Finding gems in God's Word
These comprehensive laws are in effect even today and the consequences of disobedience to them is still today. Incest is wrong and the children of that union will be defiled. Protect the line of God so you are perfect before those who are not. God’s laws are not hard and when obeyed, they bring righteousness and purity to the land and the people.
Today choose God’s way and be blessed.
At the time of the OT in the wilderness, God gave instructions for the cleansing of those who were found ill or diseased. Live animals gave their lives for this purpose and the priest was the one following this ritual for the person found in sin or in some way diseased. The priest offered not only live animals but also their blood sprinkled on them. When Christ offered His body on the cross for our sins and it completed that by His blood. In the OT the word atonement was used, but in the NT it is propitiation. The difference between two words explains this ritual. Atonement is a broader, man-focused term for covering, forgiving, or cleansing sin to reconcile humanity with God. Propitiation is a more specific, God-focused term meaning to satisfy or appease divine justice/wrath, thereby removing that wrath.
The NET Bible explains it this way: In theology, the atonement or atoning sacrifice offered to God to assuage his wrath and render him propitious to sinners. Christ is the propitiation for the sins of men. Rom 3. 1 John 2.
Today stop and consider the price paid for your sins through the blood sacrifice of Christ our Lord.
As we read these chapters, which to us seems boring, we must stop and ask why God included them. Perhaps one reason is to help the people understand the gravity of sin. Sin encroaches and destroys and so God has given us a visual image of its destruction. In addition these chapters give us rules for what is edible to what is not, and there is also the prescription to keep a nation pure from all that unclean.
Today we have doctors and health systems that study infectious disease but in the days of Leviticus that was an unknown. How gracious is our God to give us plain and simple rules to keep the body pure of that which would infect them and others. The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40+ years without medical advancement. God was not only the Dr. but also the pharmacist.
Thank God for the doctors we have today and thank God for His clear prescriptions for healthy living.
This week is Holocaust week and the stories abound of those whose lives were preserved from the evil plans of one man, Hitler. Exodus tells us the story of one man whose life was preserved because two women boldly stepped forward to refuse to obey Pharaoh’s order to kill the male babies. During WWII, there were several men and women who sought ways to preserve the Jews from extinction. Had it not been for these bold people today the evil plans of Pharaoh and Hitler would be carried out. Thankful for these two midwives who boldly stood against Pharaoh.
Today we have many who are standing strong against the abortion lobby to protect women who are found to be with child. Will we be like the many who join in this horrid way or will we be like the two midwives who ignored Pharaoh and preserved Moses? Who knows what man or woman is even now in the womb of protection and one day will rise to be a voice for those who cannot speak? God’s ways are not the ways of man whose heart is evil continually because they blinded by the evil one, “the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light.” [2 Cor 4:4]
Pray for the unborn today that their lives may be preserved.
One of the most important words we come across in this book is the word atonement. Here we are told that it is the priest who will make atonement for man or woman who has been found in sin. But, what does that word mean to us today? So I went looking up that word to try to harmonize my thoughts and understanding. Here is what I found:
Jesus was our atonement, if I understand correctly. He paid the price of my sin and your sin by his death on the cross. When you stop to consider this, it is a weighty answer. How can a sinful man do this but He could because He is without sin. He was sinless and therefore could make atonement for me and you. That makes 1 John 1:9 not only true but helpful. If we say we have no sin, then we are only deceiving ourselves. But, if we recognize that sin and go to God and confess that sin, He alone, that is Christ alone, can make atonement for me.
Perhaps this verse would better explain it: 1Jo 3:5 And you know that Jesus was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. And that is why He could make atonement for us.
God established a way for men/women to bring offerings to the priests for absolution [formal release from guilt, obligation, or punishment] of their sins, whether they were intentional or unintentional. One condition: the offering must be spotless, pure and without any defects. Is our offering the same? Do we offer with pure hearts?
Now as before, God desires that we acknowledge our sin and seek His cleansing and forgiveness. Then, the people had to come over and over to seek forgiveness and we are to do the same with our sin. We don’t offer goats or sheep or even birds but we do it with our prayers seeking God’s forgiveness. What sin are you holding on to that needs cleansing? The Apostle John wrote these words to remind us of our part in the cleansing process. FIRST acknowledge not deny. If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. SECONDLY; But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins andcleansing us from all unrighteousness. THIRDLY; If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.
Today stop and consider these truths.
There is an old saying that idle hands are the devil’s workshop. How true that is! Perhaps that is why God plans work for His children, whether it is harvesting or building, God has a purpose and a plan just to combat that saying. In our reading today we see that God chose to bless those with willing hearts and spirits to prepare the items for the building of this tabernacle. It was a massive undertaking out there in the wilderness but God had prepared for this time by having them store the riches of Egypt as they departed. They probably wondered why they had so much and such riches out there in the desert. Yet these beautiful items were given to Bezalel and Oholiab to build this structure as a place of worship. Both men were blessed by God for His work.
Every step was to honor God and to prepare a place of worship for the people. Today do we have willing hearts and spirits to do the work of God as Bezalel and Ohlioab had? Take a snapshot of your work today and contemplate that question.
Are you a person that forgets and needs reminders from others about your promises? Humans do forget, but what about God? Does He forget? Is it wrong for us to remind Him of His promises? He is eternal and everlasting from the beginning to the end. Why then did Moses remind God? Stop and consider this, it wasn’t because God had forgotten, but God loves to hear what He has promised. He loves to have people, who are the forgetful ones, to remember His promises! One author said it like this: “Exodus 32 highlights God’s unwavering commitment to His covenant, using the interaction with Moses to demonstrate that while He is just, He is also deeply merciful and responsive to prayer.”
Today, stop and recall the promises of God not to remind God but so you don’t forget.
Num 15:40 Thus you will remember and obey all my commandments and be holy to your God.
Imagine being in the audience and seeing what you have crafted come into view. It must have been awe inspiring for the chosen tailors. If you were to ask them what they did they would say, I designed the garments in my mind given by the Spirit of God.
With wisdom and discernment these unnamed tailors were blessed by God to establish the garments for the priesthood. The Spirit has given us a ringside seat to see the craft from beginning to end and it is a picture of what He does for us spiritually. We were chosen from eternity past, given the tailor made garment fit perfectly for our work in the kingdom. Paul gives us a glimpse of what that looked like in Galatians ch 5: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Again: “Stand firm therefore, by fastening the belt of truth around your waist, by putting on the breastplate of righteousness, by fitting your feet withthe preparation that comes from the good news of peace,”
Each part of our spiritual garment is designed to bring glory to God. As you dress each day stop and thank God for His tailors given to dress you.
As God prepares the people to begin their act of service, He qualifies it what that statement means. So what is a willing heart? Here is one definition that I found: “A willing heart means having an eager, joyful, and genuine desire to participate, serve, or obey, rather than being forced or grudging; it’s about an internal “want to” that drives positive actions, whether it’s helping others, seeking spiritual guidance, or pursuing personal goals with passion and purpose.” That sums up what this phrase means but how often do we use it without thinking about the motivation of the person’s heart? We often say words but stop when asked what does that mean and how am I to understand it for myself?
As the people began to share out of their abundance, it was the heart that God saw. When you offer your weekly gift to the church, can you say you are doing it with a willing heart? This week, stop and consider and ask yourself if you are giving because your heart is ready or are you doing it begrudgingly?
