All Things Are Ready—Come To The Feast!

Ready or not, God’s Feast of Tabernacles is just around the corner. But will you be ready?

by Lloyd W. Cary

At God’s Feast of Tabernacles, we often sing a beautiful hymn,  All Things Are Ready—Come to the Feast!

But are you really ready?

Despite what some naysayers may say, God’s Feast of Tabernacles pictures the Millennium—the 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ that begins at His return.

“Speak unto the children of Israel,” God says in Leviticus 23:2, “and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.” They are whose feasts? Notice, these are not the feasts of the Jews or any other group; they are the feasts of the Lord God. God then goes on to enumerate each of His seven annual holydays, which depict, step by step, His plan of salvation for all mankind.

Concerning the great autumn feast, now fast approaching, God says, “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the lord. On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the lord: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the lord: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein. These are the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations…” [emphasis mine throughout] (Leviticus 23:34–37).

Notice what these verses do not say—they do not say we only need to keep the first and last days of the feast. The Feast of Tabernacles is a complete feast consisting of seven days immediately followed by a separate eighth holyday called the Last Great Day. A holy convocation is a commanded assembly—an assembly of God’s people called by Almighty God Himself! In God’s sight, your attendance is not an option! He commands that you attend. You are left with a choice: Will you obey God,  or make an excuse?

We are reminded of the excuses men made in Luke 14:16–20 as they bowed out, one by one, from attending the Lord’s marriage supper: “Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.”

Finally, note what the Lord’s response was to those who were bidden to attend the feast but would not come: “For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper” (Luke 14:24).

Human nature is masterful at making excuses (see Jeremiah 17:9 and Romans 8:7). Some will object that they do not have the finances to go. God’s answer is that you should have been saving your second tithe—ten percent of your income—to attend His commanded assembly. For those who may be on a very fixed income or have come into this knowledge too late in the year to have accumulated adequate funds, start saving up for next year. God does not accept excuses in place of obedience. Some will argue that they cannot get the time off from work. Have you planned ahead, attempting to get your vacation time scheduled for this time of the year? And even if your boss will not give you the time off, you must make a decision: Whom will I obey? God—or man? Acts 5:29 instructs that we ought to obey God rather than man. The truth of the matter is, if you want to attend badly enough—if you commit yourself to obey God with all your heart, mind, and soul—you will find a way!

It is a sad commentary that some undoubtedly treat the Kingdom of God the same way they treat His feast days; they make very little, if any, advance preparation. They assume that they can “be ready” at the last minute. Just as you cannot possibly develop the needed quality of character and habit of obedience “just before the Lord comes,” so very few will enjoy a rushed, half-prepared Feast of Tabernacles. Why not make your preparations now, while there is still time?

Following are a few tips to assure that you will have the “best feast ever!”

1) Be sure you save a full ten percent of your income for God’s feasts. It is no fun to scrimp and scrape at the Feast of Tabernacles, or miss out on fun-packed activities when those around you are having the time of their lives, worshiping God as He commands. After all, the Feast of Tabernacles pictures that millennial time period when Christ will be ruling on the earth and all will be green and plush with plenty for everyone. This is not the time for penny pinching, but should be the high point of the year to sustain you through the coming winter doldrums.

2) To the best of your ability, schedule your time off from work or school far enough ahead so that your absence will not be a hardship. Ask your teachers for advance homework assignments, indicating that you really do care about your grades and are not just looking for an excuse to skip school. Instead of thinking negatively—“What will people think?” “Will I lose my job?” “Will I flunk out at school?”—consider what a positive witness you will be for God’s way of life.

3) Make your housing reservations early so you will be more likely to get the type of room or cabin you need.

4) Think ahead about what you will need at the feast in the way of food, clothing, and accessories. If you take prescription medicines, make sure you will have enough for the time you’re gone from home. You may wish to convert your money into traveler’s checks for safety. Make a “feast list” far enough ahead of time so you can review it often and adjust it accordingly. Write it out. Do it! You don’t want to forget something important, but you don’t want to overdo it either! Seasoned travelers always travel light.

5) Immediately before the feast, put a hold on your mail and stop your newspaper. There is no wisdom in “advertising” to would-be burglars that you are not at home. Consider using timers for your lights. Also, be sure to mow your lawn at the last possible moment, or arrange for someone to mow it while you are gone. As an aside, make sure you have your household bills paid up so you won’t have any late fees. Make arrangements for your pets to be taken care of.

6) Make sure your car is in good condition for the trip, or make sure you buy your airline tickets early. Nothing puts a damper on the feast like car trouble or missed flights.

7) And lastly, just before you leave for the feast, be sure to claim the promise God gave in Exodus 34:23–24: “Thrice in the year shall all your men children appear before the Lord god, the God of Israel. For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the lord thy God thrice in the year.” 

If you will do these things in a willing, godly attitude, you will be able to sing out, All things are ready—I’m coming to the Feast!