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The Feast of Tabernacles, which is an annual 7-day celebration that began 2 days ago, is a joyous time of the year for all Israel. You can read about it in Leviticus 23. It is a yearly reminder that we live in a temporary, natural dwelling where we can see our surroundings and where we have no room for any permanent storage of our earthly possessions. This feast points to the fact that God is our provision. Even if we lost everything, which is really nothing, God would yet dwell among us, take care of us, and we would still be rich.
The Old Testament picture of the children of Israel dwelling in little individual tents during their exodus experience also includes God dwelling with them in His very own tent, right in the middle of all their little tents. The reader of the New Testament hears Jesus tell His disciples that there are many dwellings on His Father’s property or in His Father’s Kingdom residence. This is so God can have all of His family living in the same place. He wants what all parents want … He wants His kids to live near Him. So, the Feast of Tabernacles is meant to not only be an individual experience but also to be a corporate experience and teaches us that God desires to dwell with us. (John 14:2)
The reminder that we are pilgrims on the earth and live in a temporary earthly tent completely dependent on God, is also a reminder that we are all on this journey together. Not one of us is living in a permanent structure. It is important to us and to God that we stop on occasion and remind ourselves about these things and that we be thankful for all God has provided for us. This is what the Feast of Tabernacles accomplishes.
The Feast of Tabernacles also points to a future time when the Tabernacle, or dwelling place of God, will be with us and we will live together with Him upon the earth. So much prophecy in the Bible yet to be fulfilled is about this wonderful time to come. We have a reason to be excited and God instituted this feast to be observed each year to remind us of His plans for our long-term future.
As I said earlier, today is the second day of this 7 day feast this year. The Feast of Tabernacles began on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei according to the Jewish calendar. You may have noticed the full moon recently. The day after the first full moon of the Biblical New Year signals the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles.
Each year since Moses led the Children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt, about 1500BC, that makes it about 3500 years ago, the Children of Israel celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles by making small temporary shelters called booths, or tabernacles, out of sticks and branches, and they spend time in these tabernacles during this holy week. Some people live in the little tabernacle all week while others eat or sleep or pray in them daily.
I
have Jewish friends who do not consider themselves to be religious and yet they
make a tabernacle each year and choose to eat their meals in that little
shelter in their back yard to celebrate this Feast and to remember how God took
care of their forefathers during the wilderness experience.
It is also of note that Jesus and His family, which included His mother and Joseph, and the half brothers and sisters of Jesus, celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles. Our text for today comes from a passage of scriptures in the Gospel of John where Jesus and His brothers are talking about going to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. John 7 begins:
John 7
2 Now the Jews’ Feast of
Tabernacles was at hand.
3 His brothers therefore said
to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see
the works that You are doing.
4 “For no one does anything
in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things,
show Yourself to the world.”
5 For even His brothers did not believe in Him.
It appears that Jesus’ brothers were trying to make a little sport of Jesus, as brothers sometimes do. Perhaps they were a little jealous of all the attention He was getting or maybe they were tired of Him being right all the time. At any rate, Jesus told them to go on ahead of Him to Jerusalem. He ended up coming later and presumably by Himself so as to not draw too much unwanted attention. Jesus knew it was not yet time for Him to become the sacrificial Lamb of God. People were talking and there was quite a stir as to whether He was the Messiah, or a prophet or perhaps even demon possessed. Some groups of people were looking for an opportunity to have Him arrested or publicly stoned. Nonetheless, Jesus went up to Jerusalem without much fanfare to attend the Feast
When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem everyone was talking about Him. Jesus made a few public addresses, but it seemed people were more interested in their own opinion than in the truth He was sharing. John continues:
John 7
37 ¶ On the last day, that
great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone
thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
38 “He who believes in Me, as
the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
39 But this He spoke
concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy
Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
40 Therefore many from the
crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.”
41 Others said, “This is the
Christ.” But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee?
42 “Has not the Scripture
said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of
Bethlehem, where David was?”
43 So there was a division among the people because of Him.
If
we were to continue to read, we would see people arguing amongst themselves and
even with their superiors. Some were inspired by what Jesus said and how He
said it and others were angered and offended by the same words. There was
nothing but:
·
Division
·
Argument
·
Debate
·
Drama
Then, as if all of that was not enough, we get to the 8th chapter, the next day after the Feast of Tabernacles, and the day began with the Pharisees trying to trick Jesus into incriminating Himself by bringing a woman who was caught in the act of adultery to see if He would condemn her. Have you ever noticed that the Bible seems to be filled with people trying to discredit and even crucify the ones God sends to save them? From Noah to David and from Moses to the Apostle Paul, the devil hates anyone chosen by God and will do anything he can to discredit them and derail their message. All the devil needs is to find people who he can turn against the help God sends.
If Jesus is our example, we may all one day be crucified for trying to help people.
Do you know why there is such division in America right now?
John 7:43 So there was a
division among the people because of Jesus.
Do not imagine it is anything less. The devil is a liar and a hater and a deceiver and he hates God and hates you and hates anything and everything good and decent and he is trying everything he can think of to tear our nation and our families and even our churches apart.
What can you do to stop the devil in his tracks?
1. Pray - Prayer is the most powerful weapon in our arsenal.
2 Corinthians 10
3 For though we walk in the
flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our
warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
2. Stand Strong – Stay above the crowd …
Ephesians 6
10 ¶ Finally, my brethren, be
strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
11 Put on the whole armor of
God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle
against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against
the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of
wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the
whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and
having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having
girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet
with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 above all, taking the
shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of
the wicked one.
17 And take the helmet of
salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints —
3. Be Joyful – Make a joyful investment in your life …
The
book of Nehemiah, chapter 8, records Ezra the Priest preaching a sermon and
giving a direct Word from God during the Feast of Tabernacles over 2400 years
ago. He told the people to go out to the mountains and find olive branches and
palm branches and other leafy branches (Nehemiah 8:14ff) and make little booths
or small single-room tabernacle shelters to celebrate and commemorate this
joyful feast.
Even though the Children of Israel were surrounded by their enemies and so many were sad and longing for the good-old days, Ezra commanded the people to be happy … God was on their side! Listen what Ezra told these sad people to do to get the break-through they all needed:
Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
I
am no Ezra, but I can testify nonetheless …
·
Our
God is an all-consuming God of love, grace, and mercy.
·
He
has not and will not leave us to our deserves …
·
Therefore
I will:
o Pray
o Stand Strong and
o Be Joyful
For
the joy of the LORD is my strength!
