Why Christians Celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles
By:  Barry Denison, ICEJ VP Operations.

As Christians, we are called to be a prophetic community. Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven” (Mt. 6:10). We should pray to be a prophetic people with great faith, so we can give evidence of what God has declared and call into existence the promises of God even before they can be seen.

The Feast of Tabernacles speaks to us historically, prophetically and in our life today. Historically, this Feast calls us to remember the people of Israel dwelling in flimsy booths or tents in the desert. Yet, God manifested His presence by His Spirit in the cloud by day and the fire by night as He delivered them out of bondage in Egypt into His Promised land.

Prophetically, the Feast calls us to wait expectantly with faith for the New Jerusalem. Hebrews 11:10 says, “…for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” In our life today, the Feast reminds us that while we live in our earthy body, which is a flimsy and temporary vessel, He is with us and He provides for us.

The Feast of Tabernacles is the only feast where God commands the people to be joyful! It is also the Feast which prophetically expects the Gentiles (non-Jews) to join in the celebration. At the ICEJ Feast of Tabernacles, we have our dress rehearsals every year, which remind us to look forward to the prophetic time revealed in Zechariah 14:16, “And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.”

In the miracle of a restored Israel and Jerusalem, we see with eyes of faith the evidence of what God has promised. Zechariah 8:20-22 explains, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Peoples shall yet come, Inhabitants of many cities; The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, “Let us continue to go and pray before the Lord, and seek the Lord of hosts. I myself will go also.” Yes, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord.’

When Christians come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, by faith we expect God to meet us, hear us and answer our prayers. 2 Chronicles 6:32-33 states, “Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, but has come from a far country for the sake of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm, when they come and pray in this temple; then hear from heaven your dwelling-place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, that all people of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by your name.”

When we celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, we join with the heroes of the Faith mentioned in Hebrews 11, and we eagerly wait for the Heavenly City where God will dwell fully with man in the New Jerusalem. Revelations 21:2-4, ”Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’”

We are privileged to live in a season in human history when God is fulfilling His promises and prophecies about Jerusalem and Israel. We are encouraged to cooperate with Him by coming up to Jerusalem to joyfully Celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles and pray here in His City. We rejoice in knowing that of all the generations of Christians redeemed by the death and resurrection of Jesus, we are the generation privileged to live in this season. We are encouraged in our expectation of the return of Jesus, the manifestation of the New Jerusalem, and God dwelling fully with mankind.

As we look at the prophecies God is fulfilling, we have confidence in His Faithfulness. He alone is faithful and true. He alone is the covenant-keeping God. He alone is able to fulfill His promises in His word about Jerusalem, Israel and each of us as His children.

Let us be glad as we go up to worship the Lord with our feet standing in Jerusalem! (Ps. 122)