Last week my friend, Sinkler Boone, and I were enlisted to help build a tabernacle, or “Sukkah,” in a church yard for the Biblical fall festival of “Tabernacles,” or the Feast of “Sukkot.” It was a lot of fun!

We cut some small scrub trees for erecting a simple square structure, and gathered greenery for the sides and top. Nothing needs to be exactly level or square, and that definitely adds to the enjoyment! In the midst of our construction efforts, our wives fixed us plates of lovely food! Boy, did that add to the enjoyment! We felt sorta like Amish folks building a barn or something!

Many Christian fellowships observe this festival by building these structures and holding a seven-day camping event. Most stay in tents or campers though, ‘cause the tabernacles leak like a sieve! Jewish folks were mandated in the book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament to live in the structures for seven days, there to remember how they wandered in the wilderness until they were rescued by God. We have Jewish friends in Israel and they always look forward to “Tabernacles” with joy and excitement, when thousands do, indeed, stay outdoors in these shelters, dancing, singing, visiting and feasting with everyone. There’s no rain in Israel at this time of year, so they don’t have to worry about getting wet!

The feasts — there are seven of them — were the times that God set on their calendar for them to interact with Him, and He with them. Many believe that the Feasts were and are prophetic of things to come. The Apostle Paul called these festivals “shadows of things to come, but that the reality (casting the shadow) is Jesus Christ.”

Here’s a few instances: The first, and most important feast, held in the spring, was “Passover” to be celebrated forever, in remembrance of their affliction and deliverance out of Egypt. Jesus is the Passover Lamb of God: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” — John 1:29.

Next is the feast of “Unleavened Bread.” Jesus is the Unleavened Bread of Life: “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever” — John 6:51. Then comes “First fruits,” a feast of promise: “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep”— 1 Corinthians 15:20. Next comes Pentecost: “And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place ... and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit…” (Acts 2:1-4).

On the last and greatest day of the festival of Tabernacles, Jesus made an earth-shattering proclamation: “On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’” (John 7:37-38).

So do I believe that Christians are mandated or obligated to observe the “Feasts?” No. I do, however, believe that we can enjoy these festivals, learn from them and be reminded of our Creator and Savior Jesus Christ, who “Forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13-14).

“Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon festival celebration, or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ” (Colossians 2:16-17).

Since we are fully forgiven and fully qualified in Christ (Colossians 1:12), we should not let anyone question our salvation due to our “failure” to obey rules about diet and days.

The rules and Sabbaths, like circumcision, symbolized a reality that we now have in Jesus. When we have the fullness, we don’t need the shadow.

T&D Columnist Rush Button can be reached by e-mail at buttonrl@aol.com or by phone at 803-534-3724.

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