Exodus 23:14–19 “Before the Lord Your God”

Exodus 23:14-19 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:

• HOLY AND ANOINTED ONE | Vineyard Worship feat. Harmony Smith
• Jesus Culture – Come Away
• Charlie Hall – Center

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

• The Fourth Commandment for Kids | “Remember the Sabbath Day” | Bible Lesson for Kids
• Thankful ¦ Roar VBS – Song for Kids
• Sabbath Song – Song for Kids
• Let’s Trust In Jesus | True North VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Discussion Questions for Children & Youth arelocated in the section after Explanation, Meditation, and Prayer (at the end of this email/blog).

Explanation:

Following the instructions on the Sabbath, the sabbatical year, and the Year of Jubilee, the text now presents the regulations for the three annual festivals (v. 14). Just as the Israelites were to observe the Sabbath on the final day of each week, they were also commanded to celebrate three specific festivals each year.

First, the Festival of Unleavened Bread is a time of remembrance and celebration of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. For seven days, they were to eat bread made without yeast. Detailed instructions for this festival can be found in Exodus 12:15–20 and 13:3–10. On both the first and the last days of the festival, the people were to gather for worship, and offerings were to be presented during the service (v. 15).

Second, after the wheat had ripened and been harvested, the Israelites were to observe the Festival of the Harvest (v. 16). This festival is also called the Feast of Weeks (Exod. 34:22) or Pentecost. It lasted for a week, during which the people gathered to worship on the first and last days. This festival typically falls in late May or early June. Later on, it also came to commemorate and give thanks for the giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai.

Third, after the final harvest of the year, the Israelites were to celebrate the Festival of Ingathering. This festival is also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths (Lev. 23:33–43). It was celebrated in late September or early October. Eventually, it also took on the added significance of remembering and giving thanks for God’s provision during Israel’s wilderness wanderings (Lev. 23:42–43). Like the other festivals, it lasted a whole week, with worship gatherings on the first and last days. All Israelite males were required to observe these three festivals annually (v. 17).

When offering sacrifices to God, they were not to provide them with “anything containing yeast” or “along with the blood of the sacrifice” (v. 18). Blood represents life. Life belongs to God (Lev. 17:14). Therefore, to consume blood is to sin against the Lord, the giver of life. All sacrificial blood was to be poured out. However, some people developed a perverse craving for blood, believing that drinking it would prolong their lives. They tried to satisfy this desire by soaking leavened bread in blood and offering it deceitfully as a sacrifice. This manipulation stemmed from their longing to consume blood.

The act of “leaving the fat until morning” (v. 18) could be deliberate—perhaps intending to consume it later—or simply careless. This command emphasizes that offerings should be made with wholehearted devotion and in their entirety. Just as one must offer animals properly, the same careful reverence must be shown when presenting grain or fruit offerings (v. 19). Holding back a portion of an animal sacrifice or casually offering any leftover grain or fruit both reflect the same fundamental disregard for God.

The command “Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk” also appears in Exodus 34:26 and Deuteronomy 14:21. This instruction is the basis for the Jewish tradition of strictly separating dairy and meat in food preparation. In ancient times, some pagan nations practiced this as a religious ritual, believing it would enhance the fertility of their livestock. There are two primary reasons this was prohibited. First, it affirms that all fruitfulness and life belong solely to God, the Lord of creation. Second, boiling a young goat in its mother’s milk violates the moral fabric of creation and human decency, blurring the natural and compassionate order established by God.

Meditation:

God’s command to observe the three annual festivals—like the instructions concerning the Sabbath, the sabbatical year, and the Year of Jubilee—was given out of deep care for the people of Israel. The Festival of Unleavened Bread was intended to help them remember and give thanks for their deliverance from slavery. It reminded them that their very existence in the present was a gift, a gift of God’s unearned grace. The Festival of Harvest and the Festival of Ingathering, celebrated after the early and final harvests, were designed to lead the people to confess their dependence on God’s continual provision and respond with gratitude. God’s command to offer the best and complete sacrifices during these festivals was meant to keep their hearts aligned with the truth that God is the Giver of Life.

There is a significant difference between the festivals ordained by God and the kinds of festivals often celebrated in today’s world, in their motivation, purpose, and practice. Biblical festivals turn our eyes away from ourselves and toward God, while worldly celebrations often lead us to focus inward, indulging the self. Biblical festivals call us to remember God’s creative order and to restore the fullness of life. In contrast, many worldly celebrations invite us to cast off all boundaries and return to a state of chaos. Biblical festivals awaken us to live as if it were the first day of creation, whereas worldly festivals tempt us to live as if there were no tomorrow. Ultimately, biblical festivals are centered on creation and restoration, whereas many worldly festivals tend toward destruction and defilement.

The command in verse 17— “Three times a year all your men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord”—is a word that today’s urban dweller must also take to heart and obey. This doesn’t mean we are bound to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering exactly as prescribed in the Law. Rather, it calls us to develop the spiritual habit of regularly pausing—weekly, seasonally, and annually—to stop working and remember God. It is an invitation to build rhythms of gratitude, celebration, and generosity into our lives. If we neglect this, we may one day find ourselves unknowingly swept into the patterns of the world’s festivals—celebrations that can often be centered on the self rather than on God.

Prayer:

Lord God, may we set aside one hour each day, one day each week, one week each year as times of devotion. We long to come before You and dwell in Your presence. In Your presence, may we recover the order of creation and experience the peace of the beginning—the peace You once declared “very good.” Calm our restless hearts. Slow our hurried steps. Let remaining in Your presence become our greatest joy. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: God gave the Israelites special times during the year to stop, remember, and celebrate His love and provision. These holy days helped them focus on God instead of themselves. Even today, God invites us to regularly pause in our busy lives to be thankful, worship Him, and share His blessings with others.

• For Preschool-Elementary
  • Why do you think God wanted the Israelites to have special holidays each year?
  • What is your favorite holiday, and how can you remember God during that time?
  • If you could make a new “God celebration day,” what would you call it and what would you do?
    
• For Youth
  • What’s the difference between a celebration centered on God and one focused only on ourselves?
  • How can regularly pausing (like on Sundays or during certain seasons) help you grow closer to God?
  • What habits or spiritual rhythms can you build into your life to help you “remember and celebrate” God more intentionally?