23 Oct 2014 by Adeline Lum CM-
On the 9th to 11th of October, the Tabernacle of David in Kuala Lumpur celebrated a four-day Feast of Tabernacles with guests from Singapore, Finland, United States, Australia, South Africa, and Indonesia. The event began with a scrumptious dinner amidst the elaborative décor, followed by a festive mood of praise, dance and worship.
Unlike the Feast of Passover and Feast of Pentecost, which had been respectively fulfilled in the resurrection of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Feast of Tabernacle holds a prophetic and relevant message for this present time.
“It is like someone making a date. God says, ‘I want to meet you at a set time.’ God has set this in His calendar and it is His appointed time to meet us. When we celebrate the feast, we are keeping appointment with the King.
“And so, when we come with the right heart and right attitude, it’s so important that we have the atonement of Yom Kippur to prepare ourselves to pray and fast. If we prepare well, we will enter into the experience and blessings of the Feast of Tabernacles,” said Reverend David Swan of the Tabernacle of David.
He believes that the Feast of Tabernacles is one of the spiritual ‘seasonal open portal’, when it would be easier to sense God’s Presence and Glory and we would experience a greater open Heaven. To enter and experience The Feast of Tabernacles is to enter into the ‘Fullness’ of the blessings of God.
“One of my calling and anointing is to raise up the Worshiping Army. Worshipers are different because they have a passion for the presence of God, and they love to enter into the Presence. In the process, they catch the presence and anointing. And they become presence-carriers,” said Reverend David who had been involved in Worshiping Leading for some 40 years and his book “The Davidic Generation’ has been printed in Russian, Dutch, Arabic, Indonesian, Mandarin, German and Korean etc. Another of his book ‘The Power of Prophetic Worship’ had sold by the tens of thousands.
An appointed forerunner in worship by the Lord, Reverend David introduced the usage of shofars long before churches in Malaysia began using it. He believes that other churches will soon catch the revelation of the Feast of Tabernacles as well because it has a prophetic and present day message!
Next year on October 1st to 3rd, they would be celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles during The International Worshippers CONGRESS nationwide at a stadium with 300 shofar-blowers, 120 silver trumpeters, 50 drummers, 450 to 700 dancers, choir, and worship teams from South Korea, Thailand, South Africa, Singapore, Australia, USA, and Indonesia etc. The last time they held this massive and intensive worship gathering was a decade ago in Malaysia. These worshippers gatherings releases the powerful corporate anointing of the Body of Christ.
“Corporate anointing means the combined, compounded, synergized, amplified and multiplied anointing of the whole body. It combines the unique strength, anointing and power of the apostles, prophets, psalmists, worshippers and intercessors etc. The corporate anointing is the strongest anointing that the Body of Christ can release, it affects the atmosphere and spirit realm in a tangible and significant way.
“In our meeting, we synergize all these various anointings. We combine it and build it up to a ‘critical mass’ to create a spiritual explosion for spiritual breakthrough. In other words, we are releasing the powerful corporate anointing of the activated Body of Christ,” said Reverend David who urged attendees to not come as passive spectators to the Feast of Tabernacles next year but come as active participators in worshiping God.
One of the biggest keys to the release of corporate anointing is worship. Singing in unison and focusing on the Lord together, unites our spirit swiftly.
Arlene Valentyn, a South African visitor sees the Feast of Tabernacles as a prelude to uniting with God, like a bride to her bridegroom, “When I came here, I experienced entering the Holy of the Holies—it’s about entering into God’s presence. It’s about the Bridegroom (Jesus Christ) and Bride (the Church), and the Bridegroom wooing her into His presence.”
Reverend Keith Higgins, an Australian pastor who had been associated with the Tabernacle of David over 30 years also added, “Celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles is celebrating that God will come and tabernacle with us. The Bible says that we will ascend to Heaven with the Lord and those who do no worship God at the mountain; no rain would fall on them—meaning the anointing of the Holy Spirit. So, this is the foretaste of things to come. It’s the joy of the Lord, the fruitfulness of God.
If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, they will have no rain. (Zec 14:17)
“We are coming to the church age now where denomination does not matter because we are one in the Spirit and in the Lord. We come to celebrate the feast and its fullness that it represents, which enable us to embrace everyone and enable us to touch lives.”
Sister Anne came on-stage to share her testimony of how the Lord healed her from a throbbing pain in her head which she had endured for seven long years. She was hospitalized for four days. Going into a MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) check-up, she felt that her hands and heart were growing cold and she could be losing her life.
“I told God, ‘Quickly come and save me!’ I closed my eyes and I saw Jesus standing on the right. I was closing my eyes but I could see Him in His long white robe. He was about six feet plus. Immediately, warmth filled my heart.
“I told God, ‘Lord, if you see something behind my ear, pluck it out and give me a clean report.’ The MRI was clear. The blood test was clear. Everything was clear! I told God, ‘From now on, not my will but Your Will be done. I give all the glory to Jesus,” said Anne.
The Saturday evening proceeded with Pirjo from Lapland and Sirpa from Helsinki introducing themselves to the attendees, before Reverend Keith Higgins from Brisbane came to give a speech.
“We have to go beyond our natural senses and human limitations to go into a new dimension of the Spirit. Many are called but few are chosen because between the calling and choosing is proving. And we cannot do what we are required unless God captivates our heart,” he said, adding that his diminishing physical senses due to age did not diminish his spiritual taste for the things of the Lord.
Next, psalmist, songwriter, and singer Jena Teer from Texas, United States came and sang about the Holy Spirit to the audience.
“The Holy Spirit is your wedding gift. But it saddens me so many times that we put our pre-wedding gift, our engagement ring, on the shelf. We put it in a box and we try to ignore it. But we are given a beautiful gift and that is the Holy Spirit, an ‘apprehending’ Spirit.
“Because of the power of the Holy Spirit, you will crush lions and serpents in your life! The dove that symbolizes the Spirit won’t go anything dead. But the Holy Spirit wants living and breathing Christians. He wants to take you up and not stay in your position.
“The only way you can climb higher is the simple word of prayer, ‘Lord, I give you my life.’ If you are willing to pray that prayer, He’s going to test your commitment and see how willing you are to climb up higher. But brothers and sisters, it’s pretty in the mountaintop. That’s where we want to go,” said Jena.
The final speaker for the night was Brian Pickens. He shared how the Lord revealed to him as: a picture of Holy Tower of consuming fire, a Righteous Ruler with uncompromising standards, and lastly, a Loving Parent kneeling down while extending His arms. In the final picture, Brian wondered if God the Father was interested in him because while He extended His arm, He did not come to Brian.
“God said, ‘Surrender to me. Let me be in every part of your life.’ Wow! That’s beautiful for a person who just wants to sit in the background and use many gifts and abilities—that’s a challenge. I know I am gifted and I am capable. And yet, He says, ‘Give it all to me.’”
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Rom 12:2 NIV)
“Romans 12:2 speaks about renewing our mind. As we surrender our lives to God, He gives us understanding to our ears. I see God now as a strong tower. Not only that, He is my protector, refuge, shield, and shelter. I can see Him face-to-face and I can look into His eyes.
“I see God as a wooer. He’s my defender. He’s my sounding post when I have things to talk and need someone to talk to and clear my direction. He’s my encourager; He knows what to speak at the right time.
“My Father longs to be with me. He’s not only extending His arms but He loves me, delights in me, picks me up, and sits me on His knees. He sings to me. And He dances with me,” says Brian.
Over the last ten months, most importantly he saw a different and more intimate picture of God, “I see God holding me tight. But recently, I see God coming into me, and singing and dancing within me. This is a very different image of God. In that sense, He is ‘tabernacling’ with us. And He wants to do that with every one of us.’”
“As I surrender myself and humble myself, my heart is changed and my relationship with Him is restored. The Lord says to me, ‘Brian, I delight and I get so much joy when you stand up there and declare my name.’ Sometimes, we don’t hear it clearly. Stop and listen to that small voice, ‘I delight in you,’” said Brian.
Reverend David Swan closed the Feast of Tabernacles before the night ended with an intense and sustained worship, which broke into the spiritual realm.
He shared, “There’s so many things seeking to take that precious space in your heart and spirit. But invite the Holy Spirit. I constantly invite Him into my life and into situations. I said, ‘Holy Spirit, come… I know next to nothing but You know everything.’
“Glorify Jesus. Come to the Heavenly Father and expect Him to touch you and minister to you in a Sovereign way. You have come to the Father’s feast—the Feast of Tabernacles—God’s the Host of this Feast. I am not the host.”
The night ended with worship, where God’s tangible and glorious presence saturated the place. The worshipers danced with all their might with colorful banners, flags, and wings. And the attendees also danced, held hands, and also waved their palm leaves in abandoned worship. It reminds me of the picture of how the people of Jerusalem would have cheered and shouted for Jesus Christ when He entered the city on a donkey. What a foretaste of the joyous celebration we will be having when we finally meet Jesus Christ face-to-face.
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Note: Pictures are credited to the Tabernacle of David
i think as Christians, we must distinguish what is Jewish and what is Christian. In the book of Hebrews, Christ has rendered the old covenant obsolete so that He may establish a new covenant. The new covenant is internal, God’s laws written upon the hearts. Furthermore, Christ one-time sacrifice has removed the veil forever so that we can enter God’s Presence, not by the Tabernacle of David (which is just a shadow) but by the precious blood of the Lamb. So, we must seek to be Biblically correct to encourage this kind of event. This kind of event n reporting, at best reveal our ignorance of Scripture, or at worse, misleading to believers. We enter God’s Presence by the blood of the Lamb. Let us not go back to the ‘shadows’ when Jesus has paid such a high price for us to experience the real. Let us not be caught up with externalism, but understand that God’s work is always internal first.
It is relevant to observe the Feasts in Christianity, today. FYI, there are 7 feasts and these feasts has a historical commemorative role, each also has a prophetic role.
1)Jesus has fulfilled the 1st four. Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of First Fruits and Pentecost – are prophetic of the Lord’s First coming. (1st Advent). They each were also fulfilled on the day they were observed. In fact, every evangelical church unknowingly observes it. Example: Good Friday commemorates Passover and Pentecost Day commemorates Pentecost.
2)Rest will be fulfilled during the 2nd Coming (2nd Advent). It is believed that the last three feasts which include “The Feast of the Tabernacle” are prophetic of the Lord’s Second Coming. That is why many are particularly watchful. The prophetic implications of this “The Feast of the Tabernacle” are many. Most scholars associate it with the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom on Earth.
Also, read carefully in context and understand what does the scriptures says and note especially the last two verses below which were written by Paul, after the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ…meaning it is still relevant for the church, at least to have the knowledge of it.
1)Jesus indicated this in Matthew 5:17: Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
2)Paul also emphasized that in Romans 15:4: For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning. . .
3)The prophetic role of the feasts is also highlighted in Colossians 2:16 and 17: Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come . . .
Do more research on the word of God and your eyes will be opened to the truth!
We must distinguish between what is Jewish and what is Christian? If I read the gospels and the book of Acts correctly, the first Christians were Jews — or more accurately, Hebrews. It was not until Acts chapter 10 that we see the first Gentile Christian, Cornelius. And when that happened, there was no little commotion, because it was understood up till that point, that a “Christian” was supposed to be a Jew (or more accurately, “Hebrew”) because Jesus (or more accurately, Yeshua) was (and is) the Jewish Messiah, the Anointed One that Israel had been expecting and anticipating for centuries.
As for celebrating the feasts, if you do NOT celebrate or observe Christmas, Good Friday, Resurrection Sunday, Pentecost, or any special day (such as New Year’s Day), then I won’t need to say anything to you. But if you do celebrate any of those days, then why do you have problem with anyone celebrating Tabernacles or any of the feasts of YHVH?
Besides, the Feast of Tabernacles has a special significance. Read Zechariah 14:16-17 and explain how that squares with your notion of the obsolescence of the old covenant (by which I understand you to imply everything in the pages of the Old Testament). I’m afraid you misread and misunderstand the meaning of Colossians 2.
I fully agree with SH’s comment. With the tabernacle gone & the temple curtain torn, man now has free access to God through Jesus. Yet, some want to revive the religious festivals according to the law of Moses, which reflects the old covenant. Isn’t that a regressive step?
http://christianitymalaysia.com/wp/should-christians-observe-the-ancient-religious-festivals/