Give my All

O. T. #267  "Give my All"
April 14, 2014
Leviticus 1-Part 2
He is to wash the inner parts and the legs with water, and the priest is to burn all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering mad by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. 
 Leviticus 1:9  NIV

LET IT GLOW

I recall a time when my country road led me down the mountain and to one of the cities of our state. Before I attended the meeting, I had almost made up my mind to resign my position due to some issues and decisions which I disagreed. However, I realized that the Lord had me there for a purpose and I should fulfill my commitment. I need to give my all in His service, no matter where it is and what it is doing. I am to serve and honor Him. After all, the animals sacrificed were all burnt up.


Failure to keep the moral law exposed the Israelite to punishment and death. The ceremonial law made provision for failure to keep the moral law. It is important to observe that the offerings did not cancel sin, they covered it until such time as the offering of Christ at Calvary could provide true cleansing.  (John Phillips)

We will see throughout the Old Testament that three kinds of Quadrupeds were commanded to be sacrificial:

1. a bull or ox, the cow or heifer, and the calf
2. he-goat, she-goat, and the kid
3. ram, ewe, and lamb (Adam Clarke)

We have previously discussed that these animals had to meet the requirements of God-a male one year old, spotless without blemish; it was a voluntary sacrifice, one on which the owner placed his hands as a symbol of transferring his sin to the animal; its blood was sprinkled upon the altar.

Reading back through this chapter and David Guzik's Commentary, I realized:

• The priest burnt all of the animal on the altar. (verse 9) What happens in Leviticus happens before the LORD, including all the sacrifices made.
• All of the animal, after it was washed, was burnt on the altar.
• It was a sweet aroma before God's throne.
• Nothing was held back when everything was burnt before the LORD on the altar.
• There was an order to the sacrifices God wanted respected. It was not a "do your own thing" matter.

Would our sacrifices given to God change if we understood that we were "doing it before the LORD"?

God looks at our heart as we give. The burnt offering was a reflection upon the heart of the person giving it, sacrificing it.

Is my attitude one of "I surrender all?" Am I holding back?
Are my offerings just anyway that I want or the way God wants me to so I please Him?
How about my service done for Him as an offering? Is it in accordance to His will for my life?

These directions were given so the people would know what was best pleasing in God's sight and thus worshipping Him, they might have confidence that they pleased Him, everything done according to God's own directions. A consciousness of acting according to the revealed will of God gives strong confidence to an upright mind.  (Adam Clarke)

How is our conscience in relation to our sacrifices and offerings to God?

LET IT GROW

Ephesians 5:2 states, And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

In John 1:29 John said as he saw Jesus, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Many verses in the Book of Revelation refers to Jesus as the Lamb of God.

In accordance with chapter 1 of Leviticus, we recognize Jesus as our Sacrificial Lamb without spot or blemish, which was offered unto God for the our sins. Jesus willingly offered Himself.
The only thing we can offer unto Him is our soul to be cleansed by His blood, spiritually speaking. It is the only way we can be acceptable to God. When God sees Jesus' blood covering our sins, we can come before His throne and He will hear our requests. (God cannot look upon sin.)

Are we offering, dedicating our whole body, soul, and substance to our Creator and Savior?

LET IT GO

Glory, honor, and praise be to the Lamb of God who takes away my sins when I ask.

Thank Jesus for completing the sacrificial requirements for me.

Praise Him for His never ending love.

Surrender to do all of His will, His way today.

Share the good news!

Steaks on the Grill

O. T. #267  "Steaks on the Grill"
April 11, 2014
Leviticus 1-Part 1
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 
Ephesians 5:2 KJV


LET IT GLOW

Nothing smells more luscious than a steak on the grill, to me. My mouth waters when I drive by the local steakhouse. I resist the urge to pull into the parking lot of that place and eat what I am smelling.
However, the best steak in the state is cooked by our son on his grill. Those are home grown on the farm. Apparently, the Lord likes the smell of cooking meat. How does He get it? Read on to find out.


The Book of Leviticus starts out describing the five sacrifices/offerings which God accepts:

1. The Whole Burnt offering
2. The Meal offering
3. The Peace offering
4. The Sin offering
5. The Trespass offering.

The first three offerings mentioned are sweet savor offerings (1:1-3:17).The last two listed above are the non-sweet savor offerings (4:1-6:7). (Falwell)


LET IT GROW

The Whole Burnt Offering

Requirements for the animal include:

• a male
• without blemish (perfect inside and outside)
• a voluntarily offered
• owner put his hand on the animal's head, transferring his sin and guilt to the animal)
• its blood was collected and sprinkled on the Brazen Altar by the priest
• it was skinned and burnt completely on the altar
• it was offered by fire, as a sweet smelling savor, fragrance. (verse 9)

Sweet smelling savor pictures Christ in all His perfections offering Himself entirely to God in our place. Christ's death was voluntary (John 10:17-18) and was powerful enough to save sinners completely. (Heb. 7:25) the requirements were the same for all the animals. However, the bullock was the most expensive. Turtledoves and pigeons were acceptable offerings from the poorer people. God is no respecter of persons (Rom. 2:11).  (Falwell)

Do we give our best in our offerings? Do we daily offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to God for His glory and use? In Romans 12:1-2, Paul tells to do so.

Just as priests were to maintain a "continual burnt offering" (6:12-13), so we are to be constantly dedicated to the Lord for His glory.  (Wiersbe)

A continually burning fire on the altar was a sign of a continual atonement and a sign of Israel's devotion to God.

2 Corinthians 2:15 and Ephesians 5:2 explain our challenge.

LET IT GO

Offer myself unto Christ as an offering.

Be sweet today.

Walk in love as Christ love us.

Repetition

O. T. #265  "Repetition"
April 10, 2014
Introduction to Leviticus
And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying...  Leviticus 1:1 KJV

LET IT GLOW

(Yeah! My computer is fixed and I am back full speed ahead. Maybe things can get back to normal around here. Thank you Jesus for your blessings! Please bless the guys who fixed it.)

One thing I learned as a teacher, repetition is how the children would learn and retain new skills. We would repeat the addition and subtraction facts in order for them to remember them, whether on paper or orally. So I think the best way for us to get an important point that God wants us to learn is to repeat the words, phrases, or lesson. It is this way in the Book of Leviticus.

Who wrote Leviticus?
Moses wrote the first five books of the Old Testament.

The fact that God gave these laws to Moses appears 56 times in Leviticus' 27 chapters. (MacArthur)

When did it take place?
The Exodus of Israel happened in 1445 B. C. and the tabernacle was finished one year later. Leviticus picks up the record at that point, probably in the first month of the second year after the Exodus.  (MacArthur)

What happened?
Leviticus begins with God calling Moses from the tabernacle and ends with God's commands to Moses in the form of binding legislation. Chapters 1-16 explain how to have personal access to God through appropriate worship, while chapters 17-27 detail how to be spiritual acceptable to God through an obedient walk. (MacArthur)

God dwelled in the Holy of Holies, where the Mercy Seat on the Ark of the Covenant was located, inside the Tabernacle. While in the midst of His people, this is where God abode. Verse 1 says that God spoke to Moses from there with some instructions.

From this sacred tent God is said to have spoken audibly with Moses and may indicate God's coming in a human form to communicate with Moses as He explains in Numbers 12:8 indicates. (Falwell)

So was God in the human form of Jesus  as He spoke to Moses? Good question. That's one we can ask Moses, but it sounds like that was how it happened, to me, that is. You can form your own opinion.

More important is, are we listening when God speaks to us?


LET IT GROW


Words repeated in Leviticus:

• holy or holiness-more than 80 times
• blood-88 times
• atonement (to cover)-45 times
• it shall be forgiven-10 times
• I am the LORD your God-23 times.  (Wiersbe)

Was God trying to get the point across to them and us? How important were the sacrifices for the peoples' sins? As important as eternity, for the blood of the animal meant they did not have to pay for their sins. The blood covered their sins, spiritually, because God cannot look upon sin. Jesus came to fulfill this law. His blood sacrifice covers our sins and makes us righteous in God's eyes, if we have asked Him to be our Savior. Have you, friend?


Israel's King (Jesus) had occupied His palace ( the Tabernacle), instituted His law, and declared Himself a covenant partner with His subjects. No geographical movement occurs in this book. The themes are the holy character of God and the will of God for Israel's holiness, mankind's sinfulness, and sacrifices. (MacArthur)

Do we recognize that God is holy? Do I seek God's will for our life? Are we ready, intending to do it when we know His will? Find it and do it.

Is the LORD your God?


LET IT GO

Pay attention to repeated words in God's Word.

Thank God that He provided a way for me to come to Him-His Son Jesus Christ.

Be grateful for Jesus taking my place, being my atonement, in payment for my sins.

Share this good news!

Outlaw or Inlaw

O. T. #264 "Outlaw or Inlaw"
Exodus Summary
April 9, 2014
The LORD is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation: He is my God, and I will prepare Him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt Him.  Exodus 15:2

Sometimes, it is good to look back over my life. I do that every now and then. Am I accomplishing my goals? Am I walking closer to God than last year? What trials have I come through? Is my faith growing, stagnate, dead or alive?
One year for our family reunion, we had the theme "Outlaws and Inlaws". We even made wanted posters with each of the family member's picture on it, known as the outlaw, but not their spouse, the inlaw. Since I married into the family, I was considered an inlaw. So I thought, in God's family, am I an outlaw or an inlaw? I am an inlaw-one of His children. Enough said. I don't know what that has to do with this lesson, just thought I'd throw that in. But let's go back and review the latter part of Exodus.

According to Wiersbe, the symbolism found in Exodus includes:

• Moses as a picture of Jesus Christ. Moses became a prophet, priest, servant, shepherd, mediator, and deliverer.
• Egypt is a type of world system.
• Pharoah is a type of Satan, "god of this world"
• Israel is the picture of the church, delivered from the world
• Crossing of the Red Sea pictures the resurrection 
• Manna is a symbol of Christ as the Bread of Life
• Amalek refers to the flesh, opposing believers in pilgrim journey
• Passover pictures the death of Christ, His shed blood for our sins, the Lamb of God.

The nation of Israel grew from 70 men to 603,550 men, aged 20 and up, with a total of 2 million which departed Egypt. God had kept His promise to Abraham.

Chapters 19-24: Covenant and Ten commandments; feasts, Sabbaths

Chapters 25-31: Tabernacle plans and priesthood established

Chapters 32-35: Apostasy of Israel and Moses' intercession

Chapter 35-40: Tabernacle built and dedicated.

Lesson I have learned from the book of Exodus:

• Faith and obedience please God.
• God is my Savior and Redeemer.
• He keeps His promises.
• He wants to meet my needs, as Provider.
• God wants to indwell me.
• He will act on my behalf as my Protector.
• He is merciful, gracious, forgiving, and loving.
• God's ways are the best ways.
• He won't accept second place in my life, only first place.
• God listens when I talk to Him.
• Trust God; wait upon Him.

Although Israel kept sinning, God warned them of the consequences, He still forgave them. Of course, we have an advantage of being able to look forward, past the time in Exodus. The Israelites kept going in cycles, sinning, repenting, punished, obeying. don't we seem to be stuck in that same cycle, too?

LET IT GO

Walk by faith, not by sight.

Obey the Word of God and His Spirit.

Keep Jesus first in my life.

Remember, God keeps His promises.

Exodus Summary

O. T. #263  "Summary of Exodus"
April 8, 2014
Exodus Summary

Moses is not dead at the end of Exodus. In face, the rest of the Pentateuch, first five books of the Old Testament, were written by him. Leviticus tells about the offerings and the laws for the Israelites to observe. Numbers tells of Israel's travels in the wilderness through the final year of Moses' life, the fortieth year after the Exodus; about Israel's relationship with the LORD; instructions for life in the new land; the change of leadership, and Moses' death.

The Temple was actually not constructed until 480 years after Israel exited Egypt, and was by Solomon.

Summary of Exodus

Chapter 1: Bondage in Egypt for Israel
Chapter 2-4: Moses' birth, homicide, flight, marriage, call by God at the burning bush
Chapter 5-7: Meeting Pharoah
Chapter 7-12: Passover and ten plagues
Chapter 12-15: The Exodus
chapter 15-18 Journey to Mt. Sinai


LET IT GO

Review my life and give God the glory.
Remember my life has a purpose. Seek it and do it.

His Presence

O. T. #262  "His Presence"
April 7, 2014
Exodus 40-Part 2
Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.   Exodus 40:34

LET IT GLOW

Moses finished the work and blessed it. the priest, Aaron and his sons, and Moses washed their hands and feet. Moses set up the curtain door. all was ready for the sacrificial system to begin.

Did it please God?
As a visible testimony of God's acceptance of their work-God's pillar cloud covered the tent of the congregation and His glory...filled the Tabernacle. the pillar of cloud was the visible indication of God's presence among His people. The glory was a bright resplendence of light difficult to look upon (Ex. 24:17; Ezk. 1:28)

God had kept His promise (33:14) and was certainly dwelling among His people. (verse 35)

No matter how expensive the Tabernacle was, with out the presence of God it was just another tent. The glory not resided in the Tabernacle, but it guided the Israelites on their pilgrim journey. When we speak of the shekina glory of God, we are referring to God's dwelling in the Tabernacle or temple. the Hebrew word, transliterated shekinah means dwelling of God, from the Hebrew word shakan whcih means to dwell.   (Wiersbe)

The glory and majesty of God is so great that the greatest and best men are unable to stand before Him. God is Light: our God is a consuming Fire. The Tabernacle was filled with these. Just as the burning bush wasn't consumed, so the curtains wee not consumed with this fire. yet so dazzling was the light, and so dreadful was the fire, that Moses was not aable to enter into the Tent of the congregation, at the door he was attending to, until the splendor and glory of the Lord retire within the veil. (verse 35)  Matthew Henry)


LET IT GROW

But what Moses could not do, in that he was weak through the flesh, our Lord Jesus has done, whom God caused to draw near and approach, and wh, as the Forerunner, is for us entered and has invited us to come boldly even to the Mercy-Seat. (Heb. 9:24; John 1:14)
Jesus is the true Tabernacle, filled with the glory of God. His Holy Spirit indwells us, believers, saved by His grace. We are to present our body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto god (Rom 12:1).


LET IT GO

Bow before the Lord Jesus as I pray.

Praise Him in all His holiness and glory.

Thank Him for His presence.

Movin' In

O. T. #261  "Movin' In"
April 4, 2014
Exodus 40-Part 1

LET IT GLOW

I can't count the number of times we have moved in the past 41 years on my fingers and toes. It was always an exciting time to move. However, in the past 16 years, we have moved twice. Oh, the stuff and junk we accumulate. I always feel at home whenever I get the kitchen settled in, everything put away and in its place. Movin' in can be a chore, but the excitement of a new house, new neighborhood, etc., what can compare? and so it was, I think, with the Israelites and Moses as they completed the making and building all that God wanted in the Tabernacle. Don't you think they took what would have been a chore and turned it into an exciting event? I do.

Can you believe we are in the last chapter of Exodus? Did you know it took us over 7 months to get here? What a long journey it must have been in the hot, dry desert. Do you recall that it had been a year since they left Egypt? Her it is 14 days prior to the Passover, and the Tabernacle was erected. Some had spent 6 months working on the furniture, curtains, and priests' garments. Now it was time to set up the tent and move it all in.

What did the movin' in involve?

• The frame, support, whatever it was called, and the curtains for the walls and door had to be put up in place, with the inner and outer courts established as directed by God, the Masterbuilder.
• The Holy Place was in the west and the courtyard entrance to the east. Pagan religions worshiped the sun god. All entered the courtyard and Israel's priests turned their backs to the rising sun as they came in to sacrifice and worship.(MacArthur)
• The Ark of the Testimony was specifically covered with a veil (verse 3). It was placed in the Holy of Holies room.
• Other furniture was placed inside (verse 3-5).

Moses was the chief overseer of building of the Tabernacle, since God gave him the blueprints and details.

With 22,000 Levites, (Num. 3:21-39) to help with the final erection, it was no doubt accomplished in less than a day. (verses 16-33)  (Falwell)

With everything in its proper place, Moses then anointed the structure and its contents and set it apart for the Lord. His final act of dedication was the consecration of Aaron and the priests (verses 13-16), which was followed by their presenting the sacrifices to the Lord (Lev. 8-9).  (Wiersbe)


LET IT GROW

Moses put the water in the Laver, bread on the Table of Showbread, oil in the Lamps before the Lord (verse 25). He lit the lamps before the Lord.

Moses, Aaron, and his sons (priests) washed their hands and feet. They washed whenever they entered the Tent of Meeting or approached the alter. (verse 32)

Then Moses hung up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. Moses had finished the work. (verse 33)

Do we wash, body and soul, before entering our place of sacrifice and worship? Jesus blood does that when we repent, confessing our sins, asking for forgiveness. (1 John 1:9)


LET IT GO

Watch my attitude.

Love Jesus and serve Him daily.