The Triumph of the Kingdom of God

We are excited to share part two of our series “Why Christians celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles,” Malcolm Hedding takes a deeper look into how the Feast of Tabernacles foreshadows the triumph of the Kingdom of God!

Triumph of the Kingdom of God 

我们很高兴分享我们的系列文章“为什么基督徒庆祝住棚节”，马尔科姆·希丁顿深入研究了住棚节如何预示着上帝王国的胜利！

上帝王国的胜利

The yearly celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles is one of the three great annual and biblically required festivals; the other two being Passover and Pentecost. These biblical Feasts have great significance in that they all speak of the glorious redemptive plan of God. Passover teaches us about the Door to the Kingdom of God – the salvation from our sins by the spilled blood of a lamb. This serves as a glorious picture of the death of Christ. Pentecost reminds us of the Power of the Kingdom of God. That is, the giving of the Word of God and the coming of the Holy Spirit upon blood-washed believers on the Day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:1-4)

每年庆祝住棚节是三大年度和圣经所需的节日之一; 另外两个是逾越节和五旬节。这些圣经节期具有重要意义，因为他们都谈到上帝的救赎计划。逾越节教导我们关于上帝王国的大门 – 羔羊溢出的血从我们的罪中得救。这是基督死亡的画面。五旬节让我们想起上帝王国的力量。也就是说，在五旬节那天，献给神洗净的信徒的上帝的圣言和圣灵的降临。 （使徒行传2：1-4）

The Feast of Tabernacles is a picture of the Triumph of the Kingdom of God since it reminds us that all of life is to be lived under the protection and sovereignty of God. The Israelites coming out of Egypt were required to build leafy booths and to live in them for eight days. These were very fragile and could not protect one from the harsh desert conditions. The lesson was clear; God would protect and care for them. We have to learn this lesson so often since, as Jesus pointed out, we are consumed with anxiety and worry about so many of life’s issues. Our Father in Heaven cares for us and watches over us every day because we are part of His Kingdom! How easily we forget this.

(Matthew 6:25-34)

住棚节是上帝王国胜利的象征，因为在提醒我们所有的生命都要生活在，上帝的保护和主权之下。从埃及出来的以色列人被要求建造绿树成荫，并在其中居住八天。这些非常脆弱，无法保护人们免受恶劣的沙漠条件的影响。教训很清楚; 上帝会保护和照顾他们。我们必须经常学习这一课，因为正如耶稣指出的那样，我们对生活中的许多问题感到焦虑和担忧。我们的天堂之父关心我们，每天都在监视我们，因为我们是他的王国的一部分！我们多么容易忘记这一点。（马太福音6：25-34）

Jesus underlined this when on the Great Day of the Feast of Tabernacles, as He watched the water libation service in the temple, He cried out that if we believe in and follow Him a river of God’s love, empowered by the Holy Spirit, will flow out of our lives bringing joy and blessing to our lives. This is the triumph of the Kingdom of God in our personal lives and we should be living in it! (John 7:37-39)

耶稣在住棚节的伟大日那天强调了这一点，当祂看到圣殿里的水祭时，祂大声说，如果我们相信并跟随祂，上帝之爱的河流，受圣灵的支配，就会流动走出我们的生活，为我们的生活带来欢乐和祝福。这是上帝王国在我们个人生活中的胜利，我们应该生活在其中！ （约翰福音7：37-39）

The Feast of Tabernacles also points us to the future when, by the second coming of Jesus, the world will finally be subjected to the Kingdom of God. That is, Jesus will reign over the nations from Jerusalem and peace will for the first time envelop the world. War will be a thing of the past and for a thousand years the nations will live in the very light of the glory of God. What a day that will be and to celebrate it the nations will ascend every year to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:16-19) We await then a glorious fulfillment of this great Feast and our annual celebration of it is a prophetic picture pointing to the coming Triumph of the Kingdom of God.

住棚节也指出了我们的未来，在耶稣复临之际，世界将最终受到上帝的国度的影响。也就是说，耶稣将统治耶路撒冷的各国，和平将首次包围世界。战争将成为过去，一千年来，各国将生活在上帝荣耀的光明之中。多么美好的一天，为了庆祝它，各国将每年提升到耶路撒冷，庆祝住棚节。 （撒迦利亚书14：16-19）

我们等待着这盛大盛宴的光荣实现，我们每年的庆祝活动都是预示着上帝王国即将到来的胜利的预言。

The Feast of Tabernacles is a joyful celebration and those living in the Kingdom of God are actually commanded to be joyful. All this remind us that serving Jesus bring much joy to our lives and this Joy is supernatural and powerful. Paul noted this when he wrote:

“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17

Those celebrating the Kingdom of God at the Feast of Tabernacles carry a Lulav, which amounts to four species of plants. These tell us that we are all at different spiritual growth levels in that some are weak, others are strong, some are complacent and yet others are discouraged. God loves us all and desires that we should all celebrate His love with much joy at the Feast of Tabernacles!

住棚节是一个快乐的庆祝活动，生活在上帝王国的人实际上被命令是快乐的。所有这一切都提醒我们，为耶稣服务会给我们的生活带来许多快乐，这种喜乐是超自然的，有力的。保罗写道：

“因为上帝的国不是饮食，而是圣灵中的公义，平安和喜乐。”罗马书14:17

那些在住棚节庆祝上帝王国的人带着一个Lulav，相当于四种植物。这些告诉我们，我们都处于不同的精神成长水平，因为有些人是弱者，有些人是强者，有些人是自满的，有些人则是沮丧。上帝爱我们所有人，并且希望我们都应该在住棚节上非常高兴地庆祝他的爱！