And they shall do all that needs to be done with regard to them....According to the commandment of the LORD through Moses they were listed, each one with his task of serving or carrying. Thus they were listed by him, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Numbers 4:21-49

And they shall do all that needs to be done with regard to them....According to the commandment of the LORD through Moses they were listed, each one with his task of serving or carrying. Thus they were listed by him, as the LORD commanded Moses. Numbers 4:26b,49

I continue my study of Numbers, and in the text today, 4:21-49, the Lord spoke to Moses and gave him instructions for a census among the sons of Gershon, Merari, and Kohath (from 30-50 years old) and then to give them duties for care of the tent of meeting.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.

• What do we learn from the text about God?: The tent of meeting (later tabernacle) is where the priest would meet with God and as such represented an important structure.  God provided for instructions with regard to care for the tent as a reflection of how Israel treasured Him as their God.   
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Similar to the tent of meeting, in today's church, many volunteer and serve behind the scenes with much detail as a reflection of their love and treasure of God.  God sees all of this and blesses those who serve in such ways based on the promise from Luke 13:30 that some "who are last will be first."  The focus should be to glorify God vs self and on eternal rewards.
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid focus on self.  Claim the promise that eternal rewards await those who put God first and self last.  Follow the example of Jesus who humbly took on flesh, suffered and died for all of humanity such that those who confess Him as Lord and Savior have live to the full now and for eternity.  Focus on glorifying God and treasuring Him above all, including self.  

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My Prayer: Father God You are awesome God worthy of all of my love, devotion, and service.  You save and bless beyond what I ever imagined.  I am not deserving.  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.

Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

 Leviticus 24

Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Romans 12:11

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - starting chapter twenty-one - In God's Presence  - covering Leviticus 24:1-23, looking specifically at the introduction and the first theme for the chapter - We Serve God Daily. In the introduction, the commentary for today summarizes the main idea for Leviticus 24 by stating "God intends for us to live in His presence, serving Him daily, fellowshipping  with Him intimately, relating to Him reverently, and responding to people graciously." It compares God's presence in the Old Testament through the tabernacle with the Holy Spirit that lives in the hearts of believers in the New Testament.  The Israelites met with God in the tabernacle, which served as the physical representation of God's presence (see Exodus 29:42, 25:22).  Believers, on the other hand, have Jesus in their hearts through the Holy Spirit.  The commentary also points out that Jesus will never leave or forsake us, and instead of meeting with God in the tabernacle, believers are often referred to as a temple (see Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:19, 2 Corinthians 6:16, and Ephesians 2:21). 

Looking specifically at the theme for today - We Serve God Daily - the commentary examines Leviticus 24:2-4 and God's command to "bring you pure oil from beaten olives for the lamp, that a light may be kept burning regularly." While believers no longer bring oil to the priests to keep the light in the tabernacle burning, the commentary urges us to look at how we are to serve God continually.  Several scriptural examples are provided as a means to exhort us to serve - see also Hebrews 9:14, Romans 12:11, and Matthew 20:28.  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me, who lives in my heart, and who never leaves or forsakes me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessings!  I have sin...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.

And he killed it, and Moses took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron's right ear and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. Then he presented Aaron's sons, and Moses put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet.

Leviticus 8

And he killed it, and Moses took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron's right ear and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. Then he presented Aaron's sons, and Moses put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. Leviticus 8:23-24

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing with chapter eight - Are You Ready to Serve - covering Leviticus 8:1-8:36, looking specifically at the theme - Demonstrate Dedication to Serve.  Here, the commentary focuses on the ordination offering as described in v8:22-29. Specifically, we are referred to v23-24 where Moses puts blood on the ear and toe of Aaron, and he does the same for Aaron's sons. The commentary then uses the colloquialism "from head-to-toe," to show how all of Aaron and his sons were fully dedicated to serve.  We are then referred to the hymn Take My Life, and Let it Be, and also to the Hebrew word translation of ordination as "to fill the hand."  This "filling of the hand" implies how not only God equips us with the tools (spiritual gifts) needed to serve, but also to show us that God gave us hands to serve the church and others (see 1 Corinthians 12, and Galatians 5:13).  We are urged to see that work must be done and believers are not to be idle.  We must not only not be idle, but we must be - just as Jesus was in His ministry as described in the gospel books - dedicated to serve.  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has blessed me and others with spiritual gifts so that we can serve You and others.  I have been blessed by the spiritual gifts of others - Your design is perfect and awesome! Thank You for the dedication of others to serve. Thank You Jesus!  Yet I am not deserving of how You bless me - my sin of worry, harsh words, etc. continues.  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 friens 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.