REPORT OF THE FEAST FOR SUNDAY DECEMBER 16, 2018
Is the Feast of Tabernacles relevant in this age?
By Brother U. C. Ugoji
The Feast of Tabernacles is a festival ordained by God Almighty through Moses the prophet to be celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh month during which time they were to stay in booths for the eight-days period of the festival. – Leviticus 23:34,36,43.
All through its duration, they were to stay in booths and offer burnt offerings to God. (Leviticus 23:23-34, 36, 43) But the aspect of making sacrifices are no longer relevant because Jesus Christ our Passover had already been offered once and for all, according to Hebrews 10:1-14. He further caused Deuteronomy 31:10-12 to be read to emphasize the essence of the celebration, which the reading of God’s laws.
The literal tabernacles used in ancient times was a shadow of things to come, as it pointed to the coming of Christ who is “the greater and more perfect tabernacle”. (Hebrews 9:11) The Feast therefore is the Feast of Christ. The speaker went on to cite and explain God’s commandment in Zechariah 14:16-19 to the effect that the festival should be celebrated by His people in these last days. In the text under reference, the Almighty God assured His worshippers of specific and general blessings if they observe the Feast of Tabernacles in this age.
By his active part in the celebration of the ordained Feast, our Lord Jesus Christ manifested Himself as a Great Teacher of the truth to the extent that his opponents were disarmed by the wisdom displayed by him. (John 7:2,10,11,14,15,31,40,41,45,46) The signs of the times, especially the First World War of 1914-1918, in addition to the famines, epidemics, and natural disasters that ravage parts of the world show that we are now in the last days. (Matthew 24:3-8 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5)
This is the age therefore in which all people should observe the Feast of Tabernacles.
Anyone disposed to the doing of God’s will should celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. – Jeremiah 7:22, 23.
THE KINGDOM OF GOD HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED
By Brother O. M. Ewharekuko.
God’s Kingdom is the universal empire or government of righteousness and peace, covering both the heavens and the earth, to be inhabited by spirit persons and human beings under the control of JEHOVAH the Almighty God.
God had long promised to establish a universal and everlasting Kingdom where all His faithful worshippers of all ages would be blessed by Him. (Psalm 145:10-13) The message of Christ was primarily on the kingdom of God which is the desire of all nations.
The Kingdom would be established in a quiet manner, without fanfare. (Luke 17:20,21) After the completion of his mission on earth, God Almighty commanded Christ to sit at his right hand until He had put His enemies under his feet. (Psalm 110:1) At the expiration of the waiting period, he was brought before God Almighty and crowned as the king of God’s Kingdom. (Daniel 7:13,14) Then the command was given for him to rule in the midst of his enemies. – Psalm 110:2; Psalm 21:3.
Following the coronation of Christ, a war broke out in heaven. The proclamation of a voice in heaven confirmed the setting up of the kingdom of God in heaven. (Revelation 12:7-12) Having been thrown out from heaven, the devil plunged the nations of the earth into a global war, the World, War of 1914-1918, termed Word War 1 by historians.
It ended in 1918. (Matthew 24:21, 22) The war and the other signs that accompanied it, such as natural disasters, epidemics, famine etc. were in fulfilment of Biblical prophecies. – Matthew 24:7,8. If the Kingdom of God had been established why then are there still evils in the world? This is because the kingdom has not yet been fully set up. It is at the full establishment of God’s Kingdom following the killing of satan, the devil, that all evils, ranging from ill-health, deaths, etc will become things of the past by God’s grace. – Isaiah33:24; Hosea 13:14; Revelation 21:1,2,4,5.
In conclusion, he reminded the celebrants of God’s promise of peace and assurance forever which God promised His people in the world to come as stated in Isaiah 32:17,18.