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Sukkot (Called Feast of Tabernacles in English) is, in our opinion, the celebration with the richest traditions. As noted elsewhere, the term in Leviticus 23 for these celebrations is Moedim which most closely resembles the concept of scheduled times for meeting together. God declares these Moedim His Moedim, His appointments. Therefore, they are not Jewish holidays, nor are they Christian holidays, nor are they just plain feasts! They are about purposefully coming to meet with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
As New Testament believers, we know that all meetings with God are truly meetings with the Messiah, Yeshua Hamashiach (Jesus Christ). So what does this celebration, meeting have to do with Yeshua?
This particular celebration is an eight (8) day celebration commemorating the remembrance of the Nation of Israel’s journey through Sinai for 40 years. During that time we find the scripture telling us that Israel was totally provided for by God. They had food, shelter, clothing and whatever was needed for that journey. The Bible says that even their shoes did not wear out.
In Genesis Abraham learns to call God Yehovah (Yahweh) Yireh (Jireh) the eternal one is the provider. In their journey through the desert, Israel learned to recognize Him as their provider and to remember Abraham’s experience with Isaac foretelling that God would be the provision also. Some 1500 years later the world learned that the provision was named He Who is Salvation – Yeshua – Jesus! He is the Lord who saves – Hosannah!
When one studies the Gospel of Luke we see that John the Immerser, Baptist, is 6 months older than Yeshua his cousin. It can be readily determined that John was born around Passover (the 15th day of the first month of the biblical year, today called Nisan) therefore, Yeshua was probably born on 15 day of the 7th month, today called Tishrei. That just happens to be the first day of the feast of Sukkot - tabernacles! Therefore, we also celebrate the first day of Sukkot as the Advent, birth of Yeshua. Come and listen and see.
Because Israel traveled the desert in temporary dwellings called Sukkahs the name of the festival is called Sukkot. We remind ourselves of those 40 years, as God commanded in scripture, by building our individual Sukkah at our homes and spending time in that Sukkah either sleeping and eating or just eating to remind us of our reliance upon God for all our provision. We do this for 7 days as the scripture tells us.
On the 8th day, the last day of the feast, we return from our temporary dwellings and come back into our permanent abode. This is the picture of humankind’s temporary dwelling on this planet Earth in the current state of existence until the Lord returns and restores everything to its original Edenic state. Therefore, the 8th day, like the number 8 represents new beginnings and is a celebration of new beginnings. This calls us to remember the future consummation yet to come.
Questions? Write and we will respond. Come and celebrate and learn.