Messiah in Sukkot Chapter 20
- Messiah’s birth at Beit-Lechem on Sukkot
- Good news of great joy
- The Light-bringer
- The Light was conceived in Israel then revealed to the World
- He is the Light of all humanity
- Forty-week period of 286 days from Chanukkah to Sukkot
Messiah’s birth at Beit-Lechem on Sukkot:
וַיְהִי בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וַיֵצֵא צַו מֵאֵת קֵיסַר אוֹגוּסְטוֹס לִמְנוֹת אֶת־כָּל־יֹשְׂבֵי תֵבֵל׃ וְהַמִּפְקָד הַזֶּה הָיָה הָרִאשׁוֹן בִּהְיוֹת קוּרִינִיּוֹס שַׁלִּיט בְּסוּרְיָא׃ וַיֵּלְכוּ כֻלָּם לְהִתְפָּקֵד אִישׁ לְעִירוֹ׃ וַיַּעַל גַּם־יוֹסֵף מִן־הַגָּלִיל מֵעִיר נְצֶרֶת אֶל־יְהוּדָה לְעִיר דָּוִד הַנִּקְרֵאת בֵּית־לָחֶם כִּי־הָיָה מִבֵּית דָּוִד וּמִמִּשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ׃ לְהִתְפָּקֵד עִם־מִרְיָם הַמְאֹרָשָׂה לוֹ וְהִיא הָרָה׃ וַיְהִי בִּהְיוֹתָם שָׁם וַיִּמְלְאוּ יָמֶיהָ לָלֶדֶת׃ וַתֵּלֶד אֶת־בְּנָהּ הַבְּכוֹר וַתְּחַתְּלֵהוּ וַתַּשְׁכִּיבֵהוּ בָאֵבוּס כִּי לֹא־הָיָה לָהֶם מָקוֹם בַּמָּלוֹן׃
“In those days a decree went forth from Caesar Augustus (Keisar Ogustos), to count all of the inhabitants of the world. This was the first census taken while Quirinius (Kuriniyos) was the leader of Syria (Surya). All of them went to be counted, each in his own town. Yosef went up from Galil, from the town of of Nezeret to Yehudah, to the city of David called Beit-Lechem, because he was from the house of David and from his family, to be counted (register) with Miryam, who was betrothed to him. She was pregnant. While they were there, the days were fulfilled to give birth. She gave birth to her son, the firstborn, swaddled him (she wrapped Him in cloths), and laid Him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the lodging place.”
Good news of great joy:
וְרֹעִים הָיוּ בָּאָרֶץ הַהִיא לֵנִים בַּשָּׂדֶה וְשֹׁמְרִים אֶת־מִשְׁמְרוֹת הַלַּיְלָה עַל־עֶדְרָם׃ וְהִנֵּה מַלְאַךְ ה’ נִצָּב עֲלֵיהֶם וּכְבוֹד ה’ הוֹפִיעַ עֲלֵיהֶם מִסָּבִיב וַיִּירְאוּ יִרְאָה גְדוֹלָה׃ וְהִנֵּה מַלְאַךְ ה’ נִצָּב עֲלֵיהֶם וּכְבוֹדה’ הוֹפִיעַ עֲלֵיהֶם מִסָּבִיב וַיִּירְאוּ יִרְאָה גְדוֹלָה׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם הַמַּלְאָךְ
“There were shepherds in that land staying in the field and keeping the nighttime guard duty over their flock. Suddenly an angel of Adonai (the LORD) was stationed over them, and the glory of Adonai (shone) appeared to them all around. They were extremely frightened. The angel said to them:”
אַל־תִּירָאוּ כִּי הִנְנִי מְבַשֵּׂר אֶתְכֶם שִׂמְחָה גְדוֹלָה אֲשֶׁר תִּהְיֶה לְכָל־הָעָם׃ כִּי הַיּוֹם יֻלַּד לָכֶם מוֹשִׂיעַ אֲשֶׁר הוּא הַמָּשִׁיחַ הָאָדוֹן בְּעִיר דָּוִד׃ וְזֶה לָכֶם הָאוֹת אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצְאוּן יֶלֶד מָחְתָּל וְשֹׁכֵב בָּאֵבוּס׃ וּפִתְאֹם הָיָה אֵצֶל הַמַּלְאָךְ הֲמוֹן צְבָא הַשָּׁמָיִם וְהֵם מְשַׁבְּחִים אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים וְאֹמְרִים׃ כָּבוֹד בַּמְּרוֹמִים לֵאלֹהִים וּבָאָרֶץ שָׁלוֹם בְּאַנְשֵׁי רְצוֹנוֹ׃
“Do not fear, for I bring you news of great joy that will be for the entire people. For today a savior was born to you who is the Mashiach, the Master, in the city of David. And this will be the sign that you will find: a child that is swaddled and lying in a feeding trough.” Suddenly there was with the angel the vast legion of Heaven, and they were praising God and saying, “Glory in the heights to the Almighty, and on earth, shalom among men of His favor (His will).”
The Light-bringer:
וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר עָלוּ מֵעֲלֵיהֶם הַמַּלְאָכִים הַשָּׁמָיְמָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ הָרֹעִים אִישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵהוּ נַעְבְּרָה־נָּא עַד בֵּית־לֶחֶם וְנִרְאֶה הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר הוֹדִיעָנוּ ה’׃ וַיְמַהֲרוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ וַיִּמְצְאוּ אֶת־מִרְיָם וְאֶת־יוֹסֵף וְאֶת־הַיֶּלֶד וְהוּא שֹׁכֵב בָּאֵבוּס׃ וַיִּרְאוּ וַיַּשְׁמִיעוּ אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַנֶּאֱמָר אֲלֵיהֶם עַל־הַנַּעַר הַזֶּה׃ וְכָל־הַשֹּׁמְעִים תָּמְהוּ עַל הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר־דִּבְּרוּ אֲלֵיהֶם הָרֹעִים׃ וּמִרְיָם שָׁמְרָה אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וַתְּחַשְּׁבֵם בְּלִבָּהּ׃ וַיָּשׁוּבוּ הָרֹעִים וְהֵם מְהַלֲּלִים וּמְשַׁבְּחִים אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים עַל־כֹּל אֲשֶׁר שָׁמְעוּ וְרָאוּ כְּפִי־אֲשֶׁר נֶאֱמַר אֲלֵיהֶם׃
“When the angels had ascended from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us cross over to Beit-Lechem then, and see this event that Adonai has informed us about!’ Hurrying, they came and found Miryam, Yosef, and the child who was lying in the feeding trough. They saw and proclaimed what they had been told about this boy. All those who heard were amazed about the things the shepherds told them. But Miryam guarded these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned and were praising and glorifying God about all that they had heard and seen, just as they had been told.”
The Light was conceived in Israel then revealed to the World:
In the time of the Second Temple #1. In Temple times (before 70 CE when the Temple was destroyed) during the seven days of the feast of Sukkot, seventy bulls were sacrificed.
In the time of the Second Temple #2. These sacrifices of the seventy bulls cumulatively and collectively represent a global sacrifice representing the original seventy nationalities recorded in Genesis (cf. Genesis 10:1 ff.).
In the time of the Second Temple #3. Additionally, the great outdoor lights (lamp stands), four in all, represented the Shekinah glory cloud shining brilliantly out over all four corners of the earth (north-south-east-west).
In the time of the Second Temple #4. The marvelous annual visual display of Sukkot reached the zenith of its meaning when the Messiah, while attending the festival declared:
וַיֹּסֶף יֵשׁוּעַ וַיְדַבֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם לֵאמֹר אֲנִי אוֹר הָעוֹלָם כָּל־הַהֹלֵךְ אַחֲרַי לֹא יִתְהַלֵּךְ בַּחֲשֵׁכָה כִּי־אוֹר הַחַיִּים יִהְיֶה־לּוֹ׃
“I am the Light of the World, and he who follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the Light of Life.” (Or Ha-Chaim).
He is the Light of all humanity:
Abiding in the Light of Life #1. Those who believe in the Messiah Yeshua have received the true light, “Which gives light to every person coming into the world.” In Him is life and this life is the “light of men.”
Abiding in the Light of Life #2. It is the responsibility of every follower of the Messiah to thoroughly understand and bear witness to the Light of the World (Yeshua) who lives within them.
Abiding in the Light of Life #3. The Messiah’s followers need to consciously be aware that Yeshua not only has taken up residence in the Holy of Holies, the Holy Place, and the Treasury of Heaven but the Holy One of the Almighty (Kedosh Ha-Elohim) also needs to take up residence down here on earth in our hearts, minds and souls. Therefore, this means the Spirit of the Rabbi of Heaven needs to be regally walking about and manifesting His Divine Mercy and Love throughout the behavioral and relational realms (courtyards) of our “everyday” earthly existence (i.e. our physical, psychological and behavioral existence).
Forty-week period of 286 days from Chanukkah to Sukkot:
The narrative of the Most High regarding Ben Elyon (His Son), who is the Word of Life (D’var HaChayim), is transforming our lives and the lives of others through His procreative character and regenerating power (Gevurat Elohim). The virgin conception and birth is a horizon-to-horizon view (a “dream“) of what real forgiveness-reconciliation-shalom is and what real Divinely sourced forgiveness-reconciliation-shalom actually does:
Messiah
Yeshua’s conception
And birth provide humanity
With a saving hope. By the power
Of the Holy Spirit a New Creation
Has Been brought into existence. Through
The help of the Spirit of Grace and Truth:
The Fruit of Light, the Fruit of Goodness,
Righteousness, and Truth is maturing and
Will soon be ready for the time of Great
Harvest. Through the Life of the Holy
One a new King has been born. And
With His appearance the kingdom
Of heaven has been given
A New birth!