Culture
Miriam's View on Succoth, The Feast of Tabernacle
By Miriam Abramov
Am (people) Israel Chai or God’s people live
As seen in The Feast of Tabernacles or Succoth
Shalom from Israel, I am Miriam from Israel and actually here right now in the land of promise.
Today we will look together at the festival of Booths, or tabernacles known as succa booths. This Fall feast of Israel is a biblical feast or appointed time found in Lev. 23. Succoth or the feast of tabernacles is one of the 3 major feasts or biblical holidays. In Verses 33 and 34 we can read as well as 39-42.
The Feast of tabernacles is the last of the seven feasts. It is the final. It is the culmination of all the feasts on the Jewish calendar. This day is also the final ingathering of the harvest, hag ha asif.
On the 15th day of the seventh month this feast begins and it is to last for 7 full days. On the first day choice fruit tree and leafy palm branches are waved inside a succa booth which we build, it’s a temporary hut, or tent. We shake these four branches as we turn to each direction of the world, we acknowledging God is all around us as we are commanded to rejoice. There is the lulav palm family etrog or citron, myrtle hadas and willow arava.
All native Israelites are to live in booths for seven days. This generation may only sit for an hour or so and drink some tea with family of friends. Others eat every meal for 7 days in the dwelling booth. The tabernacles are decorated with pomegranates and hanging fruit inside the booths.
In Israel the children will draw pictures at school and families will hang them on the walls of the temporary dwellings during the celebration. A most important key issue is to have an open roof on your tabernacle which one can see into heaven. Placing palm trees over the roof makes the heavens visible. We are to reflect on the God of Israel, the one true God and how he kept us, the Jewish people clothed and fed for 40 years in the desert. He guided us too by a cloud in the day and pillar of fire by night into the promised land.
So every year we celebrate, rejoicing and remembering our God. This feast was understood in Jesus time to be linked to Messiah’s coming and so in Zach 14 Peter the apostle understood this very well. In Matthew 17:4 When on the mount of transfiguration, he suggested to build the Lord a tabernacle, He saw the Lord and the transfiguration and he knew Jesus was the Messiah. So Peter naturally thought the kingdom had come at that moment. Let’s look at this account together. Peter or Caipah as he is known in his Hebrew name is recorded to have said as he saw the transfiguration; Lord let’s build a booth (succa) one for you (the Lord) one for Moses and one for Elijah!
Wow! During the feast of Tabernacles, a light ceremony took place with all Jerusalem lit up with huge 70 foot candelabras on the temple mount. The ancient writings tell us it was spectacular to see. There was a water pouring ceremony by the priests. First it was drawn from the brook of Shiloh and after with song and praise carried back to the temple. It was poured out on the altar of the temple.
We can see Messiah in these beautiful symbols. Yeshua is the light of the world, and he says we will not thirst if we drink the water He offers. In Revelation 21 verses 3-6 John tell us “and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, now the dwelling place of God is with men, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away. Hallelujah.
This is our hope family of God, when God himself tabernacles with us, dwells with us on this final feast this wonderful biblical celebration the feast of Tabernacles. If you have been grafted into Israel, you too can take this season to remember what good and faithful act the God of Israel has done for you. You can also rejoice that he never leaves you just as he never left the Israelites bringing them out of the 40-year wilderness and into his abundant and joyful promises. It may take some time as the tabernacle represents the 40 years but it also reminds us of how he never forgets you, never.
We can know his dwelling, tabernacaling every day with Messiah Jesus, the loving Messiah of Israel and all the world, happy Succoth! And don’t forget to leave the roof part open in your succa booth to see his great and wondrous handiwork and power, just look up! wait for it, it’s coming! Shalom from am Israel, a sure miracle of God’s promises!
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