We begin here in chapter 11 a new phase in the book of Leviticus. Moving on from the sacrifices, we are going to enter into a section that describes in detail how the Jews were to avoid “uncleanness”, or as we might say, DEFILEMENT. Today’s chapter deals very specifically with what to eat and what not to eat. Some of the things in the list are things you would never think of eating, some may be things you eat on a weekly basis…
Some of the questions that naturally come up are these: Why are some things unclean and others clean? Why didn’t God just let them eat whatever they wanted? Why did it even matter?
I am going to offer a few answers to these questions:
1. God said they were unclean because they WERE unclean. Sometimes I think that we get this backwards in our minds. We think something is bad only because God said it is bad… we start to feel like God is trying to make our lives miserable and keep us from enjoying life. In reality God is doing just the opposite. He is protecting us, and trying to help us enjoy life to its fullest. Like a mom who won’t let her kid play in the street, the laws of God exist for our protection. These animals weren’t good eating! Take PIGS for example: Pork is something that many of us eat regularly, but if it isn’t prepared right, it could make you really sick. There are LOADS of parasites that live in pigs, really gross ones that I won’t talk about here. I’ll only say this much, if you knew what they were and what they could do, you might pass on the bacon tomorrow at breakfast. When pork is cooked to a proper temperature, the parasites die, but they had no way of knowing how hot to cook things back then. God was protecting his people.
2. God wanted his people to be HOLY. This means he wanted them to be separated from the world around them, to be different. These ceremonial laws would separate them in an obvious way, because these were meats that were regularly eaten by the pagan cultures surrounding them.
3. A further reason, and possibly the greatest reason of all is this: Many of the animals named in these chapters are known to have been used in sacrifices to pagan God’s. The Lord wanted His worship to be totally separate from Pagan practice. Therefore, he didn’t even want His people eating these animals! Here are some examples of the way the were used in Pagan sacrifice:
The Pig – sacrificed to VENUS
The Eagle – sacrificed to JUPITER
The Owl – sacrificed to MINERVA
The Dog – sacrificed to HECATE
The question now is this: as people who no longer live under the law, what does this mean for us? Well, we know this much… the New Testament tells us in several places that all of these things in the Old Testament (especially the law) were SHADOWS of things to come (the New Covenant in Christ). That tells me that we can learn valuable lessons from the law about our relationship with God. The lesson I want us to see today is this: All of God’s commandments exist for a reason! Whether we can see it or not, God has a reason for doing what He does and Saying what He says. These laws show us that! So, if you are struggling with something God has told you to do or not do… or even something your parents have told you to do or not do, TRUST THE LORD! He knows, and He wants what is best for you! What He desires are holy people He can work through. Allow Him to make you Holy, set apart for Him, and take His commands serious! Dare to be different than the world around you, don’t be afraid to stand up for Jesus!
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Monday, December 11, 2006
Leviticus 10
The last couple of chapters were beautiful. The children of Israel walked out all that God commanded them to do… Every detail was right! The priest’s outfitted… CHECK! The priest’s anointed… CHECK! The offerings properly prepared, slaughtered, and presented before the Lord… CHECK!
The result of this was amazing and I believe quite unexpected. The glory of God appeared, His fire fell and consumed the sacrifice, and the people shouted, falling on their faces in worship of the Lord. It was a HOLY moment; the entire nation was having a very real encounter with the one and only Holy God.
As chapter 9 closes and chapter 10 begins, the “camera” zooms in upon a couple of observers there at this monumental occasion. These new characters in our story are Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron. Now remember, all of the children of Israel are prostrated before the Lord right now, awed by his presence… But that isn’t what Nadab and Abihu are looking at! Their attention is drawn towards 2 individuals in particular: Moses, and their father Aaron. You see, though it was God’s glory that had fallen, Moses and Aaron were the instruments God was using. So when the people saw God and worshipped, Nadab and Abihu saw Aaron and Moses, and were envious. They thought to themselves, “let’s get a little taste of that glory, and see what it tastes like”. They grab censers and fill them with incense, and then they go charging out in front of all the people, anticipating their awe as they bring down more manifestations of God’s glory and power.
They got a taste of the glory alright, but it wasn’t at all what they expected! Instead of becoming spiritual superstars, these boys became ominous object lessons. They were instantaneously burnt to a crisp... consumed by the fire of God! Why did it happen? Was looking for a little glory all that bad? Did God over react?
Look at what Moses says in verse 3: “It is that which Jehovah spoke, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified.” These guys were not seeking God’s glory; they were after their OWN GLORY. The actions of Moses and Aaron were commanded by the Lord, and were done to draw attention to the Lord. The boys did the opposite; they took advantage of the situation. They had a crowd of people, a captivated audience, and tried to bring the attention off of the Lord onto themselves, operating outside of the bounds of His commandments.
This provides us with a 2 fold test that we can apply to ourselves anytime we are “serving the Lord”.
Are you setting the Lord apart as Holy?
Are you giving all the glory to God?
I often ask myself these questions in a slightly different way:
“Why do I do the things I do, and who do I do them for?” Nadab and Abihu were offering strange fire for attention, for glory, for the respect of the others around them… they were not doing it for God’s glory… Let me exhort you this way: “whatever you do, do it with all your heart as unto the LORD, and not unto men”.
The result of this was amazing and I believe quite unexpected. The glory of God appeared, His fire fell and consumed the sacrifice, and the people shouted, falling on their faces in worship of the Lord. It was a HOLY moment; the entire nation was having a very real encounter with the one and only Holy God.
As chapter 9 closes and chapter 10 begins, the “camera” zooms in upon a couple of observers there at this monumental occasion. These new characters in our story are Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron. Now remember, all of the children of Israel are prostrated before the Lord right now, awed by his presence… But that isn’t what Nadab and Abihu are looking at! Their attention is drawn towards 2 individuals in particular: Moses, and their father Aaron. You see, though it was God’s glory that had fallen, Moses and Aaron were the instruments God was using. So when the people saw God and worshipped, Nadab and Abihu saw Aaron and Moses, and were envious. They thought to themselves, “let’s get a little taste of that glory, and see what it tastes like”. They grab censers and fill them with incense, and then they go charging out in front of all the people, anticipating their awe as they bring down more manifestations of God’s glory and power.
They got a taste of the glory alright, but it wasn’t at all what they expected! Instead of becoming spiritual superstars, these boys became ominous object lessons. They were instantaneously burnt to a crisp... consumed by the fire of God! Why did it happen? Was looking for a little glory all that bad? Did God over react?
Look at what Moses says in verse 3: “It is that which Jehovah spoke, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified.” These guys were not seeking God’s glory; they were after their OWN GLORY. The actions of Moses and Aaron were commanded by the Lord, and were done to draw attention to the Lord. The boys did the opposite; they took advantage of the situation. They had a crowd of people, a captivated audience, and tried to bring the attention off of the Lord onto themselves, operating outside of the bounds of His commandments.
This provides us with a 2 fold test that we can apply to ourselves anytime we are “serving the Lord”.
Are you setting the Lord apart as Holy?
Are you giving all the glory to God?
I often ask myself these questions in a slightly different way:
“Why do I do the things I do, and who do I do them for?” Nadab and Abihu were offering strange fire for attention, for glory, for the respect of the others around them… they were not doing it for God’s glory… Let me exhort you this way: “whatever you do, do it with all your heart as unto the LORD, and not unto men”.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Leviticus 9
And Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering the sin offering and the burnt offering and peace offerings. And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out and blessed the people. And the glory of Jehovah appeared to all the people. And there came a fire out from before Jehovah, and burned up the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. And all the people saw and shouted and fell on their faces (Lev. 9:22-24).
We have been studying all the rules of the Levitical offering. Now comes the results. Interesting sequence takes place here. Anytime Moses did something according to the law it was said, "As the Lord commanded." Anytime Aaron did something according to the law it was said, "As Moses commanded." Remember back to Exodus 4, God told Moses, "You will be to Aaron as God." There are people the Lord places in our life to be a sort of Moses. Your parents, of course, are these people. It is vital that we obey our parents and listen to them. Most of the time, what they have to say comes directly from the Lord. We also see symbolism in this. Just as Aaron and the people were to receive from Moses as he received from the Lord, now we are to receive from Jesus as He is God. No longer is it the law, but now the fulfillment of the law.
It becomes clear then that Moses and Aaron did accordingly to the law and look at the results. Let us look at what happened before the coming of the glory of God.
1. They came before the tabernacle. First thing you have to do is come into that place of worship.
2. He gave a sin offering, a burnt offering, and finally a peace offering. This seems to be the sequence. First the sin is brought forth. Then the offering is completely consumed by fire as the burnt offering is completely and utterly burnt. Finally, we come with the peace offering.
3. Aaron completes the offerings, blesses the people, and enters and exits the tabernacle only to bless the people again.
4. God's glory came before the people as a burning fire. Our God is a consuming fire!
Read those last three verses one more time and just think of the glory of our Lord as He came down. The people had nothing to do with it. They did not need to help God burn the offering. They simply watched and fell face first. When was the last time we fell face first before the glory of the Lord? Worship God this week and realize that He is truly a consuming fire.
We have been studying all the rules of the Levitical offering. Now comes the results. Interesting sequence takes place here. Anytime Moses did something according to the law it was said, "As the Lord commanded." Anytime Aaron did something according to the law it was said, "As Moses commanded." Remember back to Exodus 4, God told Moses, "You will be to Aaron as God." There are people the Lord places in our life to be a sort of Moses. Your parents, of course, are these people. It is vital that we obey our parents and listen to them. Most of the time, what they have to say comes directly from the Lord. We also see symbolism in this. Just as Aaron and the people were to receive from Moses as he received from the Lord, now we are to receive from Jesus as He is God. No longer is it the law, but now the fulfillment of the law.
It becomes clear then that Moses and Aaron did accordingly to the law and look at the results. Let us look at what happened before the coming of the glory of God.
1. They came before the tabernacle. First thing you have to do is come into that place of worship.
2. He gave a sin offering, a burnt offering, and finally a peace offering. This seems to be the sequence. First the sin is brought forth. Then the offering is completely consumed by fire as the burnt offering is completely and utterly burnt. Finally, we come with the peace offering.
3. Aaron completes the offerings, blesses the people, and enters and exits the tabernacle only to bless the people again.
4. God's glory came before the people as a burning fire. Our God is a consuming fire!
Read those last three verses one more time and just think of the glory of our Lord as He came down. The people had nothing to do with it. They did not need to help God burn the offering. They simply watched and fell face first. When was the last time we fell face first before the glory of the Lord? Worship God this week and realize that He is truly a consuming fire.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Leviticus 8
We studied the priestly duties and priestly apparel in Exodus. We have studies the offerings here in Leviticus. In the next three chapters (8-10) we will see all of the laws come into action. It begins here with Aaron's anointing. Note that Aaron and his sons are being anointed in these chapters.
First important thing to note is the cleansing. God is going to cleanse us. God, being a consuming fire, is going to take off the blemishes that do not wash out with water. Despite this, it is our duty to cleanse ourselves where we can. I find it odd when people are openly living in sin and feel fine coming to church, reading their Bible, and partaking in communion. It seems like they have made to conscious effort to try to get their lives on the right path. I am not encouraging you to judge your brothers and sisters at church, but challenging you to acknowledge the way you go before the Lord anytime and anywhere. He is holy, and to go before Him unclean is to misrepresent His holiness.
Now as a side a note, I want to tell you there is a difference from going before the Lord broken and unclean. I find that I could be a rather wretched state. I have failed all week and feel caught up in a funk. I finally get to the point where I am tired and myself and throw myself before the Lord. This is being broken.
Other times, I have been doing what I have to do. Every part of my life seem consumed by some sort of service. However, when I come before the Lord there is an arrogance there which does not ask, "Lord, remove these infirmities," but rather states, "I have done everything, what else? When is it enough?" This is unclean. Though I be twice the person I was in the week of brokenness, I have lost the passion of following a holy, loving God, and fallen into the routine of doing what is seemingly right and what gets me the A+. I become a Pharisee, just Calvary Chapelized.
There is a lot in this chapter and I suggest you read it through. Also read 1 Corinthians 11:27-28. These two verses are the New Testament summary of this chapter. Here we are, at the doorstep of the Lord's presence, and being consecrated (finished or made complete) for priestly ministry, Examine yourself now, not compared to the next buy, but to the Holiness of the Lord. Be cleansed, and serve Him willingly and with passion.
First important thing to note is the cleansing. God is going to cleanse us. God, being a consuming fire, is going to take off the blemishes that do not wash out with water. Despite this, it is our duty to cleanse ourselves where we can. I find it odd when people are openly living in sin and feel fine coming to church, reading their Bible, and partaking in communion. It seems like they have made to conscious effort to try to get their lives on the right path. I am not encouraging you to judge your brothers and sisters at church, but challenging you to acknowledge the way you go before the Lord anytime and anywhere. He is holy, and to go before Him unclean is to misrepresent His holiness.
Now as a side a note, I want to tell you there is a difference from going before the Lord broken and unclean. I find that I could be a rather wretched state. I have failed all week and feel caught up in a funk. I finally get to the point where I am tired and myself and throw myself before the Lord. This is being broken.
Other times, I have been doing what I have to do. Every part of my life seem consumed by some sort of service. However, when I come before the Lord there is an arrogance there which does not ask, "Lord, remove these infirmities," but rather states, "I have done everything, what else? When is it enough?" This is unclean. Though I be twice the person I was in the week of brokenness, I have lost the passion of following a holy, loving God, and fallen into the routine of doing what is seemingly right and what gets me the A+. I become a Pharisee, just Calvary Chapelized.
There is a lot in this chapter and I suggest you read it through. Also read 1 Corinthians 11:27-28. These two verses are the New Testament summary of this chapter. Here we are, at the doorstep of the Lord's presence, and being consecrated (finished or made complete) for priestly ministry, Examine yourself now, not compared to the next buy, but to the Holiness of the Lord. Be cleansed, and serve Him willingly and with passion.
Friday, December 08, 2006
Leviticus 7
"If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mixed with oil, of fine flour, fried" (Leviticus 7:12).
Leaven is continuously mentioned in the Bible. Can anybody remember what leaven represents? Leaven represents sin. If you put any leaven inside a loaf of bread, the whole loaf is contaminated. It is not something you can just cut off. It becomes a part of the bread. Galatians 5:9 tells us, "A little leaven leavens the whole lump."
Notice that the Thanksgiving (Peace) Offering given in verse 12-14 had three types of offerings. The first was the offering of the unleavened wafer anointed with oil. Oil is alays a picture of the Holy Spirit. I am quickly reminded of Galatians 5:16, "I say, then, Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh." If we live in the Spirit we are not going to sin. This is the first thing offered and I cannot help but think it points us to Christ. He is unblemished, anointed by the Holy Spirit, the wafer broken for you and me.
Now look at the second item offered in verse 13. It is to be full of leaven. This comes following the giving of the perfect loaf. Why would God command them to give what would be representative of sin? I believe this is a picture of grace. First we see the picture of the loaf, anointed with oil, given as an offering. Now we see the loaf of bread, unworthy and full of leaven, given in the same offering. What is interesting about this loaf is, a portion was to be cut off and given as a heave offering. The heave offering involved taking an item. The item was held in their hands, which presented the item openly, palms facing up. The offering was then thrust from the heart of the priest as far up as he could reach. It was representative of telling the Lord, "This is from my heart to You." Notice what we give the Lord. We give Him a piece of our leavened life. It is full of sin, yet He accepts it. This is truly all we have to offer. We have no great ability or skill, nothing to really contribute. Nevertheless He accepts the offering given. What a picture of grace!
Rely on the grace of God. Live in His Word. Realize what He is ha done for you and give Him an offering of thanksgiving.
Remember to continue to pray for each other this week as pursue holy and acceptable lives for the Lord!
Leaven is continuously mentioned in the Bible. Can anybody remember what leaven represents? Leaven represents sin. If you put any leaven inside a loaf of bread, the whole loaf is contaminated. It is not something you can just cut off. It becomes a part of the bread. Galatians 5:9 tells us, "A little leaven leavens the whole lump."
Notice that the Thanksgiving (Peace) Offering given in verse 12-14 had three types of offerings. The first was the offering of the unleavened wafer anointed with oil. Oil is alays a picture of the Holy Spirit. I am quickly reminded of Galatians 5:16, "I say, then, Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh." If we live in the Spirit we are not going to sin. This is the first thing offered and I cannot help but think it points us to Christ. He is unblemished, anointed by the Holy Spirit, the wafer broken for you and me.
Now look at the second item offered in verse 13. It is to be full of leaven. This comes following the giving of the perfect loaf. Why would God command them to give what would be representative of sin? I believe this is a picture of grace. First we see the picture of the loaf, anointed with oil, given as an offering. Now we see the loaf of bread, unworthy and full of leaven, given in the same offering. What is interesting about this loaf is, a portion was to be cut off and given as a heave offering. The heave offering involved taking an item. The item was held in their hands, which presented the item openly, palms facing up. The offering was then thrust from the heart of the priest as far up as he could reach. It was representative of telling the Lord, "This is from my heart to You." Notice what we give the Lord. We give Him a piece of our leavened life. It is full of sin, yet He accepts it. This is truly all we have to offer. We have no great ability or skill, nothing to really contribute. Nevertheless He accepts the offering given. What a picture of grace!
Rely on the grace of God. Live in His Word. Realize what He is ha done for you and give Him an offering of thanksgiving.
Remember to continue to pray for each other this week as pursue holy and acceptable lives for the Lord!
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Leviticus 6
"And the fire on the alter shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be put out. And the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order on it; and he shall burn on it the fat of the peace offering. A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out" (Leviticus 6:12-13).
I remember going to camp one year. It was the winter retreat and the leaders decided to set up a camp fire. We of course helped, fancying ourselves quite the pyrotechnics. The fire was soon ablaze. It was a cold night, the fire was warm, and our hearts warmer. I, however, could not find a comfortable spot. I found that if I were too close to the fire it was much too hot. If I were backed away form the fire I would soon feel the winter cool come over me. Even the ideal spots were no good because only one side of my body would get the warmth.
In the Burnt Offering, the fire was to stay perpetually burning. Think of what the fire did. It burned the offering. It consumed the offering. In the end, the sinner could walk away knowing that just as the animal had been consumed, so had his blemishes.
Hebrews 12:29 tells us, "For our God is a consuming fire."
Our Lord Jesus is holy. We are indeed covered by grace, however, we must strive to be more like Him if we want to draw closer to Him. Therefore when we draw close to Him, He cleanses us. He burns off the sin, the blemishes, and makes us holy as He is holy. This action involves entering the fire, a place we may not want to go.
Do not be like I was with the fire at camp. Do not attempt to find a comfortable spot somewhere midway between the world and our Lord. If you find a place where you are content with where you are with the Lord, and you are tired of the trials of drawing closer and being purified, you will never grow. I challenge you, go the next step. Make yourself vulnerable to the Lord. Do whatever it takes to be used of God. Remember, Holiness is another way of saying, "The place of being used of God." This is what we sing about. This needs to be what we live about.
I want to ask all of you to pray that I would personally take the next step I have to take in my pursuit of holiness. I am praying for all of you! God bless.
I remember going to camp one year. It was the winter retreat and the leaders decided to set up a camp fire. We of course helped, fancying ourselves quite the pyrotechnics. The fire was soon ablaze. It was a cold night, the fire was warm, and our hearts warmer. I, however, could not find a comfortable spot. I found that if I were too close to the fire it was much too hot. If I were backed away form the fire I would soon feel the winter cool come over me. Even the ideal spots were no good because only one side of my body would get the warmth.
In the Burnt Offering, the fire was to stay perpetually burning. Think of what the fire did. It burned the offering. It consumed the offering. In the end, the sinner could walk away knowing that just as the animal had been consumed, so had his blemishes.
Hebrews 12:29 tells us, "For our God is a consuming fire."
Our Lord Jesus is holy. We are indeed covered by grace, however, we must strive to be more like Him if we want to draw closer to Him. Therefore when we draw close to Him, He cleanses us. He burns off the sin, the blemishes, and makes us holy as He is holy. This action involves entering the fire, a place we may not want to go.
Do not be like I was with the fire at camp. Do not attempt to find a comfortable spot somewhere midway between the world and our Lord. If you find a place where you are content with where you are with the Lord, and you are tired of the trials of drawing closer and being purified, you will never grow. I challenge you, go the next step. Make yourself vulnerable to the Lord. Do whatever it takes to be used of God. Remember, Holiness is another way of saying, "The place of being used of God." This is what we sing about. This needs to be what we live about.
I want to ask all of you to pray that I would personally take the next step I have to take in my pursuit of holiness. I am praying for all of you! God bless.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Leviticus 5
The Trespass offering is rather intense. Have you ever avoided lying by simply not telling the entire story? Have you ever made a promise you could not keep? Have you ever touched something dead? This is what the Lord considers trespassing. Understand that trespassing is not a lesser type of sin, but simply, a different type of sin. What makes trespassing so unique is the fact that you may not realize what you have done.
"and he knows, then he shall be guilty of one of these." "and he knows, then he shall be guilty."
I have to think to myself, what are the Spiritual trespasses in my own life. I certainly am convicted by the first situation given. Withholding the truth is just as bad as not telling the truth at all. This trespass does not suggest the person may not know what they are doing, but instead simply pronounces the person as guilty. This makes me all the more appreciate Jesus. He never told a half truth. He always told the complete story. If this is what it takes to be holy, Jesus did this completely. I also love the example Jesus gave us. When He was being questioned by Pilot, He simply remained quiet. If there is something you need to withhold for reasonable purpose other than being sneaky, I suggest you just stay quiet about the matter.
Secondly, we see that Israel was not to come before anything dead. What a challenge for me! I do not do things which are going to hinder or crush my spiritual walk. Nevertheless, I find myself walking around dead things. Whether it is seeing a movie I should not see, doing things which are fruitless, or just not making use of the Lord's time, I know I am guilty of hanging around to much spiritually dead things. I feel this is a great danger living in the United States and the metropolis of Northern Virginia. We need to stop trying to fill our time with entertainment and instead fill it with Jesus.
Finally, we are told to watch what we say that we might keep it. Once again, Jesus fulfilled all He told. How smart would it be for us to do these three things! What great witnesses we would be. Refrain from half-lies, spiritually dead carcasses, and too many oaths. They are only trespasses on the Lord's perfect holiness.
"and he knows, then he shall be guilty of one of these." "and he knows, then he shall be guilty."
I have to think to myself, what are the Spiritual trespasses in my own life. I certainly am convicted by the first situation given. Withholding the truth is just as bad as not telling the truth at all. This trespass does not suggest the person may not know what they are doing, but instead simply pronounces the person as guilty. This makes me all the more appreciate Jesus. He never told a half truth. He always told the complete story. If this is what it takes to be holy, Jesus did this completely. I also love the example Jesus gave us. When He was being questioned by Pilot, He simply remained quiet. If there is something you need to withhold for reasonable purpose other than being sneaky, I suggest you just stay quiet about the matter.
Secondly, we see that Israel was not to come before anything dead. What a challenge for me! I do not do things which are going to hinder or crush my spiritual walk. Nevertheless, I find myself walking around dead things. Whether it is seeing a movie I should not see, doing things which are fruitless, or just not making use of the Lord's time, I know I am guilty of hanging around to much spiritually dead things. I feel this is a great danger living in the United States and the metropolis of Northern Virginia. We need to stop trying to fill our time with entertainment and instead fill it with Jesus.
Finally, we are told to watch what we say that we might keep it. Once again, Jesus fulfilled all He told. How smart would it be for us to do these three things! What great witnesses we would be. Refrain from half-lies, spiritually dead carcasses, and too many oaths. They are only trespasses on the Lord's perfect holiness.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Leviticus 4
Leviticus 4
Leviticus 4 is all about the sin offering. The sin offering is very similar to the burnt offering. It involves taking an bull, goat, and lamb, and making an offering involving the burning of its parts. There is an interesting principle laid out in this chapter.
Notice verse 3, “If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on all the people.” Depending on who you are, you bear responsibility when you sin. Notice the sin of a priest brings guilt on all the people! How careful those in leadership have to be. Therefore, the cost of such sin was the offering of a bull. This was the largest animal one could offer. Why the bull? Well, the sin brought guilt to the entire people, therefore the entire people needed to be cleansed.
Leviticus 4:22 gives the instructions of when a ruler sins. A ruler was the head of an entire household of family, servants, and friends. His sin brought shame and guilt to that house. Therefore the ruler needed to give the second largest offering, the goat.
Finally comes the common man. If the common man sins he is entitled to bring a lamb. His sin only covers himself, or if he is the head of a household, his family. He bears less responsibility because he is just a common man.
I bring all this up to say, you are all priests. We are all called to be priests, or bridge builders, between the Lord and this world. Jesus is our High Priest. We therefore minister to this world. When we sin, we need to realize our sin effects those around us. It is a bad testimony to our great High Priest. I believe we are not to take this job lightly.
At the same time there is grace. There is no need for offerings anymore because the offering has taken place. Jesus is called the Lamb (not the bull or goat) that takes away the sins of the world. Jesus is a Lamb because He came for all the people, especially the common people. He did not just come for the devout and religious. H did not just come for the ruler. He came as a Lamb offering, that the most common people might enter His Holy Priesthood. Therefore, live with balance. Understand if you sin, it has its results. Understand also that grace wipes away any memory of this sin and you can be considered holy ( Remember: able to be used of God) this day.
Leviticus 4 is all about the sin offering. The sin offering is very similar to the burnt offering. It involves taking an bull, goat, and lamb, and making an offering involving the burning of its parts. There is an interesting principle laid out in this chapter.
Notice verse 3, “If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on all the people.” Depending on who you are, you bear responsibility when you sin. Notice the sin of a priest brings guilt on all the people! How careful those in leadership have to be. Therefore, the cost of such sin was the offering of a bull. This was the largest animal one could offer. Why the bull? Well, the sin brought guilt to the entire people, therefore the entire people needed to be cleansed.
Leviticus 4:22 gives the instructions of when a ruler sins. A ruler was the head of an entire household of family, servants, and friends. His sin brought shame and guilt to that house. Therefore the ruler needed to give the second largest offering, the goat.
Finally comes the common man. If the common man sins he is entitled to bring a lamb. His sin only covers himself, or if he is the head of a household, his family. He bears less responsibility because he is just a common man.
I bring all this up to say, you are all priests. We are all called to be priests, or bridge builders, between the Lord and this world. Jesus is our High Priest. We therefore minister to this world. When we sin, we need to realize our sin effects those around us. It is a bad testimony to our great High Priest. I believe we are not to take this job lightly.
At the same time there is grace. There is no need for offerings anymore because the offering has taken place. Jesus is called the Lamb (not the bull or goat) that takes away the sins of the world. Jesus is a Lamb because He came for all the people, especially the common people. He did not just come for the devout and religious. H did not just come for the ruler. He came as a Lamb offering, that the most common people might enter His Holy Priesthood. Therefore, live with balance. Understand if you sin, it has its results. Understand also that grace wipes away any memory of this sin and you can be considered holy ( Remember: able to be used of God) this day.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Leviticus 3
Leviticus 3
“And the priest shall burn them on the altar, bread of the fire offering for a sweet savor. All the fat is Jehovah's. It shall be forever for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that you eat neither fat nor blood” (Lev. 3:16-17)
The Fat and the blood were special. Fat is a storage system designed for the body. It is the excess which, when you eat, you save for later. Now the Lord is saying something to Israel here. He is telling them not to be reliant upon their stored efforts. They were not to store up spiritual food for later, as we see with the manna, but to take their daily bread. Therefore, the fat (The flesh or effort) belonged to the Lord. It was to be burned up and entirely consumed so that it did not remain.
What a beautiful picture of faith. I think back to the year 1999. Everybody was worried about this thing called Y2K. They believed the computer systems were all going to crash and that the world’s economy would crumble. Therefore people started to save up mass amounts of food. I knew people with whole living rooms full of canned food.
I have to ask myself, do I do this spiritually? Do I see something coming my way and then attempt to do everything I can to fix the problem. DO I instead take one day at a time, each and everyday being renewed in the Lord. To follow Christ is a one time decision. To exercise the faith must happen everyday. This is why the Lord tells us, “Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself.”
Gang, let us remember to pray for each other everyday this week.
“And the priest shall burn them on the altar, bread of the fire offering for a sweet savor. All the fat is Jehovah's. It shall be forever for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that you eat neither fat nor blood” (Lev. 3:16-17)
The Fat and the blood were special. Fat is a storage system designed for the body. It is the excess which, when you eat, you save for later. Now the Lord is saying something to Israel here. He is telling them not to be reliant upon their stored efforts. They were not to store up spiritual food for later, as we see with the manna, but to take their daily bread. Therefore, the fat (The flesh or effort) belonged to the Lord. It was to be burned up and entirely consumed so that it did not remain.
What a beautiful picture of faith. I think back to the year 1999. Everybody was worried about this thing called Y2K. They believed the computer systems were all going to crash and that the world’s economy would crumble. Therefore people started to save up mass amounts of food. I knew people with whole living rooms full of canned food.
I have to ask myself, do I do this spiritually? Do I see something coming my way and then attempt to do everything I can to fix the problem. DO I instead take one day at a time, each and everyday being renewed in the Lord. To follow Christ is a one time decision. To exercise the faith must happen everyday. This is why the Lord tells us, “Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself.”
Gang, let us remember to pray for each other everyday this week.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Opportunity to Pray
Hey gang,
Remember to pray for safe travels for Tommy, Melissa, Amelia Macy, Mr. O'Keefe, Mrs. O'Keefe, Katelyn, Kyle, Mr. Noel, and Miss Carol as they travel to California for Trevor's wedding. Pray for Trevor and Lindsey. Pray for the extended family coming.
Pray for the Children's Musical coming up as well!
Remember to pray for safe travels for Tommy, Melissa, Amelia Macy, Mr. O'Keefe, Mrs. O'Keefe, Katelyn, Kyle, Mr. Noel, and Miss Carol as they travel to California for Trevor's wedding. Pray for Trevor and Lindsey. Pray for the extended family coming.
Pray for the Children's Musical coming up as well!
Leviticus 2
I apologize for the late post.
Tommy gave a wonderful introduction into the book of Leviticus. He explained where everything was shooting for, the purpose of offering, which is atonement. Let us now discuss the offering, still in Leviticus 1 as well as 2.
As Tommy pointed out, Leviticus 1:3 stresses the importance of free will. The people would go before the Lord and bring an offering to cover their sin. Their offering was of different sizes. Later, we will explain which offerings belonged to whom an why. For now let us look at some key words in the offering:
Blood = Life (Leviticus 17:11)
Atonement = Covering
Fat = Our Works and our flesh
Offering = To bring near
Holy = Set Apart or To be used of God
Consecrate = To Fill (to the top). To finish.
Sweet Aroma = Scent of Rest
The offering is one giant picture of heaven, and what is to come. It is very prophetical in a way, and teaches us much more about Christ’s offering for us. First thing we learn is that blood must be poured. Life is in blood, and for our lives to be made right life must be poured out. The fruit of sin is death. Therefore one kills an innocent creature, that its blood (life) might atone (cover) our sin (death) that we might be holy (used of God). Holiness is being a perfect keeper of the law.
Now when the offering would go up before the Lord it would be as a sweet aroma unto Him. Understand now that there was no such thing as having faith in God and therefore being saved. The way you were saved was by keeping the law. Now understand the beautiful picture being laid out here. Faith is rest in action. Faith requires no work (that is why the fat is burned). Faith is simply leaning on God. You yourself carry no wait when you lean, but redirect your weight onto something else. Put your weight on the Lord and allow Him to do the work! The result was rest, and rest in the Lord. I encourage you, please read Hebrews 4:8-11. Be diligent to rest!
Therefore, the entire offering and all its rules are fulfilled in one thing, faith. We do not have to do anything but have faith in Jesus and we are made holy! You can be used of God because you have faith! Why? Well, Jesus, keeping the law, poured His blood (life), which provided atonement (Covering) of our sins (death). But Jesus had no sin (death) yet He died. Jesus chose to die, essentially breaking the rules, that we might have the life from His poured blood.
Make an offering of faith today. Allow the Sweet Aroma (scent of rest) to go before the Lord.
Tommy gave a wonderful introduction into the book of Leviticus. He explained where everything was shooting for, the purpose of offering, which is atonement. Let us now discuss the offering, still in Leviticus 1 as well as 2.
As Tommy pointed out, Leviticus 1:3 stresses the importance of free will. The people would go before the Lord and bring an offering to cover their sin. Their offering was of different sizes. Later, we will explain which offerings belonged to whom an why. For now let us look at some key words in the offering:
Blood = Life (Leviticus 17:11)
Atonement = Covering
Fat = Our Works and our flesh
Offering = To bring near
Holy = Set Apart or To be used of God
Consecrate = To Fill (to the top). To finish.
Sweet Aroma = Scent of Rest
The offering is one giant picture of heaven, and what is to come. It is very prophetical in a way, and teaches us much more about Christ’s offering for us. First thing we learn is that blood must be poured. Life is in blood, and for our lives to be made right life must be poured out. The fruit of sin is death. Therefore one kills an innocent creature, that its blood (life) might atone (cover) our sin (death) that we might be holy (used of God). Holiness is being a perfect keeper of the law.
Now when the offering would go up before the Lord it would be as a sweet aroma unto Him. Understand now that there was no such thing as having faith in God and therefore being saved. The way you were saved was by keeping the law. Now understand the beautiful picture being laid out here. Faith is rest in action. Faith requires no work (that is why the fat is burned). Faith is simply leaning on God. You yourself carry no wait when you lean, but redirect your weight onto something else. Put your weight on the Lord and allow Him to do the work! The result was rest, and rest in the Lord. I encourage you, please read Hebrews 4:8-11. Be diligent to rest!
Therefore, the entire offering and all its rules are fulfilled in one thing, faith. We do not have to do anything but have faith in Jesus and we are made holy! You can be used of God because you have faith! Why? Well, Jesus, keeping the law, poured His blood (life), which provided atonement (Covering) of our sins (death). But Jesus had no sin (death) yet He died. Jesus chose to die, essentially breaking the rules, that we might have the life from His poured blood.
Make an offering of faith today. Allow the Sweet Aroma (scent of rest) to go before the Lord.
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Leviticus 1
Today we begin the book of Leviticus. This book is literally “the laws of the priests”, and contains very little narrative. It is here in Leviticus that we learn about the idea of SACRIFICE. This concept is central to the gospel, and this book contains many pictures for us of Jesus Christ, our perfect sacrifice!
The first chapter deals with a specific sacrifice that was known as the “Burnt Offering”. This offering was central to Jewish life, and it wonderfully shadows Jesus Christ, the lamb who was slain. Let’s look now at the particulars of this sacrifice.
1. This offering was an act of free-will. Sacrifices to the Lord are meaningless if they are out of pressure or coercion. The Lord desires a willing heart! Just as the owner of the animal to be sacrificed freely offered it up, constrained to do so by love; so also God the Father offered up Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, because of His deep love for US.
2. The size of the offering was not what was important. God didn’t consider those who offered bulls and goats as better than those who offered a pigeon. What He was looking at was the heart behind the offering. He wanted to know that our motives were pure! In theory, you could have a prize-winning Ox that was a worthless offering in God’s eyes, and a simple pigeon given by a heart filled with love that meant more than anything else. It reminds of the time when Jesus said that the widows two mites were worth more than ALL of the other offerings they were witnessing combined!
3. The offering must be pure. The offering could bear no blemish, no birth defect, or broken bones… no signs of weakness or sickness. To ensure that an offering was “pure” and “without blemish” it had to be inspected by the priests. Do any of you remember when Jesus was inspected? Sitting before the council of the high priest, they could find no real fault with Him! He truly was our sacrificial lamb.
Notice with me the way that this would go down. The man bringing the burnt offering would place his hands on the animals head, identifying himself with it, showing that his sin was now in figure being taken on by the beast. The bible tells us clearly, without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins! This person realized that this beast was dying for the sin that dwelt in him, dying to repair the breach that existed between him and God. We are told that the sacrifice was accepted as ATONEMENT.
You may remember Hector and me talking about this word before… It is truly a wonderful idea. Just what exactly is Atonement? It literally means to paint over something with pitch. Maybe you remember the last time we saw pitch in the scriptures… It was back in Genesis. Noah coated the ark with pitch to keep the waters of judgment out. It was the covering that kept Noah and his family safe inside the ark while the world around was judged for their sin. The concept is very similar here in relation to the Burnt Offering. God was providing a covering to protect the Israelites from the Judgment they faced as sinners, He was promising protection from the penalty of sin, at the expense of an animal’s life. They would take the blood of this slaughtered beast and sprinkle it around the altar, this signified that the life was in the blood, and God required a life to cover the sin of every individual. This covering was temporary, for it to be permanent it would have to do more than cover sin, it would need to remove sin.
This is where we see the New Covenant in Jesus, the “Better Covenant” in all of its glory.
But when Christ had become a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building nor by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered once for all into the Holies, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
(Heb 9:11-12)
Not just atonement in the Old Testament sense. Now all those who trust in Jesus Christ have Eternal Redemption by the blood Jesus poured out for us on the heavenly altar. Not just covered, now our sins are removed by trusting in His perfect sacrifice, and we are owned eternally by Jesus Christ! Not just a covering, He cleansed us completely!!!
I am so excited about Leviticus, and I know Hector is as well. You will probably see us go often to the New Testament, especially the book of Hebrews during this study. That is because it is there that we find the fulfillment of what the se sacrifices looked forward to, and it is there that we find life through the greatest sacrifice of all.
The first chapter deals with a specific sacrifice that was known as the “Burnt Offering”. This offering was central to Jewish life, and it wonderfully shadows Jesus Christ, the lamb who was slain. Let’s look now at the particulars of this sacrifice.
1. This offering was an act of free-will. Sacrifices to the Lord are meaningless if they are out of pressure or coercion. The Lord desires a willing heart! Just as the owner of the animal to be sacrificed freely offered it up, constrained to do so by love; so also God the Father offered up Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, because of His deep love for US.
2. The size of the offering was not what was important. God didn’t consider those who offered bulls and goats as better than those who offered a pigeon. What He was looking at was the heart behind the offering. He wanted to know that our motives were pure! In theory, you could have a prize-winning Ox that was a worthless offering in God’s eyes, and a simple pigeon given by a heart filled with love that meant more than anything else. It reminds of the time when Jesus said that the widows two mites were worth more than ALL of the other offerings they were witnessing combined!
3. The offering must be pure. The offering could bear no blemish, no birth defect, or broken bones… no signs of weakness or sickness. To ensure that an offering was “pure” and “without blemish” it had to be inspected by the priests. Do any of you remember when Jesus was inspected? Sitting before the council of the high priest, they could find no real fault with Him! He truly was our sacrificial lamb.
Notice with me the way that this would go down. The man bringing the burnt offering would place his hands on the animals head, identifying himself with it, showing that his sin was now in figure being taken on by the beast. The bible tells us clearly, without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins! This person realized that this beast was dying for the sin that dwelt in him, dying to repair the breach that existed between him and God. We are told that the sacrifice was accepted as ATONEMENT.
You may remember Hector and me talking about this word before… It is truly a wonderful idea. Just what exactly is Atonement? It literally means to paint over something with pitch. Maybe you remember the last time we saw pitch in the scriptures… It was back in Genesis. Noah coated the ark with pitch to keep the waters of judgment out. It was the covering that kept Noah and his family safe inside the ark while the world around was judged for their sin. The concept is very similar here in relation to the Burnt Offering. God was providing a covering to protect the Israelites from the Judgment they faced as sinners, He was promising protection from the penalty of sin, at the expense of an animal’s life. They would take the blood of this slaughtered beast and sprinkle it around the altar, this signified that the life was in the blood, and God required a life to cover the sin of every individual. This covering was temporary, for it to be permanent it would have to do more than cover sin, it would need to remove sin.
This is where we see the New Covenant in Jesus, the “Better Covenant” in all of its glory.
But when Christ had become a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building nor by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered once for all into the Holies, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
(Heb 9:11-12)
Not just atonement in the Old Testament sense. Now all those who trust in Jesus Christ have Eternal Redemption by the blood Jesus poured out for us on the heavenly altar. Not just covered, now our sins are removed by trusting in His perfect sacrifice, and we are owned eternally by Jesus Christ! Not just a covering, He cleansed us completely!!!
I am so excited about Leviticus, and I know Hector is as well. You will probably see us go often to the New Testament, especially the book of Hebrews during this study. That is because it is there that we find the fulfillment of what the se sacrifices looked forward to, and it is there that we find life through the greatest sacrifice of all.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Exodus 40
CLICK HERE for audio version
And the cloud covered the tabernacle of the congregation, and the glory of Jehovah filled the tabernacle.
(Exo 40:34)
The book of Exodus ends with a bang! The time had finally come; the day had finally arrived that the tabernacle would be set up. It was not just on any random day, it was on the first day of the first month of the year… The day we would normally refer to as “New Year’s Day”. This was the New Year’s Day to beat them all! On this day something phenomenal would happen. The glory of God was going to come down and take up residence in the Tabernacle… God was going to dwell among His people.
On a typical New Year’s Day, we begin to put into effect the “New Year’s Resolutions” we have made during the final days of December. Resolutions to eat less and exercise more. Resolutions to watch less TV and spend more time enjoying the outdoors. Resolutions to do just about anything under the sun that might improve the quality of someone’s life. This year was different for the children of Israel. It wasn’t a mere resolution; they experienced a Divine intervention that would forever alter the way they related to God. This year marked the beginning of a new era for them, an era where the presence of God abode in their midst.
I wish I could travel back in time to see it happen. It must have been a glorious celebration that the Jews took part in as God took up residence in the house they had built Him. More than ever before, they were going to be able to know that He was with them and that He was going before them.
We have something even better than a house for God to live in. If we look at John 1:14 we read this glorious phrase: “and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth”. That word DWELT is the Greek word for TABERNACLE… It literally means that Jesus came and tabernacled among us! God didn’t merely come and dwell in a building as in the days of old, He came this time and took on Himself the form of a man! So much greater than a cloud on the tabernacle, God Himself was now walking the land of Israel!
If you can believe it, it gets even better. After Jesus fulfilled His mission by dying on the cross, rising again three days later, and ascending into heaven, He moved His tabernacle to an even more intimate place. Now the God of the universe has taken up residence in the hearts of all those who have called upon His name! Like that incredible New Year when everything changed for the Jew, we have a new life in Christ at the moment of salvation. No resolution, a divine intervention… God Himself (Father, Spirit, and Son) living in your heart and guiding and directing your life! My prayer for you is that the parallel wouldn’t end there. I hope and pray that each one of your lives would be filled with the glory of the Lord for all to see, just like the tabernacle of old. Let that glory work in and through your life, and be a light for Jesus to the world around you!!!
And the cloud covered the tabernacle of the congregation, and the glory of Jehovah filled the tabernacle.
(Exo 40:34)
The book of Exodus ends with a bang! The time had finally come; the day had finally arrived that the tabernacle would be set up. It was not just on any random day, it was on the first day of the first month of the year… The day we would normally refer to as “New Year’s Day”. This was the New Year’s Day to beat them all! On this day something phenomenal would happen. The glory of God was going to come down and take up residence in the Tabernacle… God was going to dwell among His people.
On a typical New Year’s Day, we begin to put into effect the “New Year’s Resolutions” we have made during the final days of December. Resolutions to eat less and exercise more. Resolutions to watch less TV and spend more time enjoying the outdoors. Resolutions to do just about anything under the sun that might improve the quality of someone’s life. This year was different for the children of Israel. It wasn’t a mere resolution; they experienced a Divine intervention that would forever alter the way they related to God. This year marked the beginning of a new era for them, an era where the presence of God abode in their midst.
I wish I could travel back in time to see it happen. It must have been a glorious celebration that the Jews took part in as God took up residence in the house they had built Him. More than ever before, they were going to be able to know that He was with them and that He was going before them.
We have something even better than a house for God to live in. If we look at John 1:14 we read this glorious phrase: “and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth”. That word DWELT is the Greek word for TABERNACLE… It literally means that Jesus came and tabernacled among us! God didn’t merely come and dwell in a building as in the days of old, He came this time and took on Himself the form of a man! So much greater than a cloud on the tabernacle, God Himself was now walking the land of Israel!
If you can believe it, it gets even better. After Jesus fulfilled His mission by dying on the cross, rising again three days later, and ascending into heaven, He moved His tabernacle to an even more intimate place. Now the God of the universe has taken up residence in the hearts of all those who have called upon His name! Like that incredible New Year when everything changed for the Jew, we have a new life in Christ at the moment of salvation. No resolution, a divine intervention… God Himself (Father, Spirit, and Son) living in your heart and guiding and directing your life! My prayer for you is that the parallel wouldn’t end there. I hope and pray that each one of your lives would be filled with the glory of the Lord for all to see, just like the tabernacle of old. Let that glory work in and through your life, and be a light for Jesus to the world around you!!!
Exodus 39
And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary. And they made the holy garments for Aaron, even as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Exo 39:1)
This chapter closes out the making of the tabernacle and all that went with it. It focuses mainly upon the construction of the sweet outfits Aaron and his sons, the priesthood, were to wear in their service to the Lord. These fancy duds weren’t designed strictly for the style factor (though I am sure they looked more amazing than anything I own) there was symbolic purpose in every detail.
Look for instance with me at the 12 stones engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel. These weren’t rhinestones positioned to make the priests look like Jewish cowboys; these stones had a serious purpose. They represented the most important role that the priests played! As priests, they were mediators between God and man, a mere foreshadowing of the great high priest Jesus Christ, who we know as the PERFECT MEDIATOR. Part of this role of mediator for the priests was representing the people to God. They were to go to the Lord on behalf of the people in sacrifice and in prayer! They were to be intercessors, lifting up the needs of the entire nation of Israel to the Lord, asking for His strength to sustain them. These stones, positioned on the shoulders of the priest symbolized the priests carrying the people’s needs before the Lord.
When I carry heavy things, I love to sling them over my shoulder, letting the weight rest on my shoulders and my back. To me it is so much easier than carrying things out in front of you. Saturday Hector, Kyle, Noel and I were doing some yard work for a family at the church, and I was carrying bags of heavy wet leaves to the curb. The women there were laughing at me, calling me Santa Claus.
Maybe I’m weird, but to me the shoulders are the place to bear heavy burdens! Think about the common phrase, “the weight of the world on his shoulders” a reference to the image of Atlas, bearing the globe over His head, resting on his shoulder blades. The picture is vivid in my mind, and anytime I see someone with something on their shoulders I assume it is heavy. And so, we have the stones engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel. These stones were worn on the shoulders of the priest, on the place of burden… The priests symbolically and literally were bearing the burdens of the people to the Lord.
As believers in Christ, we are called a “kingdom of priests”. As followers of Jesus, the great high priest, we are all called to be intercessors. We are to bear the needs of our brothers and sisters to the Lord, to lift those burdens off of them and carry them to Him in prayer! Are you praying for your brothers and sisters? Are you bearing their burdens to the Lord, are you lifting up their needs and fulfilling your priestly duty? It is a great privilege that the Lord has given us, but with it comes great responsibility… There are no spectators in God’s kingdom… we are all called to serve! So, today do the best thing you could ever do for your brothers and sisters in the youth group at Harvest Christian Fellowship… set aside a few minutes to be like the priests of old, and bring there needs before our almighty God!
(Exo 39:1)
This chapter closes out the making of the tabernacle and all that went with it. It focuses mainly upon the construction of the sweet outfits Aaron and his sons, the priesthood, were to wear in their service to the Lord. These fancy duds weren’t designed strictly for the style factor (though I am sure they looked more amazing than anything I own) there was symbolic purpose in every detail.
Look for instance with me at the 12 stones engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel. These weren’t rhinestones positioned to make the priests look like Jewish cowboys; these stones had a serious purpose. They represented the most important role that the priests played! As priests, they were mediators between God and man, a mere foreshadowing of the great high priest Jesus Christ, who we know as the PERFECT MEDIATOR. Part of this role of mediator for the priests was representing the people to God. They were to go to the Lord on behalf of the people in sacrifice and in prayer! They were to be intercessors, lifting up the needs of the entire nation of Israel to the Lord, asking for His strength to sustain them. These stones, positioned on the shoulders of the priest symbolized the priests carrying the people’s needs before the Lord.
When I carry heavy things, I love to sling them over my shoulder, letting the weight rest on my shoulders and my back. To me it is so much easier than carrying things out in front of you. Saturday Hector, Kyle, Noel and I were doing some yard work for a family at the church, and I was carrying bags of heavy wet leaves to the curb. The women there were laughing at me, calling me Santa Claus.
Maybe I’m weird, but to me the shoulders are the place to bear heavy burdens! Think about the common phrase, “the weight of the world on his shoulders” a reference to the image of Atlas, bearing the globe over His head, resting on his shoulder blades. The picture is vivid in my mind, and anytime I see someone with something on their shoulders I assume it is heavy. And so, we have the stones engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel. These stones were worn on the shoulders of the priest, on the place of burden… The priests symbolically and literally were bearing the burdens of the people to the Lord.
As believers in Christ, we are called a “kingdom of priests”. As followers of Jesus, the great high priest, we are all called to be intercessors. We are to bear the needs of our brothers and sisters to the Lord, to lift those burdens off of them and carry them to Him in prayer! Are you praying for your brothers and sisters? Are you bearing their burdens to the Lord, are you lifting up their needs and fulfilling your priestly duty? It is a great privilege that the Lord has given us, but with it comes great responsibility… There are no spectators in God’s kingdom… we are all called to serve! So, today do the best thing you could ever do for your brothers and sisters in the youth group at Harvest Christian Fellowship… set aside a few minutes to be like the priests of old, and bring there needs before our almighty God!
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Podcast
you can find the podcast for the devos at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=206989013
Exodus 38
For Audio, CLICK HERE
The work on the tabernacle continues, and another master craftsman surfaces. Meet Aholiab… though the things he does are different, he is just as gifted as Bezaleel. Together, these guys accomplish an INCREDIBLE amount of work…
Just look at the amount of gold and silver these guys used while constructing the Tabernacle! We are not exactly sure what a shekel measures to, but the most modest guesses put it at 82 ¼ lbs. That means that they used AT THE VERY LEAST over 2400 lbs of gold, and 8200 lbs of silver! The silver in the temple was half the weight of an ELEPHANT!
How do we know how much went into the Tabernacle? The numbers guy, Ithimar! His job was to count up everything that was used!
I love the way all of this works… What would be an impossible task if tried alone becomes a glorious example of the family of God accomplishing great things by the power of God. As the family of God, with all of our various talents, strengths, and weaknesses, we have the blessed opportunity of being able to work together as ONE BODY filled with the strength of the Lord! All of the parts of the body are needed, and each person needs to be committed to playing their part. God has gifted us all uniquely, and when we can come together by the power of God, in the unity we have in Christ, we become an unparalleled force for the kingdom of God. The world knows nothing like this… If we are all playing our roles, we truly get to experience what it is to be the BODY of Christ. His hands, His feet, His mouth, etc…
Imagine if Aholiab had said, “I’m tired of working with fabrics, I want a REAL job like Moses”. In frustration over his job, and envy for Moses position, he tries to take over. Moses on the other hand says, “I don’t need any of you, I’m gonna do this all by myself!” And then you have Bezaleel who has made it his responsibility to recount everything Ithimar has already counted… If this were the case, the Tabernacle would have probably never been built, and even if it was built, it would have looked nothing like the plans God had given to Moses on the mountain.
Now transfer that idea over to us, the church, the BODY OF CHRIST. How often are we so busy envying someone’s position, or trying to play somebody’s part, that we totally miss what God has called us to do? Listen to what Paul said in 1 Corinthians:
For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For also by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free, even all were made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If all the body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If all hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body as it has pleased Him. And if they were all one member, where would be the body? But now indeed many are the members, yet only one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you; nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. But much rather the members of the body seeming to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we put more abundant honor around them. And our unpresentable members have more abundant propriety. For our presentable members have no need, but God tempered the body together, giving more abundant honor to the member having need; that there not be division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is glorified, all the members rejoice with it. And you are the body of Christ, and members in part.
(1Co 12:12-27)
THE BODY… If we could just do what God has called us to do as individuals empowered by His Spirit, the things we could accomplish together would be incredible! Like Israel and the Tabernacle, all it takes is a few believer’s committed to being who God has called them to be… nothing more, nothing less. LET’S BE THE BODY!!!
The work on the tabernacle continues, and another master craftsman surfaces. Meet Aholiab… though the things he does are different, he is just as gifted as Bezaleel. Together, these guys accomplish an INCREDIBLE amount of work…
Just look at the amount of gold and silver these guys used while constructing the Tabernacle! We are not exactly sure what a shekel measures to, but the most modest guesses put it at 82 ¼ lbs. That means that they used AT THE VERY LEAST over 2400 lbs of gold, and 8200 lbs of silver! The silver in the temple was half the weight of an ELEPHANT!
How do we know how much went into the Tabernacle? The numbers guy, Ithimar! His job was to count up everything that was used!
I love the way all of this works… What would be an impossible task if tried alone becomes a glorious example of the family of God accomplishing great things by the power of God. As the family of God, with all of our various talents, strengths, and weaknesses, we have the blessed opportunity of being able to work together as ONE BODY filled with the strength of the Lord! All of the parts of the body are needed, and each person needs to be committed to playing their part. God has gifted us all uniquely, and when we can come together by the power of God, in the unity we have in Christ, we become an unparalleled force for the kingdom of God. The world knows nothing like this… If we are all playing our roles, we truly get to experience what it is to be the BODY of Christ. His hands, His feet, His mouth, etc…
Imagine if Aholiab had said, “I’m tired of working with fabrics, I want a REAL job like Moses”. In frustration over his job, and envy for Moses position, he tries to take over. Moses on the other hand says, “I don’t need any of you, I’m gonna do this all by myself!” And then you have Bezaleel who has made it his responsibility to recount everything Ithimar has already counted… If this were the case, the Tabernacle would have probably never been built, and even if it was built, it would have looked nothing like the plans God had given to Moses on the mountain.
Now transfer that idea over to us, the church, the BODY OF CHRIST. How often are we so busy envying someone’s position, or trying to play somebody’s part, that we totally miss what God has called us to do? Listen to what Paul said in 1 Corinthians:
For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For also by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free, even all were made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If all the body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If all hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body as it has pleased Him. And if they were all one member, where would be the body? But now indeed many are the members, yet only one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you; nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. But much rather the members of the body seeming to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we put more abundant honor around them. And our unpresentable members have more abundant propriety. For our presentable members have no need, but God tempered the body together, giving more abundant honor to the member having need; that there not be division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is glorified, all the members rejoice with it. And you are the body of Christ, and members in part.
(1Co 12:12-27)
THE BODY… If we could just do what God has called us to do as individuals empowered by His Spirit, the things we could accomplish together would be incredible! Like Israel and the Tabernacle, all it takes is a few believer’s committed to being who God has called them to be… nothing more, nothing less. LET’S BE THE BODY!!!
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Exodus 37
In Exodus 37, we see Bezaleel building all of the things in the tabernacle made of wood, metal and stone. He is doing incredible things, things that you and I have no clue how to do. When was the last time you built things out of shittim wood and overlaid them in pure gold. That was just the start though, this guy made a pure gold statue of two cherubim to cover the altar, and he beat it out of one solid piece of gold! He made a super ornate candlestick that looked like 6 almond blossoms, complete with stems, knobs and blossoms. To top it all of, the guy even made the incense and the oil, the work of a perfume maker.
When I read what this guy did, and try to picture him doing it all alone, then try to picture myself doing it, I come to one conclusion: Bezaleel was born for this job! We already read that He was given wisdom from the lord to do these things (it appears he had this wisdom before the job came) and that the Holy Spirit stirred his heart to do the work. In my opinion, Bezaleel is the perfect example of the Lord creating people for a specific purpose. This concept is also known as the “specific will of God”.
God has a general will and a specific will. His “general will” is just that, general. It is His will that we should all be saved, It is His will that we should all be sanctified, it is His will that we give thanks in all things, and so the list goes on and on. The general will of God for our lives is laid out crystal clear for us in the Word of God. It is where we all must begin if we want to know God’s specific will for our lives. Bezaleel would never have been able to fulfill this divine purpose for his life if he had not first been living according to God’s general will. I like to look it this way: we have to be on the right path before we can be stepping in the footprints God has setup for us to walk in.
I believe that God has a very specific will for each one of our lives, something we were tailor made to do. Whatever this thing is, whether it be big or small in our eyes, In God’s economy it is the greatest thing we can ever do! There is no greater accomplishment in this life than fulfilling the purpose you were created for. Every step in our journey is ordered by the Lord. The question is simple, will we take those steps, or will we try and forge our own path?
This journey began the day we got saved, and it won’t end until the day we meet Jesus face to face. Each one of our journeys will be the same in the sense that they will be walked out on the straight and narrow. Each journey will be different in that none of us have identical missions from the Lord. My question to you is simple: Are you on the right path? If not, then you cannot possibly expect to know God’s will in ANY situation you face. If you are on the right path, I ask you this: Are you listening to the Lord as He guides you each step of the way? Don’t miss out on the great works that God has planned for you… Be like Bezaleel, an example of a person doing exactly what God made them for!
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.
(Eph 2:10)
When I read what this guy did, and try to picture him doing it all alone, then try to picture myself doing it, I come to one conclusion: Bezaleel was born for this job! We already read that He was given wisdom from the lord to do these things (it appears he had this wisdom before the job came) and that the Holy Spirit stirred his heart to do the work. In my opinion, Bezaleel is the perfect example of the Lord creating people for a specific purpose. This concept is also known as the “specific will of God”.
God has a general will and a specific will. His “general will” is just that, general. It is His will that we should all be saved, It is His will that we should all be sanctified, it is His will that we give thanks in all things, and so the list goes on and on. The general will of God for our lives is laid out crystal clear for us in the Word of God. It is where we all must begin if we want to know God’s specific will for our lives. Bezaleel would never have been able to fulfill this divine purpose for his life if he had not first been living according to God’s general will. I like to look it this way: we have to be on the right path before we can be stepping in the footprints God has setup for us to walk in.
I believe that God has a very specific will for each one of our lives, something we were tailor made to do. Whatever this thing is, whether it be big or small in our eyes, In God’s economy it is the greatest thing we can ever do! There is no greater accomplishment in this life than fulfilling the purpose you were created for. Every step in our journey is ordered by the Lord. The question is simple, will we take those steps, or will we try and forge our own path?
This journey began the day we got saved, and it won’t end until the day we meet Jesus face to face. Each one of our journeys will be the same in the sense that they will be walked out on the straight and narrow. Each journey will be different in that none of us have identical missions from the Lord. My question to you is simple: Are you on the right path? If not, then you cannot possibly expect to know God’s will in ANY situation you face. If you are on the right path, I ask you this: Are you listening to the Lord as He guides you each step of the way? Don’t miss out on the great works that God has planned for you… Be like Bezaleel, an example of a person doing exactly what God made them for!
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.
(Eph 2:10)
Monday, November 27, 2006
Exodus 36
And they spoke unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make. And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing. For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.
(Exo 36:5-7)
Think about this for a moment… If you were in the shoes of the workmen, what would you have done? You arrive on the scene to do the work, and already there is more than enough material, and more is coming in. You could easily take this “extra” for yourself, and see it as a little payment for your services. Or, you could let the leaders know what was going on and do what was best for the CONGREGATION. This was a true test for these guys, a test of who they were really living for.
These tests show up in our lives in many different ways, but the end result is always the same. We will either discover that our motives are pure and we really are serving the Lord; or we find out that it is self that we are really worshipping after all. These guys were legit, and their main concern was not there own well being, but the accomplishing of God’s work and will.
What is your main concern today? Is it your own well being, or is it the will and work of the Lord? As you go through your day today, think about what you would have done if you were in the shoes of the workmen… and ask the lord to give you a heart of faith that puts Him and His work FIRST.
(Exo 36:5-7)
Think about this for a moment… If you were in the shoes of the workmen, what would you have done? You arrive on the scene to do the work, and already there is more than enough material, and more is coming in. You could easily take this “extra” for yourself, and see it as a little payment for your services. Or, you could let the leaders know what was going on and do what was best for the CONGREGATION. This was a true test for these guys, a test of who they were really living for.
These tests show up in our lives in many different ways, but the end result is always the same. We will either discover that our motives are pure and we really are serving the Lord; or we find out that it is self that we are really worshipping after all. These guys were legit, and their main concern was not there own well being, but the accomplishing of God’s work and will.
What is your main concern today? Is it your own well being, or is it the will and work of the Lord? As you go through your day today, think about what you would have done if you were in the shoes of the workmen… and ask the lord to give you a heart of faith that puts Him and His work FIRST.
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