Feast of Tabernacles Starts Tonight
Tonight at sunset, nearly all members of the Living Church of God will be observing the biblical Feast of Tabernacles in over 40 locations around the world. The ”’Feast of Tabernacles”’ is an 8-day Biblical pilgrimage festival, also known as the ”’Feast of Booths”’, the ”’Feast of Tabernacles”’, or ”’Tabernacles”’.
In the 7th day Church of God groups it is one of the most important holy days as it lasts the longest and normally requires a great deal of preparation and travel to be able to attend. But it is normally the physical and spiritual highlight of the year for those that do observe it.
Christians point out that Jesus kept the Feast of Tabernacles. This is discussed in detail in John chapter 7:10-26:
But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, “Where is He?” And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, “He is good”; others said, “No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.” However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews. Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?” 16 Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?” The people answered and said, “You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?” Jesus answered and said to them, “I did one work, and you all marvel. Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to kill? But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ?
The Apostle Paul, after the Christ’s death and resurrection indicated that it was important to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. As it is noted in Acts 18:21,
I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.
Paul taught Gentiles to follow him as he followed Jesus:
Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).
Jesus and Paul kept the Feast of Tabernacles. Are you following their example?
Notice that Paul does commend those in Thessalonica for initiating the church in Judea:
For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 2:13-14).
The church in Judea kept the Feast of Tabernacles, etc. And those in Thessalonica were commended for receiving the word of God and imitating the practices of the church in Judea. People considered saints by the Greco-Roman churches, such as Polycarp of Smyrna, kept the Feast of Tabernacles in the second century.
The Feast of Tabernacles is significant for Christians. It pictures the reality of Christ’s reign on the earth and that this current world is simply temporal.
Perhaps it might be helpful to realize that Catholic scholars do admit that early Christians did observe the Feast:
St. Jerome (PL 25, 1529 & 1536-7) speaking of how the Judaeo-Christians celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles…tells us that they gave the feast a millenarian significance (Bagatti, Bellarmino. Translated by Eugene Hoade. The Church from the Circumcision. Nihil obstat: Marcus Adinolfi. Imprimi potest: Herminius Roncari. Imprimatur: +Albertus Gori, die 26 Junii 1970. Franciscan Printing Press, Jerusalem, p.202).
We in the Living Church of God also believe that this Feast foreshadows the coming millennium.
Regarding the the Feast of Tabernacles, the Living Church of God, states:
…Old Testament meaning
…A seven-day celebration of the great fall harvest, observed by living in temporary dwellings for the duration of the Feast. (Leviticus 23:33-43)
…New Testament meaning
…Pictures the Millennium, when the earth will be ruled by Jesus Christ and His saints. [The Holy Days]
Millenarianism (a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth, often called the millennium) was taught by the early Christians.
Out family should be arriving at the site in Lihue, Kauai today to attend begin church services this evening.
Some articles of possibly related interest may include:
Did Early Christians Observe the Fall Holy Days? Did they? Did Jesus? Should you?
The Feast of Tabernacles: A Time for Christians? Is this pilgrimage holy day still valid? Does it teach anything relevant for today’s Christians?
LCG 2009 Feast of Tabernacles’ Information Here is information on many Feast of Tabernacles locations for this year.
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