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God’s message to me: Find what God wants me to do, follow God’s plan for doing it, look for God’s result(it’s normally easy to spot).
Promises: It is not difficult to know when what your doing pleases God. When the Temple was dedicated, the cloud descended into it just as it had on the Tabernacle of Meeting in the wilderness to show that God was present there. When the church has done well in following God’s mandates we see great revivals in which Christians prosper, many are converted and the church itself finds great prestige and prosperity.
Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake and never got sick. He survived stoning, shipwrecks and other disasters. Other Apostles healed the sick, raised the dead and did other great works that showed God’s favor. Today is no different. If you want to see God’s power, do what God asks.
Commands: Find the best person for the job. When you are serving God the goal is to give Him your best. Because of that fact it is best to find the best people to do the jobs that need to be done. Solomon hired the best woodcutters, lumberjacks, jewelers, tailors, and other workers to do each of the jobs in building the temple.
Timeless principles: God has placed His name in a place, a city and a nation for all time and no Christian should ever turn from that fact. The Temple is the place, Jerusalem is the city and Israel is the nation and the Jews are God’s people in which He placed his name. No Christian has the right to undermine this fact. We must support the Jews, we must support the Nation of Israel, we must support Jerusalem as the home of the temple and the capital of Israel and we must support the Temple mount as the place in which God placed his name and the home of the Temple of God. No matter how politically correct and open minded it may appear to recognize these places as the home of Judaism, Christianity and Islam this idea is false. Christianity is the descendant of Judaism and should never be seen as separate. God made a blood covenant with the Patriarchs of Israel which can never be broken and no other people will ever replace the Jews as God’s chosen people. Christians are the adopted children of Israel and joint heirs not replacements. Islam did not exist until around 600 AD and the “Al Aqusa mosque” in Jerusalem wasn’t built until 691AD. The true Al Aqusa Mosque is in Mecca and dates to the time of Mohammad. Jerusalem was never said to be a holy sight in Islam until Israel was reborn as a nation and the Muslims needed an excuse to fight that outsiders might support.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Consider the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. The disciples and Apostles watched as Christ ascended into heaven then returned to an upper room in Jerusalem where they prayed and studied and fellowshipped in the word for a month until the Holy Spirit came upon them. They walked out immediately into the city and preached in languages they didn’t even understand but were understood by others. 3000 people were added to the church that day. What was the formula? They prayed for 30 days, preached for 30 minutes and 3000 people were added to the church.
more to learn for in-depth study: 2 Chronicles 5:9 this is written while the temple is intact and the Ark of the Covenant is in the Holy of Holies in the Temple.
tomorrow: Second Chronicles 6-8
Showing posts with label worship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label worship. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Saturday, May 2, 2009
First Chronicles 13-16
God’s message to me: doing things the right way is more important than getting them done.
Promises: When things are done right God grant’s success and the joy and celebration that go with it.
Commands: God has a proper order for things. When things are done wrong it brings problems. When they are done right it brings rejoicing. Calling the Levites to handle moving the ark and preparing the Tabernacle was the proper order. When we do the wrong thing, even for the right reason, it is going to bring trouble. Uzzah being struck down for touching the Ark is an example.
Timeless principles: Music is a large and important part of worship. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord. The Israelites worshiped God with cymbals, trumpets, sounding brass, etc. The made a lot of noise and had a lot of fun. Why are some Christians so afraid of noisy and rambunctious music?
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Learn how God wants things done before rushing off to do His work. so many get so enthused that they rush into things without knowing what should be done and they get it wrong. It’s so much faster and easier to learn first then act.
tomorrow: First Chronicles 17-20
Promises: When things are done right God grant’s success and the joy and celebration that go with it.
Commands: God has a proper order for things. When things are done wrong it brings problems. When they are done right it brings rejoicing. Calling the Levites to handle moving the ark and preparing the Tabernacle was the proper order. When we do the wrong thing, even for the right reason, it is going to bring trouble. Uzzah being struck down for touching the Ark is an example.
Timeless principles: Music is a large and important part of worship. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord. The Israelites worshiped God with cymbals, trumpets, sounding brass, etc. The made a lot of noise and had a lot of fun. Why are some Christians so afraid of noisy and rambunctious music?
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Learn how God wants things done before rushing off to do His work. so many get so enthused that they rush into things without knowing what should be done and they get it wrong. It’s so much faster and easier to learn first then act.
tomorrow: First Chronicles 17-20
Friday, February 27, 2009
Deuteronomy 18-21
God’s message to me: Many are turned to false beliefs by unintentional lies. They are told that fortune tellers and mediums are all fakes and witchcraft has no power. When they learn this isn’t true they seek the truth the wrong way.
King Saul went to see a witch who was a medium. The spirits warned her he was the king of Israel and she called up the ghost of a prophet of God who told Saul what would happen to him for disobeying God. These were real things but they were not God’s way of doing things which is why they were wrong. People think they can employ fortune telling, astrology, witchcraft and other things in the service of God. God has forbidden these things to His people and so they are wrong.
Promises: God will give you victory over your enemies if you simply follow His rules of engagement. Offering peace to the enemy does not mean offering surrender to their views. In fact it means the opposite. When offering peace it is in exchange for surrender to you.
It makes no sense to demand Israel offer land in exchange for peace with those who want them destroyed. The results of such folly are always the same and can be seen in Gaza. Israel left Gaza and everything they built there. The Palestinians could simply come in and run the businesses and use the supplies to create one of the most popular and prosperous tourist traps on the planet. Instead they used the land to launch rockets at Israel for the entire 3 years of the ceasefire until Israel, at the end of the ceasefire, went back in and stopped them.
It should have gone like this. If “Palestinians” want peace, they must immediately surrender and end all hostile actions. They must pay taxes to the Israeli Government and make themselves subject to that government. Any attempt to resume hostilities will result in immediate and total annihilation of the hostile force.
Commands: Forget all the false paths offered by the New Age religions which are really nothing but recycled paganism. Follow what God has told us to do and how God has told us to worship. It is true that some in the past have used these other ways in their worship of God and it is also true that they are no longer among us. That is because they did what was wrong, no matter the reason. Jewish astrology, Christian mediums, Godly psychics, etc. they are all false paths which need to be ignored in favor of what the bible tells us to do.
Timeless principles: When a person uses fraud to gain another's property or have another person punished for something they didn’t do then the person using fraud should have done to him what he intended to do to the other.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: There are a number of subjects here but eh key one is in regard to worship. Worship only as God has commanded and do not try to “improve” your worship by following the rituals of others. God has laid down specifically how he wants us to worship Him and made it clear that going outside those guidelines is the path to death.
more to learn for in-depth study: Another test of false prophets. What they predict does not come true. Prophecy is not an either/or situation. It happens. God’s prophecies have always been fulfilled and fulfilled literally. He doesn’t “prophecy” what will happen “if”. His prophecies are what will happen and why. If a prophecy doesn’t come true it is not of God. Remember also that a prophecy that does come true but is intended to make you do something god otherwise forbids then it is a test and you should still not sin by doing what God has forbidden.
The refuge cities were given for protection of those who did not kill intentionally. Israel was also commanded to build highways to these cities so that the person running for his life would find his was easily and quickly.
DETERRENTS They claim that the death penalty does not deter crime but, statistics show a marked decrease in crime where civilians are permitted to carry and use weapons in defending themselves and a further decrease where the castle doctrine allows people to protect their property. If the death penalty and prison terms are not deterrents why do criminals go so far to avoid getting hurt or killed. Homes where the owner is known to be armed are less likely to be burglarized than those without a gun. The young hoods targeting German tourists in Florida did so because local residents had the right to carry guns and they didn’t want to get shot. When the bible talks of putting evil away from yourself and ensuring that those remaining hear and fear it is talking about deterrents. Such deterrents are the key to maintaining civilized behavior, not the sign of uncivilized behavior.
HE WHO IS HANGED IS CURSED OF GOD. If a hanged man remains in the tree overnight the land surrounding is cursed. This law is VITAL. Christ was hung on a cross and made a curse for our sake. Judas hung himself at sunset and wasn’t found until morning. The land was cursed and could not be used for farming so it was purchased as a graveyard. That land belonged to a potter which is where we get the term “potter’s field” to refer to the grave yard used for burying the poor and indigent.
Innocent blood must be avenged. If the guilty cannot be determined then a sacrifice was made by the elders of the nearest city. Christ is the ultimate sacrifice for our sins but, the duty of government to uphold the law and protect society does not change. It is still the responsibility of Government to punish crime. While we are taught to turn the other cheek our government authorities are told to punish the persecutor and the persecutor is warned that “if thou doest evil, be very afraid, for he bareth not the sword in vain” regarding government agents and law enforcement.
Blessing of war:
hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
Who goes to war:
new home owners who have yet to dedicate their house do not
those who have planted a new vineyard and not tasted of it’s produce do not
men engaged to be married do not
anyone afraid to go into battle does not go
Rules of engagement:
Always offer peace first in exchange for surrender placing them under tribute
Cities outside the land of inheritance which choose to fight will be conquered and the fighting men killed with the plunder of the city taken as a gift from God.
Cities within the promised land that fight will be utterly destroyed with all people killed.
Never use food trees for siege works. Only trees not useful for food can be used to build siege works and all food trees are to be left intact.
tomorrow: Deuteronomy 22-25
King Saul went to see a witch who was a medium. The spirits warned her he was the king of Israel and she called up the ghost of a prophet of God who told Saul what would happen to him for disobeying God. These were real things but they were not God’s way of doing things which is why they were wrong. People think they can employ fortune telling, astrology, witchcraft and other things in the service of God. God has forbidden these things to His people and so they are wrong.
Promises: God will give you victory over your enemies if you simply follow His rules of engagement. Offering peace to the enemy does not mean offering surrender to their views. In fact it means the opposite. When offering peace it is in exchange for surrender to you.
It makes no sense to demand Israel offer land in exchange for peace with those who want them destroyed. The results of such folly are always the same and can be seen in Gaza. Israel left Gaza and everything they built there. The Palestinians could simply come in and run the businesses and use the supplies to create one of the most popular and prosperous tourist traps on the planet. Instead they used the land to launch rockets at Israel for the entire 3 years of the ceasefire until Israel, at the end of the ceasefire, went back in and stopped them.
It should have gone like this. If “Palestinians” want peace, they must immediately surrender and end all hostile actions. They must pay taxes to the Israeli Government and make themselves subject to that government. Any attempt to resume hostilities will result in immediate and total annihilation of the hostile force.
Commands: Forget all the false paths offered by the New Age religions which are really nothing but recycled paganism. Follow what God has told us to do and how God has told us to worship. It is true that some in the past have used these other ways in their worship of God and it is also true that they are no longer among us. That is because they did what was wrong, no matter the reason. Jewish astrology, Christian mediums, Godly psychics, etc. they are all false paths which need to be ignored in favor of what the bible tells us to do.
Timeless principles: When a person uses fraud to gain another's property or have another person punished for something they didn’t do then the person using fraud should have done to him what he intended to do to the other.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: There are a number of subjects here but eh key one is in regard to worship. Worship only as God has commanded and do not try to “improve” your worship by following the rituals of others. God has laid down specifically how he wants us to worship Him and made it clear that going outside those guidelines is the path to death.
more to learn for in-depth study: Another test of false prophets. What they predict does not come true. Prophecy is not an either/or situation. It happens. God’s prophecies have always been fulfilled and fulfilled literally. He doesn’t “prophecy” what will happen “if”. His prophecies are what will happen and why. If a prophecy doesn’t come true it is not of God. Remember also that a prophecy that does come true but is intended to make you do something god otherwise forbids then it is a test and you should still not sin by doing what God has forbidden.
The refuge cities were given for protection of those who did not kill intentionally. Israel was also commanded to build highways to these cities so that the person running for his life would find his was easily and quickly.
DETERRENTS They claim that the death penalty does not deter crime but, statistics show a marked decrease in crime where civilians are permitted to carry and use weapons in defending themselves and a further decrease where the castle doctrine allows people to protect their property. If the death penalty and prison terms are not deterrents why do criminals go so far to avoid getting hurt or killed. Homes where the owner is known to be armed are less likely to be burglarized than those without a gun. The young hoods targeting German tourists in Florida did so because local residents had the right to carry guns and they didn’t want to get shot. When the bible talks of putting evil away from yourself and ensuring that those remaining hear and fear it is talking about deterrents. Such deterrents are the key to maintaining civilized behavior, not the sign of uncivilized behavior.
HE WHO IS HANGED IS CURSED OF GOD. If a hanged man remains in the tree overnight the land surrounding is cursed. This law is VITAL. Christ was hung on a cross and made a curse for our sake. Judas hung himself at sunset and wasn’t found until morning. The land was cursed and could not be used for farming so it was purchased as a graveyard. That land belonged to a potter which is where we get the term “potter’s field” to refer to the grave yard used for burying the poor and indigent.
Innocent blood must be avenged. If the guilty cannot be determined then a sacrifice was made by the elders of the nearest city. Christ is the ultimate sacrifice for our sins but, the duty of government to uphold the law and protect society does not change. It is still the responsibility of Government to punish crime. While we are taught to turn the other cheek our government authorities are told to punish the persecutor and the persecutor is warned that “if thou doest evil, be very afraid, for he bareth not the sword in vain” regarding government agents and law enforcement.
Blessing of war:
hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
Who goes to war:
new home owners who have yet to dedicate their house do not
those who have planted a new vineyard and not tasted of it’s produce do not
men engaged to be married do not
anyone afraid to go into battle does not go
Rules of engagement:
Always offer peace first in exchange for surrender placing them under tribute
Cities outside the land of inheritance which choose to fight will be conquered and the fighting men killed with the plunder of the city taken as a gift from God.
Cities within the promised land that fight will be utterly destroyed with all people killed.
Never use food trees for siege works. Only trees not useful for food can be used to build siege works and all food trees are to be left intact.
tomorrow: Deuteronomy 22-25
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Numbers 8-10
note: by the beginning of chapter 9 the children of Israel have been out of Egypt for about a year. They are about to celebrate the Passover feast. The book of Numbers is good for showing God is precise about timing and numbers but, it isn’t written in chronological order. Thus chapter one discusses events in the second month of the second year and then chapter 9 discusses events in the first month of the same year.
God’s message to me: Following God’s command and worshiping as He commands is not dependent on location or even “cleanness”. Just as the Israelites would celebrate Passover wherever they were and regardless of being ceremonially unclean, we can attend church, worship God, and keep the Sabbath even on vacation or when traveling for business. God doesn’t demand we come with a clean and sinless heart. He wants to show us what needs cleaned so we will confess our sin to Him and be forgiven. It is when we are home and ready and still do not worship and fellowship as we are commanded, that God takes offense.
Promises: We don’t have to be home to worship and we don’t have to wait until we are perfect before coming to God.
Commands: God called the Israelites to celebrate the Passover. Failing to do so was sin. God has called us to worship and to keep the fellowship of the saints. Failing to do so is sin.
Timeless principles: Executive action requires organization. Chapter 9 gives a new rule regarding religious celebrations for travelers and the ritually unclean. It also establishes that the Israelites made camp and kept camp as long as the pillar of smoke and fire in which God traveled was over the tabernacle. Chapters 1-4 established organization. It numbered the people and established where each group was to camp. It set rules for how they would move and the specific jobs of certain groups. Combined with the trumpet calls of chapter 10 this organization allowed the children of Israel to move quickly and efficiently and to know what was expected of them when with a lot of running around and passing messages.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: As a truck driver I used to look for truck stops with a truckers chapel or transport to a local church on Saturday nights so that I could attend services on Sunday morning. When I delivered in the Atlanta area I attended church with a friend who lived in the area. On vacation, my wife and I look for a church we can attend for regular services.
On my honeymoon, my wife and I discovered a nice little church near the beach in Ocean City. We learned from members that the church had moved to a larger facility farther inland a couple of years before but kept the seaside building open and continued having services there so that vacationers would be easily able to find a church to attend.
There are other ways to maintain your worship, and to help others do so, including television evangelists. I have mentioned the ones I use in my own life as suggestions.
more to learn for in-depth study: Levites served from 25 years old to 50 years old in the work. This included setting up, taking down and carrying the temple and the items in it. After 50 they could minister but they were no longer allowed to “work”. In other words the physical labor parts of the job were left to those best suited to it physically and the Lord did not allow those too young or too old to be put into that service.
The bugle calls were once the mainstay of commanding an army in the field. Before radio communications became common and allowed detailed command to small units and individuals on the battlefield, soldiers learned bugle calls, short musical pieces, which told them what to do and when. Each call equated to a different command, wake up, rest, make camp, break camp, charge, march, and so on. Special calls could be established to initiate tactical movements so that the enemy wouldn’t recognize the calls. This system is established for Israel in chapter 10 with senior priests being given the job of delivering trumpet calls to command the nation of Israel.
Whenever the camp of Israel was on the move the Tabernacle was taken down and the Ark of the Covenant moved out. When the Ark was moved Moses would say:
“Rise up, O Lord!
Let Your enemies be scattered,
And let those who hate You flee before you.”
When ever it rested as they made camp he would say:
“Return, O Lord,
To the many thousands of Israel.”
tomorrow: Numbers 11-13
God’s message to me: Following God’s command and worshiping as He commands is not dependent on location or even “cleanness”. Just as the Israelites would celebrate Passover wherever they were and regardless of being ceremonially unclean, we can attend church, worship God, and keep the Sabbath even on vacation or when traveling for business. God doesn’t demand we come with a clean and sinless heart. He wants to show us what needs cleaned so we will confess our sin to Him and be forgiven. It is when we are home and ready and still do not worship and fellowship as we are commanded, that God takes offense.
Promises: We don’t have to be home to worship and we don’t have to wait until we are perfect before coming to God.
Commands: God called the Israelites to celebrate the Passover. Failing to do so was sin. God has called us to worship and to keep the fellowship of the saints. Failing to do so is sin.
Timeless principles: Executive action requires organization. Chapter 9 gives a new rule regarding religious celebrations for travelers and the ritually unclean. It also establishes that the Israelites made camp and kept camp as long as the pillar of smoke and fire in which God traveled was over the tabernacle. Chapters 1-4 established organization. It numbered the people and established where each group was to camp. It set rules for how they would move and the specific jobs of certain groups. Combined with the trumpet calls of chapter 10 this organization allowed the children of Israel to move quickly and efficiently and to know what was expected of them when with a lot of running around and passing messages.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: As a truck driver I used to look for truck stops with a truckers chapel or transport to a local church on Saturday nights so that I could attend services on Sunday morning. When I delivered in the Atlanta area I attended church with a friend who lived in the area. On vacation, my wife and I look for a church we can attend for regular services.
On my honeymoon, my wife and I discovered a nice little church near the beach in Ocean City. We learned from members that the church had moved to a larger facility farther inland a couple of years before but kept the seaside building open and continued having services there so that vacationers would be easily able to find a church to attend.
There are other ways to maintain your worship, and to help others do so, including television evangelists. I have mentioned the ones I use in my own life as suggestions.
more to learn for in-depth study: Levites served from 25 years old to 50 years old in the work. This included setting up, taking down and carrying the temple and the items in it. After 50 they could minister but they were no longer allowed to “work”. In other words the physical labor parts of the job were left to those best suited to it physically and the Lord did not allow those too young or too old to be put into that service.
The bugle calls were once the mainstay of commanding an army in the field. Before radio communications became common and allowed detailed command to small units and individuals on the battlefield, soldiers learned bugle calls, short musical pieces, which told them what to do and when. Each call equated to a different command, wake up, rest, make camp, break camp, charge, march, and so on. Special calls could be established to initiate tactical movements so that the enemy wouldn’t recognize the calls. This system is established for Israel in chapter 10 with senior priests being given the job of delivering trumpet calls to command the nation of Israel.
Whenever the camp of Israel was on the move the Tabernacle was taken down and the Ark of the Covenant moved out. When the Ark was moved Moses would say:
“Rise up, O Lord!
Let Your enemies be scattered,
And let those who hate You flee before you.”
When ever it rested as they made camp he would say:
“Return, O Lord,
To the many thousands of Israel.”
tomorrow: Numbers 11-13
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Leviticus chapter 10-12
God’s message to me: The Lord is Holy and what is brought to Him should be holy.
Promises: God is holy and wishes His people to be holy. He doesn’t create these laws to impede our lives but to set us apart as holy and chosen by Him.
Commands: God must be seen as Holy by those who come before Him. They must not give just anything to the Lord but only that which is Holy, and proper and called for.
This can easily be applied to worship. Many people have fallen into the music trap. They find many songs that move them and some concentrate their efforts on the music service and “worship” then forget the rest. Some have even moved to a service of only worship music rather than teaching the word and sharing the gospel and leaving a time for God to call his harvest.
Worship is proper in it’s place. Preaching is proper in it’s place. Prayer is proper in it’s place. To everything there is a time and place but to bring the wrong thing at the wrong time in the wrong place with God is wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong... For this reason the sons of Aaron were killed as an example.
Timeless principles: Offering God the things he has asked for is good. Bringing Him what is profane is not. Bring my tithes to church, Singing His praises in their time, even enjoying a fellowship meal afterwards are proper and good and pleasing to God. Donating my heavy metal collection to the church does nothing to honor God. Singing uplifting and feel good music from the Beatles may send a message of loving your fellow man but, by glorifying humanism and denigrating Theism I insult God. Offering up a pig roast with an open bar and George Michael Music on the stereo might be a good time and get folks together for some fun but it is hardly the fellowship of the saints that God had in mind.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Remember Who it is I am worshiping and make my worship appropriate to Him.
more to learn for in-depth study: It was also commanded that the priests not drink anything intoxicating before entering the temple. The sons of Aaron made a bad judgment call. By always being sober in the temple the priests were more able to distinguish between what was right and what was not.
Kosher Laws: There was plenty to eat under the kosher laws but plenty was off the menu as well. All forms of shellfish were out as were skin fish. No catfish, Lobster or clams for God’s chosen. Looked at from a serious standpoint, these are bottom feeding, carrion animals. Many would be considered the insects of the sea. the same could be said of the land animals on the list. Some were pleasant little herbivores, like the Hare(rabbit), but a rabbit is still a rodent. Strangely, Locusts and Grasshoppers were on the menu while all other flying insects were off it. I could go in depth but, like the temple study, it takes more space than I should use and has been better done by others.
The basic concept is one of sanitation. These laws kept the Israelites away from foods that were higher risk for disease and ordered their kitchen sanitation to reduce the chance of illness. The Kosher laws were not meant to impede the Israelites, in fact eating kosher can open a wide variety of new foods to you. They were meant to glorify God by keeping his chosen people healthy.
Ritually unclean. Chapter 12 is of the ritually unclean. I won’t even attempt to explain why as this Ritual standard no longer applies. As I mentioned yesterday, God told Peter what He made clean was clean and the Grace overruled ritual. It’s also important to note the circumcision was held until the 8th day after birth. Modern science shows us that this is the time period necessary for the babies body to improve it’s immunities and healing processes. It is also the optimum time for clotting as the clotting agents in the blood are not well developed before 8 days. This makes 8 days the optimum time for the circumcision.
One more thing: I usually make a point of not naming names no matter how much I don’t like a person or their policies. I’ll make an exception when it comes to someone attacking religion and calling for legal action to interfere with the practice of religion.
There is a movement out there, led by people like Dr Dean Adell, to get rid of circumcision. I have two things to say. Thousands of years of experience trumps their scientific theories. That experience shows lower rates for disease and complications and that ill effects don’t actually exist. Second, these people need to reexamine the first amendment before jumping to the law to try and ban a religious practice that is over 4000 years old and crosses multiple faiths and cultures. I won’t say the procedure isn’t painful but it’s less a problem then many other “elective” surgeries and with far less concern of complication. Christians, Jews, Muslims and others who practice circumcision have just as many rights as those who worship at the alter of “science”.
Tomorrow: Leviticus chapter 13-14
Promises: God is holy and wishes His people to be holy. He doesn’t create these laws to impede our lives but to set us apart as holy and chosen by Him.
Commands: God must be seen as Holy by those who come before Him. They must not give just anything to the Lord but only that which is Holy, and proper and called for.
This can easily be applied to worship. Many people have fallen into the music trap. They find many songs that move them and some concentrate their efforts on the music service and “worship” then forget the rest. Some have even moved to a service of only worship music rather than teaching the word and sharing the gospel and leaving a time for God to call his harvest.
Worship is proper in it’s place. Preaching is proper in it’s place. Prayer is proper in it’s place. To everything there is a time and place but to bring the wrong thing at the wrong time in the wrong place with God is wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong... For this reason the sons of Aaron were killed as an example.
Timeless principles: Offering God the things he has asked for is good. Bringing Him what is profane is not. Bring my tithes to church, Singing His praises in their time, even enjoying a fellowship meal afterwards are proper and good and pleasing to God. Donating my heavy metal collection to the church does nothing to honor God. Singing uplifting and feel good music from the Beatles may send a message of loving your fellow man but, by glorifying humanism and denigrating Theism I insult God. Offering up a pig roast with an open bar and George Michael Music on the stereo might be a good time and get folks together for some fun but it is hardly the fellowship of the saints that God had in mind.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Remember Who it is I am worshiping and make my worship appropriate to Him.
more to learn for in-depth study: It was also commanded that the priests not drink anything intoxicating before entering the temple. The sons of Aaron made a bad judgment call. By always being sober in the temple the priests were more able to distinguish between what was right and what was not.
Kosher Laws: There was plenty to eat under the kosher laws but plenty was off the menu as well. All forms of shellfish were out as were skin fish. No catfish, Lobster or clams for God’s chosen. Looked at from a serious standpoint, these are bottom feeding, carrion animals. Many would be considered the insects of the sea. the same could be said of the land animals on the list. Some were pleasant little herbivores, like the Hare(rabbit), but a rabbit is still a rodent. Strangely, Locusts and Grasshoppers were on the menu while all other flying insects were off it. I could go in depth but, like the temple study, it takes more space than I should use and has been better done by others.
The basic concept is one of sanitation. These laws kept the Israelites away from foods that were higher risk for disease and ordered their kitchen sanitation to reduce the chance of illness. The Kosher laws were not meant to impede the Israelites, in fact eating kosher can open a wide variety of new foods to you. They were meant to glorify God by keeping his chosen people healthy.
Ritually unclean. Chapter 12 is of the ritually unclean. I won’t even attempt to explain why as this Ritual standard no longer applies. As I mentioned yesterday, God told Peter what He made clean was clean and the Grace overruled ritual. It’s also important to note the circumcision was held until the 8th day after birth. Modern science shows us that this is the time period necessary for the babies body to improve it’s immunities and healing processes. It is also the optimum time for clotting as the clotting agents in the blood are not well developed before 8 days. This makes 8 days the optimum time for the circumcision.
One more thing: I usually make a point of not naming names no matter how much I don’t like a person or their policies. I’ll make an exception when it comes to someone attacking religion and calling for legal action to interfere with the practice of religion.
There is a movement out there, led by people like Dr Dean Adell, to get rid of circumcision. I have two things to say. Thousands of years of experience trumps their scientific theories. That experience shows lower rates for disease and complications and that ill effects don’t actually exist. Second, these people need to reexamine the first amendment before jumping to the law to try and ban a religious practice that is over 4000 years old and crosses multiple faiths and cultures. I won’t say the procedure isn’t painful but it’s less a problem then many other “elective” surgeries and with far less concern of complication. Christians, Jews, Muslims and others who practice circumcision have just as many rights as those who worship at the alter of “science”.
Tomorrow: Leviticus chapter 13-14
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