#188 Festival 2

16 “Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field. Exodus 23:16 NIV

The festival of Harvest, Sukkot (temporary dwelling) and commemorating Israels time in the wilderness, has also been described as the time of joy.  

33 The Lord said to Moses, 34 “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Lord’s Festival of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. 35 The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work. 36 For seven days present food offerings to the Lord, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present a food offering to the Lord. It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work.

37 (“‘These are the Lord’s appointed festivals, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing food offerings to the Lord—the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings required for each day.38 These offerings are in addition to those for the Lord’s Sabbaths and[e] in addition to your gifts and whatever you have vowed and all the freewill offerings you give to the Lord.)

39 “‘So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the Lord for seven days; the first day is a day of sabbath rest, and the eighth day also is a day of sabbath rest. 40 On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees—and rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. 41 Celebrate this as a festival to the Lord for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 Live in temporary shelters for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters 43 so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’”

44 So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed festivals of the Lord. Leviticus 23:33-44

Many writers feel that the word tabernacle is a poor translation of the original Hebrew, since the people reverted back to living in temporary, personal dwellings at this time. The dwellings I have read about are simple structures that are closed in on 3 sides. Some practice by living in them, including sleeping over night, while others take their meals inside this hut or tent. The structure is called a Sukkah and many are decorated with local produce.

20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 1Corinthians 15:20-23

Just like the Passover reflects the time when Messiah would become the Passover, appeasement, Lamb of God, so the Sukkot also foreshadows the resurrection.  We heap upon the Lamb the old man, and rise up to the new man, conscious of our sin, trusting in what has been done on our behalf, and walking joyfully into the wilderness of our Sanctification. 

18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. James1:18

Again, there will be more of the festival in the next book.