17:1 “Hear, Yahweh, my righteous plea; Give ear to my prayer, that doesn't go out of deceitful lips 2 Let my vindication come from You [for] You see what is right. 3 You have proved my heart. You have visited me in the night. You have tried me, and found nothing. I have resolved that my mouth shall not trangress. 4 As for the works of men, by the word of Your lips, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent. 5 My steps have held fast to your paths. My feet have not slipped. 6 I have called on You, for You will answer me, God. Turn your ear to me. Hear my speech. 7 Show Your marvelous hesed/loyal love, You who save/deliver those who take refuge by Your right hand from their enemies.”
Observation: Note that the basis of his righteous appeal to God's loyal love, is that David has been loyal to God. He has purposed not to sin in word or deed by keeping God's word. He has been dependent and praying to the God for deliverance from his enemies.
17:3 the words “proved” and “tried” are of refining and testing metal. David passed the test.
Application: Could you make the same case David did for God saving him?
Prayer: O Loyal Deliverer, You've said You hear the prayers of the righteous; refine me and deliver me. Amen.
Proverbs 5:9-12 Love Instruction Or Lose Big Time
5:9 “(7 Now therefore, my sons, listen to me. Don’t depart from the words of my mouth. 8 Remove your way far from her. Don’t come near the door of her house,) 9 lest you give your honor to others, and your years to the cruel one; 10 lest strangers feast on your wealth, and your labors enrich another man’s house. 11 You will groan at your latter end, when your flesh and your body are consumed, 12 and say, "How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;"
Observations: Departing from the words of wisdom and failing to depart from temptation (5:7-8 another post), result in loss of:
5:9-10 Honor, sweet years, wealth, and enjoying the fruits of your labor.
5:11 instead you get groaning in emotional and physical pain and a life of regret.
Application: 5:12 Love instruction and welcome reproof, be wise and life is wonderful.
Prayer: God thanks for revealing your way that saves from pain and futility; help me love your instruction and reproof. Amen.
Leviticus 8-10 Strange Fire And Fire From Heaven
Leviticus 8 Precise Obedience
8:1 "Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and the bull of the sin-offering, and the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread; 3 and assemble you all the congregation at the door of the tent of meeting. 10 Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tent and all that was in it, and sanctified them. 12 He poured of the anointing oil on Aaron`s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him. 14 He brought the bull of the sin-offering...18 He presented the ram of the burnt offering...22 He presented the other ram, the ram of consecration...26...he took one unleavened cake, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer...28...burnt them on the altar on the burnt offering: they were a consecration for a sweet savor: it was an offering made by fire to Yahweh. 33 You shall not go out from the door of the tent of meeting seven days, until the days of your consecration be fulfilled: for he shall consecrate you seven days. 34 As has been done this day, so Yahweh has commanded to do, to make atonement for you. 35 At the door of the tent of meeting shall you abide day and night seven days, and keep the charge of Yahweh, that you don`t die: for so I am commanded. 36 Aaron and his sons did all the things which Yahweh commanded by Moses."
Observations: This chapter shows Moses precisely obeying what God had expressly commanded.
Leviticus 9 Glory, Blessing, And Fire From God
9:1 "It happened on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel; 2 and he said to Aaron, Take a calf of the herd for a sin-offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before Yahweh. 6 Moses said, This is the thing which Yahweh commanded that you should do: and the glory of Yahweh shall appear to you. 22 Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people, and blessed them; and he came down from offering the sin-offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace-offerings. 23 Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of Yahweh appeared to all the people. 24 There came forth fire from before Yahweh, and consumed on the altar the burnt offering and the fat: and when all the people saw it, they shouted, and fell on their faces."
Observations: Leviticus chapter 9 is almost a repeat of the precise obedience of the previous chapter with the added bonus of God's glory (glowing cloud?) appearing and then fire coming from Yahweh's presence to consume the burnt-offering.
Application: Precision obedience results in blessing and experience God's glory!
Prayer: God of Glory, keep me conscious of what You have commanded, so I can experience Your blessing and glory. Amen.
Leviticus 10 Strange Fire And Fried Priests
10:1 "Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire therein, and laid incense thereon, and offered strange fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them. 2 There came forth fire from before Yahweh, and devoured them, and they died before Yahweh. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, This is it what Yahweh spoke, saying, I will be sanctified in those who come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified. Aaron held his peace. 6 Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons, Don`t let the hair of your heads go loose, neither tear your clothes; that you don`t die, and that he not be angry with all the congregation: but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which Yahweh has kindled. 7 You shall not go out from the door of the tent of meeting, lest you die; for the anointing oil of Yahweh is on you. They did according to the word of Moses. 8 Yahweh spoke to Aaron, saying, 9 Drink no wine nor strong drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, that you don`t die: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations: 10 and that you may make a distinction between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean; 11 and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which Yahweh has spoken to them by Moses. 19 Aaron spoke to Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before Yahweh; and there have befallen me such things as these: and if I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been well-pleasing in the sight of Yahweh? 20 When Moses heard [that], it was well-pleasing in his sight."
Observations: 10:1 God had warned them not to offer anything other than what He specified, or they would die. Adam and Eve got a similar warning of dire consequences.
10:6-7 Aaron and his sons were not allowed to mourn for the death of their family members, because they had been anointed to serve God, and nothing takes greater precedence.
10:19 Aaron appeals to what would be pleasing in God's sight as the rationale for failing to eat the offering, citing the events that indicated his unworthiness. Moses bought it. So did God.
Application: We develop a fear of God when we realize that He really does mean what He says.
Prayer: God keep me mindful of the consequences of disobeying You, so I will be consumed with the desire to do what is pleasing in Your sight. Amen.
Digging Deeper:
God in a nutshell: God is to be feared; disobeying Him incurs dire consequences, even for His most privileged priests. Obeying Him opens the door for Him to bless and awe us with His glory.
Us in a nutshell: We can't offer God anything and be pleasing to Him, when we are disobeying. We need to know what He has specified, and then do it. Blessings follow.
Where to Go for More:
Leviticus 8-10 (complete text)
Leviticus 8
8:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and the bull of the sin-offering, and the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread; 3 and assemble you all the congregation at the door of the tent of meeting. 4 Moses did as Yahweh commanded him; and the congregation was assembled at the door of the tent of meeting. 5 Moses said to the congregation, This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded to be done. 6 Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. 7 He put on him the coat, and girded him with the sash, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him, and he girded him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and bound it to him therewith. 8 He placed the breastplate on him: and in the breastplate he put the Urim and the Thummim. 9 He set the turban on his head; and on the turban, in front, did he set the golden plate, the holy crown; as Yahweh commanded Moses. 10 Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tent and all that was therein, and sanctified them. 11 He sprinkled of it on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its vessels, and the basin and its base, to sanctify them. 12 He poured of the anointing oil on Aaron`s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him. 13 Moses brought Aaron`s sons, and clothed them with coats, and girded them with girdles, and bound headbands on them; as Yahweh commanded Moses. 14 He brought the bull of the sin-offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sinoffering. 15 He killed it; and Moses took the blood, and put it on the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar, and sanctified it, to make atonement for it. 16 He took all the fat that was on the inwards, and the cover of the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat; and Moses burned it on the altar. 17 But the bull, and its skin, and its flesh, and its dung, he burnt with fire outside of the camp; as Yahweh commanded Moses. 18 He presented the ram of the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 19 He killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood on the altar round about. 20 He cut the ram into its pieces; and Moses burnt the head, and the pieces, and the fat. 21 He washed the inwards and the legs with water; and Moses burnt the whole ram on the altar: it was a burnt offering for a sweet savor: it was an offering made by fire to Yahweh; as Yahweh commanded Moses. 22 He presented the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 23 He killed it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it on the tip of Aaron`s right ear, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot. 24 He brought Aaron`s sons; and Moses put of the blood on the tip of their right ear, and on the thumb of their right hand, and on the great toe of their right foot: and Moses sprinkled the blood on the altar round about. 25 He took the fat, and the fat tail, and all the fat that was on the inwards, and the cover of the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right thigh: 26 and out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before Yahweh, he took one unleavened cake, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and placed them on the fat, and on the right thigh: 27 and he put the whole on the hands of Aaron, and on the hands of his sons, and waved them for a wave-offering before Yahweh. 28 Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt them on the altar on the burnt offering: they were a consecration for a sweet savor: it was an offering made by fire to Yahweh. 29 Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave-offering before Yahweh: it was Moses` portion of the ram of consecration; as Yahweh commanded Moses. 30 Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which was on the altar, and sprinkled it on Aaron, on his garments, and on his sons, and on his sons` garments with him, and sanctified Aaron, his garments, and his sons, and his sons` garments with him. 31 Moses said to Aaron and to his sons, Boil the flesh at the door of the tent of meeting: and there eat it and the bread that is in the basket of consecration, as I commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons shall eat it. 32 That which remains of the flesh and of the bread shall you burn with fire. 33 You shall not go out from the door of the tent of meeting seven days, until the days of your consecration be fulfilled: for he shall consecrate you seven days. 34 As has been done this day, so Yahweh has commanded to do, to make atonement for you. 35 At the door of the tent of meeting shall you abide day and night seven days, and keep the charge of Yahweh, that you don`t die: for so I am commanded. 36 Aaron and his sons did all the things which Yahweh commanded by Moses.
Leviticus 9
9:1 It happened on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel; 2 and he said to Aaron, Take a calf of the herd for a sin-offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before Yahweh. 3 To the children of Israel you shall speak, saying, Take a male goat for a sin-offering; and a calf and a lamb, both a year old, without blemish, for a burnt offering; 4 and an ox and a ram for peace-offerings, to sacrifice before Yahweh; and a meal-offering mingled with oil: for today Yahweh appears to you. 5 They brought that which Moses commanded before the tent of meeting: and all the congregation drew near and stood before Yahweh. 6 Moses said, This is the thing which Yahweh commanded that you should do: and the glory of Yahweh shall appear to you. 7 Moses said to Aaron, Draw near to the altar, and offer your sin-offering, and your burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself, and for the people; and offer the offering of the people, and make atonement for them; as Yahweh commanded. 8 So Aaron drew near to the altar, and killed the calf of the sin-offering, which was for himself. 9 The sons of Aaron presented the blood to him; and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it on the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar: 10 but the fat, and the kidneys, and the cover from the liver of the sin-offering, he burnt on the altar; as Yahweh commanded Moses. 11 The flesh and the skin he burnt with fire outside of the camp. 12 He killed the burnt offering; and Aaron`s sons delivered to him the blood, and he sprinkled it on the altar round about. 13 They delivered the burnt- offering to him, piece by piece, and the head: and he burnt them on the altar. 14 He washed the inwards and the legs, and burnt them on the burnt offering on the altar. 15 He presented the people`s offering, and took the goat of the sin-offering which was for the people, and killed it, and offered it for sin, as the first. 16 He presented the burnt-offering, and offered it according to the ordinance. 17 He presented the meal-offering, and filled his hand therefrom, and burnt it on the altar, besides the burnt offering of the morning. 18 He killed also the ox and the ram, the sacrifice of peace-offerings, which was for the people: and Aaron`s sons delivered to him the blood, which he sprinkled on the altar round about, 19 and the fat of the ox and of the ram, the fat tail, and that which covers [the inwards], and the kidneys, and the cover of the liver: 20 and they put the fat on the breasts, and he burnt the fat on the altar: 21 and the breasts and the right thigh Aaron waved for a waveoffering before Yahweh; as Moses commanded. 22 Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people, and blessed them; and he came down from offering the sin-offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace-offerings. 23 Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of Yahweh appeared to all the people. 24 There came forth fire from before Yahweh, and consumed on the altar the burnt offering and the fat: and when all the people saw it, they shouted, and fell on their faces.
Leviticus 10
10:1 Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire therein, and laid incense thereon, and offered strange fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them. 2 There came forth fire from before Yahweh, and devoured them, and they died before Yahweh. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, This is it what Yahweh spoke, saying, I will be sanctified in those who come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified. Aaron held his peace. 4 Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, Draw near, carry your brothers from before the sanctuary out of the camp. 5 So they drew near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp, as Moses had said. 6 Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons, Don`t let the hair of your heads go loose, neither tear your clothes; that you don`t die, and that he not be angry with all the congregation: but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which Yahweh has kindled. 7 You shall not go out from the door of the tent of meeting, lest you die; for the anointing oil of Yahweh is on you. They did according to the word of Moses. 8 Yahweh spoke to Aaron, saying, 9 Drink no wine nor strong drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, that you don`t die: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations: 10 and that you may make a distinction between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean; 11 and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which Yahweh has spoken to them by Moses. 12 Moses spoke to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons who were left, Take the meal-offering that remains of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, and eat it without yeast beside the altar; for it is most holy; 13 and you shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your portion, and your sons` portion, of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire: for so I am commanded. 14 The wave-breast and the heave-thigh shall you eat in a clean place, you, and your sons, and your daughters with you: for they are given as your portion, and your sons` portion, out of the sacrifices of the peace-offerings of the children of Israel. 15 The heave-thigh and the wave-breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave-offering before Yahweh: and it shall be your, and your sons` with you, as a portion forever; as Yahweh has commanded. 16 Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin-offering, and, behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and with Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying, 17 Why haven`t you eaten the sinoffering in the place of the sanctuary, seeing it is most holy, and he has given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before Yahweh? 18 Behold, the blood of it was not brought into the sanctuary within: you should certainly have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded. 19 Aaron spoke to Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin- offering and their burnt offering before Yahweh; and there have befallen me such things as these: and if I had eaten the sinoffering today, would it have been well-pleasing in the sight of Yahweh? 20 When Moses heard [that], it was well-pleasing in his sight.
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