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From: Eddie Chumney
To : heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject: The Feast of Tabernacles (Part 2 of 2)
From the Book:
The Seven Festivals of the Messiah
by
Eddie Chumney
http://www.hebroots.org/eddiesbooks.htm
SUKKOT:
THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES
(Part 2 of 2)
The Daily Sukkot Ceremony
Each day out of the temple (Beit
HaMikdash), there was a special ceremony. The priests were divided into
three divisions. The first division were the priests on duty
for that festival. They would slay the sacrifices found in
Numbers (Bamidbar) 29. At this time, a second group of priests went out
the eastern gate of the temple (Beit HaMikdash) and went to the
Motzah Valley, where the ashes were dumped at the beginning of
the sabbath. There they would cut willows. The willows had to be
25 feet in length. After this, they would form a line with all
the priests holding a willow. About 25 or 30 feet behind this
row of priests, allowing room for the willows, would be another
row of priests with willows. So, there would be row after
row of the willows.
The whole road back to the temple
(Beit HaMikdash) was lined with pilgrims as they went to
Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) to celebrate the festival as they
were commanded by God to do.
Sukkot (Tabernacles), along with
Shavuot (Pentecost), and Passover (Pesach), were known as
the pilgrimage festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16).
There would be a signal and the
priests would step out with their left foot, and then step to
the right, swinging the willows back and forth. Meanwhile,
a third group of priests, headed by the high priest (Cohen HaGadol), went out the gate known as the Water Gate. They had
gone to the pool known as "Siloam" (John
[Yochanan] 9:7,11), which means "gently flowing waters." There the high
priest had a golden vase and drew the water known as the living water
(mayim hayim) and held it in the vase. His assistant held a silver
vase containing wine. Just as the priests in the valley of Motzah began to march toward Jerusalem (Yerushalayim), so did
the priests in Siloam. As they marched toward the city of
Jerusalem (Yerushalayim), the willows made a swishing sound in the wind
as they approached the city. The word wind in Hebrew is Ruach.
The word spirit in Hebrew is also Ruach. Therefore, this
ceremony was symbolic or representative of the Holy Spirit
(Ruach HaKodesh) of God coming upon the city of Jerusalem
(Yerushalayim).
As each of the party
reached their respective gates, a trumpet (shofar) was blown.
Then one man would stand up and play the flute (the flute
represents the Messiah). The flute player is called "the
pierced one." The flute is pierced, and Yeshua was pierced during the
crucifixion (Psalm [Tehillim] 22:16; Zechariah 12:10; John
[Yochanan] 19:34-37; Revelation 1:7).
The flute player led the procession. The
pierced one blows the call
for the wind and the water to enter the temple. The priests from
Motzah swishing the willows come into the temple (Beit HaMikdash)
and
circle the altar seven times. The priests that were slaying the
sacrifices are now ascending the altar, and they begin to lay the
sacrifices on the fires. The high priest and his assistant ascend
the
altar and all the people of Israel are gathered into the courts
around
there. The people start singing the song Mayim, saying,
"With joy we
will draw water out of the well of salvation [Yeshua]"
(Isaiah
[Yeshayahu] 12:3; Mishnah, Sukkah 5:1). The high priest takes his
vase
and pours its contents on one of the comers of the altar where
the
horns are. There are two bowls built into the altar. Each bowl
has a
hole in it. The water and the wine are poured out over the altar
as
the priests who had the willow start laying the willows against
the
altar, making a sukkah (a picture of God's covering).
Messianic Understanding.
In this, we have a picture of Yeshua as He
was on the tree. He was on the altar (tree) when His heart was
pierced
(John [Yochanan] 19:34), then the water and the blood separated
and
they were poured out. God through Yeshua was providing a covering
(sukkah) for all those who would believe in Him.
Wine is representative of marriage, blood, covenant, joy, and the
Messiah in Scripture. The priests took the willows to the altar
and
set them upright on the side of the altar, forming a wedding
canopy or
chupah. The high priest will take his golden vessel and pour out
the
water on the altar. The assistant will pour out his silver vessel
of
wine on the altar. When Yeshua was crucified on the tree (a type
of
altar), His side was pierced and out of His heart poured water
and
blood (John [Yochanan] 19:34). Yeshua said that He was the living
water being poured out during this ceremony (John [Yochanan] 7:2,
37-38).
Spiritual Application (Halacha).
During the time of Yeshua, the Feast
of Sukkot set a magnificent stage for the preaching of the
Messiah.Rain is essential to the growing of crops and Israel, an arid
land,
prizes rain greatly as a blessing from God.
Rain was a prominent feature in the celebration of the Feast of
Sukkot. The ceremony of the water drawing held a significance
much
deeper than its agricultural implications. The rain represented
the
Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) and the water drawing pointed to
that day
when, according to the prophet Joel [Yoel], God would rain His
Spirit
upon (all flesh) (Joel [Yoel] 2:28-29). The connection of water
to
this verse is God pouring out His Spirit. In the Talmud we read,
"Why
is the name of it called the drawing out of water? Because of the
pouring out of the Holy Spirit, according to what is said, 'With
joy
shall ye draw out of the wells of salvation'" (Isaiah
[Yeshayahu]
12:3).
Sukkot was given by God to teach
us of the Messianic era, the Millennium, when the earth will
experience the greatest outpouring of God's Spirit.
Hoshana Rabbah (The Great Salvation)
Hoshana Rabbah (literally, the
great hosanna or the numerous hosannas) is the seventh day of Sukkot (Tabernacles). Hoshana Rabbah should have been a full
festival day, but is not because
of Shemini Atzeret, which follows
it. However, it has some special rituals and customs that
make the day more like a full festival day than any of the
intermediate days. The most important of these (ceremonies)
are:
1. The circling of the altar seven times instead of once while
carrying the four species and reciting the Hoshana prayers.
2. The beating of the willows.
Messianic Understanding.
In John (Yochanan) 7:37-38, Yeshua said, "If
any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that
believeth on
Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow
rivers of
living water." At this season of Sukkot, Isaiah (Yeshayahu)
12:3 was
often quoted, as it is written, "Therefore with joy shall ye
draw
water out of the wells of salvation." Yeshua in Hebrew means
"salvation."
The drama of the water drawing ceremony took on a new dimension
of
meaning when Yeshua attended the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles).
On the
seventh day of the feast, Hoshana Rabbah, which literally means
"the
great hosanna, the great salvation," the festival activities
were
different from those of each of the six previous days when the
priests
circled the altar in a procession, singing Psalm (Tehillim)
118:25. On
the seventh day of the feast, the people circled the altar seven
times. That is why the day is called Hoshanah Rabbah, as the cry,
"Save now!" was repeated seven times. Yeshua's
statement in John
(Yochanan) 7:37-39 was said on Hoshana Rabbah.
Spiritual Application (Halacha).
Spiritually speaking, in the Bible,
there is a link between water and the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit
(Ruach HaKodesh). Yeshua told the woman at the well to drink of
living
water (John [Yochanan] 4:7-14; 6:35; Matthew [Mattityahu] 5:6).
This
relationship between water and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
(Ruach HaKodesh) is contained in the symbolism of pouring out
water.
Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 44:3 links the pouring out of water with the
pouring out of God's Spirit. Isaiah (Yeshayahu) parallels the
thirsty
land and links water with the Holy Spirit. The link can also be
seen
in Joel (Yoel) 2:23,28; Acts 2:1-4,14-17; and Ezekiel
(Yechezekel)
39:22,27-29. Zechariah 14:8 speaks of living waters. Isaiah
(Yeshayahu) 12:2-3 speaks of drawing water out of the wells of
salvation. Water and the Spirit are connected in Psalm (Tehillim)
42:1-4; Zechariah 13:1; and Revelation 7:17. It can also be seen
in
Ezekiel (Yechezekel) 36:24-27.
Yeshua was trying to
communicate this to Nicodemus (Nakdimon) in John (Yochanan) 3:1-6. He
also was teaching this during the Feast of Sukkot
(Tabernacles) in John (Yochanan) 4:14, which concluded with His
statements in John 7:37-39. At the ceremony of the water drawing, the
people's attention was focused on the pool of Siloam. It was here
that Yeshua healed a man who had been blind from birth (John
[Yochanan] 9:1-7). Notice again the statement in John 9:5. This
is the last day of the feast (Hoshana Rabbah) (John 9:14;
Leviticus [Vayikra] 23:34-36).
The Festival of Lights (The Light of the Temple)
Another ceremony of the Feast of Sukkot
(Tabernacles) was the illumination of the temple (Beit
HaMikdash). According to the Mishnah, at the end of the first day of
the Feast of Sukkot
(Tabernacles), the priests and the
Levites went down to the court of the women. Four enormous golden
candlesticks were set up on the court (50 cubits high) with four
golden bowls placed upon them and four ladders resting against
each candlestick. Four youths of priestly descent stood at the
top of the ladders holding jars containing about 7.5
gallons of pure oil, which they
poured for each bowl (Mishnah, Sukkah
5:2). The priests and Levites used their own worn-out
liturgical clothing for wicks. The light emanating from the four
candelabras was so bright that
the Mishnah says in Sukkah 5:3 that
there was no courtyard in Jerusalem [Yerushalayim] that was not
lit up with the light of the libation water-well ceremony (Beit
Hashoevah).
The mood was festive. Pious men,
members of the San Hedrin, and heads of different religious
schools would dance well into the night, holding bright torches and
singing psalms of praise to
God. Jerusalem (Yerushalayim)
glistened like a diamond that night and her light could be seen
from afar.
Spiritual Application (Halacha).
Spiritually speaking, the light
represented the shekinah glory that once filled the temple where
God's
presence dwelt in the Holy of Holies (1 Kings 8:10-11; Ezekiel
43:5).
During this time, the temple (Beit HaMikdash) was thought of as
"the
light of the world." In the brilliance of this gloriously
lit temple,
Yeshua cried in John (Yochanan) 8:12 that He was "the light
of the
world."
In addition, during this festival
of Sukkot (Tabernacles) and this time, in the court of the
women of the temple between the four posts of light, the accusers
brought to Yeshua the woman caught in the act of adultery
(John [Yochanan] 8:1-11). Yeshua forgave the woman and proceeded to
write a message on the ground (John [Yochanan] 8:5-9). What did
Yeshua write? The answer is in Jeremiah 17:13. In these things,
we can see that Yeshua taught the people the messages of the
festivals during the festivals.
Israel: A Light (Witness) to the Nations
Israel was chosen to be
God's light to the world (Deuteronomy [Devarim] 7:6-8). The
mission that God chose for Israel was one of service to God. The
reason is very simple. God wanted a
people out of the world whom
He could use and work through to show His glory to the world.
That is why He chose Israel and that is what every follower
of the Messiah is chosen to be. In
doing so, God could reveal
His redemptive plan to the whole world so the world could see
that God and His Messiah Yeshua are light (John 1:1-4; 1
John 1:5). Israel was to be a witness
(light) to the world. This
can be seen in the following Scriptures: Isaiah
(Yeshayahu) 43:1,10,12,14; Luke 24:44-49; and Acts 1:1-8. Israel's
mission was to proclaim to the world that the God of Israel is
the only true God and there is no other Savior but He (Acts
4:10,12).
Israel as a corporate
nation failed in her mission to be a witness to the world.
Not only were the people disobedient to the commandment of
God, but they also did not become a light
to the world. On the
contrary, the world as a corporate people have always hated the
Jewish people.
As individual members who believed and
followed after God, the Jewish
people were faithful to their task. We only need to consider the
faithfulness of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, the prophets, and
the
kings such as David and Solomon. In fact, consider the very Bible
which you are able to read today; it was written by faithful
Jewish
servants of God led by the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) of God.
Most
of all, the greatest light and witness the world has ever known
was
Jewish. His name is Yeshua, the Messiah! Because Israel birthed
the
Messiah, they, in essence, have been a blessing to all nations
through
Him (Genesis [Bereishit] 12:3; Galatians 3:8,14,16,29). Although
Israel corporately failed in her mission, this is not a permanent
failure. It is a temporary setback to her destiny of being a
blessing
to all nations, which will be accomplished during the
thousand-year
reign of the Messiah known as the Messianic Kingdom or the
Messianic
age. Israel still remains God's chosen people (Romans 11:25-29),
and
still has a role to play in the future of the world (Romans
11:12,15).
The prophet Isaiah (Yeshayahu) spoke of a future time when Israel
would be used by God to bring the message of Messiah to the
nations,
for the nation of Israel will have a central part in the
thousand-year
reign of the Messiah (Isaiah [Yeshayahu] 62:1-5). Israel will be
a
blessing to all nations at this time (Malachi 3:12; Ezekiel
[Yechezekel] 34:23-30; Zechariah 8:11-15; Isaiah [Yeshayahu]
19:23-25). Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) will be the spiritual focal
point
of the world and this time will be Israel's "Golden
Age," during the
Messianic era, because the King of Jerusalem, the Prince of
Peace,
will reign in Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) (Isaiah [Yeshayahu] 2:2-4;
52:9-10; 62:7-8, Micah [Michah] 4:1-3; Psalm [Tehillim]
102:18-21;
125:1-2; 137:5-6). The day is coming when a restored and renewed
Israel will once again be a light to the nations, for the destiny
of
Israel is linked to the destiny of the world!
The Birth of Yeshua During Sukkot
The Scriptures seem to
indicate to us that Yeshua was born during the festival season
of Sukkot (Tabernacles). In fact, I believe that He was born on
the Feast of Sukkot (which is Tishrei 15 on the biblical
calendar, and is analogous to our September/October). With
this in mind, let's look for some evidence of this in the
Bible.
In Luke 1:5, Zachariah
(Z'karyah) is a priest (Cohen) of the division of Abijah (Avijah).
What does this mean? Israel was divided into 24 districts at
the time of Yeshua. Each of these districts sent two
representatives to officiate at the temple during the weeks of the
year. In First Chronicles (Divery Hayamim) 24, the first
division of the priests would serve in the first week of the year,
which would be both in the month of Nisan and the month of Tishrei since both months begin the new year. As we saw earlier in
this book, Nisan is the first month in the religious calendar
set up by God in Exodus (Shemot) 12:2 and Tishrei is the first
month of the year according to the civil calendar.
During the third week in the
month of Nisan, the priests from all 24 districts would come
to the temple to help during the week of Passover (Pesach).
This would also be the case for the festival of Pentecost
(Shavuot) and for the festival of Sukkot (Tabernacles) when all males
were required to go to Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) as specified
by God in Deuteronomy (Devarim) 16:16. In First Chronicles
24:10, we see that abijah was the eighth division or course of
priests. The course of abijah would minister during the
tenth week of the year. Remember, the weeks of Passover and
Shavuot would not be counted because all the priests were required to
go to Jerusalem then. In Luke 1:9-10, we see that
Zacharias is burning incense. This is done in the room of the temple
known as the Holy Place. As the incense (which represents
the prayers of God's people [Psalm (Tehillim) 141:2; Revelation
8:3-4]) is being burned by the priests in the temple, 18
special prayers are prayed. These 18 prayers would be prayed
every day in the temple. One of these prayers is that Elijah
(Eliyahu) would come. This is important because it was understood by
the people, as God established, that Elijah (Eliyahu) would
precede the coming of the Messiah as stated in Malachi 4:5.
These 18 special
prayers would be prayed twice a day, once in the morning and once
in the afternoon. In Luke 1:11-13, the angel appeared on the
right side of the altar and told Zacharias that his
prayer was heard and John (Yochanan) the Immerser (Baptist)
would be born. John (Yochanan) the Immerser (Baptist) was not
literally Elijah (Eliyahu), but was of the spirit of power of
Elijah (Luke 1:17).
Allowing two weeks for
the laws of separation that God commanded in Leviticus
(Vayikra) 12:5; 15:19,24-25 after going back to the house
(Luke 1:23) and then going forward nine months (Sivan [tenth
week] + 2 weeks + 9 months) puts the birth of John
(Yochanan) during the festival of Passover (Pesach). This is an
extremely important point because during the service for
Passover, which is called the Passover Seder, the people are
instructed by God to go to the door during one part of the service
and look for Elijah (Eliyahu) while the Passover meal is
eaten. The cup is called the cup of Elijah. The understanding of
Elijah preceding the coming of the Messiah was the basis
for the question in Matthew (Mattityahu) 17:10-13.
In Luke 1:26 during the
sixth month of Elisabeth's (Elisheva) pregnancy, the angel Gabriel
appeared to Mary (Miryam). This should have been around the
twenty-fifth of Kislev, otherwise known as Chanukah. During
the time of the first century, Chanukah was known as the
second Sukkot. During the time of Chanukah, all of the Sukkot
prayers are prayed once again. Mary's (Miryam) dialogue
with the angel Gabriel is found in the Sukkot liturgy today. If you
calculate from the twenty-fifth of Kislev and add eight days
for the festival of Chanukah plus nine months for Mary's
(Miryam) pregnancy, this will bring you around the time of the
festival of Sukkot, or Tishrei 15. On Tishrei 22, known as Shemini
Atzeret or the eighth day, Yeshua was circumcised (Luke
2:22-23; Leviticus [Vayikra] 12:1-3).
Other Evidences of Yeshua's Birth During Sukkot
As we have stated
earlier in this chapter, the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles) is
called "the season of our joy" and "the feast of the nations."
With this in mind, in Luke 2:10 it is written, "And the
angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good
tidings [basar in Hebrew; otherwise known as the gospel] of great
joy [Sukkot is called the 'season of our joy'], which shall be
to all people [Sukkot is called 'the feast of the
nations']." So, we can see from this that the terminology the angel
used to announce the birth of Yeshua were themes and
messages associated with the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles). In Luke
2:12, the babe (Yeshua) was wrapped in swaddling cloths and
lying in a manger. The swaddling cloths were also used as
wicks to light the 16 vats of oil within the court of the women
during the festival of Sukkot. So, swaddling cloths are
associated with the festival of Sukkot.
Notice also in Luke 2:12 that the baby Yeshua was laid in a
manger.
The word manger is the Greek word phatn'e. It is the same word
translated as "stall" in Luke 13:15. By seeing how the
word is used in
Luke 13:15, we can see that the Greek word phatn'e means a place
for
hitching cattle. The Hebrew word for stall is marbek, which can
be
found in Amos 6:4 and Malachi 4:2. In Genesis (Bereishit) 33:17
it is
written that Jacob journeyed to Sukkoth and made booths (the word
booth in this passage is the Hebrew word sukkah; the plural is
sukkot)
for his cattle. So we can see from these passages how the word
booth
(sukkah or sukkot) was used by Jacob (Ya'akov) for his cattle in
Genesis 33:17, and how the Greek word for manger or
"stall," phatn'e,
was also used to refer to hitching cattle in Luke 13:15. Phatn'e
is
the same word translated as "manger" in Luke 2:12,
where Yeshua was
laid at the time of His birth.
During the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles), God required that all male Jews come to
Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) (Deuteronomy [Devarim] 16:16). For
this reason, the city would be overcrowded with
people and would explain why Mary (Miryam) and Joseph (Yosef)
could not find lodging in and around Jerusalem
(Yerushalayim) (Luke 2:7). Bethlehem, the place where Yeshua was born,
is only about four miles from Jerusalem.
The last evidence I
will give for the birth of Yeshua during Sukkot according to
the Scriptures is in Matthew (Mattityahu) 2:1. There we see that
wise men come from the East to visit Yeshua. The land of
the East is Babylon, where the largest Jewish population was
at the time of the birth of Yeshua. These Jews were
descendants from the captivity when King Nebuchadnezzar
defeated Israel and took the Jews to Babylon to serve him. Babylon is
referred to as the land of the East in Genesis (Bereishit)
29:1 and Judges (Shoftim) 6:3. The wise men in Matthew
(Mattityahu) 2:1 were rabbis. The rabbis, also called sages, are
known in Hebrew as chakamim, which means wise men. The word in
Matthew (Mattityahu) 2:1 in Greek is magos, which is
translated into English as "Magi." Magos in Greek is the Hebrew
word ravmag. Ravmag comes from the Hebrew word rav, which means
"rabbi." It should also be noted that the Greek word magos
can also mean scientist, counselor, scholar, or teacher.
The rabbis were scholars or teachers of the Jewish law. Yeshua
was referred to as "Rabbi," or "Teacher" in
John (Yochanan) 1:38,47,49; 3:2. So, we can see that the wise men were
Jewish rabbis coming from Babylon to witness the birth of Yeshua.
A question we can ask
ourselves is, "What made the rabbis make the journey from
Babylon to Bethlehem to witness the birth of Yeshua?" The
answer is given in Matthew (Mattityahu) 2:2, as it is written,
"...we have seen His star in the east...."
One of the
requirements during the time of Sukkot was to build an outside temporary
shelter and live in it during this festival season. This
shelter is called a booth, or sukkah. The sukkah had to be
built with an opening in the roof so the people could see the
stars in heaven. This is another reason for why the rabbis
would be looking for, and thus seeing, the star in the sky when
it appeared. In addition, there was a prophecy in Numbers
(Bamidbar), as it is written, "...a star shall come forth from
Jacob..." (Numbers [Bamidbar] 24:17 NAS). King Herod
inquired about where the Messiah would be born in Matthew
(Mattityahu) 2:4. He was told in Bethlehem (Matthew [Mattityahu]
2:5-6), based upon the prophecy in Micah 5:2. In Matthew 2:10
it is written, "When they saw the star, they rejoiced with
exceeding great joy." Once again, remember that Sukkot is called
"the season of our joy." In Matthew 2:2, the rabbis saw the
star from the East. Salvation was seen by the Jewish people as
coming from the East. Yeshua descended from the tribe of
Judah (Revelation 5:5). The tribe of Judah was positioned on the
east side of the tabernacle of Moses (Moshe) in the
wilderness. Finally, in Luke 2:32, Yeshua is called a light to the
Gentiles. Once again, Sukkot is called "the festival of
lights" and "the festival of all nations."
Therefore, by studying
and understanding the festival of Sukkot and the themes
and messages that God desired to be conveyed during this
festival, enables us to read the Bible in a new light; it
enables us to understand that Yeshua was born during the season of Sukkot and that He is the Star we are all called to see with our
(spiritual) eyes!
(End Part 2 of 2)
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