“(“These are the Lord’s appointed festivals. Celebrate them each year as official days for holy assembly by presenting special gifts to the Lord—burnt offerings, grain offerings, sacrifices, and liquid offerings—each on its proper day. These festivals must be observed in addition to the Lord’s regular Sabbath days, and the offerings are in addition to your personal gifts, the offerings you give to fulfill your vows, and the voluntary offerings you present to the Lord.)”
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Leviticus‬ ‭23‬:‭37‬-‭38‬ ‭NLT

Man is a forgetful creature. We do not know if this is an effect of living in a fallen world, or the nature of the finite capacity he was built with, but we know that it doesn’t take long to forget. After we forget things, we gradually slip into our old ways of living that were established in our seminal years of life. God was not saving a person. He was also saving a legacy and culture. This require constant reminding, but also constant reminders that could bring them back to their knowledge of him and let it live in the forefront of their lives. Each festival was tied to something experiential as well as having a physical component of sacrifice to bring that physical component into the present. Each one was meant to prompt the younger generations to question why something was done, and the older ones to reflect. This way the generational gap would not destroy the overall elasticity of the narrative that God had woven in his people. Thankfully, we have the veracity of scripture and the prompting of the Holy Spirit to help us with this. Yet, there is something wonderfully providential about this old system of festivals, sacrifices and memorials.

Purpose of Festivals: To remind people of God’s presence and prevent them from slipping back into old ways of living.

Importance of Intergenerational Transmission: Festivals encouraged questioning and reflection, bridging the generational gap and preserving the narrative of God’s work.

Modern Relevance: While scripture and the Holy Spirit provide guidance, the system of festivals, sacrifices, and memorials offers a profound model for remembering and reflecting on God’s presence.