Bible Chapter: Numbers 3 & 4
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 had a plan for the work His people were to do. God told Moses to tell the Levites the duties they had in the Tabernacle. These chapters show God’s plan for the people who would minister and would take care of the holy articles. They had specific places where they would camp and had specific duties and instructions as to how they were to handle the holy places. They had to take their responsibilities seriously. More than once God told them that if they didn’t follow the directions they would die. God’s presence, His holiness is very powerful. Being in God’s presence is a wonderful blessing. But, it can bring judgement when treated with disrespect or irreverence. That is an important lesson to learn. I see many people today who think God is a joke and treat Him that way. They are in for a sad awakening some day.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
God knows what He is doing. When He gives directions they will make life better when they are followed. I believe God has a plan for each person and we need to seek to find it. That doesn’t mean that we don’t have to work. The directions to the various clans in these chapters required much work. They had to do it right. But, when we find God’s work for our lives, whatever that may be, we will some day receive the reward for obedience. The journey can be a challenge, but it will be worth it in the end. Obedience is part of growing in holiness. A holy life, one that is pure in God’s eyes, is the best life.
3. How can I help someone?
I want to help people, and especially believers, to see the importance of biblical holiness. God gave responsibilities to specific families in these chapters. Those directions included ways to work in a holy manner. God is pure and expects His followers to be pure. This is a life of divine blessing.
Bible Chapter: Numbers 1 & 2
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.
The book of Numbers might seem like a book only a “bean counter” could enjoy. It starts out with listing the count of the men old enough to be a part of the military, this done by tribes. We discover that the total number of men over the age of twenty (not counting the Levites) was 603,550. Under God’s direction they were organizing their army. They also organized the layout of the nation when they would settle down and set up the Tabernacle. This gave them an orderly way to live and then move when God directed them. The nation was probably about 2 million people. That is an amazing number considering it was about seventy people who first went to Egypt during the famine.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
God cares about the details of life. He made things orderly and that pattern followed through in guiding Israel through the wilderness. God has a plan for life. God has a plan for each person. Finding that plan and applying it is a critical thing to do. Following God’s details makes life better. It is not always easy, but it is always better in the long run.
3. How can I help someone?
God cares about you. He knows what is best. Be willing to seek, listen and apply.
Bible Chapter: Leviticus 27
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.
This is one of the challenging chapters we read. Exactly what does it mean? People would make vows, commitments to God for His service. These were important. God expected them to keep their vows. God allowed them to redeem their vows with a price. These vows were not made lightly. To redeem an adult male would cost about four years worth of income. The money given would be used to maintain God’s house.
God was and is a priority in life. Along with the vows mentioned in this chapter, it talks about the tithe. The tithe, ten percent of the increase from their efforts, belongs to God. Verse 30 says it belongs to God, it is holy to the Lord. This biblical principle brings blessing to people who honor it. The tithe is the biblically revealed way to support God’s house.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
People must not make rash and unthoughtful commitments to God. They must follow through with what they promise God. God expects us to be faithful to Him. This is what I and all who call themselves believers in Jesus must do. We must be faithful to live for and serve God. We must obey what God says to do with our resources.
3. How can I help someone?
I want to help believers to see the importance of commitment to Jesus. I want to help them see the importance of managing their finances in a way that honors God. This includes the tithe.
Bible Chapter: Leviticus 25 & 26
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 cares how people are treated. He gave specific directions regarding property. They were not to sell the land permanently, but based on the years leading up to the 50th year, the Year of Jubilee. God cares about providing for people and gave specific instructions so that some don’t have to live without provision while others are in the lap of luxury. Here we see the principle that God is the owner of everything, He allows us to use it. We are to use it properly.
We also see here that God is serious about obedience to Him. Those who think they can live and act any way they want will learn a hard lesson. Obedience is rewarded, sin and disobedience is punished. Those who think they can sin and then hide from God without any consequence for their actions will quickly learn how wrong they are.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
As I was reading this passage I was thinking of the conditions in our world today. Sin is rampant. People are sinful and proud of it. They attack those who live for God and are open about believing the Bible. They are acting like they really control things. I am reminded that those who think they will live in sin without punishment will some day face a righteous Judge who will reveal all they have done and give them the just reward for their sin. God promises blessing and reward for obedience. I make the choice to obey.
3. How can I help someone?
I want people to grasp this important principle God established:
Leviticus 26:3-5 NIV
3 If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, 4 I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit. 5 Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land.
Bible Chapter: Leviticus 23 & 24
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.
The Sabbath. Even though we are not under the Law, there are principles that still apply. Giving God a day, taking a day for rest, spiritual renewal and refreshing is still needed. Our culture has gone from honoring a day as the Lord’s day to mocking it. Young people growing up today have little concept of giving God this day, of making it special. Our world now goes 24/7. When someone tries to make the Lord’s day something special, making God the priority for the day, that person is seen as strange. We seldom hear the statement any more “I don’t do that on Sunday”. Our bodies and minds need the regular rest. We need the spiritual refreshing. God knew what He was doing in giving this to us.
These chapters also talk about blasphemy, which is speaking harm and disrespect against God, against His character. When God’s name is used in cursing, that is making the Eternal Creator something low and mocks who He is. To see how critical of an issue this is, God told Moses that the one who blasphemes is to be stoned to death. People must be very careful how they talk about God and use His name.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
These chapters talk about many feasts Israel was to observe. These times were to help them remember all that God had done for them. They reminded the people of God’s provision and guidance. They reminded the people to stay close to God and obey Him. This must still be applied in life. We must stay close to God in obedience. We must remember how to talk about God and not drift into blasphemy. I believe that we must give God a priority of our time. This includes making the Lord’s day a special time. God should get the first, the best, not just what is left over.
3. How can I help someone?
Sadly, I see many living lives that give little or no honor to God. So, God must not be very important to them. Many would deny that statement, but their lives say the opposite. Words are cheap. It is easy to say things. It is more important to live it, to live what is right. Question to self: how can I help people see the importance of keeping God our top priority?
Bible Chapter: Leviticus 21 & 22
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 provided spiritual leaders for the nation. There are pictures we can see through the priests. God is holy and He expected those in spiritual leadership to be holy as well. There are many pictures of God we can see through His qualifications for the priests. They were examples of godliness. They were measured by a higher standard. God is holy and He expects His followers to be holy as well. The priests were to set the pace for living a holy life.
The sacrifices they offered had to be holy, pure and without defect. These also help us see God’s holiness. God has never sinned. There is nothing second rate about Him. Through all the details of the Law and through all the teachings of Jesus we see God’s righteousness. His desire is that His followers will grow in righteousness as well.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
As a pastor, when I read the Old Testament regulations regarding priests, I always look at them in a deeper way. I think of the expectations put on the priests. I think of the standards God held them to. The New Testament also has high expectations for spiritual leaders in the church. I must live the life God requires. While it is sometimes thought that God is asking too much, I can see that there are great benefits to life to do things God’s ways.
3. How can I help someone?
Even those who are not called to be in spiritual leadership (which is the majority of the people) are better off to follow God’s plan. They don’t have to follow the plan for spiritual leadership, but to follow God’s plan for living a holy life. They will never regret it.
Bible Chapter: Leviticus 19 & 20
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.
To try to dig in to all the laws listed in these chapters would take a long time. The principles we see point people to live a holy life. God is holy and He expects His followers to be holy as well. Living holy is living separate from and not participating in the evil customs and sins of the world around us. Living holy is learning, understanding and applying the principles the Bible gives us. It is learning the moral and ethical truths of the Bible and then living them. It is understanding that sin pollutes and destroys but obedience brings blessings. God told His people that He had set them apart from the nations to be His own. Those who live a life of obedience and holiness will be a part of God’s people.
One verse jumped out to me as I read. Chapter 20 verse 22 shows the practical application of obedience. It says that when they would keep God’s decrees and laws the land would not vomit them out. That is an interesting way of expressing it. Backing up to 18:24-28 we see the same principle. Because of the detestable sins of the people in the lands where they would eventually live, even the land was defiled. Obedience has wide-spread implications.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
The long list of laws in these chapters cover basic principles of being a good citizen and making a society strong. They teach how to get along and live peacefully. They teach against selfishness and hurting others. They teach how we can live a holy life, separated from evil practices. We are to have nothing to do with evil spirits. We are to love one another and treat each other the way God wants us to treat them. God lets us know here that He will punish sin. He is serious about getting sin out of our lives and societies. In the same way that a cleaning staff does all they can to get germs out of an operating room, so God longs for all sin to be out of our lives.
3. How can I help someone?
There are many laws we need to learn. The moral principles given in these chapters must be understood. That understanding goes far beyond simply learning some laws. God wants us to understand that there is a reason for His laws. We are hurt by sin. Because He loves us so much He doesn’t want us to be hurt. Life is better because of obedience.
