Discipline / Correction, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Father / Yahweh, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Holy, Justice / Judgment, Miracles, Obeying God, Seeking God, Through Prophets, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

His Way… Not Our Own

Imagine the scene at hand. God has just manifested Himself to the congregation of Israelites. The holy ceremony to launch the priesthood was just completed. People were still celebrating. All had been carefully done how the Lord commanded.

Then two of the priests just seem to completely disregard all that God said about how to approach Him and serve Him. Nadab and Abihu take their own utensils instead of those set aside to be holy and used at the temple. They offered incense together where God said only one at a time should do so. They encroached on the function of the high priest, who alone was to offer burnt incense. They offered incense at the wrong time, neither part of the morning or evening sacrifice. They seemed unable to even honor God for a little while but rather immediately launched into disobedience after having been invited to serve in high honor as priest.

This was more than a simple mistake, they disregarded almost all that had just been instructed. They insisted on doing their own thing. Disobedience has serious consequences with the Lord, especially for those who have been set aside to be holy and know better.

Leviticus 10:1-7

The Sin of Nadab and Abihu

      1Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. 2And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.

3Then Moses said to Aaron, “It is what the LORD spoke, saying,
‘By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy,
And before all the people I will be honored.’”
So Aaron, therefore, kept silent.

      4Moses called also to Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel, and said to them, “Come forward, carry your relatives away from the front of the sanctuary to the outside of the camp.” 5So they came forward and carried them still in their tunics to the outside of the camp, as Moses had said. 6Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, so that you will not die and that He will not become wrathful against all the congregation. But your kinsmen, the whole house of Israel, shall bewail the burning which the LORD has brought about. 7“You shall not even go out from the doorway of the tent of meeting, or you will die; for the LORD’S anointing oil is upon you.” So they did according to the word of Moses.

Disobedience is serious business once God has made clear to us what we ought to do and how we ought to do it. More so for those who have been selected to be set aside for His purposes and have seen His very presence in the camp among them.

Seek genuinely to learn the ways of the Lord and obey. Let go of doing things your own way and pursue His way and you will do well in the presence of the Lord.

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Bitterness / Resentment, Controlling Thoughts, Grace / Patience, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Peace / Rest, Righteous, Self Control, Slow to Anger

Christ Is Our Example

No one has been treated more unfairly than Jesus Christ. He committed no sin and yet suffered greatly for our sin. While he was reviled, He did not revile in return. He demonstrated no bitterness or resentment despite terribly unfair treatment.  He is our example. We do well to follow His example.

1 Peter 2:21-25

Christ Is Our Example

      21For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

The storms and difficulties will come for all of us. We have to prepare for how we deal with them. Do we become bitter and resentful or do we trust in God and lean on Him in faith as difficult times come. One way is the path based on sin and selfishness and leads to misery and frustration. The other way is the way of faith and leads to peace and joy. Let us strive to live our lives in the way our Lord, Jesus demonstrated by how He lived His life.

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Fear / Reverence for God, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Guide, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Holy, Holy / Set Apart, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Obeying God, Offering Sacrifices, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Sin, Study the Word, Thankfulness, Through Prophets

The Glory of the Lord Revealed

Leviticus 9 offers us an interesting view into the steps Moses instructed Aaron to follow in preparation for Jehovah revealing His glory to Aaron. What an interesting topic to study for those of us who wish to draw near to God and have a personal relationship with Him. (warning – I have more to learn in regards to the full significance of the Levitical sacrifices… by all means study these for yourself)

Aaron was to make a sin offering and a burnt offering for himself. The sin offering reminds us we need forgiveness and atonement for our sin, which separates us from God. Prior to the death of Christ, animal sacrifices symbolically took on the punishment for our sin. Now, we need instead to accept Jesus as Lord and accept His offer of His own death as ransom for our sin. The burnt offering symbolizes atonement for sin and our voluntary dedication (of ourselves) to the Father. Then he led the congregation in a similar set of sacrifices for their atonement and dedication.

He added a peace offering for the congregation, symbolizing fellowship, rejoicing and thanksgiving with the Lord. In all these things, they obeyed the specific instructions of the Lord. They did things His way. It was then that He revealed His glory before them.

Leviticus 9

Aaron Offers Sacrifices

      1Now it came about on the eighth day that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel; 2and he said to Aaron, “Take for yourself a calf, a bull, for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without defect, and offer them before the LORD. 3“Then to the sons of Israel you shall speak, saying, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both one year old, without defect, for a burnt offering, 4and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD, and a grain offering mixed with oil; for today the LORD will appear to you.’” 5So they took what Moses had commanded to the front of the tent of meeting, and the whole congregation came near and stood before the LORD. 6Moses said, “This is the thing which the LORD has commanded you to do, that the glory of the LORD may appear to you.” 7Moses then said to Aaron, “Come near to the altar and offer your sin offering and your burnt offering, that you may make atonement for yourself and for the people; then make the offering for the people, that you may make atonement for them, just as the LORD has commanded.”

      8So Aaron came near to the altar and slaughtered the calf of the sin offering which was for himself. 9Aaron’s sons presented the blood to him; and he dipped his finger in the blood and put some on the horns of the altar, and poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. 10The fat and the kidneys and the lobe of the liver of the sin offering, he then offered up in smoke on the altar just as the LORD had commanded Moses. 11The flesh and the skin, however, he burned with fire outside the camp.

      12Then he slaughtered the burnt offering; and Aaron’s sons handed the blood to him and he sprinkled it around on the altar. 13They handed the burnt offering to him in pieces, with the head, and he offered them up in smoke on the altar. 14He also washed the entrails and the legs, and offered them up in smoke with the burnt offering on the altar.

      15Then he presented the people’s offering, and took the goat of the sin offering which was for the people, and slaughtered it and offered it for sin, like the first. 16He also presented the burnt offering, and offered it according to the ordinance. 17Next he presented the grain offering, and filled his hand with some of it and offered it up in smoke on the altar, besides the burnt offering of the morning.

      18Then he slaughtered the ox and the ram, the sacrifice of peace offerings which was for the people; and Aaron’s sons handed the blood to him and he sprinkled it around on the altar. 19As for the portions of fat from the ox and from the ram, the fat tail, and the fat covering, and the kidneys and the lobe of the liver, 20they now placed the portions of fat on the breasts; and he offered them up in smoke on the altar. 21But the breasts and the right thigh Aaron presented as a wave offering before the LORD, just as Moses had commanded.

      22Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them, and he stepped down after making the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings. 23Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting. When they came out and blessed the people, the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. 24Then fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

Take time to reflect on the significance of what God chose to reveal to us as His people in Leviticus 9. Do not rush over it because “sacrifices are obsolete”. Prayerfully consider the following if you wish to draw near to God and experience close fellowship with Him.

  • Do you learn and obey His ways rather than your own or what is accepted by our culture?
  • Have you accepted that you have a sin problem which separates you from the Father? Have you further come humbly before the Lord and asked Jesus to be Lord of your life… accepting His offer to pay to penalty for your sin? Have you repented from your sin and changed your ways?
  • Have you dedicated yourself to the service of the Father? This means your life reflects obedience to Him and setting yourself apart from the world to be holy and used for His purposes.
  • Do you come before the Father in thanksgiving and praise? Do you set aside time to fellowship with Him on His terms rather than your own?

Now consider that none of these things are one time decisions or actions. They are a new way of living once you are reborn in the Spirit. Pray for His help and then lead your heart in the way of the Lord.  Do these things wholeheartedly and He will draw near to you and reveal more of Himself to you.

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Father / Yahweh, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Holy, Holy / Set Apart, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Obeying God

To Be Holy and Set Apart for the Father

To set apart your life and purpose to the service of Jehovah is a big deal. All followers are called to do this … to lay down their wants and desires and sinful temptations and to instead follow the ways of Christ. Less of us, more of Him.

John 3:30

30“He must increase, but I must decrease.

In Leviticus, we see how significant an event it was for Aaron and his sons to be consecrated in order to serve Jehovah. The Father was very detailed in the steps to be carried out. There is rich symbolism we can explore, but there are two areas in particular I want to highlight that we can all apply in our lives today.

Those set aside for the service of the Father were anything but a secret. Their consecration was not subtle. They assembled the congregation of believers. Their dedication to the Father was public, no matter what others may think about it. Second… count how many times in this scripture we are told that the instructions of Jehovah were obeyed. I count at least six times. If we are to be holy and set apart for God, we must be obedient.

Leviticus 8

The Consecration of Aaron and His Sons

      1Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments and the anointing oil and the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams and the basket of unleavened bread, 3and assemble all the congregation at the doorway of the tent of meeting.” 4So Moses did just as the LORD commanded him. When the congregation was assembled at the doorway of the tent of meeting, 5Moses said to the congregation, “This is the thing which the LORD has commanded to do.”

      6Then Moses had Aaron and his sons come near and washed them with water. 7He put the tunic on him and girded him with the sash, and clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him; and he girded him with the artistic band of the ephod, with which he tied it to him. 8He then placed the breastpiece on him, and in the breastpiece he put the Urim and the Thummim. 9He also placed the turban on his head, and on the turban, at its front, he placed the golden plate, the holy crown, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

      10Moses then took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them. 11He sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, to consecrate them. 12Then he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him, to consecrate him. 13Next Moses had Aaron’s sons come near and clothed them with tunics, and girded them with sashes and bound caps on them, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

      14Then he brought the bull of the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering. 15Next Moses slaughtered it and took the blood and with his finger put some of it around on the horns of the altar, and purified the altar. Then he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar and consecrated it, to make atonement for it. 16He also took all the fat that was on the entrails and the lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat; and Moses offered it up in smoke on the altar. 17But the bull and its hide and its flesh and its refuse he burned in the fire outside the camp, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

      18Then he presented the ram of the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 19Moses slaughtered it and sprinkled the blood around on the altar. 20When he had cut the ram into its pieces, Moses offered up the head and the pieces and the suet in smoke. 21After he had washed the entrails and the legs with water, Moses offered up the whole ram in smoke on the altar. It was a burnt offering for a soothing aroma; it was an offering by fire to the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

      22Then he presented the second ram, the ram of ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 23Moses slaughtered it and 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. 24He also had Aaron’s sons come near; and Moses put some of the blood on the lobe of their right ear, and on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot. Moses then sprinkled the rest of the blood around on the altar. 25He took the fat, and the fat tail, and all the fat that was on the entrails, and the lobe of the liver and the two kidneys and their fat and the right thigh. 26From the basket of unleavened bread that was before the LORD, he took one unleavened cake and one cake of bread mixed with oil and one wafer, and placed them on the portions of fat and on the right thigh. 27He then put all these on the hands of Aaron and on the hands of his sons and presented them as a wave offering before the LORD. 28Then Moses took them from their hands and offered them up in smoke on the altar with the burnt offering. They were an ordination offering for a soothing aroma; it was an offering by fire to the LORD. 29Moses also took the breast and presented it for a wave offering before the LORD; it was Moses’ portion of the ram of ordination, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

      30So Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood which was on the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron, on his garments, on his sons, and on the garments of his sons with him; and he consecrated Aaron, his garments, and his sons, and the garments of his sons with him.

      31Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons, “Boil the flesh at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and eat it there together with the bread which is in the basket of the ordination offering, just as I commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons shall eat it.’ 32“The remainder of the flesh and of the bread you shall burn in the fire. 33“You shall not go outside the doorway of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the day that the period of your ordination is fulfilled; for he will ordain you through seven days. 34“The LORD has commanded to do as has been done this day, to make atonement on your behalf. 35“At the doorway of the tent of meeting, moreover, you shall remain day and night for seven days and keep the charge of the LORD, so that you will not die, for so I have been commanded.” 36Thus Aaron and his sons did all the things which the LORD had commanded through Moses.

Each of us as followers of Christ should not be shy about our dedication to the Lord. It should be public and obvious as part of our lives rather than a secret. Obedience is a must, even if we don’t always understand why He asks us to do something or do it a certain way. To be holy is to be set apart to live our lives according to His purposes and ways rather than our own or those of the world.

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Eternal, Faith / Trusting God, Father / Yahweh, Fear / Reverence for God, Guide, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Hope, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Peace / Rest, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

It’s Not About Us or the Physical Things Around Us… It’s About Him

Each of us who choose to follow Jesus as Lord, must submit our lives and ministry to the Father as He did. Let our witness not be about ourselves, but rather let it be about Him. We are imperfect and perishable. He is perfect and eternal.  When we submit to Him we seek to be transformed by the Holy Spirit so that we are no longer of the world but rather reborn in the spirit.

2 Corinthians 4

Paul’s Apostolic Ministry

      1Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, 2but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

      7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12So death works in us, but life in you.

      13But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, 14knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. 15For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.

      16Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Put not your trust in your own health of body and mind, but only in Jehovah Himself.  As we share the gospel, let us not make the focal point to be about us or our ministry or our witness.  Do not anchor your faith in the things of this physical world we live in for it is only temporary. It is only the things which are not seen which are eternal. Let our lives bear witness of Christ by leading others to Him.

All Knowing, Controlling Thoughts, Father / Yahweh, Fear / Reverence for God, Free Will, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Self Control

Thoughts and Motivations Matter

It is not only our actions that matter, but our thoughts and motivations as well. Jehovah always knows our intentions. We can not, and should not hide them from Him. We should just be open and honest with Him and ask for help where we need it. He cannot be fooled as people can.

Hebrews 4:12-13

12For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

Our Father wants our heart, soul, mind and strength. That is why He gave us free will instead of just forcing us to do everything His way as if we were robots to be programmed. Will you give yourself to Him fully?

Mark 12:28-30

   28One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” 29Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; 30AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Prayer

Jehovah Calls Us To Pray

God has a lot to say about prayer in the Bible. It is a very important 2-way communication between God and His people. He wants to hear from us and wants us to hear from Him. God also wants us to selflessly pray for others, not just for ourselves.

These are just a few of many scriptures where God tells us about prayer.  Prayer Matters.

1 Timothy 2:1 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.

Ephesians 6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

Philippians 4:6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done

Matthew 26:39 [Jesus] went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

To study more about learning to pray, review our teaching, Learning To Pray Effectively.

As individuals within a global Christian community we can ask our brothers and sisters in Christ to pray for us. To submit a prayer request, go to our Submit Prayer Request page.

We at Hearing From Jesus will pray for you when we receive these prayer requests. We also invite other members of our community to visit our site Pray for Others page and pray for the needs listed there.

We are all in different places in our prayer life with the Father. Some of us may still not even set aside time each day to talk with Him. Others are strong and consistent prayer warriors. For those that are inconsistent in your prayer life, find an accountability partner and commit to praying at least 5-10 minutes each day at first. You can grow the time you spend with the Father from there over time.

For those of you in the body of Christ that have a calling to pray for others… the prayer warriors among us… pray not only for yourself but also for all believers everywhere. Pray for teachers and leaders of the faith to preach boldly as they ought to. Pray for local and regional and national leaders to turn toward God. Pray for revival or for the spread of the gospel to new places and people.

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Offering Sacrifices, Study the Word, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Atonement for Sin, Thanksgiving, and Supplication Before God Are Not Outdated

Burnt offerings, grain offerings, sin offerings, guilt offerings, ordination offerings and peace offerings… it can be overwhelming for those of us who grew up without studying these to comprehend all the details and symbolism. On a small scale, it truly mirrors learning the full gospel of Yeshua… none who are new to it can master all of it all at once. We start with the basics and continue to build on that with more Bible study and prayer. With time, help from others who know more than we do, and revelation from the Holy Spirit, we can grow closer and closer to our Lord and Creator, more fully understanding all that He has for us.

Burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings represent atonement for sin. Grain offerings were a freewill offering to our Creator. Ordination offerings were part of ordination process for priests. Peace offerings could be associated with recognizing fulfillment of a vow, a fellowship meal with Jehovah and with other believers, supplication and thanksgiving. These concepts are not “outdated”. They are relevant still today.

Each of these had specific instructions which the Lord laid out for His people to follow. While we no longer need to conduct these formal offerings now that Jesus has become the sacrifice for our sins, we can still learn about God’s relationship with His people by studying these offerings.

We are to come humbly before God as individuals and congregations or communities… asking forgiveness for and repenting from our sin. Our sin is ugly. It is not ok. A price must be paid. We must come before our Father on His terms rather than our own.

God invites us to bring freewill offerings just in thanks or recognition of Him as our Creator and Lord. While it may not be an animal or grain, perhaps today it would be the choice to serve others in His name… to help them even when perhaps we don’t feel like it. We offer our time and talent and our praise to Him.

Of course He also wants us to come humbly before Him in thanksgiving and supplication. Let us take time in all these situations to seek to honor our Creator.

Leviticus 7

The Priest’s Part in the Offerings

      1‘Now this is the law of the guilt offering; it is most holy. 2‘In the place where they slay the burnt offering they are to slay the guilt offering, and he shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. 3‘Then he shall offer from it all its fat: the fat tail and the fat that covers the entrails, 4and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the lobe on the liver he shall remove with the kidneys. 5‘The priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as an offering by fire to the LORD; it is a guilt offering. 6‘Every male among the priests may eat of it. It shall be eaten in a holy place; it is most holy. 7‘The guilt offering is like the sin offering, there is one law for them; the priest who makes atonement with it shall have it. 8‘Also the priest who presents any man’s burnt offering, that priest shall have for himself the skin of the burnt offering which he has presented. 9‘Likewise, every grain offering that is baked in the oven and everything prepared in a pan or on a griddle shall belong to the priest who presents it. 10‘Every grain offering, mixed with oil or dry, shall belong to all the sons of Aaron, to all alike.

      11‘Now this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings which shall be presented to the LORD. 12‘If he offers it by way of thanksgiving, then along with the sacrifice of thanksgiving he shall offer unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, and cakes of well stirred fine flour mixed with oil. 13‘With the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving, he shall present his offering with cakes of leavened bread. 14‘Of this he shall present one of every offering as a contribution to the LORD; it shall belong to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the peace offerings.

      15‘Now as for the flesh of the sacrifice of his thanksgiving peace offerings, it shall be eaten on the day of his offering; he shall not leave any of it over until morning. 16‘But if the sacrifice of his offering is a votive or a freewill offering, it shall be eaten on the day that he offers his sacrifice, and on the next day what is left of it may be eaten; 17but what is left over from the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burned with fire. 18‘So if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings should ever be eaten on the third day, he who offers it will not be accepted, and it will not be reckoned to his benefit. It shall be an offensive thing, and the person who eats of it will bear his own iniquity.

      19‘Also the flesh that touches anything unclean shall not be eaten; it shall be burned with fire. As for other flesh, anyone who is clean may eat such flesh. 20‘But the person who eats the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings which belong to the LORD, in his uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from his people. 21‘When anyone touches anything unclean, whether human uncleanness, or an unclean animal, or any unclean detestable thing, and eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings which belong to the LORD, that person shall be cut off from his people.’”

      22Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 23“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘You shall not eat any fat from an ox, a sheep or a goat. 24‘Also the fat of an animal which dies and the fat of an animal torn by beasts may be put to any other use, but you must certainly not eat it. 25‘For whoever eats the fat of the animal from which an offering by fire is offered to the LORD, even the person who eats shall be cut off from his people. 26‘You are not to eat any blood, either of bird or animal, in any of your dwellings. 27‘Any person who eats any blood, even that person shall be cut off from his people.’”

      28Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 29“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘He who offers the sacrifice of his peace offerings to the LORD shall bring his offering to the LORD from the sacrifice of his peace offerings. 30‘His own hands are to bring offerings by fire to the LORD. He shall bring the fat with the breast, that the breast may be presented as a wave offering before the LORD. 31‘The priest shall offer up the fat in smoke on the altar, but the breast shall belong to Aaron and his sons. 32‘You shall give the right thigh to the priest as a contribution from the sacrifices of your peace offerings. 33‘The one among the sons of Aaron who offers the blood of the peace offerings and the fat, the right thigh shall be his as his portion. 34‘For I have taken the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution from the sons of Israel from the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons as their due forever from the sons of Israel.

      35‘This is that which is consecrated to Aaron and that which is consecrated to his sons from the offerings by fire to the LORD, in that day when he presented them to serve as priests to the LORD. 36‘These the LORD had commanded to be given them from the sons of Israel in the day that He anointed them. It is their due forever throughout their generations.’”

      37This is the law of the burnt offering, the grain offering and the sin offering and the guilt offering and the ordination offering and the sacrifice of peace offerings, 38which the LORD commanded Moses at Mount Sinai in the day that He commanded the sons of Israel to present their offerings to the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai.

Let us remember to come before God humbly in repentance asking forgiveness for our sin, in thanksgiving for our blessings, and in supplication as we ask for His help and presence in our lives. Let us come before Him on His terms rather than our own. Make the Lord a focal point and a “main thing” in your life. Praise Him! Serve Him through obedience to His word.

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

False Prophets / Teachers, Heaven and Hell, Sin

We Must Judge What is Good and What is Evil

All too often people misuse the scripture as almost a common cliché… “do not judge”. They speak as if we are to take everything at face value without using the reason and logic that our Father has given us to judge and discern what is true and good from what is evil and wrong.

We must judge what is good and what is evil. We must use the standard Jehovah provides… which is written in the scriptures. If we fail to do so, there are dire consequences with eternal impact in heaven or hell.

2 Peter 2

The Rise of False Prophets

      1But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

      4For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; 5and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; 7and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men 8(for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), 9then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, 10and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority.

      Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, 11whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord. 12But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, 13suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, 14having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children; 15forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16but he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet.

      17These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. 18For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, 19promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 20For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. 22It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

Don’t keep returning to your sin as a dog to its vomit or sow to wallowing in the mire. Judge carefully what is true and what is false using the Bible as your guide. It requires prayer, study and consistent dedication to grow in our knowledge and relationship with the Lord and His ways. Reject those who would teach false doctrine in order to accept and defend remaining in sin, contrary to God’s written word. Remember, they will not always be obvious to you at first. Some will appear righteous, as leaders of well attended churches. They will preach the gospel, but some of it will be true and some will be false. They will avoid preaching the full gospel, and even just be avoiding preaching on part of the gospel they will lead many astray. Further, to help one another, we should appropriately engage and rebuke other believers and followers of Christ to help them so they do not get led astray and out of right relationship with God by false teachers and prophets.

We do not show true compassion on one another by ignoring each others sin and confusion on what is right and what is not. Would it be compassionate to see someone taking a nap in the street and not rebuke them that it is wrong and dangerous? So, too, it is not compassionate to see our fellow believers departing from the right way and following false prophets and teachers into sin and not engage them in discussion and prayer together to help them remain on the right path. Of course, how we engage, discuss, and rebuke makes a big difference on our effectiveness… so take care in your approach. It is not our responsibility to force someone to change, but rather to engage them with the truth and let God do the rest. Ultimately, we each need to pick our own path… whether it leads to God, or away from Him.

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Discerning / Judging, Offering Sacrifices, Seeking God, Study the Word

Learning to Dig for Gold

After spending a few days focused on Leviticus 6, I am convinced I need to set aside some time and go for a deeper dive into the meaning behind the details recorded here for my personal growth in relationship with God. I will not likely be able to capture and share it here in short daily articles.  There is a humorous song I have heard from which a verse goes something like this, “The Bible is a gold mine, now where is your pick and shovel.”

The level of detail included in the text may be overwhelming to those of us who are trying to make sense of all of it without the benefit of living in that culture and time. Fortunately there are great resources available online. You will surprise yourself if you try a simple internet search for something like “compare burnt offering to sin offering Leviticus”. Of course you have to take some time to discern which explanations  appear reasonable and which are “missing the mark”.

Leviticus 6:24-30

      24Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 25“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the sin offering: in the place where the burnt offering is slain the sin offering shall be slain before the LORD; it is most holy. 26‘The priest who offers it for sin shall eat it. It shall be eaten in a holy place, in the court of the tent of meeting. 27‘Anyone who touches its flesh will become consecrated; and when any of its blood splashes on a garment, in a holy place you shall wash what was splashed on. 28‘Also the earthenware vessel in which it was boiled shall be broken; and if it was boiled in a bronze vessel, then it shall be scoured and rinsed in water. 29‘Every male among the priests may eat of it; it is most holy. 30‘But no sin offering of which any of the blood is brought into the tent of meeting to make atonement in the holy place shall be eaten; it shall be burned with fire.

Take a few minutes to find your favorite search engine and do a search like the one I listed above. Scan through a few listed explanations and materials. It is amazing what is available on the internet, but we must still be prepared to dig through it to make sure we find real gold and not just accept the rock someone hands us. There are many wonderful resources and many that will lead you astray. The challenge I lay out… most of us already do this kind of research all the time. We may be buying a washer or dryer or oven or car. We get online and search. We review and discern truth from lies in advertising. We do this in deciding what foods are healthy to eat and which are not.

Doesn’t it make sense to put the same time and energy into seeking the truth of God’s word and applying it to our lives? The implications of developing this study habit focused on our relationship with God will last a whole lot longer than your next car.

What more can you find to help you get deeper understanding from today’s scripture?

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

Sharing God's word through devotionals and other resources. Helping you study the Bible and apply it to your life. Helping young children to enjoy the Bible at our Kid Zone.