Gospel Feasts

Read Deuteronomy 16
 
Deuteronomy 16:16 Three times a year all your men must appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles. No man should appear before the Lord empty-handed.
 
THESE three required feasts point to the church.
    The Feast of Unleavened Bread is also Passover. Since Jesus has become the Passover Lamb whose blood is the way God’s judgment passes over us, we celebrate this on Good Friday and Easter.
    The Feast of Weeks is also called the Feast of Firstfruits. “Weeks” refers to the seven weeks from the time Israel left Egypt until God gave Moses the Law on Mt. Sinai (or Horeb). As the law began God’s gathering of his people to hi, “firstfruits” points to the first harvest of grain. Celebrating the first of the harvest is a faithful response to God. To submit the first grain to God is demonstrating one’s faith the full harvest is expected.
    This was also known as Pentecost. Again the name refers to the seven weeks or 50 days from the exodus to the law. The church remembers this as Pentecost today because the Holy Spirit began the church in Jerusalem during Pentecost, 50 days from Jesus’ crucifixion. The Spirit harvested the first souls for the church that day. And the harvest has continued.
    The Feast of Tabernacles recalls Israel’s dwelling in tents during the 40 years’ wandering. God also tabernacled with them. This feast included setting up tents around the temple for one week. It also was marked with great lights high above the temple in Jerusalem and throughout Judea. The lights would recall God’s presence in the Wilderness Tabernacle with the seven lights and leading the nation with a pillar of light. It is the end of this feast when Jesus declared in the temple square, “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12) The light had come to dwell with – to tabernacle – with his creation as a man. The Spirit dwells today within each Christian.
    The Jews were to celebrate the feasts, so they could stop their work and remember God’s great work over their lives. We must continue to stop, remember and celebrate God’s glorious salvation each day. We know we feast with Christ at the Lord’s Table, the Spirit harvests souls daily and tabernacles within all who call Jesus, “Savior”.
 
Prayer: We thank you, LORD God, for being such a personal God. Our hearts praise you for your magnificent work to save us to feast with you forever. Amen.