Christ in the Old Testament

Leviticus 23:34

On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Lord’s Festival of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. (NIV)

Today’s Reading: Leviticus 23:33-44

The Feast of Tabernacles is the last of the seven feasts God prescribes to Moses. This feast is known by many names including:

• Sukkot
• Feast of Booths
• Feast of Ingathering
• Feast of the Nations
• The Feast

Five days after the Day of Atonement, the 15th day of the month, the Feast of Tabernacles would begin. It would last for eight days. The first day and the eighth day are Sabbath days where no works was to be done.

In addition to Passover and Pentecost, it is a pilgrimage festival that required all Jewish men over the age of 20 to return to Jerusalem and the Holy Temple. Most scholars agree that the Feast of Tabernacles is symbolic of Christ’s Second Coming when He will establish His earthly kingdom.

Jesus gives us some insight into what will happen in those last days when he told the Parable of the Weeds. The weeds represent people who reject God and the wheat represents God’s children. “Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn’ ” (Matthew‬ ‭13‬:‭30‬). The people of God will be brought into God’s barn in the end.

Jesus gives us another clue by what he said on the last day (seventh) of the Feast of Tabernacles. “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them’” (John 7:37-38).

Jewish history shows that Jewish leaders conducted a water pouring ceremony on the seventh day of the Feast. I think John records this event because it points to Jesus’ Second Coming and that he will be the living water for those who are gathered into his kingdom.

John would also pen about this river of living water at the end of his life. “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city” (Rev 22:1-2). There’s a lot of symbology connecting the Feast of Tabernacles to the Second Coming of Jesus to establish his earthly kingdom. But of course it’s all speculation but it seems likely that this feast being the last feast has something to do with the end of time.

One more connection to Jesus is worth mentioning here. Most scholars believe Jesus was born on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles. If you do the math from Zacharias performing his duties, Elizabeth conceiving John the Baptist and then Mary conceiving Jesus in Mary’s sixth month of pregnancy, it’s possible to end up with the birth of Jesus on the 15th day of Tishri. That would then make the circumcision of Jesus on the 8th day of the Feast.

There are two connections to Jesus’ birth occurring on this day. The Feast of Tabernacles is a festival of joy as it is also known as the “Festival of the Nations.” Luke records the angel’s greeting to the shepherds, “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people’” (Luke 2:10). The angel was actually giving them a greeting for the Feast of Tabernacles because this is the only festival where the “nations” are encouraged to participate. (Zech. 14:16-19)

Also during this Feast, the Jews were to construct flimsy shelters called “Sukkahs” using wood, branches and leaves. They were to eat and sleep in them for the duration of the Feast. This was to remember how they were completely dependent on the LORD as they wandered around the desert for forty years after leaving Egypt. They are celebrating “God with us.” Then recall the often recited prophecy from Isaiah, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isa 7:14). Immanuel means “God with us.”

So if Jesus was born on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, it would make sense that John would begin his gospel with “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling (tabernacled) among us” (John 1:14). It would also make sense that Jesus would come the first time on the first day of this Feast and then come the second time on the last day. But of course, it’s all speculation.

Today’s Prayer: Thank you Lord for being trustworthy. I don’t need to know all the details of your plan. Help me to rest in the knowledge that you are faithful to your Word.