Every year we anticipate our celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles. We always want it to be special and fun for everyone, but especially for the children. The Feast of Tabernacles is a time of remembrance and teaching the next generations about the importance of knowing the Word of God.
This week I have been reading about a very interesting celebration of Tabernacles in the book of Nehemiah. It was during the time of the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem and the Temple after the return from captivity. As they returned from exile they also found the Word of God and learned that they were supposed to celebrate the Feast in booths for seven days. “They found written in the law how the LORD had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel should live in booths during the feast of the seventh month” (Nehemiah 8:14).
It is interesting to notice that the Feast of Tabernacles had not been celebrated for some time, and the celebration of the feast brought great rejoicing to everyone. “The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in them. The sons of Israel had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And there was great rejoicing” (Nehemiah 8:17).
There is always a great rejoicing when we find in the Word the things that we are supposed to be doing, and then we do it. God wants to bless us and He gave us instructions in His Word that would guide us through all generations. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them (John 13:17).