Hebrew Sukkot — plural of sukkah, "booth, temporary shelter." The third of Israel's three annual pilgrim festivals (Exodus 23:14-17, Leviticus 23:33-43, Deuteronomy 16:13-17), falling on the 15th of Tishri (September-October) and lasting seven days, with an eighth day of solemn assembly. Sukkot celebrates two things: (1) the wilderness wanderings, when Israel lived in booths for 40 years as God led them to the promised land — commemorated by building and living in temporary shelters of branches during the week; (2) the harvest ingathering of fruit and grapes at the end of the agricultural year — hence its name "Feast of Ingathering" (Exodus 23:16). It was the most joyful of the feasts, with music, dancing, and water-pouring ceremonies.
Sukkot is the Bible's answer to the human longing for permanent dwelling combined with the call to embrace pilgrim status in this world. Three observations. (1) Jesus at Sukkot. John 7-8 records Jesus' ministry at the Feast of Booths. On the last great day of the feast — when water from the pool of Siloam was ceremonially poured at the altar — Jesus stood and cried out: "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink" (John 7:37-38). That same feast featured massive lampstands illuminating the temple courts; Jesus said "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12). The I-AM sayings cluster at Sukkot because Sukkot's symbols cluster around the Messianic promises Jesus was fulfilling. (2) Tabernacled among us. John 1:14 — "the Word became flesh and dwelt [Greek: eskēnōsen — "tabernacled"] among us" — is Sukkot language. God came to live in a temporary booth of flesh for a season. (3) Eschatological fulfillment. Zechariah 14:16-19 prophesies that in the messianic age "all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths." Revelation 7:9 echoes the great multitude "from every nation" waving palm branches before the Lamb — a cosmic Sukkot. Christians on earth now live as pilgrims in tents (2 Corinthians 5:1-4); the great Sukkot comes with the new heavens and new earth.