Imagine with me for a moment a black tie party: one with a guest list, seating chart, dress code, and possibly a ticket cost. Imagine that at this party it is invite only and the tickets are only sold to a guest list of chosen elite. Tables draped with fabulous linen, the best food, wine, great music, at this party you enjoy the company of those around you who are like you and of the same stature.
Now that We are thinking of the party let's look at a few feast or celebrations in the Bible. I'm wanting to focus on the feast of tabernacles, and the feast of Pentecost.
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At the feast of tabernacles it sets a stage for inclusion of believers , the uniqueness of the feast of tabernacles is that the gentiles were allowed to attend and partake in the feast which was not the case for the two other major feast the feast of unleavened bread (Passover) and Pentecost.
It is important to the context of this post that we understand that there was someone who was not going to be in attendance to the feast of tabernacles due to persecution and adamant danger; his name was Jesus. Jesus Was not going or wanting to be in attendance due to Jews wanting to kill him. In my words at this feast there was lots of gossip about Jesus, some said he was good, others said he was leading people astray..... it's important to know that they were not speaking on this publicly but quietly whispering about it in the shadows. In the middle of the feast Jesus started teaching, people questioned his knowledge, his gifting, and his calling... he speaks on self righteousness and doing it ourselves, upholding the law, and hypocrisy. This is important to note that Jesus was calling out the Jews for trying to hinder his calling and anointing while doing the very same things. At this point the Chief priest and Pharisees were out to arrest Jesus, their claim in reasoning was that a prophet could not come out of Galilee, it's also important to note that the Jews were divided on this issue concerning Jesus. Officers wouldn't arrest Jesus because they were astonished by him and his words and works, the Pharisees were convinced otherwise still. Nicodemus (a Pharisees) had been meeting with Jesus in private before the feast of tabernacles in the late hours of the night to avoid persecution; he also was someone who spoke up for Jesus at the feast when they were out to arrest him. I share this story to make the connection to the party if you would. Jesus was not excluded from this event but when he attended he was not treated like the other participants, he was discounted and he was mocked. Do not let it slip your mind that Jesus had some support at the feast but he also had many ravishing wolves hot on his trail to take him out.
Let's now look at the feast of pentecost in summary of course, studying the book of acts you have two feast of pentecost one for the jews and one for the gentiles. You see at this feast gentiles were not allowed to attend this jewish tradition in acts chapter 2 on the day of Pentecost the holy spirit fell on all who were under the voice of Peter received the gift of the holy spirit. After the feasts of pentecost peter went to joppa and for length purposes i'm going to skip to chapter 10 when a man named cornelius received a word from an angel of God telling him to send men to go to joppa and bring back peter he even told him exactly where peter would be. So while Cornelius and the men were on their way to Peter, God was giving Peter a vision while he was on the roof praying "He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.``'' and Peter told God that he had never eaten anything unclean and God was like do not call anything impure that God has made clean. It happened 3 times and the sheet was taken back to heaven. Peter was confused about the meaning of this monumental moment now cornelius was arriving at peter's house and the lord started preparing peter for this divine appointment. Peter was told that the lord has sent them, then the next day he went to cornelius's house and found what the lord calls a large gathering of people, he started preaching He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent it to me?" Cornelius was telling Peter what the lord had shown him and instructed him to do and now they were ALL in the presence of the lord. Then Peter elaborated to the gentiles that he has had revelation that God does not choose favorites, all are included at his table. This had never been the case this is the first time that peter accepts the gentiles as accepted and included people of God, he honors that jesus died on the cross for the gentiles too, and after honoring the revelation from God in my opinion of of the most amazing event in bible history is that the holyspirit fell on the very people that were excluded in the beginning. They had to wait on the inclusion and acceptance but god made a way through revelation and obedience. A blessing and a shift happened that day.
So in take away from it is my belief the scripture shows us that even when we think there should be limitations on who can be included? Does scripture not show that even against law and custom the lord broke the barrier to reach and include the people who loved him even when it is not recognized by the law? Does the scripture not show perseverance even when people mocked and discounted and set out to kill someone they didn't believe in or believed was anointed because of where he was from?
Friends, I believe that scriptures are proving that inclusion and acceptance is not dependent on what we think, feel or even what the "laws" might be. The holy spirit fell on the very people that the law prohibited and then they were affirmed by peter. Lastly, I want to say that dont ever think that the Lord does seek you out, don't think he doesn't make a way for you even when the church doesn't, when he made a way for the gentiles he was showing that he will make a way for you too. You are a treasure to God REGARDLESS of what anyone says. The lord does not have favorites according to the scriptures…….
Do not misunderstand i'm not saying this is a free ticket to act up, but i'm just saying there are people, personalities, unique traits of God that haven't always been accepted in the church and i believe that the lord is beginning the process for all believers to be included and show no favoritism.
Be blessed and remember that regardless of what the world says, what the rules say, what the church says, GOD loves you and he's making a way for you…. Someone is coming to help you and include you in the meantime pray for their obedience and ability to hear for clear direction.
you can find all referencing scriptures in John 7 and acts 2-10.
