The Way In - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 16:3-5,

"This is how Aaron is to enter the Most Holy Place: He must first bring a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. He is to put on the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are sacred garments; so he must bathe himself with water before he puts them on. From the Israelite community he is to take two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering."

The above is just the beginning of what all Aaron had to do in order to enter into the God's presence. Sacrifices and offerings had to be made, the blood of which had to be applied in just such a way, atonements and consecrations and on and on. All very specific and detailed in this chapter.

This morning I am reminded that all the heavy lifting has already been done for me to enter into the presence of God. Jesus Christ has offered himself once and for all that each of us might have the opportunity to approach God's throne of grace, "In him [Jesus Christ] and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence." Ephesians 3:12.

We also read in Hebrews 10:19-22, "Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water."

Jesus Christ has opened up a way for us to approach God. He says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6.

Since eternal life can only be found here, why on earth would anyone want to pass that up?!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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God's Expectation - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 15:31,

"You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling my dwelling place, which is among them."

There were unique responsibilities the Israelites had as the people of God. Because God chose them and decided to dwell among them, with his locus being the tabernacle (and eventually the temple in Solomon's day), it had its impact on what was expected from them.

For the first time ever, God had determined to make his presence among sinful and fallen mankind. The last time God dwelt among man was in the garden of Eden prior to their rebellion against him resulting in Adam and Eve being sent out from his presence.

In my mind, what made this possible was the coming of the Messiah who would satisfy God's forbearance in dwelling among sinful man, "God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished..." Romans 3:25.

Yet, in spite of this, there were some expectations God had of the Israelites as he dwelt among them as we read in Leviticus.

I am reminded we have expectations of us as God's children today. God dwells within each believer through the Holy Spirit and we are exhorted to make choices in light of that presence. "As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" 1 Peter 1:14-16.

Peter quotes Leviticus 11:44-45 in his passage. There we read in regard to diet, "I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground. I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy." Or, possibly Leviticus 19:2, where the Lord tells Moses, "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.'"

I am also reminded of my many failures in this regard...

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Masking and Social Distancing at Mt. Sinai - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 15:8,

"If the man with the discharge spits on anyone who is clean, they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening."

Well, actually there is no mention of masking, but the Lord seems to have made provision for at least the need for masking. Maybe the use of plexiglass as we see at the stores we shop in today. If a man with any kind of "unusual bodily discharge" that made him unclean were to spit on anyone, it would make them unclean.

Anyone who was declared unclean due to health issues outlined in these chapters were to be kept away from. In some cases the unclean person was to stay outside the camp. In other cases they were to be isolated from others while still in the camp - social distancing.

Just a light-hearted look at the provisions the Lord made for the health and hygiene issues that might arise among his people. As is apparent, much of what were issues in Moses day when he received the law from the Lord are still issues today.

Some tongue-in-cheek stretching of the passage today!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.  

One Bird Died, One Set Free - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 14:2-7,

"These are the regulations for any diseased person at the time of their ceremonial cleansing, when they are brought to the priest: The priest is to go outside the camp and examine them. If they have been healed of their defiling skin disease, the priest shall order that two live clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop be brought for the person to be cleansed. Then the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over fresh water in a clay pot. He is then to take the live bird and dip it, together with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. Seven times he shall sprinkle the one to be cleansed of the defiling disease, and then pronounce them clean. After that, he is to release the live bird in the open fields."

Here is the requirement the Lord gave Moses for the ceremonial cleansing after a person was healed of a "defiling skin disease".These directions have nothing to do with how the person might be healed, but what was to be done following the healing to bring him back into the fellowship of God's community.

Setting aside the cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop, the two birds attract my attention this morning. Jewish custom in years following Moses called for sparrows to be used in this rite. It has been suggested that possibly doves may have been the initial intention, but the type of bird is not specified by the Lord. What is specified is that one bird was to be killed and the other released to freedom after having been immersed in the blood of the bird that was killed.

According to ancient ideas, some have thought the two birds represent the transference of uncleanness to animals with the bird set free as a symbol of the leper's new freedom. A much better understanding of what God may have intended we take from this ritual is seen in the forgiveness of sin: the one bird representing the death of Jesus Christ and the other, his resurrection.

This morning, however, I am struck with the thought of the birds that One died, and the other was set free to live after having been immersed in the blood of the other. Jesus Christ and me. Jesus Christ and all of us who have embraced him in faith.

In any event, how grateful I am for Jesus Christ that he gave his life for me that I might live! "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us." Ephesians 1:7.

I have been set free to live! For all eternity! How about you?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Illness and Original Sin - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 14:19-20,

"Then the priest is to sacrifice the sin offering and make atonement for the one to be cleansed from their uncleanness. After that, the priest shall slaughter the burnt offering and offer it on the altar, together with the grain offering, and make atonement for them, and they will be clean."

Chapter 14 of Leviticus continues the laws concerning skin diseases and various molds that might appear in a house. Both issues of public health and safety as well as atonement for the patient in regard to their unclean condition brought by a skin disease are provided for. Health and safety issues are dealt with by examinations by the priest, possible isolation of the patient for a defined period, and bathing and shaving off all hair.

Atonement for the patient following their healing with a declaration by the priest was provided for with a guilt offering, a sin offering together with a burnt offering and grain offering.

The juxtaposition of procedures involving disease and a requirement for atonement for sin and guilt can't be missed here. It is my understanding that the need for atonement for the patient following recovery is not necessarily due to a sin the patient may have committed leading to the disease. Rather, the disease caused the patient to become ceremonially unclean requiring atonement.

It is a reminder to me that it was original sin itself that led to illnesses, infirmities and death from the fall of man in the garden of Eden. Mankind brought sickness and death upon himself.

Isaiah tells us that it would be God's Servant (Jesus Christ) who would bring the reversal of the curse mankind brought upon himself, Isaiah 53:4-6. If we embrace him in faith we receive the benefit from his atonement for our sins. The result being, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Lockdown: God's Way - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 13:46,

"As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp."

God told Moses that if an Israelite had an infectious skin disease the person was to be isolated, quarantined. God's "lockdown" was to set apart the sick so they would not be a danger to the community. The community was not locked down, just the infectious.

I can't help but note, in light of the world's current approach to infectious pathogens, God chose another way. He obviously desired his people to be kept as safe as possible while remaining active, industrious, and productive-- to be busy living their lives.

I can't help but be reminded of these words, "'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord." Isaiah 55:8.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Healed and Made Clean by Jesus Christ - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 13:1-2,

"The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 'When anyone has a swelling or a rash or a shiny spot on their skin that may be a defiling skin disease, they must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons who is a priest.'"

This chapter is all about heath and hygiene. The Lord provided Moses and Aaron directions on how to deal with instances of skin diseases and mold on fabric and leather articles. Examinations together with periods of isolation in some cases were to be performed by the priests.

I note there is a connection with the instance of a "defiling skin disease" and the standing an Israelite had within the community. That defilement brought with it a ceremonial uncleanness. "The priest is to examine the sore on the skin, and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be more than skin deep, it is a defiling skin disease. When the priest examines that person, he shall pronounce them ceremonially unclean." Verse 3.

I am reminded that all illness, infirmity and death had their origin in mankind's act of sin. When Adam and Eve defied God and became estranged from him, it brought God's judgment. Now man is subject to physical death together with illness and infirmities that attend it. The pristine existence that Adam and Eve shared in the paradise of God's company was lost.

Jesus Christ came to provide the remedy for this by offering himself up as a payment for all mankind's sins for all time, everywhere. The outcome of this is that when we embrace him in faith we are given the promise of eternal life by the resurrection of our bodies. We will enter into an eternity of paradise with God where, "He [God] will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:4.

This is what I see in Isaiah's great prophecy centuries before Christ came,
"Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:4-6.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Uncleanness, Purification, Atonement - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 12:6-7,

"'When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. He shall offer them before the Lord to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood."

When an Israelite woman gave birth she became "ceremonially unclean". A period of time is specified for the unclean condition. Also provided in this chapter is the time allotted for purification before an offering could be made to atone for the uncleanness. Uncleanness, purification and atonement.

The recognition of the unclean state and the purification and atonement it called for reminds me of the process a believer in Jesus Christ goes through.

When we are approached with the gospel message, an understanding of our sinful condition needs to be recognized, our "uncleanness". Otherwise, there would be no felt need for being purified from it through an atonement for it. Paul tells us the law given to Israel through Moses accomplishes this very thing, "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin." Romans 3:19-20. Becoming conscious of our sin is to be aware of our "unclean" condition before God.

Paul's salutation to the church in Ephesus reminds them of a purification God foreordained for those who embrace him in faith, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." Ephesians 1:3-6.

Paul goes on to remind us that it was the atonement Jesus Christ provided for our sins that made possible our "holy and blameless" standing before him, "In him [Jesus Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us." Verses 7-8.

Uncleanness, purification and atonement.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Is God a Misogynist? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 12:5,

"A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over. If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding."

Here is something interesting. In the law the Lord gave Moses, a woman giving birth is unclean for a period twice as long if she had a baby girl than if she had a baby boy. Likewise, the period of her purification took twice as long.

I can hear the social justice warriors howl! Those who pretend there are no differences between the genders must suffer apoplexy with a case of the quivers over this! "How dare God establish distinctions such as this!" Is the Judeo-Christian outlook one with a  preference for males over females? Is God a misogynist?

There have been a variety of explanations offered up as to why the Lord required double the time for uncleanness and purification for female babies versus males. I have not found any to be particularly compelling. Some feel the circumcision of the baby boy may have contributed toward the difference in time periods. Others look to prevailing attitudes during this patriarchal period - but this is from God, not dictated by any cultural imperative. Appeals are made to the possible difference in blood and bodily fluids expelled following birth for the two genders. As I say, I don't find any of the explanations particularly compelling, either these or others offered that I have found.

Here is a thought I have. Since God is creator and mankind is sinful and estranged from him, God was free to define the terms of covenant he imposed on his people in any way he chose. Since God created mankind male and female, he certainly has the liberty to make any distinctions he chooses between the genders. Was it his intention to denigrate the female gender?

I am reminded of the high ideal and lofty circumstance the culmination of all God's efforts in redeeming mankind achieve, "So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Galatians 3:26-29.

God is not a misogynist and I certainly don't think it was his intention to denigrate the female gender. Why would he create this wonderful gender if he felt so? Why would the Lord suffer so miserably on the cross, expressing his boundless love for this half of the human race if he felt so?

I'm happy to admit there are many things in Scripture I wish I understood better. What do you think as to why God ordained twice as long for the periods of uncleanness and purification for female births versus male?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Got Holiness? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 11:44-45,

"I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground. I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy."

In this chapter we read of the diet the Lord required of his people Israel. He sums up the various regulations by telling them the importance of them was for holiness. I note the Lord did not say healthiness but holiness. I'm not saying there were no health benefits from the diet the Lord prescribed for them, but the primary purpose was for his people to live their lives in a holy manner. He tells them to be holy because he himself is holy.

In this chapter we see that the Lord asked his people to make themselves holy by following his dietary restrictions. The people were to make themselves holy. What would make them holy by adhering to the diet the Lord gave them was due to precisely that the Lord gave it to them! To reject what the Lord told them to do would have been to reject the Lord himself as their God.

Today we understand that the Lord makes believers holy. In giving instructions to husbands, Paul says in Ephesians 5:25-27, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless."

In Colossians 1:21-22 we read, "Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation..."

The writer of Hebrews tells us Jesus Christ is the one who makes believers holy, "Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters." Hebrews 2:11. In reference to Jesus Christ he also says, "Then he said, 'Here I am, I have come to do your will.' He sets aside the first [which includes sacrifices and offerings] to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Also in verse 14 we read, "For by one sacrifice he [Jesus Christ] has made perfect forever those who are being made holy."

In Hebrews 13:11-12 we read, "The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood."

Embracing Jesus Christ in faith is how we are made holy today!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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What Are You Eating? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 11:46-47,

"These are the regulations concerning animals, birds, every living thing that moves about in the water and every creature that moves along the ground. You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten."

Chapter 11 of Leviticus provides the dietary laws for the Israelites. Anyone who ate "unclean" food would become ceremonially unclean, e.g. verse 4. Not only were the Israelites forbidden to eat certain animals, insects, birds and things in the water, coming into contact with these animals would make an Israelite unclean. Even pots, utensils and whatever possessions an Israelite might have would become unclean by contact with one of the restricted animals, birds or insects, etc.

Over the years there have been a lot of whacky ideas about the "biblical diet" that this chapter describes. Back in the 80s and 90s it was fashionable to consider this diet was given by God for health reasons. If a person was to keep to this diet they would do much better in terms of health and hygiene, all other things being equal.

Additionally, it was thought that if a person kept to eating only clean things as defined here and abstaining from the unclean things, he would enhance his "spirituality" and find even greater favor with God.

Here are a few things to consider. At a point in the life of Jesus Christ among mankind, he began teaching that he would eclipse the law for those who embraced him in faith in order to obtain a righteous standing with God. Among the ceremonial things, he specifically referred to the issue of the eating of clean/unclean food. In Mark 7:18-19 we read, "'Are you so dull?' he asked. 'Don't you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn't go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.' (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)"

The apostle Peter struggled with this some time later following Jesus' ascension to heaven. We read of an account of a vision he had while in Joppa, Acts 10:9-23. In verses 11-15 we read, "He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, 'Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.' 'Surely not, Lord!' Peter replied. 'I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.' The voice spoke to him a second time, 'Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.'" The purpose of this vision was to convince Peter that the Gentiles were fit in God's sight to be evangelized. Certainly the truthfulness of the underlying premise was important for the vision to carry the meaning.

Paul anticipated difficulties in the church over diet. He held that these would come due to spiritual immaturity. In Romans 14:1-2 we read, "Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person's faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables." This apparently anticipated that some believers with weak faith would bolster their standing with God by going beyond the clean/unclean food issue and eating a strict vegetarian diet.

Seventh Day Adventists, who promote a healthy lifestyle as a distinctive for themselves, champion a vegetarian diet. It is assumed in many quarters that a man will be a vegetarian if he were to ascend to the ranks of the "elders". It is, afterall, the diet God gave Adam and Eve when they lived a happy existence in the garden of Eden before the fall, right? My response is that yes, the vegetarian diet was the very diet they enjoyed when they rejected God's direction for them and listened to the devil and fell from God's grace.

Our righteous standing before God, our acceptance by him, is solely based on  the righteous standing Jesus Christ secured for us when he died on that miserable cross.

As a side note, the dietary laws were given to Israel to teach them about the BIG duality in life: the holy and the profane, the good and the bad, righteousness versus sinfulness, that which is acceptable to God and that which is not. The Israelites needed this indoctrination in order to recognize their need of salvation.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.  

Don't Trifle with God! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 10:1-3,

"Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command. So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. Moses then said to Aaron, 'This is what the Lord spoke of when he said: "'Among those who approach me I will be proved holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored."' Aaron remained silent."

The inauguration of the tabernacle worship in Israel was a matter important to God. Otherwise he would not have had it introduced into the life of the nation. The importance of it was apparently lost on Nadab and Abihu. They approached their responsibilities as priests in a way that communicated a disregard for the things of God.

They trifled with the interests of God and paid a severe penalty.

Trifling with the will of God is not a matter to be taken lightly. If we should do so we will have to face a formidable consequence. That consequence could come immediately, as in the case of Nadab and Abihu, or it might be delayed for God's purposes.

The greatest of all trifling has to be the rejection of God's provision for our sins, Jesus Christ. John the Baptist observed, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them." John 3:36.

An example of delayed consequence due to trifling with God is seen in what Jesus taught about the end of the age, "The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 13:41,42. He went on to say, "This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Verse 49.

I don't know about you, but I take the words of Jesus Christ seriously. He meant exactly what he said. To think otherwise is to trifle with God. Not a wise idea. Just ask Nadab and Abihu!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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The High Cost of Lack of Humility - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 10:1-2,

"Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command. So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord."

Here is a shocking account. What is shocking is not that the Lord laid waste to Nadab and Abihu, but that Nadab and Abihu felt they had the liberty to carry out their responsibilities as priests their own way and not the Lord's way. How in the world did they arrive at the notion they could disregard the instruction of the Lord and take the freedom to do things their own way? It is simply astonishing.

Obviously their hearts were not right before God. It cannot be escaped that they failed to maintain a healthy fear and reverence for the Lord. Ultimately a lack of humility before the Lord led to their demise.

God chose to develop a nation for himself in his efforts to reach out to lost and fallen mankind, to provide a means by which man could find his way back to him. He chose Abraham, a man of faith, to make a nation for himself to bring his Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to pay mankind's penalty for their sins. 

What we read of in the account of Nadab and Abihu took place at an important junction in the development of Israel. The worship at the tabernacle that God was introducing to Israel was all about instructing the nation, and the world through this nation, about the sacrifice God would make of his Son. God did not want any "improvements" on what he was doing by the half-witted ideas of the likes of Aaron's sons.

We can be assured the Lord already knew the hearts of Nadab and Abihu and used them to communicate a clear message to the Israelites. That message was that although God was reaching out to this people and doing amazing things through them, they had better acknowledge what he was doing in humility and fear. Things were to be done God's way  and not their pitiful notion of what they thought might be a better way or any old way.

Incidentally, what we see in Nadab and Abihu is pretty much what we saw in Cain's "worship" of the Lord back in Genesis 4. A lack of humility can go a great distance in bringing pain.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Eighth Day and Acceptance? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 9:1-2,

"On the eighth day Moses summoned Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel. He said to Aaron, 'Take a bull calf for your sin offering and a ram for your burnt offering, both without defect, and present them before the Lord.'"

Following the seven days of his consecration to the priesthood (a requirement to make Aaron acceptable to the Lord to offer sacrifices), Aaron was to begin that ministry of offering those sacrifices - on the eighth day. An activity that temporarily made the Israelites acceptable to the Lord.

In Leviticus 14:8-10 we read that when an Israelite got a skin disease, it made them ceremonially unclean. They were to go to the priest for cleansing. On the eighth day following their period of cleansing for seven days, they were to bring an offering to the Lord that made them now acceptable to the Lord.

In Leviticus 15:13-15 when a man had "an unusual bodily discharge" it made him "unclean", (verses 2-3). He was to go through a seven day period of cleansing and then take an offering to the priest on the eighth day. "In this way he will make atonement before the Lord for the man because of his discharge." Verse 15. This now made him acceptable to the Lord.

In Leviticus 22:27 we read, "When a calf, a lamb or a goat is born, it is to remain with its mother for seven days. From the eighth day on, it will be acceptable as a food offering presented to the Lord."

In Leviticus 12:2-3 we read, "A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised." Today we know that in the 1930s Henrik Dam and Edward Doisy found the necessary requirements for blood to clot: vitamin K and prothrombin. The eighth day is the best timing for circumcision (which causes bleeding), because prothrombin peaks at 110% of normal and vitamin K peaks on that day as well. See https://evidence-for-the-bible.com/scientific-evidence-for-the-bible/scientific-evidence-for-circumcision-on-the-eighth-day/ In Romans 2:29 Paul contrasts physical circumcision with the work the Holy Spirit in our lives, a "circumcision of the heart", making us acceptable to God.

I'm not much of one for numerology and the odd-ball things people come up with, but it is interesting about acceptance from the Lord and the eighth day, isn't it?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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The Scriptures are Intentional - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 9:23-24,

"Moses and Aaron then went into the tent of meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown."

In this chapter we read of the initial offerings Aaron made as Israel's chief priest together with his sons: the sin offering (for himself), the burnt offering, the sin offering for the people, the morning's burnt offering, the grain offering and the fellowship offering (if I followed the narrative correctly, I may not have the order of offerings correct here).

We then read that Aaron "lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them." After this he stepped down and then both he and Moses went into the tabernacle, "the tent of meeting". After they came out they again blessed the people and then suddenly the Lord appeared to all the people and fire erupted from his presence and consumed the burnt offering.

I note in the narrative that we are not told what exactly Moses and Aaron did when they went inside the tabernacle. We assume they met with God or prayed to God following the offerings in preparation for the Lord's appearance before the people and his torching of the burnt offering. But we don't know for sure what took place inside the tabernacle when Moses and Aaron went in. We are not told.

I point this out to note a reality of the accounts we read of in the pages of Scripture. We might get the impression we know what transpired in a narrative in Scripture without recognizing we are almost never told of all that happened. Yes, we do know the things we are told, but we often are not told everything. I guess this is obvious, but sometimes gets forgotten, particularly when we "begin to wax eloquently" about some event in Scripture. I don't know how many times I have found myself there.

In this event, along with not knowing what Moses and Aaron did in the tabernacle following the offerings and before the Lord appeared to the people and consumed the burnt offering, just what did having 2-3 million people gathering at the tabernacle look like when we are told, "And when all the people saw it..."? Were they all standing in the rain? Were they prostrated before the Lord? We don't know because we are not told.

But... we have been told the things we read of in Leviticus 9, and so we do know them. The things we are told are the very things the Lord wants us to know. It isn't important we know everything, but it is very important we know what we are told. We are told for the precise reason the Lord thinks it is important we know them. It is from this reality that I say, along with inerrant, inspired by God and authoritative, the Scriptures are intentional. God has given us what we have in our Bibles because it is his intention we know these things. Other things he has not, otherwise they would be included.

Just a thought this morning...

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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What's for One? What's for All? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 8:2-4,

"'Bring Aaron and his sons, their garments, the anointing oil, the bull for the sin offering, the two rams and the basket containing bread made without yeast, and gather the entire assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting.' Moses did as the Lord commanded him, and the assembly gathered at the entrance to the tent of meeting."

When God spoke to Moses on Mt. Horeb it was without the presence of the people of Israel. Only Moses himself was allowed up on the mountain when God gave the law. Not so when it came time to consecrate the tabernacle and the priests for the worship that was to take place there. The consecration of the tabernacle, its furnishings and the priests themselves was to be done in full view of the Israelites so they knew what was ordained by God for the worship of himself.

The Israelites had entered into a covenant with God. The law of God and the prescribed worship of him were non-optional.God told them the way they were to live their lives and the way they were to worship him. The criteria for how they were to live their lives, the law, would be given to the Israelites through an intermediary, Moses. When it came time to set apart the tabernacle with its furnishings and the priesthood for worship, the Israelites were to be witnesses of the event.

God communicated to the Israelites that in some things he would use an intermediary or mediator and in others he would engage the people directly. 

It appears to me that there are those things that follow similar kinds of patterns. Paul speaks of a vision of heaven in 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. One man experienced heaven while others were only told of it. Obviously God permitted or determined something for only one man. Likewise, when it came to the transfiguration of Jesus, Matthew 17:1-13. only three were allowed to witness it, Peter, James and John. Everyone else was only told of it. The same for the revelation John experienced.

Accepting or knowing this seems to me to be helpful so that believers don't go off the deep end just because they read of something in the pages of Scripture. In the 19th century it was fashionable for those who wanted to enter the ministry to claim to have had some encounter with God that rivaled Paul's encounter on the road to Damascus, something just as dramatic with bright light, the presence of angels and the whole nine yards. Today we see those who fashion themselves to be apostles or prophets or whatever.

It cannot be escaped that there are those who fail to recognize that just because God had something for someone or a few doesn't mean he intends it for all. In other things he does in fact intend for all. I think wisdom is appropriate to discern the differences here. Obviously, discernment and wisdom are not always employed.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Got Consecration? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 8:10,

"Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, and so consecrated them."

The term "consecrate" is used five times in this chapter. We are told Moses consecrated the tabernacle and everything in it, our verse above. He consecrated the altar, all its utensils and the basin with its stand, verse 11. Moses then consecrated Aaron as the high priest, verse 12. Although he had consecrated the altar with "anointing oil" in verse 11, he then consecrated it with blood from the bull of the sin offering by pouring it at the base of the altar, verse 15, making atonement for it. Later in the chapter we read that Moses consecrated Aaron and his priestly garments along with his sons and their garments, verse 30.

To consecrate is to make or declare something sacred. In this case it was the tabernacle with all its furnishings and the priests who would serve there. It carries the sense of making something venerable (sacred) or set apart from being able to violate or profane. The worship of God was to be engaged in within these parameters.

The authority, the bona fides, the genuineness for this consecration, of course, lies in the fact that God himself ordained this consecration. This was done at God's command, God's will. His imprimatur was behind the consecration of the tabernacle and the priesthood.

Today we have all kinds of religions, all kinds of "Christian" denominations and sects that have established their own "consecration" of things: their leaders, their facilities, their vestments and liturgies, their objects, utensils and tools. The problem from my standpoint is the supposed authority of these "consecrated" things leading to the veneration of them. None of it can be found anywhere in Scripture. No apostolic witness for it, no grounding for it in the pages of truth. The claim is simply "tradition". Perhaps I'm being a bit harsh here, but those are sorry grounds compared to what we read of in Leviticus 8. You get the feeling of witnessing some lame copy-cating.

How about this for consecration: "Everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer." 1 Timothy 4:4.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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An Offering of Thankfulness - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 7:12-14,

"If they offer it [the fellowship offering] as an expression of thankfulness, then along with this thank offering they are to offer thick loaves made without yeast and with olive oil mixed in, thin loaves made without yeast and brushed with oil, and thick loaves of the finest flour well-kneaded and with oil mixed in.  
I note in this chapter the fellowship offering could be the result of a vow or it could be a freewill offering (verse 16) or it could be the expression of thankfulness (verse 12). The offering was to be the expression of differing things chosen by the worshipper.

The use of the fellowship offering as an expression of thankfulness brings to my mind our expressions of thankfulness today. I am reminded of many things to be thankful to God for today:

- God's unfathomable love, grace, mercy and kindness he has expressed to us in giving his Son, Jesus Christ, as a sacrifice of atonement that we may join his family and have eternal life.

- A breastplate of righteousness he gives those who embrace him in faith.

- God provides the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives as believers.

- God gifts us with abilities so that we can participate with him in building his family here on earth, providing us meaning, purpose, fulfillment and satisfaction in our lives.

- God allows us to draw close to him and to approach him in prayer. He answers prayer.

- God has given us the Scriptures which provide us with teaching, rebuking, correcting, training, endurance and encouragement.

- God allows us to learn of  him, those things that are his, his plans, his agenda, his will, what he is doing in the world today.

- God gives believers the very mind of Jesus Christ, renewing our minds by his power.

- God provides us all we need.

- God gives us all the wonderful riches of the lavish inheritance of Jesus Christ as his co-heirs, something he has so graciously and generously bestowed on us that we clearly do not deserve.

Can you find these things in Scripture? What would you add to this list? What are you thankful for today?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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The Credit of an Offering - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 7:16-18,

"If, however, their offering is the result of a vow or is a freewill offering, the sacrifice shall be eaten on the day they offer it, but anything left over may be eaten on the next day. Any meat of the sacrifice left over till the third day must be burned up. If any meat of the fellowship offering is eaten on the third day, the one who offered it will not be accepted. It will not be reckoned to their credit, for it has become impure; the person who eats any of it will be held responsible."

The intention of the fellowship offering was instrumental in determining the consumption of it. If a worshipper brought a fellowship offering as a thanksgiving then it was to be consumed on the day it was offered and not left until morning. On the other hand, if the intention was the result of a vow or a freewill offering, it could be consumed both on the day it was offered as well as the next day. Anything left over until the third day was to be burned up.

A violation of these guidelines was that the offering would not "be reckoned to their credit". On the contrary, we are told the person who eats any of it outside the guidelines would be held responsible. These offerings, prescribed by the Lord, brought credit when done according to the guidelines the Lord gave. Violating the same would require some form of restitution or retribution.

The principle of God giving credit for offerings and the worshipper receiving credit for those offerings causes me to think of the credit involved in the greatest of all offerings: Jesus Christ's offering of himself on that cross to provide the credit of righteousness to our account with God when we embrace him in faith. If we fail to embrace him in faith we will lack that much needed currency in our account with God - righteousness.

"Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death." Proverbs 11:4.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Team Cain and Team Abel - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 6:9,14,25,

"These are the regulations for the burnt offering... These are the regulations for the grain offering... These are the regulations for the sin offering..."

The Lord prescribed the various offerings he desired from the Israelites. As he gave the instructions to Moses, there was very little in the way of choices he allowed them in their worship of him (there were a few things). In the formula of instructions the Lord provided for the various offerings we read "These are the regulations..." We find this very wording three times in this chapter regarding the burnt offering, the grain offering and the sin offering.

Here is precisely the trouble that Cain got into with the Lord. Cain wanted to bring an offering of his own choice, not the Lord's. Unlike Cain, his brother, Abel, followed the Lord's direction which resulted in an animosity Cain harbored toward his brother. It so consumed Cain that he murdered Abel. This resulted in Cain becoming the "father" of all who attack God's people.

We read in 1 John 3:12-13, "Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you." "The world" is defined as being like Cain and made up of those who hate and seek to destroy the brothers and sisters in God's family.

What I just described has never been more alive and active than it is right now in our day. The world is comprised of those who have no regard for God, take the liberty of rejecting God and doing things their own way. "Team Cain" I call them. All of God's children are "Team Abel" and are quite distinct from Team Cain. Team Cain seeks to destroy the people of God, which is why there is so much anti-Semitism in the world and why the church is under attack.

Israel has been treated horrifically by the world and it is going to get worse as we find out from the Scriptures. Likewise, the church will suffer in this persecution in the coming days and years- all at the hands of Team Cain.

The apostle John pointed out that the world follows its father, Cain, who is clearly defined as the patriarch of this miserable crowd who rejects the worship of God in the way God has prescribed.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Not Getting Involved? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 5:1,

"If anyone sins because they do not speak up when they hear a public charge to testify regarding something they have seen or learned about, they will be held responsible."

Here is something that looks like a sin of omission: when someone knows they need to step forward and do the responsible thing, not getting involved is not an option. The Lord considers it a sin. In this case, refusing to testify about something known of, when the need to do so is expressed by the authorities, is a sin.

I see the same kind of thing in Proverbs 24:11-12, "Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, 'But we knew nothing about this,' does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?" I can't help but think of the practice of abortion when I read this. Every last one of God's people need to be involved in some way in providing protection for the unborn in one way or another. As a believer, not getting involved is simply not an option.

Although Christians are not under the law, Romans 7:6, we need to study the law to learn of God. From it we find the heart of God, what pleases him, what he finds offensive, and what it is he may hold against us. One thing we do learn is that when it comes to certain things, not getting involved is not an option.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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