Goodbye Tabernacles?

We’re fast approaching the closing of “Sukkoth,” the Feast of Tabernacles which comes to us at the end of each year in the Jewish calendar. And I hope we’ve had a Feast in Tabernacles not just a Feast of Tabernacles. If not, it’s never too late to begin.

The central theme of this Feast isn’t so much the hut or booth as much as the family and members of God’s congregation coming together. What good is a hut (or booth) if our visit and discussion is all wrong and irrelevant?

To me, Sukkoth is about families coming together to enjoy God’s presence, His provision and protection. Please notice I said, “Families” because it’s a time when children bring their children and their children’s children to assemble in an outside booth to celebrate God’s faithful goodness throughout the entire year.

I am one hundred percent convinced that the only method we’re going to survive the onslaughts that lie ahead and are already among is by celebrating perpetual Sukkoths by families joining together to pray, to learn and to share each others goods. Today we call this community—the assembling of saints (Jew or Gentile Christians).

During my adolescence, we had no space in the church building for our growing Sunday School class so we often met under a Mesquite tree outside, or in the shade provided by the side of the church building. Some of my best prayer and bible studies with men have been under a huge oak tree with low reaching branches. These trees remind me of our family trees—families connected like branches to the trunk and the trunk to its roots.

During my elementary years we’d spread open some harsh and thorny bushes in order to make our own little succa or hut in the middle of it. This little thorny hut served as protection from our imaginary enemies. We even had secret entrances into it.

The only way we’re going to survive the grave challenges coming at us today—such as the biggest tax hikes in America’s history coming up in 1/11—will be by our tabernacle lifestyle. This is how God’s family will overcome through its hardy sense of devotion to God, to family and to community. There’s no other way to endure what’s ahead without God in the middle of our community life where we all pull together.

Don’t you think it’s time to get real about the fact that God is preparing us on how to return to a lifestyle of modesty, simplicity and integrity of heart?

In closing, let me say that when David sang the 27th Psalm, the 4th verse gives us the heart of a Tabernacle lifestyle. But in verse 5, he reminds us that God will keep us safe in the “shelter of his Tabernacle.” Then in verse 6, David declares that he’s not going to moan and groan while he presents his sacrifices but shout with joy and with music to the Lord.

May we learn to live in the daily Sukkoths of our life in God!

Hag Sameah – Happy New Year!

Dell

PS, My new book,“Out from Hiding” will be coming off the press shortly—I’ll keep you posted. If you're interested in obtaining a copy as soon as it's off the press, send me an email at negevdell@hotmail.com.