Portion 123

Golden Text: Deuteronomy 16:1-17.
Readings for the week:

Day 1: Deuteronomy 16:1-17

Day 2: Judges 21

Day 3: 1Kings 8

Day 4: 2Chronicies 31

Day 5: Ezra 3

Day 6: Isaiah 2

I- The festivities seen in a different way.

Feasts can be analyzed in different ways, since the order that God has given them, among other things, comes from a pedagogical purpose. For example:

(1) As a whole or in a general way, highlighting the message from that complexity.

(2) They can be divided into two groups with a variable order depending on the civil or biblical calendar used: (a/b) Passover, Matzot, Reishi and Shabuot; (b/a) Teruah, Hakipurim, Sukkot, and Shemini Atzeret.

(3) They can be looked at individually where each one describes in detail what they all announce together.

(4) They can be analyzed separately or together as an analogy of: (a) the relationship of a couple, (b) an army in battle, (c) a building under construction, (d) the relationship between kingdom and King, etc.

Like many themes in biblical theology, each of these ways in which the feasts are presented provides a different perspective on them, but it is good to understand that because they are different, they need not be antagonistic, rather they complement each other. When the feasts are analyzed in this way, it provides a broader and at the same time definite picture of all the teachings they convey.  

II- The biblical feasts allow the believer to focus on God’s purposes.

In parallel to this pedagogical function, the festivities help to get out of the routine and allow to create a different environment with a completely spiritual sense, both individually and in the family and the community.

Someone might say: But isn’t it better to go on vacation? The answer is simple: It’s not better, it’s not better, even if that distraction is also a necessary time. Holidays allow us to disconnect from the routine, but with the risk of disconnecting from the spiritual life. Biblical feasts have this duality, on the one hand, they allow us to break with routine and, on the other, they allow us to continue connected with divine teachings, spiritual reflections, relationships of love in community and intimacy with God.

III- Biblical feasts are anti-superstition.

God taught that when celebrating the feasts one could not have a superstitious outlook or form, just as with any other commandment. They were to be guarded with responsibility and sincerity of heart.

Being “guarded responsibly” implies taking care that they do not fall into oblivion or that everything they involve is changed by meaningless things, which threaten their value and meaning. To be “kept with sincerity of heart” implies that they must be celebrated with a sense of moral commitment in their fulfillment, that is, they must be born in the desire to worship God and please Him alone.

IV- The biblical feasts in the light of the incarnation of God.

Today, in the light of the Gospel, the meaning of each feast can be found more clearly, bearing in mind that they announced a future that would be fulfilled in Jesus and continue to announce the future of the times for the People of God and all humanity. Many considering this wish to celebrate the feasts today, but it must be understood that this does not necessitate a 100% rabbinical imitation of Judaism today.

The rabbis to this day have had to make many updates because of the destruction of the temple. These variations, of course, have been made without considering the messianic coming of Jesus, all his work and teaching, therefore they are simply insufficient and distort the main purpose of the feasts that are precisely in Him. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a coherence between the text of the TaNaK and the Apostolic Writings that reveal the fulfillment and future proclamation of them, this is the true rule of faith and practice of the children of God. 

Questions:

1.- Choose one of the symbols that fit the holidays and explain one of them.

2.- Find a party Jesus participated in and share with the group the things He did.

3.- Choose one of the feasts and analyze, considering the prophecies, what it is pronouncing.

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