Worst-Case-Scenario Syndrome.

Numbers 14-15; Psalm 90

Their voices rose in a great chorus of complaint against Moses and Aaron. "We wish we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!" they wailed. "Why is the LORD taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and little ones will be carried off as slaves! Let’s get out of here and return to Egypt!" – Numbers 14:2-3 NLT

We all suffer from it on occasion – worst-case-scenario syndrome. The symptoms are easily recognizable: fear, doubt, a growing sense of panic, and visions of all kinds of disaster happening – one bad thing leading to another. Usually it starts with a fairly pedestrian situation, one that is negative, but not catastrophic, but before we know it, we have conjured up images of mishap and mayhem. Our minds begin to play tricks on us, causing us to imagine all kinds of negative outcomes as we try to assume what is going to happen next. We start playing out a variety of circumstances in our heads, wondering what it going to happen if…

That's exactly what the Israelites suffered from in this story – as they stood on the edge of the Promised Land, weighing out the two different reports given by the 12 spies who had come back from their walk through the land. All the people heard was bad news: giants, fortified cities, and certain defeat. Then they started blowing it all out of proportion and making conclusions that were NOT based on fact. Instead of trusting God, they decided to trust their very fertile imaginations. Listen to what they said. "God has brought us here to kill us! Our women and children are going to become plunder! We need new leadership! We need to return to Egypt!" In a matter of minutes these people had turned some bad news into disaster. They had whipped themselves into a frenzy of fright and faithlessness. Suddenly, the God who had freed them from slavery in Egypt through a series of miraculous plagues, and who had cared for them all throughout their journey to the Promised Land, was too weak to take care of them anymore. Their troubles were too much for their God. And the symptoms of worst-case-scenario syndrome began to appear throughout the camp.

Moses, Aaron, Caleb and Joshua beg the people to trust God and not rebel against Him. But the people respond with fear and anger. They even want to stone these four men. They can't handle the truth. They don't want to listen to what Moses and these other men have to say. So God intervenes. He determines to wipe out the entire group and start all over again just with Moses. But Moses intercedes. He begs God to reconsider. He appeals to God's love for His own glory and name. He reminds God of His lovingkindness and righteousness. "Please pardon the sins of this people because of your magnificent, unfailing love, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt" (Numbers 14:20 NLT). God listens and relents. But the people who rebelled will never live to see the Promised Land. They will die in the wilderness, where they will wander for 40 more years, until that generation dies out. Only Caleb and Joshua will live to enter the land – because they believed.

When we face difficult times, it is easy to succumb to worst-case-scenario syndrome. It's almost natural. We begin to doubt and fear. We blow things out of proportion. Our vision gets blurry. Our memory gets sketchy. We tend to forget things – like God's history of goodness in our lives. We become weak and prone to fear, instead of faith. Worry replaces worship. Even little things get blown out of proportion. And the result is rebellion. We refuse to believe God, trust God, obey God, and so we fail to see the power of God in our lives. And we miss out on the blessings. Like the Israelites, we stand on the edge of the promises of God, but never get to enjoy them. But there is a cure for worst-case-scenario syndrome. It's trust. Trust is putting our belief into action. It is stepping out and relying on God's goodness. It is trusting in His power even in the presence of problems. God doesn't promise us a life free from problems. But He does promise to see us through them. He promises us strength. He promises us joy and contentment. He promises us His presence. He will see us through.

Father, I suffer from worst-case-scenario syndrome far too often. Forgive me for doubting You and allowing my mind to run away with me. You have never given me a reason to doubt You, but I do it on a regular basis. May I learn to trust You more and more and lean on your unfailing goodness. Give me the strength I need to face life's problems with a calm assurance of Your power and trust in Your promises. Amen

Faith Over Facts.

Numbers 12-13

But Caleb tried to encourage the people as they stood before Moses. "Let’s go at once to take the land," he said. "We can certainly conquer it!" But the other men who had explored the land with him answered, "We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!" – Numbers 13:30-31 NLT

After a short delay by God in order to punish Miriam for some jealousy issues over Moses' leadership role, God leads the people to Kadesh-Barnea. They are now on the edge of the Promised Land. This has been their destination all along. It is the place He had promised to bring them and now they are here. But before they go in, God has them send in twelve spies. According to Deuteronomy 1:22, this was actually the peoples' idea. They petitioned Moses to send in spies and God appears to go along with the plan. But I think God had a different agenda than the people did. Their reason for sending in spies was to determine if this thing was doable. God was sending in spies to give witness to the truth concerning its abundance and fruitfulness. In other words, as far as God was concerned, this was a fact-finding mission. This was not a specially formed committee to determine or decide whether or not to go into the land. That was not an option.

But the spies went and the spies saw. And when they returned they reports the facts just as they saw them. They even brought back physical evidence of the land's long-rumored fruitfulness: grape clusters so big you had to carry them on a pole between two men. But the 12 men came back with two different opinions about the land. The majority affirmed its fruitfulness, but also said it was filled with giants and an abundance of well-armed foes living in fortified cities. Their conclusion? "We can't attack those people; they're way stronger than we are" (Numbers 13:31 MSG). Everything they said was true. The land was filled with giants. There were an abundance of well-armed people living in fortified cities. And they were far stronger than the Israelites. But they had left out one important fact: God was on their side, and He had promised to give them this land. He had never told them it was going to be easy. He had warned them from day one that the land was filled with other inhabitants (Exodus 3:8, 17). He had told them that they would have to remove those inhabitants from the land. But He was going to give the victory. "For my angel will go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, so you may live there. And I will destroy them" (Exodus 23:23 NLT). God never told them that this was going to be a cake-walk. But He did assure their victory – as long as they obeyed Him.

But it seems that only Caleb and Joshua believed God. They saw the same things the others had seen. They did not deny the fact that there were giants in the land and fortified cities occupied by well-armed people. But their conclusion was very different: "Let’s go at once to take the land, we can certainly conquer it!" (Numbers 13:30 NLT). We can do this! In spite of the odds, we can accomplish what God has told us to do. Faith can trump the facts. We can trust God because He promised us this land! It is as good as ours!

Every day we are faced with all kinds of facts that seem to contradict the faithfulness of God. Unpaid bills, financial uncertainty, illness, relational problems, job pressures, etc. We look around us and wonder if this is what God really promised us. And we lose heart. We let the facts determine our faith, instead of the other way around. We give in and give up. We fail to step out in faith in the face of the overwhelming facts and watch Him work. God did not tell us the Christian life was going to be easy. He just promised to be with us. He gave us His Holy Spirit. He provided us with His Word. And He assured us of victory. We will have trials. We will face enemies. We will run into the "giants" in the land. But God will go ahead of us. He will provide for us and protect us. We will still have to do battle, but He assures us of victory in the end. Like Caleb and Joshua, we must say, "We can do this, because God is with us!"

Father, You are with us. And even though the facts seems to sometimes be stacked against us, You have promised us victory. You are more powerful than our enemies. You are faithful. You will not leave us or forsake us. You will not ask us to do anything without providing the strength to do it. Help us to be more like Caleb and Joshua. May we see the facts, but not allow them to determine our faith. Problems are just an opportunity to watch You work! Amen

Rejecting God is Risky Business.

Numbers 10-11

And it's not just for a day that you'll eat meat, and not two days, or five or ten or twenty, but for a whole month. You're going to eat meat until its coming out your nostrils. You're going to be so sick of meat that you'll throw up at the mere mention of it. And here's why: Because you have rejected GOD who is right here among you, whining to his face, "Oh, why did we ever have to leave Egypt?" – Numbers 11:19-20 MSG

Let the complaining begin. Complaining was an art form to the Israelites. It was like a competitive sport in which they all were stars. So just three days after having set out from Mount Sinai, they were whining about their food. Unlike a previous occasion when the people were out of food and complained, this time they had no reason for their complaints. This was not a case of need, but of lust. They had plenty of manna, miraculously provided for them by God. But they wanted MORE. They were tired of manna and wanted meat. They were not satisfied with God's provision and wanted Him to know about it. Of course, they were afraid to tell Him to His face, so they took their complaint to Moses. This was their first real test since they had received the law at Mount Sinai. They had constructed the Tabernacle and had inaugurated it with sacrifices. They had dedicated the Levites to the service of God. And now they had set out on their first official journey with the Tabernacle in tow and the Law in their midst.

But it didn't take long for them to settle back into their habit of complaining. The NET Study Bible makes this comment regarding verse 1 of chapter 11: "With this blunt introduction the constant emphasis of obedience to the word of the Lord found throughout the first ten chapters suddenly comes to an end. It is probable that the people were tired of moving for several days, the excitement of the new beginning died out quickly in the 'great and terrible wilderness.' Resentment, frustration, discomfort – whatever it all involved – led to complaining and not gratitude." And it resulted in God's anger. Why? Because they had rejected Him. Their actions were the equivalent of despising God and His care for them. They wanted to reject God's plan for them and allowed their physical desires to dictate their actions and attitudes. They longed for meat. Their physical appetites controlled them. They were not hungry. They were lustful. This was not about a lack in God's provision, but a blatant demand that their desires be met – on their terms. What God was doing was not enough for them.

So God gave them meat. He gave them their desire. But He warned them that getting what they wanted was not going to go well for them. "You're going to be so sick of meat that you'll throw up at the mere mention of it." God was going to let them have their lusts for more met, but they were going to discover that it was not going to satisfy them. It reminds me of the far-too-frequent times I tell God what it is that I need and demand that He give me my heart's desires, only to find out that what it was that I thought I HAD to have, did not bring about the desired result. It didn't satisfy. Whether it was more money, a bigger house, a nicer car, fancier clothes, a promotion, a bonus, a raise, etc. Often times, when we complain to God about what it is we DON'T have, it is because we are dissatisfied with what God has given us. We want more. We think we know what is best and so we tell God exactly what it is we need to be happy. And in doing so, we reject Him. We tell Him He is not enough and He is not wise enough to know how to meet our needs.

And it is not that God can't provide more. He tells Moses, "Is the Lord's power limited?" You see, even Moses didn't know how God was going to provide meat for that many people. He doubted. But God was fully capable. It was not a matter of whether God could provide meat for the people and fulfill their desire. It was a case of why God even had to. He was already feeding them, leading them, and caring for them. He had given them His Law, His Tabernacle, and a daily assurance of His presence. But that was not enough for them. They wanted more. And so do we. Far too often. And sometimes God lets us have what we want. He allows us to wallow in our abundance. And sometimes we learn the valuable, if not difficult, lesson that more is not always better. Abundance can be a curse. Affluence can lead to apathy. Abundance can result in a lack of dependence on God. It is not that either are inherently wrong, but that the desire for either can oftentimes reflect a dissatisfaction with God. We are looking for something else to give us what should be expecting from God: satisfaction, identity, comfort, contentment, joy, peace, and a sense of acceptance.

David summed it up well in Psalm 63: "Your unfailing love is better to me than life itself; how I praise you! I will honor you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest of foods. I will praise you with songs of joy. I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. I think how much you have helped me; I sing for joy in the shadow of your protecting wings" (Psalm 63:3-7 NLT).

Father, You always faithfully meet my needs, but there are times I become dissatisfied and start to complain about my lot in life. I demand more. I feel like a deserve better. I tell you what it is that I want. I somehow think that something is missing and unless I get it, I won't be happy. But You are enough. You know what is best. I want to learn to be satisfied with You. Because nothing else will ever give me what only You can. The things of this world will always fall short. They were never intended to be replacements for You, but blessings from You. Forgive me for making idols out of things. Help me trust You more. Amen

Clear As A Cloudless Sky.

Numbers 9

It made no difference whether the Cloud hovered over The Dwelling for two days or a month or a year, as long as the Cloud was there, they were there. And when the Cloud went up, they got up and marched. They camped at GOD's command and they marched at GOD's command. They lived obediently by GOD's orders as delivered by Moses. – Numbers 9:22-23 MSG

Have you ever wanted to know God's will for your life? I've often wondered what it would be like if God would just write what He wanted me to do on the wall of my office in His own handwriting. Kind of like He did for King Nebuchadnezzar (but not as scary) in Daniel 5. Here in chapter 9 of Numbers we see how God chose to lead the people of Israel. He appeared to them in the form of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. And once the Tabernacle was constructed, God's presence would hover over His dwelling, signifying that He was with them. As long as the cloud or pillar of fire was there, they were to remain right where they were. But as soon as the cloud or fire moved, they were to pack up and head out. It didn't matter if the cloud was there for two days, a month or a solid year. As long as God's presence remained, so did they. It was a pretty simple system. Or so it would seem.

But think about it. They were at the complete mercy of God. Sure, there was comfort in the fact that they could look up at any moment, day or night, and see the manifest presence of God, but they also had to be prepared at any moment, day or night, to pack up and head out – no matter how comfortable they may have gotten. And setting up camp was no easy task for the literally millions of people in their camp. The Tabernacle alone would have been a chore to erect. And if they got to a site and spent all night getting everything arranged, and then God's presence moved, they had to pack up everything and follow. This was about obedience. Not their comfort or convenience. And the truth is, most of us already know God's will for our lives – the real issue is that we don't want to obey it. Because we find it inconvenient or unpractical. I think there had to be times when the people became impatient with God, wondering why He hovered over one spot for so long. They wanted to get to the Promised Land, but for some reason He had decided to stop in some obscure spot in the wilderness. And as long as He stayed, so did they. There were other times they got comfortable right where they were, only to have God's presence move. They had to get frustrated, wondering why it was that God kept disrupting their comfort with His constant wanderings. But when God moved, they were to follow – obediently.

While the Bible doesn't make it clear, there had to be some kind of system established for the people to know when God was moving. So they probably had sentinels set up to watch the sky over the Tabernacle 24/7. Someone had to warn the people when it moved, so they could react. The people were kept in a constant state of uncertainty, never knowing from one day to the next what their next move might be or when it might occur. So they were obliged to hold themselves in constant readiness to march on very short warning. But isn't that how we should live our lives? Constantly waiting on God. Waiting on Him to direct our paths. Looking for His presence in our lives and seeking to know when He is moving.

God's will is that we seek Him. God's will is that we live for Him. God's will is that we obey Him. We are to look for His movements in our lives. We are to seek His direction by watching Him. Today we have His Word. We can spend time in it, seeking to see Him and watching for Him to direct our paths. But too often we get comfortable and find His will for our lives inconvenient, so we ignore it. We hear Him speaking. We see the handwriting on the wall, but we refuse to do what it says. The Scriptures speak to us, but we rationalize it away as impractical or impossible. But God calls His people to obedience. He doesn't ask us to obey when its convenient or pleasant. He expects us to move when He moves – day or night – willingly, obediently, faithfully.

Father, You are still leading us today. And Your Holy Spirit resides with us, so that we have Your presence with us at all times. We have Your Word to guide and direct us. It is NOT that we can't see You. It is that we just don't want to do what You are calling us to do. We find Your commands too tough at times. We think Your plans are inconvenient. But You call us to follow, not argue. Help us to live obediently. Watching and waiting for You. Amen

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