The Daily Word of Righteousness

Three Works of Grace, #8

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12)

The complete historical fulfillment of the feast of Tabernacles will take place in conjunction with the personal fulfillment experienced by God's elect. This is because the historical fulfillment will not come into being by a sovereign act of God as in the case of Calvary and the Day of Pentecost, but as the saints work with the Holy Spirit in the driving of Satan from their own personality and then from the entire creation.

Let us explain. Notice the following passage:

And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:16)

It is our point of view that during the thousand-year Kingdom Age the saved nations will not go up to Jerusalem to dwell in booths, as in the Old Testament feast of Tabernacles. Rather, they will go up to Jerusalem to partake of the Glory of God that will be coming from the saints in whom the Lord will be dwelling.

As soon as the Father and the Son are living in untroubled union (tabernacling) in the sons of God, the world will believe God has sent the Lord Jesus and that God loves the saints as He loves the Lord Jesus. Because of their belief in the Lord Jesus and His saints the saved nations will partake of the Glory of God.

I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:23)

"That the world may know"!

We think this is the manner in which the saved nations will observe the feast of Tabernacles and that this is why some of the aspects of the personal fulfillment of the feast of Tabernacles must take place before the historical fulfillment, the historical fulfillment being the time when the saved nations go up to Jerusalem to keep the feast of Tabernacles.

Another example of the personal fulfillment followed by the historical fulfillment is as follows:

Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh. (Ezekiel 47:7-9)

The "sea" is the "dead sea" of mankind. The "trees" are the saints. They have passed through waters to the ankles, waters to the knees, and waters to the loins, and now are living in the fullness of the waters of incorruptible resurrection life.

To be continued.