The final part of the Feast of the seventh month is the Feast of Tabernacles proper. The instructions for the keeping of this Feast are found especially in LEVITICUS 23:33-34. We consider the story in brief before looking at symbolic truths therein.
The Feast of TABERNACLES
LEVITICUS 23:33-44 "On the 15th day of this 7th month is the Festival of Tabernacles for 7 days to Yahuah. On the 1st day is a set-apart assembly: you do no servile work. For 7 days you bring an offering made by fire to Yahuah. On the 8th day there shall be a set-apart assembly for you, and you shall bring an offering made by fire to Yahuah. It is a closing festival, you do no servile work that day either . . .
On the 15th day of the 7th month, when you gather in the fruit of the land, observe the festival of Yahuah for seven days. On the 1st day is a rest, and on the 8th day a rest. And you on the 1st day you shall take the fruit of good trees, branches of palm trees, twigs of leafy trees, and willows of the stream, and shall rejoice before Yahuah your Alahim for 7 days. And you shall observe it as a festival to Yahuah for 7 days in the year – a law forever in your generations. Dwell in booths for 7 days, all who are native Israelites dwell in booths, so that your generations know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt ... I am Yahuah your Alahim.’"
With the closing harvest of the year (the fruit harvest) gathered in, the people of Israel were to set aside seven days where they left their houses and dwelt in booths made of various trees to rejoice before Yahuah their Alahim. On the first and on the eighth day there were to be extra Sabbath days or Set-Apart gatherings. The whole Feast POINTED BACK TO THE FIRST FEAST OF PASSOVER, because the Feast of Tabernacles was the consummation of that which began in the Feast of Passover. The symbolic details show the truths for Israel under the Old Blood-Covenant and for the Bridal Fellowship under Yahusha's New Blood-Covenant truths.
There were several significant titles or names for this Feast.
A. THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES
( Leviticus 23:34; Deuteronomy 16:13; Zechariah 14:16; Ezra 3:4 )
Or, more literally "The Feast of Booths." The Hebrew word for "Booth" is "Sukkoth" or "Sukkah." The Feast of Tabernacles or Booths pointed back (like a word of witness to the blood deliverance and) to Israel's first encampment after their Exodus from Egypt, as they encamped on the edge of the Wilderness. The Tabernacles spoke of A TEMPORARY DWELLING PLACE enroute to the promised land and permanent dwelling places, as well as a mobile House (TABERNACLE) for Yahuah to dwell with His people, before a permanent structure would be constructed in the Promised Land.
B. THE FEAST OF INGATHERING
( Exodus 23:16 )
This title pointed to the final harvest, the fruit harvest, which was the final ingathering at the end of the year.
C. THE SOLEMN FEAST
( Deuteronomy 16:15; Hosea 12:9; 9:5; Psalm 81:1-3 )
The Feast of Tabernacles was the most joyful yet also the most solemn Feast of Israel's sacred year. It involved the solemnity of the Day of Atonement, yet the rejoicing of the Feast of Tabernacles.
D. THE FEAST OF THE SEVENTH MONTH
( Nehemiah 8:14 )
The number seven again points to the Feast of fulness and completion.
THE MOST OUTSTANDING TRUTHS IN THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES INVOLVE THE SEASONAL RAINS, THE FINAL HARVEST OF THE YEAR, AND THEN THE SPECIAL DAYS OF SACRIFICE AND FINALLY THE REJOICING IN TEMPORAL DWELLINGS. THESE THINGS HAD SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE TO THE ISRAELITES AND FIND THEIR SUPERNATURAL FULFILMENT IN YAHUSHA AND HIS BRIDAL ASSEMBLY IN THESE LAST DAYS.
THE POWER OF THE FEASTS IS NOT IN THE USE OF CONFUSING HEBREW WORDS AND CUSTOMS, BUT IN THE SUPERNATURAL EXPERIENCE TO BE HAD EACH TIME!
Associated with rain seasons were the great harvest times. And just as there were two great seasonal rains so there were two great harvest seasons. Rains and harvests were really inseparable, for the harvest was the result of the rain. NO RAIN - NO HARVEST! The first great harvest was the corn harvest as seen under the Feasts of Passover and Pentecost. There the barley and the wheat were gathered in. Then between the harvest months of Passover and Pentecost came the fourth, fifth and sixth months, the dry season, when generally no rain fell. Then came the rains of the Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast of the seventh month. All were intended to RIPEN THE HARVEST TO PREPARE FOR A NEW SEASON'S SOWING !
The last Great Harvest was the fruit harvest and this came in the Feast of Tabernacles, spoken of as the Feast of Ingathering, where all the fruits of the land (wine and oil) were gathered together. The corn harvest was the HARVEST OF THE FIRSTFRUITS for it pointed to the final harvest in the end of the year also. Many references link the rains and especially the two harvests together as Yahuah promised to "send His people the corn, wine and oil." The fruit harvest has been used to symbolise the vast variety and multitude of believers out of every kindred, tongue, tribe and nation in the four corners of the earth. This final harvest comes under the historical and supernatural fulfilment of the Feast of Tabernacles in the Fellowship.
Yahusha as the Divine Husbandman has long patience as He waits for the precious fruit of the earth from the rains (James 5:7-8). "Corn, wine and oil" is used in Scripture to symbolise the Living Word of Yahuah, the Joy of Yahuah and the Anointing of His Set-Apart Spirit. The "fruits" and the "rains" are certainly not speaking of the natural but the SUPERNATURAL. The Feast of Ingathering/Tabernacles took place in the end of the year, so there's no mistaking the shadow/symbolism here. YAHUSHA SPOKE OF THE HARVEST OF THE WHEAT AND THE TARES, THE GOOD AND THE BAD, THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS, THE VISE AND FOOLISH VIRGINS - AS ALL TAKING PLACE IN THE END OF THE AGE. John saw both of these harvests in Revelation 14-17-20. One is the harvest of the wicked which are cast into the WINEPRESS OF YAHUSHA'S WRATH, and the other is the harvest of the righteous who are raised from the grave, or transformed to meet Yahusha in the air!
So the symbolic and prophetic significance of the Feast of Tabernacles (relative to the harvest ingathering in the end of the year) points to that ESTABLISHING OF THE TRUE ASSEMBLY AGAIN and the harvest (no matter how small or large) resulting from her maturing, which Yahusha is greatly concerned about before He returns the second time.
1. Hebrew Word & Thought
The Hebrew word "Tabernacle" as used here is "Sukkah", and means "a hut (as of entwined boughs) or lair." It is translated "booth, cottage, covert, den, pavilion, tabernacle" (Leviticus 23:34; Deuteronomy 16:13,16; 31:10; 2 Chronicles 8:13; Ezra 3:4; Zechariah 14:16-18). The custom took place when all of the harvest was gathered in. The Israelites were to take booths of goodly trees, the palm, the willow, the olive, the pine, the myrtle as well as other trees and make booths out of them. They were to leave their houses, or else build them on the roofs of their houses, and REJOICE in these booths for seven days before Yahuah (Leviticus 23:39-44; Nehemiah 8:13-18). The palm tree was symbolic of VICTORY, the willow of WEEPING the myrtle of JOY, the olive of ANOINTING (Nehemiah 8:15: Psalm 137:1-5). The other branches also had symbolic meaning in Israel also.
All this was sufficient grounds for rejoicing together. The Feast of Tabernacles was the MOST JOYOUS season of the year. Pentecost was joyous. Tabernacles was the most joyous. In both Feasts, the Levites, the widows, strangers and fatherless were ministered to and blessed. Another reason for the Feast of Tabernacles was in order that the Israelites would REMEMBER how Yahuah caused them to dwell in booths when He brought them out of Egypt after deliverance.
The Israelites were also to bless their families, their servants, and the Levites, the strangers, the fatherless and the widow in their gates. They were COMMANDED TO REJOICE before Yahuah. With the harvest gathered in, they could look back over the labours of the year, all because of the blessing of Yahuah upon them.
In other words, the Feast of the seventh month reminded them of the first month; the end reminded them of their beginning - Tabernacles reminded them of Passover. Allusions to this Feast may be found in Matthew 21 and Revelation 7. There we see the waving of palm trees amidst loud Hosannas to the Son of David, amidst great rejoicing!
A BOOTH = A TABERNACLE
The word "Tabernacle" means "a tent or cloth" and it is translated "habitation". This and other relative words are used in the following manner.
a. It is used of the body of Yahusha in His incarnation when the Word was made flesh, the Aleph-Tau metamorphed and dwelt or "Tabernacled among us" (John 114).
b. Peter used it of his own physical body when he was about to die and spoke of it as the putting off of his "Tabernacle" (2 Peter 1:13-14).
c. Paul also spoke of our physical body as being an earthly house, a "Tabernacle" in which we groan, waiting for our New House from Heaven (2 Corinthians 5:1-5).
d. The "Tabernacle" of Moses was also spoken of as a tent or habitation of Yahuah (Acts 7:44: Hebrews 9:2-8; 13:10).
e. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lived in "Tabernacles" also as pilgrims and strangers in earth (Hebrews 11:9).
f. The "Tabernacle" of David was a Praise Tent or dwelling place of Yahuah (Acts 15)
g. The Scriptures speak of the Feast of "Tabernacles" (lit.. the tabernacle fixing) when Yahusha entered the Temple (John 7:2,27-29).
h. The New Blood-Covenant also speaks of the Heavenly "Tabernacle" and Temple, Yahusha's true dwelling place (Hebrews 8:2: Revelation 13:6: 15:5). Eventually His "Tabernacle", the New Jerusalem, will be on a New Earth (Revelation 21:3).
1. Dwelling in Booths for 7 days reminded the Israelites of their Exodus from Egypt and that they were but pilgrims and strangers in the earth. So the Bride is but a pilgrim and stranger in this word, looking for a city whose builder and maker is Yahuah, even as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob looked for (Hebrews 11 & 13 ... 1 Peter 1:17: 2:1)
On the Mount of Transfiguration Peter suggested to Yahusha that they make "3 Tabernacles," one for Him, for Moses and for Elijah. Perhaps this was an allusion to the Feast of Booths for Peter, but moreso Yahuah's shekinah was always seen in association with the "Tabernacle:" a temporary dwelling place to house the divine presence: a tent or a habitation.
2. Dwelling in Booths also reminded Israel that these "Tabernacles" were only temporary dwelling places, not eternal. The eternal dwelling place was yet to come. So Yahusha's Bride is reminded that HER EARTHLY PHYSICAL FLESHLY BODY IS ONLY TEMPORARY - SO SHOULD IN NO WAY BE HER FOCUS AND DEFINATELY SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO RULE OVER HER! We are consciously puting off the flesh now through our overcoming metamorphing of maturity, so that one day we will be fully transformed by the change-over to immortality. At the coming of Yahusha we will receive a NEW and Heavenly House, His eternal Dwelling Place, which is an immortalised and esteemed body (2 Cor 5:1-5: 1 Cor 15:51-57; I Thess 4:15-18; Phil 3:20-24).
The complete fulness of this Feast of the Seventh Month will be experienced at the coming of Yahusha and the resurrection and esteem of the Bride of all ages.
THE KINGDOM & REIGN OF ETERNITY WILL BE AN AGE OF MARRIAGE-LOVE AND ESTEEM.
There the Bride will look back over her earthly pilgrimage of this life and remember the goodness of Yahusha and rejoice in His esteem. Then the Tabernacle of Yahusha will be with mankind and He will be to them an Alahim and they shall be His people (Revelation 21:1-8). This will be the completeness of the Feast of Tabernacles indeed.
Looking at the relationship between Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, there is a vital connection, for here we see the principle of the Kingdom of Heaven parable (as in Mark 4:28) fulfilled in the Feasts. First the blade (Passover), then the ear (Pentecost), then the full corn in the ear (Tabernacles). Passover looked forward to Tabernacles, while Tabernacles looks backward to Passover, yet consummates and finishes that which began in Passover. The end was in the beginning, as the fruit is in the root, and the tree is in the seed! Of course the wheat here shadows our Redemptive Experience through each Feast !
PASSOVER and the Sheaf of Firstfruits set forth the work of Yahusha in His first coming, in His death, burial and resurrection.
PENTECOST with its two wave loaves presented before Yahuah on the fiftieth day after the waving of the Sheaf of Firstfruits set forth the work of the Set-Apart Spirit in the Bridal Fellowship composed of both Jews and Gentiles.
TABERNACLES with its Trumpets, Day of Atonement and lngathering sets forth the final operations of Yahusha Messiah in the earth prior to and at His second coming. It sets forth the gathering of the Bride to Assemble again before Yahusha, the perfection of the Bridal Fellowship by the power of blood atonement and the final bridal ingathering before Yahusha comes. The fulness of this Feast of the seventh month overflows into the seventh Day of Yahusha and will be enjoyed for all eternity.
IF YAHUSHA IS ONCE AGAIN CALLING HIS BRIDE BACK TO `ASSEMBLE' ONCE MORE (FOR LOVE & ENCOURAGEMENT IN THESE DARK END-TIMES) THEN HE MUST BE VERY CLOSE TO RETURNING !!
A very important truth is that which shows the connection and relationship of Heaven and Earth in the Feasts of Yahusha. It is usually impossible to separate them. For when a Feast took place on earth, there was something which took place in Heaven, as it worked with earth in the Festival occasions. This is to be expected because apart from Heaven there would be no Feasts on earth. Earth is dependent on Heaven. In the fulfilment of the Feasts it is YAHUSHA WHO BRINGS HEAVEN AND EARTH TOGETHER, BRIDGING THE COMMUNICATION GAP THAT WAS BROUGHT ABOUT BY SIN. IN HIS PERFECT SACRIFICE FOR SIN HE LINKS EARTH AND HEAVEN TOGETHER IN THE GREAT RECONCILIATION OF ATONEMENT.
When He ascended on high and sat down in Majesty on high, YAHUSHA continued to work with His chosen followers as they preached the Word and witnessed the Good News. LIKEWISE IN THE REDEMPTIVE FEASTS, AS THE SHADOW MOVED ON EARTH, THE SUBSTANCE IN HEAVEN CONFIRMED AND ATTESTED TO THE SAME. In Passover, as Yahusha died on Earth, the sun was darkened by the Father. In Unleavened Bread and the Sheaf of Firstfruits, Yahusha was resurrected from the grave on Earth and ascended to Heaven, presenting Himself as the Surety for all believers. In Pentecost, Yahusha had ascended to Heaven 10 days previously, and then the Spirit was sent from Heaven to Earth to His waiting followers, who formed the Bridal Fellowship, the Body of Yahusha in its conception.
In Tabernacles, Yahusha (in fulfilment of the Day of Atonement) entered within the veil of the Heavenly Sanctuary, and the Bride on earth now has direct access by the Spirit to that most Set-Apart Place of all. When the final and last trumpet blows, then Yahusha descends from Heaven to Earth and receives His own unto Himself. Finally "The Tabernacle of Yahusha” will be with mankind and He will dwell with them. It will indeed be “Heaven on Earth". THUS HEAVEN AND EARTH CONNECTIONS ARE SEEN IN EACH OF THE FEASTS.
It is Yahusha Messiah who unites Heaven and Earth, through His Person and His atoning Work. The "GREAT GULF" brought about by sin has been bridged by Yahusha’s blood and now all Bridal Believers may come and Feast with their Master and Deliverer Yahusha in all sincerity and truth !!
CONCLUSION:
This same Heaven and Earth connection exists within the Living Dwelling of Yahusha’s Bride, who now have the SECRET OF THE AGES - fulfilment and completion of all Yahusha’s feasts LIVING WITHIN THEM! Every shadow, season and time was to draw Israel’s focus onto the Divine, the Supernatural, the Creator and Alef-Tau (who metamorphed into YAHUSHA for deliverance …
So now, after experiencing the blood of the PASSOVER LAMB, and having a Miraculous Divine Heart Operation at PENTECOST, where a New Heart and Spirit is put in us with the New Eternal Blood- Covenant ... and gave us a down-payment of His Incorruptible Seed of the Set-Apart Spirit … Yahusha’s Bride are now free to enter boldly “beyond the veil” of His flesh, given Direct Access to the Throne of Yahusha Himself.
Yahusha's Bride are the living witnesses of His life, His death and His conquering resurrection power to deliver anyone from all evils that pester, torment and inflict them. Just as Yahusha was the COMPLETE FULNESS OF ALL DIVINITY IN BODILY FORM, so too His Bridal Fellowship have those same seeds of incorruptible immortality planted within them, to FOLLOW YAHUSHA'S EXPERIENCE THROUGH THE FEASTS and metamorph from old to new, from death to life, from unclean to shining, perfect, mature and ready for the ultimate conclusion, where Yahusha will completely return to fulfil in Himself this Latter Feast of TABERNACLES.
HOW SHOULD WE CELEBRATE THIS DIVINE APPOINTED TIME? COME TOGETHER WITH LIKE-MINDED BELIEVERS IN SINCERITY AND TRUTH WITH GOOD FOOD, WINE AND PLENTY OF LOV'IN ... FOR EVERY SHADOW POINTED TO THE WORK OF YAHUSHA FOR HIS PEOPLE ... SO HE MUST BE THE FOCUS ... NOT THE BOOTHING OR BOUGHS OR BRANCHES OR SUKKAHS !! ..... YAHUSHA !!
REMEMBER THE TABERNACLE TREES USED (PALM, WILLOW, OLIVE, MYRTLE) ALL SHADOW THE SINCERE REJOICING, VICTORY, WEEPING, JOY AND ANOINTING EXPERIENCED BY THE BRIDE AS SHE `DOESN'T NEGLECT GATHERING TOGETHER' OR `DISCERNING THE BODY & BLOOD OF YAHUSHA' IE WHO HE REALLY IS AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN - THE CREATOR, ALEF-TAU AND LIVING WORD MADE ALIVE IN THE DELIVERANCE OF HIS MARRIAGE COVENANT BRIDE !!
THE FEASTS ARE PART OF OUR REDEMPTION TRAINING SO THE APPOINTED TIME MUST BE OBSERVED (JUST LIKE THE WEEKLY SABBATH) - HOWEVER WE MUST NOT SIMPLY & BLINDLY DO THE SHADOW-TEACHINGS BUT WE MUST STUDY, LISTEN AND ASK YAHUSHA TO REVEAL TO US PERSONALLY WHAT EACH SHADOW-EXPERIENCE OF HIS REDEMPTIVE FEASTS WAS TO ACHIEVE AND WHAT TRUTH IT TEACHES US TODAY IN THE REALITY OF OUR OWN FAMILY FELLOWSHIP, SO WE CAN FOLLOW HIM AND BE MATURED (METAMORPHED) THROUGH EACH FEAST TO BECOME A TRUSTWORTHY & FAITHFUL SERVANT, WITNESS AND IMAGE OF HIM !!
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