Spring feasts

Mighty men and women of God,

The Spring Feasts of the Lord came to an end today. They included the Passover, the Unleavened Bread, the First-fruits and the Pentecost. These were prophetic shadows. Yeshua Messiah came and fulfilled all of them. He became the Passover Lamb. He became the first-fruit by defying death and resurrecting from the dead. He changed the Pentecost, which was a harvest feast of offering animals, grains, wine, fruits and oil etc.  into harvest of souls. This day, 3000 souls were harvested from the Jews, who left the Temple and started meeting in home churches. Yeshua’s earthly ministry lasted from the day of his baptism beyond the Jordan with the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove, to the same descending on his disciples on the day of Pentecost. These were all accomplished in 70 weeks (Daniel 9:24) and not in 3.5 years (which most Christians believe without any Scriptural or historical evidence to prove.) Thus, on this day the church was born. Today is the 2017^th birthday of the Ekklesia, which we should be celebrating, not with cutting and eating cake, but with baptism of at least 3000 souls.

This was an international crowd, who came from every nation under the sun, presumably Jews from India, China and Africa etc (Acts 2:5-12), wherever the Jews were in diaspora. Most of them celebrated all the spring Feasts and then returned to their homelands where they would have shared the Crucifixion of Yeshua, His Resurrection and the descent of Holy Spirit as tongues of fire on the Pentecost. They were eye witnesses of the events and had heard the message in their own mother tongues. They had repented of their sins, got baptized and received the gift of the Holy Spirit for their and their family’s transformation as well as for others. (Acts 2:37-39) Thus, Ekklesia in their homes were planted all over the world within weeks of the Pentecost. In these gatherings, they had Apostolic (go and make disciples) teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, prayer, signs and miracles, sharing of resources so that no one lacked anything. They then they went out fishing, broke bread from house to house and shared the whole wisdom of God and the Lord added to their numbers daily. (Acts 2:37-47) This was very effective and productive Ekklesia as another 5000 souls were harvested within weeks of its inception. (Acts 4:4)

The core agenda of the church is to reap the harvest. The harvest has been ready for the last 2017 years, whether they are Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists or Atheists. (John 4:35) If you do not reap the harvest, others will do it. And if they do not reap then the 144,000 Messianic Jews will do it. (Rev. 14:1,6) And if they do not finish the task then the angels will do it. (Matthew 24:31) And if there is still any harvest left then Yeshua himself is coming with a sharp sickle. (Revelation 14:14 -20)

No one would have thought that the Samaritans were ready for harvest but Yeshua got them harvested within a couple of hours, by the most unlikely person, i.e., the Samaritan woman. The problem is that we have myriads of followers of Yeshua but no fishers of men; (Mat. 4:19) millions of milk drinking believers but no disciple-makers; thousands of leaders but no laborers. (Luke 10:2) Yeshua sent his 12 disciples, 2x2 who brought 70 more disciples. Yeshua then sent those 70 disciples 2x2 who brought the 120 disciples who baptized 3000 souls. (Luke 9:1; 10:2)

To fulfil the core agenda of the church, the fivefold gifted elders, the apostles, the prophets, evangelists, shepherds and the teachers must equip the saints to be workplace harvesters. (Eph. 4:11-13) Any church that is not equipping its members to be prolific fishers of men is a dysfunctional church. First attempt to drive the change, but if that does not work, then like Paul get out of it and find a convenient place like the hall of Tyrannous and equip believers, who can convince and convict the lost souls so that all Asia (Turkey) can hear the Gospel. (Acts 19:8-10; Titus 1:9)

The only time Yeshua rejoiced is when the seventy returned saying that the spirits are under their control. He told them, “Rejoice not because the spirits are under your control, but because your names are written in the Book of the Lamb”. It is good if you read the Scriptures, pray, tithe, go to church etc. but they are just fig leaves, that will not get your name written in the Lamb’s Book. Remember the fig tree Yeshua cursed because it had only leaves and no fruit. The most important thing for you personally is to have your name written in that Book of Life and that will happen only when in obedience to His command you go and make disciples who make more disciples. (Matt. 28:19; 2 Tim 2:2).  Yeshua said, “If you love me you will obey my commands.” (John 14:15) A tree (that is you) will be known by your fruit. (Matt. 7:20) Nothing glorifies God more than making abundant disciples that replicate. (John 15:8,16)