16 So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim. 17 And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths, for from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing. ~ Nehemiah 8:16-17
I want you to fully understand what Nehemiah is saying here. From the days of Joshua until Nehemiah’s time the Feast of Booths hadn’t been kept. That means not Joshua who spoke with the LORD God Himself. Nor Samuel who was audibly called by God and spoke to Him. Not David a man after God’s own heart. Not Solomon who received unmatched wisdom. Not Isaiah. Not Jeremiah. The people did not keep the Feast of Booths during all of that time. That is roughly 900 years. Let that sink in real quick. For roughly 900 years they didn’t dwell in booths for seven days to keep the feast the LORD God commanded. Not just any feast either. This was a mandatory pilgrimage feast. One God said was mandatory to come to Jerusalem to keep. One of three.
Let me put this even into more perspective for you. King Solomon had everyone in Jerusalem for the dedicating of the Temple during the Feast of Booths, but didn’t have them actually keep the feast. Let that sink in. He had bring sacrifices for each day but not dwell in booths, but he refused to dwell in booths for just seven days as the LORD commanded. Why? He, just like those who had come before him, would not make themselves uncomfortable for God. They didn’t see the point.
Solomon and those in his kingdom were so wealthy that silver nothing during his days (1 Kings 10:21). When he dedicated the Temple he sacrificed so much it couldn’t be numbered or counted. He was willing to and did make sacrifice after sacrifice but nothing that would make him uncomfortable. None of them did. Not a single one.
And it’s easy for us to look at that and judge them. To say how ridiculous they were all while not realizing that we are exactly like them. We’ll give offerings at church, join the worship team, teach Sunday School, even tithe, but we’re not gonna make ourselves uncomfortable for God. If we pray it’s just a quick prayer. If we go to church it better not be too long or on the same day as a big game. If we fast our bodies can’t feel hunger or discomfort and we can’t miss out on sports, TV, movies, or social media for it. We expect so much from God but we wanna give so little to Him in return.
We want miracles, healing, signs, wonders, divine intervention, deliverance, justice, and most importantly salvation, but we refuse to make ourselves uncomfortable for Him. The prophet Samuel checked King Saul when he sacrificed instead obeying:
22 And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.”
1 Samuel 15:22 (ESV)
When we think that if we can give enough stuff to God we can remain comfortable in our sin, in our relationship with Him, in our walk with Him, in our faith, we are deceiving only ourselves. We become worst that those of the past. They were commanded to celebrate these feasts without full understanding. Without full revelation. Today we know why we pray, fast, go to church, worship, etc. We know what’s at stake. We know what’s in store for those on the earth at the time of Jesus’ return. We know the warnings of the Last Days. And we know what we are looking forward to. None of that is hidden from us. None of that is a secret. It’s all written down for us, so how can we still act as those without understanding and judge them at the exact same time?
God’s commands aren’t for controlling us. It’s every Law and Command is for our benefit. They are divine wisdom trying to lead us in the ways of righteousness. Guide us through that straight and narrow path so that we might be welcomed into eternity with Him. It’s Him revealing Himself to us. His desire for us. His plan for our lives.
Peace. Love. Go Forth and Make Yourself Uncomfortable.