Bibliographic information:
Yap, Timothy. “The Purpose and the Function of the Feast of Tabernacles in Ezra 3.” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 64, no. 2 (2021): 253–64.
Description:
Description
Why does Ezra-Nehemiah single out the Feast of Tabernacles as the first celebrated festival of the Jews after coming back from exile? This article argues that the Feast of Tabernacles serves three purposes within Ezra 3: First, the festival helps define the identity and mission of the returnees. Second, the feast assures the returnees about the presence of God in a renewed way. Third, the feast marks the inclusion of Gentiles into God’s reconstituted Israel. The article also examines how the Feast of Tabernacles is celebrated in Ezra 3 as well as Nehemiah 8. The festival, which bookends Ezra-Nehemiah, tells the story of God’s restoration of Israel, beginning with the cultic leaders and continuing on to the laity.
Publisher:
Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society (website: https://www.etsjets.org/JETS_Online_Archive)