Frequently Asked Questions About Hebrew Roots

Hebrew Roots FAQ's and Myths

Sacrifices, Feasts, Celebrations

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Myth: Zechariah 14:16 is The Biblical Reason for Keeping the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot):

A. Zechariah 14:16 is used by Messianics and Hebrew Roots people to justify the keeping of Sukkot.

Zechariah 14:16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.

Zechariah 14:16 cannot apply to believers because the Feast of Tabernacles requires a sacrifice for sin. All the feasts did - that was the *prerequisite* requirement for observance for ALL of the Mosaic Law. Without the shed blood of animals on the altar, no one can observe/keep any of the feasts. This is why the book of Hebrews is so "dangerous" to those in the Hebrew Roots movement and why it is either ignored or reapplied by the HR community or deleted out of the NT, which some  have done.

The feasts were a spiritual "picture", so to speak, of who Jesus was, what He would do, and how He would bring in the New Covenant through the sacrifice of Himself. So we must not only look at how He fulfilled the feasts physically, but spiritually as well.

Luke 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 And ye are witnesses of these things.

It is not necessary to "practice" or make the feasts a "dress rehearsal". Israel "practiced" and "rehearsed" for 1,500 years and could not get it "right". They disobeyed and rebelled. They were Jewish and had that perfect "Hebraic mind set" that the Hebrew Roots Movement teaches all must have. They understood perfectly why they should keep the feasts and what would happen if they didn't [cursed and dispersed]. Yet they refused to do so. Jesus came to fulfill, to accomplish what the feasts and keeping the Law could not do. This is why He is the perfect sacrificial Lamb - for all sin, once and for all sacrifices. No one can do more or "practice" or "rehearse" what has already been completed in perfect righteousness  Jesus said, "It is finished". We either believe that or we don't.

Chapter 14 of Zechariah shows the glory of Christ when He came for all men. He is Lord of all. He is the King of Glory. From Him flows the living waters. Those who do not accept Christ are "Egypt" - still in sin. Those who do not accept Him will be consumed by fire and eternal torment in hell [the plague]. People come up to "Jerusalem", who is Jesus Christ, daily to worship Him and come to salvation in Him. In Christ there is no darkness, for He is the Light of the World. There are so many verses in the NT that show fulfillment of this particular feast - note the spiritual application in the verses below.

This is what Jesus said on the last day of that great feast, compared with Zechariah 14:16-19:

John 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Zechariah 14:8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

John 11:49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

Galatians 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Revelation 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

Revelation 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God *is* with men , and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
 

As with all the prophets, when we read them we encounter a mixture of both literal and spiritual prophecies. Therefore we cannot take a whole prophetic book to be either JUST literal or JUST spiritual. As with all the prophets there is a mix of the two. And some are fulfilled in the lifetime of the prophet and some are fulfilled at a later time.

Phrases such as: drinking from the wells of salvation cannot be taken just literally.
Are we to assume that when God speaks of withholding rain from a nation that He is merely talking about future climatological conditions? If we take Zechariah 14:16 to be literal, how on earth do all the families of the earth fit into Jerusalem? And if some from that country fail to come why should the whole country suffer from no rain?

It makes more sense to read verses from a spiritual understanding and application.

Zechariah 11 to 14 seems to be speaking specifically to the time when the Old Covenant is broken and the New one ushered in. However, Zechariah 14:16 is used by Messianics and Hebrew Roots people to justify the keeping of Sukkot. The trouble here is that they are taking the context of Zechariah 11 to 14, and especially 14 to mean somewhere in the future.

Zechariah 14:16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.

Since the Scriptures interpret the Scriptures we need to follow the lead of the Gospel writer John, who saw in these chapters the fulfillment in Jesus.

Zechariah 14:8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. 9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

John 4:10-14 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 11. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 12. Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13. Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

These appear to have both literal and spiritual fulfillment. An important thing to consider is this.

Did post Zechariah ( and up to the time of Jesus ) people of all nations come up to Jerusalem to worship God?

The answer of course is most definitely yes. Zechariah was giving hope to those returning from the Babylonian captivity to rebuild and restore Jerusalem. He assured them that people would flock en masse to Jerusalem to observe Sukkot. We know from the book of Acts that Jews most certainly did flock to Jerusalem for the observance of the three pilgrim feasts and that they came from all over the world.

Acts 2:5-11 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8. And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 9. Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10. Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11. Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

In Zechariah 14 there was also a particular mention to Egypt. At the time of Jesus, Egypt was not the spiritually dark and oppressive country it is today. Many Jews lived in Egypt (indeed Jesus and His parents took refuge there when fleeing from Herod) and the prophecy addressing them then is far more relevant than to us now. This warning would serve to encourage Jews in Egypt and other nations not to neglect the attendance of the three major feasts.

As noted above, we see that Jesus himself interpreted parts of Zechariah's prophecies spiritually, as shown in the Gospel of John.

John 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

The living waters mentioned in Zechariah and also Ezekiel 47 are not taken to be actual drinking water by Jesus, are they? When Jesus says, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink,
He is not speaking of actual water is He? It clearly says He was speaking of the Holy Spirit which all who believed Him, would receive.

So, when Zechariah refers to rain among the people could he be actually referring to something other than physical rain?

Many take Zechariah 12:10 to be applied to the time when Jesus returns and when they say Jews will en masse suddenly believe. Yet John applies this verse to Jesus when He is actually there pierced at the Cross.

Zechariah 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

John 19:37. And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

So that part of Zechariah 12:10 was fulfilled 2000 years ago. Many who ignore that these verses mean they have been fulfilled, believe:

1. there is no need to witness to Jews because in the end they all be saved according to Romans 11:26 and Zech 12:10

2. the Jews did not have opportunity to know salvation through Christ so "all Israel will be saved" according to Zech 12:10

3. those who do not agree are heretics and apostates.

Even if Zechariah 12:10 should be applied to when Christ returns, how does the concept of "they shall mourn for him" and "they shall be in bitterness for him" compare to what the return of Christ means to believers.

1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

2 Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Versus:

Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

How can one love His appearing, or rejoice in His appearing, but be in bitterness, wail and mourn for Him? We are told to rejoice at the hope of His coming.

Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Romans 5:1-2 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Php 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Other examples of prophecies that were fulfilled:

John 19:33-37 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: 34. But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. 35. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

36. For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

Psalm 34:20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.

Regarding the prophecies and promises to Israel. Jesus was/is the New Covenant. Peter stated, amongst other prophecies being fulfilled at that time, that the Holy Spirit they received in Acts 2--those of Israel and then Gentiles also--was the fulfillment of the promise given to the nation of Israel. There isn't another time for the salvation of the Nation of Israel. It was offered because of the New Covenant promised by God, fulfilled in Christ. The promise of salvation and the Holy Spirit was for all Israel and for ALL those who believed Christ, and His being the fulfillment of the promises.

Acts 2:16 But **this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; ** 17 And it shall come to pass *in the last days, saith God***, I will pour out of my Spirit upon *all* flesh:*** and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: ...[*your sons and your daughters is referring to the people of the nation of Israel]

Act 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that ***whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. ***
Act 2:22 ***Ye men of Israel,*** hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: ...

Acts 2:33-39 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, ***and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost,***he hath shed forth this, ***which ye now see and hear.*** 34. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35. Until I make thy foes thy footstool.

36. ***Therefore let *all* the house of Israel know*** assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 37. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

38. Then Peter said unto them, ***Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins,*** and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.*** 39. ***For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off,***even as many as the Lord our God shall call.***

Act 2:40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, **Save yourselves from this untoward generation. ***
41 ***Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.***

Here we see Peter clearly stating to the people/nation of Israel that they needed to repent and be baptized into Christ and they would receive the promise of the Holy Ghost. The promise was Given by God to who? "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off..." It was given to the nation of Israel, and to their children and to ALL that are afar off (meaning Gentiles) and to all who God calls.

John 6:44-47 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. 46. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. 47. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

It is a false claim that some hold to, that the covenant and promises were not given to Israel "yet." Or that they didn't have a chance to accept Christ because God hardened their hearts. Israel was blinded "in part", because of disobedience and turning from God. The casting away of Israel was proven to have been for a limited time. Otherwise there would be no record of any Jews coming to Jesus Christ. And from the apostles on, there have been thousands upon thousands who have come to Christ--out of the nation of Israel and all nations of the Gentiles. We have another record of this truth, found in Galatians:

Galatians 4:4-5  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,  5.  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

The Scriptures also say:

Isaiah 49:6 And he said, ***It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob,*** and to restore the preserved of Israel:***I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. ***

Romans 15:8-11 Now I say that ***Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: *** 9. And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. 10. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. 11. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.

Romans 15:12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

 

Matthew 21:4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

 

Matthew 1:21-23 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Keep in mind that Jesus fulfilled the prophecies concerning the New Covenant and the Messianic prophecies. The promise to Israel having salvation offered them was fulfilled in Christ. Who will come to Christ - of both Jews and Gentiles - has not been completed in that it is not the end of the age

Every opportunity has been given to the Jews first, aka the nation of Israel, and then the Gentiles. Jesus went first to "the house of Israel". But we see He also spoke to and healed non-Jews.

Matthew 15:24-28 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. 28. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

When Jesus sent the disciples out initially, they were told to go to the House of Israel. To the Jews first, then the Gentiles, so prophecy would be fulfilled and there would be no excuse for not knowing the Truth.

Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Hebrews 8:8-10 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 9. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 10. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

 

Hebrews 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. 13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Romans 4:13-18 ***For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. *** 14. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:  15. Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. 16. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17. (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

 

Romans 9:3-8 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4. Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5. Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

To deny these truths is to deny Scripture, and the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. Jesus Himself alludes to Zechariah 13 when He says:

Matthew 26:31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

Matthew 26:53-54 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54. But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

Matthew 26:56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

Zechariah 13:6-7 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. 7. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

To Jesus the ingathering had begun. The time when all nations are gathered to Christ which is behind the theme of the Feast of Tabernacles. Jesus doesn’t consider the ingathering to begin some time 2000 years plus after He spoke those words. He said the time for ingathering of the nations to Him began then. The Messianic age according to Jesus had began. He never mentioned a millennium when then the nations would come to know Him.

John 4:34-36 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 35. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 36. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

The Feast of Tabernacles and The Millennial Reign:

Due to many rejecting the Scriptures that Jesus said He fulfilled the prophets, many other issues become twisted. There are many theories about the millennial reign of Jesus Christ within Hebrew Roots. Some of these include a third Temple where the sacrifices will be instituted as “practice” or a “rehearsal” for Christians [who are ignorant of the true meaning]. Upon Christ’s return, because He is the High Priest Melchizedek, He will oversee these sacrifices – some have said that He will not only officiate, but will actually slaughter the animals Himself. More of the millennial reign of Christ includes Torah teaching by Jesus, who will instruct all Christians, who have been outside Messianic understandings, the full Torah and application as well as what the sacrificial system “really means”. The implication and understanding of Messianics is that they will be “reigning” with Christ over “Christians” because they already have fuller knowledge of the Law [although some agree that Messianics will also be tutored by Christ during this time].

To reiterate, the millennium will be a Torah observant season and practiced to the full extent of the Law - where *all* believers will submit to the Law of Moses. 

The foundation for these teachings is Zechariah 14 due to the mention of the Feast of Tabernacles.  It is then applied to the millennial reign, appearing to be a future event at the end of this age.  As we have already explained, this passage has been fulfilled in Christ upon His birth, suffering, death, and resurrection. The future Temple is also based on Ezekiel 40-48, which was a *vision* and was fully fulfilled in Christ.  We are the Temple of the Holy Spirit.  To rebuild another Temple where Christ will supposedly reign is to ask – will the Holy Spirit be taken from believers to indwell the Temple once again as He did in the old covenant?

To say that the feasts will be re-instituted at some future point completely disannuls the entire Book of Hebrews which explains fully, and without compromise, that Jesus Christ died once and for all – for *all* sin, for *all* time.  Christians really do understand this concept, but it appears that those who teach a future sacrificial system categorically contradict this truth.  Hebrews clearly shows that Jesus is not after the order of Aaron [Levitical – old covenant] and therefore cannot officiate over animal sacrifices.  He is of the new order [new covenant] of Priesthood – Melchizedek – who is the High Priest forever.  He completed and fulfilled the old covenant sacrificial system – Jesus Christ overturned it by becoming the Pure and Spotless, Blameless and Sinless Lamb of God.  He is the New Covenant, having purchased us by His precious blood. To place His Priesthood on equal status with the Levitical one, is to deny that He is Savior and Redeemer from *all* sin. 

The Torah teaching and observance in the Millennium canard is wishful thinking by those who support that concept.  No where is there any hint that Torah will be kept, practiced, or instructed during the millennium.  All promoters of this teaching have exceedingly twisted and distorted the Word of God for their own end. The Bible clearly shows us that we will be worshiping God/Jesus Christ for all eternity, not slaughtering animals and studying how to clean mold out of our houses.  As someone once said – Peace on earth will reign with Jesus as our King, but the animals will be fleeing for their lives - if one believes this scenario.

Note: "Strong's" for Hebrew and Greek Word definitions from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance by James Strong

"Thayers" >  Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament

"BDB" >Brown-Driver-Brigg's Hebrew Definitions

All Scripture King James Version unless otherwise stated

                Copyright . All articles are the sole property of SeekGod.ca and Vicky Dillen. All Scripture King James Version unless otherwise stated.

Now is the time to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. "Behold now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation."  2Corinthians 6:2

If you read only one article on this website,
please let it be:

God's Simple Plan of Salvation.
It concerns the most important decision
you will ever make in your life!
Don't let this opportunity to be saved pass you by.

If you don't know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and would like some help understanding His gift of eternal salvation, please contact us. Saying a prayer won't save you. Prayer is merely expressing to God how you feel. Believing and repenting are just the beginning of walking with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.