T h e K i n g ’ s
207
B u s i n e s s
Structure in Scripture The Feasts o f the Lord*
( Minneapolis, Minn.)
All Rights Reserved
B y N orman B. H arrison
* ^ “ g^VERY one likes to =¡Hffll invited to a 0 3 ? feast. No joy in Sw®j|Mife quite equals but for all who respond. And when the Lord Je hovah invites, when He Himself is the Host, what a: prospect! Surely we’ll But no ! We recall our Lord’s parable of the gospel feast, how at the appointed time there were all be there. it. It is a joy, not for the few,
L eviticus 23 L Sabbath (1-3)
infused into them. Year by year, for thirteen cen turies (apart from the interruption of the cap tivity), they were enact ed by the male popula tion of God’s people, who left home three times in the year to act out before the world this prophetic program of redemption. What a moving picture! What im portance the Lord a ttach e s to His feasts! What means He has taken to direct men’s attention to His redemptive program ! S ign ificance of th e F easts Most interesting and instructive is the fact that the Lord employs two distinct Hebrew words in giving direc tions concerning His feasts. They are replete with mean ing. , 1. The word moed means a “meeting by appoint- ment”-wthis, to the undoing of the separating power and ravages of sin. God and man are no longer to be sep arated thereby. He has provided a way of getting togeth er, with' set times and seasons, in a manner wholly satis factory to a righteous God, with means wholly suited to the case of sinful man. This is the general term descriptive of the intent and effect of the entire series (note its use in verses 2, 4„ 37, 44). 2. The word chag means “festival.” These feasts are occasions for rejoicing, even of making'rtieftfyl It is the joy of restored fellowship. Man is satisfying his soul, feasting upon the forgiveness and favor, the loving kindness and tender mercies of his God. Read these expressions of overflowing joy, of praise and expectation of blessing, in the “Songs of Ascents” (Psalms 120-134), sung by the people as they approached Jerusalem for the feasts. Then, these feasts are equally satisfying to God; in them He feasts upon the love of His redeemed people, their praise, worship, and devotion. How this satisfies the heart of our God we will never understand short of the Glory. This word is not applicable in every respect to the redemptive program. In itself, the passover was an ex perience of sorrow and anguish—an anguish of which God the Father was compelled to drink deeply. Hence, it was to be eaten with bitter herbs. It was primarily a moed, preeminently thè meeting-place of man and God, meeting in the person of the crucified One. Yet it is sued in the" festival of firstfruits, the supreme joy of His triumphant resurrection. And it has provided the age-long feast for His new covenant people in “the broken body and shed blood” of the Lord’s Table. Future Triumphs (23-25) 6. Day of atonement (26- 32) ' 7. Tabernacles (33-44) 5.
Past
Passover (4-8)
.
2.
Unleavened bread
Firstfruits (9-14)
3.
4
Pentecost (15-22) Leavened bread
8. Continual light (24 :l-4)
only regrets from the invited guests: “They all with one consent began to make excuse.” Thereupon the divine Host, under necessity of issuing a most unusual and ur gent invitation, directs His servants: “Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.” This done, they report that “yet there is room” ; and then the command is: “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” As we study together what may be termed the succes sive courses of one continuous feast, stretching from Cal vary to eternity, we may well examine our hearts as to whether they give a glad acceptance. Leviticus 23 is doubtless the most stupendous chapter in the Bible. It has a greater reach, with more packed into it, than any other chapter we can call to mind. C ontents of t h e C hapter The, notable character of the chapter will become ap parent if we keep clearly before us three of its outstand ing features. It contains: 1. A Prophecy. The feasts are properly “the pro phetic feasts of the Lord.” They picture in prophetic strain what the Lord Himself is going to do for man’s salvation. It is a long look, comprehending the whole story of salvation to the end of time. 2. A Program. The chapter is more than a proph ecy; it is a clearly defined, well-planned program, the working out of redemption in the world. Step by step, from start to finish, we see its unfolding. Added to the Lord’s part in it is the place that His people occupy. We pause to marvel at a Book that not only ventures to foretell the future, but which also proceeds to lay out a closely coordinated schedule which requires the mind, power, and directive purpose of personality to carry into effect. Long centuries ago, the Bible would have been discredited if this program had failed to materialize. But, praise God, its first half is already a matter of history, known to all men. 3. A Pantomime. By divine direction, as noted in our last study, these feasts have life and personality *Sixth in a series of articles to continue through 1931.
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