I have been thinking about my most recent test results and the fact that there is still a small nodule or tumor that just refuses to go away. I know that God could have caused that thing to just disappear the first time I asked Him to heal me, but that is not what He has chosen to do.
So, I think about the Apostle Paul and his famous "thorn in the flesh." We don't really know what that "thorn" was, but we know that Paul, who had such a close relationship with the Lord that he was able to write most of the New Testament, prayed to God three times requesting that He remove it. God's response was, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." (II Cor. 12:7-9)
I have been asking the Lord if this health problem could be something I need in order to remind me that my life is in His hands, and that life on this Earth is brief, and I must make the most of the time I do have here. I am reminded that in comparison to eternity my life here is just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. James 4:14
Now, you may be wondering why I titled this post as I did. In my circumstances it would be easy for me to succumb to fear; fear of cancer, fear of death, fear of my circumstances, etc., but what is of fear cannot be of faith. See Hebrews 11:1. The two states of mind cannot continue to coexist, for one will eventually win out over the other.
I choose to fear the Lord, and have faith in Him. My life is in His hands. He knows me and the plans that He has for my life, and if I am trusting and believing in Him, then I will be walking by faith and not succumb to fear. I am reminded of Psalm 90:12 "So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom." I thank the Lord for every day that He gives me here so that I can prepare for the wonderful day when I see Him face to face.
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?" Psalm 27:1
I choose to walk by faith and fear the Lord.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Gerson Therapy Success
Ok, folks! My experiment with the Gerson Therapy is turning out pretty well. I have now been on the therapy for almost two years, and I have gone for fifteen months with no change. I know that doesn't sound very exciting, but let me explain.
Here is a little recap of the events of my healing so far:
January, 2013 - PET scan and CT scan shows a 1.3 cm nodule in the lower left lung, and numerous lymph nodes enlarged and "lighting up" on the PET scan.
September, 2013 - CT scan shows nodule shrunk to 0.8 x 0.5 cm. All lymph nodes appear normal and no remaining evidence of metastasis.
May, 2014 - CT scan shows no change. All that remains is the small nodule.
December, 2014 - CT scan again shows no change.
To sum up, there has been no change since September of 2013. The pulmonologist says if there is no change for two years the nodule that is left will be considered "benign." I like the sound of that word!
Here is my plan now. I will slowly wean myself off the therapy for the next month or so. The end of February I will have been on it for two years, which is the minimum amount of time that Gerson recommends. I will, of course, continue to eat healthy foods and drink some juices. Then, I will have another scan in September and hope that all will be the same or better.
I have checked with the Gerson people about my latest scan and my future plans. They say that sometimes a tumor will wall itself off, making it difficult for the body to break it down, but as long as my blood work is good, and I am feeling well they are not too concerned about it. I have also read that when a tumor dies it does not always totally disappear. It would take major surgery to remove it, and I am not willing to risk that. The other option would be to go back on the therapy full force to see if the nodule can be broken down, but I am not willing to do that either at this time. If the scan in September shows a change for the worse, then of course I would get back on the therapy right away. I am not expecting that to happen now that I know how to eat right and take care of my body. I feel great and am probably healthier than I have ever been.
I have trusted God thus far, and He has been faithful to lead me in the right path. I have no reason to believe that it will be any different from here on. I trust Him with my life. He is my Creator, my Savior, and my Lord. He will guide me. He has never let me down. God is good! PTL!
Here is a little recap of the events of my healing so far:
January, 2013 - PET scan and CT scan shows a 1.3 cm nodule in the lower left lung, and numerous lymph nodes enlarged and "lighting up" on the PET scan.
September, 2013 - CT scan shows nodule shrunk to 0.8 x 0.5 cm. All lymph nodes appear normal and no remaining evidence of metastasis.
May, 2014 - CT scan shows no change. All that remains is the small nodule.
December, 2014 - CT scan again shows no change.
To sum up, there has been no change since September of 2013. The pulmonologist says if there is no change for two years the nodule that is left will be considered "benign." I like the sound of that word!
Here is my plan now. I will slowly wean myself off the therapy for the next month or so. The end of February I will have been on it for two years, which is the minimum amount of time that Gerson recommends. I will, of course, continue to eat healthy foods and drink some juices. Then, I will have another scan in September and hope that all will be the same or better.
I have checked with the Gerson people about my latest scan and my future plans. They say that sometimes a tumor will wall itself off, making it difficult for the body to break it down, but as long as my blood work is good, and I am feeling well they are not too concerned about it. I have also read that when a tumor dies it does not always totally disappear. It would take major surgery to remove it, and I am not willing to risk that. The other option would be to go back on the therapy full force to see if the nodule can be broken down, but I am not willing to do that either at this time. If the scan in September shows a change for the worse, then of course I would get back on the therapy right away. I am not expecting that to happen now that I know how to eat right and take care of my body. I feel great and am probably healthier than I have ever been.
I have trusted God thus far, and He has been faithful to lead me in the right path. I have no reason to believe that it will be any different from here on. I trust Him with my life. He is my Creator, my Savior, and my Lord. He will guide me. He has never let me down. God is good! PTL!
Friday, July 4, 2014
The "Selfie" Society
I have heard it said, "You must learn to love yourself before you can love others." I have even heard this taught in Christian circles. I think it is one of the most illogical things I have ever heard. In my own experience, the more someone loves himself, the less they seem to care about others.
Where did this lie come from? I'll give you one guess. Where do all lies originate? They begin with the father of lies, Satan himself. The vehicles he used to establish this lie were the propagators of what we now know of as psychology, none other than Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Both men had a long history of fascination with occult things and Carl Jung even admitted to having a spirit guide named Philemon from whom he received many of his ideas. Should the church be borrowing ideas from sources such as these?
So, what do the scriptures have to say about self-love. Paul warned in II Timothy 3:1-5 that in the last days, difficult times would come for men would be "lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy..." and the list goes on and on. Notice that "lovers of self" is part of a long list of many other undesirable traits. Did Paul believe self-love was a good and necessary quality to have? Certainly, not.
What about Jesus, did He teach us to love ourselves? In Matthew 22:39 Jesus gave us the command, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Some try to twist the meaning of this to prove that Jesus taught us to love ourselves, but Jesus knew that we already love ourselves too much, so He was commanding us to love others as much as we already love ourselves. He also taught that we should deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. This is just the opposite of what we are being taught today in our society and even in some churches.
We hear all about self-fulfillment, self-esteem, self-respect, self-worth, self-love, self-confidence, etc. It is no wonder that we have turned into a selfish society, and we have never been further from the example given to us by Jesus when He left His throne in heaven to come to Earth and die on a cross for us. We would do well to listen to what Paul told the Philippian church.
"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Philippians 2:3-8
Where did this lie come from? I'll give you one guess. Where do all lies originate? They begin with the father of lies, Satan himself. The vehicles he used to establish this lie were the propagators of what we now know of as psychology, none other than Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Both men had a long history of fascination with occult things and Carl Jung even admitted to having a spirit guide named Philemon from whom he received many of his ideas. Should the church be borrowing ideas from sources such as these?
So, what do the scriptures have to say about self-love. Paul warned in II Timothy 3:1-5 that in the last days, difficult times would come for men would be "lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy..." and the list goes on and on. Notice that "lovers of self" is part of a long list of many other undesirable traits. Did Paul believe self-love was a good and necessary quality to have? Certainly, not.
What about Jesus, did He teach us to love ourselves? In Matthew 22:39 Jesus gave us the command, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Some try to twist the meaning of this to prove that Jesus taught us to love ourselves, but Jesus knew that we already love ourselves too much, so He was commanding us to love others as much as we already love ourselves. He also taught that we should deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. This is just the opposite of what we are being taught today in our society and even in some churches.
We hear all about self-fulfillment, self-esteem, self-respect, self-worth, self-love, self-confidence, etc. It is no wonder that we have turned into a selfish society, and we have never been further from the example given to us by Jesus when He left His throne in heaven to come to Earth and die on a cross for us. We would do well to listen to what Paul told the Philippian church.
"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Philippians 2:3-8
Friday, June 6, 2014
Solomon's Wisdom?
Solomon's name has become synonymous with wisdom, which causes me to wonder what I can learn from his story. How did he acquire such wisdom, and how was it possible that someone who was known for such wisdom managed to end up so far from God? Is it possible for us to have the wisdom of Solomon today? Let's look at the scriptures for the answers to these questions.
When Solomon began to rule Israel he knew he needed more wisdom than he possessed, so he prayed to God, "... give Thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Thine?" (I Kings 3:9) God was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom and granted his request, "...Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you." I Kings 3:12
As time went on Solomon began to be drawn away from God by the "lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life." I John 2:16 He began to disobey God, and his disobedience caused him to commit some of the most horrendous sins mentioned in the scriptures. Solomon had no excuse for his sins. We read in Deuteronomy 17:14-17, that Israel's kings were forbidden to multiply horses, wives, and wealth. We also see in I Kings 10:23-11:9 that Solomon did all three of these things, to a great extent! Solomon could not claim ignorance since all of Israel's kings were also commanded to write in their own hand a copy of the law and read it all the days of their lives so they would not sin against God. (Deut. 17:18-20) Obviously, Solomon failed to do this.
Solomon's wives also turned his heart away from God, so much so that he actually built altars to foreign gods (demons) (Deut. 32:16-17) on which his wives sacrificed Solomon's own children. These sacrifices to these demons were unusually cruel, burning these babies alive in the arms of a super-heated idol. How could he even allow this, much less facilitate it? He was the king! This did not have to be, but he was no longer listening to God. The wisdom he once possessed was gone.
Can we have the wisdom of Solomon? Yes, we can, because it was not Solomon's wisdom after all. It was God's wisdom which Solomon was granted simply by asking. In Romans 2:11 and Acts 10:34 we learn that God is no respecter of persons and shows no partiality. If Solomon received the wisdom of God simply by asking, we can do the same. In James 1:5 we are taught, "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." Solomon's problem is that he failed to stay close to the One who gave him wisdom in the first place. That is an important lesson we can learn from Solomon. If we want to be wise, we must stay close to God, the source of all wisdom.
Christians should be the wisest people on earth. We have access to the very throne of God through the blood of Jesus. The veil in the temple was torn! God desires that we walk in wisdom by walking in His Spirit. "Be filled with the Spirit." Ephesians 5:18 "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." Galatians 5:16 What a shame that Solomon did not continue to follow the Lord, but the record of his apostasy is a valuable warning to all of us. The more time we spend seeking and listening to God, through the Holy Spirit, the more we will be like Him in every way and avoid the tragedy of apostasy.
My prayer for all Christians, including myself:
"But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit." II Cor. 3:18
Very simply I pray, "Lord, make me more like you every day."
When Solomon began to rule Israel he knew he needed more wisdom than he possessed, so he prayed to God, "... give Thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Thine?" (I Kings 3:9) God was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom and granted his request, "...Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you." I Kings 3:12
As time went on Solomon began to be drawn away from God by the "lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life." I John 2:16 He began to disobey God, and his disobedience caused him to commit some of the most horrendous sins mentioned in the scriptures. Solomon had no excuse for his sins. We read in Deuteronomy 17:14-17, that Israel's kings were forbidden to multiply horses, wives, and wealth. We also see in I Kings 10:23-11:9 that Solomon did all three of these things, to a great extent! Solomon could not claim ignorance since all of Israel's kings were also commanded to write in their own hand a copy of the law and read it all the days of their lives so they would not sin against God. (Deut. 17:18-20) Obviously, Solomon failed to do this.
Solomon's wives also turned his heart away from God, so much so that he actually built altars to foreign gods (demons) (Deut. 32:16-17) on which his wives sacrificed Solomon's own children. These sacrifices to these demons were unusually cruel, burning these babies alive in the arms of a super-heated idol. How could he even allow this, much less facilitate it? He was the king! This did not have to be, but he was no longer listening to God. The wisdom he once possessed was gone.
Can we have the wisdom of Solomon? Yes, we can, because it was not Solomon's wisdom after all. It was God's wisdom which Solomon was granted simply by asking. In Romans 2:11 and Acts 10:34 we learn that God is no respecter of persons and shows no partiality. If Solomon received the wisdom of God simply by asking, we can do the same. In James 1:5 we are taught, "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." Solomon's problem is that he failed to stay close to the One who gave him wisdom in the first place. That is an important lesson we can learn from Solomon. If we want to be wise, we must stay close to God, the source of all wisdom.
Christians should be the wisest people on earth. We have access to the very throne of God through the blood of Jesus. The veil in the temple was torn! God desires that we walk in wisdom by walking in His Spirit. "Be filled with the Spirit." Ephesians 5:18 "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." Galatians 5:16 What a shame that Solomon did not continue to follow the Lord, but the record of his apostasy is a valuable warning to all of us. The more time we spend seeking and listening to God, through the Holy Spirit, the more we will be like Him in every way and avoid the tragedy of apostasy.
My prayer for all Christians, including myself:
"But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit." II Cor. 3:18
Very simply I pray, "Lord, make me more like you every day."
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Fourteen Months on the Gerson Therapy
As many of you know, I was diagnosed with lung cancer back in January of 2013. A PET scan showed a tumor in my lower left lung and metastases in many lymph nodes in the chest and neck area. I opted for a natural therapy rather than the conventional treatments of surgery, chemo, and radiation.
After six months on the Gerson Therapy, I had some dramatic results which you can read about in my previous post, "There is a Natural Cure for Cancer." That is why I fully expected all signs of cancer to be gone after eight more months on the therapy. Unfortunately, that was not the case when I had another CT scan on May 13th which showed, "No change." I tried not to be too disappointed. After all, that meant the cancer had not spread, and that was certainly good news for any cancer patient. At least I had not gone backwards, but I could not help feeling disappointed anyway. This therapy is not an easy thing to do, and I would like to see a light at the end of the tunnel. I seemed to have hit a road block.
I began to think about where I had cut corners in the therapy and maybe not done everything I could have done. I had finally had three mercury amalgams removed in April because my blood work did not look as good as I thought it should. Then, I remembered that Gerson also says all root canalled teeth should be removed. I knew that from the beginning, but was reluctant to have three of my teeth pulled unless it was absolutely necessary for my healing.
After reading a book called, "Root Canal Cover-Up," by George Meinig, I am convinced my next step is to remove three dead teeth from my mouth. The bacteria and toxins in these teeth have been proven to cause all kinds of diseases and also suppress the immune system, which is something that could definitely keep me from a complete recovery. The research on root canalled teeth was completed back in the 1920's by Dr. Weston Price, and then promptly covered up lest anyone should actually find out about it.
I have an appointment to remove two of the teeth and the third one will be gone soon after. I plan to have another scan in about six months. Meanwhile, I continue on the Gerson Therapy. I still believe it is my best option for recovery, and I hope to be totally well soon. I am still trusting God to lead me in the direction I need to go. I believe He wants me to be well, but regardless of what happens in that respect, GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!!!
After six months on the Gerson Therapy, I had some dramatic results which you can read about in my previous post, "There is a Natural Cure for Cancer." That is why I fully expected all signs of cancer to be gone after eight more months on the therapy. Unfortunately, that was not the case when I had another CT scan on May 13th which showed, "No change." I tried not to be too disappointed. After all, that meant the cancer had not spread, and that was certainly good news for any cancer patient. At least I had not gone backwards, but I could not help feeling disappointed anyway. This therapy is not an easy thing to do, and I would like to see a light at the end of the tunnel. I seemed to have hit a road block.
I began to think about where I had cut corners in the therapy and maybe not done everything I could have done. I had finally had three mercury amalgams removed in April because my blood work did not look as good as I thought it should. Then, I remembered that Gerson also says all root canalled teeth should be removed. I knew that from the beginning, but was reluctant to have three of my teeth pulled unless it was absolutely necessary for my healing.
After reading a book called, "Root Canal Cover-Up," by George Meinig, I am convinced my next step is to remove three dead teeth from my mouth. The bacteria and toxins in these teeth have been proven to cause all kinds of diseases and also suppress the immune system, which is something that could definitely keep me from a complete recovery. The research on root canalled teeth was completed back in the 1920's by Dr. Weston Price, and then promptly covered up lest anyone should actually find out about it.
I have an appointment to remove two of the teeth and the third one will be gone soon after. I plan to have another scan in about six months. Meanwhile, I continue on the Gerson Therapy. I still believe it is my best option for recovery, and I hope to be totally well soon. I am still trusting God to lead me in the direction I need to go. I believe He wants me to be well, but regardless of what happens in that respect, GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!!!
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
There IS a Natural Cure for Cancer!
Back in March I wrote several posts about my sudden diagnosis of lung cancer. At that time I refused conventional cancer treatment and the already scheduled surgery which would have removed many of the lymph nodes in my chest and possibly as much as one lobe of my left lung. Instead, I opted for a natural cancer therapy called Gerson Therapy. I wrote another blog post in June titled "Fifteen Weeks on the Gerson Therapy," saying that I was feeling pretty well so far and that my blood work up to that point was looking good. Now, after six months on the therapy I am extremely happy to announce that a CT scan of my chest shows much improvement. All lymph nodes look normal. For those who like medical terms, there are "no pathologically enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes," and the "left hilar lymphadenop-athy seen previously has resolved." Also, the mass in my lower left lung has shrunk from 1.3 x 1.2 cm to 0.8 x 0.5 cm. That may not sound like much to some, but just the fact that the lymph nodes are no longer enlarged and the tumor is shrinking proves to me that the therapy is working. I am elated and praising the Lord!
Some people have even mentioned the word "miracle" in light of this wonderful news. Now, don't get me wrong. I give God all the glory for the healing I am experiencing because without Him it would not have been possible; however, I also believe that the therapy itself is the nuts and bolts of my healing. It is what God is using to bring the healing about. I would not call this a miracle in the usual sense of the word. Let me explain.
I believe there are actually many divine interventions involved here. First of all, it is a miracle to me that Dr. Max Gerson developed this therapy back in the 1930's through 1950's. Reading the story of how it came about was amazing to me. The second miracle I see is that God built the human body with such miraculous healing power within. The next miracle I experienced was the fact that my doctor ordered a CT scan of my abdomen for a totally unrelated problem, and that scan showed the mass in my lower left lung. I was having no symptoms of any lung problems. Then, a friend of mine suggested the Gerson Therapy to me. Thank you, Beth Kay, and thank you, Lord for letting me cross paths with Beth at just the right time! The last miracle I want to mention is that God gave me the faith and the strength of will to go against all of the conventional medical advice and do what I believed He was leading me to do, a natural therapy that would boost my own immune system that He had already built into my own body.
Yes, the healing I am experiencing is a miracle, but not in the sense that most people think of as miraculous. God didn't just zap a supernatural healing on me, although He certainly could have if He chose to do it that way, but then, what would I have learned? What could I now share with all of you about how to be healthier and how to take care of this marvelous body that God has created for us? I would probably just get sick all over again because I would continue to eat the same foods that made me sick in the first place. The Gerson Therapy is tough, demanding, and monotonous, but I believe it is well worth the effort. I expect to be fully healed in the near future.
The best blessing I have received through all of this is that God has drawn me closer to Him. He has shown me that He is my Shepherd, leading and guiding me every step of the way. He has confirmed to me, personally, that He will never leave me or forsake me. His love is sure, for God is love! He loves you, too, and wants you to be healthy in body, mind, soul and spirit. He alone can show you how to achieve that. Seek Him above all else!
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33
Some people have even mentioned the word "miracle" in light of this wonderful news. Now, don't get me wrong. I give God all the glory for the healing I am experiencing because without Him it would not have been possible; however, I also believe that the therapy itself is the nuts and bolts of my healing. It is what God is using to bring the healing about. I would not call this a miracle in the usual sense of the word. Let me explain.
I believe there are actually many divine interventions involved here. First of all, it is a miracle to me that Dr. Max Gerson developed this therapy back in the 1930's through 1950's. Reading the story of how it came about was amazing to me. The second miracle I see is that God built the human body with such miraculous healing power within. The next miracle I experienced was the fact that my doctor ordered a CT scan of my abdomen for a totally unrelated problem, and that scan showed the mass in my lower left lung. I was having no symptoms of any lung problems. Then, a friend of mine suggested the Gerson Therapy to me. Thank you, Beth Kay, and thank you, Lord for letting me cross paths with Beth at just the right time! The last miracle I want to mention is that God gave me the faith and the strength of will to go against all of the conventional medical advice and do what I believed He was leading me to do, a natural therapy that would boost my own immune system that He had already built into my own body.
Yes, the healing I am experiencing is a miracle, but not in the sense that most people think of as miraculous. God didn't just zap a supernatural healing on me, although He certainly could have if He chose to do it that way, but then, what would I have learned? What could I now share with all of you about how to be healthier and how to take care of this marvelous body that God has created for us? I would probably just get sick all over again because I would continue to eat the same foods that made me sick in the first place. The Gerson Therapy is tough, demanding, and monotonous, but I believe it is well worth the effort. I expect to be fully healed in the near future.
The best blessing I have received through all of this is that God has drawn me closer to Him. He has shown me that He is my Shepherd, leading and guiding me every step of the way. He has confirmed to me, personally, that He will never leave me or forsake me. His love is sure, for God is love! He loves you, too, and wants you to be healthy in body, mind, soul and spirit. He alone can show you how to achieve that. Seek Him above all else!
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33
Friday, October 4, 2013
Feast of Tabernacles
The seventh feast of the Lord is the Feast of Tabernacles, also called Sukkot (Hebrew for booths) or Feast of Booths. It is celebrated five days after the Day of Atonement. Here is the biblical description of this feast: "On exactly the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the crops of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the Lord for seven days, with a rest on the first day and a rest on the eighth day. Now on the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees, palm branches and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days." Leviticus 23:39-40
The Israelites were to take these branches and build temporary shelters or booths to use during the week of the feast. This feast is a beautiful reminder of the forty years that Israel spent "camping out" in the wilderness following the presence of the Lord, following the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. See Exodus 40:34-38. When they would set up camp the tabernacle where God's presence dwelt would be set up in the midst of the camp, thus God dwelt among His people.
A tabernacle is a dwelling place, and right now, during this Church Age, God's tabernacle or dwelling place is in the Body of Christ. The Holy Spirit dwells in each believer. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. This is the present fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles. Devout Jews still celebrate this feast today by building little shelters or booths outside their homes and worshipping in them during the week of the feast, and, of course, there is a huge celebration of this feast every year in Jerusalem.
One future fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles will be when Jesus returns at the end of the Great Tribulation, and sets up His kingdom in Jerusalem where He will reign for 1,000 years, but the ultimate fulfillment will come at the end of the 1,000 years when there will be a new heaven and a new earth, and Jesus will tabernacle with men forever. "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them.'" Revelation 21:1-3
So, with this ultimate fulfillment of the seventh feast of the Lord, all of prophecy will have finally been fulfilled. Oh, what a glorious day that will be! "...but just as it is written, 'Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.'" I Corinthians 2:9
The Israelites were to take these branches and build temporary shelters or booths to use during the week of the feast. This feast is a beautiful reminder of the forty years that Israel spent "camping out" in the wilderness following the presence of the Lord, following the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. See Exodus 40:34-38. When they would set up camp the tabernacle where God's presence dwelt would be set up in the midst of the camp, thus God dwelt among His people.
A tabernacle is a dwelling place, and right now, during this Church Age, God's tabernacle or dwelling place is in the Body of Christ. The Holy Spirit dwells in each believer. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. This is the present fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles. Devout Jews still celebrate this feast today by building little shelters or booths outside their homes and worshipping in them during the week of the feast, and, of course, there is a huge celebration of this feast every year in Jerusalem.
One future fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles will be when Jesus returns at the end of the Great Tribulation, and sets up His kingdom in Jerusalem where He will reign for 1,000 years, but the ultimate fulfillment will come at the end of the 1,000 years when there will be a new heaven and a new earth, and Jesus will tabernacle with men forever. "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them.'" Revelation 21:1-3
So, with this ultimate fulfillment of the seventh feast of the Lord, all of prophecy will have finally been fulfilled. Oh, what a glorious day that will be! "...but just as it is written, 'Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.'" I Corinthians 2:9
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