Warm hellos once again friends, brethren, fellow laborers, spiritual family, and scattered children of God from here on the Gulf Coast of lower Alabama. My wife and I pray and hope this finds you doing well, and that again your week has been blessed.
Gayle and I are busily preparing for the upcoming Fall Holy Days, specifically the Feast of Tabernacles, where we will meet once again in Orange Beach, Alabama.
After returning back home last fall in 2023, having had an awesome and inspiring Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day in Orange Beach, Alabama, the old cliché “this was the best Feast ever!” was indeed a truism.
My messages are all done for this year’s Feast of Tabernacles. We’re just over a month out from the Feast in Orange Beach, and I’ve been thinking about our time at the Feast of Tabernacles, and what will our focus be while there? We’ll have plenty of opportunity to rejoice before God physically, but, what about more importantly – spiritually?
Once the Feast is over, (and it always seems to go so quickly) and before too much water goes under the bridge after most of us have returned to our homes, and our normal day to day life, might we consider the Apostle Peter’s words to the disciples, “the elect sojourners of the Dispersion.” (1 Peter 1:1 MKJV) “you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices…” (1 Peter 2:5)
What we see is that our main focus should be on the spiritual temple or house of God and our part in serving God in it. This should carry us through the Feast while we celebrate this time together.
What’s interesting to me these days is most of the social media posts from various folks is about the physical aspects of His Feast. I see very few about the messages, content, or inspiring instruction. Has something changed?
During the Feast a couple years ago I gave a message entitled “When We Think of the Millennium”. I challenged brethren to examine the scriptures carefully and not just assume what will happen because someone from the pulpit told them what was to be.
I was asked during the days afterward about specific details related to end time prophecy and this world as we know it. What I’ve noticed too, is that all too often, many examine prophecies relating to daily offerings at an end time holy place with such fervor they miss what is really important…they become easily sidetracked.
Exactly how the details will play out is yet to be revealed. I feel it’s good to be aware of prophetic indicators and as events take place to be prodded and encouraged to be drawing closer to God and Jesus Christ and have a better feel for where we are in the flow of events. But, we must keep the focus clear on our Father and growing personally and collectively as the body of Christ and not become unbalanced with specific prophetic details.
At various times I’ve alluded to 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 during messages and announcements. “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition” (v.3)
The words “that Day will not come” are in italics and were added to connect back to verse 2 that referred to “the day of Christ.” Other translations refer to “a falling away.” (v.3)
I was asked “What will constitute this falling away?”
It seems to infer a significant moving from the truth to error, and abandoning the Word of God.
The apostle Paul continues to explain the circumstances. “who [the man of son] opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself forth, that he is God.” (v.4) Some interpret “temple” to be the church of God. Others take this to be a reference to an end time physical building that is termed “the temple of God.” This latter interpretation seems perhaps more likely. It is interesting that cross references mention Daniel 11:36. Let’s take a look at that verse.
“Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done.” The events that precede this verse refer to the actions of Antiochus Epiphanes, the ancient king of the North, who stopped the daily sacrifices at the temple in Jerusalem and placed an idol at the temple. (v.31)
The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary states that the abomination of desolation was “an idol-altar and image of Jupiter Olympius, erected upon God’s altar of burnt offerings.” Then verse 35 seems to jump ahead to into the end time. “And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.”
Could the end time abomination of desolation be this individual who will occupy some throne like chair in some part of the temple complex and claim that he is god in the flesh? Will a remarkable image be set up that seems to have life and the ability to speak? Revelation 13 describes the actions of the false prophet who directs an image of the beast to be erected and this image will have the power to speak and issue dictatorial edicts.
Well, one thing is for certain, amazing events will take place in the future that are not clearly spelled out. We’ll have to continue to watch for future developments. In the mean time you and I must yield personally to being shaped and molded by the Master Builder to be part of God’s spiritual temple. We need to stay focused on where we are spiritually with our Creator. That’s what’s most important.
The Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles, and Last Great Day will be upon us soon. I look forward to God’s upcoming Feast Days, and we’ll see many of you soon in Orange Beach!
Arms up friends! Our sincere prayers and thoughts are with you daily. Thanks in advance for your heartfelt prayers for us.
