Christmas in July: Part 4

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Last we were together, we looked at a quick summary of the biblical feasts listed in Leviticus 23.  Full disclosure:  my eyes used to glaze over when I read that chapter.  I had no idea what any of it was about.  If you are feeling that way, be encouraged.  It takes time, but with YHVH's gentle leading, you can learn His feasts.  

 So why, as believers, do we really not know about these feasts?  In my previous writing, I mentioned that it had something to do with a cycle of sin begun by King Jeroboam of Israel around 930BC.  But, as I have been preparing to write this blog today, I think I can see that it goes back even further.  Are you familiar with Aaron, as in "Moses and Aaron?"

 If you will recall, Moses went up to receive instruction from YHVH and Aaron used that time to construct a gold calf for the people to worship.  Oh, how many times I have shaken my head at Aaron.  I would never have done that!  I bet you have said that, too.  

 But I want you to notice something.  Look at what Aaron says about worshiping the calf:
Tomorrow will be a feast to YHVH
Exodus 32:5
Did you catch that?  Aaron thought he was leading the people to worship YHVH.  Well, you know the rest.  
Moses is angry that Aaron crafted the calf for worship

He was not.  

It was sin. 

And Moses took care of business.

Fast forward a lot of years...

Following the reigns of David and Solomon, the kingdom of Israel is torn into 2 separate kingdoms:  Judah and Israel.

Jeroboam is the first king of the newly divided Israel.  He moves his headquarters north and devises a sneaky plan to keep his people from going back to visit Jerusalem for the feasts.  

I am really not doing his history justice, so please follow this link or grab your bible and read it for yourself.  My words cannot compare!  This history is found in 1 Kings 12:26-33

I hope you noticed a few things:

*Jeroboam was motivated by fear of losing the people.

*So he made golden calves. (Aaron's sin)

*He appointed priests that were not from the tribe of Levi. (Against Torah)

*He instituted a feast in the 8th month on the 15th day of the month. (Recall that YHVH's feast of Tabernacles is in the 7th month on the 15th day of the month).

*This scripture tells us that his feast was like the feast of Jerusalem but was devised of 
Jeroboam's 
own 
heart.

The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it?
[Jer 17:9 KJV] 

The wicked leadership of Jeroboam led Israel into great sin and eventually to banishment from the promised land.  Assyria marched those 10 tribes away in 722BC, and they are still in the nations to this very day.

Was his sin serious?  I will let you analyze the facts and come up with your own conclusion.

Of course, there are many many other factors and details involved here.  There is just no quick way to explain the Bible.  I urge you dear reader to read it cover to cover for yourself.  

If you are not sure how all of this is connected to feast days and Christmas, I understand.  This is such a big topic that it takes a little time.  Come back for Part 5 where I will begin connecting some of the dots.  It seems that sin patterns run in families, and we may have some calves lying around.  

Ready to search for them?

Comments

  1. Mollie McClellandAugust 11, 2020 at 5:00 AM

    I'm reading through 1 Kings now (simultaneous with 2 Chron.) and all of the history regarding these new/man-made days is there very clearly. Kingdom divided. One kept God's commandments and the other "did their own thing".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DebbieAugust 11, 2020 at 6:57 PM

      I am so excited that you are reading those books along with this series and are seeing first hand what I have described. It is my heart's desire that everyone see these things in The Word with their own eyes. Thank you for your faithfulness in doing the research. You encourage me! Thank you Mollie! --Debbie

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