An Examination

of the

Feast of Ingathering

in the end of the year,

The Feast of Tabernacles

Compiled by JS Lowther

Some simple questions and answers that not all biblical calendar students can agree to about their basis for the ordained feast generally called Tabernacles or in Hebrew Sukkot:

Q. When is the feast of Tabernacles? A. At the feast of Ingathering.

Q. When is the feast of Ingathering ? A. In the end of the year.

The above Q&A is strictly biblical, yet as said, not all who observe, keep, or just study the feasts can answer the questions as simple as the bible offers the answer.

Below are the laws which pertain to the feast which is the basis for the Q&A, and a further in depth examination of the logic and language offered by the God of Scripture, Nature and agriculture, which can harmoniously produce a Realistic Christian Israelite festival for all ages imperturbable.

LAWS OF THE FEASTS

Exo 23:12 Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.

Exo 23:14 Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.

Exo 23:15 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread…and none shall appear before me empty:)

Exo 23:16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.

Exo 23:17 Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord YHWH.

Exo 34:21 Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest (SABBATH): in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest (SABBATH).

Exo 34:22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year’s end.

Exo 34:23 Thrice in the year shall all your men children appear before the Lord YHWH, the God of Israel.

Lev 23:2 `Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, Appointed seasons of YHWH, which ye proclaim, holy convocations, are these: they are My appointed seasons:

Lev 23:3 six days is work done, and in the seventh day is a sabbath of rest, a holy convocation; ye do no work; it is a sabbath to YHWH in all your dwellings.

Lev 23:4 `These are appointed seasons of YHWH, holy convocations, which ye proclaim in their appointed seasons:

Lev 23:34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto YHWH.

Num 29:12 And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto YHWH seven days:

Deu 16:13 Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine:

Deu 16:14 And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.

Deu 16:15 Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto YHWH thy God in the place which YHWH shall choose: because YHWH thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.

Deu 16:16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before YHWH thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread (MaZaH), and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before YHWH empty:

Deu 16:17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of YHWH thy God which he hath given thee.

Out lining the feast(s)

Above is both an explanation of when and what is the “feast” of Tabernacles and In gathering.

Here are criteria for when to Observe the three feasts as seen above, yet this time in given order to draw specific attention to WHEN the feast(s) should happen:

• Within the yearly Sabbath cycle of sowing and gathering in.

Exo 23:10-11

• Within the regular Sabbath cycle in earing (plowing / planting) time and harvest as an appointed season. Exo 23:12 , 34:21 , Lev 23:3

The three points in the Natural agricultural year ,Exo 23, 34, Deu 16, YHWH calls:

I. the Feast of “Unleavened Bread” MatZ-aH (H4682 / H4711 Grain in the milk stage), in the appointed season of the New moon/Chodesh of Abib (green ears/new corn).

II. the Feast of Harvest of the Firstfruits (of wheat) sown in the field,

a feast of weeks / seven / Sabbath (שׁבעת SaBoTH).

III. the Feast of Ingathering …when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. Exo 23:14-17, 34:22-23, Deu 16:16

A. The Ingathering, in the “end” (Heb: YZA #3318: bringing forth or going out) of the year (H8141),

1.when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. Exo 23:16

B. At the Ingathering at the years (H8141)

“end” (Tqufh-Heb #8622: circuit) Ex 34:22

C. The first day of the feast or cHaG-

(cHaG H2282- חג, referencing the whole feast including the working days)

1. (The cHaG) To start on the fifteenth day (full moon) of the seventh month (a month is a cHoDSh or rebuilding of moon)

2. a day of holy convocation and no servile work,

3. a SaBbaTh .

Lev_23:34, 35,39, Num 29:12, Duet 16:15

D. A feast (cHaG) of seven days Lev 23:34

1. the first day is Sabbath Lev 23:35,39, Num 29:12

2. and the eighth day is Sabbaths. Lev 23:36,39, Num_29:35

Duet_16:13 -15

The heavenly alignment in conjunction with Natural agriculture for the III. Feast as out lined above, the feast of Ingathering and Tabernacles:

1. At the bringing forth or going out of the year, and / or at the year’s end or better translated, circuit of the year

2. In the fifteenth day of the seventh month

Here are some questions to minister insight on the language of the text:

Q. What is a year as in “the year (H8141)” Ebiblicaly mentioned in Exo 23:16 and Exo 34:22 ?

Answer. Using James Strongs Concordance:

H8141

ShaNeH שׁנה from H8138; a year (as a revolution of time):

H8138 שׁנה ShaNeH; A primitive root; to fold, that is, duplicate…

Notice the definition of ShaNaH when it is not used as the noun “year” in biblical texts: Gen 41:32 `And because of the repeating (H8138, KJV: doubled) of the dream unto Pharaoh twice”… 1898 Young’s Lit Trans. Also see 2 Sam 20:10 “struck again”.

In the sense above it is seen that it is not referencing a new start of the year, as a new start would occur at the end of another, rather we know we are dealing with a half of the the year, but a whole agricultural season starting at New Ears or Abib of Unleavened Bread and ending in Harvest of Ingathering. As well we are dealing with the same sense as in a yearly cycle of YHWH God’s Calendar of Gen 1:14, the sun, moon, and stars. This doubling or folding is only seen when considering all of God’s ordained lights witnessed in Reality, and is expressed by YHWH in his perfect heavenly feast system in His perfect Law.

The doubling aspect of the year can no doubt be seen at any point, by calling that place in time an end and beginning, such as the Gregorian new year of Januarius, which is in the relative start of solar winter. Yet no two years are alike, some winters are warmer and others very cold, some with rain some snow, the climate is not the focal point of any logical observer, nor is weather pattern the reason for the doubling. Rather one or more of the heavenly lights offer the observer a key to his location in time.

Doubling and folding the lights of Heaven

The sun of course is able to be observed rising and falling in the sky, seeming to weekly advance around the horizon then to return back again, as one knowing his going down. Seen by even the non observant in the quality of night and day in proportion throughout the seasons.

The moon in it’s mark of it’s monthly phases, to repeat with in the season of it’s appointment through out the year, speaking to the earth, the water and nature in general in a way we only can understand scarcely.

The Stars as well are set in array to mark the location of this rising and setting of the sun as well they mark the moon and the greater cycles of the planetary stars; for with out the markers of the Stars as centrally and equally divided into the 12 signs of zodiac in harmony with the influences of Pleiades, the bands of Orion, the guiding Arcturus with his sons, the ordinances of heaven would not be known at all, nor would we even have the primary understanding of the dominion thereof in the earth (Job 38:31-33).

Yet the ordinances and dominion spoken of by YHWH God in the above passages and placed in this writing are not to be ignored in toto. YHWH placed those ordinances and dominions to be repeated, doubled and folded for a very specific purpose, only the truly ignorant claim to understand, yet ignore in reality, doubting the validity of YHWH’s perfect law.

While considering the Heavenly Calendar system, the holistic option of the tri-fold lights of heaven should be compared to what ever option you personally hold for feast reckonings per the biblical command, in asking if your Calendar system meets all requirements of Gen 1:14-18 in sequence with the agricultural demand of the three feasts listed, insomuch that the bible may be lived out.

The Two Ends

Both Exo 23 and 34 use a different name for what the KJV calls ‘the years end’.

Many have come to hard line ideas on the determination of the heavenly biblical calendar using these words, while not considering sidereal happenings and biblical proof texts along with their conviction. The predominant conviction is that the word Tqufh is another way to speak of the sun’s Equinox on earth, as the sun travels through the horizon of your sky from the longest day of the equal point of spring equi-nox (Latin: equal night) about Gregorian March 21 to the equinox of fall about September 21. Yet the biblical calendar is strictly agricultural in conjunction with the trinity of sun, moon and stars, a usage as ordained in Genesis 1:14-18.

“end” (Heb: YZA #H3318: bringing forth or going out) of the year (H8141), Exo 23:16.

This word YZA is a common word in the bible occurring more than 1000 times, for instance: Gen 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind… Simply YZA could refer to the coming out of the year it’s self. as in leaving the year, however an objection to this option is the fact that the feast of ingathering occurs in the 7th month, and in a holistic sense you are not leaving or coming forth out of the year, rather this feast occures at the bringing forth, just as the earth bought forth produce. And simply it is seen that the Ingathering of crops, particularly grains and fruit maybe brought forth out of the year at this point. In other words the year’s end or circuit and the feast of Ingathering that is the bringing forth of produce are to happen in sequential order.

“end” (TQUFH-Heb #8622: circuit) Ex 34:22

Likewise, yet more reflective of the heavens, this passage offers the word Tqufh: a word only used 4 times in the Hebrew scripture Exo_34:22; 1Sa_1:20; 2Ch_24:23; Psa_19:6. To settle the question of the Greek counterpart to TQUFH in Psa 19:6 it is καταντημα = Katanthma seen commonly in the form of or related form of κατηντησε = kathnthse, such as Acts 16:1, holding a simple meaning of travel “to arrive” or “to come”.

Seemingly only Psalm 19 offers any indication of what heavenly phenomenon is references when the Hebrew word TQUFH is used in a Gen 1:14 Calendric way:

Psa 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Psa 19:2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.

Psa 19:3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

Psa 19:4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,

Psa 19:5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race ( his course).

Psa 19:6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit (TQUFH) unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

Psa 19:7 The law of YHWH is perfect…

Here we see a marriage relationship involving the sun as a bridegroom, but who is the bride?

A Case point:

Gen 37:9 …behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

Gen 37:10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I (father as Sun) and thy mother (as moon) and thy brethren (the eleven remaining star signs) indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?

The Sun and moon have a “conjugal” relationship, that is like a bride and a bride groom, they come into conjunction every so often, in this case once per Chodesh or rebuilding, at this appointed time the moon is “overpowered” by the light of the sun while she is in close proximity thereto, and only in the case of a solar eclipse does the moon “overpower” the light of the sun for but a periodic moment.

The ecliptic circle is the circuit in which sun, moon and planets can be observed to move through over the 12 signs or zodiac (in Hebrew we call this mazzaroth) throughout the year. The moon passes quickly through, one twelfth (1/12) of that circle every 2 to 3 days. While the sun as a bride groom fit to run his course moves through that same 1/12 more slowly every 29 to 30 days in order to make its conjugation or conjunction date with his bride the moon in a new tabernacle to produce a rebuilding of not only the moon’s light but to reset in one of the 12 Children as represented in Gen 37:9-10 of Joseph’s dreams every Chodesh or rebuilding. This occurrence may be seen at those diametrically oppositional points mentioned above.

The meaning of  Psalm 19:4-7

Their (the lights of heaven) line (or measurement) is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. (The lights of heaven are able to be perceived throughout the world in measure).

In them (The firmament of the heavens- vs 1) hath he set a tabernacle for the sun (this is the children’s houses or mansions, the 1/12 sections of the Zodiac called signs),

Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run his course. (The sun in the heavens, comes out of the chamber with his bride in the tabernacle of his Child to traverse a new portion of his course which leads him monthly from one tabernacle to the next of his children as to conjunct with his wife the moon)

His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. (“The end of heaven” is referencing a course which runs in a circuit or circle throughout the heavens; this, opposed to the opinion of a lineal horizon which is seen from morning to evening, but in no way is the subject of the above function of the heavens.)

The LAW of YHWH is perfect, converting the soul:

the testimony of the YHWH is sure,

making wise the simple.

Once the heavens are acknowledged as a circuit, which can be observed, and in conjunction with the biblical speech used of sun and moon’s relationship, little can be argued against this interpretation of Psa 19, as no other happening can answer to this phenomenon as described.

Consider the scripture of Jesus Ben Sirach, a Post Babylonian Judean exile, who’s wisdom is rcorded in the Greek scriptures, yet refereed to as “Apocrypha”:

I will now remember the works of the Lord, and declare the things that I have seen: In the words of the Lord are his works. The sun that giveth light looketh upon all things, and the work thereof is full of the glory of the Lord. The Lord hath not given power to the saints to declare all his marvellous works, which the Almighty Lord firmly settled, that whatsoever is might be established for his glory. He seeketh out the deep, and the heart, and considereth their crafty devices: for the Lord knoweth all that may be known, and he beholdeth the signs of the world. He declareth the things that are past, and for to come, and revealeth the steps of hidden things. No thought escapeth him, neither any word is hidden from him. He hath garnished the excellent works of his wisdom, and he is from everlasting to everlasting: unto him may nothing be added, neither can he be diminished, and he hath no need of any counsellor. Oh how desirable are all his works! and that a man may see even to a spark. All these things live and remain for ever for all uses, and they are all obedient. All things are double one against another: and he hath made nothing imperfect. One thing establisheth the good or another: and who shall be filled with beholding his glory?

The pride of the height, the clear firmament, the beauty of heaven, with his glorious shew; The sun when it appeareth, declaring at his rising a marvellous instrument, the work of the most High: At noon it parcheth the country, and who can abide the burning heat thereof? A man blowing a furnace is in works of heat, but the sun burneth the mountains three times more; breathing out fiery vapours, and sending forth bright beams, it dimmeth the eyes. Great is the Lord that made it; and at his commandment runneth hastily. He made the moon also to serve in her season for a declaration of times, and a sign of the world. From the moon is the sign of feasts, a light that decreaseth in her perfection. The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her changing, being an instrument of the armies above, shining in the firmament of heaven; The beauty of heaven, the glory of the stars, an ornament giving light in the highest places of the Lord. At the commandment of the Holy One they will stand in their order, and never faint in their watches.

(Sirach 42:15-43:10)

For at the time of the first month of Abib / new moon of New Ears (of grain) the sun and moon are in conjunction in the stars of the constellation of Aries the ram or lamb, however by the first point of the three yearly feasts, that is the 15th day or full moon of the first month Abib the sun is yet in the stars of Aries but the moon, now full, is in direct opposition to the sun and will rise that evening in the stars of Libra / the balance.

Now on the other side at the new moon of the seventh month (the feast of trumps), the sun and moon are in conjunction in the stars of Libra / the balance, but at the very point of the third feast of Tabernacles / Ingathering on the full moon and fifteenth day the sun remains in Libra / the balance while the moon is now in Aries /the ram lamb, a perfect fold or double, a mirror image in reality. In this way we may see the meaning of “the years end” or “doubled circuit”, a coming or arrival of the Ingathering .

     In ending this study on both the feast of Tabernacles / Harvest and in understanding the year’s end, it is with hope that this study is of help in not just seeing the relevance in the purpose of the feast in the seventh month, in celebrating the harvest in YHWH, but to see how the heavens also correspond to this happening.

   For it is only by Saxon Israel’s adherence to not only follow the feast’s of the LORD YHWH in rest and celebration but to have the spirit, the purpose thereof, the reason for it’s being. A practice in biblical reality will factually establish this matter, so that our bibles may come to life in our life! When the feast of ingathering , that is Tabernacles, is in fact a National week of celebration in observance of our God given harvest it offers an understanding far beyond a quasi-spiritual ploy. The fact is, that with out the knowledge of our Natural agricultural need for the feast of Ingathering our modern grocery store lives leave us with an empty feast full of men preaching on concepts they scarcely understand . Yet when the proper alignment of the heavens is companied with the realistic ingathering of the years end, we may not only enjoy it we can feel it’s true spiritual implications in Reality!

Check out some harvest at Goshenhomestead.com from farmers who really know when the year begins and the year ends!