February 20, Reading Notes

Leviticus 9:7-10:20

Just as a note before we begin today. I've made a big deal about the Urim and the Thummim. Today I was reading my German Luther translation and Luther did something none of our English translations do (or the other German ones for that matter). He actually used the meaning of the words rather than simply pronouncing them. So when you read his translation, what it says is "light and truth." Now, going to the Greek translation in the Septuagint, the words are as follows. Urim means "bringing to light, manifesting" and Thummim means "Truth." These two things were sort of like dice and used to find answers, to manifest things, bringing them to light, in order to find the truth. I don't know what that does for you, but I think it's pretty cool. And once again, I'm thankful for my Lutherbibel.

Lev. 9:7-24

This is the public part of Aaron and Sons being consecrated to the priesthood.

Note that Aaron is doing the actions now, actually serving as a priest.

Laura brought to my attention how all of this is prefaced by words like, "as the Lord commanded." Unfortunately, these words are very important, as we're about to see.

Notice what happens after Aaron blessed the people. Very cool, but unfortunately we'll see this fire again, twice, and it will have a different meaning.

I'm going to make a bridge here into the next section by just saying that what God commanded here was not as tricky and unstable as making nitroglycerine. The commands were only dangerous if you didn't take God seriously. Sometimes, at the beginning of a new movement, God judges harshly in order to emphasize His holiness and to underscore obedience. (In Acts, you have the story of Ananias & Sapphira.) Later, you see all kinds of deviations and God doesn't judge immediately, but instead, lets sin build up until His judgment comes.

Lev. 10:1-7

The censers were to be filled with coal or fire from the altar. Nadab and Abihu must have filled their censers from their own personal fires (there were no space heaters in those days).

As disciples, it is good to remember that God doesn't play favorites, and He is not some fuzzy, forgetful grey bearded relative. He is God. I've done electrical work and I always fear the open breaker panel, knowing that if I stick my hand in there or even get careless, it's all over. God's power and presence would be lethal to us if not for His grace. To play fast and loose with God is wrong. He's like a zillion volts and a million amps.

Nadab and Abihu ate on the mountain with God. They saw stuff few people have ever seen. They were consecrated for 7 days in the Tabernacle and they saw holy fire come out of the Holy Place and consume the sacrifice. Being "cool with the old boy" didn't help them. That same fire came out now to punish their sin.

God may use us for big things and He may reveal Himself to us in ways that are breathtaking. But we need to remember, He will not be mocked, even by those He has chosen to use and bless.

Lev. 10:8-11

I know some people and groups will want to make rules regarding what God says about drinking. This only means that they couldn't drink just before, or on, duty. I like that rule for airline pilots, too.

Verses 10-11 are very important verses that indicate the purpose of this book and the purpose of God in teaching the people. Most of what God says in Leviticus after this will focus on this purpose. Many of these laws were only for Israel and, for this said purpose, "object" lessons. The people were to have an inner radar for "clean and unclean" and for "common and holy." In a way, it was like sending your class brat or your unruly child to a fine English finishing school. You don't just learn how to use a spoon, you learn the proper way a spoon should be held and the proper way a spoon should be moved to your mouth. You don't just get good, you get "proper."

I say this only to help us, as disciples, to understand what God is doing here. Israel couldn't eat pork. A priest could only marry certain women. And the list goes on. Things that only applied to them as a nation. Care obviously needs to be taken in understanding and applying these rules, in a couple of areas.

First, we should be careful how we apply, if at all, some of these things to ourselves or others. Some of these rules are still for time, and some, like eating pork, are not. Know the difference.

Second, since we are under grace, we need to be careful about throwing out the thought that God commanded these. This tells us something about Him. These people weren't strange because they wanted to be. They were strange because God wanted them to be. He wanted them to stand out. He has a sense of propriety and holiness. Even in our culture, where tolerance and freedom of custom and morals seem to be the rule, there might be things that, individually, are not for us. There may be something in our lives, where God makes the point that it is not for us, and it doesn't matter if it's ok for everyone else and if everyone is doing it. God still desires holiness and He desires a people who have a spiritual sense about them of what is proper conduct on this dying planet. Disciples live to serve Christ in the harvest, and if God points out something that is getting in our way, we need to get rid of it, even if it's sold at Wal-Mart or Best Buy. And if we find a disciple or routine that serves to keep us on target in following Christ, we need to hold to it.

Lev. 10:12-20

After Aaron and his "remaining sons" finish their first act of service for the people, Moses checks on them to see that they fulfilled the rite in detail. They didn't. They were supposed to eat the sin offering. Interestingly, they didn't obey because of mourning for Nadab and Abihu, and God allowed this. I wonder, too, if there had been "one thousand percent extenuating circumstances" forbidding Nadab and Abihu from getting coals from the altar, like a flood or a tornado, if God would have allowed them to use coals from their own fires. I think so. In any case, they had "Light and Truth" as a way to find out.

Mark 4:26-5:20

Here is another lesson in Bible study and disciple making. You have two parables and two stories. What points would you draw from each of these and pass on to those three other people who are arriving at your house for your discipleship cell meeting? Could you take them to the texts, discuss what Jesus is saying, and then conclude, "As disciples it is really important for us to understand that….?"

Mark 4:26-29

Lots of principles are here. The one I get is that the real work is done by God. The farmer acts at the beginning and at the end. The disciple is faithful to work and patient in waiting.

Mark 4:30-32

I guess what I'd say here, is that the kingdom, and our work in it, seems very small and invisible, but is growing larger than we know. That gives a disciple hope.

Mark 4:33-34

Just a tidy little summary. Again, the amount of time we spend trying to understand the parables shows us why He spoke in parables. Funny, huh?

Mark 4:35-41

After all of that heavy thinking, there's nothing to clear the mind and add vigor to the blood than a bracing voyage on the sea! Ahoy! O Weh!

So Jesus passes out into a deep sleep while these vintage seamen despair of life. When the text says, "that we are perishing" in verse 38, the word translated "that," has a different function in Greek. In English you shouldn't even pronounce the "that." It is more like yelling, "HEY!" and then yelling the words that follow as loudly as possible. Insert that in the sentence and see if it makes a difference. These guys are crazy with fear.

After all of that teaching and all of that conflict, it was good for them to refocus on who Jesus was and what He could do. Anything good here for the disciple? Amen! And are they going to need it.

Mark 5:1-20

This story speaks for itself. Jesus shows His disciples that He is not only Lord of nature, but also Lord of the spiritual world.

I always think this is funny. After what they just experienced, afraid for their lives, now afraid of Jesus (they were filled with fear realizing they were in the boat with a zillion volts and a million amps), they finally set foot on the safe, solid, secure shore, then, they hear a cry like a wild animal and look to see a frothing-at-the-mouth, crazy guy, nakedly running in their direction. If I'm there, I'm standing behind Jesus.

Verse 20 is Jesus setting a disciple loose. Why? His testimony, of course. But most likely, this guy was a Gentile. The offer of the Messiah was still being made to Israel and to have had a Gentile in the ranks would have been too much for the Jews, who were already frothing at the mouth. After His rejection after feeding the 5000, Jesus will tour the other side, the Gentile side, of the sea of Galilee, where he'll feed the 4000, many of whom were Gentiles and some of whom heard the testimony of this disciple. Someday we'll get to meet him.

Psalm 37:30-40

Notice how the "heart bone" is connected to the mouth and foot bone.

I love verse 34 and I cling to and hide in verses 39-40.

Proverbs 10:6-7

Amen! "On the head" probably means like an invisible crown or laurel. Interesting that both references to the righteous have to do with the head.

Do both references to the wicked have to do with the mouth? If so, we're dealing with some major bad breath and tooth decay. Selah!

If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link Every Day in the Word. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.” 

I'm writing these comments to become part of a discipleship manual and program for those at New Song who are following a One Year Bible and involved in a discipleship cell. We're meeting weekly and discussing the texts, not necessarily my comments. We're growing together, learning to become and make disciples who make disciples. We will all be leading others in this process and training them to do likewise.

The comments I'm writing are in no way exhaustive, but meant to give some leading thoughts on how the text applies to us as disciples and to encourage and stimulate our growth in reading the Bible, with the effect that we will grow as disciples and encourage the growth of others as disciples growing in the word. If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is, the commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.

I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible, in fact, no one in our church reads the version I do, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.

Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it.