Tabernacles and the Day of the LORD*

This evening begins the Feast of Tabernacles. There is a direct connection in scripture between the Feast of Tabernacles and "the day of the LORD'. This is the commandment of the LORD regarding the Feast of Tabernacles: "And the LORD spake unto Moses saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD. On the first day shall be a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be a holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein. These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD...every thing upon his day." (Lev. 23:33-37). The word "tabernacles" is the Hebrew word sukkah, meaning "booth, pavilion, lair (of a lion), cover". (A root word, sakak, means "fence about, protect, defence, shut in, overshadow, stop the approach, weave together, cover with armor".) The pictographic ancient Hebrew letters form the meaning "Behold, a hand to cover, supply, lift up, or suppress". In Deuteronomy, the LORD explained the Feast of Tabernacles further through Moses: "Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine. And thou shalt rejoice...thou...thy son...thy daughter...thy manservant...thy maidservant...the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates." (Deut. 16:13-14). The Feast of Tabernacles was to include all with rejoicing after the fall harvest that God had provided them. In the same spirit of tabernacles, the LORD commanded Moses to appoint just judges and officers throughout all of the tribes, who will not practice favoritism, nor receive bribes nor falsely accuse the righteous. This just treatment of all is so that they may live in the land that God has given them (v. 18-20). We see a lack of justice everywhere today, while God is calling His people to be just and righteous. We discover that the neaning of the Feast of Tabernacles is also revealed in scriptures regarding the coming day of the LORD: "He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion (sukkah) round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail-stones and coals of fire. The LORD also thundered in the heavens...he sent out his arrows, and scattered them...Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me." (Ps. 18:11-17). Just as Noah was drawn out of many waters, the LORD's pavilion draws us out of the hands of our enemies. What looks to the enemies like a covering of thick dark clouds, to us is the pavilion or tabernacle of the LORD. It is "the hand that covers, supplies, lifts up and suppresses". As Psalm 31 declares the greatness and goodness of God towards those who trust Him, it says: "Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion (sukkah) from the strife of tongues." (v. 19-20). Those who walk in the righteousness of God, and in His Word, are continually judged in this world by the strife of tongues of accusation. However, God has provided a pavilion in which to hide us. As Isaiah prophesied the blessings of God under the Messiah, he wrote of beautiful fruitful branches, excellent and comely fruit of the earth for the remnant who escape. Those that remain will be called holy - every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem. The LORD will wash them of filth, purged by the spirit of judgment and burning (Isa. 4:2-4). "...and the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. And there shall be a tabernacle (sukkah) for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain." (v. 5-6). There is a hand to cover and provide our pasture in the tabernacle, but it is shadow, darkness, and clouds to others. The prophet Zephaniah describes the day of the LORD as a day of wrath, of trouble, distress, wasteness and desolation, "a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet and alarm...and I will bring distress among men...because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust...Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy..." (Zeph. 1:14-18). The prophet Amos also spoke of the darkness of the day of the LORD, saying, "Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD!" (Amos 5:1-18-20). In this case, the very people who were looking for the day of the LORD would be the first to experience the darkness rather than the sukkah tabernacle. The LORD condemned them because He said that He hated their feasts and offerings, "But ye have born the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun, your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves." (v. 21-26). Their tabernacle was a tabernacle to false demonic gods, who demanded child sacrifices, and were filled with worthless idols. The LORD holds His people to a different standard than the standard that the world practices and values. His standard is the righteousness of God. Joel also wrote about the day of the LORD as being "a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness", and of a fire that devours and a flame that burns. (Joel 2:2-3, 30-31). He called the people of God to sound the trumpet of alarm, to call an assembly of all the people, from the youngest to the oldest, because "the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand." (2:1, 16). The people must repent with fasting and weeping and consecrate themselves: "...rent your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil." (v. 12-13). The priests especially, as those who were the spiritual leaders of the people, were called upon to lead the congregation in repentance by repenting themselves, crying, 'Spare thy people, O LORD." The LORD has not destined His people for His wrath, but providing them instead a tabernacle, a pavilion, a hand that covers if they will set themselves apart to enter into it. If the people will repent in their hearts, the LORD says that He will pity His people: "Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things...he hath given you the former rain moderately...and the latter rain in the first month." (v. 21,23). The LORD promises to remove the attacking northern (hidden, secret, covered over) army, and to add the blessing of abundance in their land, restoring all that the devouring locusts have destroyed (v. 20-26). One of the celebrations associated with the Feast of Tabernacles is the abundant harvest, the fruit of the land, like the fruit of trees and the vine, as we see here (v. 22). "And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed". As part of this blessing, the LORD promises to pour out His Spirit upon all flesh, regardless of age or status. (v. 27-29). In Nehemiah, Ezra the scribe caused the Word of God to be read and taught before all of the people. Then they obeyed the Word that they had heard by building their booths from beautiful branches to keep the Feast of Tabernacles, as had been commanded by God (Neh. 8:13-15). When we honor God and His Word, He honors and blesses us. Zechariah prophesied about a plague that comes upon the people in which their flesh is consumed away: "...in that day,...a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them." (Zech. 14:12-13). It is a day when the LORD has gone to fight against the nations that have come against Jerusalem. Those among the nations who survive this terrible day of destruction, will have to come to Jerusalem yearly : "...to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles." (v. 16). This prophecy is talking about the rule of Messiah, Jesus Christ, on earth. Those nations that refuse to tabernacle with the LORD in Jerusalem will receive no rain, and will be smitten by the plague. In Jerusalem there shall be found the things that are HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD, "and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts." (v. 16-21). The Word of God says to keep His feasts in "all your generations". There is a place where the hand of God covers, supplies, lifts up, and suppresses, especially in connection with the day of the LORD, as we have seen. This place is found in His tabernacle (sukkah). *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 10/9/2022 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, theshroudofturin.org, and END TIME SCHOOL, also on Facebook.

Why I believe "The Time" is at hand

 

Make no mistake-scripture is very plain that Jesus Christ is returning. The prophetic signs that are to appear before His return are already in place. Jesus, Himself, clearly taught these signs so His disciples would know when the season was approaching, yet much of the Church doesn't seem to be preparing for this great event. Some in the Church have the same attitude that Peter warned against:

"...I now write unto you...I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they are willingly ignorant of, that by the word of God...the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But that the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."   2 Peter 3:1-7 (excerpt)

Peter points out that men laugh at the idea of the imminence of Christ's return based upon the false idea that God has never judged the earth, but He has indeed judged it- by a flood of water. Of this flood, evidence can be found today. Peter goes on to say that the only reason the coming judgment by fire has not yet happened is because of God's nature and desire to allow man as much time as is possible in order to repent and return to God. He "is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."  Believers, as opposed to the scoffers however, should be looking for, and anticipating these things to come (v. 12-14).

The prophet Joel gave us a description of our role and purpose as the day of the LORD draws near. That description has nothing to do with sitting back apathetically while we wait, as we can see:
"Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD, Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty it shall come...Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all of the inhabitants of the land tremble, for it is nigh at hand...now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rent your heart and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil..." Joel 1:14, 2:1-2, 12-14
Joel tells us that all of the people need to assemble, even children and babies (2:16). The priests and ministers of the LORD should be weeping and crying aloud, "Spare thy people, O LORD..." They should be crying to the LORD to deliver his people from the rule of the heathen. It is a terrible thing for God's people to be in the hands of the heathen. We see today, the effects upon people of faith as we have become ruled by the heathen. They are pitiless and intolerant towards those of faith, and it will become even worse according to the prophetic word of scripture. Their rule is so complete in their own estimation, that they feel free to mock the God of the faithful (2:17).
Has the Church sounded the alarm? Have we assembled together without exception in a united appeal? Are we crying out to the LORD with weeping and repentance, or is it "Church as usual"? Joel describes the day of the LORD, and it is one of terror, darkness, war, quakes, and fire, as Peter also said. Joel asks in horror, "...for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?" (Joel 2:11). How can the petitions and repentance of God's people possibly have any effect upon this pending devastation? Yet it does. Upon the repentance and cries of His people, God moves:
"Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people...I will no longer make you a reproach among the heathen...Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God,...and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month...And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit...And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in Mt. Zion, and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call."   Joel 2:18-32 (excerpt)
Not only does the LORD do a wondrous spiritual thing for His people, pouring out His spirit as never before, but He will also bring the heathen who have sought to divide, rule over, and profit from His people of Jerusalem, Judah, and Zion, into the valley of judgment. The harvest is ripe, the press is full, because their wickedness is great (Joel 3:12-13, Rev. 14:14-20). We are seeing the fullness of that wickedness even now. However, because of the cries and repentance of His people:
"The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel."  Joel 3:16
Is the reason that we are failing to follow the LORD's provision for our miraculous deliverance because of our own disbelief? What other reason could there be for us to have failed to gather, fast weep, and cry out to Him, as we see the signs of His return all around us? Have we fallen into the league of scoffers that Peter warned about who are saying, "Where is the promise of His coming?"
Church, I am here to tell you that I believe the time is at hand.

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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.