Laws regarding Remembrance Feasts. Exodus 23:14-19 Three times each year, the males of the Israelites were to gather for a time of worship and fellowship. Women and children were not banned from attending these feasts, but for personal and physical reasons, attendance was not required of them. The Sovereign Lord was the One who established this requirement to remind them of their deliverance, the first feast, of His divine provision for their survival, the second feast, and the covenant made between the Lord God and Israel.
The feasts they were to observe had good reasons behind them. They were to be observed so the Lord's people would remember the past. The feasts would center the people's attention on the redemption they had experienced and the fact that they were where they were because of God's redemptive grace and mercy. They would gather at these feasts, share their lives with people from all over the nation, and renew old friendships. They would also make new friends and build new, safe relationships for themselves and their children.
At the first gathering, the Passover was observed on a specific day, reminding them of their deliverance from Egypt through the application of the blood of an innocent lamb. It was a celebration of freedom. Early in the spring, for the entire week beginning with Passover, they observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Jewish families today have a bloodless shank of a sheep to symbolize the Passover lamb. They eat only unleavened bread to remind them of the need for a sinless sacrifice. Bitter herbs represent the suffering caused by sin in this world. They have added wine to symbolize the blood of the lamb that was applied to the doorposts and lintel, candles to symbolize worship in the tabernacle in the wilderness, and an egg to represent life's qualities and resurrection. They also include salt water, signifying the bitter tears shed in Egypt, and a grated apple, which resembles the color of the clay bricks Jews were forced to make as slaves.
As a lesson, we need to establish laws governing how we use our time and for what purposes. We should set aside time for worship and giving thanks to God for all His blessings. Taking time to worship strengthens and deepens our relationship with God. The routine of regular meetings with God’s people, including bringing our children, helps us prioritize God in our lives. Attending Bible conferences also broadens fellowship by bringing together people from many places who share similar beliefs. Our children can make new friends from different areas and develop safe, lasting friendships.
There is also a time for rest. Rest prevents us from being exploited or exploiting others. Pausing daily activities and concentrating on spiritual matters frees our minds and hearts from the stress of temporary life. It enables us to look forward to eternity and reflect on how God has safely guided us through difficulties. We meditate on and learn what is right, as well as renew our commitment to our families and the Lord.
There is a time to pause and reflect as we rest. Resting prompts us to consider what is truly important in our lives right now. We need to think about how we arrived at our current position, anticipate what is immediately ahead, and look beyond that to what will happen in eternity. Devotion to the Lord involves both time and thought. Worshipping God with His people increases both the quality and quantity of worship. We should live in the light of God's kingdom now and reflect on what the future holds. People of hope look forward as we experience glimpses of the future in our gatherings and anticipate what it will be like. These moments are previews of holiness, grace, love, and the unity of family life in the Father’s house.
Late in the spring, just as the harvest was beginning, there was the Feast of First Fruits or of Harvest. A sheaf of grain that had been planted in the fall and was ready to be harvested in the summer was brought and presented to God. This was a reminder of the provision He has made for us all by placing His fullness in the ground beneath our feet. There were fifty days (Pentecost) between these first two gatherings. Today, Israelis follow the ancient custom of gathering food, crops from the ground, flowers, and other things that grow in the spring, and selling them to support new immigrants to Israel.
To believers in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, the resurrection is our glorious hope because He who died for our sins has risen from the dead and is alive forevermore. Our hope is in Him who left the tomb empty and now sits at the right hand of God's throne. The resurrection of Christ is the culmination of Passover and the fulfillment of the feast of First Fruits.
There are other Jewish holidays between the Feast of First Fruits and the Feast of Tabernacles, which is the seventh one. Succoth is the name Jews use today for this Feast of Ingathering at the end of the harvest. There is joy, contentment, and a sense of satisfaction at the conclusion of months of hard work. A successful harvest is a time for reflecting on the blessings they received and those promised for the future.
The Jews were to camp out for a week after the feast of Trumpets had passed. The solemn Day of Atonement reminded them of their sins that had been forgiven through the sacrifice, and the high priest emerged from the Holy of Holies, reassuring them that God had accepted the offering made on their behalf. Then, the joyful Feast of Tabernacles began following the night of sorrow and tears. On the last day of that feast, Jesus proclaimed, “If any man thirsts, let him come unto Me and drink.” Even after the week of rejoicing and fellowship, some still recognized that it was only temporary. True joy comes from personally knowing our Lord Jesus Christ as our dwelling place, our true tabernacle, our true Sukkoth.
Gathering with God's people is highly beneficial and encouraging in many ways. We learn from our own history and the histories of others when we take to heart the lessons they have learned before us. We see what God has done for them and remember that He can do the same for us. We should not ignore God's call to come together and "exhort one another." It protects us and fosters fellowship, growth, and accountability.