God is drawing us back to His appointed times on His Biblical calendar. The last fall feast is the Feast of Tabernacles which began at sunset on September 29 and ends at nightfall on October 6th. The feast begins five days after the Day of Atonement and at the time the fall harvest had just been completed. It is the 7th of God’s Holy Days which is significant as it is the number of completion in Scripture. It was a time of joyous celebration as the Israelites celebrated God’s continued provision for them in the current harvest and remembered His provision and protection during the 40 years in the wilderness. It has both past and future applications for the Jewish people as well as for Believers in Jesus Christ.
The importance of the Feast of Tabernacles can be seen in how many places it is mentioned in Scripture and significant events that took place at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. It was at this time that Solomon’s Temple was dedicated to the Lord (1 Kings 8:2). It was at the Feast of Tabernacles that the Israelites, who had returned to rebuild the temple, gathered to celebrate under the leadership of Joshua and Zerubbabel (Ezra 3). Later, the Jews heard Ezra read the Word of God to them during the Feast of Tabernacles (Nehemiah 8). Ezra’s preaching resulted in a great revival as the Israelites confessed and repented of their sins. The Feast of Tabernacles, like all the feasts, was instituted by God as a way of reminding Israelites in every generation of their deliverance by God from Egypt—from slavery and bondage. Of course, the feasts are also significant in that they foreshadow the work and actions of the coming Messiah. The Feast of Tabernacles was one of three pilgrimage feasts when the people were to come to Jerusalem and for a time, dwell or tabernacle with God there.
The Feast of Tabernacles is also called “Sukkot” which is the Hebrew word for “booths” or “tents.” The Jewish people construct makeshift tents, just as the Israelites did while roaming in the desert, and commemorates their liberation from Egypt by the hand of God. This joyful holiday is a recognition of God’s salvation, shelter, provision, and trustworthiness. God wanted to remind us all each year at this appointed time that both the earth and our mortal bodies are also only temporary dwelling places. The Greek word for tabernacle is “skenos” and refers to the human body which is taken down at death much as you would take down a tent after a camping trip. John wrote in 1:14 “And the Word became 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.” The word John chose to speak of Jesus “dwelling” among us is the word tabernacle, which simply means to “dwell in a tent.” Christ is Emmanuel—God with us. God’s ultimate plan from the foundation of the world has always been to tabernacle with His people.
During the Feast of Tabernacles in the Bible, two important ceremonies took place. The Hebrew people carried torches around the temple, illuminating bright candelabrum along the walls of the temple to demonstrate that the Messiah would be a light to the Gentiles. Also, the priest drew water from the pool of Siloam and carried it to the temple where it was poured into a silver basin beside the altar. The priest called upon the Lord to provide heavenly water in the form of rain for their supply. Also, during this ceremony, the people looked forward to the pouring out of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus not only observed this feast but also proclaimed one of His most important prophecies during it. This feast looked toward to a coming time of messianic hope and salvation. Premierchristianity.com explains the glorious declarations of Jesus during the Feast as found in John Chapter 7: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7: 37-39) At the time of Jesus, Israel was spiritually destitute. They were living under Roman rule. Even the Holy of Holies was empty and dry. This moment in the feast wasn’t just a cry for physical rain, but a desperate cry that God would pour out His Spirit—the “living water” they longed for. Jesus was telling them the solution to their spiritual drought is found in Him, the true water of life! This pointed to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost—the early rain and the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the latter days according to Joel 2: 21-29. Surely, we can identify with their cry for release from tyranny and corruption of the government. May God pour out His Holy Spirit upon us in these latter days to release us from the oppression and bondage of sin and bring in a harvest of souls.
The next morning, while the torches were still burning Jesus said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8: 12) The ceremony was a reassurance that God had vowed to send a light to restore Israel’s glory, deliver them from bondage, and renew their joy. Today most of the religious systems in America are deceived and are in darkness, and don’t know they are a prime people for Jesus coming to them as a thief in the night. Only deceived religious people in darkness and disobedient to Jesus ignore the darkness operating in this nation and refuse to resist it. The place and attitude of Christ at the end of the Church Age is clearly seen in Jesus’ words in 3: 20: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” The last mention of the Church in the Bible is this word of warning in 3: 22: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Sukkot pointed to the truth that Israel’s life, and our lives too, rest on the redemption which is in Jesus Christ and His forgiveness of sin.
Every year when Israel celebrates the Feast of Tabernacles they declare “Next year in Jerusalem!” They are still awaiting their Messiah and have rejected Jesus as Messiah. The prophet Hosea speaks of a believing remnant of Israel in the last days in 5: 15: “I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face; in their affliction they will seek me early.” Then Hosea prophecies these words in 6: 1-2: “Come, and let us return unto the LORD, for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten and he will bind us up. After two days will He revive us; in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight.” 2 Peter 3:8 sheds light upon this prophecy as he declares that a day is as a thousand years in God’s timetable. It has been 2000 years since Jesus was rejected by them as Messiah—two days and God is gathering the Jews back to the Promised Land but they are in unbelief. He will raise up a believing remnant to evangelize the Jews who will accept Jesus as Messiah and God will fulfill all His promises made to Abraham and David in the third day—the 1000 year reign of Christ at His return.
God brought me back to one of my favorite verses in the Bible—Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” The hope of Isarel and the hope of Christians is in Jesus—our Blessed Hope. The words of Hebrews 4 give wisdom to the Jew and to the Gentile: “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them; but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that hear it.” (v. 2) In Chapter 3 we are warned not to harden our hearts as Israel did but to hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of our hope in Christ firm unto the end. (v. 6) Peter instructs us in 1 Peter 1: 13 to “gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ…”
The Feast of Tabernacles celebrates a future time when God will again tabernacle with us on earth when Jesus appears and renews all things. “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21: 3-4)