Participants: Alex Schlusser (Host), Rachael Hyman (Host), Sasha Bolotnikov
Series Code: BTOR
Program Code: BTOR000016
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00:01 Have you ever wondered
00:02 what the Feast of Tabernacles is all about? 00:04 Well, if you join us today you will find out. 00:27 And welcome once again to "Back to our Roots." 00:29 I'm your host Pastor Alex Schlusser 00:32 and my co-host-- Rachel Hyman. 00:34 And we want to welcome you, 00:35 we are so happy that you have joined us today 00:37 on Back to our Roots. 00:38 Today, we have a very interesting topic. 00:42 We are gonna be talking about the Feast of Tabernacles 00:44 or as it is known in the bible Sukkot. 00:48 So, Rachel, when we talk about Sukkot 00:50 what kind of things does that bring to mind. 00:52 What do you know about Sukkot? 00:54 You know, when I was growing up in Jewish neighborhoods 00:55 I always remember the Sukkah in the backyards of Jewish family. 01:00 And what's the Sukkah? 01:02 Sukkah is a representative of, you can tell us. 01:04 Well, it's that little building, 01:06 right that they make. 01:07 That with no roof on it. 01:08 Exactly, exactly, it's a little temporary structure 01:12 that's put up during that time of the year 01:15 and the idea is to remember that our life here is temporary 01:22 that the real permanent things are the things of God. 01:26 As you mentioned you know, it's a little, 01:27 little building that has no real walls 01:31 and the roof is see through 01:33 because you want to be able to see the stars. Very fragile. 01:35 Exactly, because you know that's the way life is, 01:38 but there is definitely some very strong 01:41 biblical origins to Sukkot 01:44 and may be more importantly 01:46 boy, there is some pictures of our Messiah of Jesus 01:50 that is found in the whole idea of Tabernacles 01:53 that we are gonna explore today. 01:55 So before we go much further 01:57 I'm going to invite our brother Alexander Bolotnikov, 02:00 we call him our scholar Dr. Sasha to join us 02:04 and we are gonna begin our discussion for today. 02:06 Sasha, how are you today? 02:07 Hey, Alex. Hey, Rachel. 02:09 Hey, Sasha. Good to see you. 02:10 So Sasha, today we are talking about Sukkot 02:14 and we want to jump right in on what the Bible, 02:18 what the Torah has to say about Sukkot? 02:21 Well, Sukkot first of all has been presented 02:25 as one of the three pilgrimage festivals. 02:29 First it appears in Exodus Chapter 23 02:33 as three festivals on which every Israelite 02:38 is supposed to come before the Lord to Jerusalem. 02:45 Second of all, this festival is connected with full harvest 02:50 which in Israel is the harvest of olives and grapes. 02:57 And of course, third, 03:00 Sukkot commemorates the events of Exodus 03:06 during the Sukkot it is commanded 03:10 for Israelites to live in booths and-- 03:16 Which is where we get that the name 03:19 that it's actually called right, the Sukkah. 03:20 Sukkah is a little tent, little booth 03:24 in a more fancy Tabernacle. 03:28 You know, so, this basically 03:32 and people are also told 03:36 to take the beautiful leaves, willows trees. 03:42 Like the myrtles. 03:43 The myrtles, they make such a kind of, 03:46 what is it like a bouquet or a ranch. 03:48 Probably the best way to explain. 03:50 Yeah, known as a lulav and then they have a citron. 03:55 Citron looks like a lumpy lemon. 03:57 Yes. You know, interesting. 04:00 I mean, that's what it looks like a big lumpy lemon. 04:03 And what's a citron. That's etrog. 04:06 It's a type of fruit. 04:08 Because the scripture says that 04:10 you are supposed to take the beautiful fruit, right. 04:13 And I think there have been a tradition was is that 04:16 it has this really nice smell 04:20 as well as it's like the-- it's the taste, yeah. 04:23 Yes, it kind of taste like a lemon, 04:26 but it's just beautiful. But the smell is really good. 04:29 I remember that you scratch the skin very lightly 04:32 and it has this really nice smell to it. 04:34 So are these more of like rabbinical traditions 04:37 that were taken to-- 04:38 Well, it's the-- I guess we would say 04:41 it's the rabbinical interpretation 04:43 of what the Bible said. 04:44 Yeah, because the Bible says, the Bible says, 04:46 beautiful fruit and that's how Rabbi is showed 04:50 that's the beautiful fruit. Makes sense. 04:52 So, and the other aspect is that 04:56 Sukkot actually concludes the ritual year of the sanctuary 05:04 with a big celebration and you go to you know, 05:09 we talked about Exodus 23, we talked about Leviticus 23, 05:14 Exodus 23 is the pilgrimage. 05:17 Leviticus 23-- Is the feast. 05:19 Is the description, the booth and-- 05:21 And Sukkot comes right on the hills of Yom Kippur 05:25 on the Day of Atonement. 05:26 And as we talked in our other program 05:29 in fact after the end of Yom Kippur, 05:32 that's when the sound, the Shofar, the ram's horn 05:37 and that's ram's horn heralds the coming of the Messiah, 05:43 so Sukkot is kind of a big messianic feast. 05:47 Which we are gonna get way into that as we move on. 05:50 And so, in the Book of Numbers Chapter 29 05:54 they show all kinds of sacrifices there you know, 05:57 you start with rams and bulls and you go 15 bulls 06:03 and you go all the way down to seven, 06:05 which makes a lots of sacrifice. 06:08 Yeah, yeah. Really. 06:10 So, I want to jump way ahead now 06:13 because I-- today, I have been 06:16 really excited about this program. 06:18 I want to spend the majority of our time now talking about Jesus 06:22 and how He is engaged in Sukkot and it's just amazing. 06:30 I need to set this up though 06:33 and talk just a little bit about 06:35 what the celebration of Sukkot was like in the first century. 06:42 There is a lot of writings. 06:44 Now, let me make it clear 06:45 that that the celebration that took place 06:48 and I'm gonna describe is not biblical. 06:51 This is rabbinic tradition, but nonetheless 06:54 this is what was happening at the time that Yeshua, 06:57 Jesus was walking on the face of the earth, okay. 07:01 It was a very old tradition that goes way back. 07:03 And that's very important to demonstrate it 07:07 because when you start looking 07:09 at the description of the Sukkot in John Chapter 7 07:15 and you compare with Book of Numbers-- They don't-- 07:18 They don't match and for many years I was studying this 07:24 and I couldn't understand, what is Jesus doing? 07:28 Because it is interesting that 07:31 John 7 gives a little reference very abbreviated. 07:36 So let me set the stage before we get ahead with John 7. 07:40 So what is written and the description that were given 07:46 is that on Sukkot-- In the Mishnah. 07:48 In the Mishnah, which is rabbinic writings. 07:52 I mean it's our best snapshot of what the history 07:55 and what the worship practice was like during that time period 07:59 that Sukkot was considered a great celebration, 08:03 right, a time of rejoicing 08:05 and on the temple, the temple mount as it were 08:10 the description is that there was four giant candelabras 08:14 they had four bowls containing oil with many gallons of oil. 08:20 That the wicks were the shredded clothes 08:22 the cloths of the priest that have been worn out 08:25 would be turned into wicks 08:27 that young boys would climb up great ladders 08:31 and would fill these bowls 08:33 and these menorahs or these big candelabras would be lit 08:37 and it's said that for miles and miles 08:40 you could see the mount that Jerusalem would be lit. 08:43 Because remember, it's not like today 08:45 where you have city lights or anything. 08:46 It would be basically pretty dark, 08:48 all they had where these little oil lamps. 08:49 So during that celebration these great candelabras would be lit 08:54 and everything would be illuminated 08:56 which one was an amazing thing. 08:58 You could see Jerusalem from miles away lit up 09:02 and then it culminated 09:04 with what they call the water libation ceremony 09:07 where the priest, the high priest would lead 09:10 a cast of all the priest 09:12 and they would do all types of acrobatics 09:14 the scripture or the Mishnah. 09:16 Talks on scriptures, the Mishnah said 09:18 that they juggled, that they dance 09:20 that they did all these things 09:21 as they paraded down the steps to the Pool of Siloam, okay. 09:26 And the high priest would take a pitcher 09:30 and would dip in and bring this water, right 09:33 and they would proceed back up 09:35 where they would begin to pour out the water. 09:38 So I want to turn it over-- 09:39 Upon the altar. Upon the altar. 09:41 So I want to turn over to Sasha, 09:42 because there are some biblical illusion 09:45 things that are happening here with the water libation 09:49 before we move on to Jesus. 09:51 Sasha, why don't you take it at this point? 09:53 Well, it is interesting that they were pouring the water 09:57 upon the brazen Altar of the temple. 10:01 It's old--it's against what is written in Leviticus 6. 10:07 In Leviticus 6, it says that the fire of the burnt offering 10:10 upon the altar cannot go out. 10:13 So on Sukkot, the fire actually 10:17 would be extinguished with that water. 10:20 And so in the Talmud it is-- 10:23 Which again is rabbinical writing. 10:25 Yes, it is written, why are they-- 10:28 on what biblical grounds do they do this 10:32 and they bring the text, it's Isaiah 12:6, 10:38 you shall pour out the water, 10:41 draw out the water from the springs of salvation. Wow. 10:47 And if you look at this text alone 10:51 you don't get what they are saying 10:53 but you have to see not only one verse, 10:57 you have to see it in a context. 10:59 The context of this is a beautiful 11:02 prophetic oracle of Isaiah that starts in Isaiah Chapter 11 11:08 and where it talks about the roots, 11:12 they shoot from the root of Jesse that comes 11:16 and the Sprit of the Lord-- Will rest upon Him. 11:19 Shall rest upon Him. 11:21 And then it says that, 11:23 that resting of the Spirit of the Lord 11:26 leads to the opening of the kingdom 11:28 where lion shall lie with the lamb. 11:32 You know, so this is what-- 11:34 this is the conclusion that Isaiah 12-- 11:37 I don't know who put this number 12 on this chapter 11:40 but, that's the conclusion, 11:41 that's the final like finale of this great oracle. 11:46 You know, that's like a final quote, 11:49 you shall draw the water from the springs of salvation 11:53 so it definitely talks about the great messianic kingdom 11:58 and by the way the Hebrew word for salvation 12:02 is Yeshua and that's the name. 12:05 His name. That the name Jesus. 12:06 Which is the most amazing thing because, you know, 12:09 not to digress too much but when the angel tells Mary 12:12 you shall call Him, doesn't say you shall call Him Jesus. 12:15 You shall call Him Yeshua, for He shall save His people. 12:19 And even in his name is salvation. 12:23 So, let's jump forward, Sasha, 12:25 because we are setting up the stage 12:27 for this amazing scene that's played out 12:31 and told to us in the Gospel of John 7:37. 12:35 Now let me read this passage, Sasha, 12:37 then we are gonna talk about it. 12:38 This is again John 7:37, "On the last day of the feast, 12:44 the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, 12:47 If anyone thirst, let him come to me, and drink. 12:52 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture says, 12:56 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" 13:02 So, now, let's put that back in the context 13:06 of what we just shared with the water libation ceremony 13:10 its connections to Isaiah 11. 13:12 And Sasha, when this scripture opens up and says, 13:14 on the last day of the feast the great day, 13:18 what is that talking about? 13:19 Well, again we have to go to rabbinic tradition, 13:22 that's a literally citation in Greek language 13:26 translated from Greek into English 13:28 but the original comes from Hebrew. 13:32 That's the last day of Sukkot, It's recorded in Numbers 29 13:39 it's called the Hoshana Rabbah. 13:43 So and now, that's the great day and we get from that this word. 13:49 Hosanna Hosanna, right. 13:51 So most people when we say the word Hosanna-- 13:57 We think of like a praised type of word. 13:59 Yeah, exactly. 14:00 But in the reality the word Hosanna or in Hebrew Hoshana 14:06 that's the same root the same word as Yeshua 14:11 but it's in the verbal form so it's like save us please. 14:15 Yeah, or save us now. Wow. 14:17 Emphatic, so when the people cried out Hosanna or Hosianna 14:22 what they were saying in essence is save us. 14:24 Save us. That's awesome. 14:26 Save us, isn't that amazing? 14:28 That's why it's called Hoshana Rabbah. 14:29 You know, like-- 14:31 And it's the great day of salvation. 14:32 Yeah, the great day of salvation. 14:34 Rab that's our make, Rab means great. 14:38 Okay, so great day of salvation. 14:40 That's the great-- great salvation. 14:42 So then listen to what Jesus said. 14:45 So He is there on the last great day Hoshana Rabbah 14:49 and He says, while the water libation ceremony is going on 14:53 they are pouring out the water on to the altar 14:56 and can you imagine being there 14:58 and Jesus may be points up in that direction 15:02 and He says, if anyone thirst let Him come to Me and drink 15:05 because whoever believes in Me as the scripture says, 15:09 which He is referring to Isaiah. Isaiah 6. 15:13 Out of His heart will flow rivers of living water. 15:17 I get goose bumps, when I think about that. 15:19 And it's interesting they go you know the song, 15:22 you Rachel, even sing this song, 15:24 Oo-shav-tem ma-yeem b'sa-sone that's exactly the text. 15:27 And that means? 15:28 You shall draw the water, draw forth the water 15:31 with rejoicing from the spring of salvation. 15:34 So, imagine this procession goes up to the hill 15:39 from the Pool of Siloam up to the temple mount 15:43 and Jesus stands by and say, I'm here, your salvation. 15:49 I'm here, you want to drink, 15:51 you don't go to that pool, you go to Me. 15:56 And what I recently discovered when I discovered that in - 16:01 it's actually a Jerusalem Talmud which is one of the authentic-- 16:05 Again, rabbinic writing. Rabbinic writing. 16:07 I start, I found this interesting commentary 16:11 because it says there that the water of libation 16:17 that was poured upon the altar represented the Holy Spirit. 16:22 It--my jaw dropped when I read it. 16:26 That the rabbis used the word Holy Spirit literally, 16:30 they would use you know, they sometimes used the divine spirit 16:33 you know like Ruach Ha-Kodesh, this one the Holy Spirit 16:36 and they say referring to one of the rabbinic authorities 16:40 who says, if anybody did not visit Jerusalem 16:45 during the ceremony of libation 16:47 he does not have the Holy Spirit. Wow. 16:52 And so it's like I was reading this 16:55 and the Book of John says, when he talks about 16:58 from His mist the flow there will be water flowing 17:05 and Jesus is-- then the next verse says, 17:08 Jesus was speaking about the Holy Spirit 17:13 that the believers were supposed to receive 17:16 but not yet have received this. 17:19 Not until He is crucified and died 17:21 and He sense the whole-- He talks about. 17:24 But, that you can see that what Jesus is telling 17:29 is very well known to the Jewish community that is you know, 17:35 we are going to be talking about this in our next show, 17:37 this is, Jesus is not bringing something absolutely new. 17:41 Oh, no, they completely understood 17:44 and then as we progress in the Gospel of John, 17:47 Jesus is going to begin-- 17:48 He is talking about I'm the light of the world. 17:51 In the same context of being able to point up 17:54 to these great candelabras 17:56 which was the only time of the year, 17:58 that something like this would happen 17:59 where all of Jerusalem would be lit from these 18:02 and He is declaring. 18:03 And by the way-- I'm the Lord. 18:05 And by the way the tradition of light 18:08 you know, often its-- people confuse the statement 18:10 I'm the light of the world with Hanukkah 18:13 but the tradition of light on the Sukkot 18:16 is connected with idea of creation. 18:19 Let there be light, I'm the light to the world, 18:23 you know, and it's in line 18:25 with what John records in his gospel, you know. 18:28 John refers to Genesis 1 18:30 from the very beginning of his gospel. 18:33 In the beginning was the word, he talks about creation 18:36 the next statement is light, exactly as in Genesis 1, 18:41 Let there be light. 18:42 So in Sukkot this is definitely an understanding, 18:48 Jews understand that this is not just a commemoration 18:52 of their experience in the desert. 18:55 This is also looking forward for earth made new, 19:01 you know, let there be light you know, 19:03 everything and Jesus, I'm that light. 19:06 So would you say that Christians should also 19:08 kind of may be celebrate feast like this today, 19:12 since we are also looking for the Messiah. 19:13 You know, whether the idea of celebration, 19:15 but certainly to connect and understand 19:18 how can they not be excited when they put it 19:22 in the context of exactly how Jesus revealed Himself 19:26 through what was going in the Sukkot 19:28 but when we take it even a step further. 19:31 Sasha, let's talk about how Sukkot is revealed 19:35 or spoken off at the very end. 19:37 I'm speaking of in Revelation Chapter 21, 19:41 it talks about Sukkot 19:43 and specifically there is a statement, 19:45 "Behold the dwelling place of God is with man, 19:48 He will dwell with them and they would his people 19:50 and God himself will be with them as their God." 19:54 So, is that-- that idea of dwelling 19:56 that would be you know, Sukkot, the tabernacle? 19:59 Exactly, this is-- it say, the dwelling place 20:02 they translate it in different way the word Shekinah 20:06 and Shekinah is actually often referred as a Sukkah 20:12 as that tent which God-- in which God sojourned 20:20 with His people through the desert. 20:23 And so now this image of that tent of the meeting 20:29 is transferred on to its untied typical fulfillment 20:35 which is New Jerusalem 20:39 and New Jerusalem is called that place of God's dwelling, 20:44 place of God's present 20:46 and that's basically what Sukkot is all about. 20:51 We in this season we are going through 20:55 three pilgrimage festivals, 20:58 we went, we talked about the Passover, 21:01 we talk about Sukkot, two pilgrimage festivals 21:05 there is also Shavuot but the Passover, you know, 21:09 It's like in a spring Passover indicates points to the Calvary 21:14 which is the beginning of salvation 21:18 that's our source of forgiveness. 21:20 Sukkot points to the conclusion of salvation. 21:25 So, Sukkot has always then had this messianic expectation, 21:32 this messianic fulfillment attached to it 21:34 even from a very Jewish perspective, right. 21:37 Absolutely, Absolutely. 21:38 Which I think, kind of brings around-- 21:41 I wanted to talk just a little bit 21:43 because I have always been intrigued by Mathew Chapter 17, 21:47 it's typically called the Mount of Transfiguration, right. 21:52 And we know the story that Jesus-- 21:54 He takes Peter and James and John 21:57 and Jesus goes up this hill or this mountain 22:03 and scripture says literally 22:04 that He is transfigured before them 22:07 but I have always imagined that this is like 22:09 the glory of God in that moment beginning to break out of Him 22:13 and He begins to shine with the glory of God, right. 22:17 And it literally says, that His face shown like the sun 22:21 and His cloths became white as light 22:25 which really sounds like descriptions 22:27 we find in Revelation, you know. 22:29 And Peter says to Jesus, 22:32 now I have always tried to picture this, 22:34 you know, here is Peter looking 22:36 and seeing Jesus like and he says, 22:37 Lord, is it good that we're here 22:40 but if You wish I will make three tents, 22:43 I will make three Sukkahs, right. 22:45 I will make three tabernacles for us, 22:47 one for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah 22:50 because the scripture says that Moses and Elijah 22:53 appeared along with Him in that moment. 22:56 And I think so often people have looked at Peter 23:00 and like, oh, poor Peter He just didn't understand. 23:03 But in a way there was a connection there. 23:06 Right, Sasha? 23:07 Yeah, there was a connection 23:08 because what Peter sees, first of all he sees 23:12 two biblical heroes that have not died. 23:20 Right, the law and the prophets. 23:21 Yeah, two prophets you know, 23:23 he sees Elijah who was translated to heaven alive 23:27 and see Moses whose body in the grave was never found. 23:31 So here they are alive. 23:34 So, Peter thinks that Jesus-- 23:38 and here they see Jesus as you know, 23:41 literally divine Jesus, all right, I'm all ready. 23:45 This guy is definitely the Messiah. 23:46 Yeah, I'm already in heaven 23:48 so why not we celebrate the Sukkahs. 23:50 We make the Sukkahs and this is it, we're all done. 23:53 Yeah, so as we say we have come once again to the end 23:59 and it's my turn today to bring a song. 24:02 So I'm going to get ready 24:03 and you guys can talk about that just a little bit. 24:07 This song is Latter Rain 24:09 and Latter Rain is what actually provides 24:13 and solidifies the harvest in Israel 24:16 and since Sukkot is the feast of the last harvest 24:20 the full harvest that song is right there, 24:24 appropriate, so let's listen to Alex. 24:30 I love you, Lord with all my heart 24:37 I offer You thanksgiving 24:44 You have called me for Your own 24:52 It's through You that I live on 24:59 Oh, and I will sing Your praises once again 25:11 Oh, I love you, Lord with all my soul 25:19 I offer You Thanksgiving 25:25 You inscribed upon my heart 25:33 Remove the stony part 25:40 Oh, Lord redeem Your people return again 25:51 And I sing praises to Your name 25:59 Your glory is my refrain 26:06 Oh, Lord, pour on your people the latter rain 26:18 Oh, I love you, Lord with all my mind 26:26 I offer You Thanksgiving 26:32 And I sing praises to Your name 26:40 Oh, Your glory is my refrain 26:47 Oh, Lord, pour on your people the latter rain 27:01 Oh, Lord, pour on your people The latter rain 27:22 Lord, we do pray that You would pour out 27:24 upon all of Your people the latter rain. 27:27 You know Sukkot is all about this temporary time, 27:32 this expectation that there's got to be so much more, Rachel, 27:36 that God is going to pour out His spirit upon His people. 27:42 And we just pray that you would be so blessed. 27:45 So may the Lord bless you and may He keep you 27:48 and may the Lord make His face to shine upon you 27:50 and be gracious to you. 27:51 May the Lord lift His countess upon you 27:53 and bring you His peace. 27:55 Bless you and join us again on "Back to our Roots." |
Revised 2014-12-17