SUKKOT - FEAST OF TABERNACLES

33 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 34 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the Lord. 

Leviticus 23: 33-34

(1)

INTRODUCTION

Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, is one of the Feasts of God. Its name comes from the word sukkah, meaning “booth”, “tabernacle”, “hut”, or “shelter”. It was the temporary shelters that the Israelites lived in while wandering in the desert. It was the time when the presence of the Lord came to dwell with them. Each year, the Feast is observed in commemoration of this time.

The temporary shelters eventually became more sturdy houses and a temple of the Lord. But the real temple of God is the world itself and our bodies as His greatest creation. 

SUKKOT

Sukkot is the Hebrew word for the Feast of Tabernacles. It is a feast of the Lord and a Jewish Holiday commemorating the wandering of the Israelites in the wilderness. They stayed in sukkahs, temporary shelters, positioned around the Tabernacle that housed the Ark of the Covenant. (2)

It is also a commemoration of the time when the clouds of glory accompanied Israel in the desert. It is considered the most joyous of all the celebrations. Its goal is to achieve climactic joy. (3, 4)

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD SUKKOT

It comes from the word sukkah, which means “booth”, “tabernacle”, “hut”, or “shelter”. The origin of the word can be traced back to the Hebrew word cok/sok, meaning “Booth, Shelter, Thicket”, and cakak/sakak meaning “To cover, to hedge, to protect, to overshadow”. (3, 5)

These shelters were meant to provide a temporary covering and protection from the outside elements. 

THE WORLD AS THE TEMPLE OF THE MOST HIGH

The Israelites eventually conquered their Promised Land. Once established and finally at peace, a temple was built for God and the Ark of the Covenant. A more stable structure to provide shelter. 

It was not uncommon for ancient people to build temples for their God. The temple represented their dwelling places. The God of Israel is different, though. Solomon knew it as did others; God needed no temple. He had already created one - the world. (6)

Genesis speaks of God creating the whole world as His temple. He is that much more powerful and amazing. (6)

OUR BODIES ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE MOST HIGH

The greatest creation of God in His creation story came to be on the sixth day - man. We are also a temple of the Most High. From the foundations of the world, He already had it all planned out. Now the Holy Spirit resides on the inside of each believer in close fellowship. The Lord has come to dwell with us and sent His Spirit to comfort us until the appointed time for His return. (6)

As it was with the sukkahs, so it is with our bodies. They are only temporary. One day, these bodies will be no more. It is appointed for men to die once; for these bodies to be changed with the new ones. Despite how horrifying it is, when you really think about it, it is merciful that God always meant to give us incorruptible bodies to live in for all eternity. 

That is our portion, we have been designed for - to live for all eternity with our Heavenly Father. Men were not appointed for the second death; sadly, some will meet this fate, though. Let us fight the good fight of faith until the end. 

CONCLUSION

Sukkot is a festival, or rather, a Feast of the Lord, commemorating the wandering and living of the Israelites in the desert after the Exodus. It is a time when God’s presence dwelt with them and led them to their Promised Land. The temporary sukkah they lived in, and the Ark of the Covenant resided inside the tabernacle. 

Once they conquered the Promised Land, the temporary sukkahs and the tabernacle were replaced by more sturdy houses and the temple. But at the end of the day, the whole world is God’s temple. 

Application

Dear Abba, our source of life, joy, and happiness, come and dwell with us. Come and bring us peace and joy. Joy to praise you even in the storm.

SOURCES

1. Image created via canva.com

2. Menachem Posner. What Is Sukkot? Available at https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/4784/jewish/What-Is-Sukkot.htm

3. The Sukkah Store. What Does 'Sukkot' Mean in Hebrew? Available at https://thesukkahstore.com/blogs/sukkot-help-resources/what-does-sukkot-mean-in-hebrew

4. Rabbi Rachel Sabath Beit-Halachmi, Ph.D. The Climax of Sukkot and the Profound Joy of the Journey. September 2018. Available at https://reformjudaism.org/learning/torah-study/torah-commentary/climax-sukkot-and-profound-joy-journey

5. Bible Hub. Sukkah. Available at https://biblehub.com/hebrew/5521.htm

6. Dr. Nicholas J. Schaser, Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies. Israelite Creation in Context. Available at https://israelbiblecenter.com/