Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine:
Thou shalt keep the Feast of Tabernacles seven days after gathering in corn and wine, as the closing and crowning harvest gathering of the year. It fell in the seventh month when the increase was stored and field work was done, following the Day of Atonement with assurance of pardon, and it commemorated dwelling in tents in the wilderness by leaving houses to live for the week in booths of green branches. It was a thanksgiving festival to recount God's mercies and rejoice in His blessing on the year's increase, teaching by its many sacrifices that even earth's bounties come only through the cross, and by offerings and tithes acknowledging the Lord as giver and true owner of all entrusted to stewards. Its observance joined joy with holy convocation, laying aside ordinary labor and bringing thank-offerings and tithes with none appearing empty-handed, so that the size and spirit of gifts revealed whether hearts were grateful or selfishly attached to blessings received. Households were to attend as far as possible and welcome servants, Levites, strangers, the fatherless, widows, and the poor to share in its fellowship and instruction, which stands as the pattern for yearly convocation meetings to gain truth and perfect Christian character.
Setting and Observance
The seven-day Feast of Tabernacles was to be kept after the corn and the wine had been gathered in, as the feast at the close of harvest, the crowning festal gathering of the year. It came when the land had yielded its increase, with the harvest in the granaries and the first-fruits stored, acknowledging bounty from orchard, olive grove, and vineyard. It fell in the seventh month, when harvest work was finished and the next year's labor had not yet begun, so the people could assemble at Jerusalem and devote themselves freely to the celebration.
It followed the Day of Atonement, when the people had assurance that their iniquity would be remembered no more, so they came before God at peace with Him. It commemorated dwelling in tents during the wilderness sojourn. For the week the people left their houses and lived in booths made of green or leafy branches, set up on rooftops and in streets, but more often outside the city walls in valleys and on hillsides.
Its observance joined joy and rejoicing with the solemnities of a holy and sacred convocation. Ordinary and unnecessary work, care, and labor were set aside, so that the time was largely free for worship and celebration. Many sacrifices, offerings, thank-offerings, and tithes were brought into the treasury, and no one was to appear before God empty-handed.
Households were to attend as far as possible, with fathers and sons required and other members joining when possible. Servants, Levites, strangers, the fatherless, orphans, widows, and the poor were to be welcomed and to share in the feast and its social reunions and fellowship. The second tithe helped provide for this festival provision.
Thanksgiving and Present Duty
The feast was a thanksgiving festival for recounting God's mercies, goodness, and continuing care, kept with thanks and rejoicing for His blessing on the year's increase and on the works of their hands. It was the crowning festal gathering at the close of harvest, when the land had yielded its increase and the people brought offerings and tributes of thanksgiving in keeping with the blessings received. Their joy was joined with the solemnity of a holy and sacred convocation, with ordinary and unnecessary work, care, and labor set aside. The many sacrifices shed at these feasts taught that even the bounties of the earth could come only through the cross of Calvary. By bringing offerings, thank-offerings, gifts, and tithes into the treasury, the people acknowledged the Lord as giver of all blessings and as true owner of fields, flocks, and herds, honoring God first as stewards of what was entrusted to them.
The size and spirit of their gifts showed how they valued God's blessings and revealed whether their hearts were grateful to Him or selfishly attached to what they had received, and no one was to appear before God empty-handed. The gatherings devoted time to religious and social education, instruction, encouragement in serving God, worship, and social fellowship and reunion. For devout Israelites these observances occupied nearly a month each year, largely free from care and labor, with fathers and sons required to attend and other household members joining when possible. The second tithe helped provide for the festival feast, in which servants, Levites, strangers, the fatherless, orphans, widows, and the poor were to share with generous hospitality.
While God's people were to stand distinct, holy, and separate from the nations that did not know God, they were to treat the stranger kindly, welcoming him to the feast and not looking down on him because he was not of Israel. The stranger who chose the society of those who knew and acknowledged God was to be received to share in spiritual blessings, so that he would learn the law of Jehovah and glorify God by obedience, because Christ died to save him as truly as He died to save Israel. The same duty remains today, with God's children in both spiritual and temporal things imparting blessings to the world. Israel in this feast is an ensample, to imitate in faithfulness and to shun in the sins that brought displeasure, and the feast is the pattern for yearly convocation meetings that all who can should feel under obligation to attend to gain knowledge of truth and perfect Christian character.
Thou shalt keep the Feast of Tabernacles seven days after gathering in corn and wine, as the closing and crowning harvest gathering of the year. It fell in the seventh month when the increase was stored and field work was done, following the Day of Atonement with assurance of pardon, and it commemorated dwelling in tents in the wilderness by leaving houses to live for the week in booths of green branches. It was a thanksgiving festival to recount God's mercies and rejoice in His blessing on the year's increase, teaching by its many sacrifices that even earth's bounties come only through the cross, and by offerings and tithes acknowledging the Lord as giver and true owner of all entrusted to stewards. Its observance joined joy with holy convocation, laying aside ordinary labor and bringing thank-offerings and tithes with none appearing empty-handed, so that the size and spirit of gifts revealed whether hearts were grateful or selfishly attached to blessings received. Households were to attend as far as possible and welcome servants, Levites, strangers, the fatherless, widows, and the poor to share in its fellowship and instruction, which stands as the pattern for yearly convocation meetings to gain truth and perfect Christian character.
Setting and Observance
The seven-day Feast of Tabernacles was to be kept after the corn and the wine had been gathered in, as the feast at the close of harvest, the crowning festal gathering of the year. It came when the land had yielded its increase, with the harvest in the granaries and the first-fruits stored, acknowledging bounty from orchard, olive grove, and vineyard. It fell in the seventh month, when harvest work was finished and the next year's labor had not yet begun, so the people could assemble at Jerusalem and devote themselves freely to the celebration.
It followed the Day of Atonement, when the people had assurance that their iniquity would be remembered no more, so they came before God at peace with Him. It commemorated dwelling in tents during the wilderness sojourn. For the week the people left their houses and lived in booths made of green or leafy branches, set up on rooftops and in streets, but more often outside the city walls in valleys and on hillsides.
Its observance joined joy and rejoicing with the solemnities of a holy and sacred convocation. Ordinary and unnecessary work, care, and labor were set aside, so that the time was largely free for worship and celebration. Many sacrifices, offerings, thank-offerings, and tithes were brought into the treasury, and no one was to appear before God empty-handed.
Households were to attend as far as possible, with fathers and sons required and other members joining when possible. Servants, Levites, strangers, the fatherless, orphans, widows, and the poor were to be welcomed and to share in the feast and its social reunions and fellowship. The second tithe helped provide for this festival provision.
Thanksgiving and Present Duty
The feast was a thanksgiving festival for recounting God's mercies, goodness, and continuing care, kept with thanks and rejoicing for His blessing on the year's increase and on the works of their hands. It was the crowning festal gathering at the close of harvest, when the land had yielded its increase and the people brought offerings and tributes of thanksgiving in keeping with the blessings received. Their joy was joined with the solemnity of a holy and sacred convocation, with ordinary and unnecessary work, care, and labor set aside. The many sacrifices shed at these feasts taught that even the bounties of the earth could come only through the cross of Calvary. By bringing offerings, thank-offerings, gifts, and tithes into the treasury, the people acknowledged the Lord as giver of all blessings and as true owner of fields, flocks, and herds, honoring God first as stewards of what was entrusted to them.
The size and spirit of their gifts showed how they valued God's blessings and revealed whether their hearts were grateful to Him or selfishly attached to what they had received, and no one was to appear before God empty-handed. The gatherings devoted time to religious and social education, instruction, encouragement in serving God, worship, and social fellowship and reunion. For devout Israelites these observances occupied nearly a month each year, largely free from care and labor, with fathers and sons required to attend and other household members joining when possible. The second tithe helped provide for the festival feast, in which servants, Levites, strangers, the fatherless, orphans, widows, and the poor were to share with generous hospitality.
While God's people were to stand distinct, holy, and separate from the nations that did not know God, they were to treat the stranger kindly, welcoming him to the feast and not looking down on him because he was not of Israel. The stranger who chose the society of those who knew and acknowledged God was to be received to share in spiritual blessings, so that he would learn the law of Jehovah and glorify God by obedience, because Christ died to save him as truly as He died to save Israel. The same duty remains today, with God's children in both spiritual and temporal things imparting blessings to the world. Israel in this feast is an ensample, to imitate in faithfulness and to shun in the sins that brought displeasure, and the feast is the pattern for yearly convocation meetings that all who can should feel under obligation to attend to gain knowledge of truth and perfect Christian character.