The Feast of Tabernacles is upon us and in Leviticus 23:33-44 we have the call to observe this feast. The Hebrew word for Tabernacles is Sukkot (“booths”). The Feast of Sukkot points to the following four themes or truths:

First, Sukkot recalls Israel’s wilderness years after the LORD led the Israelites out of Egypt (Lev 23:42-43):

1. The Israelites lived in sukkahs (booths or tabernacles) – temporary shelters
2. The LORD also lived in a sukkah, the Tabernacle of Moses or “Tent of Meeting”
3. Sukkot reminds us of our need for the LORD’s provision in the wilderness of this fallen world
4. Sukkot also reminds us of the fact that, in this age, just like Israel’s booths in the wilderness, our life is temporary. We live in our mortal bodies, as in a sukkah or “tent” (2 Cor 5:1), until we attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Secondly, Sukkot recalls what happened over 2,000 years ago, when, in an intermediate fulfillment of this feast, Messiah was born on the first day of the Feast of Sukkot. In other words, THE WORD became flesh, and “dwelt” or “tabernacled” among us (John 1:14).

1. He came to us in the likeness of sinful flesh (Rom 8:3)
2. Jn 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him

Thirdly, Sukkot foreshadows the coming of Messiah to set up His Kingdom on earth. The Son of David will rule from David’s throne in Jerusalem (see Luke 1:32-33). All will be set right as King Messiah judges (rules) and establishes justice on the earth (Isaiah 42:4; Psalm 96:10-13; 98:6-9).

1. This is called the “times of the restoration of all things” (Act 3:21)
2. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb occurs during this feast.

Fourthly, Sukkot foreshadows the New Heaven and New Earth where God dwells with humans forever. In Revelation 21:3, John sees the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven and he hears a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.” This is the full and final fulfillment of Sukkot.

Whether in the wilderness, or in the Messiah, or in the Messianic Kingdom, or in the New Heaven and New Earth, the Feast of Tabernacles is all about God dwelling with humans.  It is about Paradise restored as mankind once again walks with God in the cool of the day on a new Earth (Gen 3:8). Revelation 22:3-4 says it all: And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it (New Jerusalem), and His servants shall serve Him. ⁴ They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. He really will make all things new (Rev 21:5). For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8)!

Passover is behind us are we are counting the days to Shavuot (Feast of weeks, or, Pentecost). Leviticus 23:15-16 says, “And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering (Yeshua’s resurrection): seven Sabbaths shall be completed. ¹⁶ Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the Lord (this is Pentecost in Acts 2). These fifty days are parallel to the days in which Israel journeyed from Egypt (Passover) to Mount Sinai (Shavuot).

Acts 1:3 tells us that during these fifty days, Yeshua “also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them (the apostles) during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”   In the gospels, there were numerous appearances of Messiah during those days as He spoke to them of the coming kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 15:5-8 lists some of these appearances: ⁵ … he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. ⁶ Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. ⁷ Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. ⁸ Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. We know of other appearances; to Mary in Jn 20:11, to the twelve a second time in Jn 20:26, to Simon in Luke 24:34, and, to seven disciples who went fishing in John 21. On the 40^th day of this counting, He ascended back to the Father. On the 50^th day, Yeshua poured out the Spirit, the “Promise of the Father,” on the believers in Acts chapter two.

Just as the first omer of barley was brought as a first fruits of the whole harvest, so too Messiah’s resurrection was a first fruits of the resurrection of the dead. This is the imagery Paul invokes with the words, “Messiah has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep” (1 Cor 15:20). Just as the first fruits of the barley sanctified the rest of the harvest (all believers), so too the resurrection of Messiah makes the resurrection of the dead possible.

Jewish tradition prescribes the recitation of Psalm 67 because it is composed of exactly 49 Hebrew words which correspond to the 49 days of this count. The Psalm is seasonally appropriate because of its harvest motif. It is spiritually appropriate because it speaks clearly of God’s salvation (Yeshua) being made known over all the earth. Let us count the days to Shavuot and pray with the psalmist, “God be merciful to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, that Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation (Yeshua) among all nations … all the ends of the earth shall fear Him” (Psa 67:1-2, 7). Could it be that it is because of the outpoured Spirit upon believers that this will happen?

The feasts of the LORD in Leviticus 23, lay out a comprehensive roadmap to the restoration of all things (Acts 3:21). The five Hebrew words associated with the feasts, moed, miqra, chag, zikrone, and atsarah, each describe a distinct facet of the feasts of the LORD. Their definitions lead us to this somewhat cryptic summation: Israel, a covenant community, observed the feasts of the LORD as 1) memorials to God’s faithfulness in the past; 2) as prophetic rehearsals of promised (future) deliverance, salvation, and fullness; 3) as appointments in which to encounter God corporately (in the present) in worship, with great celebration and rejoicing. The observance of these festivals serves a priestly function; 4) as a solemn or festive assembly, which is intercessory in its import, releasing power to move history forward toward the gathering “together in one of all things in Messiah, both which are in heaven and which are on earth” (See Ep 1:10; Ex 19:5-6; Nu 29:12-40).

Here is an outline of the spring feasts associated with the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is observed for seven days in the first month of the biblical year (Ex 12:1-2).

1. “Passover” recalls Israel’s deliverance from Egypt through the death of the Passover Lamb.
   1. Points to the death of Messiah as our Passover Lamb (Jn 1:29; 1 Cor 5:7).
   2. Portrays our death in Messiah, and our deliverance from sin via faith, repentance, and justification (Ro 4)
2. “Unleavened Bread” recalls Israel’s sudden and hurried departure from Egypt (Ex 12)
   1. Points to Yeshua’s burial. Also, He is the Bread from heaven that is without leaven (sin).
   2. Portrays our burial in Messiah and leaving a life of sin – sanctification and obedience (Ro 6)
3. “First-fruits” recalls the Red Sea crossing, Israel’s “baptism” into a new life (1 Cor 10:1-2)
   1. Points to the resurrection of Yeshua as the Firstborn from the dead (Re 1:5; 1 Cor 15:23; Rom 8:29)
   2. Portrays our resurrection out of the waters of baptism into a a new life in Him as a “new creation” (Ro 6; 2 Cor 5:17).

What if mistreatment (injustice) is God’s primary instrument of formation as He seeks to conform His children to the image of His Son? Consider the words of Hebrews 12:3-6 (NKJV):

^{Heb 12:3} Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. ⁴ You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. ⁵ And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; ⁶ For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.”

Have you noticed that the familiar and reassuring words, “Whom the LORD loves He chastens,” immediately follow the discussion of the injustice of the cross?

The hostility of sinners against Yeshua did not cause Yeshua to sin in return. Rather, it revealed His righteousness. “He committed Himself to Him Who judges righteously,” so that “when He was reviled (abused) [He] did not revile in return” (1 Pet 2:23).  This ultimate injustice served to showcase what true Christ-likeness and faith in God look like.

The same is true for us. Our response to mistreatment reveals our level of Christ-likeness (or lack thereof). Nothing exposes our carnality like mistreatment. Experiencing mistreatment serves to help us get in touch with our own issues, so that, rather than taking up offense and bitterly accusing the wrongdoer, we can confess our own sin and find the grace of God for overcoming them. Hence, the mistreatment helped us know where we need to grow in Christ-likeness. Do I hear and “Ouch!”?

It seems that the grace and love of God are so emphasized in contemporary Christendom that fearing God is seen to be antithetical to loving God. I believe this to be a grave error.  He is holy and the inherent power in Him is infinite.  His eyes of fire see right through us.  This is cause for fearing God.  His loving-kindness draws us (Ps 37:7).  His inherent power and utter holiness causes us to tremble.

Love and fear are not opposite, nor are they mutually exclusive. In fact, the one presupposes the other.  The good news is, “God loves you.”  This draws us to Him.  However, the bad news is also, “God loves you.”  How can this be?  Think about it.  The most powerful being in the universe, Who is a consuming fire of holy passion (Dt 4:24), Whose Name is Jealous (Ex 34:14), has set His love upon you and bound you to Himself in a covenant of love.  He will not share you with another.  Hence, to cavort with sin is to provoke God to holy jealousy (Ezk 8:3).

Jealousy implies both love and wrath as two sides of one coin.  If we were not in a covenant of love with God, He would not be provoked to jealousy by our idolatry.  I am not provoked to jealousy when a woman, with whom I am not in covenant, gives her love to another, but if my bride, the love of my life, gave her love to another, that would be a different matter – and rightly so.  If there was no covenant of love there could be no wrath.

Consider Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 10:21-22, “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?”

No wonder David said in Psalm 119:120, “My flesh trembles for fear of You.”  It is the sin that operates in our flesh which seeks to seduce us.  When God is provoked to jealousy by our compromise with sin, He is said to be angry.  This wrath against sin (and everything that hinders love) is bad news for our flesh, but it is good news for us.  His discipline IS His love in action (Heb 12:3-11).  His wrath against the disease (sin) that is killing us, IS His love FOR us.  God has zeal to protect that which is most precious to Him – YOU!

Excerpts from pages 9 and 15 in Ken’s book, “Show Me Your Ways”

Translating the Hebrew word torah as “law” seems to me to be an unfortunate (or at least a bit misleading) translation, because “law” can give the impression that God’s word is cold or unyielding. The word torah is more accurately translated as “instruction” or “teaching,” that being a father’s instruction to the son or daughter he loves.

Torah is derived from the Hebrew root, yarah, which means “to teach” or “to instruct.” Literally, torah is instruction or teaching and it speaks of teaching, guiding, directing and instructing. The root word, yarah, is often translated “teach,” but actually means “to shoot” (as an arrow), “cast” or “throw.” Yarah is actually translated “archer” five times in Scripture.

Together, these concepts form the idea of teaching that is given with the aim of hitting the mark. What’s interesting is that Chata, the primary Hebrew word for sin, is “to miss the mark.” The Apostle Paul says in Romans 7:7, “I would not have known sin except through the law” (torah). Thus, the law was our tutor to bring us to Messiah, that we might be justified by faith (Galatians 3:24).

Salvation has always been the gift of God which comes by grace through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8-9). The cross is an eternal reality, because Yeshua was “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8), hence:

1. Abel accessed the provision of the cross by his faith as recorded in Genesis 4:4. See also Hebrews 11:4.
2. “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:8).
3. Israel’s “salvation” out of Egypt preceded the torah (their instruction on how to walk with God)
4. Israel was first brought out of Egypt – saved by grace through faith in the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12).
5. After their “salvation,” Israel was then given the torah (law) at Sinai (Exodus 19-20).

The law teaches us how to walk with God, how to represent Him on the earth and how to remain in His blessing. The law is not, and never was, intended to be about salvation through works.