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.  

Comment and discuss this post here. 

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.

"Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in all your dwelling places."

 Leviticus 23

"Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in all your dwelling places." Leviticus 23:3

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - wrapping up chapter twenty - Celebrating Our Relationship with the Sovereign Lord of Time  - covering Leviticus 23:1-44, looking specifically at the third and final theme for the chapter - Live by the Covenant Celebrations God Established.  Here, the commentary summarizes how, in Leviticus 23, "God communicated powerful truths in the old covenant sacred calendar and in its fulfillment in Jesus.  The way we live should be altered by those truths."  The commentary encourages believers to "live differently in light of God's revealed truth in Leviticus 23" by: 

• seeking God's presence - festivals in the Old Testament spread throughout the year serve as reminders that everything in our lives should revolve around worship and love of God; the commentary states that "God's arrangement of the year in that way constitutes an exhortation to us--seek God's presence
• celebrating God and His salvation - the commentary states that "He should be our greatest joy, and He is the source of every other joy"
• sharing gifts with God and others - we are to be generous with what God gives us (2 Corinthians 9:7)
• submitting to God's sovereignty over time - we are to dedicate ourselves to corporate worship, fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and to serve God and others; we must give up our schedule to God and not allow the world to grab hold of our time

The commentary wraps the chapter by reinforcing how the old covenant sacred calendar and its festivals celebrated 1400 years prior to the day and hour of Jesus' death and resurrection demonstrates how God "is capable of helping us with the challenges of our schedules."  If God can order and arrange time as He has with the Old Covenant sacred festivals and how they foreshadow Jesus 1400 years later, God can certainly order and arrange our time - and we should allow Him! 

We also reminded of how the Sabbath is STILL a day of rest when God calls us to corporate worship!

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of love and mercy for me - You are ALWAYS there for me and You ARE the source of ALL joy in my life, and You are worthy of both celebration and worship!  Thank You Jesus for the joy only You can provide and for the blessings You pour out for me.  I am not deserving.  I sin...daily...including 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 to me today and every day.

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

 Leviticus 23

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing chapter twenty - Celebrating Our Relationship with the Sovereign Lord of Time  - covering Leviticus 23:1-44, looking specifically at the second theme for the chapter - Learn the New Covenant Connections God Made.  Here, the commentary builds on the theme discussed yesterday, and explains the connection between the festivals described in Leviticus 23 with Jesus's death on the cross.  It states: "[a]mazingly, God timed the most important events in Jesus' saving work to coincide with festivals He had commanded His people to observe over 1,400 years earlier." 

• Passover: on the same day Israel killed a Passover lamb to celebrate how they were spared God's wrath on Egypt, Jesus died on the cross as John writes, He became "the Lamb of God, who took takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29) 
• Festival of Unleavened Bread: just as God rescued the Israelites from bondage in Egypt, Jesus delivers believers from slavery to sin (John 8:34, 36)
  
• Festival of Firstfruits: just as this festival celebrates the beginning of the harvest, the New Testament describes Jesus' resurrection; see 1 Corinthians 15:20
  
• Festival of Weeks: on the same day in Acts 2, Pentecost results in a harvest three thousand souls who repented of their sins and believed in Jesus - a harvest of souls for the new church
• Festival of trumpets: just as the trumpet sounds the coming of the new year in the Old Testament, the trumpet sounds the coming of Christ in the New Testament - see 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 and the book of Revelation
  
• Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur): Leviticus describes how on the Day of Atonement the sacrifices offered and rituals practiced were different then for other days of the year where sacrifices were offered; with Jesus death on the cross, Jesus became the perfect sacrifice, the mediator of a new and better covenant, and He took our sins away; as the commentary describes "He is our scapegoat; our sin was placed on Him, and He went outside the gate of the city to be crucified as a sacrifice for our sins 
  
• Festival of Booths (Tabernacles - Succoth): just as the Israelites celebrated how God provided for and protected the Israelites as they wandered through the wilderness after escaping Egypt, Jesus never leaves or forsakes us, and He provides and protects us - sealing us for eternity - see Philippians 4:19 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who provides and protects me at all times - thank You Jesus.  I know that through both good and bad times, You will never leave or forsake me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  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.

“Remember these things, Jacob, for you, Israel, are my servant. I have made you, you are my servant; Israel, I will not forget you. I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” Sing for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has done this; shout aloud, you earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the Lord has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel."

 Leviticus 23

“Remember these things, Jacob, for you, Israel, are my servant. I have made you, you are my servant; Israel, I will not forget you. I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” Sing for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has done this; shout aloud, you earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the Lord has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel." Isaiah 44:21-23

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - starting chapter twenty - Celebrating Our Relationship with the Sovereign Lord of Time  - covering Leviticus 23:1-44, looking specifically at the introduction and first theme for the chapter - Look at the Old Covenant Celebrations God Established.  In the introduction, the commentary states that, upon a reading of Leviticus 23, we are to observe and understand how God is sovereign over time, "and He calls us to order our time around Him, and go into His presence to regularly worship Him, thank Him, commit to Him, and seek His forgiveness....God's Word compels us to build all of life around Him and direct all of life to Him"; this includes work, family, free time, good times and bad times - all our time should center around and revolve around Him as we demonstrate spiritual disciplines of worship, prayer, service, and love of God and others.  Looking specifically at the theme for today, the commentary then describes the Old Covenant celebrations found in Leviticus 23:

• Passover v4-5: celebrates how God rescued Israelites infant boys from the final plague sent from God as He demonstrated His wrath against Egypt in preparation for delivering the Israelites from bondage
• Festival of Unleavened Bread v6-8: celebrates how the Israelites rushed out of Egypt and were rescued from bondage and in their hasted could only bring unleavened bread
• Festival of Firstfruits v8-14: celebrates the beginning of the harvest
  
• Festival of Weeks v15: celebrates the harvest
• Festival of trumpets v23-25: celebrates the coming of the new year
• Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)
• Festival of Booths (Tabernacles - Succoth) v33-43: celebrates how Israel survived the wilderness on their journey from Egypt to the promised land (see also Nehemiah 8:14-16)  

The commentary wraps but asking why believers should learn about these festivals.  It states that "[f]irst this information is important because it is in the Bible.  Second, the old covenant festivals are important because of what God did in salvation history during those festivals and how that salvation history relates to us." 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You an amazing God who loves me and who is full of mercy and grace for me - I am not deserving of such grace.  I have sin...daily...of worry and 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.

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.

Leviticus 21-22

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone. Matthew 5:19-20

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - wrapping up chapter nineteen - Holiness and Leadership - covering Leviticus 21-22, looking specifically at the fifth and final theme for the chapter - God Calls Us to Know Him Through His New Covenant in Christ.  Here, the commentary summarizes the key takeaways from Leviticus 21-22.  It starts by stating that "God's commands about [the] worship practices and priests [as described in these books] are helpful since they symbolize the way God relates to His people.  On the other hand, the old covenant sacrificial system and priesthood have been superseded by the new covenant in Jesus....However, the book of Leviticus is valuable because it is doubtful we will understand much of what the New Testament says about Jesus unless we know and understand Leviticus." We are encouraged to review how Jesus fulfills the laws in Leviticus 21-22. 

• Jesus is our high priest: see Hebrews 7 and 1 Timothy 2:5
• Jesus is our perfect sacrifice: see Hebrews 9:26
• We worship through Jesus; how we worship matters; we are to be right with God so we must ask Him for forgiveness of sin before we worship: see Hebrews 10:29 and 13:15 
• Jesus defines holiness - it not elitism as practiced by the Sadducees and Pharisees, but humble submission (including death on the cross!); it is also not externalism and a focus on ritual/ceremonial law, but on heart transformation: see Luke 18:9, John 7:49, Luke 12:48, Matthew 5:19-22, 27-28    

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who is so full of amazing grace for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a God.  My sin continues - 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 you shall not profane my holy name, that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel. I am the Lord who sanctifies you, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the Lord.”....I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Leviticus 21-22

And you shall not profane my holy name, that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel. I am the Lord who sanctifies you, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the Lord.”....I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Leviticus 22:32-33, Romans 12:1

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing with chapter nineteen - Holiness and Leadership - covering Leviticus 21-22, looking specifically at the fourth theme for the chapter - God Calls Us to Present Acceptable Offerings to Him.  Here, the commentary encourages us to examine a very important question - to what extent am I surrendering my life to Christ? It starts by looking at Leviticus 22:17-30, where the Lord is speaking to Moses, and communicating His commands for acceptable offerings.  The command to offer only sacrifices without blemish is described four times in these verses, underscoring God emphasis that God seeks our best.  The commentary states that we are to offer our best because "He is God.  When we recognize His greatness and glory, we give offerings that are great and glorious--the best we have."  This is a challenge for all believers, myself included.  It was certainly a challenge for the Israelites as the commentary points out scripture is replete with examples where the Jewish people in the Old Testament failed to give their best to God.  As just one example, the commentary refers to the book of Malachi, where in Malachi 1:6-14, the Lord responds to those who doubt His love as He questions Israel's love for God as they repeatedly presented "polluted offerings" to God. The commentary writes how, here in Malachi, the Israelites "would not offer second rate gifts to their governor.  They naturally respected their governor, and if they respected God, they would not bring their leftovers to Him as offerings." The commentary recommends a book by Vance Havner, Lord of What's Left, and discourages us from offering only what is leftover in our lives to God - instead we must offer the best of everything we are and every we do to God. It writes: "[t]o profane God's name is to misuse His name, to desecrate His name.  God's name represents His character; it represents God Himself, and desecrating God is a serious sin....Sub-standard sacrifices, second rate offerings, profane God's name.  We give Him the best, the first, and we give Him obedience because He is God."

The commentary refers us to the following scriptures for us to better understand how we are to offer to God only our best - the Old Testament references below describe how "God says that He sent His people into exile to prevent them from further profaning His name."  Paul, then, provides the example in Romans.

• Isaiah 42:24-25, 42:27-28
• Jeremiah 7:30-34, 27:15
• Ezekiel 43:8
• Romans 12:1

 Of course, with Christ, God presented the perfect sacrifice.

Comment and discuss this post here. 

My Prayer:

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

Leviticus 21-22

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:22-27

This afternoon, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - starting chapter nineteen - Holiness and Leadership - covering Leviticus 21-22, looking specifically at the third theme for the chapter - God Calls Us to Represent His Design in Our Marriages.  Here, the commentary calls out Leviticus 21:7-9 and 13-15 as the basis to encourage us to demonstrate holiness within our marriages. While the intent of Leviticus was directed towards the Old Testament priesthood, believers in Christ should see how, in the New Testament, we are called to "represent His design in marriage."  The commentary calls out three scripture examples for us to see this at work:

• 2 Corinthians 6:14: we are to marry those with whom we are "equally yoked"
  
• Ephesians 5:22-25: husbands are to love their wives and wives are to submit to their husbands as the church submits to Christ
  
• 1 Timothy 3:2, 12: leadership in the church must have exemplary marriage

The commentary wraps by stating that "[i]n the old covenant, God held a high standard for the marriages of priests.  In the new covenant, God continues to hold a high standard for the marriages of all followers of Jesus."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who blessed me with a wonderful wife, marriage and family.  I am undeserving.  My sin continues as I often fall down in my role as a both a husband and father - 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.