Transcript [00:00] Welcome back everyone to this special [00:01] episode of Hebrew words. Every [00:04] Christian, everyone, everyone should [00:06] know them. In parts one and two, we [00:08] learned Hebrew words that you'll find [00:09] throughout the Bible. But today, we're [00:11] looking specifically at the biblical [00:13] feasts. Yes, the word feasts. And that's [00:16] the word you'll usually find in the [00:17] English Bible, but in Hebrew, they're [00:20] called Yael, [00:21] >> moadeim. [00:23] >> Moadim. [00:25] And don't worry if your pronunciation [00:26] isn't perfect. The goal is to become [00:29] familiar with these words because they [00:30] appear throughout the Bible and they're [00:32] actually still used in Israel today. [00:35] >> Now, the word feasts can be a little [00:37] misleading because it makes us think [00:39] primarily about food. [00:41] >> Yeah, you know those movies where they [00:43] show the the feasts in the banquet halls [00:45] and everybody's eating these big [00:47] >> chicken legs. That's what I think about. [00:48] But don't get me wrong, as a Jewish [00:50] family, we're definitely not opposed to [00:51] food. [00:52] >> Not even a little. [00:53] >> But the Hebrew word points to something [00:54] much deeper. Moadim means God's [00:56] appointed times, his appointed meetings [00:59] with his people. [01:00] >> These weren't holidays Israel dreamed [01:03] up. [01:03] >> Yeah, these were appointed times that [01:05] God himself put on the calendar. And as [01:07] you'll see throughout this video, these [01:09] appointments didn't just teach Israel [01:10] when to worship. They taught Israel how [01:13] God brings people into relationship with [01:16] him. Again and again, we see the same [01:18] pattern. God provides the way. God [01:21] appoints the means and his people [01:24] respond in faith. Now, here's something [01:27] else that surprises a lot of Christians. [01:29] The Bible doesn't just give us a few [01:31] special holidays. It gives us an entire [01:33] calendar. In Leviticus 23, God [01:35] established seven annual Moadin. Three [01:40] of them were pilgrimage feasts when the [01:41] Jewish people traveled to Jerusalem to [01:43] worship at the temple. And these [01:45] celebrations shaped the rhythm of Jewish [01:47] life. Jesus celebrated them and the [01:49] apostles celebrated them. And when you [01:51] understand them, you'll begin to see the [01:54] New Testament through Jewish eyes. [01:55] >> So, let's begin with the word that ties [01:57] them all together. Yael, [01:59] >> moed. Moed. [02:02] >> Great. You've just learned your first [02:04] word. Moed means an appointed time, [02:07] appointed meeting, and an appointed [02:09] place. And it comes from the Hebrew word [02:11] yahad yud. [02:15] And that means to appoint, designate or [02:18] meet at a set time and place. So every [02:20] time you read the word feast in [02:23] Leviticus 23, remember the word [02:25] emphasizes the appointment. [02:28] >> And this is straight from the Hebrew [02:30] scriptures [02:31] mo adonai and it means these are the [02:35] appointed feasts of the Lord. [02:37] >> Think of it this way. If your doctor [02:39] gives you an appointment, you don't just [02:40] show up whenever you feel like it. God [02:42] placed these appointments on Israel's [02:44] calendar for a reason. Each one taught [02:47] his people something about himself. Each [02:49] one also pointed the way God would bring [02:51] people near to himself. The initiative [02:53] always begins with God. Yeah. What's our [02:56] second word? [02:57] >> Pes. And if I say it slowly, it's p. [03:02] >> So many will say pesak or pak, but in [03:06] Hebrew it's pesak. And that last sound, [03:09] [snorts] it's the sound of the Hebrew [03:11] letter. If you can't quite make it yet, [03:14] don't worry. You're in good company. [03:16] >> P means Passover. It comes from the [03:19] Hebrew root p [03:24] meaning to Passover or to spare and also [03:28] carries the meaning to deliver and [03:30] protect. [03:31] >> Passover is one of the oldest and most [03:33] widely celebrated Jewish holidays. It [03:36] takes place every spring during the [03:38] month of Nissan, usually around March or [03:40] April, along with Shàuot and Sukkot, [03:43] which we'll get to later. It's one of [03:44] the three pilgrimage feasts. Passover [03:47] remembers the night God delivered Israel [03:49] from slavery in Egypt by passing over [03:51] the homes marked by the blood of the [03:54] lamb. [03:54] >> Even today in Israel, Passover is one of [03:56] the biggest holidays of the year. You [03:59] really feel it everywhere. [04:00] >> You do. The grocery stores change, [04:03] schools close, families gather, and [04:05] everyone seems to be cleaning [04:07] >> or stressing about cleaning. [04:08] >> If you've ever seen a Jewish family [04:09] preparing for Passover, it's pretty [04:11] impressive, [04:12] >> especially if your mom is in charge. [04:14] This is from the Hebrew scripture. [04:17] >> And this means it's the Lord's Passover, [04:19] which also means Passover is for God. [04:22] And notice something, the people weren't [04:24] saved because they fought their way out [04:26] of Egypt or because they proved [04:27] themselves worthy. God provided the [04:30] lamb. God gave the instructions. The [04:33] people trusted what God had provided. [04:35] And that pattern runs throughout the [04:37] Bible. God provides and his people [04:39] respond in faith. For believers in [04:41] Jesus, Passover has even greater [04:43] significance because Jesus celebrated [04:45] Passover with his disciples before his [04:47] crucifixion. Paul later writes, "Christ, [04:50] our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed." [04:53] It's one of the clearest pictures in the [04:55] Old Testament pointing to Jesus. And now [04:58] we've come to our third word sed [05:04] means order. It comes from the Hebrew [05:06] root sed [05:10] meaning to arrange or to put in order. [05:13] >> And today Jewish people celebrate [05:15] Passover with what's called a sed [05:18] because the evening follows a carefully [05:20] arranged order of readings, questions, [05:22] symbolic foods, and prayers. It's like [05:25] an order of events. And while the [05:27] structured seder developed over time, [05:29] the Passover meal itself comes directly [05:31] from scripture. In Exodus 12, God [05:34] commanded Israel to sacrifice the [05:36] Passover lamb, eat it that night, eat it [05:39] with matzah and bitter herbs, tell the [05:42] next generation the story, and keep it [05:44] as a lasting memorial. [05:46] >> And from the Hebrew scriptures, [05:50] >> and that means, "And when your children [05:52] ask you," and that's found in Exodus [05:55] 12:26. And one of my favorite things [05:57] about Passover is that it's designed to [05:59] be interactive. Children, they ask [06:01] questions. Parents tell the story and [06:04] every generation remembers God's [06:06] redemption. And notice something else. [06:08] Every year, Israel remembers a story [06:10] where God is the rescuer. The focus [06:13] isn't on what Israel accomplished. It's [06:16] on what God accomplished for Israel. And [06:18] it was in this rich Jewish setting that [06:20] Jesus celebrated his final Passover with [06:23] his disciples and gave further [06:24] revelation and meaning to the bread and [06:27] the cup. And if you want more on [06:29] Passover, we have a Passover video that [06:31] goes more in depth that I'm going to [06:33] link right above here. [06:35] >> So yeah, what's our fourth word? [06:37] >> Mata. [06:39] Ma. And it comes from the root meal, [06:44] which means unleavened bread and the [06:46] bread of affliction. Yeah, I'm [06:47] definitely afflicted when I eat that. [06:50] Like stops everything up. You know what [06:51] I [06:52] >> So, you'll usually hear people saying [06:53] matzah, which is totally fine, but the [06:56] emphasis in Hebrew is on the second [06:58] syllable, which is [06:59] >> matzah. [07:00] >> Matzah. And technically, it belongs to [07:02] the feast of unleavened bread, which [07:04] begins immediately after Passover. And [07:07] during this feast, leavened bread [07:09] disappears from Jewish homes. Instead, [07:12] we eat matzah. And it reminds us that [07:15] Israel left Egypt so quickly [07:19] >> so fast there wasn't time for the bread [07:21] to rise. [07:22] >> And if you've never tried mata, let's [07:25] just say it's not famous because it's [07:27] delicious. [07:28] >> Yeah, it's a big cracker. And by day [07:30] three, you're suddenly grateful that [07:32] regular bread exists. [07:34] >> And from the Hebrew scriptures, al [07:37] matsot, [07:38] >> which means on unleavened bread in [07:40] Exodus 12. And again, this wasn't [07:42] Israel's idea. God commanded it. It [07:45] reminded his people what he had done to [07:47] rescue them. And believers in Jesus also [07:49] remember that Jesus broke bread during [07:51] his final Passover meal and gave it new [07:53] significance as he spoke about his body. [07:57] >> And the fifth word is [snorts] [08:02] >> again there's that sound again, that [08:04] Hebrew sound. Kametz means levan or [08:08] anything that's fermented. So before [08:10] Passover, Jewish families traditionally [08:12] search their homes and remove the [08:15] [snorts] kametz. It's one of the most [08:17] memorable parts of preparing for the [08:19] holiday. [08:20] >> As kids, that usually meant helping our [08:22] parents search the house. Sometimes it [08:24] felt like a treasure hunt. [08:26] >> Yeah, a treasure hunt for ants. [08:28] [laughter] [08:30] >> Actually, [08:31] >> you know, like a scavenger hunt for [08:32] crumbs, [08:33] >> pretty much. This is from the Hebrew [08:35] scriptures. [08:38] No leaven shall be eaten which is found [08:40] in Exodus 13:3. [08:43] In the New Testament, Jesus warned us [08:44] about the levan of the Pharisees using [08:46] levan as a picture of teaching and [08:49] influence that quietly spreads. And [08:52] understanding these Old Testament [08:53] practices helps us understand what Jesus [08:55] was talking about. [08:56] >> And word number six, burim [09:00] burim. [09:03] Bikurim means first fruits. It comes [09:06] from the Hebrew root bakar bet [09:11] meaning first or firstborn. [09:13] >> So beim celebrated the beginning of the [09:16] harvest. The very first and best crops [09:19] of the year were brought to God as an [09:21] offer of thanksgiving. And giving God [09:23] the first fruits was a way of saying we [09:25] trust you with the rest. [09:27] >> It really is a picture of trusting God [09:29] with your future. [09:30] >> Exactly. Because when you give God the [09:32] first part, the rest of the harvest [09:34] hasn't even arrived yet. [09:36] >> And from the Hebrew scriptures, [09:41] >> and that means the first of the first [09:43] fruits of your land. I'll say that 10 [09:46] times fast. The first of the first [09:47] fruits. [09:47] >> First fruit. Fruit. First. [09:50] >> Exodus 23:19. But here's another [09:52] beautiful pattern. The people didn't [09:54] decide how to approach God. God [09:57] established the offering. And the priest [09:59] presented it before God on behalf of the [10:01] people. Again and again throughout [10:03] scripture, we see this pattern. God [10:05] provides the way. God appoints a [10:07] representative and the representative [10:09] acts on behalf of the people. [10:11] >> And the people trust what God has [10:12] provided. [10:13] >> And for believers in Jesus, this feast [10:15] has a beautiful connection. Jesus rose [10:17] from the dead on first fruits. And Paul [10:20] calls him the first fruits of those who [10:23] have fallen asleep. And just as the [10:24] first harvest promises more was coming, [10:27] Jesus's resurrection promises that death [10:30] isn't the end for those who belong to [10:32] him. [10:33] >> So up to this point, we've only covered [10:35] the spring feasts. [10:36] >> And in the next segment, we'll move into [10:38] the fall feasts, trumpets, the day of [10:40] atonement, and tabernacles. And we'll [10:42] finish with the one Hebrew greeting [10:44] you'll hear all over Israel. The fall [10:47] feasts, or moadeim, are some of the most [10:50] meaningful days of the biblical [10:52] calendar. And once again, you'll see the [10:54] same pattern. God provides the way. God [10:56] appoints the means. His people respond [10:59] in faith. Shall we continue? [11:01] >> All righty. [11:02] >> What's our seventh word? [11:03] >> Shàuot. [11:05] Sha vu, [11:08] which means feast of weeks. [11:10] >> And it comes from the Hebrew word [11:12] chevah, meaning seven, because it's [11:14] celebrated after counting seven weeks or [11:16] 49 days from first fruits. and it falls [11:20] late spring or early summer and is one [11:22] of the three pilgrimage feasts. [11:25] Originally, Shàuot celebrated the wheat [11:27] harvest and God's provision, but later [11:29] Jewish tradition also connected it with [11:31] giving the Torah at Mount Si. [11:34] >> It's a beautiful tradition centered [11:36] around God's word, which is [11:42] >> you shall observe the feast of weeks, [11:44] which is found in Exodus 34:22. [11:47] And notice the pattern at Mount Si. The [11:49] people didn't climb up the mountain to [11:51] reach God. God came down to them. God [11:54] appointed Moses and Moses represented [11:56] the people and interceded for them. Once [11:58] again, the initiative belonged to God. [12:01] And believers in Jesus usually know this [12:03] feast by its Greek name, Pentecost, [12:06] meaning the 50th. And why 50th? Because [12:10] God commanded Israel to count seven full [12:12] weeks from first fruits, 49 days, and [12:16] then celebrate this feast on the 50th [12:18] day. And that's where the name Pentecost [12:20] comes from. And it was during Shàuot, [12:22] while Jews from all over the world had [12:24] gathered in Jerusalem that the Holy [12:26] Spirit was poured out in Acts chapter 2. [12:29] I love God's timing. He didn't choose [12:30] like a random Tuesday. [12:32] >> He chose one of the biggest gatherings [12:34] of Jewish people the entire year. People [12:36] returned home after hearing the good [12:38] news about Jesus in their own languages. [12:41] Word number eight. [12:46] >> And it may be easier for you to say, [12:49] but the Hebrew pronunciation is tru or [12:51] tru, which means the trumpet blast. It [12:55] also means a loud attention getting [12:57] sound. And I think kids invented this [12:59] one. Today, many Jewish people know this [13:01] holiday as Rosh Shashana or how some [13:04] people say it in the states, Roshashana. [13:06] But in the Bible, it's called Yom, the [13:09] day of trumpet blast. [13:11] >> One of the most recognizable sounds in [13:13] Israel is the chauffar. Once you hear [13:15] it, you don't forget it. [13:17] >> Yep. The trumpet call wasn't background [13:18] music. It was a call. It got people's [13:20] attention. It called Israel to prepare [13:22] for the day of atonement or [13:25] >> and as it says in [13:29] >> a memorial proclaimed with trumpet [13:31] blasts. And that's found in Leviticus 23 [13:34] 24. And notice the pattern again. The [13:37] people didn't decide when to come before [13:39] God. God called them. The trumpet [13:41] announced his invitation and his people [13:44] responded. Throughout the Bible, [13:45] trumpets announce kings, gather God's [13:48] people, and signal important moments in [13:50] God's plan. [13:51] >> Word number nine, kipur. [13:54] Kur [13:57] kipur means atonement. It comes from the [14:00] root kafar [14:02] pay [14:04] meaning to cover or to make atonement. [14:07] >> Yum kipu was the holiest day in the [14:08] Jewish calendar. It's a day of fasting, [14:11] prayer, repentance, and reflection. But [14:14] what happened at the temple is what [14:15] makes this day so remarkable. The people [14:17] didn't enter the holy of holies. The [14:19] high priest did. The people have never [14:21] been allowed to make atonement for [14:22] themselves. Which raises a big question. [14:25] Without a temple and a high priest, how [14:27] is atonement made? It's not through [14:29] fasting or asking forgiveness of other [14:31] people or praying. It has never been. [14:33] These things represent the people [14:34] turning their hearts towards God. But [14:36] the act of atonement was made on behalf [14:38] of the people by the high priest while [14:40] the people repented and trusted in the [14:43] high priest's acts. And this is why so [14:45] many Jewish and non-Jewish believers in [14:47] Jesus around the world believe Jesus is [14:49] the ultimate high priest whose act of [14:51] presenting himself to God the Father [14:54] became the means of atonement once and [14:56] for all. And notice the timing. Not long [14:59] after Jesus's atoning sacrifice and [15:01] resurrection, the temple and priesthood [15:03] were destroyed. And we haven't had one [15:06] since. Ponder on that for a moment. [15:09] >> Everything depended on what the high [15:10] priest did that day. And the Bible [15:12] continues that pattern through Jesus. [15:15] >> Exactly. This is one of the greatest [15:16] pictures in the entire Bible. God [15:19] appointed the representative. The [15:21] representative acted for the people. The [15:24] people trusted God's provision and [15:26] needed to believe in those he appointed [15:29] >> and in the Hebrew scripture [15:34] >> which means for on this day atonement [15:36] shall be made for you and that's found [15:39] in Leviticus 16 verse 30. So for [15:42] believers in Jesus he is our great high [15:45] priest. [15:46] >> So our last word [15:48] >> before the bonus word [15:50] >> is sukkot. Sukot. [15:54] Sukkot means [15:56] >> booths. You want to try saying that one? [15:58] >> No, thank you. [16:00] >> Or temporary shelters. It comes from a [16:02] Hebrew word [16:04] kafit [16:07] meaning to cover or provide shelter. And [16:10] this is one of the happiest holidays in [16:12] Israel. Families all over the country [16:15] build little booths called sukkot. Many [16:18] eat their meals inside. Some even sleep [16:20] in them. Did you do that when you were [16:21] young? Yeah, actually growing up in [16:23] Israel, I loved seeing Sukkot [16:25] everywhere. Apartment, balconies, [16:27] backyards schools [16:29] >> even some restaurant patios have them. [16:31] It's one of Israel's favorite holidays, [16:32] too. Mostly because everyone is outside [16:34] eating and celebrating. [16:36] >> And in the Hebrew scripture, [16:40] >> which means you shall dwell in booths. [16:43] Leviticus 23:42. [16:45] Again, the emphasis isn't on what Israel [16:47] accomplished. It's on what God did. He [16:49] fed them. He guided them. He protected [16:51] them. He dwelt among them. And believers [16:54] in Jesus, Jewish and Gentile, remember [16:56] that during Sukkot, Jesus stood in the [16:58] temple and declared, "If anyone thirsts, [17:00] let him come to me and drink." And why [17:03] is that significant? During the time of [17:05] Jesus, there was a beautiful tradition [17:07] during Sukkot. Priests would draw water [17:09] from the pool of Siloam and pour it out [17:11] at the temple as the people thanked God [17:13] for his provision in the wilderness and [17:15] prayed for rain. And it was during that [17:18] celebration that Jesus stood up and [17:20] said, "Anyone who thirsts, let him come [17:23] to me and drink." And that's found in [17:25] John 7:37. [17:27] So Jesus wasn't replacing the feast. He [17:30] was pointing to himself as the one who [17:32] gives the living water that the feast [17:34] anticipated. And knowing that he spoke [17:36] those words during this feast makes them [17:38] even more powerful. [17:41] >> Bonus word. [17:42] >> The bonus word. And our final word [17:48] and it's actually two words. [17:52] >> And you'll hear this all over Israel [17:55] means festival or feast and s means [17:59] happy or joyful. Put them together and [18:02] you get [18:03] >> happy holiday [18:04] >> with a British [laughter] accent. I [18:06] don't know if that was British or not. [18:07] >> I don't know. [18:07] >> You'll hear it during pes shàuote and [18:11] sukkot. So the next time one of those [18:13] holidays comes around, you'll know [18:15] exactly what to say. [18:16] >> And just remember, there's one more [18:19] sound in there, that little [snorts] at [18:21] the beginning. Hug. And don't worry if [18:24] it feels strange. Sometimes it's just [18:26] about feeling confident enough to let it [18:29] rip. Well, you've now learned 10 more [18:31] Hebrew words and one Hebrew greeting. [18:34] And that will help you understand the [18:36] Bible in a whole new way. And hopefully [18:38] the next time you read about one of [18:40] these feasts, you will recognize the [18:42] Hebrew word behind your English Bible. [18:45] >> What I love most about God's appointed [18:46] times is that they all tell one story. [18:49] They're not random holidays. They're [18:51] God's appointments with his people. And [18:53] throughout every one of them, we see a [18:55] beautiful pattern. God provides the way. [18:58] God appoints the means. God acts first. [19:01] His people respond in faith. And whether [19:04] it's the Passover lamb, the first [19:06] fruits, the giving of the Torah, the [19:08] trumpet call, the high priest entering [19:10] the Holy of Holies, or God dwelling [19:12] among his people in the wilderness, the [19:14] story has always been about God's [19:16] gracious provision. And those patterns [19:19] ultimately point us to Yeshua. [19:22] >> If you've been enjoying learning Hebrew [19:24] with us, why not keep going? Yes, we've [19:26] partnered with Bilango to offer a [19:28] complete modern Hebrew course at a [19:30] special rate for the Highway 53 [19:33] community. [19:37] >> It's a fun way to learn real everyday [19:39] Hebrew that people actually speak in [19:42] Israel and you'll find the link in the [19:43] description below and we hope it helps [19:45] you continue your journey into the [19:46] language and culture of the Bible. [19:49] Thanks so much for joining us. And [19:55] >> up to this point, we've only covered the [19:57] spring piece. [19:59] [laughter] [20:00] >> But what happened at the temple? [20:06] >> Sukkot means booths. [laughter] Thanks. [20:10] Yeah. [20:10] >> We need to do an English one. An English [20:12] one. [20:13] >> Sukkot means booths. [20:16] >> Booths. Maybe you will say sukkot means [20:19] you will say it. [20:20] >> Okay, that's cool. The bonus word. [20:25] >> Bonus word. Bonus. Bonus. Bonus. [20:29] >> Okay. Fetty.
