February 18th One Year Bible Readings

Leviticus 6:1-7:27 ~ Mark 3:7-30 ~ Psalm 37:1-11 ~ Proverbs 10:3-4
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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. In Mark 3:28-29 we read about the unpardonable sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. A great website link with tons of great info about the context of these verses and what it means to us today is at this link:
http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/unpardonablesin.html.

Psalms - Today we read Psalm 37, which is most definitely a Wisdom Psalm! It's like we are reading Proverbs! I love 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? "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? Do you believe that he will give you your heart’s desires?  And for Psalm 37 verse 6 we have this lovely image below to meditate upon:

Proverbs - Proverbs chapter 10 verse 4 teaches us: "Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth." This is certainly a good reminder to work hard!

Worship God: Okay, I realize I'm on a Third Day kick here this week, with three TD videos in a row, but I couldn't help sharing this video with you today. All of our readings and reflections about the Holy Spirit today reminded me of the Third Day song "Consuming Fire." Here's a great live version of this song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxpZV8P4LC0

Do you know our Consuming Fire? Click here for Fire from heaven!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth." Proverbs 10:4 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you will always have diligent hands. Pray that your hands are always working for the Lord. Pray for wealth in the Lord.

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 mentioned this earlier this week - Francis Chan's book "Forgotten God" is a great book about the Holy Spirit. Do you have any other Holy Spirit books or other resources recommendations?  If so, can you post up in the Comments section below?  Thanks.  What does your relationship with the Holy Spirit look like these days?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

Love, Trust, and Obey Jesus,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our One Year Bible readings at this link.

p.p.s. Download a schedule of our One Year Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.p.p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this One Year Bible Blog ministry today. Thanks!

Comments

[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

[pianistgail]

I do not believe there is anything "lost" in the translation. I believe you have the definitions confused, Ramona, causing a misapplication.

There are two different offerings (Sin and Guilt), however, they are very closely related and intermingle throughout the passages.

SIN OFFERING - Leviticus 4:1 to 5:13 - To ask God to forgive you when you sinned by accident.

GUILT OFFERING - Leviticus 5:14-19 - To ask God to forgive you when you sinned against his holy things, or when you hurt somebody else.

Also, there are different kinds of guilt - legal and emotional:

Legal and emotional guilt may be paired in any one of four ways:

1. No legal guilt with no guilt feelings. This, of course, is where we would like to be all the time. I have neither broken a law nor do have any sense of conviction.

2. No legal guilt with guilt feelings. This can come about by a misunderstanding of the intent of a law, or it can be a sign of an overly sensitive conscience. A girl, raised with the teaching that make-up is of the devil, who tries a little blush, may feel guilty.

3. Legal guilt with no guilt feelings. On the good side, this comes from convicting an innocent person. On the serious side, this comes from the reprobate who feels bad for being caught in his or her law breaking, but has no sense of wrongdoing. As Proverbs 30:20 says, “This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done no wrong.’”

4. Legal guilt with guilt feelings. Not the best place to be but it certainly presents cause for hope. It’s the stuff from which repentance comes.

Leviticus 5:5-6 When anyone is guilty in any of these ways, he must confess in what way he has sinned and, as a penalty for the sin he has committed, he must bring to the Lord a female lamb or goat from the flock as a SIN OFFERING; and the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin.

Leviticus 5:15 When a person commits a violation and sins unintentionally in regard to any of the Lord’s holy things, he is to bring to the Lord as a penalty a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value in silver, according to the sanctuary shekel. It is a GUILT OFFERING.

Note the two passages. On the one hand, if a person is guilty he may need to bring a sin offering. On the other hand, if a person sins, he may need to bring a guilt offering. The two concepts are seemingly inseparable.

The Bible describes a number of occasions when guilt offerings were made. A guilt offering was part of the ceremonial cleansing of a leper. A guilt offering was required when a man or woman, under a Nazarite vow, came in contact with a dead animal or person and unintentionally broke their vow.

Leviticus 5:17-19 Now if a person sins and does any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, though he was unaware, still he is guilty and shall bear his punishment. He is then to bring to the priest a ram without defect from the flock, according to your valuation, for a guilt offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his error in which he sinned unintentionally and did not know it, and it will be forgiven him. It is a guilt offering; he was certainly guilty before the LORD.

Unknown sin is a class of unintentional sin. A sin can be unknown because you didn’t know that an action violated the Lord’s command. It could also be because circumstances hid from you the sinful nature of your actions.

This is my personal speculation - no scripture to back up what I am about to say -- just a thought --- Maybe there were circumstances where you needed to bring BOTH - a sin and a guilt offering. You unintentionally sinned but are still guilty of committing that sin. I don't know - except I am SO GLAD we don't have to do or keep up with any of that anymore !!!

I hope this helps to clear things up for you.

[Jane]

I'm Loving this firdt overview of the Holy
Spirit in the Bible you posted Mike. Wow so Many titles of the Holy Spirit. I'm
Just learning more of who He is. Part of the 3 in one. Trinity which in younger years wasn't really talked about per say. Thx for sharing as a must read!!