Leviticus 13:47-14:32

REGULATIONS ABOUT MOLDS & CLEANSING

Keywords 14:31

one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, together with the grain offering. In this way the priest will make atonement before the LORD on behalf of the one to be cleansed.

 

1. The next set of regulations (13:47-59) deal with mold on clothes. The priest should evaluate the mold to determine if the cloth should be washed or destroyed. Mold represents death. God’s people could not stand before his holy presence in moldy clothes because death cannot come into his presence. Likewise, people’s sins cling to them like filthy rags. We need to be washed in Jesus’ blood and be clothed in his righteousness.

 

2. Chapter 14:1-32 deals with the healing and cleansing of the person with leprosy and restoring them to the community. Firstly, the priest goes outside of the camp, risking his life to go to the leper and verify his healing. The priest brings with him cedar (signifying soundness), a scarlet thread (meaning the restoration of the body from leprosy which made their skin white) and hyssop (representing purification). He sacrifices one bird (symbolizing Jesus’ death) and frees one bird covered in the blood (symbolizing Jesus’ resurrection). How truly we are saved by grace!

 

3. Then, the cleansed leper must remain outside for 7 days, be cleansed again, and be restored first to the Lord by a guilt offering, sin offering, and a burnt offering. Then, the priest pronounced the person clean and restored him to God.

 

Prayer Father, thank you for Jesus, who heals me from the corruption of sin and restores me to you.

One Word Jesus cleanses, heals and restores

 

Leviticus 13:1-46

REGULATIONS ABOUT SKIN DISEASES

Keywords 13:17

The priest is to examine him, and if the sores have turned white, the priest shall pronounce the infected person clean; then he will be clean.

 

1. The next set of regulations were for the cleansing of leprosy, which take up a very large portion of the law. Why? Leprosy like sin spreads and is very contagious. Leprosy like sin numbs people that they don’t recognize how disfigured they have become. Leprosy like sin was a very serious problem for the community.

 

2. The priest was called upon to determine if a person had leprosy, or not. Leprosy was considered a judgment from God, so the priest was to examine if a person was clean or unclean. The priest must take time before pronouncing his evaluation. According to the symptoms, the priest determined if the rash was a swelling, a scab, a bright spot, a bile, or inflammation. There were regulations if it was on the head, in a beard, or on a bald head.

 

3. Similarly, when we evaluate a person’s spiritual condition, we must take time to judge the problem for its seriousness and consequences. We must look at how and where sin has affected a person and prayerfully care for them.

4. As the priest protects the community from leprosy, we need to be cautious in protecting the community from the sin. Only faith in Jesus’ blood can cleanse us from sin, evil and injustice and restore us.

 

Prayer Father, please cleanse us and protect our community from the spread of sin by your grace.

One Word Be on guard against the spread of sin

Leviticus 12:1-8

PURIFICATION AFTER CHILDBIRTH

Keywords 12:6

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.

 

1. The laws about clean and unclean food relate to man’s curse in the Garden to toil by the sweat of his brow for food. Next, the Lord gave regulations concerning purification after childbirth. This delicate topic addresses God’s curse on the woman in the Garden regarding pains in child-bearing.

 

2. A woman should set herself apart for a certain amount of time to be purified of her bleeding after childbirth. She was to remain apart from her husband and away from the sanctuary. This could become a time to meditate on God’s grace to bear children and to place her hope in God for the child.

 

3. Out of thankfulness for God’s mercy to bear children and to pass through the curse of all its pains and life-threatening risks, a mother should bring a lamb for a burnt offering. She should also bring a dove or pigeon for a sin offering for her atonement. In a cursed world, original sin was passed through her to the next generation, and there must be atonement. If she could not afford a lamb, she could bring a pair of doves. The offering was not as important as the woman’s heart of thanksgiving, joy and hope in God, who blessed her to bear children and entrusted her with their lives.

 

Prayer Father, thank you for your blessing of childbearing. Help mothers to realize your mercy, joy, and hope through childbearing.

One Word God’s mercy through childbearing

Leviticus 11:1-47

CLEAN AND UNCLEAN FOOD

Keywords 11:45

I am the LORD who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.

 

1. This passage mainly describes the clean and unclean food the Israelites are allowed to eat. Starting with the land animals and insects, then the sea life, and lastly the birds in the air, the Lord instructs them carefully in much detail what they can eat and cannot eat, touch and not touch. Why this realm of self-denial involving food?

 

2. Eating involves fellowship and even religious worship. Just as God forbade them to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he forbade his people to eat certain foods. Unclean food was associated with pagan religions and cultures. Eating or not eating certain foods sets them apart from other godless peoples. For example, eating cows would have made them detestable to the Egyptians, who regarded cows as sacred. By not eating pigs, it would separate them from Egyptians and the Canaanites, who ate pork.

 

3. Sharing a meal unites us emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually with others. Thus, God commands them not to touch unclean food, so that they won’t be even tempted to go near them. “Be holy as I am holy'' forced them to control their appetites and set boundaries in their relationships. This would preserve them as God’s holy people in history.

 

Prayer Father, I need your discipline to be holy and sanctified. Please help me to control myself.

One Word Be holy as I am holy

Leviticus 10:1-20

THE DEATHS OF NADAB AND ABIHU

Keywords 10:3

Moses then said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD spoke of when he said: " 'Among those who approach me I will show myself holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.' " Aaron remained silent.

 

1. Suddenly, in the excitement of the moment, Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took censers and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord. But God did not take it lightly and struck them down on the spot. Moses spoke the truth: “Among those who approach me I will be proved holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.” (3) God’s judgment seemed to be too harsh. But God who is holy must be honored by his servants. In their sinful pride, Nadab and Abihu worshiped God in their own way, adding to the law, and dishonored God before the people. To God, how we approach him and live before him is very serious. We very easily forfeit the grace that would be ours by our sinful pride.

2. Moses commanded their cousins to take their dead bodies outside the camp. Moses also warned Aaron and his sons not to mourn for the anointing oil was on them and they were in the tent of meeting. They must respect and uphold God’s judgment in spite of their personal feelings. Moses gave instructions for the sacrifices to be eaten, yet Aaron’s remaining sons Eleazar and Ithamar refused to eat because of grief. They also disobeyed God in their omission of the law. Yet Aaron answered wisely on their behalf in the spirit of the law. There must be truth and grace.

 

Prayer Father, help us by Jesus’ grace to honor and obey you with devotion, and also catch the spirit of the law, which is mercy.

One Word To obey is better than to sacrifice

Leviticus 9:1-24

THE PRIESTS BEGIN THEIR MINISTRY

Keywords 9:23

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.

 

1. After spending seven days in God’s presence, Aaron and his sons would now begin their duty as priests. First and foremost, they must make the sacrifices for the forgiveness of their sins. It seemed that they could not have sinned sitting in front of the tent of meeting for seven days, but in truth, they were sinners. The sacrifices for sin would be ongoing. Only through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus the Lamb of God is this system fulfilled and done away with.

 

2. After Aaron atoned for his sins and his sons’ sins, he turned towards the people to bless them. He was now in fact accepting the responsibility of high priest and newly identifying himself before the people. The high priest had much authority and responsibility to bear the sins of the people and to atone for them. When Aaron humbly completed the sacrifices, he went into the tent of meeting with Moses. When they came out, the glory of the Lord shone around them. God’s intent was to make them a kingdom of priests. God was pleased with Aaron and his sons becoming priests. As a sign, fire came down and consumed the burnt offering. All the people saw it and shouted for joy and fell facedown. Let’s overcome our pettiness and live as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (1 Pt 2:9).

 

Prayer Father, thank you for sending Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice so that we can serve you as a kingdom of priests. Give us faith to do so.

One Word Live as a kingdom of priests

Leviticus 8:1-36

THE ORDINATION OF AARON AND HIS SONS

Keywords 8:34

What has been done today was commanded by the LORD to make atonement for you.

 

1. Chapter 8 describes Moses’ ordination of Aaron as high priest and his sons as priests. Moses first clothes them in priestly garments. The priest’s decorated garb symbolized their carrying God’s people, a kingdom of priests, on their hearts. Moses anointed them with oil and sacrificed the bull and two rams for their ordination according to God’s word. This process carried out their atonement, forgiveness, cleansing, and purification. They laid their hands on the sacrifice and were covered with its blood. An animal’s blood could not truly take away their sins, but it looked forward to God’s salvation through Jesus. Aaron and his sons were weak and ordinary humans, but God supplied all their needs: the gifts, abilities and the responsibilities to serve Him as priests. By faith, they offered their lives to his service in dedication, devotion, and consecration.

 

2. Aaron and his sons were to spend 7 days at the entrance to God’s tent. Spiritual leaders also need deep rest in God’s house in fellowship with him to equip themselves for his service. The ordination took place in front of the assembly (4). The congregation joined in as prayer supporters throughout the ordination. Are you praying for the raising up of new leaders?

 

Prayer Father, please ordain spiritual leaders and equip them for your service. Help me to pray for them and may you cover over their weaknesses.

One Word Pray for spiritual leaders to be ordained

Leviticus 7:22-38

THE PRIESTS’ SHARE

Keywords 7:34

From the fellowship offerings of the Israelites, I have taken the breast that is waved and the thigh that is presented and have given them to Aaron the priest and his sons as their regular share from the Israelites.

 

1. In verses 22-27, the Lord reiterates to Moses what he has already emphasized through chapters 1-7. The fat offering belongs to the Lord, and blood should not be eaten. The fat offering included the best part of the meat. The blood has life in it. The person who freely offered the fat offering was offering his best to the Lord. The one who refrained from eating blood acknowledged that life comes from the Lord. A person with real faith is willing to offer the best to God and sees God as the Author and Creator of Life. As Abraham obeyed God to sacrifice his son Isaac (Gen 22), we offer our best, acknowledging all life belongs to God.

 

2. In verses 28-38, the Lord commands the people to give the most delicious part of the offering, the wing and the thigh to the priests as their portion. The priests wave them in the air (hence, the name the wave offering) as a sign of being offered to God, and then the priests were entitled to eat them. Likewise, in our time, tithes and offerings are for the ministry of the word. Believers should give gladly and generously to support the ministry leaders who serve our spiritual needs as of utmost importance. Sharing freely reveals our faith and sense of grace.

 

Prayer Father, thank you for saving my life through Jesus. I freely offer to you my best and my life. May you use my offerings to further your life-saving work here and abroad through the ministry of your word.

One Word Offer my best and my life to God; share generously for the

ministry of the word

Leviticus 7:11-21

THE FELLOWSHIP OFFERING

Keywords 7:12

If he offers it as an expression of thankfulness, then along with this thank offering he is to offer cakes of bread made without yeast and mixed with oil, wafers made without yeast and spread with oil, and cakes of fine flour well-kneaded and mixed with oil.

 

1. There are three types of fellowship offering -- thanksgiving (12-15), a vow (16- 19), and a freewill offering (16-19). The Israelites are to bring one of each kind as an offering, a contribution to the Lord (14a). The fellowship offering belongs to the priest who splashes the blood of the fellowship offering against the altar (14b). 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 (18). Moreover, no one unclean can partake in the offering. Verses 19-21 discuss regulations for touching unclean meat.

 

2. Practically speaking, it is wise not to eat the meat after 3 days, for Canaan was hot and the food could become rotten. Also, spiritually speaking, these regulations teach us how to enjoy God’s mercy and peace. We must come with a thankful heart and contribute to the ministry freely with a vow or promise to God in our hearts. Refraining from fellowship with unclean people means that our fellowship with God and others should be based on his word. Peace is a spiritual blessing that is obtained and maintained through godly fellowship. When we stay near God, we enjoy his peace.

 

Prayer Father, thank you for your great mercy. Help me to celebrate and enjoy your peace in fellowship with believers.

One Word How to enjoy God’s mercy and peace

Matthew 25:1-13

THE PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS

Keywords 25:13

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

 

1. Jesus told a parable to teach his disciples to be ready for the coming of the Son of Man. In the parable there were ten virgins going out to meet the bridegroom. Five were foolish and five were wise. The wise ones were those who took enough oil to light their lamps. They did so in order to be ready when the bridegroom came regardless of what hour it was. Indeed, the bridegroom was a long time in coming. All of them fell asleep.

 

2. Finally, the cry rang out, “Here’s the bridegroom!” The foolish girls did not have oil for their lamps. They were in darkness. They tried to get oil from the others, but there wasn’t enough. So, they went out to buy oil, but they missed the point; they missed the wedding banquet. Jesus teaches us what the kingdom of heaven will be like in this parable. He teaches us to be wise. His coming may seem delayed or far off. At that time, he tells us, “Therefore keep watch.” The coming of his kingdom is certain. Wise people stay prepared, ready and watchful.

 

Prayer Lord, give me a ready and prepared heart to welcome you at all times. Help me to keep watch for the coming of my bridegroom.

One Word Keep watch

Matthew 24:32-51

THE WISE AND FAITHFUL SERVANT

Keywords 24:45

"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?

 

1. Jesus told his disciples to discern the times. When they saw all the things he talked about, they would know that his coming was near. Jesus gave these disciples his words, and his words are eternal. Earth and even heaven will pass away, but the words of Jesus last forever.

 

2. When every day goes by like the one before, it is easy to become complacent. Noah built an ark in obedience to God’s command, while the rest of humanity ignored him. In the same way Jesus taught his disciples to keep watch. He taught them to live like Noah, to watch for his coming when everyone else went about their lives as usual. The Son of Man will come; therefore, we keep watch. No one knows the exact hour when the Son of Man will come, but the wise servant lives with the expectation of his master’s coming at all times. Jesus wants us to be wise and faithful servants. He teaches us to serve him as we serve God’s people in our times. The Son of Man comes to judge and to save. He calls us to be ready and to serve him faithfully.

 

Prayer Lord, help me to hold on to the words of Jesus and be a wise and faithful servant in my generation.

One Word A wise servant

Matthew 24:15-31

THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN

Keywords 24:30

"At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.

 

1. Jesus spoke of calamitous events that would come. Jerusalem would be destroyed in 70 A.D. At that time, the temple was desecrated, as the prophet Daniel spoke of. It was unequaled distress, but there was more. When the Son of Man comes again there will be all kinds of threats. False messiahs will arise performing wondrous signs to deceive God’s people. Anyone who promotes the worship of anything other than God who sent Jesus is false. Jesus cautioned the believers so that they wouldn’t follow anyone opposed to God.

 

2. When Jesus does come, it will not be a secret. It will be as visible as lightning, as obvious as a vulture near a carcass. There will be heavenly signs and then he will appear with power and great glory. Jesus is coming to gather his elect. His coming is the hope of all who wait for him. He will gather all those who stand firm, who do not follow false messiahs, but trust in him through the times of distress.

 

Prayer Lord, help me not to be deceived by anything false in this world. Bless me to wait for Jesus to come with power and glory.

One Word Wait for the Son of Man

Matthew 24:1-14

THIS GOSPEL WILL BE PREACHED

Keywords 24:14

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

 

1. It is easy to be impressed by the beauty and adornment of the world, but everything in the world is perishable. Jesus teaches us to see with God’s eternal vision. The disciples wanted to know the sign of the coming of Jesus. Jesus wanted them to be able to discern the living God amid the calamities of the world. The rising level of deceit, the increase in wars and natural disasters—all these portend the end times in our eyes. But Jesus said all these are the beginning of birth pains. He teaches us to see God who is making all things new.

 

2. It wasn’t just the outside world that would experience stressful days. The disciples would undergo persecution, hatred and even death because of Jesus. Many within the church would turn away and teach false doctrines. Others would become cold and lack love in their hearts. Jesus taught the disciples to stand firm in these situations. They would experience his salvation. This is how they would be used as testimonies of the gospel to all nations. The end will only come when the work of God—the preaching of the gospel in this way—is complete.

 

Prayer Lord, help me to see you in these times. Make me a firm testimony of the gospel of Jesus in all things.

One Word The gospel will be preached

Matthew 23:25-39

O JERUSALEM, JERUSALEM

Keywords 23:37

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.”

 

1. Sin corrupts all men. Sin had corrupted the inner man—the heart—of the religious leaders. Though they appeared righteous outwardly, their hearts were not clean before God. Those who rejected Jesus stood in a long tradition of men who persecuted and killed God's servants. All people who don't repent are a part of this tradition. The prophets, who called people to repentance, were always targets of persecution, from Abel, the righteous man whom Cain slew, to the prophet Zechariah. But God judges sin completely. He would judge this generation by his justice.

 

2. Jesus came as God’s own. He longed to gather the people of Israel and Jerusalem—God’s chosen people—to himself. But the people were unwilling. Just as they persecuted the prophets, these teachers of the law and Pharisees would crucify Jesus. Jesus, the long-suffering Messiah, would bear all the rejection on himself. In this way he would become the forgiveness and salvation for all who repent and proclaim, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

 

Prayer Lord, heal my inner person through the gospel. Make me a living proclamation of the blessing of Jesus to all people.

One Word Come to Jesus and be blessed

Matthew 23:13-24

PRACTICE MERCY

Keywords 23:23b

But you have neglected the more important matters of the law- -justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

 

1. Jesus pronounced woes on the religious leaders. First, he called them hypocrites. They were called to invite others to God, to make him known. God called Israel to be a kingdom of priests. Outwardly this is what the teachers of the law and Pharisees did, even travelling long distances to convert others, but they had failed to enter the kingdom of heaven themselves. They did not practice loving the Lord and humbly serving him. As a result, they became a hindrance to the very ones they desired to convert. They prevented them from entering the kingdom of heaven and made them children of hell instead.

 

2. Second, Jesus called them blind. It is because they lost sight of God in the practice of their religion. They taught many things that Jesus pointed out were contradictory to God’s sovereign rule. The godlessness of their religious practice was exemplified in their focus to tithe even their fine spices—but neglecting God’s justice, mercy and faithfulness.

 

Prayer Lord, help me not to lose sight of you. Bless me to seek you by practicing justice and mercy today.

One Word Seek God; practice his mercy