“ He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, —That we may live before Him—-. So let us know, let us —press on— to —know the Lord. “ — Hosea 6:2–3 (NASB95)
Coming at the conclusion of Sukkot are the two holidays of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. In Israel and among liberal Jews they are combined into one holiday on the day after the conclusion of Sukkot ( The feast of booths/ Tabernacles ). Among more traditional Jews outside of Israel, they are observed separately from one another on two consecutive days.
Shemini Atzeret means the “Eighth Day of Assembly,” while Simchat Torah means “Rejoicing in Torah.”
In both Leviticus ( 23:36 ) and Numbers ( 29:35 ) , God commands that the eighth (shemini) day –referring to Sukkot–is to be a “sacred occasion” and an atzeret, generally translated as “solemn gathering.” In Second Temple times, it appears to have been a day devoted to the ritual cleansing of the altar in the Temple. With the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, this function of the day became obsolete.
Although it marks the beginning of the rainy season in Israel and, therefore includes the year’s —-first prayer for rain——, its lack of clear definition may have provided the impetus to celebrate it in conjunction with Simchat Torah, a celebration of the conclusion of one and the beginning of another annual cycle of readings from the Torah. This latter holiday probably originated during the medieval period.
Rain on Sukkot is traditionally not considered to be a good sign.
The Mishnah analogizes this to a servant who comes to pour wine for his master, and the master pours a jug of water in his face to show him his presence is not desired. - “ In the same vein, when we come to serve our Master in the sukkah, He “pours water in our faces” by making it rain and not allowing us to spend time in the sukkah (booth). Furthermore, we delay asking for rain in our daily prayers until after the holiday (even though this is when God determines the rainfall for the coming year ) since rain on Sukkoth is an inconvenience and a ‘sign of a curse.’ “
Even when judging & rebuking, The LORD's plans to redeem are from everlasting …. as evident in the Messianic gem hidden in the pronouncements of Hosea, our text this week!
The raising up of Christ is prophesied, but deeper still, is a message for daily living in a fallen world. Christ was raised so that we might — LIVE — before the LORD. That is the be all and end all of our existence. To live before the LORD for all eternity. To delight in His Presence, to trust in His Provision, to be secure in His protection, and to serve in His House!
Christ did not come to make us His servants, He came to give us Life, and that, more abundantly! “ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” - John 10:10
This living, and continually growing in a deeper knowledge of the LORD is something we can do right now! … it doesn’t depend on being gifted for service, or our personal holiness ( for who can be holy in the mud ? ) … it’s following Gods instructions for OUR BENEFIT, and deriving pleasure and fulfilment out of living our every day lives to the full!!!
Let the cycle of learning to know the LORD begin afresh each year, let the people press on, and be restored with the rain of your pure Word!!!
Hallelujah!!!!
