RUSSELL SANDERS

9-15-2025

THE FALL FEASTS LESSON 6

THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES – PART 2

SUKKOT

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October 7 is the first day of the biblical Feast of Tabernacles. The feast lasts eight days as seen in Leviticus 23:34-36. We see that the feast is for seven days, then on the eighth day is a holy convocation (a sabbath) where all the congregation are gathered for a solemn assembly to make sacrifices unto the LORD. Immediately following, by tradition, (not scripture) is an additional ninth day called Simchat Torah which we will explain later. The Feast of Tabernacles is commanded to be observed in Deuteronomy 16:13, 16.

This feast is known today by the name of Sukkot, which is also called the Feast of Booths, or of Rejoicing. So, why is it called Sukkot today instead of Tabernacles?

While Israel wandered for 40 years in the wilderness as a nomadic nation, they needed places to live that could be quickly assembled and disassembled to move to new locations. This meant creating a type of hut that could be carried piecemeal with them. This hut was called a sukkot (or sukkoth, or succoth). It was more like a booth, hence the alternative name, Feast of Booths.

Nehemiah 8:14-18 also addresses the Feast of Booths that was to be resumed after the Jews returned from Babylonian captivity. It was to be observed throughout the land. The people were instructed to fetch branches of olive trees, pine, myrtle, palms, and any thick trees. From the tree branches they were to make booths and to dwell in them for the duration of the Feast. The booths were in commemoration of their dwelling 40 years in the wilderness in sukkots. It was the LORD’s way of bringing to their remembrance of how He delivered them from Egypt and preserved the nation through the wilderness years.

We should also have remembrance of how God delivered us from our “Egypt,” the bondage to sin, and how He preserves us through our “wilderness of life” on this earth as we await entry to our “promised land.” (heaven).

In this we rejoice.

HELEN SANDERS

9-15-2023

THE COVENANT KEEPER

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God made a covenant with Abram [later called Abraham] that involved an animal sacrifice. God told Abram that his seed would be as many as the stars in heaven. Abraham was childless when God made this promise.  Abraham was told by God that his seed would be taken to a country they did not know about. We learn about this covenant and this story in Genesis chapter 15.

God said in Genesis 15:13-15 “And he said unto Abram, know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they afflict them four hundred years; 14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.”

Verse 16 says, “But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again…” They had been gone from their promised land for over 400 years, and the nation that had made them into servants would be judged. This nation would be Egypt.

Sure enough, God kept his promise. God was about to raise up a deliverer 430 years later. 

Moses, once raised in Pharaoh’s court, had fled Egypt to save his life. For forty years he tended sheep for his father-in-law. Now he was called by God to go back to Egypt and set God’s people free.  This was not an easy task, there was much rebellion, death, and hardship, but God kept his covenant with Abram and brought it to pass. Israel came to their promised land.

When God makes a covenant, you can be sure that he will keep it.  A new covenant was given to all mankind and involved a living sacrifice, which was Jesus Christ.  This covenant brought us out of sin and placed us in God’s family. Jesus’ shed blood made a way for us to have eternal life.

This covenant insures us eternal life through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. When a person receives salvation from their sin through Jesus Christ, they become part of that covenant. There may be many trials, persecution, lack, and even martyrdom for the Christian, but God will be with us. God never said our lives would be easy, but the end result of this covenant is eternity with the Lord in heaven. 

We may fail often, but God never fails. We can trust that if he makes a promise that it will come to pass. God is a covenant keeper.