The Feast of Tabernacles

Dianne McIntosh preached both services today. Do you remember, in Numbers, Chapter Thirty-two, the story of the two and one-half tribes that settled on the East Bank of the Jordan River? They did not wholeheartedly follow the Lord, being content to settle down with their cattle while the remainder of Israel followed the Ark of the Covenant into Canaan.

(6/11/2006) Are we in a comparable situation today? Indeed we are?

The ornate Veil separated the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle of the Congregation from the Holy Place. The Holy Place, in our discussion here, speaks of Christian activities, including the Communion service, the baptism with the Holy Spirit, and prayer and worship.

The Most Holy Place portrays that to which the Christian activities bring us—the Presence of almighty God.

The Veil that divides the two areas is death to our self-will. We can perform all the activities in the Holy Place and still be acting according to our own will. But in the present hour the Spirit of God is seeking those who will look to Jesus Christ for every decision, every motive, every thought, every word, every action. This is death to self-will. Here is the entrance to Canaan. Here is the rich fruit for which Christians have longed throughout the Christian Era.

The Veil, the separation, stands for the Jordan River. Until we are willing to follow Christ against Satan and his hordes, we shall remain in the realm of church activities.

The tribes of Israel were tired of the seemingly endless pilgrimage through the wilderness, and the wars that took place there. They had to fight even to occupy the East Bank of the Jordan River, the kingdoms of Sihon and Og.

To go across Jordan meant facing an even greater number of enemies, the inhabitants of Canaan for hundreds of years. We are not surprised that Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh decided that they and their cattle would establish their homes on the East Bank.

But oh, what a dreadful mistake! The Ark of the Covenant, the Glory of God, the Ten Commandments, were about to invade Canaan, dispossess the demon-worshiping tribes of the land, and bring God's Presence and Law into the centers of satanic worship.

Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh chose their cows and their comforts over the manifest Presence of the God of Israel.

What would you have chosen? What are you choosing now?

We have been past the Lampstand, that is, the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Now some are dancing about, making merry, jumping up and down next to their pews in anticipation of the unscriptural "rapture."

Others are hearing the call of the Spirit. They are advancing to the holy Altar of Incense. They are prostrating themselves, crying out: "Not my will but Yours be done." When God hears this cry, the Veil is moved aside and they enter the Presence of Christ.

Inside the Holy Place is Jesus Christ and those who are becoming an integral part of Him. But Christ is a Man of war! He has come to us today in fulfillment of the Jewish feast of the Blowing of Trumpets. He is declaring war against those satanic hordes that fill the earth, and also God's people. Christ is ready to drive Satan and all that belongs to Satan out of the earth. Satan has no part in the Lord Jesus Christ!

To follow Jesus Christ into the conflict of the ages requires that we arm ourselves with the whole armor of God. We set our mind to endure the suffering and the hardships that we will experience as the Spirit of God leads us against the enemies of God and man.

The Canaanites (Satan and people controlled by him) have occupied their land for hundreds of years and are striving to the present hour to remain in it. Satan and his angels and demons have controlled the nations of the earth as well as the physical bodies of God's people for thousands of years. They are not at all willing to surrender their territory. They will fight viciously with every weapon at their disposal to maintain their home.

Some of us have been making our way through the wilderness of this present life for many years. We have fought some difficult battles. Now the trumpet of war is sounding. El Shaddai, the mighty God, is ready to express His will in the earth. The Kingdom of God is at hand.

How about you? Will you choose to settle back and content yourself with the current church activities? Or do you have a mind to fight? Are you willing to settle for anything less than the fullness of the Glory of Christ?

If you are, I do not say you will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. But I will state this plainly: When the new world of righteousness comes down to us from Christ, you will be among those who are governed by believers who chose to follow the Lord wholeheartedly.

And, as Moses declared, "Be sure your sin (of not following the Lord wholeheartedly) will find you out!"

At night Dianne spoke about how the fear of man brings us into bondage. We are his slave whose will we do. When we act to please others, without hearing from the Lord, we are the slave of those whom we are seeking to please. As a pastor, I know how easy this is to do.

I am concerned at times that my messages are too hard for American people. I asked the Lord about this. He said to me: "If you won't preach it, I'll get someone who will!

"Lead on, O King eternal."