STARTING FROM SCRATCH

God established the Feast of Tabernacles (Hebrew: sukkot) as one of the holy days for Israel, which falls on the 15th day of the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar (Exodus 23:16; Leviticus 23:34; Deuteronomy 16:13, 16). The celebration aims to remember God's care for them during the 40 years in the wilderness. Furthermore, the day is also celebrated as a thanksgiving for the harvest. During the celebration, they were required to gather in Jerusalem, build leafy roofed booths and dwell in them, then discuss God's care for them.

After returning from the Babylonian exile, the priest Ezra seized the opportunity of the feast to teach the word of God to the Israelites. When the people gathered, Ezra and some Levites taught the Law to them. This turned out to be a new thing for them. It had been so long since they heard the Law read, and they had not celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles since the time of Joshua. They were like starting from scratch. However, Ezra knew that it is never too late to obey the Lord. The seven-day celebration led them to understand the word of the Lord so that they could follow His will.

Due to various reasons, many people no longer build their relationship with God. They no longer pray, read the Bible, attend church services, or participate in ministries. They drift further away from God. There needs to be someone to remind and invite them to start over. Remind them of God's goodness, not only in the past but also in the present. May we be willing to take on that role and help them return to obey Him. --HT/www.renunganharian.net