It is the 3rd of 3 Appointed Times that all males are required to travel to Jerusalem to participate in annually.
Known in Judaism collectively as
The Three Pilgrimage Festivals.
In Hebrew:
Shlosha Regalim שלושה רגלים
They are:
Pesach, Passover
Shavuot, Weeks or Pentecost
and
Sukkot, Tabernacles, Tents or Booths –
and relate in order to: our Physical Salvation
our Spiritual Salvation and our
Joyful Thanks to God for His Encompassing Protection and for the future when He will be Dwelling, Tabernacling with His people forever.
The secret place of the Most High/El’yon is the shield and surrounding wall of His Truth; it’s not a fictional location made up from imagination it’s a real place to be found in His presence.
The scripture says
Yeshua/Jesus is the Truth and when we are
IN Him
then we are in that secret place.
This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.
And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.
1John 4:13 also Psalm 91
When the ancient Israelites were living in the Kingdom of Judah they would make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem, as commanded by the Torah.
And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days.
You shall keep it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month
You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths, so that your descendants may know that I made the Israelites dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’ ”
Lev 23:40, 42-43
Feast of the Tabernacles
in Hebrew סֻכּוֹת
Chag haSukot,
also Succouth, Sukkot or Sykkot.
This post includes links to previous ones that have covered most of the relevant information on this season. It is hard to not repeat the wonderful nuances and types and shadows of what we have ahead of us and also to ponder on all that Our Heavenly father/Av has prepared for us.
And 2Tim 4:8 for those who love His appearing Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.
So here follows some thoughts and Hebrew greetings for this glorious appointed time.
Sukkot is a joyous holiday celebrating the fall harvest.
The booths, called sukkahs,
that are built during this week-long festival, are reminiscent of the booths ancient farmers used to sleep right in their fields during harvest season. They also commemorate the 40 year period during which the Israelites wandered in the wilderness, sleeping in tents.
This appointed time calls for a temporary dwelling here, meaning it’s not a permanent structure.
Part of Sukkot is spent in synagogue at prayer, and much of it is spent eating, drinking, sleeping, and generally dwelling in the sukkah.
But wherever you happen to meet people during this particularly joyous holiday, it’s nice to know how to greet them.
It is still considered appropriate at this time to wish each other a Happy New Year or Shana Tovah in Hebrew, just as people continue saying Happy (Gregorian) New Year for many weeks into January and beyond.
To wish someone a Happy Sukkot in Hebrew simply say
Chag Sameach which means Happy Holiday.
Moadim L’simcha Moh-ah-DEEM Le-sim-CHAH
This is used on both Sukkot and Pesach/Passover, particularly the intermediate days of the festival
Chag Sameach is Hebrew for joyous festival.
The traditional response is
chagim u’zmanim l’sasson
khag-EEM oo-zmahn-EEM le-sah-SOWN.
The individual who initiates the greeting says: Mo’adim l’simhah!
and the one who replies says: Hagim u’z’manim l’sasson!
Here is a hint about pronouncing the greetings: Each of the Hebrew words above puts emphasis/stress on the last syllable.
Chag Sameach pronounced khahg sah-MAY-akh
literally means happy holiday
and applies to most Jewish holidays.
Gut Yontiff pronounced goot YUHN-tiff
is a yiddishized version of the Hebrew phrase
yom tov meaning good day
and referring to any major holiday on which work is traditionally forbidden.
Mo’adim = moments, festivals, appointed times.
Singular: mo’eid
l’ = for/to
simhah = joy, gladness, happy occasion
Hagim = holidays, celebrations.
Singular: hag
u’ = and
z’manim = seasons, times
Singular: z’man
sasson = joy, happiness
ברכות סוכות
sukkah: a thicket, booth
Strongs #5521
: סֻכָּה
pronounced: sook-kaw’
booth, cottage, covert, pavilion, tabernacle, tent
Deuteronomy 16:13
HEB: חַ֧ג הַסֻּכֹּ֛ת תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה לְךָ֖
NAS: the Feast of Booths seven
KJV: the feast of tabernacles seven
INT: the Feast of Booths shall celebrate seven days
Other titles used for this feast:
Time of Our Joy – Zman Simchatenu– זמן שמחתנו
Moadim L’Simcha – Appointed Times for Joy
Zman Simchatenu Time of Our Joy – זמן שמחתנו
Simchat Torah – the Joy of the Torah – שִׂמְחַת תורָה
Shemini Atzeret – Eighth Day of Assembly – שמיני עצרת
Hoshanah Rabbah – Great Salvation – הושענה רבה
Chag Assif – Harvest Festival – חג אסיף
Sukkah is the Hebrew term for the temporary building that is constructed for this holiday.
Sukkot(h) is the Hebrew name of the holiday,
the moed
and usually translated as
booth or small hut and
to tabernacle with someone, is to dwell with them.
Yehoveh/Adonai, tabernacled with the children of Israel as they wandered in the desert for 40 years, manifesting Himself as a cloud by day and fire by night.
The Hebrew word for tabernacle is sukkah. It means a booth, a hut, a covering, a pavilion or tent.
The Greek word for tabernacle is sk’en’e, which also means a tent, hut, or habitation; and the context by which the word tabernacle is used in the New Covenant /Brit Hadashah.
This Greek word, sk’enos, means ‘tabernacle, booth, shelter, or covering’ and also appears in Rev. 21:3.
This same word, sk’enos, is used to speak of Yeshua/Jesus during His first coming, John 1:14. here we can see the protection provided in Rev. 7:16, corresponding to Isa. 4:5-6, and the fountain of living waters in Rev. 7:17 and 21:4.
It is interesting to note that as these were set in place by the Father through Moses and have been followed and celebrated annually ever since.
Luke 2:41 states that Joseph and Mary and Jesus/Yeshua made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem every Passover.
Joseph and Mary went to the Passover celebration in Jerusalem every year: Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.
Also, Luke records Paul
“hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible,
on the Day of Pentecost” Acts 20:16 Acts 20:16
all went up to Jerusalem… indicating they are not done away with after Jesus/Yeshua ascended?
Sadly western Christianity detached itself from the observance of our Heavenly Fathers’ Appointed Times/Jehovehs Moedim; and those then in power changed the dates and days to ones we have become more familiar with as easter and Christmas etc.,
This could be the ‘feasts’ that God says He hates as prophetically declared in Amos 5;21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. As well as those they had adopted from Babylon. Some scholars say the dates were messed up from that era and when they returned from captivity they did not rectify the changes…
In the modern Gregorian calendar we label all years with B.C. (before the birth of Christ) or A.D. (anno domini or “in the year of our Lord”) There is no zero year. In our modern system, the year Christ was born is supposedly A.D.1 and the year preceding it is 1 B.C. The most favored view amongst Bible scholars is that Messiah Jesus/Yeshua, was born in 5 B.C. which agrees with this timeline which was due to Herod the Greats death occurring in 4 B.C. If Jesus/Yeshua was born in 5 B.C. possibly on Tabernacles, then our current year should really be the year A.D. 2023 and not 2021! And as noted in a previous post this year is 5782 according to the Hebrew calendar count. Notwithstanding the possible fudging of dates and missing centuries (200 years) that would put the date from Genesis closer to 5982! Could this be the reason for Yeshua/Jesus statement that no man knows the day of His coming???
It seems that not only did the early Roman Catholic Church get the year of Yesua/Jesus’ birth wrong but it seems they got the month wrong as well. Some of the evidence that Yeshua/Jesus might have been born earlier in the year is the fact that it would be highly unlikely for shepherds to still be in the field with their sheep in December. This is in the middle of the winter and they wouldn’t be in the fields at this time of the year. Click link for more on this:
The Feast of Tabernacles symbolizes
the restoration process,
which will be completed with the return of
Messiah Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach.
The Tabernacle of New Jerusalem,
descends from Heaven to Earth to
tabernacle, dwell or shelter His people with His presence.
The Feast of Tabernacles, Sukkot, is the last of the seven Moedim/ Feasts of the Lord and the most joyful, occurring on the 15th day of Tishri and lasts for eight days.
It is sometimes referred to as the
feast of booths
or feast of ingathering.
The word ingathering is in reference more to people than crops, as the wheat and most of the fruit has already been harvested by this time of the year.
It is noteworthy according to Numbers 29:15,32 that on each of the 7 days of Tabernacles, they were to offer 14 (7×2) lambs without blemish. There is an interesting parallel in Matthew where he lists the genealogy of Messiah, the Lamb of God. The generations from Abraham to David are 14, from David to the Babylonian captivity are 14, and from the captivity to Christ are 14. Matthew traced the genealogy back to Abraham and divides Israel’s history into 3 sets of 14 generations. However, there were probably more than those listed here. Genealogies often compressed history and not every generation of ancestors was specifically listed, especially if they were evil. The Tenakh/ Old Testament genealogies are much more precise such as in 1 Chronicles chps. 1-9.
In Zechariah 14:16-19. it is stated that everyone will learn about this Moed/Appointed Time:
And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
The Feast of Tabernacles is also a picture of the judgment of the inhabitants of the earth who live during the 1,000 years according to Isaiah 2:4 And he shall judge among the nations,
So it is something that will still be celebrated in the future so whether we learn now or later, it will be part of life/chaim, for those in the millennial kingdom as we understand the scriptures to indicate.
This may have been what Peter was referring to at the Mt. of Transfiguration?
Their experience must have been overwhelming and we are told they were terrified. The presence of God in the form of His Glory Cloud, overshadowed them, engulfing them, and they heard His voice in its midst.
Mark 9:2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.
3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.
4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.
5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
6 For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.
7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
8 And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.
A little intimidating to put it mildly!
They must have thought the Kingdom had come and wanted to build Booths/Sukkah to them in celebration of the event. Their thoughts would have been flying wildly in all directions trying to make sense of what was happening to them.
Sukkot is about remembering God/Yehoveh’s provision in the 40 year wilderness journey and His protection while they travelled. It’s celebrating His ever-presence Yehovah Shammah, His guidance and care of His people who were chosen to be His Challah/Bride and as we are kallat mashiach/Bride of Messiah; we are His K’doshiym/His Holy Ones. He made covenant with them and called them His own precious treasure.
Through Yeshua/Jesus, all is being fulfilled, the Moedim/ Appointed Times of the Lord, reflect Yeshua/Jesus as we have seen in previous posts. Sukkot is the one that will never end as it is the climax of Yehoveh/Gods plan to be reunited with His children and dwelling together with the Bride of Messiah. At One, following the AtOnement of Yom Kippur, the celebration of Sukkot Tabernacles/Booths/ is preparing us for when He permanently Tabernacles with His people, not in frail booths or in these frail temporary bodies, but in the fullness of His presence in the new Jerusalem/Yerushalyim.
Literally Heaven on earth! Nothing we try to accomplish ourselves on this fallen earth can even begin to be like the restoration Yehoveh/God will implement . We are spiritually returning to Eden and to the Holy Mountain of God which scripture says is Jerusalem/ Yerushalyim from above; the location of Mt. Moriah where all the pivotal events have occurred through the ages past.
Whether we have yet or not, one day we will all go up to Jerusalem/Yerushalyim to the city of Adonai, His chosen location where He has put His Name. The apple of His eye, His First fruits, the land of promise; and the glory of His presence will one day be for all to see. It will not be hidden from view in a sanctuary of the Holy of Holies for just 1 man to experience once a year, but for all to behold Him in majesty and splendor.
For now we see through a glass darkly, but then all eyes will see Him face to face …but for now we are the containers of the glory of His presence, we are the living stones, we are the sanctuary of His Ruach HaKodesh/Spirit of Holiness. The Holy of Holies resides within each of His called apart ones/ecclesia/body. As darkness increases and the times of the gentiles are fulfilled, we will all shine so much more brightly. He has always wanted to be with us from the Genesis and soon this will be completed.
On the last day of the feast John 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Yeshua/Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
This was right in the middle of the water pouring ceremony.
This was the last day of the seven-day long
Sukkot/Feast of Tabernacles celebration;
known as:
the Last Great Day, in Hebrew Hoshana Rabbah.
On this day, a joyous festival occurred called the Water Pouring Ceremony, where the Jews prayed for rain for the upcoming agricultural season resulting in a bountiful harvest.
Click link below for more on this:
Messiah said: I AM the living water All who come to Him will never thirst again.
During these few days, let’s especially remember He has led us through our wilderness. How He has provided and cared for and protected us along His Way then available as our Israelite family celebrates and rejoices in His Torah; let’s give thanks that His Word is so freely to us.
He is the Word made flesh and if we follow the annual cycle of reading the Bible in a year ..its time to start over…a new beginning. Whatever day of the year it’s always a good time to read the Word of God/Yehoveh! Sometimes, things are simply traditions of men, but the Moedim/Appointed times, are set in by our Heavenly Father and understanding them and their meanings enhances our knowledge and appreciation of Who He is and Why Yeshua/Jesus came; and why we can be certain He is coming back!
The clouds in the wilderness are called ‘the clouds of glory’ and the wilderness experience is a picture of the future Messianic age, the Millennium.
Jesus/Yeshua tabernacle/sukkot among us John 1:14.
Peter spoke about his body being a tabernacle 2 Peter 1:13-14.
The apostle Paul told us that our earthly bodies were earthly houses or tabernacles in 2 Corinthians 5:1-5.
Jesus/Yeshua was the true tabernacle of God according to Hebrews 9:11.
In Hebrews 8:1-2; Revelation 13:6; 15:5; the Scriptures speak of a heavenly tabernacle . Revelation 21:1-3 says this heavenly tabernacle will come to earth.
Links to the posts for Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret they are:
includes The Four Species: Arba Minim
At this season of Sukkot, Isa.12:3 was often quoted, as it is written, ‘Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.’ Jesus/Yeshua in Hebrew means ‘salvation.’
Note again the statement in John 9:5.
This is the last day of the feast,
Hoshana Rabbah.
John 9:14; Lev. 23:34-36.
includes reference to Jesus/Yeshuas birth.
The final, 8th day, of this feast is known as
Shemini Atzaret, Yom haSh’miyniy’Atzaret,
The 8th day assembly.
In Israel, the 8th day is a day that speaks of eternity and the Bible ends in Revelation with that same day, the day of eternity where we will reign forever with Him.
The 8th day is about resurrection and leaving the old life, a day of transcending, of breaking out of the limitations of the finite and into the realm of the infinite. Of transcending the old, overcoming the ultimate limitation, death, and thus every limitation.
The day after the end of the old life, the old existence and gaining the power to live beyond it in and through Yeshua/Jesus.
So the day of the resurrection and the day of the beginning of eternity are in inevitably joined together.
The Sheltering Presence of God Abides With Us Always.
may we all remain in the Sukkah of His Loving Protection.
In sharing about the Moedim/feasts/Appointed Times and having done much research a brief disclaimer is needful only because
there are many Hebrew Roots, Messianic and Messianic Jewish believers who are under the impression that the modern Rabbinical calendar tabulated by Hillel II is the same as the Biblical calendar. It would seem that unfortunately, this is not the case and although it is true that the modern Rabbinical calendar is very close, the two calendars are calculated using entirely different methods, because of this, there are minor and major variations.
Why is this important?
Our heavenly Father has commanded us to follow His Moedim/ feasts/Appointed Times according to His calendar, not one calendar that estimates it. The modern Rabbinical calendar rarely has Moedim/Appointed days at the same time as the Biblical calendar, this can lead even the most faithful followers of Yeshua/Jesus to observe days that have not been divinely ordained and neglecting days that have been.
We are reminded that Messiah said if you love me keep my commandments and that He did not come to destroy or do away with but to fulfill them.
We must remind ourselves that these Appointed Times are not exclusively “Jewish” Moedim/feasts.
These are Yehoveh/God’s Moedim/feasts and Appointed Times; and that it is His calendar that determines, not ours. His calendar is the only one that truly counts. It should be noted that there are several differences of opinions in how to decide the exact days of the calendar as written in Leviticus 23. As we are all on the WAY and learning as we travel, everyone is encouraged to do their own research in studying about the calendar according to the Scriptures, which our Heavenly Father has set in place. We still keep the 10 sayings/commandments that were given through Moses and Jesus/Yeshua quoted them on several occasions in answer to peoples questions on what we sould follow keep and do; so why do we humans think that we can choose which parts of the Bible we want to follow and which parts are no longer important??
So what is the purpose of Sukkot?
The sukah serves to remind us that our trust is NOT to be in what we call, permanent structures made with human hands; but in the One who has the power to protect us against every form and type of adversity. This is another opportunity for us to remember that we dwell in safety not because we have the security of 4 well constructed walls, but because our Heavenly Father is protecting, providing and caring for us each and every day. In the end, even the most reliable shelter is just a sukkah! One day it will be gone but instead, we will have a permanent home with Him forever.
This is the spiritual truth true and most important aspect of the meaning of sukkot. This is the focus we are to have, that of our future hope and home; when He will dwell with us and we will be with Him forever. Now that’s something worth celebrating and being joyful over as we await the final ingathering!
The Sheltering Presence of God
Abides With Us
Always!
May we all remain
in the
Sukkah of His Loving Protection.
Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved (Acts 16:31).
The cry for salvation at Tabernacles
is heard
and answered through
Yeshua/Jesus the Messiah,
for He came to
save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:21).
Shalom shalom
‘Mishpachah’
‘Family/Tribe’
משפחה
Mish-pa-KHa,
friends, visitors and every reader…
Blessed are You, HaShem, Who spreads the Sukkat Shalom upon us, upon all of His people and upon Israel.
Please don’t leave this page before making certain Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
4 times throughout the book of Revelation Jesus says
“Surely I am coming quickly”
He is coming back very soon – so let’s keep looking up!
You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.
Its all about Life and Relationship, not Religion.
NOT SURE? YOU CAN BE..
SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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