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Circumcision, God’s Covenant With Abraham, The Law Of

God‘s covenant with Abraham with regards to the law of circumcision was a command given to Abraham by God instructing him to be circumcised. This event is listed on the Bible Timeline Chart around 1879 BC. God told Abraham that he and his descendants after him had to circumcise the flesh of their foreskins. This covenant between God and Abraham applied to all males of his generation and future generations. All had to be circumcised on the eighth day after birth. The circumcision was seen as a covenant between the participant and God. This was significant because it was a reminder of the covenant embedded into their flesh.

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Circumcise
“The Vision of the Lord Directing Abraham to Count the Stars “

People who weren’t circumcised were viewed as sinfully stubborn people. God viewed males who refused to be circumcised as people who have walked contrary to God and are unfaithful to him. The refusal of circumcision was also seen as a confession of inequity, not only of said person but also of his forefathers. Even though God was very critical of the uncircumcised, in the covenant he also stated that if a person is circumcised and does not keep with the righteous requirements of the law while an uncircumcised person does, the latter shall be more favorably viewed upon.

This covenant was only limited to Jews and did not extend to Christians. For Christians, it was optional, but God did emphasize that following his commandments were more important.

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Jacob Blessed Joseph’s Sons

Jacob lived a long and colorful life with more than his fair share of highs and lows starting from Genesis 25 up to Genesis 50. His history is listed on the Biblical Timeline Chart around 1704 BC. After his clan’s migration from Canaan to Egypt at the behest of his son Joseph, Jacob lived 17 more years. Bringing his age to a total of 147 at the time of his death (Genesis 47:28). In Genesis 48, old age had taken its toll on his body and the end of his life drew near. With his death fast approaching, he called Joseph to his side and made his son swear to transport his body out of Egypt and bury him where Abraham and Isaac were buried (Cave of Machpelah in Hebron).

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Not long after, Jacob fell ill. Joseph took his sons Manasseh and Ephraim to his father to have them blessed before Jacob died (Genesis 48). These were his sons by Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of On (Heliopolis). The boys were born to Joseph in Egypt, but Jacob claimed them as his own (Genesis 48:5) and gave them his blessing. This is why after the establishment of Israel in Canaan, the Promised Land land was divided among the original ten sons of Jacob (except Joseph and Levi), plus Manasseh and Ephraim.

Jacob_blesses_Ephraim_and_Manasseh
Jacob blesses Ephraim and Manasseh

His eyesight was failing, so Joseph had to introduce his sons to his father. Following the custom back in the days of the patriarchs, older sons were placed on the right side, and younger ones were placed on the left side for the blessing. Jacob crossed his arms and laid his left hand on the older Manasseh’s head and favored the younger Ephraim with his right hand.

This perplexed Joseph, and he tried to correct his father, but for unknown reasons Jacob was bent on giving the younger Ephraim a greater portion of the blessing. This draws a parallel to the case of the other patriarchs when the younger son is favored by the father above the older one, including the cases of Ishmael and Isaac, as well as Esau and Jacob. The chapter is followed by Jacob giving all of his sons blessings in Genesis 49.

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Jacob Blesses His Sons

After 17 years in Egypt, Jacob fell ill and the time of his death drew near. He gathered all his sons after blessing Manasseh and Ephraim and gave most of them blessings while some were a recipient of admonitions and curses befitting their deeds while they lived in Canaan. This event is listed on the Bible Timeline around 1670 BC. These were given first to the sons of Leah, then to the sons of his concubines Bilhah and Zilpah, and last to the sons of Rachel (see Genesis 49).

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Sons Who Received Blessings

    • Judah was the first son to receive blessings from his father. Jacob said that his brothers shall praise him while enemies and his brothers will bow down before him (Genesis 49:8). He was also likened to a lion (v 9) and his role as the family’s leader was established by Jacob (v 10). King David and Jesus were also descended from Judah. Additional blessings in the form of material prosperity were also bestowed upon Judah (v 11, 12).
    • Issachar’s ‘blessing’ started off as positive with him being described as a “rawboned (strong) donkey lying between saddlebags” (v 14) and inheriting a good land. But when he saw “how pleasant the land was, he worked too hard and became a slave” (v 15 CEV).
    • Zebulun, Leah’s youngest son “will live by the seashore and become haven for ships” (v 13).
    • Joseph: Apart from Judah, Jacob’s blessings for Joseph is one of the longest and probably, the most eloquent. Jacob recounted his son’s suffering and eventual triumph in Egypt (v 22-24), as well as reiterated God’s help during his trials.
    • Benjamin was described as a ravenous wolf who was set to devour the prey and divide the plunder (v 27). The future tribe’s reputation will be that of warriors starting from Ehud (Judges 3:15) to Saul, who later on would become Israel’s first king.
    • Dan: Jacob said that this handmaid’s son “will provide justice to his people” (v 16), but “will be a snake by the roadside… that bites horse’s heels” (v 17).
    • Naphtali: Bilhah’s son “is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns” (v 21).
    • Gad: Zilpah’s first son “will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels.” (v 19)
    • Asher: Jacob blessed Zilpah’s second son with prosperity, saying that “Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king (v 20).
Joseph in Egypt and his sons
“Joseph with his father Jacob and brothers in Egypt”

Sons Who Received Admonitions and Curses

  • Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn by Leah, but his birthright was forfeited because of his sexual involvement with his father’s concubine Bilhah (v 3-4).
  • Simeon and Levi were lumped together for admonitions and curses (v 5-7) for their acts of violence against the men of Shechem after the rape of their sister Dinah (Genesis 34). Jacob’s curse against the two was explicitly stated in Genesis 49: 7.Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel.
References:
Picture By Painters of Sultan Murad III – Zubdat-al Tawarikh (Illustrated manuscript)http://www.ee.bilkent.edu.tr/~history/Ext/Zubdat.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19900596
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Joseph’s sons born in Egypt by Asenath, daughter of Potipherah, Priest of On – (1704 BC)

Manasseh and Ephraim were Joseph’s sons born in Egypt during the height of his power as Egypt’s administrator. This is listed on the Bible Timeline Chart around 1704 BC. Apart from their father’s high position in the Egyptian court, they were also descended from priests. This was through their mother Asenath and their grandfather Potiphera (not to be confused with the captain of the guard Potiphar in Genesis 39). Thereby cementing their position in the Egyptian society, as well as later in the establishment of Israel as a nation-state.

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Their father’s story began in the 37th chapter of Genesis after Jacob settled his family in the land of Canaan. The deep-seated envy of Joseph’s brothers resulted in him being sold to Ishmaelite traders and later on as a slave in Egypt. This story culminated in the succeeding chapters after he rose as Egypt’s ruler (second only to Pharaoh) by interpreting the king’s dreams about the years of abundance followed by years of famine. This life-changing moment also established Joseph as a member of Egypt’s elite. The Pharaoh personally gave him a new Egyptian name “Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On (Sun City or Heliopolis, the modern-day suburb of Ain Shams), to be his wife.” (Genesis 41:45 NIV).

Jacob_with_Ephraim_and_Manasseh
Jacob with Ephraim and Manasseh

Joseph’s sons Manasseh and Ephraim were born before the years of famine. Joseph named his eldest Manasseh (‘to forget’ in Hebrew) because “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household,” while his younger son was named Ephraim (‘to be fruitful’) “because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.” (Genesis 41:50-52 NIV) There are no records as to whether Joseph had more children by Asenath apart from Manasseh and Ephraim. The boys were later on blessed by Jacob in his deathbed.

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Pharaoh’s Death – Israel Enslaved 1530 BC

The last chapter of Genesis recounts the death of Joseph in the land of Egypt at the age of 110. This can be found on the Bible Timeline Poster around 1530 BC. He had lived a long and successful life as a vizier of Egypt appointed by Pharaoh. The Hebrew people also thrived and multiplied in the land, they settled in (Exodus 1:7.).

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Pharaoh
“Departure of the Israelites”, by David Roberts, 1829″

The unnamed pharaoh who appointed Joseph as administrator had also died and a new pharaoh who did not know about Joseph and what he had done for Egypt ascended into power. Fearing that the large Hebrew population under his rule might rebel against him, he ordered them to hard labor and appointed slave drivers over them.

There are two pharaohs during the time of the Exodus (both, unfortunately, were unnamed). One was the pharaoh that decreed the Israelites as their (Egyptians’) slaves, and the other one was the pharaoh during the time of the plagues which was also the same one whose army perished during the crossing of the Red Sea.

The tyranny was imposed in two stages. First was slavery in hard labor and the subsequent infanticide of newborn male Hebrew babies. According to several passages in the Bible and Jewish tradition, Jacob’s descendants will stay and be enslaved in the land of Egypt for four hundred years (Genesis 15:13, Exodus 12 40-41, and Acts 7:6-7)

References:
Picture By David Roberts – Usenet, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10293374
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Arvad, Gebal, Phoenicia founded cities of

According to the Bible, Arvad was referred to as the city, which was the progenitor of the Canaanite group called the Arvadites. In 2nd BC, this island was occupied by the Phoenicians, who also ruled over the land. Arvad and Gebal can be found on the Bible Timeline Poster around 2200 BC. During the time of the Phoenician’s reign in this land, it was considered as an independent kingdom. It was either referred to as Jazirat or Arvad, yet the Phoenicians gave another name for it, which was believed to be Aynook.

Among the Greek, Arvad was popularly called Arados, and it also was mentioned as Arphad or Arpad in ancient sources. However, Antiochus I Soter decided to rename the land to Antiochia.

In terms of economy, Arvad was one of the thriving cities because it served as a base for commercial purposes. This base became functional when it comes to commercial trades in ancient times to Orontes Valley.

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Arvad_island
The Island started out as nothing but rock.

Arvad was positioned about 50 kilometers in the northern part of Tripolis. Initially, the island was nothing but a barren rock, which was popular for its fortifications and residences that are high-rise in nature. As for the total area of the island, it measured about 800 meters in length and 500 meters in width. Arvad was protected by a strong wall, as well as a harbor that was artificial in nature. The harbor was made in Arvad’s east and up to the mainland. In the early parts of the island’s development, it has become a trading city that was just like the other cities populated by Phoenicians. Arvad also had a thriving city and navy, and some of the ships found in this island were stated in Assyrian and Egyptian monuments during ancient times. Arvad was noted for its coinage and successful local dynasty, and the island’s inhabitants were even stated in the Book of Genesis in 10:18. On the other hand, in Ezekiel 27:8-11, Arvad’s soldiers, and seamen were under the service of Type. Under the leadership of the island’s rulers, a few neighboring cities on Arvad’s mainlands were established including Simyra and Marathos. Other cities that were built including the ones on the south and opposite portion of the island.

Additional Facts about Arvad

arvad_history
‘ This land, which was known as Arados or Arado to Greeks, had a small fishing town that belonged to modern-day Syria.’

Arvad was first established by a group of Amorite settlers during 2nd BC. Initially, Canaanites settled on the land, but then a strong Phoenician kingdom soon took over. This land, which was known as Arados or Arado to Greeks, had a small fishing town that belonged to modern-day Syria. It is situated about 3 kilometers from Tartus, and it covers an area of about 700 meters in length.

Since there were limited resources on the island, the people relied mainly on the mainland for essential supplies necessary for survival. Nevertheless, Arvad still became an important point for commercial trades in the Orontes Valley. Interestingly, there was a small city that remained under the control of Arvad, including some of Northern Canaan’s regional cities.

Arvad was often referred to as a typical kingdom of the Phoenicians, although it was also regarded as the first republic ever established in the world. The citizens were also the ones who formed the island’s first government, and there were some kings who were recorded to have reigned during a certain period in Arvad.

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Shang Dynasty Care for Old and Polygamy

The Shang Dynasty was believed to have been established during 1766 to 1122 BC. However, some accounts claimed that the dynasty lasted for at least 500 years until it ended in mid-11 BC when the Zhou dynasty took over. It can be found on the Bible Timeline Chart starting around 1704 BC. Primarily, the dynasty remained in the Yellow River, although there have been 5 different occasions when the capital was moved. However, it was in modern-day Anyang when the capital remained for over 250 years. The move was made possible by Pan Geng, the dynasty’s great ruler in 1384 BC. The Shang was regarded for their sophisticated use of bronze materials, which they used in making bells, fish hooks, pins, and other valuable items that enabled the production of axes. It was also during this era that structures were made, and these had walls made of pounded earth reaching about 9 meters in height. Ceremonial centers were also built, and these areas were constructed around other sites such as animal pens, storage pits and shops.

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care_for_elderly
They relied mostly on agricultural products.

Lifestyle and Practices

Since ancient Chinese people relied mostly on agricultural products, they were able to raise cattle, chicken and pigs for consumption. Moreover, they cultivated hemp for clothing while hunting was also practiced to make fur coats that helped the people survive bitter cold winters. As for the religion of the people in this dynasty, they believed mainly on worshipping ancestral spirits. They also considered Shang Di as their supreme God, which they also praised and worshipped through various rituals and traditions. In fact, decisions were often made with the help of the divine, and there were ancestral temples where people verified whether the choice they were to make would be a wise one or not. During this era, the king was considered as the ruler of the feudal system. This means, he had the right to call on other members of nobility for help once there is a need to fight against invaders. The culture practiced was also quite traditional. The oldest people were regarded as the ones closest to the great ancestors. Although the culture practiced was patriarchal, women can only become a matriarch in case she was the last and oldest survivor in her family.

China_polygomy
Kings in this dynasty had the right to marry several women.

Kings in this dynasty had the right to marry several women. Thus, polygamy was practiced by the nobles, although there were some kings who remained to be married to only one woman for the rest of their lives. Interestingly, there were oracle ones discovered that revealed a king who had 3 wives while 26 kings in the dynasty had just one wife until his death.

Care for the old was also practiced, as this was one way for the younger generation to show respect to their elderly. The people looked up to the oldest members of their family for guidance and wisdom, and the elderly people were offered deep respect and recognition as important members of the household and the society.

In the Shang, the culture and language of China developed immensely. There are also various pictograms and ideograms that showed the civilization of the people in this dynasty. Hence, the dynasty proved to be a great turning point in China’s history because of numerous contributions it made to the country’s unique culture.

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Midianites Subdued Israel, The

This occurred around 1200 BC where it is listed on the Bible Timeline Chart. The children of Israel ‘did evil in the sight of the Lord’ (Judges 6:1) and from that God caused them to be taken over by Midian for seven years. During that time the Midianites, Amalekites and those from the East went against Israel and pillaged their lands; leaving nothing to salvage. From this, the children of Israel were sorely grieved and prayed to the Lord.

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In response, God sent a prophet who told them of God’s mercy in taking them out of Egypt and protecting them. Because they had not obeyed, they were not kept safe.  Then Gideon prayed and asked God for his miracles to return to be saved from the Midianites. The Lord then told Gideon to go and save Israel. Gideon was unsure of his strength and told God of his meek circumstances. God assured him that he would prevail. (Judges 6:16) After offering a sacrifice towards the Lord and seeing an angel Gideon felt comforted and knew he would not be killed (Judges 6:17-23).

Israel_subdued_by_Midianites
‘Gideon and His Men Destroying the Altar of Baal’

Following God’s instruction during the night Gideon tore down the altar of Baal and replaced it with an altar for the Lord. Upon seeing this in the morning, the men of the city were angry and asked Joash for his son so they could kill him. In response, Joash stood and requested Baal to defend himself because it was his altar. Then he named Gideon Jerubbaal for throwing down the altar.

The Midianites, Amalekites and the ‘children of the East’ came together and put up their tents in the valley of Jezreel. Gideon (Jerubbaal) and his people woke early that morning and traveled along the well of Harod to keep the Midianites on their Northside. God then spoke to Gideon and told him his army was too great and would boast of themselves and not the Lord if they were victorious. So Gideon asked for those who were afraid to return and was left with 10,000. This was still too many for the Lord. So only those who came by the water and drank by bringing their hands to their mouth instead of kneeling down were allowed to stay and fight; thus bringing the army down to only 300 men.

Before their attack, Gideon needed his fears comforted once more and so God sent him down before the attack with his servant Phurah to spy on the host. The army of his enemies was so vast it was innumerable. Upon closing in at hearing range, Gideon heard a man speaking of a dream he had received. “Behold I dreamed a dream, and, lo a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.” (James 7:13) The comrade of the man who spoke his dream interpreted it to mean that Midian would fall into the hand of Gideon with God’s help. So Gideon felt assured of his victory and feared no more.

That night Gideon and his men surrounded the camp of the Midianites. They all carried trumpets and empty pitchers with lamps inside. So upon Gideon’s command blew the trumpets, broke the pitchers, held up the lamps and cried, “The sword of the Lord, and Gideon”. The men in the camp were frightened and turned upon each other and fled.

Gideon then gathered all his men to battle with the Midianites until victory and Israel were set free. He declined the offer to become King and upon his death Israel went back to idolatry.

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Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah
‘Shofar (by Alphonse Lévy) Caption says: “To a good year” – A shofar, symbol of the Rosh Hashanah holiday’

This holiday is the start of the ‘High Holy Days’ for the Jewish people. It is a celebration of Adam and Eve, and a time to plan for the new year based on lessons learned from the past.  This holiday starts a 10 day phase of repentance closing with ‘Yom Kippur’ which is through the evenings of Oct 3 & 4. This allotted time is referred to as the ‘Days of Awe’ when many will attempt to right wrongs towards those who had been insulted from the year before.  It is thought that God records names in books to decide who will live, die, enjoy a nice life or vise versa. This is done on Rosh Hashanah and finalized at Yom Kippur. What people have done (repented, prayed, good deeds) through this time period could change the outcome. Based on the depth of commitment many will take off work and avoid technology. This is the most valued Jewish celebration where they are expected to fast for 25 hours starting at the sunset the day before Yom Kippur and ending by nightfall the day of. During this time most will done white as a reflection of being clean.

 

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Jewish Festivals and Feast Days

Fall is a beautiful time of year and a wonderful transition of seasons with vast amounts of colorful changes. It marks the beginning of many gatherings and celebrations with family and friends.  The nation of Israel was commanded by God to partake in specific feast days in order to honor Him and commemorate certain events in their history.  Several of these feast days take place during the autumn season, and the remainder are celebrated in the spring.

The most important celebrations from the Old Testament listed in order are: Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles or ‘Ingathering’). Along with that, Israel kept the Sabbath weekly and had a feast for every New Moon.

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These events did many things for the people of Israel. It gave the people a chance to come together and enjoy a common link. It was an act of honor to remember and show others the story of God’s help through the exodus and sojourn. It was a way of teaching many lessons learned from doing wrong, judging and forgiving. It was an act of thanks towards God and showed trust in him as opposed to relying on material value. It also gave a promise for the future in greater things to come. The festivals were so influential that it is no wonder the biggest feasts were all somehow mentioned in the New Testament. Keeping in mind that over celebrating or tainting the holidays attracted God’s displeasure and foreboding from the prophets. (Isa 1:13-14)

Feast of Passover (Pesach) and Unleavened Bread (Mazzot)

The barley-harvest festival eventually combined the dedication of the Exodus, when the Hebrews were freed from Egypt. It started out as a celebration inside the home where a perfect lamb was killed and then eaten. Then it’s blood was put on the tops of the doors with a branch of hyssop. (Exodus 12:1-13, 21-28, 43-49; John 19:29) This was done on the 14th of Nisan/Abib (‘Day of Preparation’). The Passover meal was done right after the sun went down which was the start of the 15th day according to the Jewish calendar.

The Unleavened Bread feasts lasted 7 days and can be linked to the Exodus as well because the Hebrews were not allowed time to let the bread rise when they were departing Egypt (Exodus 12:14-20; 13:3-10). Putting both events together turned it into a huge event where many traveled to the Jerusalem Temple in order to offer a sacrificial lamb (Leviticus 23:4-14; Num 9:2-5; 28:16-25; Deut 16:1-8).

In today’s Judaism all of the ‘Song of Songs’ is spoken inside the synagogue at the time of Pesach.

Feast of Weeks (Pentecost or Shavuot)

            The original ‘Wheat-Harvest’ celebration was at some point scheduled to occur 7 weeks (50 days for the Hebrews) after the Passover (Leviticus 23:15-21; Numbers 28:26; Deuteronomy 16:9-12; 34:22). Eventually, it evolved into a dedication towards the gift of the Torah on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19-20).

Today’s Judaism read the Book of Ruth at the time of the Feast of Shavuot.

Autumns_of
Barley

Firstfruits This occurred at the start of the harvest and symbolized Israel’s thankfulness towards and reliance on God. (Leviticus 23:9-14). Firstfruits can mean two things resit gasir (‘beginning of harvest’) or bikkuim. Resit can translate into ‘first’ such as ‘the first to appear’ or ‘best’. Bikkurim makes it clearer from its definition ‘firstfruits to appear’ similar to bekor or ‘firstborn’. Firstfruits is mentioned in Leviticus 23:9-14 along with the Feast of Unleavened bread and was primarily about the barley harvest. However, there was an offering of firstfruits linked with the Feast of Weeks (Numbers 28:26-31) focusing on the wheat harvest. It appears that the Israelites took the ‘firstfruits’ of the harvest to the Lord and different occasions throughout the growing seasons, and that there was a specific firstfruits celebration each year linked with the Passover, 7 weeks prior to Pentecost (Lev 23:15). This festival was a declaration of trust and gratitude for all he had done for them in freeing them from Egypt and providing them with food.

Autumn_Celebrations
‘A Western depiction of the Pentecost, painted by Jean II Restout, 1732.’

The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost)

            Seven weeks after Passover (Lev 23:15; Deut 16:9) Pentecost was celebrated. This was at the end of the grain harvest. Similar to firstfruits it occurred right after the Sabbath. Deuteronomy 16:10 asks participants to give an offering according to the amount of harvest they had gathered that season with Leviticus 23:17-20 and Numbers 28:27-30 listing directions for priests who were directed to offer in the name of the nations.

The Pentecost was highly regarded as the day that the ‘Spirit was poured out on the church’. It started around the Book of Joel when there was a disastrous locust infestation that devastated Israel. Each kind of farming, even the grapes, olives, wheat, barley, figs, pomegranates, and apples were consumed. (Joe 1:7-12) The livestock had nothing to eat, and the extent of the damage was highlighted by drought (1:19-20). Despite this, Joel called everyone together to repent and pray (2:12-17) then foretold of a recovery (2:21-27). He then announced that the Spirit would be ‘pour out’ over everyone despite gender, age or social standing (Joel 2:28-32). He combined the analogy of farming and material prosperity to ‘spiritual restoration’.

The Feast of Trumpets

There was a law for the first day of the seventh month (Tishri) to be a holiday and holy gathering for sacrifice (Lev 23:23-25; Num 29:1-6). Numbers 29:1 calls it ‘a day of trumpet blast’ which is why it is referred to as The Feast of Trumpets. Even though every new moon was celebrated with the Israelites, the new moon of the seventh month was particularly accentuated. It is theorized that the Feast of Trumpets was a type of New Years Day, and Autumn might have been the start of the New Year.

Autumn_Yom_Kippur
‘Jews Praying in the Synagogue on Yom Kippur, by Maurycy Gottlieb (1878)’

The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)

This was a very somber day to be respected and focused on ‘atoning for the sin of the people’. It is written about in depth in Leviticus 16 and punctuates the point of the holiday ‘The Lord spoke to Moses ‘after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they approached the Lord’’(Lev 16:1). It was held on the tenth day of the seventh month. Those who took God lightly were punished such as Aaron’s son were. A priest performed a ceremonial sacrifice as an offering of atonement for his people and even though it is not well known how the sacrifices were done; it is apparent that such acts left a strong feeling of following God’s commandments or facing his anger. Read more about this holiday in this article: Rosh Hashanah.

Feast of Booths (Tabernacles of Ingathering)

This occurred in Tishri 15, 5 days following the Day of Atonement which might have been the middle of October. It is referred to in Leviticus 23:33-43 and Deut 16:13-15. The most account of how the week transpired is found n Numbers 29:12-40. For a weak the people of Israel gave gifts to the Lord and stayed in huts created from palm fronds and leafy trees. The reasoning being doing so was in remembrance of their travels before coming to Canaan. (Lev 23:43) The sacrifices offered to the Lord during this time were vast: 71 bulls, 15 rams, 105 lambs, and 8 goats; where they were entirely burnt with fire and no man was allowed to eat of the meat. This accentuated the lesson that everything from the ‘promised land’ was given to them by God and that they should become prideful or ungrateful.

The Frequent Holidays: The Sabbath

            This day occurred every 7th day in honor of the creation (Exod 20:11) and the Exodus (Deut 5:15). This was a very special time and something to not be forgotten or overlooked. (Num 15:32-36). With time it would evolve into a subject of disagreement from the Jewish leaders against Jesus (Matt 12:1-14; John 9:16). However, the Sabbath was the foundation of significant religious progression inside the New Testament (John 5:16-30; Heb 3:7-4:11).

The Feast of the New Moon

On the first day of every new moon there is a celebration with trumpets and a dedicated sacrifice (Num 10:10; 28:11-15). Since it is a frequent day of worship it is frequently brought up in conjunction with the Sabbath (2 Kings 4:23; Amos 8:5).

click here for a list of fun ideas to keep fall Christian centered.