Psalm 19:1-14 Star On Stage
7 Yahweh's law is perfect, restoring the soul. Yahweh's testimony is sure, making wise the simple. 8 Yahweh's precepts are right, rejoicing the heart. Yahweh's commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of Yahweh is clean, enduring forever. Yahweh's ordinances are true, and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter... 11 Moreover in/by them is your servant warned. In keeping them there is great reward. 12 Who can discern his errors? Forgive me from hidden errors. 13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I will be upright. I will be blameless and innocent of great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, Yahweh, my rock, and my redeemer."
Observations: The key to correctly interpreting Psalm 19 is to recognize the parallelism of “in them” between verses 4 and 11. In the heavens the stage is set for the star (sun) to shine and reflect well on the Creator. In the laws/Revelation of Yahweh the stage is set for the star performer (you) to shine and reflect well on Him.
Note the view of David toward the law, and all the benefits of having an intimate relationship with God's Word.
Application: Meditation (19:14) is thinking thru implications for applications. (Cf Joshua 1:8). That's how the benefits of the Revelation become a reality in your life.
Prayer: My Creator and Director, may I live and act within the purposes You've planned for me, so that I may be pleasing in Your sight. Amen.
Proverbs 5:21-23 "He sees you when you're sleeping, He knows when you're awake..."
Observation: No, we're not talking about Santa Claus, but about the All-Seeing Omniscient One, who watches over His children, and lets the rebellious reap the reward of their wickedness. Note how Proverbs teaches wisdom (and the fear of the Lord); it gives us a view of reality, and the consequences of our actions, so we'll take the right path. (Unlike Cain). Unfortunately, some would rather believe in folklore.
Application: Memorize Proverbs 5:21 and be ready to explain why you do what you do.
Prayer: All-Seeing God and Judge of the universe, help me walk the paths of freedom today. Amen.
Leviticus 21-23 Two chapters stress the spotless service required by God. Then chapter 23 gives the calendar of the Seven Feasts. Note that no liturgy is specified, although the ritual sacrifices were. Still no mention of singing. Digging Deeper has a chart comparing the Feasts to the NT prophetic calendar.
Leviticus 21 A Holy God Requires Spotless Priests and Sacrifices
Observations: Blamelessness, both spiritual and physical, was required. Any descendant who had a physical defect could eat the holy offerings, but not offer them, to emphasize the need for absolute purity.
Leviticus 22 A Holy God Requires Perfect Sacrifices
22:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 Speak to Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, which they make holy to me, and that they not profane my holy name: I am Yahweh. 3 Tell them, Whoever he be of all your seed throughout your generations, that approaches to the holy things, which the children of Israel make holy to Yahweh, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from before me: I am Yahweh. 20 But whatever has a blemish, that shall you not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you. 21 it shall be perfect to be accepted; 31 Therefore shall you keep my commandments, and do them: I am Yahweh. 32 You shall not profane my holy name; but I will be made holy among the children of Israel: I am Yahweh who makes you holy, 33 who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am Yahweh.
Observations: Fortunately God's people don't have to be perfect, just forgiven and cleansed.
Application: We can't expect God's blessing when we make Him Lord of the Leftovers.
Prayer: Holy God, thank You that I can be acceptable in Your presence. May I only offer You my best, acknowledging Your supremacy. Amen.
Leviticus 23 Festivals and Feasts
23:1 "Yahweh spoke to Moses 2 Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, The set feasts of Yahweh, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my set feasts."
Observations: This chapter gives a calendar of the mandated festivals at this time in Jewish history. Purim and Hanukkah were added later. The “when” and “how” are specified, but not the “why.” The translation is pretty wooden, but you'll get the idea. One general principle that emerges is that life is not all work and no worship. Theologian John Hammett noted: “Americans tend to worship their work, work at their play, and play at their worship.”
Sabbath 3 Six days shall work be done: but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no manner of work: it is a Sabbath to Yahweh in all your dwellings.
Observations: Other Sabbaths were every seven years, and every seven times seven years.
The seventh month was also significant, containing three feasts.
Observations: Passover starts the year and the experience of Israel as God's redeemed people. When originally specified in Ex 12-13, the reason was to remember how God delivered so they would keep the law as they awaited fulfillment of God's promises. See 1Cor 5:6-8.
Exodus 13:8 "You shall tell your son in that day, saying, 'It is because of that which YAHWEH did for me when I came forth out of Egypt.'9 It shall be for a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that the law of YAHWEH may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand YAHWEH has brought you out of Egypt. 10 You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year."
First-fruits/Shavuot 9 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 10 Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, When you are come into the land which I give to you, and shall reap the harvest of it, then you shall bring the sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest to the priest: 12 In the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a he-lamb without blemish a year old for a burnt offering to Yahweh. 14 You shall eat neither bread, nor parched grain, nor fresh ears, until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
Observations: Giving God the first part of the harvest, recognized His ownership and provision, and were expressed faith that the rest of the harvest would come in. Note the emphasis on not even eating until you give God His due. See 1Cor 15:23 for NT usage of first-fruits.
Pentecost-Harvest/Shabuoth 15 You shall count...from the wave-offering; seven Sabbaths 16...fifty days; and you shall offer a new meal-offering to Yahweh.18 You shall present with the bread seven lambs without blemish a year old, and one young bull, and two rams: they shall be a burnt offering to Yahweh, with their meal-offering, and their drink-offerings, even an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh. 19 You shall offer one male goat for a sin-offering, and two he-lambs a year old for a sacrifice of peace-offerings. 20 The priest shall wave them with the bread of the first-fruits for a wave-offering before Yahweh, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to Yahweh for the priest. 21 You shall make proclamation on the same day; there shall be a holy convocation to you; you shall do no servile work: it is a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. 22 When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleaning of your harvest: you shall leave them for the poor, and for the sojourner: I am Yahweh your God.
Observations: “Pentecost” comes from the Greek word for “fifty” since it was celebrated 50 days from First-fruits. Rabbinical interpretation considers it to commemorate the giving of the Torah or Law. Since the timing coincided with the harvest, the comment about gleaning is appropriate. In the NT the Holy Spirit descended on the day of Pentecost.
Trumpets/Rosh Hashana 23 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 24 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest to you, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. 25 You shall do no servile work; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh. Observations: The Shofar or ram's horn was sounded at the beginning of every month. In Lev 25:9-10 the blowing of trumpets marked the year of Jubilee, a new start. In rabbinical interpretation, the Feast of trumpets is also considered a memorial of Creation, and viewed as the beginning of the New Year (cx Passover). Here it heralds the Day of Atonement ten days later, so also in rabbinical interpretation it is a call to regather and repent. Isaiah 18:3 and 27:13 point to a future regathering and repentance.
Observations: This is the most solemn day of the year, the only one in which the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat for all sins. Joel 2:11-15 indicates the repentance that should accompany it. See notes on Lev 16, when God first instituted it.
37 These are the set feasts of Yahweh, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh, a burnt offering, and a meal-offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, each on its own day; 38 besides the Sabbaths of Yahweh, and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill -offerings, which you give to Yahweh. 39 However on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruits of the land, you shall keep the feast of Yahweh seven days: on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest. 40 You shall take on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm-trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God seven days. 41 You shall keep it a feast to Yahweh seven days in the year: it is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall keep it in the seventh month. 42 You shall dwell in booths seven days; all who are home-born in Israel shall dwell in booths; 43 that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am Yahweh your God. 44 Moses declared to the children of Israel the set feasts of Yahweh.
Observations: Booths was a joyful memorial (commanded to rejoice 23:40) of the time the nation dwelt in booths after the Exodus. In the future it will include all nations. Zech 14:16-21
Application: We should regularly set aside time to reflect on what God has done in our lives from the beginning of our relationship with Him. As we follow Him we should see progressive holiness follow our redemption as we enjoy His blessings.
Prayer: Great and Good God, when I think about where I was, and what You've done since we met, all I can do is say thanks, and seek to obediently please You. Amen.
Digging Deeper:
Note the parallels between the order of the feasts and the NT prophetic calendar. Coincidence?
God in a nutshell: God is frighteningly holy; worship and life must be on His, and only on His, terms. He mandates memorials to keep us mindful of His work and provision in our lives.
Us in a nutshell: We are blessed far beyond what we could ever deserve, but we must still do what God says to be blessed, or we will be cut off from blessings. Because we tend to forget our history in preoccupation with daily living, we need to take a break and reflect on God's blessings and our receipt of them.
Where to Go for More:
Truthbase.net
Leviticus 21-23 (complete text)
Leviticus 21
21:1 Yahweh said to Moses, Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them, There shall none defile himself for the dead among his people; 2 except for his relatives, that is near to him, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother, 3 and for his sister a virgin, that is near to him, that has had no husband; for her may he defile himself. 4 He shall not defile himself, [being] a chief man among his people, to profane himself. 5 They shall not make baldness on their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh. 6 They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God; for the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy. 7 They shall not take a woman that is a prostitute, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy to his God. 8 You shall sanctify him therefore; for he offers the bread of your God: he shall be holy to you: for I Yahweh, who sanctify you, am holy. 9 The daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the prostitute, she profanes her father: she shall be burnt with fire. 10 He who is the high priest among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil is poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not let the hair of his head go loose, nor tear his clothes; 11 neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother; 12 neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is on him: I am Yahweh. 13 He shall take a wife in her virginity. 14 A widow, or one divorced, or a profane woman, a prostitute, these shall he not take: but a virgin of his own people shall he take as a wife. 15 He shall not profane his seed among his people: for I am Yahweh who sanctifies him. 16 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 17 Speak to Aaron, saying, Whoever he be of your seed throughout their generations that has a blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God. 18 For whatever man he be that has a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that has a flat nose, or any deformity, 19 or a man that is broken-footed, or broken-handed, 20 or crook-backed, or a dwarf, or that has a blemish in his eye, or is scurvy, or scabbed, or has his stones broken; 21 no man of the seed of Aaron the priest, that has a blemish, shall come near to offer the offerings of Yahweh made by fire: he has a blemish; he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. 22 He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy: 23 only he shall not go in to the veil, nor come near to the altar, because he has a blemish; that he not profane my sanctuaries: for I am Yahweh who sanctifies them. 24 So Moses spoke to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel.
Leviticus 22
22:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 Speak to Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, which they make holy to me, and that they not profane my holy name: I am Yahweh. 3 Tell them, Whoever he be of all your seed throughout your generations, that approaches to the holy things, which the children of Israel make holy to Yahweh, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from before me: I am Yahweh. 4 Whatever man of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or has an issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he is clean. Whoever touches anything that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goes from him; 5 or whoever touches any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatever uncleanness he has; 6 the soul that touches any such shall be unclean until the even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he bathe his flesh in water. 7 When the sun is down, he shall be clean; and afterward he shall eat of the holy things, because it is his bread. 8 That which dies of itself, or is torn by animals, he shall not eat, to defile himself therewith: I am Yahweh. 9 They shall therefore keep my charge, lest they bear sin for it, and die therein, if they profane it: I am Yahweh who sanctifies them. 10 There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest`s, or a hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing. 11 But if a priest buy any soul, the purchase of his money, he shall eat of it; and such as are born in his house, they shall eat of his bread. 12 If a priest`s daughter be married to a stranger, she shall not eat of the heave-offering of the holy things. 13 But if a priest`s daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and be returned to her father`s house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father`s bread: but there shall no stranger eat of it. 14 If a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly, then he shall put the fifth part of it to it, and shall give to the priest the holy thing. 15 They shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer to Yahweh, 16 and [so] cause them to bear the iniquity that brings guilt, when they eat their holy things: for I am Yahweh who sanctifies them. 17 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 18 Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and tell them, Whoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the sojourners in Israel, that offers his offering, whether it be any of their vows, or any of their freewill-offerings, which they offer to Yahweh for a burnt offering; 19 that you may be accepted, [you shall offer] a male without blemish, of the bulls, of the sheep, or of the goats. 20 But whatever has a blemish, that shall you not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you. 21 Whoever offers a sacrifice of peace-offerings to Yahweh to accomplish a vow, or for a freewill-offering, of the herd or of the flock, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein. 22 Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, you shall not offer these to Yahweh, nor make an offering by fire of them on the altar to Yahweh. 23 Either a bull or a lamb that has any deformity or lacking in his parts, that may you offer for a freewill-offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted. 24 That which has its stones bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut, you shall not offer to Yahweh; neither shall you do [thus] in your land. 25 Neither from the hand of a foreigner shall you offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, there is a blemish in them: they shall not be accepted for you. 26 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 27 When a bull, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the hen; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for the offering of an offering made by fire to Yahweh. 28 Whether it be cow or ewe, you shall not kill it and its young both in one day. 29 When you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to Yahweh, you shall sacrifice it that you may be accepted. 30 On the same day it shall be eaten; you shall leave none of it until the morning: I am Yahweh. 31 Therefore shall you keep my commandments, and do them: I am Yahweh. 32 You shall not profane my holy name; but I will be made holy among the children of Israel: I am Yahweh who makes you holy, 33 who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am Yahweh.
Leviticus 23
23:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, The set feasts of Yahweh, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my set feasts. 3 Six days shall work be done: but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no manner of work: it is a Sabbath to Yahweh in all your dwellings. 4 These are the set feasts of Yahweh, even holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their appointed season. 5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, is Yahweh`s Passover. 6 On the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread to Yahweh: seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. 7 In the first day you shall have a holy convocation: you shall do no servile work. 8 But you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh seven days: in the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall do no servile work. 9 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 10 Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, When you are come into the land which I give to you, and shall reap the harvest of it, then you shall bring the sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest to the priest: 11 and he shall wave the sheaf before Yahweh, to be accepted for you: on the next day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12 In the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a he-lamb without blemish a year old for a burnt offering to Yahweh. 13 The meal-offering of it shall be two tenth parts [of an ephah] of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire to Yahweh for a sweet savor; and the drink-offering of it shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin. 14 You shall eat neither bread, nor parched grain, nor fresh ears, until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 15 You shall count to you from the next day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave-offering; seven Sabbaths shall there be complete: 16 even to the next day after the seventh Sabbath shall you number fifty days; and you shall offer a new meal-offering to Yahweh. 17 You shall bring out of your habitations two wave-loaves of two tenth parts [of an ephah]: they shall be of fine flour, they shall be baked with yeast, for first-fruits to Yahweh. 18 You shall present with the bread seven lambs without blemish a year old, and one young bull, and two rams: they shall be a burnt offering to Yahweh, with their meal-offering, and their drink-offerings, even an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh. 19 You shall offer one male goat for a sin-offering, and two helambs a year old for a sacrifice of peace-offerings. 20 The priest shall wave them with the bread of the first-fruits for a wave-offering before Yahweh, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to Yahweh for the priest. 21 You shall make proclamation on the same day; there shall be a holy convocation to you; you shall do no servile work: it is a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. 22 When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleaning of your harvest: you shall leave them for the poor, and for the sojourner: I am Yahweh your God. 23 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 24 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest to you, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. 25 You shall do no servile work; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh. 26 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 27 However on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation to you, and you shall afflict your souls; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh. 28 You shall do no manner of work in that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before Yahweh your God. 29 For whatever soul it be who shall not be afflicted in that same day; he shall be cut off from his people. 30 Whatever soul it be who does any manner of work in that same day, that soul will I destroy from among his people. 31 You shall do no manner of work: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32 It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even to even, shall you keep your Sabbath. 33 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 34 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of tents for seven days to Yahweh. 35 On the first day shall be a holy convocation: you shall do no servile work. 36 Seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh: on the eighth day shall be a holy convocation to you; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh: it is a solemn assembly; you shall do no servile work. 37 These are the set feasts of Yahweh, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh, a burnt offering, and a meal-offering, a sacrifice, and drinkofferings, each on its own day; 38 besides the Sabbaths of Yahweh, and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill -offerings, which you give to Yahweh. 39 However on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruits of the land, you shall keep the feast of Yahweh seven days: on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest. 40 You shall take on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm-trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God seven days. 41 You shall keep it a feast to Yahweh seven days in the year: it is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall keep it in the seventh month. 42 You shall dwell in booths seven days; all who are home-born in Israel shall dwell in booths; 43 that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am Yahweh your God. 44 Moses declared to the children of Israel the set feasts of Yahweh.
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