Church of God Message
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GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION FOR MANKIND
Chapter 6
FEAST OF TABERNACLES
After Satan and the demons have been put away, the 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ and the saints will begin on earth, which is pictured by the sixth annual holy day called the Feast of Tabernacles, celebrated for seven days.
Whether we realize it or not, humanity’s number one problem today is that of survival. Enough weapons of mass destruction exist to wipe out the entire population of the earth many times over. And man has used all the weapons he has ever invented. Our time will be an exception. Under Satan’s influence, a type of insanity will grip mankind and man will try to use all the weapons of mass destruction he has invented, and even deadlier ones he will soon invent. But before man is about to do so, God will send Jesus Christ to stop humanity from annihilating all life on earth.
Six thousand years of human history tells us that humanity is incapable of ruling itself. Very soon, as a result of human misrule, all physical life on earth will be brought to the brink of annihilation.
Humanity cannot achieve the peace, happiness, joy and prosperity it seeks without a higher authority and power. Humanity needs a strong hand from some place to enforce the way of peace and harmony. In other words humanity cannot achieve what it seeks without God. Only God can stop tyrants from arising and taking peace away from the world. Only He can put them down when they do rear their ugly head and enforce peace. Only God can abase the proud and bring down dictators and oppressors such as Hitler, Stalin and others. In Job 40:11 God challenged Job: “11 Disperse the rage of your wrath; Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him. 12 Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low; Tread down the wicked in their place. 13 Hide them in the dust together. Bind their faces in hidden darkness. 14 Then I will also confess to you that your own right hand can save you.” God asked Job these questions because no human can guarantee bringing all tyrants low. And no human lives forever.
However, one mighty king and tyrant did acknowledge God’s ability to do so in Daniel 4:37: “37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.”
Humanity also faces some other critical problems.
Resource Limitations
Daniel prophesied in 12:4 of a time that he called the end time. He wrote: “But you, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”
We are witnessing a time in which knowledge is exploding and worldwide travel on an unprecedented scale is a reality. Many in the world are running to and fro. People travel and see the prosperity and abundance of rich industrialized nations and desire to enjoy the same standard of living. Movies and TV also bring a glimpse of the prosperity of rich nations to people even in the poorest nations. But the mineral, water and agricultural resources needed for all people all over the world to enjoy the same standard of living that Americans enjoy are just not available in the world as it exists.
The problem can be best illustrated with the case of China. In a single generation, China has lifted 700 million people out of poverty, half of them into the middle class. This is unprecedented in the history of mankind. It takes a massive amount of electricity, materials such as iron and steel, oil and all other kinds of mineral, forest, water and agricultural resources to fuel this explosive growth. But the problem is that, some of these resources are already in short supply on our planet. The most basic resource, fresh water is already scarce around the world. If all the 1.42 billion Chinese and 1.37 billion Indians are to enjoy the same standard of living as the average American, another two planets like the earth in its current state of accessibility of resources would be required to supply the necessary resources.
The terrifying reality then is that leading nations are increasingly engaged in maneuvers to control resources of the world. Resource wars are already developing around the world. Increasingly nations will take more aggressive stances, get more rapacious [witness China’s claim to the entire South China Sea and its potential oil, natural gas and fishing resources], stake claims through exclusive resource agreements with other nations, shut competitors out and vigorously defend those claims. Resource wars around the world are inevitable in the years and decades ahead.
Threat of Global War
Whatever may be the cause of war: whether territorial disputes, taking over others’ lands, desire to control markets or resources, eliminate competition, or just enslave others and rule over them, the number one problem humanity faces is that of survival.
Jesus Christ spoke of our time when He said in Matthew 24: 21-22: “21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.”
We right now live at a time when those of us who are alive may wake up one morning to hear the news that nations have attacked each other with nuclear weapons and one-fifth or one-sixth of the world’s population in major cities of leading nations of the world has been vaporized instantly. It will happen without warning for the common man. Then nations will fight each other with armies tens of millions strong. One side will field a 200-million-man army as prophesied in Revelation 9:16.
It is beyond the capability of human leaders to prevent such wars. And Satan and the demons are always scheming to lead man to war. Only God has the necessary power to intervene and prevent man from annihilating all life from earth.
However, we can rejoice in the sure knowledge that the days of war in which man will be about to annihilate all life on earth will be cut short as prophesied by Jesus Christ. God will put an end to dictators, tyrants and war, and solve all of man’s economic, social, political and religious problems.
The Return of Jesus Christ
The greatest good news that humanity can have is that Jesus Christ is definitely returning to earth to set up God’s kingdom, solve all of humanity’s problems and usher in a 1,000 year era of justice, peace, abundance, universal prosperity and happiness. The strong hand from someplace that is coming to enforce the way of peace on all of humanity is that of God the Father and our Creator Jesus Christ, as pictured by the Feast of Trumpets, already described. After Satan and the demons are put away as pictured by the Day of Atonement, the next feast, the Feast of Tabernacles, pictures the 1000-year reign of Jesus Christ on earth.
Feast of Tabernacles Instructions
God gave instructions for keeping the seven-day Feast of Tabernacles in Leviticus 23:33-34: “Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: the fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the Lord. On the first day there shall be a holy convocation [or sacred assembly]. You shall do no customary work on it.”
Verses 39-43 provide further instructions: “Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of the Lord for seven days; on the first day there shall be a Sabbath rest…and you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days…It shall be a statute forever in your generations: you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths for seven days.”
Deuteronomy 16:13-17 provides further details about this feast: “You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, after you have gathered in your corn and your wine. And you shall rejoice in your feast, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow that are within your gates…and they shall not appear before the Lord empty: every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you.”
These instructions tell us to keep the following things in mind while celebrating this Feast:
1. This Feast is celebrated in the seventh month which comes in the autumn season in the holy land, when the greater autumn harvest has been gathered in. In God’s plan of salvation for mankind, this pictures the great harvest of human beings for eternal life in God’s kingdom, throughout the 1,000 year reign of Jesus Christ when each and every human being alive will be called by God, receive God’s holy spirit, and be given an opportunity to qualify for eternal life.
2. The name of the “Feast of Tabernacles” is derived from God’s command to ancient Israel to build temporary “tabernacles,” sometimes called “booths” to live in during the seven days of the festival. This teaches us that as with booths or temporary dwellings, our physical life is transitory. It is an annual reminder of our temporary state. The lesson is reinforced when we travel to a Feast of Tabernacles site and stay in temporary dwellings such as hotels and campgrounds. The festival reminds us that we are still mortals with physical bodies in need of a literal transformation to permanent eternal life with a spirit body (1 Corinthians 15:50-54).
3. Third, we are commanded to rejoice at the Feast with our families, servants, Church ministers, strangers, the fatherless and widows. This means that we should share what we have with those less fortunate and the needy so that they too may rejoice with us at the feast.
The feast pictures the 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ over the earth after His second coming (Revelation 20:4), when all of humanity will truly rejoice because of peace and abundance. In God’s kingdom, no one will be neglected from God’s care. Everyone’s needs will be met because of the abundance, and the love and genuinely caring and sharing attitude of all human beings. This period is often called the Millennium, which simply means "1,000 years."
God’s tithing system makes it possible for members of God’s Church to truly rejoice at the feast. God in Deuteronomy 14:22-27 commands us to save a tenth of our annual income to spend on all the seven Holy Days. Since we are commanded to keep the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days at a place that God chooses through the ministry in His Church, and live in temporary dwellings such as hotels, most of this second tithe [tithe means a tenth of income] is used during the Feast of Tabernacles. This provides an abundance of money for all families to have a great vacation for 8 days and truly rejoice, and share our abundance with others at the feast so that they too may enjoy with us. Celebrating this Feast becomes a highlight of the year for God’s people. It perfectly pictures the abundance during the 1,000 years of God’s kingdom on earth.
4) God commands us to have a holy convocation or Church services during the feast. God’s Church has church services every day of the Feast, except that we usually have two services on the first day of the feast. During services, God’s ministers explain the meaning and great significance of the feast.
5) Finally, God commands us not to appear before Him empty-handed. This means that we are to give an offering for God’s work of preaching the gospel or good news of His soon coming Kingdom on earth. We are to give, not a fixed percentage of our income, but as we are able, according to the blessing we have received during the year. This offering is taken on the first day of the feast.
How God’s Kingdom Will Solve Humanity’s Problems
Now let’s see from Bible prophecies how God’s kingdom will solve humanity’s problems.
1. To solve humanity’s problems, Jesus Christ will establish one world government.
Many statesmen have pondered world problems and are virtually unanimous in proclaiming that the only solution lies in one super world government, and that government must come from a ‘strong hand from some place,’ capable of putting down any dictator like Hitler or Stalin, or any nation in its place, and preventing it from waging war.
Sir Winston Churchill once said, “The creation of an authoritative all-powerful world order is the ultimate aim toward which we must strive. Unless some effective world super government can be brought quickly into action, the proposals for peace and human progress are dark and doubtful.”
Clement Atlee, a former British Prime Minister said, “The world needs the consummation of our conception of world organization through world law if civilization is to survive.”
Mikhail Gorbachev, former president of the Soviet Union said: “Further global progress is now possible only through a quest for universal consensus in the movement towards a new world order.”
Nelson Mandela said: “The new world order that is in the making must focus on the creation of a world democracy, peace and prosperity for all.”
Robert Muller, a former Assistant Secretary General of the U.N. said: “We must move as quickly as possible to a one-world government, one-world religion, under a one-world leader.”
Jesus Christ is returning to earth to set up just such a world government. He will be King of kings and overall Ruler of the earth. Under Jesus Christ will be other Kings over nations. These kings will be the saints whom God called into His Church during the first 6,000 years of man’s history, who then lived God’s way of life, developed godly character through tests, trials and persecution, and remained faithful to Him and His Law to the end of their lives. They will be given eternal life and great power at the return of Jesus Christ to become co-rulers with Him.
But not all nations will initially wholeheartedly submit to God’s government. Few years, perhaps 45-50, into the millennium, some nations seeing the Israelites [former American, British and Jewish slaves] living peacefully and in great prosperity in unwalled villages in the land of Israel will think evil thoughts in their hearts to plunder their wealth. So they come to attack Israel. This attack is described by the prophet Ezekiel in chapters 38 and 39. The alliance of nations is headed by Gog in the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, meaning China, Mongolia and Russia. Other nations allied with them are Gomer, the house of Togarmah which are the various oriental peoples of Asia, Southeast Asia and Siberia. In addition, Persia, Ethiopia [most probably the eastern branch living in India] and Libya [again most likely its eastern branch living in western India] are also part of this alliance. These armies are annihilated. Only one-sixth of them survive to go back to their countries with the message that the God of Israel reigning in Jerusalem is truly the Eternal and rebellion against Him is futile. The nations will finally learn their lesson and submit to God’s government.
During the millennium, nations will not learn how to wage war any more. The sculpture of a soldier beating his sword into a plowshare outside the United Nations’ headquarters is based on the prophecy about God’s kingdom in Micah 4:1-3 and Isaiah 2:3-4: “Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths. For out of Zion [meaning God’s Church headquartered in Jerusalem] shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall rebuke many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn anymore.”
Thus, what man hopes for but cannot achieve for himself, God will do for him. God will not allow any dictator like Hitler, Stalin, Saddam Hussein or Idi Amin to arise to make war. Every human being will be perfectly secure in his own property. Criminals and gangsters will be forcibly put down initially. Then no more criminals, gangsters or warlords will arise. There will be no armies. Satan and the demons will have been put away in prison as pictured by the Day of Atonement and will deceive the nations no more. There will at last be universal peace. Jesus Christ will then set His hand to reeducate and to save or spiritually convert the world.
2. All nations will be governed by one constitution, a single moral standard, which is God’s Law as stated and explained in the Bible
In God’s kingdom, the constitution and laws of the government of God will be the Ten Commandments and other statutes and judgments given in the Bible and their meaning and implementation explained throughout its pages. There will be one moral standard for all of humanity.
Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong writes in his book “The Wonderful World Tomorrow – What it Will be Like!” on pages 35-36: “Can we realize that every unhappiness, every evil that humanity has faced has been the result of transgressing God’s Law?
“Just imagine if no one ever had any other god before the true God [first 4 of the Ten Commandments]; if all children were reared to honor, respect, and obey their parents, and all parents reared their children in God’s ways [5th Commandment ]; if no one ever allowed the spirit of murder to enter his heart, if there were no wars, no killing of humans by humans [6th Commandment]; if all marriages were kept happy and there were no transgressions of chastity before or after marriage [7th Commandment ]; if all had so much concern for the good and welfare of others that no one would steal – and we could throw away all locks, keys, and safes [8th Commandment ]; if everyone told the truth – everyone’s word was good – everyone was honest [9th Commandment ]; if no one ever coveted what was not rightfully his, but had so much outgoing concern for the welfare of others that he really believed it is more blessed to give than to receive [10th Commandment]– what a happy world we would have!
“In such a world, with all loving and worshipping God with all their minds, hearts, and strength – with all having concern for the welfare of all others equal to concern for self – there would be no divorce – no broken homes or families, no juvenile delinquency, no crime, no jails or prisons, no police except for peaceful direction and supervision as a public service for all, no wars, no military establishments.
“But further, God has set in motion physical laws that operate in our bodies and minds as well as the spiritual Law. There would be no sickness, ill health, pain or suffering. There would be, on the contrary, vigorous, vibrant good health, filled with dynamic interest in life, enthusiastic interest in constructive activities bringing happiness and joy. There would be cleanliness, vigorous activity, real progress, no slums, no degenerate backward races or areas on earth.”
Yes, when the earth is governed according to God’s Law, the result will be happiness, joy, peace, security, vigorous health, and abundant prosperity all over the earth. And God’s saints, now ruling as kings, governors and mayors will enforce God’s laws with love and mercy to bring about this happy state of affairs.
3. Jesus Christ will solve humanity’s problems by changing Human Nature
James the half-brother of Jesus Christ addressed the question of the real cause of wars and fighting in James 4:1-2: “From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? You lust, and have not; you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask amiss.”
Fighting and wars are the result of man’s greed and a desire to get without working for it, the way known as “any which way you can.” That we say is human nature. Man cannot obey God’s Law perfectly because of his human nature. What we call human nature today is actually Satan’s nature acquired by human beings. Satan broadcasts in thoughts, moods, feelings and attitudes to human beings. He broadcasts his get way of life, the way of vanity, greed, covetousness, selfishness, hostility and resentment towards others. Off-guard human beings acquire this nature from Satan.
When Jesus Christ sets up God’s Kingdom on earth, Satan will be imprisoned and no longer allowed to broadcast his moods, feelings and attitudes to humans. Only God’s way will be taught. Gradually God’s way and nature will replace human nature. In addition, God will give His Holy Spirit to all human beings which is God’s power that will impart God’s nature to them. It was God’s Holy Spirit, given without limit that enabled Jesus Christ to live a sinless life while on earth as a human being. The same Holy Spirit will enable human beings to replace their human nature acquired from Satan with God’s nature, enabling them to better keep God’s laws and live according to His way of life.
Mere knowledge of God’s laws is not enough to enable us to live by it. God promises to write His law in our hearts and minds with His holy spirit. He will make a new covenant with humanity. This was prophesied in Jeremiah 31:33-34: “…This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me.”
God, speaking through the prophet Ezekiel in 36:26-27, describes how it will happen: "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit [meaning God’s holy spirit] within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them." God’s Holy Spirit will help man change his nature and replace it with God’s nature of love and concern for fellow man.
During this 1,000-year period, God will change even the nature of wild animals, reflecting the peace that will descend upon earth. Describing this idyllic time, Isaiah 11:7-9 says: "The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea..."
4. Society will be transformed through a Universal Education Program and One World Religion
The world’s academic system was founded by the pagan philosopher Plato. It has always remained pagan. Injected into it, in more recent times, have been German rationalism, and the atheistic theory of evolution. In reality the theory of evolution is not rational at all, but clever Satan inspired lies and deception, perpetrated as a hoax through the Germans.
In God’s kingdom, the basis of all knowledge will be revelation from God. God’s inspired word, the Holy Bible, is the foundation of knowledge. Educating and reeducating the world will be one of the most important tasks the Kingdom of God will face. Today people follow false and deceptive values. Their entire thinking will require a reorientation – a change of direction. In God’s kingdom, the purpose of human life, God’s Law, His way of life and true values will be taught at Sabbath services and God’s seven annual holy days including the Feast of Tabernacles as well as in schools and colleges. Truth will replace error. True knowledge will replace intellectual ignorance and vanity.
The true knowledge, including knowledge of God’s law will go forth from the Church – and from Jerusalem, the new world capital, as quoted earlier from Micah the prophet in Micah 4:2-3: “…many nations shall come and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Eternal, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for the Law shall go forth of Zion [which is a symbol for the Church] and the Word of the Eternal from Jerusalem.”
Perhaps more wars have been fought over religion in the history of man than any other cause. But in God’s government there will be only one religion throughout the earth. People today have problems believing in God. They don’t know which the true religion is. In God’s kingdom no proof will be needed. The Creator of mankind, Jesus Christ Himself will be with men and they will not need any proof that He exists. Human beings will also be able to believe in God’s plan of salvation because they will be able to see that former saints of God who lived among them have become eternal beings. This will give great hope to all human beings. They will have the sure knowledge and hope that they too can become literal immortal sons of God. Only God’s true way of life will be taught as Satan and the demons will be removed as rulers of the earth.
5. The World will be transformed from Scarcity to Abundance through a Perfect Global Economic System
All people on earth want to enjoy the same standard of living as an average American. But that will require the resources of a few planets the size of the earth. In His Kingdom God will first solve humanity’s so-called overpopulation problem before the beginning of the millennium by making the earth capable of supporting at least 100 – 120 billion people. God has a plan of salvation for all human beings who have ever lived. The estimate of their number is anywhere from 50-60 billion people. They are all going to be resurrected after 1,000 years of Jesus’ rule on earth as physical human beings, as pictured by the seventh annual festival called the Last Great Day which will be discussed next. The earth will be able to support all of them. How will this come about?
After Jesus Christ returns to earth, nations will attack Him. In this world war, Jesus Christ will destroy all the armies that come against Him to Jerusalem. Then He will destroy most of the leaders and populations of the nations that sent their armies against Him. This happens through a global earthquake and great hail, as described in Revelation 16:17-21: “Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne saying, “It is done!” And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth…and the cities of the nations fell…Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And great hail from heaven fell upon men, every hailstone the weight of a talent [or about 100 pounds].”
This global earthquake the like of which humanity has never seen will flatten cities and mountains. No islands will remain because the ocean floor will rise due to volcanic eruptions to form more land, and the vast mineral wealth in the oceans will also become available for man’s use. The result of this upheaval will be that all the land that is now mountains and plateaus will be flattened to become fertile land. In addition, deserts will vanish, and the permafrost of Antarctica, the Arctic, North America, Greenland, Northern Europe, the Himalayas and Siberia will become fertile land.
Presently only about 15% of the earth’s surface is inhabitable and only about 10% is cultivatable. Now consider making 100% of the earth’s surface inhabitable and cultivatable with lush forests, thus increasing available land by 7-8 times. Then consider the effect of doubling the land area by reducing the oceans. That would increase the cultivatable area by about 14 to 16 times. Added to that will be the availability of plenty of fresh water and right agricultural practices all over the world.
God will also lift the curse He pronounced on the earth at the disobedience of Adam and Eve in eating the forbidden fruit. As a result, the earth will produce bumper harvests. The curse is described in Genesis 3:17-19: “17 Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': "Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. 18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. 19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return."
With increase in the cultivatable area, availability of plenty of water, right agricultural practices and lifting of God’s curse on the earth and His blessings on the crops, the earth will be able to support at least 20 times its current population. That is how God will solve humanity’s overpopulation problem: not by killing people, but by turning scarcity of land, crops, water and mineral resources into great abundance in all these things.
In relation to China it was mentioned earlier that the earth in its present state does not have easily accessible mineral resources to afford every human being a middle class standard of living. But the earth has plenty of mineral resources that God can make available. Some strategic volcanic eruptions with huge amounts of lava outflows can bring vast mineral resources to the surface making them available for man’s exploitation. Before humanity’s population begins to increase in the 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ, the land that will not be cultivated for centuries will develop a thick layer of fertile rich topsoil for humanity to later use for growing bumper crops.
The blossoming of deserts is prophesied in Isaiah 35:1-2, 6-7: “And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, even with joy and singing…for waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. The parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water.”
Because abundant fertile land and plenty of water will be available with suitable climate for growing crops, there will be bountiful harvests all over the earth. Therefore, scarcity of food will be a thing of the past. The prophet Amos prophesied in 9:13:"Behold, the days are coming," God says, "when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it." (Amos 9:13). Can you imagine every person being able to afford to drink quality wine? That is the quality of abundant food that every human will be able to afford.
Nations and different races will be distributed all over the earth. Because abundant land, water and mineral resources are available to all nations, they will not covet each other’s land. This is indicated in God’s instructions to ancient Israel in Exodus 34:24: “24 For I will cast out the nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither will any man covet your land when you go up to appear before the Lord your God three times in the year.” This will be fulfilled in God’s Kingdom. There will be peace and harmony between the nations and races.
God’s kingdom will restore a perfect global economic system for mankind.
TAX SYSTEM – Today’s governments demand 40, 50 even 90% in taxes from their citizens. But God requires human beings to pay Him only 10%. In God’s kingdom, the entire government, justice, education and religious systems will be financed only by this 10%. There will be no need for other taxes except for a third tithe for the poor in the second and sixth years of a seven year cycle. The reason there will be no need for other taxes is that the Kings and rulers of cities will not need to be paid salaries. They will be the eternal sons of God. People will be able to enjoy fully 90% of what they earn. And the 10% given to God will also be used in the service of man to pay salaries to teachers, judges and priests engaged in teaching and administering God’s ways.
HEALTHCARE - In most nations’ economies, healthcare costs constitute major government expenditures, as high as 7-15% of GDP. No single expenditure bankrupts more families today than healthcare costs even in a developed country like the USA. In God’s government, there will be no need for an elaborate healthcare system, and the insurance or medical costs associated with it.
There is a cause for every effect. There is a cause for every sickness. Sickness is the result of violating God’s laws of health. Once we remove the cause of sickness, the body usually heals itself. So sickness and disease in God’s Kingdom will be solved in two ways: First, human beings will be educated on the laws of good health. As a result they will be able to avoid the causes of sickness. That will prevent sickness and disease. Excellent quality of food will also lead to vigorous health.
When some become sick despite taking all measures to prevent the causes, God will supernaturally heal them. God’s method of healing is described in James 5:14: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.”
Not only all sickness will be removed, even all deformities will be removed. This is described in Isaiah 35:5-6: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing.”
NO WAR EXPENDITURES - Defense expenditures constitute a large percentage of most nations’ budgets. Since war will be banished in God’s kingdom, there will be no need for armies or defense establishments. These costs paid for through taxes will no longer be incurred.
With eternal beings ruling, there will be honest government. No bribes, no perversion of justice, no favoritism. There will be no need for an elaborate bureaucracy to watch over other government officials. In addition, a level playing field, fairness and honesty in business and industry will be required and maintained. All nations will receive a fair price for their produce, resources or industrial production. No pollution will be allowed. Such an economic environment, the availability of abundant agricultural and mineral resources and government stability will spur entrepreneurial and industrial activity, resulting in a booming global economy, leading to universal prosperity.
ONE WORLD LANGUAGE - Peace and prosperity among nations in God’s kingdom through cooperation will also be facilitated by ONE COMMON LANGUAGE all over the earth. Today all languages are corrupt. They are literally filled with pagan terms, superstition, misnomers, exceptions to rules, peculiar idioms, and filthy words inspired by Satan and his demons. But God says in Zephaniah 3:9 “For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may call upon the name of the Eternal, to serve Him with one consent.”
The world had one language at one time and humans could communicate with each other easily. As a result evils multiplied. At that time Cush, Nimrod, Semiramis and Asshur were attempting to impose their Satan inspired paganism on the entire world by force. That is why God confused man’s language at the Tower of Babel in order to slow the spread of evils between peoples and nations.
When God restores one pure language to mankind, right education, music, literature and scientific discoveries will be more easily shared between nations and peoples. The result will be much faster progress for mankind in all areas.
Conclusion - Truly God’s kingdom will “restore all things” as mentioned by Peter the apostle in Acts 3:21, saying, “heaven must receive [Jesus Christ] until the times of restitution of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”
That is what the Feast of Tabernacles pictures. God’s rule will bring true justice, peace, prosperity, happiness and joy to the world which 6,000 years of human misrule, influenced by Satan and the demons, has failed to bring.
God will require that all nations send representatives to attend the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, and the rest of humanity keep it in other feast sites in their own countries.
This is prophesied by Zechariah the prophet in Zechariah 14:16-19: “16 And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 17 And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain. 18 If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.”
God will force all nations to attend the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem so that they can learn about His way of life directly from Jesus Christ. Those who don’t attend initially will change their attitude in a hurry when there is no rain on them that year and they will have to buy or beg food from neighboring nations. Eventually all of humanity will learn God’s way of life and live by it. Thus Jesus Christ will have to force humanity to learn to live God’s way of life which will result in universal peace, harmony, abundance and prosperity.
The Feast of Tabernacles also celebrates the great spiritual harvest of humanity when all people born and living in the 1000 years will have their chance for salvation and almost all will qualify to receive the gift of eternal life. Satan will no longer be around to deceive humanity. Mankind will finally learn that God’s way of life produces peace, abundance, happiness and joy for all. They will be able to contrast God’s way with the chaos, pain and suffering produced by 6,000 years of man’s way as influenced by Satan. All of humanity will at last be restored to a right relationship with God.
During the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles, members of God’s Church gather at different sites around the world for eight days to worship God and learn more about His way of life and His plan of salvation for mankind. On the first day of this Feast no normal work is done. Living away from home in temporary dwellings in hotels and camps reminds us that our present physical life is temporary and we are strangers and pilgrims on the earth, but “seek a permanent homeland”, which is eternal life in God’s kingdom on earth.
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