It is a strange but sad commentary on sinful human nature that the happiest celebration out of the entire year should be the first to be laid aside. But it is true. The Israelites, who were ever prone to slip into idolatry on the one hand, or try to work their way to heaven on the other, missed the divine purpose of Feast of Tabernacles and soon no longer observed it.
It is said that "only by love is love awakened." Yahuwah knew this. And yet love that is unrecognized for what it is, will not awaken love in the heart of the receiver. Such a one will selfishly take that love for granted and never be transformed by its power. It was to generate trust in the heart of His children that Yahuwah instituted Feast of Tabernacles. As they reviewed the preceding year, they were to recognize and recount the many times their loving Father had provided for them and met their needs. This would lead each individual to trust in Yahuwah and His nurturing love.
The feast was a seven-day long feast, beginning on the 15th day of the seventh month (a weekly Sabbath) and ending on the 21st, a preparation day. Because the very next day was also a seventh-day Sabbath, the celebration lasted for eight days. (See Leviticus 23:33-43.)
Feast of Tabernacles was not just for the Israelites. It is a thanksgiving celebration for all people through all time. "You shall keep it as a feast to Yahuwah for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month." (Leviticus 23:41, NKJV)
There are references in scripture to the early Christians keeping the feasts, Acts 18:21 being only one example. Apostolic Christians, those who had direct spiritual descent from the apostles, kept all the feasts, including the Feast of Tabernacles, for centuries. Both Polycarp of Smyrna, (who was taught by John the apostle himself)*, and Methodius of Olympus taught that the feasts were still binding on Christians.
Only as paganism entered the Church in Rome, and began extending its baleful influence, did the feasts come to be set aside by the Church of Rome. Anti-Semitism played a big part in the rejection of Yahuwah's holidays by the paganized Christians. John Chrysostom, a "saint" in the Roman Catholic Church, stated in A.D. 387:
- The festivals of the pitiful and miserable Jews are soon to march upon us one after the other and in quick succession: the feast of Trumpets, the feast of Tabernacles, the fasts. There are many in our ranks who say they think as we do. Yet some of these are going to watch the festivals and others will join the Jews in keeping their feasts and observing their fasts. I wish to drive this perverse custom from the Church right now. . . . Now that the Jewish festivals are close by and at the very door, if I should fail to cure those who are sick with the Judaizing disease. I am afraid that, because of their ill-suited association and deep ignorance, some Christians may partake in the Jews' transgressions; once they have done so, I fear my homilies will be in vain. . . .
- If the Jewish ceremonies are venerable and great, our[s] are lies. . . .
- Does God hate their festivals and do you share in them? He did not say [reject] this or that festival, but all of them together. (John Chyrysostom. Homily I "Against the Jews," (I:5; VI:5; VII:2). Preached at Antioch, Syria in the fall of A.D. 387.**)
True Christians who did not apostatize under the great "falling away" warned of by Paul, adhered to all the Biblical feasts. One of Polycarp's disciples was Polycrates of Ephesus. When Victor, the Roman Bishop wanted to move the Passover celebration to the pagan Easter, Polycrates protested in a letter sent to Victor:
- As for us, then, [the Asian churches] we keep the day without tampering with it, neither adding or subtracting. For indeed in Asia great luminaries have fallen asleep, such as shall rise again on the day of Yahushua's appearing, when he comes with glory from heaven to seek out all his saints: Philip one of the 12 apostles, who has fallen asleep . . . John too, he who 'leant back' on Yahushua's 'breast' . . . He has fallen asleep at Ephesus. . . . Moreover Polycarp too at Smyrna, both Bishop and martyr; . . . These all observed the fourteenth day for the Pascha [Passover] according to the Gospel, in no way deviating there-from, but following the rule of faith. And moreover I also, Polycrates, . . . [do] according to the tradition . . . . " (Second Century Christianity, p. 82, emphasis supplied.)
Polycrates soon sealed his convictions with his blood for, as quoted by Eusebius, he said, "Better people than I have said: We must obey Elohim rather than men." (History of the Church, p. 172)
Feast of Tabernacles, the great festival of rejoicing and thanksgiving is specifically mentioned in Scripture as being observed in the New Earth. In a prophecy that foretells the earth made new, the Bible states:
- And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, Yahuwah of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:16, NKJV)
Let all who would honor their Redeemer, gather at this time to keep the
Feast of Tabernacles and give thanks to Him who laid aside His glory to die for sinners that they, repentant, forgiven and cleansed, could be one with Him.
* As Polycarp was a disciple of John, and kept the feasts, it is a logical conclusion that he learned to keep the feasts from John himself. In his formative young years, Polycarp was acquainted with several who had learned directly from Yahushua while He was on earth.
** Medieval Sourcebook: Saint John Chrysostom, Eight Homilies Against the Jews, Fordham University, http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/chrysostom-jews6.html#HOMILY_I. It should be noted that Fordham University is a Jesuit University.
