Shemini Atzeret
Shemini Atzeret is the Hebrew name of the 8th Day. In Jewish tradition there’s much confusion about why we have to celebrate this day. It’s a Shabbat, they have a service, they pray for the people who are no longer alive and they start to pray for rain. This prayer for rain is continuing until Passover. This is the Jewish tradition.
We no longer need the sukkot and the lulav.
For the followers of Yeshua this day is very meaningful. After my teaching you will understand why.
The first day represents the creation of heaven and earth. The creation of the human being. And the reign of Adam and Eve.
Genesis 1:26-28
Then Yahweh said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Yahweh created man in His own image, in the image of Yahweh He created him; male and female He created them. Yahweh blessed them; and Yahweh said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
In the celebrations it refers to Passover. We celebrate the liberation of Yahweh’s people from Egypt and the liberation from mankind from the punishment for our sins.
Adam and Eve live in freedom. Yahweh’s people live again in freedom. And we started to live in freedom thanks to Yeshua.
The second day represents the fall of mankind in sins.
Genesis 2:16-17
The Lord Yahweh commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”
Genesis 3:6
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.
In the celebrations it refers to the feast of unleavened bread what represents the period that Yahweh’s people were hunted by the pharaoh of Egypt and his army. Yeshua is dead in the grave. There seems to be no hope.
The sins of mankind became so much that Yahweh decided to destroy everything and start over with mankind and creation. We read this in Genesis 6.
Genesis 6:11-13
Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of Yahweh , and the earth was filled with violence. Yahweh looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. Then Yahweh said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth.
Third day represents the victory over the sinful nature of mankind. Mankind is born again. Mankind get a new start.
Genesis 8:16-17
“Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you, birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, that they may breed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.”
In the celebrations it refers to the first fruits. Yahweh’s nation is rescued from the pharaoh and his army. They crossed the Red Sea and gets a new start as nation. Yeshua resurrected from the death. Death is conquered. Every sinner that accepts Yeshua’s offer and believes is without sin, is born again and gets a new start.
The fourth day represents the convenants that Yahweh made with us.
Genesis 9:8-13
Then Yahweh spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying, “Now behold, I Myself do establish My covenant with you, and with your descendants after you; and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you; of all that comes out of the ark, even every beast of the earth. I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth.” Yahweh said, “This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations; I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth.
This is a convenant with mankind and the creation in general.
In the celebrations it refers to Shavuot. Yahweh gives His nation the ten commandments, the constitution. And law is made. Yahweh made His first convenant with His people. From now on they’re a nation. It’s a convenant for a nation.
Exodus 19:3-5
Moses went up to Yahweh , and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine.
Yahweh’s people couldn’t keep the first covenant. That’s why a new one is made.
Hebrews 8:7-10
For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. For finding fault with them, He says, “Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, When I will effect a new covenant With the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers On the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; For they did not continue in My convenants, And I did not care for them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, And I will write them on their hearts. And I will be their God , And they shall be My people.
This new convenant has been ratified by the blood of Yeshua. And to become part of this new convenant we have to eat and drink His blood.
Matthew 26:26-28
While they were eating, Yeshua took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.
This convenant is for every person individual.
On this day is also given the Holy Spirit. Who teaches us the Word of Yahweh. From this moment are the disciples of Yeshua spreading the good news of the Kingdom of Yahweh that is going to come very soon. And that we have to prepare ourselves. Our way to the Kingdom is Yeshua who died for our sins. This counts for everyone. Also for the Yahweh’s nation, but they’re still not recognizing Yeshua as their Messiah.
The fifth day represents the coming of the Messiah. He is coming to pick up His bride to take her to the wedding. This wedding is Yeshua accepting His Kingdom. And Yahweh’s nation will accept Him as their Messiah.
In the celebrations it refers to Yom Teruah. It’s a joyful day of expectation. The wedding is officially announced now and we are invited.
We shout and blow on trumpets. Because we’re on our way to a wedding together with bride and bridegroom.
Zechariah 9:9
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Revelation 19:7-9
Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ ” And he said to me, “These are true words of Yahweh.”
The sixth day represents the wrath of Yahweh. The six bowls. And later after 1000 years judgment day. It’s a very sad day. Many people are punished because of their unbelief. This wrath is for everyone, unless you are forgiven and be a follower of Yeshua.
In the celebrations it refers to Yom Kippur. It’s a day of self-reflection and fasting. And reading the bible and pray.
Yahweh’s people are not sure that they are written in the book of life. But we as followers of Yeshua know that we’re written in the book of life.
The 7th day is the Sabbath what represents the 1000 years reign of Yeshua.
Revelation 20:1-4
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time. Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of Yahweh , and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Messiah for a thousand years.
Revelation 20:7-10
When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Revelation 20:12 and 15
And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.
And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Now at last the big wedding celebration is there. We’re for ever free from the devil, sins and death. Yeshua is forever with us. We celebrate that Yeshua accepted His throne and became our King.
In the celebrations it refers to Sukkot. A seven days feast. The booth and the lulav remember us that our ancestors were living in the wilderness for 40 years. Most of them didn’t make it. But we arrived in the promised land, in the promised eternal Kingdom.
The 8th Day represents the new heaven and new earth and it represents the new eternal Kingdom.
In the celebrations it refers to Shemini Atzeret . We’re celebrating the coming of the new heaven and earth. And the new Jerusalem. And the fact that from now on Yahweh and Yeshua lives forever with us on the new earth in Jerusalem.
Revelation 21:1-7
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from Yahweh , made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of Yahweh is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and Yahweh Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.