Welcome back to afaithtalk.com. We’re about to start the final festival God set. It begins Friday, October 2nd and lasts a week.
Once again you can find these feasts in Leviticus 23. Sure, they’re probably in other books too, but all of them are listed in Leviticus 23.
Before we read about it, let’s pray:
Lord the things you have set for us both now and in the future are so benevolent, so wonderful, such blessings. Help us as we read and study these words to know how we can celebrate now and what it might foretell for the future too. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Leviticus 23:33-44 NIV
The Festival of Tabernacles
33 The Lord said to Moses, 34 “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Lord’s Festival of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. 35 The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work. 36 For seven days present food offerings to the Lord, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present a food offering to the Lord. It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work.
37 (“‘These are the Lord’s appointed festivals, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing food offerings to the Lord—the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings required for each day. 38 These offerings are in addition to those for the Lord’s Sabbaths and in addition to your gifts and whatever you have vowed and all the freewill offerings you give to the Lord.)
39 “‘So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the Lord for seven days; the first day is a day of sabbath rest, and the eighth day also is a day of sabbath rest. 40 On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees—and rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. 41 Celebrate this as a festival to the Lord for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 Live in temporary shelters for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters 43 so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’”
44 So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed festivals of the Lord.
Seven days, capping it on the eighth day. Start and end with a Sabbath Rest, and a Sacred Assembly. And joy, joy, joy, all through it.
You surely saw that the harvest would be done at this point. This one has another name too, it’s the Feast of Ingathering. Because the fruit harvest has been completed. And in some translations it’s called the Feast of Booths, referring to the temporary shelters. It’s a festival of thanksgiving and a rejoicing.
“When we look at the Feast of Tabernacles, from the spiritual perspective, we can see that it has three purposes for the people. First, it brought joy that their sins were forgiven (during Yom Kippur). Second, it reminded them of God’s provision and presence during the Exodus. Third, it reminded them that God was still present and provided for all their needs. Also, it should be noted that in Nehemiah 8, the Israelites celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles for the first time since the days of Joshua. Ezra, the scribe, read from the book of the law of God each day during the celebration. What a reminder it is that when we as believers worship together, the Word of God is to be the center focus!”*
*Norten, Michael. Unlocking the Secrets of the Feasts (pp. 91-92). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
I can not more highly recommend that book.
There is a preponderance of evidence that Jesus was born during the Festival of Tabernacles. (Which means John the Baptist was born during Passover. i.e. six months before Jesus.)
Makes sense since we know He came to dwell with us. His name is Immanuel, God with us.
Which means Jesus was conceived during the festival of lights, Hanukkah, and born during the Show of Lights which is yet another name for the Festival of Tabernacles. Another of His names, Light of the World.
Oh can you see what awaits?
“On the eighth day, the Jews would stop and pray for rain for the future harvests, but it also was a more intimate time with the Lord. The number eight has often carried the symbolic meaning of “new beginning.” Since the Feast of Tabernacles celebrates the millennial reign of the Lord, the eighth day, being a convocation of its own, looks toward fellowship with God for eternity and a new beginning.”*
*Norten, Michael. Unlocking the Secrets of the Feasts (p. 102). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
Revelation 21:1-5
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Most certainly is this ever a festival to celebrate. One day we all will. And maybe then we will know exactly when Jesus was born and it will become a giant Birthday party.
Joy, Joy, Christ is born! He will dwell with us!
He already does in us and He will one day be with us forever.
Amen and amen.