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The Sacred Calendar

Reading Leviticus 23

1. A CALENDAR IS ESSENTIAL

Imagine a world without a calendar. Imagine a world where there are no answers to the question When? Imagine the confusion there would be in the following:

Without a calendar total confusion would reign in the world. In other words a calendar is an absolute essential for an organised society. No thinker will dispute that fact.

2. TYPES OF CALENDARS

Every civilization has/d its own calendar: Islamic, Japanese, Grecian, Indian, Chinese and the popular Roman (Gregorian) calendar; which was originally patterned on the calendar of ancient Egypt. This is the calendar which hangs on the wall of virtually every office in the civilised world.

Jehovah's Calendar
The Sacred Calendar of the God of Israel is not a Jewish calendar; though the Jews use it. It's not Stewarton Bible School's calendar, though we use it. And it's not your calendar, though you may or may not use it. It is Jehovah's calendar. He wrote the systems specifications for it. He wrote and compiled the program which currently makes it run. Above all, Jehovah uses it. All His historical records, legal procedures and appointments relate to His own calendar. Historical and prophetic dates throughout Scripture are geared to the sacred calendar. Get that fact straight and the Time prophecies of Scripture will come alive.

Gen.1: 14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

3.YAHWEH'S HISTORICAL RECORDS

The Bible contains scores of examples where the dates of historical events are given. Consider a few examples:

4.YAHWEH'S PLANS

Prophecy is simply another word for Yahweh's plans for mankind. The Almighty's plans and appointments are our future. Yes the Most High and His Son Jesus have appointments: Consider this list of sacred appointments in Leviticus chapter 23.

5. JEHOVAH'S LEGAL DOCUMENTS

Jehovah (Yahweh) is the supreme Monarch of the mighty universe, the highest authority in all space and time. Nothing can ever take place without His permission. By His Holy Spirit He writes, signs and seals legal documents in the presence of witnesses. These documents are sealed and signed according to His own will and are dated according to His own calendar.

6. THE COMING SPIRITUAL ELECTION

A great spiritual election (registration) is just before us. Before the Saviour's first coming a similar census was ordered by Caesar Augustus.

Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2: (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3: And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4: And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5: To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6: And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7: And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Before the Saviour's second coming another registration of all the world will be made. In it every man, woman and child will have to declare his/her allegiance for Jehovah the LORD God of Israel, or Satan the Devil. Accepting the Name or Signature of Yahweh in the forehead (the mind) is a vote for Him. Accepting the signature or Mark of the Beast in the mind is a vote for Satan. The Two witnesses will witness your choice. (Rev.11) And all the world will have to vote one way or the other.

Rev.13: 11-18 Read this passage.

The Mark of the Beast manifests itself in observing the bogus weekly sabbath of Sunday and the other pagan festivals in manmade calendars: festivals such as Easter,  Christmas, Hallowe'en, Ash Wednesday etc. All these are pagan festivals which have somehow inveigled their way into the Christian calendar. They are not sanctioned in the Scriptures.

7. IN THE MILLENNIUM & THROUGHOUT ETERNITY

Yahweh's Sabbath days and Jubilee years will be observed throughout the coming millennium and through eternity as 'memorials of salvation.' These memorials will never be forgotten any more than the Redeemer to whom they point.

Zachariah 14:1 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
2: For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3: Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
4: And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south...
6: And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark:
7: But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.
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
11: And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.
12: And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.
13: And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.
14: And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.
15: And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this plague.
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.

The Bible tells us that the Creator has scheduled Himself to make all things new. This means He will also make a new universe in which sin and suffering will never arise. Here are the Bible verses concerning this astonishing promise.

Rev.21: 1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2: And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
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.
4: And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5: And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6: And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7: He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

In the Old Testament the same promise is made. There we see the ransomed of the LORD going up month by month and Sabbath by Sabbath to worship the LORD. This is strong evidence that months and Sabbath days will continue on the new earth.

Isaiah 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
23: And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and FROM ONE SABBATH TO ANOTHER, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

These are sure words. They will all come true. They bear the guarantee of God Himself. Christians who ignore them, do so at their own peril. As mentioned earlier the sacred calendar of Israel's God came into being at the creation of the universe. Bible prophecies confirm that this calendar - and the Sabbath days in it - will continue throughout time as long as the new universe exists. No amount of unbelief or argument can annul these facts. They are as eternal as the Almighty God Himself.

The reader will do well to come into line with the Almighty's calendar - now! In this respect:

Is all this possible? Most certainly it is and you do not have much time to make up your mind to believe and obey. My prayer is that the Holy Ghost will move you to Trust and Obey God.

Amen

Elder: David B Loughran

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October 1999
Stewarton Bible School, Stewarton, Scotland