Don't You Know You Are the Temple of the Holy Spirit?
Don't You Know You Are the Temple of the Holy Spirit? Betty Seiley
The Lord God of Israel, in His infinite wisdom and love, hides His Plan for the Ages in the Seven Feasts of Israel. He hides them for us, not from us, but He expects us to dig for the nuggets of gold in His Word, concerning the feasts of Israel, where they are recorded in Leviticus 23.
From the scripture, we know that the first feast of the biblical year is Passover, followed the very next day by Unleavened Bread, culminating with the Feast of Firstfruits on the third day after Passover. These feasts were fulfilled by the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Yeshua Hamashiach, our wonderful Lord. He died on the Cross on the Day of the Feast of Passover, in full complicity with the Torah, was buried on Unleavened Bread, as the "middle piece of bread, pierced and striped", also according to the Word of God. On the third day, Jesus arose from the garden tomb on the Jewish feast of Firstfruits, thereby, through His death, burial, and resurrection,fulfilling the three feasts which began the biblical year, Passover being the actual beginning of the religious year. The first three feasts were given by the Lord to be celebrated in rapid succession, just as we will see a little later, so were the last three of the seven feasts.
"He showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God," Acts 1:3, Jesus ascended into heaven after telling the disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit baptism, which He wanted them to receive to enable them to carry the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the world. He is still speaking the same command to his disciples today.
"And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight"…after which two angels told the disciples, "this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into heaven." Acts 1:10-11 The Lord's ascension took place on the Mount of Olives, according to verse 12.
Ten days later, "when the day of Pentecost (meaning 'fifty') was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place", in Jerusalem, celebrating the Feast of Pentecost, the fourth of the feasts, and a summer feast, which speaks of the beginning of the Church Age, because the blood of the Messiah had been shed at Passover, and the Way had been opened by the Lord for Israel to be saved. He came first to the lost sheep of the House of Israel, then, the Lord sent the Apostle Paul to the Gentiles, to carry the gospel message that salvation through the blood of Jesus, Yeshua, has been extended to all mankind, to whosoeverwill. On the day of Pentecost, three thousand souls were saved as Peter, having just been filled with the Holy Spirit, preached with Holy Spirit power. Acts 2:14-47 These three thousand souls and the five thousand who were saved some days later, comprise the beginning of the harvest which is seen in the multitudes of Christians who now live on planet earth.
The forty days, during which Jesus was seen by many people, plus the ten days until the Day of Pentecost add up to the fifty days from the His Resurrection to the Feast of Pentecost, fifty days later. In light of these truths, Jesus, Yeshua, has fulfilled four of the seven feasts of Israel. There is absolutely no reason to believe that He won't fulfill the last three. "All things were created by Him, and for Him: and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist." Colossians 1:16b-17
Following Pentecost, there is the long period before the fall or final harvest. The two thousand years of the Church Age which have already come and gone is parallel with the long period to the great harvest in the fall of the year. "For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey…watch therefore, lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, 'Watch.'" Mark 13:34-37 We are now in that time of "occupying until He comes."
The final or fall harvest is foretold in the last three feasts, of which we said earlier, occur in rapid succession, compared to the two thousand year Church Age. At the Feast of Trumpets, or Rosh Hashanah, or Feast of Trumpets, the Lord gathers away to heaven the blood-washed saints who have died in Christ and those who are alive and remain, according to 1 Thess. 4. As the Church Age, that two thousand year period, foreshadowed by the long period of time from Pentecost to the great harvest in Israel, closes, to give way to the Day of Atonement, which is culminated by the return of the Lord from heaven, with His armies, who the blood-washed saints who have been kept in His chamber in heaven "until the indignation be past." These seven years are also known as Daniel's seventieth week (see "Summer is Near" in archive), or the tribulation, the last half being referred to by Jesus in the gospels, as the great tribulation. Matthew 24:21-22
"And I heard as it were, the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." Revelation 19:6-8
11 "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." Revelation 19:11-16
The Day of Atonement begins with this momentous event, just described in Revelation 19. Jesus will fulfill the Day of Atonement on this single day, as He comes in His Second Coming, following the tribulation, as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. All of Israel will be saved on this day as foretold by the prophets, Isaiah and Zechariah.
8 On that day the LORD will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the Angel of the LORD going before them. 9 On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem. "And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, 'There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. Glory to God for all of the Jewish people who have been saved by faith in Messiah, Yeshua! On the return of Jesus at the end of the tribulation, all remaining Jews will come through the Blood of the Lamb and be saved. "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son." Zechariah 12:8-10 It was all of mankind's sin that nailed Him to the Cross. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. Zechariah 14:4 The Book of Zechariah is replete with endtime prophecy, particularly concerning the fulfillment by Messiah, Jesus, of the Day of Atonement for Israel and the Feast of Tabernacles.
A nation shall be born in a day. 7 "Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son. 8 Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children. 9 Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?" says the LORD. "Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?" says your God. 10 "Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her. 11 For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting bosom; you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance." 12 For this is what the LORD says: "I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. 13 As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem." 14 When you see this, your heart will rejoice and you will flourish like grass; the hand of the LORD will be made known to his servants, but his fury will be shown to his foes. Isaiah 66:7-14
Thus, the Day of Atonement will be fulfilled by Jesus, Messiah, according to the pattern.
In succession, the Feast of Tabernacles, or Booths, begins. It is characterized by the building of booths or tabernacles, in which the people stay during a time of great rejoicing for eight days, signifying a time of new beginnings. Repentance and atonement has been completed, and the joys of the Lord await His people. "In Your Presence is fullness of joy, and at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." This is a feast of great joy, when God, Himself, will tabernacle with the redeemed of all ages. "And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And He that sat upon the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And He said unto me, 'It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.'" Revelation 21:2-6
For believers in Jesus Christ, Yeshua Hamashiach, Tabernacles has already been partially fulfilled, because we abide in Him and He abides in us, spiritually. The taste of His glorious Presence which we have here and now shows us the joy to come in His eternal Presence. The complete fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles will usher in the tangible, physical Presence of God with the redeemed for all of eternity, from eternity to eternity. What a glorious present and future we have in Jesus as we believe in, rely on, trust in and rest in Him! We are blessed beyond words with His Presence both now and forever. There is no past, for He has remembered our sins no more.
Won't you come into the beautiful family of God today?
Resting in Him, Betty Seiley Redeemer Revival Ministries
