And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us[.]...John 1:14
This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing chapter thirteen - Unclean! - covering Leviticus 13-15, looking specifically at the fourth theme - Jesus Transforms Access to God's Presence. Here, the commentary starts by looking at how believers today can apply the teachings in Leviticus (including 13-15). It starts by stating that, for believers, "God has now established the new covenant in Jesus. God's old covenant prepared for Jesus' coming and taught us principles that help us understand the person and work of Jesus. God always knew that when the Messiah came and He initiated the new covenant, the old covenant would become obsolete." The commentary then encourages us to see "three ways Jesus transforms access to God's presence:
- Jesus eliminates ceremonial law" - we are encouraged to review the interactions Jesus had with the Jewish leaders and how they placed emphasis on rituals as an end in of itself vs Jesus teachings, using ritual cleansing as an example, where such ritual cleansings were not a matter of external cleanliness but of internal cleanliness and our heart condition with respect to a right relationship with God; Jesus also pointed out the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders who observed the ceremonial law but not the moral law; see also John Piper on the extent to which believers are to observe ceremonial law; see also Piper on the extent to which only worship, among all the activities done within the church, is an end in itself. The commentary refers us to Matthew 15:1-9 and Mark 2:23-28 as a scriptural basis to underscore this point.
- Jesus graduates us from symbol to substance" - using Colossians 2:16-17 as a scriptural basis for this point, the commentary highlights how the ceremonial laws were a "shadow" of what was to come with Jesus and the new covenant, and Jesus is the substance. The commentary writes: "[t]he old covenant law shows us our dirtiness in God's sight, and Jesus came to be the way we become clean--not just clean on the outside, but clean on the inside, and clean forever. He graduates us from symbol to substance."
- Jesus incarnates God's presence" - whereas in the Old Testament, the tabernacle, Tent of Meeting, and temple were the places that symbolized the presence of God (even though it also writes about God's omnipresence), the commentary urges us to understand that with the new covenant God is always among and within us - residing in our hearts. We are referred to John 1:14 as the scriptural basis for this takeaway.
Comment and discuss this post here.
My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who lives in my heart - thank You Jesus for walking with me in my journey and for sanctifying and refining me into more of Your image! I am not deserving of such a blessing - my sins of worry, etc. continue. 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.
