when our leaders fail us

Posted on July 2, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky devotions July 2016 (2)

Leviticus 4:22-26

Lev 4:22 “When a leader makes a mistake, doing inadvertently any one of all the things that by the commandments of Yahveh his God ought not to be done, and realises his offence,
Lev 4:23 or the mistake which he has made is made known to him, he will bring as his offering a goat, a perfect male,
Lev 4:24 and will lay his hand on the head of the goat and kill it in the place where they kill the ascending offering in Yahveh’s sight; it is a mistake offering.
Lev 4:25 Then the priest will take some of the blood of the mistake offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of ascending offering and pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar of ascending offering.
Lev 4:26 And all its fat he will burn on the altar, like the fat of the sacrifice for healthy relationships. So the priest will provide reconciliation for him for his mistake, and he will be forgiven.

when our leaders fail us

Leaders in the Israelite community gained prominence first in their families and clans. They were appointed to community leadership only after having proved themselves loyal to God, and considerate of those they represented before him. Yet, God knew that even these tried and faithful leaders would be tempted, and would inadvertently make mistakes. He provided a way for leaders to get back on track, so that their failures would not result in the loss of the wisdom that it takes to lead their people prudently and fairly. The LORD is the great shepherd, and he cares for all the sheep, providing for the under-shepherds as well.

LORD, thank you for godly leaders. Help our leaders stay true to you, and to us.

Posted in faithfulness, leadership, loyalty, restoration | Tagged | 1 Comment

when democracy fails us

Posted on July 1, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky devotions July 2016 (1)

Leviticus 4:13-21

Lev 4:13 “If the whole congregation of Israel makes a mistake inadvertently and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the collected assembly, and they do any one of the things that by Yahveh’s commandments ought not to be done, and they realise their offence,
Lev 4:14 when the mistake which they have made becomes known, the collected assembly will offer a bull from the herd for a mistake offering and bring it in front of the conference tent.
Lev 4:15 And the elders of the congregation will lay their hands on the head of the bull in Yahveh’s sight, and the bull will be killed in Yahveh’s sight.
Lev 4:16 Then the anointed priest will bring some of the blood of the bull into the conference tent,
Lev 4:17 and the priest will dip his finger in the blood and spritz it seven times in Yahveh’s sight in front of the veil.
Lev 4:18 And he will put some of the blood on the horns of the altar that is in the conference tent in Yahveh’s sight, and the rest of the blood he will pour out at the base of the altar of ascending offering that is at the entrance of the conference tent.
Lev 4:19 And all its fat he will take from it and burn on the altar.
Lev 4:20 Thus will he do with the bull. As he did with the bull of the mistake offering, so will he do with this. And the priest will provide reconciliation for them, and they will be forgiven.
Lev 4:21 And he will carry the bull outside the camp and burn it up as he burned the first bull; it is the mistake offering for the collected assembly.

when democracy fails us

In a democratic society, the will of the whole people is intended to protect the community from the avarice and corruption of the privileged few. But there are times when democracy fails us, because the will of the whole people leads the entire nation to fail God.

The mistake offering for the collected assembly was a provision for reconciling the entire nation of Israel when they had collectively gone astray. It was a way of dealing with the estrangement from God caused by collective sin. Without it, no revival could occur. Because once a nation rebels, the covenant has been breached. So, God lovingly provided a way to rescue his people from their own rebellion.

LORD, thank you for the gift of democracy. Thank you as well for a way to repent for democracy gone wrong.

Posted in deliverance, ethnic Israel, loyalty, reconciliation, repentance | Tagged | 1 Comment

ripple effect

Posted on June 30, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

June 2016 (30)

Leviticus 4:8-12

Lev 4:8 And all the fat of the bull of the mistake offering he will remove from it, the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails
Lev 4:9 and 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 4:10 (just as these are taken from the ox of the sacrifice for healthy relationships); and the priest will burn them on the altar of the ascending offering.
Lev 4:11 But the skin of the bull and all its flesh, with its head, its legs, its entrails, and its dung–
Lev 4:12 all the rest of the bull– he will carry outside the camp to a pure place, to the ash heap, and will burn it up on a fire of wood. On the ash heap it will be burned up.

ripple effect

This passage shows similarities between the sacrifice for healthy relationships and the mistake offering. By so doing, it highlights the fact that our individual mistakes (sins) affect all our relationships, not just our relationship with God. When we fail, it causes a ripple effect, like what happens when a stone is thrown into the water. The LORD wants to reconcile us to himself, and he also wants to restore our marriages, families, churches, communities and nations from the cumulative effect of all these failures.

LORD, restore us to you, and restore our relationships damaged by our mistakes. We rely on Christ’s sacrifice to reverse the effects of our sin.

Posted in dependence upon God, reconciliation, relationship with God, restoration, the cross | Tagged | 1 Comment

sin is a mistake

Posted on June 29, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

June 2016 (29)

Leviticus 4:1-7

Lev 4:1 And Yahveh spoke to Moses, and this is what he said,
Lev 4:2 “Speak to the people of Israel, and this is what you should say, if any soul makes a mistake inadvertently in any of Yahveh’s commandments about things not to be done, and does any one of them,
Lev 4:3 if it is the anointed priest who makes a mistake, thus bringing the need for reparation on the people, then he will offer for the mistake that he has made a perfect bull from the herd to Yahveh for a mistake offering.
Lev 4:4 He will bring the bull to the entrance of the conference tent in Yahveh’s sight and lay his hand on the head of the bull and kill the bull in Yahveh’s sight.
Lev 4:5 And the anointed priest will take some of the blood of the bull and bring it into the conference tent,
Lev 4:6 and the priest will dip his finger in the blood and spritz part of the blood seven times in Yahveh’s sight in front of the veil of the sanctuary.
Lev 4:7 And the priest will put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense in Yahveh’s sight that is in the conference tent, and all the rest of the blood of the bull he will pour out at the base of the altar of ascending offering that is at the entrance of the conference tent.

sin is a mistake

I translate the word traditionally interpreted as sin as “mistake” and the sin offering as a “mistake offering.” I am not downplaying the severity of sin by doing this. It is just the opposite. God holds us to a standard that we consistently find hard to achieve. We need a saviour because we keep missing the mark. But God has provided a sacrifice for all our mistakes: Christ. The standard is high, but our God’s provision is sure and reliable. He never makes a mistake. He never misses the mark.

LORD, thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ, a saviour who can deliver us from all our mistakes.

Posted in deliverance, Jesus Christ, sin | Tagged | 1 Comment

protection comes from the LORD

Posted on June 28, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

June 2016 (28)

Leviticus 3:12-17

Lev 3:12 “If his offering is a goat, then he will offer it in Yahveh’s sight
Lev 3:13 and lay his hand on its head and kill it in front of the conference tent, and the sons of Aaron will throw its blood against the sides of the altar.
Lev 3:14 Then he will offer from it, as his offering for a fire offering to Yahveh, the fat covering the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails
Lev 3:15 and 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 3:16 And the priest will burn them on the altar as a fire offering with a soothing aroma. All fat is Yahveh’s.
Lev 3:17 It will be a permanent prescription throughout your generations, wherever you stay, that you eat neither fat nor blood.”

protection comes from the LORD

Fat gets a bad reputation today, but it serves a very important role in the body. It cushions and protects internal organs, keeping them from bumping up against each other, and causing damage to each other. Fat is the layer of protection provided by a loving creator. The reason all the fat is to be consumed by fire for this offering is to remind us that protection ultimately comes from him. Safety and security in our families and communities — even protection from one another — is the result of our LORD’s intervention and care.

LORD, thank you for the safety and security you know we need, and only you can provide.

Posted in dependence upon God, protection | Tagged | 1 Comment

community reconciliation

Posted on June 27, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

June 2016 (27)

Leviticus 3:6-11

Lev 3:6 “If his offering for a sacrifice for healthy relationships to Yahveh is an animal from the flock, male or female, he will offer it perfect.
Lev 3:7 If he offers a lamb for his offering, then he will offer it in Yahveh’s sight,
Lev 3:8 lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it in front of the conference tent; and Aaron’s sons will throw its blood against the sides of the altar.
Lev 3:9 Then from the sacrifice for healthy relationships he will offer as a fire offering to Yahveh its fat; he will remove the whole fat tail, cut off close to the backbone, and the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails
Lev 3:10 and 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 3:11 And the priest will burn it on the altar as a fire offering to Yahveh.

community reconciliation

The fact that the worshipper must lay his hand on the head of the animal sacrificed for healthy relationships shows that we need reconciliation for more than our individual sins. Sin has affected all our relationships as well. Without the intervention of God, all our families and societies will fail miserably, because they are corrupted by sin.

But this offering reminds us that God is in the business of healing our relationships as well as our bodies. He is the glue that can hold us together — our marriages, families, churches, communities and nations.

LORD, show us how to stay together and grow into healthy families, communities, churches and nations. Heal our disintegrated lives.

Posted in cooperation, dependence upon God, family, teamwork | Tagged | 1 Comment

community relationships

Posted on June 26, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

June 2016 (26)

Leviticus 3:1-5

Lev 3:1 “If his offering is a sacrifice for healthy relationships, if he offers an animal from the herd, male or female, he will offer it perfect in Yahveh’s sight.
Lev 3:2 And he will lay his hand on the head of his offering and kill it at the entrance of the conference tent, and Aaron’s sons the priests will throw the blood against the sides of the altar.
Lev 3:3 And from the sacrifice for healthy relationships, as a fire offering to Yahveh, he will offer the fat covering the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails,
Lev 3:4 and 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 3:5 Then Aaron’s sons will burn it on the altar on top of the ascending offering which is on the wood on the fire; it is a fire offering with a soothing aroma to Yahveh.

community relationships

Many of the other offerings focus on the worshipper’s relationship with the LORD, but the sacrifice for healthy relationships is to maintain the glue that holds the community together. This is symbolised by the offering of the internal organs of the animal, along with the fat surrounding them. The LORD knows that we humans need more than just reconciliation to him to live healthy and happy lives. We need solid community relationships as well.

LORD, thank you for caring about our families and communities as well as us as individuals. Show us how to get along with each other.

Posted in consideration of others, reconciliation | Tagged | 1 Comment

gratitude up the line

Posted on June 25, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

June 2016 (25)

Leviticus 2:14-16

Lev 2:14 “If you offer a tribute offering of firstfruits to Yahveh, you will offer for the tribute offering of your firstfruits fresh ears, roasted by fire, crushed new grain.
Lev 2:15 And you will put oil over it and include frankincense with it; it is a tribute offering.
Lev 2:16 And the priest will burn as its reminiscence some of the crushed grain and some of the oil with all of its frankincense; it is a fire offering to Yahveh.

gratitude up the line

The firstfruits offering gave the worshipper a chance to express appreciation to those up the line. That is, while the offering was given to God, the priests ate most of it, as a way of thanking them for keeping the line of access open through their ministry at the tabernacle. The priests took some of that delicious fire-roasted grain, and burned it as a reminiscence. It was a way of remembering that all the harvest came from the LORD.

LORD, thank you for your provision in our lives, even those things that we worked hard for, because everything comes from you. Show us how to display our gratitude up the line.

Posted in thanksgiving, Uncategorized | Tagged | 1 Comment

pure, protected and pleasing

Posted on June 24, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

June 2016 (24)

Leviticus 2:11-13

Lev 2:11 No tribute offering that you bring to Yahveh will be made with yeast, because you will burn no yeast nor any honey as a fire offering to Yahveh.
Lev 2:12 You may bring them to Yahveh as a firstfruits offering, but they cannot serve as a soothing aroma offering on the altar.
Lev 2:13 You will season all your tribute offerings with salt. You will not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your tribute offering; accompanying all your offerings you will offer salt.

pure, protected and pleasing

Getting the right ingredients in your tribute offering, and keeping the wrong ingredients out — was a way of showing consideration for those who would be eating it. Salt is a preservative, and it also made eating the food a more pleasant experience. Yeast would have contaminated the priests who ate it, making them unfit for service in the temple. The LORD built into the offering regulations a way of protecting those who assist in the worship experience. He cares about those who serve him.

LORD, thank you for caring about those who minister in your name

Posted in giving, holiness, ministry, Uncategorized | Tagged | 1 Comment

tribute offerings and provision in ministry

Posted on June 23, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

June 2016 (23)

Leviticus 2:7-10

Lev 2:7 And if your offering is a tribute offering cooked in a pan, it will be made of fine flour with oil.
Lev 2:8 And you will bring the tribute offering that is made of these ingredients to Yahveh, and when it is presented to the priest, he will bring it to the altar.
Lev 2:9 And the priest will take from the tribute offering its reminiscence and burn this on the altar, a fire offering to Yahveh with a soothing aroma.
Lev 2:10 But the rest of the tribute offering will be for Aaron and his sons; that will be a most holy part of Yahveh’s fire offerings.

tribute offerings and provision in ministry

A portion of the tribute offering was to be consumed by the fire, a sign of God’s acceptance of the gift. The rest was to be eaten by the priests, as part of God’s provision for their ministry. Every time I give my tithe, I should remember this. Nowadays, I give my tithe by a click of a button, and 10% is automatically deducted from my bank account, and goes to the church. But the principle is still the same. I give my gift as part of my worship of God, but part of that gift goes to provide for those who minister in my church. So, my gift is also a way of showing appreciation for them.

LORD, thank you for loving me so much that you provide for those who minister to me at church.

Posted in church, ministry, tithing | Tagged | 1 Comment