Passover & Feast Deuteronomy 16

Deuteronomy 16 "Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the Lord thy God: for in the month of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night." (Abib is our April)

The passover meal was to be prepared and eaten in the evening (going down of the sun v6) and then in the morning they were to go to their tents. This is a reminder of the Exodus from Egypt and the sacrifice of the lamb in place of the firstborn of Israel. It also points to the sacrifice of the lamb of God, Jesus Christ in the New Testament.

I like to look for words or phrases in the Bible that we use in our day. In verse 7 the term 'turn in' is used. I have heard the term used often when someone is about to go to bed, they will say 'I think I will turn in.' You hear it a lot on western movies. Interesting how the Bible has influenced our lives.

Chapter 16 reviews:
The passover meal (sacrifice)
The feast of Weeks
The feast of Tabernacles
The gifts of the males
Judges in the gates

v9 "Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn."

A freewill-offering is to be given at this time. It is a celebration that there is food to harvest and of how the Lord has blessed.

Then after harvest another feast.

v13 "Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine, v14 And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast..."

We find here that it is okay to be happy and rejoice after the work is done. It is okay to be happy when the Lord showers his blessings on us. Our Christian church going should be a time of remembering how we were brought out of our own personal Egypt (sin) and how the Lord has blessed us. It is okay to rejoice and be glad in church even if we have come through trouble and there are hard times ahead.

v16 tells of the times, three times a year, when the males are to appear before the Lord. It is to be in the place of the Lord's choosing (Jerusalem) and on these three times: feast of unleavened bread, feast of tabernacles, feast of weeks.

v18 "Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment."

These judges will be highlighted in the book of Judges. We will meet such people as Samson there. The time of the judges is most mentioned during the time between Joshua and King Saul. It was a time of change for Israel.

The gates of the city will have great significance in coming studies. It is a meeting place where important decisions are made. David's son hung out there to win favor with the people. I believe it was at the gate where Boaz redeemed Ruth. So remember the gates are very important in Bible study.

Finally, the chapter has a warning.

v21 Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee."

It was common for people of this time to have groves of trees where they worshipped pagan gods. Some of these were the Babylonian goddess Ishtar, the Greeks Aphrodite, the Roman Venus. So again, the people are reminded to not mix with the worship of the current inhabitants of the land.

Question: What did the passover represent? You may leave a comment with your answer. I hope to have a question each lesson.

Psalms 4:7 "Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased."