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Shavuot, consider this
Two years ago we started celebrating Shavuot differently. This day, to us, is a day on which we renew our commitment to YHVH. Much like married couples do when they renew their wedding vows. We do this in the form of a proclamation, because we are commanded to make a procalmation on this day. This short article is to explain the motivation behind this and how we do it.
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Why does evil seem to prevail?
We live in a wonderful world, the beauty of creation declares YHVH’s existence. You can’t study the detail of any created being or plant without realizing that there is a Designer of it all. It can’t just happen by change. YHVH created every intricate detail of existence. He designed it meticulously and we have yet to discover many facets of it. Modern science has touched the tip of it, but cannot claim they know or have discovered all there is to know. YHVH is in control of all this, and He has a plan, He knows the end from the beginning. Nothing is random or chaos. His purpose will prevail and his purpose is to save. Read further to find out how prevailing evil is connected to this…
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Cleaning out the leaven…being prepared
In a few weeks time we will be celebrating the Passover , the feast of First Fruit and the Feast of Unleavened bread. It is time to start preparing our homes and our hearts for this time. We prepare by removing leaven from our homes, both physical and spiritual. You may think that we still have plenty of time to do this, but you also know how time flies and how busy we all are. We always think there is plenty of time left, spiritually as well, but is this true? Our lives are not our own, and can be cut short at any time. Will you be ready when that happens, will I? Have you considered this, or do you move these kind of thoughts quickly to the back of your mind, not wanting to think about it? We should not do this, but instead ponder this and make sure we are adequately prepared. Leaven can’t remove itself and just as we prepare for this feast, by removing all leaven from our homes, we are to make sure we are spiritually prepared too.
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Should we do the commandments, if we can’t do it all properly?
It is almost the seventh Biblical month, and the fall feasts are just around the corner. YHVH gave us these feasts as celebrations, but also as teaching aids to learn more about Him and His Kingdom. As the feasts draw near, we need to look into what YHVH requires of us, because we want to please Him. This sometimes leads to discouragement, because we can’t keep all the commandments due to the absence of a Temple. Some people even teach that we, in the diaspora, are not to celebrate the feasts at all because we don’t live in the land. This mindset affects other areas as well, and we have been asked if we are to do the commandments at all seeing that we can’t do it all properly. We shall first seek to find proof that we are to keep the commandments wherever we are and then see if we can find out to what an extend we are to do it.
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Disobedience is not a game, it could change the course of your life
What if your next act of disobedience changes the course of your life? Have you ever considered this? I am not talking about losing a blessing as a result of being disobedient; I am talking about a profound change. YHVH is very patient with us; I don’t think we realize just how much. Will He always be? Or will His patience with us run out? In this study, we look at the lives of different people in the Bible to find answers to these questions.
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The Sabbatical year, a “reset” every seven years
The next Sabbatical year is in 2016, from the first day of Aviv. We plan to keep this commandment. This commandment, to keep the Sabbatical year, is seen by some as quite controversial and one of those commandments which is said not to pertain to us who don’t live in the land. As a result of this mindset, it is pushed aside and not really studied. However, when you start studying this commandment and its significance, you would be amazed at how carefully YHVH has planned this.
