Feast of Tabernacles

[kenisyes]

I wanted to ask if anyone is celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles this year. I know many Christians feel it's all Old Testament, but Jesus did fulfill it in the Gospel of John, so some Christians celebrate it.

I am one of those who celebrates a Christian Feast of Tabernacles, and I'd like to hear from anyone else who does, or from anyone who is opposed, but is willing to have discussion pro and con, without any name calling.

If you do it, what do you do: sukkah, water pouring, lulavs, hosanna, light, what kind of music and dance?

 

[jkalyna]

JOHN 5 : AFTERWARDS JESUS RETURNED TO JERUSALEM FOR ONE OF THE JEWISH RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS. NLB. THE BIBLE SAYS WE ARE COMPLETED JEWS IN CHRIST. THERE IS ALWAYS A MEANING A PARABLE WITHIN THE JEWISH HOLIDAYS. A TIME OF REPENTANCE AND A TIME TO FORGIVE. A TIME TO REMEMBER THE EXODUS, AND A TIME TO BE THANKFULL. IF ANY OF THIS HELPS US AS BELIEVERS IN JESUS, OR YESHUA GREAT. WE ALL NEED TO PURIFY OUR SELVES, OUR THOUGHTS, SEEK REPENTANCE ETC. I ONCE WENT TO A MESSIANIC CONGREGATION, WHERE THE WASHING OF HANDS WITH THE BOWL WAS DONE. THERE WERE MANY INSTANCES IN THE BIBLE WHERE ACTS OF FAITH WERE DONE. WAS IT JACOB WHO MATTED THE SHEEP BY THE WATERS SO THEY WOULD HAVE MORE SPOTS THAN LOTS, COOKING DINNER IS AN ACT OF LOVE AND IT IS A PERFORMANCE. I DON'T THINK IT IS WRONGE TO OBSERVE THE JEWISH HOLIDAYS, AND NOT WRONGE IF ONE DOSN'T. LIKE THE WORD SAYS, I WILL NOT EAT MEAT IF IT OFFENDS MY BROTHER. OBSERVING THE HOLIDAYS IS A GOOD THING. IT MAKES YOU THINK ABOUT THE LORD. WHAT ABOUT CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS EACH YEAR, IT'S NOT EVEN IN THE BIBLE AND THE DATE IS WRONGE. THE WORD SAYS {JUDGE NOT ANOTHER ACCORDING TO A HOLY DAY, OR HOLIDAY}. I PERSONALLY EVERY FRIDAY OBSERVE THE OBSERVANCE IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE SABBATH, AND A GOOD TIME TO HAVE HOLY COMMUNION TOGETHER AS A FAMILY, AND BLESS AND BE THANKFULL FOR ANOTHER WEEK, AND PRAY FOR THE WEEK TO COME.

 

[doniyah]

Hello, I should first clearly state that I attend a Messianic Jewish Congregation and I celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles yearly. Actually this is my favorite time of year with this up coming Sunday being Rosh HaShana (aka Yom Teruah) which leads into the "days of Awe" that conclude with Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) followed by Sukkot (Fest of Tabernacles) so actually i'm rev'ving up for a whole string of Fall Festivals - which I absolutely love. (not to mention the Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah)
I personally think the Jesus, aka Yeshua, celebrated theses feast days and that there is nothing wrong with observing them - if anything he knew that they existed and didn't preach against them in any way. One day all Christians will observe Sukkot in Jerusalem when he returns to reign so in a way this is all "practice."
My current apartment does not allow me the option of constructing my own Sukkah, but my congregation builds one every year and several members of the congregation construct them on their properties so I tend to "Sukkah hop" all week... its awesome.
I wanted to buy a Luav and Etrog to wave but I missed the deadline I think to get one so, unless I high tail it to a major city I will just have to waive the community one "extra hard" lol.
If people dont celebrate it (or them) like jkalyna (who posted above me) stated, its all good - no biggie as they used to say. Its just another way of drawing close, which is most important.
(I also enjoy the days off from work too )

 

[kenisyes]

jkalena, I agree completely. We have so much to learn from Messianic Jews. Just because they call Him Yeshuah haMeshiach instead of Jesus Christ, that's just the translation in Hebrew. Jews understand how life can be sanctified by our actions and thoughts day-to-day, minute-to-minute. Sometimes Gentile Christians talk so much about the importance of going to heaven, that we forget that we have a reason for being here on earth. God gave the commission to Adam before the fall (fill the earth and have dominion), and Paul enunciated the truth that Jesus' merits overcame and restored all that Adam lost, which must include that mission. We need to get back in touch with our earthly purpose. And of course, you're right, we don't NEED to obey any of the Old Testament laws, we are completely free of that. You said it so simply and so well: "There is always a meaning, a parable in the Jewish holidays. It makes you think about the Lord."

doniyah, do the triple crowns on the shin and the ayin in your avatar have any significance to you or your congregation? I know the legend of God telling Moses why He added them on the heavenly tablets - so that the rabbi (sorry I can't remember who) might later use his gift of interpretation of the crowns to give glory to God. -------- I like the plan that the days of awe are 10, as are the 10 days before Passover of choosing the Lamb, as are the 10 commandments which reflect each one of the 10 things God created during creation. And then to top it off, God gives us 10 fingers so we can count up His wonders! -------- Absolutely agree about all Christians celebrating in Jerusalem. Zechariah is pretty clear, right? Don't you love the way the white robed army with the palms in their hands in Revelation unites the two feasts? I have thought how from far they must look like a ripe barley field, also. --------- It is the International Christian Embassy to Jerusalem that was the first to restore the Feast to the Gentile Christians in 1980, according to how I learned it. My wife and I were told about it by God in 1983, and we have been doing it ever since, mostly as a demo. It has taught us so much about how the God of heaven uses us to transform the earth. ---------- Do you use a prefab shell to build your sukkah? I worked with Messianic Jews for several years, and they credit me with being the one who taught them how to build from scratch - thus, as they termed it "halack-ally correct" (Sorry about that spelling. I doubt the Hebrew transliterations will ever get standardized). ---------- I have only held one "real" lulav from Israel. They were $30 special order back then, I think they're what, like $65 now? We now do part celebration for the oldtimers, part demo for the newbies, so we "adjust" using cattail leaves, pine branches, kiwi, and willow branches. That represents the four environments of the area, and keeps the "fruit/smell distinction" of rabbincal teaching, so we can explain the relationship of the Feast to how Yeshua "dwelt among us" and how our lives can be knitted together to make a proper dwelling for Him and for Him in each other. I've had reports of our friends getting into deep worship just going in the sukkah alone, after we finish the food and prayers. -------- Does you congregation do anything with the water pouring, hosanna procession, or feast of light? Feast of light reminds me: We used to tell pastors who asked us to come to their churches and do a demo about the Mishnaic story of Jerusalem being lighted by the priests' old underwear set on fire. Then, as seriously as possible, we would ask for a donation. (Of course, we'd tell them it's a joke as soon as they registered the facial expression.)

 

[Twinkle77]

I did attend a church once just as a visitor and it just so happened they were having the feast. I quite enjoyed it actually as I had never been to one before. It felt like as though I was in bible times.
The bible says: One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does as to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belonge to the Lord. Romans 14:5-8. I am not against it as long as it is not a law because we live under grace.

 

[kenisyes]

Twinkle, I think about that passage maybe 5 times a day sometimes, as I work with so many people who do things that are peculiar to what God has called them to do, and others may not understand. It is certainly so true, and I feel so sad when I see some other people posting things in other threads that sound like the do not understand it. We are so different, and God has given us so much we could be blessed by, if we could open our eyes wider. Based on the quote from Genesis, I often tell people "we cannot 'fill the earth' if we are all standing in the same place."

 

[RedTent]

=doniyah; ]Hello, I should first clearly state that I attend a Messianic Jewish Congregation and I celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles yearly. Actually this is my favorite time of year with this up coming Sunday being Rosh HaShana (aka Yom Teruah) which leads into the "days of Awe" that conclude with Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) followed by Sukkot (Fest of Tabernacles) so actually i'm rev'ving up for a whole string of Fall Festivals - which I absolutely love. (not to mention the Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah)

A friend who attends Messianic Synagogue introduced me to God as God is explained in the OT. I feel as if my life has been rounded out, as if I didn’t really understand God before. I had so many things wrong. I thought to even learn the laws of the OT were to deny Christ!! It has taken me several years of study with someone who puts OT and NT side by side, to show how it rounds out, explains, and makes complete.

Isn’t it a blessing to celebrate the feasts as God gave them to us! It gives His whole plan for us.

 

[kenisyes]

Red Tent, I was hoping you would post here. Your love for the Jewish experience of the Messiah is clear from other posts I have seen. I heartily agree, either Testament cannot stand alone. If we even begin to believe that the blessing of Abraham is to all nations, and/or that we are all brothers and sisters in Yeshuah-Jesus, we have got to become serious about the family traditions we have been grafted into.

 

[Marcella]

we are all brothers and sisters in Yeshuah-Jesus, we have got to become serious about the family traditions we have been grafted into.

I truly relate to that statement.

I would like to purchase a sukkah from www.thesukkahproject.com but will probably have to wait until next year, after saving some money.

They're providing a good deal with good materials, and even have sizes for people who live in apartments that would fit on a balcony. Pretty clever, actually.

My pastor started introducing the feasts when he came to the church about five years ago. I've been attending for maybe three and a half years and have really been blessed by what I've learned. We had a sukkah in our church yard a couple years ago, using wood 2x4's and tarp, so it wasn't a pretty sight, lol, but it worked.

The first year I experienced celebrating Sukkot was at someone's home and it was beautiful and an amazing experience. I'm hoping that our pastor and his wife would like to erect a sukkah in my yard this year. It would be such a blessing.

 

[kenisyes]

Marcella, sukkahproject sukkot look so happy. We've always built our own - free of course. I checked out your bio. I wish you lived closer than 3000 miles away. I'd bring a team out and put one up for you. You can download the book from my website and see how we do it, maybe a few young men from the church would build you one. Especially in Oregon, you have no shortage of materials. For four guys with hand saws and a couple balls of twine it's about a four hour project.

 

[Marcella]

Marcella, sukkahproject sukkot look so happy. We've always built our own - free of course. I checked out your bio. I wish you lived closer than 3000 miles away. I'd bring a team out and put one up for you. You can download the book from my website and see how we do it, maybe a few young men from the church would build you one. Especially in Oregon, you have no shortage of materials. For four guys with hand saws and a couple balls of twine it's about a four hour project.

That's so nice of you to offer, even if from 3000 miles away, lol. I'm disabled so I'd definitely need a few guys from my church to assemble something. We did have a sukkah a couple of years ago, so I think we have the basics like what you might have, but ours was pretty rustic, lol. I really liked how nice they looked on the website.

Chag Sameach Keniyes!

 

[kenisyes]

Thanks for getting back to me, Marcella. I hope you will let me know next week how you celebrated. We did our celebration last Saturday for convenience of everyone. God was awesome (of course He always is, but this seemed special).

 

[doniyah]

Isn’t it a blessing to celebrate the feasts as God gave them to us! It gives His whole plan for us. [/QUOTE]
Yes it is a blessing indeed! - I am happy to hear that you were blessed by the study

 

[kenisyes]

Tomorrow is erev sukkoth. The Feast officially starts Monday. I hope you'll get back to us and tell us how things went at your congregation.

 

[RedTent]

On the Day of Atonement I was taken to a bridge over our river. We threw bread in the water. I am very elderly and mostly blind, Robin who took me has just become homeless and needs to accept the Lord in her life, to be cleansed of all sin and feel confident in that. Picture these two women on the bridge that day.

Here is what the people involved and those who hear of it know of what I and Robin did. To Robin it was pleasing this eccentric old lady. To her friend it was doing that Jewish thing. To my pastor it was doing something Christ came to make obsolete. To a friend deep in the study of Revelation, it was celebrating Christ’s return. I was tossing bread with the yeast of sin in the living water Christ talked of for cleansing. Each person felt they knew exactly what these two women were doing on that bridge.

 

[kenisyes]

And each of them was right!

Do you know the story of why the specific four branches are used for the sukkah? Two centuries before Jesus, the rabbis explained that they represent different kinds of people, and how we all need to be woven together if we are to make a proper dwelling; we now know that it is the dwelling for Messiah, because John tells us "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us". Isn't God amazing, how we can all be so different, and yet all rally around such seemingly irrelevant things as a piece of bread in the water, and find so many different facets of God in them?

But maybe there's nothing irrelevant. Look what our Father did to the waters at creation, and look at what Jesus did with bread! And of course, we can always compare the action of the Holy Spirit to the yeast...

I follow your posts, Red Tent. I'm so glad God has left you here for a few more years, so we can share the wisdom that an elder in the Body of Christ acquires.

 

[kenisyes]

Sukkoth ended last night. Simchat Torah ends tonight. It would be great to hear any reports you have. I'll wait a day or so before I stop looking at the thread.