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Study No.7 The Feast of Tabernacles Leviticus 23:33-44
The last feast of the year
Tabernacles are called 'Booths' or temporary shelters
It began on 15th of the 7th month
For seven days Israelites were to dwell in Booths and on
8th day they went back to their permanent house
The 1st and 8th days were special Sabbaths
The 8th day was called by Jews 'The Great Hoshanna'
The law was to be read at every 7th Feast Deut
31:9-12
Offerings were to be sacrificed Num 29:12-40
I. THE PRACTICAL COMMANDS OF THE FEAST
1. REJOICE IN THE HARVEST PROVISION v39,40
CELEBRATION
It was held after all the harvest was gathered v39
It was to be characterised by joy Deut 16:13-16
Jewish saying 'He who has not seen Jerusalem during
the feast of tabernacles does not know what rejoicing
means'
We are commanded to rejoice Phil 4:4 'In the
Lord'
2. RECALL HAPPENINGS OF THE PAST v42,43
COMMEMORATION
They were to remember:
That Israel dwelt in Booths at Succoth when the Lord
brought them out of Egypt Ex 13:20
That the fiery Pillar had led the Israelites
through the wilderness Ex 13:21,22
That Water was provided from the Rock Ex17
That the Lord had brought them into the Promised Land
It is good to have a time to contemplate the Lord's
guidance and goodness to us in the past
Believers like the Israelites tend to forget. Psa
106:7,13,12; Psa 103:2
3. RESPOND WITH HEARTY PRAISE Deut 16:17
CONSECRATION
If we rejoice and recall then we will respond by:
Giving freewill offerings and gifts v38; Deut 16:16
Making vows v38. Num 30 contains instructions on the
making of voluntary vows. Also see Ecc 5
AN EXAMPLE OF KEEPING THE FEAST
Nehemiah 8:14-chapter 10
There was rejoicing 8:17
The reading of the law 8:18
A Covenant or vow was made 9:38; 10:28-39
II. THE PERSON OF CHRIST IN THE FEAST
1. IN THE SACRIFICES THAT WERE SLAIN LEV 23:36
199 animals were to be slain over eight days
Bullocks, rams, lambs and goats Num 29:12-40
Probably the greatest celebration of the Feast ever held
was at the same time as the dedication of Solomon's
Temple 2 Chron 5:3, 7:8
At that time 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep were
sacrificed 2 Chron 7:5
All these sacrifices typify Christ who suffered the
wrath of God as the perfect substitute and sacrifice for
our sin Heb 10:4,5
Every day there was to be an offering by FIRE v36
Rejoicing was associated with the sacrifice
2. IN THE SONGS THAT WERE SUNG
Jews would rejoice by singing Psa 113-118 and Isaiah
12
These chapters have prophecies and pictures of Christ.
They refer to Israel's deliverance from Egypt and to the
water from the Rock Psa 114:1,8 and in 118:27 to Christ
as the light
Psa 118:22 is quoted in Matt 21:42; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter
2:7
Psa 11:25, 26 'save now' 'Hosanna' is quoted in
Matt 21:9 when Christ rode into Jerusalem
Psa 118:14 also occurs in Ex 15:2 and Isa 12:3
Jesus Christ is our strength, song and salvation
3. IN THE SYMBOLS THAT WERE SEEN
History records two great ceremonies:
To remember the miraculous provision of water in
wilderness the priest poured out a pitcher of water at
the altar while the people shouted, 'With joy shall
ye draw water out of the wells of salvation' (Isa
12:3)
To remember the pillar that led the people through the
wilderness great lamps were lit in the Temple courtyard
that could be seen for miles.
Christ attended the Feast of Tabernacles John 7:2, 10
He declared to the crowds that He is the only one that
can provide the water of Life John 7:37,38
Only Christ can save and satisfy the soul
Then in John 8:12 Christ declared (in the Temple court
v20) that He is the light v58
The Jews understood that he was claiming to be Jehovah
How sad that many Jews still celebrate the Feast of
Tabernacles yet miss their Messiah
III. THE PROPHETIC CLIMAX TO THE FEAST
This feast was the final feast of the year.
Prophetically it points to the end of time.
1. WHEN IT WILL BE LEV 23:39
After the spiritual harvest is gathered in - Rev
14:15; 1 Cor 15:23,24
When Christ returns - Zech 14:4,9. Not just Israel but
the nations shall keep the final Feast of Tabernacles.
After the Trumpet is blown 1 Thess 4; 1 Cor 15:52
For seven days they dwelt in temporary shelters and on
the eighth day returned to the permanent dwelling.
Our houses here on earth are only temporary.
One day we shall 'dwell in the House of the Lord
forever' Psa 23:6
We are now dwelling in temporary bodies (tabernacles)
but are looking for our permanent dwelling 2 Cor 5:1
Our bodies groan Rom 8:23 but one day we will have a
new, permanent body like his body Phil 3:21
2. WHAT IT WILL BE LEV 23:40
It will be a time of joy
The Song that is Sung
They sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb Rve 15:3
In heave a multitude with palm branches stand in the
temple of Go and sing 'Hosanna' - salvation to
God Rev 7:9.10
The Sacrifice that was Slain
They worship the 'Lamb as it had been slain' Rev
5:6-9,12. The great multitude gathered in the temple of
heaven have 'washed their robes and made them white in the
Blood of the Lamb' Rev 7:9-14
The Symbols that will be Seen
Water Rev 7:17; 21:6
Light Rev 21:23
3. WHO WILL BE THERE
Israelites were commanded to attend the Feasts of
Unleavened Bread (Passover), Pentecost and Tabernacles
Deut 16:16
Only those who have experienced Redemption through the
Blood of the Lamb and regeneration by the Holy Spirit
will be in Heaven.
When the Queen of Sheba saw the ascent up to the House
of the Lord, 'there was no more spirit (breath)
left in her' 2 Chron 9:4
What an experience it must have been to be present in
Jerusalem at this feast and to witness the praises of
the people as they went into the temple.
What a greater day it will be when the trumpet of the
Lord sounds and the saints go marching into the heavenly
temple.
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