By: ICEJ Staff

For the first time ever in the 43 years of the ICEJ’s Feast of Tabernacles, our celebration opened on Sunday evening (9 October) along the shores of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel, with a standing-room only gathering of 1,700 Christians from some 70 nations. The beautiful setting at the Capernaum National Park provided the perfect backdrop for the Opening night of this year’s Feast the first physical Feast we have been able to hold since 2019 due to corona.

The excitement was building as the steady stream of tourist buses started arriving next to the site of biblical Capernaum, while the online Feast participants from at least 25 other countries eagerly watched the clock on our special streaming platform as it counted down for the launch of the ICEJ’s first-ever hybrid Feast celebration!

Israeli pastor Daniel Yahav, from Tiberias, gave a welcome greeting from the local believers to the Christians from all over the world. We were so blessed by the word from Apostle Renê Terra Nova from Brazil, while an array of anointed worship leaders from Israel, South Africa, Finland, Norway, and elsewhere led us in raising the banner of praise to the Lord, as the sound of our voices echoed across the venerated Sea of Galilee.

Apostle Renê Terra Nova was the main speaker of the evening, who emphasised in a fiery message the meaning of this year’s Feast theme “The Land of Promise“. He encouraged the guests in their spiritual identity to take up “Emuna”, the Jewish idea of truth and faith in their lives, to make a change for their own lives, as well as being a blessing for their nations.

Christina, a believer from Brazil, responded to the message by saying: “Without faith there is no ‘conquering’ the land, meaning to take what Yeshua (Jesus) has prepared for and promised to us – be it spiritually, socially, financially. Even if you have to give up anything for God that you might not understand right now. Sometimes all He wants is a stand of faithfulness from us.”

“I come to the Feast every year to obey the biblical command for our nation (in Zechariah 14:16) and to experience God’s revival in my life. Each time I have come, there has a special blessing come out of it.”

Festus Mulwanda, a church leader from Zambia, was amazed by his first taste of the Feast, saying: “This needs to go all over the world. The Holy Spirit was really present. The worship band from Norway (Filadelfia Lovesang) carried the presence of the Lord, and I want to get them to Zambia.”

Meanwhile, Eivi, a Jewish tour guide at the Capernaum site next door, was drawn to the scene and shared his thoughts on Christians and the Feast of Tabernacles. “According to the Torah, we live in a succah for one week each year and can see the stars through the roof of palm leaves during the night. It is a reminder to be dependent on HaShem (the Holy Name), even today. Christians are visiting this place because it is one of their holiest places in the world. Here, Yeshua lived and performed many wonders and healings as well.”

The second evening of the Feast will also be in the same location along the shores of the Galilee on Monday evening, and we are looking forward to hearing from evangelist Manasa Kolivuso, coming all the way from Fiji, as this evening focuses on: “To the ends of the earth.”

Our overall theme for Feast 2022 is The Land of Promise, and it indeed promises to be a glorious eight-day journey through the Land of Israel for all our Feast pilgrims, both in-person and online. You can still register and be part of this incredible Feast of Tabernacles celebration. Go to feast.icej.org

In the meantime, enjoy this special highlight video capturing Day 1 of the Feast. Also visit our Feast Gallery throughout the Feast at feastgallery.icej.org to see stunning photos.