God wanted the Israelites to remember how he had protected and provided for them. The Israelites were a forgetful and disobedient people, needing frequent reminders of who God was. How sad that today, even with God’s Word, we can still be just like the Israelites — ungrateful and disobedient.
They were commanded to celebrate together as a nation three times a year. God was also reinforcing that they were one as a nation and one with him. They were not individuals who could do as they chose when it came to their relationship with him.
Three feasts were specified. Passover was where they were to remember their freedom from slavery. To continue with unifying them, he told them to eat and to share with those around them, not to simply eat alone.
The Feast of Weeks, 50 days after Passover, was celebrated at the time when the fruit trees were ready. Passover and Weeks were mournful times. The Feast of Tabernacles was to be a time of joy and praise. In these times, God continued to extend his grace, allowing different sacrifices dependent on each person’s financial means. This grace allowed everyone to come with a gift and took away excuses for not going.
God, knowing their hearts, commands them to not have any other gods before them. Due to their rejection of God they needed a king to lead them as they could not lead themselves. I wonder why they didn’t just repent and return to God. How comforting that when we fall away from God all we have to do is repent and ask him to forgive us.
The last part of this is to be fair when accusing someone of wrongdoing. It took at least the testimony of two or more to prove wrongdoing. They really needed to be cautious about accusing someone, as they had to cast the first stones at the guilty. Although we do not cast literal stones at others we can cast stones at them in a figurative way which is no less damaging to their reputation and to our relationship with Christ.
God, help me to praise you in all I say and do as I remember and celebrate your faithfulness to me, in both the positive and the challenging times. Amen.
Eleanor Chew, Fairhaven, Mass.
