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The Feast of Tabernacles: Jesus Christ Reigns Over All the Earth
Good News Magazine ^ | 2000 | Various

Posted on 10/03/2009 7:01:58 AM PDT by DouglasKC

The Feast of Tabernacles: Jesus Christ Reigns Over All the Earth

God's plan for mankind involves restoration. The Feast of Tabernacles symbolizes the restoration process.

In his first inspired sermon after receiving the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, the apostle Peter summed up God's instruction for mankind: "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:19-21).

What are these "times of refreshing" and "times of restoration" of which Peter spoke?

God's plan for mankind involves restoration. The Feast of Tabernacles symbolizes the restoration process, which will start with the return of Jesus Christ, pictured by the Feast of Trumpets, and the banishment of Satan, depicted by the Day of Atonement. Once these events have taken place, as represented by the previous Holy Days, the foundation is in place for the restoration of the creation to peace and harmony with God.

The seven-day Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:27, 34) pictures the 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ over the earth after His second coming (Revelation 20:4). This period is often called the Millennium, which simply means "1,000 years."

This Feast also reflects the "rest" symbolized by the weekly Sabbath (Hebrews 4:1-11) that celebrates the great harvest of humanity when all living people will learn God's ways. Humanity will at last be restored to a right relationship with God (Isaiah 11:9-10).

In the beginning, God created mankind to cooperate with Him in a beautiful relationship characterized by love, peace and obedience to His laws. At the completion of His creation, "God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good" (Genesis 1:31).

This time of peace and harmony abruptly ended because of Satan's deception and man's disobedience (Genesis 3:1-6). Disobedience cut mankind off from God's way (Genesis 3:21-24). Genesis 6:5 describes the tragic result: "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."

This broken relationship between God and man has continued through history to our time. Paul reflected upon this state: "... Through one man [Adam] sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned ..." (Romans 5:12).

Paul knew that Jesus Christ would heal the breach created by man's disobedience: "For since by man [Adam] came death, by Man [Christ] also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:21-22).

Isaiah prophesied the restoration of the world

God used the prophet Isaiah to reveal parts of His magnificent plan for restoring the world. Written at a time during which Israel faced punishment for continued disobedience, the book of Isaiah was inspired by God to give the nation encouragement through the promise of a better world ahead.

Jesus Christ, after reading in the synagogue one of Isaiah's prophecies, acknowledged the special understanding given Isaiah: "These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him" (John 12:41). Isaiah not only prophesied of Christ's earthly ministry; he wrote of Christ's return in power and glory (Isaiah 66:15-16).

The basis for the messianic rule of Jesus will be God's law. Again, as Isaiah foretold, "it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2:2-3).

A world of peace and abundance

After Christ's return, He will bring the creation in its entirety into harmony with God, and peace will no longer be the exception. King David said, "Great peace have those who love Your law" (Psalm 119:165). Imagine what the world will be like when everyone knows God's law and lives by it!

More than just knowledge is needed to bring about this amazing transformation. A spiritual change will take place among people. God, speaking through the prophet Ezekiel, describes how it will happen: "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them" (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

The Spirit of God will influence people to willingly and enthusiastically obey God from their hearts. People will begin to place the interests of others before their own. They will start thinking of others as "better than themselves" (Philippians 2:3, KJV). Instead of exclusive self-concern, their goal will be to help their fellow human beings. Theft will cease. Disregard for others' property and feelings will be eliminated. Because the world will finally be at peace, countries will "beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore" (Isaiah 2:4; Micah 4:3).

During this 1,000-year period, God will change even the nature of wild animals, reflecting the peace that will descend upon society. Describing this idyllic time, Isaiah 11:7-9 says: "The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain ..."

Reversing the effects of sin

God will heal physical infirmities. Isaiah 35:5-6 prophesies of this time during which "the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing ..."

Of even greater importance will be the spiritual healing that will take place. Isaiah prophesied that Jesus Christ will complete the healing He began during His ministry on earth: "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion ..." (Isaiah 61:1-3; Luke 4:18-19). The accumulated results of generations of humans following Satan's sinful ways will begin to be reversed.

The Feast of Tabernacles is also called the Feast of Ingathering (Exodus 23:16). This name signified the completion of Israel's annual harvest. In this setting, God said, "you shall rejoice before the LORD your God" (Deuteronomy 12:12, 18; 14:26). The Feast is a time of celebration for the abundance God has given.

This same bountiful harvest theme continues in the future fulfillment of this festival. Through Isaiah, God spoke of the desert becoming productive land, "for waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. The parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water" (Isaiah 35:6-7).

At that time the earth will produce bountiful harvests. "Behold, the days are coming," God says, "when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow" (Amos 9:13).

The significance of tabernacles

The name of the Feast of Tabernacles derives from God's command to ancient Israel to build temporary "tabernacles," sometimes called "booths," to live in during the festival. The Israelites left their houses and built temporary dwelling places (Hebrew succah, meaning "hut of woven boughs") to live in while rejoicing before God. These reminded them of their release from slavery and their dwelling in booths when God brought them out of Egypt (Leviticus 23:34, 41-43). In stark contrast to the hardship of slavery, this festival emphasizes rest, peace and prosperity as it meets the needs of all people, including strangers, widows and the poor.

The Bible emphasizes that, as with booths or temporary dwellings, our physical life is transitory. The apostle Paul's writings reflect this theme: "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven" (2 Corinthians 5:1-2, KJV).

Hebrews 11 recounts the examples of many of God's faithful servants down through the centuries. It then concludes that "these all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (verse 13).

The Feast of Tabernacles is an annual reminder of our temporary state and that we also "seek a homeland" (verse 14). This lesson is reinforced when we travel to a site of the Feast of Tabernacles and stay in temporary dwellings such as hotels and campgrounds.

This festival reminds us that, in spite of our material possessions, we are still mortals in need of a literal transformation so we may possess eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:50-54).

In the accounts of the vision that has come to be called the "transfiguration," Jesus gave a glimpse of the Kingdom of God to Peter, James and John. Christ appeared to be talking with Moses and Elijah. Peter's immediate response was to suggest that they quickly construct three tabernacles. He seemed to understand the important connection between tabernacles and our quest for eternal life in God's Kingdom (see Matthew 17:1-9; Luke 9:27-36).

The role of the resurrected saints in the Millennium

The judgment of the inhabitants of the earth who live during the 1,000 years as pictured by the Feast of Tabernacles (Isaiah 2:4; 51:4-5) begins in earnest as Christ brings "many sons to glory" (Hebrews 2:10). These scriptures show that this judgment is a time of universal opportunity for salvation. For this purpose God has allocated 1,000 years during which the resurrected saints, the firstfruits of God's harvest, will reign with Christ on earth as kings and priests so many others can enter God's Kingdom (Revelation 5:10; 20:6).

Jesus promised that "he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations" (Revelation 2:26). People whomGod resurrects at Christ's return will experience the unparalleled opportunity to work with Him to help all nations build a relationship with God. (For more details, be sure to request our free booklet, What Is Your Destiny?)

The foundation for this relationship begins with instruction on God's law and these very Holy Days. Notice Zechariah's words: "And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles" (Zechariah 14:16). Other prophets described the time as an era of God's law covering the earth "as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14).

Many will assist Jesus Christ in this universal educational program of helping others understand God's way. Speaking of this time, Isaiah says teachers "will not be moved into a corner anymore, but your eyes shall see your teachers. Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left" (Isaiah 30:20-21).

The chance to help others understand and be reconciled to God is a wonderful calling. Each who serves in this way will be called "the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In" (Isaiah 58:12).

God calls people out of the world at this time to become His chosen people, sanctified and redeemed by Him (2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1). They are to live exemplary lives as God prepares them for service during Christ's millennial reign and beyond.

"Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul," the apostle Peter wrote, "having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation" (1 Peter 2:11-12).

One final conflict

All through God's plan for saving humanity, He never forces anyone to obey Him. Every person is free to choose what he or she will do and whether to accept or reject God's way of life.

After the 1,000 years, God will allow Satan to test the spiritual convictions of the earth's inhabitants. Revelation 20:7-10 describes this time. God will loose the devil from his place of restraint and allow him to deceive those who are not convicted of the perfect righteousness of God's way. God will destroy by fire those who follow Satan in this rebellion. Satan's futile efforts will be thwarted. This final, tragic rebellion against God will come to nothing, and Satan's destructive, deceitful influence over humanity will finally draw to a close.

The stage is now set for the events depicted by yet one more Holy Day. The Feast of Tabernacles offers a marvelous opportunity for salvation to those left alive at Christ's return, as well as their physical descendants during the Millennium. But what about the thousands of millions of people of past generations who have lived and died without ever understanding—or even hearing—God's truth? And what about those who will die in the cataclysmic upheaval preceding Christ's return? How will God offer them salvation? The next chapter provides the answer.


TOPICS: Current Events; General Discusssion; History
KEYWORDS: christ; feasts; tabernacles
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Lev 23:34 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD.
Lev 23:35 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it.

Last night, at sunset, began the 15th day of the 7th month. The Lord Jesus Christ commanded his followers to observe His feast by holding a holy gathering.

1 posted on 10/03/2009 7:01:59 AM PDT by DouglasKC
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To: DouglasKC

United Church of God needs to read the book of Hebrews. The old covenant has passed and we are in the New Covenant. Jesus Christ has become all to the New Testament saint.


2 posted on 10/03/2009 7:24:06 AM PDT by sola gracia
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To: DouglasKC

Happy Sukkot and Shmini Atzeret (Last Great Day) to all. Our loving elder brother Yahshua HaMessiah has risen and rules over His Saints.


3 posted on 10/03/2009 7:28:39 AM PDT by RoshYisrael
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To: DouglasKC
Amen brother. The article is excellent and biblically accurate and therefore many who have departed from the Word of God and followed traditions and fables will not understand that only God in the person of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour can and will bring in the millennial rule of Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, on the earth.
It will happen and the closer we get to the rapture of the body of Christ, the more the revolted province of the earth will reject the right ways of God and Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. They make it plain who they are by denying Scripture as the only source of truth.
Nevertheless, The Word of God stands sure as Israel is in the land and some 11 prophecies have been fulfilled in the last century till now and the last time prophecy began to be fulfilled in such manner was the Lord Jesus in His first Advent.
Psalm 2
PS 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
PS 2:2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
PS 2:3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
PS 2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.
PS 2:5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
PS 2:6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
PS 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
PS 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
PS 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
PS 2:10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
PS 2:11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
PS 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
4 posted on 10/03/2009 7:32:53 AM PDT by kindred (Facts are a stubborn thing, but people are even more stubborn and will deny facts.)
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To: sola gracia

[United Church of God needs to read the book of Hebrews. The old covenant has passed and we are in the New Covenant. Jesus Christ has become all to the New Testament saint.]

I am a sola scripture Christian and not of the liberal leftist church and beleive that this article is supported by Scripture as I have read it and so it says. The United Church of God, who are they? Perhaps one of many sects.
Let God be true and every man a liar.
You should read and study the Scriptures and stop playing and changing the Word of God lest His wrath fall on you for following a sect; the Roman Church is a sect and has departed from the Word of God as the only source of truth and all doctrine.


5 posted on 10/03/2009 7:37:56 AM PDT by kindred (Facts are a stubborn thing, but people are even more stubborn and will deny facts.)
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To: DouglasKC

THANKS.

WELL DONE.


6 posted on 10/03/2009 7:51:23 AM PDT by Quix (POL Ldrs quotes fm1900 2 presnt: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2130557/posts?page=81#81)
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To: sola gracia; DouglasKC
United Church of God needs to read the book of Hebrews. The old covenant has passed and we are in the New Covenant. Jesus Christ has become all to the New Testament saint.

YHvH describes His New Covenant in Jeremiah 31:31 - 40.

Read it and tell me are we there yet ?

shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
7 posted on 10/03/2009 7:58:30 AM PDT by Uri’el-2012 (Psalm 119:174 I long for Your salvation, YHvH, Your law is my delight.)
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To: sola gracia
The old covenant has passed and we are in the New Covenant

Because you made this statement, I assume that you do not know that the Greek verb tenses of Hebrews 8:13 are not past tense, and neither is the word "Covenant" [diatheke] found in the verse. Your preconceived theology got ahead of you Bible knowledge.

But while you are learning about studying the Bible, let me ask you a few questions:

- Can you define, using Scripture alone (no italicized words), what the "Old Covenant" is?

- Can you define, using Scripture alone, what the "New Covenant" is, where in Scripture it is promised, and to whom it was promised?
8 posted on 10/03/2009 8:25:28 AM PDT by safisoft
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To: sola gracia; DouglasKC; All
Feast of Tabernacles is the birth day of Yah'shua.

The question is whether you believe and trust
the Holy Word of Elohim in Luke 1
or you trust the traditions of man
Yah'shua's birth on Sukkot
(Sukkot is the Feast of Tabernacles or booths,
where we live in temporary shelters.
Sukkot is when YHvH took on a temporary
garment to be with His People
and to die as the Lamb of G-d on Pesach
in order to bring salvation to all
who would call on His Name:
(Romans 10:13 & Joel 2:32)
Yah'shua ( YHvH is become my salvation)).
Ps. 18:2, 46; 27:1; 35:9; 38:22; 88:1;
118:14; 119:174; 140:7; Isa. 12:2; 56:1;
61:10; Mic. 7:7; Hab. 3:18

Sukkot as the date is supported by Elizabeth's
pregnancy of John the Immerser.
The time sequence is outlined by the
Holy Word of Elohim in Luke 1 with Zacharias.

Zacharias served as a high priest and
based on his tribe, we know when he served
(1 Chronicles 24:7-18) and when he was
struck dumb and when John was conceived.

John would have been born on Pesach.
Most Jews believed that Elijah
would come at Pesach to announce
the coming of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5).

Factor in when Miriam visited her cousin Elizabeth,
Elizabeth was six months pregnant (Luke 1:26)
Thus the timing of Yah'shua's birth can be ascertained.

John (1:14) tells us that Yah'shua was made flesh
and tabernacled among us.

The word "dwelt" in the Koine Greek is:

σκηνόω Strong's G4637 - skēnoō
1) to fix one's tabernacle,
have one's tabernacle,
abide (or live) in a tabernacle (or tent),
tabernacle
2) to dwell

Eight days after the beginning of Sukkot is
another Holy Feast Day called Shemini Atzeret.

Eight days after a Jewish male is born he is circumcised.

After the Eighth day comes the the most Joyous day:
Simchat Torah or
the rejoicing in the Torah (The Word of Elohim).

Nine months back from Sukkot is Chanukah
where the light entered the temple.

Biblical Dates for the Birth of Yochanan the Immerser
and for the Conception and Birth of Yeshua HaMashiach

shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach

9 posted on 10/03/2009 8:30:11 AM PDT by Uri’el-2012 (Psalm 119:174 I long for Your salvation, YHvH, Your law is my delight.)
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To: RoshYisrael
PhotobucketPhotobucket
10 posted on 10/03/2009 8:42:02 AM PDT by SkyDancer ('Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not..' ~ Thomas Jefferson)
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To: DouglasKC

You forgot to mention Zechariah 14:

16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.

17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.

18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.

19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.


11 posted on 10/03/2009 8:50:18 AM PDT by jjotto ("Ya could look it up!")
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To: DouglasKC

Thank you DouglasKC.


12 posted on 10/03/2009 9:24:39 AM PDT by STYRO (America! Freedom for a price.)
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To: DouglasKC
The Feast of Tabernacles: Jesus Christ Reigns Over All the Earth

Christ is presently reigning over the earth.

23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. (1 Cor. 15)
Note the order, according to Paul: Christ is resurrected (a past event), and then His followers are resurrected at His coming, and then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father.

Note, Paul does not speak of Christ reigning physically on the earth in the future. (In fact, nowhere in the NT does it speak of Christ reigning physically on the earth. Some folks come to that conclusion by applying the same failed hermeneutical principles that got the Jews in Jesus’ day all confused, looking for a carnal king.)

There is no need to artificially insert a time period of 1000+ years between verses 23 and 24.

Christ is already reigning.

9 "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool." ' 36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." (Acts 2)
Peter is quite clear. After His resurrection from the dead, Christ was raised up to heaven and seated on the throne of David.

'The Lord said to my Lord, " Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool." ' The futurist does not understand events this way. In futurism, Christ leaves His heavenly throne to sit on a carnal, earthly throne with enemies all around. It is not until the very end of the futurists’ thousand year that Christ’s enemies are finally defeated, and that is only by heavenly intervention of God the Father (cf. any futurist interpretation of Rev. 20:9).

13 posted on 10/03/2009 10:16:02 AM PDT by topcat54 ("Don't whine to me. It's all Darby's fault.")
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To: safisoft; sola gracia
Because you made this statement, I assume that you do not know that the Greek verb tenses of Hebrews 8:13 are not past tense,

It wouldn’t make sense if it were, since it was about present conditions at that time almost 2000 years ago. “Passing away”, not “passed away.” But within a short time they could say “passed away.”

and neither is the word "Covenant" [diatheke] found in the verse.

Technically that is correct, but it’s a non sequitur. The immediate context is the new covenant (diatheke kainos; see verse 8). Verse 13 refers to both “new” (kainos) and “waxing old” (palaioo). What are these referring to if not covenant?

Your preconceived theology got ahead of you Bible knowledge.

Ditto.

14 posted on 10/03/2009 12:18:15 PM PDT by topcat54 ("Don't whine to me. It's all Darby's fault.")
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To: UriÂ’el-2012; sola gracia; DouglasKC; safisoft
YHvH describes His New Covenant in Jeremiah 31:31 - 40. Read it and tell me are we there yet ?

Thankfully, we have more than just the OT to explain to God’s people what He meant by the term. So, the answer to your question is, “yes, we are.”

Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood (kainos diatheke), which is shed for you. (Luke 22:20)

4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Cor. 3)

And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (Heb. 9:15)

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. (Heb. 12)

The new covenant, as given to us by Jesus and His apostles, was instituted when His blood was shed for the forgiveness of the sins of His people. The word “new” only makes sense in contrast with something else, something, well, old.

The old covenant involved the blood of animals shed by a human priesthood before a physical altar in a man-made temple, along with the other trapping, the “shadows of good things to come” (Col. 2:16,17) .

The new covenant was established by the blood of Christ, the great High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, at a “temple made without hands” (John 2:19).

We can rejoice that the old carnal ways, temporary pointers to messiah, have been put away forever. The new covenant is a universal truth extending to all nations, the world. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son.”

15 posted on 10/03/2009 12:37:32 PM PDT by topcat54 ("Don't whine to me. It's all Darby's fault.")
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To: sola gracia
United Church of God needs to read the book of Hebrews. The old covenant has passed and we are in the New Covenant. Jesus Christ has become all to the New Testament saint.

Biblically the feasts of Jesus Christ our Lord fall outside of the covenants. The old covenant was agreed to by the Israelites at Mount Sinai. Yet the feasts of the Lord, including the weekly sabbath, had apparently already been introduced to Israel by God himself long before they made the old covenant:

Exo 5:1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.'

So they knew that God wanted them to observe a feast BEFORE the old covenant was struck.

Exo 12:17 So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance.
Exo 12:18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening.
Exo 12:19 For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land.

Again this was given BEFORE the old covenant was instituted. These are the feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread. The festivals of our Lord Jesus fall outside of the covenants.

Further evidence of this is Zechariah:

Zec 14:16 And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
Zec 14:17 And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain.
Zec 14:18 If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
Zec 14:19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.

In the future, after Christ returns, note that it's STILL a condition of worship of Jesus Christ that his followers observe his holy days.

The books of Hebrews notes many changes in the administration of the new covenant and old covenant, but changing or banning the Holy days of Jesus Christ is not among them. Biblically at least.

16 posted on 10/03/2009 1:19:51 PM PDT by DouglasKC
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To: topcat54; sola gracia; DouglasKC; safisoft
Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood (kainos diatheke), which is shed for you. (Luke 22:20)

The New Covenant seems to be associated
with the celebration of Passover.

Do you celebrate Pesach ?

shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
17 posted on 10/03/2009 1:32:37 PM PDT by Uri’el-2012 (Psalm 119:174 I long for Your salvation, YHvH, Your law is my delight.)
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To: topcat54
Note the order, according to Paul: Christ is resurrected (a past event), and then His followers are resurrected at His coming, and then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father.

In your theological understanding when did/is/are/does the saints of God become resurrected?

18 posted on 10/03/2009 1:47:01 PM PDT by DouglasKC
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To: DouglasKC; sola gracia
Biblically the feasts of Jesus Christ our Lord fall outside of the covenants. The old covenant was agreed to by the Israelites at Mount Sinai. Yet the feasts of the Lord, including the weekly sabbath, had apparently already been introduced to Israel by God himself long before they made the old covenant:

You nailed it. The Feasts and Sabbaths of The Lord were never part of the Old Covenant and not only predated Sinai.... I believe they predated the Egyptian Captivity. More importantly.....we are never told to discontinue their observance...........anywhere in the new scriptures.

Great article....... Douglas! Thanks.

19 posted on 10/03/2009 1:57:34 PM PDT by Diego1618
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To: DouglasKC
In your theological understanding when did/is/are/does the saints of God become resurrected?

At the day of the Lord, which comes as a thief in the night, when Christ returns to put an end to death and deliver up the kingdom to the Father (cf. John 5:28,29; 11:24,25; Acts 24:15; 1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10).

20 posted on 10/03/2009 2:50:36 PM PDT by topcat54 ("Don't whine to me. It's all Darby's fault.")
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