A Sabbath Offering is mentioned. A time for a sacred assembly and sacrifice that was observed every seven days. The New Moon Festival was a monthly celebration observed by blowing of "silver trumpets" and special offerings. These rituals and offerings took time and had to be planned. They had to gather their sacrifices of grain, oil or animals to bring to the priest. (You just didn't go and grab a bull by the horns and run off to the priest.) The animals had to be "without blemish" (as was the Lamb of God) - so they had to be carefully chosen.
Do we "run off" to worship without any planning or aforethought as we come into worship on our Sabbath? Are our hearts and minds prepared? Our sins confessed? Are we "clean before our Lord?" We must also "prepare" for worship.
The other Feasts we have studied in Leviticus - The Passover, The Feast of Unleavened Bread, The Feast of Trumpets, The Day of Atonement, and The Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths). Now this last one - The Feast of Tabernacles, I can relate to and connect with.
I grew up going to an old-fashioned "Camp Meeting" where our family stayed for a week in "tents" (rude cabins with sawdust floors and chicken-wire windows) and worshiped two to three times a day in a large, open-air "Tabernacle." These "tents" were erected in a large circle surround the Tabernacle (in remembrance of the Israelites encamped around their Tent of Meeting in the wilderness). We met each year in late August, (originally set because the crops would then be "laid by" and gathered in after the harvest). Originally each "tent" was connected by a "brush arbor" used for shade. A ram's horn was blown before each worship service to call us to worship. Some of my most cherished memories. It felt like "Holy Ground."
Should we not remember that when we enter our Worship Center at Oak Hill that is where the Lord will meet with us? We sing praises, give our offerings, ask that our sins be forgiven; listen to a word from the Lord - in a different and new way this represents our "festivals" and our "offerings." This is Holy Ground indeed.
Next we have what the Lord commands regarding a "vow." If a man vows a vow - here are God's guidelines concerning vows that are made to God or others. Rather than leave a vow unfulfilled, it would be better not to make one at all. "A promise made is a promise kept." "A man is as good as his word." Are things still the same today? What have I promised to God that I have not kept? Or what do I still "owe" on a vow that I have made? Makes you think, doesn't it??
What precious memories, Mrs. Barbara!!! The only thing I can relate is summer camp where we bunked in cabins and met three times a day in the chapel to sing and learn from the Bible. The idea is the same....."set aside these days for ME." Our hearts lead us astray, if we are not intent on worship.
ReplyDeleteJeanette said......I, too, have cherished memories of Aug. days & nights spent w/a friend in her cabin at camp meeting! It was a time of coming together & focusing on God & worshipping Him. All those duties the Israelites were told to do in preparation certainly kept them busy & focused on Him, if they did what He told them to do! As to keeping vows today, makes you think of how sacred the marriage vow is and how Satan tries his best to destroy that institute! We all need to realize that our husbands are a gift from God to be cherished! Stay strong in the Word, Sisters!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post Barbara! I love how you (again) brought in how we are supposed to be prepared for worship! That's a theme we've hit on over and over again. Think it's important to God?? I do! And it's something I need to work on. Jeanette, I love your reminder of how sacred the marriage vow is.
ReplyDeleteI can remember going to youth camps, which are also about the closest thing I can relate. But my favorite thing was our youth leadership retreat. It was a smaller group of us, and we went and stayed in cabins by the lake to get spiritually prepared and plan for the upcoming year. I remember feeling the presence of God very acutely during those times. We need time as adults to pull away and focus on God.
Yes, yes... need time away to focus on God! And I'm thankful to be reminded again and again to prepare myself for worship.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I like that God allowed a father or husband to nullify the vow of a woman. As women, we sometimes make emotional decisions, don't we? :)
I LOVE your Camp Meeting example Ms. Barbara! Things like that really make the Scriptures come to life for me!! Thanks again for pointing out the need for preparing our hearts and minds for worship. Even on Sunday mornings I have a tendency to get busy and rushed and fail to properly prepare myself to worship our amazing God. Ms. Jeanette, I could not agree more with your comment about our husbands being a gift from the Lord. I know I am wildly and crazy in love with my man and I literally thank God for him EVERYDAY!!! I think this is one of the areas we as married women have a tendency toward taking for granted our Godly husbands that love us and take such good care of us!
ReplyDeleteI get more from the worship time when I enter into the service with a pure heart, clear mind and ready spirit. Sunday mornings are my favorite time of the week because I love to worship and praise God. I also have to agree with Mindy on husbands being a gift from the Lord. I am thankful gave me such a loving husband.
ReplyDelete