The Christian Pilgrimage - A Journey to a Sacred Place: Commandments Keepers

The Christian Pilgrimage - A Journey to a Sacred Place

(James 4:14) "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

The patriarchs of the Old Testament were shepherds and pilgrims that wondered from country to country. (Genesis 47:9) "And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage."

Like vapor, Jacob calls his days but "few", in comparison of the long lives of the patriarchs in former times, and especially in comparison of the days of eternity: and "evil", because of the many sufferings and afflictions he had met with.

The patriarchs believed God's promise to them, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, a heavenly garden of eden. Jacob calls his life a pilgrimage, looking upon himself as a stranger in this world, and a traveler towards another world: this earth his inn, not his home. (Hebrews 11:13) "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."

(Hebrews 11:14-16) "For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city."

Even Abraham looked for a heavenly promise land. (Hebrews 11:9-10) "By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."

Gods Holy Feast of Tabernacles is to be observed yearly, like Jesus observed, so that we can be reminded that we live in temporary physical bodies on a temporary earth. (Leviticus 23:34) "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."

During that seven days, we are commanded to live in temporary tent shelters and leave the comforts of our houses. The whole family are to eat and sleep in the tents, showing us that life in this physical body, on a temporary earth is filled with hardships and afflictions. But we know that it's only temporary, giving us hope of a new heavenly body like our Lord Jesus has and a new heavenly Kingdom. (1 John 3:2) "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

Our Lord Jesus observed Gods Holy Feast of Tabernacles. He obeyed every commandment of God, and we are to walk a perfect walk, by the gift of the Holy Spirit, as He did on this earth. (John 7:2) Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand. (John 7:10) "But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret."

We are pilgrims and strangers upon this temporary earth, living in temporary tabernacles which are our physical bodies. We are upon this earth for a very short period of time. How shall we spend this precious time? The most wisest man on earth, King Solomon, asked this same question. His conclusion:

(Ecclesiastes 12:13) "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."