"Sound the Shofar in Zion and sound the alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the Land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, it is nigh at hand" (Joel 2:1)
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===> God gave us a 7,000 year blueprint for time. From Creation to the end of the millennial (1,000 year) reign of Yeshua/Jesus was understood to be 7,000 years long. This was based upon tying the 7 days of creation (Genesis 1:1,5,8,13,19,23,31, Genesis 2:1-3) to Psalm 90:4 and II Peter 3:8.
In Psalm 90:4 and II Peter 3:8, God tells us that 1 day = 1,000 years. God gave us the creation story to be prophetic of His plan for time. Each day in Genesis represented 1,000 years. God created the world in six days and rested on the 7th. The 7th day was referred to as the Sabbath (Genesis 2:1-3).
A. The Sabbath is a festival of God (Leviticus 23:1-3). The word feast (#4150 in the Strong's Hebrew Lexicon) found in Leviticus 23:2 is the Hebrew word "Mo'ed." Mo'ed means "An appointment, a fixed time or season, a set time, an appointed time, or an exact time."
B. The Sabbath is a picture given to us by God which is a shadow of things to come (Colossians 2:16-17). The Sabbath is a picture of a future time. This future time is the 1,000 year millennial reign of Yeshua/Jesus (Revelation 20:4,6 -- in part). The Sabbath is the 7th day (Genesis 2:1-3) and this will correspond to the 7th day, the last 1,000 years of time. The fullness is all eternity. The Sabbath is a foretaste of the world to come, known in Hebrew as the "Olam Haba" which means the world to come (Hebrews 6:5).
===> So, prophetically, the Sabbath is a picture of the 1,000 year millennium. Man and the earth will labor for six days (6,000 years) but the last day, the 7th day, which lasts for 1,000 years will be a time of rest for both man and the earth.
C. The Sabbath is an ETERNAL COVENANT between God and His people to be kept FOREVER (Exodus 31:16-17).
D. God gave the Sabbath as a picture to the believers to rest in the finished work of God (Genesis 2:1-3). As a consequence of sin in the Garden of Eden, man has been subject to the devil and the bondages of sin ever since that time. Because God loves us so much (John 3:16), He provided a finished work for man to deliver man from his bondage to sin. Yeshua/Jesus was the finished work of God and the cross was the finished work of Yeshua/Jesus (Genesis 2:1-3, Hebrews 4:9-12, John 17:1,4, 19:30).
In the mind of God, Yeshua/Jesus was slain on the cross before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). Therefore, man's deliverance from the devil and the bondages of sin was already a finished work in the mind of God before He created man in the Garden of Eden. The deliverance which the cross provides will cover EVERY area of human existence. This would include mental, physical, spiritual, financial, social etc. The finished work of the cross is therefore a "Jubilee" in all areas of our life to all who would believe and REST in that finished work.
The 7th day is the Sabbath (Exodus 16:26, 20:8-10). The word Sabbath is #7676 in the Strong's Hebrew Lexicon, which is the Hebrew word "Shabbat." Shabbat in Hebrew means "to rest." #7676 comes from #7673 = "to rest."
===> Yeshua/Jesus is the rest of God (Isaiah 11:1-2, 10).
The word rest is #4496 in the Strong's Hebrew Lexicon, which is the Hebrew word "Menuchah." Menuchah means "an abode." #4496 is from #4494, which means "a settled spot or a home." Yeshua/Jesus described that this abode or rest is believing the Word of God or His Words (John 15:7, 14:23).
Some other scriptures which associate the "rest of God" to believing the Word of God are (Isaiah 28:9-12 = I Peter 2:2; Hebrews 5:11-14; Psalm 132:12-14).
===> The believer's rest (Sabbath) is believing what God has said or promised, trusting in the finished work of Yeshua/Jesus on the cross for victory in EVERY area of our life.
After Yeshua/Jesus finished his work (John 17:1,4, 19:30), He sat down (rested) on the right hand of God (Hebrews 10:12-13).
E. The Sabbath is personified as a bride. The Sabbath is the feminine element of creation.
1. Genesis 2:3 ... God blessed the 7th day (the Sabbath) and sanctified (#6942) it.
2. A term for marriage in Hebrew is "Kiddushin," which is derived from the Hebrew word for Holy (#6944) which is "Kodesh." Kodesh (#6944) comes from #6942 which is "Kadash," which means "to be made Holy."
Linking the Hebrew term for marriage "Kiddushin" from #6944, which is "Kodesh" which is from #6942, which is "Kadash" with Genesis 2:3 ... Sabbath is sanctified (#6942), the Sabbath is personified as a bride due to both "Kiddushin" and the Sabbath being associated with the Hebrew word #6942.
===> Since the believer's are the bride of Yeshua/Jesus (Revelation 21:9, 19:7-9), the Sabbath will teach about our relationship to God and our marriage to Yeshua/Jesus, our bridegroom. The marriage will take place during the time of the Sabbath (marriage is linked with Sabbath) which will be during the 1,000 year millennium.
===> The Sabbath is welcomed by the woman (a picture of the believers) lighting two candles. These two candles are called the two witnesses.
Two candles will be lit during every Jewish wedding. Every Jewish wedding will have two witnesses. One is called the friend of the bride, the other the friend of the bridegroom.
===> The two candles will also represent the Word of God. One candle will represent the Torah (the law or instruction) and the other candle will represent the prophets. Both the law and the prophets will be witnesses that Yeshua/Jesus is the Messiah of God (Luke 24:27, 44-48).
Therefore, during the time of the Sabbath (the 1,000 year millennium), the two witnesses will appear (Zechariah 4:1-4, 11-14, Revelation 11:3-6).
F. The Sabbath speaks concerning the believer's relationship with God. The two candles which are lit on the Sabbath by the women (a picture of the believers) represents our spirits (Proverbs 20:27).
The word candle (#5216 from the Strong's Hebrew Lexicon) which is found in (Proverbs 20:27) is the Hebrew word "Nerah." The Word of God is our Lamp (#5216 = candle). (Psalm 119:105, Proverbs 6:20-23, Psalms 132:12,14-15,17)
1. The believer's life is to shine as a candle (Matthew 5:14-16).
2. The candle is connected to marriage in (Jeremiah 25:10).
3. The wicked (because they do not believe) have no light (Proverbs 24:20).
===> Yeshua/Jesus is the lamp of God (John 1:1, 4-9, 8:12, 9:5, 12:35-36, 46)
a. The Gospel is light (II Corinthians 4:4).
b. The lamp was represented in the tabernacle by a burning candlestick (Exodus 27:20-21). It was to burn forever.
===> Yeshua/Jesus is the light of the world (John 12:35-36, 46). His light will burn forever (Revelation 21:23-25, 22:5).
G. The Sabbath is an ETERNAL COVENANT between God and His people to be kept FOREVER (Exodus 31:16-17).
Yeshua/Jesus was the torch (lamp, light) that was present when God made the covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18, Galations 3:16,29).
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* Sabbath = Rest = Sanctified = Holy = Marriage = Bride = *
* Two witnesses = Light = Candle = Word of God = Torah = *
* Eternal Covenant that God made with Abraham and *
* Yeshua/Jesus *
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1. In the creation story in Genesis, how is the Sabbath, the 7th day, understood to be a prophetic picture of the Messianic Age?
2. Is the Sabbath a festival of God?
3. What is the meaning of the word "festival/feast" in Leviticus 23:1-3?
4. Was the Sabbath given by God to teach about the work of Messiah Yeshua/Jesus?
5. Is the Sabbath a covenant between God and His people?
6. How is the Sabbath related to the 'World to Come/Eternity'?
7. What does the word 'Sabbath' mean in Hebrew?
8. How is the spiritual understanding of the Sabbath connected to believing God's Word?
9. Spiritually speaking, who is the Sabbath/rest of God?
10. How is the Sabbath associated with the Biblical marriage?
11. What is the spiritual meaning of the two candles that are lit on the Sabbath?
12. Why is it the woman's duty to light the Sabbath candles?
13. How is the light of the candle associated with God's Word, the Messiah, and the believer's in the Messiah?
14. How long is the Sabbath to be kept and observed?
15. Who was the torch (lamp, light) that was present when God made His covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15:17-18?
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