Pastor Andrew Morgridge
Here we are addressing:
Meaning – What Tabernacles is
Jesus in the feast
Life application
The tomorrow (future) aspect
Isa. 28:23-24.
Read Lev. 23:33-44. Note vs 39-44
The feast of Tabernacles had 2 aspects associated with it. First, it looked back to the 40 years they wandered in the wilderness, living in shelters or tabernacles. They were always to be reminded that the wanderings of their fore-fathers were brought about by unbelief and disobedience.
Gal. 4:8-9
Deut. 4:7-10
TABERNACLES SPEAKS OF REST WITH GOD
God’s rest is not dying and going to heaven. It is in living in the fullness of God’s life (Pentecost revisited) here and now. (Prov.16:7). Ps. 34:7
THE 2ND ASPECT IS JESUS IN THE FEAST. 2 RITUALS ASSOCIATED WITH TABERNACLES THAT DRAMATICALLY POINTED TO JESUS.
The first was the ritual of the pouring of water
The ritual of the pouring of the water had both a physical and spiritual significance. The rainy season was about to begin, and the Jews needed the rain to soften the ground for plowing. In view of this, they made a special thanksgiving offering to God for the rain He was going to send. The spiritual significance pointed to the coming of the Messiah who would give them the living waters of His Spirit.
WHO IS YOUR SOURCE? A CONSTANT REMINDER THAT HE IS THE ONLY SOURCE OF YOUR LIFE.
(John 7:37-39).
With this statement, Jesus was saying, “Look unto /me and be saved now. I am the ‘Great Hosanna.’ I am your salvation. I will give the living waters of the Holy Spirit to all who will receive Me as the tabernacle of God.”
The other ritual was the lightening of the temple. Tens of thousands of pilgrims who had come to Jerusalem to keep the feast crowded into the temple area. Many carried a lighted torch so that the entire city was illuminated for miles. This too had a physical and spiritual significance. As it marked the end of one Agric season they prayed for another – New world.
Plenty of sunshine was needed along with the rain to have a successful agricultural season. The Jews thanked God for the sun that was necessary for the life of the harvest. They also recognized that God Himself was the true light (See Ps. 27:1) who would give them spiritual light and life through the Messiah. See the conditions in vs. 2-5
3B. BENEFITS OF LIGHT
◦ Drives darkness away – clarity Job. 11:17, Ps. 34:
◦ Gives wisdom – 2Cor. 3:18
◦ Sun of righteousness Mal. 4:2 – causes warmth and growth (Ps. 92:1-12)
◦ Still on Ps. 27:4 – The word house there speaks more of lineage than a dwelling place, though it also mean that. There are two families in the world – theologians call them Cain Seed, Godly Seed. Jesus simply called them children of God and children of Satan (Jn. 8:41-44). Those who stay in the secret place of God are those who have switched lineage and stay switched. Prov. 22:1. Being a Nazarite will always be a choice. Ezek 9:1-5 ….those who sigh means some or many did not.
Ps. 27:5 secret of His tabernacle – The Heb. implies a Tent that is very clear – conspicuous. Something you see from afar. If I combine it with Ps. 48:1-5 I have Zion. The dwelling place of God. It is His presence because the same word is used literally as a habitation of nomadic people and patriarchs e.g. Gen. 9:21, 25:27.
(John 8:12) See Rev. 22:5
At both of these very special festival events, Jesus proclaimed in a clear and powerful way that He was the reality to which the feast pointed. While many believed in Him, Jesus was rejected by the political and religious leaders, the establishment.
THE POWER OF VISION:
FROM LUCIFER TO THE DEVIL
From LUCIFER – Latin translation of the Hebrew HEYLEHL – “The Shining One” He is also called son of the morning – a general description for angels before the fall (Job 38:7). Now they are called Nephilims (the unredeemable).
He is now called Rev. 12:9 The dragon – Asian sources says, the embodiment of power, beauty and wisdom. He lost this to become the serpent – always a negative reference in the Bible. From the root word, Nachash (his) means a magician, an Tempter, To use Enchantment. It can also mean snake
As the Devil from the Greek Diabolos, he is the “Adversary” constantly plotting against the Redeemer and the plan of Redemption. As satan, a Hebrew name that implies both “Adversary and Accuser, he constantly seeks to delegitimize the divinely ordained work of the Lord and His elect- see what he did in Genesis 3:1-7
“In this appearance to Eve as the “serpent,” it must be assumed that he presented an attractive image of glory and wisdom, not a repugnant snake. He is also said to be “subtle,” from the Hebrew word ARUM meaning “sly, crafty or conniving.” Thus, it becomes obvious that he was as evil as he was intelligent. He promised Eve that she, too, could possess his worldly wisdom, which he demonstrated to her as being of such a superior nature that in the end, she had to have it.
The Devil knows that Enlightenment will make you see God as the Judge of our actions and so he blinds the mind of people (2Cor. 4:4). The word we explained is NOEMA i.e. Perception, disposition, understanding. You just begin to see good in bad and we saw the statements by Billy Ray Cyrus and Desmond Tutu to explain.
4b. One famous Proverb says, “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, but happy is he who keeps the law” (Proverbs 29:18). Vision is the bridge between the present and the future. Without it we perish or go “unrestrained.” As the New American Standard Bible puts it. Vision gives pain a purpose. Those without vision spend their lives taking the path of least resistance as they try to avoid discomfort.
4c. The second part of this Proverb says, “But happy is he who keeps the Law.” The law isn’t just something God gave to Moses. It is also the restraint, boundaries are disciplines we develop around our life to direct us through obstacles instead of around them
These obstacles become baptisms of fire that forge our character so we can attain and maintain a life that ensures eternity with God (Jn. 14:1-3; Deut. 4:7-10). God actually want us to dream of staying with Him. Hence the use of the husband and the betrothed. No bride to be does not dream of the wedding. Hence she will prepare. See Rev. 19:5. Hence the open roof of the booths see Rev.
FORESIGHT, INSIGHT AND OVERSIGHT
True Godly vision consists of foresight, insight and oversight that come from His sight. Foresight is ability to foresee something. Consideration taken or provision made for the future. Foresight is like looking at life through a telescope.
This outlook allows us to know what is ahead as it connects to our future. Foresight is the element of vision that helps life make sense and gives us the motivation that we described earlier.
Insight is, according to the dictionary, the ability to gain a relatively rapid, clear and deep understanding of the real, often hidden and usually complex nature of a situation, problem, etc. insight is like viewing life through a microscope.
This perception gives us an understanding of why things happen in life. It also helps determine the underlying motivations of the heart.
Oversight puts life into context. It means regulatory supervision, like Assembly oversight. It is like flying over our house in a helicopter. There is a perspective that we can only receive from this vista that helps us understand where we are in respect to where everything else is. The sons of Issachar are great examples of this kind of vision. The book of 1Chronicles says that these men understood it time and had knowledge of what Israel should do (12:32). People that are blessed with this type of vision often have great wisdom concerning the seasons of life.
There is an old story about the three bricklayers that helps illustrate what it looks like when people receive motivation from taking ownership of a vision:
There were three bricklayers working beside each other on a wall. Someone came up to the first one and said, “What are you doing” “What’s it look like I am doing?” I replied sarcastically, “I am laying bricks!” The man asked the next guy on the wall what he was doing. He said, “Can’t you see what I am doing? I am building a wall.” Then the last man was asked what he was doing. He exclaimed, “I am building a great cathedral for God!”
Who do you think will do the best quality work and be the hardest worker?