Feast Of Sukkoth

Feast of Sukkoth

Lev. 23:33-36

Oct. 4, 2009 FBC, Chester Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

Introduction

A Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,34 "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ’On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths for seven days to the Lord.35 ’On the first day is a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work of any kind.36 ’For seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to the Lord; it is an assembly. You shall do no laborious work. Lev 23:33-36 (NASB)

1 On Friday, Sukkoth (literally means booths or tabernacles) began.

a Sukkoth is...

aa The last of the fall festivals (along with Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur)

bb A feast lasting for 8 days

cc One of the three “ingathering” feasts which everyone observed in Jerusalem (along with Passover & Pentecost).

b After the Babylonian captivity, Ezra established the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem.

aa Then on the second day the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe that they might gain insight into the words of the law.14 They found written in the law how the Lord had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel should live in booths during the feast of the seventh month.15 So they proclaimed and circulated a proclamation in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the hills, and bring olive branches and wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches and branches of other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written."16 So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim.17 The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in them . The sons of Israel had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And there was great rejoicing.18 He read from the book of the law of God daily, from the first day to the last day. And they celebrated the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly according to the ordinance. Neh 8:13-18 (NASB)

bb It was a big-deal day for the people of God.

c Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. John 7:2 (NASB)

d Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day —17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. Col 2:16-17 (NASB)

2 Today, I want to help you see & understand the Feast of Tabernacles/Tents/ Booths/Sukkoth.

a Sukkoth is a feast of produce, presence, & provision.

b Looks back, at now, & ahead

B At the end of the message, I’m going to give you an invitation to make the Feast of Tabernacles a big day for you, today.

C Pray

I Sukkoth is a feast of produce.

A Originally, Sukkoth was a feast to thank God for the fall harvest.

1 The crops that were planted in spring are now ripe unto harvest.

a The crops had grown between Pentecost & Rosh Hashanah, over the summer.

b Four types of plants were used in this celebration (more about those near the end of the message).

2 The people would ask Him for winter (latter) rains-without them, there would be no spring harvest.

a “God, let it rain. Pour out Your latter rains that were stronger than the spring rains.”

b Soak this land, refresh this land, so we can experience harvest again.

B God brings great harvest out of great storms.

1 Rev. 7:9-17 describes John the Revelator seeing a mass multitude of tribulation saints standing before the throne of God.

a After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;10 and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." Rev 7:9-10 (NASB)

aa They died in the tribulation! Refused to bow to the Antichrist/ take the Mark of the Beast.

bb They did not love their life even to death.

b I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.15 "For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple ; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.16 "They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat;17 for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes." Rev 7:14-17 (NASB)