The Feast of Tabernacles has begun: Now what?

The Feast of Tabernacles has begun around the world. Here is a link to a sermon for today: Christianity and the Feast of Tabernacles.

What should you do if you wish to obey God?

Those who can will travel (Deuteronomy 14:23-26) go to a Feast site. If you are at, near, or can get to one of the Feast of Tabernacles’ Sites for 2016 you should attend church services there every day.

But if you are not able to physically attend those locations, what should you do?

Those who cannot may wish to consider the possibility to not sleep in their houses during the time of the Feast. If they are physically and financially able, they may wish to try to sleep in some type of temporary dwelling like a hotel, motel, camper, or a tent (including perhaps one in one’s own home). In ancient Israel, those who did not travel (as well as native Israelites that did) made ‘booths’ of branches on top of their roofs (Leviticus 23:40) and slept in them for the seven days of the Feast (Leviticus 23:42), and some slept in them for the entire eight days (though the Bible only mentions seven days). Staying in ‘temporary dwellings,’ of whatever sort, helps convey that this age is temporal and a new millennial age is coming.

The first day of the Feast of Tabernacles is kept like a Sabbath, as it is also a day of rest and a holy convocation as is the eighth day, also known as the Last Great Day (John 7:37). Christians should pray and attend services and/or watch messages on each of the eight days. An offering is normally also taken up on the first and eighth day (cf. Deuteronomy 16:16). But the other days are NOT kept like the Sabbath, meaning that one can engage in regular physical work on those days.

The Bible teaches that the children of Israel were to have offerings for every day of the Feast (Leviticus 23:36. And while we in the Continuing Church of God do take up offerings on the First Day of the Feast and the Last Great Day, we do not take up financial offerings on the other days. But one way for you to fulfill what God expects is for you to attend or at least watch church services each day and give offerings.

Notice something that the Apostle Paul wrote:

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)

Viewing services each day is a way for you to offer yourself as a living sacrifice which is your reasonable service. We have sermons posted at the www.ccog.org website and many specifically given at the Feast of Tabernacles in the article Feast of Tabernacles’ Sites for 2016. If you are not able to physically attend, hopefully you will be able to watch at least one sermon and other message every day.

Here is a sermon about the Feast of Tabernacles: Christianity and the Feast of Tabernacles.

For opening night, you could watch the short message that was prepared for those attending in New Zealand and Africa: Feast of Tabernacles’ Opening Night Message.

Other sermons are also available at the ContinuingCOG channel. Some from 2016 are also expected to be uploaded to the ContinuingCOG channel throughout the Feast of Tabernacles.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Feast of Tabernacles: A Time for Christians? Is this pilgrimage holy day still valid? Does it teach anything relevant for today’s Christians? What is the Last Great Day? What do these days teach? Here is a link to the sermon: Christianity and the Feast of Tabernacles.
Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? This is a free pdf booklet explaining what the Bible and history shows about God’s Holy Days and popular holidays.
How to Keep God’s Festivals Many have heard of God’s Holy Days and wonder how they are kept in the 21st century. This is an overview article. A related sermon is also available titled: How to Keep God’s Feasts.
Tabernacles Offertory: Sojourning Now for the Kingdom to Come Are Christians pilgrims and sojourners? What is the pilgrim feast? Are Christians to worry or seek first the kingdom? Should an offering be taken up on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles? What does the Bible seem to teach about that? Dr. Thiel goes over scriptures and facts related to this.
The Feast of Tabernacles: A Time to Learn the Law The Bible teaches that every seven years that the law should be read at the Feast of Tabernacles. This is what I did at the first Feast site were I gave an actual sermon (as opposed to a sermonette) in 2006.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing.
Feast of Tabernacles’ Sites for 2016 This is information on the planned Feast of Tabernacles’ sites for the Continuing Church of God in 2016. The Feast in 2016 begins the evening of October 16th.
Is Second Tithe and Third Tithe Still Valid Today? Should you save and use second tithe? Some in the COGs no longer teach payment of third tithe, is this biblically correct?
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by the Tkach WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days. (Here is a related link in Spanish/español: Calendario Anual de Adoración –Una crítica basada en la Biblia y en la Historia: ¿Hay un Calendario Anual de Adoración en la Biblia?
Holy Day Calendar This is a listing of the biblical holy days through 2024, with their Roman calendar dates. They are really hard to observe if you do not know when they occur 🙂 In the Spanish/Español/Castellano language: Calendario de los Días Santos. In Mandarin Chinese: 何日是神的圣日？这里是一份神的圣日日历从2013年至2024年。.