February 22- Unclean, Unclean!

February 22, 2011

Leviticus 13; Mark 6:1-29;
Psalm 39:1-13; Proverbs 10:10

Other men's sins are before our eyes; our own are behind our backs.
 ~Seneca

Leviticus 13

When I was young some of the kids in my neighborhood told me that if I touched a toad I would get a wart.  Needless to say, I avoided touching toads. It was with great consternation that I got a wart in third grade. I didn't want anyone to see the wart on my finger because they would think I had been fondling frogs and toads.  I would never do that. That would be gross, very unclean.

Today we see one of the strongest symbols of sin in the Scriptures- leprosy.  The laws for dealing with leprosy are full of imagery about mankind and our struggle with being unclean because of sin. According to J. Vernon McGee, leprosy is a type or shadow of sin in the following ways:

1. It begins small.  "a bright spot"
2. It progresses slowly, but surely. Leprosy will eventually be a living death, whereby the victim is consumed by the disease.
3. Leprosy does not have sharp pain, but dull pain that keeps a person sad and restless.
4. Leprosy is thought to be hereditary.
5. Leprosy is a horrible condition.
6. Leprosy becomes overtly obvious in loathsome ways.

Sin is like leprosy in our lives.  Sin starts small in children. It progresses slowly, but surely.  Sin will dull a person and keep them sad and restless. Sin will eventually cause a person not to feel anything.  Sin is handed down to us from Adam. It is hereditary. Sin is the horrible condition of people since the Fall. Sin becomes the ugly behaviors of abuse, neglect, immorality, anger, lying, revenge, bitterness, jealousy, rebellion, and all forms of pride.

Just as the victim of leprosy had to be set apart from the community, sin will cause a person to be set apart from God for eternity if no salvation from sin is received. The victim of leprosy had to cry out, "Unclean, unclean!" This is our cry until Christ saving death on the cross cleanses us from all unrighteousness. God provided ceremonial methods for diagnosing and recognizing leprosy in the nation of Israel.  Notice that He did not suggest methods for curing leprosy.  The point was to diagnose and declare the uncleanness of the disease.  This picture provided the Israelites with the problem, but not the solution. God provides a cure for sin today. The medicine, the cure, is Jesus Christ.

Do you have a bright spot or festering wound of sin in your life?  How do you intend to treat the problem of sin?  Christ is the great Physician.  He, alone, can cure the leprosy of sin in your life and bring you cleansed into the Kingdom of God.

Mark 6:1-29

Today Jesus is rejected in his hometown and does not perform many miracles there.  This does not stop him from performing them in other places, as well as equipping his disciples to do the same.  The people are trying to figure out if Jesus is Elijah, John the Baptist come back to life, or just another prophet. 

We also get a more detailed account of how Herod came to behead John the Baptist. This story shows that Herod was a prideful, arrogant, insecure putz.  He had to impress his dinner guests, so he agrees to Herodias' daughter's request for John's head on a platter to be brought to the banquet where she had entertained the crowd with dancing.  The story indicates he was drunk, lustful after the seductive dance, and too embarrassed  to back down at the young woman's challenge to his manhood.  Herod is an example of how NOT to conduct your life.

Herod's life is an example of the slow insidious effects of sin on a person.  Herod is a leprous individual.

Has sin infected your life like leprosy?  Have you taken the offer of cleansing that Jesus provides or have you, like the people in his hometown, rejected his offer?

Psalm 39:1-13

This psalm shows how difficult it can be to try to control sin with our own efforts.  Vs. 7 says, "And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you."

Proverbs 10:10

Don't wink at wrong doing like Herod did.  Have a bold reproof like Christ.

What did you notice today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

February 21- Bundles of Depravity

February 21, 2011

Scripture Readings:
Leviticus 11:1-12:8; Mark 5:21-43;
Psalm 38:1-22; Proverbs 10:8-9

A baby is God's opinion that life should go on. 
~Carl Sandburg

Leviticus 11:1-12:8

When I first moved to St. Louis back in the 1980's I found a church with a wonderful pastor named David Winecoff.  David was young, intelligent and outspoken.  I learned a lot from him in just a short amount of time.  One lesson in particular sticks out in my mind.  As the father of five young children, David used to remind the congregation that we are born sinners.  Never one to sugar-coat an idea, David would call his own babies "little bundles of depravity."  Wow.  This was so opposite of how I had grown up thinking of  "innocent" babies.  I never forgot that image or the message behind it.

Today the laws of Moses switch from focusing on the priests to focusing on the people.  We will get dietary laws and laws for mothers who have just had children.  In each case, we will see that David Winecoff had it right.  God sets these rules to remind us that we are each "little bundles of depravity."

You may remember that in Genesis 9:3 God changes the dietary rules on earth to allow humans to eat animals.  This was part of the process of insuring that man's days would be limited to approximately 120 years, unlike the long lives of human beings prior to the Flood.  Now we have God intervening in the dietary lives of the Israelites again for the express purpose of extending and preserving them as a people group.  The animal foods are divided into clean and unclean with the unclean being forbidden to the Jews.  This was for health benefits as the unclean animals are, for the most part, unclean feeders.  These animals would have been more prone to have low level parasites in their system which could cause parasitic diseases among the community.

It is interesting to note that the clean animals had split hooves and chewed the cud.  These animals were vegetable eaters and did not consume other animals.  Symbolically, this points to the sinless life of Christ.  In addition, some commentators believe that the split hoof of the clean creatures represent the set apart life of the nation of Israel and the life of Christ.  His holiness is apart from the world.  Finally, the word "meditate" in the Old Testament psalms, where it states that the godly will meditate on the Law day and night, is the same word used for "chewing the cud."  Just as these animals keep chewing the same food over and over, believers should "chew on" God's Word again and again.

These laws focus on the the external character of sin.  Sin is a result of coming in contact with something unclean.  These dietary laws were designed to keep the nation of Israel set apart from other nations on earth, healthy, and prepared to be the people group that would bring the Messiah to earth.

Next, God gives laws that reflect the internal character of sin within mankind.  Normally when you think of a woman giving birth you think of a nurturing woman and an innocent baby.  Today's reading reflects that God sees the birth of a child as an opportunity to recognize that not only is the mother a sinner in need of a savior, but the child she is bringing into the world is also in need of cleansing from sin.  The first period of uncleaness was for the baby.  The second period of uncleaness was for the mother.  Remember that Mary, the mother of Jesus, only participated in the second period of uncleaness at Christ's birth.  She brought two turtle-doves for her sin.  No offering was made for Jesus.

It is clear that David Winecoff had it right!  The ancient Laws of Moses confirm that God believes we are each born "little bundles of depravity." God is always painting a picture that shows that humans are in need of a Savior.  God intends to solve this problem!

Do you believe that man is fundamentally good?  How do you see the sinfulness of man, even in babies?

Mark 5:21-43

Jesus is in the business of healing.  Today we see two different incidents where Jesus heals.  As our reading begins, a local Jewish synagogue leader comes to Jesus because his daughter is dying.  Jesus follows Jarius to his house along with a huge crowd of people.  Within that crowd is another woman who needs healing.  The Bible tells us that she has been bleeding internally for twelve years!  Having just read the Old Testament Law, we now know that she would have been considered unclean for this long.  Knowing this, she does not approach Christ directly.  Instead, with tremendous faith, she merely touches his robe. 

Jesus feels his healing power go out of his body into someone.  I believe Jesus knew who had been healed, but he wants her to be recognized for her faith.  He wants to show that he comes to clean those who are unclean.  With compassion, Jesus tells the confessing woman that her faith has healed her.  Do you feel unclean and unworthy to go to Christ directly with your sins?  Learn from this dear woman that Jesus can also heal you and make you clean.  He will say to you, "Go in peace.  Your faith has healed you."

Next, messengers arrive to tell Jarius to forget it.  His daughter has died.  Jesus proceeds anyway.  Outside of the house, Jesus tells the crowd that the girl is merely asleep.  They laugh derisively.  Jesus goes in the house and tells the 12 year old girl to "get up." The girl is brought back to life.  Jesus then tells the parents not to tell anyone and to give her something to eat.  This incident is recorded because Jesus allowed Peter, James, and John to witness the miracle.

Do you sometimes feel "dead" in your soul?  Do you need Christ to bring you back to life?  He is the man of miracles.  He can bring the young and the old back to life. This miracle is a picture of a spiritual reality. Only through faith in Christ are we who are dead in our trespasses and sin brought to life through Christ. Our spirits are quickened and born again, and our trust in Jesus the Savior causes us to go from little bundles of depravity in the eyes of God to righteous new babes in the faith, pure through Christ's work on the cross, not our own efforts to be good.

Psalm 38:1-22

This psalm reminds me to grieve over my sin.  It reminds me that without Christ, I remain unclean.

Proverbs 10:8-9

vs. babbling fools fall flat on their faces.  People with integrity have a firm footing, but people on crooked paths will slip and fall.

Lord, keep me away from the crooked paths.  Let me stand on Christ the Solid Rock.

What did you get out of today's reading?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

P.S.  Twenty years ago today, I brought a beautiful "little bundle of depravity" into this world.  Today is my daughter Sarah's birthday!  I thank God for her today and every day!  I love you, Sarah!

Sarah, my daughter

February 20- Willful Disobedience

February 20, 2011

Scripture Readings:

Leviticus 9:7-10:20; Mark 4:26-5:20;

Psalm 37:30-40; Proverbs 10:6-7

Whenever there is authority, there is a natural inclination to disobedience. 
~Thomas Chandler Haliburton

Leviticus 9:7-10:20

It is a beautiful sunny morning.  Jane is a confident young mother.  Her child, Sam, is the perfect baby.  Jane has nurtured and loved him.  Sam is developing nicely. As he sits on the floor playing with blocks in the warm and cozy kitchen, Jane prepares his breakfast.  Sam is around two years old and can murmur a few words.  He has learned dada, mama, and no.  Jane notices that Sam has moved over to the electrical outlet and it trying to put his finger in the socket.  She promptly goes to Sam and holds his hand.  Looking intently into his eyes, Jane says, “No, Sam.  Do not put your finger in the electrical socket. NO.”  Sam is startled.  He looks down and pouts.  Jane walks back over to the counter, but keeps her eye on Sam.  He lifts his eyes and gazes at her as his finger moves slowly back towards the socket.

Today in our reading we see willful disobedience that brings the swift judgment of God.  The men who disobey are not two year olds.  They are old enough to know better than to disobey, but their actions and tragic deaths are a lesson to the whole community of Israel and to you and me today.

Everything seems to be going smoothly.  Aaron and his sons have completed the sin offering, burnt offering, grain offering, and peace offering without a hitch.  The glorious presence of the Lord has come down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar.  The people are so overwhelmed with God’s powerful presence that they fall flat on their faces in awe and worship. 

Then, Nadab and Abilu decide to put coals of fire in their incense burner and sprinkle some incense over it. They had been instructed in Exodus 30:34-38 the exact formula for the incense.  They had been told how and when to do this ritual.  We are not sure exactly which rule they broke.  Some commentators think that they used coals that were not from the altar.  They were supposed to only use fire coals from the altar for the incense burners.  Regardless, God, who is the consuming fire, blazes forth and burns them up.  This is a shocking incident. 

Moses speaks to Aaron after the incident and says, “This is what the Lord meant when he said, ‘I will show myself holy among those who are near me.  I will be glorified before all the people.’”

Aaron’s response to this was silence.  Although this response may seem odd, Aaron was probably in shock. His silence is a sign of humility and faith.

After this incident, Moses gives Aaron and his remaining sons the rule that they are never to drink wine or alcoholic drink before going into the Tabernacle.  Some commentators speculate that Nadab and Abilu were drunk when they sinned.  Regardless, this is a harsh reminder that God is a god of judgment.  As representatives of the people before God, these men had a responsibility to obey God’s rules regarding the sacrifices.

If these sacrifices and offerings are a picture of Christ, then Nadab and Abilu profaned the picture of Jesus that God was creating.  Their disobedience reflected more than willful disobedience, it reflected a lack of faith in following God’s way. Rather than relying on the Spirit of God in their lives, they were relying on alcohol and what they thought was right. They showed contempt for God and his regulations. God showed zero tolerance for this in the priesthood.

God can use physical death in the life of a believer to stop harmful living. Some people call this a severe mercy. For the most part, people today live under the age of grace brought forth by Christ.  This should not cause us to be slackers in our faith.  Obedience is a key characteristic of true faith in Christ.  Obedience prevents getting burned by our Consuming Fire.

How do you feel about the extreme nature of the punishment these men received?  How does this tie to the concept that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord?

Mark 4:26-5:20

Mark confirms in his gospel that Jesus taught the people only in parables and would later explain the parables to the disciples.  Remember the image of a small group bible study.  Jesus was their leader.  We will see him explain the whole Old Testament to them once he is resurrected. Jesus exemplified leadership through discipleship. The life of faith is the life of teaching the truths of Christ in a loving, committed relationship. The grace of God is taught as you walk by the road, sit in the living room, and eat in the kitchen together. This is what we see Christ doing with his disciples. Living life and modeling truth.

Next, Jesus shows his authority over nature when he calms the wind and the waves when a storm rises up on the lake.  Mark is making sure that the Gentiles who read this gospel are aware of Jesus’ power over nature.

Another demon possessed man comes out to meet Jesus once he lands on shore from the boat.  Following the pattern of all the evil spirits, he shrieks that Christ is torturing him and acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God.  Jesus asks what his name is. The demons answer that they are legions.  Think in terms of a Roman army regiment here. This poor man who no one could be around because of his extreme violence and super human strength was filled with evil spirits. The demons recognize that they are in a spiritual war and are troops with a mission. They also recognize that they are in front of the Commander of God's Forces. The demons beg Christ not to be sent into the abyss.  It should be noted that there are presently rebellious angels who are in the abyss that are released in the end times (See Revelation 9).  The abyss is a portion Sheol or Hades, also called  the place of the dead, where those who are not followers of Christ go when they die. Hades/Sheol is where both fallen angels (demons) and unsaved humans await the final judgment before being condemned to hell. 

Jesus asks the demons (fallen angels) if they would like to be sent into the pigs. They agree to this.  The pigs promptly run off the side of a cliff and die. The townspeople want nothing to do with Jesus.  What can we learn here? 

·        People can be possessed by evil spirits.

·        Demons have names and are individual creations with personalities and limited will.

·        Demons have knowledge of Jesus and his authority.

·        Demons are aware they will be judged one day.

·        Demons can possess an unsaved person and control that person’s actions and physical body.

These stories in Scripture teach us realities about things we are unable to see.  The spirit world is for the most part not accessible to us.  Jesus’ interaction with these demons is important for all believers.  We are not to fear demons.  If Jesus is our Lord, then his power within us keeps us safe from evil spirits. Remember, greater is he who is in us, than he who is in the world.

Do you fear the supernatural?  Do you spend time worrying about ghosts and demons?

Psalm 37:30-40

Vs. 30-31 The godly offer good counsel; they know what is right from wrong. They fill their hearts with God’s law, so they never slip from his path.

Can you say this about yourself?

Proverbs 10:6-7

If you are godly, you are showered with blessings.  Have you counted your blessings today?

What did you see today as you studied?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal

Kathy Fullerton

February 19- Blood and Oil

February 19, 2011

Leviticus 7:28-9:6; Mark 3:31-4:25;
Psalm 37:12-29; Proverbs 10:5


Leviticus 7:28-9:6

In ancient Israel the role of the priest was of the utmost importance.  Because the priest was from man going to God to represent the people, his role pictured Christ as our High Priest.  Jesus was a man going to God for the people.  Today we will finish studying the peace offering regulations and then see the ordination and consecration of the High Priest and all of the priests of the Tabernacle. 

Peace Offering:

There are a few other images in the sacrifices and offerings that I want to highlight. In these offerings the priests were the ones who were allowed to eat the cooked meat and griddled bread.  This was because they were not given a portion of the land when God told Moses how to divide up the inheritance in the Promised Land.  The priests had to rely on the giving of the people for their provisions.  God designated which portions of the animals were to be grilled and eaten by the priests. 

The animal’s breast and shoulder were to be eaten.  Ever interested in picturing Christ, God had the priests eat of the part of the animal which represented Jesus’ heart (the breast) and His strength (the shoulder).  Christ’s love carried the weight of our sin to the cross.  In the peace offering we see that what Christ did by carrying our sins on his shoulders and loving us from his heart enough to die for us makes us at peace with God. We must accept Christ's sacrifice and then we are at peace with God. 

The priests were sustained by that work. Notice that fat was never to be eaten by the priest or the regular citizens of Israel.  The fat represented the choicest part of the animal.  Those were burned continually and presented to God.  In addition, they were never to eat the blood of the animal.  The blood represented the very life source of the creature and the precious and holy substance that Christ would shed to meet the required death for sin.

Christ is our peace offering before a Holy God.

Consecration Ceremony

In the eighth chapter of Leviticus the congregation is called to witness the consecration of the priests.  Aaron and his sons were ceremonially cleansed then Aaron and his sons were ritually adorned with the priestly garments. Moses anointed Aaron as the High Priest with oil and the same is done for the sons of Aaron. After that, the offerings were presented to the Lord.

The people of Israel were to witness the fact that their priests had to offer sin offerings, burnt offerings, and trespass offerings as part of their consecration.  The picture of Christ’s person and work is continually before the people. The priests were to put the blood of the shed animal on their right ear, right thumb and right big toe.  This pictures that in order to serve God, one must be covered by Christ’s blood in order to hear His voice, serve God’s people, and walk with God.

Aaron and his sons were anointed with both blood and oil.  The blood was for the forgiveness of sins and the oil was for the anointing of the Spirit of God upon them.

The ceremony ends with Aaron and his sons eating the sacrificed meat and bread.  This is a beautiful picture of how we must feed upon the finished work of Christ to be sustained as we serve God with our lives. Notice that the act of  communion represents that all believers are priests in God's kingdom on earth. I Peter 2:9-10 says,

"But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God's holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 'Once you were not a people; now you are the people of God. Once you received none of God's mercy; now you have received his mercy.'"

If you have trusted Christ, you are part of his kingdom of priests designed to represent to a needy world the sacrifice of Christ that covers sin, cleanses, and causes us to be at peace with God.

Do you consider Christ the bread and meat that gets you through each day?  Are you spiritually starving or are you full of his spirit and love? 

Mark 3:31-4:25

We saw yesterday that Jesus’ family thought he had gone insane.  Today they come to where he is teaching and send word that they would like to speak with him.  Jesus takes the opportunity to teach the crowd that God’s family consists of those who do the will of God.  He means that his family are those who believe that he is the Messiah.

Jesus gets in a boat to separate from the large crowds and tells the parable of the farmer who sowed seeds.  We have already covered that the farmer is God, the seed is the good news about Christ, and the soil is our hearts.  A hard heart allows Satan to snatch the good news away. The rocky soil is a heart where problems and persecution cause a person to fall away from faith because their roots are not very deep.  A thorny heart is where wealth and the cares of this life choke out the good news in a person’s life.  The good heart is where the message of Christ sinks down into good soil and produces fruit in that person’s life.

Jesus says that we don’t put lampstands under a basket.  Jesus is declaring that he is a lampstand for truth.  He will not hide his message, but let it shine in a dark world.  He also takes this illustration of light as a teaching moment to let people know that their dark secrets will be revealed by his Light one day.

Do you think Christ is insane or that he is the Messiah? Which type of soil is your heart?

Psalm 37:12-29

This psalm backs up what Jesus just said about the light exposing all things.  This is a psalm about the wicked being judged and the godly prospering.

Proverbs 10:5

Laziness is again shunned, while hard work is encouraged.

What did you notice today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal

Kathy Fullerton

February 18- Grilled Meat and Baked Bread

February 18, 2011

Scripture Readings:

Leviticus 6:1-7:27; Mark 3:7-30;

Psalm 37: 1-11; Proverbs 10:3-4

Bread is the king of the table and all else is merely the court that surrounds the king. The countries are the soup, the meat, the vegetables, and the salad, but the bread is king. 
~Louis Bromfield

Leviticus 6:1-7:27

When I was in college I would go running in the evening on a track behind my dorm.  One of my strongest sensory memories from that experience was the smell of baking bread while I ran.  There was a bakery down the street from that track. Oh, the heavenly smell of baking bread! 

As we read the Bible and learn about the various offerings and sacrifices mandated in the Old Testament, you may be picking up on the idea that God has a sensory personality.  Imagine for a minute the continual smell of grilled meat/barbeque.  Now add to that image the smell of baking bread.  This is what the Tabernacle would have smelled like at all times!  Why would God set up this system?  I believe God wants to remember the work of Jesus Christ in every sensory way possible.  The mouth-watering smell of cooked meat and baking bread was a sweet reminder of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. This Being is my kinda God!

There are a few other images in the sacrifices and offerings that I want to highlight. In these offerings, the priests were the ones who were allowed to eat the cooked meat and griddled bread.  This was because they were not given a portion of the land when God told Moses how to divide up the inheritance in the Promised Land.  The priests had to rely on the giving of the people for their provisions.  The bread was to be unleavened.  Leaven in the Bible represents sin.  This bread would represent Christ who lived without sin in His life, the perfect sacrifice.

In today’s reading more instructions are given for the burnt offering, the meal offering, and the sin offering.  Just as a reminder, the burnt offering was given continually as a picture of who Christ was.  The meal offering (bread) was also a picture of Christ. He is the Bread of Life.  The sin offering was Christ’s work on the cross with sin taken away from the presence of a Holy God.

The next time you eat fresh bread or grilled meat try to remember the wonderful offering Christ made for you! See it, smell it, and taste the wonderful truth.

Mark 3:7-30

I like to call the picture of Jesus that Mark gives us…Rock Star Messiah.  Crowds are swarming around Jesus.  They are pushing and pulling to be near him.  He is healing everyone who needs help.  The desperation of the crowds is palpable.  The gospels confirm that Jesus operated from compassion and pity.  This rock star cared about people.

You may have noticed that evil spirits are constantly coming out of people and screaming about who Jesus is.  There are several things we can conclude from this:

·        Spirits of all stripes know who Jesus is.

·        The evil spirits are trying to thwart Christ’s work on earth by exposing him before he is ready for everyone to know his purpose.

·        The evil spirits always confirm that Christ has authority over them.

Jesus calls his twelve disciples in this chapter.  It should be noted that Christ created his own small group.  In modern churches, we try to set up small groups or lifeline groups or bible studies with the intent of developing more intimate fellowship.  Jesus is our model for doing this.

Jesus’ family thinks he has gone insane. The whole rock star fame thing is not doing it for them. It is interesting that although many of his siblings become believers, not all of them will realize that he is the Messiah.  Do you wonder how Mary, his mother, who saw his miraculous birth, could now be questioning his sanity?  I can only conclude that we all have lapses in faith and judgment.  She was human and it had been thirty years since the miraculous birth.  She may have thought he would become an earthly king to save Israel.  His life as an itinerant preacher with no money, no power, and no governmental or military position may have seemed like a crazy way to become the King of the Jews.

The Pharisees insist that Jesus’ power comes from Satan.  Jesus teaches that claiming that his miracles come from an evil spirit, rather than the Holy Spirit is the highest form of blasphemy.  Jesus confirms that this is an eternal sin that cannot be forgiven.

Psalm 37:1-11

I am going to highlight some verbs that David uses in this psalm:

"Don’t worry, trust, take delight, commit everything, be still, stop your anger, do not envy"

This is good advice from a very good psalm!

Proverbs 10:3-4

Lazy people are soon poor.  Ain’t that the truth!

Please share your thoughts on today’s passages.

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal

Kathy Fullerton

February 17- The Sin Offering

February 17, 2011

Scripture Readings:
Leviticus 4:1-5:19; Mark 2:13-3:6;
Psalm 36:12; Proverbs 10:1-2

The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one.  
~Oscar Wilde

Leviticus 4:1-5:19

What if I told you that I was a doctor?  You would know that I am a person involved in the healing arts. Perhaps you would think that my days are spent wearing a white coat and diagnosing patients in an examining room. This would be true, but if you really followed me around for a day or traded places with me, you may find that the actual job of a doctor includes many responsibilities you had not considered. If you switched places with me, you may understand the mental and emotional aspects of caring for others.  Today as we read about the sin offering laws commanded by God, we don't see who Christ was, but we see what Christ did. We see what the job of being our sin offering was like.

 Moses is given the laws for sin offerings. There are more verses used in this portion of Leviticus to explain and clarify sin offerings than for any other kind of offering in the Bible.  This shows the importance of the problem of our sin to God. While burnt offerings were voluntary, the sin offerings of were mandatory. God wants everyone to understand the importance of a blood sacrifice to cover sin. It is in the sin offering that we see the work of Christ on the cross. 

As one reads the detailed instructions on how the animal was killed and then how the blood was poured out in front of the altar, the graphic picture of how Christ was poured out for our sin becomes a tangible experience.  The brutality of the death and the bloodiness of the sacrifice was gruesome.  Death is required to cover sin.  Whereas the burnt offerings were burned up at the altar and never left the Temple, the remains of the animal in the sin offering were to be taken outside of the camp to be burned. This is a picture of how a Holy God cannot be in the presence of sin.  This is also a picture of Christ’s separation from God in death as he carried the sin of the world upon himself. Taking the remains of the sin offering outside the camp to be burned was done after the blood was emptied out of the animal, the fat of the organs was burned, and the meat was cooked and consumed.  The consumption of the sin offering pictures the future sacrament of the Lord's Supper.  In this sacrament, we see that we are sustained spiritually by Christ's sacrifice for our sins. 

This passage teaches that various people groups and types of sins were specified to be part of the sin offering.  You may have also noticed that sins of commission and omission were included.  People were required to make a sin offering for sins they did not even know they committed.  This is because as children of Adam, we all have a sin nature (Romans 3:23).

Here are some categories of sins that required a sin offering:

·        For the priests’ sins- a bull was required.  This was the highest category of animal for sacrifice.  As leaders of the people, the priests were held to a higher standard.

·        For the sins of the community- a young bull is presented.

·        For the sins of a leader of Israel- a young male goat was brought (note that male animals are more valuable because they are used as studs in breeding).

·        For the sins of a regular citizen of Israel- a female goat or sheep.  If the citizen was too poor, they were allowed to bring two birds or two quarts of flour.

Whenever anyone realized that they had sinned, they had to come and do a sin offering.  Are you beginning to pick up on the oppression of living under the Law?  Are you beginning to see that we all would be swimming in the blood of endless sin offerings if Christ had not sacrificed once for all?

Here are some of the sins that required a sacrifice:

·        You were called to testify and witness to a crime, but you refused.

·        You touch something unclean, including an unclean animal, an animal that scurries along the ground.

·        You come in contact with any sort of human defilement.

·        You make a rash vow.

Confession was to be part of the sin offering if you were aware of what you had done wrong.

I am exhausted just thinking about trying to participate in this system.  I thank God that I am able to confess my sins confidentially to Christ, knowing that he has covered my sin and removed my sin as far as the East is from the West.  My sin has been taken outside the camp and burned.

Do you even contemplate your sin?  Do you see the work of the blood poured out for you by Christ? 

Mark 2:13-3:6

Jesus is already teaching large crowds when Levi, also known as Matthew, is called to be a disciple.  Matthew is rich, having been a tax collector, so he has no problem inviting Jesus to a nice dinner with all of his friends and colleagues.  The Pharisees are horrified that Jesus would eat with these sinners.  Jesus rebukes them by saying that a physician goes to help the sick, not the healthy.  Jesus says that he has come to save sinners, not those who already think they are good enough.

This ties in nicely with our Leviticus passage today.  The Israelites were given the Law in order to create a situation where they were able to see that they were hopeless sinners.  The Pharisees had somehow missed this lesson.  In their arrogance, the Pharisees were constantly on the lookout for any commandments that Jesus may be breaking.  They challenged him on why his disciples didn’t fast.  Jesus clarifies that the guests don’t fast at the wedding party when the groom is there.  We have already dealt with the marriage picture of Christ and the Church.  Jesus is once again alluding to this sacred relationship.

The Pharisees challenge Jesus and his disciples for picking grain on the Sabbath.  They consider this to be work, which is forbidden on the Sabbath. They are accusing Jesus of sinning.  Technically, a person was allowed to pick grain with their hands.  They were not allowed to use a sickle to harvest grain. Jesus uses this situation to teach that the Sabbath was created for man, not man for the Sabbath.  In other words, Jesus is the Sabbath, and he was created for mankind to provide rest from the Law!! 

Next, we see Jesus in the synagogue on the Sabbath.  The Pharisees are there, also.  A man with a deformed hand comes to Jesus for healing.  Jesus, knowing he is being judged by the Pharisees, challenges them to answer if it is lawful to heal and do good on the Sabbath.  They don’t answer him.  Jesus is angry and deeply disturbed because of these stubborn, self-righteous jerks. Jesus tells the man to reach out his hand.  He then heals him.  The Pharisees, who were the teachers of the Law and religious leaders for the nation of Israel, were a constant source of trouble for Jesus.  Mark records that the Pharisees went off to plot with Herod about how to kill Jesus.

Have you allowed rules and regulations to define your faith?  If so, how?  Have you accepted Jesus as the Lord of the Sabbath?  Are you resting in this reality?

Psalm 36:1-12

Vs. 1 – 5 Deals with the sinfulness of man.

Vs. 6- 12 Deals with the faithfulness of God.

Proverbs 10:1-2

A wise child brings joy to a father; a foolish child brings grief to a mother.

What did you see today?  Please share.

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal

Kathy Fullerton

February 16- From Pardon to Purity

February 16, 2011

Scripture Readings:
Leviticus 1:1-3:17; Mark 1:29-2:12;
Psalm 35:17-28; Proverbs 9:13-18

In Genesis we see man ruined.

In Exodus we see man redeemed.

In Leviticus we see man worshiping God.

~J. Vernon McGee

Leviticus 1:1-3:17

In the age of cell phones, internet connections, and texting, no student who can hide a phone under their desk need worry about being bored in class.  They can message and tweet their thoughts to whomever will listen and avoid the monotony of a pointless lesson.  As we begin the book of Leviticus, some of you may be tempted to pull out your cell phones and begin texting.  Don't do it.  The book of Leviticus is not as boring as you may think.  Let me explain why.

When you read the Bible it is normal to feel that Genesis is fascinating with the story of man's fall and the beginnings of the solution for sin.  Then you get to Exodus and are introduced to Moses, who leads the Israelites out of slavery.  That's a pretty cool story. Next, you turn to Leviticus.  Hmmmmm. The Israelites have built the Tabernacle. God is in the Tabernacle, and uh oh, God has a long list of rules about how to worship Him. Hmmm.  Details, details, details...Zzzzzz Who cares? 

Well, you should care.  Why?  Because this is another opportunity to see Christ in all that God does.  Shall we say showing us Christ in the stories of the Old Testament is God's obsession?  Sure, why not.  The worship designated in Leviticus is another opportunity for God to portray Christ through symbols and rituals before his birth on earth. The institution of the sacrifice, ceremony, ritual, liturgy, instructions, washings, convocations, holy days, observances, conditions, and warnings are all physical experiences that teach spiritual truths.  I am sure that as the nation of Israel purposed to obey these regulations they had no idea that their obedience formed a physical picture meant to reflect a spiritual reality.  Our lives do that, too.  Do you think that your obedience matters to God?  Leviticus shows us that it does.

The key themes of Leviticus are atonement and holiness.  This book is designed to represent our sanctification in Christ.  That means that as we follow Christ in obedience we become set apart for God. 

Today we look at the regulations for the burnt offering.  Do you remember that Abel, Noah, and Abraham did burnt offerings?  These offerings represented a "covering" for sin.  The blood of the sacrificed animal represented the work that Christ would do on the cross.  To sacrifice under God's regulations was to declare faith in the coming Messiah. The animal sacrifice did not take away sin, it merely acted as a cover until the death of Christ, which actually paid the required price for the sin of mankind.  Let's look at some of the regulations that reflect Jesus:

• It is a voluntary free-will act.  Christ's sacrifice is voluntary and offered to all.
• No carnivorous animal could be sacrificed.  No animal who killed other animals could be used.  Using a predatory animal would not properly reflect Christ who was a man of peace.
• The animal had to be clean and domesticated.  People were to sacrifice an animal that they cared for and loved.  This pictures God giving up His only Son whom He cared for and loved.
• The domesticated animal would have been a creature that obeys, unlike a wild animal.  This is a picture of Christ's obedience.
• The offering was to be completely consumed by fire.  Christ's life was completely consumed on earth with zeal for God and on the cross with zeal for man.  Fire purifies.  His death purifies our lives.
• The offering could not be done in random places.  It had to be done at the door of the Tabernacle before the One True God.  This would be a means of keeping the Israelites from falling into idolatry, which they were prone to.  Christ's death keeps us in front of the One True God.  He is the doorway to salvation and eternity.
• Hands were to be laid on the animal as it was sacrificed.  This represents conferring sin upon the animal.  Christ is who we confer our sins to.  He paid the price for our debt.
• The poor were not exempt from the sacrifice.  They were allowed to bring birds.  Notice that Jesus' parents offered birds when they worshiped.  Jesus came from poverty.

This is a beautiful picture of what Christ has done for you and me.  His death makes us holy before a Holy God. Have you accepted Christ's sacrifice in your life?  Do you worship as one who has been atoned for?

Mark 1:29-2:12

In today's reading you may have noticed that Jesus heals a man with leprosy and then tells the man to follow the laws of Moses, go be examined by a priest, and take an offering as regulated for those who have been healed of leprosy.  Jesus is talking about rules that we will be studying in Leviticus, folks!  See, this matters. 

I love another miracle story today.  It is the one where the sick guy can't get into the house where Jesus is because it is too crowded.  No problem.  The guy's friends dig through the clay roof (or lift tiles) and lower him down, right in front of the Master.  Jesus heals the guy because of the faith of his friends.  To me, this is a lesson to persistently pray for my friends and take action to help them for God's glory.  God respects our passion and concern for our friends.  Let's lower each other down to Christ each day in prayer and physically meet their needs if we can!

Psalm 35:17-28

Vs. 22-23  "O Lord, you know all about this. Do not remain silent. Don't abandon me now, O Lord.  Wake up! Rise to my defense! Take up my case, my God and my Lord."  Have ever felt like praying this?

Proverbs 9:13-18

Folly is a woman, just like wisdom is a woman.  Folly is brash and loud, rather than discreet and appropriate. She is ignorant and doesn't even know it.  She sleeps with random men.  She is sexually active and liberated.  She entices men who are unaware and tries to control them with her sexuality. She likes secrets. If you had to describe yourself, are you Wisdom or Folly?

What did you see today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton