Feast of Tabernacles
This page last updated:
05/02/2007 01:10 PM
Christian Faith and Practice through
Tabernacles
Sukkot: The Feast of
Tabernacles
Bruce Scott Bertram
"You shall celebrate the Feast of Booths seven days after you have gathered in from your threshing floor and your wine vat; and you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter and your male and female servants and the Levite and the stranger and the orphan and the widow who are in your towns. Seven days you shall celebrate a feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD chooses, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful." Deuteronomy 16:13-15
The Feast of Tabernacles (a.k.a. Booths or Nations) is the last of the seven yearly appointments that
God wants His children to keep with Him. In this short article we will go over the basic guidelines laid down for us by God to celebrate the feast together. One very large group of people who claim to wear His name are refusing to follow His Ways, but a remnant is realizing that perhaps the doctrines of men are wrong and more of His Word applies to His followers than previously thought. So this series of articles on Christian Faith and Practice is intended to help introduce the various specifics commanded in the Scriptures and provide a little background and encouragement for discovering the joys and blessings of obedience.
Yom Teruah is on the first of the month (Tishrei), Yom Kippur is on the tenth, and
Sukkot (sue-coat, Hebrew for temporary home such as a
tabernacle, booth or tent) begins on the 15th (this year starting on
October
18). Sukkot (or Feast of Tabernacles) lasts for a total of eight days, the first and last of which are regular Sabbaths, in addition to any weekly Sabbath. In a farming community (which might be closer to what God wants than our present techno-garbage society) this was after the fall harvest, and the feast was partly in thanksgiving for the bounty provided by the Father. The Tent of Meeting (Tabernacle) was a sukkot, and our own bodies could be considered a sukkot. The first mention of booths is in Genesis 33:17.
Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built for himself a house and made booths for his livestock; therefore the place is named Succoth.
Succoth is another spelling for Sukkot. The alleged "manger" which some Christians like to use in their pagan Christmas stories was not a feed bin or a stall for animals, but more likely a sukkot, and if you want my backup on this just send an email. A booth can be any kind of a temporary shelter. Some of our Jewish brothers and sisters build one inside the house out of flimsy materials such as cardboard and branches. Others build them outside with more sturdy materials that shed rain and hold up under high winds, or just pitch a tent. Some only eat meals in them; others live in them for the whole week. I suppose any of these options are fine as long as the idea is to rejoice, remember, and rehearse for the future.
For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. 2 Corinthians 5:1-5 NASB
Rehearsing is interesting here because a bunch of Scripture ties this feast to the future time when the Messiah will return and set up His Kingdom on earth (as it is in Heaven). Then, there will be no harm done by the environment, or other people, to us, so a temporary structure will be sufficient for our housing needs. Everyone will follow the Messiah's commands (like it or not), and there will be peace breaking out all over the place. The feast also ties us to the time when Isra'el spent a lot of time living in tents, and they took
God's tent around with them too. If you will, it is also symbolic of our temporary abode here on earth because our permanent home is wherever Jesus is. And, there are ties to the Garden, when people walked with God and we didn't need houses because the environment (and other people) was not harmful to our own Tabernacles.
Leviticus 23 has more of the specifics for celebrating this festival.
Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
"Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths for seven days to the LORD. On the first day is a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work of any kind. For seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to the LORD; it is an assembly.
You shall do no laborious work. These are the appointed times of the LORD which you shall proclaim as holy convocations, to present offerings by fire to the LORD-burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each day's matter on its own day- besides those of the Sabbaths of the LORD, and besides your gifts and besides all your votive and freewill offerings, which you give to the LORD. On exactly the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the crops of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the LORD for seven days, with a rest on the first day and a rest on the eighth day.
Now on the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees, palm branches and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. You shall thus celebrate it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month.
You shall live in booths for seven days; all the native-born in Israel shall live in booths, so that your generations may know that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.'" So Moses declared to the sons of Israel the appointed times of the LORD.
Leviticus 23:33-44 NASB
Notice that in the reference at the head of this article (Deuteronomy 16:13-17) that everyone is to be involved. In the reference immediately above (Leviticus 23:33-44) it says that all native-born Isra'elites are to live in the booths. However, in verse 33 it says "children of Isra'el." If all believers are not "children of Isra'el" then I don't know who is. The branches mentioned can, I believe, be any tree branch that is both beautiful to look at and leafy (pretty much including any tree branch). Palm and willow are just mentioned as examples of what
God has in mind. These branches are used for decoration, and for waving as part of rejoicing. Think about the sounds and smells when hundreds or thousands of people wave bunches of beautiful scented branches and rejoice!
At three feast times each year all Isra'el was to travel to Jerusalem - Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzot), Weeks (Pentecost or Shavuot), and Booths or tabernacles (Sukkot). They were not to appear empty handed, meaning they needed to bring freewill offerings.
"Three times in a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread and at the Feast of Weeks and at the Feast of Booths, and they shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed. Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you." Deuteronomy 16:16,17 NASB
And as I've mentioned before, we can either dismiss this because there is no Temple, or we can ask, "Where has He put His name now? Directly on us, the stones of His Temple?" So far this is my understanding, unless you can show me something different. We are all strangers and aliens here, and we are traveling by faith to the place God has told us to go, dragging these old tents around with us and waiting for our new dwelling.
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Hebrews 11:8-10 NASB
This feast was also known as the "Feast of Nations." According to Numbers 29:12-40, sacrifices were offered for the nations (70) throughout the week. The number 70 comes from Deuteronomy 32:8 where Moses says that the number of the nations was set according to the sons of Isra'el, and Deuteronomy 10:22 where the Word says the number of people was 70. When the Temple was destroyed it was not just a sad day for Isra'el but also for the nations, because these sacrifices were for them also. Of course we know that the Messiah offered Himself once for all (Hebrews 7:27), but this was true and applicable both before and after His death. Why institute sacrifices in the first place? Why not just point to the Messiah's death and say it was sufficient, though not realized in time and space (Revelation 13:8)? There is more going on here than meets the eye.
Besides, this feast is specifically mentioned as continuing on into the
Millennial Kingdom in Zechariah 14:16-18.
Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, there will be no rain on them. If the family of Egypt does not go up or enter, then no rain will fall on them; it will be the plague with which the LORD smites the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths. This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths. (NASB)
Another task we are to perform at this feast (in the Sabbath year - every seventh year) is the reading of the entire Law to E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E so that he or she may hear and fear. Kids who haven't known are taught, aliens (E.T. phone home?) are included, even the men get in on the act. Um, did I mention it was for all people?
Then Moses commanded them, saying, "At the end of every seven years, at the time of the year of remission of debts, at the Feast of Booths, when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place which He will choose, you shall read this law in front of all Israel in their hearing. Assemble the people, the men and the women and children and the alien who is in your town, so that they may hear and learn and fear the LORD your God, and be careful to observe all the words of this law. Their children, who have not known, will hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live on the land which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess." Deuteronomy 31:10-13 NASB
So there you have it. Build a temporary shelter (you can also pitch a tent), get some nicely scented and beautiful branches to wave around while singing and making merry, eat special food if you'd like, rest on the first and the eighth day (plus regular Sabbaths), every once in a while read the Law (first five books) to everyone, and rejoice a whole bunch.
Did I mention rejoicing?
Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice
Bruce Scott Bertram
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ONE of the more interesting of
the Holy Days that we are commanded to observe as "a statute forever in
all your generations" is the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles). It is
observed as a memorial of the times when the Israelites basically
"camped out" in the wilderness for forty years. Therefore, booths (sukkas)
are constructed with roofs of green, leafy branches that allows the
light to go through. Therefore, the instructions, "You shall dwell (teshvu)
in booths for seven days..." The shoresh (root word) for "teshvu" is "shev,"
meaning "sit" or "dwell." You can observe the mitzvah of dwelling in a
sukka by merely sitting in one and partaking of bread and wine (or grape
juice if you prefer). There are some hardy souls who actually sleep in
their sukkas, but this goes beyond the literal command. Also, the
command is for "all that are native born in Israel." It is not a
requirement for those of us who live in the Galut. However, it is a
worthwhile option to build a sukka or perhaps have a congregational
sukka if you are not able to build your own sukka. It's rich in
spiritual symbolism, and I heartily recommend it.
Regretfully, many in the
Christian churches tend to dismiss this celebration as "just another
Jewish holiday." This day is a day in which there were sacrifice
offerings in the Temple for each of the Gentile nations. According to
the Rabbis, there were 70 Gentile nations in ancient times. Beginning in
Numbers 29:13, you can read about the sacrifices that were offered on
each of the days of Sukkot. On the first day, 13 bullocks were offered
as a burnt offering. On the second day, 12 bullocks, on the third day,
11 bullocks, until finally on the seventh day, only 7 bullocks were
offered, making a total of 70 bullocks-one for each of the Gentile
nations.
This is not unusual. On
another "Jewish holiday" named Yom Kippur, it is traditional to read the
book of Jonah, who was a reluctant missionary to the Gentiles, and a
very successful one at that, to the chagrin of Jonah.
Prophetically, we learn that
in the Messianic Kingdom Age (the Millennium), it will be a biblical
commandment for Gentile nations to observe Sukkot. The nations that
choose to disobey this commandment to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to
worship YHWH will be cursed with draught. In fact, instead of
Judeophobia, we read: "In those days, it shall come to pass that ten men
shall take hold out of all the languages of the nations, even shall take
hold of the kanaph of him that is a Jew, saying, 'We will go with you,
for we have heard that God is with you.'" These Gentiles are literally
grabbing hold of the tzitzit (ritual fringes) of Jews. I would assume
that these are Messianic Jews. It might be good for Messianic Jews to
have these fringes in order for a literal fulfillment of this prophecy
to take place.
For those who "just want to be
like Jesus," it should be noted that Yeshua observed all the Biblical
holidays, including even Chanukah, which is a Jewish tradition, not a
biblical commandment. It was at the Feast of Sukkot that Yeshua's own
unbelieving brothers mocked Him, urging Him to make Himself known
publicly. Presumably, they hoped to see their Brother arrested.
Yeshua did indeed go to the Feast, at
His own timing. He
taught, saying, "My teaching
is not mine, but His who sent Me." Yeshua was always in
submission to the Father. (See also John 5:19, 30; 8:28; 14:28.) It was
on the last day of the Feast (the seventh day, called HaShana Raba),
during the water pouring ceremony, that Yeshua said,
"If any is thirsty, let him come
to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his
innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.'"
It was on the Mount of Transfiguration that Yeshua's
appearance transfigured before his talmidim (disciples). Then Elijah and
Moses appeared with Him - Moses representing Torah, and Elijah
representing the Neviim (Prophets), which both witness of Yeshua's
coming. At this time, Shimon Kefa (Simon Peter) says something that
Christians love to laugh about:
"Rabbi, it is good that we
should be here. Let us make three tabernacles, one for You, one for
Moses, and one for Elijah." You know ol' Peter. Open mouth,
insert foot. Sometimes that was true. But in this case, Peter had a good
reason to say what he said, because this event occurred during Sukkot.
"This World is not my home"
The Feast of Sukkot has another great symbolism. Have
you ever gone camping? I mean really camping-not in an air conditioned
cabin or a trailer with all the comforts of home. Have you ever gone
camping in a rough-hewn cabin or a tent? It can be great fun, getting
close to nature, even communing with some of the wild life. However,
after about a week, you are happy to get back home, enjoy a nice warm
bath, and sleep in a comfortable bed.
Rav Shaul (Paul) compared our bodies to being tents,
more literally sukkas. He said:
"Therefore, we do not lose
heart, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed
day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works
for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we look
not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen.
For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not
seen are eternal.
For we know that if our earthly
house of this tabernacle (sukka) is torn down, we have a building from
God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in
this sukka we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from
heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, shall not be found naked. For
indeed, while we are in this sukka, we groan, being burdened, because we
do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed in order that what is
mortal may put on immortality. For He who prepared us for this very
purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. Therefore, we are
always confident, know-ing that, while we are at home in the body we are
absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, and not by sight. We are
confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and
present with the Lord."
There you have it, folks. This
body that we are "clothed" with is just a sukka for our "soul." We are
just "camping out" in this sukka, but someday we will be going home. As
Larry Norman sang, "This world is not my home, I'm just passing
through." If you are a believer in Messiah Yeshua, and living for
Him, you have a heavenly citizenship. You might be the citizen of the
United States or some other country. You may love your country, and call
it home. However, you have another citizenship in Heaven. The writer of
Hebrews says of the great men and women of faith,
"But now they desire a better
country, that is, a heavenly one, wherefore, God is not ashamed to be
called their God, for He has prepared for them a city." In
Judaism, this is known as the Olam Haba, the World to Come.
According to Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers)
4:21-22,
"This world is like a lobby
before the Olam Haba. Prepare yourself in the lobby, so that you may
enter the banquet hall. Better is one hour of spiritual bliss in
the Olam Haba than the entire life of This World."
We also believe in the Messianic Kingdom taking place on
this planet for at least a thousand years. You might take a little break
from eternity to spend a thousand years crawling around on this planet
again, but with a supernatural body, somewhat like the Resurrected
Yeshua, who was able to pass through walls and locked doors, and
suddenly appear and disappear at will. Ezekiel's vision of the Dry Bones
tells us that all Israel will be resurrected and brought back to the
Land of Israel, which will be considerably larger than it is today,
despite the best efforts of recent Israeli Prime Ministers to dissect
and give away the Land.
After the Millennium, there will be a New Jerusalem
lowered down from the heavens, about 1500 miles wide, 1500 miles long,
and 1500 miles high, perhaps in the shape of a great pyramid. There is a
wall around the city about 72 yards high. If the city were a cube, this
wall would look like a small molding around the base. As a pyramid, the
wall would look like a wall. The 12 gates are named after the 12 tribes
of Israel, a very Jewish city. The gates themselves are 12 pearls. In
order for these pearls to look like gates on a wall 72 yards high, these
pearls must be gargantuan. Imagine the size of the oysters that made the
pearls!
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