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Father, what shall we say? Father, glorify your name. Through your word we have seen that you have glorified your name and we have heard your promise that you will glorify it again! You have promised that if we lift up the name of Jesus, you would draw all men to yourself. Father, may the words of our mouths, and the meditations of our hearts bring glory to your name and draw all men closer to you. Amen.
Response to Leviticus 16:29-18:30
Our study of the "Day of Atonement" which we began yesterday continues today in Leviticus 16:29-34. Again, we see a common number "7" and the number 10 as this Holy Day is celebrated each year on the Hebrew Calendar on the 10th day of the 7th month. The day is to be treated as a Sabbath day of rest for both the native and the foreigner within their midst. As a believer, adopted into the Kingdom of God, it certainly would not hurt for each of us to observe these Holy days of honor before God. We certainly need to be brought back to a place of honor in our spiritual lives as well as within our families, our nation and our world. On this day, the High Priest atones for the church, the sacriments, those called of God, and all the people. I'm guessing the word "everlasting" means "everlasting." This year, Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement, is Friday, September 17, 2010. May I suggest we set this day aside to the Glorify God the Father regardless of our separatist traditions? Perhaps there are other Holy Days we might honor to His Glory with brothers we have not seen in some time. Perhaps we could learn something about our Father. We'll visit this again on February 28.
At the time of the first offerings listed in the Bible, (Genesis 4:3-4), there was jelousy between brothers as one felt God loved them more. But, God spoke to Cain, the firstborn son, in Genesis 4:6 "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." As time went by, sacrifices obviously had gotten out of control. As we have pondered whether the Levitical ceremonial sacrifices were meant to control the killing of animals and focus appropriate honor back to God, so we find in Leviticus 17. No longer did God want animal sacrifices performed out in the fields by whomever, and for whatever man desired! Leviticus 17:7 specifically mentions sacrifices to the goat idols, also rendered "satyrs" or "demons" (today, this idea has been revisited as the horned god of wicca, a growing phenomenon within secular youth and others). It is not hard to see that given the fact they could not see God, God became what they could see, the bull, or the goat, or the things man could make with their hands.
As odd as some of the Levitical sacrificial laws may seem to us today, we must realize this was the beginning of redirecting the honor back to the Creator and truly affecting the hearts of the men involved. God, our Father, had chosen this people and this place to begin to draw all men to himself. Even the prophets of the Israelites of the Old Testament era even grew to the realization that the sacrifices were not about the killing and presenting of the animals themselves, but the change required within the hearts of men. Through reading the Psalms and Prophets, they even sensed the symbolism representing the coming Messiah. Leviticus 17:1-9 encourages the people to stop their individual sacrifices and to come together as a community for fellowship and peace as they present their offerings.
Let's step back into the Genesis story again for a moment to follow the symbolism of eternal life. Adam and Eve chose to know more than just the good in the world. They chose to also know of evil. In that day, as they hid from God's Holiness in shame, God proclaimed that they had died and separated them from eternal life. Leviticus 17:10-16 again sets rules for sacrifices which carry a symbolic significance to this story: Although items may be dedicated or atoned for by the sprinkling of the blood, wherin is the life (vs11 and 14). Man may not partake of the lifeblood of any animal. He must pour it back into the creation, covering it with earth. Only in Christ does this observance change. Up until His ministry, the people could eat the meat or the manna. To the Jew, it must have sounded like blasphemy to hear the words of John 6:53-58:
"Jesus said to them, 'I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." Remember the symbolism here. No-one drinks blood in honor of Christ's sacrifice, there is generally wine or grape juice. The symbolism is key.
This was the Father's plan all along. The symbolism stares us in the face, yet our eyes have been blind and our ears have been closed. See, hear, and believe and praise your Heavenly Father for His word. The wedding feast is prepared - come, fellowship together, eat and drink and partake of eternal life.
If anyone is interested in dealing with Leviticus 18 in such a way as to justify sex with anybody and everybody outside of family, think again. There is plenty of other scripture which narrows this down much more drastically: from Genesis 2:24 "the man...cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh." to Matthew 5:28 "every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." And many more, feel free to do a personal study - if not for your own long term health, at least for the health concerns and emotional harm you can do to your partner - or if you're just fooling around, someone else's in the long run. We all know there is emotional pain in abusing this gift. What sort of pain are you leaving in the wake of your recklessness and apathy? Do you really care for other people than yourself?
However, in light of Matthew 12:50; "For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother," Leviticus 18 could take on a whole new meaning.
Response to Mark 7:24-8:10
Mark 7:24-30 and Matthew 15:21-28 tell the story of a woman outside of the Jewish faith who wished for her daughter to be healed from an unclean (evil) spirit. As with the Roman Centurion (Luke 7:1-10, Matthew 8:5-13) and Jairus (Mark 5:22-43 see blog from Feb.21), this woman had faith that Jesus had power to heal even without being physically present. Perhaps they realized it was the Spirit of God Himself who was doing the healing. Through these readings, we see this woman is considered Canaanite, Greek, and Syrophoenician. All cultures that had been awed by the power of God apparent through this Jewish culture (I and II Maccabees shed tremendous light on this passage). The people of the world had faith, but realized they were but outsiders. Therefore, Jesus spoke to her through her own understanding, she responded in faith, and her daughter was healed.
Today, we have much to learn about demon possession. The interpretations of this passage refer to them as unclean or evil spirits. I wonder today if we may refer to them as mental illnesses or addictions. Certainly, the power of God can affect mental illnesses, addictions, or health concerns. Miracles happen everyday according to the will of God. It was His will to annoint the ministry of Jesus Christ and that of His disciples as He proclaimed the Kingdom of God. Many times today when we pray for miracles, we have our own agenda. Too often, we are demanding of God and we have not even taken the time to repent of our sins and seek His will. Too often, the world watches and loses faith when we ask for healing as the hearts of the community are not right with God. Seek healing and cleansing from within and watch God's hand at work. Sometimes, I believe, new life in His presence and peace on earth is the answer. Can our faith allow it? How many lives are touched as we stay faithful and care for the poor and needy? How often do we look like fool by asking God to do something that is not in his will and He sticks to His plan?
How long will we put the Lord our God to the test? How many asking for signs and wonders find no time to open their Bibles? Why is it that Jesus continued to avoid the crowds who only wanted a sign and who refused to put His words into practice? Why did Jesus sigh in Mark 7:34? He came to earth to live as a man so that He could speak our language and tell us about the Kingdom of God. Yet the people thronged about Him seeking healing from their physical unclean-ness (evil) ignoring what He had to say about Spiritual healing. Their bodies were healed, but their spiritual eyes and ears remained closed. He only had three years of ministry to say what He had to say, but the noise and the bustle of life choked out His words. He was known as the healer of bodies, but His passion was to be the healer of souls. He died on the cross, suffering tremendous torture. He was lifted up so that He could bring all men back to His Father from whom all blessings flow. But, we still don't understand. We still seek a sign. He wants to bring us home to be with Him, what glory is there in healing us and promoting our vain ideologies which claim He no longer has power in the world? I'm guessing he still sighs today when we ask for physical healing to promote our ideas about the His gospel. When He healed, he told them not to tell anyone. That's a personal thing, and steals glory away from the more important message.
Isaiah 53:5 states: "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed."
Mark 8:1-10 and Matthew 15:32-39 tells the story of a second feeding of the multitude. This time, there are 4000. The more important numbers, however, are the numbers involved in what was fed and what was picked up. Notice with the 5000 in Mark 6:30-44 there were 5 loaves and 2 fish. 5+2=(7). There were (12) baskets picked up. In today's reading he had compassion as the people had been with Him (3) days. There were (7) loaves and a few fish. When they were finished, the scraps filled (7) baskets. Either the author was manipulating the story, or there is a consistent sign being witnessed through these stories. The completeness of God (7) displayed through the history of these (12) chosen tribes has fed the multitudes with the bread of life. Christ ministered in life for 3 years. He ministered in death for 3 days. He rose in triumph for all man on the fist day of the new week. The eighth day. The most important number, however, is 1. There is one God, Lord of creation, Father of all that is. When asked His name, He said "I Am". All power, glory, wisdom, honor, and majesty belong to Him.
Response to Psalm 41:1-13
Today's focus verse is Psalm 41:1 "Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the Lord delivers him in times of trouble."
If you have time and don't know the story, jump forward and read I Samuel 15:24-I Samuel 31. This is a long reading which we will study starting May 14 and continue through May 21, but carries tremendous weight and symbolism in today's Psalm and many others.
David's cry for mercy in Psalm 41:4 reflects Saul's penitent heart in I Samuel 24-31. However, God listens to David, but not to Saul. Beyond trying to understand why Saul was so much worse than David and imagining that God hated Saul as was reflected even in Samuel's confused heart, God had a plan and a symbolism in play. Unfortunately for Saul, he was forced to play the part of the world and it's rejection of God's annointed King, the Christ, descended from David Himself. Read this play as portrayed in this Psalm. It is doubtful that David realized the play He was writing, nor that the Israeli worshipers who sang this song understood it's deeper meaning.
Today, many in the world seek the demise of religion. The righteous children of God often feel oppressed and hunted down by the evil in the world. The play even involves Judas Iscariot, who also had the unfortunate fate of playing the part of the betrayer (see vs. 9). But, God has always had a plan and His story continues to be played out.
Through Judas betrayal the Jews, who in fact were serving the very God they were crucifying - though they did not understand what they were doing, fulfilled the word of God. Our play finishes with these words from Psalm 41:10-13 as David thought he was writing about retribution and judgment in hateful sort of way;
"But you, O Lord, have mercy on me; raise me up, that I may repay them. I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me. In my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever. Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.
His retribution - his repayment - is filled with compassion and mercy as He shared our life for 33 years, our death for 3 days, and rose victorious for us on the eighth day of that Holy week calling all men to Himself.
Response to Proverbs 10:15-16
Ponder this one for a bit. This is like one of those mind puzzles, it keeps switching on you.
The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, (earthly city, or heavenly city?)
but poverty is the ruin of the poor. (spirituality, or finances?)
The wages of the righteous bring them life (His atonement, or a few fleeting coins?)
but the income of the wicked brings them punishment (those same few fleeting coins?)
May God's blessings be with you today.
Until tomorrow;
Rick
Thursday, February 25, 2010
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