Why do We attend the Feast of Tabernacles
WHY ATTEND GOD'S FEAST OF TABERNACLES
Why do we go to the Feast of Tabernacles? This is not an insignificant question. It deserves some thought. Amos prophesied concerning the later days that God's people would develop a very casual attitude about His Sabbaths - including the annual Holy Days, “Saying: `When will the New Moon be past, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may trade our wheat?” (Amos 8:5). For those who ignore or postpone His appointed times, God promises He will, “...turn YOUR feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation ....” (vs. 10). God puts a great deal of importance on His Holy Days! Maybe some of us need to ask ourselves, have we become indifferent to God's Holy Days? We need to be sure that we do not take God's feast days for granted. So let's answer the question: Why do we attend the Feast of Tabernacles?
The most important reason we attend the Feast should be out of loving obedience to God the Father. God does not just suggest we be at the Feast; He declares, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, concerning the feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be HOLY CONVOCATIONS, even these are My feasts” (Lev.23:2). The word for “convocations” in Hebrew is “miqra.” The number for this word in Strong's is 4744. This word means, “a public meeting, a calling or an assembly.” Also notice that God says we are to proclaim them “holy” meetings or convocations. God inspired the holy days and He commands us to be there. Since all of God's holy days are commanded assemblies, if we decide not to go to the Feast - without a valid reason - then we are choosing to disobey God!
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 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. On the first day shall be an HOLY CONVOCATION: you shall do no servile work therein. Seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord: on the eighth day shall be an HOLY CONVOCATION to you;
and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord: it is a solemn assembly; and you shall do no servile work therein” (Lev.23:33-36). These scriptures are very clear. There should be no doubt that we should plan to be at God's Feast.
Obviously, there are valid reasons for not attending the Feast. Poor health is one reason. The Feast can be demanding physically. Those with severe health problems may be excused from attendance and should plan to keep the fall holy days at home. Women who are in the later stages of pregnancy should use great caution in deciding to travel to the Feast.
Another valid reason for not attending the Feast of Tabernacles is financial hardship. However, God has instituted second tithe as the way to provide the financial means to attend the Feast (See Deut. 14:22-23). If you have been out of work for an extended period of time, and have not been able to save sufficient second tithe, then there is the possibility that you may not have the funds to attend the Feast this year.
There is also a biblical principle to follow with regard to Feast attendance: “Three times in a year shall all your males appear before the Lord your God in the place which He shall choose, in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty” (Deut.16:16). In certain cases, if you do not have sufficient second title for you and your family to attend the Feast, but there are enough funds for you as the head of household, then you should plan to be at the Feast.
Another reason we attend the Feast is to worship God. Zechariah prophesies about the future, “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” (Zech.14:16). The Feast of Tabernacles pictures the time when Christ will reign on the earth as King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev.19:16). After Christ's return, the whole world will learn how to TRULY worship God and Christ. When we go to the Feast, we have an opportunity to do the same - only in advance! The Hebrew word for “worship” here is “shachah.” The number of this word in Strong's is 7812. It means “to prostrate in homage to royalty or God; to bow yourself down, humbly beseech or worship.” When we go to the Feast, we should plan to pay homage to Christ and God the Father.
God designed the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day to be observed within an eight day period. It should go without saying, that we should plan to worship God by attending ALL services - ALL eight days . Over the years, some of God's people have not only become lax about going to the Feast, but even about attending services. As God's called-out ones, we must strive to meet high standards. We should be at services unless there is an emergency or illness. Each service provides us another opportunity to fellowship together and worship God. This is the one time each year when all of God's people should gather together and thank God and praise Him for His many blessings.
In a similar vein, everything we do at the Feast should be conducted as if we are in the presence of royalty. God is omnipresent and He is certainly present at His Feast (Lev.23:2)! How we conduct ourselves before God is very important. Christ taught us the importance of dressing and conducting ourselves appropriately through the parable of the wedding garment (Matt.22:11-14). We should dress and conduct our eating, drinking and entertainment activities with the highest standards of excellence. We have given sermons and written articles on this subject before. Remember that during the Feast, we will be in the presence of the greatest Royalty in the entire universe. Let's dress the part and show God the respect He is due!
Another important reason we attend God's Feast is to learn how to fear God. “And you shall eat before the Lord your God, in the place which He shall choose to place His name there, the tithe of your corn, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks; that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always” (Deut.14:23). The Hebrew word for “learn” is “lamad.” The number of this word in Strong's is 3925. It means “to goad or teach.” The Feast is one of God's greatest educational tools. We will have the opportunity to hear a concentrated dose of encouraging and inspiring messages everyday. These are messages God has inspired for us! Thus, we should all be praying about the messages to be given at the Feast. The various speakers are now busily preparing their messages for the Feast. All of them are putting many hours of hard effort and prayer into their message. If we go to God in faith and prayer that God will inspire the messages - He will! Jesus Christ will be behind the Feast messages. He will ensure that we receive the good spiritual meat that we need! In this same verse, the word for “fear” in the Hebrew is “yore.” The number of this word in Strong's is 3372. The word means, “to fear or to revere.” As we experience each new holy day season, above all, we must learn to develop a deeper respect for God. If our attitude is right, attending the Feast will certainly help us do this. God brings us to the Feast to show us how to more deeply respect Him and His purpose for man.
We also attend the Feast to rejoice! “You shall observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that you have gathered in your corn and your wine: And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within your gates. Seven days shall you keep a solemn feast to the Lord your God in the place which the Lord shall choose: because the Lord your God shall bless you in all your increase, and in all the works of your hands, therefore you shall surely rejoice” (Deut.15:13-15). God designed the Feast to refresh us spiritually. This rejuvenation comes by rejoicing. During the seven days of the Feast and then the Last Great Day, we have the opportunity to put our problems aside and focus on the glorious future to come. Studying and meditating on the prophecies related to the Millennium recharges our spiritual batteries and allows us to return home with a stronger and more positive mental and emotional outlook.
While at the Feast, we have the chance to come into contact with people of like mind. This annual fellowship provides great encouragement for us. Many of us have no other face to face fellowship during the rest of the year. Talking with our brethren often provides us with the extra confidence we need to meet the challenges and tests of the year ahead.
Deuteronomy 16:14 shows us that we are to rejoice with our “sons” and “daughters” at the Feast. In other words, the Feast is a time for family. We should plan our Feast to be of great benefit to our families. The Feast provides the perfect opportunity for parents to teach their children about God's great way of life. The Feast pictures a time when the whole world will be taught how to live God's way. During the millennium, the earth will be filled with the knowledge of God (Hab.2:14). We must fill our children with the knowledge of God while at the Feast. We should follow the principles for teaching children as outlined in Deuteronomy 6:7. “And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.” We must spend time with our families at the Feast. Talk about the sermonettes and sermons with your children. Do this daily while it is fresh in your mind and theirs.
You will ensure that your family has a profitable and encouraging Feast by including all family members in Feast planning. This means, involving your children in helping to choose restaurants, entertainment and other activities during the Feast. And certainly, a special “feast allowance” for sharing our second tithe with spouse and/or children will help them to truly rejoice.
The scriptures in Deuteronomy 16:13-15 refer not only to our immediate family, but to God's family as well. We don't know who or how many may show up for God's Feast this year, but God commands us to see to the needs of strangers, fatherless, and widows during His Feast. God wants us to also make sure that the others attending the Feast have a positive and memorable time. Be on the lookout for brethren who may need our help during the Feast. Including singles, widows and single-parent families in our Feast fun provides a great service to God's people.
There are many different jobs that need to be done at the Feast. Volunteer to help while at the Feast. Don't leave all the work to others - chip in! Paul wrote, “I have showed you all things, how that so laboring you ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, `It is more blessed to give than to receive'” (Acts 20:35). If you help to make everyone else's Feast the best ever - YOU will have the best Feast ever!
Let's all take some time and ask ourselves why we attend the Feast. Fully understanding why we go to the Feast will ensure that we keep a very meaningful Feast - God's way!
Pete Fleming
God's Autumn Festivals 2006
Feast of Trumpets: September 21st Telephone and Internet connections
Day of Atonement: September 30th Telephone and Internet connections
Feast Location: Treehouse Condo's
Indian Point Road
Branson West, Missouri
Feast of Tabernacles: October 5th through October 11th No connections
Last Great Day: October 12th No connections
Contact: Church of God, In Truth
P.O. Box 2109
Corona, CA 92878
Tel: 951-737-0559
Feast of Trumpets and Day of Atonement telephone conference number is: 1-888-330-9937 after the beeps enter access code 346041#, 11:30 AM Pacific time zone. Internet conference: www.postponements.com Click on live sermons 11:30 AM Pacific time zone.