celebrating-the-feast-of-unleavened-bread

Week 6: The Feast of Unleavened Bread

Once the night of the seder is over, there is still a week of feast left!
 
The Feast of Unleavened Bread is seven days and begins just as the day of Passover comes to a close (Note: Biblical days begin in the evening at sunset).
 
During the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we don’t eat any leaven as a reminder of keeping ourselves free of sin and set apart for YeHoVaH, but there are also several other things to remember and commemorate during this week:
  • The year the Messiah was crucified, Passover was on a Wednesday.
  • The Messiah died in the late afternoon and was buried before the High Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread started that evening (when everyone had their seders).
  • He was in the ground Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights and the days of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
  • Then the Lord of the Sabbath was raised on the Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread!
The day after the weekly Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread is another feast called Firstfruits. This is when the firstfruits of the barley harvest are presented. When Yeshua was raised, those whose graves were opened at his crucifixion were raised and he presented them to the Father as the Firstfruits offering.
 
Firstfruits is also the day we are told to start counting the 50 days to Shavuot or Pentecost (Lev 23:15), also known as “the counting of the omer.”
 
The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a busy week with much to remember, study, and discuss. It is also a great week to do acts of service, in keeping with the example set by the Messiah at the Last Supper. The day of Firstfruits specifically is the perfect day to make offerings from what you have to those in need.
passover-and-children

Week 5: A Child’s Understanding of Passover

Children generally love to take part in special holidays. Passover is a time for great learning, togetherness, and spiritual growth. There are many ways to include children in your Passover celebration, from cooking to crafts. The most important thing, however, is sharing the powerful story behind the holiday.
 
The story of Passover is meaningful and weighty. While retelling of the first Passover is fairly straightforward, the account of the Messiah may need to be handled more delicately.
 
The Messiah’s crucifixion is hard for all of us to hear, but his sacrifice for us is of eternal significance. We must be understanding of our children’s developmental stages and personal sensitivities when we explain what happened. 
You will need to decide when to present what details of the story, depending on your particular child. Here are some of the main concepts to start with:
  • YeHoVaH sent his Son to teach us how he wants us to live and to save us from our own sin.
  • Yeshua kept YeHoVaH’s commandments and taught us to keep the commandments.
  • Some people hated Yeshua for this because they wanted to rule and control everyone.
  • Those people killed Yeshua on a cross as punishment for teaching YeHoVaH’s word.
  • We are imperfect, but Yeshua is perfect. He died for us because he loves us, and by believing in him, we are forgiven.
  • Yeshua was raised from the dead after 3 days. He is alive, and we will all live together with him eternally!
As you prepare for Passover, talk about the Passover story with your children. Involve them in the preparation, ask them questions, and let them ask questions. To better understand what they are learning, they may like to do reenactments or draw about Passover.
 
This story is one with so much history, prophecy and significance; it is a truly special one to share with children.
crucifixion

Week 4: Has Passover Been Fulfilled?

The Spring Feasts of the LORD, including Passover, have been fulfilled in the Messiah.
 
The first Passover took place back in Egypt on the night of the 10th plague. All the firstborn were to die unless their house bore the sign of a lamb’s blood on the doorposts. The lamb was to be male and perfect, without flaw. The night of the plague, all houses with the lamb’s blood were passed over, and no one inside died.
 
The people were saved by the blood of the lamb.
 
In the desert after fleeing Egypt, the people entered into a blood covenant with the Almighty. If broken, the covenant requires the death of the guilty party. We broke that covenant out there in the desert and incurred the death sentence upon ourselves.
 
The sacrifice of the Passover lamb every year was a demonstration of both our guilt and the price owed and also a picture of a substitute dying in our place. Every year the lamb died when we were the ones that deserved death.
 
When Yeshua came, he came as the Lamb of God – the ultimate Passover Lamb.
 
The rehearsal of the lamb sacrifice every year was made full and complete when the Messiah was nailed to the cross and sacrificed in our stead. We were guilty, but he was guiltless. He was perfect, without flaw. Because of this, he was the only one who could renew the covenant with the Almighty.
 
He paid the death penalty for us so that we could once again be in covenant with YeHoVaH, and we could have eternal life. We have been saved by the blood of the Lamb.
passover-and-easter

Week 3: How is Passover different from Easter?

Passover and Easter have a lot of similarities, actually, with a couple of important distinctions.
 
Because we believe in Yeshua (Jesus) as the Messiah, we can celebrate Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread with the full understanding of its significance and fulfillment. Passover is the day on which the Messiah was crucified, and after three days and three nights in the ground, he was raised from the dead during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, just in time for the First Fruits offering.
 
Easter is also the celebration of the resurrection of the Messiah, but over time, this celebration has become intermingled with traditions from outside of the Bible. Traditions involving eggs, bunnies, and ham, to name a few, have nothing to do with the Messiah, his sacrifice, or his resurrection.
 
Another imperative distinction is the timing of Passover and Easter. We celebrate Passover according to the Biblical calendar, which means it doesn’t always fall on the same day of the week like Easter does. More important is the understanding of the chronology of what happened that week during the year the Messiah was crucified.
 
Easter falls on the Sunday after Good Friday, which is said to be the day of the crucifixion. However, this leaves it very difficult to count the 3 days and the 3 nights that the Messiah himself said he would be buried. (He called this the sign of his authenticity, so it’s pretty important!) Passover on the year in question was on the equivalent of a Wednesday. That means the Messiah was in the ground Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights and Thursday, Friday, and Saturday days and was raised at the end of the Sabbath (Saturday) far before sunrise.
 
There are many significant reasons why this chronology is vital to understand, including very specific ulterior motives of those in power in the early church. (For more information on this read the introduction to The Chronological Gospels.) The simplest explanation for the differences in chronology between the two holidays is those non-Biblical traditions that have seeped into Easter. (For more information, see Truth and Tradition, The Jonah Code, and The Chronological Gospels.)
 
We do our very best to make sure we are celebrating and remembering what the Bible tells us when we celebrate Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It is our desire to live out our faith as YHVH asks, as purely and truthfully as we can.
passover-sacrificial-lamb

Week 2: Do We Keep Passover or Celebrate Passover?

We do not keep Passover today; the Passover is a sacrifice. Every year a perfect male lamb was to be sacrificed “at the place which the LORD your God shall choose to place his name” (Deut. 16:6). 
 
There is no Temple now, so we do not sacrifice a lamb. But there is plenty to remember, commemorate and celebrate! 
 
The day of Passover now is spent preparing for the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It is on the first day of Unleavened Bread, which begins in the evening, that we sit down to a meal to commemorate the important eventssurrounding this time of year.  
 
We remember the first Passover in Egypt, when those set apart by the lamb’s blood were spared death. 
 
We celebrate freedom from the slavery and idolatry that we left when we fled Egypt. 
 
We remember the sacrifice of our Messiah, the ultimate Passover Lamb, who died for our sins. 
 
We give thanks for our redemption through him and the promise of eternal life with him.
 
So, we do not keep Passover. We do not sacrifice a lamb. We do celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread and honor the eternal significance of the Passover sacrifice.
passover-leavened-bread

Week 1: What is Passover?

Passover is one of the Feasts of the LORD outlined in Leviticus chapter 23.
 
Passover is actually just one day – the day of the sacrifice –  but it is always followed by the week-long celebration of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, so the word “Passover” is sometimes used to refer to the entire “season” of holidays. For the sake of clarity, we will distinguish between the day of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
 
Passover falls on the 14th day of the first month of the Biblical year. It is a day of preparation and a day to remember the sacrifice of the Passover lamb. The first Passover coincided with the final plague of Egypt. Israel had been slaves in Egypt for generations when YeHoVaH appointed Moses to deliver the people and lead them to the Promised Land.
 
When the Pharaoh of Egypt refused to release the Israelites, YeHoVaH sent 10 plagues. The tenth and final plague was that of the death of every firstborn. But those who obeyed YeHoVaH’s instructions to put the blood of an unblemished male lamb on their doorposts were passed over, their lives spared.
 
Once in the Land, every year on the 14th day of the first Biblical month, the people sacrificed the Passover lamb. It served as a symbol of a substitution on our behalf. As a people, we broke the blood covenant made with YeHoVaH at the base of Mount Sinai in the desert, and the penalty is death. The sacrifice of the lamb was a reminder of this but was also a picture of a substitution for us. Our death was owed, but the lamb was the one that paid the price.
 
When the Messiah came, he came as THE Passover Lamb, the substitution for us, the One who paid the price, once and for all. On the very day that the Passover lamb was sacrificed, the Messiah was crucified on a stake. He paid the death penalty that we owed so that we, as believers, could live eternally with him.
 
The week following Passover is called the Feast of Unleavened Bread. During it, we eat no leavening, which is a representation of sin in our lives. Getting rid of all the leaven in our homes and our diets reminds us to rid our lives of sin, to live a life set apart for YeHoVaH.
 
The days and important events following the Messiah’s crucifixion, including his resurrection, happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, so it is a week full of remembrance and thanksgiving. As the sun sets at the end of the day of Passover, the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread begins with a meal, and the whole story, from Moses to the Messiah, is told.

Michael Rood’s Stroke and Recovery

We know that you pray for Michael Rood every day and now he needs your prayers more than ever. A few weeks ago, Michael had a stroke. He has been in the hospital and rehab, but now he is home with his wife Analil and is making remarkable progress toward a full recovery.

Michael and the entire “Rood Crew” would like to say thank you for all the support you have shown him. He feels each and every prayer you have sent to the Father on his behalf.

Just before the stroke, Michael was in the studio taping programs and love gift teachings and he wanted me to let you know that there are plenty of teachings to air while he is recovering. We also have several ministry friends who will be filling in, such as Bill Cloud, Kevin Fisher, Miles Jones, Nehemia Gordon, and our very own Scott Laird and David Robinson.

Finally, Michael wants you to know how much he loves each and every one of you. If you are asking yourself, “What can I do to help?” the biggest thing you can do right now is continue to pray for strength, wisdom and a complete recovery — and to continue to support the ministry with you prayers and financial support.

We need you to stand with us now more than ever during these prophetic days we are living in. Michael has many messages yet to share and will be continuing to spread the truth, with your help.

Another thing you can do, if Michael has made a difference in your life, is to get out your phone and send Michael a video message, wishing him a quick and speedy recovery. Or if you prefer, please jot down a short email message to him, speaking from your heart and wishing him well. These messages will go a long way to help speed his recovery and show him the love you feel for him. You can send your videos or emails to bestwishes@michaelrood.tv

From all of us here at The Rood Crew, we wish you the peace and happiness of our Father and thank you again for all you do to help Michael and the ministry continue to spread the gospel, like the waters cover the sea.

Is Your Mineral Supplement Worth It?

Organic in the sense of “organic minerals” means that the mineral was derived from something living.

The definition of a mineral is surprisingly simple. A mineral is “an organic substance needed by the human body for good health.” Now let’s stop for a minute and examine an important word in that definition: Organic.

Typically, when we see the word “organic”, we think of organic vs conventional produce; in other words, grown without chemicals or genetically modified seeds. That is indeed one definition of organic, but that’s not what we’re talking about here.

Organic in the sense of “organic minerals” means that the mineral was derived from something living.

Organic minerals come from plants; they are bioavailable. What that means is that they are very absorbable into the cells of the human body.

Organic minerals break down slowly, increasing their stability. This stability enables organic minerals to complete their journey to the parts of the body where they are needed without breaking away and binding to other compounds in the body, which would render them less absorbable or even completely unabsorbable.

Inorganic minerals, on the other hand, are mineral salts derived from non-living things (i.e. rocks and soil). Inorganic minerals are less bioavailable because they are less stable.

Inorganic minerals have a tendency to become “unbound” too quickly; they may bind with other molecules that make them less bioavailable or even completely unabsorbable. Obviously then, organic minerals are best to rebuild your cells, which are dying and being replaced at a rate of 300 million per minute.

So how do you know which type of mineral is being used in that supplement in your cupboard? Dr. Robert J. Thiel, author of Naturopathy for the 21st Century has a good rule of thumb:

“Most mineral salts are listed on the label with a two-word description, while most food complex minerals list the mineral and the source. For example, if next to the word ‘calcium’ the label says ‘carbonate’, it is clear that this is a mineral salt. If on the other hand, next to the word ‘calcium’ it says it is in a food complex (or otherwise states the food source) then it is usually from a food (it is of interest to note that calcium citrate is actually the rock known as limestone processed with lactic and citric acids — it is not a product of citrus fruits).”

Incidentally, your body cannot convert inorganic minerals into organic minerals — only plants can do that. The plant’s roots go into the soil, absorb the mineral salt, and convert it into something that is best for the human body to use. That’s why plants are so important to human health.

I’LL HAVE MORE TO SHARE NEXT TIME… but in the meantime, you can read about this and a lot more my latest book, “Escape Root: The Secret Passage to Lifelong Wellness” available at ARoodAwakening.tv/Escape

Get Scott's book here

Fighting Cancer With Plants

Silymarin consists of flavonoids found in the milk thistle plant.

What if there was a natural way to fight both breast cancer and prostate cancer? And what if you could do it without side effects and increase the effectiveness of conventional cancer treatments while you’re at it?

The Creator of the universe is way ahead of us. Such a compound has always existed in the milk thistle plant: Silymarin.

I first learned about the power of silymarin in The Blaylock Wellness Report, written by Dr. Russell Blaylock, a nationally recognized board-certified neurosurgeon. Silymarin consists of flavonoids found in the milk thistle plant. Silymarin has long been heralded for its antioxidant and liver-protective qualities and is now being researched for its anticancer attributes in both breast and colon cancers.

In breast cancer, it works by interfering with cancer growth. It binds to estrogen receptors, essentially putting up the “no vacancy” sign to cancer, preventing tumor growth.[i]

Amazingly, it goes exactly where it is needed, accumulating its cancer-fighting power in breast tumor tissue.[ii]

Equally remarkable, silymarin does the opposite to help men deal with prostate cancer. Instead of “putting up the no vacancy sign”, it opens a door.

Aggressive types of prostate cancer are typically unresponsive to conventional radiation treatment, but silymarin helps by being a “radiosensitizing” agent; it opens the door of cancer cells, putting out the “welcome mat” for radiation therapy to do its thing far more effectively.

In fact, one study in 2015 showed that use of silymarin in conjunction with radiation therapy resulted in 10 times better kill rate of prostate cancer cells. Even better, the silymarin only helped to kill the cancer cells and actually protected normal cells that would typically experience radiation poisoning and injury.[iii]

Silymarin also beats cancer at its own game in the colon.

As a survival mechanism, colon cancer cells will suppress their vitamin D receptors in an effort to protect themselves from vitamin D’s cancer-fighting effects. Silymarin reverses the effect, allowing vitamin D to break into the cancer cells and do what it does best: stop the cells’ proliferation and spread.

I’LL HAVE MORE TO SHARE NEXT TIME… but in the meantime, you can read about this and a lot more my latest book, “Escape Root: The Secret Passage to Lifelong Wellness” available at ARoodAwakening.tv/Escape

[i] Agarwal R, Agarwal C, Ichikawa H, Singh RP, Aggarwal BB. Anticancer potential
of silymarin: from bench to bed side. Anticancer Res. 2006
Nov-Dec;26(6B):4457-98.

[ii] Lazzeroni M, Guerrieri-Gonzaga A, Gandini S, Johansson H, Serrano D, Cazzaniga
M, Aristarco V, Puccio A, Mora S, Caldarella P, Pagani G, Pruneri G, Riva A,
Petrangolini G, Morazzoni P, DeCensi A, Bonanni B. A Presurgical Study of Oral
Silybin-Phosphatidylcholine in Patients with Early Breast Cancer. Cancer Prev Res
(Phila). 2016 Jan;9(1):89-95.

[iii] Nambiar DK, Rajamani P, Deep G, Jain AK, Agarwal R, Singh RP. Silibinin
Preferentially Radiosensitizes Prostate Cancer by Inhibiting DNA Repair
Signaling. Mol Cancer Ther. 2015 Dec;14(12):2722-34.

Get Scott's book here

The Healing Power of Vitamin C

Meeting the “% Daily Value” of any particular nutrient is usually not enough

I have routinely included 3,000 to 4,000 mg of vitamin C in my morning breakfast/vitamin routine. It may sound like a lot, mainly because we are conditioned to the “% Daily Value” we read on the “Nutrition Facts” panels on packaged foods.

What most people do not realize is that those “Daily Value” percentages are just enough to avoid a deficiency. If a person is already deficient in a certain nutrient, ingesting enough to reach 100% is not going to help the deficiency.

These recommendations are, essentially, just enough to keep a person alive! Yet, in today’s nutrient-draining, stress-filled world, most people are deficient in at least one nutrient or another.

Meeting the “% Daily Value” of any particular nutrient is usually not enough. It’s like trying to re-fill a quickly draining bathtub with a slowly dripping faucet.

So why take so much vitamin C? What does it do?

Plenty.

Vitamin C helps to heal bruises, wounds, fractures, and scar tissues. It strengthens blood vessels and supports a healthy appetite and stable moods. In fact, it supports overall good health including regular heartbeat, good digestion, and healthy levels of hemoglobin.

Studies have also shown that Alzheimer’s patients given anti-oxidants (in a formula containing vitamin C) demonstrate significantly improved cognitive scores. Research has also shown that people with higher vitamin C levels experienced 50% less death from cancer than those with low vitamin C levels.

Many of those with advanced lung and colon cancers who underwent intravenous vitamin C completely recovered, and as Dr. Thomas Levy mentions in his book Primal Panacea vitamin C has the potential to eradicate cancer altogether.

In a press release dated January 26, 2020, Orthomolecular Medicine News Service reported, “The coronavirus pandemic can be dramatically slowed, or stopped, with the immediate widespread use of high doses of vitamin C.”

Ironically, as all-powerful as vitamin C may seem to be, it is very fragile when exposed to heat. So, processed foods and cooked foods that contained vitamin C before they were cooked or processed likely won’t have much benefit.

Rule of thumb…

Eat foods rich in vitamin C raw, and make sure that any vitamin C supplement comes from a whole food source. If it does, it will say so right on the supplement facts panel.

I’LL HAVE MORE TO SHARE NEXT TIME… but in the meantime, you can read about this and a lot more my latest book, “Escape Root: The Secret Passage to Lifelong Wellness” available at ARoodAwakening.tv/Escape

Get Scott's book here