Greetings:
We are about to begin the third annual festival season – the “…Feast of Ingathering at the year’s end” (Exodus 34:22). This is a reference to a harvest season, “… the Feast of Harvest, the firstfruits of your labors which you have sown in the field; and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you have gathered in the fruit of your labors from the field” (Exodus 23:16).
My wife and I live on the edge of a major agricultural area where much of the produce for the entire country is grown – the San Joaquin Valley in Central California. We annually observe the massive harvest activity which takes place at the end of summer.
In an agrarian based society, such as Ancient Israel was, this Feast season would have very clear implications. They were literally gathering in the harvest and as they did, they were forcibly reminded of the role that God played in their lives. They would take a tithe of the harvest and use it to go and, “… eat before the Lord your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always” (Deuteronomy 14:23, emphasis added). In compliance with these instructions it would have been difficult not to have God in the picture in relation to the harvest.
Today, most of us do not operate in a hands-on agricultural environment working the land. We mostly live urban lives where agricultural seasons have little significance. However, the impact of these days for us is to be even greater than in ancient times.
Although the agricultural nature of the biblical Feast seasons is obvious, the real intent is not agricultural. They accentuate the plan of salvation. While it would be beneficial to live in harmony with nature, we must focus on these days as a means to strengthen our relationship with God. Learning to grow in the fear of the Lord, always.
While we observe the change of season, for us the agricultural props are replaced by God’s Spirit. As Christ pointed out, the Holy Spirit will “guide you [us] into all truth” and it will “teach you [us] all things” (John 16:13; 14:26). Our relationship with God, our closeness to Him, is immeasurably more important than the completion of a physical harvest.
At this time of year, it is a difficult balancing act to keep a clear vision of what God wants of us. All the physical aspects of preparing to go to the “place” – the Feast of Tabernacles site – can somewhat overwhelm us. For some, the focus on travel, time off school and work take on an importance that blurs God’s intent. It is a time to be spiritually focused. Do we thirst for God, for the living God as King David did?
“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? … When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast” (Psalm 42:1-2;4).
This is the attitude we should have as we enter this third annual Feast season.
Brian Orchard
