This is the most joyous and fun of all of God’s Holy Holidays! We are actually COMMANDED to rejoice and celebrate YHWH’s mercy at this time - for 8 whole days!
In English, there is no suitable word for this particular North African concept, but it is often translated as close as possible for understanding - as the Festival of “Booths”; “Tents”; “Tabernacles”; and “Manseos (temporary dwelling places)”. All of these are adequate, but don’t explain what it is really referring to.
It is a festival in which, for seven days, everyone is told to camp outside! How fun! Well, camping means you need a portable shelter of some sort, unless you live in a rare place where there there are warm night with no biting bugs ;) Today people use tents or campers. But when YHWH brought Israel out of Egypt with His mighty hand and outstretched arm, they did not have a bunch of burlap, denim, plastic, tarp or anything like that. They had just scattered wood around them in the Sinai region and trees that grow along the Nile and other regions, and trees in the low lying vernal pool areas, such as palms, dates, and a few other tough, leafy trees. So they built a traditional portable dwelling called a “Sukkah”.
Sukkot is the festival of camping out in sukkahs.
Why is this festival important to us today? Zechariah 14 tells us that during the future Messianic Kingdom (when Yeshuah (Jesus) rules on Earth as King), that any nation that does not observe this festival will be cut off.
But that is a purely legalistic reason, and not the right reason to celebrate it. That is only for those who try to claim that God somehow did away with His Holy Days.
The REAL reasons we should celebrate this Festival:
1 - God made it as a time of joy for all! He has redeemed us (Day of Trumpets two weeks ago), He has forgiven us (Day of Atonement last week) and He is providing for us!
2 - Thousands of years ago, YHWH proved Himself to be God over all when He brought Israel out of slavery from Egypt. BUT, despite Israel rebelling and disobeying and griping constantly and not having faith in Him, He STILL provided for them for 40 years! For 40 years, they did not go hungry, their clothes never wore out, their shoes never wore out, their feet never blistered... all because YHWH provided everything they needed the whole time! We camp out remembering that He is our provider through every trial we go through! And Scripture tells us that Yeshuah (Jesus) Himself was the rock that gave them water in the desert! Talk about reason to celebrate - we all have direct access to the Living Water of the Creator of the Universe - the same One who saved all those millions of rebellious people so long ago!
3 - In the future, the time will come when no one can buy or sell anything unless they take the “mark of the beast”. So when this happens, how will God’s elect survive? They cannot buy food, property, ammunition, matches, water, seeds to plant, fuel for a car or generator, a car or can or generator to put fuel into, clothing, soap, deodorant - NOTHING! How will they survive? We only have to look back at Israel to know. They stopped 42 places when they crossed the Jordan finally. There will be 42 weeks under the “mark of the beast”. Why would God want us to remember the places in the wilderness they stopped? So we have the faith we need to know He can and will do the same for us in the future. God will be our true sustainer in our wilderness, just as He was with Israel. Talk about reason to celebrate!
I can go deeper into it, but I do not have the time right now. Here are some of the Scriptures about it and surrounding what it is about:
Exodus 33:12-34:36; Leviticus 22:26-23:44; Numbers 29:12-30:1; Deuteronomy 14:22-16:8; 33:1-34:12; Joshua 1:1-8; 1 Kings 8:54-66; Isaiah 42:5-43:11; Ezekiel 38:18-39:16; Zechariah 14:1-21; Matthew 5:17-48; 17:1-9; Mark 12:28-33; John 1:1-14; 7:1-14; 7:37-44; Romans 7:21-25; Revelation 21:1-7; 22:6-21
A sukkah is made by making a frame of poles or branches to any size dwelling you desire. It must be easily collapsible to go quickly if needed. Many use plastic tubes these days. It is then surrounded by cloth or leafy branches (Most people like to weave palm fronds). The top is leafy branches - make them thick enough to keep you dry if it rains. If you do a google image search you can see many examples. The front is sometimes left open and sometimes closeable. Eating should be done inside the sukkah but celebrating is done outside as much as possible.
The first day (Monday night sunset to Tuesday night sunset this year) is a High Sabbath; a gathering during which no work or business is to be done. It is a day of celebrating our great and wonderful Creator and all He has done for us - accepting us despite our rebellion.
Then the week is spent partying and celebrating all He provided (I believe that He placed this holiday just after the Autumn harvest on purpose).
After seven days of camping out and celebrating our Great Provider, the 8th day is another High Sabbath to celebrate His provision through the week, and celebrate the promised Kingdom yet to come! It is a day to welcome His reign in our lives, and recognize Him as King, looking forward to when He comes and establishes His Kingdom here on earth! Most Christians refer to this future time as the “second coming”. It is a day to celebrate new beginnings!
May YHWH richly bless you on this, His Holy week of Sukkot! Don’t forget to be HAPPY and REJOICE!
Rejoice in the Lord always! Again, I say REJOICE!
#Sukkot
#Rejoice
#CampingForGod
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