Harvest Festival and Saving Souls

Here in the Northern Hemisphere it is the season of Harvest Festivals and I have been reminded that Passover/Easter, Pentecost (Jewish and Christian) and Tabernacles (Final Harvest festival, yet to be fulfilled in Christianity) are all related to various stages of Harvest. Mindful also of Wesley's instruction to preachers: "Everywhere avail yourself of the great festivals, by preaching on the occasion" it seems that the Harvest season lends itself to the saving of souls.  

What is the Feast of Tabernacles

(go to first page in this series)

What is the Feast of Tabernacles

 "All the men of your nation are to come to worship the LORD three times a year at

 the one place of worship: at Passover, Harvest Festival, and the Festival 

of Shelters."  Deuteronomy 16:16

Three Festivals

In this reading God gives to the people three festivals, three celebrations, three feasts

 that they are to celebrate every year in Jerusalem at the Temple. Now each of these 

festivals was an agricultural festival celebrating some stage in the harvest process, but, 

and far more importantly,each festival also had a religious significance.

Passover April 14-22 2014

 Passover(which for us now is the Easter celebration of the Lamb of Godwho was 

slain and raised to life in order to set us free from bondage to sin) was a reminder and 

celebration of the redemption from bondage in Egypt, but it also had an agricultural element.

Passover ends with the Festival of First Fruits, where the people bought the first

 part of their harvest as an offering to God in anticipation of a good harvest to come.

  Jesus was raised from the dead on the day of this festival which is why Paul says

(1Corinthians15:20) "Christ has been raised from the dead,

 the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep so that in Christ all will be made alive."

Pentecost: June 8, 2014

The next festival mentioned is the Harvest Festival, also called the Festival of Weeks,

as it took place seven weeks after Passover andFirst Fruits. At the time of Jesus this festival

 was known as Pentecost which is a Greek word which means "seven weeks".The Jews

 celebrated the harvest and that God had given them everything they

 had hoped for when they brought theirfirst fruits.They also remembered on this day 

the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai.  Pentecost became of course the time when God 

poured out His Spirit and put His Law into our hearts.

Tabernacles: October 10-15, 2014

The final festival mentioned is the Festival of Tabernacles, and is celebrated at the

 end of the harvest season. Passover is in earlypring, Pentecost is in late spring and the 

Festival of Shelters or Tabernacles or Booths is in autumn.The Jews at this time remember 

that during the 40 years in the wilderness they lived in shelters or tabernacles, hence

 its name.  The prophet Zechariah says: "Then the survivors from all the nations 

that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King,

 the Lord Almighty,and to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles." (14:16)

  This feast seems to look forward to the time when the Kingdom of God will be 

established on earth in all its fullness at Christ's return.So while we as Christians can

 look back and see how God has used two of these festivals for His redemptive

 purposes and they have in a sense been 'fulfilled', this last one, the feast of 

Tabernacles,is one which we still look forward to being fulfilled.

What Tabernacles anticipates

It points to Christ's return when according to the New Testament there will be

 a new Jerusalem and God will tabernacle with people: "Behold the Tabernacle of God is

 with people and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall

 be with them, and be their God." (Rev 21:3)

The Times we are Living in

Can you see that we are now living between the fulfilment of the second and the

 third Festivals, between Pentecost, which has been fulfilled, and Tabernacles, which is yet

 to be fulfilled? Going back to the harvest calendar, the time between these two festivals 

was a time of gathering in the full harvest. No wonder Jesus said to his disciples

 and says to us:"You have a saying, 'Four more months and then the harvest.' 

But I tell you, take a good look at the fields; the crops are now 

ripe and ready to be harvested!"

......and.....

"The harvest is large, but there are few workers to gather it in.Pray to the owner

 of the harvest that he will send out workers to gather in his harvest."

.......and.....

"For the saying is true, 'Someone plants, someone else reaps.' I have sent you to reap

 a harvest in a field where you did not work; others worked there, 

and you profit from their work."

For Chris and Cedric

This pilgrimage helped us to hear the Lord saying to us again:

 "Take a good look at the fields, pray and reap!"

For You

May you be blessed as you journey with us.

Jesus and Tabernacles

  After this, Jesus traveled in Galilee; he did not want to travel in Judea, because the 

Jewish authorities there were wanting to kill him. The time for the Festival of 

Tabernacles was near,.... After his brothers had gone to

 the festival, Jesus also went.....On the last and most important day of the festival 

Jesus stood up and said in a loud voice,"Whoever is thirsty should come to me, 

and whoever believes in me should drink.

As the Scripture says, 'Streams of life-giving water will pour out from his side.' "

  Jesus said this about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were going to receive.

                                                                                (selected verses from John 7).                                                                            

                                                    

To Day One

Pilgrimage to Israel for the Feast of Tabernacles

 "All the men of your nation are to come to worship the LORD three times a year at the
one place of worship: at Passover, Harvest Festival(Pentecost), and the Festival of Tabernacles."
Deuteronomy 16:16

  "After this, Jesus traveled in Galilee; he did not want to travel in Judea,
because the Jewish authorities there were wanting to kill him.
 The time for the Festival of Tabernacles was near,....
 After his brothers had gone to the festival, Jesus also went......................
  On the last and most important day of the festival Jesus stood up and
 said in a loud voice,
"Whoever is thirsty should come to me, and whoever believes in me should drink.
As the scripture says, 'Streams of life-giving water will pour out from his side.' "
  Jesus said this about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were going to receive."
  (selected verses from John 7)

Go to

DentalMethodist's Introductory Comments

Blessed in order to Bless, a reflection on 'Zionism' and Wesleyanism

Blessed in order to Bless
The 2010 Feast of Tabernacles has just finished and has led me to reflect on our pilgrimage to the Feast in 2009.
Chris and I went on this pilgrimage as the guests of dear friends of ours.
It didn't cost us a cent! We praise God for the opportunity we were given
to journey through this amazing land and thank God for the renewal He has brought us.
Health wise 2009 was the worst year of my life and we marvel at how
in God's perfect timing He had this time of refreshing already planned for us.
What a mighty God we serve!
The couple who blessed us in this way are always very quick to tell
us that they bless others because God has blessed them.
They are a reminder to me of the reason why God created this people
called the Jews: "Abraham, I will bless you and you will be a blessing."
We are only ever blessed in order to be a blessing to others. God formed
a nation out of the descendants of Abraham and called them to be a blessing
to the nations, a shining light to the world. They were to show the world
what a nation under God looks like, how a nation under God lives and in
so doing they were meant to attract people to God and point them to God.
This remains their calling, a calling to which they have been disobedient.
In Romans, Paul points out how in His grace God has used the Jews'
disobedience in order to bless us Gentiles and graft us into His Life.
"There is a secret truth, my friends, which I want you to know,
for it will keep you from thinking how wise you are. It is that the
stubbornness of the people of Israel is not permanent, but will last
only until the complete number of Gentiles comes to God." (Rom 11:25)
We are living in exciting times. The return of Jews to the Promised Land
is the fulfilment of many Old Testament prophecies, but sadly in the
Promised Land they continue to live in disobedience to God. Their trust and faith
is in weapons and powerful friends, rather than in their God. When will they learn
(and remember from their history) that when their trust is in God, no weapon
will ever prosper against them? I hope they will learn soon, and then we will
see Paul's prophecy fulfilled: "All Israel will be saved" (Rom 11:26).
We can bless this people through whom we have been blessed by praying
for them and praying for the peace of Jerusalem to return to Jerusalem
and her people. We know that the Prince of Peace, Jesus Himself,
is the source of the peace we pray for. We can also pray for the safe return
of Jews from all over the world to this land and even ask God
to show us how we can help this to happen.
" They will bring back all your people from the nations as a gift to me.
They will bring them to my sacred hill in Jerusalem on horses, mules,
and camels, and in chariots and wagons, just as Israelites bring grain
offerings to the Temple in ritually clean containers."(Isa 66:20)
There is a beautiful Wesleyan hymn based on the verses I have quoted
above which was written to help people like us understand God's plan
revealed in Scripture to return the Jews to the Promised Land.

Almighty God of love,
Set up th’ attracting sign,
And summon whom thou dost approve
For messengers divine;
From favoured Abraham's seed
The new apostles choose,
In isles and continents to spread
The dead-reviving news.

Them, snatched out of the flame,
Through every nation send,
The true Messiah to proclaim,
The universal Friend;
That all the God unknown
May learn of Jews to adore,
And see thy glory in thy Son,
Till time shall be no more.

O that the chosen band
Might now their brethren bring,
And, gathered out of every land,
Present to Zion's King!
Of all the ancient race
Not one be left behind,
But each, impelled by secret grace,
His way to Canaan find.

We know it must be done,
For God hath spoke the word;
All Israel shall the Saviour own,
To their first state restored;
Rebuilt by his command,
Jerusalem shall rise,
Her temple on Moriah stand
Again, and touch the skies.

Send then thy servants forth,
To call the Hebrews home,
From east, and west, and south, and north,
Let all the wanderers come;
Where'er in lands unknown
The fugitives remain,
Bid every creature help them on,
Thy holy mount to gain.

An offering to their Lord
There let them all be seen,
Sprinkled with water and with blood,
In soul and body clean;
With Israel's myriads sealed
Let all the nations meet,
And show the mystery fulfilled,
Thy family complete.

Wesley, 'Zionism' and the Feast of Tabernacles

Thursday 23 September marks the start of the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles, a 7 day long celebration and one which still awaits it’s Christian fulfilment (Passover and Pentecost having been fulfilled). Over the next week I’ll be posting some thoughts from our pilgrimage to Israel for the feast in 2008 and reflections on John Wesley’s thoughts on the celebration and his thoughts on the return of the Jews to their homeland, which, in the 1700’s, he longed for and looked forward to.

What is the Feast of Tabernacles
"All the men of your nation are to come to worship the LORD three times a year at
the one place of worship: at Passover, Harvest Festival, and the Festival
of Shelters." Deuteronomy 16:16

Three Festivals
In this reading God gives to the people three festivals, three celebrations, three feasts that they are to celebrate every year in Jerusalem at the Temple. Now each of these festivals was an agricultural festival celebrating some stage in the harvest process, but, and far more importantly, each festival also had a religious significance.

Passover
Passover (which for us now is the Easter celebration of the Lamb of God who was
slain and raised to life in order to set us free from bondage to sin) was a reminder and celebration of the redemption from bondage in Egypt, but it also had an agricultural element.Passover ends with the Festival of First Fruits, where the people bought the first part of their harvest as an offering to God in anticipation of a good harvest to come. Jesus was raised from the dead on the day of this festival which is why Paul says(1Corinthians15:20) "Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep so that in Christ all will be made alive."

Pentecost
The next festival mentioned is the Harvest Festival, also called the Festival of Weeks, as it took place seven weeks after Passover and First Fruits. At the time of Jesus this festival was known as Pentecost which is a Greek word which means "seven weeks". The Jews celebrated the harvest and that God had given them everything they
had hoped for when they brought their first fruits. They also remembered on this day the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. Pentecost became of course the time when God poured out His Spirit and put His Law into our hearts.

Tabernacles
The final festival mentioned is the Festival of Tabernacles, and is celebrated at the end of the harvest season. Passover is in early spring, Pentecost is in late spring and the Festival of Shelters or Tabernacles or Booths is in autumn. The Jews at this time remember that during the 40 years in the wilderness they lived in shelters or tabernacles, hence its name. The prophet Zechariah says: "Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles" (14:16). This feast seems to look forward to the time when the Kingdom of God will be established on earth in all its fullness at Christ's return. So while we as Christians can look back and see how God has used two of these festivals for His redemptive purposes and they have in a sense been 'fulfilled', this last one, the feast of Tabernacles, is one which we still look forward to being fulfilled.

What Tabernacles anticipates
It points to Christ's return when according to the New Testament there will be
a new Jerusalem and God will tabernacle with people: "Behold the Tabernacle of God is with people and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God." (Rev 21:3)

The Times we are Living in
Can you see that we are now living between the fulfilment of the second and the
third Festivals, between Pentecost, which has been fulfilled, and Tabernacles, which is yet to be fulfilled? Going back to the harvest calendar, the time between these two festivals was a time of gathering in the full harvest. No wonder Jesus said to his disciples and says to us: "You have a saying, 'Four more months and then the harvest.' But I tell you, take a good look at the fields; the crops are now ripe and ready to be harvested!"......and....."The harvest is large, but there are few workers to gather it in.Pray to the owner of the harvest that he will send out workers to gather in his harvest.".......and....."For the saying is true, 'Someone plants, someone else reaps.' I have sent you to reap a harvest in a field where you did not work; others worked there, and you profit from their work."


Jesus and Tabernacles
After this, Jesus travelled in Galilee; he did not want to travel in Judea, because the Jewish authorities there were wanting to kill him. The time for the Festival of
Tabernacles was near,.... After his brothers had gone to the festival, Jesus also went.....On the last and most important day of the festival Jesus stood up and said in a loud voice, "Whoever is thirsty should come to me, and whoever believes in me should drink.As the Scripture says, 'Streams of life-giving water will pour out from his side.' "Jesus said this about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were going to receive. (selected verses from John 7).