Special Feasts

“Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me. “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread; for seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv, for in that month you came out of Egypt. “No one is to appear before me empty-handed. “Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field. “Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field. “Three times a year all the men are to appear before the Sovereign LORD. Exodus 23:14-17

God established the three feasts or festivals that all the men are required to travel to a designated place to worship the Lord. Later when the temple was built in Jerusalem, that became the designated location. These feasts are also known by: 1) the Feast of Unleavened Bread, with Passover kicking off the feast; 2) Feast of Weeks – takes place after a week of weeks has passed from the first feast. It is kicked off with Pentecost which mean 50 or the day after the waiting period; and 3) Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. These feasts have significant meaning and remembrances of what God did or is doing for His people. Of significant note is how God is protecting Israel and providing a means for them to trust in Him while they travel to the designated place. In Exodus 34:24 God tells the Israelites “no one will covet your land when you go up three times a year to appear before the Lord your God.” Talk about protection by the Lord.