[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Abraham: The Father of Many Nations

The well-known hymn, Standing on the Promises, by Russell Carter is familiar to most church-goers. But what are those promises? Do you know? If you guess, “Salvation through Jesus Christ,” that is certainly one of the promises. But do you know to whom that promise was given, and what other promise accompanied it? And do you realize that this other promise explains what is happening geopolitically in our world today?

We read in Genesis 12, and verses 2–3, that a man named Abram was told to leave his country and go to a place that God had chosen for him, and he would be blessed mightily if he did so. Notice these promises:

I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed (Genesis 12:2–3).

It’s generally understood that, “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed,” is a reference to the Messiah—Jesus Christ.

But what about the blessing of national greatness? Is this fulfilled by the tiny state we now call Israel? Or was it the kingdom of Israel under Kings David or Solomon? Or does it mean far more than that?

The promise of a Savior is general knowledge, but we’ll see on today’s program, one of the most remarkable truths of scripture. It is a truth so plain a child can understand, but one that theologians fail to explain. That truth is the promise of national greatness to Abraham, and it explains what we see in our world today. Stay with me now, as we’ll look at the promises of God to Abraham—promises that God cannot, and has not, broken.

Abraham’s Place in World History

A warm welcome to all of you from all of us here at Tomorrow’s World, where we fearlessly explain, from the pages of the Bible, promises and prophecies others don’t understand, or simply ignore. Do you realize, dear friends, that God gave two major promises to the patriarch Abraham, passed those along to his descendants, and has brought them to pass thousands of years later?

Most church-goers are familiar with one of them, but they are woefully ignorant of the other. Why? And why should this be important to you? When people sing “Standing on the Promises,” do they know what those promises are? The promises of God are found in the book of Genesis, so let’s begin with chapter 12, verses 1–3, where we are introduced to a man named Abram.

Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:1–3).

Then in verse 7 we read the following:

Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land” (Genesis 12:7).

How is it that a promise made nearly 4,000 years ago could affect us in the 21^st century? Today we see a struggle in the Middle East over the land promised to Abram and his descendants. But there is far more significance to the promises made to Abraham. Notice in chapter 13 of Genesis that God promised this man, who was childless at the time, that he would be a father of millions, and that his descendants would spread out in all directions.

And the Lord said to Abram… “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered” (Genesis 13:14–16).

People often think of the promised land as only that area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, as we hear angry chants today, “From the river to the sea.” But the promise included much more, as we see from the fifteenth chapter, verse 18, where God told Abram:

“To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18).

The River Euphrates starts in Turkey, flows through Syria and modern Iraq and empties into the Persian Gulf. This may not mean that all territory south and west of the Euphrates was given to Israel. But clearly much more than most people realize. And even anciently, Israel possessed land on the east side of the Jordan. When Abram was 99 years old and before the birth of Isaac, in chapter 17, beginning in verse 4, God told him the following:

“As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you” (Genesis 17:4–6).

Notice that the very name Abraham means “father of many nations.” And his wife Sarah was prophesied to be [notice verse 16]:

… a mother of nations; [and that] kings of peoples shall be from her (Genesis 17:16).

As we go through the book of Genesis, we find that God expanded the promises far beyond a tiny land on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea.

However, Sarah was barren, and in the course of time, Abraham and Sarah became impatient. Sarah suggested that Abraham could produce a child by a surrogate. The result was the birth of Ishmael.

God’s Promises Revealed

Dear friends, you cannot understand our world today without understanding the promises of national greatness made to Abraham and his descendants. Yes, the promises made to him include the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ, but that’s not the whole story. These promises include kings (plural!), nations (plural!), and as we will see, great agricultural and mineral wealth, and great military power.

We read that God tested Abraham to know who he would put first—God, or his son? He passed that test and God responded by making the promises unconditional and giving greater detail. Notice it in Genesis 22:16–18:

“By Myself I have sworn,” says the Lord, “because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice” (Genesis 22:16–18).

So far, we have seen that God promised the following:

1. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.

2. God would give great national blessings to Abraham and his descendants.

3. His descendants would be in number as the sands of the seashore.

and,

4. They would possess the gate of their enemies.

The Apostle Paul explains that point number 1—“In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed”—refers to the Messiah.

Notice it in Galatians 3:16:

Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “AND TO YOUR SEED,” who is Christ (Galatians 3:16).

That single seed that would bring a blessing to the whole world is the promise of Jesus Christ, who gave His life for the sins of the world and offered salvation and eternal life to mankind. This promise is generally understood, but what about other aspects of the promise made to Abraham? What about:

• Kings?
• Territory?
• Descendants in the millions?
• Possessing gates of their enemies?

Genesis 24:60 shows how these promises were conferred upon Abraham’s daughter-in-law:

And they blessed Rebekah and said to her: “Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands [that’s tens of millions]; and may your descendants possess the gates [plural] of those who hate them” (Genesis 24:60).

My friends, these are remarkable promises, if they are true! And we are going to see that they ARE true, that they HAVE been, and ARE being fulfilled right before our very eyes! Furthermore, these promises affect your life!

Now we come to a part of the story that affects what is happening in the Middle East even as I speak. We find that Abraham’s daughter-in-law, Rebekah was pregnant with twin boys who struggled in her womb. When she inquired of God as to why there was such a struggle within her, He answered [Genesis 25:23]:

Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; one people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger (Genesis 25:23).

The two sons were named Jacob and Esau. Do you realize that what is happening in that part of the world all began with what we are reading here in the book of Genesis? The struggles that began between Jacob and Esau were foretold nearly 4,000 years in advance, but what remains of this story is even more remarkable.

Esau was the older of the two and was in line to receive a double portion of the inheritance as a right of birth. But Jacob was a crafty man and induced Esau to sell him his birthright—Genesis 25, beginning in verse 29:

Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary” … But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.” And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?” (Genesis 25:29–32).

Now it’s evident by what followed that he was not really ready to die:

Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright (Genesis 25:33–34).

Ephraim and Manasseh—Who Are They?

In the course of time, Jacob’s name was changed to Israel, and the promises became his. And as we will see, those promises, given thousands of years ago, are coming alive before our very eyes. Let’s pick up the story in Genesis 35 where God appeared to Abraham’s grandson, Jacob [we’ll begin in verse 10]:

And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name”…. Also God said to him: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land” (Genesis 35:10–12).

Notice this additional detail given here. Abram’s name was changed to Abraham, meaning a father of many, or a multitude, of nations. But here we see that the promise to his grandson explains the promise included a single nation and a company of nations. So what are we to think of this? And should this matter to you? Absolutely it should! Let’s go to the end of Genesis and read some remarkable prophecies. Bible students know the story of Jacob’s [that is, Israel’s] twelve sons and how they all ended up in Egypt. One of Jacob’s [or Israel’s] sons was Judah—the father of the Jews. Another was Joseph. As Israel came to the end of his life, he adopted Joseph’s two sons—Manasseh and Ephraim. We read of this in chapter 48 of Genesis. After confirming what God had promised him, Israel then said something almost no one understands, yet there’s nothing difficult here. Let’s notice this in Genesis 48:

“And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. Your offspring whom you beget after them shall be yours; they will be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance” (Genesis 48:5–6).

This adoption by Israel of Joseph’s sons was confirmed in verse 16:

“Let my name [that is, the name Israel] be named upon them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth” (Genesis 48:16).

This is vitally important. The name of Israel was placed, not on the sons of Judah, the Jews, but on the sons of his brother, Joseph. Let that sink in. I repeat, the name of Israel was placed, not on the sons of Judah—not on the Jews—but on the sons of his brother Joseph. And as the verses that follow demonstrate, the birthright blessings, of a single nation, and a multitude of nations, go to Joseph’s sons—Manasseh and Ephraim. The verses that follow prove that! Jacob, that is Israel, commanded Joseph to bring his sons forward to him, that the birthright blessing could be passed to them. Joseph then placed the oldest, that is Manasseh, before his father so that Israel’s right hand would be on his head; and the younger Ephraim in front of Israel’s left hand. However, Israel crossed his hands and conferred the greater blessing on the younger brother. Joseph protested here in Genesis 48:18:

“Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.” But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations” (Genesis 48:18–19).

Notice it! The older son would become a great nation, but his younger brother would become a multitude or company of nations. This should be proof enough that these birthright blessings never went to the Jews. But if you have your Bible, turn now to 1 Chronicles 5, or write this down and look it up later. Here we see a clear statement that the birthright went to neither the firstborn [Reuben] of Israel, nor to the Jews. Begin in verse 1:

Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel—he was indeed the firstborn, but because he defiled [by sexual misconduct] his father's bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph [Ephraim and Manasseh], the son of Israel, so that the genealogy is not listed according to the birthright; yet Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came a ruler [that is, the Messiah—Christ Jesus], although the birthright [the national blessings] was Joseph’s (1 Chronicles 5:1–2).

Understand. Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, had twelve sons. Among the twelve are Judah, the father of the Jews, but also Joseph, whose descendants, through Ephraim and Manasseh, were destined to become a single great nation and a company of nations. From the Jews would come the Messiah, but the promise of national greatness was given to his brother Joseph and his sons. Not only is this what Scripture tells us, so does history! When have the Jews ever been a great nation and a company of nations possessing the bounties of the earth? Some think the split between the house of Judah and the house of Israel fulfilled this, but that cannot be, because the house of Israel was not made up of Jews. The Jews were only a single nation—never a multitude of nations.

American and Great Britain…In Prophecy?

Prior to his death, Jacob [that is, Israel] called all twelve of his sons and foretold what would come of them at the time of the end. Here it is in Genesis 49:1:

And Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days” (Genesis 49:1).

To Judah [that is the Jews] we read of the promise of a line of kings culminating in the returning Messiah in verse 10:

The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people (Genesis 49:10).

We also see from verses 8 and 9 that the Jews will be a powerful military force at the time of the end, and is that not exactly what we see in our news?

Judah… Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies…. Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; and as a lion, who shall rouse him? (Genesis 49:8–9).

This is confirmed in a prophecy about the Jews and Jerusalem, found in Zechariah 12:6:

In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left… (Zechariah 12:6).

But what about the birthright descendants of Joseph during the time of the end—these very days that we’re living in today? Back in Genesis 49:22:

Joseph is a fruitful bough… His branches run over the wall. The archers have bitterly grieved him, shot at him and hated him. But his bow remained in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob… by the God of your father who will help you, and by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of your father have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers (Genesis 49:22–26).

Dear friends, there is so much more to this story that involves the British-descended and American peoples. Only when you understand the prophecies of the Bible can you understand what we see in today’s news, and what the outcome will be.

I hope you profited from this video.

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Thanks for watching! See you next time.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Spiritual Meaning: Feast of Tabernacles vs. Pagan Holidays

Ask anyone what Christmas is, and you’ll get an answer.

Everybody knows about Christmas. The same applies to Easter, the popular spring-time holiday. Even the U.S. President hosts an Easter egg roll each year on the White House lawn. What about the dark and sinister observance of Halloween? That holiday is world-renowned as well, even though it celebrates evil and demon spirits.

But ask the average person on the street about the Feast of Tabernacles and you’ll get some confused looks. Most, unless they are Jewish, won’t even have a clue what you’re talking about.

And yet, the Feast of Tabernacles is not just observed by Jews. A growing number of Christians keep this annual autumn festival every year. Why do THEY keep these feast days?

Maybe it’s time we peeled back the shroud of deception covering the Feast of Tabernacles. Let’s uncover the truth about this important holy day season described in the Bible.

What is the Feast of Tabernacles all about? And why should you care? I’m going to answer those questions in a few moments. Be sure to get ready to request your free study guide offered today, The Holy Days: God’s Master Plan.

So, what is the Feast of Tabernacles? We’ll answer that today on Tomorrow’s World. I’ll be right back.

Seven Biblical Feasts Are for Christians

Welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible. Most people today keep the traditional holidays of Christmas, Easter, and Halloween. Even if people are not religious, they may see these as times to gather with friends and family. But if you asked them, “What is the Feast of Tabernacles?”, they would probably be confused. If they’ve heard of it at all, they might think, “That’s one of those old Jewish holy days that Christ did away on the cross.” But is it?

Early Christians Kept the Feasts in the Bible

The truth is the Bible reveals holy days that God instituted for His people. And yes, they are found in the Old Testament. But it may come as a surprise that they are found in the New Testament as well. And the New Testament Christians understood and observed these days. Let’s go through a brief overview of the biblical holy days.

1. Passover

First comes the Christian Passover. It occurs in the springtime, usually in early April. Passover reminds us that Jesus fulfilled the role of the Lamb of God slain for our sins. That’s why the Passover is important to Christians.

As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 5:7,

“For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.”

In other words, the Christian Passover is the crucial first step in the plan of God, in bringing redemption to sinning mankind.

2. The Days of Unleavened Bread

The second of the annual feasts is the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For New Testament Christians, these days teach us that we must change and grow. Christ’s sacrifice sets us free, but we can’t continue in sin. We have to resist sin and learn a new way of life, with God’s help. As Paul also says in 1 Corinthians 5:8,

“Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”

3. Pentecost (a.k.a. the Feast of Firstfruits)

The third holy day in God’s calendar is the Feasts of Firstfruits. In New Testament times it was called Pentecost, meaning “fiftieth.” It was called Pentecost because the exact date of this holy day was calculated by counting fifty days from the starting point of the sabbath in the Feast of Unleavened Bread season. Pentecost occurred in mid-to-late May. In the Holy Land, this was the time of the beginning of the wheat harvest. For Christians in the New Testament, Pentecost was the day in 31 AD when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the early Church, and that’s found in Acts 2:1.

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:1–2).

What we learn from this feast day is that God is not calling everyone today, only a small group of firstfruits, the early harvest. The rest will have their chance later.

4. The Feast of Trumpets

The next holy day, or feast day, is called the Feast of Trumpets. The Feast of Trumpets usually occurs in mid- to late September in the Roman calendar, and prophetically represents the triumphant return of Jesus Christ. He will come to earth a second time. Only this time He will come in power and glory. Find out more about it on our tomorrowsworld.org website. Just look up the telecast, “What is the Feast of Trumpets?”

5. the Day of Atonement

After the Feast of Trumpets comes the Day of Atonement. The Day of Atonement occurs in the Fall as well. It represents the source of sin, the devil, being taken away and mankind becoming “at one” with God.

The Day of Atonement was still held in high esteem by New Testament Christians, as we find in Acts 27. In this passage, Luke detailed the journeys of Paul and his traveling companions as they sailed on the Mediterranean Sea. We’ll read it in the New International Version:

We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea. Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Day of Atonement (Acts 27:8–9, NIV).

How are we to understand this? Well, as already mentioned, the Day of Atonement took place usually in late September or even early October. And that time of year is a stormy season to be sailing on the Mediterranean. But the writer, Luke, used the Day of Atonement as a marker of time that his audience, even Gentile Christians, would be familiar with. Why would they care about the Day of Atonement, unless they were actually keeping it years after the Church was founded in 31 AD?

6. The Feast of Tabernacles

The next biblical feast day is the one we’re discussing today, the Feast of Tabernacles. In short, the Feast of Tabernacles is a seven-day period after the Day of Atonement, foreshadowing 1,000 years of peace, prosperity, and abundance on earth. This is still in the future, but it’s coming soon. Jesus Christ will personally reign on the earth. All humanity—those who survive the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord—will enjoy the benefits and blessings of living under the rule of Jesus Christ. We’ll touch on this holy day season in our next segment.

7. The Last Great Day

That brings us to the last feast day of God’s biblical Holy Days. This is called the Last Great Day. It follows on the heels of the Feast of Tabernacles and represents the time of the general resurrection. This is the time when the great masses of unsaved billions who never had a genuine opportunity for salvation will be raised to life and offered that chance. This day is for them. It’s after the 1,000-year millennium. Their understanding will be opened, God’s Spirit will be made available to them, and they’ll be offered eternal life.

So, that’s a brief overview of the seven annual Holy Days as outlined in your Bible. They’re not the Holy Days of the Jews. They’re not just special days for Israelites only. And they’re not only taught in the Old Testament. These are New Testament holy days that have powerful meaning for Christians today.

The Feast of Tabernacles’ Prophetic Meaning 

But what about our original question, just what is the Feast of Tabernacles?

First, let’s examine the word, “tabernacle.”

1. This Physical Life Is Temporary

The word “tabernacle” just means “tent.” The book of Exodus mentions that Moses built a “tabernacle” or “tent” in the wilderness to be the place of worship of the true God. As a tent, it was only a temporary dwelling. It was not the permanent house—or temple—later built by Solomon in Jerusalem.

To understand the significance of “tents” or “tabernacles,” we have to go back to the nation of Israel as they came out of Egypt. After suffering under the oppressive rule of Egyptian taskmasters, God set them free, around 1446 BC. They left Egypt and headed for the Promised Land. But along the way, they dwelt in tents, as they journeyed through the desolate wilderness.

Compare this with our life today. We are living a temporary, human existence. We are only strangers and pilgrims on earth, as Peter writes in 1 Peter 2:11. We seek a better future existence in God’s Kingdom, just like the children of Israel were seeking the Promised Land.

In fact, the Apostle Peter used the analogy of tents in describing his own life. Notice in 2 Peter 1:12,

“For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me” (2 Peter 1:12–14).

Peter compared his physical body to a tent—good for a temporary shelter against the rain, wind, and storms of life, but eventually it wears out. God wants us to learn and understand that our life is just a short journey, and then there is something better coming.

Why is this important? Well, we all have trials and struggles in this life. We all have pain. But there is a better world coming. And frankly, when God’s Kingdom comes, Christ is going to reign not up in heaven, but right here on this troubled earth. This is where the healing and comforting needs to take place. This is where the violence, warfare and hatred have to end. And this is where moral confusion will give way to a genuine understanding of the right way to live.

In other words, don’t be discouraged when you see bad things happen. The Feast of Tabernacles teaches us that this physical life is temporary.

2. The Millennial Reign of Christ

And it teaches us that there will come a time when Christ will reign on this earth to bring peace and prosperity to everyone.

There are many prophecies that detail this.

Let’s read in Isaiah 2:2.

Now 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.

When you read of mountains in the Bible, it’s speaking symbolically of governments. So, this prophecy says that in the future, God’s government will be set up on earth to rule over all other governments. That’s not happened yet. It’s still to come. Going back to Isaiah 2:

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. He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall 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 2:3–4).

Do you see this happening today? Of course not. Today, in every corner of this globe, our brothers and sisters cry out for a better world. In Europe and Africa; Asia and the Middle East; South America, North America, the Caribbean. We see corruption, war, poverty, and violence on a massive scale. It’s heartbreaking.

This world is coming to an end. Jesus Christ will personally stop the hatred and anger and bloodshed.

Notice in Isaiah 11:1:

There shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse….

Jesse was the father of David. The Messiah is spoken of as the son of David. So, this is referring to Jesus Christ.

And a branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD (Isaiah 11:1–2).

This is how Jesus Christ will govern when He returns. With equity, with justice and a spiritual insight that is hard for us to fathom in this world.

Going on in verse 3:

…He shall not judge by the sight of his eyes, nor decide by the hearing of his ears; but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his loins, and faithfulness the belt of his waist (Isaiah 11:3–5).

Notice this summary statement in verse 9.

“They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.”

Now ask yourself this: Is the earth today full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea? Any sane and rational person would have to say, “No way.” This world is not being governed by this Book. But that will dramatically change. Everyone will learn God’s way, and Jesus Christ will personally be on this earth to make sure that happens.

The point is, the Feast of Tabernacles—revealed in the Bible—which takes place in the fall each year, is a seven-day period that symbolizes the millennial reign of Jesus Christ, and that is good news. And that millennial period is just around the corner.

Peace and abundance will replace the violence and oppression of today.

3. Saints Will Reign With Christ as Kings and Priests

So, let’s take it one step further. What does this have to do with you? Should Christians keep the Feast of Tabernacles? To answer that, let’s look at what God said to the ancient Israelites about this Feast of Tabernacles. We find it in Deuteronomy 14:23.

“… You shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place where He chooses to make his name abide… that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always…. Go to the place which the LORD your God chooses. And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household” (Deuteronomy 14:23, 25–26).

This is describing the Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast of Tabernacles takes place in the autumn. And in ancient Israel, in an agricultural society, people were intimately connected to the land. When the time of the summer growing season was over, they celebrated the bountiful harvest in thankfulness to God.

It’s ironic that some mistakenly portray the feasts of God as a harsh burden. For those who think that, maybe they haven’t ever actually read what these feasts were like. Who wouldn’t want to celebrate a bountiful harvest with abundant food and festivities? And that, for seven whole days. It sounds like a wonderful time. If that’s a burden, count me in.

What’s more, the Feast of Tabernacles wasn’t all just about having fun. It was a celebration with the backdrop of honoring God and thanking Him for His wonderful way of life. And it was about committing to learn to honor Him and hold Him in awe, for His majesty and power; His love and His mercy. The Feast of Tabernacles was also a foreshadowing of the coming reign of Jesus Christ on earth.

So, what does this have to do with Christians today?

The book of Revelation provides a fascinating glimpse into the 1,000-year time period after Christ returns.

Notice what it says in Revelation 20:4,

“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”

This is one of the most straightforward passages in the Bible about the future millennium. It will be 1,000 years of Christ reigning on earth. But as we just read, the glorified saints will reign with Him.

To Follow Jesus, Keep the Feast of Tabernacles

Why don’t you hear about this from most churches? After all, this was the belief of the early Christians.

The eminent English scholar and historian, Edward Gibbon wrote The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire in 1789. In it, he discussed how the early church looked at the doctrine of the millennial reign of Christ:

“The ancient and popular doctrine of the Millennium was intimately connected with the second coming of Christ. As the works of the creation had been finished in six days, their duration in their present state, according to a tradition which was attributed to the prophet Elijah, was fixed to six thousand years. By the same analogy it was inferred, that this long period of labor and contention, which was now almost elapsed, would be succeeded by a joyful Sabbath of a thousand years; and that Christ, with the triumphant band of the saints and the elect who had escaped death, or who had been miraculously revived, would reign upon earth till the time appointed for the last and general resurrection” (The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 1862, p. 176).

This is exactly what we’ve been reading in the Scriptures. The prophecies of Isaiah and Micah and Revelation speak of a coming millennial reign of the Messiah. But again, why don’t most churches talk about this?

Let’s let Mr. Gibbon himself explain.

It appears to have been the reigning sentiment of the orthodox believers; and it seems so well adapted to the desires and apprehensions of mankind, that it must have contributed in a very considerable degree to the progress of the Christian faith. But when the edifice of the church was almost completed, the temporary support was laid aside. The doctrine of Christ’s reign upon earth was at first treated as a profound allegory, was considered by degrees as a doubtful and useless opinion, and was at length rejected as the absurd invention of heresy and fanaticism (ibid.).

In other words, early Christians believed in the coming millennial reign of Christ. And it was a fundamental part of their belief. It gave them hope for the future.

But somewhere along the way, people were told the Kingdom was in their hearts. They were told the Kingdom is the church itself. And over time, the truth of Christ’s millennial reign was lost to many. But not all. Today, there are still Christians who keep these days. There are still Christians who value what the original Church taught and are eagerly looking forward to the triumphant return of Christ and His reign on earth.

After all, Jesus Christ Himself kept it. That’s explained in John 7:10. If we are following in the footsteps of Christ, should not we walk as He walked?

All Nations Will Worship God—and Keep His Feasts

Not only that, when Jesus returns to this earth, people all around the world will be keeping the feast days. That’s found in Zechariah 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.

This prophecy follows on the heels of the Great Tribulation, and the Day of the LORD. And it says that all of those who fought against Jesus Christ Himself will be observing this Feast. Just think of it. Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Shintoists, agnostics, atheists, and yes, all who call themselves Christians—all will be keeping these days.

But what happens if some nations resist? Well, let’s read on in Zechariah 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. 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” (Zechariah 14:17–18).

God knows that His laws are so important, that He cannot only invite the nations of the world to keep the Feast. He must make them, for their own good. And when they finally keep these days, they’ll begin to experience the deep satisfaction of living God’s way and the blessings from walking in His paths.

So, what is the Feast of Tabernacles? It’s an annual holy day season that God instituted so you and I could understand just how profoundly rewarding His way of life is. And so we can see there is great hope for the future. It’s not just a theoretical issue. It’s about obeying God, observing His days, and experiencing the way of life He intends for all mankind.

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