Feast of Tabernacles: Ceremony of Light
Feasts of Israel Series: Part 28
When the priests poured from their golden pitcher during the water ceremony, Jesus talked about satisfying thirsty souls (see Water Ceremony). But there was another ritual added to the Feast of Tabernacles—the ceremony of light. Jesus used this opportunity to reveal His ability to give clarity, understanding, and wisdom to darkened human hearts. He would make His declaration just as the festal lights went out.
Ceremony of Light
Four enormous lampstands were set up in the Temple where they glowed each evening of the Feast of Tabernacles. To trim their wicks and replenish their oil, young men of priestly lineage climbed to a height of seventy-five feet. These grand candelabras stood in the Temple’s Court of the Women (where the treasury was). It was said their lights were so bright, they illuminated all the courts of Jerusalem. Armed with flaming torches, men whirled and danced beneath their glow to the music of harps, lyres, cymbals, and trumpets.1
Before the eighth day dawned, the candle-climbers ascended one last time—not to tend the lights, but to snuff them out. Then a solemn assembly began, as a bookend to the first day’s Sabbath celebration (Leviticus 23:35–36).
As John 8 opens, festive booths no longer line the streets, and yesterday’s atmosphere of noisy rejoicing has given way to more sedate Sabbath worship. Jesus has just returned from the Mount of Olives where He spent the night. The ruckus He’d created during the water pouring ceremony on the Great Day of the Feast has died down. This morning, He’s back in the temple (quite possibly where the lampstands stood last night) teaching once more (John 8:1–11).
Feast of the Open Book
It’s not surprising He’s teaching today. Scripture study is a particular focus of the Feast of Tabernacles. It’s the season when the scrolls are drawn from their hiding place to illuminate the people of God with His Word.
The tradition goes back to Moses. After writing the five books known as the Pentateuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy), God told him to tuck them deep in the Holy of Holies inside the ark of the covenant. The Pentateuch was also known as “the Law” in the Old Testament. Leadership was to instruct God’s people in it all year long to some extent, but the Feast of Tabernacles treated the Book of the Law with special esteem.
Here’s how Moses described it to Joshua when he passed on the baton of leadership:
“At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time in the year of release, at the Feast of Tabernacles, when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the Lord your God and carefully observe all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land which you cross the Jordan to possess” (Deuteronomy 3:10–13 NKJV).
Over time, Israel neglected this feast. But as people started returning from Babylon to rebuild the Temple, the scribe Ezra began to read from the Law and explain it to the people. It just so happened Ezra opened the book on the first day of the seventh month (Tishri). By the second day, they got to the part about the Feast of Tabernacles and realized they just had time to prepare to celebrate it (Nehemiah 8:1–18).
And so they did. “For since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness. Also day by day, from the first day until the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God” (Nehemiah 8:16–17).
So the Feast of Tabernacles became known as the Feast of the Open Book.
Jesus and the Book of the Law
With this emphasis on the Law, it’s no wonder the Pharisees had a particular interest to challenge Jesus’ theology during this feast. When they found Him surrounded by a crowd in the temple during this solemn Sabbath, they deemed it a perfect time to test Him publicly.
They shoved a woman caught in the act of adultery before Jesus. (John 8:1—11). They had witnesses, so her guilt could not be denied. The Law called for stoning her so they waited to see what He would do. If Jesus resisted punishing her, He’d be holding the Law in contempt. If He agreed to it, that would end His reputation for love and kindness.
To their surprise, Jesus let them know if the sword of justice started swinging, it wouldn’t stop with one woman’s sin. As her accusers slunk away, Jesus demonstrated how God can be both just and merciful (Psalm 85:10). “Go and go and sin no more,” He said in John 8:11. In one sentence, He both acknowledged her guilt and delivered salvation.
Light of the World
Having settled the question of His stand on the Law, Jesus prepared to deliver a statement He’d prepared for the day when the candles died at this feast. As soon as the crowds returned, He declared, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12).
When the artificial light of the lamps went out, the people were to think about the one whose light never dies. Earthly light and knowledge would never suffice to bring true clarity and understanding. Supernatural insight is required. And that can only come from God.
One day, Isaiah had promised, that’s precisely what He would provide. “The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; but the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory. Your sun shall no longer go down, nor shall your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended” (Isaiah 60:19–20 NKJV).
To the great exasperation of the Jewish leaders, here stands Jesus, drawing a connection between Himself and the God of everlasting light. Their frustrated arguments continue through the end of John 8 when Jesus finally leaves the Temple.
By way of hammering an exclamation point to His recent declaration, Jesus loses no time in finding someone to whom He could bring light—a man born blind. (John 9:1–7).
Light in Our Future
The lamps of the light ceremony were destined to fade, as is the natural light of worldly wisdom or understanding. There are days, seasons, even years when we can’t seem to see where we’re going—what’s going on in our lives. But we can find a lamp powerful enough to illuminate our darkness when we reach for the Sent One of Siloam as the blind man did in John 9 (Psalm 18:28).
If we let Him dwell in us and we dwell in Him, we have access to the shining mind of Christ. He will bring light to our life’s path and overcome the power of darkness and confusion. “The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord” (Proverbs 20:27). So reach up to Him and let Him replenish your oil with His. He waits to burn brightly within you.