From the foundations of creation, before Sinai and long before Acts 2, Shavuot has stood as an eternal witness to Yahuah’s covenant with His people. It is not merely a feast (re)introduced at Mount Sinai—it is a heavenly appointment, kept by Yahuah Himself, honored by Yeshua, and celebrated by the angels.
According to the Book of Jubilees, this feast was observed in the heavenly realms and established as a lasting ordinance for generations long before the Torah was handed down to Moses.
In Jubilees 6:17-22 a messenger of the Most High – an Angel – explained to Moses how Shavuot had been observed since the Creation.
For this reason it is ordained and written on the heavenly tablets, that they should celebrate the feast of weeks in this month once a year, to renew the covenant every year. And this whole festival was celebrated in heaven from the day of creation till the days of Noah—twenty-six jubilees and five weeks of years: and Noah and his sons observed it for seven jubilees and one week of years, till the day of Noah’s death. And from the day of Noah’s death, his sons did away with (it) until the days of Abraham, and they ate blood.
But Abraham observed it, and Isaac and Jacob and his children observed it up to thy days, and in thy days the children of Israel forgot it until ye celebrated it anew on this mountain.
And do thou command the children of Israel to observe this feast in all their generations for a commandment unto them: one day in the year in this month they shall celebrate the feast. For it is the feast of weeks and the feast of first-fruits: this feast is twofold and of a double nature: according to what is written and engraven concerning it, celebrate it.
R.H.Charles Translation.
Shavuot is often described as a spring harvest feast or the day the commandments were given at Mount Sinai, but its meaning stretches far beyond a single event in Hebrew history. It is a divine dress rehearsal—an appointed time that reverberates through eternity. And because of this eternal significance, Shavuot holds deep relevance for all believers walking in faith today.
Shavuot in the Patriarchal Era
Many believers today are unfamiliar with Shavuot and are only vaguely aware of the biblical calendar of Yah’s appointed feast days. This gap in understanding isn’t surprising — most churches rarely teach from the First Covenant (Old Testament), leaving Shavuot and the other set-apart times feeling foreign or irrelevant to modern faith. Yet these sacred appointments were never meant to be forgotten.
Shavuot is deeply rooted in the lives of the people of the Way. The connection to the Levitical Priesthood can be found in the Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs. In the Testament of Levi, a prophetic vision was given to Jacob’s son Levi concerning the priesthood, the coming Messiah, and the final judgment.
And the angel opened to me the gates of heaven, and I saw the holy temple, and upon a throne of glory the Most High. And he said to me, “Levi, I have given you the blessings of the priesthood until I come and dwell in the midst of Israel.” Then the angel brought me down to the earth and gave me a shield and a sword and said to me: “Execute vengeance on Shechem because of Dinah, your sister, and I will be with you, for the Lord has sent me.” And I destroyed at that time the sons of Hamor, as it is written in the tablets of the fathers. And I said to him, “I pray you, Lord, tell me your name, so that I may call on you in the day of tribulation.” And he said: “I am the angel who intercedes for the nation of Israel, so that they may not be struck down entirely, for every evil spirit attacks it.” And after these things I awoke and blessed the Most High and the angel who intercedes for the nation of Israel and for all the righteous. And when I came to my father I found a bronze breastplate; so I put it on and fought beside my brothers against Shechem.
Testament of Levi 8:3–10 Charlesworth translation (with light modernization for readability)
It was during Shavuot that Noah was given the sign of the Covenant – a rainbow. Here is an explanation of how the rainbow, Yah’s covenant with Noah, and the timing of Shavuot intersect:
After the flood, Yahuah establishes a covenant with Noah and all living creatures:
I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth… The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between Elohim and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.
Genesis 9:13-16
The rainbow is a sign or token of an everlasting covenant — one of peace and mercy — that Yahuah made with Noah after cleansing the earth by water. The Hebrew word for sign is ‘oth’ and can mean a signal, flag, beacon, monument, or evidence.
A deeper connection can be found in Jubilees 6 where we learn that the renewal of the covenant with Noah was made during the third month—the same biblical timing as Shavuot:
“For this reason it is ordained and written on the heavenly tablets, that they should celebrate the feast of weeks in this month—once a year—to renew the covenant every year.”
Jubilees 6:17-18
“For it is the feast of weeks and the feast of first fruits: this feast is twofold and of a double nature… as it is written and engraved concerning it, celebrate it. And do thou command the children of Yisrael to observe this feast in all their generations, for a commandment unto them: one day in the year in this month they shall celebrate the feast.”
Jubilees 6:21-22
The connection point is this: the rainbow and the covenant in Genesis 9 (post-flood) align with the timing and purpose of Shavuot in Jubilees 6 — a divine appointment of covenant renewal.
Abraham observed Shavuot in the third month as a covenant feast:
And this whole feast was written in the heavenly tablets: it was ordained and written regarding the children of Israel that they should observe it every year… [Noah] ordained it for himself as a feast forever… and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, they too observed it as a feast.
Jubilees 6:17-22
Contextually, Jubilees 14 describes Abram offering sacrifices, and then receiving a covenant from Yahuah. The timing, while not explicitly named Shavuot, corresponds with the same calendar window (in the third month). This positions Abram’s covenant as possibly aligned with the Feast of Weeks or Shavuot.
In the fifth year of the fourth week of this jubilee, in the third month, in the middle of the month, Abram celebrated the feast of the first fruit of the grain harvest.
Jubilees 15:1
Jacob observes Shavuot:
And Jacob remembered the words which his father Abraham had commanded him, and these words were written in the book of the words of Enoch…And Jacob celebrated the feast of weeks in its season… Jubilees 44:4-5
Why all this Matters
The rainbow is a visible sign of a divine covenant.
Shavuot, according to Jubilees, is the set time appointed for the renewal of that covenant—not only for Israel but originally established with Noah and all creation.
This shows that Shavuot’s meaning predates Mt. Sinai and has been part of Yahuah’s covenantal cycle since the beginning.
Covenant Meals in Hebrew Tradition
Covenant meals serve as physical affirmations of spiritual covenants—from Genesis to Exodus and beyond. Again, Shavuot was not introduced at Sinai—it was reintroduced, affirming an eternal pattern set in motion from the days of the patriarchs and prior.
Covenant meals serve as key markers of divine agreements throughout the Tanakh.1 They symbolize agreement, shared destiny, and peace with Yah and one another.
In Genesis 18:1-8, when Abraham hosted three visitors with a meal just before the promise of Isaac, this act mirrored a covenant fellowship meal. Another example of this is when Moses, Aaron, and the elders ate and drank on Mt. Sinai after receiving the covenant (Exodus 24:9-11). Also, Jacob and Laban cut a covenant and shared a meal in Genesis 31:44-46.
The Pentecost Connection to Shavuot
The events of Acts 2, often referred to as Pentecost, do not mark the beginning of something new but the powerful fulfillment of a divine appointment. Yeshua’s promise to send the Ruach is fulfilled and put on full display. Through both ‘tongues of fire’ that fell on those assembled in the Upper Room and the ability of feast goers to hear Peter’s sermon in their own tongue, it is a promise kept.
Before his ascension, Yeshua made a specific promise.
“And I will pray to the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive…” John 14:16–17
In an earlier chapter, Yeshua instructed his disciples to wait in Jerusalem for something major, and that something would arrive on Shavuot/Pentecost – 50 days after his resurrection.
“…wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” Acts 1:4-5
When the Spirit came, it was unmistakable, unforgettable, and deeply symbolic:
“And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind… And there appeared to them cloven tongues like as of fire… And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues…” Acts 2:2-4
Why fire? Why tongues?
Fire represents the Divine presence (think burning bush in Exodus 3, fire on Sinai in Exodus 19)
In the context of tongues or languages, what happened at Babel (Genesis 11) is now being reversed. There, under the rulership of Nimrod, speech was divided. Here, they unite under the truth and power of the set apart Spirit. And it wasn’t gibberish. Visitors from all over the known world — devout men from every nation under heaven (Acts 2:5) — heard Peter’s message in their own native tongues. This is next-level stuff; something significantly better, more advanced, and more impressive than what came before it or what is considered normal.
“…we do hear them speak in our tongues about the wonderful works of God.” Acts 2:11
This was a supernatural gathering, and it happened on the divinely appointed feast of Shavuot, the day when Israelites from all tribes and tongues would already be in Jerusalem.
This was not just a sign of power — it was a signal flare to the nations.
The Day of the Lord – Foreshadowed
Peter doesn’t just explain the phenomenon—he links it to prophecy:
“But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel… And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh…before the great and notable day of the Lord come.” Acts 2:16–20
This outpouring is a foreshadowing of the Day of the Lord — the final reckoning and restoration. Here’s what that looks like:
The Spirit is poured out as an early rain (Joel 2:23)
Signs and wonders—like tongues, prophecy, dreams—point to divine disruption.
A great harvest is brought in – 3,000 souls that day alone (Acts 2:41) – mirroring the 3,000 lost at the golden calf incident. (Exodus 32:28)
All of it prepares the faithful for what’s still ahead—the Day of the Lord, when justice, judgment, and restoration converge.
This Pentecost moment wasn’t the finish line. It was the ignition point, a moment that birthed the early ekklesia, honored ancient covenant timing, and previewed the tectonic shift of the foretold Day of the Lord. HalleluYah!
Ways To Observe Shavuot Today
While we reside in this earthly wilderness awaiting Yeshua’s return we can still memorialize this important day. Here are some ideas:
Gather in community to worship and recommit to covenant faith and observance
Take responsibility for your faith journey through regular study of the Scriptures
Pray for a fresh anointing of the Ruach
Review and honor covenant duties
Ask for forgiveness and forgive others
Shalom.
Footnotes
1 Tanakh is an acronym, made from the first Hebrew letter of each of the Masoretic Text’s three traditional divisions: Torah (literally ‘Instruction’ or ‘Law’), Nevi’im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings)—hence TaNaKh.
Sacred calendars often evoke strong opinions and debates. It is clear that the Father’s intention is for these calendars to bring His children closer together, yet they frequently lead to division. This experience is not unique to us; throughout history, calendar-related disputes have been a source of contention among believers of all backgrounds. The so-called “calendar wars” have deep roots.
This article does not aim to persuade you that our ministry has uncovered the definitive solution to the “true” creation calendar. However, during Sukkot 2024, we were blessed with new insights that prompted us to reevaluate our approach to calendar methodology.
In light of these revelations, our 2025/2026 Zadok Priestly Calendar has evolved. We have shifted away from relying solely on the Equinox as a key marker indicating the start of the year. We have also incorporated the Equilux into our framework, reflecting our commitment to adapting and growing in understanding.
Without getting mired in the minutiae of how we calibrated this calendar, we will instead highlight key aspects of how it was put together.
A Quick Zadok Calendar Overview
David’s role in setting up the priestly order
And David said, Solomon my son is young and untested, and the house which is to be put up for Yahuah is to be very great, a thing of wonder and glory through all countries; so I will make ready what is needed for it. So David got ready a great store of material before his death.
1 Chronicles 22:5 Bible in Basic English Translation
David never saw Solomon’s house for Yahuah. However, it was in his heart to build it in Jerusalem during the 33 years he reigned over the “united people nation of Israel.”
1 Chronicles 24 tells us one of David’s first tasks was to divide the Levitical priesthood into divisions. Some would serve before Yahuah, some would sing and play instruments, and some would guard it with all their strength.
King David drew lots for sixteen Zadok families of the sons of Eleazar, and eight Ahimelech families of the sons of Ithamar, according to offices in their services. Both Zadok and Ahimelech were the high priests during the reign of King David.
The Zadok Priestly Calendar uses:
Sun, moon, and stars
Keeps the 7 day count set-apart per instructions given in Genesis
Has 364 days, 12 months, 30-day month (+1 at the end of each season), and uses the priestly coursed found in 1 Chronicles 24.
There are 52 Shabbats per year, which are never disturbed by a Feast Shabbat. This means you will never begin Sukkot on the weekly shabbat or any other feast. The weekly shabbats are set-apart just like the feasts.
How is this calendar intercalated?
A complete week is intercalated at the end of the sixth year. (Stars are a witness. 1 Enoch 82)
Insights Into Ancient Timekeeping
To correctly understand our Zadok Priestly Calendar you must also understand the priestly courses. There are 24 families of priests mentioned in 1 Chronicles 24. They remain the same throughout a six year cycle.
1st year = Gamul
2nd year = Yedaiah
3rd year = Majim
4th year = Shecaniah
5th year = Yeshebeab
6th year = Aphses
This priestly order ensured three outcomes:
The 7 day shabbat will always remain unbroken.
The priests stayed in order and worked an equal amount of days in the 6 year cycle.
The 7 year release and Jubilee were recorded by Gamul and Shecaniah.
Gamul and Shecaniah would always be in the 3rd year by the full moon appearing somewhere at the start of the New Year. This would ensure that they would not lose track of the sabbatical and Jubilee years for a 294 year pattern.1
The Starting Point of the Zadok Priestly Calendar
The first thing we needed to do was find the ‘starting point’ from which to tether intercalation. We knew the starting point had to match from day one of the first year of the first priestly course all the way through the sixth year.
This only way this could be done correctly is to match the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS) fragments with a six year moon cycle of our Common Era.
We know they recorded the moon cycles as a sign, or what they called an ‘ot’ to make sure they stayed in the correct year. Because the moon falls behind so many days in a year, in the 3rd year we will have another 13 cycles to ‘catch up’ with the sun and the stars.
Without the correct sign of the moon, your years will go astray and you won’t know which year the moon truly adds the extra cycle to back it up. This is most likely what Jubilees is talking about in Chapter 6:33-38. They lost the sign of the moon to witness the Sabbath and Jubilees. So the moon does have a place in the calendar. It is just not for days, months, and years.
Using the book A New Translation: The Dead Sea Scrolls2 we found 4Q320 along with other fragments stating that a full moon was on the fourth day of the month on the first year with Gamul, along with another full moon on the fifth day of the week on the 29th (day of a lunar month), and falls on the 30th of the 1st month (according to the solar month) with Yedaiah in service.
There are over 25 priest and moon conjunctions along with days of the week, Sabbaths, and Feast Day matches in 2019 alone. There were nine such matches in 2020 (year 2), And seven matches in 2023 (year 5).
With only the Dead Sea Scrolls book and the ‘menorah method,’3 we concluded that the Spring Equinox was the marker for starting the year in 2022. But there was still more proof and patterns that needed to be matched
So this year using The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls by Giza Vermes we found the rest of the 6 year matches completing 2019-2024 to start 2025. When matching all of the records from the Dead Sea Scrolls on to the moon calendars of our time we were shocked to see that no week was added in the six year course of the priests!
When no week was added in those six years we discovered that the ‘menorah method’ was not meant to calibrate the calendar by using the Equinox, but rather by Equilux – equal day and night. This is corroborated in 1 Enoch 72.
By not intercalating until the completion of the priestly six year course, the Sabbatical and Jubilee years recorded in the Dead Sea Scrolls now matched, with Gamul returning to what the Zadok priests called creation week after the 7th jubilee period.
A Jubilee period is 6 years of priestly cycles.
So 6 x 49 = 294
Making the 295th year the fiftieth year of the Jubilee count and the first year of the new 294 year count with Gamul returning as the priest. This week of the new cycle of 294 years is what the Zadok priests considered “creation week” with the Equilux (equal day and equal night) occurring on Day 1 (Sunday) and the Equinox occurring on Day 4 (Wednesday), which is also Day 1 of the first year of the next six year Zadok Priestly calendar count.
These same priest and moon cycle patterns will not happen for another 294 years. They are the patterns that occurred in March of 2019.
Stellarium Web Image – stellarium-web.org**
After conducting some straightforward calculations over several years of lunar cycles, we identified full moons coinciding with Gamul in 1726 AD and 1432 AD. Looking ahead, we found similar matches extending to 2050. By utilizing the equal day and night menorah method3, we confirmed that the same patterns observed in the Dead Sea Scrolls remain consistent. Notably, an additional week is always added at the end of the sixth year, marking the beginning of the seventh year, which also serves as the first year of the subsequent six-year cycle.
This method always puts the start of the next six year cycle on the Equinox but never goes past the straight line shadow (of the sundial) and out of Creation week. The equal day and night is a witness to Yahuah’s calendar based on sevens and not a 5-6 pattern using the Equinox. Think six years of cycles, then a reset on the seventh.
In doing this research, another amazing find was discovered this year. After several years of watching the Constellations, a solid witness to the intercalation week was found.
On March 11 and 12, 2024 the sun entered Pisces. According to the priestly courses 2024 is a sixth year starting with Aphses on March 13. On September 114, the sun entered Virgo which was the first day of the seventh month on the Zadok Priestly Calendar according to this six year cycle. So far everything is matching up to the cycle.
Now when you get to March 2025, day 364 is March 11 and it’s year one again. So it’s time to add the interaction week with Pisces as our witness.
Back to the Future
What’s so special about the year 2019? Plenty. In 2019 the year began on March 20th, the 4th day of the week (Wednesday). On that day several things occurred:
It was a full moon
The Equinox occurred
The sun was in Pisces
It was the service week for the priest Gamul
The GWDF Priestly Calendar shows an intercalary reset week beginning the 1st year of this new six year priestly cycle on March 19, 2025. In 2025 the Equilux is Sunday, March 16 and Equinox occurs on Thursday, March 20th. Gamul is the priest in service and on the 30th day of the moon cycle Yedaiah is the priest entering service under a full moon.
Sketches of priests from the Phillip Medhurst Collection
Who is Zadok?
Zadok was a Kohen (member of priestly class) and is noted in biblical texts as a descendant of Eleazar, the son of Aaron. He served as the High Priest of Israel during the reigns of Kings David and Solomon. Zadok is also the name of the priesthood mentioned in Ezekiel’s vision of a future house of Yahuah.
This area is set aside for the ordained priests, the descendants of Zadok who served me faithfully and did not go astray with the people of Israel and the rest of the Levites.
Ezekiel 48:11 New Living Translation
The 20+ signs that occurred during the Zadok Priestly Calendar year 2019 started a new 294 year count of six Jubilees. This leads us to believe that Yahuah and His Son Yahusha, known as the eternal son of David, is calling for a “united people nation of Israel” to serve faithfully for eternity in the New Jerusalem.
Final Thoughts
These new insights concerning this new Zadok Priestly Calendar for 2025/2026 are based on years of exhaustive research done by our ministry partners Gina Sparks and Sara Davis. We are also indebted to GWDF leadership team members Sherry Sanders and Robert Villa for their passionate love for the Scriptures and YHWH’s creation calendar.
If you want to know more about the calendar, or need clarification on topics mentioned in this article, feel free to contact us. Thank you for downloading the 2025/2026 Zadok Priestly Calendar and supporting this ministry. Shalom.
Article Postscript
GWDF has become aware of questions raised by this article and apologize for any confusion. The first error in the original article stated that the 2025 Equilux (equal day, equal night) will be on Monday, March 16th. However, the 16th is on Sunday this year. We have already made that correction.Our statement that Yedaiah would come into service on Shabbat, Month 1 Day 25 (April 12th), during the full moon on the 30th day of the lunar month is true. However, it is not the last day of the solar month like in 2019.We are all learning while on this beautiful walk to learn more about our Heavenly Creator and His Son, our Heavenly High Priest. We at GWDF thank you in advance for all comments and most all of all the patience and love that you have shown us while we all grow together. — Sherry Sanders & Robert Villa, GWDF Calendar Team
FOOTNOTES
1 “A 294-year cycle of 6 jubilees. This is the cycle that plots a rare occurrence: the service of the first priestly division, named Gamul, on New Year’s Day at the beginning of a jubilee period. 294 years would pass between occurrences. The scroll writers believed that this situation reprised that of the fourth day of creation.” See Calendar of the Heavenly Signs (text 71). Explanation of the 294 year jubilee cycle quoted from A New Translation:The Dead Sea Scrolls, translated and with commentary by Michael Wise, Martin Abegg Jr, and Edward Cook, p. 384
2 The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation, translated and with commentary by Michael Wise, Martin Abegg Jr., and Edward Cook. Harper One, copyright 1996, 2005.
3 For more information regarding the menorah method, see the GWDF blog article titled “Zadok Priestly Calendar Insights” and scroll down to the section titled “How the Zadok Calendar Works.”
** By referencing the constellation Pisces or showing images from Stellarium Web, GWDF is not endorsing the practice of Astrology. We suggest you do research on the Mazzaroth which is mentioned in the Book of Job ( Job 38:32) in relation to the stars and their positions in the sky. Another reference is Frances Rolleston’s book Mazzaroth. (The first edition of “Mazzaroth” was published by James Nisbet & Co. in 1862). The word “Mazzaroth” in Hebrew (מַזָּרוֹת) generally refers to the constellations.
As millions of professing believers prepare to observe the national day of Thanksgiving on November 23rd, few will realize that this tradition has nothing in common with Yahuah’s true harvest festival — Shavuot. When one considers Shavuot’s significance in biblical history, a case can surely be made that it is arguably the most significant of all the moedim Torah instructs us to observe each year. This can not be said of the Thanksgiving day observances in which many will participate in out of tradition. More on this later.
The significance of the Shavuot pilgrimage festival is affirmed in the Torah as well as the canonical Book of Jubilees.1 Jubilees devotes considerable attention to this dual festival, also known as the Feast of Weeks joined with First-Fruits. Here is the angelic account of the dual nature of this harvest festival as told to Mosheh (Moses) on Mt. Sinai:
For it is the Festival of Shabuoth and the Feast of First-Fruits: This Feast is twofold and of a double nature: according to what is written and engraved concerning it, celebrate it. For I have written in the book of the first Torah, in that which I have written for you that you should celebrate it in its season, one day in the year, and I explained to you its slaughterings that the children of Yisra’el should remember and should celebrate it through their generations in this month, one day in every year.
Jubilees 6: 20,21 Halleluyah Scriptures
Shavuot is anchored to our Covenant with Yahuah Most High (YHWH).
Genesis tells us that after Noah and his family endured the horrors of the deluge, the Father made a promise to him and all of humankind.
And I shall establish My Covenant with you, and never again is all flesh cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again is there a flood to destroy the earth. And Elohim said, “This is the sign of the Covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for all generations to come: “I shall put My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the Covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud, and I shall remember My Covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh, and never again let the waters become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I shall see it, to remember the everlasting Covenant between Elohim and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.
Genesis 9:11-16 Halleluyah Scriptures
The rainbow is a sign of the Covenant between YHWH and believers in His Mashiach
The writer of Genesis quickly moves on from here. However, the sixth chapter of Jubilees sheds more light on Shavuot.
During the time that Moses was on Mt. Horeb (Sinai), the angelic agent2 of Yahuah also revealed that this unique festival day had been written on heavenly scrolls and had been observed since the Creation.
He placed His rainbow in the cloud for a sign of the everlasting Covenant that there should not be a flood again on the earth to destroy it all the days of the earth. For this reason it is ordained and written on the tablets of the shamayim (heaven/s), that they should celebrate the Festival of Shabuoth (Shavuot) in this month once a year, to renew the Covenant every year. And this whole Festival was celebrated in the shamayim from the day of creation till the days of Noah: twenty-six Yobelim (Jubilees) and five weeks of years.
Jubilees 6:16-18(a) Halleluyah Scriptures
Moses was also informed that even though Noah’s sons failed to continue in their father’s ways after he died, the festival of Shavuot was celebrated by Abraham.
And Noah and his sons observed it for seven Yobelim and one week of years, till the day of Noah’s death. And from the day of Noah’s death, his sons forsook it until the days of Abraham, and they ate blood. But Abraham observed it, and Yishaq and Ya’aqob and his children observed it up to your days, and in your days the children of Yisra’el forgot it until you celebrated it anew on this mountain.
Jubilees 6:18(b)-19 Halleluyah Scriptures
Religious Appropriation or the Plan from the Beginning?
Many in the Orthodox Jewish (and Evangelical Christian) community share the sentiment below that was posted recently on the GWDF YouTube channel. The video that triggered this person featured a recent Sukkot celebration held in Texas by this ministry.
Peter’s Vision by artist Domenico Fetti 1619
The Scriptures teach that Yisrael was to be a light to the world. All nations were to be blessed through Yisrael, based on the nation’s obedience to Torah.
It was prophesied that the Messiah would come through the line of Judah (Yahudah). However, Yisrael (as in all 12 tribes) was expected to instruct the “stranger” among them in the ways of the Torah and hold them to the same religious standards as themselves. Yah’s rituals associated with Covenant obedience were designed to teach everyone proper worship. These instructions in righteous living also pointed to promises regarding the coming Messiah who would be an agent of redemption through his High Priesthood.
A heart that professes to love Elohim Most High but desires to keep the glorious news of the Gospel veiled to all but a chosen few raises red flags.
The Book of Acts sadly reminds us that one of Yeshua’s inner-circle disciples — Peter — took issue with sharing what ‘belonged’ to Yisrael with unclean gentile nations. This was not a vision about unclean animals. It had everything to do with opening the door of the Kingdom to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.3 Peter had to purge his mind and heart of error-filled rabbinic theology.
And on the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Kepha (Peter) went up on the house top to pray, about the sixth hour. And he became hungry and wanted to eat. But while they were preparing, he fell into a trance, and he saw the shamayim opened and a certain vessel like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth, in which were all kinds of four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping creatures, and the birds of the shamayim. And a voice came to him, “Rise up, Kepha, slay and eat.” But Kepha said, “Not at all, Adonai! Because I have never eaten whatever is common or unclean.” And a voice came to him again the second time, “What Elohim has cleansed you do not consider common.”
Perhaps Peter would suppose that the design of this vision was to instruct him that the distinction between clean and unclean food, as recognized by the Jews, was about to be abolished, Acts 10:17. But the result showed that it had a higher and more important design. It was to show him that they who had been esteemed by the Jews as unclean or profane – the entire Gentile world – might now be admitted to similar privileges with the Jews. That barrier was broken down, and the whole world was to be admitted to the same fellowship and privileges in the gospel.
At this point, it is important to distinguish between true biblical Yisrael and the nation-state that currently bears the name Israel in the Middle East. Biblical, spiritual Yisrael consists of believers from every nation, tribe, tongue, and people who have put their faith in Yahuah’s son — our Messiah — for redemption. This process, also known as salvation, is carried out by our High Priest Yeshua and will reach its fulfillment when we are resurrected. So, no one group can claim ‘ownership’ of Covenant blessings that have been ordained since the foundation of the world by our Heavenly Father. While everyone is ‘eligible’ to receive these promises, not everyone will qualify.
Thanksgiving — A Shavuot Counterfeit?
Christianity has marketed the third Thursday of November as a day set aside to give thanks to God for agricultural bounty. When you research the origin of Thanksgiving you may be shocked to discover its pagan harvest festival roots.
Since childhood, most of us were told that Thanksgiving is a day ‘to honor God’ for all His blessings. Do you believe Yah approves of his children participating in a meal that is linked to gods of agriculture and at one time was associated with child sacrifice?
When you research the origin of Thanksgiving you may be shocked to discover its harvest festival roots that can be traced back to ancient Babylon and Rome.
This so-called holiday is also linked to war. Norman Rockwell’s iconic “Freedom from Want” painting was a promotional poster for the World War II war effort and insinuated that we should give thanks for the effort that kept Americans free from want. It appealed to the emotions of a nation desiring the comfort and security that only The Most High can supply.
Even Country Living online magazine is aware of Thanksgiving’s pagan roots and symbolism such as the Cornucopia or Horn of Plenty:
The word “cornucopia” is derived from two Latin words: cornu, meaning “horn,” and copia, meaning “plenty.” A frequent presence in Greek and Roman folklore, the overflowing cornucopia was often depicted as a symbolic accessory carried by gods and goddesses like Hercules, Fortuna, and Demeter. It was first described as an actual animal “horn” taken from Amalthea, the goat nurse of Zeus. According to the ancient Greeks, baby Zeus was being cared for and fed by Amalthea when he broke off one of her horns, which began to emit a constant supply of food for him. That’s how this “horn of plenty” first came to symbolize prosperity, wealth, and abundance. The pagan symbol was later adopted by Christians and used often in European harvest festivals to celebrate lush, bountiful crops. It was also used on currencies, coats of arms, and church decorations.
Knowing all this, should we, as Torah-observant followers of Yeshua, continue to believe that Yahuah is pleased when we serve up Thanksgiving ‘holiday’ meals? We are commanded not to worship in the manner of the heathen. The Father has already designated a day in the Spring for harvest thanksgiving. It is Shavuot.
FOOTNOTES
1 The book of Jubilees is considered canon by Ethiopian Jews and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Fragments found amongst the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran which were compared to the Ethiopian version of Jubilees found them to agree.
The instructions of Yah are perfect, reviving the soul; The degrees of Yah are trustworthy, making wise the simple. Psalms 19:7
I am a simple person, so I guess this is why I love simple things.
Needless to say, simplicity played a huge role in the structure and design of this year’s appointed times calendar.
My goal was to produce an easy-to-understand, “no frills” calendar that tracks well with the Gregorian calendar. Brothers and sisters like me who are not particularly “tech-savvy” will find it easy to download and print.
This short format works great for those of us who like posting our calendar on the refrigerator door rather than hanging it on a wall.
Here are a few other features I hope you too will love about the GWDF 2023/2024 Zadok Priestly Calendar:
A Page for Every Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter seasons have their own dedicated pages. This “no-frills” format allows you to see the current date, day of the week, and feast days at-a-glance.
Scripture Cross References for Appointed Times
In addition to Bible canon scripture references, there are also verses included from 1 Enoch, the Book of Jubilees, and the Dead Sea Scrolls.
First Fruits Memorial Days
Barley, Wheat, Wine, and Oil First Fruits memorial days are highlighted, with keys for tracking each.
Oil and Wood Offering Memorial Days (DSS)
The First Fruits of New Oil festival occurs on day 22 of the sixth month.
The week-long Festival of Wood Offerings ceremony begins the day after the Festival of New Oil. It occurs in the 6th month on days 23-28 and historically involved the (paired) tribes of Levi & Judah, Benjamin & Joseph (his sons), Reuben & Simeon, Issachar & Zebulon, Gad & Asher, and Dan & Naphtali.
Truth Nuggets & Other Scriptural Witnesses
Home-schooling moms and dads who may want to help their children dive deeper into the Word will find these very useful. Extra-biblical books that have been removed from our western bibles still contain valuable truth nuggets. The GWDF calendar cites a few of these writings on the Winter page (months 10-12) to help you do a “deep dive” into the lives of the 12 Patriarchs and Prophets like Baruch, Enoch, and Ezra. Other breadcrumbs listed from Jubilees and the Brenton Septuagint (LXX) will hopefully inspire you in these last days.
New Year. New Beginnings.
Spring Bluebonnets in Bloom in Texas
Spring is one of my favorite seasons of the year. In Texas (where I live), the leaves appear and the birds sing songs as they build their nests. The days get longer as plants grow and flowers bloom. It is a time of new beginnings for all of us.
This year, New Year’s Day will begin on March 22nd. During these three months of Spring, we will celebrate the Passover and Unleavened Bread, Shavuot, and Feast of Weeks memorials.
If you will indulge me, I would like to share how I have traditionally celebrated these appointed times with friends.
Month 1 Day 14(beginning in the evening) is Passover (Pesach) when I usually roast lamb chops with friends and enjoy a meal together while remembering all that Yeshua (Jesus), our Melchizedek High Priest, has done for us. Knowing that He is performing all his priestly duties in heaven right now, brings me so much joy and peace.
Month 1 Days 15-21is the seven-day feast of Unleavened Bread. My friends and I eat unleavened bread for the duration of this feast. The first and last day (of this week) are Holy Sabbath days of rest. Since the fourth day of Unleavened Bread falls on the weekly Sabbath, we get an extra day of rest – three in all!
Leaven is a metaphor for the sins that separate us from our Heavenly Father. During this time we examine ourselves and ask Yahuah for forgiveness in Yeshua’s name by confessing our transgressions. (1 John 3:4)
Month 1 Day 26 marks the First Fruits of Barley and the start of the seven week (49 days) count to Month 3 Day 15 (the 50th day) known as the Shavuot/Pentecost/Feast of Weeks memorial. Shavuot is a multi-faceted feast – a time for renewing our covenant with the Most High. I use this time to grow deeper in my relationship with Yah and Yeshua. It is a daily struggle in this earthly body, but the effort is worth it.
I don’t have a place to grow barley, wheat, or oil, but I can renew the covenant with our Heavenly Father in my heart through study, confession, and prayer.
Final Thoughts
Yahuah has blessed us with several memorial feasts to look forward to this Spring. These are days you and I can celebrate with friends and family alike. Yah is a loving Father who desires to spend time with us. With this in mind, I pray this short, sweet, and simple appointed times calendar will enrich your life and help you draw closer to Yahuah and His son, our High Priest, Yeshua. Amein.
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