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.
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