Today is the third in a series of three concerning the birth of Jesus as we prepare for the beginning of the New Testament readings. 

The birth of Jesus took place during the Feast of Tabernacles in the fall of the year and not on the traditional date of December 25. The Feast of Tabernacles was one of three great annual feasts of the Hebrew people: the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles.

Each of these days listed in the Old Testament have the prophetic fulfillment in the New Testament beginning with the coming of the Messiah associated with the Feast of Tabernacles.

Col 2:17
These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

Matt 5:17
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

When He came to earth as a baby in Bethlehem, Jesus fulfilled the Feast of Tabernacles. When Jesus suffered and died for our sins, He fulfilled the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Passover, and the Day of Atonement. When He ascended into heaven and presented Himself to God, the Father, He fulfilled the Feast of First Fruits. When He sent the Holy Spirit He fulfilled Pentecost. In all the feasts and festivals the people of Israel remembered their past and renewed their faith in the Lord who created and sustained them. Should we as Christians celebrate these Holy Days today?

One thing we have learned in our study of God’s Word is that He makes things perfectly clear! We especially like how He has described life in the Millennium when it comes to honoring the festivals and feast days, His Holy Days. 

While the people will celebrate all the appointed feasts, the Feast of Tabernacles and the Passover are specifically named.

Zechariah 14:16-17
Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, they will have no rain.

Deuteronomy 31:10-13
Then Moses commanded them: "At the end of every seven years, in the year for canceling debts, during the Feast of Tabernacles, when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing. Assemble the people-- men, women and children, and the aliens living in your towns-- so they can listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and follow carefully all the words of this law. Their children, who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess."
(See also Nehemiah 8:14-18)

If honoring and celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles is required during the Millennium, shouldn’t we honor it today?

It is important for us as Christians to honor these Holy Days today, not in the way that was done before the Messiah came, but to honor Jesus as the fulfillment of those days. Part of honoring Him is to also remember our past as the people of Israel did (which includes remembering everything that the nation of Israel remembered). We have additional things to remember on this side of the cross. We remember Jesus’ birth, death, resurrection, and our salvation through Him. 

Who we honor is far more important than when we honor Him. We praise Him that He came to “tabernacle” among us and He was and is "God with us."

Matt 1:23

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"-- which means, "God with us."