"Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD." - (Ex 23:14-17)

How easy is it to forget about God? To be so buried, depressed, exhausted, busy, and distracted that He is absolutely the last thing on our minds? How easy is it to forget all that He has done for us in the past, and just be overwhelmed by the problems we see in our present and looming in the future? How easy is it to just be tired and weary with the constant wearing down by circumstances, disappointments from situations and people, dashed expectations, and crushed hopes day after day? How easy is it to forget that He is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow... that His promises are sure, that He is in control of all situations, and all circumstances are working out His will in the life of His people, whom He has known from eternity past and called for His purpose? God knows us - that we are dust, and that we need constant nurturing and reminding that He is going to be there for us, and this week's passage shows us His provision for that situation.

All Israel was commanded to observe a feast 3 times a year. Feast implies food, merriment, singing, dancing and great joy! Israel was commanded to rejoice at least 3 times a year, to not only remember all that God had done for them in the distant past,but also to celebrate what He was going to do for them that very year in terms of blessing the fruit of their labors. All His sons were commanded to come together and jointly celebrate the goodness and bounty of their God. Israel was to keep Him in remembrance in all that they did, to discuss the Law with their children and amongst themselves, to bind His Word on their hands, eyes and doorsteps, to follow His instructions in clothing, to remember Him weekly on the Sabbath day, and to rejoice three times every year! In turn, His part was to ensure that they were always blessed with the fruits of obedience, and would never have to show up empty handed to His feasts!
For Christians – we are inheritors of a greater Covenant, therefore the scripture enjoins us to rejoice always!!! In the OT - "For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband."- (Isaiah 54:1 [quoted in Gal 4:27]),"Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people" – (Deut 32:43 [quoted in Rom 15:10]) :and in the NT - "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice!"-(Phil 4:4), "Rejoice evermore." (1 Thess 5:16). Just like Love is a Choice and not a feeling or emotion, Joy is similarly not linked to our present circumstance, but to past Remembrance, and future Hope. We can rejoice even in the midst of all our tribulation and labors, knowing that He has been, and will continue to be faithful and do what He has promised.

The feasts themselves looked forward to Christ and the Hope of Israel. These three feasts were specifically commanded to be joyful occasions, there were four other feasts that were added making up 7 in all, that were observed in three seasons, Spring, Summer and Autumn. Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread [usually commonly called by one or the other name because they occurred together], and the feast of First-Fruits occurred in the Spring (1st month), followed by Pentecost (Summer), and in Autumn (7th month) the Feast of Trumpets/the Jewish New Year, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles/Booths/Ingathering.

The Days themselves are significant: Passover (an appointed feast, called the Lords Passover): Month 1- Day 14 Feast of Unleavened Bread: Month 1-Days 15-22 Feast of FirstFruits : Month 1 - Day following the Sabbath of the week in which the Feast of Unleavened Bread began (Sunday) – this is the day that Christ arose and manifested himself to His people; A sheaf of barley was waved before the Lord in the Temple signifying the very first produce of His Land.
Pentecost : 7 Sabbaths after the FirstFruit sheaf was weaved (or 50 days – hence the term Pente) signifying the beginning of Harvest. Traditionally celebrated by Jews as the day the Law was given to Israel, and by Christians as the beginning of the Church Age when the Holy Spirit was given to us.Feast of Trumpets: Month 7: Days 1 and 2 – This was to be a day of rest, and a memorial. Some commentators have aligned this day with the gathering out of the world of the church. It might be better thought of as signaling the beginning of the end.Day of Atonement: Month 7- Day 10 – A day of affliction. Those not afflicted were to be cut off from the promises of God – we can see shadows of the Great Tribulation of those who will not wear the mark of the Beast here. Those that elect to wear the mark and escape affliction will be cut off... This is the day that marked the High priests annual entering of the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the blood of the atonement on the Mercy seat. Rev 14:14-15:8 should be read to see a parallel here between the offering and service of Christ as High Priest in Heaven, the Heavenly Temple, and the Wrath to be poured out on unbelievers.
Feast of Tabernacles/Ingathering – Month 7, Day 15-22 A feast day and a memorial forever to let Israel know that they spent time in the desert before inheriting the promises. There is a period between our redemption from slavery, and entering into our inheritance that is beautifully shadowed here.

As you can see, the feasts of the Lord help us remember His past works, and foreshadow His Messiah's First and Second Coming, and encourage us every year to remember and look forward to the blessed Hope of His promises. They underline His work of Atonement (Passover), Deliverance (Unleavened Bread), Resurrection (First Fruits), Down-payment on our Inheritance (Pentecost), and our final Reconciliation and Unification with Him (In-gathering). When we see darkness increasing every year they encourage us to look up, for our redemption is drawing near, and we can rejoice even though currently we groan with all creation, waiting for it.
Hallelujah!