It is the season of festivals, therefore we are going to look at festivals in the bible – this week it’s the final one, the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths.
The Feast of Tabernacles celebrates God’s provision and protection for the people of Israel during their 40 years wandering in the wilderness; for the seven days of the feast, people live in temporary structures like they did in the wilderness. The Lord himself was with the Israelites in the desert, in a tented temple called the tabernacle, so the feast also celebrates his presence as he tabernacles (dwells) with us.
Jews celebrate this feast by building a simple shetler and eating at least one meal each day in them.
For us it is a time to reflect and thank God for his provision and presence in our lives, and to remember that he is the source of our security and hope, not man-made structures.