Scripture: (Exo 23:17 NKJV) "Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord GOD.
Observation: Moses continues to write the instructions God has given him for the Israelites. In this section we find the regulations concerning the holy days that were to be observed annually. While the Sabbath was to be observed weekly and there were seven holy days, God established that at a minimum all males were to appear before the Lord three times each year. While the entire family participated in the celebrations and in observing those days, the males, as representatives of the home, were to come to the assembly to perform their duties as required by the law.
Application: The husband is still the priest of the household and it is his responsibility to see that the religious observances by the family be conducted on a daily, constant basis. The husband represent Christ to his family and us such he is to be loving and self-sacrificing. In those homes where there is no husband, the mother should assume the responsibility of living and sharing the faith with her children. At the same time, religious observance cannot simply be a personal matter but it must be part of family life and it must also be a public demonstration by attending the public services of the church. While we as Christians do not observe the Jewish holy days, the weekly Sabbath must still be part of our life and practice as a family and men should lead by example in the keeping of that day.
A Prayer You May Say: Father, help us, men, to be the examples to our families that we need to be so that we all together may Know You, Love You, Serve You, and Share You.
Used by permission of Adventist Family Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
