WHY KEEP THE FEAST OF THE LORD - Feast of Tabernacles Oct 2-9
Acts 2:5 Now there were…in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.
Leviticus 23:4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. 5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S Passover. 8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
October marks God’s third and final Feast of the year, the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), which begins this evening, October 2nd.
Sukkot represents a time of the people of Israel being sheltered by the Lord in the Wilderness. A time of relying on Him for both protection and provision. The Israelites knew this and were commanded to keep this feast and to teach all generations after them to do the same.
God decreed that Sukkot is to be celebrated perpetually throughout all generations...FOREVER (Leviticus 23:41).
The Feasts of the Lord were times of encounter with the Lord, set into the Hebrew economy, where the children of Israel were to come together 3 times a year for holy convocations for 7 days with the Lord. During these feasts, set at the three times of harvest each year, they would bring a first fruits offering from their harvests unto the Lord. The New Testament Church of this generation has seemingly minimized the importance of understanding and keeping the feast observances in their seasons. Mostly because we attribute these feasts to only the Jews, and not to the Lord.
However, the above scripture in Leviticus calls these feasts, The Feast of THE LORD, not the feasts of the Jews. And if we are the Lords, belonging to Him, then they are feasts that we should know, understand and observe also. Another reason we minimize the importance of understanding and keeping these feasts observances in their seasons, is because in the industrialized, technological nations of the West, we are no longer mostly agriculturally based in our economies, growing our own foods.
Therefore, we are not dependent upon or aware of the seasons and times of sowing, reaping, and first fruits, etc. We are not aware that one of the reasons God gave them the feasts was to know, acknowledge and celebrate harvest/reaping times with a seasonal corporate celebration, worshipping the Lord as the Lord of the Harvest during the three seasons of Passover (Spring Harvest), Pentecost (Summer Harvest), and Tabernacles (Fall Harvest).
Because, by in large, we are not farmers in the west, aware of the times of sowing and harvesting crops, we are unaware of the seasons and the times that God has set in the feasts of the Lord, to worship and acknowledge God’s blessings of rain and fruitfulness upon our land three times a year in the feasts of the Lord.
Another and probably the biggest reason we minimize the importance of understanding and keeping these feasts observances in their seasons, is because we believe they are Old covenant observances, not necessary to be kept by New Covenant believers, because we believe they were done away with in Jesus, mainly because of Paul’s admonition about not being bound to sabbath days, new moons and holydays.
Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
But notice, Paul says, these days are a shadow of things to come, and the consummation of the shadow is the body of Christ. Because you have the body, that doesn’t negate the calling to observe the seasons. It’s just meant to focus you on encountering Christ, not just the symbolisms and the shadows of what the ceremonial times were unto. Notice Paul’s admonition in 1 Corinthians 5:8
8. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
He does not tell them not to keep the feasts, but to keep the feast according to the truth, and with sincerity of heart. The feasts are built-in times of encounter with the Lord, solemn assemblies with the Lord to celebrate, commemorate and encounter, or meet with the Lord three times a year.
During the times of Jesus’ ministry, not only did Jesus keep the feasts, most of His miracles were done around the feasts. Especially in the gospel of John, the majority of the miracles that are recorded, Jesus was either going to the feasts, at the feast or just leaving the feasts.
This was because the feasts were the times, they were accustomed to gathering together for times of meeting with God, and Jesus, being God, manifested himself at these times to reveal the father in the season when they were accustomed to encountering Him. The Feasts of the Lord are times of miracles and encounter with their Miracle working God.
John 2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.
John 4:45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.
John 5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
John 6:4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.
5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to feed bread, so that these people may eat?” :6. He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.
John 7:2 Now the Jews' Feast of Booths was at hand. 3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing.
John 7:10 But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private.
John 7:11 The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, Where is he?”
John 7:14 About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching.
John 7:37 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.
John 10:22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter.
John 11:56 They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?”
John 12:12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.
John 12:20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.
There are 3 ways You can Keep the Feasts as a Believer in Yeshua
1. Give a Sacrificial Offering in works that are preparing Israel for Christ's return. (Deut 16:16).
CLICK TO DONATE A SPECIAL FAITH OFFERING FOR FEAST OF TABERNACLES TO RELEASE YOUR HARVEST OF THIS NEW SEASON AND ERA IN FAVOR AND PROTECTION FOR THE UNIQUE TIMES TO COME.
2. Celebrate the Week with a Convocation in the Word (Deut 16:14,15).
Join Our SPECIAL FEAST OF TABERNACLES October Solemn Assembly of Prayer & Fasting
REGISTER HERE
OVERCOMING, OPPRESSION OCTOBER Solemn Assembly of Prayer.
How to overcome Fear, and Anxiety, Sickness, Disease and Poverty through Christ.
In addition we will be Overcoming the Obstacles to Racial Justice & Equity through Christ
IT BEGINS THIS SUNDAY MORNING
OCT 4th - Oct 10
REGISTER HERE
3. Celebrate with a Feast Meal (Party) at a House with Family and Friends
