How to Rejoice at the Feast of Tabernacles

In this post, learn why God wants us to rejoice in the Feast of Tabernacles and how to do it!

Brethren, we are living in a sad, depressing world. According to the World Health Organization, there are over 264 million people who are depressed in a global scale.

Do you know how big that number is?

Well, think about it: the Philippines has over 100 million people in population. So, it means there are more than twice our population who are depressed.

What’s more interesting is that, people who are from the age bracket from 12 to 25 years old are the most depressed age group. In fact, suicide is the second-leading cause of death among young adults.

However, brethren, we are not to be sad. In fact, in this Feast, one of the most important commandments given to us is this 7-letter word. That word is “rejoice!”

In the Bible, we read over and over again how God commanded us to rejoice in the Feast. While it’s nice reading all of them, I just want to focus more on Deuteronomy 16:13-15:

You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress. 14 And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, who are within your gates. 15 Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD chooses, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice

If only this world knows the Feast of Tabernacles, this world would have been a happier place to live in. However, brethren, we are not of this world. We are of part of the Assembly of Yahweh. We are told to rejoice.

Now, here’s something you need to understand. Rejoicing in the Feast is not a request. It is a command. It is not optional but it is mandatory!

Why? Why would the Almighty has to command us to rejoice? Because we live in a world full of pain, suffering, and chaos. Yes, there are times when it is easy to be happy, but there will come a come when it is difficult to be happy and in those times, we need to remember the command to rejoice.

Now, if you read again Deuteronomy 16, it doesn’t say, rejoice in the feast if you are healthy. It doesn’t say, rejoice in the feast if you have a lot of money, if there is no pandemic, if there is no restrictions, if your family is complete, if there are a lot of attendees. No, brethren, it only says, REJOICE in the Feast. There’s no condition attached to it. 

This world and Satan may give us a lot of reasons to be sad, but let me tell you, there’s no reason good enough to stop us from rejoicing in this Feast.

You see, brethren, ever since 2005, I have been keeping the Feast with my parents. They have always been with me during the Feast. However, in this year, to no fault of their own, they are not here. I cried bitterly when I learned they couldn’t make it here. I mean, the Feast is the perfect time for families to come together. But look at us now. We are not complete.

But should this keep us from rejoicing? I tell you no. Why? Here’s why: Psalm 30:5:

For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.

The Apostle Paul had all the reason to be sad. He was shipwrecked. He was betrayed. He was beaten to death. Yet, in Philippians 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” And to really hammer it down in our mind, he repeated in I Thes 5:16, Rejoice always.

Now, here’s something that we should never miss in Deuteronomy 16. We must not simply focus on our own happiness and joy. To truly rejoice in the Feast, we must also cause others to rejoice.

If you really want to be happy, you need to make others happy. That’s just how it works. The more selfish you are, the more unhappy you become. The more selfless you are, the happier you become. Your happiness will not just be happiness, but it becomes blessedness and joyfulness. It goes up to a higher level.

So, how do you make other people happy?

One word: serve.

Serve one another.

Give your time, energy, and resources to others. Grab every opportunity to help. Take the initiative to lend a hand. Actively see what others need and see how you can meet that need.

Because when you make other people happy, happiness will eventually find its way back to you.

Finally, brethren, why should we rejoice in this Feast?

Because this pictures the time when Yahshua would finally establish God’s Kingdom here on earth when all the problems in this world would be solved.

Imagine a world filled with the knowledge of God. Imagine a world where there will be no war anymore, no sicknesses and illnesses to kill us, there will be prosperity and abundance.

No more deception, but only truth. And imagine a world where the 264 million people who are depressed would eventually wear a smile on their face and be filled with joy in their heart.

What a wonderful and joyful world that would be.

The Feast of Tabernacles reminds us brethren that there’s a happy ending. We may suffer today, but we will reign tomorrow. We may be last right now, but we will be first in God’s kingdom.

Brethren, that’s the best reason why we should rejoice. So, in the following 8 days brethren, don’t let anything steal your joy. Whether it be the weather, the absence of your loved ones, health problem, or anything that you don’t have, remember God’s command. You shall surely rejoice at the Feast!