Scripture Deuteronomy 16:13-15 Celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress. Be joyful at your Feast... For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete. Deuteronomy 16:13-15 Celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress. Be joyful at your Feast... For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete.

1. 1.The Pilgrims modeled Thanksgiving after the Biblical Festival of Sukkot.

Scripture Exodus 23:16 Celebrate the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.

2. 2.The festival of Sukkot is also called the Ingathering, meaning "harvest", and celebrates God's provision.

3. 3.The Hebrew Sukkot (singular sukkah) is translated "tabernacles, booths, shelters".

Seven Feasts Seven "Festivals" 1.Passover 2.Unleavened Bread 3.First Fruits 4.Pentecost 5.Trumpets 6.Day of Atonement 7.Tabernacles / Sukkot SpringSpring FallFall

Scripture Leviticus 23:2 Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies’. Leviticus 23:2 Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies’.

Feast = mow-'ade "God's Appointments" "an appointed time for a meeting or gathering" מֹועֵד [mow-'ed] Festivals ~ Feasts

4. 4.The seven Biblical "Festivals" are God's "appointments" with his people.

Scripture Leviticus 23:34 On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Lord’s Feast of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. Leviticus 23:34 On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Lord’s Feast of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days.

The Jewish calendar

Scripture Leviticus 23:39-40 So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the Lord for seven days... On the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm fronds, leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice before the Lord. Leviticus 23:39-40 So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the Lord for seven days... On the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm fronds, leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice before the Lord.

Scripture Leviticus 23:41-43 This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come... Live in booths for seven days. All native-born Israelites are to live in booths so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt. Leviticus 23:41-43 This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come... Live in booths for seven days. All native-born Israelites are to live in booths so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt.

5. 5.On Tishrei 15, usually in October, God's people live in Sukkot.

Scripture Exodus 40:36-38 In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels. Exodus 40:36-38 In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels.

6. 6.God's Provision is a direct result of His Presence.

Scripture 2 Chronicles 7:8-10 So Solomon observed the festival at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him... On the eighth day they held an assembly... On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their homes, joyful and glad in heart for the good things the Lord had done. 2 Chronicles 7:8-10 So Solomon observed the festival at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him... On the eighth day they held an assembly... On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their homes, joyful and glad in heart for the good things the Lord had done.

1. 7.Solomon dedicated the Temple on Sukkot. God's presence was in the Temple.

Scripture Ezra 3:3-4 Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices. Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles... Ezra 3:3-4 Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices. Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles...

8. 8.At the regathering of Israel, before Zerubbabel rebuilt the Temple, they celebrated Sukkot.

Scripture Nehemiah 8:16-18 So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves booths... From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great... They celebrated the feast for seven days. Nehemiah 8:16-18 So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves booths... From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great... They celebrated the feast for seven days.

9. 9.When the rebuilding was complete, Ezra and Nehemiah celebrated Sukkot.

The Maccabees cleansed and rededicated the Temple in December by celebrating a late Sukkot, now called Hanukkah.

Scripture John 1:1, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. John 1:1, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

God gave us His Presence, in the birth of Jesus, living in our midst.

Scripture Genesis 33:17 Jacob, however, went to Succoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Succoth. Genesis 33:17 Jacob, however, went to Succoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Succoth.

Scripture Luke 1:5,8,11,13 There was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah... Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty... An angel of the Lord appeared to him... "Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John" Luke 1:5,8,11,13 There was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah... Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty... An angel of the Lord appeared to him... "Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John"

Scripture Luke 1:35-36 The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. Luke 1:35-36 The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.

Jesus was born is a stable, called a sukkah, perhaps during the time of Sukkot.

Christmas is reflection of Sukkot, celebrating God's presence and provision.

Scripture 1 Corinthians 3:16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?

If you are a child of God, His presence now dwells in you.

Christmas is a time to cleanse and rededicate our lives.

The "harvest" foreshadows Jesus gathering his people as his bride.

Scripture Revelation 19:7-8 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) Revelation 19:7-8 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)

Scripture Matthew 25:34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.’ Matthew 25:34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.’

Scripture Matthew 25:35-36 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Matthew 25:35-36 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.

Scripture Matthew 25:37-39 Then the righteous will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ Matthew 25:37-39 Then the righteous will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

Scripture Matthew 25:40 The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40 The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

Christmas is a time to focus on helping those in need.