THE ALMOST FORGOTTEN FESTIVALS OF GOD
"Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them. Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons" (Leviticus 23: 2,4).
Almost all Christian holidays observed today could not be found in the Bible. Surprisingly, those festivals commanded in scripture are almost entirely forgotten. When God instructed the nation of Israel to observe the annual feasts, it was meant to remind them, year after year, and for all time of God's beautiful master plan designed to eventually set free the seeds of humanity from the clutches of sin. In the end, as the years' observance of God's Holy Days come to a close, the whole human race will eventually enjoy a new way of life with the establishment of a utopian society where God's government reign supreme over the lives of men.
As a chosen people, the Israelites were called to represent Him His way of life — a fitting example to all peoples around them of what blessings and benefit it would give if they will serve and worship the one and only true God. He gave them His laws, His statutes and commandments and taught them a system of worship designed to instill in their minds of their commitment to Him and to prove whether they will obey Him or not.
Every year when these occasions come, God's people stop doing their usual daily activities but assemble together to participate in worship of the Almighty God, the sovereign Creator and Ruler of the universe.
First is Passover followed by the Days of Unleavened Bread. Then on the latter part of the spring season at the 50th day of the count on the morrow after the Sabbath during the days of Unleavened Bread is the day of Pentecost sometimes referred to as the Feast of First Fruit. A few months later as the autumnal season begins are the Feast of Trumpets, the day of Atonement, the Festivals of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day. All these sacred annual festivals of God when look up to and understood in the light of its deep spiritual meaning would inspire and excite God's people to deeply appreciate what the two God beings have done and still would be doing in the future.
On one occasion, touching on the central obligation of Christians, Jesus Christ said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God" (Luke 4:4).
When Christ made this statement, the only available compilation of God's instruction to man written through Moses was the Books of the Law, the Prophets and the Writings known to us today as the Old Testament. The New Testament was not yet then written. The Old Testament was the one used and read in every synagogue during the time of Christ. In other words, Christ is telling us that the Pentateuch is the words of God that man should live by.
Incidentally, it would be worth mentioning here that it has traditionally been seriously mistaken to divide God's written Words into two sections, calling the first section from Genesis to Malachi, the Old Testament and the second section from Matthew to Revelation, the New Testament. The Sacred Scriptures as a collection of God's divine utterances from Genesis to Revelation form one complete Book. The New Testament though written later supplements the other to make one complete book of divine truth. They are not supposed to be divided into two parts, so that one part may appear to be of less value from the other. The 66 books, all together are what constitute the "Holy Bible".
Christ Himself and His called out apostles practiced all these festivals during their lifetime. "And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another (reference point for the observance of God's annual Holy Days at the setting of the moon) and from one Sabbath to another (reference point to determine a new day at the setting of the sun) shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord" (Isaiah 66:23).
Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God will soon be coming back. He is coming to rule this rotten, God-defying wicked world with a rod of iron. And one of the commandments He will restore and immediately enforce is for all people of all races to come to His world-ruling headquarters in Jerusalem to KEEP THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES. "And it shall come to pass, that everyone that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year, to worship the King, the Lord of Host, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of host,, even upon them shall be no rain"( Zechariah 14: 16-17).
"And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain, there shall be the plague, wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen, that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles" (Zechariah 14: 18-19).
The world at large today claim that these festivals is for the descendants of Israel only and that when Christ was crucified on the stake the same were all abolished and nailed on the cross. Why would Christ then issue such a command in the coming millennium and force all nations to keep the Feast of Tabernacles if all the annual holy days are merely Jewish and are already done away with? Why?
Why? Because included in this system of worship are a sequence of festivals and Holy days which picture the entire purpose of human life. The plan is so beautiful, so awesome and mind-boggling that only a great mind of super intellect can conceive and design. So fantastic and glorious, incredible if you will that it would seem to never enter even our wildest imagination. At first, you will not even believe it yet, they represent a beautifully laid out plan of salvation, reflecting a progressive fulfillment of all prophecies, the offering of the sacrificial lamb, the putting away of sins in our lives, how that the saints today are but the first fruit of the great latter day harvest of souls, the final return of Christ, the banishment of the enemy, the millennial reign of our Savior and the resurrection of the rest of the dead for their first chance to know the truth and even the resurrection of those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit only to be punished and become ashes on the soles of our feet. That's why!
Clearly drawn in these verses are the severities of God's punishment to those who would stubbornly refuse to observe the feast of tabernacles. Rain as we all know is a vital component of a sound agricultural-based economy. The right amount of rain at the right time and in the right place would surely ensure bountiful harvest. Clearly in a world ruled by Jesus Christ there will be no more worries with regards to the weather and the surrounding environment. Those who obey His laws and observe His sacred weekly Sabbath and annual Holy days will enjoy God's promised blessings and live a happy abundant existence.
God also promised, "I will cause showers to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. They shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that serve themselves of them" (Ezekiel 34: 26-27). What a wonderful time of blessings would that be!
All of these annual festivals and holy days are of equal importance. They are the most awaited occasions every year. But in this edition we will concentrate and focus our attention a little more on the observance of the feast of tabernacles that will soon be with us again.
In the old days, this celebration was the year's crowning highlight. It was an occasion of unparalleled joy. Today, it celebrates among Christians the indescribable joy of Christ final return. It is the most inspiring and exciting yearly reminder of the Christian hope when the Lamb of God return in glorious power to establish the full measure of the Kingdom of God on earth. It is a special time to praise and worship the great Deliverer and Redeemer of His people, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who will sit enthroned over all nations. "You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress, and you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your manservant and your maidservant and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, who are within your gates. Seven days you shall keep a feast to the Lord your God in the place which the Lord chooses, because the Lord your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the works of your hands, so that you surely rejoice" (Deuteronomy 16: 13-15).
There are a number of lessons we can learn while observing the feast of tabernacles. It is the only Holy Day where we are commanded to set aside a tenth of our annual earnings to be spent for this purpose alone. It is the only week-long Holy Day time where we are commanded to move out of our dwelling places and go to a place where God have chosen to place His Holy name.
The great fall festival remind us of our calling, year after year, that we are "strangers and pilgrims on the earth"(Hebrew 11:13). `By faith Abraham when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked for a city which has foundations whose builder and maker is God" (Hebrews 11: 8-10). Abraham, Isaac and Jacob dwelt in tabernacles while wondering through the plains and wilderness of the promise land, yet deep down in their hearts they longed for the permanency of their homes in a place prepared for them by God.
It is the expressed purpose of God that we experience all kinds of troubles and hardships while traveling through the road of our perilous journey in going to the feast away from home. It will make us realize that we are mortals and that all these discomforts and difficulties, the sickness suffered once in a while by our children in the camp, the threat of rain and coldness of the night and the bad weather hammering our ships as we embark on our voyage through the high seas heighten our desire to groan with eager longing for the birth of the sons of God. The longer we stay in our temporary dwellings in the place where God had chosen to place His Holy name the more we tend to be filled with a strong desire to yearn for the comforts of our homes. In like manner, the longer we stay in Satan's world, the more we hunger for the coming reality of our spiritual home in the Kingdom of God.
In contrast, the feast of tabernacles is also a time of family togetherness, a time of fun and relaxation in an environment and atmosphere away from the hassles of our everyday responsibilities and works. In a sense, it is a force family vacation that will give us a week-long opportunity to concentrate more on the uplifting spiritual things of God that matters most.
However, it is the irony of life that the people of God in general, except for a very small group failed to decipher the true new moon as contemplated in the mind of God. Instead they have allowed themselves to be swayed by the wrong understanding of the Jews and followed their customs and tradition handed down from one generation to another. The mere fact that the Jews admit using the counterfeit Hebrew calendar with the molad as their reference point for the new moon would have been enough to cause some worrisome alarm to God's people of the disastrous situation they are in. But no, the once zealous Philadephians turned Laodiceans had now become lukewarm on their first love. "Because thou sayest, I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" (Revelation 3: 16-17).
I wonder then how anyone can lay claim to truly worship and honor God if things of this major concern are being taken for granted. God says in Isaiah 1:14-15, "I hate your new moon and your appointed feasts. They had become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. So when you spread out your hands in prayers, I will hide My eyes from you. Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen" (NASB). But one day soon when this deception are brought to light they will come to realize and shudder at the thought of what evils they have done.
Remember the life and works of the Jews are filled with exceptions. As a covenant people, they are a special people from the rest of the human race. The universally accepted arithmetical count starts from number one, the Jews look for the seventh month to find the first month. The Holy Bible declares that the new month starts at the instant of darkness when the moon disappears on the horizon, the Jews, on the other hand, begins the new month at the start of the faint crescent light approximately already on the 3rd or 4th day. God in His immutable law declared Abib to be the first month of the year, the Jews in open rebellion declared the 7th month to be the first month of the year. What a life of exceptions indeed! Surely, they could not be relied upon especially on spiritual matters involving life and death.
But a time is coming when Christ and the resurrected saints will set about to teach the world the way to peace. The prophet Isaiah speaks of a utopian landscape in the world tomorrow saying: "For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nations shall not lift up swords against nations, neither shall they learn war anymore" (Isaiah 2:3-4).
In that day, whoever you are, whatever is your nationality, no matter what your political background is, whatever is your religion —all will be force to observe God's weekly and annual Holy Days. In that day, there will be no more Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, Buddhists, etc. Instead there will be one great world religion. The true religion that Jesus Christ founded, THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD.
Romeo Samudio
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