Deuteronomy 16:13-22
The Feast of Tabernacles Reviewed (Leviticus 23:33–43; Numbers 29:12–40)
13 “You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress. 14 And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, who are within your gates. 15 Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD chooses, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice.
16 “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed. 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you.
Justice Must Be Administered
18 “You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment. 19 You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. 20 You shall follow what is altogether just, that you may live and inherit the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
21 “You shall not plant for yourself any tree, as a wooden image, near the altar which you build for yourself to the LORD your God. 22 You shall not set up a sacred pillar, which the LORD your God hates.
The feast of tabernacles celebrated the sojourning of God’s people in the wilderness when they had to live in tents until they settled in the promised land with permanent houses. This was to be celebrated to remind them of God’s provision and promises all along the way to the fulfillment of all God had determined to provide them in His lovingkindness of grace. They were to ensure they remembered and appreciated all they received from His hand by celebrating this sacred feast for an entire week. All the able-bodied men were also to offer sacrifices as gifts to the LORD on this annual occasion and at the Feast of Unleavened Bread (a seven-day festival immediately following Passover, where participants eat only unleavened bread to commemorate the Israelites' hasty departure from Egypt) and the Feast of Weeks as previously mentioned in this chapter. They were to not come empty handed, yet were only expected to give as they were able (2 Corinthians 8:12, 9:7-8) and not to meet a compulsory quota. God was looking to expand their hearts through their willing obedience (Psalm 119:32) and not to lay heavy burdens on their conscience. That has been the thrust of all the commandments from the beginning, to soften our hearts that we might have the laws of the Lord written on our hearts and guiding our minds to walk in the direction of His heart and goodwill for us. This also applies to the second half of this passage concerning justice and fairness in our dealings with one another. We understand the importance of judges needed to settle disputes and keep order because our fallen nature is ruled by sin to pervert justice, show partiality (favoritism), and even take bribes for personal gain at the expense of blinding the wise and twisting the true words of the righteous. To love and see the blessings of God, we need to be fair and honest as He is, taking on the image of God shown to us in His Son that we may conform (Romans 8:29, Ephesians 3:22-23, 24, 2 Corinthians 3:18) to His image as we align to His righteousness in our dealings with one another. He then mentions we are to keep ourselves from idols (1 John 5:21) which we all tend to do if we are not careful and observant in how we walk in Christ. As Micah 6:8 reminds us, we are to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.
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