September 4, 2024
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Leviticus and Ephesians? Here’s today’s reading:
Leviticus 9 (NIV)
The Priests Begin Their Ministry
1 On the eighth day Moses summoned Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel. 2 He said to Aaron, “Take a bull calf for your sin offering and a ram for your burnt offering, both without defect, and present them before the Lord. 3 Then say to the Israelites: ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, a calf and a lamb—both a year old and without defect—for a burnt offering,……Continue Reading
At first, I was not very excited to read Leviticus this morning. But God opened my eyes and spoke to me about sin and fellowship with him. In this account, it is shown the detailed, laborious task of offering the sin and fellowship offerings. The same is true many years later. We have to do all the necessary laborious work of getting rid of sin in our lives and draw close to God.
Great word, Jill!
Leviticus 9
Leviticus 9:24
The same fire that would come and consume parts of the camp in Numbers 11:1. You almost feel like the people of Israel got so used to seeing the actual physical presence of God that they got numb to it. We can get the same way, can’t we? We get so used to seeing the grace of God in our lives, we start to miss it, and instead, start complaining and asking God why He doesn’t answer our prayers. Interesting that in Numbers 11:2, the people cry out to Moses…not God, but I guess this was due to the intercessory role of Moses between the people and God. Thanks be to God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ that we now have a perfect mediator between God the Father and ourselves… 1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ.” and Hebrews 9:15 “Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.” And thank God for the gift of His Holy Spirit, who also helps us in our weakness! “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” Romans 8:26. God gives us everything we need…thanks be to God for His wonderous mercy and grace!
Leviticus 9 and 10
Leviticus 4-9; Galatians 4-6; Proverbs 4; Psalms 21-26
Aaron had to give two sacrifices for himself while he sons assisted him. He had to kill a bull calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. A commentary commented on how ironic it was because Aaron had made the golden calf and now had to use the calf as his sin offering. The people of Israel were represented by Aaron`s sons and the elders. They were to bring a male goat for a sin offering and both a calf and a lamb without defect for a burnt offering. Also an ox and a ram for a fellowship offering. Included was a grain offering. Aaron after all this blessed the people and then the glory of the Lord came down and consumed the burnt offering. The people fell face down with joy and worshipped the Lord. Can you imagine what a sight that would had been! Brethen when things get hard; remember how the Lord has brought us through each time with His guiding hand. Thank you Jesus.
”and fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.“
Leviticus 9:24 NKJV
Can you imagine going through these rituals and then FIRE COMES OUT FROM THE LORD and consumes the burnt offering? The Lord was ever before them, I guess they had taken Him for granted. He makes a dramatic appearance and they shout and fall on their faces. May we continually be in awe of God’s presence and works always around us and within us.
No human being is beyond the need for cleansing of sin and being made right before God, even the priests who would be the ones performing the sacrifices for the people. Before they can do that, they must be made right. And without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. A life must be given for sin to be addressed. And how amazing it is for God to show His pleasure over what occurs here to provide the fire to consume the offering. How couldn’t you rejoice and be humbled by that. It is easier to do that if we were to or have experienced something like that. But how much greater it is for us to rejoice and be in awe of God because of what we know and believe, without needing to see….
Leviticus 9
Must have been an amzing sight to see amongst all the preparation and work to prepare these offerings for God’s presence to be so evident as to come in the form of fire to burn up the offerings!