What a joy it is to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles! Also known as the Feast of Booths or the Feast of Tents. This festival is the final festival of the biblical feast cycle as described in Leviticus 23 (vss.33-44).
What is this feast all about? Well there are two seemingly contradictory messages to the feast. First, this feast is also commonly referred to as the ‘Feast of Ingathering’ as it marks the final harvest festival of the agricultural year. This feast was later adopted by the European pilgrims upon arriving to the America colonies. They referred to it as Thanksgiving. This is all about rejoicing in the LORD and celebrating God’s abundant provision. Secondly, it is a remembrance of the time that Israel wandered in the barren wasteland for forty years, dwelling in flimsy, ramshackle booths. The contrast between the two couldn’t be more striking. It would take a miracle to see these two ideas combined, but our God is a God of miracles!
Throughout their time of wandering in the desert, Israel was undergoing a massive change. From slaves that constantly complained, to a generation of warriors ready to take the promised land; God was transforming the people of Israel. The Feast of Tabernacles is a celebration of this transformation.
In Exodus 3:16-17, the LORD spoke through Moses saying: “Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers–the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob–appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites–a land flowing with milk and honey.’”
What a promise. Yet, this first generation complained and grumbled, living in unrest, and fearful of their enemies. The following generation was different. They experienced God’s faithful provision from birth and throughout their lifetime. In spite of being surrounded by desert, they were confident of God’s provision. In spite of being surrounded by enemies, they knew God’s protection. So, although they would one day have to overcome their enemies, they knew that God Himself would lead, feed and intercede on their behalf, and one day would lead them to victory. Whereas the previous generation was focused on their circumstances, the next generation was focussed on God who dwelt in their midst! The first generation lived in fear and unrest which kept them from experiencing God, but the next generation would experience God who would give them the courage to triumph over their enemies and enter a land flowing with milk and honey – a land of abundance.
Therein lies a central theme behind the Feast of Tabernacles. Regardless of our situation and regardless of our circumstances, we can rejoice. Whether we live in flimsy booths in a desert, or live in abundance in the land of milk and honey. Our rejoicing isn’t due to our circumstance, our joy is living in the presence of the God who dwells in our midst. As God promised Abram the father of the Jewish people, “Don’t be afraid Abram. I am your shield and your very great reward” (Genesis 15:1)
Chag Sukkot Sameach