FEAST OF TABERNACLES

It’s HARVEST time again, and at the FEAST OF TABERNACLES/INGATHERING/BOOTHS/CHAG SUKKOT (in the Hebrew) we shall again present ourselves to YAHWEH with much rejoicing and thanksgiving for ALL he’s done for and allowed to happen to and with us.

We shall come before him with our “offerings”, and most importantly present ourselves as LIVING SACRIFICES to our Maker, for Seven Days of which the first day (starting this evening, all through tomorrow to the evening) is a HOLY CONVOCATION. As it is a feast that speaks of YAHWEH’s intention to once again dwell (TABERNACLE) amongst HIS people it is pertinent that all believers make themselves available at this feast, that’s besides the fact that it is one of the “… three times in a year (when) all thy males (shall) appear before YAHWEH in the place which HE shall choose…” (Deuteronomy 16: 16), the others being the Feast of UNLEAVENED BREAD and the FEAST OF WEEKS/PENTECOST/FIRST FRUITS.

This feast, also known as the feast of Booths (signifying the time the Hebrews dwelt in tents in the wilderness, with YAHWEH as their ALL) doesn’t necessarily have to be celebrated within the premises of the mission, a reason why many missions especially those in the cities move from their locations to a central location, sometimes the headquarters or some other camp in the outskirt of town for the seven day celebration. In fact, if you have paid some attention, you would’ve noticed movements of mostly sabbatarians in Nigeria, heading to the East, where most of the missions have their headquarters, a tradition that is also observed everywhere in the world amongst orthodox as well as messianic Jews.

The type of offerings usually offered during this feast is such that are associated with agricultural products as it is also known as the feast of Ingathering or Harvest “….when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land” (Leviticus 23: 39). We are instructed not to harvest all in our fields but leave some of the crops unharvested (especially at the edges) for the poor and less privileged around us, and in these days when not many people are farmers means that these can be monetized. Even the camp/tent or structure under which this feast is celebrated is usually decorated with “…boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook;” (Leviticus 23: 40)

For those who will like to know why we still celebrate this ancient festival, I will again remind them that YAHWEH in declaring this a feast a statute NEVER stipulated an end point, when in verse 41 of Leviticus 23 HE told Moses that “…it shall be a statute FOREVER in your generations”. After the Seven Days of the feast of Tabernacles, the next day is observed as “THE LAST GREAT DAY”, another Holy Convocation, a High Sabbath, of which everyone is expected to desist from all manner of work, to worship YAHWEH instead and rest in HIS presence.

Most importantly, these feasts of the Seventh Month, starting with the Feast of Trumpets (on the first day) to the Feast of Atonement (on the tenth day), to the Seven Day Feast of Tabernacles (on the fifteenth through to the twenty-first day), ending with The Last Great Day (on the twenty-second day of the Seventh Jewish Month), give an insight into YAHWEH’s calendar, especially as regards his ultimate plan for mankind, and the setting up HIS RULE once again amongst men (a topic for another day).

If peradventure you are not able to fully and wholeheartedly present the kind of offering you would’ve loved to at this Feast (of Tabernacles), do not fret. Do not even go out of your way to conjure an offering, just come as you are as “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of YAHWEH which HE hath given thee” (Deuteronomy 16: 17) besides, the greatest offering for YAHWEH is you (as a Living Sacrifice) above all else. So come rejoicing as you “observe this SOLEMN feast unto YAHWEH in the place which HE shall choose: because HE shall bless you in all your increase, and in all the works of your hands…” (Deuteronomy 16:15)”.

‘kovich

PLEASE READ – noesis: THE APOCALYPTIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES http://madukovich.blogspot.com.ng/2015/09/the-apocalyptic-significance-of-feast_28.html?m=1

REFERENCE:
– THE WORD OF YAHWEH, © 2000

PICTURE CREDIT
– http://www.levitt.com