Exodus 29:45 - Tabernacle
Exodus 34:22 - The Turning Leaves
Leviticus 23:42-43 - Keep the Feast
2 Chronicles 7:8 -Dedication
Song of Solomon 2:4 - His Banner Over Me Was Love
Isaiah 11:9 - The Knowledge of God
Ezekiel 48:35 - The LORD is There
Amos 5:24 - An Ever-Flowing Stream
Obadiah 21 - Pride and God's Government
Matthew 10:8b - Walking Water - Share (post-feast)
Mathew 15:10 - Hear and Understand (pre-feast)
John 14:2 - Going Home
Revelation 11:15 - Go For the Gold
Revelation 22:17b - Water of Life
Tabernacle
I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. Exodus 29:45
This word dwell is Strongs #7931 - shakan - and means to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside.
Can you think of any other place in the Old Testament where there might be a reference to God dwelling or tabernacling with Israel?
* That’s what the tabernacle was all about. When the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies, he was in the very presence, the throne room, of God.
* David had a heart to build a permanent dwelling place for God - a temple. But he wasn’t allowed to do it because he was a man of war. Solomon, his son, built a magnificent temple. In 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 is the record of the glory of the LORD filling the temple during the dedication ceremony. Guess when this dedication took place - appropriately - at the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles. (2 Chronicles 7:8-9)
But God’s promise in Exodus 29:45 wasn’t complete. God was dwelling among the people, but was He their God? We’ve talked before about what it means to be God. It means the people treat Him as Sovereign. They obey Him. They trust Him. They honor Him and are wholly devoted to Him. That didn’t happen in the times of the kings, and they were taken into captivity, first the northern ten tribes and later the Southern Kingdom.
So God gives the promise again in Zechariah 2:10 that He will dwell in the midst of His people. We see a fulfillment of that in the New Testament.
* John 1:14 - The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. This word “dwell” is 4637 - skenoo. It means to encamp, to pitch a tent, to tabernacle.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became flesh and dwelt among us. But during His physical life on this earth did God’s people treat Him as God? Oh, some may have, temporarily. But Jesus Christ was abandoned by all during His trial and crucifixion.
Because of what Jesus Christ did, because He was willing to lay down His life for each of us, and because He was resurrected again, we have the incredible opportunity to have God dwell with us in a much more permanent way. 2 Corinthians 6:16 says that we are the temple of the living God and therefore God dwells within us! We have become the dwelling place of God.
But what is happening inside every Christian is just a small picture of what will eventually happen when Christ returns.
Revelation 7:15 uses that same word for “dwell” - skenoo - to state that God, who sits on the throne, shall dwell among them. The ESV says that God will shelter them with His presence. This theme is reiterated in Revelation 21:3: “Behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.”
Soon, very soon, we’re going to be celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles. One of the pictures of this feast is the time when Jesus Christ returns as the conquering King and sets up His kingdom where He will dwell with us and will be our God. Hallelujah!
The Turning Leaves
You shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks, that is, the first fruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year. Exodus 34:22 (NAS)
As I have been walking the dogs in the mornings, I’ve been watching the leaves on the shrubs and trees. Do you know what they’re doing? They’re changing color! The hackberries are a brilliant yellow, the winged sumac are a vivid red, and yet, the oaks maintain their dark greens. Why are some of the trees and shrubs changing color? It has to do with the amount of sunlight that the plants receive. When the sunlight starts to lose its intensity, the leaves don’t make as much chlorophyll. It’s the chlorophyll which gives the leaves their green color. So when the green color is no longer dominant, other colors start to show up - like the reds and yellows and oranges.
So why is the sunlight less intense? That has to do with the revolution of the earth around the Sun. The path, or orbit, of the earth around the Sun is not a perfect circle. It’s more of an oval, or an elliptical path. In addition, the Earth is not perfectly vertical; it’s tilted at 23.5º on its axis. You also need to know that the Earth doesn’t wobble - like a gyroscope. The Earth maintains that degree of tilt even as it rotates each day on its circuit around the Sun.
When the direct rays of the sun hit the Northern Hemisphere, the Northern Hemisphere enjoys longer days, warmer temperatures - summer. When the Southern Hemisphere has the direct rays of the sun, they get to enjoy summer, while we in the Northern Hemisphere enjoy winter. When the most direct rays are over the Equator, that’s when we begin either spring or fall.
During our summer, we have the most direct rays, longer days, and the warmest temperatures of the whole year. This is when plants grow really well and lots of chlorophyll is produced in the plants. But once Earth reaches the point on its path (its orbit) around the Sun when the Sun’s rays are most direct - the longest day of the year, then the days start to slowly get shorter. Little by little, we notice that the temperatures aren’t quite so warm. Since the leaves don’t have the intensity of sunlight to make the same amounts of chlorophyll, the leaves more and more lose their greenness; they start showing the reds and oranges and yellows. We say that the leaves are changing color. We say that the seasons are changing.
And it’s possible that this is what the second half of Exodus 34:22 (NAS) is talking about: You shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks, that is, the first fruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year. We celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (here called the Feast of Ingathering) at the time of year when the leaves are changing, the seasons are changing, when the Earth has passed the point on its orbit (called the Autumnal Equinox), moving it towards winter and the shortest days of the year for the Northern Hemisphere.
It’s also very interesting that Exodus 34:22 calls the Feast of Tabernacles “the Feast of Ingathering.” It’s the time of year when the harvest has been gathered in (Deut. 16:13; Exodus 23:16; Leviticus 23:39). The harvest happens once the intensity of the sunlight has decreased enough to cause changes in the plants because the growing season is drawing to a close.
All of the scientific reasons for the plant changes is fascinating. It shows intelligent design by our Creator who made the universe and all that is in it. But when I look at the turning leaves, I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the tilt, the autumnal equinox, and the decrease of chlorophyll. The leaves are another reminder of God’s calendar and His holy days!! The Feast of Tabernacles is coming!! You can see it in the leaves.
** Good visual resource:
www.worldmapsonline.com/LESSON-PLANS/6-changing-seasons-globe-lesson-15.htm
Keep the Feast
You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 23:42-43 (ESV)
I don’t know what it looks like around your house these days, but around our house, Feast Fever has broken out all over the place. The kids are busy making plans for feast presents for the cousins (and others); they are trying to figure out how to get their bikes to the Feast; and they have already made plans for different things they want to do while they are there. All of them have made paper chain countdowns to the day we leave. Yep. Feast Fever has broken out all over!
But why do we keep the Feast? Isn’t it just a Jewish festival? Doesn’t it just have significance in Old Testament times? The children are memorizing Leviticus 23:42-43 this week: “You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”
See. “Native Israelites.” “People of Israel.” I certainly wasn’t brought out of the land of Egypt by God. Or was I?
So many times in the Bible, a historical event takes on personal meaning and application for today. For instance, the Passover ritual of killing a lamb and putting the blood on the doorpost and lintels of the house points directly to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His blood being applied to me as a covering for my sins. So the exodus from slavery in Egypt is not just a historical event, but foreshadows God’s power in my life to rescue me from slavery to sin. This is not just a theory pulled from thin air. Consider Paul’s use of the history of Israel to make the point in 1 Corinthians 10.
So if God rescued me from sin in a way very similar to His rescue of the Israelites from the slavery in Egypt; if God is with me every day, leading me as I sojourn in this world in a way very similar to His presence with the Israelites as they tabernacled for 40 years in the wilderness; if He is my God just as He was the Lord their God, then I believe I have good reason to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
If I believe that Jesus Christ came as a baby and tabernacled among us (John 1:14), I think that’s a good reason to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
If I don’t call this world my home but am looking forward to a kingdom whose designer and builder is my God, then I am a sojourner here. I am merely tabernacling in this society. (Hebrews 11) I am occupying myself until He returns to set up his kingdom. (Luke 19:13) I think that’s a good reason to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
If I believe that Jesus Christ dwells in me (John 15) through the Holy Spirit, then He is tabernacling in me. I believe that’s a good reason to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
If I believe that there is coming a time when the kingdoms of this world will have become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and that the dwelling place of God, his tabernacle will be with men and He will be their God (Revelation 21:3), I think that’s a good reason to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
The Feast of Tabernacles is rich in meaning and the lessons it teaches and reminds us about our great God. It is a time of rejoicing in the relationship that we have with our Creator and Savior. (Leviticus 23:40) And probably most importantly, it is a time of worshipping our God (Zech. 14:16), the One to whom we owe all things. I know that’s a very good reason for celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles.
O.K. So now how’s your Feast Fever?
Dedication
At that time Solomon held the feast for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt. 2 Chronicles 7:8
So why were all of Israel assembled to keep the Feast with Solomon that particular year? What made this year different from all other years? It was the dedication of the temple. This was the celebration of the completion of seven years of work to build a house for God (1 Kings 6:38). However, Solomon never intended this to be a house to contain God; rather, Solomon knew that even the highest heavens could not contain God (2 Chronicles 6:18). It was a place for God to meet with His people.
What an incredible thing! To know that God is present - with you! 2 Chronicles 7:1-2 tells what happened once Solomon finished his prayer of dedication of the temple: fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. Can you imagine this scene? Fire shooting down from heaven, burnt offerings being instantly incinerated and consumed, and the glory of the LORD being so powerful that the priests could not even enter the temple!! No wonder the people fell on their faces and worshipped the LORD! What an amazing display of both power and acceptance from the Great God of the Universe!!
It’s a nice story. It’s an amazing story. And it really has more to do with you than you might think. We sing a song called “Sanctuary.”
Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true;
With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living sanctuary for You.
But is this Biblical? 1 Corinthians 6:19 says that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit within us. 1 Corinthians 3:16 says that we are God’s temple. 2 Corinthians 6:16 says we are the temple of the living God. Ephesians 2:22 says that we all, God’s church, are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. 1 Peter 2:5 says that we are like living stones being built up as a spiritual house.
O.K. But if we are the temple of the living God, when will that spiritual house, that sanctuary, that temple be finished? Well, first it has to be prepared and purified. Titus 2:14 says that Jesus Christ gave himself to us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession. Ephesians 5:25-27 says that Jesus Christ cleansed the church that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot of wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
While it is true that we are saved through the blood of the Lamb, we must go onto perfection. James 1:2-4 indicates that it is a process, that we should “count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 2 Peter 1:5 says to “make every effort to supplement our faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.” There is a process of sanctification, a process of being made holy (1 Thessalonians 4:3). It is the building of the temple of the living God - making a perfect dwelling place, holy and without blemish.
But, again, when will this dwelling place, the temple of the living God, be finished? 1 John 3:2 says, “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”
Did you get that? When Jesus Christ comes back, we’ll be like Him. We will be done with carnal nature. We will be done with sinning forever. We will, as 1 Corinthians 15:52 says, be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. That’s when the house of God will be ready. It will be time for a dedication for the temple of the living God - much like that dedication of Solomon’s temple which happened so long ago.
I don’t think it was just a coincidence that the dedication of Solomon’s temple happened during the Feast of Tabernacles. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Paul and Peter repeated spoke of God’s people in terms of a living, spiritual temple. I think it was all part of God’s plan - to show us what God has in store for those who serve Him now wholeheartedly. I think that after Jesus Christ returns on the Feast of Trumpets, at some point in the future, there will be a dedication of us - as the temple of God - during that Feast of Tabernacles. We will truly, joyously, wholeheartedly be singing “I am a living sanctuary for You.”
His Banner Over Me Was Love
“He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” Song of Solomon 2:4
When you love someone, what do you do to show that love? Make a special meal? Send them a greeting card? Clean the house before the visit? Give them gifts? Spend time with them? What do you do?
The book of the Song of Solomon is a love story. Some think it’s just about Solomon and one of his wives. Others think it is an analogy between Christ and the Church. Regardless of whether God intended it as a love story between Christ and His Bride or not, there are some interesting similarities. Remember that list we made?
A special meal: How about the wedding supper of the Lamb? (Revelation 19:9) We celebrate this special event (which is yet to come) each fall at the Feast of Tabernacles. When we sing “All things are ready, come to the feast. Come, for the table now is spread,” we can’t help but see the parallel between the Feast of Tabernacles and the Marriage Supper when Jesus returns!
A Greeting Card: Jesus is showing His love without the aid of Hallmark. We live our lives under the banner of his love. Just as an army goes out to battle following the flag or the banner, we follow that banner. Similarly, a knight would ride with a banner billowing, showing for which cause he was striving. In Biblical stories, remember the battle during which Moses held the banner for the Lord? When Moses’ arms grew tired and his arms sank, the battle went against the Israelites. But when he held the banner high, the Israelites were victorious. So Aaron and Hur held up his arms! (Exodus 17:8-15)
Clean house: God is not just cleaning house, He’s preparing a place for his people to dwell with Him forever (John 14).
Give Gifts: What greater gift does God give us than that of His own Son (John 3:16) that we can live with Him forever! And then God gives us so many gifts just because He loves us!
Spend Time: There is coming a day when we will dwell forever with God, forever in His presence. (1 Thes 4:17, Rev. 21:3).
I don’t know whether the Song of Solomon is simply a reminder that God designed marriage between one man and one woman for life - or whether it points to the great love that Jesus has for His Bride. I just know that when I sing “He brought me to the banqueting table; His banner over me is love,” I can’t help but think of the incredible love that God has shown me. What about you? Do you see evidence of God’s love in your life?
The Knowledge of God
“They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11:9
We recently watched a video about the windmills in the Netherlands and those in Denmark. There’s a huge difference in their uses. The ones in Denmark are used for grinding grain. The ones in the Netherlands are used to hold back the sea, to pump the water out that wants to retake the land from the people who built the dikes. I cannot think of another country which has fought the sea for the right to the land for so long. And it truly is a never-ending battle.
Isaiah 11:9 refers to the waters covering the sea. The waters of the ocean are a powerful, almost irresistible force. Even along the coast where the water is not deep, relatively, it’s a powerful force. But think about how deep the oceans truly are. When the scientists plumbed the depths (which just means “measure”), they could only estimate the deepest part of the ocean: the Mariana Trench. The Mariana Trench is located in the Western Pacific Ocean. It is 1580 miles long, about 69 miles wide, and the deepest known spot is 36,069 feet, give or take 131 feet. At this depth, the water exerts over one thousand times the standard atmospheric pressure found at sea level.
So this image is the analogy used to help the reader understand how the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD - as the waters cover the sea. It’s a powerful image. It’s a hopeful image to those of us who love God. And it’s very reminiscent of the verse, Isaiah 2:3, “and many peoples shall come, and say: ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.’ For out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”
In Isaiah 2:3, the people are asking for God to teach them; the word of God is going out from Jerusalem. Now in Isaiah 11:9, we see the effect of God’s word covering the entire earth, as the waters cover the sea: The first part of verse nine says, “They shall not hurt or destroy. . .” The Hebrew word translated “hurt” means “to spoil by breaking to pieces, to make something useless or evil.” It can also mean “to live wickedly, to be angry, to be envious.” In the moral realm it is any activity which is contrary to God’s will. The Hebrew word for “destroy” means “to decay, mar, destroy, devastate, or kill.” It can mean to corrupt morally. It is also used to describe a rampaging lion.
O.K. So what is it that Isaiah is talking about not hurting or destroying? If you look back at Isaiah 11:6-8, it reads:
The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;
and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze;
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.
This whole section sounds very much like the description of the New Heavens and the New Earth in Isaiah 65, where verse 25 reads:
"The wolf and the lamb shall graze together;
the lion shall eat straw like the ox,
and dust shall be the serpent's food.
They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain,”
says the Lord.
The description of the New Heavens and the New Earth in Isaiah 65 sounds very much like Revelation 21:1-4: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
I’m looking forward to a time when there is no more death or mourning or crying or pain. In Hosea 2:18 God says: "And I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in safety."
It will be absolutely amazing to play with the animals that are now to dangerous for us to touch. It will be amazing to live in a world that is free from pain. It will be incredible to have God’s government established on this earth. We know it’s coming. So what should we do now? If we know that someday the knowledge of the LORD will cover the whole earth, I think I want to get started on knowing God now - I’ll never plumb the depths of our incredible God!
The LORD is There
The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The LORD Is There.” Ezekiel 48:35
Kids get homesick. It doesn’t matter whether it’s summer camp or visiting relatives. It doesn’t matter whether they’re eighteen months or eighteen years. There’s something built within us that wants to be home. We want to be where we belong.
But it’s really more than just being in a certain place. It’s being with the family you love. From the time that babies are aware enough to realize that they’re separate from mom, they start feeling anxiety if mom isn’t in sight. Even when we’re older, if mom isn’t in the house, we feel very acutely that something is missing. My family laughs about it, but the reality is that our new puppy follows me around. He wants to be where I am. If I’m folding clothes upstairs, he’s under the bed with just his head poking out to watch me. If I’m doing dishes, he’s in the kitchen. If I’m in the living room, he’s lying behind my chair. He just wants to be where I am.
I wonder how long it will be before Pepper grows out of this phase. Perhaps he’ll gradually decide that I’m not really doing anything that interesting and quit following me around. After all, that’s kind of what happens with kids. They get older and get less and less dependent upon mom.
And yet . . . there’s still something about being home, about being where you belong, that resonates with all of us. We go on vacation. It could be the most beautiful place on earth. We could spend lots of time and money getting there, and yet, we don’t really belong there. It’s still beautiful, but we’re left feeling like something is missing. We can visit, but it’s not home.
This feeling of searching for something, of not being satisfied, has been around for a very long time. Since the place is not sufficient to satisfy what we want, we try different activities. Some people try to satisfy themselves with every pleasure imaginable: chocolate, television, reading, sky diving, walking, gardening, Mine Craft - whatever it is that you do that gives you pleasure. But it’s never enough. It doesn’t satisfy the longing for very long for something, or someone. Real Christians believe that God is the answer to the longing that we feel.
Augustine, who lived in the later half of the fourth century, said: “You have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.” Pascal (1623-1662) put it this way, “There is a godshaped vacuum in the heart of every man, and only God can fill it.” Here’s the idea: God has made us to want Him and we are not satisfied until we find Him. It makes me think of Matthew 11:28-30: Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” When we find Christ, we find rest; we are settled and satisfied.
So with all of that in mind, here’s Ezekiel 48:35: The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The LORD Is There.” This is the only place in the Bible this name is found - Jehovah Shammah - the LORD is There. I don’t know if this is meant to be an actual, physical city, or if this is a spiritual concept. But the result is the same: there will be a place where God is. This city will be in the midst of the inheritance of His people. I believe this is the place where God’s people will want to be. We will want to be there because that’s where God is. That’s where we’ll finally feel like we’re home.
An Ever-Flowing Stream
But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Amos 5:24
I grew up in Wyoming where water is scarce. Here in Missouri, we don’t think about being mad at Iowa because too little water is coming down the Mississippi or the Missouri. We don’t think about taking Illinois to court because they’re not letting enough water come down the Illinois River. But that’s part of life in Wyoming, especially because they have five reservoirs on the Platte River, water that Nebraska wants. When we visited Pathfinder and Alcova Reservoirs in the fall of 2014, I couldn’t believe how low the reservoirs were and how low the Platte River was coming out of Alcova above Casper. Living in a state which gets, in its most arid locations, 5-8 inches of rain annually, I have a great appreciation for water and its importance in sustaining life. When I was a kid, Mom would joke that we’d gotten a 6-inch rain: the raindrops were 6 inches apart. Sometimes that’s all that would fall even if the clouds did look promising.
(I must point out that we drove the kids through the most arid parts of Wyoming, which only adds fuel to their assertion that Wyoming has no water. But other areas get 8-10 inches of rain, and some even get 20 inches of rain annually. These inches, however, mostly come as snowfall in the higher elevations, which can be as much as 200 inches.)
So when I read, But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream, I have pictures in my mind of a sparkling clear, rushing stream which - as Julie Andrews sings - “laughs like a brook as it trips and falls over stones on its way.” I think of the precious water which means life. For Amos to have equated justice and righteousness with life-giving water is no accident. One of the pictures of Atonement is justice and righteousness reigning supreme over sin and death because of the reconciliation made possible by Jesus’ death and resurrection (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). The Old Testament description of removing sin and iniquities pointed to a time yet in the future, after Jesus returns. When all rebellion is dealt with at Jesus’ return and when we will be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, we will no longer be subject to sin. Our carnal nature will have been removed, dealt with, forever. This will be an exciting time as Jesus Christ sets up His kingdom and He reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords. Under His headship, justice will roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Then we will see the fulfillment of scriptures in Isaiah which talk of the desert blooming.
Isaiah 35:6-7 . . . “For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water . . .”
Isaiah 35:1-2 - “The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing . . .”
Isaiah 32:15-18 - “until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in peaceful habitation . . .”
After the return of Jesus (pictured by Trumpets), after the triumphing of justice and righteous over sin (pictured by the Day of Atonement), there will usher in a time when God’s people will dwell in peaceful habitation. The effect of justice and righteousness replacing sin and rebellion will be life. Like water causing the desert to rejoice and bloom, like a wilderness becoming a fruitful field, and the fruitful field having enough water to sustain a forest, under the kingship of Jesus Christ, this world will blossom and flourish! The Source of Life, the One who is the Living Water, will be in charge.
But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
As we celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles this coming week, think about the inauguration of justice and righteousness as the prevailing culture. Think about its life-giving influence. Think about how the land, and much more, God’s people, will bloom and flourish under the headship and government of the King.
I don’t think it was an accident that Wyoming received, statewide, so much rain this spring. Mom said it was green! I think it was a glimpse, for those who had eyes to see, what the future holds. I think it was an encouragement to persevere, to stay the course, to finish strong in service to the King. There is a day coming when the desert will bloom and the wilderness will become a fruitful field. I want to be there to see it and rejoice!
Pride and God’s Government
Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau, and the kingdom shall be the LORD’s. Obadiah 21
“ . . . and the kingdom shall be the LORD’s.” I love that phrase. I associate it with other phrases, like “ . . . at the name of Jesus every knee should bow . . . and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord . . .” (Phil. 2:10). Or “ . . . Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! . . . “ (Romans 7:24-25) Or “ . . . The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, . . . the lion shall eat straw like the ox . . . They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:6-9).
I love these verses. I love the promises God gives to His people in them. But has this all happened yet? No. This is what we were just celebrating in the Feast of Tabernacles. This is the time after the return of Jesus Christ, when He sets up His government. What joy there will be when “the kingdom shall be the LORD’s.”
But what’s the rest of Obadiah 21 talking about? Who and where is Mount Esau? Is Mount Zion different from Jerusalem? And what does it mean “saviors,” plural?
Mount Zion refers to the government set up in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus’ return. Zion is one of the mountains upon which Jerusalem is built. That’s why there are so many references to Zion in the Bible and why the term seems to be used interchangeably between Zion and Jerusalem.
Mount Esau is talking about the government of the people of Edom. They were descendants of Esau, Jacob’s older twin brother. The descendants of Jacob were called the people of Israel, or Israelites. There was a lot of conflict between these two nations, but then Israel was in conflict with everyone around them at one time or another.
This verse seems to indicate that when Jesus comes back, the people and the government of Edom will be taken over by God’s people who will rule from Zion, or Jerusalem. But why?
There are several charges, indictments, things that Edom did that made God angry. First of all and most importantly, they were in rebellion to God. God says to Edom (Ezekiel 35:13), “And you magnified yourselves against me with your mouth, and multiplied your words against me; I heard it.” Any nation that stands in rebellion to God will not stand for long.
Secondly, the people of Edom thought they were secure because of their mountains. It was difficult for enemies to get to them. Many of their mountains are over 5000 feet in height. Obadiah 3 (as does Jeremiah 49:16) talks about their arrogance and pride of heart because of this feeling of invincibility.
The people of Edom had also acquired a great deal of wealth. They were on a major north-south trade route known as the “King’s Highway,” as well as having iron and copper mines. Obadiah 6 alludes to the fact that the Edomites had safeguarded their treasures in vaults in the rock - and felt themselves prosperous and secure.
Also, the Edomites thought they were wise. The men of Teman were especially known for their wisdom (Obadiah 8-9). In fact, one of Job’s friends, Eliphaz, was a Temanite.
But the thing that Edom did which greatly displeased God was their actions and attitude against Judah when it fell in 586 B.C. Psalm 137: 7 records Edom’s attitude. “Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, ‘Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!’ ”
Joel 3:19 talks about the violence Edom did to the people of Judah. Ezekiel 25:12-14 says that “Edom acted revengefully against the house of Judah and has grievously offense in taking vengeance on them.” Ezekiel 35:5 says, “. . . you cherished perpetual enmity and gave over the people of Israel to the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, at the time of their final punishment.” Obadiah condemns Edom for gloating over the fall of Judah, for casting lots for Jerusalem, for looting when Jerusalem fell, for handing over survivors and keeping the fugitives from escaping. Edom took great joy in Jerusalem’s fall and actually profited from Jerusalem’s destruction.
Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau, and the kingdom shall be the LORD’s. Obadiah 21
The word “saviors” can also be translated “deliverers” (Zodiates’ study Bible commentary). So the picture here is, at the return of Jesus, God’s people will to up to Jerusalem to rule over the people of Edom - and it will be a good thing; it will be seen as saving them.
But there’s also a very important lesson for us today. It’s seen in two different proverbs.
Proverbs 17:5: Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
Proverbs 24:17-18: Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.”
Do not be happy when your enemy falls, when he gets what he deserves. God is quite able to take vengeance for the evil people have done - including you. When you (or I) rejoice that someone is being punished, God just might decide that we, in our arrogance, need some punishment and discipline as well.
And you know what, God gives us families to learn this lesson at a very young age. Let me tell you a secret that you may not already know: parents tend to react swiftly when one child rejoices that the other has been spanked for misbehaving. If we, as physical parents can feel that indignation, imagine how God, the One who does not sin, cannot sin, must feel.
There’s a wealth of things to talk about in this one little verse, but hold on to two things: watch out for pride; it’ll get you (and me) in big trouble. And secondly, the kingdom of God is coming when all things will be right. I want to be there, and I want to be part of the government of God, serving Him with all of my heart.
Walking Water - Share
Freely you have received; freely give. Matthew 10:8b
Materials needed: four clear cups, water, food coloring, strips of paper towel
Imagine you have a cup full of colored water and you stick a twisted strip of paper towel into it. Then you stick the other end of the paper towel into a cup that has a small amount of clear water. Do you know what happens? The water will work its way up the towel and down into the second cup, coloring the water.
What happens if the second cup also has colored water? Then the two colors will mix.
What happens if both cups are about equal in amounts of water? The water from both cups will wick up the towel and met in the middle.
This is called capillary action. (Capillary action is how florist can make green carnations and fourth grade science teachers can make multicolored celery leaves.) The water moves from an area of higher water density to an area of lower water density. It looks like the water is out for a walk. When we add food coloring to the water, we can see how the water molecules move more clearly.
Do you ever do this? Do you ever take what you have and give it to someone else?
We’ve just returned from celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles. It’s a great eight days of worshipping God, fellowshipping with other believers, and drinking in of intimate time with Jesus Christ. Not only did we eat many good meals together, we also shared some very good spiritual meals together: sabbath school lessons, seminars, sermons, Bible studies, etc. What did you take away from the Feast? What did you learn (or reinforce) that you can share with the people around you?
Some of the people around you don’t know anything about the Feast of Tabernacles. They’re like that cup with clear water. You get to tell them something that may be brand new to them. Other people you know celebrated the Feast at a different Feast site. They heard different things that you heard. You’re like one colored cup of water; they’re like another colored cup of water. When you share together, you mix your ideas. And that’s a good thing too.
We are so blessed. God has given us so much. And whether you’re sharing what you have been given physically, or you’re sharing the good news of the kingdom of God, there are people out there who need the blessing that you can give to them. What can you share with someone today?
Hear and Understand
And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand.” Matthew 15:10
Before Jesus started speaking to the people, he gave them two commands: hear and understand. These are two separate, but connected, commands.
Think about hearing. In order to hear what someone is saying, you have to be close enough to actually pick up the sound. If you’re standing on the other side of the room, you may not be able to hear what I’m saying on this side of the room. When you want to hear someone, you get close to them.
But just because you can hear, it doesn’t automatically follow that you can understand. If they are using words you don’t know, or speaking in a language you don’t speak, you aren’t going to “get” what they’re saying - no matter how close you get to them. If I say, “Cherchez le livre sur la table et ouvrez à page huit s’il vous plaît,” it will do you no good to get closer to me. You’re still not likely to understand what I want you to do. You might have to learn French before you’d understand.
So when Jesus wanted to talk with the people, He gave two commands: hear and understand. And these can apply to us today. Do you want to know what God wants you to do? Do you want to receive the blessings of walking in God’s ways? Then you must likewise do these two things: hear and understand. The first one - hear - means you’re going to have to get close to Jesus. That means walking in His ways. That means reading the Bible, praying, fellowship with other believers, doing what God tells you to do - like going to the Feast of Tabernacles.
Do you want to understand what God has said? That means you’re going to have to study. You’re going to have to put in some time and effort. You’re going to have to ask for God to open your mind and give you understanding and wisdom. God says that when we seek Him with all of our heart, He will be found by us.
It’s a good thing to remember before we go to the Feast. Are we going to have a good time? Yes! Are we just going to have a good time? No. We are going to assemble before God on His days because He said to! We are going to worship Him. We’re going to spend time with Him. We’re going to learn more about Him in His presence. We’re going to hear and to understand - because we want to know Him. We want a closer walk with Him. We want the blessing of walking in His ways: Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways! (Psalm 128:1) And we’re going to rejoice while we’re doing it.
Going Home
In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? John 14:2
When I was a kid, one of my most favorite things to do when I went back to Grandma and Grandad’s house was riding horses. Usually, I rode Buster. “Buster” wasn’t his registered name; that was Danny Boy, I think. But “Buster” fit him better. He’d been a stallion until Uncle Mike had to geld him because he wouldn’t let Mike catch any of the mares. Gelding him made Buster better, but he was still ornery. He was gentle with kids, but when he had had enough of going around in circles and not doing any work, he’d head for the barn, hoping to get some oats. No matter how hard a kid tried, pulling on the reins didn’t work. Buster was going home. He was done.
We all need a place to call home, a place where we belong. Like Buster, when we’re done working for the day, we want to be home, with our own things, able to sleep in our own bed, where we belong.
But there’s one problem. We are temporary. And worse than that, where we belong in this world is temporary. And we experience that reality in many ways. When you get straight A’s on your report card and are passed to the second grade, you don’t belong in first grade any more. You can go visit last year’s teacher, but it doesn’t feel the same because you don’t belong there any more. When you move from one house or apartment into another one, you can drive past where you used to live. You can remember things that you did there once upon a time, but you don’t belong there anymore. You can graduate from college, having spent four years studying and living on campus. But as soon as you graduate, you don’t belong there any more and going back for Homecoming isn’t the same. You don’t have a purpose for being there, not really.
So people search for the place where they belong. Psychologists say that belonging somewhere is one of the three most basic needs of humans. But it’s all an illusion - because this life is temporary, and these bodies are temporary, and the houses we dwell in are temporary. And, at some level, we know it! Looking for the place where we will always belong is like chasing after the wind . . . unless you are a Christian.
If you’re a Christian, you still live in a temporary world, in a temporary body, and a temporary dwelling, but you know this life is not the goal. Hebrews 11 says that we’re looking for better country, a heavenly one - that we’re aliens and strangers in this world. Many Christian songs and hymns express that sentiment:
“This world is not my home; I’m just a-passin’ through.
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.”
“All I know is I’m not home yet; this is not where I belong.
Take this world and give me Jesus; this is not where I belong.”
The good news is found in John 14:2: In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? There’s a place for us in God’s kingdom. If you belong to God, if you have been bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ, then there’s a room for you in God’s house. But it gets even better than just knowing there’s room for you. Jesus has prepared a place especially for you. It was made with you in mind. It’s designed exactly to fit you - a place where you belong.
Do you remember when you were a kid and had gone to stay with friends or your grandparents? When you got home, your parents were waiting for you. They were glad to see you. All of your stuff was waiting for you, and you were content to be home. I’m so glad God gave us that experience so we’d have an idea of what it will feel like to finally be home, where our Heavenly Father wants us, and where we belong . . .
. . . because we don’t belong in this world. We grieve over the pain we see around us - people getting old and dying, accidents, illnesses. We get angry over the lawlessness and selfishness, the persecution and wickedness. We despair over destructive choices and willful disregard of other people. The closer we get in our relationship to God, the farther we are from fitting in and belong in this world.
I am so thankful that God gave us the Sabbath (to remind us to rest in Him; He’s Sovereign and it’s all in His control.) I am so grateful that He gave us the Feast of Trumpets (to remind us that He is coming back; things will be set right again). I am looking forward to the Day of Atonement (picturing reconciliation with God, freedom once and for all from who we are and what we’ve done because of the blood of Jesus Christ). And I’m so very glad we have the Feast of Tabernacles (to rejoice before God for seven days, dwelling in temporary dwellings, knowing that He has a plan to take us all home).
There are days when I’ve had enough of this world, the pain and the trouble that is here. Like Buster, I’ve got my eyes fixed on the barn. I’m ready to go home.
Go For the Gold
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” Revelation 11:15
This is the goal! The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. This is what we’ve been working for.
Remember Galatians 6:9? And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Let us not grow weary . . . why? Because of the goal! We will reap in due season, at that time, when the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ!
Remember 1 Timothy 6:12? Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Fight the good fight. Why? So you can take hold of the eternal life - the goal - the kingdom of our Lord!
Remember Hebrews 12:1? Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. What race? What race had the witnesses already run? It was to get to the goal - the kingdom of our Lord!
Remember 1 Peter 3:15? but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. What is your reason for hope? It’s the kingdom. It’s the goal. That’s the motivating force that keeps us moving each day!
These are just a few of the verses which encourage us to endure and overcome. Think of the letters to the seven churches in Asia! Why is there this repetition in Scripture? Why did God say the same thing so many times? Why is it necessary?
We’re going to face obstacles to our faith. We’re going to encounter difficulties in this walk as a believer in Jesus Christ. It’s not going to be easy. It’s going to be hard. But we must persevere.
There was a church marquee near where we live last summer. It said:
Go for the gold.
Give your best to the Master.
Reward ceremony later.
We can’t get bogged down in the temporary. We can become distracted by the carnal, our own agenda, our desires. We have to fix our minds on the goal - the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ.
There’s another verse that we memorized recently that will help when this world closes in too much: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things (Phil. 4:8).
I believe that thinking about Revelation 11:15 fits that description! Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” I want to add my voice to those loud voices in heaven. I want to be among those who proclaim with joy, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever!” Amen!!
Water of Life
And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. Rev. 22:17b
Materials: two water balloons, one filled with water, candle, lighter
If you hold a balloon (air-filled) too close to the flame of a candle, what will happen? Yes, it will pop. The heat of the fire doesn’t dissipate from the focal point before the balloon melts. But what happens if you hold a balloon filled with water the same distance from the flame of the candle? The water does not allow the balloon surface to get hot enough to melt. The water dissipates the heat away from the focal point. You can even hold the balloon until the water starts boiling and the balloon still will not pop.
This happens because of water’s large heat capacity. Liquid water can take in and give off huge quantities of heat. Because of this quality, life is possible on earth. Water moderates the temperatures on Earth. In contrast, on the Moon, temperatures swing from daytime highs of 200ºF and nighttime lows of -200ºF.
Water is the only chemical found at earth temperatures in the three states: solid (ice), liquid, and gas (humidity or water vapor). All three forms are necessary for the Earth to be healthy and function.
It’s no wonder then that water is used as a metaphor for both the Holy Spirit and Eternal Life. Think of John 7:37-39 - the Water Ceremony during the Feast of Tabernacles: On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
There are so many verses which refer to water. Think of the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4, when Jesus told her that if she asked, he would give her living water. Think of the desert wilderness blooming at the return of the Lord (Isaiah 35 - the whole chapter is a beautiful promise of the joy of the redeemed). Think of the water coming from the rock when it was struck at Horeb for the Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 17:6) - an incredible type of the Holy Spirit flowing from Jesus when He became the Savior for sinners lost in the wilderness of sin.
Without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we will not be in God’s kingdom. (The Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are the children and heirs of God. Romans 8:16-17) Without water within the balloon, it perishes. The water saves the balloon - aka, keeps it from popping. Water, the living water from Jesus Christ, gives life to these mortal bodies.
John said in Revelation 22:17b, And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
Are you thirsty for the living water of God?
Inspiration from: Science and the Bible, DeYoung, Donald B., “Water of Life,” pgs. 108-110, Baker Books, 1994,
ISBN 0-8010-3023-4
Exodus 34:22 - The Turning Leaves
Leviticus 23:42-43 - Keep the Feast
2 Chronicles 7:8 -Dedication
Song of Solomon 2:4 - His Banner Over Me Was Love
Isaiah 11:9 - The Knowledge of God
Ezekiel 48:35 - The LORD is There
Amos 5:24 - An Ever-Flowing Stream
Obadiah 21 - Pride and God's Government
Matthew 10:8b - Walking Water - Share (post-feast)
Mathew 15:10 - Hear and Understand (pre-feast)
John 14:2 - Going Home
Revelation 11:15 - Go For the Gold
Revelation 22:17b - Water of Life
Tabernacle
I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. Exodus 29:45
This word dwell is Strongs #7931 - shakan - and means to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside.
Can you think of any other place in the Old Testament where there might be a reference to God dwelling or tabernacling with Israel?
* That’s what the tabernacle was all about. When the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies, he was in the very presence, the throne room, of God.
* David had a heart to build a permanent dwelling place for God - a temple. But he wasn’t allowed to do it because he was a man of war. Solomon, his son, built a magnificent temple. In 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 is the record of the glory of the LORD filling the temple during the dedication ceremony. Guess when this dedication took place - appropriately - at the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles. (2 Chronicles 7:8-9)
But God’s promise in Exodus 29:45 wasn’t complete. God was dwelling among the people, but was He their God? We’ve talked before about what it means to be God. It means the people treat Him as Sovereign. They obey Him. They trust Him. They honor Him and are wholly devoted to Him. That didn’t happen in the times of the kings, and they were taken into captivity, first the northern ten tribes and later the Southern Kingdom.
So God gives the promise again in Zechariah 2:10 that He will dwell in the midst of His people. We see a fulfillment of that in the New Testament.
* John 1:14 - The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. This word “dwell” is 4637 - skenoo. It means to encamp, to pitch a tent, to tabernacle.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became flesh and dwelt among us. But during His physical life on this earth did God’s people treat Him as God? Oh, some may have, temporarily. But Jesus Christ was abandoned by all during His trial and crucifixion.
Because of what Jesus Christ did, because He was willing to lay down His life for each of us, and because He was resurrected again, we have the incredible opportunity to have God dwell with us in a much more permanent way. 2 Corinthians 6:16 says that we are the temple of the living God and therefore God dwells within us! We have become the dwelling place of God.
But what is happening inside every Christian is just a small picture of what will eventually happen when Christ returns.
Revelation 7:15 uses that same word for “dwell” - skenoo - to state that God, who sits on the throne, shall dwell among them. The ESV says that God will shelter them with His presence. This theme is reiterated in Revelation 21:3: “Behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.”
Soon, very soon, we’re going to be celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles. One of the pictures of this feast is the time when Jesus Christ returns as the conquering King and sets up His kingdom where He will dwell with us and will be our God. Hallelujah!
The Turning Leaves
You shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks, that is, the first fruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year. Exodus 34:22 (NAS)
As I have been walking the dogs in the mornings, I’ve been watching the leaves on the shrubs and trees. Do you know what they’re doing? They’re changing color! The hackberries are a brilliant yellow, the winged sumac are a vivid red, and yet, the oaks maintain their dark greens. Why are some of the trees and shrubs changing color? It has to do with the amount of sunlight that the plants receive. When the sunlight starts to lose its intensity, the leaves don’t make as much chlorophyll. It’s the chlorophyll which gives the leaves their green color. So when the green color is no longer dominant, other colors start to show up - like the reds and yellows and oranges.
So why is the sunlight less intense? That has to do with the revolution of the earth around the Sun. The path, or orbit, of the earth around the Sun is not a perfect circle. It’s more of an oval, or an elliptical path. In addition, the Earth is not perfectly vertical; it’s tilted at 23.5º on its axis. You also need to know that the Earth doesn’t wobble - like a gyroscope. The Earth maintains that degree of tilt even as it rotates each day on its circuit around the Sun.
When the direct rays of the sun hit the Northern Hemisphere, the Northern Hemisphere enjoys longer days, warmer temperatures - summer. When the Southern Hemisphere has the direct rays of the sun, they get to enjoy summer, while we in the Northern Hemisphere enjoy winter. When the most direct rays are over the Equator, that’s when we begin either spring or fall.
During our summer, we have the most direct rays, longer days, and the warmest temperatures of the whole year. This is when plants grow really well and lots of chlorophyll is produced in the plants. But once Earth reaches the point on its path (its orbit) around the Sun when the Sun’s rays are most direct - the longest day of the year, then the days start to slowly get shorter. Little by little, we notice that the temperatures aren’t quite so warm. Since the leaves don’t have the intensity of sunlight to make the same amounts of chlorophyll, the leaves more and more lose their greenness; they start showing the reds and oranges and yellows. We say that the leaves are changing color. We say that the seasons are changing.
And it’s possible that this is what the second half of Exodus 34:22 (NAS) is talking about: You shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks, that is, the first fruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year. We celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (here called the Feast of Ingathering) at the time of year when the leaves are changing, the seasons are changing, when the Earth has passed the point on its orbit (called the Autumnal Equinox), moving it towards winter and the shortest days of the year for the Northern Hemisphere.
It’s also very interesting that Exodus 34:22 calls the Feast of Tabernacles “the Feast of Ingathering.” It’s the time of year when the harvest has been gathered in (Deut. 16:13; Exodus 23:16; Leviticus 23:39). The harvest happens once the intensity of the sunlight has decreased enough to cause changes in the plants because the growing season is drawing to a close.
All of the scientific reasons for the plant changes is fascinating. It shows intelligent design by our Creator who made the universe and all that is in it. But when I look at the turning leaves, I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the tilt, the autumnal equinox, and the decrease of chlorophyll. The leaves are another reminder of God’s calendar and His holy days!! The Feast of Tabernacles is coming!! You can see it in the leaves.
** Good visual resource:
www.worldmapsonline.com/LESSON-PLANS/6-changing-seasons-globe-lesson-15.htm
Keep the Feast
You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 23:42-43 (ESV)
I don’t know what it looks like around your house these days, but around our house, Feast Fever has broken out all over the place. The kids are busy making plans for feast presents for the cousins (and others); they are trying to figure out how to get their bikes to the Feast; and they have already made plans for different things they want to do while they are there. All of them have made paper chain countdowns to the day we leave. Yep. Feast Fever has broken out all over!
But why do we keep the Feast? Isn’t it just a Jewish festival? Doesn’t it just have significance in Old Testament times? The children are memorizing Leviticus 23:42-43 this week: “You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”
See. “Native Israelites.” “People of Israel.” I certainly wasn’t brought out of the land of Egypt by God. Or was I?
So many times in the Bible, a historical event takes on personal meaning and application for today. For instance, the Passover ritual of killing a lamb and putting the blood on the doorpost and lintels of the house points directly to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His blood being applied to me as a covering for my sins. So the exodus from slavery in Egypt is not just a historical event, but foreshadows God’s power in my life to rescue me from slavery to sin. This is not just a theory pulled from thin air. Consider Paul’s use of the history of Israel to make the point in 1 Corinthians 10.
So if God rescued me from sin in a way very similar to His rescue of the Israelites from the slavery in Egypt; if God is with me every day, leading me as I sojourn in this world in a way very similar to His presence with the Israelites as they tabernacled for 40 years in the wilderness; if He is my God just as He was the Lord their God, then I believe I have good reason to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
If I believe that Jesus Christ came as a baby and tabernacled among us (John 1:14), I think that’s a good reason to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
If I don’t call this world my home but am looking forward to a kingdom whose designer and builder is my God, then I am a sojourner here. I am merely tabernacling in this society. (Hebrews 11) I am occupying myself until He returns to set up his kingdom. (Luke 19:13) I think that’s a good reason to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
If I believe that Jesus Christ dwells in me (John 15) through the Holy Spirit, then He is tabernacling in me. I believe that’s a good reason to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
If I believe that there is coming a time when the kingdoms of this world will have become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and that the dwelling place of God, his tabernacle will be with men and He will be their God (Revelation 21:3), I think that’s a good reason to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
The Feast of Tabernacles is rich in meaning and the lessons it teaches and reminds us about our great God. It is a time of rejoicing in the relationship that we have with our Creator and Savior. (Leviticus 23:40) And probably most importantly, it is a time of worshipping our God (Zech. 14:16), the One to whom we owe all things. I know that’s a very good reason for celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles.
O.K. So now how’s your Feast Fever?
Dedication
At that time Solomon held the feast for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt. 2 Chronicles 7:8
So why were all of Israel assembled to keep the Feast with Solomon that particular year? What made this year different from all other years? It was the dedication of the temple. This was the celebration of the completion of seven years of work to build a house for God (1 Kings 6:38). However, Solomon never intended this to be a house to contain God; rather, Solomon knew that even the highest heavens could not contain God (2 Chronicles 6:18). It was a place for God to meet with His people.
What an incredible thing! To know that God is present - with you! 2 Chronicles 7:1-2 tells what happened once Solomon finished his prayer of dedication of the temple: fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. Can you imagine this scene? Fire shooting down from heaven, burnt offerings being instantly incinerated and consumed, and the glory of the LORD being so powerful that the priests could not even enter the temple!! No wonder the people fell on their faces and worshipped the LORD! What an amazing display of both power and acceptance from the Great God of the Universe!!
It’s a nice story. It’s an amazing story. And it really has more to do with you than you might think. We sing a song called “Sanctuary.”
Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true;
With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living sanctuary for You.
But is this Biblical? 1 Corinthians 6:19 says that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit within us. 1 Corinthians 3:16 says that we are God’s temple. 2 Corinthians 6:16 says we are the temple of the living God. Ephesians 2:22 says that we all, God’s church, are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. 1 Peter 2:5 says that we are like living stones being built up as a spiritual house.
O.K. But if we are the temple of the living God, when will that spiritual house, that sanctuary, that temple be finished? Well, first it has to be prepared and purified. Titus 2:14 says that Jesus Christ gave himself to us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession. Ephesians 5:25-27 says that Jesus Christ cleansed the church that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot of wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
While it is true that we are saved through the blood of the Lamb, we must go onto perfection. James 1:2-4 indicates that it is a process, that we should “count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 2 Peter 1:5 says to “make every effort to supplement our faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.” There is a process of sanctification, a process of being made holy (1 Thessalonians 4:3). It is the building of the temple of the living God - making a perfect dwelling place, holy and without blemish.
But, again, when will this dwelling place, the temple of the living God, be finished? 1 John 3:2 says, “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”
Did you get that? When Jesus Christ comes back, we’ll be like Him. We will be done with carnal nature. We will be done with sinning forever. We will, as 1 Corinthians 15:52 says, be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. That’s when the house of God will be ready. It will be time for a dedication for the temple of the living God - much like that dedication of Solomon’s temple which happened so long ago.
I don’t think it was just a coincidence that the dedication of Solomon’s temple happened during the Feast of Tabernacles. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Paul and Peter repeated spoke of God’s people in terms of a living, spiritual temple. I think it was all part of God’s plan - to show us what God has in store for those who serve Him now wholeheartedly. I think that after Jesus Christ returns on the Feast of Trumpets, at some point in the future, there will be a dedication of us - as the temple of God - during that Feast of Tabernacles. We will truly, joyously, wholeheartedly be singing “I am a living sanctuary for You.”
His Banner Over Me Was Love
“He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” Song of Solomon 2:4
When you love someone, what do you do to show that love? Make a special meal? Send them a greeting card? Clean the house before the visit? Give them gifts? Spend time with them? What do you do?
The book of the Song of Solomon is a love story. Some think it’s just about Solomon and one of his wives. Others think it is an analogy between Christ and the Church. Regardless of whether God intended it as a love story between Christ and His Bride or not, there are some interesting similarities. Remember that list we made?
A special meal: How about the wedding supper of the Lamb? (Revelation 19:9) We celebrate this special event (which is yet to come) each fall at the Feast of Tabernacles. When we sing “All things are ready, come to the feast. Come, for the table now is spread,” we can’t help but see the parallel between the Feast of Tabernacles and the Marriage Supper when Jesus returns!
A Greeting Card: Jesus is showing His love without the aid of Hallmark. We live our lives under the banner of his love. Just as an army goes out to battle following the flag or the banner, we follow that banner. Similarly, a knight would ride with a banner billowing, showing for which cause he was striving. In Biblical stories, remember the battle during which Moses held the banner for the Lord? When Moses’ arms grew tired and his arms sank, the battle went against the Israelites. But when he held the banner high, the Israelites were victorious. So Aaron and Hur held up his arms! (Exodus 17:8-15)
Clean house: God is not just cleaning house, He’s preparing a place for his people to dwell with Him forever (John 14).
Give Gifts: What greater gift does God give us than that of His own Son (John 3:16) that we can live with Him forever! And then God gives us so many gifts just because He loves us!
Spend Time: There is coming a day when we will dwell forever with God, forever in His presence. (1 Thes 4:17, Rev. 21:3).
I don’t know whether the Song of Solomon is simply a reminder that God designed marriage between one man and one woman for life - or whether it points to the great love that Jesus has for His Bride. I just know that when I sing “He brought me to the banqueting table; His banner over me is love,” I can’t help but think of the incredible love that God has shown me. What about you? Do you see evidence of God’s love in your life?
The Knowledge of God
“They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11:9
We recently watched a video about the windmills in the Netherlands and those in Denmark. There’s a huge difference in their uses. The ones in Denmark are used for grinding grain. The ones in the Netherlands are used to hold back the sea, to pump the water out that wants to retake the land from the people who built the dikes. I cannot think of another country which has fought the sea for the right to the land for so long. And it truly is a never-ending battle.
Isaiah 11:9 refers to the waters covering the sea. The waters of the ocean are a powerful, almost irresistible force. Even along the coast where the water is not deep, relatively, it’s a powerful force. But think about how deep the oceans truly are. When the scientists plumbed the depths (which just means “measure”), they could only estimate the deepest part of the ocean: the Mariana Trench. The Mariana Trench is located in the Western Pacific Ocean. It is 1580 miles long, about 69 miles wide, and the deepest known spot is 36,069 feet, give or take 131 feet. At this depth, the water exerts over one thousand times the standard atmospheric pressure found at sea level.
So this image is the analogy used to help the reader understand how the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD - as the waters cover the sea. It’s a powerful image. It’s a hopeful image to those of us who love God. And it’s very reminiscent of the verse, Isaiah 2:3, “and many peoples shall come, and say: ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.’ For out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”
In Isaiah 2:3, the people are asking for God to teach them; the word of God is going out from Jerusalem. Now in Isaiah 11:9, we see the effect of God’s word covering the entire earth, as the waters cover the sea: The first part of verse nine says, “They shall not hurt or destroy. . .” The Hebrew word translated “hurt” means “to spoil by breaking to pieces, to make something useless or evil.” It can also mean “to live wickedly, to be angry, to be envious.” In the moral realm it is any activity which is contrary to God’s will. The Hebrew word for “destroy” means “to decay, mar, destroy, devastate, or kill.” It can mean to corrupt morally. It is also used to describe a rampaging lion.
O.K. So what is it that Isaiah is talking about not hurting or destroying? If you look back at Isaiah 11:6-8, it reads:
The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;
and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze;
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.
This whole section sounds very much like the description of the New Heavens and the New Earth in Isaiah 65, where verse 25 reads:
"The wolf and the lamb shall graze together;
the lion shall eat straw like the ox,
and dust shall be the serpent's food.
They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain,”
says the Lord.
The description of the New Heavens and the New Earth in Isaiah 65 sounds very much like Revelation 21:1-4: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
I’m looking forward to a time when there is no more death or mourning or crying or pain. In Hosea 2:18 God says: "And I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in safety."
It will be absolutely amazing to play with the animals that are now to dangerous for us to touch. It will be amazing to live in a world that is free from pain. It will be incredible to have God’s government established on this earth. We know it’s coming. So what should we do now? If we know that someday the knowledge of the LORD will cover the whole earth, I think I want to get started on knowing God now - I’ll never plumb the depths of our incredible God!
The LORD is There
The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The LORD Is There.” Ezekiel 48:35
Kids get homesick. It doesn’t matter whether it’s summer camp or visiting relatives. It doesn’t matter whether they’re eighteen months or eighteen years. There’s something built within us that wants to be home. We want to be where we belong.
But it’s really more than just being in a certain place. It’s being with the family you love. From the time that babies are aware enough to realize that they’re separate from mom, they start feeling anxiety if mom isn’t in sight. Even when we’re older, if mom isn’t in the house, we feel very acutely that something is missing. My family laughs about it, but the reality is that our new puppy follows me around. He wants to be where I am. If I’m folding clothes upstairs, he’s under the bed with just his head poking out to watch me. If I’m doing dishes, he’s in the kitchen. If I’m in the living room, he’s lying behind my chair. He just wants to be where I am.
I wonder how long it will be before Pepper grows out of this phase. Perhaps he’ll gradually decide that I’m not really doing anything that interesting and quit following me around. After all, that’s kind of what happens with kids. They get older and get less and less dependent upon mom.
And yet . . . there’s still something about being home, about being where you belong, that resonates with all of us. We go on vacation. It could be the most beautiful place on earth. We could spend lots of time and money getting there, and yet, we don’t really belong there. It’s still beautiful, but we’re left feeling like something is missing. We can visit, but it’s not home.
This feeling of searching for something, of not being satisfied, has been around for a very long time. Since the place is not sufficient to satisfy what we want, we try different activities. Some people try to satisfy themselves with every pleasure imaginable: chocolate, television, reading, sky diving, walking, gardening, Mine Craft - whatever it is that you do that gives you pleasure. But it’s never enough. It doesn’t satisfy the longing for very long for something, or someone. Real Christians believe that God is the answer to the longing that we feel.
Augustine, who lived in the later half of the fourth century, said: “You have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.” Pascal (1623-1662) put it this way, “There is a godshaped vacuum in the heart of every man, and only God can fill it.” Here’s the idea: God has made us to want Him and we are not satisfied until we find Him. It makes me think of Matthew 11:28-30: Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” When we find Christ, we find rest; we are settled and satisfied.
So with all of that in mind, here’s Ezekiel 48:35: The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The LORD Is There.” This is the only place in the Bible this name is found - Jehovah Shammah - the LORD is There. I don’t know if this is meant to be an actual, physical city, or if this is a spiritual concept. But the result is the same: there will be a place where God is. This city will be in the midst of the inheritance of His people. I believe this is the place where God’s people will want to be. We will want to be there because that’s where God is. That’s where we’ll finally feel like we’re home.
An Ever-Flowing Stream
But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Amos 5:24
I grew up in Wyoming where water is scarce. Here in Missouri, we don’t think about being mad at Iowa because too little water is coming down the Mississippi or the Missouri. We don’t think about taking Illinois to court because they’re not letting enough water come down the Illinois River. But that’s part of life in Wyoming, especially because they have five reservoirs on the Platte River, water that Nebraska wants. When we visited Pathfinder and Alcova Reservoirs in the fall of 2014, I couldn’t believe how low the reservoirs were and how low the Platte River was coming out of Alcova above Casper. Living in a state which gets, in its most arid locations, 5-8 inches of rain annually, I have a great appreciation for water and its importance in sustaining life. When I was a kid, Mom would joke that we’d gotten a 6-inch rain: the raindrops were 6 inches apart. Sometimes that’s all that would fall even if the clouds did look promising.
(I must point out that we drove the kids through the most arid parts of Wyoming, which only adds fuel to their assertion that Wyoming has no water. But other areas get 8-10 inches of rain, and some even get 20 inches of rain annually. These inches, however, mostly come as snowfall in the higher elevations, which can be as much as 200 inches.)
So when I read, But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream, I have pictures in my mind of a sparkling clear, rushing stream which - as Julie Andrews sings - “laughs like a brook as it trips and falls over stones on its way.” I think of the precious water which means life. For Amos to have equated justice and righteousness with life-giving water is no accident. One of the pictures of Atonement is justice and righteousness reigning supreme over sin and death because of the reconciliation made possible by Jesus’ death and resurrection (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). The Old Testament description of removing sin and iniquities pointed to a time yet in the future, after Jesus returns. When all rebellion is dealt with at Jesus’ return and when we will be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, we will no longer be subject to sin. Our carnal nature will have been removed, dealt with, forever. This will be an exciting time as Jesus Christ sets up His kingdom and He reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords. Under His headship, justice will roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Then we will see the fulfillment of scriptures in Isaiah which talk of the desert blooming.
Isaiah 35:6-7 . . . “For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water . . .”
Isaiah 35:1-2 - “The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing . . .”
Isaiah 32:15-18 - “until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in peaceful habitation . . .”
After the return of Jesus (pictured by Trumpets), after the triumphing of justice and righteous over sin (pictured by the Day of Atonement), there will usher in a time when God’s people will dwell in peaceful habitation. The effect of justice and righteousness replacing sin and rebellion will be life. Like water causing the desert to rejoice and bloom, like a wilderness becoming a fruitful field, and the fruitful field having enough water to sustain a forest, under the kingship of Jesus Christ, this world will blossom and flourish! The Source of Life, the One who is the Living Water, will be in charge.
But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
As we celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles this coming week, think about the inauguration of justice and righteousness as the prevailing culture. Think about its life-giving influence. Think about how the land, and much more, God’s people, will bloom and flourish under the headship and government of the King.
I don’t think it was an accident that Wyoming received, statewide, so much rain this spring. Mom said it was green! I think it was a glimpse, for those who had eyes to see, what the future holds. I think it was an encouragement to persevere, to stay the course, to finish strong in service to the King. There is a day coming when the desert will bloom and the wilderness will become a fruitful field. I want to be there to see it and rejoice!
Pride and God’s Government
Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau, and the kingdom shall be the LORD’s. Obadiah 21
“ . . . and the kingdom shall be the LORD’s.” I love that phrase. I associate it with other phrases, like “ . . . at the name of Jesus every knee should bow . . . and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord . . .” (Phil. 2:10). Or “ . . . Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! . . . “ (Romans 7:24-25) Or “ . . . The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, . . . the lion shall eat straw like the ox . . . They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:6-9).
I love these verses. I love the promises God gives to His people in them. But has this all happened yet? No. This is what we were just celebrating in the Feast of Tabernacles. This is the time after the return of Jesus Christ, when He sets up His government. What joy there will be when “the kingdom shall be the LORD’s.”
But what’s the rest of Obadiah 21 talking about? Who and where is Mount Esau? Is Mount Zion different from Jerusalem? And what does it mean “saviors,” plural?
Mount Zion refers to the government set up in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus’ return. Zion is one of the mountains upon which Jerusalem is built. That’s why there are so many references to Zion in the Bible and why the term seems to be used interchangeably between Zion and Jerusalem.
Mount Esau is talking about the government of the people of Edom. They were descendants of Esau, Jacob’s older twin brother. The descendants of Jacob were called the people of Israel, or Israelites. There was a lot of conflict between these two nations, but then Israel was in conflict with everyone around them at one time or another.
This verse seems to indicate that when Jesus comes back, the people and the government of Edom will be taken over by God’s people who will rule from Zion, or Jerusalem. But why?
There are several charges, indictments, things that Edom did that made God angry. First of all and most importantly, they were in rebellion to God. God says to Edom (Ezekiel 35:13), “And you magnified yourselves against me with your mouth, and multiplied your words against me; I heard it.” Any nation that stands in rebellion to God will not stand for long.
Secondly, the people of Edom thought they were secure because of their mountains. It was difficult for enemies to get to them. Many of their mountains are over 5000 feet in height. Obadiah 3 (as does Jeremiah 49:16) talks about their arrogance and pride of heart because of this feeling of invincibility.
The people of Edom had also acquired a great deal of wealth. They were on a major north-south trade route known as the “King’s Highway,” as well as having iron and copper mines. Obadiah 6 alludes to the fact that the Edomites had safeguarded their treasures in vaults in the rock - and felt themselves prosperous and secure.
Also, the Edomites thought they were wise. The men of Teman were especially known for their wisdom (Obadiah 8-9). In fact, one of Job’s friends, Eliphaz, was a Temanite.
But the thing that Edom did which greatly displeased God was their actions and attitude against Judah when it fell in 586 B.C. Psalm 137: 7 records Edom’s attitude. “Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, ‘Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!’ ”
Joel 3:19 talks about the violence Edom did to the people of Judah. Ezekiel 25:12-14 says that “Edom acted revengefully against the house of Judah and has grievously offense in taking vengeance on them.” Ezekiel 35:5 says, “. . . you cherished perpetual enmity and gave over the people of Israel to the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, at the time of their final punishment.” Obadiah condemns Edom for gloating over the fall of Judah, for casting lots for Jerusalem, for looting when Jerusalem fell, for handing over survivors and keeping the fugitives from escaping. Edom took great joy in Jerusalem’s fall and actually profited from Jerusalem’s destruction.
Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau, and the kingdom shall be the LORD’s. Obadiah 21
The word “saviors” can also be translated “deliverers” (Zodiates’ study Bible commentary). So the picture here is, at the return of Jesus, God’s people will to up to Jerusalem to rule over the people of Edom - and it will be a good thing; it will be seen as saving them.
But there’s also a very important lesson for us today. It’s seen in two different proverbs.
Proverbs 17:5: Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
Proverbs 24:17-18: Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.”
Do not be happy when your enemy falls, when he gets what he deserves. God is quite able to take vengeance for the evil people have done - including you. When you (or I) rejoice that someone is being punished, God just might decide that we, in our arrogance, need some punishment and discipline as well.
And you know what, God gives us families to learn this lesson at a very young age. Let me tell you a secret that you may not already know: parents tend to react swiftly when one child rejoices that the other has been spanked for misbehaving. If we, as physical parents can feel that indignation, imagine how God, the One who does not sin, cannot sin, must feel.
There’s a wealth of things to talk about in this one little verse, but hold on to two things: watch out for pride; it’ll get you (and me) in big trouble. And secondly, the kingdom of God is coming when all things will be right. I want to be there, and I want to be part of the government of God, serving Him with all of my heart.
Walking Water - Share
Freely you have received; freely give. Matthew 10:8b
Materials needed: four clear cups, water, food coloring, strips of paper towel
Imagine you have a cup full of colored water and you stick a twisted strip of paper towel into it. Then you stick the other end of the paper towel into a cup that has a small amount of clear water. Do you know what happens? The water will work its way up the towel and down into the second cup, coloring the water.
What happens if the second cup also has colored water? Then the two colors will mix.
What happens if both cups are about equal in amounts of water? The water from both cups will wick up the towel and met in the middle.
This is called capillary action. (Capillary action is how florist can make green carnations and fourth grade science teachers can make multicolored celery leaves.) The water moves from an area of higher water density to an area of lower water density. It looks like the water is out for a walk. When we add food coloring to the water, we can see how the water molecules move more clearly.
Do you ever do this? Do you ever take what you have and give it to someone else?
We’ve just returned from celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles. It’s a great eight days of worshipping God, fellowshipping with other believers, and drinking in of intimate time with Jesus Christ. Not only did we eat many good meals together, we also shared some very good spiritual meals together: sabbath school lessons, seminars, sermons, Bible studies, etc. What did you take away from the Feast? What did you learn (or reinforce) that you can share with the people around you?
Some of the people around you don’t know anything about the Feast of Tabernacles. They’re like that cup with clear water. You get to tell them something that may be brand new to them. Other people you know celebrated the Feast at a different Feast site. They heard different things that you heard. You’re like one colored cup of water; they’re like another colored cup of water. When you share together, you mix your ideas. And that’s a good thing too.
We are so blessed. God has given us so much. And whether you’re sharing what you have been given physically, or you’re sharing the good news of the kingdom of God, there are people out there who need the blessing that you can give to them. What can you share with someone today?
Hear and Understand
And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand.” Matthew 15:10
Before Jesus started speaking to the people, he gave them two commands: hear and understand. These are two separate, but connected, commands.
Think about hearing. In order to hear what someone is saying, you have to be close enough to actually pick up the sound. If you’re standing on the other side of the room, you may not be able to hear what I’m saying on this side of the room. When you want to hear someone, you get close to them.
But just because you can hear, it doesn’t automatically follow that you can understand. If they are using words you don’t know, or speaking in a language you don’t speak, you aren’t going to “get” what they’re saying - no matter how close you get to them. If I say, “Cherchez le livre sur la table et ouvrez à page huit s’il vous plaît,” it will do you no good to get closer to me. You’re still not likely to understand what I want you to do. You might have to learn French before you’d understand.
So when Jesus wanted to talk with the people, He gave two commands: hear and understand. And these can apply to us today. Do you want to know what God wants you to do? Do you want to receive the blessings of walking in God’s ways? Then you must likewise do these two things: hear and understand. The first one - hear - means you’re going to have to get close to Jesus. That means walking in His ways. That means reading the Bible, praying, fellowship with other believers, doing what God tells you to do - like going to the Feast of Tabernacles.
Do you want to understand what God has said? That means you’re going to have to study. You’re going to have to put in some time and effort. You’re going to have to ask for God to open your mind and give you understanding and wisdom. God says that when we seek Him with all of our heart, He will be found by us.
It’s a good thing to remember before we go to the Feast. Are we going to have a good time? Yes! Are we just going to have a good time? No. We are going to assemble before God on His days because He said to! We are going to worship Him. We’re going to spend time with Him. We’re going to learn more about Him in His presence. We’re going to hear and to understand - because we want to know Him. We want a closer walk with Him. We want the blessing of walking in His ways: Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways! (Psalm 128:1) And we’re going to rejoice while we’re doing it.
Going Home
In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? John 14:2
When I was a kid, one of my most favorite things to do when I went back to Grandma and Grandad’s house was riding horses. Usually, I rode Buster. “Buster” wasn’t his registered name; that was Danny Boy, I think. But “Buster” fit him better. He’d been a stallion until Uncle Mike had to geld him because he wouldn’t let Mike catch any of the mares. Gelding him made Buster better, but he was still ornery. He was gentle with kids, but when he had had enough of going around in circles and not doing any work, he’d head for the barn, hoping to get some oats. No matter how hard a kid tried, pulling on the reins didn’t work. Buster was going home. He was done.
We all need a place to call home, a place where we belong. Like Buster, when we’re done working for the day, we want to be home, with our own things, able to sleep in our own bed, where we belong.
But there’s one problem. We are temporary. And worse than that, where we belong in this world is temporary. And we experience that reality in many ways. When you get straight A’s on your report card and are passed to the second grade, you don’t belong in first grade any more. You can go visit last year’s teacher, but it doesn’t feel the same because you don’t belong there any more. When you move from one house or apartment into another one, you can drive past where you used to live. You can remember things that you did there once upon a time, but you don’t belong there anymore. You can graduate from college, having spent four years studying and living on campus. But as soon as you graduate, you don’t belong there any more and going back for Homecoming isn’t the same. You don’t have a purpose for being there, not really.
So people search for the place where they belong. Psychologists say that belonging somewhere is one of the three most basic needs of humans. But it’s all an illusion - because this life is temporary, and these bodies are temporary, and the houses we dwell in are temporary. And, at some level, we know it! Looking for the place where we will always belong is like chasing after the wind . . . unless you are a Christian.
If you’re a Christian, you still live in a temporary world, in a temporary body, and a temporary dwelling, but you know this life is not the goal. Hebrews 11 says that we’re looking for better country, a heavenly one - that we’re aliens and strangers in this world. Many Christian songs and hymns express that sentiment:
“This world is not my home; I’m just a-passin’ through.
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.”
“All I know is I’m not home yet; this is not where I belong.
Take this world and give me Jesus; this is not where I belong.”
The good news is found in John 14:2: In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? There’s a place for us in God’s kingdom. If you belong to God, if you have been bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ, then there’s a room for you in God’s house. But it gets even better than just knowing there’s room for you. Jesus has prepared a place especially for you. It was made with you in mind. It’s designed exactly to fit you - a place where you belong.
Do you remember when you were a kid and had gone to stay with friends or your grandparents? When you got home, your parents were waiting for you. They were glad to see you. All of your stuff was waiting for you, and you were content to be home. I’m so glad God gave us that experience so we’d have an idea of what it will feel like to finally be home, where our Heavenly Father wants us, and where we belong . . .
. . . because we don’t belong in this world. We grieve over the pain we see around us - people getting old and dying, accidents, illnesses. We get angry over the lawlessness and selfishness, the persecution and wickedness. We despair over destructive choices and willful disregard of other people. The closer we get in our relationship to God, the farther we are from fitting in and belong in this world.
I am so thankful that God gave us the Sabbath (to remind us to rest in Him; He’s Sovereign and it’s all in His control.) I am so grateful that He gave us the Feast of Trumpets (to remind us that He is coming back; things will be set right again). I am looking forward to the Day of Atonement (picturing reconciliation with God, freedom once and for all from who we are and what we’ve done because of the blood of Jesus Christ). And I’m so very glad we have the Feast of Tabernacles (to rejoice before God for seven days, dwelling in temporary dwellings, knowing that He has a plan to take us all home).
There are days when I’ve had enough of this world, the pain and the trouble that is here. Like Buster, I’ve got my eyes fixed on the barn. I’m ready to go home.
Go For the Gold
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” Revelation 11:15
This is the goal! The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. This is what we’ve been working for.
Remember Galatians 6:9? And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Let us not grow weary . . . why? Because of the goal! We will reap in due season, at that time, when the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ!
Remember 1 Timothy 6:12? Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Fight the good fight. Why? So you can take hold of the eternal life - the goal - the kingdom of our Lord!
Remember Hebrews 12:1? Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. What race? What race had the witnesses already run? It was to get to the goal - the kingdom of our Lord!
Remember 1 Peter 3:15? but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. What is your reason for hope? It’s the kingdom. It’s the goal. That’s the motivating force that keeps us moving each day!
These are just a few of the verses which encourage us to endure and overcome. Think of the letters to the seven churches in Asia! Why is there this repetition in Scripture? Why did God say the same thing so many times? Why is it necessary?
We’re going to face obstacles to our faith. We’re going to encounter difficulties in this walk as a believer in Jesus Christ. It’s not going to be easy. It’s going to be hard. But we must persevere.
There was a church marquee near where we live last summer. It said:
Go for the gold.
Give your best to the Master.
Reward ceremony later.
We can’t get bogged down in the temporary. We can become distracted by the carnal, our own agenda, our desires. We have to fix our minds on the goal - the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ.
There’s another verse that we memorized recently that will help when this world closes in too much: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things (Phil. 4:8).
I believe that thinking about Revelation 11:15 fits that description! Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” I want to add my voice to those loud voices in heaven. I want to be among those who proclaim with joy, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever!” Amen!!
Water of Life
And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. Rev. 22:17b
Materials: two water balloons, one filled with water, candle, lighter
If you hold a balloon (air-filled) too close to the flame of a candle, what will happen? Yes, it will pop. The heat of the fire doesn’t dissipate from the focal point before the balloon melts. But what happens if you hold a balloon filled with water the same distance from the flame of the candle? The water does not allow the balloon surface to get hot enough to melt. The water dissipates the heat away from the focal point. You can even hold the balloon until the water starts boiling and the balloon still will not pop.
This happens because of water’s large heat capacity. Liquid water can take in and give off huge quantities of heat. Because of this quality, life is possible on earth. Water moderates the temperatures on Earth. In contrast, on the Moon, temperatures swing from daytime highs of 200ºF and nighttime lows of -200ºF.
Water is the only chemical found at earth temperatures in the three states: solid (ice), liquid, and gas (humidity or water vapor). All three forms are necessary for the Earth to be healthy and function.
It’s no wonder then that water is used as a metaphor for both the Holy Spirit and Eternal Life. Think of John 7:37-39 - the Water Ceremony during the Feast of Tabernacles: On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
There are so many verses which refer to water. Think of the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4, when Jesus told her that if she asked, he would give her living water. Think of the desert wilderness blooming at the return of the Lord (Isaiah 35 - the whole chapter is a beautiful promise of the joy of the redeemed). Think of the water coming from the rock when it was struck at Horeb for the Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 17:6) - an incredible type of the Holy Spirit flowing from Jesus when He became the Savior for sinners lost in the wilderness of sin.
Without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we will not be in God’s kingdom. (The Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are the children and heirs of God. Romans 8:16-17) Without water within the balloon, it perishes. The water saves the balloon - aka, keeps it from popping. Water, the living water from Jesus Christ, gives life to these mortal bodies.
John said in Revelation 22:17b, And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
Are you thirsty for the living water of God?
Inspiration from: Science and the Bible, DeYoung, Donald B., “Water of Life,” pgs. 108-110, Baker Books, 1994,
ISBN 0-8010-3023-4
