God’s Judgment

Readings for today: Numbers 29-32

Holy War. Jihad. Violence sanctioned by God Himself. In Numbers 31, God directs Moses and Israel to attack Midian. “Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.” Who was Midian and what had they done to Israel to cause God’s judgment to fall on them in such an extreme fashion? 

Midian was a son of Abraham and his servant Keturah. While Abraham was still living, he sent Midian away so that there would be no competition for Isaac’s inheritance. Midian presumably thrived over the years becoming a great tribal nation. Abraham’s great-grandson Joseph was sold to Midianite traders as they made their way to Egypt. Moses fled to Midian to escape Egyptian justice and actually married a Midianite woman. As Moses learned to lead the nation of Israel, he leaned on his father-in-law, a Midianite priest, for advice but Israel’s close association with Midian would come back to haunt them as they began to intermarry with them and co-mingle their worship practices. This results in judgment as God pours out His wrath on Israel through a plague which is only stopped when Phinehas kills Cozbi, daughter of a Midianite chief named Zur, and her husband Zimri who was the son of a Simeonite chief. Furthermore, the Midianites had allied themselves with the Moabites, setting themselves in opposition to Israel, and called on one of their prophets - Balaam - to come and curse the people of God. 

You may remember the 2nd Commandment. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,” (Exodus‬ ‭20:4-5‬)‬‬ God is jealous for His divine name. Jealous for His divine glory. Jealous for His relationship with His people. He makes it clear over and over again throughout the Scriptures that He will tolerate no rivals. So when Israel begins to worship the Midianite gods, God takes action. First, he punishes Israel as I mentioned above. Then He calls for holy war. He commands His people to attack Midian and “execute the Lord’s vengeance.” Vengeance not in the sense of God losing control and lashing out but vengeance in the sense of the righteous execution of God’s justice. Israel is successful. They kill all the males that come against them. They take the women and children hostage. They plunder their possessions. Then they go one step further. As an act of ritual purity, they kill all the male children and any women who is not a virgin. It is brutal. It is horrifying. It is judgment. The women were just as guilty as the Israelite men in the sin of idolatry at Peor and their guilt conveys to their male children as well who - if left alive - might seek their own revenge against Israel in the future. Once again, we have to remember how different ancient near east culture was when compared to our own. Blood feuds between tribes and clans were common and could last generations.

This is scary stuff. Especially for the 21st century American reader. It doesn’t square with our notions of a loving God who always shows mercy and grace to the sinner. When we read passages like this, we think of modern-day terrorists. Suicide bombers. Religious extremists like ISIS and we cannot understand how our God could ever act in such ways. This is where we come face to face with God’s holiness. God’s righteousness. God’s justice. The stark reality is this...evil makes God angry. Idolatry is an offense. He does not let it go. He does not overlook our sin. He does not turn a blind eye to our rebellion. This is why the cross itself is so brutal and horrifying. There God pours out the full measure of His righteous wrath and judgment on His Son. Satisfying the demands of divine justice through Jesus’ suffering and death. On the cross, the truly innocent One dies in our place thus saving us from God’s righteous wrath and the “Lord’s vengeance.”

So what is our response? Repentance. Repentance is the only appropriate response of the creature when confronted by the Creator and this is the lesson we must all take away. God will not be mocked. Not back then. Not now. Not in the future. God is a God of love and mercy and grace but He is also a God of holiness and righteousness and justice. He is quick to forgive the sin of those who repent but He is also faithful to judge those who persist in their rebellion. Humble yourself before the Lord before it is too late. Embrace the Son and what He has done for you. Give your life to Christ that you might be saved from the coming judgment.

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 33-36

Succession Planning

Readings for today: Numbers 25-28

For years, I’ve harbored this dream of retiring as the church janitor. No big send off. No celebratory retirement dinner. No special recognition. Just a long, slow fade into the background. I hope with all my heart it happens and I’m actually making plans towards that end. Yes, I am still very much in my prime years of leadership. But time goes by fast and before you know it, I will come to the end. My preaching gifts will wane. My vision for the future will begin to fail. My influence will fade as it rightly should and when that happens, I must be humbly willing to take a step back. Let another take my place. 

This is one of the things I love most about Moses. He knows he’s coming to the end. The closer they get to the Promised Land, the closer they get to end of his life and leadership because God has already told him he will not be allowed to cross over. So when they arrive at Mt. Abarim, God calls Moses to go up and see the land He has given to Israel. It will be the last thing Moses will see before his death. He will at that time be “gathered to his people” just like his brother Aaron. However, Moses loves his people. He doesn’t want them left without a leader so he asks God to appoint his successor. To raise up a man to take his place. And once again, God answers Moses’ prayer. He raises up Joshua and he is commissioned as Moses’ successor in front of all the people. 

There are several things to learn from this passage about succession planning. First and foremost, none of us is irreplaceable. The Kingdom of God is much bigger than any one person. Second, we must humbly accept the fact that we will eventually decrease and another will increase. We will eventually fall and another rise to take our place. This is natural and good and right. Third, we should be preparing with this end in mind. Not holding too tightly to our position or power but rather plan for the day when we need to step aside. Fourth, we should be praying for God to raise up our successor. We should be praying for the man or woman whom God is calling to take our place.  

As I said, I want to retire as the church janitor and I am already planning with that end in mind. Should the Lord be gracious to me, I might have another fifteen years in my current position. At that point, I need to relinquish my role as senior pastor and move into an associate role. I need to fade into the background and let another take my place. I need to humble myself under their leadership. Serve as their chief cheerleader. Do all I can to help them be successful. Then I need to fade even further. From ordained pastor to an ordinary staff position. Doing all I can to give my life in service to others. Decreasing as much as possible so others increase around me. Finally, after my physical and spiritual and emotional strength is spent, I can be “gathered to my people” and hear the words I long to hear from Jesus, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” 

Readings for tomorrow: None

The Language God Speaks

Readings for today: Numbers 21-24

When I first became a Christian, I started eating at this little pit BBQ place off Arapahoe in Boulder, CO. It was owned and operated by an amazing man named Bruce. Bruce was the son of the famous “Daddy Bruce” who served the homeless of Denver for many years, making sure they got a full Thanksgiving dinner. Bruce Jr. was cut from the same cloth as his father. He not only served the homeless of Boulder, he also was a strong believer in Jesus Christ. I don’t know that I’ve ever met someone quite like him. He literally could quote you chapter and verse from the whole Bible. He would quiz me every time I came in before he would make me any food. He would tell the best stories about how God had worked in his life. One day, he was sharing with me his frustrations with how biblically illiterate American Christians tend to be. He was a black Baptist preacher and could preach with the best of them. I still remember the crescendo of his sermon that day. “Doug, when I’m in need don’t you give me no Footprints in the Sand! I don’t need no Prayer of Serenity! Tell me about the donkey that spoke! Now that’s in the Bible!” I still chuckle every time I think of it!

Today we read a crazy story about a fortune-teller named Balaam and his donkey. Israel is moving towards the Promised Land. God is going to fulfill His promise to Abraham. But it won’t be easy. The land is already occupied. There are forces arrayed against them all along the way. Nations and tribes and cities whom they will have to fight in order to claim God’s promise as their own. Arad. Amorites. Bashan. All fall before Israel. All are put to the sword. Devoted to destruction. And now it’s Moab’s turn. (If you remember, the Moabites are descendants from Lot who was Abraham’s nephew. His oldest daughter got him drunk and slept with him in order to get pregnant so these are distant cousins of Israel.) One can almost imagine living in those days. Getting word of a new superpower rising from slavery. Defeating the Egyptians. Overrunning all who oppose them. Fear and trembling seize the Moabites. So Balak, their king, sends for Balaam. His hope is that Balaam will use his magic to put a curse on Israel, thus weakening them so they can be defeated. But Balaam is visited by God. God commands Balaam not to go with the princes of Moab. However, Balaam eventually relents before the pressure Balak brings to bear. He mounts his donkey and begins his journey. It’s not long before the donkey freezes in its tracks. It can see the angel of the Lord blocking their path. Balaam, in his blindness, is both physically and spiritually unaware. God opens the mouth of the donkey (insert your favorite Shrek scene) and speaks to Balaam. The net result of it all is that Balaam will indeed go to Balak but will only speak blessings over Israel.  

So what are we to make of such stories? Magic? Fortune-telling? Donkeys that speak? The point here is that God speaks to us in a language we can understand. He meets us in the middle of our cultural superstitions. He uses all things - even our delusions - to bring about His perfect will. Remember when Jacob peeled poplar and almond trees in order to breed a specific kind of goat and sheep in Genesis? Does anyone actually believe the power was in the trees? Or was it God using Jacob’s foolishness to accomplish His purposes? What about the bronze serpent on the pole? Is it really the talisman that saved Israel from the poisonous snakes that were killing them? Or was it God using their superstitions to deliver them? Think about the myths we so easily believe today. The “invisible hand” of Adam Smith from his famous book, Wealth of Nations. The myth of universal human rights in a world where every tribe and nation seems to place a different value on life. The notion that democracy is transcultural and can be universally applied in the same way we apply it here in America. (A mistake that cost us dearly in Afghanistan and Iraq...) The reality is we too believe in magic. We too believe in myths. They may be couched in more sophisticated language and political or economic theory but they are fairy tales nonetheless. 

So what’s a Christian to do? We have to push past our superstitions and look to God. We have to push past the “bronze serpents” we create and stop looking to “fortune-tellers” to show us the way. We have to dig deep into God’s Word. We must fix our eyes on Jesus! He is our only hope! He is greater than any bronze serpent! He is wiser than any Balaam! He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life!  

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 25-28

Pointing People to Jesus

Readings for today: Numbers 17-20

As a pastor, I do a lot of counseling. One of the most common issues I face is something called “blame shifting.” Basically, a person commits a wrong and when confronted on it, “shifts” the blame to someone else. This can be their spouse. Their children. Their parents. Their boss. Even their pastor! :-) I cannot tell you the number of times I have counseled a couple on their marriage only to have them blame me for their eventual separation and divorce. Never-mind the fact they were unwilling to put in the work. Unwilling to change any of their unhealthy behaviors. Unwilling to engage each other at a different level. At the end of the day, because the counseling didn’t “work”, it must be my failure as a pastor. 

We see this same dynamic in play in Moses’ relationship with Israel. How many times do they accuse Moses of failing to lead them well? How many times do they blame him for not providing water, food, or getting them to the Promised Land? Never-mind their own sin. Their own lack of faith. Their own fear. Their worship of false gods.  “And the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the Lord! Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink." (Num. 20:3-5) Over and over again, we hear this refrain. Let’s go back to Egypt. Let’s go back to slavery. You brought us out here to die. The accusations are unjust. The attacks are personal. And Moses must have been hurt so he responds the way any of us would…he reacts in anger. 

“Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.” (Numbers 20:10-11) Makes perfect sense to me. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve felt exactly the same way. It’s incredibly frustrating to be falsely accused. It’s hurtful to have your motives questioned or your character attacked. It makes me angry when people lie about me or say all manner of things about me that just are not true. How many times have I wanted to lash out over the years? How many times have I lashed out only to later regret it? 

God will not be mocked. He will not allow us to get in the way of His own glory. By lashing out in anger and striking the rock twice, Moses was more focused on himself than on God. The people would now be tempted to be more afraid of Moses than of the Lord. So the Lord issues His judgment. “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” No one is above God’s law, not you. Not me. Not even Moses. All of us are responsible to “uphold God as holy” in the eyes of those we live with and live among. All of us are responsible to point people to Jesus no matter how hurt or betrayed or angry we may feel. And the only way we can ever do this with any kind of integrity is if we swallow our pride and humble ourselves before the Lord. 

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 21-24

Power of Intercession

Readings for today: Numbers 14-16, Psalm 95

Today’s passage reveals two things in stark terms. If God were not faithful. If His steadfast love did not endure forever. If His grace was not extended to generation after generation. We would all be dead. We would all be destroyed. Our sin is simply too much. Our penchant for rebellion to hard to resist. Our pride too much to overcome. At the same time, God has a mission. Come hell or high water, God will make His glory known on the earth. No obstacle will stand in His way. Not even His own people! No power will prevent Him from accomplishing His great task. Not sin. Not evil. Not death. “But truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.” (Numbers 14:21) 

The people of God quake in fear at the report of the spies. They mutiny against Moses and the Lord. They make plans to head back to Egypt. Back to slavery. Back to what was familiar. It reminds me of one of my favorite Proverbs, “Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.” (26:11) But for the intervention of the Lord, they would have stoned Moses to death! Incredible! So God tells Moses to step aside so He can destroy them and start all over yet again. Once again, Moses is being tested. Once again, Moses is being challenged to stand in the gap for God’s people. Once again, Moses intercedes. He calls on God to remember His own name. To be true to His character. It’s an amazing prayer and worth reading again. 

“But Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for you brought up this people in your might from among them, and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, O Lord, are in the midst of this people. For you, O Lord, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. Now if you kill this people as one man, then the nations who have heard your fame will say, ‘It is because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land that he swore to give to them that he has killed them in the wilderness.’ And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised, saying, ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.” (Numbers 14:13-19)

Some might see this as Moses talking God down. Talking God off the ledge. Persuading Him to change His mind. This is where the true nature of intercessory prayer comes in. Intercessory prayer actually creates a new condition, a new situation to which God responds. Whereas the sin of the people of God created one situation to which God responds righteously in judgment; Moses’ intercession creates a second situation to which God responds righteously in mercy. If Moses refused to intercede, God’s people would have perished. God would have followed through on His threat and His punishment would be just. However, Moses did stand in the gap. He fell on His face before the Lord and asked God to forgive and pardon – not because the people of God deserve it – but for the sake of His own reputation and great name. 

So often we are tempted to believe prayer is worthless. After all, God already knows what He will do, right? God already knows the outcome so why pray at all? Friends, this is part and parcel of what it means to be in a real, authentic relationship with God. He invites us to intercede. He invite us to lift up the needs of those we love. He invites us to stand in the gap for our friends and neighbors and community and world. And as we do, He promises to respond in accordance with His divine nature and character and will. Does this mean we will always get the outcome we desire? No. Like any good Father, God keeps the bigger picture in mind. He sees what’s happening on a universal, global scale and we have to trust He knows what is best. But this does not mean our prayers are any less powerful or effective. Let me encourage you to accept God’s invitation to intercede on behalf of others. Don’t be afraid to boldly ask God to act on their behalf. Call on God to intervene in accordance with His divine will and nature and then trust Him with the results. 

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 17-20

Humble Leadership

Readings for today: Numbers 10-13, Psalm 90

There seems to be a yearning in the human heart for deep connection. To God. To other human beings. There is a real craving in the world today for authenticity. A desire to “be real” and be known. I hear it all the time and I feel it down in my bones as well. The problem, of course, is most folks don’t really want to engage on an authentic level because it’s not very pretty when we do! We run into all kinds of sin and ugliness and we’re not very good at accepting each other’s faults. We aren’t very good at showing each other grace. We aren’t very good at forgiveness and reconciliation because such things take a lot of work. So we settle. We settle for less in our human relationships. We settle for not being known. Not being understood. Not being connected. And worst of all, we settle in our relationship with God. We only let Him in so far. We only let Him reign and rule over parts of our lives, not the whole. We only submit halfway and the result is a lot of pain and suffering and heartache. 

Nothing’s new under the sun. The people of God have been struggling with these things for thousands of years. It’s like the struggle is hardwired into our system by the Fall. (Remember that tragic event in Genesis 3? It frames everything!) You think about the blessings Israel enjoyed. A literal pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day. God visibly present among them! God’s glory filling the Tabernacle. Moses literally speaking to God on their behalf. Silver trumpets blowing every time they went forth to remind them God would be with them. The parting of the Red Sea. The deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Rescue from the plagues. Manna in the wilderness. The miracles they experienced were incredible! And still they complained! Still they struggled to believe! Still they rebelled!

“And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp.” (Num. 11:1) 

“Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, "Oh that we had meat to eat!” (Num. 11:4)

“Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, "Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?" And the Lord heard it.” (Num. 12:1-2)

“And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them." (Num. 13:33)

Leading God’s people has never been easy. There is always complaining. Always whining. Always criticism. But guess what? That’s real! That’s authentic! That’s people being themselves. And if we’re honest, none of us are immune. Even Moses complains, “I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me.” (Num. 11:14) So what’s the answer? Humility. One of my favorite verses in all of Scripture is Numbers 12:3, “Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.” What a statement! Moses’ leadership was not based on his power or eloquence or influence or wealth or talent. It was based primarily on his humility. His meekness. And because Moses considered others more important than himself, he wasn’t threatened. God put His Spirit on other leaders. He wasn’t threatened when God’s Spirit showed up in other parts of the camp. Reminds me of the famous quote from Harry Truman, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.”  

Humility gives us the ability to accept other people for who they are...warts and all. It gives us the ability to extend grace even in difficult circumstances. It gives us the ability to address the log in our own eye first before we go to pluck the dust out of our brother or sister’s eyes. Most importantly, it is humility that allows us to submit our lives to the Lord and to follow in His ways.

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 14-16, Psalm 95

Spiritual Unity

Readings for today: Numbers 6-9

What is it that brings people together? I have long pondered this question. I have been in settings where individuals from wildly different backgrounds almost miraculously find common ground. A maximum security prison where men who once belonged to rival gangs defined by racial hatred play side by side in a worship band. An African nation where one tribe attempted to exterminate the other find healing and reconciliation as they practice confession and forgiveness. A husband and wife, estranged for many years because of deep wounds, renew their vows and discover new intimacy as they humble themselves and make themselves vulnerable before each other. Sadly, I’ve seen the other side as well. Especially recently. Debates over COVID mandates. Political power struggles. Social strife. All have conspired to exacerbate our differences and tear us apart. None of these things are new. In fact, they are quite normal. Status quo for the human race. Throughout our history, we have demonstrated an almost limitless capacity for division. It’s part and parcel of our fallen nature. 

Perhaps that’s why I love our reading today. Especially chapter seven. Yes, I know it’s full of mind-numbing details like the weight of several silver plates, the number of gold dishes, and what seems like a herd of livestock but when one takes a step back to look at the big picture, what emerges is a beautiful picture of unity. Each of the twelve tribes of Israel coming before the Lord to make a sacrificial offering. Each of the twelve tribes doing their part to help consecrate the altar. Each of the twelve tribes sending their most respected leader to dedicate the best of what they have to God. It’s a beautiful picture of what God’s people can do when they come together with one heart and mind. And what happens? God honors their spiritual unity. He accepts their sacrifice. He descends from heaven to meet with them. “And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him.” (Numbers 7:89)

What is it that drives such unity? Is it unanimity? I don’t think so. The Book of Numbers is replete with story after story of rebellion and conflict and complaint. The people of God often find themselves at odds with each other, with Moses, and with God Himself. Is it because they are ethnically and culturally homogeneous? Not at all. Their identity as God’s chosen people is still in it’s infancy. They are far more shaped by their experience of slavery and often exhibit a desire to return. They have yet to settle in the Promised Land. They have yet to establish themselves as a nation. So what is it? What is it that brings them together and motivates them to give so generously? The only answer is God. His faithfulness keeps them together when so many forces threaten to tear them apart. His steadfast, covenant love gives them a common identity and purpose. His holiness exposes all their impurities and His mercies – new every morning – cleanse them daily of their sin. 

Now fast forward to our context. What is it that drives unity in our community? Is it our unanimity? Not at all. We are divided generationally, economically, ethnically, politically, culturally, socially, sexually, you name it. There are so many forces arrayed against us threatening to tear us apart. In my experience, the people of God are just as rebellious and prone to conflict and complaint as the people of Israel! Including me, by the way! So what is it that brings us together? The only answer is Jesus. He is the author and perfecter of our faith. Through His death and resurrection, He tears down every dividing wall of hostility that exists between us. He is faithful even when we are faithless. His unconditional love and grace shapes our identity and gives us purpose. His holiness exposes our sin and His shed blood cleanses us completely and utterly and for all eternity. 

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 10-13, Psalm 90

God’s Treasured Possession

Readings for today: Numbers 3-5

The title for this particular book of the Bible could not be more appropriate. The Book of Numbers is indeed “all about the numbers!” The number of warriors in Israel. The layout of the camp of Israel. The duties of the Levites. Even more specifically, the duties of Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites. And then some more regulations regarding ritual purity, confession and repentance, and then a strange test for adultery. As was the case in Leviticus, the cultural distance between us and ancient Israel is vast so we have to take a step back and look at the big picture. 

“Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the Lord." (Num. 3:12-13) 

Israel belonged to God. They were His chosen possession out of all the nations of the earth. He had redeemed them from slavery in Egypt and thereby laid claim to their very lives. They were not their own. They were not “free” to choose or not choose God. He had chosen them. He had saved them. He had rescued them. He had made His covenant with them. No matter where they went or what they did or how they acted, they remained His children forever. In order to remind them of this great and awesome truth, God told Moses to set aside one entire tribe...the Levites. They would not be counted in the census. They would not be considered “part” of Israel. They would have no inheritance in the Promised Land. Their “inheritance” would be God Himself. They would be set aside to serve Him in His Tabernacle and, later, His Temple. They would play specific roles within the worshipping life of Israel. They would guard the sanctuary. They would set it up, tear it down, and transport it day after day. From birth they were set apart, consecrated to the Lord’s service. It was not a vocation they chose but a calling God had placed on their lives.  

Fast forward a few thousand years. One greater than Moses is born. A high priest greater than Aaron has come. The Old Covenant is fulfilled. The New Covenant is established. “In speaking of a new covenant, Jesus makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” (Hebrews 8:13) The reality is the Old Covenant was always temporal. Always bound to a particular cultural situation. Always designed to point us to a new and better covenant which Jesus Himself would die and rise to guarantee. “This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.” (Hebrews 7:22) The ceremonial laws of Israel were culturally bound to a particular time and place. To a particular situation in history. Even the moral law which remains binding serves only to show us our weakness and imperfections. Therefore, it is useless to save. “For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.” (Hebrews 7:18-19) Jesus is that better hope! And through His life, death, and resurrection, God once again lays claim to our lives. He chooses us. He redeems us. He purchases us with His own blood. And because He Himself is our eternal high priest, interceding for us continually in the heavens. Because He Himself is our eternal sacrifice, fully atoning for the weight of all our sin. “He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him...” (Hebrews 7:25)

In Christ, we belong to God. We are His treasured possession. We are His chosen people. As such, we are not our own. Our lives are not our own. Our future is not our own. All that we have and all that we are and all that we achieve is not ours to hold onto but rather ours to offer in service to God. How different would our lives be if we understood this great truth? 

 Readings for tomorrow: None

The Glory of God’s Law

Readings for today: Leviticus 26-27, Numbers 1-2

Wow. Congratulations! You’ve just finished Leviticus! It is a significant accomplishment to make your way through one of the hardest books of the Bible. But you persevered. You pushed through. Even if you find yourself a little behind, you are going to make it! Well done! ;-)   

One big question that a lot of people are afraid to ask about Leviticus is this...what is the purpose behind all these laws? Or big picture, what is the purpose behind God’s Law? The late, great R.C. Sproul described it this way... 

“The first purpose of the law is to be a mirror. On the one hand, the law of God reflects and mirrors the perfect righteousness of God. The law tells us much about who God is. But perhaps more important, the law illuminates human sinfulness. As Augustine once wrote, “The law orders, that we, after attempting to do what is ordered, and so feeling our weakness under the law, may learn to implore the help of grace.’” In other words, the Law of God highlights our innate weakness so that we might seek the strength found in Christ. 

“A second purpose for the law is to restrain evil. The law, in and of itself, cannot change human hearts. It can, however, serve to protect the righteous from the unrighteous. John Calvin put it this way, “The Law, by means of its fearful denunciations and the consequent dread of punishment, curbs those who, unless forced, have no regard for rectitude and justice.” The law allows for a limited measure of justice on this earth, until the last judgment is realized.” 

“The third purpose of the law is to reveal what is pleasing to God. As born-again children of God, the law enlightens us as to what is pleasing to our Father, whom we seek to serve. The Christian delights in the law as God Himself delights in it. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). This is the highest function of the law, to serve as an instrument for the people of God to give Him honor and glory.”

We see these three purposes at work in Leviticus 26. In verses 1-13, God clearly lays out the blessings of obedience. If God’s people will live in a way that is pleasing to God, they will bring Him honor and glory. God will dwell with them and walk with them and they will be blessed. This is the third purpose of the Law. Then, in verses 14-39, God clearly lays out what will happen if God’s people don’t follow His Law. God Himself will become their adversary. He will fight against them. He will walk contrary to them in wrath and fury. He will punish them. They will suffer. This is the second purpose of the Law which is to restrain human evil. Finally, in verses 40-46, we see the first purpose of the law come into play. Repentance. The reality is God’s people will not be able to fulfill God’s Holy Law and this is by divine design. It’s to teach us that righteousness and holiness are beyond us. It’s to bring us to our knees in what I call “holy despair.” It’s to drive us to the end of ourselves, our strength, our ability, our self-sufficiency. It’s to bring us to a place where we cry out to God for mercy and grace! We look to Christ to take our place! We glorify Christ for doing what we could not! We surrender to Christ and exchange His righteousness for our own. It’s a beautiful exchange!

So here’s the most important question as you finish Leviticus...do you find yourself resenting the Law of God? Dismissing the Law of God? Or do you find yourself overwhelmed by a deep sense of inadequacy before the Lord? If it’s the former, I would encourage you to go to prayer and ask God to soften your heart towards Him. If it’s the latter, be encouraged that you are drawing ever closer to Christ and He stands ready to take your place! 

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 3-5

Sabbath

Readings for today: Leviticus 23-25

Sabbath. It is a core, foundational principle in Scripture. Hardwired into our system at creation so that we could find rest. One day out of every seven. One year out of every seven. One year out of every fifty set aside for rest. Set aside to honor God. Set aside for not only our rest but that of the land. Animals. Basically, all of creation. A pattern God Himself followed at creation. Six days God labored to make the universe and all that is in it and on the seventh day He rested.  

We ignore this command at our peril. Not just because God commands it. This is no arbitrary rule God puts in place to test us. It’s not divine busy work just to make sure we are listening. No. God has hardwired the human body for rest. Our best medical professionals will tell you the source of so much of the depression, anxiety, fear, and pain we suffer from is due to the stress of feeling like we have to work 24/7.  We are being crushed under the weight of the burdens we carry. The responsibilities. The obligations we’ve taken on as a family and as individuals in our world. Social media only exacerbates this problem with it’s never-ending stream of connection. The reality is we were not built to be “on” all the time. 100% productivity is a goal that will kill us even if we are able to achieve it.  

I remember seeing this play out when I worked as the Manager of Patient Access Services at Boulder Community Hospital. The stated goal of the Human Resources department was to get maximum productivity from each employee. They actually had an equation they followed to determine how much each employee was expected to produce. They kept our available workforce as lean as possible in order to achieve this goal. The result was a much higher number of sick days, lower quality of life in the workplace, and therefore, lower productivity. In their effort to achieve maximum efficiency, they lost sight of the very real human cost. 

That was almost thirty years ago. Things have not gotten better. As a pastor, I watch as people try to squeeze 28 hours worth of work into a 24 hour time period. I see them running from dawn to dark, giving themselves barely any space to breathe. The result is broken marriages. Broken families. Broken lives. The Sabbath is designed to create a “speed bump” in our lives. To get us to slow down. To rest. To let God be God. It is perhaps the most tangible expression of our faith because it forces us to relinquish control over our lives. When I Sabbath, I am letting God back onto the throne of my life because I am specifically choosing NOT to produce anything. And that’s a good thing. Even a godly thing. A major reason Israel lost the blessing of God was their failure to keep the Sabbath. We actually don’t have any evidence they let the land rest every seven years. We certainly have no evidence they honored the Year of Jubilee. When you read the passages from today, it’s important to sit back and ponder what life would look like if we really lived according to God’s divine rhythm.   

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 26-27, Numbers 1-2

The Golden Rule

Readings for today: Leviticus 19-22

Raise your hand if you knew the Golden Rule came from Leviticus? Now repent because you broke the 8th Commandment! :-) Most associate the Golden Rule with Jesus and rightfully so. After all, Jesus repeats it as part of His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 7:12) However, very few people realize that God first enshrined this rule in law in Leviticus. Lost in all the conversation about sacrifices and priestly garments and what one should eat or wear is this beautiful picture of community life in Leviticus 19:9-18.

We see God’s heart for the poor and less fortunate...“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.” 

We see God’s concern for honesty and transparency..."You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another. You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.”

We see God’s compassion, especially for the less abled in our midst..."You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning. You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.” 

We see God’s desire for justice and righteousness and truth..."You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord.” 

And finally, we see God’s admonition against hate, anger, rage, contempt, and most of all, vengeance..."You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” 

These principles are massively applicable in our world today! Could you imagine a community of people who sought to put these into practice? On a daily basis? Who gave generously? Dealt honestly? Showed compassion? Fought for truth? Laid aside anger and rage and malice and hate in the name of love? Hopefully you can. It’s called the church! Now I know no church is perfect. After all, it’s full of imperfect sinners like me who struggle to keep God’s law faithfully. However, as we seek God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we can expect to see some of these same behaviors break loose in our lives! We can expect to bear this kind of fruit for the Kingdom. And as brothers and sisters called into community together, we can make a HUGE difference in the world today. That’s the call. That’s the challenge. That was God’s plan for Israel and it’s still God’s plan for His people today!

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 23-25

Sexual Purity

Readings for today: Leviticus 15-18

I remember seeing my first Playboy magazine when I was ten or eleven years old. I was with my cousins. They had a stack hidden in the play-set behind their house. As a young man just entering puberty, it created all kinds of feelings inside me that I had never felt before. Powerful emotions swept over me. Sexual urges I had no idea existed welled up inside. It became an addiction that plagued me through my college years. It also created all kinds of confusion. Subconsciously, I began to objectify women. Value them primarily as objects of sexual desire. Relationships became transactional and heavily tilted towards self-gratification. If my sexual needs were not met, I moved on. Sadly, my experience was not unique. It was very common in the circles I ran in at the time. For example, I remember serving as a camp counselor at a summer residential sports camp in Maine. The hookup culture was rampant as we spent weeks getting drunk at the local bar and sleeping with each other. It was the darkest summer of my life. Thankfully, things often are darkest before the dawn and the Lord intervened in my life in a miraculous way the following year at CU. From the moment I met Christ, I knew things had to change. I had to surrender my sexuality to Him just like every other part of my life. 

Today’s reading includes a very important section on sexual purity. These regulations may sound somewhat foreign and somewhat familiar depending on your experience. Incest, bestiality, adultery, and homosexuality are all considered “abominations” before the Lord. Engaging in such activity comes with a heavy price. One would be cut off from his or her people. “Vomited” out of the Promised Land. 

We struggle to understand this section of Scripture. Some dismiss it as “ceremonial law” much like the restrictions on what we can eat or wear. The problem with that approach is that we affirm such things as bestiality and incest as abhorrent, illegal practices in our own time. Some argue these passages are culturally bound. Their argument is that these regulations were designed exclusively for ancient Israel and therefore have no bearing on how we regulate our sexual activity today. Proponents of this argument believe in the primacy of love. As long as two people love one another, denying them sexual fulfillment is perceived as cruel and harsh. Therefore, same-sex relationships are justified as is adultery in some instances. The problem with this approach is that it misunderstands the nature of love. It trades on the erotic almost exclusively and dismisses any notion that sexuality and holiness are inextricably linked. A final argument is made - particularly from our LGBTQ Christian friends - that the authors of Leviticus didn’t understand the nature of same-sex attraction and had no experience with loving, committed, monogamous same-sex relationships. Same-sex relationships in the ancient world were always exploitative, oppressive, violent, etc. and therefore the prohibitions in Leviticus 18 do not apply to a 21st century context. The problem with this approach is it is simply not historically accurate. Pioneers in Queer Studies like Louis Crompton and New Testament scholars like William Loader (neither of whom are Evangelical Christians and both of whom affirm same-sex relationships) are among many who have demonstrated that loving, non-exploitative, same-sex relationships have existed since antiquity. No matter how you slice it, the Bible is clear. God seems univocal in His condemnation of any sexual expression outside of marriage between a man and a woman and to claim otherwise is not being honest. 

So what’s the big deal about sex? Is God a prude? Is He simply trying to squash our natural desires and affections? We can’t help how we feel, right? The key is to remember the context. You and I are born in sin. Sin warps and corrupts every part of us, including our sexual desires. Therefore, we are “naturally” going to want to rebel against God’s will. We are “naturally” going to want to pursue unholiness. Our hearts are drawn so easily away from God and towards what is impure and unclean and this is what prevents us from entering God’s presence. And yet God wants to dwell with us! God wants to be with us! So God commands us to “be holy as He is holy” and this call covers every area of our lives, including our sexuality. Sexuality is not an end in itself. It is a powerful drive created by God for the main purpose of the propagation of our species as well as to give physical expression to the kind of “oneness” God desires men and women to have in this life. The joining together of man and woman in sexual intimacy within the context of the covenant of marriage is literally designed to give us a foretaste of the joy and freedom and transparency we will enjoy with one another in the Kingdom of Heaven. This is why sex can be so amazing! And it is also why God has placed such strong boundaries around it’s expression. To keep us safe. To keep our sexual lives pure and free from corruption so we can experience all God has for us.

All one has to do is look around our culture today to see the consequences of unfettered sexual desire. Sexually transmitted disease. Sexual abuse and assault. The objectification of the female and male bodies. Rampant divorce and infidelity. The breakdown of families. Depression and anxiety and fear surrounding every potential sexual encounter and/or its aftermath. It’s heartbreaking. God’s desire is for us to repent and commit ourselves to holiness. Holy sexuality is expressed in celibacy in singleness and intimacy in marriage between a man and a woman. I realize taking a traditional, Biblical position on sexuality in our world today will draw scorn and even accusations of bigotry. However, I believe when one takes a step back and looks objectively at the empirical data surrounding the consequences of pursuing a sexual ethic divorced from the Bible, one can easily conclude God probably knows better. After twenty-six years of faithful marriage to one woman, I certainly know this to be true in my own life. 

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 19-22

Living Sacrifices

Readings for today: Leviticus 11-14

Confession time. I have leprosy. At least according to Leviticus 13. The leprosy referenced in our passage today isn’t limited to Hansen’s disease but could refer to a variety of conditions like psoriasis, scarlet fever, scabies, or atopic dermatitis. I’ve been fighting this last one for years. In periods of stress, my eczema flares up. I get these red patches of skin that are dry and itchy. Of course, the fact that I swim regularly doesn’t help. ;-) If it’s serious enough, I have to use steroid cream to get rid of it. It’s not any fun and it would have potentially made me unclean back in ancient Israel. This is where Leviticus really starts to get challenging. Holy. Unholy. Clean. Unclean. Common. Polluted. The ancient Israelites assigned disease to a different category than we do today. They used lots of words we don’t think about in our own context and culture. This begs for some explanation.  

First, everything that is not defined as holy is understood as “common.” Second, common things – like animals, plants, pots, homes, clothes, even people – are further divided into two groups which are labeled “clean” and “unclean.” It’s important to note here that “cleanness” is a state of being more than anything else. Clean things hold the potential to become holy things when they are sanctified. Unclean things cannot be sanctified and therefore cannot become holy. For example, if I come to present a lamb from my flock as an offering, it must be unblemished. It must not be diseased or old or disabled in some way. Blemished lambs are considered unclean, cannot be sanctified, and therefore are not suitable to offer as a sacrifice. The flip side is also true. Clean things can become unclean if they are polluted by touching something dead for example. Holy things can become defiled in the same manner which is why the proper rituals must be followed to the letter during the daily sacrifices. 

But what about people, you ask? Great question! The baseline condition for humanity is “common” but the baseline condition for the people of Israel was “clean.” They were set apart by God remember? Israel can become “unclean” through sin, disease, corruption, pollution, etc. Israel can also become holy by following the law of God and offering the right sacrifices. In fact, it was God’s stated goal for His people to be holy even as He is holy. “For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground. For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy."(Lev. 11:44-45)

Now here’s the great news! In Christ, all of the ceremonial laws that sanctified God’s people have been fulfilled. He is the perfect, “once for all” sacrifice. He is the unblemished Lamb offered on our behalf. His death atoned not just for our sins but for the sins of the entire world. (1 John 2:2) As a result, our baseline condition is no longer “common.” It’s no longer even “clean.” It’s holy. Pure. As such, we no longer need to worry about clean and unclean animals. We no longer need to fear being made unclean by disease or disability or coming into contact with the dead. Through His shed blood, Christ has not only washed us clean – in the Levitical sense – but sanctified us permanently! 

So does this mean we no longer need to follow the law? Not at all. The call to personal holiness has not been set aside. God still calls us as His people to be set apart in thought, word, and deed. We are still called to “be holy as He is holy” and offer our lives as “living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God” according to Romans 12. Though the ceremonial obligations of the law have been fulfilled, the moral obligations remain in force. God still has expectations for His people. Sin is still serious and should not be treated casually. This is why Jesus spends a great deal of time talking about the heart in the Sermon on the Mount and Paul spends a great deal of time on the ethical obligations of Christians in most of his letters. As Christians, we no longer need to undergo elaborate rituals to maintain a state of cleanliness or sanctification before the Lord but we should undergo regular examination and confession of our sin in light of the Word of God. 

This is one of the reasons Christians have historically engaged in spiritual practices like the Daily Examen. First pioneered by Igatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, it is an intentional way to reflect on our day. We prayerfully ask God to reveal to us what in our day drew us closer to Him and what drew us away from Him. We think back on the actions, thoughts, and feelings we experienced during the day and we consciously “examen” them in light of the Word of God. We confess where our actions/thoughts/feelings fell short and we rejoice where our actions/thoughts/feelings reflected Christ. This is just one example of learning how to bring every thought captive to Christ and live for Him. 

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 15-18

Worship

Readings for today: Leviticus 8-10

I have this vivid memory of sitting in worship when I was a young teenager, goofing off with my best friend during the Lord’s Prayer. An older member of the church turned around and confronted me. She looked me in the eye. She spoke in a calm but firm voice. She was deadly serious. “You are aware, young man, that we are in the presence of Almighty God.” My friend was able to blow her off. I was not. I have no other words to describe what I felt in that moment other than the “fear of the Lord.” For some reason I still cannot comprehend, I received that woman’s rebuke with great seriousness. To this day, whenever I pray the Lord’s Prayer, I find myself returning back to that balcony seat and feel the same fear come over me. To be clear, the fear I feel is not anxiety. It’s holy reverence. It’s awe and wonder. It’s utmost love and respect and devotion for who God is. I wish I could go back and thank that woman for the gift she gave me that day. It was one of those moments that changed the trajectory of my life. 

I thought about that woman when I read about the deaths of Nadab and Abihu today. Worship for the Israelites was a dangerous proposition. Not because God is capricious or reckless or mentally unstable. But because God is holy. Pure. Dwelling eternally in unapproachable light and glory. His presence is a consuming, purifying fire. It separates gold from dross, wheat from chaff, clean from unclean by its very nature. It’s a double-edged sword. Piercing to the deepest recesses of our souls and joints and marrow. Cutting away all that is rotten and septic within us. Every time we invoke His name. Every time we enter His presence. Every time we come before Him in worship, we are literally entering the Most Holy Place. And this is essentially what that older, wiser believer was challenging me on all those years ago. She wanted me to become more aware of the gulf that exists between an unholy people and a holy God. She wanted me to appreciate the character and nature of the God we worship and adore and not act flippantly or casually in His presence.  

The Israelites knew all this, of course. And yet even they could become far too casual about worship. “Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the Lord has said: 'Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.'" And Aaron held his peace.” (Lev. 10:1-3) I cannot imagine watching my children die in worship. I cannot imagine watching them burn to death before the Lord. I cannot imagine the fear and anger and frustration I would feel. But then again, I have not seen God face to face. I’ve not had to endure His fiery presence. I’ve not felt the fear the Israelites experienced when they approached God in His sanctuary. Christ, thankfully, saves me from His righteous wrath. Christ, thankfully, turns aside the Father’s burning anger and takes it on Himself. Christ, thankfully, satisfies all the demands of God’s justice and because of His shed blood, I am made pure. I am made clean. I am made holy. Aaron and his sons had none of these benefits. They had to tread very carefully in the presence of God. They had to perform their duties with devotion and carefully do all God commanded. 

We do not understand the true nature of our sin. We tend to think of sin in rational terms. Errors in judgment. Honest mistakes. Poor choices. Leviticus uses completely different categories. Sin is impure. Unclean. Unholy. It is rotten. Decaying. Festering. Decomposing. Corruption. In order to really grasp the nature of sin, we have to leave the rational behind and think in Biblical terms. The other day, my children took one of our dogs on a walk. Along the way, he found the corpse of a rabbit that had been dead a while. He naturally grabbed it and my kids were disgusted. How many of us have been hiking in the mountains and have come upon the worm-filled, decomposing corpse of some animal and been similarly repulsed? I think of the clean up work we did in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the smell of rot and decay we had to put up with as we gutted homes and cleaned out refrigerators. It was nasty work that made us routinely gag. That, friends, is the stench of sin and it’s why sacrifices had to burn continually before the Lord. 

How seriously do you take your worship? How committed are you to gathering with God’s people on the Lord’s Day to bring Him the honor and glory He is due? When you enter into worship, do you come with an awareness that you are entering the presence of Almighty God? Entering into the Holy of Holies in heaven? When you sing the songs, pray the prayers, give your gifts, listen to the Word of God preached, and participate in the Sacraments; do you find yourself filled with reverence and awe at what God has done?

The Big Picture

Readings for today: Leviticus 5-7

One of the biggest challenges for me when I read the Bible is to keep in mind the larger story. It’s so easy for me to get stuck in the weeds especially when it comes to the laws of Leviticus or the statistics/genealogies in Numbers or the tragic stories in Judges. It’s easy to lose sight of the big picture and how each of the books of the Bible ties together to illustrate a seamless whole.  

The overarching narrative of the Bible takes place in four acts…

• Act 1: Creation. God creating the heavens and the earth and all that is in them. Everything is good. Everything is right. Everything is beautiful. Humanity reigns and rules with God over all He has made. 

• Act 2: Fall. Humanity rebels and decides to go it’s own way. Sin enters the world. Creation falls into ruin. Death. Disease. Pain. Suffering. All become commonplace. 

• Act 3: Redemption. God doesn’t abandon His creation. Out of love He reaches out in rescue. Deliverance. Salvation. The culmination of His plan is Christ who defeats Sin and Death once and for all on the cross. 

• Act 4: Glorification. The reunion of the heavens and the earth. The joining back together of the two spheres of life that were separated by the Fall. Jesus’ resurrection is the firstfruits of this reality and His promise is that He will return one day to make all things new. 

It’s important to note that Acts 2 and 3 are running simultaneously throughout the Scriptures. From Genesis to Revelation, we see humanity rebel over and over against God. We also see God’s grace on display as He relentlessly pursues those He loves. The sacrificial system instituted by Moses in Leviticus is one movement, if you will, within Act 3. It’s not the final movement. Rather, it points beyond itself to the climax to come when Jesus will become the Perfect, Spotless Lamb. This entire system with it’s different sacrifices and different offerings and specific instructions is given as a means to prepare God’s people for Christ. To get them ready so they will recognize Him when He appears. It’s a system designed to prepare the heart and soul for the culmination of God’s redemptive purposes.   

By reading and reflecting on Leviticus, we are reminded over and over again of the extreme penalty our sin deserves. Death seems to reign throughout this book. You can’t turn around without stumbling over the carcasses of bulls, rams, sheep, goats, and turtledoves. The sacrificial fires would have burned day and night as the people of Israel - now numbering in the hundreds of thousands - came to make their offerings. The priests must have been exhausted from all the hard work of gutting and dressing and cleaning each animal. The smell would have permeated the camp. Again, all to remind God’s people of the monumental effort it took to keep them holy before their God.  

This should only deepen our appreciation for Christ. Fully God. Fully Man. As God, He is fully able to satisfy the justice of God for all sin for all time. As Man, He is able to truly represent us. Take our place. Become our substitute. In Christ, Act 3 comes to its glorious close! The Father making Him who knew no sin (Christ) to become sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God! (2 Cor. 5:21) Because of what He has done, no more sacrifices are required. No more blood needs to be shed. We are made holy just as He is holy! This is the glory of the gospel which the Levitical sacrifices foreshadow. 

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 8-10

Offering

Readings for today: Leviticus 1-4

One of the greatest gifts my parents ever gave me was to take me to church every Sunday. At their side, I learned to sing all the great hymns of our faith. I learned to recite the Apostle’s Creed by heart. I memorized the Lord’s Prayer and the liturgy of the Lord’s Supper. It’s funny the things you remember as a child. I remember fighting with my brothers over who got to sign in on the Fellowship Pad. (For those who don’t know, the “Fellowship Pad” was a form used by a lot of churches at the time to take attendance.) I remember the tastelessness of the communion wafer and how I always wanted “seconds” when it came to the grape juice. Perhaps most of all, I remember my mom giving each of us a quarter so we could participate in the “offering” when the plate came down the pew. As a child, I have to admit I found the practice a bit confusing. Was God short of cash? Did He really need our money? Why did some people put in more and some less? Why did some not give at all? What happened to all the money? Where did it go? What did the church use it for? Why did we give when it seemed we didn’t have enough for ourselves? (My family went through some very challenging economic times when I was young and yet mom always made sure to give.) Perhaps you’ve asked some of these same questions yourself? 

Today we come to everyone’s favorite book of the Bible...Leviticus. This is usually where well-intentioned Bible reading plans go to die. I often feel like I should post the warning sign Dante inscribed over the entrance to hell in his Divine Comedy, “Abandon all hope ye who enter here!” Indeed, it seems so many get lost in this book. The laws seem archaic at best. They deal with issues we have little connection with as 21st century Christians living in the wealthiest nation the world has ever seen. The cultural distance is extreme and difficult to overcome. The minutiae wears down even the most faithful reader. And yet, Leviticus is as much God’s Word as the Gospels or the Pauline Epistles. The laws contained in this book are as divinely inspired as the red letters of the words of Jesus. Reading them devotionally helps shape our hearts as much as the language of the Psalms.  

There are two keys principles to getting the most out of this book. First, keep in mind there are three different kinds of laws listed here. There are the ceremonial laws that governed worship. Sacrifices. Personal hygiene. Disease. Particularly focused on ritual purity, these laws were designed to create the conditions where holiness could flourish so the people could come before their Holy God without fear. Second, there are the civil laws that governed the nation of Israel. Tithing. Inheritance. Sentencing guidelines. These laws were necessary to maintain order in society, create revenue for the national government, and promote social welfare. Third, there is the moral law governing behavior. Exemplified by the Ten Commandments, these laws were designed to teach us righteousness and many of the laws governing violence, sexuality, lying, honoring parents, and Sabbath regulations were created to embed this moral law in everyday life. Taken together, the Levitical laws shaped a particular way of life for Israel that, in turn, shaped them into a particular, even peculiar, people.

For example, consider all the different “offerings” listed in the opening chapters. As you read through them, you might find yourself asking similar questions to the ones I mentioned above. Why does God need all these sacrifices? What kind of God would require such things? Is God hungry? Does He need something to eat? Is that why we offer our food back to Him? Is God vain or egotistical to demand such things? Why does God require us to impoverish ourselves on some level in order to appease Him? What point is God trying to make? The system of offerings set up by God was designed to deliver a singular message. Your life is not your own. All that you have is not yours to own or to do with as you will. You are not an owner, you are a steward. Yes, God has entrusted you with a certain amount of talent, a certain amount of treasure, a certain amount of time, and a certain amount of responsibility. But to whom much is given, much is expected. And so He commands His people to appear before Him on a regular basis to offer back to God a portion of what He’s entrusted to them so they never forget the One from whom all blessings flow.

Now fast forward a few thousand years. I am no longer a child but an adult and every week I am reminded in worship when we take an offering that my life is no longer my own. My gifts and talents are not my own. My wealth is not my own. My time is not my own. Nothing I have is mine to own. I am merely a steward and because God has given me much, He expects much. So I do my best to take what I have and offer it back to the Lord. My wife and I give significantly and sacrificially of our treasure. My wife and I give significantly and sacrificially of our time. My wife and I give significantly and sacrificially of our talent and God takes our meager offerings and multiplies them many times over for His purposes in the world. 

Readings for tomorrow: 5-7

Sacred, Ordinary Things

Readings for today: Exodus 37-40

When I graduated from college, I had one mission. To become a pastor. I wanted to go to seminary. I wanted to get ordained. I wanted to serve a church. God had other plans. My grades from college were terrible. I flunked out after my sophomore year due to excessive drinking. When I became a Christian, my life turned around and I re-applied and got back in under probation. Though I did pretty well my last two years, the hole I dug for myself was deep so I graduated by the skin of my teeth. The chances of me getting into grad school were slim at best. Two weeks after graduation, I got married to the love of my life and our mentors advised us to wait at least a year before going off to school. Looking back, it was great advice but it didn’t feel good in the moment. It felt like yet another barrier to me doing what I felt called to do. So I got a real job. I went to work for Boulder Community Hospital. I hired on as an admissions clerk, making $7.75/hr. My wife and I rented an old, run-down apartment and did our best to make ends meet. Honestly, it was the best thing that could have happened to me. I learned the true meaning of Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

When we read the Bible, it’s tempting to focus on the main characters. Guys like Moses. Women like Miriam. But what about the lesser known characters? Those entrusted with the more mundane aspects of Israel’s life together? What can we learn from guys like Bezalel and Oholiab? They didn’t see a burning bush. They didn’t hear the voice of God. They didn’t go up on the mountain with Moses. They were not warriors. They were not leaders. They were not among the seventy elders Moses called. They simply were two people with God-given talent and a passion for craftsmanship. Prior to building the Tabernacle, I imagine they spent most of their days in obscurity. Building carts. Repairing tents. Making clothes. The everyday, ordinary, mundane work required to sustain God’s people on their journey to the Promised Land. Amazingly, their work caught the eye of God. You may recall back in Exodus 31, God said these words, “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent, the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, and the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do." Because they had been faithful in the small things, God entrusted them with the most sacred work imaginable…building a home for God!

When I started at Boulder Community Hospital, I was per diem. I would only be called in when people were out sick or on vacation. Within a few weeks, several people in my department quit so I was asked to go full-time. Within another few weeks, the lead in my department quit and I was asked to take her position. Within six months, my manager resigned and I was asked to step into her shoes. Within a relatively short period of time, I was managing four departments and about 50 employees and I was all of 24 years old. I have no way to explain how this happened. I had no previous healthcare experience. I had never managed people before. My resume certainly didn’t fit the responsibility I had been given. The only way I can explain it is God. God filled me with His Spirit. He gave me ability and intelligence. He instilled in me through my parents a strong work ethic. He gave me a knack for working with people. And as I proved faithful in the small things like checking in patients day after day, He entrusted me with greater things like managing all of the “patient access” services. 

Bezalel and Oholiab are quick to remind us that all of us have been gifted by God in some way and all of us are called to use our gifts for His glory. It’s not just pastors or missionaries who are the heroes. It is the people of God exercising the gifts God has given each of them for the upbuilding of the Body of Christ and the glory of God’s Kingdom. When we fail to exercise our gifts or diminish our gifts in any way, we lose out on at least part of what God has planned for us. Think about how impoverished we would be if there had never been a Bezalel or Oholiab? Think about the impact on the worshipping life of Israel if there were no craftsmen around to make all God had ordained? Now think about our life together. Think about our worship together. What gifts do you bring? Is it the gift of music? The gift of prayer? The gift of friendship? The gift of production? The gift of preaching? The gift of teaching? The gift of serving? If you are a Christian, you have the same Spirit of God filling you that filled Bezalel! This same Spirit imparts all the gifts and talents we need to worship and serve God as He demands. So how are you exercising your gift? How are you seeking to use your gift to build up others in your family? In your neighborhood? At work or school? In the church?

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 1-4

The Name of the Lord

Readings for today: Exodus 33-36

My greatest desire as a pastor is for the people I serve to come to know and love and serve Christ. It’s often the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning. It’s often the last thing I think about when I go to bed in the evening. My heart breaks when I see those I love wander from the faith. My heart sings when I see those same wanderers come back home. There’s nothing better than praying with someone to accept Christ. There’s nothing worse than having that person later tell you they’ve abandoned their faith. Being given a front row seat to the spiritual growth of an individual is the greatest privilege of my life. Sitting in that same seat and watching someone slowly let their relationship with Christ grow cold is my greatest sorrow. So I can sympathize with Moses. I get the challenge he faces as a leader for God’s people. And I understand his heartfelt request to see God’s glory. It’s often been my prayer as well. 

The importance of these chapters in the Book of Exodus cannot be overstated. God is renewing His commitment to Israel. He is revealing more of Himself to His people. He gives them His name. He shares with them His divine nature and character. He makes His plan known to them. Despite their sin. Despite their rebellion. He has determined to be their God. He has determined to do something miraculous in and through them that will stun the nations of the earth. He will drive out their enemies. He will secure for them a homeland. He will do for them what has not been done for any other people. For they are set apart. Come hell or high water, they are His chosen ones. I feel the same way about the church I serve. No matter how far we fall. No matter how often we fail. God will never stop being our God and we will never stop being His people. 

This is again why I love Moses’ question. Sometimes leaders need their own hearts renewed. Sometimes leaders need their own doubts answered. Their own fears addressed. Their own anxieties eased. Like Moses, I often wonder if I am the right man for the job. I often wonder if I am making any difference at all in my work. I often wonder if I have what it takes to lead the church I serve into the future God has planned for her. So I find myself asking God frequently to show me His glory. Reveal to me where He is at work. Give me the eyes to see what the Spirit is doing so I can find the hope and the strength to keep leading and serving those I love. 

“The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation." And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped.” (Ex. 34:5-8)

From this point forward, whenever Israel is in trouble. Whenever Israel falls into sin. Whenever Israel suffers. Whenever they are oppressed and in need. They call on the “name of the Lord” and are delivered. They call on the “name of the Lord” knowing with full assurance that the Lord’s name is mercy. Grace. Steadfast love. Faithfulness. They call on Him knowing He is slow to anger and keeps his steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love Him in return. They call on Him knowing He is just and will be no means give the guilty a pass. They call on Him, trusting Him to be true to Himself. True to how He revealed Himself to Moses. True to what He has declared about Himself. Over and over again, we will see these verses referenced throughout the Old Testament. Every time the people of God call on the “name of the Lord” to be saved, they are looking back to this particular meeting where God showed Himself to Moses.  

Friends, God has given us an even greater gift! He has revealed Himself to us in all His glory! In Jesus Christ, “we have seen His glory” (John 1:14) for He is the “radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature…” (Hebrews 1:3) Every time we find ourselves in trouble. Every time we fall into sin. Whenever we suffer or endure hardship or pain. Whenever we are oppressed or in need. We too can call on the “name of the Lord!” The Name that is above all other names! We too can look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith! We know He is merciful and gracious. We know He is slow to anger and full of steadfast love. We know He is just and will by no means give the guilty a pass. In fact, He dies in order to deliver all of us from the penalty of our sin! Thanks be God! Be encouraged, friends! Lift up your hearts to the Lord! Look to Him and find your hope and strength renewed today! 

Readings for tomorrow: Exodus 37-40

Chief of Sinners

Readings for today: Exodus 29-32

I remember my ordination process. It began when I was in college. It involved a lot of study. Attending seminary. Meeting with a committee from my denomination on an annual basis. Written and verbal ordination exams. It was fraught with challenges. Some of those challenges were human and sinful. I was part of a fairly progressive denomination at the time and there were certain people who did not approve of my evangelical faith and tried to make life as hard as possible on me. One of them even attempted to delay my ordination by layering in requirements that were unconstitutional. I was forced to appeal to the highest ecclesiastical court to get them overturned. It was crazy. Then there were my own failures that held me back. My poor performance in college became a barrier to being accepted into seminary. I had to do some remedial work to get in. My insecurities created tension in the process. My pride often got in the way as I struggled to prove myself. I wanted so bad to show everyone I belonged. This summer I will celebrate twenty years of ordained ministry and perhaps the biggest thing I’ve learned as I look back is that I’m simply the chief of sinners. I am not any more or less holy than anyone else. I am no different than anyone else. I am simply one beggar called to tell other beggars where to find bread.  

The very first thing that happens after the priests are ordained in Exodus 29 is a sin offering. It’s a recognition that though Aaron and his sons are being set apart, they are no more holy than anyone else. No less in need of the grace of God than anyone else. They are not to stand above the people they serve as if they exist on a higher plane but rather they must be the first to confess their sins. The first to be cleansed by the blood of the sacrifice. The first to consecrate themselves to the Lord. Blood is put on the tips of their ears, the thumbs of their hands, and the big toes of their feet to remind them they are accountable for all they say and do. They have been set apart to serve God and His people. Set apart to honor God with all their lives. Set apart to give the people of Israel living, breathing examples of what it means to live a life of faithfulness before the Lord. And this is not a point of pride but one of humility. Their lives are no longer their own. Their choices are no longer their own. Their time is no longer their own. Their resources are no longer their own. All that they have is God’s to use as He sees fit. 

One of the questions I get asked the most is “why do you call yourself one of the pastors here at PEPC?” You never introduce yourself as senior pastor. You never allow your students to call you professor. You never use your title of “Reverend Doctor.” You rarely tell people you went to Princeton. Aren’t you proud of what you’ve accomplished? Of course I am. Don’t you believe you’ve earned the right to such titles by your hard work? I guess I have. So why not embrace your pastoral credentials and authority? Honestly, it’s because every day I am reminded of how deeply inadequate I am. Every day I am reminded of how desperately sinful I am. Every day I am reminded that I am simply a clay jar, a cracked pot, into which God has graciously chosen to deposit the treasure of the gospel. As John Newton once put it, “I am a great sinner but Christ is a great Savior.” Serving Him is reward enough. I have no need for titles or accolades or trophies on a shelf. I simply want to spend my life preaching the gospel and then be forgotten. 

What about you? What work has God “ordained” you to do in His Kingdom? How has He set you apart and have you humbly embraced His calling on your life? 

Readings for tomorrow: Exodus 33-36

Tabernacle

Readings for today: Exodus 25-28

Today we read about the construction of the Tabernacle and it’s easy to get lost in all the talk of cubits and curtain loops. It’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture when we’re reading about the construction of lamp stands and the ark of the covenant. But if we take a step back and survey the scene, what we realize is that God is literally giving Israel a portable temple! The Tabernacle is God’s fifth wheel! It will be His home on earth. His dwelling place among His people. Wherever they go, He will be with them! Wherever they find themselves, God will be there. They will have the opportunity to meet with Him. Hear His voice. Worship at His feet. “And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst...There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.” (Ex. 25:8, 22)

One of the many things I love about the Christian faith is that it’s not bound to any particular time or place. Our God is no simple tribal god. He rules the universe. He reigns over all He has made. The earth is His and the fullness thereof. We don’t have to “go anywhere” to meet with God because He makes sure to “tabernacle” with us. This is what the Apostle John means when he writes, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14) The Greek word for “dwelt” means “tabernacled” which means Jesus Himself is now the tabernacle of God! Jesus is Immanuel - God with us - no matter where we go or where we find ourselves. Through the Holy Spirit, He lives in our hearts which means we are never, ever alone and that’s good news, amen? Because it’s not good for us to be alone.

Friends, the most important thing to remember as you wade through all the blueprints and construction details of these chapters is that they are reflection of God’s love. A demonstration of His commitment to you and to me and to His people down throughout the ages. He will be our God. We will be His people. He will not let us suffer in our sin forever. He will not let death have the victory. He will unite all things in Himself. He will bring all things together. He will bring all people together! He is at work even now in our hearts. Making Himself known to us. Making Himself known through us. God is just as present here on earth as He is in heaven. Embrace Him. Let His presence fill your heart and soul with hope. 

Readings for tomorrow: None