The Lord instructed Israel regarding the Sabbath and the monthly offerings that were to be made. Every week and at the beginning of every month specific sacrifices were to be made to the Lord. The offerings at these feast days were partially consumed by those bringing them. The thing to remember about these offerings is that they introduced occasions of great celebration and joy. To the believing Israelite, as well as to the believing Christian, religious commitment is not incompatible with pleasure and joy in the temporal blessings that God has given us. It’s abundantly clear in the Old Testament that these sacrifices not only acknowledged God as their provider but also celebrated his favor, mercy, goodness, and gracious provision for all of our physical needs. We do that in America officially on the 4th Thursday of November. But the Israelites did it weekly and then in a special way monthly. Celebration was a way of life. As Christians we celebrate God’s provision at every meal when we say grace.
I like to think of our Sunday Communion services comparable to the “new moon” (monthly) celebrations observed by Israel. The sacrifice has been offered once and for all in the person of God’s Son, Jesus. We partake of him together and celebrate His wonderful spiritual provision for us as we share the bread, symbolic of his body, and drink the cup, symbolic of his blood. In it all, we celebrate what he has done for us! I just want to celebrate another day of living!