What is the Feast of Tabernacles?
M any today live in a world without adequate food or clean water. Others suffer in war-torn nations, plagued by disease and stripped of hope for the future. Humani- ty wants real change but does not realize how to bring it about. God’s plan for mankind explains how this world will soon be changed for the better. Jesus Christ came preaching the true Gospel (Mark 1:14–15)—the good news of a Kingdom soon to come — A wonderful world tomorrow. This world will be filled with abundance, joy, vibrant health, peace, and the finest education for a millennium. God’s great festi- val, the Feast of Tabernacles, points to this coming 1000 year Utopia! The Feast of Tabernacles begins five days after the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:33-34). It starts with a Holy Day where ordinary work is forbidden, and people as- semble before God (Leviticus 23:35). The Feast lasts for seven days (Deuteronomy 16:15).It is also known as the “Feast of Booths.” This is because during the sev- en days of the Feast, the ancient Israelites were to live in booths (Leviticus 23:40-42), a “temporary dwelling.” God commanded the ancient Israelites to live in tem- porary shelters made of tree branches while observing the Feast of Tabernacles. Today, God’s people who attend the Feast stay in tempo- rary dwellings such as tents, campers, motels or hotels, and the like. By staying in temporary dwellings during the Feast of Tabernacles, God’s people are reminded that this physical life is only temporary. For ancient Israel, living in booths during the Feast was to be a continual reminder of Israel’s forty-year sojourn in the wilderness (Leviticus 23:42-43). During their forty years in the wilderness the Israelites had no per- manent dwellings. True Christians today are “strang- ers and pilgrims” in this physical temporary life (John 17:11, 14). They, too, are heirs, not yet inheritors, of their permanent dwelling place, the promised King- dom of God! What is permanent is eternal life. The Feast is also called the “Feast of Ingathering”
(Exodus 23:16), a harvest festival of thanksgiving for God’s blessings. It pictures the future ingathering of Spirit-begotten humans into God’s Family during the Millennium. God, through His servants, chooses where the Feast will be observed (Deuteronomy 16:16). Jesus kept the Feast, despite the danger of the Jews seek- ing to kill Him (John 7:1-14), setting an example for us. During the Millennium, all Israelite tribes, as well as Gentile nations, will observe the Feast (Hosea 12:8- 9; Zechariah 14:16). Nations that refuse will receive no rain (Zechariah 14:17) and eventually “the plague” if they continue to disobey (Zechariah 14:18-19). God commands His people to save a second tithe of their income each year for attending His feasts (Deuter- onomy 14:22-26). It was a time of rejoicing for ancient Israel after the harvest, and today it is a foretaste of the peace, joy, and prosperity that will come when Christ reigns as King. During the Millennium, the nature of humans will change as God pours His Spirit upon all flesh (Eze- kiel 36:26-27). People will obey God and express love and concern for others. Animals will become peaceful (Isaiah 11:6-8). God will rule from Jerusalem (Jeremi- ah 3:17) as King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16), and Spirit-born saints will rule with Him (Dan- iel 7:14). These saints will teach God’s law and help turn people to righteousness (Isaiah 30:20-21). Satan will be restrained during the Millennium (Reve- lation 20:1-3), bringing world peace (Hosea 2:18) and ending war as people convert weapons into farming tools (Isaiah 2:4). The world will be free of sickness, dis- ease, and fear (Jeremiah 30:17; Isaiah 35:3-6). God will bless the land with rain (Amos 9:13), and deserts will bloom (Isaiah 41:14-20).God will give the world a pure language so all can serve Him together (Zephaniah 3:9). The Feast of Tabernacles serves to separate God’s people from worldly influences, providing a time to reflect on God’s purpose and how to fulfill human potential.
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