What is the meaning of Exodus 23:14?

Three times a year

“Three times” underscores an unchanging rhythm God built into Israel’s calendar (Exodus 34:23; Deuteronomy 16:16). By fixing a tri-annual pattern, the Lord literally required His people to stop normal routines, travel to the sanctuary, and remember His works. This cadence:

• guarded them from spiritual drift;

• visually distinguished them from surrounding nations who offered impromptu, fear-driven rites;

• anticipated the believer’s ongoing need for regular, God-appointed worship (Hebrews 10:24-25).

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a year

The phrase “a year” grounds the command in real time. It was not a vague ideal but an annual obligation anchored to Israel’s agricultural cycle—spring barley, early summer wheat, and autumn ingathering (Exodus 23:16). Each visit corresponded with God’s material provision, reminding them that every harvest came from His hand (Psalm 65:9-13).

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you are to celebrate

“To celebrate” invites joy, not mere duty. The people were to appear “with rejoicing” (Deuteronomy 16:11). Celebration involved:

• corporate worship—singing, Scripture, sacrifice (Leviticus 23:4);

• family participation—sons, daughters, servants (Joshua 24:15);

• practical generosity—sharing portions with the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow (Deuteronomy 16:14).

The pattern foreshadows New-Covenant worship, where believers gather gladly around Christ’s finished sacrifice (Acts 2:46-47).

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a feast

Old Testament “feast” means an appointed time. In context, the three primary feasts were Unleavened Bread, Weeks, and Ingathering (Exodus 23:15-16). Each proclaimed God’s salvation story:

• Unleavened Bread marked deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 12:17).

• Weeks celebrated the giving of the Law and the firstfruits harvest (Leviticus 23:15-17).

• Ingathering (Tabernacles) recalled wilderness provision and pointed to final rest (Leviticus 23:33-36).

The New Testament shows these feasts ultimately fulfilled in Christ—our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7), the giver of the Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), and the coming King who will “tabernacle” with His people forever (Revelation 21:3).

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to Me

The directive centers every celebration on the Lord Himself: “to Me.” Worship was not human-focused entertainment or mere cultural heritage. It was covenant allegiance to the God who redeemed them (Exodus 20:2). By traveling to the sanctuary, Israel acknowledged God’s ownership of their time, harvest, and future (Leviticus 23:2). For believers today, gatherings remain “to Him” (Romans 12:1; Colossians 3:17), with Christ personally present where two or three meet in His name (Matthew 18:20).

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summary

Exodus 23:14 lays down a concrete, yearly rhythm—three divinely appointed feasts—that compelled Israel to interrupt ordinary life, rejoice together, and honor the Lord as their Redeemer and Provider. Literally practiced by the nation, these celebrations also anticipate the church’s joyful, Christ-centered worship until He gathers His people to the ultimate feast in His kingdom.