Subsitutionary Atonement.

Numbers 8

I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the sons of Israel, to perform the service of the sons of Israel at the tent of meeting and to make atonement on behalf of the sons of Israel, so that there will be no plague among the sons of Israel by their coming near to the sanctuary. – Numbers 8:19 NASB

In chapter 8 we have a reiteration of the role the Levites were to play in the lives of the whole faith community of Israel. They were set apart by God for service to Him. And they became substitutes for the firstborn males that God had claimed for His own after having spared them in the land of Egypt the night the death angel passed through the land. God had a rightful claim to all the firstborn males, but instead He claimed the tribe of Levi as His own, allowing them to serve in place of the others. Then God turned around and offered the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons, requiring them to serve Him in the Tabernacle – making atonement on behalf of all the sons of Israel. In other words, God claimed the Levites for His own, yet one of their primary roles was to offer atoning sacrifices for the people of Israel. God redeemed the people from Egypt. He spared the firstborn sons. He provided a substitute, and He made possible a way for them to experience atonement for their sins. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? All of this is what Jesus Christ has done for us. He became our sin substitute and made possible atonement for our sins. In other words, what Jesus Christ did as our sin substitute reconciled us to God. He made it possible for us to have a right relationship with God – in spite of our sin.

From that day forward, the Levites would serve God and substitute for the people. They would serve on behalf of the people. They would serve Aaron and his sons as they offered sacrifices on behalf of the people. Their role was critical to the spiritual health and well-being of the people, just as Christ's is to ours. They made possible the whole sacrificial system, without which the Israelites would have had no hope for God's presence or His power. Jesus Christ made possible the ultimate sacrificial system that made possible our hope of God's presence and power in our lives. He gave His life in order that we might live. He served us by substituting Himself for us and providing a way for us to be reconciled to God the Father once and for all.

Father, thank You for the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Thank You that the Old Testament is a picture of the New Testament truth of Jesus and His coming. We see Him foreshadowed throughout the book of Numbers. Never let me read the Old Testament without looking for the Messiah – our deliverer. Amen

Practical Devotion.

Numbers 7

Then the leaders of Israel––the tribal leaders who had organized the census – came and brought their offerings. Together they brought six carts and twelve oxen. There was a cart for every two leaders and an ox for each leader. They presented these to the LORD in front of the Tabernacle. – Numbers 7:2-3 NLT

This chapter seems to be a look back at a month earlier in the lives of the Israelites, when they had just finished the construction of the Tabernacle. At that point, the various tribal leaders brought what seems to be an unsolicited, spontaneous gift to Moses of six wagons and 12 oxen. The twelve tribes gave these gifts in order to assist the Levites with the transport of the Tabernacle and all its contents from the wilderness to the Promised Land. While it seems that God did not prescribe or demand this gift, it was obviously prompted by God's Spirit. The six wagons and 12 oxen would prove highly beneficial in carrying what amounted to a significant amount of construction material over a great distance. The gifts were distributed by Moses to the Levites, but none were given to the Kohathites, because they were commanded by God to carry the sacred objects on their shoulders.

In addition to the oxen and carts, each of the tribes offered a variety of offerings that included silver dishes, rams, goats, lambs, and grain. These gifts were offered one tribe at a time over a 12 day period. The extent of the offerings seem to suggest that they were a collective gift given by the people of each tribe. In a sense, the community was joining together to give as a group. Each tribe gave the same gifts. None was greater than the other. But the most significant gift was the very practical one of the oxen and carts. While the transport of the Tabernacle was to be the sole responsibility of the Levites, the other tribes wanted to contribute and assist. Their gift showed forethought and a commitment to solidarity. They were all in this together. In much the same way, we can help support those who have been given specific charges by God to serve as ministers or missionaries, by giving them practical support that makes their ministry more tolerable. Over in Ephesians, Paul tells us that God, "is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:11-12 NLT). There are those who God has called to serve the body of Christ in specific roles and to carry out specific responsibilities. It is up to the rest of us to support them and to stand beside them as they carry out their duties. Paul told Timothy in regard to elders, "Elders who do their work well should be paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, 'Do not keep an ox from eating as it treads out the grain.' And in another place, 'Those who work deserve their pay!'" (1 Timothy 5:17-18 NLT). The unique nature of the gift given by the 12 tribes is a reminder that we need to see to it that the ministry always has what it needs to be accomplished. For the good of the ministry and the glory of God. Their gift was practical and highly utilitarian, but it was an offering to God as much as any other sacrifice associated with the Tabernacle. Sometimes our practical gifts get overlooked and overshadowed by the more impressive or "spiritual" gifts of teaching and preaching. But just imagine how difficult it would have been for the Levites to transport the Tabernacle and all its content had the tribes not been sensitive to God's leading and given those six carts and 12 oxen. God uses all the people of God as ministers to the body of Christ. Practical, powerful, and life transformational.

Father, thanks for the reminder that You want to use all of us to minister to the body of Christ. We all have a role to play and a job to do. Keep us sensitive to Your leading. Guide and direct us and show us how to give practical gifts that illustrate our devotion to You and our love for the body of Christ. Amen

Separated Unto God.

Numbers 5-6

May the LORD bless you and protect you. May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you. May the LORD show you his favor and give you his peace. – Numbers 6:24-26 NLT

These are two difficult chapters filled with strange commands and bizarre-sounding rituals. From the seemingly harsh treatment of lepers and those individuals suffering from potentially contagious diseases and the trial of a wife for possible adultery to the strange regulations concerning the Nazirite vow, these chapters are difficult to understand at face value. But the underlying point seems to be fairly simple: God is highly concerned about the moral purity of His people. He takes the vows of His people seriously. He expects them to maintain moral and ethical standards that are superior to those of other nations. He has a higher standard to which He holds His own. It is interesting that these two chapters talk a lot about moral failure, uncleanliness and defilement. Yet at the end there is this beautiful statement regarding God's desire to bless and protect His people. God wants to show His people favor and grace. He wants to shine the light of His glory on them. But He can't do it if there is sin in the camp. He can't dwell in the midst of uncleanness and defilement. He can't make His home in a place surrounded by sin.

So God takes special care to maintain external cleanliness in His people. He commands that those who are carrying potentially deadly disease be removed from the camp. These seems harsh, but it was protective. They were placed outside the camp so that their disease would not spread, bringing disaster and death to the entire nation. This is a not-so-subtle picture of how we are to deal with the sin that we find in our midst. We are to remove it. We are to deal with those who might contaminate the camp. But we find it much easier to allow sin to exist. We are reluctant to judge, lest we be judged. But God seems to be reminding us that the regulations made for ensuring cleanliness in the camp of Israel suggest the adoption of similar means for maintaining purity in the church. The Matthew Henry Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible says this, "And although, in large communities of Christians, it may be often difficult or delicate to do this, the suspension or, in flagrant cases of sin, the total excommunication of the offender from the privileges and communion of the church is an imperative duty, as necessary to the moral purity of the Christian as the exclusion of the leper from the camp was to physical health and ceremonial purity in the Jewish church."

God wants to bless us. He wants to smile on us with His favor, but He expects us to deal with sin in our midst. Whether it willful sin in the form of an adulterous affair or inadvertent defilement as illustrated by the Nazirite who accidently becomes unclean. These chapters seems to show us that the purity of God's people is a high priority to Him. Why? Because He wants to bless us. He wants to dwell among us. He wants to show us His favor. But sin separates. Sin brings the anger of God, not His favor. Sin destroys. Yet God has made provision for sin, and it does not require the bizarre rituals outlined in this chapter. He has given His Son as payment for our sins – past, present, and future. We no longer have to pay the penalty that sin requires – which is death and separation from God. But we still must take sin seriously. Paul asks this powerful and probing question: "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning, so that grace may increase?" (Romans 6:1 NIV). Then he answers it for us: "By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" (Romans 6:2 NIV). Paul goes on to tell us: "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been freed from sin." (Romans 6:6-7 NIV). We no longer have to sin. We have been set free from its power and its penalty. Yet we find that we still have a propensity to sin. And God expects us to treat sin with the same soberness and seriousness that He demanded of the people of Israel. So He can bless us. So He can smile on us with His favor.

Father, You want to smile on us with Your favor, but too many times we smile on the sin in our lives. We laugh about it. We even enjoy it. We make excuses for it. We rationalize our behavior and take advantage of your grace. Give us a sober-mindedness when it comes to sin. Especially the sin in our midst. We have grown accustomed to it. We have grown comfortable with it. Give us renewed fervor for holiness and a hatred for sin. So that we might enjoy Your favor as Your people. Amen

Kohath & Sons Moving Company.

Numbers 4

When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the sacred utensils, the Kohathites will come and carry these things to the next destination. But they must not touch the sacred objects, or they will die. So these are the objects of the Tabernacle that the Kohathites must carry. – Numbers 4:15 NLT

Have you ever helped someone move? It can be a bit stressful. There's just something a little intimidating about taking on the responsibility for someone else's belongings. This is their stuff and it means a lot to them. So more often than not, they tend to hover over you, making sure you load each piece into the moving van carefully. Because they know that even well-meaning friends can be a bit careless when the things they are moving are not their own. So can you imagine the stress level of carrying the dwelling place of God – the Tabernacle? This was not a job for the weak of heart or the cavalier of mind. So God chose a series of families or clans from within the tribe of Levi and gave them the sole responsibility of transporting the Tabernacle and all its contents from one location to another. If you recall the descriptions of the layout of the Tabernacle, this was not a small facility. It was a massive structure with a large number of parts, so every time the pillar of fire or the cloud of smoke moved, signifying the presence of God, the people were to carefully deconstruct the Tabernacle, pack away its contents and then carry it to the next site.

There were actually three distinct families of the Levites charged with the task of transporting the Tabernacle and its contents – the Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites. They were all the descendants of three sons of Levi, the third son of Jacob. And each of these families was given three distinct responsibilities regarding the Tabernacle and its contents. The Merarites were charged with carrying the boards, bars, pillars and sockets. The Gershonites were responsible for the curtains, hangings and coverings. But the Kohathites had the privilege and great responsibility of carrying all the contents of the Holy of Holies. They were to carry and care for the veil, screen, ark of the covenant, table of the bread of presence, the golden lampstand, all the dishes, and golden altar. These things were of incredible value and significance to the people of Israel. In fact, they were so holy, that the Kohathites were not even allowed to see them until they had been packed up by the priests – otherwise they would die. These were holy items that belonged to God Himself and He was very particular about how they were to be moved. To disobey His command was to court disaster. This is clearly illustrated years later when David was king of Israel and He attempted to move the ark to Jerusalem. Instead of having the sons of Kohath carry the ark by its poles as God had prescribed, it was loaded on a common ox cart. At one point it begins to fall and Uzzah, an innocent non-Levite bystander, reaches out to steady it. This well-intentioned act cost Uzzah his life because God struck him down. God's will had been violated.

God took the transportation of His Tabernacle seriously. It was not to be treated lightly or flippantly. It was to be treated with holiness and reverential awe. Which makes me stop and think how I sometimes treat the things of God with a fairly cavalier attitude. Whether it is His Word, given to me by God Himself or the presence of His Spirit, who lives within me. I can treat both with a carefree and casual kind of attitude that borders on blasphemy. I do not live in fear that God will strike me down if I treat my Bible with disrespect, but I am reminded that the things of God are holy and not ordinary. His Word is powerful and not to be treated lightly. His Spirit is a member of the triune Godhead and not to be ignored or treated as if He isn't even there. The things of God are important to God. He takes them seriously, and so should we.

Father, You have given us the privilege of having Your Word in written form. You have given us Your testimony and revelation of Yourself for us to read and apply to our lives. Yet we treat it so often with a casualness that borders on contempt. You have placed Your Spirit within us, but we sometimes act as if He is not even there. We ignore Him, and other times, simply choose to disobey Him. You have also given us the incredible gift of the Gospel to care for and share with all those with whom we come in contact. But instead we selfishly keep it to ourselves, hoarding the Good News and refusing to share it with those who desperately need to hear it. Forgive us Father and give us a greater respect for You and Your incredible gifts to us. Amen

The Substitutes.

Numbers 2-3

I have chosen the Levites from among the Israelites as substitutes for all the firstborn sons of the people of Israel. The Levites are mine because all the firstborn sons are mine. From the day I killed all the firstborn sons of the Egyptians, I set apart for myself all the firstborn in Israel of both men and animals. They are mine; I am the LORD.  – Numbers 3:12-13 NLT

Back when God brought the final plague of the death of the firstborn on the Egyptians, He claimed all the firstborn males of the Israelites as His own. "Dedicate to me all the firstborn sons of Israel and every firstborn male animal. They are mine" (Exodus 13:2 NLT). God had spared the firstborn of the Israelites and, in return, the people were to set apart those individuals to His service. They belonged to Him. But things were about to change. God had another plan. He had appointed the tribe of Levi to serve as ministers to the priests and the Tabernacle. They were the smallest of the tribes and seemed to hold special favor with God because of their role in the aftermath of the Golden Calf debacle.

"All of you who are on the LORD’s side, come over here and join me." And all the Levites came. He told them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Strap on your swords! Go back and forth from one end of the camp to the other, killing even your brothers, friends, and neighbors." The Levites obeyed Moses, and about three thousand people died that day. Then Moses told the Levites, "Today you have been ordained for the service of the LORD, for you obeyed him even though it meant killing your own sons and brothers. Because of this, he will now give you a great blessing." (Exodus 32:26-29 NLT)

The Levites had become His servants. Now, they were to become the peoples' substitute. God still claimed the firstborn as His own. They belonged to Him because He had spared their lives the night the death angel had passed over their homes in the land of Egypt. When Moses numbered all the firstborn males of the tribes of Israel they totaled 22,273. These were probably the number of firstborn males who had been born since they had left Egypt. The total number of the Levite males from one month and older were 22,000. God was going to allow the Levites to become substitutes for the firstborn of all the Israelites. "The Levites will be reserved for me as substitutes for the firstborn sons of Israel; I am the LORD. And the Levites’ livestock are mine as substitutes for the firstborn livestock of the whole nation of Israel" (Number 3:41 NLT). God could have required the service required to maintain and move His Tabernacle to be done by the firstborn males of all the tribes. He could have demanded that they serve as His ministers and priests, but instead He set aside the tribe of Levi for this important duty. And in doing so, He made the Levites the substitutes for the people.

The Levites were not to be included in the census of fighting men, but were to care for the tabernacle and all that belongs to it camping around it, being responsible to take it down when they set out and to set it up when they encamped. In doing so, they would be protecting the sons of Israel from death for coming near to it (Numbers 1:47-54). The Levites had a huge responsibility. They were to care for all the things related to the Tabernacle, maintaining them and moving them whenever the Israelites broke camp and relocated. It was a huge task and, because the Tabernacle was God's holy dwelling place, it was a serious task. It could not be taken lightly. God seemed to know that if it was left up to the people, they would drop the ball. The Tabernacle would probably fall into disrepair as they became distracted with their own cares and concerns. So He appointed this task to the Levites. They served as substitutes. They satisfied God's requirement that the firstborn belong to Him. They served in the place of those who were rightfully obligated to serve God. Their place was taken by someone else.

Which is a picture of Christ's substitutionary death for each of us. He became my sin substitute. He paid the debt I owed. He took my place. He served in my stead. He satisfied the demands of a holy God and did what I could not do. He made the ultimate sacrifice. And that is what the Levites did. They became a sacrifice for the people of Israel. They served and satisfied the demands of God by maintaining and caring for His Tabernacle. They kept the people of Israel from experiencing death by keeping the Tabernacle holy and set apart for God. Their role was vital to the spiritual life of the people of God. They gave so that others might live. Just as Jesus has done for us.

Father, what a wonderful reminder of Your plan of substitution. You love us so much that You came up with a plan by which we could be made right with You. You knew we couldn't do what was required to satisfy Your holy requirements, so You gave us a substitute – Your own Son. He took our place. You could have required us to pay. But instead, You gave Your Son as our substitute. Thank You for reminding me once again that I owe my life to You. I am alive because of You and I have eternal life because of You. Amen

God Knows What He's Doing.

Numbers 1

One day in midspring, during the second year after Israel’s departure from Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses in the Tabernacle in the wilderness of Sinai. He said, "Take a census of the whole community of Israel by their clans and families. List the names of all the men twenty years old or older who are able to go to war." – Numbers 1:1-3 NLT

It's been a year and a half since the Israelites left Egypt. The Tabernacle has been up one whole month. Now God comes to Moses and commands him to take a census or a numbering (hence the name of the book) of the people. He wants him to count all the males from 20 years old and up. He was not to include the mixed multitude that had left Egypt with them, but only men from the twelve tribes of Israel. No one who was not fit for military service was to be counted. No women or children were to be included in the number. So Moses had everyone arranged according to their tribe and when the counting was complete, they discovered that there were 603,550 able-bodied men among them. If you add in wives and kids, as well as an estimate of how many foreigners were traveling with them, it isn't hard to see that the number of people traveling under Moses' leadership was well over a million and a half. That's staggering. And the book of Numbers is going to chronicle their nearly 40 year journey through the wilderness. This was a logistical miracle. To travel that long and far with that many people is unprecedented.

So why did God have Moses number the people? What could have been His purpose? First of all, it was probably a not-so-subtle reminder that God was keeping the promise He had made to Abraham that He would multiply his seed exceedingly, which was the same promise He had renewed to Jacob (Gen. 28:14), that his seed should be as the dust of the earth. From their first arrival in Egypt when their numbers could be counted in the double-digits, until now, they could see that God had made good on His promise, so they could trust Him to fulfill His promise to give them the land of Canaan as an inheritance.

Secondly, part of God's command was to place men in charge of the various tribes and clans. Leadership was going to be critical for this journey. Order was going to be needed. It is a picture of God's care for His people. He knew what they would need in order to survive this wilderness experience. So God put Moses and these other men in positions as shepherds over the people so that they might care for them. God is called the Shepherd of Israel (Psalms 80:1), so the shepherds always kept count of their flocks, and delivered them by number to their under-shepherds, that they might know if any were missing. So in the same way, God numbers His flock.

Thirdly, God seems to go out of His way to differentiate the Israelites from the host of foreigners traveling with them. We don't know how many "mixed multitude" had left Egypt with them, but it was probably not an insignificant number. So when God commands the census to be taken, He order that it not include anyone but sons of Israel. It seems to be a picture of God's care for His own. The Lord knows those that are His (2 Timothy 2:19), and knows them by name (Philippians 4:3). The hairs of their head are numbered ; but he will say to others, "I never knew you, never made any account of you.’’

Finally, God seems to be arranging the people in such a way as to facilitate and improve their orderly travel and the administration of justice. This was not going to be an unruly rabble traveling through the wilderness, but a well-ordered army. He only has Moses number the men who were fit for battle, then God has Moses arrange them in military rank and file. This is probably a reminder to them that they were going to have to be prepared to fight when they arrived in the land of promise. It was not just going to be handed over to them. They were going to have to learn to follow commands and march in an orderly manner. Can you imagine what it would have been like for a million and a half people to try and travel through the wilderness without some kind of plan or method to their madness? There would have been thousands of children, hundreds of thousands of animals, and plenty of excuses for chaos and disorder. So God arranges them in troops and provides them with leaders. God is a god of order, not confusion. He has a plan. He has a purpose. He knows exactly what is needed and when it is needed. He can always be trusted.

Father, in the church today, You have given us a plan for our orderly functioning in this world. You have appointed leaders and shepherds over Your flock. You have given us marching orders and a clear task to accomplish in our days of wandering in this world. Help us to walk according to Your way and not our own. You are still a God of order and calm, not confusion. May we live that way together as Your people. Amen

The Cost of Devotion.

Leviticus 26-27

Give the following instructions to the Israelites: If you make a special vow to dedicate someone to the LORD by paying the value of that person, here is the scale of values to be used. – Leviticus 27:2-3 NLT

Sometimes in our zeal for God we can end up making vows or commitments to Him. We mean well. We are genuine in our enthusiasm, but then time passes and our zeal fades. When it does, our tendency is to forget our commitment and to move on with our lives as if nothing happened. Chapter 27 of Leviticus covers just such a circumstance. Moses gives the people instructions regarding "special vows." The word used for this kind of vow seems to indicate that it was unusual or significant – out of the ordinary. The NET Study Bible notes say, "In general, the point of the expression seems to be that this sacrifice is a special gift to God that arose out of special circumstances in the life of the worshiper." It seems that God knew there would be times in which His people would be compelled to make special vows to Him due to something that had happened to them or out of a genuine response to His actions or activities in their lives. They could dedicate themselves to His service. They could dedicate a child, as Hannah did with Samuel, to the service of God. They could dedicate an animal or their home. But regardless of what they dedicated, it seems that God knew the hearts of men and made a provision for their change of heart. Should a person who had made a special vow to God change their mind, they could redeem themselves or the one dedicated to God – for a price. Whatever they had devoted to God could be bought back, but it would cost them.

Devotion to God is a serious thing. Yet we often take it lightly. We can sometimes make vows or commitments to God flippantly. But God takes them seriously. This chapter seems to be reminding the Israelites and us, that God takes our vows seriously and sees devotion as valuable. So much so that He even puts a price on it. We should not make rash commitments or promises to God. It is not so much that God is going to make us pay if we do not keep them, but that our failure to live up to our commitments is a serious affront to a holy God. This chapter should be a reminder to us that God takes our vows of devotion seriously, and so should we.

Father, there are so many times that I have rashly made vows of devotion to You. I have told You that I was going to do something for You, out of excitement or gratitude for something You had done for me – then I have failed to follow through. I have failed to see the seriousness of how You view those kinds of commitments. Never let me take them lightly. Help me treat them as holy, just as You do. Amen

The Significance of Sabbath.

Leviticus 25

But you might ask, "What will we eat during the seventh year, since we are not allowed to plant or harvest crops that year?" The answer is, "I will order my blessing for you in the sixth year, so the land will produce a bumper crop, enough to support you for three years." – Leviticus 25:20-21 NLT

In this chapter we have outlined two significant commands of God that were unique to the people of Israel and were only to be followed after they came into possession of the Promised Land. One was the Sabbatical Year and the other was the Year of Jubilee. Both seem strange to our modern-day sensibilities. Yet, like all of God's commands, there was a purpose behind these instructions. In both cases, God was teaching His people that He was their landlord and that they were His tenants. The land belonged to Him. Their prosperity was up to Him. While He was giving them the land of Canaan, it was really His possession and He willingly shared it with them. They were never to become attached to the land, but were to live as aliens and strangers in the land. As their landlord, God was free to do with the land whatever He wished. And one of His desires was to give the land a sabbath rest every seventh year. In doing so, they would become completely dependent upon God for their needs during that seventh year. Because they would not be caring for the land during that year, they would have more free time to serve and worship God. They would learn a new appreciation for the poor in their midst, who had to live on the charity of others to survive. Charity became a high priority during the sabbatical year. Everyone was brought to live in a constant dependence on God's providence.

God knew His people. He knew that if they were not forced to rest the land, they would overwork it and themselves. They would become greedy for gain. They would horde and build little kingdoms for themselves. They would become dependent on the land and themselves, instead of God. They would expand their little kingdoms by acquiring more land and even buying property from their neighbors who weren't doing as well. In doing so, inequities would develop among God's people. Some would prosper while others suffered. So God put into effect another command that would help prevent this from happening. The Year of Jubilee provided a means by which all land reverted back to its original owner. Debts were forgiven and land was returned. Everyone knew this would take place every 50th year, so they bought land with this in mind. The closer it was to the Year of Jubilee, the less they paid for the land. But when the Year of Jubilee came, the land was to be returned to it original inhabitants. They were also to celebrate the sabbatical year as usual, not working the land that entire year.

The real point of it all was to teach the people of God to depend on God. He was their provider, not the land. He would bless the sixth year of harvest so that they would have enough not only for the seventh year, but the eighth as well. God would miraculously provide. Sabbath and Jubilee both typify the dependence we are to have on God. The Year of Jubilee illustrates our redemption by Christ from the slavery of sin and Satan. Just as those who had been sold into slavery because of their inability to pay their debts would be set free on the Day of Atonement during the Year of Jubilee, so we have been set from from slavery to sin by Christ. Some commentators believe that the very year in which Christ died was a year of jubilee and that it was the last year this command was kept. But regardless, we have been set free and our debts have been paid. We have been restored to a right relationship with God.

These two commands are wonderful reminders of our dependence on God. He wants us to live in perpetual reliance upon Him. But we find it so easy to lean on our own abilities and our own productivity. We tend to overwork and not rest. We put our trust in the things of this world and forget that it is God who sustains us. We become overly competitive and insensitive to the needs of those around us. It becomes every man for himself. But God has called us to a life of dependence on Him and interdependence with one another. Especially within the household of faith. It all belongs to Him, not us. We are his caretakers and He is the landlord. We are simply managers of His possessions. We work for Him. And His desire is that we hold loosely the things of this world, and that we cling tightly to our love for Him and our love for one another.

Father, You are the Great Provider. This world is not my home and these possessions that You so graciously share with me are not mine. Help me to hold on to them loosely. Give me an increasing awareness of just how dependent I am on You. Amen

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.