While raising Lazarus from the dead solidified in the minds of Yeshua’s disciples that He had power over sin and death, a minor theme of doing all things according to the Father’s timing runs through the literature for Sukkot. Just before Yeshua healed the man born blind to reveal the works of God, He commented, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (Jhn. 9:4-5). In the next sign, Yeshua waited two days after receiving the message that “He whom you love is sick,” since He knew Lazarus’s sickness was for the glory of God and the glory of the Son of God. He commented again, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble but sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him” (Jhn. 11:9-10). On the journey to Sinai and from Sinai to the Land, YHWH teaches us to number our days so that we may triumph in the works of His hands.

Drawing on Genesis’ going out and coming in of the day and the night, depicted in the morning and the evening sacrifices, the prayer boundary separating light from dark, righteousness from unrighteousness, life from death, Yeshua likened His ministry to the “day” to do good works. The closing of the eyes and death belong to the night when no one can work. Emphasis is placed on seeking the light of His Presence each day to produce enduring works that glorify God, opening our eyes and raising us out of a death-producing way of life. Ecclesiastes, or Qohelet, along with the seventeen Psalms of Book Four (90-106), were typically read at Sukkot¹. The Book of Deuteronomy was read at the Feast every seven years in alignment with the land Sabbaths (Deu. 15:1; 31:10). This blog explores the messages of these books in relation to Sukkot and John’s seventh sign.

Qohelet, meaning “the one who assembles²,” begins with “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity,” and philosophizes about how man views human life, compared to how God sees the cyclic turning through the generations of humanity. He wrestles with the meaning of life and whether it is possible to find satisfaction. The author presents a framework for finding purpose, contrasting a valueless, self-centered lifestyle with a meaningful, God-centered one. If we seek God and trust His creative work in us, our lives will not end in vanity but in works that endure. The Creator has a proper time for each thing to be done in a person’s life, which will bring about the results He wants, and in that, we should greatly rejoice and give God glory. Life was meant to be lived moment by moment, day by day, walking with God, seeking His righteousness, since the days of our lives are short and not to be wasted. He advises us, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom” (Ecc. 9:10). Death is the great equalizer. Qohelet concludes the whole matter: “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, including the secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil” (Ecc. 12:13-14).

Aligned with the fourth scroll of the Pentateuch, Numbers, Psalms’ Book Four reflects on Israel’s forty-year wilderness wanderings, YHWH’s mercy during their murmurings and rebellions, and His judgment. The seventeen Psalms of Book Four correspond to the seventeen occurrences of the word “bless” in the Book of Numbers. His protection and guidance manifest as manna, water, quail, the pillar of cloud, and the pillar of fire as the new generation is raised up³. Book Four of Psalms opens with a prayer attributed to Moses, Psalm 90, which reflects on God’s permanence and humanity’s transience, setting the tone for the sukkot sojourn as it addresses God’s anger with sin and the suffering that leads humans to death. Moses implores YHWH to “teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” and prays for the blessing of restoration, “Let YHWH’s work and glory appear, putting His beauty upon us that the work of our hands might be established” (Psa. 90:12,16-17). Clearly, Psalm 91, the second Psalm of Book Four, perfectly describes the sukkah experience of safely abiding in YHWH’s Presence as evil is overcome and defeated. He who sets his love upon YHWH will be delivered and set on high because “he has known My name” (letter sum 434, the door of Genesis 1 to Shabbat; see Blog 5). The third Psalm is a song for the Sabbath day, Psalm 92, where the psalmist praises YHWH morning and evening, “for YHWH has made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands” and “those planted in YHWH’s house shall flourish and bear fruit in old age to declare that YHWH is upright and there is no unrighteousness in Him” (Psa. 92:2-4, 13-15). These three Psalms replace transient human existence with the power of joy in the Presence of YHWH, guarding and sheltering “all the days of our life.” Book Four concludes with Psalm 105, which praises YHWH’s faithfulness to Israel, His wonders and judgments throughout the wilderness journey. Psalm 106 acclaims His mighty acts within Israel’s history of rebellions and unbelief, which ultimately leads them to be once again exiled from the Land into the nations.

Assembling Israel on the plains of Moab, Moses becomes the Qohelet, “the one who assembles,” delivering the Book of Deuteronomy, pointing Israel back to the “day of assembly” at Mount Sinai when YHWH spoke to them the terms of the covenant, His will to restrain them from death. He rehearses their wilderness sojourn out of exile to the Land, encourages them to love YHWH through obedience to His laws, and charges them and all their generations to ground themselves in the exodus experience to avoid the consequences of their lives becoming vanity in another exile. Since he was to die in exile, Moses pointed them to “the prophet like unto me,” the new Moses who would lead a new exodus back to the Land of His dwelling, teaching this torah. Therefore, they were to keep the sacred assemblies of YHWH, especially remembering Mount Sinai’s median pivot with regard to the day of assembly⁴ after Sukkot, the Eighth Day. The generations, as the people of God, can rejoice at the Feast because we have numbered our days as He blesses the work of our hands, ultimately blessing His work through our resurrection.

Takeaway:
Reading the three scrolls at Sukkot exhorts us daily to number our days, to be very careful how we live, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity to understand the will of YHWH, even though the days are challenging. The transient wilderness trek through life with God leads to a resurrection at the end, the result of enduring works done in Yeshua. Yeshua is the ultimate qohelet, teaching humanity wisdom and the will of God through His sacred assemblies and daily walking with Him. He embodies His Feasts, imparting oneness for us to dwell with Him.

Fun Factors:
Moses is mentioned eight times in the Psalms, seven of which occur in Book Four. In the Pentateuch, Moses, as a type of the Messiah, is named 648 times: 23 × 34, 3 × 216, the surety of His Word, 3(33 + 43 + 53). The name “Moses” has a letter sum of 345, and “I AM who I AM” sums to 543; together, they equal 888, the Greek value for Jesus Christ. The 648 occurrences of Moses’ name can be expressed as 324 + 324, 182, indicating the power of YHWH’s life. This relates to 432, a solar number for the radius or heart line of the sun, and the sun’s diameter number, 864. Sukkot, a digital play on 864 with a letter sum of 486, 18 × 27, carries the Aaronic blessing signature of Numbers 6:24-26, which has a letter sum of 2718, representing life (18) in His menorah light (27), the Garden of Eden’s Sabbath. The word “Bless,” barak, appears 136 times, 8 × 17, 102 + 62, in the Pentateuch, the center of which gives us YHWH’s eight holy Feasts, set in motion on creation Day 4.