Feast of Tabernacles

The Feast of Tabernacles is also known as Sukkot, the portable house of worship. During this eight day feast, the Israelites were instructed to dwell in booths or a simply made hut as a reminder of how their ancestors lived when leaving Egypt.


Speak to the children of Israel, saying: The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD. On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it… You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 23:34-36; 42,44

Jewish Tradition

Sukkot is a harvest festival and a time of rejoicing. This holiday commemorates God's faithfulness in providing for the Jewish people when He brought them out of Egypt. It is one of three times during the year when all men had to appear before the Lord in Jerusalem. The others were Passover and Shavuot (Deuteronomy 16:16,17; Exodus 23:14-19, and Exodus 34:22-26). Sukkot also is observed in Ezra 3:4 and Nehemiah 8:13-18.


On this holiday, a lulav made of branches of palms and willows fastened with golden thread is waved and Psalms 113-118 are sung. This traditionally symbolizes God's sovereignty over the entire world. An etrog (citrus similar to a lemon) is also used. Today, during synagogue services, the lulav, the etrog, three myrtle branches and two willow branches, are carried as the the congregation sings Hosanna, which means "save us" or "save now."



Messianic Judaism

Messianic Jews realize the Messiah has already come. When the Messiah returns again to set up His kingdom, all nations will come to Jerusalem to keep the Feast of the Tabernacles.


And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall 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 whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. Zechariah 14:16-19


Many believers in Jesus think He came to destroy the law and the Feasts that served as  reminders to the Israelites. Yeshua said He did not come to overturn the law, but to fulfill it ( Matthew 5:17). As Zechariah mentioned, all nations will be required to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. It will serve as reminder to what the Israelites experienced in the wilderness. The principle of Sowing and Reaping will still apply when Yeshua comes again. If we are obedient we will have a good harvest. If we are disobedient then we will have no rain and plagues.