📖 Biblical Definition
The Feast of Tabernacles (Hebrew Sukkot) is the seven-day autumn festival (Lev 23:33-43) commemorating Israel's wilderness dwelling in temporary booths and celebrating the harvest's ingathering. Israel was commanded to build temporary shelters and live in them for the week, remembering the wilderness years. Christ taught and revealed Himself at this feast (Jn 7:37: If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink). Many premillennialists associate it with the consummation.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Seven-day autumn festival; Israel in booths; harvest celebration; pointer to consummation.
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One of the three pilgrimage feasts (with Passover and Pentecost). Held mid-autumn (Tishri 15-21). Marked by living in temporary booths, water-pouring rituals, illumination of the temple courts, joy.
📖 Key Scripture
Leviticus 23:42 — "Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths."
John 7:37 — "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink."
Zechariah 14:16 — "Every one that is left of all the nations... shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Modern Christianity often skips Tabernacles entirely; it carries the wilderness-pilgrim theology and points eschatologically to the consummated dwelling.
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John 7's setting is loaded: Christ's self-revelation as living water happens at Tabernacles, when temple priests poured water in commemoration. He claims to be what the ritual symbolized.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Hebrew Sukkot (booths).
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Hebrew sukkah — booth, temporary shelter.
Note: modern Jewish observance still builds sukkahs at this feast.
Usage
"Israel dwelled in booths to remember wilderness years."
"Christ revealed Himself as living water at this feast."
"Eschatologically points to the consummated dwelling."