Revelation chapters 4 and 5 describe John's first vision of paradise as it existed in 96 AD.¹ Revelation 7:9 describes John's second vision of paradise‒where he saw a great multitude redeemed from all nations worshiping God and the Lamb‒at the end of the sixth seal and near approach of the Second Coming.² The Feast of Tabernacles in ancient Israel foreshadows what John saw during his second vision of celestial paradise.³

The importance of the Feast of Tabernacles is underscored by several circumstances. First, the Nephites celebrated this feast on the American continent.⁴ Additionally, at the Second Coming, Christ will appear on the mount of Olives at the time appointed for this annual feast.⁵ Christ will further command all nations to come to Jerusalem and keep this feast throughout the millennium.⁶ This joyful feast at the end of each annual harvest⁷ is the only feast of the Mosaic era that will be celebrated during the millennium.⁸

The Feast of Tabernacles is also known as the Feast of Ingathering⁹ because it occurred at the end of the annual harvest when crops were gathered in for the winter.¹⁰ The ceremonies of this feast symbolize the ingathering¹¹ of people to Christ¹² from all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people at the Second Coming.¹³ This feast is also called Sukkot, or the Feast of Booths.¹⁴ This name recalls how Israel dwelt in booths or huts during its forty-year pilgrimage and temporal ingathering of Israel from Egypt to the promised land.¹⁵ The exodus was also a time of spiritual ingathering¹⁶ from Israel's spiritual bondage¹⁷ to the true worship of Jehovah.¹⁸ The Second Coming will bring to pass a new heaven and new earth,¹⁹ which also alludes to the Feast of Tabernacles as a celebration of creation.²⁰

Many ceremonial details from the Feast of Tabernacles are typical of John's second vision of the great multitude in paradise from Revelation 7:9-17, as follows:

The ancient feast took place five days after the Day of Atonement²¹ when a purified people joyfully renewed their covenant with Jehovah.²² John's vision in Revelation 7:9 describes the disembodied spirits in paradise as a great multitude gathered in as a purified people in celestial paradise before the Second Coming harvest of souls.²³

The ancient feast sometimes included the coronation of a new king or a renewal of kingship which will also occur with Christ at the Second Coming.²⁴ The feast always included worship of the Lord in the form of the hosanna shout,²⁵ the hallel,²⁶ and the waving of palm branches²⁷ (lulavs).²⁸ These sacred practices continue today in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.²⁹ The same forms of worship are apparent in John's second vision of paradise in Revelation 7:10-12 where the great multitude waves palms as they worship God and the Lamb.³⁰

During the Feast of Tabernacles the priests wore ceremonial robes, and the high priest wore a gold crown.³¹ Crowns and white robes are also present in John's second vision of paradise in Revelation 7:9, as they were during his first vision of paradise in Revelation 4:4.³²

During the ancient feast, the Jews celebrated and gave thanks to God for life's necessities and bounties, including food, water, and sunlight.³³ Jesus Christ is the bread of life³⁴ and he used the ceremonial rituals of the Feast of Tabernacles to dramatize his status as living water³⁵ and the light of the world.³⁶ The same symbolism is present in John's second vision of paradise in Revelation 7:16-17 where the gathered spirits will never thirst or want for sunlight.³⁷

The parallel images from the Feast of Tabernacles and John's second vision of paradise confirm that countless spirits of the dead will be ingathered to celestial paradise as they receive the seal of the living God primarily during the sixth seal³⁸ so they will be ready for the harvest of all exaltation-worthy saints (i.e., the 144,000 Servants) at the Second Coming at the end of the Second Woe of the seventh seal in Revelation 14:14-16.³⁹