The biblical Feast of Tabernacles lasts for seven days. It is the last of the fall feasts and the final feast of the year. It is also known as "the Feast of Ingathering" because it was observed after all the crops had been harvested and gathered up. This year the feast was celebrated on September 19th through the 25th. This feast is celebrated today with great rejoicing and thankful hearts for God's goodness and past provision (beginning at the 40 years wilderness journey where God's people lived in tents - as did God Himself among them - and where God met their every need); and thanksgiving is made as well for God's future goodness and provision.
The word tabernacle means "booth" or "hut" and as a memorial to the wilderness experience, small temporary huts are built in each family's backyard (or in Jerusalem on their rooftops if they are flat and accessible), so that the entire family can reside in the sukkah (Hebrew for tabernacle) for the seven days of the feast. The sukkah is constructed with walls made with branches and sparsely thatched roofs that keep the sun out during the day but allow the stars to be seen through the thatching at night. It is a type of campout that the whole family enjoys as they remember God and all of His goodness to them; and it honors the Lord in that all the materials from which the sukkahs are constructed are of His creation, not man's.
The first day of the Feast and the day after the last day of the Feast (the 8th day) are considered sacred assemblies or Sabbaths; no work is permitted on those two days, according to the law or Torah. I will remind you of this fact in another posting to follow shortly which will focus on the 8th day alone. But for now, back to the Feast itself.
The following section is taken from the book "The Feasts of the Lord" written by Kevin Howard and Marvin Rosenthal; a book that is listed to the right of this posting in JAGS Favorite Books and has been since the beginning of this blog. It is there because it is a book that I refer to many times each year. I pray, I sincerely pray, that each of you will acquire this book or one similar to it which details the biblical Feasts both in past application and in future application; and not only acquire it, but read it...over and over again each and every year until the Lord returns. The lack of knowledge of these feasts as provided from the Torah (and as expounded upon in this particular book), brings with it a lack of understanding of scripture in the New Testament. It is a sad thing to not read scripture for all that it is worth simply because we neglect the Old in favor of the New. So, here is a small portion of how Howard and Rosenthal describe the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles as celebrated while the Temple still stood, that will add richness to your reading of New Testament scriptures concerning this Feast:
"In the days of the Temple, Jewish pilgrims flocked to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. They came from every village within the nation, and from many foreign countries, most often in large caravans for protection. It was a joyous trip with much singing and laughing along the way. Upon arrival in Jerusalem, the pilgrims focused their energies upon building booths for the feast. By the afternoon of Tishri 14, thousands upon thousands of leafy booths lined the streets and dotted the surrounding fields and hills. All were carefully located within a Sabbath day's journey (a little more than a half mile) of the Temple." (p. 137)
"During the Feast of Tabernacles, the intense anticipation of rain came to be reflected in the Temple services. Each morning of Tabernacles, a water libation (sacrificial pouring out of a liquid) was offered to the Lord as a visual prayer for rain. Shortly after dawn each morning, while the many sacrifices were being prepared, the high priest was accompanied by a joyous procession of music and worshipers down to the Pool of Siloam. The high priest carried a golden pitcher capable of holding a little more than a quart of water. He carefully dipped the pitcher into the pool and brought it back to the Temple Mount." (p.138)
Recall, if you will, that in John 9:7 we are told that Siloam is translated as "Sent." Now picture the high priest dipping that pitcher of "gold" into a pool of "water" called "Sent" and allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate.
"Meanwhile, the high priest with the water from the Pool of Siloam had reached the southern gate of the Temple. It was known as the Water Gate because of this ceremony. As he entered, three blasts of the silver trumpets sounded from the Temple, and the priests with one voice repeated the words of Isaiah: "Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." (Isa. 12:3) (p. 138)
"As the high priest poured out the water libation before the Lord, a drink offering of wine was simultaneously poured into the other basin....At the proper time, the congregation waved their palm branches toward the altar and joined in singing: "Save now, I pray, O Lord; O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity" (Ps. 118:25)....Psalm 118 was viewed as a messianic psalm and as such gave the feast a messianic emphasis....This same imagery is in view in Revelation 7:9-10 where redeemed saints worship, with palm branches in hand, around the throne of God and the Lamb." (p. 139)
Jewish believers in Jesus Christ, all over the world this past week, were waving palm branches and celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles (as were orthodox Jews who do NOT believe that Jesus is the Messiah). This is a type of the same celebration will take place around the throne of God and the Lamb.
Why then are we Gentile believers in Jesus Christ NOT practicing this celebration, not even observing this Feast in any way? Most Christians were not even aware that this past week was the time of the Feast of Tabernacles, just as they are not aware of the dates of any of the other biblical feast days; yet the Feasts are taught in the Old Testament. Why do we give them (the Word of God) so little thought? Why are we not waving palm branches in anticipation of that great day when we WILL be doing so, apparently because the Lord wills it to be so, in His presence?
But enough of mourning over things that were lost to us Gentile believers during the time of Constantine; the effects of which we continue to endure still today.
Happily, on the 25th of September this year, the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, I was in Reno (and a dear sister in the Lord with me) listening to Heidi Baker, a powerful servant of the Lord, missionary to Mozambique, who spoke about the river of living water, and of humbling ourselves, who said that we must prostrate ourselves face down before the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, if we want to drink of these waters that run down low where the humble dwell, not up high where the proud reside.
Much needed instruction for me; and I thank the Lord, the light of the Feast of Tabernacles, for greatly reviving me that night; saved once more by living water in a parched land.
So much of what is in this posting has pointed symbolically to Jesus. I hope you saw it.
In the next posting, we will actually look at Jesus during the exact same Feast of Tabernacles, held while He was here with us, in the flesh, on earth. Remember that the Feast has a Messianic emphasis. And all Jews who celebrate this feast understand that it has a Messianic emphasis. The Jews who were alive at the time of Jesus had no New Testament to prepare them and describe the Messiah to them. They had only the Law (the Torah), and the Psalms, and the Prophets. And yet, many knew the Messiah when they saw Him! Not only by the works He did, but even more by the words He spoke and the authority with which He spoke those words!
I wonder if we would be as quick to identify Him having only the Torah and the Psalms and the Prophets to show us the Way?
Sadly, I think not.
The word tabernacle means "booth" or "hut" and as a memorial to the wilderness experience, small temporary huts are built in each family's backyard (or in Jerusalem on their rooftops if they are flat and accessible), so that the entire family can reside in the sukkah (Hebrew for tabernacle) for the seven days of the feast. The sukkah is constructed with walls made with branches and sparsely thatched roofs that keep the sun out during the day but allow the stars to be seen through the thatching at night. It is a type of campout that the whole family enjoys as they remember God and all of His goodness to them; and it honors the Lord in that all the materials from which the sukkahs are constructed are of His creation, not man's.
The first day of the Feast and the day after the last day of the Feast (the 8th day) are considered sacred assemblies or Sabbaths; no work is permitted on those two days, according to the law or Torah. I will remind you of this fact in another posting to follow shortly which will focus on the 8th day alone. But for now, back to the Feast itself.
The following section is taken from the book "The Feasts of the Lord" written by Kevin Howard and Marvin Rosenthal; a book that is listed to the right of this posting in JAGS Favorite Books and has been since the beginning of this blog. It is there because it is a book that I refer to many times each year. I pray, I sincerely pray, that each of you will acquire this book or one similar to it which details the biblical Feasts both in past application and in future application; and not only acquire it, but read it...over and over again each and every year until the Lord returns. The lack of knowledge of these feasts as provided from the Torah (and as expounded upon in this particular book), brings with it a lack of understanding of scripture in the New Testament. It is a sad thing to not read scripture for all that it is worth simply because we neglect the Old in favor of the New. So, here is a small portion of how Howard and Rosenthal describe the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles as celebrated while the Temple still stood, that will add richness to your reading of New Testament scriptures concerning this Feast:
"In the days of the Temple, Jewish pilgrims flocked to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. They came from every village within the nation, and from many foreign countries, most often in large caravans for protection. It was a joyous trip with much singing and laughing along the way. Upon arrival in Jerusalem, the pilgrims focused their energies upon building booths for the feast. By the afternoon of Tishri 14, thousands upon thousands of leafy booths lined the streets and dotted the surrounding fields and hills. All were carefully located within a Sabbath day's journey (a little more than a half mile) of the Temple." (p. 137)
"During the Feast of Tabernacles, the intense anticipation of rain came to be reflected in the Temple services. Each morning of Tabernacles, a water libation (sacrificial pouring out of a liquid) was offered to the Lord as a visual prayer for rain. Shortly after dawn each morning, while the many sacrifices were being prepared, the high priest was accompanied by a joyous procession of music and worshipers down to the Pool of Siloam. The high priest carried a golden pitcher capable of holding a little more than a quart of water. He carefully dipped the pitcher into the pool and brought it back to the Temple Mount." (p.138)
Recall, if you will, that in John 9:7 we are told that Siloam is translated as "Sent." Now picture the high priest dipping that pitcher of "gold" into a pool of "water" called "Sent" and allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate.
"Meanwhile, the high priest with the water from the Pool of Siloam had reached the southern gate of the Temple. It was known as the Water Gate because of this ceremony. As he entered, three blasts of the silver trumpets sounded from the Temple, and the priests with one voice repeated the words of Isaiah: "Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." (Isa. 12:3) (p. 138)
"As the high priest poured out the water libation before the Lord, a drink offering of wine was simultaneously poured into the other basin....At the proper time, the congregation waved their palm branches toward the altar and joined in singing: "Save now, I pray, O Lord; O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity" (Ps. 118:25)....Psalm 118 was viewed as a messianic psalm and as such gave the feast a messianic emphasis....This same imagery is in view in Revelation 7:9-10 where redeemed saints worship, with palm branches in hand, around the throne of God and the Lamb." (p. 139)
Jewish believers in Jesus Christ, all over the world this past week, were waving palm branches and celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles (as were orthodox Jews who do NOT believe that Jesus is the Messiah). This is a type of the same celebration will take place around the throne of God and the Lamb.
Why then are we Gentile believers in Jesus Christ NOT practicing this celebration, not even observing this Feast in any way? Most Christians were not even aware that this past week was the time of the Feast of Tabernacles, just as they are not aware of the dates of any of the other biblical feast days; yet the Feasts are taught in the Old Testament. Why do we give them (the Word of God) so little thought? Why are we not waving palm branches in anticipation of that great day when we WILL be doing so, apparently because the Lord wills it to be so, in His presence?
But enough of mourning over things that were lost to us Gentile believers during the time of Constantine; the effects of which we continue to endure still today.
Happily, on the 25th of September this year, the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, I was in Reno (and a dear sister in the Lord with me) listening to Heidi Baker, a powerful servant of the Lord, missionary to Mozambique, who spoke about the river of living water, and of humbling ourselves, who said that we must prostrate ourselves face down before the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, if we want to drink of these waters that run down low where the humble dwell, not up high where the proud reside.
Much needed instruction for me; and I thank the Lord, the light of the Feast of Tabernacles, for greatly reviving me that night; saved once more by living water in a parched land.
So much of what is in this posting has pointed symbolically to Jesus. I hope you saw it.
In the next posting, we will actually look at Jesus during the exact same Feast of Tabernacles, held while He was here with us, in the flesh, on earth. Remember that the Feast has a Messianic emphasis. And all Jews who celebrate this feast understand that it has a Messianic emphasis. The Jews who were alive at the time of Jesus had no New Testament to prepare them and describe the Messiah to them. They had only the Law (the Torah), and the Psalms, and the Prophets. And yet, many knew the Messiah when they saw Him! Not only by the works He did, but even more by the words He spoke and the authority with which He spoke those words!
I wonder if we would be as quick to identify Him having only the Torah and the Psalms and the Prophets to show us the Way?
Sadly, I think not.
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