By Jim Josephsen [Feast 05, Kings Beach, California]
Perhaps many of you remember being at a Feast of Tabernacles site many years ago and having heard Mr. Herbert W Armstrong speak and asking the question “Brethren, Why are you here?” Those of you who never had that experience, well there’s just a something missing from a Feast memory.
I recall one Feast in Wisconsin Dells back in 1973; I believe it was, when HWA started his sermon by asking that very question. Such that it was back then, I being a teenager and with a group of my friends, also teenagers, I remember one said – “because my mom and dad are here, they made me come.”
I suspect this answer has reverberated in the minds of many younger folks over the years and I suspect that even some older folks have retorted something close to the same. A comment more along the lines of, “I’m here because the church said I had to.” Or perhaps, “well that’s what the minister told us we have to do.” “It’s what God wants.”
But if I were to ask that same question of us here today, “Why you are here,” what would your answer be? And if I further continued in questioning, “now that you’re here, what should you do,” what would be your response?
Just why are we, why are you here today on this Thursday, October 20th, 2005, at the Feast of Tabernacles, here in Kings Beach, California? Just why are you, why are we keeping the Feast of Tabernacles? Certainly, the simplest answer would be because God said so. It is rather academic and rudimentary and very well understood that the Holy Days were kept by our Savior, by the 1st Century Church and the Holy Days are part of the Law of God to be kept by those responsible to the requirements and under the New Covenant.
We who are under the New Covenant now have God’s laws written in our hearts, in our minds. God’s very spirit, the very nature and mind of God, the very spirit and nature of Jesus Christ is in us.
The laws are not something which are “grievous to be borne” nor are they done away with. Rather the laws are a standard directing us into a practice of behavior and a lifestyle, something that over time and with proper exercise, prayer and fasting and study becomes part of our character, and the doing of them eventually comes naturally.
“With my mind,” said Paul, “I serve the law of God.” In our minds we serve the law of God. It’s part of our character.
We keep the Holy Days because doing so is simply natural for us to do. The Spirit of God, which is given to those who have gone under the waters of baptism, is that which mixes with our spirit and provides for us the desire, the understanding and energy to keep the Holy Days.
Why are we here? We are here because to us it’s only natural. No! More so, because it’s only spiritual. Being here is automatic for us to do so.
In every real sense we keep the Feast of Tabernacles and all of God’s Holy Days – the feast, these appointed times, because we have truly been given the freedom to understand them.
No longer are we bound to deception, held captive, in bondage to the perversion, deception and corruptions of this world, as orchestrated by the adversary, that serpent of old, Satan. No longer are we held captive to the perversions of and the keeping of, pagan holidays of the world’s religions, which show no hope for salvation, but rather are only self-indulging and self-gratifying.
We are, if we’ve gone under the waters of baptism, now free, set in liberty of understanding God’s perfect plan of Salvation. We understand that we are joyously able to keep the Feast of Tabernacles because we are free to do so and in doing so we are year by year gaining a better insight to the meaning of the days and we are year by year practicing, rehearsing and portraying the meaning and the hope which these days represent. We are practicing for the eventually, the fulfillment and the reality. We are now in a type of experience that gives us a taste of what the world will actually experience in the future.
“Why are we here?” The answer should ring true and clear every year. I’m keeping the Feast of Tabernacles because in doing so, I am gaining greater insight into the truth God is revealing in the meaning and fulfillment of these Days and all God’s Holy Days.
“Now that you’re here,” what should you DO, what CAN you do? What WILL you be doing? What are the right and proper things to do while at the Feast and why, to what end, for what purpose are you doing what you do at God’s Feast of Tabernacles?
While being here, can we learn the necessary lessons which will give us a greater understanding as to just what this Feast is all about and just what the world will experience when this Feast comes to its fulfillment?
First of all, from a fleshly, human, natural point of view, just being at the Feast provides what type of benefits? Being at the Feast provides us:
A time to get away from the banal, mundane 52 weeks a year life.
A time to get away from the problems of work, co-workers, home, of friends so called, non-converted people.
A time to travel, to see other areas of this country.
A different perspective of life.
An opportunity to eat differently. (You know that Prime Rib or filet or chocolate mousse that we don’t normally get to indulge in.)
To enjoy entertainment. (To laugh, dance and enjoy an environment which is not “worldly”)
A time to stay in a room, your temporary dwelling that is different, I hope better than at home.
An opportunity to be with people you normally would not be around or see every day, except for maybe on the Sabbath or Feasts.
Now consider the benefits we should and can derive spiritually when we keep the Feast:
An opportunity to learn more of God’s Word, of God’s wisdom, of the knowledge of the Truth.
An opportunity to meet people of like mind, like faith and being able to worship together in one faith without interference from the world and the cacophony of religious confusion strewn throughout the world.
An opportunity to reflect and meditate on the teachings from the Bible.
An opportunity to learn, once a day and every day, from God’s word.
An opportunity to recharge your spiritual life, to be fed spiritually, to hear sermons daily.
An opportunity to be with your family, as a working unit for 8 straight days. Working as a family instilling spiritual lessons.
From the fleshly point of view this is a beautiful area, peaceful, relaxing – a blessing to the eyes, for our minds. Yet, we know there’s more to keeping the Feast of Tabernacles than simply spending 8 days away from “your real world.” The Feast is more than just another way of “taking a vacation.”
Deuteronomy 14:23, 26 gives us a glimpse as to the purpose and expectation or at least what God expects from us in keeping the Feast – His Feast. “That you may learn to fear the Eternal.”
Truly the Feast of Tabernacles, as with all the Holy Days are meant to teach us about God and to rehearse the wisdom we derive from the meaning and reason of these days.
In helping us to learn what we do “now that we’re here” and in learning that our practice, our behavior and activity during these 8 days is preparation for the actual fulfillment of what these days portray, we need to quickly go back about six months ago to a time when we experiencing the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Containing two of the three spring Feast or Holy Days, the Feast of Unleavened Bread has a beginning and an ending Holy Day associated with it. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is an all encompassing 7 day rehearsal time. It has a clearly defined beginning and end, both marked by Holy convocations, Holy days.
There are two activities we engage in which teach us important spiritual lessons when we keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 1) We are commanded to avoid something – leavened products. 2) We are commanded to do something – eat unleavened bread. We are reminded to avoid sin consciously and we are forced/reminded to practice and consequently to make it a habit to eat righteousness.
The 7 day activity in the spring teaches us how we should be living our lives all 365 days a year and not just seven.
Now during the Feast of Tabernacles we are required to do something as well. We are required to participate in activities that will teach us the meaning of the days we keep.
First we are commanded “not to mourn,” but rather “to rejoice.” The Feast of Tabernacles lays upon us the need to enjoy, to be glad, to be excited about being in the very presence of God, Almighty. Being at the Feast of Tabernacles inspires us to understand what it will be like when the very Kingdom of God is on the earth.
Yes there are other lessons the Feast of Tabernacles teaches us, like our bodies being the fleshy tabernacles that we dwell in as we wander in this earthly wilderness of sin. As we live in this flesh we are daily overcoming sin while awaiting entrance into the “promised land,” the Kingdom of God, and our eternal salvation. We live in temporary tabernacles.
During the Feast we realize our physical life wears out, our flesh gets old, our bodies tire and our cells corrupt. Temporarily, we are living here in “booths” (i.e. Hotels), our temporary homes for 8 days to remind us that we live in temporary bodies, composed of flesh which the Scriptures call our earthly tabernacles. We are called out of the world, just as now for these 8 days we are out of the world. We are sojourners, strangers and pilgrims on this earth, with no continuing city, as we’re seeking a city to come. That’s also what the Feast teaches us.
We can learn much about the Feast and its fulfillment, its reality when we read and review the many prophecies pertaining to the establishment of the Kingdom of God on this earth, the restoration of the nation of Israel and the re-establishment and healing of the nations.
We get a better understanding of the Kingdom of God, of the wonderful world tomorrow during the Feast activity. We learn what life will be like when Jesus Christ takes charge.
“Now that you’re here” you can begin to understand what the world will be like when there is harmony, peace throughout the world and when there is a world governed by the spiritual members of the family of God, who live among the inhabitants of the earth. During the Feast we understand what it will be like when there is no more war-like desires and animosity prevalent among the inhabitants of the earth.
“Now that you’re here” you can begin to understand the concept of a world under one religion and of a world that worships the “one and only” true God. The world will breathe a collective sigh of relief because there will truly be peace all over, just as we rejoice now knowing that we are among people of like mind, together for a cause, together as a family and gathered together to worship God, the only True God, our Father and the only True God our Savior, Jesus Christ. For us in this room there is peace and we breathe a collective sigh of relief today knowing the truth of worship.
“Now that you’re here” what should you do, what can we do and what are the benefits of doing what we do here at the Feast of Tabernacles? Will the things we do, will the things we will be doing be reflective of the way life will be in the Kingdom, during the Millennium?
Let’s look again at some of the blessing we derive by keeping the Feast of Tabernacles and see if the activities we’ve engaged in for the last 2 days and for the next 5 days will be reflective of the realities the world will be experiencing during the millennial rule of Jesus Christ.
While at the Feast we are going to services every day. This activity we understand is the proper course of action to do, when we see that this was done at the time (certainly) during of the revival of the repatriated house of Judah under the God ordained leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah. Nehemiah 8:14, 18, 8.
By going to services once a day gives us the opportunity to learn more of God’s Word, of God’s wisdom and of the knowledge of the Truth. It gives us the opportunity to meet people of like mind, like faith and provides the occasion for us to be able to worship together in one faith without interference from the world’s abominations or as politely called “religions” and the cacophony of religious confusion strewn throughout the world.
Religious confusion will not exist in the Kingdom. Any god or religion other than that of our God and His truth and His way of living will not be tolerated. All other gods, idols, concepts, religious philosophies will be destroyed. Any vestiges of false religion, from pagan Christianity to the island religions of Polynesia will not exist in the Kingdom of God.
And though we realize that a commanded assembly is only required on the Sabbath and High Holy Feast Days, the principle is unmistaken. Now that you’re here, gathered together once a day, you are practicing and understanding what it will be like when the entire world will be under the tutelage and encouragement, the very teaching of the Laws and lessons, the wisdom of God.
Every day the Laws of God will flourish and every day God’s wisdom will endure in the Kingdom of God, during the Millennium. When people need advise to solve a problem, they will go to the Law of God for advice.
Consider Isaiah 2:1-4 and Micah 4:1-4. A benefit of learning God’s way is the absence of war. The time would fail us to realize all the benefits that would be derived by keeping the Laws of God. You and I are only beginning to appreciate the benefits of obedience to the Law. Each law, each command produces blessings and “the good life.”
Notice too in Micah 4:4, a reality of the Kingdom of God. Can you see how that in type, as you are here at the Feast, you are participating in what will eventually be a reality?
Now verses Micah 4:5. “Though all the peoples of the earth, including Israel walk in the name of his god, we will walk everyone in the name of the Eternal our God, forever.”
One of the charges against ancient Israel as found in the prophets and throughout the Law was the injunction regarding idol worship, false worship, Baal worship. God is a jealous God and he requires complete and absolute worship of Himself alone.
We read often how He laughs at the pathetic religions of man. And there is no difference today. There is only one God, one Devine Elohim, consisting of God the Father and God the Son. God will take second seat to no one. It is at the Feast of Tabernacles where we learn that the only true God exists and it is here where there is no outside interference from the inferior, pathetic and false religions out there. Every religion known to man will be eliminated when our Savior returns. Only the true worship of God, our God will be extant in the Kingdom of God, period.
The prophetic book of Zechariah gives us great insight to the reality of one religion filling the entirety of the earth. So that just as we, now that we’re here can experience one faith, and one true form of worship under the only one true God, so will all the inhabitants of the earth during the Millennium, in Kingdom of God, which is the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles be able to worship the one true God.
Zechariah 12:8-14 to start in understanding a fantastic truth which is grossly misunderstood and missing from the world. Next 13:1-2. Now chapter 14, all of it.
Being at the Feast of Tabernacles allows you to practice living in a world which worships The One true and the only one God.
Going to services every day during the Feast avails the opportunity to practice what those living in the millennium will be experiencing, the worship of one true God and the keeping and teaching of the law day by day. The law available always, to guide people every step of the way.
Now that you’re here you have the opportunity to talk to each other about the lessons learned, the messages and the scriptures. The benefits to that are found in Malachi 3:16-18 and Ephesians 4:11-15. The reality will be experienced in as we read Jeremiah 31:34.
Now that we’re here, we practice showing mercy, truth, compassion and forgiveness. We are learning to be gracious, honest and accommodating. This type of behavior will be natural in the Kingdom at the very fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles. Let’s consider a qualification, a requisite which God demands of any who would be in His presence, Psalm 15. This type of behavior, this quality of character must be the hallmark of our lives not only here at the Feast, but every day of our lives. And this type of behavior will be required of those who live in the Kingdom of God, while the very King Himself is present with us.
Now that you’re here, you’re appreciating living life in abundance, in plenty with peace and harmony and your family can experience a greater appreciation of one another. Amos 9:13-15. Zephaniah 3:9-20.
At the very actuality of the Kingdom, we see abundance, plenty and good.
Now that you’re here – what are you doing?
Are you preparing for the Kingdom of God by practicing, rehearsing for the time when the reality of God Almighty, our savior, the Savior, Jesus Christ is ever present?
God has blessed you, first by calling you unto His son for salvation. God, the Father has given you His spirit, an actual part of Him, a part of God, in you. He has given us the opportunity to enjoy life in peace, prosperity, plenty, abundance, and increase. He has given you the time to increase in knowledge and understanding of Him and His ways.
For 8 days you get a chance to be up close and personal, to really experience, to practice and to actually see what it will be like when the Kingdom of God is on the earth.
Yes, you are still flesh and blood human. Yes, your tabernacle fails you from time to time and you will and perhaps already have experienced the rips tears and struggles of this flesh. But you know you’re in a forgiving environment. Temptation is minimal and the flesh still needs to be overcome. That too is a reality of the Kingdom. I’m reminded of Isaiah 30:18-21. Those alive on the earth, living human beings in the Kingdom of God will have to learn how to overcome the flesh, just as we are having to do. Life will be better of course, in ways that would take sermons to explain, but the element of physical aging flesh and blood, and temptation will always exist as long as there are humans.
When the Kingdom is here, when your flesh is changed to spirit let it come to your mind, let it be remembered, let it be said – it was all worth it, keeping the Feast has a meaning. You will be teachers to those who are the inhabitants of the earth. One of the reasons you are going through this training process today and one of the reasons you are here today is so that you can teach and encourage others to endure and overcome, too!
The practice, the preparation, the experience at the Feast of Tabernacles will be well worth it.
Now that you’re hear – what should you do, what will you be doing? What are you doing? You are experiencing, in advance, the way it will be when the God of Israel, the very I Am Salvation for that is the meaning, the translation of the name Jesus, comes down to be with His creation and shares life with the inhabitants of the earth.
You are experiencing a type, a forerunner of the way it will really be when the Kingdom of God is the reality of the way of life on this earth.
Now that you’re here, you are being blessed to know, in advance, what the inhabitants of the earth then, will experience every day of their lives.
Now that you’re here, enjoy the blessing God has given to
you and have a wonderful Feast.
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