Does the Bible say that there is a specific holiday that every nation on the earth will one day celebrate? How can that be? So much diversity, so many cultures. How could every nation celebrate such an event universally? That seems very unlikely, doesn’t it? Yet, the Bible states that it is a promised future event.
When the Jews were freed from the Babylonian Captivity in 536 B.C. there were two great prophets that arose to encourage them. One was Haggai and the other was Zechariah. Their writings centered primarily on constructing the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, that is rebuilding a new and magnificent Temple. But their writings also look far into the future to the last days when the Jewish people would again return to the land of their heritage.
The Bible tells us that Zechariah was the son of Berechiah, the grandson of Iddo. Within the translation of their names is a cryptic message. Zechariah means “Jehovah remembers. Berechiah means “Jehovah comforts,” and Iddo means “the time appointed.” Thus, Zechariah’s heritage declares, “Jehovah remembers, Jehovah comforts, in the time appointed.” He was among the last of the great prophets of Israel, for after his book was completed along with Haggai and Malachi, God withdrew His spirit from Israel for 400 years when there was no prophet in Israel. It is the long gap between the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Within his writings Zechariah details a series of prophecies and then his last three chapters describe the terrible Tribulation years culminating with the last great battle on earth, Armageddon. In the twelfth chapter he states that these events begin to unfold in a manner whereby one day the city of Jerusalem will become a “cup of trembling” for the entire world (12:2) and in the next verse (12:3) he says that Jerusalem will be like “a burdensome stone for all people” who are gathered against it. In verse 9 God states that He will “destroy all the nations” that one day will have come against Jerusalem.
Which brings us to chapter 14, the final chapter. Zechariah describes how the Day of the Lord will end with His standing on the Mount of Olives and causing it to split in two (verse 4) and He will then commence with His reign on earth (verse 9). For Jews, this is their long awaited Messiah. As Christians we know that this Messiah is our Lord Jesus Christ and He will reign for one thousand years, otherwise known as the Millennial Reign. It is remarkable how harmonious both the Old and New Testaments are on this event.
But then, the prophet describes a remarkable instruction to all the nations of the world: “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. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain. If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.” (Zechariah 14:16-18 NKJV)
This is interesting, the prophet is declaring that all nations entering the eventual Millennial Reign will one day honor this Levitical Feast. The Feast of Tabernacles today is known as “Sukkot” to Jews and is the final fall feast in Judaism and this week-long celebration was instituted by God in the wilderness of Sinai. It commemorates the end of the fall harvest and is sometimes referred to as “Harvest Home.” During this feast, the people were to live in booths-temporary dwellings made of branches and often today constructed in their backyards- to commemorate their dwelling in tents for forty years in the Wilderness after the Exodus. At the end of Sukkot, they go back to their permanent dwelling. There is also a prophetic meaning for Jews that is attached to the Feast of Tabernacles, that it looks forward to a time when Messiah will come to reign and fulfill the Davidic throne. As Christians, we know this will come about after the Second Coming of Jesus Christ at the implementation of the Millennial Reign when He will sit on the throne of David and rule the world.
Tabernacle, as a word in its earliest use, means “dwelling” or “place of abode.” With the infilling of the Holy Spirit in our bodies or “temples” (1st Corinthians 6:19) each day should be a feast of tabernacles for us as Christians. But, the Bible tells us one day the kingdom of heaven will be established on this earth and Christ will reign as Kings of kings and Lord of lords. At that time, the Feast of Tabernacles, which has been a prophetic picture of the future kingdom, will be observed by all nations each year. What an amazing picture! It will be an event that we should all look forward to celebrating. Who do you know that has yet to receive an invite?