleaned from his book, An Israeli Love Story ( a fictional story which explains the Jewish wedding ceremony). Anyone who wants to research this further can do so as there are many articles from different sources on the Internet.

The First Century Jewish Wedding Ceremony

In the first century, when a young man saw a young lady he liked, he consulted with his father. Sometimes the father picked the girl and no consultations were necessary. But when the father approved of the choice of a bride, the young man would go to her house and speak with her father. (p.105)

At the bride’s house three very important things would occur: The groom would make a covenant with the bride, an actual contract; he would drink a cup of wine with her which sealed the covenant and he would pay the bridal price for her to the father. The bridal price was to make sure the groom was serious about the covenant—he had to pay a price. After the covenant was made, the cup had been drunk and the price paid, the groom would make a speech to the bride telling her that he was going to leave her and return to his father’s house to prepare a bridal chamber for her, sort of a honeymoon suite.

The words he would say were “I go to prepare a place for you.” He would be gone for a long time. He would have to build and finish the bridal chamber and have it approved by his father. It would have to be stocked for enough provisions to last for the prescribed seven days for a honeymoon of that time period.He would want it to be beautiful for her.

It had to be done right to win the approval of the groom’s father. During that year or so that the groom was building the bridal chamber, if anyone asked him when the wedding would be, he would say. “I don’t know. Only my father knows.”And that was true.He couldn’t go back to get his bride until his father approved the chamber and told him to go get her.(pp.106-108)

Meanwhile, the bride was waiting with dignity. She wore her veil whenever she went out so that other young men would know that she wasn’t available. Now she was called “set apart,” “consecrate.” And “bought with a price.” She was no longer her own person but an individual contracted to another and she conducted herself in a way that respected that agreement. She didn’t seek after other young men. She prepared herself for marriage by gathering her trousseau and waiting for her groom. She was at home every night, especially as time went on and she knew he could be coming.

The tradition was for him to come at night, especially midnight, to try to take her by surprise. It was to be “an abduction.” The bride would be waiting with her “bridesmaids,” her sisters or whomever she wanted in her wedding party. They would all have oil in their lamps just in case the groom did come at night. As time went on they were sure to be ready every night. (pp.109-110)

One night the groom did finally come. It was customary for the groom’s party to shout as they neared the bride’s house.When the bride heard that shout, she knew her groom had come to get her. The groom and his friends would rush in and grab every girl in sight, being sure to get the one with the veil (the bride). He needed her veil as the party would be going through the streets and she was not yet married. The bride’s father and brothers looked the other way as long as it was the young man with the contract. (p.110)

The entire wedding party would head towards the groom’s house, traveling through the streets and laughing. People would know there was a wedding going on but couldn’t tell who the bride was because the bride was covered by the veil. The bride and groom would enter the bridal chamber while the wedding party waited outside along with the wedding guests (friends of the groom’s father). Everyone waited outside the wedding chamber until the groom told his trusted friend through the door that the marriage was consummated.

Then the guests began celebrating an accomplished marriage. The guests would spend the next seven days there celebrating until the bride emerged with her veil off. Now the couple were husband and wife. Then there would be the marriage supper where everyone would joyfully congratulate the new couple. Afterwards, the young couple would leave the father’s house and go to a permanent home the husband had prepared for them. (p.111-113)

Jesus as the Bridegroom

The New Covenant

Hebrew 8:8 quotes Jeremiah 31:31-34 which states:

“‘Behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah; not like the covenant I made with their fathers on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,’ declares the Lord.‘But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days’ declares the Lord, ‘I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God and they shall be My people. They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their iniquities and their sin I will remember no more.”

The New Covenant had to do with the Messiah’s coming and had to be signed in blood. Abraham had to divide animals when the Abrahamic Covenant made the Jews the chosen people (Genesis 15:10). In Moses’ day, the blood of the sacrificial lamb on the doorposts saved the firstborn of the Jewish believers (Exodus 12:7). Then later on Mount Sinai, the Mosaic Covenant was established. It required repeated blood (animal) sacrifices specified in the Law for the forgiveness of sins/offenses against God (Exodus 20:24).

The Davidic Covenant included burnt and peace offerings which required the shedding of animal blood (2 Samuel 6:17-18, 1 Chronicles 16:1-3). It’s the blood that makes the Covenant go into effect. When the Messiah (Jesus) came, John the Baptist called Him ,“The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Isaiah 53:7 says the Messiah “would be led as a lamb to the slaughter.” When Jesus died on the cross, it was as a sacrifice for us; dying in our place with our sins placed on Him.

That the relationship of God and Israel has always been a marriage is made clear in the book of Hosea. In Jeremiah 31:32 God says He has been a “husband” to Israel.Paul compared marriage to being like the relationship between Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:22-33). The church is referred to as the bride of Christ or betrothed of Christ (Revelation 17:9; Ephesians 5:25-28; 2 Corinthians 11:1-4).

Jesus said that He only came for the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.” When Gentiles came to faith in the Jewish Messiah they were grafted into the Jewish tree, and were called the spiritual seed of Abraham (Matthew 15:24; Romans 11:17).

The Cup

At the Passover supper Jesus drank the cup with his disciples and stated “This is My blood of the new covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:28) God promises, “I will forgive their iniquities and remember their sins no more.” (Jeremiah 31:34) In the Jewish faith, the cup at the Passover supper is called the “Cup of Redemption.”

The Price

Jesus paid the bride price. He even asked His Father if it was worth it. (Luke 22:42-44) In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but yours be done. And His sweat fell like great drops of blood while He was contemplating the cross. God sent an angel to strengthen His Son. That was His answer. Jesus paid the price for us.

“I Go to Prepare a Place for You”

In John 14:2-3 Jesus tells His disciples, “ In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” His ascension into heaven is recorded in Mark 16:19-20 and Luke 24:50-51.

The Bride Awaits

Jesus is still at his Father’s house preparing a place for us. And we are awaiting His return in a consecrated way—bought with a price; set apart (1 Corinthians 6:20; John 17:14-26, Romans 12:2;1 Peter 1:15-16.) “We are to act like the covenanted bride and be waiting at all times for our Bridegroom to come.We are to have oil in our lamps and be ready to travel, even at night (Matthew 25:1-46). Our oil is the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity who came to the Jews at Pentecost after the Messiah ascended. We are each to be filled with the Holy Spirit and always ready to go (Acts 2).

Jesus performed a vast Jewish courtship with His believers. “The Lord will return for His bride. There will be a bridal chamber in heaven where Jesus and the church will spend seven years - like the ancient seven days, and there will be a marriage supper like the Jews used to have. Every detail of Jesus’ great wedding will be accomplished and it will be carried out in the exact traditions of the Jewish people, because Jesus is Jewish!”

The Return of the Bridegroom

In the Jewish holy days, “Shuvuot (Pentecost) – that’s the harvest holiday. All summer following Pentecost the people plant and till the ground. But when the trumpet sounds, on what we now call Rosh Hashanah, the old Feast of Trumpets, the crops are in and the harvest is finished. Jeremiah, just to mention one prophet, could see that we wouldn’t be ready—not all of us.

“The summer is ended and we are not saved” (Jeremiah 8:20).Paul gave us a wonderful picture of that moment when the groom will return for His bride.” For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we shall always be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). (pp. 149-151)

That fulfills everything.You have the shout of the bridegroom to notify the bride of his coming; you have the trumpet to finish the harvest and to proclaim liberty for God’s people. We (Jews) used to blow the trumpet on each Jubilee to proclaim liberty…well, this is real liberty (Leviticus 25:10).

Just as a Jewish bridegroom called for his bride unexpectedly, and took her to his father’s house, Jesus will take His Bride (believers) away quickly, changed in the twinkling of an eye. (1 Corinthians 15:52). The Bride is to be ready and waiting with her veil on so that anyone who sees her pass will not know who she is.

People in today’s world also don’t recognize the bride of Christ. They see people going to church but don’t recognize them as the Bride. It’s as if true believers are wearing a spiritual veil making them unrecognizable to the world. After the Bride has gone on to her wedding, the world still won’t recognize who she was.

The House of the Father of the Groom

When the bride and groom arrive at the groom’s father’s house they will find a large gathering of wedding guests who are friends of the father. When the Bridegroom brings us to His Father’s house we will also find the Father’s friends there as wedding guests. These are the Old Testament saints, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the prophets, and the faithful chosen people who lived prior to the coming of the Messiah.

But first the bride and groom must go into the bridal chamber for seven days. And the groom’s friend waits outside the chamber until he hears the groom’s voice. Then he tells the guests when the marriage is consummated. In John 3:29 the Pharisees were questioning John the Baptist if he was the Messiah. John told them: “He that has the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom who stands nearby and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.” The marriage is accomplished when the bridegroom’s voice is heard.

The “honeymoon” in heaven is the judgment seat of Christ. We will go before the Messiah and He will look at our works done for Him while we were in the flesh.We (believers) are all His servants and we do both good works and bad. In 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 Paul wrote:

“No man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay or straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it for it is to be revealed with fire and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on remains, he will receive a reward (crowns). If any man’s work is burned up he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

This has nothing to do with sins. They were all covered at the cross. God isn’t going to charge us for what is already paid for. If you accept Jesus as Messiah (Savior) all your sins are forgiven. The “honeymoon” is where the groom removes the bride’s veil and knows her secrets. Even with our “bad” works, love is the healing factor. If you want a “good honeymoon” follow the Lord and do your good works for him. Either way, keep in mind that Jesus loves you and will be very glad to see you.

The Marriage Supper

The announcement has been made that the marriage is consummated. The Lord has examined everyone’s works and the crowns have been awarded. Now there is great rejoicing and celebration. The marriage is official and the great marriage supper (what we would call the reception) will commence. The Bride will be greatly honored:

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give glory to Him for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His wife has made herself ready. It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints” (Revelation 19:7-8).

Notice that the Bible now says “wife” instead of “bride.” The honeymoon is finished and we are now married to the Lord. After the supper is over, we’ll leave to live and reign with our Husband in His millennial kingdom.

"I have no pleasure in the death of anyone says the Lord God." Ezekiel 18:32

"I have no pleasure in the death of anyone says the Lord God." Ezekiel 18:32

I was in New York City on 9/11 and as a matter of fact I had just moved there the day before. It was a very hard time to be there but at the same time it was a wonderful opportunity do to some reflecting. I want to share a journal entry that I wrote one afternoon just a short while after 9/11 while I was waiting for the fairy to take me into New York City from Staten Island. I think back to the day that I wrote this and it is still fresh in my mind but I know that God is still in control. We need to remember this even now. Please read this and pass it on to anyone you think may reap from its message.
Be Blessed
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“I have no pleasure in the death of anyone says the Lord God.” Ezekiel 18:32

As I sit on the shore side at the Minor League Baseball Stadium on Staten Island listening to the lapping waves of the Hudson River and trying not to sniff the faint fish odor I look out across the water into the foggy haze at only an outline of the city. Without the World Trade Center buildings looming high above the concrete jungle, from this point of view the city seems dwarfed somehow, even more so today in the haze. Lady Liberty is tiny from here, not that she’s all that big to begin with. What I notice about her is that her face in some small semblance of fate is turned so that only her peripheral view can see that remaining rubble of those destroying moments. I think that it is fitting that she didn’t have to watch it happen and that only a glimpse of that day was caught by her. That is how America one day will see it, as only a glimpse, like so many other history making events that have taken place in the course of our nation’s life. We will not spend needless hours of watching and waiting, but we will see it as a glimpse of our past. We know that it happened but we must remain standing, like Lady Liberty, to say that life goes on and we stand up for great things!

The haze of this day is a reminder that the memory of 9-11-01 will, even though it is hard to imagine, one day be a hazy memory. Don’t get me wrong, this day for some will never weaver in brightness or rather I should say darkness but to the countless rest of the people who were in no way connected other than being alive, being American, and watching the news will realize that this become a memory of “where I was on that day”. It reminds me of the way America sees the death of President Kennedy. I was not alive then so I only have film and stories from others about the terrible day. This too will be the way 9/11 will be seen by generations in the future. In no way do I intend to down play this most horrible tragedy of 9/11 but in all ways I do intend to remind everyone that there is something bigger than all this, and that something is someone. God! He loves you and He loved and cared about each one of those lost lives from that day, yes, even the men who carried out the horrible task.

I don’t want to discuss the issues of if this was God’s plan or the devil’s plan except that there are a few Scriptures that we can look at to see what part belonged to whom. The fact of the matter is that God is in control and all the Glory will go to Him in the end. If you see 9/11 as an act of God to wake us up or if you see it as an act of the devil to destroy us, either way there is only one way to turn and that is up toward God. A quote from the book Desiring God by John Piper helped me see clearly how I should view this event. The quote says, “How can God be happy and decree calamity? Consider that he has the capacity to view the world through two lenses. Through the narrow one He is grieved and angered at sin and pain. Through the wide one He sees evil in relation to its eternal purposes. Reality is like a mosaic. The parts may be ugly in themselves, but the whole is beautiful.” And also quoted from the same book, “If God reigns as sovereign over the world, then the evil of the world is not outside His design.” Amos 3:6 “Does evil befall a city, unless the Lord has done it?” This may sound harsh and like it is an action from an unloving God but please, I encourage you to take some time and search the Scriptures to see that God’s plan will not cease no matter how painful it may be for us. In the end He always follows His plan. Here are a few verses that I found:

Lamentations 2:11 “My eyes fail from weeping, I am in torment within, my heart is poured out on the ground because my people are destroyed, because children and infants faint in the streets of the city.”

Lamentations 3:37-38 “Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?”

Revelation 17:17 “For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish His purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God’s words are fulfilled.”

I know that this may be hard to take but it is true. Even harder to take is the fact that thousands of those lost that day was just that, lost. They will spend an eternity in hell. I think about the pictures that I saw on the news where the people on the floors above where the airplane hit the towers were hanging out of the windows trying to escape the intense heat from the fire that the airplane fuel ignited and I wondered if those people were going to be entering into a fire much hotter of which they can never escape……. We can’t say that God was mean for taking them this way knowing so many would go to hell, but the fact of the matter is that none of us knows which day will be our last. Friend, I urge you with all that is within me to ask Jesus Christ to come into your heart and save you. We all need to be saved because we all have sinned. Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” That sin has separated us from God and when we die in our sin then we are forever separated from Him but He has given us a gift to take instead. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” How and why did God give us this gift? John 3:16 “ For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God loved us from the beginning and He showed us His love by giving us His son. Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” What right does this give you? John 1:12 “Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” You see satan intends for us to be destroyed, he is like a thief that comes and steals from you, but God has a better plan. John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Jesus is asking you now to let Him into your heart and allow Him to become the Lord of your life to save you from an eternity in hell. Revelation 3:20 “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me.”

Make the decision today to accept Christ and if you already know Jesus as your personal Savior than please tell those around you about Him.

Today in History, Jewish History is packed full of important events!

 I love History! I also really love knowing what is happening in Biblical History!! I visit http://www.chabad.org/ everyday and it is just packed full of information about Biblical history from the Torah. This is today's history:

Today is: Tuesday, Nissan 1, 5774 · April 1, 2014
Rosh Chodesh Nissan                                                                                                        

BLESSING ON BLOOMING TREES
A special mitzvah, which can be fulfilled only once a year, is to recite the berachah ("blessing" or prayer) made upon seeing a fruit tree in bloom: Blessed are you G-d our G-d, king of the universe, who left nothing lacking in His world, and created within it good creatures and good trees with which He gives pleasure to people. Today is the first opportunity to make this blessing, but it can be done anytime during the month of Nissan (referred to by the Torah as "the month of spring" ). Many visit botanical gardens during this time, so as to avail themselves of an opportunity to observe this beautiful mitzvah.

                                                     www.colourbox.com

'NASI' OF THE DAY
Beginning today, and continuing through Nissan 13, we recite the verses (from Numbers ch. 7) describing the offerings made by the "princes" (nesi'im) of the 12 tribes of Israel. Today we read of the gift bought by Nachshon ben Aminadav, the nasi of the tribe of Judah, on this date. Tomorrow we read of Issachar's gift, and so on for the 12 tribes. On the 13th of Nissan we read G-d's instructions to Aaron regarding the kindling of the menorah, which represents the participation of the priestly tribe of Levi.

Following the verses of the day's "Nasi," we recite a short prayer in which we say, "...if I, Your servant, am from the tribe of ___ whose section of the Nasi I have read today in Your Torah, may all the holy sparks and holy illuminations that are included within the holiness of this tribe shine upon me, to grant me understanding and intelligence in Your Torah and my awe of You, to do Your will all the days of my life...."

The Nasi for all 13 Days:

First of Nissan
And it was on the day that Moses finished setting up the Tabernacle, and had anointed it and sanctified it and all its vessels, and the altar and all its vessels, and had anointed them and sanctified them—that the princes of Israel, the heads of their father’s houses, who were the princes of the tribes, those who had superintended the counting, offered: And they brought their offering before the Lord—six covered wagons and twelve oxen, a wagon for every two of the princes and an ox for each one; and they presented them before the Tabernacle. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Accept it from them that they may be used in the service of the Tent of Meeting, and give them to the Levi’im, to each man according to his service. Moses took the wagons and the oxen and gave them to the Levi’im. Two wagons and four oxen he gave to the sons of Gershon, according to their service, and four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, according to their service—under the supervision of Itamar the son ofAaron the Kohen. But to the sons of Kehat he did not give any, since theirs was the service of [carrying the most] sacred objects; they shall carry them upon their shoulders. The princes brought the dedication-offering for the altar on the day that it was anointed, and the princes offered their offering before the altar. And the Lord said to Moses: They shall present their offering, each prince on [his] day, for the dedication of the altar. And he who presented his offering on the first day was Nachshon the son of Aminadav of the tribe of Judah. And his offering was: one silver dish whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels by Sanctuary weight—both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a meal-offering; one golden cup of ten [shekels], filled with incense. One young bullock, one ram, one lamb in its first year, for a burnt-offering; one goat for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five yearling lambs. This was the offering of Nachshon the son of Aminadav.

May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that in Your great kindness You will shine upon the holy souls that renew themselves as “birds” and sing and praise and pray on behalf of the holy people Israel. Master of the world, gather and take in those sacred “birds” to the holy place of which it is said: No eye has seen it, except You, O God. May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that if I, Your servant, am of the tribe of Judah, the Torah section of whose prince I have recited today, then may there shine upon me all the holy “sparks” and all the holy lights which are contained in the holiness of this tribe, to understand and comprehend in Your Torah and in the fear of You, to do Your will all the days of my life—I and my children and my children’s children, from now and forever. Amen.

Second of Nissan
On the second day, Netanel the son of Tzuar, the prince of Yissachar, offered. He presented his offering: one silver dish whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels by Sanctuary weight—both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a meal-offering; one golden cup of ten [shekels], filled with incense. One young bullock, one ram, one lamb in its first year, for a burnt-offering; one goat for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five yearling lambs. This was the offering of Netanel the son of Tzuar.

May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that in Your great kindness You will shine upon the holy souls that renew themselves as “birds” and sing and praise and pray on behalf of the holy people Israel. Master of the world, gather and take in those sacred “birds” to the holy place of which it is said: No eye has seen it, except You, O God. May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that if I, Your servant, am of the tribe of Yissachar, the Torah section of whose prince I have recited today, then may there shine upon me all the holy “sparks” and all the holy lights which are contained in the holiness of this tribe, to understand and comprehend in Your Torah and in the fear of You, to do Your will all the days of my life—I and my children and my children’s children, from now and forever. Amen.

Third of Nissan
On the third day, the prince of the children of Zevulun, Eliav the son of Chelon [offered]. His offering was: one silver dish whose weight was a hundred and thirty Shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels by Sanctuary weight—both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a meal-offering; one golden cup of ten [shekels], filled with incense. One young bullock, one ram, one lamb in its first year, for a burnt-offering; one goat for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five yearling lambs. This was the offering of Eliav the son of Chelon.

May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that in Your great kindness You will shine upon the holy souls that renew themselves as “birds” and sing and praise and pray on behalf of the holy people Israel. Master of the world, gather and take in those sacred “birds” to the holy place of which it is said: No eye has seen it, except You, O God. May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that if I, Your servant, am of the tribe of Zevulun, the Torah section of whose prince I have recited today, then may there shine upon me all the holy “sparks” and all the holy lights which are contained in the holiness of this tribe, to understand and comprehend in Your Torah and in the fear of You, to do Your will all the days of my life—I and my children and my children’s children, from now and forever. Amen.

Fourth of Nissan
On the fourth day, the prince of the children of Reuven, Elitzur the son of Shedeur [offered]. His offering was: one silver dish whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels by Sanctuary weight—both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a meal-offering; one golden cup of ten [shekels], filled with incense. One young bullock, one ram, one lamb in its first year, for a burnt-offering; one goat for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five yearling lambs. This was the offering of Elitzur the son of Shedeur.

May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that in Your great kindness You will shine upon the holy souls that renew themselves as “birds” and sing and praise and pray on behalf of the holy people Israel. Master of the world, gather and take in those sacred “birds” to the holy place of which it is said: No eye has seen it, except You, O God. May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that if I, Your servant, am of the tribe of Reuven, the Torah section of whose prince I have recited today, then may there shine upon me all the holy “sparks” and all the holy lights which are contained in the holiness of this tribe, to understand and comprehend in Your Torah and in the fear of You, to do Your will all the days of my life—I and my children and my children’s children, from now and forever. Amen.

Fifth of Nissan
On the fifth day, the prince of the children of Shimon, Shelumiel the son of Tzurishadai [offered]. His offering was: one silver dish whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels by Sanctuary weight—both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a meal-offering; one golden cup of ten [shekels], filled with incense. One young bullock, one ram, one lamb in its first year, for a burnt-offering; one goat for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five yearling lambs. This was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Tzurishadai.

May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that in Your great kindness You will shine upon the holy souls that renew themselves as “birds” and sing and praise and pray on behalf of the holy people Israel. Master of the world, gather and take in those sacred “birds” to the holy place of which it is said: No eye has seen it, except You, O God. May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that if I, Your servant, am of the tribe of Shimon, the Torah section of whose prince I have recited today, then may there shine upon me all the holy “sparks” and all the holy lights which are contained in the holiness of this tribe, to understand and comprehend in Your Torah and in the fear of You, to do Your will all the days of my life—I and my children and my children’s children, from now and forever. Amen.

Sixth of Nissan
On the sixth day, the prince of the children of Gad, Elyasaf the son of Deuel [offered]. His offering was: one silver dish whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels by Sanctuary weight—both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a meal-offering; one golden cup of ten [shekels], filled with incense. One young bullock, one ram, one lamb in its first year, for a burnt-offering; one goat for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five yearling lambs. This was the offering of Elyasaf the son of Deuel.

May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that in Your great kindness You will shine upon the holy souls that renew themselves as “birds” and sing and praise and pray on behalf of the holy people Israel. Master of the world, gather and take in those sacred “birds” to the holy place of which it is said: No eye has seen it, except You, O God. May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that if I, Your servant, am of the tribe of Gad, the Torah section of whose prince I have recited today, then may there shine upon me all the holy “sparks” and all the holy lights which are contained in the holiness of this tribe, to understand and comprehend in Your Torah and in the fear of You, to do Your will all the days of my life—I and my children and my children’s children, from now and forever. Amen.

Seventh of Nissan
On the seventh day, the prince of the children of Ephraim, Elishama the son of Amihud [offered]. His offering was: one silver dish whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels by Sanctuary weight—both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a meal-offering; one golden cup of ten [shekels], filled with incense. One young bullock, one ram, one lamb in its first year, for a burnt-offering; one goat for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five yearling lambs. This was the offering of Elishama the son of Amihud.

May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that in Your great kindness You will shine upon the holy souls that renew themselves as “birds” and sing and praise and pray on behalf of the holy people Israel. Master of the world, gather and take in those sacred “birds” to the holy place of which it is said: No eye has seen it, except You, O God. May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that if I, Your servant, am of the tribe of Ephraim, the Torah section of whose prince I have recited today, then may there shine upon me all the holy “sparks” and all the holy lights which are contained in the holiness of this tribe, to understand and comprehend in Your Torah and in the fear of You, to do Your will all the days of my life—I and my children and my children’s children, from now and forever. Amen.

Eighth of Nissan
On the eighth day, the prince of the children of Menasheh, Gamliel the son of Pedatzur [offered]. His offering was: one silver dish whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels by Sanctuary weight—both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a meal-offering; one golden cup of ten [shekels], filled with incense. One young bullock, one ram, one lamb in its first year, for a burnt-offering; one goat for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five yearling lambs. This was the offering of Gamliel the son of Pedatzur.

May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that in Your great kindness You will shine upon the holy souls that renew themselves as “birds” and sing and praise and pray on behalf of the holy people Israel. Master of the world, gather and take in those sacred “birds” to the holy place of which it is said: No eye has seen it, except You, O God. May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that if I, Your servant, am of the tribe of Menasheh, the Torah section of whose prince I have recited today, then may there shine upon me all the holy “sparks” and all the holy lights which are contained in the holiness of this tribe, to understand and comprehend in Your Torah and in the fear of You, to do Your will all the days of my life—I and my children and my children’s children, from now and forever. Amen.

Ninth of Nissan
On the ninth day, the prince of the children of Binyamin, Avidan the son of Gidoni [offered]. His offering was: one silver dish whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels by Sanctuary weight—both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a meal-offering; one golden cup of ten [shekels], filled with incense. One young bullock, one ram, one lamb in its first year, for a burnt-offering; one goat for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five yearling lambs. This was the offering of Avidan the son of Gidoni.

May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that in Your great kindness You will shine upon the holy souls that renew themselves as “birds” and sing and praise and pray on behalf of the holy people Israel. Master of the world, gather and take in those sacred “birds” to the holy place of which it is said: No eye has seen it, except You, O God. May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that if I, Your servant, am of the tribe of Binyamin, the Torah section of whose prince I have recited today, then may there shine upon me all the holy “sparks” and all the holy lights which are contained in the holiness of this tribe, to understand and comprehend in Your Torah and in the fear of You, to do Your will all the days of my life—I and my children and my children’s children, from now and forever. Amen.

Tenth of Nissan
On the tenth day, the prince of the children of Dan, Achiezer the son of Amishaday [offered]. His offering was: one silver dish whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels by Sanctuary weight—both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a meal-offering; one golden cup of ten [shekels], filled with incense. One young bullock, one ram, one lamb in its first year, for a burnt-offering; one goat for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five yearling lambs. This was the offering of Achiezer the son of Amishaday.

May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that in Your great kindness You will shine upon the holy souls that renew themselves as “birds” and sing and praise and pray on behalf of the holy people Israel. Master of the world, gather and take in those sacred “birds” to the holy place of which it is said: No eye has seen it, except You, O God. May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that if I, Your servant, am of the tribe of Dan, the Torah section of whose prince I have recited today, then may there shine upon me all the holy “sparks” and all the holy lights which are contained in the holiness of this tribe, to understand and comprehend in Your Torah and in the fear of You, to do Your will all the days of my life—I and my children and my children’s children, from now and forever. Amen.

Eleventh of Nissan
On the eleventh day, the prince of the children of Asher, Pagiel the son of Achran [offered]. His offering was: one silver dish whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels by Sanctuary weight—both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a meal-offering; one golden cup of ten [shekels], filled with incense. One young bullock, one ram, one lamb in its first year, for a burnt-offering; one goat for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five yearling lambs. This was the offering of Pagiel the son of Achran.

May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that in Your great kindness You will shine upon the holy souls that renew themselves as “birds” and sing and praise and pray on behalf of the holy people Israel. Master of the world, gather and take in those sacred “birds” to the holy place of which it is said: No eye has seen it, except You, O God. May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that if I, Your servant, am of the tribe of Asher, the Torah section of whose prince I have recited today, then may there shine upon me all the holy “sparks” and all the holy lights which are contained in the holiness of this tribe, to understand and comprehend in Your Torah and in the fear of You, to do Your will all the days of my life—I and my children and my children’s children, from now and forever. Amen.

Twelfth of Nissan
On the twelfth day, the prince of the children of Naftali, Achira the son of Enan [offered]. His offering was: one silver dish whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels by Sanctuary weight—both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a meal-offering; one golden cup of ten [shekels], filled with incense. One young bullock, one ram, one lamb in its first year, for a burnt-offering; one goat for a sin-offering; and for a sacrifice of peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five yearling lambs. This was the offering of Achira the son of Enan.

May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that in Your great kindness You will shine upon the holy souls that renew themselves as “birds” and sing and praise and pray on behalf of the holy people Israel. Master of the world, gather and take in those sacred “birds” to the holy place of which it is said: No eye has seen it, except You, O God. May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that if I, Your servant, am of the tribe of Naftali, the Torah section of whose prince I have recited today, then may there shine upon me all the holy “sparks” and all the holy lights which are contained in the holiness of this tribe, to understand and comprehend in Your Torah and in the fear of You, to do Your will all the days of my life—I and my children and my children’s children, from now and forever. Amen.

Thirteenth of Nissan
This was the dedication-offering for the altar on the day when it was anointed, from the princes of Israel: twelve silver dishes, twelve silver bowls, twelve golden cups. A hundred and thirty shekels of silver was each dish and seventy each bowl—all the silver of the vessels was two thousand four hundred Sanctuary shekels. Twelve golden cups, filled with incense, each cup weighing ten Sanctuary shekels; all the gold of the cups was one hundred and twenty. All the oxen for the burnt-offering were twelve bullocks, twelve rams, twelve yearling lambs, and their meal-offering; and twelve goats for a sin-offering. And all the oxen for the sacrifice of peace-offerings were twenty-four bullocks, sixty rams, sixty he-goats, sixty yearling lambs. This was the dedication-offering for the altar after it was anointed. When Moses went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him, he heard the Voice speaking to him from above the cover that was upon the Ark of Testimony, from between the two kruvim; and He spoke to him. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and say to him: When you light the lamps, the seven lamps shall shed light toward the [central shaft of the] menorah. And Aaron did so; he lit its lamps toward the [central shaft of the] menorah, as the Lord had commanded Moses. And this is how the menorah was made: it was hammered gold, from its base to its flowers it was hammered [of one piece]; according to the pattern that the Lord had shown Moses, so he made the menorah.
From Siddur Tehillat Hashem. © Copyright Kehot Publication Society, Brooklyn NY

CREATION OF MAN (IN THOUGHT) (3761 BCE)
The Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 10b-11a) cites two opinions as to the date of G-d's creation of the universe: according to Rabbi Eliezer: "The world was created in Tishrei" (i.e., the sixth day of creation--the day on which Adam and Eve were created--was the 1st of Tishrei, celebrated each year as Rosh Hashanah); according to Rabbi Joshua, "The world was created in Nissan." As interpreted by the Kabbalists and the Chassidic masters, the deeper meaning of these two views is that the physical world was created in Tishrei, while the "thought" or idea of creation was created in the month of Nissan.

THE PATRIARCHS (1813-1506 BCE)
According to the Talmud, the three Patriarchs of the Jewish people-- Abraham (1813-1638 BCE), Issac (1713-1533 BCE) and Jacob (1653-1506 BCE)--all were born and passed away in the month of Nissan.

JEWISH CALENDAR INAUGURATED (1313 BCE)
On the first of Nissan of the year 2448 from creation (1313 BCE--two weeks before the Exodus), G-d showed Moses the crescent new moon and told him, "When you see the moon like this, sanctify [the new month]." This ushered in the first Jewish month, and commenced the lunar calendar Jews have been following ever since.

MISHKAN INAUGURATED (1312 BCE)
On the eight day following a 7-day training and initiation period, the portable Mishkan ("Tabernacle" or "Sanctuary") built by the Children of Israel in the Sinai desert was erected, Aaron and his sons began serving as priests, and the Divine Presence came to dwell in the Mishkan; special offerings were brought, including a series of gifts by Nachshon ben Aminadav, the Prince of the Tribe of Judah (similar offerings were brought over the next 11 days by the other tribes of Israel).

DEATH OF NADAV AND AVIHU (1312 BCE)
On the day the Mishkan was inaugurated (see above), "Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire in it, and put incense on it, and offered strange fire before G-d, which He commanded them not. A fire went out from G-d, and consumed them, and they died before G-d" (Leviticus 10:1-2).

 

Jesus Calling? Are you sure?

Have you heard of or read the book Jesus Calling by Sarah Young?

How about The Shack? Do you really know what you are reading, can you stand firm in your belief that these books are drawing you closer to God like everyone else says they do?

Can you for sure say that these books are a biblical account of what Christ says is a Christian walk?

Have you been to church lately to get a "Fresh Anointing"?

Has your pastor prayed for you that you will get a "Fresh Anointing" or "Something New Is Going To Happen In You"? Do you really know what that means?

What about all the commercials that encourage us to have something fresh or something new.....

Listen to this message and see if you still want a Fresh Anointing or Something New.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKMES26UCMM&list=WLknLKWhUR1ANlC_vOeJhOnv0sq1dMGJQ2

How Far Are You Willing to Jump to Get On The Band Wagon?

Are you one of the many many Christians who got excited that Mathew McConaughey thanked God in is Oscar speech?

My second question is if you are one of those people did you see the movie that he won the Oscar for and if so, why and what did it do toward bettering you walk with Christ?

My third question is if you didn’t see the movie, do you know what the movie is about? (I did not see the movie, nor did I know what it was about until I read to blog that is listed here.) Be careful my friends, as I can say from experience, about jumping on the band wagon just because others around you are doing it. The Bible tells us to be in the world but not of it. Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Trust me when I say I have to remind myself of this often. I am learning more and more all the time that it is so easy to be deceived if we spend more time concerned about the world we live in and how to fit into it rather than spending time being concerned of how we as Christians are to live in this world without becoming a part of it.

Melissa Edgington  posted on her blog about this issue and I 100% agree with her. What she describes here is what scares me the most of how deceived Christians already are. If Christians are this deceived now because of celebrity what will happen when the anti-christ comes who will be the biggest celebrity of them all??? I urge you to wake up and pay attention to what is going on around us and to not be a crowd follower because everyone else is doing it also but instead become a leader sure of what you believe or at least be willing to stand alone if it comes down to that. Yes, I watched the speech online and was a very confused about why Christians were so excited about Matthew's speech! I didn't see any Biblical value to what he was saying... as believers we are not chasing ourselves we are told to achieve Christ likeness, not self- likeness. There are many many verses that I would share with Matthew if I could and I have listed several of them here. The number one verse that I would share with him about being his own hero is Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

From Melissa Edgington blog

http://yourmomhasablog.com/2014/03/03/matthew-mcconaughey-is-not-my-hero/
Matthew McConaughey is Not My Hero
POSTED ON MARCH 3, 2014 BY Melissa Edgington 

Matthew McConaughey won an Oscar. And, boy, are Christians happy about it. I mean, Christians are jumping up and down for this Texas boy for his big win because he actually thanked God in his acceptance speech. He did, he gave God credit and he thanked his wife like he should and he gave a rambling speech that really made me wonder why they weren’t starting up the music to cut him off. They let Matthew talk for almost four minutes, and the clip of his speech is all over the internet.

Christians are so proud.

And, I can’t blame us. I mean, how often do we hear a major celebrity, an Oscar winner, no less, identifying with us? How often do we get that kind of star power in our corner? It almost makes us seem sort of cool and legitimate.

I liked his speech, although I thought it was a little heavy on the Matthew McConaughey. He’s chasing a hero, who is himself in ten years? Really? But, no matter. He mentioned God and that’s all that counts. It obviously shows that he loves the Lord and lives his life for Him and we will all be fans of his forever because of this speech.

But, there’s one tiny issue with setting Matthew McConaughey up as our next great Chris Christi Patterson Penningtonian idol. And, the problem is the movie he won the Oscar for. And pretty much every other movie he’s ever made. (Anyone remember a little film called Magic Mike?) According to pluggedin.com, Dallas Buyer’s Club opens with McConaughey’s character having sex with two girls at the same time in a rodeo stall. That’s only the beginning of the explicit sexual content in the movie. In addition to the nudity, masturbation, and pornography, the film contains over 100 f-words and God’s name is used as a curse word over 20 times.

Matthew McConaughey made this movie, which he was rewarded by Hollywood for making, which goes out into our society and poisons the hearts and minds of our men, women, and young people. And then he gets up to accept his award for making filth that turns hearts away from God, and he thanks God for the opportunity, and Christians applaud him as if he has done something incredible.

We have got to get over our obsession with celebrity and start making connections between what people say and what they actually do. It is never going to be a good thing for Christianity for us to hold these celebrities up as examples of what a Christian should be. If we want to show the world examples of Christianity that should make us cheer, it’ll be our faithful pastors, our grandmothers who have lived quiet sacrificial lives, our friends who would lay down their lives for us, the teachers who go to school every day and live out the commands to love the unlovable and to value every life.

Not Matthew McConaughey. I’m sure he’s a fun guy to hang around with, and I bet he’s a great dad and probably a really good actor. But he is not the next great champion for Christianity.

And that’s probably why I’m not a member of the Academy. Thank you, and good night.

Being Like Christ http://www.openbible.info/topics/being_like_christ

Here are of few of the verses

1 John 2:6 ESV Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

1 Corinthians 11:1 ESV Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

1 Peter 2:21 ESV For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

Ephesians 5:1-2 ESV Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Galatians 3:27 ESV For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Ephesians 4:22-24 ESV To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.