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Mustard Seed September/October 2002
Plant a Garden Reap a Spiritual Harvest
Biblical or Scriptural Vertigo
Vacation or Holy Convocation?
Mustard Seed - September/October 2002
It's September, we know summer is just about gone and that the fall season is just around the comer. For those of us who are familiar with the annual Holy Days of God Almighty (Leviticus 23), realize that the Feast of Tabernacles is fast approaching.
As "feast fever" begins to set in we start to sing, "All things are ready, come to the Feast". Then with the anticipation, the planning, and getting all of the "lose ends" tied up, we really start to feel the pressure. We should have already made our plans as to where we are going to spend that holy time, but have we really taken the time to examine the reason why we chose a specific location?
I used to pick and choose my feast site, according to convenience (how close it was), how many of the brethren I would know, the cost (of course) and how much recreation would be involved. I used to think, if I go there I can do this and that and I can enjoy myself with all the activities that the location has to offer. I never once thought about it in the sense of, is this where God has placed His name. In essence I had turned God's Holy assembly into a vacation.
Brethren, I have a question to ask, is the Feast of Tabernacles God's planned vacation for us? Is it simply the best time of the year to get together with family and friends, after all God understands that we've been so busy throughout the year that we need this time off.
You and I should know that isn't true. If you would open your bible to Leviticus 23:33, "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying the fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacle for seven days unto the Lord. (verse 35) On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.".
Yet, there are those few that are saying, come to (wherever) and enjoy the oceans, come and enjoy the mountains, come and enjoy Disney, or whatever it is that location has to offer. With all of those distractions, we can forget one of the reasons we observe the feast in the first place. Read Deut 14:23, "That you may learn to fear the Lord your God always".
I'm not saying not to enjoy these things, after all the scripture does say "and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days" (Leviticus 23:40).
What I am saying, is that we need to watch the attitude with which we go to observe the feast of tabernacles, are we going simply to relax, to take some time off, to get away from it all or are we going with the attitude of "rejoicing before the Lord" by serving His people, and by making ourselves available to comfort, consol, to uplift and to encourage the people of God. Are we going there to worship God the Father and our savior Jesus the Christ "in spirit and in truth".
We know that we are rehearsing for the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of God's Holy kingdom upon the earth.
As we make our final preparations for the Feast, let us "not make light of" (Mathew 22: 1-14) of the awesome privilege and responsibility we have been given.
In closing let's remember the words of Nehemiah 8:5 & 6,18, "And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and-when he opened it, all the people stood up: 6) And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered. Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground". 18) Also, day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner".
--Joel Maldonado
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