The concept of celebration in the Bible is deeply rooted in the acknowledgment of God's mighty works, His provision, and His covenantal relationship with His people. Celebrations in the biblical context often involve communal gatherings, feasting, worship, and the expression of joy and gratitude towards God.

Old Testament Celebrations

1. Feasts and Festivals: The Old Testament prescribes several feasts and festivals as times of celebration for the Israelites. These include the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. Each of these celebrations commemorates significant events in Israel's history and God's deliverance and provision. For example, the Passover celebrates the Israelites' deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 12:14-17).

2. Sabbath: The weekly Sabbath is a day of rest and celebration of God's creation. It is a time to cease from labor and reflect on God's goodness and provision (Exodus 20:8-11).

3. Jubilee: The Year of Jubilee, occurring every fifty years, is a time of celebration marked by the release of debts, the liberation of slaves, and the return of property. It is a profound expression of God's justice and mercy (Leviticus 25:10-12).

4. Personal and Communal Celebrations: Celebrations also occur in response to personal or communal events, such as victories in battle or the dedication of the Temple. King David celebrated the return of the Ark of the Covenant with dancing and music (2 Samuel 6:14-15).

New Testament Celebrations

1. The Lord's Supper: Instituted by Jesus during the Passover meal, the Lord's Supper is a celebration of the new covenant in Christ's blood. It is a time for believers to remember Christ's sacrifice and proclaim His death until He comes (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

2. Worship and Fellowship: The early church gathered regularly for worship, teaching, fellowship, and breaking of bread, celebrating their new life in Christ and the unity of the Spirit (Acts 2:42-47).

3. Baptism: Baptism is a celebration of new life in Christ, symbolizing the believer's identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (Romans 6:3-4).

4. Joy in Trials: The New Testament also speaks of a unique form of celebration—rejoicing in trials. Believers are encouraged to consider it pure joy when facing trials, as these produce perseverance and maturity in faith (James 1:2-4).

Celebration in the Psalms

The Psalms are replete with calls to celebrate God's goodness, faithfulness, and mighty acts. Psalm 100:1-2 exhorts, "Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; come into His presence with joyful songs." The Psalms often serve as a guide for worship and celebration, emphasizing the importance of music, singing, and joyful expression in honoring God.

Eschatological Celebrations

The Bible also points to future celebrations, particularly the marriage supper of the Lamb, where believers will celebrate the ultimate union with Christ in His eternal kingdom (Revelation 19:7-9). This eschatological celebration is the culmination of God's redemptive plan and the fulfillment of His promises.

In summary, biblical celebrations are multifaceted, encompassing both prescribed religious observances and spontaneous expressions of joy and gratitude. They serve as reminders of God's faithfulness, His covenantal relationship with His people, and the hope of future glory.6213a. asah -- do, make
... carefully observing (1), carried (3), carries (2), carry (8), carved (5), cause
(3), causing (1), celebrate (19), celebrated (12), celebrates (1), certainly ...
/hebrew/6213a.htm - 8k

Whether an Aureole is Due to Martyrs?
... Dei i), and yet the Church celebrates the martyrdom of some who laid hands upon
themselves in order to escape the fury of tyrants, as in the case of certain ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether an aureole is due 2.htm

Texts Explained; Secondly, Psalm Xlv. 7, 8 Whether the Words ...
... written, Who existing in form of God thought it not a prize to be equal with God,
but emptied Himself, and took a servant's form,' so David celebrates the Lord ...
/.../chapter xii texts explained secondly psalm.htm

The Absurdity and Impiety of the Heathen Mysteries and Fables ...
... Demeter and Proserpine have become the heroines of a mystic drama; and their wanderings,
and seizure, and grief, Eleusis celebrates by torchlight processions. ...
/.../clement/exhortation to the heathen/chapter ii the absurdity and impiety.htm

Justinian.
... He highly celebrates the praises of "the most Christian prince," that "in your zeal
for faith and charity, instructed in the Church's discipline, you preserve ...
/.../allies/the formation of christendom volume vi/chapter iv justinian.htm

The New Song
... The shouts thereof already greet our ears, and the anthem that celebrates it is
already prepared, when all the principalities and powers of this world shall be ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 9 1863/the new song.htm

Gladden -- the Prince of Life
... one on which we may fitly dwell to-day, since the day of the year which commemorates
His birth occurs on the day of the week which celebrates His resurrection. ...
/.../kleiser/the worlds great sermons volume 8/gladden the prince of.htm

But If, for the Contest's Sake, God had Appointed Martyrdoms for ...
... With what good-will the world celebrates those games, the combative festivals and
superstitious contests of the Greeks, involving forms both of worship and of ...
/.../tertullian/scorpiace antidote for the scorpions sting/chapter vi but if for.htm

Treatise ii. On the Dress of virgins.
... Treatise II. On the Dress of Virgins. Argument."Cyprian Celebrates the Praises
of Discipline, and Proves Its Usefulness from Scripture. ...
/.../cyprian/the treatises of cyprian/treatise ii on the dress.htm

The Poor Man's Friend
... his scepter from sea to sea, and "from the river even unto the ends of the earth."
It is remarkable that in this psalm which so fully celebrates the extent of ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 18 1872/the poor mans friend.htm

Concerning Common and Distinctive Theology, and what is the Divine ...
... For even the essentially Good Word Himself said, "I am Good [17] ." And a certain
one of the God-rapt Prophets celebrates the Spirit as "the Good [18] ." And ...
/.../dionysius/dionysis on divine names/caput ii concerning common and.htm

Celebrates (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Celebrates (1 Occurrence). Exodus 12:48 When a
stranger shall live as a foreigner with you, and will keep ...
/c/celebrates.htm - 6k

Song (207 Occurrences)
... In magnificent strains it celebrates the deliverance just experienced, extolling
the attributes of Yahweh revealed in the triumph (Exodus 15:1-12), then ...
/s/song.htm - 78k

Songs (100 Occurrences)
... The Jewish rabbis, from the latter part of the 1st century AD down to our own day,
taught that the poem celebrates a spiritual love, Yahweh being the ...
/s/songs.htm - 62k

Celebrating (7 Occurrences)

/c/celebrating.htm - 8k

Celebrated (24 Occurrences)

/c/celebrated.htm - 13k

Coptic
... 1852. He also edited the Psalms (transliterated) in 1875, 151 in number,
of which the last celebrates David's victory over Goliath. ...
/c/coptic.htm - 11k

Omnipotence (2 Occurrences)
... the supernatural and miraculous. Thus Exodus 15 celebrates the power of
Yahweh in the wonders of the exodus. It is God's exclusive ...
/o/omnipotence.htm - 24k

Versions
... 1852. He also edited the Psalms (transliterated) in 1875, 151 in number,
of which the last celebrates David's victory over Goliath. ...
/v/versions.htm - 81k

Moses (9295 Occurrences)
... In magnificent strains it celebrates the deliverance just experienced, extolling
the attributes of Yahweh revealed in the triumph (Exodus 15:1-12), then ...
/m/moses.htm - 53k

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