´¯`•. September 27, 2013

Shemini Atzeret – the Eighth Day!

Here’s the next thing I read that REALLY changed things for me, and this site is Messianic, meaning they’ve got Yeshua the Messiah in the picture (but a less accurate take on the feast and it’s meanings). Still, there’s much to be gleaned here, too!

http://members.cox.net/8thday/sabbath.html

In the Bible, the Hebrews celebrated a Feast called the Feast of Tabernacles, or Feast of the Ingathering Of the Eighth Day Assembly it is spoken: Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. Leviticus 23:39

The Eighth Day Assembly is the “additional day” added to the end of the Feast of Tabernacles. For seven days the children of Israel dwelt in the enclosure of booths or huts. For seven days during the Feast of Tabernacles or Ingathering, the Jews were to experience the revelation of the natural world and make offerings for them. Because they were touching the natural world through their offerings, they were in need of ‘protection,’ thus, the booth enclosures. This Feast actually represents the material world.

aNNa’S NoTe: They’re in complete accord with the teachings of the Jewish folk in yesterday’s Hoshanna Rabbah article – that Sukkot is a physical redemption – the ‘natural’ man’s ‘material’ self being addressed. Continuing on…

The Eighth Day Assembly is beyond the seven natural days. It is not a regular day. It’s name in Hebrew is Shemini Atzeret. It is the assembling of oneself unto God, intimately. Instead of the revelation of the natural world as in the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles, the revelation of the Eighth Day Assembly is the revelation of the world to come. Instead of the connection being made with the fragmented numbers of the seven days of the material world, the connection is of the Divine nature, one of unity, oneness, and true peace. The root word of ‘solemn assembly’ in Hebrew means ‘to shut up or enclose’ (H6113).

…The protection or enclosure of the booths during the Feast of the seven days is different than this private enclosure. The enclosure of the Eighth Day Assembly can be likened unto a King who has a Feast and invites everyone. After the Feast is over and most everyone goes home, the King asks only his very close and intimate friends to stay after to share with him his ‘private’ meal prepared just for him and them. Thus, the enclosure of the Eighth Day Assembly speaks of the revelation revealed only through intimacy and usually of a private nature. In this intimacy, what is revealed is not the revelation of the natural world, but rather the revelation of the world to come.

aNNa’S NoTe: We’ve had a 7-day feast allowing all to come and celebrate with Ha’Shem… but now we have a feast just for those who drew close to Him during that time… feasts symbolically are 7-days. Just pointing that out – do with it what you’d like.

Because Shemini Atzeret is the last of the [fall’s high holidays], it is also referred to as the ‘final revelation.’ It’s numerical value is 21. The number 8 is not an ordinary number, it is a singularity; therefore, the Eighth Day Assembly unifies all the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles that passed before. If one were likening this day to the ‘days of Noah,’ it would correspond to the door of the ark being shut, after all the animals had been gathered into the ark, and just before the rains came. It is no coincidence that the prayer of the Eighth Day Assembly is for rain, and that the number of the people on the ark were 8.

aNNa’S NoTe: The Jewish site said that Sukkot physically separated us… but note that this confirms that, but takes it just a little further – it’s as Noah and those to be saved out being physically gathered BEFORE the rains. There still hasn’t been a redemption, yet. Just a conclusion to the preparation process. Same with the illustration of the continuation of the ‘private’ feast of the king… it means physically they’ve been set apart, but the feast ain’t over, yet.

Therefore, the Eighth Day Assembly is very special unto God. It symbolizes one’s removal from the ways, struggles, and doctrines of the material world, and encloses one into the intimacy and protection of the bride chamber prepared by Christ Himself where the Bride and the Bridegroom experience the ‘face-to-face’ relationship, above the earthly realm. A day and assembly that is not counted among earthly days or assemblies. In that sense, it is a “hidden day“. Not having place within the boundaries of the earthly seven days, it is not something you see, but rather something you experience.

aNNa’S NoTe: The eighth day is something else, too – It’s Messiah’s Brit Day. Eight days after a Jewish baby is born, they are circumcised and given their new name. This is the day that – 2000 years ago – Messiah was symbolically ‘cut off from sin’ and given His earthly name, “Yeshua bar Yosef”. Would it not be a WONDERFUL day for us to be cut off from our corrupt forms and taken up to receive our new name? ((I don’t know much about whether the ‘new name’ thing is true or not, but apparently there are four verses that hint at it – (Isa 62:2)(Isa 65:15)(Rev 2:17)(Rev 3:12).)) So… anyhow, we shall see!

Sukkot – Day 8!