“The Feast of Tabernacles”
Leviticus 23:1-2, 33-44
Wayne J. Edwards, Pastor
Sadly, most Christians do not believe the seven feasts of Israel are relevant to our eternal salvation.
- While it is without question that Christians are saved by grace alone, through our faith alone, and in Christ alone, it is also without question that God intended these seven feasts to reveal His holiness, man’s sinfulness, and therefore his need for a Savior, and Jesus Christ as the Savior he needs.
- In Colossians 2:15-17, the Apostle Paul said these feasts were “mere shadows of things to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.”
- While God established these seven feasts to instruct the Israelites as to what was required of them to worship Him, He designed them as prophetic types, symbols, and illustrations that pointed to the Person and work of Jesus Christ to redeem us from our sins.
- Jesus fulfilled the “shadows” of the first four feasts at His first coming as our Savior, and He will fulfill the final three feasts when He returns to earth as the King of King and Lord of Lords.
The prophetic significance of the Seven Feasts of the Lord.
- Passover – Leviticus 23:5 – As the first Passover marked the Israelites’ release from Egyptian slavery, the death of Jesus Christ marks our release from the bondage to sin. Historians confirm that Jesus was crucified at the same hour the Passover lambs were being sacrificed.
- Unleavened Bread – Leviticus 23:6 – since leaven is always a picture of sin in the Bible, this feast pointed to the Messiah’s sinless life. Jesus’ body was in the grave during the first days of this feast.
- First Fruits – Leviticus 23:10 – Jesus fulfilled this prophetic picture when He rose from the grave on the very day of this feast. In 1 Corinthians 15:20, the Apostle Paul referred to Jesus as the “first fruits from the dead.”
- The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost – Leviticus 23:16 – This feast occurred 50 days after the Feast of Unleavened Bread and pointed to the great harvest of souls which began that very day as the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples and enabled them to preach the gospel in the languages of those who had come from all over the world. The Church was born on that day as 3,000 Jews responded to the gospel and received Christ as their Savior.
- The Feast of Trumpets – Leviticus 23:24 – historically, this feast was to call the Israelites to repentance. Many believe this feast will be fulfilled when Jesus calls for His bride, the Church, to “come forth!” In the Bible, the Rapture of the Church is always associated with the blowing of a trumpet.
- The Day of Atonement – Leviticus 23:27 – while Jesus has already achieved our atonement with God through His sacrificial death, many believe this will be fulfilled for that Jewish remnant when they “look upon Him whom they have pierced,” repent of their sins and receive Him as their Messiah.
- The Feast of Tabernacles – Leviticus 23:34 – while the Jews lived in small tents for seven days to remind them of how their forefathers had lived in the wilderness, many scholars believe this feast will be fulfilled when Jesus comes again to “tabernacle” (dwell) with His people, and to reign over the world as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Over the years, the Feast of Tabernacles was also called:
- The Feast of Booths, or Sukkoth – referred to the small tents they were to live in for seven days.
- The Feast of Ingathering – refers to the fall harvest of fruits and grains.
- The Season of Rejoicing – celebrating God’s provision and protection during their forefathers were in the wilderness.
According to Leviticus 23:32, the Feast of Tabernacles began and ended on the Sabbath with a holy convocation – no routine work!
- By the end of the week, each worshipper would have offered 98 lambs, 14 rams, seven goats, and 70 bulls as burnt offerings, symbolizing their total commitment to God.
- In addition, they continued to offer their daily:
- Grain offerings that symbolized their love for God
- Sin offerings that symbolized their desire for repentance.
- Drink offerings that symbolized their desire for a fresh anointing from the Lord.
- They lived in small tents in remembrance of their forefathers.
- Even if it had been a bad year for crops, they were to set aside a whole week to celebrate “His Goodness.”
- Each Israelite brought their annual tithes, which included a tithe of his grain, his wine, his oil, his herds, and his flocks. He also set aside a second tithe to pay for his annual trips to Jerusalem, and every third year, a third tithe was required for the Levites, and for the assistance to the poor.
- These feasts were God’s way of teaching His people how to respect Him, love Him, celebrate Him, and worship Him.
Historical events that took place during the Feast of Tabernacles:
- Solomon’s Temple was dedicated to the Lord – 827 BC.
- The Jews returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple – 538 BC.
- Ezra read the Word of God and a revival broke out – 444 BC.
- Some evidence that Jesus was born – 4 BC.
- Jesus declared His deity – 29 AD.
- “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:37-38)
- “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
The Feast of Tabernacles symbolizes Christ’s Second Coming when He will establish His kingdom on this earth for 1,000 years.
- At the end of the Great Tribulation, the veil of unbelief will be lifted from the small remnant of the Jews, and they will receive Christ as their Savior. At the point, the world will witness:
- The glorious return of Jesus Christ as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
- The complete destruction of the Antichrist and his demonic system.
- The total defeat of the Armageddon armies that come against Jerusalem.
- The glorious establishment of the Millennial Kingdom upon this earth.
- According to Joel 3:1-12, God will pour out His punishment upon those nations that mistreated His people.
- “They scattered God’s People.” –
- “They divided God’s Land.” –
- “They bought and sold God’s People.” –
- “They traded a boy for a harlot and a girl for wine.”
- According to Joel 3:16-21, God will pour out His blessings upon His people.
- “He will be a refuge for His people” –
- “He will dwell in Zion” –
- “Jerusalem will be holy” –
- “Jerusalem will never be invaded again.”
- The Millennium is that 1,000-year period of time when Jesus rules the world with truth and grace.
- The curse will be removed from the earth –
- Satan will be bound –
- People will live in peace with one another –
- Everyone will worship God –
- There will be two distinct groups of people on the earth during the Millennium:
- Those with glorified bodies – those who were redeemed, raptured, and returned with Christ.
- Those with human bodies – those saved during the tribulation.
