Whoever touches a dead person, the body of anyone who has died, and does not cleanse himself, defiles the tabernacle of the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from Israel; because the water for impurity was not thrown on him, he shall be unclean.

Numbers 19:1-22

Whoever touches a dead person, the body of anyone who has died, and does not cleanse himself, defiles the tabernacle of the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from Israel; because the water for impurity was not thrown on him, he shall be unclean. Numbers 19:13

I continue my study of Numbers, and in the text today - Numbers 19:1-22 - God describes purification laws (ceremonial law) for the people.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Impurity is a big deal to God, and the text today lays out many of the Old Testament criteria or conditions that trigger impurity.  Old Testament law ultimately became twisted by the Jewish leaders who focused on the actions of purification vs the heart condition that God really seeks through purification.  Sin is really what drives impurity and this is the great equalizer because we all sin (Psalm 14:1, Romans 3:10, 23, 1 John 1:8).  The gospel of Jesus Christ, allows us to confess and be cleansed of sin and therefore be justified or declared "not guilty" or not accountable for the sin we committed as this would have if guilty led to death (Romans 6:23).  God wants us to love Him with all of our heart and allow Him to change us from the inside out - heart and life transformation.  All are deserving to hear the gospel and of the work He does in us.   
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Purification laws at one point were twisted by Israel to avoid association with those from other lands.  Yet we know that God never intended this as even in the Old Testament, God sought to save those beyond the borders of Israel - one such example is God sending Jonah to save Nineveh.  In the New Testament we see Peter (see Acts 10:28), based on his vision from God, make clear God's intent to not to exclude anyone not from Israel from the church - deemed unclean based on purification laws.  The gospel extends to the Gentiles and to all corners of the world (Matthew 20:19-20).   
• 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 excluding anyone from hearing the gospel.  Claim the promise that Jesus came to seek and save the lost - all.  Follow the example of Peter, Paul and so many others who seek to bring the gospel to all tribes and nations.  Go into the world and bring the Good News everywhere.   

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and seeks to save everyone - all sin and fall short of the glory of God and all are worthy of hearing the gospel to be saved.  You save!  Thank You Jesus for saving me.  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.

So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD your God.”

Numbers 15:37-41

So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD your God.” Numbers 15:40-41

I continue my study of Numbers, and in the text today - Numbers 15:37-41 - God gave Moses commands to give to the people to make tassels for the corners of their garments - as a means to remember and be obedient to all of the commandments of the Lord.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.

• What do we learn from the text about God?: God led Israel out of bondage and they were to remember all that He had done, and out of love for Him God expected Israel to be obedient.  God seeks for us to love Him with all of our heart, soul, and mind and this requires obedience to His commands.  Ultimately, the New Covenant based on Jesus' shed blood did away with the ceremonial law as God lives in believers' hearts (Holy Spirit) and this drives us into His arms as we surrender to Him and seek Him daily as He molds us into more of His image.   
• What do we learn from the text about people?: The Old Testament included both ceremonial and moral law and unfortunately, many went through the motions and/or added to or subtracted from scripture to serve their own purposes and will and not God's will. With exception to a few (remnant), time and time again, the leaders and people of Israel let Him down.  With Jesus, we no longer have the Old Testament sacrificial system and we can go to God directly with confidence (Hebrews 4:14-16). Jesus justifies us in His sight.  
• 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 focusing on obedience.  Claim the promise that if you seek Him with all your heart, you will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13), and that He will renew our heart, mind and life to make us more like Him.  Follow the example of John (1 John 5:3) who wrote that obedience to Him is not a burden. Seek God with all of your heart.   

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves and gives me Your Word, the Holy Spirit, the church, etc. so that I can be encouraged to seek You with all of my heart.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  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.

The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “Let not the tribe of the clans of the Kohathites be destroyed from among the Levites, but deal thus with them, that they may live and not die when they come near to the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them each to his task and to his burden, but they shall not go in to look on the holy things even for a moment, lest they die.”

Numbers 4:16-20

The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “Let not the tribe of the clans of the Kohathites be destroyed from among the Levites, but deal thus with them, that they may live and not die when they come near to the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them each to his task and to his burden, but they shall not go in to look on the holy things even for a moment, lest they die.” Numbers 4:17-20

I continue my study of Numbers, and in the text today 4:16-20, where the Lord gives Moses and Aaron instructions for Eleazar to be in charge of the tabernacle and all that is in it, and guidance for treatment of the Kohathites in their role.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Yes God is holy.  There should be no doubt about this.  The text today implies that there should be reverence for God - He is the Name Above Every Name and we should not take His name in vain (see also Exodus 20:7 from the 10 Commandments and this sermon) and we should certainly follow His instructions.  But once again, specifically and explicitly in the text today we are referring to ceremonial law and roles in this context.  The New Covenant based on Jesus' shed blood does away with the ceremonial law and while we should have reverent fear of God (see this post about fear as preservative), we should not fear approaching God is He is our personal Lord and Savior.  God loves us, wants to spend time with us, reveal Himself to us, etc.  He wants us to bring our cares and concerns to Him.  Hebrews 4:14-16 is key. 
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Each of us have a role to play in the mission He lays before us as individuals, the local church, and the global church.  Obedience to His mission is not burdensome as described in v19 - see also 1 John 5:3.
• 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 carelessly approaching God or misusing His name.  Claim the promise that we can approach God in confidence.  Follow the example of Jesus who did not see obedience to the Father as burdensome.  Fear God (as a preservative) because He is holy.  

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome Holy God that is approachable and accessible - You save!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You love and save.  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. 

And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the sons of Kohath are to carry.

Numbers 4:1-15

And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the sons of Kohath are to carry. Numbers 4:15

I continue my study of Numbers, and in the text today 4:1-15, where the Lord commands Moses and Aaron to take a census of the sons of Kohath (among the Levites), and He describes their duties with the tent of meeting.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.

• What do we learn from the text about God?: God seeks obedience - in detail.  In the Old Testament ceremonial law, these details matter but we know that as part of God's plan obedience to this level of detail is unsustainable so there is a need for regular atonement through animal sacrifice.  With the New Covenant based on Christ's shed blood, obedience to ceremonial law is fulfilled permanently, leaving obedience to the moral law intact.  Obedience in detail still matters because lack of attention to detail shows lack of care.  We should treasure God above all else and it should show in our obedience and service to Him.  Because He is SO good to us, in response we want to please, honor and glorify Him...so obedience is not burdensome (see also 1 John 5:3). 
• What do we learn from the text about people?: There are so many people behind the scenes in every day life that serve and obey God in detail.  Their hearts are right with God because they abide in Him and bear fruit (John 15:1-10).  They are not seeking their own glory but that of the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).
• 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 seeking God's favor through action and your own strength and power.  Claim the promise that obedience is not burdensome because we love Him SO much and we treasure and seek Him. Follow the example of Jesus who loved the Father SO much that He willingly suffered and died so that others could have life now to the full and for eternity.  Obey God in detail - do it all for the glory of God. 

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves.  I am not deserving of how You love and save.  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.  

Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”

 John 5:10-18

Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” John  5:14

I continue my study of John, and today, I unpack John 5:10-18 using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: After healing the man who had been unable to walk for 38 years, Jesus finds the man in the temple, greets him and warns him to "sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you" (v14).  We should understand that all believers sin and will continue to do so until we die - we are human!  So Jesus is not expecting us to not sin at all, its that we must refrain from willful patterns of sin that demonstrate a lack of faith and a lack of abiding in Him and His Word - doubts in Jesus will inevitably creep in and lead us into further sin.  See this post and another on repentance from RC Sproul.  V17 shares that God the Father is working until now, and that Jesus is working, and here we see two identities of the Triune God at work as the Father sent the Son.         
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: Building on the text from yesterday where we saw a man healed who had been unable to walk for 38 years, we see the response from the Jews (implied it is Jewish leadership who felt threatened by Jesus) who believe that it was unlawful for the man to "take up his bed" (v10) on the Sabbath.  The man indicates he only followed the commands/instructions from the man who healed him, and he did not know it was Jesus because the text shares that "Jesus had withdrawn as there was a crowd in the place" (v13).  Jewish leadership wants to know who this person is who is healing and getting others to "work" on the Sabbath.  In scripture, Jewish leadership often (read about ceremonial vs moral law) add to/subtract from the law and use tradition to bend the law in their direction for their favor and benefit, particularly in how they use the law to crucify Jesus. Yes God wants us to use the Sabbath to rest and for worship of Him, but it is not sinful to work on the Sabbath (see this post from DesiringGod.com).  The Jews learn that it is Jesus that healed the man and seek to persecute Him for "working" on the Sabbath, and for considering Himself equal with God (vv16,18).      
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?):  Avoid willful sin and bending the law in our direction in our favor.  See Jesus as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and as Lord and Savior.  Repent, follow Jesus, and abide/remain in Him.    

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who provides Your Word that is perfect (2 Timothy 3:16) - You also save and continue to work in my heart and life.  Thank You Jesus for saving me and for working in my life.  I am not deserving of such love and 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 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.

For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.

Mark 7:1-23

For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person. Mark 7:21-23

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 7:1-23, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary. Observations of the text based on the Sword Bible Study Method: 

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: God cares about our heart condition not about what we do that we think pleases God - our motives and our heart condition towards God matter most.  The Pharisees were more concerned about washing of hands and external cleansing - but this did not matter to God as much as love of Him and others.  It is our heart that requires cleansing and only Jesus can forgive us and cleanse us from the stain of sin.       
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: The Pharisees were more worried about being right about tradition than they were about pleasing God.  God does not seek empty rituals that are devoid of any love of God.  The Pharisees are not alone in what they do as we often do the same thing.  
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): People often chase things to do thinking they are pleasing God - instead we should understand that we cannot earn God's love or His favor.  Nobody can do this - we should all understand that we all sin, we all need a Savior, Jesus is that Savior and that God saves not because of anything we do but because He is full of grace and compassion.  This should drive us into the arms of Jesus for us to know, love and surrender to Him such that the Holy Spirit does a work in us to make us more like Him....and this will be Him doing the work!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome that saves - not because of anything we do but because You are full of grace and compassion towards us.  Thank You Jesus for this grace and compassion!  I am not deserving of such grace and compassion and for 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. 

Therefore love truth and peace. "Thus says the LORD of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities. The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, 'Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD and to seek the LORD of hosts; I myself am going.' Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"

Zechariah 7:1-3 and 8:18-23

Therefore love truth and peace. "Thus says the LORD of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities. The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, 'Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD and to seek the LORD of hosts; I myself am going.' Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'" Zechariah 8:19b-23

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 an unassisted review of Zechariah 7:1-3 and 8:18-23, which the commentary outlines as the first of five divisions for the text 7:1-8:23 (7:1-3/8:18-23, 7:4-7, 7:8-10, 7:11-14, 8:1-17).  In an effort to better understand the first division, I reviewed the entirety of 7:1-8:23 and here one can see in chapter 7 God's people seeking answers on how to approach ceremonial law (specifically fasting), and how God, while He does care about external behavior, He is most concerned about our heart condition and that we focus on the most important commandments that we love Him first then love others - see also Psalm 50:8; Hosea 6:6; Psalm 51:16; Psalm 40:6–8; Isaiah 1:11–31; Jeremiah 7:21–23; Hebrews 10:4–10.  When you turn to chapter 8, you see a prophecy of a peaceful and prosperous Israel.  Of note in 8:18-23 is v23 where God's people draw others to Him because others see God in them.  For believers, we should be a light and draw others to Him. 

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 save and loved me first, while I was still hostile and an enemy of You.  Thank You Jesus!  Help me turn from and overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You and others as You love me.  Help me be a light to others.  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.

There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous.

Ecclesiastes 8

There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. Ecclesiastes 8:14

I continue my study of Ecclesiastes using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book. My focus this morning is Ecclesiastes 8 and how the takeaway of this text relates to the second division of the commentary for chapters 7-11: Sin Leads to Brokenness and Meaninglessness. V14 succinctly encapsulates the futility of life without God - regardless of what you do, apart from God sin persists.  Solomon is a product of the Old Testament and the ceremonial law that led people to believe that works (without a heart set on pleasing God) were pleasing to God.  The point of course is that Jesus Christ and His death on the cross ended the need for the ceremonial law and the sacrificial system as He died as the spotless lamb - the once and for all time perfect sacrifice for all of humanity's sin.  Solomon's futility pointed to the need for Jesus.  Hebrews 8 serves as a fantastic example from scripture that illustrates that what Jesus offers is infinitely better than covenant offered to Israel in the Old Testament.  God does not want animal sacrifices, He wants Your heart and life surrendered to Him.  See also Psalm 50:8; Hosea 6:6; Psalm 51:16; Psalm 40:6–8; Isaiah 1:11–31; Jeremiah 7:21–23; Hebrews 10:4–10.  Surrender and believe!

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 - saving me and pour out Your mercies ceaselessly. Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and compassion and mercies.  My sin is great and it is 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.          

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us[.]

Leviticus 13-15

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.

All fat is the Lord's. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, in all your dwelling places, that you eat neither fat nor blood.

Leviticus 3

All fat is the Lord's. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, in all your dwelling places, that you eat neither fat nor blood. Leviticus 3:16-17

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - looking at chapter three - Peace with God - covering 3:1-17, looking specifically at the theme We Submit to the Word of God.  Here, the commentary urges us to look carefully at the details of God's commands for animal sacrifice as part of the Old Testament sacrificial system.  Many, including myself, often ask about these details and the role they play in the Bible - similar details are expressed in the construction of God's temple (first constructed by Solomon in 1 Kings). My commentary offers great insight on this question on several fronts, including how in Leviticus 3 we see details about how certain parts of animal (kidneys, fat, entrails, liver) are to be cut up and offered. Blood is also to be sprinkled on the sides of the altar.  The commentary writes how pagan/Canaanite worship, at the time Leviticus was written, used animal liver as a form of divination called hepatoscopy:  "[t]he one true God told His people not to save that part of the animal--not for divination or for anything else--but to burn the liver on the altar.  They were not looking at a liver to determine the future; they were trusting in God for the future."  God detests such pagan worship. Similarly, the commentary writes how the offering of blood during sacrifice represents "the giving of life" as blood, and how blood carries oxygen to all parts of the body is the key to life.  The commentary summarizes the use of details during animal sacrifice (again, done away with in the New Covenant with Jesus Christ) as important to the extent that God did not want empty, mindless rituals, and the use of such details forced worshipers to slow down to ensure careful following of God's commands.  Such a message should not be lost on believers in Christ and we should not speed through empty rituals as we approach Christ with any aspect of our worship.  

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who provides a path for atonement and a path to reconcile with You.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You provide this path or for any of the blessings You pour out for me.  I worry, am harsh with others, 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.