SUKKOT (VI): The Seventh Day

The seventh day of Sukkot in Hebrew is known as Hoshanah Rabbah (lit. the many hosannas). The word “Hosanna” is made up of two words: Yasha + Nah.

Yasha: to save, to rescue, to free, to aid

Na: is a plea

Hosanna can be used as a petition: “we beg for you to save us”. Or it can also be used as a way of showing gratitude for the salvation already received.

This expression is found in Hebrew on several Psalms:

(Psalms 20:9) O LORD, save the king! May he answer us when we call.

(Psalms 98:1-4) Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. (2) The LORD has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. (3) He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. (4) Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!

(Psalms 118:25-26) Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success! (26) Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD.

OUR SALVATION

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, some days before his death on the cross, the people received him with shouts of Hosanna.

(Matthew 21:9-11) And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (10) And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” (11) And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Jesus entered seated on a donkey, and the people would place before him palm branches like a carpet. On that moment, he was fulfilling Zechariah’s prophesy.

(Zechariah 9:9) Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

That day, Jesus was welcomed like a king would be welcomed, but some days later he died. His time had not yet come, since he had to be the Lamb of Passover before he died. But he will soon come like a King, Judge, and Bridegroom on the Day of the Lord. We will rejoice when he establishes His Kingdom in Jerusalem.

On the seventh day of Sukkot (Hoshanah Rabbah) we acknowledge that Jesus is our salvation. It is no coincidence that Yeshua in Hebrew means: salvation.

On the seventh day of the feast, the priests would go around the altar of the Temple seven times, waving their spices, and exclaiming “Hosanna” (we beg for you to save us).

On Sukkot, Jews traditionally read chapter 12 of Isaiah, where it says:

(Isaiah 12:1-6) You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me. (2) “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” (3) With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. (4) And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. (5) “Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. (6) Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”