From: Eddie Chumney
To : heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject: The Feast of Tabernacles (Part 2 of 2)

From the Book:

The Seven Festivals of the Messiah
by
Eddie Chumney

http://www.hebroots.com/chap9.html

SUKKOT:
THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES

(Part 2 of 2)

The Daily Sukkot Ceremony

Each day out of the temple (Beit HaMikdash), there was a special
ceremony. The priests were divided into three divisions. The
first division were the priests on duty for that festival. They
would slay the sacrifices found in Numbers (Bamidbar) 29. At this
time, a second group of priests went out the eastern gate of the
temple (Beit HaMikdash) and went to the Motzah Valley, where the
ashes were dumped at the beginning of the sabbath. There they
would cut willows. The willows had to be 25 feet in length. After
this, they would form a line with all the priests holding a
willow. About 25 or 30 feet behind this row of priests, allowing
room for the willows, would be another row of priests with
willows. So, there would be row after row of the willows.

The whole road back to the temple (Beit HaMikdash) was lined
with pilgrims as they went to Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) to
celebrate the festival as they were commanded by God to do.
Sukkot (Tabernacles), along with Shavuot (Pentecost), and
Passover (Pesach), were known as the pilgrimage festivals
(Deuteronomy 16:16).

There would be a signal and the priests would step out with
their left foot, and then step to the right, swinging the
willows back and forth. Meanwhile, a third group of priests,
headed by the high priest (Cohen HaGadol), went out the gate
known as the Water Gate. They had gone to the pool known as
"Siloam" (John [Yochanan] 9:7,11), which means "gently flowing
waters." There the high priest had a golden vase and drew the
water known as the living water (mayim hayim) and held it in the
vase. His assistant held a silver vase containing wine. Just as
the priests in the valley of Motzah began to march toward
Jerusalem (Yerushalayim), so did the priests in Siloam. As they
marched toward the city of Jerusalem (Yerushalayim), the willows
made a swishing sound in the wind as they approached the city.
The word wind in Hebrew is Ruach. The word spirit in Hebrew is
also Ruach. Therefore, this ceremony was symbolic or
representative of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) of God coming
upon the city of Jerusalem (Yerushalayim).

As each of the party reached their respective gates, a trumpet
(shofar) was blown. Then one man would stand up and play the
flute (the flute represents the Messiah). The flute player is
called "the pierced one." The flute is pierced, and Yeshua was
pierced during the crucifixion (Psalm [Tehillim] 22:16;
Zechariah 12:10; John [Yochanan] 19:34-37; Revelation 1:7).

The flute player led the procession. The pierced one blows the call
for the wind and the water to enter the temple. The priests from
Motzah swishing the willows come into the temple (Beit HaMikdash) and
circle the altar seven times. The priests that were slaying the
sacrifices are now ascending the altar, and they begin to lay the
sacrifices on the fires. The high priest and his assistant ascend the
altar and all the people of Israel are gathered into the courts around
there. The people start singing the song Mayim, saying, "With joy we
will draw water out of the well of salvation [Yeshua]" (Isaiah
[Yeshayahu] 12:3; Mishnah, Sukkah 5:1). The high priest takes his vase
and pours its contents on one of the comers of the altar where the
horns are. There are two bowls built into the altar. Each bowl has a
hole in it. The water and the wine are poured out over the altar as
the priests who had the willow start laying the willows against the
altar, making a sukkah (a picture of God's covering).

Messianic Understanding.

In this, we have a picture of Yeshua as He
was on the tree. He was on the altar (tree) when His heart was pierced
(John [Yochanan] 19:34), then the water and the blood separated and
they were poured out. God through Yeshua was providing a covering
(sukkah) for all those who would believe in Him.

Wine is representative of marriage, blood, covenant, joy, and the
Messiah in Scripture. The priests took the willows to the altar and
set them upright on the side of the altar, forming a wedding canopy or
chupah. The high priest will take his golden vessel and pour out the
water on the altar. The assistant will pour out his silver vessel of
wine on the altar. When Yeshua was crucified on the tree (a type of
altar), His side was pierced and out of His heart poured water and
blood (John [Yochanan] 19:34). Yeshua said that He was the living
water being poured out during this ceremony (John [Yochanan] 7:2,
37-38).

Spiritual Application (Halacha).

During the time of Yeshua, the Feast
of Sukkot set a magnificent stage for the preaching of the Messiah.
Rain is essential to the growing of crops and Israel, an arid land,
prizes rain greatly as a blessing from God.

Rain was a prominent feature in the celebration of the Feast of
Sukkot. The ceremony of the water drawing held a significance much
deeper than its agricultural implications. The rain represented the
Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) and the water drawing pointed to that day
when, according to the prophet Joel [Yoel], God would rain His Spirit
upon (all flesh) (Joel [Yoel] 2:28-29). The connection of water to
this verse is God pouring out His Spirit. In the Talmud we read, "Why
is the name of it called the drawing out of water? Because of the
pouring out of the Holy Spirit, according to what is said, 'With joy
shall ye draw out of the wells of salvation'" (Isaiah [Yeshayahu]
12:3).

Sukkot was given by God to teach us of the Messianic era, the
Millennium, when the earth will experience the greatest
outpouring of God's Spirit.

Hoshana Rabbah (The Great Salvation)

Hoshana Rabbah (literally, the great hosanna or the numerous
hosannas) is the seventh day of Sukkot (Tabernacles). Hoshana
Rabbah should have been a full festival day, but is not because
of Shemini Atzeret, which follows it. However, it has some
special rituals and customs that make the day more like a full
festival day than any of the intermediate days. The most
important of these (ceremonies) are:

1. The circling of the altar seven times instead of once while
carrying the four species and reciting the Hoshana prayers.

2. The beating of the willows.

Messianic Understanding.

In John (Yochanan) 7:37-38, Yeshua said, "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 shall flow rivers of
living water." At this season of Sukkot, Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 12:3 was
often quoted, as it is written, "Therefore with joy shall ye draw
water out of the wells of salvation." Yeshua in Hebrew means
"salvation."

The drama of the water drawing ceremony took on a new dimension of
meaning when Yeshua attended the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles). On the
seventh day of the feast, Hoshana Rabbah, which literally means "the
great hosanna, the great salvation," the festival activities were
different from those of each of the six previous days when the priests
circled the altar in a procession, singing Psalm (Tehillim) 118:25. On
the seventh day of the feast, the people circled the altar seven
times. That is why the day is called Hoshanah Rabbah, as the cry,
"Save now!" was repeated seven times. Yeshua's statement in John
(Yochanan) 7:37-39 was said on Hoshana Rabbah.

Spiritual Application (Halacha).

Spiritually speaking, in the Bible,
there is a link between water and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
(Ruach HaKodesh). Yeshua told the woman at the well to drink of living
water (John [Yochanan] 4:7-14; 6:35; Matthew [Mattityahu] 5:6). This
relationship between water and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
(Ruach HaKodesh) is contained in the symbolism of pouring out water.
Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 44:3 links the pouring out of water with the
pouring out of God's Spirit. Isaiah (Yeshayahu) parallels the thirsty
land and links water with the Holy Spirit. The link can also be seen
in Joel (Yoel) 2:23,28; Acts 2:1-4,14-17; and Ezekiel (Yechezekel)
39:22,27-29. Zechariah 14:8 speaks of living waters. Isaiah
(Yeshayahu) 12:2-3 speaks of drawing water out of the wells of
salvation. Water and the Spirit are connected in Psalm (Tehillim)
42:1-4; Zechariah 13:1; and Revelation 7:17. It can also be seen in
Ezekiel (Yechezekel) 36:24-27.

Yeshua was trying to communicate this to Nicodemus (Nakdimon)
in John (Yochanan) 3:1-6. He also was teaching this during the
Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles) in John (Yochanan) 4:14, which
concluded with His statements in John 7:37-39. At the ceremony
of the water drawing, the people's attention was focused on the
pool of Siloam. It was here that Yeshua healed a man who had
been blind from birth (John [Yochanan] 9:1-7). Notice again the
statement in John 9:5. This is the last day of the feast
(Hoshana Rabbah) (John 9:14; Leviticus [Vayikra] 23:34-36).

The Festival of Lights (The Light of the Temple)

Another ceremony of the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles) was the
illumination of the temple (Beit HaMikdash). According to the
Mishnah, at the end of the first day of the Feast of Sukkot
(Tabernacles), the priests and the Levites went down to the court
of the women. Four enormous golden candlesticks were set up on
the court (50 cubits high) with four golden bowls placed upon
them and four ladders resting against each candlestick. Four
youths of priestly descent stood at the top of the ladders
holding jars containing about 7.5 gallons of pure oil, which they
poured for each bowl (Mishnah, Sukkah 5:2). The priests and
Levites used their own worn-out liturgical clothing for wicks.
The light emanating from the four candelabras was so bright that
the Mishnah says in Sukkah 5:3 that there was no courtyard in
Jerusalem [Yerushalayim] that was not lit up with the light of
the libation water-well ceremony (Beit Hashoevah).

The mood was festive. Pious men, members of the San Hedrin, and
heads of different religious schools would dance well into the
night, holding bright torches and singing psalms of praise to
God. Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) glistened like a diamond that
night and her light could be seen from afar.

Spiritual Application (Halacha).

Spiritually speaking, the light
represented the shekinah glory that once filled the temple where God's
presence dwelt in the Holy of Holies (1 Kings 8:10-11; Ezekiel 43:5).
During this time, the temple (Beit HaMikdash) was thought of as "the
light of the world." In the brilliance of this gloriously lit temple,
Yeshua cried in John (Yochanan) 8:12 that He was "the light of the
world."

In addition, during this festival of Sukkot (Tabernacles) and
this time, in the court of the women of the temple between the
four posts of light, the accusers brought to Yeshua the woman
caught in the act of adultery (John [Yochanan] 8:1-11). Yeshua
forgave the woman and proceeded to write a message on the ground
(John [Yochanan] 8:5-9). What did Yeshua write? The answer is in
Jeremiah 17:13. In these things, we can see that Yeshua taught
the people the messages of the festivals during the festivals.

Israel: A Light (Witness) to the Nations

Israel was chosen to be God's light to the world (Deuteronomy
[Devarim] 7:6-8). The mission that God chose for Israel was one
of service to God. The reason is very simple. God wanted a
people out of the world whom He could use and work through to
show His glory to the world. That is why He chose Israel and
that is what every follower of the Messiah is chosen to be. In
doing so, God could reveal His redemptive plan to the whole
world so the world could see that God and His Messiah Yeshua
are light (John 1:1-4; 1 John 1:5). Israel was to be a witness
(light) to the world. This can be seen in the following
Scriptures: Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 43:1,10,12,14; Luke 24:44-49;
and Acts 1:1-8. Israel's mission was to proclaim to the world
that the God of Israel is the only true God and there is no
other Savior but He (Acts 4:10,12).

Israel as a corporate nation failed in her mission to be a
witness to the world. Not only were the people disobedient to
the commandment of God, but they also did not become a light
to the world. On the contrary, the world as a corporate people
have always hated the Jewish people.

As individual members who believed and followed after God, the Jewish
people were faithful to their task. We only need to consider the
faithfulness of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, the prophets, and the
kings such as David and Solomon. In fact, consider the very Bible
which you are able to read today; it was written by faithful Jewish
servants of God led by the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) of God. Most
of all, the greatest light and witness the world has ever known was
Jewish. His name is Yeshua, the Messiah! Because Israel birthed the
Messiah, they, in essence, have been a blessing to all nations through
Him (Genesis [Bereishit] 12:3; Galatians 3:8,14,16,29). Although
Israel corporately failed in her mission, this is not a permanent
failure. It is a temporary setback to her destiny of being a blessing
to all nations, which will be accomplished during the thousand-year
reign of the Messiah known as the Messianic Kingdom or the Messianic
age. Israel still remains God's chosen people (Romans 11:25-29), and
still has a role to play in the future of the world (Romans 11:12,15).
The prophet Isaiah (Yeshayahu) spoke of a future time when Israel
would be used by God to bring the message of Messiah to the nations,
for the nation of Israel will have a central part in the thousand-year
reign of the Messiah (Isaiah [Yeshayahu] 62:1-5). Israel will be a
blessing to all nations at this time (Malachi 3:12; Ezekiel
[Yechezekel] 34:23-30; Zechariah 8:11-15; Isaiah [Yeshayahu]
19:23-25). Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) will be the spiritual focal point
of the world and this time will be Israel's "Golden Age," during the
Messianic era, because the King of Jerusalem, the Prince of Peace,
will reign in Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) (Isaiah [Yeshayahu] 2:2-4;
52:9-10; 62:7-8, Micah [Michah] 4:1-3; Psalm [Tehillim] 102:18-21;
125:1-2; 137:5-6). The day is coming when a restored and renewed
Israel will once again be a light to the nations, for the destiny of
Israel is linked to the destiny of the world!

The Birth of Yeshua During Sukkot

The Scriptures seem to indicate to us that Yeshua was born
during the festival season of Sukkot (Tabernacles). In fact, I
believe that He was born on the Feast of Sukkot (which is
Tishrei 15 on the biblical calendar, and is analogous to our
September/October). With this in mind, let's look for some
evidence of this in the Bible.

In Luke 1:5, Zachariah (Z'karyah) is a priest (Cohen) of the
division of Abijah (Avijah). What does this mean? Israel was
divided into 24 districts at the time of Yeshua. Each of these
districts sent two representatives to officiate at the temple
during the weeks of the year. In First Chronicles (Divery
Hayamim) 24, the first division of the priests would serve in
the first week of the year, which would be both in the month of
Nisan and the month of Tishrei since both months begin the new
year. As we saw earlier in this book, Nisan is the first month
in the religious calendar set up by God in Exodus (Shemot) 12:2
and Tishrei is the first month of the year according to the
civil calendar.

During the third week in the month of Nisan, the priests from
all 24 districts would come to the temple to help during the
week of Passover (Pesach). This would also be the case for the
festival of Pentecost (Shavuot) and for the festival of Sukkot
(Tabernacles) when all males were required to go to Jerusalem
(Yerushalayim) as specified by God in Deuteronomy (Devarim)
16:16. In First Chronicles 24:10, we see that abijah was the
eighth division or course of priests. The course of abijah
would minister during the tenth week of the year. Remember, the
weeks of Passover and Shavuot would not be counted because all
the priests were required to go to Jerusalem then. In Luke
1:9-10, we see that Zacharias is burning incense. This is done
in the room of the temple known as the Holy Place. As the
incense (which represents the prayers of God's people [Psalm
(Tehillim) 141:2; Revelation 8:3-4]) is being burned by the
priests in the temple, 18 special prayers are prayed. These 18
prayers would be prayed every day in the temple. One of these
prayers is that Elijah (Eliyahu) would come. This is important
because it was understood by the people, as God established,
that Elijah (Eliyahu) would precede the coming of the Messiah
as stated in Malachi 4:5.

These 18 special prayers would be prayed twice a day, once in
the morning and once in the afternoon. In Luke 1:11-13, the
angel appeared on the right side of the altar and told
Zacharias that his prayer was heard and John (Yochanan) the
Immerser (Baptist) would be born. John (Yochanan) the Immerser
(Baptist) was not literally Elijah (Eliyahu), but was of the
spirit of power of Elijah (Luke 1:17).

Allowing two weeks for the laws of separation that God
commanded in Leviticus (Vayikra) 12:5; 15:19,24-25 after going
back to the house (Luke 1:23) and then going forward nine
months (Sivan [tenth week] + 2 weeks + 9 months) puts the
birth of John (Yochanan) during the festival of Passover
(Pesach). This is an extremely important point because during
the service for Passover, which is called the Passover Seder,
the people are instructed by God to go to the door during one
part of the service and look for Elijah (Eliyahu) while the
Passover meal is eaten. The cup is called the cup of Elijah.
The understanding of Elijah preceding the coming of the
Messiah was the basis for the question in Matthew (Mattityahu)
17:10-13.

In Luke 1:26 during the sixth month of Elisabeth's (Elisheva)
pregnancy, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary (Miryam). This
should have been around the twenty-fifth of Kislev, otherwise
known as Chanukah. During the time of the first century,
Chanukah was known as the second Sukkot. During the time of
Chanukah, all of the Sukkot prayers are prayed once again.
Mary's (Miryam) dialogue with the angel Gabriel is found in the
Sukkot liturgy today. If you calculate from the twenty-fifth of
Kislev and add eight days for the festival of Chanukah plus
nine months for Mary's (Miryam) pregnancy, this will bring you
around the time of the festival of Sukkot, or Tishrei 15. On
Tishrei 22, known as Shemini Atzeret or the eighth day, Yeshua
was circumcised (Luke 2:22-23; Leviticus [Vayikra] 12:1-3).

Other Evidences of Yeshua's Birth During Sukkot

As we have stated earlier in this chapter, the Feast of Sukkot
(Tabernacles) is called "the season of our joy" and "the feast
of the nations." With this in mind, in Luke 2:10 it is
written, "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold,
I bring you good tidings [basar in Hebrew; otherwise known as
the gospel] of great joy [Sukkot is called the 'season of our
joy'], which shall be to all people [Sukkot is called 'the
feast of the nations']." So, we can see from this that the
terminology the angel used to announce the birth of Yeshua
were themes and messages associated with the Feast of Sukkot
(Tabernacles). In Luke 2:12, the babe (Yeshua) was wrapped in
swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. The swaddling cloths
were also used as wicks to light the 16 vats of oil within the
court of the women during the festival of Sukkot. So,
swaddling cloths are associated with the festival of Sukkot.

Notice also in Luke 2:12 that the baby Yeshua was laid in a manger.
The word manger is the Greek word phatn'e. It is the same word
translated as "stall" in Luke 13:15. By seeing how the word is used in
Luke 13:15, we can see that the Greek word phatn'e means a place for
hitching cattle. The Hebrew word for stall is marbek, which can be
found in Amos 6:4 and Malachi 4:2. In Genesis (Bereishit) 33:17 it is
written that Jacob journeyed to Sukkoth and made booths (the word
booth in this passage is the Hebrew word sukkah; the plural is sukkot)
for his cattle. So we can see from these passages how the word booth
(sukkah or sukkot) was used by Jacob (Ya'akov) for his cattle in
Genesis 33:17, and how the Greek word for manger or "stall," phatn'e,
was also used to refer to hitching cattle in Luke 13:15. Phatn'e is
the same word translated as "manger" in Luke 2:12, where Yeshua was
laid at the time of His birth.

During the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles), God required that
all male Jews come to Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) (Deuteronomy
[Devarim] 16:16). For this reason, the city would be
overcrowded with people and would explain why Mary (Miryam)
and Joseph (Yosef) could not find lodging in and around
Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) (Luke 2:7). Bethlehem, the place
where Yeshua was born, is only about four miles from
Jerusalem.

The last evidence I will give for the birth of Yeshua during
Sukkot according to the Scriptures is in Matthew (Mattityahu)
2:1. There we see that wise men come from the East to visit
Yeshua. The land of the East is Babylon, where the largest
Jewish population was at the time of the birth of Yeshua.
These Jews were descendants from the captivity when King
Nebuchadnezzar defeated Israel and took the Jews to Babylon to
serve him. Babylon is referred to as the land of the East in
Genesis (Bereishit) 29:1 and Judges (Shoftim) 6:3. The wise
men in Matthew (Mattityahu) 2:1 were rabbis. The rabbis, also
called sages, are known in Hebrew as chakamim, which means
wise men. The word in Matthew (Mattityahu) 2:1 in Greek is
magos, which is translated into English as "Magi." Magos in
Greek is the Hebrew word ravmag. Ravmag comes from the Hebrew
word rav, which means "rabbi." It should also be noted that
the Greek word magos can also mean scientist, counselor,
scholar, or teacher. The rabbis were scholars or teachers of
the Jewish law. Yeshua was referred to as "Rabbi," or
"Teacher" in John (Yochanan) 1:38,47,49; 3:2. So, we can see
that the wise men were Jewish rabbis coming from Babylon to
witness the birth of Yeshua.

A question we can ask ourselves is, "What made the rabbis make
the journey from Babylon to Bethlehem to witness the birth of
Yeshua?" The answer is given in Matthew (Mattityahu) 2:2, as
it is written, "...we have seen His star in the east...."

One of the requirements during the time of Sukkot was to build
an outside temporary shelter and live in it during this
festival season. This shelter is called a booth, or sukkah.
The sukkah had to be built with an opening in the roof so the
people could see the stars in heaven. This is another reason
for why the rabbis would be looking for, and thus seeing, the
star in the sky when it appeared. In addition, there was a
prophecy in Numbers (Bamidbar), as it is written, "...a star
shall come forth from Jacob..." (Numbers [Bamidbar] 24:17
NAS). King Herod inquired about where the Messiah would be
born in Matthew (Mattityahu) 2:4. He was told in Bethlehem
(Matthew [Mattityahu] 2:5-6), based upon the prophecy in Micah
5:2. In Matthew 2:10 it is written, "When they saw the star,
they rejoiced with exceeding great joy." Once again, remember
that Sukkot is called "the season of our joy." In Matthew 2:2,
the rabbis saw the star from the East. Salvation was seen by
the Jewish people as coming from the East. Yeshua descended
from the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5). The tribe of Judah
was positioned on the east side of the tabernacle of Moses
(Moshe) in the wilderness. Finally, in Luke 2:32, Yeshua is
called a light to the Gentiles. Once again, Sukkot is called
"the festival of lights" and "the festival of all nations."

Therefore, by studying and understanding the festival of
Sukkot and the themes and messages that God desired to be
conveyed during this festival, enables us to read the Bible in
a new light; it enables us to understand that Yeshua was born
during the season of Sukkot and that He is the Star we are all
called to see with our (spiritual) eyes!

(End Part 2 of 2)

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If you would like to order a copy of the book, "The Seven
Festivals of the Messiah" (230 pages), please make your check out to
me (Eddie Chumney) for $12 postage paid and send to:

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PO Box 81
Strasburg, Ohio 44680

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