Feast of Tabernacles (A Short Teaching)

Succoth or Tabernacles was the last of the 7 feasts God gave Israel to observe according to Leviticus 23. It lasted for 7 days and was celebrated in the 7th month. The 8th day was a solemn day, a day of restraint, known as Simchat Torah-the Rejoicing of the Law.

These 7 feasts were observed three times in the year-- Spring, Summer, and Autumn. They were preceded by the Sabbath. Why? Before Adam sinned, he was a recipient of Sabbath rest, was given a spouse, clothed with the shekinah glory, labored without sweat, and had sovereignty over the earth. The day he sinned, he forfeited all these blessings.

The 7 feasts are God's restoration plan for man to be reconciled to God and to wear and bear His image with greater glory than Adam had in Eden. To develop this thought further, the reader is advised to ponder the five "much more" scriptures in Romans 5 verses 9, 10, 15, 17,20.

Jesus came to earth in the fullness of time and fulfilled the feasts. Consider the following days-- the day of His birth, the day of His circumcision, the day He was presented in the temple, the day He was baptized in the river Jordan, the day He opened the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue and the message He proclaimed, the day of His transfiguration, the day He entered Jerusalem the final week of His earth-life, the day of His death and burial, the day of His resurrection, the day of His final ascension, and the day He sent the Holy Spirit to the 120 in the upper room.

John, in his gospel, mentions the feasts but calls them the "Feast of the Jews". How sad that Israel missed the True Passover Lamb, The True Bread without leaven, the True Atonement. In this age, God is visiting both Jew and Gentile, to take out from among them a people for His name. He wants to fulfill these feasts in the Church and in Israel.

Time and space forbid our commenting on each feast. Suffice it to say, we begin our Christian life by experiencing a passover--from death to life, from darkness to light and from Satan's kingdom to God's kingdom. (John 5:24, 1 John 3:14, Acts 26:17-18, 2 Corinthians 4:6, 1 Peter 2:9, Ephesians 4:17-18, Colossians 1:13-14). We embrace Christ as our Passover Lamb.

We have to go through the experiences of the remaining 6 feasts to arrive at total redemption for the whole man-- spirit, soul, and body. Three of these feasts were kept in the first month, one in the third month, and the remaining three in the seventh month. The first month speaks of beginnings, the third month of continuation, and the final three of consummation. What God has begun in us, He wants to complete (Phil. 1 :6). Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are working together to bring about full salvation for man. In the first three feats, we have the work of the Son in His life, death, burial and resurrection. In the fourth feast, we see the work of the Holy Spirit in this age. And in the remaining three feasts the preparation for us to meet the Father, not in mortal but glorified bodies.

Very briefly, as we consider the Feast of Tabernacles, the dwelling in tents for 7 days indicate our complete sojourn on earth as pilgrims and strangers in preparation for the day when our physical bodies or tents give way to a house not made with hands-the body of glory. (2 Cor. 5:1-8)

Atonement, the 6th feast, paves the way for Tabernacles. Atonement speaks of deeper cleansing for the soul, weaned
from self-interest and self-indulgence, to gain the higher life of the Spirit which is the crown of life, a glorified body
destined for the city whose builder and maker is God. As Jesus was transfigured "after 6 days", so after 6,000 years, His end-time body will come into the change from mortality to immortality, from dense atomic matter into a body of
glory, no more subject to time and space and the four elements of earth. Are we groaning and longing for this day of full redemption? (Rom.8:23, Phil. 3:20-21, 1 John 3:2, 1 Cor. 13:49-58)

The feast of Tabernacles is the feast of rejoicing--"weeping may endure for a night (the time of His absence since His ascension) but joy cometh in the morning (the day of the Lord overtaking the day of man). Isaiah speaks of the "oil of gladness for mourning and beauty (His nature formed in us) for ashes (the death and extermination of the old Adamic nature)". The apostle Paul testifies, "as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing knowing that our light affliction which is for a moment worketh for us an exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

 

Now let us consider this most interesting implication:

Haggai the prophet on the 21st day of the 7th month (the last day of the feast) prophesied of the greater glory to come on the Church and restored Israel in these last days of a dying dispensation. (Haggai 2:1-9, John7:37) Did you
notice that Haggai 2 is the 9Hth chapter of the Bible? The numerical value of grace (charis in the Greek) is 91l. His grace prepares us for His glory.

Jesus came the first time in a lowly tabernacle (Succoth). He is about to return to earth in His glorified body. His work of redemption at His first coming cost Him blood, sweat and tears. Soon He will see the travail of His soul and
be satisfied as great multitudes will bear His image and become His sheaves that He will bring with Him when His feet touch the Mount of Olives (Ps. 126:5-6). Notice the words "will come again with rejoicing." When will this event occur? I suggest the answer is in Zec.14: 1-9. That day will be the 14th day at evening in the 7th month--the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev.23:39), the time of the full moon.

I pray that at this season, you will be challenged to a deeper walk with the Lord. May your life be the very reflection of Him in all you say and do as the proverbial expression--"the man in the moon"-- Christ, the Man, fully formed in the moon, His people the Church, the ecclesia-His called out ones.

-by Deoram Bholan

1801 Holm Oak St.
Arlington, Texas 76012

Deoram@thechange.org