READ: Deut. 16:8-17
Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. – Deut. 16:16
As part of our covenant life with the Lord, we are called to rejoice in Him and show Him our gratitude. This is what we learn from God’s institution of the three harvest feasts. He chooses memorable moments for these feasts, when He calls His church together in and around His house.
The first feast is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, connected to the celebration of Passover. It commemorates the atonement that took place before the exodus from Egypt. First, the Passover lamb is sacrificed, and then for a week, unleavened bread is eaten. It’s meager bread, but still bread. The first sheaf of the new grain is also brought to the priest. There is solemn joy in a reverent celebration. No one should appear before the Lord empty-handed (Ex. 23:15).
The second feast is the Feast of Weeks, 50 days after Passover, a feast of harvest (now Pentecost). This is a jubilant feast, a sort of Thanksgiving for crops and labor.
The third feast is the Feast of Tabernacles, which commemorates God’s care during the wilderness journey and includes the celebration of the grape harvest. This feast points to eternal life. There is great cause for joy for the Lord (v.15).
God also wants gratitude shown in gifts to Him and to the needy neighbor (v.10,17; Lev. 23:11). We have even more reason to show God our gratitude by attending worship services with joy and by giving voluntary offerings as tangible signs of our thankfulness! These offerings are pleasing to God (2 Cor. 8:14; 9:7; Matt. 25:40).
1 Thess. 5:16-18 says: Rejoice always. … Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Are you also always happy when you go to church?
Singing: Ps. 100:1