Sukkot: The Feast of Tabernacles and Living Water

Introduction

This year we’ve been looking at the three Pilgrimage Feasts that God commanded to be celebrated every year by the people of Israel – Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles.

For the sake of time, we are not going to spend a lot of time recapping the first two Feasts – Passover and Pentecost (sometimes called the Feast of Weeks). You can go back in the recordings on the web page or Facebook or YouTube and look at those again. We even have a Podcast now!

What I WILL say is that we saw that Passover had three components. First, what it meant historically (what God wanted them to remember during the feast). Second, it had what it meant in the “Now” (what difference did it make in the life of the people of God). Third, it had the “Not Yet” component (what is still left that will happen in the future).

Pentecost, sometimes called the Feast of Weeks, has three components – the Historical, the “Now,” and the “Not Yet.”

These first two Pilgrimage feasts that God ordained (hundreds of years earlier) to be celebrated for all time – became the two biggest days in the life of the Church.

It only makes sense that the third Pilgrimage Feast would be the next great day in the life of the church. And if the pattern continues there will be three components to the Feast of Tabernacles – The Historical component, the “Now” component, and the “Not Yet” component.

So, the more we know about the historical component of the Feast of Tabernacles, and how and why the Jews celebrate this third feast, the more likely we will be able to recognize the third great day in the life of the church when it occurs.

The Historical Component of the Feast of Tabernacles

Passover and Pentecost correlate to the two greatest days in the life of the church. But this third Feast, the Feast of Tabernacles, hasn’t yet had a corelating event in the life of the church. So, we’re going to have to make some educated guesses about the “Not Yet” part of the Feast of Tabernacles.

Since the Feast of Tabernacles is celebrated after the final harvest of the year, the “Not Yet” component will be celebrated after the final harvest of souls. Since it was celebrated after Israel entered the Promised Land, we will celebrate it after the Day of Judgement when we have entered into the Promised New Heaven and New Earth. And since it is a celebration of God’s Protection and Provision during Israel’s wandering in the desert, it will be the greatest feast in the life of the church celebrating God’s protection and provision during our earthly lives. Some would say that this is the prophesied “Marriage Supper of the Lamb” found in Revelation 19:6-9.

It hasn’t happened yet, but I think the typology and parallels are so aligned that this is clearly the “Not Yet” component of the Feast of Tabernacles.

The third great day in the life of the church will be after the final harvest of souls, and after the Day of Judgment, when we enter the Promised New Heaven and New Earth (The Kingdom of God). It will be the greatest celebration in the life of the church.

So, we know the Historical component of the Feast of Tabernacles. And we’re pretty sure we know the “Not Yet” component of The Feast of Tabernacles. But what about the “Now” component? Passover had all three: the historical, “Now,” and “Not Yet.” Pentecost had the historical, “Now,” and “Not Yet.” The Feast of Tabernacles should have an historical, a “Now,” and a “Not Yet.”

As we look at scripture, we see how and when The Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated, and a theme appears that highlights the “Now” portion of The Feast of Tabernacles.

Where does Scripture talk about the Feast of Tabernacles?

There are four places where we see God’s command to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles and they all say pretty much the same thing (Exodus 23:14-17; Exodus 34:18-24; Deuteronomy 16:13-17; Leviticus 23:39-43). Let’s look at Leviticus 23.

Leviticus 23:39-43 –

“On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the LORD seven days. On the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest. And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. You shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.”

But there are other places in Scripture that also talk about the Feast of Tabernacles that are kind of interesting.

Let’s look at when Solomon built the first temple. You can find the story in 1 Kings 8 and 2 Chronicles 5-7.

Then Solomon sacrifices thousands of oxen and sheep to God. The musicians sing songs of worship accompanied by all kinds of instruments. There were so many sacrifices that they had to consecrate a large part of the middle court of the Temple because the normal altar was too small to contain them.

2 Chronicles 7:8-10 –

At that time Solomon held the feast for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt [from the North to the South.] And on the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for they had kept the dedication of the altar seven days and the feast [of Tabernacles] seven days. On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their homes, joyful and glad of heart for the prosperity that the LORD had granted to David and to Solomon and to Israel his people.

In this story we see that Solomon built the temple, and inside it he placed the Ark of the Covenant and all the utensils for worship. Then the Glory of the Presence of the Lord filled the temple and was so intense that the priests physically could not enter the temple. They spent seven days celebrating and dedicating the altar to God, and then spent another eight days celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles.

They dedicate the altar, the Spirit of God shows up, and then they celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.

Fast forward to after the Kingdom is divided – North and South; the northern ten tribes of Israel are sent into exile by Assyria and about 125 years later the southern two tribes of Judah are sent into exile by Babylon. Near the end of the 70-year exile to Babylon we see that the Israelites were given permission to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the altar of the Lord that had been destroyed. They begin offering sacrifices to God again.

Ezra 3:1-6 –

When the seventh month came, … they built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. They set the altar in its place, for fear was on them because of the peoples of the lands, and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, burnt offerings morning and evening. And they kept the Feast of Booths, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number according to the rule, as each day required, … From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid.

So, this was after the altar had been rebuilt, but before the Temple was rebuilt. At the end of exile, once they restored the worship of God, they immediately celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles. In Nehemiah we see that after they rebuilt the Temple the same thing happens.

Nehemiah 8:13-18 –

On the second day the heads of fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe in order to study the words of the Law. And they found it written in the Law that the LORD had commanded by Moses that the people of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month, and that they should proclaim it and publish it in all their towns and in Jerusalem, “Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written.” So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim. And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths, for from the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing. 18 And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. They kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the rule.

Can you see the pattern? Solomon builds and dedicates the Temple, the Presence of God fills the Temple, and they celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. In Ezra we see that as the exile is ending, they rebuild the altar, reestablish the worship of God, and they celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. After the Temple was rebuilt, the people of God gather for the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles.

In all three instances, after the place of worship is built, true worship is reestablished, and the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles is observed.

In John 7, Jesus extends and enhances this pattern during the Feast of Tabernacles.

What Did Jesus Mean?

John 7:37-39 –

On the last day of the feast, the great day (the eighth day), Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

On its face this statement by Jesus seems weird. They’ve been partying for seven days. It is now the eighth day of eating and drinking and Jesus says, “Hey, if anyone is thirsty, come and drink this living water.” Who’s thirsty after seven days of partying?

Now John knows that Jesus’ invitation didn’t make sense – not because it was wrong, but because Jesus had packed a lot of information into one question. Jesus had just connected several dots that would only make sense after his death, and after Pentecost. So, later as John was writing his gospel account, he added this parenthetical statement in verse 39: “Now this [Jesus] said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given.”

So, if Jesus was talking about the Spirit of God (like John says) what happened when the Spirit was finally given to the church?

What do we know about the Spirit of God?

But in the NT, Paul and Peter declare (at least five times) that the people of God have become the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Peter 2:4-5). They become temples of God in Acts 2 where we see tongues of fire and the sound of a rushing wind representing the Presence of God come to rest on his people.

Before we go further, we need to understand that in the Jewish mind, the words temple and tabernacle were almost interchangeable. Before the temple was built, the tabernacle was the place where the Spirit of God resided. When the temple was built, the tabernacle was moved into the temple and the temple was the place where the Spirit of God resided. Because the words temple and tabernacle were interchangeable, we’re going to proceed with the understanding that, after Pentecost, Paul and Peter understood the people of God to be the tabernacle of God – the place where the Spirit of God resided.

But what does the Presence of the Spirit of God have to do with Living Water, and the Feast of Tabernacles?

I think the whole book of Ezekiel explains it. Ezekiel has a series of prophetic visions about the Glory of the Presence of the Spirit of God leaving the temple – really leaving the entire city of Jerusalem. And then, after returning, a new vision declares what happens when the Spirit of God returns. We don’t have time to read the entire book of Ezekiel this morning, but I would encourage you to take time and read through it on your own. But for today, let me condense it.

In the first eight chapters of Ezekiel we read about several unique moments where Ezekiel encounters the “likeness of the Glory of the Lord” and “the Spirit enters into” him.

In chapters 9 and 10, Ezekiel sees the physical “Glory of the God of Israel” move from its place above the Ark of the Covenant inside the Holy of Holies to the doorway of the Temple.

In chapter 11 Ezekiel “sees the Glory of the God of Israel” move from the threshold of the temple. It then leaves the city and rests on the mountain that is east of Jerusalem – the Mount of Olives. In Ezekiel’s vision the Glory of the Spirit of God left, not only the temple but, the entire city of Jerusalem.

In the following chapters, Ezekiel hears God pronounce several prophecies of judgment and destruction. He hears God declare the destruction of Judah, Jerusalem, and its leaders as well as Israel’s enemies and the destruction of the Temple itself.

Then there’s a pivot point, where God says in Ezekiel 36:27: “I will put my Spirit within you, [kind of sounds like Acts 2] and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” And God promises to restore Israel and that he will, “Pour out [His] Spirit upon the house of Israel” (Ezekiel 39:29).

Finally, God shows Ezekiel that his Spirit will return to the Temple in Ezekiel 43.

And after giving further instructions for the operation of the Temple, in chapter 45, God commands a celebration of the Passover, but he also promises a Prince who will provide a sacrifice for the people of God during Passover. And God promises that this Prince will also make provision for the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles. I wonder who that Prince might be? Then we see what happens now that the Presence of the Lord has returned to the Temple.

Ezekiel 47:1–12 –

Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side.

Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah [a desert wasteland], and enters the [Dead] sea; when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh. And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to Eneglaim [the western shore of the Dead Sea] it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea [the Mediterranean]. But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”

Where have we heard this language before? About a river of life flowing and the trees on its banks producing fruit year-round?

This same river of Living Water is talked about in Revelation 22:1-2:

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Over and over in Scripture we see that the Presence of the Spirit of God is associated with living water (Isaiah 43:16-21; Zechariah 14; and Revelation 22).

Story Problem: Living Water and the Tree of Life

Now, for years I had a faulty story running around in my head about Living Water, and also about the Tree of Life that we find in the Garden in Eden.

I used to think that the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil were infused with some kind of “magical power.” One bite from the poisonous apple and you are doomed. I used to believe, one bite from the Tree of Life and you will become immortal. I used to think that the springs of Living Water are flowing from Jesus in order to give us eternal life.

We get these images from fables like Snow White, and Ponce de León’s Fountain of Youth, and from misreading scripture.

Death was decreed in the Garden, not because the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil contained fatal magic, but because Adam and Eve disobeyed God. Instead, they obeyed a created being – someone they were designed and commissioned to have dominion over.

The Tree of Life did not contain a “one-and-done” gift of eternal life. Just like any other fruit tree, as long as it bears fruit, and as long as you keep eating the fruit, you get the benefits of the taste and enjoyment of the fruit. When mankind was expelled from the Garden, we lost access to the Tree of Life, and could no longer enjoy the benefits of its fruit – which is Life.

And the rivers of Living Water that Jesus was talking about in John 7 are not just flowing from Jesus for our benefit – they are flowing from Jesus, THROUGH US, for the benefit of the world around us!

Every farmer or explorer knows that where there is a spring of water there will be life, and growth, and fruitfulness. If you are ever in a plane sit by a window seat and look for the clumps or row of trees on the ground beneath you. You know that everywhere you see that kind of growth, there is a source of living water.

The same is true of every child of God in whom dwells the Presence of the Spirit of God. Your very presence should bring life and fruitfulness to everyone you meet, every place you go, and every situation you encounter. Living Water will always flow from the Presence of the Holy Spirit.

This is the “Now” component of the Feast of Tabernacles.

This is the “Now” component of the Feast of Tabernacles. The people of God have become the new “tabernacles” of God. The Spirit of God lives inside us. And streams of Living Water flow from these new tabernacles.

As we celebrate God’s Protection and Provision over the Israelites during their 40-year wandering – as we celebrate God providing for and protecting us in our day-to-day life – we need to acknowledge the natural outworking of the Presence of the Spirit of God in our lives.

We are the portable tabernacles of the Presence of God. We are designed to have springs of Living Water flowing from our lives to the world around us. And you say, “Curt, what does that look like?”

Scripture tells us that, “everything will live where this river goes. … On the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will continually bear fresh fruit because the water for them flows from these tabernacles. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”

That is what Jesus was excited about in John 7. These new tabernacles of God – his Post-Pentecost people – would become sources of Living Water. During our wandering in the world before the final harvest of souls and the day of Judgment, the people of God should be transforming lives with the Living Water of the Spirit of God.

We exist to transform dry, barren, and dying stories through the gospel of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. We desire to see communities thriving and full of life, and fruitfulness, and nourishment, and healing to the glory of God.

Everywhere the Living Water flows, the Spirit of God will bring life, and fruitfulness, and nourishment, and healing. That’s the “Now” of the Feast of Tabernacles.

The Reason for the “Now” of the Feast of Tabernacles

For the child of God, being passive in the face of the Second Coming of Christ is not an option. We need to be proactive sources of Living Water bringing life, and healing, and nourishment, and restoration, and fruitfulness everywhere we place our feet.

You and I are God’s stewards. His grace should extend through us to those who are still wandering. Our hope and expectation is that they too will join us in the great feast after the Second Coming of Christ. We can provide the life-giving waters that bless, and nourish, and heal them until they make a decision to follow Christ and become new sources of Living Water to those in their lives.

There’s work to be done! You and I are tabernacles of the Presence of the Spirit of God. Look around you. Where are the dry, barren, fruitless places in our community and in our families. How can you, through the power of the Holy Spirit, transform those stories into life-giving, fruitful places of healing by allowing the Living Water to flow through your life? What could that look like in your life? Imagine the possibilities!

The Seventh Year

Before we close, I want to share one more thought with you. This is for those who have not yet accepted Christ. This year the Feast of Tabernacles starts when the sun goes down tonight. I found out a couple of weeks ago that this year’s Feast of Tabernacles is special.

This year 2021-2022 is a sabbath year, a year of release.

So, in the sabbath year, the year of release, as the people of God were celebrating the fact that God had provided for them for the forty years they wandered in the desert, they were experiencing the blessing of the harvest in the sixth year. That harvest was so large that it provided for their needs during the seventh year. As they were celebrating this provision, they were preparing for the forgiveness of their debts and delivery from slavery. At the end of the Feast of Tabernacles they would be starting over. Fresh. Free. Forgiven.

The Appeal

Today you can have your debts forgiven. You can be delivered from whatever enslaves you. You can start over with a clean slate. Whether you recognize it or not, you’ve been living on the abundant provision of God. You’ve been beneficiaries of the Living Water as you’ve wandered.

Christian, you are a source of the Living Water provided by the Holy Spirit. That Living Water will provide nourishment, healing, and life to the people you encounter every day – but it must be shared. Let the Living Water flow!

You can listen to the message by clicking below:

You can watch the message by clicking HERE.

Fishers of Men and the Feast of Weeks

Eight weeks ago, we talked about the Battle Drill for Jewish Pilgrimage Festivals. There are three of them: Passover, Pentecost, and Sukkot. I believe these ancient times of celebration foreshadowed the three greatest days in the life of the church AND that they are the greatest evidence the Bible is the Word of God, and Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.

On Palm Sunday we talked about Jesus and his parents going to Jerusalem for Passover, Mary and Joseph losing Jesus, and then finding him in the temple. We said the battle drill for Pilgrimage Festivals is to “Listen and Ask Questions.”

Today we’re looking at the next feast – Pentecost, the Feast of Weeks, or Shavuot – and the question for this festival is, “Why did the disciples, eventually including Paul, get so excited about the events that occurred on the Pentecost following the Resurrection?” What did they understand about Pentecost that a modern-day Christian is clueless about? And how does that understanding shape who you are as a Christian?

Much of what we’re going to talk about today may be new information and that’s okay. I’m still learning new things, and I’ll share something that I never saw before in Scripture until about three weeks ago. I’m listening, and learning, and asking questions and I want to encourage you to do the same.

The church should be the safest place to ask hard questions. Never stop asking questions! I want to encourage you to think about what you find in Scripture, to ask questions, and be comfortable when the answers don’t come quickly. I want to encourage you to read Scripture, and to read large chunks of Scripture at a time. Don’t read just one or two verses. Read whole chapters or whole books in the Bible. Many people gave their lives to provide the versions and translations we often take for granted. Today we’re going to look at several Scriptures including two large chunks of Scripture.

If you think you don’t have time to read, most of the Bible apps on smartphones will read the Bible to you. I’m pretty sure Alexa will read Scripture to you! Listen to the Bible instead of the news, or the talking heads, or the same four songs you’ve heard 20,000 times. If you have the YouVersion Bible, go the Events section and look for First Baptist Church in New Castle. You can follow along there today with the Scripture references, and you can take notes if you want to.

Today we need to do a quick 30,000 ft. review of Scripture so that we can get into the heads of Jesus, the disciples, Paul, and nearly everyone else you read about in this 66-book collection we call the Bible. I want us to live inside the head of an ancient Israelite and think his or her thoughts; to see the world through the eyes of a God-fearing Jew around 30 A.D.

We are going to spend most of this morning in Exodus chapter 32 and Acts chapter 2, but before we get there let’s pray and then get an overview of the stories they knew inside and out. As we go along today, I want you to pay special attention to key words I will emphasize. Hopefully, by the end of the next few minutes you will see the hyperlinks between these two large chunks of Scripture.

PRAY

Let’s hop on our Scripture plane and go all the way back to the first chapter of the Bible – Genesis 1 – and look at verses 26-28. This is the very first commission that God gave to humanity, and I believe it is the underlying commission for every other commission we find in Scripture.

Genesis 1:26-28 (ESV)

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

That was the first commission – the prime directive for every human being – be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, subdue it, and rule.  In the first eleven chapters of Genesis, we see several stories about men and women who failed at accomplishing that mission. In Genesis 3, we see what we call the Fall of Mankind; it’s the story a rebellion of a spiritual being, and the failure of humans to obey God’s word. In Genesis 6, we see the depravity of man and another spiritual and human rebellion that precipitates (literally) the Flood and the story of Noah. And in Genesis chapter 11, we see another human rebellion in the story we call the tower of Babel and I want to camp here for just a moment.

Gen 11:1-9 (NET)

The whole earth had a common language and a common vocabulary. 11:2 When the people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. 11:3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” (They had brick instead of stone and tar instead of mortar.) 11:4 Then they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city and a tower (a ziggurat) with its top in the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves. Otherwise we will be scattered across the face of the entire earth.”

(Now, when you think of a tower, don’t think skyscraper. Almost every ancient culture built ziggurats (stair stepped, pyramid-like structures) and at the top of the ziggurat they would usually build a temple to their favorite deity. In 2008, I was in Indonesia and climbed an ancient ziggurat called Borobudur with a temple built to honor Buddha. Pictures The temple they were going to build in Genesis 11 was for their own name. They were preparing to put themselves in God’s place.)

11:6 And the LORD said, “If as one people all sharing a common language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be beyond them. 11:7 Come, let’s go down and confuse their language so they won’t be able to understand each other.”

11:8 So the LORD scattered them from there across the face of the entire earth, and they stopped building the city. 11:9 That is why its name was called Babel—because there the LORD confused the language of the entire world, and from there the LORD scattered them across the face of the entire earth.

Eventually Babel was called Babylon, but for now all the humans in the world are divided into “the Nations.” Deuteronomy 32:8-9 tells us that God disowned the Nations and gave them over to other gods. But he didn’t abandon them without a plan for restoration. Immediately after separating the Nations, in Genesis 12, God selects an infertile couple, Abram and Sarai, out from the Nations and supernaturally creates a family that will eventually become the nation of Israel. God is going to bless and redeem the Nations through Israel and reclaim them as his own. This is, and has always been, God’s Plan A – God’s Rescue Plan.

The descendants of Abraham and Sarah become slaves in Egypt. God says, “I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God.” (Ex 6:7a ESV) He delivers them through an event called the Passover (what we celebrated eight weeks ago) and then God brings this enlarged family to the foot of Mt. Sanai.

There’s a lot of text in Exodus that leads up to chapter 32. In chapter 19 (vs. 16-20) we see that at the top of Mt. Sanai there was thunder, and lightning, and a sound of a loud trumpet, and thick clouds, and earthquakes, and the trumpet grew louder and louder! And then in Exodus 24 (vs. 15-18) Moses goes halfway up the mountain. The cloud covered the mountain. The glory of God (the Presence of God) was on the mountain covered by the cloud for six days. Then Moses was called into the cloud on the seventh day. He walked into what looked like a devouring fire in view of the people and was there 40 days and 40 nights.

The Presence of Yahweh God was resting on Mt. Sanai, in fire, and smoke, and lightning, and the loud sound of a trumpet, earthquakes, and thunder. It was the original sound and light show! And you remember that the presence of God was represented earlier in Scripture as a consuming fire in the burning bush, and also in the pillar of fire and smoke as God was leading them out of Egypt and through the Sea. Fire and loud sounds accompanied God wherever he revealed himself. And this image, this motif, is repeated again and again in Scripture.

We’re about ready to descend from our 30,000 ft. view and land our Scripture plane.

After walking into the devouring fire, while Moses is on the mountaintop for 40 days, God gives instructions to construct a lot of the furniture in the Tabernacle, and to build the Tabernacle itself.

Now we land our Scripture plane on the last verse in Exodus 31, verse 18.

Let’s walk through Exodus 31:18-32:35 (ESV) and get these details in our minds because these events are what Jews remember and celebrate during The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost, Shavuot) every year as one of the three pilgrimage feasts.

31:18 And [God] gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him (for forty days on the mountain) on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, (what we call the Law) written with the finger of God.

(In chapter 32 we come to the story of the Golden Calf scene at the foot of the mountain. And after that, the scene changes back to the top of the mountain, where God knows what’s going on down below. God says that he wants to wipe out all of the people of Israel and start over again with Moses. Moses pleads with God to change his mind and God agrees. Then it’s Moses’ turn to see what is really going on in the camp)

15 Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony (the Law) in his hand, tablets that were written on both sides; on the front and on the back they were written. 16 The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.

(Covenants in the Ancient Near East were usually written on two identical documents. Each party to the covenant, would take one copy with them and place it in their “holy place,” next to their god who was charged with witnessing the covenant and executing justice when a covenant was broken. In this case, each of these two tablets contained all ten commandments (Law) (written on the front and back), and because God was going to dwell with his people, BOTH copies were to be stored inside the Ark of the Covenant (the Ark containing the Covenant). And that was the place on which the presence of God would rest inside the Tabernacle.

17 When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.” 18 But [Moses] said, “It is not the sound of shouting for victory, or the sound of the cry of defeat, but the sound of singing that I hear.” 19 And as soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses’ anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets (of the Law) out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.

(Then Moses starts to execute judgement, because the covenant (the LAW) between God and Israel had been broken, almost before it ever became effective. He confronts Aaron and says that he’s the reason the Israelites are sinning. Aaron should have kept his mouth shut but he didn’t.)

Verse 24: “So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”

(A pretty lame excuse if you ask me. Aaron must have lacked experience in lying because this is a poor example of a lie. Anyway, the people were being very hedonistic in their worship of the Golden Calf.)

25 And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to the derision of their enemies), 26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Who is on the LORD’s side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. 27 And he said to them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Put your sword on your side, each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.’” 28 And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell.”

This is passage is shocking to our minds, but it is a natural response in the Israelite mind. When you “cut a covenant”, you usually cut several sacrificial animals in half, lay the two halves opposite each other (making a path of blood in between), and each party would walk that path symbolizing, “If I or any of my people break this covenant, this is what is to be done to the ones violating the covenant.” And that’s the only way to stay in a covenant. Someone must die to restore the broken relationship.

Then Moses does something that a priest would do, what all priests are called to do, what Aaron should have done but did not do – he interceded for the people in front of God.

30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” 31 So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.”

Moses offers himself as a sacrifice to God. This is an Old Testament image of what the Messiah would do; what the Passover Lamb would do.

The people are punished, and God sends them away from Mt. Sanai to the Promised Land. And by giving them the Law, Israel became a Nation – and not simply an enlarged family.

This is what Jews remember on Pentecost. God was present on the Mountain, he sent his Law down from his presence, 3000 people died as a result of their sin, and the Nation of Israel was born. Remember that they celebrate this every year at Pentecost; one of the three Pilgrimage Feasts where they gather in Jerusalem. In this annual feast they remembered the Presence of God, the Giving of the Law, the Birth of the Nation, and the death of 3000 who were disobedient. They did this every year on the same day (fifty days after Passover) for at least 1200 years (maybe as many as 1400 years!).

So now it’s time to travel to our next big chunk of Scripture. Let’s get on Scripture plane and do another long-range scan along the way. What happens over time is that God promises to establish a Kingdom that would last forever and would be ruled by David’s descendants, and David’s Kingdom IS established. But his grandsons split the kingdom in two, the northern ten tribes are sent into exile by the Assyrians (2 Kings 18:11-12), the southern two tribes are sent into exile by the Babylonians (Jeremiah 52:10-30).

We know that the Assyrians were ruthless in their conquering of the northern kingdom. The ten tribes are removed from the Promised Land and sent into the various Nations (the Gentiles). They were forced to intermarry with other conquered nations. And the northern kingdom was dissolved, never to return to the Promised Land.

Even though there was a remnant who still tried worshiping Yahweh, their ethnic identity had been mixed with the Nations (the Gentiles). Their ethnic identity as the ten tribes of the northern kingdom was erased.

The southern two tribes after being exiled to Babylon, eventually returned to the Promised Land, but things were never really the same as before.

However, even in the dark times of exile, God was still speaking through his prophets. Throughout Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Micah, Daniel, and others, God gave promises. One is found in Joel 2:28-29 (NET) Promise:

“… I will pour out my Spirit on all kinds of people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your elderly will have revelatory dreams; your young men will see prophetic visions. Even on male and female servants I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”

God also promised that he would gather his people out of the Nations where they were scattered and restore the kingdom. Jeremiah 16:14-16 reads this way:

By the way, do you remember when Pastor Jerry talked two weeks ago about being fishers of men? When God called Peter, Andrew, James, and John to be disciples, and told them that he would make them fishers of men? We think that Jesus was just saying, “I know you guys all fish for a living. Well, I’m going to modify your occupation. You’ll still fish, but this time you’ll fish for men.”

A few days before Jerry included that reminder in his message, God had led me to this passage in Jeremiah 16:14-16 (ESV) and I realized that Jesus was signaling something incredible when he called the four fishermen! I believe Jesus was referring to what God says through this passage in Jeremiah:

14 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when it shall no longer be said, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ 15 but ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries (Nations) where he had driven them.’ For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers.

16 “Behold, I am sending for many fishers, declares the LORD, and they shall catch them. And afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the clefts of the rocks.”

God is saying, “One day you’re not going to be talking about how I brought you out of Egypt. Soon you will be talking about how I brought you out of all the countries (Nations) where I’ve driven you! I’m going to send fishers to cast nets and drag you home. And then I’m going to send hunters to hunt you down and bring you home!”

When Jesus said, “I’m going to make you fishers of men.” Peter, Andrew, James, and John knew what he meant. This was probably one of their favorite verses of Scripture!

You know how, when you buy a new white Ford pickup truck, then you start seeing all of these other white Ford pickup trucks on the road? You’ve been sensitized because now you identify with the white Ford pickup trucks.

I’m convinced that every time one of these four guys (four guys who eventually became the leaders of the disciples), I’m sure every time they heard Jeremiah read in synagogue or Temple and these verses were read their ears perked up. They knew that fishers and hunters were going to be sent to reclaim the lost tribes of Israel. They knew that the kingdom would be restored when that happened. “Fishers of men” was like a dog whistle to these four disciples signaling that the kingdom is at hand and God is going to reclaim what was lost.

When God prompted Pastor Jerry to use that image two weeks ago, it became clear to me. God is speaking urgently to his church in these days. Are we listening?

Well, let’s land the plane in Acts and get a close look at what happened on that first Pentecost after Passover. You are about to hear many of the words and phrases that we talked about at Mt. Sinai. Listen for those.

By the way, the word Pentecost means “fiftieth.” In the Jewish calendar they would count 50 days (or seven weeks – seven sevens, plus one) from Passover and that is the day they would celebrate Pentecost. The Feast of Weeks (seven sevens, plus one) or Pentecost (fifty) was fifty days after Passover. And we see at the beginning of Acts chapter one that Jesus appeared to the disciples for forty days after the Resurrection, talking to them about the Kingdom of God, and he then ascended into heaven, into a cloud – a moment that many Christians celebrate as the Ascension. Ten days later it was going to be Pentecost.

Before his ascension into the cloud, Jesus tells them to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father (remember what the prophecies promised).

Acts 1:5-6 (NET) – “[And Jesus said,] For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had gathered together, [the disciples] began to ask him, “Lord, is this the time when you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?””

Do you see what happened there? The disciples were tracking on the restoration of the Kingdom of God.

He told them, “You are not permitted to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth (Nations).” (Acts 1:7-8 NET)

The rest of the chapter talks about the ascension of Jesus and the disciples’ time waiting in Jerusalem in the “upper room.” About 120 of them were waiting, so this was a big room. And this brings us to Acts 2.

Acts 2 (NET)

Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2:2 Suddenly a sound like a violent wind blowing came from heaven and filled the entire house where they were sitting. 2:3 And tongues spreading out like a fire appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. 2:4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them.

2:5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem. 2:6 When this sound occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 2:7 Completely baffled, they said, “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 2:8 And how is it that each one of us hears them in our own native language?

And then Luke gives us a list of all the Nations that are represented in Jerusalem on Pentecost. Interestingly, it also describes geographically where all of the nations were scattered after Babel. You can find THAT list in Genesis 10. Here’s the list from Acts 2:

2:9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and the province of Asia, 2:10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 2:11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great deeds God has done!” 2:12 All were astounded and greatly confused, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 2:13 But others jeered at the speakers, saying, “They are drunk on new wine!”

2:14 But Peter stood up with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them: “You men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, know this and listen carefully to what I say. 2:15 In spite of what you think, these men are not drunk, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. 2:16 But this is what was spoken about through the prophet Joel (Promise):

    2:17 ‘And in the last days it will be,’ God says, ‘that I will pour out my Spirit on all people, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

    2:19 And I will perform wonders in the sky above and miraculous signs on the earth below, blood and fire and clouds of smoke. (Jump down to verse 25) 2:25 For David says about him, ‘I saw the Lord always in front of me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken. 2:26 Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced; my body also will live in hope, 2:27 because you will not leave my soul in Hades, nor permit your Holy One to experience decay. 2:28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of joy with your presence.’ (Quoting Ps 16:8-11)

(Now jump to verse 34) 2:34 For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says, ‘The Lord said to my lord, “Sit at my right hand 2:35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’

2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.” (Both Lord [or King], and Christ which means Anointed One or Messiah)

Peter finishes his sermon, calling everyone to repent and then we read in verse 41:

“So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added.”

On that Pentecost after the Resurrection, on the same day that they’ve been celebrating for 1200 to 1400 years, the Presence of God was tangible, the Holy Spirit was sent down from Heaven, 3000 people were saved, and the Church was born. During the feast when they were remembering the Presence of God on the mountain, the Law coming down from the Mountain, the Birth of the Nation of Israel, and the death of 3000 who were disobedient – God brought about a reversal.

But not only that. On this Pentecost after the Resurrection, God also reversed the scattering of the northern ten tribes – remember?  “Devout Jews from every nation under heaven” were in Jerusalem. The remnant of the northern kingdom that God had scattered to the surrounding nations through the Assyrians; The ten tribes of Israel were being restored! The kingdom was being restored!

AND not only that, but God also reversed what had happened at the tower of Babel, when languages were confused, and the Nations were scattered. This meant the Nations (the Gentiles) could be reconciled with God and restored back into his family! What happened at Pentecost made it possible for you and me (Gentiles – a people without God and without hope in the world [Eph 2:12]) to become children of God and “heirs according to the promise.” (Gal 3:29)

When Paul learned about the events of Pentecost, it drove him on his three missionary journeys. Paul went where he went precisely because those places are where the ten northern tribes had been scattered, AND it’s where he could find Gentiles (representatives of the Nations) that he could rescue!

And finally, the Presence of God, in the person of the Holy Spirit, in the lives of every believer, makes it possible for us to live out the original commission given to us before we were created in Genesis 1. To “be fruitful and multiply! To fill the earth and subdue it! To the Glory of God our creator.”

And not only THAT commission but ALL the other commissions God has issued in Scripture including the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20 ESV). We have been commissioned by the One who has ALL authority – In heaven AND on earth. And through this commission he grants us the authority and responsibility to accomplish that commission.

“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always (Presence), to the end of the age.”

As we close, let me read what Paul wrote to the church in Corinth in 2 Corinthians 3:1-8 (NET). I am convinced he was thinking about the great reversal that happened on Pentecost.

“Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? We don’t need letters of recommendation to you or from you as some other people do, do we? 3:2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone, 3:3 revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets (Law) but on tablets of human hearts.

3:4 Now we have such confidence in God through Christ. 3:5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 3:6 who made us adequate to be servants of a new covenant not based on the letter (Law) but on the Spirit, for the letter (Law) kills, but the Spirit gives life.

3:7 But if the ministry that produced death (3000)—carved in letters on stone tablets (Law)—came with glory, so that the Israelites could not keep their eyes fixed on the face of Moses because of the glory of his face (a glory which was made ineffective), 3:8 how much more glorious will the ministry of the Spirit be?”

What happened on that first Pentecost after the Resurrection changed everything! The tangible Presence of God is living among us! The Holy Spirit was sent from heaven to empower us and to live within us. 3000 people were saved from certain spiritual death, and the Lord continues to add to that number every day, including today! And the Church was born, the bride and body of Christ, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it! The Kingdom of God is advancing and WILL be victorious!

The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that God has reconciled us to himself through the blood of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. That is, IF you accept his free gift. No one is excluded! If you are without God and without hope in the world; If you feel lost and erased, and that no one can bring you back; If you are weighed down by the burden of a legalistic law that is carved in stone. The Good News today is that God has sent fishers and hunters to search you out, and find you, and bring you home!

And if any of that describes you, you can accept that free gift today – before you leave. Feel free to talk to me or others you’ll find down front here in just a minute.

Jesus Christ has done what we are powerless to do, so that we can do what he has commissioned us to do. The question for every one of us today is, will you receive and embrace his commission on your life? And if you do, “how much more glorious will the ministry of the Spirit be” in your life than the events that happened in Moses’ life?

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