Bible Chapter: Leviticus 17 & 18
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
Who deserves worship? Only God deserves worship. Some in Israel were making sacrifices to idols. God said they must stop that and only offer sacrifices to Him. We see a strong emphasis on the fact that life is in the blood. The sacrifices were a substitute to take the punishment for sin. The shedding of blood brought forgiveness. The sacrifices also pointed forward to the time when Jesus would be the ultimate sacrifice for sin. Some of their sacrifices where unbelievable, in that they were following the heathen practices of sacrificing children. That must NEVER be.
Another question from these chapters is this: Who sets the moral standards for our behavior? God warned His people that they must reject the standards of the people around them and follow HIS standards. That means that any sexual relationship or activity is limited only to a husband and wife. Anything else is an abomination before God. Letting society set the standards leads to destruction. I am observing in our world today that moral standards are becoming anything that anyone wants them to be. The person who insists on biblical standards is attacked and ridiculed. People think that by changing laws or getting a judge to declare something unconstitutional they have accomplished something. The only thing they have accomplished is trying to change the unchangeable and opening themselves up for God’s judgement.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
I must always remember that life is valuable. It is not a matter of convenience. Life must be respected since life was made in the image of God. I must also stand strong on God’s moral principles. They are not up for debate and discussion. They are not available to change according to the whims of the time. What God established cannot be redefined. God’s morality stands. I have observed that the more our society throws away God’s moral standards, the more problems we have. There is a direct correlation between the slippery slope of changing moral standards and the deterioration of society. History tells us that. Modern experience tells us that. Sadly, there is a major blind spot in our society that doesn’t see that. I must apply God’s way.
3. How can I help someone?
I want to help people see the value that God places on life. I want to help them see that following God’s moral principles makes our lives better. They don’t keep something good from us, they keep something bad from us. We are always better off to do things God’s way.
Bible Chapter: Leviticus 15 & 16
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
God is pure and holy. He wants a pure and holy people to follow Him. When someone sins, God wants His people to stay far from it and the destruction it leaves. So, an important principle is to stay far away from active participation in sin.
God provided for atonement. The basic meaning of the word is covering, making a payment for sin. So we see the picture of covering sin. The atonement made a payment for the offense of sin. Israel needed the day of atonement because of their sin. The sacrifices and rituals in the Day of Atonement pointed forward to the complete atonement Jesus would provide on the cross. He did that because we all need covering for our sins. While the Day of Atonement was an annual celebration, Jesus died once on the cross to pay for all sins.1 Peter 3:18 says "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit," (NKJV). There is no more need of sacrifice for sin. The need is accepting it and applying it in our lives.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
The details of the Day of Atonement are complex and specific. If the priest didn't follow the directions exactly, he would be judged. The details of the sacrifice of Jesus show God's great plan was fulfilled. The requirement for each one is to follow God's directions to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. We must receive the forgiveness of sins He paid for and live a life with Jesus as Lord. Lord means control. We must make Jesus our Lord.
3. How can I help someone?
I want to help people see what sin is and point them to the awesome life Jesus offers. So many people believe the lie that says they are not really living till they are sinning. Sadly, those who follow that deception end up having a very hard life and pay a major price for their "fun".
Bible Chapter: Leviticus 13 & 14
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
One thought that jumped out to me as I read these chapters is that God was revealing to them the important principle of cleaning out, destroying an infection. There are items that, as they are contaminated must be burned. Today we know the importance of isolating disease. Back then this wasn’t understood, but God knew it and He gave this knowledge to Israel.
It is common to struggle to understand the depth of these details of the issue of people and things being unclean. I like the way the Fire Bible describes it in a footnote. It says:
All the things described as “unclean” in Leviticus had to do with reflecting God’s purity and purposes. Most related to physical or environmental issues such as injury, disease (chs. 13-14; Nu 5:2; 12:10-14), death (Nu 5:2; 31:19; 35:33) and contamination (14:33-57). These laws reflected God’s character and his concern for his people. (1) All of these things that were described as “unclean” reflected how creation had strayed from the perfection God originally intended. The laws of uncleanness constantly reminded the people of the devastating results of their sin. (2) But these laws also showed God’s care for the people. For example, because the Israelites lived so closely with one another and wandered from place to place, infectious (i.e., contagious) skin diseases or environmental hazards could cause widespread death and destruction to many other groups of people. That is why these “unclean” things had to be contained and controlled. God’s laws about cleanliness in body and home were safety measures that show his care and compassion for humankind.
(Quotation from the Fire Bible footnote on Leviticus 13:3.)
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
Since the human race has strayed from God’s best, actually it is probably more accurate to say it has run from God’s best, I must live daily in moving towards God’s best. I must never forget the destructive effect of sin. I see it often. My experiences in life have taken me to many places where I have seen the ruin that sin brings. The Bible says we are to flee from youthful lusts. We are to run and take God’s way of escape from temptation.
3. How can I help someone?
I want to help people see the truth of what happens when they sin. The fun they had for a short time leads to a major loss. God’s ways are always best.
Bible Chapter: Leviticus 11 & 12
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
These chapters are part of the Law regarding the eating and purification restrictions God gave them. They can seem complex. They were apparently given for health reasons, some of the animals could pass on diseases. We can also see that God was giving them reminders of the importance of their separation from the rest of the world. They were surrounded by sinful people and they must remain separate. While we are not restricted by these strict dietary directives today, the principle of staying close to God and far from the sinning world still apply. The modern lifestyles of Christians must be separate from the rest of the world so that God is honored. I’m reminded of the passage that says we are to be holy because God is holy.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
People are born with a sinful nature. That nature constantly wants to rise up and make itself known. That sinful nature wants to control life. Just when it seems like things are going along well in serving God, the tempter comes to try to bring us back to where we started. This nature brings us to destruction and death. Jesus gives life. We must refuse to allow the old nature to have a “resurrection”.
3. How can I help someone?
People need to see God and His ways. They must see them as the best choice for life. Some times God’s ways seem hard, but in the long run they are always the best ways.
Bible Chapter: Leviticus 9 & 10
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
Aaron and his sons began their priestly ministry. God had high expectations and standards for them. He expected them to live a holy life. Because of their positions, people would look up to them. They were expected to set an example for the rest to follow. They had to be sober and in control, especially as they were fulfilling their priestly duties. They could not give control of their lives to any power other than God.
The sacrifices offered teaches all about the substitutionary atonement. This fancy sounding term means that God accepts a substitute sacrifice. The animals that were sacrificed for the sins people committed were a substitute for the forgiveness of sins. The innocent died in the place of the sinful. This is exactly what Jesus did on the cross. He died in the place of every human to provide forgiveness. His blood satisfied the righteousness of God the Father to punish sins.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
We see God’s attitude about what He expected from the priests with what happened to Nadab and Abihu. They disobeyed God by offering strange fire before Him. God’s judgement was swift and sure and no one missed the point. God is looking for obedience.
3. How can I help someone?
People need to learn God’s principles for life. They are not simply to control, but to help people have the best life possible and receive the blessings that come from God. Obedience is always the best choice.
Bible Chapter: Leviticus 7 & 8
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
As people read these sections of scripture, it is easy to just pass over them and think they are not important. What can we learn from them? They can seem out of touch with modern life. But, there is much we can learn about God and what He wants for His people. In trying to understand, let me share a note in the Fire Bible talking about these chapters.
In the OT, worship ceremonies, such as the sacrifices and offerings, were a means of communication between God and his people. They were active, symbolic prayers by which the people admitted their sin and requested God’s forgiveness. These ceremonies provided a way for the people to maintain and renew their relationship with God. They also allowed the Israelites to express gratitude and dedication to God. On God’s part, the ceremonies were dramatic symbols of his promises, warnings and teachings. Through these ceremonies God revealed his contempt for sin, his mercy toward the people and what he expected from them.
The sacrifices described in Leviticus teach us about God’s love for people and His hatred of sin. Those who insist on continuing to sin will be cut off. The truths about righteousness and sin are not just theory, they must be applied to life.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
Under the Law God provided for priests to administer the sacrifices and worship of God. Jesus came to fulfill the Law and become the High Priest for all. We now have direct access to come to God with our needs and requests. Our High Priest was tempted as a man and knows what we are experiencing. We can come boldly to Him to get help in time of need.
3. How can I help someone?
People must grasp that we have direct access to come to God through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Never doubt and fear. Come and receive the new life Jesus bought on the cross.
Bible Chapter: Leviticus 5 & 6
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
Confessing sin. There were many different sacrifices mentioned in this book. Those who sinned were required to confess it. Confessing requires admission of guilt before God. God has the highest and most perfect standard of holiness. People miss that by a long margin. We can’t live up to what God expects, so we must acknowledge our sin and confess. Leviticus lists many sacrifices. They were required under the Law to receive forgiveness. There was a cost involved in bringing a sacrifice.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
Acknowledging guilt. God requires it. While these chapters have a complex system of sacrifices, today we don’t bring an animal but come to the Lord who paid the price for sins. I’m glad the way has been paved for us by Jesus.
3. How can I help someone?
People need to see that they need the Lord. Many are deceived into thinking that everyone automatically goes to heaven unless they are a horrible murder or something. People need to see they need the Lord.
Proverbs 28:13 NKJV
13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
