Feast of Tabernacles

October 10, 2017 / By

We celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles with its endless possibilities of deep meaning for our lives today. Lv. 23:33-43

We celebrate living outside our comfort zone knowing God is more than enough for our lives. We celebrate God’s provided harvest, both physical and spiritual. We celebrate with great joy. We celebrate God bringing Israel out of Egypt and you and I out of sin and bondage. We celebrate God’s presence with Israel in their forty year wanderings and His presence with us, even in our wanderings too.

Today’s conversation will feature two aspects of Jesus and the Feast of Tabernacles.  The details of this celebration are taken from The Temple: Its Ministry and Services as they were at the time of Jesus Christ by Alfred Edersheim.

Jesus revealed that He is in The Feast of Tabernacles celebration rituals of booths, light, and water.

LIGHT

  • Four gigantic candelabras were lit in the Court of the Women.
  • People from the community would come in with torches and dance around the candelabras singing hymns and praises to God.

“About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching.”  John 7:14

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

WATER

  • A priest would go to the pool of Siloam to fill a golden pitcher with water.
  • He was followed by a group of flutists and many worshipers.
  • When they returned to the temple altar, the water was poured out symbolizing God’s provision of rain upon the now harvested crops and fruit.
  • The choir chanted, “Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success!” Psalm 118:25
  • On the final, “Great Day of the Feast,” the priest circled the altar seven times as the people chanted “Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success.”

Jesus, at this moment in the celebration, in front of many thousands of people, “stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as[f] the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive” John 7:37-39

We GO into all the world without fear knowing the Eternal Light and Living Water is with us and is our message!

Listen – My Story

  • What is your biggest fear right now?
  • What is your biggest fear on what God asks you to be and do?

Lift – Prayer

  • Please pray for Jackie to receive God’s grace for boldness with power.
  • Please pray for each of your Life Group members to overcome fear of what other people may think of you.
  • Please pray for boldness to let God’s light shine through you.
  • Please pray for boldness to offer the water of life to those you know and love.

Learn – Digging Deeper

  1. Read 1 John 4:18a. What relationship do you see between fear and love?  Why is there no fear in love?

 

  1. Read 1 John 4:18b. In what ways does perfect love drive out fear?

 

  1. Read John 3:16. The message we take to the nations is “God so loved the world.” With the message we take being God’s love for the world, how do we get paralyzed by fear?

 

  1. Read Leviticus 23:39-43. Do you see great celebration and joy in this feast?  How do you personally increase the joy and celebration of your faith in Jesus? Is your joy contagious and evangelistic?

 

Life – Taking it Home

  1. In what way can you more effectively be God’s light to the world?
  2. In what way can you more effectively give drinks of living water to people today?
  3. In what way is God inviting you to deal with fear of going?