One of the most significant festivals ordained by God Almighty through Moses, celebrated by the natural Jews on annual basis was the Feast Of Tabernacles. The zest by which it was observed in the days of Joshua (who took over from Moses) was re-enacted at the time of Nehemiah, and Ezra, the scribe, in accordance with the Mosaic law. However, its relevance to Christians stems from the prophetic injunction through Zechariah the prophet as well as its celebration by Christ that opens the floodgates to all peoples of the World under the new testament of grace and truth by “the true, greater and more perfect Tabernacle”.
It is a well known fact that God Almighty instituted the Feast of Tabernacles since the days of Moses the prophet during the historic journey of the children of Israel from the land of Egypt to Canaan in the wilderness. Under the law, the feast was to be observed from the fifteenth day of the seventh month of the Jewish year for eight days annually, during which they were to make offerings to the LORD while dwelling in booths in memorial of God’s protection over them in the wilderness. And God said: “…And also 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…And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in a year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths that your generation may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths (or tabernacles) when 1 brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God-Lev. 23:33-43 see also Num. 29:13-40.
In observing the Feast of Tabernacles also known as the Feast of Ingathering the statute stipulated further that all those within the gates of the Israelites were to take part in the celebrations. They must not attend with empty hands. As it is written: “Thou shall 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, the fatherless and the widow, that are within thy gates and they shall not appear before the Lord empty: everyman shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee.”-Deut. 16:13-17; see also Exod. 23:16; 34 22.
An important aspect of the feast was the reading of the law to the hearing and understanding of the people This was for the reason that the sanctifying or cleansing effect of the law enabled the Jews to learn and fear the LORD God Almighty and to keep His commandments. Deut. 31:10-13.
On arrival and settlement of the Israelites in the land of Canaan, under the leadership of Joshua, the Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated with vigour and great rejoicing. Similarly, after they returned from the Babylonish captivity and resettled in Canaan, their joy knew no bounds when they found in the book of the law that they should observe the feast. They gathered themselves together and caused the book of the law to be read to their hearing by Ezra the scribe Neh. 8:1.2.
On the second day of the reading, it was then found written in the book, God’s ordinance of the Feast of Tabernacles through Moses that the children of Israel Feast of Tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast should dwell in booths in the “feast of the seventh month”. And so when the congregation heard this they went out and made to themselves booths and celebrated the feast with great gladness and strength that could only be compared to its observance in the days of Joshua. As a it is written: “… for since the days of Joshua, the son of Nun unto that day hath not the children of Israel done so. And there was great gladness… And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eight day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.”-Neh. 8:14-18.
Now, before the first advent of Christ, the Almighty God through the prophet Zechariah stated in prophecy that the time would come when the Feast of Tabernacles would be anti-typically celebrated. Then it would be required that all nations of the world irrespective of cline or race, would from year to year in Jerusalem worship Him the King, the LORD of hosts, and keep the Feast of Tabernacles. As it is written: “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.”-Zech. 14:16-19.
Certainly, this was a new dimension added to the ordinance of the feast which all along had been an exclusive preserve of the Israelites. The prophecy gives clearly a picture of symbolism which if interpreted literally will make no sense nor will it be realistic. It points to no other time or age than the last days or end- time when the remnant of the gentile nations who were once against Jerusalem will have ample opportunity to hear the gospel of the Kingdom of God preached (Matt. 24:14) and then come to worship the true God. Indeed, He is also the God of the gentiles. (Rom. 3:29) “Jerusalem” in the context, to which people must go to worship God and celebrate the feast, is not the city of Palestine but the “Jerusalem which is above”, or “the heavenly Jerusalem” or “New Jerusalem which symbolises God’s Kingdom now set up as “a grain of mustard seed” on earth in our tune. (Gal. 4:24-26; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 3:12; 21:2; Matt. 13:31,32) Wherever the truth of God is preached today there is the place of worship, the true’ church or New Jerusalem “Rain” symbolises blessing, and the Bible talks of “showers of blessing” (Ezek. 34:26) By this prophetic command the observance of the festival goes beyond the boundaries of the Jewish race to include all peoples of the world. That is why whoever “of all the families of the earth” even the family of Egypt” who refuses to come and worship God or celebrate the feast will be punished by Him.
It is in this light that the Gentiles who turn to the true worship of God and celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles at this end-time become spiritual Jews or Israelites – the children of Abraham by faith. These are those recognised by God and not the natural Jews, many of whom today have no faith in Jesus Christ. Said St. Paul, “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision in that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God.” (Rom 2:28,29) And speaking later to the Christians at Galatia, St. Paul said: “Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham (Jews)… so then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus,” Gal. 3:7-9,26
Jesus Christ made the most of his observance of the Feast of Tabernacles as an evangelism strategy by which he took his message to the Jews in the temple where they constantly assembled as well as an example for Christians to follow. It was also an opportunity to show the natural Jews that he(Christ) was the High Priest of the new testament “a Minister of the Sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” (Heb. 8:2) Therefore, no time is more strategic to be used in expounding the gospel at this end-time thon the occasion of the Feast of Tabernacles.
From the foregoing it is now clear that the Feast of Tabernacles is relevant to Christians and should be celebrated in this last days in obedience to the prophetic command in the book of Zechariah. The importance of the festival under the law of liberty or grace and truth is underscored by the fact that Jesus Christ, the anti-typical Tabernacle the true, greater and more perfect Tabernacle (Heb. 8:2; 9:11) has come again in spirit to establish his Kingdom on earth. The celebration do not take account of the letters of the law, but of the spirit, “for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” (2 Cor. 3.5,6) The Feast of Tabernacles thus affords Christians in this age not only a great advantage for evangelism but also for the promised rain or blessings.