This chapter details several feasts (holy days) and instructions for how to conduct them.
“These are the appointed feasts of the Lord, the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for them. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the Lord’s Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work. But you shall present a food offering to the Lord for seven days. On the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work.” (v4-8)
Here are the holy days listed in this chapter: the Sabbaths, the Lord’s Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Firstfruits, the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Booths. Note: most of those are more than a single day, the feasts are often several days long.
“These are the appointed feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim as times of holy convocation, for presenting to the Lord food offerings, burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each on its proper day, besides the Lord’s Sabbaths and besides your gifts and besides all your vow offerings and besides all your freewill offerings, which you give to the Lord.” (v37-38)
Today, I encourage us to set aside time for the Lord – times for prayer, worship, confession, fellowship, celebration, feasting, and service (to name a few activities). These should be times where regular activities (work, school, etc.) are temporarily set aside so we can focus on God and God’s people.
Yes, it is possible to spend time with God during our regular activities, though the scripture is clear we should set specific times apart from those activities as well. When is the last time we did something like this: “On the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest. And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days. You shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month.” (v39b-41)
Going to church gatherings on Christmas Eve and Easter are great, but we can deeply experience God’s presence much more frequently (and intentionally) than 2-4 services per year.
Father God, almighty Lord of Israel, thank you for the mandate of spending time resting in Your presence. We are so easily distracted, and busyness often rules our lives. Father may we learn to be more proactive in our time with You, rather than reactive. Please help us to set time aside for You, not just stumble upon 10 unscheduled minutes and squeeze in a quick devotional. May we learn to place You first in our lives, and then fill our remaining moments with regular activities. Please help us to hold our time with You as sacred, and reschedule anything that conflicts with those Sabbaths. Jesus, please help us to do this. Amen.
~ Conqueror in Training