Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Burning of Nadab and Abihu Leviticus 10

Leviticus 10:1-2 "And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereof, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord."

Outline:
v1 -Nadab and Abihu for offering of strange fire are burnt by fire
v6-Aaron and his sons are forbidden to mourn for them
v8-The priests are forbidden wine when they are to go into the tabernacle
v12-The law of ating the holy things
v16-Aaron's excuse for transgrsing thereof

Chapter 10 is a hard chapter. Why were Nadab and Abihu burnt? The passage tells us "...took either of them his censer and put fire therein, and put incense thereof, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not.

Scofield in his reference Bible mentions the strange fire. He also references Colossians 2:23 "Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship and humility and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh."

The priests job was to keep the fire burning. There was no command here to do as the brothers did. It was something they decided to do on their own. It was self will.

We have seen in previous studies that the worship procedure was set down very specifically.

The rest of the chapter gives the indication that several things had not gone properly. It was now commanded that Aaron and the priest were not to drink wine so that they could instruct the people v11.

Then Moses was looking for the goat of the sin offering and found that it had been burnt v16 and the blood was not brought in within the holy place v18.

Aaron offers his explanation as to why he did not eat the sin offering in the holy place v17 and v19.

His explanation caused Moses to be content v20.

This chapter represents the severe punishment for not following the instructions of the Lord.
Sinful man cannot approach God without the protection of the blood. It is the manifestation that the offering for sin has been made for the sins of the people.

God has made a plan. In the plan of salvation, speakers sometime try to add to or take from the simple details making it dfficult for people to come to he Lord. It is not necessary and is even dangerous.

The Lord wants people to come to Him for salvation. John 3:16

The Spirit of God through the word of God reveals to a person that they have sinned and need the Savior. Romans 5:12

The Spirit points to the Lord Jesus as the one who paid the price for personal sin. Romans 5:1-2

The sinner has but to accept Jesus as their Savior. Romans 6:9-11

Romans 5:1-2 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

Christ is our peace offering.

Christ is our sin offering.

Proverbs 29:1 "He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy."

We live in a time of grace now. There is coming a day when the deeds of men will be judged. The debt of sin will be paid. Those who have accepted Christ have that sin debt paid. Those who do not will face the Judge of the Universe and be found guilty.

Psalm 106:24-25 Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word: But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not untothe voice of the Lord. v26 Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:"

Monday, July 30, 2007

Special Post

I hope you will click on the link that says "A Country Church" and watch the Sunday Evening service for last week. There is a ten year old girl that sings and you will be amazed with her voice range and how well she sings. After you click the link, just go to webcast and choose the Sunday Evening service for Sunday before last.

First Offerings of Aaron Leviticus 9

Leviticus 9:7 "And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar, and offer thy sin offering, and thy burnt offering, and make an atonement for thyself, and for the people: and offer the offering of the people, and make an atonement for them; as the Lord commanded."

We have gone over the commandments to do these things and also the method to do them. Now, in chapter 9, we start with the practice of doing the things commanded.

Outline:
v1-The first offerings of Aaron, for himself and the people
v8-The sin-offering
v12-and the burnt offering for himself
v15-The offerings for the peple
v23-Moses and Aaron bless the people
v24-Fire cometh from the Lord, upon the altar

In spectacular fashion the first offering is made. After all the building and getting everything just right, today is the day.

v6 "And Moses said, This is the thing which the Lord commanded that ye should do: and the glory of the Lord shall appear unto you."

At Mount Sinai it was a fearful time for the people. Moses went in their place to hear the commandments of the Lord. Then, Moses passed them on to the people. They have learned and worked in preparing for this very day, when the glory of the Lord would come down.

v23 "And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregtion, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto ALL the people.

v24 "And there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces."

Remember these are the slaves that were under Eygpt's bondage for 400 years. They have had to basically learn how to honor God as the one true God. They have been in a land of many gods.

This is a glorious time for the young nation Israel. They will falter often as we journey with them. But isn't this a good day.

Proverbs 19:16 "He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die."

Friday, July 27, 2007

What's your question?

We will look for the answer together.

I'll try to find a scripture reference or offer my comments.

Consecration of Aaron Leviticus 8

Outline:
v1 Moses consecrateth Aaron and his sons
v14 Their sin offering
v18 Their burnt offering
v22 The ram of consecrations
v31 The place and time of their consecration

Leviticus 8:12 "And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him."

This verse would be most familiar to us as this tradition, the anointing with oil, is still carried out in many churches. There were other things that took place that day.

Verse 2 tells the inventory of what was to be taken unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation v3.

-Aaron and his sons
-the garments
-the anointing oil
-a bullock for the sin offering
-two rams
-a basket of unleavened bread

also

-gather all the congregation together

Then from verse 6 to 9 Moses dresses Aaron and his sons after washing them with water.

-coat
-girdle
-robe
-ephod
-curious girdle of ephod
-mitre upon his head (the head-dresss of a Jewish priest made of fine linen in the form of an Eastern turban with a gold plate and the words "Holiness to the Lord)

Then Moses took oil and anointed the tabernacle v10 and all that were inside.
Moses sprnkled the altar seven times, anointed the altar and the vessels.
Moses poured oil upon Aaron's head

Next the offerings:

Bullock was for the sin offering.
Blood of bullock put on horns of altar and poured the remainder at the bottom of the altar.
(To make reconciliation)
Everything else was burnt with fire outside the camp.

Ram for burnt offering.
Blood sprinkled on altar and round about.
Ram pieces washed then placed on altar and burnt it

Second ram.
The ram of consecration.
Blood applied to Aaron and sons. v22-24

From the basket
-one unleavened cake
-a cake of oiled bread
-one water

Wave Offering is introduced

v27 'And he put all upon Aaron's hands and upon his sons' hands and waved them for a wave offering before the Lord."

v30 the blood is sprinkled upon Aaron and his sons.

Seven Days in the tabernacle

v33 "And ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation in seven days, until the days of your consecration be at an end..."

To put it in modern terms they remained there 24/7.

As Scofield notes, the priest did not consecrate themselves. It was done by another. In this case, Moses acting in the stead of Jehovah.

Under the new testament there is a different way.

Romans 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, breathren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

I have taken pains in this chapter to break down the events so that you might notice the details and also note how some of these procedures are carried out in our churches today. Terms like anointing and sprinkling.

Ever present in this proceedings is the blood. In the old testament it was the blood of animals offered often. In the new testament it is the blood of Christ offered (and accepted) once for all time.

Hebrews 9:12 "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."

v13-14 Forif the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

The chapter in Hebrews goes on to explain the previous methods and compares them to the new testament.

And so after a lot of study, we are to the point where Aaron and his sons are ready to minister in the tabernacle. There they will prepare and make the various offerings for the people and their sins.

Psalm 63:1-2 "O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary."





Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Law of Various Offerings Leviticus 7

Outline
v1 The law of the trespass offering
v11 and of the peace offerings
v12 whether it be for thanksgiving
v16 or a vow or a freewill offering
v22 The fat,
v26 and the blood, are forbidden
v28 The priests' portion in the peace offerings

We can tell from the outline that a peace offering can be for thanksgiving or vow or freewill offering.

Leviticus 7 23-24 "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or sheep, or of goat. And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it."

v26 "Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings."

v33 "He among the sons of Aaron that offereth the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, shall have the right shoulder for his part."

And so we continue with the law of the offerings. The details are very specific. For those who do not according to the law, there is a stern warning and the warning is given often. v27 "...even that soul shall be cut off from his people."

We should at this point remember what the people said back at Mount Sinai.

Exodus 19:8 "And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord."

Psalm 27:4 "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple."


Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Our Milestone

It has been about a year since I started this Bible study blog, Old Old Story. Sadly, I missed one month without doing a lesson due to illness.

We have made it from Genesis to Leviticus chapter 7. We have seen the creation and man's sin along with the first shedding of blood. The flood came and only Noah and his family survived. Abraham came on the scene and a promise was made to him. Israel went down to Egypt and 400 years passed before Moses was sent to deliver them from slavery. Now we wonder in the wilderness learning the laws of God.

That is quite a journey in a year. We will continue to go chapter by chapter and try to glean something to help us make our journey through life.

Thank you to each one who takes a moment each day or once in a while to stop and honor God's word.

If my words help you learn, then to God be the glory.

Taking Notes

When you study, it helps to take notes on things you want to remember or that you find interesting. Just having to think on something long enough to write it down will help you remember. You may never look at the notes again but you will remember more of what you read.

For example you may want to do a sort of outline when studying about David:

Your subject would be: David

The first entry might be: David's childhood

Under that indented maybe: Shepherd
Next: Anointed to be King
Then: Kills giant

Perhaps: Sings and plays for Saul
Maybe: Flees from Saul

Then: David as King
Next: David's battles

How about: David brings the ark of the covenant back

Next: David's great sin
Maybe: David pays the cost of sin

Then: David retored

There would be so much to write down about David. He had a great friend named Jonathan. He wrote Psalms. He was a man after God's own heart.

Anyway writing down notes such as this in your own format will help you to remember. You can also go back and add to the notes with references and try to figure out at what point in David's life he wrote particular Psalm. I think Psalm 40 was where David got saved but I don't know for sure.

Studying and taking notes may eventually lead you to want to tell other people about what you have studied and what you got from it in the way of right living. Learning to outline and organize your thoughts will greatly help your presentation and help keep you from rambling around and maybe getting off the subject.

Good writing.

Simple Study Hints

For those who are new to Bible study, it might help to know how to find things you vaguely remember or have heard.

A good concordance is indespensable in studying the Bible. The verse I used in the previous study concerning our sin being removed as far as the east is from the west. I could not remember where it was in the Bible so I looked up the word west and found the verse by going through the references presented. Sometimes I may have to look up several verses to find the one I am thinking of.

A good reference Bible is necessary when studying on a particular subject. There are several good ones. I used a Scofield Reference Bible for many years, he also gives some footnotes that you may or may not agree with, which also contain references to other passages. The great part about a reference Bible is that you can start at the front of the Bible and follow a subject all the way through. I've heard good comments about a Thompson Chain Reference Bible too. I'm sure there are many others.

A good commentary can give a lot of help on a subject. This are written by people who have spent their lives studying and comparing scripture. If you draw a blank on a subject, a commentary can get you started on what it means. You can then go to the scriptures to confirm what you have read.

A Bible Dictionary is most helpful. The meaning of words change over time. 'Meat' is a good example. We wouild think that it meant flesh but in the Bible we have learned that it is never flesh but always vegetable. It will also contain the meaning of names. I use The Topical Reference Bible. It is bulky but has a dictionary, concordance, references and two Bibles: one in the traditional format and another broken down by subject i.e. Jesus, family. It is also called Dugan's topical Reference Bible A complete Analytical Study Edition.

Another way to get different angles of study is to listen to good teachers. I listened to Oliver B Greene for years and he still comes on radio. His books go verse by verse. Also, J Vernon Mcgee goes verse by verse and I also listened to him a lot. He provides study guides and there is a link on this website. Both men are dead now but their ministry goes on.

Running references will also make you more familiar with the Bible and you don't have to look up page numbers on Sunday Morning to find the book the preacher says to turn to. That's nice.

That is some of my ideas. One more thing. Reading the Bible can not be stressed enough. Just because you have heard stories over and over does not mean you can't learn something new by reading. Like when Saul was trying to kill David, did you know that one time David went around one side of a hill as Saul went around the other? Or did you know that David cut off Saul's garment and made it very short? Or that before David entered Jerusalem some of his men heard him wish for a drink from a well inside the city and they went and got him a drink? Did you know David poured it out and why?

There are lots of interesting details that you might never learn until you sit down and read the Bible because you want to read it.

I wish you good studying.

Trepass Offering Leviticus 6

Outline:
-v1 The trespass offering for sins done willingly
-v8 the law of the burnt offering
-v14 and of the meat offering
-v19 The offering of the consecration of a priest
-v24 The law of the sin offering

Leviticus 6:4 "Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivere him to keep, or the lost thing which he found, v5 Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering."

Here is a chapter that would really put a crimp in much of today's business and personal dealings.

Not only are we to return that which belongs to another but add 20% interest. Also, a ram without blemish v6 is to be offered as a trespass offering.

Then we go on to an interesting passage. v13 The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.

We know from history that the fire has indeed gone out and has been so for some time. There will be a day when the fire is again burning and the end will be near.

I see a couple of things here. The fire is to burn forever which indicates to me that there is ever a need for forgiveness. It also relates, for me, to the Christian life. Often we let the fire go out and carry the guilt of sin too long without asking forgiveness. Perhaps, we think God could never forgive such a thing as we did. The Bible teaches that we can come to him and confess our sin and not have to look back at it.

Psalm 103:12 "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgresions from us." Ephesians 1:7 "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;"

Then in later verses the burnt offering of meat is discussed. It is to be burnt, v23 "For every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.

In the place where the burnt offering is made, the sin offering is to be killed v25 In the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the Lord: it is most holy. This offering is to be eaten by the priest v26 The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in the holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Exception to eating the sin offering:
v30 "And no sin offering, whereof any of the blood is brought into the tabernacle of the congregation to reconcile withal in the holy place, shall be eaten: it shall be burnt in the fire."

This chapter might get confusing. Just make sure you know which offering the verse is discussing. As I understand it the burnt offering is the peace offering (chapter 3) and other offerings are to be killed in the spot where the burnt offering is made.

That would indicate to me that, as discussed earlier, The Lord provides a way for sinful man to approach Him through the burnt offering (peace) then sin is dealt with through the sin offering.

The blood being ever present, it is often mentioned as to what to do with the blood.

My effort is not to fully explain every verse or what it means. We need to learn the content first, so as we study other parts of the Bible, we can refer back and forth. A good man once said "The Bible is the best commentary on the Bible." First one must know the content to compare scripture with scripture.

Psalm 3:3 "But thou, O Lord, are a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head."

Friday, July 20, 2007

Trespass Offering Leviticus 5

Leviticus 5:19 "It is a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the Lord."

v17 "And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity."

Some would like to seperate the Bible from the law of the land but it would be impossible to do and still have order. I've heard it for as long as I can remember: Ignorance is no excuse when it comes to the law. Neither is it an excuse with the law of God. Sin must still be accounted for.

There is a story in the new testament where there were sellers of doves in the temple and moneychangers which angered Jesus very much and he drove them out.

Matthew 21:12 "And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers and the seats of them that sold doves, v13 And said unto them, it is written My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves."

Here in Leviticus 5 we see that those who could not afford to bring a lamb could bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons v6-7. Then if they could not afford that they could bring a part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering v11.

So, we can see that the less expensive sacrifice used in the place of a lamb was for those who could not afford the lamb. A provision was made for the poor. But in the passage above some were taking advantage of this provision by using it to make money off the poor.

Proverbs 1:10 "My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not."

v16 : "For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood."

Thursday, July 19, 2007

A flower blooms


Sin Offering Leviticus 4

Leviticus 4:1-2 "And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, Speak unto the children of Israel saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them: v3 If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the Lord for a sin offering."

Outline
v1 The sin offering of ignorance
v3 for the priest
v13 for the congregation
v22 for the ruler
v27 for any of the people

This chapter brings me to remember Romans 3:10 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:"

In our outline we see that provision for sin was made for the people, the priest and up to the rulers. None of us can point a finger at another and say 'I am better than you.'

Remember the sermon Jesus preached:

Matthew 7:3 "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"

Jesus was also a carpenter and uses some of the language.

The fact is a provision for sin had to be made for all because all are subject to sin. This chapter also deals with the possibility that someone might sin in ignorance. The law is newly written and so will take some time before all the details are ingrained into their conscienceness. Because of the importance it is no wonder they had passages to wear and post by the door to represent the law they were commanded to obey.

We have been introduced to:
-meat offering which we learned was a vegetable offering
-peace offering which allows the people to approach the Lord even before the
-sin offering is made which is with the shedding of blood

v25 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering."

Hebrews 9:22 "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."

We are now studying the blood sacrifices under the law given by God via Moses to the people of Israel. Remember it is our schoolmaster and so I refer to the new testament where we find not a continuous system of sacrifice for sin but a one time sacrifice of blood by Jesus for sin to all who believe. The road leads from the sin in the garden of Eden to the cross where Jesus died for sin. Along this road we see the people being trained for what was to come. To stop along this road is to not make it to the cross.

v32 And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish."

Here the sin offering is referred to the common people. And a female lamb is brought. Value was placed on animals. I think this may have been to relieve the burden of expense for the common people. You will notice that those more able to bear expense were required to bring a male from their flock. I do not think this places more value on either gender for gender's sake but reflects the reality of the expense of acquiring the animals.

Psalm 40:11 "Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord: let thy loving-kindness and thy truth continually preserve me."

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Peace Offering Leviticus 3

Peace Offering

Leviticus3:6-7 "And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the Lord be of the flock: male or female, he shall offer it without blemish. If he offer a lamb for his offering, then shall he offer it before the Lord."

Outline:
v1 The peace offering of the herd
v6 of the flock
v7 either a lamb
v12 or a goat.

Also notice Leviticus 7:11-12 "And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the Lord. If he offer it for thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil and cakes mingled with oil of fine flour, fried.

So the peace offering is also a thanksgiving offering. The oil represents the Spirit. It is an offering by fire. v16 "And the priest shall burn them upon the altar..." It is an offering with the shedding of blood. v8And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, ad kill it before the tabernacle..."

At the mount the people were not allowed to approach but here at the tabernacle a way is made for the people to approach the holiness of God through the shedding of blood and a peace offering.

Finally the people were to eat no fat nor food with the blood in it. v17 "It shall be a perpetual statute for your generation throughout all your dwellings that ye eat neither fat nor blood."

V16 explains why "...It is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fat is the Lord's."

Christ made peace:

Colossians 1:20 "And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself, by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven."

Christ proclaimed peace:

Ephesians 2:17 "And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh."

Christ is our peace:

Ephesians 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;"

One commentator refers us to chapter 7 verses 31-32 "And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall be Aaron's and his sons. v32 And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for an heave offering of the sacrifices of your peace offerings."

This commentator relates the breast to affection and the shoulder to strength.

So we have talked about the peace offering which can also be a thanksgiving offering. Chapter 3 starts the discussion, chapter 7 gives the details. It is important to note that a sinner coming to Christ is out of peace with God because of the sin that seperates him. The peace offering brings them together so that sin can be dealt with and fellowship established. First though, he needs peace with God. We may come to God because of Christ, our peace offering.

How does a sinner know that he needs to come to God and that his sins need to be forgiven?

There is a touch that comes from God which reveals to each sinner that he needs to seek forgiveness and become a child of God. This gentle touch is from the Holy Spirit. It is an invitation to an individual still in sin to be reconciled to God the Father through Jesus Christ (because of his shed blood). It is like the peace offering, as if God is saying we need to talk about your soul. This touch is an invitation that shows the need and offers the fulfillment of that need.

Think of being invited to a dinner by the president. You cannot know what is in store. You do not know him personally. Yet, he invites you. It is up to you to accept the invitation. You cannot know what is in store unless you accept the invitation and go to meet him. After you accept and attend, you will have a personal knowledge that you may attempt to describe but only those who accept the invitation can truly know just how it was.

So is the personal invitation from the Lord. I can try to explain it and give many examples from the Bible but no one can truly understand the whole joy without a personal one-on-one with the Savior. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:6.


These studies are to teach us the importance of the shedding of blood leading us to the gospel story: the death burial and resurrection of Jesus.

Psalm 122: 6-9 "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good."



Monday, July 16, 2007

Oblation Chapter 2

Leviticus 2:1 "And when any will offer a meat offering unto the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:"

Outline:

v1 The meat offering of flour with oil and incense
v4 either baken in the oven
v5 or on a plate
v7 or in a frying pan
v12 or of the firstfruits in the ear
v13 The salt of the meat offering.

Oblation: an offering to God
Meet: fit, suitable, worthy
Meat: when mentioned in the Bible, never means flesh. The word is used to denote any other kind of food. The meat-offering was always a vegetable offering, a cake made of flour and oil.

As I read this chapter, I was pleased with how it sounded sort of like how we prepare a meal ordered to our liking. Some bread with oil, some corn dried by the fire, some frankincense which seems like putting in a little spice. Several ways to cook it are given. I like the frying pan the best or baked by the fire.

I'm glad I read this chapter.

Psalm 110: 21-22 "But do thou for me, O God the Lord, for thy name's sake; because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me. For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me."

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Leviticus

Here we are in a brand new book of the Bible. It has always been a hard book for me to study. I do not know why that is, perhaps it is because it is not in the same story format as Genesis and Exodus. Let's start with an outline of chapter one.

v1 Burnt offerings
v3 Of the herd
v10 of the flocks
v14 of the fowls

Leviticus 1:1-4 "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. And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him."

I picture the Lord in the tabernacle as a schoolmaster instructing the children of Israel. He is very precise.

This chapter is about the burnt offering. One phrase jumped out at me in v3 "...of his own voluntary will..." The Lord does not force himself on anyone. He understands that man has a sinful nature and here we find a way to atone for that sin and to be clean before God.

Notice the last part of the last verse "...it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord."

Now I'd like to give what I think is the key verse of Leviticus. It is found in chapter 17.
verse 11"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."

I like to think of this passage in Hebrews as a companion verse to the one just above.
Hebrews 9:12,14,15 "For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance."

So, we begin a detailed description of the offerings and sacrifices at the tabernacle. We should keep in mind that these are the first students of this class. All this is so we will understand the sacrifice of Christ when it comes about some time later in our study. It is our schoolmaster as was said very well in the following passage.

Galations 3:24,25 "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

The children of Israel are too many to be kept in line by a family hiearchy. They cannot just yell out the door of the tent and gather them together to tell them the rules of the day, everyday. They are now many thousands, I expect, we could look that up. So, there are laws being given them to live by, they are taught the law and know when they wake up and lay down at night exactly what they are suppose to do. A large part of the law points to the new testament where the law of God is put into believers hearts.

Psalm 119:4 "Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently."

Thursday, July 05, 2007

Cloud of the Lord Exodus 40

Exodus 40:38 "For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys."

Outline
v1 The tabernacle is commanded to be reared
v9 and anointed
v13 Aaron and his sons to be sanctified
v16 Moses performeth all things accordingly
v34 A cloud covereth the tabernacle

v32...So moses fnished the work.

We started many chapters back with the children of Israel coming out of Egypt by a mighty hand. They had been there for about 400 years and knew little but slavery. They are to take posssession of the promised land and become a great nation. First, they must learn a few things.

While Moses was on the mountain getting the commandments from God for the people to live by, they sinned by worshipping an idol. It really angered God as well as Moses. It has been said that God is a God of second chances. I prefer second opportunities. The children received another opportunity to have God in their midst. The tabernacle is His place among the people.

Much work has been done to ready the tabernacle. Precious metals have been donated by the people for the makings. Fine linens with magnificant colors have been used.

Behind the veil in the Most Holy place is the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat where the Lord will meet with the priest. The work is completed.

v34 "Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. v35 And moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle."

God has come down to dwell with his people on their journeys.

Remember Genesis 35:11-12 "And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; And the land which I gave Abraham and Issac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land."

It would be good to remember that since the garden there has been a seperation between God and mankind. The veil in the tabernacle represents that seperation. It is a real seperation at this point. Although the Lord may travel with Israel and meet with the priest behind the veil, there is still that thing between them as demonstrated by the idol worship in previous chapters.

Why are we seperated? It is the two natures. The Lord being without sin and the people having been poisioned with sin since Adam's sin in the garden. The Lord has begun a reconciliation process which the tabernacle represents a part of (or perhaps all). It is a way for the two to come together with the blood of the sacrifices acting as temporary payment for their sin. The veil being a protection for the people so that the righteousness of God does not destory sinful man. Representatively, God does not see their sin and mankind does not see the glory of the Lord.

Along with this protection, the veil is also a seperation, still, even though the Lord is ever so close to them. We will see the veil torn top to bottom in the New Testament when the better sacrifice is offered and a one time blood offering is made for sin.

Luke 23:44 "And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst."

Matthew 27:50-52 "Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose;"

As Paul said, the law is our schoolmaster. It teaches us the will of the Lord. The Old Testament leads up to the New Testament. It helps us understand why Jesus had to die. The tabernacle represents, in a physical sense, the spiritual relationship of the Christian. The priest could enter into the most holy place because of the blood sacrifices, As Christians, we may also enter the most holy place because of the blood of Jesus. He removed the veil between mankind and God. We appear righteous before God because we appear as one whose sin debt has been paid by Christ.

Maybe that is a huge lesson to learn at this point. I stress it because to understand the big picture, we must remember that the events in the Old Testament are preparation for Christ to come. To teach us our need, that the righteousness of a holy God had to be satisfied if we were to be reconciled to God. The Messiah was that sacrifice, the bridge between God and man.

Remember my picture of Israel as a lady with child (the promise of Abraham) travelling toward the promised land. Israel carries the Christ child down through generations to the appropriate time for him to be born. Many attempts are made to stop the lady but all failed.

Isaiah 25:9 "And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation."