New Wine: Mark 2:20-22

...a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness Isaiah 63:3

But the days will come when the Bridegroom is taken away from them and then they will fast in that day. No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise the patch pulls away from from the new from the old, and a worse tear results. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins and the wine is lost, the skins (as well) but (one puts) new wine into fresh wineskins. Mark 2:20-22

The mystery of new wineskins has stumped me for years. How many of you know that prayer is powerful? I know that, I've prayed over this passage, crying out for understanding. (Proverbs 2:3)... nothing. At least that is what I thought. But it was another example of everything being done in YHVH's time.

A question has been posed. Why doesn't Y'shua require his own disciples to fast when the disciples of John the baptizer and the Pharisees practice religious fasting?

According to Michael Rood in his brilliant work, The Chronological Gospels, this passage takes place at the feast Matthew has prepared during Rosh Khodesh (or Chodesh), the celebration of the New Moon. He has invited Y'shua and "assorted tax collectors and sinners" to his home in celebration of his own salvation. The religious were shocked! (Mark 2:18) Even more shocking, Y'shua tells them to their face that those who have the bridegroom (the Messiah) cannot fast while they cling to him instead of religion.

In today's passage, Y'shua then tells the religious that days are coming when believers cannot cling to him, the bridegroom. At that time they will fast, but not like the religious did at that time. They will live by faith. Old religion cannot be patched up with believing faith. The shadow of things to come will not be clothed in Glory. The living word is clothed in glory, but not the man-made rituals. The divide between believers and the religious will be worse then ever if we attempt to walk by faith in dead mans skin. Life will simply not be contained by rotting flesh. You must be born again! It is that simple.

In other words, the blood of animals will no longer do for us what the blood of Messiah has done. 

We have a new high priest of the order of Melchizedek, not of Aaron.
We have a new lamb of sacrifice, but he is not an animal.
We have a new temple, but it is not built by men's hands.
We still have Torah, but it is written on hearts instead of stone.
We are still circumcised, but not in the flesh by men.

The old way will no longer suffice. This new life can no longer be contained in the rags of religion. It does not matter if the old way was Orthodox or Paganism. The fast of Rosh Chodesh has no more meaning then the Christmas Tree of paganism. You must be born again (John chapter 3). It does no good to patch up your old way. We must each fully commit to the new. The old guard in not like the new man. The new man will burst out of the old way on the journey of life, clinging to Y'shua.

So, what do we cling to while the bridegroom is taken from us, while he prepares a place for us?

As you receive Messiah, so walk in Him
Colossians 2:6

Did you receive him by Believing Faith or by a ceremony preformed by religious people? By Faith. That is how we are to walk in Him, Believing Faith. It is like nothing you ever experienced before!

Mrs. Hagerty, November 13, 2016