A Shadow of Things to Come
The Feast of Weeks Part 3
Hebrews 10:11-13:
"And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time, waiting till His enemies are made His footstool."
This is the last article about the Feast of Weeks. It has been some time since I have written an article, and I do ask for your forgiveness in this matter. I also ask, dear reader, that you go back and review previous articles so that you may have a better understanding of the things which shall be written.
The Feast of Weeks is the most pivotal of the Creator's Feasts. It is also called the Pentecost. It is the day our Savior returned in Spirit to begin the true church. As stated in prior writings the physical tabernacle, which was built by Moses and the ancient Israelites, was only a copy or shadow of the true church which was to come. As the Creator gave His Spirit to some so that they could build the physical church, so He also gave His Spirit to some so they could build the Spiritual Church, whose members make up His body.
Exodus 31:2-3:
"See, I have called by name Bezaleel........., and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship."
This feast also brought about a new covenant one that is not based upon the blood of animals, but of the sacrifice of Him who is without sin.
Hebrews 10:4:
"For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sin"
Hebrews 10:10;
"By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jehoshua once for all."
Hebrews 10:16:
" 'This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them', then He adds, 'Their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more.' "
So we see the spiritual church being built and a new covenant being given. As Christ preached so the new church preaches. As He lived so the new church lives, many members making up one body, with Christ being the head. Yet there is one more thing this Feasts shows us. This is the change of the Priesthood.
Students of the Bible know of the Levitical Priesthood. These were the priests of Ancient Israel. They were the son's of Aaron, who was the brother of Moses. They were born in the tribe of Levi and Aaron became the first High Priest.
Exodus 28:1
"Now take Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel that he may minister to Me as priest, Aaron and Aaron's sons."
They were to minister to the people, take offerings and oversee the animal sacrifices. In other words they were to intercede for the sins of the people. Yet many do not realize that there was priesthood prior to the Levitical Priesthood.
Genesis 14:18:
"Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of the God Most High."
This may come as a surprise too many, but this man, Melchizedek, was a priest to the Creator long before Aaron and his sons. So who is this Melchizedek and what does he have to do with the Feast of Weeks. For the answer to this let us turn to the book of Hebrews.
Hebrews 7:1:
"For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him."
Hebrews 7:4:
"Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils."
The Levitical priesthood was a physical priesthood. It ministered to physical Israel. The physical covenant, i.e.: the tablets which were placed in the physical Ark. It has now become a spiritual covenant place into the hearts and minds of those who are His. Therefore with the changing of the covenant there must be a change of the priesthood, from physical to spiritual.
Hebrews 7:11:
"Therefore if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood {for under it the people received the law}, what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not called according to the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law."
Just as the law has become a spiritual covenant, it being placed in the hearts and minds of the people, so the priesthood has become spiritual. Yet how is this possible, for was not Melchizedek a man as were the son's of Aaron? How can a man administer over the Spiritual; especially a man long dead and buried?
Hebrews 7:1-3:
"For this Melchizedek,......to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated 'king of righteousness,' and then Salem, meaning 'king of peace,' without father, without mother,without genealogy, having neither beginningof days nor end of life, but made like the son of God, remains a priest continually."
This priest was "like the son of God". He was not from the genealogy of the Levi; He was not a son of Aaron.
Hebrews 7:6
"but he whose genealogy is not derived from them {the sons of Aaron} received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promise."
This Melchizedek received tithes from Abraham and blessed Abraham. Surely from this description and His actions He was no ordinary man, for remember He was "made like the Son of God."
So the priesthood has been changed. It has switched from a physical priesthood to a spiritual priesthood. It is no longer the physical which was represented by Aaron, but it is now after the order of the first Priest, the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 7:15-19
"And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshy commandment, but according to the power of an endless life, for He testifies 'You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek'. For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God."
Hebrews 7:23-25:
"And there were many priests because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercessions for them."
Our High Priest is not of flesh and blood, but spirit. He does not intercede for us through the sacrifice of animals as did the priests of old, but through His own sacrifice that was made, once and forever. The Son, Jehoshua, has been appointed as our High Priest. The law is not perfect, but our High Priest is.
Romans 8:26:
".......For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us....."
The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost is not just another day. It shows the time of a new covenant, a new church, made up of Spiritual Israelites, with a new and better Priesthood. We have a High Priest who is the son of God, seated at His right hand. He has no need for daily sacrifice for He sacrificed Himself, that we may live.
The Feasts are ignored by most today as irrelevant and antiquated, yet these Feasts show the true plan of God for Mankind. There are so many sects and denominations of the Christian religion. Who is right, who is wrong? Are we born again, are we saved, do we go to heaven, and is there a hell? There is only one true source for these answers and that is the Holy bible. The Creator gave us this book so that we may know all these things; no true believer would deny this. He also gave us Feasts or Holy Days to keep and celebrate. As I have tried to show they point to the true plan for mankind.
This Feast of Weeks is the beginning of a new chapter, it points to the current state of the church; a spiritual church. The Passover pointed to the death and resurrection of Jehoshua, Unleavened Bread pointed to the coming out of sin, our redemption, and the feast of First Fruits, the resurrection of the Messiah. If these have already taken place and the Pentecost is the state of his church today, than we must conclude that the remaining Feasts point to a future time, a time to come.
By celebrating these days we may come to an understanding of events that have yet to take place, without confusion or question. For as the Bible was given to us for knowledge so to have the feasts been given to us for knowledge.
The Gospel of the coming Kingdom is the culmination of these Feasts. It is the only true hope for mankind. It is the faith by which man should live. I pray that this article has blessed you in some way and given you a clearer understanding of the Word. So until next time dear reader, please take care.