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By Mark Ostrowski
In the Michael W Smith song "Open the Eyes of my Heart", the singer cries out to have the eyes of their heart opened to see the Lord high and lifted up shining in the light of His glory. Is this the cry of your heart? Do you desire to have the Lord open your eyes to His glory? If He showed you something new, would you follow Him?
There is a movement underfoot whose heavenly undertow is drawing people of faith toward a fresh and vibrant revelation. He is revealing something new, yet it is old. Not of religion or man-made edict, but the substance of Godly revelation.
It is the realization that the Jewish Messiah, Jesus, whose name in Hebrew is Yeshua and means Salvation, came not to abolish the Torah and the Prophets, but to uphold them. He lived observing the feasts of Adonai (The Lord) and never taught against them. He was and is and forever will be the living Torah.
If you are not Jewish, you most likely will call the books of Moses along with the Prophets and the other historic and poetic writings in the first three quarters of the Bible, the Old Testament.
It is anything but old. It is a valid truth that we ignore at our own peril. In these days, the Almighty is stirring in the hearts of His called-out ones revealing that He has never laid aside His right rulings as laid out in the first thirty-nine books of His Word.
Something new, that is old. What is this Glory of the Lord high and lifted up, shining out that we see when He opens the eyes of our hearts? It is the beauty of our Messiah throughout His Word and particularly in the Feast Day celebrations. This is the reality to which many are being stirred as they cry out to have the eyes of their hearts opened. As they willingly follow Him, He reveals the beauty of His word undiminished.
Messiah Yeshua came and walked faithfully according to the scriptures delivered to Moses and the prophets of old. They spoke of Him as the living Word of Elohim (God) and He faithfully observed the Holy Scriptures, including the seventh day Sabbath and each of the Spring and Fall Feasts. As we understand His work and ministry we come to recognize that He is the central focus of these Feasts.
Currently, we are in the midst of the Spring Feast season. Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits (Resurrection), and The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost). He is the sinless Passover Lamb. He was Sacrificed after observing the Passover meal (Seder) with His Disciples on Wednesday Evening, crucified on Thursday, hurriedly entombed before sundown on the first High Holy Day of Unleavened Bread, Friday, remaining entombed over the weekly Sabbath, Saturday, and rising from the grave on First Fruits, Sunday. Three Days, Three nights. Just as the sign given by the Prophet Jonah.
Messianic Believers, both Jewish and non-Jewish are those who view the entire Bible as valid and follow the Lord in His Biblical cycles. They observe the seventh day sabbath along with the Feasts of The Lord, which are a delight and not at all burdensome. Indeed, His yoke is easy, and His burden is light (Mat 11:30). These are the appointed times of the Messiah.
As our Jewish Brethren receive Yeshua as Savior they move into the fullness of Passover in Messiah and they are able to celebrate the Spring Feasts with a fuller knowledge of God's redemptive work in Yeshua. On the other side of the Matzah, many Christians are now observing Passover and have begun moving away from the pagan laced holiday of Easter, instead observing the Biblical Feast of First Fruits wherein Christ has been raised from the dead, the First Fruits of those who have fallen asleep (1Cor15:20).
The Hallmark of Messiah's return at the end of the age will happen in conjunction with the Fall Feasts; Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles, bringing both judgment and restoration. Judgment to a pagan, godless world, and restoration to His beloved.
The Lord is life affirming and all about fellowship. As one observes His Feast Day cycles, they will enjoy a minimum of sixty-one Days of fellowship per year. Fifty-two Sabbaths and nine high days. If you hang out and camp all week for the Feast of Tabernacles, you'll be connecting with your family of faith sixty-six days per year! It doesn't get any better than this. We're going to spend eternity together, why not start now?
As our congregation enjoys a leisurely seventh day sabbath, we end each service with a fellowship meal, helping us get to know each other better and love one another more deeply. This is the hallmark of His Glory, pouring out the power of His love into our hearts and lives as we walk according to His cycles and observe His Feast Days. He really is an Incredible God and we do well to show Him our love through our obedience by following Him in His Feast Day Cycles.
May the eyes of your heart be opened to this new old thing He is doing on the Earth these days. May you have the strength to follow Him accordingly and may you be blessed in this season of His Spring Feasts. Shalom.
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Mark Ostrowski serves as Pastor at Lev Y'shua Messianic Congregation. He can be reached at shalom@levyshua.org The congregation gathers every Saturday at 1 p.m. in Belleville. For more info see www.levyshua.org