Verse for the Day, 29 January 2015.

Leviticus 23:33-44  And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,  (34)  "Speak to the people of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths to the LORD.  (35)  On the first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work.  (36)  For seven days you shall present food offerings to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall hold a holy convocation and present a food offering to the LORD. It is a solemn assembly; you shall not do any ordinary work.  (37)  "These are the appointed feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim as times of holy convocation, for presenting to the LORD food offerings, burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each on its proper day,  (38)  besides the LORD's Sabbaths and besides your gifts and besides all your vow offerings and besides all your freewill offerings, which you give to the LORD.  (39)  "On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the LORD seven days. On the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest.  (40)  And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.  (41)  You shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month.  (42)  You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths,  (43)  that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God."  (44)  Thus Moses declared to the people of Israel the appointed feasts of the LORD.

Leviticus 23 gives further details and commandments concerning the various feast and Sabbaths that God called on the people of Israel to observe. The last of the instructions given in this chapter relates to the Feast of Booths. What makes this section worthy of particular mention is that it speaks about something which has not yet become a full reality. The people of Israel are still camped around Mount Sinai and they believe that in the very near future they will enter into the Promised Land. The rebellion recorded in Numbers 14 has not yet taken place. Therefore the booths (temporary structures) in which they were living, was not understood by them to be a long term dwelling place. The manna and quail, the protection, provision and guidance of God, would be there for a short time and then they would no longer need it as they would be in the land of milk and honey, living in cities they did not build.

What was meant only to be temporary, became a permanent reality for them, they would live out their lives wandering in the wilderness, living in booths, feeding off of manna and quail and constantly dependent upon God for all things for the next 40 years. They had to exercise this faith and dependence upon God every single day. They did not know what we now know, that God would not abandon or forsake His people. It is an incredible truth to know that for some 14600 days God supplied their every need, every day the pillar of cloud, every night the pillar of fire. Six days of the week manna and quail, countless miraculous provisions of water and numerous victories in battle. God was entirely faithful to His people.

The Feast of Booths would have been a wonderful and encouraging annual reminder of God’s salvation and God’s faithfulness. This reminder would be made all the greater when they considered that fact that whilst their fore-fathers rebelled against God, God did not treat them in a similar manner, but continued in His faithfulness. Furthermore this feast took place shortly after the harvest and that in itself would be a reminder of God’s faithfulness towards them. This Feast was designed to be a time of great worship, adoration of God, thankfulness and joy, for they were being reminded, they were celebrating God’s salvation, God’s provision in the wilderness and God’s continuing faithfulness.

As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we all have a similar testimony to that of the people of Israel. We too rebelled against God, yet God continued in faithfulness to us throughout the years we continued in our rebellion. God was not just faithful to us, He saved us from slavery to that rebellion, He saved us from death, He gave us a whole new life, with a new future, a future that is filled with hope. God has continued with us, faithfully providing, guiding and protecting us, we are filled with His Spirit each and every day, and this shall be our daily experience until we enter into heaven itself.

Sadly we can be so quick to forget all these wonderful truths, we find ourselves in the midst of hardships, trials, ill-health, family crisis, spiritual distress and such, these problems seem so much bigger, they cast a Mount Everest like shadow over our lives and our faith. We seem to lose sight of all that God is and all that God has done, we suddenly start to doubt the goodness or faithfulness of God, when God has never proved to be anything other than good and faithful. It is as though we need to have a daily Feast of Booths, whereby we constantly remind ourselves that God has brought us safely thus far and He will not abandon us. We need to look at past trials and remember how God worked faithfully then, we need to think upon the miracle of our salvation. We need to then look forward and remember that our names stand written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, that a place is being kept for us in the Kingdom of God and that a room has been prepared for us in the Father’s house. This will enable us to persevere through the difficulties to come, knowing that God will once again work in grace and prove Himself to be faithful, loving and good.

Most merciful Father, how we thank You today that You are so faithful towards us. There has not been a day since the dawn of creation that You have failed to be faithful and good towards all that which You have created. Forgive us for being so quick to forget all Your past acts of faithfulness, especially our salvation through Christ. We pray that You might help us on a daily basis to be mindful of who You have been, who You are and who You will remain to be to us, the eternally faithful and good God. We thank You once again for Your goodness and favour towards us. Amen.