THERE is no mention here of their observing the day of atonement, which came on the tenth day of the seventh month, between the feast of trumpets and the feast of tabernacles. But we do find them here learning from the Scriptures of the feast of tabernacles which began on the 15th day and lasted a whole week, and even extended so as to include an eighth day. They learned that they were to gather branches of trees to make booths, or tents, and to dwell in them during this feast. This they did, and it was a time of great rejoicing and gladness.
The feast of tabernacles came at the end of their harvest and vintage, when they enjoyed the fruits of God’s goodness. Thus it answers to the joy of the Lord into which Israel will enter in that coming day when they are really settled in the land, and when their days of mourning are over, because the Lord has come and delivered them. Then because it lasts the whole period of seven days, this joy will continue throughout the 1000 years of the reign of our blessed Lord. The eighth day, or the first day of another week, speaks to us of the blessings of eternity which are to follow.
It says that since the days of Joshua the people had not done as they did on this occasion. Even in the peaceful, glorious reign of Solomon it appears that they had not kept the feast of tabernacles. It seems that they were so occupied with the present rest that they forgot the future. How easy it is in times of prosperity to lose sight of the coming glories with Christ and settle down to enjoy the present! In a day of small things and after much chastening, the future hopes of Israel were again restored to the little remnant; they kept the feast of tabernacles with great gladness. So it has been with the Church. The blessed hope of the Lord’s coming for His own was lost sight of soon after the apostles’ days, but now in a very low day it has been graciously restored. Does our reader know that bore the Lord Jesus comes to take up His glorious reign, all who have taken Him as their Saviour, that is, those who really have put their trust in Him, will be caught up to meet Him in the air, and will reign with Him forever?
After this feast, on the 24th day of the month, we find the people assembled together with fasting clothed in sackcloth which signified great mourning. Through the reading of the Word they had learned how greatly they had sinned in mixing with the people of the land, having made marriages with them. Accordingly they “separated themselves from all strangers.” Then several of the Levites led them in confessing to the Lord, going over their history since the days of Abram, showing how He had brought them out of Egypt and had wrought wonders in that land on their behalf. But their fathers had not hearkened and refused to obey. Then when the Lord delivered them over to their enemies, still He did not forsake them, but raised them up deliverers. Yet neither their kings, princes or priests had kept His law, and this was why they were servants of foreign kings. God had been just in all that had been brought upon them. They owned their real state, but at the same time their hearts turned to God with full confidence, and they speak of His mercy and long-suffering toward them. It would have been well for them had they rested there, upon their merciful and gracious God, but just as Israel did in an earlier day (Ex. 24), they pledged themselves to a covenant, not knowing the deceitfulness of their own hearts.
ML-04/17/1960