With the Festival of Tabernacles coming up Sept. 27 through Oct. 5, we wanted to review the purpose of the Festival with readers, so we interviewed Dan Rogers, superintendent U.S. ministers.
Mr. Rogers has a master's degree in theological studies from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. His master's thesis was titled, Imagery of the Feast of Tabernacles in the Gospels.
WN: Last year the church came to a fresh understanding of the new covenant. How has that changed our understanding of the annual festivals?
Dan Rogers: Last year we came to realize that, as Hebrews tells us, the old covenant has passed away, and so we live under the new covenant. Colossians 2 tells us that the old covenant festivals and the Sabbath are shadows--forms and patterns--of the reality to come.
Colossians then proceeds to tell us that the reality is Christ. So the New Testament tells us to look for the typology of the festivals and Sabbath to be fulfilled in Christ.
We look at Jesus as the focus of the festivals. John's Gospel implies that all Jewish festivals, symbols and ceremonies were fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Hebrews, along with other books of the New Testament, relates festival imagery to the person and work of Christ. So in understanding what these festivals may mean to us as Christians under the new covenant, it's important that we see how they are fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and what they teach us about him.
Since Jesus Christ is God's plan for salvation, and since the festivals are types of him, you could say that the festivals are a type of God's plan.
Now, while under the new covenant it's not mandatory to observe the festivals described in Leviticus 23 (or any other days or festivals), they are additional times of the year when we can focus on the person and work of Jesus Christ as pictured by these festivals.
This Christ-centered focus can deepen our worship of our Lord and Savior. As many Christians realize, the festival seasons can help bring to mind all that was said in the Old Testament that is fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Luke 23:27).
WN: This year's theme is A Celebration of Salvation. Just what does that mean?
Dan Rogers: When we look at God as revealed in the Old Testament, we find a God who is viewed by his people as the saving God.
He saved his people from Egypt. He saved them as they crossed the Red Sea. He saved them in the wilderness, and he led them into the Promised Land. Thus, he came to be understood as "the saving God."
In the intertestamental period, this concept of the saving God became blended in some Jewish communities with the concept of a king who would come in the line of David. This anointed king (Messiah), on behalf of the saving God, would intervene to save God's people from their oppressors and bring them into an age of peace and prosperity.
New Testament writers tell us that these two threads of thought, that of the messianic king and that of the saving God, both came to be fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
So we see that God is a saving God, and that Jesus Christ is God our Savior and our Messiah--the one who delivers us from spiritual slavery, from spiritual oppression and from the tremendous burden of sin and condemnation.
Ancient Israel came out of Egypt and rejoiced with a high hand and danced to celebrate their salvation. We who recognize that we have received salvation in Jesus Christ, should also celebrate and rejoice.
Let us celebrate our deliverance from the slavery of sin and death with a high hand and great joy, knowing that God is leading us into the promised land of his kingdom.
This is a cause for great celebration and great rejoicing, and the Feast of Tabernacles both in ancient Israel and in the days of Jesus and the apostles was a time for celebrating God's saving power.
Today we continue that theme of the celebration of salvation that we have in the saving power of the blood and life of Jesus Christ.
WN: How will the sermons given at the sites help us rejoice?
Dan Rogers: They will all have the theme of the joy of the salvation that is ours in Jesus Christ. They will emphasize that we should be rejoicing in this festival's reminder of that salvation. That should make it one of the most worshipful festivals ever.
When you understand what God has done for us in Jesus Christ and the release from sin that he has given us, and the hope of eternal life--Wow, this is a time for worship, a time for praise, a time for celebration, a time to experience the joy of salvation that is ours in Jesus Christ!
WN: About 30,000 people have registered for the regional sites in the United States. Will quite a few also be gathering in their local church halls on weekends?
Dan Rogers: There will be many local sites, closer to where members live. Members who attend these sites will benefit from the same videotapes shown at regional sites and overseas.
Ministers who celebrate with them will also have access to the same sermon outlines given to the ministers attending regional sites, so the spiritual messages can be the same.
WN: Does the church plan to cease observing the festivals?
Dan Rogers: After the Festival this year, we plan to survey member households, and ask them how they want to continue to celebrate the festivals. We want to accommodate the worship needs of our people.
While no specific days, including the old covenant festivals, are required observances for new covenant Christians, the festivals nevertheless contain imagery of the work and person of Jesus Christ and thus offer special opportunities for worship services dedicated to our Lord.
We believe that many of our members enjoy worshiping Jesus Christ during the spring and fall festival seasons. Other evangelical Christians also organize services at these times, including the Feast of Tabernacles.
Some denominations advertise their celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles in popular Christian magazines, inviting other Christians to join with them in worship.
Some Christians have found that choosing to worship Christ at the time of the Old Testament festivals provides meaningful insight into the promises of God for the salvation of his people.
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