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According to Jewish tradition, it is on this day that G-d’s heavenly court places the final seal on the judgement that was handed down on Yom Kippur.
- There are 7 processions formed around the synagogue with the lulav and etrog amidst prayers for deliverance.
- A special prayer for water is recited on this day in anticipation of the fall rains
- Many traditional Jews stay up past midnight or all night reciting the psalms and studying the Torah
- Many orthodox Jews re-enact an ancient temple ceremony with dried willow branches in their hands. Each man hits the willow branches against the ground three times until all the leaves fall off. Jewish tradition says that in beating off the leaves, it is like one is shedding off the sins of the past year that were forgiven on Yom Kippur.
In Leviticus 23:40, it says on the first day of Sukkot there is a holy convocation (a Sabbath rest) and also on the 8th day there is a holy convocation. Hashanah Raba is the seventh and last day of this feast. In fact it, is called the Great Day of the Feast and it was on this day that Yeshua stood up and made a Messianic claim that we will learn about tomorrow evening. There are two other special days that have been added onto Sukkot. Shemeni Atzeret is a special day of prayer for the fall rains and then on the 9th day is Simchat Torah (rejoicing over the Torah).
I have felt led to share from Hosea 6:1-3 and from the book of Haggai. Hosea begins his prophetic word with an invitation to come and let us return to the L-rd.
There are three important truths that I want to share with you:
Return, Know and Pursue.
I have already spoken on the truth of returning, Teshuvah. This message comes across loud and clear as we have been observing Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. A call to repentance. A call for G-d’s people to return to their first love.
The two other truths of knowing Him and pursuing the knowledge of the L-rd have their fulfillment in part during this final feast of Sukkot. This should be the natural response of the heart of one who has repented and returned to the L-rd with all their heart. As we are revived in our relationship with G-d and seek to love Him with all of our heart, soul, and strength we should have two great pursuits in life: To know Him and To pursue theknowledge of the L-rd. Shaul’s prayer in Colossians 1: 9,10 was "that we may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that we may walk worthy of the L-rd, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of G-d. And that we would be strengthened with all might according to His glorious power".
During this fall season, we have gone through a process of cleansing and renewal, beginning with repentance. We have humbled ourselves before a holy G-d. We have fasted, prayed and sought His face. We have been challenged to confess our sins to one another and clear ourselves of any offense that we may have caused with one another. We have been challenged to seek reconciliation and restoration with G-d and one another. We have prayed that G-d would give to us a deep revelation of how awful sin is and how holy He is. We have been reminded and awed by the tremendous price it took for Yeshua to atone for our sins and pay for our redemption, a price that is beyond silver and gold. He gave His very life, by pouring out His blood.
The joy of the fall feasts is that, as we have received G-d’s love, His compassion, mercy and forgiveness we will experience the joy of knowing Him and His presence in our lives. Sukkot is intended to be a season of joy. The message of Sukkot is G-d’s longing and desire to dwell among His people so that He may fellowship with us. G-d longs for a deeper intimacy with us.
As we have gone through this process of repentance, confession and spiritual renewal, it is for a reason. I believe that G-d wants to bring us into a deeper walk of the Spirit with Him. He wants to bring us into a deeper level of maturity in our spiritual walk with Him. The key to our spiritual growth is found in vs. 3.
In the context of these verses, G-d is speaking to His people Israel, His Prodigal Son has fallen away.
Hosea says "He has torn but He will heal, He has stricken but He will bind us up." It was G-d who has torn and stricken Israel. G-d was the source of their judgement. He was warning Israel of judgement if they did not repent and acknowledge their sin. Vs. 10-15 G-d said to Israel and Judah, I will be like a young lion in the house of Judah.
I will tear them and go away. I will wound and afflict them (vs. 11-13). G-d said that He would tear, wound and afflict them until they acknowledged their sin. Then they will seek my face, He says, in their affliction they will diligently seek me. Afflicted Israel has learned the bitter lessons of disobedience. But G-d has promised that He who has torn them in judgment will heal them in mercy. Israel’s wounds could not be healed by any people. Only G-d could heal and bring new life to the wounded nation. G-d judged Israel by chastising them for their sin and disobedience. But it is always for the purpose of healing, reconciliation and restoration.
There are times when we need to be disciplined and chastised by the hand of G-d for our rebelliousness and disobedience. Those whom the L-rd loves, He chastens and scourges. The L-rd promises to heal and bind up our wounds to revive us and raise us up, so that we may live in his sight. Hosea challenges his people in two ways:
Let us know Him and let us pursue the knowledge of the L-rd. Our greatest goal in life should be to know Him. Do we truly know the Messiah? Can we honestly say that we know Him?
What did Yeshua say in Philip 3:7,8- "Whatever things were gain to me, these I have counted as loss for Messiah. Indeed I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Messiah Yeshua my L-rd, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish that I may gain Messiah". (vs. 4-6)
Shaul said in Colossians -
"In Him are hidden all the riches of wisdom and knowledge... In Him all things were created that are in heaven and earth. In Him we have redemption through His blood."
It is wonderful to know G-d and to pursue the knowledge of Him. How do we do this? By spending time with Him, by reading His word and obeying it, by fellowshipping with others who know him, by being part of a community of G-d’s people who love Him and serve Him and who are actively reaching out to others.
Philip 3:12-16 –
The Messiah is the consummation of this Feast. He is the Tabernacle of the Father. The Father dwells in the Messiah in His fullness as the Messiah dwells in the father. He is the temple, the dwelling place of G-d. Yeshua said, He who has seen me has seen the Father. The fullness of the Father dwells in the son. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the G-dhead in bodily form..
In Hosea 6:3 it says His going forth is established like the morning -- like the fresh dew of the morning.
He will come to us like the rain, like the former and latter rain to the earth. At the conclusion of the feast of Sukkot there is prayer for the fall rains on Shemeni Atzaret and Hashanah Rabah. Spiritually, in the scriptures, there is a link between the seasonal rains in Israel and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. There is always a corresponding relationship between the natural and the spiritual. I have shared in the past that in the last 100 years there has been significant outpourings of the Holy Spirit that have corresponded to historic and prophetic dates in Israel. 1901, 1948, 1967, 1988, 1991, 1993.
The prophet Joel says that the former and latter rain would come in the first month. The first outpouring of the Holy Spirit came in the Spring, during the Passover season, on the day of Shavuot, just after the Messiah ascended to the father.
Hosea tells us that the coming of the Messiah will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth. Just as there was a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit 2000 years ago at the time of the Messiah’s first coming, there will be another great outpouring of the Holy Spirit during the Fall season in the seventh month prior to the Messiah’s second coming. The Feast of Sukkot and prayer for the autumn and winter rains to fall speaks of a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit that will come at the end of this age.
The Feast of Sukkot speaks of perfection. This feast portrays the resting of G-d in us and our resting in Him. Sukkot is the seventh feast and it represents the consummation of our redemption. It is interesting that Sukkot is the seventh feast that lasts seven days and is observed in the seventh month. It is a plurality of sevens. The number seven speaks of perfection, of completion. Our redemption had a definite completion. The Spring feasts speak of the promise and the provision for redemption. The fall feasts speak of what we must to do to obtain this redemption.
Sukkot portrays the completion of our redemption, though we will not be complete until we are glorified and receive our eternal redemption. Yeshua is the author and finisher of our faith. Yeshua said, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end."
Sukkot is called the Feast of Ingathering and spiritually represents a great time of harvest that will be reaped at the end of the age. Mt. 13:9; Rev. 14:14-16
Just as this feast speaks of the harvest that will be gathered in at the end of the age, so also it speaks of the time that G-d will reap the fruit from our lives. Eph. 2:10 We are his workmanship created in the Messiah for good works, which G-d prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. The whole purpose of our life on this earth is to know the Messiah and to be filled with the knowledge of him. For in him are hidden all the riches of wisdom and knowledge. At the end of this age when the Sprit of G-d has completed His work in our lives He will harvest the gifts, and the fruit that has been sown in our lives. Have we used the gifts and the talents that G-d has given to us? Have we been good stewards of G-d’s grace. To hear the words of our master say, Well done thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of my kingdom. You have been faithful in a few things I will put you in charge of many. Will we hear G-d speak those words to us? For we read in Haggai 3:1.