Leavened Bread.

Leviticus 23-24

You shall bring in from your dwelling places two loaves of bread for a wave offering, made of two-tenths of an ephah; they shall be of a fine flour, baked with leaven as first fruits to the LORD. – Leviticus 23:17 NASB

Chapter 23 outlines the eight feasts that God ordained for the people of Israel. These festivals or "holy assemblies" were to be faithfully celebrated throughout the year. Each has its own unique significance and purpose. The sabbath day was a weekly occurrence that celebrated God's rest after creation. The Feast of Passover celebrated their deliverance from slavery in Egypt by the hand of God. The Feast of Unleavened Bread was a time to celebrate the blessings of God by dedicating the first portion of the earliest crops to Him. The Feast of First Fruits was a time to dedicate the first portions of the later crops to God. The Feast of Weeks of Trumpets celebrated the beginning of the new year. The Feast of Atonement was a day dedicated to making atonement for the sins of the entire nation. And the Feast of Booths was a celebration of God's deliverance from Egypt and His provision during the wilderness wanderings. All of these feasts involved rest and a cessation from work. They were times to turn the focus of the people back onto God. These "holy assemblies" were corporate times of worship and praise of God for who He was and all He had done for them. They were to be perpetual reminders of God's faithfulness and their own sinfulness.

But the one feast that stands out to me is the Feast of Pentecost, mainly because of its obvious ties to Christ and the day of Pentecost detailed in Acts 2. Interestingly, on this one occasion, the people were instructed to bring bread made with leaven. All other times leaven was forbidden, because leaven represented sin. So during Passover, all leaven was removed from the homes and the bread was to made without leaven (Exodus 12:15-20). It was a reminder of the bread they made in haste as they left Egypt. But at the Feast of Pentecost they were instructed to make their bread with leaven or yeast. "From wherever you live, bring two loaves of bread to be lifted up before the LORD as an offering. These loaves must be baked from three quarts of choice flour that contains yeast. They will be an offering to the LORD from the first of your crops" (Leviticus 23:17 NLT).

The Feast of Pentecost was originally instituted 50 days after they came out of Egypt –in remembrance of the giving of the law upon mount Sinai. They were told to observe these feast all the days they were in the wilderness, as a memorial of what God had done. But the fulfillment of these feast was to come when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Apostles after the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ (Acts 2:1). The word Pentecost is a Greek word that means "fifty days" and it was fifty days after Christ our passover had been sacrificed for us that the law of faith was given. On that day 3,000 individuals came to faith in Christ – the first fruits of the kingdom. Charles Ryrie points out that "the loaves, made with leaven, typified the formation of the church on the day of Pentecost. The church, the body of Christ, is composed of sinners who are saved by the grace of God." On these on feast day, leaven was allowed to be included into the bread. And then hundreds of years later, on that same feast day, thousands of sinners were added to the church. Like them, our standing as sinners is puts us in need of a Savior. The original Feast of Pentecost was picturing the day when sinners (leaven) would be brought before the Lord and no longer rejected, but accepted by Him.

Father, I want to thank You, that in spite of my standing as a sinner, You accept me. You have placed Your Spirit within me and accept me as Your own. You have provided a way to make me acceptable to You in spite of my sinfulness. Those 3,000 individuals added that day so long ago were just the first fruits of many more to come. Thank You for including me. Amen

Unacceptable Sacrifice.

Leviticus 22

Do not treat my holy name as common and ordinary. I must be treated as holy by the people of Israel. It is I, the LORD, who makes you holy. – Leviticus 22:32 NLT

OK, let's be honest. It seems like there is an awful lot of repetition in the book of Leviticus. And chapter 22 is a prime example. It seems like everything in this chapter has been covered already. So why is God belaboring the point with Moses and requiring that he communicate these conditions to the people yet again? Maybe it's because God is trying to drive into the heads of these people just how important holiness is to Him. Once again, He warns them to treat His name as holy and not common. They are to show Him respect. They are not to treat God as if He is just another one of the many gods that are out there. He is not a possible option, but the one and only God of the universe. They were even to treat the items they sacrificed to God with a certain level of respect, because they were consecrating or setting them apart to God. They were dedicating them to Him and to offer animals with defects to God would be the same as profaning or desecrating His name. It would be showing Him disrespect and not honor. To do so would be unacceptable and it would nullify the effects of the sacrifice.

God demands and deserves our best. But how often do we give Him the leftovers of our time, our gifts, our attention, our affections, our day, and our lives? We profane His name when we give Him the sacrifices of our lives, but they are full of defects and flaws. We offer Him our prayers, but at the end of the day as we lay in bed falling asleep. We offer Him our times of devotion, but squeezed in between reading the paper and checking out our Facebook page. We give Him our tithe, but only after we've made sure we can take care of all our needs and wants first. And we're okay with all of it. We have learned to treat the God of the universe as common. We assume He will be fine with what we do. He will accept anything we bring to Him, because that's just the way He is. But a reading through Leviticus reminds us that our God is deadly serious about holiness and wants His people to treat Him with awe and respect. There's no room for casual flippancy or easy familiarity. He is still God. He is still holy. He is still the Lord. He is Jehovah, "the existing One" – whose name was so holy it went unpronounced among the people of Israel. Yet the name of God rolls off our lips with regularity and a familiarity that borders on blasphemy. We talk of God as a commodity, rather than a divine, holy deity. He is there to provide for our needs, provide solutions to our problems, and guarantee a better life than the one we're currently living. We expect much from God, but don't feel that He demands much of us. We have learned to believe that He accepts us as we are.  We have confused grace with complacency. Our God appears to have lowered His standards. He is less demanding and more accepting. He is more tolerant and a whole lot less legalistic than He used to be. But this is not the God of the Bible. His standards have not changed. He has offered a way to receive forgiveness from sin, but He has not changed His view on sin. He has given His own Son as payment for the punishment for sin, but that doesn't mean sin is no longer costly. He no longer demands that we keep the law perfectly to attain righteousness, but that does not mean the law is no longer valid. God is still God. He is still holy. He still expects His people to be holy. He has called us to a life of righteousness and holiness. He has set us apart to live lives that are distinct and different. As Peter clearly reminds us, "For he himself has said, 'You must be holy because I am holy.'" (1 Peter 1:16 NLT).

Father, I do it every day. I offer unacceptable sacrifices to You. I give you the dregs of my time, talent, and treasure. I treat Your name as common and act as if You are no more special than one of my casual acquaintances. Give me an increasing awareness of Your holiness and a growing appreciation for who you are. What we value, we treat with respect. What we believe is costly and priceless, we handle with care. I have become too familiar and flippant in my relationship with You. Forgive me. Amen

The Seriousness of Holiness

Leviticus 20-21

Set yourselves apart for a holy life. Live a holy life, because I am GOD, your God. Do what I tell you; live the way I tell you. I am the GOD who makes you holy. – Leviticus 20:7-8 MSG

In this section of the book of Leviticus, God is calling His people to a life of holiness or distinctiveness. He continues to give them a series of prohibitions and instructions regarding the kind of life they are to live as His chosen people. He gives a list of activities from which they are to refrain, including child sacrifice, the occult, adultery, incest, homosexuality, polygamy, and beastiality – all regularly practiced by the people who currently occupied the land. He warns them, "You simply must not live like the nations I'm driving out before you. They did all these things and I hated every minute of it" (Leviticus 20:23 MSG). God is calling His people to a different and distinctive kind of life. But He knew how easy it was going to be for them to simply accept and assimilate the ways of the world in which they lived. It would be subtle and slow, but over time, they would begin to live just like the other nations. They would begin to absorb their ways and lose their distinctiveness. So God reminded them, "I've told you, remember, that you will possess their land that I'm giving to you as an inheritance, a land flowing with milk and honey. I am GOD, your God, who has distinguished you from the nations" (Leviticus 20:24 MSG).

Some of the commands of God regarding those who disobeyed seem harsh to our modern sensibilities. God commands that those who practice the ways of the world be put to death. This is serious stuff. God is not playing around. He wants those who lose their distinctiveness to be dealt with harshly. Why? Because the sin of their actions contaminate the entire congregation. God is far from politically correct. He is holy and demands holiness of His people. "Live holy lives before me because I, GOD, am holy. I have distinguished you from the nations to be my very own" (Leviticus 20:24 MSG). His people were to be counter-cultural. They were to be radically different. They were to stand out like a sore thumb. And any amount of compromise was not to be tolerated. But we live in a day when fitting in is the order of the day. We feel a need to blend in, not stand out. We want to be accepted by the world, not stand apart as distinct from it. Our goal seems to be sameness, not distinctiveness – to the point that it is hard to tell who is really chosen and who is not. We have fallen in love with the world. But John reminds us, "Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world – wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important – has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him" (1 John 15-16 MSG). God is not a God of compromise. He is distinctly and radically different. And He demands that His people be different. And He demands that we take holiness seriously. We need to deal with sin seriously – in our lives and in our churches. Sin contaminates. Sin alienates. Sin robs us of our distinctiveness and our power as His people. He has set us apart. May we truly begin to live that way.

Father, I can be a professional at compromise. It is so much easier for me to blend in than stand out. Distinctiveness is hard. But You have set me apart to live a life apart – different than the world in which I live. Give me the strength and boldness to live a holy life. May I demand it of myself and of those around me. May Your Church reflect Your holiness in the world, so that we might be the light You've called us to be. Amen

Be Holy!

Leviticus 19

Say this to the entire community of Israel: You must be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy. – Leviticus 19:2 NLT

We sometimes think of holiness as this super-spiritual, almost ethereal quality that is hard to describe, and even harder to achieve. It is some kind of ubber-piety that only an elite few ever achieve. For most of us it appears unattainable and unfathomable. Yet, here we have God telling "the entire community of Israel" – everybody has to be holy because God Himself is holy. It is not some kind of optional condition, but a command – a divine expectation. But how were they supposed to do it? Well, God goes on to explain. They were to show great respect for the father and mother. There were to observe the Sabbath days of rest. They were to refrain from putting their trust in idols instead of God. They were to offer their sacrifices properly. They were to enjoy God's blessings (the harvest of their crops) but always keep the needy and the foreigner in mind. They were not to steal, deceive or cheat one another. They were to hold the name of the Lord as holy by not using it lightly or flippantly. They were to not defraud their neighbor. They were to treat their employees with dignity. They were to show the disabled respect as fellow children of God. They were to judge fairly and not show favoritism. They were to refrain from slander and malicious gossip. They were to protect one another. They were to love and not hate, confronting lovingly when required. They were to refrain from seeking revenge or bearing grudges, and love their neighbor as themselves. They must obey all the commands of God.

Do all of these sound a little bit familiar? They should. They are an elaboration the Ten Commandments. God is reiterating His original list of laws and expanding on their meaning. Then He goes on and gives them further instructions regarding such things as the mating of animals, sexual relations among humans, planting and harvesting, diet and food, personal hygiene, witchcraft, prostitution, body piercings, the elderly, foreign relations, and business ethics.

What's the point? What does all this have to do with holiness? Everything. It is a different way of living. God is outlining His expectations for His people. They were going to be entering into a new land – a land filled with all kinds of people who lived apart from God and ignorant of His ways. God wanted His people to be distinct and different. He wanted their actions and behaviors to be different. The point is not so much the behavior as it is the heart behind the behaviors. It wasn't doing these things that would make them holy. It was the love and obedience toward God that spurred their behavior that would set them apart and make them holy and distinct. We must always be careful to not confuse our behavior as the mark of our holiness. We could do all these things and still be apart from God. Wasn't that the problem with the Pharisees? Jesus had this to say about them: "He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: '‘These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.'" (Mark 7:7 NIV). The Pharisees were experts at keeping the Law, but didn't do so with a right heart. Their motivation was wrong. They thought they could make themselves righteous. They were self-righteous. The New Living Translation puts it this way: "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. Their worship is a farce, for they replace God’s commands with their own man–made teachings." (Mark 7:7 NLT). They had taken God's commands and come up with their own. They had added to His original list, because they thought the key was in the keeping of the commands. But God was looking at the heart.

The same was true in Moses' day. God was looking for obedience, but from the heart. And He is still looking for the same thing today. He wants us to obey Him because we love Him. That is what will set us apart and make us holy. We are to live distinctive lives, out of love for Him. We are to live according to a higher standard – His. We are to behave and act differently. Because we belong to Him. We are not to live like the world. Instead, we are to reflect to the world a different way of living, commanded by God, but also empowered by God through the indwelling Holy Spirit. He has given us the requirements for righteous living and the capacity to keep them. And when the world sees that, they sit up and take notice. Because we are being holy as He is holy. Nothing ethereal, just practical.

Father, You have called me to a life of holiness and given me the capacity to pull it off. Continue to show me how to live a life that is set apart and distinct – for Your glory and to show the world around me the greatness of my God. Amen

The Blood Brings Atonement.

Leviticus 17-18

…for the life of any creature is in its blood. I have given you the blood so you can make atonement for your sins. It is the blood, representing life, that brings you atonement. – Leviticus 17:11 NLT

Chapter 17 repeats a warning that has been given twice before regarding the reverence and respect that the people were to have toward the blood offered in sacrifice. We have seen the significant role that blood played in their sacrificial system. And here God gives the reason why blood was to be regarded with reverence and respect. It all seems pretty bizarre to us. But God obviously took it very seriously. Blood was to be shed, spilled out, sprinkled, sacrificed, but never eaten. Why? Because it was the blood that made atonement for their sins. The blood of the animal was representative of the life of the animal. Without the blood there was no life. "…for the life of all flesh is its blood" (Leviticus 17:14 NASB). Because of sin, all men deserved to die. So God came up with a plan by which the animal stood in for the man. The animal gave its life for the life of the sinner. God's plan provided for the sprinkling or pouring out of the blood of the sacrifice on the altar to signify that the life of the animal was give to God in place of the life of the sinner. It was a substitutionary sacrifice. The animal's life was a ransom or counter-price for the life of the sinner. "In fact, we can say that according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified by sprinkling with blood. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins" (Hebrews 9:22 NLT). It was true then. It is true now. So God put a high price and a high priority on the sanctity of the blood. They were not to eat it. They were to honor it as God's plan for atonement. They were to keep a reverent regard for it. It was not to be treated as common. So they were not even to shed the blood of an animal killed out in the field. It was to be brought to the Tabernacle and killed there, its blood given as a peace offering to God. God knew that if the people were allowed to kill animals and shed their blood any other place, they would be tempted to follow the practices of the people of the land and offer that blood in worship of other gods.

But what does all this have to do with us today? Are we to follow the same rules? Are we to abstain from the intake of blood? It appears that this was a law that was ceremonial and specific to the time in which the Israelites lived. It was part of the sacrificial system under which they operated, and is no longer in force. For us, the blood of Christ is what makes atonement for us. The blood sacrifices of Moses' day were a picture of what was to come. The blood of animals is no longer required , but Christ’s blood sacrificed once and for all.

But there is a lesson for us here regarding the respect to be shown for the blood that was shed on our behalf. We are not to take the sacrifice of Jesus Christ lightly. The blood of animals poured out for the people of Israel only made atonement figuratively, but the blood of Christ makes atonement totally and effectually. So we are to treat His sacrifice with the proper respect and dignity. It is not to be treated as something common or ordinary. He shed His blood so that we might have life. He became our sin sacrifice so that we might have forgiveness of sin – once and for all. The writer of Hebrews warns us to "Think how much more terrible the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God and have treated the blood of the covenant as if it were common and unholy. Such people have insulted and enraged the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to his people" (Hebrews 10:29 NLT). There are those who treat the blood of Jesus as common and unholy. They ignore it. They walk all over it, rejecting its value and despising the gift of life it offers. But as believers we can be guilty of taking it for granted by forgetting that without Christ shedding His blood – giving His life – we would have no forgiveness of sin. His blood represented His life and made possible new life for us.

Father, forgive me for the many times when I have taken the blood of Your Son for granted. When I sin willingly, I trample His shed blood in the dirt. I treat His blood as a commodity. I act as if it is just a resource I can tap into any time I need it, without acknowledging the great price that was paid. Help me to see the blood of Christ as a priceless treasure poured out for me. Amen

Humble Your Souls.

Leviticus 15-16

This shall be a permanent statute for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall humble your souls and not do any work, whether the native, or the alien who sojourns among you. for it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before the LORD. It is to be a sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls; it is a permanent statute. – Leviticus 16:30-31 NASB

There are two interesting chapters to read together. One has to do with uncleanness due to different kinds of bodily emissions or discharges. Not exactly the kind of thing you want to read before breakfast. But then the following chapter outlines the Day of Atonement, the one day each year when the High Priest was allowed to go into the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the sins of the people. Chapter 15 describes the uncleanness of the people. It seems that there were all kinds of things that could make them unclean and separate them from fellowship with God. In fact, the word "unclean" appears at least 32 times in chapter 15 alone. God seems to be contrasting His own holiness and man's inherent unholiness. The Jamieson Fausset Brown Commentary on Leviticus says this:

Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness--The divine wisdom was manifested in inspiring the Israelites with a profound reverence for holy things; and nothing was more suited to this purpose than to debar from the tabernacle all who were polluted by any kind of uncleanness, ceremonial as well as natural, mental as well as physical. The better to mark out that people as His family, His servants and priests, dwelling in the camp as in a holy place, consecrated by His presence and His tabernacle, He required of them complete purity, and did not allow them to come before Him when defiled, even by involuntary or secret impurities, as a want of respect due to His majesty. And when we bear in mind that God was training a people to live in His presence in some measure as priests devoted to His service, we shall not consider these rules for the maintenance of personal purity either too stringent or too minute.

Over in his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul reminds us that God's requirement of holiness still stands: "For this is God’s will: that you become holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality, that each of you know how to possess his own body in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God" (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 NET). Impurity marked the lives of the people of God. Natural acts and bodily functions could render them unclean, because of the very presence of sin in their lives. They were surrounded by sin and, in essence, infected by sin. So there was a constant need for purification. But one day a year, God provided for a way to have their sins atoned or paid for. It was the Day of Atonement. But in order for that day to take place, even the High Priest, the Tabernacle, the altar, and the Holy of Holies itself all had to be cleansed and atoned for. Why? Because it was surrounded by sin. It existed in the midst of sin. "He shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the impurities of the sons of Israel and because of their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and thus he shall do for the tent of meeting which abides with them in the midst of their impurities" (Leviticus 16:16 NASB). Even the dwelling place of God Himself had to be cleansed because of the contaminating effects of sin. Sin is pervasive. It spreads. It contaminates.

Which is why we should come into the presence of God humbly. God tells the people that on the Day of Atonement, they were to humble their souls. This refers to not only the humiliation of the heart for sin and by repentance of it, but includes fasting as well. They were to literally "bow down" their soul before God. They were to admit their sinfulness and come to Him for cleansing. They were to acknowledge their need for His sacrifice and cleansing. Chapter 15 reminds them that even natural bodily functions that they could not control could render them unclean before God. They could not more stop those things from happening as to stop breathing. It pictures the pervasiveness of sin. We sin without even knowing it. We become unclean without even being aware of it. Which is why we should humbly come before God – admitting our constant need for Him and the cleansing work of His Son on the cross. Like the Tabernacle, we are set apart by God, but we are still surrounded by sin. We are still influenced by sin. We still commit sin. So we need to humble our souls daily and come before Him for cleansing, as we admit our sins and confess them to Him. We humble our souls and He faithfully forgives and cleanses us from all our unrighteousness.

Father, thank You for always being faithful to forgive. Thank You that sin, while pervasive, is not permanent. It can't keep me from You. If I confess my sins, You are faithful and just to forgive my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. All I have to do is humble my soul before You and admit that I need You. Amen

Infection in the Camp.

Leviticus 13-14

The whole time he has the infection he will be continually unclean. He must live in isolation, and his place of residence must be outside the camp. – Leviticus 13:46 NET

Chapters 13-14 are some of the most detailed portions of the book of Leviticus and they deal solely with the disease of leprosy. At first glance, it appears to be a topic that has little to do with us today. Evidently, it was a huge problem in their day. Due to the nature of their time spent wandering in the wilderness, exposed to all kinds of heat, infection, insects, and skin disorders, it was very important that they be able to spot infectious diseases promptly. The last thing they needed was for a disease to spread throughout the camp. It could be devastating. Leprosy was greatly feared. It was an infectious disease characterized by disfiguring skin sores, nerve damage, and progressive debilitation. People usually didn't die from leprosy, but from other diseases contracted as a result of it. Because it attacked the nerves, people infected by leprosy were prone to burning themselves in fires or cutting themselves and not knowing it. Those wounds would then get infected leading to further issues. All forms of the disease eventually cause nerve damage in the arms and legs, which causes sensory loss in the skin and muscle weakness. People with long-term leprosy may lose the use of their hands or feet due to repeated injury resulting from lack of sensation.

So you can see why this was serious. And why God has Moses spend so much time warning the people about it. They were not to take the presence of this disease in their midst lightly. Which makes me think that leprosy is representative of the sin that so often exists in our lives and in our faith communities. It begins subtly. Like leprosy, it starts small and inauspiciously. But it is no less dangerous. Even small sins usually lead to more significant ones. Leprosy spread. So does sin. The Israelites were to take it seriously. We are to take sin seriously.

These instructions regarding leprosy given to Moses by God Himself are full of details regarding not only the identification of the disease, but for the cleansing of it. As long as someone had the disease they were to remain apart from the rest of the camp. They were separated, living in isolation and outside the rest of the community. Leprosy separated. So does sin. It is a serious, spreading infection that takes its toll not just on the individual, but on the community at large. Paul took sin seriously and warned about it. "If anyone is causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with that person" (Titus 3:10 NLT). "And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things that are contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people" (Romans 16:17-18 NLT). In regards to the Corinthians believers, Paul was pretty blunt. "I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you, something so evil that even the pagans don’t do it. I am told that you have a man in your church who is living in sin with his father’s wife. And you are so proud of yourselves! Why aren’t you mourning in sorrow and shame? And why haven’t you removed this man from your fellowship?" (1 Corinthians 5:1-2 NLT). Sin was serious to Paul. He knew how to spot it and he knew how to deal with it. Because he knew how dangerous it was to the body of Christ. Just as leprosy was dangerous to the people of God in Moses day. It could spread. It could wreak havoc. It could destroy from within. So it had to be dealt with. Just as sin should be dealt with today. In our individual lives and within the faith community. We are not to tolerate it or take it lightly. It is dangerous. We are to lovingly confront the sin in our camp. "My dear brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back again, you can be sure that the one who brings that person back will save that sinner from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins" (James 5:19-20 NLT).

Father, help us to fear sin just as much as the Israelites feared leprosy. Help us to take it seriously and see it as dangerous in our midst. Give us a boldness to confront one another lovingly, but persistently about the presence of sin in our lives. So that we can enjoy forgiveness and cleansing. Amen

In Need Of Purification.

Leviticus 12

When the time of purification is completed for either a son or a daughter, the woman must bring a year–old lamb for a whole burnt offering and a young pigeon or turtledove for a purification offering. She must take her offerings to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle. – Leviticus 12:6 NLT

We would all agree that the birth of a child is a happy occasion that usually brings joy with it. But in this twelfth chapter we see an interesting illustration played out for us. In chapter 11, God spent a great deal of time talking about unclean versus clean, holy verses unholy – when it comes to animals. Now He switches and begins addressing this issue in regards to human beings. And He starts with childbirth. God tells the people that when a woman gives birth, she is to be considered unclean because of her contact with blood. She would be required to go through purification. Until she did, she could not enter the Tabernacle. And the child born to her, if a male, was not to be circumcised until the eighth day, one day after she would have been pronounced clean. Why? The Matthew Henry Complete Commentary On the Whole Bible says this,

"This ceremonial uncleanness which the law laid women in child-bed under was to signify the pollution of sin which we are all conceived and born in (Psalms 51:5). For, if the root be impure, so is the branch, Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? If sin had not entered, nothing but purity and honour had attended all the productions of that great blessing, Be fruitful and multiply; but now that the nature of man is degenerated the propagation of that nature is laid under these marks of disgrace, because of the sin and corruption that are propagated with it, and in remembrance of the curse upon the woman that was first in the transgression. That in sorrow (to which it is here further added in shame) she should bring forth children. And the exclusion of the woman for so many days from the sanctuary, and all participation of the holy things, signified that our original corruption (that sinning sin which we brought into the world with us) would have excluded us for ever from the enjoyment of God and his favours if he had not graciously provided for our purifying.

The mother had to be purified before the child could be circumcised. The mother had to bring a burnt offering and a sin offering. These were not-so-subtle reminders to the parents that there is such a thing as original sin, and that the child born to them had inherited a fallen and sinful nature. The sin nature of man is passed down from one generation to the next. Our kids are born with sin natures. And it doesn't take long before it becomes apparent.

Sin is significant in God's eyes. Purity is serious to Him. Sin always separates us from God and His desire is that we would be pure. And thankfully God came up with a once-for-all way to solve this dilemma through Jesus Christ's death on the cross. He paid for our sins once and for all. He offers us a way to stand as clean before the Father without the need for further sacrifices or rituals of purification. Our children, though born into sin, still have a hope, because there is still a Savior. "He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing what is right" (Titus 2:14 NLT).

Father, You take sin seriously. Help me to do the same. I know I am forgiven and have been cleansed from all unrighteousness, but I still sin – daily. And my sin must be confessed. You are faithful and just to forgive my sin and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness, but I still need to confess it. Thank You for sending Your Son to make this all possible. No more sacrifices. No more rituals for purification. Just forgiveness freely given. Amen

Disobedient Sacrifice.

Leviticus 10-11

Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over it. In this way, they disobeyed the LORD by burning before him a different kind of fire than he had commanded. – Leviticus 10:1 NLT

It didn't take long. It seems that immediately after the whole sacrificial system got started, it got messed up by two of the very people who were responsible for it – Nadab and Abihu – the two sons of Aaron. These two guys had been consecrated by Moses as priests to serve with their father in the Tabernacle. But it seems that they were unqualified for their role. They may have been set apart in terms of their role, but they were far from set apart in their hearts. Because we are told they offered "strange fire" on the altar. That word "strange" means foreign of loathsome. They burned something they were not supposed to burn. They disobeyed the specific commands of God and did things their own way. Some believe they may have even been drunk, because a prohibition against drinking immediately follows their punishment (Leviticus 10:9). But irregardless of whether they were drunk or sober, they were disobedient, and the result was their deaths. Moses tells us that fire came out from the presence of God Himself and consumed them. On other words, God Himself killed them. They "died before the Lord" (Leviticus 10:2).

God reminds Moses and all the people, "By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored" (Leviticus 10:3 NASB). The crime of these two men was so serious that Aaron and his family were not allowed to go through the normal mourning process. The holiness of God was to trump their heartache and loss. What Nadab and Abihu had done was an affront to the Holy God of Israel. It reminds me of what happened to Ananias and his wife Sapphira in Acts 5. They are the ones who gave money to the church from land they had sold, but lied about how much they had made off of the sale. Their deception resulted in their deaths. And we're told, "By this time the whole church and, in fact, everyone who heard of these things had a healthy respect for God. They knew God was not to be trifled with" (Acts 5:11 MSG).

God is holy. He is to be honored and respected. He is not to be trifled with. Yet we so often take Him lightly. We do not show Him the honor and respect He deserves. We come before Him flippantly and casually. In many ways we offer our own brand of "strange fire." We do things our way and on our own terms. And while our actions may not result in physical death, it does often lead to dead-like faith, lacking in power and vitality. God says,"I will be treated as holy." He demands it. He expects it. Just going through the motions of sacrifice was not enough for Nadab and Abihu. They thought they could do the sacrifice their way and get away with it. They thought they could ignore God's commands and live to talk about it. But they were wrong. I really believe that these two guys were drunk on the job. Listen to what God tells Aaron: "You and your descendants must never drink wine or any other alcoholic drink before going into the Tabernacle. You are to distinguish between what is holy and what is ordinary, what is ceremonially unclean and what is clean" (Leviticus 10:10-11 NLT). They were impaired by alcohol. They were unable to discern clean from unclean, holy from unholy. They offered to God a sacrifice that was unholy and unclean. They offended a holy God by their ineptitude and died because of it. How often do we let our senses become dulled by the things of this world. We get "drunk" on the ways of the world and then try to offer God sacrifices that are unholy and contaminated by our constant time spent in the world. We are told to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God, but how often are we unclean because we have allowed ourselves to be made that way by our constant contact with the world. We come before God and attempt to serve Him without even confessing our sins. Paul says, "Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice – alive, holy, and pleasing to God" (Romans 12:1 NET). We are to be holy and pleasing to God. That requires confession and cleansing. To not do so is to offer "strange fire" before God. It is to take God lightly and offer Him acts of service that are unclean and unholy. God demands holiness. He is serious about it. Are we?

Father, forgive me for the many times I take my times with you for granted and offer you "strange fire." You are a holy God who demands holy sacrifice from Your people. Help me to take that seriously. Amen

Acceptable Sacrifice.

Leviticus 8-9

Next Moses and Aaron went into the Tabernacle, and when they came back out, they blessed the people again, and the glorious presence of the LORD appeared to the whole community. Fire blazed forth from the LORD’s presence and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When the people saw all this, they shouted with joy and fell face down on the ground. – Leviticus 9:23-24 NLT

Wow! What a show! Can you imagine what that scene must have been like. For seven days Moses, Aaron, and Aaron's sons have been going through the ordination process to prepare them to serve as priests before the Lord and on behalf of the people. Each day they have slaughtered a bull and two rams and offered them up as sin offerings, burnt offerings and an offering of ordination. That's seven bulls and 14 rams – just for Aaron and his sons. Then on the eighth day they did it again. This time it was a calf, a bull, and a ram. Then it was time for the people to get involved. They were instructed to bring a male goat for a sin offering, a calf and a lamb for a burnt offering, an ox and a ram for a peace offering, and grain for a peace offering. That is a lot of bulls, rams, goats, and sheep. What a noise they must have made. What a scene that must have been. And there was a purpose behind all their ritual. This was not just a religious ceremony – a going through the motions affair. They were hoping to see the glory of the Lord. Moses told them, "When you have followed these instructions from the LORD, the glorious presence of the LORD will appear to you" (Leviticus 9:6 NLT). Now that's motivation. What if we knew that our acts of sacrifice and obedience would guarantee that we would see God's glory? What it change our behavior? Would it alter how we respond? What if we came to our times of corporate worship with the expectancy that our obedience to worship Him would bring us into His glory?

Most of us don't expect to see God's glory. We don't anticipate an appearance from God when we serve faithfully and sacrifice willingly. For most of us it has become a religious ceremony with little or no fanfare and no anticipation of God showing up. But that day, Moses and the people saw something amazing as a result of their sacrifice. God was watching and God appeared to them in all His might and power. "…the glorious presence of the LORD appeared to the whole community" (Leviticus 9:23 NLT). They all got to see His glory. Not just Moses. Not just Aaron and his sons. Not just the elders. Not just the more religious among them. NO, everyone got to see God's glory. The whole community. And it made an impact. They knew they were in the presence of God. All this ritual was purposeful. Yes, it was for their atonement and the forgiveness of their sins. But more than that, it was so that they might stand in the presence of the Almighty God of the universe! That was the real purpose. And when we give away our lives in service and sacrifice, when we willingly do those things God has called us to do, we should do so with an anticipation of seeing God's glory revealed in our lives and in our community. We should desire to see His power on display among us. And when it happens we will react just as they did. "When the people saw all this, they shouted with joy and fell face down on the ground" (Leviticus 9:24 NLT). The presence of God always brings about the worship of God. Do you long to see Him in all His glory? Do you long to experience His power in your life? Then faithfully sacrifice.

And now God is building you, as living stones, into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are God’s holy priests, who offer the spiritual sacrifices that please him because of Jesus Christ. – 1 Peter 2:5 NLT

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice––the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? – Romans 12:1 NLT

Father, may my life be a living sacrifice to you each day. May I obey You faithfully, serve You willingly, and please You always. May my life be pleasing to You. And as a result, may I see Your glory revealed in and around my life. Amen.

Unacceptable Sacrifice.

Leviticus 6-7

If any of the meat from this peace offering is eaten on the third day, it will not be accepted by the LORD. It will have no value as a sacrifice, and you will receive no credit for bringing it as an offering. By then, the meat will be contaminated; if you eat it, you will have to answer for your sin. – Leviticus 7:18 NLT

After reading just seven chapters of the book of Leviticus, it should be painfully clear that God is serious about this stuff. He does not take the topic of sacrifice lightly. The level of detail and specification is amazing – almost confusing. There are so many different scenarios and situations to consider. There are so many different kinds of sacrifices and offerings with their own set of rules and requirements. But one requirement that I found extremely interesting concerned the eating of what was left over of a peace offering. You could make a peace offering as an act of thanksgiving, for deliverance, for answers to prayer, healing, and more. You could offer it as part of a vow or purely as a freewill or voluntary act. In other words, you could just decide to offer a peace offering to God on your own and not out of any sense of guilt or compulsion. But in all cases of the peace offering, the one making the offering could eat what was left over. In essence, God shared the sacrifice with the one making the sacrifice. But there were certain caveats. In the case of a thanksgiving peace offering, what was left over had to be eaten that same day. In the case of a vow or voluntary peace offering, you had to eat it that day or the day after, but you could not eat it on the third day. It had to be burned.

Why? What was God's intent? These "leftovers" could be taken home by the one making the offering. They could even share them with their family and friends. But they had to be eaten within the time frame allotted. It seems that God wanted His people to see that there was a difference between this meat and any other meat they might eat. This was meat that had been sacrificed to Him. He was sharing it with them. It was His gift to them and it was to be treated with a certain degree of honor and respect.

One of the reasons God may have wanted the meat eaten immediately was to prevent any kind of decay from setting in. Without refrigeration, the shelf life of meat was not long – unless of course you used salt as a preservative, which would have dried out the meat and changed both its texture and flavor. God did not want what had been dedicated to Him and shared by Him to become contaminated in any way, so it must be eaten quickly. Another reason for the command to eat it within the time frame given by God is so that the one who made the sacrifice would be more willing to share it with others in an attempt to ensure that it was all eaten. God seems to be encouraging hospitality. The Matthew Henry Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible says this, "The flesh of the peace-offerings was God’s treat, and therefore God would have the disposal of it; and he orders it to be used generously for the entertainment of their friends, and charitably for the relief of the poor, to show that he is a bountiful benefactor, giving us all things richly to enjoy, the bread of the day in its day."

There seems to be a degree to which God is teaching His people about His providence and provision. It reminds me of His commands concerning manna. They were to collect only enough for that day. If they attempted to collect more, any excess rotted. They were to trust God for each day's provision. It would have been easy for the people of Israel to attempt to hoard this meat for future use. After all, it was some of the finest meat available. But God wanted it used up and given out in acts of hospitality and generosity. In a similar way we have been given gifts by God. His Holy Spirit has assured that every child of God has been given a gift by God. As we give our lives to Him, He gives a part of Himself to us in the form of spiritual gifts. And those gifts are to be used up and given away to those around us. They are not to be hoarded or selfishly used for our own good. They are given to us to share with those around us. They are given to bless the entire body of Christ.

God is gracious enough to share with us. We in turn are to graciously share with others. In doing so, we are reminded that what we have comes from Him. It is not ours to keep, but to give away.

Father, You have given me so much. You have blessed me with eternal life and spiritual gifts. May I never take them for granted or hoard them. May I give my gifts away. May I use them up daily and not selfishly keep them to myself. It is the least I can do for all that You have done for me. Amen.

Guilt and Sin.

Leviticus 5

When you are guilty, immediately confess the sin that you've committed. and bring to the LORD as their penalty a female from the flock, either a sheep or a goat. This will be a sin offering to remove their sin, and the priest will make atonement for them. – Leviticus 5:5-6 NLT

Guilt and sin. In our society, we try to ignore both. But in God's view, both are a daily reality and a constant source of the separation from Him that we endure. In the verses above we see that guilt is tied to sin and sin must be confessed. In that day, the guilt and sin required a sin offering in order for the sin to be removed. In verse 15 of the same chapter we read, "If any of the people sin by unintentionally defiling the LORD’s sacred property, they must bring to the LORD a ram from the flock as their guilt offering." In this case a person has sinned – unintentionally – not willfully. But irregardless, they were to bring a guilt offering to the Lord. They were to confess their guilt. Guilt and sin. They go hand in hand. Yet in our day and age, we try to justify sin and ignore guilt.

In God's economy, sin and guilt are inseparable. Look back at these two passages again. They tell us that if a person is guilty he is required to bring a sin offering. And if a person sins, he will need to bring a guilt offering. In God's mind guilt and sin go hand in hand. You can't sin and not experience guilt. And the presence of guilt is usually closely associated with sin. Sin leaves you guilty – legally. But it can also leave you guilty – emotionally. We have learned to ignore emotional guilt. We have learned to ignore the conviction that comes from the presence of sin in our lives. We rationalize, justify, excuse, and refuse to acknowledge our guilt – even though any sin in our lives makes us "surely guilty before the Lord" (Leviticus 5:19 NET).

But as Christians, what are we to do with guilt. Aren't we forgiven? Haven't all our sins been taken care of on the cross by Jesus? Doesn't the Bible teach us that there is now no condemnation for those of us in Christ? (Romans 8:1). It sounds like there is no place for guilt in the life of the believer. For the Christian, restitution and the death of Jesus Christ, our guilt offering (Isaiah 53:10) also absolves us of legal and moral debt. This statement is important because one of the reasons we carry our guilt is that we refuse to recognize that the debt has been paid.

But the truth is, you and I are guilty of violating the Lord’s holy things. We are guilty of unknown sins, and we regularly wrong our neighbors by both acts of commission and omission. But the prophet Isaiah reminds us:

Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many and he will bear their iniquities (Isaiah 53:10-11 NASB).

Here Isaiah is prophesying that Jesus will be our guilt offering. He will justify us, which means to declare us “not guilty.” He will pay the moral and legal debt. The debt owed for our sin will be canceled. The author of Hebrews wrote:

And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts; and I will write them on their minds.” Then He adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10:10-18 NASB).

Jesus Christ, our sin offering, is the eternal solution to our guilt. He offered Himself for your guilt, but you must acknowledge your guilt and accept this guilt offering He made for you. We must still acknowledge the guilt that comes from our sins. But we must remember that "if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong" (1 John 1:9 NLT). We still have sin natures. We will sin, and when we do, it will bring guilt. But because of what Jesus did on the cross, all we have to do is confess our sin, and He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Why? Because He has already paid the penalty for our sin. He has made it possible for us to to live without guilt. God still takes sin seriously. Sin still brings about guilt – guiltiness. But the penalty has been paid. The sins have been atoned for once and for all. All I have to do is confess my sin, own up to my guilt, and accept the forgiveness of God.

Father, thank You for forgiveness. But never let me become so comfortable with my forgiveness that I learn to live with my sinfulness. Help me to learn from the book of Leviticus just how serious You take sin. May I understand that sin in my life still leaves me guilty. As Your Holy Spirit makes me aware of it, help me to confess my sins immediately and gladly, because You offer complete forgiveness when I do. All because of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Forgiveness of Sin.

Leviticus 3-4

…and he shall be forgiven. – Leviticus 4:35 NASB

Reading through these chapters is always somewhat disconcerting to our western minds. We have a hard time relating to all the talk of animals being sacrificed, blood being poured out, fat and entrails being burned, and atonement being made. But the one thing we can all relate to is the need for forgiveness of sin – because we are all sinners. We were each born that way. We come out of the womb with sin natures, and we are born into a world filled with others just like us. Sin is a part of our natural habitat. It comes naturally to us – even at the earliest age. And no one knows that better than God. And when He called the descendants of Israel to be His chosen people, He called them to a life of holiness. They were to be set apart and distinct from the nations around them. They were to live lives marked by sin-less-ness, not sin-full-ness. But God knew that was an impossible task for them. He gave them rules and regulations to follow, fully knowing that they would not be able to do it in their own strength. So God devised a plan. Long before He had chosen them, God had a plan for their forgiveness in mind. Because God desires relationship. But sin makes fellowship with God impossible. Sin must be payed for. God wants to forgive sin, but He cannot simply overlook it. Sin is an affront to Him as a holy God and it must be either punished or paid for. What we read in chapter four of Leviticus is God's plan for the unintentional sins committed by the people of Israel. Sin, even unintentional sins committed in weakness or carelessness, must be atoned for. So God came up with an elaborate system of offerings and sacrifices to make forgiveness possible.

The altar of burnt offering played a major role in this process. It was one of the most well-used, highly-significant vessels in the Tabernacle. Morning and evening, every day of the year, sacrifices were made there. Burnt offerings, grain offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings and guilt offerings were all made there. "No sin could be atoned for, no praise or thanksgiving could ascend to God, without the intervention of this all-important vessel" (Henry W. Soltau, The Holy Vessels and Furniture of the Tabernacle). Each week the Sabbath was ushered in at this altar. Every feast and festival was begun at this altar with a sacrifice to God. "In fact, the very existence of Israel as a nation, and the life and history of each individual amongst them were in a certain sense linked on with this holy vessel…" (Henry W. Soltau, The Holy Vessels and Furniture of the Tabernacle).

But while the altar of burnt offering was the place where thanksgiving and gratitude was expressed to God, it's greatest significance was as the place where forgiveness of sin was received. Through the blood of an innocent, unblemished animal, the peoples' sins were paid for and forgiven by God. The life of a substitute was accepted as payment for their sins. But this sacrifice was an ongoing, perpetual one, because they were going to sin again and again. Tens of thousands of animals would be slaughtered in order to pay for the sins of the people. Thousands upon thousands of gallons of blood would be poured out as payment for their sins. Because while their sins could be forgiven, their hearts remained unchanged. They remained slaves to sin. Their forgiveness was temporary.

But God had another plan. The day would come when the need for ongoing sacrifice would end. He would send His Son as the final sacrifice for sin. The innocent Lamb of God would offer His own life as payment for our sin – once for all. "And what God wants is for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time" (Hebrews 10:10 NLT). Jesus paid for our sins. He was both the sacrifice and the High Priest – offering the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. "He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has now been set apart from sinners, and he has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. He does not need to offer sacrifices every day like the other high priests. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he sacrificed himself on the cross" (Hebrews 7:26-27 NLT).

Because of what Christ has done, we have forgiveness of sin – permanently and completely. But more than that, we have a new capacity NOT to sin. We have been set free from slavery to sin. It is no longer our master (Romans 6:6). Rather than a list of laws written on tablets of stone, God has placed His law on our hearts and in our minds.

This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts so they will understand them, and I will write them on their minds so they will obey them. Then he adds, "I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds." Now when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices. And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. This is the new, life–giving way that Christ has opened up for us through the sacred curtain, by means of his death for us. – Hebrews 10:16-20 NLT

We have forgiveness for our sins. But we also have the capacity to live free from sin. There is no longer a need for sacrifice to be made. My sins have been paid for in full. No more blood must flow. No more fires must be stoked. No more innocents must die. "For he has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he has brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. God has purchased our freedom with his blood and has forgiven all our sins" (Colossians 1:13-14 NLT).

Father, sin is serious to You. It always has been. Leviticus gives me a glimpse into the tremendous cost of sin and the price necessary for men to have a restored relationship with You. But the greatest price was the one Your Son paid. He gave His life as payment for the sins of all men – once and for all. He exchanged His righteousness for my sinfulness. He paid the price I could not pay. He experienced death so that I might have life. And forgiveness of all my sins – for all time. Thank You. Amen.

An aroma pleasing to God!

Leviticus 1-2

…it is a burnt offering, a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord.. – Leviticus 1:17 NET

OK, here we go. We're now launching into the book of Leviticus. This is the point at which many of us begin to waver in our determination to read through the Old Testament. As we attempt to read through all the details and descriptions related to the various sacrifices, we will be tempted to give up and give in to the idea that this book is unnecessary for us as 21st Century believers. But let me encourage us to stay determined and to wrestle with these texts. God inspired Moses to write down these words, not only for the benefit of the priests, but for ours as well. Paul reminds us that "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right" (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT). This book is about holiness, the holiness of God. It is about sacrifice and, more importantly, atonement. It offers a picture of the requirements necessary for the people of God to remain in a right relationship with Him. That is what atonement is all about.  The NET Bible study notes describe atonement in this way:

“To make atonement” is the standard translation of the Hebrew term כִּפֶּר, (kipper). The English word derives from a combination of “at” plus Middle English “one[ment],” referring primarily to reconciliation or reparation that is made in order to accomplish reconciliation. The primary meaning of the Hebrew verb, however, is “to wipe [something off (or on)]”, but in some cases it refers metaphorically to “wiping away” anything that might stand in the way of good relations by bringing a gift, “to appease; to pacify.” The translation “make atonement” has been retained here because, ultimately, the goal of either purging or appeasing was to maintain a proper relationship between the Lord (who dwelt in the tabernacle) and Israelites in whose midst the tabernacle was pitched.

The book of Leviticus is all about how the people of God could maintain a right relationship with Him. Within the book are found all kinds of sacrifices – from the burnt offering designed to atone for the sins of the people to the peace offering, an expression of gratitude and desire for fellowship with God. As we read through these pages, may we be reminded that God still desires sacrifice today. But the sacrifice required to stand before Him as forgiven and cleansed from sin has been made once and for all. Our sins have been atoned for by Jesus. I no longer have to pay for my sins. They have been paid for in full on the cross of Calvary. But God does expect a sacrifice from me. David reminds us, "The sacrifices God desires are a humble spirit – O God, a humble and repentant heart you will not reject" (Psalms 57:10 NLT). Paul echos those words when he says, "I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice––the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?" (Romans 12:1 NLT). And Peter gives us our job description as priests of God. "And now God is building you, as living stones, into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are God’s holy priests, who offer the spiritual sacrifices that please him because of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:5 NLT).

God is still interested in sacrifice. He still enjoys and finds pleasure in acts of sacrifice performed by His people. He finds them acceptable. He finds them a soothing aroma to His senses. They don't earn us favor with Him. They don't get us brownie points with Him. They don't buy our way into His good graces. Jesus did that with His death on the cross. Any sacrifices we make are simply expressions of our gratitude, love, and worship to Him. We are to daily present our bodies as living sacrifices to God. We are to give Him all that we have – out of love and a desire to serve Him. As we grow in our relationship with God, we grow in our understanding that this world is not all there is. Materialism and money are not the goal. Being in fellowship with Him is the goal. Living a life that is pleasing to Him is our goal. Paul tells us, "For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God. And other people will approve of you, too" (Romans 14:17-18 NLT). Leviticus is all about God's holiness and man's sinfulness. It is about what God required of His people to remain in His good graces as His people. Just reading the first two chapters makes me eternally grateful that I am not held to those standards. I have a Great High Priest who has made the final sacrifice for my sins. But God is still asking me to live a life of sacrifice – as an offering to Him – and as an expression of my love and gratitude for all He has done for me. Is that too much to ask?

Father, may my life be a soothing aroma to You. May I live a life of sacrifice, gladly giving all that I have because of all that You have done for me through the death of Your Son. Help me to learn to live a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, so that I might bring pleasure to You. Amen.

The Awesome Glory of God!

Exodus 40

…the Tabernacle was filled with the awesome glory of the LORD. – Exodus 40:35 NLT

We have reached the end of the book of Exodus, and what better way to conclude this amazing story than with a picture of the glory of God? As Moses completes the erection of the Tabernacle, an amazing thing happens – the glory of God filled it. Up until that moment it was just another tent – a beautiful and elaborate one – but it was still just a tent. But when the glory of the Lord filled it, it became something new and significant. The cloud that had been leading them all the days since they had left Egypt, now hovered over the Tabernacle, and whenever it moved, it was a clear sign that it was time for the people to move. But as long as it stayed above the Tabernacle, God's glory was filling the Tabernacle and the people stayed put. Moses writes, "The cloud of the LORD rested on the Tabernacle during the day, and at night there was fire in the cloud so all the people of Israel could see it. This continued throughout all their journeys" (Exodus 40:38 NLT). God's presence was visible and real. And His presence had transformed what was once ordinary into something extraordinary – the Tabernacle.

And that is exactly what God has done for those of us who are in Christ. He has placed His Spirit within us and transformed what was once ordinary into something extraordinary. In speaking of the Light of Christ that now lives in us, Paul said, "But this precious treasure––this light and power that now shine within us––is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own" (2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT). These tents, our bodies, are nothing special. They are simply flesh and blood. They are not significant in and of themselves. And there is nothing special that makes them appropriate dwelling places for the Spirit of God. But God has set us apart and chosen to fill us with His Spirit. In doing so, we become the very temple of God – His dwelling place. Again, Paul asks us, "Or don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT). The very glory of God fills those of us who are believers in Christ. We are filled with the Light of Life. His presence lives within us. We take Him with us wherever we go. He wants to lead and direct us. He wants to transform us. He wants to empower us. But we must honor His presence. We must acknowledge that He is there. We cannot live our lives the way we want to live. We cannot treat as ordinary what He has made extraordinary. That is what it means to desecrate something. It is what it means to profane something. When we live our lives according to our will and in our own way, we profane the dwelling place of God. We treat as unholy what God has made holy by His presence. Our eyes, feet, hands, voices, and minds all belong to Him. They are part of the tabernacle or temple of our body. He indwells it all. Each of the parts of our earthly body are to be used for His glory. They belong to Him. May we learn to live with that reality in mind. May we learn to desire more and more that our bodies are His dwelling place today, and live like it.

Father, it amazes me that Your Spirit lives within me. I don't always feel like it. I don't always act like it. But it is a promise You have made to me and I believe it. Now I want to live like it it is true. Show me how to live in such a way that my life, and my body, bring glory and honor to You. Amen.

Holy to the Lord .

Exodus 39

Finally, they made the sacred medallion of pure gold to be worn on the front of the turban. Using the techniques of an engraver, they inscribed it with these words: SET APART AS HOLY TO THE LORD. – Exodus 39:30 NLT

In this chapter we have the detailed descriptions of the making of the priestly garments. They were made of the finest hand-woven fabrics and decorated with precious stones and gold. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia describes it this way: "A sacred vestment originally designed for the high priest (Exodus 28:4; Exodus 39:2), and made "of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen," held together by two shoulder-pieces and a skillfully woven band which served as a girdle for the ephod. On the shoulderpieces were two onyx stones on which were engraved the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. It is not known whether the ephod extended below the hips or only to the waist. Attached to the ephod by chains of pure gold was a breastplate containing twelve precious stones in four rows. Underneath the ephod was the blue robe of the ephod extending to the feet of the priest. The robe of the ephod was thus a garment comprising, in addition to the long robe proper, the ephod with its shoulderpieces and the breastplate of judgment."

This was a one-of-a-kind garment that was to be used by the high priest alone for service to God alone. This was clearly expressed on the golden plate that was permanently affixed to the turban which the high priest wore. On the gold plate were the words, "Holy to the Lord." It could also be translated as "Set apart as holy to the Lord." These words signified that the high priest and all the duties associated with his role were to be for the Lord alone. He was set apart for God. He belonged to God. His garments signified his new role and responsibilities. But while the Aaronic priesthood no longer exists, God is still setting apart men and women for himself. Just take a look at these verses:

"for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, his very own possession." – 1 Peter 2:9 NLT

"And now God is building you, as living stones, into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are God’s holy priests, who offer the spiritual sacrifices that please him because of Jesus Christ." – 1 Peter 2:5 NLT

"He has made us his Kingdom and his priests who serve before God his Father." – Revelation 1:6 NLT

We are His chosen people. Not only that, we are His royal and holy priests. We are to daily offer up spiritual sacrifices that please Him. That is our role. That is our duty. And like the high priest, we have been clothed with the righteousness of Christ. Galatians 3:27 tells us this: "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." We have been set apart by God for His service. We are His. We belong to Him. And that fact should thrill us beyond belief. So much so, that we would exclaim as the prophet Isaiah did so long ago: "I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels" (Isaiah 61:10 NLT).

Paul reminds us, "Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago" (Ephesians 2:9-10 NLT). The High Priest had duties to perform. He had responsibilities to take care of on behalf of God the Father. So do we. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 that "What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others."

The High Priest was responsible for reconciling the people to God. He made the sacrifices demanded by God in order that the people's sins might be forgiven. Our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, has made that final sacrifice once and for all, but we have the responsibility of pointing people to God by introducing them to Christ. We can be agents of reconciliation, helping them understand that there is a sacrifice that has been made for their sins. They do not have to save themselves. They can be reconciled to God through the finished work of Jesus Christ. We have been set apart for that duty. It is why we are here. So how are we doing?

Father, I'll be honest. I get off target very easily. I have not been doing my job like I should. I do not see myself as a priest. I do not remind myself daily that I have been set apart as holy to You. I am no longer mine, but I live as if I am. I do what I want to do more than I do what You have called me to do. Help me remember my role and responsibility. I want to live a life that is set apart unto You. Amen.

Equipped By God.

Exodus 37-38

Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, was in charge of the whole project, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. He was assisted by Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, a craftsman expert at engraving, designing, and embroidering blue, purple, and scarlet yarn on fine linen cloth. – Exodus 38:22-23 NLT

Have you ever made anything you were really proud of? I remember in high school the time I made a Colonial-style hutch in wood shop. It was the biggest and most ambitious project I had ever taken on. Tongue-and-groove joints, scroll work, beaded paneling, beautiful antique staining – it was gorgeous and I could not have been prouder. Especially because my dad was a man who loved to work with wood and I knew he would be proud of me. They still have it in their house to this day. Well, can you imagine how proud Bezalel and Oholiab must have been as they began the construction of the various pieces of the Tabernacle. They were making these things for God and according to His plans! What a privilege, but what a responsibility. God had handpicked these two men for this job. "The LORD has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. The LORD has filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, intelligence, and skill in all kinds of crafts. He is able to create beautiful objects from gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in cutting and setting gemstones and in carving wood. In fact, he has every necessary skill. And the LORD has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach their skills to others. The LORD has given them special skills as jewelers, designers, weavers, and embroiderers in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn on fine linen cloth. They excel in all the crafts needed for the work" (Exodus 35:30-35 NLT).

These two men were chosen by God, equipped by God, and given the responsibility of teaching their God-given skills to others. They were filled with the Spirit of God and were endowed with wisdom, intelligence, and skills. But that is exactly what has happened to every one of us as Christ-followers. We have His Spirit living within us and we have each been given a gift by God for use within His body. We are uniquely equipped to serve God in special ways. We are to serve one another with the abilities and gifts He has given us. Paul reminds us, "A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church" (1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT). We are to use our gifts to build up the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12). We are to minister, using our gifts and abilities, teaching others how to do the same. The result will be a unified body of Christ that is pleasing to God. It is His plan and His will. Bezalel and Oholiab knew what they were supposed to build, so do we. They were equipped for the job, so are we. But are we doing our job? We have no excuse. We have work to do. Let's get busy doing it for the Lord.

Father, You've called us and equipped us. Now give us the strength to do what we have been set aside to do. To build up the body of Christ, so that You might be honored here on earth through us. Amen.

Gifted by God.

Exodus 36

Bezalel, Oholiab, and the other craftsmen whom the LORD has gifted with wisdom, skill, and intelligence will construct and furnish the Tabernacle, just as the LORD has commanded. – Exodus 36:1 NLT

God designed the Tabernacle, but men were going to build it. This was a partnership. God's design. Man's ability. But God would even equip them with the skills, talents, wisdom, and intelligence to accomplish the task set before them. Not only that, He would instill in them a desire to give all the materials needed for the structure to be completed. In fact, they gave so much that they had to be asked to STOP giving. "So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: 'Bring no more materials! You have already given more than enough.' So the people stopped bringing their offerings" (Exodus 36:6 NLT). These people had been moved by God to give to the project … "everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments" (Exodus 35:21 NIV). This entire project was God's idea, but He chose to use men and women to accomplish it. He gifted the, guided them, and prompted them to give of their talents and treasures in order that His plan could be accomplished. Even the materials they gave were a gift from God. When they had fled from Egypt, God had prompted the Egyptians to shower the people with treasures. "And the people of Israel did as Moses had instructed and asked the Egyptians for clothing and articles of silver and gold. The LORD caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they gave the Israelites whatever they asked for. So, like a victorious army, they plundered the Egyptians!" (Exodus 12:35-36 NLT). So even what they gave to complete the Tabernacle had been given to them by God. Their talents and abilities were gifts from God. Their treasures were gifts from God. The plans for the Tabernacle were a gift from God. This was a God-inspired, God-provided venture from start to finish.

But what is amazing is that God bothered to use them at all. He could have done it all Himself. He didn't NEED their help. They needed His. And if the truth be told, He didn't really need a place for His presence to dwell. "This is what the LORD says: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you ever build me a temple as good as that? Could you build a dwelling place for me?" (Isaiah 66:1 NLT). God didn't need a dwelling place. This was all about Him giving a lesson to the people of God. Every detail of the plans for the Tabernacle are a lesson on God and His holiness. The gold and precious jewels all speak of His infinite value. The layout of the Tabernacle speaks volumes about His holiness and unapproachability. His detailed instructions speak of His expectation that His people obey His Word to the smallest detail. This place was going to be a constant, daily reminder of His presence, power, and provision.

And God is still giving us lessons today. He is still equipping, empowering, gifting, and directing His people today. He is still using people like you and me today. Not because He has to, but because it is how He teaches us about Him. He is accomplishing great things and He chooses to include us in His plans. He wants to reveal Himself to us as we work alongside Him. He could do all that He does without us, but He doesn't. We have the opportunity to give, work, and watch as God uses His people to accomplish His will in the world around us. And as we watch we are reminded of His power. We see His handiwork. He gets the glory and we get reminded of just who it is we worship. The Almighty God of the universe. The creator of all things. The holy, righteous, all-powerful God.

Father, it always amazes me that You use me in any way. You have gifted me and You have equipped me to serve You. And I am surrounded by people whom You have done the same thing for. You want to accomplish great things through us as You work in us. May we be as faithful to give and serve as the people of Israel were. Show us what You are getting ready to build in our day. Not buildings, but Your kingdom. May we be willing servants for You. Amen.

Lord, Go With Us!

Exodus 34-35

O Lord, then please go with us. Yes, this is an unruly and stubborn people, but please pardon our iniquity and our sins. Accept us as your own special possession. – Exodus 34:9 NLT

Moses knew something we all need to learn. He knew that this journey through the wilderness was going to be impossible without the constant presence of the Lord. A Tabernacle wasn't going to be enough – if the Lord was not in it. Tablets of stone would not be adequate, if the living God was not there to remind them of His holiness. Moses knew he was going to have his hands full trying to lead "an unruly and stubborn people."  They were hard-headed and even more hard-hearted. Moses understood that he was going to need God to get these people to their final destination. God had just told Moses, "I am the LORD, I am the LORD, the merciful and gracious God. I am slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness. I show this unfailing love to many thousands by forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. Even so I do not leave sin unpunished, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations" (Exodus 34:6-7 NLT). He reminded Moses of His boundless grace and mercy. He reminded Moses that He was long-suffering, loving, and faithful. But He was also holy and just, and willing to deal with sin. This was the God who Moses pleaded with that He would go with them. He wanted this God on the trip with him. He wanted all of God. He knew he needed all of God.

Yet how often do I attempt to live my life, to go on my journey, without the presence of God. I can go through entire days and not ask God to be a part of them. I can do all the things I think I need to do – many of them for God – and not even include Him in the process. Moses knew better. He knew his own inadequacies. He knew the challenges that were out there. He knew he couldn't do this without help from God. And his greatest fear was the thought of having to make this journey without God. But he also knew that God had already threatened to let them make their journey alone. "Theirs is a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not travel along with you, for you are a stubborn, unruly people. If I did, I would be tempted to destroy you along the way" (Exodus 33:3 NLT). That idea was unacceptable to Moses, and he told God so. "If you don’t go with us personally, don’t let us move a step from this place" (Exodus 33:15 NLT). No, Moses wanted God present every step of the way. And so should we. Why wouldn't we? The idea of trying to live this life without the constant presence of God should send chills up our spines and send us to our knees where we cry out "O Lord, then please go with us!"

God's presence is what sets us apart from all other people. Without Him we are nothing. That's why Moses said, "How else will it be known that you're with me in this, with me and your people? Are you traveling with us or not? How else will we know that we're special, I and your people, among all other people on this planet Earth?" (Exodus 33:16 MSG). God with us. That is what Emmanuel means – the very name given to Jesus at His birth. He is God with us. He is with us and walks beside us every step of the way. We cannot live this life without Him. And we only enter into eternal life because of Him.

Father, thank You that You are always with me. Your Spirit lives within me. Your Son intercedes daily on my behalf. I have daily access into Your presence. I do not have to walk this journey alone. I sometimes try, but You always lovingly remind me just how much I need You. And for that I am grateful.  Amen.

Let Me See You!

Exodus 32-33

Then Moses had one more request. "Please let me see your glorious presence," he said. – Exodus 33:18 NLT

Moses and God had a unique relationship. God told Moses, "you have found favor with me, and you are my friend" (Exodus 33:17 NLT). They had been through a lot together. Moses had spent a lot of time alone with God. They talked together regularly at the tent of meeting. God had chosen Moses to lead His people out of slavery. He had given Moses the Ten Commandments. He had listened to Moses when he interceded on behalf of the people and begged God not to destroy them for their having made the golden calf. Moses knew how important the presence of God was to their future. He had come to rely on God's presence and direction. He knew that it was the very presence of God that set them apart as a people. When God assured Moses "I will personally go with you, Moses. I will give you rest – everything will be fine for you" (Exodus 33:14 NLT), Moses responded, "If you don’t go with us personally, don’t let us move a step from this place" (Exodus 33:15 NLT). It was the presence of God in their midst that set them apart. "If you don’t go with us, how will anyone ever know that your people and I have found favor with you? How else will they know we are special and distinct from all other people on the earth?" (Exodus 33:16 NLT). Without the presence of God, they would have been just another people group. Without the presence of God, a local church is just another gathering of people. It is God's presence that sets us apart.

And Moses couldn't get enough of God. He didn't want to move a muscle without God. In fact, he wanted even MORE of God. Here is a man who had spent countless days and hours alone with God, and what does he request? "Please let me see Your glorious presence!" He wanted to see God's glory. And God grants His request. God tells Moses, "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, ‘the LORD,’ to you. I will show kindness to anyone I choose, and I will show mercy to anyone I choose" (Exodus 33:19 NLT). The glory of God Himself passed before Moses in the form of His goodness. But Moses would not be the only one to enjoy this unique privilege. God would also reveal His glory and His goodness to men hundreds of years later in the form of His Son Jesus Christ. John tells us, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14 NIV). We have seen the glory of God through Jesus Christ. He has given us a glimpse of God Himself. "No one has ever seen God. But his only Son, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart; he has told us about him" (John 1:18 NLT). Jesus is God. He has revealed Himself to man. What Moses experienced that day, we can experience every day. And when God told Moses, "My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest" (Exodus 33:14 NASB), it is just what Jesus invited us to experience, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:28-29 NLT). We can enjoy the presence of God and the rest that comes from knowing God through our relationship with Jesus Christ. We can see the glory of God each and every day.

Father, I can enjoy Your glory and Your rest through Your Son – every day of my life. May that become a reality each and every day of my life.  Amen.