ASCENDING ALIVE
CONT., page 3
A TABERNACLES CUT SHORT
There is another contradiction we need to look at here as well, and it too relates directly to these eight days of Tabernacles, particularly the most important holy convocation on the eighth day. This contradiction has to do with the highly prophetic, and as you will see, subject relevant dedication of Solomon's temple.
In 2 Chronicles 7:9 we are given a succinct summary of what took place and when per the dedication of Solomon's temple. Here we read - "And on the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for the dedication of the altar they observed seven days, and the feast seven days." The feast spoken of here was Tabernacles. Datewise, this would mean that the dedication of the altar was from the eighth of the seventh month to the fourteenth of that month. Then the Feast of Tabernacles took place on its regular schedule from the fifteenth to the twenty-second, which they observed in full, IF you read from the account in 2 Chronicles. We read here in verse ten the final culmination of that feast - "Then on the twenty-third of the seventh month he (Solomon) sent the people to their tents, rejoicing and happy of heart because of the goodness that Yahweh had shown to David and to Solomon and to His people Israel." Thus they observed the Feast of Tabernacles, including the holy convocation on the twenty-second, and went home on the twenty-third.
This certainly sounds correct per the feast, doesn't it? It all fits. BUT, let us now go to the identical account in 1 Kings 8 and read what happened. In verse 65 we begin reading - "So Solomon observed the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, ... before Yahweh our God, for seven days and seven days, even fourteen days." This sounds good thus far. But let us now read verse 66. "On the eighth day he sent the people away and they blessed the king." Wait a minute! How could they go home on the all-important eighth day when that was the great eighth day of the holy convocation? But this is exactly what it says in 1 Kings 8:66; and it is clearly in direct contradiction to not only what is written in 2 Chronicles 7:10, but also to the prescribed days of the Feast of Tabernacles! According to 1 Kings, they never experienced the great and highly important eighth day of this most important feast, and went home and thus even traveled on that holy day! And furthermore, a closer look at these two accounts reveals that there was more missed here in 1 Kings than just this all important eighth day. Let us compare these accounts and see. This will help us immensely in understanding what Yahweh is telling us here in this clear and dramatic contradiction.
One would notice in studying these two accounts regarding the dedication of Solomon's temple that the 1 Kings account is clearly not as "spiritual" or fulfilling or even complete as the 2 Chronicles account. Let us compare these two and see why this can be said.
In 1 Kings 8:54f, when Solomon finished praying, he arose from the altar and blessed all the assembly. But in 2 Chronicles 7:1f when Solomon finished praying, they received more than just the blessings of a man. "Fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of Yahweh filled Yahweh's house." Amazingly, this highly important and glorious experience did not exist in the 1 Kings 8 account. Let us quickly consider another obvious difference.
The next chronological event in both accounts was Solomon's and the people's offerings of sacrifices. This once again ties both of these accounts together in harmony, but not for long. For next in 1 Kings 8:64 the events proceed to the account of the consecration of the middle of the court. And though 2 Chronicles 7:7 equally records the consecration of the middle of the court, this is preceded by a stirring account of the priests and Levites with their instruments giving praise to Yahweh while all the people stood. (Remember this singing.) This too is once again woefully missing in the 1 Kings 8 account - there is no singing and no praise!
Thus we see a marked spiritual attenuation or thinness in the 1 Kings 8 account. There is no fire consuming the burnt offering with the accompanying glory of Yahweh filling the house, and no vibrant singers; and add to this that the people had to go home on the eighth day, cutting the feast short at a most critical point, we find a dramatic difference in these two accounts! How can this be? What can it all mean? This we will now consider.
First, the absence of the fire consuming the offering in 1 Kings, yet the presence of that fire (and the glory) and the offering and sacrifices being consumed, is highly reminiscent of what took place in the contest of 1 Kings 18 where fire equally consumed Elijah's offering, but not Baal's. The purpose of this fire identified who it was Yahweh was for, and in truth was a testimony to miraculously taking that offering up to be with Him, or a miraculous ascension! And might we say here as well, this is nothing more than the original choice seen as early as Genesis 4 where we read - "And Yahweh had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard." Thus we find in the Scriptures a repeated and important theme that often arises regarding a test between two offerings - a test between Cain and Abel, between him who offered first fruits from the flock and him who offered fruit of the cursed ground, between Elijah and Baal, and even between the 2 Chronicles account and the 1 Kings account. What does all of this mean? Between whom does this contest exist? What are the consequences of its outcome? And why again do we see these remarkable differences and even a clear contradiction in these two accounts?
This contest evidenced through the ages is the contest that is finally fulfilled between Christianity and the Remnant, between the fruit of the cursed ground and the first fruits of the flock, between the prophets of Baal and Elijah. The contest is - Whose offering will be accepted? Will Yahweh take Christianity up to heaven to be glorified, or will He take the Remnant? A good hint to the answer to this question is that for 2,000 years Christians have not ascended alive, but have all gone to the grave! Remember, in the contest between the prophets of Baal and Elijah, the prophets of Baal had not only far greater numbers (450 men plus 400 prophets of Asherah), but they also had a far greater period of time to effect the acceptance of their offering - from midday all the way to the evening. All of this was done with no results - their offering never ascended to Yahweh.
In contrast, Elijah was just one man, and he only had a brief time at the end of the day before the sun set. But, Yahweh proved that this offering set forth by Elijah was the offering He accepted, as He sent forth fire and consumed the offering and the altar, even as He so demonstrated regarding Abel's offering, and even as He testified in the favored 2 Chronicles account. Though Christianity has had the far greater amount of time - 2,000 years - and the far greater numbers, their offering has not been and will not be accepted by Yahweh. But the evening offering of the Remnant just before the closing of the day (at the last trumpet, as we will consider further in this writing) will be the offering accepted by Yahweh. Even as He miraculously received Elijah's offering, even as He miraculously received the offering in the 2 Chronicles account, so He will miraculously receive the second Remnant.
It has already been pointed out in The Key to Their Understanding that Kings is written in testimony to Christianity, and Chronicles is written in testimony to the Remnant. Here we find precisely the same evidence in a most telling and revealing harmony. The offering of Christianity has not been and will not be accepted by Yahweh, but the offering of the second Remnant will be accepted in a most miraculous way, evidenced once again by the differences in these two accounts. And, this would explain why the 1 Kings account lacked the joyous singing, for it is the 2 Chronicles second Remnant who will sing a new song.
Now that we have seen these important and enlightening differences, this brings even greater significance to the clear contradiction in the number of days in which the Feast of Tabernacles was observed - for the full eight days as recorded in Remnant 2 Chronicles, versus the cut short number (not only leaving the feast early but even defiling the holy convocation) in Christianity 1 Kings.
Clearly we see testified here in a most unique way a revealing riddle for those who have eyes to see and can discern the answer - that Christianity does not experience the full Tabernacles. Their days are cut short so that they do not complete the feast! And what does this mean? In connection with what we have already seen regarding the acceptance of the offering by Yahweh, it means once again that in the contest between Christianity and the Remnant, Christianity will not enter into resurrection as they expect. In contest with the Remnant, they will not be the first to enter into the promises of Tabernacles and ascend alive as an acceptable offering to Yahweh. Clearly we see here in a riddle that it is the Remnant who experience not only the fullness of the dedication of Yahweh's true temple, but also the full rewards to the complete eight days of Tabernacles, including the most important eighth day of holy convocation. The second Remnant will ascend alive to heaven as Yahweh's offering and join in a long awaited holy convocation with Him!
How critical is this eighth day? The answer is undoubtedly seen in Yahshua's words when He stood up in the temple on this very day and declared - "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water'" (John 7:38). This is the day evidenced here that Christianity misses, the day in which water flows from our innermost being like an unceasing river!
Much more must be said about all of this, but the purpose of offering these two contradictions - the eight days in the Luke account just before the mount of transfiguration, and the fulfillment of the eight days of Tabernacles exclusively here in Remnant 2 Chronicles - is to bring to your attention the great relevance and vital necessity of understanding the application of the full eight day events listed at the close of the last section, in particular as to how they relate to the eight days of Tabernacles (again, which is the only feast with eight prescribed days). Thus we see in both of these contradictions that the full count of eight is essential to glorification. Not the "six days," in contrast to the "eight days," or leaving the feast on the eighth day and failing to complete the full eight days of this highly important feast, but completing the full course of eight days.
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