Friday, September 28, 2007.........

.....begins the 8 day festival of Sukkot, or Tabernacles. This festival is full of eschatological meaning and significance so a few of these will be pointed out. There is no way to go into all the detail on this festival but it’s significance to the Messiah and the redemption, idioms, phrases and prophetic significance will be discussed briefly. Yom Teruah or Rosh ha Shana was on Tishri 1 with the sighting of the new moon. Ten days later Yom Kippur was observed and five days after that Sukkot begins. The first day (Tishri 15 ) is a Sabbath and so is the eighth day, Tishri 22. Some of the idioms associated with this festival are the “Feast of the Nations” because all the nations will come in the kingdom, to Jerusalem and the rebuilt Temple to worship the Lord (Zech. 14). A ceremony called the “Beit ha Shoevah” (house of the water pouring) was done that illustrated that the Messiah was the Living water. Any scripture that had to do will living water was studied. It was on the seventh day of this festival and ceremony in John 7 that Yeshua stood and cried out that he was the Living water. This festival is called the Feast of Lights and Yeshua is the light of the world. Four poles containing 4 vats of oil each were erected in the Court of the Gentiles for this purpose. These 16 vats of oil were lit at night and you could see the light from the Temple from miles away. Sukkot is also called the Feast of Leviathan. Leviathan in scripture is a picture of the false messiah. After the false messiah is killed on Yom Kippur (azazel=scapegoat) his followers (the tares) are gathered for the judgment of the nations (Matt 25). They are judged and killed and the beasts and birds of the air feast on their flesh (Rev 19, Isa 66). On the other hand those that will go into the kingdom are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb (Matt 8.11, Isa 25.6). The believers are invited to the wedding feast, and unbelievers are invited to the other one, and they are the menu! Scriptures having to do with gladness, light, joy, and living water are associated with this festival. Sukkahs, or booths, were constructed all over the land. This was done by native-born Israelites who were to remember that their ancestors lived in these to get to the land. Those that lived in the land did this to remember the price they paid to get there, and they, their descendants, were enjoying the benefits. The eschatology connected with this festival is well known in history. King Solomon dedicated the first Temple at Sukkot. Assyria invaded Israel and was destroyed around Yom Kippur and the people rejoiced at Sukkot (Isa 9, Micah 5, Isa 37). This will happen again in the very near future when Russia (Assyria) invades Israel and is destroyed around Yom Kippur and the people rejoice on Sukkot. By then Israel will have accepted Yeshua (Isa 9.6) and they are delivered by God’s power because The United States has been destroyed, Europe was fighting Russia for 3 years and losing so Russia feels secure enough to invade Israel and Israel has no help from anyone. After hearing the two witnesses and the 144,00 preaching about Yeshua for 3 years they believe and never turn away again (Eze 39.22). The Seleucid Greeks with Antiochus Epiphanes were overthrown at the time of the Maccabees. They had missed the feast of Sukkot 2 months before so they celebrated Sukkot late and redicated the Temple like Solomon did and that “second” Sukkot became known as the feast of Chanukah (dedication). Another concept associated with this festival is that Yeshua was most likely born on the first day of sukkot and circumcised on the eighth day, that’s why they are Sabbaths. History says Herod died in the fall and scripture says he died within 40 days of Yeshua’s birth. The angel appeared to Zechariah around June (Luke 1)and John was born 9 mos later, or around Passover. Six months later Yeshua was born and that brings us to the fall. If you look at the phrases used at his birth they are all associated with Sukkot. “Joy to the world” is the main theme of Sukkot. Remember those 16 vats of oil used in the Temple as the “light of the world?”. The wicks for those lights were discarded priestly clothing called “swaddling clothes.” The famous song in Handels Messiah “For unto us a child is born” is from a Sukkot passage in Isa 9.6! Yeshua was not born on December 25th. So if you want to celebrate the Lord’s birth then it’s September 28th this year. There is more biblical and historical evidence pointing to thebirth of Yeshua at the feast of Sukkot than December 25th. So, in closing, I hope this gives you some idea of its significance and why the Lord’s festivals should be observed. They are and always have been “done away with” by those that won’t believe. Like Herod, they try to do away with Him. And if they can’t get at the “substance” (Yeshua), do away with the “shadow” (the Torah). I hope this gives you some insight into a great festival and one that will be celebrated in the Kingdom to come.