everybody watch

Posted on July 22, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky devotions July 2016 (22)

Leviticus 8:1-5

Lev 8:1 Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said,
Lev 8:2 “Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the clothes and the anointing oil and the bull of the mistake offering and the two rams and the basket of unleavened bread.
Lev 8:3 And collect all the congregation at the entrance of the conference tent.”
Lev 8:4 And Moses did as Yahveh commanded him, and the congregation was collected at the entrance of the conference tent.
Lev 8:5 And Moses said to the congregation, “This is the thing that Yahveh has commanded to be done.”

everybody watch

The ordination ceremony for Aaron and his sons was intended to be a public celebration. It was to remind the children of Israel that God had called some of them to a life of dedication and intercession. There was to be no secret priest — no one who served God without also displaying that service openly.

Like the things they did as part of their jobs as priests, their ordination ceremony was prescribed by the LORD himself. Everyone was to watch and mentally tick off the procedures on the list. There was to be no slacking, no shirking of responsibility. Everything had to be done according to what had been commanded. Then, as each priest approached his daily task, he would remember that he started out doing this biblically, and that is the way he must proceed.

LORD, we dedicate ourselves to serving you as you prescribed — serving you biblically.

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the Sinai six

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky devotions July 2016 (21)

Leviticus 7:35-38

Lev 7:35 This is the portion of Aaron and of his sons from Yahveh’s fire offerings, from the day they were presented to serve as priests of Yahveh.
Lev 7:36 Yahveh commanded this to be given them by the people of Israel, from the day that he anointed them. It is a permanent prescription throughout their generations.”
Lev 7:37 This is the law of the ascending offering, of the tribute offering, of the mistake offering, of the reparation offering, of the ordination offering, and of the offering for healthy relationships.
Lev 7:38 which Yahveh commanded Moses on Mount Sinai, on the day that he commanded the people of Israel to bring their offerings to Yahveh, in the wilderness of Sinai.

the Sinai six

Six offerings commanded by the LORD to Moses on Mount Sinai are mentioned here. Each offering communicates something about who God is, and what he expects of those who take his name.

  • ascending – God is exalted – we must seek his presence
  • tribute – God is king – we must seek his favour
  • mistake – God is perfect – we must seek his forgiveness
  • reparation – God is saviour – we must honour his grace
  • ordination – God is holy – we must honour his servants
  • healthy relationships – God is one – we must honour his community

We can also see a transition of sorts in the offerings as listed here. The first three emphasise the covenant community’s responsibility to Love God, while the second three emphasise the covenant community’s responsibility to love each other. A similar two-fold emphasis is seen in the ten commandments.

LORD, show us how to seek you, and to honour those around us who are seeking you as well.

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the portion for the priests

Posted on July 20, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky devotions July 2016 (20)

Leviticus 7:28-34

Lev 7:28 Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said,
Lev 7:29 “Speak to the people of Israel, and this is what you should say, whoever offers the sacrifice of his healthy relationships offering to Yahveh will bring his offering to Yahveh from the sacrifice of his healthy relationships offering.
Lev 7:30 His own hands will bring Yahveh’s fire offerings. He will bring the fat with the breast, that the breast may be waved as a wave offering in Yahveh’s sight.
Lev 7:31 The priest will burn the fat on the altar, but the breast will be for Aaron and his sons.
Lev 7:32 And the right thigh you will give to the priest as a contribution from the sacrifice of your healthy relationships offering.
Lev 7:33 Whoever among the sons of Aaron offers the blood of the healthy relationships offering and the fat will have the right thigh for a portion.
Lev 7:34 Because the breast that is waved and the thigh that is contributed I have taken from the people of Israel, out of the sacrifices of their healthy relationships offerings, and have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons, as a permanent prescription from the people of Israel.

the portion for the priests

The healthy relationships offering was all about ensuring a wholeness among the members of the old covenant community. A portion (in this case, the right thigh) was set aside to be eaten by the priests alone. By doing this, the worshippers indicated that they recognised the importance of the priests, as the LORD’s chosen mediators. They ministered to the LORD by making reconciliation between others possible.

As priests under the new covenant, we serve the LORD by encouraging unity and reconciliation among all the members of the body. When their is discord, we are to facilitate harmony. This is a valuable ministry for all of us, no matter what title we have in the church.

LORD, make us mediators and reconcilers, bringing harmony and unity within the community of faith.

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dependence diet

Posted on July 19, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky devotions July 2016 (19)

Leviticus 7:22-27

Lev 7:22 Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said,
Lev 7:23 “Speak to the people of Israel, and this is what you should say, you will eat no fat, of ox or sheep or goat.
Lev 7:24 The fat of an animal that dies of itself and the fat of one that is torn by beasts may be put to any other use, but on no account will you eat it.
Lev 7:25 Because every soul who eats of the fat of an animal of which a fire offering may be made to Yahveh will be eliminated from his people.
Lev 7:26 Moreover, you will eat no blood whatever, whether of fowl or of animal, wherever you stay.
Lev 7:27 Whatever soul eats any blood, that soul will be eliminated from his people.”

dependence diet

Both the fat of the animal and its blood were essential to the health and life of it as an organism. The fat was its protection, and the blood was its source of inner cleansing, renewal and preservation. The LORD did not allow consumption of these essential elements because they symbolised dependence upon him for protection and preservation.

When Daniel and his friends were taken as captives into Babylon, they were given the choice foods of the king to protect them from illness, and to preserve their health. But they realised that if they ate of these foods, they would be admitting that they depended on Nebuchadnezzar, not the LORD. They had the courage to reject these choice foods and rely on a dependence diet. God made them the healthiest of all the captives because they displayed loyalty to him.

Under the new covenant, there are dietary restrictions as well. Whatever we do, it must be unto the Lord, not for men (Col. 3:23). Like the old covenant restrictions, it is the purpose that is the reason for restricting the product.

LORD, give us eating habits which display our dependence on you, and gratitude for your protection and preservation.

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spoiled gifts

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky devotions July 2016 (18)

Leviticus 7:16-21

Lev 7:16 But if the sacrifice of his offering is a solemn pledge offering or a spontaneous voluntary offering, it will be eaten on the day that he offers his sacrifice, and on the next day what remains of it will be eaten.
Lev 7:17 But on the third day what remains of the meat of the sacrifice will be burned up with fire.
Lev 7:18 If any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his healthy relationships offering is eaten on the third day, he who offers it will not be accepted, neither will it be recognised in his behalf. It is tainted, and the soul who eats of it will be responsible for his violation.
Lev 7:19 “Meat that touches any contaminated thing will not be eaten. It will be burned up with fire. All who are pure may eat meat,
Lev 7:20 but the soul who eats from the meat of the sacrifice of Yahveh’s healthy relationships offering while a contamination is on him, that soul will be eliminated from his people.
Lev 7:21 And if any soul touches a contaminated thing, whether human contamination or an contaminated beast or any contaminated detestable creature, and then eats some meat from the sacrifice of Yahveh’s healthy relationships offering, that soul will be eliminated from his people.”

spoiled gifts

No matter how rich you were, there were two things that would make your voluntary offering unacceptable. Contamination, of course, but also time. A gift could be enjoyed by those ministering at the tabernacle for two days, but not for three. No matter how generous your gift, it would spoil with time, and it would become necessary for it to be destroyed.

When it comes to serving the LORD, a similar principle applies. We need to re-evaluate our lives if we find we are thinking too much about what we have done for him, instead of what steps he wants for us to take now.

LORD, keep our service to you fresh.

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thanking God for each other

Posted on July 17, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky devotions July 2016 (17)

Leviticus 7:11-15

Lev 7:11 “And this is the law of the sacrifice for healthy relationships that one may offer to Yahveh.
Lev 7:12 If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he will offer with the thanksgiving sacrifice unleavened loaves mixed with oil, unleavened wafers smeared with oil, and loaves of fine flour well mixed with oil.
Lev 7:13 With the sacrifice for his healthy relationships for thanksgiving he will bring his offering with loaves of leavened bread.
Lev 7:14 And from it he will offer one loaf from each offering, as a gift to Yahveh. It will belong to the priest who throws the blood of the healthy relationships offering.
Lev 7:15 And the meat of the sacrifice of his healthy relationships offering for thanksgiving will be eaten on the day of his offering. He will not leave any of it until the morning.

thanking God for each other

The pagans performed their sacrifices so that they could get the advantage over one another. But the Mosaic sacrifices has to do with appreciation for the reconciliation and forgiveness that God offered. And, the sacrifice for healthy relationship could be a way of appealing for community peace and wholeness, or (in this case) it could be a way of expressing gratitude to God for the others in your community.

One of the marks of true holiness is the ability to see those around us as gifts from God, and worship God not only with others, but also because of others.

LORD, thank you for those you have placed among us, as signs of your love to us.

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compensation for consecration

Posted on July 16, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky devotions July 2016 (16)

Leviticus 7:8-10

Lev 7:8 And the priest who offers any man’s ascending offering will have for himself the skin of the ascending offering that he has offered.
Lev 7:9 And every tribute offering baked in the oven and all that is prepared on a pan or a griddle will belong to the priest who offers it.
Lev 7:10 And every tribute offering, mixed with oil or dry, will be shared equally among all the sons of Aaron.

compensation for consecration

How we treat those who minister in God’s name is a reflection on how we value the ministry, and our relationship with God himself. The priests under the Mosaic covenant did not live lives of affluence, nor were they forced into a vow of poverty. They were to be appropriately compensated.

In the church today, appropriate compensation should be our goal as well. That will look different for different faith communities. Some seek to do ministry entirely without compensation, which is alright if they are truly free to do so. But most will need to tread the grain unmuzzled (Deuteronomy 25:4; 1 Corinthians 9:9; 1 Timothy 5:18). They will need money to live on, and it is only right to expect that money to come from those they serve among.

LORD, show us how to treat those who minister among us fairly.

Posted in Aaron, employment, ministry, money | Tagged | 1 Comment

one law for them

Posted on July 15, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky devotions July 2016 (15)

Leviticus 7:1-7

Lev 7:1 “This is the law of the reparation offering. It is most holy.
Lev 7:2 In the place where they kill the ascending offering they will kill the reparation offering, and its blood will be thrown against the sides of the altar.
Lev 7:3 And all its fat will be offered, the fat tail, the fat that covers the entrails,
Lev 7:4 the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the long lobe of the liver that he will remove with the kidneys.
Lev 7:5 The priest will burn them on the altar as a fire offering to Yahveh; it is a reparation offering.
Lev 7:6 Every male among the priests may eat of it. It will be eaten in a holy place. It is most holy.
Lev 7:7 The reparation offering is just like the mistake offering; there is one law for them. The priest who provides reconciliation with it will have it.

one law for them

Built into the sacrificial system is a complex portrayal of the nature and consequences of sin. We can see this when we look at two very similar kinds of offering: the mistake offering and the reparation offing. Both symbolised what Christ did for us by dying on the cross, so there was one law prescribing both. The difference is in the effect desired. The mistake offering was intended to pay for a personal sin. The reparation offering was intended to undo the consequences of that sin. The similarity of these two offerings draws our attention to the one sacrifice for sin who was to come: Jesus. His death paid the price for our mistakes, and undid the eternal damage of mortality.

LORD, thank you for reconciliation and restoration.

Posted in atonement, Jesus Christ, restoration | Tagged | 1 Comment

after the blood

Posted on July 14, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky devotions July 2016 (14)

Leviticus 6:24-30

Lev 6:24 Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said,
Lev 6:25 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, and this is what you should say, this is the law of the mistake offering. In the place where the ascending offering is killed will the mistake offering be killed in Yahveh’s sight; it is most holy.
Lev 6:26 The priest who offers it for a mistake will eat it. In a holy place it will be eaten, in the court of the conference tent.
Lev 6:27 Anyone who touches its meat must be holy, and when any of its blood is splashed on clothing, you will wash that on which it was splashed in a holy place.
Lev 6:28 And the clay pottery container in which it is boiled will be broken. But if it is boiled in a bronze container, that will be scoured and rinsed in water.
Lev 6:29 Every male among the priests may eat of it; it is most holy.
Lev 6:30 But no mistake offering will be eaten from which any blood is brought into the conference tent to provide reconciliation in the Holy Place; it will be burned up with fire.

after the blood

If any of the blood was accidentally splashed onto the garments of the priest during the mistake offering, it had to be washed in a holy place. In other words, it was an offence to carry the blood away from the sanctuary and back into normal life. Even containers used for boiling the mistake offering had to be cleaned. The mistake offering represented the blood of Christ, which was shed on the cross once for all to provide reconciliation. If the blood of the sacrifice were left on the clothing of the priests, or on the containers, it would be a lasting reminder of that terrible cost. Rather, the LORD wants us all to keep in mind life after the blood is shed. That is what God wants for us. He wants us thinking of his eternal purpose, our eternal future.

LORD, we set our minds on our inheritance, thanking you for the cost, but celebrating the glory of permanent holiness.

Posted in atonement, deliverance, eternal life, future, holiness | Tagged | 1 Comment

his alone

Posted on July 13, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky devotions July 2016 (13)

Leviticus 6:19-23

Lev 6:19 Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said,
Lev 6:20 “This is the offering that Aaron and his sons will offer to Yahveh on the day when he is anointed: a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a regular tribute offering, half of it in the morning and half in the evening.
Lev 6:21 It will be made with oil on a griddle. You will bring it well mixed, in baked pieces like a tribute offering, and offer it for a soothing aroma to Yahveh.
Lev 6:22 The priest from among Aaron’s sons, who is anointed to succeed him, will offer it to Yahveh as a permanent prescription. The whole of it will be burned.
Lev 6:23 Every tribute offering of a priest will be wholly burned. It will not be eaten.”

his alone

The tribute offering given by Aaron and his sons was like that offered by others — except it was not to be eaten by them. Their tribute to the LORD was to be burned completely on the altar. This showed how sacred they were as priests. This also showed how dependent they were on the LORD. Ministry to the LORD is entirely dependent on the LORD for strength and success.

No matter what our occupation, each of us who is part of the Church of Jesus Christ today is a priest. What we offer to him is his alone. It is not to be shared by others.

LORD, we declare our dependence upon you. we offer ourselves to you entirely.

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