The Feast of Tabernacles symbolizes the restoration process.
Chronicling the activities of Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry, the book of John points out that when the “Feast of Tabernacles was at hand,” Jesus Himself “went up to the feast” and taught at the Temple in Jerusalem. This was done in observance of the final of three annual Festival seasons that are outlined in the Bible, particularly in the book of Leviticus.
In 2020, the Feast of Tabernacles will be observed from October 3-9 and the Eighth Day on October 10.
These three seasons, the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Pentecost and the Fall Festival season, were all observed by Jesus and the first-century Church. The latter season is capped by the seven-day Festival of Tabernacles and the Eighth Day (Leviticus 23:33-36).
As part of The Sanctuary Ministries commitment to follow the example of the first-century Church, we keep these days, even though they are essentially not observed in today’s age and not largely observed by other religious organizations.
This same commitment leads members of The Sanctuary Ministries to observe a seventh-day Sabbath on Saturday as Christ did. From a biblical perspective, the Feast of Tabernacles pictures the coming time when Jesus will return to earth and directly rule the world for 1,000 years.
The Feast of Tabernacles represents a “rehearsal” for the coming time of unprecedented harmony and peace,
This eight-day Festival represents the prophesied fulfillment of the coming Kingdom of God, which Jesus taught about extensively during His earthly ministry. The annual festivals observed earlier in the year by The Sanctuary represent the Believer’s redemption from sin through Christ’s sacrifice, the commitment of Christians to put sin out of their lives and the coming of God’s Holy Spirit to strongly empower a Christian to live life in harmony with God’s law and prepare for eternal life.
Proper observance of the Feast of Tabernacles requires that members reside in temporary quarters (called “booths” or “tabernacles” in the Bible – Leviticus 23:42). The Sanctuary covenant partner and families normally travel to a designated site to take part in this biblical assembly. The Sanctuary rents a facility to accommodate fellowship and worship during The Ingathering, and partners typically stay in local hotels to fulfill the temporary nature required by the biblical command. Staying in a temporary dwelling such as a hotel underscores the transitory nature of this present world and illustrates how it will be replaced by the prophesied Kingdom of God. However, due to COVID19 safety precautions we cancelled the Ingathering in person.
Even though we will not be able to gather in person, The Douthit’s are still hosting The Ingathering, Virtually in The Sanctuary Virtual Tabernacle during our 7th Day Worship and Bible Education. We will gather on our website, teleconference bridge and social media platforms for The Ingathering, Virtually. We encourage you to prepare a meal for your family and invite them into The Sanctuary to celebrate the harvest and commemorate this season with joy!
