The world often encourages people to focus on living in the present, promoting mindfulness and immediate gratification as paths to fulfillment. This is what’s called an existential approach to life - seizing the moment and finding meaning in current experiences. But is that how Christians are to live?
One of the things that distinguishes Christianity from every other religion on the earth is that our hope as believers is anchored in the future - the promise of eternal life with Christ. We are a “future” people, an eschatological people, therefore, in contrast we are called to live as future-oriented people. For example, our works are kingdom oriented, aimed at advancing God’s purposes and reflecting eternal values, understanding that such efforts contribute to future rewards. Our identity and hope are also future focused, rooted in the promises of God’s coming Kingdom. While “being present” is valuable, Christians are encouraged to view their lives through the lens of living eternity with Christ. This kind of eschatological (future) perspective fosters a deeper sense of hope and direction as we navigate our existence in an ever-changing, uncertain world.
While existential thinking has its place, an eschatological mindset keeps the future return of Christ and His coming Kingdom at the forefront of daily life, influencing how we make decisions, endure suffering, and engage with the world. Future thinking gives us a sense of purpose, hope and urgency. It helps us prepare better for the close of this age and birth of the Kingdom age to come.
Celebrating Christ’s Kingdom to Come
One of the many reasons why I love the Bible is because is consistently offers a message of hope to God’s people, revealing His plan for redemption and restoration through various promises and symbolic examples. One significant example of this is found in the Biblical Feasts of the Lord, from Leviticus 23, which outline a divine calendar of salvation and restoration for both mankind and the earth.
Each feast serves as a prophetic shadow, pointing to Jesus our Messiah in both His first and second coming. For instance, Passover and Pentecost look back on the great Exodus from Egypt and the giving of the law at Sinai, but whose prophetic purposes foreshadowed Christ’s death, resurrection and outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The fall feasts, on the other hand, including Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), Yom Kippur and Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), embodies the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises, celebrating the time when Christ will return to dwell with His people and usher in His Kingdom.
The Feast of Tabernacles in particular, is profoundly celebratory as it concludes the Biblical cycle of feasts. It too is about the exodus from Egypt and how the people were dwelling in “booths” (sukkahs) during the long journey of Israel into their promised land, but also how they began to dwell with the Lord. The prophetic fulfillment and purpose of this feast actually points to something much greater, when a much larger exodus of God’s people will occur on a global scale one day, only we will not be dwelling in a wilderness in booths, but dwelling with our Lord, in His Kingdom, where He will “tabernacle” with us in the New Heavens, New Earth, and New Jerusalem. The shift will be made from our tabernacles in the past to His Tabernacle among people in the future. And this is our hope - to tabernacle one day with our King in His Kingdom!
If you have lost hope or vision for the future, I encourage you to reflect during this feast and be reminded that we are future people and there is a place being prepared for us that will surpass everything this present world has to offer. Every tear will be wiped away and all will be made new - Christ in you, the hope of glory!
This year the Feast of Tabernacles is celebrated from October 17th to 25th. Contact info@jeremiahscall.org to find local events to participate in. In the meantime, to learn more, we are sharing 3 short videos on the fall feasts from a few years back. Enjoy.
Feast of Trumpets:
Yom Kippur:
Feast of Tabernacles:
For His Glory,
Carole
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