Messiah in Sukkot Chapter 20
- Receiving the Forgiving One into our hearts
- Mountain of Transfiguration
- Witness to Messiah’s dedication, sacrifice and glory
- Blessed is He who comes in the Name Adonai
- If any man thirsts, let him come to Messiah and drink the water of life
- Messiah’s feet will one day touch down on the Mount of Olives
- The Gentile Nations and Israel will live together in peace
- Shalom will rule the earth after Messiah’s second coming
Receiving the Forgiving One into our hearts:
True forgiveness is the gift of the Father: what Adonai Avinu (ה’ אבינו) has done is that He has sent His Beloved Son (בן האלהים-ben haElohim) into the world, in human form (בן האדם-*ben HaAdam), to personally secure forgiveness for all who will believe.
*Ben HaAdam Ha-acharon (אדם האחרון).
The Forgiving One: Now that this has been accomplished through the Messiah’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension: The Holy Spirit, the Forgiving One, now resides in every believer’s life. This means that every believer, whether he is consciously aware of it or not, is filled with an intercessory life of forgiveness, the Forgiving One, who constantly cries out on our behalf and all others:
“.אָבִי, סְלַח לָהֶם, כִּי אֵינָם יוֹדְעִים מָה הֵם עוֹשִׂים”
“Father (Avi), forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
“Abba! Avinu!” For the Spirit helps us in our weakness because we do not consciously know how to pray as we should. Therefore, the Spirit Himself prays “for us with groanings (בַּאֲנָחוֹת) too deep for words.” (עֲמֻקּוֹת מִמִּלִּים)
וכן גם הרוח עוזרת לנו בחלשותינו, כי אין אנו יודעים להתפלל כראוי. ואולם הרוח עצמה מפגיעה בעדנו באנחות עמקות ממלים. פ
The Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know how to pray properly. But the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
Mountain of Transfiguration:
The Mount of “Dedicated Sacrifice”:The Messianic implication of Succot is seen in the association of with the Testimony of the Messiah ben Yosef at the Mount of Transfiguration (הר החרמון) Mount Chermon. In the account of the Messiah’s transfiguration his three talmidim awoke from their slumber, they saw the Messiah lit up like the sun (clothed in the glory of the Holy One) and speaking with both Moses and Elijah.
Now is the Time for Sukkot: The first reaction of Messiah’s talmidim when they saw Him transfigured and conversing with Moses and Elijah was to make Sukkahs. The talmid (תלמיד) Shimon ben Yochanan (Cephas, Peter) wanted to build the Sukkahs because with this supernatural event he believed that the Kingdom of Adonai was going to immediately be established on earth.
Shimon reacted in the same way any other observant Jew would react upon both seeing a vision of Elijah and Moses and upon encountering the Shekinah Glory Cloud appearing where the transfigured Messiah stood. This event took place on Mount Chermon. Mount “Chermon” means the Mountain of “Dedicated Sacrifice.” It is written (Mattai 17:1-8; Markos 9:2-8):
וּמִקֵּץ שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים לָקַח לוֹ יֵשׁוּעַ אֶת־פֶּטְרוֹס וְאֶת־יַעֲקֹב וְאֶת־יוֹחָנָן אָחִיו וַיַּעֲלֵם בָּדָד עַל־הַר גָּבוֹהַּ׃ וַיִּשְׁתַּנֶּה לְעֵינֵיהֶם וַיַּזְהִירוּ פָנָיו כַּשֶׁמֶשׁ וּבְגָדָיו כָּאוֹר הִלְבִּינוּ׃ וְהִנֵּה נִרְאוּ אֲלֵיהֶם משֶׁה וְאֵלִיָּהוּ וְהֵם מִדַּבְּרִים אִתּוֹ׃ וַיַּעַן פֶּטְרוֹס וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־יֵשׁוּעַ אֲדֹנִי טוֹב לָנוּ לִהְיוֹת פֹּה אִם־טוֹב בְּעֵינֶיךָ נַעֲשֶׂה פֹּה שָׁלשֹׁ סֻכּוֹת לְךָ אַחַת וּלְמשֶׁה אַחַת וּלְאֵלִיָּהוּ אֶחָת׃ עוֹדֶנּוּ מְדַבֵּר וְהִנֵּה עֲנַן־אוֹר הֵצַל עֲלֵיהֶם וְהִנֵּה קוֹל מִתּוֹךְ הֶעָנָן אֹמֵר זֶה־בְּנִי יְדִידִי אֲשֶׁר רָצִיתִי בוֹ אֵלָיו תִּשְׁמָעוּן׃ וַיְהִי כִּשְׁמֹעַ הַתַּלְמִידִים וַיִּפְּלוּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם וַיִּירְאוּ מְאֹד׃ וַיִּגַּשׁ יֵשׁוּעַ וַיִּגַּע־בָּם וַיֹּאמַר קוּמוּ אַל־תִּירָאוּ׃ וַיִּשְׂאוּ עֵינֵיהֶם וְלֹא רָאוּ אִישׁ בִּלְתִּי יֵשׁוּעַ לְבַדּוֹ׃
לאחר ששה ימים לקח ישוע את כיפא ואת יעקב ואת יוחנן אחיו. הוא העלה אותם להר גבוה לבדם והשתנה לעיניהם; פניו זהרו כשמש ובגדיו הלבינו כאור. לפתע נראו אליהם משה ואליהו כשהם מדברים אתו. הגיב כיפא ואמר אל ישוע: “אדוני, טוב שאנחנו כאן. אם תרצה אעשה פה שלוש סכות, לך אחת, למשה אחת ולאליהו אחת.” עודו מדבר וענן בהיר סכך עליהם והנה קול אומר מתוך הענן: “זה בני אהובי אשר חפצתי בו; אליו תשמעון.” כשמעם זאת נפלו התלמידים על פניהם ופחדו עד מאד. ישוע נגש, נגע בהם ואמר: “קומו ואל תפחדו!” הם נשאו עיניהם ולא ראו איש זולתי ישוע לבדו. פ
Shekinah and the Voice of God: After six days, Yeshua took Keifa, Ya’akov, and Yochanan his brother. He led them up a high mountain by themselves and was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. Suddenly, Mosheh and Eliyahu appeared to them, talking with him. Keifa responded and said to Yeshua, “Master, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will make three shelters here: one for you, one for Moshe, and one for Eliyahu.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” Upon hearing this, the talmidim fell on their faces and were terrified. Yeshua approached, touched them, and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid!” They lifted their eyes and saw no one except Yeshua alone.
“זה בני אהובי אשר חפצתי בו; אליו תשמעון”
“Ze bni ahuvi asher chafat-ti bo; elav tishmaun.”
“This is My beloved Son, in whom I delight; listen to Him.”
This is My Beloved Son! This is My Beloved Son! (בני אהובי). Both statements are true descriptions of Avinu Shebashamayim’s (our heavenly Father’s) most intimate relationship with His favorite son, the Messiah ben Yosef ben David.
Witness to Messiah’s dedication, sacrifice and glory:
Witness of the Mount of Dedication: The witness of the Mountain of Dedication: is a testimony to the Messiah’s eventual exodus into heaven when He, after His death, burial (Moses is a witness to the Messiah’s death), and resurrection gloriously ascended alive up into heaven (Elijah is a witness to the Messiah’s ascension up into heaven).
Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord:
Besorah of Yochanan ben Zebedyah: In the first Jewish Besorah (Gospel, cf. the Proceedings of the Heavenly Court’s testimony of the *Lion) found in the Brit HaChadashah, we read the story of the Rabbi Yeshua’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem to present Himself as the Messiah of Israel as foretold in Zechariah 9:9:
*Lion’s Face of the Heavenly Messiah: The lion’s face symbolizing royalty and the Messiah is found in Ezekiel 1:10 & Ezekiel 10:14:; as well as carved on the temple walls. Ezekiel describes the four living creatures (cherubim) carrying God’s throne chariot; each having four faces: a human face, a lion face, an ox/cherub face, and an eagle face.
Ezekiel 41:19 details the carved decorations on the walls of the visionary temple, where each alternating figure has a human face on one side and a young lion’s face on the other side facing a palm tree.
גִּילִי מְאֹד בַּת־צִיֹּון הָרִיעִי בַּת יְרוּשָׁלִַם הִנֵּה מַלְכֵּךְ יָבֹוא לָךְ צַדִּיק וְנֹושָׁע הוּא עָנִי וְרֹכֵב עַל־חֲמֹור וְעַל־עַיִר בֶּן־אֲתֹנֹֽות׃
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
He is just and endowed with salvation,
Humble, and mounted on a donkey,
Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Now is the Time for Sukkot! Although the people of Israel were preparing to celebrate Pesach, when the multitudes of Yehudim (Jewish) worshipers saw the Messiah entering the city on the donkey, they spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strewn them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried saying:
הוֹשַׁע־נָא לְבֶן־דָּוִד בָּרוּךְ הַבָּא בְּשֵׁם ה’ הוֹשַׁע־נָא בַּמְּרוֹמִים׃
Hosha-na to the son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of Adonai! Hosha-na in the heights!'”
The People were ready for Sukkot: Therefore, at the sight of the Messiah ben Yosef, the multitude of the people were so blessed that they went automatically from preparing to celebrate Passover (being delivered from the slavery and oppression of Egypt) right into celebrating the Festival of Sukkot (celebrating our new life of living free as citizens in our own Promised Land).
If any man thirsts, let him come to Messiah and drink the water of life:
Sukkot 29 (CE), Hebrew Year 3790: The Scriptures record that Rabbi Yeshua ben Yosef’s teaching was the central (controversial) focus at the Fall Festival of Sukkot (Tishri); that occurred six months previous to the Spring (Nisan 3790) Festival of Pesach just referred to above.
The Elite Leaders did not Believe: Society in Judea was divided into several distinct religious, social, and political factions. The four largest : The Prushim (פרושים), Tzedokim (צדוקים) , Hordosim (הורדוסים), and Zealots (קנאים) were looking for Yeshua, murmuring about him, calling him unlearned, accusing him of being possessed by a demon, trying to arrest him; and in the unique case of the Zealots (Kenaim) demanding Rabbi Yeshua support their cause of all-out rebellion against Rome.
The Common People did Believe: Many among the common people of Israel, however, simply believed and professed Rabbeinu Yeshua to be the promised Messiah ben Yosef ben David. Finally on “Hoshana Rabbah” (הושענא רבה) the seventh day of Sukkot (Tishri 21), the Great Day of the Feast where the Messianic hope was at its highest pitch, the Messiah stood and cried saying:
וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הָאַחֲרוֹן הַגָּדוֹל בֶּחַג וַיַּעֲמֹד יֵשׁוּעַ וַיִּקְרָא לֵאמֹר אִישׁ כִּי יִצְמָא יָבֹא־נָא אֵלַי וְיִשְׁתֶּה׃
If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. One who believes in me, as the word is written, from his belly will flow rivers of living water.
Messiah’s feet will one day touch down on the Mount of Olives:
Zechariah: The Scripture that Messiah was giving reference to, as bearing witness to him, would naturally be those passages the Jewish people had heard read to them for the past seven days namely, Zechariah 14:8:
וְהָיָה בַּיֹּום הַהוּא יֵצְאוּ מַֽיִם־חַיִּים מִירוּשָׁלִַם חֶצְיָם אֶל־הַיָּם הַקַּדְמֹונִי וְחֶצְיָם אֶל־הַיָּם הָאַחֲרֹון בַּקַּיִץ וּבָחֹרֶף יִֽהְיֶֽה׃
Isaiah: This passage looks to the time in the (near) future when the glorified-immortal heavenly Messiah returns to earth and his feet will touch down upon the Mount of Olives, a time when living waters will go out from the new Temple to all the land of Israel and go out from the Beautiful Land to be poured out from there upon all the lands and peoples of the world (Isaiah 12:3). Zechariah 14:7 also speaks about the Shekinah Light, that there will be constant light even at evening time!
וְהָיָה יֹום־אֶחָד הוּא יִוָּדַע לַֽ ה’ לֹא־יֹום וְלֹא־לָיְלָה וְהָיָה לְעֵֽת־עֶרֶב יִֽהְיֶה־אֹֽור׃
For it will be a unique day which is known to Adonai, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at evening time there will be light.
Living Waters: And in that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter (Zechariah 14:8).
הִנֵּה אֵל יְשׁוּעָתִי אֶבְטַח וְלֹא אֶפְחָד כִּֽי־עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ ה’ וַֽיְהִי־לִי לִֽישׁוּעָֽה׃ וּשְׁאַבְתֶּם־מַיִם בְּשָׂשֹׂון מִמַּעַיְנֵי הַיְשׁוּעָֽה׃
From the “Springs of Yeshua”: Behold, the Almighty is My Salvation (יְשׁוּעָתִי-Yeshu’ati),
I will trust and not be afraid;
For Yah Adonai is my strength and song,
And He has become My Salvation (יְשׁוּעָה-Yeshu’ah).
Therefore you will joyously (שָׂשׂוֹן-sashon) draw water
From the Springs of Salvation (יְשׁוּעָה-Yeshu’ah) (Isaiah 12:2-3).
וְהָיָה כָּל־הַנֹּותָר מִכָּל־הַגֹּויִם הַבָּאִים עַל־יְרֽוּשָׁלִָם וְעָלוּ מִדֵּי שָׁנָה בְשָׁנָה לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֹת לְמֶלֶךְ ה’ צְבָאֹות וְלָחֹג אֶת־חַג הַסֻּכֹּֽות׃ וְהָיָה אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־יַעֲלֶה מֵאֵת מִשְׁפְּחֹות הָאָרֶץ אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלִַם לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֹת לְמֶלֶךְ ה’ צְבָאֹות וְלֹא עֲלֵיהֶם יִהְיֶה הַגָּֽשֶׁם׃
Global Observance of Sukkot: Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, Adonai Tseva’ot, and to celebrate the Feast of Sukkot. And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Adonai Tseva’ot, there will be no rain on them. (Zechariah 14:16-17)
The Gentile Nations and Israel will live together in peace:
The Commonwealth of Israel: Zechariah 14:16-17 tells us how in the Kingdom Age the gentiles and their nations will (as members of the Commonwealth of Israel) join the Jewish people (who will all be living in the Land of Israel).
Shiloh and the Sacred District of Yerushalayim: Each and every year, representatives of the gentile nations will be required to travel to the Sacred District of Jerusalem (that will stretch all the way from Jerusalem in the south to Shechem in the north) to celebrate the Feast of Sukkot at the new Millennial Temple (cf. “Messiah in Rosh HaShanah II and Chanukkah II”).
Outpouring of the Spirit: Although the prophet Ezekiel reveals that the nations will be able to decide for themselves whether they will send representatives to attend, the penalty for making the wrong choice will be no rain. This yet future warning again hearkens back to the outpouring of the Spirit of the Holy One as prophetically pictured in the water libations during Sukkot.
Shalom will rule the earth after Messiah’s second coming:
וְשָׁפַכְתִּי עַל־בֵּית דָּוִיד וְעַל יֹושֵׁב יְרוּשָׁלִַם רוּחַ חֵן וְתַחֲנוּנִים וְהִבִּיטוּ אֵלַי אֵת אֲשֶׁר־דָּקָרוּ וְסָפְדוּ עָלָיו כְּמִסְפֵּד עַל־הַיָּחִיד וְהָמֵר עָלָיו כְּהָמֵר עַֽל־הַבְּכֹֽור׃
Ruach Chen, “Spirit of Favor”: I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of favor and of supplication, so that they will look on me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10)
וְהָיָה בְכָל־הָאָרֶץ נְאֻם־ה’ פִּֽי־שְׁנַיִם בָּהּ יִכָּרְתוּ יִגְוָעוּ וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית יִוָּתֶר בָּֽהּ׃ וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶת־הַשְּׁלִשִׁית בָּאֵשׁ וּצְרַפְתִּים כִּצְרֹף אֶת־הַכֶּסֶף וּבְחַנְתִּים כִּבְחֹן אֶת־הַזָּהָב הוּא יִקְרָא בִשְׁמִי וַֽאֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה אֹתֹו אָמַרְתִּי עַמִּי הוּא וְהוּא יֹאמַר ה’ אֱלֹהָֽי׃
“It will come about in all the land,”
Declares Adonai,
“That two parts in it will be cut off and perish;
But the third will be left in it.
“And I will bring the third part through the fire,
Refine them as silver is refined,
And test them as gold is tested.
They will call on My name,
And I will answer them;
I will say, ‘They are My people,’
And they will say, ‘Adonai is my God’” (Zechariah 13:8-9).
The Heavenly Messiah will rule on earth: The heavenly Messiah ben Yosef, ben David is returning from heaven to earth to gather together the nation of Israel after cleansing it from what will then be its (last living) persecutors and tormentors (cf. above Zechariah 12:10; 13:8). The Gentile nations will then repent of their opposition and hatred of Adonai’s chosen people and will in peace unite as a global Commonwealth with Israel.
Golden Age of Israel: In the Golden age of Israel all of the nations, peoples, and families of the earth will worship the Adonai Eloheinu and serve Him under the sovereign rule of His heavenly Messiah returned to earth, the Great King who will sit on the throne of David. However, the final fulfillment of the Feast of Booths will not be in the coming messianic kingdom. The final fulfillment of Sukkot will come in the eternal state (in the extended assembly) when joyously, “Adonai Himself shall be (tented, dwell forever) with us [His people] as our Almighty One.”
וְשָׁמַעְתִּי קוֹל גָּדוֹל מִן הַכִּסֵּא אוֹמֵר: “הִנֵּה מִשְׁכַּן הָאֱלֹהִים עִם בְּנֵי אָדָם וְיִשְׁכֺּן עִמָּהֶם; הֵמָּה יִהְיוּ לוֹ לְעַם וְהוּא הָאֱלֹהִים יִהְיֶה עִמָּהֶם , וְיִמְחֶה כָּל דִּמְעָה מֵעֵינֵיהֶם, וְהַמָּוֶת לֹא יִהְיֶה עוֹד; גַּם אֵבֶל וּזְעָקָה וּכְאֵב לֹא יִהְיוּ עוֹד, כִּי הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת עָבְרוּ”. אָמַר הַיּוֹשֵׁב עַל הַכִּסֵּא: “הִנְנִי עוֹשֶׂה הַכֺּל חָדָשׁ”. וְאָמַר: “כְּתֺב, כִּי הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה נֶאֱמָנִים וַאֲמִתִּיִּים הֵם”.פ
In the Eternal State: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with the children of men, and he will dwell with them; and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them. And he shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more: for the former things are passed away.” And he that sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said, Write, for these words are faithful and true.”