Sukkot: Let's Celebrate!!
I don't usually listen to tunes while online, but I had to get my Sukkot playlist going which is kicked off by selections from Handel's Messiah, "And the glory of the Lord" is my jam!!!! It's already taken me 10 minutes just to write those 2 sentences... I love this work. I find it to be a genuine celebration of our Lord. That's what Sukkot is, a celebration! Just in time too! During Teshuva, I was studying the severe prophets... hang on "And He Shall Purify" is on, gotta jam... As I was saying, my Bible study was focusing on the severe prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. As we moved into Sukkot, I was happily studying Daniel which is so much more uplifting. At this point, the 70 years is over and Cyrus is about to declare a restoration. "Oh Thou That Tellest Good Tidings To Zion"! "Rejoice Greatly"!
For Christian students of the feasts this is another rapture focal point but more importantly, it is the time scholars believe Jesus was actually born and when we should be celebrating the Word made flesh. His Hebrew birthday (or time of conception) is believed to be around the end of December, so I just kick off Christmas celebrations long before Hallows Eve. While studying Sukkot I found so much of Christ, I wish we had kept this season in our Holidays.
Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths for seven days to the LORD. ‘On the first day is a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work of any kind. ‘For seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to the LORD; it is an assembly. You shall do no laborious work. (Leviticus 23:33-36)
There are two reasons most celebrate Sukkot; historical (in remembrance of the dwelling in tents in the wilderness) and agricultural as it is the time of the grape harvest. I am the vine, ye are the branches (John 15:5). Passover and Pentecost share these aspects of history and agriculture with Sukkot. Hebrews were ordered to build temporary booths and live in them for 7 days. Today folks build organic shelters and eat meals in them. Serious cats live in them or in tents for the week. Some consider this an early Thanksgiving celebration as we are also on a pilgrimage to a Promised Land in eternity. To Christians it represents our temporary dwellings (bodies) and God made man, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt (tabernacled) among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). To everyone it speaks of the lowliness of our beginnings and The Lord's mercy. There are also water rituals which scream about the true Living Water cleansing us from sin through His blood, "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14).
It is supposed by many that our blessed Saviour was born much about this time; then He left his mansions of light above to tabernacle among us (John 1:14), and he dwelt in booths. I've compiled a top 10 of facts surrounding The Lords conception and birth from a study by Matthew Henry:
1. The worship of Jesus is prophesied of under the notion of keeping the feast of tabernacles, Zec.14:16.
2. Zechariah chapter 14 tells of the liberation of Jerusalem and Messiah being king over the whole earth during the Millennium. The Feast of Tabernacles will be kept by all the nations of the world. Christ is the tabernacle or dwelling place of God. In Him dwelled the fullness of God (John 1:14, Col. 2:9), and God dwells in our midst through Jesus (Matt. 18:20).
3. The gospel teaches our bodies are temples, we have here no continuing city, but by faith, and hope and holy contempt of present things, to go out to The Lord without the camp, Heb. 13:13, 14.
4. The sheep were in the pasture (Luke 2:8). This doesn't happen in winter.
5. A study of the time of the conception of John the Baptist reveals he was conceived about Sivan 30, the eleventh week. When Zechariah was ministering in the temple, he received an announcement from God of a coming son. The eighth course of Abia, when Zechariah was ministering, was the week of Sivan 12 to 18. Adding forty weeks for a normal pregnancy reveals that John the Baptist was born on or about Passover (Nisan 14). We know six months after John's conception, Mary conceived Jesus (Luke 1:26-33). Therefore, He would have been conceived six months later in the month of Kislev. Kislev 25 is Hanukkah (Festival of Lights). Was the "light of the world" conceived on the festival of lights?
6. Starting at Hanukkah, which begins on Kislev 25 and continues for eight days, and counting through the nine months of Mary's pregnancy, one arrives at the approximate time of the birth of Jesus at the Festival of Tabernacles (the early fall of the year).
7. Due to the difficulties during travel, it was common for the officials to declare tax time during a temple Feast (Luke 2:1). During the Feast of Tabernacles, God required all male Jews to come to Jerusalem. The many pilgrims coming to Jerusalem for the festivals would spill over to the surrounding towns like Bethlehem (about five miles from Jerusalem). Joseph and Mary were unable to find a room at the inn because of the influx of so many pilgrims. They may have been given shelter in a sukkah, or booth, during the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles. The Hebrew word "stables" is sukkoth (Gen. 33:17) and the fields would have been dotted with sukkoths during this harvest time to temporarily shelter animals. "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn" (Luke 2:7).
8. Joseph and Mary took the child and flew to Egypt and remained there until they were told by God that Herod was dead. Joseph and Mary brought the baby Jesus into Jerusalem forty days from His birth for Mary's purification and the child's dedication. According to Torah this had to be done within forty days of the birth of a male child. This indicates that Herod died within the same forty days, because as long as Herod was alive, they could not appear at the Temple. According to Josephus, Herod's death occurred during the Autumn in the fourth year before the Common Era (4 B.C.).
9. God brought the Children of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt. Christians celebrate Jesus redeeming us from a life of bondage to sin and bringing us into the Kingdom of God.
10. Jesus preached three sermons in which he declared himself the "light of the world," and all three would be during the Festival of Lights (Hanukkah) in the winter of the year (December). The light from the Feast of Tabernacles lamps illuminated the whole city. Scholars suggest that Jesus referred to this custom when he spoke those well-known words, "I am the light of the world…" (John 8:12) Also see John 1:1-9 and John 9:5.
Also on the Festival of Sukkot, Moses and Elijah, representatives of the Torah and the Prophets, appeared and talked with Jesus. Peter suggested building three sukkoth for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, because it was required for the festival, but he did not understand that these three were fulfilling that which the festival symbolized: they were dwelling in their sukkoth (temporary tabernacles) of flesh, awaiting their eternal resurrection temples.
During the Millennial Reign all will be required to visit Jerusalem during Sukkot, Zechariah 14:19-19. Tabernacles and Passover are the only holidays mentioned in millennial worship (Ezek. 45:21-25; Zech. 14:16). Interestingly, the time from the first major festival (Passover in Nisan) to the last major festival (The Feast of Tabernacles in Tishri) is always the same. Passover is in the first month in the religious calendar and Tabernacles is in the first month of the civil calendar. Hosea 6:3 foretells that Jesus will come as the latter AND former rain. The spring feasts are during the former rain and the fall feasts are during the latter rain.
I could just keep digging further and expound on a myriad of these points. I just hope I gave a little encouragement for everyone to take some time to celebrate that the Word was made flesh and did indeed tabernacle (or tented) with us!
For Christian students of the feasts this is another rapture focal point but more importantly, it is the time scholars believe Jesus was actually born and when we should be celebrating the Word made flesh. His Hebrew birthday (or time of conception) is believed to be around the end of December, so I just kick off Christmas celebrations long before Hallows Eve. While studying Sukkot I found so much of Christ, I wish we had kept this season in our Holidays.
Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths for seven days to the LORD. ‘On the first day is a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work of any kind. ‘For seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to the LORD; it is an assembly. You shall do no laborious work. (Leviticus 23:33-36)
There are two reasons most celebrate Sukkot; historical (in remembrance of the dwelling in tents in the wilderness) and agricultural as it is the time of the grape harvest. I am the vine, ye are the branches (John 15:5). Passover and Pentecost share these aspects of history and agriculture with Sukkot. Hebrews were ordered to build temporary booths and live in them for 7 days. Today folks build organic shelters and eat meals in them. Serious cats live in them or in tents for the week. Some consider this an early Thanksgiving celebration as we are also on a pilgrimage to a Promised Land in eternity. To Christians it represents our temporary dwellings (bodies) and God made man, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt (tabernacled) among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). To everyone it speaks of the lowliness of our beginnings and The Lord's mercy. There are also water rituals which scream about the true Living Water cleansing us from sin through His blood, "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14).
It is supposed by many that our blessed Saviour was born much about this time; then He left his mansions of light above to tabernacle among us (John 1:14), and he dwelt in booths. I've compiled a top 10 of facts surrounding The Lords conception and birth from a study by Matthew Henry:
1. The worship of Jesus is prophesied of under the notion of keeping the feast of tabernacles, Zec.14:16.
2. Zechariah chapter 14 tells of the liberation of Jerusalem and Messiah being king over the whole earth during the Millennium. The Feast of Tabernacles will be kept by all the nations of the world. Christ is the tabernacle or dwelling place of God. In Him dwelled the fullness of God (John 1:14, Col. 2:9), and God dwells in our midst through Jesus (Matt. 18:20).
3. The gospel teaches our bodies are temples, we have here no continuing city, but by faith, and hope and holy contempt of present things, to go out to The Lord without the camp, Heb. 13:13, 14.
4. The sheep were in the pasture (Luke 2:8). This doesn't happen in winter.
5. A study of the time of the conception of John the Baptist reveals he was conceived about Sivan 30, the eleventh week. When Zechariah was ministering in the temple, he received an announcement from God of a coming son. The eighth course of Abia, when Zechariah was ministering, was the week of Sivan 12 to 18. Adding forty weeks for a normal pregnancy reveals that John the Baptist was born on or about Passover (Nisan 14). We know six months after John's conception, Mary conceived Jesus (Luke 1:26-33). Therefore, He would have been conceived six months later in the month of Kislev. Kislev 25 is Hanukkah (Festival of Lights). Was the "light of the world" conceived on the festival of lights?
6. Starting at Hanukkah, which begins on Kislev 25 and continues for eight days, and counting through the nine months of Mary's pregnancy, one arrives at the approximate time of the birth of Jesus at the Festival of Tabernacles (the early fall of the year).
7. Due to the difficulties during travel, it was common for the officials to declare tax time during a temple Feast (Luke 2:1). During the Feast of Tabernacles, God required all male Jews to come to Jerusalem. The many pilgrims coming to Jerusalem for the festivals would spill over to the surrounding towns like Bethlehem (about five miles from Jerusalem). Joseph and Mary were unable to find a room at the inn because of the influx of so many pilgrims. They may have been given shelter in a sukkah, or booth, during the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles. The Hebrew word "stables" is sukkoth (Gen. 33:17) and the fields would have been dotted with sukkoths during this harvest time to temporarily shelter animals. "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn" (Luke 2:7).
8. Joseph and Mary took the child and flew to Egypt and remained there until they were told by God that Herod was dead. Joseph and Mary brought the baby Jesus into Jerusalem forty days from His birth for Mary's purification and the child's dedication. According to Torah this had to be done within forty days of the birth of a male child. This indicates that Herod died within the same forty days, because as long as Herod was alive, they could not appear at the Temple. According to Josephus, Herod's death occurred during the Autumn in the fourth year before the Common Era (4 B.C.).
9. God brought the Children of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt. Christians celebrate Jesus redeeming us from a life of bondage to sin and bringing us into the Kingdom of God.
10. Jesus preached three sermons in which he declared himself the "light of the world," and all three would be during the Festival of Lights (Hanukkah) in the winter of the year (December). The light from the Feast of Tabernacles lamps illuminated the whole city. Scholars suggest that Jesus referred to this custom when he spoke those well-known words, "I am the light of the world…" (John 8:12) Also see John 1:1-9 and John 9:5.
Also on the Festival of Sukkot, Moses and Elijah, representatives of the Torah and the Prophets, appeared and talked with Jesus. Peter suggested building three sukkoth for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, because it was required for the festival, but he did not understand that these three were fulfilling that which the festival symbolized: they were dwelling in their sukkoth (temporary tabernacles) of flesh, awaiting their eternal resurrection temples.
During the Millennial Reign all will be required to visit Jerusalem during Sukkot, Zechariah 14:19-19. Tabernacles and Passover are the only holidays mentioned in millennial worship (Ezek. 45:21-25; Zech. 14:16). Interestingly, the time from the first major festival (Passover in Nisan) to the last major festival (The Feast of Tabernacles in Tishri) is always the same. Passover is in the first month in the religious calendar and Tabernacles is in the first month of the civil calendar. Hosea 6:3 foretells that Jesus will come as the latter AND former rain. The spring feasts are during the former rain and the fall feasts are during the latter rain.
I could just keep digging further and expound on a myriad of these points. I just hope I gave a little encouragement for everyone to take some time to celebrate that the Word was made flesh and did indeed tabernacle (or tented) with us!