pastor’s Message
The Feast of Tabernacles
by Pastor Lee
This month marks Thanksgiving. In Israel, the Feast of Tabernacles is celebrated in October. Previously as I said, this feast is similar to our Thanksgiving. In 2016, when I visited the Holy Land, it happened to be the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles. When I saw how they celebrated this festival, it was like a performance venue. People gathered together, happily singing, eating, drinking, and dancing. So, the Feast of Tabernacles is a season filled with gratitude, joy, and anticipation.
This festival marks the end of the agricultural season, marking the end of the harvest and storage of summer fruits and a thanksgiving feast. To observe this Feast of Tabernacles, each family has to build a booth with their parents and eat and sleep in it for a week. This is God allowing them to experience the wilderness life that their ancestors had experienced over 3,000 years ago. It is to commemorate the Israelites' experience of receiving God's grace while wandering in the wilderness. Booths are built so that at least three stars can be seen from the rooftop when lying down in a booth. Almost ten years ago, when I went to the Holy Land, I saw booths set up on one side of the hotel.
Jerusalem, home to a large religious Jewish community, has many unique housing structures designed for booths. Finding suitable spaces for booths in apartment complexes are not easy. Therefore, most apartments in Jerusalem are built in terraced structures. It is for making booths on the veranda.
There are four representative plants for this Feast of Tabernacles. First, the palm tree symbolizes the 40 years in the wilderness. While wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites often camped near oases with palm trees. Second, the willow tree symbolizes the miracle of crossing the Jordan River. Third, the lush branches of a tree symbolize the land of Canaan flowing with milk and honey. Fourth, the beautiful fruit, which symbolizes the fruit to be harvested in the land of Canaan.
So, what kind of events took place in the temple during the Feast of Tabernacles in Biblical times? During the Feast of Tabernacles, two special events took place in the Priest's Courtyard, attended by all pilgrims visiting the Temple in Jerusalem. First, the libation ceremony, where water was poured. On the Feast of Tabernacles, the high priest, accompanied by a procession of pilgrims, would go to the Pool of Siloam to draw water. This was meant to pray for the blessing of the early rain, which was expected to fall in earnest around the Feast of Tabernacles. This was the end of the dry season, and rain was desperately needed.
Second, there was a ritual in which a willow branch was placed southwest of the altar of burnt offering and a prayer was recited. The Jews would pour living water from the Pool of Siloam onto the altar and circle the withered willow tree beside it, praying for abundant early rain for a bountiful harvest in the coming year. Regarding this event, Jesus speaks of the following in John 7:37-38, “On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” Comparing it to the libation ceremony, we can easily understand why Jesus suddenly spoke of the rivers of living water during the Feast of Tabernacles. Shalom!
by Pastor Lee
This month marks Thanksgiving. In Israel, the Feast of Tabernacles is celebrated in October. Previously as I said, this feast is similar to our Thanksgiving. In 2016, when I visited the Holy Land, it happened to be the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles. When I saw how they celebrated this festival, it was like a performance venue. People gathered together, happily singing, eating, drinking, and dancing. So, the Feast of Tabernacles is a season filled with gratitude, joy, and anticipation.
This festival marks the end of the agricultural season, marking the end of the harvest and storage of summer fruits and a thanksgiving feast. To observe this Feast of Tabernacles, each family has to build a booth with their parents and eat and sleep in it for a week. This is God allowing them to experience the wilderness life that their ancestors had experienced over 3,000 years ago. It is to commemorate the Israelites' experience of receiving God's grace while wandering in the wilderness. Booths are built so that at least three stars can be seen from the rooftop when lying down in a booth. Almost ten years ago, when I went to the Holy Land, I saw booths set up on one side of the hotel.
Jerusalem, home to a large religious Jewish community, has many unique housing structures designed for booths. Finding suitable spaces for booths in apartment complexes are not easy. Therefore, most apartments in Jerusalem are built in terraced structures. It is for making booths on the veranda.
There are four representative plants for this Feast of Tabernacles. First, the palm tree symbolizes the 40 years in the wilderness. While wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites often camped near oases with palm trees. Second, the willow tree symbolizes the miracle of crossing the Jordan River. Third, the lush branches of a tree symbolize the land of Canaan flowing with milk and honey. Fourth, the beautiful fruit, which symbolizes the fruit to be harvested in the land of Canaan.
So, what kind of events took place in the temple during the Feast of Tabernacles in Biblical times? During the Feast of Tabernacles, two special events took place in the Priest's Courtyard, attended by all pilgrims visiting the Temple in Jerusalem. First, the libation ceremony, where water was poured. On the Feast of Tabernacles, the high priest, accompanied by a procession of pilgrims, would go to the Pool of Siloam to draw water. This was meant to pray for the blessing of the early rain, which was expected to fall in earnest around the Feast of Tabernacles. This was the end of the dry season, and rain was desperately needed.
Second, there was a ritual in which a willow branch was placed southwest of the altar of burnt offering and a prayer was recited. The Jews would pour living water from the Pool of Siloam onto the altar and circle the withered willow tree beside it, praying for abundant early rain for a bountiful harvest in the coming year. Regarding this event, Jesus speaks of the following in John 7:37-38, “On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” Comparing it to the libation ceremony, we can easily understand why Jesus suddenly spoke of the rivers of living water during the Feast of Tabernacles. Shalom!