LE MOYEN D’ACCES A LA VRIE JOIE
Nombres 29 :1,2,7,12-16,32-39
Avant d’aborder notre message de ce matin concernant la fête des Juifs, je pense qu’il est judicieux de vous raconter une épisode supplémentaire de la comparaison, qui était le sujet du message dernier. Pourquoi supplémentaire ? Parce qu’à mon avis, j’ai allégué un nombre d’exemple de la comparaison, économique, sociale et religieuse et biblique aussi. Cette semaine, je suis amené, en préparant le message du pain quotidien, à faire une comparaison de 2 récits très similaires. Comme elle me paraît utile, je me permets de vous réitérer cette comparaison, bien qu’elle soit déjà présenté le vendredi dernier. L’un d’eux est celui de la guérison du fils de l’officier royal et l’autre celui de la guérison de la fille de Jaïrus.Par rapport à l’apparente opposition de Jésus à la requête de l’officier royal, Jésus se laissa aller selon la requête de Jaïrus. La spontanéité de Jésus vient trois facteurs propre au cas de Jaïrus, ce qui nous révèle aussi le secret de l’exaucement rapide du Seigneur envers nos prières. D’abord, la foule environnante. Elle se rapport à la communauté chrétienne. Cette foule qui environnait Jaïrus était différemment de celle de l’officier, désireuse des miracles. Elle cherchait la vérité. Ensuite, l’humilité de l’intéressé, jusqu’à se jeter aux pieds du Seigneur. Enfin, quelque connaissance théologique, car Jaïrus mentionnait l’imposition des mains. Alors qu’est-ce que l’imposition des mains ? Jésus vit que Jaïrus comprend le vrai sens de l’imposition et fut content. Il peut s’agir de la saint doctrine, qui nous facilite l’accès à Dieu. Ainsi, la comparaison est très utile, car elle nous fait comprendre quelle est notre cause pour laquelle Dieu garde le silence ou l’opposition à nos requêtes. En résumé, si nous venons devant lui avec la recherche pure de la vérité, l’humilité et la sainte doctrine, Dieu exaucera nos prières pour ce pays, si humaniste et déchristianisé soit-il, que de nombreux étudiants soient sauvés comme la fille de Jaïrus.
Maintenant, enterons dans le sermon. J’ai choisi pour ce matin Nombre chapitre 29.La parole de l’église de CCU cette semaine était Jean 5 concernant la guérison de l’infirme de Bethesda. Parmi tant de leçon importante, une chose que j’ai pu retenir était qu’en finissant la leçon, faute de remerciement, l’infirme guéri devint un agent de diable pour dénoncer Jésus auprès des leaders religieux. Mais en commençant la leçon, il est dit qu’après cela, il y eut une fête des Juifs et Jésus monta à Jérusalem. Jean ne précisa pas quelle fête il s’agissait, mais à cette occasion il nous paraît judicieux d’étudier une fête des Juifs appelé fête des huttes. En effet, cette fête, nous le verrons, se rapporte en particulier au remerciement.
Si nous étudions l’histoire des Juifs, nous nous apercevons que Dieu avait instauré beaucoup de fêtes pour son peuple élu d’Israël. Pour l’homme en général, il faut des fêtes, car sinon quelle monotonie aura la vie ! Pendant ces fêtes, on danse et on chante, soit en famille, soit en communauté, puis on oublie la dureté de la vie. La fête a aussi un sens de souvenir, c’est-à-dire qu’on se souvient des bienfaits de Dieu. Ce sens était particulièrement grand pour le peuple d’Israël, car son histoire avait été parsemée des merveilles de Dieu. Or, ce sens est d’autant plus important qu’en se souvenant des merveilles de Dieu, l’homme est amené à reconnaître sa misère et sa petitesse et adorer Dieu de tout cœur humblement.
En résumé, on peut dire que la fête est une combinaison de l’oubli et le souvenir. Si on voit le calendrier des Juifs, nous trouvons une chose très particulière, c’est qu’il est un double calendrier. Un calendrier appelé religieux commence au printemps entre mars et avril selon notre calendrier julien. C’est le mois de Nissan, celui de la Pâque. C’est aussi le mois de la délivrance des Juifs de la captivité en Babylone. Or, à part ce calendrier, il y a un autre calendrier appelé civil qui commence l’automne entre le septembre et l’octobre selon notre calendrier. C’est la période de la récolte.
Cette semaine, j’ai vu la télévision qui a raporté la grande fête du nouvel an chinois.Donc, pour les chinois, et un peu pour les Coréens aussi qui vivent en France passent deux nouveaux ans. Pour le français mariés, il y a le mariage civil et il y a le mariage religieux. En tout cas, pour les Juifs, il y a deux calendriers religieux et civil. Le chapitre 29 du Nombre nous raconte du calendrier religieux dans le quel on raconte du 6e mois. Mais selon le calendrier civile, c’était le premier mois qui tombe en automne. C’était le temps de moisson.
Selon les savants bibliques, ce calendrier a été désigné par Dieu depuis la création du monde où dans le paradis il y avait une telle abondance comme l’automne de notre monde. Mais quand il y avait l’événement de l’exode, Dieu ordonna à Moïse de désigner le mois de cet événement, c’est-à-dire la Pâque, comme le premier mois du calendrier, appelé Tishurei. Mais les Juifs continuaient de garder le calendrier civil selon lequel le mois d’automne était toujours le premier mois. Il est très intéressant de voir que ces 2 calendriers ont l’intervalle de 6 mois exactement, ce qui nous fait voir la bienveillance de Dieu envers Israël, afin qu’en fêtant ainsi les fêtes, Israël puisse être régulièrement encouragé et fortifié.
En effet, au plan religieux des Juifs, il y avait 3 fêtes principales dont les noms sont Pâque, Pentecôte, fête des Huttes. La 2e est appelé aussi fête des semaines, car on compte 7 semaines après la Pâque. C’est la date de la traversée de la mer rouge du peuple.
La fête des huttes est célébré donc le 1er mois du calendrier civil, plus précisément le 3e semaine de ce mois. Mais la festivité commence déjà par une date spéciale du 1er jour de ce mois, comme nous le voyons dans le 1er verset de ce chapitre. Il s’agit de la fête de la clameur. C’est-à-dire qu’à ce jour, on sonnait de la trompette. La trompette signale le commencement du Nouvel An.
A l’heure actuelle pour le christianisme, comme Jésus Christ a remplacé toutes les formalités de l’offrande, nous n’aurons pas besoin de les prendre mot à mot, mais il nous suffit de chercher et saisir l’esprit de Dieu qui réside dans ces formalités. Donc la fête de la clameur ou de trompette a un sens important, dans la mesure où elle signale le commencement de l’année.
Le Dieu créateur a fait dicter son serviteur Moïse afin qu’il arrive sa volonté qui est de marquer le temps, c’est-à-dire l’année, le mois et le jour, en créant les étoiles, le grande et la petite. Depuis sa création, le temps, l’année, le mois et le jour se succédaient. Surtout, pour Dieu, l’année était particulièrement importante, comme étant un grand outil de l’enregistrement de l’histoire. De la même manière, elle est important pour la vie de quelqu’un. Pour les hommes qui sont les mortels qui se tendent vers la mort, le changement de l’année prend une importance primordiale. C’est pourquoi à chaque début d’année, on se salut, « Bonne année », « bonne santé », « mes meilleurs vœux ». Quoi que l’année passé, il y a beaucoup d’événements tristes, l’homme a ce droit d’espérer une nouvelle chose qui sera meilleure. La clameur du peuple et la sonnerie de trompette représente donc un nouveau commencement.
Avançons notre étude sur cette fête des huttes. A vrai dire la fête des huttes, débute le 3e semaine de ce premier mois. Mais la festivité commence déjà dès le 1e jour du mois, par cette fête de clameur ou de trompette. Donc cette fête est un signal de la période de préparation de la fête des huttes pendant 2 semaines.
Or, si la trompette est le signal du commencement, il se réfère aussi à la fin. Il est bien évident que s’il y a le commencement, il y a toujours la fin. Ainsi, dans le livre de Nombres, après avoir rangé les tribus selon l’ordre, autour du Tabernacle, on sonnait de la trompette, et les tribus firent le départ. Mais en partant ainsi dans l’ordre de Dieu, chaque tribu sut qu’il y aura la fin de sa marche et là encore on devrait dresser leur tente. Quand les Israélites entendirent le son de trompette à ce début de l’année, ils surent que leur course de la foi eut débuté, mais il surent aussi qu’il y aurait une date où il devrait finir la course de l’année, et il devrait rendre compte à Dieu au sujet de leur course. Ainsi quand Jésus a rendu visite dans notre vie, c’eut été semblable à ce joyeux début de l’année où la trompette se fit entendre.Mais il y aura la fin de cette vie où la nouvelle trompette sonnera, cette fois celui du ciel se fera retentir. A ce moment, nous seront élevés et entrerons dans le royaume de Dieu, escorté par les anges du ciel. Alléluia !
Pendant 2 semaines préparatrices de la fête des huttes, nous pouvons remarquer une division intéressante de la période. Or, il y a une date marquante appelé la fête de l’humiliation de l’âme. Il s’agit de 10e jour du 1er mois du calendrier civil. Le verset 7 du chapitre dit donc, « le 10 de ce septième mois, vous aurez une sainte convocation et vous humiliez vos âmes ; vous ne ferez aucun ouvrage. » Puis Moïse dit qu’on sacrifierait de nouveau les mêmes holocaustes qu’on avait offertes le 1er jour lors de la fête de clameur ou de trompette. Donc entre ces 2 saintes convocations, il y a cette intervalle de 10 jours, après quoi il reste 4 jours à s’écouler avant que la fête des huttes ne commence. Pourquoi ces 10 jours, au lieu de 7 jours qui sont plus usuels pour Dieu ?
Chacun est conscient qu’on ne peut faire un nouveau départ si facilement. Beaucoup de gens font un nouveau départ vigoureusement avec beaucoup de vœux, mais sans trop tarder, ils s’aperçoivent que la nouvelle année est la même chose que celle du passé. Les Coréens disent que la décision qu’on prend le cœur ne dure que 3 jours. Comment oubliant ce qui est de derrière, pouvons-nous tendre vers l’avant, c’est-à-dire faire le nouveau départ significatif ?
Dieu prépare une grande fête des huttes pendant laquelle chacun se réjouit de la bienveillance que Dieu avait montré pendant leur errance dans le désert. Si on voit l’autre partie de la Bible, c’est le moment le plus abondant, car à cette époque Israël entra en Canaan et là il jouissait la toute abondance, la maison, le champs, les fruits, la moissons pour lesquels lui-même n’avait rien fait. Donc, Israël se réjouira pleinement de la bénédiction, dans sa pleine reconnaissance envers Dieu qui l’avait promis. Mais avant que ce peuple d’Israël se réjouisse dans le souvenir de la grâce de Dieu, Dieu voulut préparer le cœur du peuple, ce qui justifie ces 2 semaines préparatrices pendant lesquelles il y a cette fête d’humiliation de l’âme le 10e jour.
Pendant ces 10 premiers jours, Israël s’était consacré à la réconciliation avec les voisins, alors toutes les relations humaines purent être normalisées, après quoi les 10e jour chacun vient devant Dieu pour se lamenter de ses péchés devant lui. Cette date a été particulièrement consacrée à la réconciliation de chacun avec Dieu. Et on pleurait beaucoup devant Dieu à cause du péché commis pendant l’année passée.Cette période de 2 semaine composée de 10 jours entre les hommes et 4 jours face à face avec Dieu est celle de préparation du nouveau départ de l’année qui s’accomplit par la fête des huttes pleine reconnaissance et de bénédiction.
La 1e période de 10 jours nous attire attention particulière, car la réconciliation avec les voisins est la condition primordiale du nouveau départ. En voyant changer l’année, chacun, désirant avoir un nouveau départ, se met à faire plusieurs gestes. Il aurait pu avoir souffert beaucoup à cause de la relation brisé avec les voisins et il s’apprête à se donner la peine soit de dire pardon ou de pardonner volontiers aux autres qui se disent fautifs, car chacun sait que continuer l’année avec la relation brisée est pénible. Donc, on tend une main de paix et de réconciliation vers les autres. A ce moment, il sera sage pour quiconque d’accepter la main tendu pour la paix ; alors Dieu le bénira ; Dieu bénira tous.
Dieu sait que cette œuvre réconciliation est une œuvre difficile à laquelle donc il attribue 10 jours, après quoi l’homme aura 4 jours seulement pour être pardonné par Dieu pour ses propres péchés. Pour ces 10 jours, Dieu lui-même travaille afin que les mains des hommes se tendent les uns vers les autres, afin qu’il n’y ait pas de hiatus entre eux, et que ses hommes jouissent vraiment de bonheur préparé par lui pour la fête des huttes. Si on voit les 10 commandement, nous constatons que parmi ces 10, il n’y a qu’un ou à peine deux qui sont promulgés pour l’intérête de Dieu lui-même, et le reste est tout pour l’intérêt des homems. Par exemple ceux qui disent, « ne travaillez pas le jour de sabbat, honorez vos parents, ne commettez pas de vol etc. » ne sont pas dit pour Dieu lui-même, mais pour l’intérêt de.
Dieu veut que les hommes se réconcilient les uns avec les autres, que ce soit dans la famille, dans la communauté ou dans la société avant qu’ils viennent confesser ses péchés devant lui. Même si ce dernier acte même n’est pas pour Dieu. Donc, tout est pour l’homme, pour nous. Nous sommes invités à réconcilier avec les autre en renonçant à nous-mêmes ete acceptant le geste de la paix des autres que Dieu envoie pour nouer la relation mutuelle.
Maintenant, réfléchissons sur la fête des huttes. Comme nous l’avons déjà vu, cette fête a le double but qui est d’une part de remercier Dieu qui avait protéger son peuple pendant l’errance de celui-ci dans le désert et d’autre part de remercier Dieu qui avait donné une si abondante bénédiction dans la terre promise. Nous constatons que l’offrande de cette période est plus abondante que les jours précédents. Or, si on voit les offrandes selon jour, car il y a 7 jours de fête, nous voyons qu’on commence par l’abondance d’offrande, mais qu’on finit par une offrande moins abondante. Ainsi, on commence par 13 taureaux le premier jour et on diminue d’1 taureau par jour, afin qu’on arrive à 7 taureau le dernier jour. Puis chaque jour, à la fin, Dieu demande de faire l’offrande de bouc pour le péché. Cela nous rappelle Job qui avait faire l’offrande chaque fois que ses enfants firent la fête, de peur qu’ils commettent le péché à leur insu. Puis le lendemain de la fête des huttes, on retourne à la même offrande que la fête de clameur et la fête de l’humiliation de l’âme : un taureau, un bélier et 7 agneaux. C’est la finalé de cette période de festivité qui durait 3 semaines.
En général, si une fête dure plusieurs jours, le dernier jour est le pic de la festivité. Mais cette fois-ci, Dieu ordonne de consommer la plus grande quantité de taureaux au début. L’homme a la tendance d’épargner, non seulement pour son propre compte, mais aussi pour le compte de Dieu. Mais cet esprit d’épargne, justifiable au plan personnel, ne peut être justifié dans le service de Dieu. Surtout, quand on apport l’offrande de reconnaissance, il faut consommer à profusion dès le début.
Quand Salomon inaugure le temple, son offrande était gigantesque : 22000 têtes de gros bétail et 120000 de petit bétail. Il consacre le milieu de parvis pour les holocaustes et les offrandes et les graisses de sacrifices, car l’autel du bronze était trop exiguë pour contenir tout cela. Puis, l’offrande était tellement nombreuse, que Salomon promulgua la prolongation de la fête de 7 jours en 14 jours. Le bon commencement de l’année garantit le déroulement heureux de toute l’année. De même, le bon début abondant pour Dieu garantit le plaisir ou la satisfaction de cœur de Dieu qui est souvent exprimé en ces mots : c’est d’une agréable odeur à l’Eternel.
Mais ce geste ne doit pas être venu de l’habitude ou de formalisme ou le fanfaronnade. Quand nous avons le cœur profondément reconnaissant, nous pouvons apporter vraiment nos offrandes abondantes.
Si nous tournons nos regards autour de nous, nous ne pouvons trouvons que les sujets pour lesquels nous devons remercier Dieu. Cependant nous passons nos temps en ignorant trop souvent ces sujets de remerciement. Nos cœurs sont trop souvent dominés par la plainte et la rancune. Il y a une épisode de Hellen Keller, aveugle de naissance. Vers la fin de sa vie, elle a écrit un essai appelé « Three days to see » (trois jours pour voir). Un jour, écrit-il, elle questionna une de ses amies qui fut retourné d’une longue promenade dans le bois, ce qu’elle avait observé. Cette amie lui répondit, « Rien de particulier ». La réponse de Helle Keller étonnée vaut une citation, car, écoutez-le, elle est si belle et impressionnante, « Comment est-il possible, je me suis demandé, de marcher pendant une heure dans le bois et voir rien qui vaut la note ? Moi qui ne vois pas trouve de centaines de choses à m’intéresser au travers le simple toucher. Je sens la symétrie d’une feuille. Je passe mes mains tendrement autour de la peau d’un bouleau, ou l’écorce rêche et noueuse d’un pin.Au printemps je touche les branches des arbres dans l'espoir d'un trouvaille d'un bourgeons, le premier signe de la Nature qui se réveille après le sommeil de l’hiver. Parfois, si je suis chanceuse, je place ma main gentiment sur un petit arbre et sent le heureux frémissement d’un oiseau dans sa pleine chanson. » Helen Keller demandait, dit-il, d’autres jours, aux maris, quelle est la couleur des yeux de leur femme et souvent ils exprimèrent l’embarras mêlé de confusion et admirent qu’ils ne le savait pas.Madame Keller dit que seul le sourd apprécie l’ouïr et que seul l’aveugle apprécie les bénédictions multiples qui sont liées à la vue. C’est une vieille histoire déjà vu de dire qu’on ne sera pas reconnaissant à ce que nous avons jusqu’à ce que nous le perdions, et que nous ne sommes pas conscients de la santé jusqu’à ce que nous tombions malades.
En conclusion, la fête des huttes était pour les Juifs une grande fêtes à la fois commémorative de l’événement du passé de l’exode et reconnaissante de l’abondance actuelle accordée par Dieu. Mais comme Helen Keller nous a dit, combien il est difficile de remercie de ce dont nous jouissons en ce moment. Au chevet de la mort peut-être que nous auront assez de reconnaissance de ce que Dieu nous a fait. Mais nous n’avons pas à attendre notre dernier moment du souffle pour être reconnaissant. Dieu a préparé la fête de la joie dans les huttes et invite chacun de nous à partager cette joie. Les gens s’étaient efforcés de réconcilier avec leurs voisins depuis que la tromette avait sonné. Puis ils s’humiliaient leur âme profondément devant Dieu en confessant leurs péchés. Alors, Dieu invite les gens à sortir de leur maison et habiter dans les huttes même cela leur donne quelque incomfort, et ce pendant 7 jours. Mais là, ils trouverons ce qu’ils avaient longtemps ignoré ; les étoiles parsemés dans le ciel, le chant joyeux des oiseaux et le bourdonnement des insectes. La joie que le monde avec tous ses expédients nous propose est si éphémère qu’au bout de quelques heures seulement notre cœur devient sec et aride. Néhémie a dit : la joie de l’Eternel est notre force. Il faut retourner à Dieu pour être ressourcé de sa joie. Ne voulez-vous pas avec moi partir explorer cette immense réservoir de la plaine de joie, cette année, en participant au culte matinale Je vous garantit qu’au lieu d’avoir les yeux troubles sans force dans ce monde illusoire et virtuel, Dieu vous donnera les yeux brillants des hommes de missions. Autrement dit, il y a devant vous les bénédictions et les malédictions. Si vous désobéissez aux commendement de Dieu, vous périrez. Cela ne signifie pas que vous mourrez demain. Mais vous serez privés de la joie que Dieu vous a préparée. Si j’emploie encore une fois l’allégorie d’à tout à l’heure, si quelqu’un refuse la main tendue de la paix, il ne pourra espérer la paix de son âme. Joignons main à main et avançons ensemble afin que l’œuvre rédemptrice de Dieu puisse puissamment arriver dans ce pays humaniste et idolâtre. Que Dieu vous bénisse chacun cette année comme bon soldat du Christ cette année.
THE MEAN OF ACCESS TO A REAL JOY
Number 29 ;1,2,7,12-16,32-39
Before tackling our message this morning on the feast of the Jews, I think it's judicious to tell you one supplementary episode of the comparison, which was the subject of the last message. Why supplementary? Because I think I argued a number of example of the comparison, economic, social and religious and biblical too. This week I am led, by preparing the message of daily bread, to make a comparison of two very similar stories. As it seems useful, let me reiterate to you that comparison, although it is already presented on Friday. One of them is the healing of the son of the royal officer and the other the healing of the daughter of Jaïrus. In comparison with the apparent opposition of Jesus at the request of the royal official, it seems that Jesus gave himself up to the request of Jairus. This spontaneity of Jesus comes from three specific factors of the case of Jairus, which also reveals the secret of a rapid response of Lord to our prayers. First, the surrounding crowd. It is like the Christian community. The crowd which surrounded Jairus was different from that of the officer, eager for the miracles. They sought the truth. Then, the humility of the person, to throw himself at the feet of the Lord. Finally, some theological knowledge as Jairus mentioned the imposition of hands. So what does the imposition of hands? Jesus saw that Jairus understands the true meaning of the imposition and was happy. It may be the holy doctrine, which affords us access to God. Thus, the comparison is very useful because it makes us understand what is our cause for which God is silent or opposed to our requests. In summary, if you belong to a good church and that you respect the direction of your pastor humbly and that you learn the good doctrine teached by church, if you don’t have a major accident, normally, your prayers are heard.
Now let’s go into the sermon. I chose for this morning Number chapter 29 as word. The word of the UCC (university christian community) church this week was John 5 on the healing of the cripple at Bethesda. Among many important lessons, one thing I could learn was that by ending the lesson, for the lack of thanksgiving, the invalid, after being healed, became an agent of the devil to denounce Jesus to the religious leaders. But by starting the lesson, it is said that after this there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went to Jerusalem. John did not say what feast it was, but on this occasion it seems judicious to study a Jewish festival called the Feast of the huts. Indeed, this feast, we shall see, relates in particular to thanksgiving.
If we study the history of the Jews, we see that God had instituted many feasts for his chosen people of Israel. For humans in general, there must be the feasts, because otherwise how will be the monotony of life! During these festivals, they dance and sing, in family, or in community, then we forget the harshness of life. It’s a little like the danse of « Sir Roger de Coverly » that danced Mr. Fezziwig, ancien boss of Scrooge with his wife in the roman of Chales Dickens « Chrismas Carol ». The festival also has a sense of remembrance, that is to say we remember the blessings of God. This sense was particularly great for the people of Israel, because its history was strewn with the wonders of God. However, this effect is all the more important as in remembering the wonders of God, man is led to recognize his misery and his smallness and worship God with all his heart humbly.
In summary, we can say that the feast is a combination – it’s a little paradoxal - of forgetfulness and remembrace. If we see the Jewish calendar, we find something very special i.e. it is a dual calendar. A calendar called religious begins in spring between March and April, according to our Julian calendar. This is the month of Nissan, the month of the Passover. It is also the month of issue of the Jews from captivity in Babylon. However, apart from this calendar, there is another called civil calendar that begins in the fall between September and October for our julien calendar. This is the time of harvest.
This week I saw on television that reported the celebration of chinese New Year. So for Chinese, and a little for Koreans who live in France spend two new years. For French married, there is civil marriage and religious marriage. Anyway, for Jews, there are two calendars religious and civil. Chapter 29 of Numbers tells us the religious calendar in which one talks about the 6th month. But according to the civil calendar that was the first month which falls in autumn. It was time to harvest.
According to biblical scholars, this calendar has been designated by God since the creation of the world when in the paradise there was such abundance as the autumn of our world. But when there was the event of the Exodus, God commanded Moses to designate the month of this event i.e. the Passover as the first month of calendar, called Tishurei. But the Jews continued to keep the calendar in which fall was always the first month. It is very interesting that these two calendars have the interval of 6 months exactly, which makes us see God's kindness to Israel, so that in celebrating the feasts together, Israel can be regularly encouraged and strengthened.
Indeed, on the religious plan of Jews, there were 3 main feasts whose names are Passover, Pentecost, Feast of Huts. The second is also called Feast of Weeks, because there are seven weeks after Passover. This is the date of crossing the red sea of people.
The feast of Huts is celebrated so in the first month of civil calandar Tacherei, specifically the third week of this month. But the celebration has already begun by a special date of the first day of this month, as we see in the first verse of this chapter. This is the feast of trompettes. That is to say that at this day, they sounded the horn. The horn signals the beginning of New Year.
Currently for Christianity, as Jesus Christ has replaced all the formalities of the offering, we will not need to take them word by word, but in my opinion, we need to seek and capture the spirit of God that resides in these procedures. So the feast of trompette has an important sense, insofar as it signals the beginning of the year.
God the creator dictated his servant Moses so that happen his will that is to mark the time, that is to say, year, month and day, by creating stars, big and small. Since their creation, time, year, month and day followed one aftre another. Above all, to God, the year was particularly important as a great tool for recording history. Similarly, it is important to someone's life. For men who are mortals who tend toward death, the change of the year is of paramount importance. Therefore at the beginning of each year we greet saying, "Happy new Year", "have a good health", "best wishes". Whatever was the past year, and even though there were many sad events, the man has the right to expect something new that will be better. The clamor of the people and ringing trompettes represent a new beginning.
Let us advance our study on this feast of huts. Actually the feast of huts, starts at the third week of this first month. But the celebration begins as early as the first day of the month, the feast of trompettes. So this feast is a signal of the period of preparation for the feast of huts for 2 weeks.
However, if the trompette is the signal of the beginning, it also refers to the end. It is obvious that if there is the beginning, there is always the end. Thus, in the book of Numbers, having arranged the tribes in the order, around the Tabernacle, they sounded the trompette, and the tribes made the start. But starting well in the order of God, each tribe knew that there will be the end of their walk and again they should pitch a tent. When the Israelites heard the sound of horn at the beginning of the year, they knew that their journey of faith had started but they also knew that there would be a date when they should finish the race of the year, and they should report to God about their race. So when Jesus visited in our lives, it would have been similar to this joyous beginning of the year when the trompette was ringing. But there will be the end of life when the trompette will sound again, this time that of the sky will sound. At this time, we will be high and will enter the kingdom of God, escorted by the angels of heaven. Hallelujah!
In 2 weeks’ preparation for the feast of the huts, we can notice an interesting division of the period. However, there is a milestone called the Feast of the humiliation of the soul.This is the 10th day of the first calendar month. Verse 7 of chapter therefore said, "the 10th of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation, and you humble your souls and do no work. » Then Moses said that again they would offer the same sacrifice than burnt offerings of the 1st day on the feast of trompettes. So between these 2 holy convocations, there is this interval of 10 days, after which they are then expected to take four supplementary days before the feast of huts begins. Why these 10 days would be instead of 7 days which are more usual for God?
Everyone knows you can not make a new start so easily. Many people make a fresh start vigorously with many wishes, but very quickly, they realize that the new year is the same as that of the past. Among Koreans’ expression, there is this saying : the resolution of three days. How forgetting what is behind, can we move towards the front, that is to say, make significant and durable new beginning?
God prepared a great feast of huts in which everyone is pleased with the kindness that God had shown during their wanderings in the desert. If we see another part of the Bible, it's time of the greatest abundance, because at that time Israel entered Canaan and there they enjoyed the very abundance, home, fields, fruits, crops for which they themselves had done nothing. So Israel will rejoice full of blessing, in their full gratitude to God who had promised this land. But before the people of Israel rejoice in the remembrance of the grace of God, God would prepare the heart of the people, what justifies these preparative of two weeks before, during which we find the feast of humiliation of the soul on the 10th day .
During these first 10 days, Israel had been devoted to reconciliate with neighbors, then all human relations could be normalized, after which the 10th day everyone comes before God to mourn for his sins before him. This date was especially devoted to the reconciliation of everyone with God. And they cried a lot before God because of sins committed during the last year. This period of two weeks consisting of 10 days between men and 4 days face to face with God is that of preparing the new start of the year, and it is the secret of the new beginning significant and durable.
Here, the first 10 days attracts our attention, because reconciliation with neighbors is the prerequisite for the new beginning. Seeing change the year, each wishing to have a fresh start, began to do several gestures. He could have suffered greatly because of the broken relationship with neighbors and he is about to go to a lot of trouble to tell whether pardon or to forgive willingly to others who say they are at fault, because everyone knows that to continue this year with broken relationship is painful. So, he extends a hand of peace and reconciliation to others. At this moment, it would be wise for everyone not to refuse the hand outstretched for peace, then, God bless him ; In fact, God bless all persons.
God knows that reconciliation work is a difficult work to which he therefore allocates 10 days, after which the man will have four days only to be forgiven by God for his own sins. For these 10 days, God himself is working so that human hands are stretched towards each other, so that there be no trouble between them and that each of his community can enter the joy of the feast of huts prepared by God.
Now let’s go into the sermon. I chose for this morning Number chapter 29 as word. The word of the UCC (university christian community) church this week was John 5 on the healing of the cripple at Bethesda. Among many important lessons, one thing I could learn was that by ending the lesson, for the lack of thanksgiving, the invalid, after being healed, became an agent of the devil to denounce Jesus to the religious leaders. But by starting the lesson, it is said that after this there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went to Jerusalem. John did not say what feast it was, but on this occasion it seems judicious to study a Jewish festival called the Feast of the huts. Indeed, this feast, we shall see, relates in particular to thanksgiving.
If we study the history of the Jews, we see that God had instituted many feasts for his chosen people of Israel. For humans in general, there must be the feasts, because otherwise how will be the monotony of life! During these festivals, they dance and sing, in family, or in community, then we forget the harshness of life. It’s a little like the danse of « Sir Roger de Coverly » that danced Mr. Fezziwig, ancien boss of Scrooge with his wife in the roman of Chales Dickens « Chrismas Carol ». The festival also has a sense of remembrance, that is to say we remember the blessings of God. This sense was particularly great for the people of Israel, because its history was strewn with the wonders of God. However, this effect is all the more important as in remembering the wonders of God, man is led to recognize his misery and his smallness and worship God with all his heart humbly.
In summary, we can say that the feast is a combination – it’s a little paradoxal - of forgetfulness and remembrace. If we see the Jewish calendar, we find something very special i.e. it is a dual calendar. A calendar called religious begins in spring between March and April, according to our Julian calendar. This is the month of Nissan, the month of the Passover. It is also the month of issue of the Jews from captivity in Babylon. However, apart from this calendar, there is another called civil calendar that begins in the fall between September and October for our julien calendar. This is the time of harvest.
This week I saw on television that reported the celebration of chinese New Year. So for Chinese, and a little for Koreans who live in France spend two new years. For French married, there is civil marriage and religious marriage. Anyway, for Jews, there are two calendars religious and civil. Chapter 29 of Numbers tells us the religious calendar in which one talks about the 6th month. But according to the civil calendar that was the first month which falls in autumn. It was time to harvest.
According to biblical scholars, this calendar has been designated by God since the creation of the world when in the paradise there was such abundance as the autumn of our world. But when there was the event of the Exodus, God commanded Moses to designate the month of this event i.e. the Passover as the first month of calendar, called Tishurei. But the Jews continued to keep the calendar in which fall was always the first month. It is very interesting that these two calendars have the interval of 6 months exactly, which makes us see God's kindness to Israel, so that in celebrating the feasts together, Israel can be regularly encouraged and strengthened.
Indeed, on the religious plan of Jews, there were 3 main feasts whose names are Passover, Pentecost, Feast of Huts. The second is also called Feast of Weeks, because there are seven weeks after Passover. This is the date of crossing the red sea of people.
The feast of Huts is celebrated so in the first month of civil calandar Tacherei, specifically the third week of this month. But the celebration has already begun by a special date of the first day of this month, as we see in the first verse of this chapter. This is the feast of trompettes. That is to say that at this day, they sounded the horn. The horn signals the beginning of New Year.
Currently for Christianity, as Jesus Christ has replaced all the formalities of the offering, we will not need to take them word by word, but in my opinion, we need to seek and capture the spirit of God that resides in these procedures. So the feast of trompette has an important sense, insofar as it signals the beginning of the year.
God the creator dictated his servant Moses so that happen his will that is to mark the time, that is to say, year, month and day, by creating stars, big and small. Since their creation, time, year, month and day followed one aftre another. Above all, to God, the year was particularly important as a great tool for recording history. Similarly, it is important to someone's life. For men who are mortals who tend toward death, the change of the year is of paramount importance. Therefore at the beginning of each year we greet saying, "Happy new Year", "have a good health", "best wishes". Whatever was the past year, and even though there were many sad events, the man has the right to expect something new that will be better. The clamor of the people and ringing trompettes represent a new beginning.
Let us advance our study on this feast of huts. Actually the feast of huts, starts at the third week of this first month. But the celebration begins as early as the first day of the month, the feast of trompettes. So this feast is a signal of the period of preparation for the feast of huts for 2 weeks.
However, if the trompette is the signal of the beginning, it also refers to the end. It is obvious that if there is the beginning, there is always the end. Thus, in the book of Numbers, having arranged the tribes in the order, around the Tabernacle, they sounded the trompette, and the tribes made the start. But starting well in the order of God, each tribe knew that there will be the end of their walk and again they should pitch a tent. When the Israelites heard the sound of horn at the beginning of the year, they knew that their journey of faith had started but they also knew that there would be a date when they should finish the race of the year, and they should report to God about their race. So when Jesus visited in our lives, it would have been similar to this joyous beginning of the year when the trompette was ringing. But there will be the end of life when the trompette will sound again, this time that of the sky will sound. At this time, we will be high and will enter the kingdom of God, escorted by the angels of heaven. Hallelujah!
In 2 weeks’ preparation for the feast of the huts, we can notice an interesting division of the period. However, there is a milestone called the Feast of the humiliation of the soul.This is the 10th day of the first calendar month. Verse 7 of chapter therefore said, "the 10th of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation, and you humble your souls and do no work. » Then Moses said that again they would offer the same sacrifice than burnt offerings of the 1st day on the feast of trompettes. So between these 2 holy convocations, there is this interval of 10 days, after which they are then expected to take four supplementary days before the feast of huts begins. Why these 10 days would be instead of 7 days which are more usual for God?
Everyone knows you can not make a new start so easily. Many people make a fresh start vigorously with many wishes, but very quickly, they realize that the new year is the same as that of the past. Among Koreans’ expression, there is this saying : the resolution of three days. How forgetting what is behind, can we move towards the front, that is to say, make significant and durable new beginning?
God prepared a great feast of huts in which everyone is pleased with the kindness that God had shown during their wanderings in the desert. If we see another part of the Bible, it's time of the greatest abundance, because at that time Israel entered Canaan and there they enjoyed the very abundance, home, fields, fruits, crops for which they themselves had done nothing. So Israel will rejoice full of blessing, in their full gratitude to God who had promised this land. But before the people of Israel rejoice in the remembrance of the grace of God, God would prepare the heart of the people, what justifies these preparative of two weeks before, during which we find the feast of humiliation of the soul on the 10th day .
During these first 10 days, Israel had been devoted to reconciliate with neighbors, then all human relations could be normalized, after which the 10th day everyone comes before God to mourn for his sins before him. This date was especially devoted to the reconciliation of everyone with God. And they cried a lot before God because of sins committed during the last year. This period of two weeks consisting of 10 days between men and 4 days face to face with God is that of preparing the new start of the year, and it is the secret of the new beginning significant and durable.
Here, the first 10 days attracts our attention, because reconciliation with neighbors is the prerequisite for the new beginning. Seeing change the year, each wishing to have a fresh start, began to do several gestures. He could have suffered greatly because of the broken relationship with neighbors and he is about to go to a lot of trouble to tell whether pardon or to forgive willingly to others who say they are at fault, because everyone knows that to continue this year with broken relationship is painful. So, he extends a hand of peace and reconciliation to others. At this moment, it would be wise for everyone not to refuse the hand outstretched for peace, then, God bless him ; In fact, God bless all persons.
God knows that reconciliation work is a difficult work to which he therefore allocates 10 days, after which the man will have four days only to be forgiven by God for his own sins. For these 10 days, God himself is working so that human hands are stretched towards each other, so that there be no trouble between them and that each of his community can enter the joy of the feast of huts prepared by God.
If you see the 10 commandments, we find that among these 10, there is a sentence or two that are enacted for the sake of God himself, and the rest is all for the benefit of men. For example one that says, "does not work on the Sabbath, honor your parents, commits no theft, etc." are not known for God himself, but for humans.
Donc, si God wants that men be reconciled to each other, whether in the family, whether in school or in the community before they come and confess their sins before him, it’s for us. We are cordially invited to reconcile with others by giving up ourselves and accepting the gesture of peace of others, not for God, but for us, because God bless us always through the mutual relationship in his community.
Now, let us reflect on the feaste of huts. As we have already seen, this feast has the dual goal which is firstly to thank God who had protected his people during their wandering in the desert and also to thank God who gave so abundant blessing in the Promised Land. We find that the offering this time is more abundant than in previous days. But if we see offerings by day, because there are seven days of celebration, we see that they began with the abundance of offerings, but they ended up by offering a less abundant. Thus, they began by 13 bulls the first day and reduced to 1 bull per day, so that they arrived at 7 bull on the last day. Then each day, at the end, God calls to the offering of a goat for sin. And the next day of the feast of huts, men return to the same quantity of offering, i.e. that of feast of trompettes and feast of humilatin of the soul : one young bull, one ram, and seven male lames. This is the day when people prepare to the return to their normal and ordinary life.
In general, if a festival lasts several days, the last day is the peak of the celebration. But this time, God commands to consume the largest amount of bulls at first. The man has the tendency to save, not only for its own account but also on behalf of God. But this saving spirit, justifiable on the personal level, can not be justified in the service of God. Especially when they brought a gift of gratitude, we must consume in abundance from the beginning.
When Solomon inaugurated the temple, his offering was gigantic: 22000 heads of cattle and 120,000 small stock. He devotes the middle of court for the burnt offerings and sacrifices of fat, because the bronze altar was too small to contain it all.Then, the gift was so large, that Solomon promulgated the extension of the feast from seven days to 14 days. The good beginning of the year ensures the happy course of all year. Similarly, the abundant good beginning for God guarantees the pleasure or satisfaction of God's heart which is often expressed in these words: it's a pleasant odor to the LORD.
But this gesture should not be used or come from formalism or bravado. When we are deeply grateful heart, we can make our offerings really abundant. How, can we have a deep gratefulness ?
If we turn our gaze around us, we can not but find only the subjects for which we thank God. But we spend our time too often ignoring these topics of thanks. Our hearts are too often dominated by the complaint and resentment. There is an episode of Helen Keller, blind from birth. Towards the end of her life, she wrote an essay called "Three Days to See". One day, she wrote, she asked one of her friends who had come back from a long walk in the woods, what she had observed. The friend replied, "Nothing particular." The response of surprised Helle Keller is worth a quote, because, listen, it is so beautiful and impressive, "How is it possible, I asked myself, to walk for an hour in the woods and see nothing worth note ? I do not know who found hundreds of things to interest me through mere touch. I feel the symmetry of a leaf. I pass my hands lovingly about the skin of a birch or rough and shaggy bark of pin. In spring I touch the branches of trees in the hope of a discovery of a bud, the first sign Nature wakes from the sleep of winter. Sometimes if I'm lucky, I place my hand gently on a small tree and feel the happy quiver of a bird in full song. "Helen Keller asked, she said, other days, husbands, what is the eye color of their wives and they often expressed embarrassment mingled with confusion and admitted that they did not know. Madame Keller said only the deaf appreciates hearing and that only the blind appreciate the blessings that are related to the view. It's an old story already seen that we will not be grateful for what we have until we lose it, and we are not conscious of health until we get sick.
Donc, si God wants that men be reconciled to each other, whether in the family, whether in school or in the community before they come and confess their sins before him, it’s for us. We are cordially invited to reconcile with others by giving up ourselves and accepting the gesture of peace of others, not for God, but for us, because God bless us always through the mutual relationship in his community.
Now, let us reflect on the feaste of huts. As we have already seen, this feast has the dual goal which is firstly to thank God who had protected his people during their wandering in the desert and also to thank God who gave so abundant blessing in the Promised Land. We find that the offering this time is more abundant than in previous days. But if we see offerings by day, because there are seven days of celebration, we see that they began with the abundance of offerings, but they ended up by offering a less abundant. Thus, they began by 13 bulls the first day and reduced to 1 bull per day, so that they arrived at 7 bull on the last day. Then each day, at the end, God calls to the offering of a goat for sin. And the next day of the feast of huts, men return to the same quantity of offering, i.e. that of feast of trompettes and feast of humilatin of the soul : one young bull, one ram, and seven male lames. This is the day when people prepare to the return to their normal and ordinary life.
In general, if a festival lasts several days, the last day is the peak of the celebration. But this time, God commands to consume the largest amount of bulls at first. The man has the tendency to save, not only for its own account but also on behalf of God. But this saving spirit, justifiable on the personal level, can not be justified in the service of God. Especially when they brought a gift of gratitude, we must consume in abundance from the beginning.
When Solomon inaugurated the temple, his offering was gigantic: 22000 heads of cattle and 120,000 small stock. He devotes the middle of court for the burnt offerings and sacrifices of fat, because the bronze altar was too small to contain it all.Then, the gift was so large, that Solomon promulgated the extension of the feast from seven days to 14 days. The good beginning of the year ensures the happy course of all year. Similarly, the abundant good beginning for God guarantees the pleasure or satisfaction of God's heart which is often expressed in these words: it's a pleasant odor to the LORD.
But this gesture should not be used or come from formalism or bravado. When we are deeply grateful heart, we can make our offerings really abundant. How, can we have a deep gratefulness ?
If we turn our gaze around us, we can not but find only the subjects for which we thank God. But we spend our time too often ignoring these topics of thanks. Our hearts are too often dominated by the complaint and resentment. There is an episode of Helen Keller, blind from birth. Towards the end of her life, she wrote an essay called "Three Days to See". One day, she wrote, she asked one of her friends who had come back from a long walk in the woods, what she had observed. The friend replied, "Nothing particular." The response of surprised Helle Keller is worth a quote, because, listen, it is so beautiful and impressive, "How is it possible, I asked myself, to walk for an hour in the woods and see nothing worth note ? I do not know who found hundreds of things to interest me through mere touch. I feel the symmetry of a leaf. I pass my hands lovingly about the skin of a birch or rough and shaggy bark of pin. In spring I touch the branches of trees in the hope of a discovery of a bud, the first sign Nature wakes from the sleep of winter. Sometimes if I'm lucky, I place my hand gently on a small tree and feel the happy quiver of a bird in full song. "Helen Keller asked, she said, other days, husbands, what is the eye color of their wives and they often expressed embarrassment mingled with confusion and admitted that they did not know. Madame Keller said only the deaf appreciates hearing and that only the blind appreciate the blessings that are related to the view. It's an old story already seen that we will not be grateful for what we have until we lose it, and we are not conscious of health until we get sick.
In conclusion, the festival of huts for the Jews was a great holiday both commemorative of the past event of exodus and thanksful of the current abundance given by God. But as Helen Keller told us, how difficult it is to thank about what we enjoy now. At the bedside of the dead, perhaps we will have enough gratitude for what God has done. But we need not wait until our last moment of breath to be grateful. God has prepared the feast of joy in the huts and invites each of us to share this joy. People had tried to reconcile with their neighbors since the horn had sounded. Then they humbled their souls deeply before God, confessing their sins. So God invited people to leave their homes and live in huts even though this give them some discomfort, and this for 7 days. But there they found what they had long ignored : the stars scattered across the sky, the joyous song of birds and the hum of insects. The joy the world with all its wits offers us is so fleeting that after a few hours only our heart becomes dry and arid. Nehemiah said, the joy of the Lord is our strength. We must return to God to be refreshed by his joy. Don’t you want with me go exploring this immense reservoir of the plain of joy this year which is hidden in the morning worship each day ? I garantit you that instead of troubled eyes without power in this illusory and virtual world, God will give you the bright eyes of men of missions. In other words, he put in front of you the blessings and curses. If you disobey the Commandments of God, you will perish. This does not mean you will die tomorrow. But you will be deprived of the joy that God has prepared for you. If I use again the allegory of earlier, if someone refuses the hand of peace extended by others, he would not have the peace of his soul, because it’s againt his will. God bless you this year as good examination of conscience and in going with him, may God make your year full of vision and hope. Let’s join hand to hand and move forward together so that the redemptive work of God can happen in this country strongly humanistic and idolatrous. May God bless everyone this year as a good soldier of Christ this year.
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