The Seasons of the Lord The one thing I like most about coming to the faith of Yeshua (Hebrew name of Jesus) as the atonement to my own personal redemption, is in the knowledge that the spirit of God (the Ruach of God) is always pointing us into more of the fathers ways & the light of his word. My own confident assurance In the Lord is always has been in the knowledge of that which has revealed to me through his spirit, which then “breaths light (understanding) on the word of God” much like a torch shines a light into a void of darkness. Through this process I get to see the “will of God” and the desires of him for his people following “his ways”. As always with the faith, revelations are simple steps of faith from one piece of knowledge to another, leading to an ever increasing knowledge of God the father, his word (Yeshua his son in the flesh) and the Ruach, breath and spirit of God. Scripture tells us that “the just shall live by faith” and that as we learn to hear and be obedient to the spirit of the Lord, we will “always be justified – In Faith” and therefore able to receive greater revelations & knowledge to the ways of God, through the renewing of our hearts and minds in accordance to his spirit leading us. Divine Junctions to life Many times in the faith we come to what I call divine junctions. These are “turning points in life” where the spirit of the lord desires to lead us into new paths, new futures, new opportunities and new seasons. Sometimes if we are disobedient he will allow us to “enter a wilderness period” or even worse if we continue on the path of unrighteousness. Divine junctions are based on “Divine Appointments”, in other words the appointed times of God. Sometimes we miss them not reading the signs, even though his season or signs remains firmly in place. The three Feasts of the Lord God the father has three key feasts to which early church believers followed. Passover, Pentecost and Sukkot are the three main feasts and appointed seasons of the lord, they are not lawful dates, times or seasons, but become “spirit led” and a “heart desired” time and season. When we understand God’s ways, our desire becomes stronger to follow them, as in doing so it places us fully in the will and knowledge of him, his son and his spirit and life itself. We follow because his creative force breaths life and more life into our being, thereby drawing us further and further from the darkness and conforming more and more into the light. Passover Early believer followed Passover and were asked to remember and keep “the Passover” in remembrance of our lord Jesus. Even Paul, the apostle to the gentile believers (those who were & still are aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, the knowledge of God and the promises of his covenants) taught so much on the grace of God that even the Jews thought he was trying to “do away with all the teachings of the Torah” without realising that Christ is the fulfilment of the Torah, their Messiah and the gentile saviour. Many times in scripture we see that Paul desired to follow the Passover season in remember of our lord showing us the nature of his understanding to the spirit of God Passover is a Jewish tradition, of which I know very little in relation to a Jewish Rabbi; however the key knowledge here is that it is a Jewish festival season, set up by God, which Jesus adhered to, as well as the apostles and early church. Modern Christianity knows little of the feats, seasons and times and therefore “in part” does not fully connected to the Blessings of the spirit of the living God. Unless we learn to follow the full council of his word, allow it to change and mould us, yield to his spirit of leading then we will always only reap “in part” all that God desires us to have and be. Pentecost Pentecost was a command from the lord to his disciples to go and wait in Jerusalem for the outpouring from of his spirit “onto and into” the “new tabernacle of God” which is the “flesh of all men who believe and receive Yeshua as their lord and saviour”. Pentecost was a fulfilment of the prophetic scriptures as well as placing believers in Christ into a New relationship with the living God by the spirit of God now abiding within a believer. Through the works of his spirit in us and through us we get to know “the father, the son & the spirit of God” and he reveals his word to us, step by step, and from faith to faith. It is “always this way with God” so that we are “always fully dependent” upon him in our lives. Any time you think you can do it without him you are “out of his will” as there is “nothing we can do without him” and our “New life in him” is likened to “his resurrection life”, we cannot not have the fullness of his New Life (in the now of the future) without “his resurrection spirit” at work in our life, leading us, guiding us, teaching us in everyday situations. Sukkot Sukkot is a festival few Christian know about, I myself was ignorant to this until the lord as nudged, prompted and directed us to follow it, piece by piece by “his spirit”. Sukkot is the final feast given to the house of Israel (of which there were seven!). Sukkot represents the feat of tabernacles and is in September/ November each year. It follows the Jewish calendar (like all their festivals) and requires the building of a small hut to resemble and remember the 40 years his people spent in the desert after their exodus from Egypt. Later when Israel entered their promise land sukkot was also known as the “festival of the harvest” which was the gathering at the end of a Jewish calendar year. Other customs were incorporated into this season during the years including the “four species”. These were and still are prophetic signs to those who have “spiritual eyes to see” the significance of what God was and still is doing for his people. This tradition includes circling the synagogue in a procession whilst singing hymns and reciting Hebrew blessings to sanctify the festival. The whole “holiday season” is about being festive, and celebrating the goodness of God. Having the right attitude is key to releasing his blessing and sukkot is used as a personal and mutual stirring of our hearts (with fellow believers) in recognition of his provision and care for us within our own daily lives. (Deut 16,14,15). A key aspect in this season is the importance of “giving to charity” and as you give to others, God gives to you. Jewish tradition tells us that king Solomon was also said to of dedicated the “Jewish temple” at this time of year, which speaks volumes to us prophetically about the “new temple in Christ”. Sukkot represent a “time of restored fellowship with the lord “, the rebuilding of the temple prophetically speaking and spiritually it shows us that God wants to “restore fellowship to himself with his people”. Repentance always precedes restoration, therefore if you have been in the “wilderness in your life” and are in need of “restoration in fellowship to the lord”, then do so this day and don’t miss “your own divine appointment”. The old Reveals the New Remember Moses was given the instruction on the “building of the tabernacle” which represented God presence dwelling among his people, likewise now we have “the spirit of the lord living within the tabernacle” through the redeemed work of Christ. Sukkot was always preceded by Yom Kippur (the day of the atonement for our sins) and this festive holiday season purpose is for us “to focus on God as our creator”, then Jesus is our atonement (Yom Kippur) and the spirit represents the New life (Pentecost and joy (sukkot season) of the lord is our strength) now and the fulfilment of all that is to come in his kingdom. The Day of the lord The day of the lord represent the number seven, it also represents the Sabbath which is the lords day. God declare himself the Alpha and the omega, the begging and the end, the one who is and always will be. Many believe like me that the season of Sukkot is the Birth date of Yeshua. The “word became flesh and tabernacle with us” (john 1:114). To me it is a prophetic sign of his return to the earth and the “wedding supper of his bride” which I believe will happen in the season of Sukkot to which we are commanded by the lord to “look forward to his coming” Deuteronomy 16; 13-15 commands us to keep the sukkot festival as there is a great promise of blessings connected to it. “The lord god will bless you in all your produce, in all the work of your hand so that you may be altogether joyful” This season historically became so renowned that is was known as “The feast” (1 kings 12; 32) and “the season of our joy”. Obviously this was a great festival time in recognition to God, our dependence upon him and his faithfulness to cover us with “his clouds of glory” and deliver us into our own “promise land”. Passover represents the “planting season” whilst Pentecost represents the “grain season” and sukkot refers to the “fruit harvest”. Here we see that as we plant in spring we do so but we do not rejoice as we do not know how they will turn out. Harvesting your grain at the start of summer puts some bread on the table but again you still do not rejoice as you are uncertain of your fruit harvest. Total celebration would come after you have harvested all of your crops in the fall and therefore would have received substance and provision for the coming year of the lord. Spiritual speaking we get to see that “all we have and all we are” because of Yeshua Passover, Pentecost and his sukkot. It represents that all our sins are forgiven, that of our miraculous provision from our own Egypt and also his deliverance into our own promised land. It also prophetically represents, the return of Yeshua to Jerusalem where all kings of the earth will return to give homage to him in the season of Sukkot (Zech 14; 16). Today sukkot represents Gods care, protection and provision for the New Year. Yeshua under the new covenant is building the New Jerusalem as well as being our high priest and intercessor to the heavenly temple of God. We threw him now have access to the heavenly temple as well as being a part of the greater sukkot that being the body of Christ itself. Building your Sukkot Today we are not building a traditional hut (sukkot) to remember Gods goodness, but were are responsible to build our “bodily sukkot (tabernacle)” through the spirit of God revealing his word to us. Part of this building process involves us being “in Joy”, thankfulness, humility to the goodness of the living lord. There is a saving in Judaism called “Hiddur mitzvah” meaning “making a command beautiful” and this represents making our “sukkot” a place of beauty, which represents our own “personal tabernacle” and becoming “epistles of light”. Moses had a song called the “song of Moses” (exodus 15; 2) “this is my God and I will enshrine him”, again a clear prophetic signal to the true meaning behind sukkot and the importance of our personal tabernacle being “shining lights” and “festivals of joy” unto our lord. The Four species The four species represent the four organic products mentioned in the festival of sukkot. The custom is to gather the four species of organic products into a “bouquet” which is held whilst standing “inside your sukkot” The four species are collectively called the “lulav” and include the “best of each crop of that species”. They include the lemon citrus fruit which is symbolic of “the heart” and has meanings connected with the following; strong, repentance, faith, healing and humility. It is said that “the fruit & smell of a humble heart is most beautiful to the eyes of heaven”. Lulav is a branch from the Palm tree and this holds the central and prominent position in the bouquet. The palm branch must be ripe, sturdy and strong and represents “the spine”. Again this is a hidden meaning showing us that those who “have a heart and love the lord will produce a sweet smelling aroma like the citrus lemon” but will also have a “strong backbone” meaning they will have real spiritual backbone and strength in the lord. The next organic product is “the myrtle branches” of which “three” are required to make a complete Lulav bundle. The shapes of these branches are said to be connected to “the eye” therefore the spiritual sight, seeing, vision – being enlightened to the truth. The last organic product is “the willow tree” and two are used in the lulav bundle. Willow grows long and narrow which is symbolic of long life and the narrow path that yeshua taught about. It also requires regular watering otherwise it dries out and withers away, which again is symbolic of our total dependency upon the living water of the almighty. This particular leaf is also use in other traditional ceremonies where it is “beaten against the ground until the leave fall out” called the “beating of the willows” which is known as a symbol of ultimate victory over our enemies. The secret of the Sukkot revealed That within a man’s heart is the place of understanding and wisdom as well as a backbone of uprightness with eyes of understanding and the lips of our service and long life (willow). These four are held together in a frequent bouquet and waved on each day of sukkot whilst speaking the blessing 3 times, in 6 directions proclaiming Gods omnipresence. Here again we see the hidden truths of God revealed, that we “in Christ” have ultimate victory over every enemy including death even as our lives our poured out for his glory we always live in victory and become the living Lulav for God by walking in accordance to the spirit of the living God to which we receive a fruitful harvest and double blessing simply because we become “epistle of the Sukkot and the living God”. Voice of the spirit 27/09/2013 Sukkot finishes on 28/09/2013 - take your blessing today.
Posted on: Sat, 28 Sep 2013 08:55:41 +0000
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