On September 26, the Feast of Taber-nacles, the last feast of 2007, was held at the New Jerusalem Temple and all the Churches of God throughout the world. The members, who had received the blessing of the forgiveness of sins through the Day of Atonement, came to the heavenly Jerusalem to be filled with the Holy Spirit of the latter rain promised through the Feast of Tabernacles.

The Feast of Tabernacles originated from the event in which the Israelites willingly brought more than enough materials to build the tabernacle where the Ten Commandments would be kept. This event occurred just after they repented of their sin of worshiping an idol and received the second set of the Ten Commandments in the time of Moses (Exodus 35). In the Old Testament times, the people of Israel made booths from various kinds of branches which they had gathered from the mountain, and lived in the booths for seven days, rejoicing together (Leviticus 23). This prophecy of the Feast of Tabernacles is to be fulfilled through the preaching movement to gather the children of heaven, represented by the spiritual materials for the heavenly temple, in the New Testament times (Jeremiah 5:14; John 7).

Through the service for the Feast of Taber-nacles, Mother earnestly prayed for the Holy Spirit of the latter rain to come upon all Her children like a waterfall. She also prayed that they would understand the true meaning and value of the Feast of Tabernacles and participate in the work of gathering the materials for the heavenly temple with one mind, so that they could find all of the heavenly family members scattered around the world.

Chief Pastor Joo-Cheol Kim reminded the members of the meaning of the Feast of Tabernacles which contains the prophecy about the descent of the Holy Spirit and the building of the spiritual temple. And he declared the condition for receiving the Holy Spirit, saying, “The Holy Spirit of the latter rain is given only to those who fully understand the heavenly Jerusalem, the reality of the Most Holy Place and the source of the water of life, and come to Her.” In addition, he urged the members, saying, “As the spiritual materials for the heavenly temple, let’s have faith worthy in God’s sight and quickly complete the heavenly temple by diligently gathering the precious materials for the temple, which we’ve not yet found” (Ephesians 2:20).

For seven days from the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles until the last day of the feast, the members had earnestly asked for the Holy Spirit of the latter rain and preached the gospel fervently to gather the spiritual materials for the heavenly temple. They experienced the work of the Holy Spirit of the latter rain in the joy of bearing abundant fruit, and greeted the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles on October 3, the 8th day of the Feast.

Mother offered a prayer of blessing for all the children of Zion around the world, and gave them words of life through a sermon titled “We Are Strangers on This Earth, Our Home Is Heaven.” Through the testimonies of the forefathers of faith, Mother repeatedly reminded the members that our life on this earth is a pilgrimage, and encouraged them to “lead many souls to Zion the ark of salvation by spreading the Holy Spirit movement so that God’s love and sacrifice will not be in vain, giving thanks to God for pouring out the Holy Spirit upon them through the feast so that they can return to their heavenly home, being freed from the weariness and burdens of their pilgrimage” (Genesis 47:9; John 18:36; Psalms 119:19; Hebrew 11:13).

ⓒ 2007 WATV

Chief Pastor Joo-Cheol Kim explained the will of God who said, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” and urged the members, saying, “Let’s always pay attention to God’s word and obey His teachings so that every one of us can be a clean temple in which the Holy Spirit dwells. He added, “We can experience the work of the Holy Spirit within us when we save souls. So, let’s save our family, neighbors and the whole world by fully manifesting the power of the Holy Spirit.”

After the service, Mother encouraged the members who participated in preaching during the feast, saying, “Always keep watch so that the Holy Spirit which you’ve received will continually work in you. Save many souls through the power of the Holy Spirit as God’s precious children worthy of being commended by God.”

The members, who received the Holy Spirit of the latter rain abundantly by coming to the heavenly Mother-the source of the water of life-according to the prophecy of the Feast of Tabernacles, were all determined to complete the heavenly Jerusalem temple by spreading the movement of the Holy Spirit like fire throughout the world.