Why should Christians celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles?

Jesus Christ celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles, even at great risk to His life. What does this festival mean for Christians today?

After the Day of Atonement, the next festival is the Feast of Tabernacles, which lasts for seven days. Immediately following this festival is the final, one-day festival we call the Last Great Day. These two festivals combined last for eight consecutive days (Leviticus 23:33-39 [33] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
[34] Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.
[35] On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
[36] Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.
[37] These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:
[38] Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD.
[39] Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.

See All...) and picture the final steps in God's master plan to bring all of humanity into His eternal family.

The Feast of Tabernacles is also known as the Feast of Ingathering (Leviticus 23:34Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.
See All...; Exodus 23:16And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.
See All...) and is called Sukkoth by the Jews today. This festival pictures the 1,000-year rule of Jesus Christ on this earth, known as the Millennium (RevelationThe disclosure of God's Word and plan to mankind. In the Bible this refers to making obscure things clear; bringing hidden matters to light; causing especially called individuals to see, hear, perceive, know and understand the things of God; the unveiling of biblical mysteries (Romans 16:25). 20:4-6 [4] And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
[5] But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
[6] Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

See All...). This follows after the binding of Satan pictured by the Holy Day of Atonement (RevelationThe disclosure of God's Word and plan to mankind. In the Bible this refers to making obscure things clear; bringing hidden matters to light; causing especially called individuals to see, hear, perceive, know and understand the things of God; the unveiling of biblical mysteries (Romans 16:25). 20:1-3 [1] And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
[2] And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
[3] And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

See All...).

Christ will set up the Kingdom of God following His return to the earth. Isaiah describes this future period as a time of peace when God's law will go forth to all nations from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:2-4 [2] And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
[3] And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
[4] And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

See All...). The fierce nature of some animals will change (Isaiah 11:6The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
See All...; 65:25), the earth will become highly productive (Isaiah 35:1The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
See All...), and, most important, "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
See All...). With Satan's evil influence removed, all of humanity will at last learn God's ways.

This perfect environment will be designed to offer all people the opportunity to repent of their sins and come to God the Father through Jesus Christ. The BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. shows that Jesus attended this important festival even when His life was threatened (John 7:2-14 [2] Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand.
[3] His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.
[4] For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.
[5] For neither did his brethren believe in him.
[6] Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.
[7] The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
[8] Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come.
[9] When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.
[10] But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.
[11] Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?
[12] And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.
[13] Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.
[14] Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.

See All..., 25).

This seven-day festival is followed by another, final festival on the eighth day, which we call the Last Great Day.