Thurs.’s Devo- The Feasts

Read: Deuteronomy 16:1-17:20; Luke 9:7-27; Psalm 72:1-20; Proverbs 12:8-9 God spoke about his feasts over and over. He was inviting the people to celebrate with him in his feasts because these feasts are observed in heaven. The first was Passover which happened in the spring on the fourteenth of Abib or Nisan. It was to remind them that on that date, God brought them out of their slavery of Egypt. It was to point to the time when Jesus would die on the cross to bring us out of our slavery of sin. They were to bring a lamb to sacrifice. On the fulfillment of this feast, God would bring his lamb to Calvary. They were to eat the lamb with unleavened bread which would begin the festival of unleavened bread. It would last a week and represented the process of sanctification - getting sin out of our lives. Unleavened bread was fulfilled when Jesus was buried, went down to Sheol and preached captivity captive and set the righteous free, to go with him to heaven. The third feast which isn’t named here is First Fruits. It is referred to in verse 9. It is the day they first begin to cut the grain at harvest. It is the first fruits of their labor which are offered to the Lord. Jesus fulfilled this by rising from the dead on this day. Fifty days from First Fruits they were to celebrate Festival of Harvest or Pentecost. This was a celebration of the harvest. It was fulfilled when God poured out his Spirit on his disciples and they began preaching the Word with boldness and the harvest came in. (Acts 2) The last group of feasts were celebrated in the fall. The only one that was mentioned at this time was the Feast of Shelters or Tabernacles. It would occur after the fruit and olive harvests. It will be fulfilled when God comes down to tabernacle with us and set up his kingdom on earth. We call this the last millennium or the seventh day. Each year the men were to come to Jerusalem, bringing gifts to the Lord for these three set of feasts. God was serious about justice. They must appoint fair, honest, God-fearing men to act as judges and officials. Justice was never to be twisted or unfair. They were never to take a bribe or show partiality. They were never to set up Asherah poles or sacred pillars for worship because God hated them. They were never to offer sick or blemished animals to the Lord. Anyone found worshipping idols or other gods were to be stoned to death. They could only be condemned by two or more witnesses against them. If a case arose of murder or assault, it was to be taken to the Levites in the cities of refuge for the Levites to decide. They would investigate the crime and seek the Lord for a verdict. Whatever they decided must be carried out to the letter. When they got to the promised land, if they decided they wanted a king like everyone else then they must be sure to ask God to choose the king. He must be an Israelite and not a foreigner. He must not build up horses and chariots or accumulate lots of silver and gold for himself. He must copy the covenant himself and keep his copy with him at all times. He must read it daily so he will know how to govern the people as God wants them governed. If he does this then he and his descendants would reign for many generations. In Luke, Herod Antipas who had beheaded John the Baptist started hearing stories of Jesus and his miracles. He was afraid that John had risen from the dead. Herod lived in such guilt for his lifestyle and for killing John that he was delusional. Jesus had to stay away from Herod and his people so he went to the countryside to teach as many people as possible. One day he was teaching in Bethsaida and the people had been listening to him all day. The disciples urged Jesus to send them home so they could eat but Jesus fed the 5,000 men with only two fish and five loaves. They picked up 12 baskets of left-overs. One day, Jesus was talking with his disciples and asked them who people were saying he was. They responded, John the Baptist, or Elijah or other prophets that had risen from the dead. Then he asked them who they thought he was. Peter responded, “the Messiah, sent from God.” Jesus warned them not to tell anyone because he was to suffer and be killed. Then he would rise from the dead on the third day. He encouraged the crowd to lay down their lives also and follow him. Lord, we are truly crucified with You and buried with you. But, we are also risen with you and are on this earth to let your life shine through us. May we decrease and may You increase.