Text: Deuteronomy 16:14-15
“And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast… and thou shalt surely rejoice.” KJV
Main Idea: God does not just permit joy, He commands it. True worship includes celebration.
- JOY IS A COMMAND, NOT A FEELING
God says “thou shalt” – same language as the Ten Commandments.
Phil 4:4 – Rejoice always
Lev 23:40, Deut 16:11, Deut 16:14-15 – all use “shall rejoice”
Joy is obedience, not based on circumstances.
- JOY IS COMMUNAL, NOT PRIVATE
Look at the list in Deut 16:14:
thou + thy son + daughter + manservant + maidservant + Levite + stranger + fatherless + widow
7 groups beyond yourself. No one is left out.
Deut 14:26 – rejoice with your household
Neh 8:10 – send portions to those who have nothing
Lesson: If your joy doesn’t include the forgotten, it’s incomplete.
- JOY IS SACRED, NOT SECULAR
Deut 16:15 – “rejoice before the Lord thy God”
Lev 23:40 – “rejoice before the Lord”
The feast was worship. Eating, drinking, music, dancing were acts of thanksgiving for harvest.
Psalm 100:2 – Serve the Lord with gladness
Ezra 6:22 – The Lord filled them with joy
- JOY IS A SEASON TO REMEMBER
Feast of Tabernacles was at the end of harvest – they lived in booths to remember wilderness.
Joy remembers:
What God has provided (harvest)
Where God has brought you from (wilderness)
Who God is (Provider)
APPLICATION FOR TODAY
Schedule joy – Like Israel had festivals, put intentional celebration in your family.
Expand your table – Who is the “stranger, fatherless, widow” in your gate today?
Rejoice before the Lord – Turn your next meal / gathering into thanksgiving.
Prayer: Lord, teach me to obey Your command to rejoice. Let my joy not depend on what I have, but on who You are. Help me to share my joy as You shared Yours with me. Amen.
Memory Verse: Nehemiah 8:10b – “for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”