What does Leviticus 23:23 mean?
What is the meaning of Leviticus 23:23?

The LORD

• The verse opens by naming the speaker: “The LORD” (Leviticus 23:23).

• Whenever Scripture uses this covenant name, it reminds us of God’s unchanging character and sovereign authority (Exodus 3:14; Malachi 3:6).

• In the flow of Leviticus 23, the same LORD has already established the weekly Sabbath and the annual feasts (Leviticus 23:1–2), showing that all seasons of worship originate with Him, not with human invention.

• Because He is holy, what follows carries the weight of divine command rather than human suggestion (Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:15-16).


Also said

• The little word “also” signals continuation. God has been speaking throughout the chapter, and He now adds another appointment to Israel’s calendar.

• This pattern—God speaking, pausing, and then speaking again—illustrates His orderly revelation (Isaiah 28:10).

• It highlights His patient instruction: line upon line, feast after feast, He shapes a people who will learn to mark time around His redemptive acts (Exodus 12:2; Galatians 4:4).

• The phrase reassures us that God never leaves His people without guidance; He speaks again and again until the message is complete (Hebrews 1:1-2).


To Moses

• God directs His word “to Moses,” the mediator chosen at the burning bush (Exodus 3:10-12).

• Moses functions as the faithful servant who receives revelation and passes it to the congregation (Numbers 12:7; Deuteronomy 18:18).

• By addressing Moses, the LORD preserves order in leadership, preventing confusion among the people (Exodus 24:3-4; 1 Corinthians 14:33).

• This mediator role foreshadows the greater Mediator, Jesus Christ, through whom final revelation comes (John 1:17; Hebrews 3:5-6).


summary

Leviticus 23:23 may seem like a brief transitional sentence, yet each phrase carries weight. “The LORD” anchors the coming command in God’s unchanging authority; “also said” shows His progressive, orderly revelation; “to Moses” underscores divinely appointed mediation. Together they remind us that every feast, every statute, and every call to worship flows from the holy, consistent, and communicative God who guides His people through trustworthy servants.

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