My favorite time of year is quickly approaching! It is truly the season of our joy 
As the carefree days of summer come to a close and our family’s new school year is in full swing we can finally see Fall just on the horizon. At this point in the year we eagerly anticipate the shorter days and cool crisp autumn air. The wonderfully baked aromas lingering through our home and various color pallet changes of nature are all some of my favorites about the Fall season. However the most special part of this season for our family is celebrating the Scriptural Feast of Tabernacles also known as Sukkot and the events that lead up to this joyful occasion.
Sukkot is pronounced “sue-coat” and is a Hebrew word that means “booths” which refers to the temporary dwelling the Israelites lived in while in the wilderness on their forty year journey from Egypt to the promised land.
The Scriptures tell us when to celebrate this festival as we read in the following passage from Leviticus:
“… in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep a feast unto YHWH seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. And you shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before YHWH your Elohim, seven days. And you shall keep it a feast unto YHWH seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths seven days . . .”
Leviticus 23:40-42
According to the text Sukkot is a 7 day outdoor feast and time of rejoicing which proceeds after a period of awakening during Yom Teruah (trumpets) and Yom Kippur (atonement or redemption). It is to be kept forever through all the generations.
For years we read about the various festivals throughout the Scriptures but it’s only been in the last four years as we’ve begun to study out the roots of our faith that the veil has been removed from our eyes. We now see these appointments are for all those grafted in through Messiah, all 12 tribes of Israel, not just the Jews. We as grafted in believers are heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:29). So even if we’re not native-born Israelis, or even Jewish, Scripture says that even “the stranger within the gates” is to observe the Feast.
As we’ve continued studying and participating each year we find that one can not understand the salvation plan without a full understanding of the Scriptural feasts and understanding who true Israel is.
Sukkot is one of three pilgrimage festivals commanded by YHWH including Passover and Pentecost. All are centered around an agricultural harvest which beautifully illustrates the plan for salvation. Most of us have read the Scriptures in the Torah, the first five books, concerning the feast and Sabbath instructions given by our Creator such as the following from Leviticus:
“And YHWH spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the appointments (feasts) of YHWH, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my appointments (feasts). Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of YHWH in all your dwellings. These are the feasts of YHWH, even holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their seasons.”
Leviticus 23:1-4
In this text the Hebrew word for ‘feast’ is moed and is likened as an appointment. Of course it’s not just any set time like an anniversary or birth date, but rather as we see in the text it is a time created by the Almighty for His children to set aside and meet with Him. It is during these moedim that we as His children have the opportunity to draw closer to our Father and wait for His wisdom and guidance. The Sabbath is a weekly moed in which we set aside the seventh day to rest, study and observe in obedience just as our Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) did.
Yahshua literally fulfilled the first four moedim in Leviticus 23 with his death, burial and resurrection and will fulfill the final three with his second coming. It’s crucial to understand the times and season in which our Father runs the universe so that we will not be caught off guard by a thief in the night (1 Thess. 5:1). Sukkot is also the time our family celebrates the birth of Yahshua (Jesus) and the Torah that became flesh and tabernacled among us (John 1:14). The Scriptures verify of this often overlooked fact due to man made doctrines.
Shaul (Paul) says that these moedim are a shadow picture of good things to come (1 Col. 2:17). Could it be that he knew we would all be participating in this feast during the millennial reign?
“And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.”
Zechariah 14:16-19
This passage continues with the punishments for those that do not go up for the feast. As we observe these appointments we are essentially participating in dress rehearsals before the opening act!
Over the past few months I’ve seen such an influx of curious visitors to my blog as well as daily emails for encouragement and questions about how to transition to a more Torah observant lifestyle. The scales are beginning to come off as YHWH pours out His set-apart spirit calling all His children to return to their first love and to the faith that was once delivered to the saints. Father is truly restoring all things just as He said He would. He promises we will find Him when we search with all of our hearts (Jer. 29:13) and we must study to show ourselves approved (2 Timothy 2:15).
This year our family along with a few others we have “sukkoted” with in the past will be hosting a week long feast of Tabernacles at a campground in East Texas. Just as in ancient times we will spend our days fellowshipping with friends and family. We will participate in family activities since many save vacation time all year for this one week. We will be listening to inspired teachings, giving offerings of praise and tithes, participating in daily prayers, baptism, feasting, dancing and much rejoicing!
As our family seeks to be obedient and observe these appointments we find that our schedules, vacations, family time, goals and interests revolve around the moedim of YHWH our Elohim (God). For this homeschooling Mother of five there truly is no greater joy than knowing that my children are walking through their days, weeks, months and years with the Creator of all. May we seek to live a lifestyle of worship in spirit and in all truth.
I found this short video explaining the feasts and their prophetic meaning.
The spring feasts point to Messiah’s first coming to fulfill the role of redemption for mankind.
The fall feasts point to Messiah’s 2nd coming to fulfill the role of conquering king and judge.
It’s that time of week again! I’ve come to look forward to this link up and the ability to peek into the homes of others who keep the Sabbath day set-apart as commanded by our loving Elohim! Feel free to join in on the fun! It’s great to link up and share in this special appointment with our creator with others that are doing the same!
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