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God spoke through Moses to the Israelites about the three annual festivals they must observe when they arrive at the Promised Land; a part of Israel’s covenant obligations given at Sinai
First, the festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Harvest to be celebrated with firstfruits, and the Festival of Ingathering to be observed at the end of the agricultural year
All Israelite males must appear before the Sovereign Lord these three times, not empty-handed but sacrificing the best portions
The blood of sacrifice must be void of anything containing yeast, while the fats of festival offerings must not be kept till morning and young goat must not be cooked in its mother’s milk
On their journey to the Promised Land, they should obey God’s angel (also closely identified with God himself) who would guard them along the way and be an enemy to their enemies if they listen to and do what he says.
The second lesson presents Mark’s account of the Parable of the Sower
The parable mentioned four places where the seeds of the sower fell; on the paths, rocky places, among thorns, and on good soil, highlighting the progressive stages of each
Jesus' interpretation says that the seed is the word of God taken to people and the places they fell describe the different categories of people
For the paths, Satan picks the word as soon as they hear it, for rocky places, they are the people with the word but fall off when faced with troubles
Among the thorns, are the people who have the word but could not bear fruits due to the worries of life, lures of wealth, and the desire for things
The seeds on good soil are people who with the word produce fruits against all challenges