Pre-Anniversaries

The purpose of the following analogy is to use a simple illustration in order to make more tangible the planning, development and realization of YHWH’s Appointed-Times. The format and the examples that are used are limited to the purpose and intention of this analogy. There are no deeper, hidden meanings or significance beyond the context of this analogy other than to serve as a handle to grasp the earthly features and the perpetual quality of YHWH’s Appointed-Times. 

The story opens with the births of two children on the very same day. The female child is born into the Family-of-Baht (the daughter) and the male child is born into the Family-of-Ben (the son). Before the birth of the children, the parents of both families had established a covenant to join the daughter, Ishsha (the future wife), with the son, Ish (the future husband), in holy matrimony. The wedding date was pre-ordained to be realized in the same month, in this case, on the very same day of the children’s birth, twenty years in the future.

As the years passed, the parents would call their families together each year to celebrate the birth of Ishsha and Ish. In their youth, the children didn’t understand the significance of this appointed-time that happened on the same day each year. As the cycle continued, the children finally related the celebration to the day of their birth. Of course, the children enjoyed the celebrations and would always look forward to the next one in the following year. As the children grew, unaware to them, their parents were teaching, guiding and preparing them for the appointed-time that would unfold on their twentieth birthday. Although the celebrations served as a rehearsal, Ishsha and Ish would not be able to comprehend or be fully prepared for what had been ordained for them.  

As the day started for the betrothed, well, it was somewhat similar to the previous years. Yet, as the day unfolded the weight of the event became more evident. The excitement of the day was rivaled by the uncertainty of the unknown, even so, the rehearsals proved to be effective and the wedding was realized according to the intended purpose of the parents. The consummation of the marriage ushered Ishsha and Ish into the greater purpose and realization of what the twenty years of pre-anniversaries had been preparing them for.

As the new-ness of the situation occupied their minds, there was a very sobering, yet profound and gratifying aspect of the marriage that filled their hearts. Now that the marriage had been consummated, Ishsha and Ish could never return to or entreat the appointed-time as they had done in the past, it would be impossible to do so. They would no longer be meeting once a year to simply celebrate their birthday and stir-up the hope concerning their future with one another. This was a big step, this is the real thing. The daily interaction was demanding and overwhelming in many ways, yet very fulfilling and rewarding overall. The relationship transformed their lives beyond the imagination and anticipation of their youthful dreams. As their minds received the revelation and their hearts embraced the emotion of the event, they came to greatly appreciate the insight and preparation that their parents had exercised during the entire development of their lives. Although their birthday celebration would still be acknowledged on the appointed day, the preeminence of the day would be to commemorate, each year, the realization of the daily relationship and the children that their marriage had bestowed to them. Yes, a yearly reminder of honor and respect for the event that set in motion the daily relationship that would continually challenge and transform their lives.

The story opens with the births of two children on the very same day. The female child is born into the Family-of-Baht (the daughter) and the male child is born into the Family-of-Ben (the son). Before the birth of the children, the parents of both families had established a covenant to join the daughter, Ishsha (the future wife), with the son, Ish (the future husband), in holy matrimony. The wedding date was pre-ordained to be realized in the same month, in this case, on the very same day of the children’s birth, twenty years in the future.

The births of the children represent YHWH’s conception of the Appointed-Times. Since the Appointed-Times are directly tied to Yahoshua’s ministry, they were conceived before the creation of the world and are therefore a principal factor that influenced the ‘how and why’ the physical creation was designed as it was. The pre-ordained holy matrimony symbolizes YHWH’s intention to prepare a bride for Himself with those that adhere to His purpose. The birth and the wedding of the children being on the same day helps us to comprehend YHWH’s intentional arrangement of the Appointed-Times. Under the Old Covenant format, the symbols and ornaments were fashioned after and were also appointed on the same days that the authentic Appointed-Times would unfold in their prophetic fulfillment.  

As the years passed, the parents would call their families together each year to celebrate the birth of Ishsha and Ish. In their youth, the children didn’t understand the significance of this appointed-time that happened on the same day each year. As the cycle continued, the children finally related the celebration to the day of their birth. Of course, the children enjoyed the celebrations and would always look forward to the next one in the following year. As the children grew, unaware to them, their parents were teaching, guiding and preparing them for the appointed-time that would unfold on their twentieth birthday. Although the celebrations served as a rehearsal, Ishsha and Ish would not be able to comprehend or be fully prepared for what had been ordained for them.

The families coming together each year on the children’s birthday parallels Israel coming together on YHWH’s Appointed-Times. When Israel lived in willing obedience to YHWH’s order, they were able to properly enjoy the annual celebrations. Although the anticipation of something greater would fill the atmosphere at times, neither the children in the analogy nor Israel could grasp that the appointed-times were serving as a rehearsal for an Appointed-Time that was ordained with greater prominence. 

As the day started for the betrothed, well, it was somewhat similar to the previous years. Yet, as the day unfolded the weight of the event became more evident. The excitement of the day was rivaled by the uncertainty of the unknown, even so, the rehearsals proved to be effective and the wedding was realized according to the intended purpose of the parents. The consummation of the marriage ushered Ishsha and Ish into the greater purpose and realization of what the twenty years of pre-anniversaries had been preparing them for.

Just as the wedding day for the betrothed started-out just like any other day (in the analogy), so Israel as a whole was unaware of Yahoshua’s birth and the initiation of His ministry. As His ministry progressed, He attempted to explain the significance of His ministry, but for the most part He was met with the uncertainty of the unknown that overshadowed most individuals, including His own disciples. As the fulfillment of the wedding came to pass and the marriage was realized (experienced), the bride and groom were able to, now, appreciate the preparation and intended purpose of the appointed day that their parents had diligently prepared for them. So it was, for the disciples in first-century Israel, Yahoshua’s sacrifice (Passover) shook the disciples to the core of their being and at that point they didn’t realize that His sacrifice would set-in-motion the other Appointed-Times. When the disciples witnessed the resurrected entity of Yahoshua (FirstFruits) and experienced the infilling of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Feast of Weeks), no doubt they would have connected these events to the corresponding days of the Appointed-Times that Israel had celebrated for centuries. The disciples experienced the first four Appointed-Times in just over fifty days and they surely would have been rejoicing as they began to comprehend the greater purpose and realization of what the history of Israel and the pre-anniversaries (Appointed-Times) had been preparing them for; yep, what a rehearsal. This awareness opened their minds to the purpose of Yahoshua’s ministry which YHWH had deliberately concealed in the Scripture. This new understanding was reflected in the writings of the New Covenant letters as they quoted many verses from the Scripture in order to validate the revelation of Yahoshua, the Gospel of YHWH.  

As the new-ness of the situation occupied their minds, there was a very sobering, yet profound and gratifying aspect of the marriage that filled their hearts. Now that the marriage had been consummated, Ishsha and Ish could never return to or entreat the appointed-time as they had done in the past, it would be impossible to do so. They would no longer be meeting once a year to simply celebrate their birthday and stir-up the hope concerning their future with one another. This was a big step, this is the real thing. The daily interaction was demanding and overwhelming in many ways, yet very fulfilling and rewarding overall. The relationship transformed their lives beyond the imagination and anticipation of their youthful dreams. As their minds received the revelation and their hearts embraced the emotion of the event, they came to greatly appreciate the insight and preparation that their parents had exercised during the entire development of their lives. Although their birthday celebration would still be acknowledged on the appointed day, the preeminence of the day would be to commemorate, each year, the realization of the daily relationship and the children that their marriage had bestowed to them. Yes, a yearly reminder of honor and respect for the event that set in motion the daily relationship that would continually challenge and transform their lives.

The newly-weds were overwhelmed, yet full of inspiration. They would now have to totally adjust their daily lives to accommodate the close proximity and their intimate interaction with one another. In like manner, the disciples were no doubt excited, as well as astonished, concerning the events that had just turned their world upside-down. As the resurrection of Messiah dominated their thoughts, their way of thinking could never fully return to the previous format of the Mosaic Covenant structure. The directives of this better covenant were going way beyond . . . ‘because Moses said so’ . . . and were instead focusing on the living-Word . . . ‘because Messiah does so’. Yahoshua proclaimed the Source of His directives in John 5:19, So Jesus answered them, “I tell you the solemn truth, the Son can do nothing on his own initiative, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. This profound principle of the Better-New Covenant can only be fulfilled by the indwelling of YHWH’s Spirit upon each individual, as was exemplified on the Day of Pentecost (FirstFruits), focusing on the indwelling, not the tongues. This close proximity of the Spirit will inevitably sanctify an individual from the common-ness and the iniquity of the world that surrounds us. This interaction transformed the mind and life of each disciple, far beyond the limitation of what a Torah observant mind-set could possibly grasp. Walking in the Spirit made a profound impression upon the disciples, motivating them to walk in self-discipline and obedience to the words of their Rabbi, Yahoshua, rather than walking in the understanding and desires of the flesh. After all that the disciples experienced, their form of worship, the intimacy of prayer, the depth of teaching and their celebration of the Appointed-Times, their lives would never, could never, be the same. It was more than obvious, due to their transformed motives and behavior that the substance of each Appointed-Time would have to be applied to their daily lives. Meaning, the mercy of being covered by His blood (Passover), the liberation from our sins (Unleavened Bread), the transformation of His resurrection being alive in us (FirstFruits), and the indwelling of His Spirit influencing our heart and mind (Day of Pentecost / Feast of Weeks), must all reside and work within us to direct and guide our daily life. This type of obedience provides the proper recognition and inherent authority required to appropriately engage in the annual celebration and commemoration of YHWH’s authentic Appointed-Times. Just as a married couple acknowledges the significance of their wedding day each year with an anniversary, YHWH has pre-ordained His Appointed-Times to fulfill the same purpose in order to honor the realization of His Gospel with the Anniversaries of His Appointed-Times, Divine-Appointments.  

Our calling to be witnesses of the Appointed-Times as described above is not a new idea. Although it may challenge the current traditional understanding, the Apostles of first-century Israel were in lock-step with YHWH’s transformation of the Appointed-Times. Sadly, it’s our own biblical and religious culture, to a large degree, that has lowered the bar, in order to accommodate our earthly desires and preferred influences that the world entices us with. Many Believers have, knowingly or unknowingly, succumb to this unrighteous dumbing-down of our true calling. May YHWH have mercy on us all, by sharpening our conviction as to prod us to walk in obedience to His Spirit and Word while encouraging others to do the same. 

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