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.

Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness....But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

Leviticus 2

Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness....But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Romans 6:13, 1 Corinthians 15:20-23

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 Exalt Jesus, the Center of Our Worship. Here, the commentary looks at how the grain offering as described in Leviticus 2 points to Jesus and how we are to exalt Jesus in all aspects of our worship. 

• We demonstrate gratitude for how God provides
• We demonstrate dedication to God as our Lord and Savior, including dedication to how God expects us to repent from our sins and ask Him for forgiveness
• We are reminded that with the sacrificial system, first given here in the Old Testament with Leviticus and then done away with as Jesus died once and for all, God is not interested in empty worship rituals but in our heart condition - see post from a few days ago

The commentary emphasizes how Jesus makes possible our dedication by giving us a new self and new life.  Romans 6:13 is referenced how we are to dedicate ourselves to God and righteousness/holiness - we can do that through the life and new creation Jesus makes possible. 

We are urged to see how Paul uses Levitical language (see Leviticus 2:12, 14) in 1 Corinthians 15:20 where he refers to Jesus as the "firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep."  The commentary states: "the resurrection of Jesus is the first of a great harvest of souls who will be gathered in heaven for worship."  We are urged to reflect on how our worship here on earth, and how despite how we may strive to dedicate ourselves in worship now, it cannot compare to the worship we will experience in Heaven.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who is worthy of my full attention, dedication, and white hot worship...You loved me and saved me, even though I was an enemy of God; and you still love me and never leave me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings - not at all!  My sin continues and I am easily distracted by the world and I often seek my own comfort first above You.  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.