G-d With Us
"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel [G-d with us]." (Isaiah 7:14)
When Messiah came in the first century, He was truly "G-d with us". As the gospel of John tells us:
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
Paul describes our earthly bodies as "tents" (2 Corinthians 5:1, 4) or tabernacles. Some see G-d putting on flesh and dwelling among us as this: G-d put on a tabernacle and dwelt among us. So they translate John's passage above as "And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us..."
John's choice of phrasing in John 1:14, along with other numerous other clues from Scripture (e.g., the "manger" in Luke 2:7 was likely a sukkah), have led many to believe the Yeshua was born on the first day of Sukkot (in a sukkah!) and circumcised at the end of Sukkot on the 8th day.
When Messiah came in the first century, He was "G-d with us". Upon His triumphal return, He will once and forever more be "G-d with us".
Thousand Year Reign
Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)
Many see the apparent connection between the spring moedim and Messiah's first coming. Few, however, see the reference of the fall moedim to the second coming of Messiah. He will return when nobody knows the hour or the day (Matthew 24:36) with a great trumpet (Matthew 24:31), likely on Yom Teruah. First, he will judge the nations (Revelation 11:18), and then He will make atonement for those who are His on Yom Kippur. The time of G-d with us, of G-d tabernacling with us, reigning and ruling for a thousand years, will likely begin on Sukkot.
The Body of Messiah
Paul tells us in Colossians 2 that nobody should act as our judge regarding food, drink, "in respect to a festival," a new moon, or a Sabbath day. These things are a shadow of what is [present tense!] to come, and the substance (or the body) belongs to Messiah (Col 2:16-17). If Messiah's body is casting a shadow that looks like the food laws, the moedim, new moon festivals, and the Sabbath, then they are all pointing to and are an outline of Him.
As we celebrate this moed, He is ever present in the words and images described in the passages of Scripture that describe the festival. Consider again the offerings of Sukkot:
| Day | Bulls | Rams | Lambs | Male Goat Sin Offering |
Verses |
| 1 | 13 | 2 | 14 | 1 | Numbers 29:12-16 |
| 2 | 12 | 2 | 14 | 1 | Numbers 29:17-19 |
| 3 | 11 | 2 | 14 | 1 | Numbers 29:20-22 |
| 4 | 10 | 2 | 14 | 1 | Numbers 29:23-25 |
| 5 | 9 | 2 | 14 | 1 | Numbers 29:26-28 |
| 6 | 8 | 2 | 14 | 1 | Numbers 29:29-31 |
| 7 | 7 | 2 | 14 | 1 | Numbers 29:32-34 |
| 8 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | Numbers 29:35-38 |
The symbology of the offerings for this moed is quite fascinating:
- There are thirteen bulls offered on the first day of Sukkot. Seven is symbolic of fullness or perfection. Six is symbolic of man. This thirteen could mean the perfection of G-d (seven) unified with the imperfection of man (six) in the form of Messiah Yeshua.
- The two rams could also symbolize His dual nature or perhaps His first and second coming.
- The fourteen lambs also picture His first and second coming as the perfect Lamb of G-d.
- Only a single male goat is offered as a sin offering, indicating that there is only one offering for sin: picturing the singular work of Messiah (Romans 5:15).
Let's examine some of the traditions of Sukkot.
