Pictures of Christ in the Feasts of Tabernacles!

This was a post I had to do for a discussion board.

The Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booth was one of the three feasts every year on the Jewish calendar (Lev 23:34) that every Male Jew was required to attend (Deut 16:16). During this feast, the male Jews were commanded by the Lord to live in booths (Lev 23:40-42). Lev 23:43 states, “that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God”. Sometimes these booths were small tents and can be referred to as tabernacles. This feast commemorated Israel’s wandering in the wilderness and the end of the harvest.

There are several types of pictures and symbolism in the Old Testament that point forward to Jesus coming and what he would do. “One of the most generally accepted types in Scripture is that of the tabernacles” (Towns, 2002b). In Exodus 25-31 God gives directions for building the tabernacle. The tabernacle was direction on how to worship God. Jesus is the fulfillment of its typology, “for it sets forth a picture of His early ministry” (Geisler, 2007).

In Geisler’s (2007) book A Popular Survey of the Old Testament, He illustrates the following:

The door of the tabernacle taught that there is only one way to God; Jesus said, “I am the door” (John 10:9). The brazen altar taught substitution is necessary for atoning sins; Jesus said, “I give my life a random for many” (Mark 10:45). The laver pictured purification is needed for God’s presence (John 13:8). The lamps symbolized illumination is needed to do God’s work and Jesus said, “ I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). The bread was a picture of sustenance is needed for God’s people and Jesus said, “I am praying for them” (John 17:9). The veil pictured a separation between God and His people and Jesus went behind the curtain for us (Heb 6:19-20; 10:20). The mercy seat was a beautiful picture of how only blood can make atonement for sin and Jesus “is the expiation for our sins” (1 John 2:2). Lastly the priest was a picture that God must be approached through representation and Jesus is our representation (Heb 6:19, Heb 9:25). (p. 61)

The Tabernacle was a way of teaching the children of Israel of Christ and what he would do. It was the “identification of the presence of God for Israel” (Ex 40:34), “It was an illustration of God’s plan of salvation for the world “ (Heb 9:9-11), “it was an incarnation of the person of God for His people (John 1:14), and it was prefiguration of the pattern of God in heaven (Heb 9:23,24; Rev 4-5). The tabernacle was pitched among the people and John 1:14 says He dwelt (pitch His Tent) among us. Christ also is presented as our high priest who makes intercession for us (Heb 7:25).

         There are many symbolisms in the bible that point forward to how the messiah would come and what he would do. The fulfillment of the pictures of the Feast of Booths and the Tabernacle is standing among the people. On the great day, the last day of the feast, the priests provided a powerful picture of Israel’s longing for her messiah (Courson, 2003). The priest would gather water from the pool of Siloam and pour it in the temple as a sign of God provision for the thirst of their bodies (Courson, 2003).

On the last day of the feast, the priests returned from the pool of Siloam with empty pitchers as an illustration of their need for the One to satisfy the thirst of their hearts. It was during this time that Jesus cried out with a loud voice, if any man thirst, let him come to me and drink and out of His belly will flow living water (John 7:37-39). Jesus was referring to the Spirit that would come after His death on the cross. When the people heard this, it was causing division among them. The Jews knew that this was a claim to be the messiah. Jesus was the perfect fulfillment of the picture of the tabernacle, the feast of booths, and the ceremonial need for God’s provision through living water.

Reference:

Courson, J. (2003). Jon Courson’s Application Commentary: New

Testament. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publisher’s.

Geisler, N. L. (2007). A Popular Survey of the Old Testament. Grand

Rapids: Baker Academic

Towns, E. L. (2002a). The Gospel of John: Believe and Live. Chattanooga:

AMG Publishers.

Towns, E. L. (2002b). Theology for Today. Belmont: Wadsworth