Month: October 2021

“I will grant you peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid.”  “I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and drain away your life.” Leviticus 26:6a and 16b (Chapters 24-27)

The Hebrew children have been stationary for some time. God has made His inhabitance among them, set up His tabernacle, instructed correct worship and religious habits, given Laws for practical living and taught them self preservation as a nation. Soon they will be moving again toward their permanent inheritance. They MUST remain Holy, for without Holiness, God’s presence will be lost.

God is not selfish. He gives. There is a simple reward for obedience! Peace and rest. Disobedience leads to suffering and eventual death. Just as guardians perpetually teach and remind their charges that good perpetuates good and bad breeds sorrow, God will never quit teaching us His ways of abundant life. He does not quit on us in any way, shape or form!

When you mess up, don’t turn your back and give up! God is faithful and just. Mercy and grace are in abundance. God’s every endeavor is to remain constant in your life, all you have to do is obey.

Love,

Gretchen

“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.” Leviticus 19:18 (Chapters 19-23)

Chapter 19 echoes the Ten Commandments. Verse 18 is one of the highlights of Mosaic Law, quoted by Jesus Himself.  We are to reflect God’s Holiness by how we treat others. While these laws were superseded by Jesus’ blood, we should still look upon them as a window into God’s character.  He is a concerned and loving Father who calls His children to respect life and reputation.

Holding a grudge voids joy and opens the door to selfish and sinful decisions, while turning devotion away from faithful dependence on God’s wisdom, justice and timing. Let it go! God’s got it!

Many surrounding nations had governance and laws with similarities to Israel’s, but they also centered around sensual and perverted behaviors, things strictly forbidden by God. The phrase, “I am the LORD.” repeated after each proclamation emphasizes that these are the laws of God, designed to set His people apart from all others.

God prioritizes the dignity of all people. This is not the standard of other principalities. God is good and those who believe should radiate His countenance so that the world may know.

Love,

Gretchen

You must distinguish between the Holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean. Leviticus 10:10 (Chapters 8-10)

God has placed Himself at the very center, the heart of the Jewish nation. There is now a place of worship, forgiveness and atonement. Moses has acted as Israel’s priest, the mediator between God and man, but now God ordains a Hereditary order from the tribe of Levi. Priests will begin with Aaron and his sons. They will be supported by tithes and sacrifices.

At the center of life for this migrant nation is an unceasing fire of sacrifice. The perpetual glow is to remind people of their propensity to return to sinfulness but also, God’s gift of opportunity to seek reconciliation with Him. These blood sacrifices point to an age long picture and plan for the final, perfect, first born, The Christ. The New Testament book of Hebrews ties the priesthood and the sacrifice together clearly as, Jesus, Lamb of God.

In Chapter 10 there is an accounting of two of Aaron’s sons who were highhanded with God’s ordinances and decided to do things their way. They were swiftly put to death by the same fire that led the Hebrew children, the fire of God’s presence. God’s holiness demands respect from those who believe. His commands and gospels are meant to be obeyed, not tailored or distorted to fit man’s fancy or convenience. We are called to be uncommon, Holy. It is possible, because what God demands, He provides.

Love,

Gretchen

You must distinguish between the Holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean. Leviticus 10:10 (Chapters 8-10)

God has placed Himself at the very center, the heart of the Jewish nation. There is now a place of worship, forgiveness and atonement. Moses has acted as Israel’s priest, the mediator between God and man, but now God ordains a Hereditary order from the tribe of Levi. Priests will begin with Aaron and his sons. They will be supported by tithes and sacrifices.

At the center of life for this migrant nation is an unceasing fire of sacrifice. The perpetual glow is to remind people of their propensity to return to sinfulness but also, God’s gift of opportunity to seek reconciliation with Him. These blood sacrifices point to an age long picture and plan for the final, perfect, first born, The Christ. The New Testament book of Hebrews ties the priesthood and the sacrifice together clearly as, Jesus, Lamb of God.

In Chapter 10 there is an accounting of two of Aaron’s sons who were highhanded with God’s ordinances and decided to do things their way. They were swiftly put to death by the same fire that led the Hebrew children, the fire of God’s presence. God’s holiness demands respect from those who believe. His commands and gospels are meant to be obeyed, not tailored or distorted to fit man’s fancy or convenience. We are called to be uncommon, Holy. It is possible, because what God demands, He provides.

Love,

Gretchen

He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. Leviticus 1:4 (Chapter 1-7)

The opposite of ‘Holy’ is ‘common’.  The characteristics of Holiness are revealed in Leviticus.  God promised to dwell in the midst of the Israelites, but there are conditions to existing in close proximity to God.  In Exodus, God set boundaries for His ‘set apart people.’ This close relationship means a life of obedience and faith and sin must be dealt with. God gives detailed instructions on these procedures.

The burnt offering symbolized the total dedication of the offerer.  By laying a hand on the sacrifice, the animals blood becomes ‘substitutionary’ for the worshipper. A grain offering is made for renewal and rededication to the Lord.  Peace offerings were made when reconciliation occurred with the Lord and communion resumed. In Love, God provided protections from our negligence with sin/purification offerings and finally, the guilt offering allowed compensation for damages to be made between men, neighbor to neighbor. 

Some things change. The ‘new covenant’ through the blood of Jesus supersedes this Old Testament Law. Yet, God is Holy and requires Holiness from those who follow Him. This is constant throughout time. Jesus quoted from this book, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (19:18) Holiness is found in justice and love.  We have all sinned, but God doesn’t leave us there.  He didn’t then, He doesn’t now.

Love,

Gretchen

So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the could by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels. Exodus 40:38 (Chapters 35-40)

A nation has been born. Now it is time to build God’s home in their midst.  These final chapters of the Exodus narrative tell the detailed labor of building God’s tabernacle, or God’s dwelling place at the center of everyday life. 

This primitive, yet elaborate, home for Israel’s Lord, had purpose and still has relevant meaning to Christians today. The Tent faced the east. The Holy of Holies was the sacred place of the Ark.  The Ark held the Tablets of Testimony, a jar of manna and Aaron’s staff. The Israelites knew this Ark was the place where Law and Mercy came together. The Holy place contained a table of gratitude for God’s provision, a candlestick representing the community, and the Altar of incense signifying perpetual prayer. A veil separated the Holy of Holies, God’s Throne, and the Holy place, man’s waiting room.  At the crucifixion this veil was torn and the door to God’s presence was finally, freely open to man. There was a basin for washing, the foreshadowing of Baptism and an altar for burnt offerings. Man’s access to God is through the shed BLOOD of atonement.

God is not haphazard, wasteful of our time and energy, or trite and small of heart.  He intends for His people to worship Him alone and He will be their government, Provider, Protector, Judge, Justice, source of Hope and eternal existence.

The determination of God to dwell with us is His love manifested in action. We can not ask for more than this.  He is worthy of Praise.

Love,

Gretchen