The Lord has been speaking to me as I prepare lesson plans for next year.
I never expected it. But I should have.
When we seek, we find.
In creating my own history curriculum, I was seeking something better. I was seeking wisdom and understanding straight from the Source.
I told you I have been reading Assumptions that Affect Our Lives
As I have sought out resources to give my children for next year’s study of Creation through Ancient Rome, I decided to include an in-depth survey of the Old Testament. As part of that depth, I began using Robin Sampson’s book (from HeartofWisdom.com) A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays
(the links above take you to Amazon, but you can also purchase the book directly from Robin’s site HERE)
While there are a few things in Biblical Holidays I am not entirely certain of, that does not take away from the fact that this book brought me to a much richer, deeper understanding of Scripture and God’s plans for us from the beginning of Creation. It solidified my belief that the Bible is not merely a handbook on how to live our lives, but that every Word within it’s pages, from front to back, point to Christ. Studying the Biblical holidays with your children will bring them to a profound understanding of Scripture. I am excited to share what I am learning with them.
In fact, I was planning on waiting until next year to teach my children about the feasts, but with Passover right there, I could not help but take the opportunity to share with my children the exciting message of the Passover. Yes, they had heard it many times before, but not like this. Monday night we shared Passover with new friends. I brought out my Pesach plate from Jerusalem (the one shown above). We remembered what the Lord had done for the Israelites. What He has done for us. I was humbled.
The Angel of Death passed over the homes of the Israelites not because they asked Him to, but because they accepted God’s authority and humbly obeyed Him.
I did not ask Jesus into my heart. I am not capable of something that heroic.
Christ did not die for me because I asked Him to. None are righteous. No, not one.
not even me.
Christ paid it all. No longer is the passover lamb needed. No longer must I trek the wilderness.
I did not ask for this. I did not deserve this. But I accept this…
He is my Authority.
He is my Redeemer.
He is worthy of my wholehearted obedience.
I could never do this on my own. I could never be good enough. I could never right all the wrongs.
He loved me anyway.
Profound.
Hope says
I love the Biblical Holidays book! What a great resource, as is the website. There is so much to learn, so many layers of meaning. I also really recommend the book God’s Appointed Times by Barney Kasdan, available at messianicjewish.net
He does a great job of explaining the Biblical background, traditional Jewish celebration, Messianic fulfillment and New Testament/prophetic significance of each holiday, as well as a practical guide for believers who would like to celebrate the holidays.
Laura says
Amy, we too celebrated our first Passover this year. It was amazing. I also just purchased the Biblical Holidays book to use with my children. Will you be posting any of your new lesson plans online? May your day be richly blessed.
Amy says
I am hoping to post the lesson plans AFTER we’ve worked through each section. I have already found that some books I had in my shelves that I believed were good resources have turned out to be not so good. Never ending journey!
Andrea says
Great post..great reminder.
I am preparing to shift our curriculum for all of our children this next fall, as well. So, it’s a great resource to read about what other mama’s have found.
Blessings!
Debra Worth @ Happy To Be Home says
Oh, I’m almost done with my current book and don’t have one for afterwards. (and I’m having to take it easy for the next two weeks so books are important!) So, thanks for the recommendations! Getting Assumptions now and hopefully get the Holiday book later.
Grateful for Grace says
We are having our Passover meal tonight. It will be our third year and I loveLOVElove it! When we studied the OT via TOG two years ago, I was so blessed by learning the Biblical feasts.
May He continue to bless you, challenge you and draw you near.
He is Risen!
Celee says
That’s something that really stands out as you read the Bible in 90 days- that the OT is not some outdated system, but that EVERYTHING in Scripture points to and is fulfilled in Christ. It’s really neat to look at the timing of Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem and see that it corresponds to Israel’s selection of her passover lamb. Everything lines up. Even the “last supper” as passover feast where the disciples eat their passover lamb. The whole “take eat, this is my body” really makes sense when we understand passover. Sorry, I should have written all this on my blog instead of hijacking yours! It’s just so cool to think about.
Celee
Andrea says
Thank you for sharing that here, I would not have found it otherwise.
Josi says
Thank you so much for sharing this journey about your curriculum. The Lord has used it to confirm the direction that my heart was being pulled in. I read through all the comments on your original post and I took notes as I went. I’ve been doing some research myself. Please, please, please continue to share what you’re learning and I would appreciate knowing more about the resources that you are going to use because you are studying the period that I am desiring to do as well. I appreciate both the pros and cons that people share about their curriculum experiences. It helps me to learn more about what is a right fit for our family. I just wish I could sit and have tea and discuss it with you and your readers!
Looking forward to hearing more! 🙂
Amy says
Josi,
I do intend to keep talking about it, but I think I need to wait until I have used it myself. Would hate to lead anyone astray. And I would LOVE to have tea with everyone here and discuss! 🙂
Ginger says
Ok, that last paragraph was the best part of this whole post. God is the one who saves. Amen! We do not save ourselves by praying a prayer. Amen!
I have been struggling w/ frustration over a family member who professes Christianity but whose eyes are blinded. A good friend exhorted me: It’s easy to get frustrated w/ unbelievers when we forget that it was a miracle that we were saved. We didn’t pray a prayer, make a decision, or beam salvation down on ourselves. It was all God’s doing! He opened our eyes and granted us repentance. How can I be anything less than compassionate towards those whose eyes have not yet been opened?
Oh and I’m eager to read those two books. 😀
Vanessa S says
Our family (all but the 2 littles ages 2 and 4) participated in a Sader this evening presented by Jews for Jesus. Very moving and powerful look at how Jesus in entrenched throughout the entire bible!!
Kaylin says
Something my husband and I have been discussing lately…if the passover lamb is no longer needed, why celebrate Passover, why have a seder meal as a Christian?? Didn’t Jesus give us the symbols of the bread and the wine, the only symbols we need to recognize? He didn’t say partake in the seder meal in remembrance of me.
Thanks for your thoughts!
Kaylin
Amy says
Kaylin,
I hope to be addressing this as we go. There is more to this than what I could say here. I will simply say we do not “keep the feasts” as a family, but there is merit in understanding the components of the Passover meal and Christ in them.
Gail says
Great post and great books! I highly recommend them both as well as celebrating all the biblical (not Jewish) feasts of the Lord in Leviticus 23 for many reasons, one being that Yeshua/Jesus did…and He wants us to imitate Him in all that He did. Hmmm.
I think as hellinistic, greek-thinking, western believers, we forget that the Word was written in Hebrew, for Hebrews is all about a very Hebrew Messiah! A Torah observant Jew mind you. In order to understand it, we have to take our hellinistic glasses off and understand the mind of the Messiah, He had a Hebraic mindset! Both of these books will help any believer understand this.
Blessings and Shalom!
Danielle says
Beautiful.
Sara says
Hi there! 😀 I am so thankful that you posted about both of these. I have to tell you that I keep feeling as if something is *missing* from our studies, and I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I think that this might be it! Thank you so much, and I can’t wait to tell you how we implement it and like it! 😀 I am really excited to learn something new!!! –S
Faithful Mama says
Hi there my blogging friend! So, I ordered the Biblical Holidays book(it should be here today! woo hoo!)! I also wanted to order the *Assumptions* book, but on amazon, new, it was 73 bucks!! Then used it was 49. So, when I went into the bookstore the other day, I asked about it and they said they had it for 14 dollars. Am I missing something? Is the one I found on amazon a whole curriculum or class of some type?? Any suggestions?? –S
Amy says
Assumptions does go along with the Starting Points curriculum from David Quine (Cornerstone), so maybe that’s what it was! I ordered mine from Christianbook.com.
Faithful Mama says
Thank you! 😀 Do you think I should get the whole thing…or just the book? I can’t wait! Feeling like something is…..missing?? Excited to read these! :)–S
Amy says
I won’t be doing Starting Points with my son until he is a 9th grader. Assumptions is deep. I’d just get the book for now. 🙂