Rise and Go to the Father

On matonement, we picture the putting away of sin that separates us from God, and the putting away of the instigator of that sin, the one who led mankind off track from the beginning. One of the major meanings of this day is reconciliation with God. Reconciliation. If you want to turn to Romans chapter 5 for an opening scripture. I was debating whether to turn here or just cite it, but I think it's worth turning and reading. As we think about that goat ceremony that we read earlier, and I'm glad that Mr. Call read that. I make it a point to read it at least myself every year on the day of atonement, but it sometimes can be hard to work the whole thing into a sermon. But that goat ceremony had the two goats. One representing Satan, who bore his responsibility for the sins... well, the goat bore the responsibility for the sins of Israel. Satan will bear his responsibility for his part in the sins of all mankind and be sent away. But of course, the other goat represented Jesus Christ, who gave his life as a sacrifice to pay for our sins. Romans 5 and verse 10 says, For when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God, through the death of his Son, and much more then, having been reconciled, will be saved by his life.

When we're reconciled to God, we're able to be closer to him. In a sense, we come into his presence. And that relates to our purpose, to be children in God's family.

That's what many people are seeking when they make a pilgrimage.

Now, as I said, the meaning has changed in our modern culture. Out of all the world's major religions, and I'm saying major in terms of number of people involved, not including God's true religion, but out of all the major religions, only one requires a pilgrimage, and that's Islam. One of the tenets of Islam is that Muslims, once in their life, if they're able to, and healthy enough and have the money, have to travel to Mecca one time in their life. But there are other religions that encourage pilgrimages. Jews like to travel to Jerusalem, and are encouraged to do so. Of course, they go to the Western Wall, the remaining remnants of the temple, sometimes called the Wailing Wall. Christians also visit Jerusalem, and they want to visit sites that are significant to Christ's ministry or the apostles. Hindus travel to the Ganges River, and swim in it, which I hear is dangerous.

And of course, I'm not that familiar with Buddhism. I believe there are various places that devout Buddhists will go to see one of their big statues and pray. But as I said, in modern America, we've widened the concept of pilgrimage so that it includes a journey for just about any spiritual purpose, moral or emotional.

By that, you might have heard this, an Elvis fan might make a pilgrimage to Graceland, and they feel like they've reached some great significance. Baseball fans might journey to Cooperstown. And I missed one this morning. Leo Sancho pointed out, I can't believe when I was talking about secular pilgrimages, how many people go to Disney World?

And it's almost a rite of passage. Almost everybody has to go once in their life.

But pilgrimages reach such a stature. You might remember in a sermon I gave some weeks ago, I talked about how certain jokes, the framework of a joke, becomes commonplace in our culture. Like the three guys walk into a bar and then you get the punchline. Well, pilgrimage is kind of like that. It's become a standard for one-panel cartoons.

So the idea is that someone has climbed this mountain to speak to this wise holy man. And it's so common that a one-panel cartoon can just show the weary traveler standing on the cliff and the robed holy man then gives him the punchline, which is always something silly like, you know, only use creamy peanut butter when you make your PB&J or, you know, something that's supposed to be the meaning of life that... That's actually something I think Lucy would have told Charlie Brown.

Anyways.

The moral quest or journey has become common in a lot of movies. Most of us have seen The Wizard of Oz. Or, of course, they're going to see supposedly a wise person that can help Dorothy find her way home and the scarecrow get a heart and what, the tin man get a brain or is it the other way around?

But you know what I mean.

When I was writing this, I was intrigued. I thought of, oh yeah, one that I saw recently, well, relatively recently, was American Graffiti about teenagers driving cars around all night in California. And one fellow has this quest to find this pretty girl he saw and also to decide what to do with the rest of his life. You know, sort of two big questions there. And he finally reaches this understanding when he finds the radio station and sits and eats popsicles with Wolfman Jack. And he decides what he's going to do with his life. Some of you have seen the movie, right?

I even saw a silly movie a couple years ago about some big Star Wars fans who made what they considered a pilgrimage to George Lucas's ranch so that they could break in and view the new Star Wars movie before it was out in theaters. Now, I'm going far astray here, but what I wanted to make the point was that all this jumble around the idea of pilgrimage has obscured the meaning of how true Christians find spiritual meaning and purpose, how true Christians draw close to God. And we need to do that. You could say, in a sense, all of humanity has a quest to find God. Most of them don't see it most of the time. People are blinded because Satan has not yet been put away. People don't understand what's going on, but most people at some time or another feel this emptiness in their life. They realize that they're missing something of great significance, and some people feel it as this emotional or spiritual hole, and they try to fill it with drugs or alcohol or illicit sex or whatever, many different kinds of things. But the only thing they can really fill that hole is contact with God and with His Holy Spirit. Given the season of the year, we're probably, most of us are thinking about making a pilgrimage of a sense. I said, major religions don't require a journey, but God's Word does require a journey, and we're going to look at some scriptures that talk about that later. We're all thinking about going to the Feast of Tabernacles. And isn't that exciting to think about? I was telling Sue earlier, one of the exciting things is after the end of services on atonement. You know, you start, there's no other big obstacle usually to going to the Feast. So you're talking about where are you going and what are you doing? And the travel, it seems to me when I was younger, it used to be a bigger journey. It was like a pilgrimage. You'd get in the car and go for days, and you remember those little green bumper stickers.

Everybody experienced that. It was wonderful. If you pulled into a gas station and you saw a car with one of those stickers, that was so exciting. But before we can partake in the meaning of that feast, we have to make sure that our minds and our purpose and our goals are in line with God's. We need to be reconciled. I want to read one of Jesus's parables that I think sums this up, and I sort of got this idea from this. And it's about a young man who makes a journey. We're going to go to Luke chapter 15. Luke 15 beginning in verse 11. And if you recognize the chapter, I'm talking about the parable of the prodigal son, which we don't usually read on this day, but I'm making this point about our reconciliation, about going to be with God.

So, Luke chapter 15 beginning in verse 11. Jesus says, A certain man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me. So he didn't want to wait to get his inheritance. So the father obligingly divided all his goods, all of his livelihood, to his two sons. And not many days after that, the younger son gathered all together and journeyed to a far country. And there wasted his possessions on prodigal... I'm never sure if it's prodigal or prodigal, but prodigal. He wasted all of his goods, though. Now, this theme could be in many movies, or, as I said, many people's lives, where they're out looking for something. But, of course, in verse 13, not many days... No, verse 14, when he'd spent all, there arose a severe famine in the land, and he began to be in want. And then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country. He sent him into his fields to feed swine, and he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate. No one gave him anything. I think, reading this on atonement, this is one day a lot of us can sympathize with him a little more on that. When he came to himself, suddenly his mind cleared. He said, how many of my father's hired servants have bread enough in despair? I perish with hunger. He's realizing that the things that he really wants and that are most important are back home. And then he says the key phrase here. He says, I will arise and go to my father. I will arise and go to my father. And I'll say to him, father, I've sinned against heaven and before you. I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants. And he rose and he came to his father, but when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion. His father didn't say, no, you did me wrong and I'm not letting you back in. He had compassion, but the son still gets to give his speech. He says, father, I've sinned against heaven and in your sight. I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. The father said to a servant, bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet and bring the fatted calf here and kill it. Let us eat and be merry, for this is my son who was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found and they began to be married. I hope we can see some of the spiritual analogy because this is like all of us. All of us have sinned and we know that the Bible says all of sin and the wages of sin is death. So like the prodigal son, we all are as good as dead. But like the prodigal son, when we discover the things we need, the prodigal son realized he wanted to have food and shelter. He wanted to be loved, included in a family. He wanted to be safe and protected.

He could have all of those things when he arose and went to his father.

And that applies to us. God, our heavenly father, is very merciful. We need not only these physical things described, but we need God's Spirit. We need life. We need to be saved. And we can have those things if we'll ask for it and if we'll simply arise and go to the Father. Let's go to Deuteronomy chapter 12. I'm thinking about traveling and I didn't really give much of a pre-fist sermon this year, so I wanted to read some of these scriptures anyways. Deuteronomy 12, and we'll begin in verse 11.

Deuteronomy 12 verse 11, then there will be in the place where the eternal your God chooses to make his name abide. Important. Where he chooses to make his name, there you shall bring all that I command you, your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to the Lord. And you shall rejoice before the eternal your God, you and your sons and your daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gate, since he has no portion or inheritance with you. Now that's an exciting thought. That's going to the place where God puts his name for a very good purpose. Let's move ahead to chapter 14. Deuteronomy 14, we'll begin reading in verse 22.

Now I'm not going into it here, but we know other places that says that we're not allowed to have the tithe. So this must be a second tithe, which we save that second tithe and use it to go and keep the feast. But if the journey is too long for you so that you're not able to carry the tithe, or if the place which the eternal your God chooses to make his name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, the first born of your herds and your floss, that you may learn to fear the truth so that you're not able to carry the tithe, or if the place which the eternal your God chooses to put his name is too far from you when the eternal your God has blessed you, then exchange the tithe for money and take the money in your hand and go to the place which the eternal your God chooses. Spend that money for whatever your heart desires, for oxen sheep or wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires. You shall eat there before the eternal your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. Now, this tells us a lot about how to keep the Feast of Tabernacles and why, and all those lessons are very worthwhile, but I want to focus on that element of making a journey. It's a type of pilgrimage. It's going to be with God. God says, I'm going to put my name someplace, and I want you to go to it, and so we do. Now, we don't usually call it a pilgrimage, and I'm not going to suggest that we should start calling it that, but I want you to think of that concept of a journey for a significant reason or religious reason, a spiritual purpose. But before ever making the physical journey, mentally and spiritually, we must prepare. We must ready ourselves. We must be ready to go to our Father and be reconciled to Him.

One of the reasons we travel to the Feast, to go to a place where God puts His name, is because we believe God is there. We want a need to be where God is. We want to be in God's presence.

But of course, God doesn't allow sin in His presence. That's why we need to be forgiven. We need atonement. We need the blood of Christ. And of course, the ultimate fulfillment will come when Satan is put away and all the origin of sin.

But I just said we were going to go there. We had to go there to be in God's presence. Is that really so? Some might say, does it matter? A lot of people say, well, I'm always with God because God is everywhere. And that's true in a sense. I'm not meaning to contradict myself, but I don't want to say that's not true because God's Spirit permeates the universe. We can pray to Him from any time, any from any place at any time. And God dwells in Christians through His Holy Spirit. But that does not mean that God cannot or is not in a particular place. Let's quickly read a couple scriptures on that. We'll go to Ecclesiastes first. Ecclesiastes 5 and verse 2. Ecclesiastes 5.

This is one of those, I think it's just good to read every now and then, it's one of those scriptures that kind of puts you in your place. It says, Do not be rash with your mouth, let not your heart utter anything hastily before God, saying, watch what you say, for God is in heaven and you're on earth. If you ever start feeling full of yourself, which I have done many a time, start feeling, well, I'm really something. It's good to read this. God is in heaven and you're on earth, so just cut it out. Watch what you say. Be careful. Let's also turn to Hebrews 9 and verse 24.

Hebrews 9. I'm taking this a little out of context, but I want to make the point that Christ made the sacrifice and then went to be with the Father. Hebrews 9 verse 24. For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true. He's talking about the physical temple. But into heaven, so Christ has entered into heaven, now to appear in the presence of God for us. So, clearly, according to Scripture, there is such a thing as God's presence. Now, God is in heaven, but he can go to other places. Now, we know before he became Jesus Christ, the one who became Christ appeared to Abraham and sat down and had a meal with him. And it's obvious that was God. The fall holy days picture a dramatic change in our relationship with God. Instead of God being in heaven and us on earth, the fulfillment of these days of the entirety of God's plan will bring a time when we can be with God. He won't be away in heaven and us down here will be in the same place. And when we keep these days, we're acknowledging our need and our desire for that. We act out what the prodigal son said he would do. We, likewise, say, I'll arise and go to my father. Let's read a little bit about what it's like to be in God's presence. Let's go back to the Old Testament again to Exodus. Exodus 19.

Exodus 19 will begin in verse 16. I have to watch. I'm not speaking too fast. I don't have any water here to stop and take a drink and slow myself down. Now, this, of course, is after God led the children of Israel out of Egypt and brought them to Mount Sinai and was about to appear. And it says something specific about God's presence starting in verse 16. Then it came to pass on the third day in the morning that there were thunderings and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain. The sound of the trumpet was very loud so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God. Now, they were, they'd got up to go see God and they stood at the foot of the mountain. And now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke because the eternal descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace and the whole mountain quaked greatly. Then the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder. Moses spoke and God answered him by voice. And then the eternal came down upon Mount Sinai. So this is talking about the presence of God. He came down and we saw smoke and fire and lightning and loud noise. And the eternal called Moses to the top of the mountain and Moses went up. Now, not just anybody could go in God's presence. Of course, here God gives a warning in verse 21. The eternal said to Moses, go down and warn the people lest they break through to gaze at the Lord and many perish. So there's some danger of getting too close to God if God doesn't will it and is not, if you're not prepared. Let's move ahead to chapter 24. I'm going to read several places here in Exodus. Exodus 24. This is going to show that God has control of how much of his glory is manifested when he's present. It's obvious, well, we're going to see when God's full glory is there, no one could survive being in his presence. God is able to, I don't know if you'd say it like being having a dimmer switch. Turn it down slightly. Here in Exodus 24. Now he that is God said to Moses, come up to the eternal you and Aaron, Nadab and of Ihu and seventy of the elders of Israel and worship from afar and Moses alone shall come near the eternal but they shall not come near nor shall the people go up with him and if we'll skip down to verse nine.

Now see this carried out. Moses went up also Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone. It was like the very heavens in clarity but on the nobles of the children of Israel he did not lay his hand so they saw God and they ate and drank. They said God must have limited the manifestation of his power and glory for a brief time. There's a similar episode when he appeared in the burning bush to Moses. We know it was God's presence because he told Moses, well take off your shoes this is holy ground. Let's go to chapter 34.

Of course Moses went up and didn't, he wasn't sitting across the table from God as far as we know where it's kind of sketchy. God didn't tell us or Moses didn't tell us exactly what happened and God didn't inspire him to but he was up there for a long time. We know at one point he told God I'd really like to see you and God told him no one can see my glory and live. You know, I'll let you see me as I'm walking away. That was the closest he could get. But we know Moses was in God's presence here in chapter 34 verse 29. This had an effect on Moses and by the way while Moses was up there he neither ate nor drank 40 days. And I wonder, you know, we know Christ fasted for 40 days and 40 nights and then met, you know, temptation by Satan. I wonder about Moses because it says he was up there 40 days and 40 nights and he didn't eat or drink anything. And then he came down of course and they made the golden calf. So he broke the tablets, ground up the calf, you know, made him drink it and God said come on back up and I'll give you new tablets. And he was up there for 40 days and 40 nights again and didn't eat or drink. And I've always wondered while he was down there breaking the tablets and grinding up the calf if he ate a sandwich or something or was it 80 days he went without? In any case, I says I it doesn't specifically say so but I think God gave him the power. I mean spiritually Moses was energized and charged up. And I like to think of that while I'm standing up here on atonement because I remember when I was younger, I was talking earlier about when I was 17, I used to come to services and I'd see the ministers. I thought, man, they got to get up and speak. You know, it's all I could do to drag myself here. I'm so hungry.

And I thought, well, God must give them the ability to do this by the power of His Spirit. And I can't say that I plugged in or something and God gave me power, but I think it's true.

And also, of course, the more you fast, the more comfortable you get with it. So those you guys that are younger, you'll see it gets a little easier when you're older. Not tons easier, but I've gotten myself off track. Moses was up there in God's presence, and as I said, it had an effect here in chapter 34 in verse 29. It was so when Moses came down from Mount Sinai and the two tablets of the testimony were in Moses' hand when he came down from the mountain, Moses didn't know it, but the skin of his face shone while he talked to him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone. They were afraid to come near him. Moses called to them, and I'm not going to keep reading, but Moses ended up putting a veil over his face because being in God's presence, somehow, power was imbued into Moses, so he was literally glowing and light was shining off of him. That's an amazing thing of being with God. Now, let's read what happens when God's power is manifested fully. Let's go ahead a few pages to chapter 40. Exodus 40, and we'll begin in verse 18. This is when they finished building the tabernacle. God gave them elaborate instructions for how to do that. And so here, chapter 40 in verse 18, Moses raised up the tabernacle. It was a large tent, a portable temple, and fastened its sockets, set up its boards, put in its bars, and raised its pillars. Now, let's go to verse 34. Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the eternal filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the eternal filled the tabernacle. Now, that says something. God manifested His glory. It was so great that not even Moses, no one could be in there. Now, if I understand the Hebrew word correctly, this is called the Shekinah glory. When God manifests His power, His presence, the Shekinah, He's there, and human beings can't stand it. Now, that's important to consider. We read earlier in Leviticus 16, you know, the priest couldn't come into the Holy of Holies just any time. As a matter of fact, let's go there. We're nearby. Leviticus 16. I'm going to read the only part of this chapter that Mr. called it and read.

The first couple verses here. The eternal spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron when they offered propane fire. The eternal said to Moses, Tell Aaron your brother not to come just any time into the holy place inside the veil before the mercy seat which is in the ark, lest he die, for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat. God's saying, My presence is there. You can't just come in any time. It'll kill you. So, God gave them an elaborate procedure and set one day of the year that the high priest could come into God's presence. The day of atonement. That's today. This day symbolizes coming into God's presence, being reconciled to him. Because, remember, the two goats symbolize the two things that need to happen. The origin of sin is taken away and then the penalty for sin is paid. We can see another place where the Shekinah glory is displayed if you go to 2 Chronicles. Once might have been enough to explain it, but I just like the way this is worded. So, let's read it. 2 Chronicles chapter 5.

And you'll see the parallel. Of course, the first time was when the tabernacle was finished, which was a portable temple. Now is when the physical temple built at Jerusalem by Solomon. Well, Solomon probably wasn't out there laying bricks, but he designed it and oversaw the work. It was finished. And we're going to read that in 2 Chronicles chapter 5.

So, all the work that Solomon had done for the house of the Eternal was finished. And Solomon brought in the things which his father David had dedicated. The silver and the gold and all the furnishings and put them in the treasuries of the house of God. Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes and the chief fathers of the children of Israel and Jerusalem that they might bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Eternal up from the city of David, which is in Zion. So, they do this. Everything's ready. Now, let's go down to verse 13.

Verse 13. For Solomon had made a bronze platform five... Wait a minute. No wonder. I think I went ahead of chapter. Yeah, sorry. Chapter 5 verse 13. For indeed it came to pass when the trumpeters and singers were as one to make one sound to be heard praising and thanking the Eternal, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Eternal, saying, He is good, his mercy endures forever, that the house of the Eternal was filled with a cloud, so that the priest could not continue ministering because of the cloud, for the glory of the Eternal filled the house of God.

Once again, the Shekinah glory came in, and there's something I didn't read. In both of these cases, though, God sent fire miraculously to ignite the sacrifice, and He told the high priest, keep that fire burning always. Don't get out with a, you know, a piece of flint and a stone and start a fire. You keep that fire going. It was an eternal flame, literally. Let's go ahead and move ahead to chapter 6, because I want to pick put in some details.

This recounts some of the same story, but chapter 6 details the prayer that Solomon gave. Then Solomon spoke, and the Eternal said, and he said that the Eternal said, He would dwell in the dark cloud. I have surely built you an exalted house and a place for you to dwell forever. Now let's move to verse 18. So Moses, or Moses, Solomon saying, I built you a house, a place for you to live. But Solomon realizes how great God is. In verse 18, he says, But will God indeed dwell with men on earth? Behold heaven, and the heaven of heavens cannot contain you. How much this temple which I've built. Yet, regard the prayer of your servant and his supplication, O eternal my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which your servant is praying before you, that your eyes may be open towards this temple day and night, toward the place which you said you would put your name, that you may hear the prayer which your servant makes towards this place.

So this is Solomon saying, I know you're not going to come down here and live and always be here. Even heaven isn't enough for you. Now that's not saying that God didn't come down that day when we read of the Shekinah glory. We'll see it again in chapter 7. But he was saying, I want you to, if you at least Solomon prayed and asked God, put your name here and pay attention to this place. This is a location that's important. And there's every indication that God did that, exactly.

Matter of fact, I believe I was reading the account earlier of Jehoshaphat. Is that a week or two weeks ago? Time gets blurry. But Jehoshaphat referred to this when he was praying to God, saying, you said if we come here and pray to you and come to this place and call on your name, you would deliver us.

And of course, God did deliver the children of Israel at that time. 2 Chronicles 7. We're going to move to the end of the long prayer that Solomon gave, although it makes a good study if you want to go back and read it sometime. When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Eternal filled the temple, and the priests could not enter the house of the Eternal because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord's house.

I think that tells us something significant. God can be everywhere. He's omnipresent. He can be everywhere through His Spirit, but He's in a location, and He makes significance in places. That tells us something about the significance of traveling to a feast site, and I believe also to every place where we gather on the Sabbath or on an annual holy day. Now, that doesn't mean we're going to experience the Shekinah glory.

I don't expect a cloud to come down and us all have to run out. But God is there. That's a major reason why we go to a certain place on every weekly Sabbath and on the high days. We get up in the morning and we can be like the prodigal son. You start getting dressed and you say, I will arise and go to my Father. We assemble together because God is here. We can feel His Spirit, not the Shekinah glory, but God is here in a sense.

God's people are here. God pours out His Spirit on us. God's Word is taught here. That's why we go to a particular place. And of course, the Feast of Tabernacles, we gather into fewer places with more of us at them. And I wonder if many of us, probably most of you have had the experience of being at a feast site when it's not the feast. Doesn't it just feel totally different? It's, you know, it's just empty. And, you know, if you ever, that's why I like to sight-see ahead of time.

If I'm going to do any extra sight-seeing, I like to go early. Because if you stay at a location for the feast after it's over and all the people leave, say, boy, this doesn't feel right. And when God's Spirit leaves the place, I want to leave too. And kind of remind me, I think I've told you about this before, that several years ago when I was in graduate school down at Texas A&M, I went to Corpus Christi for the feast.

It was only four hours away. And there was an exam right in the middle of the feast. He said, well, it's not a high day. I'll drive up, you know, and take the exam. Boy, it was that creepy. You know, it was my own. I went to my house, but it was like going to a ghost town. It was just, you know, it was different. I felt like I was supposed to be somewhere else.

Now, that's an important reason. I encourage people who can't travel to the feast to gather with others in the church when it's possible. Because we understand, you know, that's why the commandment said, don't the males go. God wants us all to go, but sometimes not everyone can. You might have health reasons or income reasons or whatever, but it's important to gather with others of the faith who have God's Spirit. And we do that. We're going to be in God's presence.

Now, we know the Feast of Tabernacles symbolizes a temporary thing. It in a way symbolizes our physical life. Our bodies are temporary. We're looking ahead to permanently dwelling with God. We can come and be with Him when we're with His people, but we want to always experience His presence. So, just as the Feast of Tabernacles comes after the Day of Atonement, living with God will come after being reconciled with Him. We must go to Him. Spiritually, we must have our sins atoned. And I've been referring to that. We have to have that blood of Christ cover our sins. And as part of doing that, when it's not going to happen again, God puts Satan away to not instigate more sin. Now, those who can't travel don't have to feel completely left out because sometimes, especially if it's for health reasons, you're very aware of the permanent meaning because your body starts feeling really temporary when you're sick or you just lived many, many years. So, I think some of those people appreciate the Fall Festivals more than the rest of us. Let's go to Matthew 18.

Seeing this here, I probably should have read this a few minutes ago, but it still makes the point. Matthew 18 and verse 20.

I'm breaking the end of a thought here, but this is what I said. God puts His Holy Spirit in us, and I think this is true. Jesus said, For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them. We can go to God's presence in that way. God put His Shekinah glory in the temple, but the members of the church constitute a spiritual temple. Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 3, if you will, please. 1 Corinthians 3, and we'll read in verse 16.

Here Paul says, Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy. Which temple you are? Now, wouldn't it be amazing if when we came together, if we did have some of the Shekinah glory, I think next week when some of us might go to a restaurant together, and if suddenly there was a cloud and this glory and power, and the waiters and waitresses and other guests had to run out. But then again, if the waiter's all left and the cook's left, it wouldn't be much of a meal. So there's at least one reason God doesn't do that. Now, I'm making light somewhat, but I want to realize even though we don't have that happen, God's presence is there and we want to appreciate it. Let's turn a little further to the back to Revelation. Revelation chapter 3. We'll see that God likens his people to a temple, and another way too. Revelation 3 and verse 12.

This is one of the messages to one of the seven churches, but I just want to pull this one promise to those who overcome out. It says, He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out no more. I'll ride on him the name of my God, in the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem which comes down out of heaven from my God. I'll ride on him my new name.

So we're talking about going to be with God, going to the temple. He's saying, you overcome, you're going to be in the temple. You're going to be part of it. I'll put my name right on you.

This will happen when we're reconciled to God, when our sins are forgiven, and Satan will be put away, we'll begin a whole new life. I heard that about in the middle of the night woke me up. I didn't expect it again today. I'd like to make a connection between the idea of a building, God's name, and God's presence. If you will, go back to Proverbs chapter 18. Proverbs 18 and verse 10.

This is a similar point I made in an activity I taught at camp a few years ago. I don't know if anyone's here who went to camp heritage three or four years ago.

If so, you might have forgot it by now and need to hear it again anyway.

Proverbs 18 and verse 10. The name of the eternal is a strong tower. The righteous run into it and are safe. That's an interesting metaphor. Now, getting safety and protection from God makes perfect sense, but it doesn't say the word of God. It doesn't say the law of God. It says, the name of God is a strong tower. It's a place of shelter, something you can go into. Anyone think how can a name protect? You know, can you get a really big name tag?

I don't think so. I think it's because the name represents the family. The name of God, you could say the family of God is its tower and you can run into it and be safe.

I could, I was debating in my head driving up here saying, how, which is the largest family in this congregation? It's got to be either shoemakers or calls. But I was thinking, if I said the name shoemaker is a shelter, you can go to it and be safe. You probably wouldn't be quizzing, what in the world does that mean? It'd mean if you're in trouble, you could show up in the shoemaker's house and they'd help you. I think that's true and that would apply to many people here. I think this is what it's saying about God. The name of God, of God's family, can provide shelter, safety. We can be safe when we go to God's name because God is there. And when we enter God's family, when we take His name, we arise and go to our Father. We come into His presence, into His power and glory. As a holy day services, like Sabbath services, God's presence is not manifested by fire and smoke and earthquake. And unlike Moses and Aaron, we won't literally have our face shine. I said, Aaron, now I should say Moses, we won't have our faces shine, but we should be shining in a different way. Remember, Christ said that we are the light of the world. We should be shining in that way. People should see us and note something different. That something different, of course, is the power of God, God's Holy Spirit in us. The Feast of Tabernacles uses the symbolism of temporary dwellings to remind us that our physical bodies and the lives we live in them are temporary. We are sojourners. We're pilgrims looking for a permanent home and permanent contact with God in a way that's much more meaningful than what Israel experienced at Mount Sinai, because there God came down, there was cloud and fire, but they had to keep their distance.

We want to reverse the position that we're now in. And the Day of Atonement pictures the beginning of that by reversing that position. I remember we read earlier, God is in heaven and you are on earth, so sit down and shut up. Solomon didn't write that, but he said, let your words be few. We want to change. We want to not us be here and God be there. We want to be in God's presence. And we're looking ahead to that, to fulfillment of that. If you'll go to Hebrews 11, if we are obeying God, if we become part of His family, we'll be like the heroes that are described in this chapter. Hebrews 11. And we'll begin in verse 13.

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, having seen them afar off, were assured of them and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. That's why I wanted to talk a little bit about pilgrimage. And of course, along that way, we want to put aside what separates us from God, our sin. For those who say such things, declare plainly that they seek a homeland. Truly, if they called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better. That is a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He's prepared a city for them.

Let's skip ahead to the next chapter, Hebrews 12 and verse 18.

Here we'll see the difference between what the ancient Israelites experienced coming to God's presence and what we look forward to. It says, You have not come to a mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire and to blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the words should not be spoken to them anymore. They couldn't endure what was commanded. That said, if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it'll be stoned or shot through with an arrow. And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, I'm exceedingly afraid and trembling. No, that's not what we've come to. It says, You've come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, and to the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn, who are registered in heaven, to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. Remember when we read about the ceremony of the two goats, the high priest had to come in and sprinkle the blood. We've come to that blood of sprinkling because atonement is made for us. We can thus be reconciled to God. We come into the name, the family of God, and we come into the presence of God in that way. As we read in Revelation 3, we can become pillars in the temple. We can become part of it in that spiritual house.

We keep a festival that emphasizes that we are now pilgrims, to emphasize how different our final destiny is. And the Day of Atonement shows us that the way is open to us. There's not that blockage. Our sins keep us separated from God. And Satan the devil has been an obstacle all of our lives, trying to keep us from going to our Father. But those obstacles will be put away.

Our final destiny is to always be in God's presence, being in God's family. Those who are called now are preparing to be with Jesus Christ through His thousand-year reign on earth. But being in God's presence isn't only for those who are with Him now. That's something that awaits all mankind. Let's go on to Revelation 21. We might as well touch a little bit on all of the fall Holy Days and include the eighth day, the last great day, Revelation 21.

God wants to give a chance to all who have ever lived to partake in this.

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for a husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle, the dwelling of God is with men, and He'll dwell with them. They shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There'll be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There'll be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. When this is fulfilled, we won't have to make a pilgrimage or travel to be with God. No one will be estranged from Him. We won't need reconciliation once we're permanently reconciled. Now there are reasons why it's important for us to travel and come together. And we're looking ahead to the Feast of Tabernacles, but every seventh day on the Sabbath, we gather together. Reasons for it, because we want to be with God's family. And because God will be there. God will be here. When we do this, we're like the prodigal son who says, I will arise and go to my Father. But it only lasts for a pretty brief time, just as our lives are brief and temporary. And the fulfillment of God's plan, things are going to go the other way. God is going to come to His family. He'll go to where His family is, bringing the new heaven and new earth, and that will not be temporary. I think it's interesting. At one point then, as we read, there will come the time when the Father will say, I will arise and go to my children. I'm looking forward to that. But we celebrate in an advance now when we make the effort, when we seek reconciliation, when we arise and go to the Father. And for those of you who are traveling, I hope you have a wonderful feast, and I'll look forward to seeing you later.