Archives for February 2012

TODAY’S READING: NUMBERS 8-10

 

OVERVIEW:

Consecration of the Levites; observance of the second Passover; the Lord’s guiding presence in the cloud and fire; the two silver trumpets; the children ofIsraelleave Sinai.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we move into Numbers 8, God unfolds to us the consecration of the Levites.  God reveals that before these priests were to render their service to God, they were first to be cleansed (8:7).

 

There were three different aspects of their cleansing:

1. The sprinkling of water upon them.
2. The shaving of all hair from their flesh.
3. The washing of their clothes.

 

God also wants His New Testament priests (all believers – I Peter 2:9) to be cleansed before offering to God their deeds of service.  As with the Levites of Numbers 8, we too, are cleansed:

1. By the sprinkling of water upon us . . .  Heb. 10:22 –“having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” 
2. By the cleansing (shaving) of all filthiness of the flesh…II Cor. 7:1 – (those deeds of the flesh that are as much a part of us as our very hair).
3. By the washing of our clothes. . . Eph.5:26– “the washing of water by the word.”

 

Just as the Levites acceptance with God was on the basis of the SIN offering and the BURNT offering (8:8-12), so our acceptance with God is based solely on the atoning offering for sin provided by the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:6).

 

Just as the Levites were to be presented before the Lord and completely surrendered to Him (8:13-16), we too, are commanded to “present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God” (Rom. 12:1).

 

In chapter 9, God deals with the issue of FELLOWSHIP and GUIDANCE.  In 9:1-14, God covers the celebration of the first anniversary of the Passover, which speaks of fellowship.  In9:15-23, God explains the pillar of cloud and fire, which speak of guidance.  The Passover, of course, relates to the New Testament believer in the Lord’s Supper, where we, like Israel, are put in remembrance of God’s work of redemption, and thus, fellowship, through the blood of the Passover Lamb (I Cor. 5:7).  The pillar of cloud and fire which provided guidance to the Old Testament saints is representative of the indwelling Spirit in the New Testament believer in Christ.  Just as the children ofIsraelwere to make no plans on their own, but were to be totally dependent upon God’s guidance for their every move, so we are to be completely surrendered to the Spirit of God to provide our guidance through His filling.

 

In chapter 10, Moses is told to make two trumpets.  These trumpets, like the pillar of cloud and fire, were for guidance.  Whereas the cloud and fire gave guidance for the eye, the trumpets provided guidance through the ear.  The trumpets were used for four specific purposes:

 

1. To be a summonsing call to ASSEMBLE the people.
2. To be a signal to ADVANCE the people.
3. To be a sounding blast at a time of war to ALARM the people.
4. To be a melodious song to provide a continued AWARENESS (memorial) to the people of the sacrifices of God.

 

The sounding of these trumpets point prophetically to:

1. The summonsing call to ASSEMBLE thechurchofJesus Christat the rapture (I Thess.4:16).
2. The signal of ADVANCE as our corruptible, mortal bodies put on incorruption and immortality (I Cor.15:52).
3. The sounding ALARM inZion(Joel 2:1) as God declares war in the Tribulation Period (Rev. 8-9).
4. The melodious song ever-sounding in our ears through out eternity as a memorial of God’s glorious sacrifice on our behalf through His Son.

 

As God prepares the camp ofIsraelto move onward from Sinai on their journey toCanaan, it may be beneficial to your understanding to see how God actually organized each tribe and people around the Tabernacle as designated in Numbers 2. 

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

In the PASSOVER – Num. 9:2 (I Cor. 5:7; John1:29)

TODAY’S READING: NUMBERS 5-7

 

OVERVIEW:

Laws concerning cleansing; laws concerning confession and restitution; laws concerning suspected immorality (jealousy); the princes’ offerings for the dedication of the Tabernacle.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

The Bible tells us very distinctly that we are to “rightly divide the word of truth” (II Tim.2:15). This verse also tells us that in order to make those “right divisions,” we must see ourselves as “workmen,” employing one of the most difficult tasks known to man: STUDY!  Through diligent study and hard work, God reveals to us the divisions He has made in His Word.  In each Book of the Bible, there are certain keys that help us to unlock the divisions that God has specifically set – what God likes to call the “RIGHT” divisions!

 

As we study the Book of Numbers, what becomes key to unlocking the divisions God has set is understanding that there are two very distinct generations of people that are being dealt with in this Book.  The first group of people is the generation of people that came up out ofEgypt, but because of their unbelief, were forbidden to enter the Promised Land and died in the wilderness.  The other generation is the group of people who grew up in the wilderness, but were permitted to enter intoCanaanbecause they were under their parent’s authority at the time ofIsrael’s failure to trust God (Deut.1:35-39).  Identifying these two generations neatly divides the Book of Numbers into 3 sections:

 

• The “old” generation is covered in chapters 1-14.
• The “new” generation is covered in chapters 21-36.
• The chapters in between (15-20), record the period of transition during which the “old” generation died off, and the “new” generation grew up.

 

Whereas the first four chapters of the Book of Numbers dealt with the OUTWARD FORMATION of the camp, the next five chapters deal with the INWARD CONDITION of it.  God capsulizes the central theme of this section in chapter 5 and verse 3, “. . . that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell.”  Because God was in their camp, it was to be holy – completely free from defilement.  The New Testament equivalent is II Corinthians 6:14-7:1 . . . because God dwells in us, we are to be separated from all uncleanness, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

 

In chapter 5, God gives instruction that lepers are to be quarantined outside of the camp (5:1-4); that anything acquired through dishonesty be confessed and recompensed (5:5-10); and that any suspected immorality be tested before God (5:11-31).  In short, God is showing us the absolute necessity for purity, honesty, and truth.

 

Chapter 6 deals with God’s instruction concerning the Nazarite vow.  The implications are this:  when a man or a woman in the Old Testament wanted to be used in God’s service, but did not qualify because they were not a Levite or priest, they could voluntarily take the Nazarite vow (“Nazarite” is a Hebrew transliteration that means “dedication by separation”).  The Nazarite separated himself from certain hindrances to holiness in order to be wholly devoted to the service of the Lord.  Although the outward characteristics of the Nazarite vow no longer apply, they point to the priority God places on our personal surrender and consecration in order to be used to carry out His will and mission.

 

Chapter 7 records the free-will offering of the princes ofIsrael, (the representative heads of each of the tribes ofIsrael). Several things to note are that the gifts were totally voluntary, and although the gifts were identical, God took an enormous amount of space to specifically and separately record each one.  The New Testament equivalent is the fact that, “God loveth a cheerful giver” (II Cor. 9.7), and that though He doesn’t need our treasure, He treasures the fact that our heart of love for Him prompts us to give to Him (Matt.6:21).

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

In the NAZARITE who “dedicated” himself “by separation” – Numbers 6:1-8 (Jesus willingly dedicated Himself to serve the will of the Father, separating Himself from sin, even to death – John6:38; Matthew 26:39, 42)

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS

 

The Book of Numbers was written by Moses, approximately 1445 to 1405 B.C. (Num. 33:2; 36:13).  The Book gets its name from the ancient Greek title of this book, ARITHMOI, from which we obviously get our English word ARITHMETIC. Later, Latin translators of the Old Testament gave the Book the title NUMERI, from which we get our English word NUMBERS.  Interestingly, the word NUMBERS (or some form of it) is found 127 times in this Book, but it actually gets its name from the two numberings (censuses) of the men of war in chapters 1-4 and chapters 26-27.  The first numbering or census took place the second year after the Jews’ exodus from Egypt, and the second numbering was made 38 years later, just as the nation of Israel was about to enter Canaan.

 

The Book of Numbers actually picks up the history of the Israelites where the Book of Exodus left off.  Just one month had passed between the completion of the Tabernacle in Exodus 40:17, and God’s command to number the people in Numbers 1:1-2.  During that one month period, the instruction in the Book of Leviticus was given.  Whereas the Book of Leviticus deals with the believer’s WORSHIP, the Book of Numbers deals with the believer’s WALK.  Whereas PURITY is the central theme of Leviticus, PILGRIMAGE is the central theme of Numbers. 

 

The Book of Numbers has incredible implications and applications for believers today.  God tells us that specifically in I Corinthians 10:1-12 and Hebrews chapters 3 and 4.  In this Book we will see the nation ofIsraelafter being gloriously delivered from the bondage ofEgyptby the blood of the lamb, failing to take God at His Word, and thus, wandering in the wilderness of unbelief, rather than entering into their inheritance inCanaan.

 

As we have mentioned repeatedly in our 365 Days of Pursuit, don’t ever lose sight of the fact thatIsraelof the Old Testament is a picture of the individual believer in the New Testament.  Just likeIsrael, after being gloriously delivered out of the bondage ofEgypt(sin/world) by the blood of the Lamb, failing to take God at His Word, we too, wander in the wilderness of unbelief, rather than entering into the fullness of our inheritance in Christ.  The lessons to be learned in Numbers are “numerous”!

 

TODAY’S READING: NUMBERS 1-4

 

OVERVIEW:

The first numbering (census) of the Israelites; the encampment location of each tribe in relation to the Tabernacle; the census and duties of the Levites: the Kohathites, the Gersonites, and the Merarites.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As mentioned in the INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS, the Book of Numbers picks up the narrative where the Book of Exodus left off.  The last chapter of Exodus (40:17) says, “And it came to pass in the FIRST MONTH of the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up.”  Numbers 1:1 says, “And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the SECOND MONTH, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt.”  So there was a break of just one month between the time the Tabernacle was erected at the end of Exodus, and the command to number the people at the beginning of Numbers (1:1-3) — with the Leviticus instructions coming between the two.

 

Note that the census that God commandedIsraelto make was not of the entire nation, but only the men age 20 and above who were able to go to war.  The total was 603, 550.

 

One of the saddest realities in the entire Bible is that of these 603,550 men, 603,548 of them would die in the wilderness, having never experienced God’s purpose for the exodus.  As God made abundantly clear from the beginning, the purpose for the exodus wasn’t just to bring them OUT of EGYPT, but to bring them IN to CANAAN (Exodus 3:8; Deut. 6:23)!  As God warns us to learn fromIsrael’s failure in the wilderness in I Cor. 10:5-6, it makes one wonder whether out of 603,550 believers today, would there be more than two who actually fulfill God’s purposes for their exodus, by allowing God to bring them into their “Canaan” (the fullness of life in Christ)? What an incredibly sobering reality!  If those statistics are right, will you be one of the two?  Will you trust God, not only to save you from the PENALTY of sin, but from the POWER of sin?  Will you rise above the spiritual discouragement, disillusionment, defeat, and death of the wilderness, and live in the spiritual peace, prosperity, productivity, and power ofCanaan?

 

Note also, that if there were 603,550 men at the time of the census, it would strongly suggest thatIsrael’s’ total population would have been between 2 and 2.5 million people!  It has been estimated that it would have required nearly 50 railroad box cars of manna per day just to feed the people.  The land mass needed to accommodate this multitude when they camped at night would exceed 100 square miles! (Approx. an area that would cover from  our church to Dallas to Hiram, to Douglasville, back to the church) 

 

As we come through the first four chapters of Numbers, one of the things that is very apparent is that God always does things decently and in order (I Cor.14:40).  God gave specific instruction forIsraelto arrange itself into an orderly camp with its mobile worship center (the Tabernacle) at the very center.  God did not want Israel to be a chaotic mob in the midst of their journeys, but rather, intended Israel’s orderliness, organization, and structure to be one of the key ways His people stood out from the rest of the world, so they would have the opportunity to tell them of their God (See Num. 24:2,5).  God layout the design of their camp with the Tabernacle (place of worship) as the center of their lives. This is in direct opposition of the way we in this church age layout our lives. We live with things like our jobs, family, sports and leisure, and money as the center of our lives, and church is just something that is a part of our lives.   

 

As we journey through the midst of the chaotic world of the 21st century, with the lives of its people in such disarray, God wants the orderliness of the lives of His people, as we arrange them according to the instruction of His Word with worship at the very center, to be one of the key ways our lives stand out from the rest of the world, so we have the opportunity to tell them of our God (I Peter 3:15).

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

Through MOSES as he led the people – Num.1:54(John10:14, 27) Through AARON, the high priest, who was served by the Levites – Num. 3:6 (As a holy and “royal priesthood,” we serve Christ, our great high Priest – John12:26; I Pet. 2:5-9; Heb.4:14)

TODAY’S READING: LEVITICUS 25-27

 

OVERVIEW:

Laws concerning personal property; the sevens of rest and liberty; the blessing of obedience and the cursing of disobedience; vows and tithes explained.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

We live in a world that believes that can live the way they want and not suffer the consequences. But God has established some universal laws that apply to all whether we believe them or not. One of these laws is gravity. Gravity always prevails.   “I believe I can fly”, sings the hip-hop star R. Kelly, but what would happen if someone was to challenge the truth of Mr. Kelly’s proposition?  Suppose R. Kelly climbed to the top of theEmpireStatebuilding and tested the validity of his belief by jumping.  What would happen?  Of course that’s a rhetorical question because before we could answer we would hear terrified screams and ambulance sirens.  You see, it doesn’t matter what you believe because truth still prevails.  In fact, as illustrated by this scenario, believing the wrong thing will kill you no matter how sincere or genuine you are.

God established physical laws or truths in our universe, gravity being one of them, that always prevail no matter how man attempts to overcome them or ignore them.  God has also established spiritual laws or truths that prevail no matter how man tries to overcome or ignore them.  Leviticus 26 reveals a very simple truth that many don’t want to believe or don’t like to believe: obeying God results in blessing, disobeying God results in cursing.  Believers and unbelievers alike prefer to believe that there are no consequences to disobedience.  God says it like this: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” (Gal. 6:7, 8).  Oftentimes, the problem is that we never connect the circumstances of our lives with the consequences of our disobedience – it’s too painful to accept; “ignorance is bliss” as they say.  But Leviticus 26:18, 21, 24 and 28 shows us that the consequences of disobedience are real concrete facts of history. Israelwas punished 7 times for their sins during their 70 year captivity inBabylon(c. 536-606 BC) and they will be chastised again for seven years in the Great Tribulation because they rejected their Messiah, Jesus Christ.  So how’s your life?  Are the circumstances you are experiencing a result of disobeying God’s word?  Are there broken relationships in your life because you won’t confess your wrong, or forgive the wrong of others?  Are there secret sins you are habitually practicing, thinking that no one will ever find out, forgetting that everything you do is live before a studio audience in heaven?  Repent today.  Don’t forget that the fires of the altar are always burning because God is “good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon [Him]” (Ps. 86:5).

Looking back through the book of Leviticus we can see two clear divisions: chapters 1-10 describe our POSITIONAL STANDING before God (salvation), while chapters 11-27 describe our PRACTICAL STANDING before God (sanctification).  As we close today, let’s remind ourselves of the high points of Leviticus.  First, REMEMBER that the path to peace and fruitfulness starts with worship.  Next, REJOICE that through Jesus Christ’s finished work, God has made you (if you’re a Christian) a sacrifice (Rom.12:1, 2), a priest (I Pet. 2:5) and a place (Eph.2:22).  Finally, REALIZE that you are to be holy as He is holy (Lev.11:45).

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As the REDEEMER of the kingdom of heaven – Lev 25 (Acts3:20,21; Rev. 11:15).

 

 

TODAY’S READING: LEVITICUS 21-24

 

OVERVIEW:

The qualifications of priests; God sets the dates of the Jewish feasts; the death penalty instituted and carried out.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

In I Peter 2:5, we learn that God has set Christians apart as “an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ”.  Every born-again believer is a priest, not in the Old Testament (OT) sense or the Roman Catholic sense, but in a biblical sense.  A New Testament (NT) priest teaches unbelievers to worship God properly (evangelism) and offers up “spiritual sacrifices” pleasing to God.  Some of the spiritual sacrifices that a Christian offers to God are faith (Phil.2:17), money (Phil.4:18), praise and giving (Heb.13:15, 16), people led to Christ (Rom.15:16) and finally, his/her life (Rom.12:1, 2; II Co.2:15).  All of these spiritual sacrifices are symbolically represented by physical offerings in the Old Testament.

 

Priests are ambassadors for God, and as such, have been called to God’s standard of holiness.  Since God is a holy God, we must approach Him in holiness.  In Leviticus 21, we find a list of physical blemishes that prevent an OT priest from offering the bread of God (Lev.21:16, 17).  These blemishes represent spiritual blemishes (Eph.5:27) in the life of a Christian, a NT priest.  When we are spiritually handicapped by these sinful actions or attitudes, we are hypocrites and we cannot offer the Word of God (bread of God) to a lost world.  Let’s examine a few of these blemishes to discover their spiritual applications.

 

1. A blind man (vs. 18).  In the NT, a blind man is one who is not maturing spiritually (II Pet. 1:5-9).
2. A blemished eye (vs. 20).  A blemished eye prevented the OT priest from seeing his reflection in the bronze laver where he was to wash himself (Ex. 30:18) in preparation for service.  In the NT, a blemished priest is one who hears the Word of God, but does not obey it (James1:22-25).
3. A flat nose (vs. 18).  A flat-nosed OT priest cannot smell the incense on the golden altar (a picture of prayer).  A flat-nosed NT priest neglects prayer, and therefore experiences no power in his walk with God.
4. A lame man (vs. 18).  A lame man cannot walk.  A lame NT priest is a believer who does not walk in obedience to God’s Word or in the fullness of the Spirit (Gal.5:16, 17, 22, 23).
5. A superfluous or extra body part (vs. 18).  An extra body part is numb, not functional, and interferes in service.  A NT priest who carries superfluous bitterness, unforgiveness, malice, or anger interferes with the worship of God (Eph.4:31,32).
6. A brokenfooted or brokenhanded man (vs. 19).  A brokenfooted priest cannot walk straight, he has no balance, and he cannot run.  A brokenfooted NT priest constantly wanders in and out of sin and worldliness (James 1:8).  A brokenhanded man cannot hold a knife, censer, bread, sacrifices, etc.  A brokenhanded believer does not hold fast to the profession of the faith (Heb.10:23) or the Word of God (II Tim.1:13).
7. A man with broken stones (vs. 20).  A man with broken stones cannot physically reproduce.  A NT priest with broken stones is someone who does not spiritually reproduce, i.e. make disciples (II Peter 1:8).

 

Please understand that if you have any of these blemishes, it doesn’t mean that you have lost your salvation; you are still a son of the High Priest by birth.  However, it does mean that you have sinful blemishes in your life that need to be repented of and corrected.  Otherwise, you are a hypocrite when you offer the Word of God to the lost world.  Remember that Jesus healed the lame, the blind, the deformed, etc. and He is willing and able to do the same for you. 

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As our PERFECTLY SPOTLESS HIGH PRIEST – Lev.21:16-23 (Heb. 8:1). As the UNREVEALED REALITY of the eternal feasts ofIsrael– Lev. 23:2,21,42 (Col. 2:16,17).

 

TODAY’S READING: LEVITICUS 17-20

 

OVERVIEW:

God forbidsIsraelfrom worshiping other gods and eating blood; laws protecting the sanctity of sex; the declaration of civil laws.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

In these chapters, God teaches us that the character of a society is a reflection of the character of her people.  In other words, our private lives determine our public welfare.  For example, how could HIV have become a worldwide pandemic if every human being would have obeyed God’s commands regarding the sanctity of sex?  Our nation is a chaotic cauldron of contradictions.  We sit in shock when the nightly news tells us of a mother (Andrea Yates) who has drowned her own children, or a man who has shot his wife, or a child that is abused, while at the same time, we sit idly by while our judges undercut our legal system and their own power by denying the presence of the Ten Commandments in the courtroom.  If morality is relative then upon what basis does a judge pronounce someone guilty?  The foundation of our society’s laws is the Bible and the absolute truth declared therein.  If the foundation be destroyed how will our society stand?  God guarantees that it won’t!  If we pursue other gods (money, sex, pleasure), then we will be cut off from our biblical heritage and lost in indecisive (Lev. 17:1-7). If we demote life to nothing more than a chemical composition (abortion, cloning) God will set His face against us (Lev.17:10-14). If we ignore the sacredness of sex, we are, by default, attacking the sacredness of humanity (see I Cor. 6:18; consider how pornography, in the mind of those addicted to it, turns (women/men) into something subhuman, a tool or toy without a mind or feelings). In general, when we reject God’s call to personal holiness, our society can go nowhere but down.

 

The moral of the story is that all of us are holy (holy means “set apart”) to someone or something.  We are either holy to God or holy to sin.  You cannot serve two masters (Matt.6:24).  “And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine” (Lev.20:26).

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As the HOLY WORD OF GOD that protects our private and public lives from rampant wickedness. – Lev. 20:8 (Jn. 1:1, 2, 14; Rev. 19:13)

 

TODAY’S READING: LEVITICUS 14-16

 

OVERVIEW: 

The purification of lepers; purification of those with unclean issues; instructions regarding the Day of Atonement.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

God is invisible and many of His truths relate to an unseen realm.  Hence the need for faith: “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1).  Though the spiritual realm is invisible, God is an expert at teaching spiritual truths through physical realities.  Leviticus chapter 15 is a perfect example of this method of teaching.  Clearly, God is very postmodern in that He recognizes that we all have “issues”.  Without a doubt, God provides instructions regarding “unclean issues” for the obvious reason of preventing the spread of infectious illnesses among the Israelites.  However, God’s strict rules regarding “unclean issues” also teach us spiritual truths about “unclean” thoughts, attitudes and words that “issue” out of our hearts.  Jesus reminded us that “those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man . . .” (Matt.15:16-18).  No wonder David prayed “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips” (Ps. 141:3).

 

In Leviticus chapter 16, God introduces a special holiday into the Jewish calendar: the Day of Atonement.  On this day, both the sin nature and the individual sins of the entire nation ofIsraelare atoned for or covered.  A simple way to remember the significance of this holy day is by breaking the word “atonement” into three hyphenated words: “at – one – ment”.  This is the day whenIsrael’s sin is covered, making them “at – one – ment” with God.  The Day of Atonement is a very descriptive picture of the person and work of Jesus Christ.  The high priest enters the holy of holies with the blood of a sin offering signifying our High Priest, Jesus Christ, entering the third heaven with His own blood as a sin offering.  Hebrews states it like this: “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Heb. 9:24).  With this offering completed, the high priest lays his hands upon the head of the scapegoat and confesses the sins of the children ofIsrael(vs. 21) and the scapegoat carries away their iniquities.  Isaiah prophetically described this portion of Christ’s work saying, “the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6).  He has carried our sins to a place as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12).  In other words, Jesus permanently eliminated the record of our sins; God remembers them no more.  So through the Day of Atonement, God teaches us that He has effectually dealt with both our sin nature and our sinful actions.  Though there are many parallels to the person and work of Jesus, two important differences must be mentioned.  First, the Old Testament high priest had to make sin offerings for himself because he was as guilty as the rest of the children ofIsrael. Jesus Christ, our High Priest, never offered a sin sacrifice for Himself because He was completely sinless (Heb.9:14;7:22-28)!  Secondly, the Day of Atonement was celebrated every year because “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.  And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man [Jesus Christ], after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool” (Heb 10:4,11-13). 

 

For those of us who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, we can glory in the fact that our Saviour offered Himself one time to permanently and forever pay for our sins; we never need ask for His salvation again.  Praise the Lord!

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As our SIN OFFERING which effectually crucified our sin nature – Lev. 14:19-32 (Rom.5:8)

As our SCAPEGOAT which carried away our sins – Lev. 16:5-34 (II Cor.5:21) As our eternal HIGH PRIEST who intercedes for us – Lev.14:20(Heb7:24, 25).

 

 

TODAY’S READING: LEVITICUS 10-13

 

OVERVIEW:

Nadab and Abihu judged by God; the first kosher menu is created; post partum purification; leprosy is identified and addressed.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Tolerance and pluralism are common words in the vocabulary of our lukewarm society.  Christians have been told that they should avoid making claims such as “the Bible is the only source of absolute truth” and “Jesus is the only way to heaven”.  Such claims are impolite and disruptive.  And besides, all roads lead to heaven, right?  Let’s ask Nadab and Abihu.  In Leviticus 10, we find two men, Nadab and Abihu, who were so caught up in the emotional excitement of experiencing God’s presence (Lev. 9:23-10:7) that they were inspired out of the goodness of their heart to worship God in a new way.  What’s wrong with that?  Think about it, here are two men with honest intentions and sincere hearts trying to please God.  Surely God is overwhelmed with joy.  Check out God’s response to these truly sincere individuals: “And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD” (Lev. 10:2).  Is this really the response of a loving God?  What’s the big deal?

 

Read vs. 1, “And Nadab and Abihu . . . offered strange fire before the Lord, WHICH HE COMMANDED THEM NOT.”  The fire of judgment devoured them because they refused to worship God in accordance with God’s Word.  Sincerity of heart and good intentions will not lead anyone to eternity in heaven (Pro.14:12).  We saw this same scenario played out in Genesis, where Cain offered with a sincere heart the fruit of his hands as an offering to God. There was no question of the sincerity of his heart was in the right place, but was not according to the requirements of God. There will be a lot of people in hell that had a sincere heart, but not the right faith. The fact is, all roads do not lead to heaven; there is only one road: Jesus Christ.  In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”.  Jesus is the only road because only Jesus is God, only Jesus lived a sinless life, only Jesus paid the price for sins, only Jesus rose from the dead and only Jesus will return to take vengeance on them that know not God and obey not His gospel (II Thess. 1:7-10)!  God demands that we worship Him precisely the way that He commands us to in His Word.

 

God paints an incredible picture of sin, its working, and consequences in Leviticus 13.  In this chapter we are introduced to leprosy which, like sin, is a disease that spreads throughout the body, often remains undetected by others, defiles everyone near to it, isolates the infected and is fit only for destruction by fire.  Sounds like the life of someone trapped in sin.  Such a situation is not hopeless, however, if we chose to separate ourselves from the sin, “put off” the garment of the flesh (Col. 3:5-17) and let our High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, apply the blood of the sacrifice (I Jn. 1:7) and anoint us with oil (a type of the power of the Holy Spirit).  Through Christ, our faithful High Priest we can be restored to a right relationship with God and man.

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As our HIGH PRIEST who identifies and cleanses the disease of our sin – Lev. 13 (Heb.4:14, 15).

TODAY’S READING: LEVITICUS 6-9

 

OVERVIEW:

Re-stating of the sacrifices in a new order and with an additional offering; Aaron and his sons consecrated for and instituted in service to God.

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

We can be certain that our all-knowing God doesn’t suffer from short-term memory loss.  When God repeats Himself, start digging because you’re standing on buried treasure!  In chapters 1-5, the sacrifices are listed in the following order: burnt, meat, peace, sin and trespass. This order shows God’s transcendence toward man in the person of Jesus Christ.  Jesus voluntarily offered (burnt offering) His sinless life (meat offering) to reconcile (peace offering) God and man by atoning for man’s sin (sin and trespass offerings).  In chapters 6 and 7, the sacrifices are listed in a new order and another sacrifice has been added: burnt, meat, priest’s, sin, trespass and peace.  This reveals man’s ascension toward God only through Jesus Christ, the great High Priest.  It’s no accident that the priest’s offering serves as a bridge between the burnt and meat offerings and the sin and trespass offerings for “there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;  Who gave himself a ransom for all” (I Tim. 2:5-6a).  Jesus is our only bridge to God.  The last offering listed is the peace offering because peace is the result of Jesus Christ standing in the gap between God and man; “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1).

 

Another noteworthy truth is found in chapter 6 and verse 13:  “The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.”  The fire of the altar was forbidden to go out.  This signifies that our God is always ready, willing and waiting for us to enter His presence through the appropriate sacrifice.  Psalm 86:5 declares, “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee”.

 

Once the path to God has been established and clearly marked (chapters 1-7), God prepares His children for consecration to His service and to experience His glorious presence.  Chapters 8 and 9 show us the consecration of the priests and the preparation for God’s glorious presence.  At this point it’s important to take note of a few things: first, that all priests are Levites, but not all Levites are priests.  Only Aaron’s sons could become priests.  In other words, you must be born a priest.  The same is true in the New Testament: only those who have been born-again into the family of the great High Priest, Jesus Christ, can serve and worship God in holiness.  Next, only the High Priest wears the “holy crown” (Lev. 8:9) teaching us that there is only one High Priest who is also a King, the Lord Jesus Christ, and only He holds the place of preeminence (Col. 1:18).  Third, when Aaron and his sons were consecrated for service to God, blood was placed upon their right ear lobes, right thumbs and right toes symbolizing that all of their strength (denoted by the right hand side) was devoted to hearing and obeying God’s Holy Word, carrying out God’s holy work and continuing in a holy walk.  And such should be the case with New Testament priests (Col. 1:10).  Finally, in chapter 9, verses 6 and 7, Aaron makes atonement for himself and the people as a prerequisite to God’s glory descending upon the tabernacle.  Atonement precedes God’s presence.  Unless we are in a right relationship with God, completely consecrated to Him, we will never experience the glory of His presence in our lives (Lev.9:24).

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As our MEDIATOR and HIGH PRIEST who intercedes before God on our behalf.  – Lev. 9:7-24  (I Tim. 2:5; Heb.7:22-26)

 

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS

 

We have now come to one of the most challenging sections of the Bible. Not because the language is difficult to understand, but because the intricate details regarding the sacrifices and feasts seem so boring and tedious.  Church Age believers mistakenly believe that Leviticus does not pertain to them because we no longer offer animal sacrifices or celebrate the Jewish feasts. However, God tells us that “ALL scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (II Tim3:16; see also Ro. 15:4). So what does Leviticus have to do with my life today?  Consider the following:

 

• Leviticus contains more words spoken directly by God than any other book in the Bible (Lev 1:1).

 

• Leviticus is quoted more than 40 times in the New Testament.  Apparently, there is something very important that God wants to communicate to us in the book of Leviticus!

 

• Without Leviticus we could never understand the New Testament book of Hebrews.  Leviticus foreshadows New Testament truths regarding the person and work of Jesus Christ.

 

• David continuously and insistently declared that he delighted in God’s “statutes” (Ps. 119:16, 54, 80).  Many of God’s statutes are recorded in Leviticus (Lev.3:17).  Apparently, David, the man after God’s own heart, DELIGHTED in the book of Leviticus!

 

• Leviticus reveals that God, through Jesus Christ, has prepared for us a SACRIFICE (Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God – John1:29), a PRIEST (Jesus Christ, the great High Priest – Heb 3:1) and a PLACE (Heaven, where Jesus Christ is enthroned – I Pet.3:22).  Not only has God prepared these things for us, but He has made each believer a SACRIFICE (Rom 12:1, 2), a PRIEST (I Pet. 2:5) and a PLACE (Eph2:22)!

 

The purpose of Leviticus is twofold: first, to show us that we must worship the LORD in holiness (the word “holy” appears 94 times in Leviticus!); and second, that worship is the only pathway to peace, rest and fruitfulness.  God will not give you peace, rest or fruitfulness until you are worshiping Him in holiness.

 

Historically, the events recorded in Leviticus occur at the door of the tabernacle (Lev 1:1) over a period of one month (cp. Lev 1:1; Ex 40:17; Num 1:1).  Having delivered His children by the blood of the lamb (Exodus), God plans to take them to a place of peace, rest and fruitfulness, but before they embark on their journey, they must first establish worship.  Leviticus isIsrael’s instruction book on worship.  The word Leviticus means “that which pertains to the Levites” and is so called because the tribe of Levi was chosen by God to beIsrael’s worship leaders.  The word Levi means “joined to God” and because the Levites were joined to God they had no inheritance in the Promised Land; God was their inheritance.

TODAY’S READING: LEVITICUS 1-5

 

OVERVIEW:

The burnt offering; the meat (meal, grain) offering; the peace offering; the sin offering; the trespass offering

 

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Chapters 1-5 describe five types of sacrifices, all of which are a prophetic picture of both Jesus Christ and New Testament believers.

 

 

Chapter 1 – The Burnt Offering 

This offering represents the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  As believers, we are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy, acceptable unto God (Rom.12:1).  Note that the head and fat of the animal is laid upon the wood (vs.8), a picture of you and I laying our plans, our wills and our treasures upon the cross of Christ (Lk.9:23).  Notice also that the inside and the legs are washed in water (vs.9), representing our “inner man” (Eph.3:16) and our “walk” (Col. 1:10) being washed with the water of the word of God (Eph.5:26, 27).

 

Chapter 2 – The Meat (Meal, grain) Offering. 

This is the only bloodless sacrifice.  It represents the sinless life of Jesus Christ.  The remnant of this offering was given to Aaron’s sons (vs.10) picturing Christ’s righteousness given to believers (II Cor.5:21).

 

Chapter 3 – The Peace Offering

This offering represents the peace which Jesus Christ purchased for us with His own precious blood (Col. 1:20).  Note that the kidney, caul and liver were taken away.  These organs filter out poisonous chemicals.  Through this sacrifice, God tells us that we have permanent genuine peace with Him through our Savior Jesus Christ.

 

Chapter 4 – The Sin Offering 

This offering reveals how Jesus Christ has given believers victory over our sinful nature, the flesh.  The sin referred to here is “ignorant sin”, meaning sin that mysteriously permeates our flesh; sin that is so deeply rooted that we are sometimes unconscious of it (see Ps. 19:12; 90:8; 139:23,24; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 7).  Note that the whole body of the bullock (an ox or horned cow) is taken outside of the camp and burned.  Our flesh is of no value or use to God and must therefore, be “put off” and “mortified” (Col. 3:5-17;Rom.6:1-23).

 

Chapter 5 – The Trespass Offering 

This offering represents Christ’s victory over specific individual sins, also called trespasses.  This is the only sacrifice associated with money (v.15).  Truly, “the wages of sin is death” (Rom.6:23).  Thanks be to God, Jesus Christ has paid the price for our sins with His precious blood (Acts20:28).

 

Leviticus is a book of violence and blood.  In fact, the word “offering” occurs 387 times, and the word “blood” appears 88 times.  Why would a loving God require such horrible violence?  Several reasons are obvious: first, without the shedding of blood there is no remission for sins (Heb. 9:22); second, God doesn’t want us to forget the horrible consequences of sin (James 1:15); third, God wants us to know that He loved us so much that He voluntarily (Lev. 1:3; Rom. 5:8) subjected His Son to bloody violence for the price of our sin; fourth, we are in a violent war with our flesh; finally, God desires to have every part of us, severally and wholly, and that can be very painful.

 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As our voluntary substitutionary sacrifice (Lev. 1 – burnt offering) who lived a sinless life (Lev. 2 – meat offering) and purchased peace with God (Lev. 3 – peace offering) by paying the price for our sins (Lev. 4 – trespass offering) and giving us victory over our flesh (Lev. 5 – sin offering).