Monthly Archives: September 2015

The Tabernacle – a Place of Protection

28 Monday Sep 2015

Posted by in Christianity, Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jew, Jewish, New Covenant, Tracy Gatewood

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I have lived all of my adult life not realizing that my birthday always fell within a time of great celebration and rejoicing! It always occurs within the 8 days of the Feast of Tabernacles.

September 28 marked the first day of Sukkot more commonly referred to as the Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths) The word Sukkot is the plural of the word Sukkah which means Tent (Hebrew). This feast traditionally ushers in the ingathering harvest at the end of the agricultural season as well as commemorated the Israelite’s and how they lived in the wilderness in booths or tents for 40 years. (Exodus 34:22). This is an 8 day celebration feast bearing witness to the goodness of God, and the will of God (Leviticus 23:42-43). This season always falls on the Jewish Sacred calendar in the 7th month of the year and in 2015 will run through October 5. Jesus was born during the Feast of Tabernacles. There are two recognized Jewish calendars: Sacred and Civil.

The September Feasts are the Lord’s fall feast days; Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and Tabernacles. The bible documents Jesus observing the Feast of Tabernacles during His ministry in John 7:1-52. The Feast of Tabernacles is observed as a season of great celebration and joy because God Himself protected the Israelite’s as they wandered in the wilderness. In addition to the celebration of Tabernacles, September 24, 2015 marked the beginning of a new seven year cycle and and the end of the Shmita, or Sabbatical or Sabbath year. Also beginning on Sept 24, Israel embarked into a Jubilee year recognized every 50 years. Please see more information here:

Click to access jubilee_calendar.pdf

Tabernacle is defined as both Noun and Verb: the latter, “to take up residence; especially: to inhabit a physical body”, and as Noun: “a place of worship, a tent used as a place of worship by the ancient Israelite’s during their wanderings in the wilderness with Moses “. We can take this beautiful word TABERNACLE and know that we can commune with the Godhead because, if one has accepted Jesus as Lord, the Holy Spirit of God has taken up residence within us. Technically, we are constantly “tabernacle-ing” with Christ because He lives within us as the Spirit.

A Psalm of King David – Psalm 15 AMP:
“Lord, who shall dwell (temporarily) in Your tabernacle? Who shall dwell (permanently) on Your holy hill? He who walks and lives uprightly and blamelessly, who works rightness and justice and speaks and thinks the truth in his heart, He does not slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his friend, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor: In whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he who honors those who fear the Lord (revere and worship Him): who swears to his own hurt and does not change; (He who) does not put out his money for interest (to one of his own people) and who will not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.”

The Book of Exodus introduces us to the concept of the Tabernacle. Moses was commissioned to establish by explicit instruction from God how to construct the original Tabernacle that would house the Ark of the Covenant. The Tabernacle of God protected the Israelite’s by showing the way through the wilderness with Fire by Night and Cloud (Shekinah Glory of God)  by Day. “And Moses was not able to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud remained upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. In all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the Israelite’s went onward; But if the cloud was not taken up, they did not journey on till the day that it was taken up. For throughout all their journeys the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.” Exodus 40: 35-38

The Old Testament Tabernacle built by the hands of man as described in Exodus was merely a type and shadow of the better things that have now been given to us by God through Jesus and the New Covenant.

Hebrews 9:11
“But (that appointed time came) when Christ ( the Messiah) appeared as the High Priest of the better things that have come and are to come. (Then) through the greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with (human) hands that is, not a part of this material creation, He went once for all into the (Holy of) Holies of (heaven) not by virtue of the blood of goats and calves (by which to make reconciliation between God and man), but His own blood, having found and secured a complete redemption (an everlasting release for us). For if the mere sprinkling of unholy and defiled persons with blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a burnt heifer is sufficient for the purification of the body, How much more surely shall the blood of Christ, Who by virtue of (His) eternal Spirit (His own pre-existent divine personality) has offered Himself as an unblemished sacrifice to God, purify our consciences from dead works and lifeless observances to serve the (ever) living God?

When we inhabit our Secret Place to dwell with and Tabernacle with the Godhead, it puts into motion a list of things on our behalf by God as stated in Psalm 91: makes us stable and fixed under His shadow, makes Him our refuge and fortress, He delivers us from the snare of the fowler and deadly pestilence, also from destruction and sudden death. A thousand may fall but none shall come near you. No evil will befall, nor any plague or calamity come near your tent. He will give His angels especial charge in all your ways of obedience and service. You will be enabled to trample on snakes and scorpions ( demons). You will be inaccessible in the Secret Place – tabernacle-ing with the Most High, because you have made the Lord your refuge and your dwelling place. Glory! What more could you ask for during these end times. Supreme protection lies in the secret place. Remain close to God and read your bible – read, know and allow the word of God to be established in your heart and mind.

You yourself are now the Tabernacle of God having been cleansed and purified by the blood of Jesus once and for all to house His eternal Spirit.

Hebrews 10:14
“For by a single offering He has forever completely cleansed and perfected those who are consecrated and made holy.”

Tracy Gatewood
The Tabernacle – A Place of Protection
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Author: Doorways of Grace: My Uncommon Journey to Healing, Wholeness and Meeting Jesus
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Jesus The Constant

22 Tuesday Sep 2015

Posted by in Blood of Jesus, Christianity, Emotions, Fear, Gospel of Grace, Grace, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus, Blood of Jesus, New Covenant, redemption, New Covenant, redemption, Sin, Tracy Gatewood

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Proverbs 15:4 AMP  “The Lord has made everything (to accommodate itself and contribute) to its own end and His own purpose – even the wicked (are fitted for their role) for the day of calamity and evil.”

In these apparent end of time days, it does provide comfort to understand that God has His hand on all things. When Judas betrayed Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, this set the stage for the final days culminating by setting into motion the redemptive agreement that was struck before the beginning of the Earth. God does have a Plan and He uses the good and the evil to bring about His own purposes. As undeniably wrong as it was for Judas to betray the Son of God over a few pieces of silver (or over anything), had Judas walked away from the high priests remaining with Jesus, the Plan of God and the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus to redeem all of mankind from the sin that separates would have at the very least been postponed. These acts of betrayal and sacrifice had to occur and did so in their correct time and season.

Proverbs 16:33 AMP ” The lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is wholly of the Lord (even the events that seem accidental are really ordered by Him)”.

In these days of common unrest, rebellion and lawlessness where the entire world is boiling over and at breaking point, I must conclude that this is the way of the season and part of the Plan. And if that is so in this great unrest, I am even more glad that I know Jesus who is The Constant in this story, being with us from the beginning – even before people inhabited the Earth. He draws us to Himself as the Great Shepherd, knowing that His sheep hear His voice finding profound comfort, peace, safety and stability in and through Him. Those who know Him, The Constant, also understand Him as the great High Priest. He rose from the dead as High Priest. Interestingly, His grave clothes were linen – as were also the garments of the Levitical high priests of His day – as if those who buried Him in the tomb foreknew His Destiny.

Hebrews 6:5-6 AMP “So too Christ (the Messiah) did not exalt Himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed and exalted by Him Who said to Him, You are My Son: today I have begotten You. As He says also in another place, You are a Priest (appointed) forever after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 4:16 – 15 AMP “Inasmuch then as we have a great High Priest who has (already) ascended and passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession (of faith in Him). For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but Who has been tempted in every respect as we are yet without sinning.”

But now in these days when God is using both good and evil to accomplish His purposes, we must be strong and not despair through the journey, understanding that He will bring all things together for good that know and love Him. As stated by the Apostle Paul: Romans 8:28 AMP We are assured and know that ( God being a Partner in their labor) all things work together and are (fitting into a Plan) for good to and for those who love God and are called according to (His design) and purpose.

The players in the Plan, both good and evil, have been set.  We must remember that we are the Citizens of Heaven, representatives of the Kingdom of God and worldwide Ambassadors in His Embassy, the Church.  This is not our home – our home is with Him.

#HOPE   #GRACE   #LOVE

Tracy Gatewood
Twitter: @TracyLGatewood
Website: http://www.tracygatewood.com
Author: Doorways of Grace
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