What does "three times a year" teach about regular worship and commitment? Setting the Stage: Where “Three Times a Year” Appears • Exodus 23:14 – “Three times a year you are to celebrate a feast to Me.” • Exodus 23:17 – “Three times a year all your males are to appear before the Lord GOD.” • Exodus 34:23 – “Three times a year all your males are to appear before the Lord GOD, the God of Israel.” • Deuteronomy 16:16 – “Three times a year all your men must appear before the LORD your God in the place He will choose… And no one should appear before the LORD empty-handed.” • 2 Chronicles 8:13 confirms that Solomon kept the same rhythm. The Heart of the Command • God Himself set the calendar; worship was not left to personal whim. • Each feast retold a redemption story—Passover (deliverance), Weeks/Pentecost (provision), Tabernacles (presence). • The phrase “appear before the LORD” highlights personal encounter, not mere ritual. • “Empty-handed” worship was forbidden; tangible offerings displayed inward devotion. Worship Rhythm: What Regularity Reveals • Priority: Blocking out three national appointments showed that meeting with God outranks every other engagement. • Remembering: Repetition guards against spiritual amnesia (cf. Deuteronomy 4:9). • Community: All males gathered together; faith was reinforced corporately, not in isolation. • Accountability: Fixed dates made skipping conspicuous, encouraging mutual faithfulness. Commitment Embodied in the Pilgrimage • Time investment—journeys could take days. • Financial cost—travel, sacrifices, hospitality. • Familial impact—fields and flocks left unattended, requiring trust in God’s protection (cf. Exodus 34:24). • Physical presence—worship demanded bodies, not just thoughts; obedience was seen and heard. How the Principle Carries into the New Testament • Jesus’ family practiced it: “Every year His parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover.” (Luke 2:41). • Early church met “daily in the temple courts” (Acts 2:46) and set a weekly pattern (1 Corinthians 16:2). • Hebrews 10:24-25 presses the same heartbeat: “Let us not neglect meeting together…”. • The substance finds fulfillment in Christ (Colossians 2:16-17), yet the rhythm of gathered worship remains. Practical Takeaways for Today • Schedule worship first, then everything else; treat Sunday—and other gatherings—as immovable appointments. • Engage body and resources: attend in person when possible, give intentionally, serve tangibly. • Use church seasons (Advent, Easter, etc.) to rehearse redemption’s story the way Israel rehearsed hers. • Guard against drift; if travel, work, or recreation crowd out assembly, remember the three-times-a-year call. • Encourage one another—carpools, reminders, hospitality—so no believer appears before the Lord “empty-handed” in heart or deed. |
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