[ Back ] [ Home ] [ Up ] [ Next ]

Welcome to the Feast of Tabernacles—2009

Fred R. Coulter—October 2, 2009

Printer Friendly Version - PDF

Welcome, brethren, to the Feast of Tabernacles, 2009. This is certainly quite an eventful year that we have lived through since the Feast last year, and almost all the events that have taken place are still in motion and we’re still suffering from them; and there are a lot of difficulties and problems that we’re facing that we have never faced before. And let’s begin by going to Luke 21 because we will see part of the things that Jesus told us was that these events would happen and we are going to see unparalleled, unprecedented events happen almost on a daily and weekly basis as we move forward toward the end.

Now, we know—we know—that Satan is trying to set up a one-world government! We understand that. And as we see it, we’re beginning to be able to see and understand why Christ has to come and nearly destroy the earth, destroy the whole system of men and set up the Kingdom of God. And so, these events are going to take place. All the prophecies that have been from the beginning of the world until now are going to happen and fall upon us. So, let’s read some of these things, and let’s see what Jesus said here in Luke 21, because we’re seeing this now amplified even more and more and more!

Luke 21:7: “And they asked Him, saying, ‘Master, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign that these things are about to take place?’…. [In type it happened to Jerusalem in 69-70 A.D. But the antitypical or the final fulfillment is going to happen in our day.] …And He said, ‘Beware that you be not deceived…” (vs 7-8). And deception is a thing that’s everywhere in the world. Hardly can a person tell the truth at all anymore, under any circumstances. That’s rare to find. And likewise, in the field of Christianity of this world—and even Christianity within the Church of God:

we have our problems

we have the difficulties

we have false prophets

we have those coming in preaching strange doctrines, saying that they ‘are the two witnesses,’ saying that the end is ready right now.

Well, we know that the times are going to get difficult, but ‘the end is not yet’ because there are too many things that have to take place. “…for many shall come in My name, saying, “I am Christ”; and, “The time has drawn near.” Therefore, do not go after them’” (v 8).

Because why? It’s just like Paul told Timothy: There comes a time when they will not listen to the Truth. But ‘having itching ears they will heap to themselves many teachers’; because they want to hear the things that please them, or excite them rather than be ‘sola-scriptura’ or that is be ‘Scripturalist’ and follow the Scriptures using all the Scriptures.

So He says, v 9: “‘And when you hear of wars and revolutions… [and that’s what’s happening right now around the world] …do not be terrified; for it is necessary that these things take place first, but the end will not come immediately.’…. [So we need to understand that. So therefore, we look at v 8: don’t go after them—the false prophets; the end is not immediately] …Then He said to them, ‘Nation shall rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there shall also be great earthquakes in different places, and famines and pestilences; and there shall be fearful sights and great signs from heaven…. [Now those are about ready to happen—we will see that.] …But before all these things, they shall lay their hands on you and shall persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and prisons, and bringing you before kings and governors, for My name’s sake. But it shall turn to you for a testimony’” (vs 9-13). This is what we need to realize with the events that are happening. All of these things give an opportunity to preach the Word of God, to teach the Word of God, to help people find God—and as they have said in the political realm, ‘never waste a good crisis.’

So we’ve got all these crises upon us and God is using this to turn people to Him, to ask the questions:

What’s happening?

How’s it taking place?

Is this the end?

What are we to do?

How do I find the Lord?

And what they’re finding in the world: that all the politicians are liars, all the religionists are liars, even their friends and those whom they thought were friends are nothing but rank sinners. So, those things are that way—let it ‘turn for a testimony.’

“‘Settle therefore in your hearts not to premeditate what you shall answer. [Because] For I will give you a mouth and wisdom that all those who are opposing you shall not be able to reply to nor resist’” (vs 14-15). So this is why it’s important that we have the Word of God in our minds and in our hearts, that we know it, that we study it; and most importantly: that we have a personal relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ. Because that’s how we’re going to be able to make it through these days. That’s how we’re going to understand the events that are taking place. No other way! So this Feast of Tabernacles is a very critical time for all of us.

Verse 16: “But you shall be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they shall put some of you to death… [We’re seeing more and more and more a reaction against Christianity; a reaction against those who believe in the Bible. And as a matter of fact, whether you know it or not, the definition for a ‘terrorist’ by Homeland Security is so broad that it includes all of us; because it includes:

those who believe in Israel in prophecy

those who believe that Jesus is returning

those who believe that the Bible is the Word of God

—and they have labeled us as ‘troublemakers.’ But the truth is we are not the troublemakers. What will happen is this: there will be some, in the name of God, take up arms; there will be some, in the name of God, think they are going to establish the Kingdom of God; but all of them are completely wrong! And we have no part; in violence; we have no part in trying to replace the government by human efforts.

Our part is that we are waiting for Jesus Christ to return and destroy all these government and we will replace them! We need to get that in mind and keep that in mind so that we understand how we can get through these times.

Verse 17: “‘And you shall be hated by all because of My name…. [and that’s exactly true] …But not a hair of your head shall by any means perish. By your patient endurance you shall gain your lives’” (vs 17-19). Now, how do we patiently endure?

Let’s come back here to Proverbs 29:18 (pg 793), and let’s see something that is absolutely true. Here is a true proverb: “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” You could also explain it this way:

where there is no hope the people give up;

where there is no encouragement the people get down in the dumps and get depressed.

And when you look around and see all of these things taking place, we need to view them through the eyes of God; we need to view them with the vision that the Kingdom of God is coming! And God has chosen us to be a part of that. God has

worked with us,

given us His Spirit,

given us His Word,

given us His understanding

—we’re all under the blood of Jesus Christ and within the grace of God so that we can serve Him in truth, in wisdom and in spirit. And that’s the vision that we need to have. Also notice the second part of this: “…but happy is he who keeps the law.” So this also tells us something else: that if you’re keeping the laws of God and have the Spirit of God and are under the grace of God—and we can add on to that:

are keeping the Sabbath

are keeping the Passover

are keeping the Holy Days

—all of those things combined—that we will have vision and we will have peace of mind regardless of the circumstances that befall us! And that’s important for us to understand and realize.

Now, let’s look at Abraham as it’s recorded back here in Hebrews 11. During the Feast we’ll talk a little bit more about Abraham, but I want to cover one point back here in Hebrews 11, because this is important for us to understand. When we realize how long that Abraham had to go in order to have some of the promises fulfilled to him. Remember, he ‘died not having received the promise,’ but he believed God; because not only did he have faith but he also had hope because he was trusting in God. So there’s the example for us.

Hebrews 11:8: “By faith Abraham, being called of God to go out into the place which he would later receive for an inheritance, obeyed and went, not knowing where he was going…. [Now, I want you to couple two words together: faith and obedience. You cannot have faith if you do not obey. And obedience then to the Words of God, the laws of God, the commandments of God, are the works of faith as a result of believing what God said. So he obeyed!] …not knowing where he was going.”

We need to understand that, because we’re all going to go through circumstances that we do not yet understand, that are coming. We may have heard of them, but we haven’t experienced them, and we do not have firsthand knowledge of it. We can read it in Scriptures. We can read it in the newspapers. We can do all of that sort of thing; but when it comes to firsthand experience that’s a different story. Just like we’re experiencing now in America and Britain—the troubles and throws that we’re going through because of the economic difficulties—which is not…. As I explained to a man the other day, he wanted to know: ‘Well, Obama this, Obama that, and Obama the other thing; it’s an Obamanation!’ I told, ‘Look, if you understand the Scriptures, you’ll realize that Obama is there because he reflects the general condition of sins and attitudes of the American people.’ So Obama is not the problem; Obama is the punishment! because we’ve turned our backs on God, even in the Church of God; Protestantism/Catholicism are dying, and a lot of people who thought they had salvation; a lot of people who think ‘my vision is the secret rapture’—what you need to understand is, no secret rapture is going to happen! That’s a false delusion, given by men who misinterpret the Scriptures. So we need to understand that.

Notice what he did: “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise… [again, obedience; again, action] …like a foreigner, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the joint heirs of the same promise” (v 9). What Abraham did is very much like what we’re picturing in the Feast of Tabernacles. Today, are we not doing the same thing? Are we not temporarily living in this world?

God having called us, true

having received God’s Spirit, true

living in the world, true

—but we haven’t received the promises; and those promises are eternal life and rulership with Jesus Christ. Along with the promises of giving us grace and favor and growing in character and knowledge and wisdom and understanding and qualifying to be in the first resurrection.

Let’s come to Romans 4:13—let’s see the vision that Abraham had; and it wasn’t for a little, teeny-weeny piece of real estate over there in Palestine. It’s bigger than that! It’s greater than that! It’s greater than that! “For the promise to Abraham, or to his seed, that he should be heir of the world… [It starts with the area in Palestine and expands out to the whole world.] …was not given through law; rather, it was through the righteousness of faith.” And that is the righteousness of obedience; because

obedience and righteousness go hand-in-hand

faith and obedience go hand-in-hand

faith and righteousness go hand-in-hand.

It’s all a part of the same thing.

Verse 17: “(Exactly as it is written: ‘I have made you a father of many nations.’)… [and yet, he only had one son. Then he saw Isaac, that was his son; then he saw Jacob for two years before he died—that was it!] …before God in Whom he believed, Who gives life to the dead… [Let’s understand something: if we have the Spirit of God, and if we are growing and overcoming, and if we endure to the end, death is not going to contain us! Death is not going to stop us! Just like Abraham, and he died at 175-years-old.] …and calls the things that are not as though they are.” That’s how God does it. That’s what God is going to do. That’s why we need to believe God, and believe the Words of God, and believe the Scriptures.

This is what gives us hope!

This is what gives us vision!

This is what gives us understanding!

—so that we can go through any difficulty, any trial, any circumstances that confront us. Now notice what he did:

Verse 18: “And who against hope believed in hope, in order that he might become a father of many nations… [and he won’t see that completed until the first stage of it: the first resurrection, which he will be right there. And then he will see all the spiritual sons and daughters that were promised to him—that is those in the first resurrection. And he will also be able to see from the Sea of Glass, looking down on the earth—as Christ shows him this nation and that nation and the other nation—all from his seed! That’s going to be truly amazing! Right?] …according to that which was spoken, ‘So shall your seed be.’ And he, not being weak in the faith, considered not his own body, already having become dead, being about one-hundred-years-old… [and that’s when Isaac was conceived] …nor did he consider the deadness of Sarah’s womb… [Impossible odds! An impossible thing! I imagine you could set up, if you believed in gambling, in Las Vegas the odds of a hundred-year-old man and a ninety-year-old woman conceiving and giving birth to a child. I don’t know what the odds would be—a trillion to one? But remember, God says, ‘nothing is impossible for the Lord.’ That’s what he was confronted with. So lots of times, when we look around and see the things we are confronted with, and we see the things that are pressing in upon us—maybe even oppressing us—and we get all wrapped up in that and we get looking just at the circumstances right in front of our face and don’t realize the vision, the picture, the hope! And that’s what the Feast of Tabernacles is all about.] (here’s what he did): …And he did not doubt the promise of God through unbelief…” (vs 18-20).

So remember this: every promise of God will come to pass; everything that God has said. When you understand the Word of God and how it applies to us, they are all based upon promises—are they not? Yes, indeed! So the Word of God, the Covenants of God and the things that God is doing are all

based on His promises

based upon His existence

based upon His righteousness

based upon the fact that God cannot lie.

“…rather, he was strengthened in the faith, giving glory to God; for he was fully persuaded that what He has promised, He is also able to do” (vs 20-21). Now keep that in mind; God is able to do what He has said. And the ‘be able’ means He has the power and the capacity to bring it to pass. So it’s going to happen! The Kingdom of God is coming to this earth. We are going to rule and reign with Christ, and that’s why we are here at the Feast of Tabernacles—and that’s why we keep the Feast of Tabernacles—so that every year we can learn more of the plan of God, learn more of our part in it; realize how absolutely necessary that it is for the Kingdom of God to come and Jesus to return to the earth and for those of us who are in the first resurrection to share in the government of Christ and rule this world! That’s our destiny! That is what has been promised to us!

Notice: “As a result… [it has to be for us to] …it was also imputed to him for righteousness” (v 22). Because you believe God and know it’s going to happen. Because you obey God when He says to do this or that. You stop and think for a minute:

How many people are there in the world who keep the Sabbath?

Then let’s reduce it down: How many also keep the Passover? That reduces it down.

Let’s reduce it down some more: How many keep the Holy Days of God? All of them? and believe in the meaning and the understanding of them?

If you do, and you live your life that way, that is imputed to you for righteousness, and that is the righteousness of Christ given to you by God as a gift. That’s why we are not to concentrate on our weaknesses and shortcomings and things like this. That doesn’t mean we don’t have to take care of ourselves. That doesn’t mean we don’t have to overcome. That doesn’t mean that we don’t have to look to God for all of the circumstances that we are in. It means this:

if you have this vision

if you have this hope

if you are working toward it

if you are obedient to God

if you love God and keep His commandments; and love Jesus Christ and keep the words that He has spoken

—that’s imputed to you for righteousness unto eternal life.

Verse 23: “But it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; rather, it was also written for our sakes… [That’s why we have the Bible!] …to whom it shall be imputed—to those who believe in Him Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead” (vs 23-24). That’s something! That’s why we’re here! That’s why we’re doing what we’re doing!

Now, let’s see how Jesus gave a tremendous vision to Peter, James and John to inspire them because God knew, Christ knew, that Peter, James and John—and especially Peter and John, because James was martyred early on—had to have a penetrating and mind-blowing experience to inspire them so that they would always be faithful; that they would always preach the Word of God; that they would always teach the things that He taught them.

Let’s come here to Matthew 17:1 (pg. 978): “And after six days, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and his brother John, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves…. [and then they saw something that they only saw one time and never saw again. And as we will see, Peter relates that this was to give them the vision to follow Christ and to do what they should do.] …And He was transfigured before them; and His face shined as the sun, and His garments became white as the light…. [That was an astonishing thing to see!] (Then all of a sudden!): …there appeared to them Moses and Elijah talking with Him…. [I don’t know if that’s going to answer the question who’s going to be on the right hand or left hand—but I do know this: that this represents the law and the prophets; and also, as we will see, John the Baptist preparing the way for Christ.] …And Peter answered and said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here. If You desire, let us make three tabernacles here: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’…. [Won’t that be great! That’s not the reason for the vision, but that was kind of Peter’s reaction, because of it’s one-time thing that happens, you want something for a memorial.] (Here’s what was happening then): …While he was speaking, a bright cloud suddenly overshadowed them; and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, ‘This is My Son, the Beloved, in Whom I delight. Listen to Him!’ And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces in extreme terror” (vs 1-6). It just sent shivers down their spine and I imagine it was such a thing that they didn’t know what to do! What an experience! This was an experience that was not only mental and visually, but it was an experience that literally went through their whole bodies, if we could put it that way, to make an impression on them forever.

“But Jesus came and touched them, and said, ‘Arise, and do not be terrified.’ And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus alone. Now as they were descending from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, ‘Tell the vision to no one until the Son of man has risen from the dead.’…. [Now with that kind of experience, can you imagine how hard that was to keep that?—‘tell no one!’ Which was also what? A test of their faith and belief and obedience in Christ. That true? Think about that in relationship to all of those that Jesus healed when He said, ‘Don’t say anything to anyone.’ They went out and said, ‘Hey look, everyone, look at me! This man Jesus did it!’] …Then His disciples asked Him, saying, ‘Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?’…. [because remember, there was Moses and Elijah] …And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Elijah shall indeed come first and restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him; but they did to him whatever they desired. In like manner also, the Son of man is about to suffer from them.’ Then the disciples understood that He was speaking to them about John the Baptist” (vs 7-13).

What are we talking about here? The Law, the Prophets and Christ after John the Baptist prepared the way. That’s what we’re looking at. Let’s look and see the power that this left upon Peter; because he wrote about it twice.

1-Peter 5:1—remember, it’s before the Epistles of Paul in the Bible in It’s Original Order. Notice what he’s basing his instructions to the elders, because remember, Jesus—after He was resurrected—had a special message for Peter. Remember that? ‘Peter do you love Me?’ Yes, Lord. ‘Feed My sheep. Peter, do you love Me?’ Yes, Lord. ‘Shepherd My lambs. Peter, do you love Me?’ Yes, Lord! ‘Feed My sheep.’ So between the two of those: between the vision of transfiguration and that session that Jesus had with him—in front of all the disciples as well, by the way—here’s what he writes:

1-Peter 5:1: “The elders who are among you I exhort, even as a fellow elder, and an eyewitness of the sufferings of Christ… [what he went through] …and a partaker of the glory that is about to be revealed.” That was the glory of the vision of Christ where His ‘face shines like the sun’ and His garments were white, just like electrical white. Then he gives them instructions concerning how to serve and feed the flock.

Let’s go to 2-Peter, the first chapter, let’s see how this was the guiding inspiration for what he wrote and what the apostles wrote. Remember, the Apostle Paul saw Jesus Christ and was taught of Him for three-and-a-half years. And that was also the impression, and with the power of God’s Spirit, that motivated Paul to do what he did, and to write what he wrote. So likewise, Peter says this here, concerning himself. He knew that he was going to die. He knew that he was going to see the end. So he writes this to the brethren. This is why we need to understand: God is smart enough to understand that you don’t leave the precious words of Christ and the teachings to the apostles and all of their experiences that they went through, as they were led by the Holy Spirit, to go out and preach and teach—you don’t leave that to ‘tradition.’ And you don’t leave that to “handing down oral repetition’ of it; because sooner or later someone’s going to get in the line and mess it up or forget.

So notice what God inspired him to do: 2-Peter 1:13: “For I consider it my duty, as long as I am in this tabernacle… [so we’ll talk about the tabernacles of our bodies here a little later] …to stir you up by causing you to remember these things; knowing that shortly the putting off of my tabernacle will come, even as our Lord Jesus Christ has signified to me…. [Remember, he was told ‘when you’re young, Peter, you went where you wanted to, do what you want to do; when you’re old someone’s going lead you about by the hand.’] …But I will make every effort that, after my departure, you may always have a written remembrance of these things in order to practice them for yourselves” (vs 13-15). That’s why we have the Word of God today.

Now then, he makes a very important thing, which the scholars of this world need to realize and understand: “For we did not follow cleverly concocted myths as our authority, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His magnificent glory… [‘We saw it.’ that was his vision; that’s what motivated him and this is what needs to motivate us. And the Word of God that we now have—the complete Word of God—that they never had. That ought to motivate us.] (notice how he continues with it, v 17): …Because He received glory and honor from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, ‘This is My Son, the Beloved, in Whom I am well pleased’” (vs 16-17). And remember this: If we have this hope, we have this vision, and we love God and keep His commandments, we are doing the things that are pleasing in His sight, as well. That’s what the Apostle John wrote in 1-John 3. So don’t be discouraged. Don’t get depressed. Don’t get down. Regardless of what the trial may be, regardless if you’re facing something that is life-threatening, regardless if there’s something that has shattered your life’s emotions—always turn to God! Look to God!