Blotting Out the Handwriting Against Us
Blotting Out the Handwriting
Against Us
A Fresh Look at Colossians 2:11-17
Introduction
Paul’s epistle to the Colossians was written to strengthen and encourage believers to remain steadfast in their adherence to Torah Law (the first five books of the O.T.) as they faced countless opposition and pressure from the surrounding unbelieving pagan nations.
However, over the years, Colossians 2:11-17 has become widely misunderstood and misinterpreted. It has often been taught that Paul was advocating for the abolition of the Torah Law of Instruction, which includes the Eternal Standard of Righteousness found in the Ten Commandments and the ordained observance of the lunar calendar. Yet, when examined within its proper Scriptural and historical context, it is discovered that Paul’s message conveys something entirely different from what is often taught in churches today. Rather, he upholds the Torah Law, the Ten Commandments, along with affirming the redemptive work of the Messiah as portrayed by the time-centric lunar appointed Feast Days, His ordained remedy and yearly pathway for sinners, born of grace.
Paul’s discourse in these verses affirms the necessity of a circumcised heart, the transformative power of baptism, and the redemptive work of Yahusha haMashiach in removing the record of and penalty for sin. But He NEVER advocated for the abolishment of the Torah Law or the Ten Commandments themselves. He further emphasizes the value and continued significance of Yahuah (YHUH) Alahim’s ordained time-centric calendar, including the New Moon Days, lunar seventh-day Sabbaths, and lunar-appointed Feast Days. Contrary to prevailing theological interpretations, Paul’s message encourages steadfastness in these divine institutions rather than their abandonment. So what was nailed to the cross? What handwriting is against us?
The following analysis seeks to illuminate the deeper meaning of Colossians 2:11-17, demonstrating how Paul’s teachings align with the Plan of Salvation as it is revealed in the Torah Law of Instruction as it was established by Yahuah Alahim, recorded by Moses, but fulfilled by our Messiah, Yahusha haMashiach. Let us begin with a short story…
The Debt That Could Not Be Paid
Josiah’s heart pounded as he stood before the massive stone ledger in the great hall of judgment. He had known this day would come, but he had not been fully prepared for the weight of the record written against him. Every sin, every failure, every moment of rebellion was engraved in stone—undeniable evidence of his guilt.
The scribe, dressed in solemn robes, turned to him with a heavy gaze. “Josiah, the charges against you are many. The law is clear: THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH! You are condemned.”
Josiah’s knees buckled. He had spent the early years of his life ignoring the gravity of his sins. In His later years He had discovered the life changing power of the Messiah and the forgiveness that comes with confession and trusting in Him. With His help he sought to make things right and had turned his life around.
Now, here he stood before the judgment seat. The decree and engraving of his sins appeared to remain against him, and he had nothing of himself to pay the debt. He had no defense, no excuse, and no hope outside the promise and provision of Yahusha, His Messiah.
Then, from the back of the hall, a voice rang out. “I WILL PAY JOSIAH’s DEBT!”
Josiah turned in disbelief. A man stepped forward, clothed in white, with eyes full of authority, yet with love and tender mercy. Josiah instantly recognized Him. It was his beloved savior, and faithful friend, Yahusha haMashiach.
The scribe frowned. “This debt is vast. It requires blood.”
Yahusha nodded. “Then take mine.”
With a solemn motion, He reached out His hands. The scribe hesitated, then lifted his quill. Dipping it in red ink, he struck through the entire record with a single, bold and blotting stroke. The stone ledger trembled, and the engraved words of condemnation vanished away.
Josiah gasped as he looked at the smooth clean slate where his sins had previously been recorded. The man turned to him, His hands now pierced, blood dripping from where the quill had touched. “It is finished,” He said softly.
Josiah fell to his knees. His sins were forgiven and the record of sins were not merely ignored; they were fully blotted out. The record and the penalty of his sins had been nailed to another’s cross. His wages of sin had been absorbed in another’s suffering. He was free.
Tears filled his eyes as he realized the cost of his pardon. He had been saved—not by his own efforts, but by the Lamb who took his place.
As he rose, his heart burned with a new resolve. He would never again live as a slave to sin. He belonged to the One who had paid his debt in full.
This short story sets the stage for this article in a stunningly vivid way, clarifying Colossians 2:11-17. It emphasizes that it was the record of sin and its penalty that was nailed to the cross.
Laying a Solid Foundation
Before we get into the meat of Colossians 2:1-17, it is recommended that you refresh your memory about the distinctions between the vital roles of:
- The Ten Commandments
- The Torah Law of Instruction
- The Role of Grace
Click here for clarity before you move on. The Eternal Standard, the Covenant, and the Gift of Grace.
Responses to New Light
It may be that the most difficult part of learning something new is when it conflicts with previous well-groomed paradigms. This is normal and can create responses explained by Cognitive Dissonance. (Click on the image to enlarge it.)
Fresh New Light on Colossians 2:11-17
Below, you will find seven verses from Paul’s letter to the Colossians, a single yet connected passage that has been widely misunderstood and misrepresented for nearly 1,700 years. Each verse from the King James Version (KJV) is followed by a clear, Scripture-supported explanation that restores its true meaning, grounded in the full weight of biblical evidence. Prepare to see these verses in a fresh light, aligned with the truth of Yahuah Alahim’s word.
1. Colossians 2:11 – Circumcision of the Heart and Cutting Off Our Sinful Flesh
“In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Yahusha haMashiach:” Colossians 2:11
The ultimate purpose of circumcision was a metaphor designed to point to the deeper reality of a circumcised heart in which sin and evil surmising are cut off. (Deuteronomy 10:16, Deuteronomy 30:6, Jeremiah 4:4, Romans 2:29, Colossians 2:11.) This transformation is not achieved through human hands but through the work of Yahusha haMashiach, who enables His followers to cast off the sinful nature and walk in renewed obedience.
Circumcision was also prophetic in nature. It was given as a reminder that all sinful flesh will one day be cut off. This will occur at the end of the seven thousand years (six thousand on earth and one thousand in heaven), when the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, comes down from Yahuah Alahim out of heaven, and He sets up His Kingdom on earth. At that time, all the unsaved people who have ever lived on the face of the earth will be raised from their graves, not unto eternal life as are the faithful, but unto eternal death and damnation.
Satan and all the demons with him will rally these unrepentant to rush and take the Holy City. That is when Yahusha haMashiach calls the Hell Fire down from heaven (2 Peter 3:7, 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, Revelation 20:14-15, Matthew 13:40-42, Romans 6:23), and the final and prophetic circumcision takes place when sinful flesh is forever circumcised from the earth. Sin and sinners will be blotted out and cease to exist in any form. The Universe is cleansed once and for all. Sin will not rise up a second time. This final death of sinners is called the second death. (Psalm 37:10, Psalm 37:20, Malachi 4:1-3, Obadiah 1:16, Proverbs 10:25.) (Second death: Revelation 2:11, Revelation 20:6, Revelation 20:14, Revelation 21:8.)
“What do you imagine against Yahuah (YHUH)? He will make an utter end: affliction (H6869 – tribulation, trouble) shall not rise up the second time.” Nahum 1:9
This verse is often understood in the context of Yahuah’s final judgment against sin and wickedness. It conveys the assurance that once Yahuah’s redemptive plan is complete, sin and rebellion will be permanently eradicated, never to return. This aligns with Revelation’s depiction of a renewed heavens and earth where only righteousness dwells (Revelation 21:1-4, 27).
An explanation of damnation in biblical terms is divine judgment, which refers to the punishment of eternal consequences. It is the sentence of the second death from which there is no return for all those who reject Yahusha haMashiach and the loving provision of His sacrificial death to save yours.
This concept is central to understanding the wages of sin and stands in stark contrast to the gift of eternal life through Yahusha haMashiach. This view remains at odds with the idea of eternal conscious torment taught by many Christian denominations today, as Scripture only supports the belief that sinners will be no more after the final judgment.
2. Colossians 2:12 – Our Sins Buried with Him in Baptism that We May Live Again
“Buried with Him [Yahusha haMashiach] in baptism, wherein also you are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of Yahuah Alahim (God), who hath raised Him from the dead.” Colossians 2:12
Baptism serves as the outward expression of an inward transformation. It marks a public and celebratory moment in which an individual acknowledges Yahusha’s sacrificial death on their behalf, symbolizing both death to sin and resurrection into a new life of faithfulness to Yahusha and His principles of life and truth.
“Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Yahusha haMashiach were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Messiah was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:3-4
This passage emphasizes that baptism symbolizes both death to sin and resurrection into a new life with Yahusha haMashiach. It is not merely a ritual but an act of faith and trust, signifying a believer’s acceptance of Yahusha’s atoning sacrifice and commitment to a transformed life in obedience to Yahuah Alahim’s Eternal Standard of Righteousness and the Torah Law of instruction. One sets forth the STANDARD, and the other reveals the pathway back (the Plan of Salvation) to the Eternal Father and His Standard of Righteousness.
3. Colossians 2:13 – Dead to Our Confessed Sins and Forgiven
“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses;” Colossians 2:13
This verse is a continuation of verse 12 as it continues to clarify the deeper symbolism of baptism. Through genuine confession of sins, forgiveness is granted, and the repentant believer is covered by the blood sacrifice of Yahusha haMashiach, their savior. This covering is the only means by which one can stand justified before Yahuah Alahim, the Most High. Forgiveness is the essence of GRACE, as described in Ephesians 2:8-9:
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of Yahuah Alahim: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9.
It is only by the unmerited favor of Yahuah Alahim, the Father, extended through Yahusha’s atoning sacrifice, that believers are granted GRACE and receive forgiveness, justification, and new life of sanctification. Of paramount importance, this GIFT OF GRACE cannot exist outside of the LAW, born of both the Standard of Righteousness and the Torah Law of Instruction. If you remove the Law, then Grace no longer exists or has meaning.
4. Colossians 2:14 – Blotting Out the Handwriting, the Record of Our Sins, Nailing them to His Cross
“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross;” Colossians 2:14
The BLOTTING OUT is not a removal of the Ten Commandments or Torah Law but rather the blotting out of THE RECORD OF TRANSGRESSIONS (SINS) AGAINST US and the removal of the penalty (the wages of sin) through confession and forgiveness, based upon the atoning sacrifice of Yahusha haMashiach. This means that confessed sins are forgiven, blotted out, and removed from the record along with sin’s penalty, never to be remembered again. They are removed as far as the east is from the west (Psalms 103:12).
The “handwriting of ordinances that was against us” refers to the record of sin and its penalty. The purpose of the Ten Commandments is to define what sin is. The back side of the “Thou shalt nots” of the Ten Commandments reveals the penalty described as “THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH.” No sinner can stand in the presence of the Holy Yahuah Alahim without Yahusha as an intercessor and without the covering of His blood. That covering is received only by those who confess their sins. Covering our sins with His blood is the monumental act of GRACE. While all are invited to receive His blood atonement, only a few choose to receive it so that they may be covered and that their sins may be blotted out.
Our sins, their record, and their penalty are nailed to the cross. NOT THE LAW!!! For Yahusha bore the full weight of the curse of sin and the second death on our behalf. His victory over these cancels the debt we owe, granting us the gift of eternal life with Him.
“…Cursed is every one that continue not in all things which are written in the book of the TORAH LAW, to do them.” Galatians 3:10
One of the most compelling Scriptures illustrating that the blotting out of the record against us refers to the forgiveness of sins is Isaiah:
“I, even I, am He that blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and will not remember your sins.” Isaiah 43:25
“I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed you.” Isaiah 44:22
These verses directly connect the act of BLOTTING OUT with divine forgiveness of sins, reinforcing the message in Colossians 2:14. It emphasizes that it is Yahusha Himself who removes the record of sins, not by abolishing His Law (Torah of Instruction with its ceremonies, lunar calendar, or Ten Commandments), but through His mercy and grace, He wipes our slate clean. Thus, it is not the law that is removed but the record of and penalty for our sins (the wages of sin and the second death), erased through the mercy and grace of Yahuah Alahim and His Son, Yahusha haMashiach.
5. Colossians 2:15 – Defeating the Principalities and Powers, Yahusha Triumphed Over Them
“And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Colossians 2:15
By His death and resurrection, Yahusha haMashiach (Messiah) victoriously conquered the forces of darkness that had held humanity in bondage to sin and death. Yet, His triumph did not abolish the necessity of upholding the Ten Commandments, the Eternal Standard of Righteousness. Instead, it magnified its significance, calling His followers to greater faithfulness in walking the path of restoration in boldness, as revealed in the Torah Law.
The divine blueprint and pathway of Salvation, originally portrayed in the Tabernacle/Temple time-centric sacrificial system, has been preserved for all time in His sequenced and set-apart lunar appointed holy days of our Creator’s original calendar. Although the earthly Temple no longer exists, it contained the Most High’s worship template designed to continue forward on earth and in the courts above, forever.
His New Moon Days, lunar seventh-day Sabbaths, and lunar-appointed Feast Days reveal the orchestrated order of the Messiah’s work to save you and me. Day by day, they continually align the soul’s temple with the Messiah’s redemptive work, guiding the faithful into synchronized worship of the Most High.
The Standard of Righteousness, embodied in the Ten Commandments, remains the paramount goal of the sinner’s restoration, for it reflects the very character of the Most High. The Torah Law reveals the divine pathway leading to restoration, illuminating the steps by which the fallen sinners may, by faith, be brought back into harmony with their Creator.
In antiquity, this truth was vividly portrayed through the time-centered sacrificial system of the Hebrew Tabernacle and, later, the Temple. Each year, the sacred offerings illustrated the entire Plan of Salvation, enabling the faithful to align their soul temples with the divine rhythm established for all appointed worship days. Through this intricate system, every year became a living rehearsal of redemption, reinforcing the distinction between the faithful followers and those who do not adhere to the Torah yet claim to be believers, pagans, heathen, or others; it separates the holy from the profane.
The time directive established at creation recognized only the first full moon of spring to announce Rosh Hashanah (New Year’s Day), and all the following full moons as His set-apart New Moons. From this foundational platform, all sacred days, New Moons, Sabbaths, and the seven lunar appointed Feast Days are counted and placed. Not unique to heaven or other worlds, this time-centered rhythm calls the faithful to sacred worship of the divine, harmonizing our soul temples to that of His.
This victory over principalities and powers is echoed in Ephesians 6:12:
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12
Paul reminds believers that the struggle is not against earthly authorities but against highly organized demonic forces of evil and rebellion designed to disengage you from seeking Yahusha’s remedy. He emphasizes that Yahusha haMashiach triumphs over them, disarming these forces and granting victory over the curse of sin and death to the confessing sinner.
6. Colossians 2:16 – Remain Steadfast In Keeping the New Moon Days, Lunar Sabbaths, and Lunar Appointed Feast Days
“Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day [lunar appointed Feast Day], or of the New Moon, or of the Sabbath days:” Colossians 2:16
This verse has been widely misunderstood and misrepresented by contemporary Christian pastors and theologians, who have interpreted it through the lens of Greco-Roman solar timekeeping dogma rather than the prescriptive biblical lunar calendar.
Paul is not dismissing the observance of the sacred lunar New Moon Day and its correlating lunar Sabbath, which was established at Creation to be in harmony with Yahuah’s (YHUH) very throne for worship. He is not instructing the Colossians to discard the lunar-appointed Feast Days, which were given after the fall in the garden to guide sinners on a precise and steady path of trust in their Savior, designed to lead them back to the Father and His Righteous Standard.
Although nearly lost and forgotten today, this time-measuring model is recorded from Genesis to Revelation, and it alone uniquely carries the worship rhythm of the Plan of Salvation, as its “beginnings and endings are correctly portrayed in the sun, moon, and stars. The meat and drink refer to Passover’s unleavened bread and wine, the symbols of the body and blood of Yahusha, our Savior, which was poured out for us.
Paul encourages the Colossians and those in Laodicea to stand firm in their faithfulness and obedience to the Torah Law of instructions, which guides the sinner home. Together, the unleavened bread and wine as symbols, along with the New Moon Days, lunar Sabbaths, and lunar appointed Feast Days, tell of the time-centered mechanism of the loving Messiah who laid down His life to save fallen mankind. Yet, all hell has rallied to purge the truth and cause the would-be followers of the Messiah to miss the mark entirely. The Principalities and Powers of Satanic agencies remain determined to eliminate the Ten Commandments, to throw out the Torah Law of Instructions, and, in all-out deception, have devised an illegitimate solar calendar (Roman Julian, and later Roman Gregorian) opposed to the entire Plan of Salvation and its unique worship rhythm, designed for your redemption.
Paul urged the Colossians not to succumb to the pressure of surrounding pagan societies, which neither recognized nor honored Yahuah Alahim, their Creator, His Standard of Righteousness, nor His ordained remedy for sin. This is as true for us today as it was for the Colossians. The true meaning of Paul’s exhortation remains a call to steadfastness in the face of opposition, and a call to faithfulness to the Torah Law, not a license to disregard the divine order or the rhythm of worship established by Yahuah Alahim at creation.
The Sunday through Saturday continuous weekly cycle is unique to the Roman pagan solar calendar, but was designed in ancient Babylon. Today, this fraudulent system of measuring weeks of days is the MARK of Roman pagan captivity. It is entirely opposed to the Righteous Standard set forth at creation for Yahuah Alahim’s faithful followers. For nearly 1,700 years, both the Jews and Christianity, and now most of the world, have fallen victim to this fraudulent Roman time-measuring model, a detour that includes weeks, months, and years. But Scripture’s Torah Law, and the temple’s sacrificial schedule, hold the key to your freedom. The prescribed Plan of Salvation, relayed to us according to sacred lunar time & events, is the key that unlocks you from the chains that tie you and your loved ones to the Principalities and Powers of this earth.
The following passage from the Tanakh (O.T.) reinforces the significance of Yahuah’s lunar appointed times, showing that they were an established foundation of Yasharal’s (Israel’s) worship rhythm and were never intended to be discarded. Paul’s words to the Colossians align with this, affirming that believers should not be swayed by external pressure and criticism but should continue in faithful observance of the symbols of bread and wine and of these sacred lunar appointed times.
“And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of Yahuah Alahim, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone having knowledge, and having understanding;
“They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into an curse [oath – H423] and into
anoath [the Feast of seven days – H7620], to walk in Alahim’s (God’s) Torah Law, which was given by Moses the servant of Alahim, and to observe and do all the commandments of Yahuah Alahim and His judgments and His statutes;And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons: And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the Sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.
Also, we made ordinances for us to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our Alahim; for the shewbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering of the Sabbaths, of the New Moons, for the set Feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our Alahim. Nehemiah 10:28-33
7. Colossians 2:17 – Which are Shadows of Things to Come
“Which are A SHADOW OF THINGS TO COME;
but[and] thebody[substance] is of Yahusha haMashiach.” Colossians 2:17
The phrase “a shadow of things to come” points to the symbolic significance of the tokens of bread and wine, and the prophetic application of the Full New/Renewed Moon Days, the lunar seventh-day Sabbaths, and the lunar-appointed Feast Days, which are all references to the time-centric layout of Yahusha haMashiach’s divine ministry. These sacred times are not relics of the past but divine signposts of the future for sinners past, present, and future. Prophetic in nature, they prefigured the blueprint of the unfolding Plan of Salvation that is yet to be fully completed.
Yahusha haMashiach has already fulfilled some aspects of these lunar appointed times, yet their ultimate fulfillment remains ahead as He finalizes His redemptive work for fallen humanity. Below are five examples of foundational evidence that the lunar appointed times were fashioned for the faithful and obedient of Earth for all time.
- Leviticus 23:1-5 – The Feast Days belong to Yahuah
“And Yahuah (YHUH) spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, concerning the Feasts of Yahuah, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My Feasts.” Leviticus 23:1-2.
This passage above establishes the foundational premise for all the Kodesh (holy) lunar appointed Feast Days: They remain THE FEASTS OF YAHUAH ALAHIM and DO NOT belong to ancient Yasharal (Israel) alone, nor to the modern Jews that they may be altered and changed; nor are they the property of the Christians that they might be wholly annulled. Rather, these Holy Days have been bequeathed to all created beings upon planet Earth as sacred rehearsals of prophetic events to be fulfilled at their preset lunar appointed times by the Messiah alone, in His temple, not made with human hands.
These appointed times were divinely set as signposts for His Plan of Salvation. Since Yahusha haMashiach has not yet completed all aspects of redemption (such as the Second Coming, the establishment of the Kingdom in Heaven, or the Earth made new), these sacred times still serve as prophetic markers for future fulfillment. All are invited to honor YHUH and Yahusha by celebrating these sacred rehearsals yearly, monthly, and weekly.
For a deeper study of these verses in Leviticus 23:1-5, please refer to the Word Study: Leviticus 23:1-5 – Lunar Time for All Sacred Assemblies.
- Isaiah 66:22-23 – Specific Lunar Appointed Dates
“For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, says Yahuah, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall
come to pass[remain], from New Moon to New Moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, shall all flesh come to worship before me, says Yahuah.” Isaiah 66:22-23 KJV
These verses from the KJV illustrate that the New Moon, together with the seventh-day Sabbath, will be utilized continually in heaven and on the new earth. Those who would rather remain in harmony with the world and its pagan solar calendar system and desire not to align with the Creator’s Calendar make excuses of all kinds. They claim that these verses illustrate that the saved will utilize the lunar calendar only in heaven and the earth made new, and aren’t required to observe the Creator’s sacred calendar today. How is that any different than saying obedience to Yahuah will be required in heaven but not now?
For a deeper study of these verses in Isaiah 66:22-23, please refer to the Hebrew Word Study: New Moon by New Moon You Shall Keep.
- Ezekiel 46:1-3
“Thus says Yahuah Alahim; The gate of the inner court that looks toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the New Moon it shall be opened … And the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before Yahuah in the Sabbaths and in the New Moons.” Ezekiel 46:1, 3.
Here again, it is often taught that the passage above speaks only of the future age, showing that the Sabbath and New Moons will one day be celebrated in heaven as memorials of the seven-part redeeming work of Yahusha haMashiach. It is true, as confirmed by other Scripture passages, that the lunar-appointed Feast Days will continue in heaven and on the new Earth. However, they were primarily established as earthly signposts of hope along the pathway by which the faithful can follow the Lamb whithersoever He leads, ultimately restoring sinners back to fellowship with the Father. This is a requirement for the here and now.
To claim these observances are only for the future rather than for now is to excuse the avoidance of present-day accountability, a pattern maintained by many pastors and rabbis who resist the divine call to return to and restore the original, authentic lunar rhythm of worship. After all, it will be the most difficult for pastors, rabbis, and teachers of the Word to come to terms with a lifelong error in their teachings. Yet, without doing so, these will never break free from the shackles that bind them tightly into pagan Roman captivity.
The lunar calendar, with its unique cycles and divine timing, serves as both a test of obedience and a revealer of the true condition of the heart. By choosing to follow its rhythm, believers demonstrate their trust in Yahuah’s wisdom and their willingness to align with His divine order. This obedience is not merely an outward compliance; it stems from a deep love and faithful devotion to the Creator. When approached with a sincere heart, this alignment allows the faithful to stand in harmony with the overwhelming evidence found throughout Scripture.
Colossians 2:17 provides a profound insight into the nature of these sacred lunar appointed times. Far from being obsolete or irrelevant, they are described as prophetic shadows, glimpses of a greater reality yet to come. These sacred days do more than commemorate past events; they are the very garments of the Bride; they point forward to the full restoration of Yahuah’s Eternal Kingdom. In observing them, believers not only honor their Creator but also embrace the promise of what lies ahead, the reward of the obedient.
Therefore, all who yearn for a future reward and a heavenly home are invited to celebrate these holy days, worshiping the Most High through the sacred times He has appointed. In doing so, they join in a timeless act of devotion that unites them with the faithful of all generations and affirms their place in the unfolding Plan of Salvation.
For a deeper study of this verse in Ezekiel 46:1, 3, please refer to the Hebrew Word Study: Worship at the East Gate.
- Hebrews 10:1
“For the [Torah] law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.” Hebrews 10:1.
The verse above clarifies that the ceremonial sacrifices of the earthly Temple, placed on lunar-appointed times, were shadows (or prophecies) of greater realities to be fulfilled by Yahusha. In this way, it reveals that the entire Temple system was tied to lunar-appointed times, which were punctuated by specific animal sacrifices and attended by the Levitical priesthood. Yet, it was at the cross of Yahusha that the prophetic application of animal sacrifices and the Levitical priesthood came to an end. These shadows pointing to the saving work of the Messiah could only then be fully realized.
No more animals need to be sacrificed because the true Lamb has now been slain for all sin. No more Levitical Priests were needed to portray the Priesthood of Yahusha, our High Priest who now resides in the heavenlies, interceding for us before the Father on our behalf.
What was never designed to change or be removed were the signposts of the Plan of Salvation as revealed in their time-centric order on lunar- appointed time. The full New/Renewed Moons, lunar Sabbaths, and Feast Days. The divine intention was to illustrate the fully intact continuation of the prophetic function of the entire lunar-appointed calendar with its full New New Moon Days, lunar Sabbaths, and lunar-appointed Feast Days. These remain signposts pointing toward Yahusha’s completed work in both His first and second advents.
- Zechariah 14:16-19
“And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, Yahuah of hosts, and to keep the Feast of tabernacles.” Zechariah 14:16.
This prophecy in Zechariah confirms that even in the future millennial reign, Yahusha’s lunar appointed Feast Days (such as the Feast of Tabernacles) will still be observed. This directly supports Colossians 2:17 by showing that these sacred times are foreshadowing the relevant and detailed time-centric work of Yahusha’s unfolding remedy for sin and plan to redeem fallen mankind.
Together, these five verses reinforce with foundational evidence that the New Moon Days, lunar Sabbaths, and lunar-appointed Feast Days remain prophetic signposts to be honored by the faithful and obedient. They confirm the continued significance from the fall in Eden to the end of time as a central focus of Yahusha’s remedy for sin and plan to save sinners.
From these verses, we have learned that the lunar appointed times and events will not end at the Second Coming of our Messiah because they remain the tie that binds the SAVED OF EARTH to their SAVIOR. As a result, these sacred and set-apart lunar appointed Feast Days, marking the sacred TIMES & EVENTS of their Messiah’s work to save them, will be continually celebrated in Heaven and even unto the New Earth FOREVER & EVER and FROM ONE NEW MOON TO ANOTHER. Amen!
Secrets Revealed by the Sacrifice Schedule
The detailed sacrificial prescriptions recorded in Leviticus 23 and Numbers 28–29 function as what might be termed our Creator’s “Rules of Engagement for the Bridal Covenant.” In this light, the sacrificial calendar is established as the MASTER KEY of TIME and PROPHECY. As the Master Key, it unlocks both the measure of sacred time and the unfolding of prophecy by revealing the precise pattern of years, months, weeks, and days within the lunar‑appointed system upon which the Plan of Salvation was ordained to be fulfilled.
The first secret revealed by the Leviticus 23 and Numbers 28 Sacrifice Schedule below is that all biblical time measuring is lunar. Neither a solar calendar nor its rhythm can be linked to the Temple services or found anywhere in Scripture. This is illustrated by the specific number of lambs, rams, and bulls to be sacrificed on each kind of day. As it turns out, Scripture identifies three kinds of days that never overlap: New Moon Days, work days, and lunar Sabbaths. The sacrifice schedule serves as a GPS to align each kind of day to the lunar phases, ensuring there is no overlapping of kinds of days or a departure from the sacred lunar calendar. Refer to the article Scripture’s GPS Identifies the True Sabbath.
The second secret revealed is that the seventh-day Sabbath is specifically based on the lunar calendar. It is consistently measured from one New Moon to the next (Isaiah 66:23). No other pattern exists in Scripture, but only in the deep-rooted paradigms of modern mankind in their solar ideologies.
The third secret illustrated by the Sacrifice Schedule is that there are three kinds of days each month. Each of the three kinds of days is uniquely quantified by their number of prescribed sacrifices, never to overlap or be altered. Each of the Feast Days encompasses its prescribed location on the lunar month, continuing to honor the count from the full New/Renewed Moon and showing its relative position to the lunar Sabbaths.
For example, each lunar year, Passover is counted fourteen days from the Full New/Renewed Moon. Stunningly, the seventh-day Sabbaths each month occur on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th of each lunar month. Therefore, the very next day after Passover of every year is always the seventh-day Sabbath, the 15th of the lunar month, locking it in for all time.
Conclusion
We have discovered that Paul’s message in Colossians 2:11-17 does not abolish the Eternal Standard of Righteousness (the Ten Commandments) or the Torah Law of Instruction, with its divine model for measuring years, months, weeks, and days through the lunar phase cycle. Upon closer examination within its historical and Scriptural context, this passage upholds ancient protocols and honors the redemptive rhythm of the work of Yahusha haMashiach from Genesis to Revelation, from Aleph to Tav, from beginning to end.
GRACE is bestowed through the process of Yahusha the Messiah’s BLOTTING OUT the handwriting that is against us. It consists of three essential parts:
- His forgiveness of confessed sin.
- His removal and eradication of the record of sin.
- His blotting out of the penalty for sin, referred to as “the wages of sin.”
Each of these is BLOTTED OUT by the sacrificial death of our beloved Messiah for those who accept His atoning blood. He does not merely pardon our sin but eradicates all three aspects of the judgment against the sinner. Together, these three have been permanently erased through Yahusha’s blood sacrifice on the cross/stake. In this way, believers are made white and purified in the blood of the Lamb, fully restored and freed from both guilt and condemnation, which in turn frees them from the shackles of dying the second death.
All who accept the atoning blood sacrifice of the Messiah to cover them are released from the claims of the second death because Yahusha has died the second death in their place.
The cross of Yahusha haMashiach, while the preeminent example of GRACE, did not erase the need for the ordained Full New/Renewed Moon Days, lunar Sabbaths, or lunar appointed Feast Day observances but rather provided the pathway for sinners to be reconciled to the Eternal Father and His Righteous Standard, forgiven, covered by His blood, and empowered to walk in the Hope of Eternal Life. The faithful are called NOT to abandon these sacred institutions recorded by Moses in the Torah Law but to uphold them as part of the Bridal Covenant and the divine pathway of the Five Wise Virgins to understanding and participating body, mind, and spirit in the marvelous unfolding Plan of Salvation.
It is through both Law and Grace, as the two sides of the same coin, that the faithful and obedient are prepared and equipped with oil to recognize their sin and be forgiven. Thus, the unearned and generous, extraordinary and transformative provision of GRACE is bestowed. Through loving obedience, the faithful may continue to align their lives with the original and ordained divine calendar of creation as recorded in Scripture’s Torah Law. It alone prefigures the REMEDY FOR SIN by way of His New Moon Days, His lunar seventh-day Sabbaths, and His lunar-appointed Feast Days, the pathway of the Bride. This is what is meant by:
“These are they which were not defiled
with[among] women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb withersoever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God (Alahim) and to the Lamb.” Revelation 14:4
Did you know…
“All have sinned and come short of the glory of Alahim…” Romans 3:23
So, the question remains: If you are one of these, a sinner, then this is the ordained outline, blueprint, credo, and pathway for you to be vetted into the Eternal Kingdom, as one of the wise virgins, with the Bridal Covenant, with your lamp lit, and your flask of extra oil at your side, that the door may be opened for you to enter at the gate into the ultimate Promised Land.
These time-centric observances serve as a continual alignment of the soul temple with the sacred and eternal worship rhythms of Yahuah Alahim in His Temple, not made with hands, but also with the redemptive work of the Messiah on our behalf. Once mankind fell in the garden, and the plan to save them was established, these Kodesh (Holy) Feast Days were fashioned to be celebrated NOW AND FOREVER, even into the coming Kingdom! HalleluYAH!!!
May all who seek faithfulness recognize how far we have fallen from the truth. Then may we understand that every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around, that we may be restored and enter into the Abrahamic Covenant to become the Bride, prepared for the Bridegroom, with oil to light the pathway to his Father’s house.
With all this in mind, take what you have just learned about the Torah Law of Instruction, the Ten Commandments, and Grace and place them where they belong in the following video presentation on the Five Wise and Five Foolish Virgins. The Hidden Meaning of the Ten Virgins.
by Kerrie French
Freelance Writer and Illustrator
TheCreatorsCalendar.com
Blotting out the Record Against Us
Colossians 2:11-17
Upon the path of truth we tread,
Where sacred words of old are read.
Paul’s message clear, yet misconstrued,
By doctrines false so often used.
No law abolished, nor command undone,
But through the cross, salvation won.
A heart now circumcised anew,
To walk in faith, both strong and true.
Baptized in Him, the grave we leave,
His grace is shown, we now believe.
Sin’s burden lifted, debt erased,
Yet, His law we must always chase.
The law, a mirror, shining bright,
Reflects our sin in Heaven’s light.
Yet grace extends the hand to save,
And lifts us from the sinner’s grave.
No sinners record stands as boss,
For Yahusha bore it on the cross.
The debt of sin was nailed thereon,
But not the law, which still lives on.
The principalities He laid low,
Their chains were snapped, their grasp let go.
Through triumph bold, He made it known,
That righteousness is still His throne.
Let no one judge in Feast or time,
For sacred rhythms mark divine.
New Moons, Sabbaths, and Feast Days too,
Declare His vast love through and through.
A shadow cast of things ahead,
Where Messiah’s path in light is spread.
His sacred times, prophetic, true,
To guide the faithful, old and new.
Both Law and Grace, a twofold thread,
One shows the fall, one lifts the dead.
Hand in hand, they stand as one,
To lead us back through Yah’s own Son.
Two sides they form, yet not apart,
Law in hand, and Grace in heart.
Without the law, no grace we see,
Without His grace, no victory.
Eternal standard, ever bright,
The Ten Commandments shine forth light.
Not cast away, nor set aside,
But held in love, Yah’s faithful guide.
The Torah’s way, the righteous path,
The cure for sin, averts His wrath.
Yet through the Lamb, our souls are healed,
By blood and mercy, Grace revealed.
Sin once condemned, now washed away,
Through Yahusha’s love, the debt is paid.
Yet still we walk in holy fear,
Faithful love, pure and sincere.
The Holy Feast Day events so bright,
Foretell Messiah’s wondrous plight.
From Passover to Trumpet’s call,
They mark redemption’s work for all.
Let no man’s scorn your faith removed,
Lunar Feast Days are not disproved.
The world may mock, the proud may sway,
These truths endure, they shall not fade.
The New Moon calls, the Feast Day’s clear,
A time to worship, in love so dear.
Aligned with Heaven, hearts made right,
We walk by faith, into the light.
The Sabbath shines, a day so pure,
A covenant in time firm and sure.
Not by the sun, but lunar count,
It marks His time as paramount.
Blotting out the sins we bore,
Yahusha is our open door.
No law removed, but sin erased,
So we may stand in His holy place.
The shadow points, prophesies still,
A guide for those who seek His will.
Each Feast and fast, each time set right,
Leads to Messiah’s glorious light.
Eternal Kingdom, soon to be,
Law and Grace Yah’s twofold key.
Sin cut away, no more to rise,
Beneath the new and holy skies.
So let us walk in love and truth,
Both young and old, both sage and youth.
The Torah’s path, Messiah’s grace,
In sync with Him, and face to face.
by Kerrie French
(with AI assist)
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