The Importance of Sukkot
Because of the joy associated with the Feast of Tabernacles, it became the most prominent of Israel's holidays. It was referred to simply as "the holiday" by the ancient rabbis. The importance of the Feast of Tabernacles is also seen in its inclusion as one of the three pilgrim feasts, Passover and Pentecost being the other two. Three times during the year, all Jewish males were required by the Lord to appear before Him in the Temple (Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks, and Tabernacles). These were known as Pilgrim Feasts because of the required pilgrimage to Jerusalem. During the Feast of Tabernacles, the people brought their tithes and offerings to the Temple, for they were not to "appear before the Lord empty-handed"
Deut. 16:16 - Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty:
Further importance is seen in the great number of required sacrifices during the feast week. Each day one goat, 14 lambs, two rams, and number of bullocks (13 on the first day, decreasing by one each day) was offered in the Temple. Each of the sacrifices were offered with its appropriate meal offerings (flour and oil) and drink offerings (wine). All 24 divisions of priests shared in the sacrificial duties during the week. In the days of the Temple, the Feast of Tabernacles was viewed with great awe, for it was during the Feast of Tabernacles that Solomon dedicated the newly built Temple to the Lord. At that ancient observance of Tabernacles, the Shekinah glory of the Lord descended from Heaven to light the fire on the altar and fill the Holy of Holies.
2 Chron. 5:3 - Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month.
1 Kings 8:2 - And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
2 Chron. 7:1-10 - Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house. [2] And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord's house. [3] And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endures for ever. [4] Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the Lord. [5] And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. [6] And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of music of the Lord, which David the king had made to praise the Lord, because his mercy endures for ever, when David praised by
their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood. [7] Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord: for there he offered burnt offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the brazen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, and the meat offerings, and the fat. [8] Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt. [9] And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days. [10] And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the Lord had shewed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.