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Leviticus 23
IT IS interesting to notice in the I feast of tabernacles that Israel were to take “branches of palm trees,... and willows of the brook,” to make booths or tents to dwell in seven days in remembrance of their wilderness journey. Their hearts went back to the time when the Lord led them through the desert as pilgrims and strangers, when they had no houses but only tents to dwell in. It was to be a time of gladness and rejoicing, for the sorrows and trials of the way were all behind them. And the Lord would have us never to forget our wilderness pathway, “all the way which the Lord thy God led thee ... in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart.” Deut. 8:22And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. (Deuteronomy 8:2).
The palm branches tell of victories won down here (Rev. 7:99After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; (Revelation 7:9)); the willows, we believe, speak of sorrows and failures. When the captives of Israel were carried to Babylon, they hung their harps on the willows in their sadness, for they could not sing the Lord’s song in a strange land (Psa. 137:1-41By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. 2We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. 3For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. 4How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? (Psalm 137:1‑4)). In the coming kingdom, of which the feast of tabernacles is a blessed type, Israel will remember the sorrows and defeats along their wilderness pathway, but they will also have happy remembrances of the Lord’s faithful love and care, and of how He enabled them to triumph by His grace and power.
So it will be for us, His people now, when we get home to heaven. We will review all our wilderness pathway, our joys and our sorrows, our victories and failures, and we will adore the grace that brought us safely through. “The trials, temptations and woes” we passed through down here will never affect our peace and joy then.
Or if yet remembered above,
Remembrance no sadness shall raise,
They’ll bring but new thoughts of His love,
New themes for our wonder and praise.
May we find comfort even now in knowing that God makes all things — our joys and our sorrows — work together for good to those that love Him (Rom. 8:2828And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)).
It seems Israel did not appreciate the feast of tabernacles, for until after the captivity they did not keep it in the Lord’s appointed way. They had forgotten His long-suffering and patient ways with them. However, in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah we read: “And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.” Neh. 8: 17. This can be a great comfort and cheer to us who live in days of great weakness and failure, for the darker the day, more brightly shines the hope of our Saviour’s return for us, and of His coming in power to establish His kingdom in glory and blessing.
ML-10/01/1972