Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 16:9-15.
“You shall count seven weeks for yourself; you shall begin to count seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. Then you shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God with a tribute of a freewill offering of your hand, which you shall give just as the LORD your God blesses you; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your son and your daughter and your male and female servants and the Levite who is in your town, and the stranger and the orphan and the widow who are in your midst, in the place where the LORD your God chooses to establish His name. You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.
“You shall celebrate the Feast of Booths seven days after you have gathered in from your threshing floor and your wine vat; and you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter and your male and female servants and the Levite and the stranger and the orphan and the widow who are in your towns. Seven days you shall celebrate a feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD chooses, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful.” Deuteronomy 16:9-15.
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What are some of the elements presented in today’s Scripture, “so that you will be altogether joyful”?
First, “you shall rejoice before the LORD your God”. Sadly, we tend to prefer a party where everybody but God is invited. We want to do things at the party that we know that God would not approve. But, today’s Scripture from beginning to the end commands us to celebrate to God, with God, and because of God.
Second, we shall rejoice with not only before God and with family, but also with “your male and female servants and the Levite who is in your town, and the stranger and the orphan and the widow who are in your midst”. Everyone is to be invited.
Third, “you shall rejoice in your feast”. There better be good food, good wine and beer, and good entertainment. After all, we are celebrating what our wine vat produced.
Fourth, we bring to the feast “a tribute of a freewill offering of your hand, which you shall give just as the LORD your God blesses you”. The feast has plenty for us, but God gets something too.
Fifth, we celebrate not only what God has done for us in the past, but also for what God will do for us in the future, “because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands”.
“Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.” Psalm 32:11.
“For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done,
I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.” Psalm 92:4.
“but just as it is written,
“THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD,
AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN,
ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” 1 Corinthians 2:9.
“Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 