Sukkot – The Promise of a Permanent Dwelling Place

It is the 3rd of 3 Appointed Times that all males are required to travel to Jerusalem to participate in annually.

Known in Judaism collectively as

The Three Pilgrimage Festivals.

In Hebrew:

Shlosha Regalim  שלושה רגלים

They are:

Pesach, Passover

Shavuot, Weeks or Pentecost

and

Sukkot, Tabernacles, Tents or Booths –

and relate in order to: our Physical Salvation

our Spiritual Salvation and our

Joyful Thanks to God for His Encompassing Protection and for the future when He will be Dwelling, Tabernacling with His people forever.

The secret place of the Most High/El’yon is the shield and surrounding wall of His Truth; it’s not a fictional location made up from imagination it’s a real place to be found in His presence.

The scripture says

Yeshua/Jesus is the Truth and when we are

IN Him

then we are in that secret place.

This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.

And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.

1John 4:13 also Psalm 91

When the ancient Israelites were living in the Kingdom of Judah they would make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem, as commanded by the Torah.

And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days.

You shall keep it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month

You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths, so that your descendants may know that I made the Israelites dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’ ”

Lev 23:40, 42-43

Feast of the Tabernacles

in Hebrew סֻכּוֹת

Chag haSukot,

also Succouth, Sukkot or Sykkot.

This post includes links to previous ones that have covered most of the relevant information on this season. It is hard to not repeat the wonderful nuances and types and shadows of what we have ahead of us and also to ponder on all that Our Heavenly father/Av has prepared for us.

1 Corinthians 2:9 Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”

And 2Tim 4:8 for those who love His appearing Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.

So here follows some thoughts and Hebrew greetings for this glorious appointed time.

Sukkot is a joyous holiday celebrating the fall harvest.

The booths, called sukkahs,

that are built during this week-long festival, are reminiscent of the booths ancient farmers used to sleep right in their fields during harvest season. They also commemorate the 40 year period during which the Israelites wandered in the wilderness, sleeping in tents.

This appointed time calls for a temporary dwelling here, meaning it’s not a permanent structure.

Part of Sukkot is spent in synagogue at prayer, and much of it is spent eating, drinking, sleeping, and generally dwelling in the sukkah.

But wherever you happen to meet people during this particularly joyous holiday, it’s nice to know how to greet them.

It is still considered appropriate at this time to wish each other a Happy New Year or Shana Tovah in Hebrew, just as people continue saying Happy (Gregorian) New Year for many weeks into January and beyond.

To wish someone a Happy Sukkot in Hebrew simply say

Chag Sameach which means Happy Holiday.

Moadim L’simcha Moh-ah-DEEM Le-sim-CHAH

This is used on both Sukkot and Pesach/Passover, particularly the intermediate days of the festival

Chag Sameach is Hebrew for joyous festival.

The traditional response is

chagim u’zmanim l’sasson 

khag-EEM oo-zmahn-EEM le-sah-SOWN.

The individual who initiates the greeting says: Mo’adim l’simhah!
and the one who replies says: Hagim u’z’manim l’sasson!

Here is a hint about pronouncing the greetings: Each of the Hebrew words above puts emphasis/stress on the last syllable.

Chag Sameach pronounced khahg sah-MAY-akh

literally means happy holiday

and applies to most Jewish holidays.

Gut Yontiff pronounced goot YUHN-tiff

is a yiddishized version of the Hebrew phrase 

yom tov meaning good day

and referring to any major holiday on which work is traditionally forbidden.

Mo’adim = moments, festivals, appointed times.
Singular: mo’eid

l’ = for/to

simhah = joy, gladness, happy occasion

Hagim = holidays, celebrations.
Singular: hag

u’ = and

z’manim = seasons, times
Singular: z’man

sasson = joy, happiness

ברכות סוכות

sukkah: a thicket, booth

Strongs #5521

סֻכָּה

pronounced: sook-kaw’

booth, cottage, covert, pavilion, tabernacle, tent

Deuteronomy 16:13 
HEB: חַ֧ג הַסֻּכֹּ֛ת תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה לְךָ֖
NAS: the Feast of Booths seven
KJV: the feast of tabernacles seven
INT: the Feast of Booths shall celebrate seven days

Other titles used for this feast:

Time of Our Joy – Zman Simchatenu–  זמן שמחתנו

Moadim L’Simcha – Appointed Times for Joy

Zman Simchatenu Time of Our Joy – זמן שמחתנו

Simchat Torah – the Joy of the Torah – שִׂמְחַת תורָה

Shemini Atzeret – Eighth Day of Assembly – שמיני עצרת

Hoshanah Rabbah – Great Salvation – הושענה רבה

Chag Assif – Harvest Festival – חג אסיף

Sukkah is the Hebrew term for the temporary building that is constructed for this holiday.

Sukkot(h) is the Hebrew name of the holiday,

the moed

and usually translated as

booth or small hut and 

to tabernacle with someone, is to dwell with them.

Yehoveh/Adonai, tabernacled with the children of Israel as they wandered in the desert for 40 years, manifesting Himself as a cloud by day and fire by night.

The Hebrew word for tabernacle is sukkah. It means a booth, a hut, a covering, a pavilion or tent.

The Greek word for tabernacle is sk’en’e, which also means a tent, hut, or habitation; and the context by which the word tabernacle is used in the New Covenant /Brit Hadashah.

This Greek word, sk’enos, means ‘tabernacle, booth, shelter, or covering’ and also appears in Rev. 21:3.

This same word, sk’enos, is used to speak of Yeshua/Jesus during His first coming, John 1:14. here we can see the protection provided in Rev. 7:16, corresponding to Isa. 4:5-6, and the fountain of living waters in Rev. 7:17 and 21:4.

It is interesting to note that as these were set in place by the Father through Moses and have been followed and celebrated annually ever since.

 Luke 2:41 states that Joseph and Mary and Jesus/Yeshua made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem every Passover.

Joseph and Mary went to the Passover celebration in Jerusalem every year: Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover

Also, Luke records Paul

“hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible,

on the Day of Pentecost” Acts 20:16 Acts 20:16

all went up to Jerusalem… indicating they are not done away with after Jesus/Yeshua ascended?

Sadly western Christianity detached itself from the observance of our Heavenly Fathers’ Appointed Times/Jehovehs Moedim; and those then in power changed the dates and days to ones we have become more familiar with as easter and Christmas etc.,

This could be the ‘feasts’ that God says He hates as prophetically declared in Amos 5;21  I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. As well as those they had adopted from Babylon. Some scholars say the dates were messed up from that era and when they returned from captivity they did not rectify the changes…

In the modern Gregorian calendar we label all years with B.C. (before the birth of Christ) or A.D. (anno domini or “in the year of our Lord”) There is no zero year. In our modern system, the year Christ was born is supposedly A.D.1 and the year preceding it is 1 B.C. The most favored view amongst Bible scholars is that Messiah Jesus/Yeshua, was born in 5 B.C. which agrees with this timeline which was due to Herod the Greats death occurring in 4 B.C. If Jesus/Yeshua was born in 5 B.C. possibly on Tabernacles, then our current year should really be the year A.D. 2023 and not 2021! And as noted in a previous post this year is 5782 according to the Hebrew calendar count. Notwithstanding the possible fudging of dates and missing centuries (200 years) that would put the date from Genesis closer to 5982! Could this be the reason for Yeshua/Jesus statement that no man knows the day of His coming???

It seems that not only did the early Roman Catholic Church get the year of Yesua/Jesus’ birth wrong but it seems they got the month wrong as well. Some of the evidence that Yeshua/Jesus might have been born earlier in the year is the fact that it would be highly unlikely for shepherds to still be in the field with their sheep in December. This is in the middle of the winter and they wouldn’t be in the fields at this time of the year. Click link for more on this:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/a-lambs-tale-and-a-mysterious-tower/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/endings-are-simply-new-beginnings/

The Feast of Tabernacles symbolizes

the restoration process,

which will be completed with the return of

Messiah Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach.

The Tabernacle of New Jerusalem,

descends from Heaven to Earth to

tabernacle, dwell or shelter His people with His presence.

The Feast of Tabernacles, Sukkot, is the last of the seven Moedim/ Feasts of the Lord and the most joyful, occurring on the 15th day of Tishri and lasts for eight days.

It is sometimes referred to as the 

feast of booths

or feast of ingathering

The word ingathering is in reference more to people than crops, as the wheat and most of the fruit has already been harvested by this time of the year.

It is noteworthy according to Numbers 29:15,32 that on each of the 7 days of Tabernacles, they were to offer 14 (7×2) lambs without blemish. There is an interesting parallel in Matthew where he lists the genealogy of Messiah, the Lamb of God. The generations from Abraham to David are 14, from David to the Babylonian captivity are 14, and from the captivity to Christ are 14. Matthew traced the genealogy back to Abraham and divides Israel’s history into 3 sets of 14 generations. However, there were probably more than those listed here. Genealogies often compressed history and not every generation of ancestors was specifically listed, especially if they were evil. The Tenakh/ Old Testament genealogies are much more precise such as in 1 Chronicles chps. 1-9.

In Zechariah 14:16-19. it is stated that everyone will learn about this Moed/Appointed Time:

And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.

The Feast of Tabernacles is also a picture of the judgment of the inhabitants of the earth who live during the 1,000 years according to Isaiah 2:4  And he shall judge among the nations,

So it is something that will still be celebrated in the future so whether we learn now or later, it will be part of life/chaim, for those in the millennial kingdom as we understand the scriptures to indicate.

This may have been what Peter was referring to at the Mt. of Transfiguration?

Their experience must have been overwhelming and we are told they were terrified. The presence of God in the form of His Glory Cloud, overshadowed them, engulfing them, and they heard His voice in its midst.

Mark 9:2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.

3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.

4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.

5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

6 For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.

7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

8 And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.

A little intimidating to put it mildly!

They must have thought the Kingdom had come and wanted to build Booths/Sukkah to them in celebration of the event. Their thoughts would have been flying wildly in all directions trying to make sense of what was happening to them.

Sukkot is about remembering God/Yehoveh’s provision in the 40 year wilderness journey and His protection while they travelled. It’s celebrating His ever-presence Yehovah Shammah, His guidance and care of His people who were chosen to be His Challah/Bride and as we are kallat mashiach/Bride of Messiah; we are His K’doshiym/His Holy Ones. He made covenant with them and called them His own precious treasure.

Through Yeshua/Jesus, all is being fulfilled, the Moedim/ Appointed Times of the Lord, reflect Yeshua/Jesus as we have seen in previous posts. Sukkot is the one that will never end as it is the climax of Yehoveh/Gods plan to be reunited with His children and dwelling together with the Bride of Messiah. At One, following the AtOnement of Yom Kippur, the celebration of Sukkot Tabernacles/Booths/ is preparing us for when He permanently Tabernacles with His people, not in frail booths or in these frail temporary bodies, but in the fullness of His presence in the new Jerusalem/Yerushalyim.

Literally Heaven on earth! Nothing we try to accomplish ourselves on this fallen earth can even begin to be like the restoration Yehoveh/God will implement . We are spiritually returning to Eden and to the Holy Mountain of God which scripture says is Jerusalem/ Yerushalyim from above; the location of Mt. Moriah where all the pivotal events have occurred through the ages past.

Whether we have yet or not, one day we will all go up to Jerusalem/Yerushalyim to the city of Adonai, His chosen location where He has put His Name. The apple of His eye, His First fruits, the land of promise; and the glory of His presence will one day be for all to see. It will not be hidden from view in a sanctuary of the Holy of Holies for just 1 man to experience once a year, but for all to behold Him in majesty and splendor.

 

For now we see through a glass darkly, but then all eyes will see Him face to facebut for now we are the containers of the glory of His presence, we are the living stones, we are the sanctuary of His Ruach HaKodesh/Spirit of Holiness. The Holy of Holies resides within each of His called apart ones/ecclesia/body. As darkness increases and the times of the gentiles are fulfilled, we will all shine so much more brightly. He has always wanted to be with us from the Genesis and soon this will be completed.

On the last day of the feast John 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Yeshua/Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

This was right in the middle of the water pouring ceremony.

This was the last day of the seven-day long

Sukkot/Feast of Tabernacles celebration;

known as:

the Last Great Day, in Hebrew Hoshana Rabbah.

On this day, a joyous festival occurred called the Water Pouring Ceremony, where the Jews prayed for rain for the upcoming agricultural season resulting in a bountiful harvest.

Click link below for more on this:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/sheltering-presence-god/

Messiah said: I AM the living water All who come to Him will never thirst again.

During these few days, let’s especially remember He has led us through our wilderness. How He has provided and cared for and protected us along His Way then available as our Israelite family celebrates and rejoices in His Torah; let’s give thanks that His Word is so freely to us.

He is the Word made flesh and if we follow the annual cycle of reading the Bible in a year ..its time to start over…a new beginning. Whatever day of the year it’s always a good time to read the Word of God/Yehoveh! Sometimes, things are simply traditions of men, but the Moedim/Appointed times, are set in by our Heavenly Father and understanding them and their meanings enhances our knowledge and appreciation of Who He is and Why Yeshua/Jesus came; and why we can be certain He is coming back!

The clouds in the wilderness are called ‘the clouds of glory’ and the wilderness experience is a picture of the future Messianic age, the Millennium.

Jesus/Yeshua tabernacle/sukkot among us John 1:14.

Peter spoke about his body being a tabernacle 2 Peter 1:13-14.

The apostle Paul told us that our earthly bodies were earthly houses or tabernacles in 2 Corinthians 5:1-5.

Jesus/Yeshua was the true tabernacle of God according to Hebrews 9:11.

In Hebrews 8:1-2; Revelation 13:6; 15:5; the Scriptures speak of a heavenly tabernacle . Revelation 21:1-3 says this heavenly tabernacle will come to earth.

Links to the posts for Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret they are:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/sheltering-presence-god/

includes The Four Species: Arba Minim

https://www.minimannamoments.com/in-the-end-its-all-about-yeshua-jesus/

At this season of Sukkot, Isa.12:3 was often quoted, as it is written, ‘Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.’ Jesus/Yeshua in Hebrew means ‘salvation.’

Note again the statement in John 9:5.

This is the last day of the feast,

Hoshana Rabbah.

John 9:14; Lev. 23:34-36.

The post Endings Are Simply New Beginnings

includes reference to Jesus/Yeshuas birth.

https://www.minimannamoments.com/endings-are-simply-new-beginnings/

The final, 8th day, of this feast is known as 

Shemini Atzaret, Yom haSh’miyniy’Atzaret,

The 8th day assembly.

In Israel, the 8th day is a day that speaks of eternity and the Bible ends in Revelation with that same day, the day of eternity where we will reign forever with Him.

The 8th day is about resurrection and leaving the old life, a day of transcending, of breaking out of the limitations of the finite and into the realm of the infinite. Of transcending the old, overcoming the ultimate limitation, death, and thus every limitation.

The day after the end of the old life, the old existence and gaining the power to live beyond it in and through Yeshua/Jesus.

So the day of the resurrection and the day of the beginning of eternity are in inevitably joined together.

The Sheltering Presence of God Abides With Us Always.

may we all remain in the Sukkah of His Loving Protection.

In sharing about the Moedim/feasts/Appointed Times and having done much research a brief disclaimer is needful only because
there are many Hebrew Roots, Messianic and Messianic Jewish believers who are under the impression that the modern Rabbinical calendar tabulated by Hillel II is the same as the Biblical calendar. It would seem that unfortunately, this is not the case and although it is true that the modern Rabbinical calendar is very close, the two calendars are calculated using entirely different methods, because of this, there are minor and major variations.

Why is this important?

Our heavenly Father has commanded us to follow His Moedim/ feasts/Appointed Times according to His calendar, not one calendar that estimates it. The modern Rabbinical calendar rarely has Moedim/Appointed days at the same time as the Biblical calendar, this can lead even the most faithful followers of Yeshua/Jesus to observe days that have not been divinely ordained and neglecting days that have been.

We are reminded that Messiah said if you love me keep my commandments and that He did not come to destroy or do away with but to fulfill them.

We must remind ourselves that these Appointed Times are not exclusively “Jewish” Moedim/feasts.

These are Yehoveh/God’s Moedim/feasts and Appointed Times; and that it is His calendar that determines, not ours. His calendar is the only one that truly counts. It should be noted that there are several differences of opinions in how to decide the exact days of the calendar as written in Leviticus 23. As we are all on the WAY and learning as we travel, everyone is encouraged to do their own research in studying about the calendar according to the Scriptures, which our Heavenly Father has set in place. We still keep the 10 sayings/commandments that were given through Moses and Jesus/Yeshua quoted them on several occasions in answer to peoples questions on what we sould follow keep and do; so why do we humans think that we can choose which parts of the Bible we want to follow and which parts are no longer important??

So what is the purpose of Sukkot?

The sukah serves to remind us that our trust is NOT to be in what we call, permanent structures made with human hands; but in the One who has the power to protect us against every form and type of adversity. This is another opportunity for us to remember that we dwell in safety not because we have the security of 4 well constructed walls, but because our Heavenly Father is protecting, providing and caring for us each and every day. In the end, even the most reliable shelter is just a sukkah! One day it will be gone but instead, we will have a permanent home with Him forever. 

This is the spiritual truth true and most important aspect of the meaning of sukkot. This is the focus we are to have, that of our future hope and home; when He will dwell with us and we will be with Him forever. Now that’s something worth celebrating and being joyful over as we await the final ingathering!

The Sheltering Presence of God

Abides With Us

Always!

May we all remain

in the

Sukkah of His Loving Protection.

Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved (Acts 16:31).

The cry for salvation at Tabernacles

is heard

and answered through

Yeshua/Jesus the Messiah,

for He came to

save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:21).

Shalom shalom

‘Mishpachah’

‘Family/Tribe’

משפחה

Mish-pa-KHa,

friends, visitors and every reader…

Blessed are You, HaShem, Who spreads the Sukkat Shalom upon us, upon all of His people and upon Israel.

Please don’t leave this page before making certain Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.

4 times throughout the book of Revelation Jesus says

“Surely I am coming quickly”

He is coming back very soon – so let’s keep looking up!

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

Its 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.

Here’s Mud In Your Eye!

What is the connection between a town, mud, blind eyes, a donkey, Sh’loh, a gift, a pool of water and Messiah?

Matthew records a time when 2 blind men followed Him calling out, “Have mercy on us Son of David”

Yeshua/Jesus asked them what seemed to be a redundant question!

What do you want me to do for you?

Matt 20:33,34.

He is asking us the same question today.

They answered honestly and to the point…

Lord that our eyes would open!

Is this a representation of the ‘two men’ inside of us; good and evil; old man and the re-born new man? Or is it because He wants us to consider our request and count the cost of true discipleship first?

‘Yeshua/Jesus had compassion touched their eyes and they immediately RE-gained their sight and they followed Him.’

This word EYES in Greek ὄμμα, ατος, τό OMMA. (Phonetic om’-mah).

It is used only here and in Mark 8:23 and can also mean EYES OF THE SOUL.

Strong’s Hebrew: 5869. עַ֫יִן (ayin) an eye

עֵינַיִים   Eyes  

מראה   Sight

לִרְאוֹת   See

Once their soul was released from the prison of the blindness, they followed Him and did not take the benefits of their healing and selfishly go off and doing their own thing. They counted the cost and made a decision and commitment.

I set you free to serve/follow Me.

His GIFT of salvation and freedom is to become what was originally intended; that for His children to be with Him. Reconciliation with the Father and in Yeshua/Jesus to spread the gospel of reconciliation, showing the WAY of return, Teshuvah, and freedom from bondage and blindness. Those who come to Yeshua/Jesus just to gain advantage in their personal life and return to what they were doing before, apparently will not inherit the true blessings.

Our position is also of being released from prison and our eyes once blinded now see. So now our eyes are open, let’s take a LOOK at John 9 where there is another record of eyes being opened.

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

How can someone born blind RE-cover sight?

Could it be that his eyes were perfectly formed in the womb but by the time of his birth he was blind? The magnitude of this miracle is often under read –why?

Possibly because we have not realized that it would have involved a complete rewrite of the man’s brain.

A baby’s brain whose eyes are undamaged still has to learn how to interpret what is received from them. In a way, babies still ‘see’ nothing until the brain has formed the ability to interpret what they see through actual experience.

So someone who’s been blind since birth and who is suddenly miraculously healed won’t immediately ‘see’ the world as seeing people do.

An individuals view of the world is formed by inwardly processing information from external stimuli, from touch, taste, smells and sounds etc., and the sudden and massive influx of visual information would no doubt lead to confusion and bewilderment, and could most likely leave the man stunned and almost catatonic, not rejoicing as is recorded.

Starting to see after a lifetime of being blind is a completely different scenario than going blind after a lifetime of seeing, for that person has a memory and recollections to relate to.

So something else was going on here for he was not reacting in shock but rather rejoicing!

We need to think about it, for a moment at least! To heal someone who’s been blind since birth – requires their virtual death, as a blind person, and their subsequent resurrection, as a seeing person.

The real-Time it would have taken for the development of the eyes and brain to adjust was over-ridden by the Father of Creation and of Time and the past became the present instantaneously.

This miracle at Siloam, is one of such astonishing facts, that it places it on a par with the miracle at the Cana wedding. John 2:1-10.

Click link below for the Cana miracle.

https://www.minimannamoments.com/a-miracle-in-time/

This shows again that our time does not affect God and He is not constricted by it, for He is the same yesterday today and forever; He is

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4

 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

We need to appreciate the context here, as He was about to perform an outstanding witness to the coming Kingdom of God/Kingdom of the Heavens and fulfill prophesy. Ps 146:7-9. Opening the eyes of the soul and loosing prisoners. Is. 61:1.

Before this moment there had NEVER been such a miracle – it was unprecedented – that of healing someone blind from birth.

  John 9:32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.

Since the beginning, the days of Adam, the Genesis of TIME!

There was Re-covery of sight but not of this caliber, for this man’s eyes had never functioned.

So it was a Messianic sign!

This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in Him. And may have been the reason it was part of the message to John in prison that the blind receive their sight? Luke 7:20-22.

20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.

22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.

He was doing the works He was sent to do by His Father.

 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world

Referring to the day, which speaks of Light; while Dawn alludes to redemption; and Night alludes to exile; which is separation from the presence of God.

He said in 9:5 ‘while I am here I am the light of the world’, when He left, we are to be the light of the world. Also that WE must do those works time is short!

There is a set time!

Here’s Mud In Your Eye! It’s an interesting saying, (or idiom). At first we may think it a harmful or unkind act, when in reality it was the opposite.

A Muddy Moment 

After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 

Again here is some Hebrew thinking!

This was an accepted treatment among them, especially saliva from a fasted life! The people of that time believed that the spittle of the first born son of the father was anointed in healing. When Yeshua performed this action, they saw another sign!

He also used it to heal the deaf mute in Mark 7.

The Pharisees had prohibited this practice under their traditions which He was here to correct. However, today as we understand the fact that the blueprint of an individuals genetic makeup is contained within our cells, our blood and our saliva/spittle, it makes one wonder if He was in possession of greater knowledge and understanding that we have comprehended?

Prov 20 :12

Interesting note that if we rearrange the letters of ‘THE EYES’, it reads ‘THEY SEE’!

His DNA was in the spittle it was the DNA of His Father, the Creator.

This spittle brought healing, unlike those who spat on Him as He was abused. Matt 26:67, 27:30,

Their intention was understood both then and now as showing an attitude of disgust, disdain and disrespect to whoever person or property to which it is aimed.

   Could this event also be in reference to His comment?

These things have I spoken unto you, … 12. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. John 16:12

and Matt 13:35/36

So that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the creation of the world”.

Yes, He did as His Father told Him and only that. The combination of the Father’s DNA within Him, (plus these days we know that the individuals blood type is that of its father as in paternity test!); together with the dirt of the ground, being the same creative material that ADAM was made from and was now also the same that He combined to place on the mans’ eyes.

Genesis 2:7 Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.

and 1Cor 15:46 The spiritual, however, was not first, but the natural, and then the spiritual.

47 The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man from heaven. 48 As was the earthly man, so also are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven.

 

From a Hebrew Letter Addition standpoint, the word Adam is richer and fuller than just dirt.

The word Adam is composed of the following letters: Aleph, Daleth, Mem. 

Aleph means strength,

Daleth means Door, and

Mem, means to surround.

From an addition standpoint the word would be translated:

Strength in the door surrounding.

To get a better grasp on the word, the pointing has some relevance here. The letter Aleph actually has a Qamets underneath It.

(A Quamets is an indicator that, ‘adds to’, what is there within the individual aleph-bet letters; it looks like a short, fat, capital letter T).

This Quamets indicates rootedness, or very sure, positive positioning. 

The Daleth as well has a Quamets to it, denoting internal, again rootedness, or very sure positioning. 

To take a look at the word more clearly the Aleph is well rooted, and the Daleth is well rooted.

In Hebrew scripture, the Daleth, or the door/gate is talking about governments, or positions of authority. Quite practically, the door to a house lets things in and let out. So he who guards the door is the gate keeper and regulates the content both inside and also outside the gate.

The word literally comes down to this:

Rooted Strength Coming of the House, Surrounding.

More particularly, this word denotes a strength of regulation with a particular purpose.  

Could it be said that in this miracle, which incorporated dirt/Adam, that He was restoring more than physical and spiritual eyesight to the man? By using dirt, the healing gave him rooted strength coming out of his house (physical body) surrounding. Our eyes are gates to the soul/spirit, as are our ears and are to be guarded as a means to protect our inner man. Was the man also having the curse broken and dominion authority restored to his life?

As the word picture above shows, the House is emitting strength to go after curse, and surround it.  In other words, curse will not overwhelm, but be surrounded, by a strength.  That strength is an authority. That authority is the image of God in the earth, called Adam, or man.

The Theological Word Book of the Old Testament shows the word to mean dominion.

This fits with the Adamic call, that God called Adam that he is to have “Dominion.”
This dominion calls a man to regulate life, all the earth and make sure all things flourish and live well. That includes, plants, animals, fish, reptiles, birds etc… and obviously mankind.

We would call this system of operation, Righteousness: the way things are to be governed and run in the civilized world.

Why people refer to dirt as the name for Adam, may come from the fact that Adam was created from dirt, and was to have dominion over even the very essence of his being, which is dirt.

As this is the Hebrew word for ‘man’. It could be ultimately derived from Hebrew אדם (‘adam) meaning ‘to be red’, referring to the ruddy colour of human skin, or from Akkadian, adamu meaning ‘to make’.

Adam (אדם) literally means ‘red’, and there is an etymological connection between adam and adamah, adamah designating ‘red clay’ or ‘red ground’. Adam (אדם) means human being or person. Adam is also related to the words red and earth.’Adama’ (אדמה) is earth ‘adom’ (אדום) is red Adam (אדם) literally means man. They’re all spelled similarly in Hebrew but have different pronunciations. (Ad´am) [Earthling Man; Mankind; Humankind; from a root meaning red].

Then…

He healed the blind man on the Sabbath with the clay/dirt!

Yeshua/Jesus also was making a point concerning the Pharisees who had added laws.

Pharisee means ‘to separate’ and they had become separators of the people from the love of God using ridiculous extra man made laws.

The Sabbath did not become the Sabbath until God rested. – He did not rest because it was the Sabbath.

Jesus/Yeshua said the Sabbath was made for man so we could rest and be with the Father, being spiritually refreshed and it has a beneficial property for our physical bodies also.

The Pharisees had added so many rules and laws that it had become impossible to keep them all, and the original meaning and intent of the sabbath was diminished and marred by religious doctrine and traditions of men, making the Word of God of no effect.

They accused Him of breaking the Sabbath laws on 3 counts:

1 spitting on the ground,

2 making mud and

3 healing.

This no doubt is why He said ‘Sabbath is made for man, (to be with the loving father rest and receive from Him, giving the day over to the things of the Lord.) not man for the Sabbath’. We are not to be in bondage to man made rules and regulations. He was restoring the law of His Father and by His life and death He was renewing the covenant ADDING to it, making it a BETTER covenant. Heb. 8:7-12.

V 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”

But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided.

Pharisee = separated – divided, they became what they were called!

And they missed the monumental miracle.

verse 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam”. So the man went and washed, and came home SEEing.

(As we come home seeing to the Father at salvation. Just like the prodigal son; we SEE and come to ourselves, recognizing who we really are and our world gets turned upside down/right side up!)

In verse 7 it was not coincidence that He told the man to GO to the pool of Siloam. In Hebrew it is the name Shiloh or shi loh meaning SENT or sending and also has the meaning, shilluhim, a gift to him.

(Salvation is Shiloh’s/Messiahs GIFT to us, His parting GIFT as He returned to the Father.)

 Shiloah comes from the Hebrew verb שלח (shalah); basic meaning sent; to send out or let go:

  שלח

It’s most used to describe the action of one person who sends another person somewhere, or to do something. (Genesis 42:4, Numbers 22:15). It also frequently describes God sending someone; (Exodus 3:12, 2 Samuel 12:1), an angelic messenger; (Genesis 24:7), or some other agent (Psalm 43:3).

Derivatives of this verb are: The masculine plural noun שלוחים (shilluhim), meaning a sending away (Exodus 18:2) or parting gift (1 Kings 9:16).

The feminine noun שלוחה (sheluha), meaning shoot or branch (as of Jesse) (Isaiah 16:8 only.)

Siloam in Biblical Greek

Σιλωαμ.

Take a moment to focus on the Pool itself for it has some unique meanings here which connect to previous posts and as we are seeing everything is connected.

The ruins of this pool were only discovered in summer of 2004. 

There are Old Testament references to the Pool under the name Pool of Shelah (Neh.3:15) and Waters of Shiloah (Isa. 8:6). The pool of Siloam is referred to by Isaiah by (8:6) as Shiloah and by Nehemiah as Shelah (3:15).

The gospel of Luke makes mention of a tower that fell on people at Siloam and killed them (13:4).

In John’s gospel (9:7) it is the Pool of Siloam.

The Pool of Siloam   השילוח בריכת  

  Shiloach: strongs 4611

Shiloah (Siloam) (Arabic: بركهسلوان ‎Hebrew: בריכת השילוח ‎, Breikhat Hashiloah) 

Pictured above are ongoing excavations at the site.

It has been identified with the Birket Silwan in the lower Tyropoeon valley, to the south-east of the hill of Zion.

The length of this channel, which has several windings, is 1,750 feet, though the direct distance is only 1,100 feet. The pool is 53 feet in length from north to south, 18 feet wide, and 19 deep. The water passes from it by a channel cut in the rock into the gardens below.

Many years ago (1880) a youth, while wading up the conduit by which the water enters the pool, accidentally discovered an inscription cut in the rock, on the eastern side, about 19 feet from the pool. 

The Siloam inscription above referred to was surreptitiously cut from the wall of the tunnel in 1891 and broken into fragments. These were, however, recovered by the efforts of the British Consul at Jerusalem, and have been restored to their original place.

It was located on the south side of the Lower City, the City of David in the Tyropoeon Valley. It was a man-made reservoir and the only permanent water source for the city of Jerusalem in this period, being fed by the waters of the Gihon Spring diverted through Hezekiah’s Tunnel .

And is located near the Temple mount at the end of Hezekiah’s tunnel.

It was the source of the water that was used to be mixed with the ashes of the Red Heifer for purification after touching the dead.

It was a long way to walk, about ¼ to ½ a mile from where Jesus/Yeshua put mud in his eyes. (Especially when one is blind.) This was the walk of blind faith and an act of blind obedience. For obedience brings light. Reminiscent of Naaman’s story in 2Kings 5:14

It is the Father that heals, not the action, however it was in the following of Jesus/Yeshua’s instruction, that showed his faith in Messiah. Sometimes it seems He tested their faith by requiring obedience to His words. Similar to the event in Num. 21:9 requiring the Israelites to LOOK at the bronze serpent.

His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was.

Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”

But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”

10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.

11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”

 12 “Where is this man?” they asked him.

“I don’t know,” he said.

These public comments show uncertainty doubts and skepticism.

They asked the wrong questions they were all asking How? and the now seeing man was answering WHO!

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath.15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”

But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided.

17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”

The man replied, “He is a prophet.”

18 They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”

20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

 The Pharisees were focused on WHEN and HOW and not on WHO and WHY and had already formed pharisaical dividing conclusions! The man’s declaration was revelation, an apocalypse, ‘He is a prophet’. So they had to send for the parents to confirm his story.

Here is where the parents declared, ‘we don’t know HOW or WHO.’ Because they were in fear of the Pharisees that had said that anyone who agreed that Yeshua/Jesus was the Messiah, would be put out of the synagogue.

(To be put out of the synagogue, meant they would be excommunicated and refused entry into participation and fellowship from the entire community.)

Contrary to his parents, the son had already counted the cost of his freedom and sight and testified boldly to the TRUTH and consequently he paid the price.

The parents knew the truth, saw the truth, counted the cost and were unwilling to pay the price; choosing instead comfort, security and stability.

This was the second of 3 chastisements under Pharisaical Law; First review lasted one week second cast out which lasted 30 days and 3rd the person was cut off permanently. For 39 days he would have been alienated from his people unable to do business under a curse and ostracized by everyone.

However, the story did not end at verse 34

for in verse 35

35 Jesus heard that they had cast/thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”

37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”

38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

First, he was healed no longer physically blind. Then second, he believed and received Yeshua/Jesus as the Son of Man – Messiah and he was no longer spiritually blind.

V11 The MAN they call Jesus

V17 He is a PROPHET.”

V38 Then the man said, “LORD I believe,” and he worshiped him

The miracle of the healing gave the man physical sight and he had an apocalypse/revelation, that He was a prophet. Vs 17.22.25 but he did not know Yeshua/Jesus and Yeshua/Jesus purposefully went to look for him, in order to reveal Himself to the man so that he might be saved.

Fulfilling Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost and looking for the ONE.

In John 8:24. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

and Psalm 82:7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.

John 9:41  Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

He was comparing blindness to the inability to understand the scriptures. Had they not been capable He would not have held them accountable.

Yeshua/Jesus wants us to SEE to come out of the PRISON of a closed mindset, that the eyes of our understanding be enlightened but He also wants us saved and in relationship with Him. 

We must not be caught in the devil’s trap, for it’s a snare when we have just enough of Jesus/Yeshua that we can’t enjoy the world and just enough of the world so we can’t enjoy Jesus/Yeshua. The snare of the devil is the one in which we are caught and turned upside down!

There are none so blind as those who cannot see. He called them blind fools.

16Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ 17You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred? 18And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’…

Matt 23:16 -18

39 Jesus said,[a] “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”

The man said,

I was blind now I see.

In other words, 

I was in prison now I’m free.

Repentance is the only WAY/DEREK, back to LIFE/CHAIM. It is our only WAY and when our OMMA /soul EYES are opened, we SEE the TRUTH.

My son was dead/blind now he is alive again. We too are dead in sin until we are cleansed by the blood of the lamb/red heifer! Yeshua was the fulfillment of the red heifer.

This was an extended miracle… this was indeed to purely glorify the Father and fulfill the prophecy in scripture, that sight would be GIVEN (a GIFT) to the blind. This was the significance – a witness to them and maybe also to John, a code between cousins? Here with the muddy mixture of DNA and the obedience to walk, still blind, (Faith) towards the gift, where he was SENT. (A sent one by the Lord = apostle = one who is sent, who goes first, and this miracle was a FIRST); to the waters of Shiloh, that were the waters mixed with the ashes, (DNA, dirt, mud,) of the red heifer, a type of Yeshua! WOW!

Final point to further tie this in with the Messiah prophesied from Genesis to Revelation for He said I AM the Alef Tav.

Shi·loha town in central ancient Palestine, in Canaan on the East slope of Mount Ephraim: keeping place of the tabernacle and the ark; the dwelling place of the shekinah glory of the Lord; destroyed by the Philistines.

Shiloh, Shilo, or Silo

שילה 

(Hebrew: שילה ‎; Latin: Silo) is a Hebrew word meaning “place of peace”

place = Machon

peace = shalom

(and all that shalom means)

showing He is indeed concerned with the whole person, not just a single problem.

Genesis 49:8-12 V9 concerns the Lion of Judah

V 10 the scepter shall not depart means that the future royal leadership of Israel will always belong to Judah. The kingship began 100’s of years ago when David was crowned.

Nor a scholar: The Hebrew teachers/Rabbis, say this is a reference to the descendants of Hillel who were known for ‘thinking outside the box’. Hillel was a highly respected Rabbi in Galilee as Yeshua/Jesus was growing up. We need to think like Hillel and become free of mindsets.

The Torah scholar being at his feet means Judah will always be loyal to the Lord.

Until Shiloh arrives, until Messiah comes; for the word Shiloh, is a composite of the words SH’LOH, a gift to him, a reference to the king Messiah to whom all nations will bring gifts.

This is a primary source for the belief that Messiah will come. The word doesn’t mean that Judah’s reign will end with the coming of Messiah, rather that once Messiah begins to reign, Judah’s blessing of kingship will usher in the Messianic reign.

Iakob Jacob in Biblical Hebrew

יעקוב   יעקב

Jacob was not prophesying the entire picture of the end times however he did point to an important outline that Judah will succeed and will show God’s blessing to the world.

Pool of Siloam

V 11The donkey is a symbol of Peace SHALOM and humility as used by Yeshua for His triumphant entry recorded in Matt.21:1-11. (also in Mk. Jn. & Lk.) and is significant beyond the Zech.9:9 reference.

The very first mention of this event is in Gen 49:10-12! Messiah is associated with a donkey rather than a horse ready for battle; (as in His return at the 2nd coming), because here He is not depicted as a warrior but as a man of peace who represents prosperity, as in the metaphor of the vineyard parable.

Matt 21:5 john 12:15 Zech 9:9 are descriptions of Yeshua.

Rev. 19:11-13. Heaven is opened in Ezek. 1:1. A white horse in Zech. 1:8. and the one who sits on it called faithful and true and He judges in righteousness.

Clothed in a garment dyed in blood. Gen 49:11; Is. 63:1-3.

Here in Gen. 49 :11, binding his foal to the vine and his donkeys colt to the choice vine He washed his garments in WINE and his clothes in BLOOD of grapes. Rev. 7:14; 19:13.

Rev. 7:14. These are they who came out of great affliction and Dan. 12:1 and they washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

So here the reference to Shiloh and the connection to blind eyes of the soul being opened, is written from Genesis to Revelation with Judah’s scepter and Shiloh’s gift, to the garment dipped in blood of the lamb.

The final Fall/Autumn feast of Succot/Tabernacles/Booths has a specific focus on the Pool of Siloam. It is from this pool that water was drawn and a wine libation poured on the altar daily. It was called the Water Libation Ceremony as the waters of Siloam were likened unto the springs of salvation as Isaiah wrote in 12:3 the words, with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation is sung.

It was during that ceremony, on the 8th day of the feast, at this moment in the proceedings of pouring out the water, Yeshua stood and declared

Now on the last and most important day of the feast, Jesus stood and called out [in a loud voice], “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink! John 7:37

 (Here he was speaking prophetically about the Spirit which those who believe in Him would receive, pointing to the latter rains being poured out on all flesh. Joel 2:28. The Holy Spirit had not yet been given because Yeshua/Jesus had not yet been glorified.)

Not only is this idea closely related to the sending of the Messiah into the world by the Father but also one of the titles of the Messiah SHILOH in Gen, 49:10 and Is 8:6 and is actually translated siloam by the septuagint translators of Is. 8:6.

The people attending the week long feast of Succoth/Booths /Tabernacles would have completely understood the relationship of salvation with the Pool of Siloam. On this 8th day with much pomp, ceremony and a great procession they all went to the Pool of Siloam, drew water and then paraded to the temple and poured out the water as an offering to the Lord.

Is 12:2

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

His Life was

for us on the altar just like the water libation.

He poured out Himself – His life – like a drink offering!

One thing we know from having spiritual ‘mud in our eyes’, we were once blind and now we see!

Don’t leave this page without washing the mud from your eyes make sure you know Him as Messiah, Savior and soon returning King of Kings.

Destroy that yoke from your neck and get out of the devil’s snare and become His disciple and turn the world upside down (or rather right-side-up!)

For more on Siloam and Sukkot click links below:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/sheltering-presence-god/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/the-sheltering-presence-of-god-cont/

Shalom Blessings for Yom Kippur & Sukkot!

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

Please don’t leave this page without turning upside down !

Make certain Jesus is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.

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.

The Sheltering Presence of God

Feast of the Tabernacles

in Hebrew Chag haSukot,

also Succouth, Sukkot or Sykkot.

Part 1

Special Note:  This Feast has already begun and takes place over 8 days. As there are so many important, pertinent and fascinating facts that point our focus to Jesus our Messiah; the post has been divided into 3 parts, which will be posted consecutively during the next few days.

 These Appointed Times of The Lord follow the Calendar Cycle of the life giving harvests and Sukkot completes the 7th of the Holy festivals in the 7th month of Tishrei. (Deut. 16:13; Lev. 23:34)Fall is the end of the harvest seasons, its themes include:

The Return of Messiah,The sounding of the trumpets announcing His comingThe Ingathering (agriculture and souls.) (Chag haAsif) and

Re-gathering and return of His people to Israel.

The repentance,

God and man face to face,

The Judgment of the Nations\separation of the sheep and goats,

The redemption,

The Kingdom of God and everything returning back to Him.

It’s the closing. The finish line.

As the Spring Appointed Times speak prophetically of Jesus 1st coming, so the fall speaks of Jesus 2nd coming; in which the end will reveal God’s final chapter. The completion of the harvest of souls and culmination of His plan of the Ages.

Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Jam. 5:7

 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2Pet. 3:9 

In the Spring cycle, we are reminded that Messiah is the Lamb of God, who came to seek, serve and save.

The Autumn cycle of Appointed Times (Mo’adiym) reveals that Messiah is also from the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the King, the Great High Priest and The Lord of all. 

We are in fact, living now in the time between the Lamb, His first coming and the Lion, His second coming. Let’s live with joy and excited anticipation for the return of the One we love, serve and worship. The One who has a plan to completely reveal the mystery of the Autumn/Fall Calendar Feasts. 

The month of Tishrei is the most intense of the Hebrew calendar as it is during this month the closing end of the sacred spiritual year is celebrated.

As this month holds the secret mystery to the Autumn cycle, could it also hold the mystery to the closing of the age?The observance of Sukkot is the 15th-21st of Tishri (September/October). Most people consider it an 8 day holiday. The first 6 days are known as Sukkot. The 7th day takes upon itself a new name known as Hoshanna Rabba, (the huge water libation ceremony). The 8th day is known as Shemini Atzaret, Yom haSh’miyniy’Atzaret, The eighth day assembly. In Israel, the 8th day is also Simchat Torah (rejoicing in the Torah scriptures). Sukkot frequently called the Feast of Tabernacles. A better English translation would be the Feast of Booths, which is the meaning of Hebrew word Sukkot, celebrating the fall harvest with the third first fruits of the growing season. Leviticus 23:39  

The Hebrew word chag comes from the Hebrew root word chagag, which means ‘to move in a circle, to march in a sacred procession, to celebrate or dance.’ The joy of Sukkot was so great that it became known as ‘THE Feast.’  The word tabernacle refers to a temporary dwelling place, which is the purpose of the sukkah.

Other names for this season are:

The Season of Our JoyThe Festival of Ingathering Hag HaAsif,

The Feast of the NationsThe Festival of DedicationThe Festival of Lights

(Ex. 23:16, 34:22; Num. 29:12-39; Neh. 8:14; Zec. 14:16-19; Heb. 2:2; 2:5; Jn 7:2-52)         In contrast to the serious tone of Rosh HaShanah and the Day of Atonement, the 3rd feast in Tishrei was a time of joy because Israel had passed through the season of repentance and redemption.
ISRAELITES Past FULFILLMENT: Celebrate the Harvest and Entering the Promised Land with Great Rejoicing to be Celebrated Yearly Forever.MESSIANIC Future FULFILLMENT: (Prophetic) The Messianic Era or Millennium. The Kingdom of God on Earth. (Athid Lavo.) The Two become One.  SPIRITUAL APPLICATION: (Halacha) A daily rest (Shabbat) in the Messiah and having the rest, (menuchah) of His Kingdom in our hearts.Not coincidentally, the same time period marks the beginning of the construction of God’s sukkah, the mishkan, the sanctuary or tabernacle in the desert (Ex. 25:8-9). Tabernacle, is the word mishkan in Hebrew. According to tradition, Moses again ascended Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights to receive the second set of tablets and descended on Yom Kippur, carrying them as a sign of God’s forgiveness of Israel for the sin of the golden calf, and as a symbol of the lasting covenant between God and Israel (Ex.24:12-18; 34:1-2; 27-28).

The following day Moses relayed God’s instructions for building the mishkan, a dwelling place. Material for this portable structure was collected during the days before Sukkot, and work then began on it. (Ex. 35; 36:1-7).        Sukkot is also called the ‘Season of Our Joy.’

It is also known as the Feast of our Rejoicing, the Season of our Rejoicing, and He-Hag (the Holiday).

One reason Sukkot was a time of joy was that after the season of repentance, (Teshuvah) and the redemption of Yom Kippur, came the joy of knowing your sins were forgiven, of walking, knowing, and being obedient to Him.

Historically, Sukkot also commemorates the days in the wilderness of Sinai, after coming out of Egypt (Mitzayim). According to all natural laws, the Israelites should have perished, but were instead divinely protected by God. Prophetically, Sukkot is the festival that teaches on the Messianic Kingdom and the joy of that Kingdom. Spiritual application in Messiah: a daily rest and having the rest, ‘menuchah’, of His Kingdom in our heartsSukkah is the Hebrew term for the temporary building that is constructed for this holiday. Sukkot(h) is the Hebrew name of the holiday, the moed and usually translated as booth or small hut and to tabernacle with someone, is to dwell with them.

God tabernacled with the children of Israel as they wandered in the desert for 40 years, manifesting Himself as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

 In order to make following God easier, the Israelites lived in simple booths.

It is also symbolic of the protection that the Israelites received from God in the desert after they were freed from bondage in Egypt (Lev. 23:43). It reminds us that our survival is dependent upon God.

The symbolism is intended to remind us of being homeless, the feeling of living somewhere on a temporary basis. It is to serve as a reminder to us not to become over confident with our wealth or influence and that we need to look to God for our provisions, not man and that this earth is not our permanent home.

The sukkah or booth, symbolizes man’s need to depend upon God for his provision of food, water, and shelter. This is true in the spiritual realm as well.

The booth is the physical body, which is a temporary dwelling place for our souls and spirits. (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

We need the food that the Word of God provides (Matt. 6:11; 4:4; John 6:33-35); the cleansing, rinsing, and washing that the Word of God brings to our lives (Eph. 5:26); and the shelter of God’s protection over our lives from the evil one (Matt. 6:13; Ps. 91). Our physical needs will be provided for by God if we seek Him spiritually (Matt. 6:31-33)The Hebrew word for tabernacle is sukkah. It means ‘a booth, a hut, a covering, a pavilion or tent.’ The Greek word for tabernacle is sk’en’e, which also means ‘a tent, hut, or habitation.’ and the context by which the word tabernacle is used in the New Covenant (Brit Hadashah).

This Greek word, sk’enos, means ‘tabernacle, booth, shelter, or covering’ and also appears in Rev. 21:3. This same word, sk’enos, is used to speak of Yeshua during His first coming, (John 1:14). here we can see the protection provided in Rev. 7:16, corresponding to Isa. 4:5-6, and the fountain of living waters in Rev. 7:17 and 21:4.

In Isa. 4:3, it is written ‘And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy…” (also see Zech. 14:4,6-9,16-17,20-21). Those who are called ‘holiness unto the Lord’ in Zech. 14:20 are the same people in Is. 4:3 who are called Holy.
The clouds in the wilderness are called ‘the clouds of glory’ and the wilderness experience is a picture of the future Messianic age, the Millennium.

The sukkah was built to teach and understand the thousand-year millennial reign of the Messiah, the Messianic age, the Millennium, or the Athid Lavo in Hebrew eschatology. 

 

 Jesus/Yeshua tabernacled (sukkot) among us (John 1:14).

Peter spoke about his body being a tabernacle (2 Peter 1:13-14).

The apostle Paul told us that our earthly bodies were earthly houses or tabernacles (2 Corinthians 5:1-5).

The tabernacle of Moses (Moshe) was a tent of habitation (Acts 7:44; Hebrews 9:2-8).

Abraham Isaac and Jacob lived in tabernacles (tents) (Hebrews 11:8-9).

The tabernacle of David was a tent or dwelling place (Acts 15:16; Amos 9:11). This tabernacle was the temple of Solomon (1 Kings 5:2-5; 8:1-21).

Jesus/Yeshua entered the temple on the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles) (John 7:2,27-29).The Bible speaks of a heavenly tabernacle (Hebrews 8:1-2; Revelation 13:6; 15:5). This heavenly tabernacle will come to earth (Revelation 21:1-3).

Jesus/Yeshua was the true tabernacle of God (Hebrews 9:11).
The sukkah remain standing for the entire 8 days of the holiday.

On a clear night, a person can sit inside the Sukkah and look through the sparsely placed branches

to the stars and be reminded of the promise God told Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the heavens (Gen. 26:4).Sukkot is the plural of Sukkah (more than one hut or booth) and sometimes the holiday is referred to as Sukkot

This name reflects the final harvest of the year attributed of the holiday. Sometimes it is also referred to by the Hebrew name Shemhateinu. The Feast of Tabernacles has an agricultural meaning, because it reminds us of how the farm laborers in ancient days lived as they worked to bring in the harvest.

  Sukkot is the time when the produce of the field, orchard, and vineyard is gathered in. The granaries, threshing floors, and wine and olive presses are full to capacity. Weeks and months of toil and sweat put into the soil have finally been amply rewarded. The farmer feels happy and elated. No wonder Sukkot is ‘The Season of Rejoicing.’ While all of the three pilgrimages are times of rejoicing, Sukkot (Tabernacles) is specifically designated as Zeman simchatenu, the season of our rejoicing.

Sukkot is also considered a harvest festival. One reason is because at harvest time something resembling a Sukkah would be built near the field that the crop pickers were working. This became a temporary place of refuge for them from the sun and even a place to sleep when necessary. The Sukkah is, therefore, symbolic of protection and peace. It also became the one time of the year when most farmers could relax since the crops were just harvested, and it was still too early to plant the next crop.
Olive harvest.

There is also a Messianic meaning in which we find fulfillment in our Messiah.

Passover And Sukkot Connected: In some ways, the Feast of Tabernacles is considered an Exodus holiday.

This passage in Leviticus shows us that these two holidays are connected. Lev. 23:43; so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the LORD your God. 

Both holidays are related to Israel’s exodus from Egypt and are observed on the 15th of the month.

Passover marks the attainment of the end of bondage and the right of religious freedom.

Sukkot marks the attainment of national and territorial independence (except from God), the essential ingredients of the nations Sovereignty.

The Great Salvation

Hoshana Rabbah (literally, the great hosanna or the numerous hosannas) is the 7th day of Sukkot (Tabernacles). Hoshana Rabbah should have been a full festival day, but is not because of Shemini Atzeret, which follows it. However, it has some special customs that make the day more like a full festival day than any of the intermediate days.

The most important of these (ceremonies) are:

The circling of the altar seven times instead of once while carrying the four species and reciting the Hoshana prayers; and The beating of the willows. Messianic Understanding. In John 7:37-38, Jesus/Yeshua said, “If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

 At this season of Sukkot, Isa.12:3 was often quoted, as it is written, ‘Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.’ Jesus/Yeshua in Hebrew means ‘salvation.’
The drama of the water drawing ceremony took on a new dimension of meaning when Jesus/Yeshua attended the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles). On the seventh day of the feast, Hoshana Rabbah, which literally means ‘the great hosanna, the great salvation’, the festival activities were different from those of each of the six previous days when the priests circled the altar in a procession, singing Ps. 118:25.

On the seventh day of the feast, the people circled the altar seven times. That is why the day is called Hoshanah Rabbah, as the cry, “Save now!” was repeated seven times. Jesus/Yeshua’s statement in John 7:37-39 was said on Hoshana Rabbah. Spiritually speaking, in the Bible, there is a link between water and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh). Yeshua told the woman at the well to drink of living water (John 4:7-14; 6:35; Matt. 5:6).  
This relationship between water and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is contained in the symbolism of pouring out water. Is. 44:3 links the pouring out of water with the pouring out of God’s Spirit and parallels the thirsty land again links water with the Holy Spirit.The link can also be seen in Joel 2:23,28; Acts 2:1-4,14-17; and Ezek. 39:22,27-29. Zech. 14:8 speaks of living waters. Is.12:2-3 speaks of drawing water out of the wells of salvation. Water and the Spirit are connected in Psalm 42:1-4; Zech. 13:1; and Rev. 7:17. It can also be seen in Ezek. 36:24-27.Jesus/Yeshua was trying to communicate this to Nicodemus in John 3:1-6.

He also was teaching this during the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles) in John 4:14, which concluded with His statements in John 7:37-39.At the ceremony of the water drawing, the people’s attention was focused on the pool of Siloam.(Pool full)

It was here that Jesus/Yeshua healed a man who had been blind from birth (John 9:1-7).

Notice again the statement in John 9:5. This is the last day of the feast (Hoshana Rabbah) (John 9:14; Lev. 23:34-36).



To be continued in Part 2