Thanksgiving and Leviticus...

At first glance, these two things have nothing in common. But actually, I've recently come to realize how they are connected.

Thanksgiving is not an original idea to America or to the Pilgrims who were celebrating the harvest in Plymouth. God gave Israel a regular schedule of celebrations to regularly remind them Who He Is, and what He has done for His people.

The people of Israel had been through a lot.

• After 430 years of Slavery in Egypt

• After a difficult but miraculous exodus from Egypt

• After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness

  • with Miraculous provision from God

  • with guidance from God with a Cloud by Day/Pillar of Fire by Night

• After giving Israel commandments of instruction for them to follow

• After making a covenant promise to be with them protect them and prosper them.

• After the plan was set out for a Tabernacle to be built and God would fill it with his presence

After all this, Israel had much to be thankful for.

But there was a problem. People forget things.

In Leviticus we find Israel struggling to maintain a relationship with a Holy God. The problem is that man is sinful and God is Holy and perfect, He cannot have a direct relationship with a people who are sinners. We see the desire of God for Israel in Lev 19:2 "Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy." (NLT)

But How can a sinful people be holy?

So God in his wisdom lays out instructions throughout the whole book of Leviticus so that Israel can deal with their sin and enter into a relationship with God and live in his presence. Through rituals, priests, who present offerings, sacrifices, and through personal integrity, Israel could make peace with God.

For Israel, the book of Leviticus showed them how a sinful people can have a relationship with a Holy God.

But wouldn't Israel just mess up again eventually? Wouldn't they just keep sinning and breaking the covenant promise with God?

What can be done to help them stay more faithful, more focused on maintaining their relationship with God?

God in his wisdom decided to introduce Holy Days.

Regularly Celebrating God's faithfulness (in the past) could help the Israelites to remain faithful (in the present).

Holy Days (Holidays) are God's idea. He started the pattern of Sabbath rest for one day a week. It was His idea to take special days to rest and remember or celebrate different things. We continue in that tradition today. In general, Holidays are the days that our soul looks forward to the most, because of the rest, family, reflection, and the celebration.

There are 7 Festivals laid out in Leviticus 23. They are not meant to be somber, serious, solemn reflections, but rather, celebrations of Who God is, what He has done, and what He will continue to do for His people. Furthermore, they are projections of what He will do through His Son, Jesus Christ.

These Festivals were:

• Passover

• Festival of unleavened bread-

• Festival of Firstfruits

• Festival of Weeks

• Festival of Trumpets-

• Day of Atonement (Día del Perdón)

• Festival of Booths

At the end of Leviticus, it finishes with a call for Israel to remain faithful to God's covenant with them. If they are faithful to obey, he promised peace and prosperity. These festivals are what God uses to plant seeds of remembrance in the hearts of His people.

Regularly Celebrating God's faithfulness, could help the Israelites to remain faithful themselves.

The things that we celebrate frequently we tend to remember better.

• Jesus' birth at Christmas

• Jesus' Resurrection at Easter

• The sacrifice of veterans at Memorial Day

• Freedom on July 4th

• Thankfulness for God's provision at Thanksgiving

But...

What happened when Israel stopped celebrating with rest and assembly?

What happened when Israel stopped celebrating and worshiping God?

What happened when Israel stopped celebrating by remembering how God had provided for them?

What happened?

• they complained and demanded something else.

• The Lord punishes them with plagues and snakes.

• They made other idols and worshiped other gods.

• They wished they could return to their former life in Egypt.

God invited Israel to celebrate His faithfulness and celebrate the coming Messiah, to celebrate His salvation of his people in the past, in the present, and in the future.

When we rest, we are celebrating God's blessings in our lives

When we gather to worship, we are celebrating together with a Holy God with other brothers and sisters in Christ.

When we present offerings to God, we are celebrating the first and best that we have and returning it to him as a display of gratitude.

These constant celebrations help to remind us who we are, who God is, and all that He has done to have a relationship with us.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving Celebration today. Let it remind you Who God Is, what He has done for you, and know that He will continue being faithful. Let that truth encourage you to continue being faithful to Him. Blessings!