If you repay good with evil, evil will never leave your house. (Proverbs 17:13)
God's grace is for all but indiscipline will cause one to live below his abilities, substandard manifestation of gifts or nothing at all. Many come to this world laden with various gifts that will change the world, but return to sender with all of them. One of the judgments for mankind will be: What you did do with what I gave you? Did you fulfil your purpose?
If you repay good with evil, evil will never leave your house. You will always have to deal with evil.
You may be blessed and highly favoured but you will need more grace from God to deal with the foothold of evil you have invited into your
house.
There's something about the forbidden fruit that stirs some people's loins with particular vigour. The story of Dawid and Bathsheba is one example of one of the greatest kings of all time. In one of his battles with the Philistines, he was cornered by a giant who was too strong for
him. The giant had a gigantic new sward. The giant was just about to kill him when Abishai, his cousin came to his rescue and killed the giant. His cousin Joab and all his mighty men advised him to stay at home and never go on campaigns with them.
Bathsheba: One day after an afternoon nap, he was idly walking around on his balcony when he noticed a woman taking a bath down below. He was overcome with lustful desire, he even saw her as a woman of unnatural beauty. He sent for her. After talking to her he discovered that she was the wife of Uriah, the Hittite, one of his mighty men of valour. A brave soldier who had gained victory in several bitter battles for the king.
Despite knowing she was another man’s wife, they had an affair and Bathsheba became pregnant. David tried to cover up his sin by bringing her husband Uriah back from the war and encouraging him to sleep with his wife so that the child would be presumed to be Uriah’s. But Uriah, being an honest man refused to do so, sighing he couldn’t enjoy such pleasures while his fellow soldiers are sleeping uncomfortably on the open battlefield.
Desperate to cover up his sin, Dawid conspired with his cousin Joab
to arrange Uriah’s death. Joab placed Uriah on the most fierce
front lines of the battle where the enemy is strongest, near the city
walls and ordered the rest of the soldiers to pull back leaving Uriah
exposed to the enemy’s firing arrows. Uriah was killed and Dawid
took Bathsheba as his wife.
Nathan the prophet confronted David about his sin and he repented. But the child couldn’t live, he died as
punishment for Dawid’s sin and evil never left Dawid’s house.
Though a man after God’s heart and highly favoured, evil never left
his house. Some of his children will be killed for their sins for
generations to come until the ultimate sacrifice for sin is made by
one of his hears, the Lord Yahusha Hamachiy'ach.
Amnon and Tamar: Lust is both an emotional and physical state that can transform a good person into a raging monster. Dawid’s son Avshsalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. And Amnon, her and Avshalom’s half-brother, fell desperately in love with her. He always had fluttery butterflies in his stomach each time he was around her. Tamar was still a virgin, and Amnon thought he could never have her. His lust turned into a sick obsession, so voracious as the glutton's appetite.
Yonadav was Amnon’s cousin, the son of Shim’ah David’s brother, and a very crafty friend and a sleazebag. Together they devised a ploy to get Tamar into Amnon’s abode for him to rape her.
Despite Tamar’s plea asking him to ask the king for her hand in marriage, Amnon wouldn’t listen. He went on with Yonadav’s plan and Tamar was raped.
After the rape, Amnon’s love turned to hate, and he hated her even more than he had loved her. Ashamed, Tamar didn’t want to leave but Amnon ordered the servants to throw her out and lock the door behind
her.
Avshalom: Tamar’s
brother, Avhsalom heard about Amnon’s sin against his sister.
Two years later, he too arranged for Amnon’s death by tricking him to
attend his sheep-shearing feast. Amnon attended the feast.
When he got drunk, Avshsolom ordered his servants to strike and kill him. And
that is how he died.
That is how evil never left the house of Dawid until the Almighty One became the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of
all mankind.
These feasts follow the Julian Calendar or The Ethiopian Calendar/Juntas/Zulu Calendar
THE FEASTS IN OUTLINE
1. Passover
2. Unleavened Bread
3. Sheaf of Firstfruits
4. Pentecost
5. Trumpets
6. Atonement
7. Tabernacles
Passover Pentecost Trumpets
Unleavened Bread Atonement
Sheaf of fruits Interval Tabernacles
1st Month 3RD Month 4th /5th /6th 7th Month
THE FEASTS OF ISRAEL – Kevin J. Conner
THE BIBLICAL FEASTS – Marinda du Preez
BRIEF BACKGROUND
The Feasts are called the Feasts of the Lord;
Holy Convocations, High Days where Israel was not to work during them.
The twenty-third chapter of Leviticus sets forth the most suitable outline of the three, yet seven, Feasts
WHY STUDY THE FEASTS
Many Christians, the moment they hear someone speak of the Feasts of the Lord ask: “Why study the Feasts?”
They are like many in Israel, who, as Hosea lamented “I wrote for him the ten thousand things of My law, but they are counted as a strange thing (as something which does not concern him)” (Hosea 8:12, Amplified Old Testament). The intricate details of the Mosaic economy become meaningless unless all is seen through the Cross concerning Christ and the church.
The answer to the question is the same answer which is given as to why we study the Tabernacles of Moses, the Tabernacle of David, the Temple of Solomon, the Priesthood and the Offerings. The Scriptures given in answer to this question apply to any question as to why New Testament believers should study Old Testament revelation along with the New Testament revelation.
We note some of the major scriptural reasons why the Feasts should be studied.
1. The Feasts should be studied because they are a part of the Scriptures given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit which are profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness (II Timothy 3:16-17).
2. The Feasts should be studied because they are “a shadow of things to come” (Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 10:1-2). They point to Christ Who is the substance.
3. The Feasts should be studied because they were prophetic types and en-samples, foreshadowing Israel’s history and future events. They shadowed forth that which Christ would fulfil in Himself and in the church, which is His Body (1 Corinthians 10:6, 11 Matthew 5:17-18:11:13). They were written for our admonition. Part has found fulfilment, and part is yet to find fulfilment.
4. The Feasts should be studied because the believer will find that there are things written therein for his learning (Romans 15:4).
5. The Feasts should be studied because Christ came to fulfil all that was written of Him in “the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets” (Luke24:26-27, 44-45; John5:45-46: Acts 3:22-23).
6. The Feasts should be studied because this part of the Law was also a “schoolmaster to bring us to Christ” (Galatians 3:24).
7. The Feasts should be studied because Jesus said: “In the volume of the Book it is written of Me” (Hebrews10:7; Psalm 40:6-8; 29:9). All the intricate details point to some aspect of the person, work and glory of the Christ of God.
8. The Feasts should be studied because there was knowledge and truth in the external form of the Law. We study the external form to discover the internal knowledge and truth that was hidden therein (Romans 2:20, Amp, N.T, Hebrews 1:1-2, Amp. N.T.).
9. The Feasts should be studied because they set forth “patterns” of heavenly things on earth (Hebrews 8:5; 9:9, 23-24).
10. The Feasts should be studied because they set forth the total ministry of Christ relative to the plan of redemption. They outlined in their time element the present Dispensation, from the first coming of Christ (Passover), through the Church Age (Pentecost to the second coming of Christ (Tabernacles).
11. The Feasts should be studied because the truths therein are part of the “present truth” which the Holy Spirit is quickening to the Church in these “last days” (IIPeter1:12: Matthew 4:4).
12. The Feast should be studied because there has never been a generation who has experienced all three Feasts, but the end-time generation will experience such, even as did that generation under King Solomon’s glorious reign (IIChronicles 8:13). This generation will hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches (Revelation 2:7).
The things involved in the Feasts of the Lord pertained to the material, the natural and the temporal. It is a principle of God’s dealings with His people that it is “First the natural, afterwards that which is spiritual” (1 Corinthians 15:46-47).
It is first the animal-lamb, then the Divine-human Lamb of God: first the natural loaves and leaven, then the spiritual loaves and leaven: first the earthly Sanctuary, then the heavenly Sanctuary.
When the Lord Jesus came, He came to fulfil and abolish the natural, the external and temporal, and bring in the Spiritual, the internal and the external (II Corinthians 4:18). The Letter of the Law was swallowed up in the Spirit of Life.
In the Feasts of Israel, as in the Tabernacle of Moses and its Priesthood and Offerings, God used the language of creation as the language of redemption. When we know the Creator we will understand the language of creation. When we know the Redeemer we will understand the language of redemption. Considering the visible things, the things we have been made will help us to understand the invisible things, even His eternal power and Godhead (Romans 1:20).
These then are the scriptural reasons why we should study the Feasts of the Lord.
Three times in the year all the males appear before the Lord, in the place which He shall choose; in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Weeks and in the Feast of Tabernacles, and they shall not appear before Me empty; every man shall give as he is able (Deut16:16).
3 Major Feasts:
1. Feast of Unleavened Bread - PASSOVER – First month.
2. Feast of Weeks - PENTECOST – Third month.
3. Feast of Ingathering: TABERNACLES – seventh month.
Just as there are 3 major colours in the rainbow, and these 3 are manifested in 7 primary colours. 3 major feasts are broken up into 7 Feasts.
Feasts called the Feasts of the Lord/ Jehovah also known as Holy Days. The history of Israel records that the Feasts of the Lord degenerated into the Feasts of the Jews.
All 7 Feasts are outlined in Lev 23
I
1. The Feast of Passover Lev23:4,5
2. The Feast of Unleavened Bread Lev23:6-8
3. The Feasts of Sheaf of Firstfruits Lev 23: 9-14
II
4. The Feasts of Weeks(Pentecost) Lev 23:15-22
III
5. The Feasts of Trumpets Lev23:23-25
6. The Feasts Day of Atonement Lev23:26-32
7. The Feast of Tabernacles Lev 23:33-44
Our study approach
1. What happened in Israel historically in these Feasts?
2. How did Christ fulfil prophetically that which was foreshadowed in the Feasts?
3. What spiritual truths can be seen experientially in these Feasts? First relative to the believer individually and then to the church corporately.
The Old Covenant Feasts were fulfilled historically and literally in Israel up to the time of Christ ie. Passover and Pentecost. In the Cross, Christ fulfilled historically and personally the types and shadows in the Feast. Since the Cross, the Feast are spiritual and experiential in the believer individually, and in the church corporately.
Thus Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles must be experienced spiritually by the believer in Christ.
The Feast of Tabernacles could not be fulfilled literally in the Jewish nation as it would necessitate: 1) a literal rebuilt temple
2) restoration of animal sacrifices
3) restoration of the Aaronic priesthood.
4) Whole Mosaic Law.
To do so would be a violation of the Book of Hebrews, the New Covenant Sanctuary, the Sacrifice of Christ and His eternal Priesthood after the order of Melchizedek.
It would be a rejection of Jesus Christ Himself.
It would be taking us back to before the Cross, and repudiating the New Covenant to re-instate the Old Covenant.
The story of Queen Makeda's visit to King Solomon's palace could shed some insight into the location of the Ark of the Covenant.
Her Majesty’s name is Queen Makeda (Queen of Sheba) who visited King Solomon in his palace in Jerusalem to test the king’s wisdom. She arrived with a large group of attendants and a great caravan of camels loaded with spices, large quantities of gold, and precious jewels. When she met with Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind. Solomon had answers to all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. When the queen of Sheba realized how very wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built, she was overwhelmed. She was also amazed at the food on his tables, the organization of his officials and their splendid clothing, the cup-bearers, and the burnt offerings Solomon made at the Temple of the Lord.
She gave the king a gift of 9,000 pounds of gold, great quantities of spices, and precious jewels. Never again were so many spices brought in as those Queen Makeda gave to King Solomon. In return, King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba whatever she asked for – gifts of greater value than the gifts she had given him, including himself. Then she and all her attendants returned to their land.
The most extensive version of the Queen of Sheba appears in the Kebra Nagast (Glory of the Kings), the Ethiopian national story of achievements. Menelik I is the child of Solomon and Makeda; she is the child of the man who destroys the legendary snake-king Arwe from whom the Ethiopian dynasty descent to the present day. The Abyssinian story offers much greater detail, including her wisdom and dark and dazzling beauty which made her more appealing to King Solomon who was just as dark and beaming.
Based on the Gospels of Matthew (Matthew 12:42) and Luke (Luke 11:31), the "queen of the South" is the queen of Ethiopia.
Makeda stayed in the palace overnight, after Solomon had sworn that he would not do her any harm, while she swore in return that she would not steal from him. As the meals had been spicy, Makeda awoke thirsty at night and went to drink some water, when Solomon appeared, reminding her of her oath. She answered: "Ignore your oath, just let me drink water." That same night, Solomon had a dream about the sun rising over Israel, but being mistreated and despised by the Jews, the sun moved to shine over Ethiopia. Solomon gave Makeda a ring as a token of faith, and then she left. On her way home, she gave birth to a son, whom she named Baina-leḥkem (i.e. bin al-ḥakīm, "Son of the Wise Man", later called Menilek).
After the boy had grown up in Ethiopia, he went to Jerusalem carrying the ring and was received with great honours. The king and the people tried in vain to persuade him to stay. Solomon gathered his nobles and announced that he would send his first-born son to Ethiopia together with their first-born sons. Then Baina-leḥkem was anointed king by Zadok the high priest, and he took the name David. The first-born nobles who followed him are named, and even today some Ethiopian families claim their ancestry from them.
Prior to leaving, the priests' sons had stolen the Ark of the Covenant, after their leader Azaryas had offered a sacrifice as commanded by one God's angel. With much wailing, the procession left Jerusalem on a wind cart led and carried by the archangel Michael. Having arrived at the Red Sea, Azaryas revealed to the people that the Ark is with them. David prayed to the Ark and the people rejoiced, singing, dancing, blowing horns and flutes, and beating drums. The Ark showed its miraculous powers during the crossing of the stormy Sea, and all arrived unscathed. When Solomon learned that the Ark had been stolen, he sent a horseman after the thieves and even gave chase himself, but neither could catch them. Solomon returned to Jerusalem and gave orders to the priests to remain silent about the theft and to place a copy of the Ark in the Temple so that the foreign nations could not say that Israel had lost its fame.
Queen Makeda was part of the dynasty founded by Za Besi Angabo in 1370 BC. The family's intended choice to rule Aksum was Makeda's brother, Prince Nourad, but his early death led to her succession to the throne. She apparently ruled the Ethiopian kingdom for more than 50 years. The 1922 regnal list of Ethiopia claims that Makeda reigned from 1013 to 982 BC, with dates following the 13 months Ethiopian calendar.
In the Ethiopian Book of Aksum, Makeda is described as establishing a new capital city at Azeba. Historians believe that the Solomonic Dynasty actually began in 1270 with the emperor Yekuno Amlak, who, with the support of the Ethiopian Church, overthrew the Zagwe dynasty, which had ruled Ethiopia since sometime during the 10th century. The link to King Solomon provided a strong foundation for Ethiopian national unity. "Ethiopians see their country as God's chosen country, the final resting place that he chose for the Ark – and Sheba and her son were the means by which it came there". Despite the fact that the dynasty officially ended in 1769 with Emperor Iyoas, Ethiopian rulers continued to trace their connection to it, right up to the last 20th-century emperor, Haile Selassie.
According to one tradition, the Ethiopian Jews (Beta Israel, "Falashas") also trace their ancestry to Menelik I, son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. An opinion that appears more historical is that the Falashas descend from those Jews who settled in Egypt after the first exile, the Assyrian exile of the 10 tribes of Israel, and who, upon the fall of the Persian domination (539–333 BC), on the borders of the Nile, penetrated into Sudan, whence they went into the western parts of Abyssinia that are now known as the West Coast Africa. And the Babylonian exile, the second exile, is where Nebuchadnezzar took ten thousand elite members of the dynasty of the tribe of Judah and some of the best warriors and craftsmen, and the rest of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin were forced to run their lives into Egypt, (After Ishmael son of Nethaniah, of the royal family, killed Gedaliah – 2 Kings 25:22-26) where they were not welcomed and proceeded on to the West Coast Africa.
Manelik I
Menelik I was the first Emperor of Ethiopia. According to Kebra Nagast, a 14th-century national epic, in the 10th century BC, he is said to have inaugurated the Solomonic dynasty of Ethiopia, so named because Menelik I was the son of the biblical King Solomon of ancient Israel and of Makeda, the Queen of Sheba.
According to the medieval Ethiopian book, Kebra Nagast, written in 1321 CE, Manelik I,(“Son of the Wise") was conceived when his father Solomon tricked his visiting mother, the Queen of Sheba, into sleeping with him. His mother raised him as a Jew in her homeland and he only travelled to Jerusalem to meet his father for the first time when he was in his twenties. While his father begged Menelik to stay and rule over Israel, Menelik told him that he wanted to return home. Thus, Solomon sent many Israelites with him, to aid him in ruling according to biblical standards; which were aggrieved at being exiled forever. One recount is that King Solomon gave his Ark of the Covenant to his son as a gift, while another states Solomon attempted to regain the Ark but was unable to due to its supernatural properties aiding Menelik. Upon the death of his mother, or upon her abdication in his favour, Menelik was crowned King of Ethiopia. According to one Ethiopian tradition, Menelik was born at Mai-Bela near the village of Addi-Shmagle located northwest of Asmara, in Eritrea.
Author: Bidkar Vicoh
Sources: Wikipedia, New Living Translation Bible
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