Memorial Day weekend (May 25–27) this year also happens to be the biblical Feast of Weeks, Shavuot or Pentecost — one of YHVH's commanded festivals (Lev 23:15–22, Acts 2:1; 20:16).

“Speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them, 'When you enter the land which I am going to give to you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. And he shall wave the sheaf before YHVH for you to be accepted; on the day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. Now on the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb one year old without defect for a burnt offering to YHVH. Its grain offering shall then be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering by fire to YHVH for a soothing aroma, with its libation, a fourth of a hin of wine. Until this same day, until you have brought in the offering of your Elohim, you shall eat neither bread nor roasted grain nor new growth. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places.”

“You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete sabbaths. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to YHVH.”
—Vayikra /Lev 23:10-16

Resources: Calendars | Blessing

If you'd like to midrash with us during the week, join us on the new Hoshana Rabbah Blog: Midrash with Natan Lawrence. The first time you comment, it is automatically held for moderation. Then let each of us bring to YHVH’s banqueting table the sweet tidbits, truffles, bonbons, and priceless nuggets and pearls that we discover in his word for our mutual delight.

For your convenience, our free printable schedule has dates and a box to check after each day's readings so that you can chart your progress through the year. In our program, you will read the Written Torah (Genesis through Deuteronomy) and the Gospels (the record of Yeshua, the Living Torah) twice in the year. It follows the Gregorian (civil) calendar year and is different than last year's reading schedule.

See you on the Blog!

Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron the high priest, thrust a spear through Zimri the Israelite man and Cozbi the Midianite woman as they were bringing the curse of YHVH upon the nation of Israel by fornicating with each other within the camp of Israel. With the same righteous zeal as Phinehas, today’s righteous spiritual leaders must rise up and stand against secular philosophies that threaten to bring YHVH’s judgment upon redeemed Israel. In the face of evil in his day, David asked, “Who will rise up for me against the evildoers, or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?” (Ps 94:16) The present issue relates to the dangerous and damnable trend within the body of redeemed Israelite believers to question and even deny the deity of Yeshua.

You’ve all heard the Christian axiom, “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, and in everything else, charity.” What are the essentials of our faith that we must unite in, and around which we must draw the line in the sand and defend that turf until death?

read more...

You need to insure that you’re celebrating YHVH’s biblical holidays according to his time schedule, and not according to the traditions of men. He commands his people to observe them forever, for they are divine appointments when he promises to meet with his people. It is then that he will teach men about the seven steps in his plan of redemption or salvation for mankind, including the deeper mysteries of the gospel message. These are a few of the reasons why having the correct calendar is so important. This is why you need to read this informative article, “The Biblical Calendar Demystified”.

This is the teaching Natan Lawrence presented in a multi-media format at Sukkot NW 2007 @ Gold Beach, Oregon as well as an abridged version at the Messianic Israel Alliance’s Shavuot gathering in Salt Lake City, Utah in the spring of 2008, and again in Portland, Oregon at the “Prepare the Way” Love for Israel Conference, August 29–31st, 2008.

In this study, we will discover the following from the pages of your Bible:

• We will identify who the descendants of Ephraim became and what amazing things biblical prophecies declared would happen to this people-group in the end times.
• Because of spiritual apostasy, the descendants of Ephraim were scattered to the four corners of the earth with a large number of them ending up in North America.
  
• The prophecies of the Bible describe America geographically, politically and historically.
  
• The Bible describes America’s political, economic and military greatness.
  America’s arch-enemies in the end times will be the Islamo-Facists nations and their communist allies; Elohim will use America’s enemies to bring it to its knees spiritually.
  
• America’s fall from greatness is a necessity for its repentance and spiritual revival. That revival will occur just prior to the second coming of Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah.
  
• America and the nation of Israel will have a special brotherly relationship and together they will defeat their mutual enemies.
  
• America’s and Israel’s victory will result in helping to prepare the way for the return of Yeshua the Messiah, the return of the lost ten tribes of Israel to the Promised Land as prophesied in the Bible, and the unification of Jews and Christians under the kingship of Yeshua.
  

To read "Is America in End-Time Bible Prophecy" click here.

Some may consider the subject of the identity and return of the lost ten tribes of Israel to be a controversial if not a taboo subject. The reason for this is that over the years some authors have developed some ingenious, sometimes wild speculations and even racist ideas pertaining to this subject. We want nothing to do with such nonsense!

In this brief treatise, we will examine some of the voluminous writings of the biblical prophets on the subject of the lost sheep of the House of Israel, and review what the Jewish rabbis, in line with the biblical prophets, have written on this subject over the centuries. Furthermore, we will look at linguistic, historical and archeological evidence from some of the world’s leading scholars on these subjects. After examining the evidence, you make up your mind as to what happened to the lost ten tribes of Israel and whether they will return to the land of Israel in the last days to fulfill biblical prophecy.

Return of the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel (article)

The Messianic Scriptures/Apostolic Writings (New Testament) are under fire. Prominent Messianic teachers are currently questioning if the 27 books in the NT are all inspired or not. Others are questioning whether the Church fathers and Catholic Church “messed” with the original writings leaving us to doubt whether we can trust them as the truth or not. In confusion, some Believers have even turned away from the Gospel message and denied Yeshua figuring the New Testament is, to one degree or another, a man-made religious lie. What is the truth?

When was the New Testament canonized and by whom? Did YHVH Elohim leave his priceless Word hanging in the balance for hundreds of years only to finally have a Torah-denying and swine-eating paganized Church choose what would be Scripture or not?

We will produce substantial scholarly evidence that flies in the face of most Christian theologians who seem to support the party line of the self-justifying and self-exalting and self-substantiating Church system that says that it was the one who established the New Testament Canon through its Church councils and edicts. We will show evidence from the Scriptures themselves and from historical records that Yeshua commissioned certain apostles to canonize what would later become known as the “New Testament” Scriptures.

This series of lectures will strengthen your faith in the inspired Word of Elohim as preserved in the 27 books of the Apostolic Writings, in the Gospel message and in the Person, Redemptive work and deity of Yeshua. You will also have the tools to defend your faith and to help those who have fallen under the sway of false teachings questioning the divine inspiration of all of the Messianic Scriptures from Matthew to Revelation.

Can You Trust the New Testament Scriptures as YHVH’s Divine Word?
(Full article)

Is the “New Testament” the Divine Word of YHVH?
(Shortened and condensed article)

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