A verse by verse commentary on DEUTERONOMY 16 dealing with the Passover, the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Tabernacles. Every town is to appoint judges yo maintain justice. They are to reject all bribes and avoid partiality.

1. DEUTERONOMY 16 COMMENTARY
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
The Passover
1 Observe the month of Aviv and celebrate the
Passover of the Lord your God, because in the
month of Aviv he brought you out of Egypt by
night.
BARNES, "The cardinal point on which the whole of the prescriptions in this
chapter turn, is evidently the same as has been so often insisted on in the previous
chapters, namely, the concentration of the religious services of the people round one
common sanctuary. The prohibition against observing the great Feasts of Passover,
Pentecost, and tabernacle, the three annual epochs in the sacred year of the Jew, at
home and in private, is reiterated in a variety of words no less than six times in the
first sixteen verses of this chapter Deu_16:2, Deu_16:6-7, Deu_16:11, Deu_16:15-16.
Hence, it is easy to see why nothing is here said of the other holy days.
The Feast of Passover Exo. 12:1-27; Num_9:1-14; Lev_23:1-8. A re-enforcement of
this ordinance was the more necessary because its observance had clearly been
intermitted for thirty-nine years (see Jos_6:10). One Passover only had been kept in
the wilderness, that recorded in Num. 9, where see the notes.
CLARKE, "Keep the passover - A feast so called because the angel that
destroyed the firstborn of the Egyptians, seeing the blood of the appointed sacrifice
sprinkled on the lintels and door-posts of the Israelites’ houses, passed over Them,
and did not destroy any of their firstborn. See the notes on Exo_12:2, and Exo_12:3
(note), etc.
GILL, "Observe the month of Abib,.... Sometimes called Nisan; it answered to
part, of our March, and part of April; it was an observable month, to be taken notice
of; it was called Abib, from the corn then appearing in ear, and beginning to ripen,
and all things being in their verdure; the Septuagint calls it the month of new fruit; it
was appointed the first of the months for ecclesiastic things, and was the month in
which the Israelites went out of Egypt, and the first passover was kept in it, and
therefore deserving of regard; see Exo_12:2.
for in the month of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt
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2. by night; for though they did not set out until morning, when it was day light, and
are said to come out in the day, yet it was in the night the Lord did wonders for them,
as Onkelos paraphrases this clause; that he smote all the firstborn in Egypt, and
passed over the houses of the Israelites, the door posts being sprinkled with the
blood of the passover lamb slain that night, and therefore was a night much to be
observed; and it was in the night Pharaoh arose and gave them leave to go; and from
that time they were no more under his power, and from thence may be reckoned
their coming out of bondage; see Exo_12:12.
HENRY, "Much of the communion between God and his people Israel was kept
up, and a face of religion preserved in the nation, by the three yearly feasts, the
institution of which, and the laws concerning them, we have several times met with
already; and here they are repeated.
I. The law of the passover, so great a solemnity that it made the whole month, in the
midst of which it was placed, considerable: Observe the month Abib, Deu_16:1.
Though one week only of this month was to be kept as a festival, yet their
preparations before must be so solemn, and their reflections upon it and
improvements of it afterwards so serious, as to amount to an observance of the whole
month. The month of Abib, or of new fruits, as the Chaldee translates it, answers to
our March (or part of March and part of April), and was by a special order from God,
in remembrance of the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt, made the beginning of their
year (Exo_12:2), which before was reckoned to begin in September. This month they
were to keep the passover, in remembrance of their being brought out of Egypt by
night, Deu_16:1. The Chaldee paraphrasts expound it, “Because they came out of
Egypt by daylight,” there being an express order that they should not stir out of their
doors till morning, Exo_12:22. One of them expounds it thus: “He brought thee out
of Egypt, and did wonders by night.” The other, “and thou shalt eat the passover by
night.”
JAMISON, "Deu_16:1-22. The Feast of the Passover.
Observe the month of Abib — or first-fruits. It comprehended the latter part of
our March and the beginning of April. Green ears of the barley, which were then full,
were offered as first-fruits, on the second day of the passover.
for in the month of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee out of Egypt by
night — This statement is apparently at variance with the prohibition (Exo_12:22)
as well as with the recorded fact that their departure took place in the morning
(Exo_13:3; Num_33:3). But it is susceptible of easy reconciliation. Pharaoh’s
permission, the first step of emancipation, was extorted during the night, the
preparations for departure commenced, the rendezvous at Rameses made, and the
march entered on in the morning.
CALVIN, "1.Observe the month Abib. For what purpose God instituted the Passover,
has already been shewn in the exposition of the First Commandment; for since it was a
symbol of redemption, and in that ceremony the people exercised themselves in the pure
worship of the One God, so as to acknowledge Him to be their only Father, and to
distinguish Him from all idols, I thought that the actual slaying of the lamb should be
introduced amongst the Supplements to the First Commandment. It only remains for us
to speak here of what relates to the Sabbath. This then was the first solemn day, on
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3. which God would have His people rest and go up to Jerusalem, forsaking all their
business. But mention is here made not only of the Paschal Lamb, but He also
commands sheep and oxen to be slain in the place which He should choose. In these
words He signifies that on that day a holy convocation was to be held; which is soon
after more clearly expressed, for I have already given the two intermediate verses in the
institution of the Passover itself, He therefore prohibits their slaying the Passover apart
in their own cities, but would have them all meet in the same sanctuary. It has been
elsewhere said that one altar was prescribed for them, as if God would gather them
under one banner for the preservation of concord and the unity of the faith. What is
added respecting the solemnity of the seventh day is very appropriate to this place.
COFFMAN, "This chapter gives a brief summary of the three great national
feasts of the Jews, each of which required the general assembly of the people at
the central sanctuary. Two other great occasions of the year, the Feast of
Trumpets, and the Day of Atonement are not mentioned here because they did
not require the assembly of the whole nation. We have the Feast of the Passover
(Deuteronomy 16:1-7), The Feast of Weeks (Deuteronomy 16:9-12), and the Feast
of Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 16:13-15). Anticipating the scattering of the people
in the occupation of Canaan, and discerning the need for more judges, "Moses
here enacts that judges and officers were to be appointed by the people in all
their gates, that is, in all of their various cities."[1] (Deuteronomy 16:16-20).
There is a special warning to judges in the last two verses (Deuteronomy
16:21-22) against being tainted in any manner with idolatry, that being one of
the greatest dangers to the judges, for idolatry was treason against the supreme
authority, God Himself.
Some commentators try to make a big thing out of what they call the
resemblance of these three great national feasts of the Jews to the agricultural
feasts of the pagan nations throughout antiquity, but the truth is that there is no
connection whatever between the religious feasts of Israel and the pagan
celebrations of the heathen, with one little exception. It is true that they
coincided time-wise with the agricultural festivals of antiquity.
However, take the Passover. There is nothing in any pagan celebration of all
history that even resembles the Jewish Passover. Martin Noth alleged that pagan
feasts were taken over by the Jews and adopted into their worship,[2] but the
Holy Scriptures deny this categorically. In all history, there is absolutely NO
record of unleavened bread being considered anything special in pagan religions,
but it is the foundation and cornerstone of the Passover. And where did the
unleavened bread become associated with Passover? It was in that hasty
departure of Israel from the land of Egypt, when they left so hurriedly that there
was no time to wait for bread to be leavened and allowed to rise. Also, the
elaborate ritual of the sprinkling of the blood of the Passover lamb is not merely
historical in forty particulars, every one of which pertains to the deliverance of
Israel, but it is prophetic of the central events of the atonement in the blood of
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4. Christ for all men. (See our introduction to Exodus (Vol. 2 in my series on the
Pentateuch) for literally dozens of the most minute and significant details in
which this is so abundantly true of the Passover.)
The same may be said for Pentecost, called also, the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of
the Firstfruits, and throughout the Christian ages, Whitsunday! There appears
to be good reason for receiving the tradition that this feast originated in the
giving of the Law at Sinai, such a view being confirmed by the fact that in the
Great Antitype, Pentecost was the occasion of the giving of the law of the New
Dispensation on the birthday of the Church!
Regarding the Feast of Tabernacles, there is no suggestion whatever of any
pagan connections with this great Jewish festival, the feature of which was the
requirement that the Jews live in rudely-constructed arbors, brush shelters, or
boothes, as they were called. Why? Because some pagans did such things? Of
course not. This was because, that is the type of shelters the children of Israel
had at first when they came out of slavery in Egypt, a poverty and hardship that
were commemorated historically in the ceremonies of the Feast of Tabernacles.
There is not any indication whatever that the Jews ever paid the slightest
attention to pagan festivals. The Jews never accepted any kind of a national
festival unless it tied squarely into some significant historical delivery of the
JEWISH people. The Feast of Purim celebrated the salvation outlined in the
Book of Esther. The Feast of Lights celebrated the reopening of the Temple
following its closing and desecration under Antiochus Epiphanes. All of the
allegations to the effect that "all of the great festivals were originally connected
with agriculture and recognized God's bountifulness in the fruits of the
earth,"[3] are backed up by nothing except the imaginative guesses of
commentators.
It is in the great significance which those Three Great Feasts have for Christians
that we find our principal interest today. "Each was a type of some far greater
event to come."[4]
The Passover was a type of the Christian's deliverance from sin via the blood of
our Passover, who is Jesus Christ. It is not merely in a few scattered particulars,
but in literally scores of them, that this amazing Type bears such eloquent
testimony to the Greater Antitype!
The Pentecost was a type of the giving of the Law of Moses. The Antitype, of
course, is the Christian Pentecost. In the old Pentecost, three thousand souls
sinned and were put to death. When the new Pentecost came, the gospel was
preached and "three thousand souls gladly heard the Word of God, believed,
repented, and were baptized into Christ".
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5. The Feast of Tabernacles is a type of the Harvest Home, when the saints of all
ages shall be welcomed into the home of the soul. As Ackland said, "This awaits
fulfillment when the redeemed are gathered home."[5] Unger and other scholars
find what they believe to be "millennial suggestions" in this Feast of
Tabernacles, but we believe it refers to eternal blessings following the probation
of the Christian life.
THE PASSOVER
"Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover unto Jehovah thy God; for
in the month of Abib Jehovah thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.
And thou shalt sacrifice the Passover unto Jehovah thy God, of the flock and of
the herd, in the place which Jehovah shall choose, to cause his name to dwell
there. Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat
unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth
out of the land of Egypt with haste: that thou mayest remember the day when
thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life. And there shall
be no leaven seen with thee in all thy borders seven days; neither shall any of the
flesh, which thou sacrificest the first day at even, remain all night until the
morning. Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates, which
Jehovah thy God giveth thee; but at the place which Jehovah thy God shall
choose, to cause his name to dwell in, there shalt thou sacrifice the Passover at
even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of
Egypt. And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place that Jehovah thy God shall
choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents. Six days thou
shalt eat unleavened bread; and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to
Jehovah thy God; thou shalt do no work therein."
The omission of the particular "day" in Abib when the Passover was to be
celebrated clearly distinguishes this as supplementary material to the
instructions already given. A very great many of the particulars regarding the
Passover are here omitted because they were not needed by Moses in the purpose
of his speech at this point. In all of these great festivals, as Cook noted, "Nothing
is added to the rules given in Leviticus and Numbers, except that oft-recurring
clause restricting the sacrifices and celebrations to the central Sanctuary and
that enjoined the inclusion of the Levites, widows, orphans, and the poor in the
festivities."[6]
"Bread of affliction ..." (Deuteronomy 16:3). The unleavened bread was called
"the bread of affliction," because, "It was made in circumstances of trial and
pressure, when there was no time for the making of bread of a higher
quality."[7]
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6. "Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread ..." (Deuteronomy 16:8) It is a mistake
to read this "ONLY six days." The unleavened bread was to be eaten for seven
complete days, and the language here only means that the seventh day of
unleavened bread was to be a holy convocation to the Lord.
The Passover lamb, of course, came only from the flock (either of sheep or of
goats), and thus the mention of "the flock and the herd" in Deuteronomy 16:2
might seem a little confusing. Kline pointed out that, "The word Passover in this
passage refers not only to the Passover proper, but also to the seven days feast of
unleavened bread that accompanied it."[8] That extended feast after the
Passover would have been the occasion when sacrifices from the herd would
have been made.
There is no problem deriving from the fact that the very first Passover was slain
individually by each head of a family in his own residence, whereas the
commandment here requires that it be slain "in the place which the Lord should
choose in which his name was to dwell." At the FIRST Passover, there was no
central sanctuary, not even the tabernacle, thus there was nowhere else to slay
the Passover except in their residences. "During the wilderness wanderings only
one Passover was kept, and that is recorded in Numbers 9."[9] Thus, it was very
necessary for Moses here to impress upon the people the necessity of killing the
Passover only at the central Sanctuary. If the Passover had been kept during the
forty years in the wilderness, the tabernacle would have served as the central
sanctuary, for, although moved frequently, it was still "one sanctuary." It was to
meet the new situation that Moses delivered the instructions in Deuteronomy.
BENSON, "Deuteronomy 16:1. As a further preservative against idolatry, Moses
proceeds to inculcate upon them a strict regard to the most exact observance of
the three great annual festivals, appointed by their law to be celebrated at the
stated place of national worship, these being designed for this very end, to keep
the people steady to the profession and practice of the religion of the one true
God. The first of these feasts was the passover, with that of unleavened bread;
comprehending the sacrifice of the paschal lamb, with other sacrifices and
oblations prescribed for each day of that whole week during which it was to
continue. Of which see on Exodus 12:13. Observe the month of Abib — Or of
new fruits, which answers to part of our March and April, and was, by a special
order from God, made the beginning of their year, in remembrance of their
deliverance out of Egypt. By night — In the night Pharaoh was forced to give
them leave to depart, and accordingly they made preparation for their
departure, and in the morning they perfected the work.
CONSTABLE, "Verses 1-17
The celebration of Passover, Firstfruits, and Tabernacles 16:1-17
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7. The point of connection of this section with what precedes is the sacrificial meals.
Moses repeated here the instructions regarding those important feasts that
included sacrificial meals that the people would eat at the tabernacle (cf. Exodus
12; Leviticus 23; Numbers 28-29).
1. Passover and Unleavened Bread Deuteronomy 16:1-8
2. Pentecost (also called Harvest, Weeks, and Firstfruits) Deuteronomy
16:9-12
3. Tabernacles (also called Ingathering and Booths) Deuteronomy 16:13-17
God commanded all the male Israelites to assemble at the sanctuary for all these
feasts each year (Deuteronomy 16:16). These feasts amounted to a pledge of
allegiance to Yahweh each time the Israelites celebrated them. They came to His
presence to do so, as their Near Eastern neighbors returned to their kings
similarly to honor them periodically.
"The ancient requirement that the men of Israel should report to the central
sanctuary three times a year has an interesting parallel in the Near Eastern
treaty requirements. It was common practice for suzerains to require their
vassals to report to them periodically, in some cases three times a year, in order
to renew their allegiance and to bring tribute." [Note: Thompson, p. 198.]
The Passover and Unleavened Bread feasts were a more solemn occasion
(Deuteronomy 16:8), but the other two were joyous celebrations (Deuteronomy
16:11; Deuteronomy 16:15). Evidently the Israelites roasted the Passover lamb
(Exodus 12:9), but they boiled the additional offerings for that day
(Deuteronomy 16:7; cf. 2 Chronicles 35:13). [Note: Sailhamer, p. 452.]
God's people should celebrate God's redemption, remember our previous
enslaved condition, and rejoice in God's provisions corporately and regularly (cf.
Ephesians 5:4; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 2:7; Colossians 4:2; 1 Timothy 4:3-4).
These are the things God encourages Christians to remember at the Lord's
Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-28).
ELLICOTT, "Deuteronomy 16:1-8. THE PASSOVER. (See on Exodus 12)
(1) The month Abib was so called from the “ears of corn” which appeared in it.
By night.—Pharaoh’s permission was given on the night of the death of the first-
born, though Israel did not actually depart until the next day (Numbers 33:3-4).
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8. (2) Of the flock, and of the herd.—The Passover victim itself must be either lamb
or kid. (See on Deuteronomy 14:4, and comp. Exodus 12:5.) But there were
special sacrifices of bullocks appointed for the first day of the Feast of
Unleavened Bread, which followed the Passover. (See Numbers 28:19.)
(6) At even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou comest forth
from Egypt.—The word “season” here is ambiguous in the English. Does it mean
the time of year, or the time of day? The Hebrew word, which usually denotes a
commemorative time, might seem to point to the hour of sunset as the time when
the march actually began. If so, it was the evening of the fifteenth day of the
month (See Numbers 33:3). But the word is also used generally of the time of
year (Exodus 23:15; Numbers 9:2, &c.); and as the Passover was to be kept on
the fourteenth, not the fifteenth day, the time actually commemorated is the time
of the slaying of the lamb which saved Israel from the destroyer, rather than the
time of the actual march. It is noticeable that, while the Passover commemorated
the deliverance by the slain lamb in Egypt, the Feast of Tabernacles
commemorated the encampment at Succoth, the first resting-place of the
delivered nation after the exodus had actually begun.
(8) A solemn assembly.—Literally, as in the Margin, a restraint—i.e., a day when
work was forbidden. The word is applied to the eighth day of the feast of
tabernacles in Leviticus 23:36, and Numbers 29:35, and does not occur elsewhere
in the Pentateuch.
HAWKER, "The HOLY GHOST hath evidently shown his divine approbation
of the observance of the typical representation of JESUS'S sufferings and death,
as our Paschal Lamb, by the frequent mention of it. This was largely set forth,
Ex 12. but here it is again repeated. It is sweet to the believer to reflect, that in
ages so remote, and at so long a period before the coming of JESUS, the
representation of our deliverance by him should be shadowed out in the church.
Reader! do you really and truly believe what the apostle saith, that CHRIST is
our Passover, and that he was sacrificed for us? Oh! then let us keep the feast,
and let us eat with holy joy the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth! 1
Corinthians 5:7-8
PETT, "Introduction
The Covenant Stipulations, Covenant Making at Shechem, Blessings and
Cursings (Deuteronomy 12:1 to Deuteronomy 29:1).
In this section of Deuteronomy we first have a description of specific
requirements that Yahweh laid down for His people. These make up the second
part of the covenant stipulations for the covenant expressed in Deuteronomy
4:45 to Deuteronomy 29:1 and also for the covenant which makes up the whole
book. They are found in chapters 12-26. As we have seen Deuteronomy 1:1 to
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9. Deuteronomy 4:44 provide the preamble and historical prologue for the overall
covenant, followed by the general stipulations in chapters 5-11. There now,
therefore, in 12-26 follow the detailed stipulations which complete the main body
of the covenant. These also continue the second speech of Moses which began in
Deuteronomy 5:1.
Overall in this speech Moses is concerned to connect with the people. It is to the
people that his words are spoken rather than the priests so that much of the
priestly legislation is simply assumed. Indeed it is remarkably absent in
Deuteronomy except where it directly touches on the people. Anyone who read
Deuteronomy on its own would wonder at the lack of cultic material it contained,
and at how much the people were involved. It concentrates on their interests, and
not those of the priests and Levites, while acknowledging the responsibility that
they had towards both priests and Levites.
And even where the cultic legislation more specifically connects with the people,
necessary detail is not given, simply because he was aware that they already had
it in writing elsewhere. Their knowledge of it is assumed. Deuteronomy is
building on a foundation already laid. In it Moses was more concerned to get
over special aspects of the legislation as it was specifically affected by entry into
the land, with the interests of the people especially in mind. The suggestion that
it was later written in order to bring home a new law connected with the Temple
does not fit in with the facts. Without the remainder of the covenant legislation in
Exodus/Leviticus/Numbers to back it up, its presentation often does not make
sense from a cultic point of view.
This is especially brought home by the fact that when he refers to their approach
to God he speaks of it in terms of where they themselves stood or will stand when
they do approach Him. They stand not on Sinai but in Horeb. They stand not in
the Sanctuary but in ‘the place’, the site of the Sanctuary. That is why he
emphasises Horeb, which included the area before the Mount, and not just Sinai
itself (which he does not mention). And why he speaks of ‘the place’ which
Yahweh chose, which includes where the Tabernacle is sited and where they
gather together around the Tabernacle, and not of the Sanctuary itself. He wants
them to feel that they have their full part in the whole.
These detailed stipulations in chapters 12-26 will then be followed by the details
of the covenant ceremony to take place at the place which Yahweh has chosen at
Shechem (Deuteronomy 27), followed by blessings and cursings to do with the
observance or breach of the covenant (Deuteronomy 28).
The Three Great Feasts (Deuteronomy 16:1-17).
Moses now reminded them that every year Israel were to gather at the three
great feasts, Passover, Sevens (Weeks or Harvest) and Tabernacles (or
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10. Ingathering/Booths). (See Exodus 23:14-17; Exodus 34:23. Compare for details
Exodus 12; Leviticus 23:4-38; Numbers 28:16 to Numbers 29:39). This can be
compared with the gathering of under-kings to make regular submission to their
overlords and offer tribute, often required in treaties. Every adult male in Israel
was to be present. Again the idea of joyous worship is stressed (Deuteronomy
16:11; Deuteronomy 16:14).
That all males were to appear in the place of His choosing three times a year
'before Yahweh' or to 'see the face of Yahweh' is constantly emphasised (Exodus
23:17; Exodus 34:23) This was in fact necessary in order to maintain the unity of
the tribes and in order to maintain their covenant with God. This probably
means all males who were ‘of age’. We are not told about the logistics. They
would spread over available land. The weak and infirm together with male
children were probably not included in 'all males'.
But all, including women and children, were welcome at the feasts, especially
Weeks and Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 16:1-14). It is interesting that wives are
not mentioned although daughters (unmarried) and widows are (Deuteronomy
16:11; Deuteronomy 16:14). Perhaps the wives were to stay behind to look after
the farms (compare Deuteronomy 3:19, although that was a call to arms, also
contrast Deuteronomy 29:11 where wives were specifically mentioned). But it is
more likely that the wives were simply seen as one with their husbands, as
elsewhere (e.g. Deuteronomy 5:14) and that their presence was thus assumed, not
because they were not considered important, but because they were of equal
importance with their husbands. God's promise was that none would invade
during these times (Exodus 34:23-24).
As these feasts were at times of harvest such times would tend not to be danger
periods as all nations would be gathering their own harvests and celebrating
their own feasts and would be too busy to make war. (Note 2 Samuel 11:1 which
indicates that there were certain times for invading). Of course the assumption is
that the whole land would belong to Israel as other nations would have been
driven out (if Israel had been obedient). This was different from the call to arms
which could happen at any time when danger threatened or tribal matters had to
be sorted out (Judges 20:1).
With these regulations given with regard to the three great feasts we come to an
end of this worship section of the speech. No mention is made of the great Day of
Atonement, nor of lesser feasts. This is not a general giving of the Law. It is a
speech given to the people to encourage them and prepare them for their direct
responsibilities in connection with entering the land and possessing it.
Deuteronomy generally avoids what mainly involves the priests and priestly
functions. That information Moses has dealt with in other records. Even in
dealing with uncleanness it has concentrated only on what the people had to
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11. make positive choices about with regard to it. And when he deals with priests
and Levites in Deuteronomy 18 it is in order to describe the people’s duties with
regard to them. It is this emphasis which explains why he never actually clearly
and specifically differentiates between the responsibilities of priests and Levites,
although once one accepts the differentiation given elsewhere it is clear where he
does differentiate them.
It will be noted that little detail is given as to how the feasts are to be observed
from the priests’ point of view. Apart from the bare bones, all the concentration
is on the aspects connected with the people. Thus at the feast of Passover and
unleavened bread the actual sacrificing is seen as performed by the people and
then partaken of, and the matter of the leaven is dwelt on more fully, while in the
other feasts the sacrificial offerings are ignored and all the emphasis is on joyful
participation in the feasting.
(The whole chapter is ‘thou’ throughout).
II. INSTRUCTION CONCERNING THE GOVERNING OF THE
COMMUNITY (Deuteronomy 16:18 to Deuteronomy 19:21).
Having established the principles of worship and religious response for the
community based on the dwellingplace where Yahweh would choose to establish
His name, Moses now moved on to various aspects of governing the community.
He had clearly been giving a great deal of thought to what would happen when
he had gone, and to that end had been meditating on God’s promises in Genesis
and the content of God’s Instruction (Torah).
Moses was doing here what he described himself as having done for the previous
generation (Deuteronomy 1:15-18). There he had established them with a system
of justice ready for entry into the land but they had refused to enter it when
Yahweh commanded. Now he was preparing their sons for entry into the land in
a similar way.
Justice was to be provided for in a number of ways:
1). By the appointment of satisfactory judges (Deuteronomy 16:18-20)
2). By rejecting Canaanite methods of justice (Deuteronomy 16:21-22). He
reiterated the necessity for the abolition of idolatry and religious impropriety,
and called for the judgment of it in the presence of witnesses (Deuteronomy
16:21 to Deuteronomy 17:7).
3). By setting up a final court of appeal. Here he dealt with what to do when
major judicial problems arose (Deuteronomy 17:8-13).
4). By legislating what kind of king to appoint when they wanted a king. At
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12. present they had him. Shortly he would be replaced by Joshua. Then would come
a time when they needed another supreme leader and here he faced up to the
issue of possible kingship, an issue that, in view of certain prophecies revealed in
the patriarchal records (Genesis 17:6; Genesis 17:16; Genesis 35:11; Genesis
36:31) would certainly arise in the future, and which Balaam had recently drawn
attention to (Numbers 24:17) as on the horizon. Thus it needed to be legislated
for so that when the time came they might not appoint the wrong kind of king,
and especially they were to be guides as to the kind of king that they should
consider (Deuteronomy 17:14-20).
5). By providing for the sustenance of the priesthood and Levites who watch over
their spiritual welfare (Deuteronomy 18:1-8).
6). By warning against looking to the occult for guidance and promising instead
the coming of other prophets like himself (Deuteronomy 18:9-22).
But while we may see this as a separate unit it is not so in the Hebrew. As we
would expect in a speech not prepared by a trained orator it just goes smoothly
forward. ‘Thee, thou’ predominates as befits a section dealing with
commandments with an occasional subtle introduction of ‘ye, your’.
Verses 1-6
The Three Great Feasts (Deuteronomy 16:1-17).
Moses now reminded them that every year Israel were to gather at the three
great feasts, Passover, Sevens (Weeks or Harvest) and Tabernacles (or
Ingathering/Booths). (See Exodus 23:14-17; Exodus 34:23. Compare for details
Exodus 12; Leviticus 23:4-38; Numbers 28:16 to Numbers 29:39). This can be
compared with the gathering of under-kings to make regular submission to their
overlords and offer tribute, often required in treaties. Every adult male in Israel
was to be present. Again the idea of joyous worship is stressed (Deuteronomy
16:11; Deuteronomy 16:14).
That all males were to appear in the place of His choosing three times a year
'before Yahweh' or to 'see the face of Yahweh' is constantly emphasised (Exodus
23:17; Exodus 34:23) This was in fact necessary in order to maintain the unity of
the tribes and in order to maintain their covenant with God. This probably
means all males who were ‘of age’. We are not told about the logistics. They
would spread over available land. The weak and infirm together with male
children were probably not included in 'all males'.
But all, including women and children, were welcome at the feasts, especially
Weeks and Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 16:1-14). It is interesting that wives are
not mentioned although daughters (unmarried) and widows are (Deuteronomy
16:11; Deuteronomy 16:14). Perhaps the wives were to stay behind to look after
12

13. the farms (compare Deuteronomy 3:19, although that was a call to arms, also
contrast Deuteronomy 29:11 where wives were specifically mentioned). But it is
more likely that the wives were simply seen as one with their husbands, as
elsewhere (e.g. Deuteronomy 5:14) and that their presence was thus assumed, not
because they were not considered important, but because they were of equal
importance with their husbands. God's promise was that none would invade
during these times (Exodus 34:23-24).
As these feasts were at times of harvest such times would tend not to be danger
periods as all nations would be gathering their own harvests and celebrating
their own feasts and would be too busy to make war. (Note 2 Samuel 11:1 which
indicates that there were certain times for invading). Of course the assumption is
that the whole land would belong to Israel as other nations would have been
driven out (if Israel had been obedient). This was different from the call to arms
which could happen at any time when danger threatened or tribal matters had to
be sorted out (Judges 20:1).
With these regulations given with regard to the three great feasts we come to an
end of this worship section of the speech. No mention is made of the great Day of
Atonement, nor of lesser feasts. This is not a general giving of the Law. It is a
speech given to the people to encourage them and prepare them for their direct
responsibilities in connection with entering the land and possessing it.
Deuteronomy generally avoids what mainly involves the priests and priestly
functions. That information Moses has dealt with in other records. Even in
dealing with uncleanness it has concentrated only on what the people had to
make positive choices about with regard to it. And when he deals with priests
and Levites in Deuteronomy 18 it is in order to describe the people’s duties with
regard to them. It is this emphasis which explains why he never actually clearly
and specifically differentiates between the responsibilities of priests and Levites,
although once one accepts the differentiation given elsewhere it is clear where he
does differentiate them.
It will be noted that little detail is given as to how the feasts are to be observed
from the priests’ point of view. Apart from the bare bones, all the concentration
is on the aspects connected with the people. Thus at the feast of Passover and
unleavened bread the actual sacrificing is seen as performed by the people and
then partaken of, and the matter of the leaven is dwelt on more fully, while in the
other feasts the sacrificial offerings are ignored and all the emphasis is on joyful
participation in the feasting.
(The whole chapter is ‘thou’ throughout).
The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Deuteronomy 16:1-8).
13

14. Here the whole feast is called the Passover (in Deuteronomy 16:17 it is called the
feast of unleavened bread). It is celebrated in the month of Abib (the ancient
name for Nisan), ‘the month of the ripening ears’. Its name probably dates back
to the patriarchs and their sojourn in Canaan. It came around March/April,
commencing at the new moon. First came the strict Passover, which was
celebrated on the afternoon of 14th of Abib by the slaying of lambs, with the
feast going on overnight to the following morning at the time of the full moon.
This was then followed by the seven days of unleavened bread, 15th-21st of Abib,
beginning with a festal sabbath and ending on a festal sabbath. (There could
thus be three sabbaths during the seven days, the two festal sabbaths and the
weekly Sabbath).
The Description of the Feast (Deuteronomy 16:1-6).
Analysis in the words of Moses:
a Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover to Yahweh your God,
for in the month of Abib Yahweh your God brought you out of Egypt by night
(Deuteronomy 16:1).
b And you shall sacrifice the passover to Yahweh your God, of the flock and
the herd, in the place which Yahweh shall choose, to cause His name to dwell
there (Deuteronomy 16:2).
c You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shall you eat
unleavened bread with it, even the bread of affliction, for you came forth out of
the land of Egypt in fearful haste (Deuteronomy 16:3 a).
c That you may remember the day when you came forth out of the land of
Egypt all the days of your life and there shall be no leaven seen with you in all
your borders seven days, neither shall any of the flesh, which you sacrifice the
first day at even, remain all night until the morning (Deuteronomy 16:3-4).
b You may not sacrifice the passover within any of your gates, which
Yahweh your God gives you, but at the place which Yahweh your God shall
choose, to cause His name to dwell in (Deuteronomy 16:5).
a There you shall sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the
sun, at the season that you came forth out of Egypt (Deuteronomy 16:6).
In ‘a’ they are to observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover to Yahweh
your God, for in the month of Abib Yahweh their God brought them out of
Egypt by night, and in the parallel they will sacrifice the passover at even, at the
going down of the sun, at the season that they came forth out of Egypt. In ‘b’
they are to sacrifice the Passover to Yahweh their God, of the flock and the herd,
in the place which Yahweh shall choose, to cause His name to dwell there, and in
14

15. the parallel they may not sacrifice the Passover within any of their gates, which
Yahweh their God gives them, but at the place which Yahweh their God chooses,
to cause his name to dwell in. In ‘c’ they are not to eat leavened bread with it (‘it’
here means the whole round of sacrifices at this feast, for in what follows ‘it’ is
eaten for seven days, and above it includes cattle); for seven days they must eat
unleavened bread with it, even the bread of affliction, for they ‘came forth out of
the land of Egypt’ in fearful haste, and in the parallel it is so that they may
remember the day when they came forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of
their lives and there was therefore no leaven to be seen within all their borders
for seven days, neither was any of the flesh, which they sacrificed the first day at
even, remain all night until the morning.
It will be observed therefore that the final two verses describing the Passover
actually pass over into the Feast of Sevens Yet it is also clear that they closely
connect with Deuteronomy 16:1-6, which they assume. The passage goes on
smoothly, but there is here at this point the flicker of a movement on in the mind
of the speaker, rather than in Deuteronomy 16:9. (We must beware of allowing
our division into sections to make us think that Moses was preaching in sections.
He was not. Thus could he have two chiasmi where the subjects run into each
other).
Deuteronomy 16:1-2
‘Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover to Yahweh your God, for in
the month of Abib Yahweh your God brought you out of Egypt by night. And
you shall sacrifice the passover to Yahweh your God, of the flock and the herd,
in the place which Yahweh shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there.’
The Passover was observed on 14th of Abib but no mention of that is made here.
Nor are the other feasts specifically dated. Moses did not want to state the
obvious. This is a further indication of Mosaic ‘authorship’. A later writer would
probably have felt it necessary to date the events more specifically. ‘Observe the
month --’ may signify all the different religious days in it, thus the opening new
moon day on the 1st of Abib, the setting aside of the lambs/kids on the 10th, and
the weekly Sabbaths, as well as Passover itself including the feast of unleavened
bread with its special sabbaths on the opening and closing days. The whole
month was seen as important because it was the month of deliverance, and Moses
wanted it to be well remembered.
The Passover night, with the lamb (or kid) having been slain towards evening,
was itself a feast of remembrance as through the night they partook of the lamb
along with bitter herbs and unleavened bread and during it would go through
the question and answer ritual connected with the Passover (Exodus 12:26-27). It
was a reminder of how Yahweh had brought them out of Egypt ‘by night’, that
15

16. is, in dark times.
“And you shall sacrifice the passover to Yahweh your God, of the flock and the
herd, in the place which Yahweh shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there.”
But there had been, or was now to be, a change in the pattern. On the actual
Passover night the lambs had been slain within the houses and the blood put on
the doorposts. Now the sacrificing of the Passover lambs was to take place at ‘the
place which God shall choose, to cause His name to dwell there’. Leaving their
homes they were all to come together to sacrifice in His presence, at the place to
which He Himself had chosen to come and dwell. He wanted to be a part with
them in their celebrations, and they were His sons (Deuteronomy 14:1) gathered
at His earthly home. But it would still also be a family affair for the actual eating
would take place in households gathered around the sanctuary in the place of
Yahweh’s choice. There is no mention of priestly participation, but they would
almost certainly apply the blood to the altar.
In fact this alteration of the Passover celebration was necessary so that the seven
days that followed could be one of the triad of feasts at the Central Sanctuary.
We note here, however, that ‘the sacrifice’ mentioned in the verse was to be
‘from the flock and from the herd’. This was different from the Passover offering
which was to be a lamb or kid. Was this then a change in the ritual? The fact is
that this is probably not intended to indicate that the specific Passover sacrifice
could be an ox bull instead of a lamb, it rather probably means that by the
phrase ‘sacrificing the Passover’ Moses is indicating all the offerings and
sacrifices that would take place over the eight days of the Passover, which would
include both ox bulls and lambs.
This would seem to be confirmed by Deuteronomy 16:3 which indicates that
‘keep the Passover’ is seen as including the whole seven days of the feast that
follows. The whole was to be observed ‘to Yahweh their God’, that is in honour
of Him, in recognition of Him and in accordance with what He had laid down.
For details see Exodus 12; Exodus 23:14-17; Leviticus 23:5-8; Numbers 28:16-25.
PULPIT, "Deuteronomy 16:1, Deuteronomy 16:2
The month of Abib (cf. Exodus 12:2; Exodus 23:15). The time is referred to as a
date well known to the people. Keep the passover; make ( ָ‫ית‬ ִ‫שׂ‬ַ‫ﬠ‬ ) or prepare the
passover. This injunction refers primarily to the preparation of the Paschal lamb
for a festal meal (Numbers 9:5); but here it is used in a wider sense as referring
to the whole Paschal observance, which lasted for seven days. Hence the mention
of sheep ( ‫ן‬ֹ‫צא‬ ) and oxen ( ‫ר‬ָ‫ק‬ ְ‫)ב‬ in Deuteronomy 16:2, and the reference to the
eating of unleavened bread for seven days "therewith," i.e. with the Passover.
The animal for the Paschal supper was expressly prescribed to be a yearling of
the sheep or of the goats ( ‫ה‬ ֶ‫שׂ‬ ), and this was to be consumed at one meal; but on
16

17. the other days of the festival the flesh of other animals offered in sacrifice might
be eaten. The term "Passover" here, accordingly, embraces the whole of the
festive meals connected with the Passover proper—what the rabbins call
chagigah (Maimon; in 'Kor-ban Pesach,' c. 10. § 12; cf. 2 Chronicles 35:7, etc.).
PULPIT, "Deuteronomy 16:1-8
The Feast of the Passover.
(For a reference to the minute points of difference, necessitated by different
circumstances, between the first Passover and subsequent ones, see art.
'Passover,' in Smith's 'Bibl. Dict.;' see also the Exposition for its historical
significance.) We now take for granted that all this is well understood by, and
perfectly familiar to, the reader. Our purpose now is to "open up," not its
historical meaning, nor even its symbolism for Israel, but its typical intent as
foreshadowing gospel truths, showing how in Christ our Passover, and in the
ordinance of the Lord's Supper as our Passover feast, the far-reaching
significance of the offering of the Paschal lamb is most clearly seen.
I. ISRAEL'S PASSOVER HAS ITS ANTITYPE IN CHRIST. So argues the
apostle, in 1 Corinthians 5:7, "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." We
cannot but feel here the wondrous condescension of our God in permitting us to
look at aught so sublime as the sacrifice of his dear Son, through the means of
aught so humble as the Paschal lamb. Yet it is an infinite mercy that, whatever
might so help the conceptions of his children then, and whatever may so aid them
now, the Great Father does not disdain to use.
1. The Lord Jesus Christ is our Sacrificial Lamb; so John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:18, 1
Peter 1:19. He is spoken of as "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world," and is beheld, in the Apocalypse, "a Lamb as it had been slain." He, too,
is "without blemish." He was "without sin." In him alone is the ideal of a perfect
sacrifice found.
2. The Passover was to be killed without breaking a bone thereof. This was
fulfilled in Christ, that men might be aided in seeing the fulfillment of the type,
through the close analogy of the treatment; and because "God would permit no
dishonor to be done to the body of Christ, after the atoning act was complete"
17

18. (Halley).
3. The blood of the first Paschal lamb was to be sprinkled on the posts of the
doors, signifying that there must be the actual acceptance and application of the
atoning blood, and that through the atoning blood so applied we are saved.
4. In the first instance, the lamb was offered without the intervention of a priest.
So that, though priesthood was afterwards instituted for a time for educational
purposes (Galatians 3:1-29.), yet the priest was in no wise necessary to ensure
men's acceptance with God.
5. The flesh was to be eaten, in token of fellowship. It was thus "the most perfect
of peace offerings," symbolizing and typifying communion with God on the
ground of the atoning blood. In all these respects, how very far does the
Christian Antitype surpass the Jewish type? Devout hearts may and do love to
linger long in meditation on a theme so touching and Divine!
II. CHRISTIANS HAVE THEM PASSOVER FEAST.
1. Where. Here we may be permitted to point out a distinction, which, though
obvious enough at first mention thereof, yet is so far lost sight of in some
directions, as to lead to serious error. In later times, though the lamb was slain at
an altar, yet the feast thereon was at a table. So in heathen sacrifices too, the
victim was slain at an altar, the sacrificial feast was at a table. Hence, analogy
suggests that the spot where the Victim is slain should be called the altar, but
that the sacrificial feast should be at a table. The writer of the Epistle to the
Hebrews says, "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve
the tabernacle." The altar here meant is the cross on which the Savior died.
Besides, it is only on the theory that the sacrifice is actually repeated at Holy
Communion, that there can be any possible warrant for calling the Lord's table
an altar. But this theory is absolutely negatived by the statements in Hebrews
10:10-14. The Victim was offered once for all on an altar, even the cross; but we
partake at the Lord's table, of the sacrificial feast.
2. What is the meaning of the feast.
3. How should the Christian feast be kept? i.e. in what spirit? (cf. 1 Corinthians
18

19. 5:7, 1 Corinthians 5:8). Three or four suggestions will embody the chief hints
hereon thrown out in the written Word.
"And with our joy for pardoned guilt,
Mourn that we pierced the Lord."
MACKINTOSH, "Verses 1-22
We now approach one of the most profound and comprehensive sections of the
Book of Deuteronomy, in which the inspired writer presents to our view what we
may call the three great cardinal feasts of the Jewish year, namely, the Passover,
Pentecost, and Tabernacles; or redemption, the Holy Ghost, and the glory. We
have here a more condensed view of lovely institutions than that given in
Leviticus 23:1-44 where we have, if we count the Sabbath, eight feasts but if we
view the Sabbath as distinct, and having its own special place as the type of
God's own eternal rest, then there are seven feasts, namely, the Passover; the
feast of unleavened bread; the feast first-fruits; Pentecost; trumpets; the day of
atonement; and tabernacles.
Such is the order of feasts in the Book of which, as we have ventured to remark
in our studies on that most marvellous book, may be called "The priests guide
book" But in Deuteronomy, which is pre-eminently the people's book, we have
less of ceremonial detail, and the lawgiver confines himself to those great moral
and national landmarks which, in the very simplest manner, as adapted to the
people, present the past, the present, and the future.
"Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover unto the Lord thy God; for
in the month of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.
Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the Passover unto the Lord thy God, of the flock
and the herd, in the place which the Lord shall choose to place his name there.
Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened
bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the
land of Egypt in haste; that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest
forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life. And there shall be no
leavened bread seen with thee in all thy coasts seven days; neither shall there
anything of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst the first day at even, remain all
night until the morning. Thou mayest not sacrifice the Passover within any of thy
gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee" — as if it were a matter of no
importance where, provided the feast were kept — "but at the place which the
Lord thy God shall choose to place his name in, there" — and nowhere else
"thou shalt sacrifice the Passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the
season that thou camest forth out of Egypt. And thou shalt roast and eat it in the
place which the Lord thy God shall choose; and thou shalt turn in the morning,
and go unto thy tents. Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread; and on the
19

20. seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the Lord thy God; thou shalt do no
work therein" (vers. 1-8.)
Having, in our "Notes on Exodus," gone, somewhat fully, into the great leading
principles of this foundation feast, we must refer the reader to that volume, if he
desires to study the subject. But there are certain features peculiar to
Deuteronomy to which we feel it our duty to call his special attention. And, in the
first place, we have to notice the remarkable emphasis laid upon "the place"
where the feast was to be kept. This is full of interest and practical moment. The
people were not to choose for themselves. It might, according to human thinking,
appear a very small matter how or where the feast was kept provided it was kept
at all. But — be it carefully noted and deeply pondered by the reader — human
thinking had nothing whatever to do in the matter; it was divine thinking and
divine authority altogether. God had a right to prescribe and definitively settle
where He would meet His people; and this He does in the most distinct and
emphatic manner, in the above passage, where, three times over, He inserts the
weighty clause, "In the place which the Lord thy God shall choose."
Is this vain repetition? Let no one dare to think, much less to assert it. It is most
necessary emphasis; Why most necessary? Because of our ignorance, our
indifference, and our wilfulness. God, in His infinite goodness, takes special
pains to impress upon the heart, the conscience and the understanding of His
people, that He would have one place, in particular, where the memorable and
most significant feast of the Passover was to be kept.
And be it remarked that it is only in Deuteronomy that the place of celebration is
insisted upon. We have nothing about it in Exodus, because there it was kept in
Egypt. We have nothing about it in Numbers, because there it was kept in the
wilderness. But, in Deuteronomy, it is authoritatively and definitively settled,
because there we have the instructions for the land. Another striking proof that
Deuteronomy is very far indeed from being a barren repetition of its
predecessors.
The all-important point, in reference to "the place" so prominently and so
peremptorily insisted upon in all the three great solemnities recorded in our
chapter, is this, God would gather His beloved people around Himself, that they
might feast together in His presence; that He might rejoice in them, and they in
Him and in one another. All this could only be in the one special place of divine
appointment. All who desired to meet Jehovah and to meet His people, all who
desired worship and communion according to God, would thankfully betake
themselves to the divinely appointed centre. Self-will might say, "Can we not
keep the feast in the bosom of our families? What need is there of a long
journey? Surely if heart is right, it cannot matter very much as to place." To all
this we reply that the clearest, and best proof of the heart being right would be
20

21. found in the simple, earnest desire to do the will of God. It was quite sufficient
for every one who loved and feared God that He had appointed a Place where He
would meet His people; there they would be found and nowhere else. His
presence it was that could alone impart joy, comfort, strength and blessing to all
their great national reunions. It was not the mere fact of a large number of
people gathering together, three times a year, to feast and rejoice together; this
might minister to human pride, self complacency and excitement. But to flock
together to meet Jehovah, to assemble in His blessed presence, to own the place
where He had recorded His Name, this would be the deep joy of every truly loyal
heart throughout the twelve tribes of Israel. For any one,
wilfully, to abide at home, or to go anywhere else than to the one divinely
appointed place, would not only be to neglect and insult Jehovah, but actually to
rebel against His supreme authority.
And now, having briefly spoken of the place, we may, for a moment, glance at
the mode of celebration This, too, is, as we might expect, quite characteristic of
our book. The leading feature here is "the unleavened bread." But the reader
will specially note the interesting fact that this bread is "the bread of affliction."
Now what is the meaning this? We all understand that unleavened bread is the
type of that holiness of heart and life so absolutely essential to the enjoyment of
true communion with God. We are not saved by personal holiness but, thank
God, we are saved to it. It is not the ground of our salvation; but it is an essential
element in our communion. Allowed leaven is the death-blow to communion and
worship.
We must never, for one moment, lose sight of this great cardinal principle in that
life of personal holiness and Practical godliness which, as redeemed by the blood
of the Lamb, we are called, bound and privileged to live from day to day, in the
midst of the scenes and circumstances through which we are journeying home to
our eternal rest in the heavens. To speak of communion and worship while living
in known sin is the melancholy proof that we know nothing of either the one or
the other In order to enjoy communion with God or the communion of saints,
and in order to worship God in spirit and in truth, we must be living a life of
personal holiness, a life of separation from all known evil. To take our place in
the assembly of God's people, and appear to take part in the holy fellowship and
worship pertaining thereto, while living in secret sin, or allowing evil in others, is
to defile the assembly, grieve the Holy Ghost, sin against Christ, and bring down
upon us the judgement of God, who is now judging His house and chastening His
children in order that they may not ultimately be condemned with the world.
All this is most solemn, and calls for the earnest attention of all who really desire:
to walk with God, and serve Him with reverence and godly fear It is one thing to
have the doctrine of the type in the region of our understanding, and another
21

22. thing altogether to have its great, moral lesson engraved on heart and worked
out in the life. May all who profess to have the blood of the Lamb sprinkled on
their conscience seek to keep the feast of unleavened bread. "Know ye not that a
little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that
ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is
sacrificed for us; therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with
the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity
and truth." (1 Corinthians 5:6-8.)
But what are we to understand by "the bread of affliction"? Should we not
rather look for joy, praise and triumph, in connection with a feast in memory of
deliverance from Egyptian bondage and misery? No doubt, there is very deep
and real joy, thankfulness and praise in realising the blessed truth of our full
deliverance from our former condition, with all its accompaniments and all its
consequences. But it is very plain that these were not the prominent features of
the paschal feast; indeed, they are not even named. We have "the bread of
affliction," but not a word about joy, praise or triumph.
Now, why is this? What great moral lesson is conveyed to our hearts by the
bread of affliction? We believe it sets before as those deep exercises of heart
which the Holy Ghost produces by bringing powerfully before us what it cost our
adorable Lord and Saviour to deliver us from our sins and from the judgement
which those sins deserved. Those exercises are also typified by the "bitter herbs"
of Exodus 12:1-51, and they are illustrated, again and again, in the history of
God's people of old who were led, under the powerful action of the word and
Spirit of God to chasten themselves and "afflict their souls" in the divine
presence.
And be it remembered that there is not a tinge of the legal element, or of unbelief
in these holy exercises; far from it. When an Israelite partook of the bread of
affliction with the roasted flesh of the Passover, did it express a doubt or a fear
as to his full deliverance? Impossible! How could it? He was in the land; he was
gathered to God's own centre, His own very presence. How could he then doubt
his full and final deliverance from the land of Egypt? The thought is simply
absurd.
But although he had no doubts or fears as to his deliverance, yet had he to eat
the bread of affliction; it was an essential element in his paschal feast, "For thou
camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste, that thou mayest remember the
day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.
This was very deep and real work. They were never to forget their Exodus out of
Egypt; but to keep up the remembrance of it, in the promised land throughout
all generations. They were to commemorate their deliverance by a feast
emblematic of those holy exercises which ever characterise true, practical
22

23. Christian piety.
We would, very earnestly, commend to the serious attention of the Christian
reader the whole line of truth indicated by "that bread of affliction." We believe
it is much needed by those who profess great familiarity with what are called the
doctrines of grace. There is very great danger, especially to young professors,
while seeking to avoid legality and bondage, of running into the opposite extreme
of levity — a most terrible snare. Aged and experienced Christians are not so
liable to fall into this sad evil; it is the young amongst us who so need to be most
solemnly warned against it. They hear, it may be, a great deal about salvation by
grace, justification by faith, deliverance from the law, and all the peculiar
privileges of the Christian position.
Now, we need hardly say that all these are of cardinal importance; and it would
be utterly impossible for any one to hear too much about them Would they mere
more spoken about, written about, and preached about. Thousands of the Lord's
beloved people spend all their days in darkness, doubt and legal bondage,
through ignorance of those great foundation truths.
But, while all this is perfectly true, there are, on the other hand, many — alas!
too many who have a merely intellectual familiarity with the principles of grace
but — if we are to judge from their habits and manners, their style and
deportment — the only way we have of judging — who know but little of the
sanctifying power of those great principles — their power in the heart and in the
life.
Now, to speak according to the teaching of the paschal feast, it would not have
been according to the mind of God for any one to attempt to keep that feast
without the unleavened bread, even the bread of affliction. Such a thing would
not have been tolerated in Israel of old. It was an absolutely essential ingredient.
And so, we may rest assured, it is an integral part of that feast which we, as
Christians, are exhorted to keep, to cultivate personal holiness and that condition
of soul which is so aptly expressed by the "bitter herbs" of Exodus 12:1-51 or the
Deuteronomic ingredient, "the bread of affliction," which latter would seem to
be the permanent figure for the land.
In a word, then, we believe there is a deep and urgent need amongst us of those
spiritual feelings and affections, those profound exercises of soul which the Holy
Ghost would produce by unfolding to our hearts the sufferings of Christ — what
it cost Him to put away our sins namely — what He endured for us when passing
under the billows and waves of God's righteous wrath against our sins. We are
sadly lacking — if one may be permitted to speak for others — in that deep
contrition of heart which flows from spiritual occupation with the sufferings and
death of our precious Saviour. It is one thing to have the blood of Christ
sprinkled on the conscience, and another thing to have the death of Christ
23

24. brought home, in a spiritual way, to the heart, and the cross of Christ applied, in
a practical way, to our whole course and character.
How is it that we can so lightly commit sin, in thought, word and deed? How is it
that there is so much levity, so much unsubduedness, so much self-indulgence, so
much carnal ease, so much that is merely frothy and superficial? Is it not because
that ingredient typified by "the bread of affliction" is lacking in our feast? we
cannot doubt it. We fear there is a very deplorable lack of depth and seriousness
in our Christianity. There is too much flippant discussion of the profound
mysteries of the Christian faith, too much head knowledge without the inward
power.
All this demands the serious attention of the reader. We cannot shake off the
impression that not a little of this melancholy condition of things is but too justly
traceable to a certain style of preaching the gospel, adopted, no doubt, with The
very best intentions, but none the less pernicious in its moral effect. It is all right
to preach a simple Gospel It cannot, by any possibility, be put more simply than
God the Holy Ghost has given it to us in scripture.
All this is fully admitted; but, at the same time we are persuaded there is a very
serious defect in the preaching of which we speak. There is a want of spiritual
depth, a lack of holy seriousness. In the effort to counteract legality, there is that
which tends to levity. Now, while legality is a great evil, levity is much greater.
We must guard against both. We believe grace is the remedy for the former,
truth for the latter; but spiritual wisdom is needed to enable us rightly to adjust
and apply these two. If we find a soul, deeply exercised, under the powerful
action of truth, thoroughly ploughed up by the mighty ministry of the Holy
Ghost, we should pour in the deep consolation of the pure and precious grace of
God, as set forth in the divinely efficacious sacrifice of Christ. This is the divine
remedy for a broken heart, a contrite spirit, a convicted conscience. When the
deep furrow has been made by the spiritual ploughshare, we have only to cast in
the incorruptible seed of the gospel of God, in the assurance that it will take root,
and bring forth fruit in due season.
But, on the other hand, if we find a person going on in a light, airy, unbroken
condition, using very high-flown language about grace, talking loudly against
legality, and seeking, in a merely human way to set forth an easy way of being
saved, we consider this to be a case calling for a very solemn application of truth
to the heart and conscience.
Now, we greatly fear there is a vast amount of this last named element abroad in
the professing church. To speak according to the language of our type, there is a
tendency to separate the Passover from the feast of unleavened bread — to rest
in the fact of being delivered from judgement and forget the roasted lamb, the
bread of holiness, and the bread of affliction. In reality, they never can be
24

25. separated, inasmuch as God has bound them together; and, hence, we do not
believe that any soul can be really in the enjoyment of the precious truth that
"Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us," who is not seeking to "keep the feast."
When the Holy Spirit unfolds to our hearts something of the deep blessedness,
preciousness, and efficacy of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, He leads us to
meditate upon the soul-subduing mystery of His sufferings, to ponder in our
hearts all that He passed through for us, all that it cost Him to save us from the
eternal consequences of that which we, alas! so often lightly commit.
Now this is very deep and holy work, and leads the soul into those exercises
which correspond with "the bread of affliction" in the feast of unleavened bread.
There is a wide difference between the feelings produced by dwelling upon our
sins and those which flow from dwelling upon the sufferings of Christ to put
those sins away.
True, we can never forget our sins, never forget, the hole of the pit from whence
we were digged. But it is one thing to dwell upon the pit, and another and a
deeper thing altogether to dwell upon the grace that digged us out of it, and what
it cost our precious Saviour to do it. It is this latter we so much need to keep
continually in the remembrance of the thoughts of our hearts. We are so terribly
volatile, so ready to forget.
We need to look, very earnestly, to God to enable us to enter more deeply and
practically into the sufferings of Christ, and into the application of the cross to
all that in us which is contrary to Him. This will impart depth of tone, tenderness
of spirit, an intense breathing after holiness of heart and life, practical
separation from the world, in its every phase, a holy subduedness, jealous
watchfulness over ourselves, our thoughts, our words, our ways, our whole
deportment in daily life. In a word, it would lead to a totally different type of
Christianity from what we see around us, and what, alas! we exhibit in our own
personal history. May the Spirit of God graciously unfold to our hearts, by His
own direct and powerful ministry, more and more of what is meant by "the
roasted lamb," the "unleavened bread," and "the bread of affliction"!* We shall
now briefly consider the feast of Pentecost which stands next in order to the
Passover. "Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee; begin to number the seven
weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn. And thou
shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the Lord thy God with a tribute of a freewill
offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the Lord thy God, according
as the Lord thy God hath blessed thee; and thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy
God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy
maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the
fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the Lord thy
God hath chosen to place his name there. And thou shalt remember that thou
wast a bondman in Egypt; and thou shalt observe and do these statutes." (Vers.
25

26. 9-12.)
{*For further remarks on the Passover and the feast of unleavened bread, the
reader is referred to Exodus 12:1-51, and Numbers 9:1-23. Specially, in the
latter, the connection between the Passover and the Lord's supper. This is a
point of deepest interest, and immense practical importance. The Passover
looked forward to the death of Christ; the Lord's supper looks back to it. What
the former was to a faithful Israelite, the latter is to the church. If this were more
fully seen it would greatly tend to meet the prevailing laxity, indifference and
error as to the table and supper of the Lord.
To any one who lives habitually in the holy atmosphere of scripture, it must seem
strange indeed to mark the confusion of thought and the diversity of practice in
reference to a subject so very important, and one so simply and clearly presented
in the word of God.
It can hardly be called in question by any one who bows to scripture, that the
apostles and the early church assembled on the first day of the week to break
bread. There is not a shadow of warrant, in the New Testament, for confining
that most precious ordinance to once a month, once a quarter, or once in six
months. This can only be viewed as a human interference with a divine
institution. We are aware that much is sought to be made of the words, "as oft as
ye do it;" but we do not see how any argument based on this clause can stand,
for a moment, in the face of apostolic precedent, in Acts 20:7. The first day of the
week is, unquestionably, the day for the church to celebrate the Lord's supper.
Does the Christian reader admit this? If so, does he act upon it? It is a perilous
thing to neglect a special ordinance of Christ, and one appointed by Him the
same night in which He was betrayed, under circumstances so deeply affecting.
Surely all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity would desire to remember
Him in this special way, according to His own word, "This do in remembrance of
me." Can we understand any true lover of Christ living in the habitual neglect of
this precious memorial? If an Israelite of old neglected the Passover, he would
have been "cut off." But this was law, and we are under grace. True; but is that
a reason for neglecting our Lord's commandment?
We would commend this subject to the reader's careful attention. There is much
more involved in it than most of us are aware. We believe the entire history of
the Lord's supper, for the last eighteen centuries, is full of interest and
instruction. We may see in the way in which the Lord's table has been treated, a
striking moral index of the church's real condition. In proportion as the church
departed from Christ and His word, did she neglect and pervert the precious
institution of the Lord's supper. And, on the other hand, just as the Spirit of God
wrought, at any time, with special power in the church, the Lord's supper has
26

27. found its true place in the hearts of His people.
But we cannot pursue this subject further in a footnote; we have ventured to
suggest it to the reader, and we trust he may be led to follow it up for himself.
We believe he will find it a most profitable and suggestive study.}
Here we have the well-known and beautiful type of the day of Pentecost. The
Passover sets forth the death of Christ. The sheaf of first-fruits is the striking
figure of a risen Christ. And, in the feast of weeks, we have prefigured before us
the descent of the Holy Ghost, fifty days after the resurrection.
We speak, of course, of what these feasts convey to us, according to the mind of
God, irrespective altogether of the question of Israel's apprehension of their
meaning. It is our privilege to look at all these typical institutions in the light of
the New Testament; and when we so view them we are filled with wonder and
delight at the divine perfectness, beauty and order of all those marvellous types.
And not only so, but — what is of immense value to us — we see how the
scriptures of the New Testament dovetail, as it were, into those of the Old; we see
the lovely unity of the divine Volume, and how manifestly it is one Spirit that
breathes through the whole, from beginning to end. In this way we are inwardly
strengthened in our apprehension of the precious truth of the divine inspiration
of the holy scriptures, and our hearts are fortified against all the blasphemous
attacks of infidel writers. Our souls are conducted to the top of the mountain
where the moral glories of the Volume shine upon us in all their heavenly lustre,
and from whence we can look down and see the clouds and chilling mists of
infidel thought rolling beneath us. These clouds and mists cannot affect us,
inasmuch as they are far away below the level on which, through infinite grace,
we stand. Infidel writers know absolutely nothing of the moral glories of
scripture; but one thing is awfully certain, namely, that one moment in eternity
will completely revolutionise the thoughts of all the infidels and atheists that
have ever raved or written against the Bible and its Author.
Now, in looking at the deeply interesting feast of weeks or Pentecost, we are at
once struck with the difference between it and the feast of unleavened bread. In
the first place, we read of "a freewill offering" Here we have a figure of the
church, formed by the Holy Ghost and presented to God as "a kind of first-fruits
of his creatures."
We have dwelt upon this feature of the type in the "Notes on Leviticus," chapter
23, and shall not therefore enter upon it here, but confine ourselves to what is
purely Deuteronomic. The people were to present a tribute of a freewill offering
of their hand, according as the Lord their God had blessed them. There was
nothing like this at the Passover, because that sets forth Christ offering Himself
for us, as a sacrifice, and not our offering anything. We remember our
27

28. deliverance from sin and Satan, and what that deliverance cost. We meditate
upon the deep and varied sufferings of our precious Saviour as prefigured by the
roasted lamb. We remember that it was our sins that were laid upon Him. He
was bruised for our iniquities, judged in our stead, and this leads to deep and
hearty contrition, or, what we may call, true Christian repentance. For we must
never forget that repentance is not a mere transient emotion of a sinner when his
eyes are first opened, but an abiding moral condition of the Christian, in view of
the cross and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. If this were better understood,
and more fully entered into, it would impart a depth and solidity to the Christian
life and character in which the great majority of us are lamentably deficient.
But, in the feast of Pentecost, we have before us the power of the Holy Ghost, and
the varied effects of His blessed presence in us and with us. He enables us to
present our bodies and all that we have as a freewill offering unto our God,
according as He hath blessed us. This, we need hardly say, can only be done by
the power of the Holy Ghost; and hence the striking type of it is presented, not in
the Passover which prefigures the death of Christ; not in the feast of unleavened
bread, which sets forth the moral effect of that death upon us, in repentance,
self-judgment and practical holiness; but in Pentecost, which is the
acknowledged type of the precious gift of the Holy Ghost.
Now, it is the Spirit who enables us to enter into the claims of God upon us —
claims which are to be measured only by the extent of the divine blessing. He
gives us to see and understand that all we are and all we have belong to God. He
gives us to delight in consecrating ourselves, spirit, soul and body, to God. It is
truly "a freewill offering." It is not of constraint, but willingly. There is not an
atom of bondage, for "where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.
In short we have here the lovely spirit and moral character of the entire
Christian life and service. A soul under law cannot understand the force and
beauty of this. Souls under the law never received the Spirit. The two things are
wholly incompatible. Thus the apostle says to the poor misguided assemblies of
Galatia, "This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by works of law,
or by the hearing of faith?... He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and
worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by works of law, or by the hearing of
faith?" The precious gift of the Spirit is consequent upon the death, resurrection,
ascension, and glorification of our adorable Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and
consequently can have nothing whatever to do with "works of law" in any shape
or form. The presence of the Holy Ghost on earth, His dwelling with and in all
true believers is a grand characteristic truth of Christianity. It was not, and
could not be known in Old Testament times. It was not even known by the
disciples in our Lord's life time. He Himself said to them, on the eve of His
departure, "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is expedient [or profitable —
sumpherei] for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not
28

29. come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him Unto you." (John 16:7.)
This proves, in the most conclusive manner, that even the very men who enjoyed
the high and precious privilege of personal companionship with the Lord
Himself, were to be put in an advanced position by His going away, and the
coming of the Comforter. Again, we read, "If ye love me, keep my
commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom
the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye
know him; for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you."
We cannot, however, attempt to go elaborately into this immense subject here.
Our space does not admit of it, much as we should delight in it. We must just
confine ourselves to one or two points suggested by the feast of weeks, as
presented in our chapter.
We have referred to the very interesting fact that the Spirit of God is the living
spring and power of the life of personal devotedness and consecration beautifully
prefigured by "the tribute of a freewill offering." The sacrifice of Christ is the
ground, the presence of the Holy Ghost, is the power of the Christian's
dedication of himself, spirit, soul and body, to God. I beseech you therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." (Romans 12:1.)
But there is another point of deepest interest presented in verse 11 of our
chapter, "And thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God." We have no such
word in the paschal feast, or in the feast of unleavened bread. It would not be in
moral keeping with either of these solemnities. True it is, the Passover lies at the
very foundation of all the joy we can or ever shall realise here or hereafter; but,
we must ever think of the death of Christ, His sufferings, His sorrows — all that
He passed through, when the waves and billows of God's righteous wrath passed
His soul It is upon these profound mysteries that our hearts are, or ought to be
mainly fixed, when we surround the Lord's table and keep that feast by which
we show the Lord's death until He come.
Now, it is plain to the spiritual and thoughtful reader that the feelings proper to
such a holy and solemn institution are not of a jubilant character. We certainly
can and do rejoice that the sorrows and sufferings of our blessed Lord are over,
and over for ever; that those terrible hours are passed never to return. But what
we recall in the feast is not simply their being over, but their being gone
through — and that for us. "Ye do show the Lord's death," and we know that,
whatever may accrue to us from that precious death, yet when we are called to
meditate upon it, our joy is chastened by those profound exercises of soul which
the Holy Spirit produces by unfolding to us the sorrows, the sufferings, the cross
and passion of our blessed Saviour. Our Lord's words are, "This do in
29

30. remembrance of me but what we especially remember in the Supper is Christ
suffering and dying for us; what we show is His death; and with these solemn
realities before our souls, in the power of the Holy Ghost, there will — there
must be holy subduedness and seriousness.
We speak, of course, of what becomes the immediate occasion of the celebration
of the Supper — the suited feelings and affections of such a moment. But these
must be produced by the powerful ministry of the Holy Ghost. It can be of no
possible use to seek, by any pious efforts of our own, to work ourselves up to a
suitable state of mind. This would be ascending by steps to the altar, a thing most
offensive to God. It is only by the Holy Spirit's ministry that we can worthily
celebrate the holy Supper of the Lord. He alone can enable us to put away all
levity, all formality, all mere routine, all wandering thoughts, and to discern the
body and blood of the Lord in those memorials which, by His own appointment,
are laid on His table.
But, in the feast of Pentecost, rejoicing was a prominent feature. We hear
nothing of "bitter herbs" or "bread of affliction," on this occasion, because it is
the type of the coming of the other Comforter, the descent of the Holy Ghost,
Proceeding from the Father, and sent down by the risen, ascended and glorified
Head in the heavens, to fill the hearts of His people with praise, thanksgiving and
triumphant joy, yea to lead them into full and blessed fellowship with their
glorified Head, in His triumph over sin, death, hell, Satan and all the powers of
darkness. The Spirit's presence is connected with liberty, light, power and joy.
Thus we read, "The disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost."
Doubts, fears, and legal bondage flee away before the precious ministry of the
Holy Ghost.
But we must distinguish between His work and indwelling — His quickening and
His sealing. The very first dawn of conviction in the soul is the fruit of the
Spirit's work. It is His blessed operation that leads to all true repentance, and
this is not joyful work; it is very good, very needful, absolutely essential; but it is
not joy, nay, it is deep sorrow. But when, through grace, we are enabled to
believe in a risen and glorified Saviour, then the Holy Ghost comes and takes up
His abode in us, as the seal of our acceptance and the earnest of our inheritance.
Now this fills us with joy unspeakable and full of glory; and being thus filled
ourselves, we become channels of blessing to others. "He that believeth on me, as
the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this
spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive; for the
Holy Ghost was not yet; because that Jesus was not yet glorified." The Spirit is
the spring of power and joy in the heart of the believer. He fits, fills and uses us
as His vessels in ministering to poor thirsty, needy souls around us. He links us
with the Man in the glory, maintains us in living communion with Him, and
30

31. enables us to be, in our feeble measure, the expression of what He is. Every
movement of the Christian should be redolent with the fragrance of Christ. For
one who professes to be a Christian to exhibit unholy tempers, selfish ways, a
grasping, covetous, worldly spirit, envy and jealousy, pride and ambition, is to
belie his profession, dishonour the holy Name of Christ, and bring reproach
upon that glorious Christianity which he professes, and of which we have the
lovely type in the feast of weeks — a feast pre-eminently characterised by a joy
which had its source in the goodness of God, and which flowed out far and wide,
and embraced in its hallowed circle every object of need: "Thou shalt rejoice
before the Lord thy God, thou and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy
manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the
stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you."
How lovely! How perfectly beautiful! Oh! that its antitype were more faithfully
exhibited amongst us! Where are those streams of refreshing which ought to flow
from the church of God? Where those unblotted epistles of Christ known and
read of all men? Where can we see a practical exhibition of Christ in the ways of
His people — something to which we could point and say, "There is true
Christianity"? Oh! may the Spirit of God stir up our hearts to a more intense
desire after conformity to the image of Christ, in all things. May He clothe with
His own mighty power the word of God which we have in our hands and in our
homes; that it may speak to our hearts and consciences, and lead us to judge
ourselves, our ways, and our associations by its heavenly light, so that there may
be a thoroughly devoted band of witnesses gathered out to His Name, to wait for
His appearing! Will the reader join us in asking for this?
We shall now turn for a moment to the lovely institution of the feast of
tabernacles which gives such remarkable completeness to the range of truth
presented in our chapter.
"Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast
gathered in thy corn and thy wine; and thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou and
thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the
Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.
Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the Lord thy God in the place
which the Lord shall choose; because the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all
thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely
rejoice. Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God
in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the
feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles; and they shall not appear before
the Lord empty; every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of
the Lord thy God which he hath given thee." (Vers. 13-17.)
Here, then we have the striking and beautiful type of Israel's future. The feast of
31

32. tabernacles has not yet had its antitype. The Passover and Pentecost have had
their fulfilment in the precious death of Christ, and the descent of the Holy
Ghost; but the third great solemnity points forward to the times of the restitution
of all things which God has spoken of by the mouth of all His holy prophets
which have been since the world began.
And let the reader note particularly the time of the celebration of this feast. It
was to be "after thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine;" in other words, it
was after the harvest and the vintage. Now there is a very marked distinction
between these two things. The one speaks of grace, the other of judgement. At
the end of the age, God will gather His wheat into His garner, and then will come
the treading of the winepress, in awful judgement.
We have in Revelation 14:1-20 a very solemn passage bearing upon the subject
now before us. "And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one
sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand
a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud
voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap; for the time is
come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the
cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped."
Here we have the harvest; and then, "Another came out of the temple which is in
heaven, he having a sharp sickle. And another angel came from the altar, which
had power over fire" — the emblem of judgement — "and cried with a loud cry
to him that had the sharp sickle, saying Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather
the clusters of the vine the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And angel thrust
in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the
great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the
city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles by the
space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs." Equal to the whole length of the
land of Palestine!
Now these apocalyptic figures set before us in a characteristic way, scenes which
must be enacted previous to the celebration of the feast of tabernacles. Christ
will gather His wheat into His heavenly garner, and after that He will come in
crushing judgement upon Christendom. Thus, every section of the Volume of
inspiration, Moses, the Psalms, the Prophets, the Gospels — or the acts of
Christ — the Acts of the Holy Ghost, the Epistles, and Apocalypse — all go to
establish unanswerably the fact that the world will not be converted by the
gospel, that things are not improving and will not improve, but grow worse and
worse. That glorious time prefigured by the feast of tabernacles must be
preceded by the vintage, the treading of the winepress of the wrath of Almighty
God.
Why, then, we may well ask, in the face of such an overwhelming body of divine
32

33. evidence, furnished by every section of the inspired canon, will men persist in
cherishing the delusive hope of a world converted by the gospel? What mean
"gathered wheat and a trodden winepress"? Assuredly, they do not and cannot
mean a converted world.
We shall perhaps be told that we cannot build anything upon Mosaic types and
Apocalyptic symbols. Perhaps not, if we had but types and symbols. But when
the accumulated rays of inspiration's heavenly lamp converge upon these types
and symbols and unfold their deep meaning to our souls, find them in perfect
harmony with the voices of prophets and apostles, and the living teachings our
Lord Himself, In a word, all speak the same language, all teach the same lesson,
all bear the unequivocal testimony to the solemn truth that, the end of this age,
instead of a converted world, prepared for a spiritual millennium, there will be a
vine covered and borne down with terrible clusters fully ripe for the winepress of
the wrath of Almighty God.
Oh! may the men and women of Christendom, and the teachers thereof apply
their hearts to these solemn realities! May these things sink down into their ears,
and into the very depths of their souls, so that they may fling to the winds their
fondly cherished delusion, and accept instead the plainly revealed and clearly
established truth of God!
But we must draw this section to a close; and ere doing so, we would remind the
Christian reader, that we are called to exhibit in our daily life the blessed
influence of all those great truths presented to us in the three interesting types on
which we have been meditating. Christianity is characterised by those three
great formative facts, redemption, the presence of the Holy Ghost, and the hope
of glory. The Christian is redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, sealed by the
Holy Ghost, and he is looking for the Saviour.
Yes, beloved reader, these are solid facts, divine realities, great formative truths.
They are not mere principles or opinions, but they are designed to be a power in
our souls, and to shine in our lives. See how thoroughly practical were these
solemnities on which we have been dwelling; mark what a tide of praise and
thanksgiving and joy and blessing and active benevolence flowed from the
assembly of Israel when gathered round Jehovah in the place which He had
chosen. Praise and thanksgiving ascended to God; and the blessed streams of a
large-hearted benevolence flowed forth to every object of need. "Three times in a
year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God.... And they shall not
appear before the Lord empty; every man shall give as he is able, according to
the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath, given thee."
Lovely words! They were not to come empty into the Lord's presence; they were
to come with the heart full of praise, and the hands full of the fruits of divine
goodness to gladden the hearts of the Lord's workmen, and the Lord's poor. All
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34. this was perfectly beautiful. Jehovah would gather His people round Himself, to
fill them to overflowing with joy and praise, and to make them His channels of
blessing to others. They were not to remain under their vine and under their fig
tree, and there congratulate themselves upon the rich and varied mercies which
surrounded them. This might be all right and good in its place; but it would not
have fully met the mind and heart of God. No; three times in the year they had to
arise and betake themselves to the divinely appointed meeting place, and there
raise their hallelujahs to the Lord their God, and there too, to minister liberally
of that which He had bestowed upon them to every form of human need. God
would confer upon His people the rich privilege of rejoicing the heart of the
Levite, the stranger, widow and the fatherless. This is the work in He Himself
delights, blessed for ever be His Name, and He would share His delight With His
people. He would have it to be known, seen and felt, that the place where He met
His people was a sphere of joy and praise, and a centre from whence streams of
blessing were to flow forth in all directions.
Has not all this a voice and a lesson for the church of God? Does it not speak
home to the writer and the reader of these lines? Assuredly it does. May we listen
to it! May it tell upon our hearts! May the marvellous grace of God so act upon
us that our hearts may be full of praise to Him and our hands full of good works.
If the mere types and shadows of our blessings were connected with so much
thanksgiving and active benevolence, how much more powerful should be the
effect of the blessings themselves!
But ah! the question is, Are we realising the blessings? Are we making our own
of them? Are we grasping them in the power of an artless faith? Here lies the
secret of the whole matter. Where do we find professing Christians in the full
and settled enjoyment of what the Passover prefigured, namely, full deliverance
from judgement and this present evil world? Where do we find them in the full
and settled enjoyment of their Pentecost, even the indwelling of the Holy Ghost,
the seal, the earnest, the unction and the witness? Ask the vast majority of
professors the plain question, "Have you received the Holy Ghost?" and see
what answer you will get. What answer can the render give? Can he say, "Yes,
thank God, I know I am washed in the precious blood of Christ, and sealed with
the Holy Ghost"? It is greatly to be feared that comparatively few of the vast
multitudes of professors around us know anything of those precious things,
which nevertheless are the chartered privileges of the very simplest member of
the body of Christ.
So also as to the feast of tabernacles, how few understand its meaning! True, it
has not yet been fulfilled; but the Christian is called to live in the present power
of that which it set forth. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen." Our life is to be governed and our character formed
by the combined influence of the "grace" in which we stand, and the "glory" for
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