Lordship of Adonai
Sukkot and the Principle of Lordship
Jewish culture is based upon the Torah and the Festival of Sukkot is an illustration of this. The Festival of Sukkot speaks of G-d’s people coming under the covering and protection and guidance of Adonai (the Lord). This is similar to how a flock of sheep come under the protection and guidance of a good shepherd who cares for them.
Psalm 23:1-3 (CJB)
1 Adonai is my shepherd; I lack nothing.
2 He has me lie down in grassy pastures, he leads me by quiet water,
3 he restores my inner person. He guides me in right paths for the sake of his own name.
The Psalmist David compared Adonai (the Lord) to a shepherd who guides him and protects him and provides his needs.
Psalm 91:1-4 (CJB)
1 You who live in the shelter of ‘Elyon, who spend your nights in the shadow of Shaddai,
2 who say to Adonai, “My refuge! My fortress! My God, in whom I trust!” —
3 he will rescue you from the trap of the hunter and from the plague of calamities;
4 he will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his truth is a shield and protection.
David also spoke about Adonai being a shelter (Sukkot) and a refuge and fortress of protection. Adonai is also depicted as a mother hen who covers her chicks with her wings so that they find refuge and protection under her feathers. This beautiful and poetic imagery depicts the tender love and care and watchful protection of G-d over his people the Jews.
The Festival of Sukkot
When the children of Israel left Egypt under the leadership of Moshe they traveled from Ramses to a location called Sukkot.
Exodus 12:37 (CJB)
37 The people of Isra’el traveled from Ra‘amses to Sukkot, some six hundred thousand men on foot, not counting children.
This place called “Sukkot” was probably located along the Nile river or one of its canals where there was abundant water to cause brush and trees to grow along the river bank. It was from this vegetation that the people found materials to make their booths or temporary shelters which were called “Sukkot” in Hebrew. Thus, the place-name “Sukkot” was assigned to this first encampment of the Israelites after leaving Ramses in Egypt. After the children of Israel entered into the desert then there would be no more vegetation found for making a “Sukkot” so they would have to rely upon tents for shelter.
The practice of making of a “Sukkot” on the first night after the Exodus from Egypt has great spiritual significance and indicates submission to the lordship to Adonai. The practice of making “Sukkot” has been followed for thousands of years by the Jews as a means of remembrance when their ancestors followed the Lord after their Exodus from Egypt.
In this lesson, we will discuss the festival of Sukkot and the principle of submission which is represented by this festival.
Jewish Festival of Sukkot
The Festival of Sukkot (pronounced sue-coat) is the festival of booths. Sukkot is plural for booths and “sukkah” is singular for booth.
Below are some images of sukkot (booths) that were erected by Jewish people to celebrate the Festival of Sukkot. For more information on this Jewish Festival of Sukkot see the link: http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday5.htm
Sukkot (Booths) With Leafy Coverings
The covering of the sukkah must be made of leafy material or branches. The leafy material is referred to as “sekhakh” which was something that grew from the ground and was cut off. This material can be tree branches, corn stalks, bamboo, reeds, sticks, or even lumber.
It is interesting to note that the covering must be left sparse enough that the stars can be seen at night and the sky is visible during the day.
Covering of Sukkah with Space Left Between Leafy Branches
Jewish culture is rich with revelation and truth which illustrates spiritual principles. Such is the case of having leafy branches with spaces left between them where the stars can be seen at night or the sky can be seen during the day. This has great spiritual significance because the Israelite people had to keep an eye on the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. If the presence of God moved then they would have to pack up and move immediately (day or night). This is a picture of submission to God and following the leading of God in the form of a pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night.
Numbers 9:15-23 (CJB)
15 (iv) On the day the tabernacle was put up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, that is, the tent of the testimony; and in the evening, over the tabernacle was what appeared to be fire, which remained until morning.
16 So the cloud always covered it, and it looked like fire at night.
17 Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tent, the people of Isra’el continued their travels; and they camped wherever the cloud stopped.
18 At the order of Adonai, the people of Isra’el traveled; at the order of Adonai, they camped; and as long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they stayed in camp.
19 Even when the cloud remained on the tabernacle for a long time, the people of Isra’el did what Adonai had charged them to do and did not travel.
20 Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle; according to Adonai’s order, they remained in camp; and according to Adonai’s order, they traveled.
21 Sometimes the cloud was there only from evening until morning; so that when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they traveled. Or even if it continued up both day and night, when the cloud was up, they traveled.
22 Whether it was two days, a month or a year that the cloud remained over the tabernacle, staying on it, the people of Isra’el remained in camp and did not travel; but as soon as it was taken up, they traveled.
23 At Adonai’s order, they camped; and at Adonai’s order, they traveled — they did what Adonai had charged them to do through Moshe.
These scriptures speak of how the children of Israel were led by G-d in the desert wilderness. G-d’s presence was manifest as a cloud during the day and was manifest as a pillar of fire at night. Whenever this pillar moved (day or night) the people would have to pack up and move together with the cloud of G-d’s presence. The people learned that they had to follow G-d’s schedule because G-d did not cater to their human schedules. Therefore, the space left among the branches of the covering of the sukkah has spiritual significance. The people could see through the branches of the covering and see the pillar of fire by night and see the pillar of cloud by day. They would peer through the spaces in the branches to see if the presence of G-d was moving. Whenever the presence of G-d lifted from above the tabernacle, they would then have to jump up and pack everything immediately and follow G-d’s presence.
Following the cloud speaks of submission to the will of Adonai (the Lord). Also, the covering of the Sukkot also represents coming under the lordship of Adonai. This is similar to how the long hair of a married woman represents her submission to her husband and coming under his authority or covering.
The Jewish tradition of observing the Festival of Sukkot was something that was commanded by G-d for them to observe for all of the following generations since the time of the Exodus from Egypt. The Feast of Sukkot is a means of communicating to every new generation of Jews what had happened in their past Jewish history.
But like all Jewish culture it is rich with spiritually symbolic meaning. The spaces in the branches speak of keeping one eye open to watch the Lord and see if he is moving. If the presence of the Lord moves, then they have to move with it without hesitation day or night. If the children of Israel did not move, they would be left behind but if they moved ahead of God they would also be out on their own like a sheep gone astray. Either way they had to wait until God moved and then move immediately if God was moving. To leave too soon and go on their own was just as disastrous as if they were slow in getting up and were left behind and abandoned. So being without G-d (like a stray sheep) is a picture of someone who is not living under submission to the lordship of Adonai. The Festival of Sukkot speaks of coming under the covering of Adonai and submitting themselves to follow Adonai wherever he might lead them.
G-d’s people are to be like sheep that follow the great Shepherd. If they are left behind or if they leave and go on their own, they will be like stray sheep that will be devoured by the wolves! Being in God’s will (in the right place and the right time) is a major theme of lordship and following Adonai wherever and whenever he might lead his people.
Leviticus 23:42-44 (CJB)
42 You are to live in sukkot for seven days; every citizen of Isra’el is to live in a sukkah,
43 so that generation after generation of you will know that I made the people of Isra’el live in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt; I am Adonai your God.’”
44 Thus Moshe announced to the people of Isra’el the designated times of Adonai.
The Festival of Sukkot was to be observed for seven days and every citizen of Israel was to live in a Sukkah during this time. This was a means of teaching every following generation about how the children of Israel lived in Sukkot when they were brought out of Egypt by G-d. It is a picture of coming under the covering of authority of Adonai and following G-d wherever he might lead his people.
Exodus 12:36-37 (CJB)
36 and Adonai had made the Egyptians so favorably disposed toward the people that they had let them have whatever they requested. Thus, they plundered the Egyptians.
37 The people of Isra’el traveled from Ra‘amses to Sukkot, some six hundred thousand men on foot, not counting children.
The children of Israel left from Ramses and traveled to Sukkot with six hundred thousand men on food not counting women or children. This means there was about 600,000 Jewish families because the married women were one-flesh or one-person together with their husbands and their unmarried children were also under the authority of the male head of the household. Therefore, the women and children were not counted because they were included under the authority of the Jewish male heads of household. So, 600,000 Jewish men refers to the 600,000 heads of households and the families that were under their authority.
There was submission of the Jewish women to their husbands and submission of the Jewish children to their parents and there was submission of the heads of households to their spiritual leaders and submission of the entire congregation to G-d. Submission flowed from the least to the greatest of them from G-d so that the entire congregation was under the submission of Adonai and followed his leading.
The first place they stopped after leaving Egypt was “Sukkot” and that speaks of beginning their walk with G-d and submitting to the lordship of Adonai. Submission flowed from G-d to the men to the wives to the children so that they were all under submission to the lordship of Adonai. The cloud of G-d’s presence provided shade in the desert for the entire nation of 600,000 families so they all came under the covering of Adonai. G-d’s cloud of presence could give shade in the desert to a huge region occupied by the camp of 600,000 families. All of this is spiritually symbolic of coming under the lordship of Adonai.
The Talmud Teaching of Leviathan
There is an unusual teaching in the Talmud that teaches that when the Messiah comes, the righteous will come to Jerusalem and Leviathan (a giant sea creature) will be slain. Its skin will be used to make the walls of a giant sukkah, and the righteous will dine on the flesh of Leviathan in that sukkah. Farewell to Sukkot
It is interesting that even the most unusual teachings of the Jewish Talmud (collection of Jewish oral tradition interpreting the Torah) can also have great spiritual significance.
Isaiah 27:1 (CJB)
1 On that day Adonai, with his great, strong, relentless sword, will punish Livyatan the fleeing serpent, the twisting serpent Livyatan; he will slay the sea monster.
The sea represents people, tribes and nations which cover the earth as a worldwide population somewhat like the oceans cover much of the surface of the earth. The sea monster Leviathan who lives in the sea speaks of a federation of world governments that will rule under the inspiration and agenda of Satan the adversary. The world human population will one day fall under the control and dominion of a one-world government which is satanic in operation and agenda. This one-world government is depicted as a giant sea monster who lives in the sea of humanity and lords over the world population of earth. This satanic one-world government will be destroyed by Adonai and the satanic oppression of this globalist one-world government against the Jewish people will come to an abrupt end.
This relates to the Talmud tradition of Leviathan being killed and his skin being used to make the walls of a great sukkah and the righteous dining on his flesh within that sukkah. Dining on the flesh of Leviathan speaks of the destruction of the satanic one-world government and the reversal of the fortunes of the Jewish people. At this time, the Jewish people will go from being the most persecuted people to becoming the most blessed people on earth! It will be the greatest honor and distinction to be able to claim Jewish ancestry in that day. The Goyim survivors of all nations will bring the wealth of the world to Jerusalem and so the Jews will enjoy this enormous wealth as pictured by dining of the flesh of Leviathan the destroyed one-world federation of governments.
Psalm 2:8-11 (CJB)
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance; the whole wide world will be your possession.
9 You will break them with an iron rod, shatter them like a clay pot.’”
10 Therefore, kings, be wise; be warned, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve Adonai with fear; rejoice, but with trembling.
David speaks prophetically of his descendant (the Messiah) who will destroy the godless satanic one-world government of earth. The Jewish Messiah will rule with complete authority over all of the nations of the earth (depicted as smashing their political power like a rod of iron that smashed pottery to pieces! David’s son (the Messiah) will rule the whole world and have complete dominion over every nation on earth. The kings of the nations of the Goyim will be required to serve Adonai with fear and trembling or experience the wrath and judgment of God that will smash them like pottery as punishment for their rebellion! All resistance to the rule of the Jewish Messiah will be completely smashed and annihilated in that day!
The destruction of the world federation of nations speaks of the destruction of all organized resistance against the rule of the Messiah over the entire earth. At this time the wealth of the nations will flow into Jerusalem as represented by the Jews dining on the flesh of Leviathan. All survivors of the nations of the Goyim will bring their wealth to Jerusalem the world capital of the Jewish Messiah and they will court the favor the Jews and the Jewish people alive in that time will enjoy enormous wealth and honor because the fear of Adonai will strike all nations and they will court the favor of the Jews trying to obtain favor of the Messiah who smashed all political power on earth and rules as supreme head and King over all the nations of earth!
Wealth of the Nations Flows to Jerusalem
Isaiah 60:5-6 (CJB)
5 Then you will see and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with delight; for the riches of the seas will be brought to you, the wealth of nations will come to you.
6 Caravans of camels will cover your land, young camels from Midyan and ‘Eifah, all of them coming from Sh’va, bringing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of Adonai.
The riches of the seas and the wealth of the nations will come to God’s people the Jews. The seas speak of the world population of earth that is frequently compared to oceans that cover much of the surface of the earth. This great transfer of wealth from the nations of the Goyim to Jerusalem to bless the Jews will occur after the destruction of the world federation of secular governments by the Jewish Messiah. The surviving peoples of the remaining nations will all bring wealth to Jerusalem to show their submission to the Messiah and to honor his people the Jews.
Isaiah 60:11 (CJB)
11 Your gates will always be open, they will not be shut by day or by night, so that people can bring you the wealth of nations, with their kings led in procession.
The surviving world rulers that remain (after the destruction of the world federation of governments and their armies) will come in submissive manner bringing their wealth of all of their nations with their kings leading the procession to Jerusalem.
Isaiah 61:5-6 (CJB)
5 Strangers will stand and feed your flocks, foreigners plow your land and tend your vines;
6 but you will be called cohanim of Adonai, spoken of as ministers to our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and revel in their riches.
So dramatic and final will be the destruction of the rebellious federation of godless nations that the surviving nations will grovel in submission before the Jewish Messiah. These surviving nations of the Goyim will bring their wealth to appease the King and the Jewish people will revel in the riches of the world. These surviving foreigners will also seek to serve the Jews in any way possible by feeding the flocks of the Jews and plowing their land and tending their vineyards. Kings of the Goyim will humble themselves and will seek to serve the Jews in anyway possible. The kings of nations will seek to do menial labor to serve the Jews in order to win their favor in that day when the Messiah rules the earth from Jerusalem!
Haggai 2:7 (NASB)
7 ‘I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts.
The prophet Haggai also says the same thing that the wealth of the nations of the Goyim will flow to Jerusalem and G-d’s people the Jews.
Zechariah 14:14 (CJB)
14 Y’hudah too will fight against Yerushalayim; and the wealth of all the nations will be assembled — gold, silver and clothing in great abundance.
The prophet Zechariah also speaks of the wealth of the nations being assembled in Jerusalem to bless the Jews with gold and silver and clothing in great abundance.
Thus the fulfillment of Talmud tradition will be seen when G-d’s people the Jews will feast on the flesh of Leviathan (wealth of the nations) after the world federation of governments is destroyed by the rule and authority of the Jewish Messiah who smashes all political power of the nations of the Goyim and rules the entire world from his capital in Jerusalem.
Isaiah 27:1 (CJB)
1 On that day Adonai, with his great, strong, relentless sword, will punish Livyatan the fleeing serpent, the twisting serpent Livyatan; he will slay the sea monster.
Again, the Jewish prophet Yesha‘yahu says that the Lord will destroy Leviathan the great sea creature with his sword and this readily agrees with the scriptures that refer to the masses of people on earth as being a sea of humanity and the sea creature Leviathan as the world federation of godless secular governments who seek to rule the world population of earth for their father the devil. These these godless hoards and their armies will come to oppose the reign of the Jewish Messiah at Jerusalem and will be destroyed by the sword that proceeds out of the mouth of Adonai who is the King of kings and the Lord of all lords.
Festival of Sukkot Kept By the Goyim In Jerusalem
One of the festivals that will be made mandatory during the reign of the Messiah in Jerusalem is that observance of the Jewish Festival of Sukkot.
Zechariah 14:16-17 (CJB)
16 Finally, everyone remaining from all the nations that came to attack Yerushalayim will go up every year to worship the king, Adonai-Tzva’ot, and to keep the festival of Sukkot.
17 If any of the families of the earth does not go up to Yerushalayim to worship the king, Adonai-Tzva’ot, no rain will fall on them.
There are two elements involved with the forced compliance of the surviving Goyim to come to Jerusalem to observe the Festival of Sukkot. First, as we have already noted that the covering of the Sukkot represents submission to God much like the long hair of married woman represents her coming under the covering of her husband’s authority. In the same way those who attend the Festival of Sukkot in Jerusalem display their submission by coming under the covering and authority of Yeshua.
The dramatic display of God’s power destroying the leviathan (international federation of godless nations) will put the fear of G-d in the surviving kings and nations. These people will all come bringing gifts to appease the King of all kings in Jerusalem. Requiring them to keep the festival of Sukkot means that these kings and their people will live in Sukkot for seven days with the covering of branches over their heads. This demonstrates their coming under the submission of Adonai and their coming under his covering of authority!
Secondly the survivors who come to Jerusalem will seek to demonstrate their submission to Yeshua by honoring the brethren of the Messiah who are the Jewish people. Even the kings of the Goyim will seek to do menial labor for the Jews just to gain their favor and show their submission.
The surviving Goyim will display their submission to Yeshua by keeping the Festival of Sukkot and secondly they will display their submission to Adonai by serving the Jewish people and honoring them as the covenant people that they are!
Zechariah 14:18-19 (CJB)
18 If the family of Egypt doesn’t go up, if they refuse to come, they will have no [annual] overflow [from the Nile]; moreover, there will be the plague with which Adonai will strike the nations that don’t go up to keep the festival of Sukkot.
19 This will be Egypt’s punishment and the punishment of all the nations that don’t go up to keep the festival of Sukkot.
If any of these surviving nations refuses to humble themselves and come to Jerusalem to keep the Festival of Sukkot, then they will be punished with a plague of drought and famine on their land. If any of these surviving nations of the Goyim hate and despise the Jews and refuse to honor them then they will perish by famine as a judgment for their non-compliance to the commands of Adonai.
Isaiah 60:14 (CJB)
14 The children of your oppressors will come and bow low before you, all who despised you will fall at your feet, calling you the city of Adonai, Tziyon of the Holy One of Isra’el.
The sons of the oppressors who formerly hated and despised the Jews will come and bow before them and call Jerusalem the City of the Lord and the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 49:23 (CJB)
23 Kings will be your foster-fathers, their princesses your nurses. They will bow to you, face toward the earth, and lick the dust on your feet. Then you will know that I am Adonai— those who wait for me will not be sorry.”
Kings of the earth will serve the Jews and royalty will become their foster fathers and nursing mothers. The greatest of them will bow down with their faces to the ground and lick the dust of the feet of the Jews! This is because Adonai will reverse the fortunes of the children of Israel and make them proud to be Jewish again. In times, past many Jews have changed their Jewish surnames and dropped trying to follow the Torah in an effort to escape persecution. But this sort of thing will be reversed entirely when the Messiah returns to rule the earth from Jerusalem. In that day, it will be the most honored privilege on earth to be called Jewish!
Zechariah 8:23 (CJB)
23 Adonai-Tzva’ot says, ‘When that time comes, ten men will take hold — speaking all the languages of the nations — will grab hold of the cloak of a Jew and say, “We want to go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.”’”
In that day when the Jewish Messiah rules the world from Jerusalem there will be ten Goyim from the various surviving nations of the earth who will grab a hold of one Jew and court his favor because they heard that G-d is with them! If it were possible for people to become Jewish by conversion, then surely all of the surviving Goyim left on earth on that day would seek to convert and become Jewish. But instead these Goyim are seeking the favor of any Jew that they can find because no other people on earth have the Jewish Messiah the Lord Adonai reigning from the capital city of Jerusalem! What a marvelous distinction for someone to be able to claim Jewish ancestry on that day!
Zechariah 8:20-22 (CJB)
20 “Adonai-Tzva’ot says, ‘In the future, peoples and inhabitants of many cities will come;
21 the inhabitants of one city will travel to another and say, “We must go to ask Adonai’s favor and consult Adonai-Tzva’ot. I’ll go too.”
22 Yes, many peoples and powerful nations will come to consult Adonai-Tzva’ot in Yerushalayim and to ask Adonai’s favor.’
Peoples from all of the nations on earth will come to Jerusalem to ask for Adonai’s favor and to consult with Adonai. Many people and powerful nations will come seeking the favor of the Lord Yeshua in Jerusalem in that day. It is for this reason that all of these people will seek to serve God’s people the Jews in any way possible in order to court their favor! It will be the most honored distinction on earth to be Jewish in that day!