Sitting under our sukkah or tent this evening you can see some branches and fronds here and there. Since we don't live in the same climate here in Sweden as the Israelites did, we have had to make do with what we can get. Unfortunately, when we celebrate Sukkot, autumn (fall) is well underway so finding branches that have any leaves on them can be a real problem. But for some years we tried. We picked branches from the hardiest bushes we could find and dipped them in water, hoping to nourish them for at least a week, but no matter how hard we tried, by the end of the Sukkot week our branches were bare and looking very sad indeed, with leaves piled up on the ground. So we have had to make do with plastic plants and even then they don't really represent anything in particular. This year, my youngest daughter put some imitation grapes into the decorations as this is the Festival of the Grape Harvest.

The Israelites were originally commanded to cut down three types of branch and include them in their booths or tabernacles. This was not a random selection by Yahweh but had very precise symbolic meaning. During the festival these three types of branch would, in addition to being incorporated into the structure of the booths, be waved and their symbols explained. They were collectively called the lulav.

The first of the three was the palm branch which grows in the valleys and was waved to remind the people of the journeyings through valleys and how Yahweh had been with them there. Next was the myrtle branch which grows in the mountains and was to remind the people that Yahweh had been with them there too. Finally, the drooping branch of the willow was waved which grows by water brooks and was to remind the people of the their journeying through dry places that Yahweh had been with them there too, giving them water in the desert.

For century after the century the three branches of the lulav waved at Sukkot would remind Yahweh's people of their journey in this life. The palm reminded them that no matter what valley they passed through in life, no matter how deep or dark, the people would never be alone. Remember that the valley for Israelites was often a negative symbol. Psalm 23 speaks of the "valley of the shadow of death" (Ps.23:4) which was, and is, a literal valley to the east of Jerusalem today, and is now a valley of tombs. This valley led to the Valley of Gehenna in the south-west, once the scene of terrible idolatrous child-sacrifices in the darkest days of Israelite apostasy; and of the burning rubbish dump of the city into which the worm-infested corpses of criminals would be ignominiously thrown. The scene it presented came to be used as a picture of punishment and suffering for the wicked after the Judgment from which we get our modern idea of 'hell'. So some stages of the journey are scary and dangerous.

The myrtle reminded the people that when they went through the rockiest of times, Yahweh will go through it with them, and keep them from falling.

Finally, the willow reminded the people of Elohim (God) that in the dry and empty places of their lives, He will never leave them, but will stay close, and will even provide rivers in the desert.

The fruit which is mentioned in association with the Sukkot harvest season (I've already mentioned grapes) is a picture of the Promised Land of Israel, on the one hand, and on the other, the Heavenly Land of the departed. And beyond that, the wondrous planet earth during the Millennial Reign. When we get there - whether it is the last generation arriving in the Promised Land of Israel once again after their long journey or Last Exodus from the 12 cities of Refuge scattered across the world, or of my generation and all the generations before all the way back to Adam who will one day return from their heavenly resting place with Messiah at His Second Coming - we will give thanks that our journey was blessed, that we were never alone, and that Elohim (God) was with us every moment, ensuring our safe arrival, no matter whether we were passing through Palm lands (valleys), Myrtle lands (mountains) or Willow lands (deserts). Our journey always consists of a mixture of spiritual terrains so we should not be surprised by any of them. The journey was designed to be varied so that our emunah (faith) might grow and our characters be refined in Messiah.

Remember, He is with you in every phase of your life, irrespective of the difficulties and challenges. The navi (prophet) Isaiah recorded:

"But now, thus says Yahweh, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
'Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
For I am Yahweh your Elohim (God),
The Qadosh (Holy, Set-Apart) One of Israel, your Saviour (Deliverer)"
(Isa.43:1-3a, NKJV)

Your part - my part - is to keep faith, keep loving and to live obediently. May this, your fourth day of Sukkot, which corresponds to Shavu'ot or the Feast of Weeks, that great 'hinge' festival on which history turns, and the Ruach haRevee into whose well of the salvation of Yah'shua (Jesus) we seek to dip today, be blessed.

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding simcha (joy),
To Elohim (God) our Delioverer (Saviour),
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen" (Jude 24-25, NKJV).

Acknowledgements