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Events
September 2008 Open House
Date: 9/06/2008
Through: 9/27/2008
Beit Ya'acov Messianic Synagogue will have "OPEN HOUSE" Sabbath Services every Saturday in September welcoming all, regardless of faith background.
!! -> PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW SHABBAT SERVICE LOCATION <- !!
Beit Ya'acov Messianic Synagogue
(In The Calvary Chapel)
121 Nob Hill Rd, Madison, WI 53713
608/663-2790 OR: 800/478-9916
www.madison.com/communities/beityaacov
Rosh Hashannah (Yom Teruah)
Date: 9/30/2008
Through: 10/09/2008
Rosh Hashanah (really Yom Teruah) is Scripturally known as the Feast of Trumpets. It begins on the first day of the seventh month in the biblical calendar. So Rosh Hashanah isn't really the Jewish New Year. Rosh Hashanah has become a time of family gatherings, special meals and sweet tasting foods. It is biblically a day of blowing the Shofar and begins a ten day period known as "Days of Awe" lasting until Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah is also viewed as a day of judgment -- where people examine their lives for sin, and have ten days to make peace with those whom they have hurt, or broken promises to.
Rosh Hashanah can be linked to the resurrection, Yeshua may have had Rosh Hashanah in mind when he spoke of Israel's regathering in Matthew 24:31
Traditional foods eaten on Rosh Hashanah are sweet -- items sweetened with honey -- and lots of apple dishes. For the evening's meal, it is traditional to eat apple slices dipped in honey.
Yom Kippur - The Day of Atonement
Date: 10/09/2008
Yom Kippur is the most solemn day of the Jewish year and concludes the Ten Days of Awe. We are commanded to observe in Leviticus 23:29. Many interpret these instructions to mean fasting; and Yom Kippur is a solemn day of prayer. Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year. It is the day to seek forgiveness for vows broken --- vows between man and G-d and between each other. On Yom Kippur, food, marital relations, washing, wearing leather shoes, and use of lotions/colognes, etc., are traditionally avoided -- it is a solemn time; a time of confession and prayer -- admitting the guilt of our sin and asking G-d for forgiveness.
When the temple still stood, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur and offer the blood of the sacrifice for the people and offer solemn prayers that G-d would receive the offering and forgive the sins of the people. Yeshua is our high priest -- He entered the heavenly Holy of Holies and is currently making blood atonement for our sins.
Sukkot (Feast of Booths/Tabernacles)
Date: 10/13/2008
Through: 10/20/2008
Booths (Sukkahs) are temporary dwellings comprised of natural tree branches – they're built in backyards and families share meals in them. The booths bring to mind the forty years in the wilderness -- with the covering presence of G-d surrounding the Israelites and protecting them.
Yochanan 1:14 relates Yeshua's body as temporary dwelling like a tabernacle/booth: "And the Word was made flesh, and "tabernacled" among us, full of grace and truth." Many versions say "dwelt" but that doesn't adequately convey its meaning. The Greek word was "skenoo" derived from "to tent" or "to encamp." It is possible that Sha'ul, known as a "tentmaker," was actually a "sukkah" maker.
Sukkot also foreshadows the Messianic Kingdom, a time when Yeshua our king will be among us again -- and all the nations will go up to Jerusalem to celebrate Sukkot each year throughout His thousand year reign. (Zechariah 14:19)
Following Sukkot is "Simchat Torah" ("Rejoicing of the Law").
"Simchat Torah" ("Rejoicing of the Torah")
Date: 10/22/2008
We celebrate this the day after the eighth day of Sukkot and it's to be one of the most joyous festivals of the year. Simchat Torah is an important time because it marks the end and the beginning of the annual Torah reading cycle when the last passage of Deuteronomy and the first verse of Genesis are read to demonstrate how the study of Torah is never ending. The celebration is marked by seven processions around the synagogue with all the Torah scrolls. As many worshipers as possible are given the opportunity to carry a Torah scroll. It is customary for the children to be provided with special flags or banners and sometimes with miniature scrolls, as they join in the processions as well. The processions are accompanied with spirited singing and dancing.
As Messianic Believers we can truly rejoice knowing that Yeshua is our Living "Torah". We look forward to the joy that will come when the word of HaShem will be followed perfectly in the Kingdom of Messiah!
Hanukkah: Festival of Dedication/Feast of Lights.
Date: 12/21/2008
Through: 12/29/2008
Chanukkah is an 8 eight-day festival commemorating the miraculous victory in 165 BCE of a small Jewish fighting forces of the Maccabees rebelling against King Antiochus Epiphanes' huge army and the rededication of the desecrated Temple in Jerusalem. They cleansed, purified and rededicated the temple. The menorah was re-kindled. The menorah used to celebrate Hannukah is a candelabra with eight candles. The legend is that they could only find enough undefiled oil to burn for a single day, the menorah burned for eight. This was the other miracle. Hanukkah serves as a celebration of family, friends and God's dedication to us.
Most importantly, Hanukkah serves as a time for us to rededicate ourselves to God.
Pesach Seder
Date: 4/11/2009
Pesach (Passover) this year, as always is 14 Nisan - 22 Nisan, 5768 (or by Gregorian Calendar: April 19th through April 27th, 2008).
Yeshua's (Jesus) "Last Supper" was a Pesach Seder; celebrated by G-d's Commandment in Exodus {12:17} and {12:18} "You shall observe the feast of maztah; for in this same day have I brought your hosts out of the land of Mizrayim: therefore shall you observe this day throughout your generations by a huchim (statute) forever. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat maztah, until the twenty first day of the month at evening."
Call or email for details of our Pesach Seder here at Beit Ya'acov Messianic Synagogue.
We will be available for an (approximately) one hour demonstration/explanation of what "The Lord's Supper" consisted of, or to hosting churches for conducting a full Passover Seder Meal.
Shavuot
Date: 5/28/2009
Through: 5/30/2009
While Christians call this time Pentecost, the holy day is the same. Shavuot, or Pentecost, is when Adonai's two major covenants were to be celebrated. The Scriptural form is found in the God-appointed day of Shavuot.
Shavuot is when Adonai delivered the Torah to Moshe on Mount Sinai. Adonai commanded it to be a time to celebrate the deliverance of the Torah.
Following the ascension of Yeshua to the Father after his resurrection, the Talmidim waited in Jerusalem until the day on which the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) fell on them in power and the full truth of Adonai - both the law of Moshe and the gospel of Yeshua - was delivered to all present in their own languages. This marked the newest covenant with his people, Israel.
(Eventually gentiles were included within that newer covenant; but it was offered to His people first.)
Whether its Shavuot or Pentecost, the celebration is the same: it's celebrating the covenants of Adonai to those who follow him.
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