For those who follow our Heavenly Fathers cycle of life/chaim reflected in the annual moedim, the Appointed Times of the Lord; we are in the weeks celebrations of Sukkot.
Sh’mot 23:16 7th month – 15th day through 21st day (7 days). Vayik’ra 23:33-36, 39, 40-43.
Although covered in previous posts, all of which are available on home page; here is a brief summary of this moed for new readers.
The moadiym/ the Appointed Times of The Lord, are times to remember prophetic declarations of His Word and His promises to His children. They offer a unique opportunity for us to be discipled by His Spirit, as we walk in the ways of HIs Son Yeshua ha Mashiach toward our full potential and usefulness for the Father. It is a time for all believers in Messiah to draw closer to Him and to become more effective, victorious disciples for Yeshua/Jesus.
This last great appointed time of Israels annual calendar is Chag haSukot – feast of tabernacles. It is also called Chag haAsif – feast of the Ingathering, because it is positioned at the end of the year, when all the fruit of our labor is gathered in from the final harvest.
Like the Feast of Matzah/unleavened bread celebrated in the spring at Passover/Pesach, Sukot, sometimes spelled Sukkot, lasts for 7 days and is a time for great celebration. However, unlike the feast of Matzah/unleavened bread, only the first day of Sukot is a holy convocation. In Judaism the 7th day of sukkot came to be known as Hoshanna Rabba and was celebrated with a huge water libation ceremony to plead for abundant rain over the next season.
This is also the day when Jesus/Yeshua being in attendance at this ceremony, cried out . On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, lethim come to Me and drink. John 7:37
On this first day of Sukot, Israel is commanded to do no work and to rest. Sukot begins just 5 days after Yom haKippuriym/Yom Kippur, on the 15th day of the 7th Hebrew month Tishrei and lasts until the 21st day.
The main feature of sukkot is of course the sukkah or booth or tabernacle which is to be constructed from the various trees and flora surrounding Jesusalem.
“You shall dwell in booths (sukkot) for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths.” – Vayikra /Leviticus 23:42.
The purpose of the sukkah is to remind us that Adonai caused the people of Israel to live in sukkot (tents/temporary dwellings) when He brought them out of Egypt and they travelled through the wilderness. This experience helps us understand and appreciate the spiritual themes of our Heavenly Fathers protection, deliverance and provision. The temporary and minimal nature of the structure itself should also remind us of our own physical condition. Our bodies have weaknesses, vulnerabilities and are finite. They have an expiration date! And as long as we inhabit these earthly dwellings/sukkah it is a timely reminder that we are indeed passing through. This earth is not our permanent home, we are spiritual beings, we, the real us, are not our bodies; they are the temporary dwellings provided for us while we are on earth fulfilling the Fathers plan for us and one day we will leave them behind!
The sukkah is a symbol of how our Father cares for us protecting us from both physical and spiritual elements, that are constantly arrayed against us. At the time of the final ingathering we are to celebrate with great joy that He has delivered us, watched over us, and will soon be taking us to dwell permanently in the sukkah of His presence that will last forever.
In 2 Peter 1:10-14, Peter is encouraging us to be doing the word as much as we are knowing it. He is stirring us up, reminding us that we can know how to live a life for Messiah and we can be convinced of the truth; but if we are not diligent to make our calling and election/selection sure/firm, it will be as if we have forgotten everything we ever knew.
Time is short and soon we will be all laying aside our earthly dwellings. Knowing the truth is not enough, we have to remember it and use it by applying it while we still can. The feast of ingathering will soon come to and end and this sukkah in which we abide will not last or stand forever either. It is important that while we live in our earthly dwellings that we diligently secure our calling and election. We can do this by acting on the things we do know, because that truth is what will bring in a harvest of righteousness. As Peter says: Therefore I will not be careless to remind you always concerning these things for by doing these things you will never stumble.
This week ends with Simchat Torah, a time to express our love for our Heavenly Fathers Words of Life and for the Word Who became flesh and tabernacled among us for a short season. This He will fulfill completely when he returns to reign. There is a lesson for us that first we must submit ourselves to the discipline of studying the scriptures. As Messiah said in John 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.
And inMatthew 5:18 He said:
For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.
Messiah considered all of the Torah and TeNaKH to be important so we can rejoice in the knowledge and comfort they provide us. In other words there is no d’rash without p’shat, meaning: there is no application without the study of the scripture texts. Then after we have studied His word, we are given the gift of great joy, that of of knowing the truth of His Words. John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Ps 33:4 for the word of the Lord is right His every deed is faithful.
Enjoy the rest of the days of this moed and above all rejoice that our names are
written in the Lambs Book of Life.
Shalom shalom
‘Mishpachah’
‘Family/Tribe’
משפחה
Mish-pa-KHa,
friends, visitors and every reader…
Please don’t leave this page before making certain you are His
and are truly born again from above.
Know of a certainty that Jesus/Yeshua is
your Redeemer, Savior, Lord
and soon returning King
and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, not Religion.
NOT SURE? YOU CAN BE..
SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry.
I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’ name. Amen.
For those who follow our Heavenly Fathers cycle of life/chaim reflected in the annual moedim, the Appointed Times of the Lord; we are in the weeks celebrations of Sukkot. 
