Leaning into the shadow, we await His return

"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." Matthew 24:36

When you see the crescent new moon this weekend (perhaps tonight... perhaps tomorrow night), you will be experiencing the "day no man knows" in the year 2026 - Yom Teruah, the Feast of Trumpets. (Leviticus 23) But why does this matter? And what does it mean?

LOTS.

There is a feast here for those hungry to search the living-Word for their hidden treasures.

When Moses was given the heavenly blueprint for the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, He was instructed to, "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain." (Exodus 25:40, 26:30)

"The place where they serve is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” Hebrew 8:5

Keep this word 'shadow' in your mind for later.

All throughout Scripture, we read that Yahweh has His own way of doing things. The phrase, "My ways" is used repeatedly throughout the Bible, originating from the Hebrew word 'qaneh,' meaning, "measuring line." As the people of God, we are to 'measure' everything we do in our lives by this proverbial measuring line of truth, to see to it that we are living within the framework of God's set-apart ways.

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares YHWH. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

We can distill this beautiful passage from Isaiah down to one simple truth: As Creator of the universe and everything in-between, Yahweh-God alone possess the power to determine the Divine design and purpose of all things. Nature bends to His will. The laws of the universe are His. The skies obey Him, the waters obey Him, air and fire obey Him - all of Creation yields to His bidding. (Psalm 147:15)

Yahweh's Divine design holds countless mysteries to search out and discover. It is the glory of Kings to seek the treasures found within the Person of God! Man has only scratched the surface of discovery when it comes to the intellectual, biological, quantum, and spiritual brilliance of our Creator-God. Of the many hidden treasures given and discover-able in God's Word, one such beauty is His calendar.

Yah keeps meticulous records of the affairs of mankind, weaving His narrative into a carefully calculated codex of events - past, present, and future.

Genesis 1:14 says the lights in the firmament are for His moedim - His appointed times and seasons. The whole point of the heavenly bodies is to inform creation of His appointed times - His feasts and fast. He told us this in the first chapter of our Bible!

As I came into the understanding of God's calendar, it felt very foreign to me to observe YHWH's feasts. I had no history with them, no warm fuzzies, no deep revelation - just a willingness to obey because love compelled me. Over the years, my obedience has matured into a deep understanding of how out of sync I was with the rhythms of heaven and how rich the table set before us really is. Moses was instructed to follow the heavenly model exactly and not stray from it. And. He was commanded to obey the heavenly precepts exactly - not to add to them or take away from them. Paul tells us to do the same. "Imitate me as I imitate Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1) He writes to the Colossians:

"Therefore, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form. And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority... Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath.These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ. Colossians 2:6-10, 16-17

Again we see this imagery of God using a heavenly template to "cast a shadow" for mankind to follow instead of the 'human traditions' mentioned earlier in the passage. Paul uses the same Greek word used in Hebrews - 'skia' / 'shadow.' Keeping Yahweh's feasts, his new moon celebrations, and His Sabbath days are in fact how we walk in the shadow of Christ.

This passage has been used out of context for far too long. When searched and studied and put within it's first century context, it is clear Paul is encouraging his readers to continue walking in the set-apart ways and holy days of Creator YHWH. This is abiding in the vine. This is dwelling in the shadow of Almighty God... keeping lock-step with His times and seasons.

The biblical feasts are laden with spiritual meaning and depth.

I have come to believe there is no end to the revelation incoming through these sacred times of rest, remembrance, repentance, and worship. A deeper revelation of Yeshua is present within each and every one of YHWH's holy days. Why else would He have given them to His people? His ways do not cease to be 'good' because of their proximity to the cross.

YHWH God keeps time like a master technician and works all things through His calendar of precisely timed events. Yeshua was the Lamb slain before the foundations of the world. Heaven's library is full of detailed accounts of human history. And if you want to consider a real brain-bender... what if they were written before a single day had played out? (Psalm 139:16)

Yom Teruah, His Feast of Trumpets begins this weekend with the spotting of the new moon. It was the coronation day for the new Kings of Israel, a day of feasting and rejoicing, a day when every knee in the kingdom would bow, and every tongue confess the kingship of the King of Israel.... it is the day we rehearse the return of King Yeshua. (Leviticus 23, 1 Thess 4:16-18) And no one knows the day or hour that new moon will be first seen, but we will be waiting in expectation, with our families rejoicing before God, feasting together and blowing the shofar, welcoming our King HOME.

Yom Kippur is 10 days later (Leviticus 23). It is the Day of Atonement. In Israel's past, it was the day the High Priest entered into the Holy of Holies to offer a sacrifice to God for the sins of the nation. On this day in the future, the books will be opened and person who has lived will give account before YHWH for the things done and said in the body. (Revelation 20:11

Sukkot, or the Feast of Tabernacles is shortly following Atonement, September 25th-October 2nd. An 8 day party in which Israel is commanded to rejoice, feast, live in tents, offer sacrifices, and remember that the same God who tabernacled with Israel in the wilderness, is the same God who tabernacled with man through the body of Yeshua, is the same God who will RETURN to tabernacle with man once again when He reigns as KING of the earth from Jerusalem. (Ezekiel 37:26; Revelation 21:3-5)

There is a feast here for those who want to mine the Scriptures for their riches.

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. James 4:8

In the dirt of ancient roads is the narrow path, winding. Twisting and turning, leading through valleys to places of still water. Where the Good Shepherd leads, we will follow. Leaning into the shadow, our refuge and strength.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1