Sukkoth: Feast of Tabernacles 2019

Sukkoth:  Feast of Tabernacles 

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Lev. 23:33-43

Sukkoth, the Feast of Tabernacles celebrates the harvest of the fruit of the land.  During this Appointed Time, many people, both Jew and Christian, build tabernacles or huts.  Generally, they spend at least part of each day during the seven days celebration in their tabernacle. 

Sukkoth reminds us of the forty years Israel spent wandering in the desert and God’s provision. According to Nehemiah, during the forty years in the desert, the people’s clothes did not wear out.   Along with manna and water, God provided for all the rest of the people’s needs.

After the return from the Babylonian Exile, Ezra read the law and led the Israelites in acts of repentance during the Feast of Tabernacles (Nehemiah 8:8-17). “So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.'' For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.''

 "So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, "Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.'' And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them.

"Now on the second day the heads of the fathers' houses of all the people, with the priests and Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order to understand the words of the Law. And they found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month, and that they should announce and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the mountain, and bring olive branches, branches of oil trees, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.''

"Then the people went out and brought them and made themselves booths, each one on the roof of his house, or in their courtyards or the courts of the house of God, and in the open square of the Water Gate and in the open square of the Gate of Ephraim.
So the whole congregation of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness.”

The dedication of Solomon's' Temple also took place during this feast (I Kings 8:2). Later, Josephus referred to the Feast of Tabernacles as the holiest and greatest of the Hebrew feasts. 

We often quote 2 Chronicles 7:14, but few of us realize that the context of this passage was the dedication of Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem.  “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”  

For Christians, Sukkoth can be a time when we rededicate ourselves as the temple of the Holy Spirit.  We are His people, called by His name.  If we want healing to come to our land, the Church must, individually and corporately, humble ourselves, pray and seek a deeper relationship with our heavenly Father.  We must turn from our wicked ways, such as fear, anger, self-righteousness and division.  Then God will hear from heaven and pour out His forgiveness and healing.  

Sukkoth, Feast of Tabernacles, celebrates the completed harvest.  The final crop, the fruit of the land, that has been gathered.  

The Feast of Tabernacles looks forward to the final spiritual harvest, the great revival to come.   The autumn harvest is a forerunner to that time in the Millennial Kingdom when all believers are gathered together and God tabernacles with us.  Sukkoth looks forward to the time when believers will rule and reign with Jesus.

Zechariah 14:16-19 is a prophetic word describing the celebration of Sukkoth during the Millennium.

^"And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles." 

The following Psalm is one that God’s people sang as they passed through the Kidron valley and climbed the Temple Mount to worship during the Lord’s Appointed Times.

Psalms 122:1-9:  “I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the Lord.'' Our feet have been standing Within your gates, O Jerusalem! Jerusalem is built As a city that is compact together,
 Where the tribes go up, The tribes of the Lord, To the Testimony of Israel, To give thanks to the name of the Lord.For thrones are set there for judgment, The thrones of the house of David.
 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces.'' For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, "Peace be within you.'' Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good.

During this holy time, O Lord, we rededicate our lives to You and rejoice for what You have done, are doing and will do.  Amen.