Leviticus 21

WEEK  2                                          Leviticus 21          
         

FRIDAY  Reflections

In this chapter we see God commanding the purity of the priest in their body. No one who has a deformity or has any sickness is to be a priest. 

Personally, Yes this is just my thinking here, that the command on not marrying anyone who isn't a virgin has to do with purity in body. Why you may ask? The answer is you can't get a sexually-transmitted disease from someone who never had sex (remember they didn't have blood transfusions back then).

However, whatever reason may be given for God's command on purity in the priest (which I won't discuss here), God says that a person who has a deformity though unable to serve in the tabernacle is still allowed to eat of the holy and even the most holy things (the priest portions of the sacrifices). Yes, God has said they can't serve, but he doesn't remove the blessing of being part of the priestly family. Those who others may look down on because they are different still have the blessing of being part of the family. They were able to partake of that which an unblemished non-Levite would never partake of. 

So how do I apply this to today? There are people who may never be able to do ministry in any real sense in the church because of a deformity or other issues, but this doesn't mean that they are outside God's blessing or they will not be blessed by God. 

Take in mind this is my ideas, or as I like to say, "According to Saint Charles." 

Lev 21:1-24
(1)  And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people:
(2)  But for his kin, that is near unto him, that is, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother,
(3)  And for his sister a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband; for her may he be defiled.
(4)  But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
(5)  They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.
(6)  They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.
(7)  They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.
(8)  Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the LORD, which sanctify you, am holy.
(9)  And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire.
(10)  And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;
(11)  Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;
(12)  Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD.
(13)  And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
(14)  A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.
(15)  Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the LORD do sanctify him.
(16)  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
(17)  Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.
(18)  For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous,
(19)  Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded,
(20)  Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken;
(21)  No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.
(22)  He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.
(23)  Only he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the LORD do sanctify them.
(24)  And Moses told it unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel.

Mark 2

WEEK 2                                                    Mark 2    

THURSDAY  Reflections

Are we content with what God gives us?

 

I wonder if Jesus hadn’t healed the man who was let down through the roof, if his friends would have been glad to hear his sins were forgiven?

 

The reason Jesus did all the miracles he did was to point people to his real work, to bring forgiveness and redemption. They helped prove he was God and thus able to give his life for our sins. He did them so we could have a better eternity.

 

Are we content with just that? If we would have been one of the men on the roof, would just knowing that our friend was ready for eternity be enough? God told Paul he wasn’t going to take away his “Thorn in the flesh”(2 Corinthians 12). Would we accept this?

 

Ultimately, Jesus healed the man and often he does things for us, but shouldn’t we be content if all he does is forgive us?

Mar 2:1-28
(1)  And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
(2)  And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
(3)  And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
(4)  And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
(5)  When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
(6)  But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
(7)  Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
(8)  And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
(9)  Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
(10)  But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
(11)  I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
(12)  And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
(13)  And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.
(14)  And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
(15)  And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
(16)  And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
(17)  When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
(18)  And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?
(19)  And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
(20)  But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
(21)  No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse.
(22)  And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.
(23)  And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
(24)  And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
(25)  And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?
(26)  How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?
(27)  And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
(28)  Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Photo by Hans Moerman on Unsplash

Psalm 42

As a deer pants for the water...

WEEK  2                                                 Psalm 42

WEDNESDAY  Reflections

“What do you want?”

In my favorite Sci-Fi series, this question ends up being the downfall of some people who might have been great. Not only in fiction but in real life the answer to this question is what brings greatness or catastrophe. 

The reason this is true is that we do what we want to do. Yes, there are times our choices aren’t good ones, but in the end, we still make a choice and do what we choose. 

The psalmist here has placed God in the place of greatest desire. It is what causes him at the end of the chapter to say to his soul, Why are you upset, trust God. It is this desire which ultimately brings the psalmist, and us, hope.

Psa 42:1-11
(1)  To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
(2)  My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
(3)  My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
(4)  When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.
(5)  Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
(6)  O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.
(7)  Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
(8)  Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.
(9)  I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
(10)  As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?
(11)  Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Photo by John Royle on Unsplash

Leviticus 20

WEEK  2                                           Leviticus 20    

TUESDAY  Reflections

Hold it! Didn’t we just read these commands? Yes, many of these commands are repeated, though most using a little different wording but the same command.

 

Why repeat a command? Personally, I think it is the same reason we put multiple copies of the speed limit on the highway so no one can claim they didn’t know what the law was. Also, repetition is often the best way to remember something. God wanted to make it clear what was right and wrong to Israel.

 

Though many want to see the regulations regarding sex here as the law and not related to Christian living, it is interesting to note that Paul condemns these same practices. Jesus himself said that marriage and thus sex was designed to be monogamous.   

Lev 20:1-27
(1)  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
(2)  Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
(3)  And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.
(4)  And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not:
(5)  Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people.
(6)  And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.
(7)  Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.
(8)  And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.
(9)  For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.
(10)  And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
(11)  And the man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
(12)  And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them.
(13)  If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
(14)  And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.
(15)  And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.
(16)  And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
(17)  And if a man shall take his sister, his father's daughter, or his mother's daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister's nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.
(18)  And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people.
(19)  And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister, nor of thy father's sister: for he uncovereth his near kin: they shall bear their iniquity.
(20)  And if a man shall lie with his uncle's wife, he hath uncovered his uncle's nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.
(21)  And if a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless.
(22)  Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.
(23)  And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.
(24)  But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people.
(25)  Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.
(26)  And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.
(27)  A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Leviticus 19

WEEK 2                                               Leviticus 19

Monday Reflections

You are to be holy (i.e. set apart).

 

It has always been God’s plan to have a people set apart for himself. We see it here and in the New Testament. This isn’t a new concept to God.

 

God’s method here was tied to not just moral guidelines but to a way of living which caused the people of Israel to stand apart from the world around them. This difference has caused much persecution and division.  The children of Israel didn’t always follow the moral guidelines or the rest of the law but the combination kept them separated from the world so God could prepare a people for what was to come, life with Jesus.

 

Jesus warned his followers that the life he offered would bring troubles and persecution. However, those that are different have always faced this.

 

In today’s world, much has been done to remove prejudice, but the idea that someone who believes someone else is wrong is seen as an attitude of prejudice and therefore acceptable to be prejudice against. I could go on but I don’t think I need to.

 

What I want to point out is that whether it is popular or not God’s people were always to be holy, thus different from the rest of the world. It doesn’t make us better (although we should begin to act better), it just makes us right with God.

 

It’s something to think about as you read the rest of Leviticus.

 

SIDE NOTE: Verse 15 stands out to me and I can’t help but comment on it also, “‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.” I shouldn’t have to comment on this as it is very straightforward, but I have noticed in the church a partiality to the poor. It is easy and acceptable to criticize the rich and any favoritism given to them. God makes it clear throughout Scripture that justice isn’t changed because of your social status be it poor or rich.

Lev 19:1-37
(1)  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
(2)  Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.
(3)  Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
(4)  Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God.
(5)  And if ye offer a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, ye shall offer it at your own will.
(6)  It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the morrow: and if ought remain until the third day, it shall be burnt in the fire.
(7)  And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it is abominable; it shall not be accepted.
(8)  Therefore every one that eateth it shall bear his iniquity, because he hath profaned the hallowed thing of the LORD: and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
(9)  And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.
(10)  And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.
(11)  Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.
(12)  And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
(13)  Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.
(14)  Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.
(15)  Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
(16)  Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.
(17)  Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.
(18)  Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
(19)  Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.
(20)  And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.
(21)  And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, even a ram for a trespass offering.
(22)  And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the LORD for his sin which he hath done: and the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him.
(23)  And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised: three years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you: it shall not be eaten of.
(24)  But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the LORD withal.
(25)  And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I am the LORD your God.
(26)  Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.
(27)  Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.
(28)  Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.
(29)  Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.
(30)  Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.
(31)  Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
(32)  Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.
(33)  And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him.
(34)  But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
(35)  Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.
(36)  Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.
(37)  Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the LORD.