|
The Feast of Tabernacles
Finding Significance by Relating with God through the Lord’s Feast of Tabernacles
The feast has a dual significance: historical and agricultural. Historically, it commemorates the forty-year period during which the children of Israel were wandering in the desert, living in temporary shelters, or booths. Agriculturally, it is a harvest festival, and is sometimes referred to as the Festival of Ingathering.
The LORD satisfied the debt for our sins. He redeemed us from dead works. He lifted the burden of guilt and condemnation. He invited all who believe to be joined with Him, and receive His peace.
REFLECTION, REALITY AND RESPONSE In what ways do you apply the LORD’s yoke and truly rest in His love? What specific times can you appoint in your day and week to devote to resting in God’s love, reading His word, and receiving His encouragement, peace and refreshment?
REFERENCES
Discovering God’s Purposes by Relating with Him through the Lord’s Feast of Tabernacles
Those who have received the LORD’s redemption have entered into His permanent and eternal rest—peace with God! For, He has redeemed us from the curse of dead works that cannot justify us before God. We, therefore, celebrate His fulfillment of this feast by gathering in fellowship with other believers, reflecting on His amazing grace, and relating with one another the testimonies of His interaction in our lives. We also look forward to a time of celebrating the LORD’s return; and permanent fellowship at His banquet table in heaven. We, therefore, have an opportunity to celebrate with great joy—or rehearse the time of Messiah’s return and glorious eternal reign.
REFLECTION, REALITY AND RESPONSE With whom do you rest and reflect on God’s goodness, His grace and mercy, and share testimonies of His interaction in the lives of fellow believers?
REFERENCES
Receiving God’s Amazing Grace by Relating with Him through the Lord’s Feast of Tabernacles
It was a Sabbath’s Sabbath! On the one hand, it marked the time to rest from enduring the work of gathering in the harvest. On the other hand, it served to remind the people of God’s favor and care extended through the long wilderness journey before crossing into the Promised Land.
Paul further encouraged believers to be strengthened in faith, for it is by faith that we have access to the LORD’s grace and gift of peace.
Many seek God’s peace. Paul illustrated how seeking God will result in finding the God of peace… who offers the peace of God!
REFLECTION, REALITY AND RESPONSE Have you truly received God’s peace? Are there things that bring anxiety into your life? Do you find yourself striving to find peace?
REFERENCES
Responding in Faith to God’s Invitation of Life and Peace by Relating with Him through the Lord’s Feast of Tabernacles
Scripture also reports in Acts 2:44-45 the magnitude of their cooperation with one another. They became “their brother’s keeper.” (Genesis 4:9) They continued living faithfully towards God and one another with singleness of purpose, in a state reflecting the genuine love of God. The context of Scripture truly has in view a spirit of real covenant love; intimacy, mutual affection, care, and concern for one another. They shared what they had. They supported one another. They lived with a genuine sense of community. The glimpse we have from their engagement, in essence, is a real knitting of hearts: between God and man; and one another.
REFLECTION, REALITY AND RESPONSE Are you part of a small group that prays for one another, supports one another—emotionally and physically, and fellowships in God’s Word and His Spirit, testifying of His works? What opportunities do you have to witness the working of God’s power? What kind of relationships do you maintain that build your faith and nurture your relationship with God?
REFERENCES
Walking in Spiritual Reality by Relating with God through the Lord’s Feast of Tabernacles
They pursued an active, passionate relationship with God, and strong dynamic, covenant relationships with one another. The high level of engagement they maintained with God and one another further points forward to the great wedding feast of the LORD and His Bride—the marriage supper of the Lamb. (Revelation 19:9) As a result of the active engagement with the Holy Spirit, the prophecy in Isaiah 61 began to be fulfilled: good tidings were preached, many broken-hearted and lame were healed, those in captivity to sin were set free—God was glorified! God’s community of faith, therefore, grew by leaps and bounds. People were certainly witnessing His wonders. Revival broke loose. God still seeks such vibrant, active communities of believers glorifying His name and accomplishing His purposes in the earth. These disciples knew they had realized and experienced something very special. They now had an expanded view and revelation of the fullness of God’s intended purpose and vision spoken to Moses regarding His delivering the children of Israel out from the bondage of Egypt and into the liberty of a revived relationship with Him.
They now understood the true value of being rescued. Their lives had been recovered by God from the corruption of the world—spiritual death—to recover what had been lost—real dynamic spiritual and eternal life in Messiah by the Holy Spirit! As an eight-day celebration, we celebrate more than a complete recovery (signified by the number 7), but new character traits and fruit of a transformed life—personal growth; the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in our life. Even more, we celebrate a transformed eternal life in Messiah!
REFLECTION, REALITY AND RESPONSE In what of kind of dynamic fellowship can you participate? How do you think your community of faith can grow? In what ways do you think you can experience such a dynamic life and witness the power of God in your midst? How do you measure personal growth and transformation of character?
REFERENCES
Be Blessed by Embracing God’s Values and Relating with Him through the Lord’s Feast of Tabernacles
The LORD’s peace is truly precious. It is the true antidote to fear and anxiety. To some, real inner peace and God’s shalom may be hard to comprehend. But, it is real. It is available to experience. How to find it? Don’t live in worry; but focus your thoughts on what is “true, noble and righteous” communicating with gratefulness to God, and “the peace of God which surpasses understanding” will keep you secure in God’s love. (Philippians 4:6-8 ) Through his labor and trials, Paul learned how to have contentment in the LORD. He confessed that, “I have learned to be content regardless of circumstances. I know what it is to be in want, and I know what it is to have more than enough — in everything and in every way I have learned the secret of being full and being hungry, of having abundance and being in need. I can do all things through him who gives me power.” (Philippians 4:11-12 JNT) Paul understood “follow-ship.” He, like Old Testament characters, followed after God. In a world that finds it hard to find satisfaction with the simple things of life, contentment in the LORD is to be greatly valued. He knew that the LORD is our source of sufficiency and peace. The early community of faith valued the peace and presence of the Holy Spirit. They followed after the LORD. They received revelation of God’s Word and maintained a rich kind of fellowship. Such dynamic follow-ship and fellowship enabled them to truly experience the fullness of God. These believers were convicted in their hearts that they needed one another, and needed to support one another through the trials and toil of life. They valued the different gifts, skills, and resources that God had given to them, and in turn, actively engaged in the practice of sharing and caring for one another. Their sense of community was real because the presence of the Holy Spirit was real to them. That presence gave them a sense of confidence and peace. Although external trials abounded, they were exhorted to rest internally in His rest. “For in him, bodily, lives the fullness of all that God is. And it is in union with him that you have been made full — he is the head of every rule and authority.” (Colossians 2:8-10 JNT) Furthermore, they learned that prayer and patience work together to see God’s will and purposes accomplished.
REFLECTION, REALITY AND RESPONSE What blockages could be preventing you from experiencing God’s presence and peace? How might you be able to experience fellowship centered in the life of God and engage with God through the Holy Spirit in a real way?
REFERENCES
Living Life in its Fullness by Relating with the Lord who is the True Vine
The Feast of Sukkot, or Tabernacles, is in essence a celebration of our relationship—“follow-ship” and fellowship—with God. It is a time we remember His faithfulness, and are grateful that He chose us to enter into intimate communion and fellowship with Him. That relationship finds itself and is expressed in its fullness through relationships amongst a community of believers worshiping and living in the LORD’s WAY—in SPIRIT and TRUTH—the WAY of HIS LOVE and FAITHFULNESS. In such a way, we bear His identity and character, and live a part of HIS VINE. In living in His vine, and experiencing the flow of His sap—His Holy Spirit—we experience His presence! Truly, then He is revealed as Immanu EL—God with us. (Isaiah 7:14) Enjoy His vineyard! Know His presence! Relate and engage with Him in intimate union and fellowship! Enter into His life—His love, His peace, and His joy—that yours be full!
REFLECTION, REALITY AND RESPONSE What does it mean to be united with the LORD? How do you have intimate communion and fellowship with the LORD? How do you sense God’s presence? It what ways can you truly tap into the “true vine” and grow into the fullness of the measure of your capacity in God? |
| Have questions, comments? We would love to hear from you. Please contact us via email. |
|
