Earlier posts on this Moed explain what is revealed for us as Messianic believers.
What do the symbols of lulav – etrog, palm branch, myrtle and willow connected to Sukkot mean? Links at end.
Sukkot/ סֻכּוֹת is one of the
3 shelosh regalim
שלוש רגלים
which are the 3 pilgrim festivals:
Passover/Pesach,
Pentecost/Shavuot and
Tabernacles/Booths/Sukkot
All Israel was to observe these annually.
Tabernacles is also called Booths and in Hebrew:
Sukkot or Sukot
סוכות
Pronounced: sue-KOTE, or sue COAT or
SOOH-kuss (oo as in book).
It is the last great feast of Israel’s annual calendar:
Chag haSukot – feast of the tabernacles.
It is also called
Chag haAsif – feast of the ingathering
because it occurs at the outgoing of the year when you gather in the fruit of your labor from the field.
Shmot/Exodus 23:16
It is a Torah-commanded holiday celebrated for seven days, beginning on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei; which is five days after Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. This year 5784 it begins on the evening of Friday 29th September.
Sukkot is considered a joyous occasion and is referred to in Hebrew as Z’man Simchateinu (the time of our rejoicing), and the sukkah itself symbolizes the fragility and transience of life and one’s dependence on God.
Sukkot celebrates the gathering of the harvest and the primary feature is of course the sukkah or booth or tabernacle which is to be constructed from the various trees and nature surrounding Jerusalem. The purpose of the sukkah is to remind us that Adonai caused the people of Israel to live in sukkot when He brought them out of Egypt.
This week long feast commemorates the miraculous protection the Lord provided for them and the temporary shelters used during their wandering in the wilderness.
From this we can draw out the spiritual themes of
divine protection, deliverance and provision.
The temporary and flimsy nature of the sukkah itself should serve to remind us of our own weakness, fragility and temporary existence, and our dependance on our Heavenly Father as long as we dwell in our earthly tents/bodies.
These are the times of rejoicing and fellowship before the Lord as His treasured people – am segulah.
In Revelation 21:3 we are told that after Messiah returns
‘God shall tabernacle with them’; that is the truth for the highest condition of humanity, when the Tabernacle of God shall be with redeemed men in the new earth. ‘
God’s plan for mankind involves restoration. The Feast of Tabernacles symbolizes the restoration process, which will start with the return of Jesus Christ/Yeshua haMashiach.
New King James Version 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.
All Nations will Worship the King 16 Then all the survivors from the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. 17And should any of the families of the earth not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, then the rain will not fall on them.…
This appointed time is important because of the meaning contained within the observances as part of celebration. it is the final time of year as the new civil year begins at Yom Kippur. The last of the seven spiritual appointed times which the life cycle begins again at Pesach/Passover in the spring. All sins have been forgiven and atoned for the previous year. So the celebration is filled with relief and thanksgiving. It has followed the 40 days of repentance, introspective preparation, teshuvah; now forgiveness and the covering of sin has concluded their response to God’s call to come close to Him.
For us John’s Gospel reminds us of Yeshua’s appeal to Israel to come to and freely receive the long promised living waters. John 7:37 – 38. This occurred during the water libation ceremony on the last day of the festival of Sukkot. Tabernacles/ Booths.
Tabernacles/Sukkot/Booths is a type and a shadow, a reminder of the temporary dwelling in the wilderness and of God’s presence with the Israelites.
A sukkah or succah Hebrew: סוכה [suˈka]; plural, סוכות [suˈkot] sukkot or sukkos or sukkoth, often translated as “booth”) is a temporary hut constructed for use during the weeks celbration.
This promise of future physical fulfillment and of the prophetic fulfillment is clear in Revelation 21:1 – 3.
He will live/ abide/dwell with them. They will be His people He Himself will be their God – Emmanuel – God with them.
Sukkot is our Heavenly Father’s provision completed –
prophecy fulfilled, and the theme of sukkot is joy.
As already noted, there are many distinct lessons we can learn from sukkot:
Our Heavenly Father’s provision.
His dwelling with His people; and
The joy of His spirit of holiness..
are all themes that draw attention to the plan in scripture.
However there is still a future element remaining to be fulfilled by the feast of Tabernacles/ sukkot. John states in his vision of final things that the reality of sukkot will be obvious to all. Again Jesus/Yeshua reminded us that He came to complete the teaching of Torah/ our Heavenly Father’s instructions for life; which is what we term as the law.
Sukkot was always known as the appointed set apart holy day that commemorates God dwelling with His people. This is very fitting because the Kingdom of God as it is now, is within us, and is therefore partially fulfilled. When it fully comes upon His return to the redeemed earth, it will be considered the ultimate fulfillment of this Holy day. God Himself will finally dwell with His people in all His fullness. The booth/ sukkot/ tabernacle is said to be the first and foremost celebration of this age yet to come.
Zachariah prophesied in 14:16 “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.”
Everyone remaining from all the nations that came to attack Jerusalem Yerushalayim will go out every year to worship the king -Adonai Tzva’ot and to keep the festival of Sukkot. If any of the families does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King no rain will fall on them.
John 1:14uses the words
dwelt among His people,
to describe the visible manifestation of the invisible God of creation. John was describing Messiahs incarnation, His first coming to His people and the most obvious picture was sukkot, the holy day that celebrates the dwelling of God with man.
There was a custom that developed during the 2nd Temple period; on this day a priest would take a water pitcher down to the pool of Siloam, dip it in the water and carry it back to the Temple.
People formed a procession behind the priest and as they entered the Temple mount they were dancing and singing the Hallel which isPsalm 113 – 118.
For each of the first six days of sukkot they would circle the Temple altar one time and on the 7th day there would be 7 processions around the Temple to increase the joy and celebration.
The high point of the ceremony was when
the priest poured out the water on the altar of the temple,
to which all the people responded with overwhelming joy. It became known as rejoicing of the house of drawing water. Hoshana rabbah.
What was the significance of such rejoicing at this water pouring ceremony?
It was more than just rejoicing in the hope of future winter rains for Israel, even though that was very important. That was a deeper truth in Isaiah 12:3 concerning this ceremony:
then you will joyfully draw water from the springs of salvation.
Salvation in Hebrew is yeshua, the name of the Messiah and He is also our High Priest and His life was poured out along with His Blood which resulted in our salvation.
More than the outpouring of the water in Israel,
the rejoicing of the house of drawing water – Hoshana rabbah;
was to prophetically picture the days of Messianic redemption, where the waters of His Holy Spirit would be poured out on all Israel.
Our Heavenly Father will finally build His habitation with His people when the Kingdom is established under Messiahs rule.
In John 7:37 – 39 he explains the next connection to Sukkot.
37Now on the last and most important day of the feast, Jesus stood and called out [in a loud voice], “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink! 38He who believes in Me [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Me], as the Scripture has said, ‘From his innermost being will flow continually rivers of living water.’” 39But He was speaking of the [Holy] Spirit, whom those who believed in Him [as Savior] were to receive afterward. The Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified (raised to honor).
It may help us to try and imagine the scene: Sukkot was already six day in and great joy filled the crowds. Then, on the great and final day – Hoshana Rabbah – the people were filled with expectation for the Messiah and the Spirit of Holiness He would bring. To everyones amazement, at the exact moment of the water drawing ceremony, Yeshua/Jesus made this bold and unashamed statement.
If anyone desires what this Bet Ha-sho-evah symbolizes, let him believe in Me and come to Me.
He was saying:
Do you really want the living waters of Holy Spirit?
Do any of you understand the true significance of the ceremony?
I am the Messiah Who will pour out My Holy Spirit on Israel.
2Peter 1:10 – 14
Therefore, believers, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you [be sure that your behavior reflects and confirms your relationship with God]; for by [f]doing these things [actively developing these virtues], you will never stumble [in your spiritual growth and will live a life that leads others away from sin]; 11for in this way entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly provided to you.
12Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them and are established in the truth which is [g]held firmly in your grasp. 13I think it right, as long as I am in this earthly tent, to inspire you by reminding you, 14knowing that the laying aside of this earthly tent of mine is imminent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.
Time is short and soon we will all be laying aside these earthly tabernacles- dwellings. Knowing the truth is not enough, we have to remember it and use it while we still can.
The feast of ingathering/sukkot/booths/tabernacles will soon come to an and this Sukkah/body in which we now live will not stand forever. So while we live in our earthly dwellings let us diligently secure our calling and selection but also be acting on the things we know, this is the truth that will bring in a harvest.
Let us stop looking anywhere else for salvation that in Messiah, is already ours; let’s rejoice in the fact that whether we are in times of abundance or drought, those who believe in Messiah Yeshua/Jesus will never thirst again.
Click links below for previous posts covering so many more aspects of this wonderful celebration.
Shalom aleikhem chaverim and mishpachah! Peace to friends and family. Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week. Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him. It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion. You are very precious in His sight. Not sure ..you can be… SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute, SAY IT RIGHT NOW… Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua 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/Yeshua 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/Yeshua 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/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
