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Feast of Tabernacles 2009─Day One

Fred R. Coulter—October 3, 2009

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As you know, we always begin in the book of Leviticus because God put all the Holy Days right there in a chapter, which lays them all out according to the time that they should be kept as calculated by the calculated Hebrew calendar. And please just understand this: No other calendar scheme works. The calculated Hebrew calendar is not a Jewish calendar, though the Jews claim they own it. It is a Levitical calendar that God gave to the priests and the Levites. And the Levites within the Jewish community have preserved it accurately; and this is the calendar that God wants us to use because He gave it to them. Any other scheme, any other calendar, is null and void; has nothing to do with God, but the presumptions of men and the self-righteousness of those who want to do better than God.

So, with that said, let’s come to Leviticus 23:33 and let’s begin the Feast of Tabernacles, 2009. “And the LORD spoke to Moses saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, saying, “The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD. On the first day shall be a Holy convocation…. [which is today] …You shall do no servile work therein”’” (vs 33-35). That is you’re not going to work for the things that you would do to earn money; but whatever is necessary for the keeping of the Feast is perfectly permissible and should be done—that’s in the way of eating, in the way of drinking, in the way of keeping the Feast and everything that has to do with it. So no one needs to worry about on a Holy Day ‘should I buy a meal in a restaurant?’ That’s part of keeping the Feast of Tabernacles when you are traveling. Now, if we had a temple and we were all there and there were all the sacrifices, that wouldn’t be necessary. And as we discussed at the elder’s conference, the work that would be entailed for certain people, certain brethren, within the Church to provide a meal, is far more labor and far more putting out the effort than to eat in a restaurant on a Holy Day. Of course, after you’ve had services; after you’ve had fellowship, then the fellowship continues while you’re out eating.

Verse 36—when they had the offerings here’s what they were to do: “Seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day shall be a Holy convocation to you…. [which is the Last Great Day, which we will also keep] …And you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. It is a solemn assembly. And you shall do no servile work therein…. [that’s the eighth day] …These are the Feasts of the LORD… [They belong to Him, they are His. They are not the Jews’; they are not the Gentiles’; they are HIS Feasts.] …which you shall proclaim to be Holy convocations to offer an offering made by fire to the LORD, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, everything on its day; besides the Sabbaths of the LORD… [which then includes all of them; the weekly Sabbath and the annual Sabbaths.] …and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the LORD” (vs 36-38). So we are to give freewill offerings.

Deuteronomy 16 tells us that we are to come before the Lord in the Feast of Tabernacles; and none is to appear before Him empty; and everyone is to give as they are able according to the blessing of the Lord. So that means: you, in your own mind, do as inspired by God’s Spirit to give as you are led of God according to the blessings that He has given you. And remember the giving of these things is also like sowing seed for the future. And as Paul said there in 1-Cor. 9 that God loves a cheerful giver.

God will bless you,

God will see that you have sufficiency,

God will see that He will watch over you, place His angels over you

So at this time we’ll pause and take up an offering for the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles.

(pause)

Let’s continue on, let’s come to Acts, the third chapter, because Peter talks about something that is very important in relationship to the Feast of Tabernacles, which is this: the restitution of all things. And so today, we’re going to see what the “restitution of all things” means as it applies to the Kingdom of God and the Millennial rule of Christ and our serving with Him. Now remember, he healed a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb, who was there at the Gate Beautiful; and Peter and John looked upon him and said ‘silver and gold we don’t have any, but what we have we give you in the name of Jesus Christ—rise and walk.’ So the man jumped up and was leaping; and everyone there at the temple knew who it was. So, this presented an opportunity for Peter to speak to them. They were greatly amazed!

Acts 3:12: “And when Peter saw it, he answered to the people, “Men, Israelites, why are you wondering at this? And why are you looking upon us so intently as if by our own power or Godliness we have made him to walk? The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Son Jesus, Whom you delivered up, and denied Him in the presence of Pilate, after he had judged to release Him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and requested that a man who was a murderer be granted to you” (vs 12-14). And isn’t that the way it always is? Evil prevails in this world! So, the first thing that happens before the Feast of Tabernacles begins—as we saw with the Day of Atonement—Satan has to be removed, because he’s the author of sin; he’s the author of evil. And you’re never going to have the restitution of all things as long as he’s around. So he has to be put away.

Peter continued talking to them, v 15: “And you killed the Author of life Whom God has raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses. And through faith in His name, this man whom you see and know was made strong in His name; and the faith that is through Him [Christ] gave this complete soundness to him in the presence of you all. And now, brethren… [The Jews always called each other brethren, too, by the way.] …I realize that you acted in ignorance, as did your rulers also; but what God had before announced by the mouth of all His prophets, that Christ should suffer, He has accordingly fulfilled. Therefore, repent and be converted in order that your sins may be blotted out, so that the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord… [that is that we can be converted, that we can be changed and our lives made right through Christ.] …and that He may send Him Who was before proclaimed to you, Jesus Christ, Whom the heaven must indeed receive until the times of restoration of all things… [that means the changing of everything in the world as we now know it] …of which God has spoken by the mouth of all His Holy prophets since the world began” (vs 15-21). So that’s something!—isn’t it?

So what is the restoration of all things?

What is God going to do?

How is it going to be done?

Let’s first of all stop at Zechariah 14 and let’s see a prophecy of the return of Jesus Christ, so that we will know and see our part in it as well. When Christ comes, we know by Pentecost, the seven last plagues and the Feast of Trumpets that it’s going to be a time of death and destruction and upheaval unparalleled in the history of mankind. But also today, we are in a unique position to begin to understand, as never before, why all of this has to be destroyed. Why the whole civilization has to be turned upside down before the Millennium can begin. And the reason is this: God is not going to be a patcher and build on a foundation that men have laid. He is going to lay the foundation of Jesus Christ, and He is going to be King; and all of us, in that day, will come down with Christ from the Sea of Glass.

Zechariah 14:4 (pg 700)—speaking of the Lord: “And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives… [and isn’t that what the angels told the apostles when they saw Jesus ascend up into heaven—he said, ‘You men of Galilee, why are you standing here looking up into the heavens. This same Jesus, Whom you saw ascending into heaven, is going to return in a like manner.’ So here’s the fulfillment of it right here, Zech. 14.] …which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall split in two, from the east and to the west, and make a very great valley. And half of the mountain shall move toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” So that’s going to be a mammoth event! So nothing in Jerusalem is going to be the same.

“And you shall flee to the valley of My mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah.” And the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with You” (v 5). Because we’re going to come from the Sea of Glass, as we saw on Trumpets, right down to this earth. And then after the Beast and False Prophet have been thrown into the Lake of Fire and Satan and the demons have been thrown into the abyss, then the Kingdom of God will start—the rule and reign of God shall begin! That’s when the ‘restitution—or restoration—of all things’ begins. So that’s quite a thing to visualize that.

Now let’s come back to Isaiah 9; let’s look at some of the prophecies that Peter talked about. And I think it’s very interesting when you read and study through the book of the prophet Isaiah, what you’re going to see. There’s a lot of death and doom and gloom and killing and destruction because of God’s judgment against men for their sins. But also, you will see interspersed within it,

you will see the prophecies concerning Jesus Christ

you will see the prophecies concerning His birth

you will see the prophecies concerning His designation as King;

—and that the government will be upon His shoulders. He will start out as an infant, but then He will resume again as God, right here in this prophecy in Isaiah 9.

Isaiah 9:6: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder… [What we are learning today, and as we can see around the world with the mass communication that we have, all the governments on the earth are in rebellion and defiance against God. And men, cut off from God, are not fit to govern and rule. You need to understand that. And everything that they have built, and all of this society that Satan has inspired is going to be wiped away; because God is going to restore things as they were in the beginning at the Garden of Eden.] (Notice, these are the names of God): …and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God… [So, can a human become God? Yes! Can God become a human, as Jesus did? Yes! And we are to be raised in His likeness—is that not true? Yes!] …The Everlasting Father… [A lot of people say, ‘When is Jesus going to be the Everlasting Father? How can you talk about Jesus in one breath and then The Everlasting Father? Well, when the Kingdom of God is setup on the earth, Christ and His wife are going to bring forth children and He will become a Father just like to us now God the Father is our Father. So that’s when He will be the Everlasting Father] …The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end… [and of men it’s said, ‘the way of peace they know not; there is no Truth in them.’ So that’s why only Christ and the saints who are resurrected in the first resurrection, and that’s when they’re born again, are fit to rule. We’re going to take over the reigns of government.] …upon the throne of David, and over His kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with righteousness from henceforth, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this” (vs 6-7).

And remember, all the promises of God are sure, and God cannot lie. So this is going to happen. It’s not going to be an effort which men are going to do, which is going to bring this about.

Now, we’re going to be in the book of Isaiah quite a bit today, so let’s come here to Isaiah 33:15 and let’s see what else it talks about here. So who’s going to be there? We’ll see this in just a bit—who is going to be there? “He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly; he who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands free from holding bribes, who stops his ear from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from looking upon evil.” That’s a perfect description of politics of worldly governments today—right? Yes! Yes, indeed! Just view what has happened in this last year, let alone all of history. There’s been an awful lot of blood shed on this earth because of men and vanity and the ways that they do things—hostility and hatred led under the leadership of Satan the devil.

Verse 16: “He shall dwell on high; his refuge shall be the strongholds of rocks; bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. Your eyes shall see the king in his beauty; they shall behold the land that is very far off” (vs 16-17). Isn’t that something?! There’s a description of what’s going to happen.

Let’s come back here to Psalm 15 and let’s see another description as to who’s going to be in the tabernacle of God with the authority to rule. Now remember, Peter said that all the prophets from the beginning of the world were preaching about this. That tells us that Abel was preaching about it—right? All the patriarchs preached about it. And, as a matter of fact, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob dwelt in tabernacles waiting for the fulfillment of the promise which they never received, that they will receive when Christ returns. So here’s the question: Who is going to dwell in the tabernacle of God?—because His temple is going to be like a tabernacle. We’ll look at that here in just a minute.

Psalm 15:1 (pg 710): “LORD, who shall dwell in Your tabernacle? Who shall dwell upon Your Holy hill?…. [Who’s going to do that?] ….He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart… [compare that with human nature, which says that human nature what? The ‘heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.’ So here God has got to convert and transform the heart of each one of us; and that’s what we’re doing now—speaks the Truth from the heart.] …he does not slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor; in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he honors those who fear the LORD; he who swears to his own hurt and does not change it; he who has not put out his money at usury, nor has he taken a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved” (vs 1-5)—because you will be eternal; you will be in the tabernacle of God.

Let’s just get a little glimpse of what the tabernacle of God is going to be like. Christ is not going to come to any physical temple (as I’ve mentioned). He is not going to take over the temple that the Jews have built. He is going to set up a tremendous, wonderful…. It’s going to have a covering right over Jerusalem, and only those who are spirit beings are going to be in Jerusalem-proper; because it says there in Psa. 15.

Isaiah 4:2: “In that day shall the Branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious… [that’s Christ; He is the Branch] …and the fruit of the earth excellent and comely for those who are the survivors of Israel. And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion, and he who remains in Jerusalem, shall be called Holy… [because we will be spirit beings] …even everyone who is written unto life in Jerusalem… [that’s the Book of Life] …when the LORD shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from its midst by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning…. [So God is going to completely redo where Jerusalem and Zion is because Mt. Zion is where the temple will be located.] …And the LORD will create over every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day… [it’s going to have a canopy over it.] …and the shining of a flaming fire by night… [it’s going to be just like God’s presence when He was with the children of Israel in the wilderness, only greatly magnified. The reason He is doing this is so that no man can duplicate this temple, because it will be the house of God on earth.] …for over all the glory shall be a canopy…. [That’s going to be magnificent to behold. It’s not going to be any temple that men build—no way!] …And there shall be a tabernacle for shade by day from the heat, and for refuge, and for shelter from storm and rain” (vs 2-6). Isn’t going to be any rain there. There isn’t going to be any strong sun blasting down on it, because it’s going to be filled with the glory of Christ. It’s going to be filled with the glory of those who are in Jerusalem with Him. That’s going to be something, because it says, ‘over all the dwelling places on Mt. Zion’—every dwelling place.

That’s what it’s going to be like, so that’s quite a bit different than what we’re use to and what we think that we have expected. So if anyone says that Ezekiel 40-to the end is a prophecy of the Millennial temple, they don’t know their Bibles, because it’s not.

Now, let’s see what God has to do; let’s come to Jeremiah 31. And what God is going to do is deal with Israel first, and He is going to open the door of salvation for them. They are going to be the first one’s converted. And as a matter of fact, if we understand Ezekiel 38 correctly, that’s going to be for the first seven years of the Millennium, and then He will begin dealing with the rebellious nations. All those that want to know about Christ, yes, they can come up and they can learn; and we’ll be reigning over them. But Christ is going to especially deal directly with the twelve tribes of Israel, because they are His.

Jeremiah 31:1: “‘At that time,’ says the LORD, ‘I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.’…. [Because He cut them off and discarded them because of their sins.] …Thus says the LORD, ‘The people who were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I will go to give him rest.’ The LORD has appeared to me from afar, saying, ‘Yea, I have loved you with an everlasting love… [God loves Israel even in spite of their sins. He has to punish them because of their sins; He has to send them off into captivity to learn the lesson; but He loves them with ‘everlasting love.’] …therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin of Israel. You shall again put on your drums, and shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice. You shall yet plant vines on the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things. For there shall be a day that the watchmen on Mount Ephraim shall cry, “Arise and let us go up to Zion to the LORD our God!”’…. [And that’s at the Feasts, yes.] …For thus says the LORD, ‘Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations. Cry out, give praise and say, “O LORD, save Your people, the remnant of Israel”’” (vs 1-7). And that’s the first order of business as the Millennium begins. That’s going to be quite a day!

Here’s how it’s going to happen, v 8: “‘Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the corners of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and she who is in labor with child, together; a great company shall return there…. [Now notice, completely different attitude—correct? Here’s repentance]: …They shall come with weeping, and with prayers I will lead them. I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way; they shall not stumble in it, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn’” (vs 8-9). So that’s when Christ is going to be the Everlasting Father.

Now then, it goes out to the rest of the world (as we’ll see a little later in Isa. 2). “‘Hear the Word of the LORD, O nations, and declare it in the isles afar off. And say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him and keep him, as a shepherd keeps his flock.” For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of the one stronger than he…. [All Israel is going to be gathered back, and then begins the process—as the Apostle Paul wrote in Rom. 11—that all Israel shall be saved!] (So here’s the beginning of it): …Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and the herd. And their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not pine away any more at all…. [now notice this]: …Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together; for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them and make them rejoice from their affliction. And I will fill the soul of the priests with fatness… [that will be us] …and My people shall be satisfied with My goodness,’ says the LORD” (vs 10-14). Quite a promise! Quite a tremendous thing! Now, when He does that, when He brings them, then He is going to establish a New Covenant with them.

What we’re going to read was only partially fulfilled with the ministry of Christ and the apostles. Now it’s going to be fulfilled for all of Israel. Verse 31: “‘Behold, the days come,’ says the LORD, ‘that I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah… [notice, two different houses: the ten tribes, plus Judah and Benjamin and the Levites] (notice what He says concerning this covenant): …not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which covenant of Mine they broke, although I was a husband to them,’ says the LORD; ‘but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: After those days,’ says the LORD… [This then is describing a converted mind; this means

there has to be repentance,

there has to be baptism,

there has to be yielding to God

in order for this to happen.]: …‘I will put My law in their inward parts… [and that can only be accomplished with the Spirit of God] …and write it in their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people…. [complete difference from what it is today with Israel in the world and all the twelve tribes; and we know about them so we won’t go into it here.] …And they shall no more teach each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, “Know the LORD”; for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,’ says the LORD…. [and we’re going to teach them! And that’s how they’re going to know! We’ll see how we’re going to teach them here in just a minute.] …‘For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more’” (vs 31-34). Tremendous thing! That has never happened! This is going to come to pass; this is going to take place. God gives the guarantee.

Remember what Jesus said in Matt. 24, He said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall never pass away.” Notice the promise given here that God uses as surety that these prophecies are going to be fulfilled.

Verse 35: “Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for a light by day and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, who stirs up the sea when its waves roar; (the LORD of hosts is His name), ‘If those ordinances depart from Me,’ says the LORD, ‘the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before Me forever.’ Thus says the LORD, ‘If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be searched out, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done,’ says the LORD” (vs 35-37). So there’s the guarantee, right there!

Now, let’s see how we’re going to teach them. Let’s come to Isaiah 30, because we’re going to be teachers. We’re going to carry out the administration of the government all around the world. Isaiah 30:18 (pg 525): “And therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you. And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you, for the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him. For, O people who dwell in Zion at Jerusalem, you shall weep no more; He will be very gracious to you at the voice of your cry. When He hears it, He will answer you. And though the LORD gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction… [that was during the Tribulation] …yet your teachers [now] shall not be removed into a corner any more, but your eyes shall see your teachers’” (vs 18-20).

This is going to be quite a teaching episode—isn’t it? We can appear like human beings, and we can also disappear and walk through walls, just like Jesus did after He was resurrected. And remember that Jesus said when one is born again they are like the wind and it can go wherever it desires and no one knows how it goes. That’s describing us! Perfect teaching because why? They’re not going to think the evil that they can get away with things secretly. Isn’t that something?! And we’ll teach them every Sabbath in Sabbath services. And we’ll teach them in classes. Just think what it’s going to be like with a school system that will be oriented around the neighborhood? And not run by carnal, sinful men and women way off some place like we have in America today with our abominable government schools. All neighborhoods; probably right where the Church would meet; all the activities right there—so we will teach them there. Yes!

Verse 21: “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left…. [Amazing! Huh?] …You shall also defile the covering of your graven images… [they’re going to be gone; destroyed.] …of silver, and the ornament of your molten images of gold. You shall cast them away like a menstruous cloth. You shall say to it, ‘Get away.’…. [So God is going to be merciful, but there has to be repentance.] …Then He shall give the rain for your seed, with which you sow the ground. And the bread of the produce of the earth also shall be fat and plentiful. In that day your cattle shall feed in large pastures” (vs 21-23). Then he talks about the rest of their livestock and so forth, and all the rest of it.

So it’s going to be quite a thing! Isa. 30 is quite a chapter concerning the Millennium. And again, as you read some of these chapters in Isaiah, you’re going to see death and destruction; doom and gloom; then you’re going to see the intervention of Kingdom of God and the changing of human nature just like we saw here.

Now, let’s come to Ezekiel 36—here’s what God is going to do. This shows they’re going to be converted; and this also shows as the Feast of Tabernacles pictures, the 1,000-year rule of Christ and the saints, and bringing in the great spiritual harvest of God. That’s going to be a tremendous thing, brethren. Let’s read how it starts, and we’re going to part of this. We’re going to be part of leading them to repentance; part of showing them the way; teaching the way. Though it says the Lord is going to do this, we’re the ones who are going to carry out the commands that Christ gives. It isn’t that God is going to do it all by Himself and we stand around, look around and see what’s going on. No, we’re going to be the ones carrying it out.

Ezekiel 36:22 (pg 647): “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My Holy name’s sake… [that is because He prophesied it and said so.] …which you have profaned among the nations where you went. And I will sanctify My great name… [make it known to the whole world. Just think what the world would be like had the twelve tribes of Israel really carried out what God wanted them to do; that is take the Word of God to the world so the world could obey in the letter of the law. Just think of what the world would have been like if they had the heart and mind to do so. But no, they wouldn’t do it. So God says He’s not doing this because of them; He’s doing this because of Himself and His Word and His Truth and His promises.] …which was profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. And the nations shall know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD, “when I shall be sanctified in you before their very eyes”’” (vs 22-23). So they’re going to see what God is doing with Israel first, then they’re going to want to follow what God is doing with them.

“‘“For I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all countries, and will gather you into your own land. And I will sprinkle clean waters upon you, and you shall be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from your idols. And I will give you a new heart… [Just like we read back there in Isa. 30] …and I will put a new spirit within you…. [the spirit in man plus His Holy Spirit.] …And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh…. [added with the Spirit of God, as he says here]: …And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall keep My ordinances and do them. And you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. And you shall be My people, and I will be your God. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses, and I will call for the grain, and will increase it, and will lay no famine upon you. And I will multiply the fruits of the tree and the increase of the field, so that you shall never again receive the curse of famine among the nations. And you shall remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations…. [repentance that God gives them—isn’t that tremendous!] …I do not do this for your sake,” says the Lord GOD, “be it known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel”’” (vs 24-32).

“Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘In the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the waste places shall be rebuilt. And the waste land shall be tilled, instead of being desolate before all who pass by. And they shall say, “This land that was desolate has become like the Garden of Eden. And the wasted, desolate and ruined cities now are fenced and inhabited.” And the nations that are left all around you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places and planted that which was desolate. I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it’” (vs 33-36).

(go to track #2)

Let’s come to Isaiah, the second chapter, please. Here we find how Christ is going to lead in setting up the governments around the world, which will all be under Him; they will all be sub-governments and we will be the ones who will be in charge.

Isaiah 2:1 (pg 505): “The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass… [Now let’s understand something: when ever it says ‘it shall come to pass’ it will happen;

in God’s plan

according to HIS timing

according to the way that HE institutes

—it it’s going to take place.] (when?): …in the last days… [of course, this is going to be after the return of Jesus Christ] …the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains…” (vs 1-2). The government of God, which is on the shoulders of Jesus Christ. And we’re the ones who are going to carry it out; we’re the ones who are going to rule over countries, cities and rule over towns; we are the ones who are going to administer all the laws and commandments of God around the world for all people. It’s not going to take place instantly. God is going to let some people think that they can get away with things; but it’s not going to happen. Remember what it says there, that if they don’t come up to the Feast of Tabernacles, then if it’s in a dry country, like Egypt, they’re going to get the plague. And if it’s in another country, there’s going to be no rain.

So in other words, there’s no one going to go around saying, ‘What’s this Feast of Tabernacles all about?’ Not like today. People hear Feast of Tabernacles and they raised their eyebrow and they look at you and they think: ‘Whoa, that’s kind of strange.’ But they think nothing of the lies of Christmas and chocolate Easter bunnies and Easter all that sort of thing. But to keep the Feast of Tabernacles, that’s strange. What we are doing, brethren, in keeping it, we are preparing for the Millennium. We are developing the character of God. And we are going to rule and reign with Christ.

“…and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow into it” (v 2). Everything is going to come from the nations into Jerusalem and out of Jerusalem. And we’re going to teach people what world government really is. And we are going to teach them… I’ll take a little theme from Obama’s campaign: change you can believe in and change that is real, and change that is coming! We’ll be there. Here’s what’s going to happen. There are going to be some people who will be willing and cooperative and want God’s way. They will have suffered enough; they’re going to say, ‘No more suffering, no more pain, no more war, no more plague.’

“And many people shall go and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. And He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.’…. [What do you think God is going to teach them? The laws of God; the commandments of God; the feasts of God. Yes, indeed!] …For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the Word of the LORD from Jerusalem” (v 3). Now that’s the category of people that are willing. So there will be some that will come and they will say, ‘Oh, Lord, forgive us for our sins, just like You have forgiven Israel for their sins. And help us. Give us Your laws. Give us Your way. Teach us.’ And He’ll say, ‘Okay you go there, you go there, you go there to all of those who are part of the government of God, the resurrected saints. Yes, indeed! Won’t that be exciting? Won’t that be tremendous? We go out and help people clear away all the rubble and debris; make sure all the idols are destroyed—no secret little things behind the scenes or in the groves or on top hills anymore. No, no, no, no that won’t happen!

Now, here’s the other category of nations—v 4: “And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people… [because repentance comes very hard for some people; very difficult for some nations. You think all the hordes of the east are going to repent and say, Oh! Glad Jesus is here!’ No, they’re going to say to Whoever this is that has come from outer-space has ‘deprived us of our power to rule over the world.’ And they will see that everybody’s going to be at peace and they’re going to come. And then God is going to have His judgment against them. And with the downfall of them—Gog and Magog, and Meshech and Tubal, and all the kings of the North and the East—when they are totally defeated, perhaps in about the seventh year of the Millennium then all the resistance of any of the nations is going to be put to an end. So God gives them a time and space of repentance. God gives them a time of choice. Some are going to say, ‘Oh, let’s go to God and learn.’ Others are going to say, ‘I don’t know about that.’ So guess what’s going to happen?} (After He rebukes them): …and they shall… [there’s that word again] …beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” And when are the children taught war? From the very first toy they get—right? Yes, indeed! And there won’t be anymore cartoons. And there won’t be anymore satanic influence on the world—all wiped away with the restoration of all things. So that’s quite a thing—isn’t it?

Let’s come to Isaiah 61, and let’s see again another description of what the Millennium is going to be like; and also describing about us—what we’re going to be like; what we’re going to do. Now here is the complete fulfillment; here is how in fulfilling these prophecies, while this was quoted by Jesus in Nazareth, in a synagogue, during His ministry on earth. But nevertheless, it’s not going to be completed until the beginning of the Millennium, and then that will carry through all the Millennium.

Isaiah 61:1: “‘The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me because the LORD has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor… [What do you think the law coming out of Zion is going to be?] …He has sent Me to bind up the broken hearted… [and of course, the world is going to be filled with broken hearts, wounded, destroyed people.] …to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.’” Just think what a great thing that’s going to be; that God says, ‘Go over here to this prison.. I want you and you and you to go over to this prison and I want you to zap the guards, open the doors, take out all the people, give them an opportunity to repent; let them know Christ is on the earth; the government of God is coming from Jerusalem. Fantastic thing! Right? Yes!

“‘To preach the acceptable year of the LORD and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn… [and all means ALL.] …To appoint to those who mourn in Zion, giving to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the mantle of praise for the spirit of heaviness; so that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified’” (vs 2-3). So that’s going to be something!—isn’t it?

And, brethren, I want you to understand, I want you to grasp as never before, because every Feast of Tabernacles I want you to learn more about what’s going to happen. I want you to grasp more of what it’s going to be like to serve and rule and reign with Christ. I want you to think what a tremendous thing that this is going to be; and how fantastic that it is going to be!

Notice, we’re going to help them do this, v 4: “And they will build the old wastes… [they’re going to work! I saw a special on the defeat of Germany in WW II and the destruction of Berlin by the allies and by the Russians, and I tell you, everything was demolished! It’s going to be worse than that because the skeleton of those buildings were still standing. All the buildings are going to be flat when we start the Millennium. So they’re going to have to get out there and clean it away. And the very first order of business that the allies did for the German cities was put everyone to work. Huh? Yes, indeed! Everyone! ‘You’re going to pick up the bricks and you’re going to clean them off, and you’re going to get rid of the steel over here. And you’re going to get rid of this fallen down building over here. And you’re going to get rid of the broken glass over here. And you’re going to bury the dead bodies over here.’ That’s the work we’re going to have.] …they will raise up the desolations of former times. And they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations…. [That’s going to be quite a thing] …And strangers will stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the stranger will be your plowmen and your vinedressers’” (vs 4-5).

Now, here’s the message for us: “‘But you shall be called the priests of the LORD; it will be said of you, “The ministers of our God;” you will eat the riches of the Gentiles, and you will boast in their glory’” (v 6). Think about that! Don’t you suppose that God is going to institute tithing? Yes, indeed! That’s part of His law—correct? Who are they going to tithe to? To us! And then we in turn tithe to God. So you think about this for just a minute. If you don’t believe in tithing today, what makes you so sure that you’re going to be able to administer things in the Kingdom of God, when God is going to institute the tithe?—because He gave it in the first place—correct? And is that not part of receiving blessings from God? Is that not part of God opening the windows of heaven to pour out blessings upon them? Of course! Yes, indeed!

“‘For your shame… [that is as being a Christian in this world—that’s a shameful thing. They hate you. They despise you. They will kill you.] …you will have double; instead of dishonor they will rejoice in their portion; therefore in their own land they will possess double; everlasting joy will be theirs’” (v 7). That’s what we’re going to institute. So forget about the politics of this world. Forget about all the nonsense: ‘Obama will do this.’ or ‘if the Republicans would do that.’ or ‘if the Democrats would do this.’ or ‘if the British would do that.’ or ‘if the Germans would do this.’ or ‘if the Iranians would do the other thing.’ or the Saudi Arabians would do something else.’ Wait! It won’t be done until Christ returns; then they will be willing. If they’re not willing they will become willing; because God has the power to make them willing. And either they will conform or they will die. No two ways around it.

Verse 8: “‘For I the LORD love justice, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.’” Not only with the people, but I want you to understand—and I’ll try and bring a sermon on it here, maybe two sermons, during the Feast of Tabernacles, which is about covenant law. Not only is God going to make a New Covenant with the people of the world, when we’re resurrected and meet Christ in the air on the Sea of Glass, and we’re given our assignments and everything, God is going to make another covenant with us. Think about that. There has to be a covenant in order for us to fulfill the positions and carry out the work that God gives to us. God is a covenant God and He doesn’t do anything without covenant. And what are we going to do when we get up there and how are we going to understand? God is going to teach us and we will enter into a spiritual covenant with God the Father and Jesus Christ that will be so fantastic it will be absolutely marvelous for all eternity. Now, think on that!

Verse 9: “‘And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people; all who see them will acknowledge them, that they are the seed the LORD has blessed.’” Both the resurrected saints and the children of Israel physically—both. There will be two levels of that understanding, because we will be spiritual Israel, resurrected from the dead.

Verse 10: “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul will be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the robes of salvation… [Now think what that’s going to be like. What is our clothing going to be as spirit beings? We can just wear cloth. God’s going to make it out of spirit, and it’s going to shine, and it’s going to be radiant, and it’s going be beautiful.] …He covered me with the robe of righteousness like a bridegroom adorns himself with ornaments, and like a bride adorns herself with her jewels… [Oh, fantastic! That’s going to be something—isn’t it? Yes, indeed! I want you to get a glimmer of what it’s going to be like to be a spirit being and rule and reign with Jesus Christ in the Millennium. I want you to understand it as never before. I want you, as I said for the opening message, to have that as the vision in your mind. I want you to have that as the hope because we are the hope of the world. No two ways around it.] …for as the earth brings forth its bud, and as the garden causes that which is sown to grow; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to grow before all the nations” (vs 10-11). An unheard of time; an unparalleled time; and yet, you know, sometime is really true about human nature. As evil and as deceitful as we are, down deep in the depths of our being this is what we desire—isn’t it? Yes! God is going to bring that to pass.