Feb 15 - Holiness - Leviticus 20-21

"You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine." (Leviticus 20:26)

The process of developing holiness. God said to Israel, “Be holy, because I am holy” (Lev. 11:44–45). Because God wants us to become like him, it is necessary that his people be a special kind of people, holy men and women. The basic idea in sanctification is “being set apart for God”; those thus set apart live in a way that is pleasing to God. They have no power of their own to do that, but God enables them (2 Cor. 3:17–18). Sanctification is not an option. God requires it of all his people (1 Thess. 4:3).

References:
The Shaw Pocket Bible Handbook, Walter A. Elwell, Editor, (Harold Shaw Publ., Wheaton , IL; 1984), pp. 357-358

Feb 14 - Obedience - Leviticus 18-19

In chapters 18–20 we pass from the worship of the people to their behaviour. Chapter 18 prohibits unlawful marriage, unchastity, and Molech worship; but the last is dealt with more fully in 20:2–5.

The first reason Israel should not indulge in what God has prohibited was because they “shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes. ” (18:3) A Christian should not live as a non Christian. He must remember that in Christ, he is a new creation, he has been given a new life.

The second reason for obedience is simply because of God’s authority. “I am the Lord your God...You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules;” (18:5) He has the right to reward obedience and punish disobedience. “if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.” True life is given by obedience to the word of God, for there is no goodness apart from Him.

Disobedience brings about punishment. “For everyone who does any of these abominations, the persons who do them shall be cut off from among their people. So keep my charge never to practice any of these abominable customs that were practiced before you, and never to make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God.” (18:29-30)

Some people ask why is God so cruel command extermination of the Canaanites. Here the reason is clear, not because God is evil, but because of the sinfulness of the Canaanites themselves. “Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean, and the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.” (18:24-25)

Thanks and praise be to Christ, who bore this punishment on himself that we would not be punished. And which upon the most important reason of gratitude why we obey God, because we love Him. For He is, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. And you shall observe all my statutes and all my rules, and do them: I am the Lord.” (19:36-37)

Feb 12 - Anew - Leviticus 14

What is the significance of the fact that the leper had to be healed before he was cleansed from the defilement of his leprosy?

The significance was that the leper now possessed a new life. The sick, old, decaying, disease, SIN laden body has been cleansed, put to death and a new healthy life been given.

"Jesus answered him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.'" (John 3:3)

"For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation."
(Gal. 6:15)

Feb 10 - Strange Fire - Leviticus 10-12

The sad story of Nadab and Abihu presenting unauthorized fire to God shocks us to the spine every time we read it. We should never forget that we are to fear our Lord who is a consuming fire. In this age where God is pictured just a loving grandfather who will forgive you no matter how you live, we must return to scripture what our right knowledge of God is. A God of loving kindness, yet a just God whom we should be in awe.

What happened? Why did God act like this? How does the examples Nadab and Abihu remind us that we are to live before God?

Lastly, if you were Aaron, would you fall into despair and grip your fist in anger towards God? Note how this passage portrays the touching story of Aaron’s full acceptance of God’s verdict on his own sons.

Feb 9 - An Atonement on our Behalf - Leviticus 7-9

The directions for the ceremony of consecrating the tent of meeting, the altar and the priests were given in Exodus 28 and 29. “I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests.” (Exod. 29:44) Leviticus 8 gives an account of it.

In the sacrifice of the ram of ordination (i.e., of dedication to special service), the blood of the ram was put on the lobe of the right ear, on the thumb of the right hand and on the big toe on the right feet. It symbolize the atonement of our sin that the ram died on our behalf. With the death of the ram, we were brought from the punishment of death into a redeemed life. We are given a new life. Should we present this new life to the bondage of sin all over again?

“Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.” Rom. 6:13.

Keeping a Close Watch

"Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers." (1 Tim 4:16)

The balance of life and doctrine is the key to spiritual success. Doctrine has everything to do with life, because what we believe about God determines how we live. The more we know God and his workings, the more we will love him, and the better we will serve him. Do you love Him know? Will you love him less if you learn more of Him and His Word? The greed need of people today is to know more of God - to know more about doctrine. Doctrine is the most practical thing in life.

A godly lifestyle has everything to do with maintaining doctrine because if we do not live according to what we know of God and His word, we will either disbelieve or will attempt to change his word.

Are you keeping a close watch on your life? How is your speech? How is your love? Your faith, your purity? It is biblical or is it secularized? Do you really believe what you say you believe?

A true Christian life works out its own salvation (Philippians 2:12). They save themselves and then save their hearers. How is your life? How is your doctrine?

Feb 8 - The Sin and Guilt Offerings - Leviticus 4-6; Matt 24:29-51

In Lev 1-3, we are introduced to the burnt, meal and peace offerings. Now in Lev 4-6, we have the sin and guilt offerings. But distinguishes between them?

“If anyone sins unintentionally in any of the Lord's commandments...If the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally...When a leader sins, doing unintentionally any one of all the things that by the commandments of the Lord his God ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt,” (4:2,13,22)

Unintentional sin is the distinguishing factor. Oh how often we sin unintentionally. But before we despair, God provides divinely a rescue, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.” (Lev 17:11)

Reflect on what was done with the body and with the blood of the sacrifice in the sin offering (4:6, 7, 11, 12). They remind us of God’s intense hatred of sin and its fearful consequence on those whom pay the price of sin.

Lastly, the sin and guilt offerings have much in common, but the sin offering was an atonement for man’s guilt towards God, whereas the guilt offering was an atonement for man’s guilt especially to man, thus the restitution needed to the offended.

Lt. General William K. Harrison

"...train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." (1 Timothy 4:7-8)

Lt. General William K. Harrison was the most decorated soldier in the 30th Infantry division, rated by General Eisenhower as the number one infantry division in WWII. He was the first American to enter Belgium during that war, which he did as the head of the Allied forces. He received every decoration for valor except the Medal of Honor, being honored with the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, the Bronze star for Valor and the Purple Heart. In the Korean war, because of his character and calm self control, he was President Eisenhower's choice to head the long and tedious negotiations to end the war.

General Harrison led a busy and ultra-kinetic life. But he was also an amazing man of the Word. When he was a twenty year old West Point cadet, he began reading the Old Testament through once and the New Testament four times annually. He did this until the end of his life. Even in the thick of war, he maintained his commitment by catching up during the two and three day rests that followed battles so that when the war ended, he was right on schedule. When at the age of ninety, his failing eyesight no longer permitted this discipline, he had read the Old Testament seventy times and the New Testament 280 times! No wonder his godliness and wisdom were proverbial. It is no surprise that the Lord used him for eighteen fruitful years to lead the Officers Christian Fellowship (OCF).

His story reminds us that it is possible even for the busiest of us, to systematically train ourselves in God's Word. Every area of his life and each of the great problems he faced was informed by the Scriptures. People marveled at his godliness and his ability to bring the Word's light to every area of life.

The call to disciplines ourselves in the Word for godliness is not a call to legalism. Discipline sounds much like legalism. But such thinking is mistaken. Legalism is self-centered, but discipline is God centered. The legalistic heart says, "I will do this thing to gain merit with God." The disciplined heart says, "I will do this thing because I love God and want to please Him."

We must for the right reasons train ourselves in God's Word - train ourselves to listen to its preaching, take notes, check cross-references, read the bible regularly, exercise the discipline of reading Christian books, listening while commuting or exercise and so on. True godliness will make us better employees and employers, better spouses, and better members of Christ's body.

References:
R. Kent Hughes and Bryan Chapell, 1-2 Timothy and Titus

Feb 7 - A Living Sacrifice - Leviticus 1-3; Matt 24

In Leviticus, God is now dwelling in the midst of his people, and gives them directions concerning their worship of him and their communion with him. Notice how throughout this book God is the speaker, through Moses.

We should note three outstanding features of the burnt offering mentioned here.

Firstly, the offerings are to be without blemish (1:3,10). We are to offer our best to God. He give His best to us, shouldn’t we give our best to Him? Our best youth, best time, best fruits, best wealth, best energy, to Him. Any other object that receives our best is our idol.

Secondly, the offerings are to be completely burned. All of it, burned. Christianity is not a religion tucked into one corner in our time schedules (most often Sundays). All our lives are lived for the glory and in the presence of our Lord.

Thirdly, the person making the burnt offering has his sins atoned for him (1:4) and as a result, he is accepted before God like a “pleasing aroma before the Lord” (1:9,13,17). Thank God for our atoning lamb, Jesus Christ, that we are accepted before the Lord. Now, in view of such grace, how should we live? Reflect on Romans 12:1-2.

Feb 6 - The Ultimate Tabernacle - Exodus 39-40; Matt 23:23-39

Picturing the tabernacle and its furniture as described in Exodus 39, we can only praise and thank God that all of these are fulfilled in Christ Jesus.

"8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing 9 (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10 but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption." (Heb. 9:8–12.)

Note the phrase that occurs repeatedly in this passage concerning the making of the tabernacle “as the Lord had commanded Moses”. In today’s world where we have rock concert style worships, ‘fire-filled’ tongue blabbering, can we afford to continue worship and service to God according to our own rules and desires? Have we lost the fear and the love of our God in them?

Feb 5 - Types of the Tabernacle - Exodus 37-38; Matt 22

The tabernacle signified both God’s approach to man and also man’s way of drawing near to God. In view of this, what is the significance of the table of shewbread? “As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.” (John 6:57)

The candlestick or lampstand? Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

And the altar of incense? “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

Feb 4 - From One Degree to Another - Exodus 34-36; Matt 22:23-46

Moses had seen the glory of the Lord in the cloud. He had communed with God as he received His commandments. Yet, Moses yearned for a fuller knowledge of the Lord. God had said that He knew Moses by name; Moses likewise wanted to know God by name in a full and personal encounter.

In Exodus 34 God fully answered Moses’ request fulfilling the promise in 33:19. Though God could not permit Moses to see the full glory of His face, but He would allow him to see His back. God covered Moses in the crevice of a rock while His glory passed by. He proclaimed His name afresh to Moses: the "I AM" God, who would be gracious to whom He would be gracious and sovereignly merciful. He is eternally the God who is "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14)

The response of such a revelation of glory is strict obedience to God (34:11). “Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land; Do not make any idols. The first offspring of every womb belongs to me, including all the firstborn males of your livestock, whether from herd or flock. No one is to appear before me empty-handed.” (34:14,15,17,19,20)

What was the consequence which God has warned? “Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you.” (34:12) Isn't this a reminder for us today,  not to go down the path of constant pain in daily living, marriage and all other areas of life?

As a result of his communion with God the skin of Moses’ face shone. In the case of us Christians now, we should be reminded that “we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor 3:18)

Feb 3 - Tragically - Exodus 31-33

When at last Moses began descending from Sinai, he held in his hands the tablets of stone on which God had returned the words of His law. Yet, the weight of God's law in his hands was less than a weight he carried on his heart. God had given Moses a final command: to go down to a people who had already turned away from the covenant they had so solemnly affirmed. They were not to make an idol (Ex 20:4). But they had already made a golden calf, worshiped it and sacrificed it.

When Moses saw the licentious orgy at the foot of the Mountain, it was too much for him. He flung down the tablets of God's law shattering them. When Moses called out for those who were for the Lord, only the Levites, Moses' own tribe rallied to him. Moses commissioned them to execute God's sentence on the rebels and about three thousand died as the Levites carried out their grim task.

What future remained for Israel? If the people completed violated God's covenant at the very foot of the mountain where God was speaking, what point was there in continuing the covenant relation? Moses pleaded with God not to blot Israel out of the book of life but to blot out his name instead. Centuries later, the apostle Paul reflected the same plea of Moses, that "For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. " (Romans 9:3-4)

Many people today want of religion where they do not lose all contact with God, but prefer that their relations with HIm be handled by a professional. Left a clergyman do the praying. It is well to have God available at no great distance. We might need His help, in a counseling center perhaps. But to have God at the center of our lives - that is decidedly too close. His presence would be most inconvenient for some of our business deals, our entertainment, or our grabbing a little of the gusto that the TV commercials advertise. Is this true of us?

If it were us thousands of years ago at the foot Sinai, would we have fared even better? How are we faring now?

Feb 2 - The High Priest - Exodus 29-30

In the instruction concerning the consecration of the priests, we distinguish the various parts of the ceremony: the cleansing (1-4), the robing (5-6), the anointing (7-9), and for rest of the chapter, the sacrifices. Reflect on our High Priest who stands out in marked contrast to Aaron.

"For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever."
(Heb. 7:26–28)

In verses 38–46, note the significance of the daily burnt offering morning and evening. Shouldn't this remind us ourselves that we are to come into prayer, praising, confessing, giving thanks, supplicating, to our Lord in the morning and evenings?

Feb 1 - From Top to Toe - Exodus 27-28;

Each of the high priest's garments has its own significance. The coat of pure linen (28:39) indicates the high priest as a righteousness man; the blue robe (31-35) as a heavenly man; the mitre with its golden plate (36-38) as a holy man. Reflect how in all these the ways how the priestly garments reflected the ultimate high priest.

Secondly, what can we learn from this chapter concerning the way in which to draw near to God on behalf of others? We learn that the high priest bears the judgment of his people upon when he comes before the Lord. "Thus Aaron shall bear the judgment of the people of Israel on his heart before the Lord regularly." (28:30)

Such a drawing near before a perfectly holy God is something intensely fearful.
"And it shall be on Aaron when he ministers, and its sound shall be heard when he goes into the Holy Place before the Lord, and when he comes out, so that he does not die." (28:35)

How must we be clad, and what ought we to be concerned to do? We must be clad in utter and complete holiness "lest they bear guilt and die. This shall be a statute forever for him and for his offspring after him." (43)

As believers under the new covenant, how grateful are we that we are covered by the precious blood of Christ that we come before God in confident access!