We will be heading into our next Firstfruits on Monday, October 28th, which signifies the beginning of the Hebrew month of Cheshvan.  Cheshvan is the eighth month of the Hebrew Covenant Calendar, and is a month that signifies “new beginnings.”

Cheshvan immediately follows the “fall feasts” and is known as “bitter Cheshvan” because it marks the cold and rainy season in Israel.  

Cheshvan’s name stems from the word “flood.” Looking back through biblical history, the flood during the days of Noah began on the 17^thof Cheshvan and ended the following year on the 27^thof Cheshvan.  This month is regarded by many as a time of judgment and hardship.  But for those “walking in obedience” to the Lord, it can be a month of resting in God’s protection, and entering into new doors of opportunity.

When Noah opened up the door and left the ark, he was on a new mission. In the “ark of obedience,” Noah and his family were spared from God’s judgment. But after the door opened, Noah was  given a new job to multiply and fill the earth.

Cheshvan is the eighth month which signifies new beginnings or revelation that God is releasing in this second month of the harvest season. 

This month is also associated with the tribe of Manasseh; which was one of sons of Joseph. Joseph’s sons were grafted in to Jacob/Israel’s Covenant blessing:

“Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them.  And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” (Gen. 48:16) 

Manasseh means, “one who makes to forget, one who forgets the toil.”  The character of Manasseh was to forgive and not carry a grudge.  In doing so, Manasseh could reach the full potential of their calling.  This tribe shows us the character of forgiveness to the point of forgetting the wrong, and it is through this character that the Lord uses His people to minister to thousands and to bring healing to the nations.

The prophetic blessing given to Joseph (which would now go to his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim) was the crowning best:

“Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall.” 

In Genesis 49:22-26 and Deut. 33:13-17, God declares that the sons of Joseph would have hidden resources, rich heritage with God’s favor and blessing upon the land given with rain and produce.  In addition, these two tribes would push the peoples to the ends of the earth.  This rich heritage is what we inherit through Christ, and have seen manifest as Christians are now all over the world.

In studying Manasseh, there was a pivotal time in their history in which there were no men to carry on the inheritance of the tribe according to the laws that had been set forth (Numbers 27:1-11). Five women from the tribe of Manasseh dared to believe God for a new thing.  They came together and set forth a petition to Moses to allow women to take possession of their inheritance if there weren’t any male heirs so that their tribe could continue to thrive.

Moses took their request to the Lord, and the Lord made an amendment to the law and granted their request.  I think this story is so relevant to women stepping through doors of leadership like “Deborah.”

There is a surge of women arising and positioned to lead in what God is calling forth in this hour in areas that have been oppressed or blocked through religious and cultural strongholds. Women will be granted access to places the “traditions of men” wouldn’t let them go to before.  God alone (not women’s manipulation or self -preservation responses), will break forth like a flood as God open up the gates.

God is definitely tearing down the barriers and limitations that have kept women from the ability to take their position for the King.  It will not look like the feminist movement that diminishes the vitality of men and their significant roles.  Women that God is positioning to lead will be known for their wisdom, humility, and unbridled love for the Lord who honor the men in their roles as well.

Gender, status, or title will NOT be the deciding factor of who can lead or not up ahead:  It will be determined by whom God has chosen to anoint in this hour: male, female, young, old, rich, poor, title or no title….He will raise them up, and He will anoint and appoint.  I believe the Church at large will be surprised whom God is raising up out of “no-where.”  The “hidden” remnant will bear much fruit in this hour as it did for Joseph.

In the Old Testament, we read one hero from the Tribe of Manasseh named Gideon, a “mighty man of valor. (Judges 6:12.) At the time He is “chosen” by God to do a mighty work, He was threshing wheat to hide from the Midianites who were impoverishing and oppressing the Israelites who were destroying their produce and livestock.

The Angel of Lord appeared to him. Gideon asked, “Why are all these things happening to the children of Israel?” He was wondering where the signs and wonders were of the days of His ancestors who God delivered from the Egyptian slavery.  And the Lord said to Gideon, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites.  Have I not sent you” (Judges 6:14)?

Gideon didn’t believe God had the right guy, because the odds were against him and he didn’t “appear” to be the best candidate. 

”O my Lord, how can I save Israel?  Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” But the Lord replied,“Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.”

God is calling the Gideon’s of today to stand in His strength, not their own. He has chosen the Gideon’s to move forward in their gift and talent in His righteousness so that this nation can see His truth and glory; placing people in government, business, education, finances, arts, etc. who He has prepared for such a time as this.

When God finally convinced Gideon He was chosen, Gideon did the logical thing and gathered as many resources as he could to fight the Midianites.  The Lord instructed Gideon that he had too many resources…too many soldiers to go to battle. This was key to God’s strategy in turning the hearts of His people toward Him.  The children of Israel needed to see His sovereignty to cut to their heart and depend on the resources “flooding” forth supernaturally.

I believe the Lord is speaking very clearly today that the old season is DEAD!  When the Lord flooded the earth, there was a great death.  Death needs to happen in order to see God’s resurrection power.  The Lord said to Joshua, “MOSES IS DEAD!”  (Joshua 1:1).

I believe we are experiencing a death to the last season the church has been in.  We will have to close doors to open new ones.  We will have to let go of old ways and mindsets that aren’t producing life any longer.  We need to let go of past successes as well so we can embrace the newness of the season ahead.

Ask the Lord, “What door do I need to close so I can enter in the new door ahead?”

 

 

 

“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, “The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the Lord.  On the first day there shall be a holy convocation (dress rehearsal).  You shall do no customary work on it.  For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.  On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation (dress rehearsal), and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it. (Lev. 23:33-35)”

The Feast of Tabernacles is also known as the “Feast of Ingathering,” as it is celebrated at the final gathering of the harvest season, signifying the mark of the end of the agricultural year. Whereas the Passover offering was associated with the barley harvest, and Pentecost was associated with the wheat harvest, Tabernacles was associated with the grape harvest.  Since the “blessings of the land” had been reaped for the year, the people could REST from their labors and REJOICE, which is the heart of this Feast.

“And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the ^[a]fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall REJOICE before the Lordyour God for seven days” (Lev. 23:40).

The Feast of Tabernacles is also known as “Sukkot,” which when translated means, “Feast of Booths.” This is because the Lord commanded the children of Israel to live in temporary houses, or “tents/booths,” during the Feast so that they would remember how the Lord provided and was present with them, even in their 40 years of testing through their wilderness wanderings.

“You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God” (Lev. 23:42.43).

The “temporary tent/booth” today is symbolic of a New Covenant believer’s mortal (temporary) body, where God’s presence dwells because of the Holy Spirit deposited in us.

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwell in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16).

This deposit was a guarantee UNTIL we receive our immortal (permanent) bodies.

“who (speaking of the Holy Spirit) is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:14).

The Tabernacles blueprint required drink and wine offerings to be given 7 days of the Feast of Tabernacles. The drink offering was symbolized as an outpouring of the Holy Spirit (water) that prophesied of the “guarantee.” Because of Christ’ sinless sacrifice that conquered death, at God’s SET TIME, He will also swallow up death in our mortal bodies and manifest God’s glory.

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone” (Heb. 2:9).

The wine represented the overthrow of evil because of the wrath of God, which will produce righteousness in the earth.  A similar pattern is found in Revelations 16, as the “7 bowls of wrath” are poured out, confirming this transformation process of light overcoming darkness.

“Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth” (Rev. 16:1).

God warns us in Rev. 14 that those who worship the beast (Babylon (money and power and reject the Law (Way, Truth, Life of Christ), will be affected by God’s wrath:

“If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation” (Rev. 14:9,10).

In addition to the offerings, at the end of every seventh year, the Lord commanded the Israelites to read the LAW each day of the Feast:

 “And Moses commanded them, saying: ‘At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time in the year of release, at the Feast of Tabernacles, when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing” (Deut. 31:10,11).

By opening up the Law and reading what God spoke in His Tablets of Covenant, the hearts were reminded of God’s love and promise for each of them. 

Historically, on the first day of Tabernacles, the Israelites sang Psalm 105 when the priests poured their offerings of water and wine on the altar.  Psalm 105 is a brief history of how God redeemed the children of Israel from Pharaoh and slavery.  This kicked off the celebration.

It is interesting to note that the Feast of Tabernacles was not properly celebrated for over 900 years between Joshua and Ezra.  Butjust one week after the completion of the wall of the second temple in Jerusalem, the people gathered together for the Feast of Trumpets and stayed through the Feast of Tabernacles.  They instituted a new tradition of reading the law every year so their hearts could hear the law and respond to the Word (Rom. 3:20; 4:15; 7:7).

Tabernacles was the seventh and final Feast of the Hebraic Covenant Calendar. The number seven means blessing and completion and is so fitting that this Feast is all about celebration, joy, and “REST from works.”

The last day of Tabernacles is much like a wedding celebration, in which the bride and groom are united as ONE, and because of the Covenant made, ALL rejoice, dance, and toast to NEW BEGINNINGS.  

The Feast of Tabernacles blueprint primarily focuses on God perfecting His promise of immortality through His Son returning to the earth as our kinsmen redeemer and releasing us from the debts of sin (Book of Ruth). The 7 days of Tabernacles fulfills the laws of cleansing, which is the lawful process of purification to rid ourselves from our sinful flesh so we can receive our “immortal and glorified body (a permanent dwelling) (Num. 19; Lev. 14). After this process is complete, we can fully “tabernacle with God.”

“Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body (inheritance of a glorified body)” (Romans 8:23).

Until Christ returns, we celebrate like our forefathers, with great anticipation of the “promises” to come.  And like the children of Israel in the days of the Old Testament, who were known as a “Church in the wilderness” (Acts. 7:38), the “Church at large” for the past 2,000 years has living in temporary booths (bodies), with the presence of God (deposit of the Holy Spirit), hoping to enter into the Promised Land (“New Jerusalem” which is an immortal corporate body).

“For we know that if our earthly house, this TENT, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation, which is from heaven.  For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee” (2 Cor. 5:1-5). 

The fulfillment of this feast will mark the beginning of the New Millennium reign of Christ here on the earth. The Church at large will then be able to “REST” from the war with Satan as He is “bound” for a thousand years while Christ judges the nations and restores the earth with His righteousness.

“He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and cast him into the bottomless pit ad shut him up and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished..(Rev. 20:2,3). 

The Day of Atonement is the next Fall Feast to honor:

“Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement.  It shall be a holy convocation (dress rehearsal) for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.  And you shall do not work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God.  For any person who is not afflicted in soul on that same day shall be cut off from his people. You shall do no manner of work it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.  It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your Sabbath” (Lev. 23:27-32).

This “Appointed Day” is also known as “Yom Kippur,” which literally means “Day of Coverings.” This was the only day of the year in the Old Testament that the High Priest was able to go behind the veil in the Tabernacle and enter into the “Holy of holies” to pour the blood of a goat over the Mercy Seat to atone (cover) for the sins of the nation.

“Then he (High Priest) shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, bring its blood inside the veil, do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat” (Lev. 16:15).

The overall purpose of this Feast was a call for a corporate (national) day of repentance with fasting, and prayer so that the MERCY of God would accept their offerings (Read Is. 58; Joel 2).  This is the ONLY fast God required each year.

“Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly; gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children who are nursing and babes; let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, and the bride from her dressing room” (Joel 2:15,16).

As the children of Israel cried out for the mercy of God to cover their shortcomings for not upholding His commandments, the High Priest would take their offerings of sacrifice to atone for their sins so that the nation could rest in the presence of the Lord and continue to receive His increase in the land.

“For I will cast out the nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither will any man covet your land when you go up to appear before the Lord your God three times in the year” (Ex. 34:24).

When the Day of Atonement ceases to be a “dress rehearsal” and goes “live,” it will be a day that judges the body of Christ and reveals the Lord’s “Firstfruits” remnant that are chosen to reign with Him in the Millennium to bring “rest” to the earth (Rev. 14:1-5).  They will then be joined together with the “dead in Christ” remnant who have risen from the graves.

“And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations”(Rev. 2:26).

The Day of Atonement is NOT the day of judgment for the sinners who don’t know Christ as so many of us have been led to believe.  Keep in mind that all of these appointed Feasts are set dates to fulfill the purpose of the Covenant promises God made with those He chose to know Him. These “divine appointments” are not to judge those who don’t know the Lord and are ignorant of His Covenant promises.  “The books” that judge both the believers and unbelievers are opened up at the end of the Millennium, at the second resurrection.

“And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened.  And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life.  And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books” (Rev. 20:12).

In every book of the Bible, God shows a comparison between those who are in Covenant with Him, and those who aren’t. And within each generation of those IN Covenant with Him, there is a division in the family between those who humble themselves and obey, and those who don’t.

There are well known examples in the Bible in whom we see this distinction and division between “brothers” such as Cain/Abel and Jacob/Esau (Gen. 4 and 27).  Let’s take a look at Cain and Abel’s story:

“And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering.  And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.  So the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry?  And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted?  And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door.  And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it'” (Gen. 4:4-7).

As we can read in Gen. 4, God reached out to Cain to give him Fatherly advice.  God was extending His hand of mercy to give instruction to Cain to save his soul and the life of Abel.  It was Cain’s job to rule over his soul.  Cain made the choice outside of God’s advice, which caused him to kill Abel, and put him and his family in a different land.

Likewise, Esau’s anger and bitterness toward Jacob caused him to leave a legacy of people whose souls despised the children of Israel and wanted to kill them.  God then hated the actions of Esau that mimicked the devil:

“As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated”(Rom. 9:13).

In the New Testament, Christ Himself shared that many may call on the Lord, but there is a distinction made in the family of God:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness'” (Matt. 7:22,23)!

The Apostles were also used to rightly divide those Christians who were “abiding” in the Lord and those who weren’t:

“But Peter said, ‘ Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself” (Acts 5:3)?

The outcome of that story is intense. Ananias, a Christian, died after being confronted with truth. The Lord separated Ananias and Sapphira from those who were birthing the Church “in one accord” with the Lord.

Even the letters to the Churches in Rev. 2 and 3 divides the “family of God” into overcomers and those who chose NOT to abide in God’s word.

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.  Therefore, be zealous and repent…To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” (Rev. 3:19,21).

In Lev. 23:29, concerning the Day of Atonement, God declares that “anyone who is not afflicted in soul is CUT OFF from his people.”  This does NOT mean cut off from God.  God is love, and can NEVER stop loving His people.  It also does NOT mean that believers who continue to live their lives “lawlessly” lose their salvation, for ALL have been saved by grace, which is a gift.  It DOES mean that they are cut off from the “REWARD!”

“He who despises the word will be destroyed, but he who fears the commandment will be rewarded” (Prov. 13:13).

Jesus made a way for ALL debt to be paid for breaking the law. There isn’t anyone who doesn’t need that sacrifice of atonement.  BUT, even in the New Testament, God divides the body of Christ with His Word of instruction that bears the fruit of rewards for following the Lord’s leadership, or the consequences of living our life in rebellion to God’s instruction:

“When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.  Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth; fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.  Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.  But now you yourselves are to put off these:  anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth”  (Col. 3:4-8).

The above scripture tells believers what they need to crucify in their flesh.  However, the following scripture tells believers what qualities to adopt to become an overcomer:

“Therefore, as an elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.  But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection” (Col. 3:12-14).

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.  But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality” (Col. 3:23-25).

There is NO way any of us can become “more holy” because Christ has made us so through His sacrifice and has given us a guarantee by sending us the Holy Spirit:

“who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee (2 Cor. 1:22).

However, our soul (mind, will and emotions) continue to go through a sanctification process to crucify our flesh so that Christ is the Head of our soul.  We must judge our sins daily for the purpose of maintaining fellowship with Christ.  As we see through the above examples, (Cain, Esau, the Jewish leaders during Christ’s ministry, and later some Christian leaders), they rebelled against the Lord, refused His correction, and were separated from His presence.

Through Christ’s atonement as High Priest, our willingness to go through the Lord’s sanctification process, and Christ’s leadership (High King) on the earth, we can all enjoy the REST of Jubilee and the goodness of creation WITHOUT SIN.  However, one part of the family will arrive FIRST (144,000 remnant) at the “tabernacle of meeting” so they can help the rest of the family enter into HIS TABERNACLE OF REST.

“These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.  These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb’ (Rev. 14:4).

We can be assured we are prepared for the Day of Atonement through our willingness to be obedient to God, honoring His commandments, serving with a broken and contrite heart, examining our unbelief with a response of repentance, and quickly forgiving offenses and injustices. (Matt. 5:9-15; Col 12-17).

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.  And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as in the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the DAY approaching.  For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries…..

“Therefore, do not cast away your confidence, which has great REWARD.  For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise” (Heb. 10:19-25,35).