The Prophetic Patterns of John Chapter 7: A Reflection of Tabernacles

The Prophetic Patterns of John Chapter 7: A Reflection of Tabernacles

It’s no coincidence that God revealed this prophetic pattern to me right in the middle of the Feast of Tabernacles, on October 20, 2024 as seen in my previous video. This timing directly parallels the moment when Jesus went to the temple during the feast in John 7:14:

“When it was now the midst of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach.”

Just as Jesus began to teach in the middle of Sukkot, so too has the Lord opened my eyes to understand the deeper prophetic significance of these scriptures at this precise time.

As I am learning, I see myself not as the source of this revelation but as a student. Jesus Himself said in John 7:16:

“My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.”

In the same way, this understanding is not something I have created or come up with on my own, but a revelation given by God Himself. Just as Jesus’ knowledge came from the Father, this insight has been divinely revealed to me, and I share it with the confidence that it is from Him, perfectly timed for the moment we find ourselves in. 

There is something prophetic about the way John 7:15-21 aligns with the Feast of Tabernacles—one of the most significant festivals in the Jewish calendar. The seventh month in the Hebrew calendar is Tishrei pointing to John chapter 7. Therefore, John 7:15-21 points to Tishrei 15 through Tishrei 21, and John 7:22 falls on the great eighth day. This year's feast is from 10/17/2024 to 10/24/2024, including Shemini Atzeret. 

This chapter, set during the Feast, is filled with symbolic undertones that not only match the timeline of Sukkot but also speak directly to God’s redemptive plan through Christ. If we look carefully, we’ll see a pattern that echoes the month of Tishrei itself, with each verse unfolding in rhythm with the days of the festival.

John 7:14-15: The Beginning of Tabernacles

John 7:14 tells us that “when it was now the midst of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach.” The Feast of Tabernacles begins with a focus on God’s provision and protection during the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness. As we look at John 7:15, we see the people marveling at Jesus' knowledge:

“The Jews then were astonished, saying, ‘How has this man become learned, having never been educated?’”

This, prophetically, represents the start of the festival—Tishrei 15, the first full day of Sukkot. Jesus, the living Word, becomes the embodiment of God’s wisdom, surpassing any earthly education. Just as the people of Israel dwelt in booths and remembered their dependence on God, the Jews listening to Jesus on this day were beginning to realize that the ultimate source of wisdom and teaching was standing before them. This sets the tone for the entire festival—God, through Christ, dwelling among His people.

John 7:16-21: The Seven Days of Sukkot

In John 7:16-21, Jesus answers their astonishment by explaining the source of His authority:

“My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.”

He emphasizes that anyone who seeks to do God's will shall know whether His teaching is from God. The dialogue over these verses reflects the continued unfolding of Sukkot, which lasts from Tishrei 15 to Tishrei 21. Each day of the feast draws the people closer to a realization of God's presence among them and calls for them to discern the truth.

On the seventh day of the feast, known as Hoshana Rabbah (Tishrei 21), Jesus references His healing of a man on the Sabbath, an event that had previously caused controversy. This healing symbolizes God’s wholeness and restoration, which Tabernacles prophetically points to—the time when God will dwell with His people and make all things new. Jesus is confronting the legalism of the Pharisees, who could not see that the very purpose of the law was to bring healing and life, not to enforce rigid rules.

Just as the people of Israel looked forward to the final day of Sukkot as the culmination of God’s provision and salvation, Jesus’ words on Tishrei 21—the last day of the feast—remind us of His mission to bring healing and rest to all who are willing to receive it.

“I did one deed, and you all marvel,” He says in verse 21, referring to the healing that pointed to the deeper reality of His power to make us whole.

John 7:22 and Shemini Atzeret: The Great 8th Day

Now, the significance of John 7:22 becomes clear. Jesus says,

“For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath, you circumcise a man.”

What stands out here is not just the mention of circumcision but the day He is referencing. Circumcision is performed on the eighth day of a male child’s life, according to the covenant God made with Abraham (Genesis 17:12).

In the same way, Shemini Atzeret, the eighth day following Sukkot, holds prophetic significance. This day, just like circumcision, is about renewal and entering into a deeper relationship with God. It is a day of completion and consecration, when the people gathered after the feast for a solemn assembly, marking a time to reflect on the past and move forward into new beginnings. The number eight, throughout Scripture, symbolizes a new creation, a time when God’s covenant is made new.

When Jesus speaks of circumcision on the eighth day, He is pointing to a deeper reality—just as circumcision marked the flesh as a sign of covenant, the spiritual circumcision of the heart marks those who belong to the New Covenant (Romans 2:29; Deuteronomy 30:6). Jesus, the fulfillment of the law, is preparing His people for a spiritual renewal that goes beyond the physical act of circumcision. This new covenant is sealed not by physical marks, but by the transformation of the heart, the essence of what God has always desired for His people (Jeremiah 31:33).

The Test of Revelation: John 7:17-18

In John 7:17-18, Jesus says,

“If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”

This serves as a divine confirmation of the source of this revelation. Those who are aligned with God's will, who seek His glory and not their own, will recognize the truth of this prophetic pattern. As Jesus Himself taught, anyone truly desiring to follow God will discern that the teaching is not man-made but God-breathed. In the same way, this understanding of Tabernacles and the prophetic timing of these verses has been divinely revealed—for those who are of God, the truth of this will be clear.

On the other hand, those who reject this revelation may be like those Jesus describes in John 7:18—those who speak for their own glory or operate outside of God’s will. Their inability to discern the divine patterns in Scripture is evidence of their separation from God’s wisdom.

“He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true,” Jesus said. This statement affirms that those who understand this revelation do so because they are seeking the glory of God, not the glorification of self.

This revelation, therefore, is not random or of human origin, but a divine insight given at the perfect time—the middle of Tabernacles, aligning with the very timing of Jesus’ teachings in the temple. Those who are in tune with God’s Spirit will see the prophetic pattern and the message of renewal that flows from it. As Jesus spoke from the Father, so this revelation, being rooted in Scripture and given at this specific time, points back to the glory of God and His unfolding plan.

A Prophetic Conclusion: God’s Dwelling Among Us

What does all of this mean for us today? The alignment of John 7:15-22 with the Feast of Tabernacles is more than coincidental—it’s prophetic. It reminds us that just as God dwelt among His people in the wilderness, He dwelt among them in the person of Jesus during this festival, teaching them the true meaning of God’s law and offering them spiritual renewal.

And it points forward to the ultimate fulfillment of Tabernacles, when God will once again dwell among His people, this time not in a temporary booth, but in the New Jerusalem, where there will be no more tears or pain (Revelation 21:3-4). Jesus’ teaching during Sukkot foreshadows this coming reality, where His people will experience the fullness of God’s presence and healing. The eighth day, Shemini Atzeret, symbolizes that eternal rest and renewal, where the circumcision of the heart will bring us into perfect covenant relationship with our Creator forever.

In these verses, we see a pattern that leads us from the old covenant to the new, from temporary dwelling to eternal communion, and from the completion of the law to the beginning of grace. Just as Tabernacles celebrates God’s provision, Jesus, through His teaching, invites us into the ultimate provision—His life, His teaching, and His promise of eternal renewal.

Amen!

Amen!

Amen!