Thursday, February 3, 2011

leviticus 21-23

It is good to be home even if the temperatures here are significantly lower than the ones we left in Southern California.  Hope you are keeping warm.  My apologies to all who have early February birthdays and anniversaries.  I am late on my card sending.  Please know that if you are one that I have missed, I will catch up soon just as I am with my blogging and Bible reading and when I do, your card will come with an extra bit of TLC.

Leviticus 21 reminds us that nothing we do, wear or say makes us holy.  It is God and God alone who is able to do that.  We are saved by grace and grace alone.  It is God's grace lest any person should boast of their deeds that make them sufficient before the creator.  We are as dust, existing for a little while and then to dust we return.  Only God can make us worthy to stand before him for all eternity.

Chapter 22 is about offerings.  A worthy offering is an offering that is the best that we have.  We are not to come before the Lord with our left overs and our used up offerings.  We are to offer him our first fruits, anything less is unacceptable.  That is a hard concept for us, because it is a trust issue.  God who is full of Grace will forgive our insecurity in bringing our first fruits, we think; but this passage tells us that only our best is acceptable; no blemish....only the best.  Are you bringing your best to the Lord day after day?

Chapter 23 tells of the great Jewish feast days.  Isn't it interesting that God begins by reminding Israel that the most important day is the Sabbath Day.  Do you think that is to keep them from becoming C & E worshipers (Christmas & Easter)?  Every Sabbath is a holy day, set aside by God for himself.  We do not honor God when we fail to keep Sabbath.

The other high and holy days are days that Jews still keep.  They include Passover, deliverance from Egypt.  First Fruits, remembering that God brought them to a land of milk & honey.  The Feast of Weeks which became known as Pentecost, a celebration of harvest.  The feast of Trumpets, celebration of the New Year (Rosh Hashanah).  The Day of Atonement.  The Feast of Tabernacles, sometimes called the Feast of Booths, remembering that God cared for them in their journey through the wilderness to the promised land.

I hope to see you on Sunday as we practice God's command to keep Sabbath.  God Bless You!

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