Leviticus 23 Commentary: Sacred Assemblies.
The Sabbath: It predates the fall of man in Genesis Chapter 3. The LORD talks about the Sabbath immediately after creation. It is actually part of creation. The Sabbath at creation depicts rest in God’s holy presence.
It speaks of heavenly tranquility in the Garden of rest and perfection. After the fall, the Sabbath is a constant reminder of the need for rest in God’s presence – constantly contrasting the toil wrought on self by disobedience.
The Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread: The Passover honors the intervention of the LORD in saving Israel from slavery. The end product of salvation was “worship on this mountain”.
The Festival of First Fruits or First Harvest is a celebration of the generosity of the LORD in providing the harvest. Yes, we can work hard, but we can only plant. The LORD makes things grow! Our diligence ends with the physical things. Israel needed to know.
The Festival of Weeks or Festival of Harvest. The Festival of Trumpets. The Day of Atonement. The Festival of Tabernacles. Festival of shelters or booths.
Remembering the mighty acts of grace in the lives of God’s people was important. Symbols were set up and a command to observe them continuously, year after year (for endless generations) was put in place. During a time when people celebrated festivals to honor demons, these festivals served as reminders of God’s constant watch over Israel.
As you journey through Leviticus 23, and read of the command to perpetuate these activities, your mind is drawn to the life and ministry of the LORD Jesus Christ.
The triumphant entry with people waving branches may remind you of one of these events.
The Garden of Gethsemane may remind you of another garden, the Garden of Peace and tranquility. You remember the festival of Shelters as you think of the disciples taking shelter under open skies while their LORD wrestled in prayer. Wasn’t the open sky Adam and Eve’s covering when neither cold nor heat could harm them?
The festivals may tell us stories of what could have been! But they also look to the future; the LORD projects restoration – when what could have been becomes reality.
More resources visit http://www.lovingscripture.com
LOVING SCRIPTURE 