Category: belief

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Leviticus 16-18 Purity & Holiness

God gave Moses these chapters so that the priesthood and the people would know and understand the way to be holy. Moses recorded this for the nation of Israel that there be no misunderstanding. God is holy and He has called them to Himself to be a holy people. 

It is interesting to read about the scapegoat, how it was chosen, how used and the reasons. One goat was to be offered as a sin offering and the second to be sent into the wilderness. Dr Constable’s notes explain: “The two goats used in the ritual represented two aspects of the atonement that God provided. Both animals taught the Israelites that a sinless agent was removing their sins by vicarious atonement. The goat slain represented the judgment on sin that resulted in death necessary for atonement. The goat sent off into the wilderness with the sinner’s guilt imputed to it symbolized the removal of guilt.”

This was a ceremony to be etched into the minds of the people of the price sin exacts. How grateful I am that Jesus paid the price for my sin that I don’t have to follow these regulations, but also the heavy price my sin costs…not a goat, but the precious blood of my Savior. 

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Leviticus 14-15 Rules for Uncleanness/Infections

Rules are given for a purpose

What does it mean to be unclean? It means different things for different conditions but in all it means separation for the unclean and the clean so it does not spread throughout the camp. ‘Sickness was symbolic of sin, and even now it should not be forgotten that sickness and death are part of God’s curse on the sin of Adam and his race. Therefore, cleansing the diseased person required sacrifices.” Today we do not offer sacrifices but the in other ways it is much the same when one is found to be infected. We do that so that it doesn’t spread to others. The principle is the same for men and women. There are different occasions when this rule is to be implemented and for good reasons. God has instituted these to protect His people and it has transferred over the centuries to even today. 

Infections breed when they are not contained, thus the reasons for separation. These chapters show us how God loves and protects His people so they can be a holy people. 

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Leviticus 11-13 Healthy is as Healthy Does

Today we have doctors that diagnose disease and we have medicines to alleviate suffering but in the time in the desert, the Israelites did not have doctors or medicines. God instituted several precautions for His people so they would remain healthy. Today we follow many of these same instructions. Physical observations offer much as to what the body is facing. 

So today if you find yourself suffering, you might want to observe and follow some of these instructions because we are only healthy as healthy does. Paul refers to this in a similar way when he says our bodies are the temple of the Lord. We are to honor and revere these wise instructions so that we can honor the Lord. 

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Leviticus 10 Sin is Costly

Moses honored the Lord with the gifts that the children of Israel brought. After all that, we wonder why the two sons of Aaron brought strange fire?  The Lord found them guilty and He pronounced death upon Nadab and Abihu for their sin. The cost of their sin was their life. We casually sin and then offer a prayer, but to God any sin is costly and He will deal with it; sometimes even death. 

We fail to consider how costly sin is. That is one reason Jesus came and offered Himself. He paid the cost for our “casual” and important sin; sin is sin. What sin do I need to seek His forgiveness today that I may not have to face His punishment for unforgiven sin. 

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Leviticus 1-4 Obedience to the Lord

The Tabernacle is finished but as it stands it is just a building and buildings are to be used for the glory of the Lord so now we see the purpose and how it is to be used. God speaks to Moses about its purpose and the way it will remind people of their need for holiness. The building as such is a place for the people to come to know God in a personal way and how He wanted the people to understand the cost of their sin so each offering points to the price that must be paid. What is the price we pay for our sin? Beloved, the price has been paid by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but not so for the Israelites long ago. Thus, God outlines the types of offerings and how and the why. All of this points forward to the time when Christ will be the perfect Lamb that was slain for our sin. 

The people were to choose wisely the offering for their sin whether it be a lamb or a grain offering. No matter what, the cost was high and this reminded the people of their sin and what it cost. Today as we offer our gifts to the Lord, we want to remember the price paid for our sin on that cruel cross so long ago.

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Exodus 39 Obedience

Obey God only

This chapter shows the proof that when one obeys they are commended. Moses wrote this so let’s hear his words: the people did “just as the Lord had commanded Moses.” It is repeated so we don’t miss it. God was pleased and He blessed them. Not only were they blessed but Moses recorded this 8 times for our edification. “Moses inspected all the work, and they had done it just as the Lord had commanded—they had done it exactly—and Moses blessed them.”  Did you notice what he wrote? They had done it exactly, no short corners, no shabby work, but done just as the Lord had commanded, so they did.

What has God called you to do and will you go it exactly as He commands? What a great reminder! 

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Exodus 36 Skilled to do God’s Calling

Bless others

It was in Egypt on that fateful night that the Israelites were told to plunder them of all the riches that they could carry. Now, after some time, the plunderers have plenty to share for the building of the Tabernacle. Just imagine a pile of gold and silver to be used. It must have been massive as the building of this worship center would be massive. The hearts of the people were overflowing with gratitude and they came to share out of their abundance. Do we do the same when God calls us to build a worship center? How easily do we release our riches to further the building? 

We can almost hear the hammering and sawing and the hissing of the fires that were used to melt the ornaments of the Egyptians to fashion the many items needed to furnish the Tabernacle. It gave the people purpose and brought praise to God. What are we willing to give for the work of the ministry? 

Remember this: what you sow you will reap…and that is true in all circumstances.

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EXODUS 33 Moses speaks with God

Let God speak

God had chosen Moses to lead His people but they were a stiff necked people. What does that phrase bring to mind but a people who were disobedient and proud and rebellious. The Israelites were familiar with that expression as one speaks of an ox who refuses to obey. Imagine being compared to that? God is saying you are no better than the animal I created. When the people heard that they humbled themselves and removed their ornaments.

A second thing noteworthy was how the people showed their humility after that rebuke from God. When Moses passed by on the way to the Tent of Meeting, as he called it, they rose at the door of their tent and worshiped. We stand in reverence when the scripture is read as a sign of respect and humility. 

A third noteworthy thing to see is that Moses and God spoke face to face while the pillar of the cloud stood over the tent. How bold was Moses to speak what was on his mind to the Lord God Almighty. Am I that bold to speak to God as Moses spoke? 

A fourth thing from this passage is that after leaving God to return to the people, his face shone. Does my face shine after being in His presence? 

Great lessons just from this chapter. 

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Exodus 30-32 Idolatry

what are you trusting

Do you find that your patience grows thin as you wait for the Lord to intervene? Do you place “idols”  of gold and silver before you as the Israelites did?  It is amazing that God did not destroy them immediately…the patience of God is beyond my understanding. As He was patient with the Israelites, so He is patient with me…yet there are consequences. 

Aaron was given the responsibility to take care of the Israelites as Moses went up the mountain and as he waited, he began to waver and then to finally fail by yielding to the voices of the children of Israel. How often are men/women in placed in charge only to be found failing when the pressure is on to perform? We hear, what are you waiting for? The lesson of Aaron is a prime example of those who are in leadership and fail. There is a saying: “When the going gets tough, the tough keep going.” Aaron did not heed this but yielded to the voices of the masses. I wonder how he faced the Israelites after this episode? How quick he was to blame shift and we do as well. 

So many lessons here! 

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Exodus 29 Offerings

God gifts men/women to do the work of the ministry

As believing Christians we take it as a rule to offer our tithes to the Lord to honor Him. We have set apart the first day of the week to do this in our worship time. God established this so that the people would always remember that all they have been given was from God. In the time we are reading in the book of Exodus God gave instructions to the Israelites to do this not just one day a week but as Dr.Durham noted: “thus the day was opened and closed with gifts to Yahweh, from whom all gifts were believed to come.”

This is an interesting viewpoint and rules given for the same reason as the Israelites. Offerings are given and as such are part and parcel of our belief system so that we always have before us a reminder of God’s graciousness to us. 

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