Yeshua, Sukkot and Discipleship

The Feast of Tabernacles

Thank you, Lawrence for this opportunity to speak about Yeshua and Sukkot. While thinking about how to speak today about Sukkot, I felt that I should walk through the passages in John chapter 7 to 8 and use that as a springboard to discuss different elements of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. To set the context for this passage lets read Jn 7:1-5

John 7:1–5 TLV

After these events, Yeshua was walking about in the Galilee. He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Judean leaders wanted to kill Him. Now the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near. Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go to Judea, so Your disciples also may see the works You are doing. No one who wants to be well known does everything in secret. If You are doing these things, show Yourself to the world!” For not even His brothers were trusting in Him.

As we see, this story with Yeshua being goaded by his brothers to go up to Jerusalem. From some other passages such as Lk. 2:41, we see that Yeshua’s family normally travelled to Jerusalem for the festivals. Yeshua’s brothers did not yet believe that he was the Messiah. But they figured that if he wanted to become a famous teacher, that he would have to do this in Jerusalem, and what better time than during the biggest festival in Israel, Sukkot.

We first time that the Torah mentions Sukkot, or the Feast of Booths, is in Lev. 23:39-43 .

Leviticus 23:39–43 TLV

“So on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruits of the land, you are to keep the Feast of Adonai for seven days. The first day is to be a Shabbat rest, and the eighth day will also be a Shabbat rest. On the first day you are to take choice fruit of trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and rejoice before Adonai your God for seven days. You are to celebrate it as a festival to Adonai for seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations—you are to celebrate it in the seventh month. You are to live in sukkot for seven days. All the native-born in Israel are to live in sukkot, so that your generations may know that I had Bnei-Yisrael to dwell in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am Adonai your God.”

Then, just before Beni Yisrael entered the Promised Land of Israel, Moses provides additional clarity around Sukkot, Deut. 16:13-17

Deuteronomy 16:13–17 TLV

“You are to keep the Feast of Sukkot for seven days, after gathering in the produce from your threshing floor and winepress.” So you will rejoice in your feast—you, your son and daughter, slave and maid, Levite and outsider, orphan and widow within your gates. Seven days you will feast to Adonai your God in the place He chooses, because Adonai your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hand, and you will be completely filled with joy. Three times a year all your males are to appear before Adonai your God in the place He chooses—at the Feast of Matzot, the Feast of Shavuot, and the Feast of Sukkot. No one should appear before Adonai empty-handed— the gift of each man’s hand according to the blessing Adonai your God has given you.

From both passages we see that Adonai had commanded Beni Yisrael to set aside a week and a day as a harvest festival to commemorate His provision and protection in the wilderness. Sukkot was celebrated shortly after the grapes, wine and olives were brought and several months after the barley harvest. The people of Israel were to take some of the produce of the trees of the land, some choice fruit, palm branches, leafy branches and willow branches. This was be used to rejoice in the provision of Adonai. But there was more to it than that. Beni-Yisrael were to dwell in temporary booths or Sukkot as a reminder of the journey through the wilderness, and how the presence of Adonai dwelt with them. This was to be a time of rejoicing in the presence of Adonai.

What is also important to our story of Yeshua, is that Sukkot was one of the three times in the year, when all the men were commanded to present themselves before Adonai in the place that He should choose. From the time of David, and in particular Solomon’s Temple, Adonai had chosen Jerusalem. So, from the point of view of fulfilling the law, Yeshua needed to be in Jerusalem, but He was not interested in doing anything simply as a popularity stunt. He told his brothers that the right time was not right. His brothers then left to go on to Jerusalem, but Yeshua hung back and then went privately.

Yeshua’s Response

As Yeshua knew, Jerusalem was filled with people, and ... John 7:14-18

John 7:14–18 TLV

About halfway through the Feast, Yeshua went up to the Temple and began teaching. Then the Judean leaders were amazed, saying, “How does this man know so much, having never been taught?” Yeshua answered, “My teaching is not from Me, but from Him who sent Me. If anyone wants to do His will, he will know whether My teaching comes from God or it is Myself speaking. Whoever speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

So, halfway through the week long celebration of Sukkot, Yeshua begins to teach in the Outer court of the Temple. The teaching that followed was Yeshua’s response to the question, “How does this man know so much, having never been taught?” This question is really a question of Yeshua’s authority. Yeshua had not attended a Rabbinic Yeshiva, nor did he come under the authority of the Sadducees, rather He spoke uniquely as one with authority. In fact, about 6 months later, just after the Triumphal entry of Jerusalem the following Passover, the Kohenim and the elders would come in person and ask, “By what authority are You doing these things? Who gave You this authority?” (Matt. 21:23)

Yeshua’s response is to point the people back to the relationship between His teaching and the One who sent Him. Yeshua is alluding to His claim that He is speaking on behalf of the Father.

How does this relate to Sukkot?

As I was studying this, I was asking myself, “Ok, this is a great teaching and all, but how does it relate to Sukkot?” “Why is John recalling this teaching of Yeshua, and how does it relate to the next few passages?”

All of a sudden, I saw that Yeshua is patiently leading his listeners to come to some incredible conclusions.

When we look back to why Beni Yisrael was asked to live in Sukkot/Booths we see that it was a reminder of their time in the Wilderness when they dwelt in the manifest presence of Adonai. Every day when they awoke, the entire nation of Israel would have been able to see the pillar of cloud hovering over the Tabernacle. In the Wilderness, Adonai was tabernacling with them, and they with Him.

Yeshua is laying the foundation through his teaching by pointing out the link between His words and the Words of Adonai.

And we see that “many from the crowd believed in Him and were saying, “When the Messiah comes, He won’t perform more signs than this person has, will He?”” (John 7:31) The people were starting to understand.

Spiritual Thirst

Yeshua laid the foundation to prepare his listeners for some power claims, and a demand for discipleship. Yeshua would make these claims and demands on the last and greatest day of Sukkot.

To understand a little about the context for these claims we need to understand some of the Sukkot Traditions that were occurring immediately behind Yeshua. The Talmud provides us with some historical background:

The Babylonian Talmud: A Translation and Commentary (5:1D–5:4)

They said: Anyone who has not seen the rejoicing at the place of the water-drawing in his life has never seen rejoicing.” M. 5:2A. At the end of the first festival day of the Festival [the priests and Levites] went down to the woman’s courtyard. B. And they made a major enactment [by putting men below and women above]. C. And there were golden candle-holders there, with four gold bowls on their tops, and four ladders for each candle stick. D. And four young priests with jars of oil containing a hundred and twenty logs, [would climb up the ladders and] pour [the oil] into each bowl. M. 5:3A. Out of the worn-out undergarments and girdles of the priests they made wicks, B. and with them they lit the candles. C. And there was not a courtyard in Jerusalem which was not lit up from the light of bet hasho’ebah. M. 5:4A.

The pious men and wonder-workers would dance before them [51B], with flaming torches in their hand, B. and they would sing before them songs and praises. C. And the Levites played on harps, lyres, cymbals, trumpets, and [other] musical instruments beyond counting, D. [standing, as they played] on the fifteen steps which go down from the Israelites’ court to the women’s court. E. corresponding to the fifteen Songs of Ascents which are in the Book of Psalms F. on these the Levites stand with their instrument and sing their song. G. And two priests stood at the upper gate which goes down from the Israelites’ court to the women’s court, with two trumpets in their hands. H. [When] the cock crowed, they sounded a sustained, a quavering, and a sustained blast on the shofar.

I. [When] they got to the tenth step, they sounded a sustained, a quavering, and a sustained blast on the shofar. J. [When] they reached the courtyard, they sounded a sustained, a quavering, and a sustained blast on the shofar. K. They went on sounding the shofar in a sustained blast until they reached the gate which leads out to the east. L. [When] they reached the gate which goes out toward the east, they turned around toward the west, M. and they said, “Our fathers who were in this place turned with their backs toward the Temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east, and they worshipped the sun toward the east (Ez. 8:16). N. “But as to us, our eyes are toward the Lord.” O. R. Judah says, “They said it a second time, ‘We belong to the Lord, our eyes are toward the Lord.’ ”

As we see, this tractate begins by exclaiming that, “Anyone who has not seen the rejoicing at the place of the water-drawing in his life has never seen rejoicing.” This is referring to an exciting ceremony called the nissuch ha mayim, the ceremony of the water drawing.

The water drawing ceremony was a joyous occasion. On the first 6 days of the feast, a Levitical priest would draw water from the pool of Siloam with a golden pitcher, followed by hundreds of worshippers singing, and dancing and playing music. The Levite would carry the golden pitcher of water up to the temple, entering through the water gate. As he arrived, ram's horns were sounded as the water was poured out into a silver basin on the southwest side of the great altar in the temple.

But on the seventh and greatest day of the feast known as the hoshana rabbah, literally the great hosanna, the priest would circle the altar seven times, before he poured the water into the basin. As he circled the altar, music and blasts from rams’ horns were sounded, people sang repetitively “hoshiana, hoshiana, baruch haba bashem Adonai” which means “O Lord, do save we beseech thee, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

This was the most ecstatic part of the ceremony. This crying out to God was not only a prayer for rain, but the pouring out of the water was an illusion to the pouring out of the Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit during the time of Messiah according to God’s word. Isaiah 12:2–3

Isaiah 12:2–3 TLV

Behold, God is my salvation! I will trust and will not be afraid. For the Lord Adonai is my strength and my song. He also has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

It was amongst this frenzy of messianic expectancy, on the last and greatest day of the feast, the Hoshana Rabbah, that Yeshua proclaims. John 7:37-39

John 7:37–39 TLV

On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Yeshua stood up and cried out loudly, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, ‘out of his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ ” Now He said this about the Ruach, whom those who trusted in Him were going to receive; for the Ruach was not yet given, since Yeshua was not yet glorified.

John 7:37–39 TLV

On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Yeshua stood up and cried out loudly, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, ‘out of his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ ” Now He said this about the Ruach, whom those who trusted in Him were going to receive; for the Ruach was not yet given, since Yeshua was not yet glorified.

Yeshua, resting on the authority of Adonai, declares that he is the very source of the Ruach HaKodesh, the living water. He is calling people to an intimate discipleship where He will anoint His followers with the Spirit of the Living God. Yeshua was saying, “I am the fulfilment of all that you have been praying for. Believe in me and you will receive the promised Holy Spirit.”

Yeshua was inviting them to come to him if they were thirsty. He is the source of mayim hayim, living water. The water He gives us will quench our thirst for eternity. What is Living Water? It is the Holy Spirit that is poured out during the time of Messiah.

You can only receive Mayim Chayim (Living Water) from Elohim Chayim (the Living God). That is why Messiah has come so that we might be filled with the Holy Spirit to quench our spiritual thirst forever…

Just as before, when the crowds heard Yeshua, they began to recognize just who He was. The people were saying, “This man really is the Prophet [like Moses].” Others were saying, “This is the Messiah.”

Light of the World

Yeshua continues this teaching in John 8:12

John 8:12 TLV

Yeshua spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. The one who follows Me will no longer walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12 TLV

Yeshua spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. The one who follows Me will no longer walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

As we remember from our reading of the Talmud, there were four tall lamps with four bowls of oil each set up in the temple. The light from these lamps were so bright that, “there was not a courtyard in Jerusalem which was not lit up from the light of beit hasho’ebah.”

This was the backdrop for Yeshua declaring the He was, and is, the light of the world. But Yeshua does not stop with this declaration, but again Yeshua calls all those around to follow Him.

Yeshua then explained that His true origin is eternal, and that salvation is only found in Him. John 8:23-24

John 8:23–24 TLV

Yeshua said, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. If you don’t believe that I am, you will die in your sins.”

Many of the Jewish people heard what Yeshua was saying and put their trust in Him. John 8:31-32

John 8:31–32 TLV

Then Yeshua said to the Judeans who had trusted Him, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly My disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free!”

This entire conversation ends with Yeshua claiming to be the one in the burning bush, who pre-existed Abraham. John 8:56-59

John 8:56–59 TLV

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day; he saw it and was thrilled.” Then the Judeans said to Him, “You’re not even fifty years old and you’ve seen Abraham?” Yeshua answered, “Amen, amen I tell you, before Abraham was, I am!” Then they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Yeshua hid Himself and went out from the Temple.

I come back to the original question I asked myself, “How does this all apply to Sukkot?” Since the entire Feast was to remind us of the presence of Adonai tabernacling with Beni Yisrael in the wilderness, we need to remember the purpose of Adonai throughout the Scripture. From the Garden of Eden and the fall of Adam and Eve, Adonai has been working throughout history to restore the intimate relationship with mankind that was lost.

Previously John wrote that Yeshua is the very Word of God made flesh and tabernacling among us (John 1:14).

Yeshua, through all the teaching that he did on that specific Feast of Tabernacles, was trying to wake the crowds up to the reality that He was the embodiment of Adonai tabernacling among them. He was the one to whom all the Feasts pointed to. He was the source of the Living Water, He was the Light of the World, that Adonai was “pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself.” (Col. 1:19-20)

Application for Today

Let us summarise what Yeshua taught during Sukkot. Yeshua declared that:

He has come to speak the words of His Father, the God who sent Him,

He is seeking the glory of Adonai, and He is true and there is no unrighteousness in Him,

He is the source of the Mayim Chayim, the living water of the Ruach HaKodesh,

He is the light of the world, and in Him there is no darkness,

He is from above, truly not of this world,

He is the pre-existent voice of the burning bush, the I AM.

Yeshua demanded intimate discipleship. Yeshua called us to:

To recognise that His authority came from God,

To come to Yeshua and receive the Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit,

To follow Him and receive the light of life,

To believe in Him as the Messiah, so that they would not die in their sins,

To abide in His word, and thereby know the truth and have the truth set them free.

The message of Yeshua is just as true today, and His call to us to follow Him is just as pointed. From our vantage point in history, we have seen Yeshua lifted up for all to see. We know that He has risen from the dead, the Firstfruits of those who will rise from the dead. Yeshua is the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star. He has made the water of life, the Ruach HaKodesh, free for all who follow Him, and He is coming soon! He is coming to set up the throne of David, as the prophets have declared. Through Him, Adonai will once again Tabernacle with us, the manifest presence of Adonai, the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form.

We see at the end of Revelation, that Adonai will restore the intimate relationship that was lost in the Garden of Eden. Revelation 21:3-4

Revelation 21:3–4 TLV

I also heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is among men, and He shall tabernacle among them. They shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them and be their God. He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more. Nor shall there be mourning or crying or pain any longer, for the former things have passed away.”

The ultimate Sukkot will come with the Millennial Reign when Adonai will once again dwell among us and tabernacle with us.

All praise and glory be to the God of the Universe, who in His majesty had declared the end from the beginning. He has made the way of salvation accessible to all who will choose to trust in Yeshua. Praise be to Adonai, who will bring about this ultimate restoration of righteousness, peace and relationship with the source of perfect love.