Why don't Christians celebrate the feast of tabernacles?

Question

Although there are some who celebrate the feast of Tabernacles they are definitely in a minority.

A prophecy in Zechariah speaks of a time when all nations will have to keep the feast:

Zech 14:16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. 18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles

We know that Jesus celebrated it (John 7:2) and if we believe the prophecies then we will keep the feast again in the future. The current period of not celebrating appears anomalous.

Why don't Christians generally celebrate Tabernacles now?

Answer 1

The prophecy has yet come to pass. I wouldn't say the current period is anomalous at all. Up until now, the feast has been celebrated by Jews only (ok, a few Christians). That's a very small minority of people. The prophecy talks about all nations, which is something very different from history.

You mention Jesus going to the feast in John 7, but notice what Jesus says about the feast:

John 7:8 (ESV)
⁸ You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come."

Granted, Jesus eventually went in secret. But it doesn't seem to bother anyone that Jesus would not go. If it wasn't necessary for even Jesus to go, why should we, gentiles?

Answer 2

Orthodox tradition holds that the current Feast of the Transfiguration of Christ replaces the Hebrew Feast of Booths, and we are a significant minority, if not a majority, in many countries.

In this guise, one could interpret this passage to mean that those who do not celebrate the Transfiguration, i.e. through Christ become transfigured themselves, in That Day will experience severe suffering.

Answer 3

Christians do not celebrate the FOT because it is considered a part of the Jewish Law which was fulfilled in Christ, more specifically, the obligation, which fell and falls on observers of the Law, past and present, is not applicable to the Christian.

Answer 4

THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES: Camping outside for about a week with a flimsy roof over your head. Fine if you live in Israel, but not so nice if you live in Iceland............ or Britain, America or Europe - come to that!

Could there be (by any chance) a hidden figurative meaning behind this feast, which spiritual people can quite easily see, by steps of pure spiritual logic? Concerning Zechariah 14, as Matthew Henry says in his famous commentary, quote: “As it is impossible for all nations literally to come to Jerusalem once a year, to keep a feast, it is evident that a figurative meaning must here be applied.”

Is it really so that the modulation by the Messianics to try and make this feast sound credble (that everyone on Planet Earth must visit Israel once in their life time to keep this feast at least once - instead of yearly) really credible? Given the extra so called proviso - that you must also arrive there at a particular time in the year? As that would be a foul bias against the poor, and therefore that in itself proves Jesus is not involved in this present religious practice - as we all know Jesus loved the poor. Also the damage to the world ecological environment by all the extra travelling would not be good. Worse how could people possibly have achieved this objective centuries ago, in the middle ages for instance? It is so clearly a Messianic Jewish lie and, along with lighting candles, sounds so Catholic in its nature by the introduction of a pilgrimage into the faith, just like the Muslims also do to Mecca, and sounds like the looming shadow of salvation by works. I will explain almost all the heresies of Messianicism on my website be the Good Lord willing. https://www.messianicism.com/~messiani/MESSIANICISM/Intro.html Here is a link to several spiritual interpretations of Zechariah 14:16.... http://biblecommenter.com/zechariah/14-16.htm one of the shortest being in Clarke's Commentary, quote: "This last feast is very properly brought in here to point out the final restoration of the Jews, and their establishment in the light and liberty of the Gospel of Christ, after their long wandering in vice and error." And interesting is a reference in Barne's notes: ""Much more truly do Christians keep the feast of tabernacles, not once in the year only, but continually, unceasingly. This is, what Peter admonisheth, 'Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts' 1 Peter 2:11." These and many other comments are there to read in-depth, along with that of Matthew Henry. Just as Polygamy (Matthew 19:4) and stoning (John 8:7) have gone in the Law of Jesus, along with animal sacrifices (Heb 10:4) so has law insisting on the keeping of any kind of days, but especially old covenant days (Gal 4:10).

Answer 5

Why don't Christians generally celebrate Tabernacles now?

The simplest answer is that Christians never agreed to observe it. The Israelites agreed to keep the Law of Moshe at Sinai by confirming an oath in a bilateral covenant (Deut. 27:26). Even if one is a Jewish Christian (i.e., a Christian by faith who is Jewish descent by birth), they died to the Law by their union with the Messiah (Rom. 7:4). The rabbis understood that "as soon as a man dies, he is made free from the commandments" (כיון שמת אדם נעשה חפשי מן המצות) (Nidda 61b). Since we have died in Christ, we are free from the commanmdnents (this would pertain to those Jews who were formerly covenantally bound to observe the Law of Moshe).

Answer 6

Jesus' death ushered in the New Covenant so it really is irrelevant whether he celebrated a feast or not. What is important is what Christ fulfilled.