The Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Booths or Sukkot, is a biblical festival that celebrates God’s provision, presence, and protection. Sukkot is a joyful, week-long festival that takes place in the fall, starting on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei (usually September or October). It commemorates the Israelites’ 40-year journey through the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt, when they lived in temporary shelters. The festival also has agricultural significance, marking the end of the harvest season.
1. Biblical Origins and Observance of Sukkot
- Leviticus 23:33–44:
- “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites: “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the LORD’s Festival of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work. For seven days present food offerings to the LORD, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present a food offering to the LORD. It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work.'” (Leviticus 23:33–36)
- Purpose: Sukkot was established by God as a time for His people to remember how He provided for them in the wilderness. During this time, they were to live in booths (sukkot in Hebrew), temporary shelters made of branches, to commemorate their ancestors’ journey.
- Requirements: The festival begins and ends with a “sacred assembly” (a Sabbath rest) and involves daily sacrifices and offerings to God. On the eighth day, called Shemini Atzeret (the “Eighth Day of Assembly”), the people gather again to mark the festival’s closing.
- Deuteronomy 16:13–15:
- “Celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress. Be joyful at your festival—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns.”
- Agricultural Aspect: Sukkot is also a harvest festival, celebrating the ingathering of crops and the blessings of God’s provision. This time of thanksgiving involves gathering with family and friends to enjoy the produce of the land.
- Joy and Inclusivity: The festival is marked by joy and inclusiveness, encouraging the Israelites to rejoice before the Lord and include others, such as foreigners and the disadvantaged, in their celebration.
2. Symbols and Customs of Sukkot
- Living in Booths (Sukkot):
- The central command of Sukkot is for the Israelites to build and dwell in temporary shelters called sukkot (booths) throughout the week (Leviticus 23:42–43). This commemorates the temporary dwellings used by the Israelites during their journey in the wilderness.
- Leviticus 23:42–43 – “Live in temporary shelters for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.”
- Today, Jewish families build these booths with roofs made of branches, through which the stars can be seen, reminding them of God’s covering and care.
- The Four Species (Arba Minim):
- Leviticus 23:40 – “On the first day, you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows, and other leafy trees—and rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days.”
- The four species used in worship during Sukkot include the etrog (citron), lulav (palm branch), hadas (myrtle branch), and aravah (willow branch). These are waved in different directions to symbolize God’s sovereignty over all creation and as a prayer for provision and blessing.
3. Sukkot as a Time of Thanksgiving and Joy
- Celebration of God’s Provision: Sukkot is marked by joy and gratitude. It is a time of thanking God for the harvest, as well as for His protection and provision throughout the Israelites’ journey in the desert.
- Nehemiah 8:14–18: After the Israelites returned from exile, they rediscovered the importance of celebrating Sukkot. Under Nehemiah’s leadership, the people built booths and observed the feast joyfully, as had been done during Joshua’s time.
4. Sukkot in the New Testament
- John 7:2, 37–39:
- “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.”
- Context: Jesus attended the Feast of Tabernacles and used the imagery of water and light, both of which were significant in the Sukkot rituals, to illustrate spiritual truths. Water was drawn each day during Sukkot as a symbol of asking God for rain. Jesus uses this opportunity to offer Himself as the source of “living water,” a metaphor for the Holy Spirit.
- Messianic Fulfillment: Many Christians view Sukkot as a symbol of God’s presence and future Messianic kingdom. The feast points forward to a time when God will dwell with His people in fullness, a theme echoed in Revelation 21:3 – “God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.”
5. Sukkot as a Future Celebration
- Zechariah 14:16–19:
- “Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.”
- Future Fulfillment: This prophecy envisions a future time when all nations will celebrate Sukkot as a recognition of God’s sovereignty. This suggests that Sukkot has an enduring role, symbolizing a future time when all nations will acknowledge God and His dwelling among His people.
Summary of Sukkot’s Themes
- God’s Provision: Sukkot is a time to remember how God provided for the Israelites’ physical needs in the desert.
- God’s Presence: The temporary shelters are a reminder of God’s presence and protection during the journey from Egypt.
- Thanksgiving: It’s also an agricultural festival, celebrating the final harvest and thanking God for His ongoing provision.
- Future Hope: Sukkot points toward a future time of God’s perfect presence and rule over all nations, symbolizing God’s eternal “dwelling” with His people.
Sukkot is a deeply meaningful festival that connects the past, present, and future. It celebrates God’s past faithfulness, acknowledges His present blessings, and anticipates His future kingdom.