God's Holy Days Are His Loving Gifts to Mankind!

If I were to ask you, what is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, biblical truth, what would you say? What would you write on your paper? The greatest biblical truth. That can be kind of hard. There are so many things your mind might think of, but the greatest biblical truth—I'm not going to say what I'm about to say is the answer, but I certainly would be in the top answers, if not the best answer. One of the greatest biblical truths is the fact that God is love. That's who God is. That's what God wants us to become. God is love. Let's go to 1 John 4 and verse 16. 1 John 4 and verse 16. 2 John 4 and verse 16. Having said that—and of course that's God's primary motivation and so forth—what would be one of the greatest biblical truths in action? If God is love as one of the great, if not the greatest, aspect of biblical truth, then what would be one of the greatest biblical truths in action? What's the greatest act of love that God performed? Well, let's take a look at John chapter 3.

You're probably all thinking the same thing I'm thinking. John chapter 3. John chapter 3 and verse 16. John 3, 16.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. So God loved the world, and then what was the action God took? That God gave his only begotten Son. That whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. So love in action is often expressed through giving. Through giving. I'm not going to turn—you know, I have so many scriptures here. I was looking at it this morning. I said, I can't wear everybody out, wear your little fingers to the nubbin with all the scriptures I've got. I'm going to read a number of these. You can put the citations down. Luke chapter 6 and verse 38. Luke 6, 38. It will be given to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. It will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. So God is a giver, and he wants us to be a giver. 2 Corinthians chapter 9 and verse 7. Again, I'll read this for you. 2 Corinthians 9 and 7. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. God loves a cheerful giver. So God is love. One of the great actions of the scriptures is the giving, and of course, the giving that God did as he gave his only begotten son. Now, gifts enhance relationships. And since God is the greatest giver of all, he is doing as he gives to us, he is enhancing the relationship that he has with each and every one of us. Let's take a look at James. Let's turn to this one. James chapter 1.

James chapter 1 and verse 17.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Every good gift, every perfect gift, is from above. Now, as I may mention, gifts enhance relationships.

As you and I are approaching the fall holy days, I was wondering, what do I offer to you as a congregation to look at the four holy days that are coming up this whole season? Trumpets, Atonement, the Feast, the Last Great Day? How can we tie those all together? Kind of an overview. There are so many different ways you can view what God has given to us. As I was thinking about it, I was thinking about that God is love, that as a loving God, He gives. My theme for today is this. If you want to write this down on your paper, God's holy days are His loving gifts to mankind.

God's holy days are His loving gifts to mankind. Each holy day is a gift of love from God. We're not going to go through the spring holy days here. We just don't have time.

But we do want to take a look at the fall holy days. Trumpets, Atonement, Feast, and Last Great Day. Each of those days is a tremendous gift that God has given to mankind. Let's start with the Feast of Trumpets. How is the Feast of Trumpets a gift of love from God? Trumpets is the loving gift of godly government. The loving gift of godly government.

You know, the Feast represents the beginning of an incredible time which God will play a much more direct part in world events. This holy day signals the intervention of God in the affairs of humanity on a global basis.

A dramatic turning point in the history of mankind. Are you happy with what you're seeing in government today?

I don't think you're happy at all with what you're seeing. We live in the greatest, most affluent, most powerful nation, single nation, the world has ever seen. Now certainly at its prime, the British Empire was a mighty empire. We've talked about in the past how it is, what, four or five times what the Roman Empire was in terms of numbers of people, in terms of geography. But the single, greatest single nation on the face of the earth that has ever existed, you're living in right now. And yet when you turn on the evening news, what do we see? We see an utter lack of dynamic leadership. We see people, mayors who seem to be okay with their cities burning to the ground. With people looting, people stealing, people saying, I want my way. Who cares about what you think? Politicians standing back and letting this happen for day after day, week after week, literally month after month. We see division ripping apart our nation, sparked by ill will and animosity toward others. You know, people, I remember two or three elections ago for the presidency, people said, you know, I've never voted in my life, Mr. De Los Andros, but this presidential election, I've got to vote. This is the most critical presidential vote ever. And I guess in some ways people can say that would be the case. But brethren, from now on, I don't think any presidential election is going to be tame. I think from now on, what we're seeing today, we're going to continue to see until the return of Jesus Christ. I think our nation is going two different ways, either to the right or to the left. And both sides seem to want to vilify the other. And it's so easy for us, it's so easy for us, most of us I would think our conservative people, to take a certain political view and say, well, they're right and the other guy is wrong. But you know, brethren, we've got to be very careful, because what we are for, what we espouse, is the abolition of all governments on the earth and the establishment of the kingdom of God. We can't be so invested in things where we just want to be so myopic. Now, that's not to say where we don't see right and wrong. We see right, we see wrong, we see hypocrisy, we need to label those things as they are. But again, remember who we are. We are representatives of another government, the government of the kingdom of God. Let's take a look at Revelation 11.

No, we don't want to stick our heads in the sands. We want to make sure that we are people who are reading the newspapers as hard as that is today, watching the news, we're told to watch. We may not be able to stomach what we're reading or watching, but we still want to be aware.

Revelation 11, verse 15. Then a seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. This should be the hallmark for what we stand for. Now, we love our nation.

We love our nation, and we are grieved to see what is happening in our nation. You know, from my particular point of view, I could look from my family point of view. On my mother's side, you know, the Moore family, my mother's maiden name was Moore, M-O-O-R-E. They probably have been in this country since the Revolutionary War. Long standing. My father, on the other hand, came over to this country in 1928. Came off the boat from Italy, couldn't speak English, flunked kindergarten, because my grandfather wanted him to go to school as soon as he got here. So dad went to school, couldn't speak a word English, flunked kindergarten. And yet, so in that sense, I'm a first generation American. I appreciate what this country offers. But brethren, I appreciate so much more, and so do you, what the kingdom of God offers. Today, race is a question that's ripping our nation apart. And yet, when God's kingdom comes, those issues are going to be dealt with by the God family. Not by some politician someplace who thinks he has an answer. It's going to be dealt with by the God family who does have the answer. And what is the answer? The answer is to love. To love properly. To love as God sets forth love. And you and I are going to have an opportunity to be a part of that solution. Of all the prophecies in the Bible, the one we see here in Revelation 11, which heralds the most exciting news possible. These governments of the earth are going to come to nothing, and God's kingdom is going to be established over them all. Now let's turn to a familiar scripture in Isaiah 9. Isaiah 9. I've covered this with you in the past as we were going through the book of Isaiah, but I think it would be good to go through this again. Isaiah 9, verses 6 and 7.

We talked about how Trumpets is the loving gift of godly government. Let's take a look at this a little more in depth. Isaiah 9, verses 6. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulder. And his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end upon the throne of David and over his kingdom. To order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

So as this world's kingdoms come to an end, and God's kingdom rises above all of it, notice what we have here. We have Christ's gift to humanity. One of the great gifts is Christ himself as ruler, as sovereign. Notice what it says about our world-ruling sovereign. It says here, He is wonderful. Do we think that of any of our national leaders today or worldwide leaders today? According to Barnes' notes on the Old Testament, the word wonderful means to separate, to distinguish, to make great. It is applied usually to anything that is great or wonderful. It is applied here to denote the remarkable assemblage of qualities that distinguish the Messiah. That which excites wonder and amazement, that's who our God is. That's what He brings to the table. He is a wonderful God. He is a wonderful, ruled world leader. Not as today's leader. He brings wonder, and people will have their mouths open when they see the laws that He begins to teach. That you begin to teach, because you're going to be a part of all of this. We'll get to that in a couple of moments. It says He's a counselor. Let's look at Isaiah chapter 25.

We've not gotten there yet. Isaiah chapter 25.

Isaiah chapter 25, verse 1.

Isaiah 25, verse 1. O Lord, you are my God. I will exalt you. I will praise your name. For you have done wonderful things. Of course He has. He is a God of wonder. Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. To live in a world where the leadership, especially starting from the top and coming all the way down, that counsels are faithfulness and truth. You know, one of the big things that you and I have been faced with over the last several months is trying to understand the truth of COVID-19. Correct? You know, as your pastor, I've been trying to search the Wisconsin database for, okay, what are the rules we can assemble with? And it's not always easy to find out, you know, the chapter and verse for here in Wisconsin. Illinois is a little easier, but that's not the best either. And yet, here we see in the world tomorrow, God's counsel, what he espouses, how he talks to people, how he works with people, is in faithfulness and truth.

And faithfulness and truth. Boy, doesn't that sound wonderful? Doesn't that sound good to know that's what's coming down the road? There's going to be a lot of bad things coming down the road, but to know what's on the other side of those bad things, this is something that you and I can really look forward to. God's counsel will come from his word. I'm not going to turn here, but in your notes you might want to jot down Psalm 119 verse 24. Psalm 119 verse 24, where it says, your testimonies are my counselors. The psalmist was saying that God's word was his counselor. And you and I, we've got a Bible sitting on our lap right now. We probably got a number of Bibles at home. If we've got a computer, we probably have a number of computer programs at home with all sorts of Bibles and Bible helps and so forth. We are so blessed to have, and to have God having opened our minds and our hearts to understand his counsel. Where would you be right now? Think on it. I'm sure you've thought on this many occasions. Where would you be right now if God had not called you? Where would you be right now if God had not called you? Well, I would not be married to my wife. I don't know who I would be married to if I'd be married. I don't know if I'd be alive or what my situation in life would be. But I know what my life has been like since God called me. And I know what I look forward to in the future. And the Bible is something that comforts me and encourages me. Isaiah chapter 9 talks about how our God is the mighty God.

Today, when you watch what's happening in world news, national news, local news, you could have the feeling of helplessness. You could have the feeling of powerlessness. You could wonder, you know, the world seems to be careening off into the universe. And what can you do to stop it? Well, our God is a mighty God. He's all-powerful. He's all-knowing. He's present everywhere. He's able to help any who cry out to Him. And certainly when Satan is removed—and we'll get to that in a little bit—when Satan is removed, just think how glorious a society we will live in. You know, you ladies, how nice would it be for you to say, well, you know, it's a nice, cool summer evening. I'm going to go for a nice, long walk. Now, maybe it's because I'm from Detroit. You don't go walking around Detroit at nighttime in the cool of the evening. Not unless you've got a half-dozen bodyguards and an ambulance trailing you.

Of course, now I live in the peaceful city of Chicago, Illinois.

But what would it be like to have that sort of an atmosphere where, you know, it is gone with all of his might and all of his power, stands behind what's happening in society. Satan is no longer there to influence. There's the Scriptures—I'm not going to read it today—but there's the one Scripture that talks about a stranger will be like a help in the wilderness.

Today you see a stranger, and you start thinking, oh man, is he coming toward me? But in the world tomorrow, you see a stranger, and you might think, well, I hope he's coming toward me because I need some help. You know, I've fallen down or whatever, and I need a helping hand here. So our God is a mighty God who's designed and created the universe, sustains the universe. And if he does that physically, how much more spiritually in terms of God designing, creating, sustaining spirit life? And just think, you right now, as fleshly as you and I are, you know, maybe you're thinking right now, you're thinking, I'll just take a little bit of a nap. You know, the flesh is willing to—the spirit is willing to flesh as we. But think what it's going to be like when you are a spirit being, and you're really able to reach out and help people. And because you're a spirit—we'll talk more about this as we go through the sermon—the lessons you've learned, the fact that not only is God love, but at that point, when you're converted to be total spirit, then you are love.

Think how fulfilling your life's going to be. The Almighty God's going to make that happen.

Isaiah chapter 9 talks about Christ as being the everlasting Father. Now, how is Christ the Father? Well, we discussed that earlier. Christ is the Father of all creation because God allowed him to create. God delegated creation to Christ. And so, in that sense, as the Creator through God, Christ is our Father. He's the Prince of Peace. Do we have peace in this land? You know, I keep on thinking about what's happening. I don't know how many of you may have seen the opening football game.

Who is it? Texans and Kansas City.

You had one team during the national anthem would not come on the field. They didn't want to be a part of standing for that national anthem. Other people felt a need to take an E. Then they played another national anthem. A country that does not exist. People seem to be happy with that.

What kind of a nation have we become? You know, I remember 19 years ago, a few days ago, 9-11, I remember what we felt like as a nation. How we were unified. And now, 19 short years later, look what we've become. These athletes who are multi-millionaires, you know, I love sports as much as anybody. But when I see these guys saying, you know, I'm not going to come out for the national, I'm going to hide in a locker room. I don't want to be identified with that national anthem. I say, foowee with you. You know, if I've been taught anything during this this COVID-19, I can get along without sports. I can live very nicely. As much as I love it, I can get along without it. So Christ has called us to peace, not what we've got today, where everyone seems to be at everyone else's throats. Let's look at Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2.

Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 14. For He Himself is our peace. Christ is our peace, who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of separation. So here's a discussion about making men of one heart and of one mind, because Christ is our peace. Christ is the prince who is peace, who makes peace. That's a tremendous gift.

So, Trumpets picture is the loving gift of godly government. But I may mention about some—let's again go drill down a little deeper. Let's go to Daniel chapter 7.

Because you're a part of this—I've made mention of this several times, but let's look at this a little more closely. Daniel chapter 7 and verse 18. Daniel 7, 18.

But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.

So here's another gift as displayed on the Feast of Trumpets. That gift is the resurrected, glorified saints assisting God the Father and Jesus Christ.

Now, maybe you've never thought of yourself as a gift. Maybe right now you're not so much of a gift. Maybe those who are closest to you think, well, there are times you're a gift, there's a time you're not a gift. But there's coming that time when we're resurrected to be total love, that we are a gift to mankind, because we are then totally love as spirits. I'm not going to turn there. You know the scripture. Revelation chapter 19, verse 7.

Revelation 19, 7. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife, that's us, his wife has made herself ready.

His wife has made herself ready. We are ready to rule. We are ready to serve. We're not going to rule for our own aggrandizement, our own lusts. We are going to serve to give back. You know, again, this whole idea of giving. God loved so much that he gave his son. You know what? God loves so much that he's going to give you, as sons and daughters, to mankind who've not yet been made spirit beings. And you're going to give just as Christ did. Now, you're not going to give your life or their sins, but you're going to give in terms of being a teacher, a helper, a counselor. You're going to be there. The troubles you've experienced in life, God is going to use those troubles that you've experienced because countless thousands of other people have gone through what you've gone through and perhaps a lot worse. And so, you're not going to be talking to them in terms of theory. You're going to say, hey, look, friend, my brother, my soon-to-be spirit brother, I've been there. I've seen that. I've lived through that. Let me give you the benefit of what I've learned. Let's turn to Galatians chapter 5. Galatians chapter 5.

Galatians chapter 5, starting here in verse 22.

Galatians chapter 5 verses 22 and 23.

But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law. Now, why do I read that? Because in the world tomorrow, on the day of trumpets, when you graduate from being, you and I graduate from being the fleshly worms that we are, as we become spirit beings totally and fully, what we see here in these two verses is a description of us personified spiritually. You are going to be total love, total joy, total peace, total long-suffering, total kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. You're going to be all those qualities, and you're going to take those qualities as opportunities, as part of your character, to serve, to give, to love, to show the way.

So, trumpets is a tremendous gift. When you understand all the trumpets represents, trumpets is a tremendous gift of godly government under God the Father, under Jesus Christ, and under the ruling saints. Okay, let's move on to atonement. Atonement is the loving gift of universal reconciliation with God.

The loving gift of universal, and that's a key word, universal reconciliation with God. I'll explain that in just a moment. Let's turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 4.

2 Corinthians chapter 4.

Verse 3 and 4.

2 Corinthians chapter 4 verses 3 and 4.

But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the God of this age has blinded, who do not believe lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is in the image of God should shine on them. That's what Satan is doing in this world today. He's blinding people so they can't see the glory of Christ, so they can take apart in the beauty and the love of Christ in this age. And you know, you might want to jot down Revelation chapter 12 and verse 9.

Revelation 12.9 talks about how Satan has deceived the whole world. Now, brethren, we understand that Christ shed blood atones for our past sins. Atonement means reconciliation. The Day of Atonement symbolizes the reconciliation of God and all humanity.

Now, both Atonement and Passover teach us about the forgiveness of sin and our reconciliation with God through Christ's sacrifice. But there's a difference between the two, correct? The difference is Passover concerns the firstfruits, right? It concerns people like yourselves. Passover doesn't concern itself with those who haven't been called yet, right? But there's coming a time when the whole world, everyone who's ever lived and breathed, will have an opportunity. So Atonement carries universal implications. There's coming an opportunity for all mankind who have lived, who have never heard the truth. Of course, this bleeds over into the last grade day information. You know, the God's Holy Days are all linked in a very special way where all mankind will have their opportunity. Have their opportunity be at one with God. Let's take a look at Matthew 27.

You know, in the Bible studies we're doing, we're racing through the book of Acts. You know, Mr. Morrison's going through 1 Corinthians. But pretty soon we'll be done with Acts. Then we have to decide where we want to go next. Some of you voted for Deuteronomy. Maybe that's where we should go next. Maybe you want to go through another one of the Gospels. But, you know, we can do what you would like to do. You just have to let me know. Be thinking about it. But here in Matthew 27, let's look at verses 50 and 51.

Matthew 27 verse 50. And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, a veil the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And the earth quaked and the rocks were split. Because of Christ's sacrifice, we enjoy direct access to the true mercy seat, the throne of our merciful, loving God. Right? This is what this pictures. This is very dramatic what we see there in Matthew chapter 27. And again, here with the Day of Atonement, we see where all mankind will have an opportunity. You know, we have been called in this age. There are plenty of people that you and I know, you and I love, who aren't being called right now. But when Jesus Christ returns, which we've already portrayed, the Feast of Trumpets, there are going to be people who live through all these bad times, all the way into the millennium. And as those people that we know who live into the millennium, they've not perished through all the cataclysm, that's when their hearts and minds will be opened. Then, of course, those who did die will have their hearts and mind opened in the last great day. Let's look at Hebrews chapter 4, verse 16.

Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 16. You know the scripture so well, it's probably one of your favorite scriptures. Hebrews 4, 16. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we might obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. The Day of Atonement pictures the loving reconciliation of all people to the great God. All people. And, of course, another aspect of the gift, the Atonement gift, is when Satan is removed, we can have true peace on earth. True peace on earth. You know, we can't have peace when the one who is always striving for strife is doing his job and doing his job very well. Satan the devil is a very bright being, and he's got all sorts of history behind him. We don't know how long it took him to convince one-third of the angels to go his way. He may have taken eons of time for all we know. And so he's got that experience. And now he's got 6,000 years of human experience. So he knows what to do to throw a monkey wrench in the works. But once he's put away, again, think of the beauty that we have. Let's go to Revelation chapter 20. Revelation chapter 20. And we see this gift that God gives us, the gift of the removal of Satan the devil. So many gifts. If you want to think along those lines, I think it's a good way for us to think about what God has given us. He's given us the gifts of these holy days and the various blessings. And these blessings are gifts that he gives to us. Revelation chapter 20 in verse 1. Then they saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, that old serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. Cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up. Set a seal on him so that he should deceive the nations no more till a thousand years were finished. But after these things, he must be released for a little while. One thousand years without Satan. You know, brethren, I don't know that you and I can picture one year without Satan. One year. Can you imagine today, if, you know, we've talked about this in the past, if any one of the commandments were being kept, if Satan wasn't there to try and short-circuit that, can you imagine today going out to try and buy a car, and you go to the used car a lot, and the dealer and the salesman have to tell you all the truth about that car? All the truth about that van? Looks nice now! Oh yeah, they just detailed it, they washed it, you know, they got a humming, like a hummingbird, and you know, 10 seconds after you get it off the lot, you know, of course, maybe three days and 10 seconds after you get out, you know, after the lemon, lemon period is expired, the thing breaks down on you. How great a gift is it when Satan the devil and his demons are locked away for a thousand years? Okay, let's move on to the next gift that God has given to us in terms of the Holy Days. The Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast of Tabernacles. And here you've got the gift of God's utopia on earth.

The gift of God's utopia on earth.

Let's turn our attention to Revelation, or not Revelation, the book of Acts, Acts chapter 3.

Acts chapter 3 verses 19 through 21.

Acts chapter 3 verse 19.

Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so the times of refreshing, what are those? The times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, that he may send Jesus Christ, who has preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration. So here we see something about a times of refreshing and times of restoration.

Of all things which God has spoken by the mouth of the holy prophets since the world began.

That is a tremendous scripture. But what are these times of refreshing, these times of restoration? God's plan for mankind revolves around restoration, correct? The Feast of Tabernacles symbolizes the restoration process, which will start with the return of Jesus Christ, pictured by the Feast of Trumpets, the banishment of Satan, pictured on the Day of Atonement. Once those events have taken place, as we've already discussed, then this restoration process begins greatly. In the beginning, God created mankind to cooperate with him in a beautiful relationship, characterized by love, peace, and obedience to his laws. When God had made everything, he said everything he had made was beautiful, everything he had made was good.

But then Satan enters the scene, right? Genesis chapter 3. Disobedience comes, trouble comes, the wrecking ball comes with Satan.

Finally got to the place by Genesis chapter 6, then the Lord saw the wickedness of man that was great in the earth, and every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. So obviously, with Satan entering the picture, there's a need for refreshing to where things used to be. There's a need for restoration because of what Satan had done.

This broken relationship between God and man has continued right through to our day to day. And yet, the Feast of Tabernacles represents a beautiful time, a utopia, not some false utopia. You know, there have been various charlatans over the course of time who want to get a little group together, and they go off into the hills or the wilderness, and they do what they do, and I think they've got utopia. They get off the grid and so forth. This is worldwide restoration. Notice the phrase God uses, refreshing.

Let's take a look, break down the various gifts that are given by God during this process. Let's go to Isaiah chapter 2. Isaiah chapter 2.

Isaiah chapter 2, verse 2.

Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow to it. Now, you're Bible students. You're very well-educated Bible students. You know what verse 2 represents? Mountains represent governments. God's government will be over all the world's governments. Verse 3. Many people, and it says there, nations will flow to God's government. Many people shall come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. Notice there at the end of verse 3. He will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, in the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. So one of the great gifts that God gives us in the Feast of Tabernacles period is the gift of God's law. Why would we ever want to think that that law would be done away? It is a law of true spiritual liberty. It is a royal law. It's a law of love.

It's holy, just, and good. It's spiritual, as it says there in Romans chapter 7. And here we see God presenting this at the beginning of the millennium as a gift. I'm giving you the gift of my law, which helps you to understand how to think, how to act, how to relate to one another. Let's take a look at Psalm 119.

There's a whole list of gifts we're going to take a look at here. Hopefully I won't be turning to too many scriptures for you. Psalm 119 verse 165.

Psalm 119 verse 165.

Great peace have those who love your law. Nothing causes them to stumble. So now we're seeing these various fruits building on one another. God gives us His law. The nations flow to Jerusalem to learn that law. And as they learn that law, as they keep that law, as they interface with one another, as others are keeping that law, then great peace will they have. That's not what we're having in our society today. We don't have great peace in our society. We don't have great peace because we're a lawless human being. We're a lawless of and by ourselves. So we've got God's law, the gift of God's law. We've got the gift of God's peace. Let's continue here on all the gifts that God gives us. And we're not going to go through a great list because we want to relatively end on time here. Let's go to Ezekiel chapter 36.

Ezekiel 36.

26 and 27. Ezekiel 36, 26.

Here is the gift of spiritual healing. The gift of spiritual healing. How great a gift is that? Ezekiel 36. 26. Now, this section of Scripture can very easily talk about what we're going to talk lastly about the last great day, but this is also true about the millennium. Those who weren't close to God, God begins to work with them, and this whole process takes place here. So we've got the gift of spiritual healing. Going back to Isaiah. Isaiah 35.

Isaiah 35, verses 5 and 6. More gifts this day represents. These days represent. Isaiah 35, verse 5 and 6. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped, the lame shall leap like a deer, the tongue of the dumb shall sing, the water shall burst forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The gift of physical healing. Not just spiritual healing, but physical healing. You know, I don't know what your thoughts are, but I've not seen one of these commercials in a while. I forget now which hospital, if it's St. Jude's or whatever, but they show these little kids, precious little kids who've got all these various deformities and so forth. Their little faces shine so bright and they're so very articulate, so many of them, and yet their little bodies are just crippled and deformed and so on. And your heart, you know, I'm sure all of our hearts go out to those little kids. You know, as my mother used to tell me when I was growing up there before, the grace of God. You know, your mother probably taught you the same thing. You know, we've only got one life in the flesh and that's what their life is. And yet, the gift here in the millennium, or healing, is going to take place. Those little kids, like the one little guy who didn't even seem to have any shoulders, didn't have legs back in the 50s. Remember the thalidomide babies? You know, when people were taking, women were taking these various drugs, the doctors thought these were the best things for you as a pregnant woman, and their poor little babies were born with flippers. Didn't really have arms and legs. They had like little flippers. Or back in the day when x-rays were kind of a novel thing, you'd go buy a pair of shoes. Oh, put your feet under this! Take a look at your bones and wiggle your toes and all these x-rays coming down on your feet. Well, here we're looking at a new age, an age of real healing. Real healing. Tremendous gift. One last scripture along these lines, Amos chapter 9. Amos chapter 9.

Hosea and Joel and Amos. Very last part of Amos. Amos chapter 9 verse 13.

Here we have the gift of a healed earth. The gift of a healed earth. Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord. Amos 9.13. When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, the treader of grapes him who sows seed, the mountain shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hill shall flow with it.

Wow. Wow. The earth was producing so abundantly, people can't keep up with the crops.

People can't keep up with the crops. And as I said so many times in the past, I don't know if you and I in this day and age have actually tasted food the way God created it. Have we actually tasted what an apple should be like? Or a tomato? Or a pear? Or a carrot? You know, after 6,000 years of man messing with things, perhaps all we get is a glimmer of the taste. Maybe just a glimmer of the nutrients and the value that God originally planned for those things. Yet, in these days, it's going to be like the story we saw there in the scriptures about checking out the Holy Land, where two guys are carrying this plump of grapes on a pole between them, where the grapes probably were more the size of melons. Kind of like what you would see in Alaska, some of those things that you'd see.

So the Feast of Tabernacles represents the loving gift of God's utopia on earth. Lastly, last great day. Last great day, the loving gift of God's grace being made available to all. The loving gift of God's grace being made available to all.

There's a key scripture in the discussion about the last great day. I'll have the PM sermon on the last great day in Pewaukee. I'm going to use it. This will be a foundational scripture. Acts 4, verse 12.

I have the first day message as well, holy day message in Pewaukee, so I appreciate your prayers on that. Acts 4, verse 12. I have the first day message on that. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved.

Now, this is a scripture that confounds a great many people.

Logically, you've got to ask yourself when you look at Acts 4, verse 12. If there is no other name under heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved, how about the thousands upon thousands of people who lived prior to Christ? How about the thousands upon thousands of people who lived after Christ, or even during Christ's time, who didn't hear His name, didn't know He existed, or people today, different parts of the world, who don't really know that much about Christianity, or the truth about Christianity?

You know, the world wants to kind of portray this as there's this tug of war between God and Satan. And if you're not saved in this age, you're lost. Well, according to that dynamic, Satan's winning, right? According to that dynamic, Satan's winning. Of course, we know that's not the case. During the last great day period, those people, and again, maybe I'm just funny along these lines, but so many times when I'm driving down the road and I pass a cemetery, not every time, but so many times I'm driving past the cemetery, I look over at all those headstones, and I think, you know something? Your day's coming.

You're going to stand on your feet at that gravesite. Your day's coming. Your best days are yet ahead of you. I remember when I was going through all the rigmarole I was going through before my open-heart surgery, going to University of Michigan, and as I was making my way down to various halls to see whatever doctor or do whatever procedure was required at that moment, they would have various pictures of graduating classes at the University of Michigan, and some of the classes back in the early days were very small. But you saw those old faces, and I was going down, and again, maybe it's just the way I think, but I look at those faces and realize they're all gone now, and probably anybody who ever knew that person is gone now, but God doesn't forget.

God remembers them, each and every one, and each and every one will be alive again. And how beautiful is that? Let's take a look at our final section of Scripture today over here in Ezekiel chapter 37. Final Scripture, and we're going to be here for a bit. Ezekiel chapter 37. Ezekiel 37 verse 3. He said to me, Son of Man, can these bones live? And so I answered, O Lord, you know, he wasn't wanting to make any of the statements at that point.

Again, he said to me, Prophesy to these bones, say to them, O dry bones, they've been down there a while. O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus, as the Lord got to these bones, surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. So here we're talking about being resurrected back to physical life. Breath, the breath of life is given to these people. That's the kind of breath we're talking about here. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you. So this is not a resurrection to a spiritual status. This is a resurrection to a physical status.

I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you and cover you with skin and put breath in you and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. Pretty powerful thing to know that you've died. Now you're standing and you know you're breathing in air. Your eyes are seeing things. And even in the prior life, maybe you didn't have the best vision, but now your vision is 20-20.

You've got robust health, whereas maybe you lived back in them whenever age. In so many people, the life expectancy was in their 20s or 30s. And maybe they're bowed over and all had all sorts of issues. But now as they're resurrected, they've got great vision, great body. They're breathing in and out. They go, wow! That would tend to get your attention, wouldn't it? That would tend to get your attention. So you've got a gift here of being made physical again.

It's a gift that God resurrects these people who've never had an opportunity back to physical life. Verse 11. Then He said to me, Son of Man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, our bodies are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off. So they realized that they were in a hopeless situation.

Notice the word, they were in a hopeless situation. But now that situation has passed because they're standing on their feet again. Verse 12. Therefore, prophecy and say to them, Thus says the Lord God, Behold, O my people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves and bring you into the land of Israel, flesh and blood. Then you shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you from your graves.

Repeating for emphasis. But now notice verse 14. I will put my spirit in you. Now there's a process for that, just like you went through. They're not going to be resurrected and immediately given God's Holy Spirit.

There's a process they're going to go through. They have to have an educated...you know, you're not going to resurrect some viking who wants to look for his battle axe, who wants to kill the first person he sees, and all of a sudden you give him God's Spirit. Right? That doesn't make any sense.

So there's got to be a process here. So we're kind of telescoping time here, but there's coming a point where it says, I will put my spirit in you. Now we talked about breath. That's a breath of life. But here's a different kind of spirit. It's the Holy Spirit. I will put my Spirit, my Holy Spirit, in you.

And you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I the Lord have spoken it and performed it, says the Lord. So an opportunity for the gift, the gift of God's Holy Spirit. All these gifts we've talked about that come through God's Holy Days.

Last couple of verses here, same chapter, Ezekiel 37, verse 26. Moreover, I will make a covenant of peace with them, and I shall be an everlasting covenant with them. I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My tabernacle shall also be with them. Indeed, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. So here these people are given the gift of the new covenant, the gift of the new covenant. So the last great day pictures the loving God's grace being made available to every human who's ever lived. So today, Brendan, what we've taken a look at is one of the greatest biblical truths is God is love. We've taken a look at one of the greatest biblical truths in action is that God and his love gave us Jesus Christ as a sacrifice. We've taken a look at the fact that gifts enhance relationships, and God has given us tremendous gifts. Among those great gifts are the gifts of his holy days, trumpets, the loving gift of godly government, atonement, the loving gift of universal reconciliation with God, not just first-roots, everybody who's ever lived, tabernacles, the loving gift of God's utopia on earth, and the last great day, the loving gift of God's grace being made available to all.