Jesus Birth at The Feast of Tabernacles. A Halloween Story. Celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles in Today’s World. Update.

 

For Scripture Sunday:

“Did you know there’s a biblical festival that Jesus Christ celebrated in the first century and even today, thousands of Christians still look forward to it each year?

From a biblical perspective, is there significance to the Feast of Tabernacles? What does this seven-day festival picture in God’s plan? What does it mean for us today?

Could this festival that Jesus observed unlock a secret for your life?”

Born on Dec. 25?

“The Feast of Tabernacles is also known as the “feast of booths.” These huts or booths were to represent temporary dwellings to live in because our journey and our home here on this earth is meant to be temporary. We are sojourners and pilgrims upon the earth until we find our home. Our permanent home is in Yeshua and with Yeshua for eternity. The Hebrew’s were instructed to dwell in these booths for seven days.

Honest scholars admit that the customs of Christmas and a Dec. 25 celebration long predate the birth of Christ. Nevertheless, wasn't Jesus born on Dec. 25? Let's look at some of the scriptural evidence.

Luke's Gospel, describing Christ's birth, tells us: “So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn . Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night” (Luke 2:6-8, emphasis added throughout).

We see that when Jesus was born shepherds were spending the night with their flocks in open fields. In that region, from December to February, though the heat of the day might feel comfortable enough when the human body is covered, the cold of the night was piercing. Thus the shepherds never kept their flocks and herds out in the open country from December through February—it was simply too cold (Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylons, 1959, p. 2). This in itself tells us that Jesus could not have been born anywhere near Dec. 25.

The Roman census system is another historical proof that Jesus wasn't born in December. Luke 2:1 tells us that “it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.” However, this would not have happened in winter because “the middle of winter was not fitting for such a business, especially for women with child, and children to travel in. Therefore, Christ could not be born in the depth of winter … And if any shall think the winter wind was not so extreme in these parts, let him remember the words of Christ in the gospel, 'pray that your flight be not in the winter'” (Hislop, p. 92).

The Romans were efficient administrators. They would never consciously choose a time to register every man, woman and child when travel would have been so difficult because of cold and inclement weather. Here, too, is biblical proof that Jesus was not born in December's cold weather.

A far more likely scenario is that Jesus was born in the autumn, around the time of the biblical Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:34-36), when Joseph and Mary would have traveled to Jerusalem to keep the Feast along with thousands of other Jewish families. This also helps us understand why in the town Bethlehem, a few miles to the south of Jerusalem, “there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7)—the town would have been crowded with other travelers keeping the Feast at this time of year.

From: https://www.ucg.org/the-good-news/was-christ-born-on-christmas-day

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A Halloween Story

“Can a holiday with wicked, ungodly origins be dressed up and made acceptable to God? Tune in to hear a surprising dialog.

“It’s so much fun for the children. Isn’t it harmless? Jack-o’-lanterns, dressing up in costumes, getting treats from the neighbors. What could be wrong with that?

Okay, there’s the skeletons, and witches, and ghosts, and goblins and demons—but can we fix that? Perhaps revise it, remake it for family fun. What if we, as Christians, clean it up?

Well, some try. They carve the name of Jesus into pumpkins, add religious phrases and hope to evangelize trick-or-treaters. But can we sanitize Halloween?

For that matter, can we take non-Christian traditions of Christmas or Easter and somehow remake them to honor God?

What should you do? Can you bring respect and reverence to God in these celebrations? Or, does it even matter?

We’ll help you with the biblical answer to those questions on this “holiday” edition of Beyond Today called: “A Halloween Story.””

YouTube at: https://youtu.be/wL4g25xA2LM

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Celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles in Today’s World

“Many people are shocked to discover the origins of our most popular religious holidays. They are also surprised to find that the days God commands us to observe in the Bible—the same days Jesus Christ and the apostles kept—are almost universally ignored. Why? Also, why are today's supposedly Christian holidays observed with so many rituals and customs that are not sanctioned anywhere in the Bible?

Now in the Bible, another name for a tent is a tabernacle. The disciples foresaw the return of Jesus Christ in all his glory—in the coming Kingdom of God! And what came to mind? The thought of making a tent. Tabernacles are just that — tents — temporary dwellings.

Now you might think, what does that have to do with anything? Well Peter related the Feast of Tabernacles to that very event. So, does it matter—as a modern day Christian—does that matter to me?

What was the focus of this feast? It was a celebration of the large autumn harvest in the holy land. God blessed them with abundant crops. But there’s more to it than just plentiful good crops and tents. It symbolizes so much more today. There is spiritual meaning in this physical event. It foreshadows a large spiritual harvest. God has given us physical lessons to teach us spiritual truth. It’s the same with this festival, the Feast of Tabernacles.”

Complete article at: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-television-program/celebrating-the-feast-of-tabernacles-in-todays-world

Does picture of the celebration of The Feast of Tabernacles remind you of another event ?  The nativity scene usually depicting Jesus’ birth. 

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Update:

Oh! Where shall I start? Been so busy.  We have done some of the plumbing in the guest house.  We are using PVC and CPVC, and it is taking a long time to dry-fit it all together.  We might switch to PEX for the rest of it.  We have only got some of the drains in under the house so far. 

Then we have had the Feast of Tabernacles at church, and the The Last Great Day.  All the services were very uplifting and we all had a great time in the chapel for the Teachings, for hymn singing, and at the potlucks afterwards.

Now I have two little kitty SPCA fosters, Pixie and Purrcy, and Mandy a lovely Sheltie has come to live with me.  She is very timid, so I have been taking her next door to the guest house when we are working, so she has become used to the sights and sounds of power tools.

My lovely daughter, left, came to visit twice as she was visiting a sick relative in Conroe.  It was so good to see her again.  Also my son’s daughter, right, came to visit too, so we had the three generations.  That’s lil ole me in the middle.

I don’t know where the time goes, but I seem to be busy from dawn to dark each day.