Feast of Tabernacles 2010 - Jerusalem

We started our journey to Jerusalem on September 1st.  Our first stop was in Switzerland with 9 days of backpacking down through Italy with a flight to Amman, Jordan.  We finally arrived in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles.  What a sight, like nothing I could have imagined.  This was my first time in Jerusalem but it was not hard to notice the branches on every patio and roof top.  Restaurants had sukkas ,as well as, tops of apartments.  For a whole year I have been obeying the scriptures without any preconcieved ideas of the "how to's" meaning that because I was not handed down any traditions to honor the feast, I simply followed the scripture.  As you have seen in other posts, sometimes we just had a bar-b-que to celebrate.  I know that the LORD is happy that we care about what he cares about, but it sure was nice to actually see a temporary dwelling in Jerusalem. 

The Feast of Tabernacles also known as Feast of Booths or Sukkot, falls in September and October, the 15th-21st of Tishrei.  The people of Israel seemed to be very joyful, maybe because during this time we were commanded to rejoice!!!

John 7:37-38 tells us how Jesus proclaimed from the temple during this time of feasting 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."  This is one time that we know Jesus was in the Temple to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.  We also know that Zechariah 14:16-19 speaks of all nations coming up to Jerusalem to worship for the feast during the Millennium.  What a day when I will see Jesus in Jerusalem and I will be feasting with him.

Scripture references for the Feast of Tabernacles: Lev. 23:33-44; Num. 29:12; Deut. 16:13-15

-our families celebration-

Visit  http://www.backpackingfamily.blogspot.com/ to see more of our pictures from our 3 month journey through Switzerland, Italy, Jordan and Israel.

Jerusalem

Psalms 48:12&13

Passover-The Last Supper

Passover, or what some of my friends call the last supper, was special this year.  This was our first Passover meal in our own home.  We still went to a Passover seder at our friends, Adrienne and Kenny's home where we celebrated Passover for the first time ever last year.  This year I also had a Passover meal with the kids at the church.  It was such a good feeling to share what I had learned over the past year with many children I had taught in Sunday school over the last few years. 

We talked about the names of Jesus and how we call him the Lamb of God.  I then told them the story of all those who obeyed God in Egypt.  They put the blood on their doorposts and were saved from death that night. I reminded them how important it is to obey his commands even when we do not fully understand. 

Obedience was hard for the Israelites, just as it is hard for us sometimes but as we draw near to him, he draws near to us.  James 4:8

Jesus took bread and when he broke it said, "do this in rememberance of me."

He also took the cup after supper and said, "this is the new covenant".

Matthew 26:26 - 1Corinthians 11

Paul teaches about this and how we are to keep the Passover just as Jesus instructed us to remember him at this time.  These are pretty clear instructions, not to mention that we were commanded to keep this day and teach it to our children in Leviticus 23.

This is one of the few references to children in the Bible, so I take it pretty serious when I consider what I teach our children.

With this instruction we decided to obey in our home.

The children now understand the story of the Exodus as well as how Jesus is the Lamb of God. 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all knowledge

Proverbs 9:10 and Proverbs 1:7 states that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all knowledge or wisdom.  Fear is often looked at as negative but I was thinking of all of the positive reactions of fear in our lives.  I thought of how I save money in fear of running out,
I try not to speed in fear of getting a ticket,
I try to eat healthy for my weight and health,
I pay my bills so that I have electricity, car and home,
I did my homework so I would make the grades and not be benched
I respected my parents out of fear!
Many things we do out of fear are good and beneficial.  Fear truly keeps us in line.  It helps us to be wise and work hard.  Fear is good when you are fearing in the right way.  I will define fear of the Lord as standing in awe of Him to a point that you will obey immediately and completely because you know that He is good and faithful.  I trust Him with my life.  In fact I am more fearful to live life without my Father in Heaven.  We all need more of this awesome fear of the Lord.  His ways are clear and perfect.
Deuteronomy 30:11 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. 12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws;

 

Define Jesus

Considering the Jesus I am sharing I find it necessary to define Jesus.  Paul refers to this:
2 Corinthians 11:3-5 (New Century Version)


3 But I am afraid that your minds will be led away from your true and pure following of Christ just as Eve was tricked by the snake with his evil ways.4 You are very patient with anyone who comes to you and preaches a different Jesus from the one we preached. You are very willing to accept a spirit or gospel that is different from the Spirit and Good News you received from us.

Truth

Psalm 15


A psalm of David.

1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?

Who may live on your holy hill?

2 He whose walk is blameless

and who does what is righteous,

who speaks the truth from his heart



3 and has no slander on his tongue,

who does his neighbor no wrong

and casts no slur on his fellowman,



4 who despises a vile man

but honors those who fear the LORD,

who keeps his oath

even when it hurts,



5 who lends his money without usury

and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things

will never be shaken.

Psalms 27

Psalms 27:4 One thing I ask of the LORD,


this is what I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD

and to seek him in his temple.

5 For in the day of trouble

he will keep me safe in his dwelling;

he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle

and set me high upon a rock.

6 Then my head will be exalted

above the enemies who surround me;

at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make music to the LORD.

7 Hear my voice when I call, O LORD;

be merciful to me and answer me.

8 My heart says of you, "Seek his [b] face!"

Your face, LORD, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me,

do not turn your servant away in anger;

you have been my helper.

Do not reject me or forsake me,

O God my Savior.

10 Though my father and mother forsake me,

the LORD will receive me.

11 Teach me your way, O LORD;

lead me in a straight path

because of my oppressors.

12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,

for false witnesses rise up against me,

breathing out violence.

13 I am still confident of this:

I will see the goodness of the LORD

in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD;

be strong and take heart

and wait for the LORD.