It is not a new thing for God’s people to realize they and their fathers have drifted away from God’s law. We see examples throughout scripture reflecting this history. Where we see breakthrough for God’s people in scripture is where they recognize their sin and repent, turning back to God’s ways in His law and turn away from the ways they had been following which mixed and mingled other traditions and teachings that were not of God with those that are of God.
We often see emphasized in scripture a returning to the appointed times or moedim as God’s people return to His ways and proper relationship with Him. In Ezra 6, after the temple is restored, we see a return to observing Passover. In Nehemiah 8, after completing the wall and starting to read and study the word together as a community, we see a return to celebrating Tabernacles. I have found returning to celebrate the appointed times of God for my family even today helps draw our attention off pagan, man-made holidays, and focus on relationship with God. The focus of the moedim are always structured around bringing us closer to focus on our relationship with God. They are not focused on gifts, or parties, or people. They are focused on God and His relationship with us. These are worth pursuing. There is even more meaning in the Moedim now with Messiah Yeshua as much of the Moedim focuses on Him. (To learn more, read Celebrating God’s Holy Days (Moedim).)
Feast of Booths Restored
13Then on the second day the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe that they might gain insight into the words of the law. 14They found written in the law how the LORD had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel should live in booths during the feast of the seventh month. 15So they proclaimed and circulated a proclamation in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hills, and bring olive branches and wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches and branches of other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.” 16So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim. 17The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in them. The sons of Israel had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And there was great rejoicing. 18He read from the book of the law of God daily, from the first day to the last day. And they celebrated the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly according to the ordinance.
Don’t overlook this topic too quickly just because it is not commonly discussed by your church or family. With an attitude like that the people of Ezra and Nehemiah would not have returned to proper relationship with God! They had to seek out and study the word of God and change their behavior and focus. They chose to return to God’s law and His ways, leaving behind other customs and teachings they had previously accepted for generations in Babylon.
I invite you to pray with me:
Father, thank you for raising up leaders to help us come back to You. Thank You for Your written word to guide us as a lamp unto our feet so we can find the right path. Help us to be willing to test and challenge the “norm” in the church today and seek diligently to return to You and Your ways. Help us to bond together for this change and not have to be isolated. Lead us together in fellowship as Your people as in the case of Nehemiah and Ezra. Open our minds to the wonderful things of Your word. Amen.
Shalom
Devotion by John in service to Christ
Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.