Sukkot: A Taste of Forever

When we step into the week of Sukkot, we’re not just remembering a past event—we’re rehearsing for eternity. God commanded His people to live in a sukkah (a temporary shelter, the singular of sukkot) for seven days to remember how He provided in the wilderness (Leviticus 23:42–43). But the feast points forward, too. Like all of God’s moedim (appointed times), it’s a shadow of the greater reality to come.

Sukkot is often called the Feast of Ingathering. The harvest is brought in, the fruit is abundant, and we dwell in joy before the Lord. In this way, it’s a picture of the final harvest of nations, when all peoples will come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, as Zechariah 14 tells us. These days in temporary booths remind us that our homes here are not forever. We are sojourners. We wait for the true city whose builder and maker is God.

Every year when we wave the lulav, rejoice before Him, and eat under our little leafy shelters, we are acting out a divine drama. We are practicing for the wedding feast of the Lamb. One day, Sukkot will not be a rehearsal—it will be our eternal dwelling with Messiah in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:3). God Himself will spread His sukkah over us, and we will be His people forever.

Until then, we keep the feast. We gather our families. We remember. We rejoice. And we rehearse, knowing that each sukkah, each song, each meal under the stars is a foretaste of what’s to come.

Teaching the Next Generation

One of the most beautiful parts of Sukkot is bringing children into the story. Just as God commanded Israel to tell their children what He had done, we too are called to pass the meaning on to the next generation. To help with that, I’ve prepared two special children’s programs you can use this Sukkot:

• For Tweens (9–12): Wandering Through the Wilderness – an active program that helps them step into the story of Israel’s journey, learning about God’s promises and provision in hands-on ways.

• For Littles (4–8): We Inherit God’s Promises – simple lessons, questions, and crafts to help younger children understand covenant, honor, and joy during the feast.

Both are included below as free downloads to bless your family or congregation this year. May your sukkot be filled with laughter, worship, and the nearness of our coming King.

Want to raise kids with biblical values? Read our homeschooling lesson for adults: Raising Messianic Kids in a Modern World.