George H. Warnock — Eschatology
b1 — The Feast of Tabernacles
Feast of Tabernacles as Eschatological Type
Warnock’s central thesis is that the three Israelite feasts (Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles) typify the entire Church age, and that the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles still lies ahead:
“We are confident that the hour has come in the history of the Church when Israel’s annual cycle of Feasts is about to be fulfilled in the midst of the saints.” (The Feast of Tabernacles, Ch. 1)
“These Feasts prefigure and typify the whole Church age beginning with the Cross and consummating in the manifestation of the sons of God and the glorious display of God’s power and glory.” (Ch. 1)
The first two feasts have already been fulfilled: Passover in the crucifixion, Pentecost in the outpouring of the Spirit. The Feast of Tabernacles — “the Feast of Ingathering” — is the eschatological closing phase:
“Two of the three annual Feasts of Israel’s worship have already been fulfilled in Christ and His Church… we are now on the verge of the fulfillment of the last annual Feast of the Lord.” (Ch. 1)
Note: Warnock places the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles not in eternity but in Church history itself — a “last great revival” that closes the Church age before or at the Second Coming.
Second Coming: Parousia as Spiritual Visitation
Warnock challenges the common view that the Second Coming is exclusively a future, physical event:
“There has been a general misunderstanding of the Word of God throughout Christendom concerning the truth of the coming of the Lord; for it is clear as we consider all the Scriptures on the subject, that the Lord’s coming is a spiritual visitation in the midst of His people, as well as a literal and bodily visitation.” (Ch. 14)
The term parousia means “presence” or “being alongside,” not merely “arrival”:
“The word commonly translated ‘coming’ in the New Testament is ‘parousia,’ which signifies ‘presence,’ or ‘being alongside.’ It is therefore used of the coming of men in the flesh, as well as of the coming of Christ.” (Ch. 14)
As evidence, Warnock cites 2Pet. 1:16-17, where Peter describes the Transfiguration as the “parousia” of Christ — even though Christ was already physically present:
“Peter describes the glorious visitation of God on the mount of transfiguration as the ‘coming,’ the ‘parousia,’ the ‘presence’ of Christ.” (Ch. 14)
Yet Warnock also affirms a future literal return:
“True, there shall come a day when the glory of the Lord shall cover the earth ‘as the waters cover the sea’; when every eye shall see Him; when the same Jesus that was taken up into Heaven, shall come in like manner as they saw Him go. But first there is the Appearing of Christ in the midst of His people by the Spirit.” (Ch. 14)
Note: Warnock employs a two-phase Second Coming: (1) a spiritual parousia — Christ reveals himself in his people by the Spirit — and (2) a future visible, bodily appearance. The spiritual visitation precedes the physical and is the goal of the Feast of Tabernacles.
Manifestation of the Sons of God (Kingdom Now)
The core theme of Warnock’s eschatology is the imminent “unveiling of the sons of God” (cf. Rom. 8:19), a company of overcomers who realize Christ’s victory here and now:
“Before this cherished rapture or resurrection takes place, there is to arise a group of overcomers who shall appropriate even here and now their heritage of Resurrection Life in Jesus Christ.” (Ch. 14)
This does not mean they already receive glorified bodies, but that they appropriate the life of Christ so fully that sickness, sin and death have no hold on them:
“We are not inferring that the saints will go about in glorified bodies. But we are speaking of the saints reaching out and appropriating even here and now in their earthly temples the very Life of Christ… and of living the very spotless, immaculate life of the Son of God Himself in virtue of His abiding presence within.” (Ch. 14)
Warnock connects Ps. 110:1 and 1Cor. 15:25-26 with the precondition for the Second Coming:
“God hath said, ‘Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.’ (Ps. 110:1.) And the last enemy is Death! (1Cor. 15:26)” (Ch. 14)
Note: Christ remains at the Father’s right hand until his enemies are subdued by his people. This is a victory eschatology: the Church must overcome the enemies (including death) before Christ returns — a position associated with Kingdom Now or Latter Rain theology (1948 movement).
Resurrection — Future and Present
Warnock affirms the future bodily resurrection:
“There is no question as to the fact that one day ‘the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,’ and the saints shall be caught away to be with Him for ever. (1Thess. 4:16.) And again, ‘In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.’ (1Cor. 15:52.)” (Ch. 14)
But resurrection is also a present spiritual process:
“The Resurrection and the Life is not a mere historic event, to take place in the distant future, — but the Resurrection and the Life is a Person, even the Lord Jesus Christ who dwells in our hearts.” (Ch. 14)
“Resurrection and Life, then, are not merely the attributes of the resurrection, and events which are to take place at the rapture. But the Resurrection and the Life are held out to the sons of God even here and now.” (Ch. 14)
Warnock cites John 11:25-26 — “Whoever lives and believes in me shall never die” — as a promise to be appropriated by the overcomers:
“By faith all things are and shall be possible. The very dispensations themselves are but weak barriers and obstacles if men of faith are enabled by the Spirit to reach out and leap beyond them.” (Ch. 14)
Ingathering of the Nations (Feast of Ingathering)
The Feast of Ingathering (Feast of Tabernacles as harvest festival) typifies the last great harvest of souls:
“And the Feast of Ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labors out of the field (Ex. 23:16).” (Ch. 10)
Warnock connects Joel 2:23-24 with this end-time harvest. God will pour out both the former and latter rain simultaneously:
“Here… God has promised to do something most unusual; for He would give, not only the former rain which belongs to that month, but He would give the former rain and the latter rain combined!” (Ch. 10)
“This River of Life has been flowing ever since Pentecost… But soon it shall empty into the mighty oceans of humanity, bringing life and blessing to a dry and parched wilderness.” (Ch. 14)
Day of the Lord / Great Tribulation
Warnock takes the Great Tribulation seriously as a future reality, but places the overcomers outside it in an operational sense:
“They shall be completely triumphant over all the powers of darkness that are arrayed against them — and shall in no wise partake of the world’s coming Tribulation, except to fulfill the works of God on behalf of the Church.” (Ch. 14)
The Day of the Lord is simultaneously a day of judgment and restoration:
“The day of vengeance is at the same time a great day of blessing. Isaiah therefore continues: ‘And the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes…’ (Isa. 61:2-3.) True, it is the day of vengeance, but it is likewise a day of rejoicing.” (Ch. 14)
The Moses-Elijah company (the overcomers) will shorten the Great Tribulation:
“The great tribulation itself is going to be cut short because of the sons of God… ‘For the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened’ (Matt. 24:22).” (Ch. 12)
Sabbath Feast as Eschatological Rest
The Feast of Tabernacles begins and ends on a sabbath (Lev. 23:39), which Warnock typifies as “the Sabbath of all Sabbaths”:
“Just as the weekly sabbath was the end of Israel’s week of toil and labor — so the Feast of Tabernacles is the end of the Church’s week of strife and turmoil: the Feast of all Feasts, the Sabbath of all Sabbaths. ‘There remaineth therefore a rest (A Sabbath) to the people of God’ (Heb. 4:9).” (Ch. 11)
The eighth day of the feast points to a new beginning:
“The eighth day would speak, no doubt, of the completion of God’s purposes in the Church, and the beginning of a new day.” (Ch. 11)
Creation Groaning (Rom. 8:19-23)
Warnock cites the groaning creation as evidence that the manifestation of the Sons of God has a cosmic purpose:
“The New Covenant has declared that the earnest expectation of the Creation, and that the groans and travails of a world under the curse of sin and death — shall find glorious release and liberty in ‘the manifestation of the sons of God’ (Rom. 8:19-23). And the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” (Ch. 14)
Kingdom of God — Not Observable but Inherent
Warnock interprets Luke 17:20-21 as a fundamental characteristic of the Kingdom:
“The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say Lo here! or lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. (Lk. 17:20-21)… Not with a great burst of glory from Heaven, for it ‘cometh not’ with observation. Rather shall it come ‘in secret,’ in the hearts of God’s people.” (Ch. 14)
Warnock rejects a literally observable Kingdom as its first manifestation. The Kingdom begins inwardly but will also become outwardly visible:
“Of course it will be observed and made manifest in the earth in due course; and ‘of His Kingdom there shall be no end.‘” (Ch. 14)