Perhaps it will help us to understand "the Feasts of Jehovah" better, if we look first at the people of Jehovah —those people whom He commanded to keep the feasts. The book of Leviticus, where we read the account of these feasts, is the third book of the Old Testament. In the first book of the Old Testament, Genesis, we read of the way God made man, put him in a beautiful garden, and came down in the cool of the day to walk in the garden with the man whom He had made. Here we find the wonderful fact that God was seeking the companionship of man. I suppose we all know how man sinned, and so spoiled this communion with God. In the very brief history of man before the flood, God pauses to speak of one man who "walked with God for three hundred years." God lets us see His joy in this man, with whom He could have companionship.
Then we read of the general apostasy, and of the flood. After the flood things were no better, we read of the Tower of Babel, and of the way man again turned from God. Then God chose one man, Abraham; he was the "friend of God." We see again God's joy in one man with whom He could have companionship. We read of this same joy in Prov. 8:31,31Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men. (Proverbs 8:31) where the Lord Jesus Christ, typified by "Wisdom" says, "My delights were with the sons of men."
God chose Abraham to be the father of a special nation. This nation was to be God's own people— “a people near unto Him." I expect that most of my readers know the story of Abraham and his descendents. You know the way they became slaves in Egypt, and when the second book of the Old Testament, (Exodus), opens, we see Abraham's descendents, a great and mighty nation, in Egypt, but helpless slaves there under the cruel dominion of the great king Pharaoh. But not only were they slaves, they had also forgotten the God Who had chosen them, and made them His Own. They were idolaters in Egypt, (see Josh. 24:1414Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord. (Joshua 24:14)). When God was about to send Moses to deliver them, we see in Ex. 3:13-14,13And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (Exodus 3:13‑14) that when God told Moses to say to the people, "The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you," Moses asked God, "They shall say to me, What is His name? What shall I say?" God's people had so far forgotten their God, that they had even forgotten His great Name.
There were no "Feasts of Jehovah" in Egypt. There were no "holy convocations." There were no times of rejoicing. Pharaoh tried to make Israel keep the feast in Egypt, but that was impossible. (Ex. 5:1, 8-221And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. (Exodus 5:1)
8And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. 9Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labor therein; and let them not regard vain words. 10And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. 11Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished. 12So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. 13And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw. 14And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore? 15Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? 16There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people. 17But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the Lord. 18Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks. 19And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task. 20And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh: 21And they said unto them, The Lord look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savor to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us. 22And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? (Exodus 5:8‑22)) They were slaves and idolaters there. This shows us a picture of man, every man, in his natural state, He has departed from God. He is a slave of Satan, the prince of this world. Anything and everything has a place in his heart, but "God is not in all his thoughts." (Psa. 10:44The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. (Psalm 10:4))
Did God forsake His people because they were in this terrible condition? No, He did not. With mighty power He brought His people out of Egypt. He delivered them from under the cruel hand of Pharaoh. He separated them from the people and the idols of Egypt, to become the chosen people of Jehovah, according to His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Afterward He could say to them, "Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto Myself." (Ex. 19:44Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. (Exodus 19:4))
The wicked ways of these people in Egypt demanded death and God brought them out of Egypt by the means of death, as we shall see. But it was the death of another: not of Israel, who deserved to die. They were redeemed from Egypt and slavery by blood.
They were redeemed, they were separated, to be Jehovah's "peculiar treasure," "A people near unto Him" (Psa. 148:1414He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord. (Psalm 148:14)); with Jehovah in the midst of them, shielding, protecting, and ruling over them. Jehovah again was devising a way whereby He might dwell amongst men.
But please consider what wonderful grace for God to take up such poor rebel slaves, and to redeem them, to save them from their cruel master, to bring them so near to Himself, and to fill their mouth with singing. Truly we do not wonder that Moses could say, when he was taking leave of them, in Deut. 33:29,29Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places. (Deuteronomy 33:29) "Happy art thou, O Israel; who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord?”
But, although the grace that brought Israel into such a place was very wonderful: although the blessings that Israel received were far beyond the thought of man: yet all this was only a shadow of the greater grace that brings poor, lost sinners today, into a still higher and better place. Please listen to these words, "Blessed be the God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." (Eph. 1:33Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (Ephesians 1:3))
Much less than this would have satisfied us. We would have been quite satisfied to be delivered from hell and judgment. That was all we desired when we discovered that we were lost. But less than these wonderful blessings could not satisfy God, or fulfill the desires of His heart. He was seeking worshippers, (John 4:2323But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. (John 4:23)). It does not say He was seeking "worship," but "worshippers." His purpose was to have a people near unto Himself, made like His own dear Son, "holy and without blame before Him in love." (Eph. 1:44According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (Ephesians 1:4))
These feasts would have been no use to Israel in Egypt. Other things filled their minds there. Their lives were bitter with hard bondage. Their days were filled with making brick and mortar. Their backs were sore from the whips of the task-masters. They had no heart for "the feasts of Jehovah." But now that Jehovah had delivered them, and brought them out of Egypt, and through the Red Sea, into the wilderness, where they could be alone with Himself, then they were ready to hear Jehovah's gracious invitation to come to His feasts. Then Jehovah was able to tell them what was in His heart, and to invite them to share with Him the great things which had been in His thoughts from eternity. Once again, Jehovah could have His heart's desire, to have His people with Himself, and be in their company. Listen to His own words, "Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them." "I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them." (Ex. 29:45-4645And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. 46And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the Lord their God. (Exodus 29:45‑46)).
Jehovah was the host at these feasts, and His people Israel were His guests. He ordained these feasts, as celebrations of His own joy, His own delight, in the great events to which they pointed. Truly they were but shadows of those great events which were to come, but Jehovah could see the real images themselves. And though His people could not understand the fullness and depth of meaning, as we can now; it was their joy and privilege to share with Jehovah His joy, and to be His guests.
As we read and meditate on these feasts, we will see that the things which have occupied the heart of God from all eternity, were those things which will still last to all eternity. The songs of Heaven will never grow old. How different to the joys and the songs of earth, which so soon pass away! May the Lord give us eyes to see, and a heart to share, those things which fill the heart of God with joy.
Do you remember in the parable of the Sower, that some of the seed fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked it, and the Lord told us that thorns were a picture of the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and that they sprang up and choked the Word, so it became unfruitful? How sad, if the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, make it impossible for us to care about these things that are a joy to the heart of the Lord. How sad if we are too busy with other things, perhaps business, or study, or even the Lord's work to take time to hear from the Lord these things in which He has delighted for so long, and which He has taken the trouble to tell to us.
Every individual saint is called to have fellowship with the Father and the Son (1 John 1:33That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3)), and the whole church, (meaning "the called-out ones") is called to the fellowship of God's Son "Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Cor. 1:99God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9)). Do you remember those gracious words of the Lord Jesus in John 14? "If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him." Compare also John 14:33And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3) and Rev. 21:3; 22:33And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (Revelation 21:3)
3And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: (Revelation 22:3).
The Lord desires the fellowship of His people now, and He desired it in the days of old also. He desired it so much that He thought of the difficulties that might arise when His people came together to meet Himself, and He provided for these difficulties. We all know that it would be impossible for us to rejoice before the Lord if we were worrying about our cares at home. When all the men left their homes to go up to meet the Lord, who would protect the homes from the enemy? What about the Philistines who were always ready to come down on the Lord's people? Would it be safe or right to leave their wives and children unprotected to go up to meet the Lord, as He desired? The Lord knew all these dangers and difficulties, and so He gave the special promise, "Neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in the year." (Ex. 34:2424For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in the year. (Exodus 34:24)) The God Who could think of these things and take special care of His people in those days, will not forget them now. He tells us now not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, (Heb. 10:2525Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25)) and will He not take care that those who hear and obey His Word, will not lose by it? Is not this a special word for us in China, where all around us we see our neighbors making no difference for the Lord's Day, but going on with their own affairs in business and pleasure, as if the day were their own? May we not be tempted to follow their example? But when we know the deep desire of the Lord's heart to have us with Himself and around Himself may we let nothing hinder us, and we will surely find in eternity that we have not lost by it. The Lord's promise still stands true, "Them that honor Me, I will honor," (1 Sam. 2:3030Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. (1 Samuel 2:30)) and "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness;" (that is, put God's things first,) "And all these things shall be added unto you."(Matt. 6:3333But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33))
But before we begin to consider the "feasts of Jehovah" in detail, there is one more matter connected with them that we should notice. If we turn over in our Bibles to the Gospel of John, we read in Chapter 2:13 of the Passover, the first of "the feasts of Jehovah." But here it is not called "the feast of Jehovah," but "the Jews' Passover." In chapter 7:2 we read, "The Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand." "The feasts of Jehovah" have become the "feasts of the Jews." The outward form was there, but the Lord Jesus Christ, God's Son, had been rejected, and what joy could God have in empty forms?
Speaking of them in an earlier day, (Isa. 1:1414Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. (Isaiah 1:14)), the Lord had said, "Your new moons and your appointed feasts My soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them." Why was this? Was it not because of this formal, empty way in which the people kept the feasts, while they themselves were defiled with sin, and going on with evil? Do you not think that you and I can learn a very valuable lesson from this for ourselves today? Do you think that the Lord likes any better a correct form, and fine outward worship, if the heart is away from God, and the hands are defiled with sin, and the feet not walking in the truth? The Lord says plainly, "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." (1 Sam. 15:2222And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)). How much we see about us, that has the form of worship, but if we examine it, we find that it is not in accordance with the Word of God, and not in obedience to His expressed command. We hear men say, "You worship in your way, and I worship in mine; we all have a right to our own opinions." This is exactly what we have not. And if you or I worship in our way, we may be quite certain that this worship is not acceptable to God.
Remember in Rev. 3:14-22,14And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Revelation 3:14‑22) the church of Laodicea had very great outward show. They were rich and increased with goods, and had need of nothing, (in their own eyes). But what is the Lord's judgment? They were ready to be spewed out of His mouth, they were so loathsome to Him. He could bear them no longer. May you and I, dear brethren, beware lest we also follow in this pathway. And let us not forget that the beginning of the downfall, as seen in the church of Ephesus, Rev. 2:4-5,4Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. (Revelation 2:4‑5) was not in any way outwardly apparent, but was in the heart, "Thou hast left thy first love." May the Lord keep our hearts may He keep our love bright and fresh, with Himself alone as the object and we will find our joy in being with Him, even as He finds His joy in having us with Him, also. How well if our hearts can say, "My Beloved is mine, and I am His." (Sol. 2:1616My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies. (Song of Solomon 2:16)), but it is a deeper lesson when we can say, "I am my Beloved's, and His desire is toward me." (Sol. 7:1010I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me. (Song of Solomon 7:10)). What great grace!