Feast of Tabernacles: Transient and Eternal

In the twenty-third chapter of Leviticus, the Israelites were instructed to gather the branches of various trees and construct for themselves temporary shelters to dwell in for the duration of the Feast of Tabernacles/Booths/Temporary Shelters (verses 39-43). Indeed, we read there that this was done to remind them that their ancestors had been forced to live in temporary dwellings after God had rescued them from Egyptian slavery. Hence, we see that Torah very intentionally underscored and celebrated the transient nature of the people's existence during this period.

Moreover, Torah itself underscored that it wasn't only the Israelites who resided in temporary dwellings during this time - they were also instructed to construct a tabernacle for God to dwell in when he was among them! In other words, things were unsettled during this era. The children of Israel had not yet reached the Promised Land - their permanent home, and God's Temple had not yet been constructed at Jerusalem. The people and their God were housed in temporary dwellings.

In the New Testament, we are informed that Jesus Christ said that he came to this earth to fulfill Torah and the Prophets. Likewise, the apostle Paul wrote to the disciples at Colosse that these festivals were shadows of the reality found in Jesus Christ. Hence, the question naturally arises: How does this particular festival relate to Jesus Christ?

Interestingly, in the Gospel of John, we are informed that Jesus celebrated the Feast of Temporary Dwellings (chapter 7). First, we are told there that the Jewish leaders had been plotting to kill Jesus (7:1). This information, of course, is consistent with the theme of this narrative that "the Word became human and made his home among us." (1:14)

Initially, we are informed that Christ chose not to accompany the rest of his family to Jerusalem to celebrate the festival (7:2-10) Obviously, the context makes clear that Jesus did not want to draw attention to himself or his attendance. He knew that there was a great debate raging about him, and he also knew that it was not yet the time for him to offer himself as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity. Consequently, the debate raged on - Who is this guy? Is he the Messiah? Where is he? (7:11-13)

Finally, midway through the festival, we are told that Jesus began to teach at the Temple (7:14). We are also informed that the crowd was astonished that someone without any formal training could have such a depth of knowledge (verse 15). Christ responded: "My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me. Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies. Moses gave you the law, but none of you obeys it! In fact, you are trying to kill me." (Verses 16-19) Jesus had the words of life - he spoke of eternity, but the mob wanted to end his life!

Next, we are informed that the crowd accused him of being possessed by a demon, but that Christ reminded them about what he had actually done and taught (verse 20). Then, Jesus told them: "I did one miracle on the Sabbath, and you were amazed. But you work on the Sabbath, too, when you obey Moses’ law of circumcision. (Actually, this tradition of circumcision began with the patriarchs, long before the law of Moses.) For if the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to break the law of Moses. So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath? Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly." (Verses 21-24) In other words, you folks who glory in Torah (the law of Moses) don't understand it and are actually violating its spirit!

Of course, all of this only intensified the debate that was raging about Jesus (verses 25-31). In fact, we are told that the Jewish leaders became so concerned about what was being said about Jesus that they sent some of the Temple guards to arrest him (verse 32). Even so, Christ's reaction to all of this bewildered them. John informs us that Christ said: "I will be with you only a little longer. Then I will return to the one who sent me. You will search for me but not find me. And you cannot go where I am going." (Verses 33-34) Once again, Jesus was contrasting the transient with the eternal, and the Jewish religious leaders simply didn't understand what he was talking about (verses 35-36).

In John's account of Christ's celebration of the Feast of Booths, we come at last to the last day - the great day - the climax of the festival (verse 37). Notice what Christ had to say on that day. He said: "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'" (Verses 37-38) There it is again! Christ, though he was then currently dwelling in the tabernacle of a human form, declared himself to be the source of eternity.

Moreover, so that there wouldn't be any room for misunderstanding, John added a little commentary of his own. He wrote: "(When he said 'living water,' he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)" (Verse 39) Now, we understand that John was writing from hindsight. At the time of these events, like the Jewish leaders, Christ's disciples did not yet understand the contrast that Christ was drawing between the transient and the eternal. It was only after his arrest, death, burial, and resurrection that all of this became clear to them. Indeed, the remainder of the account reinforces the fact that the debate about Christ continued (verses 40-52)!

Of course, we are the beneficiaries of John's insight into these things. Toward the close of his Gospel, we read: "The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name." (20:30-31) This is the message of the Gospel, and the message of this festival: The transient and eternal Christ has made possible eternity for us transient folk of planet earth!