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The Mystery of the Feasts
by David Cerullo
“They shall not appear before the LORD
empty-handed.” (Deuteronomy 16:16)
This is a special season on God’s calendar —
starting with the “High Holy Days” and climaxing with the Feast of Tabernacles.
It’s a season of supernatural Harvests,
reminding us that there are two different economies in which we can choose to
live.
The world’s economic system says work hard, be
smart, and you’ll be rewarded. It’s all up to you.
In contrast, God’s economic system is based on
the law of Seedtime and Harvest. He says He will take care of you if you’re
obedient to His commandments and faithful in your tithes and special offerings.
While the world says hold on
to what you have, God says, “Give, and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:38).
And while the world says hoarding our wealth
brings prosperity, God says withholding what you have will lead to poverty (Proverbs 11:24-25).
Every promise in the Word of God has a condition
attached to it.
The Lord tells us in Malachi
3:10, “Prove Me.” In other words, “If you’ll do
‘this,’ I’ll do ‘that.’”
Though our salvation has NOTHING to do with any
actions on our part, other than believing and receiving His free gift of
eternal life, the blessings we receive from God have EVERYTHING to do with our
obedience… fulfilling His conditions.
The Lord’s amazing love, grace, mercy, and
forgiveness are 100% unconditional, but He puts specific conditions on the
receipt of His promised blessings.
SPECIAL DAYS ON GOD’S CALENDAR
Although God can give us a breakthrough anytime
He wants, He has special days of blessing on His calendar.
He calls these His “Appointed Times,” when He
promises to do extraordinary
miracles in our lives if we honor Him and follow His instructions.
miracles in our lives if we honor Him and follow His instructions.
Along with the Feast of Passover and Feast of
Pentecost, the Feast of Tabernacles is one of the Appointed Times.
It commemorates God’s care and protection of His
people when they journeyed from Egypt to the Promised Land.
During the Feast of Tabernacles, we’re reminded
each year…
There is shelter, protection, and provision in
the tabernacle of God’s presence!
The Feast of Tabernacles is one of the three
Appointed Times when the Lord said He would meet with His people and bless them
in extraordinary ways.
God clearly instructed His children that these
are to be perpetual feasts, for all generations (Leviticus 23:40-41).
Yes, there is a BLESSING in store for us when we
commemorate the perpetual feasts, celebrations, and holy convocations God
designated as His Appointed Times.
God promises in Exodus 23 and Leviticus 23 that
if we bring our offerings and obey what He’s told us to do, He will pour out
seven specific covenant promises in our lives:
· An angel of God
will be assigned to protect you and lead you to your miracles.
· God will be an
enemy to your enemies.
· The Lord will prosper
you.
· God will take
sickness away from you.
· You will not die
before your appointed time.
· Increase and an
inheritance will be yours.
· What the enemy
has stolen will be returned to you.
As wonderful as these blessings are, God amazingly offers
us seven additional “double portion” blessings
when we observe the Feast of Tabernacles…
A DOUBLE PORTION OF BLESSINGS
Joel 2 has many parallels to the “Days of Awe”
leading up to the Day of Atonement and Feast of Tabernacles.
Just prior to the Day of Atonement and
Tabernacles, the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) sounded an alarm and
called people to sober soul-searching.
In the same way, Joel 2 begins
with a call to repentance, fasting, and holiness: “Blow the trumpet in Zion”
(verse 1
… “Consecrate
a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify the
congregation” (verses 15-16 NASB).
This passage goes on to list seven special “double
portion” blessings the Lord wants to provide for His people during the
Feast of Tabernacles:
· A double
portion. “He will cause the rain to come down for you — the former rain,
AND the latter rain in the first month” (verse 23 KJV).
Although the periods of the former and latter
rains were usually separated by many months, God wants to give you a double
blessing during the Feast of Tabernacles so you can receive both of these
outpourings of provision “in the first month.”
This double portion was of great practical
necessity to the Israelites, because the Harvest blessings of the Feast of
Tabernacles season had to last them a longer period than the interval between
Passover and Pentecost (just 50 days) or between Pentecost and Tabernacles
(about four months).
· Financial
prosperity. “The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats
shall overflow with new wine and oil” (verse 24 NKJV).
· Restoration.
“I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten” (verse 25 NKJV).
· Special
miracles. “You shall… praise the name of the LORD your God, who has
dealt wondrously with you” (verse 26 NKJV)… “and I will show wonders” (verse 30 NKJV).
· God’s presence
and favor. “You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel… My people
shall never be put to shame” (verse 27 NKJV).
· Blessings for
your sons and daughters. “Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy… your
young men shall see visions” (verse 28 NKJV).
· Deliverance
from harm or oppression. “Whoever calls on the name of the LORD will be
delivered” (verse 32 NASB).
What a fantastic list of promises! With every
PROMISE from God, there is the PROVISION to bring it to pass.
But notice that the Lord is not depending on you
to bring His promises to pass. He’s depending on Himself! All you have to do to
activate the promises is to obey His instructions.
HONORING GOD’S APPOINTED TIMES
In order to unlock the “double portion” of
blessings God has in mind for us, it’s crucial that we fulfill His conditions.
Deuteronomy 16:16 says,
“They shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed.”
At these special times each year, the Israelites
were to present their sacrifices and offerings to the Lord from the Seeds they
had Sown and the Harvest He had given them.
Do you want to Reap God’s BEST? Do you want to
see Him move in your life as never before? Then begin now to prepare your heart
and your special offering to the Lord.
I’m convinced that if you need a miracle
breakthrough in your body… your relationship with the Lord… your marriage… your
children… your emotions… or your finances…
This is your opportunity to obey God and receive
His DOUBLE PORTION blessings!
I am standing with you, believing God to give
you amazing breakthroughs during this very special season on His calendar.
Don’t delay or procrastinate!
The sooner you take a step of faith to obey the
Lord, the sooner your breakthrough will come.
God bless you!
David Cerullo is
the founder, chairman, and CEO of Inspiration Ministries, located in Indian
Land, South Carolina – a ministry dedicated to impacting people for Christ
worldwide through media. The son of international evangelist Morris Cerullo,
David took a less traditional approach to ministry, graduating from Oral
Roberts University with a degree in business administration and management. He
has authored over 20 books, and operates a global media ministry that
powerfully impacts the world for Christ. More from
David on Inspiration.org.
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