I always enjoy producing YouTube videos with Rudy Ross and Whispering Danny. When the Bible passage features significant Jewish observances, I am even happier to work with my two Jewish-Christian friends.
Please take time to listen to Rudy and Danny on YouTube today. They have insights about Jewish festivals that will inform and inspire you.
The Festival of Unleavened Bread
God commanded his people to observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread.
“Three times in the year you shall hold a festival for me.
“You shall observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread; as I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt” (Exodus 23.14-15).
The Festival of Unleavened Bread commemorates the Israelites’ freedom from Egyptian slavery and their hasty departure (which didn’t allow time for their bread to rise).
Over the centuries, the observance of this festival has provided God’s people with many benefits. Here are a few to consider.
(1) It reminds us that God intervenes in human affairs, both in ancient times and in personal experiences today.
Some of the best news humans can hear is that God is not a mere force somewhere out there. He is not the philosophers’ unmoved mover.
God is personal and is involved in our lives. The Bible encourages prayer because God answers prayer and involves himself in human affairs.
(2) Rudy and Danny have interesting remarks about the removal of leaven from Jewish homes.
For both Jews and Gentiles the removal of leaven can symbolize the removal of sin from one’s life.
The act of cleansing our homes can prompt a deeper, spiritual self-examination. Once we have examined our behavior and confessed our sins, let’s claim the promise of forgiveness.
If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
(3) When we remember this feast, we recognize the plight of those who suffer, are oppressed, or are undergoing challenges.
Just as the Israelites faced hardships in Egypt and their journey to the Promised Land, we can learn the stories of humans throughout the earth who are suffering.
We can ask God how we can best serve the vulnerable and suffering.
Two Festivals
In addition to the Festival of Unleavened Bread, God commanded two more observances.
“You shall observe the Festival of Harvest, of the first fruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field.
“You shall observe the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labor.
“Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord God” (Exodus 23.16-17).
The Festival of Harvest is also known as the Feast of Weeks or Shavuot. It is celebrated seven weeks after the first sheaf of barley is offered in late spring.
Rudy Ross points out how it is associated with the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. What is interesting is that this was the same day when the Spirit was poured out (the day of Pentecost).
The Festival of Ingathering is also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot.
This festival takes place in the fall after the final harvest has been collected. It originally celebrated the end of the agricultural year and the gathering of crops from the fields.
It also commemorates the 40-year period during which the Israelites wandered in the desert, living in temporary shelters.
Think About It!
Most Christians don’t celebrate these festivals. However, there are beneficial applications we can derive from them. Let’s consider three.
(1) Each of the festivals reflects God’s gracious intervention in the lives of humans.
They remind us to recognize and be thankful for God’s blessings and provisions in our lives, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual.
(2) Along with expressing gratitude to God, the festivals call us to recognize our dependence on God.
The Jewish festivals and Christian equivalents remind us that our true protection and sustenance come from a loving Heavenly Father.
(3) When we think of how our loving Lord has given us the Torah (God’s teachings) and the Holy Spirit, we are drawn to stay connected to the Lord and his Word.
Each day, we have an opportunity to commune with God through the Holy Spirit and prayerful reading of the Bible. By all means, we should take advantage of this gracious gift from God.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross, Whispering Danny, and I discuss this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
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