As we are amid the celebration of Sukkot (the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles), we are reminded of its deep roots in history and its significance for the future. Sukkot is one of the most joyful festivals in the biblical calendar, yet it is also one of the most prophetically significant. It invites us to reflect on the past, live fully in the present, and anticipate the future.

The foundation of this festival is found in Leviticus 23:39-43, where God commanded the people of Israel to dwell in booths for seven days:

"On exactly the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the crops of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the LORD for seven days, with a rest on the first day and a rest on the eighth day… You shall live in booths for seven days; all the native-born in Israel shall live in booths, so that your generations may know that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt."
Leviticus 23:39-43

This passage connects Sukkot to the wilderness journey, a time when Israel lived in temporary shelters and relied solely on God's provision. The festival marks not just a harvest celebration, but also a reminder of God's faithfulness in leading His people through uncertainty. However, as we’ll see, Sukkot doesn’t just reflect the past—it is a window into the future.

The command in Leviticus is clear: the people of Israel are to live in booths (or sukkot) for seven days, commemorating their time in the wilderness after being delivered from slavery in Egypt. These fragile, temporary shelters symbolize both the transience of life and the steadfastness of God.

In the wilderness, Israel learned to depend entirely on God for their daily sustenance. They had no permanent homes, no fertile land, and no food supplies of their own. But God provided them with manna, water from the rock, and His guiding presence in the form of a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. The booths remind future generations of Israel’s total reliance on God during that time and reflect the profound trust required to follow Him through the unknown.

Sukkot, then, is not only about looking back it is a journey of faith that ties the past to the present and ultimately to the future. In the same way that the Israelites had to trust God for their survival in the desert, so too are we called to trust Him as we walk through the challenges of life today. Our earthly journey, much like Israel’s wilderness experience, is temporary. Our true destination is the promised Kingdom where we will dwell with God forever.

The prophetic dimension of Sukkot looks beyond Israel’s wilderness journey to the coming Kingdom of God. In Zechariah 14:16, we are given a glimpse of this future reality:

Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths (Sukkot)."
Zechariah 14:16

This verse reveals that Sukkot will be celebrated for eternity not just by Israel, but by the nations of the world in the future! The festival, once a reminder of the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness, will become a universal celebration of the King, who I believe is Yeshua, the promised Messiah. The temporary shelters that once represented life in the desert will symbolize the ultimate gathering of all people under the reign of the Messiah in His eternal Kingdom.

This future vision suggests that Sukkot is more than a commemoration of historical events; it is a prophetic rehearsal for the day when God will dwell among us once more. Just as Israel was led through the wilderness and brought to the Promised Land, so too are we journeying toward the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises in the Kingdom to come.

The prophetic nature of Sukkot becomes even clearer when we consider the eighth day of the celebration, Shemini Atzeret. In Leviticus 23, God instructs the people to observe this day as a solemn assembly following the seven days of Sukkot:

On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly; you shall do no laborious work.
Leviticus 23:36

This day, known as Shemini Atzeret, is often seen as a separate festival, though it is intimately tied to Sukkot. The word "atzeret" means to gather or to assemble, and it signifies a time of reflection and renewal. Following the week-long celebration in booths, Shemini Atzeret calls the people to pause, reflect, and renew their commitment to God before returning to their daily lives.

In Jewish tradition, Simchat Torah (the Rejoicing of the Torah) is also celebrated on this day, marking the completion of the annual Torah reading cycle. Yet, this celebration points to something even greater—the Word of God made flesh, Yeshua. Just as the Torah guides Israel, Yeshua is the Living Word, guiding all who believe in Him toward eternal life.

Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah thus serve as a reminder that the Word of God, both in the form of Scripture and in the person of Yeshua, is central to our journey through life and our hope for the future.

As we consider the prophetic future of Sukkot, we return to the words of Zechariah 14. Sukkot is not just a celebration of Israel’s past—it is a vision of the future, when all people will recognize the sovereignty of God and worship Him together.

The temporary booths that we dwell in during Sukkot serve as a powerful metaphor for this future reality. Just as Israel’s journey through the wilderness was temporary, so too is our life on this earth. We are pilgrims on the way to our eternal home, and Sukkot reminds us of this truth. One day, the temporary will give way to the eternal, and God’s dwelling will be with humanity forever.

The Scriptures call us to live with our eyes fixed on the Kingdom to come, where all nations will gather to worship the Messiah. As we celebrate this festival, let us remember that we are on a journey—a journey of faith, trust, and hope in the God who provides, the God who restores, and the God who will one day dwell with us forever.

Hag Sameach, may the joy of Sukkot fill your heart with hope and anticipation for the glorious future that awaits!