The Feast of Tabernacles Forecasts Better Days Ahead

In the shadow of 9/11, who doesn't look forward to better days? They are coming. God guarantees the world many centuries of better days ahead through the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles.

God's ultimate goal for human beings is to enjoy peace and prosperity (Luke 2:14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
See All...; Amos 9:13Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.
See All...). Today, you and I enjoy peace and at least spiritual prosperity as members of God's Church. Still the shock of 9/11 motivates us to pray, "Thy Kingdom come." While we patiently wait for Christ's return, we are encouraged to enjoy peace and prosperity at the Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast is a foretaste of better days ahead.

Today's World: Confusion, Violence and Sorrow

You and I live in Babylon (that is, confusion) the Great (Revelation 17:5And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
See All...). Check out the Middle East and see how confusion, violence and sorrow are characterized as Palestinian children strapped in vest bombs. As if this weren't crazy enough, Muslim extremists vow to utterly destroy the infidels of America. But Christ will dispatch Babylon the Great and transform those who remain alive (Revelation 18; 19; Hebrews 8:10-12 [10] For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
[11] And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
[12] For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

See All...). One day peace will pervade international societies: "Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken" (Micah 4:3-4 [3] And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
[4] But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.

See All...).

Today's world, stumbling around in spiritual darkness (John 12:35Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
See All...; 2 Corinthians 4:4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
See All...), cannot be compared to the spiritual light of the world tomorrow. Yet right now, you and I possess the light of Christ (John 1:9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
See All...). As spiritual lights to and in a darkened world, we have the privilege to illuminate God's way of peace and prosperity during the Feast of Tabernacles. Our examples count!

Feast of Booths Speaks of Peace and Prosperity

Once a year God commands us to come under His tabernacle (Deuteronomy 14:26And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,
See All...; Leviticus 23:34-42 [34] Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.
[35] On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
[36] Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.
[37] These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:
[38] Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD.
[39] Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.
[40] And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.
[41] And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.
[42] Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:

See All...) during the Feast of Ingathering (Exodus 23:16And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.
See All...) and rejoice in His freedom, peace and prosperity. That means we pull up stakes and head where God has placed His name. There we dwell in a booth or temporary dwelling for eight inspiring days.

Dwelling in a booth (a temporary habitation) at the Feast of Tabernacles is a very positive act. At once we get away from our everyday surroundings, our jobs, repetitive thoughts and familiar personal contacts; and we show by our thoughts, words and actions, God's promise of world peace.

Please don't assume that God intended dwelling in a booth as a test, although things of God can test the human condition. "The booth in Scripture is not an image of privation and misery, but of protection, preservation, and shelter from heat, storm, and tempest; refer to Psalm 27:5For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
See All...; 31:20; Isaiah 4:6And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.
See All..." ( Unger's Bible Dictionary,  1966, page 359). In fact, the word  booth  can substitute for the word  tabernacle.  The Feast of Tabernacles can also be expressed as the Feast of Booths.

How did ancient Israel view the Feast of Tabernacles? "The dwelling in booths was a matter of joy to Israel. The dwelling in booths was to be a reminder to them of the fatherly care and protection of Jehovah while Israel was journeying from Egypt to Canaan (the Promised Land). In comparison with the 'house of bondage' the dwelling in booths on the march through the wilderness was in itself an image of freedom and happiness" (ibid.).

Feast Promises Better Days Ahead

God has prepared better days ahead for all mankind. Until the ultimate fulfillment of God's coming Kingdom, you and I can enjoy eight days of Utopia while in this life. What we enjoy during the Feast of Tabernacles today portrays the prophesied promise of a coming universal Garden of Eden (Ezekiel 36:35-38 [35] And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.
[36] Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it.
[37] Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.
[38] As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the LORD.

See All...).

King David asked, "Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle?" (Psalm 15:1(A Psalm of David.) Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
See All...). The implication is that some  can abide within God's tabernacle,  and today, that group is the New Testament Church. This protective environment is made possible through Christ's shed blood to cover our sins (Romans 5:8-9 [8] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
[9] Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

See All...) and His resurrected life, now reckoned as our life (Romans 5:9-10 [9] Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
[10] For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

See All...; Colossians 3:4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
See All...). God's tabernacle today is not a convention center, though it certainly can serve as a type of Christ's ultimate tabernacle/temple, the Body of Christ, His Church (Ephesians 2:19-22 [19] Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
[20] And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
[21] In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
[22] In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

See All...). Christ is building His tabernacle or temple and we feast with God within that spiritual temple. Though we see and feel the shadow of 9/11, we can still enjoy the peace and prosperity under and within God's tabernacle. This Feast of Tabernacles forecasts better days ahead in the wonderful world tomorrow. Prepare now to enjoy every single day of this Feast.  UN