Today we continue on day 2 of my teaching series, “
Seven Days of Divine Embrace” during this sacred season, the
Feast of Tabernacles!
The power of touch is well-documented, even in the psychiatric and medical community. There is an entire category of research about touch, also known as haptics. Touch can be therapeutic, as anyone who has ever experienced the work of a professional massage therapist can attest. During holidays or other times of celebration, family members and friends show affirmation to one another through touches such as handshakes and hugs. An appropriate touch from a compassionate friend during a time of stress or grief can be a powerful statement of caring and concern.
Would you be surprised to know that God wants you to be able to feel His embrace? Before you dismiss this as far-fetched, let me explain to you more of the symbolism of Tabernacles.
The Feast of Trumpets, also known as Rosh Hashanah, is the beginning of the civil New Year. In fact, Rosh Hashanah means “head of the year.” Following the Feast of Trumpets is the Day of Atonement, the day when the high priest went into the holy of holies to sprinkle the blood of a prescribed sacrifice on the mercy seat. The days between these events are known as the Days of Awe, when God’s people are encouraged to spend time in repentance and introspection as they understand that they conduct their affairs under the attentive gaze of a holy God. The period of time called Days of Awe is a time for us to seek after God.
After the great Day of Atonement comes the Feast of Tabernacles, a seven day celebration of living in God’s presence and rejoicing in His blessings. This is a time that served as a yearly reminder that God always intended to live in the presence of His people and to have a close relationship with them – a relationship that man rejected when Adam committed treason in the Garden of Eden and turned his back on God.
Even though man walked away from the source of his life, God never stopped seeking reconciliation with His creation. God didn’t leave us alone – He sought us passionately, as someone compelled by love and compassion to find us and bestow His best upon us.
The season of Tabernacles is when God tells us that He wants to look in our eyes to examine our expression, to send His love toward us by atoning for us, and to tabernacle with us.
During this time, we have the opportunity to cry out to Him, that we want to live for Him, and that we want Him to be our God. He has no interest in imposing His will upon us. After all, God so valued freedom that He gave you and me the opportunity to choose against Him.
His purpose in drawing us near to Himself during Tabernacles is not to point a finger of blame at us, but to fix what is wrong and set us on the right path, regardless of how wayward or inattentive we have been to our responsibilities in the past. We must not try to hide from God what needs to be revealed to Him and restored by Him. He can make right whatever is wrong – not just for a day or a season – but for eternity.
Here is something to shout about! As we open ourselves to Him, He comes down to “tabernacle” with us. We can feel His divine embrace as He takes us to a new level in His Spirit.
This is one of the secrets of Feast of Tabernacles – that God Almighty, who during the Days of Awe declares Himself to be Holy – immediately makes atonement for us
with His own blood, and turns to us as a loving Father to tell us not to worry what we are going through, because as you seek Him, He wants to tabernacle with us! And with Him is His reward… healing in His hands, endless love in His arms, and hope in His Word!
Our prayer for today:
Father, today we look for and believe we are feeling Your divine embrace. As the Bible says, we will “
cast all out cares on You” for you said, “come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” We receive Your rest today. Thank You for caring that much. In the mighty name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!
Be sure you send in your
prayer requests and sow your
Tabernacles offering to help strangers, orphans and widows as we celebrate the season of Tabernacles in obedience to God’s biblical command. As you sow your offering, I am believing for God to release
FIVE SUPERNATURAL BLESSINGS upon you.
That is our topic for tomorrow, so make sure you and your loved ones are receiving all of my
Seven Days of Divine Embrace daily emails!
Yours for the harvest,
Pastor Rod Parsley
Seven Days of Divine Embrace Daily Teachings
Seven Days of Divine Embrace, Day One
Seven Days of Divine Embrace, Day Two
