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When must the barley be aviv?
This year there has been a lot of discussion regarding the start of the new year. Most of these discussions were centered around the topic of when the barley needs to be aviv. Should it be before the new year starts or only when the Wave Sheaf offering is brought? In our article in 2012 we took the position that the barley must be aviv before the new year is announced. Due to all these discussions we went back and took a deeper look at this topic. Let us see if our understanding of the Scriptures needs to be adapted.
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The Potter and the clay
Every day we get up and face life with all its challenges. Life can be difficult and often is. We all suffer in some way and some, like Job, suffer in many ways at the same time. It seems to me, from personal experience, but also from speaking to other people, that life’s challenges have increased. Have you noticed it too? Not only are we facing increasing natural disasters, threats to our freedom, personal issues, but spiritually things have heated up as well. We live under immense pressure and it is increasing. Why is this? Could it be that YHVH is trying to show us or teach us something?
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Unleavening our lives…its all about intimacy
Spring is in the air; the Barley is aviv and the new moon has been sighted. A new year has begun! It is almost Pesach, and we are in the final stages of searching and removing the leaven from our homes. This physical action, to remove leaven has a deep spiritual significance. Leaven is symbolic of all the issues in our lives that cause a hindrance in our relationship with Abba YHVH, and it is amazing how, while we spend time “spring cleaning,” we are confronted with this leaven in your own lives. This search for and removal of the leaven culminates in the Pesach meal and the seven days of unleavened bread. We shall show you in this study how the preparation for, and the feast of Unleavened bread is also about restoring or creating intimacy between us and our Heavenly Father.
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Yom T’ruah is not Rosh haShanah
During this time of year we hear a lot of discussions as to whether or not we should join in the celebration of Rosh haShanah (Head of the new Year). We all know that Exodus 12:2 specifically tells us that the beginning of the year is in Aviv (spring time). Yet, we hear some very convincing tales as to why the Scriptures actually allows for more than one new year (like we have today – calendar year, fiscal year, school year, etc…) In this article I will proof to you that the Scriptures only refer to one new year and it is not Rosh haShanah on 1 Tishri!
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Teshuvah…Sin takes us away from YHVH, repentance brings us closer
We all sin, no matter how hard we try not to. We are human – we sin in our thoughts, in the words we speak and in the things we do. You don’t have to go far to see the result of sin. In other people’s lifes and even our own lifes. How do we define sin? Sin is not keeping YHVH’s commandments; sin is compromising in doing the commandments; sin is speaking evil of another; sin is thinking evil thoughts; sin is eating unclean foods; to give you but a few examples. Some of these things we do unintentionally, but it still is sin. Sin takes us away from YHVH. It seperates us from His presence, it prevents us from hearing His voice. That is what I experience when I sin or compromise, but there is restoration through teshuvah (repentance) and forgiveness through the atoning work of Messiah Y’shua.
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Origin of New Year on January 1st
What is the origin of the New Years celebrations on 1 January?
