It has been a year since the world started shutting down and moved online as a result of the global pandemic. It is now normal to think that when someone asks another person to meet, the assumption is that it will be a video meeting of some sort.
As amazing as technology has advanced enabling us to virtually meet and communicate, many of us have grown weary of online meetings and look forward to meeting face to face once again. Thankfully, it appears that video technology will not be operational in God’s Kingdom when Yeshua comes to fully reign on this earth. We see evidence to support this in the weekly Torah Portion readings.
The New Moon
The Torah Portion readings are intricately connected to the biblical calendar and, as a result, there are often additional Scriptures which are added to any given week when it is connected to a special day of the year. This Sabbath, February 13, 2021, is the first day of the new moon, which is a new month on the biblical calendar, the twelfth month of Adar.
In recognition of the new month, we read a particular set of verses found in the Torah, Numbers 28:11-15. In these verses we read the instructions that the LORD gave to Moses for the Israelites regarding bringing certain offerings at the beginning of each new month:
Then at the beginning of each of your months you shall present a burnt offering to the LORD: two bulls and one ram, seven male lambs one year old without defect; and three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, for each bull; and two-tenths of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, for the one ram; and a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering for each lamb, for a burnt offering of a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the LORD. Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull and a third of a hin for the ram and a fourth of a hin for a lamb; this is the burnt offering of each month throughout the months of the year. And one male goat for a sin offering to the LORD; it shall be offered with its drink offering in addition to the continual burnt offering. – Num. 28:11-15
In Numbers 28 we see details regarding different sacrifices that were to be offered to God at various times, including the verses above which explain the offerings for the first day of each new month.
Why? What is the reason for offering sacrifices to the LORD
at the beginning of every month?
The Purpose of Observing the New Month
We are not given many specifics in the Scriptures as to the reason for the monthly offerings, however, the LORD does state the importance of the monthly offerings together with the other offerings that were to be continually sacrificed to Him at the beginning of Numbers 28:
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Command the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be careful to present My offering, My food for My offerings by fire, of a soothing aroma to Me, at their appointed time.’…” – Num. 28:1-2
The LORD gave the Israelites a calendar to keep with particular days to observe which were to be carried out with offerings. These offerings were to be consumed on the altar and arose as a soothing aroma to the LORD. It was a form of worshiping God, obeying His commandments, and providing atonement for the people by observing particular times according to their “appointed time” – במועדו – BeMoado.
The Appointed Times of the LORD are particular days and times that the LORD has established on His yearly calendar, the biblical calendar. In order to keep the various Appointed Times of the LORD, for example Passover, God’s people must keep an accurate accounting of the days and months. The monthly offerings at the beginning of each new month was a means to ensure that the people would indeed observe all of the Appointed Times of the LORD. To learn more about this subject of the Appointed Times, please read the following article: The Appointed Times & The Messiah
The Manner of Observing the New Month
The monthly offerings were not intended to simply be a ritual which the priests would perform in the Tabernacle and later the Temple, but rather, a congregational celebration by which trumpets were used to call the people together:
The LORD spoke further to Moses, saying, “Make yourself two trumpets of silver, of hammered work you shall make them; and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for having the camps set out…Also in the day of your gladness and in your appointed feasts, and on the first days of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be as a reminder of you before your God. I am the LORD your God.” – Num. 10:1-2,10
The trumpets were used to call the people together at particular times and on particular days. Whenever they were called together, including on the first day of each new month, the Israelites were to remember the LORD.
The biblical command of recognizing the new month is still practiced in Judaism today. Obviously the sacrifices are not offered since there is no Temple, however, prayers are offered and certain Scriptures are read to remember what the LORD has commanded regarding the new month and His Appointed Times.
A Lesson From the New Moon
Observing the first day of each month may seem like a strange practice for those who live outside of the Jewish world, however, we actually read in the Scriptures that the observation of the new month, together with the Sabbath, will continue in the millennial reign of the Messiah as we read at the end of the book of Isaiah:
“And it shall be from new moon to new moon and from sabbath to sabbath, all mankind will come to bow down before Me,” says the LORD. – Isaiah 66:23
The context of Isaiah 66 is clearly speaking of the millennial reign of the Messiah. When Yeshua comes again and reigns from Jerusalem the weekly Sabbath and the monthly new moon will continue to be periodic reminders and opportunities to worship the LORD. We also read in the book of Zechariah that during the reign of the Messiah on earth all of the nations will come up to Jerusalem each year to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (Zech. 14:16).
All Flesh Will Bow Before The LORD
We read in Isaiah 66 that, “…‘all mankind will come to bow down before Me,’ says the LORD.” (23b) The phrase “all mankind” in Hebrew is כל בשר – Kol Basar which is literally “all flesh.” During the thousand year reign of the Messiah, all flesh, Jew and Gentile alike, will continually come before the LORD, every Sabbath and every new month, in order to worship Him.
It appears that neither Zoom nor any other video applications will be an option to fulfill this prophecy in Isaiah 66:23. Everyone who is on the earth during the reign of the Messiah, “all mankind“, will come to bow down before the LORD face to face.
No More Zoom in The Kingdom of God
It has been nearly a year now that our Messianic congregation has not met at our facilities in Jerusalem due to the Corona virus and government restrictions. There have been two times in the past year when we were able to meet outdoors as a community to worship the Lord together while adhering to social distancing. I was only able to attend one of those gatherings. Once or twice in a year is not sufficient for our souls to worship together as a believing community.
There is good reason why God commanded His people to gather together as a congregation in order to observe His Appointed Times, including each Sabbath and the first day of each new month. It is life to our spirits when we meet together for the purpose of worshipping Yeshua. It is comforting to know that we will not need Zoom in the Kingdom of God when Yeshua reigns on earth since we will all come to worship before Him.
Shabbat Shalom!
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*All Scripture take from NASB Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
**The Hebrew name “Yeshua” is used in the biblical quotations in place of the English name “Jesus” to give emphasis to the meaning of this name, salvation. The word “Messiah” is also used in place of the word “Christ” to bring clarity to the office of Yeshua.
I believe you are completely right with regards to there being no zoom meetings in the kingdom of God. So why are you still doing it? Why are you waiting to reign with Messiah? Do you not believe that the gospel is for today? That salvation is not available for the Jews as well as Gentiles alike? What has God commanded His people in the midst of times like these which were most often resulted for their/our unbelief and idolatry? Food for thought brother. Blessings in Messiah.
Well Jason, thanks for your thoughts. Of course there is the reality that the spiritual kingdom of God is in our midst. I am just emphasizing the reality of what it will be like when Yeshua comes again to reign as King on earth!