God's Appointed Customs: A Messianic Jewish Guide to the Biblical Lifecycle and Lifestyle

by Barney Kasdan

Publisher:

Messianic Jewish Publishers

, 1996

Overview

This book seeks to present a balanced approach to understanding the importance and the danger of traditions. There are good traditions and there are bad traditions. Additionally, there is a right spirit and a wrong spirit in which one can approach the customs. These were certainly issues that faced the first Jewish and Gentile believers in Yeshua. On the Jewish side, the acceptance of Yeshua did not mean that they converted to a new religion. The Jewish believers actually saw themselves as having received the fulfillment of what was spoken of in the Hebrew Scriptures. They understood this to mean they were now Messianic Jews who would naturally continue in their God-given heritage. This fact is confirmed in a description of this Messianic Jewish community in the book of Acts: "You see, brother [Saul], how many tens of thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and they are all zealots for the Torah" (Acts 21:20).

The first Jewish believers in Yeshua continued in the only lifestyle they knew: the Jewish life based on the Scriptures and customs consistent with the Bible. Their new understanding that Yehua of Natzeret (Nazareth) was the Messiah made them even more zealous for their traditions, as they understood the spiritual reasons behind them. Modern Messianic Jews frequently feel the same way and share the same enthusiasm. The Gentile believer was not excluded. Saul wrote to many of them concerning their new life in Messiah: "Therefore, brothers, stand firm; and hold to the traditions you were taught by us, whether we spoke them or wrote them in a letter" (2 Thessalonians 2:15). The first-century, non-Jewish believers in Yeshua understood many of the details of the Hebrew Scriptures and many of the traditions that enhanced them. An example of this is the cup shared at Messiah’s last Passover Seder. This element is not mandated in the Hebrew Scriptures, yet it became part of the tradition of Passover. The third cup is called the Cup of Redemption and, although it is a rabbinic tradition, it was blessed by Yeshua himself.

All traditions were weighed by the authority of the Bible, yet these believers were blessed as they understood the Jewish roots of their faith in Messiah. This is the balance that believers in Yeshua need to return to today. This book is an effort to bring out the spiritual richness of the biblical/Jewish traditions.

Contents

Top Highlights

“In biblical times, the doorpost of a house represented the family and its values. Due to its visibility, the doorpost was a place to show one’s identity.” (Page 90)

“This prophetic event, commonly called the ‘rapture’ (the catching up of believers), is perfectly illustrated within the Jewish wedding ceremony. As those betrothed to Yeshua, his followers await the start of the second part of the huppah tradition. The sheva b’rakhot (‘seven blessings’) mark the completion of the marriage.” (Page 62)

“Yeshua was not primarily addressing the aspect of foods, but was referring to ritual washings” (Page 107)

“it was the father of the groom who would give the final approval for the nissuin to begin.” (Page 51)

“for I have seen with my own eyes your yeshu’ah [salvation” (Page 32)

Product Details

• Title: God's Appointed Customs: A Messianic Jewish Guide to the Biblical Lifecycle and Lifestyle
• Author: Barney Kasdan
• Publisher: Messianic Jewish Publishers
• Publication Date: 1996
• Pages: 170

About Barney Kasdan

Barney Kasdan is leader of Kehilat Ariel, a thriving Messianic congregation located in San Diego. He holds degrees from Biola University (B.A.) and Talbot Theological Seminar (M.Div.). He also completed a year of post-graduate study at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles. Mr. Kasdan is the author if the popular book God’s Appointed Times.

In 1941, The United States is drawn into World War II. During that same year, Dr. Henry Einspruch publishes his classic book, The Yiddish New Testament, a breakthrough in evangelistic literature for Jewish people. Over the following decades, the publications of Lederer/Messianic Jewish Communications have been widely used to impact thousands of Jewish people with the Good News of Messiah. These books and tracts have been distributed in the Orthodox Jewish community, have been given out to Jews in the former Soviet Union, and have been used by Messianic congregations and Jewish outreaches all over the world. Messianic Jewish Publishers mission is two-pronged: Reaching out to Jewish people with the message of Messiah and teaching the non-Jewish spiritual family about their Jewish roots.