Commemorating the Feast of Tabernacle
This festival was the third great occasion that all Hebrew males were required to
observe every year (Leviticus 23:33-44) “and the Lord Yahweh spoke to Moses,
saying, speak to the children of Israel, saying, the fifteenth day of this seventh
month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days to the Lord Yahweh. On
the first day shall be an holy convocation; you shall do no servile work therein.
Seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord Yahweh o the
eighth day shall be an holy convocation to you; and you shall offer an offering
made by fire to the Lord Yahweh; it is a solemn assembly; and you shall do no
servile work therein. These are the feasts of the Lord Yahweh, which you shall
proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the Lord
Yahweh; a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings,
every thing upon its day. Beside the Sabbaths of the Lord Yahweh and beside
your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which
you give to the Lord Yahweh. Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month,
when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep a feast to the Lord
Yahweh seven days; on the first day shall be a Sabbath, and on the eighth day
shall be a Sabbath. And you shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly
trees, branches of palm trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice
before the Lord Yahweh your God seven days. And you shall keep it a feast to
the Lord Yahweh seven days in the year, it shall be a statute for ever in your
generations, you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths
seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths. That your
generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I
brought them out of the land of Egypt; I am the Lord Yahweh your God. And
Moses declared to the children of Israel the feasts of the Lord Yahweh”.
This festival began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month shortly after the
observance of the Day of Atonement, which fell on the tenth day. The Festival of
Booths lasted for one week and involved a pilgrimage. It fell at the end of the year
(Exodus 34:22) when all the work of farming had been completed.
On the first and eighth days of the festival, no one was to do any work, and burnt
offerings were given to the Lord. During the other days, the people were to
gather palm fronds and tree branches to construct rough shelters in which they
would live during the week of the festival. This served as a vivid reminder to the
people of how God had protected and guided them when they had lived in
portable, temporary structures in the wilderness.
The people publicly recited the covenant between them and God as given to them
by Moses. This was meant to keep fresh in their minds the obligations as well as
the blessings of their special relationship with God (Numbers 6:22-27) “and the
Lord Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying. Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying,
On this wise you shall bless the children of Israel, saying to them. The Lord
Yahweh bless you, and keep you. The Lord Yahweh make His face shine upon
you, and be gracious to you. The Lord Yahweh lift up His countenance upon you,
and give you peace. And they shall put My name upon the children of Israel, and I
will bless them”.
This weeklong celebration reminded the people of God’s protection and guidance
in the desert (Psalms 105:37, 41-45) “He brought them forth also with silver and
gold; and there was not one feeble person among their tribes. He opened the
rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river. For He
remembered His holy promise, and Abraham His servant. And He brought forth
His people with joy, and His chosen with gladness. And gave them the lands of
the heathen; and they inherited the labor of the people. That they might observe
His statutes, and keep His laws. Praise you the Lord Yahweh”.
This festival renewed Israel’s commitment to God and inspired trust in His
continued guidance and protection (Deuteronomy 16:13-17) “you shall observe
the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that you have gathered in your corn
and your wine. And you shall rejoice in your feast, you, and your son, and your
daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, the
stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are inside your gates. Seven
days shall you keep a solemn feast to the Lord Yahweh your God in the place
which the Lord Yahweh shall choose; because the Lord Yahweh your God in the
place which the Lord Yahweh your God shall bless in all your increase, and in all
the works of your hands, therefore you shall surely rejoice. Three times in a year
shall all your males appear before the Lord Yahweh your God in the place which
He shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and
in the feast of tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty.
Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord Yahweh
your God which He has given you”.
A particularly significant observance of the festival of booths took place in the time
of Ezra after the exiles joyously returned from Babylon (Nehemiah 8:13-18) “and
on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the
people, the priest, and the Levites, to Ezra the scribe, even to understand the
words of the law. And they found written in the law which the Lord Yahweh had
commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the
feast of the seventh month. And that they should publish and proclaim in all their
cities, and in Jerusalem, saying Go forth to the mount, and bring olive branches,
and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of
thick trees, to make booths, as it is written. So the people went forth, and brought
them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in
their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water
gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim. And all the congregation of them
that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths;
for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day had not the children of
Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. Also day by day, from the
first day to the last day he read n the book of the law of God. And they kept the
feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the
manner”.
The prophet Zechariah saw a vision in which all nations were coming to Jerusalem
to observe the Festival of Booths. He warned that those who did not continue this
tradition could expect hardship and food shortages (Zechariah 14:16-19) “And it
shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against
Jerusalem shall even go from year to year to worship the King, the Lord Yahweh
of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be that whoso will not
come up of all the families of the earth to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord
Yahweh of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go
not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the
Lord Yahweh will site the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of
tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all
nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles”.
This feast did not stop at the New Testament, Jesus Himself observed this feast
(John 7:2-3,8-10,14) “Now the Jews’ feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His
brethren therefore said to Him, depart from here, and go into Judea that Your
disciples also may see the works that You do. And Jesus said go you up to this
feast, I go not up yet to this feast; for My time is not yet full come. When He had
said these words to them, He abode still in Galilee. But when His brethren were
gone up, then went He also up to the feast; not openly, but as it were in secret.
Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. And
the Jews marveled, saying, how knows this man letters, having never learned”?
We have to remember that when God makes a statue, it is established forever.
The Feast of Tabernacles is an appointed time that God set up for His people to
come near to Him. And because we have been grafted in, we too should observe
His set feast, as well. Not under the letter of the law, but with a heart felt desire to
draw near to God; and what better time than the time that He has set up.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: September 24, 2010
This festival was the third great occasion that all Hebrew males were required to
observe every year (Leviticus 23:33-44) “and the Lord Yahweh spoke to Moses,
saying, speak to the children of Israel, saying, the fifteenth day of this seventh
month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days to the Lord Yahweh. On
the first day shall be an holy convocation; you shall do no servile work therein.
Seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord Yahweh o the
eighth day shall be an holy convocation to you; and you shall offer an offering
made by fire to the Lord Yahweh; it is a solemn assembly; and you shall do no
servile work therein. These are the feasts of the Lord Yahweh, which you shall
proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the Lord
Yahweh; a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings,
every thing upon its day. Beside the Sabbaths of the Lord Yahweh and beside
your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which
you give to the Lord Yahweh. Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month,
when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep a feast to the Lord
Yahweh seven days; on the first day shall be a Sabbath, and on the eighth day
shall be a Sabbath. And you shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly
trees, branches of palm trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice
before the Lord Yahweh your God seven days. And you shall keep it a feast to
the Lord Yahweh seven days in the year, it shall be a statute for ever in your
generations, you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths
seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths. That your
generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I
brought them out of the land of Egypt; I am the Lord Yahweh your God. And
Moses declared to the children of Israel the feasts of the Lord Yahweh”.
This festival began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month shortly after the
observance of the Day of Atonement, which fell on the tenth day. The Festival of
Booths lasted for one week and involved a pilgrimage. It fell at the end of the year
(Exodus 34:22) when all the work of farming had been completed.
On the first and eighth days of the festival, no one was to do any work, and burnt
offerings were given to the Lord. During the other days, the people were to
gather palm fronds and tree branches to construct rough shelters in which they
would live during the week of the festival. This served as a vivid reminder to the
people of how God had protected and guided them when they had lived in
portable, temporary structures in the wilderness.
The people publicly recited the covenant between them and God as given to them
by Moses. This was meant to keep fresh in their minds the obligations as well as
the blessings of their special relationship with God (Numbers 6:22-27) “and the
Lord Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying. Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying,
On this wise you shall bless the children of Israel, saying to them. The Lord
Yahweh bless you, and keep you. The Lord Yahweh make His face shine upon
you, and be gracious to you. The Lord Yahweh lift up His countenance upon you,
and give you peace. And they shall put My name upon the children of Israel, and I
will bless them”.
This weeklong celebration reminded the people of God’s protection and guidance
in the desert (Psalms 105:37, 41-45) “He brought them forth also with silver and
gold; and there was not one feeble person among their tribes. He opened the
rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river. For He
remembered His holy promise, and Abraham His servant. And He brought forth
His people with joy, and His chosen with gladness. And gave them the lands of
the heathen; and they inherited the labor of the people. That they might observe
His statutes, and keep His laws. Praise you the Lord Yahweh”.
This festival renewed Israel’s commitment to God and inspired trust in His
continued guidance and protection (Deuteronomy 16:13-17) “you shall observe
the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that you have gathered in your corn
and your wine. And you shall rejoice in your feast, you, and your son, and your
daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, the
stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are inside your gates. Seven
days shall you keep a solemn feast to the Lord Yahweh your God in the place
which the Lord Yahweh shall choose; because the Lord Yahweh your God in the
place which the Lord Yahweh your God shall bless in all your increase, and in all
the works of your hands, therefore you shall surely rejoice. Three times in a year
shall all your males appear before the Lord Yahweh your God in the place which
He shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and
in the feast of tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty.
Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord Yahweh
your God which He has given you”.
A particularly significant observance of the festival of booths took place in the time
of Ezra after the exiles joyously returned from Babylon (Nehemiah 8:13-18) “and
on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the
people, the priest, and the Levites, to Ezra the scribe, even to understand the
words of the law. And they found written in the law which the Lord Yahweh had
commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the
feast of the seventh month. And that they should publish and proclaim in all their
cities, and in Jerusalem, saying Go forth to the mount, and bring olive branches,
and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of
thick trees, to make booths, as it is written. So the people went forth, and brought
them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in
their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water
gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim. And all the congregation of them
that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths;
for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day had not the children of
Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. Also day by day, from the
first day to the last day he read n the book of the law of God. And they kept the
feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the
manner”.
The prophet Zechariah saw a vision in which all nations were coming to Jerusalem
to observe the Festival of Booths. He warned that those who did not continue this
tradition could expect hardship and food shortages (Zechariah 14:16-19) “And it
shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against
Jerusalem shall even go from year to year to worship the King, the Lord Yahweh
of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be that whoso will not
come up of all the families of the earth to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord
Yahweh of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go
not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the
Lord Yahweh will site the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of
tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all
nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles”.
This feast did not stop at the New Testament, Jesus Himself observed this feast
(John 7:2-3,8-10,14) “Now the Jews’ feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His
brethren therefore said to Him, depart from here, and go into Judea that Your
disciples also may see the works that You do. And Jesus said go you up to this
feast, I go not up yet to this feast; for My time is not yet full come. When He had
said these words to them, He abode still in Galilee. But when His brethren were
gone up, then went He also up to the feast; not openly, but as it were in secret.
Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. And
the Jews marveled, saying, how knows this man letters, having never learned”?
We have to remember that when God makes a statue, it is established forever.
The Feast of Tabernacles is an appointed time that God set up for His people to
come near to Him. And because we have been grafted in, we too should observe
His set feast, as well. Not under the letter of the law, but with a heart felt desire to
draw near to God; and what better time than the time that He has set up.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: September 24, 2010
