Dear
God, we are so incredibly in need of your power and your strength. We ask that
you would fill us with your Spirit of love and unity among believers all around
our world. We ask for your help to set aside our differences and look to the
greater cause, the cause of Christ. Please help us to truly live out a life of
love. We know that this is only possible through the power of your Spirit, so
we ask that you would move across our land in miraculous ways, with fresh
filling and awareness, turning your people back to you, drawing others to come
to know you.
We need your unity and your love to stir our hearts and give direction to our days. We need your wisdom to guide us, we need your Spirit to lead us, to live out godly lives that would bring honor first to you. We thank you that you are always with us; and give us great purpose and hope. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
2024-Heart
Dive 365 - 365 Days through the Bible
in one year with Kanoe Gibson
An
enriching journey through the Bible, meticulously
studying each chapter and unraveling its
profound wisdom. Extensive notes, insights,
and reflections for every chapter.
2024
Reading Plan, Heart Dive 365 with Kanoe
Gibson. PDF
link
In
chapter 7, God reminds Moses and Aaron of
the way God will use them and the hardening
of Pharaoh’s heart for His purpose. Through
signs, wonders, and acts of judgment, the
people will know that He is God Almighty.
The first instruction given to Moses and
Aaron is to cast Aaron’s staff before
Pharaoh and it would become a serpent. However,
when Pharaoh’s magicians and sorcerers are
able to replicate it, Aaron’s staff
swallows theirs. God then begins His series
of 10 plagues with the first being the waters
of the Nile turning to blood, ceasing all
life within it. The magicians once again
replicate the miracle and Pharaoh’s heart
is hardened. The Egyptians are forced to
dig for clean water and seven days pass.
In
chapter 8, God warns Pharaoh that Egypt
will be plagued with frogs if he does not
release the Israelites. Even after pleading
with God through Moses for respite from
the plague, Pharaoh hardens his heart once
again. He is then met with the 3rd plague
of gnats, which the magicians are unable
to replicate and accredit it to the finger
of God. God warns of the 4th plague, swarms
of fiies within Egypt, except for the Israelites
portion. Pharaoh seems to relent and once
again pleads for respite,(relief) but it only lasts
for a short while.
In
chapter 9, God has Moses warn Pharaoh of
the 5th plague, should he not let His people
go, where all the livestock will die except
those of the Israelites, yet Pharaoh’s heart
continues to harden. The Egyptian animals
and people are then struck with the 6th
plague of boils, but God hardens Pharaoh’s
heart and he does not listen. God warns
of his 7th plague of hail and sends an unprecedented
hailstorm to Egypt, shielding the land of
Goshen, where the Israelites dwell. Pharaoh
finally confesses of his sin and pleads
for the hail to cease. Moses intercedes
and stops the hail but states his disbelief
in Pharaoh’s fear of God. And as expected,
Pharaoh hardens his heart yet again.
Heart
Checks from the video
SOFT
HEARTS | Ex. 7
In
the end, God told Moses and Aaron from the
beginning that this would happen—that He
would show His power and Pharaoh simply
wouldn’t listen. His heart would be hardened.
I
don’t know if you’ve ever dealt with a hardened
heart, but it is so heartbreaking. It’s
defeating. Yet here we see Moses and Aaron
continuing to do everything God told them
to do anyway, despite knowing that in the
short term, Pharaoh will be completely indifferent.
And
as easy as it is to read this in disbelief,
we too can sometimes be insensitive to what
God is trying to show us. We don’t have
to be angry to have a hardened heart. It
shows itself in our attitude.
When
we say, “I’m gonna do what makes ME happy”
or “I don’t care what anyone thinks,” then
we are right where the devil wants us. Because
he knows that if he can get us isolated
from what God wants by increasing our desire
for what we want, we are ripe for attack.
A
hardened heart will lead straight to hell.
When we shake our fist at God and say, “I
don’t care what you think,” that is grieving
the Holy Spirit. That is the one unforgivable
sin. Heart Check.
How
soft is your heart? Are you leaning into
what God truly wants? Or are you only seeking
your own desires?
TOMORROW
| Ex. 8:10
Pharaoh
is pleading for the frogs to be taken away,
yet when Moses asks when he would like this
to happen, he says, “Tomorrow.” Why not
now?
If
we liken plagues to sin or selfish desires,
it’s the same way with us.
Perhaps
Pharaoh was giving the magicians one more
day to “prove God weak.”
The
same way I start my diet tomorrow… every
single day.
Because
I want one more day to go to Crumbl Cookie
and get the limited-edition cookie of the
month! Or I’ll fold my laundry tomorrow…
only for it to pile up into an even bigger
heap. Or some are saying, “I’ll stop drinking
tomorrow,” or “I stop texting him tomorrow.”
Sin
is deceptive. We think we can handle it,
yet when we are unable to turn away NOW,
it is handling us. Because sin is pleasurable
for a season, but it always leads to destruction.
Heart Check.
Is
there something you are putting off until
tomorrow that God is pleading with you to
deal with now?
COMPROMISE
| Ex. 8:25
Pharaoh
is trying to get Moses to compromise here
by saying, “Fine, you can worship, but you
must stay here and do it.” In other words,
keep one foot in the world and one foot
in worship. That’s what the enemy will do—he
knows that if he can keep one foot on his
territory, then he actually has the foothold,
and if he has that, it’s one step closer
to completely destroying you. Because remember,
sin doesn’t just suddenly happen—it always
starts with compromise—a little here, a
little there, until you’re completely out
of control. Heart Check.
Is
there anything in your life where you are
compromising? Or can you say, with full
confidence, both feet are on holy ground?
PRAY
FOR ME | Ex. 9:28
The
fact that Pharaoh is begging for Moses to
intercede on his behalf shows a little bit
of faith on his part. He acknowledges the
power of God, but only when it’s against
him, and then he goes to Moses as if he
has this favor upon him to move God’s heart.
I think we sometimes have the tendency to
do this as well. Heart Check.
When
you need prayer, do you hit your knees,
or do you hit the most spiritual person
you know and ask them to pray for you?
HEART
MATERIAL | Ex. 9
In
the end, God has given Pharaoh 7 opportunities
to repent, and we see that he only says
sorry when he is suffering under the
consequences of it.
But
he goes right back to the same ol’ stubborn
life after that, showing us that a hardened
heart is sin.
Nothing
God says or does gets through to it. It’s
made of stone. And the sorries that are
spoken from that kind of heart are not true
repentance. True repentance is a u-turn
against the things that grieve the heart
of God, and it is not based only on the
effects they will have on your life.
True
repentance is walking away from that attitude,
that lifestyle, that person, that thing
that is contributing to that heart of stone.
Our
hearts need to be more like wax—where they
will soften when God brings the heat. Heart
Check.
What
material is your heart made of? When life
gets hard, does your heart follow suit?
Or do you soften under the mighty hand of
God?
Deep
Dive
How
do we reconile God hardening Pharaoh's heart
with free will?
How
do you deal with a hardened heart or persistent
disbelief?
What
purpose did the plagues serve besides judgement?
What
is the difference between persistence and
stubborness? What are their effects?
Do
you believe Pharaoh was lying or continually
changing his mind?
How
do you see God's patience on display in
today's society?
Heavenly
Father, your power and commitment to freeing
your children continues to be on display
to us today.
Thank
you for being so merciful and giving us
chance after chance to turn our hearts toward
you. I know there are people today who are
at a crossroads, where they want so badly
to go down a road that seems more fun or
freer than the one that you have laid out
before them. I pray that you will soften
their hearts today and strengthen their
faith to know that your way is always better.
Sin may bring pleasure for a moment but
it ultimately leads to our destruction,
whereas obedience and faithfulness lead
to an eternity of pleasure.
Help
us to see the importance of our obedience
to what you command and what consequences
we may face when we harden our hearts. I
pray that we will always hear and heed your
voice as we seek to do your will. We acknowledge
your might today.
Forgive
us where we have sought to prove you wrong
or to prove that your mighty acts, signs
and wonders no longer exist. We are not
the authority to say whether you can and
will still do these things today. So may
we have an open heart so that we won’t dismiss
it when you do something miraculous.
Help
us to be able to deal with hardened hearts,
defiance or stubbornness. We know that we
can’t change a person—only you can. But
we can still be faithful in speaking truth,
declaring warnings, and loving them through
it. Where the enemy will seek to divide,
I pray that you will bring unity. But we
also recognize that you will create boundaries
in order to protect your people, and that
still stands today. So where we need that
protection from an impending storm, will
you cover us in the shadow of your wings.
Thank
you for loving us with an unyielding and
persistent love despite our disobedience
or waywardness. I pray that we won’t only
submit with the going gets tough only to
turn back to our old ways. But instead,
please lead us in the way everlasting, to
true repentance, turning toward you and
never looking back.
We
look to you, our beacon of hope, in this
life of uncertainty. Thank you for your
faithfulness.
Exodus
10-12 continues the narrative of the devastating
plagues upon Egypt and the demand for the
release of His people. To celebrate their
deliverance from Egypt, the Lord initiates
the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread.
In
chapter 10, God warns Pharaoh of the 8th
locust plague that would destroy everything
in its wake. Pharaoh’s servants plead with
him to let them go so they would no longer
bring destruction upon them, and Pharaoh
agrees to let only the men go, while demanding
for women, children, and livestock to be
left behind. Because Pharaoh does not relent,
God brings the 8th plague upon Egypt, destroying
every living plant. Pharaoh repents once
again and pleads for Moses to intercede
on his behalf.
When
the locusts are driven away, God hardens
his heart before bringing the 9th plague
of darkness. For three days, the tangible
darkness could be felt over Egypt while
the Israelites remained in the light. Pharaoh
finally agrees to let the Israelites go
with the exception of the livestock. But
when Moses argues that the livestock are
necessary for worship, Pharaoh sends Moses
away with a threat to end his life should
he see him again.
In
chapter 11, God warns Moses of his final
plague upon Egypt, declaring that Pharaoh
will finally relent.
He
guides them to ask for silver and gold from
the Egyptians and gives them favor in the
eyes of all people. Moses announces the
fatal and final plague of the firstborn,
where every firstborn in Egypt will die,
except for the Israelites. Moses leaves
in anger and Pharaoh’s heart is once again
hardened, despite seeing the wonders of
God before him.
In
chapter 12, the Lord gives instructions
for the Passover, declaring it a day to
be celebrated throughout the generations.
The
directives include the careful selection
of an unblemished one-year-old lamb on the
10th day for each household.
It
would then be slaughtered on the 14th day
at twilight. The blood of the lamb would
be sprinkled on the doorpost as a marker
of the Israelite homes—those which would,
on this night, be passed over when the Lord
strikes down every firstborn in Egypt.
When
the Lord executes this judgment, there is
massive mourning in Egypt, and Pharaoh finally
urges the Israelites to leave. Upon their
departure, the Israelites are given silver
and gold articles.
In
this chapter, the Feast of Unleavened bread
is instated, declaring a weeklong feast
where no yeast shall be eaten following
the Passover. Instructions for future Passover
meals are also laid out.
Heart
Checks from the video
TELL
THEM | Ex. 10:1-2
Here
we see that God has intended from the very
beginning for the accounts of His great
deliverance to be carried from generation
to generation. He always has a greater purpose
beyond just us.
And
that intention still remains today— we all
have a testimony, and the Great Commission
is to “go and tell.” Heart Check.
What
does your deliverance story look like? Whare
has God moved in power in your life, and
you are telling it to others?
LIGHTS
ON | Ex. 10:23
This
darkness was not just related to the visual
or optical senses. This darkness was one
that could be felt to the innermost being.
Remember, the Egyptians worshiped the sun
god Ra, so this would’ve been the greatest
blow to their spirits, putting everyone
into a depression of sorts. No one was able
to get up for 3 days. And this brings to
mind the darkness that covered the earth
for 3 days between Jesus’ death and resurrection.
All
hope seemed to be lost when the Light of
the World was put to death. But it was necessary
for His light to eternally shine upon those
who love Him and seek Him. That light should
project in every area of our lives. Just
as there was light on in the homes of the
Israelites, His presence should fill every
room in ours. Heart Check.
Are
lights on in your home? Is there prayer
and devotion? Are the words being spoken
ones of love and grace?
PAYBACK
| Ex. 11:23
As
much as we live out our faith knowing that
God doesn’t owe us anything, we can still
see His goodness and the fact that He is
just and will get us paid where we may be
due. Remember, the Egyptians were overworking
the Israelites and most definitely not paying
them what they deserved.
But
here we see God, in His justice, giving
the Israelites favor in the eyes of the
Egyptians and doling out silver and gold
jewelry before they leave. Heart Check.
Do
you feel undervalued or underpaid? Do you
trust that God will one day get you paid
back?
B.C.
DAYS | Ex. 12:2
Heart
Check.
Is
there a distinction in your personal calendar?
What do your B.C. "before Christ"
days look like compared to now.
READY
TO GO | Ex. 12:11
Eating
the Passover meal with their belt fastened
and sandals on their feet displays their
readiness to go. Jesus speaks about this
with the parable of the bridegroom and the
virgins who kept their lamps filled with
oil were the ones who were allowed into
the wedding banquet. We don’t know when
our time on earth will come to an end.
But
my prayer is that I’m ready when it does.
What about you? Heart Check.
Is
your belt fastened and are your sandals
on? If the Lord showed up today, would you
be ready to go?
Deep
Dive
How
do plagues illustrate God's relationship
with His people?
What
does shallow repentance look like, and what
are the conseqences of it?
How
can we reconcile God's divine plan and human
desires?
Why
did God spare the Israelites? Read Ezekiel
20:5-9 and see if your answer remains the
same.
What
might the greater purpose of silver and
gold articles be?
What
relevance does the Passover hold for us
today?
Heavenly
Father, your power is unrivaled in all earth
and beyond.
I
pray that we never become so blinded with
pride that we fail to recognize it. Forgive
us where we have done so. Thank you for
your unrelenting mercy and continued commitment
to set your people free.
We
know that there may be times when people
or circumstances of life will try to hinder
our worship, so I pray that we will be a
people who have a persistent faith, refusing
to give in and continuing to press in toward
you. Where we may have fallen short of this,
we ask your forgiveness and get ourselves
up again so we can move forward instead
of staying stuck.
Where
darkness is engulfing the lives of people
today, we plead for your supernatural and
divine presence to flood their homes. Don’t
allow the darkness of the enemy through
depression or hard times hold them captive.
Take the blinders off their eyes so
they can see you, at least just enough to
grab on to your hand and be pulled out.
We see the power of intercession and praying
for others, so we trust that you hear our
cries today. You know the names of the ones
that are written on our hearts. Oh God,
set them free, and may they live out the
rest of their lives in worship to you.
Thank
you for your divine favor in our lives.
We know and trust fully in your sovereignty,
knowing that even though we may not deserve
it, you still give us more than we could
ever expect to receive. It may not happen
on this side of eternity, but we put our
hope and trust in knowing that you are a
good Father who desires to give to His children.
We don’t place our value in what man gives
to us but simply in who we are in you, knowing
that we have already been given so much
by way of your undeserved grace. We know
that you are just, so we rest in that today.
We
thank you for delivering us from our own
personal Egypts—where we were once held
down by the slavery of sin or the yoke of
trying to do things on our own or the weight
this world bears down upon us—you, Jesus,
the Spotless Lamb, the Ultimate Sacrifice,
laid down your life so that we could be
spared judgment. Just as the Passover was
instituted to celebrate this newfound freedom,
I pray that we never turn it into something
that is watered down by social norms of
today. May we understand the sanctity
and the divinity of the amazing miracle
of your death and resurrection.
We
know that your providence was not just a
one-time thing for a generation of people,
but it continues to watch over us today
as well. Thank you Father for that.
Exodus
13-15 sets up foundational institutions
including the consecration and law of the
firstborn and the feast of unleavened bread.
It also accounts for the dramatic crossing
of the Red Sea by the Israelites.
In
chapter 13, God commands Moses to consecrate
all the firstborn males in an act of remembrance
of their deliverance from Egypt. He declares
this day to be a memorial with the Feast
of Unleavened Bread and reminds them to
continue to tell the generations the reasons
behind these rituals. God then leads the
Israelites on a longer route through the
wilderness to Canaan. He assures them of
His Presence through a pillar of cloud and
fire, day and night. Moses honors Joseph’s
final request to carry his bones out of
Egypt before they set out.
In
chapter 14, we reach the climax of Exodus
with the parting of the Red Sea. The Lord
leads Moses to an encamp near the sea and
warns him that Pharaoh will be pursuing
the Israelites. As spoken, Pharaoh’s heart
is hardened, and he prepares 600 chariots
to overtake the Israelites. Just as this
great military force reaches them, the Israelites
complain that they would’ve been better
off in their old life of slavery in Egypt.
Moses encourages them by assuring they need
not fear but rather stand firm and trust
in God’s deliverance. God commands Moses
to stretch his hand over the sea to part
the waters so the Israelites can safely
pass through on dry ground. When the Egyptians
follow after them, they are sent into a
confusion and engulfed by the waters as
Moses is commanded to once again stretch
his hand over the sea to close it up. In
witnessing the saving power of God, the
Israelites turn in fear of God and believe.
In
chapter 15, the Israelites. led by Moses
and his prophetess sister Miriam, break
out in praise through song and dance. After
this praise service, they head out from
the Red Sea to Marah, a place of bitter
water. When the Israelites complain against
Moses, the Lord instructs him to throw a
log into the water thus making it sweet.
God promises to protect and heal the Israelites
if they obey His commands.
Heart
Checks from the video
MARKED
| Ex. 13:12
The
phrase “set apart” literally means to mark
as distinct or special. And the world has
marks and symbols for almost everything.
Nations
have flags, companies have logos, we all,
in a sense, brand ourselves or place ourselves
under specific fiags.
We
mark ourselves by the way we live. In Romans
12, Paul gives us the “marks of a true Christian,”
which are displayed through love, honor,
patience, hospitality, joy, humility…Heart
Check.
What
marks or outward signs distinguish you from
the world? Is there a difference?
CHANGE
OF DIRECTION | Ex. 13:17-18
The
journey from Egypt to Canaan should’ve only
taken about 10 days. But God is going to
take them on a joyride through the wilderness
for 40 years before they ever reach the
edge of the Promised Land.
Why
did He do this?
We
know from the text that He is leading them
around the fortified cities of the Egyptians
and Philistines so that they do not have
to fight premature battles. But just like
us, they can’t see what God can.
And
there will be times in our lives where God
will change direction and lead us in a way
that may not make sense. We may have to
quit a job we love or up and move to another
city, and we will either choose to trust
His guidance or we can let go of His hand
and go our own way.
When
we do that, one of two things will happen.
We will either come face to face with battles
He was trying to lead us away from, or we
will miss out on the blessings that were
ahead on the road He was trying to take
us down. Heart Check.
If
God changes direction in your life today,
will you trust and follow?
HANDLING
CRISES | Ex. 14:10-12
The
fear that the Israelites are feeling is
warranted in my opinion. Fear is a natural
response to a crisis, and so the fear itself
is not a sin.
Where
it becomes sinful is in what we do with
that fear. Here the Israelites begin complaining
and speaking harshly to Moses, even saying
that they would’ve been better off
living their enslaved life back in Egypt.
Because
when we begin to panic, any other place
but where we are currently standing seems
to be better. Heart Check.
How
do face fear in the midst of a crisis
or discomfort? Are you calm and trusting
or panicked and complaining?
GO
FORWARD | Ex. 14:15
God
tells Moses, “Enough crying. Pull up your
big boy pants and get moving.” Because faith
requires action. And while there is a time
to be still and know that He is God and
a time to pray, sometimes we can get stuck
in stillness or we will use, “I’m praying
about it” as a means to procrastinate and
not move forward. This doesn’t mean we don’t
pray. But at some point, we have to be ready
to move. Heart check.
Are
you still praying about something where
God has told you to move forward?
SURROUNDED
| Ex. 14:19-20
If
we liken this whole situation to the spiritual
life, when we escape the enemy, he will
still pursue us, especially if we are making
an impact for the kingdom.
Some
people hear this and will immediately say,
“Then I don’t want to pursue God if the
devil is going to try and attack me.”
But
guess what?
When
you’re pursuing God, the Greater Than All
moves in behind us, He goes before us, and
stands in between us and the enemy. There’s
no greater place to be than surrounded by
His Presence, knowing that no weapon formed
against you shall prosper, or knowing that
He will fight for you. But if we run in
the opposite direction of God out of fear,
guess where that leaves us? Unprotected
and surrounded by the enemy—vulnerable and
weak—which is the one he knows he can quickly
pick off like a rotting fruit on a
tree. Heart Check.
Who
are you running towards? Who is surrounding
you?
BITTER
OR BETTER | Ex. 15:23-25
This
stop at Marah was a test by God. Some people
will hear the word test and automatically
be turned off, thinking that testing
is a negative thing that God is “doing to
us.” But if we understand what a test is—just
an inspection of what’s going on on the
inside or checking if something works—then
we will see it more as an assessment rather
than an attack.
So
here at Marah, God is setting this litmus
paper of bitter water on their tongues to
see whether they’re acidic or neutral, nuclear
or at peace. And sure enough, they immediately
erupt into complaining. They’re acidic.
It wasn’t the water that made them bitter—the
bitterness was already there. It’s the same
way that people or situations don’t make
us bitter. That bitterness comes from within
us.
Look
at Jesus—He was beaten, spit on, hung on
a cross, yet He said, “Father forgive them,
for they know not what they do.” Sweetness
poured out of Him, not bitterness.
So
every opportunity in life is one where we
can either become more bitter or better.
The choice is ours. Heart Check.
When
you get a bad taste in your mouth, do you
become bitter or better? Do you seek the
sweetness of living water or do you turn
to murmuring and complaining?
Deep
Dive
How
can the consecration of the firstborn and
Feast of Unleavened Bread be applied to
our lives today?
What
practical ways can we “remember God” today?
Have
you ever had a “Red Sea” (what seemed to
be impossible) moment in life?
What
are ways you can “be still” or “hold your
peace” in today’s busy society?
What
does God’s response to the Israelites grumbling
display about His character?
What
does the resting and provision at Elim symbolize
for God’s ultimate plan?
Heavenly
Father, I pray that we will live our lives
in constant remembrance of you?
We
trust in your divine guidance and recognize
that you are constantly assuring us through
your Word and by your Presence. I pray that
we stay close to your comfort, always within
your warm embrace, and walking only where
you are illuminating our path.
We
know that sometimes you will change directions
and lead us in a way that doesn’t make sense
or maybe takes a little longer than we desire.
But we know that you see things that we
can’t. We trust that as you lead us through
the wilderness seasons of life, there are
lessons to be learned along the way that
will prepare us for the day we do enter
into the promise that you have laid out
before us.
Thank
you for setting us free, Jesus. It is by
your redeeming blood that our spirits can
dance and run this race with vigor. We can
worship with abandon, knowing that this
life is far better than the one we were
living in our Egypt. I pray that you will
continue to rid us of our old ways, knowing
that they will hinder us from walking in
that freedom that you so desire for us.
I
pray that we will always bring our first
and best to you in everything we do. We
don’t do it because we feel that it is a
debt to be paid, but because you are worthy
of it.
Thank
you for saving us out of what seems to be
impossible situations. There are times in
our lives when we know our backs are up
against the wall or we see no way out or
through the storm. Yet you somehow make
a way. You go before us, stand behind us,
and surround our enemy when he pursues.
Thank you for your great providence and
protection. I pray that we never forget
our Red Sea moments in life and never forsake
the opportunity to bring you glory through
it.
I
pray that when we do face these moments,
that we will immediately turn to you for
guidance rather than complain or look back
at what used to be. We know that forward
is the only direction you want us to go,
so when it’s time to move, I pray that we
will be faithful to start walking in faith.
May we never delay or get stuck in the stillness
or seasons of hiding in prayer. You have
given us a spirit of power, of love, and
of a sound mind, so I pray that when you
say, “Go,” we will pull up our big kid pants
and march forward. We fully trust that you
will not lead us into a path of destruction
but will light the way to freedom.
We
praise and exalt you today, for you are
our strength and song. Our Mighty God, who
casts the enemy into the sea, crushing his
head, and shattering his plans. Forgive
us when we have failed to trust you in the
moments where we were face to face with
him.
I
pray that we will not allow bitterness to
fester within us when we come up against
tough situations in life. When you test
our battery, I pray that our faith will
prove to be in solid working order. Rather
than complaining about people or things,
may we instead turn to drink of your Living
Water, so that we will be able to hold our
peace. We know that in doing so, it will
lessen the stress in our lives and promote
healing within our spirits and physical
bodies.
We
know that sometimes you will allow bitterness
into our lives because without it, we will
only crave sweets. And while it tastes good
at the moment, it’s not nourishing to our
souls.
Where
others may have wronged us, I pray that
we will see those things nailed to the cross,
just as our sins have been. You’ve already
dealt with it, so we don’t have to. You
are just, so we don’t need to seek justice.
You will fight for us, just as you have
promised.
For
those who may be fighting sickness today,
we cry out to you, Jehovah Rapha, our healer.
We believe in your ability to heal and trust
that you will get the glory through it all.
I pray that we will never lose hope and
continue to hold on to your healing hands.
Thank
you for the sweetness of your word today.
May it strengthen our faith in every way.
Exodus
16-18 marks the beginning of the Israelites’
40-year journey into the wilderness. The
complaints of the Israelites lay the foundation
for God’s divine provision of manna and
the institution of the Sabbath day. The
Israelites face their first battle against
the Amalekites, and Moses is reunited with
his wife Zipporah and his two sons.
In
chapter 16, the Israelites head out into
the wilderness where they complain about
the lack of food. God promises to provide
both meat and bread from heaven. He instructs
them to gather their daily provisions of
the manna for six days, doubling their gathering
and cooking on day six, so they can rest
on the Sabbath. That night, the Lord covers
their camp with quails and brings the manna
in the morning. While they are instructed
to leave no leftovers, some disobey and
experience rotting of the manna. Others
disobey by gathering on the Sabbath, and
the Lord commands this day to be observed
as a holy day of rest. The manna becomes
a staple in the Israelites diet for 40 years,
the length of time they are in the wilderness.
In
chapter 17, the Israelites move to their
next encampment in Rephidim, where there
is no water. As the Israelites grumble against
Moses once again, God commands Moses to
strike a rock at Horeb, where water would
fiow for them. Moses names this place Massah
or Meribah, meaning testing or quarreling.
The Amalekites become the first to attack
Israel unprovoked, and Moses commands Joshua
to lead the battle against them as he would
stay on the hilltop and lift his hands in
prayer. As he grows weary, so does Israel.
But as Aaron and Hur lift up his arms, Israel
prevails. The Lord instructs Moses to write
this victory as a memorial, and he builds
an altar to the Lord called “The Lord is
My Banner.”
In
chapter 18, Moses’ father-in-law Jethro
reunites Moses with his wife Zipporah and
his two sons Gershom and Eliezer. Jethro
acknowledges that the Lord is greater than
all other gods and brings a burnt o£ering
and sacrifices in celebration of Israel’s
deliverance. As Jethro witnesses Moses judging
all the disputes among the people, he advises
Moses to delegate these matters to other
able God-fearing men who are trustworthy
of the role as judge. Moses listens and
obeys Jethro before Jethro departs back
to his homeland.
Heart
Checks from the video
QUICK
RELEASE | Ex. 16:2-3
Do you
own an Instapot?
If
so, you know that you can either allow the
pressure to slow release on its own or if
you don’t have the patience to wait, you
can fiip the knob to quickly release all
the pressure that’s built up.
That’s
what the Israelites have opted for here.
In this moment of feeling like they’re being
cooked in a pressure cooker, they start
grumbling and complaining once again, dreaming
of the good ol’ days of slavery when they
apparently were having potlucks with stews
and homemade breads—although I’m pretty
sure that’s an infiated thought in their
minds. So rather than trusting in God and
just holding on for a little bit longer,
they allowed the pressure to send them looking
for the escape hatch.
Heart
Check.
When
you are under pressure, do you look for
the quick escape? Or do you hold on, trusting
God's release?
BREAD
OF LIFE | Ex. 16:14-16
In
John 6 Jesus will compare Himself to manna,
when He declares Himself to be the bread
of life. He is our daily bread, giving us
just what we need. And we get that through
the Word, for in the beginning, there was
the Word, and the Word was with God and
the Word was God. Jesus came to the earth
as the Word made fiesh. It is here where
we receive everything we need for what we
will be facing.
And
oftentimes, you will find that when you
are in the Word daily, as you go throughout
your day, the very thing that you read is
the very thing you deal with. But some of
us will read the Word and walk away still
searching for the quail, as if it isn’t
enough to satisfy our soul. Heart Check.
Is
the word satisfying your cravings in life?
Or are you still seeking quail?
DAILY
QUOTAS | Ex. 16:18
God
gave them exactly what they needed.
Those
who had a small appetite, gathered a small
amount. Those who needed a little more fuel,
He provided more. And while we are on the
subject of the Word being our manna, I want
to take a second to speak to those who may
be feeling a little overwhelmed with how
quickly we are moving through the Bible
or how much we are taking in each day, or
even for those who feel as though they have
fallen behind. We have to remember that
while reading the Bible in a year is a wonderful
goal and can be beneficial, it is also not
required by God.
It
isn’t even recommended.
So
for some, you may need to stop when you
begin to feel full. Because the Word of
God is meant to be meditated upon, chewed
on, and it is intended to develop your relationship
with Christ. This isn’t speed dating. So
if you need to take two years, five years,
whatever it takes to finish, then take it.
God wants our hearts, not our agendas, and
we are not going to receive an extra prize
for checking all the boxes or answering
all the heart checks and deep dive questions.
So I’m saying this to relieve a little bit
of pressure.
The
most important thing is that you walk away
from studying the Word knowing Him more,
not knowing more words. If we bulldoze beyond
that, there’s a tendency to bury those words.
On the fiipside, there are others who are
in a di£erent place where they can
rise to this challenge and grow in their
relationship because of it by going a little
deeper.
So
what I’m saying is, take in your fill of
the manna and don’t try to overindulge just
to meet a quota. Trust in His timing and
in His provision for you and your journey.
You’re not being left behind if you pause.
Look at it as you’re way ahead of those
who are just starting day 1 today, or way
ahead of those who won’t even start until
next year. You’re right where God wants
you. Heart Check.
Is
your gathering of the daily bread being
done with the heart to be nourished or to
simply meet a quota?
OVEREATING
| Ex. 16:20
Once
again, here we see that when too much is
gathered, what is leftover becomes a stench.
It’s like going to a bu£et—where you
fill your plate with all the things and
that first bite is the best thing you’ve
ever tasted, but by the time you reach the
end of that meal, you need a wheelchair
to get out of the restaurant.
Your
stomach hurts, and you swear o£ eating
for the rest of the week because nothing
could possibly taste good anymore. And overindulging
on the Word can be the same way if we’re
not giving it time to digest or not applying
it in a way that gives it an outsource.
If we’re only consuming all the time and
not pouring out in service to others, we
will become so full that we become insensitive—the
Word doesn’t taste as sweet as it once did.
Or
we begin to criticize others. I know people
who make a living right here on YouTube
just criticizing pastors and ministries
all day, and if you go in the comment section
of those videos, it’s just an echo chamber
of self-righteousness and hatred. And I
think, how did we get here? I realized that
I was there at one time—that’s how I know
about the videos.
I
was consuming so much that I ended up in
an unhealthy place. But when you’re living
out your life to pour goodness into the
world, you don’t have time for that kind
of nonsense. Imagine how much more good
we could do if we spent time applying the
Word that we are consuming instead of overeating
to the point of dissatisfaction. Heart Check.
What
are you doing with the Word you're consuming?
Is there an outsource? Or are you just filling
up only for youself?
DROUGHT
| Ex. 17:2
God
has just filled the Israelites up on manna,
and because they’re on the move, they’re
getting pretty dehydrated.
So
why would God take them to a place where
the water fountain is “INOP” (inoperable/inoperative)?
It’s
so that we will thirst for more and recognize
that sometimes it takes that thirst to get
us to the proper source of drinking—the
well that never runs dry.
But
as we will see, sometimes we gotta knock
on the rusty pipes (Jesus is not rusty,
but sometimes we may need to knock on the
door and let Him know we’re back) to get
that water fiowing again. Heart Check.
Is
there a drought in your spirit? Are you
seeking the right source to quench it?
LIFTING
ARMS | Ex. 17:12
This
is one of my favorite pictures in the Bible.
The lifting of hands is a posture of prayer.
And
whether or not that is what Moses was doing
(I believe it was), he still grew weary
and needed others to come and lift up his
arms so that they could continue to wage
war.
We
need other people in our corner to lift
us up when we grow weary. And there will
be di£erent people in di£erent
corners.
But
guess what?
We
are also to be the ones in other people’s
corners. It goes both ways. You will see
that when you can get into the corner with
others, the battles are much easier to wage
together, especially in prayer. Heart Check.
Who
is lifting your arms? Whose arms are you
lifting?
Deep
Dive
What
does grumbling or complaining refiect in
a person’s faith?
How
can the provision of manna and quails be
applied to your life?
What
is your view of the Sabbath? Is there still
a benefit in honoring it today?
What
can we learn from the way Moses responds
to the Israelites’ grumbling?
Do
you see yourself as more of a leader or
one who supports leadership?
Heavenly
Father, thank you for your divine and unwavering
provision.
We
not only have everything we need at just
the right time in this life, but you give
us, through your Word, direction and strength
when we don’t know which way to go or how
we’re going to get there. I pray that throughout
our own life’s journey, that you will help
us to trust in your plan and to depend upon
your provision.
Forgive
us where we couldn’t see beyond our temporary
hunger for more or where our vision of our
past was skewed to the point that we have
thought what was behind us was better than
what is ahead of us. Because you want us
moving forward and never backward, and because
you desire the best for us, we will trust
that what is ahead is far greater than anything
that’s behind.
Thank
you for the daily manna that you provide
to us each and every day. I pray that we
will hear this directive today to gather
exactly what we need and won’t overindulge
or try to eat beyond our capacity. We can
fill up on the Word and still never know
you at the end of this life. So I pray that
when we come here to read, study, and listen
to your voice, that it will be for the purpose
of knowing you more and then pouring out
into others, in obedience to the Great Commission.
We can’t make disciples of nations without
knowing what that means. So help us to find
that healthy balance and correlation between
knowledge and wisdom and relationship with
you.
Thank
you Jesus for being our rest, but I pray
that we will also understand the importance
of physical rest as well. You modeled it
so perfectly for us, so where there is the
conviction to honor the Sabbath, I pray
we will be obedient, but each one convinced
in their own mind, according to your word.
Let this not be a point of contention within
the church—I pray you will reveal your truth
to us so that we can remain united instead
of divided over theological arguments.
I
pray that when we come upon times of hungering
and thirsting, that we will look to you
as our source. Where things may not be going
the way we had hoped, give us the patience
and also the ability to be an asset and
a problem solver rather than simply resorting
to filing a complaint.
If
we can’t contribute, may we always check
our hearts and the motive behind the correction,
and whether it is for edification or simply
to just release some pressure or argue a
point.
May
we seek your guidance always. Forgive us
where we have been critical of others, especially
those in the faith, for we know that when
we come against one another, it can actually
be an act of coming against you.
Help
us to be in other people’s corners and lift
one another’s hands through encouragement
and prayer. We know that it is in prayer
where battles are truly won, for we do not
fight against fiesh and blood but against
powers and principalities of a dark and
evil world. But we know that we can always
sit under your banner, Jehovah-Nissi, knowing
that you ultimately fight for us.
Thank
you Lord for showing us your heart for families
to be restored. Where we have played a part
in the breaking apart of our own families,
I pray that we will take on your heart of
reconciliation, forgiveness, and restoration.
I pray for the reuniting of loved ones today
and clean slates as they move forward together.
Your word says that what God has brought
together, let no man separate, and that
includes us.
I
pray that we will be humble like Moses,
especially in the way that we honor one
another. Help us to have a teachable spirit
but also one that is growing in the ability
to lead others well.
I
pray for those who do have the gift of leadership,
that you will help them to grasp the Biblical
model of what that looks like, knowing that
we cannot be a one-man show, but we need
others to help carry the burden. I pray
that you will bring them exactly who they
need to fill in the gaps. Show us how to
delegate and give us discernment on who
to give responsibilities to. But I pray
that we will all have a collaborative spirit,
always working with one another and never
against.
Exodus
19-21 marks one of the most monumental portions
of the Old Testament, where God establishes
His covenant and Laws for the Hebrew people.
In
chapter 19, the Israelites arrive at and
encamp before Mt. Sinai, where the Lord
calls Moses up to the mountain to establish
His covenant with the Israelites. God calls
for the people to consecrate themselves,
as He will meet with them in 3 days. However,
the people were to remain at the base and
not touch the mountain, lest they be put
to death. On the 3rd day, the Lord descends
on the mountain with thunder, lightning,
and a loud trumpet blast, calling Moses
to the top of the mountain. God tells Moses
to go back and give warning to the people
about being properly consecrated, and Moses
brings Aaron with him back to the top with
him.
In
chapter 20, God gives Moses the 10 Commandments,
which include the sole worship of God, the
commandment against idolatry, using the
Lord’s name in vain, murder, adultery, theft,
bearing false witness, and covetousness,
and a call to honor the Sabbath day and
our parents. When the Israelites become
fearful, Moses reassures them that God’s
heart desires reverence and obedience. God
gives directives on how to build an altar,
focusing on its simplicity and modesty in
worship.
In
chapter 21, God sets rules in response to
social issues facing the Israelites including
the treatment of Hebrew slaves and the duration
of their servanthood. God also sets in place
capital punishment for murder, kidnapping,
and cursing parents as well as compensation
for injuries as modeled by the “eye for
an eye” law of retaliation. Liabilities
are set in place for injuries or death caused
by neglect.
Heart
Checks from the video
ON
COURSE | Ex. 19:8
These
are some pretty heavy words: "
All that the Lord has spoken we will do"
To
me, this sounds like they’re setting themselves
up for failure. But we do this—we make empty
promises all the time, telling God that
if He will just help us this once, we will
change.
Or
we make a resolution to be different and
then we fall backwards. Because we’re human
and we all fall short—we miss the mark.
But
where sin abounds, grace abounds more, so
it’s important for us to come back when
we realize we’re of course. Heart Check.
Have
you kept your end of the bargain you made
with God? Where might there need to be some
steering back on course?
CONSECRATE
| Ex. 19:10
The
Lord tells Moses to have the people consecrate
themselves, which would mean to make ready
for this meeting with God. They would need
to brush their teeth and wash their clothes
in a sense—it was an outward expression
of an inward readiness.
And
thank God, that because of what Jesus did
on the cross, we don’t need to “clean up”
before coming into His presence. It’s kind
of like how your spouse loves you in all
your mess, with no makeup, and with stinky
morning breath. However, when we go on dates,
we don’t go in our pajamas and bedhead.
We
get ready!
So
when we meet with God, there is a readiness
that should take place to ready our minds
and spirit so that our time spent with Him
is unhindered.
That
will look di£erent for everyone—if
I’m being honest, I come with pajamas and
bedhead, but I ready my spirit in prayer.
I
typically won’t answer phone calls or text
messages, and I have a notepad next to me
to write down any to dos that pop in my
mind so I won’t get distracted. Heart Check.
How
do youready your mind and spirit before
coming into God's presence?
IDOLATRY
| Ex. 20:3-6
It’s
easy for us to think we don’t practice idolatry
if we aren’t putting up shrines or creating
golden calves.
But
it is still very much alive in today’s society.
If
we look at what idolatry is—it is anything
that becomes a god in your life, meaning
it controls your thoughts and emotions,
it consumes your energy, you become obsessive
over it. It’s essentially anything that
takes center stage in your life, where God
should be. It’s where you’re devoting most
of your time, thoughts and energy.
These
things aren’t inherently bad, but what we
do with them is where it becomes an issue.
So
if we look at some modern day idols, it
could be money, success, or job, our identity,
our physical image, hobbies, entertainment,
technology, relationships, even ministry
or our own families and children. Because
we can sometimes be more consumed with the
gift itself than the Giver of those gifts.
We look to these things to bring just joy
and happiness, where only God can. We put
our trust in them, only to be let down because
only God is truly trustworthy. We look to
these things for our identity or validation
and when we don’t get it, we feel unworthy.
It’s
anything that we love more than or hold
higher than God. And the Bible says to fiee
from idolatry—that doesn’t mean we fiee
from the thing itself but rather the way
we treat it. Heart Check.
Is
there anything in your life that has become
an idol? How can you redirect this gift
to be honorable to God?
Deep
Dive
Why
would God set such harsh boundary lines
between Himself and the people?
How
does God’s covenant with Israel apply to
us as Christians?
How
do you view God’s majesty, power and holiness?
How has it been watered down or treated
casually?
How
do you view the 10 Commandments? As archaic?
Or still relevant? Do you struggle with
any in particular?
In
looking at each commandment, how do you
see God’s love and protection on display?
How
do you view God’s heart behind the Laws
of Moses? How have they shaped our ethics
and societal morals?
Heavenly
Father, thank you for the boundaries you
have set up to protect us as your children.
What
a privilege it is to live in a time when
we can freely come into your presence without
fear of stepping into something that we
aren’t prepared for. You allow us to come
as we are, and we are so grateful for that.
But I pray that we never take your holiness
and majesty for granted. Because none of
that has changed—you are still as mighty
as ever and your glory is still untouchable,
yet because of what Jesus did, we have the
keys to heaven and we need not fear.
We
know that you value us just as much as you
do the Hebrew people, as we have been grafted
into the promises you have given them like
wild olive branches. We are, therefore,
your treasured possession and have the same
calling to holiness and obedience. I pray
that we will live out our lives in reverence
and obedience to all of your commands.
While
we may not have a visible display of your
glory or an audible sound of your voice,
we see and hear you just as clearly as they.
We are so grateful that we have the Word
that we can apply in modern day. We stand
in awe of you today, knowing that everything
we read is not fiction or fairytale.
We
know that while we are not held to the Law
of Moses, we are held to an even higher
standard of love, which is where every single
one of your commandments birthed from. Because
you love us, you desire to keep us safe.
Because you love us, you have set up boundaries
so we can fiourish. I pray that we will
have an even greater understanding of that—that
you never imposed anything to limit but
rather to set free your people. We know
that a life of obedience will lead to freedom
whereas disobedience will lead to bondage.
I
pray that every area of our lives will center
around you. Forgive us where we may have
created an idol out of something. If we
don’t realize we have, will you show us
where we may be holding something in higher
regard that we should. I pray that we are
able to reroute these things to be able
to bring you glory.
I
pray that we will always pursue a life of
honesty, integrity, honor, and high morals.
May we live a consecrated, distinct and
set apart life that radiates your goodness
and glory. I pray that we will be positive
contributors to society, imparting good
where we live, work and play.
We
fully trust in your unwavering commitment
to justice, therefore we don’t need to seek
out vengeance, for we know how much you
value the fair treatment of others. We know
it doesn’t always happen, for we live in
a broken world. But one day, every wrong
will be made right, so help us to keep our
heads down and focus on doing what we can
to help maintain the social order that you
so desire.
Exodus
22-24 continues to lay out specific case
laws and restitution, principles of holiness
and annual feasts, and the agreement upon
God’s covenant with His people.
In
chapter 22, God sets up guidelines and laws
surrounding theft, irresponsibility, sorcery,
beastiality, idolatry, and the mistreatment
of virgins, widows and children, foreigners,
and the poor. Israel was called to be a
compassionate people. Good institutes specific
punishments including restitution and capital
punishment.
In
chapter 23, God continues to give commandments
regarding the personal actions of His people
including not spreading false information,
not perverting justice, not showing partiality,
and not taking bribes. He commands them
to treat their enemies, sojourners, and
the poor with fairness and kindness. He
also institutes the Sabbath Year, the Feast
of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Harvest,
and the Feast of Ingathering. He introduces
the concept of a “clean diet” through the
prohibition of cooking a young goat in its
mother’s milk. God then promises a gradual
conquest of the Promised Land along with
His protection from their enemies and sickness.
He ends with a warning against idolatry
once again.
In
chapter 24, God establishes His covenant
with the people of Israel at Mt. Sinai.
He calls Moses, Aaron and his two sons Nadab
and Abihu, along with 70 elders to worship
from afar. When Moses speaks the words of
the Lord to the people, they profess they
will obey everything He says. Moses builds
an altar and performs a covenant ritual
of the sprinkling of blood on the altar
and the people. As the men go up the mountain,
they see an appearance of God and celebrate
in a fellowship meal. The Lord calls Moses
to come near, and Joshua accompanies him
up while Aaron and Hur are left to watch
and be judges over the assembly at the bottom.
God promises to give Moses the two tablets
that contain God’s commandments and laws.
Moses enters into a cloud of the glory of
God that covers the mountain for six days.
After he is called out by God, His glory
appears as fire for all the people to see
at the top of the mountain. Moses enters
the cloud once again and does not return
for 40 days.
Heart
Checks from the video
IRRESPONSIBILITY
| Ex. 22:5
Here
we see God putting a value on personal responsibility
and accountability. We don’t always have
to be present for sin to occur.
Because
James 4:17 says that anyone who knows the
right thing to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
So if we are negligent or careless when
we are supposed to be good stewards and
careful about the way we conduct business,
then there will be accountability. Heart
Check.
Is
there anything in your life that you are
neglecting to care for or where you are
being irresponsible?
WHAT’S
THE DELAY | Ex. 22:29-30
Here
we see God commanding a promptness in giving
to Him what is rightfully His.
And
because He is speaking about the fullness
of the harvest and the firstborn, this could
be applied to the tithe. But in general,
it’s simply quick obedience. As we just
discussed, when we know we are to do something
or bring an offering, and we don’t do it,
it is sin.
Now
an added layer of promptness has been added
to that. Heart Check.
Is
there anything that God has asked of you
that you have not brought to Him? What's
the delay?
GOSSIP
| Ex. 23:1
Spreading
false information or speaking with malicious
intent toward someone was prohibited by
God.
To
put it plainly, there is no “gossip girling”
in the kingdom.
And
the one spreading the gossip isn’t the only
one at fault, it’s also the one who listens
and has an ear that itches to hear all the
juicy details. Heart
Check
Do
your ears perk up when there's gossip? Are
you speaking behind others backs?
RETURN
THE DONKEY | Ex. 23:4-5
This
was a society where revenge was the knee-jerk
reaction, so to hear God commanding this
new idea of being kind to your enemies must’ve
ruffled some feathers.
It
doesn’t seem fair and it doesn’t make sense
in our human minds. Yet this would be one
of many things that would separate Israel
from everyone else. People would know they’re
different if they return their enemy’s lost
donkey. Heart Check.
Would
you return the donkey? If you have the choice
to help your enemy, would you do it?
FIRSTFRUITS
| Ex. 23:19
Before
it’s officially called the tithe, we
see the concept in place here—bringing God
the firstfruits and the best of the harvest.
This
would prove that they acknowledge that everything
comes from God.
And
while tithing will not get you saved (because
we are saved by grace and not works), there
are still massive benefits to it, with one
of the main ones being an unspeakable joy
when we are generous and trusting in God’s
provision rather than stingy and doubtful.
And
we can apply this to so many things in our
lives—the firstfruits of our day or energy,
the firstfruits of our talents, the firstfruits
of our time. Heart Check.
Are
you bringing God the best of your firstfruits?
Or does He only get the leftovers?
LITTLE
BY LITTLE | Ex. 23:30
God
is letting them know that He is not in a
rush and that He is going to drive out the
inhabitants little by little. This would
grieve the heart of ones who may be impatient
in waiting.
But
He makes it very clear—if He were to drive
them out quickly, they would walk into a
land that is barren and taken over by wild
beasts.
So
He’s keeping them there so they will continue
to work the land and maintain fruitfulness.
Paul says that we should count it all joy
when we go through trials, for it is in
that where we learn patience (James 1:2-4),
because it will require us to stay close
to the Lord and to be persistent in pursuing
Him. Heart Check.
When
God is only moving little by little, how
do you fare? Is you patience wearing thin
or increasing?
Take
Possession
| Ex. 23:31-32
This
land that God is gifting them is 300,000
square miles, yet they will only possess
ten percent of that, which shows us that
just because God gives it doesn’t mean that
we possess it.
We
must reach out and take hold of the promises,
the forgiveness, the grace, the love, the
authority, the joy that fiows abundantly
from Him and is available to us. But it
requires us to partner with Him and to receive
in faith. Heart Check.
What
has God offered you that you have not taken
possession of?
Deep
Dive
How
do these laws reflect what God values?
How
can these laws be applied to modern day
societal justice?
How
do you see the treatment of foreigners in
your country? How do you view them?
While
Moses is in a privileged position in the
eyes of both God and man, what emotions
do you think he may have felt in this place
of isolation?
What
significance does the writing of the Word
hold for us today? How can we apply it personally?
Heavenly
Father, thank you for continuing tp show
us more of who you are.
Your
compassion, desire for fair treatment, purity
and justice is so evident in this reading
today. These principles are not just ones
that are buried deep within another culture
or an ancient text, but they are still so
applicable to our lives today. I pray that
we fully understand the reasons behind these
institutions. Thank you for the blueprint
that you left for us to be able to shape
our societies today. I pray that we will
come back to morals and ethics that refiect
a desire for purity and a heart for the
ones who truly need help.
I
pray that we will see the practicality of
things like not spreading false information
or going with the fiow of the crowds and
how they will only manifest to our detriment.
Help us to be kind to those who mistreat
us—I pray that we will all return the donkey
should we be given the chance.
Help
us to treat everyone with fairness and never
according to social status or wealth. I
pray that we will carry your heart when
it comes to foreigners, especially in our
own homeland. This is not a declaration
of surrender or anything to do with immigration
policy, but it’s a heart issue and the way
we view humanity.
Help
us to be good stewards and managers of every
good gift that you give to us. I pray that
we will be mindful of when rest and refreshment
is necessary. Some of us can be so driven
by work that we refuse to take even a moment
to trust in your provision. May we never
lack that faith, but always bring you our
first and best of everything we have.
I
pray we will be innocent of evil and turn
the other way when there is a door in front
of us to pique our interest or curiosity.
Give us a desire to maintain our own purity
in both thought and action. Guard our minds
and may we always take every thought captive
and make it obedient to you.
Thank
you for preparing a place for us, Jesus.
We look forward to the day that we get to
walk into our Promised Land. Until then,
I pray that we will not partner with the
world but only with you as we walk in
righteousness and holiness. We know that
when we do so, we too will be protected
and blessed in our coming and going. Help
us to trust you, especially when the time
in the wilderness seems to drag on and the
steps feel tiny.
We
are so grateful to be part of your chosen
people, under the covenant that was built
on love. Thank you, Jesus, for being the
perfect sacrifice to atone for our sins.
We have failed miserably and will continue
to do so, yet you never forsake us, and
we are so grateful. I pray that we will
always see and reveal your glory to be seen
across the earth.
Exodus
25-27 records the directives for the building
of the tabernacle and all of its articles
within it.
In
chapter 25, God calls for an offering from
the people who are willing to give, requesting
articles of silver, gold, bronze, fine linens,
dyes, oils, and animal skins. These would
be used in the construction of the sanctuary,
where God’s Holy Presence would dwell among
His people. God gives specific instructions
on how to construct the Ark of the Covenant,
the Table for Bread, and the Golden Lampstand,
all of which are made of acacia wood and
fine gold.
In
chapter 26, God gives detailed instructions
for building the tabernacle, including ten
curtains made of fine linens, external curtains
of animal skins, the poles, frames and crossbars,
and the interior veil which would separate
the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.
The final curtain would cover the tent entrance.
In
chapter 27, God gives instructions for the
building of the bronze altar and the courtyard
outside the tabernacle. The court is to
be constructed with acacia posts and bronze
bases with curtains of fine linens. All
utensils used in the tabernacle are to be
made of bronze and used exclusively in the
tabernacle. The people are commanded by
God to bring pure olive oil to supply the
lamps, and Aaron and his sons are to tend
the lamps around the clock.
Heart
Checks from the video
MERCY
SEAT | Ex. 25:22
What
grace—God says He will meet His people at
the Mercy Seat—that which covers the ark,
where the commandments are.
This
is symbolic of the cross, where the blood
of Jesus covered our inability to uphold
the law. Because of what He did, we can
come boldly into the throne room of grace,
where we will find mercy and grace in our
time of need (Heb. 4:16). Yet many of us
think that to meet with God, we first must
clean up our act, read three chapters, cite
the Lord’s prayer, be able to memorize scripture
and pass a theological exam. But God doesn’t
ask that of us because Jesus fulfills all
of that. And when we simply come before
Him with humility and a desire to know Him,
His word says that He will draw near to
us because we are covered by the grace that
was poured out on the mercy seat. He paid
the price, made the atonement, and so He
is our mercy seat. Heart Check.
Are
you trying to get into the throne room by
your devotional life? Or do you rest simply
in the covering of the Mercy Seat?
INTERNAL
VS EXTERNAL | Ex. 25
In
the end, the construction of the tabernacle
was a rather simple exterior, but it’s in
the inside where the most value lies. The
articles of worship would’ve been valued
in the millions of dollars today.
And
such is the way with God—He is more concerned
with the interior of our lives than the
exterior. It doesn’t mean we don’t steward
the exterior—as we will see later, everything
He builds is always constructed with intention
and order and intended to be maintained.
But the interior is where true worship happens.
Heart Check.
Where
do you place the most value? On your external
appearance or your internal character?
VEIL
| Ex. 26:33
The
veil here is a barrier between where there
was general priestly worship (the Holy Place)
and where only the High Priest could enter
once a year to atone for the sins of the
people (the Most Holy Place).
This
symbolized the barrier between God and the
people. We will later read that when Jesus
dies, the veil will be torn from top to
bottom, signifying that barrier being broken
once and for all. We can now enter into
the Most Holy place because of the blood
of Jesus atoning for our sins. Yet some
people will never get beyond their own invisible
veil that they erect themselves—these are
veils of unworthiness, insecurity, religiosity—anything
that keeps us from having that true intimacy
with Jesus. Heart Check.
Is
there a veil that is keeping you from fully
entering to the Most Holy Place?
KEEP
THE FIRE BURNING | Ex. 27:20-21
The
fire in these lamps were tended to both
day and night, meaning the fire never went
out. The priests would have to keep a continual
supply of oil and trim the wicks in order
to keep it burning.
So
to me, this symbolizes the constant need
for the Holy Spirit in order to keep our
fire burning. There’s no amount of religious
doing that will be able to ignite that—it
is only by His Spirit that we will be empowered
to do His will. But then there’s maintenance
required in the trimming of the wicks. So
how does that relate to us? I know that
every time I come to the Word, there is
a cutting away of something in my Spirit.
The Word will divide the soul and spirit
and judge the thoughts and attitudes of
our hearts. Heart Check.
Is
your fire burning today? Do you need to
top off your oil or do you need to do a
maintenance checkup?
Deep
Dive
What
does the voluntary offering reveal about
God’s heart?
What
does God’s specific instructions reveal
about His character?
How
do we fall in line with this desire for
excellence?
How
can we relate the concept of the tabernacle
to our lives today?
What
does the courtyard display about the holiness
of God?
Heavenly
Father, I pray that we understand the depth
and magnitude of your holiness today?
We
stand in awe of the meticulous nature of
your craftsmanship, knowing that you never
do anything haphazardly, but always by design,
with patterns and order. I pray that we
will be a people who follow your instructions
to the tee so that we can honor you in the
building of our own tabernacle. Your Holy
Spirit dwells within us, so we want to make
it a cozy space, where it will bring you
joy to dwell within. I pray that we will
follow you with sincerity and excellence
in all that we do.
Thank
you for showing us how incredibly important
your Most Holy Place is, and yet you loved
us enough to remove that separation between
it and us. When we enter, I pray that we
do so with reverence, honor and worship.
Thank
you, Jesus, for being our Mercy Seat, where
we can come boldly into the throne room
of grace. We are in desperate need of your
mercy every single day, so being able to
draw near is so necessary for our everyday
living.
Help
us to recognize the beautiful gifts that
you have given to us, to be used for your
glory. I pray that we never try to exploit
them in any way for our own selfish gain,
and that we keep them submitted before you.
We know that we need your Holy Spirit to
empower us for service, and so I pray that
we will be aware of your Presence day and
night. I pray that through our love for
your Word, you will trim our spirits and
souls as needed. You know exactly what needs
to be dealt with, so have your way. May
our fires always burn for you.
Exodus
28-29 establishes the priesthood and the
holy garments they are to wear.
In
chapter 28, God appoints Aaron and his sons
to serve as priests to God and for the people.
He
instructs those who are skilled in specific
tasks and gifted with divine wisdom to make
holy garments for the priests. Detailed
instructions are given for the creation
of the ephod, breastpiece, robe, and turban.
All
pieces are created with the finest materials.
Aaron and his sons are to be anointed, ordained,
and consecrated, and the garments are to
always be worn when they minister.
In
chapter 29, God gives directives for the
consecration and ordination of the priests,
with the first being Aaron and his sons.
They
were to bring sacrifices to the altar, be
publicly washed, clothed and anointed as
part of their ordination ceremony.
The
blood and fat of animals would be used in
different aspects and would all be
either consumed or burnt in the end as a
symbol of complete devotion to the Lord.
Aaron and his sons would complete their
acceptance of these priestly roles through
a sacrificial meal. The whole process would
take place over seven days, with daily morning
and evening sacrifices brought to symbolize
continual devotion to God.
God
once again promises to remain in the presence
of the Israelites, rea£irming His
covenant with them.
Heart
Checks from the video
ROYAL
PRIESTHOOD | Ex. 28:1
Here
we see how God uses families in ministry.
Anyone linked to the family of Aaron would
carry this greater responsibility of entering
into the priesthood. Well guess who we are
linked to?
The
Great High Priest.
We
are called a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9).
Therefore, we are all called into the ministry.
But this doesn’t necessarily mean everyone
becomes ministers in an organized institution—we
are ministers in our homes, our workplaces,
in the way we treat waiters or the person
who checks us out at the grocery store.
Heart Check.
What
are you doing with your role in the royal
priesthood?
DIVINE
SKILLS | Ex. 28:3
We
have all been given specific skills and
gifts by God, and you will hear me drive
this into the ground over and over again,
because I truly believe that when we get
this, we will begin to understand where
it all fits together in His purpose for
our lives.
Because
we are created for His glory, and that includes
the gifts He instilled in us from before
we were even formed in our mothers’ wombs.
If you don’t know what those are, ask.
If
you don’t know how to use them for His purpose,
ask. The Holy Spirit empowers those who
seek His guidance and wisdom. Heart Check.
What
skills or abilities do you feel that you
have been divinely gifted with? How are
you using them to minister to the Lord?
LOAD
BEARING | Ex. 28:12
If
you’ve ever heard the saying, “Carrying
the weight of the world on your shoulders,”
this would be a fine example of that.
The
priest would wear these stones on his shoulders
as an act of remembrance for the sons of
Israel. He bore the responsibility of carrying
their sins to the altar and making atonement
for them. Jesus did the heaviest of lifting
when he bore the weight of the entire world
on his shoulders. And while we are set free
from carrying any extra weight or burdens
of our own, we can still help to ease that
weight o£ of others through prayer,
edification, teaching, and encouragement.
Heart Check.
What
load are you bearing on your shoulders for
others?
SOUNDS
| Ex. 28:35
Since
the priests would “disappear” from the people
when he would go into the tabernacle, the
way they would know that he’s still ministering
on their behalf would be by the sound of
the bells. They would hear it as he entered
and also as he exited.
And
I thought to myself, we can sometimes have
a distinct sound going into church that
sounds a whole lot di£erent that the
sound we make at home or as soon as we step
foot into our cars. For some of us, that
sound changes again when we get together
with our friends. Heart check.
Is
the sound of your spirit the same when it
comes out of the Holy Place as it is going
in?
GIVE
YOUR ALL | Ex. 29:31-34
The
entire sacrifice was to be burnt up, meaning
no leftovers for morning. This symbolized
that they have failed in giving their all
to God and therefore the entire animal will
do so in their place.
But
it didn’t stop there—they would now commit
to giving their all to the Lord from this
point forward. And we hear this term thrown
around all the time. In fact, we tell our
kids every weekend before their wrestling
match and gymnastics competition to give
it your all. That simply means, give it
your best e£ort. Lay it out on the
mats and leave it there. Heart Check.
Have
you committed your all to the Lord? Are
you laying it all down and leaving it at
the altar? If not, what is holding you back?
ALL
DAY DEVOTION | Ex. 29:39
Can
you imagine having to do this act of sacrifice
both in the morning and the evening, over
and over again?
Most
of us are usually really good at bringing
our offering of devotion in one or
the other—either morning or evening, depending
on if you’re an early bird or a night owl.
But the full sacrifice comes in when we
can dedicate our entire day to the Lord,
not just a one-time 35 minute video on YouTube.
At the very least, as modeled here in the
Bible, we should be devoting some part of
our morning and evening to Him. It doesn’t
need to be religious or any sort of ritual—this
could simply be prayer or reading a quick
devotional before you rest. Heart Check.
Do
you start and end your day with the Lord?
HIS
HOLINESS | Ex. 29
In
the end, understanding the gravity of the
role of the priest and all that was involved
in their consecration and ordination, really
should make us truly appreciate what Jesus
did even more.
Because
we no longer need a representative to take
all of our filth before a perfect God. He
was preparing the people for the day when
they could have a direct relationship with
Him through Jesus, which we are now partakers
of. But not only that, He intentionally
did all of this so that they people would
be so distinct from their surrounding pagan
neighbors once they entered into the Promised
Land. There would be no, “I didn’t knows”
or “I didn’t mean tos” because every step
of this process was so deliberate and required
a lot of e£ort and concentration.
There was an emphasis on His holiness, something
that we tend to treat so casually today.
Heart Check.
How
do you view God's holiness? How do you treat
it?
Deep
Dive
How
does the responsibility of the priests translate
to the responsibility that we have as a
royal priesthood?
How
can we apply “Holy to the Lord” to our lives?
What would that look like?
Look
at what each piece of the garments represents
in the Christian life today. What area might
need repair?
Does
gaining a better understanding of the priesthood
give you a greater appreciation for the
work of Christ?
Heavenly
Father,thank you for sending us the Great
High Priest.
Jesus,
we recognize you today as the one who came
with all authority and power yet still chose
to humbly serve and lay your life down on
our behalf. Because you have done so, we
no longer need anyone to intercede on our
behalf. What a gift it is to know that when
we enter into a covenant with you, we are
clothed with robes of righteousness and
made whole.
I
pray that we too can understand our role
as ministers, who are indeed set apart for
your glory. The way we wear our faith will
either refiect or pollute your beauty in
the eyes of others, so I pray that we will
wear it well. Forgive us where we have taken
these robes o£ and dishonored your
holy name. I pray that we will understand
the seriousness with which we approach our
service to you. We don’t ever want our worship
to be diluted in any way.
We
are so grateful to be chosen and called
to honor you with our lives, so I pray that
we pay careful attention to everything we
do and say so that we are always protecting
that sacredness and holiness of the covenant.
I
pray that our minds are always girded with
truth with “holy to the Lord” being on our
foreheads as well. But not only are we to
live in external righteousness, but more
importantly with holy and righteous undergarments.
We know you are more concerned with our
hearts, minds and spirits, and so I pray
that we will be as well, for true glory
and beauty come from within. But this doesn’t
mean we neglect the outer appearance— for
it is a gift as well, so I pray we treat
it as such, showing honor in the way we
present ourselves before you and people.
Thank
you for helping us to see the importance
of living our lives in reverence. It isn’t
because you’re an egotistical God, but it’s
because you are a perfect God who is holy
and awesome, and you deserve nothing less
than our complete devotion and worship.
Forgive us where we have treated it so casually
or where we have taken your grace for granted.
I pray that in reading this today, we have
a better understanding of what Jesus did
for us and why. Thank you for loving us
and caring for us enough to put an end to
our own failing ability to upkeep your ways.
We
know that we are saved by grace, washed
and covered by the blood and anointed with
your Holy Spirit, but that gives no excuse
to live loosely or however we want. Your
holy standard is unchanging, so we desire
to do our best to live purely and wholly
before you.
Thank
you for dwelling among us today—what a powerful
reminder it is of your love and grace and
desire to be in continual relationship with
us. I pray that we prepare a place for you,
morning and evening to meet with us.
Exodus
30-32 continues God’s commands on the crafting
of temple items and the appointment of those
who will guide the project. It also accounts
for the incident of the golden calf at the
base of Mt. Sinai.
In
chapter 30, God commands Moses to build
an altar of incense. It is to be made of
acacia wood, overlaid with gold and placed
in front of the veil in the Holy Place.
The
High Priest (Aaron) is to burn fragrant
incense on it day and night, and it shall
be atoned once a year with the blood of
the sin offering. The Lord calls for a census
of the people and for each twenty-year-old
male to pay a half shekel as a ransom for
his life—this would be used for the service
of the temple. A bronze basin is crafted
for the priests to wash their hands and
feet before ministering. A recipe for the
holy anointing oil and incense is given
and blended by a perfumer. These are to
be used solely for the temple items and
never imitated.
In
chapter 31, God appoints the foremen, Bezalel
and Oholiab, for the construction of the
holy items.
He
divinely empowers not only their skills
and abilities but also the wisdom through
which they apply them. They would be responsible
for the creation of the Tent of Meeting,
ark of the Testimony, the mercy seat, holy
garments, anointing oil and incense, and
other holy items. God reminds them of the
importance of keeping the Sabbath and warns
of deadly consequences should they not.
The chapter ends with the giving of the
two tablets of the Ten Commandments inscribed
by God to Moses.
In
chapter 32, the Israelites grow impatient
in waiting for Moses’ return and appeal
to Aaron to construct a god to take his
place.
Aaron
calls for an offering of gold and creates
a golden calf, to their appeasement. Aaron
then declares a feast where the people bring
offerings and sacrifices to the image.
When
the Lord sees this, he threatens to destroy
the people and essentially start over with
Moses leading his own nation, but Moses
pleads with God to relent, so He does.
As
Moses comes down from the mountain and witnesses
this revelry, his anger burns, and he shatters
the tablets of the Testimony. He then grinds
the idol into powder and forces the people
to drink it consequently. Moses questions
Aaron about the incident, only for him to
place the blame on an evil people.
Moses
calls for those who will be faithful to
the Lord, and when the Levites are the only
ones to step up, he orders them to kill
those still involved in idolatry, with 3000
falling as a result. Moses intercedes on
behalf of the people, but God declares that
sinners will be blotted out of His book.
The chapter ends with a plague being sent
upon the people because of this incident.
Heart
Checks from the video
PRAYER
| Ex. 30:6
One
of the hardest things in the spiritual life
to do is to pray. So many people struggle
with it, and it makes sense. Satan doesn’t
want us to pray, so he will do everything
he can to distract you, make you think your
prayers aren’t good enough, he’ll start
singing lullabies in your ear so you’ll
fall asleep before you finish, because he
knows this is where God meets you.
It
is in prayer where His power is unleashed.
And
because we know this, we want so badly to
have a prolific prayer life, but God is
like, “I just want to talk to you.” As wonderful
as it is to be able to pray the Word or
to feel confident publicly praying, that
shouldn’t be our goal. Our goal should be
to simply talk to Him. And it isn’t even
always audible. Our spirit can pray for
us. My personal prayers don’t always sound
like the ones we pray at the end of Bible
study.
Because
my meeting with God is way more personal.
Sometimes I just sit in silence before Him
and let my spirit lead my heart and mind.
It’s not the length or the intellect of
your prayers that matter, it’s the strength
and genuineness of it. Heart Check.
Are
you thinking too hard about what prayer
looks like? Or are you simply talking to
Jesus?
HOLY
FRAGRANCE | Ex. 30:32
Both
the anointing oil and the incense were declared
holy and to be used only for His holy purposes.
It was a sweet fragrance that was never
to touch anything unholy including the fiesh
but to be used only for the heavenly items
in the tabernacle. It was not to be imitated,
and if it was, their lives would be ended.
One of the fastest ways to a kill a ministry
is to try to imitate someone else’s anointing
or calling.
Because
remember, we individually and uniquely are
called and anointed for a specific purpose,
so it would be like putting on a perfume
dupe, only for it to sour on your skin or
knowing that something’s o£ because
it isn’t the original. You are original.
The sweetest of perfumers—the Holy Spirit—has
a unique fragrance for you. Heart Check
Is
your anointing a dupe? Or are you wearing
your holy fragrance?
PRACTICAL
ANOINTING | Ex. 31:15
The
practical ministry both then and now is
just as important as the priestly ministry,
and sometimes we neglect the ability to
be empowered in our own jobs, not realizing
that it is work that can be done as unto
the Lord. One of my favorite verses is 1
Corinthians 10:13, which says, “… whatever
you do, do it for the glory of God.”
So
folding laundry, for the glory of God. Filming
a YouTube video, for the glory of God. Being
kind to workers, for the glory of God. Here
God empowered and gave vigor to carpenters,
seamstresses, and perfumers—this tells me
that whatever job you’re currently in, can
be anointed by God. We don’t have to be
Moseses and Aarons. Heart Check.
Have
you ask God to anoint what you do practically?
SECOND
FIDDLE | Ex. 31:6
Oholiab
is my kind of guy. He’s first runner-up
to Miss America, co-host of the TV show,
in someone’s shadow… he is second in command.
You
see, the world makes us think that we need
to win the crown to be significant or win
the race to win the prize. And we tend to
think that if we don’t get there, we have
somehow failed. But this guy Oholiab reminds
me that every single position is appointed
by God, and so we must be able to treat
whatever place we end up in, as if it is
1st place. If we have to play second fiddle,
we gotta play our part right and play it
well, or we will throw o£ the entire
orchestra. If we try to overstep our boundary
and outshine the first fiddle player, we
will probably get kicked out. I live my
life by the motto, play second fiddle and
play it well. Honor the position you’re
in, because the truth is, there is always
someone who is better than you at what you’re
doing, and that is a good thing, because
you have someone to inspire you. And there’s
also someone who’s worse than you in the
3rd chair, who you can be an inspiration
for. Heart Check.
How
well are you shining in the position that
God has placed you in?
HANDLING
DELAYS | Ex. 32:1
That
didn’t take long—40 days and the people
are losing hope because they have placed
their hope in the wrong thing.
Faith
is hope in the things unseen. It says here
that the people “saw that Moses delayed
in coming down”.
And
not only are they putting their hope in
the wrong place, but also up against their
own expectation and according to their ETA
(estimated time of arrival). But then the
third mistake is that they gathered together
to make a formal complaint, kind of like
those videos that go viral, and suddenly
everyone is boycotting companies because
it’s swaying the masses. So with each step
into sin, they’re walking further away from
their faith in God and putting it into another
leader and a false image, which will ultimately
break the three first commandments. They
grew so impatient that they failed to handle
the delay well. And delays are a wonderful
measure for spiritual maturity. Heart Check.
How
do you handle a delay? Do you try to force
it to happen? Or do you remain faithful
and steadfast, trusting in the Lord's timing?
MOLDING
GOD | Ex. 32
In
the end, the whole problem stemmed from
faulty expectations of both God and Moses,
and it resulted in the people molding God
into their own image of what they wanted
Him to do and be for them. We can do this
too—we will take God and cut a little here,
a little there, so that He will fit into
our own box of expectations and desires.
In
doing so, we place ourselves above Him in
self-worship, yet we fail to see it for
what it is. Heart
Check.
Are
you molding your own image of God to meet
your expectations in life?
Deep
Dive
Is
the daily ritual of burning incense (a spiritual
routine) evident in your life?
Why
is the violation of the Sabbath deserving
of such a grave consequence in this day?
Why
do you think Aaron decided to form the golden
calf?
If
God kept His word on destroying the people,
would that have a£ected the Covenant?
Was
Moses’ “rage” righteous? What about his
actions of breaking the tablets?
How
do Moses’ and Aaron’s leadership di£er?
What can we learn from them?
Heavenly
Father, thank you for your steadfast love
& forgiveness.
Sometimes
we fail to see how much of it you actually
pour out into our lives because we have
become so accustomed to receiving it. Forgive
us where we have done so. I pray that we
are always aware of our shortcomings and
rather than allowing it to drive us deeper
into sin, I pray that you will help us to
see it for what it is, call it out, and
make it right.
I
pray that we will never put you into our
own box of expectation or try to mold you
to meet our selfish desires. You are the
potter and we are the clay, so we yield
our lives to mold us to how you see fit.
It is in your hands where we want our lives
to always be, never seeking something better
somewhere else, because we know that we
will never find it. Help us to place our
hope in the unseen, knowing that it is then
that you will strengthen our faith. I pray
we will never try to manipulate or force
your will.
I
pray for a special anointing today over
every person, their jobs, their gifts, their
hobbies, their skills, and the wisdom by
which they will use them. I pray that you
will help them see how they can do everything
for your glory. This doesn’t mean a drastic
change of sudden religious jargon or self-righteousness,
but simply being submitted to your will
and committed to glorifying you in everything
they do, whether work or deed. May our words
be seasoned properly and may they be pleasant
to the ears of those who hear. We want to
be a beautiful fragrance, as crafted by
your Holy Spirit.
Forgive
us where we have tried to imitate or make
a cheap copy of an anointing that we never
had. I pray that we will all be able to
see the place that we are in as an honor.
You have placed us here for a time such
as this, so I pray that we will play our
fiddle, no matter which chair we are sitting
in, and play it well. Help us never to be
swayed by the fear of man but always living
out our lives in fear of you.
Thank
you for this time in being able to know
you more. Help us to bolster up our prayer
life, not in length or intellect, but in
strength and sincerity.
Exodus
33-35 marks the call to depart from Mt.
Sinai to the Promised Land and renewal of
the covenant between God and His people.
In
chapter 33, the Lord commands Moses to depart
Sinai and head to Canaan. When He advises
them that He will not go with them due to
their stubbornness, the people mourn, so
He calls for them to remove their ornaments.
Meanwhile, Moses pitches his tent outside
the camp to serve as a tent of meeting for
the congregation, where the Lord speaks
to Him face to face. As he enters, the pillar
of cloud descends upon the tent. Moses pleads
with God for favor, and the Lord grants
it, saying He knows him by name.
Moses
asks to see God’s glory, and the Lord declares
that Moses will see his goodness but not
his face, for if anyone does, they shall
not live. He then tells Moses that He will
place him in the cleft of a rock and will
cover him as His glory passes by, only for
the covering to be removed in time for Moses
to see His back.
In
chapter 34, the Lord commands Moses to make
a replica of the stones that were broken
and to meet Him at the top of Mt. Sinai.
There the Lord descends and renews His covenant
with Israel, warning the people not to make
a covenant with the nations who currently
live in Canaan. He warns them against idolatry
and commands the observance of the Feasts
and the Sabbath. When Moses returns after
40 days, having not eaten or drunk a single
thing, his face shines with the glory of
God. Each time after speaking with the people,
Moses places a veil over his face until
He comes before the Lord once again. This
process continues each time he visits with
the Lord.
In
chapter 35, the Lord once again gives the
regulations for the Sabbath before commanding
an o£ering for the building of the
tabernacle. He also calls for every skilled
worker to be employed in their area of expertise
for the crafting of the tabernacle and all
its furnishings and utensils, as well as
the priestly garments. Willing men and women
come forth to give and work as a freewill
offering. Moses appoints Bezalel and
Oholiab to lead the building and crafting
projects, as guided by the filling of the
Spirit.
Heart
Checks from the video
PRESENTS
OR PRESENCE | Ex. 33:1-3
Because
of what happened with the golden calf incident,
God is withdrawing His Presence while still
maintaining His promise of the presents
or blessing of the Promised Land. This would
be a great test that would prove whether
or not they’re okay with getting all the
blessings but not having His Spirit with
them. But if they plead for His Presence
to remain, this would be the first step
back to restoring what was broken and proving
their genuine heart and love for Him. We
too can gain all the riches in the world,
but I assure you that at the end of our
lives, if we had not God, they would matter
none. Heart Check.
Do
you seek more of God's presents (blessings)
or His spiritual Presence?
LEAD
BY EXAMPLE | Ex. 33:8-10
I
love how the people watch Moses carefully
and follow what he does.
When
he worships, they worship. Moses was simply
leading by example. While we talked about
copycat anointing the other day, this is
not that. Looking to others who are more
spiritually mature and seeing how you can
implement some of the things they are doing
is a wonderful thing, if it is being applied
for the glory of God. On the fiip side,
you too, can be that example for others.Heart
Check.
What
practices do you implement into your spirtual
walk that have beenmodeled by others? How
are you leading by example?
DISTINCT
| Ex. 33:16
Moses
was so concerned about what other people
were thinking about them. Hear me out—he
knew that the Presence of God among them
was the greatest thing that distinguished
them from every other nation.
And
this is interesting because the world will
tell us, “Who cares what people think about
you. Do you boo!”
And
to an extent, I agree. Paul even says that
if we are trying to please men, then we
would not be servants of Christ. But that’s
very different from not caring at all, and
the enemy will pollute things like apologizing,
seeking forgiveness, showing kindness or
being humble, making it seem as if it is
a bad thing because it will make you look
weak. Or sometimes we will live our lives
saying, “I’m going to do and say whatever
I want because I can, and I don’t care who
I o£end in the process.”
But
the thing is, we should care. Because what
makes us distinct as Christians, is that
we take on the character of God, the most
caring being in the entire universe, as
His Presence dwells within us. We are supposed
to show grace and love and mercy and kindness
where the world refuses to. And I will tell
you that the more you pour that out, it
becomes an armor against the fiery darts.
You will be di£erent. Heart Check.
Are
you distinct? Can the world see that you
are different because of your likeness to
God?
EMPTY-HANDED
| Ex. 34:20
God
is specifically speaking about the dedication
of the firstborn here, and while this is
not a mandate for us as Christians, we are
still held to not being empty-handed when
we come before Him.
This
isn’t speaking of money or works, but praise,
adoration, prayer, thanksgiving, and service.
This is such a small sacrifice for all that
He has done for us. When we are immature
in our faith, we come to God seeking to
get something from Him—we are looking for
happiness or a change in our circumstances
or an answered prayer. It takes maturity
to look for opportunities to bring something
to Him not because we are trying to earn
His favor, but because He is worthy of it
and our hearts desire to honor Him. Heart
Check.
Are
your hands empty and waiting for a handout
from the Lord? Or are you looking for ways
to serve Him?
FREEWILL
GIVING | Ex. 35
In
the end, this is one of the biggest moments
of redemption in the Old Testament.
One
of the few times you see the people working
together in unity and pouring out to give.
Moses didn’t need to manipulate anyone into
doing anything.
He
let them know what the need was, and the
people gave out of generous hearts.
They
were moved together, with one common goal
in mind. God could’ve easily given them
every material they needed and built it
Himself—after all, we’re talking about the
God who parted the Red Sea!
But
He wants to partner with us. He wants us
to be generous, because ultimately, when
we have a heart to give rather than to hoard,
it actually frees us up from selfishness,
covetousness, greed… and it shifts our focus
from ourselves to others. And again, giving
is not just about money or material possessions.
We
can give of our time, our abilities, simple
service, prayer, encouragement, and the
list goes on. Heart Check.
Where
does your giving fall on the scale of generosity?
Do you give out of freewill, or do you need
to be forced or guilted into it?
Deep
Dive
What
is your view of the glory of God? How is
it still revealed today?
Why
would people die if they were to see God’s
face? How does this relate to our lives
today?
Read
34:6-7. How does this compare to your view
of the “Old Testament God”? Do you see these
characteristics displayed in the more di£icult
passages of the Bible?
How
do you think Moses survived without food
and water for 40 days and nights? What significance
does this hold?
How
does this reading display the importance
of community outreach and involvement?
Heavenly
Father, thank you for being sucha generous
God
I
pray that our hearts will be moved by you
to give where you want us to give. Will
you show us how we can do so and help us
to see how much it blesses your heart. We
don’t give to get, but we know that in being
such a Good Father, you desire to bless
your children. So we continue to trust in
your provision, just the way that Moses
did. We don’t need to force or manipulate
anything, but we simply need to step up
and do the work that you’ve given us the
ability and skill to do. We desire to partner
with you in everything we do.
I
pray that we will be a people who bring
others together in unity, working toward
a common goal. I pray for order and beauty
in our own spaces and places of worship.
We see that everything you did had such
purpose, and so I pray that we will be intentional
in everything we do as well.
Help
us to lead by example and show others what
it means to be a leader. I pray that we
don’t seek out opportunities to shine and
be center stage for ourselves, but that
we just simply walk in obedience to your
will and calling on our lives. We want to
operate in authority but always in humility,
with the heart of a servant, just as you
were Jesus. May we never think we are better
than anyone or feel the need to be an imposter,
hiding our imperfections under a veil. We
know that it is in our weakness where your
strength shines the brightest, so thank
you for those teachable moments where we
can allow you to pick us up again.
Thank
you also for reminding us that being humble,
seeking forgiveness, being kind, showing
grace and mercy, and apologizing are beautiful
things. Rebuke the enemy and his lies that
we are somehow weak if we portray ourselves
in that manner. We know that when we take
on your heart and character, it is actually
armor against what he will try to do or
say against us. Thank you for your divine
protection against those who seek to destroy.
We know that no weapon formed against us
will prosper.
Thank
you for second chances, especially when
our emotions have gotten the best of us,
and we have broken relationships and covenants
because of it.
I
pray for those who are fighting for restoration
and reconciliation in marriages and estranged
relationships—will you come down and let
your glory and goodness be seen. Your name
is still the same—you still bear all mercy
and grace, you’re slow to anger, abounding
in steadfast love and faithfulness. Help
us to be the same.
Forgive
us where we have been sti£-necked
or stubborn, trying to go in our own direction,
completely bucking up against your will.
We may think the grass looks greener on
the other side, but in the end, it’s only
a filter of the enemy when the other side
is without your Presence. I plead that we
find favor in your eyes today, and that
we never walk away from you.
We
are so grateful for the everlasting covenant
that we have in you Jesus.
Exodus
36-38 continues with the construction of
the tabernacle and all of its holy items,
as led by Bezalel.
In
chapter 36, Moses calls Bezalel and Oholiab
along with every willing and able worker
to begin the work on the tabernacle and
its furnishings.
The
Israelites’ freewill o£erings of materials
begins to exceed the need, and they are
restrained from giving more. The curtains
and the framework of the tabernacle are
constructed, along with the veil that shall
separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy
Place.
In
chapter 37, Bezalel constructs the Ark,
the Mercy Seat, the Table and its utensils,
the Lampstand, and the Altar of Incense,
as prescribed by God, using acacia wood
and pure gold.
He
and the perfumer prepare the holy anointing
oil and incense.
In
chapter 38, Bezalel constructs the Altar
of Burnt O£ering, the Bronze Basin,
and the Court, as prescribed by God, using
the finest materials.
The
Bronze Basin was constructed from the mirrors
of the ministering women.
The
construction of the temple items are completed
through the work of Bezalel, Oholiab and
the Levites led by Aaron’s son Ithamar.
Heart
Checks from the video
WILLING
AND ABLE | Ex. 36:1
This
is a pretty straightforward command—if you
have skill, intelligence and know how, you
shall work. Bezalel and Oholiab go down
in history as some of the best workers because
they were both willing and able. Both of
those qualities are needed. It’s like sitting
in the exit row of an aircraft—you must
be at least 15 years old and have the capability
to operate the door. But not only that,
you have to be willing. A lot of us have
the skills and abilities, but we aren’t
willing to do the work that God has called
us to do because it seems too daunting a
task or perhaps it seems like it won’t lead
to where we want it to go. Heart Check.
Are
you willing and able to step up to do work
that the Lord has commanded? If not, what's
holding you back?
SHINING
LIGHT | Ex. 37:17-24
Have
you ever been around those kinds of people
who just light up the room?
If
we have the right heart, these people bring
joy to our lives. But if we are cynical,
bitter, or the envious type, these people
will tend to annoy us—because their light
exposes our darkness within, and that annoyance
is actually our spirit dealing with our
fiesh. We are called by the Light of the
World to be a light in dark places. Heart
Check.
Do
you bring light into a room or do you snuff
out the light that already exists?
MUTED
MIRRORS | Ex. 38:8
Mirrors
in this day were not like today’s mirrors—they
were typically polished brass or bronze,
o£ering a muted refiection.
But
regardless, it’s significant to note that
the women gave up their only measure of
outward beauty for the ability of the priests
to purify themselves before entering the
tabernacle. They placed more value on the
internal than the external. When I think
of these muted mirrors, I think of social
media—how so much value is placed on the
image we portray. We work so hard to display
the highlights of our lives while our internal
state lies in ruins. Or some of us have
profiles that don’t refiect the character
of God. It’s a muted display of His character.
Some
of you are thinking, not me, I hate social
media. So this Heart Check may not be for
you.
But
for the rest of us, Heart Check.
What
does your mirror (social media) reflect?
Does it mute God's character or bring Him
Glory? Would you be willing to give it up
for His purpose?
BLUEPRINT
| Ex. 36-38
In
the end, we see such incredible detail that
was laid out on God’s blueprint. Every intricacy
mattered, and He ensured that it was followed
to a tee.
If
we know that He is a God who cares far more
for His children than material items, imagine
the blueprints of our lives and every single
detail that has been laid out in heaven.
We
are the Bezalels and Oholiabs who have been
appointed to carry out those details as
He penciled them in. When we do, we will
have an unshakeable and indestructible faith.
But
the moment we veer off and get distracted
by other projects, that is where our project
gets delayed and more expensive, and we
wonder why things aren’t happening or why
we feel so defiated at the end of the day.
But when we follow His plan, we are given
divine strength, ability, know-how, wisdom,
that doesn’t make sense. This is what it
means when we pray, “your will be done here
on earth as it is in heaven.” This is our
way of saying, we are your workers, and
we are ready to follow the blueprint you’ve
created in heaven. Heart Check.
Are
you following God's blueprint for your life?
Deep
Dive
How
does the spirit of generosity and skilled
ability come together in today’s church?
What
does the detail, high standard of excellence,
and artistic beauty of the sanctuary say
about God’s character? Do you live out your
life to represent this?
Is
there a sanctuary in your life?
Are
there any items today that would be significant
artifacts for future generations like those
in the tabernacle?
What
were the roles of the ministering women
at the entrance of the tent of meeting?
How was this significant in this day?
Heavenly
Father, what a beautiful bluprint you have
laid out, not only for the tabernacle but
for our lives as well.
Thank
you for every detail that you have so intricately
woven together—I pray that we will rise
to the occasion as willing and able workers
to carry out your will. Forgive us where
we have failed to believe that we were capable
or where we may not have recognized the
skills and abilities you have given us.
Will you continue to reveal those things
to us, and I pray that your Presence will
continue to give us guidance in the construction
of our own lives.
We
know that the best work is done when we
do so as a community—from the beginning,
you never intended for us to do this life
alone. So I pray specifically for those
who may be isolating themselves from fellowship—will
you help them to find their place among
others so that they can be a contributor
to a greater purpose.
We
desire to use our gifts and resources in
service to you. Show us where we can be
best utilized, and I pray that our hearts
will be generous in giving of our time,
talent and treasure. I pray that we will
desire to pour out so much that it will
be more than enough, just as it was here.
Thank
you for your divine guidance in building
up the church. I pray that we will be unified
and always pointing others back to you Jesus.
May we put more emphasis on the heart than
the outward appearance. I pray that our
refiection will be one that is pure and
one that shines your light rather than a
muted image of who you are. Forgive us where
we may have misrepresented you in the way
we present ourselves to the world.
We
see your desire for order, beauty, and excellence.
I pray that we too will desire this in everything
we do so that we represent your work ethic.
There is no good that comes from disorder,
ugliness or laziness. So give us the strength
we need to get it together. I pray that
we treat every aspect of worship with so
much care and with a depth of devotion.
Thank
you that every single offering that we bring
blesses your heart, no matter how big or
small. You know our intentions, and so I
pray that we will see that there is nothing
too little to be used by you. So we are
incredibly grateful to be one of the small
details in your master plan.
Exodus
39-40 records the completion of the construction
of the tabernacle and all of its furnishings.
In
chapter 39, the construction of the tabernacles
of the tent of meeting is completed.
Bezalel
guides the crafting of the holy priestly
garments for Aaron. This includes the ephod
and its robe, the breastpiece, tunics, turban,
undergarments, and the plate for the holy
crown engraved with “Holy to the Lord.”
Each
item is made of the finest linens, metals,
and gems. All of the furnishings are brought
to Moses for inspection, and he declares
the work finished, as commanded by the Lord,
and blesses them.
In
chapter 40, the tabernacle is erected, and
Moses gives directions on the placement
of the furnishings within.
Moses
is commanded to anoint and consecrate the
tabernacle and the holy items, as well as
Aaron and his sons, signifying their permanency
as a priesthood for generations to come.
Moses
does all that the Lord commands, and God’s
glory descends upon the Tent of Meeting
by way of a cloud during the day and fire
by night. This would be their signal of
departure and divine guidance throughout
their journey.
Heart
Checks from the video
HOLY
TO THE LORD | Ex. 39
One
of the most fascinating things to me is
that all of these items that are being declared
“holy to the Lord” are built out of materials
that mostly belonged to the Egyptians at
one point— these were items used in Pagan
practices and worship.
I
love this because it shows us that God can
use and redeem anything for His purpose.
Sometimes
we can bury ourselves so deep in the idea
of holiness that we separate ourselves by
putting up walls of self-righteousness and
start declaring everything as evil or throwing
stones of judgment, even shutting the door
to certain people and look at them with
disgust.
Can
you imagine if Jesus did that to us when
we were living the way we once were? Can
you imagine if He deemed us unusable when
we were lost?
This
is a tough one, because just as the Israelites
were called to be set apart, so are we.
But we need to understand that holiness
does not mean we are somehow better or more
loved than those who are not yet saved.
Holiness should make us more loving and
more kind. We should be the ones who are
treating people better than the world does.
Yet, you will often see that it's the Christians
making fun, spewing hate, or declaring judgment
on people. Heart Check.
Are
you able to see the potential of redemption
in people and things that are currently
unholy to the Lord?
IN
THE DETAILS | Ex. 39
Once
again, we complete a chapter full of intricate
details that seem as though they may not
have any sort of practical application for
us today.
But
when you read through the Father’s eyes,
you will begin to see that everything He
does is by design.
The
creation of the Universe and everything
in it, the complexity of the human mind
and body, the uniqueness of the earth, and
yet He still knows the hairs on our head.
He
knows our name out of billions of people.
He knows every tear that falls. And just
as every thread that went into the garments
mattered, so does every waking moment and
every breath you take. Sometimes we want
to skip over these parts or maybe even skip
over the entire Old Testament because of
“boring reads” like this one (I’m not declaring
it boring but we’ve all heard it said).
And
usually, it’s because we’re so focused on
the end goal, that we miss the details or
we get discouraged. But He repeats the details
over and over for a purpose—so that the
builders won’t miss a single step. Heart
Check.
Can
you see God in the small details of his
word? Or are you only wanting to skip ahead
to the "good stuff"?
PROGRESS
| Ex. 40:1
It’s
been one year since the Israelites left
Egypt, and so much significance is encased
in this one year of following after and
trusting God.
When
they left Egypt, it was exciting—it was
like getting a new car and going on a new
journey. But once that new car smell went
away and the roadblocks hit, they didn’t
want to go any further. Imagine if Moses
would’ve let them turn back when they were
throwing their tantrums, thinking that Egypt
and slavery was better than this—they would’ve
been stuck when God wanted them to move
forward into His promise. And this happens
with so many Christians.
Our
first experience with God is as far as we
ever get because once life gets hard or
we go through a dry spell, we fall off.
And we sort of live in this perpetual one
year journey with him because we’re constantly
looking for that initial excitement that
we once had but yet we never grow past it.
We can be a Christian for 30 years and only
have a toddler spiritual maturity. Heart
Check.
How's
your walk progressing? Have you pressed
beyond the initial one year excitement?
Or are you perpetually seeking that initial
encounter?
IN
THE MIDDLE | Ex. 40:33
There
is so much power in the words “finished
the work.”
If
it weren’t for the finishing of work of
Moses, he may not have received the accolade
in Hebrews as being faithful in all that
he did.
The
Bible is full of faithful servants of God
who finished the work. Noah built the ark,
Nehemiah built the wall, Paul finished the
race, but most importantly, Jesus finished
the work of redemption on the cross. We
all start out with good intentions. In fact,
we have come here with the intention to
finish the Bible in a year.
But
reading every word and checking every box
doesn’t deem the work finished.
Because
remember, the real work is in the details.
It’s the blood, sweat and tears that are
poured out in the process. The real work
happens in the middle, which is right where
we are today. We don’t finish the work until
we take our last breath and the Lord says,
“Well done my good and faithful servant.”
But the question is, will we hear that?
Will we truly finish the work? How do we
know what that work is? Heart Check.
What
has God called you to do in the middle?
THE
CLOUD | Ex. 40
I
love that we get to end this book of dramatic
events with the beautiful glory of God hovering
over His people, protecting them and ready
to guide them. They didn’t have the indwelling
of the Holy Spirit yet, so this was their
way of knowing God's Presence was with them.
They could simply look at the tabernacle
and see His splendor and majesty. Heart
Check.
What
is your cloud? How do you know the Prescence
of God is with you?
Deep
Dive
What
does “Holy to the Lord” mean to you? How
can we apply this to our lives as a royal
priesthood?
How
significant is completion in the Bible,
particularly as it relates to our salvation?
Does
God’s desire for excellence and strict obedience
still hold up in church today?
Are
there still standards that we should be
meeting in worship?
How
can we apply these concepts to our own work
outside of church and worship?
What
still requires anointing and consecration
in today’s worship?
Heavenly
Father, thank you for finishing the greatest
work of all on the cross.
If
it weren’t for you, Jesus, we would all
be stuck somewhere, in constant spiritual
survival mode while living in bondage to
our sin. We are so grateful for the freedom
we have today to worship with abandon.
But
we also see your heart and standard of excellence
and beauty. I pray that we don’t water that
down and may we still bring our best when
you call us into service. Help us to see
the details and the role that we play to
carry them out. If there is anything that
we are not o£ering with a grateful
heart that could be of use for the building
of your kingdom, will you show us? Help
us to see the need and to rise to meet it
where we have the ability to do so.
I
pray that you will continue to grow us in
our prayer life, for we truly desire to
have an intimate relationship with you,
and as with any relationship, that requires
communication. I pray that our words will
be a sweet fragrance to you.
Thank
you Jesus for being the perfect sacrifice,
and I pray that you will show us how we
are able to live out our lives as a living
sacrifice as unto you. We know that we are
anointed by your Holy Spirit so that we
can be a people who are set apart. But that
doesn’t mean we are above anyone. If we
are going to model our lives after you,
Jesus, this means we are here to serve others.
Help us to understand that. Our job is to
love and to leave the judgment to you.
Thank
you for giving us a greater understanding
of your word where we may have never understood
it before. I pray that we will never glance
over the importance of the foundation that
you set in the Old Testament. Give us a
hunger and thirst for it. I pray that we
will read every word with joy, anticipation
and expectation of what you are about to
speak to us as individuals.
Help
us to be diligent in all that we do, but
especially in seeking you, for we know that
you reward those diligently seeking you.
We don’t live for the reward, but we’d be
lying if we said we could care less about
it. May we never deny a good gift that you
so desire to give to us. And I pray that
through our faithfulness, that we will indeed
be able to hear you say one day, “Well done
my good and faithful servant.” So help us
today to see what steps we need to take
to finish the work.
Leviticus
1-4 picks us where Exodus leaves off
at the base of Mt. Sinai. With the tabernacle
now erected, the sacrificial system can
now be implemented.
In
chapter 1, The Lord calls to Moses from
the Tent of Meeting and defines the laws
for the proper presentation of burnt o£erings.
O£erings from the herd must be male
without blemish and brought to the entrance
of the tent for acceptance, where the ritual
of laying of hands on the head takes place
before the animal is killed.
Blood
is thrown by the priests on the sides of
the altar before the animal is prepared
and arranged on the fire where it becomes
a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Offerings
from the fiock follow the same pattern with
the exception of the killing on the north
side of the altar. Bird o£erings shall
be turtle doves or pigeons with the preparation
done by the priest before the altar. The
bird is butterfiied over the fire, becoming
a pleasing aroma to the Lord. These o£erings
would be completely consumed on the altar.
In
chapter 2, the instructions for the grain
o£erings are given including three
di£erent types: baked in the oven,
cooked over a griddle, or cooked in a pan.
They are to be made of fine fiour and without
leaven. A portion of the o£ering is
burned on the fire with frankincense as
a memorial o£ering, and the rest is
given to Aaron and his sons as a food offering.
These o£erings must include salt to
represent God’s covenant but not leaven.
Firstfruit
offerings would include crushed heads
of new grain, with a memorial portion being
burned by the priest with oil and frankincense
and roasted on the fire. The rest would
be a food o£ering.
In
chapter 3, the instructions for the peace
offerings are given. These would be
taken from the herd or fiock, male or female,
and without blemish.
It
is brought to the entrance of the Tent of
Meeting and the ritual of the laying of
hands on the head takes place as well as
the slaying.
The
priests sprinkle the blood on the altar,
and the fat and specific organs are presented
to be burned on the fire as a pleasing aroma
to the Lord. No fat or blood is to be consumed
by the people.
In
chapter 4, the instruction for unintentional
sins is given. If the priest sins unintentionally,
he must o£er a young bull without
blemish as a sin offering, with the
disposal of the offering taking place
outside the camp.
If
the assembly sins unintentionally, they
also must offer a young bull at the
entrance of the Tent of Meeting, following
the same procedures as the priest’s o£ering.
If
a leader unintentionally sins, he must bring
a male goat without blemish as an atonement
for their sin. A common person who unintentionally
sins can either bring a male or female goat
or female lamb without blemish as atonement
for their sin.
Heart
Checks from the video
ACTIVE
PARTICIPATION | Lev. 1:4
Every
person who brought a sacrifice brought it
for themselves alone.
In
fact, the NJKV says “he shall offer
it of his own freewill.” He would lay his
hands to atone for his sins. Everyone has
personal responsibility, just as we are
all responsible for our own salvation. No
one can get us into heaven by praying for
us or accepting Jesus’ payment at the cross.
We have to make that decision on our own.
And no one can grow our relationship with
Christ for us.
Going
to church or coming to Bible study is a
wonderful thing, but it shouldn’t be the
only time you’re spending with the Lord.
The prayers we say here should not be the
only ones you’re praying because there is
a di£erence between corporate prayer
and personal prayer. It’s sort of like the
di£erence between going on a group
date and a personal one. Your relationship
grows the most when you spend time alone
with someone. Heart Check.
Are
you actively participating in your relationship
with Christ? Or are you relying on others
to put in the work for you?
BEFORE
THE LORD | Lev. 1:5
The
term “before the Lord” appears more than
60 times in Leviticus alone, and it simply
means that the sacrifice was to be made
at a specific place in a specific manner,
as laid out by God. There was no shortcutting
or doing it your own way. If we are living
sacrifices, then we are ultimately living
our lives “before the Lord” every second
of our lives. That will make you think twice
about what you do. But does it? Heart Check.
Do
you live your life in constant awareness
of God's Presence? Are you able to put everything
you do (good and bad) before the Lord?
TRUE
SACRIFICE | Lev. 1:5
If
you’re an animal lover, I know reading through
this probably has you either mad, sad, or
just plain disgusted.
You’re
probably even asking why the need for this.
But let’s bring it back—God made it very
clear from the beginning that sin would
separate the people from God, and that wasn’t
enough to keep them from sin. In implementing
this sacrificial system, this shows His
love for us—He does not want to be separated
from His children.
Having
to carry out these sacrifices would sensitize
the people to the seriousness of their sin.
It
would remind them of the holiness of God
and the reverence that is required before
Him. By bringing an animal of great value,
it would prove their sincerity and commitment
to reconcile back to Him. It would cost
something. And thank God, Jesus paid that
price for our forgiveness, but our sacrifice
is still going to cost us something—it’s
going to cost us our own desire to sin,
our selfishness and pride, greed, time,
devotion—and it should, because He is worthy
of it all. When we devote ourselves as a
living sacrifice, we are laying it all down.
Heart Check.
Have
you laid it all down? Are you truly sacrificing
your life for the Lord?
SUNDAY
BEST | Lev. 2:1
This
term fine fiour means it would be free from
impurities and fit for a king. It was to
be taken from the best supply of the worshiper.
This is where we get the term, “Put on your
Sunday best,” because at one time, it was
required to dress up for church.
And
while we know that Jesus accepts us just
as we are, and wardrobe matters none when
it comes to the state of our inner being,
I wonder if we have diluted this idea of
God’s holiness and reverence. Have we lost
sight of bringing the best version of ourselves
to church?
I’m
not talking about a fashion competition
here, but each person presenting themselves
as fit for a king. Think about events and
places you’ve been—proms, weddings, date
nights, even church conferences—we make
a special e£ort to look our best.
We get our nails done, we go to the salon,
we buy a special dress, all for one weekend.
On the fiip side, we can also look at it
as we feel so comfortable before the Lord,
that we can wear sweatpants to his house,
the way we do with our best friends, knowing
that we won’t be judged. What are your thoughts?
Heart Check.
Should
we still be wearing our Sunday best? Have
we diluted the idea of God's holiness? Or
has the idea of His holiness expanded by
His grace?
PEACE
| Lev. 3:1
The
peace offering was not to make peace
with God—the burnt o£ering did that.
But it is to enjoy peace with God. The Hebrew
word for peace means wholeness, completeness,
soundness, and health. Peace is something
we as humans are always longing for. The
further we get from God, the further we
get from peace, so it makes sense that anxiety
is at an all-time high. There is a lack
of peace in society. And nothing can complete
us the way Jesus can. He’s the Prince of
Peace, the perfect peace o£ering.
He’s the only one who can give us fellowship
with God, which is the only way we will
ever be whole, complete, sound and truly
healthy. Heart Check.
What
are you seeking to bring peace and wholeness
to your life? A person? More money? A new
Job?
OUTSIDE
THE CAMP | Lev. 4:21
Taking
the burnt sacrifice outside the camp was
a sign of complete removal from the community—the
memory, the stench, all of it was to be
removed from the camp and disposed of completely.
Sometimes we can “forgive” a sin of another
but we fail to remove it completely from
memory, and still hold people to that when
something jogs our memory. Or we will do
it to ourselves, where we will get something
right only to be dragged backwards when
we catch a whi£ of it again and we
fall prey.
There
may be some things in our lives that need
to be taken outside the camp and completely
disposed of. Heart Check.
Is
there any thing that is still lingering
in your camp that you need to take outside?
What about something someone else has done?
Have you let go from your memory?
Deep
Dive
What parallels or
lessons can you draw from these offerings?
What significance do the
roles of Aaron and his sons play? How does
that translate to modern worship?
What would a “pleasing aroma
to the Lord” look like today?
What might a modern day
“grain offering” be?
Can you see the different
symbolic meanings behind these elements
and offerings?
Heavenly
Father, I pray that we will always approach
you with reverence.
May
we understand the seriousness of sin and
what it does to our relationship with you.
We know that the wages of sin is death,
and while you paid for that Jesus, sin will
still begin to slowly eat away at us if
we do not deal with it. So I pray that you
will do your convicting work today Holy
Spirit so that we can get right before you
as a living sacrifice. We know it will cost
us something, but that pales in comparison
to what it cost you. Thank you for what
you did. We can cry all day over birds and
lambs, so I pray that we understand the
gravity of your sacrifice. You were perfect.
You didn’t have to do it. But you loved
us enough to lay your life down. Thank you
Jesus.
I
pray that we will see and understand what
this all means to us personally and how
we too are called to be obedient. May we
never treat your holiness as something casual.
And may everything we do and say be a sweet
aroma to you. We know you accept us as we
are and that we do not need to work to earn
salvation, but we also recognize that relationships
do take work.
And
the natural response to your grace and mercy
is to desire to honor you in all that we
do. So I pray that we will lay it all down
before the altar—no half-hearted obedience
here. Thank you for making a way for all
of us.
I
pray that everyday when we wake up, we acknowledge
that you have given us another gift of a
day in this life. I pray that we will bring
our own grain o£ering of gratitude,
knowing that every good gift comes from
above. You give us breath, life, food, shelter,
joy, peace, our families, our jobs… it all
comes from you. I pray that every aspect
of our lives will be anointed by the oil
of your Holy Spirit, being o£ered
up in prayer. I pray that we always bring
the best of ourselves, o£ering you
the finest of what we have, putting on our
“Sunday best” and ensuring that it is indeed
fit for a king.
Thank
you for the gift of the covenant—one that
is pure, enduring, full of grace, healing
and the kindness of a friend. I pray that
we will be that for others—that we will
season everything we do with salt. Even
the most mundane of tasks or the ordinary
things in life—I pray we will see them for
the gift that they are.
Thank
you, Jesus, for being our perfect peace
offering. Because of what you’ve done,
we are able to enjoy this life with a sense
of wholeness, completeness, soundness and
true spiritual health.
Wherever
any of us are lacking in any of those areas,
I pray that we will continue to seek you
as the source of our peace and not something
else. We believe in the power of deliverance
from depression, anxiety, worry, loneliness,
and rejection. So I pray that your Holy
Spirit will infiltrate our minds and hearts
today so that we can enjoy every waking
moment with you and as we go throughout
our lives.
Leviticus
5-7 continues with detailed instructions
on sin, guilt, and peace offerings, particularly
pertaining to those given to priests.
In
chapter 5, specific sins that require a
sin offering are spelled out including being
a silent witness, touching an unclean thing,
or making a rash vow. Once the person realizes
they’ve committed this sin, whether intentional
or not, they are to bring the proper sin
offerings for atonement. For those who cannot
a£ord the female lamb or goat may
bring two turtledoves or two pigeons. For
those who cannot a£ord birds may bring
fine fiour as an alternative. Sins committed
against holy items, whether intentional
or not, require a guilt o£ering of
a ram without blemish along with restitution
plus 20 percent.
In
chapter 6, the details of the guilt offerings
continue, beginning with the sin of stealing
through deception, which would require a
sin offering of an unblemished ram,
along with restitution plus 20 percent.
The Lord commands that the fire for burnt
offerings is to continually burn on the
altar and that gives instructions on the
grain offerings which may be eaten
by the priests in the holy place. He also
specifies how the priests shall bring a
grain offering on their day of anointing
and declares the sin offering as law
while outlining how it is to be prepared
and treated as holy.
In
chapter 7, the details for the guilt offerings
continue with the additional step of o£ering
it on the altar for burnt offerings
and that a portion may be eaten by the holy
priests in a holy place. Sin and grain o£erings
would also allot a portion to the priest
who takes it and presents it to the Lord
as atonement. Instructions for peace offerings
are given including the offering of unleavened
and leavened bread. They shall be eaten
on the same day unless it is a vow or freewill
offering, which can be eaten the next
day. Meat that touches anything unclean
may not be eaten, along with the fat and
the blood of any sacrificed animal. Portions
of the offerings are to be allocated to
the priests for their daily provisions and
wages.
Heart
Checks from the video
SINFUL
SILENCE |Lev. 5:1
It’s
easy for us to see that lying is wrong,
but what about when you know something that
is being lied about?
This
is what has been at times called “sinful
silence,” where you may have the opportunity
to make known the truth but you don’t.
Because
remember, not doing something you know you’re
supposed to do is sin. We’re not talking
about gossiping or sharing everyone’s business
to people who don’t need to know—this is
speaking the truth to the ones who are directly
a£ected or when under oath.
In
a sense, we’ve all taken oath when we told
Jesus, “I want to live my life for you,”
because He then told us, “Tell the world
about me.” We have a truth that needs to
be told to a world that is being lied to
by the father of lies. Heart Check.
Are
you telling people about the Truth or you
sitting in sinful silence?
CONFESSION
| Lev. 5:5-6
Notice
the order here—one must confess before they
can bring their guilt offering. Confession
is still a major part of our walk as Christians.
We
don’t confess because we need to let God
know what we’ve done—He already knew we
were going to sin even before we did it.
But confession is for us to free ourselves
from a guilty conscience and condemnation.
When
we confess, it helps us to have the right
view of sin and its consequences, the right
view of God and His holiness and justice,
and the right view of ourselves as humble
servants before Him.
So
confession isn’t just saying, “I’m sorry
for all my sins,” it’s acknowledging what
you have specifically done wrong, and sincerely
seeking forgiveness.
So
confession will sometimes be between you
and God, but if the sin impacts others,
confession may need to be face to face with
them or even public if it impacts a group
or assembly.
And
James 1:5 says that we need to confess so
that we can begin to heal. So if we harbor
our sin, it can manifest itself physically.
Heart Check.
Are
you harboring sin in your life? Is there
something that you need to specifically
confess to?
MAKE
IT RIGHT | Lev. 6:5
Restitution
would need to be paid on the day of realization
which shows the urgency of making things
right before men prior to coming before
God.
Jesus
commands this in Matthew 5:23-24 when he
says to go make things right with your brother
before you bring your gift to the altar.
This shows how much he cares about our relationships
with people. Heart Check.
Is
there anyone you need to make things right
with so that you can worship without a quilty
conscience?
IGNITING
FIRES | Lev. 6:12-13
While
we are no longer held to these rituals,
most of us are still doing all the things
to keep our fire burning.
We
recognize the need for continual communion
and Holy Spirit empowerment. And this is
why the enemy will come and try to snuff
out your light. He doesn’t want the world
to see Jesus.
He
wants them to remain in the dark. So all
the more, we need to be igniting fires through
prayer, through encouragement, or through
love, which is our greatest fuel. But the
degree to which we have enough fuel to offer
will be the degree to which we are fueling
up ourselves in personal fellowship with
God. Heart Check.
How's
your fuel supply? Are you igniting fires
for Christ?
BROKEN
VESSELS | Lev. 6:28
The
earthenware vessel was porous and would
therefore need to be broken due to the broth
being able to permeate the clay.
So
in breaking it, that unholiness would no
longer be able to continue through that
vessel.
The
Bible says that we are earthen vessels (2
Cor. 4:7), and when there is sin in our
lives, it permeates to the deepest part
of our souls and needs to be dealt with.
If there isn’t a brokenness that occurs
when we “confess” or “repent,” the validity
of that repentance may need to be questioned.
A
lot of people will “repent” only when they
get caught. But when we truly repent, we
are vowing to never allow that unholiness
to work through this vessel any longer.
A brokenness has to happen for the Lord
to begin to restore us. Heart Check.
Has
your vessel been broken? Or are you needing
to deal a shattering blow to something in
your life?
Deep
Dive
What
is your view on the nature of sin, God’s
holiness, and the need for confession?
What
might be considered an “unclean thing” that
we could possibly touch today?
How
can we protect ourselves from “unconscious
sin”?
What
does the continual fire represent in our
lives today?
How
does the idea of spiritual cleanliness translate
to our spiritual walk?
Heavenly
Father, thank you that though we fall short,
you always provide a way for forgiveness
and redemption.
When
we decided to live our lives for you, Jesus,
many of us committed to being better in
so many ways. Forgive us where we have failed
to keep our word. Forgive us for being silent
witnesses. I pray that you will give us
the boldness and courage to speak out the
truth in the middle of the lie. So many
are seeking happiness in this world and
are failing to realize that it will never
truly be found on this side of heaven without
you.
Forgive
us for watering down the need for confession—
I pray that we will have the right view
of it today, recognizing how this is our
ticket to true freedom from condemnation
and guilt. This is a part of your gift that
you have given to us by grace. So I pray
that you will help us to realize our guilt
and specifically, sincerely, and realistically
acknowledge our sin and confess today. We
want to be on your side against ourselves.
We want you to expose the dark corners so
that we can be full of light. We don’t want
to be held down by a guilty conscience.
So have your way within us.
I
pray that we will also have a right view
of your holiness and the necessity of our
humility before you. Sometimes we can get
more caught up in our authority in you that
we fail to remember the need to be humble
first and foremost. When we get this, we
know that’s when true repentance will take
place as we turn from sin and strive toward
you.
We
know that saying the salvation prayer is
not the magic ticket, but a true repentant
and faithful heart is. So may we never make
it about ritual or religion but always about
relationship with you so that when the day
comes, when we are standing before you,
we will hear you say, “I know that one.”
Thank
you for making a way for us to be forgiven
and reconciled back to the Father. I pray
that we never take this for granted. Each
day, when new mercies are available, I pray
that we will never waste the opportunity
to have a fresh start, a fresh conversation,
a new day of fellowship. May our relationship
with you never stale or be treated as a
leftover.
May
everything we bring to you as an o£ering
be done with humility, purity, and with
sincere gratitude. Show us where we can
o£er our own time to serve, where
our talent can be useful, or even where
our monetary giving should be given so that
we can have a hand in your provision for
those who minister to us. We thank you for
our spiritual leaders who bear the heavy
burden and responsibility to lead your people.
What a gift they are to us, and I pray that
you will fill them afresh today. Protect
them from the destructive plans of the enemy.
Bless their families and may there be a
hedge of protection around them. I pray
they will know how much they are loved and
appreciated for all that they do to pour
into our lives.
May
we never take it for granted or expect more
from them than we are willing to give of
ourselves.
Thank
you for caring enough for us to give us
detailed instructions on how to live.
Leviticus
8-9 accounts for the ordination of Aaron
and his sons as priests.
In
chapter 8, Aaron and his sons are consecrated
at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting before
the assembly. Moses washes and dresses them
with the priestly garments before anointing
the tabernacle and all of its holy items.
A sin, burnt and ordination offering is
presented according to their directives,
and the priests are commanded to remain
in the tent for the remainder of the 7-day
ordination period.
In
chapter 9, on the eighth day, Moses commands
Aaron to make a sin and burnt offering before
the Lord as an atonement. They are commanded
to call for sin, burnt, peace and grain
o£erings from the people to present
before the Lord. After the offerings are
presented, Aaron and Moses bless the people,
and God’s glory appears as fire consumes
the burnt o£erings. The people respond
in a shout for joy before falling to their
faces in reverence.
In
chapter 10, Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu
are killed by the Lord’s fire when they
offer unauthorized fire before the Lord.
The Lord declares His glory before the people
and Aaron holds his peace. Moses calls Aaron’s
cousins to carry the bodies outside the
camp and warns Aaron and his surviving sons
not to mourn their deaths and not to leave
the Tent of Meeting. A permanent statute
is given to the priests not to drink alcohol
when ministering, and they are called to
discern what is unholy and unclean and to
teach the people all that the Lord has spoken.
Moses commands them to partake of the grain
o£ering in the holy place and rebukes
them for not carrying out the sin o£ering
on behalf of the people.
Heart
Checks from the video
PREPARATION
| Lev. 8:1-6
Just
like any of us who are going to a big event,
we all get ready. We take a shower, we get
dressed, maybe put on makeup— and God is
the same way.
He
prepares us before He presents us.
Moses
was prepared for 80 years-- both as a prince
of Egypt and as a shepherd—before leading
God’s people into the Promised Land. Joseph
was prepared for decades before saving his
family. Jesus was prepared for 30 years
before He began ministering. The greatest
of people don’t just pop out of nowhere—there
is always a season of preparation. And these
seasons are usually the toughest ones to
get through. You put in hard work. You go
through trials. It seems like it lasts forever.
Your
spirit may even feel dry at times.
But
hang in there—because God is preparing you
for something greater. Heart Check.
Are
you in a season of preparation? Can you
see how God is preparing you for something
greater?
ROBED
| Lev. 8:7
The
second step of preparation was to put on
the robe. Each day, after washing up, we
choose an outfit to wear.
Spiritually,
we wash ourselves with the Word, but we
still need to put on our Jesus when we shut
the book. We can read all day, but if we
are failing to wear the Word throughout
the day, then we are completely missing
the mark.
Each
day, you may need to pick a different outfit—some
days you may need a little more patience,
you may need to choose to put on joy when
you’re feeling like you’re in the dumps,
you may need to grab the robe of righteousness
when the enemy is trying to remind you that
you aren’t good enough, you may need the
jacket of gentleness when you’re on edge,
or perhaps a sweater of self-control when
you running around frantic and need to slow
down. Heart Check.
What
robe do you need to put on today?
ANOINTED
FOR SERVICE | Lev. 8:12
This
is the “big moment” of the whole ceremony—that
moment of anointing. They will o£icially
receive the power to go out and…. SERVE.
Wait, what? All of this preparation and
you’re saying we have to serve people? If
we truly want to live like Jesus, who came
to serve and not be served, then yes. The
world is growing up with a different mentality
nowadays.
It
used to be that when kids were asked what
they wanted to be when they grew up, the
answers were things like doctor, teacher,
policeman—all noble professions that served
people.
Today—it’s
an infiuencer, YouTuber, celebrity. And
while they can indeed be lucrative careers
and you can legitimately make a living doing
it, the idea stems from what it looks like
on the outside. Traveling in private jets
all over the world, getting free stu£,
and striking brand deals looks like the
best life to live. But you know why only
1% of those striving to make it to the top
actually do? Because it takes a lot of work
to get there. There are dues of service
to pay.
And
it's the ones who remain consistent in that
who end up reaping the rewards. But 99%
will fall off once they realize it ain’t
that easy to get to the point of being served.
Heart Check.
How
much of the work that you're doing is work
to serve others?
CONSECRATION
| Lev. 8:30
Remember,
the word consecrated means to “fill the
hands.”
But
didn’t we just read about not coming before
the Lord with empty hands? What a juxtaposition!
Not
really—you see, we come to the Lord with
our hands filled, but we empty it out at
the altar as an offering or a sacrifice.
We lay it all laid so that He can then fill
our hands with what we need to be able to
do the work. We bring our best, He gives
better. We bring willingness, He gives instruction.
We bring our worries,
He
gives peace. We bring sadness, He gives
joy. We bring sickness, He gives healing,
We bring brokenness, He gives restoration.
We bring ashes, He gives beauty. Heart Check.
Have
you put down what is in your hands? What
are you going to allow Him to fill them
with today?
DAILY
GLORY | Lev. 9:6
Notice
what is required for God’s glory to appear—obedience.
It reminds me of the times my parents used
to tell me that if I wanted dessert, I needed
to eat my peas and carrots first.
I
was not allowed to leave the table until
every morsel was o£ my plate. I would
choke them down just so I could have a bite
of sweetness at the end of my meal. We all
crave the sweetness of God’s glory. But
He’s telling us that it will show up when
we eat what is put before us first. We have
to finish our peas and carrots. We need
to listen to what He has already spoken
before He rewards us with something greater.
It’s
in the daily obedience and igniting of fires
that we will begin to see glimpses of His
glory revealed. Heart Check.
How
have you seen God's glory revealed in your
daily obedience? Are you simply looking
for fire rather than igniting it?
BE
A BLESSING | Lev. 9:22-23
The
people received a double blessing, but that
blessing would’ve never been given if there
hadn’t been a cleansing first.
The
priests cleansed themselves before they
blessed the people, and the people cleansed
themselves before they could receive the
blessing. And the whole purpose of this
blessing was so that they could then turn
around to be a blessing to others. Heart
Check.
Have
you been blessed? Are you blessing others
in return?
Deep
Dive
Why
were priests needed in Israel? What purpose
did they serve?
Why
do you think it was important for the ordination
of the priests to be a public event?
Can
you see the significance in each of the
consecration details today?
How
significant is the 8th day both here and
throughout the Bible? How is it significant
today?
How
is the glory of God manifested today? How
can we experience it?
What
are some strange fires that may be offered
today?
Heavenly
Father, thank you for reminding us today
of the seriousness of total obedience.
Forgive
us where we have treated your holiness or
commands with disrespect or even acting
out in complete rebellion. Forgive us if
we have ever tried to steal glory from you.
And thank you for the grace and mercy that
you have continued to show us—the fact that
we are still breathing means that we are
still usable by you as a living vessel.
So I pray that we will be hyper aware of
your commands from this day forward, so
that we do not miss a step, and we are able
to see your glory revealed.
I
pray for those who may be coming out of
a moment of failure—will you help them to
remain steadfast in the faith and to not
be discouraged by their own shortcomings
or anyone else’s. Help us all to be steadfast
in what you’ve called us to do on the daily.
I pray that we aren’t looking for fire but
that we are igniting it through our obedience.
If
there is any sin that may be hindering us
from being used to our fullest potential,
I pray that we will deal with it today and
place it at the altar. Thank you Jesus for
your atoning sacrifice. Help us to fully
repent and walk away from what may be holding
us captive.
We
know that we are all being prepared for
something greater, so I pray that we will
follow every step that we need to take in
order to ensure that we are true representatives
of the royal priesthood. And when we receive
the blessing, I pray that we will turn around
and be a blessing to others. May we wash
every single day by the water of your Word
and choose the right outfit that is needed
for each day. I pray for discernment to
distinguish between holy and unholy, clean
and unclean. We thank you for anointing
and cleansing our ears, hands and feet,
so that we can hear your voice, serve others,
and walk in accordance to your will. I pray
that whatever we bring to the altar will
be laid out before you so that you can fill
our hands with your goodness.
Thank
you for the gift of communion and for your
mercies that are new everyday. I pray that
we approach each day with a fresh perspective
and a newness of heart so that we can sustain
and continue to grow our relationship with
you. Thank you for even wanting to spend
time with us. We are so grateful for the
8th day of new beginnings. I pray that we
treat every day as such.
Leviticus
11-13 outlines laws regarding purity including
dietary laws, laws surrounding childbirth
and ritual purity, and guidance on personal
hygiene.
In
chapter 11, the Lord instructs which animals
are considered clean or deemed unclean for
the Israelites’ diet. Clean animals include
those that chew the cud with a divided hoof
including cows and sheep, sea creatures
with both fins and scales, any bird not
listed, and winged insects that have jointed
legs such as grasshoppers or locusts. All
other animals are considered unclean and
detestable, and touching their carcasses
would deem the Israelites temporarily defiled,
warranting a special cleansing. God commands
them to consecrate themselves, to remain
holy, and to distinguish between clean and
unclean creatures.
In
chapter 12, the Lord declares that any woman
who gives birth to a male child will be
declared unclean for seven days. On the
eighth day, the child is to be circumcised,
and she is to remain separated from the
sanctuary for 33 additional days. If she
has a female child, she is declared unclean
for 14 days and must remain separated for
66 additional days. Once she has completed
her time of purification, she is to bring
a sin offering to the priest so he
can make atonement for her and declare her
clean.
In
chapter 13, the Lord declares that if anyone
develops a rash, sore, boil, burn, or any
other skin or hair disease, they shall be
examined by the priest, who will determine
whether the skin is leprous. Those with
leprosy are considered unclean. But if the
skin does not appear leprous, they are to
be quarantined for seven days and checked
every seven days until the skin is clear.
Once declared clean, they are to wash their
clothes. Anyone declared to have leprosy
is instructed to wear torn clothes, let
their hair hang loose, men to grow mustaches,
and they shall cry out “Unclean, unclean,”
for the duration of the disease. Priests
are also to determine if garments are laden
with mildew and deal with them accordingly
including burning them if the mildew is
spreading or washing them to once again
be re-examined for potential cleanliness.
Heart
Checks from the video
CHEWING
THE CUD | Lev. 11:1-8
The
cleanliness of these animals was determined
by both how they walked and what they ate.
Animals
that chew the cud and have a divided hoof
were considered clean. As Christians, these
should be distinguishing factors within
us as well. There are many good people in
the world who are kind, merciful, gracious,
and even righteous, but they don’t “chew
the cud,” meaning they aren’t in the Word
or they simply don’t believe in it.
Then
there are those who do believe in what the
Word says, yet they continue to walk without
the dividing line between themselves and
the world. And if you know anything about
chewing the cud, animals like cows cannot
properly digest food when they initially
swallow it.
So
it comes back up in small lumps through
the esophagus, and they will chew that partly-digested
food over and over again before they finally
swallow it. So when considering our spiritual
diet, we aren’t just to simply read the
word and consider it digested. We take it
in, chew on it slowly, allow it to sit for
a bit, chew on it again, until it is able
to properly nourish us. That’s what we’re
doing here. Heart Check.
Are
you chewing the cud? Are you meditating
on the word and really chewing on it?
DISTINCT
MARKS | Lev. 11
In
the end, these laws or restrictions seem
to be so meticulous, and while they can
serve a practical purpose for good health
or hygiene, their main purpose is to distinguish
the Israelites from the rest of the surrounding
nations.
They
would also remind the people to maintain
their holiness before a holy God.
We
too are called to live differently and to
have distinct markers of holiness. We live
in the world, but we are not to be of it.
Heart Check.
Is
your life marked as set apart of different
from the world?
CHURCH
PURITY | Lev. 13:45-467
While
I can understand the heart of God behind
these declarations and separations, we know
that lepers, while at no fault of their
own, were seen as detestable.
Declaring
themselves unclean would send people to
the other side of the street and they would
have to live as outcasts.
We
can sometimes experience this in churches—this
is what has become known as “church hurt,”
where people will look at our skin or our
infection and treat us as if we don’t deserve
a chance for restoration. If you’ve experienced
that, my heart cries out for you.
My
prayer is that you will be healed and protected
from thinking that all fellowship will look
that way. But on the flip side, we can all
take part in this restoration of the image
of the church. It’s been tainted by failure
in leadership, by media attacks, by a clear
assault of the enemy. Heart Check.
What
are you doing to help build or maintain
the purity of the church? Are you building
it up or continuing to help the enemy tear
it down?
Deep
Dive
Are
dietary restrictions still beneficial in
the spiritual life?
Are
you mindful of the food you consume?
In
what ways are we called to be clean or unclean
as Christians?
Why
was the ritual for a female child doubled?
How does this refiect the viewpoints of
gender during this time?
With
what was being done in the name of public
health, do you believe this promoted cohesion
or division in communities? Do you see a
correlation today?
How
significant is purity or cleanliness in
your spiritual walk?
Heavenly
Father, you are holy and deserving of pure
obedience and worship.
Forgive
us for tainting that. While we all sin simply
because we are born sinners, you have given
us the chance to be made clean. Thank you
for that. I pray that we will continually
and diligently work to keep our lives pure
and holy, set apart for your purposes.
We
know that things like diet and hygiene are
not to be our focus but instead an inward
purity and cleanliness. Help us to see your
purpose behind the meticulous laws and the
function they served, not only practically
but spiritually as well. We know that everything
you command is for our good and protection.
I pray that you will continue to show us
what we can do in our own personal journeys
with you to maintain that.
Thank
you for your Word. I pray that we will take
the time to chew on it, digest a little,
chew on it again, and allow it to nourish
our souls. I pray that we will not binge
for the sake of being able to take it all
in like a bu£et in one sitting. But
may we treat it like a fine dining meal,
savoring every fiavor that you put on our
plate.
I
pray that we walk with a divided hoof, living
in this world but not of it. We won’t hold
ourselves higher than others in pride, but
we will keep our standards high and holy
unto you. May our feet follow after that
path that you are lighting. And in doing
so, I pray that it will mark us distinct.
As
the world continues to blur the lines between
moral and immoral, clean and clean, give
us greater discernment to be able to distinguish
between the two. We want to be holy because
you are holy. We want to follow after you
always, knowing what you have pulled us
from. We don’t want to go back but always
forward toward your glory. While the lives
we live may seem insignificant in such a
vast expanse, we know that we are a part
of a larger tapestry that you have so beautifully
designed. So I pray that we will take our
place in that with confidence and never
shrink back.
Thank
you for caring for our physical, emotional
and spiritual health. I pray that we seek
every opportunity to be good stewards of
our bodies, but more importantly, I pray
that we will always look for ways to rejuvenate
and renew our minds and spirits.
If
anyone is dealing with a sin that is lurking
underneath the surface and about to erupt,
I pray that you will give them the strength
to overcome. Where sin has spread out of
control, help those to grab hold of your
hand so that they can be pulled from the
place that wants to take them under, and
will you render a healing touch so they
can begin to be restored.
Above
all, thank you for helping us to see the
divine wisdom behind all that you do. What
a profound message of your grace and compassion
we see today, knowing that you love us from
before we are even born, all the way to
our last breath.
Leviticus
14-15 outlines the laws for cleansing leprosy
and dealing with bodily fiuids.
In
chapter 14, God gives instructions on the
cleansing and purification following leprosy.
The
priest is to examine the person outside
the camp and carry out a cleansing ritual
if they are declared to be healed. Two birds
would be taken, one killed over fresh water,
and the other dipped in its blood and set
free. The person would be sprinkled seven
times with the blood and declared clean
before shaving their hair, washing their
body and clothes and repeating it again
in seven days.
On
the 8th day, o£erings are to be made
by both the person and the priest for their
atonement. Similar laws for homes that have
been contaminated by mildew are also set
in place.
In
chapter 15, God provides the regulations
surrounding bodily fiuids.
A
man who has an abnormal fiow of discharge
is declared unclean. Anyone who comes into
contact with him, his spit, or anything
he has touched is also declared unclean
for the day and they need to properly cleanse
themselves. Once the discharge has stopped,
the man is to wait seven days before bringing
an o£ering to God for atonement.
God
establishes the law regarding semen emissions
and menstruation and the process for purification.
A woman completes the purification process
by offering two turtledoves or pigeons for
atonement. The main purpose of these laws
are to maintain the purity of the tabernacle.
Heart
Checks from the video
SHAVE
IT DOWN | Lev. 14:8
The
process of washing and shaving would be
repeated twice after seven days, marking
the completion of the cleansing process.
The
shaving held both practical and spiritual
purposes—it would not only descale them
of any residual disease on the skin, but
it would also give them the appearance of
being “reborn.”
So
for us, this can imply the moment of our
rebirth and the need to repeat the process
of washing over and over again. Because
when we are first saved, there is such a
purity and sincerity in our desire to know
Christ. But over time, as we mature, that
newness can sometimes wear o£, and
we can think that our maturity gives us
the right to now go around and scold everyone.
But
to me, I see a picture of a toddler when
they just begin to talk and they mimic their
parents as they teach their stu£ed
animals. It’s cute but ine£ective
and a false sense of maturity. So we have
to constantly shave that o£ so that
we can always remain hungry and eager for
His Word and wisdom. When we do that, the
simplest of scripture will begin to take
on new life every time we read it. Heart Check.
Are
you still eager and hungry for the Word?
Or have you developed a false sense of spirituality
that needs to be shaved down?
BLOOD
& OIL | Lev. 14:15-18
Notice
that the blood needed to be applied before
the oil.
The
implication here is that the Holy Spirit
cannot be applied to an area that has not
been touched by the blood.
If
we are seeking to be empowered by the Holy
Spirit, there needs to be a cleansing from
sin that needs to take place first.
There
are a lot of people seeking to be filled
when the Lord is saying, I need you to empty
yourself out first because there’s no room
for me to dwell. Heart Check.
Are
you seeking anointing before emptying yourself
out? What areas of your life need to be
touched by the blood first?
LIVING
STONES | Lev. 14:33-42
While
this section is speaking practically about
clearing out mildew or mold from a home,
there are so many spiritual lessons to be
learned here.
We
already know that one stone of sin will
not only affect our entire being, but it
will also a£ect our entire household,
and this is why those stones need to be
removed and tossed outside our camp.
But
we are also likened to living stones of
a spiritual house—we are the bricks of the
church, and we are responsible for the health
of it. So if we see a stone that is sick
or leprous, there are Biblical ways to deal
with it, and that does not include gossiping,
judging, or tearing it down.
We
are to deal with those people directly,
privately and with grace. When we properly
clean the house, it’s inviting for others
to enter. But if we’re just sweeping things
under the rug, eventually that dirt is only
going to accumulate more dirt, and eventually
there will be a hot mess to clean up. Heart
Check.
Is
there a stone in your life that you need
to deal with, either privately of corporately?
HONORABLE
SEXUALITY | Lev. 15:16-18
This
is not a condemnation of sex.
We
have to remember that God created sex for
marriage as a wonderful thing. Not only
that, its purpose would serve to preserve
the race and the covenant that God made
with His people.But just like any good gift,
even sex can and is often tainted. My view
of sex was so warped because of the things
that I saw and experienced growing up.
And
because this is one of the strongest carnal
urges we have as human beings, we will often
separate from our spirituality as if it
is something we can hide from God. But remember,
He designed us. He created this, and it
is intertwined with our spirit. So our sexuality
is a major factor in our spiritual walk.
Heart Check.
Does
your sexuality honor or dishonor God?
CONTINUAL
CLEANSING | Lev. 15
Aren’t
you so glad that we don’t have to be consumed
by these rituals and regulations?
Jesus
actually criticized the Pharisees who overemphasized
ceremonial cleanliness. But where we have
to be careful is not swinging so far to
the other side, where we think that because
we have been shown grace in the midst of
our uncleanness, or because we have been
told that He will forgive every sin, that
we can now live so freely that we live loosely
and pay no mind to the purity of our hearts.
Prior
to the 1800s, doctors would perform autopsies
and then work on patients shortly after—and
they were finding that there was an alarming
rate of deaths among their patients.
What
they later found is that these doctors were
actually the ones spreading the disease
from the deceased to the patients because
they weren’t washing up in between procedures.
This is why we see strict sterilization
practices in the medical field today. Because
they know that continual cleansing is necessary.
Heart Check.
Have
you taken a spiritual shower lately? Are
you continually looking for the areas that
need to be cleansed?
Deep
Dive
How
is dealing with physical impurity related
to our dealing with spiritual impurity?
Which
appears to be more seriously taken in society?
Can
you see the role of the High Priest in your
life through Christ?
What
does God’s provision for the poor say about
His character?
How
can these ancient laws be applied in modern
day regarding cleanliness and health?
Do
you see a correlation between sexuality
and spirituality?
Heavenly
Father, thank you for your commitment to
our restoration and purification.
We
are so grateful that no matter how badly
we have been infected, you make a way to
find us in our isolation and heal us from
within. It doesn’t matter how rich or poor
we are, you make a way for us. Thank you
for that compassion that is so evident in
this reading.
We
are so grateful that you have healed us
and pulled us out of the things that were
literally killing us. I pray that you will
continually wash us by your blood—everything
we hear, everything we do, and every place
we go—I pray that it will be covered. For
we know that before we can walk in our anointing,
your blood must have touched it first.
And
as we continue to seek you, I pray that
you will expose what might be lurking underneath
so that we can properly deal with it. May
we never become so desensitized to the scales
that still remain. I pray that we always
remain in a newborn state of humility so
that we are always hungering after your
word as if it is the first time we are hearing
it.
Thank
you for being a God of second, third, and
fourth chances. Thank you for the new opportunities
each and every day to renew our minds and
spirits. I pray that we will be constantly
aware of any stone that is out of place
or any mold that begins to fester so that
we can ensure that our foundation does not
crumble or need to be condemned. May we
always keep our homes as a clean dwelling
place for you.
I
pray that we also keep our bodies holy and
submitted to you, always recognizing that
they are a gift that you have designed to
house our spirit and soul while we are here
on earth. We cannot separate our sexuality
from our spirituality, for it is all a part
of your grand design. Help us not to warp
the idea of sex and what you created it
for. I pray that our sexuality will be honoring
to you as we see it for what it is.
Where
there has been defilement, we ask for forgiveness
and for a restoration of our bodies and
the way we view them. Help us to steward
the gift of sex and our bodies well. I pray
for healing among those who have experienced
any kind of disease related to it—we declare
a supernatural healing and freedom from
them.
Leviticus
16-18 establishes the guidelines for the
Day of Atonement, the place of worship,
and how to live a life of purity and holiness.
In
chapter 16, the Lord establishes the Day
of Atonement to take place on the tenth
day of the seventh month each year. The
Lord tells Moses that Aaron shall not enter
into the Most Holy Place without first donning
holy garments and bringing a bull and ram
for himself and two male goats and a ram
from the congregation for sin and burnt
o£erings.
Two
lots will be cast over the two goats, and
the one that the lot falls on will be o£ered
as a sin offering and the other set free
after being presented for atonement. Aaron
is to sprinkle the blood on and around the
mercy seat and on the altar as atonement.
He is to lay his hands on the head of the
live scapegoat and confess all the sins
of the people before sending it away into
the wilderness. Before leaving the tent,
he is to bathe and leave the holy garments.
The sin offerings are to be carried outside
the camp and burned. This day is to be observed
every year throughout the generations and
treated as a Sabbath day of solemn rest.
In
chapter 17, the Lord commands that any man
who kills an animal for sacrifice and does
not bring it to the Tent of Meeting, will
incur the guilt of the blood that was shed
and be cut off from the people. The Lord
declares that life is in the blood and therefore
shall not be eaten and must be properly
drained and covered. Anyone who does not
adhere to this will be cut off. When an
animal dies naturally and is eaten, that
person is declared unclean for the day and
must wash to purify themselves.
In
chapter 18, the Lord commands the Israelites
not to live as the Canaanites do but rather
live and walk by His commands and statutes.
He lists several detestable activities including
incest or relations with family members
by marriage, adultery, child sacrifice,
homosexuality, and beastiality. The Lord
warns that those who practice these things
will be cut off from their people.
Heart
Checks from the video
UTMOST
CARE | Lev. 16:1-5
God
is reminding Aaron that approaching His
presence must be done with the utmost care,
and not the way that his sons did. This
got me thinking about how casually we treat
the Presence of God. Jesus has freed us
from rituals and legalism, but that was
never intended to free us from the way we
treat His holiness with reverence. This
morning when I remembered this, I bowed
my head and just wept, asking for forgiveness.
He hasn’t changed. Yes, Jesus gave us access
to the Father, where can come boldly into
the throne room of grace, and He will not
deny us, nor will He strike us down. But
it’s kind of like a friend introducing you
to their parents. Just because they have
opened the door to meet them doesn’t mean
you get to start ordering them around. No,
we treat them with the utmost respect. And
I believe that we can experience more of
the fullness of His Presence when we get
this and understand what it means to truly
fear and revere Him. I guarantee that on
the day that we are standing before Him,
we will all fall to our knees. But why wait
until only that day?
Why
not experience Him in His fullness now?
Heart Check.
How
do you treat His holiness? Do you approach
Him with the utmost care in your heart?
SCAPEGOAT
| Lev. 16:20-22
The
goat that is set free into the wilderness
is where we get the term “scapegoat.” For
us, we look at it in terms of conveniently
placing the blame on someone else who is
likely innocent in the matter. This must’ve
been such a day of relief to watch all their
sins being transferred to this goat. But
it was temporary—they would need to do this
every year. And while Jesus atones for and
forgives all our sin, He isn’t a temporary
scapegoat! We don’t get to just set it and
forget it, thinking we have another goat
full of grace on the way. Or like He’s our
personal dishwasher, so we get to just dirty
the clean plates whenever we want. We need
to deal with that sin, meaning get rid of
it. That was the whole point—the sin was
to be taken into the wilderness, never to
return. Heart Check.
Are
you scapegoating your sins? Or are you fully
dealing with it at the altar so that it
never returns?
Deep
Dive
What
does the Day of Atonement say about the
gravity of sin?
How
do we continually purify ourselves today?
How
does sin a£ect the e£ectiveness
of ministry?
Does
the place of worship matter today?
How
do you view the sanctity of life and the
essence of it being in the blood?
Do
you believe the practices in chapter 18
are still detestable in the eyes of God?
How do you reconcile this with how society
views them?
Heavenly
Father, thank you for another chance to
view your holiness on a deeper level.
Forgive
us where we have not understood this in
the past. Forgive us for the times we may
have approached you so carelessly. We are
so thankful that because of what Jesus did,
we have unhindered access to you, but we
know that your holiness has not changed,
so that does not give us the freedom to
disregard it. Just as we love our parents
here on earth yet still respect and honor
them, even more so shall we be with you.
Because we have the gift of freedom and
friendship with you, we forget that you
are still God, most holy and magnificent,
full of wonder and glory, and worthy of
all honor and praise. I pray that we have
a greater understanding of this so that
we will come back to revering you the way
we should. This isn’t an act of legalism
but of holy fear.
Thank
you, Jesus, for the payment you made once
and for all for all our sin. I pray that
we don’t look at that payment as a clean
plate that we get too dirty whenever we
want because we have a dishwasher at our
disposal. But may we understand the gravity
of sin, and that the wages of it is death.
You died!! And every time we blatantly sin,
it’s as if we are crucifying you all over
again. Oh Lord, forgive us. Give us strength
to resist and walk away in the face of temptation.
I pray that you will keep us from crossing
the line or missing the mark, intentionally
or not. But thank you for your grace and
forgiveness that you have lovingly given
to us, separating us from our sin, as far
as the east is from the west. While that
scapegoat is a picture of what you’ve done,
I pray we never take advantage of it.
Thank
you for helping us to understand that sanctity
of life that is in the blood. Thank you
Jesus for pouring yours out so that we could
have eternal life.
While
you have given us the freedom to worship
anywhere, I pray that you will speak to
each of us individually about what that
looks like in our lives. We don’t want to
live by feelings or by following our heart—we
want to follow after you and what you desire
for our lives. Even though we are not held
to legalistic rituals anymore, we still
have directives through your Holy Spirit,
so please don’t allow us to ignore that.
Thank
you for every boundary you have ever placed
in our midst. I pray that we understand
that it is always for our protection and
not to suppress us. We know that you know
us far better than we know ourselves and
you know the implications and consequences
that these things bring, both personally
and societally. I pray that we can be strong
in our convictions of knowing what your
truth says. But I also pray that we will
not be unloving toward anyone who may practice
these things. We are not the judge of them
or anyone else. We are never called to cast
stones, and we have our own planks that
need to be dealt with in our eyes, so we
don’t even have the time to be worried about
other people’s splinters. But keep us accountable
to your commands, for they are righteous
and holy, just as you are. And because of
this, we desire to be the same.
Leviticus
19-21 continues the call to holiness and
outlines the punishment that would be incurred
following disobedience. Requirements for
priestly service are also laid out.
In
chapter 19, God provides guidelines and
laws for holy living and personal conduct.
He commands the Israelites to honor their
parents, observe the Sabbath, and avoid
idolatry.
He
gives instructions on peace offerings and
commands gleanings to be left for the poor
and the sojourner. He warns against stealing,
unfairness, lying, using His name in vain,
and unfair treatment of neighbors, workers
and those who are less fortunate. He also
warns against injustice, slander, hatred,
vengeance, and bearing grudges, while introducing
the commandment to love your neighbor as
yourself. He forbids crossbreeding and mixing
of livestock, agriculture and domestic materials
and provides instructions on the planting
of fruit trees. He prohibits the eating
of blood, divination, sorcery, consulting
mediums, rounding off beards, tattoos, and
prostitution.
He
commands reverence for those who are older
and love and fair treatment of foreigners.
This chapter ends by highlighting fair business
practices and a reminder about the necessity
of obedience.
In
chapter 20, the Lord outlines the punishment
for disobedience including stoning and rejection
by God for those who practice child sacrifice,
the cutting off those who consult mediums
or spiritists, and death to those who curse
their parents.
He
calls for consecration and obedience in
the name of His holiness. For those who
commit any acts of sexual immorality including
adultery, incest, or homosexuality would
be put to death. God warns against following
the practices of those living in the Promised
Land they will soon inherit, and He emphasizes
their call to holiness and purity.
In
chapter 21, the Lord gives commands to avoid
defilement to the priests.
They
are not to take part in mourning rites except
for their close family, nor are they to
shave their heads or beards or make cuts
on their bodies as others do, and they are
to maintain holiness before God. Priests
are not allowed to marry divorced women
or prostitutes, and their daughters must
not defile themselves through prostitution
lest they be burned with fire.
The
High Priest is held to higher standards
such as having no contact with any dead
bodies including his family and must only
marry a virgin woman from his own people.
Priests
must also be free of physical defects in
order to minister but should they have any,
they are still free to partake in daily
provisions.
Heart
Checks from the video
FILL
THE HOLES | Lev. 19:1-2
Holiness
is something we all long for, whether we
know it or not.
As
soon as we are born, we are seeking fulfillment
or wholeness, and as we grow older, the
more “holes” we have in our spirit, the
more unhappy we are, whereas the more we
fill those holes with holiness, the happier
we become. When we understand that holiness
is the very thing that will fill us up and
complete us, God’s commandments will no
longer seem burdensome or tedious. We will
actually crave goodness and begin to see
things through His eyes.
He
wants to bless His children—He wants us
to be happy—and this is why He calls us
to be holy.
It’s
an irrefutable principle with God that will
lead to a life more fulfilled. Heart Check.
Are
you living a life that is holy or hole-ly?
FRESH
FELLOWSHIP | Lev. 19:6
These
peace offerings were freewill offerings—they
weren’t brought out of obligation but simply
because people wanted to bless the Lord
with thanksgiving and share in that time
of fellowship with Him.
And
God commanding it to be eaten within two
days tells me that God wants us to fill
up on a fresh meal each day rather than
grazing on the leftovers of His Presence.
Sometimes
we can do that—we fill up our tanks just
enough to get us to the next destination.
(Remember
those college days when you only had $5
to your name so that’s all you would put
in your gas tank?). But then we wonder why
we’re empty at the end of the day. We’re
grazing on breadcrumbs while binging on
the junk food of the world. Heart Check.
Are
you grazing on stale leftovers? Or is each
day a fresh meal of fellowship with the
Lord?
DEAF
& BLIND | Lev. 19:14
While
this is speaking of the physically deaf
and blind, the Bible often likens these
traits to the spiritual life as well.
We
were once blind but now we see. Faith comes
by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
So when we look at it that way, and we read,
“You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling
block before the blind,” that tells me that
these are the very people that we should
be seeking to heal the way Jesus did.
But
we can sometimes be so closed up in our
own boundaries and holy huddles that we
begin to look at the spiritually deaf and
blind as if they have some sort of disease
or are beneath us, and we curse them rather
than love them. But if our eyes are truly
set on Jesus, looking to become more like
Him, then we won’t be in a position to look
down on others. Heart Check.
How
do you treat the spiritually deaf and blind?
Do you look at them with compassion as Jesus
does or do you utter curses and judgement?
FOREIGNERS
| Lev. 19:33-34
God
says to treat foreigners as if they are
native to your land.
When
we think of foreigners, our initial reaction
is probably to think of tourists or people
who don’t speak your language or maybe someone
who looks a lot di£erent than you.
It is more “natural” (by way of our sin
nature) to treat them as if they are lesser
or we will say things like, “Go back to
where you came from.”
How
about when there are new hires or we feel
threatened by a newcomer or stranger in
our environment? Is there a tendency to
put up a defense like a guard dog? Because
God says to love them as we love ourselves.
We should be looking for opportunities to
demonstrate the same love that He shows
us. Heart Check.
How
do you view and treat foreigners, immigrants,
newcomers or anyone who is different than
you?
PRIESTLY
QUALIFICATION | Lev. 21
In
the end, God was not discriminating against
those with disabilities, but the ones called
into the priesthood were to be as close
to the perfection of God as possible.
But
we know that the only one who was ever able
to fulfill that was Jesus. We would all
be rendered unqualified. If we think otherwise,
then we are like the dwarf—unwilling to
grow because we think that we have reached
capacity. Heart Check.
When
you look at each one of these qualifications
of the priesthood, which one do you need
to work on?
Deep
Dive
How
is holiness viewed in society today? How
do our laws reffect this?
How
do God’s commands shape our values? Are
these being upheld or is there rebellion
against it?
Can
you see the love of God in each of these
prohibitions?
Do
these commands by God challenge or affirm
your idea of holiness?
How
do you view the call to sexual purity? Does
it have greater implications beyond one’s
self?
How
might society be different if these strict
punishments were still in place?
Heavenly
Father, help us to be holy, for you are
holy.
Every
restriction you put in place and every command
you ever spoke was always for the good of
your people, and that still stands today.
So I pray that we can see each one of these
as a command still in our lives as we see
it through the filter of your heart and
care for us.
I
pray that we will honor those who have gone
before us, especially our parents. Even
those who may have estranged relationships,
I pray that they will at the very least
be able to honor their parents for giving
them life. May we never mold you into an
ideal that serves our purposes or desires
but always revere you for who you are in
your fullness.
Forgive
us for the times we have allowed anything
to take your place in our lives.
I
pray that we will always wake up with a
heart of gratitude and thanksgiving, always
freely desiring to fellowship with you.
You give us a fresh meal every single day,
so I pray that we don’t try to snack on
stale leftovers but partake in the freshness
of your daily bread. When we do this, we
realize that the holes in our spirits will
begin to be filled with your holiness, and
nothing you ask of us will feel burdensome.
We want to live that life of wholeness in
you.
I
pray that we will have hearts of generosity,
always looking for ways to open our fields
to those in need. You have blessed us abundantly,
so help us to see how we can freely give
of who we are, what we have, and what we
do. It doesn’t matter if we are rich or
poor by the standards of the world, we all
have something to o£er, so please
help us to see what that looks like.
Forgive
us for any times that we have ever profaned
your name by treating it as common. I pray
that we will treat your name with the same
care that we treat your Presence.
Help
us to be fair and just in all that we do,
whether in daily dealings with friends or
neighbors or in our own workplaces or businesses.
I pray that you will help us to hold our
tongue or to walk away where gossip begins
to surface. May we not be partakers or dealers
of slander in any way, for that is not pleasing
to you. I pray that if we have something
against anyone, that we will deal directly
with them and in a godly manner.
We
recognize our place in the royal priesthood,
so I pray that you will help us to remain
pure in every way. For those who may be
struggling with sexual purity, give them
strength to refrain so that they will honor
you even with their sexuality.
Help
us to be an example to those around us,
loving our neighbor as we love ourselves,
never making anyone stumble nor ever treating
the spiritual deaf with harshness. I pray
that we will be a people who love the way
you do, with hearts full of compassion and
mercy. We love you and trust you with our
entire being.
Leviticus
22-23 continues to outline the priests’
guidelines in ministry, the guidelines for
offerings, and the details of the seven
annual feasts.
In
chapter 22, God instructs the priests to
handle the holy things respectfully and
to maintain cleanliness and purity lest
they be cut off from ministering. He reminds
them of what would make them unclean and
gives guidelines for those allowed to partake
in the sacred offerings.
Should
an unauthorized person eat of the offering,
they would need to pay restitution plus
20 percent. All animals that are offered
must be unblemished and without defect,
with the exception of freewill offerings.
Freewill offerings should be eaten on the
same day, and newborn animals must remain
with their mother for at least 7 days.
God
reminds the people to keep His commandments
for He is their God who delivered them and
the God who sanctifies them.
In
chapter 23, the Lord commands and gives
guidelines for the seven annual feasts including:
1. The
Sabbath
2. The
Passover
3. The
Feast of Firstfruits
4. The
Feast of Weeks
5. The
Feast of Trumpets,
6. The
Day of Atonement
7. The
Feast of Booths
These
are to be observed and celebrated by the
people of Israel each year at their appointed
times throughout the generations.
Heart
Checks from the video
GIVE
YOUR BEST | Lev. 22:17-21
The
reason that animals had to be near perfect
is because anything less did not represent
God’s holiness.
It
also pointed to the coming of the perfect
and spotless sacrifice of Jesus. And because
of what He did, we are not held under this
standard of perfection, so we can all exhale
with relief.
We
can come as we are. However, we should still
bring the best of who we are because He
is no less deserving today than He was back
then. As part of a royal priesthood, we
still handle holy things and should treat
them that way. And worship doesn’t always
look like heads bowed, eyes closed, and
hands lifted. We bring our o£erings
through obedience to what God has commanded,
through our daily responsibilities, and
in the way we treat people.
The
best part of our day should be the time
we use for prayer or Bible study. We should
be honoring others with the best of our
kindness and love. The best part of our
energy should be used to steward what He’s
given us. Heart Check.
Do
you put forth you best efffort each day
when you worship, carry out your daily tasks
and when you interact with people?
WHO
IS HE | Lev.22:31-32
This is the first place
that we see, in one breath, God declares
who He is, what His name is, what He’s doing
and what He’s done. I thought to myself,
would we have an answer if these were posed
as questions to us? Heart Check.
Can
you answer in one breath, "Who is God?
What's his name? What is He doing? What
has he done for you?"
WORK
AS A GIFT | Lev. 23:3
Most
of the time when we think about work, we
think of that thing we HAVE TO do in order
to get paid.
But
maybe we can see it di£erently when
we remember that work is not a curse that
has been placed on mankind but rather a
gift that God gave even before the fall.
Adam
and Eve were called to work in the garden.
God worked for six days, so working is one
of the ways that we can bear the image of
God. Heart Check.
How
do you view work? Is it something you have
to do? Or something you have been gifted
to do?
OFFERING
FIRST | Lev. 23:14
Before
they could eat, they needed to bring their
offering first. In the culture I grew up
in, you never show up to eat at someone’s
house empty handed. Even if they tell you
not to bring anything, you at least bring
dessert.
When
we first get saved, it’s usually because
we’re at the end of ourselves, we’re seeking
more in this life, or we’re desperate or
in need of something—and the Lord never
shuts the door on us.
He
welcomes us in, empty-handed or not. But
once we begin to walk with Him and understand
what true worship is, we know that coming
into His Presence is more than just coming
to get something from Him.
We
now bring something to the table, not out
of obligation or demand from God, but because
we begin to see what true worship is—it’s
an act of giving of ourselves to our Holy
God. Heart Check.
Are
you bringing an offering before you partake
in the meal of fellowship? Are you giving
thanks and pt\raise before asking for your
wants and needs?
NOT
IF, BUT WHEN | Lev. 23:11
Notice
the Lord does not say, “IF you come into
the land,” but rather, “WHEN you come into
the land.”
This
was a saying that my husband and I have
always said from the day when we first got
married.
Our
dream was to live on the water, so every
weekend, we would drive to the marina on
the island we lived on, and we would sit
there with our plate lunch or coffee and
declare, “It’s not IF, but WHEN.”
It
was a lofty goal, but we believed that God
would make a way if we were obedient and
if we worked to be able to meet him halfway.
It
took three years, but we got there. And
we still declare this over our lives, trusting
in the promise of God. This is the kind
of faith we should have. Heart Check.
Does
your faith say, "IF" or "When"?
JOY
> SORROW | Lev. 23
In
the end, these festivals were very different
from celebrations that surrounded them in
other nations. These were ordained by God
and were intended for rest, refiection,
and refreshment. They were not to be drunken
parties that ended with broken furniture
and trash everywhere, nor were they watered
down holidays with easter bunnies and Christmas
presents. But what I love the most is that
even though there are 2 days of solemn rest
or affliction, the rest of the feasts are
true celebrations.
That
means that God’s economy, joy outweighs
sorrow. And the way to sourcing this joy
is through a heart of gratitude—remembering
what God has done and realizing where He
is taking you.
That
was the whole purpose of these holidays.
So if you’re in a funk, the best thing to
do is to increase the gratitude in your
heart so you can source more joy. Heart
Check.
Doesa
the joy in your heart outweigh the sorrow?
Is there a depletion of gratitude?
Deep
Dive
What
are holy items that we deal with today?
How can we get non-believers to respect
these things?
How
might we profane what is sacred?
What
does purity in worship look like for us?
What
are practical ways that we can observe and
celebrate what God has done?
Why
do you believe the Lord emphasized rest
during these times of celebration?
How
do each of the feasts reinforce the identity
of the Israelites?
Heavenly
Father, you are worthy of our best worship.
You
are God Almighty, the One who saves and
delivers, the One who came and died so we
could be set free. Thank you for your perfect
sacrifice. You are still deserving today
of all the praise and honor, just as you
were back then. I pray that we will offer
nothing less than our best in everything
we do. I pray that we will offer you the
best of our day and energy. Help us to look
at others through your eyes and to love
them with your heart. I pray that we give
them the best of our kindness and love.
Forgive us for the times that we have grown
impatient or annoyed and spoke harshly or
treated them with disrespect. We want to
honor you with our thoughts, words and actions,
so that you can be glorified. Our obedience
to you is part of our worship and honor,
so I pray that we wear that openly for others
to see. I pray that we don’t defile your
holiness by the way we act.
Help
us to see what holy things we still carry
today, and I pray that we will treat them
with respect. I pray that we are able to
maintain purity so that we can be effective
ministers. We know that we will hinder our
own ability to hear from you and will block
the flow of your Spirit when we are harboring
the sin of impurity. So I pray that we will
all be washed clean by your blood.
Thank
you for making a way for every single person
to be invited to your table and to partake
in your offering. We are so grateful for
the fellowship that is new to us every single
day. May we wake up refreshed and ready
to know you more, so that at the end of
this life, when we stand before you, we
don’t have to fight for our righteous standing.
You will, instead, present us as your friend,
one that you personally know. Thank you
for even being willing to do that Jesus.
We are so thankful for your friendship.
Help
us to have hearts full of gratitude each
day, being thankful for all things big and
small in our lives. We know that praise
and thanksgiving are two of the best ways
to resist the enemy, as it reminds him of
where he came from and will leave him shuddering.
So if we want to fight depression, loneliness,
hurt, anxiety, worry… we know that we can
do that by staying focused on what we have
rather than what we lack.
Thank
you for being a God of joy and celebration.
I pray that we are able to source that joy
from a heart of gratitude.
Thank
you for the gift of work in our lives. For
each of us, that looks very different, but
we recognize that it’s in your nature to
work, and therefore when we do, we are able
to bear your image. So for anyone who may
be dreading the workday tomorrow, help us
to see it for the gift that it is. Thank
you for your provision through it. And I
pray that we will not run ourselves ragged
but will be able to find rest in you and
be refreshed each day and at the beginning
of every week.
Thank
you for the vision of the Promised Land.
And while we sojourn through this life,
gleaning on the edges of the harvest, we
look forward to the day that we are able
to enter in. I pray that we hold to that
promise of not if, but when, knowing that
what is ahead of us is far greater than
even our best day here on this earth. But
while we are here, I pray that we make the
best of it, honoring you and bringing you
joy as we live each day with a grateful
heart, knowing that as we still breathe,
we still have a greater purpose to serve.
We
celebrate you today for who you are, for
what you’ve done, and for what you are still
going to do.
Leviticus
24-25 continues with laws and regulations
for the Israelite community, including guidelines
for priestly duties, the penalty for blasphemy,
the Sabbath Year, and the Year of Jubilee.
In
chapter 24, the Lord appoints Aaron to tend
to the lamps, a responsibility to continue
with the High Priest forever. The oil is
to be pure olive oil, as brought by the
Israelites.
The
Lord gives instructions for the presentation
of the 12 loaves of bread every Sabbath
day. It is to be eaten by Aaron and his
sons in a holy place. The Lord warns that
anyone who blasphemes His name will be put
to death, and retribution for the lives
of animals and people is declared through
the “eye for an eye” principle.
These
laws are to be applied to both Israelites
and foreigners.
In
chapter 25, God commands the observance
of Sabbath years, where the land is to rest
and replenish. Daily provisions can be harvested
but the land is not to be worked for profit.
The
Year of Jubilee is established, where all
slaves are to be set free, debt is to be
canceled, and all land is to be returned
to original owners. Should the Israelites
follow God’s commands, they will be blessed
and live in safety. The Lord reminds the
people that the land belongs to Him, and
gives guidelines on the land buyback.
The
people are commanded to care for and not
exploit the poor and remind them that they
are ultimately servants of God.
Heart
Checks from the video
BRING
THE OIL | Lev. 24:1-4
While
Aaron had the responsibility to keep the
candles burning, there would be no light
without the oil. And guess who brings the
oil?
The
people! This tells me that if we, as the
people of the church, are not bringing the
oil, the lights are gonna be real dim. Imagine
walking into a church full of crabby, stuck-up,
cynical people. I don’t care how good the
preacher is, the light will be snu£ed
out because the oil of the Spirit is lacking.
We
have a major role to play in the health
of the church. And we aren’t just speaking
about what happens between the four walls
of the corporate church—we’re talking about
the body of Christ in general and whether
we are truly being a light to the world.
Heart Check.
Are
you bringing the oil to light up the church?
Or are you snuffing out the light?
RESPECT
HIS NAME | Lev.24:10-16
The
narrative of this fight shows up right in
the middle of the outline of responsibilities,
and can seem a little out of place, even
jolting the spirit a little. But I don’t
doubt for a second why God would do this.
Sometimes He needs to poke us in the rib
to get our attention. And no better subject
to do that with than the one that surrounds
the protection of His name.
Why
does He take His name so seriously?
Remember,
His name is not just a mere title—it’s the
very essence of His entire being—it’s His
character and His nature. He is His name.
So
when a person blasphemes His name, they
are essentially cursing Him. But I believe
that God is more concerned about how this
kills His reputation in the mind of others
to where they won’t turn their lives over
to Him. So there’s a death taking place,
which is why God is deadly serious about
this. Heart Check.
How
do you treat his holy Name? Are you able
to connect His name with His being?
JUBILEE
| Lev. 25:8-22
The
purpose of Jubilee was for freedom, rest,
and restoration. While we don’t have a Jubilee
in our own society, we can still apply this
spiritually. We may not have physical slaves,
but some of us are holding people captive
in our hearts and minds—people who have
hurt or disappointed us. In a sense, we’re
actually the slaves, in allowing them to
continue to hurt us by keeping them there.
So
this is the day of Jubilee—forgive them
and let them go—because this will actually
set YOU free! We can also experience Jubilee
when we stop trying to earn our way into
heaven and simply rest in Jesus, knowing
that He is our kinsman redeemer and that
our land awaits us! And lastly, we can experience
Jubilee when we allow the Holy Spirit to
do restorative work in our lives— but it
takes surrender. We have to let go of what
doesn’t belong to us in the first place.
Our lives are His. Heart
Check.
Are
you living in Jubilee? What do you need
to release in order to do so?
SOJOURNERS
| Lev. 25:23-24
Before
they could eat, they needed to bring their
o£ering first. So just as the Lord
is declaring that the land belongs to Him
and that they are just sojourners, so it
is with our lives here on Earth.
We
are just sojourners, passing through, on
our way to the Promised Land.
But
we treat this life as if it is all we have,
and sometimes that means we stress ourselves
out in the way that we try to control everything
in it. This is why Jesus came to proclaim
liberty! He came to cancel our debt of sin,
to set us free from the slavery to that
sin, and to give us back to God as the rightful
owner of our lives. But until we accept
His sacrifice as our own, we will be holding
on to all of that debt and worry. Heart
Check.
How
tightly are you holding on to this life
as your own? Are you living free as a sojourner
or under a stack of debt and worry?
Deep
Dive
Do
you see any parallels between Biblical laws
and modern laws?
How
does the showbread parallel communion and/or
represent our relationship with God?
How
might the “eye for an eye” principle be
translated today?
Could
Jubilee or the Sabbath Year be beneficial
in modern day society? What would that realistically
look like?
How
do these commands refiect the heartbeat
of God?
Heavenly
Father, thank you for this lasting reminder
that you so desire for us to live in freedom,
rest, and restoration.
I
pray that we can get this into our spirits
today so that we can stop trying to earn
our way to Jubilee. You’ve already blown
the trumpet for us to simply rest in the
blessing that you’re pouring out. Help us
to hear it. Help us to see. And help us
to receive it with gratitude.
For
any of us who may be holding anyone captive
in our hearts or minds, I pray that you
will help us to forgive and to let them
go, for we know that the longer we hold
them captive, the longer we allow that hurt
to fester and to eat away at our ability
to grow. We are holding ourselves captive
when we do this, so I pray that you will
give them the strength to be set free today.
We
recognize that the earth and everything
in it belongs to you. As we sojourn through
this life, I pray that we allow you, Jesus,
as our kinsman redeemer, to cancel out the
debt and worry in our lives. You’ve paid
the price for our sin, so we can live freely
as we look forward to coming to our real
home in heaven. Until then, help us to let
go of what doesn’t belong to us. We want
to surrender our lives to you, fully trusting
in you as our Provider and Protector. From
the happenings in our families to the climate
of the world, you are in control, so I pray
that we will release the anxiety that may
be filling our hearts and taking up the
real estate where contentment and peace
should be dwelling.
Help
us to be a light that continually burns,
refiecting the Light of the World that dwells
in our hearts. I pray there will be a constant
supply of oil, not just within us, but fiowing
out into the world. We are the ones who
are to bring the oil— sometimes we rely
on the pastor or minister to light it up,
but we ultimately carry that responsibility.
So I pray that you will fill our lamps today,
so that we have a fresh supply to o£er
the church. I pray that we never snu£
out the light with our own bitterness, jealousy,
anger, or cynicism. May we be a people who
are always looking for ways to lift others
up.
The
purpose of all of this is ultimately to
make your Name great. Forgive us if we have
ever blasphemed your name or your character
in the way that we have misrepresented you.
Help us to always bring you glory in the
words we speak, the way we love, and the
path on which we walk.
Thank
you again, Jesus, for setting us free from
legalism. But I pray that we never look
at it as an opportunity to live so liberally
that we forget our responsibility.
Leviticus
26-27 completes the instructions and laws
for the Israelites before they set out on
their journey to the Promised Land.
In
chapter 26, God rounds out the book of Leviticus
with commands against idolatry and reminders
on the Sabbath and reverence for the sanctuary.
He
promises the blessing of peace, prosperity,
protection, power, provision, His Presence,
and freedom if the people follow His commands
and walk in them.
If
they disobey, they will endure consequences
far greater including fear, disease, enemy
attack and domination, famine, and ruin.
Should they continue to disobey, the curses
will continue to multiply, as their places
of worship would be destroyed, and they
would be scattered as a people. But if the
people repent and turn back to Him, He promises
to remember the covenant He made with Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob and not to destroy them.
In
chapter 27, God establishes guidelines for
the redemption of people and things that
were dedicated by vow to God.
These
things include animals, houses, land, and
the tithe. Should a person not be able to
a£ord the redemption value, substitutions
and appropriate valuations would be made.
No
devoted items or persons could be redeemed.
This chapter rounds out the commands given
to the people of Israel at Mt. Sinai.
Heart
Checks from the video
FREED
FROM SLAVERY | Lev. 26:11-3
God
is reminding them once again that He is
the one who took them out from slavery and
set them free. He did the same for us when
He broke off the yoke of slavery to our
sin and set us on our feet so we could walk
in freedom. We do not walk with our heads
hung down in shame because that would be
denying the restorative power of God and
the fact that He has forgiven us and thrown
our sin into the sea of forgetfulness. Heart
Check.
Have
you been freed from your sin? Or are you
still hanging your head in shame with a
yoke around your neck?
RESPECT
HIS NAME | Lev. 26:40-45
God
always made a way for the Israelites to
come back to Him. The same way He makes
a way for us every single day, as long we
are still here, a chance to return and repent.
A lot of people ask, “Why doesn’t He just
make people good,” or “Why didn’t He just
outlaw slavery?”
Remember,
before He ever implemented “DO NOTs,” there
was freedom to simply follow Him and His
ways. But the promise of blessing wasn’t
enough to keep them on the straight and
narrow. And instead of ruling with an iron
fist and forcing everyone to do things His
way, His heart is to change people from
the inside out. He doesn’t want to force
anyone to love Him, because that would be
slavery. His heart is for freedom, and He
o£ers that to us. It’s our choice
if we want to live righteously or not, but
we will all deal with the consequences of
our choices, and they will either steer
us to God or away from Him. If the choice
is to move toward Him, the steering becomes
a lot easier, like power steering. But if
we drive in the opposite direction, life
will be a lot harder to navigate. Heart
Check.
Do
the consequences of your sin power steer
you toward God or navigate you away from
Him?
VOWS
& PROMISES | Lev. 27:10
God
discourages making rash vows, but if a person
made a vow to the Lord, they had to fulfill
it, even if it cost more than what they
expected it to. This hasn’t changed in the
mind of God—we still should not be making
loose promises because the expectation of
fulfillment on our part is still there.
Heart Check.
Have
you made any vows or promises to God that
you haven't yet fulfilled?
UNDERSTANDING
HIS HEART | Lev. 27
Here
we round out the laws given at Mt. Sinai
to the people of Israel. Some are still
having a hard time wrapping their heads
around why God would command the things
that He did. But hear me when I say that
our human minds will never be able to fully
understand or comprehend the why on this
side of heaven. But the closer you get to
Him, the more you will begin to have eyes
that are less clouded by our own human understanding
and more open to the greatness of His ways.
It’s
hard to explain when you’re not there, but
this is the crossroad that many Israelites
faced—they didn’t understand why God was
doing what He did—and most chose to rebel
while others remained faithful and were
blessed because of it. We have the choice
today to either be stubborn and say that
He’s narcissistic and throw it in His face
as if we know better, or we will humble
ourselves and say, “I want to understand,
and I am choosing to trust you.” Heart Check.
Are
you willing to grow in your understanding
of God as you remain faithful to hearing
His Word? Or do think you know better than
Him?
Deep
Dive
How
can the command against idolatry relate
to our lives today?
How
has the promise of blessings and curses
changed under the New Covenant? Does it
alter your desire to live a faithful life?
How
do these commands shape your values on which
you stand?
How
would devoted items be considered “most
holy to the Lord”?
Heavenly
Father,thank you for the standing blessing
that we have in Jesus.
We
are so grateful that we do not have to earn
our way into heaven, but we also recognize
that the call to live righteously remains.
Every statute and command that you ever
spoke was always for the good of those who
were being called. We hear your heart in
this today and see the benefit of the laws
that you would lay out. I pray that we will
all be able to see and hear you more and
more as we dig deeper into your word. I
pray that there will be an accurate display
of your nature and character written on
our hearts.
While
we may not live among slavery, we still
see it taking place on a spiritual level.
Thank you, Jesus, for setting us free from
the slavery of our sin. May we never desire
to return to that life that was so limited.
Life with you is wide open and free. I pray
that we will not hang our heads in the shame
of our past, for in doing so, we are denying
your forgiveness and restorative power in
our lives.
Every
season has a purpose, and we know and fully
trust that you will bring rain when it Is
necessary. I pray that we never try to force
your hand according to the season we think
we should be in. But if we allow you to
till our soil, cultivate, and water us with
the Living Word, we will bear fruit.
Your
word promises a plan for our lives, one
to prosper us, not to harm us, one to give
us a hope and a future. So help us to hold
on to that promise today. We know that when
we walk according to your ways and with
your Presence, we will find that protection,
peace, provision and freedom, for it is
who you are. The choice is ours, so I pray
that every time there is an opportunity
to power steer back to you, may we do so.
A life lived in your lane is not promised
to be easier, but you promise to be on that
road with us. That is so much better than
the alternative of trying to navigate this
life alone. So we thank you for the consequences
that will give us that choice to repent
and turn to you.
Thank
you Jesus for freeing us from the curses
of the past. Your love and compassion is
so evident today. I pray that we will continue
to see it throughout our days.
I
pray that we never make rash vows or empty
promises to you but choose our words carefully.
If we have ever made a promise that went
unfulfilled, will you convict our hearts
today and show us how we can make that right.
We want to be people of our word, both with
you and with people.
So
again, we thank you, for helping us to know
you more. Where there are scales on our
eyes, will you allow them to fall off? We
know our tiny human minds will never fully
comprehend your greatness on this side of
heaven, but that’s all part of faith. So
we will choose to trust you, regardless
of our own faulty understanding
Numbers
1-2 issues a roll call and blueprint of
the camp of Israel before they set out on
their journey to the Promised Land.
In
chapter 1, the Lord commands Moses and Aaron
to take a census of able-bodied men 20 years
and older.
A
leader from every tribe is to assist with
the counting. Every tribe is named and counted,
from oldest to youngest, with a total of
603,550 fighting men. Joseph’s two sons
account for two tribes, and the Levites
are not included in the numbering, as they
are set apart for service at the Tabernacle.
In
chapter 2, the Lord instructs Moses and
Aaron on the arrangement of the tribes around
the Tabernacle, with each tribe living under
its own banner.
The
tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun are
arranged on the eastern side. Reuben, Simeon,
and Gad are on the south side. Ephraim,
Manasseh, and Benjamin are to the west.
And
Dan, Ashwer, and Naphtali are north. When
the camps set out, they are to do so in
order, as prescribed by God.
Heart
Checks from the video
NUMBERED
| Num. 1:1-3
Here
we see the purpose in numbering—to prepare
for war. Not only that, it served as a proof
of the promise that God gave to Abraham
that he would have descendants as numerous
as the stars in the sky. It allowed them
to know the condition of their army, just
as Jesus is always concerned about the condition
of His fiock.
How
would He know that there was one missing
sheep that He needed to go after?
This
shows us that every single person matters.
We aren’t just a number. This system would
also give them a sense of identity and a
connection to a greater purpose. If they
didn’t know which clan they came from, they
wouldn’t be allowed to fight. And as Christians,
we are constantly at war and involved in
spiritual battles.
So
numbering still matters because God does
not want us to fight alone. He wants us
connected to a greater body of believers,
one that will fight with us in prayer, one
that will hold us accountable, and one that
will give us a sense of identity with the
church so that we will understand that we
are a part of a greater purpose. This is
where we will be able to move beyond the
idea of just ourselves. Heart Check.
Are
you numbered in the greater purpose of God?
Or are you trying to do this life as a lone
ranger?
SEEING
BEYOND OURSELVES | Num. 1:1-46
The
book of Numbers is another doozy to some
people—it’s a lot of repetition, a lot of
names and a lot of numbers. Most of us have
either dozed our way through it or skipped
over it all together.
And
the reason why is because we are, by nature,
selfish beings.
If
our name is not a part of the roll call,
we want nothing to do with it. It’s like
sitting through a graduation ceremony—total
snooze fest—until your name is called. So
put yourself in the shoes of these families
for a moment.
They’re
the ones who went before us to pave the
way so that we could have a greater understanding
of our God. Without them going through this,
we may never have any context of the life
of Jesus and why it was so imperative for
Him to come.
So
when their names were called, imagine their
excitement, to say, “Here we are. That’s
us. We’re ready.” Heart Check.
Are
you only interested when your name is called?
Or you able to see beyond yourself and the
importance of other people's lives?
SATISFACTION
| Num. 1:47-51
If
the tabernacle was where the chabod or the
glory of God dwelled, the Levites were the
ones who were the closest to it. There is
a direct correlation with serving and satisfaction
in life. We come out of the womb craving
satisfaction, and throughout our lives,
we are led to believe that if we can just
get something to eat, we will be satisfied—until
we’re hungry again.
Or
we think that we would be happy if we could
get a better job or if we would be married
to someone else. But the truth is, nothing
in this life will bring true satisfaction.
Because we aren’t craving the things of
this world—we are craving the things of
heaven. And until we get there, we will
still be hungry and thirsty for more.
So
one of the best ways to learn that contentment
and to gain some sense of satisfaction is
to be like Jesus and serve. It is in serving
others where we find supernatural fulfillment,
because you fall in line with His design.
Heart Check.
How
satisfied are are you in life? What are
you craving? Are you serving others?
PERSONAL
CENSUS | Num. 1
In
the end, we see that God is a God of organization
and structure, not disorder and chaos. He
desires this not just for His armies, but
for our personal lives as well. While each
one of us are an integral part of the church,
everything in our lives serves a purpose
of some sort.
So
we should also be aware of the condition
of our own personal fiock so that we are
battle ready. What are your goals? Who are
your people? Where is your time and energy
being devoted? Does it line up with God’s
instructions? Heart Check.
Have
you taken census of your life lately? What
would you count as valuable? How does it
line up with God's plan?
BANNER
| Num. 2:1
Now
we are seeing here that identity isn’t only
confined to a family name but also the place
in which you stand. Each one of the families
were to camp under the banner of their respective
tribe. Some look at these di£erent
banners and relate them to the different
denominations of the church today.
But
regardless of what denomination you are
a part of, we all camp under the banner
of our Father’s house—Jehovah Nissi-- God
is our banner, our victory from which we
fight. But so many of us are fighting for
victory rather than from it. And this is
what leaves us feeling so defeated. Heart
Check.
What
banner are you camped under? Are you fighting
from your own strength or under the banner
of the one who fights for you?
FACING
HOPE | Num. 2:3-99
There
is so much significance in the placement
of the tribe of Judah. Remember, Jesus is
the Lion of Judah, and Judah means praise.
So how fitting is it that the entire camp
would be led by a lion and praise?
And
they were encamped on the east side, giving
them a pride of place. Because the sunrise
represented promise, power, hope and sustenance.
This
is exactly how we should be leading our
lives—with praise and thanksgiving in our
hearts, following after the Lion of Judah,
rather than lagging behind, complaining
about what’s wrong in our lives.
And
we should always be facing toward hope rather
than looking back at regret. Heart Check.
What
direction are you camped in? Do you face
hope? Are you setting out each day with
praise and thanksgiving?
GOD-CENTERED
LIVING | Num. 2:17
The
tabernacle sets out 3rd so it can stay at
the center of the camp. Everything we do
in our lives should be centered around God
and in an orderly fashion. It isn't a requirement,
but it is a refiection of our life in Him.
But it should never be measured against
anyone else—our only measure is the standard
by which God sets. Heart Check.
Is
God at the center of your life? Is your
life one of order or disorder?
Deep
Dive
Where
have we seen a breakdown in Godly structure
or organization in society? What are the
consequences of that?
How
might we prepare for war as Christians?
Can
you see the significance in the way God
arranged the camp?
What
is the significance of the leaders of the
tribes?
How
do these chapters refiect God’s attention
to detail? How does that translate to your
life?
Heavenly
Father, your power and commitment to freeing
your children continues to be on display
to us today.
Forgive
us where we have allowed chaos to ensue.
I pray that you will help us to get our
lives together so that we do not have anything
holding us back from your best in our lives.
Thank you for setting the stage for the
importance of obedience once again.
We
see how much you value each and every person,
and how we all have a role to play in the
tribe of our church. We have all been gifted
with a specific character and placed in
positions where we best fit. Some may not
be able to see what that looks like, or
others may have resisted entering that very
place. So I pray that we will be more malleable
to your will and your guidance to our placement.
Show us where we can be an asset in our
communities and in our surroundings, and
where we will be united with one purpose
under your banner.
While
we may not be males over the age of 20,
being numbered for war, we are all fighting
a spiritual battle on the daily, so I pray
that we will take a census today of our
lives, looking where our best resources
are, what we are doing to train up for the
fight, and who are the ones who will fight
beside us. Equip and ready us for the battle
so that we do not fight from fear but from
victory. I pray that we will follow you,
Jesus, our Lion of Judah, setting out with
a heart of praise and thanksgiving each
day.
And
when we come home to our own camps, I pray
that we will set our focus on you, facing
our hope, so that we do not drag our families
down. Help us to be those who will lift
them up, showing them the promise and blessing
that comes with each waking moment.
Thank
you for the foundation you have laid before
us, allowing us to walk on solid ground.
Thank you for helping us to see the significance
in this reading today, and I pray that you
will continue to open our eyes to see the
goodness of our God. I pray that we will
be teachers of that goodness so that we
can be contributors to your greater purpose.
Numbers
3-4 outlines the duties and responsibilities
of the three clans of the Levites and the
declaration of their substitution for the
Firstborn to God.
In
chapter 3, it begins with a genealogy of
Aaron’s sons and their roles in the priesthood.
The
Lord commands the Levites to serve the priests
in the Tabernacle as guards, and each of
the three clans is given specific duties
in the maintenance and transport of the
Tabernacle. God declares the Levites as
a substitute for the firstborns that belong
to Him, and a census of the male Levites,
one month and older, is taken, with a total
of 22,000. With the number of firstborns
exceeding that by 273, God declares they
be redeemed for five shekels, with the money
being given to Aaron and his sons.
In
chapter 4, the Lord declares for a census
to be taken of all the male Levites between
30 and 50.
The
duties of the three clans are given. The
sons of Kohath (the Kohathites) are in charge
of the maintenance and transport of the
most holy things including the veil, the
Ark of the Testimony, the Table of Showbread,
the Lampstand, the Altar of Burnt O£erings,
and all the holy utensils. These items must
not be touched but carried as prescribed
by God. Aaron’s son Eleazar is the overseer
of the entire tabernacle while taking charge
of the oils, incense, and grain o£ering.
The sons of Gershon (the Gershonites) are
in charge of the curtains, coverings, screens
and all that is involved with them. They
are under the leadership of Aaron’s son
Ithamar. The sons of Merari (the Merarites)
are in charge of the structure of the Tabernacle,
including the bars, pillars, bases, cords
and accessories. They too are under the
authority of Ithamar.
The
list of Levitical men aged 30 to 50 totals
8580.
ON
THE MT.| Num. 3:1
I
always find it interesting that God would
speak directly to Moses when he was alone—
a burning bush, in the tabernacle, here
on the Mt.—which tells me that he knew he
needed to get away from the hustle and bustle
and all the noise of the camp in order to
hear from the Lord.
Imagine
if he didn’t do this—he may never have received
any of these instructions. There may be
times where we don’t hear from the Lord,
simply because it’s a quiet season. But
other times it might be because you’re not
finding a place away from all the noise
to hear Him. Remember, He speaks in a still
small voice. And while He will speak through
pastors, conferences, podcasts, books, and
the like, the most powerful Word you will
ever hear is the one spoken directly to
you.
The
people benefitted from the Word that the
Lord spoke through Moses, but Moses heard
directly from God when he quieted himself
before the Lord. Heart Check.
Are
you going to the Mt. to hear from the Lord?
Or are you only seeking His voice through
other sources?
INVESTING
IN THE YOUNG | Num. 3:15
With
the many reasons why God may have called
for the numbering of the Levites from infancy,
one thing we know for sure is that this
shows us God’s investment in the future
generation. There should be an emphasis
on teaching those who are younger than us,
both spiritually and by age. We can be younger
than someone but a bit more mature in our
walk and therefore have a responsibility
to teach them as well. Heart Check.
How
much are you investing in those who are
younger than you?
UNGLAMOROUS
GLORY | Num. 3:32
So
far, every one of the Levites had a very
specific job to carry out, and they were
to do so according to every detail that
God laid out.
If
they didn’t, it could possibly mean death
for them.
And
here we have the Merarites, who probably
had the most unglamorous job of them all—carrying
the heavy loads. But look at what God did—He
took what most would see as humdrum work
and put a name to each load so they would
be able to see the significance in it. There
is nothing that is too small in the economy
of God when it is being done for His glory,
and especially if it is being carried out
by plan.
One
of the greater lessons here is that we do
not covet other people’s work or callings.
Because if you think about it, it is the
unseen or unglamorous work that often sets
the foundation, and I believe will be rewarded
the greatest in heaven. Heart Check.
Do
You see the mundane tasks in your life as
glory unto Him? Or are they simply too unglamorous
to be given any worth?
Deep
Dive
Were
the Levites worthy of their sacred position?
What does the choosing of their tribe say
about the character of God?
Why
do you think God chose to substitute the
Firstborns?
How
can you relate to the consecration of the
Levites?
What
is the significance of the ages 30-50 and
does it still hold value in the ministry
today?
What
are the implications of specific roles given
to specific people?
Heavenly
Father, thank you for blessing our lives
so abundantly.
You
have written the details of our lives just
as meticulously as you did with these duties
and responsibilities.
Thank
you for the reminder of divine order and
the deliberate care that you have in everything
you do. Every detail matters, and it all
serves a greater purpose. I pray that we
will pay more attention to the little cues
in our lives that your Presence is with
us. I pray that we can see you in the mundane,
never considering anything too out of our
league to carry out for your glory.
Thank
you for allowing us to take a small part
in your grand plan. I pray that we will
be able to hear the specific instructions
that you give to each one of us, and that
we will be quick to obey, recognizing the
sacredness of the call. We know that servitude
isn’t always the most glamorous work in
the eyes of the world, but how glorious
it is in your economy. Help us to have a
servant’s heart that desires to fill our
unique roles. I pray that we will be like
the Levites, who have a zeal for you, willing
to stand by your side, no matter the cost.
I pray that we take care of our tabernacle,
the body of Christ, with the utmost care.
I
pray that we treat every holy thing with
the respect and reverence it deserves. May
our worship not only be genuine but sacred
and never a performance.
Thank
you, Jesus, for taking our place as the
Firstborn, redeeming our lives from a well-deserved
death. I pray we never take for granted
what you did and always recognize the gravity
that surrounded not just that very day,
but every moment that you consciously walked
toward the cross. You knew what was about
to happen, yet you continued moving toward
it out of love for us.
I
pray that no matter what age we are, that
we understand our place and season that
you have us in. May we never forsake your
calling on our lives in desiring someone
else’s. Every moment that we walk on this
earth has a divine assignment, so we give
you permission to guide us in that as we
humbly follow after you.
The
LORD make his face shine upon thee, and
be gracious unto thee:
The
LORD lift up his countenance upon thee,
and give thee peace.
Numbers
5-6 outlines community purity laws and legislation
for the Nazarite vow.
In
chapter 5, the Lord commands that all unclean
peoples should be quarantined outside the
camp. When a person has wronged another,
confession is required once that person
realizes their guilt, with restitution plus
20 percent being paid to the one who is
wronged.
If
there is no one to accept the restitution,
it is to be given to the priest along with
an atonement offering. Guidelines are given
for adultery and a husband’s jealousy. The
priest will determine a woman’s guilt based
upon the drinking of bitter water and the
oath by which the woman swears. If the woman
has an adverse reaction to the bitter water,
she is to be cursed with barrenness, but
if not, she is to be set free.
In
chapter 6, the Lord outlines the guidelines
for a Nazirite vow.
This
vow is temporary, and during this time of
the vow, the person is to abstain from alcohol
and from cutting their hair. They are not
to touch a dead body including their own
family members, but if this happens unexpectedly,
they are to adhere to a cleansing ritual
and bring a sin offering and guilt offering,
before starting their period of separation
over again.
At
the end of the vow, they are to bring a
burnt offering, sin offering, and peace
offering to the Tent of Meeting, shave their
heads, and burn the hair under the peace
offering. The priest receives his portion,
and the Nazirite is free to drink alcohol.
The chapter ends with Aaron pronouncing
a priestly blessing upon the people.
OUTSIDE
THE CAMP | Num. 5:1-4
We
can read these sections about unclean people
and be quick to think that God is so cruel
and that He was simply trying to shame them.
But
if you know the heart of God, you will be
able to see beyond simplistic thinking.
We see the compassion and love of God all
over the Bible, so we have to view this
through those lenses while also keeping
in mind God’s firmness of His commands.
The whole purpose of this passage is to
remind the people about the importance of
maintaining purity and preserving their
identity—they were to be a distinct people,
which meant they do not conform to those
who surround them.
So
this idea of purity extended beyond just
the spiritual—it had to be maintained at
the physical level as well. Hygienically,
this protected the camp from sickness spreading
throughout, but it likely protected the
infected from dealing with shame that might
surround their infliction, so this quarantine
can actually be seen as an act of mercy
by God. We can even look at it like a hospital,
where they were able to get well. But with
leprosy representing sin and death being
the opposite of life, the underlying principle
here is that if we want to be a Promised
Land people, we must remove what will defile
us and keep it locked outside so that we
are not infected by it.
This
doesn’t mean we will never sin, but it means
we are not blatantly walking in sin with
no regard. The church will never be effective
if we are conforming to the world and allowing
it to shape us Heart Check.
Is
there anything in your life that needs to
be separated and locked outside the camp?
RELATIONSHIPS
| Num. 5:5-7
Here
we see that God cares about our relationships
with people. Before entering the Promised
Land, the people needed to be pure-hearted,
and having broken relationships would never
foster that kind of pureness.
Two
things needed to take place—confession and
restitution. And confession goes beyond
just admitting you did wrong. It’s accepting
responsibility and not trying to pass the
buck. In doing this, you make things right
with God. But to make things right with
people, restitution must be made. Even when
we wrong someone, He wants us to make it
right.
If
we have bitterness or jealousy in our hearts,
He wants resolve. Heart Check.
Are
there any relationships in your life that
need to reslove? Do you need to make restitution
where you may have done wrong?
I.D.
MARKERS | Num. 6:5
The
Nazirite’s long hair was their outward symbol
of their inner reality. This was their identification
marker that said, “We are set apart and
dedicated wholly to God.” Heart Check.
What
markers of identification do you have that
shows that you're set apart?
THORNY
HEDGES | Num. 6:24
The
Hebrew word for “keep” is shamar, which
means to preserve, guard or place a hedge
of protection around (usually with thorns).
In this sense, God is our protector and
He does place a hedge of protection around
us. But some of us have added thorny layers
of protection – we have fences of bitterness,
walls of anger, always ready to bite when
someone gets too close for comfort. These
layers keep us from living in freedom. Heart
Check.
What's
keeping you? Does the peace and blessing
of God shine upon your life? Or have you
added thorny layers of protection around
your heart?
RECEIVE
THE BLESSING | Num. 6:24-27
In
the end, we see that God loves to bless
His people.
And
we tend to shy away from this because we
don’t ever want to make the gospel about
ourselves. But we cannot deny God’s blessing
based upon our own false humility or because
of things like the prosperity gospel or
what people have said that have countered
this beautiful ideal. If we only sit in
a place of looking at God’s judgment and
never His blessing, we will completely miss
out on the fullness of His glory. This priestly
benediction has the word “you” in it six
times! We bring Him glory, and He blesses
us in return, because our relationship with
God is a two-way street. Imagine how it
feels when we say, “Nope. I don’t want your
blessing, I only want your chastisement.”
He must look at us like we’re crazy folk.
But it’s also important to recognize that
because God’s blessing is always for our
good, it won’t necessarily be something
that will make your life easier. Because
a comfy, cushy life isn't always the greatest
and highest good for us. Only He knows what’s
best and how we need to be blessed. But
true blessing goes well beyond prosperity
and comfort. And we should never deny it
in the name of humility or unworthiness.
And denying His blessing is denying Him.
Heart Check.
Have
you received the blessing of God in your
life? Or are you rejecting it because of
unworthiness or in the name of humility?
BLESS
THEM | Num. 6:24-27
What’s
really cool is that as a royal priesthood,
we can pronounce blessings over people.
And I find that the best people to receive
the blessing of God are the ones who have
hurt you, wronged you, or the ones you consider
an enemy. Because either we will keep them
in that space of enemy territory where they
continue to be “evil,” or we can watch the
beauty of transformation and a person having
a true realization that they were wrong
and now desire to come to repentance. So
the next time you wanna curse someone, try
this blessing instead. You don’t have to
speak it over them but pray for them. “Lord
bless them and protect them from the ways
of the enemy. I pray that your face will
shine upon them, illuminating every dark
corner so that your righteous character
will break forth upon them. I’m no
more deserving of your mercy than they are,
so be gracious to them. Give them your full
attention so they will turn toward you instead
of lashing out toward others. Give them
peace. I pray they will have wholeness and
total satisfaction in you, so they won’t
look for false satisfaction that comes in
hurting others.” And watch how that changes
your heart and puts you on higher ground
away from their ability to hurt you again.
Heart Check.
Is
there someone you can bless today?
The
Priestly Blessing -- Numbers 6:24-26
The
LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
The
LORD make his face shine upon thee, and
be gracious unto thee:
The
LORD lift up his countenance upon thee,
and give thee peace.
Deep
Dive
How
are the concepts of cleanliness and purity
seen in communities today? How do we calibrate
that with the way one looks at one who may
be “unclean”?
How
might restitution still be applied today?
What
principles stand out the most in the testing
of bitter water?
Is
the Nazirite vow still something that could
be well-implemented in one’s spiritual journey?
Is it realistic?
What
does the priestly blessing mean to you personally?
Heavenly
Father,thank you for blessing our lives
so abundantly.
We
don’t need to wait for a periodic blessing
from a priest to receive your favor, grace
and mercy. Thank you for the hedge of protection
that you place around us so that we can
live freely in wide open spaces. I pray
that your face will indeed shine upon us
so that we are able to refiect your righteous
character. Thank you for your tender care
and mercy that you bestow upon us, beyond
any measure that we could ever use. Thank
you for having eyes on our every moment
and every need. When we recognize this,
it is so much easier to have peace, knowing
that you look favorably upon us. So may
we bear your name with joy so that it blesses
your heart when people see that mark of
identification upon us.
I
pray that we will live our lives in purity
and holiness so that we do not defile ourselves
as you dwell within us. We don’t want to
ever taint anyone else’s view of who you
are, so may we keep all things impure far
from us. We want to always have free and
open fellowship with you, so I pray that
if there is anything that we need to remove
from our lives to have that, please show
us what that is and give us the strength
to do so.
Thank
you for reminding us of the importance of
our relationships here on this earth. I
pray that we do everything in our power
to maintain healthy relationships both with
you and people. If we have ever wronged
anyone, show us how we can make it right
and even go above and beyond in order to
restore harmony and unity.
I
pray that we won’t just confess for the
sake of apologizing but truly take responsibility
for anything we have done wrong. We know
that it's a major part of our own restoration,
so help us to see where we have erred so
we can be made whole.
Where
marriages may be suffering due to a lack
of trust, jealousy, or past mistakes, I
pray that you will intervene. Thank you
for the gift of marriage—I pray that those
of us who are married will see it and our
spouse for the gift that they are. May we
honor our relationship with them just as
we honor our relationship with you. Our
earthly marriages really should refiect
our heavenly relationship with you as our
bridegroom. I pray that we never do anything
that would give our spouse a reason not
to trust us, and I pray against any undue
jealousy, for we see how destructive it
can be. Thank you, Jesus, for drinking the
bitter waters for us, so that we could be
set free.
And
as we read about the Nazirite vow and understand
the seriousness of it, I pray that we will
understand the why behind it—that a life
in dedication to you should never be taken
lightly. I pray that we will all set that
determination in our hearts to honor you
with our own lives . Show us what we should
be abstaining from so that we can fully
devote ourselves without any hindrances
or distractions. And again, I pray that
our commitment to a life of holiness and
ritual purity will be evident to all.
In
Numbers 7, final preparations are being
made before setting out to the Promised
Land.
With
the Tabernacle completed, the leaders of
the twelve tribes spontaneously bring o£erings
which include twelve oxen and six carts
for the transporting of the Tabernacle and
all its items.
Over
the course of 12 days, each of the tribal
leaders brings an o£ering of silver
and gold plates and bowls, grain o£erings,
incense, and bulls, rams, lambs, goats and
oxen for the burnt and sin o£erings.
Each
day is reserved for one tribe’s presentation,
and every tribe o£ers an identical
gift.
After
the completion of this procession, Moses
enters the Tabernacle and seeks the counsel
of God, who speaks from above the Mercy
Seat.
FAIR
BLESSINGS | Num. 7:19
Wait
a minute, why don’t the Kohathites get carts
and oxen? That isn’t fair! We need to fight
for equality! Doesn’t that sound like our
society? Always looking at what everyone
else has and demanding that we have that
too. But look at what God says when He gave
the carts and oxen—they were given “according
to their service.” He apportioned what was
necessary for the burden that they would
have to bear and the load that they would
have to carry. A lot of the time we only
see what people have on the surface without
ever considering the burden that they bear
at the core of it all. We begin to think
that certain people have favor and therefore
God must love them more, but if we only
knew that with all that is given, there
is a greater responsibility that comes with
it. Or maybe if you’re like the Kohathites,
who have no carts to carry the load, but
who get to walk in deeper intimacy because
you carry the Ark with His Presence. You
walk with Him rather than sitting comfortably
on a cart. We may never know what people
carry, but it isn’t for us to know. We simply
must trust that God is fair and just in
everything He does, and concentrate on the
things that He has given to us and not let
the blessings of others distract us from
what matters most. Because in the end, we
won’t be rolling up to the bema seat of
Christ with our oxen and carts. We will
all be standing on equal footing before
Him with our hearts exposed. And it is there
where we will receive the real reward that
will last for eternity. Heart Check.
What
are you focused on? Your blessings or everyones
ele's?
SLAVE
VS. PROMISED LAND MENTALITY | Num. 7:12-17
When
the Israelites left Egypt, they had a slave
mentality—they left Egypt taking rather
than giving. But God has taught them valuable
lessons on His provision and now they have
a Promised Land mentality. Instead of looking
for what they can take, they’re looking
at what they can give before they set out.
Because when you’re scavenging, it’s usually
fueled by fear, whereas trusting in God’s
provision is fueled by faith. Heart
Check.
Do
you hane a slave mentality or a Promised
Land mentality? Do you jump to get to the
front of the line, or patiently wait in
the back?
HUMBLE
GIVING | Num. 7:18-23
Not
only were the Israelites generous in their
giving, but they gave humbly. No one was
trying to showboat and bring a greater gift
than the other. They all brought the same
things, so that no one would outshine the
other. This proved that they were setting
out in unity. Jesus said that when we give,
we shouldn’t let the left hand know what
the right hand is doing, meaning we don’t
need to tell everyone how generous we are.
The only one who needs to know what we’re
doing is God, and He will reward that type
of giving. Heart Check.
When
you serve or give to others, are you doing
it to be seen and rewarded, or you doing
it from a place of humility?
GIVING
IDENTITY | Num. 7:18-23
This
chapter could’ve easily been reduced to
“every leader of every tribe brought forth
one silver plate, one silver basin, a grain
offering, one golden dish with incense,
a burnt offering, a sin offering, and a
peace offering.” Why did He need to repeat
the same thing for every person? Because
every gift matters. He isn’t up there hoarding
all our gifts and throwing them into a bin,
saying, “Thanks everyone.” He sees everything
you do and everything you give, even when
others don’t. And He’s putting it into heaven’s
accounting log, so that when you stand before
Him, He will repay you. Nothing that you
ever do for His glory will be done in vain.
He even says that He will reward a cup of
cold water that is given! But secondly,
when God repeats anything in the Bible,
we best pay attention. And I do not, for
a second, doubt His purpose of this repetition
about giving—because our entire eternal
destiny hinges on the fact that He GAVE
His one and only Son. He is the greatest
giver of all. So if we truly want to be
more like Him, one of the best things that
we can do is give. When we do that, our
hearts will be more set on heaven rather
than here on earth, because where your treasure
is, there your heart will be also. Heart
Check.
Who
do you identify with more? the one who gives
generously? Or the one who takes, steals,
and robs from others.
Deep
Dive
What
lessons can we learn from the system of
these o£erings?
How
does this speak to the consistency in our
own faith?
What
would be modern equivalents to these o£erings?
How
can the unity of the tribes’ giving be modeled
in today’s church?
How
does Moses’ approach to God speak to our
approach in prayer?
Heavenly
Father, thank youfor modeling what generous
giving looks like.
Thank
you, most of all, for the gift of Jesus,
which gave us not only eternal life, but
the ability to come freely into your Presence.
I pray that we understand that while you
welcome us with open arms, that there is
still a way in which we are to come. And
the only way is through Jesus. It’s only
because of the atonement that was made,
that we can enter in. So thank you Jesus.
We are grateful that you are our Mediator,
who we always have access to.
Thank
you for the faith and dedication that the
Israelites so vividly displayed here. I
pray that we will have the same kind of
generosity and faithfulness when we give
to others.
Help
us to break free from the slave-mentality,
where we are quick to grab and slow to share.
I pray that we will, instead, have a Promised
Land mentality, knowing and fully trusting
that you will provide for our every need,
and when we give, we know that it is not
being done in vain. When we give with a
generous and cheerful heart, we know that
it is not lost on you. You see every move
we make, every ounce of energy, time, and
talent that we pour forth, and it is not
being wasted. So help us to focus on eternity,
allowing our treasures to be stored up in
heaven, so that our hearts will follow suit.
We want to be a people who are focused heavenward
and not only on what surrounds us.
This
is all temporary, but with you, all things
are measured against eternity. I pray that
when we do give or serve, it is always done
with a humble heart, not seeking to be seen
or acknowledged by anyone other than you.
Thank
you for the Levites, who so faithfully served,
carrying their burdens and their loads according
to the instructions that you gave. I pray
that we will be like that. May we not focus
on what the person next to us is doing or
what they have, because that is the quickest
way to trip ourselves up. So help us to
be grateful for the blessings that you have
given to us, according to our service. I
pray that when we do see the blessings of
others, that we will also be able to appreciate
the heavy load that they likely carry with
it. You are a fair and just God, and we
trust in that today.
Thank
you, Holy Spirit, that we can hear your
voice that speaks from the Mercy Seat within
our own hearts.
Numbers
8-10 mark the final events at Mt. Sinai
before the people of Israel set out to the
Promised Land.
In
chapter 8, God gives Moses and Aaron instructions
on the arrangement of the golden lampstand
with the light shining forward, and Aaron
carries this out as instructed. The Lord
outlines the purification and cleansing
rites of the Levites which includes shaving
their bodies, washing their clothing, and
providing a sin and burnt o£ering.
Their dedication continues with the people
laying their hands upon the Levites, and
the Levites doing the same with the bulls.
The Levites are presented as a wave o£ering
before the Lord and dedicated for service
in the Tabernacle. This service begins for
every male Levite at the age of 25 until
reaching retirement at the age of 50, when
they will continue ministering but not performing
duties in the Tabernacle.
In
chapter 9, the Israelites celebrate their
second Passover, following all prescribed
details as instructed by God. Guidance for
an additional Passover is given for those
who may become unclean and miss the initial
Passover. This celebration is open to both
the sojourner and the native. God provides
divine guidance to the Israelites through
a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night.
The
movement of the cloud determines their setting
out and staying put.
In
chapter 10, the Lord establishes the trumpet
calls for the camp. When two trumps sound,
the entire camp is to assemble, and when
only one sounds, only the leaders are to
gather. Other trumpet blasts serve as battle
alarms as well as the commencement of festivals
and sacrifices. The Israelites then set
out to the wilderness of Paran, with each
tribe following the order placed by God.
Moses
invites his brother-in-law Hobab to come
with them, promising God’s favor in return
for his guidance through the wilderness.
But Hobab refuses and seeks to return to
his homeland. The chapter ends with a reminder
of the divine guidance of God and the people’s
trusting response.
FACING
FORWARD | Num. 8:1-4
Just
as meticulously as the crafting of the lampstand
was to be done, so was the placement of
it within the Tabernacle. It was to be placed
on the south side, with the light facing
forward, toward the Altar of Incense. It
was the only light source within the Tabernacle
and was to burn continually. This is not
random.
When
God spoke in the beginning, “Let there be
light,” there was a separation that took
place between the light and the dark. This
is why He commands the light to face forward
and northward. Because once we receive Jesus,
who is the Light of the World, we are separated
from the darkness in which we once lived.
We are no longer tethered to it.
This
is why the darkness of our past can never
determine our future—because it is behind
us. It does not light the way. God’s Word
and His promise is the lamp unto our feet
and the light unto our path. He wants us
facing forward and moving forward. The moment
we start going backwards, living in the
shoulda coulda wouldas, we will start stumbling
around and tripping over our own feet because
there’s no light back there.
The
only light is in front of us. So look up.
Start believing for the greater things in
front of you. And don’t wait for a handout,
reach out and grab hold of it. Heart Check.
Are
you stumbling around in the dark of thr
past? Or are you following the light that
is facing forward?
LIGHT
SOURCE | Num. 8:1-4
Secondly,
when Jesus declared us to be the light of
the world, the city on the hill, a lamp
not to be hidden but on a stand, He painted
this picture of the church as the lampstand.
But remember, we are not the source of the
light. The source comes from the oil or
the Spirit of God. When He tells us to let
our light shine before others, it is always
to be done so that it glorifies our Father
in Heaven (Matthew 5:14-16). The only way
that will ever happen is if we are simply
providing the stand on which His light shines.
We
are a mere reflection of His light. One
of the reasons why so many people are living
in darkness is because the source of the
light is all wrong. They’re seeking significance
within themselves, looking for approval
from other people or from their success,
and what happens is we become our own hindrance,
blocking the light rather than being the
light. Heart Check.
What
are you sourcing your light? Are you blocking
it or allowing it to shine from heaven through
you?
LIGHT
+ HOLINESS | Num. 8:1-14
When
we look at the first four verses of this
chapter, it may have seemed a little out
of place—lamps sandwiched between the giving
of the gifts and the cleansing of the Levites.
But God doesn’t do anything by accident,
and here’s how I see it. God has given us
the most precious gift of grace and eternal
life. But once we receive that gift, we
need a path that is illuminated so that
we can distinguish our steps and the way
that we should walk in that life that is
set apart and non-conforming to the world.
But you cannot have one without the other.
The church needs both light and holiness.
Because if you only claim holiness and non-conformity
with no light, then we will be self-righteous,
condemning and judgmental. But if we only
have light and don’t separate from the world,
then we lead a life of compromise and misrepresent
God as one who doesn’t view sin as seriously
as He does. When Jesus corrected people
and laid down the truth, it was always done
with love and mercy and kindness.He never
condemned. He stood firm on the truth while
weeping over Jerusalem. He prayed for broken
communities rather than simply highlighting
their sin. He died for a broken world, which
includes every one of us .Heart Check.
Do
you have both light and holiness in your
heart? Do you weep over and pray for those
who are broken or only foucus on their sin?
Or on the flip side, do you compromise in
watering down God's truth?
RETIREMENT
| Num. 8:23-26
I’m
sure many of us are thinking, wow, I sure
would love to retire at 50. But while the
Levites were to retire from the physical
labor, they still continued to serve and
minister. But the way the world paints the
picture of retirement, it either markets
it at a poolside in a sunny destination
or retirement communities.
And
while I do believe that we should absolutely
be able to enjoy our retirement years in
leisure, I have also seen a rapid decline
in a person when they stop pouring into
others. There is something to say for the
vitality of life coming from serving, mentoring,
or teaching. And if wisdom is with the aged
and understanding in the length of days
(Job 12:12), we have a whole lot within
us when we reach retirement to give unto
others. Heart Check.
What
does your retirement look like? Does it
include the continuation of serving in the
same way? Or does all work cease?
PURPOSE
IN THE PRESENT | Num. 9:15-23
Here
we have a covenant people, organized, ordered,
cleansed, set apart, blessed, provided for,
given specific instructions… and yet they
still need divine guidance by way of cloud
in order to make it to Promised Land. When
it moved, they moved. When it stopped, they
stopped. And waiting for it to pick up again
could sometimes mean months. But they needed
to wait, because they were only to be where
the Presence of God led. Let’s not miss
this—because most of us are always asking,
“What next, Lord?
Where
do you want me to go?” I get it—I’m a visionary,
so I see things and quickly want to move
ahead. But I have had to learn to be still
when He is so I don’t miss the purpose in
the present. So we really should be asking,
“What do you want me to do right now while
I’m here,” instead of looking for the next
step. Heart Check.
Are
you always looking for what what's next?
Or are you seeking to know what to do in
the here and now?
TRUMPET
CALLS | Num. 10:1-10
The
trumpets served several purposes here—to
gather the people together, to mobilize
them, then send them into battle, and for
celebration of the feasts and festivals.
Ultimately,
this was their system of mass communication
because imagine trying to tell millions
of people without cell phones what to do.
But we face a dilemma of the opposite nature.
We do have cell phones and all sorts of
noise going on around us, so it lends to
serve this Heart Check.
Amid
all noise in your life, are you able to
determine God's trumpet calls?
Deep
Dive
How
can we apply the dedication of the Levites
to our own lives?
Which
aspects of the dedication service are still
applicable?
Is
the age 30-50 still relevant? In what way?
What
might be a pillar of cloud/fire that guides
us today? How important is it still for
us to follow this?
How
significant is the allowance of foreigners
to celebrate the Passover? How is this represented
in the church today?
Do
you believe Moses asking for Hobab’s guidance
was a lapse in faith?
Heavenly
Father, thank you again for your divine
guidance in our lives.
We
are so grateful to be a part of the covenant
people, who you have called, cleansed, purified,
set apart, blessed, provided for, and have
given us eternal instructions through your
Word. I pray that we never lag behind or
even try to move ahead of your Presence.
We know that your timing is perfect, so
I pray that we will never grow impatient
in seasons of waiting for you to move.
Help
us to hear your calls above all the noise
in this world. The enemy wants nothing more
than to keep our ears clogged with every
other frequency but yours. So I pray that
we stay tuned in so that we never miss a
call to gather, to set out, to fight, and
to celebrate. Thank you for never leaving
us to do any of that alone.
I
pray that we continue to keep our eyes focused
forward, in the place that you have illuminated
for us, never looking backwards at the coulda
shoulda wouldas, for we know that regret
will never lead us into promise. But the
promise of your Word will light the way
into your purpose. And as we walk in that
light, may we also be the refiective surface
by which the entire world sees your glory.
May we never stand in the way of that, trying
to soak up all the light for ourselves and
ultimately ending up in the darkness. For
anyone fighting through the darkness of
depression today, I pray that you will illuminate
every dark corner of their lives and break
the bondage of that spirit that holds them
down. Set them free today in the name of
Jesus. For those who may feel lost, I pray
that you will grab a hold of their hand
and divinely guide them to where they need
to be. And for those of us who are pushing
to set out but feel stuck, help us to recognize
whether or not we are trying to set out
when the cloud has not yet lifted. I pray
that you will speak to our hearts and show
us what we need to do in the here and now
so we can find our purpose in the present.
But
I pray that when you do say to move, that
we don’t get stuck in the place of preparation,
or the fear of not being ready, because
the reality is, we will never be ready enough,
but with you, all things are possible. You
are our strength. You are the Waymaker,
the one who makes it possible. So I pray
that we do not sit back waiting for an opportunity
or a handout, but may we reach out when
we see it out in front of us.
I
pray that we will live our lives with both
light and holiness, never straying too far
to the left or right, where we get caught
up in legalism or thinking that because
we are not walking in the sin of others,
that we are somehow now the judge over their
lives.
May
we not be people who condemn, but ones who
carry your heart Jesus.
I
pray that we will be the light of the world,
loving people, showing them mercy and kindness,
weeping over them, praying for them, and
bringing them in rather than shutting them
out. Forgive us where we may have done that.
But
I also pray that we do not operate in a
mindset that because love covers a multitude
of sins, that it means sin no longer exists.
It is still just as serious as it was when
you pronounced it in your word, so may we
never stray from standing firmly in your
truth. For we know that your standard of
holiness has not changed from day 1. You
have simply given us more chances than we
deserve to align ourselves with it. Thank
you for that.
And
while we are in our prime, with the ability
to do the work, I pray that we will show
up each day with eager hearts and willing
hands. For those who are now in the retirement
phase of life, I pray for continual strength
and wisdom to pour out of them, keeping
them vibrant until the day you call them
home. Help us all to be a people who desire
to mentor and teach others in your ways.
We know that in doing so, we will store
up treasure in heaven as we invest others
while here on this earth.
Numbers
11-13 marks the beginning of the complaining
in the wilderness and the first survey of
the Promised Land.
In
chapter 11, the Israelites begin complaining
about their discomfort and an angry fire
from God destroys some of the outlying parts
of the camp. Moses prays, and the fire abates,
but the people begin complaining again about
the extravagant meals they once had in Egypt.
An angry Moses cries out to the Lord, even
asking God to mercifully kill him in order
not to have to bear their burden. The Lord
instructs Moses to gather seventy elders,
to whom He will give some of the burden
and relieve Moses from bearing it alone.
Two men in the camp begin prophesying, bringing
concern to Joshua. But Moses assures him
that he is pleased and wishes for all men
to prophesy. God sends an overabundance
of quail to the camp, and in the middle
of their greedy feasting, they are stricken
with a plague. The place is named
Kibroth-hattaavah
meaning “graves of craving,” as those who
had the craving die here.
In
chapter 12, Moses’ sister Miriam and Aaron
criticizes Moses’s Cushite wife while questioning
Moses’ God-given authority. When God hears
this, he summons them to the Tent of Meeting
and speaks to them about his direct and
intimate communication with Moses while
speaking to other prophets through dreams
and visions. The Lord punishes Miriam with
leprosy for being disrespectful, and when
Aaron and Moses plead with God for her healing,
God commanded that she be exiled for seven
days until she is healed.
In
chapter 13, the Lord tells Moses to send
the twelve chiefs of the tribes to survey
the Promised Land. He gives them specific
parameters on what to look for—the condition
of the people, land and cities—and asks
for fruit to be brought back. When the spies
return after 40 days, they bring a cluster
of fruit to display the fruitfulness of
the land. However, they also carry with
them a discouraging report about the strong
people, fortified cities, and the presence
of Nephilim. Caleb encourages the people,
declaring their ability to overtake them,
but the other men carry the bad news to
the rest of the nation, invoking fear within
them.
ROMANTICIZING
THE PAST | Num. 11:4-6
Here
they go, looking back at the good ol’ days
through rose colored glasses, dreaming about
the filet mignon and crème brulee
that they once had and forgetting all about
the oppression and slavery they were under.
They’re romanticizing the past while exaggerating
the present day issues. That’s exactly what
the devil will do—because remember, there’s
no light behind us, so the enemy will come
in and disguise himself as an angel of light,
illuminating only the good things of the
past so he can try to lure you back there
so that you won’t move forward. But we know
that God’s best is always in front of us.
If it wasn’t, we would no longer be here.
And He withholds no good thing from those
who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11), so if
He is keeping something from us, it’s because
it simply isn’t the best thing for us. He
knows that if He feeds them bu£ets
everyday, they’re going to become gluttonous
and sluggish and won’t have the strength
they need to move forward. Heart Check.
Do
you find yourself romanticizing the past
and exaggerating your present problems?
Or can you see that the best is still in
front of you?
DAILY
BOREDOM | Num. 11:6-10
One
of the greatest annoyances as a parent is
when my kids say, “We’re bored,” after I’ve
just taken them roller skating, to eat pizza
and ice cream, boarded a rocket ship, went
to the moon, came back—and yet it still
isn’t enough. And I think to myself, my
parents never entertained me—that was our
job as kids—and we were happy drawing on
our feet and digging in the dirt. But the
more you get, the more you want. And with
God taking them out of the brick baking
business and away from wear they had to
drown children in the Nile. Plus, He’s providing
perfectly nutritious donuts every single
day, but because they no longer have heavenly
taste buds, they can’t appreciate heavenly
food, and they are becoming more dissatisfied.
They are bored with what God has given them
and therefore going back to that slave mentality.
Heart Check.
But
we have to remember that it is not God's
job to entertain us. Heart Check. Have you
become bored of your daily blessings?
OFFERING
SOLUTIONS | Num. 11:10-15
One
of the quickest ways to sap the life out
of a person is to complain. We’re not talking
about offering suggestions or constructive
criticism that is presented with a bow of
grace on it. We’re talking about our quick
fingers that jump on yelp when our food
is not up to par, just for the mere sake
of complaining because we can. This is plain
ol’ “I don’t like this” and o£ering
zero solutions. So if you think about it
this way, if we know that complaining tears
down, then we’re straight working for the
devil who comes to steal, kill and destroy.
So if you ever have a complaint in your
spirit, consider this first. And think about
how you can offer a solution with your complaint
or present it in a way that will build up
instead of tear down. Israelites could’ve
gone looking or hunting for meat, but they
didn’t. They just whined about it and expected
Moses to spoon feed them. Heart Check.
Do
you look for the solution before offering
your complaints?
GET
WHAT YOU ASK FOR | Num. 11:18
Fill
in the blanks if you have ever heard or
said this… “Stop your crying or
.”
(Cheat code: “I’ll give you something to
cry about.”) That’s exactly what happened
here. Even though it wasn’t the best thing
for them, God gave in and let them have
exactly what they wanted. And in the end,
they think they’re crying now, but they
will be crying over a much greater pain
once they get what they think they want.
This
is why we have to trust in God’s will for
our lives—because He knows what’s best despite
what we think or despite our own cravings
or wants. Heart Check.
Are
you asking for God's will in your life or
giving Him orders on what you think is best?
Are you prepared to get what you ask for?
ENVY
| Num. 12:9
It
is very clear that envy grieves the heart
of God, because it’s us saying, “Why them
and not me? You gave that gift to the wrong
person. You messed up.” Heart Check.
Do
you ever find yourself feeling as though
you should have been the one to be given
something someone else has? Or are you able
to rejoice with those who rejoice?
Deep
Dive
Why
is complaining so prevalent in human nature?
What
does the appointment of the 70 elders show
us about God’s heart for leadership? How
can you apply it to your life?
How
can we overcome cravings or greed?
What
does Moses’ response to Aaron and Miriam
show about his character?
How
does Moses’ position shape your understanding
of God’s sovereignty in choosing leadership?
Do
you believe Moses made a mistake in sending
the spies to Canaan?
For
anyone who is facing giants or seeing impossible
situations that seem to have impenetrable
walls, I pray that you will lift their heads
up to see you standing above all of it.
Because you have promised to bring us into
the Promised Land, we have no reason to
waiver and shake in our boots as we make
our way through the wilderness of life.
But sometimes our human emotions can take
over, so I pray that you will bolster our
faith today. Help us to trust that what
you have spoken will never return void.
We know that you will never leave us or
forsake us and that no weapon that forms
against us can prosper. So where we see
problems, we will see the problem solver.
Where we see giants, we will see the giant
slayer. Where we see walls, we also see
walls tumbling down. Thank you for that
vision today and reminding us that you are
in control. May our faith overtake our fear
every single day.
Forgive
us where we have doubted, been cynical or
skeptical, complained about our lack, or
been critical of where we are. We don’t
want to be remembered that way. We want
to be remembered as a people who trusted,
encouraged, people who were faithful and
showed others that they too could walk into
their promise.
So
as we continue marching forward today, I
pray that we will not romanticize our past,
or look back at what once was or what we
once had, but fully trust in the better
days ahead of us. As long as we are still
breathing, the best is yet to come. We know
and trust that you are giving us everything
we need to sustain us each day, so I pray
that we trust in that and do not look at
what everyone else has. I pray that we do
not grow bored of our own blessings, where
we begin to crave or envy what others have.
Forgive us where we have done so. Help us
to see what we have been given and show
us how we can turn it around to be a blessing
to others.
I
pray that you will remove the spirit of
complaining from us today. We want to be
life givers, not life sappers. And I pray
that when we do have a desire to complain,
that you will show us the root of what we’re
really dealing with. Or show us how we can
be a solution rather than simply presenting
a problem.
Forgive
us for ever ordering you to fulfill our
desires. We know and trust that you know
what’s best for us, so I pray that we will
yield our lives fully to you today. May
we always have a spirit that cries out,
“Your will be done.” I pray that we can
find true satisfaction and fulfillment in
you. Forgive us where we have ever questioned
why you have given someone else something
that we wanted or where we have questioned
anything you’ve done while implying that
you made some sort of mistake. You don’t
make mistakes. Everything you do is purposeful
and for our good. We trust in that today.