Monday, September 12, 2016

Monday - Deuteronomy 16 - Reading Into Things?

If repetition is a mechanism of emphasis, then the Lord's feasts must have been incredibly important. Exodus 23:14-19, 34:18-23, Leviticus 23 and now Deuteronomy 16 are all devoted to injunctions regarding those feasts.  Let me remind you that there were 7 Jewish feasts that were ordained by God.  Specifically, 3 seasons of celebration were obligatory for all of Israel's males. Those 3 are addressed here under the titles: Passover, Weeks and Tabernacles. It seems (by comparing Exodus 23:17, 34:23 & Deuteronomy 16:16 and the surrounding verses in each passage) that the feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread were inextricably linked together... as was the feasts of First-fruits and Pentecost (or Weeks as it was called). And, the feasts of Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles all occurred together in the seventh month of the year.

For us, these three festival seasons seem to point to the past, present and future, respectively. The Passover reminds us of redemption. Pentecost reminds us of God's blessings.  The Feast of lngathering points to the consummation of our salvation (Romans 8:23, Titus 2:13, Philippians 1:6 & II Corinthians 1:10); that which God has for us in the future.

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