Feast of Tabernacles

And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us. And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and of truth.

John 1:14

Many people will start the observance of Sukkoth today depending on the calendar they are following. This feast is also called booths and tabernacles because the Israelites were commanded to live in temporary dwellings for seven days.

Lev 23:37 “‘These are Yahweh’s festivals, which you must proclaim, holy assemblies to present an offering made by fire to Yahweh—burnt offering and grain offering, sacrifice and libations, each on its proper day—
Lev 23:38 besides Yahweh’s Sabbaths and besides your gifts and besides your vows and besides all your freewill offerings that you give to Yahweh.
Lev 23:39 “‘Surely on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, at your gathering the land’s produce, you shall hold Yahweh’s festival for seven days; on the first day there shall be a rest period and on the eighth day a rest period.
Lev 23:40 And on the first day you shall take for yourselves the first fruit of majestic trees, branches of palm trees and branches of a leafy tree and of a brook’s poplar trees, and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God for seven days.
Lev 23:41 And you must hold it as a festival for Yahweh for seven days in the year; it shall be a lasting statute throughout your generations; in the seventh month you must hold it.
Lev 23:42 You must live in the booths for seven days; all the natives in Israel must live in the booths,
Lev 23:43 so that your generations shall know that I made the Israelites live in booths when I brought them from the land of Egypt; I am Yahweh your God.'”
Lev 23:44 Thus Moses announced to the Israelites Yahweh’s appointed times.

It is likely that Jesus was born during the feast of tabernacles. John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us. And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and of truth.” (Modern King James Version)

One of the biggest mistakes that Christendom has made is the belief that these feasts, such as Sukkoth, are only for the “Jews”. Lev 23:37, “These are Yahweh’s festivals”. One could argue that the term “Jew” did not even exist when these feasts were proclaimed. Christendom also failed to recognize being grafted into the natural olive tree puts a person in the commonwealth of Israel. We were once alienated, but now we are brought near as the Israel of God.

Eph 2:11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—
Eph 2:12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Jesus, or in Hebrew, Yeshua, only did what was pleasing to His Father, Yahweh. If someone doesn’t believe that they are grafted in to Israel and no longer a Gentile, then it makes sense that they would not do the things of Yahweh. Yahweh is the name the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob gave to His people. Christendom changed His special day, the Sabbath, to a different day, changed His special holidays to those of foreign gods (Halloween, Christmas and Easter), changed his name to the generic term “Lord”, changed his commandments and changed the people group from the commonwealth of Israel to simply the “church”, with a completely different identity than Israel. With all these changes it begs the question if they are worshipping Yahweh, or another god. They have disassociated themselves from Yahweh. Who is your god? Is it the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, or another god? Do you follow His instructions and His special days, or those of different gods and Demi-gods?

Joh 8:25 So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.
Joh 8:26 I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.”
Joh 8:27 They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father.
Joh 8:28 So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.
Joh 8:29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”

Having a birthday celebration on the day of the birth of the sun god, Mithras, or changing the Sabbath to the venerable day of the sun, does not please the Father; therefore, there is no way Yeshua would sanction either of these. By understanding the feasts and scripture, we know Yeshua was not crucified on Friday and did not rise from the dead on Sunday. This is simply a myth to fit the account to honor the goddesses Venus (Freya) and Ishtar (Easter), and sun god Mithras (Saturn). It is only through the twisting of scripture that people have fallen for these things. Once the feasts of Yahweh are understood, scripture clearly shows the Messiah, Yeshua, was crucified on a Wednesday and rose at the end of the Sabbath, Saturday. These are hard words unless a person immerses themselves in scripture, becomes obedient and asks to be shown the truth.

Deu 12:29 “When Yahweh your God has cut off the nations whom you are about to go to, to dispossess them before you, and you have dispossessed them, and you live in their land,
Deu 12:30 take care so that you are not ensnared into imitating them after their being destroyed from before you, and so that you not enquire concerning their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods, and thus I myself want to do also.’
Deu 12:31 You must not do so toward Yahweh your God, because of every detestable thing they have done for their gods Yahweh hates, for even their sons and their daughters they would burn in the fire to their gods.
Deu 12:32 All of the things that I am commanding you, you must diligently observe; you shall not add to it, and you shall not take away from it.”

The early church leaders reinforced the Deuteronomy 12 instructions by telling the new pagan converts to give up their things that are polluted by idols. It obviously didn’t work because pagan idolatry over took the church.

Act 15:19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God,
Act 15:20 but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.
Act 15:21 For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

Peter continues with this messaging. Being “ransomed by the futile ways of your forefathers” and “do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance” is talking about pagan idolatry. Replacing Yahweh’s holidays with those blended with foreign gods and their traditions, is the same thing Peter was speaking about in his letter to the dispersion. The house of Israel was separated from Yahweh for doing these things. Yeshua made a way for them to come back, and many never did. They simply blended their pagan traditions with some new religion later to come under the name of Christianity. We have inherited these lies from our forefathers, just as Peter indicates.

1Pe 1:13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1Pe 1:14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,
1Pe 1:15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
1Pe 1:16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
1Pe 1:17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,
1Pe 1:18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,
1Pe 1:19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

There is an argument that today we are not even able legitimately to observe the feast of Sukkoth. In Deuteronomy, it says to appear where Yahweh chooses.

Deu 16:16 Three times in the year all of your males shall appear before Yahweh your God at the place that he will choose, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread and at the Feast of Weeks and at the Feast of Booths, and they shall not appear before Yahweh empty-handed.
Deu 16:17 Each person shall give as he is able, that is, according to the blessing of Yahweh your God that he has given to you.

Whether we believe we should keep Sukkoth by living in temporary dwellings, based on these scriptures or not, does not give us a license to make up new holidays on the holy days of foreign gods. It is a good practice to learn the feasts and remember what Yahweh did for His people, along with the future hope we have. It is especially easy to keep a Sabbath.

Yeshua kept the feast, even if it was later then the rest of the people. Perhaps He was keeping the correct calendar?

Joh 7:1 After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him.
Joh 7:2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand.
Joh 7:3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing.
Joh 7:4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.”
Joh 7:5 For not even his brothers believed in him.
Joh 7:6 Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here.
Joh 7:7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.
Joh 7:8 You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.”
Joh 7:9 After saying this, he remained in Galilee.
Joh 7:10 But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private.

Yahweh tells us through the prophet Hosea that Ephraim will have to dwell in tents again. This is what is referred to as the second Exodus. It is all through scripture where Yahweh will deliver His people in the end times. Ephraim is another name for the house of Israel, who was dispersed into the nations.

Hos 12:5 Yahweh the God of hosts, Yahweh is his renowned name!
Hos 12:6 But you, you must return to your God; keep love and justice, and wait continually for your God.
Hos 12:7 The trader, in his hand are scales of deceit; he loves to oppress.
Hos 12:8 And Ephraim said, “Surely, I am rich, I gained wealth for myself; in all my toil they have not found guilt in me that is sin.
Hos 12:9 But I am Yahweh your God since the land of Egypt; I will make you live in tents again, like the days of the appointed festival.

This time that Yahweh is referring to does not look like it is in the distant future either. It will be such a great event that we will not even talk about the first Exodus. This has not happened yet because we are still talking about the first Exodus.

Jer 23:5 “Look, days are coming,” declares Yahweh, “when I will raise up for David a righteous branch, and he will reign as king, and he will achieve success, and he will do justice and righteousness in the land.
Jer 23:6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell in safety, and this is his name by which he will be called: ‘Yahweh is our righteousness.’
Jer 23:7 “Therefore look, days are coming,” declares Yahweh, “when they will no longer say, ‘As Yahweh lives, who led up the Israelites from the land of Egypt,’
Jer 23:8 but ‘As Yahweh lives, who led up, and who brought the offspring of the house of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands where he had driven them.’ Then they will live in their land.”

This is speaking of the event Yeshua told us about.

Mat 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Mat 24:30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Mat 24:31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

One thing is for certain, everyone that is part of the millennium kingdom will be keeping this feast, or they will not get rain. This takes place after the great day of Yahweh.

Zec 14:16 And then every survivor from all those nations coming against Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the king, Yahweh of hosts, and celebrate the Feast of Booths.
Zec 14:17 And then whoever of the clans of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the king, Yahweh of hosts, it will not rain on them.
Zec 14:18 And if the clan of Egypt will not go up and come in, on them will be that plague Yahweh inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths.
Zec 14:19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths.
Zec 14:20 On that day there will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “Holy to Yahweh.” And the cooking pots in the house of Yahweh will be holy like the sacrificial basins before the altar.
Zec 14:21 And every cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to Yahweh of hosts, and all those who sacrifice will come and will take from them, and will cook in them, and there will be no longer a trader in the house of Yahweh of hosts on that day.

Learn the feasts of Yahweh, knowing they are a shadow of things to come, or a remembrance of events that have happened. The fall feasts all point to future prophecies that have not been fulfilled. Remember what Yahweh has done and the hope we have of a future kingdom where we will be keeping the feasts as intended. Leave behind the pagan idolatry we inherited from our forefathers, and follow Yahweh’s instructions!

Amo 9:8 Look, the eyes of my Lord Yahweh are on the kingdom of sin, and I will destroy it from the surface of the earth. However, I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,” declares Yahweh.
Amo 9:9 “Yes, look, I am going to command and I will shake the house of Israel among all the nations like one who shakes with a sieve, but not a pebble will fall to the ground.
Amo 9:10 All the sinners of my people will die by the sword, who say, ‘Evil will not overtake or confront us.’
Amo 9:11 On that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen, and I will repair its breaches and will raise up its ruins and will build it like the days of old.
Amo 9:12 Thus they may take possession of the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name,” declares Yahweh, who does this.
Amo 9:13 “Look, days are coming,” declares Yahweh, “when the one who plows will overtake the one who reaps, the one who treads grapes will catch up with the one who sows the seed. And the mountains will drip sweet wine and all of the hills will flow with it.
Amo 9:14 And I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they will rebuild the desolated cities and will inhabit them. And they will plant vineyards and will drink their wine, and they will make gardens and will eat their fruit.
Amo 9:15 And I will plant them on their land and they will not be uprooted again from their land that I have given to them,” says Yahweh your God.