Bible study on Feast of Tabernacles

Tabernacles: (2023)

I. Biblical Holy Days:

A. Three fall Holidays:

1. Yom Kippur: Feast of Trumpets: September 16-17, 2023 (1 Thess / Psalms)

2. Day of Atonement: September 25, 2023 (Hebrews)

3. Feast of Tabernacles/Shelters/Harvest: September 29-Oct 6, 2023. (John and Revelation)

(Hanukkah not a “commanded” Holy Day. Only winter day.)

 

B. Why celebrate Biblical Holy Days? (Goal is Biblical/not Jewish.)

1. Help us understand the Bible. Purpose Holidays is to focus us on Biblical truths.

2. Give us a structure to teach the Bible. (Leviticus 23:41)

3. Communicate insights about who God is. Theya re doctrine acted out.

4. Show us Jesus with greater clarity.

C. What is Tabernacles? (Sept. 29-Oct.6)

–Called, “Sukkot” “Tabernacles” “Season of our joy” “Festival of Ingathering” “Feast of the Nations” and “the Feast of Dedication.”

1. The last fall holiday. It celebrates the last harvest of the year.

2. Biblical Thanksgiving! (Bringing in the harvest.) Puritan settlers, who were great students of the Hebrew Scriptures, based the first American Thanksgiving on Sukkot.

3. The people were to dwell in tents. (Leviticus 32:39-43

 

II. Jewish observance: God dwell in the midst of his people in tents.

1. Building a sukkah. (Singular for booth) Many began 5 days earlier.

2. Ceremonial meal.

3. Blessing.

4. Tell Wilderness story.

III. Some Scholars believe Jesus was born during tabernacles:

Promise: God would dwell in the midst of his people through Messiah.

1. Date Jesus’ conception from Elizabeth’s pregnancy with John the Baptist.

Zechariah was serving in the Temple when God told him he would father a son. Temple service was divided up between the priests: Each priest scheduled serve for 2 weeks in addition to all of the divisions of priests serving during the three pilgrimage feasts. Zechariah was a part of the 8th division of priests and thus would minister in the temple during the 10th week of the year. (The weeks of Passover and Pentecost would not be counted because all of the priests were required to be in Jerusalem).

John the Baptist would have been born during Passover. Gabriel told Zechariah: son would possess “the spirit and power of Elijah”. (Passover Seder: Place set for Elijah. Fore-runner Messiah)

Elizabeth was six months pregnant when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary. This would have been around the 25th of Kislev, or on Chanukah. Jesus may have been conceived during the festival of Chanukah

That would put His birth during the Feast of Tabernacles.

2. A pilgrimage feast, Jerusalem was crowded. Romans were known to take censuses during Holy Days.

3. Shepherds: Angels announced Jesus’ birth used Tabernacle terminology. Luke 2:10

4. John’s reference: God came INTO the tent! John 1:14

 

IV. Jesus at tabernacles: (John is structured around FEAST days)

A. John 7:2-39, A water ceremony.

1. Go to the south border city Gihon Spring (flowed into Pool Siloam).

2. Priest fill golden pitcher.

3. Choir chanted Isa12:3, “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.”

4. Water carried up the hill to “Water Gate.”

5. Crowd shakes citrus branches, rep harvest. Sing: Psalm 113-118

6.Arrive at temple: Priest climb steps pour water on altar. Rejoicing in the hope of future winter rains for Israel, as important as that might be.

7. SYMBOLS:

*A Plea to God for rain. Time threatened drought.

*Symbol: Desert God brought water from rock.

*Ezekiel 47:1 , Zech 14:8, visions of water flowing from the temple.

B. Also light a gigantic Candelabra

*End of the first day feast: Light 4 Gigantic candelabra in court women.

*75 Feet tall! Reached by ladders.

*Each candelabra had 4 golden bowls. (16 lights)

*Undergarments of priests for wicks.

*Four young men carry 10 gallon pitchers of oil, climb ladders fill bowls.

*Lit at night, all Jerusalem illuminated.

*Festive music. Recommitment to God of light.

Christian Broadcast Network: Picture sixteen beautiful blazes leaping toward the sky from these golden lamps. Remember that the Temple was on a hill above the rest of the city, so the glorious glow was a sight for the entire city to see. In addition to the light, Levitical musicians played their harps, lyres, cymbals and trumpets to make joyful music to the Lord. What a glorious celebration! The light was to remind the people of how God’s Shekinah glory had once filled His Temple. But in the person of Jesus, God’s glory was once again present in that Temple. And He used that celebration to announce that very fact.

John 8:12: When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

V. In Revelation: 

1. In Heaven: Rev. 7:9-17: Great multitude. Holding palm branches…

2. The “Harvest” of the earth. (Rev. 14)

3. Rev. 21:3

4. Rev. 22:1-3: Water will pour from God’s throne. Like at the temple it flowed down the steps.

 

 

Study Questions:

Open: In a moment I’m going to ask things you are thankful for.

1. Take a moment and review the three fall Holy Days:

–Rosh Hashana: The Biblical New Year.

–Yom Kippir: The Day of Fasting. (Fulfilled by Jesus)

–Tabernacles: A Biblical Thanksgiving.

What do these days teach us about Jesus?

How do these feast days anticipate the Second Coming?

 

2. What are some things you learned tonight that were new to you?

 

3. Why did God want them to remember that their descendants had lived in booths?

Lev. 23:43 so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt.

 

4. Take time to discuss things we are thankful for.

 

5. At tabernacles, they remembered the wilderness story. What are some highlights you remember from the wilderness story? (See “Wilderness Highlights” for discussion points.)

 

6. Why would it be significant if Jesus was born on tabernacles?

 

7. At tabernacles there were two big ceremonies at the temple. The water ceremony and the lit lamps. What is the significance of Jesus statement to these ceremonies?

• “I am the living water.”
• “I am the light of the world.”

 

8. Tabernacles is prophetic of the final dwelling of God with mankind on the New Earth. (Revelation 21:1-3) Do you think of heaven in terms of a new earth?

 

9. Extra: John seems to be structured around Holy days. Have you ever thought about John’s structure being built around the Holy Days?

–Why do you think John would have done this?

–Do you think God set up the Holy Days with the life of Jesus in sight?

The Seven Feasts in John’s Gospel.

The first feast is Passover in John 2:23. …

The second feast is Purim in John 5:1, 17. …

The third feast is Passover in John 6:4. …

The fourth feast is Tabernacles or feast of booths in John 7:2. …

The fifth feast is The Great Day in John 7:37. …

The sixth feast is Dedication in John 10:22.

The seventh feast is Passover in John 11:55

The first feast, Passover, is probably the same feast as the last feast. (John is telling about the last Passover first.)

Wilderness Highlights:

1. The waters at Mara were “bitter.” God made them sweet. (Ex. 15:22-27)

2. God gave them manna to eat. (Ex. 16:13-35)

3. When they complained about Manna, God sent Quail. (Ex. 16:13-16)

4. At Rephidim God gave them water from a rock. (Ex. 17:1-7)

5. Amalek attacked while they drank water. (Ex. 17:8-16) Moses held his arms, Joshua fought battle, Aaron/Hur held up Moses.

6. They came to Mount Sinai: 3 months after leaving Egypt. (Ex. 19:1-6)

–God came down in thunder, lightening. Thick cloud covered the mortmain. Smoke/Fire. Ground trembled.

–Gave them the 10 commandments.

–They made a Golden Calf. (Ex.32)

–God showed Moses his glory. (Ex.33)

7. Their cloths did not wear out. (Dt. 8:4-5)

8. They complained about hardships. God sent fire. (Nu. 11:1-3)

9. Aaron’s sons offered “strange fire” on the altar/killed by fire. (Lev. 10:1-11)

10. Miriam complained about Moses. God struck with Leprosy. (Num. 12)

11. The sons of Korah rebelled against Moses. (Nu. 16) The complaint was that Moses should not be the only one who represents God to the people. To show his favor on Moses, God opened the earth up on Korah and swallowed him.

12. Miracle of Aaron’s Rod. Continued to bud though cut. (Num. 17)

13. Complaining no bread. God sent snakes. The snakes bit the people. Moss made a bronze snake. All who looked on the bronze snake were healed. (Nu. 21)

14. Balaam tried to prophecy against Israel, but only blessed them. (Num. 22-24)

15. Moses’ death is recorded in Dt. 34. This ends the “tabernacles” period and begins the Conquest period under Joshua.