In this study, we will be discussing the final feast we are told to observe in the Torah/Law of Father. This feast is called the Feast of Tabernacles. Many already understand that this feast is not fulfilled at all, not even partially. Even though many proclaim that this feast is not fulfilled, the idea that all the feasts were fulfilled at the death of Messiah is still held by many genuine Bible students. We will be looking at this feast closely to see what historical significance it has as well as see if it points us to our future experience.
This Feast is first told to us in the book of Exodus.
Exo 23:16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.
Exo 34:22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year's end.
What occurred is that after they gathered the harvest they would have a praise and thank you celebration around the Tabernacle of the Father. Lets look at a few more instructions to get a complete picture.
Lev 23:34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD. Lev 23:35 On the first day shall be a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
This feast occurs on the 7th month. The last 3 feast which are Trumpets/Teruah, Atonement/Kippur, and Tabernacles all are connected to each other. These feasts actually determine if a person is able to celebrate Tabernacles in the end of the year. In order to celebrate the last feast, they must first heed the warning of the trumpet to prepare for the atonement so they can celebrate the ingathering/Tabernacles. Many call the name of the 7th month Tishri which means to begin or beginning, but this is not the original name of the 7th month.
1Ki 8:2 And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
The word Ethanim means permanent and this is extremely important to understand. The feasts reveal the plan of redemption and the last feast completes this plan and all those who are a part of the feast of tabernacles will be "Permanent" citizens of Fathers kingdom.
Let’s look at a few more symbols in this feast.
Lev 23:39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. Lev 23:40 And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. Lev 23:41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. Lev 23:42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: Lev 23:43 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 your God.
The first and last days are to be observed as rest days from work and kept set apart for worship, study and gathering with the brethren. An interesting instruction given is to make Booths from sticks and branches. The word booth in Hebrew is the word Sukkah which is where the word for tent/dwelling or tabernacle comes from. The feast is also referred to as the feast of booths or in Hebrew Sukkoth.
First, lets look at the meaning of the last feast as it emphasizes on the harvest being finished. The harvest represents the end of the world when Messiah receives His people.
Mat 13:37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; Mat 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; Mat 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
Father’s people represent the Harvest at “the end of the year” being received by Messiah at the end of the world. Now we see that the celebration of this feast is actually AFTER the harvest has already occurred.
Lev 23:39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.
Deu 16:13 Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine:
As you study the Harvest in the end of the year, we begin to understand that the corn and wine or the fruit of the vine is gathered at the end of the harvest. So this feast emphasizes and points us to the future after Messiah has come back.
Now the 8th day of the feast of Tabernacles is called the last GREAT DAY. As I studied number 8, I realize that the number 8 is symbolic as well. I will point out a couple of examples.
The Law of Leprosy in Leviticus chapter 14, teaches that when you are cleansed from it, you are to give sacrifice and on the 8th day when you are completely cleansed. Leprosy represents the condition man is in when they are in sin. We will not be completely removed from sin until Messiah changes our sinful bodies from flesh to immortality.
Lev 14:23 And he shall bring them on the eighth day for his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the LORD.
A similar representation is in the symbol of circumcision. The birth of a child coming out of the womb represents Israel coming forth from Egypt.
Exo 13:12 That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD'S. Exo 13:13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. Exo 13:14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:
Every male that was born was to be circumcised on the eighth day.
Lev 12:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman has conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. Lev 12:3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
The foreskin symbolized the sinful flesh. Now Egypt represents the corrupt nations of this earth which will be in power in the soon future (Revelation 11:8), and birth points us to Israel leaving Egypt/earth and the 8thday the foreskin or flesh which symbolizes sinfulness is cut off.
When we leave this earth with Messiah our flesh shall be cut off and we will resemble the Holiness and Glory of the Father even in our physical body just as the Messiah.
What is the point of booths?
Booths or mini tabernacles symbolize our physical body. The tabernacle of the Father represents the physical presence of God as well.
2Pe 1:13 Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; 2Pe 1:14 Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. 2Pe 1:15 Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.
Hos_12:9 And I that am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feast.
The Sukkoth/Tents were to be set up near the Sukkoth of the Father. It represents what occurred in the past which gives us a glimpse of what will occur in the future.
Neh 8:14 And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month: Neh 8:15 And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written. Neh 8:16 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. Neh 8:17 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 Joshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. Neh 8:18 Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.
This celebration was pointing us to the time Moses brought the people out of captivity from a corrupt land. We look forward to leaving this corrupt land once and for all at the coming of Messiah. It also says that it happened during the time before Joshua and never again happens in that manner. Let’s see how they did it when they left Egypt.
Hos_12:9 And I that am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feast.
Lev 23:43 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 your God.
Num 2:2 Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.
The entire people of God with their Booths/Tabernacles surrounded the Fathers Tabernacle.
Num 2:3 And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah.
Num 2:10 On the south sideshall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur.
Num 2:18 On the west sideshall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishamagivethe son of Ammihud.
Num 2:25 The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies: and the captain of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
The people of Father placed their booths on every side of Fathers booth. This is significant. If the booth represents our physical presence, it is showing us that one day our physical bodies will be in the close presence of the Fathers physical body and He will dwell with us physically. The point of the tabernacle is so Father can dwell with us.
Exo_25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
Lev_16:16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.
In the book of Revelation, we see a demonstration of this fulfillment during the time of the new earth.
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
We look forward this glorious future, that we will be in the physical presence of our Heavenly Father and His Son, and nothing will be between us. We will be able to see with our eyes, touch with our hands, hear with our ears our Fathers voice and hands. We will be able to smell and taste the fruit He promised us from the tree of life and we will ever be with our Father and sin will no longer separate us.
Now we see that the leaving of Egypt represents the leaving of the old earth. The booths and the booth of the Father revealed that we have the same likeness and physical appearance. Both the Father and His people are represented as tabernacles or booths. The placing our Tents around Fathers Tent symbolize our soon existence with our Father. We will soon be physically around our Fathers physical presence forever. This hope is what the people of God pray for, study and observe during the time of this feast at the end of every year. It is not a Feast to ignore. Father looks forward to being with us and we should keep this in our minds as well as the promise of being with Him physically.
Zec_14:16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left(repentant believers) of 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.
May Father bless you and keep you. Blessings and stay in the scriptures.
