|
Holy Day Holiness
"Holy" and "sacred" are translations of khodesh
– a Hebrew word meaning dedicated to the service of Yahweh.
There are 52 weekly Holy Days – seventh-day
Sabbaths, and 7 date-specific Holy Days each year (Leviticus 23).
Each requires a day dedicated to the worship of Yahweh, from sunset
to sunset, and participation in a sacred assembly.
Shabbat –
shin-beit-tav.
Genesis 2: 3 Then God blessed the
seventh day and sanctified it (made it holy), because in it
He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
Mark 2: 27 Yeshua said to them,
"The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath."
Exodus 20: 8 "Remember the
Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Isaiah 56: 6 "Also the foreigners
(gentiles) who join themselves to Yahweh, to minister to
Him, and to love the name Yahweh, to be His servants,
everyone who keeps from profaning the Sabbath and holds fast
My covenant; 7 even those I will bring to My holy
mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer.
Immediately after creating man (Adam), God created
the Sabbath for man, and He declared the Sabbath to be holy. God
commanded, through Moses, for man to remember to keep the Sabbath
holy.
The shin
is a pictograph of
teeth. It represents speech. On Holy Days (including weekly
Sabbaths), our speech is to be holy.
Isaiah 58: 13 "If because of the
Sabbath, you turn your foot from doing your own
pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the
holy day of Yahweh honorable, and honor it, desisting
from your own ways, from seeking your own
pleasure and speaking your own word, 14
Then you will take delight in Yahweh, and I will make you
ride on the heights of the earth; and I will feed you
with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of
Yahweh has spoken."
The day is set aside to speak and hear about holy
things. Discussions about mundane things - our jobs, houses, sports,
cars, clothes, or politics – should be limited to that which is
necessary or related to biblical learning.
Psalm 15: 1 Yahweh, who may abide
in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? 2
He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, and
speaks truth in his heart. 3 He does not slander
with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor takes up
a reproach against his friend; 4 in whose eyes a
reprobate is despised, but who honors those who fear Yahweh;
he swears to his own hurt and does not change;
Ephesians 4: 25 Therefore, laying
aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his
neighbor, for we are members of one another.
We must be truthful in our witness of past events
and in our declarations about the future. We are to speak in
righteous consideration of our neighbors.
Acts 5: 1 But a man named
Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,
2 and kept back some of the price for
himself, with his wife's full knowledge, and bringing a
portion of it, he laid it at the apostles' feet. 3
But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to
lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the
price of the land? 4 "While it remained unsold,
did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it
not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived
this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to
God." 5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell
down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who
heard of it. 6 The young men got up and covered
him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him. 7
Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his
wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8
And Peter responded to her, "Tell me whether you sold the
land for such and such a price?" And she said, "Yes, that
was the price." 9 Then Peter said to her,
"Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit
of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have
buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you
out as well." 10 And immediately she fell
at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in
and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her
beside her husband. 11 And great fear came over
the whole church, and over all who heard of these things.
When we speak that we are dedicating something to
God, it becomes holy!
2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to
present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not
need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
We should be particularly careful in speaking the
truth about God’s Word.
Ecclesiastes 5:1 Guard your steps as you
go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than
to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they
are doing evil. 2 Do not be hasty in word or
impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of
God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth;
therefore let your words be few.
The beit
is a pictograph of
a tent or house. On Holy Days, we are to dwell in our house and in
God’s house for services.
Leviticus 23: 3 'For six days
work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a Sabbath
of complete rest, with a sacred assembly. You shall not do
any work; it is a Sabbath to Yahweh in all your dwellings.
Businesses (stores and restaurants) and sports
facilities are categorized as mundane or common, not holy – not
appropriate places for our presence on Holy Days.
Jeremiah 17: 21 'Thus says
Yahweh, "Take heed for yourselves, and do not carry any load
on the Sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of
Jerusalem.
24 "But it will come about, if you
listen attentively to Me," declares Yahweh, "to bring no
load in through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day,
but to keep the Sabbath day holy by doing no work on it . .
.
Nehemiah 10: 31 As for the
peoples of the land who bring wares or any grain on the
Sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the
Sabbath or a holy day . . .
1 Corinthians 16: 2 On the first
day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save,
as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I
come. (1Co 16:2 NAU)
We are not to carry commercial items out of our
house on the Sabbath. By not carrying money on the Sabbath, we are
not tempted by it to do commerce. Offerings are required to be
brought on days other than Holy Days; tithes of prior earnings are
to be brought after the following Sabbath.
Act 1: 12 Then they returned to
Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near
Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.
Travelling is to be limited on Holy Days. A Sabbath
day’s journey is generally from home to the place of sacred
assembly.
The tav
is a cross. It represents a sign – a display
of holiness. On Holy Days, we are to act and appear in ways that
indicate holiness.
Psalm 29: 1 Ascribe to Yahweh, O
sons of the mighty, Ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to His name;
Worship Yahweh in holy attire.
Psalm 96: 6 Splendor and majesty
are before Him, Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to Yahweh, O families of the peoples,
Ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength. 8 Ascribe
to Yahweh the glory of His name; Bring an offering and come
into His courts. 9 Worship Yahweh in holy attire;
Tremble before Him, all the earth.
1 Chronicles 16: 28 Ascribe to
Yahweh, O families of the peoples, Ascribe to Yahweh glory
and strength. 29 Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due
His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him; Worship
Yahweh in holy attire.
2 Chronicles 20: 20 Jehoshaphat
stood and said, "Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of
Jerusalem, put your trust in Yahweh your God and you will be
established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed."
21 When he had consulted with the people, he
appointed those who sang to Yahweh and those who praised
Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and
said, "Give thanks to Yahweh, for His lovingkindness is
everlasting." 22 When they began singing and
praising, Yahweh set ambushes against the sons of Ammon,
Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they
were routed.
Part of keeping the Sabbath holy – dedicated to
Yahweh our God – is worshipping in holy attire. Holy attire is
clothing dedicated to God’s worship. It must be modest, clean, neat,
and distinct from clothing recognized as being for menial labor or
sports, and free from prominent commercial advertising.
This means basically modest dress clothing – not
tennis shoes, shorts, worn jeans, outer tee shirts, baseball caps,
or advertising logos or words representing common (contrasting to
holy) things. It does not mean any requirement of a particular style
(though it did for priests). It does not mean expensive clothing.
Those dressed in holy attire are suitable to serve
at sacred assemblies.
Tallitot (prayer shawls with tzitzit) are
specifically holy attire, because they are dedicated for use in the
worship of Yahweh. It may be noted that these are worn as covering
garments (Deuteronomy 22:12), not accessories (like ties). They are
also called prayer closets or chambers (Matthew 6:6), and the
blessing is ". . . Who has instructed us to enwrap in the garment
with tzitzit".
The synagogue is to be kept holy, as the place where
we meet with God. It is of a lower degree of holiness than the Holy
Temple, where the attire and activities were very specific.
1 Chronicles 9: 22 All these
who were chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds were
212. These were enrolled by genealogy in their villages,
whom David and Samuel the seer appointed in their office of
trust. 23 So they and their sons had charge of
the gates of the house of Yahweh, even the house of
the tent, as guards. 24 The gatekeepers were on
the four sides, to the east, west, north and south.
Acts 4:1 As they were speaking to the
people, the priests and the captain of the Temple guard
and the Sadducees came up to them, 2 being
greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and
proclaiming in Yeshua the resurrection from the dead. 3
And they laid hands on them and put them in jail until the
next day, for it was already evening.
The Holy Temple had guards, to ensure that everyone
who entered was properly attired and was acting respectfully. One
needed to go through a mikvah and put on proper clean clothes
before entering.
Exodus 28:1 "Then bring near to yourself
Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the
sons of Israel, to minister as priest to Me-- Aaron, Nadab
and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons. 2
"You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for
glory and for beauty.
3 "You shall speak to all the skillful persons
whom I have endowed with the spirit of wisdom, that they
make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may
minister as priest to Me.
Those who served in the Holy Temple were required to
wear specific beautiful holy garments.
Deuteronomy 32: 48 Yahweh
spoke to Moses that very same day, saying, 49 "Go
up to this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in
the land of Moab opposite Jericho, and look at the land of
Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel for a
possession. 50 "Then die on the mountain where
you ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your
brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people,
51 because you broke faith with Me in the midst
of the sons of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in
the wilderness of Zin, because you did not treat Me as holy
in the midst of the sons of Israel. 52 "For you
shall see the land at a distance, but you shall not go
there, into the land which I am giving the sons of Israel."
Moses failed to portray God as holy, and he lost his
reward!
Isaiah 6:
1
In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on
a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe
filling the temple. 2 Seraphim stood above Him,
each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and
with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3
And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy,
is Yahweh of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory."
4 And the foundations of the thresholds trembled
at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was
filling with smoke. 5 Then I said, "Woe is me,
for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I
live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen
the King, Yahweh of hosts."
Isaiah 8:
11 For thus Yahweh spoke to me with mighty power and
instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying,
12 "You are not to say, 'It is a
conspiracy!' In regard to all that this people call a
conspiracy, And you are not to fear what they fear or be in
dread of it. 13 "It is Yahweh of hosts
whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear,
and He shall be your dread.
What is meant by Yahweh being thrice holy?
All of His work, in the heavens and on earth, is ultimately
dedicated to His glory. All will be righteousness, peace, and
beauty. His entire creation will display His glory!
|