Why did they celebrate the feast of Tabernacles?
The last festival of Israel ’s religious calendar was the feast of tabernacles . Like the first, it looked in two directions: back to the nation’s historical experience, and forward to its ultimate fulfilment in Christ Jesus . The Passover commemorated deliverance from Egypt, but also anticipated the cross where ‘ Christ our passover is sacrificed for us’, 1 Cor. 5:7. Tabernacles, following the final triumphant harvest ingathering, was a retrospective on the nomadic conditions of the wilderness journey, Lev. 23:42–43, but also a hint of kingdom blessings to come when Messiah would reign over His people in righteousness and peace. One can understand why Peter, overawed in the company of a glorified Lord flanked by celebrities like Moses and Elijah, thought instinctively of this feast, with its combination of spiritual satisfaction and unalloyed delight, Matt. 17:4. Israel’s celebrations therefore fell into three grou ps, v. 16: (i) unleavened bread , which included the feasts of...