Feast of Tabernacles - Sukkot
Sukkot is commonly called the Feast of Tabernacles or in some translations the Festival of Shelters. It is a biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh month. During the existence of the Jerusalem Temple, it was one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals on which the Israelites were commanded to perform a pilgrimage to the Temple.
Beginning five days after Yom Kippur, Sukkot is named after the booths or huts (sukkot in Hebrew) in which Hebrews are supposed to dwell during this week-long celebration. These huts represent the shelters in which the Israelites dwelt during their 40 years of wandering in the desert after escaping from slavery in Egypt.
How is Sukkot celebrated?
By building and living in a sukkah (or in our modern time, a tent), that is the central symbol of the holiday.
At each Feast of Booths, Israelites give up the comforts of our homes in order to commemorate YaH's protective and covering hand. It is another reminder that in order to be redeemed, the people of YHWH must surrender certain things, such as self-reliance, our comfortable idols and in general the convenience of our sins.
Sukkot is also to remember the wilderness journey from Egypt to the promised land, when YHWH made the people live in booths (Lev. 23:33–43). During the time of the Feast, each Israelite family built a booth, a sukkah, and lived outdoors for a week (vs. 42–43). These booths were small, temporary shelters decorated with different kinds of plants that grew in the area.
Moses often had already warned the Israelites not to forget, once they were fat and happy in the Promised Land (Deut 8 ), that GOD had redeemed them from slavery. Indeed, it could be tempting for people to stagnate in their habits and seek to only profit their gain.
However, to have a meaningful and constructive life, one needs to learn to live better with others and teamwork. This is also what Sukkot is about: working together to make it happen!
Each brings to the table new ideas and his fair share,which will benefit the community overall. It is a way GOD teaches His people to thrive through working together and sharing.
Celebrating Sukkot together helps develop a strong sense of belonging & of commitment to each other, in order to reach together a common goal.
Few of the feasts that are a part of the covenant worship is as adventurous as the Feast of Booths, Sukkot. The Feast is thus also a time of common life which allows sharing while honoring the Creator.
It is a time like all the others to thank GOD for all of the preceding year’s provision and abundance. Living in booths for a week is a reminder that any success is wholly on account of the YHWH's grace, and that one must always trust Him for His provisions and perfect will.
