The Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit wanted the best possible relationship with the people who they had created in their own image. They envisioned heartfelt repentance, reconciliation, and the freedom to celebrate lavishly.
Some of the Old Testament leaders understood what God meant. Take David, for example.
1 Chronicles 29:20-22Then David said to the whole assembly, “Praise the Lord your God.” So they all praised the Lord, the God of their fathers; they bowed down, prostrating themselves before the Lord and the king. The next day they made sacrifices to the Lord and presented burnt offerings to him: a thousand bulls, a thousand rams and a thousand male lambs, together with their drink offerings, and other sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. They ate and drank with great joy in the presence of the Lord that day.
Old Testament laws required people to bring choice animals at regular intervals throughout the year for times of repentance, reconciliation, and celebration feasts which sometimes lasted for days on end. Imagine if all of society celebrated Christmas or Easter for seven solid days every year, plus five other national special feasts in honor of God’s relationship with us. When we first became missionaries we came with about 2/3 of the minimal support we needed. It took us a year to talk to our friends and to get enough commitments for even this. We were frugal. Two litres of soda pop was included in a rare celebration, like a birthday party. One time, when we bought and opened a pop, it was flat. We took it back. During those years the Canadian government said they would help us homeschool our daughters. They reimbursed us $1,500 / year for school-related receipts. They had a wide definition of what was school. The entrance fees at zoos, the Chicago Museum, parking our car at the Chicago Museum for US$45 back in 2003, board games, computer games like Age of Empires 2, oil and acrylic paints and any art supplies . . . our whole family loved the home school experience. WE LIVED BEYOND OUR MEANS! Actually, we had so much fun this shifted our normal. Our family grew to love art, games, museums, life . . . ! If we would have chosen not live like this back in the home school days, the government would not given the money. We could have chosen a poverty lifestyle. God has the same idea for His people. In David’s time I am sure there were poor, sick, desperate, complainers, frugal-scrooges, and the whole cross-section of humanity in the group. David understood that God says there is a time to look beyond all the problems and pain, a time for lavish celebrations. “Bring healthy sacrifices that are going to be good to eat. Repent from your heart. Make up with your neighbor. Bring your garbage and your pain and leave it at the altar. Then come and enjoy the feast. Let’s have some fun!”
Unfortunately, for many reasons, God’s plan for His people did not work out as hoped. Finally God turned to Jesus and said, “When you go down there, will you explain to them what We meant?”As Jesus was nodding thoughtfully the Holy Spirit chimed in. “I want to help too.” The Father looked at Him and said, “OK, You be the Helper. You can explain Us to them, to each one of them personally. And can You please explain them to Us? Find out what they need and let Us know. You be an Advocate, a Lawyer. Find those who desire relationship with us and make it work.”
One of the first things Jesus did after entering His public ministry was to publicly and clearly explain how things had gotten skewed. He updated God’s plan. “In the law it was written like this, but the bar is much higher than that. Here is what we really mean. We know this is impossible for you without Our help so We are here to make it work for everyone who wants in” (Matthew 5-7). Church leaders started criticizing Jesus for befriending outsiders. Jesus’ cut to the heart of their dysfunction, “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13).
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