I Pledge Allegiance
“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and the Republic for which it stands; one nation indivisible, with liberty and Justice for all.” As Christians we should probably daily recite something like this; “I pledge allegiance to the “Kingdom of God,” and for all of which it stands, one kingdom, eternal and indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
Now in the “Ancient Near East,” when a new ruler arose to the throne, to take rule of the nation, a couple of things transpired. Firstly, if you currently held any position in the previous government, it just evaporated overnight, you had no job, it just evaporated once the new ruler ascended to the throne. Secondly, everybody in the kingdom was then compelled to come before the new ruler, and then they there swore allegiance to him and to his rulership, to follow and to obey, and at this time there was a sorting, enemies, treasonous traitors and unfaithful were instantly killed, and those alive and remain, were each given a new role to perform for the monarch from that day forward, and you could have the same job given back to you as you once held under the previous monarch, or a worse job, a better job, or even no job, or even banishment to never again to see the monarchs face, see him and instant death. Then everybody stepped into their newly allotted roles, and life began under the rules and procedures enacted by the new ruler.
The Bible seems to portray a similar concept, Jesus shuts down this world at his soon coming as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and his loyal subjects, whether sleeping in their graves or “alive and remain,” move off this ole world to “Exodus” to Heaven, the “Promised Land.” If one looks at the last of the “Seven Festivals of the Messiah,” then Israel was taught by a series of seven festivals, how to get closer to God, and how God was going to develop things so that his children could Exodus from Egypt and sin in this world to “The Promised Land,” in Heaven. The last two festivals were a pair, two festivals, one on one day and the other on the very next day, but treated as a single festival event over a single day, well a double day in reality but viewed as one event, celebrated on Tishrei 22 & 23. Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, were this grand double event, the last ceremony in the Jewish Calendar.
Shemini Atzeret is viewed as the extra day, the completion of all that came before, a concept of Shabbat, (Sabbath) just like Creation ended with a Shabbat, a finality, a completion, a Oneness, so Shemini Atzeret is the icing on the cake, that rest, that fulfillment, that completion of everything that came before it. The long day (two days long) was completed by Simchat Torah or the rejoicing of the Torah, that teaching or instruction that teaches us the way of life, how to live the life that God wants us to live, just as the Bible has taught, so it continues through Eternity. John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” There are no new systems, just life the same as “Eternity Past,” the same requirements go on through “Eternity Future,” daily swearing allegiance to be faithful and to quick obey, “I pledge Allegiance,” to the Government of God, and to Jesus Christ his Only Son, to live in Love and Obedience.” Simchat Torah is also the reading of the Torah, as you have just come to the end, and now you start again reading from Genesis 1:1. From Revelation 21:1 “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” This verse is right at the end of Revelation, and yet its concept is Genesis 1:1, “In the Beginning, God.” The cycle has ended, but this only leads straight back to the “Start,” just like a perfect circle.
Let us return to the “Seven Festivals of the Messiah,” and link them, Yom Kippur or the “Great Day of Atonement,” 10th day 7th month Tishrei 10, then a break of 5 days to harvest the Barley then, Sukkot or the “Feast of Tabernacles,” for seven days, Tishrei 15 to 21, Shemini Atzeret on Tishrei 22 and Simchat Torah on Tishrei 23 basically one continuous stream from Tishrei 10 through to Tishrei 23, with only a 5 day break for the “Harvest.” Now to move to a “Spiritual Teaching,” Yom Kippur is the Judgment, everybody’s character has now been eternally fixed by their lifestyle, Revelation 22:11 “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Then there is a 5 day break for “Harvest,” likened to “Wheat and Tares,” gather in the grain, abandon tares in the field for burning later. Next is “Seven Days” of the “Feast of Tabernacles,” which is a commemoration of the Exodus, but it is interesting that it takes 7-days to Exodus from earth to Heaven, 7-days to get married, the redeemed arrive in Heaven for the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb,” and this is a 7-day feast, most interesting chain of events. Revelation 21:4a “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;” each person gets to meet God, face to face, we get a “Crown of Life,” and Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah give us the concept of “I pledge Allegiance.”
Matthew 25:31-34 “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth [his] sheep from the goats: and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:” Revelation 7:17 “For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” As Christians we should probably daily recite something like this; “I pledge allegiance to the “Kingdom of God,” and for all of which it stands, one kingdom, eternal and indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Does your current lifestyle “Pledge Allegiance to God,” or to somebody else?
