The Feast of Tabernacles pictures one of the most glorious events in all of prophecy — the thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ on earth. It is a time of great joy, fellowship and celebration, pointing forward to a world of peace, prosperity and righteousness under the government of God.
What is the Feast of Tabernacles?
The Feast of Tabernacles — also called the Feast of Ingathering — is one of the three great pilgrim feasts God commanded Israel to observe each year. It begins on the fifteenth of Tishri and lasts seven days, with the first day observed as an annual Sabbath and holy convocation.
In ancient Israel families left their homes and dwelt in temporary shelters — booths or tabernacles — for seven days to commemorate how God had Israel dwell in tents during their forty years in the wilderness. This physical act points to the temporary nature of our present lives and the coming permanent Kingdom of God on earth.
"You shall dwell in booths for seven days... so that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God."
— Leviticus 23:42–43The Millennium — A World of Peace
The Feast of Tabernacles pictures the Millennium — the thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ on earth after His return. With Satan bound (pictured by the Day of Atonement), Christ and His resurrected saints will govern the nations in righteousness, bringing peace, healing, and prosperity to a world that has long suffered under human misrule and Satan's deception.
The Bible paints a breathtaking picture of this coming age: deserts will bloom, the lame will leap, the deaf will hear, wars will cease, and nations will beat their swords into plowshares. The whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9).
"Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles."
— Zechariah 14:16A Feast of Great Joy
Unlike the solemn Day of Atonement that precedes it, the Feast of Tabernacles is a time of great joy and celebration. God repeatedly commanded Israel to rejoice during this feast — to celebrate His blessings, gather with family and brethren, and look forward with anticipation to the coming age of God's Kingdom.
God also commanded Israel to set aside a special tithe — a second tithe — throughout the year specifically to fund their observance of the Feast of Tabernacles. They were to use it to buy food, drink, and whatever their hearts desired at the feast and to rejoice before God (Deuteronomy 14:26). This pictures the abundance and joy of the Millennial age.
"And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow... and you shall surely rejoice."
— Deuteronomy 16:14–15How We Observe It Today
The Feast of Tabernacles is observed for seven days beginning September 26, 2026. The first day is an annual Sabbath — no regular work is done and members assemble for worship. Members gather with the broader Church community, often travelling to a designated feast site, to observe this joyful feast together.