Tag: hope

Biblical Interpretation, Editor's Picks, Kingdom Discipleship

How to Read the Bible — Returning to the Way of the Bereans and the Ante-Nicene Church

Rooted & Raised

How to Read the Bible Series

You hold the Bible in your hands.
Sixty-six books. One Author. One Spirit. One unfolding story of redemption. And yet, for many, it’s a confusing book—wrapped in mystery, buried under layers of tradition, or filtered through man-made systems. But that was never God’s design.

The earliest Christians didn’t read the Bible through denominational creeds or theological filters. They read it with open hearts, under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and in the context of their Jewish and first-century world. They tested everything by the written Word—and followed it with their lives.

It’s time to return to their way.

Scripture Focus:

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
— Psalm 119:105, NASB1995

Reading with the Author, Not Just About Him

The Bible is not a dead text. It is living and active (Hebrews 4:12) because it is breathed out by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16). Without the Spirit, Scripture becomes information. With Him, it becomes transformation.

The Bereans didn’t rely on theological systems or traditions to interpret the Word. They relied on the Spirit and the Scriptures themselves. Their example calls us to read with reverence, discernment, and dependence—not on man, but on God.

The Early Church Read the Word as One Unified Story

They saw the Old and New Testaments not as opposites but as one unfolding plan of God. They understood the Jewish idioms and culture behind the text. They read the Word in its historical context, through Hebraic lenses, and with spiritual hunger.

They didn’t force Scripture to fit their beliefs. They submitted their beliefs to the Word.

Principles for Spirit-Led, Scripture-Faithful Reading

  1. Context Is King
    Who wrote it? To whom? What is happening? What covenant are they under? Read what’s there, not what tradition has imposed.
  2. Culture and Language Matter
    Jesus spoke as a Jew to Jews. Many truths are deeply rooted in Hebrew idioms and first-century thought. Misreading the cultural setting leads to misapplying truth.
  3. Scripture Interprets Scripture
    Isaiah 28:10 and 1 Corinthians 2:13 remind us: truth is confirmed in multiple witnesses across God’s Word. Don’t hang doctrines on isolated verses.
  4. Avoid Allegory Unless the Text Demands It
    The early Church read Scripture literally unless it clearly indicated symbolism (such as in visions or parables). They let the Spirit—not philosophy—determine meaning.
  5. Reject Traditions That Override Scripture
    Jesus warned about this (Matthew 15:9). When tradition silences the Word or redefines its meaning, we must return to the text and the Spirit.

Walking as the Early Church Walked

To read the Bible rightly, we must return to how it was written: in context, by the Spirit, and for the Church. The Bereans searched the Scriptures daily to test everything. The Ante-Nicene believers treasured the Word, often at the cost of their lives.

They didn’t read to affirm a system. They read to know and follow Christ.

Return to the Word. Return to the Spirit.

The Bible is not meant to be interpreted by the wisdom of men, but by the One who wrote it. The Holy Spirit still teaches, still convicts, still opens eyes. You don’t need a new method—you need the old path.

Read with prayer. Read with surrender. Read with the Spirit. And you will find Christ in every page.

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Feast of Weeks, Holy Days

Pentecost (Shavuot)— The Spirit and the Harvest

Rooted & Raised

Scripture Focus: Leviticus 23:15–22; Acts 1:4–8; Acts 2:1–41; John 14:16–17; Joel 2:28–32

Fifty days after the waving of the Firstfruits offering, the Feast of Weeks—known in Greek as Pentecost—was celebrated. It marked the end of the barley harvest and the beginning of the wheat harvest, a time of joyful gathering and thanksgiving. Yet in the fullness of time, God used this appointed day not only to gather grain, but to gather souls into His Kingdom.

The Count Leads to Completion

Leviticus 23 commands Israel to count seven complete Sabbaths from the day of Firstfruits, totaling fifty days (vv. 15–16). Then a new offering was to be presented to the LORD:

“You shall bring in from your dwelling places two loaves of bread for a wave offering… they shall be of fine flour, baked with leaven as first fruits to the Lord” (v. 17).

Unlike the earlier grain offerings, these two loaves were baked with leaven, symbolizing the full harvest of both Jew and Gentile—people from every nation, still imperfect, yet accepted in Christ.

The Fulfillment: The Holy Spirit Poured Out

In Acts 2, the early disciples were gathered in one place, as instructed by Jesus. Then suddenly:

“There came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house… And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:2,4).

This was the fulfillment of what Jesus had promised: the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, the empowerment for witness (Acts 1:8), and the beginning of the Church’s public ministry.

It was also the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy:

“It shall come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind… And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be delivered” (Joel 2:28,32).

The result? Three thousand souls were added to the Church that day (Acts 2:41). The true harvest had begun.

The Role of the Spirit in the Believer’s Life

Pentecost is not just a historical event—it is a present reality. The same Spirit who descended at Pentecost dwells in every believer today:

  • He teaches and reminds us of Christ’s words (John 14:26)
  • He empowers us to witness (Acts 1:8)
  • He produces fruit in us (Galatians 5:22–23)
  • He convicts the world of sin and testifies of Christ (John 16:8,14)

The indwelling of the Spirit is both the seal of our salvation and the source of our sanctification. Through Him, we are transformed into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Devotional Reflection: From Grain to Glory

Read Together: Leviticus 23:15–22; Acts 2:1–41; Joel 2:28–32

Discuss:

  • Why do you think God chose to pour out the Spirit on the day of Pentecost?
  • What do the two leavened loaves symbolize?
  • How does the Spirit equip you for witness and transformation?
  • What does it mean to live in daily dependence on the Spirit?

Reflect: Take time to thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit. As the early Church was empowered to declare the mighty works of God, ask the Lord to fill your life with the same boldness, holiness, and harvest. We are no longer counting the days—we are living in the fulfillment.

Pray: Holy Spirit, we welcome You. As You filled the disciples at Pentecost, fill us anew. Empower us to speak truth, live boldly, and walk in step with Your leading. May our lives be a living offering to the Lord of the harvest. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The fire has fallen. The harvest has begun.

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First Fruits, Holy Days

Firstfruits — He Is Risen!

Rooted & Raised

Scripture Focus: Leviticus 23:9–14; 1 Corinthians 15:20–23; Matthew 28; Romans 6:8–11

On April 20, 2025, the Feast of Firstfruits is celebrated on the day after the weekly Sabbath during Passover week. This appointed time marks the beginning of the barley harvest in Israel, when the first sheaf (omer) was brought before the LORD as an offering of thanksgiving and trust in God’s provision. Yet for those who belong to Christ, this feast takes on even deeper significance. It is the day that death was defeated. It is the day the tomb was found empty.

What Is Firstfruits?

In Leviticus 23, the LORD commanded:

“When you enter the land which I am going to give to you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest… He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord for you to be accepted” (vv. 10–11).

This sheaf represented the very first yield of the harvest. Offering it was a declaration of faith: if God accepted the first, He would bless the rest. It was an act of consecration and trust.

Jesus, the Firstfruits of the Resurrection

Paul connects this feast directly to Christ:

“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20).

Just as the priest would wave the sheaf of barley as a representative of the harvest to come, so Jesus was raised as the first of a new creation—a living guarantee that those who belong to Him will also rise.

“For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming” (vv. 21–23).

His resurrection wasn’t an isolated miracle—it was the down payment of a coming harvest. The tomb is empty, and because of that, ours will be too.

Raised to New Life

Firstfruits is not just about the future resurrection. It also proclaims newness of life now:

“Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him… Consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:8, 11).

Resurrection is not only our hope—it is our identity. The same power that raised Jesus from the grave now works in those who believe (Ephesians 1:19–20).

Celebrating with Barley: A Symbol of Consecration

To mark this day, many believers choose to incorporate barley into their celebration as a physical reminder of the spiritual harvest. Barley was the first crop to ripen in Israel and was seen as a humble offering from the land—one that God Himself chose as the symbol of resurrection.

Ideas for a Simple Firstfruits Celebration:

  • Barley Bread or Soup: Prepare a meal using barley and pray together, giving thanks for Christ, our Firstfruits.
  • Wave Sheaf Symbol: Create a small bundle of barley or another grain and wave it before the Lord as a declaration that your life is His.
  • Thanksgiving and Testimony: Reflect on how Christ has brought resurrection life into your home. Share testimonies of spiritual renewal.
  • New Commitments: As the sheaf was a symbol of consecration, use this day to rededicate your heart, family, or home to God’s purposes.

Counting the Omer: From Resurrection to Empowerment

Leviticus 23:15–16 gives this command:

“You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete Sabbaths. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the Lord.”

This count begins on Firstfruits and continues for fifty days until Shavuot (Pentecost). It was a season of expectancy—a time of waiting for harvest, revelation, and empowerment.

In Acts 1–2, we see the ultimate fulfillment of this period. From the resurrection to the pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the disciples waited together in prayer and obedience. On the fiftieth day, the Spirit descended.

For us today, counting the omer is a way to remember that salvation is not the end—it is the beginning of sanctification and mission. Each day is a step of preparation to be used by the Lord.

Suggestions for Counting the Omer:

  • Read one Psalm each day or walk through the Book of Acts.
  • Journal how God is forming Christ in you during this season.
  • Focus on “bearing fruit” in the Spirit: love, joy, peace…

We do not count up to Pentecost in obligation but in anticipation—we await the fullness of what God intends to do through His resurrected and Spirit-filled people.

Devotional Reflection: Living as the Harvest of God

Read Together: Leviticus 23:9–14; 1 Corinthians 15:20–23; Romans 6:8–11

Discuss:

  • What did the offering of Firstfruits symbolize for Israel?
  • How is Jesus the fulfillment of this feast?
  • How does our future resurrection shape the way we live now?
  • What does it mean to be “alive to God”?

Reflect: Thank God for the risen Christ. Let His resurrection become more than a doctrine—let it become your daily joy, strength, and expectation. We are not merely waiting for resurrection; we are already walking in it.

Pray: Father, thank You for raising Jesus from the dead as the firstfruits of the resurrection to come. Thank You that in Him we are made alive—now and forever. Help us to live each day in the power of His resurrection, bearing fruit that glorifies You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

He is risen—and so shall we be.

Note:

Orthodox Judaism follows the Pharisaic / Rabbinic Interpretation (Majority of Modern Judaism), not necessarily a literal reading of Leviticus 23.

  • “Sabbath” = the first day of Unleavened Bread (which is a “High Sabbath,” not necessarily Saturday)
  • Therefore, Firstfruits = Nisan 16, regardless of the weekday
  • In 2025, Unleavened Bread begins at sundown April 13 (Nisan 15), so Firstfruits (Nisan 16) = April 14 evening to April 15 evening

Messianic Jews and many Christians who celebrate the feasts follow the Sadducean/Temple-era practice, which aligns with Jesus rising on Sunday and Paul calling Him the “Firstfruits” (1 Corinthians 15:20–23).

  • “Sabbath” = the weekly Sabbath (Saturday)
  • Firstfruits = the Sunday after that Sabbath, always a Sunday resurrection picture
  • In 2025, the weekly Sabbath during Passover week is April 19, so Firstfruits = Sunday, April 20
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Devotions, Women's Devotionals

🌿 Kingdom Living Devotional — Day 16

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Devotions, Family Devotionals

🏡 Kingdom Family Devotional — Day 16

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Devotions, Women's Devotionals

🌿 Kingdom Living Devotional — Day 15

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Devotions, Family Devotionals

🏡 Kingdom Family Devotional — Day 15

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Devotions, Teen Devotions

😎 Kingdom Teen Devotional — Day 15

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Holy Days, Passover

🕊️ Passover: God’s Appointed Time

Rooted & Raised

Passover was instituted by God Himself:

“Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance.”
— Exodus 12:14, NASB 1995

Jesus honored the Passover with His disciples the night He was betrayed (Matthew 26:17–19). He did not replace it, but fulfilled its meaning as the Lamb of God (John 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:7).

The early Church—especially Jewish believers and even many Gentile believers—continued to commemorate Christ’s death and resurrection in the context of Passover, not outside of it.

⚔️ The Schism: From Obedience to Imperial Power

🔹 Ignatius of Antioch (Early 2nd Century)

  • One of the earliest voices urging a departure from “Judaizing.”
  • He instructed believers to no longer observe “the Sabbath” as Jews did, but to honor “the Lord’s Day” (Sunday) instead.

This wasn’t merely honoring Christ’s resurrection—it became a repudiation of the Jewish calendar and practice.

🔹 Quartodeciman Controversy (2nd Century)

  • Quartodecimans (Latin for “Fourteeners”) observed the death of Christ on the 14th of Nisan, the biblical Passover.
  • Others (especially in Rome and Alexandria) preferred celebrating on a Sunday—regardless of the biblical calendar—to distinguish themselves from Jewish practices.

This dispute was widespread and intense. Yet the Quartodecimans were simply following the pattern found in Scripture—what the Apostles and early Church had done.

🔥 Council of Nicaea (AD 325)

This is where the divide became enshrined by law.

Emperor Constantine, who presided over the council (despite being unbaptized and still involved in pagan worship), said:

“…it appeared an unworthy thing that in the celebration of this most holy feast we should follow the practice of the Jews… Let us then have nothing in common with the detestable Jewish crowd…”
— Eusebius, Life of Constantine, Book III, Chapter 18

They decreed that the resurrection should be celebrated on a Sunday, not according to the Jewish calendar, and thus severed the Church’s celebration of Christ’s death and resurrection from its biblical roots.

⚠️ The Result: Easter Replaces Passover

  • “Easter” eventually became associated with the pagan spring festival to the goddess Eostre (from which the English name derives).*
  • Biblical timing was replaced with ecclesiastical calendars.
  • Man-made tradition overtook God’s ordained moedim (appointed times).

“Thus you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.”
— Matthew 15:6, NASB 1995

✝️ What Did the Early Believers Do?

The Ante-Nicene Church—those who followed Christ between the time of the Apostles and the Council of Nicaea—did not separate the crucifixion and resurrection from Passover. They recognized Jesus as the fulfillment of it, not a replacement.

They obeyed the appointed times (moedim) not as legalistic requirements but as prophetic celebrations pointing to Christ’s redemptive work.

🔥 Final Thoughts: Can Man Override God’s Calendar?

No.

Though councils may decree, emperors may impose, and theologians may rationalize, God’s Word stands.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”
— Matthew 24:35, NASB 1995

God ordained the feasts as shadows of the substance in Christ (Colossians 2:16–17). They are not to be discarded, but fulfilled in truth and Spirit, not severed from their purpose.

✅ What We Know Historically

*The Name “Easter” Appears in English and German Only
The English word “Easter” is derived from the Old English Ēastre or Ēostre.

The 8th-century historian Bede (in De Natura Rerum and The Reckoning of Time) claimed that the month Ēosturmōnaþ (April) was named after a Saxon goddess called Ēostre, and that Christians adopted the name when celebrating Christ’s resurrection.

“Eosturmonath, which is now interpreted as the Paschal month, was once called after a goddess of theirs named Eostre…” — Bede, The Reckoning of Time, ch. 15

🔍 However:

Bede is the only ancient source who ever mentions this goddess.

There is no archaeological or written evidence (outside of Bede) for a goddess named Eostre being worshiped in Anglo-Saxon or Germanic paganism.

So, while the name might have originated from a springtime festival month, the goddess connection is weakly attested and largely speculative. Nevertheless, man-made tradition overtook God’s ordained moedim (appointed times).

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Holy Days, Summary

Appointed by God, Fulfilled in Christ

Rooted & Raised

According to Leviticus 23, God established seven appointed feasts (moedim), and these were given in order as prophetic markers—each one fulfilled in Christ, either in His first coming or still to be fulfilled at His second coming.

Here’s a complete list:

🌿 SPRING FEASTS – Fulfilled in Christ’s First Coming

  1. Passover (Pesach) – Christ’s crucifixion “Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed” (1 Cor. 5:7)
    • Fulfilled: Jesus died on Passover as the Lamb of God (John 1:29)
  2. Unleavened Bread – Christ’s burial and sinlessness
    • Fulfilled: Jesus was buried, His body without sin or corruption (Acts 2:27)
  3. Firstfruits – Christ’s resurrection “Christ has been raised… the firstfruits of those who are asleep” (1 Cor. 15:20)
    • Fulfilled: Jesus rose on the day of Firstfruits, the “first of the harvest”
  4. Pentecost (Shavuot / Feast of Weeks) – Giving of the Spirit “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” (Acts 1:8)
    • Fulfilled: 50 days after Firstfruits, the Spirit was poured out (Acts 2)

🍂 FALL FEASTS – To Be Fulfilled at Christ’s Return

  1. Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah) – Return of the King “…at the last trumpet… the dead will be raised” (1 Cor. 15:52; Matt. 24:31)
    • Awaiting Fulfillment: This feast foreshadows the resurrection, rapture, and announcement of the King’s return
  2. Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) – Final Judgment and National Repentance “They will look on Me whom they have pierced” (Zech. 12:10; Rom. 11:26–27)
    • Awaiting Fulfillment: A picture of Israel’s future repentance and the full revelation of Christ as High Priest and Judge
  3. Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) – Millennial Kingdom, God dwelling with man “The tabernacle of God is among men…” (Rev. 21:3)
    • Awaiting Fulfillment: Points to the Messianic Kingdom and God’s permanent dwelling among His people

✨ BONUS: Shemini Atzeret – The Eighth Day of Completion

Not a separate feast but a concluding assembly—a prophetic picture of eternity and the new creation. It follows Tabernacles and looks beyond the millennial reign into the eternal state where God dwells with His people forever (Revelation 21–22).

There are no additional holy days listed in Leviticus 23 beyond these seven feasts + the 8th Day. These encompass the entire redemptive timeline of Christ’s work—from the cross to the crown.

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