Shemini Atzeret Lev. 23:36 |
Now
we come to the most enigmatic festival of the entire year. The
festival season, which began with the beautiful picture linking
the children of Israel being protected by the blood of the
passover lamb and being brought out of slavery in Egypt, now
becomes clouded by a mysterious day with no clear meaning
attached to it. What, indeed, does this Eighth Day mean? Why is
there so little information to be found concerning it in the
scriptures, in the writings of the Jewish sages or among
Christian writers?
The answer
may lie in part to the fact that many have been looking for
answers in the wrong places.
The Hebrew
name for this day is Shemini Atzeret. Literally, the
eighth day of assembly. The word Atzeret
comes from the word atzar which means to hold
back or keep in.
~ Jewish Interpretations ~
Most
Jewish scholars admit that they really do not know why God
commanded this separate, eighth day, be celebrated after the
close of Sukkot. Many just throw up their hands and say
in effect; We do not really know what it means, or why God
gave it to us, but we observe it because He is our Creator God
and He told us to do it.
Now there
is nothing wrong with taking that position when you do not
understand the meaning of the day. It is far better than saying;
I don't know why God gave us this day, so therefore I am
not going to observe it. Better that we err on the side of
holiness than rebellion. However, the best approach to
understanding, is to try and discern what God was communicating
through the observance of the Eighth Day.
Because Shemini
Atzeret is an unknown quantity, it became a common practice
to associate and recite the following verse on this day:
This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
(Psalm 118:24)
The
Jewish Talmud has this to say about Shemini Atzeret.
The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, My
children, I know that during all seven days of the Feast of
Tabernacles you have been occupied with offerings in behalf of
the nations of the earth. But let this day be a day of rejoicing
solely for you and Me. I shall not ask you for too burdensome an
offering -- only one bullock and one ram. Pesikta
Rabbati 52.7
In this
view, Shemini Atzeret is a special day just for God and
His people, when God asks Israel to tarry, to hold back (atzar)
one more day.
Another
view sees Shemini Atzeret as the completion of our
rejoicing. Because we cannot rejoice perfectly in temporary
dwellings, we must move into a permanent, comfortable home so
that our rejoicing can be perfect and complete.
Some have
suggested that Shemini Atzeret was intended to be fifty
days after Sukkot, just like Shavuot is
fifty days from the Days of Unleavened. However, God had mercy
upon His people and decided not to make them do a pilgrimage
during the cold, rainy season. So He set aside the day after the
Feast to be observed instead.
It is
common in the modern synagogues to offer a special prayer for
rain on this day. Thus, the abundance of rain is associated with Shemini
Atzeret just as it is with Sukkot and the Water Pouring
Ceremony. However, in the time of the Temple, the Water Pouring
Ceremony was not conducted on the Eighth Day, so this practice
probably began at a much later date.
Another
interesting fact is that the Hebrew word chag, (khahg)
which means festival, is never applied to this day.
It is always called yom (yohm) which means, simply,
day.
~ Simhat Torah ~
There
is another celebration that is linked to Shemini Atzeret.
It is called Simhat Torah, (seem-haht
toe-rah) and means Rejoicing in the Law.
Each year,
following the close of the Feast of Tabernacles, the Jewish
synagogues begin the reading of the Torah, starting in
Genesis 1:1. The entire Torah is divided up into
sections, and one section is read each week on the Sabbath. The
final section (Duet. 33:1 - 34:12) and the first section (Gen.
1:1 - 6:8) are read on Simhat Torah. Thus, the cycle
repeats, year in and year out.
In addition
to the Torah readings, there are also readings from the
Prophets for each week of the year. This was why Yeshua
was handed the scroll of Isaiah when he read in the synagogue in
His home town of Nazareth, Apparently, the reading for that week
included a passage from the scroll of Isaiah. While the passage
He read is never used in the modern synagogue, it is possible, at
that time, that it was the required prophetic reading, for that
particular Sabbath, On the other hand, Yeshua may have
skipped the standard reading from Isaiah, in order to announce to
His hometown who He actually was.
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. (Isaiah) And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
(Luke 4:16-18)
And
so, Simhat Torah is an annual event during which the
Jewish people celebrate their attachment to the Torah
that was given to them by God, through Moses. In Israel, this
celebration occurs on the very day of Shemini Atzeret.
However, in the rest of the world, the Jews celebrate Simhat
Torah on the day following the Eighth Day. In any case, it
is not a biblical command to celebrate Simhat Torah,
it is a festival of the Jewish people.
In 1994, we
were privileged to lead a tour to Israel during the festival of Sukkot.
We were in Jerusalem on the Eighth Day. That evening, some of us
went to a park in Jerusalem to watch the Simhat Torah
celebration. Many of the local orthodox Jewish rabbis were there,
they all had their Torah scrolls, and they danced around
the stage carrying the scrolls. It is called Dancing With
the Torah and is an integral part of the Simhat Torah
celebration. It was a very joyful and colorful event.
The
orthodox Jewish community believes that they are married to the Torah.
The person(s) who dance with the Torah are considered to be the
bridegroom(s), the Torah is the bride, it was the custom
in Judea, during Yeshuas time, for a bridegroom to
attend synagogue on the Sabbath following his seven day wedding
festival, and to receive a heros welcome there. He was
given the seat of honor, special hymns were sung in his honor and
he was crowned with myrtle when called up to read a special
marriage section from the book of Genesis.
Because of
this connection made by the Bridegroom of the Law and the
starting over of the Torah readings, Simhat Torah
and Shemini Atzeret became thought of as a time of new
beginnings. This is an important concept if one is to
understand the Eighth Day.
Let it be
stressed once again, the celebration known as Simhat Torah
is not a biblical command. This celebration was not instituted
until about the tenth century C.E. However, the practice of
reading the Torah and Prophets in the synagogue on the
Sabbath is very ancient and predates Yeshua by a great
many years.
~ The Eighth Day In Scripture ~
The
eighth day was very important in the worship of God during the
Tabernacle and Temple period. A study of these ceremonies can
help to bring us to a better understanding of the meaning of Shemini
Atzeret.
The
following ceremonies were all completed on the eight day:
The firstborn of an animal was always reserved for God. However, the owner had to leave it with it's mother for seven days. On the eighth day it was brought to God as an offering. (Ex. 22:30)
A newborn baby boy was allowed to exist in his natural state for seven days. On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin was cut off. (Lev. 12:3)
When a leper was healed of his disease he had to appear before the priest for examination. If the disease was gone from his body he performed a seven day cleansing ritual. On the eight day he was considered clean. (Lev. 14:10,23)
If a man had a running emission from his body he was considered unclean. Once he was healed of the emission he was then required to perform a seven day cleansing period. On the eighth day he was considered clean. (Lev. 15:8)
When a woman had her monthly issue of blood she was considered unclean for seven days. On the eighth day she became clean as the result of a purification ritual. (Lev. 15:20)
The land was worked for six years. On the seventh year it was rested. On the eighth year the farmer began again to raise crops on it. (Lev. 25:22)
When a person took a Nazarite vow he separated himself to God for a period of time. When that time was up, he was required to offer sacrifices over a period of seven days. On the eighth day he was released from his vow. (Num. 6:10)
It becomes apparent, from reading the above list, that the eighth day was the day on which a person started over. Whether it was being cleansed, being circumcised or being released from a vow, the eighth day was significant as a new beginning.
~ The Seven Day Plan of God ~
An ancient Jewish teaching holds that the weekly cycle pictures God's plan for man on the earth, The first six working days represent six thousand years, during which time all men will do things their way, and be under man's governments. The Sabbath pictures the last one thousand years. It is to be the great Millennial reign of King Messiah over all the earth. During this time, man would be under the government of God. The apostle Peter seems to support this view.
But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
(II Pet. 3:8)
If the total time allotted to man is seven thousand years, and each of those thousand year periods is as a day to God, what takes place on the eighth day?
Let us pick up the story as the last one thousand years begins. This is pictured by the Sabbath and is the time when Yeshua will reign on the earth. First of all, Satan the devil is bound for the full one thousand years and cast into the bottomless pit. (Rev. 20:2-3). Next, those who have a part in the first resurrection will begin their reign with Messiah for that same thousand year period. (Rev. 20:4).
Revelation chapter twenty then tells us that at the end of that thousand year period four things take place:
1.)
The rest of the dead are resurrected back to physical life. (Rev.
20:5 and Ezek. 37).
2.) Satan
the devil is loosed from the bottomless pit for a little season
to deceive the people. (Rev. 20:3).
3.) Satan
the devil is cast into the lake of fire. (Rev. 20:10).
4.) The
Great White Throne judgment takes place. Those not found written
in the Book of Life are cast into the lake of fire. Those who
have been moved into the Book of Life are now made immortal. The
final cleansing has now taken place. (Rev. 20:11-15).
These events are all part of the final cleansing ritual that takes place on the eighth day. Once they are accomplished, God is now ready to focus on a new beginning. Actually It is the old beginning told of in Genesis chapter one, but now there is no Satan (HaSatan) to deceive, and there are no physical humans left that can he deceived. All are now either Spirit, just like their Father and their brother Yeshua, or they are dust and ashes from being burned up in the lake of fire.
~ The New Beginning ~
Once the great cleansing ritual has been completed, we are now ready for our permanent home. The Groom (Yeshua) and His Bride (the Church) are fully married (that took place at the beginning of the Millenniurn) and they have completed their thousand year wedding celebration, as pictured by Sukkot. What is left is to move into their new home.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be their God.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there by any more paint for the former things are passed away.
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new ...And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
(Rev. 21:1-7)
The purification is now complete. all of the wicked and unclean have been either destroyed or cleansed. The Bride of Messiah dwells in complete purity with her husband the King. He was clean and sinless from the beginning (except for that brief period of time when He voluntarily took His future Brides sins upon Himself so that she too could live). Now His Bride is also clean and sinless, for her uncleanness and sin has been removed. She is not like the house of Israel and the house of Judah whom God betrothed in the wilderness. They were sinners from the beginning. Yet we have come full circle, because, in fact, the Bride is the whole house of Israel.
And so all Israel shall be saved.
(Rom. 11:26a)
What
is most remarkable, is that God revealed this entire story to us
back in the book of Genesis. When Yaakov (Jacob)
wrestled with the man at Peniel, it was the evening
of Yom Kippur. It was here that he said: ...for
I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
(Gen 32:30). The phrase face to face is a Hebrew
idiom which stands for the Day of Atonement, for that is the day
the High Priest had to go into the Holy of Holies and perform
rituals before the Ark of the Covenant.
The next
day, when Yaakov met Esau, it was still the Day of
Atonement. But Esau had never encountered God the way his brother
had done. So Esau, representing the hairy Azazel goat, returned
to his wilderness, Seir (a shaggy goat) and remained there
carrying his sins on his head. (See the previous article.)
Meanwhile, Yaakov
goes on to the Feast of Tabernacles (Succoth) where he builds Sukkot
for his cattle. But he also plays out another role while he is
there. He builds temporary dwellings for the cattle, but he
builds a permanent house for himself. (See Genesis 33:17). This
house represents the permanent house to be built for the Bride of
Messiah, and it follows immediately after the temporary dwellings
of the Feast of Tabernacles. It is the new Jerusalem that is
brought down from heaven and in which the King and His Bride will
dwell in all eternity. It now becomes clear why the Jews have the
tradition that Yaakov (Jacob) was the first man to
celebrate Shemini Atzeret.
Let us all
rejoice at the Feast, for we know what a wonderful life and home
that God the Father and Yeshua HaMashiach have
planned for us.
Like the
apostle Paul, (Shaul) we pray that each one of you
will be blessed with enlightenment from God, so that;
... ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints...
(Eph. 1:18)
DEW
~ Sources ~
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Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia, 1913
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Press, London.
The Jewish Encyclopedia, 12 vols., Funk & Wagnalls
Co., New York & London, 1901.
Kasden, Barney, Gods Appointed Times, Lederer
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