The Daily Word of Righteousness

One in Christ in God, #37

The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? (Isaiah 33:14)

If we hope to be clothed with the body of resurrection life, we must be strengthened in the inner man. Our faith must be brought up to translation strength. We must be purified so we shall enjoy dwelling in the fiery holiness of God's Presence. We must adopt the heavenly attitude and behavior.

We must come under the discipline of the Holy Spirit, being quick to confess our sins and forsake them by the wisdom and strength given us through the Spirit. We must leave all in order to know Christ, to know the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being struck down in the likeness of His death in order that we may experience the likeness of His resurrection. We must take up our cross and follow Christ daily, diligently employing our talents in building the Kingdom of God, faithfully carrying out each small task and responsibility.

Let us not be among those who neglect their salvation. Let us rather be "followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises" (Hebrews 6:12).

Now we come to the kingdom-wide fulfillment of the feast of Tabernacles. To do so we pass from the thousand-year Kingdom Age of Christ into the new heaven and earth reign of Christ. The fulfillment of everything God has purposed, concerning all persons and all things, reaches completion in the new heaven and earth reign of Christ—that which is described in the twenty-first and twenty-second chapters of the Book of Revelation.

Our efforts and the events prior to the coming down to the new earth of the glorified Wife of the Lamb have as their focus bringing to pass the conditions of the new heaven and earth reign of Christ.

There are at least six aspects of the new heaven and earth reign of Christ, as described in the last two chapters of Revelation, that are foreshadowed by the elements of the feast of Tabernacles:

The completion of the harvest of all crops grown in the land of promise— "Behold I make all things new."

The tabernacling of God with mankind—"Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men."

The living waters—"And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb."

Eternal service to God—"his servants shall serve him."

The Law of God—"they shall reign for ever and ever."

The light of the world—"the Lamb is the light thereof."

To be continued.