Deuteronomy 27, 28, & 29 are some very scary chapters. Its just before Israel enters the Promised Land. Moses has the people stand on two mountains. The people on one mountain speak all the blessings that await those that obey the Lord. The people on the other mountain speak all the curses that await Israel if they disobey and stop following Yahweh.
We know, of course, that they did exactly that. They got into the land and thought the ways of the people there were pretty cool so they left Yahweh and followed after the Baals, and the other non-gods. And God did just what He said He would do and scattered the people to other nations.
We live in a different period but as a spiritual principal this still stands. If you love and serve God then decide you'd rather love and serve your own flesh and the ways of the world system around you seem cooler than God and will make you more prosperous, then you too will end up feeling like you've been cursed too. Paul says as much in Galatians 6 (check it out).
What is really cool, though, is this little section in chapter 30. From verse 1 though 6.
1 And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you call them to min among all the nations where the Lord your God has drive you, and you return to the Lord your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes..."
He goes on to say He will gather and take you from where you are, bring you into a blessed land, make you more prosperous than before, circumcise your heart - and the result is you will love the Lord.
If you are in a place where you have walked (or run) away from the Lord and feel the effects of sowing to the flesh and reaping from the flesh corruption and you just don't think God wants to or even can restore you - remember this verse.
Call out to the Lord God. Three times Moses said the Lord your God. If you trusted in Jesus then you have a relationship with Him and He never really lets you go. He wants to gather you into His arms and cause your heart to soften and your ears to open. God wants to restore you to fellowship and make you even more blessed (in knowing Him) than ever!
It is never too late. Come back. He's been waiting.
Pastor Tom
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Listen up!
Deuteronomy 18:15(A) "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb(B) on the day of the assembly, when you said,(C) 'Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.' 17And the LORD said to me,(D) 'They are right in what they have spoken. 18(E) I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers.(F) And I will put my words in his mouth, and(G) he shall speak to them all that I command him. (from Biblegateway.com)
Did you know that these verses are about Jesus Christ? From time to time it is important to remind ourselves that God did not bring Jesus on the scene as a last minute plan to fix a broken humanity. Before the creation of the world God knew man would fail and so he planned to bring Jesus on the scene at just the right time.
There are a couple of wonderful things to point out about this person, whom the Jews referred to as The Prophet.
1. He is "from your brothers". Jesus was a human being, with all of the things we human have to deal with. He can identify with you.
2. We should listen to him. When God revealed himself and his character to the people of Israel they said "no more!" We really have no clue just how incredible God is, and how holy, and how much we don't measure up. They just wanted to stop up their ears. With Jesus we need to open those ears and listen to how God will make a way for us to share in his glory by giving us his very life.
Consider how long God waited to bring Jesus on the scene in order to speak the words of love God longed to speak. He is speaking those words into your life today. Listen up!
Pastor Tom
Did you know that these verses are about Jesus Christ? From time to time it is important to remind ourselves that God did not bring Jesus on the scene as a last minute plan to fix a broken humanity. Before the creation of the world God knew man would fail and so he planned to bring Jesus on the scene at just the right time.
There are a couple of wonderful things to point out about this person, whom the Jews referred to as The Prophet.
1. He is "from your brothers". Jesus was a human being, with all of the things we human have to deal with. He can identify with you.
2. We should listen to him. When God revealed himself and his character to the people of Israel they said "no more!" We really have no clue just how incredible God is, and how holy, and how much we don't measure up. They just wanted to stop up their ears. With Jesus we need to open those ears and listen to how God will make a way for us to share in his glory by giving us his very life.
Consider how long God waited to bring Jesus on the scene in order to speak the words of love God longed to speak. He is speaking those words into your life today. Listen up!
Pastor Tom
Friday, May 23, 2008
Loyal or Impressed?
As humans we seem to be hard wired to drive our lives by our five senses. We trust that which we can hear, smell, taste, see, and feel. When it comes to things that really matter, though, our senses can actually deceive us, or be deceived.
This is driven home in Deuteronomy 13:1 "If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign of wonder that he tells comes to pass, and if he says, "Let us go after other gods,' which you have not known, 'and let us serve them,' you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer or dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul."
Think about it. Someone comes along and makes a prophecy that is so specific that there is no way they could know unless they had supernatural knowledge, and their prophecy comes true. Or even better, they claim to be able to heal or do something incredible - and they do it!
If that person then said they had a different idea about the way of salvation, wouldn't we just flock to listen to them?
But God clearly warns us here not to do that. We need to trust with the eyes of faith, not our physical eyes. God gave us ample proof of who he was through the miracles he did for Israel and for us in Jesus Christ. If we keep demanding proof our senses can appreciate then we aren't trusting God and God isn't God of our lives anymore, we are, our senses are.
Believe what God did and said. Be loyal to Him. Trust in Him-no matter what!
Pastor Tom
This is driven home in Deuteronomy 13:1 "If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign of wonder that he tells comes to pass, and if he says, "Let us go after other gods,' which you have not known, 'and let us serve them,' you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer or dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul."
Think about it. Someone comes along and makes a prophecy that is so specific that there is no way they could know unless they had supernatural knowledge, and their prophecy comes true. Or even better, they claim to be able to heal or do something incredible - and they do it!
If that person then said they had a different idea about the way of salvation, wouldn't we just flock to listen to them?
But God clearly warns us here not to do that. We need to trust with the eyes of faith, not our physical eyes. God gave us ample proof of who he was through the miracles he did for Israel and for us in Jesus Christ. If we keep demanding proof our senses can appreciate then we aren't trusting God and God isn't God of our lives anymore, we are, our senses are.
Believe what God did and said. Be loyal to Him. Trust in Him-no matter what!
Pastor Tom
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Two Problems With Living in the World
As Israel was about to enter the Promised Land, God had some warnings for them. First He told them to destroy the peoples and their idols.
Deuteronomy 7:2 "And when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction." This included destroying their idols and not intermarrying with them.
God warned them that if they didn't do this two things could happen. One, they could become fearful of the task and two, they could become impressed with the people and their gods.
As Christians we are told to destroy the flesh (see previous blog entry) which is anything that is of the old nature enslaved to things that are outside the character of God. As we set about to do that by the power of God's Holy Spirit the same two things can happen.
One, we can become fearful over the power of sin in our lives and the hold it has on us. Sin is a corpse that pretends to be alive. Paul said: "For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace." Romans 6:14
Secondly we can become enamored with the things of the world, the values it has, the goals it shoots for, because these were things we were trained to want.
Moses gives Israel this key to overcoming both of these obstacles.
26 You shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction."
We should treat those things that are not like the Lord as detestable, not delectable. We, as regenerated people, have the option to consider the things of the world in this way. When we fail to do so is when the snares and fears of the world overcome us.
Pastor Tom
Deuteronomy 7:2 "And when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction." This included destroying their idols and not intermarrying with them.
God warned them that if they didn't do this two things could happen. One, they could become fearful of the task and two, they could become impressed with the people and their gods.
As Christians we are told to destroy the flesh (see previous blog entry) which is anything that is of the old nature enslaved to things that are outside the character of God. As we set about to do that by the power of God's Holy Spirit the same two things can happen.
One, we can become fearful over the power of sin in our lives and the hold it has on us. Sin is a corpse that pretends to be alive. Paul said: "For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace." Romans 6:14
Secondly we can become enamored with the things of the world, the values it has, the goals it shoots for, because these were things we were trained to want.
Moses gives Israel this key to overcoming both of these obstacles.
26 You shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction."
We should treat those things that are not like the Lord as detestable, not delectable. We, as regenerated people, have the option to consider the things of the world in this way. When we fail to do so is when the snares and fears of the world overcome us.
Pastor Tom
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Seeking God, Sort of
If you have stopped nurturing your relationship with God, stopped being in fellowship with other believers, stopped learning about the Lord through His Word and stopped praying it is like not watering a plant. It looks okay for a while but then begins to wither.
Further, if you decide instead of loving God to love the things in the world around you - the lure of wealth, beauty, worldly wisdom, and power - you begin to develop a new strength, a strength against serving God all the more.
That kind of thinking is pretty common and very short term. Thinking on an eternal level, what will all those things do for you in a place where they don't matter any more?
So perhaps you find yourself convicted and think "you know, I need to get back to my relationship with God." So you go to church a little more, you pray a little bit, maybe you even crack open your Bible now and again. But you still serve those other things which have become gods to you.
Moses actually has some sage advice out of Deuteronomy 4:29
"But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find Him, if you search after Him with all your heart and with all your soul."
Half hearted efforts at returning to God will only bear half hearted results. Search for the Lord and let it be with everything within you. I promise if you look, you'll find Him because He was right there all along, just waiting for you to give up on worthless things and seek something eternal: a relationship with Him.
Pastor Tom
Further, if you decide instead of loving God to love the things in the world around you - the lure of wealth, beauty, worldly wisdom, and power - you begin to develop a new strength, a strength against serving God all the more.
That kind of thinking is pretty common and very short term. Thinking on an eternal level, what will all those things do for you in a place where they don't matter any more?
So perhaps you find yourself convicted and think "you know, I need to get back to my relationship with God." So you go to church a little more, you pray a little bit, maybe you even crack open your Bible now and again. But you still serve those other things which have become gods to you.
Moses actually has some sage advice out of Deuteronomy 4:29
"But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find Him, if you search after Him with all your heart and with all your soul."
Half hearted efforts at returning to God will only bear half hearted results. Search for the Lord and let it be with everything within you. I promise if you look, you'll find Him because He was right there all along, just waiting for you to give up on worthless things and seek something eternal: a relationship with Him.
Pastor Tom
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Making War on the Flesh
Numbers 31 has the story of Israel's first real battle as they near the Promised Land. God tells them to fight and destroy Midian. "Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian to execute the Lord's vengeance on Midian." (3)
Remember that Midian was the nation that wanted Balaam to curse Israel. He couldn't, of course, but what they couldn't accomplish by cursing they accomplished by temptation. In chapter 25 the people invited them to worship with their gods and Israel fell into idolatry and sexual immorality.
The thought I had about this, and the war God declared on them, involves the flesh. God is about to do great things through Israel, but first the agent of their downfall into sin must be done away with.
Paul the Apostle later said: "For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." (Romans 8:13)
Ask the Holy Spirit today to make war on that which tempts you to sin.
Pastor Tom
Remember that Midian was the nation that wanted Balaam to curse Israel. He couldn't, of course, but what they couldn't accomplish by cursing they accomplished by temptation. In chapter 25 the people invited them to worship with their gods and Israel fell into idolatry and sexual immorality.
The thought I had about this, and the war God declared on them, involves the flesh. God is about to do great things through Israel, but first the agent of their downfall into sin must be done away with.
Paul the Apostle later said: "For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." (Romans 8:13)
Ask the Holy Spirit today to make war on that which tempts you to sin.
Pastor Tom
Monday, May 12, 2008
Impatience
Numbers 21:4 "From Mount Hor they set out by the way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water and we loathe this worthless bread."
Do you ever find yourself impatient on your journey with the Lord? You've been brought out of slavery to sin and set on a course to a known destination but through unknown territory (this life). We have God's Word to chew on which brings us encouragement and challenge. But sometimes do you grow tired of "eating" the same food over and over?
And when life throws you a curve and you are scared or lonely or discouraged, do you think to yourself, "Why did I even come to Jesus if this is how my life is going to be? I was better off before."
When Israel expressed this to the Lord a plague broke out. Moses had to build a bronze serpent so that when the people looked at it they were healed of the snake bites.
For us, we need to remind ourselves that in Egypt (our sinful state) we were as good as dead from a poisonous snake. But Jesus rescued and healed us. His Word nourishes, even when we don't understand it all.
What Israel didn't realize when they complained and grew impatient was that they were about to experience great victory over the Amorites. Perhaps you are feeling impatient because the Lord is about to do a big thing in your life and the enemy is trying to distract you by having you focus on what's going on with you, instead of what is going on with God through you.
So look up to the serpent on the tree (Jesus), find new recipes for enjoying His Word, and look forward instead of backward to what new adventures lie ahead and what victories He has in store for you just around the corner!
Pastor Tom
Do you ever find yourself impatient on your journey with the Lord? You've been brought out of slavery to sin and set on a course to a known destination but through unknown territory (this life). We have God's Word to chew on which brings us encouragement and challenge. But sometimes do you grow tired of "eating" the same food over and over?
And when life throws you a curve and you are scared or lonely or discouraged, do you think to yourself, "Why did I even come to Jesus if this is how my life is going to be? I was better off before."
When Israel expressed this to the Lord a plague broke out. Moses had to build a bronze serpent so that when the people looked at it they were healed of the snake bites.
For us, we need to remind ourselves that in Egypt (our sinful state) we were as good as dead from a poisonous snake. But Jesus rescued and healed us. His Word nourishes, even when we don't understand it all.
What Israel didn't realize when they complained and grew impatient was that they were about to experience great victory over the Amorites. Perhaps you are feeling impatient because the Lord is about to do a big thing in your life and the enemy is trying to distract you by having you focus on what's going on with you, instead of what is going on with God through you.
So look up to the serpent on the tree (Jesus), find new recipes for enjoying His Word, and look forward instead of backward to what new adventures lie ahead and what victories He has in store for you just around the corner!
Pastor Tom
Friday, May 09, 2008
Wrath Doesn't Matter
In my last blog I talked about Numbers 11 and how the people didn't seem concerned about coming close to God and the dangers that came with it. Many of them died in a fire as a result.
The theme continues in Numbers 16. The story of Korah's rebellion is pretty famous. Some of the Levites decided they were as "holy" as Moses (as if that had anything to do with why God was using Moses). The bottom sort of dropped out from under their argument (vs 31) and they fell from grace (so to speak).
So what I find interesting is what happened next. After God clearly said that it is His choice who He uses and puts into authority, the people "grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, "You have killed the people of the Lord." (vs 42).
God's glory appeared in the cloud over the Tent of Meeting and immediately a plague started breaking out among the people. If it were not for Aaron and Moses interceding, all the people would have died. As it was some 14,700 lost their lives.
So after the fire, after the glory, after the plagues - no one among the children of Israel seems all that worried about the wrath of God. That actually trying to approach God and relate to Him on a personal level without the proper covering was a truly dangerous undertaking.
The truth is that God is holding back. One day he will destroy evil and anything that belongs to it. It's not anger in the sense that we think of. God is not vindictive and vengeful. But He is pure. He will take this dimension back and when he does His mere presence will wipe out anything not clean.
As I've said numerous times, thanks be to God for providing that cleansing Himself through His Son Jesus Christ. Let's just not make the mistake Israel made and underestimate the presence of God and the wrath of God. Wrath does matter!
Pastor Tom
The theme continues in Numbers 16. The story of Korah's rebellion is pretty famous. Some of the Levites decided they were as "holy" as Moses (as if that had anything to do with why God was using Moses). The bottom sort of dropped out from under their argument (vs 31) and they fell from grace (so to speak).
So what I find interesting is what happened next. After God clearly said that it is His choice who He uses and puts into authority, the people "grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, "You have killed the people of the Lord." (vs 42).
God's glory appeared in the cloud over the Tent of Meeting and immediately a plague started breaking out among the people. If it were not for Aaron and Moses interceding, all the people would have died. As it was some 14,700 lost their lives.
So after the fire, after the glory, after the plagues - no one among the children of Israel seems all that worried about the wrath of God. That actually trying to approach God and relate to Him on a personal level without the proper covering was a truly dangerous undertaking.
The truth is that God is holding back. One day he will destroy evil and anything that belongs to it. It's not anger in the sense that we think of. God is not vindictive and vengeful. But He is pure. He will take this dimension back and when he does His mere presence will wipe out anything not clean.
As I've said numerous times, thanks be to God for providing that cleansing Himself through His Son Jesus Christ. Let's just not make the mistake Israel made and underestimate the presence of God and the wrath of God. Wrath does matter!
Pastor Tom
Thursday, May 08, 2008
God is Dangerous
Numbers 10 - 15 is full of great stories. The quail, Miriam turning leprous, the spies in the land, and all that.
But there is a little story tucked away in the beginning of chapter 11 that I want to focus on.
11:1 "And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp"
Hebrews says "our God is a consuming fire." I think we forget how actually true that is. As the people of Israel came out of Egypt, they had the opportunity to have a relationship with the God of the universe. That is easier said than done.
Due to our own evil we are tainted, and approaching a God who is completely good is not as easy as just drawing back the flaps of a tent and saying "Hey God, how ya doin'?" Good, real good, cannot exist with evil. Or let me put it this way, evil, real evil, is destroyed in the presence of real good.
So as the people draw near to God, their transgressions begin to show and the goodness of God begins to have an affect, namely fire breaking out and destroying some of them. To draw close required a blood sacrifice, and later, THE blood sacrifice of Jesus. They simply couldn't come near in their present state and even living near God was perilous.
We just should not forget the difficult way Jesus opened for us. Being washed by His blood so that we can come to God and call Him Papa at any time is the most wonderful thing ever!
Pastor Tom
But there is a little story tucked away in the beginning of chapter 11 that I want to focus on.
11:1 "And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp"
Hebrews says "our God is a consuming fire." I think we forget how actually true that is. As the people of Israel came out of Egypt, they had the opportunity to have a relationship with the God of the universe. That is easier said than done.
Due to our own evil we are tainted, and approaching a God who is completely good is not as easy as just drawing back the flaps of a tent and saying "Hey God, how ya doin'?" Good, real good, cannot exist with evil. Or let me put it this way, evil, real evil, is destroyed in the presence of real good.
So as the people draw near to God, their transgressions begin to show and the goodness of God begins to have an affect, namely fire breaking out and destroying some of them. To draw close required a blood sacrifice, and later, THE blood sacrifice of Jesus. They simply couldn't come near in their present state and even living near God was perilous.
We just should not forget the difficult way Jesus opened for us. Being washed by His blood so that we can come to God and call Him Papa at any time is the most wonderful thing ever!
Pastor Tom
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Come if you are Unclean
God was very strict in the old covenant about the fact that you had to be clean ceremonially. Leviticus is full of restrictions, one of which was touching a dead body. If you touched a dead body you couldn't participate in the spiritual life of Israel until you had been made clean again, which involved washing and waiting.
So then I come upon Numbers 9. It says "6 And there were certain men who were unclean through touching a dead body, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day."
The men come to Moses and want to know why they couldn't celebrate. So Moses asks God and, surprisingly, God says "10 ... if any one of you or of your descendants is unclean through touching a dead body, or is on a long journey, he shall still keep the Passover to the Lord."
Passover, of course, is a wonderful picture of the fact that God "passed over" us in pouring out His wrath against evil. He did this after we applied the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, to the doorposts of our hearts.
God says that even if you are unclean and feel unworthy to come to Jesus, or even if you have wandered far away from Him, don't let that be a barrier to coming to Him.
"And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take water of life without price." Revelation 22:17
Pastor Tom
So then I come upon Numbers 9. It says "6 And there were certain men who were unclean through touching a dead body, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day."
The men come to Moses and want to know why they couldn't celebrate. So Moses asks God and, surprisingly, God says "10 ... if any one of you or of your descendants is unclean through touching a dead body, or is on a long journey, he shall still keep the Passover to the Lord."
Passover, of course, is a wonderful picture of the fact that God "passed over" us in pouring out His wrath against evil. He did this after we applied the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, to the doorposts of our hearts.
God says that even if you are unclean and feel unworthy to come to Jesus, or even if you have wandered far away from Him, don't let that be a barrier to coming to Him.
"And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take water of life without price." Revelation 22:17
Pastor Tom
Monday, May 05, 2008
Blemishes
Leviticus 21 talks about the importance of holiness in the priesthood. The Lord instructed Moses that "no one who has a blemish shall draw near." (18).
It goes on to talk about what constitutes a blemish: defects in sight, hunchback, injured foot, even dwarfs couldn't come and minister before the Lord as a priest.
Now we could get into a huge discussion over what this means, and why if God is so worried about external physical deformities why isn't he worried about internal sinful attitudes? (He is, in fact).
But I wanted to point out something that is actually kind of cool. Look at verse 22:
"He may eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy and of the holy things."
The blemished can share in the benefits of the priesthood, even though they couldn't go in themselves to minister. So what does this mean to us?
Now I don't want to get too deeply into this theologically, but even as the priesthood was a picture of Jesus' sacrifice for us, we, the blemished, are not worthy to go into the Holy of Holies. Only Jesus is worthy.
But we, who are blemished by sin, can still benefit from the fellowship and sacrifice of Jesus. If you feel like you have a defect and just aren't worthy of fellowshipping with God, don't worry. Through Jesus even us who have blemishes can still partake of His sacrifice and the fellowship with God that it brings.
Pastor Tom
It goes on to talk about what constitutes a blemish: defects in sight, hunchback, injured foot, even dwarfs couldn't come and minister before the Lord as a priest.
Now we could get into a huge discussion over what this means, and why if God is so worried about external physical deformities why isn't he worried about internal sinful attitudes? (He is, in fact).
But I wanted to point out something that is actually kind of cool. Look at verse 22:
"He may eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy and of the holy things."
The blemished can share in the benefits of the priesthood, even though they couldn't go in themselves to minister. So what does this mean to us?
Now I don't want to get too deeply into this theologically, but even as the priesthood was a picture of Jesus' sacrifice for us, we, the blemished, are not worthy to go into the Holy of Holies. Only Jesus is worthy.
But we, who are blemished by sin, can still benefit from the fellowship and sacrifice of Jesus. If you feel like you have a defect and just aren't worthy of fellowshipping with God, don't worry. Through Jesus even us who have blemishes can still partake of His sacrifice and the fellowship with God that it brings.
Pastor Tom
Friday, May 02, 2008
We Didn't Do It!
I was reading about the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16. It is a special day in the Jewish year when the high priest goes into the Holy of Holies and makes atonement for the sins of the people.
Without going into great detail (there is tons of symbolism here) I wanted to point out just two small details.
One is this: "No one may be in the tent of meeting from the time he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place until he comes out and has made atonement for himself and for his house and for all the assembly or Israel." (17).
Then I noticed this verse as well: "and shall do no work, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you. For on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you." (29-30)
As you may know, the Day of Atonement pictures the day of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. While the blood of bulls and rams "atoned" for the people's sins, it was only temporary and it was a picture of the one atonement for all time.
We've been studying John at church and how all Jesus' disciples scattered after his arrest. He faced the cross utterly alone, just as Aaron went in alone to the Holy Place. And more than that, all the people basically had to just sit and wait. They could not work, they had to pause and wait for the atonement.
Even with us, we cannot do anything to bring about the atonement (payment) for our evil. This atonement is "made for you" you didn't make it yourself. You can't do any work that can aid in Jesus paying the price for your sin.
Let us pause a little and remember THE High Priest, entering by himself into the Holy Place to offer His own blood as the one and only sacrifice.
Pastor Tom
Without going into great detail (there is tons of symbolism here) I wanted to point out just two small details.
One is this: "No one may be in the tent of meeting from the time he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place until he comes out and has made atonement for himself and for his house and for all the assembly or Israel." (17).
Then I noticed this verse as well: "and shall do no work, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you. For on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you." (29-30)
As you may know, the Day of Atonement pictures the day of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. While the blood of bulls and rams "atoned" for the people's sins, it was only temporary and it was a picture of the one atonement for all time.
We've been studying John at church and how all Jesus' disciples scattered after his arrest. He faced the cross utterly alone, just as Aaron went in alone to the Holy Place. And more than that, all the people basically had to just sit and wait. They could not work, they had to pause and wait for the atonement.
Even with us, we cannot do anything to bring about the atonement (payment) for our evil. This atonement is "made for you" you didn't make it yourself. You can't do any work that can aid in Jesus paying the price for your sin.
Let us pause a little and remember THE High Priest, entering by himself into the Holy Place to offer His own blood as the one and only sacrifice.
Pastor Tom
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Getting Spots Out
If you have ever read Leviticus 13 and 14 you have learned a lot about leprosy. Too much, in fact. The Law goes on and on and on in tremendous detail about how to spot skin disease--shutting people up here and pulling down the stones of houses there. It's mind numbing actually.
When a person at that time had any kind of skin lesion or eruption or boil they had to go to the priest repeatedly to have it inspected. The priest would have to check to see if the hair in the eruption was black, white, or yellow. Depending on what was happening they would have to come back and back.
If someone actually got healed from leprosy the many sacrifices and rituals they had to go through are amazing. And even after they are clean they can come back into the camp but not into their tent for a week. What if it got cold?
So then I got to thinking about what leprosy often represents: sin. According to Romans 5:12 sin, like a leprous disease, spread to us all through Adam's rebellion against God in the Garden of Eden. Not only do we have the disease but it erupts on our lives as we act on what we are and do evil.
And sin, like leprosy, is very difficult to get rid of. It seems like we clean up our act in one area and then, poof, sin crops up in another. You know the old saying, "A leopard can't change his spots," well we can't change who we are: leprous. The only way out of sin is to die. You can wash your life all you want but sin will not go away on its own.
So as Paul said "who can deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24-25).
Today let's rejoice that even though we were stricken with a hard to get rid of disease - we also have a cure: dieing and living again through Jesus Christ, whose blood is the only cure for the leprosy of sin.
Pastor Tom
When a person at that time had any kind of skin lesion or eruption or boil they had to go to the priest repeatedly to have it inspected. The priest would have to check to see if the hair in the eruption was black, white, or yellow. Depending on what was happening they would have to come back and back.
If someone actually got healed from leprosy the many sacrifices and rituals they had to go through are amazing. And even after they are clean they can come back into the camp but not into their tent for a week. What if it got cold?
So then I got to thinking about what leprosy often represents: sin. According to Romans 5:12 sin, like a leprous disease, spread to us all through Adam's rebellion against God in the Garden of Eden. Not only do we have the disease but it erupts on our lives as we act on what we are and do evil.
And sin, like leprosy, is very difficult to get rid of. It seems like we clean up our act in one area and then, poof, sin crops up in another. You know the old saying, "A leopard can't change his spots," well we can't change who we are: leprous. The only way out of sin is to die. You can wash your life all you want but sin will not go away on its own.
So as Paul said "who can deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24-25).
Today let's rejoice that even though we were stricken with a hard to get rid of disease - we also have a cure: dieing and living again through Jesus Christ, whose blood is the only cure for the leprosy of sin.
Pastor Tom
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