The Feast of Tabernacles: A Fulfillment in 70 AD and the New Jerusalem
Leviticus 23:34 describes the Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Booths, as a significant celebration in ancient Israel. This feast, once observed with the construction of temporary dwellings and rejoicing, now holds a unique place in the full preterist perspective. In this view, the Feast of Tabernacles finds its profound fulfillment in the events of 70 AD, leading to the anticipation of the New Jerusalem.
The Feast of Tabernacles: A Historical Overview
The Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated as a commemoration of God’s faithfulness during the Israelites’ wilderness journey. It involved the construction of temporary booths or tents, signifying the impermanence of earthly life and the dependence on God’s providence. The festival, held annually, was a reminder of God’s presence and guidance throughout Israel’s history.
Fulfillment in 70 AD
From a full preterist perspective, the significance of the Feast of Tabernacles took on a profound transformation in 70 AD. It is crucial to understand that this perspective places the fulfillment of many biblical prophecies, including those regarding the feasts of Israel, in the events of the first century. In this context, the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 AD marked a pivotal moment in history.
With the fall of Jerusalem and the temple’s destruction, the physical structure that had been central to Jewish worship was gone. This event was a clear sign that the old covenant system had ended. However, it also signified something extraordinary: believers in Christ, who were living temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16), now carried the presence of God within them.
The New Jerusalem: A Spiritual Abode
The spiritual significance of the Feast of Tabernacles in 70 AD extends to the concept of the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem, described in the Book of Revelation, represents the ultimate dwelling place of God with His people. In Revelation 21:3, we read, “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.”
In this view, the New Jerusalem is not a physical city that will descend from the heavens in some future event, but rather a symbolic representation of the new covenant reality. The New Jerusalem signifies God’s abode within the hearts of believers. The full preterist perspective recognizes that this dwelling took place in the first century, as God tabernacled in the hearts of His people through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Living in the Reality
Understanding the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles in 70 AD and the concept of the New Jerusalem as a spiritual reality challenges believers to live in the awareness of God’s presence. It calls us to be the living tabernacles, where God resides through the Holy Spirit.
In this perspective, the impermanence of our earthly lives is a reminder of the eternal reality of God’s dwelling within us. The Feast of Tabernacles, fulfilled in the events of 70 AD, serves as a testament to God’s faithfulness, not only in Israel’s history but in the lives of all believers who have become His spiritual temple.
Conclusion
The Feast of Tabernacles, once a historical Jewish festival, now holds a unique and profound fulfillment in the events of 70 AD. It reminds us that, as believers in Christ, we are the living tabernacles where God chooses to dwell through the Holy Spirit. The concept of the New Jerusalem emphasizes the spiritual abode of God in the hearts of His people.
Embracing this perspective challenges us to walk in the awareness of His presence, to live as His temple, and to anticipate the eternal reality of the New Jerusalem. In this fulfillment, we find a deep and meaningful connection between the past, the present, and our future hope as believers in Christ.