Feast of Tabernacles experience recalls wilderness wanderings
Bridges for Peace encourages a better understanding of Jewish culture
WINNIPEG, MB—Christians are being invited to explore some of the roots of their faith by taking part in a special commemorative feast.
Bridges for Peace is hosting the Feast of the Tabernacles (Sukkot) October 9-15. It includes four evenings of music, dance and food in the Jewish tradition, as well as the rare opportunity to experience a sukkah, which commemorates the temporary shelters or booths constructed by the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings following their exodus from Egypt.
The event, which takes place at the Truth and Life Worship Centre (St. Vital), will also include Bible teaching on the subject.
“Christians will be able to experience Sukkot and learn about its special connection to the Hebraic Roots of the Christian faith as well as the deeper meaning of Jesus’ celebration of the event, including its place in the [prophesied] future days when the nations will go up to Jerusalem to celebrate Sukkot,” says Peter Fast, of Bridges for Peace Canada.
“We are not presenting this as something Christians are obligated to celebrate but rather this is an opportunity for believers to explore and discover the roots of this festival and how it impacts the Christian belief in Jesus as the Messiah.”
Fast says we often approach the Bible through our own cultural lens.
“We forget that it is a Jewish book, authored by Jews, written in Hebrew, immersed in a Jewish culture impacted by Jewish customs and tradition,” Fast says.
When we divorce the Jewish theme from the Bible, consciously or subconsciously, it can lead to misinterpretation, confusion, and a loss of meaning and wealth, he says.
“For the Christian who truly wants to understand the Bible, such as God’s covenant with Israel, or the world of Jesus, who He was, and what He meant by the things He stated, then we must confront, study, and examine the Judaism and Hebraic thought,” Fast says, “resisting the temptation of applying our preconceived notions and expectations from our own culture 2,000 years later.”
Bridges for Peace is a Christian organization supporting Israel and building relationships between Christians and Jews in Israel and around the world. To learn more visit bridgesforpeace.com.
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