The Feast of Booths is an especially JOYOUS time of the year for the JEWS, and
as we shall see, Christians should certainly share in that JOY all the more!
I have listed below some common “idioms” for the Feast of Booths:
n The Season of Our Joy
n The Festival of Ingathering
n The Feast of the Nations
n The Festival of Dedication
n The Festival of Lights
n S u k k o t
The Feast of Booths or Sukkot:
n 7 days in duration
n It Follows YOM KIPPUR
n which was a time of somber reflection and repentance [a time when one seeks to have their name added to the BOOK OF LIFE]
n Mindset of Sukkot is a JOYOUS one!
* * * ATTENDANCE WAS REQUIRED * * *
Deuteronomy 16:16
[16] “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your GOD at the place that he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths. They shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed.
Like many of these FEAST days or memorials, Sukkot’s roots can be traced back to the EXODUS.
THE MISHKAN
Exodus 25 : 8 – 9
[8]Thus they will make for ME a sanctuary, and I will dwell “abide” in their midst.
[9]According to all that I am showing you, the model of the tabernacle or MISHKAN “dwelling place” and the model of all its furnishings, thus shall you make it.
NOTE: The Mishkan is a Hebrew word for the LORD’s tabernacle. This is different than the term “cukkah” which we explore a little later.
n The Mishkan was always present
n Although it was portable it was a very permanent structure
n It reminds of that GOD seeks to dwell with us daily
n It is a picture of JESUS the MESSIAH
n
In Exodus 35 – 38
n The building of the Tabernacle “RESUMED” in spite of their “sin”
n The Golden Calf incident.
It reminds me of Romans 5:8 where Paul reminds us:
But GOD demonstrates HIS own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, CHRIST died for us.
Now that we understand the “history” of Sukkot, let’s take a look at the establishment of it as part of the LORD’s ordinance.
Leviticus 23: 33 - 34
[33] Again the LORD spoke to Moses saying,
[34] “Speak unto the children of Israel
n #2282 chag feast / festival ~ as in a solemn feast day
n #5521 cukkah booth or tent ~ a temporary dwelling
#5521 cukkah [sukkah]
n a hut, a booth, tent,
n The idea is a temporary dwelling place
n The cukkah is FOR THE PEOPLE
The Feast of Booths represents the LORD living among HIS redeemed people.
Leviticus 23: 35
[35] On the first day shall be a holy [6944] convocation [4744]; ye shall do no manner of servile work.
n #6944 qo-desh apartness, sacredness, separeteness
n #4744 mi-qra calling together, sacred assembly – or rehearsal
Leviticus 23: 36
[36] Seven days ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the LORD; on the eighth day shall be a holy convocation UNTO YOU; and ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the LORD; it is a day of solemn assembly; ye shall do no manner of servile work.
- There are A LOT of sacrifices taking place during Sukkot
Symbolism of Numbers
5 = GRACE
6 = Man, Incompleteness
7 = Completeness, Fullness
8 = NEW BEGINNINGS
The Eight Day
n Here we have the mention of the Eighth day symbolizing New Beginnings
n Just as there were 8 people who came off of the LORD’s Ark.
n Circumcision was to be performed on the 8th day
n This is also known as Shemini Atzeret “The Assembly of the Eight”
n Referenced in Numbers 29:35
Certainly Sukkot left its participants with the feeling of a new beginning to life!
Leviticus 23 : 37 -38
[37] These are the appointed times of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to bring an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt-offering, and a meal-offering, a sacrifice, and drink-offerings, each on its own day;
[38] beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill-offerings, which ye give unto the LORD.
- Notice a lot of offerings and sacrifices. Some of these were for the priest to enjoy, some for the people, and yet others for the GOD alone.
- The idea is that everything was offered and everyone was included in some form or fashion.
Leviticus 23 : 39
[39] Howbeit on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruits of the land, ye shall keep the feast of the LORD seven days; on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest.
n Notice we are in the Fruit harvest
n Again, mention of the 8th day
Leviticus 23 : 40 - 41
[40] And ye shall take you on the first day the fruit of goodly trees [etrog], branches of palm-trees [lulav], and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook, and ye shall REJOICE before the LORD your God seven days.
n These materials were/are incorporated into the cukkah
n Yes, Jews to this day still build cukkah’s during Sukkot.
Feast of Tabernacles is a time of great JOY
Leviticus 23 : 42 – 43
[42] Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are home-born in Israel
[43] that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt
- The LORD GOD delivered the Israelites from the spiritual bankruptcy that was
Egypt
We should also remember:
n The Egyptians were blessed by the presence of the Israelites, when they left they took “their” blessing with them.
n [Exodus 12:35-36]
n A call to remember that the LORD did not have them leave Empty-handed.
n A Reminder that we are merely passing through this Life
~ PICTURES TO PRINCIPLES ~
n What Did It Look Like when the Tribes “Tabernacled” together?
n Numbers 1 – 2 gives us an idea
Symbolisms of the MESSIAH in Deuteronomy 16 :13
[13 ] “You shall keep the Feast of Booths seven days, when you have gathered in the produce from your threshing floor and your winepress.
n Threshing Floor is where BREAD is MADE
n Winepress is where WINE is MADE
n The BODY and BLOOD of the MESSIAH
A SEASON OF JOY JOY JOY
Deuteronomy 16 : 14 – 15
[14 ] You shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your towns.
[15 ] For seven days you shall keep the feast to the LORD your God at the place that the LORD will choose, 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.
THE FEAST OF NATIONS
Numbers 29 : 13 -32
n Feast of Nations according to Jewish Law:
n 70 Bulls Sacrificed for the 70 Nations of the Earth
n They were making atonement for all the Nations of the Earth
n Bulls are sacrificed each day in DESCENDING ORDER
n To illustrate that the Nations shall decrease
n Note on the 8th day of “New Beginnings” there is a sacrifice of One BULL signifying one Nation under YHVH
70 NATIONS
n Based on Genesis Chapter 10 & 11
n Descendants of Noah’s sons: SHEM HAM JAPHETH
n Just as the Egyptians showed favor to the Israelites, so too, do the Jews show favor to the rest of the Nations.
n Exodus 12:35-36
n They left with their WEALTH – Gold and Silver
n They left with their garments
~ What was scattered, HE will also bring back ~
Genesis 11
n The need for 70 distinct nations is only a result of the Tower of Babel
n The ideal, however, is that mankind should unite in the service of GOD. As the prophet Zephaniah proclaims:
Zephaniah 3:9
“Then will I return to the nations purified lips [a clean language] so that they can all call on the Name of GOD and serve HIM in unison.”
* I M P O R T A N T * * *
We must understand that the JEWISH people see their Nation as the way to unite ALL peoples under the One True GOD – YHVH ELOHIM
That is why they sacrifice a BULL for every Nation – to make ATONEMENT for them so that they TOO may dwell with GOD.
Now Let’s Explore what was going on at the TEMPLE
Specifically we are going to focus on the Sukkot Ceremony
[The information was kindly provided by the Temple Institute – I have included a link to their site under my Noteworthy Links heading]
There were 3 main parts to the Sukkot Ceremony:
- Sacrifices
- Water Libation Ceremony
Temple Light Show
The Daily Ceremony:
n Priests were divided into 3 groups of 8
n First Group of Priests:
n Responsible for the slaying of all the sacrifices
n Second Group of Priests:
n Water & Wine Duties – Water Libation Ceremony
n Third Group of Priests:
n Wind Duties
n The Temple Light Show
Note: All three of these Activities carried on for the entire 7 DAYS
Water Libation Ceremony
n Second [Group of Priests]:
n Headed by the High Priest went out the Water Gate to the pool of Siloam which had “Living Water”!
n The High Priest’s assistant had a silver pitcher of wine. At dawn, the assembly proceeded with melody and song to the spring of Siloam, at the foot of the walls of Jerusalem
n The Pool of Siloam (John 9:7), means “SENT.”
n There the high priest had a golden vase and drew the water known as the living waters (mayim hayim) and held it in the vase.
Picture it :
The assistant with a silver vase containing wine, and the high priest with a special golden decanter filled it with the living water ascending to the Temple
n Arriving at the Temple
n With the Water in the GOLD “cup” and the Wine in the SILVER cup were poured out onto that altar – thus cleansing the altar.
n The Gold cup of Righteousness and the Silver cup of Redemption
Now think of how JESUS “might” be represented here:
John 19 : 34
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced HIS side, and immediately there came out BLOOD and WATER.
n The “CROSS” can be seen as a type of altar.
As the Congregation and the Priests were descending and ascending from the temple collecting the Living Water, a THIRD group of Priests were performing a very important part.
n Third [Group of Priests]:
n Went out the Beautiful Gate to the Motzah Valley
n Like a parade they’d form rows and rows of priests 30’ apart waving the branches.
n At the same time the both groups with the wind and the water would march back to the Temple
n This was to be symbolic of the Spirit coming upon Jerusalem
n Once they arrived at their gates a priest known as the ”pierced one” played a flute calling for the Wind and Water to enter the Temple!!!
n JESUS’ death and resurrection allows for HIS SPIRIT and WORD to live in US –The “TEMPLE
As this “parade” was transpiring there was much JOYOUS singing!
The Song of the Water Libation Ceremony was Isaiah 12 : 1 – 6 :
[1] You will say in that day:
“I will give thanks to you, O LORD,
for though you were angry with me,
your anger turned away,
that you might comfort me.
[2 ] “Behold, GOD is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.”
[3 ] With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
[4 ] And you will say in that day:
“Give thanks to the LORD,
call upon his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples,
proclaim that HIS NAME is exalted.
[5 ] “Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously;
let this be made known in all the earth.
[6 ] Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”
~ A Note about Rivers of Living Waters ~
This is a symbol of the nourishing aspect of the TORAH and GOD’s WORD.
n For Hebrews it is the TORAH
[8451] to’ra Teaching or Instruction
ROOT
[3384] ya’ra to throw water – to rain
n For Followers of YESHUA it is THE WORD as embodied by JESUS
John 7 : 2
n Tells us that the Feast of Booths was at hand
Verse 37-39
[37 ] On the last day of the feast, the great day, JESUS stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
[38 ] Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his belly will flow rivers of living water.’”
[39 ] Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because JESUS was not yet glorified.
THIS WAS A VERY HERETICAL STATEMENT ! ! !
Jeremiah 12:13
[13 ] for my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.
n Living water is water that is flowing; it is fresh unlike the stale water that collects in cisterns.
n Our “religion” can’t compare with that of a relationship with our FATHER
Finally let’s take a look at a most amazing event . . .
~ TEMPLE LIGHT SHOW
n Celebrations in the Temple caused Jerusalem
n Indeed, the pilgrims who arrived in Jerusalem at the Temple
The focus of this rejoicing was the ceremony surrounding the commandment to pour water on the altar - the water libation. The sages of Israel testify to the celebrations of the water libation from the days of the Second Temple
n One rabbinical source quotes a rabbi reflections on the Temple Light show
n In the Court of the women were 4 enormous candlesticks with 4 golden bowls at the top of each. They were 75’ high!
n They used worn out priestly garments for wicks that they had cut into strips and would pour in oil from 7gal. buckets.
n Four young priests-in-training would climb to the top, carrying immense oil jugs with which they would fill the bowls. Once lighted, there was not a courtyard in all of Jerusalem that did not glow with the light that emanated from the celebration in the Temple
“LIGHT OF THE WORLD ”.
Isaiah 42:6
[6 ] “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness;
I will take you by the hand and keep you;
I will give you as a covenant for the people a light for the nations
[1471] goi a nation of people ~ usually of non-Hebrew relation
n It is important to note that the Hebrew nation sees THEMSELVES [as a Nation] as the “Light for the Nations”
n As followers, however, we know it is YESHUA who is the LIGHT in and of HIMSELF.
n The Hebrew Nation merely POINTS to the ONE - YESHUA
n In Isaiah 42:1 – The SERVANT is seen as the Jewish Nation
n But for followers of JESUS the Messiah, we know HIM to be our suffering servant.
John 8:12
[12 ] Again JESUS spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows ME will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
~May the LORD add HIS blessings to this teaching…
