The Daily Word of Righteousness

Three Platforms of Grace, #2

Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty: (Deuteronomy 16:16)

The annual convocation of Unleavened Bread begins with the Passover, which is celebrated on the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month of the religious year, and concludes on the evening of the twenty-first day of the same month.

The gathering of the Hebrew males in observance of the feast of Unleavened Bread typifies the first platform of the Christian redemption, which we may term salvation.

Salvation consists of three principal works: (1) the blood atonement that covers our sins, which was made by Christ on the cross of Calvary; (2) repentance, turning away from the world, sin, and self-seeking, which we demonstrate by being baptized in water; and (3) the born-again experience—the creation of Divine Life in us that occurs when we receive Christ as our Savior.

The blood atonement that covers our sins.

Repentance, including water baptism.

The born-again experience.

The Feast of Weeks

The second annual gathering of the Hebrew males is the feast of Weeks, known to us as Pentecost. The term Pentecost was derived from the Greek word meaning fifty. Pentecost is celebrated fifty days after the Passover.

Christ was crucified during the Jewish feast of Passover. Fifty days later, when Jews from all over the Roman Empire were assembled in Jerusalem to keep the feast of Weeks, the Holy Spirit was poured on the Jews who were followers of Jesus of Nazareth.

The Holy Spirit of God is active in every aspect of the development of the Church of Christ. The Holy Spirit gives the saints power to bear witness of the atoning death, triumphant resurrection, and soon return to earth of the Lord Jesus. It is the Holy Spirit who sets aside the believers as holy to the Lord, transforming their personalities into the image of Christ.

Through the Holy Spirit we are able to share the Life of Jesus with our fellow members of the Body of Christ and also to point the unsaved to the freely given waters of Life.

Through the Holy Spirit we are able to overcome the lusts of our flesh. We are changed into the image of the Lord as the Spirit reveals Him to us.

The annual gathering of Unleavened Bread typifies salvation unto God's righteousness based on the blood of the cross. The annual gathering of Weeks (Pentecost) portrays the work of the Holy Spirit as He bears witness to us and through us, and also transforms us into the image of Christ so that the eternal purposes of God may be accomplished in us.

What of the third annual gathering, the feast of Tabernacles? What does the third convocation represent in the Christian redemption? How is the feast of Tabernacles fulfilled spiritually?

The Feast of Tabernacles

The feast of Tabernacles also consists of three subfeasts. Each represents an aspect of God's eternal plan for us:

Trumpets (Lev. 23:24) The Coming of the King

Day of Atonement (Lev. 23:27) Our Reconciliation to God

Tabernacles (Lev. 23:34) The "Rest" of God

To be continued.