The Feast of Booths
Lesson Text: Leviticus 23:33-43
Thought to Remember: Remember the Feast of Booths
The Feast of Booths, also known as Sukkot, is a week-long biblical festival observed in the seventh month of the Jewish calendar. This holiday marks both an agricultural celebration of the fall harvest and a historical remembrance of the forty-year wilderness journey after the Exodus from Egypt. To honor this tradition, participants build and live in temporary booths made from natural materials, symbolizing God’s protection and provision.
Why should we continue the study of the Feast of Booths in this modern age?
As believers, we must acknowledge that the LORD continues to provide for His people. For this reason, the Feast of Booths causes us to rejoice in God’s daily generosity as well as future events. For example, the prophet Zachariah prophesied that all nations shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths. Zechariah chapter 14 describes a future day when Jerusalem comes under attack, the Lord intervenes to defend the city, and the Mount of Olives splits. Afterward, the world embraces a universal worship of God by all nations, leading to an observance of the Feast of Booths. If a nation does not come to celebrate this feast, the Lord will issue out punishment. At present, only the Jewish people observe the Feast of Booths. Yet Zechariah envisions a day when all nations recognize the significance of this feast and observe it. Remember, this feast is a celebration and a worship ritual occurring during the Millennium period. Here, King Jesus, the Savior, will establish His Reign over all nations. Believers prior to the Millennium would have transitioned into glorified bodies like King Jesus, as noted by Apostle John: Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1John 3:2 KJV) With glorified bodies that can tether to both heaven and earth, we will not cease our individuality, yet our character and nature become perfected into the image of Jesus’ perfection because we are fully sons of God. As sons of God, we will reign with King Jesus, as noted in Revelation 20:6… they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
In the book of Genesis, God enacted a divine plan to scatter the nations by confusing their languages, resulting in a perplexed division among humanity after they built the Tower of Babel. Fast forward to the vibrant moment captured in the book of Acts, chapter two. Here, God synchronized the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon believers on the Day of Pentecost. On that momentous day, believers of Jesus’ resurrection received the Holy Spirit, and their voices proclaimed the Good News (Gospel) to all attendees at this festival in Jerusalem. As a result, an awe-inspiring 3,000 individuals from diverse nations embraced the faith and joined the emerging community of believers. The movement only gained momentum, as later in Acts, another wave of 5,000 souls found their way to faith in the heart of Jerusalem. From this sacred city, the radiant message of the Gospel began its powerful journey, reaching out to all the nations known to humanity. However, amidst these stirring events, the prophet Zechariah foretold a future time of great significance—a time when all nations, united by a common purpose in joyful celebration, would honor the Feast of Booths.
Remember, Jesus commanded believers to go to the end of the earth with the Gospel, but during the Millennium reign, all nations will come to Jerusalem to worship and honor God. This period establishes a time of universal peace and holiness across all nations. Notice how Zechariah envisions this process.
In that day "HOLINESS TO THE LORD" shall be engraved on the bells of the horses. The pots in the LORD's house shall be like the bowls before the altar. 21 Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness to the LORD of hosts. Everyone who sacrifices shall come and take them and cook in them. In that day there shall no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 14:20-21 NKJV)
Realizing there are various interpretations of this passage, I believe the key phrase is “holiness to the Lord.” If common activities are acts of worship during the Millennium reign, like engraving a horse's bells to commemorate its past war efforts, then our present customary activities, such as earning money, gaining fame, and exercising power, would no longer serve as a priority. Then, the Feast of Booths would reflect our dependence on God as our source, rather than trying to gather resources ourselves.
