Leviticus 23:4
King James Version
4 These are the feasts of the Lord,
even holy convocations,
which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
In "CLUES to JESUS", we discovered something striking.
And we promised to look into it.
On the matter of the FEAST of TABERNACLES.
And the Zechariah prophecy:
Zechariah 14:16
King James Version
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.
Zechariah 14:17
King James Version
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.
Zechariah 14:18
King James Version
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.
Zechariah 14:19
King James Version
19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt,
and the punishment of all nations
that come not up
to keep the feast of tabernacles.
From the verses above, we gather the following:
-- The remaining nations who attacked Jerusalem, and were defeated, will now worship JESUS ("the King"), and to "keep the feast of tabernacles" yearly.
-- Those who don't go to Jerusalem to worship JESUS, will not have "rain".
-- The LORD will "smite the heathen" who don't go to Jerusalem to "keep the feast of tabernacles".
-- The punishment for Egypt, and all nations -- who have gone against Israel and who "come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles" -- would be the absence of "rain", and the presence of "plague".
Why is rain important?
What does it have to do with the "feast of tabernacles"?
That feast must honor GOD.
For giving Israel the land.
For providing for His people.
For protecting them from all harm.
The feast is to thank GOD for the provisions.
You will find it enumerated in Deuteronomy 8.
The people offer GOD their produce, gratitude, and harvest.
After which, the rains will come, for the next planting season.
There is only ONE GOD of rain.
Matthew 5:45
King James Version
45 That ye may be the children
of your Father which is in heaven:
for he maketh his sun
to rise on the evil and on the good,
and sendeth rain
on the just and on the unjust.
Those are the rules set by GOD, through JESUS, and Zechariah.
Now, we wonder, what is the significance of the "feast of tabernacles"?
Why was it a requirement to celebrate this PARTICULAR feast, AFTER that last battle with Jerusalem?
To know more, we look to the OLD TESTAMENT:
Leviticus 23:33-35
King James Version
33 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying,
The fifteenth day of this seventh month
shall be the feast of tabernacles
for seven days unto the Lord.
35 On the first day shall be an holy convocation:
ye shall do no servile work therein.
Leviticus 23:36
King James Version
36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering
made by fire unto the Lord:
on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation
unto you;
and ye shall offer an offering made by fire
unto the Lord:
it is a solemn assembly;
and ye shall do no servile work therein.
Leviticus 23:39
King James Version
39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month,
when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land,
ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days:
on the first day shall be a sabbath,
and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.
For seven days, there will be burnt, meat, sin, and drink offerings.
Numbers 29:36-38
King James Version
36 But ye shall offer a burnt offering,
a sacrifice made by fire,
of a sweet savour unto the Lord:
one bullock,
one ram,
seven lambs of the first year without blemish:
37 Their meat offering and their drink offerings
for the bullock, for the ram, and for the lambs,
shall be according to their number,
after the manner:
38 And one goat for a sin offering;
beside the continual burnt offering,
and his meat offering,
and his drink offering.
Leviticus 23:40
King James Version
40 And ye shall take you on the first day
the boughs of goodly trees,
branches of palm trees,
and the boughs of thick trees,
and willows of the brook;
and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God
seven days.
Leviticus 23:41
King James Version
41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord
seven days in the year.
It shall be a statute for ever in your generations:
ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.
Leviticus 23:42-43
King James Version
42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days;
all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:
43 That your generations may know
that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths,
when I brought them out of the land of Egypt:
I am the Lord your God.
On the eight day, rest.
Numbers 29:35
King James Version
35 On the eighth day
ye shall have a solemn assembly:
ye shall do no servile work therein:
Where before, only the Jews could celebrate it.
After that battle, the surviving Gentiles will keep the feast, too.
Both Jew and Gentile are to worship JESUS, "the King".
This conforms to the verses:
Galatians 3:28-29
King James Version
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither bond nor free,
there is neither male nor female:
for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed,
and heirs according to the promise.
JESUS is the "King of kings" the Bible spoke of:
1 Timothy 6:15
King James Version
15 Which in his times he shall shew,
who is the blessed and only Potentate,
the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
Revelation 17:14
King James Version
14 These shall make war with the Lamb,
and the Lamb shall overcome them:
for he is Lord of lords,
and King of kings:
and they that are with him
are called,
and chosen,
and faithful.
Revelation 19:16
King James Version
16 And he hath on his vesture
and on his thigh a name written,
King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.
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