Sukkot: A Biblical Fall Festival

[ref: The Hebrew pronunciation of Sukkot is "Sue- COAT," but is often pronounced as in Yiddish, which rhymes with "BOOK us."]

In the Jewish month of Tishri there are three major Biblical Feasts: The Feast of Trumpets (The Jewish New Year called Rosh Hashanah), The Day of Atonement (a day of repentance called Yom Kippur), and The Feast of Tabernacles (a joyful celebration called Sukkot). This year Tishri falls in our month of October and specifically Sukkot, a seven day festival, begins on October 13.

In the Old Testament God commanded the people to live in sukkahs, or booths, for seven days just as the people lived when they left Egypt. At this time of the year Jews and many others who chose to observe the Biblical feasts live in tents or booths for a week. Some modify it a bit and just take their evening meal in their sukkah.

In Leviticus 23:33-43 we find specific direction for the design and décor of a sukkah with an open roof and bunches of produce in addition to four specific species of plants called the lulav which are to be waved during special ceremonial times during the celebration.

Leviticus 23:33-43
33And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
34Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.
35On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
36Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.
37These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:
38Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD.
39Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.
40And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.
41And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.
42Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:
43That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

According to A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays by Robin Sampson, “Everything in the Torah…has a prophetic as well as historical significance and merits our careful attention.” The Messianic significance of The Feast of Tabernacles involves our spiritual past, present and future from the birth of Jesus, the Messiah when he came to TABERNACLE among us (John 14:14) to the coming Millennial Reign of Christ on earth following the rapture of the Church in the Last Days. “Or possibly when we will tabernacle (dwell) with God in Heaven.”

There is speculation that Jesus’ birth may have actually been during The Feast of Tabernacles. Historical records (such as Flavius Josephus)and the Bible can tell us the approximate time of Zacharias' high priestly duties. We know when in this process John was born and we know how far along Elisabeth was compared to Mary... so we can make a very close guess to the time of the year Jesus' must have been born. Some historians and theologians use this timeline to present a convincing argument for the birth of the Messiah during this Festival. Though we do not know for sure, it is interesting to study and learn about. To read more about this theory go to: http://biblelight.net/sukkoth.htm

Also interesting to note are some of the other references to Sukkot throughout the Bible. In several places in the Old Testament we can read about this special feast. (See Deut. 16: 13-15 and Num. 29:12-40 for starters!) In the New Testament we read in John chapter 7 about Jesus secretly attending the Feast of Tabernacles after sending His disciples on ahead of Himself. Paul also observed the feast as is recorded in Acts 18.

I have also read several articles that have mentioned that the First Thanksgiving was very likely an observance of The Feast of Tabernacles. It included many of the elements of Sukkot and was actually first held in October, not November. With the understanding that our forefathers came to America to have a place where they could return to a Biblical lifestyle in work, worship and relationships then we can see that it is very probable that they would have known of the Old Testament feasts and would have desired to celebrate them. They were so thankful for surviving through the difficulties that those early years in America posed and certainly added new traditions of their own to the feast, but may have very well had this "lasting ordinance" of God in mind when they organized those first events!

In our family we take out our Nativity Scene in time for Sukkot. I built a little mini sukkah in which our figurines of Joseph and Mary and Baby Jesus tabernacle throughout the season. It definitely opens up many discussions when people enter our home and see it there. This year consider setting up a little temporary shelter in your yard and partaking of at least one meal there to celebrate Sukkot. Reflect upon all it means to us as believers in Christ and the blessings we have in allowing Him to tabernacle within US!

John 7:37-39
37In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
39(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)