RUSSELL SANDERS

9-12-2025

THE FALL FEASTS – LESSON 5

THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES PART 1

SUKKOT

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October 7 is the last God-ordained biblical feast of the Jewish religious calendar. It is the Feast of Tabernacles which begins at sundown. The Jews call it Sukkot. They also refer to it as the Feast of Booths and the Feast of Rejoicing. They rejoice because God’s presence dwelled on earth among them, initially in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and later in the Temple in Jerusalem.

We can celebrate it because Jesus, God in the flesh, dwelled among us on earth for thirty-three and a half years. We further celebrate because Jesus now tabernacles within us by Holy Spirit. We also look by prophecy into the future when He will again tabernacle on earth during His millennial reign. This gives us, as Christians, reason to understand and celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.

However, we do not need to celebrate it in the same manner as the Jews. Our celebration should be simply to meditate upon the word and the fact of his dwelling with us and within us.

The biblical Jewish celebration is an eight-day event starting today. Due to its significance to us as Christ-followers, we will continue to talk more about Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, in our next message.

HELEN SANDERS

9-12-2025

THORNS IN THE ROSE GARDEN

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I love red roses. Their fragrance has always captivated me. Over the years I have been given many red roses. Along with the roses comes the thorns. And over the years I have been pricked by many thorns, but the thorns do not take away from the beauty of the rose.

Jesus is called the “Rose of Sharon” in Song of Solomon1:1. In spite of being the beautiful rose, He also knows the pain of thorns as he wore a crown of thorns at his crucifixion. You cannot have the rose without the thorns. They co-exist.

We are told to “crucify” our flesh and Galatians 5:24 says, “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”  This means it is a deliberate act to submit to the thorns of a crucified life in Christ. This means we understand that our way may not be God’s way. This means we lay our lives down for Jesus like he laid his down for us.

Picture yourself in a room with many others with Jesus speaking to the group of people. He gives out an assignment to “go ye into all the world and preach the gospel.” He talks about miracles happening through each life that goes but closes with this statement: “Be aware that some of you will die for fulfilling the assignment I am giving you.”

Will you be the one to complete the assignment knowing that you might lose your life because of it, or would you be the one to say, “No thanks” and walk away?

The recent assassination of Charlie Kirk is only the beginning of what is coming. Matthew 24 speaks of the end times scenario, and verse 9 says, “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.” That doesn’t sound like fun, but we have been warned what is coming. Be prepared.

God is calling us not only into the rose garden to spend time in his presence and receive his sweet fragrance, but he is also placing a crown of thorns upon our head, indicating your life is no longer your own. My prayer for those that read this is that they will say, “Yes, Lord, thy will not mine” and will fulfill the assignment no matter what the cost.