We are about to enter in to the “Season of Our Rejoicing” also known as the “Feasts of Booths,” “Feast of Tabernacles,” “Sukkot,” “The Feast of Ingathering”. For as many names as this appointed time has there are many more aspects revealed in this seven day celebration for us to consider. If you study carefully you will see how seven becomes a very important and revealing number in this Feast.
It is the time of remembering the abundant care God gave the children of Israel in the wilderness. It is a time of gratitude and warning to not take for granted what we have now. It is a time for Israel to be thankful for the last agricultural harvest of the year. It is the time Israel gives thanks for the former rain and prays for the latter rain. For us it is a reminder to look for the coming last harvest when Yeshua will reign as King in Jerusalem. It will be the time when every nation will come and worship Him as King of Kings. It was during this seven day feast there were 70 bull offerings made for the nations. It was a time when Israel stepped into her true Priestly role as intercessor for the nations.
The priests daily would draw water from the pool of Salome in a ceremony called “Water libation.” It was on the last day of Sukkot in the time of Yeshua’s earthly ministry during the “Water Libation” that He gave the great invitation to all who are thirsty to come and drink of the Living Water. The joyous psalms that are sung speak of Salvation. The water for the ceremony came from the pool of Salome the waters of healing.
History records that in the evenings the lighting of large Menorahs and torches held by young men dancing in the streets provided the most marvelous of reflections of the Light of God and the joy of the people. Unbeknown to the people in Yeshua’s day God was indeed tabernacling with man. Tabernacling with man on earth for all of eternity is the Lords greatest desire. In fact if you do the math of when Elizabeth was with child you will also find it was during Tabernacles Yeshua was born. During Hanukkah known as the “Festival of Lights” and “The Season of Dedication” the Holy Spirit visited Mary and she was dedicated to bring forth the Light of the Word.
God instructs his people to make and wave what is called the Lulav as part of their worship. As we study about that along with all the other aspects of Tabernacles God has much to reveal to us. My hope is that you will look again at the brief summary I have provided and inquire of the Lord for more revelation. So I am giving you some study reverences I feel might be of value. However on the next page you will find what I believe is the portion God chose for me to highlight in this article, the topic of the booth.
• The Temple its Ministry and Service Chap. 14 The Feast Tabernacles by A. Edersheim
• http://www.studylight.org/his/index.cgi?did=bc&d=1&kid=3&bid=1&cid=14
• The Festival of Sukkot
• http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Fall_Holidays/Sukkot/sukkot.html
• A Prophetic Calendar The Feasts of the Lord by Jill Shanon
• http://www.amazon.com/Prophetic-Calendar-The-Feasts-Israel/dp/0768428270
In the following passage God gives the children of Israel clear directions for this Feast.
Lev 23:
If you read below in Nehemiah you will see that from the time of Joshua until that recorded day they had not full filled the instructions of the Lord. They had walked away from the foundational teachings the Lord had given them. They were not walking in His ways. They are not unlike the church as we know it today who has walked away from her foundation of Hebraic Biblical teachings or roots.
Moses knew the importance of the ways of God:
Exodus 33: [13] “Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people.”
In Zechariah we read the benefit of walking in the ways of God.
Zech. 3: [7] “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘If you will walk in My ways and if you will perform My service, then you will also govern My house and also have charge of My courts, and I will grant you free access among these who are standing here. (those standing there are the heavenly hosts)
The result of their disobedience was forewarned to them through Moses in Deuteronomy. Another warning was extended by the prophet Jeremiah in their day. The mercy of God revealed in His word gave them another chance and brought them back to Jerusalem after exile. Here the book of the Law was found and read and they embrace once more the ways of God.
Can I suggest to you that we too have a Jewish Prophet in our day warning us to come back to the ways of God through the message of Rabbi Jonathan Cahn’s book “The Harbinger”. Yet I feel another truth has been given us in this passage.
Neh. 8:13 Then on the second day the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe that they might gain insight into the words of the law. [14] They found written in the law how the LORD had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel should live in booths during the feast of the seventh month. [15] So they proclaimed and circulated a proclamation in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hills, and bring olive branches and wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches and branches of other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.” [16] So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim. [17] The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in them. The sons of Israel had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And there was great rejoicing. [18] He read from the book of the law of God daily, from the first day to the last day. And they celebrated the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly according to the ordinance.
This time they were instructed to bring olive branches and wild olive branches. Could it be that this was a prophetic statement that would find its expression after the cross?
Eph.2 shows us what was accomplished on the cross for the wild olive branch ( the Gentiles) and the Natural olive branch the Jewish people)
Eph.11] Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh,….. [12] remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. [13] But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. [14] For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,
Paul further clarifies it in Romans 11: [15] For if their ( the Jewish Peoples) rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? …. [17] But if some of the natural branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, [18] do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.
Could it be that this coming back to the ways of the Lord by Israel and the using the wild olive and natural olive branches to build a Tabernacle is a prophetic picture of His deepest desire the fullness of the One New Man.
Is this not our call in this hour to come back to our Hebraic foundation to build His kingdom of living stones His way. Hear the words of Haggi as he spoke to those rebuilding the temple of God.
Haggi2: [3] ‘Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison? [4] ‘But now take courage…’ declares the LORD, ‘take courage…. all you people of the land take courage,’ declares the LORD, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ declares the LORD of hosts…. [6] “For thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. [7] ‘I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts. [8] ‘The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the LORD of hosts. [9] ‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ declares the LORD of hosts.”
This Tabernacle let us take hope and rejoice in the Lord. Let us not look with our eyes or hear with our ears the world’s situations or the state of the Church. Let us work while it is still day to build with the olive branch and the wild olive branch a place of remembrance of the goodness of God and to create a dwelling place among man for our God.