February 18th readings

~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
Leviticus 6:1-7:27 ~ Mark 3:7-30
Psalm 37:1-11 ~ Proverbs 10:3-4

Old Testament - Today in Leviticus we read about further instructions for offerings.  Chapter 6 verse 13 I found interesting - "Remember, the fire must be kept burning on the altar at all times. It must never go out."  Commentaries state that the fire was never to go out because the fire was started by God.   Humans were not to bring man-made fire to the altar, or they would die, as we will see Leviticus chapter 10 when we read about Nadab and Abihu.   The only real "eternal flame" that I can think of in today, that was started by God, is the Holy Spirit.  And this eternal flame of the Holy Spirit is made available to you and I through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.  Here's an image of the burnt offering altar from the time of Leviticus -

And - here's an image to make you think about the fire of the Holy Spirit available to you and I today through Jesus -

Can you relate to this image above?  Can you imagine what this man in this image above is experiencing?  Have you experienced this?

Leviticus chapter 7 verse 27 stands out - "Anyone who eats blood must be cut off from the community."  This was commanded for 3 reasons - 1.  to separate the Israelites from the pagans who drank blood - the pagans drank blood in the hopes of gaining the attributes of the animals from the blood they drank (speed, strength, etc.).  2.  the sin of the people was symbolically transferred to the animal before the offering, and the blood represents the life of that animal.  3.  for sanitary reasons - blood can carry some nasty diseases.

New Testament - In Mark chapter 3 verses 7 & 8 show how Jesus' ministry was quickly being noticed from all over Israel - "Jesus and his disciples went out to the lake, followed by a huge crowd from all over Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, from east of the Jordan River, and even from as far away as Tyre and Sidon. The news about his miracles had spread far and wide, and vast numbers of people came to see him for themselves."   And now today think about how far and wide Jesus' ministry has gone.  Worldwide.   Why do you suppose Jesus' ministry gained such notice during his lifetime?  Why do you suppose that Jesus' ministry continues to gain such notice today?  Could it be that there is true power in Jesus' ministry?  Could it be that Jesus changes lives?  Heals people - teaches people - loves people - forgives people....  Could it be that Jesus is the Savior of the World?  Commentary from bible.org on Mark chapter 3 is at this link and at this link.

Psalms - Today we read in Psalm 37 verse 5 - "Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you." Do you commit everything you do to God?  Everything?  Your waking life?  Your sleeping life?  Your job?  Your relationships?  Your family?  Your finances?  Your time?  If so, do you trust that God will help you in everything you do in your life?  Do you believe what verse 4 teaches in this Psalm - "Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart's desires." I love that thought - take delight in God.  Do you take delight in God each and every day? How do you take delight in God? Is it through prayer, joy, or maybe simply living your life with an attitude of gratitude for all of the good things that God gives you?

Proverbs - Proverbs chapter 10 verse 4 today is a good reminder to work hard.

Comments from you & Question of the Day - Speaking of the Holy Spirit above in my OT reflections, a great overview of the Holy Spirit is at bible.org at this link.  A good overview of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament is at this link.  And a great overview of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament is at this link.   I don't know if you've ever done much study on the Holy Spirit?  If not, please do spend a good chunk of time at these 3 links above.  Also, I remember a good friend of mine was reading a book a few years ago called "Holy Spirit" - I believe...  He said it was an incredible book.  I haven't read it.  Has anyone else read it?  Know the author's name?  Or - do you have any other Holy Spirit book or other resources recommendations?  If so, can you post up in the Comments section below?  Thanks.  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

Grace,
Mike

Comments

[susan]

A great book on the Holy Spirit is Charles Stanley's "The Wonderful Spirit-
Filled Life"

[Caryn J]

Didn't get a chance to post up my reflection on yesterday's reading, so hope you don't mind going back a little...

I'm learning for the first time about how much effort went into Jewish sacrifices and how seriously sin was treated. It must have been hard physical labour to slaughter bulls etc!

I'm assuming that all these sacrifices were still being practiced in Jesus' time on earth. (After Jesus healed the leper he said - Mark 1:44 ..."Take the offering for cleansing that Moses prescribed, and present yourself to the priest...). So now I can understand why people would have been horrified at Jesus saying to the paraplegic who was lowered from the roof.."Your sins are forgiven." If Jesus was not truly the Son of God, it would have seemed highly disrespectful and stupidly arrogant to say that! The fact that Jesus could forgive sin was therefore as incredulous as a paraplegic man getting up and walking.

[Roslyn]

I don't think that God gave all these too many details on worship----these are man-made embellishments on their idea of worship which is reflective of their own time and culture.

Thought: God's message of hope and salvation remains unheeded to this day----by HIs very own Chosen People. They continue to live and wage war...

[Andrew B]

A couple of suggestions on books on the Holy Spirit (apart from Acts and most of Paul's letters!):

The Healing Presence: Curing the Soul Through Union with Christ
by Leanne Payne
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/080105348X/
http://www.leannepayne.org/

Power Evangelism
by John Wimber, Keith Springer
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0340561270/

[Ramona]

Leviticus 6-7:27

O.K. something must have been lost in the translation. How does one do the following unintentionally:

If anyone sins and commits a trespass against the Lord and deals falsely with his neighbor in a matter of deposit given him to keep, or of bargain or pledge, or of robbery, or has oppressed his neighbor, Or has found what was lost and lied about it, or swears falsely, in any of all the things which men do and sin in so doing, Then if he has sinned and is guilty, he shall restore what he took by robbery, or what he secured by oppression or extortion, or what was delivered him to keep in trust, or the lost thing which he found,
(Leviticus 6:2-4 AMP)

If a guilt offering is offered for “unintentional” sin, how can what is being described in this above passage be considered unintentional? Something MUST have been lost/missed in translating the Hebrew to English. How can one be devious and not know that what you are doing is wrong? The mere fact that people cover up their deeds with lies and “smoke” and “mirrors” gives witness to the fact that they knew that what they did was wrong. Maybe the “unintentional” refers to unintentional until I am “busted” or caught by someone else or my conscience.

In reading several translations of Leviticus 5:14-19, which is right above the King James Translation makes a little more sense; however, the passage states that this “guilt” or trespass offering is for those who have “ignorance of the holy things.”

And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering: (Leviticus 5:14-15 KJV)

Yet, after hearing the Law, how can one plead ignorance? Beware OYB journeymen and women the more you read, the more you are held accountable for and the less you can claim “ignorance.”

While I chew on the above, I am pleasantly surprised to have confirmed for me that sin and trespass are not one and the same, a trespass is a sin but all sin is not a trespass. According to my friend, Mr/Dr. Strong the Hebrew word translated into our English is:

4604
מעל
ma‛al
mah'-al
From H4608; treachery, that is, sin: - falsehood, grievously, sore, transgression, trespass, X very.

Grace and peace,
Ramona

[John]

Ramona,

Best as I can tell regarding trespass offering is that it is a subset of Sin offering. there are two distinctions:

1)Trespass involves a sin against man (neighbor). The revelation from God is that a sin against a neighbor is a sin against God.

2) Restitution must be made first before there is an offering.

If I am wrong or off base here - someone please correct me.

[veronica]

Ramona,

Suppose you found something that belonged to someone and you had every intention to return it but it slipped your mind. At a later time it came to mind and you returned what you had to the someone who lost it.

Same situation you but someone asked did you find something that they lost and you say no because it slipped your mind. Then you remembered and returned the lost something to the someone.

Now what if in both situations a considerable amount of time passed?

Just a thought

[John]

Rosalyn,

Since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls (1947) there has been little doubt of the written accuracy of the O.T. as it has been handed down. This has been written about by Christian, Jewish and secular historians.

I chose this article because it was submitted to a scientific magazine that has to have peer approval before being published. However there are hundreds of articles about the Dead Sea Scrolls and their validation of the Accuracy of the Old Testament as it was handed down.

"As we noted in the previous article, the Dead Sea Scrolls are of great interest for the striking evidence that they give of the remarkable accuracy with which the text of the Old Testament has been preserved during the many centuries in which it was copied and recopied. This is bound to increase the confidence in the Hebrew Bible of many who formerly were inclined to scepticism regarding the accuracy of its transmission."

http://www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/1957/JASA12-57MacRae.html

So, my question is this:

If the Old testament is accurately transcribed over time, and Leviticus has "The LORD said to Moses" all throughout the text, then where is the embellishment you refer to in your post?

I am just trying to understand your statement.

[Ramona]

Thanks Guys, Veronica & John:

I understand that the "sin" is against a neighbor (Jesus asked the question, "Who is my/your neighbor?") and that is why it is called trespass. But Veronica what is written in this passage is not about picking something up that you meant to return but forgot. "... Robbing or cheating or threatening him" (Lev 6:2 NLT) How do you do any of those three unintentional? "Excuse me sir or madam, I just need to rob you unintentionally, and by the way stick 'um up."

I'm not questioning God or saying that He is being "liberal” and very lenient. I'm questioning the translation or the translators. Unless you are sleep walking robbing or threatening someone is NOT AN UNINTENTIONAL ACT. I went looking up other translations to see how they translated the text. That is why I said the King James made a little more sense to me. I can be wrong, but I’ve noticed that anytime and every time I’ve wrestled with a passage, eventually God shows up and “bops me upside the head” with the answer.

John your response or confusion is an unintended or “unintentional” consequence of not making myself clear. In my younger days, before I walked away from anything and everything that smacked of religion, I was told that sin, iniquity and trespass were the same thing (They can’t be because they each are translated from three different Hebrew words.) So in thinking out loud, then writing my thoughts without the rest of the folks having that piece of background info, that which I wrote was a little out of context. You didn’t walk into a whole conversation, you only heard/read half of it. I apologize.

[John]

Rosalyn,

Message is not ignored by all Jews. There are Messianic Jews, but by and large the country of Israel is run by secularists. As we will see later in the Bible, God will change that and draw his people to him once again.

I am not sure about the "wage war" comment. There has been no declared war since 1967. Perhaps you meant to say something else????

[John]

Mark,
Mark 3:13
"Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him."

Once again God takes the initiative. He chose them and they came.

Mark 3:21
"When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."

I am pretty sure the Greek for family here translates "those near him" but that obscures the point:

How many times today is someone lauded for totally devoting (immersing) him or herself to their career? Actor, musician, businessman, politician, etc.

But if someone totally dedicates themselves to Christ and immerses himself in the bible - they are called "fanatics" or "zealots"?

Somewhere along the way - our perspective got all out of whack.

[Roslyn]

John,

The Dead Sea Scrolls were written by men though I've learned that these were inspired by God...

[John]

Roslyn,
(excuse my previous error in spelling your name)

Yes, the Dead Sea scrolls were written by men, as was all the text of the Bible. I believe all the original text was "God breathed" or inspired.

My point in bringing the Scrolls up was that for archeologists, historians, and ancient text experts, the Scrolls provide authentication for the Old Testament in terms of transcription. In other words, the text was copied century after century with no embellishments.