Eighth Day of the Feast of Tabernacles              September 12, 2020 

The 8^th Day of the Feast of Tabernacles, even though it is a separate High Day, but is considered part of the Feast of Tabernacles.  

Two things we know about.  The great tribulation is the Great Day of the Lord when Jesus returns to the earth and makes war with the inhabitants of the earth and break their rebellious attitude to bring in the millennium when Jesus will rule the world with love and compassion and if needed, punishment if the individuals of the earth do not observed the Feast of Tabernacles.   We covered what the punishment will be last week when we covered the Feast of Tabernacles. 

Joel 2:11 The LORD will shout in the presence of his forces, because his encampment is very great; for powerful is he who carries out his message. Truly the Day of the LORD is great, and very terrifying. Who will be able to survive it?”

When we read about the Great Day of the Lord is before Satan and the demons are put away for a 1000 years.  Then they are released so they can complete their time period of rule of 6000 years because it was cut short for the sake of the elect.

Revelation 20:7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be freed from his prison. 

Rivers of Living Water 

John 7:37-38 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 

(38)  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”   (if anyone – All people)

Living Water, what is this.

John 7:39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Jesus was not talking about physical thirst here. He was revealing that if any man have spiritual thirst, and believes on Him, he can come to Jesus and drink in the Holy Spirit.  Living waters, rivers of living water.

On the 8th day; the Great Day of the Feast; the special High Sabbath, is when Jesus made His first announcement of the coming of the Holy Spirit.  There is a very big disagreement; is this the 7^th day {last day of the Feast of Tabernacles} or the 8^th day of the Feast.  The Scriptures are not very clear on this subject.  All we know it is a special Day.

Shemini Atzeret {8^th Day} is the 8^th day to Sukkot, Feast of Tabernacles.

The Hebrew word: Shemini, means; eighth. It falls on the eighth day. It is therefore often assumed that Shemini Atzeret is simply the eighth day of Sukkot.

The Hebrew word: Atzeret, means; the closing festival, assembly but also with meaning “stop” or “tarry”.

The Jewish Encyclopedia states that during the time of the Second Temple, the festival of Shavuot {Feast of Tabernacles} received the specific name of “‘Atzarta” as cited by Josephus in Antiquities of the Jews (iii. 10, § 6) 

Atzeret: A day for assembly—or pause

Spiritually, Shemini Atzeret can also be seen to “guard the seven days of Sukkot” and is characterized as a day when the Jewish people “tarries” to spend an additional day with God at the end of Sukkot.

Therefore, Shemini Atzeret is considered “a feast day and the end of the Feast of Tabernacles and during this time is the last readings of the Scriptures for the past year in the Temple.

Shortly after midnight, prayers are made in the synagogue for more than ten hours. No work {your lively hood} is permitted on this day. At the end of the holiday, the succahs {or tents} are dismantled. Their poles and nets will be stored until the next Feast of Tabernacles.

The fruits will be squeezed into sweetened juice and some will be eaten by the children. This is a day of open celebration and joyous festival with prayers, festive meals, and hours of dancing holding the Scriptures at the center of attention during this time. Prayers are for good rains for their crops this coming year.

God’s Master Plan will be completed celebrating this Feast Day, the 8^th Day

8^th Days pictures the judgment when the vast majority of humanity will be resurrected to mortal life and given their opportunity for salvation. 

Untold millions have died without ever having had an opportunity for salvation. God’s seventh and final Holy Day reveals when and

how they will have their day of salvation.

What about all those who have lived and died without ever being called of God (including, perhaps, most of our loved ones today); who never had an opportunity to know and really understand God’s purpose and plan for mankind? Are they lost forever?  No.

Can we really imagine a merciful and just God condemning innocent little children; some who died before they could either walk or talk; to remain dead for all eternity without the knowledge of God’s way of life and without being given the opportunity to live forever?

God has planned for everyone who has ever lived to receive an opportunity for salvation and Sonship in His Family, just as the already spiritually called and begotten children of God have been given their opportunity.

Simply the dead; those billions who are not Christ’s and have never been called of God, most of whom have never even heard the name of Jesus Christ.  God wants all to be saved. 

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some people understand slowness, but is being patient with you. He does not want anyone to perish, but wants everyone to repent.

1 Timothy 2:3-4 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, (4) who wants all people to be saved and to come to know the truth fully.

Will everyone be saved at the same time, or is there a definite time-order

1 Corinthians 15:22-24 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. (23) But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. (24) Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.

Then in the future, the dead will be given their opportunity to become members of God’s Family.

The individuals will be given enough time to learn to obey God, just as Spirit-begotten Christians have opportunity to do today. Those who continue to live God’s way of life, developing the character of God, will be changed to Spiritual Beings at the end of this period of judgment, which apparently will last 100 years. (Isa. 65:20).

God has, in His fairness, planned for everyone who has ever lived to receive the very same opportunity for salvation that we are being given!

Just as the week is not complete without the Sabbath Day, so God’s Master Plan is not complete without God’s seventh annual Holy Day

Revelation 20:5 The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years were over. This is the first resurrection.

John just told us

These are not the dead in Christ, but simply; the dead; those millions who are not Christ; who have not been converted, who may never have heard the gospel or the name of Jesus.

What happens to the dead.  These are Gentiles and Israelites.

The prophet Ezekiel describe a resurrection of dead Israelites back to mortal life.

Ezekiel 37:11-13 “These bones represent the entire house of Israel,” the LORD explained to me. “Look how they keep saying, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our future is lost. We’ve been completely eliminated!’ (12) “Therefore prophesy to them, and tell them, ‘Watch me! I’m going to open your graves, lift you out of those graves, and bring my people back into the land of Israel. (13) Then you’ll learn that I am the LORD, when I’ve opened your graves and caused you to come up out of them, my people.

This is a resurrect to physical life; with bodies of flesh, skin and bones and require air to live.

Ezekiel 37:6-9 I’m going to grow tendons on you, regenerate your flesh, cover you with skin, and make you breathe again so that you can come back to life and learn that I am the LORD.'” (7) So I prophesied, just as I had been ordered to do so. Immediately there was a noise and a rattling–and then all of a sudden the bones came together by themselves! Each bone came together, all of them attached together! (8) As I continued to watch, I saw tendons growing on the bones, and muscles growing and covering them, and then skin covered the flesh from above. But the bodies weren’t breathing. (9) Then he ordered me, “Prophesy to the Spirit, Son of Man. Tell the Spirit, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: “Come from the four winds, you Spirit, and breathe into these people who have been killed, so they will live.”‘

God will then give His Holy Spirit to the millions of peoples. 

Ezekiel 37:14 I’m going to place my Spirit in you all, and you will live. I’ll place you all into your land, and you’ll learn that I, the LORD, have been speaking and doing this,’ declares the LORD.”

Even Gentiles will also be resurrected to physical life and return to how they were before.

Ezekiel 16:55  And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to what they were before; and you and your daughters will return to what you were before.

John makes clear, “the rest of the dead”; those who never had a chance to understand God’s truth-would not come up in a resurrection “until the thousand years were finished.” This resurrection, which occurs after the 1,000 years are finished, is the second resurrection.

God will remove Satan and demons; completely powerless; unable to deceive the dead, who will then be resurrected to have their opportunity to understand God’s Master Plan.

Revelation 20:1-3 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key to the bottomless pit, with a large chain in his hand. (2) He captured the dragon, that ancient serpent, also known as the devil and Satan, and tied him up for a thousand years. (3) He threw him into the bottomless pit, locked it, and sealed it over him to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were over. After that he must be set free for a little while.

So what about this 8^th day, or the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles.  It is known at the great Day of Judgment.  It is a day of judgment for angels and men. 

Day of judgment

Jude 1:6 He has also held in eternal chains those angels who did not keep their own position but abandoned their assigned place. They are held in deepest darkness for judgment on the great day.

2 Peter 2:4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but threw them into the lowest hell and imprisoned them in chains of deepest darkness, holding them for judgment; 

Judgment Before the Great White Throne 

Revelation 20:11-12 Then I saw a large, white throne and the one who was sitting on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. (12) I saw the dead, both unimportant and important, standing in front of the throne, and books were open. Another book was opened; the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to their actions, as recorded in the books. 

The dead who stand before God couldn’t include true Christians today, because they will appear before Christ and receive their rewards at the first resurrection, when Christ returns. 

The dead; time of salvation; will then occur! 

Those resurrected after the Millennium will be judged the same way. 

1 Corinthians 11:32 Now, while we are being judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so we won’t be condemned along with the world. 

Those who continue to live God’s way of life will be changed to Spiritual Being at the end of this period of judgment. 

They, like Spirit-begotten Christians today, will be given enough time to prove they are willing to live God’s way through a life of overcoming and obedience to God. 

The judgment of the Great Day, – The final judgment, when both angels and men shall receive their judgment at this time.

How long is this day of judgment.  Do you think the time it is only when all mankind is brought back to physical life, then straight to judgment to life or death without any time to overcome.  Think of the hundreds of millions of people that has not been given a chance for salvation and not given the Holy Spirit to lead and direct them in life.

Your Bible shows that the vast majority of those who ever lived will finally be born into God’s Family at the end of this coming period of judgment, pictured by the Last Great Day, 8^th Day.

God’s Master Plan of salvation for mankind will then be complete.

Then the Spirit Members of God’s Family can look forward to new heavens and a new earth; and to new and wonderful opportunities in ruling the universe under God our Father and Jesus Christ our elder brother!

New Heavens and a New Earth 

Isaiah 65:17 Take notice! I’m about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things won’t be remembered, nor will they come to mind.

Isaiah 65:18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating, for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight.

Isaiah 65:19 I’ll rejoice over Jerusalem, and take delight in my people; no longer will the sound of weeping be heard in it, nor the cry of distress.

How long will their period of judgment last, 100 years for all 

Isaiah 65:20 “And there will no longer be in it a young boy who lives only a few days, or an old person who does not live out his days; for one who dies at a hundred years will be thought a mere youth, and one who falls short of a hundred years will be considered accursed.

This verse in Isaiah apparently refers to this judgment period, suggesting that those resurrected then will live for 100 years, regardless of how old they were when they died. 

Isaiah 65:21 People will build houses and live in them; They’ll plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

Isaiah 65:22 They won’t build for others to inhabit; they won’t plant for others to eat–for like the lifetime of a tree, so will the lifetime of my people be, and my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands.

Isaiah 65:23 They won’t toil in vain nor bear children doomed to misfortune, for they will be offspring blessed by the LORD, they and their descendants with them.

Isaiah 65:24 Before they call, I will answer, while they are still speaking, I’ll hear.

Isaiah 65:25 “The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; but as for the serpent–its food will be dust! They won’t harm or destroy on my entire holy mountain,” says the LORD.

Christ will make salvation available to everyone who ever lived, but never heard or under-stood the truth, in the last great step in God’s plan; the 8^th  Great Day, picturing the last judgment period.

The Last Great Day pictures the completion of God’s Master Plan; the Great White Throne Judgment period after the Millennium.

Who will teach these thousands of millions? That is what we will be doing. Millions of teachers who will have been born into God’s Family in the first resurrection.

We will be the teachers and what is Very Inspiring, we will teach our family member who were not called during this time or age.  Yes, we will be the teachers to our parents, brothers, sister, uncles, aunts, grandparents.  We will help them to become like us, born Spirit Beings in the Kingdom of God. 

Unlearning all the falsehoods learned in their first life and learning God’s true ways will take time. And building character will take time, because character can be developed only through time and experience.

The Scriptures shows that the vast majority of those who have ever lived will finally be born into God’s Family at the end of their coming period of judgment. God’s Master Plan of salvation for all mankind will then be complete. 

Revelation 22:12 “See! I am coming soon! My reward is with me to repay everyone according to his action. 

Revelation 22:20 The one who is testifying to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!