"For I will cast out the nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither will any man covet your land when you go up to appear before the Lord your God three times in the year." Exodus 34:24NKJV

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To safeguard Israel, God gave yearly feasts which were designed to keep them mindful of their stewardship relation with Him. Three times each year the males and all who were able were to come up before the Lord, to thank Him for the bountiful provisions he had made for their every need.

They were surrounded by fierce, war-like tribes who had been the former owners of these lands; and from the human point of view it would appear with all the able-bodied men gone, these heathen would descend on the unprotected farms and homes of the people to pillage and destroy. But God had made provision for this, His protection.

These feasts were to be a continual reminder that God was the proprietor and they were His stewards. As long as they observed these feasts in harmony with their true purpose, they prospered.

As stewards, they had God's assurance that the rains would come in their proper seasons to water their fields – that pests would not spoil their crops. But when they assumed the position of owner – they relieved God of this responsibility. If these were their lands – they could look after them – and fur-nish their own rain! This didn't work out very well, for because of their disobedience, God withheld His mercies and didn't send rain for three and one half years!

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