Today in the Bible

Tishrei 22, 5784; from sunset October 6, 2023, to sunset October 7, 2023

Today is the eighth day, after the seven-day long Feast of Tabernacles.  Shemini Atzeret literally means “Eighth Assembly.”  Many see the eighth day as a shadow of eternity.  There were six days of Creation and God rested on the seventh day.  The eighth day falls outside of Creation week.  It is the conclusion of the festivals of the LORD that began last spring with Passover.

Shemini Atzeret is included in the LORD’s Appointed Times.

Let’s read what God’s instructions are for Shemini Atzeret.

And the LORD said to Moses, “Say to the people of Israel, on the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the feast of booths to the LORD.  On the first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work.  Seven days you shall present offerings by fire to the LORD; on the eighth day you shall hold a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to the LORD; it is a solemn assembly; you shall do no laborious work.

These are the appointed feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim as times of holy convocation, for presenting to the LORD offerings by fire, burnt offerings and cereal offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each on its proper day; besides the sabbaths of the LORD, and besides your gifts, and besides all your votive offerings, and besides all your freewill offerings, which you give to the LORD.

On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall keep the feast of the LORD seven days; on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest.

And you shall take on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.  You shall keep it as a feast to the LORD seven days in the year; it is a statute for ever throughout your generations; you shall keep it in the seventh month.

You shall dwell in booths for seven days; all that are native in Israel shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

Thus Moses declared to the people of Israel the appointed feasts of the LORD. – Leviticus 23:33-44 (RSV)

The Torah has more instructions for today listed in the 29th chapter of Numbers.

On the eighth day you shall have a sacred assembly.  You shall do no customary work.  You shall present a burnt offering, an offering made by fire as a sweet aroma to the LORD:  one bull, one ram, seven lambs in their first year without blemish, and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, by their number, according to the ordinance; also one goat as a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.

These you shall present to the LORD at your appointed feasts (besides your vowed offerings and your freewill offerings) as your burnt offerings and your grain offerings, as your drink offerings and your peace offerings.’”

So Moses told the children of Israel everything, just as the LORD commanded Moses. – Numbers 29:35-40 (NKJ)