Feast of Tabernacles: Difference between revisions

*'''Age of the Return From the Captivity'''

:In about 537 B.C., the Israelites, who had been taken captive to [[Babylon]],<ref>[https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/jerusalem-mount-zion-babylonian-conquest-evidence-intl-scli/index.html Archaeologists find evidence of Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem – as told in the Bible], ''CNN Travel'', August 12, 2019</ref> returned to their homeland under the leadership of Zerubbabel according to the decree of [[Cyrus (II)|Cyrus II]], king of [[Media & Persia (Persia)|Persia]] (first return). The people who returned to their homeland made every effort to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem and resolved to keep [[Law of Moses|the law that God gave Moses]]. After that, they kept the Feast of Tabernacles as written in the Law and fully offered the sacrifice to God according to the regulations every day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.studylight.org/study-desk.html?q1=Ezra+3%3A1-4&q2=&ss=0&t1=eng_n84&t2=eng_kjv&t3=eng_nas&ns=0&sr=1&ot=bhs&nt=wh&hv1=1&b=verse&d=3 |title=Ezra 3:1–4|publisher=|quote= }}</ref> In about 444 B.C., the Israelites, who had returned home (third return) led by [[Nehemiah]],<ref>The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah With Introduction, Notes and Maps, Herbert Edward Ryle, ''University Press'', 1893</ref> completed the construction of Jerusalem walls in 52 days, despite the hindrance of Sanballat and Tobiah.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.studylight.org/study-desk.html?q1=Nehemiah+6%3A1-15&q2=&ss=0&t1=eng_n84&t2=eng_kjv&t3=eng_nas&ns=0&sr=1&ot=bhs&nt=wh&hv1=1&b=verse&d=3 |title=Nehemiah 6:1–15|publisher=|quote= }}</ref> In the seventh month, the people learned the law of God from Ezra who was a [[priest]] and a teacher of the law.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.studylight.org/study-desk.html?q1=Nehemiah+8%3A1-12&q2=&ss=0&t1=eng_n84&t2=eng_kjv&t3=eng_nas&ns=0&sr=1&ot=bhs&nt=wh&hv1=1&b=verse&d=3 |title=Nehemiah 8:1–12|publisher=|quote= }}</ref> Reading the Book of the Law, they found that God commanded them to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles in the seventh month, and proclaimed that they would keep the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem and throughout their towns.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.studylight.org/study-desk.html?q1=Nehemiah+8%3A13-15&q2=&ss=0&t1=eng_n84&t2=eng_kjv&t3=eng_nas&ns=0&sr=1&ot=bhs&nt=wh&hv1=1&b=verse&d=3 |title=Nehemiah 8:13–15|publisher=|quote= }}</ref> The people went out into the hill country and brought back branches and built booths on their roofs, in their courtyards, in the temple courts, in the square by the Water Gate, and the one by the [https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hbd/e/ephraim-gate.html Gate of Ephraim]. Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day they held an assembly in accordance with the regulation. The Bible says that from the days of [[Joshua]] until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it this greatly.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.studylight.org/study-desk.html?q1=Nehemiah+8%3A16-18&q2=&ss=0&t1=eng_n84&t2=eng_kjv&t3=eng_nas&ns=0&sr=1&ot=bhs&nt=wh&hv1=1&b=verse&d=3 |title=Nehemiah 8:16–18|publisher=|quote= }}</ref>