Warts and All

O. T. #280  "Warts and All"
May 1, 2014
Leviticus 13
And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying, when a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy: then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests. 
 Leviticus 13:1-2

LET IT GLOW

What woman likes to have spots? I'm talking about those ugly brown age spots, those icky warts, pimples, or even red spots from the heat or sun. I think I can safely say none of us do. I recently have a wart return again, on the same finger, mind you. It went away for a while. What an ugly thing! Guess I will have to wrap electrical tape around it for a week or two. (old remedy that works) Did you know that warts are caused by a virus? Oh, you got to love me, warts and all.
Some Israelites had something worse than a small virus on their finger, it was white spots on their face and limbs called leprosy. Don't leave me now. There was hope for them.

In chapters 13 and 14, we read about leprosy, which pictures sin. Also, they illustrate what Jesus Christ has done to cleanse sinners. Leprosy was and is a disease in which white patches appeared on the skin, with runny sores, that could result in the loss of fingers and toes. If any Israelites thought they had leprosy, they were required be examined by the priest.

How does leprosy picture sin?
Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the Old Testament explains more:

• It is deeper than the skin. (verse 3) Leprosy was under the skin and had erupted the skin's surface. Our sin problem is not on the surface, but is in the heart, with the old sin nature surfacing.
• It spreads. (verse 7) Leprosy is not an isolated sore on one part of the body; it had a way of spreading and defiling the whole body. Sin also spreads: it begins as a thought, then follows a desire, then an act, then the terrible results (James 1:13-15).
• It defiles. (verses 44-46) Lepers were not allowed to participate in the religious services, due to ceremonial defilement. they were forced to mark themselves and cry out "Unclean!" to warn people. Anyone who touched a leper was also defiled. Similarly, sin defiles the mind, heart, the body, and all that it touches.
• It isolates. (verse 46) Lepers were forced to live outside the camp, dwelling alone. Sin isolates people. Sin takes us away from family, friends, and ultimately, from God.
• It destines things for the fire. (verse 52) Garments defiled with leprosy had to be burned. There is one place for sin, that is in the fires of judgment. spiritual lepers will be consigned to the eternal fires of judgment if they have never trusted Christ as their Savior.

LET IT GROW

People may laugh at sin, excuse it, or try to explain it away, but God takes sin seriously.
We are not alone when it comes to being a sinner. To name a couple, David committed adultery and then murder (2 Sam. 11). Achan brought sin into the camp and judgment upon his family and nation when he disobeyed God's command to not take any of the spoils from the battle at Ai (Joshua 7).

Isaiah 64:6 tells us, But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags...

We have all fallen short of God's standards. (Rom. 3:23) But we have hope, dear ones. It was us sinners that Jesus came to die for. He met the standards which God required for payment of our sins since we could not do, because our righteousness is as filthy rags. We are sinners in need of a Savior.

Such love that God has for us! Will you accept this free gift of salvation and eternal life? It is by grace that we are saved through faith, and that not of ourselves; it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8)

*Next post describes the cleansing of the sinner and leper.

LET IT GO

Admit I am a sinner.

Believe Jesus died in my place.

Confess my sins and a need for a Savior.

Keep confessing, even after I am saved.

Just by Faith

O. T. #279  "Just by Faith"
April 30, 2014
Leviticus 12-Part 1
The just shall live by faith.  Hebrews 10:38

LET IT GLOW

What are we living by-the rules and regulations of the law or by faith? The Old Testament saints and prophets did not have the Word of God as we have, they only had the Mosaic Law and the Ten Commandments by which to live. Even with that, they failed to keep them and sinned. Therefore, God provided a way for their sins to be covered and be right with Him. Today, we have Jesus, the one who justifies us. It is our faith in Him that God sees, His righteousness, His blood that cleanses our soul from sin. Have you trusted in this One? It is just by faith, friend.

We learned about the ceremonial laws regulating the Israelites' diet in chapter 11. Now in chapter 12, we read about the ceremonial laws regulating the delivery of children.

Did you know that uncleanness is related to the mother's after birth, not the child? Also, did you know that mothers were unclean twice as long (80 days) after the birth of a daughter as a son (40 days)? It reflected the stigma on women for Eve's part in the Fall. This stigma is removed in Christ.
(John MacArthur)

On the eighth day, the Jewish baby boy was to be circumcised. Circumcision was the sign of the Abrahamic covenant (Gen. 17:9-14). This was done for cleanliness purposes and to prevent diseases back then. Also, it was the part of the covenant which Abraham and his descendants were to keep (verse 10).

Things to think about.

LET IT GROW

(Abraham) being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised (a son through Sarah). This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." (Romans 4:21-22,NIV)
He (Jesus) was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (Romans 4:25, NIV)

In Romans 3:29, Paul asks, Is God the God of Jews only? I he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.

So we Gentiles are justified by faith, faith in Jesus Christ.
The just shall live by faith. (Hebrews 10:38)

After the days of purification had passed, the mother was to make a burnt offering and sin offering unto the Lord.

The sin offering spoke of the sin nature with its original guilt and depravity being remembered and atoned for.  (Falwell)
 
Did you notice that when a woman that was poor was allowed to substitute a young pigeon or turtledove for the lamb. (verse 8) Such was the case of Mary and Joseph when they presented Jesus in the Temple on His forty-first day (Luke 2:22-24). The wise men arrived later with the gold after Joseph had secured a "house" (Matt. 2:11). Jesus may have been as old as two years.
(Thought I'd throw that in.)



LET IT GO

Live by faith.

Share my faith in Jesus with others.

Regulations

O. T. #278  "Regulations"
April 29, 2014
Leviticus 11-Part 2
For I am the LORD God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  Leviticus 11:44

LET IT GLOW

When people look at me, they might judge me as different. The reason is that I wear long dresses or skirts to worship services. I think the Lord deserves our best, and that includes looking like a lady. Also, I have let my hear grow out. It is down to my waist now. Few women turning 60 do that. I hope to get it cut soon and give it to an organization which makes wigs for cancer victims. So please don't judge me as strange without knowing my reasoning. My nails or hair aren't painted in various bright colors, nor do I wear a ring in my nose, nor do I have tattoos. Now that is what I consider weird.
In America, we are free to dress and look like we desire. the Israelites had restrictions, regulations by which they were to live. Read on.

The Israelites would be tempted to follow the filthy customs of their pagan neighbors. The basis of these laws was centered around the holiness of God. Verse 44 is the key verse of the Book of Leviticus.
God identifies Himself as the LORD, stands for Jehovah (Jewish national name of God), means Self-Existent or Eternal.
What is God telling His people?

• sanctify yourselves (sanctify means to be clean, purify);
• be holy, for God is holy (holy refers to be sacred ceremonially or morally);
• do not defile themselves with creeping things (defile is to be foul, contaminated, polluted, be or make unclean)

The last two verses summarize the basic idea of the chapter. God desires our conduct to exhibit His nature, because we are His children.  (Falwell)

Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the Old Testament explains this:

Moses gives three motives for purity on the part of the Jewish nation. They would motivate them to obey the Lord and refrain from defilement.

1. God is a holy God. It is mentioned 9 times in this book, and is quoted in 1 Peter 1:15-16. These dietary laws reminded the Jews to be a separated people, a holy people. If we are God's people, then it's logical that we live holy lives.

2. God redeemed us for Himself. The Jews were a redeemed people. they were rescued by His grace and power, otherwise they would still be slaves in Egypt. The Exodus is a picture of the redemption we have in Jesus Christ, for He is the Passover Lamb. If we are redeemed, then we ought to live holy lives to please the God who set us free.

3.God wants His people to be different. They were a special people to the Lord and were supposed to be different from the nations around them. Today, believing Jews and Gentiles are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal. 3:26-29)

Are we living as a holy people?
Have you been set free from the price of sin?
Can others see that we are different by our words, actions, and looks?


LET IT GROW

God's people are to be set apart unto Him. We can now disregard all of these regulations because Christ nailed them to His cross. (Falwell)

Colossians 2:14 says, Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross.

The hand written document consisting of ordinances, was wiped away, erased, cancelled. The bond here is the instrument of condemnation, the certification of debt, the indictment drawn up against a prisoner, and a signed confession of indebtedness.
These ordinances had a valid claim against us, and we could not meet the claim. Our bond was once for all removed when Jesus was nailed on the cross. (2 Cor. 5:21). In the East, a bond is cancelled by nailing it to the post. Our bond of guilt was nailed to His cross. (Falwell)

1 Timothy 4:4-5 states, For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

The foods mentioned previously in this chapter and yesterday's post are those which have been declared all right to eat by Christians.

We should be encouraged to be a holy people, a grateful people, and a people set apart from the world  as we observe the Lord's Supper. The question is, are we?

LET IT GO

Treat God as being a Holy God.

Live a holy life, and wholly unto the Lord.

Be different from the world in my attitudes, words, and ways.

Share His redemption with others.

Thank the Lord for setting me free from all those laws and regulations.

O. T. #277  "Diets can be Good"
April 28, 2014 
Leviticus 11-Part 1
The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."  Acts 10:15

LET IT GLOW

I do like sitting down to eat fried frog legs, rabbits, squirrels, shrimp, ham, sausage, or bacon. Any one of them is good. However, when my bad cholesterol numbers kept climbing up, I knew something had to be about it. Taking a pill wasn't helping. Having inherited it from both parents was not on my side either. So I stopped eating those animals/foods. Such sacrifices proved to be beneficial, with my blood test showing improvement and I expect the next test to be even better. Diet along with exercise, hopefully, will help me avoid a heart attack or a stroke, which runs in my dad's family. Diets can be good.
Did you know that the Israelites had forbidden food for eating?

In chapters 11-15 and 17-22, Moses teaches his people the difference between the clean and the unclean in the areas of food, birth and death, diseases and personal relationships, with the theme of defilement.  (Wiersbe)

God simply indicated which animals were good to eat and which were not. He wanted them to avoid parasitic and contagion diseases, so He laid down some guidelines. Even touching one of these unclean animals rendered one unclean until evening (11:25) and required the washing of one's clothes, and sometimes a sin offering. (Falwell)

What were these guidelines? In contrast to those permitted to be eaten and those not permitted, we read:

• clean land animals must have split hooves and chew the cud: cattle, sheep, and goats; those not having split hooves and not chew the cud: camels, rock badgers, swine (verses 3-8);
• marine life were required fish to have fins and scales, considered clean to eat; unclean were catfish and various form of shell-fish, oysters, lobsters, shrimp, frogs, squid (verses 9-12);
•  of the bird family, doves, pigeons, quails, chickens, turkeys, and smaller birds probably allowed to be eaten since they were not on the forbidden list; unclean were birds of prey, such as eagles, vulture, raven, owl, stork, heron, and bat (verses 13-19)
• four legged insects with jumping legs, such as katydid, cricket or grasshoppers 4 kinds of locusts) were permissible to eat; other insects walking were forbidden to be eaten (verses 20-23);
• animals with four paws were forbidden to be eaten, such as the dog and cat families, and certain reptiles, weasels, rats, lizards, gecko, skink and chameleon (verses 27-31);
• all reptiles were unclean, those which move on the belly or walk on all fours, such as snakes and alligators (verses 41-43).

Contact between any unclean creatures, and garments, vessels, sacks, clothes made them unclean, so appropriate action was required.

[References: Liberty Bible Commentary, New International Version of the Bible]

Do we watch what we eat so we can have a healthy body?

LET IT GROW

Acts 10 tells us about Peter up on the roof of Cornelius' house praying and fell into a trance. Then he saw a sheet kit at the four corners, let down from heaven. Within it was unclean animals, birds, and reptiles. A voice told Peter to kill them and eat them, but he refused. Peter had learned that these were unclean animals, which the Jews were forbidden to eat.
In verse 15, Peter heard the voice a second time, instructing him, Do not call anything impure (unholy) that God has made clean.
This happened three times, and then the sheet was taken back to heaven.

The dietary restrictions of the Law was now nilled, not required to be followed by Christians.

With the coming of the New Covenant and the calling of the church, God ended the dietary restrictions (Mark 7:19)  (MacArthur)

By the sacrifice of the blood of Jesus, we are set free from the Law. It is our righteousness, not the keeping of rules. However, the Law is useful for convicting us of our sins, for guidelines for our life and society. I am not saying that the Ten Commandments and the Jewish Laws should be done away with. We serve a Savior who came to fulfill the Law by offering Himself as a perfect sacrifice.

In Matthew 6:17, Jesus said, Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.

Love fulfills the Law. We do things because we love God and others, not to keep a law for our righteousness or a way to get to heaven.

LET IT GO

Love God, love others.

Take care of my body so it will honor God.

Don't criticize others for what they eat.

Total Obedience

O. T. #276  "Total Obedience"
April 25, 2014
Leviticus 10-Part 1
And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
Leviticus 10:2

LET IT GLOW

Obedience-I demanded it from my children and from the children in my classroom at school. If they disobeyed, there were consequences to reap. Partial obedience was not acceptable. It had to be total obedience before it was acceptable. Isn't it that way with God?

The laws were written in stone for the Israelites to obey. If they obeyed, they received blessings from the Lord. If they disobeyed, they were to offer sacrifices for their sins. The sacrificial system and priesthood were in place and functioning. Then it happened. Two of Aaron's sons, who were doing their priestly duties, violated the order and procedure established by God. What they did didn't please God, so fire from the Lord killed these two priests. God had laid down the Law. Those sacrifices and offerings were to be done God's way, not man's way. God wanted everyone to know the seriousness of disobedience. What an example of its results to warn others.

The MacArthur Bible Commentary explains it this way:

The vessel in which the incense was burned in the Holy Place was to be used only for holy purposes. Though the exact infraction is not detailed, in some way they violated the prescription for offering incense (Ex. 30:9, 34-38), probably because they were drunk (see verses 8-9). Instead of taking the incense fire from the brazen altar, they had some other source for the fire, and thus, perpetrated an act, which, considering the descent of the miraculous fire they had just seen and their solemn duty to do as God told the, betrayed careless, irreverence, and lack of consideration for God. Such a tendency had to be punished for all priests to see as a warning.

Nadab and Abihu were not ignorant of God's rules when they offered strange (unauthorized by the Word of God) fire, failing to use the fire from the altar, so God couldn't accept their worship. (Wiersbe)

In verse 3, the LORD had said, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified."

Hebrews 12:29 states, For our God is a consuming fire.

The priests were the ones referred to as "them that come near Me." They had the privilege of ministering in the tabernacle where God dwelt in the Holy of Holies. Privilege always brings responsibility, but Nadab and Abihu proved themselves to be irresponsible.  (Wiersbe)

Do we take seriously our service and obedience to the Lord God?

LET IT GROW

What happened in the remainder of this chapter?

• Moses had two guys remove the bodies of the two disobedient dead priests. (Aaron and his other two sons were not allowed to be near dead bodies lest they become ceremonially unclean.
• The LORD spoke directly to Aaron prohibiting the priests from drinking wine or strong drink when they went into the tabernacle, or they would die.
• They were to distinguish between holy and common, clean and unclean.
• They were to teach the children of Israel all the statutes.

It is possible that the two priests sinned as a result of being intoxicated. The same restriction is placed upon God's kings (Prov. 31:4-5). God refers to New Testament believers as kings and priests
(1 Peter 2:9; Rev. 5:10). Surely we are to be above reproach at all times in this matter. We are to abstain from all appearance of evil  (1 Thess. 5:22).

Moses told Aaron's two remaining sons to continue the sacrifices and offerings. The priests were given a certain portion of some of the sacrifices and were to eat this food at the tabernacle. However, the family of Aaron's had not been allowed to mourn over the sudden loss of two sons, so they had fasted instead and did not eat the meat of the sin offering. So Moses rebuked them, but Aaron spoke up in their defense, because their hearts would not have been in it.
Would God want that kind of service? He wants obedience, not sacrifice (1 Sam. 15:22) and hearts that are right with Him. Our worship must show the praises of God (1 Peter 2:9) and be acceptable to God (1 Peter 2:5).
[Reference: Wiersbe' Expository Outlines on the Old Testament]

Moses sympathized with Aaron's grief, however, and having made his point, dropped the issue. (MacArthur)

I think we see God showing grace and mercy.

Is our giving, tithing from the heart or routine?
Is our obedience partial or total?

LET IT GO

Love God with all my heart.

Obey God whole heartedly.

Glorify Him in all I do.

Dancing in the Rain

O. T. #275  "Dancing in the Rain"
April 24, 2014
Leviticus 9-Part 2
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.
Leviticus 9:24

LET IT GLOW

It was a hot and dry month without rain two years ago. The fields and yard were covered with yellow, dry, crunchy grass. Leaves were beginning to fall like it was autumn. Creeks were going dry. I had never seen such a drought. I prayed and prayed for rain to fall. In God's time, it fell. When it fell, I ran outside, looking up to the sky, arms up, and praised my Lord with thanksgiving for His mercy and rain. I was so excited that I was dancing in the rain. I didn't mind getting soaked in my clothes that day. Thank You, Jesus!
The Israelites were excited in this chapter. Continue on to find out the reason why.

Moses, Aaron, and the priests followed God's directions for the sacrificial system, offering the first sacrifices. They had concentrated themselves and served the Lord and brought offerings to Him. They blessed the people.

It is supposed that Moses accompanied Aaron into the tabernacle to show him how to offer the incense, prepare the lamps and the perfume, adjust the shew-bread, etc.  (Clarke's Commentary)
Then...
The glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people.

The MacArthur Bible Commentary says the Bible speaks often of the glory of God-the visible appearance of His beauty and perfection in blazing light. His glory appeared to Moses:

• in a burning bush in Midian (Ex. 3:1-6),
• in a cloud on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 24:15-17),
• in a rock on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 33:18-23).

The glory of God also:

• filled the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34),
• led the people as a pillar of fire and cloud (Ex. 40:35-38),
• filled the temple in Jerusalem (1Kings 8:10-11)
• was perfectly expressed in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:14).

When Aaron made the first sacrifice in the wilderness, as a priest, the "glory of the Lord appeared to all the people." In these manifestations, God was revealing His righteousness, holiness, truth, wisdom, and grace-the sum of all He is. It will be seen on earth again when He returns (Matt. 24:29-31; 25:31).  (MacArthur)

Fire came out and consumed (ate up) the burnt offering on the altar. This signifies that God had accepted their offerings. (1 Kings 18:38-39)
This signified that God's wrath turned from the Israelites, and that God entered into covenant and communion with them. (Matthew Henry)

Did you know there were other times in which this occurred? We read of it happening in the case of:

• Abel (Gen. 4:4),
• Aaron (verse 24),
• Gideon (Judges 6:21),
• Manoah and his wife (Judges 13:19-23),
• David dedicating the threshing floor of Ornan (1 Chron. 21:28),
• Solomon dedicating the temple (2 Chron. 7:1),
• Elijah (1 Kings 18:38). (Clarke's Commentary)

God's glory was the manifest excellence of His divine character, and at times it shone forth in a bright and shining magnificence. (Falwell)

Do others see God shining in us and through us?
Is He pleased with our life as a sacrificial offering?
Do we anticipate a visit from God?

LET IT GROW

When all the people saw, they shouted and fell on their faces (verse 24b).

In Acts 2:3, we read of the Spirit descended upon the apostles in fire.

1 John 14:13 assures us, Hereby we know that we dwell in God, and God in us, because He hath thus given us of His Spirit.

We must have grace, that holy fire, from the God of grace, else we cannot serve Him acceptably (Heb. 12:28). (Henry)

The people fell on their faces, in humility and adoration before a holy God. Fear of God should drive us to our knees.
There were shouts of joy because God accepted their offerings. Do we joyfully shout to God in praise?
Shout, ranan in Hebrew, means to cry aloud, sing.

Now, I ask you again, do you joyfully shout to God in praise?

David told us, in Psalm 132:9b, let the saints shout for joy.

Do you have anything to shout about? Are you saved? Are you blessed of God? Are you His child?Are you breathing today?

LET IT GO

Sing and shout with joy unto my Lord Jesus!

Bow before Him in worship.

Jehovah sits on His throne on high.

The Man with the Gun

O. T. #274  "The Man with the Gun"
April 23, 2014
Leviticus 9-Part 1
And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed the, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.  Leviticus 9:22

LET IT GLOW

Sorry if this story is gruesome. There was one time that we were going to send a steer to be butchered as beef for our family to eat. I remember that the guys separated the large calf from the rest of the herd, put it into the pen, and waited for the man with the gun to come. (I thought he was coming to pick it up, then kill the animal at the slaughtering house.) Well, he came, walked out into the cow lot with his gun. He walked right up to the calf.  That was when the calf became restless and called out. He could sense something was going to happen, I just know it. No one had ever pointed a gun at him before. Then it happened, the gun was shot, and down went the calf. It was over. Why did I watch that scene? It was harsh to see an innocent animal penned up and killed, drop dead before my eyes. I knew what was going to happen. I stood there watching helplessly, doing nothing to rescue the animal from its death. I was silent after the scene took place. The calf gave its life for me to have meat to eat. You know, Jesus gave His life so you and I could have eternal life.

I wonder if the crowd, the disciples, the family of Jesus felt as helpless when they saw their Beloved Jesus handing on the cruel cross, suffering in pain, waiting for His death. Such a harsh scene for them to watch. An innocent man paid the price for their sins, for our sins. He was pierced for our transgressions. By His wounds we are healed.

The priests had a gruesome job, killing beautiful young animals because of the sinful people. Read on, friend.


John Phillips wrote in 100 Old Testament Sermon Outlines:

Israel had no priest in Egypt. The Priesthood is introduced only after the people had been redeemed. The Aaronic priesthood primarily illustrates the priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ and, in a lesser way, the priesthood of the New Testament believer today. Christ functions as a Priest for His own people. The sinner does not need a priest, he needs a Savior. The Lord Jesus never needed cleansing. We, as priests, of course do.

He continues to mention this about Aaron's priesthood as a high priest:

• the calling (Exodus 28:1-2; Lev. 8:1)
• the cleansing (Ex. 29:4; Lev. 8:6)
• the consecration (Ex. 29:7; Lev. 8:12)
• the clothing (Ex. 28:2; Lev. 8:7-9)
• the commission (Lev. 9:22-24)
• the communion (Lev. 21:16-22:16)
• the conduct (Lev. 21:1-15)

Has the Lord called you from your work, out of your home, away from your life as usual, and into His service?

Again, the congregation of Israel were told to assemble before the Tabernacle. The Lord was going to appear to them.
Notice that the priests were to first offer the sin and burnt offerings for themselves before offering for the congregation. I wonder if every time Aaron offered a calf, that he thought of the golden calf he made for the Israelites to worship while Moses was up on Mt. Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments and sacrificial instructions from God. Surely it stabbed Aaron in the heart as he remembered his own sins back in Exodus 32 as he stabbed the calf.

When we see a cross, are we stabbed in our heart because of our sins Jesus endured the cross?
Glory to His name!


LET IT GROW

After the offerings were made for the sins of the people of Israel according to God's instructions and Moses' commands, we read in verse 22:

• Aaron lifted up his hand toward,
• he blessed them,
• came down from the offering of the sin, burnt, and peace offerings.

The priest was to give a blessing at the conclusion of his ministration. Contrast this with the speechless Zechariah in Luke 1:22 who had no blessing to impart. But at the conclusion of His earthly ministry, Christ, our great High Priest, ...lifted up His hands and blessed them (Luke 24:50); and as He was doing so, He ascended back up to heaven (Luke 24:51). (Falwell)

Jesus Christ is our High Priest, who sits at the right hand of God, interceding for us. He presents our praise and prayers to the Father on our behalf. We are talking about the sacrificial Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, our sins. What a loving Savior!

Can we lift our hands in praise to the Father and Savior?

LET IT GO  ...of those sins that have me bound.

Lift up my head and hands in praise to my Living Savior, Messiah, High Priest.

Give Him the praise, glory, and honor which He deserves.