March 30 - April 3

"The land must have a year of complete rest."

Leviticus 25:5b

Don’t you just love a day of rest!!!! Ahhh, to sit back and just relax in the blessings of the Lord. Yep, those are the days I really enjoy. In God’s pattern of things, not only is a weekly day of rest necessary for healthy living; a year of rest is even better! That would certainly keep His people from experiencing burn out! Today’s society would do well to take a second look at the Creator’s rules and regulations. The farther we get from them, the more problems we have. Stress, depression, burn out, anxieties, mid-life crisis; how much of this would be done away with if we just took God’s perscribed time out to rest and contemplate the goodness of the God we serve. You don’t have to feel like I’m preaching to you. I’m too busy preaching to myself to focus on anyone else!
The Sabbatical year would certainly exercise our faith! God promised that if they were obedient and followed His ways, the crop of the sixth year would be enough to last for the next three years – the year it was planted, the year the land was to sit dormant, and the year they started planting again and had to wait for the produce to come in. God’s love may be unconditional, but God’s blessings are not! They reqire obedience that stems out of our trust in God.
As we look at the year of Jubilee, I am reminded of something I read. Psychiatrists and psychologists say that a man can endure anything if he knows that there is an end to it. The year of Jubilee was certainly a year of hope! So many of their values hinged on this year of expentancy. Property prices were determined by it. The value of a life was regulated by it. It gave many hope when they had no hope. People who could never make enough to redeem their ancestrial land could look forward with expectancy to the year of Jubilee when all would be restored. God knows the power of hope and He gave the Israelites heaps of it.
As we near the end of our journey through the Land of Leviticus, we are informed of the punishments of disobedience. We learn that God’s judgment comes in stages. With each stage, God’s hope is that His people will repent so that He does not have to carry out the next degree of punishment. Perhaps, if we contemplate the five degrees of punishment, we can look at our own countries, or our world at large and see which stage we are in. I know that in the United States, we have seen one disaster after another. Talk show hosts such as Jay Leno and David Letterman have joked that God must really be angry with us. Strange how we will use humor in such a way that to keep us from looking seriously at the issues.
Wednesday we cross the border into the Land of Numbers. The first few times I traversed its pages, I can’t say that I found it great joy. But once I began to see the treasures in it, I am always pleased to come back to it. The message in its text is all about preparation for warfare. When God gave them the instructions for setting up the camp, He ordered them to set it up in a military fashion. A military camp always set the king’s tent in the middle of it. The king’s guard camped surrounding his tent. Then there were four army divisions with one division in each direction of the compass. As you read through the setup of the camp, it may help to lay it out. (For those who are registered, we will send you a simple diagram of the camp and you can add the names. ) I began to question why God had ordered the tribes as He did. Obviously, He saw that there greatest strength was accomplished when they were coupled together in this specific order. Why did He place the army divison of Judah to the east? And why was Ephraim to the west? What are the tribes God had fight under Judah’s banner and why? What were the names of the other three divisions and which tribes comprised them?
The Levitical orders made up the king’s guard and camped around his tent. Who made up each division and what were their duties? So many questions!!! But before we can begin to see the hidden treasures, we must first understand the order. Personally, I believe I will grasp but a fraction of its wealth in my lifetime! But at least we can begin to see the pattern. We live near an airforce base and it is always exciting to watch the jet fighters fly overhead in formation. If we are outdoors, we will stand up and take note of the powerful sight. Let’s take a moment to see this amazing formation that God ordered. You may even find the Land of Numbers to be an exciting place!

*****

TRAIL STOPS

Monday
1. When did the year of Jubilee begin?
2. What differed in the laws of a house within a city?
3. What differed in the laws of the Levitical cities?

Tuesday
What are the five degrees of God punishment?

Wednesday
Who was not counted in the census for the armies?

Thursday
What did each army division carry?

Friday
1. Who could take a Nazrite vow?
2. When were the silver trumpets blown

Below is a template for the layout of the camp. I've left some areas blank so that you can fill in the name of the three tribes that make up each army division. Also, fill in the duties of each priestly division.

March 23-27

You shall not do what is done in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do what is done in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their statutes. Leviticus 18:3




Have you ever considered how helpful road signs are? All you have to do is visit another country, especially if it is a foreign one; one whose laws are quite different from your own. When I am driving in New Zealand or Australia where you are hard pressed to find a road without a round-about, I am always grateful for the arrows on the road that tell me which lane I should be in order to go whatever direction I am headed when I peal off.


Road signs are government markers and to tamper with them is a federal offense. They are placed in their positions to help us know what the law requires. If we disobey them, whether out of ignorance or rebellion, we will pay for our transgression.


These carefully placed markers are not positioned to enhance the scenic view; they are there to bring protection and to keep us from harm. To ignore them would be foolish!

A couple years ago, I was helping my two oldest grandchildren to study for their test to obtain their driver’s license. Their right to get behind the wheel of a car depended on their knowledge of the law. This knowledge included knowing what each road sign meant. This meant they needed to get out the driver’s manual and carefully study the relevant information. And the information they learned was not just for one test; it is meant to be with them throughout their lives. Neither of them enjoyed the study. To them it seemed boring and monotonous. They question why they needed to know some of the things contained in the manual, but the law required them to understand every aspect of driving.

The pages we are traveling through this week can feel much like the driving manual Cory and Dorine struggled with. You may question why it is important to know some of it, especially since we are under the New Covenant. Paul wrote to the people of Galatia and said, “Therefore the Law had become our tutor to lead us to Christ.” Have you ever stopped to consider that neither Christ nor His disciples had the New Testament to quote from? Their laws and regulations they followed are the very ones we are laboring over. And yet we are told that somewhere in these strange commands and statutes, we will find the hidden message of Christ. The discernment and cleansing of diseases that are in are flesh that caused them to be unclean hold the truth that Jesus came to set us free from the defilement of flesh. The laws governing a contaminated house remind us that sin not only affects us as individuals, but can destroy our whole household. To understand the principles of the Day of Atonement most certainly sheds light on the One who is our Atonement. The fact that unrestrained sexual sin in a nation causes that nation to lose their God-given legal right to the land should make us aware that Christ’s return is not that far off. Sexual misconduct is rampant throughout the world today! Kindness, compassion and fairness are found in God’s nature, and therefore a part of His Law. And so is justice and punishment for offenses that show no respect for God or His creation.

On Friday we spend our time passing through the appointed festivals. These festivals mark the journey of a year. If we took the time to study them out, we would discover that each festival is a picture of an event God has placed on His calendar. As we enter into the time of Passover and remember Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, we are reminded that Passover is not a festival that was only in the Old Covenant. The night Jesus ate Passover with His disciples; He told them that whenever they ate Passover together, they were to remember Him. When we celebrate the day of Pentecost, we realize that we, as Christians, we have even greater right to celebrate its truths than the children of Israel. The Day of Atonement sends out its warning that a day of reckoning is coming. And as we watch the Israelites build their shelters and live in them for seven days, we are reminded that we, also, have lived in these temporary structures of flesh. But then comes the eighth day, a day when we will wave the branches of the palm tree, the tree of life, the leafy tree that brings rest and shade, and the willow tree which flourishes by the streams of water.

So if you are struggling with the information found in the Law, just keep getting the information into your memory banks. You may think you will never need its content, but I guarantee you, there is nothing you will read that is insignificant. Cory and Dorine didn’t learn all that was contained in the driving manual by just reading it once or twice, and neither will we!

****

TRAIL STOPS

Monday
1. What does the cleansing of a leper and the cleansing of a contaminated house have in common?

2. What does the cleansing of a leper and a the ordination of a priest have in common? (This question requires you to remember what we read previously.)

Tuesday
When were the instructions for the Day of Atonement given?

Wednesday
When could you start to eat the fruit of a newly planted tree?

Thursday
1. How do the instructions for the High Priests regarding defilement by the dead differe from those given for the rest of the priests?

2. How do the instructions for the High Priests regarding marriage differ from the rest of the priests?

Friday
Which two festivals contained a seven day component in their instructions?

March 16-20

"If a person acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally against the Lord's holy things, then he shall bring his guilt offering to the Lord: a ram without defect from the flock, according to your valuation in silver by shekels, in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt offering.
Leviticus 5:15 (NASB)

We certainly are entering some foreign territory as we continue our journey this week. The sacrificial system we are about to learn encounter is not something we in the western world are really familiar with. We have a tendency to hurry on through this portion of the journey, as we constantly mutter, “Thank God for Jesus, our sacrifice!” We have a tendency to think that every sacrifice is a picture of Christ, and therefore, we fail to identify with some of the truths that are hidden in these instructions. Although it is true that Christ is our ultimate sacrifice, there are some instructions in the New Covenant that would encourage us to take a bit more time in this wilderness.

I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Romans 12:1

For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered not threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. I Peter 2:21-24 (emphasis mine)

There are some important clues to leading an overcoming life that are found in the sacrificial laws. I urge you to slow down just a bit and observe what it taking place around us. This week we are instructed to examine our lives on a regular basis. Sometimes we sin intentionally, while other times, we sin out of ignorance or omission. Either way, WE SIN! And no matter the reason, there are certain things that must be done.

1. Identify the sin – This is why it is so important to continually read through the Word throughout our lives. It is this Bible that reveals to me the things that God hates, and how to walk in His ways.

2. Take responsibility for our actions – When we realize we have sinned, don’t try to justify our wrong. When we do that, we give ourselves license to continue in our waywardness.

3. Confess our sin – Just as the Israelites had to lay their hands on the sacrifice they brought and confess their sins, so we are told to confess our. John told us, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:8-9)

4. Die! – We’ve got to come to the place where we no longer want that sin to live in us. No more excuses! No more giving it a right to exist in us. I’m sure there was nothing pretty or fun about this part of sacrificing!

5. Separation – The next step is to separate what belongs to God, what belongs to godly men (the priests) and what should be burned away.

6. Leave forgiven! – This may be the toughest part of all! I’ve met so many people who have had sin in their lives. They have confessed their sin. They no longer do the things they did in the past. But they continue to wrestle with the guilt of what they had done. You will notice that one of the sacrifices is called “the guilt offering.” Jesus not only came to take away our sin, He is there to remove our guilt! It seems rather foolish to give Him our sin while we hang on to our guilt. Perhaps we need to come to Him again, not with the sin, but with the guilt it has left us with.

Perhaps this basic outline will help us to understand the sacrifices we will read about this week. This sacrificial system was to help the worshipers deal with sin on a daily basis. May it encourage us to do the same.

***

This week I am not giving you a list of questions; I am giving you a chart that will help you categorize the main sacrifices. You may want to add other columns, but this will at least get you started. You may want to put this table on a separate page on a landscape format. It will give you more room to write in each cell.

(The table did no upload properly. I will deal with that on Monday also. For those who are registered, you will get a copy of the table emailed to you. Below are the headings on the table and then the list of the sacrifices. Oh the joys of being on the road!!!)

Offering Reasons Acceptable Sacrifice What’s placed on the altar Burn outside camp?

Special Instructions Priestly Portion Where was it to be eaten?

Burnt Offering

Grain Offering

Peace Offering

Sin Offering

Guilt Offering

March 9-13

Then Moses said, "If you don't personally go with us,
don't make us leave this place.
Exodus 33:15

This week we will continue to stay camped at Mt. Sinai. We start off the week with quite a flurry. As we stand and watch Moses in the presence of the Lord, we realize how much he has changed since we first met him at the burning bush. Then he was a man unsure of himself who didn’t want to do God’s bidding because of his incapability. He could not understand how he could possibly lead the sons of Israel, when he had failed so miserably forty years earlier. The man that Egypt had made him to be was not enough. Now we see a man who has become completely dependent on this God named YHWH. We see him now pleading with God, telling him that he can’t do it without Him. “If you don’t go, I don’t go!!!”

Moses has seen God’s power; he has spoken to him in the secret place like no one before him or after him ever did. And yet Moses desires more. “Show me your glory!” God tells him that he will allow him to see His form, but not His face. The encounter left Moses with a radiance that remained on him, even when he returned from the mountain to the camp. But why wouldn’t God let him see His face? This is puzzling, especially when you consider that generations later, God tells David, “Seek My face.” God promises the nation that if they humble themselves and “seek His face,” He will forgive them and heal their land. Had Moses not sought God’s face enough? Didn’t he stand in the very presence of God? So, what more should he have done? We are even told that, “God spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.,” and yet God would not allow him to see His face.

The answer to this riddle is really quite simple when we have all the pieces. Moses radiated with the glory of God. It showed on his face when he returned to the people. He became the expression of the glory of God revealed to him and through him, but he did not express the glory of God’s face. That glory was reserved for only One. Let me give you the answer in one verse.

2Cor. 4:6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Only in the face of Christ would the knowledge of God’s full glory be revealed! Moses is a type and shadow of the Deliverer who was to come. There are so many aspects of his life that foretell the coming of Christ. But Moses always falls short of the One who was to come. Let’s just compare the life of Moses with Jesus for a moment.

1. Moses was not an Egyptian, but he took on the ways of Egypt
Before Jesus’ birth as a man, he was not man, but took on the ways of man.

2. Moses thought he was ready to be the deliver of his people, but it was premature
Jesus, at the age of 12, thought He was to fulfill His purpose, but it was premature

3. Moses did attesting miracles through his hands
Jesus did attesting miracles through His hands

4. When Moses he started his mission, he was rejected by the Egyptians and the Israelites
When Jesus started His mission, He was rejected by the world and the Israelites

5. Moses was given the law of the Passover Lamb – the lamb of salvation
Jesus became the Passover Lamb – the Lamb of salvation

6. Moses gave the people the commandments that belonged to the Old Covenant
Jesus gave us the commandments that belong to the New Covenant

7. Moses radiated the glory of God’s presence on his face
Jesus radiates the glory of God’s face on His face!

9. Moses was given the pattern of the Tabernacle
Jesus became the living Tabernacle

10. God made a covenant with the people through Moses
God makes His covenant with us through Jesus

There are just ten similarities. There are MANY more, but I’ll let you discover them for yourselves. God is speaking to Moses on this second trek up the mountain. Moses has come with blank tablets in hand, and this time around, God does not just repeat His words from before, He renews the covenant He had made with Moses the last time he was there, the covenant which the people broke before Moses could even reveal it to them. This covenant, often referred to as the Mosaic covenant, is quite different than the one God had made with Abraham. To be sure, it is an extension of God’s work with and in His people, but it definitely has a different dimension.

God’s covenant with Abraham required a newborn to be circumcised. God’s covenant with Moses required an obedient walk. This new covenant is filled with rules for living right before God and before men. The Abrahamic covenant speaks of new birth, while the Mosaic covenant teaches us how to grow up. As a matter of fact, the Apostle Paul tells us that the Law is our tutor.

Gal. 3:24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

A tutor is what we obtain for a child to aid them in their growth to maturity. Is it any wonder that the Mosaic covenant is filled with so many details about the Tabernacle, the earthly representation of Christ.

There are “four faces” in the Law that have priority in this covenant: The Tabernacle, the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover- Pasach), the Feast of Harvest (Pentecost - Shavuot), and the Feast of Booths (Sukkot). Each face shows another aspect of the work of Christ. Ahhhh, so much to see and learn!!!! But like children, we can’t take it all in at once, so let’s keep our eyes, ears, and hearts open to hear God’s voice and see His face reflected in the face of Christ.

Gal. 3:25-26 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

We have an advantage that those in the wilderness did not; we are able to observe these things through the sacrifice and life of Christ. I pray that we will not only read the words, but also see the One who fulfilled them!

***

Trail Stops (formerly known as Questions for the Week)

Monday
1. When God passed by Moses, He declared His name. Who did God say He was?
2. What attributes did God say He possessed?
3. What is an additional name God says He has?

Tuesday
1. How many categories of materials made up the Tabernacle?
(example - gold, silver, bronze = one category which would be "metals")
2. How many elements made up the Tabernacle?
(example - gold, silver, bronze = 3 elements)

Wednesday
What two pieces of furniture did not have specific dimensions given?

Thursday
Four things had to be done to Aaron and his sons to consecrate them as priest. What were they?

Friday
1. What is unusual about the order of the presentation of the sacrifices for the tribes?
2. God gave instructions for three different types of blood sacrifices. What are the sacrifices?