Dear Carol,

          I enjoyed your post about your dream about the song Away in a Manger and your hope that it could mean a Rosh Hashanah Rapture.

          I have another possible interpretation.  I think that the song could point to the Feast of Tabernacles, which is called Sukkot or Succoth in Hebrew.  The first time that we see the word "succoth" in the Bible is in Genesis 33:17.  It is when Jacob made booths for his cattle.

          "And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth."  Genesis 33:17.

          As part of the observance of the Feast of Tabernacles, the Jews were told to dwell in temporary shelters or booths.

          "Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God."  Leviticus 23:42-43.

          It is widely thought that Jesus was born in the Fall – possibly during one of the Fall Feasts.  (So, your Christmas hymn would not be out of place this time of year :)  I personally like the idea that He was born on Tabernacles.  That would mean that He was born on the first day of the feast and circumcised on the eighth day – which was a day of sacred assembly (Leviticus 23:36).

          The next time that you see a nativity crèche on someone's lawn, note that it is a model of a Jewish family dwelling outdoors in a temporary shelter.  It is the very thing that is done by Jewish families during the Feast of Tabernacles.

          Remember that Jesus was put in a manger – a trough used to feed cattle.  That puts us full circle to the first mention of "succoth" in the Bible and the shelters that Jacob made for his cattle.  Jesus, Mary and Joseph were truly dwelling in a succoth.

          "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."  Luke 2:7.

          So, stay on alert throughout all of the Fall Feasts.  Your dream about Away in a Manger points to the time when Christ dwelled in a tent of flesh.

          "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."  John 1:14.

          The Greek word for "dwelt" in this verse means to live in a tabernacle.  So, Jesus literally tabernacled with men.

          Someday, we will tabernacle with God in heaven and later on the New Earth.  The same Greek word for tabernacle (i.e. to dwell) is used in the following verses:

          "Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them."  Revelation 7:15.

          "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God."  Revelation 21:3.

          Someday (hopefully real soon), we will all be Away in a Tabernacle!

          Maranatha.

                      – Lisa Taylor