Victory in Christ

Blood helps keep our bodies living and it can also keep our souls as well.  Under the old law God gave power to the blood of animal sacrifices.  “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” (Leviticus 17:11)  The power of animal sacrifice was just temporary and could not come close to the power of the one Sacrifice that was for us all.  “For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” (Hebrews 9:13)  There was nothing on this earth that was perfect enough to be that sacrifice, only the perfect Son of God had that power.  “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” (1 Peter 1:18-19)  “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)

Today’s reading: Leviticus 16-18

God gave very specific instructions on how to handle a leprous person.  Some of those detailed instructions are recorded in this section of Leviticus.  Leprosy is a terrible disease and back then it was usually fatal, but Jesus was able to heal an infected person by just touching him or her.  “And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.”  Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.”  And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.” (Mark 1:40-42)  God provided a method for cleansing a leprous person then and He provides for us today a method for cleansing a sinful person.  “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:” (Colossians 1:13-14)

Today’s reading: Leviticus 14-15

Our Heavenly Father wants and deserves our worship of Him.  “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28-29)  As this passage says, we are to offer to Him “acceptable worship” which implies that worship not done according to His will would be unacceptable and in vain.  In the same sentence the Hebrew writer calls God a “consuming fire” which is a description also found in Deuteronomy.  “For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” (Deuteronomy 4:24)  God showed that He fit this description when two of Aaron’s sons did something that He had not commanded.  “Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them.  And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.” (Leviticus 10:1-2)  God has commanded us how to worship Him.  We must follow these commands and as Jesus told us, we must follow them while having the proper heart and mind.  “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)

Today’s reading: Leviticus 11-13

During the times that this passage is written about, God’s commands for His people came thru Moses.  “And Moses said to the congregation, “This is the thing that the LORD has commanded to be done.” (Leviticus 8:5)  Why would the people want to do “the thing” that God had commanded?  Jesus tells us what that motivation should be for us.  “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” (John 14:21)  As Paul was closing out his first letter to the people at Corinth he gave them a similar recommendation.  “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.  Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14)  In the great chapter of love, 1 Corinthians 13, Paul goes even further and says that anything we do is without value if it is not done with that proper motivation.  “If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:3)

Today’s reading: Leviticus 8-10

As we read of continued details of the sacrifices that God required under the old law, it was said that if done correctly the sacrifice was a “sweet savour” or some translations say “pleasing aroma” to God.  “And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the LORD; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.” (Leviticus 4:31)  A much more powerful sacrifice was made for us so that thankfully we are not required to follow the old law.  That one time sacrifice had the power to remit all sins and was also said to be sweet to God.  “Therefore be followers of God, as dear children.  And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, and has given Himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor.” (Ephesians 5:1-2)

Today’s reading: Leviticus 5-7

Moses brought to the Israelites very specific commands from God on how they were to offer sacrifices.  “And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.  If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.” (Leviticus 1:1-3)  The instructions continued on with many different types of sacrifices that they were to offer.  That included burnt offerings, meat offerings, peace offerings, and sin offerings.  Even if they sacrificed exactly as God commanded, there were limits to their benefits.  “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” (Hebrews 10:4)  Only our Savior Jesus Christ could be that perfect sacrifice that has power to save us from our sins. What a wonderful blessing that is for us today!

Today’s reading: Leviticus 1-4

During Moses’ life he was able to get the true most powerful Word directly from the Source. “Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:” (Exodus 40:1) We are still able to get the true most powerful Word from the Source just in a different format. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) 

Today’s reading: Exodus 39-40

God gave Moses very specific instructions on building the tabernacle and everything related to it.  Moses shared those instructions with the Israelites and they completed the work.  “According to all that the LORD had commanded Moses, so the people of Israel had done all the work.  And Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it; as the LORD had commanded, so had they done it. Then Moses blessed them.” (Exodus 39:42-43)  These verses tell us they did ALL the work as it was commanded and they were blessed.  They knew the importance of following every detail of this project and not leaving out or changing anything.  God has given us the Bible as an instruction manual for our life.  He wants us to follow every detail of His Word to live a life serving Him. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭17‬)

Today’s reading: Exodus 36-38

Moses shared with the people words from God to build His tabernacle.  “Take from among you a contribution to the LORD. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze;” (Exodus 35:5)  And the list of things for them to bring continues on in the next few verses.  Their contributions were to be done with “a generous heart” and it seems like that is just what they had.  “And they received from Moses all the contribution that the people of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning, so that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing, and said to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the LORD has commanded us to do.” So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more.” (Exodus 36:3-7)  Just like with the Israelites, God wants us to cheerfully give back to Him a portion of what He has blessed us with.  “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Today’s reading: Exodus 33-35

After Moses had been up on the mountain for a while, the people got impatient.  They wanted Aaron to build them a god.  He obliged and built them a golden calf from jewelry that they brought to him.  We are told that Aaron told them to bring him this gold and also that he was the one who carved the calf. (vs. 2-4)  When Moses came down from the mountain and questioned his older brother about it, the story was a little different.  “And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.  For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’  So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.” (Exodus 32:22-24)  Aaron placed the blame on the people for making him do it and then claimed the calf just happened to come out of the fire.  This was a man who had been left in charge of the people, but gave into their desires after just a few days.  It takes strength to stand up for the truth when one is in the minority, but our desire should be to please God and not the majority.  “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” (Col 3:23-24)

Today’s reading: Exodus 30-32