We hope you are blessed through this special devotional for Sukkot, October 13-21, 2019/5780.
Day 1: Why Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles)? God graciously gives us the feast of Sukkot so “that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel to dwell in booths [sukkot] when I brought them out of the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.” (Lev. 23:43.) YHVH provided well for the ancient Israelites journeying to their land of promise. He carried them “as on eagles wings,” a good Father lovingly supplying their every need (Exodus 19:4). He does the same for you! Your Abba cares passionately for you. In a shaking, uncertain world, He is your shelter and shield. He protects you tenderly yet fiercely. Though in this world you will at times experience hardship, be of good cheer–especially at Sukkot–because He has overcome the world. This week, be blessed in Your Father’s arms of love. If you can, build or visit a sukkah and experience in it the special sense of His presence, protection and peace. (Lev. 23:42)
Day 2: Rejoice! Observant Jews call Sukkot “the season of our joy.” It is the only biblical feast on which God commands us to rejoice. (Deut. 16:13-14, Lev. 23:40) Following Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur, our fellowship with Him is renewed through Spirit led reflection and repentance. Now, on Sukkot we can gladden the heart of God, and increase His joy, by rejoicing in Him. Moreover, His joy is our strength. So during Sukkot, despite the troubles of the world, we are intentional about accessing the joy of His person, presence, protection and victory.
Day 3: Ingathering and thanksgiving for Harvest. Exodus 23:16 refers to Sukkot as a feast of Ingathering, with thanksgiving for the past year’s harvest. In faith, we also give thanks for the harvest which is next to come. It is said that the early American Pilgrims modeled the first Thanksgiving holiday feast after Sukkot. Today, your harvest may or may not be agricultural. In any case, daily your loving God nourishes you in body, soul, and spirit. As a follower of Messiah, be blessed to realize His love has drawn you into the harvest of His Kingdom. Be blessed to serve Him in the final spiritual harvest, the ingathering of souls into the Kingdom of God. In the meantime, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink … your heavenly Father knows what you need. But seek first His kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:25, 32-33)
Day 4: Sacrifice and Offering. Throughout the week of Sukkot, God instructed the ancient priests to sacrifice a sum total of 70 bulls. (Numbers 29:12-38) The rabbis teach that because the number 70 in Scripture represents the nations, these sacrifices were made in priestly intercession not for Israel, but for the nations. This is one reason Sukkot has always held special meaning for the Gentiles. Be blessed to know that in the Feast of Sukkot, observant Jews still seek to bless the Gentiles. How might you be inspired to bless Israel in return? According to Deut. 16:17, “No man should appear before the Lord empty handed. Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.” To start, you can “offer your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” (Romans 12:1) You can offer up prayer as well as material blessing. Engage wholeheartedly and joyfully in the privilege of sacrifice this Sukkot. The Lord will love it and I think you will, too!
Day 5: The Shalom of Rest. The first and last days of Sukkot are celebrated as special Sabbaths. We cease from regular work and engage in the beauty of heavenly rest. (Lev. 23:35-36; Numbers 29:12, 35). This Sukkot hear your Savior call to your heart, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) This Sukkot, be revived in the intentional rest of simply being with the Lover of your soul. Tabernacle in His shalom.
Day 6: Honoring Messiah’s Birth. Many Messianic scholars believe that, quite possibly, Yeshua was born during Sukkot. Their reference point starts with the conception of John, born to Mary’s cousin Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah. John was conceived after the angel Gabriel visited Zechariah during his priestly service in the Holy Temple. Zechariah would have been serving according to the rotation of ministry, based on family lineage, set forth in 1 Chronicles 24-28. Zechariah was in the division of Abijah, so he would have finished serving and gone home to Elizabeth in late June or early July. (Luke 1:5, 13-19, 23-26) Elizabeth was six months pregnant with John when Mary conceived Yeshua. This means Yeshua was likely conceived in the winter, perhaps during Hanukkah. Nine months later would coincide with Sukkot. If Yeshua was born during Sukkot, this would explain some hard questions associated with a winter nativity. Moreover, it is during Sukkot that God tabernacles with us in a unique way. Perhaps the apostle John had Messiah’s birth during Sukkot in mind when he wrote, “The Word became flesh and did tabernacle among us.” (John 1:14, YLT) In any case, Sukkot can be a meaningful time to celebrate Yeshua’s birth and gift to us of eternal life. Glory to God in the highest!
Day 7: Prophetic Promises. Sukkot is a prophetic foreshadow of the coming, glory rule and reign of Messiah on earth, when He tabernacles among us in holy justice, joyful righteousness and peace on earth. (Rev. 20:1-6) Jews call this period the Messianic Age. Christians often call it the Millennium. At that time not just Israel, but all nations will celebrate Sukkot. “Then the survivors of all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.” (Zech. 14:16) During that time you will soak in the saturating brilliance of pure, divine love. Celebrating Sukkot can serve as a type of rehearsal for your future, but if you’re a believer, the future is actually now. Enjoy it today!
Day 8: The Great Supplication. The eighth day of Sukkot (Shemini Atzerit) came to be known as the Hoshana Rabah (Great Supplication or Salvation). The Hoshana Rabah was marked by an elaborate intercessory ritual for an outpouring of rain in the coming year. While rain was associated with blessing throughout Israel’s history, the Jews of Yeshua’s’ day connected abundant rain and and living waters with the coming of Messiah. Therefore, the Hoshana Rabah was a prayer for spiritual, as well as physical, rain. This underscores the profound meaning of Yeshua’s public declaration on Sukkot: “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 says, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.” (John 7:37-38) On the last day of Sukkot, be blessed to drink deeply of the Holy Spirit. Then go out into the world refreshed, streams of living water flowing from you to those in need of it.
Happy Sukkot!