Sukkot – a holiday that includes the Gentiles

In biblical times, 70 bulls were sacrificed for all the nations of the world during Sukkot. This is the only one of the Lord’s feasts that includes every nation and people group. In early October this year 3,000 delegates from 90 nations travelled to Israel to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) together with the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem.

In early October this year 3,000 delegates from 90 nations travelled to Israel to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. Photo: Elida

Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, is a Jewish holiday that falls on the 15th of the month of Tishri in the Jewish calendar and corresponds to September/October in the Gregorian calendar.

The holiday, which commemorates God’s protection of the children of Israel as they journeyed through the desert from Egypt to the Promised Land is marked by joy and happiness. It is celebrated for seven days by living under the open sky in a sukkah – a hut with a roof made of leaves – and ends with two more holidays, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.

Shemini Atzeret is celebrated in accordance with Numbers 29:35: “On the eighth day you shall hold a solemn assembly. Then no work shall be carried out”. During Simchat Torah, the receiving of the Torah is celebrated with dancing and joy. This day signifies that the Torah has been read throughout and reading it anew starts again.

In biblical times, 70 bulls were sacrificed during Sukkot for all the nations of the world. Along with Passover (Pesach) and Pentecost (Shavuot), the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) was one of three pilgrimage festivals when the children of Israel would gather in Jerusalem.

Zechariah 14:16-19 describes how, on the Day of the Lord, all nations will celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. “It shall come to pass that every one who is left of all the Gentiles that came against Jerusalem shall go up there, year after year, to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.

Approximately 90 nations were represented at the march organised by the International Christian Embassy in Israel’s capital during the Feast of Tabernacles early this October. The Jerusalem March was staged for the 68th time in the capital city and thousands took part while an estimated equal number of spectators followed the march from the sidelines as it wound its way slowly through the central parts of the city.

The first ever direct flight to Israel by Fiji Airways had brought hundreds of delegates from the Pacific island of Fiji to Ben Gurion Airport for the International Christian Embassy’s Sukkot celebrations. Fiji plans to move its embassy to Jerusalem early next year.

“The establishment of the embassy represents an important milestone in Fiji’s diplomatic relations with Israel,” a spokeswoman from the Fiji Prime Minister’s Office told Reuters in a recent email. A delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Villiame Gavoka also participated in the Jerusalem march.

The day before the march, a large gathering of 3,000 delegates was organized in the Pais Arena in Jerusalem where Israeli Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel spoke and Israeli President Isaac Herzog sent a video greeting.