Time and Place
By Terance Clark May 17, 2025 6 Minute Read
Week 31
This Weeks Passage: Leviticus 21:1 – 24:23
Next week my wife and I will celebrate 43 years of marriage and although we had known each other since we were about thirteen years old it was August of 1980 at the age of 17 that changed it all. On our first official date we went to Disneyland since I worked there at the time, it seemed the perfect place we could go and hang out. There was no cost for me and my guest and there was no time constraint since the park stayed open into the early morning. With all of the cool rides, restaurants and music venues you’d think we’d go from event to event that night, but instead we found a bench in the backside of Frontierland and sat there talking for hours. As hundreds and possibly thousands of people filed past us that night we created a private space within the busy amusement park that felt like we were the only ones there. It was that night in that exclusive space of solitude that we formed a bond that has held for these past 45 years. This week we see that God didn’t just create holiness in a place called the sanctuary or tabernacle, He also allows us to create a space of holiness within time. It’s fascinating, so go find a quiet place and let’s learn how to create space with God.
His Appointed Times
In Leviticus 23 we are told that God has special appointed times (Lev. 23:2). These times are built within both the lunar (moon) cycles and solar (sun) cycles. The appointed times occurring within moon cycles occur seven times each year, but He has also created four cyclical seasons of the year that consists of months that are also special or appointed times to be observed as He reveals much of himself and our prophetic destiny. Simply put Leviticus 23 informs us that God has a calendar and He wants us to experience Him in special ways and at special times throughout the year. As far as our destiny goes the stars tell the story of Gods love for us and His plan to save us and redeem us. It’s always been right there, just look up and think about it.
There are three different Hebrew words that help us to understand what God is trying to communicate. The first is Mo’ed which is an “appointed festival” or special time. The second is mikra kodesh a “holy or sacred assembly” and the third is “tikre’u” which means to proclaim. When understanding these terms and their context within scripture we find there are times when God’s special times includes being alone with Him and other times when a sacred assembly of people come together to meet with Him. He also gives us the power to proclaim or call for these days that He has created. These appointed days all cycle within the number seven which is the number for holiness and being holy and also they also create a sanctuary of time and space at a certain place. It would take more words and time than we have in this weeks lesson to explain it all, but in a nutshell what is created is a tryst. A tryst is a lovers meeting, a private romantic rendezvous between lovers. God has instituted a process for creating a special holy moment that although the world continues to move at its rapid insane pace for a time we are in our own world alone with Him. His special times are meant to be like romantic getaways to draw attention to Him and away from the world.
“God instituted a process for creating
a special holy moment“
Over the years, we began studying them to fully understand when they occur and how we can live out of Gods time table and calendar. For instance, in Gods calendar the four seasons are preparation, repentance, victory & joy and deliverance. We began seeing that things happening in our lives are not coincidental, but God is trying to teach us things in our journey of life with Him that correlate to the season. For some of you I know this may be difficult to believe because you’ve only seen God as a stern Father that keeps everyone in line rather than one wanting intimacy and relationship, but the original language is clear what He’s trying to communicate.
He’s Calling Us To Deeper Intimate Times
As I close this weeks lesson I hope to encourage you to be open to the appointed times and seasons the Lord has created. Festivals like Pentecost (Shavu’ot) and Passover (Pesach) are two of the appointed times and are not just Jewish holidays, they are times of the Lord that point to Jesus and have deep intimate meanings that provides pictures of our relationship with God and journey with Him. I have been humbled and repentant for all that I lost in years that I didn’t take time to understand them and what they represent. There is a lifetime of learning just understanding each month and the message God is communicating.
Next week my wife and I will travel to Orlando to celebrate our 43rd anniversary and it just so happens to be a city with plenty of amusement parks including multiple Disney parks. We are not the same seventeen year olds we were 45 years ago, but we can still create a time and place to be alone together and with the Lord. I invite you to do the same.
