Tag Archive | Holiness

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, days 49 & 50

Feb19

   Day 49 & 50 —  We are in the second month! We’ve been reading for a 1/12 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue. (SUNDAY’s reading is combined with MONDAY’s)

   Day 49 – Leviticus 16 – 18  (Day of Atonement, Place of Sacrifice, Unlawful sexual relations)

In the middle of Leviticus (chapter16), God tells Moses about the most solemn day of the year. The Day of Atonement, when all Israel was to mourn for their sin.

At that time the High Priest would take the blood of a special sacrifice all the way into the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle. He would then sprinkle some of the blood on top of the Ark of the Covenant, on the Mercy Seat, the place where God’s “throne” on earth was.

The priest had to be thoroughly washed, and both sin and burnt offerings made for him before approaching the Holy of Holies. Two goats were to be brought. Lots were drawn and one goat was killed. With great fear (I’m sure.) Aaron would carry its blood into the Tent and behind the separating veil and sprinkle it on the Mercy Seat. It would be an atonement (a covering) of the people’s sin, so a Most Holy God could dwell among them.

Then Aaron would lay his hands on the other goat, confessing all the iniquities, transgressions, and sins of the people, symbolically transferring them to the animal. Then it would be driven away into the desert never to be seen again.

These were both pictures of what Jesus accomplished for all who are saved. Our sin was transferred onto Him and He bore God’s wrath for it to his death.  And God remembers our sin no more, removing it as far as the east is from the west.” (Psalm 103:12)

Chapter 17 reinforces that the Tabernacle was the ONLY place animals could be brought as an offering or sacrifice. He also reminds them that the LIFE of all living in is the blood, to be used on the alter to make atonement. NO ONE was to eat any blood…. or else!

In Chapter 18, God gives Moses strict laws prohibiting any abhorrent sexual practices, including adultery, incest of any kind, homosexuality, bestiality, and even child sacrifice. These were the practices (abominations), of the pagan peoples Israel would be destroying in the Promised Land. The LORD’s people were not to be like them.

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Day 50 – Leviticus 19 – 21 (Holy people for a Holy God, prohibitions & punishments, priests)

In chapter 19, God reviews and expands on some of the Ten Commandments.  “You shall be holy, for I, the LORD am holy,” is all encompassing. Parents are to be revered, the Sabbath is to be kept.  To “Love your neighbor as yourself,” covers helping the poor, not stealing, dealing falsely, oppressing, slandering, or taking vengeance on others

Added are the prohibitions about seeking mediums and fortune tellers and cutting or tattooing themselves in pagan worship.  Also respecting elders, being kind to strangers and fair in business practices are commanded.

Chapter 20 covers more serious “no-no’s” like child sacrifice, cursing parents, adultery and homosexuality and bestiality, and the severe punishments that are to be meted out for disobeying.

God continually emphasizes that they are to be His Holy People, separate from the world and pagan nations that they will encounter in the Promised Land. “You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples that you should be mine.” 20:26

Chapter 21 tells of the even higher standard of holiness that Aaron and the priests are to hold to.  Purity in marriage (only a virgin), dress, and appearance are all requirements.

It reminds me of 1 Peter 2:9 for believing Jews and Gentiles alike.  “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”  (Also Romans 9:24)

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 46

Feb15

    Day 46 —  We are in the second month! We’ve been reading for over a 1/12 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue.

   Day 46 – Leviticus 8 – 10  (Consecration of Priests, LORD’s acceptance, sin & death)

In chapter 8 God tells Moses to consecrate Aaron and his four sons to serve in the Holy Tabernacle. They are washed and dressed in the specially designed priestly garments with Aaron also receiving the ephod, jeweled breast piece with the Urim and Thummim inside, the hat, and the golden plate or “holy crown” for his head.

The special anointing oil is used, there are sacrifices of a bull and ram with their blood sprinkled on the holy objects as well as the priests. There is fire for sacrifice and for boiling water and cooking meat, and a command to eat. Aaron and his 4 sons are commanded to stay at the entrance of the Tabernacle, day and night for seven days doing everything God told them.

Chapter 9  tells that on the 8th day Aaron was to offer specific burnt offerings, a peace offering, and a grain offering before the LORD with the elders witnessing it all. Aaron performed all the duties completely, including blessing all the people.  And God was pleased. “…and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering. When the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.” (9:23b-24)

But after those great and glorious things, there seems to always follow deep sin.  From highs to lows; mountain tops to valleys of shadow. We should be aware of this in our own lives!

Boldly, brazenly, arrogantly, two of Aaron’s four newly consecrated sons took censers, put “fire” on them and laid “incense” on them and offered UNAUTHORIZED fire before the LORD, which He had NOT commanded.

Immediately, fire – HOLY FIRE – came out from the LORD and consumed them. Living to dead in seconds. SHOCK WAVE!

And then the voice of the LORD boomed forth, “AMONG THOSE WHO ARE NEAR ME I WILL BE SANCTIFIED. AND BEFORE ALL THE PEOPLE, I WILL BE GLORIFIED.”

Moses called for another Levite to carry out their remains, IN THEIR PRIESTLY COATS (which had just been consecrated) out of the camp. Moses then told Aaron and the two remaining sons NOT TO MOURN the deaths of Nadab and Abihu. They were to continue with their duties, a burnt offering and a grain offering, part of which they were to eat inside the courtyard.

Chapter 10: BUT, Aaron, Eleazar and Ithamar could not eat it – disobeying God’s direct LAW (Lev. 6:26).  Moses charged them with this disobedience, but possibly fearing another judgement from God, which would have left no one in succession for the priesthood, he let it go.

What a way to begin their holy service to the LORD. It just proves that they – like we – are sinners, and could easily do far worse than we ever thought possible… given the right nudge.

Praise God for his mercy!

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 39

Feb8

    Day 39 —  We are in the second month! We’ve been reading for over a 1/12 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue.

   Day 39 – Exodus 28 – 29  (Levitical priests, clothes & consecration)

Moses is still up on the smoking mountain. He’s received instructions on building the Tabernacle and some of the furniture in it. In Chapter 28, God will tell him WHO will be ministering in the Tabernacle, and how he is to dress and act.

Moses is to set apart his brother Aaron and Aaron’s four sons (and later descendants) to be Israel’s priests continually. (Remember, Moses also is a Levite.)

The wondrous garments that are to be made for them to wear when ministering to the LORD are breath-taking, both in “glory and beauty.” Pure white linen, with red, blue, purple, & gold threads embroidered in portions. Precious stones to represent the 12 tribes of Israel… when the priest went before God.

I don’t know what some of those stones look like, but the topaz, emerald, sapphire, diamond, & amethyst are ones I’ve seen and they are gorgeous. So colorful! (An interesting study would be to see which tribe name would be placed on which stone on the High Priest’s breastplate!)

Gold chains, rings and clasps, woven pomegranates and golden bells all decorate the clothing for glory and for beauty. Inside (a pocket?) of the breastplate is the Urim and Thummin. What they are we don’t know, but they were used to sometimes determine the will of God. And since HE said to put them there, He must have approved.  A golden medalion with “Holy to the LORD” carved on it would be at the front of the priest’s turbon as he enters God’s presence.

God describes to Moses the making of coats, sashes, caps, and even undershorts for the Priest and his sons.

In chapter 29, Moses is told how to consecrate Aaron (his sons and any priests to follow) before the Most Holy God. Sacrifices, blood sprinkling on the alter, blood touching the outermost places of the exposed sin of the men after being robed in the holy garments (ear lobes, thumb tips, big toe tips). Unblemished bulls, rams, lambs, as well as oil and grain, bread and cakes are offerings and sacrifices — all pointing to the absolute HOLINESS of God and the absolute SINFULNESS of mankind.  (A lesson I need to deeply learn myself.)

All this (and more) in order that God would… “dwell among the people of Israel and be their God. And they shall know that I AM the LORD their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt THAT I might dwell among them. I AM the LORD their God.” (29:45-46)

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Hebrews 9:18-22 also speaks of the sprinkling of blood, in particular Jesus’ blood.  “…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” This act of redemption by Jesus Christ was set up and foreshadowed in the Old Testament, from the first clothing of skins God made to cover the sin of Adam and Eve, to the High Priest’s daily and annual sacrifices and sprinkling of blood begun at Mt. Sinai.