Out of Zion

Dr. Susan Michael: As we end our 10 days of introspection, reflection, and repentance and end with the Day of Atonement, we now enter the seven-day Feast of Tabernacles, known as a Feast of Rejoicing. What a fun time we all will have, Jew and Gentile. We are all invited to celebrate it. So welcome to this week's Shabbat Shalom devotional, when I seek to share just a little inspiration and bring a little peace to the close of your very busy week.

The Feast of Tabernacles is a seven-day feast designed to remember God's provision for the Israelites during their wilderness days. But once they took possession of the land, it became a celebration of God's provision for them in a harvest. As the Israelites celebrated this year's harvest, they then began to pray for rain so that they would have an abundant harvest next year as well. As the tradition developed over the years of how to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, a special water libation ceremony became a critical part of it.

The High Priest would go down to the Pool of Siloam in procession, and they would take their beautiful vessels from the temple and dip them into the living waters of the Gihon Springs there at the Pool of Siloam. They would bring this living water up, process up the hill—if you have been there, it is up the hill—to the Temple Mount. They would pour that water out over the altar, praying for rain, but praying for an outpouring of God's Holy Spirit. This was much more than about rain or just water.

The waters of Siloam had been used during the Old Testament days to anoint the kings of Israel, so it became known as an anointing place, a water of anointing, and the Spirit would come upon that individual then. So the living waters of Siloam became associated with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Pool of Siloam became known as the Well of Salvation and was associated with the Messianic Age. Thus, to the Jewish people of the Second Temple period when Jesus lived, the magnificent temple was there and all of this was in operation.

Pouring of the water on the altar during the Feast of Tabernacles was symbolic of an outpouring of the Holy Spirit during the days of Messiah. I want you to understand that because it was within this complex of the temple and within this context that Jesus proclaimed to the crowd He was the source of living waters. The feast is also one of the three great feasts of Israel. This is the only feast of Israel that it was prophesied that one day the Gentiles would celebrate it.

Back in the 70s, there was a group of Christians living in Jerusalem and they said, "No Christians even understand what the Feast of Tabernacles is, yet it is prophesied that the Gentiles will celebrate it. So we need to begin teaching about the Feast of Tabernacles. We need to begin celebrating it." They were planning to hold the very first Christian celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles there in Jerusalem in 1980. Some of the organizers went to one of the chief rabbis there in Israel and said, "We want to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, but we do not know how. What is your advice?"

They had this meeting and they discussed it. He gave them ideas and meaning behind what they do. Then as this couple was leaving his office, the rabbi summoned them back and said, "If the Gentiles are beginning to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, I hear the footsteps of Messiah." The feast is very much associated with the Messianic Age, and today, because of the pioneering work of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, Christians all around the world understand the meaning of the Feast of Tabernacles.

They are celebrating it in their churches and in their homes. Of course, we are still celebrating it every year there in Jerusalem. I invite you to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles with us this year. You can celebrate from your home by registering for our online Feast of Tabernacles. We link to it down below in today's show notes. You may even have a feast watch party. Gather your church, your friends, or your family and host a little party and watch the feast from Jerusalem.

Once again, we link down below to more information on how to do that and how we can help you do that. Of course, plan to go next year with us to Jerusalem to the feast. It is a wonderful Feast of Messiah, a Feast of Rejoicing. It is a great time. When you take a little break this weekend, prepare to celebrate this joyous Feast of Joy and just celebrate God's goodness to you and all of His provisions to you. With that, I wish you Shabbat Shalom.