7- Tabernacles

The seventh and final Festival of the Lord is called the Feast of Tabernacles. It starts five days after the Day of Atonement on the fifteenth of Tishri (October).

This festival is also called the Feast of Ingathering:

“And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.”
(Exodus 23:16)

The Feast unto the Lord:

“Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.”
(Leviticus 23:39)

And, the Feast of Booths, or simply “the feast”; (Leviticus 23:36; Deuteronomy 16:13; I Kings 8:2; II Chronicles 5:3, 7:8; Nehemiah 8:14; Isaiah 30:29; Ezekiel 45:23,25) because it was so well-known.

Historical Significance

After the Israelites returned from exile, Ezra read the law and led them in acts of penitence during the Feast of Tabernacles.

“And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law.
And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:
And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.
Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.”
(Nehemiah 8:13-18).

The dedication of Solomon’s’ Temple also took place during this feast.

“And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.”
(I Kings 8:2)

Later, Josephus referred to the Feast of Tabernacles as the holiest and greatest of all the Hebrew festivals. Also, in Israel, the rains normally stop in March. There is no rain for almost seven months following. If God does not provide the “early” rains of October and November there would be no spring crop because famine would devastate the land and its people. This festival then, was intended to invoke God’s blessing on the nation by providing life-giving water.

Festival Observance

On the first day of the feast, each participant had to collect twigs of myrtle, willow, and palm in the area of Jerusalem for construction of their booth (Nehemiah 8:13-18). These “huts” or “booths” were constructed from bulrushes as joyful reminders of the temporary housing erected by their forefathers during the Exodus wanderings (Leviticus 23:40-41; Deuteronomy 16:14). The “booth” in Scripture is a symbol of protection, preservation, and shelter from heat and storm. That is why this festival was commonly known as the Feast of Booths.

“For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.”
(Psalm 27:5)

“Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.”
(Psalm 31:20)

“And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.”
(Isaiah 4:6)

The festival and rejoicing was to include the entire community, your family, servants, orphans, widows, and even strangers, anyone within the gates of the city.

“Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine:
And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.
Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose: because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.”
(Deuteronomy 16:13-15)

Besides the construction of the booths and ingathering of the labors of the field as noted above, other festivities included the ingathering of the mills and winepress, and the ingathering of the fruit of the earth. Samples of the fall crop were hung in each family’s booth to acknowledge God’s faithfulness in providing for His people.

“Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine:”
(Deuteronomy 16:13)

“Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.”
(Leviticus 23:39)

On the eighth and final day of the feast, the high priest of Israel, in a great processional made up of priests and tens of thousands of worshipers, descended from the Temple Mount to pause briefly at the Pool of Siloam. A pitcher was filled with water, and the procession continued via a different route back to the Temple Mount. Here, in the midst of great ceremony, the high priest poured the water out of the pitcher onto the altar.

Another ritual included the lighting of huge Menorahs (candelabras) at the Court of the Women. This is believed to be the probable background for Jesus’ statement:

“I am the light of the world.”
(John 8:12)

Spiritual and Prophetic Significance

It is in connection with the Festival of Tabernacles and this eighth day that the gospel of John records a fascinating event. John wrote:

“In the last day (eighth day), that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water”
(John 7:37-38)

The Son of God was saying in the clearest possible way that He alone was the source of life and blessing; that He could meet every need of the human heart.

The water and the “pillar of light” provided during the wilderness wandering (when people dwelt in tabernacles) was temporary and in contrast to the continuing water and light claimed by Jesus during this feast which commemorated that wandering period.

The various prophetic revelations, which speak about the coming of all nations to worship at Jerusalem, refer to the Festival of Tabernacles on the occasion of their pilgrimage.

“And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar.
Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.”
(Zechariah 14:16-21)

This feast speaks eloquently of Christ’s Millennium Age and Kingdom where there will be a new beginning without the ravages of the curse of sin. In that day, the earth will give her full bounty, all animals will be docile;

“The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.”
(Isaiah 65:25)

Armies will no longer march, every man will sit under his own fig tree;

“But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.”
(Micah 4:4)

And at that time, righteousness will have become a reality for all the Earth.

Importance of the Festival

Points to be emphasized concerning the Festival of Tabernacles

+ The return of Jesus and His establishment as ruler over all the Earth marks the end of the Church Age and ushers in the beginning of the New Millennium of Christ’s Kingdom.

“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”
(Revelation 5: 9-10)

+ Christ will live and “tabernacle” with His people here on Earth for one thousand years and provide for all of their needs.

“Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”
(Revelation 7: 15-17)

+ The New Millennium Age is the fulfillment of the last part of the seven thousand years of God’s plan for His people on Earth since our original placement in Eden with Adam and Eve.