Living in tents carries profound significance as a symbol of temporary dwellings, reflecting a deeper spiritual reality. God prepares us for eternal life, shaping us through circumstances to train us for existence as spirit beings. As David asks in Psalm 15:1, "LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?" the answer lies in following the tent rules set forth for God's people, ensuring preparation for an eternal dwelling place where we shall never be moved. God the Father has called and chosen us as His special people to become the bride of His Son, Jesus Christ. He is preparing us to dwell on His holy hill and enter His Son's tent to become one with Him. As Revelation 21:3 declares, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God." Ultimately, God's purpose will be fulfilled, and we will dwell with Him, not in a temporary tent, but in His glorious, many-roomed house forever.

God's purpose in the Feast of Ingathering, also called the Feast of Tabernacles, centers on reminding His people of their journey and dependence on Him. He instructs His people to dwell in temporary booths to recall the wilderness experience after their deliverance from Egypt, emphasizing the impermanence of life and the pilgrimage toward their inheritance. This observance teaches complete reliance on Him to provide during times of uncertainty, as He did for the Israelites. He specifies that the focus is on the journey rather than the destination, using temporary dwellings to instill a mindset of trust in His providence and to temper the human desire for self-sufficiency. God further explains that the Feast is not about privation but about temporariness, with the booths made of varied materials to be attractive yet transient, reminding His people of the deterioration of physical things. He desires this to keep His people from taking Him for granted, ensuring they maintain the right perspective during the Feast. Additionally, He ties the Feast to His blessing on the produce and the work of their hands, expecting cooperation between man and Himself throughout the seasons, leading to rejoicing during this sacred time. In a profound connection, Jesus Christ tabernacled among humanity, taking on a temporary dwelling of flesh, divesting Himself of glory to experience human limitations. He began life humbly in a manger, a type of sukkah, reflecting the temporary shelters of the Feast, and lived content with what His Father provided, setting an example of submission to God's will. Through this, He identifies with the struggles of temporary existence, becoming a merciful and faithful High Priest for His people.

God declares the feasts as His own, emphasizing that they are for Him and about Him. They are feasts of the LORD, each one to be observed in reference to Him, teaching us about God Himself and pointing to the Messiah. In the arrangement of the feasts, there is purpose and precision, reflecting God's mind as the Creator and Author of His word. The pattern of one-day and seven-day feasts, mirrored in reverse, invites exploration into their deeper connections, particularly between Unleavened Bread and Tabernacles. In Tabernacles, God commands a focus on the journey to the inheritance, recalling the Israelites' experience when He brought them out of Egypt. This feast emphasizes pilgrimage and movement toward a goal, using temporary dwellings—booths made of branches—that lack foundations and signify impermanence. These booths, vibrant at first but fading over the week, remind us of the transitoriness of life and our complete dependence on Him for sustenance and protection during this pilgrimage. God was the true shelter for Israel in the wilderness, providing food, water, shade, and warmth through pillars of cloud and fire, despite their vulnerability. Similarly, He provides for us on our spiritual journey, though we must trust in His presence without physical signs. The symbolism of temporary dwellings in Tabernacles contrasts with the settled, foundational houses of Unleavened Bread, yet both find unity in Christ. He offers internal peace and stability amidst life's uncertainties, as seen in His words that in Him we have peace despite tribulation. The temporary dwellings of Tabernacles keep us off balance, reminding us that nothing on earth is permanent and urging us to trust in God's providence rather than seeking to control our circumstances. This feast teaches us to rejoice in His abundance while recognizing our dependence on Him, ensuring that our focus remains on Him as the object of the feast. Even the Word of God, who is God, took on a temporary form to tabernacle with mankind, becoming as His creation tabernacles. This remarkable act underscores the lesson of Tabernacles: to reflect on the impermanence of this life and our reliance on Him, rejoicing in His provision while following Him on a difficult path. Both Unleavened Bread and Tabernacles, through their respective lacks in food and dwellings, point us to Christ as the source of true stability and strength, guiding us on our pilgrimage according to what He deems good for us.

In the account of Nehemiah 8, the returned exiles demonstrated a profound reverence for God, standing in solemn regard as Ezra opened the book of the law, yearning to honor Him. They understood that God is serious about His standards of conduct and worship as found in His word. During the Feast of Tabernacles, as described in Nehemiah 8:14-18, the people dwelt in booths, a practice neglected since the days of Joshua, and there was very great gladness as they read from the book of the law of God day by day, keeping the feast for seven days with a sacred assembly on the eighth day. This observance exemplified a focused devotion missing for a millennium, highlighting their tender hearts toward God and His word. In Leviticus 23:39-43, God commanded the Israelites to dwell in booths during the feast to remember their journey out of Egypt, a time of transitoriness and complete dependence on Him. This memorial of impermanence teaches that nothing on earth is permanent, and trust must be placed in what God is doing. The temporary dwellings, made of beautiful branches, are not about privation but temporariness, reminding the people of the relentless march of time, the weakness of physical things, and their reliance on God's providence to supply their needs. God does not demand asceticism but requires remembrance of this lesson, keeping His people slightly off balance to temper their drive for control and to focus on His greater plan. The concept of tabernacling extends to the Creator Himself, as seen in John 1:14, where the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, tabernacling with the people He created. The Creator put on a tent of flesh as a temporary dwelling to experience life as we do, demonstrating meekness by assuming the feeble state of humanity. Through this act, He showed His willingness to supply what is needed in our temporary circumstances, guiding us toward a life no longer temporary but eternal, as we learn to take on His life of glory.