The Blessing of the Feast of Tabernacles

All around the world, faithful Christians are preparing to celebrate the great Feast that Jesus Christ and the apostles observed two millennia ago. This is the same Feast that all of the world will learn to celebrate in the coming Kingdom of God. The Feast of Tabernacles is a joyous celebration. It is also a commanded assembly that true Christians continue to observe. What is the Feast of Tabernacles? Why is observing the Feast of Tabernacles a blessing? And what does this Holy Day point to?

God provided ancient Israel with instructions about how to observe the Feast of Tabernacles in Leviticus 23:33–43. This holy, seven-day festival begins on the “fifteenth day of the seventh month” of the Hebrew calendar, and it lasts for seven days. It is immediately followed by “the eighth day” (v. 36), also called “the last day, that great day of the Feast” or simply the Last Great Day (John 7:37). John chapters 7 and 8 show Jesus Christ teaching at the Feast of Tabernacles, and Zechariah 14:16–19 reveals that during the future millennial reign of Christ, all nations will celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. Today, faithful Christians—whether Jew or Gentile—are called “the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:15–16), and continue to observe this special Holy Day as they emulate Jesus Christ, striving to “abide in Him” and to “walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6).

Why else do Christians continue to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles? In addition to the fact God established the biblical Holy Days to be observed forever (Leviticus 23:41)—and in addition to the fact that Jesus observed the Feast of Tabernacles and that Christians are admonished to imitate Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1) and walk as He walked—the Feast of Tabernacles is also a joy to observe because it points to the wonderful reign of Jesus Christ on this earth, which will be a time of great blessings:

• The knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth “as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9).
• Perfect and righteous government will be established for all people. Christ will rule as King of kings, and His righteous saints will rule under Him for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4–6), and then forever (22:5)!
• God will restore Israel and will bless all nations that learn to worship Him. There will be peace and prosperity throughout the earth (Amos 9:11–15, Isaiah 19:24–25).
• There will be abundant food for all people and all nations (Micah 4:3–4, Ezekiel 36:33–37).
• Sickness and disease will be cured (Jeremiah 30:17; Malachi 4:2).
• Fear and anxiety will be removed from the earth (Isaiah 51:11–13; 35:4).
• Right worship of God will be taught throughout the world (Isaiah 30:21; Ezekiel 11:19–20, Hebrews 8:11–12; Revelation 20:1–6).

The Feast of Tabernacles pictures God’s kingdom on this earth, and faithful Christians emulate their Lord when they pray, “Thy Kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10, King James Version). This will usher in the time when the promise described in Revelation 20:6 will be fulfilled: “Blessed and holy is he who has part in this first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be the priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”

It is a joy and a blessing to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. But, the greater joy and blessing is yet future! “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘When the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows seed. The mountains shall drip with sweet wine and all the hills shall flow with it’” (Amos 9:13). God speed that day!

You can read more about the Feast of Tabernacles, the Last Great Day, and the rest of the biblical Holy Days in Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy 16. You may also want to read online our detailed booklet The Holy Days: God’s Master Plan or request your own free personal copy.