I hope we all keep on pressing and read through the 'laws section'. I admit I find my mind wondering off when I read them! But again remember that every detail matters in God's plan. Especially, the laws He gives must matter. Here are some more thoughts on these offerings (and symbolism I see) …
Fellowship offering – or a 'peace offering' to God.
What a beautiful idea! When you build a relationship with a person you build a community with them by sharing together joyful things and keeping peace with them. God wants the same relationship with us. But as in people relationships, this requires an active commitment. The Israelites were taught how to start this habit by presenting fellowship offerings. But I am sure it had to reflect what was actually in their hearts. We also today need to look at what more can we offer to God as a sign that we want peace and friendship with him. Yes, it starts with offering our hearts and committing our lives to Him...remember also 'the Sabbath' discipline we've been learning about as an example what we can offer.
Present an offering without defect.
Gods demanded animal offerings without defect. To me this is a reminder first that He is holy and second that He wants us to strive for holiness (as impossible as it is for a human). It also could symbolize that our offerings are to be genuine. I don't think this is a call to be 'perfectionists.' ...God calls our offerings to him to be 'the real thing': from the heart, truthful and genuine, not just religious rituals:
"I the LORD search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward a man according to his conduct,
according to what his deeds deserve." (Jeremiah 17:10)
‘Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.’ (Psalm 139: 23-24)
An aroma pleasing to the Lord.
At the end of the day, what we offer to God pleases Him, he rejoices in us. You've read before of the mega party in Heaven that happens when a heart accepts Christ? Well, I imagine God partying wildly every time we offer yet another bit of ourselves to Him, no matter how small.
An offering made by fire.
This reminds me of God the Holy Spirit who lives in us and helps us with His consuming power to build a relationship with Him daily and be transformed.
Sprinkle it's blood on all sides.
We read that there is a lot of blood being sprinkled at the altar when these sacrifices were being made, and on all sides. At the end of the day, the atonement for all sin, all wrongdoing of every human being, was through the blood of Christ who was sacrificed, and His blood was 'sprinkled all around' - for everyone to believe and be saved.
All our offerings are to be presented at a Holy place.
For the Israelites this was to be the future temple to be built –a physical place. In our lives that holy place is ‘being with Christ.’ Jesus is to be LORD of all of our lives, He is to dwell in every aspect of our life. It is a huge challenge for me to let Him control EVERY aspect, but we are to offer it all to him: from confession to praise to life transformation, letting Him lead our lives.
‘How lovely is your dwelling place, oh, Lord almighty
For my soul longs and even faints for you
Lord, here my heart is satisfied within your presence
I sing beneath the shadow of your wings
Better is one day in your court, better is one day in your house
Better is one day in your court than thousands elsewhere’ (‘Better Is One Day’ song)
Have you offered your heart and life to God? In what outward way can you express it this week?
Monday, February 22, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
February 21: Sacrifices and Offerings
As the commentator notes, the Jewish spiritual life included not just "feasts of celebration, remembrance, and thanksgiving," but also sacrifices and offerings. There are two major purposes for these sacrifices and offerings: 1) "the removal of guilt (expiation)" and 2) "the obtaining of God's favor (propiation)." Today, we read about two of the kinds of offering: burnt offerings, an example of expiation, and cereal/grain offerings, an example of propiation.
1. Burnt offerings. A burnt offering comes from the herd, flocks, or birds. As the offering, valuable to the giver, becomes engulfed in flames and consumed by fire, the worshippers might regard these flames ascending to God. While part of every offering received burning in the sacred fire, these offerings were wholly burned. The most frequent form of sacrifice, it is the only type mentioned in the Book of Genesis -- by Abel (Genesis 4:3,4); Noah (Genesis 8:20); and Abraham (Genesis 22:2,7,8,13). The Israelites also offered such a sacrifice in Egypt (Exodus 10:25).
2. Grain offerings. These offerings looked to draw God's favor, providing an "aroma pleasing to the LORD." The Israelites were not to use leaven, which may have pointed to their depature from Egypt. These offerings were also to receive the "salt of the covenant" and a portion thereof would go to the Levites.
3. Applications. As we read the New Testament, we quickly gather a change in the sacrificial system that has transpired through Christ. For the Christian, the completed sacrifice of Jesus has covered over all guilt: "When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!... For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant." (Hebrews 9:11-15ff).
Yet, we may offer our lives as a sacrifice of praise. In 2 Corinthians 2:14,15, we read: "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." Paul describes the Philippians' generosity in similar terms: "I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God." (Philippians 4:18)
The greatest sacrifice we may offer is our life, represented in devotion to God and His will. Our faithful following after His heart leads us to pour out our lives for Him and for others. It involves a re-orientation of priorities. Romans 12:1 reads: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship." Paul describes his life as a "drink offering" both in Philippians 2:17 and 2 Timothy 4:6. His words in 2 Timothy 4:6-8 give us encouragement as we see the pouring out and waning of our earthly lives: "For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."
QUESTIONS
1. Why do we often wish to offer sacrifices, now unnecessary, to "cover" our guilt or shame?
2. How can you offer your life as a "sacrifice of praise" this week?
1. Burnt offerings. A burnt offering comes from the herd, flocks, or birds. As the offering, valuable to the giver, becomes engulfed in flames and consumed by fire, the worshippers might regard these flames ascending to God. While part of every offering received burning in the sacred fire, these offerings were wholly burned. The most frequent form of sacrifice, it is the only type mentioned in the Book of Genesis -- by Abel (Genesis 4:3,4); Noah (Genesis 8:20); and Abraham (Genesis 22:2,7,8,13). The Israelites also offered such a sacrifice in Egypt (Exodus 10:25).
2. Grain offerings. These offerings looked to draw God's favor, providing an "aroma pleasing to the LORD." The Israelites were not to use leaven, which may have pointed to their depature from Egypt. These offerings were also to receive the "salt of the covenant" and a portion thereof would go to the Levites.
3. Applications. As we read the New Testament, we quickly gather a change in the sacrificial system that has transpired through Christ. For the Christian, the completed sacrifice of Jesus has covered over all guilt: "When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!... For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant." (Hebrews 9:11-15ff).
Yet, we may offer our lives as a sacrifice of praise. In 2 Corinthians 2:14,15, we read: "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." Paul describes the Philippians' generosity in similar terms: "I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God." (Philippians 4:18)
The greatest sacrifice we may offer is our life, represented in devotion to God and His will. Our faithful following after His heart leads us to pour out our lives for Him and for others. It involves a re-orientation of priorities. Romans 12:1 reads: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship." Paul describes his life as a "drink offering" both in Philippians 2:17 and 2 Timothy 4:6. His words in 2 Timothy 4:6-8 give us encouragement as we see the pouring out and waning of our earthly lives: "For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."
QUESTIONS
1. Why do we often wish to offer sacrifices, now unnecessary, to "cover" our guilt or shame?
2. How can you offer your life as a "sacrifice of praise" this week?
Saturday, February 20, 2010
February 20
THE FEASTS Besides enjoying one Sabbath day of rest each week, the Israelites also enjoyed 19 days when national holidays were celebrated. This is a culture that knew how to party!!
Passover
One day
(Lev. 23:5) When God spared the lives of Israel’s firstborn children in Egypt and freed the Hebrews from slavery. Reminded the people of God’s deliverance. He can still set us free from bondage.
Unleavened Bread
Seven days
(Lev. 23:6-8)
The exodus from Egypt. Reminded the people they were leaving the old life behind and entering a new way of living
Firstfruits
One day
(Lev. 23:9-14)
The first crops of the barley harvest. Reminded the people how God provided for them. God will give us today our daily bread.
Weeks
One day
(Lev. 23:15-22)
The end of the barley harvest and beginning of the wheat harvest
Showed joy and thanksgiving over the bountiful harvest. It is time to celebrate and party. Who said following God wasn’t fun!
Trumpets
One day
(Lev. 23:23-25)
The beginning of the seventh month (civil new year)
Expressed joy and thanksgiving to God. Grateful people are joyful people.
Day of Atonement
One day
(Lev. 23:26-32)
The removal of sin from the people and the nation
Restored fellowship with God. We place our sin on the scapegoat, which happens to be Jesus.
Tabernacles
Seven days
(Lev. 23:33-43)
God’s protection and guidance in the desert
Renewed Israel’s commitment to God and trust in his guidance and protection
Some additional notes on the purpose of these feasts:
1. The Hebrew meaning of the word Leviticus is "And he called" It is somewhat misleading for although the book deals extensively with the Levites and priests and their various tasks, this book was given to the whole nation. We are all called to live holy lives.
2. The word "Holy" occurs 90 times. The word "Sanctify" 17 times.
What does “sanctification” mean? To be set apart for God’s use. A believer’s sanctification is an ongoing process. When a person becomes a Christian, he or she is sanctified. The Holy Spirit continues helping him or her become more and more like Jesus, which is the process of sanctification. The goal in our Bible reading this year is not information but transformation. Every day we should be more and more like Jesus.
3. God wanted the nation to act as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Ex 19:5,6 Israel rejected this offer by God. Ex 20:21. In the New Testament we have been given this same task. So today give yourself the title of “Priest or Priestess.” 1 Peter 1 Notice this is not prince or princess. Don’t take it too far.
4. The book of Leviticus is filled with the commands God gave his people at the foot of Mount Sinai. From these commands we can learn much about God’s nature and character. At first glance, Leviticus seems irrelevant to our high-tech world of Ipods and GPS’s. But digging a little deeper, we realize that the book still speaks to us today—God has not changed, and his principles are for all times. As people and culture change, we need constantly to search for ways to apply the principles of God’s law to our present circumstances. God was the same in Leviticus as he is today and will be forever (Hebrews 13:8).
5. The point of the book. Make a distinction between the God you feel and the God who is revealed. God gave specific instructions on how we are to approach him. Worship isn't something we just feel…. Don't just wing it. Nadab and Abihu didn't follow instructions and they paid a huge price. Today the ceremonial law is not in effect. But God has still given us guidelines on worship. We need to be diligent to worship God correctly.
An action plan for this Saturday:
1. Take a minute and sing a worship song to the Lord.
2. Be quiet for a few minutes and ask God to reveal to you how he wants to sanctify you today.
3. Make sure your life is lining up with the God revealed in the Bible. Truth is absolutely what God says it is.
Passover
One day
(Lev. 23:5) When God spared the lives of Israel’s firstborn children in Egypt and freed the Hebrews from slavery. Reminded the people of God’s deliverance. He can still set us free from bondage.
Unleavened Bread
Seven days
(Lev. 23:6-8)
The exodus from Egypt. Reminded the people they were leaving the old life behind and entering a new way of living
Firstfruits
One day
(Lev. 23:9-14)
The first crops of the barley harvest. Reminded the people how God provided for them. God will give us today our daily bread.
Weeks
One day
(Lev. 23:15-22)
The end of the barley harvest and beginning of the wheat harvest
Showed joy and thanksgiving over the bountiful harvest. It is time to celebrate and party. Who said following God wasn’t fun!
Trumpets
One day
(Lev. 23:23-25)
The beginning of the seventh month (civil new year)
Expressed joy and thanksgiving to God. Grateful people are joyful people.
Day of Atonement
One day
(Lev. 23:26-32)
The removal of sin from the people and the nation
Restored fellowship with God. We place our sin on the scapegoat, which happens to be Jesus.
Tabernacles
Seven days
(Lev. 23:33-43)
God’s protection and guidance in the desert
Renewed Israel’s commitment to God and trust in his guidance and protection
Some additional notes on the purpose of these feasts:
1. The Hebrew meaning of the word Leviticus is "And he called" It is somewhat misleading for although the book deals extensively with the Levites and priests and their various tasks, this book was given to the whole nation. We are all called to live holy lives.
2. The word "Holy" occurs 90 times. The word "Sanctify" 17 times.
What does “sanctification” mean? To be set apart for God’s use. A believer’s sanctification is an ongoing process. When a person becomes a Christian, he or she is sanctified. The Holy Spirit continues helping him or her become more and more like Jesus, which is the process of sanctification. The goal in our Bible reading this year is not information but transformation. Every day we should be more and more like Jesus.
3. God wanted the nation to act as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Ex 19:5,6 Israel rejected this offer by God. Ex 20:21. In the New Testament we have been given this same task. So today give yourself the title of “Priest or Priestess.” 1 Peter 1 Notice this is not prince or princess. Don’t take it too far.
4. The book of Leviticus is filled with the commands God gave his people at the foot of Mount Sinai. From these commands we can learn much about God’s nature and character. At first glance, Leviticus seems irrelevant to our high-tech world of Ipods and GPS’s. But digging a little deeper, we realize that the book still speaks to us today—God has not changed, and his principles are for all times. As people and culture change, we need constantly to search for ways to apply the principles of God’s law to our present circumstances. God was the same in Leviticus as he is today and will be forever (Hebrews 13:8).
5. The point of the book. Make a distinction between the God you feel and the God who is revealed. God gave specific instructions on how we are to approach him. Worship isn't something we just feel…. Don't just wing it. Nadab and Abihu didn't follow instructions and they paid a huge price. Today the ceremonial law is not in effect. But God has still given us guidelines on worship. We need to be diligent to worship God correctly.
An action plan for this Saturday:
1. Take a minute and sing a worship song to the Lord.
2. Be quiet for a few minutes and ask God to reveal to you how he wants to sanctify you today.
3. Make sure your life is lining up with the God revealed in the Bible. Truth is absolutely what God says it is.
Friday, February 19, 2010
February 19
Accountability day, it is amazing how quickly these come around. Send me a quick email.
Are you tired all the time?
I'm not sure I understand it, but I have this feeling that an increasing amount of my conversations deal with the subject of weariness, over commitment, and the perceived need to drop out.
Here are phrases that I hear all the time, maybe you have even said some of these:
1. I've got to cut down; I'm into too many things.
2. I think I'm on the edge of burn‑out.
3. I never have any time for myself these days.
4. You can't believe how busy my life is.
I get the feeling we are a tired generation. Evidence of that can be found that Americans are overworked and exhausted these days. Workaholism is a modern word. No matter how hard we are willing to work in our competitive world, there always seems to be someone willing to put in a few more hours than we are. The amazing thing is that all this weariness, exhaustion, fatigue is taking place at a time when we have more leisure than any generation who has every lived in this country. How can these things be? Can I suggest that this is not necessarily a weariness of the body, but this is a weariness of the spirit and soul?
God in his infinity wisdom has a solution for our burn out; it is called a Sabbath Rest.
Deut. 5:12-14 "Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work.”
It might be time for us to read the instructions. Here is the remarkable principle. We work for six days and then we get a full day of vacation. A day for our souls to catch up with our bodies, a day of enjoyment of God and the wonderful gifts he has given us, in a sense a mini-vacation day to renew ourselves.
Here are some words from an Israeli tourist brochure: “Make the Sabbath an eternal monument of the knowledge and sanctification of God, both in the center of your busy public life and in the peaceful retreat of your domestic hearth. For six days cultivate the earth and rule it. But the 7th is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. Let a man therefore realize that the Creator of old is the living God of today, that He watches every man and every human effort, to see how man uses or abuses the world loaned to him and the forces bestowed upon him, and that He is the sole architect to whom every man has to render an account of his week's labors.”
Jewish awareness of a unique pace of Sabbath is something we should consider. Routines are to stop, labors are to cease. Even the homemaker in the pious Jewish family is to refrain from cooking or menial tasks. Food is prepared before Sabbath begins so that she also can enjoy the fruit of the special rest day. This is a far cry from the incredible, filled up, pressurized day many evangelical Christians tend to make of their day of rest.
Make Sunday the high point of your week. Make it a day to go to church, spend time alone with God, and renew your relationships with family and friends. It is a day to re-create your spirit and soul.
We are as busy as we choose to be. Choose not to be busy this coming Sunday. Take a vacation with God.
Are you tired all the time?
I'm not sure I understand it, but I have this feeling that an increasing amount of my conversations deal with the subject of weariness, over commitment, and the perceived need to drop out.
Here are phrases that I hear all the time, maybe you have even said some of these:
1. I've got to cut down; I'm into too many things.
2. I think I'm on the edge of burn‑out.
3. I never have any time for myself these days.
4. You can't believe how busy my life is.
I get the feeling we are a tired generation. Evidence of that can be found that Americans are overworked and exhausted these days. Workaholism is a modern word. No matter how hard we are willing to work in our competitive world, there always seems to be someone willing to put in a few more hours than we are. The amazing thing is that all this weariness, exhaustion, fatigue is taking place at a time when we have more leisure than any generation who has every lived in this country. How can these things be? Can I suggest that this is not necessarily a weariness of the body, but this is a weariness of the spirit and soul?
God in his infinity wisdom has a solution for our burn out; it is called a Sabbath Rest.
Deut. 5:12-14 "Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work.”
It might be time for us to read the instructions. Here is the remarkable principle. We work for six days and then we get a full day of vacation. A day for our souls to catch up with our bodies, a day of enjoyment of God and the wonderful gifts he has given us, in a sense a mini-vacation day to renew ourselves.
Here are some words from an Israeli tourist brochure: “Make the Sabbath an eternal monument of the knowledge and sanctification of God, both in the center of your busy public life and in the peaceful retreat of your domestic hearth. For six days cultivate the earth and rule it. But the 7th is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. Let a man therefore realize that the Creator of old is the living God of today, that He watches every man and every human effort, to see how man uses or abuses the world loaned to him and the forces bestowed upon him, and that He is the sole architect to whom every man has to render an account of his week's labors.”
Jewish awareness of a unique pace of Sabbath is something we should consider. Routines are to stop, labors are to cease. Even the homemaker in the pious Jewish family is to refrain from cooking or menial tasks. Food is prepared before Sabbath begins so that she also can enjoy the fruit of the special rest day. This is a far cry from the incredible, filled up, pressurized day many evangelical Christians tend to make of their day of rest.
Make Sunday the high point of your week. Make it a day to go to church, spend time alone with God, and renew your relationships with family and friends. It is a day to re-create your spirit and soul.
We are as busy as we choose to be. Choose not to be busy this coming Sunday. Take a vacation with God.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
February 18
We now begin the Laws of Moses.
During my high school years I had the prodigious job of being a lifeguard at one of the public pools in Allentown, Pa. We had the “commandments” of pool life published on a board as you entered the pool area. There were commandments like… no pushing people into water, no running, no diving in the shallow end, no swimming in the diving area, no glass bottles and no babies in diapers allowed in the pool.
Many of the kids didn’t like the commandments. They complained that the commandments were too restrictive, that they cramped their style, that they were not fun, and that everyone was doing these things at other pools.
Dream with me for a moment what pool life would be without the commandments. I can see a group of kids wanting to just have fun as they grab a friend and throw him into deep water. The problem is the kid can’t swim. Pushing people into the pool is fun for the pushers but what about the pushee? Lifting the commandment to dive into the shallow end would have catastrophic results. And how about allowing babies in diapers... let’s not even go there.
Why did we have “the pool commandments?” Were the lifeguards crabby people who were hungry for power? Did we want to force our narrow ways on people? No, the commandments were given to provide the best pool experience for everyone. They were designed to maximize the joy of all swimmers. These commandments were given to protect lives. No one ever drowned under my guard.
God gave us the 10 commandments for the same reason. God is not trying to take away our fun. He is providing the best possible life for everyone.
The first commandment is that we should have no other gods before God. Literally this is “you shall have no other gods before my face.” This idiom means we should have no other gods in his presence, no other gods even near him. Hebrew scholars tell us that this is the language of a marriage ceremony. God expects us to give him our lives and our total allegiance.
Imagine being at your wedding ceremony and your wife says to you, “Honey, I do love you, but there are a lot of things that need to be done in marriage. So I want to love another guy and bring him into our marriage.” How would you feel? How do you think God feels when we want to bring other gods into our heart? The bottom line is the first commandment says “I am your only God.” God demands to be our first priority in life.
USA Today on Jan 10, 2007 carried a headline article on the Gen Y generation. Gen Y are people 18-25 years old. When asked what their top life priorities were:
81% said their top life goal was to get rich. .
51% said their second goal was to become famous.
10% said their goal was to become more spiritual.
Even from a casual observation, it is clear that the vast majority of people are breaking the very first commandment. So let me ask you these questions as we begin to study the law:
What is the most important priority in your life?
What does your heart beat fast for? What gets you out of bed in the morning?
What’s your mission in life? Can you really say that God is your number one priority?
God in first place in our lives is the only way we will ever find joy.
During my high school years I had the prodigious job of being a lifeguard at one of the public pools in Allentown, Pa. We had the “commandments” of pool life published on a board as you entered the pool area. There were commandments like… no pushing people into water, no running, no diving in the shallow end, no swimming in the diving area, no glass bottles and no babies in diapers allowed in the pool.
Many of the kids didn’t like the commandments. They complained that the commandments were too restrictive, that they cramped their style, that they were not fun, and that everyone was doing these things at other pools.
Dream with me for a moment what pool life would be without the commandments. I can see a group of kids wanting to just have fun as they grab a friend and throw him into deep water. The problem is the kid can’t swim. Pushing people into the pool is fun for the pushers but what about the pushee? Lifting the commandment to dive into the shallow end would have catastrophic results. And how about allowing babies in diapers... let’s not even go there.
Why did we have “the pool commandments?” Were the lifeguards crabby people who were hungry for power? Did we want to force our narrow ways on people? No, the commandments were given to provide the best pool experience for everyone. They were designed to maximize the joy of all swimmers. These commandments were given to protect lives. No one ever drowned under my guard.
God gave us the 10 commandments for the same reason. God is not trying to take away our fun. He is providing the best possible life for everyone.
The first commandment is that we should have no other gods before God. Literally this is “you shall have no other gods before my face.” This idiom means we should have no other gods in his presence, no other gods even near him. Hebrew scholars tell us that this is the language of a marriage ceremony. God expects us to give him our lives and our total allegiance.
Imagine being at your wedding ceremony and your wife says to you, “Honey, I do love you, but there are a lot of things that need to be done in marriage. So I want to love another guy and bring him into our marriage.” How would you feel? How do you think God feels when we want to bring other gods into our heart? The bottom line is the first commandment says “I am your only God.” God demands to be our first priority in life.
USA Today on Jan 10, 2007 carried a headline article on the Gen Y generation. Gen Y are people 18-25 years old. When asked what their top life priorities were:
81% said their top life goal was to get rich. .
51% said their second goal was to become famous.
10% said their goal was to become more spiritual.
Even from a casual observation, it is clear that the vast majority of people are breaking the very first commandment. So let me ask you these questions as we begin to study the law:
What is the most important priority in your life?
What does your heart beat fast for? What gets you out of bed in the morning?
What’s your mission in life? Can you really say that God is your number one priority?
God in first place in our lives is the only way we will ever find joy.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
February 17
Today is the last day before the “LAW.” We will be studying the law until March 6th. It is a very important time to stay disciplined to reading everyday. This is where most people stumble in the race.
If you will allow me, I would like to deal with one of the most difficult ethical questions in the Bible: the genocide of the Canaanites. Deut 9:1-3 says that God will become a devouring fire, he will destroy them. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you.
Deut. 7:1-2 When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations--the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you-- and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy.
The Hebrew word used here is “herem” to utterly destroy. The word is used to show what the exclusive property of the Lord is. Only God can make this pronouncement of what is to be totally destroyed. No human being can “herem” a people or country. This word would later be used for a group of women who would be the exclusive property of a king, “The King’s Harem.”
The question that faces us is, “Is this ethical?” Certainly this concept does not fit with the Western concept of God being a big, loving sugar daddy in the sky. But the harder question is the killing of the children and infants. If the Israelite children who were under age 20 were allowed to live in the desert, why would God demand the lives of these children? How do we reconcile this command with the concept of a loving, gracious God who asks us to turn the cheek to our enemies? This declaration offends our moral sensibilities; it literally jars our picture of God because it seems at odds with the revelation of God at other points in the Bible.
So what is the answer? Let me give you some initial thoughts. I have used some thoughts from Walter Kaiser, William Craig, and Gleason Archer.
1. The Holiness and Justice of God. God’s character demands just laws and just rulers in government. When a group of people deliberately violate God’s standard for an extended period of time they will eventually face the holiness and justice of God. It doesn’t matter what time, what country, what nationality. When we break God’s standards there is a price to be paid. That is why God literally pleads with people to repent of their unjust and wicked ways so that he won’t have to judge them.
Ezekiel 33:11 Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?'
This verse was directed at Israel because they had fallen into the exact sin of the Canaanites. God’s holiness is not capricious. It stands opposed to sin regardless of the person committing it. That is why the US and western culture are in danger today. We have deliberately turned our backs on God and his laws. We wink at sin in our culture. To us sin is fun; it is something to play around with. But to God all sin is cosmic treason which is punishable by death.
Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death.
Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned.
That means that every one of us is under the wrath of God when we violate his commands. While we trivialize sin, God says that all sin has drastic consequences. The most horrific consequence is eternally being separated from God.
2. The patience of God. Did God give the Canaanites enough time to repent and get right with him? God gave them 430 years to respond to his love. Archaeologists have found that in Canaanite history both El and Baal were considered equal at one time. El being the God of the Bible and Baal being the god of the Canaanites. But over the next centuries Baal overtook El until only Baal worship existed. They had their opportunity to respond to the God of the Bible but they rejected his love and laws. 400 years is a long time to wait for someone to respond. God was fair. See Genesis 15:13, 16.
3. The Wickedness of the People of Canaan. Critics of God’s pronouncement of “herem” typically neglect one very important truth, the depravity of the Canaanites. According to the Bible and archaeological information, the Canaanites in the land widely practiced child sacrifice, incest, bestiality, and other behaviors that almost everyone in history, including today, rightly regard as unspeakably, grossly immoral. If the people of Canaan were akin to the peace-loving, civilized folks of different religions living in our suburban neighborhoods and working in our colleges, hospitals, and fire departments, then the Israelite claim that God had condemned those peoples as hopelessly degenerate would be rightly questioned. On the other hand, if the Canaanites and other peoples in the land were a degenerate society widely practicing bestiality and publicly burning their children to Molech, can we not understand why God would “herem” them.
But what about the young children? Since we don’t have an explanation of why they are included in this ban, let me suggest 2 possible theories:
First, after generations of the sort of moral degeneracy that characterized these peoples, it may be that even the smallest children were beyond civilizing. Apparently even they were abused and forced to participate in obscene conduct, such that they would have grown up psychologically and spiritually scarred-and perhaps threatened to perpetuate the cycle.
Second, the STDs and other infectious diseases that must have pervaded those cities may well have been carried by the smallest children, and if so, they may have posed a grave danger to the physical health of the Israelites. Imagine some of the nations today most ravaged by AIDS, but living more than three thousand years ago, with no access to even the most basic medical resources. It may be that infectious diseases were also ravaging the domestic animals in these cities, which would also explain why they were destroyed.
It's horrible to contemplate that things were so bad that it was actually necessary for even the youngest members of that society to be killed in order to stop the generational cycle of degeneracy and disease. But something along these lines seems likely to be the reason for God's order to leave alive nothing that breathed.
4. The age of accountability should be taken into account. Since God was so gracious and declared the age of accountability for the Israelites as age 20 could he not have done this for the Canaanites? I personally believe that God’s grace is extended to those who die in infancy, or as small children, the death of these children was actually their salvation. We are so focused on an earthly, secular perspective that we forget that those who die are happy to quit this earth for heaven’s incomparable joy. Therefore, God does these children no wrong in taking their lives.
5. The Nature of God and Being God. God is not to be trifled with. Again this goes against the current politically correct thought where we stand over God in judgment of him and his actions. But the God of the Bible is clearly someone you don’t want to mess with. He means business and he is to be feared. As C.S.Lewis pus it, “Aslan is not a tame lion.” God does have the right to take any life since he is the one who gave it. He is not under any moral obligation to prolong life and when he takes life he doesn’t have to explain to mortals why he did it. He is God and we are not. As Americans this grates against us since we think we are always in control. Control is just an illusion. God is God and we are not.
6. God’s past record of being gracious. When we look at the destruction of Sodom we see a God who gives his solemn promise not to destroy the city if there are ten righteous people there. The implications are clear; the Canaanites are not righteous people but have come under God’s judgment. Every human being is given a choice when it comes to being reconciled with God. God has made a way for us to be reconciled with him. It is through the cross of Jesus. If we reject the sacrifice that Jesus paid on the cross then the consequences of that decision lie with us. God will not force his will on any person.
In summary: The pronouncement of “herem” on the Canaanite people is harsh. But it was God’s way of preserving Israel’s health and posterity. God knew that if these Canaanites were allowed to live, they would spell the undoing of Israel. This is exactly what happened. The Israelites did not eliminate the Canaanites and their Baal worship, and eventually it became their undoing. In 586 BC God would say “Enough” to the nation of Israel just like he had said it to the Canaanites. And then it would be Israel who would face the wrath of God. God did everything possible to spare them from this destiny.
When will we wake up in the USA and realize how close we are to God saying to us, “Enough?” That is a scary thought. Now is the time for us to renew our commitment to God and follow him with our whole hearts.
If you will allow me, I would like to deal with one of the most difficult ethical questions in the Bible: the genocide of the Canaanites. Deut 9:1-3 says that God will become a devouring fire, he will destroy them. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you.
Deut. 7:1-2 When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations--the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you-- and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy.
The Hebrew word used here is “herem” to utterly destroy. The word is used to show what the exclusive property of the Lord is. Only God can make this pronouncement of what is to be totally destroyed. No human being can “herem” a people or country. This word would later be used for a group of women who would be the exclusive property of a king, “The King’s Harem.”
The question that faces us is, “Is this ethical?” Certainly this concept does not fit with the Western concept of God being a big, loving sugar daddy in the sky. But the harder question is the killing of the children and infants. If the Israelite children who were under age 20 were allowed to live in the desert, why would God demand the lives of these children? How do we reconcile this command with the concept of a loving, gracious God who asks us to turn the cheek to our enemies? This declaration offends our moral sensibilities; it literally jars our picture of God because it seems at odds with the revelation of God at other points in the Bible.
So what is the answer? Let me give you some initial thoughts. I have used some thoughts from Walter Kaiser, William Craig, and Gleason Archer.
1. The Holiness and Justice of God. God’s character demands just laws and just rulers in government. When a group of people deliberately violate God’s standard for an extended period of time they will eventually face the holiness and justice of God. It doesn’t matter what time, what country, what nationality. When we break God’s standards there is a price to be paid. That is why God literally pleads with people to repent of their unjust and wicked ways so that he won’t have to judge them.
Ezekiel 33:11 Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?'
This verse was directed at Israel because they had fallen into the exact sin of the Canaanites. God’s holiness is not capricious. It stands opposed to sin regardless of the person committing it. That is why the US and western culture are in danger today. We have deliberately turned our backs on God and his laws. We wink at sin in our culture. To us sin is fun; it is something to play around with. But to God all sin is cosmic treason which is punishable by death.
Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death.
Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned.
That means that every one of us is under the wrath of God when we violate his commands. While we trivialize sin, God says that all sin has drastic consequences. The most horrific consequence is eternally being separated from God.
2. The patience of God. Did God give the Canaanites enough time to repent and get right with him? God gave them 430 years to respond to his love. Archaeologists have found that in Canaanite history both El and Baal were considered equal at one time. El being the God of the Bible and Baal being the god of the Canaanites. But over the next centuries Baal overtook El until only Baal worship existed. They had their opportunity to respond to the God of the Bible but they rejected his love and laws. 400 years is a long time to wait for someone to respond. God was fair. See Genesis 15:13, 16.
3. The Wickedness of the People of Canaan. Critics of God’s pronouncement of “herem” typically neglect one very important truth, the depravity of the Canaanites. According to the Bible and archaeological information, the Canaanites in the land widely practiced child sacrifice, incest, bestiality, and other behaviors that almost everyone in history, including today, rightly regard as unspeakably, grossly immoral. If the people of Canaan were akin to the peace-loving, civilized folks of different religions living in our suburban neighborhoods and working in our colleges, hospitals, and fire departments, then the Israelite claim that God had condemned those peoples as hopelessly degenerate would be rightly questioned. On the other hand, if the Canaanites and other peoples in the land were a degenerate society widely practicing bestiality and publicly burning their children to Molech, can we not understand why God would “herem” them.
But what about the young children? Since we don’t have an explanation of why they are included in this ban, let me suggest 2 possible theories:
First, after generations of the sort of moral degeneracy that characterized these peoples, it may be that even the smallest children were beyond civilizing. Apparently even they were abused and forced to participate in obscene conduct, such that they would have grown up psychologically and spiritually scarred-and perhaps threatened to perpetuate the cycle.
Second, the STDs and other infectious diseases that must have pervaded those cities may well have been carried by the smallest children, and if so, they may have posed a grave danger to the physical health of the Israelites. Imagine some of the nations today most ravaged by AIDS, but living more than three thousand years ago, with no access to even the most basic medical resources. It may be that infectious diseases were also ravaging the domestic animals in these cities, which would also explain why they were destroyed.
It's horrible to contemplate that things were so bad that it was actually necessary for even the youngest members of that society to be killed in order to stop the generational cycle of degeneracy and disease. But something along these lines seems likely to be the reason for God's order to leave alive nothing that breathed.
4. The age of accountability should be taken into account. Since God was so gracious and declared the age of accountability for the Israelites as age 20 could he not have done this for the Canaanites? I personally believe that God’s grace is extended to those who die in infancy, or as small children, the death of these children was actually their salvation. We are so focused on an earthly, secular perspective that we forget that those who die are happy to quit this earth for heaven’s incomparable joy. Therefore, God does these children no wrong in taking their lives.
5. The Nature of God and Being God. God is not to be trifled with. Again this goes against the current politically correct thought where we stand over God in judgment of him and his actions. But the God of the Bible is clearly someone you don’t want to mess with. He means business and he is to be feared. As C.S.Lewis pus it, “Aslan is not a tame lion.” God does have the right to take any life since he is the one who gave it. He is not under any moral obligation to prolong life and when he takes life he doesn’t have to explain to mortals why he did it. He is God and we are not. As Americans this grates against us since we think we are always in control. Control is just an illusion. God is God and we are not.
6. God’s past record of being gracious. When we look at the destruction of Sodom we see a God who gives his solemn promise not to destroy the city if there are ten righteous people there. The implications are clear; the Canaanites are not righteous people but have come under God’s judgment. Every human being is given a choice when it comes to being reconciled with God. God has made a way for us to be reconciled with him. It is through the cross of Jesus. If we reject the sacrifice that Jesus paid on the cross then the consequences of that decision lie with us. God will not force his will on any person.
In summary: The pronouncement of “herem” on the Canaanite people is harsh. But it was God’s way of preserving Israel’s health and posterity. God knew that if these Canaanites were allowed to live, they would spell the undoing of Israel. This is exactly what happened. The Israelites did not eliminate the Canaanites and their Baal worship, and eventually it became their undoing. In 586 BC God would say “Enough” to the nation of Israel just like he had said it to the Canaanites. And then it would be Israel who would face the wrath of God. God did everything possible to spare them from this destiny.
When will we wake up in the USA and realize how close we are to God saying to us, “Enough?” That is a scary thought. Now is the time for us to renew our commitment to God and follow him with our whole hearts.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Feb 16
Deuteronomy 5-8
Deut 6:6-9 "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."
During one visit with my parents, I noticed that my mom had made some changes around the house. One thing in particular was the trim around the doors. She had painted some designs and also several Bible verses on the trim. At first I thought it was merely just a creative way to decorate. Then she explained to me that the idea came to her through these verses in Deuteronomy. She had taken the words and commands of the Lord and written them on her doorframes so they would never be far from her mind.
In these chapters, Moses urges the people to obey God's commands and to teach them to the next generation. He is very clear about the benefits of following the Lord and the consequences of disobeying Him. I'm sure those of you who read through the Bible last year can remember the seemingly countless times God's people have turned away from Him and then suffered because of it. Those who disobeyed certainly cannot say they were not warned.
God wants us to keep His commands and words close by at all times. Keep them in your heart, impress them upon your children, talk about them in your home, tie them as symbols to your hands, write them on the doorframes of your home. God wants nothing more than to bless His children. He wanted to give the Israelites the promised land to live in. He wants all of His children to live joyful, abundant lives. But God is a holy God and will not stand by when His commands are not followed. The warning Moses gave the Israelites is one we should pay attention to as well. Make God the Lord of your life and you will be blessed!
Deut 6:6-9 "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."
During one visit with my parents, I noticed that my mom had made some changes around the house. One thing in particular was the trim around the doors. She had painted some designs and also several Bible verses on the trim. At first I thought it was merely just a creative way to decorate. Then she explained to me that the idea came to her through these verses in Deuteronomy. She had taken the words and commands of the Lord and written them on her doorframes so they would never be far from her mind.
In these chapters, Moses urges the people to obey God's commands and to teach them to the next generation. He is very clear about the benefits of following the Lord and the consequences of disobeying Him. I'm sure those of you who read through the Bible last year can remember the seemingly countless times God's people have turned away from Him and then suffered because of it. Those who disobeyed certainly cannot say they were not warned.
God wants us to keep His commands and words close by at all times. Keep them in your heart, impress them upon your children, talk about them in your home, tie them as symbols to your hands, write them on the doorframes of your home. God wants nothing more than to bless His children. He wanted to give the Israelites the promised land to live in. He wants all of His children to live joyful, abundant lives. But God is a holy God and will not stand by when His commands are not followed. The warning Moses gave the Israelites is one we should pay attention to as well. Make God the Lord of your life and you will be blessed!
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