Archives for February 2014

but its entrails and its legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall burn all of it on the altar, as a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD. Leviticus 1:9 (ESV)

This term “a pleasing aroma” comes up a lot in Leviticus, it shows that the sacrifices that were made brought God pleasure and were a way of averting God’s righteous anger and appealing to his grace. It also shows that if the sacrifices do not please God (like in Isaiah where God says he is sick of the heartless sacrifices) then they are are dead and without affect. Ultimately this all point to Jesus sacrifice on the cross which God was pleased with as mentioned in Ephesians 5:2

You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt. Leviticus 2:13 (ESV)

The salt of the covenant represents the durability and eternal nature of God’s covenant as salt is a preservative. Leaven and honey on the other hand cause fermentation and decay and so could not be accepted as part of burnt offering.

“If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offers an animal from the herd, male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD. Leviticus 3:1 (ESV)

The peace offering (also known as the offering of well being and the fellowship offering) was one where peace was made between the person making the sacrifice and God as both would partake of the offering in fellowship. Again this all points to Jesus, the ultimate peace offering, he removes the offence and brings peace between God and believers. See Colossians 1:20 and Ephesians 2:15

The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. John 7:7 (ESV)

We should be like Jesus, we should hold up the standard of God’s truth to the world which is automatically a testimony that what they do is evil, this will cause us individually and as a people to be hated. We should rejoice in this as we identify with Jesus.

Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished, and the people of Israel did according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses; so they did. Exodus 39:32 (ESV)

It is great to read that the work was finished in accordance with God’s instructions. We should avoid procrastination and have a mind to finish the mission / work.

And Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it; as the LORD had commanded, so had they done it. Then Moses blessed them. Exodus 39:43 (ESV)

Moses blessed the people for completing the work. God rewards us too when we complete the tasks he has for us to do. What work do you have to do?

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Exodus 40:34–35 (ESV)

Moses had asked God to go with him and the people and this was Gods answer. He asked them to build a temporary house so that he would dwell among them. The cloud was a physical manifestation of God’s presence which had a lot of meaning to a people traveling through a hot desert where clouds and shade were welcomed. Gods presence has moved from the great Mount Sinai, to the ten of meeting and now finally to the tabernacle. This all points forward to God dwelling in us as his house through his Holy Spirit.

As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. John 6:57 (ESV)

If we feed on Jesus, we will have eternal life, sustained by Jesus. Our appetite should be for Jesus.

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:68–69 (ESV)

Our response should be the same, despite being ridiculed and mocked for our faith in Jesus we must stand with and for Jesus with complete resolution.

And he overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold around it. Exodus 37:2 (ESV)

All the gold used in the building of the tabernacle point to God’s majesty, kingdom and sovereignty as king

He made horns for it on its four corners. Its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze. Exodus 38:2 (ESV)

Bronze speaks of judgement and points to Jesus taking our judgement through his sacrifice on the cross

Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” John 6:27 (ESV)

We should not have our views and goals limited to this life and temporary materialism. Instead we should work and pour our energy into getting the everlasting sustaining food that will give us eternal life and will be our eternal reward… Jesus, the bread of life.

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. John 6:35 (ESV)

Jesus brings ultimate satisfaction

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. John 6:37 (ESV)

We (Disciples of Jesus) are gifts from the Father to his Son. In this verse we can also see God predestined plan to save the elect and the security found in coming to Jesus.

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:44 (ESV)

God is sovereign over salvation and those that are saved, without God’s initiation of drawing someone to Jesus no one could be saved because we would not come in our own will as we are bound under sin and do not desire God naturally. God is glorified in saving us.

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. John 6:47 (ESV)

The invitation to belive goes out to all, it is not limited to rich, poor, Jewish, Non Jewish etc

Take from among you a contribution to the LORD. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze; Exodus 35:5 (ESV)

We should be generous from our hearts with our money, time and skills for God’s glory

And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the LORD’s contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. Exodus 35:21 (ESV)

Our service should be from the heart, not just duty or rule keeping

And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the LORD had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. Exodus 36:2 (ESV)

God puts the skills and intelligence in our minds but our hearts must be stirred to joyfully use them for him

for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more. Exodus 36:7 (ESV)

If we all give generously and don’t limit ourselves to just 10% for example, then there will be great provision for the Lord’s work

Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent. Exodus 33:11 (ESV)

God calls us all to enjoy his presence in close fellowship and relationship with him, as he spoke to Moses face to face. We should have a hart to stay in God’s presence like young Joshua.

And the LORD said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” Exodus 33:17 (ESV)

Again the Lord responds to Moses intercession, not because of the greatness of his prayer but because Moses had a relationship with God. We should desire God’s presence to be with us too

Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” Exodus 33:18 (ESV)

Moses wanted to know God more, so should we.

And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. Exodus 33:19 (ESV)

Thank God today that he has chosen to be gracious and merciful to you, he was not obligated to be gracious to any of us so we should be grateful

The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” Exodus 34:6–7 (ESV)

This tells us so much about who God is and how he operates

and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods. Exodus 34:16 (ESV)

Idolatry is spiritual adultery

Whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, Exodus 34:34 (ESV)

2 Cor 3:7-18 gives some great commentary on this. We should pray for the Jews that the veil is removed and they would see Jesus as Messiah

Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” John 6:7 (ESV)

It is easy to fall into this sort of faithless pragmatism, thinking only in physical terms about a problem. We should boldly and radically put of faith in God.