Valentine's Day

[Fox]

Valentine's Day began when the Roman Catholic Church absorbed a pagan Roman holiday called Lupercalia, the festival that honored Lupercus, the hero-hunter of wolves. Just goes to show - you can take the holiday from the pagan, but you can't take the pagan from the holiday... Be honest - does Valentine's Day really celebrate true, caring love? Or does it actually promote something else? The Bible reveals G-d's Holy Days and festivals. Each one illustrates a significant part of His ultimate love for humanity and His plan to save mankind - a love that led Yeshua Ha'Mashiach to die for us while we were yet sinners. Valentine's Day has no part in the salvation of humanity. In fact, it stands in contradiction to it - originating as it does in sinful, pagan worship. Valentine's Day may be acceptable to millions of people, but not to G-d. It substitutes human reasoning for G-d's truth. It focuses the attention of people on infatuation, not a deep abiding love, on "getting love," not giving or sacrificing for others. G-d warns all who claim to represent Him, who claim to be Christians, to avoid the ways of the ancient pagans and their counterfeit holidays and feasts: "Observe and obey all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you and your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your G-d. "When the Lord your G-d cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.' "You shall not worship the Lord your G-d in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods . . . Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it" (Deuteronomy 12:28-32). In fact, G-d told the Israelites to eradicate all elements of pagan worship among them. G-d is keenly interested in our welfare. He created us and gave us His manual, the Bible, to follow so we can get the most out of this life and that He might give us eternal life forever. Valentine's Day is rooted not in G-d's Word, but in ancient paganism. It is not from the true G-d but from this world and its false god, ha'satan (2 Corinthians 4:4). G-d says: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life -is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of G-d abides forever" (1 John 2:15-17). It is all part of the constant erosion of love and the promotion of sex. Does that make me a prude? LoL - there is legitimacy, beauty and sanctity in sex - but only within the loving relationship of man and woman under the Law. All else is illegitimate, ugly and immoral, especially when coated in chocolate, tagged with the ubiquitous crimson heart and thrust into our faces disguised as "love". No wonder our children are confused.

 

[betchevy]

I agree with you Fox, my son who embrasses his Jewish /Christian place in the world calls it "naked roman pagan baby day" We have found such joy in the feasts that G-d has called us to... even if its just the two of us. We also enjoy Purim which is not biblical, but don't you think Yashua kept it? Wouldn't He have done the traditonal feasts... We know He went to the temple at Channukka, but there is not reference to Purim. We think of the feast as honoring G-d not Esther... It was G-d who orchestrated every part of Esther's life. As He does all of the elect. Whether alive today or in the past. Its nice to have someone who understands what we do and why... you have been a blessing thank you.

 

[Fox]

Ah, Purim... I'm so looking forward to it - as usual! But remember, shvesterl, as my (and most everybody else's) Rabbi points out every year, "It is not a Mitzvah to get drunk on Purim!"Who are they kidding?? Ah, to err is human - I think they're reading the wrong page on that one lol

MiShenichnas Adar Marbim BeSimcha!!

 

[Fox]

Which reminds me - have you seen "One Night With The King" yet? I haven't, but I'm told it's very good. http://www.8x.com/onenight/main.html

 

[Fox]

Just read something that will put a smile on your face, Betchevy:Yeshua and PurimMost people are unaware of this, but Yeshua celebrated the feast of Purim! In John 5, Yeshua is in Jerusalem for an unnamed feast. Scholars have debated whether the feast was Passover, Purim, Sukkot or even Pentecost (Bowman 1971). Some have objected to Purim because it is a "minor" feast and not one of the three "major" pilgrimage festivals (Deut. 16:16). That argument is irrelevant because Yeshua also celebrated another "minor" holiday, Hanukkah (John 10:22; Franz 1998:25,26). Chronologically, the only feast that makes sense is Purim in AD 28. The feast of John 5 fell on a Sabbath ( John 5:9). The only feast day to fall on a Sabbath between AD 25 and AD 35 was Purim of AD 28 (Faulstich 1986). The Spirit of G-d intentionally left out the name of the feast because the Lord's name was deliberately left out of the Book of Esther. In John 5, Yeshua healed a man who had an infirmity for 38 years near the Pools of Bethesda (John 5:1-9). It is also the first time in His public ministry that He declared that "G-d was His Father, making Himself equal with G-d" (John 5:18). He also said that He was the "Son of G-d" (John 5:25) and the "Son of Man" (John 5:27).Did Yeshua get dressed up in a Purim costume? Did He dress like Mordecai or Ahasuerus? Or perhaps a "modern day" Haman like Herod the Great, Archelaus, Pontius Pilate or some other contemporary anti-Semite? I do not know if He did. Did Yeshua get drunk? No, even though He was accused of being a "winebibber" (Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:34). Did He eat the "Haman's ears"? I do not know. But He did observe the commandment to give gifts to the poor. I'm sure He also attended the reading of the Scroll of Esther in one of the 480 synagogues of Jerusalem (PT Megillah 3:1; BT Megillah 3b; Fine 1996:9). Did He stomp His feet and say, "Blessed be Mordecai" or "Cursed be Haman" when their respective names were read? I do not know. Yet I'm sure He contemplated the message of the book of Esther. The theme of the book is this: "G-d's preservation of His unbelieving people, and the celebration of that event in the feast of Purim" (Shepperson 1975:26).This coming Purim I will feel a lot closer to my Christian brothers and sisters - and I am going to try to involve as many Gentiles as possible in the festivities!

 

[betchevy]

Thank you for the information on Yashua and Purim.... I felt He would have kept the feast, for He was such a good Jew. I have been blessed with goyum who desire to know the traditions.... our Christian brothers and sisters who have been robbed of the fun and realization of Yashua which is played out in the feasts. G-d really knows how to throw a party with a theme. I was raised in a Christian home and was not allowed to dance or to have a glass of wine. I am sure that HaSatan is behind denying Christians of the joys G-d intended for us all to partake of. Much of the world not only denies themselves of the Joy G-d intended ,but partake of unholy Satanic rituals renamed and condemn those of us who do not particpate. Just like Shabbat ...it is a feast that the Word declares we will keep forever...During the millennial all will keep it or be denied rain. Why would anyone deny themselves the blessing of the feasts? The most wonderful feeling of unity I have ever had is dancing for an audience of ONE, with my sisters. I have had to check to see if my feet were still on the ground, because I felt so uplifted. Anyone on the forum who would like to learn about the feasts and how to keep them please let me know . I would love to help restore the feasts to G-ds people... I am sure He would count it as Mitzpah ( a good deed).