Looking Forward - Forgiving What is Behind

Most people on the earth are not Christian, nor has every person on the planet even heard the gospel message, repent, be baptized, and receive the Holy Spirit. As a result, many people who believe in what we would call modern-day Christianity believe that now is the time that all men must be saved, but most people won't be saved. That is the majority belief in the modern Christianity today. Many believe that God fails in numbers, so He is a God of quality children and has no regard for the quantity of children that He brings into eternal life. The Bible paints a much different picture, and that's why we're thankful to be here. It is why we're here today. God is exceedingly triumphant in both quality and quantity. God doesn't miss. So let's take a look at what this day pictures by examining what the eighth day represents. We're going to start with the eighth day command in Leviticus 23 and verse 39. We're just going to systematically go through the Bible and look at what the eighth day means. Leviticus 23 and verse 39. Leviticus 23 list all of God's feast days, starting with the weekly Sabbath and going through every feast day. Passover in the days of 11 bread, Pentecost, trumpets, atonement, tabernacles, and this eighth day. It says in verse 39 of Leviticus 23, also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you will keep the feast to the Lord for seven days. We just did that. On the first day, there will be a Sabbath rest, and on the eighth day, a Sabbath rest.

Not much else is said in the entire Bible about the eighth day. In Numbers 29, God explains what sacrifice to make on the eighth day, but not much else is said in regards to what the eighth day means. So much better. So we're going to hone in on the meaning of the number eight or eighth in the Bible. We're going to look at that today in this morning's service. Not all of us know what eight represents. So in order to understand what the eighth day represents to God, we need to look at how the phrase eighth day is used in context of other passages. So how do we really know what the eighth day is? I'm going to go through something to explain this, and I just want to let you know where I heard this from. I learned this from our former beloved President, Rick Shabie. I got this point from Mr. Shabie in Estes Park not last year, but two years ago. He went through this. I took copious notes. I listened to the video later. I thought, you know what? Just nailed it, and I'm going to give it to you. You see, God leaves breadcrumbs a trail of breadcrumbs in the Bible that informs us of what the eighth day after the Feast of Tabernacles means. I looked it up to see what the Jews thought it meant, and I went to their online commentary, their official online commentary. I think it's Chabad.org. And I looked up the meaning of the eighth day, and they said, it's God wanting to spend a little more time with man. So seven days plus one. Their explanation of the eighth day is God wanting to spend more time with man. And you know what? That is correct. That is correct.

It's much bigger than what they said, but it's a good start. They're actually correct.

Let's look at the very first time in the Bible when the word eighth day is mentioned. And we're going to string these mentions of eighth day together to see what the eighth day actually represents. Genesis 17, verse 9. Turn there with me, if you will. I'm notorious for reading the Scripture too quickly, so I brought some coffee up with me today. to take a sip while you turn. Genesis 17, verse 9. And God said to Abraham, as for you, you shall keep my covenant. So there's an agreement between Abraham and God. It wasn't a negotiation. All the rules came from God. Abraham simply had to agree. This covenant, you shall keep my covenant, God says. You and your descendants after you throughout the generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep between me and you and your descendants after you. Every male child among you shall be circumcised. You shall circumcise in the flesh of the foreskin, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male child in your generations, he is born in your house or bought with money from a foreigner who is not your descendant. So what is the eighth day? The eighth day? It's the beginning of a new week, isn't it? God created everything in six days, rested on the seventh day. That's your week. The seventh represents the complete week. So what is eight? It's the beginning of a new week.

The first part of this young boy's life, he wasn't covered by a covenant. But on the beginning of the new week, the eighth day, the child was under the covenant with God. This child had a new beginning, if you will. He completed a week, and then he had a brand new beginning with a covenant relationship with God. He was born one day, lived seven days without a covenant. Then on the eighth day, his life started a new chapter. Now under the covenant with God, in this case, the covenant of circumcision. Our circumcision, just to weave this in, is spiritual. Baptism, as it says in Romans, is our circumcision. Not at birth when we're adults, when we repent, when we are baptized. We're a new creation at that point. And what happens? What happens at baptism? A new life is created in us. We begin again. A new creation at that point, a new beginning. Paul says of our spiritual circumcision, our baptism, in Romans 6 and verse 4. Romans 6. Let's go there in verse 4.

I want you to notice the correlation between this child on the eighth day who's circumcised and enters the covenant and our spiritual circumcision, baptism. Romans 6 and verse 4. Paul says, therefore we were buried with him, speaking of Jesus Christ, through baptism into death. A lot of people think baptism is a bath to wash our sins away. No, baptism is a burial to say goodbye to the old you. And hello to a brand new you, symbolically a brand new you. It's still you coming out of that water. But symbolically, brand new, literally forgiven, through the baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also, get this, should walk in newness of life. Circumcision represents a new life. A life under a covenant.

How interesting. Circumcision is a forerunner of baptism. Baptism is the reality. And baptism is a new beginning. We can conclude that circumcision, which is a type of baptism, represents a new beginning. The eighth day of that baby boy's life, one full week, seven days with his mother, and then he is inducted into the congregation of Israel through circumcision. The forerunner of baptism. So we learn right off the bat, the eighth day represents a new beginning, a new life. The second mention of the eighth day was your produce. We heard this in the sermonette. We're going to read it again. The first of your produce and your flocks offered to God. Exodus chapter 22 verses 29 and 30. Exodus 22, verse 29.

God says, you shall not delay to offer the first of your right produce and your juices. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to me. Likewise, you shall do with your oxen and your sheep. It shall be its mother or with its mother for seven days. And on the eighth day you shall give it to me. A young calf or lamb stays with its mother for seven days. Then on the eighth day it can be used for a holy purpose. Until those first seven days are complete, it cannot be accepted by God. It is unacceptable to God those first seven days. God insists that you wait until the new week begins. One week has to be completed. The new week begins. And then that lamb, that goat or that calf, is acceptable to God for the holy use.

Seven refers to completion. The number eight, which follows the number seven, represents a new beginning after the seventh is completed. So once again we see with its offering the first of your crops and your herds, the number eight, equals a new beginning. Similarly, the third example of the eighth day in the Bible, we're just going in order here, are the priests. The priests were consecrated for seven days. They could not begin their holy work until the eighth day. The eighth day represented the beginning of the holy work of the priests. Their holy duties was on the eighth day and not before notice. Leviticus chapter 8 and verse 33. Leviticus chapter 8 verse 33.

And you shall not go outside the door of the tabernacle of meeting for seven days. The priests had to come in and consecrate themselves away from the congregation for a complete week. Until the days of consecration are ended for seven days, he shall consecrate you, separate you for a holy purpose, in other words.

As he has done this day, so the Lord has commanded to do to make atonement for you. Therefore, you shall stay at the door of the tabernacle of meeting day and night for seven days and keep charge of the Lord so that you may not die, for so I have been commanded. So Aaron and his sons did all the things that the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses. Chapter 9 verse 1. And it came to pass on the eighth day. There's the third mention of the eighth day in the Bible. It came to pass on the eighth day. Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel. So we see again, it took seven days to complete something. Seven days the priests were consecrated, meaning made ready for the holy purpose. On the eighth day, their consecration, or the seventh day, their consecration was completed, and on the eighth day they were ready for a holy purpose. They were ready to be with and serve God. They weren't acceptable to be with and serve God during that first seven days. They were made ready, and they were ready to do a new job on the eighth day. What a picture these three examples of the eighth day represent. The eighth day is a new beginning. A new week starts. The priests had to complete one full week, and at the beginning of a new week, the eighth day, they could work for God. Okay, let's do one more example of the eighth day. Very, very similar. Same pattern. No contradiction. Here's the fourth example of the eighth day consecrating the altar of the burnt offerings for the future temple, the temple in the temple in Ezekiel. Notice the consistency with how the eighth day is portrayed. It's very important. It's very important. For seven days, something is consecrated, and then on the eighth day, it can be used in God's service. So what does this day represent? Ezekiel chapter 43 verses 25 through 27. Ezekiel 43 verse 25.

Every day for seven days.

See the pattern here, right? You shall prepare a goat for a sin offering, and they shall prepare a young bull for a ram for the flock, both without blemish. Seven days they shall make atonement for the altar to purify it, to consecrate it. When these days are over, it shall be on the eighth day, and thereafter, that the priest shall offer your burnt offerings and your peace offerings on the altar, and I will accept you. Unacceptable during the first seven days, and on the eighth day, acceptable, says the Lord God. All four examples we went through about the eighth day have this in common. A baby born stays with his mother seven days, and on the eighth day he circumcised, picturing a new life accepted into the congregation of Israel, the people of God. When you had the firstfruits to offer the firstborn of the flock, it was with its mother for seven days, and on the eighth day it was ready to be given to God. The priests were not to go into the temple and serve God, but they had to be consecrated or made ready for seven days, and then on the eighth day they could serve God. Even the altar that they burnt sacrifices on was not to be used in the service of God. They had to wait seven days to be consecrated, to use it for God, and then it could be used to serve God. Here's the correlation. Six thousand years of mankind in this earth of misery, strife, thievery, crime, divorce, war, and then a one thousand year millennium of cleaning all of that up under the rule of Jesus Christ, pictured by the Feast of Tabernacles that we just kept, showing how living God's way actually works. That's seven thousand years to prepare mankind to meet God. And then comes the final chapter. What this day pictures. A new beginning. The eighth day, which starts one of the most wonderful truths that encourages us, brethren, that the world and its religions don't have. There will be a second and very large resurrection, and a white throne judgment, and then God will create new spirit beings. We will already be spirit beings, helping Jesus Christ to accomplish this. That's pictured on the Feast of Trumpets.

This is about the rest of the world. The goal of the eighth day is that neither you nor anyone will be physical anymore. Higher than angels, sons of God, what God has called us to be, a new beginning to eternity, to everyone who is willing to bow their knee to God and Jesus Christ. Some won't be willing. I've heard multiple people this Feast speculate that most will. I think so. I think that when Jesus said many are called and few are chosen, He was talking about now. He was talking about the church. He also said the church would be a very small church. I correlate those two statements together myself personally. It's just an opinion. I correlate those together because God doesn't call the mighty of the world now. He calls the weak and the base things that no flesh should glory.

That we don't have bragging rights for being firstfruits. When everybody sees us, God's intent for calling you and me, and this is not an insult. It is a compliment, but it sounds like an insult. The reason we're in this room is so that when we're spirit beings and we see those we love to help them into the kingdom, they'll go, you? Okay, we've got this. We've got this. If they can make it, we can do this.

If you think that through, brethren, that is actually incredibly encouraging. Because it's not about us. It's about what God does in us. And we're supposed to have the humility to realize that.

Going first doesn't mean better. It actually means lesser.

We celebrated the first resurrection at the Feast of Trumpets with scriptures like Zechariah 14, 1 Thessalonians 4, and other places tell us the saints will be with Jesus in that first resurrection, and our troubles will be over. We will be spirit beings. This day is not about us. But it is so encouraging to us.

Because we won't be the blight of the world anymore. Remember that old sitcom Cheers, where everybody knows your name?

That's what this day is.

Jesus spoke of another resurrection in John 5. Let's go to the Gospels, John 5, verse 28. John 5, 28.

A verse that gets misquoted in the world all the time. John 5, verse 28. Jesus says, Do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming, when all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come forth, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, that's the Feast of Trumpets. If you just keep the Holy Days, this scripture is so clear. And those who have done evil, and if you read the book of Romans, that's everybody, all have sanded balls short of the glory of God. Those who have done evil, in other words, everybody else, to the resurrection of, and of course our translations write, condemnation, and that is fair. You could use that word for condemnation. You could also use that word for judgment, making a decision. That's what it means in the book of Revelation, when speaking of the first resurrection, at Jesus Christ Returns, which we celebrated at Trumpets. John mentioned something that happens on the eighth day, or represented by the eighth day, the time when the seven thousand years are up. Here's what John was inspired to say, Revelation 20, verse 5. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection, speaking of the first resurrection, this is the first resurrection. But the rest of the dead live again. Modern day Christianity teaches that once a man dies, his fate is sealed. His judgment is already made. But that's not what the Bible says. Look at a very clear, easy truth in Hebrews chapter 9, a very basic principle that God inspired us to understand. Hebrews 9, verse 27. And it is appointed for men once to die. We all have an expiration date in this physical, temporary life. But, it says, after this, the judgment.

Judgment happens after most people die. If men were appointed to die and then be judged afterward, they're not being condemned now. That is such a fundamental truth that Christianity at large has drifted away from.

I think the big reason they've drifted away from it is that Satan deceived them to drift away from it. I think the way he motivated them to drift away from it is if he didn't scare people now, they wouldn't come to church and pay their tithes.

That was an easy one. An easy doctrine to twist. Don't get me wrong. All men will have to answer for every idle word that they speak now. All thoughts, all words, our actions will be brought forward into the time of judgment. But most professing Christians today, to one degree or another, believe that once a man dies, his fate is sealed. There's no more learning, no opportunity to be forgiven, no accepting Christ's sacrifice, no atonement for sin, and therefore no eternal life. No new beginning. No eighth day.

Why does the world not have this hope? They don't keep the eighth day.

God paints a very different picture in the Bible. If we just have eyes to see and ears to hear. Joel 2, verse 28. Listen to the key phrase here. Joel 2, the minor prophet Joel 2, verse 28. And it shall come to pass afterward.

Not now. And it shall come to pass in my lifetime. No. Afterward.

Joel is pointing to a time that this day pictures. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. It's not in this lifetime that that beautiful prophecy will come to pass. Joel says it will come to pass afterwards. Afterward means not now, not today. Just like Hebrews chapter 9. It's after their death. We see in Joel that God's spirit comes afterward. Not today. Not this lifetime. Only a few, God's firstfruits, actually receive his spirit in this lifetime. And we have to go through a dark, evil world living God's way. The rest of the world, all flesh, as Joel says, will receive that gift later. Think about all who have ever lived. God is so fair. God is so merciful. He will stop a tropical storm from raining on a teen event so that the teens can go swimming at the Feast of Tabernacles, and then let the rain come five minutes after it's over. Do you think he's going to neglect all who have ever lived? If he will do something so minor and treat it as so important, how important are the ancient Egyptians, the Mongols, the Queen of Sheba, King Cyrus and the Persian Empire, Alexander the Great, Queen Cleopatra? What about the first aborigines of Australia that traveled there? What about the Maori of New Zealand? What about the Incas? What about the Mayans?

People in history who never knew the name of Jesus Christ because Jesus Christ wasn't even born yet. What about your loved ones? What about that uncle? I've got that uncle, who was an atheist.

What about your children who didn't choose the right path? What about them? In Revelation 20, we read, the rest of the dead would live again. In Hebrews 9, we read that there would be judgment after that death, not now. We read in Joel 2 that that would include the pouring out of God's Spirit on all flesh. Well, you don't condemn someone you're pouring your Spirit out on.

So that judgment can lead to salvation still. Notice another prophecy that shows us that the rest of the dead means all people, not Christians or just Israel alone, but literally everybody. I love this. Isaiah 65 verse 1. Let's go there.

Modern Christianity has it wrong. God has it right. Let's stay with God. Isaiah 65 verse 1.

Believe your Bible. Believe the Word of God. I was sought, God says, by those who did not ask for me. That's definitely not the church, because we ask for Him. I was found by those who did not seek me. That's not us. I said, here I am, here I am. When something is repeated in Hebrew, its emphasis, it's an exclamation point. It's joy. It's not God going, here I am. You can come if you want to. It's God saying, here I am! Oh boy! Now we can be together. That's what here I am, here I am means in Hebrew. I was found by those who did not seek me, and I said, here I am, here I am, here I am, to a nation that was not called by my name. So not Israel. The rest of the dead. Let's go to our key verse for the sermon today. Stay in Isaiah 65, and we're going to read verses 16 and 17, and 17 is our key verse. A new era will be ushered in. A beautiful, wonderful, encouraging era. Isaiah 65 verse 16. This makes everything we face in life worth it. Verse 16 of Isaiah 65.

Everything you're facing now will be resolved, will be over, will literally be forgotten. Listen.

Because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hidden from my eyes, it's not going to hold anything against us. For behold, I create a new heaven and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.

There will be no such thing as the good old days. The old days will be gone. The meaning of this day, the eighth day, is being built in you and me now. The ability to look forward and forgive and forget the past. A beautiful day.

Are you letting God's Spirit work in you to let past hurts go? That's not easy. Oh, it's easy to stand up here and say, but that's not easy to do. Let me just encourage us again and remind us again, brethren. Holding a grudge only hurts us. It doesn't even affect the people we're holding a grudge against. They go about their day, most of the time, completely unaware that we're steaming and fuming over what they did. And forgiveness only helps you. Oh, it helps them too. But it helps you so much more. Because do you realize that when you forgive somebody a transgression, don't think too highly of yourself. You don't forgive on behalf of God. That's not what your forgiveness does. Your forgiveness says, you, person who's equal to me in the eyes of God, no longer owe me. But whatever sin they committed, they committed against you and God. Read Psalm 51. Read Psalm 51. When David killed Uriah the Hittite, David's point was against you I have sinned. They still have to repent humbly before God for every single thing they did. So what does you forgiving them do? Well, it renews the right relationship between you and God. And it takes the weight off of your shoulders. Look forward and forget what is behind. Let God's spirit work in you. Let past hurts go. Say to those people that hurt you, you don't owe me anything anymore. And you're free. I don't need to be paid back for what you did. And all of a sudden, you're the one who is free. Free yourself. Think of this day, a day when all troubles will be forgotten. And do that now.

Trumpets pictures the saving of the world and our personal salvation. The eighth day pictures so much more than personal salvation. We look back and we see hurts in life, words that we've said, words that other people have said to us, actions that we've taken that we may be ashamed of, actions that others have taken that were shameful. We look back and we look at opportunities lost and we have regret. We look at enemies who stole opportunities from us and we harbor anger. And then we look back and we look at those health issues we shouldn't have ignored. And those dietary issues we shouldn't have ignored. And then we look at those health issues we had no way to avoid. There was just, you know, no way to get out of that one. And there was a time coming that is pictured by the eighth day that fixes all of that. God's going to resurrect everyone who's ever lived and give them the opportunity to make things right. Here's God's motivation. It's not just the eighth day, but for His entire holy day plan, starting with Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread and ending with the eighth day, this is God's motivation for the whole thing. First Timothy, please go there and read this. First Timothy chapter 2 verses 3 and 4. I love these two scriptures we're going to read. First Timothy 2 verse 3. This is God's motivation for His plan. He says why He does it. Verse 3. First Timothy chapter 2 verse 3. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior. Who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth? Why did God call you? Why are you here? Why did you have to leave work or leave school and have those awkward conversations? The Feast of what? You want me to let you go where?

Who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth? This is why. Like that scripture, that was Paul who wrote that. Peter wrote 2 Peter 3 and verse 9. We also heard this in the sermonette. Great review. To read it again, 2 Peter 3 and verse 9. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise. Remember he said, Here I am twice.

He is not slack. He is enthusiastic about this plan. He is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness. You know, we go through this life and we suffer. That's why they accuse God of being slack. Oh, if God really loved us, Jesus would be here now. Nay, nay. Not everybody who is supposed to be born is born yet. We just need to do our job. Buckle down and do your job. God's not slack. He's enthusiastic. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering towards us.

I'm so glad for that little statement, is long suffering towards us. Otherwise, we would all be little grief spots around the world. Not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. This day gives us vision, and we need to look back at a life we have lived and loved ones that we have had and that we have lost sometimes, but not mourn as others mourn. For they only look back. We look forward to a better time. Notice of the people listed who had faith. Notice this really neat aspect of those who had faith. They always looked forward. Notice Hebrews 11, verse 8.

Now we read this in Isaiah 65. The troubles are forgotten, and we only look forward. Notice the people of faith did just that. Hebrews 11, verse 8. Now by faith, Abraham, when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive an inheritance, and he went out, not knowing where he was going. Hey, that sounds like us. Abraham gave us an example because we were going to go through the same thing, not really knowing where we're going.

You don't know what's coming tomorrow, but you'd take it on anyway. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith, he dwelt in a land of promise and in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. Why? Because he looked forward, brethren. Verse 10. For he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

He didn't look at his tents, he didn't look at the here and now, he didn't look at his surroundings. He looked to the kingdom of God. Verse 13. And these all died in faith. Listen to everybody who died in faith. Listen to how they looked at life. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off.

They looked forward, were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. That's us. You ever felt strange for keeping the Feast of Tabernacles? You ever felt like a foreigner in your own country? So did everybody of faith. Verse 14. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. They look forward, not behind. They forgave the past. They strive for the kingdom of God. And truly, if they called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.

And so do you. If you sought the world, you could go back. But you would not be fit for the kingdom of God. We look forward. Verse 15. And truly, if they had called to mind the country where they had come out, they would...

Oh, verse 16. But now they desire a better that is a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God. For He has prepared a city for them. The eighth day. They didn't look behind at everything they lost. All of the hurts, all of the missed opportunities, all of the regrets, all of the disappointments. We all have those. The people of faith looked forward.

And by looking forward and not behind, brethren, we have an enhanced ability to let go of the past. If we hold on to the future and we've got a grasp on it, we actually have the ability to let go of the past. It's when we stop looking forward that life starts to get really difficult. We can forgive past hurts. We can heal so that we can teach others to heal. This is our calling. This is our duty before God. It is our job to look forward, not behind. How can we accomplish this in the year ahead? Take God's perspective with you. Back to our key verse, Isaiah 65, verse 16 and 17. Isaiah 65, verse 16 and 17. So that he who blesses himself shall bless himself in God of truth, in the God of truth. And he who swears in the earth shall swear by the God of truth. Because the former troubles are forgotten. And because they are hidden from my eyes. For behold, I create a new heaven and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. So having this hope of the future helps you forgive the past. Look forward. The eighth day represents our greatest hope. It represents God's greatest victory. A day when all who have ever lived will have the opportunity to be forgiven, to have their sins covered by the blood of Jesus Christ, and to be acceptable to live with God and serve God forever. That's what every example of eighth day represents in the Old Testament. A new beginning. As we reflect on the feast, we go home, we think about it, oh that was fun, that was neat, that dinner, this was my favorite restaurant. We thank God in our prayers for it, for all He's given us this year in Daytona Beach. Let's remember what we're supposed to do, what our job is. Overcome the selfish person inside, that's where we started the feast, and look forward to the bright future that will come. That's where God ends the feast on the eighth day. That's what the eighth day represents. A new beginning for all of us to be reunited and reconciled and loved. Philippians 3 verse 13. Philippians chapter 3 verse 13. Brethren, I do not count myself as apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. May we all go from here and forget the past and press toward the upward call of God and Jesus Christ.