THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES!

THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES!

Lev 23:42-43

42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:

43 That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord  your God.

          The Feast of Tabernacles, or booths, required that the people leave their homes and construct a temporary home made from tree branches. The Jews were to remember for seven days all of God’s provision and protection while they wandered in the wilderness living in tents. Instead of giving proper study to this feast, I want to focus on a simple truth this morning and that is that this is a very temporary life.

          The Israelites must remember that even their homes were temporary although they were made of stone. Once every year, for seven days, they were to leave the comfort of those houses and dwell in makeshift lean-to’s to remember their journey. In the same way, we should remember the journey that brought us to this present place. Whatever we now call normal; whatever we now call home is temporary. God wants us to trust him for covering, protection and provision.

          Do not become so comfortable in your employment, your community or even your home that you become unwilling to “pull up stakes” and wander a little farther in the journey. George Morgan wrote an old country gospel song called “Mansion over the Hilltop.” In this song we are reminded that we have no permanent dwelling.

Tho' often tempted, tormented and tested
And, like the prophet, my pillow a stone;
And tho' I find here no permanent dwelling
I know He'll give me a mansion my own.

Dear Lord, however fancy and strong my present tabernacle may be, I know that it is temporary. I know also that you are always reliable. Thank you for the promise of a permanent dwelling. AMEN