Cees en Anneke Noordzij — Christology
b7 — The Feast of Tabernacles
Jesus as Eternal High Priest — The Order of Melchizedek
Noordzij connects believers called to royal priesthood with Jesus’ high-priestly ministry according to the order of Melchizedek:
“These are ‘royal priests’ of a different order, of the ‘order of Melchizedek’ (Heb. 6:20). That ‘new’ priesthood is indestructible, ‘by the power of an indestructible life’ (Heb. 7:16). It has no knowledge of father, mother, lineage, beginning or end (Heb. 7:3). It is in spirit and truth, of Melchizedek, of the ‘King of righteousness, the King of Salem’ (= Prince of Peace, Heb. 7:2). That royal priesthood ‘consists of righteousness, peace and joy through the Spirit’ (Rom. 14:17).”
(Noordzij, ‘Het Loofhuttenfeest’)
“He has entered as our forerunner and has become our eternal high priest according to the order of Melchizedek (Heb. 6:20). He is the ‘new and living way that He has inaugurated for us’ (Heb. 10:20).”
(Noordzij, ‘Het Loofhuttenfeest’)
Interpretation: Christ is the eternal high priest whose priesthood rests not on lineage but on indestructible life (Heb. 7:16). This forms the foundation on which believers participate in royal priesthood.
Jesus as Living Water — Typology of the Feast of Tabernacles
Noordzij describes Jesus’ intervention on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles as an explanation of the high-priestly water ceremony:
“Only one of the bystanders knew the true meaning of what was happening. He knew that He, as eternal high priest, could pour out living water on every thirsty soul.”
(Noordzij, ‘Het Loofhuttenfeest’)
“He stood up and cried out: ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink! Then streams of living water will flow from within him, as he believes in Me’ (John 7:37-38).”
(Noordzij, ‘Het Loofhuttenfeest’)
“Whoever has drunk of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life (John 4:14).”
(Noordzij, ‘Het Loofhuttenfeest’)
Interpretation: Jesus applies the high-priestly water ceremony typologically to himself: He is the eternal high priest who dispenses living water. The believer receives this water and in turn becomes a spring (John 7:38b).
The Appearing of Christ with His Saints — Col. 3:4
The appearing of Christ as head together with his body is for Noordzij the central christological theme of the Feast of Tabernacles:
“He comes as the ‘fullness of Christ, as the Son with the sons, as Head and body together’. He comes ‘with those who are called, chosen, and faithful’ (Rev. 17:14). They will appear with Christ in glory! (Col. 3:4).”
(Noordzij, ‘Het Loofhuttenfeest’)
“Greater glory will be revealed when He appears with His saints.”
(Noordzij, ‘Het Loofhuttenfeest’)
“Then, when He appears, we will appear with Him in glory and be a source of life for the healing of all creation (Rom. 8:19-21).”
(Noordzij, ‘Het Loofhuttenfeest’)
Interpretation: Christ does not appear alone but corporately — as Head with his body. The revelation of the sons of God (Rom. 8:19) is therefore a Christ-revelation: His appearing simultaneously includes that of His saints.
Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7) — Historical Typology
Noordzij reads Jesus’ presence at the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7) as a picture of His eschatological appearing:
“When ‘the Feast of Tabernacles of the Jews was near,’ Jesus’ brothers pressed Him to go to the feast in Jerusalem (John 7:2-4). He stayed where He was (vv. 6-9). Later, ‘when His brothers had already gone up to the feast, He Himself also went, not openly but in secret’ (v. 10). All these events were recorded by John because they are a picture of the Lord’s appearing.”
(Noordzij, ‘Het Loofhuttenfeest’)
“For even now He has gone up in secret to the heavenly Jerusalem, to appear there at the true Feast of Tabernacles.”
(Noordzij, ‘Het Loofhuttenfeest’)
Interpretation: Jesus’ hidden appearing at the historical Feast of Tabernacles typifies His current presence in the heavenly Jerusalem. The public appearing is reserved eschatologically for the true Feast of Tabernacles.
Royal Priesthood in Christ — A Process of Growth
Noordzij holds that royal priesthood is not a static state but a process of growth, grounded in Christ’s forerunnership:
“The glory that the Father gave to Jesus must, as it were, be inherited by the ‘twelve,’ the ‘144,000,’ the ‘sons of God’ called to royal priesthood (cf. John 17:22, Rom. 8:19, Rev. 12:1, 5).”
(Noordzij, ‘Het Loofhuttenfeest’)
“Every Christian who hears the voice of the good shepherd and follows Him, out of the ‘fold,’ will eventually become a true king and priest. For it is a process of growth. Belonging to the priesthood is different from being a priest (cf. 1 Pet. 2:9).”
(Noordzij, ‘Het Loofhuttenfeest’)
“Then it will be revealed who has been ‘made a priest to reign as king on the earth’ (Rev. 5:10). Mature, royal priests! Washed, clothed in linen, anointed, sanctified (Ex. 40:12-16).”
(Noordzij, ‘Het Loofhuttenfeest’)
Interpretation: Christ as forerunner (Heb. 6:20) opens the way to the eternal high priesthood. Believers follow in His footsteps toward the maturity of royal priesthood — a process of growth and preparation (Ex. 40:12-16).
Christ as Temple — Malachi 3:1 and Heavenly Temple Typology
Noordzij sees in Malachi 3:1 the coming of Christ to His temple, distinguishing the heavenly temple (not made with hands) from the earthly temple of Solomon:
“He comes to His temple’ (Mal. 3:1).”
(Noordzij, ‘Het Loofhuttenfeest’)
“When Solomon had completed the temple building, the ark was brought inside and ‘when the priests came out, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not continue to stand to minister because of the cloud: the glory of the Lord filled the temple’ (vv. 10 and 11). All this took place at the feast in the month Ethanim (=the seventh, the month of the Feast of Tabernacles, v. 2). Thus will God fill His ‘house,’ which is not made with hands, with His glory at the true Feast of Tabernacles.”
(Noordzij, ‘Het Loofhuttenfeest’)
“He was not speaking of an earthly house. He was speaking of a heavenly temple, of which we can be living stones. It is that house that matters to God.”
(Noordzij, ‘Het Loofhuttenfeest’)
Interpretation: Christ comes to His temple (Mal. 3:1) — not the earthly temple of Solomon, but the heavenly temple not made with hands. The glory of the Lord fills this heavenly house at the true Feast of Tabernacles.
Tabernacle-Type — 2 Corinthians 12:9
Noordzij connects the power of Christ with the tabernacle-type (the booth) as shelter for the believer:
“Then ‘the power of Christ will spread as a tabernacle, a booth, over us’ (2 Cor. 12:9, literally).”
(Noordzij, ‘Het Loofhuttenfeest’)
Interpretation: The tabernacle-type points to Christ’s power spread over the believer as a protective booth (2 Cor. 12:9). The feast booth thus becomes a picture of Christ’s protecting presence.