What connections exist between Exodus 23:17 and New Testament teachings on worship? Exodus 23:17—A Snapshot “Three times a year all your males are to appear before the Lord GOD.” • A literal command for Israel’s covenant community • Linked to the three pilgrimage feasts: Passover/Unleavened Bread, Weeks (Pentecost), and Tabernacles • Emphasized corporate, physical presence before God with offerings and rejoicing Corporate Gathering Continues in the New Covenant • Acts 2:42-47—believers “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship” • Hebrews 10:24-25—“not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together” • The pattern of scheduled, communal worship carries forward, now centered on the risen Christ Presence Before the Lord—Now Accessed Through Christ • Ephesians 2:18—“through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit” • Hebrews 4:16—“let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence” • What was limited to three annual appearances is replaced by continual, Spirit-enabled access From Male Representation to Universal Priesthood • In Exodus the heads of households represented their families • Galatians 3:28—“there is neither male nor female… you are all one in Christ Jesus” • 1 Peter 2:9—“you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood” • Every believer now stands personally before God in worship Pilgrimage Feasts Fulfilled in Jesus • Passover → 1 Corinthians 5:7, “Christ our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed” • Pentecost → Acts 2, the Spirit poured out on the feast day of Weeks • Tabernacles → John 7:37-39, Jesus offers living water during the feast • Physical feasts foreshadowed Christ’s redemptive work and the outpouring of the Spirit Location Replaced by Spirit and Truth • John 4:21-24—worship “neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem… but in spirit and truth” • Exodus required travel to a set place; the New Covenant locates true worship wherever believers gather in Christ’s name (Matthew 18:20) Joyful Offering Remains Central • Deuteronomy 16:16-17 paired with 2 Corinthians 9:7—“God loves a cheerful giver” • Hebrews 13:15—“continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise” • Material and verbal praise continue as fitting responses to God’s grace Regularity Intensified • Three times yearly → continuous lifestyle: Romans 12:1—“present your bodies as a living sacrifice” • Weekly rhythm observed: Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2—first-day gatherings celebrate resurrection life Eschatological Outlook • Earthly convocations foreshadow the ultimate gathering: Revelation 7:9-10—“a great multitude… standing before the throne and before the Lamb” • Exodus 23:17 anticipates the final scene where all God’s people appear before Him forever (Revelation 21:3) Key Takeaways • Old Covenant pilgrimage underscores God’s desire for visible, joyful, covenantal worship • In Christ, access, frequency, participants, and location expand while the call to assemble endures • The heart behind Exodus 23:17—honoring God through gathered worship—finds fuller expression in the New Testament church and will culminate in the heavenly assembly |
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