“All good things must come to an end.”

You’ve heard it…and I’ve heard it!  We wait anxiously for certain things in life to happen.  Graduation day…a wedding…a special event…a reunion with family and friends.  Those special days seem to be so long in coming, yet so fleeting!  Where do they go?  Why does time seem to pass so quickly once the long-awaited day arrives?

In an earthly sense, I feel that way about the Feast of Tabernacles.  Tonight at sundown marks the official end of the most celebratory of all Jewish feasts.  (Actually, the sun has long been set in Israel…10 hours ahead of us here in Phoenix AZ.)  The Jews see it as a memorial to their redemption from slavery in Egypt, thus they celebrate God’s faithfulness in guiding them through the wilderness to the Promised Land.  Prophetically, it is a glimpse of God’s redemption of us from the slavery of sin, and His promise that we will “tabernacle” with Him in our heavenly home.  That good thing will never come to an end!

So, though I mourn the end of a fantastic time of awakening once again to the Lord’s promises, I rejoice because the Feast of Tabernacles is fulfilled by Jesus Christ Himself!  He actually came to dwell among us on a sin-cursed earthly planet, in order that we might dwell with Him for eternity in a heavenly dwelling which He is preparing for us even now!  (John 14:1-3)

Over the past week I have encouraged you to experience a taste of the Feast of Tabernacles hosted in Jerusalem by the International Christian Embassy.  By the miracle of technology, they were able to live stream and post recorded versions of many of the festivities at that gathering.  Believers from at least 80 countries all over the world gathered to worship, pray, and hear God’s Word, while also blessing Israel with their presence, their prayers, and their service.  It’s a taste of heaven!

So, I invite you one last time to view the final night’s celebration and a wonderful teaching by Malcolm Hedding:

Next year in Jerusalem!   (Or, in Hebrew: לשנה הבאה בירושלים)