FEAST OF TABERNACLES (HAG SUKKOT) Revisited
This article will attempt to clarify YAHWEH’s will and pleasure for His believers today as they observe the second-to-last fall Feast of Tabernacles (FOT) which is followed on the eighth day by The Last Great Day, YAHWEH’s final High Sabbath during His calendar year. It will also try to explain the rich spiritual significance of FOT for believers today.
But first, let us look at (1) YAHWEH’S commandments for keeping the FOT, (2) Scriptures showing the FOT continuing with Messiah while a man on this earth, (3) Scriptures showing the feast days continuing after Messiah’s resurrection, and (4) Scriptures showing the FOT continuing throughout Messiah’s thousand-year reign on the earth. Remember, not one jot or tittle of the law shall pass until all is fulfilled in the New Heavens and Earth (Matthew5:18). Following are the 3 main passages we believe command the keeping of the FOT.
Leviticus 23:33 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
34 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to Yahweh.
35 ‘On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it.
36 ‘For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it.
37 ‘These are the feasts of Yahweh which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on its day —
38 ‘besides the Sabbaths of Yahweh, besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to Yahweh.
39 ‘ Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of Yahweh for seven days; on the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath-rest.
40 ‘And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your Elohim for seven days.
41 ‘You shall keep it as a feast to Yahweh for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month.
42 ‘You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths,
43 ‘that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am Yahweh your Elohim.’ “
Deuteronomy 16:13 ” You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress.
14 “And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, who are within your gates.
15 “Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to Yahweh your Elohim in the place which Yahweh chooses, because Yahweh your Elohim will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice.
Numbers 29:12 ‘ On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work, and you shall keep a feast to Yahweh seven days.
We see that Messiah kept the FOT while a man on earth.
John 7:1 After these things Yah’shua walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him.
2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.
8 “You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.”
9 When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.
10 But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.
11 Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, “Where is He?”
14 Now about the middle of the feast Yah’shua went up into the temple and taught.
15 And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”
16 Yah’shua answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.
37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Yah’shua stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
And it is clear that Paul kept YAHWEH’s feasts (See Acts 20:6,16 and 1 Corinthians 5:8, 16:8) after Messiah’s resurrection. Although we don’t know exactly which feast he kept in Acts 18:21, we do know that three times a year feasts were kept in Jerusalem, including the FOT.
Acts 18:21 but took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, Elohim willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus.
Contrary to the ridiculous dogma offered by Christians that this period in the early assembly was “transitional” and that Paul and other believers had not caught on to the new economy following Messiah’s resurrection, we assert here that Paul knew full well what he was doing and that he was obeying YAHWEH by keeping the feasts, food laws, and Sabbaths. Plus we know that Paul received revelations from Messiah according to several Bible passages. We also know Paul instructs believers to emulate him as he emulates Messiah and so we should do, trusting Apostle Paul’s conduct to be righteous. Among other credentials, Paul personally had supernatural experiences with YAHWEHSHUA on several occasions according to Scriptures. The Holy Spirit inspired him to write one-third of the New Testament. YAHWEH calls Paul an apostle (“sent one”),
And in the case of Messiah keeping the Old Testament feasts before his death, burial, and resurrection, we must remind ourselves that Scriptures extol Him as the only sinless man who ever lived and many passages exhort believers to imitate Him in every way and in all his human actions.
Finally, we see prophetically that the FOT as well as the rest of YAHWEH’s feasts, sabbaths, and new moons will be kept during the Millennial Kingdom.
Zechariah 14:16 And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, Yahweh of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
17 And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Yahweh of hosts, on them there will be no rain.
18 If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which Yahweh strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
Isaiah 66:23 And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says Yahweh.
Ezekiel 46:1 ‘Thus says Sovereign Yahweh: “The gateway of the inner court that faces toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened.
2 “The prince shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gateway from the outside, and stand by the gatepost. The priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings. He shall worship at the threshold of the gate. Then he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until evening.
3 “Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the entrance to this gateway before Yahweh on the Sabbaths and the New Moons.
In conclusion, we note that if the Israelites kept the FOT, Messiah kept the FOT before his resurrection, Paul and the early assembly kept the FOT, and all people on earth will be commanded to keep the FOT during Messiah’s 1,000-year reign, then it stands to reason that believers in the Body of Messiah during the current Assembly/Kahal Age must keep the FOT. Anything else would be entirely inconsistent and unreasonable. There is no Scripture in the New Testament which makes YAHWEH’s holy days obsolete and numerous references to keeping them intact during the present age.
And when we look at passages Christians use to abolish YAHWEH’s feasts, we find mistranslations and the Word of YAHWEH handled deceitfully. One example is Galatians 4:10 in which Paul admonishes the Galatian assembly for “observing days, and months, and times, and years.” Christians twist this to abolish the practice of YAHWEH’s Old Testament feast days when it quite obviously refers to special pagan days and holidays kept throughout the year by unbelievers who unfortunately miss the rich, relevant tapestry and treasure of YAHWEH’s holy days in favor of New Year’s January 1, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and so on.
Having established that believers should celebrate the FOT, we will now discuss the basics of how believers should observe it and begin to get into the rich spiritual significance of this appointed time. Some groups leave their homes and stay together 24/7 at a specified location for the 7 days of Tabernacles and the eighth day, The Last Great Day. Many of these perform holy convocations every single day of the 2 feasts. Since we wish to fully please YAHWEH in our observance of the FOT, let us answer these questions: (1) Must we leave our regular dwellings for 8 days and stay at other locations?, (2) Must all believers stay together 24/7 as they observe these feasts?, (3) Does YAHWEH require a daily holy convocation during the 8-day feast?, and (4) Would it be appropriate to build some sort of symbolic temporary dwelling on our own property?
Let us turn to YAHWEH’s Word to answer these questions. Scripturally we see that He commands the Israelites to stay in temporary dwellings during the FOT. As already seen in Leviticus 23, YAHWEH commands: “And you shall take for yourselves the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook” to construct temporary dwellings for the feast.
Leviticus 23:42 ‘You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths,
43 ‘that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am Yahweh your Elohim.’ “
Nehemiah 8:14 And they found written in the Law, which Yahweh had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month,
15 and that they should announce and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the mountain, and bring olive branches, branches of oil trees, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.”
16 Then the people went out and brought them and made themselves booths, each one on the roof of his house, or in their courtyards or the courts of the house of Elohim, and in the open square of the Water Gate and in the open square of the Gate of Ephraim.
17 So the whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness.
And not only were Israelites to stay in temporary booths or tents during the FOT, they were required to “go where YAHWEH chooses to place His name.”
Deuteronomy 16:15 “Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to Yahweh your Elohim in the place which Yahweh chooses, because Yahweh your Elohim will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice.
16 “Three times a year all your males shall appear before Yahweh your Elohim in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before Yahweh empty-handed.
Is this commandment to the Israelites meant for us today? Although we are not most of us bloodline Jews, we are spiritual or true Jews.
Romans 9:6 But it is not that the word of Yahweh has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel,
7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.”
8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of Yahweh; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.
Romans 2:28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh;
29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from Elohim
Romans 11:16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree,
18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.”
Who were the Israelites of the Old Testament? It appears they were not only those born of the seed of Israelites but also those who kept YAHWEH’s commandments.
Exodus 12:48 “And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to Yahweh, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it.
49 “One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you.”
Isaiah 56:3 Do not let the son of the foreigner Who has joined himself to Yahweh Speak, saying, “Yahweh has utterly separated me from His people”; Nor let the eunuch say, “Here I am, a dry tree.”
4 For thus says Yahweh: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant,
5 Even to them I will give in My house And within My walls a place and a name Better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name That shall not be cut off.
6 ” Also the sons of the foreigner Who join themselves to Yahweh, to serve Him, And to love the name of Yahweh, to be His servants — Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And holds fast My covenant
7 Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
Galatians 6:15 For in Messiah YahwehShua neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.
16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of Elohim.
Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that Elohim shows no partiality.
35 “But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.
So although we as Gentile believers in YAHWEH ELOHIM may not be physically Jews nor Israelites, we are certainly “spiritual” Jews and Israelites and so all Scriptures pertaining to these groups apply to us, including those about holy days such as the FOT. And therefore YAHWEH’s commandments to dwell in booths and go where YAHWEH chooses to place His name apply to us today.
As we go further into the spiritual significance of this feast, let us realize that our flesh-and-blood bodies housing YAHWEH’s Holy Spirit and therefore His Name, are temporary dwellings (i.e. booths) until we are glorified at the Second Coming of Messiah.
Colossians 1:27 To them Elohim willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Messiah in you, the hope of glory.
Song of Solomon 1:3 Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, Your name is ointment poured forth; Therefore the virgins love you.
1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of Yahweh and that the Spirit of Yahweh dwells in you?
1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from Elohim, and you are not your own?
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify Yahweh in your body and in your spirit, which are Elohim’s.
Prophetically, our bodies housing the Holy Spirit point toward the future age and remind us that we are currently but strangers and pilgrims on the earth. And so our flesh-and-blood bodies themselves are the temporary dwellings where YAHWEH has chosen to place His Name. Therefore spiritually, there is no direct commandment for believers today to leave our homes and temporarily dwell elsewhere with the brethren 24/7.
Despite there being no direct commandment to live elsewhere during the 8-day feast, it may be a blessing if possible for the assembly to do so and would most certainly please YAHWEH.
And it is also clear from Scriptures that if the Israelites or believers today could not go where YAHWEH has chosen to place His Name which was likely Jerusalem, then they are commanded to rejoice in their own homes. Scriptures clearly command believers to daily commune and rejoice with the Almighty during the FOT (Leviticus 23:40 and Deuteronomy 16:15) and to gather for a holy convocation with brothers and sisters on the 2 High Days, 15th Tishri and 22nd Tishri.
Deuteronomy 12:21 “If the place where Yahweh your Elohim chooses to put His name is too far from you, then you may slaughter from your herd and from your flock which Yahweh has given you, just as I have commanded you, and you may eat within your gates as much as your heart desires. (Also see Deuteronomy 14:24)
Also on the topic of how to keep the feast, the brethren would surely be blessed to add extra holy convocations above the 2 commanded in the Bible. Scriptures are clear about daily free will offerings (Leviticus 23:38) and the blessings of communing with the brethren. But there is not one Scripture requiring holy convocations on the non-High Days of the FOT and so believers need not feel guilty if only the 2 holy convocations are possible.
Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!
As well YAHWEH would undoubtedly be pleased if believers would build a temporary structure on their properties (Nehemiah 8:16). One idea would be to erect a tent in or outside one’s dwelling and sleep or eat a meal in it daily, especially appropriate since the Old Testament Hebrew word “Succoth” and the New Testament Greek word “skene” can both be translated “tent” or “cloth hut”. We also know that Jacob and others in the Old Testament were tent-dwellers and that the original Tabernacle carried by the Israelites during their 40-year wilderness experience was made of fabric and called in Scriptures “the tent of meeting.”
As in Leviticus 23:42 already covered on page 1, Nehemiah 8:14-17 commands booths and describes the tremendous spiritual blessings experienced by the Israelites who had many years neglected this practice. And Leviticus 23:43, already quoted on page 1, gives YAHWEH’s reason: “that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am YAHWEH your ELOHIM.”
We will now take a deeper look at the spiritual significance of the FOT. In addition to its practical purpose of reminding the Israelites and believers today that YAHWEH has given it to both groups to live in temporary dwellings once He has delivered them from bondage to Egypt/the world, it is a reminder of YAHWEH’s tremendous provision. The FOT is also tied closely to its preceding Feast, Yom Kippur or Day of Covering, in that both heavily involve the concepts of Covering Sin and Revealing His Glory so we can see how important these concepts are to YAHWEH that He figures them into eight feast days and therefore His Plan of the Ages.
The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years and neither their clothes nor shoes wore out. Daily YAHWEH fed them with manna from heaven. And as a modern-day “true Jew” I can vouch for the fact that YAHWEH completely provides for our whole family (even the unconverted under our roof which is also quite Biblical.)
“So they took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness. And YAHWEH went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.” (Exodus 13:20-22) YAHWEH taught them to trust Him to provide for their every need.
To meet their spiritual needs, YAHWEH provided a central place of worship for the nation with His “Tabernacle of the tent of meeting” involving complex construction and Levitical priesthood and sacrificial system. Exodus 40:34-38 describes YAHWEH’s mode of dwelling with His people at that time.
Exodus 40:34 Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle.
35 And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle.
36 Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys.
37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up.
38 For the cloud of Yahweh was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
Exodus 33:7 Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the tabernacle of meeting. And it came to pass that everyone who sought Yahweh went out to the tabernacle of meeting which was outside the camp. 8 So it was, whenever Moses went out to the tabernacle, that all the people rose, and each man stood at his tent door and watched Moses until he had gone into the tabernacle.
9 And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and Yahweh talked with Moses.
10 All the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the tabernacle door, and all the people rose and worshiped, each man in his tent door.
Before the glory of YAHWEH was housed in the Tabernacle, however, it tended to appear to the people in a cloud, including atop Mount Sinai where a cloud covered His glory for 6 days before the 7th day when YAHWEH called Moses into the midst of the cloud for 40 days and nights.
Today as believers, we also experience trials in our own “wilderness experience” once we have been water and spirit baptized. We come to depend on YAHWEH Who gives us this day our daily physical and spiritual bread and even the desires of our hearts if we delight in Him.
As we await Messiah’s return and our glorification with Him as He sets up His earthly kingdom, our tents/tabernacles are our fleshly bodies which 1 Corinthians 3:16 calls “the temple of Elohim” and further states that “the Spirit of Elohim dwells in you.”
2 Peter 1:12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth.
13 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you,
14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Sovereign YahwehShua Messiah showed me.
But as believers know so well these bodies are weak and the flesh has a mind of its own and opposes the Holy Spirit at every turn.
2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of Elohim and not of us.
2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Also within this pervasive theme of coverings are the aspects of temporary and eternal.
1 Corinthians 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.
43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.
44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.
47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is Yahweh from heaven.
48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Hebrews 9:11 But Messiah came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.
12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
The concept of fleshly, temporal man inheriting an external glorious body is beautifully expressed in 2 Corinthians 5:1-9. This passage also describes the miracles of Yahweh giving believers His Holy Spirit as a guarantee or foretaste of their ultimate glorious inheritance.
2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of Yahweh, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is Yahweh, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from Yahweh:
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with Yahweh.
9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
There are 3 Hebrew words used synonymously in the Old Testament which are relevant to this study: #5521 “sukkoth”, #168 “ohel”, and #4908 “mishkan.” They are variously translated “temple”, “tabernacle”, “tent”, “habitation”, “booth”, “dwelling place”, and “covert”. The English word “covert” means secret, hidden, or concealed and is obviously related to the word “cover”.
The twin concepts of covering or housing the Glory/Spirit of YAHWEH and covering/removing mankind’s sin figure prominently throughout the Bible and are key to understanding ABBA YAHWEH’s Plan of the Ages and Plan of Salvation. We find the first sin covering in Genesis with Adam and Eve realizing they were naked, being ashamed, and covering themselves with fig leaves. And YAHWEH providing the better blood covering of animal skins, foreshadowing Messiah’s Perfect Blood Sacrifice for all mankind.
In the bible we see that atonement for sin must always involve blood sacrifice. Under the Old Covenant, sacrifices merely “covered” sins, but under the New Covenant believers’ sins are entirely removed or “remitted.” Believers of this age have the right and privilege to enter into YAHWEH’s presence without the need for animal sacrifice.
An interesting and vital connection exists between Hag Sukkot (Feast of Booths or Tabernacles) and YAWHEH’s prior feast, Yom Kippur (Day of Covering). They both point to the time after YAHWEHShua’s return to Earth when He establishes His Millennial Kingdom. And they both involve the concept of Covering Sin. It appears that the flesh-and-blood world and blood-line Israel will not be under Messiah’s blood covenant during the Thousand-Year Reign and instead they will be back under the old schoolmasters, the Levitical Priesthood and the sacrificial system. Satan is restrained and YAHWEH’s plan of salvation possibly seems suspended until The Last Great Day when His Spirit is automatically poured out.
Or perhaps instead of being suspended, YAHWEH’s plan of salvation continues during Messiah’s Millennial Reign in order to once again stress to all flesh the ultimate requirement of a Perfect Blood Sacrifice to remove all sin and to pave the way for as-yet unconverted mankind to fully embrace, esteem, and obey YAHWEH’s Spirit to be poured out in the Last Great Day. We continue to pray for full understanding about the need for the reinstitution of the priesthood and sacrificial system. But it seems logical that in some way Yahweh’s complete righteousness needs to be fulfilled during this future age.
We see the final housing/tabernacle of YAHWEH’s glory in Revelation 21:3 at the New Heavens and Earth with “Behold, the tabernacle of Yahweh is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. Yahweh Himself will be with them and be their ELOHIM.’
So from Genesis to Revelation we see themes of covering of man’s sin and the housing/tabernacle of YAHWEH’s glory in many Bible passages. We will discuss some key examples as we continue our study. But why do these twin themes figure so prominently in the Scriptures and what makes them so integral to YAHWEH’s plans for mankind?
The reason for the need to cover or house YAHWEH’s Glory/Holy Spirit is that sinful human beings without the cover of Messiah’s blood are unable to look upon YAHWEH’s perfect holiness without great fear and even death. And the reason for the need to cover human sin is that YAHWEH in all His Glory and Perfection is unable to gaze at or be in the presence of sin. The ultimate instance of this is when He turned away from Messiah after placing all sin on Him. There are many other Scriptures detailing both these concepts.
And we see in Exodus 34:29-35 that Moses was forced to cover his face, shining with the glory of YAHWEH, when he spoke to the people since they were afraid to come near him, being sinful and unable to look upon the glory and perfection of YAHWEH reflected in his face. So Moses had to put a veil over his face before speaking to the people but was permitted by YAHWEH to uncover it in His presence. The Hebrew word here translated “veil” comes from a root meaning “to cover.”
YAHWEH’s plan for mankind has evolved over time from the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve were naked, unashamed, and knew no sin or evil. Next they disobeyed YAHWEH by eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, thereby needing their nakedness to be covered as stated earlier in this article. YAHWEH also needed to eject them from the Garden in case they would also eat of The Tree of Life and live forever in their sinful state.
Over time YAHWEH would make covenants or binding agreements with Abraham, Noah, David, and Moses and now in the Last Days He has made a covenant with believers through his son, YAHWEHSHUA Messiah. YAHWEH’s plan of the ages involves selecting and gathering his covenantal BRIDE with whom HE will live eternally in New Jerusalem. Thus the symbolic importance of the marriage covenant between human husband and wife which we will further discuss shortly.
Over the millennia, YAHWEH’s plan has evolved and parts of the Old Covenant have become obsolete for this age as Messiah’s death, burial, and resurrection have accomplished remission or absolute removal of sin for all who put their faith in him.
2 Corinthians 3:7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away,
8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?
9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels.
11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.
12 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech —
13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.
14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Messiah.
15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.
16 Nevertheless when one turns to Yahweh, the veil is taken away.
17 Now Yahweh is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of Yahweh is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of Yahweh, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of Yahweh.
The blood of Messiah takes away the veil for believers who now are able to stand in the very presence of YAHWEH and come without shame before His throne of grace and who have His glorious Holy Spirit miraculously dwelling inside their bodies. And as Paul states in the above passage, believers now have hope and bold speech resulting from the veil’s removal in Messiah.
And also, dramatically, we even see that the “veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” as Yah’shua yielded up his spirit on the stake.
In the New Testament, the Greek #4633 “skene” can be “cloth hut”, “habitation,” “tabernacle,” “dwelling” and “covert.” Interestingly Paul, Aquila, and Priscilla all practiced the profession of tent-making. (Acts 18:1-3). There is quite a bit of symbolism here as they were not only literal tent-makers but also figurative since they were instrumental in building the body of Messiah into a righteous dwelling place fit to house the Holy Spirit.
Here are additional Scriptures confirming the importance to YAHWEH of this concept of tent-dwelling and coverings which may be looked up.
Genesis 33:17
Genesis 25:27
Numbers 1:52, 9:15-17, 16:26-27, and 24:2
All of this brings us to the incredibly supernatural Bible account of The Transfiguration, importantly found in 3 of 4 of the evangels, and confirmed in 2 Peter 1:17-18. It has Messiah leading Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain and then Him becoming “transfigured” or “transformed/metamorphosed” with “His face shining like the sun and His clothes becoming as white as the light,” according to Matthew. Not only this but Moses and Elijah also appeared to the 3 apostles in like glorious form and talked with Messiah.
Mark writes that “His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on Earth can whiten them.” And Luke describes Messiah’s glory thus: “As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening,”
Related to the concept of Coverings, Matthew’s Transfiguration account notably uses the Greek word #1982 “episkiazo” in Chapter 17, verse 5. “While he (Peter) was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed (#1982) them and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud saying, “This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”
According to Strong’s Concordance, Greek #1982 “episkiazo” is related to #1981 “Episkenoo” from #1909 and #4637, to tent upon, i.e. figuratively, abide with or rest upon.
Before we continue with The Transfiguration, let us look at two beautiful Bible references using the Greek #1981 “Episkenoo, “to spread a tabernacle over” (epi=upon, sken=tent) and #1982 “episkiazo”, to cast a shade upon, envelop in a haze of brilIiancy, overshadow.
Greek #1981 is used metaphorically in 2 Corinthians 12:9 by Apostle Paul while he discusses the spiritual benefits of boasting in his infirmities.
2 Corinthians 12:9 And He (YAHWEH) said to me (Paul), “My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Messiah may rest (#1981 or tent) upon me.
Its related Greek word #1982 “episkenoo” is used in Luke 1:34-35.
Luke 1:34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”
35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow (#1982) you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of YAHWEH.
Returning to The Transfiguration, all 3 evangel accounts record Peter speaking to Messiah, saying, “Sovereign, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Peter himself confirms this event, referring to it in his second epistle.
First, this event likely took place during the FOT, although we cannot be 100 per cent certain, even with reading the context around the 3 accounts. But more pointedly is the fact that Peter, upon witnessing the 3 glorious Figures, immediately thinks to build tabernacles to house them! Exactly as we have been discussing this overarching Bible theme of YAHWEH’s glory needing to be covered!
Believers also will receive their own coverings of glorified bodies at the Second Coming of Messiah. Not only glorified bodies but Messiah in John 14 promises believers wonderful accommodations when they spend eternity with Him.
“In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again to receive you to MYSELF; that where I am there you may be also.”
Messiah also ties righteousness/absence of sin to believers’ eternal dwelling place. John records Yah’shua explaining to believing Jews in his first epistle: “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.”
Just as Adam and Eve needed appropriate covering after their Fall from Grace and the believer converted during this Age of the Assembly will receive a glorified body, the believer converted during the Last Great Day must also not be found naked. YAHWEH apparently equates man’s nakedness with his sin nature and has done so since The Fall.
And man must not only not be naked, but must be covered appropriately as MESSIAH’s Bride at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, otherwise to be “cast into outer darkness . .. .where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (aka The Lake of Fire). (Matthew 22:1-14)
The appropriate wedding garment makes the difference between spending eternity in the presence of the Father and the Son inside the gates of New Jerusalem and eternal life without their Glory. It is difficult for sinful man to understand the wide gap between these 2 eternal states and thus as Paul puts it so well, we but see through a mirror darkly until our glorification at the end of this age.
Ever since Adam and Eve sinned by eating of the forbidden Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and became ashamed at their nakedness, nakedness has taken on a bad connotation in the Scriptures. YAHWEH is clearly displeased by nakedness. In Genesis 9, Noah triggered a negative series of events when he was seen naked in his tent by his son Ham. Many other Scriptures describe the shame and humiliation of nakedness. Also quite frequently in the Scriptures, YAHWEH uses nakedness to symbolize Israel’s and saints’ adultery, harlotry, and idolatry in worshipping mightyones other than HIMSELF.
I Samuel 19:24 recounts King Saul stripping off his royal garb and laying down naked as YAHWEH rejects him as Israel’s king.
Amos 2:16 describes YAHWEH’s judgement against Israel at the hands of the Assyrians: “The most courageous men of might shall flee naked in that day.”
Another example is found in Isaiah 20:2-4 where YAHWEH heavily connects being “naked and barefoot” with disgrace and humiliation regarding the Prophet Isaiah, the Egyptians and the Ethiopians. Verse 4 reads “so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians as prisoners and the Ethiopians as captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.”
In Micah 1:6, the Prophet laments for Israel and Judah: “Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked; I will make a wailing like the jackals and a mourning like the ostriches, for her wounds are incurable.”
Revelation 16:15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”
In Isaiah 57, YAHWEH chastises the Israelites for their idolatry, and as often, likens their worship of foreign mightyones to spiritual adultery and being uncovered: “On a lofty and high mountain you have set your bed; Even there you went up to offer sacrifice. Also behind the doors and their posts you have set up your remembrance; For you have uncovered yourself to those other than Me, and have gone up to them; You have enlarged your bed and made a covenant with them; You have loved their bed where you saw their nudity.”
The reader is referred to Ezekiel 16:35-43, a passage detailing YAHWEH’s jealous fury with Israel’s idolatry in which He rebukes her “nakedness uncovered in her (your) harlotry with her (your) lovers.” In verses 37-39, He promises them that “surely, therefore, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, all those you loved, and all those you hated; I will gather them from all around against you and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness. And I will judge you as women who break wedlock or shed blood are judged; I will bring blood upon you in fury and jealousy. I will also give you into their hand, and they shall throw down your shrines and break down your high places. They shall also strip you of your clothes, take your beautiful jewelry, and leave you naked and bare.”
This passage written by Paul beautifully encapsulates YAHWEH’s Salvation Plan for mankind, warns against being found naked, and promises a heavenly habitation for all saints.
2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from Elohim, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven,
3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked.
4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life.
5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is Elohim, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
Numerous Bible passages discuss the importance of proper clothing (i.e. covering) for saints of YAHWEH and His future Bride always wears white robes of linen. Here are just a few:
Revelation 3:4 “You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
5 “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
18 “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
Revelation 7:9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”
14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Ecclesiastes 9:8 Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil.
This verse emphasizes the challenge and importance of the saint remaining pure and righteous, exercising caution and vigilance so to avoid all that is wicked, evil, unholy or profane.
Revelation 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Sovereign, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.
Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in Yahweh, My soul shall be joyful in my Elohim; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
And apparently, good angels wear white as well.
Acts 1:9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,
11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same YahwehShua, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
Ephesians 5:26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious assembly, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
And YAHWEHSHUA himself appears at the End of this Age upon a white horse and “clothed with a robe dipped in blood,”
Revelation 19:7 “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of Yahweh.”
10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of YahwehShua. Worship Yahweh! For the testimony of YahwehShua is the spirit of prophecy.”
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of Yahweh.
14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty Elohim.
16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND SOVEREIGN OF SOVEREIGNS.
The overarching biblical themes of covering/revealing YAHWEH’s Glory and covering/removing man’s sin, so beautifully depicted in Yom Kippur and Hag Sukkot as this article has described, is also found in 1 Corinthians 11 with the Wife’s Headcovering.
The Righteous Wife’s Headcovering, detailed in 1 Corinthians 11, also involves coverings and the exhibition of YAHWEH’s Glory and created order to visible and invisible beings. “But I want you to know that the head of every man (better translated husband) is Messiah, the head of woman (better translated wife) is man (husband), and the head of Messiah is Elohim….For a man (husband) indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of ELOHIM; but woman (wife) is the glory of man (husband)…..But if a woman (wife) has long hair, it is a glory to her …….For this reason the woman (wife) ought to have authority/power (Greek “exousia”) on her head, because of the angels.”
Apparently when believers pray or prophesy, YAHWEH requires them to rightly display His Glory and Created Order to all watching, both human and angelic. The wife must cover her head so as to cover her own glorious hair and herself generally since she is her husband’s glory. The husband’s glory (his wife) must be covered to reveal the Glory of ELOHIM which is man who is also 3rd in YAHWEH’s divine order after 1st ABBA YAHWEH and 2nd MESSIAH.
The Greek word “Exousia” is translated authority or power which YAHWEH desires to exhibit through the wife’s headcovering to all watching, including especially angels. We can surmise that the believer’s guardian angels, according to Scripture, are encouraged to protect the obedient wife when they see her headcovering.
We can also theorize that the fallen angels of Genesis 6 and 2 Peter 2, whom themselves departed from YAHWEH’s divine order and are being held until their just punishment, are discouraged from harming the obedient wife with covered head who boldly proclaims her righteous submission and proper place in YAHWEH’s divine order unlike themselves who disobeyed.
And this makes sense on several levels since we know the saint exposes him or herself to Satan when he or she sins generally. Both good and fallen angels are apparently watching to see if married female believers are upholding YAHWEH’s chain of authority. The headcovering is a special honor, responsibility, and blessing YAHWEH bestows on His married female saints.
Saints of this age who will become priests and kings in the coming kingdom of Messiah on Earth will have as one of their responsibilities the administration and management of the Levitical Priesthood and Sacrificial System in order to fulfill YAHWEH’s righteousness involving blood covering for man’s sin which leads to the ultimate revelation of His Glory upon the Earth.
These two concepts figure prominently throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation as we have seen and are vital to a proper understanding of the spiritual significance of the Feast of Tabernacles and the way it perfectly transitions from Yom Kippur before it. Hag Sukkot is rich with meaning for believers today!
And the amazing miracle Yahweh does related to His glory and sinful flesh is to put His Holy Spirit inside believers’ bodies after cleansing them through water baptism.
Colossians 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom Yahweh would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Messiah in you, the hope of glory:
HalleluYah
(9/21a)