GATHERING
THE SABBATH
WHAT IS IT?
Sukkot is the seventh (and last) of the annual Appointed Times. It is a time of great rejoicing – a seven day thanksgiving festival – as we celebrate the presence and provision of our Heavenly Father. In English it is called the Feast of Booths, Feast of Tabernacles, Feast of Shelters, or sometimes the Feast of the Ingathering (Exodus 23:14). In Hebrew the word sukkot is the plural form of sukkah. A sukkahis a temporary dwelling or shelter. It could be a tent, a cave, a lean-to, a shack, a make-shift building… really any place where people or livestock could take shelter on a temporary basis. So the name of this Appointed Time isSukkot, meaning tents, temporary shelters, booths, or in old English “tabernacles”.
Here is one passage of Scripture that speaks about celebrating Sukkot:
Leviticus 23:39–44 “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of YHWH for seven days. On the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest. And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before YHWH your God seven days. You shall celebrate it as a feast to YHWH for seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am YHWH your God.”
Thus Moses declared to the people of Israel the appointed feasts of YHWH. We read that for seven days, God’s people were to live in Sukkot (temporary shelters).
When? The week begins on the 15th day of the seventh month, when all the produce of the land has been gathered. In other words, this festival takes place at the very end of the harvest time. The beginning of the first period of harvest, the barley harvest took place during Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Firstfruits. The second harvest period, the wheat harvest, was celebrated at Shavuot (Pentecost). The final harvest of the year, that of the grapes, figs, dates, olives, and pomegranates, is completed just prior to Sukkot. So Sukkot becomes the major thanksgiving festival of the entire year. It was a week long celebration of God’s provision for the year.
Why? In addition to celebrating our thanksgiving to God for provision during the year, we are told this is a reminder of how the Father had His people dwell in Sukkot when he brought them out of Egypt. Remember that for 40 years they lived in tents (temporary dwellings or Sukkot). What do we remember about those 40 years? He provided everything we needed. He gave us water in the desert, manna to eat, and our sandals never wore out. And His presence was visibly with us, to lead us, guide us, and teach us – a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. So reflecting back on the 40 years in the desert, we are given a clear reminder of God’s PRESENCE and PROVISION.
What? We are told that the first and last days are to be days when we gather together with other believers (a holy convocation / gathering) and where we don’t do regular work (like a Sabbath). We are also told that for the entire week we are to live in temporary shelters (sukkot) since God’s people lived in tents for 40 years. And we are told to take fruit and branches of leafy trees and willows and “rejoice before YHWH” for seven days. Scripture isn’t clear on what to do with these things, but traditionally they were used both to decorate the sukkah and wave in praise and worship to the Father.
Who? Scripture says that all native Israelites shall live in booths. Does that mean this is not for believing Gentiles? Other Scriptures speak about the Torah being applicable not just to Israelites but also to the “foreigner who dwells among you [Israel]”. This refers to Gentiles who choose to believe in YHWH, the God of Israel, and want to be a part of His covenant community. For example, regarding celebrating Passover, Scripture says:
Exodus 12:49 “There shall be one law for the native and for the foreigner who sojourns among you.”
And Paul teaches in Romans 11 that Gentiles who believe in the Messiah are like wild branches of a wild olive tree that have now been “grafted in” to the cultivated olive tree that Israel. In other words, Gentiles have become an integral part of God’s people, Israel. Paul makes this same point even more clearly in his letter to the Gentiles of Ephesus:
Ephesians 2:11–19 “Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles… [were] separated from Christ, alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise… But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ… So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”
Gentiles, because of their faith in Messiah, are counted as part of Israel – “fellow citizens” of Israel, Paul teaches. In other Scriptures, Paul says we Gentiles are Sons of Abraham. So we have been given the same privileges and responsibilities as the rest of God’s people. God sees believing Gentiles as citizens of Israel, sons of Abraham, and part of His covenant with them. So whether Jew or Gentile, it is our privilege and our responsibility to celebrate Sukkot.
Also note that God commanded His people to keep sukkot as a “statute FOREVER throughout your generations”. This wasn’t just to be done for a while… or until Yeshua came, or until Pentecost, or until the temple was destroyed, or until any other time. It was FOREVER. In fact Zechariah 14 tells us that in the end times all nations will gather to celebrate Sukkot. The reason is that Sukkot just as much a picture of YHWH’s presence and provision in the future as it is of His presence and provision in the past. YHWH’s presence and provision is timeless. It is never ending.
Just as Sukkot reminds us to look back at the 40 years in the desert, when YHWH provided our every need and dwelt physically in our midst, so we are reminded that in the future He will again dwell in our midst. Just as the 40 years was a time of preparation to enter the promised land, so too our time now is a time of preparation to enter that ultimate promised land. In that day, we will experience the fullness of life, experiencing the fullness of His presence and the completeness of His provision. And just as we celebrate this annual day of thanksgiving for His blessings of the past year, we also look forward to that time of ultimate blessing and provision when we dwell with our Messiah as His people in the promised land. Scripture describes a period of 1000 years, when after the Messiah returns, Satan is bound and the people of God dwell on earth in the new kingdom established by the Messiah. This 1000-year reign of the Messiah is often called the Millennium.
It is interesting that Sukkot is the seventh Appointed Time, occurring in the seventh month, and lasting for seven days. That’s a lot of sevens, and not by accident. Seven usually symbolizes completeness, as in seven days of creation, seven days in a week, seven years in a sabbatical, seven decades in a jubilee, etc. Likewise Sukkot symbolizes completeness — the completion of God’s plan. This plan was God’s plan from the very beginning. We know that because it was foreshadowed, chronologically, step by step, in His Appointed Times:
Passover – The Messiah becomes the perfect and final sacrifice for the sins of mankind, initiating the new covenant between YHWH and His people.
Unleavened Bread – Messiah is buried, separated from YHWH, as he takes on our punishment.
Firstfruits – Messiah is raised from the tomb, overcoming death, becoming a Firstfruit offering to YHWH.
Pentecost – The Holy Spirit is given to comfort, guide and direct YHWH’s people, and to write the Torah on their hearts.
Trumpets – The Messiah returns to gather His faithful followers – the Bride of Messiah – and to prepare them for battle against the Evil One.
Atonement – Mankind will stands in the presence of YHWH on judgment day. Those who are sinless because of Messiah’s sacrifice are blessed to dwell in His presence. All others will suffer eternal separation from YHWH.
Sukkot – The 1000 year reign of Messiah begins. He dwells again in the midst of His people in the promised land. His people experience the fullness of His PRESENCE and His PROVISION.
So Sukkot foreshadows the millennium – when we reign with the Messiah for 1000 years, and we can fully and completely experience His PRESENCE and PROVISION. His perfect plan for mankind comes to completion as we finally live in peace and unity and the fullness of joy with Him. It is a JOYFUL time — the most JOYFUL time of the entire year. For an entire week, God’s people gather together, and celebrated, with food, with worship, with fellowship. Why? He is living among us! He is providing for us! Yesterday, today, and forever!
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
What is the Eighth Day of Sukkot?
Scripture says in Lev 23:34, “for seven days is the feast of Sukkot to YHWH”. But then in Lev 23:36 it says, “On the eighth day you shall hold a holy assembly…” So there are seven days of Sukkot, and then there is also another eighth day that Scripture asks us to keep. Thus, the Eighth Day of Sukkot is not really a part of the actual week of Sukkot, but it is an additional, special day of extra celebration. It is sometimes called “The Last Great Day”.
What does the Eighth Day of Sukkot represent? Just as the number seven often symbolizes completeness, the number eight often marks the start of a new cycle — new beginning, a new aspect of life, or a new era. For example, there are seven days in a week, and then eighth day starts a new weekly cycle. The Sabbath is the seventh day, and while Sunday normally is referred to as the first day, sometimes in the early writings of the church fathers we see this day also referred to as the eighth day. This is especially true when referring to the resurrection of the Messiah, probably since it points to the fact that it was not just the first day of the week, but the first day of something totally new, following the culmination of something that was completed. The resurrection of the Messiah began a new era on the eighth day.
Also if one counts seven weeks after Firstfruits, then next day (the beginning of the eighth week, day 50) is Pentecost. Likewise, there are seven years in a sabbatical cycle and the next year, referred to as the eighth year in Lev 25:22, begins a new cycle. And there are seven sabbatical cycles (49 years) in a jubilee cycle and the next year (the beginning of the eighth cycle, year 50) is a jubilee year, in which all slaves are freed and all property reverts back to its original owner. So the number eight often marks the start of a new beginning or a new era.
If Sukkot symbolizes the 1000 year reign of Messiah (the Millennium), then what happens immediately following the Millennium that the eighth day of Sukkot might represent? In Revelation 20-21 we see that after the 1000 year reign of Messiah ends, Satan is loosed for a spell, and then defeated in a final battle, after which a new heaven and a new earth appears, and God will dwell with man there for all eternity. So it seems that the Eighth Day of Sukkot foreshadows eternity with the Father.
The Eighth Day of Sukkot marks the beginning of an entirely new era – a new heaven and a new earth in which we shall live in the presence of the Father forever and ever. It is little wonder Scripture calls this day “the last and greatest day of the feast” (John 7:37). This day marks the new beginning of eternity with the Father. The old heaven and the old earth are gone. At last all has been fulfilled. And for the rest of all eternity we can enjoy living with YHWH and our Messiah, experiencing the fullness of His presence and provision for all time. That day will truly be the greatest day in the history of the universe. That day is the focus of the Eighth Day of Sukkot.
HOW TO CELEBRATE
PLACEHOLDER FOR LATER
SCRIPTURES TO STUDY
Sukkot – Overview
Leviticus 23. God gives instructions regarding the Sabbath and all His Appointed Times. Note that Scripture says these are “the Appointed Times of YHWH”, and not “Jewish” holidays or man’s holidays. The Feast of Sukkot (Booths / Shelters / Tabernacles) is the last Appointed Time of the year.
Sukkot – The Desert
Numbers 9. The Tabernacle is set up and the very presence of God comes to dwell there in the midst of the people.
Numbers 13-14. Moses sends out 12 people to spy out the promised Land. The spies come back with their report, and the people respond with fear rather than faith. As a result they faced God’s discipline and for 40 years He taught them how to walk in faith and obedience.
Deuteronomy 29. At the end of the 40 years, the people of Israel have learned many lessons, and are finally ready to enter the promised land.
Sukkot – The Birth of Messiah
Luke 1:26 – 2:52, Matthew 1:18 – 2:23 and John 1. The Messiah, the very presence of God comes to earth to sukkah (temporarily dwell) with His people. He was born in a sukkah (a temporary shelter used for animals that was probably a cave) most likely very close to the time of Sukkot. The Word becomes flesh, and Messiah dwells with man at His first coming. This is the time to celebrate the birth of the Messiah!
Sukkot – Our Bodies as a Sukkah
Acts 2 and 2 Corinthians 4:7 – 5:21. The Holy Spirit of God is given to dwell (sukkah) in the hearts of believers. We have this Gift in our fragile, temporal bodies. Though we are burdened in this life, we look forward to our eternal dwelling with God in heaven.
Sukkot – The Millennium
Revelation 14. After the Messiah returns, the time of judgment will come. This passage describes the final harvest of the earth.
Revelation 19-20. This is a vision of the Day of the Lord, when after the great battle Satan is bound and the Messiah will reign on earth with all His people for 1000 years.
Zechariah 14. Zechariah prophesies about the Day of the Lord in the end times. After the defeat of the Enemy, all the nations will worship the true God, and will celebrate Sukkot.
Sukkot – Solomon’s Temple
1 Kings 8 and 2 Chronicles 5-7. Solomon dedicates the newly built Temple at Sukkot. The Presence of God fills the temple and the nation celebrates Sukkot like never before.
Sukkot – Jerusalem Rebuilt
Nehemiah 8-10. After the wall of Jerusalem is rebuilt, Ezra reads the Scriptures to the all the people just before Sukkot. There is a great Sukkot celebration, followed by true spiritual revival as the people respond with a renewed commitment to obey His Word.
Sukkot – Living Water
John 7. The Messiah celebrates Sukkot in Jerusalem and on the last and greatest day of the feast He speaks about Living Water. In connection with this, also read some of the articles on the great “Water Ceremony” of Sukkot.
John 8:12-31. Yeshua teaches that He is the Light of the World, probably also during Sukkot. In connection with this, read some of the articles on the “Illumination of the Temple Ceremony” at Sukkot.
Ezekiel 47:1-12. In Ezekiel’s vision of the future temple he sees a growing river of living water bringing life to places of total death.
Sukkot – The Eighth Day
Revelation 21-22. After Messiah’s thousand year reign Satan is loosed and then defeated in a final battle. Then a new heaven and a new earth appear, in which God will dwell with man for all eternity. Compare the river of living water in this “new heaven and new earth” to that of Zechariah 14 and Ezekiel 47 which seem to depict the millennial reign on this earth.