A shadow awaiting fulfillment.
I doubt many fellowships within the body of Christ are spending this week celebrating or even thinking about one of God’s appointed times. Unlike Passover which was fulfilled with the crucifixion of the Lamb of God, Sukkot’s fulfillment awaits us in the millennial kingdom. Sukkot is called by various names: “Feasts of Booths”/“Feast of the LORD” (Leviticus 23:33-40), “Feast of Ingathering” (Exodus 34:22), “Feast of Tabernacles” (not Biblical) or simply “The Feast” (John 7). It is God’s appointed time to celebrate, rejoice in Him and remember.
“On exactly the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered the crops of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the LORD for seven days, with a sabbath rest on the first day and a sabbath rest on the eight day. (Leviticus 23:39)
If we have any knowledge at all about Sukkot it is the word sukkah, those little symbolically ornate and temporary shelters that many religious Jewish families will construct at this time every year. To visit Israel during Sukkot is to see them constructed by soldiers as their guard post watching over the tourists and even at bus stops.
“You shall dwell in booths for seven days; all native-born in Israel shall dwell in booths, so that your generations may know that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 23:42-43) This Feast required all the men of Israel to go before the Lord in Jerusalem and dwell in their sukkah for 7 days. (Exodus 34:21-34) The temple is no more and now the booth serves as symbols for remembrance.
God brought them out into the wilderness. They were completely dependant upon His provision. God chose the 15th day of the 7th month as the time Israel might be more aware of His provision. This was the “Feast of Ingathering,” the time of harvest. (Exodus 34:22) They were appointed a time to rejoice over “the LORD your God” who provided then, and provides now.
So, what are we supposed to do with this little history lesson? We celebrate Thanksgiving, a day held at different times with different names in various cultures. What can we learn from God’s appointment?
Delivered from the curse of death we exist in bodies that are temporary. We dwell in our sukkah while in this wilderness of sin. Only God can meet our physical and spiritual needs. Someday we will reach the promised land and rejoice before His throne. I know that for one thousand years we will worship Jesus celebrating Sukkot every year.
Father, we worship you in truth and in spirit and in Jesus’ name we thank you for every thing you have given us.
“Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feasts of Booths. And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, there will be no rain on them. (Zechariah 14:16-17)
His Family Table 