Sukkot — Feast of Tabernacles (Booths)

 “The Lord said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Lord’s Feast of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work,” Lev 23:33-35, NIV.

The Feast of Tabernacles/Booths: Sukkot

God designed each festival to be unique. Rosh haShanah, a joyous celebration. The Days of Awe and Yom Kippur, a quiet and pensive time. And, now we have the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), a remembrance of the Hebrew children’s 40 years in the desert. It is a feast we are to celebrate Forever! He tells us to:

“Celebrate this as a festival to the LORD for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come … Live in booths for seven days,” Lev. 23:41-42, NIV.

Are only Jews to celebrate Sukkot? Let’s see what G-d says:

 “Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, they will have no rain. If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The LORD will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles,” Zech 14:16-19, NIV.

Note: Two times in three verses He states the penalty for not celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). ….I’m thinking we should each heed His admonition!

Exercise: Traditional greeting for Sukkot: חָג שָׂמֵחַ Chag Sameach! (Literally, [Have a] joyous festival)