Festivals are a rich part of biblical history, with many celebrations mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments. These festivals were designed to honor God, remember His works, and bring people together in faith. Even today, many still find value in these traditions as expressions of worship.
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What Does The Bible Say About Celebrating Festivals
Leviticus 23:1-2
“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: “These are my appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.”“’
In this passage, God establishes the importance of celebrating festivals as a way to honor Him and come together as a community.
These appointed festivals were meant to be observed regularly, serving as a reminder of God’s faithfulness and provision in the lives of His people. They provided an opportunity for worship, reflection, and unity among the Israelites.
Exodus 12:14
“This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance.”
God commands the observance of Passover as a significant festival, to remember the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.
By celebrating this festival, the Israelites were reminded of God’s deliverance, His faithfulness to His promises, and the importance of obedience to His commands. It is a lasting ordinance to be passed down through generations.
Psalm 42:4
“These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.”
The psalmist reflects on the joy and praise experienced while participating in festive assemblies, where God’s presence was sought and worshiped.
Participating in festivals provided an opportunity for believers to pour out their souls, express gratitude, and experience the collective joy and unity that comes from gathering together in God’s house.
Nehemiah 8:9-10
“Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’”
In this passage, Nehemiah emphasizes the celebration during the Festival of Booths and encourages the people to find joy in the Lord’s presence.
Although the Word of God had convicted the people, leading them to tears, Nehemiah reminds them that instead of grieving, they should rejoice and find strength in the joy that comes from being in communion with God.
2 Chronicles 30:21
“The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great rejoicing, while the Levites and priests praised the Lord every day with resounding instruments dedicated to the Lord.”
During the celebration of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Israelites displayed great rejoicing, accompanied by the joyful praise and worship of the Levites and priests.
These festivals provided a time for the entire community to come together, to celebrate and express their gratitude towards God for His faithfulness and provision in their lives.
Psalm 150:4
“Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,”
This verse encourages the use of musical instruments as a means of praising and worshiping God during festivals.
Music plays a significant role in expressing joy and gratitude to God. It enhances the atmosphere of celebration and enables believers to engage both heart and mind in worship during festive gatherings.
1 Kings 9:25
“Three times a year Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord, burning incense before the Lord along with them, and so fulfilled the temple obligations.””
Solomon faithfully celebrated the appointed festivals by offering sacrifices, fulfilling the obligations of worship at the temple.
His actions demonstrated his devotion to God and his commitment to observing the festivals as commanded. Through these offerings, Solomon acknowledged God’s sovereignty and sought to maintain a right relationship with Him.
Zechariah 8:19
“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.’”
Prophecy declares that the fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will be transformed into joyous occasions and festivals filled with gladness.
God’s promise to change these solemn fasts into joyful celebrations highlights His desire for His people to experience His peace and love. It emphasizes that God’s ultimate purpose is to bring happiness and fulfillment to His children.
2 Chronicles 8:13
“as was the requirement for each day. Moses prescribed this for the Sabbaths, the New Moons, and the appointed festivals as written in the Law of the Lord.””
Solomon diligently followed the prescribed requirements for each day, which included observing the Sabbaths, the New Moons, and the appointed festivals, as written in the Law of the Lord.
His commitment to upholding these regulations demonstrated his faithfulness and devotion to God’s commands, ensuring that the festivals were celebrated in accordance with God’s instructions.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-4
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.””
This passage reminds us that there is a time and a season for every activity under heaven, including times of celebration and dancing.
Festivals provide an opportunity for people to come together, rejoice, and experience the different seasons of life. They allow for moments of laughter and dancing, creating lasting memories and building strong bonds within the community.
1 Corinthians 5:8
“Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.””
The apostle Paul encourages believers to keep the Festival, but not with impure motives or actions.
Instead, he emphasizes the importance of celebrating with sincerity and truth. Festivals should be an expression of genuine devotion to God, free from malice, wickedness, and hypocrisy.
Numbers 10:10
“Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts—you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.””
God commands the sounding of trumpets during times of rejoicing, such as appointed festivals and New Moon feasts.
These trumpet blasts were intended to serve as a reminder to the people of God’s presence and faithfulness. They were a proclamation of joy and thanksgiving before Him, acknowledging His sovereign rule over their lives.
Psalm 107:22
“Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy.””
One way to celebrate and honor God during festivals is through sacrificial thank offerings and songs of joy.
These acts demonstrate gratitude for God’s faithfulness and His mighty works in the lives of His people. They remind us to always testify and share the goodness of the Lord with songs of rejoicing and praise.
John 7:37-38
“On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’”
During the Festival of Tabernacles, Jesus offers an invitation to all who are spiritually thirsty to come to Him and find satisfaction.
By believing in Him, they will experience the overflowing presence of the Holy Spirit, which brings life, refreshment, and fulfillment. This invitation extends beyond physical celebrations to the spiritual and eternal reality of being in a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Deuteronomy 16:13-14
“Celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress. Be joyful at your festival—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns.””
God instructs His people to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles, a time of joy and thanksgiving, after the gathering of their harvest.
During this festival, all were welcome to participate, regardless of social status or background. It was a time to include and care for those who were marginalized, emphasizing the importance of community, unity, and compassion within the celebration.
Romans 14:5-6
“One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.””
Paul addresses the diversity of beliefs and practices regarding the observation of certain days or festivals.
He emphasizes that believers should be fully convinced in their own minds, recognizing that observing a specific day or abstaining is a personal expression of worship to the Lord. The key is to act in gratitude, giving thanks to God in all things.
Acts 20:16
“Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.””
The apostle Paul demonstrates his recognition of and desire to celebrate the day of Pentecost, one of the significant festivals of the Jewish tradition.
By actively making plans to arrive in Jerusalem in time for this feast, Paul displays his devotion to honoring and participating in the festivals as an expression of his faith and Jewish heritage.
Isaiah 30:29
“You will sing as on the night you celebrate a holy festival; your hearts will rejoice as when people playing pipes go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the Rock of Israel.””
Isaiah prophesies a future time when God’s people will sing and rejoice in a manner reminiscent of celebrating a holy festival.
This image portrays the joy and exuberance that will manifest in the hearts of believers as they approach the presence of the Lord, acknowledging Him as their Rock and finding true satisfaction in His presence.
2 Chronicles 30:23-26
“The whole assembly then agreed to celebrate the festival seven more days; so for another seven days they celebrated joyfully. Hezekiah king of Judah provided a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep and goats for the assembly, and the officials provided them with a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep and goats. A great number of priests consecrated themselves. The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, along with the priests and Levites and all who had assembled from Israel, including the foreigners who had come from Israel and also those who resided in Judah. There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.””
King Hezekiah and the entire assembly of Judah make a decision to extend the celebration of the Passover for an additional seven days, expressing their overwhelming joy in the goodness of God.
The grand scale of the sacrifices and the active participation of all, including foreigners and residents from Israel, show how festivals can unite people from various walks of life in a shared expression of joy and gratitude towards God.
2 Chronicles 7:8-10
“So Solomon observed the festival at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him—a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath to the Wadi of Egypt. They celebrated it before the Lord our God for seven days and seven days more, fourteen days in all. On the following day he sent the people away. They blessed the king and then went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good things the Lord had done for his servant David and his people Israel.””
Solomon and all Israel gather to observe a festival before the Lord, celebrating for a total of fourteen days.
This extended time of celebration reflects their deep gratitude and joy for the abundant blessings God had bestowed upon them, particularly in the reign of King David. It serves as a powerful example of the exuberance and thankfulness that can accompany the observance of festivals.
Lamentations 5:15
“Joy is gone from our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.””
The writer of Lamentations laments the loss of joy and celebration, highlighting how mourning has replaced dancing in their hearts.
This verse serves as a reminder of the profound impact that the absence of festivals and celebrations can have on the spiritual and emotional well-being of a community. It underscores the significance of festivals in fostering joy and unity among people.
Exodus 23:16
“Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field.””
God commands His people to celebrate the Festival of Harvest, offering the firstfruits as an act of worship and thanksgiving.
This festival not only acknowledges God’s provision and blessing upon the land and its crops but also encourages the people to recognize and honor Him as the source of all abundance and prosperity.
Deuteronomy 16:11
“And rejoice before the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, the Levites in your towns, and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows living among you.””
God instructs His people to rejoice before Him during the festivals, including participants from every segment of society.
Festivals were meant to be inclusive, drawing together people from different backgrounds, regardless of their social status. They were times of celebration and unity, where everyone could experience the joy and love of God.
Psalm 150:1-2
“Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.””
The psalmist encourages the worship and praise of God in His sanctuary and throughout all creation.
Festivals are an opportune time to exalt and glorify God for His mighty acts and greatness, expressing deep gratitude and adoration for all He has done. They provide a focused setting for concentrated worship and praise that magnifies the name of the Lord.
These Bible verses highlight the significance of celebrating festivals in the lives of believers. Festivals serve as occasions to honor God, express gratitude, and experience unity within the community of faith. They are reminders of God’s faithfulness, provision, and faithfulness throughout history. Festivals create an atmosphere of joy, celebration, and devotion, allowing believers to pour out their souls and experience the presence of God in a unique way. These festive gatherings often involve sacrifices, music, and acts of worship that engage the heart, mind, and body. As followers of Christ, we can still find relevance in the observance of festivals by reflecting on their spiritual significance and finding ways to joyfully and sincerely express our gratitude and praise to the Lord.