I made a mistake last time by saying we are now going to study the Feast of Weeks, which is in the spring. We will now study the Feast of Booths/Tabernacles. It is the last of JEHOVAH’S appointed times and prophetically points to the second coming or return of our great High Priest and King.
HE will return to live with us in HIS millennial kingdom. HE will come just as HE left when HE ascended. Will HE find us being obedient to all HE commanded?
Leviticus 23:33 And Jehovah spoke to Moses saying, 23:34 Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to Jehovah.
23:35 On the first day shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no work of labor. 23:36 Seven days you shall offer a fire offering to Jehovah. On the eighth day shall be a holy convocation to you. And you shall offer a fire offering to Jehovah. It is a solemn assembly. And you shall do no work of labor.
All the Feasts except First Fruits is a high, holy day of rest and most often sacrifices. JEHOVAH expects us to rest on HIS holy days. These aren’t Jewish holy days, but HIS holy days. Too often today’s contemporary pastors are woefully ignorant of the Old Testament, and also create worship according to their ideas instead of HIS commands. Now we cannot truly participate in these feasts, as we are not in the Land nor do we need to perform sacrifices anymore. But we can commemorate them and give honor and worship to JEHOVAH.
23:37 These are the feasts of Jehovah which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer a fire offering to Jehovah, a burnt offering and a food offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, everything on its day; 23:38 besides the sabbath of Jehovah, and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your free-will offerings which you give to Jehovah.
Bringing gifts to JEHOVAH is still a requirement for us. While we don’t have a Temple to bring our gifts to, we still can give unto JEHOVAH our offerings.
23:39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep a feast to Jehovah seven days. On the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.
23:40 And you shall take the fruit of majestic trees for yourselves on the first day, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the valley. And you shall rejoice before Jehovah your God seven days.
This is a time of both corporate worship and also a time of joy and thanksgiving. We should enjoy our fellow brothers and sisters as we together rejoice in HIS goodness and abundant blessings.
23:41 And you shall keep it a feast to Jehovah seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall keep it in the seventh month. 23:42 You shall live in booths seven days. All that are born Israelites shall live in booths, 3:43 so that your generations may know that I made the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am Jehovah your God.
Living in booths is a time-honored memorial. It is not a commandment for today, but many today still celebrate it. Again, it is setting time aside from our busy schedules to celebrate, worship, rejoice, give thanks, and come together. None of these are tiresome or burdensome.
23:44 And Moses declared the feasts of Jehovah to the sons of Israel.
These are the Feasts of JEHOVAH and should not be discarded too quickly.