Feast of Tabernacles

For eight days and nights our church celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles, and what a celebration it was! The blowing of the shofar, dancing, praise and worship, the parade of decorative banners, and messages from various speakers. It was impossible to attend and not be touched by the presence of God. I believe it marked a new beginning for many.

But what exactly is the Feast of Tabernacles? Many Christians are not familiar with it. Their churches don’t celebrate it because they think it’s just one of seven “feasts of the Lord” which God commanded Israel to observe; feasts celebrated during specific times of the year to mark historic events on the Jewish calendar. But these feasts are so much more. They are prophetic, and speak of Jesus the Messiah. The first three feasts, Passover (the death and sacrifice of Jesus as the Lamb of God), Feast of Unleavened Bread (burial of Jesus, and our call to holiness and separation unto God) and First Fruits (Jesus’ resurrection and the promise of ours), have all been fulfilled by Christ’s first coming, and each deserves its own study. The forth feast—the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, marks the church age which will continue until the “catching away” or rapture of the church. But the final three feasts foreshadow Jesus’ second coming. Feast of Trumpets signals the beginning of the tribulation. Day of Atonement speaks of Christ’s return, the destruction of antichrist, and the separating of the goats from the sheep. And the Feast of Tabernacles signals the Messianic Era when Jesus will tabernacle with His people.

Like me, I suspect many Christians mostly think of Jesus as the crucified Savior, the One from Nazareth, the One Who never turned anyone away; the gentle healer of diseases, Who hugged little children, and loved with a love that is hard to comprehend; while at the same time forgetting He is also soon coming King, the One Who will rule with a rod of iron; Who will “smite the nations” with the sword of his mouth (Revelation 19:15; Who will throw both antichrist and the false prophet into the lake of fire, then judge the nations.  That’s the Jesus I was able to glimpse, albeit “through a glass darkly”, during the Feast of Tabernacles: His wonderful majesty, His splendor, His glory, His power, His awesome beauty, His incredible holiness. And this is the Jesus who will tabernacle with man very soon. What a breathtaking vision!

Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of evangelist Billy Graham, who was born in 1948, believes hers will be the last generation before Christ’s return, and talks about this in her book Expecting to See Jesus. I agree with her. I, too, believe we will be that generation who will see His coming, and then, along with all believers from past centuries, will tabernacle with Him forever. And we need to be ready!

“Even so come Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)

Until next week,

Sylvia