YAHWEH’S FEAST OF TABERNACLES

 Leviticus 23:1-2 – And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of Yahweh, which ye shall proclaim to be holy (Kodesh) convocations, even these are my feasts. Chapter 23 of Leviticus lists the Feasts of Yahweh with verses 33-43 concerning/describing the Feast of Tabernacles and how it is to be observed. Yahweh gave specific directions how Israel (His chosen-Deuteronomy 7:6-7) was to observe His Feasts. Also in Exodus 23:14-17 – Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.

The believer of today who starts to keep Yahweh’s Feasts will find a special blessing in being an obedient servant of Yahweh.

Leviticus 23:39-40 – Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto Yahweh seven days: on the first day shall be a Sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a Sabbath. And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; (The trees/branches represent different nations coming before Yahweh on His appointed Moed days. We use these colorful branches to decorate the Assembly Hall.)

The final thought in verse 40 – and ye shall rejoice before Yahweh your Elohim seven days. The word “rejoice” #8055 in Strong’s Concordance means to brighten up, make blithe or gleesome; cheer up, make glad, be merry. The Feast of Tabernacles is a time of joy for Yahweh’s people; coming before the Eternal Almighty One of the universe; presenting our bodies a living sacrifice before Yahweh and our fellow sojourners. If we lived back a few years when more people lived on farms; when the harvest time was completed and the crops were in and stored; it was definitely a time for rejoicing.

John 7:8 – Yahshua said, Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come. Verse 10 – But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. Then in verse 37 – In the last day, that great day of the feast, Yahshua stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

Zechariah 14 – Behold the day of Yahweh cometh…I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle…Then shall Yahweh go forth, and fight against those nations…And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives…and Yahweh my Elohim shall come, and all the saints with thee…And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem…And Yahweh shall be king over all the earth… Verses 16-17 – And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, Yahweh of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, Yahweh of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. Verse 19 –

This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.

With the above few scriptures we see a record of keeping Yahweh’s Feasts in the past and of them being kept in the future. If this is the reader’s first encounter regarding Yahweh’s Feasts, please ask yourself; If it was a command in Moses’ and in Yahshua’s time and as in Zechariah 14 in a future time, shouldn’t I be keeping these Feasts (moeds, appointments) today?

Paul in Acts 18:21 said; … I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem.

The Feast of Tabernacles is also called the feast of ingathering (Exodus 34:22). The scriptures indicate that some year we will be gathered. Matthew 24:31 – And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

We are looking forward to this great event that will usher in the Kingdom age. We believe the Feast of Tabernacles is a rehearsal for the real event when Yahshua will descend to this earth. Revelation 19:7-21 … Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. … We are waiting for this promised event to occur and do put our faith and trust in Yahweh who is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble.

We encourage all believers to keep/celebrate the Feasts of Yahweh and know the real joy in obeying Yahweh’s commands.

Samuel A. Graham