The Feast of Tabernacles Celebration
January 6, 2023
Commentary
As a nation, Israel has been a scattered, sinful, and suffering people. However, one day, their suffering will be turned into joy. Like Thanksgiving in the United States, the Feast of Tabernacles was a time of feasting, rejoicing, and thanking God for His abundant blessings (Deut. 16:13-15). Everything they had came from the Lord’s blessings.
We must remember that the Day of Atonement came before this feast. Those who desire happiness without holiness will surely be disappointed. The Feast of Tabernacles was the final and most important feast of the year. It lasted 7 days, from the 15th through the 21st day of the 7th month. This feast was not only a time to thank God for the fall harvest but also a celebration of His protection during Israel’s 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, when they lived in tents (vv. 33-34).
On the first and eighth days of the Feast of Tabernacles, the Israelites were to hold sacred assemblies and do no regular work (v. 35). The offerings presented during this feast were the most elaborate of the entire year (Numbers 29:12-38). Branches and leaves from trees were used to build temporary shelters in which the people lived for seven days. These shelters reminded them of how they had lived after leaving Egypt and how God had cared for them throughout their journey. The feast also points to the future kingdom God has prepared for Israel when the Messiah comes (vv. 36-43). For Israel, the best is yet to come! The scattered people will be gathered, the sinful people will be cleansed, and the sorrowful people will rejoice. Moses faithfully instructed the Israelites to observe the Lord’s appointed festivals (v. 44), reminding them to remember and celebrate His goodness.
Application
The Feast of Tabernacles reminds me to thank God for His faithful care and abundant blessings. Do I take time to remember His goodness in my life? Am I trusting Him even when I face difficulties? How can I express my gratitude to God today? Do I live with a thankful spirit, knowing that He faithfully provides all my needs?
Leviticus 23:33–44 (NET)
33 The Lord spoke to Moses: 34 “Tell the Israelites, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the Feast of Shelters for seven days to the Lord. 35 On the first day is a holy assembly; you must do no regular work. 36 For seven days you must present a gift to the Lord. On the eighth day there is to be a holy assembly for you, and you must present a gift to the Lord. It is a solemn assembly day; you must not do any regular work.
37 “‘These are the appointed times of the Lord that you must proclaim as holy assemblies to present a gift to the Lord—burnt offering, grain offering, sacrifice, and drink offerings, each day according to its regulation, 38 besides the Sabbaths of the Lord and all your gifts, votive offerings, and freewill offerings which you must give to the Lord.
39 “‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you gather in the produce of the land, you must celebrate a pilgrim festival of the Lord for seven days. On the first day is a complete rest and on the eighth day is complete rest. 40 On the first day you must take for yourselves branches from majestic trees —palm branches, branches of leafy trees, and willows of the brook—and you must rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. 41 You must celebrate it as a pilgrim festival to the Lord for seven days in the year. This is a perpetual statute throughout your generations; you must celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 You must live in temporary shelters for seven days; every native citizen in Israel must live in shelters, 43 so that your future generations may know that I made the Israelites live in shelters when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’”
44 So Moses spoke to the Israelites about the appointed times of the Lord.
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