L25.12.82.htm

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"AND HERE HE IS EATING… AND HERE HE IS DRINKING,
AND HE ACTUALLY AWAKES AND HERE HE IS TIRED
AND HIS SOUL IS DRIED OUT". (From Isaiah 29:8).

THE SPIRITUAL FULFILMENT.
In order to understand Isaiah 29:1-13, try to recollect how people felt as they celebrated Christmas. Don't you remember how eagerly they anticipated its arrival, and how they made extensive preparations for it? But can you also recall their spirit and demeanour after Christmas? Would you not agree that their spirit was tired and "dried out"? For Jehovah has warned: "Thus it will occur with the crowd of all the nations that are waging war against Mount Zion". (29:8). But why do their spirits feel "dried out"? The answer is that by such activities they are warring against the Spirit of God, invoking His disapproval, which leads Him to "make things tight for Ar'i.el". Jehovah God has chosen Ar'i.el as the only sacred place where people of God may offer their spirit sacrifices to Him. Ar'i.el is The Altar Hearth of God. (29:1,2 & 7).

The sectarian festival* of Christmas is simply an excuse for over-indulgence and excess. The reason for the phrase "Woe to Ar'i.el, to Ar'i.el" is that God prophesies woe to the spiritual place where people make approach to Him with their spirit sacrifices. (29:1). Such woe is particularly directed against those of a warring disposition against the Spirit of God, including those who attribute Christ's name to their sectarian celebration of Christmas festivities while the House of God is waste. (See Haggai 1:9). (Note: Sectarian religions are not of God's House).

Almighty God has promised: "And I have to make things tight for Ar'i.el, and there must come to be mourning and lamentation, and she must become to me as the altar hearth of God." (29:2). There are many sinful ways by which mankind is making things tight for "Ar'i.el", such that their unclean spirit sacrifices are unacceptable to God; whereas His faithful servants are still permitted to offer their righteous spirit sacrifices upon His "altar".

"LET THE FESTIVALS RUN THE ROUND." (29:1).
To all those falsely claiming to be His beloved people of spiritual "Jerusalem", Jehovah says: "Add year upon year, you people; let the festivals* run the round. And I have to make things tight for Ar'i.el". (29:1,2). Why? "Because this people approach Me with their mouths and honour Me with their lips while their hearts are far from Me, and their religion is but a precept of men, learnt by rote, therefore I will yet again shock this people, adding shock to shock: the wisdom of their wise men shall vanish and the discernment of the discerning shall be lost." (29:13,14 NEB). To those waging war against spiritual "Mount Zion" Jehovah gives further warning: "Woe to those who are going very deep in concealing counsel from Jehovah Himself, and whose deeds have occurred in a dark place, while they say: "Who is seeing us, and who is knowing of us?"" (29:15).

Christmas, its source and promotion, is a "dark place". It is one of many sectarian festivals running the round from year to year. After he had accomplished the said Will of God, our Lord Jesus inaugurated his "evening meal" to commemorate the symbolic meaning of his death and its benefits. (1 Cor 11:23-34). But to celebrate the birth of the infant Jesus, before he became The Christ, is to follow the precepts of sectarian religion "learnt by rote". Christmas celebrators have made their approach to God difficult, so God deliberately makes it difficult for them. ( 29:7,8). So much so, that after their Godless festivals are over, they feel as if they were a dream; for after having eaten and drunk to excess, their spirits are still unfulfilled for yet another year, "and here he is tired and his soul is dried out". (29:8). People should celebrate the festivals of the booths of God. (Zech 14:16 19).

Celebrators of Christmas, read of your position before God: "Woe to Ar'i.el to Ar'i.el, the town where David encamped! Add year upon year, you people; let the festivals run the round. And I have to make things tight for Ar'i.el, and there must come to be mourning and lamentation, and she must become to me as the altar hearth of God… And it must occur just as in a dream, in a vision of the night, regarding the crowd of all the nations that are waging war against Ar'i.el, even all those waging war against her, and the siege towers against her and those making things tight for her. Yes, it must occur just as when someone hungry dreams and here he is eating, and he actually awakes and his soul is empty; and just as when someone thirsty dreams and here he is drinking, and he actually awakes and here he is tired and his soul is dried out; thus it will occur with the crowd of all the nations that are waging war against Mount Zion. Linger, you men, and be amazed; blind yourselves, and be blinded. They have become intoxicated, but not with wine; they have moved unsteadily, but not because of intoxicating liquor. For upon you men Jehovah has poured a spirit of deep sleep; and He closes your eyes, the prophets, and He has covered even your heads, the visionaries." (From Isaiah 29:1-13).

(Cont. on Page 3/1/83).

25/12/82.