The Feast of Tabernacles
Text: Leviticus 23:33-23:43
Introduction: This morning I want to conclude our studies on the feasts of Israel. You will recall that to date we have looked at six feasts: four Spring Feasts; Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits and Pentecost and two autumn feasts: Trumpets and Atonement. So we have now arrived at the final feast, the feast of Tabernacles. This autumn feast is also called the Feast of Booths, Ingathering, the Thanksgiving Feast, and Succoth. It was and is the culmination of the spiritual year in Israel, and it is a feast that stands in marked contrast to Atonement in that the command is to rejoice. For a full week the people are required to live in booths or tents, and to rejoice over God’s provision for them. As with all the feasts, Tabernacles has both an historical significance, and a prophetical fulfillment.
Historically the Jewish people are reminded by Tabernacles of the 40 years Israel spent in the wilderness, when because of their sin and disobedience they had to spend each night in makeshift shelters, nevertheless God was with them, his presence marked by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by might. At Tabernacles Jews build booths outside their homes, roofed with branches as reminders of the wilderness-life of their ancestors
As the feast developed various aspects were added to it. There was a ceremony of the outpouring of water, drawn from Siloam, in commemoration of the refreshing stream which had come forth miraculously out of the rock at Meribah (Ex. 17:1-7), and there was the illumination of the inner court of the temple, where the light of a grand candelabra reminded the people of the pillar of fire by night which had served as a guide through the desert (Num. 14:14).
Prophetically it points to the coming of the Lord and His presence with His people throughout the Millennial Kingdom. But we will say more about that later.
I. How Tabernacles Was Celebrated
A. Notice in Leviticus 23:34, Moses taught “The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.”
1. What the seventh day, or Sabbath, was in to the week, the seventh month was to the year.
2. It closed the sacred cycle, as well as the agricultural or working year.
a. Tabernacles fell on that time of year when the hearts of the people would naturally be full of thankfulness, and gladness.
b. All the crops had been long stored; and now in the final harvest of the years all fruits were gathered in.
c. Winter was approaching and the land awaited the softening and refreshment of the 'latter rain,' to prepare it for a new crop.
3. In terms of God’s calendar the beginning of the harvest had pointed back to the birth of Israel in their Exodus from Egypt, and forward to the true Passover-sacrifice in the future, Pentecost spoke of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the harvest of the nations; and now the Feast of Tabernacles reminded Israel, on the one hand, of their dwelling in booths in the wilderness, while, on the other hand, it pointed to the final harvest when Israel's purpose should be completed, and all nations gathered unto the Lord.
B. The celebration of the Feasts of Tabernacles was to begin and end with a special Sabbath day in which the Israelites were to cease working and gather for worship (Lev. 23:39).
1. An eighth day was tagged on to the end of the feast on which people came together for worship and sacrifice (Lev 23:39).
C. The three main characteristics of the Feast of Tabernacles were:
1. The dwelling in booths.
a. Living in booths served as a reminder of God’s protection during the forty years of wandering in the desert (Lev 23:42). The temporary booths symbolised the need to depend upon God for His provision of food, water, and shelter.
b. The prophet Isaiah describes how God will protect the faithful remnant during the time of trouble by sheltering them with the cloud by day and the flaming fire by night: “And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.” (Isaiah 4:5-6).
2. The unusual number of sacrifices.
a. Every day the sacrifices consisted of two rams and fourteen lambs that were to be offered with their respective grain offerings and a male goat as a sin offering.
b. Bulls were also sacrificed each day, although their numbers decreased from thirteen on the first day (Num 29:13) to seven on the seventh day of the feast (Num 29:32).
c. The interesting thing in all of this is how the number of the burnt-sacrifices, whether taking each kind by itself or all of them together, is always divisible by the sacred number seven.
(i) So that over the week they sacrificed 70 bullock, 14 rams, 98 lambs (14x7), or altogether 182 sacrifices (26X7), to which must be added 336 (48X7) tenths of ephahs of flour for the meat offering.
(ii) Seven appeared at the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover) only in the number of its days, and at Pentecost in the period of the observance (7X7 days after Passover), but in the Feast of Tabernacles, its duration was seven days, it took place when the seventh month was at its full height, and had the number seven impressed on its characteristic sacrifices.”
(iii) And the number 7 in Scripture is the number of completeness.
d. Tabernacles is about the culmination of God’s plans.
3. The joyous festivities.
a. In contrast to the Feasts of Trumpets and Atonement which were a time of introspection and repentance, the Feast of Tabernacles was a season of rejoicing.
b. Lev 23:40 states “ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.”
c. However, that said, the seven days of rejoicing were brought to a halt by one final day, the eighth day, which was a Sabbath of rest.
(i) See Lev 23:39
(ii) “Shabat, shabbathon”, Sabbath, Sabbath – a very intensive term, intimating a solemn rest day.
D. As the feast evolved two other aspects of ceremony were added to it.
1. The Water-Drawing Ceremony
a. While the morning sacrifice was being prepared, a special procession was organised for the joyous water drawing.
b. The procession of faithful worshippers began at the Temple, led by a priest who carried a golden pitcher.
c. When the Temple procession reached the pool of Siloam, the priest filled his golden pitcher with water.
d. Journeying back to the Temple, the cortege would pass through the Water Gate until at last the water was poured at the temple altar.
2. The Illumination of the Temple.
a. This was achieved by the use of a 4 Menorah lamp stands: that stood 150 feet high in the air, the light of which lit the entire city of Jerusalem;
b. The wicks made from worn-out priests garments
c. There was a ladder for each and young priest climbed up to fill four great bowls that held over 20 gallons of oil in each one.
E. Now it goes almost without saying that all of this is very pictorial.
II. It Pictures Christ as God “Tabernacling” With Us
A. See John 1:14
1. “Dwelt” literally means “tabernacled”
a. “Skenoo” = to tent or encamp, i.e. to occupy or to reside (as God did in the O.T. Tabernacle, to dwell.
B. Come with me now to Mark 9:1-9
1. Notice in verse 1 Jesus’ promise that some of the disciples present would not die before seeing the kingdom of God with power.
a. There are some who want to make the kingdom the church and the church the kingdom – and so they suggest that Jesus words were realised in the book of Acts.
b. But they are missing the whole point 0f what follows this promise.
c. The Lord takes Peter and James and john and heads up the mountain for what we now call the Transfiguration, but what is interesting about this experience is Peter’s response – see verse 5.
(i) I have heard many preachers mock Peter for this notion – as though he was silly to try and capture the moment.
(ii) Peter isn’t the silly one. He understood what he was being given a glimpse of.
(iii) Peter’s offer to build three booths must be seen not as an isolated incident in the life of Christ, but as an expression of Messianic significance.
(iv) The scene of the Transfiguration represented for Peter the realisation of the Messianic times foreshadowed by the Feast of Booths.
(v) The only mistake Peter made here was in believing the kingdom was actually coming AT THAT TIME – but there was nothing foolish in his offer to erect booths.
C. It is interesting how Jesus used the customs of Tabernacles to describe Himself
1. See John 7:2, 10-11, 37-41
2. You will recall that part of the Tabernacle festivities included a procession followed by the pouring of water.
3. The rabbis saw in the water pouring of the Feast of Tabernacles a representation of the wilderness miracle of the water from the rock, - a ceremony that pointed to the coming of a Redeemer who would bring forth new water from the rock.
4. In the light of this Messianic understanding of the water ceremony of the Feast of Tabernacles, isn’t it interesting that Jesus chooses this moment to present Himself as the one out of whom living waters will flow?
D. Then there is that great Menorrah light.
1. See John 8;12 – this he said whilst the feast of the tabernacles was on going.
E. So tabernacles played a pivotal role in presenting Christ as God dwelling with us, as Jesus bringing the water of life and proving Himself to be the light of the world.
F. But remember Tabernacles must also have an end time significance – seven specific feasts listed in Leviticus 23 are “for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years” they are “moadim” – appointed times, and collectively form God’s calendar
III. Tabernacles END TIME Meaning
A. Well, let’s bring together all that we have learned so far:
1. Passover = Christ died for our sins
2. Unleavened Bread = Christ is buried, His body being untouched by corruption
3. Firstfruits = Christ rose from the dead, the firstfruits of them that sleep
4. Pentecost = God has sent His Spirit who joins believing Jews and Gentiles in the church so that together they may enter the harvest fields
5. Trumpets = The Jewish people are regathered from the four corners of the earth.
6. Atonement = the end time nation of Israel turns from their rejection of the Messiah and look upon Him whom they have pierced.
B. So tabernacles brings us to one last great prophetic event involving Israel = God the Son comes to the earth and establish His kingdom in the land of promise.
1. Look up Revelation 7:9-17
2. Nb. That 15th verse, “he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.”
a. You see that word “dwell” – guess what it means.
b. It’s the same Gk word we read in John 1:14 – “skenoo” = to tent or encamp.
C. Turn with me now to Zechariah 14:16.
1. The prophet Zechariah envisioned a day when “all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.” (Zech 14:16).
2. The meaning of this mysterious observance of the Feast of Tabernacles by the nations of the world can be understood in the light of Israel’s calling and mission.
3. You see God’s plan for the purpose of Israel reaches back to His covenant with Abraham.
4. In that covenant, God promised: “I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” (Gen 12:3).
a. God’s choice of Israel was for service.
b. Israel’s mission was to bring the knowledge of the true God and of His plan of salvation to all the nations of the world.
c. See Deut 28:10; Exodus 19:6; Isaiah 56:7
5. The prophet Zechariah envisions the fulfillment of God’s plan when the faithful among the nations (the unbelievers) will come to Jerusalem “from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles” (Zech 14:16).
6. Why did the prophet mention specifically the Feasts of Tabernacles and not one of the other major feasts, as the sign of obedience of the Unbelievers (Gentiles – nations)?
7. Because the Feast of tabernacles, being the Feast of Ingathering, fittingly represents the ingathering of the redeemed from ALL the nations of the earth.
D. The millennium will give us a little taste of "heaven on earth" but it won’t be heaven...
1. It will be a time of great peace – at last the aspiration of the nations to turn their swords into plowshares will be realised
2. Great prosperity...there will be no want upon the earth
3. Very little suffering...most people will be in their glorified bodies
4. Very little sin/temptation . . .the earth is largely indwelt by the redeemed
5. Great joy upon the earth, yet
6. At the very end of the millennium Satan is loosed and there is one final rebellion against God by man.
7. You see, contrary to the notion that mans’ problems have been created by his social environment, God allows Satan to have one last throw of the dice, to reveal that all of man’s problems are caused by sin.
Conclusion: So there we have it God’s great panorama of time. His calendar for the nation of Israel. Leviticus 23 takes us from the cross to the crown. From Christ’s grief to His glory, and yet there is one final day, a solemn day tagged on to the tail end of the Feast of Tabernacles – a day when the rejoicing momentarily stops, the eighth day.
The Eighth day depicts the Great White Throne Judgment described in Revelation 20:11-15, when all those who would not bow the knee to Jesus, claim Him as Saviour and confess Him as Lord meet their terrible end.
See Rev 20:11-15. It may well be that we bear witness to this scene, so that before all tears are wiped away and the former things are passed away God allows us to witness the tragedy of lost mankind.
If ever there was just cause for us to engage in the work of evangelism - this is it, All around us men and women are perishing. They are heading for a Christless eternity. What are we doing to win them?
You know the other day I saw a man wearing a tee shirt which read “Jesus is Coming – Look Busy” Of course, it was a statement of unbelief. But Jesus is coming, and we must not merely look busy, but be busy. Jesus said “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” (John 9:4), and Paul called upon us to “Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.” (1 Corinthians 15:34)
