“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord ’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words” (Isaiah 58:13)

What is love as defined by Scripture?
2 Jn 5:3 says, “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, that, as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.”

How do we love God and what does that really mean?
1 Jn 5:3 says, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous.”

What is sin?
1 Jn 3:4 says, “Whosover commits sin transgresses also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law.”

Psalm 119:136 says, “Rivers of water run down from my eyes, Because men do not keep Your law.”

2 Kings 17:37-38 says, “And the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall be careful to observe forever; you shall not fear other gods. And the covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods.”

If we love God, what does He want us to do?
Jn 14:15 “If you love me, keep my commandments.”

What is love as defined by Scripture?
2 Jn 1:6 “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.”

How do we love God and what does loving God really mean?
1 Jn 5:3 “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”

What is sin?
1 Jn 3:4 “Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

What does the New Testament say about celebrating the Sabbath?
“Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.” (Matthew 24:20)

“He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read” (Luke 4:16)

“Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life? Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” (Matthew 19:16, 17)

“Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.” (Luke 23:56)

“As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said. (Acts 17:2, 3)

“As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God. On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.” (Acts 13:42-44)

“On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet” (Revelation 1:10)

“So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:28)

Where did the Sunday worship come from?
“The church…took the pagan Sunday and made it the Christian Sunday…. The Sun was a foremost god with heathendom…. And thus the pagan Sunday, dedicated to Balder, became the Christian Sunday.” (Dr. William L. Gildea, The Catholic World , March, 1894)

Josephus:
Titus Flavius Josephus (37 – c. 100), also called Joseph ben Matityahu (Biblical Hebrew: יוסף בן מתתיהו, Yosef ben Matityahu), was a 1st-century Romano-Jewish historian and hagiographer of priestly and royal ancestry who recorded Jewish history, with special emphasis on the 1st century AD and the First Jewish–Roman War, which resulted in the Destruction of Jerusalem and its temple in 70. He stated, “There is not any city of the Grecians, nor any of the Barbarians, nor any nation whatsoever, whither our custom of resting on the seventh day hath not come!”

Notes and Queries on China and Japan (edited by Dennys), Vol 4, Nos 7,8, p. 100.

Philo:
Philo (20 BCE – 50 CE), known also as Philo of Alexandria (Greek: Φίλων ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς), Philo Judaeus, Philo Judaeus of Alexandria, Yedidia, “Philon”, and Philo the Jew, was a Hellenistic Jewish Biblical philosopher born in Alexandria. He stated, “Declare the seventh day to be a festival, not of this or of that city, but the universe.”
Notes and Queries Vol 4, 99

Did the Catholic Church change the day of worship to Sunday? Yes; and everyone followed their decision.

“If we would consult the Bible only, without Tradition, we ought, for instance, still to keep holy the Saturday with the Jews, instead of Sunday…” (Deharbe’s Catechism, translated by Rev. John Fander, published by Schwartz, Kirwin & Fauss, 53 Park Place, New York, Sixth American Edition, Copyright 1912, 1919, 1924, page 81)

“Sunday…It is the law of the Catholic Church alone…” (American Sentinel, June 1893)

“From this same Catholic Church you have accepted your Sunday, as the Lord’s day, she has handed down as a tradition; and the entire Protestant world has accepted it as tradition, for you have not an iota of Scripture to establish it. Therefore that which you have accepted as your rule of faith, inadequate as it of course is, as well as your Sunday, you have accepted on the authority of the Roman Catholic Church.” (D.B. Ray, The Papal Controversy, 1892, p.179)

“They [the Protestants] deem it their duty to keep the Sunday holy. Why? Because the Catholic Church tells them to do so. They have no other reason. …The observance of Sunday thus comes to be an ecclesiastical law entirely distinct from the Divine law of Sabbath observance.The author of the Sunday Law…is the Catholic Church.” (Walter Drum, Catholic priest, Ecclesiastical Review, February, 1914)

“The authority of the church could therefore not be bound to the authority of the Scriptures, because the Church had changed the Sabbath into Sunday, not by command of Christ, but by its own authority.” (Canon and Tradition, p. 263)

“The Roman Church chose Sunday, the first day of the week, and in the course of time added other days, as holy days.” (Vincent Jo Kelly, Forbidden Sunday and Feast day Occupations, Catholic University Press, 1943, p. 2)

“Perhaps the boldest thing, the most revolutionary change the Church ever did, happened in the first century. The holy day, the Sabbath, was changed from Saturday to Sunday. “The Day of the Lord” (dies domini) was chosen, not from any directions noted in the Scriptures, but from the Church’s sense of its own power. The day of resurrection, the day of Pentecost, fifty days later, came on the first day of the week. So this would be the new Sabbath. People who think that the Scriptures should be the sole authority, should logically become 7th Day Adventists, and keep Saturday holy.” (The Pastor’s page of The Sentinel, Saint Catherine Catholic Church, Algonac, Michigan, May 21, 1995)

“Sunday is a Catholic institution and its claim to observance can be defended only on Catholic principles….. From beginning to end of Scripture there is not a single passage that warrants the transfer of weekly public worship from the last day of the week to the first.” (Catholic Press, Sydney, Australia, August 1900)

“It is always somewhat laughable, to see the Protestant churches, in pulpit and legislation, demand the observance of Sunday, of which there is nothing in their Bible.” (Peter R. Kraemer, Catholic Church Extension Society, 1975, Chicago, Illinois)

“Nowhere in the Bible do we find that Christ or the apostles ordered the Sabbath be changed from Saturday to Sunday. We have the commandment of God given to Moses to keep holy the Sabbath day, that is the seventh day of the week, Saturday. Today most Christians keep Sunday because it has been revealed to us by the [Roman Catholic] Church outside the Bible.” (Catholic Virginian, October 3, 1947)

“‘Our Lord rose from the dead on the first day of the week’, Said Father Hourigan of the Jesuit Seminary. ‘That is why the Church changed the day of obligation from the seventh day to the first day of the week. The Anglican and other Protestant denominations retained that tradition when the Reformation came along’.” (Toronto Daily Star, October 26, 1949)

“I have repeatedly offered $1,000 to anyone who can prove to me from the Bible alone that I am bound to keep Sunday holy. There is no such law in the Bible. It is a law of the holy Catholic Church alone. The Bible says, ‘Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.’ The Catholic Church says: ‘No. By my divine power I abolish the Sabbath day and command you to keep holy the first day of the week.’ And lo! The entire civilized world bows down in a reverent obedience to the command of the holy Catholic Church.” (T. Enright, C.S.S.R., in a lecture at Hartford, Kansas, Feb. 18, 1884)

“My brethren, look about the various wrangling sects and denominations. Show me one that claims or possesses the power to make laws binding on the conscience. There is but one on the face of the earth-the Catholic Church-that has the power to make laws binding upon the conscience, binding before God, binding upon the pain of hellfire. Take for instance, the day we celebrate-Sunday. What right have the Protestant churches to observe that day? None whatsoever. You say it is to obey the commandment, ‘Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.’ But Sunday is not the Sabbath according to the Bible and the record of time.

Which church does the whole civilized world obey? Protestants call us every horrible name they can think of-anti-Christ, the scarlet-colored beast, Babylon, etc., and at the same time profess great reverence for the Bible, and yet by their solemn act of keeping Sunday, they acknowledge the power of the Catholic Church.” (Industrial American, Harlan Iowa; a published lecture by T. Enright, December 19, 1889)

“Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change [Scriptural Sabbath to Sunday] was her act… And the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical authority in religious things.” (H.F. Thomas, Chancellor of Cardinal Gibbons)

“But the Church of God [that is, the Romish church, NOT the true Church] has thought it well to transfer the celebration and observance of the Sabbath to Sunday.” (‘Catechism of the Council of Trent’ translated by John A. McHugh and Charles J. Callan, p 402)

“It was the Catholic Church which, by the authority of Jesus Christ, has transferred this rest to the Sunday in remembrance of the resurrection of our Lord. Thus the observance of Sunday by the Protestants is a homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the [Catholic] Church.” (Plain Talk About the Protestantism of Today, by Mgr. Louis Segur, 1868, p.213)

“Sunday…It is the law of the Catholic Church alone…” (American Sentinel, June 1893)

“From this same Catholic Church you have accepted your Sunday, as the Lord’s day, she has handed down as a tradition; and the entire Protestant world has accepted it as tradition, for you have not an iota of Scripture to establish it. Therefore that which you have accepted as your rule of faith, inadequate as it of course is, as well as your Sunday, you have accepted on the authority of the Roman Catholic Church.” (D.B. Ray, The Papal Controversy, 1892, p.179)

“The church…took the pagan Sunday and made it the Christian Sunday…. The Sun was a foremost god with heathendom…. And thus the pagan Sunday, dedicated to Balder, became the Christian Sunday.” (Dr. William L. Gildea, The Catholic World , March, 1894)

“They [the Protestants] deem it their duty to keep the Sunday holy. Why? Because the Catholic Church tells them to do so. They have no other reason. …The observance of Sunday thus comes to be an ecclesiastical law entirely distinct from the Divine law of Sabbath observance. .The author of the Sunday Law…is the Catholic Church.” (Walter Drum, Catholic priest, Ecclesiastical Review, February, 1914)

“The authority of the church could therefore not be bound to the authority of the Scriptures, because the Church had changed the Sabbath into Sunday, not by command of Christ, but by its own authority.” (Canon and Tradition, p. 263)

“The Roman Church chose Sunday, the first day of the week, and in the course of time added other days, as holy days.” (Vincent Jo Kelly, Forbidden Sunday and Feast day Occupations, Catholic University Press, 1943, p. 2)

“Perhaps the boldest thing, the most revolutionary change the Church ever did, happened in the first century. The holy day, the Sabbath, was changed from Saturday to Sunday. “The Day of the Lord” (dies domini) was chosen, not from any directions noted in the Scriptures, but from the Church’s sense of its own power. The day of resurrection, the day of Pentecost, fifty days later, came on the first day of the week. So this would be the new Sabbath. People who think that the Scriptures should be the sole authority, should logically become 7th Day Adventists, and keep Saturday holy.” (The Pastor’s page of The Sentinel, Saint Catherine Catholic Church, Algonac, Michigan, May 21, 1995)

“Sunday is a Catholic institution and its claim to observance can be defended only on Catholic principles….. From beginning to end of Scripture there is not a single passage that warrants the transfer of weekly public worship from the last day of the week to the first.” (Catholic Press, Sydney, Australia, August 1900)

“The civil authorities should be urged to cooperate with the church in maintaining and strengthening this public worship of God, and to support with their own authority the regulations set down by the church’s pastors. For it is only in this way that the faithful will understand why it is Sunday and not the Sabbath day that we now keep holy.” (Roman Catechism, 1985)

“A history of the problem shows that in some places, it was really only after some centuries that the Sabbath rest really was entirely abolished, and by that time the practice of observing a bodily rest on the Sunday had taken its place.It was the seventh day of the week which typified the rest of God after creation, and not the first day.” (Vincent Jo Kelly, Forbidden Sunday and Feast day Occupations, Catholic University Press, 1943, pp. 15, 22)

“Protestants…accept Sunday rather than Saturday as the day for public worship after the Catholic Church made the change. But the Protestant mind does not seem to realize that.in observing the Sunday, in keeping Christmas and Easter, they are accepting the authority of the spokesman for the church–the Pope.” (Our Sunday Visitor, February 5, 1950.)

“The idea of importing into the Sunday the solemnity of the Sabbath with all its exigencies was an entirely foreign one to the early Christians.” (Director of at Rome’s Ecole Francaise, Louis M.O. Duchesne (1843-1922), Christian Worship, p.47)

“If Protestants would follow the Bible, they should worship God on the Sabbath Day. In keeping the Sunday they are following a law of the Catholic Church.” (Albert Smith, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, replying for the Cardinal, in a letter dated February 10, 1920.)

“If you follow the Bible alone there can be no question that you are obliged to keep Saturday holy, since that is the day especially prescribed by Almighty God to be kept holy to the Lord. In keeping Sunday, non-Catholics are simply following the practise of the Catholic Church for 1800 years, a tradition, and not a Bible ordinance…. With the Catholics there is no difficulty about the matter. For, since we deny that the Bible is the sole rule of faith, we can fall back upon the constant practise and tradition of the Church.” (Francis G. Lentz, The Question Box, 1900, pp. 98, 99)

“Is it not strange that those who make the Bible their only teacher should inconsistently follow in this matter the tradition of the Church?” (Bertrand L. Conway, The Question Box Answers, 1910, p. 255)

“A history of the problem shows that in some places, it was really only after some centuries that the Sabbath rest really was entirely abolished, and by that time the practice of observing a bodily rest on the Sunday had taken its place.It was the seventh day of the week which typified the rest of God after creation, and not the first day.” (Vincent Jo Kelly, Forbidden Sunday and Feast day Occupations, Catholic University Press, 1943, pp. 15, 22)

“You will have noticed, my dear children, that the day on which we keep Sabbath is not the same as that on which it was observed by the Jews. They kept and still keep the Sabbath upon Saturday, we on Sunday; they on the seventh, we on the first day of the week.understand how great is the authority of the [Roman Catholic] Church in interpreting or explaining to us the commandments of God-an authority which is acknowledged by the universal practice of the whole Christian world, even of those sects [i.e., protestants] who profess to take the Holy Scriptures as their sole rule of faith, since they observe as the day of rest not the seventh day of the week commanded by the Bible, but the first day, which we know is to be kept holy, only from tradition and teaching of the Catholic Church.” (Henry Gibson, Catechism Made Easy (No.2), Ninth Ed., Vol. 1, pp.341,342)

The Bible provides the answer for us. For example, even though a man may be having an affair, he runs to the local church prophet to receive an encouraging word about his situation. But instead of correction, the prophet gives him words of prosperity, healing, and new beginnings. He receives his prophetic word as permission to leave his wife and run to his mistress for good since he believes he is blessed even in sin. This is an example of a false prophet.

So, what does a true prophet of God look like? What should we expect from a true prophet of God? A true prophet or prophetess of God will bring correction to your situation. They identify your sin and correct your rebellion. But the problem is that Christians don’t want to hear the truth. Instead, they want to feel good in spite of their lawlessness and indulgence in sin.

So, what is sin? I mean, we think it’s cussing, smoking, and drinking alcohol. But is it really?

The Bible defines sin as the following :

1 Jn 3:4 says, “Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”

What is the law referenced in 1 John 3:4? Simply put, the law is the Torah (God’s Teaching and Instruction). What is Torah? Torah is God’s teaching defined from Genesis to Revelation; basically, the entire Bible.

When we are in rebellion, we are cursed. We can proclaim, deny, and reject God’s Word all day long, but this does not negate the fact that those who are in rebellion are cursed – period.

So, what happens when we seak our local church prophet for a feel-good word? Let’s search the scriptures to see what the Bible says is a true prophet of God:

In Eze 22:22-26 it says that, “As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall you be melted in the midst of it, and you shall know, understand, and realize that I the Lord have poured out My wrath upon you [O Israel].

Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things. They have made no distinction between the sacred and the secular, neither have they taught people the difference between the unclean and the clean and have hid their eyes from My Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.”

God tells us in Ezekiel that a true prophet of God will teach what is holy and holy, clean and unclean, and the laws of God. If there is no correction for your sin, then you can rest assured, they are a false prophet and will suffer the judgement of that status. In fact,if you receive and accept their lies, you too will suffer judgement for consenting to receive that word.

Jeremiah 14: 10-18 says, “[And the Lord replied to Jeremiah] Thus says the Lord to this people [Judah]: In the manner and to the degree already pointed out have they loved to wander; they have not restrained their feet. Therefore the Lord does not accept them; He will now [seriously] remember their iniquity and punish them for their sins. The Lord said to me, Do not pray for this people for their good.

If I go out into the field, then behold, those slain with the sword! And if I enter the city, then behold, those tormented with the diseases of famine! For both prophet and priest go about not knowing what to do or as beggars [exiled] in a land that they know not, and they have no knowledge.”

Another way to identify a false prophet is how they react to words of correction from a true prophet.

In Jeremiah 26:6-13 a false reaction is displayed in the following: “Then will I make this house [the temple] like Shiloh [the home of the Tent of Meeting, abandoned and later destroyed after the ark was captured by the Philistines], and I will make this city subject to the curses of all nations of the earth [so vile in their sight will it be].

Then Jeremiah said to all the princes and to all the people: The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. Therefore now amend your ways and your doings and obey the voice of the Lord your God; then the Lord will relent and reverse the decision concerning the evil which He has pronounced against you.”

Lastly, in Zephaniah 3:4 it further defines a false prophet as: “Her prophets are arrogant; they are treacherous men. Her priests profane the sanctuary and do violence to the law.”

How do you identify a true or false prophet? A true prophet of God will correct sin. They will teach what is holy and unholy and about God’s Sabbaths and holy days.

False prophets do not correct but only encourage in spite of your sin and lawlessness. They speak words that make you feel good about your situation even though you may be under a curse. They are offended when anyone brings a corrective word because it’s not encouraging and inspiring.

I encourage you to beware of false prophets. Do not consent to their words. You and they will be sorely corrected when you elect to do so. In fact, God reveals their evil and destruction in the end times:

“…and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.” (Mt 24:11)

“The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet.” (Rev 16:12, 13)

False prophets will destroy you, if you allow it to happen. You must be aware and guarded against false prophets today – they are all around and ready to deceive you from the truth of God’s Word.

Seek true prophets and receive correction in love. You will be blessed because of your choices.

Shalom

All over the world, believers promote the “Great Commission” as the mission and purpose of “The Church.” But why do we not do the Great Commission as Jesus (Y’shua) requested? Jesus told us to teach all nations to obey everything He commanded, but there is one command most refuse to teach. Do we really want to obey the Great Commission after we learn what it really means? We should, but why don’t we?

Mt 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

This was the last commandment Jesus (Y’shua) issued to His disciples before His ascension. It is considered one of the most important commandments ever uttered by Jesus and is the foundational setting of most vision and mission statements of Christian churches all over the world.

My question is do we really want to do what Jesus commanded in the Great Commission, and if we do, then why are we not doing it?
There are really two parts that consist of what is commonly referred to as the “Great Commission of Jesus Christ.”

1) Go to all nations and baptize new disciples.
2) Teach the new disciples to obey everything I (Jesus) commanded you (disciples).

So Jesus is very clear that all of His disciples, in all nations, are to obey everything He commanded. What did Jesus command to His disciples?

Mt 23:1-3 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do,
for they do not practice what they preach.

Let’s break the above down.
1) Jesus is commanding His disciples to obey and do everything taught out of Moses’ seat.
2) Jesus issues a second contrasting commandment to not do what the Pharisees actually practice which is contrary to what is preached in Moses’ seat.

That which is taught out of Moses’ seat we are directly commanded by Jesus to observe and do. Not only are we to observe and do what is taught out of Moses’ seat, but according to the Great Commission we are also to teach ALL NATIONS to OBSERVE and DO it.

Let’s start with what Jesus commanded His disciples to not do.
But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
Jesus stated that His disciples should not model the behaviors and teachings of the scribes and Pharisees that are contrary to what is preached out of the Moses’ seat. There are two laws dominant in the first century that merit scripturally defining. (We are not discussing Government -Roman- laws)

1) In Moses’ seat the Pharisees taught word for word God’s law that was written down by Moses. This is God’s law or often referred to as the Law of Moses. This is known as the first 5 books of our Bible.

2) When they left the Moses’ seat the Pharisees and Scribes taught and practiced something called the “oral law” or the “Talmud.” This is the “tradition of the elders,” also called “commandments and doctrines of men.” The Pharisees of today still practice these “oral laws.”

Simply put, these “oral laws” are laws of men (Pharisees) that were invented to build “fences” around God’s laws. They placed more importance on the “oral law” than God’s own laws. For example, God’s law has just a few commandments specific to His Sabbath. The Pharisees had 1400+ commandments that they commanded men to keep to help “protect” and “guard” God’s laws. The Pharisees made their own laws for people to obey so that people would not even come close to breaking God’s laws. Thus, people were actually obeying men instead of God. This is a form of idolatry.

The Pharisees elevated their own laws above God’s laws with their “traditions of the elders.” This is precisely why Jesus had so many harsh words for the Pharisees. Also there existed a false doctrine that some Pharisees subscribed to which taught that salvation was enabled through the keeping of commandments (Acts 15; Galatians). This is defined today as legalism.
Jesus Himself intentionally violated the “oral law” of the Pharisees directly in front of them several times, just to make a point that they were making a dangerous error and that commandments and doctrines of men are in reality nothing. Commandments of God are all that matter.

Here is an example of Jesus speaking harshly to the Pharisees because of their “oral law.”

Mark 7:6-13 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ” ‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.

They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.” And he said to them: “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

The only time the Pharisees really had everything completely right was when they were sitting in the Moses’ seat reading the Law of Moses verbatim. This is the only time when their own bias and doctrine did not violate and compromise the will and doctrine of God. They were in fact simply speaking only the Word of God. Therefore, in Matthew 23:3, Jesus is simply stating to not nullify the Word of God by our traditions and doctrines, even if they are what was passed down to us.

What did Jesus command His disciples to do?
“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you.”

Here is a picture of a Moses’ seat. It is a real stone seat in which the one sitting in it would read directly and verbatim from the Law of Moses. How and when did the actual Moses’ seat originate?
Not surprisingly, it began with Moses.

From Exodus 18:
Before Mount Sinai Moses was teaching and judging from the law that was passed down orally from Jethro (Moses father-in-law) in the Moses’ seat:
(13) The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening.

Moses defines the purpose and process of the Moses’ seat to be the vehicle to state God’s law to thus make His law known:

(15) “And Moses said unto his father in law, ‘Because the people come unto me to Inquire of God: When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and His laws”

Jethro recommended to Moses to share the responsibility of teaching God’s law because Moses was only one man:

(17) Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. (18) You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.

Moses then gathered elders based on specific criteria and taught them all of God’s law so they could also perform the duty of Moses’ seat:

(20)Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. (21) But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.

From the time of the Exodus onward, Moses’ seat has been a vehicle to teach God’s exact laws (Law of Moses) to His people.

Do Christian scholara also define “Moses’ seat” to be the Law of Moses just as it is taught to be in scripture from Exodus to the first century? Yes, here is a sample:

The Geneva Study Bible:

“(1) We ought to listen to whatever we are truly taught from the word of God, even by wicked teachers, but in a way so that we abstain from their evil behaviour.”

The People’s New Testament:
23:2 Sit in the Moses’ seat. Are the expounders of the law of Moses.”
Wesly’s Notes:“23:2 The scribes sit in the chair of Moses – That is, read and expound the law of Moses, and are their appointed teachers.”

Scofield:
Cf. Ezra 7:6,25,26. Jesus’ disciples were to honour the law (of Moses), but not the hypocritical teachers of it.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary:
in Moses’ seat-that is, as interpreters of the law given by Moses.
Christian commentary and scholarship agree that Moses’ seat was indeed the Law of Moses and that the disciples were commanded by Jesus to keep the Law of Moses.

So what does all of this mean?
It means simply what Jesus commanded. Jesus clearly commanded His disciples to OBSERVE and DO the Law of Moses (Matthew 23:1-3). No one disputes this.

Jesus ALSO commanded His disciples to teach ALL NATIONS to obey EVERYTHING they were COMMANDED by Jesus. No one disputes this.
THEREFORE, LET’S FULLY APPLY WHAT JESUS TEACHES AND COMMANDS US:

We as disciples are to go out into ALL NATIONS and teach ALL NATIONS to OBEY EVERYTHING Jesus COMMANDED which, of course, INCLUDES the LAW OF MOSES. (Matthew 28:19:20)
Really? Jesus wants us to OBSERVE and DO the Law of Moses AND teach ALL NATIONS TO OBEY?

It shouldn’t be that surprising, for Jesus did state:
Mt 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I do not come to destroy, but to fulfill (with meaning).

Mt 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all (law and prophets) be fulfilled.
Mt 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus stated Himself that not one of God’s commandments was to be “abolished” or “put an end to” until all of the Law and Prophets are fulfilled and Heaven and Earth passes away.

Heaven and Earth passing away and being made new is the last prophetic event foretold in scripture.

Isaiah 65:17 “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.
Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, Please note that this event has clearly not yet happened. Jesus states that all of God’s law will exist at LEAST UNTIL the day that the Lord states:

Revelation 21:5-6 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.

Christ’s work on the cross for our salvation is finished (John 19:30), but the Lord is not yet finished with what has been said in all of His Law and Prophets until He says “it is done,” which is signaled by the new Heaven and new Earth.
If this scripture is true, then what scriptural gymnastics do some teachers employ to avoid such a conclusion?

Well, if they touch the verse at all, it creates quite an embarrassing mess.
Some teach that in Matthew 5:17, “fulfill” means “to put and end to” or to “finish.” This is done, by their own admission, to avoid the clear teaching of Jesus that not one of God’s commandments are to pass away from the law and to preserve their misinterpretations of Paul’s letters.

If this interpretation is indeed true, we should be able to apply such teaching to scripture and it should make logical sense, as God is not the author of confusion. We are commanded to test all things and only hold on to what is good (1 Thes. 5:20) Let’s test the teaching that “fulfill” means “to put and end to” or “finish” instead of “fulfill” simply meaning to “fill up the whole and complete meaning” of God’s law, evidenced by Jesus walking out the true interpretation (not Pharisaical) of God’s law.

Can “fulfill” in Mt 5:17 mean “to put an end to?

Mt 5:17 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I do not come to destroy (the law), but to “put and end (to the law”).

Huh?

Mt 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all (law and prophets) be fulfilled.

Double huh?

Mt 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments (that I just put an end to), and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them (even though I put an end to them), the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Triple huh?

There are only two possible interpretations of “fulfill” in Matthew 5:17.
1) One is that Jesus came to “fulfill the real meaning of God’s law,” which the Pharisees polluted through their oral law. This makes sense because this was the complete point and purpose of every teaching of Jesus when He was in proximity to the Pharisees. This is to correctly instruct us in the way God wants us to walk in His law and not the way men want us to walk in God’s law.

2) Or “fulfill” in Matthew 5:17 means to “complete, finish, or put an end to.” All one has to do is insert that definition into the context of the scripture to witness how such an interpretation is illogical and absurd.

Technically based on a literal rendering of the Greek, either interpretation is acceptable:

G4137 pleroo play-ro’-o from G4134; to make replete, i.e. (literally) to cram (a net), level up (a hollow), or (figuratively) to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), etc.:–accomplish, X after, (be) complete, end, expire, fill (up), fulfil, (be, make) full(come), fully preach, perfect, supply.(Strong’s)

The only interpretation of “fulfill” that fits the context and avoids logical absurdities is to understand Jesus is teaching that He will make full or fully preach God’s law.

Jesus came to fully preach God’s law. He taught us the full meaning of God’s law.
Does that not fit the ministry of Jesus perfectly? Jesus taught, walked, practiced, obeyed, and lived the Law of Moses. Are we not commanded to walk as Jesus walked?

1 Jn 2:6 He that says he abides in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

So if Jesus commanded us to observe and do the Law of Moses, teach all nations to obey the Law of Moses, and He taught us that the Law of Moses would exist until the very end, then why are we not doing it?

Seriously.

I can only ask this question in response: Do we really want to do what Jesus commanded and if we do, then why are we not doing it?

If we really love Jesus, then our hearts and minds will want to obey every one of God’s commandments with eagerness:

Jn 14:15 If you love me, keep my commandments.
Loving God is actually defined as keeping God’s commandments:

2Jn 1:6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

So when Jesus stated:

Mt 22:37 Jesus said unto him, You should love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.

Mt 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.

Jesus is simply stating that we should keep God’s commandments with all of our heart, soul, and mind.

That is how we love God.

God’s grace, which is the forgiveness of our breaking of the law (sin) when we mess up, is God’s demonstration of love for us.

Our keeping of God’s law to the best of our ability is a demonstration of the extent of our love back to Him.

How much do you love God?

As it relates to the Great Commission, how much do you want to see the rest of the world love God?

Are we only emphasizing grace and God’s love for us, or are we instructing ALL NATIONS how to LOVE God back?

And if we are teaching ALL NATIONS God’s commandments, are we teaching them all of them or just some of them?

We are to love God by keeping His commandments with all of our heart, soul, and mind.

Is this not why God’s law is written on our (Israel’s) hearts and minds in the New Covenant: Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Hb 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
God writes His Law in our heart and mind through the teaching of the Holy Spirit:

1 John 2:27 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.

Jn 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Jn 14:24 He that loves me not keeps not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

Jn 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Some will say, “but Paul Said…”

After realizing the above can not be refuted, some might still state “but I understand Paul to teach that some of God’s commandments have been abolished.”

I would simply respond to that person that they are in error and are misunderstanding Paul. Paul stated that we should continue in God’s law (Romans 3:31) and that Paul himself delighted in the law (Romans 7:22).

Paul teaches nowhere in all of his letters that the Law of Moses has been abolished in any capacity. Paul was likely the best law teacher in all of the New Testament, right behind Jesus.

Paul Stated that He Kept and Taught the Law of Moses.

In fact, Paul is accused several times of not keep or teaching the law of Moses. Paul responds, directly from His own mouth and actions, that he does keep and teach the Law of Moses (Acts 21:20-26; Acts 24:13-14). In several instances, we witness Paul keeping God’s Feast days and Sabbaths.
Is it not odd that the very thing Paul had to defend himself against in the first century is the very thing we accuse him of today?

Who messed up, us or Paul?

Was Paul a hypocrite or schizophrenic? No. Peter even warned us in advance that Paul’s letters were hard to understand and that untaught and unstable people would twist Paul’s letters to abolish God’s commandments and make the error of the lawless.

2 Pe 3:15-17 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, withoutspot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the lawless; Notice Peter did not state that teachers would twist Paul’s words and make the error of the “lawful.”

Teachers will be and are twisting Paul’s words to break God’s laws and make the error of the lawless. The commandments that have been twisted away through Paul’s letters are ironically the same commands that God’s people ditched first when they would begin to fall away. These are stated by God Himself to be His most important commandments and the flesh has never wanted to be obedient to them. These commandments are His dietary instructions, Feast days, and Sabbath.

When teachers create doctrine that removes these commandments, they are tickling the ears of the flesh, thus such teaching became popular.

2 Tim:2-4 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage— with great patience and careful instruction.
For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.

Instead, to suit their own desires, they will heap up around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

If people would read Paul’s letters from start to finish and pull in all appropriate context, stop injecting their own bias, then the error of the lawless would become a thing of the past and God’s people would wake up to all of His ways.

There are many things that we have been taught that are simply not in scripture in any capacity. They are only doctrines and traditions of our fathers. Remember, the Pharisees had the same problem. How did Jesus respond to them?

Isn’t this legalism?
Legalism is the attempt to keep God’s commandments to earn favor or points leading to salvation. This is actually what the whole Book of Galatians teaches against. Galatians teaches against salvation through the law, not against obedience to God’s law. There is a difference.

Keeping the Sabbath and God’s Feast days is no different than us also being obedient to honesty and being baptized. Would it not be odd if someone accused you of legalism because you chose honesty as opposed to dishonesty because God commands that of you through His Word? Just because scripture states that God has a day that He considers important and was created for our benefit, keeping it does not make it legalism. That word is all to often abused and used incorrectly.

Scripture clearly teaches that through our faith by grace we are promised eternal life as all of our sins our forgiven. (Eph. 2:8).

Salvation by faith was also true during the ministry of Jesus (Luke 7:20) and even before His first coming (Romans 4:9). It has always been the means to salvation and always will be.

Faith gets us into His kingdom. Once we are in His kingdom as citizens (Eph. 2), we are be obedient to His rules in His constitution for His people, just like any other nation. In fact, it is how well we apply the Truth of God’s Word to our lives that determines the different levels of rewards and crowns we receive in the end.

Scripture teaches us the more we strive to not sin (break God’s law)(1 John 3:4), the greater our eternal rewards (Matthew 5:17-19)(Romans 14:10-12)(Romans 6:1-4). Are you going to be least or great in the end? The greater your love for God as evidenced in your obedience, the greater your rewards in heaven will be.

Remember though, God knows our motive for obedience, if it is not out of pure love and desire to be obedient to Him, but instead to boast or try to earn rewards, such works will be burned up (1 Cor. 3:11-15).

Christ IS our foundation, and IS the Word made flesh. Obedience to the Word is everything in our faith. It is our rock in which we are to stand firm.
But aren’t there hundreds of laws?

It is commonly taught that there are 613 commandments in God’s Word. Many of those are for the High Priesthood role which has now been transferred to Jesus (see Hebrews). The majority (95%+) of the commandments most Christians already understand they should be keeping. The ones that are often ignored are the dietary instructions, Sabbath, God’s Feast days, (Leviticus 11 & 23) and a few others.

In whichever city or state one might be living in, you are already being obedient to over a hundred thousand man made civil laws. Our eternal savior asks for obedience for a few hundred out of love for Him.

Some of the commandments are rather odd on the surface and it takes some prayer, meditation, and study to understand them, but consider this: If God himself came down and asked you to walk on you hands for the rest of your life because He states it will bring glory to Him and light to the nations, would you do it, or would you ask Him why and do nothing till you receive a response?

Now you might understand James:

Ja 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Perhaps it is time we show God how much we love Him. Perhaps we should stop finding excuses and comfort in men’s doctrine that tickles our ears. If we don’t love His ways now, we are not going to love them for all eternity either.

Jesus called us to teach all nations to come to faith in Jesus by grace (God’s love) and then teach them obey the Law of Moses (our love back).

Following our entering into His promise of our salvation, obedience is the most important thing in all of scripture for His people. His (whole) Word is such a wonderful gift to offer.

Remember:
ALL (not some) scripture is given by inspiration of God.
ALL (not some) scripture is profitable for doctrine.
ALL (not some) scripture is for rebuking and correction
ALL (not some) scripture is for INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS
2Ti 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

When we understand and apply this, then and only then are we completely furnished unto all good works.

We are then equipped to evidence our faith and LOVE GOD completely. So let’s do the Great Commission and fully equip the saints with ALL OF GOD’S WORD.

“He who turns away his ear from hearing the Law, Even his prayer is an abomination.” Pro 28:9

Courtesy of www.TestEverything.net

What religion do you think this man is and who is he?

1. He keeps and observes the Law of Moses. In fact, He did so perfectly and commanded us to do so likewise.
2. He teaches the Law of Moses. In fact, He makes the law even more binding by teaching us the spirit of the Law beyond the written. He also doe what it teaches, not just simply quoting.
3. He calls those that add to or subtract from the law broods of vipers.
4. He tells people who are without the law to get away from him, that He does not know them.
5. He teaches if you keep the whole law of God and teach it, you will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven, and if you remove any part of it and teach that, at best, you will be least.
6. He keeps the Sabbath, teaches on the Sabbath, and tells us the creator made the Sabbath for the benefit of man.
7. He eats clean things (food) and does not eat unclean animals (not food).
8. He came to “fill up with meaning” or “fully preach” (plerroo) the law and prophet,s not to abolish it or end it.
9. He is angered by people that add to the law, and do not DO what the law says. He is also angered by those who do God’s Law, not to love God, but to elevate themselves.
10. He keeps and observes God’s Feast days.
11. He teaches people that faith is evidenced by DOING and that if you want to enter heaven to keep the commandments.
12. He preaches and speaks from the law.

Who do you think this man is and did he practice the above religion?

1. He stated that he kept, practiced and taught the Law of Moses with his Gentile converts.
2. It is documented in scripture that he kept the feast days with his Gentile converts.
3. He stated to follow His example as He followed the example of Christ.
4. He stated that everything you have heard him teach and every thing that he has practiced should be done.
5. His brother in Christ, Peter, states that his words are hard to understand and often twisted by those who end up breaking God’s Law, leading to their own destruction.
6. He states that he delights in the law and says that we do not abolish the law in faith but to uphold/continue (histemi) in God’s Law.
7. He wrote that all scripture (not just some) is instructions in righteousness.

Answer: Jesus and Paul, respectively

“The Jews were quite particular about who was allowed into the Temple. For instance, Gentiles were restricted to the outer court (the least holy place.

Although a Jew who was an agnostic (but continued to follow the Jewish customs) might be allowed to enter the Temple, a Jew who worshipped a foreign god or was living in overt sin, or in an unclean state, could be banned from much of the Temple area. He would only be allowed into the court of the Gentiles. The Jews who believed in Jesus at the time of the story in Acts 3 were not considered to be members of a separate religion. They were looked upon as a sect of Judaism and as such were able to freely gather together daily in the Temple courtyard and there they were preaching that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah of the Jews.

Acts 6.7 “And the word of G-d kept on spreading. And the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem. And a tremendously vast throng of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.”

It is apparent from this verse that there was no functional conflict between being a priest in the Temple in Jerusalem and having faith in Jesus as Messiah number of those who became disciples of Jesus continued to function as priests in the Temple. And beyond that, these priests were not secret believers because the Scripture calls them disciples.

Acts 6.11-14
11 Then they induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and G-d.”
12 And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and dragged him away, and brought him before the Sanhedrin.
13 And they put forward false witnesses who said, “This man incessantly speaks against this holy place, and the Torah.
14 “For we have heard him say that Jesus the Nazarene will demolish this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.”

Shortly after the great spiritual revivals that occurred earlier in Acts a problem arose in the young church. The Hellenistic Jews, who had become believers in Jesus, felt that their widows were not being given the same care and food benefits that the widows among the other believing sects received. Therefore the Apostles appointed seven wise and spiritual men to look after the widows. One of these men was Stephen.

Stephen was also going about performing great healings and miracles. His actions upset the leaders of the Jews who arranged for false witnesses to testify against Stephen. The false witnesses, who had been secretly induced to accuse Stephen, made charges against him that could honestly apply to most of today’s Jews who believe that Jesus is the Messiah. Stephen was falsely accused of not practising the Torah of Moses. Since this accusation was false, the logical conclusion is that Stephen must have been observant of the Torah of Moses.

The early believers did not call themselves Messianic Jews, but referred to themselves as “The Way”. The idea that Jews who believe in Jesus should be called Messianic Jews is a very modern Temple Rules

According to the Torah of Moses, anyone that failed to observe certain customs of Jewish practice (Passover, Day of Atonement, abstaining from blood, circumcision, etc.) was to be cut off from the Jewish people and counted as a foreigner. This does not mean they could no longer be Jews, but readmission into the congregation of Israel required repentance and immersion in the mikvah (ritual baptism). The very fact that the early Believers in Jesus continued to attend the Temple service indicates that neither they, nor the Temple authorities considered the Way to be contrary to or deviant from the requirements of the Torah.

In fact, if there was any change in the theology of the Jewish believers, it would have occurred among those who had formerly been Sadducees, because they had to embrace the hope of the resurrection of the dead, the belief in angels and view the Scriptures as being totally relevant to their day. Others Jewish believers had been agnostics, or Hellenists, but now because of their belief in Jesus as the Messiah, had been brought home to the faith and customs of their fathers. The tenants that the Jewish believers retained, in no way eliminated grace from their lives, nor should it from ours. Grace is not a concept that is unique to the Apostolic Writings, but was an established belief from the Jewish Scriptures. We certainly see an example of G-d’s grace/favour operating in the life of King David.

Obedience to the Torah of Moses or adherence to the customs of the Jews can never bring us salvation and were never meant for that purpose. Only faith in Jesus and His atoning blood, shed on our behalf, can give us eternal life. Justification only comes through faith, “The just shall live by faith.”

Jesus the Jew

From the Gospels we can see that Jesus was not a “Christian,” but a Jew, who abided by the statutes of the Torah. Everything that Jesus did was in total obedience to the Torah of Moses. Jesus also followed the traditions of the Jews, as long as they did not contradict the Torah.

Jesus was born to parents who observed the Torah and were also led by the Holy Spirit. It is evident from the Gospels that Joseph and Mary heard from the Holy Spirit, received dreams from the Lord and were visited by angels. In short they were good Orthodox Torah Observant Charismatics.

Because Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day, in accordance with the provision in the Torah, He entered into the covenant of the Jews. Because He was the first-born child of His mother the appropriate sacrifices for His redemption were offered.

Both Jesus’ parents regularly travelled to Jerusalem to celebrate the feasts and Jesus accompanied them.

Jesus kept the Sabbath and observed the rules of kashrut (food).

He dressed in the customary manner of the Jews of His day, which meant that He wore tsitsit and tefillin. Jesus kept His beard untrimmed and wore payot, the traditional sidelocks. Jesus not only supported the observance of Torah, but demanded of His disciples that they follow even more exacting requirements from the Torah.

Jesus trained His disciples according to the standard method used by the Pharisees of His day, even giving His disciples their own special prayer. Jesus expected His Jewish disciples to follow His example in every area of their lives.

Jesus was righteous in all His ways, but He did not receive righteousness by observing the Torah. No disciple of Jesus can receive righteousness by observing the Torah. Righteousness was not imputed to the saints because they observed the Torah. The Torah was given to the Children of Israel seven weeks after they were redeemed by the lamb’s blood, and six weeks after they received the Holy Spirit and were baptised in the sea and therefore seven weeks after they became righteous.

The Torah was given to the redeemed community of Israel so that, by observing its regulations, they could maintain fellowship with their G-d.

Sin and Salvation

The relationship of any Jew to the Torah of Moses depends on his relationship to sin and salvation. When we are born, we are alive spiritually. Eventually we reach a point where we become aware of G-d-given laws. We may actually hear G-d’s Word, or we might make a law for others to live by, or nature teaches us about G-d’s laws. Once we break one of G-d’s laws, the process of death takes over in our lives because of the existence of that law. When we confess our sin and accept the payment of Jesus’ blood that brings us forgiveness, we are no longer under that law or subject to the spiritual consequences for breaking it. This principle in no way exempts us from G-d’s laws. It is still wrong for us to steal or commit adultery, etc. If we truly believe that the Torah of Moses was nullified, we would be free to live in any manner we pleased without fearing G-d or worrying about the consequences of our actions. We would be lawless. The Scriptures make it plain that lawlessness is the same as rebellion. If we respect and delight in the Torah, we also show our attitude toward G-d. Our love for G-d is not demonstrated by how much we pray, but in the degree that we listen to Him. Our primary means of listening to Him is by reading the Scriptures.”

Courtesy of Stephen H Hedges, Jesus, the Torah and Messianic Judaism

This is from the Council of Nicea of 325AD

From the letter of the Emperor (Constantine) to all those not present at the council. (Found in Eusebius, Vita Const., Lib III 18-20)

“When the question relative to the sacred festival of Easter (Passover) arose, it was universally thought that it would be convenient that all should keep the feast on one day; for what could be more beautiful and more desirable than to see this festival, through which we receive the hope of immortality, celebrated by all with one accord and in the same manner? It was declared to be particularly unworthy for this, the holiest of festivals, to follow the customs (the calculation) of the Jews who had soiled their hands with the most fearful of crimes, and whose minds were blinded. In rejecting their custom we may transmit to our descendants the legitimate mode of celebrating Easter; which we have observed from the time of the Saviour’s passion (according to the day of the week).

We ought not therefore to have anything in common with the Jew, for the Saviour has shown us another way; our worship following a more legitimate and more convenient course (the order of the days of the week: And consequently in unanimously adopting this mode, we desire, dearest brethren to separate ourselves from the detestable company of the Jew. For it is truly shameful for us to hear them boast that without their direction we could not keep this feast. How can they be in the right, they who, after the death of the Saviour, have no longer been led by reason but by wild violence, as their delusion may urge them? They do not possess the truth in this Easter question, for in their blindness and repugnance to all improvements they frequently celebrate two Passovers in the same year. We could not imitate those who are openly in error.

How, then, could we follow these Jews who are most certainly blinded by error? For to celebrate a Passover twice in one year, is totally inadmissible.

But even if this were not so it would still be your duty not to tarnish your soul by communication with such wicked people (the Jews). You should consider not only that the number of churches in these provinces make a majority, but also that it is right to demand what our reason approves, and that we should have nothing in common with the Jews.”

(Gleaned from Dr. Henry R. Percival’s “The Nicean and post Nicean Fathers”. Vol. XIV Grand Rapid: Erdmans pub. 1979,pgs. 54-55).

Is Easter found in the Bible?

Yes, in Judges 2:12-14, Judges 10:6, 1 Kings 11:4-6, 1 Kings 11:33, 2 Kings 23:13, 1 Samuel 7:4, 1 Samuel 12:10, 1 Samuel 31:10…. The Bible says to stay away from Easter!

Where else is Easter found in the Bible?

Only in Acts 12:4 in the King James Version.

It is a mistranslation of the Greek Pasch or Passover. Barnes Notes says about the KJV’s changing the term Passover to Easter: “There was never a more absurd or unhappy translation than this. The original is simply after the Passover.”

Acts 12:4, “And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after EASTER to bring him forth to the people.” (KJV)

Acts 12:4, “After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the PASSOVER.” (NIV)

Acts 12:4, “And when he had taken him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him; intending after the PASSOVER to bring him forth to the people.” (ASV)

This is why we are to study like the Bereans (Acts 17:11). Otherwise, others will lead us astray, just as Constantine and the Catholic Church did many years ago.

Shalom

There were 12 Tribes at Mount Sinai receiving the Torah – not one. Therefore, the Torah was given to all 12 Tribes of Israel.

When the Northern tribes transgressed the Law, they were scattered among the nations as promised. Judah returned.

Who are the Jews? The Tribe of Judah only.

Therefore, where and who are the 10 lost tribes? Let’s investigate further…

The Hebrew word means  = “Crossed Over”

The characteristics of the House of Ephraim (Israel) are the following:

1. They are from the North 10 tribes
2. They were dispersed into all the nations after their captivity
3. They live among the Gentiles (Ho 8:8)
4. They have forgotten the name of their God (Jer 23:27)
1. Sheppard’s will teach them a different name of God
2. God’s name is Yahweh
5. Multitude of Nations
6. They are wealthy people (Gen 49:22)
7. They do not know or understand the Law of God and do not keep it (Ho 8:10): ““Yes, though they have hired among the nations, Now I will gather then; And they shall sorrow a little, Because of the burden of the king of princes. I have written for him the great things of My law, But they were considered a strange thing.”
8. They are called “Not my people”, “sons of the Living God” (Ho 2:23), “those that are far off” (Is 57:19, and “lost sheep” (Jer 50:6).
9. The majority of them when they are re-gathered will come from the West (Ho 13:15)

Are the 10 Tribes in the New Testament?

1 Peter 1:1, “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,”

Thus, the book of Galatia was probably written to “those that were scattered

Jas 1:1, “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.”

Have you ever wondered why pagan-gentiles that hated the Jews would so readily accept a “Jewish” Messiah? They weren’t pagan Gentiles. They were Israelite-Gentiles.

Amos 9:9, “For, look, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all the gentiles…”

John 7:33, “Jesus therefore said, “Yet a little while I am with you, and I go to him who sent me. You will seek me, and will not find me: and where I am, you cannot come.”

John 7:35 (their response), “The Jews therefore said among themselves, Where will this man go that we will not find him? Will he go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?”

Most of the people Paul were preaching to the dispersed, the Israelite Gentiles…

Romans 9:24, “even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As He says also in Hosea: “I will call them My people, who were not  My people, and their beloved, who was not beloved. And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ there they shall be called sons of the living God.” – Quote from Hosea 1:10

Romans 12:14, “for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts,”

Jeremiah 31:33, “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says YHVH: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

Romans 11:26, “And so ALL ISRAEL (all 12 tribes) will be saved, as it is written (In Is 59:20): “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob (House of Israel);”

Romans 11:27, “For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.”

What is sin?

Psalm 119:136 says, “Rivers of water run down from my eyes, Because men do not keep Your law.”

2 Kings 17:37-38 says, “And the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall be careful to observe forever; you shall not fear other gods. And the covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods.”

Two Houses of Isreal – One New Man:

Eph 2:11-24, “Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh (out of covenant) – who were called Uncircumcised by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands – that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope without God in the world. But now in Christ you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having  abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

Eph 2:17, “And He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near.”

Isa 57:18-19, “I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.”

Eph 2:18, “For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,”

Who did the Messiah come for?

John 10:16, “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.”  (NKJV)

John 11:51, “Now this he (Caiaphas) did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.”

Mt 15:24, “and he answering said, ‘I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’”

Additional Resources:
Identity Crisis

TODAY MARKS 1 DAY OF THE OMER. In Leviticus, Chap 23, V.15, “You SHALL count…from the day that you brought the omer as a wave offering.” (2 quarts approx. of barley) This is the “mincha”, afternoon offering on the 2nd day of Passover. Since Passover began Friday evening (to Saturday evening) 1 day, Saturday eve to Sunday evening 2nd day.

We begin to count the omer, every day for 49 days. This leads us right through the purification process to Shavu’ot( Pentecost for Christians), up the spiritual ladder (we were in in Egypt. Mitzrayim=limitations and boundaries. This process continued even AFTER the second Temple in Jerusalem fell (<73AD>)

On the 50th day, Matan Torah (the giving of the Torah) we celebrate Shavu’ot and receive a gift from the Holy One above (this was the Holy Spirit in Acts 2), the ability to reach and touch the Divinity of God.

Praise the Lord, Yeshua (Jesus) is Risen!

Luke 12:54-57 “He said to the crowd: “’When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does.And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is.Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?‘Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?’”

Tension is rising amongst the peoples. The accuser of the brethren stands in the midst of crowds and puts blame on others. Do you not know what the accuser of the brethren looks like? He looks like you and whispers in your ear. He stirs the darkness in your heart, manipulating you in directions you would not otherwise go.

When you watch the news, you see tension rising between ethnicities. This should alert you to Yeshua’s (Jesus) warning that in the end times we will experience and increase of one race rising against another:

Matt 24:7, “For nation (ethnos) shall rise against nation (ethnos), and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.”

ethnos = “race”

Mainstream media is a major source of the stirring of contention. You must be cognizant of the media sources and the reports they provide. They provide slanted, half truths to the public and report it as complete truth. This then leads many to fighting among brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ. That’s when the church becomes divided – thus, the plan of the enemy.

Luke 11:17 says, “Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.”

He wants the unity of the Body of Christ to be destroyed by attempting to destroy you from the inside out. He will stir what is already within you – unforgiveness, bitterness, hatred, and rage causing fighting amongst the Body of Christ.

We need to be aware of the season we are in today. We also need to be alert to the ploy of the enemy. I employ my brothers and sisters in Christ to not engage in racial discussions and outbursts as this is the plan to destroy one another. Instead, pray for one another and reach out to your brother and lock arms. We must remain united at all times.

Lastly, we need to guard our hearts and allow the Lord to remove all iniquity from within us.

Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

When Yeshua (Jesus) returns, we want to be aware that some, who believe they are saved, will not make it into the Kingdom of Heaven:

Matthew 7:21-23, “’Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!””

This should alert every individual follower of Yeshua that we need to be cautious in our daily walk. We have a higher calling as well as a responsibility to represent the love of Yeshua to an unsaved world.

Luke 10:27 says, “He answered: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ “

One young lady told me that she didn’t want to following anything we taught as she was very faithful to her pastor – no matter what. She says she didn’t want to “make him mad” at her for not going to him for everything. I thought, “Wow! This is serious!” People willing to follow their pastor even if it’s over the cliff! Matthew 7:23 clearly indicates that there will be those who “think” they are saved – and appear to be doing the will of God – but they will be told to depart from the Lord. This teaching is an attempt to help you grow as a Christian and learn to love the Lord in HIS WAY.

1 Corinthians 7:23
You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.

 Is the Law Done Away With?

 Matt 5:17-19, “‘Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfill.

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished.

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.’”

 (Fulfill is Gk Pleroo – Strongs #4137).

 The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon

Let’s compare that same word, “Pleroo” with another verse:IF WE LOVE GOD, WHAT DOES HE WANT US TO DO?
Jn 14:15 If you love me, keep my commandments.

WHAT IS LOVE AS DEFINED BY SCRIPTURE?
2 Jn 1:6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

HOW DO WE LOVE GOD AND WHAT DOES LOVING GOD REALLY MEAN?
1 Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

WHAT IS SIN?
1Jn 3:4 Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Romans 15:19 Paul says, “in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and round about even unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ” (Fulfill is Gk Pleroo – Strongs #4137)

What Does This Mean to Us?

If we love God, what does He want us to do?

Jn 14:15 says, “If you love me, keep my commandments.”

1 John 2:3-6 says, “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth (Psalm 119:142) is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God (1 John 5:2-3) is perfected in him. By this, we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked (Torah).

What is love as defined by Scripture?

2 Jn 5:3 says, “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, that, as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

How do we love God and what does that really mean?

1 Jn 5:3 says, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous.

What is sin?

1 Jn 3:4 says, “Whosover commits sin transgresses also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law.”

Psalm 119:136 says, “Rivers of water run down from my eyes, Because men do not keep Your law.”

2 Kings 17:37-38 says, “And the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall be careful to observe forever; you shall not fear other gods. And the covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods.”

IF WE LOVE GOD, WHAT DOES HE WANT US TO DO?
Jn 14:15 If you love me, keep my commandments.

WHAT IS LOVE AS DEFINED BY SCRIPTURE?
2 Jn 1:6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

HOW DO WE LOVE GOD AND WHAT DOES LOVING GOD REALLY MEAN?
1 Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

WHAT IS SIN?
1Jn 3:4 Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Blessings and Curses

The curse of the law (Deut. 11:26-29) is what is against us, which is the “law of sin and death.” That is what Y’shua (Jesus) took to the cross. Y’shua (Jesus) paid our debt to God’s law in full. Paul explains much of this in detail in Romans (Romans 6-8) and what it means to be “under the law of sin and death.” The “law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2) was the record of offences (sin) we have made against God’s law which of course leads to the curse (second death). It is this record against us that is abolished. As Paul details in Romans, there is a difference between the “law of God” and the “law of sin and death.” The “law of God” is for us when we obey it (blessings) and the “law of sin and death” (curse) is against us when we break the “law of God.” This should be quite simple.

The same concept applies today in our own domestic laws. If the President pardons a criminal (sinner), he pardons the offence, not the law. He cancels what was against him, the charges written against him (handwriting of ordinances). The charges state that the criminal deserves to be punished.

Likewise, once we are pardoned through Christ, we are no longer under (the curse/sin/death) of the law (Galatians 3:10-13), but under grace (Romans 6:14). We are freed from this curse (law of sin and death)(Romans 8:1-2). However, this does not mean that because of our faith affording us the gift of grace, that the law is canceled-just the punishment for breaking it (Romans 3:31). But just because our punishment is taken away, does that mean we should ignore the law and continue sinning so grace abounds? No, not at all (Romans 6:1). Paul made himself very clear for those willing to understand him. However, for those ignorant and unstable in God’s Word (which was the Old Testament in the first century) then Paul is very difficult to understand (2 Peter 3:15-16). Paul can even be so misunderstood that one might conclude that God’s law has been abolished in whole or in part, thus making the error of lawless men (2 Peter 3:17).

Many teach that the “handwritings of ordinances that were against us” was actually God’s law.

Obviously, that interpretation does not even compute on many levels. We will review the top three:

1) For one, scripture clearly states that Jesus took care of our sin on the cross, not the means to define sin (law)(1 John 3:4). That is failure number one.

2) Two, the law was never against us, but called freedom, perfect, truth, light, the way, and the life in the OT and the NT (see appendix 1). Instead, it is man’s sinful nature is against the law of God (Romans 7:22-23), not the other way around. It is the “law of sin and death” that was against us (Romans 8:2). It is the “curse of the law” (Deut. 11:26-29) that is removed, not the law of God (Gal. 3:10-13). That is failure number 2.

3) And lastly, the law was never “in our way.” Man’s sin and false doctrines were in the way (Mark 7). Simply reading Psalm 119 is a testimony of what the law should mean to a believer that is filled with God’s wisdom and knowledge. That is failure number 3.

So what was the problem? Verses 5 & 22 sets the context and problems f Colossians 2 to be directly related to errors of the commandments of men, not the perfect, just, holy, freedom giving, commandments of God (same issue in Eph. 2:15).

Where does it state that the problem was the law and the solution was to erase it?

Nowhere does it state that the “law of God” was a problem anywhere in the totality of scripture. We invented the idea that the law was a problem, we then take verses out of context (preferably Paul-2 Peter 3:15-17), decide to write books about it, confuse everyone and then actually celebrate God abolishing His law.

The whole point of the new covenant is for God to write His law on our heart (Jer. 31:31-33), not to abolish it.

The whole problem was with us (our heart) in relation to God’s law.

In Romans 7:12,14, 22 Paul discusses the two natures again, it is written:

“Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandments holy, and just and good … For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin … For I delight in the law of God after the inward man.”

What we needed was the Spirit and a heart transplant.

In Ezekiel 11:19-20 it is written:

“And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”

Also, in Ezk 36:26-27 it is written:

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

So if God’s law is not the problem, then what was the problem? Ezekiel implies that the problem is with us and our stony heart. The writer of Hebrews agrees:

Hb 8:8 For finding fault with them (fault with them, not the “law of God”), he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

So what is the purpose of the Holy Spirit in the New Covenant?

     1.      The Holy Spirit is a witness that the Newer Covenant = Law written upon our heart (Jeremiah 31:31, 33, Hebrews 10:15-16)

     2.      The Holy Spirit was sent into the earth to teach us the TRUTH of God (John 14:16-17, 26, 15:26, John 16:13)

     3.      What is the TRUTH? God’s Law/Word of God IS TRUTH. (not WAS truth) (Psalm 119:142, John 17:17)

     4.      God wanted to write His law (all, not some) upon our heart and teach us His law which is called “TRUTH” (Psalm 119:142) through His Holy Spirit who is called “THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH” (John 14:16-17,26, 15:26, 16:13)

     5.      We need God’s Spirit within us for the following reasons:

               a) Have the power to overcome the sin nature inherited by Adam

               b) To bear spiritual fruit in our lives (Galatians 5:22-25)

               c) To understand, grow, and have a revelation of God’s Torah/Word

The law was already perfect (i.e. Ps 19:7). God is not in the business of fixing what is not broken. We shouldn’t be in that business either, lest we be accused of adding to or subtracting from God’s Word (Deut. 4:2)

In verse 15, Paul mentions another central purpose Y’shua (Jesus) accomplished, which was making a public spectacle of the dominant leadership of the day. He proved their falsehood (their manmade traditions, commandments of men, and principles of the world) and triumphed over them (Pharisees/Sadducees/etc)(Mark 7; Matthew 23). That was the whole point of His ministry, to fully preach and explain God’s already existing law, not destroy it or put an end to it (Matthew 5:17-19).

If the handwritings of ordinances are God’s law and nailed to the cross then we have at least three serious problems that we cannot scripturally explain.

1)      It would force God’s law to be against us and contrary to us. The reality is actually the opposite. Our man made doctrines, teachings, and fleshy ways are against God’s law. God offered His law as freedom (i.e. Psalm 119:45) and as a means to blessings (Deut. 11:26-29). It is difficult to conclude how freedom and blessings are against us. If freedom and blessings are not against us then Paul must have meant something else in reference to the “handwritings of ordinances.”

It is our record of sin (breaking God’s law) that is against us and results in the curse (Deut. 11:28-29). Did Y’shua take away or our sin on the cross or the means to define sin (1 John 3:4)(Law of God)? If Y’shua abolished God’s law then defining sin is impossible since sin is defined as breaking God’s law.

2)      Jesus made a public spectacle of these ordinances and triumphed over them. Since when does God have to triumph and make a public spectacle of His own law and does that even make sense? Is God going to give His people His perfect, holy, just, freedom giving law and then intentionally make a public mockery of it? I am fairly certain God does not offer us instructions, call them perfect, and then publically mock them as He nails them to the cross. According to Mark 7, the commandments and traditions of men that are contrary to what was written by Moses (“law of God”) is sin. Since the “commandments of men (not God)” are root cause of the doctrinal issues of the Colossians Paul chooses to mention that Y’shua (Jesus) abolished all of these things on the cross by proving them false. Paul was in the habit of testing everything to scripture and taught others the same. How many have considered that the only scripture they had to test against was the Old Testament. That puts things into a whole new perspective doesn’t it?

3)      The context of Colossians 2 is focuses on problems rooted in “commandments of men (22)” and “traditions and rudiments of the world (5).” If it is the commandments and traditions of men that Paul is clearly stating as the problem then why would Paul teach us that Y’shua (Jesus) took away the “law of God” as a solution? That is very awkward as it does not even logically follow.

Spring Feasts 2012:

Passover – Wednesday, April 4^th, begins at Sundown

Unleavened Bread – Wednesday, April 4^th, begins at Sundown (Sabbath)

Unleavened Bread – 7 days, 7^th day a Sabbath, April 11^th, Sabbath end at Sundown

First Fruits – Saturday, April 7^th, begins at Sundown – ends April 8^th at Sundown

Omer – Begins April 13 to May 25^th

Pentecost – May 26^th  

Courtesy of www.TestEverything.net