A Time of Remembrance

A Jewish year is literally dotted with feasts, festivals and holidays. Why?

A superstructure of a bridge is a collection of beams and girders all supporting each other and, collectively, reinforcing by upholding, a pathway over impassable terrain or water, or both. Why is all that steel necessary?

God knows the human heart. What did he tell Moses before He took him home? He told him that Israel would abandon her God.

Feasts, festivals and holidays were designed to keep in front of the wayward heart Israel a constant re-enforcement. This re-enforcement was accomplished by upholding her faith through remembrance of a faithful God in her present who had delivered her in her past. Feasts and festivals were instituted by God to point to the acts of His faithfulness.

Girders and beams of steel overhead make a roadway safe for load bearing below by constantly upholding the weight of the span. This re-enforces its ability to carry the load all along the length of the span.

The burden of upholding the weight of traffic on the bridge is supported via closely spaced connections to the steel above. In the same way, the faith of Israel was supported throughout the year via frequent reminders of God's faithfulness to her.

The best support that faith has is evidence that it works. The re-enforcement of her faith by remembrance was Israel's best reason to keep on trusting Him in spite of armies of enemies. God's path for Israel led her straight into the face of those armies, so feasts and festivals were necessary to keep up her faith in Him to fight for her. Likewise, a collection of steel beams overhead makes bridge roadway capable of carrying its load.

However, Remembrance does more than support and re-enforce faith. It rebukes pride. It reminds someone that God was there for them, and that they could not have made it on their own. This has to happen fairly often to keep one's feet on the ground, off of a false floor called self-confidence. A remembrance of Passover kept Israel aware that God's provision was the only one that worked. Either Israel remembered her God or He reminded her. David numbered Israel, placing his confidence in numbers. God took away the numbers to remind him of his misplaced confidence. An army of men fights a battle with warships, airplanes and combat soldiers. Here is a picture of total reliance on human ability, skills, and outright physical strength. An army of God fights a spiritual battle with prayers and praises. Here is a picture of total confidence in God. Whatever God provides is all that a believer has-- or needs. REMEMBER THAT!

Tell me what you think, I'm just thinkin' out loud.