shameful exposure

Posted on September 20, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky devotions pics September 2016 (20)

Leviticus 18:6-18

Lev 18:6 “None of you will approach any one of his close relatives to uncover nakedness. I am Yahveh.
Lev 18:7 You will not uncover the nakedness of your father, which is the nakedness of your mother; she is your mother, you will not uncover her nakedness.
Lev 18:8 You will not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness.
Lev 18:9 You will not uncover the nakedness of your sister, your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether brought up in the family or in another home.
Lev 18:10 You will not uncover the nakedness of your son’s daughter or of your daughter’s daughter, because their nakedness is your own nakedness.
Lev 18:11 You will not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, brought up in your father’s family, since she is your sister.
Lev 18:12 You will not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is your father’s relative.
Lev 18:13 You will not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, because she is your mother’s relative.
Lev 18:14 You will not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother, that is, you will not approach his wife; she is your aunt.
Lev 18:15 You will not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law; she is your son’s wife; you will not uncover her nakedness.
Lev 18:16 You will not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness.
Lev 18:17 You will not uncover the nakedness of a woman and of her daughter, and you will not take her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter to uncover her nakedness; they are relatives; it is an immoral act.
Lev 18:18 And you will not take a woman as a rival wife to her sister, uncovering her nakedness while her sister is still alive.

shameful exposure

The Israelite would listen to these commands with two realities in view. First, he would remember Ham, the son of Noah, who uncovered his father’s nakedness, and brought terrible consequences down upon his son, Canaan. Then, he would remember the stories told about the descendants of Canaan, how they engage in all kinds of disgusting sexual acts, even doing so as part of their religion. The Israelite had no problem understanding both the shame and the danger of things like pornography and incest. He would also understand that as a member of the covenant with Yahveh, he was expected to be different — to be sexually disciplined.

LORD, may our private lives be a public example of the purity you expect in your covenant community.

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the impossibility of pluralism

Posted on September 19, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

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Leviticus 18:1-5

Lev 18:1 And Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said,
Lev 18:2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, I am Yahveh your God.
Lev 18:3 You will not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you stayed, and you will not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You will not walk in their prescriptions.
Lev 18:4 You will follow my rules and keep my prescriptions and walk in them. I am Yahveh your God.
Lev 18:5 You will therefore keep my prescriptions and my rules; if a human does them, he will live by them: I am Yahveh.

the impossibility of pluralism

The Israelites has religious freedom. They could choose to follow the rules and prescriptions of the God who rescued them, or not. They had been rescued from Egypt, and they were being brought to Canaan. The religions of both of those nations had their appeal, but there would be negative consequences if an Israelite chose to follow Egyptian or Canaanite ways. Pluralism was an impossibility. There was to be no mixture of religious practise or faith among the Israelite community. Yahveh insisted on being their God exclusively.

God has once again rescued his people. He has rescued us from our sins through the blood of his Son, Jesus Christ. As a part of his rescue covenant, we learn that there is salvation in no one else, because there is only one name by which we can be saved. That means that pluralism is an impossibility in the new covenant as well.

LORD, we declare absolute and unqualified devotion to you, our God.

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respect for animal life

Posted on September 18, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky devotions pics September 2016 (18)

Leviticus 17:13-16

Lev 17:13 “Any one also of the people of Israel, or of the foreign guests who are temporary residents among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be eaten will pour out its blood and cover it with land.
Lev 17:14 Because the soul within everyone’s skin is its blood: its blood is its soul. Therefore, I have said to the people of Israel, you will not eat the blood of any creature, because the soul within everyone’s skin is its blood. Whoever eats it will be eliminated.
Lev 17:15 And every soul who eats what dies of itself or what is torn by beasts, whether he is a native or a temporary resident, will wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be contaminated until the evening; then he will be clean.
Lev 17:16 But if he does not wash them or bathe his body, he will be responsible for his violation.”

respect for animal life

Even for animals killed for food, there were regulations as to how to show proper respect for the loss of life. All of the life forms that God has given to us on earth are precious to him, and should not be taken lightly, or regarded as objects for us to dispose of as we we will for our own amusement.

LORD, thank you for the blessing of the other lives all around us. Show us how to regard these lives as a gift, and respect them as part of your creation which we are responsible to you for.

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given for you

Posted on September 17, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky devotions pics September 2016 (17)

Leviticus 17:8-12

Lev 17:8 “And you will say to them, any one of the house of Israel, or of the foreign guests who are temporary residents among them, who offers an ascending offering or sacrifice
Lev 17:9 and does not bring it to the entrance of the conference tent to offer it to Yahveh, that man will be eliminated from his people.
Lev 17:10 “If any one of the house of Israel or of the foreign guests who are temporary residents among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that soul who eats blood and will eliminate him from among his people.
Lev 17:11 Because the soul within the skin is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to provide reconciliation for your souls, because it is the blood that provides reconciliation for the soul.
Lev 17:12 Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, no soul among you will eat blood, neither will any foreign guest who is a temporary resident among you eat blood.

given for you

Eating food with the blood still in it was prohibited in the Israelite community for two reasons. First, the LORD wanted his people to have respect for the living souls of the animals. The blood flowing was represented the loss of a soul — not an immortal soul — there is no such thing. But God commanded respect for all living souls. But he also prohibited the eating of bleeding flesh because he had commanded that he alone would consume it on the altar. He alone would participate in the prophecy that would be fulfilled on Calvary. He has given the sacrifice of the blood of his own Son to provide reconciliation for our souls.

LORD, thank you for loving us, and paying the price for our sin — the pice of the life of your only Son.

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only one place for sacrifice

Posted on September 16, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

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Leviticus 17:1-7

Lev 17:1 And Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said,
Lev 17:2 “Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the people of Israel and say to them, this is the thing that Yahveh has commanded when he said,
Lev 17:3 that if any one of the house of Israel kills an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or kills it outside the camp,
Lev 17:4 and does not bring it to the entrance of the conference tent to offer it as a gift to Yahveh in front of the tabernacle of Yahveh, that man will be recognised as guilty of bloodshed. He has shed blood, and that man will be eliminated from among his people.
Lev 17:5 This is to the end that the people of Israel may bring their sacrifices that they sacrifice in the open field, that they may bring them to Yahveh, to the priest at the entrance of the conference tent, and sacrifice them as sacrifices for healthy relationships to Yahveh.
Lev 17:6 And the priest will throw the blood on the altar of Yahveh at the entrance of the conference tent and burn the fat for a soothing aroma to Yahveh.
Lev 17:7 So they will no more sacrifice their sacrifices to goat demons, after whom they whore. This will be a permanent prescription for them throughout their generations.

only one place for sacrifice

Moses was commanded essentially to outlaw any other kind of sacrifice other than those detailed, with the threat of death for a violation. This is the same Bible, and the same God who wants us to love one another and be considerate of one another. He is telling us that our toleration of one another’s differences cannot include acceptance of alternate places for worship or sacrifice. He has only prescribed the one way, the one place.

Now that the tabernacle no longer exists, does this injunction still apply? I think it now applies to all of us. The one place for sacrifice was the conference tent of the tabernacle. Since the cross, that one place is Calvary. Any other attempts to appease the wrath of God is sin — the sin of blasphemy.

LORD, thank you for providing the one way and the one place and the one sacrifice.

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priest in his father’s place

Posted on September 15, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

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Leviticus 16:29-34

Lev 16:29 “And it will be a permanent prescription to you that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you will discipline your souls and will do no work, either the native or the foreign guests who are temporary residents among you.
Lev 16:30 Because on this day will reconciliation be provided for you to cleanse you. You will be clean in Yahveh’s sight from all your mistakes.
Lev 16:31 It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you will discipline your souls; it is a permanent prescription.
Lev 16:32 And the priest who is anointed and consecrated as priest in his father’s place will provide reconciliation, wearing the holy linen garments.
Lev 16:33 He will provide reconciliation for the holy sanctuary, and he will provide reconciliation for the conference tent and for the altar, and he will provide reconciliation for the priests and for all the people of the collected assembly.
Lev 16:34 And this will be a permanent prescription for you, that reconciliation may be provided for the people of Israel once in the year because of all their mistakes.” And Aaron did as Yahveh commanded Moses.

priest in his father’s place

The LORD established a priestly dynasty, so that there would always be a son of Aaron serving and providing reconciliation for the nation on that special day. It was important that the ritual for that special day reflect the fact that the great high priest to come would be serving in his Father’s place. He would not be a son of Aaron, but the only Son of God. His ministry would not be in type and symbol, but eternal reality. His ministry would make null and void the ministry of the tabernacle or temple in the same way that the event prophesied makes null and void the prophecy.

LORD, thank you for the finished work of reconciliation, and our great high priest who performed it.

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holiness or hell

Posted on September 14, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

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Leviticus 16:26-28

Lev 16:26 And he who lets the goat go for entire removal will wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp.
Lev 16:27 And the bull for the mistake offering and the goat for the mistake offering, whose blood was brought in to provide reconciliation in the Holy Place, will be carried outside the camp. Their hides and their flesh and their dung will be burned up with fire.
Lev 16:28 And he who burns them will wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp.

holiness or hell

What happens to these two offerings is a picture of what has to happen to sin. Either it is to be completely removed by the Holy Spirit’s sanctification and Christ’s glorification when he returns, or it will be destroyed by fire along with its possessor in Gehenna. Just as there was no place in the tabernacle for storing the mistake/sin offering, so there is no place in God’s universe to retain sin. We must be done with our sinful habits and pursue holiness. Holiness will last, but sin will not.

LORD, give us the courage to be done with our sinful habits.

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forgiveness, access, ongoing benefits

Posted on September 13, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

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Leviticus 16:23-25

Lev 16:23 “Then Aaron will come into the conference tent and will strip off the linen garments that he put on when he went into the Holy Place and will leave them there.
Lev 16:24 And he will bathe his body in water in a holy place and put on his garments and come out and offer his ascending offering and the ascending offering of the people and provide reconciliation for himself and for the people.
Lev 16:25 And the fat of the mistake offering he will burn on the altar.

forgiveness, access, ongoing benefits

The mistake offering had to be performed by Aaron with the holy garments on, but the ascending offering was to be performed in normal clothing. Why? Because the mistake offering represented what only Christ could do for us. The ascending offering represented the access to God that we now have as his forgiven and reconciled children. The burning of the fat of the mistake offering represented the ongoing benefits we have because of the death of Christ, including unity and protection.

Thank you, LORD, for forgiveness of sins, and access to your throne, and the ongoing benefits of the reconciliation bought for us by Christ on the cross.

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sending away the other goat

Posted on September 12, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky devotions pics September 2016 (12)

Leviticus 16:20-22

Lev 16:20 “And when he has made an end of providing reconciliation for the Holy Place and the conference tent and the altar, he will present the live goat.
Lev 16:21 And Aaron will lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the violations of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their mistakes. And he will put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is standing ready.
Lev 16:22 The goat will carry all their violations on itself to a remote area, and he will let the goat go free in the wilderness.

sending away the other goat

National sin was dealt with by means of the two goats: One was sacrificed, the other sent away, bearing the sins upon it. By this ritual the people understood that they needed more than just forgiveness. Justification (even by the death of the sacrifice) was not enough. God cannot tolerate sin. It must be driven away.

If you think simply asking Jesus to come into your heart is all God wants of you, remember the second goat. Remember that Jesus is returning to this earth as the King of kings. He is coming back for his spotless bride, for his holy people. He is coming back for a people who have sent their sins away. Granted, we cannot do this of our own strength. That is why Jesus gave us his Holy Spirit.

LORD, give us the courage to send away of our sinful habits, and live in the purity of your coming kingdom.

Posted in atonement, holiness, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, sanctification | Tagged | 1 Comment

apply the blood

Posted on September 11, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky devotions pics September 2016 (11)

Leviticus 16:15-19

Lev 16:15 “Then he will kill the goat of the mistake offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, spritzing it over the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat.
Lev 16:16 Thus he will provide reconciliation for the Holy Place, because of the contamination of the people of Israel and because of their transgressions, all their mistakes. And so he will do for the conference tent, which dwells with them in the midst of their contamination.
Lev 16:17 No human may be in the conference tent from the time he enters to provide reconciliation in the Holy Place until he comes out and has provided reconciliation for himself and for his house and for all the collected assembly of Israel.
Lev 16:18 Then he will go out to the altar that is in Yahveh’s sight and provide reconciliation for it, and will take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar all around.
Lev 16:19 And he will spritz some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it and consecrate it from the contamination of the people of Israel.

apply the blood

Even a holy place and a holy altar are defiled by a sinful and rebellious people. So, Aaron had to cleanse the mercy seat and the altar with the blood of the sacrifice that was to bring forgiveness to the collected assembly. God cannot tolerate the presence of sin. Hell will destroy sin and sinners because God cannot tolerate it for eternity. It is a mockery of the perfection he created. But hell is completely unnecessary. The blood of the sacrifice atoned for the imperfection in the tabernacle because of human sin. So, the blood of Christ is all that is needed to cleanse the universe from the consequences of Eden. But that blood must be applied. Sinner, apply the blood of Christ to your life. If you do not, hell awaits, because our God is holy, and he will not tolerate sin forever.

LORD, thank you for the remedy of our imperfection and rebellion: the blood of Christ.

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