The Three R's

Then Solomon and all Israel celebrated the Festival of Shelters in the presence of the Lord our God.
1st Kings 8:65 NLT

I came across a verse in 1st Kings 6:7, that reads, The stones used in the construction of the Temple were finished at the quarry, so there was no sound of hammer, ax, or any other iron tool at the building site.  While thinking about the significance of that, I also read our text for today, in chapter 8, verse 65. I don’t remember ever hearing about the Festival of Shelters. But they celebrated it at the end of the dedication of the Temple... the one they built with no sound of tools at the site.

The Festival of Shelters is an ancient Hebrew festival that calls us to remember, resist and rejoice. We remember that we are all homeless wanderers in a land that is not our own. We resist the powers of pride and greed that create wealth for a few and poverty for many. And we rejoice that God has given us a harvest that provides more than enough for an abundant life. 

The Festival commemorates God’s instructions to Moses and the Hebrews: “You shall live in shelters seven days: all citizens of the land shall live in shelters…” (Leviticus 23:42). The Festival calls all of God’s people, especially those who live in good houses and celebrate plentiful harvests, to not forget the God who rescued Israel from slavery in Egypt and who fully provided for His people in the wilderness, despite their rebellion. 

As we remember where we’ve come from, let us resist the temptation to be self-seeking and self-serving, and rejoice that God – in His infinite mercy – has made a way for us where there was no way. 

Prayer:

Father,
           Just as we applied ourselves to learn The Three R’s at school, let us more so abide by these: Remembering Your goodness toward us, resisting pride and self-sufficiency, and rejoicing that You go before us and make the crooked way straight, loving us and teaching us to be true followers of You. Help us to successfully finish the race You have called us to run. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen