Post Type: ARTICLES
In the fall of 2015 the Network of Churches started out as an event to observe the Feasts of Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles. It was hosted at Eagles Nest Chapel International in the Bronx, New York and patronized by other Churches and Christians from across the tri-state area. These feasts were divinely appointed times that God instructed the Israelites to observe in order to experience specific blessings. Throughout the New Testament you will notice that Jesus participated in these feasts and the Last Supper which we still observe today at Easter was an observance of the Feast of Passover. Jesus told the disciples to continue to celebrate the Last Supper in remembrance of Him. The wisdom of observing the feasts is that they were seasons of divine visitation. Many of the promises of God for our lives as individuals and corporately as a body are programmed into these visitations. For instance Israel was delivered from the bondage of Egypt at the Feast of Passover and the New Testament Church was born at the Feast or Day of Pentecost. Though the New Testament Church has maintained the tradition of observing the Feast of Passover or Good Friday and Feat of Firstfruits or Resurrection Sunday, the other feasts have been neglected to our detriment. In the last couple of years however, Charismatic and Pentecostal leaders such as John Hagee, Kenneth Copeland, Rod Parsley and many others have begun a renaissance in observing these feasts alongside the Jews.
Feast of Trumpets
During this feast which we at the Network of Churches celebrate as a ‘Night of Praise’, the Lord instructed the Israelites to make sounds with trumpet blasts. In Numbers 10 the scriptures mention the purposes for which the sound of the trumpet was sounded in Israel and they include: the sound for congregation instructions, the sound for leadership instructions, the sound for alpha movement, the sound for omega movement, the sound of alarm for war and the sound for financial favor. These six sounds were various calls to order for the Israelites as well as angels who must work in collaboration for specific blessings to manifest for God’s people. There are many blessings that we fall short of as a Body of Christ though we are potentially blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly realms. Though we boast of great numbers with mega, mid and small Churches everywhere, there is an obvious lacking in several areas that hinge around disunity which is a misalignment with the fundamental kingdom principle of order. Jesus taught that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. When King Solomon finished building the temple, at its dedication, the glory of God showed up in a remarkable way as recorded in 2 Chronicles 5:11-14:
“And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course: 12 Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:) 13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord; 14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.”
The priests were dressed in fine linen and observed a fundamental kingdom principle by making one sound in praising and thanking God. The unity of sound invoked the visible manifestation of God’s glory. We as a Body of Christ have a role to play in order to enjoy such awesome degree of God’s manifested glory. It is our responsibility to align ourselves with divine order. In every city or community of believers, it is important that at some point we rally together and make that ‘one sound’ that invokes the manifested glory of God for our corporate and individual advancement. The sound at the feast of trumpets brings us the six blessings that the Body of Christ is so lacking – First is instruction that trigger general blessings on the Body of Christ. Second is instruction that unveil leadership blessings. Third is divine direction for alpha movements so we advance through visionary accomplishments as a body. Fourth is divine direction for omega movements so we advance through manifestations as a body. Fifth is the sound of alarm that gives us victory over the agenda of the kingdom of darkness. Sixth is the blessing of financial favor and wealth transfer.
Feast of Atonement
This feast is celebrated by the Network of Churches and dubbed as the ‘Night of Justice’. It is commonly known as the ‘Day of Atonement’ and is the most patronized day at Jewish synagogues across the world. The Day of Atonement is a court session in the spiritual realm where God is Judge, Jesus Christ is the Defense and Satan is the Prosecutor. Every human being is judged based on how they have conducted themselves in life. God instructed that all Israelites observe this day with fasting as a show of their presence in this court. This way the advocacy of Jesus Christ is invoked on their behalf.
“And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.
2 And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
5 And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by.
6 And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying,
7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.” Zechariah 3:1-7.
The Day of Atonement is a time for brokenness and contriteness. We examine ourselves in the Lord and make amends for our unrighteous ways. It is a time of repentance from transgression, trespass and iniquity. God restores the repentant and heals their lives. Today some New Testament preachers have overstretched the message of grace to mean that we don’t even have to seek forgiveness for our sins. They suggest that because grace is a free gift, we are automatically cleansed from all sins even if we do not repent. This is not only false but also gets many believers into a lifestyle of callousness that is contrary to the message of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Grace is definitely not a license for sin. The scripture says in 1 John 1:8-10, 2:1-2; “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us… My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” This scripture from the New Testament by John the Apostle makes it clear that repentance from sin and acknowledgment or confession of sin did not end with the era of the Old Testament. The Apostle John mentions the role of Jesus Christ as our Advocate with the Father. There is no need for an advocate which is the term for a legal defense in court if there is no prosecutor. The Day of Atonement is when all issues of injustice such as ancestral and generational curses against the believer are resolved at the court of divine justice. Failure to observe the Day of Atonement through fasting and repentance means a break away from the advocacy of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a ‘no show’ at the court of divine justice and by default the prosecutor Satan will most likely win the cases against you. For many believers, some issues of disenfranchisement remain unresolved year after year because of a ‘no show’ at the court of divine justice. Can you imagine that all believers should gather together on the Day of Atonement which is dubbed as ‘Night of Justice’ by the Network of Churches and plead their case against Satan the accuser of the brethren? I believe that God would move and blood of sprinkling that flowed from the veins of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary would flow in a tremendous way to release us from all that hinder us as a Body of Christ.
Feast of Tabernacles
At the Network of Churches we call this feast the ‘Night of Destiny’ where we strengthen ourselves in regards to God’s purposes for our lives. Traditionally the Israelites celebrated this feast by making booths or tents with branches of trees where they would stay during this feast. These trees were significant of their divine purposes or destiny. The essence of this feast was that when God made a promise to Israel, He led them through the wilderness where they dwelt in temporary shelters and yet He fulfilled His promise in bringing them to the Promised Land. This feast served as an assurance to Israel concerning divine promises in all areas of their lives. As a pastor, I have seen people give up on their divine purpose and destiny out of shear discouragement. The environment of our world today is very hostile especially to those who do not have affluent backgrounds with little personal resources and connections. I commonly hear such people say that their lives are characterized with “one step forward then two steps backwards”. Though this may seem to be a genuine characteristic of their lives, as believers the Apostle Paul teaches in Romans 8:28 – “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” This means that even the supposedly two steps backwards will all work together for our good. Every scheme of the enemy that looks like a hindrance would ultimately work for our good. The key is to keep our eyes focused on the promises of God and keeping working hard to fulfill our divine purpose. If we do not give up on the pursuit of divine purpose, we shall arrive at our divine destiny. God will come through for everyone of us. While the temptation to retreat from the path of divine destiny is constantly whispered into our minds by the enemy, the Feast of Tabernacles brings a strong sense of assurance for believers who are struggling on the path of purpose. We are reinforced and encouraged in our faith as we hear from God and about His testimonies in such a supernaturally supercharged atmosphere.
We serve a God who if faithful to His word and keeps His divine schedule to show up at the appointed times to bless His people who faithfully wait on Him. This is a clarion call to all believers and though we belong to various local Churches and must remain faithful and committed, it is also equally critical that we band together as a Body of Christ and tap into the blessings of a united kingdom. From September 18th – October 8th this year 2017, the Network of Churches will be hosting a 21 day fast to commemorate these three feasts. The convocation for the Night of Praise is Friday September 22nd. Night of Justice is September 29th and ‘Night of Destiny is October 6th. Services start at 10pm and will take place at Somerset Hall, 4363 Bronx Boulevard, Bronx, New York. All are invited and further information is available at www.networkofchurches.org
