DO I HAVE TO CELEBRATE THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES? NO THANKS!

We are in the Jewish holiday week of Sukkot, also known as the feast of Booths or Tabernacles. It is an agricultural festival that originally was considered a thanksgiving for the fruit harvest. Sukkot are hut-like structures that the Jews lived in during the 40 years of travel through the wilderness after the exodus from Egypt.

The Jews were instructed by God through Moses the following: “Begin celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles on the fifteenth day of the appointed month—five days after the Day of Atonement. This festival to the Lord will last for seven days.” Leviticus 23:34 NLT

“This festival will be a happy time of celebrating with your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows from your towns.” Deuteronomy 16:14 NLT

“For seven days you must present special gifts to the Lord. The eighth day is another holy day on which you present your special gifts to the Lord. This will be a solemn occasion, and no ordinary work may be done that day.” Leviticus 23:36 NLT

During this time, many Jews construct what is called a sukkah, a small hastily built hut in which meals are required to be eaten throughout the eight days’ duration of the festival. A sukkah must have at least three walls. Only one can be an existing wall, like the side of a house. The walls may be constructed of any material, generally canvas, wood or metal. Today, it is possible to buy ready-to-assemble sukkah kits.

There are several other rituals and regulations that the Jews need to comply with to celebrate this festival.

But as for me as a born-again Christian, Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior ended the system of the law with its commandments and regulations when He died on the cross and rose from the death! (See Ephesians 2:14-15) Therefore, I do NOT have to celebrate any Old Testament festival that was meant for the Jews for me to be blessed! NO! I will not build a hut! This is another deception that is being taught in the churches today, that you are supposed to keep the Jewish festivals and traditions to receive God’s blessings! That’s a lie! The Bible clearly warns;

“Don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ Himself is that reality!” Colossians 2:16-17 NLT