What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 15:20? Each year “Each year” (Deuteronomy 15:20) shows that God establishes a recurring, dependable rhythm. • The yearly cycle kept Israel mindful that every season of life belongs to Him (cf. Exodus 23:14–17, where the three annual feasts created a similar cadence). • By setting an annual appointment, the Lord ensured that gratitude would never become a once-in-a-lifetime event but a continual pattern, echoing the call in Psalm 145:2, “Every day I will bless You.” you and your household The command involves the entire family. • Worship was never meant to be a private pursuit; it engaged spouses, children, servants, and even guests (see Joshua 24:15, “as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD”). • Bringing loved ones under the same act of obedience fostered unity and provided living lessons for the next generation (Deuteronomy 6:6–9). • This principle carries into the New Testament, where households such as Lydia’s and the Philippian jailer’s respond to the gospel together (Acts 16:15, 34). are to eat it The “it” refers to the firstborn male animals set apart in verse 19. Sharing that meat turned a sacrifice into a communal meal. • Eating what is holy underscores that God graciously invites His people to participate in what belongs to Him (Leviticus 7:15). • A meal signals fellowship; in Revelation 3:20 the Lord still “dines” with those who open the door to Him. • The act pointed ahead to the ultimate table fellowship Jesus established in the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:26–29). before the LORD your God Everything happened “before” Him—literally in His presence. • The phrase reminds us that worship is first about God’s pleasure, not our convenience (Psalm 16:11, “in Your presence is fullness of joy”). • Being before the Lord also implied accountability; the Israelites could not merely go through external motions (1 Samuel 15:22). • Today, believers still live coram Deo—before the face of God—in every decision (Colossians 3:17). in the place the LORD will choose At the time of Moses, the specific site was future; God later identified it as Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 6:6). • Centralizing worship protected Israel from drifting into idolatry at local high places (Deuteronomy 12:5–7). • The chosen place foreshadowed Jesus, in whom all true worship now centers (John 4:21–24). • Believers assemble locally yet gather spiritually “to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God” (Hebrews 12:22). summary Deuteronomy 15:20 calls God’s people to a yearly, family-wide celebration that combines sacrifice, shared meals, and joyful presence in the Lord’s chosen place. The verse weaves gratitude, community, fellowship, and centrality of worship into one simple command, pointing forward to the fullness found in Christ and inviting us today to keep worship regular, communal, joyful, and centered on God’s appointed dwelling. |
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