We just finished a wonderful season of personal reflection, repentance, and prayer known as the 10 Days of Awe. As I reflect upon those days, and my personal time of reflecting and repenting, I can’t help but stop and wonder what’s next? While these 10 days have been very special, I personally believe that the real “test” of application begins. What will we do with what God has shown us during these 10 days? How will we apply it to our daily walk with Him? How do we let go of the things from which we’ve repented, and not repeat the same mistakes?
We are entering the last part of this wonderful time of the High Holy Days as we celebrate the Feast of Sukkot, also know as the Feast of Booth or Tabernacle. The memorial and celebration of this wonderful feast is found in Leviticus 23:39-43:
“On exactly the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the crops of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the LORD for seven days, with a rest on the first day and a rest on the eighth day. ‘Now on the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees, palm branches and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. ‘You shall thus celebrate it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. ‘You shall live in booths for seven days; all the native-born in Israel shall live in booths, so that your generations may know that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’” So Moses declared to the sons of Israel the appointed times of the LORD.” Leviticus 23:39-43
We are to remember the way God delivered the Children of Israel from the land of Egypt, and not only the fact that He delivered them from there but also provided everything they needed during their forty years in the desert.
The booth that the Children of Israel dwelled in can represent a few things. One is the simplicity of life as one trusts the Provider to provide. At night you can look up and see the stars and reflect upon the Creator. However one of the most significant things which I believe the booth represents is the temporary nature of their dwelling until they reached the Promised Land.
I believe that there is a great parallel for us as believers in this Feast. We are to remember where we came from, remember that it was God who delivered us through is Grace. Remember that when God brought us from darkness to light, we became His children and that He is our provider for everything, as long we keep our eyes on Him. Remember and reflect upon His wonderful creation, and last but not least, remember that this home is just our temporary home on our way to everlasting life with our Father.
I started by asking how we are going take what we have learned during this time and apply it to our daily walk with God? How do we let go of the things from which we’ve repented, and not repeat the same mistakes?
One way my dear brothers and sisters is to remember that this is a temporary dwelling place. That what we do here, the way we invest our time, care for what was entrusted to us etc. is just temporary. However, it will reflect upon the future, just as it reflected upon the Children of Israel in the desert.
Let us keep our eyes on our God, our Deliverer and Provider, and look forward to the day when we will celebrate this wonderful Feast of Booths with our Messiah in His City, the City of Jerusalem:
“Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths.” Zechariah 14:16
Shabbat Shalom and Hag Sameach (A joyous holiday),
Moran
3 Comments on “Our Temporary Dwelling Place”
Thanks Moran! We get too caught up in the here and now in our lives and forget that the Lord called us into the light for His glory not ours. We must stay awake to the work the the Lord has for us!!
Wow! Wow! Wow! Praise Hashem! This is just what I needed to hear once again. G-d loves us so much and always gives us just what we need. Thank you for this wonderful teaching Moran. Blessings from your sister.
You are a blest/blessed Folks. We celebrate and rejoice with you, HE has been faithful to all who wait on HIM,