Up to this point we have covered the days and instructions for Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot the Feast of Tabernacles. Immediately following Sukkot on October 13th is the 8th Day Closing Assembly a High-Shabbat, and we are commanded to do no work on that day as well.
Jubilees 32:27-28
“And he (Jacob) celebrated there yet another day, and he slaughtered on that day according to all that he slaughtered on the former days, and called its name ‘Addition,’ (8th Day) for this day was added and the previous days he called ‘The Feast’ (Feast of Tabernacles). And thus it was manifested that it should be, and it is written on the heavenly tablets: why it was revealed to him that he should celebrate it, and add it to seven days of the Feast. And its name was called ‘Addition,’ because it was recorded among the days of the Feast Days, according to the number of the days of the year. And in the night, on the twenty-third of this month, Deborah, Rebecca’s nurse died…”
Feast of Tabernacles starts on the 15th Day of the seventh month and runs until the 21st of the 7th month (October 6th-12th) and the 8th Day Closing Assembly is on the 22nd day of the 7th month (October 13th), We know it’s the seventh month because going back to Jubilees 31:3 it says “And he went up on the 1st of the seventh month to Beth-El) and then Jubilees 32:16 says “And on the second night, on the 22nd day of this month…” which would have been the 8th Day.
YAHWEH commands us in Leviticus 23:34-39 saying:
'Speak to the children of Yisra’el, saying, 'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month YAHWEH'S Festival of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) begins, and it lasts for seven days. The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work. For seven days present offerings made to YAHWEH by fire, and on the EIGHTH DAY hold a sacred assembly and present an offering made to YAHWEH by fire. It is the closing assembly; do no regular work.”
YAHWEH continues in verse 39 by saying: 'So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to YAHWEH for seven days; the first day is a day of rest, and the EIGTH DAY (13TH) also is a day of rest.
Numbers 29:35-38
“On the EIGHTH DAY you have an assembly, you DO NO SERVILE WORK, and you shall bring near a burnt offering made by fire, a sweet fragrance to YAHWEH: one bull, one ram, seven lambs a year old, perfect ones, their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, by their number, according to the Right-Ruling…”
How are we to celebrate this last Holy Day? Scripture doesn't go into great detail about the day, but we are commanded not to work and have a holy gathering. We can again look to how the Israelites celebrated the 8th Day Closing Assembly in the days of Nehemiah when they came back from Babylonian exile.
Nehemiah 8:18:
“And there was very great rejoicing. And day by day, from the first day until the last day, he read from the Book of the Torah of ELOHIM. And they performed the Festival seven days (Sukkot). And on the EIGTH day there was an assembly, according to the Right-Ruling.”
So, during the days of Ezra and Nehemiah they celebrated Sukkot and then on the 8th Day they held an assembly as YAHWEH commanded in Leviticus 23 and Numbers 29. We can also look to 2nd Chronicles 7:8-10 during the time of King Solomon which says:
"So Solomon observed the Festival (Sukkot) at that time for seven days, and all Yisra’el with him-a very great assembly from the entrance of Hamath to the wadi of Mitsrayim (Egypt). On the EIGTH day they held an assembly, for they had celebrated the dedication of the altar for seven days and the festival for seven days more. On the twenty-third day of the seventh month, he sent the people to their homes, joyful and glad in heart for the good things YAHWEH had done for David and Solomon and for his people Israel."
1 Kings 8:66
“On the EIGHTH DAY he sent the people away. And they blessed the king, and went to their tents rejoicing and glad of heart for all the goodness that YAHWEH had done for His servant David, and for Yisra’el His people.”
As we can see Solomon and the people were finishing up their rejoicing and celebration of The Festival of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) and then he held an assembly on the eight day in accordance with YAHWEH's command. So, it appears that the 8th Day Closing Assembly is a day to assemble with brothers and sisters and then to unwind after the 7-day celebration of Sukkot and be joyful in heart for all that YAHWEH has done for us.
What is the 8th Day Closing Assembly?
As stated, before there is not a lot of detail about the 8th Closing Assembly outside of a day of rest and a holy gathering. But it could represent the preparation for the marriage Supper of the Lamb and it’s parallel to creation week; of how YAHWEH created all things in 6 days and rested on the 7th, I do not state this as a fact.
2 Peter 3:8
“But, beloved ones, let not this one be hidden from you: that with YAHWEH one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”
Psalms 90:4
“For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday which is past and as a watch in the night.”
Jubilees 4:29-30
“And at the end of the of the nineteenth jubilee, in the seventh week in the sixth year, Adam died. And all his sons buried him in the land of his creation (Elda), and he was the first to be buried in the earth. And he lacked seventy years of one thousand years (Adam died at 930 years old); for one thousand years are as one day in the witness of the heavens and therefore was it written concerning the tree of knowledge, “On the day that you eat of it you will die.” For this reason he did not complete the YEARS OF THIS DAY; for he died during it.”
So, could it be that after the 6,000 years of mankind there will be the Shabbat rest in the 7,000th year when YESHUA returns to reign in Jerusalem for 1,000 years? And then in year 8,000th (The 8th Day Closing Assembly) year is eternity? The number 8 represents “New Beginnings” like the 8th Day circumcision of the male and only 8 people surviving after YAHWEH flooded the earth, which would make perfect sense being that eternity is a new beginning of no more pain and no more death and things being restored back to their perfected state.
Also, the number 8 in the Otiot which is the ancient form of Hebrew is “Het” which is a picture of a tent wall or a fence to protect or surround and also represent life, which could symbolize YAHWEH protecting His people from death giving them eternal life and surrounding them with His presence, love, and goodness that we cannot even fathom. However, Scripture does not give us all the details, but it is interesting to ponder on what YAHWEH’s plan is.
John 7:1-2
“And after this YESHUA was walking in Galilee, for He did not want to walk in Judah, because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. And the Festival of the Jews was near, the Festival of Sukkoth (Feast of Tabernacles).” Then verse 37 reads:
“And on the last Great Day of The Festival (8th Day), YESHUA stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me, and let him who believes in Me drink.”
Let us come to YESHUA and drink for we believe in Him and let the living waters which is the RUACH HA’KODESH (The Holy Spirit) live within us and guide us into all truth as we wait for His return.
As always may our Father YAHWEH bless you in YESHUA’s Name!