Tabernacles Central

Holy Cows make the best hamburgers

The two most sacred cows in protestant Christianity are the nature of God and marriage.  Doctrines concerning these two aspects of God’s word are considered established fact and dare not be questioned or altered in any way.  To most, God is a trinity and marriage is for life.  Obviously, to challenge either of these dogmas is to invite scorn and ridicule from practically every corner of Christendom. So let’s get going.

Unfortunately, much of what is taught on both these subjects is wrong.  The fact is God is one and not three in one.  Moreover, most people marry out of the will of God and are not joined together in His sight.  Like the false doctrine of indulgences which Martin Luther railed against, much of these two dogmas are largely of man’s making and do not reflect the scriptures accurately.

The phenomena of spiritual connections

The reason the phenomena of spiritual connections is relevant for believers today is because “Divine Love” is the sign associated with the restoration of the Feast of Tabernacles.  Just like forgiveness is associated with the Passover and speaking in other tongues is associated with Pentecost, spiritual connections are the sign of becoming one with God through the Tabernacle experience.

In the New Testament, God speaks about connecting the Body of Christ, so it is nothing new.  However, it is the manner in which the Body of Christ connects which causes many to stumble. Due to the false doctrine that God joins together any man and woman who sleep together, when God begins to break apart those unholy unions; all hell breaks loose.

Divine Divorce and Divine Marriage

Divine divorce and Divine marriage are part of the same phenomena of spiritual unions.  Just as the Israelite men had to put away their wives who were not from the tribe of Israel, so too, when God restores His people to their rightful place, marital unions which are not of Him may be dissolved likewise. When men and women return to God, that which is not of our Father has to go.

I remember when this happened to me.  I attended a very strict Pentecostal church where I met and married a fellow Bible College Graduate.  She was a good woman and I felt that, in view of my desire to be a minister, my bride to be was a good choice. However, my choice was a completely natural minded and, as I found out later, not spirit-led.   In fact, as the date of our wedding approached, I felt less and less enthusiastic about our coming marriage.

Diligently reasoned marriage

I reasoned that I must just be getting cold feet because I diligently followed all the many principles that our Bible College taught concerning family relations.  We both went through mandatory pre-marriage counseling that our church provided.  We did not have premarital sex and she was a virgin.  So, as I checked off all the correct boxes, I bowed my head to the wind and pushed on through.  Oddly enough, I never once prayed to God to see if marrying her was His will because I felt so sure that I must be in His will based on my own reasoning.

The wedding came and went and we settled into married life.  For three years my new bride and I lived and grew to know one another.  To me, it was apparent very soon that we were not as compatible as I had hoped.  Yet, we had a fairly good marriage, compared to some, and we loved each other.  That is, until the Spirit of God showed up.

Be careful what you pray for

Our church taught that there would be one last, great revival sweeping the world and bringing to a close the church age in anticipation of Jesus’s return.  We lived in the “end times” and momentous events were about to take place.  All our efforts and dreams focused upon preparation for a future where God manifested through us to the world.

At one point, the whole church began praying, almost without ceasing.  This continued for some months.  Then the church began to sing in unison in the Holy Spirit.  We experienced the heavenly choir.  Nearly 3000 people singing as one.  After that, demonic deliverance broke out and demons manifested as they were cast out of almost everyone.  Then, just when I thought God could do nothing to top that strangeness, the move of spiritual connections hit like a Spring storm.

I see Jesus in your eyes and it makes me love you

The Divine Love of God flooded the hearts of everyone at church. We began to dance before the lord.  Soon, people danced with one another and spiritually connected through God’s Spirit.  All different types of connections occurred at many different levels. Some manifested brotherly love, others focused on spiritual healing and deliverance. Still there connections went so deep that people lost themselves as they experienced oneness with God and each other. At the time we did not understand all the theology and we simply allowed God to lead us by His Spirit.  Soon, though, some marriages began to unravel.  Those who experienced what some called “mega connections” began to spend more time with their spiritual mate than with their natural mate. If both both spouses had spiritual connections, neither one cared much.  However, in marriages where only one spouse experienced a connection and the other one didn’t, WWIII often ensued.

Hind feet on high places

It became apparent to me, very soon, that my wife could not go where I was going in God.  Though she initially entered into the move of the Spirit, as soon as I connected with another woman, jealousy arose and she began to oppose what God was doing. Experiencing connections is a bit like being thrown in the lake in order to learn how to swim;  it is not pretty and people fought for their spiritual lives.

I began to feel that our marriage was not of God, although, by my natural reasoning I could not understand why.  I followed all the principles; my wife was a good, godly woman, our church approved our marriage, so what was wrong with that?  More and more, though, I knew my spouse could not go where I was going. Whereas I was happy to do even the most crazy and unorthodox things in God, she desired a white picket fence existence.  Neither of us were bad people, we were just completely different people with different callings.

Take up your cross and follow him

I cannot describe how difficult our break up was.  “Agony” does not do the pain justice.  Our hearts torn apart and my theology in shambles, all I could say was, “Lord, thou knowest.”  In retrospect, I hung on, in retrospect,  to our marriage longer than I should have.  I caused us, by doing so, more pain than necessary.  I just couldn’t divorce until I felt that I knew that was what God wanted.  Finally, after much agonizing and prayer, I submitted to God’s will.  Urging me to take a course of action that went against everything I was ever taught, I told my wife I wanted a divorce.

Amazingly, after I made the decision all the turmoil inside my heart and mind quieted.  I felt extreme conviction to do something everyone said was wrong. Once I obeyed God’s voice, I felt fine.  At that moment, I felt no anger towards my wife even though, in the lead up to our divorce, we fought quite a lot.  Like the sea of Galilee after Jesus rebuked the storm, everything became still.

Goodnight dear

Eventually, my wife moved out of our house and rented a place of her own.  I gave her all of our things and moved her myself.  I felt no animosity towards her but rather only compassion and sympathy. After all, she was not a bad woman and it was I who made the rash vow. Every night for months I went over and tucked her into bed, sitting by her side and stroking her hair until she fell asleep.  I did this until one night she told me it was fine now and I needn’t come over any more.

My ex-wife never changed her last name, even when she remarried.  We would talk over the phone every once in a while like old friends.  Thankfully, we never hated each other or actually blamed each other for what happened. We simply divinely divorced.

Big adjustments are ahead

Tabernacles, and the love of God associated with it, is an amazing experience.  God connects the Body of Christ in ways that we had no idea were ever possible. The unity of the Spirit does tend towards the unity of the faith.  Yet, with all those wonderful things comes sacrifice and hardship.  We have strayed so far from God that to return to His side requires a big adjustment.  When we are on our own path, far from Him, we must change quite a bit to find Him again.

The realignment of everything in our lives is part an parcel with following Jesus.  When Christ called the twelve  they simply left whatever they were doing and followed him.  If you refuse to leave your past behind, when God calls, you are not worthy of Him.  So too, with our marriages made inappropriately through our natural minded thinking, we must walk away from our old life.  When Jesus passes by we have to leave whatever we cannot take with us. If your present wife or husband will come with you when Jesus calls, then all well and good.  If your spouse will not, then you must answer the Lord’s call anyway.  This is what happens to some during the move of Tabernacles when God connects the Body of Christ to one another.  Some answer His call but others don’t. It all depends on what God leads you to do.

It doesn’t have to be hard

Divine divorce is actually very peaceable once you decide to yield to God’s Spirit.  Turmoil comes when one or both you of you fight what God is doing.  Our Father does not wish to hurt anyone and, if you will allow Him to do so, will separate you without pain or animosity.  Fortunately, my wife and I did not have children at that time and so our separation was easier. If you are being led by His Spirit,  even if children are involved, the spiritual dissolution of your  marriage can go smoothly.

In conclusion, Spiritual connections is one of the most striking features of the restoration of the feast of Tabernacles to the Body of Christ.  God is sovereign in our lives and like with the virgin Mary, He can do with us as He pleases. Ours is simply to submit when the Holy Spirit overshadows us, glorying in His grace and favor.

Happy to help

Finally, I speak to you of these very personal things in order to provide some comfort and perspective.  If you ever experience a divine divorce, at the behest of God’s Holy Spirit, what I write will help.

Realize, that hardly no one will understand you or sympathize with your decision  no matter how carefully you try to explain what is happening.  Even close friends may brand you as a sinner who is only out for their own pleasure and self interest.  While God will be with you it will seem like the whole world is against you.  Realize, though, that what you are experiencing is not unique to you, but something that God has done, on many occasions, all throughout history.

Don’t camp, it’s a wilderness out there

Failing to yield to God’s Spirit may arrest your spiritual progress until you do. If and when you eventually say yes, God will bring you back to the exact same place that you refused to follow Him the first time.  Some people refused to do what God commands and never progress in Him the rest of their lives.  Don’t let this happen to you.  Don’t just run around in circles until you bleach your bones in a spiritual wilderness.  Your life in Christ depends on your obedience to the will of our heavenly Father.

Hugs and God bless,

Michael

Broken by Casting Crowns

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