Victory in Christ

In this chapter, God commanded Moses and Aaron to take a census. “Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the children of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ house,” (Numbers 4:2) These people were counted and also given responsibilities of service. “According to the commandment of the LORD they were numbered by the hand of Moses, each according to his service and according to his task; thus were they numbered by him, as the LORD commanded Moses.” (Numbers 4:49) Today as children of His we also have responsibilities of service. “This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.” (Titus 3:8) 

Today’s reading: Numbers 4

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Aaron’s four sons were the anointed priests, but he lost two of them. “But Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of Aaron their father.” (Numbers 3:4) The event is also mentioned in Leviticus 10:1-2. In neither place are we told what this “unauthorized fire” was exactly. Some translations call it “strange fire”.  Whatever it was did not agree with God’s commands. He had given very specific instructions for the duties of these priests and the way He wanted to be worshiped. These two men obviously did not follow God’s specific commands. Their deaths are not the typical punishment from God, but we are promised that He will discipline us in the way that we need it. “And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.’ It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” (Hebrews 12:5-7) In all that he went thru, Job still reminded us to be happy when God disciplines us. “Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty.” (Job 5:17)

Today’s reading: Numbers 1-3

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Under the old law the people had very specific commands about how much of their material blessings that they were to return to the Lord. In this section of Scripture we see examples of those tithes. “And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the LORD.” (Leviticus 27:32) We are not under the Old Law anymore, but God still wants us to return a portion of what He has so richly blessed us with. “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7) 

Today’s reading: Leviticus 26-27

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In God’s words to the Isrealites that He sent thru Moses, He wanted to make sure that they knew His feelings toward idol worship. “You shall not make idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 26:1) An idol does not have to be something made as an image or something that is bowed down to. When talking about putting on a new self, Paul told the Colossians to put away certain things. “Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry;” (Colossians 3:5) Paul explains that being covetous is making those material things an idol to be worshiped in the same way idols were worshiped during Moses’ time.

Today’s reading: Leviticus 24-25

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Under the old law punishments could be very severe. “Whoever takes a human life shall surely be put to death. Whoever takes an animal’s life shall make it good, life for life. If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to him, fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him. Whoever kills an animal shall make it good, and whoever kills a person shall be put to death. You shall have the same rule for the sojourner and for the native, for I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 24:17-22) These were laws to be enforced by those in power, but some people had tried to use them as excuses to carry out retaliation for themselves. In His sermon on the mount, Jesus refutes the idea of retaliation. “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” (Matthew 5:38-41) As Christians this is the law that we are to follow today. No matter how bad we may want to get revenge on someone, God tells us to do good toward that enemy and leave the revenging to Him. “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)

Today’s reading: Leviticus 22-23

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God sent thru Moses to His people a command on the attitude they should have toward their neighbor. “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19:18) In Jesus’ sermon on the mount He also tells us to love our neighbor, but He adds a little more. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:43-44) Paul quotes from Proverbs with actions we should take toward those enemies. To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” (Romans 12:20) Showing love toward someone who does not treat us well is not easy, but it shows the heart of a true Christian.

Today’s reading: Leviticus 19-21

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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

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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

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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

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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

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