The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Feast of Tabernacles, #3

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2)

The fourteenth through the seventeenth chapters of the Gospel of John discuss some aspects of the personal spiritual fulfillment of the Old Testament feast of Tabernacles.

The term "mansion," which appears in John 14:2, is not referring to fine homes in Paradise. The proper translation, according to the current usage of the English language, would be dwelling place, or place of abode.

The Greek word translated mansions, in John 14:2 of the King James Version, appears in verb form in John 15:4 and is correctly translated abide, in the King James Version.

The "Father's house" is Christ—Head and Body. It is the "good olive tree," of the eleventh chapter of the Book of Romans. Each of us has been invited to become a room in the eternal Temple of God.

Perhaps the most pertinent verse concerning the personal fulfillment of the feast of Tabernacles is John 14:23:

Jesus answered and said unto him, "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."

The term abode in the verse above is the same Greek noun translated mansions, in John 14:2. John 14:23 is not referring to the personal fulfillment of the fourth Levitical feast, the feast of Pentecost. The feast of Pentecost is fulfilled when we are baptized with the Holy Spirit.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (John 14:16)

John 14:23 is referring, rather, to the personal fulfillment of the seventh Levitical feast, the feast of Tabernacles. The Father and the Son enter us through the Holy Spirit and make us Their eternal Temple. It is the Lord's will that we be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19).

John 7:37-39 also is speaking of the fulfillment of the feast of Tabernacles.

Jesus was observing the rejoicing of the eighth day of the feast of Tabernacles, that "great day of the feast." The priest was bringing water in a golden bowl from the Pool of Siloam and pouring it on the Altar of Burnt Offering. The twelfth chapter of Isaiah was being sung.

At that time:

. . . Jesus stood and cried, saying, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:37-39)

This Scripture is fulfilled in a measure when we receive the Holy Spirit. But the maturity of the fulfillment has been reserved for the Day of the Lord.

When the Father and the Son sit on the throne of our heart in the complete fulfillment of the feast of Tabernacles, the water of life will flow from the Throne of God in us. We will become "rivers." The Glory of the Lord will pour from us until it covers the "sea" of mankind.

To be continued.