Bible In One Year-Day 42 (Tuesday, February 11, 2014)

Commentary: Lev1-4. When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, He made them build a tabernacle to represent His intention of living amongst them after establishing them as a nation. In Exodus we learnt about the making of a nation and the ordination as priests. The Leviticus is a priestly guide on how to relate with God. God emphasized that He is holy and therefore, His people must be holy as well, Lev19:2. That is, we need holiness to be able to relate with God. How could this be possible considering the state of our mind? Heb9:9-10 makes us to understand that those sacrifices and ceremonies attached to cleansing were not able to make the conscience perfect. Only the blood of Jesus can make it. There are lots of sacrifices for different things just to make God approachable. Through the first four chapters, we could read that each time an animal, without blemish, was used for sacrifice, the person who brought it would have to lay hand on the head of the animal and the animal will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. This is SUBSTITUTION. Once the animal is accepted, righteousness will be counted unto such person. Jesus is a substitute for us to become the righteousness of God, 2 Cor5:21.

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

The guides and law given were for the deeds of the law. Rom3:20-21 says that no flesh shall be justified through the deeds of the law. We become the righteousness of God only through faith in Christ. Jesus ended the law and established grace; grace to overcome sin and not to embrace sin. Substitution is the result of the grace. Please take time to read Rom10:1-9. You need to stop struggling to be righteous by your own effort but let the Spirit of Christ work you through to pattern you according to the word of God, Rm10:3. The more you struggle to be righteous, the more you find yourself falling into a doctrine and the law and the more sin committed. You could imagine the anointing on Jesus according to Lk4:18-19, let that anointing set you free, heal your wounded heart, proclaim your liberty, give you inner eyes (a seeing grace), witness the good news to your inner being and break your yoke. This is the gospel of Jesus. The essence of the presence of the Holy Spirit here on earth is to supervise grace and help our weaknesses. If you are trying with your effort, it means you don’t need His help. Increase, progress, achievement and breakthrough come by the comforting and the help of the Holy Spirit and not by works of the flesh. Once you realize your weakness, call on Him for help. Check out Acts9:31. To fear God, or get wisdom is by the Holy Spirit (Isaiah11:2). In Lev1, Christ is seen as a male offering without blemish, Lev2 as first fruit offering, Lev3 as peace offering and in Lev4 as sin offering. However, in these chapters, our attitudes matter in bringing these offerings. Lev1 says it should be with a willing heart, Lev2 says without bitterness, i.e. forgive (unleavened), Lev3 says that the offering should be the best and not to regard God as a beggar. Lev4 says that you must be conscious of the sin and that you need forgiveness. Since the conscience was the problem of the priests performing the service and the person who brought the offering, Jesus says the offering is not the issue but the state of your heart. He demands your LOVE for one another, Mark11:25-26. Loving your neighbor is more than the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices, Mark12:33. The request of the scripture is to examine ourselves if we are still in the faith; this is the mark of righteousness. Prayer: Blood of Jesus Christ, wash my heart clean. Next mile on the trip is Lev5-7. Keep the fire burning and alive till His coming. JESUS IS THE LORD. Amen