Commentary - Leviticus 23:1-3

Bird's-eye view

Leviticus 23 is God's calendar for His people. It is a liturgical calendar, a schedule for worship. Modern Christians tend to think of calendars as tools for personal time management, but God establishes a corporate rhythm of life for His covenant people. This chapter lays out the appointed times, the set feasts of Yahweh, which are to be proclaimed as holy convocations. It is crucial to see that these are not Israel’s ideas for how to approach God; they are God’s appointments with Israel. He is the one initiating, the one setting the terms, the one inviting His people to meet with Him.

The chapter begins not with one of the annual feasts, but with the weekly Sabbath. This is foundational. Before God gives the yearly cycle, He reiterates the weekly cycle that was embedded in creation itself. The Sabbath is the anchor of Israel's worship and life. It is the constant, recurring reminder of God's work in creation and His work in redemption. The structure of the chapter, therefore, teaches us that the fundamental pattern of our lives is to be one of work and rest, culminating in a holy gathering. This rhythm is not a burden but a gift, structuring all of life around the reality of God's presence and provision.

Outline

Context In Leviticus

Leviticus is the book of holiness. Its central theme is how a sinful people can live in the presence of a holy God. Having established the sacrificial system (chapters 1-7), the priesthood (chapters 8-10), and the laws of purity (chapters 11-15), the book culminates in the Day of Atonement (chapter 16), which makes the continued presence of God among the people possible. Following this, chapters 17-27 are often called the "Holiness Code," providing practical instructions for how Israel is to live as a holy nation.

Chapter 23 fits squarely within this section. Holiness is not just about avoiding defilement or offering the right sacrifices; it is about ordering all of life, including time itself, around God. The sacred calendar consecrates the year to Yahweh, just as the Tabernacle consecrated a particular space. These appointed times are interruptions of the ordinary, calling the people to stop their regular work and gather to remember, celebrate, and anticipate God's mighty acts.

Key Issues

Commentary

1 And Yahweh spoke again to Moses, saying,

The formula is a familiar one, and it is foundational. What follows is not human wisdom, religious speculation, or cultural tradition. This is a direct word from the sovereign God. Moses is the mediator, the conduit, but Yahweh is the source. In a world awash with man-made religions, where people are constantly trying to invent ways to reach up to God, the Bible insists that true religion begins with God speaking down to man. He initiates. He reveals. He sets the terms of the relationship. The entire liturgical life of Israel is grounded in this divine speech. We are not left to guess how we ought to worship; God tells us.

2 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘The appointed times of Yahweh which you shall proclaim as holy convocations, My appointed times are these:

Moses is commanded to relay this message to the entire congregation, the "sons of Israel." This is not a message for a priestly elite but for the whole people. The worship of God is a corporate affair. The phrase "appointed times" is key. The Hebrew word is mo'edim. It signifies a set time, a specific appointment. Think of it as God marking His calendar and inviting His people to a meeting. These are not Israel's feasts that they offer to God; they are Yahweh's feasts that He gives to Israel. He says, "My appointed times." They belong to Him. This guards against the prideful notion that our worship is something we do to impress God. No, our worship is a response to His gracious invitation.

These appointed times are to be proclaimed as "holy convocations." A convocation is a summoned assembly. The Hebrew miqra comes from the verb "to call." Israel is a called-out people, and on these special days, they are called together for a holy purpose. They are to be set apart from ordinary days. This is a public, corporate, and official act. The leaders are to "proclaim" them, to announce them, so that all the people know when to cease their labor and gather before the Lord. This is the essence of corporate worship: God calls, and His people gather.

3 ‘For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any work; it is a sabbath to Yahweh in all your places of habitation.

Before we get to the annual feasts, God lays the foundation with the weekly Sabbath. The rhythm of seven days is woven into the fabric of creation (Gen. 2:1-3). The command to rest on the seventh day is a participation in God's own rest. It is a fundamental declaration that our work is not ultimate. Our identity is not found in what we produce, but in our relationship to the Creator who has finished His work.

This is a "sabbath of complete rest." The Hebrew is emphatic: shabbat shabbaton. It is a rest of rests, a total cessation from ordinary labor. This is not about being lazy; it is about trust. For six days, we labor, but on the seventh, we stop, acknowledging that it is God who provides, not ultimately our own striving. This rest is also a "holy convocation." The Sabbath is not just for private leisure; it is a day for corporate assembly. The people were to gather. This is a crucial point often missed by modern individualists. The Sabbath has a centripetal force, drawing God's people together.

"You shall not do any work." This prohibition is comprehensive. It applies to everyone. The purpose is to create a space for God, for family, and for community, free from the pressures and distractions of commerce and labor. It is "a sabbath to Yahweh," dedicated to Him. And it is to be observed "in all your places of habitation." This is not a temple-only ordinance. It applies wherever God's people live. It structures the home and the community around this God-given rhythm of work and worshipful rest. In the New Covenant, this principle finds its fulfillment in the Lord's Day, the first day of the week, where we celebrate the new creation inaugurated by Christ's resurrection. We begin our week with rest and worship, and from that center, we go out to our work.

Key Words

Mo'ed, "Appointed Time"

The Hebrew word mo'ed (plural: mo'edim) refers to a designated time or place, an appointment. It is used for the sacred seasons and festivals in Israel's calendar. The Tabernacle itself is called the "tent of meeting" (ohel mo'ed), the designated place where God would meet with His people. The use of this word in Leviticus 23 emphasizes that these festivals are not of human origin but are divine appointments. God has scheduled these meetings with His people for their good and His glory.

Miqra, "Convocation"

The term miqra comes from a root word meaning "to call." It signifies a summoned assembly, a public gathering called for a specific purpose. A "holy convocation" (miqra qodesh) is therefore an assembly called by God for a holy purpose, specifically for worship. It underscores the corporate nature of faith. The people of God are not a collection of individuals pursuing God on their own, but a community called together to worship Him as one body.

Application

The principles laid out in these opening verses are perpetually relevant. First, our worship must be governed by God's Word. We are not free to invent our own methods of worship; we are to come to God on His terms, as He has revealed them in Scripture. This is the foundation of the regulative principle of worship. God sets the agenda.

Second, God has built a rhythm of work and rest into the created order for our good. The Sabbath principle is not a legalistic burden but a gracious gift. It frees us from the tyranny of endless work and anxiety. By resting, we declare our dependence on God and our trust in His provision. For the Christian, the Lord's Day is a weekly celebration of the gospel, a foretaste of the eternal rest that is ours in Christ (Heb. 4:9-10). It is a day to be filled with the joy of resurrection life, corporate worship, and fellowship with the saints.

Finally, worship is corporate. The "holy convocation" is God's design. In an age of radical individualism, we must recover the biblical emphasis on the gathered church. God calls us together. It is in the assembly of the saints that we hear the Word preached, sing God's praises together, and encourage one another. Our weeks should be oriented around this central, glorious appointment with the living God and His people.