14/12/2014
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FEAST OF
TABERNACLES
While the Jews were travelling from
Egypt to Canaan, God Almighty
through His servant Moses
commanded them to celebrate the
Feast of Tabernacles for seven days
starting from the fifteenth day of the
seventh month, known as Tishri or
Ethanim, when they had gathered in
the fruit of the land. The first and
eighth days were to be Sabbaths
meaning that there was to be on
those days an entire suspension of
ordinary labour of all kinds. On those
days they would hold holy
convocations in which the priests
taught the people the law of God,
including the proper manner of
conducting worship and reminded
them of the great deeds God had
wrought for them in the past.
(Deuteronomy 31:10-13) For the
entire seven days they were to make
an offering by fire unto the LORD
according to each person’s ability.
They were further instructed to take
the “boughs of goodly trees,
branches of palm trees, and the
boughs of thick trees, and willows of
the brook” and to rejoice before the
LORD seven days. They were to dwell
in booths for the duration of the
feast. The essence of their dwelling
in booths was to remind them that
God Almighty made them to dwell in
booths, when He brought them out of
the land of Egypt. (Leviticus 23:33-43)
During the celebration in the land of
Israel, the natural Jews erected
booths on the flat roofs of houses, in
the streets or fields while the
celebrants carried light branches of
various trees in triumphal procession,
singing psalms and crying "Hosanna!"
which signifies, "Save, we beseech
thee!" -Psalm 118:15,25,26.
After the Babylonish captivity the
Jews under Nehemiah the Governor
and Ezra the Priest read the
Scriptures and on realizing the
importance of the Feast, celebrated it
with great joy. - Ezra 3:1-5; Nehemiah
8:14-17
It is important to point out that of the
three great festivals which God
Almighty ordained that His people
should celebrate in time of old, it is
only the Feast of Tabernacles
otherwise called the “Feast of
Ingathering”, that Christians should
continue to celebrate. The others, the
Feast of Weeks and the Passover are
no longer to be celebrated in the
Christian era.
It was because of the significance or
relevance of the Feast of Tabernacles
in the Christian era that Jesus Christ,
the founder of Christianity, took
active part in its celebration. He
addressed the people “in the midst
of the Feast” as it is written: “Now
about the midst of the feast Jesus
went up into the temple, and taught.
And the Jews marvelled, saying, How
knoweth this man letters, having
never learned? Jesus answered them,
and said, My doctrine is not mine, but
his that sent me. If any man will do
his will, he shall know of the doctrine,
whether it be of God, or whether I
speak of myself.”
On the “Last and Great Day” of the
Feast Jesus Christ made a clarion call
on all people of goodwill who are
thirsty for the truth and salvation of
God to come to him for succour as it is
written: “In the last day, that great
day of the feast, Jesus stood and
cried, 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 belly shall flow
rivers of living water.” Many people
believed on him on that occasion.
(John 7:1-38). Why did Jesus Christ the
founder of Christianity celebrate the
Feast so actively. It was no doubt to
serve as an example to his disciples.
If we are true Christians, then we
must follow his example. (John 13:15;
1 Peter 2:21)
Christ is now present among men in
spirit in fulfilment of Ezekiel 37:27;
Revelation 3:3 and chapter 21:1-7,
helping, blessing and guiding sincere
worshippers of God to His perfect
Kingdom which all Christians, be they
kings, queens, heads of state or
commoners are praying for. -
Matthew 6:9, 10. See also Matthew
18:20.
The Feast of tabernacles held during
the Jewish era were only types or
shadows of greater things in the
Christian era. (Hebrews 10:1) By
virtue of the sacrificial work of Jesus
Christ “once for all” there is no longer
any need for sacrifices of animals
which used to obtain during the
typical celebration of the Feast.
(Hebrews 10:10; 1 Corinthians 5:7;
etc) Moreover, the letters of the law
need not be observed by the spiritual
Jews or true Christians now on earth.
- Romans 6:14; Hebrews 10:1;
Colossians 2:14-16; 2 Corinthians 3:5,6.
It should be pointed out that the
Tabernacle today is no longer the
movable tent building or booths in
which the Jews dwelt during the
Feast. Rather, the Tabernacle is Jesus
Christ, “the greater and more perfect
tabernacle, not made with
hands…” (Hebrews 8:1,2; 9:11; Isaiah
33:20) Now that Jesus Christ, the
Tabernacle of God is now with his
people in spirit, it is required of all to
celebrate this Feast in his honour. –
Revelation 21:3; John 5:23.
Moreover, there is also a prophetic
command that all people who had
unknowingly been walking contrary
to the will of God, should celebrate
the Feast for their own blessings. God
declared through the prophet
Zechariah: “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. “ – Zechariah 14:16-19.
Jerusalem in the above text does not
mean Jerusalem in Israel but God’s
organization, the “New Jerusalem”
from above. (Galatians 4:26;
Revelation 21:2) Egypt means the
ungodly. (Isaiah 31:1; Revelation
11:8) Rain in this context symbolizes
blessings. Isaiah 55:10,11; Ezekiel
34:26; Hebrews 6:7.
During the Feast of Tabernacles,
members and friends of the GKS Feast
sumptuously on the word of God
which gives life.(Isaiah 55:1-3; John
6:27) No fewer than 16 public lectures
on various topics of the Bible are
delivered for the enlightenment of
the sheep of God. These include the
address of the GKS President to the
Feast celebrants, which for this year is
entitled: “Unbelievers and Wicked
Men shall soon know that there is
God” All people of goodwill are
cordially invited to this important
annual Christian festival.
“And the Spirit and the bride say,
Come. And let him that heareth say,
Come. And let him that is athirst
come. And whosoever will, let him
take the water of life freely.” -
Revelation 22:17
HAPPY FEAST OF TABERNACLES!
