Wed.’s Devo - God’s Feasts

Read: Leviticus 22:17-23:44; Mark 9:30-10:12; Psalm 44:1-8; Proverbs 10:19 The people were allowed to offer of their own cattle, offerings to the Lord. The animals had to be clean and without blemishes to be acceptable. That is why we come to the Lord repenting first. God will accept only those with a broken heart who have confessed their sins and asked for forgiveness. Then they will be saved. *** God gave them days that God proclaimed to be holy meetings with the Lord. The first was the Sabbath which was every seventh day. On that day they were not to work, but their dwellings should be holy. *** Then he gave them the feasts that were to be special appointed times they would meet with God. The first was the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight which was the Lord’s Passover. The fifteenth day would be the Feast of Unleavened Bread. They were to eat unleavened bread for seven days. They were not to work on the first and seventh day of that feast but offer an burnt offering the seven days of the feast. *** The third feast was the feast of First Fruits. They were to bring a sheaf of their first fruits to the Lord. The priest would wave the sheaf before the Lord on the day after the Sabbath. They would also offer a burnt offering of a lamb, a grain offering and a drink offering. *** On the day after the Sabbath they were to count seven Sabbaths or fifty days, then offer a new grain offering to the Lord. This grain offering should be two loaves made with yeast. The priest would wave them before the Lord He shall also offer seven lambs, one bull and two rams as burnt offering to the Lord as well as grain offerings and drink offerings. A goat was to be offered as a sin offering and two male lambs as a peace offering. No work was to be done on this day. When they reaped the harvest of this season, they were not to reap the corners but leave them for the poor and stranger. *** On the seventh month on the first day, they were to celebrate the feast of trumpets. It would be a sabbath rest and a memorial of blowing of trumpets. They were not to work on this day but offer a burnt offering. *** The tenth day of the seventh mount would be called the Day of Atonement. On this day they were to afflict their souls and offer burnt offerings to the Lord. It was the most holy day. Any one who does not repent on this day or who works on this day will be cut off from his people. It was to be a sabbath of solemn rest. *** The seventh feast would be the Feast of Tabernacles. It was to be celebrated on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. It was to be celebrated for seven days. The first day they were not to work. For seven days they would offer offerings to the Lord and on the eight day they would have a holy meeting with the Lord. The were not to work on this day either but offer burnt offerings to the Lord. On the first day of the feast they were to take branches from the fruit tree, the palm, leafy tree, and the willow and use them to rejoice before the Lord. They were to dwell in booths those seven days to remind them of the booths they dwelt in when God brought them out of Egypt. *** These feasts were huge markers for us. They signify God’s holy days when he comes to earth and visits with his people. Jesus fulfilled the first four feast already and has the last three yet to fulfill. He died on Passover, was buried on Unleavened Bread and rose on First Fruits. He gave his Spirit on Passover. *** He will one day blow the trumpet and come for his bride. Then he will open the books and judge on the Day of Atonement. He will create a new earth on Tabernacles. We have much to look forward to. *** As Jesus traveled through Galilee with his disciples he told them that the Son of Man would be betrayed into he hands of men and killed but rise on the third day. The disciples didn’t understand so they quarreled among themselves about who would be the greatest. Jesus told them if they wanted to be great they had to be the greatest servant. He told them that if they received a child in his name they were receiving him. *** John told Jesus that he saw someone casting out demons in His name and they forbade him to continue. Jesus told them not to forbid them because if they work a miracle in his name, they will not speak evil of him later. If they are not against him, then they are for him. Anyone who gives a cup of water in His name will be rewarded. *** Whoever causes another to trip up in their walk, it would be better if he was drown in the sea. Whatever is causing a person to sin, they need to cut it out of their lives. *** They came to the region one Judea and a crowd was gathered and Jesus taught them. The Pharisees came and asked him if it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife. Jesus told them that Moses permitted men to write a certificate of divorce only because their hearts were hard. God had planned from the beginning for man to be joined as one to his wife and not separate. *** The disciples asked Jesus when they were alone about it again. He told them that whoever put his wife away and married another committed adultery and caused the wife he put away to do the same if she remarried. It was because they were not giving them a writ of divorcement making it legal under God’s law. *** Lord, may we live by the spirit of your law of love. May we walk in love and forgiveness.