What is Feast of Tabernacle in Ceremony, History, and Prophecy from the Bible standpoint and insights from SOP, and SRod?
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The Feast of Tabernacles, also called the Feast of Booths or Sukkot, is one of the three major pilgrimage feasts in the Bible. It has significant meaning in ceremony, history, and prophecy from the perspectives of the Bible, Spirit of Prophecy (SOP), and Shepherd’s Rod (SRod). Below is a detailed explanation based on these sources.
The Feast of Tabernacles was commanded by God in Leviticus 23:33-44 and was observed annually by the Israelites in the seventh month (Tishri 15-22). The ceremony involved:
Dwelling in booths (temporary shelters) made of branches to commemorate Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness (Leviticus 23:42-43).
Daily sacrifices of bulls, rams, and lambs (Numbers 29:12-38).
The water-pouring ceremony at the temple (John 7:37-38 references this in Christ’s time).
Rejoicing before the Lord as it was a festival of thanksgiving for the harvest (Deuteronomy 16:13-15).
In Israel’s history, it commemorated God’s care and provision during their wilderness journey from Egypt to Canaan.
In Jesus’ time, He attended the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2-14) and declared, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink." (John 7:37-38), revealing Himself as the source of living water.
The Feast of Tabernacles foreshadows the gathering of God’s people into His kingdom.
It symbolizes the final ingathering of souls at the end-time harvest (Matthew 13:39, Revelation 14:15).
It is linked with the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth (Zechariah 14:16-19), where nations will come to worship the Lord during this feast in the millennial reign.
Ellen White describes the Feast of Tabernacles as a time of thanksgiving and joy, pointing forward to the time when God’s people will dwell in His presence eternally.
She connects it with the final gathering of the redeemed at the Second Coming and the New Earth:
“The Feast of Tabernacles was the great holiday of the year. The people came with their tributes of thanksgiving, to praise God, who had crowned the year with His goodness.” (DA 448)
Jesus declared His mission at the Feast (John 7:37-38), showing that He was the fulfillment of what the water-pouring ceremony symbolized—the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Ellen White confirms that this was a type of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and ultimately in the Latter Rain (Acts 2; Joel 2:23, 28-29).
She applies Zechariah 14:16-19 to the New Earth, where the redeemed will keep this feast:
“As the ransomed of the Lord shall return to Zion, songs of joy and everlasting gladness will be upon their heads.” (PK 541)
The Feast of Tabernacles in the new earth represents God dwelling with His people eternally (Revelation 21:3).
The Shepherd’s Rod emphasizes the Feast of Tabernacles as a symbol of God’s Kingdom being established on earth before the Second Coming.
Zechariah 14:16-19 is interpreted as literal, where the nations that survive the purging of the earth will come to Jerusalem (the antitypical kingdom) to keep the feast.
Houteff sees this as a post-purification event, where only the faithful remain to enter the pre-millennial kingdom on earth before Christ’s second advent.
The Feast of Tabernacles is linked to the gathering of the great multitude (Revelation 7:9-10), symbolizing the final harvest of souls before probation closes.
The purification of the church (Ezekiel 9) is the antitypical fulfillment of the Day of Atonement, and the ingathering (Feast of Tabernacles) follows, marking the sealing and gathering of the saints into the purified church.
“Those who fail to keep this feast in the time of the kingdom shall receive no rain—no blessings of Truth and of Spirit.” (Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 37)
This aligns with Zechariah 14:16-19, where rebellious nations that refuse to come to Jerusalem to worship will suffer drought.
The Feast of Tabernacles represents the final gathering of God's faithful remnant into His purified kingdom before the Second Coming.
It foreshadows the millennial reign, where Christ will rule over the nations.
It is not merely a past event but a prophecy of the coming theocratic kingdom on earth before the Second Advent.
Perspective
Ceremony
History
Prophecy
Bible
Ceremony: Temporary dwellings, sacrifices, rejoicing, water-pouring
History: Israel’s wilderness journey, thanksgiving for harvest
Prophecy: Final ingathering of souls, God's kingdom on earth (Zechariah 14:16-19)
Spirit of Prophecy
Ceremony: A time of joy, pointing to eternal fellowship with God
History: Christ’s proclamation of living water, Pentecost foreshadowed
Prophecy: New Earth, eternal communion with God (Revelation 21:3)
Shepherd’s Rod
Ceremony: Future observance required in God’s kingdom
History: Purification of the church (Ezekiel 9) precedes it
Prophecy: Pre-millennial kingdom gathering, fulfillment in Zechariah 14
The Feast of Tabernacles is not just a Jewish festival; it holds deep prophetic significance. It points to:
God’s past provision for Israel.
Christ’s fulfillment of its symbols.
The final gathering of the saints in God’s kingdom before and after the Second Coming.