Yet more feasting!

Recently we've covered the feasts of Passover and Pentecost - and we've also looked at the Day of Atonement.

We endeavoured to better understand why God required his people in the Old Testament to carry out these rituals and sacrifices and what they mean for those of us who choose to follow God in this New Covenant age in relation to the sacrifice of His son, Jesus.

Today I'd like to look at one more festival, the 'Feast of Tabernacles' (also known as the 'Festival of Booths' or 'Festival of Ingathering').  As a feast divinely instituted it was never to be forgotten.

The 'Feast of Booths' is so named as everyone born an Israelite was required to live in booths made of boughs of trees and branches of palm trees for the seven days of the feast:

Leviticus 23: 42: ''Ye shall dwell in booths [tabernacles] seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in the booths:''

... and why...

Leviticus 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 Feast of Tabernacles (or 'Booths') was one of the three great pilgrim festivals of the Jewish year.  It came at the end of the year when the labours of the field were gathered in.  It was one of the three annual festival at which every male was required to attend  - the other two being The Feast of Passover (also know as the 'Feast of Unleavened Bread',) and the Feast of Pentecost (also know as the 'Day of First Fruits').

As well as living in booths for seven days the festival required sacrifices to be offered on each of these seven days, beginning with thirteen bullocks and other animals on the first day and diminishing by one bullock each day until on the seventh day seven bullocks were offered.

Following seven days of rejoicing, on the eighth day, ''the last and great day of the feast'' as Jesus referred to it, there was a solemn assembly when one bullock and seven lambs were offered.

As well as having a historical reference to the Exodus from Egypt which reminded of the Jews of their wandering and dwelling in booths in the wilderness, the feast also served as an opportunity for thanksgiving for Gods repeated provision for his chosen people and an acknowledgement of the truth that Israel's life rested upon redemption, which in its ultimate meaning is the forgiveness of sin.

Later in Old Testament history the ceremony involved the pouring of water, the addition thought to be a recognition that rain was a gift from God necessary to produce a fruitful harvest.  Zechariah eluded to this in his prophecy regarding the end of the millennial reign of Jesus culminating in the Feast of Tabernacles:

Zechariah 14: 16, 17, 18 & 19; ''And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left 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.  And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.  And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain: there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will come and smite [strike the nations] the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.  This shall be the punishment [sin] of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.'' 

 

Zechariah's prophecy suggests that the Feast of Tabernacles will be the finale to the millennial reign of Jesus. 

 

Zechariah makes no reference to any other feast needing to be observed in this millennial reign, probably due to the fact that through his atoning sacrifice for sin Jesus has not only reconciled God's people to Him once again but also prepared the Holies of Holies in the heavenly new Jerusalem for the everlasting habitation of the children of God:

Hebrews 9: 11 &12;  ''But Christ being come a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building [creation];  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood entered in once into the holy place [Most Holy Place], having obtained eternal redemption for us.''

Jesus the eternal high priest, entered heaven to purify it by ''his own blood'' and ''obtained eternal redemption for us''.

As I mentioned above Jesus makes reference to the Feast of Tabernacles:

John 7: 37 & 38; ''In that last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly [heart] shall flow rivers of living water.''

''Let him come unto me and drink'' Jesus is telling people to ask for, and receive the Holy Spirit which will satisfy any raging thirst, derived from the overwhelming yearning, to become one of God's spirit filled children.

It is the Holy Spirit which enables us to be adopted into God's family and call Him Abba, our Father:

Romans 8: 15, 16 & 17a;  ''For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father.  The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ;''

''The Spirit of adoption'', the Holy Spirit places the believer  in God's family as an (adopted) son/daughter.  ''Abba'' (Aramaic) is used here to denote the intimate name used only by members of the family. It's use underscores the intimacy of the believer's relationship with God.  ''Joint-heirs with Christ'' conveys the promise that we as members of God's Spirit filled family of believers shall all share in our inheritance together.

Now, in the New Covenant age the great work that Jesus started  - his labour in the fields - was to  grow and reap a great harvest.  But this harvest was not of corn, olives, barley or even varieties of produce, no, this harvest was to be one of men and women who would become the children of God.

Following his resurrection and ascension into heaven, at the Feast of Pentecost (or 'day of first fruits' as it was also known) the ''first fruits'' of Jesus labour in New Covenant age were harvested when through the infilling of the Holy Spirit his apostles became children of God:

Acts 2: 1, 2 & 4;  ''And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord [purpose] in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the house where they were sitting.  And they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.''

Jesus commission to these, his ''first fruits'' was clear and simple:

 

Mark 16: 15, 16 & 17; ''And he said unto them, Go ye into the all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned [condemned], and these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name they shall cast out devils [demons]; they shall speak in new tongues.''

 

Jesus timeless instruction ''Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel'' was not just to his apostles some 2,000 years ago but is also what Jesus requires of us today. 

 

Therefore, tirelessly, we are to labour in the fields to help bring in a great harvest and ensure that the final Feast of Tabernacles at the end of Jesus millennial reign is one of great joy, celebration and thanksgiving.

 

One final thought:

 

Luke 10: 2; ''Therefore he [Jesus] said unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord for the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.''

 

No one knows when the final ingathering of God's harvest (His People) will be  - so lets get on with our commission for Jesus to ''preach the gospel to every creature'' and become the most hard working labourer we can be!