The “Pentateuch” is a Greek name meaning “the
five-volume” book. Its equivalent in Hebrew is “the Law”,
or, the” “book of the law of Moses,” or, according to
the later Jews, “the five-fifth parts of the law.”
The book of Leviticus is one of those five books. In Leviticus
the 23rd chapter, verses one and two, “the Lord spake unto Moses saying
speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them concerning the feasts
of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these
are my feasts.”
As instructed, Moses meticulously recorded information about
each feast day. In verses 33-36 of the same chapter Moses recorded information
about “The Feast of Tabernacles.”
The seventh month of the Hebrew calendar is Tishri (Sacred
Year). It corresponds to September-October on the calendar we use today.
This year the Feast of Tabernacles begins on October 7th and ends on October
13th.
During the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles the Children
of Israel (Jacob) were required to dwell in booths (Succoth – temporary
dwellings) for seven days (actually eight days, but the eighth day is a
separate Holy Day to be explained in a separate article).
Why would God require them to do something like that? The
apostle Paul wrote to the Hebrews that “the law was a shadow of good
things to come…” (Heb. 10:1) What were the booths a shadow
of? How do the booths relate to The Church of God, today?
For a brief explanation turn in your Bible and read 2 Corinthians
5:1-6. Paul was explaining to the Corinthians that they were living (dwelling)
in an earthly house. The analogy was that their earthly house was their
BODY. And, in that earthly house, which he calls a “tabernacle”,
God has given ‘SOME’ the earnest (deposit) of the Spirit. (Holy
Spirit) Verse 5.
Peter said, “…yea, I think it meet (suitable), as long as I
am in this “tabernacle” (body) to stir you up by putting you
in remembrance…”
So we see the shadow of the law revealed to us, upon whom
the end of the world has come. The Feast of Tabernacles pictures the spirit
begotten Christian living in a temporary dwelling (their body) until they
die or are changed into a spirit being.
The feast of tabernacles has additional meaning to God’s people. Those
concepts shall be explained AT THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES this year.
God inspired Moses to write in Deuteronomy 16:16 that we
are to ”… keep the feast of tabernacles in the place God shall
choose…” We look forward to seeing you ALL in Sevierville,
Tennessee this October.
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