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Come Join Us In
Celebrating Sukkot 2008
( The
Feast of Tabernacles )
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| The Feast of Tabernacles (Feast
of Sukkot
or Feast of Booths) is an eight day Judaeo -
Christian festival (the Season of our Joy) that pictures
the establishment of the 1000 year messianic kingdom to
be set up at the second coming of Yeshua the Messiah
(Christ). It is one of the three pilgrimage festivals
God gave the children of Israel in the Bible (Leviticus
23). It was during these festivals that the
Israelites would bring their offerings and firstlings to
the Temple in Jerusalem and enjoy a feast!
Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles ) is
not a "Jewish festival", but rather a "Hebrew"
festival, for it was given to all the Israelite tribes,
not just Judah. Today, it would be observed by all
of God's people since
". . . if ye be Christ's, then you are Abraham's
seed, and heirs according to the promise"
(Gal 3:29).
Sukkot 2008
Feast of Tabernacles 2008
Our Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot Booths)
is like a rehearsal looking forward to that day when the
King of Kings rules his people from Jerusalem and each
nation goes up to celebrate it. (Zech 14:16)
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Personal Invitation Letter
Greetings Friends!
When the Passover season is over, it's time to turn our attention to the
Appointed Times that come in the fall, the "Feast of Tabernacles", or
Sukkot. This Feast, a seven day Judaeo - Christian festival (called the
Season of our Joy), pictures the establishment of the 1000 year Messianic
Kingdom to be set up at the second coming of Yeshua the Messiah. The Ami Yisrael
Torah Study is again organizing the Festival at the State Park in Paris Landing,
Tennessee. We are thankful that The Father has allowed us to provide this
service again this year (2008).
The Festival at Paris Landing is a Hebrew Roots feast site. Though not
presented from a rabbinic Judaism point of view, most topics will be taught with
the understanding that the Bible is a Hebrew book, written by the Hebrew people,
and written about the Hebrew people, that is, from a Hebrew Roots
perspective. Yeshua was a first century Jew, and so were the writers of the New
Testament. Therefore we study to try and understand the first century Jewish
culture, liturgy, and services that Yeshua and His disciples would be familiar
with. One could say that we are attempting to rediscover
Christianity as experienced during the first 200 years after the
resurrection. You can find more information about us and the Season Of Our Joy
festival here on our website.
The theme of this year's Festival is 'Yeshuaic Halacha...the Way One Walks'.
The two morning teaching seminars each day will center around this theme and
will hopefully enlighten us as to how we will have a part in restoring the
Kingdom to Israel and fulfilling the Promise God made with Abraham. Each morning
we will again read from the book of Deuteronomy together for all those
'interested early birds' (see Simchat Torah below). Each afternoon we
will be having 'break-out' sessions where you can choose from a variety of
speakers on differing subjects. On some of the evenings we plan to have
organized campfire bible study sessions down in the Succah area. Along with
these teachings on the weekdays, there will be sermons and group Torah studies
on the Sabbath.
When you couple all the various teaching opportunities along with rehearsals of
the first century temple services at Succot, daily worship through song with Lee
Miller and his festival band (that's all you talented musicians), an evening
talent show, worship dance, an "Israeli Night" dinner, and various other
activities, we feel this Feast site will offer a tremendous opportunity to learn
what the Bible teaches about the Festival.
This year's tentative speaking list includes
Joseph Good
of Hatikva Ministries, Tim Kelley of the Ami
Yisrael Torah Study, Ron McKown of the Fellowship
Church of God, Lee Miller of
House of David School of Biblical Studies and
United First Financial,
Daniel Payton of Beit Tefila Home Fellowship,
Charles Stalsworth of
Bet Ami
Congregation, and Dean Wheelock of
Hebrew Roots.
We know that many of you are dedicated Bible students and have something to
offer or teach as a result of your studies.. If you would like to present some
of your findings in one of our break-out sessions or evening sessions please let
us know. Your presentation would not have to necessarily fit the theme of the
festival. You will need to send us a summary of what you'd like to talk about.
We'll submit it to our Speaking Committee for approval.
Just as we believe that all of God's people will play a part in making the
millennial Kingdom of God a time of rejoicing for everyone, we want everyone who
attends the Season of Our Joy feast site to participate in making the festival a
time of worshiping and rejoicing for all who attend. We are asking each of you
to sign up to help in one or more areas of responsibility. There are many
'behind the scenes' tasks and services that have to be taken care of for all who
attend to be able to take part in hearing the teachings, enjoying the dancing,
and partaking of the various congregational meals and get-togethers. You will
find on our Feast of
Tabernacles website a listing of some of the areas of need along with the
phone numbers of those you can contact who will be responsible for those areas.
We hope you will contact these people and offer your assistance. Your
participation in these areas will be greatly appreciated and will help to
enhance the joy of the festival not only for yourself, but for all those who
attend. You will also find on the website a 'tentative' activity schedule as
well as a description of some of the activities we have planned in order to make
this a more joyful festival. Please take a moment to read about each activity in
order to familiarize yourself with what will be happening during each time slot.
Pay special attention to the Hamburger / Ice Cream Social as well as the Israeli
Night Dinner as we have made some changes. For further information, always check
our Feast of Tabernacles website.
Housing information is again on the website. Accommodations at the Lake Murray
Lodge are nice and convenient to the various activities that will be taking
place. Remember, even though you may have made reservations with the Lake Murray
Lodge or one of the other hotel /camping establishments in the area, we still
need you to register with us. Unless you register with us, we have no way of
knowing how many to expect for the festival and that makes it very hard to make
plans. Therefore, please take a few moments to fill out the Registration Form
and send it back to us.
We are very excited about the festival this year. We hope you plan on attending
the Festival with us as we come together to worship and rejoice and learn more
about our Father, His son, and His plan to restore The Kingdom! If not, we do
hope you will have a joyous Festival of Sukkot where ever you attend.
Shalom -
Tim and Angie Kelley and Ron and Donna McKown
Ami Yisrael Torah Study
Season of our Joy Feast of
Tabernacles 2008
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Introduction to the Feast of Tabernacles
The seventh and final feast (moadim) given to Israel is called
Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, or the Feast of Booths.
Sukkot is observed in the fall, from the 15th to the 21st of Tishri, (called the
Last Great Day). An additional festival, Shemini Atzareth, is attached to the
end of the festival of Sukkot, thus making an 8-day festival. While some
may refer to these as Jewish Feast Days, they really are for all believers.
During this time many families construct a sukkah. The sukkah is used to
remember the temporary dwellings [plural: sukkot] Israel lived in during their
40 year sojourn in the wilderness after the exodus from Egypt. Later, after
Israel entered the land of promise, Sukkot was associated with the fall harvest
and came to be known as the Festival of Ingathering (of the harvest). Certain
customs are observed during Sukkot including decorating the sukkah and
performing special wave ceremonies of the Four Species.
The first and
last day of Sukkot are Sabbaths (see Leviticus 23:39). The intervening
days of Sukkot are not Sabbaths and work activities are permitted. Since it is
an eight day festival, there is always at least one seventh day Sabbath that
occurs during the festival.
From Yom Kippur to Sukkot
On the Biblical calendar, there is a quick transition from the somber time of
the High Holidays (Rosh HaShanah through Yom Kippur) to the festival of Sukkot.
In fact, most believers will begin discussing preparations for their sukkah
immediately following the Havdalah ceremony of Yom Kippur.
Since it follows the Days of Awe and Repentance, Sukkot represents the time of
restored fellowship with the Almighty, remembering His sheltering provision and
care for us.
The Season of our Joy - Zeman Simchateinu
Sukkot is the conclusion of the Biblical Fall Holidays and the last of the three
annual pilgrimage festivals: Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot (Deuteronomy 16:16)].
It is interesting to compare the use of words relating to simchah [joy] in the
description of these three festivals. Regarding Pesach, the word simchah does
not appear at all (Deuteronomy 17:1-8); regarding Shavuot, it appears only once
(Deuteronomy 17:11); but, regarding Sukkot, simchah appears several times:
You shall keep the Feast of Sukkot seven days, when you have gathered in
the produce... You shall rejoice in your feast... because Yahweh your Elohim
will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that
you will be altogether joyful. (Deuteronomy 16:13-15)
In fact, in ancient Israel, the joy of Sukkot was so great that it became known
simply as "The Feast."
The Feast of Tabernacles from an Agricultural
Perspective
In ancient Israel, Pesach [Passover] corresponded to the planting season,
Shavuot [Pentecost] corresponded to the grain harvest, and Sukkot corresponded
to the fruit harvest. When you planted your crops in Spring, you do not yet
rejoice because you were uncertain about how the harvest will turn out. And when
you harvested your grain at the start of summer, you might have rejoiced that
you now had bread in hand, but you would still be uncertain about the success of
your fruit crops. Total joy would come after you had harvested all of your crops
in the Fall, and thereby received sustenance and provision for the coming year
from the Almighty. For this reason, Sukkot is sometimes referred to as the
Feast of Ingathering.
From a spiritual perspective, Sukkot corresponds to the joy of knowing that the
penalty phase for sin had once again been set aside (during Yom Kippur), and
also recalls Gods miraculous provision and care after the deliverance from
bondage in Egypt (Leviticus 23:43). Prophetically, Sukkot anticipates the coming
kingdom of the Mashiach Yeshua wherein all the nations shall come up to
Jerusalem to worship Yahweh during the festival of Sukkot (see Zechariah 14:16).
Sukkot in the Tanakh
In Biblical times, Sukkot was considered the most important of all the holidays,
referred to simply as the Festival (1 Kings 12:32). It was a time of many
sacrifices (Numbers 29) and a time when (on Sabbatical years) the Torah would be
read aloud to the people (Deuteronomy 31:10-13).
The Torah commands three things regarding the festival of Sukkot:
1. To live in a sukkah (Leviticus 23:42)
2. To gather the four species (Leviticus 23:40)
3. To rejoice before Yahweh (Deuteronomy 16:13-14; Leviticus 23:40)
The Four Species
The Four Species are four types of organic products commanded to be used (in
Leviticus 23:40) for the celebration of Sukkot. Traditionally these are
understood to be:
1. Etrog (ET-rog) - A lemon-like, citrus fruit referred to as the product of
goodly trees
2. Branches of palm trees
3. Myrtle - Boughs of leafy trees
4. Willows of the brook
The lulav is a bouquet made of the palm branches, myrtle and willow branches
that are bound together and waved / shaken in praise to the Almighty.
Waving the Lulav
On Sukkot, you will first bind all the branches together -- two willows on the
left, one palm branch in the center, and three myrtles on the right.
Next, hold the bundle in your right hand and then lift them together with the
Etrog (pointing downward) in your left hand.
Recite the following blessing:
Blessed are you Yahweh our Elohim, who
sanctifies us with His Mitzvot and commanded us regarding the raising up of the
Lulav.
Now, turn the etrog right-side up, put both hands side-by-side, and then shake
the lulav three times in each direction: front, right, back, left, up and down.
These six directions indicate the surrounding presence of God. The Lulav is
shaken right after the Amidah in the morning service.
The Water Libation Ceremony
During the seven days of Sukkot a sacrificial pouring out of water (called a
water libation) was performed at the Temple (Sukkah 51 a-b). The water was drawn
by the High Priest from the pool of Siloam and carried back to the courtyard of
the outer Temple in a golden pitcher. When the High Priest would pour out the
water, the people would wave their lulavot and sing:
Psalm 118:25
Save now, I pray, O Yahweh; O Yahweh, I pray, send now prosperity.
Psalm 118 was viewed as a Messianic Psalm -- and when Yeshua the Mashiach indeed
appeared during His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:8-9; Luke 19:38;
John 12:13), he was initially greeted with shouts of Hosanna! and waving lulav
as the Messiah King come to deliver the people of Israel.
The Temple Light Show
After the water ceremony, during the evening, special festivities called
happiness of the house of the water-drawing occurred. During this time the four
towering menorahs were lit up and the priests would put on a light show while
the Levites sang and played music. These shows would occur every night of
Sukkot, all through the night.
It was also during this time of Sukkot that Yeshua the Mashiach revealed Himself
to be the Light of the world (John 8:12, 7:2, 37). Moreover, Yeshua used the
very water from the pool of Siloam to heal the man born blind, enabling him to
see the Light of the world.
Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah means "Rejoicing in the Torah." This holiday marks the completion
of the annual cycle of weekly Torah readings. Each week a few chapters are read
from the Torah, starting with Genesis Ch. 1 and working our way around to
Deuteronomy 34. On Simchat Torah, we read the last Torah portion, then proceed
immediately to the first chapter of Genesis, reminding us that the Torah is a
circle, and never ends. This completion of the readings is a time of great
celebration. There are processions carrying Torah scrolls and plenty of
high-spirited singing and dancing in the midst of the believers.
Future Fulfillment
The festival of Sukkot has a prophetic dimension awaiting fulfillment. As the
Day of Ingathering of the harvest, Sukkot prefigures the gathering together of
the believers in the days of the Messiah's reign on earth (Isaiah 27:12-13;
Jeremiah 23:7-8). Indeed, all of the nations of the earth that survived the
Great Tribulation will come together to worship Yahweh in Jerusalem during the
Feast of Sukkot (Zechariah 14:16-17).
Sukkot also foreshadows the Almightys sheltering Presence over Israel in the
millennial kingdom. No longer will Israel be subject to the oppression of the
goyim, but God Himself will place His sanctuary in her midst (Ezekiel 37:26-28).
Season of our Joy Feast
of Tabernacles 2008
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Yeshuaic Halacha Commentary Project
Greetings Friends!
This year’s theme, “Yeshuaic Halacha”, focuses on the growing need for
scripturally-based commentary on how believers are to be Torah observant.
Although there are endless resources available on the commandments, most of them
either uphold rabbinic tradition or perpetuate inherited Christian beliefs that
spring from paganism or man’s own opinion. But no tradition or belief, whether
Jewish or Christian, is valid when it stands in direct opposition to the
scriptures.
So, in the void of any real alternative, we have decided to begin compiling our
own commentary, with particular emphasis on how Yeshua taught Torah. Because we
each bring a unique perspective to the table, we would love for each attending
family to contribute at least one short article (3-page limit). Submission isn’t
mandatory, of course, but the more contributions we have, the more of an
in-depth, well-rounded resource we can put into the hands of those who need it.
If you’re interested in learning more about submitting an article, please read
our Submission
Guidelines.
If you have remaining questions after reading the guidelines, please email or
call Julie Murray, the contact for this project, at yeshuaichalacha@yahoo.com or
(580) 622-6869.
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Modesty at the Festival |
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Feast of Tabernacles Sukkot 2008
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