And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.

Mark 15:21-47

And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. Mark 15:23

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on an unassisted review of Mark 15:21-47, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary. 

Outline of the text and observed divisions based on timings in the text:

1. Jesus suffers on the cross; up to sixth hour (vv21-32)
2. Jesus dies on the cross; up to ninth hour (vv33-41)
3. Jesus is buried; evening (vv42-47) 

Observations of the text based on the Sword Bible Study Method: 

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: Jesus refuses wine mixed with myrrh (v23) and the use of myrrh in its historical context suggests that He did not want to "dull" any aspect of His death but instead He sought to "fully" experience the pain and suffering of His death;  Jesus does not save Himself and He is mocked for it (vv29-32, 36); Jesus cries out to God in agony as He feels forsaken by the Father (v34); Jesus dies (v37) and He is buried (vv46-47).    
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: Simon of Cyrene is compelled by the Roman soldiers leading Jesus away (to be crucified) to assist in carrying the cross upon which Jesus will be crucified (v21); two robbers are crucified with Jesus - one on left and one on right (v27) and Mark's account describes how these two robbers reviled Him (v32); Jesus is mocked by the soldiers and bystanders - they taunted Him to save Himself (vv26-32, 35-36); the centurion who faced Jesus sees Jesus as Son of God (v39); women followers witness the crucifixion - Mary Magdelene, Mary (Jesus' mother), and Salome (wife of Zebedee and mother of James and John - Matthew 27:56); Joseph of Arimathea is described as "looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus," and Pilate grants this request (vv43, 45); Joseph of of Arimathea buys a linen shroud then wraps Jesus' body in the shroud, lays in a tomb of rock and seals the entrance of the tomb as Mary Magdelene and Mary observe (vv46-47).   
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): We should claim the promise that there is a New Covenant based on Jesus' blood that does away with OT ceremonial law where only the high priests can fellowship with God in the inner tent - v38 describes how the temple curtain is torn from top to bottom giving us direct access to God through Jesus; like Joseph of Arimathea, all believers should be "looking for the kingdom of God" and acting with courage based on this pursuit - while the text does not share that Joseph of Arimathea became a believer, the text does identify him as a member of the Sanhedrin and his actions likely would have been "frowned upon" to say the least (v43). 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves as You willingly suffered an excruciating death on the cross - taking my place for my sins and the sins of all humanity for all of redemptive history.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such an act and gift - the greatest gift of all time.  My sins are great and they continue...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sins toward You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.

Zechariah 9:9-13

As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Zechariah 9:11

I continue my study of the last four books of the OT (complete: Zephaniah, Haggai; to complete: Zechariah, Malachi) - using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Zechariah 9:9-13, which the commentary outlines as the second of three divisions for the text 9:1-9:17 (9:1-8, 9-13, 14-17). The commentary of course discusses the messianic prophecy in v9, and it describes in detail the peace that Jesus will bring.  Of course we know this to be the "peace which surpasses all understanding" (Philippians 4:6-7).  Vv11-13 is also emphasized in how with Christ we have a new covenant (vs OT covenant based on recurring animal sacrifices) based on the shedding of His blood on the cross - see also Hebrews 12:24.  V11 in particular is highlighted for how Jesus provides hope for those in bondage due to our fallen state.  Jesus saves!  This hope calls to mind the interaction Jesus has with the Samaritan woman at the well and for those who drink the water Jesus offers they will never thirst again (see John 4).  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves, saves and is full of amazing grace.  Thank You Jesus.  I know that I have the living water and I will never thirst again...thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings nor my salvation.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

"This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood."

 Luke 22

"This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood." Luke 22:20

For my daily study, I continue to lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional, which today looks at how Jesus's death and resurrection sealed an unbreakable promise made in Jeremiah 31-32 - specifically Jeremiah 32:40, which says: "I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me." John Piper shares that Jesus sealed the "everlasting covenant - the new covenant - ...and purchased your perseverance if you are in Jesus Christ through faith." Piper continues by sharing: "[i]f you are persevering in faith today, you owe it to the blood of Jesus. The Holy Spirit, who is working in you to preserve your faith, is honoring the purchase of Jesus. God the Spirit works in us what God the Son obtained for us....God is totally committed to the perseverance and eternal security of his blood-bought children."  Praise God!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who loves me and who died on the cross to seal and secure the promise that I will persevere in my faith through Your Spirit working in my life and heart.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You work.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

Hebrews 9

Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. Hebrews 9:15

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 9:11-22, specifically looking at the third division covering 9:15, which the commentary entitles "The Superiority of Christ as Mediator of the New Covenant." Here with the focus being a singular verse - v15 - the key takeaway is this: while Christ is referred to as a mediator, the commentary makes it clear that there is no compromise or common ground as one would typically expect during mediation.  The commentary shares: "[f]ar from suggesting a compromise between two opposing positions, Christ agrees with the Father that we deserve the infinite outpouring of his wrath. He agrees with the Father about the ugliness of our sin. He agrees with the Father about the necessity of a sacrifice. And as our mediator, he agrees to be that sacrifice even as the Father sends him for that task....[Christ] mediated a better covenant and offered up a better sacrifice, one that was efficient to redeem people from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. In doing so, Christ secured an eternal inheritance for those who are called." Praise God!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who became the perfect sacrifice - taking my place for my sin...thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such grace and a gift - the greatest gift of all time.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.

Hebrews 9

 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation. Hebrews 9:8-10

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 9:1-10, and my initial unaided observations of this text.  Here, the text explores how the Levitical priests, first the priest, then the high priest, enter the tent of worship, including the inner section - referred to as the Most Holy Place (v3). The area of question - struggle - for me this morning is v8-10.  These verses describe how "the way into the holy places is not opened as long as the first section is still standing (which is symbolic for the present age)," and this implies how the first covenant and the sacrificial system as outlined in Leviticus remained in place until Jesus death on the cross resulted in a tearing down of this system, allowing direct access to the Most Holy Place or direct access to God for those who believe in Him (see also this post on DesiringGod.com).

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for what You have done to give me access directly to You, what an amazing gift and of course I am not deserving of such an act of amazing grace.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

 

But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.

Hebrews 8

 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. Hebrews 8:6

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 8:1-13, specifically on the text of 8:6-13, leaning on my commentary for its observations on the second division entitled "The Superiority of the New Covenant".  Here, both the text and the commentary make it clear that the new covenant ushered in by Jesus and His shed blood in superior in all ways.  The commentary starts by pointing out how the first covenant was "incomplete" and it was not "final."  Yet, Jesus's death on the cross, as the commentary points out to us by referring us to John 19:30, finished the need for "an unrelenting need for constant sacrifices...the wrath of God toward the sin of his people was finally paid in full."  The commentary then makes this emphatic point: "[i]ndeed, a better priest with a better ministry has come to mediate a better covenant enacted on better promises."  The commentary also shares how the author of Hebrews uses Jeremiah 31, as already done with Genesis 14 (Melchizedek) and Psalm 110, to show [the original readers of Hebrews] them that "they should have been anticipating a priest according to the order of Melchizedek."  The commentary then wraps for this text by describing the "extraordinary promise of the new covenant [as] not that God would dismiss the old covenant but that he would be merciful toward our iniquities and remember our sins no more.  Our greatest problem is sin, for it severs us from the presence of God. Our sin and his holiness are incompatible, yet God promised to reconcile sinful people to himself through the mediator who would inaugurate the new covenant. He chose to do this through his Son, Jesus Christ, the mediator who established the new covenant in his blood (Luke 22:20)."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Heavenly Father - You are an awesome God whose covenant with His people is better in all ways - thank You Jesus!  You paid the ultimate price so that I would have victory over sin and death and life to the full now and for eternity.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such sin.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.

Hebrews 8

 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. Hebrews 8:6

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 8:1-13, and my initial unaided observations of this text.  Here the text builds on how Hebrews has previously discussed how Jesus is a better, permanent, and perfect Great High Priest to describe how Jesus offers a new and better covenant based on Jesus's shed blood.  First, Jesus enters the most holy place set up by God, not in a tent erected by man (v2).  This tent, the and the entirety of the First Covenant was merely a shadow of things to come in Jesus (v5).  The author of Hebrews quotes (v8-12) Jeremiah 31 where Jeremiah prophesies of the coming Messiah.  Jesus is the Messiah Jeremiah spoke he - Jesus fulfills prophecy.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the promised Messiah and You offer a better covenant - through Your blood...I am not deserving of such a blessing.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever.’” This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.

Hebrews 7

And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever.’” This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. Hebrews 7:20-22

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. This morning, my focus is on Hebrews 7:11-22, as I lean on my commentary, and how it unpacks the fifth division "A Better Hope for a Better Covenant," which refers to Hebrews 7:20-22. The text and associated commentary highlight how the author of Hebrews emphasizes that Jesus is a superior High Priest than one from the Levites because He swore an oath to Himself from Psalm 110:4 that ‘You are a priest forever.’  This oath is "unchangeable." The commentary closes by sharing that "[i]n verse 22 the author [of Hebrews] also connects priesthood to covenant. This is an idea that he will more fully explain in chapter 8. Yet for the time being, the author hints at the fact that not only is Jesus a better priest, but his priesthood is actually part of a better covenant, the “new covenant” spoken of in Jeremiah 31[:31-34]....God’s covenant promise cannot fail because God’s priest, Jesus Christ, cannot fail." Believers: rest in the promises of God and His faithfulness!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is faithful - all of Your promises are true and we can count on You like no other!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You provide and how You are faithful.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You, with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.

Hebrews 7

This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. Hebrews 7:22

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 7:11-22, and my initial unaided observations of this text.  Unpacking this text, I observe:

• The text rhetorically asks challenges us to see if perfection was possible through the Levitical priesthood, there would be no need for a priest after the order of Melchizedek (v11); while honorable men served from Levites as the high priest, each was flawed and imperfect
• It then logically connects a change in the priesthood - to not be a Levite - to a change in the law itself (v12); Jesus is known as the Great High Priest, and as perfect, yet He descended from Judah, not a Levite (v13-14)
• This change is even more clear and evident in Jesus given his resemblance to Melchizedek and by the power of an indestructible life (v14-17)
• Through Jesus, we set aside former commandments attached to the priesthood and sacrifices and we have have a better hope, though which we are reconciled to God once and for all through shed blood (v18-19)
• Jesus became Great High Priest with an oath God made to Himself (v20-21)
• Therefore, Jesus is the guarantor of a better covenant (v22)

Be grateful that we have Jesus as Great High Priest and that we can approach Him with confidence, knowing He forgives sins, hears our prayers, loves us, and never leaves or forsakes us.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You bless me.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me, help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah[...]"

Philippians 2

 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah[...]" Jeremiah 31:31

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, where John Piper seeks for believers to prepare our hearts for Christmas.  Today's Solid Joys daily devotion marks day 17 of Advent, and today John Piper shares how during Christmas we should appreciate how Jesus provides "the greatest salvation imaginable."  Piper uses Jeremiah's prophecy (500 years before Christ) where God promises a "new covenant."  The Old Testament covenant relied on works and one's own strength and will for obedience.  The new covenant promised by God through Jeremiah "replace[s] shadows with the Reality of the Messiah."  As Piper puts it, "[God] would powerfully move into our lives and write his will on our hearts so that we are not constrained from outside, but are willing from inside, to love him and trust him and follow him. That would be the greatest salvation imaginable — if God should offer us the greatest Reality in the universe to enjoy and then move in us to know that Reality in such a way that we could enjoy it with the greatest freedom and the greatest pleasure possible. That would be a Christmas gift worth singing about."  Piper highlights that salvation however, while available to all, is not given to all as sin separates all of humanity from God and the salvation available to us through Jesus is only given in response to acknowledgement of sin, belief and faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  Once a believer does this, Piper describes this "greatest salvation imaginable:"God is now free, in his justice, to lavish us with all the unspeakably great new covenant promises. He gives us Christ, the greatest Reality in the universe, for our enjoyment. And he writes his own will — his own heart — on our hearts so that we can love Christ and trust Christ and follow Christ from the inside out, with freedom and joy."  Without a doubt the greatest gift of all time - believers rejoice!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who offers the greatest gift of all time - salvation!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift - not by a long shot.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.

Isaiah 42-44

Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. Isaiah 42:1

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, I move on to Lesson 16, Day 2, where the focus is Isaiah 42.  Here, my commentary outlines the following divisions:

1. The Gentle King and His Irresistibly Advancing Kingdom (v1-7)
2. The Message of the Kingdom Resulting in Joyful Praise (v8-12)
3. The Zeal of the Warrior God Rescuing His Captive People (v13-17)
4. The Shameful Condition of God's Sinful People
   

In v1-7 we see a prophecy of the coming Messiah - Jesus Christ. He is referred to as God's servant (v1).  He has chosen Him (v1).  He delights in Him (v1).  He put His Spirit upon Him (v1). He is "giving" us Christ "as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon from the prison those who sit in darkness."  Behold indeed!

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You ARE the Promised Messiah, the One told about and anticipated about long ago in the book of Isaiah.  You came to save me and all of humanity throughout redemptive history - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You came to save me and how You did save me.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.   

You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

Leviticus 12

 You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. Leviticus 11:45

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing chapter twelve - God Rules from Our Birth - covering Leviticus 12:1-8, looking specifically at the first theme - God States the Stipulations of His Covenant.  Here, the commentary focuses on the relationship believers have with God - we should honor and obey God's commands out of love for Him.  The commentary uses the analogy of a friend or loved one who tells us something either they don't want us to do when around them, and out of respect and love for our friend and family member, we avoid the thing, even when the thing we are to avoid is not sinful.  That is what we do because of the relationship we have. Similarly, in Leviticus 12, while childbirth is not sinful, God did command mothers to be cleansed and purified before resuming worship in the tabernacle. Other ceremonial laws in the Old Testament, such as the foods God commanded the Israelites to eat and not eat, work similarly.  The commentary summarizes how this works by stating: "[w]e obey God's law because we have a relationship with Him and we love Him. His laws are stipulations of His covenant." While the ceremonial laws from the Old Testament no longer apply with Jesus and the New Covenant He makes with us, the moral laws do and when God commands us to do something or to not do something, we are to honor and obey God because we love Him and because He is God.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me, forgives my sin, brings about obedience, and gives me life to the full now and for eternity - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You love me or for any of the blessings You pour out for me.  I worry and I have other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.

Leviticus 9

But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. Hebrews 8:6-7

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing with chapter nine - Powerful Worship - covering Leviticus 9:1-24, looking specifically at the theme - Powerful Worship Requires God's Mediation.  Here, the commentary looks at how in the Old Testament God requires a priest (Aaron and his sons here in Leviticus 9) to mediate between the Israelites and God, and how believers in Christ have a new and better mediator.  The commentary points out how both the Israelites and believers in Christ require a mediator or priest: "God has decreed that people cannot come into His presence in the same way we come into the presence of other people.  Just like...[others who]...speak a different language so...[we need]...help, God is different from us so we need help in approaching Him.  The difference between us and God is not just a matter of degree, as if we are good and He is considerably better. No. He is other, separate from us.  We are finite, He is infinite.  We are weak, His power has no limits.  We are ignorant, He is all knowing.  We are earthly, He is Heavenly.  We are contaminated by sin, but no sin will ever be in His holy presence.  In fact, no sin has been in His presence except for the moment when He took our sin on Himself on the cross to atone for our sin so that we can come into His presence." When Jesus died on the cross for us, He became both the sacrifice for our sins and the priest through which we access God; He replaced the old covenant and its system of priests and sacrifices with the new covenant. We are urged to look closely at Hebrews as a scriptural reference for this new covenant and Jesus' role as priest - Hebrews 6:19-20, 7:22, 26-27, and 8:6-7). 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed a perfect sacrifice and priest and I am so grateful for the sacrifice You made for me and for the role that You play so that I can approach God with confidence. Yet I am undeserving of such a sacrifice and priest. I worry....please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”...Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.”

 Leviticus 5-6

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”...Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” Exodus 19:5-6, 24:7

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - starting chapter six - When We Are Guilty - covering Leviticus 5:14-6:7, looking specifically at the theme - We Are Guilty When We Violate Our Covenant Relationship with God. Here, the commentary describes the restitution offering, which as part of the Old Testament sacrificial system, includes "provisions for reparations, or restitution, to be made against whom we sin." See v5:16 where "restitution" is described, and v6:4-5 where we are instructed to "restore" or compensate those we've sinned against. As the commentary starts to unpack the chapter theme - When We Are Guilty - it starts by looking at the covenant God makes with His people, first in the Old Testament, and then ultimately with Jesus Christ with the Second Covenant.  The commentary urges us to look the covenant God establishes with the Israelites at Mount Sinai as written in Exodus 19 and 24.  The commentary then states that in the context of the covenant we make with God - as established in the Old Testament with the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 and superseded with the Second Covenant - when we sin, regardless of the nature of our sin, it is sin nonetheless and we are being unfaithful to God and we are breaking the covenant we have with God. Of course, as I have been posting recently, although sin separates us from God, He provides a path for atonement, reconciliation and forgiveness.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God in that although we are unfaithful - as believers - to You and the covenant we establish with You, You are full of grace and compassion and provide a path for atonement, reconciliation, and forgiveness.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such grace and compassion.  My sin continues, including worry, etc. Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to Your Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.

Leviticus 2

You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt. Leviticus 2:13

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - looking at chapter two - Giving to God in Worship - covering 2:1-16, looking specifically at the theme We Express Communion with God which focuses on v2:13.  Here, my commentary focuses on the covenant relationship established with Abraham in Genesis 15:13-14, with the Israelites in Exodus 19:5-6, and then ultimately the covenant relationship established with Jesus. The grain offering described in Leviticus 2 expresses our desire to be in communion with God. The commentary describes how salt represents both a preservative and a covenant and that God sought to have His children preserve the covenant relationship He established. The grain offering is also described in two parts, one as a memorial portion, and the remainder offered to Aaron and the priests.  Finally, my commentary writes how a memorial portion emphasizes how we are to remember all God has done, who He is, how we all need atonement for sin, and how God provides a path for atonement of sin. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and You established a covenant with me and Your promises offer hope, strength and peace - regardless of the circumstances.  Thank You Jesus!  Yet I am not deserving of how You bless me and love me.  My sin of worry, harshness towards others, etc. continues.  Please forgive me Jesus.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.

Chapter 11: Pages 148-156, Jeremiah 31-32

 I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul. Jeremiah 32:39-41

This morning, I continued John Piper's book Providence (purchased from Amazon Kindle Store) and started Part 2 "The Ultimate Goal of Providence", moving to Section 3 "The Ultimate Goal of Providence in the Design and Enactment of the New Covenant" - moving to chapter eleven "The Designs of the New Covenant". Here Piper looks at the "inner designs" of the New Covenant as found in the Old Testament.

Piper starts with Jeremiah 31:31-34 "to show that Christ is a mediator of a 'better covenant' and "contrasts it with 'letters of stone' given to Moses' (2 Corinthians 3:7)."  Piper then points to "three massive promised realities" of the New Covenant: 

1. God forgives sins of those in this covenant relationship
2. God writes the law in the hearts
3. "God will be there God in such a way that 'they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest' (Jeremiah 31:34)."

Piper continues to push forward by writing how the New Covenant is "the way providence moves towards its ultimate goal" which is that "God be known and enjoyed and praised for who he really is[.]" He explains this by stating God's "explicit strategy in the new covenant" includes the following and how "[e]ach of these...points to joy in God":

1. "to take out the heart of stone (Ezekiel 36:26)"
2. "to put his Spirit in his people (Ezekiel 36:27a)"
3. "to cause them to obey his word (Ezekiel 36:27b)"

Piper cites Jeremiah 32:39-41 to show how this heart transformation is permanent. We are also encouraged to see fear as a "failure to see God in Christ as supremely enthralling (Romans 11:20)."  Piper wraps up the chapter to demonstrate how the design of the New Covenant is seen as far back as Deuteronomy 29-30 when Moses shares how God "will circumcise your heart".   Piper writes that "[t]his new covenant act of creating love in the hearts of his people is God's way of completing great purpose of creation: God's delight in him."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who gives me a new heart, and the Holy Spirit in my heart - I have seen heart and life transformation as a result...and I am grateful but also undeserved.  I continue to worry and demonstrate other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to accept You Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. or the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Galatians 1-6

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. or the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Galatians 5:13-18

Day 328 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as I move further into the New Testament - this morning focusing on Paul's letter to the church in Galatia, as my commentary* notes that "the letter would have been written about A.D. 50, shortly following the Jerusalem conference. The subject of Paul’s letter parallels that of the conference itself, which pertained to the problems created by those Jewish Christians who were insisting that Gentile converts submit to the rite of circumcision and observe other rituals to which the Jews were accustomed."  The letter also is used by Paul to defend His faith and teachings as my commentary* also notes how Judaizers sought to undermine Paul.

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

Paul focuses a good amount of his letter (Galatians 5-6) on Christian freedom as Paul defines our freedom and urges us to express our freedom by "walk[ing] by the Spirit" (Galatians 5:16) so we can avoid desires of the flesh but instead enjoy fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has given me freedom in Christ - a blessing of which I cannot fully fathom but I understand that it is a blessing.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of all the ways You bless me...my sin continues, including worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.

2 Samuel 6-9 and 1 Chronicles 16-17

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!  Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread,  and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. Isaiah 55:1-3

Day 97 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses on David's efforts to establish regular worship of the Lord, Michal''s rebuke of David for his exuberant (rightly so!) celebration following the return of the ark to Jerusalem, and David's honoring of Mephibosheth (Jonathan's son and only surviving member of Saul's family). Today's reading also includes the Davidic Covenant.

John Piper has this excellent post on how we must remember that God makes these covenants not just for those to whom the covenant is originally made (i.e. Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, etc.), but for all of His children (believers). "The point of this invitation is that the very sovereignty and wisdom and love of God which assured David of an eternal kingdom can also assure you of God's eternal kindness as a part of that kingdom".  Piper uses Isaiah 55:1-3 to illustrate his point:

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!  Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread,  and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. Isaiah 55:1-3

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who feeds me, sustains me, protects me, teaches me, rebukes/corrects me, encourages me, etc.  You bless me and provide for me as no other can - You are the one true God and I am grateful that You have adopted me into Your family.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  I sin...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)....Do not call anything impure that God has made clean. Mark 7:18-19, Acts 10:15

Portions of Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy

Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)....Do not call anything impure that God has made clean. Mark 7:18-19, Acts 10:15

Day 61 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses on directives from God through Moses (Moses' Laws) for dietary regulations.

God explains the purpose of these laws as follows:

You must therefore make a distinction between clean and unclean animals and between unclean and clean birds. Do not defile yourselves by any animal or bird or anything that moves along the ground—those that I have set apart as unclean for you. You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.  Leviticus 20:25-26

With God sending His Son to fulfill prophecy and the law (see Matthew 5 and John Piper post here), God did away with the rules of clean and unclean food.  This becomes explicit in both Mark and Acts:

Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) Mark 7:18-19 

Do not call anything impure that God has made clean. Acts 10:15

While written for Thanksgiving, this post at DesiringGod.com also sums it up nicely.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has come to both fulfill the law but also to save me!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your death on the cross and Your compassion and grace.  I sin...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“‘In addition to what you vow and your freewill offerings, offer these to the Lord at your appointed festivals: your burnt offerings, grain offerings, drink offerings and fellowship offerings.’”

Portions of Exodus-Leviticus-Numbers-Deuteronomy

“‘In addition to what you vow and your freewill offerings, offer these to the Lord at your appointed festivals: your burnt offerings, grain offerings, drink offerings and fellowship offerings.’” Numbers 29:39

Day 49 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses on God's command told to the Israelites through Moses to hold sacred assemblies for the following festivals: Passover, (Numbers 28:16-25), Weeks (Numbers 28:26-31), Trumpets (Numbers 29:1-6), Atonement (Numbers 29:7-11), and Tabernacles (Numbers 29:12-38).

Moses' Laws required much of the Israelites and God knew that the Israelites would never be able to fully uphold their end of the covenant, hence we have a New Covenant with Jesus Christ that does away with many of the "ceremonial" vs "moral" laws.

I am grateful that Jesus Christ is so full of mercy and compassion for me that He gives me this new freedom in Christ.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of mercy and compassion for me.  Thank You Jesus - I am not deserving of such mercy and compassion.  I sin...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.