Leviticus 9:7-10:20
Just 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 were 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.
Leviticus
9:7-24
V. 7
Now that Aaron and his sons are consecrated to serve, Aaron is doing the
actions, actually serving as a priest. His first step is to offer sin offerings
for himself and the people.
Laura
brought to my attention how all of this is prefaced by words like, as the Lord commanded. Find those words
and underline them. Unfortunately, these words are very important, as we're
about to see.
Vs.
8-11 This is the sin offering for
Aaron. Aaron was also supposed to take the blood into the Holy Place and smear
it on the horns of the altar of incense (Exodus 30:10). Here, it appears that
he only does this outside on the altar of burnt offering. Notice that in this
case Aaron is the worshiper and his sons are acting as priests, catching the
blood. Apparently it was a little more complicated when the high priest had to
atone for his own sin. Jesus, our high priest, never had to do that.
It is
also interesting to note that Aaron's first sacrifice in serving Israel
involved a calf. There was also a calf involved in his first sin in serving
Israel. Somewhat ironic.
Vs.
12-14 This is Aaron's burnt offering.
Vs.
15-17 This is the sin offering that was for
the people. I suppose once you got this down, you could do it in your
sleep. Or not. We'll see what happens in the next chapter.
Vs.
18-21 This was the peace (fellowship)
offering. Aaron and his sons would
have a part of this to eat in celebration before the Lord.
Vs.
22-24 Aaron blessed the people, but it wasn't until Moses and Aaron went into
the tabernacle and returned that God showed all of the people His glory.
Whatever happened, it was visible to everyone. 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.
Leviticus
10
Vs.
1-7 The censers were to be filled with coal or fire from the altar. That would
have been holy fire. Nadab and Abihu must have filled their censers from their
own personal fires. It was March and it was probably cold in the wilderness,
and one fire is as good as the next, right? This probably happened to them when
they came into the entrance of the compound, passed the altar of burnt offering
and were headed toward the tabernacle. The coals were to have come from the
altar. Notice that the fire came out from the tabernacle without burning
anything but these guys.
V. 3
This is Moses' explanation. Poor Aaron.
Vs.
4-5 The priests couldn't touch them because they would become unclean and
unable to serve. Notice that they were carried outside the camp like the bad
parts of the sin offering.
Vs.
6-7 This must have been hard. They couldn't mourn or leave the compound. They
had to keep serving the people.
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 seven 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.
Vs.
8-11 Notice who talks to whom. This hasn't happened since God told Aaron to go
out to meet Moses at the beginning of Exodus.
The
fact that this topic is mentioned here could suggest that Aaron's sons had been
drinking. It is unlikely that they had been drinking wine if this happened in
the morning. And, where would they have gotten wine? I know some people and
groups will want to make rules regarding what God says about drinking. This
only means that the priests couldn't drink just before, or on, duty. I like that
rule for airplane pilots too.
Vs.
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
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 as to how we apply, if at all, some of these things to
ourselves or others. Some of these rules are still for our time and some, like
eating pork, are not. We need to know the difference. Remember, the focus is to
make these people set apart for God, knowing His holiness.
Second,
since we are under grace, we need to be careful about throwing out the thought that God even commanded these.
These object lessons tell us something about Him. The 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
individually, 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 for 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 discipline or routine that
serves to keep us on target in following Christ, we need to hold to it.
Vs.
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
4:26-41
Vs.
26-29 Notice that the primary application is to the kingdom of God. The kingdom
will grow in the world practically under the radar and without total
understanding. There will be lots of time and patience involved in God growing
His kingdom; but when it is time, the harvest (the coming of Christ) will
happen quickly.
There
are lots of secondary principles here that could even apply to outreach and
making disciples. The principle I understand 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.
Vs.
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.
Vs.
33-34 Just a tidy little summary. Again, the amount of time we spend (or don't
spend) trying to understand the parables shows us why He spoke in parables.
Funny, huh?
Vs.
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!
Jesus
was exhausted from teaching. His suggestion seems to be given in weariness, and
they took Him just as He was. I guess
that means He was kaput. So Jesus passes out into a deep sleep while these
vintage seamen despair of life. When the text says, that we are perishing, in v. 38, the word translated that
has a different function in Greek. In English you shouldn't even pronounce
the that. It is more like a textual marker to
prepare to yell the words that follow as “loudly” as possible. Do that 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!
V. 41
Notice now they are filled with great fear for another reason. And there was
more fear to come.
Mark
5:1-20
This
story speaks for itself, and we covered this recently in Matthew. Jesus shows
His disciples that He is not only the Lord of nature, but also Lord of the
spiritual world.
Vs.
1-5 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 ground. 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.
Vs.
6-13 Notice that the demons begged Jesus not to send them out of the country.
In the other Gospels, it has the idea of going to a place of punishment, the
abyss. This apparently is where the angels from Genesis 6 were sent and are
presently held. (Jude 1:6)
Notice
too that this happened on the eastern, Gentile side of the Sea of Galilee.
That's why there are swine there. Note, too, that in the story of the prodigal
son, he goes to a far country where they also had swine; i.e., among the
Gentiles.
Vs.
14-17 Now the people are begging Jesus to leave. People don't always want God
around.
Vs.
18-20 Notice that the freed man is begging to be a disciple. He wanted to be
with Jesus. One of the possible reasons Jesus sent him away is that he needed
to be reunited with family after his long enslavement.
Another
reason was most likely that 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.
But I
think Jesus knew this guy was ready to give testimony. 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.
Notice
that Jesus tells him to go and tell them
how much the Lord has done for you. That is the simplest thing to do in
giving testimony. This is probably what the Lord would like us to do, too.
Psalm 37:30-40
Vs.
30-31 Notice how the "heart bone" is connected to the mouth and foot
bone. This is very true and kind of funny.
Vs.
32-33 Again, this truth is best seen in the perspective of our ultimate
vindication as expressed in Romans 8.
V. 34 I
love this verse. Apparently so did Jesus. Notice again the mention of
inheriting the land.
Vs.
35-38 While this is generally true on earth, when we look around in the
Millennial Kingdom and in the time thereafter, the wicked will be elsewhere.
Vs. 39-40
Amen! A lot is said in this psalm and in all the Bible about the righteous. Righteousness
means living in accord to a standard or measurement. In the case of these
righteous, the measure is the heart of God, not the law. Righteousness isn't a
comparison of person to person, but the attempt of those who love the Lord to
be like Him.
Proverbs 10:6-7
Notice
how parallel this is to the reading in Psalm 37. It must be the same Spirit
writing this.
V. 6
This is very much like Psalm 37:30-33. Notice how Psalm 37:30 begins with the mouth of the righteous, but here it
mentions the mouth of the wicked
seeking violence against the righteous.
V. 7
Compare this to Psalm 37:36.
As
disciples we need to remember why we have been left here. Our focus is on
following the Lord in His harvest and sharing His message and making disciples,
who make disciples. That's our job. God will take care of the wicked. That's
His job.
If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year
Bible, click on this link http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/. If that doesn't
work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/
and click on “Every
Day in the Word.”
I'm writing these comments to and for those who are
following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple,
following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship
culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging
each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make
disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our
growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here
or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation
of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are
in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our
role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in
Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and
encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the
harvest.
If you would like a complete description of this model
of being and making disciples you can find it in my book: Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011WJIDQA?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
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, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is
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.
Send comments or feedback to dgkachikis@gmail.com.
If you would like documents containing an entire month
of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes. You can download
these to use on your computer or to print.
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