Leviticus 23:40 Rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days.
We camped under the stars, with nothing between us and the infinite West African sky. No need for a tent in the dry season. But the fire was crucial. “Never let the fire go out,” Dad said, prodding the logs with a stick. Fire kept wildlife at a distance. God’s creatures are wonderful, but you never want a leopard or a snake meandering through your campsite.
Dad was a missionary to Ghana’s Upper Region, and he had a knack for turning everything into a teaching moment. Camping was no exception.
God used campouts as a teaching point for His people too. Once a year, for an entire week, the Israelites were to live in shelters made of “branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees” (Leviticus 23:40). The purpose was twofold. God told them, “All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt” (vv. 42-43). But the event was also to be festive. “Rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days” (v. 40).
Camping may not be your idea of fun, but God instituted a one-week campout for the Israelites as a joyful way to recall His goodness. We easily forget the meaning at the heart of our holidays. Our festivals can be joyous reminders of the character of our loving God. He created fun too.
Read: LEVITICUS 23:33-43
33 The Lord said to Moses, 34 “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventhz month the Lord’s Festival of Tabernaclesa begins, and it lasts for seven days. 35 The first day is a sacred assembly;b do no regular work.c 36 For seven days present food offerings to the Lord, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assemblyd and present a food offering to the Lord.e It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work.
37 (“ ‘These are the Lord’s appointed festivals, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing food offerings to the Lord—the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offeringsf required for each day. 38 These offeringsg are in addition to those for the Lord’s Sabbathsh ande in addition to your gifts and whatever you have vowed and all the freewill offeringsi you give to the Lord.)
39 “ ‘So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festivalj to the Lord for seven days;k the first day is a day of sabbath rest, and the eighth day also is a day of sabbath rest. 40 On the first day you are to take branchesl from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy treesm—and rejoicen before the Lord your God for seven days. 41 Celebrate this as a festival to the Lord for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 Live in temporary shelterso for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters 43 so your descendants will knowp that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’ ”
Reflect & Pray
1. What’s your favorite holiday and why?
2. How does celebrating it remind you of God’s goodness?
The celebration of the Festival of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33-43) may seem odd to modern readers. But to the Israelites, building a shelter out in the open with only leaves and palm fronds for a roof was an expression of trust in the very God whom the festival celebrates. It’s an explicit admission that God is a sufficient cover for His people.
In Zechariah 14, after a series of promises that God would deal harshly with the nations that oppose Him and His people, He says that proof of their changed loyalties would be whether they celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles (vv. 16-19). By celebrating with Israel, they’ll show that God is enough of a roof for them too.
PRAYER
Father, thank You for the fun You’ve put in Your creation and in Your festivals.
Read: LEVITICUS 23:33-43 | Bible in a Year: JOB 22-24; ACTS 11
