Daily Devotions
Amos
THE FEASTS OF THE LORD
It was the Lord God Himself who gave instructions to Moses concerning religious Feasts. Deep meaning was assigned to these Feasts. Some reasons may be given to explain the original intentions behind them (Leviticus 23).
1. They were commemorative events
a) Passover (Remembering deliverance from Egypt)
b) Tabernacles (Remember the wilderness years)
c) Purim (Remembering deliverance from plans of the wicked to destroy all Jews)
2. They were religious and spiritual, celebrating the Lord’s blessings and His relationship with His people
a) Pentecost
b) Day of Atonement
3. They were also celebratory in almost all Feasts
a) Feasts were to be celebrated with joyful worship.
b) Gifts and presents were to be shared and distributed among all participants.
WHEN THE ORIGINAL IDEAS BECAME CORRUPTED
There came a time when the Lord God repudiated the attempts of Israel to celebrate these feasts!
“I hate, I despise your feast days,
And I do not savour your sacred assemblies.
Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them,
Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings.”
Amos 5:21-22
1. “I hate, I despise your feast days”
a) This was declared outright.
b) Isaiah said the same things (Isaiah 1:11-16).
2. “And I do not savour your sacred assemblies”
a) On the surface, these were religious assemblies.
b) But the lives of the participants were unrighteous and badly tainted by wicked sins.
Thus, God refused to accept these activities that were supposed to express worship.