Topical Encyclopedia
The concept of celebration in the Bible is deeply rooted in the acknowledgment of God's goodness, faithfulness, and provision. Celebrations often involve communal gatherings, feasting, worship, and expressions of joy and gratitude. The Bible provides numerous examples and instructions regarding celebrations, which are integral to the life of God's people.
Old Testament Celebrations1.
Feasts and Festivals: The Old Testament outlines several key feasts and festivals that the Israelites were commanded to observe. These include the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. Each of these celebrations had specific purposes and rituals, often commemorating significant events in Israel's history and God's deliverance. For example, the Passover celebrates the Israelites' liberation from Egyptian bondage (
Exodus 12:14-17).
2.
Sabbath: The weekly Sabbath is a day of rest and worship, a celebration of God's creation and His covenant with Israel. It is a time for the community to cease from labor and focus on spiritual renewal (
Exodus 20:8-11).
3.
Jubilee: The Year of Jubilee, occurring every 50th year, was a time of celebration and restoration. It involved the release of slaves, the return of property, and the forgiveness of debts, symbolizing God's mercy and provision (
Leviticus 25:10-12).
4.
Personal and Communal Celebrations: Celebrations also occurred in response to personal or communal blessings, such as victories in battle, successful harvests, or the dedication of the Temple. King David, for instance, celebrated the return of the Ark of the Covenant with music and dancing (
2 Samuel 6:14-15).
New Testament Celebrations1.
The Lord's Supper: Instituted by Jesus during the Passover meal, the Lord's Supper is a celebration of the New Covenant through Christ's sacrifice. It is a time for believers to remember Jesus' death and resurrection and to proclaim His return (
1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
2.
Weddings: Weddings are occasions for celebration, as seen in the wedding at Cana, where Jesus performed His first miracle by turning water into wine (
John 2:1-11). This event underscores the joy and blessing associated with marriage.
3.
Joy in Salvation: The New Testament emphasizes the joy of salvation and the celebration of new life in Christ. The parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son all highlight the rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents (
Luke 15:7, 10, 32).
4.
Communal Worship: The early church gathered regularly for communal worship, prayer, and breaking of bread, celebrating their shared faith and the presence of the Holy Spirit (
Acts 2:42-47).
Biblical Principles of Celebration1.
Joy and Gratitude: Celebrations in the Bible are marked by joy and gratitude, recognizing God's blessings and faithfulness.
Psalm 100:1-2 encourages believers to "Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; come into His presence with joyful songs."
2.
Remembrance: Many biblical celebrations serve as acts of remembrance, recalling God's mighty acts and His covenant promises.
Deuteronomy 16:12 instructs the Israelites to remember their deliverance from Egypt during the Feast of Weeks.
3.
Community and Fellowship: Celebrations are often communal, fostering fellowship and unity among God's people.
Hebrews 10:24-25 exhorts believers to "consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds" and to "not neglect meeting together."
4.
Holiness and Reverence: While celebrations are joyful, they are also to be conducted with a sense of holiness and reverence, acknowledging God's sovereignty and holiness.
Leviticus 23:2 refers to the feasts as "appointed times of the LORD," emphasizing their sacred nature.
In summary, biblical celebrations are multifaceted, encompassing joy, gratitude, remembrance, community, and reverence. They are vital expressions of faith, drawing believers closer to God and to one another.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. t.) To extol or honor in a solemn manner; as, to celebrate the name of the Most High.
2. (v. t.) To honor by solemn rites, by ceremonies of joy and respect, or by refraining from ordinary business; to observe duly; to keep; as, to celebrate a birthday.
3. (v. t.) To perform or participate in, as a sacrament or solemn rite; to solemnize; to perform with appropriate rites; as, to celebrate a marriage.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
CELEBRATEsel'-e-brat: Of the three Hebrew words so rendered halal, "to praise" is preeminently significant. It is an onomatopoetic word meaning "to give a clear sharp sound," as word in vocal rejoicing, celebration. Its equivalent in Ethiopic is ellell, German hallen, English halloo, and appears in the great choral word Hallelujah of the Hebrew religion. Passing into Christian use it has become the term most expressive of majestic praise. Psalms 113-118 and 136 are called Hallel psalms. Found in Hezekiah's psalm of praise for his miraculous recovery: "Death cannot celebrate thee" (Isaiah 38:18). chaghagh, root meaning "to move in a circle" hence, "to keep a festival" by sacred leaping and dancing; "celebrate (the Revised Version (British and American) "keep") a feast" (Leviticus 23:41); shabhath, "to rest," i.e. keep or observe a holy day; "celebrate (the Revised Version (British and American) "keep") your sabbath" (Leviticus 23:32).
Dwight M. Pratt
Greek
1858b. heortazo -- tocelebrate a festival... 1858a, 1858b. heortazo. 1859 . to
celebrate a festival. Transliteration:
heortazo Short Definition:
celebrate. Word Origin from
...5215. humnos -- a hymn
... Cognate: 5215 (from , "tocelebrate") -- a song that gives honor, praise,
or thanksgiving (transliterated into English as "hymn")....
2290. thapto -- to bury
... root Definition to bury NASB Word Usage buried (7), bury (4). bury. A primary verb;
tocelebrate funeral rites, ie Inter -- bury. (ethapsan) -- 3 Occurrences....
3670. homologeo -- to speak the same, to agree
... Definition: I confess, profess, acknowledge, praise Definition: (a) I promise, agree,
(b) I confess, (c) I publicly declare, (d) a Hebraism, I praise,celebrate...
2165. euphraino -- to cheer, make merry
... Word Origin from eu and phren Definition to cheer, make merry NASB Word Usagecelebrate
(5), glad (1), joyously living (1), makes...glad (1), merry (1...
2811. kleos -- fame
... Word Origin from kleo (tocelebrate) Definition fame NASB Word Usage credit (1).
glory. From a shorter form of kaleo; renown (as if being called) -- glory....
2605. kataggello -- to proclaim
... kataggello Phonetic Spelling: (kat-ang-gel'-lo) Short Definition: I declare openly,
preach Definition: I declare openly, proclaim, preach, laud,celebrate....
5214. humneo -- to sing to, to laud
... sing to, sing a hymn of praise unto. From humnos; to hymn, ie Sing a religious ode;
by implication, tocelebrate (God) in song -- sing a hymn (praise unto)....
5567. psallo -- to pull, twitch, twang, play, sing
... Probably strengthened from psao (to rub or touch the surface; compare psocho); to
twitch or twang, ie To play on a stringed instrument (celebrate the divine...
1804. exaggello -- to tell out, proclaim
... show forth. From ek and the base of aggelos; to publish, ieCelebrate -- shew forth.
see GREEK ek. see GREEK aggelos. (exangeilete) -- 1 Occurrence....
Strong's Hebrew
2287. chagag -- to make a pilgrimage, keep a pilgrim feast... to make a pilgrimage, keep a pilgrim feast. Transliteration: chagag Phonetic Spelling:
(khaw-gag') Short Definition:
celebrate. Word Origin a prim.
...1984. halal -- to shine
... make boast self,celebrate, commend, deal, make, foolish glory, give light,
be make, A primitive root; to be clear (orig. Of sound...
7673. shabath -- to cease, desist, rest
... cause to, let, make to cease,celebrate, cause make to fail A primitive root;
to repose, ie Desist from exertion; used in many implied...
7832. sachaq -- to laugh
... root Definition to laugh NASB Word Usage amuse (1), amusing (1),celebrate (2),
celebrating (3), hold a contest (1), joking (1), laugh (6), laughed them to...
5608. saphar -- to count, recount, relate
... to score with a mark as a tally or record, ie (by implication) to inscribe, and
also to enumerate; intensively, to recount, ieCelebrate -- commune, (ac-)count...
8567. tanah -- perhaps recount, rehearse
... A primitive root (identical with tanah through the idea of attributing honor); to
ascribe (praise), ieCelebrate, commemorate -- lament, rehearse....
2142. zakar -- remember
... mindful (1), boast (1), bring my to remembrance (1), bringing to mind (1), brings
to remembrance (1), burns (1), call to mind (1),celebrate (1), certainly...
2167. zamar -- to make music (in praise of God)
... fingers); properly, to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument, ie Play
upon it; to make music, accompanied by the voice; hence tocelebrate in song...
6213a. asah -- do, make
... 1), cared (1), carefully (3), carefully observing (1), carried (3), carries (2),
carry (8), carved (5), cause (3), causing (1),celebrate (19), celebrated (12...
5115. navah -- beautify
... A primitive root; to rest (as at home); causatively (through the implied idea of
beauty (compare naveh)), tocelebrate (with praises) -- keept at home, prepare...
Library
But the Games which YouCelebrate, Called Floralia and Megalensia....
... Book VII. 33 But the games which youcelebrate, called Floralia and Megalensia?
But the games which youcelebrate, called Floralia...
But Nothing was Difficult to them with whom it was Lawful to...
... Section X. But nothing was difficult to them with whom it was lawful to
celebrate the Passover? But nothing was difficult to them...
How the Monks of Hii, and the Monasteries Subject to Them, Began...
... BOOK V CHAP. XXII. How the monks of Hii, and the monasteries subject to them, began
tocelebrate the canonical Easter at the preaching of Egbert. [716 AD]....
Whether it is Lawful for a Priest to Refrain Entirely from...
... of sin, or excommunicate, to consecrate the Eucharist, as was said above
[4694](A[7]). Therefore it seems that such men are not bound tocelebrate, and so...
Another Heresy, that of the Sabbatians, is Originated by the...
... Further, the Samaritans, who are scrupulous observers of the laws of Moses, never
celebrate this festival till the first-fruits have reached maturity; they say...
Whether the Time for Celebrating this Mystery Has Been Properly...
... i), Pope Leo I wrote to Dioscorus, Bishop of Alexandria, that "it is permissible
tocelebrate mass in the first part of the day." But the day begins at midnight...
But Though Prayer is Properly Confined to Vows and Supplications.....
... By thanksgiving we dulycelebrate his kindnesses toward us, ascribing to
his liberality every blessing which enters into our lot....
Pentecost
... festival we call "Pentecost" had origin as follows: When God was about to lead the
children of Israel out of Egypt, he permitted them tocelebrate the Feast of...
This is the Reason, Then, Why Christians are Counted Public...
... that they pay no vain, nor false, nor foolish honours to the emperor; that, as men
believing in the true religion, they prefer tocelebrate their festal days...
Epistle xxv. To Maximus of Salona.
... Now inasmuch as we long ago sent thee a letter warning thee by no means to dare
tocelebrate the solemnities of mass till we should ascertain the will of the...
Thesaurus
Celebrate (66 Occurrences)... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To extol or honor in a solemn manner; as, to
celebrate the name of the Most High.
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
CELEBRATE.
...Booths (24 Occurrences)
... Who are coming in against Jerusalem, They have also gone up from year to year, To
bow themselves to the King, Jehovah of Hosts, And tocelebrate the feast of...
Lost (85 Occurrences)
... Luke 15:24 for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.'
They began tocelebrate. (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)....
Easter (1 Occurrence)
... the New Testament, though some would see an intimation of it in 1 Corinthians
5:7. The Jewish Christians in the early church continued tocelebrate the Passover...
Alive (166 Occurrences)
... (See NAS RSV). Luke 15:24 for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was
lost, and is found.' They began tocelebrate. (WEB KJV ASV WBS RSV NIV)....
Sing (147 Occurrences)
... crevice. 4. (vi) To tell or relate something in numbers or verse; tocelebrate
something in poetry. 5. (vi) Ti cry out; to complain....
Lasting (40 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 23:41 And ye shallcelebrate it as a feast to Jehovah seven days in the
year: it is an everlasting statute throughout your generations; in the...
Celebrated (24 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (imp. & pp) ofCelebrate. 2. (a.) Having celebrity;
distinguished; renowned. Multi-Version Concordance Celebrated (24 Occurrences)....
Thank (68 Occurrences)
... 1 Chronicles 16:4 He appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark
of Yahweh, and tocelebrate and to thank and praise Yahweh, the God of Israel...
Yearly (16 Occurrences)
... (KJV WBS). Judges 11:40 that the daughters of Israel went yearly tocelebrate
the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year....
Resources
Is Celebrate Recovery a biblically sound program? | GotQuestions.orgWhy do we celebrate Christmas? | GotQuestions.orgShould Christians celebrate Easter? | GotQuestions.orgCelebrate: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
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