THE YEAR OF THE LORD’S FAVOUR
Then Moses commanded them, “At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time in the year of remission of debt, during the Feast of Tabernacles, (Deuteronomy 31:10, BSB)
(Isaiah 61 to be read)
It was after Pentecost/Shavuot 2021 that the Spirit urged me into the Word regarding the prophet Ezra. Dutifully Ezra commenced his part in the resettling and building programme of Israel, reinstating the nation back to normalcy as they began returning to Jerusalem after years in captivity. Ezra, under a compelling volition in his spirit would move in fear and awe to bring the spiritually erring people back to a covenant relationship with God by strategic instilling of the Torah law.
Since the time of Moses, every 7th Sabbatical Year the people would gather in the open square near the Water Gate as the priest would read the Torah law, raised up on a ‘bimah’ platform. After Pentecost/Shavuot 2021, the Spirit also revealed at that time the 7th Sabbatical Year of Release (Shmita). It was the 7th sabbath year when debts were cancelled and the people released from the bonds and captivities they were under.
The yearly Festival of Booths (Feast of Tabernacle), was reminiscent of Israel’s wilderness experiences. A transitory and humbling period of national displacement associated with coming out of Egypt. Lest they should forgot where God had brought them from it would be hardwired into their national memory, communicated and passed from one generation to the other. “You are to celebrate this as a feast to the LORD for seven days each year. This is a permanent statute for the generations to come; you are to celebrate it in the seventh month. “ (Numbers 23:41. BSB). The collective national experiences of this nation during the High Holy Days of Sukkot would require families to leave their homely comforts and hunker down in lowly dwellings as a sacrifice. (42) “You are to dwell in booths for seven days. All the native-born of Israel must dwell in booths, (43) so that your descendants may know that I made the Israelites dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am the LORD yourGod.” (Numbers 23:42-43, BSB)
The Tabernacle
The New Covenant of grace brought the spiritual significance of this generational practice into the fleshy parts of the hearts of humankind. No longer was there a need to sit under the instructions of the priest as the letter of the Torah law. is read. The New Covenant of Jesus, the Lawgiver dispensed with the need for rituals, observances and animal blood sacrifices. These practices were made obsolete by the perfect and perpetual blood sacrifice of heaven’s Pascal Lamb. The imperfect earthly priesthood would cease to be the means by which a mediatory process exists between God and man. The hidden veil has been torn away and its imperfections revealed by the blood covenant of Jesus. Our eternal Sabbatical Rest would perpetuate an unending release from the living flow, to refresh, heal, saturate and vivify the weary thirsty hearts of sinful lives.
God’s chosen dwelling place is the heart where He meets with man on His earth. The place of His glory. Under the New Covenant, the covering of the life blood of our Lord, the Crucified One would bring spiritual meaning to this Festival of Booths. An eternal dwelling not made with hands, eternal in the heavens would be the tabernacle of righteousness. An inner tabernacle of the heart to render praise would be the place where El Makon, the God of the place would choose to dwell with His people..
The Threshing Floor
“You are to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress.” (Deuteronomy 16:13, BSB)
The joy that comes from celebrating the season’s abundance comes after the toiling ceases. The labour-intensive works undertaken in the spiritual winepress and on the threshing floors of sacrifice releases the favour of the Lord. The sacrifices and struggles worked out in lonely confined spaces procured the grace, bestowed freely and in full generous measure. The reward equates to one’s season of suffering and should not be envied by others. The measure of abundance from the spoils of the battle has been fought by our Lord . He tread the grapes of wrath to procured our justice. The wine poured out from the crushing, like the blood splatter of our enemies brings ecstatic joy of God’s vindication. The season of God’s favour releases the people from every spiritual captivity and freedom from the heavy chains and bonds of wickedness. Come now people, follow me as I follow Jesus. Collectively let us celebrate this 5782 (2022) 7th Sabbatical Year of Release in the overflow of a #New Pentecost that is now imminent. The Year of our Lord’s favour to vindicates His people is here. (1) “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners, (2) to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favour and the day of our God’s vengeance, to comfort all who mourn, (Isaiah 61:1-2, BSB).
Jesus is Lord
You can join with me in lifting up the Name of Jesus even before we see the outpouring. Exercise the faith to believe it, speak it and claim it. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:1, BSB). The blessings of the release now coming to humankind will bring eternal rest from the hard labour is here!. It is yours people, so receive it by faith. The doors in the portals of heaven have been flung open over the whole globe. What a season, people! Our prayers have arrested the demonic forces perpetrating the evil afflicting and tormenting human life. Press in because no devil can resist our Lord as this season’s abundance is poured out. It is done! It is a complete, perfect and full overflow cascading over every obstacle, hindrance, and distress that has stood in your way.
I say to you demon prince, shift your unclean base according to (Zechariah 3:1-2), (1) “Then the angel showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, with Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. “ (2) “And the LORD said to Satan: ‘The LORD rebukes you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you! Is not this man a firebrand snatched from the fire?” You accuser of the people, the thief, you have been caught. Your time is up in this season of heaven’s release. People, I implore you to glorify our sweet, sweet Jesus as you lift Him up in the holy habitation of your praises.
Jesus is Lord over the evil forces that terrorise the nations. Every principality, kingdom, realm and territory is subject to His sovereign rule. We have been rescued from the destruction of the works of darkness. The stained garments of sin are now removed as the nations turn their hearts to Jesus, the Living One. Now washed by the Word, cleansed by the Blood of Jesus and our filthy garments removed, we are presented to our heavenly Father. Redeemed, we are the firebrands snatched out of the fire of torment and persecution. In this momentous season of the 7th Sabbatical Year of Release, as Sukkot is also known as the Feast of Ingathering, let us celebrate the ingathering into the Kingdom of God, those who have be denied full kingdom rights because of forced state-religion. It was intentional for God’s glory. Our Lord in His divine wisdom permitted the persecuted Church to suffer until this time. They are the firebrands in God’s hands., prepared for this season.
The persecuted saints and the collective end-time harvest are awaiting the #NewPentecost power and empowerment outpouring. They are ready for the New Order. We will not have experienced anything so amazing and impactful as the Holy Spirit enrapture them, surpassing their expectations.
Persecuted christians have eagerly pressed their way to the front seeking Jesus, the man they have heard of. With curiosity and hope they are now gathered in the place chosen by El Makom. When the imminent flow is released, with Spirit-led readiness they will culminate the Kingdom work as the Elect Ekklesia. “They will rebuild the ancient ruins; they will restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities the desolations of many generations. “ (Isaiah 61:4, BSB)
GWENDOLYN SMITH. #NEWPENTECOST. 25th SEPTEMBER 2021