John 7:1-2; Deut. 16:13-16, The Feast of Tabernacles

“Sukkot” (Feast of Tabernacles/Booths) is a wonderful time to be in Israel.  It comes in the Fall (September/October).  “Booths” are set up all over the country.  The campgrounds are filled with tents of Jewish families.  It is quite the celebration.

Also called the “Feast of Ingathering” (e.g. Ex. 23:16; 34:22), Sukkot was one of several holy days in the seventh month (Tishri): the Feast of Trumpets (7^th month, 1^st day; Lev. 23:23-25, today called Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year), the Day of Atonement (7^th month, 10^th day; Lev. 23:26-32, Yom Kippur) and then the Feast of Tabernacles (7^th month, 15^th-22^nd days; Lev. 23:33-43; Num. 29:12-38, Sukkot). 

There were some special celebrations of Sukkot in the Bible, including the dedication of Solomon’s temple (1 Ki. 8:2), the return from Babylon (Neh. 8:13-18), and the one with Jesus in John 7.  In the future Kingdom of Messiah Sukkot will be the centerpiece of worship by all the nations (Zech. 14:16-19).

For Sukkot, the people of Israel built “booths,” temporary dwelling places, to remind them of how they lived, and how God took care of them, in the wilderness.  They got the branches of leafy trees (palms, willows, etc.) for this and lived in these for a week.  Today, people build structures like this on their apartment balconies, on the sidewalks, in their back yards, or, as we noted, in campgrounds.  We have seen hotel dining rooms decorated with palm branches during Sukkot.  Today the idea is that a family will eat at least one meal a day in the booth.

Further, being in the Fall, Sukkot was the time to celebrate the Lord’s provision of the harvest.  That’s why it was also called the “Feast of Ingathering.”  The point was the same: a celebration of God’s provision now that they were in the land.

There was also an emphasis on reading the Law during Sukkot.  Every seventh year (the Sabbatical year, when there was less harvest work to be done) they were to read the entire Torah during Sukkot (Deut. 31:10-13).  Today in Israel, the day after Sukkot is “Simchat Torah” (rejoicing of the Law, Genesis to Deuteronomy) when, in many synagogues, they come to the end of Deuteronomy, reroll the Torah scroll (with great celebration), and read the first reading in Genesis. 

One last thing about Sukkot was that it was the feast when Gentiles were permitted to join in the celebration (Deut. 16:13-16; unlike Passover, Ex. 12:43).  That is why it is so significant for the entire world during Messiah’s kingdom.  Everyone should celebrate God’s abundant provision.  If you read the Numbers 29 listing of the sacrifices that were offered each day, you would understand that Sukkot was like a week-long camping trip with a daily national barbecue.  It was massive and it was a joyful time for all!

We do need times when we regularly celebrate God’s provision and get reminded of the Bible.  The first step away from God is failure to glorify Him as God and to give Him thanks (Rom. 1:21).  Let's learn a lesson from Israel’s calendar.