Sukkot 2018: Final Fall Feast

  

 

In the beginning, Elohim, God in plurality, created all things in six days. On the seventh day, He rested. God would spend His Sabbath rest walking in the cool of the Garden, fellowshipping with His most wonderful creation, man. Man, unlike anything else He created, was made after Elohim's own likeness, and filled with His own breath. Man broke the possibility of that continuing fellowship as he chose to sin, and turn away from his Creator.

God, through His prophet Moses, called Israel to yearly holy assemblies, or Feasts of the LORD. The last of the fall feasts was the joyous Sukkot, or Tabernacles. It was through this feast in the seventh month, on the seventh day, lasting seven days, that God made a prophetic oath that He and man would again have the intimate Sabbath rest and joyful fellowship together that was once shared in the Garden. Through these fall feasts, the LORD sounded the trumpets of Yom Teruah to gather the people to attention. He called the people to ten days of self-examination, and to a day of atonement, Yom Kippur, for the sprinkling of the blood offering of reconciliation in order to prepare for Sukkot, Tabernacles, when the LORD would once again walk and dwell among them. All of the feasts of the LORD are to be kept forever, by all generations.

Ever since the days of Moses, the prophets have reminded Israel, through their darkest days and into the coming days of great tribulation, that God has not forgotten His promise of tabernacle with man. Let's follow that promise through the generations:

"And I will set my tabernacle amongst you: and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you, and ye shall be my people. I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright."   Lev. 26:11-13

The LORD will do all in His power to keep His promise of the glory of tabernacle with men.

As the people of God were sent into exile, Jeremiah prophesied the return of the people to the land, which we are seeing fulfilled in this generation today, with a reminder of the oath of tabernacle:

"Behold, I will gather them out of all countries...and I will bring them again into this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: and they shall be my people, and I shall be their God. And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: And I will make an everlasting covenant with them...that they shall not depart from me. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart, and with my whole soul."

                                                                                                           Jer. 32:37-41

God's unbreakable oath of tabernacle ensured that the people would be brought back to the land, no matter where they had been forced to go. This was a prophetic promise that they could rely upon to see them through a most difficult time.

As Ezekiel prophesied a great war that will come upon Israel, which the rabbis call the Tishri War, the prophet reminds the people of the promise of tabernacle with God:

"Moreover, I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore."   Ezek. 37:26-28

This prophetic reminder of God's oath for tabernacle with His people is the very covering that will cause His people to survive the coming calamity of the attack of many nations against them (see Ezek. 38-39). The description of that new temple that will exist among God's people begins in Ezekiel 40. As the exact nations prophesied by Ezekiel line up against Israel today, the fulfillment of the prophesy could occur at any moment. This same promise appears from the prophet Zechariah as he prophesies that all nations will come up against Jerusalem. The LORD Himself will fight. His foot will touch the Mount of Olives and the mount will be split. This is recognized as the promised returning Messiah, whom the people will see and mourn as an only son, as the One whom they have pierced (Zech. 12:10). As the people see this appearing, and experience this great trial by fire, again at the hands of the nations, the LORD makes a tabernacle promise:

"...they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God."   Zech. 13:9

Not only will Israel tabernacle with God, but ALL of the nations which fought against Jerusalem will be required to come up to Jerusalem to worship the King (the Messiah, Jesus) and observe the Feast of Tabernacles. If they refuse to come, they will receive no rain (Zech. 14:16-17). The LORD will keep His promise of tabernacle with men by any and all means.

In Rev. 21, the New Jerusalem, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, comes down from God out of heaven. A great voice out of heaven is heard saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God."  v. 2-3

The prophetic promise of tabernacles is present from Genesis to Revelation.

David, declaring the tabernacle hope that lived in his heart, is also telling us what should be in our hearts:

"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock...When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek."    Ps. 27:4-5, 7

As with all of the other feasts of the LORD, our Messiah, our Savior, is woven inseparably within Sukkot, Tabernacles, as we can see in the scriptures. The great fulfillment of Sukkot, began as Jesus, the Word made flesh, first dwelled and walked among men, and as He then sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in and among those who believe and become a living temple. Ultimately, He will bring Tabernacles to the whole earth as the returning Messiah King. He will fulfill the unbreakable oath of His Father to His creation, man. As the signs declare, it could be at any moment. Are you prepared? Have you heard the warning trumpets, examined yourself, and applied the blood of the sacrificed Son for your atonement and reconciliation with God? Does the hope of the glorious promise of Tabernacles live within your heart as it did in David's heart? If not, you still have time to receive and prepare, but that time grows short. God will keep His oath to joyfully tabernacle with men.

 

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.

 



Yom Kippur:Atonemen, and Reconciliation with God

The Veil That Separated the Holy of Holies

 

Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement. It is the second of the fall feasts of the LORD. It is considered the most sacred of the feasts. It comes at the end of the ten days of awe that began with the Feast of Trumpets, or Yom Teruah. Yom Kippur is a time of fasting, and repentance. It was also a Sabbath day of rest from all work (Lev. 23:27-32). Offerings were made, and on this one day of the year, the high priest could go behind the veil, a heavy curtain, that separated the holy of holies from the rest of the temple. There he would sprinkle the blood of the animal sacrifice on the mercy seat, which sat upon the ark of the covenant, which contained the law. This blood was the atonement blood for the sins of the people. This sprinkling of the atonement blood would have to be repeated every year. That veil of the temple represented the separation of the people from God because of sin. The Hebrew root word in regards to the word "veil" here, means "to break apart, fracture, severity, crushing".
As with the temple, the priesthood, and all of the feast days connected with them, the Israelites were given a pattern to copy after the heavenly temple of God (Ex. 25:9, 40, Num. 8:4). Paul also mentions this earthly pattern that copied the heavenly original:
"Who (the priests) serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount."  Heb. 8:5
Because all of these earthly things are shadows that were made after a heavenly original, they carry the promise of the greater heavenly original. and that heavenly original surpasses the earthly copy in every way!
For this feast of Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement, the shadow of the earthly priest after the order of Aaron, has been surpassed by a heavenly Priest, Who is unlike them. The heavenly Priest, Jesus Christ, is of the order of the eternal, supernatural priest, Melchizedek (meaning "King of Righteousness"). Melchizedek was not only a priest, but a king as well, who brought forth bread and wine. He was and is an incarnation of Christ who appeared to Abraham, and received from him the tithe of all (Gen. 14:18-20). The Psalms identify the Lord Who sits at the right hand of the LORD God as a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek (Ps. 110:4). The Apostle Paul also further identifies this eternal priest as Christ (Heb. 7:21-22). The oath, the hope, the promise of a priest that surpasses earthly pattern of the priests was fulfilled in Christ. Those priests of the order of Aaron died, but this Priest after the order of Melchizedek lives and serves forever:
"But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore, he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."   Heb. 7:24-25
Unlike the earthly priests, who can only go behind the veil one day a year (Heb. 9:7), Christ is ever making intercession. He went behind the veil of separation in the heavenly Temple, not to offer the blood of bulls and goats as a temporary relief from sin, but to offer His own blood upon the mercy seat once, forever:
"...for this he did once, when he offered up himself...by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say not of this building, Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood 0f Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"  Heb. 7:27, 9:11-14
The hope of the more perfect heavenly atonement, and reconciliation with God promised in the pattern of this feast of the LORD, has been fulfilled beyond anything that could be imagined by men through the atonement of an eternal Priest, Christ, with His own blood in the heavenly tabernacle. He obtained a more excellent ministry, was established as the mediator of a better covenant, established upon even better promises than the former, earthly copy (Heb. 8:6). An awesome God established His promise of atonement for sin and reconciliation with man in this feast of Yom Kippur, and fulfilled that hope and promise through His own Son.
The atonement, and the reconciliation is available to all who come to God through Christ. God is long suffering towards us, not willing for any to perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9). As the earth is tried with great storms, earthquakes, floods, fires, and more, the hearts of men are being called by God to repentance and for salvation. To all who are of the Jewish people, to all who are of the Gentiles, to all who desire to share in this fulfillment of the promise and hope of the eternal atonement and reconciliation of Yom Kippur: Let us not keep Him waiting any longer.

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.

Trumpets: Yom Teruah

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The season of the Fall Feasts of the LORD has begun. Today is the Feast of Trumpets, or Yom Teruah. Many of the Jewish faith mix the secular and the holy significance of this feast, referring to this day by its civil calendar name of Rosh Hashanah, but wishing each other the blessing, "May you be inscribed (in the Book) for a good year." The Book mentioned here is the Book of Life, and that Book belongs to the Lamb of God, the Messiah, Jesus, which we shall see later. Many who go to the synagogue to observe this feast, dress in white linen clothing. We will see how this practice has special meaning to the Church as well.

The Feast of Trumpets cannot begin until the new moon is physically sighted by at least two people. This is called "the hidden day", because no one can predict exactly when the new moon will be sighted. That new moon is the first glimmer of light that reappears after a phase of lunar darkness. As with the return of Christ, we may know the times and the seasons, but we cannot know the exact moment, or day of His return. When the new moon is sighted, the signal is given and the shofars, or trumpets, begin sounding (click above under the photo to listen), signaling the beginning of the feast. The trumpets made of rams' horns make an awesome, majestic sound, the last trumpet blast in the series is a long, drawn-out note called the teruah gadol: the last trump, the great trump. All Israel is filled with the sound of the shofars made from the ram's horn. To what are these trumpet blasts calling God's people?
Some of the themes of Yom Teruah are: repentance, reconciliation, helping the needy, and preparation. The Feast of Trumpets begins the "ten days of awe" - the days of spiritual preparation for the Feast of Atonement, Yom Kippur. These are the days when the judgment of God hangs in the balance.
This feast is also associated with the crowning of kings, the wedding of the Messiah, and the resurrection of the dead. Everyone in the Church should understand the significance of these events. Yom Teruah is also known as "The Day of the Wake-Up Trumpet", because of its association with the resurrection of the dead. The Apostle Paul wrote of this connection:
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words."  1 Thess. 4:16-18
The "Wake-Up Trumpet" is also meant to awaken God's people from a spiritual indifference, or slumber. No one could sleep through the sounding of these trumpets! Jesus warned against that spiritual slumber and lack of preparation in His parable of the ten virgins. Five were prepared for the coming bridegroom, but five had not properly prepared. All ten, however, were slumbering and sleeping on that fateful night of His coming. At the rousing sound of His coming, all awoke, but those who were unprepared were not able to go into the marriage supper (Mt. 25:1-9). They are called "foolish" in scripture. We know that "fools" are those who do not believe God (Ps. 14:1, Ps. 53:1). Much of the Church right now is like those five foolish virgins: unprepared and asleep. Will they also be "foolish" like those who don't believe God? After the Bridegroom comes, He enters His chamber with His Bride, and the door is shut. There is no allowance for a late arrival (v. 10-12). Jesus gave the warning of the Feast of Trumpets, "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." The day of His coming is surely like "the hidden day" of this feast. We must be prepared, even as this feast is about preparation. Paul also warned about the suddenness of the day of Christ's return:
"But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night...But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief...Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch (give strict attention to) and be sober."  
                                                                                                          1 Thess. 5:1-6
Jesus warned the Church at Sardis. "Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee....He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels."   Rev. 3:3-5
The white raiment mentioned here is also written of in Rev. 7. Those who wore the white raiment came out of great tribulation, and having washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb, now stood before the throne of God, and the Lamb.
Sardis means "red ones". It was once a luxurious capital city of Lydia, but became an obscure village of ruins. Did the Church of Sardis heed that warning of Jesus before the judgment of God came upon that city, or were they unprepared?
The new moon appears, the trumpets sound, and as Jesus did with the Church at Sardis, the warning to repent and prepare goes forth, the warning to watch goes forth, to wake from slumber, for the judgment of God approaches. The King has been crowned, and the time for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white... (Rev. 19:7-8)
The Feast of Trumpets is not about setting a date for Christ's return. It is about being aware of the signs, the times, and the seasons. It is about preparing, repenting, washing our garments in the blood of the Lamb, and watching so that day does not find us asleep, unprepared, unaware, or in unbelief.

To Contact/Support the Ministry/Submit Prayer requests/To Order the new book, "NAZAH":
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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.

 

In GOD We Trust

 

For those from other nations who are reading this, the United States prints and engraves on their paper and coin currency the phrase, "IN GOD WE TRUST". Our nation was founded upon Godly principles. Unfortunately, we as a nation have turned away from this trust in God, and these principles. Even the Church has been caught up in the divisions of men, and their political arguments. We foolishly debate whether America was ever great, whether America used to be great, is great, or needs to be great again, and we rely on men to get us there, placing our trust in their political promises to do so.

The Word of God gives us specific wisdom and truth regarding these things. The verses found in the middle point of the Bible, Ps. 118:8-9 is a perfect starting point:

"It is better (beautiful, best, joyful, precious, pleasing, prosperous delightful, well-favored) to put trust (trust, to make a refuge, have hope in, to confide in, to flee for protection) in the LORD (YHWH-the eternally existing One) than to put confidence (trust, security, to feel safe) in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes (even generous, willing nobles)."

"Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help."  Ps. 146:3

We can understand why our trust should be in the LORD, but why shouldn't we also be able to rely upon men, even noble men? This explains:

"Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies."  Ps. 40:4

Men sin. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is none righteous, no, not one. While men can be cleansed of their sin, if they will confess them, man is not a reliable place in which to deposit our trust. The Eternal One, the Holy One, the Perfect One, is:

"Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity. Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them."   Ps. 62:8-10

People, even in the Church, trust in riches, or men who possess riches. They are trusting in a vapor that easily disappears. Also, to trust in a man because he holds a high position in society, or a low position, is built upon a lie. Positions are temporary, and are not necessarily attained to begin with based upon everlasting spiritual qualities. Paul admonished Timothy:

"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy."   1 Tim. 6:17

Often nations, including our own, trust in their military might for safety and defense, or they rely upon their alliances with others of military might. The Word of God warns against this false assurance:

"Woe ("alas"-expression of grief and sorrow) to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin: That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt. Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion...Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses and trust in chariots, because there are many; and in horsemen because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD."   Isa. 30:1-3, 31:1

There are those who trust in religious talismans or rituals, and think they are being spiritually covered and defended in these things, but their trust must be in the LORD, Himself, in His Person:

"Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these."  Jer. 7:4

"But without faith, it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."   Heb. 11:6

Our faith, trust, reliance is to be in Him, and we must seek Him diligently.

How do we exercise that trust in God, rather than in all of these other things? That trust in the Person of the LORD is found in the place of praise:

"Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being."   Ps. 146:1-2

Judah discovered this place of trust in God when they were faced with the invasion of two nations. The king, Jehoshaphat fell and worshipped before the LORD. He then appointed singers unto the LORD to go out before his army and sing and praise the beauty of holiness: "Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth forever." The LORD set ambushments for the enemy, and they were smitten (2 Chron. 20:18-22).

The LORD inhabits the praises of His people (Ps. 22:3-5). Praise Him, trust in Him, diligently seek Him, and He will be found by you. He will reward you. He will answer your trust in Him.

 

To Contact/Submit Prayer Request/ Support the Ministry/Order the new book, "NAZAH":

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.