[Mr. Frank Dunkle] Isn't it great to be here, to keep the Feast at Lake Junaluska? And for those of you that are watching on your computers, wherever you might be, we're still celebrating God's Feast of Tabernacles. And I want to say, welcome, as of so many before me, here tonight—well, not so many, it's been a few—in many ways, it's not my place to welcome you though here, because as the Bible says in many places, "This is a Feast of the Lord, of the eternal one."

And I do believe that God, the Father, and Jesus Christ have welcomed us here. They're very pleased. But still, I'm privileged to be the one to speak to you tonight. And one of the things I thought I would say to make you all feel very happy is that Mr. LaBissoniere said, it would be a sermon, but that's kind of a generous statement for how long I plan to speak tonight. But I am very thankful for all the hard work that went into making this Feast site happen. I can't take credit for any of that, but I'm really glad that a lot of people worked hard and did this.

Tonight, I just want to make a few points to direct our thinking about this Feast and our purposes—why we're gathered here. As I said, it is God's festival, but it is certainly for us. It is a Feast for all of us. The Feast isn't just for ministers. It's not for heads of household only, not even for baptized members of the church. The Feast of the Tabernacles is for young and old, men and women, rich and poor, married and single. I want to turn to Deuteronomy 16, if you'll join me there. I'm going to repeat something that we heard a little child's voice read during the introductory video. Actually, I was pleased with my message, but I thought maybe I should have spoke first and done the video last, it summed things up so well. But

Deuteronomy 16:13 "You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days when you've gathered in from your threshing floor and from your winepress."

Of course, this is a Fall Festival. God gave it at a time when people were living in an agricultural society. So, of course, that's in the Northern Hemisphere. Most of us are not gathering on our crops and bringing a tenth of that, we're bringing in second tithe based on a salary. But still, it's the same.

Deuteronomy 16:14-15 " And you shall rejoice in your Feast." That is to say, you are keeping of this Feast, "You, and your son, and your daughter, and your male servant, and your female servant, and the Levite." We could say the minister is among you, "The stranger and the fatherless, the widow, who are within your gates, seven days, you shall keep it a sacred Feast to the eternal, your God and the place, which the Lord chooses."

For us, that place is Lake Junaluska, Alaska. And I would say... Did I say... Somehow that “aluska” yeah, boy… If anybody's on the webcast in Alaska, you're probably very happy about that. I was going to say, wherever you are, you're in spirit, you're joining us here. And I remember about seven years ago, my son was born, he was due right about Feast time. And so we had a satellite Feast site of our own. And I learned to appreciate the webcast, a great deal, me and the 25 people that were gathered in my living room that year at the Feast. But no, we're in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina, where God has placed His name and brought us here. Did I finish what I was saying here?

Deuteronomy 16:15 "The place which the Lord your God chooses because the Lord your God will bless you. He will bless us, and He has blessed us and all your produce and in all the work of your hands so that you surely rejoice."

Hold that thought of rejoicing, as one of our major purposes for being here, we will come back to that. But remember what we read there about all those people. Let's set it in our minds that God has called all of us here. Now, we often read the next scripture and appropriately so where it says, "Three times in a year, all your males will appear." And women and children might think, "Okay, well, the men have to go, and it's just a nice extra if I get to go." But no, we just read, the Feast is for men and women, young and old, every single one of us. Parts of the ritual sacrificial system might have been limited to men, but we want to keep in mind what it says in Galatians 3:28. I won't turn there, but you can make note of it. But the Apostle Paul wrote that "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, and neither male nor female. You're all one in Christ Jesus." So, the Feast is for all of us. Being in God's church and among His people is a special calling.

We know, as Jesus Christ said in John 6:44. He said, "No one can come to me except the Father who sent me draws him." That's what I tell my students. I call one of the grandma scriptures. One of the ones that my grandma had me memorize beginning when I was 10 years old. But that's so important. We're here because God, the Father called us. You are here, each and every one of you, because God, the Father, spoke your name. He chose you to be here. He wants you to be keeping His Feast with your brethren. That's wonderful. And we have a beautiful setting here. Wonderful opportunities for fun and enjoyment. Now, among us, some may have come on limited means, some have limited incomes, perhaps a little or no titheable income. I want to turn to a scripture in Nehemiah, but I'll warn you, I want to come back to Deuteronomy. So, if you have a marker or a spare finger, you can leave it here in Deuteronomy. But I want to go to Nehemiah 8. This was one of my favorite stories about keeping the Feast. And I know it's in my Bible here somewhere. Nehemiah 8, we'll begin at the start of the Chapter.

Nehemiah 8:1-3 It says, "Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate, and they told Ezra, the scribe, to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel. So, Ezra, the priest, brought the law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding on the first day of the seventh month." We remember the first day of the seventh month, two weeks ago, we were celebrating another annual Holy Day. And verse 3 it says, "Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday before the men and women, and those who could understand in the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law."

I want to drop down to verse 8, and it says,

Nehemiah 8:8-10 "So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God, and they gave the sense and helped them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra, the priest and scribe, and the Levites, who taught all the people, said to the people, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God, do not mourn nor weep.’ For all the people wept when they heard the words of the Law. Then, he said to them, 'Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet.'"

I should say that means enjoy the finer things to eat and drink. It doesn't mean go find a glob of butter or something like that to eat. It means enjoy the best things. Summed up in that language, eat the fat and drink the sweet. And I lost my place. "And send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared." I wanted to stop and emphasize that. "Send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord, do not sorrow for the joy of the Lord is your strength. "

This indicates that some of the people there were less prepared than others, perhaps from lack of awareness, but some of them from lack of resources. And whatever the reasons, though, people did as it commanded.

Nehemiah 8:12 "And all the people went their way to eat and drink, and to send portions, and to rejoice greatly because they understood the words that were declared to them."

In our modern era, we have some unique systems for sending portions. The church has a Festival Assistance Fund that provides financial help so that any member of the church who wants to and is able to keep the Feast can do so. But there are other ways that we can send portions and help. I remember my sophomore year at Ambassador College, it was my year to stay at the college—this was in Big Sandy, Texas—and I got to experience the legendary piney woods. I was gratified to see a couple of photos in the video of that. And this wasn't the '60s or '70s when thousands and thousands of people filled the woods. But in 1986, there were still hundreds of people out there.

And I was told in advance, "Students are welcome there." And remember, students, that's a short way of saying poor students, and that was me. But it wasn't just students, no person, I think, could walk through the piney woods without smelling the aromas and then being called in, "Come on in, join us, come on, sit down, here, have a Coke, or have a beer, sit and have some food with us." God's people love to share. Of course, we love to do two things, talk and eat. And the Feast of Tabernacles gives us ample opportunities to do both. Let's take advantage of that. Let's share these opportunities. Welcome people into your conversation as you're standing and talking with others.

I know a number of people here who have rented houses and have room for hospitality, it's a chance to invite people over, to talk and drink. I was given a flyer this after...or this evening coming into services. That's wonderful. And if you don't have a house at your disposal, you could invite someone to come out for a meal or a cup of coffee and just enjoy time together. And if you're not doing that, you can accept such an invitation. Remember, when you're accepting that invitation, you're giving something else, you're giving your time. And our time and energy is another thing that we can share, and I encourage us to. Another memory I have of that Feast in Big Sandy was seeing some men who were so happy to serve. It was an example that taught me, I don't know how much, because I had this special job at the Feast that year, I got to drive the garbage truck.

Every morning at 7:00 a.m., I had to pull the truck up there and go through the woods, which wasn't the most exciting thing I've done ever at the Feast. But what it taught me was the men who were there, who volunteered to pitch the trash in the back. There were two, or three, or four of them every morning. And they had the biggest smiles on their faces because they got to pitch garbage. No, what they were smiling for is they got to serve God's people. And they were overjoyed to use the energy, and the strength, and the time that they had. I was thrilled, it inspired me.

Now, as I said, we can share, we can give portions of our time, of our energy, of our resources, to help every other person to have a good Feast. Remember, the Feast is a special gift, not from each other, though, it is a gift from God that He gives to us. And what do we do while we're here? We've heard some of that. Let's move on to another major purpose, actually return to it. We just read in Nehemiah 8, that God's holy days are not times to be grieved or sad.

They're times of joy, to rejoice. We're going to come back to Nehemiah 8, but I want to go back to Deuteronomy 16. After I advised you to keep a finger there, I left mine.

Deuteronomy 16:15 Let's remember again, it says, "Seven days, you shall keep a sacred Feast to the Lord your God in the place which the Lord chooses because the Lord your God will bless you and all your produce and in all the work of your hands so that you surely rejoice."

Surely rejoice. Now, just in case you were wondering, you might ask, "What's to be so happy about?" I think you already know. And the most important reasons are the ones we're going to hear about over the next eight days in the various sermons and sermonettes, and certainly, the special music. The spiritual meaning of these Feast is, by far, the most important and greatest reason that we rejoice. Jesus Christ is going to bring a thousand years of peace, happiness, of healing to the whole world.

And there will be no Satan or his demons to corrupt it or lead people astray. And those whom God has called and working with now, that's us, will have a part in that. Will have special jobs and opportunities to serve and teach others. To help rebuilding this earth. And, of course, when that 1,000 years is over, there's going to be a great resurrection of all who have ever lived, and not yet known, God, but they'll get a chance and they will know Him. If that's not a reason to rejoice, I don't know what is. But I don't want to explore that further tonight. I'm going to leave that for the coming messages.

But I'll just summarize again by saying what these days picture should make us happy. And then if that weren't enough, the ways that God tells us to celebrate the Feast is wonderful. Back in Deuteronomy 14 this time, Deuteronomy 14 beginning in verse 22. You probably went over this in advance of the Feast of Tabernacles.

Deutieronomy 14:22-26 "You shall truly tithe all of the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year. And you shall eat before the Lord your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide. The tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always. 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 Lord your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, when the Lord your God has blessed you."

And, of course, most of us started off not with grain and firstborn flock and such, we started with what it says in verse 25, "Exchange it for money, take the money in your hand and go to the place which the Lord your God chooses. And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires, for oxen, or sheep, or wine, or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires. You shall eat there before the Lord's your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household."

It's amazing. God planned a way for us to finance this special occasion. And then He tells us to come and live like kings for a week. I think it's interesting. God doesn't prescribe a specific menu. He tells us we can decide what's going to help us rejoice, filet mignon, baked Alaska, a Whopper with fries. I have to throw that in, a good friend of mine years ago, we were discussing our favorite foods at the Feast. And he said, "Oh, I love the taste of the flame-broiled Whopper." Well, if that's what you like, if that's going to help you rejoice, you're free to find your own way. But back in Nehemiah, I've still got it saved here. Back in Nehemiah 8, we add another point to rejoicing this Feast. It's still tied to rejoicing.

Nehemiah 8:14-16 "They found written in the Law, which the eternal had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths during the Feast of the seventh month. And that they should announce and proclaim in all the cities in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the mountains, bring olive branches, branches of oil trees and myrtle branches, palm branches, branches of leafy trees, to make booths as it is written." And the people went out and brought them and made themselves booths. Each one on the roof of his house, or on their courtyard, or the courts of the house of God, and in the open square of the Water Gate, and the open square Gate of Ephraim, the Gate of Ephraim."

The name of this Feast is Feast of Tabernacles, it comes from the Hebrew word Sukkot, which is here, translated as booths. It can also be translated as tent, shelter, hut. We interpret it in modern times, to mean a temporary dwelling. And that can encompass a motel room, a camper, a nice condo, or a rented house. I've met some people who still wonder, think that it should be made of leafy branches. I don't think that's... That's not the part of rejoicing that God meant.

Of course, we want to remember it's the temporariness that has the meaning. Otherwise, we could just keep the Feast where we keep every weekly Sabbath. And people could ask, "Why should we stay in a temporary dwelling when I've got a perfectly fine permanent dwelling back home?" Well, God's word tells us to come and do that. That's enough of a reason. Reminds me, when I was young, be told to do something and I'd ask my mom, "Why?" She said, " Because I said so." But, "Why did you say so?"

Well, God tells us so, but He also gives us good reasons. The spiritual meaning behind that of is, of course, it reminds us that our bodies are temporary dwellings. That this world and Satan societies that have developed they're temporary. We want to be like the patriarchs that are described in Hebrews 11. I won't turn there, but Hebrews 11, especially verses 9 and 10, it reminds us that they were pilgrims looking for a future home, a time ahead, a permanent dwelling, a permanent country that would be provided by God.

We're reminded when we're in this temporary setting that, "This earth, as it is now is not our home, not our real home. We're looking forward to the kingdom of God." That's very important.

Nehemiah 8:17 "The whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and sat at under the booths. Since the days of Joshua, the son of Nun, until that day, the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness."

I love that. Very great gladness. I'm not sure that...no, I shouldn't say I'm not sure. I'm pretty certain that it wasn't sitting in huts made out of leaves that made them so glad. And they were thrilled that they were obeying God and reaping the blessings of it. Hopefully, though, our accommodations will make us happy. And we have some beautiful settings here. Now, we checked into a home that was even nicer than we expected.

Although I have to say, it was 56 degrees when we got in there and it took us a while to figure out that computerized thermostat. I fiddled with that for probably a half hour, and my wife figured it out in two minutes. But I've heard a number of ministers make the point to us, though, it's good that, in another way, it's temporary because we're still living surrounded by this world. And after seven or eight days in this temporary dwelling, many of us are ready to go home. We're going to be ready and hopefully prepared to go back to the lives we have to live, the work we have today that is preparing us for the time when the Feast of Tabernacles will be fulfilled. And we have to carry on until Christ returns. And we are carrying on, but for this next eight days, we have a respite and we want to enjoy that away from the normal things.

It's interesting to think, God, didn't stipulate very many specifics about how to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. I've gone over some. He tells us to go to the place that He chooses, stay in temporary dwellings, eat what you want, rejoice! And there's one more thing. One more very important thing. I want to look one more time to Deuteronomy 14, and I'm going to go back to Nehemiah 8, if you didn't already pull your finger out of there.

Deuteronomy 14:22 "You shall truly tithe of all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year. And you shall eat before the Lord your God and the place where He chooses to make His name abide," the tithe of all that stuff, "That you may learn to fear the Lord your God always."

To learn to fear the Lord. Keeping the Feast is a learning experience. Now, I'm not going to go into detail about how, where it says, "To fear the Lord God,” doesn't mean to be in terror of Him or afraid, but rather to respect Him, and love Him, and adore Him. Although certainly, we want to have a healthy fear of not obeying Him. But we can see some of how we'll learn back in Nehemiah 8. Nehemiah 8, beginning in verse 8. Let's review what we read there.

Nehemiah 8:8 "So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God, and they gave the sense and helped them to understand the reading." Down in verse 18 of the same Chapter.

Nehemiah 8:18  "Also day by day, from the first day until the last day, he read from the book of the Law of God. And they kept the Feast seven days."

Okay. The Feast of Tabernacle is seven days. And then, of course, after that, "On the eighth day, there was a sacred assembly according to the prescribed manner."

Now, I'm not going to...Oh, it's in my notes here somewhere here. I say, I'm not going to turn there, but back in Deuteronomy 31, I'll let you off this time. But you might make note of it. In Deuteronomy 31:9-10, there was a command that God gave within the law of Moses for the children of Israel, that every seventh year at the Feast of Tabernacles, they were to read the book of the law, just as we saw described there in Nehemiah, the people would gather and they would read it to them.

We don't have to do it that way now for a very good reason we have the Book. Back then people didn't have it. And many people might not have known how to read anyways, but we're filthy rich compared to them. We can all afford our own copies of the Bible. So we're not going to come here every day and have someone stand up, and for two hours, just read from the Bible. But our messages will quote scripture. And as it said in Nehemiah, Give the sense, an understanding of the word.

You already know that our services here and the teaching is the center part of the Feast. And Mr. LaBissoniere made that point very well. Even as we enjoy the wonderful physical pleasures that we can have, the food, and the comforts, and the homes, the fun that we can go out and do, along with that physical food, we want to look forward to coming here and enjoying the spiritual food of instruction in God's word.

And something I'll comment on. I'm always deeply moved when I come to a festival and there are older experienced members of the church who are still excited about coming to services every day. It's humbling for me as a younger minister because I think, "What do I have to teach someone that's been in God's church longer than I've been alive in some cases?" Although, I can't say that as easily as I used to.

But I'm amazed at how older members apply their experience and their wisdom and knowledge to gaining more out of the message sometimes than the minister put into it. You have the opportunity to do that. Of course, we also have here younger members or those with shorter tenure in God's church. And the Feast of Tabernacles is a wonderful opportunity for concentrated instruction and a chance for teaching every day. Not to mention we have a larger number of elders readily available.

If you have time you want to talk to someone, we know Mr. Kubik likes to talk to people. If you have questions, not only of the elders but experienced mature members. Let's not forget that we are away from our homes. We don't have to go to our jobs or go to school. We don't have the normal household chores. So, we certainly should have more time for Bible study, more time for prayer, for meditation.

I would think walking around that, walking trail in this beautiful lake would be a wonderful opportunity for meditation, thinking about God's wonderful plan and His works, and what He has ahead for us. We have more time for Bible study and prayer, for studying and learning and talking.

Let's make good use of that time. Learning to fear our great God. So, here we are. We're here because God Almighty called all of us to be here. And we're here to rejoice, enjoying the food and drink, the fellowship, the temporary dwellings that we have. Most of all, we're here to learn to fear the Lord our God. So, brethren, welcome to the Feast.