Exodus 29-31 Consecration, Dedication, And Sacrifices

Psalm 14:5-7 Antidote for Alligators

14:1 “The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they have done abominable deeds, There is no one who does good. 2 The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. 3 They have all turned away, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one. 4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And do not call on the LORD?

5 There they are in great fear, for God is present with the generation of the righteous.

6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but Yahweh is their refuge.

7 Oh, that the salvation/deliverance for Israel would come out of Zion! When Yahweh restores the fortunes (NIV) of His people, Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad."

Observations 14:1-4 See post on Genesis 35 for vv 1-4, where David laments the departure of people from being dependent upon God, to instead seeking to devour those who are loyal to Him.

14:5-7 David affirms that God is with the righteous, which causes the wicked to fear. The evildoers desire to oppress the poor, but God is the refuge of the righteous. He ends with a prayer for God to act, and restore the fortunes (reverse the captivity) of His people. Then they will rejoice.

Application: Call upon God when the wicked are seeking to take bites out of you, and trust that He will be your refuge and defense, and hope that at the appropriate time, He will totally deliver you.

Prayer: God, You are my God, and I will always trust You to protect and prosper me, because that is what You said You would do for the righteous. Amen.

Proverbs 4:17-19 Light and Dark

4:17 “For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. 18 But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light, that shines more and more until the perfect day. 19 The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.“

Observations: 4:17-19 The unrighteous both consume and are consumed by wickedness and violence. They wind up downed in the dark, not knowing what hit them. The righteous who walk in the light, progress to greater light, until they will stand in the secure light of God's presence on that perfect day when He returns.

Application: Make sure your choices and steps lead to light and not darkness.

Prayer: God, may the wisdom of Your word guide my steps so I don't stumble in the dark, but walk with You in the light. Thanks. Amen.

Exodus 29-31 The Consecration of the Aaron and sons in Exodus 29 introduces us to a number of sacrifices/offering which are explained in more detail in the opening chapters of Leviticus (the next book).

Exodus 29 Consecration and Dedication

29:1 "This is the thing that you shall do to them to make them holy, to minister to me in the priest`s office: take one young bull and two rams without blemish, 2 unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil: you shall make them of fine wheat flour. 4 You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tent of meeting, and shall wash them with water. 5 You shall take the garments, and put on Aaron...7 Then you shall take the anointing oil, and pour it on his head, and anoint him. 8 You shall bring his sons, and put coats on them.

10 "You shall bring the bull before the tent of meeting: and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull. 11 You shall kill the bull before Yahweh, at the door of the tent of meeting. 12 You shall take of the blood of the bull, and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger; and you shall pour out all the blood at the base of the altar. 13 You shall take all the fat that covers the innards, the cover of the liver, the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar. 14 But the flesh of the bull, and its skin, and its dung, you shall burn with fire outside of the camp: it is a sin-offering. 

15 "You shall also take the one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram. 16 You shall kill the ram, and you shall take its blood, and sprinkle it around on the altar. 17 You shall cut the ram into its pieces, and wash its innards, and its legs, and put them with its pieces, and with its head. 18 You shall burn the whole ram on the altar: it is a burnt offering to Yahweh; it is a sweet savor, an offering made by fire to Yahweh. 19 "You shall take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram. 20 Then you shall kill the ram, and take some of its blood, and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and on the tip of the right ear of his sons, and on the thumb of their right hand, and on the big toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood on the altar round about. 21 You shall take of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron, and on his garments, and on his sons, and on the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be made holy, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons` garments with him. 22 Also you shall take some of the ram`s fat, the fat tail, the fat that covers the innards, the cover of the liver, the two kidneys, the fat that is on them, and the right thigh (for it is a ram of consecration), 23 and one loaf of bread, one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before Yahweh. 24 You shall put all of this in Aaron`s hands, and in his sons` hands, and shall wave them for a wave-offering before Yahweh. 25 You shall take them from their hands, and burn them on the altar on the burnt offering, for a sweet savor before Yahweh: it is an offering made by fire to Yahweh. 26 "You shall take the breast of Aaron`s ram of consecration, and wave it for a wave-offering before Yahweh: and it shall be your portion. 27 You shall sanctify the breast of the wave-offering, and the thigh of the heave-offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons: 28 and it shall be for Aaron and his sons as their portion forever from the children of Israel; for it is a heave-offering: and it shall be a heave-offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifices of their peace-offerings, even their heave-offering to Yahweh. 29 "The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him, to be anointed in them, and to be consecrated in them. 36 Every day shall you offer the bull of sin-offering for atonement: and you shall cleanse the altar, when you make atonement for it; and you shall anoint it, to sanctify it. 38 "Now this is that which you shall offer on the altar: two lambs morning...evening 43 There I will meet with the children of Israel; and the place shall be sanctified by my glory. 44 I will sanctify the tent of meeting and the altar: Aaron also and his sons I will sanctify, to minister to me in the priest`s office. 45 I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. 46 They shall know that I am Yahweh their God, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them: I am Yahweh their God."

Observations: God sets apart/sanctifies His servants, deals with their sin, and then prepares them for unreserved service to Him.
29:4 The preliminary washing might indicate a desire for holiness, or maybe they didn't want to get the nice clothes dirty.

29:14 The first offering, a bull, is a sin-offering, slain as their substitute for the death penalty of sin. Its blood was kept in the tent; its fat, representing the best of the animal was burned (same word for burning incense) on the altar, but the body, tainted with sin, was totally consumed by fire (different word for burn) outside the camp.

29:14 The first ram, a whole burnt offering, was entirely dedicated to God (up in smoke). 

29:21 The second ram, the ram of consecration, was marked on the ear (hear the Word), thumb (do the Word), and toe (walk in the Word), and sprinkled on the beautiful garments as a reminder of the covenant to obey, when Moses sprinkled the people with blood (Exodus 24:8).

29:24 The wave-offering was a symbol of giving the first and best of what one has (time, money, strength) back to God. Normally one would give the wave offering to Aaron and the priests to eat (which is why it was waved rather than burnt), but in this case Aaron burns it, showing God's ownership of all.

29:28 The peace-offering was more of a fellowship meal, for now God and man were in right relationship.

Application: Have you gone beyond getting your sins forgiven to dedicating yourself to serving God? That's the path to true fellowship with Him.

See: the sermon Holy Priests Offer Pleasing Sacrifices for part III. The Poor Saints Guide to Big Ticket Sacrifice.

Prayer. Lord, I recognize that You desire all believers to be Your priests, may I be wholly serving You with the best of my life. Amen.

Exodus 30 Incense, Census, and Oils

30:1 "You shall make an altar to burn incense on. 3 You shall overlay it with pure gold...6 You shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you. 8 When Aaron lights the lamps at evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before Yahweh throughout your generations. 9 You shall offer no strange incense on it, nor burnt offering, nor meal-offering; and you shall pour no drink-offering on it. 10 Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once in the year...It is most holy to Yahweh."

12 "When you take a census of the children of Israel, each man shall give a ransom for his soul to Yahweh, when you number them; that there be no plague among them when you number them. 14 from twenty years old and upward 15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel 16 You shall take the atonement money from the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the tent of meeting; that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before Yahweh, to make atonement for your souls.

18 "You shall also make a basin of brass, in which to wash. 21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they not die...23 "Also take fine spices: of liquid myrrh, cinnamon, fragrant cane, 24 cassia, and olive oil. 26 You shall use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, 27 the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, 28 the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its base. 29 You shall sanctify them, that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them shall be holy. 30 You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and sanctify them, that they may minister to me in the priest`s office. 31 You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, `This shall be a holy anointing oil to me throughout your generations. 34 sweet spices, gum resin, and onycha, and galbanum; with pure frankincense: 35 make incense of it, seasoned with salt, pure and holy: 36 and you shall beat some of it very small, and put some of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be to you most holy. 37 The incense which you shall make, according to its composition you shall not make for yourselves: it shall be to you holy for Yahweh. 38 Whoever shall make any like that, to smell of it, he shall be cut off from his people."

Observations: Incense, census/tax, basin/laver, two anointing oils.

30:1 The smoke from the incense would ascend toward God and be something pleasing to Him. The prayers of the saints are equated with incense in Revelation 5:8 and 8:3-4. Not all prayers smell equally nice.

30:12-17 The census tax is said to ransom and atone for their souls and serve as a memorial and for maintenance.

30:23 & 31 Perfumed anointing oils are specified, one for the place, the other for people, and any other use would result in discipline.

30:38 Keeping ourselves in a state where God can bless still requires holy obedience, not just ritual.

Application: Are your prayers sweet-smelling incense offered from a holy heart, or a smelly laundry list of things you badger God about?

Prayer: O God who inhabits the Holy of Holies, may my words and works be a fragrant offering to You. Amen.

Exodus 31 Spirit and Sabbath

31:1 "Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Behold, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4 to devise skillful works, to work in gold... 6 I, behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab...and in the heart of all who are wise-hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded you...13 "Speak also to the children of Israel, saying, `Most assuredly you shall keep my Sabbaths: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies you. 14 You shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 18 He gave to Moses, when he finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, stone tablets, written with God`s finger."

Observations: 31:3 Being filled or controlled by the Spirit of God is necessary for serving God acceptably. Wisdom (choosing the right objectives {devise} and the right means of attaining them {work}), Understanding, Knowledge, and Skill in our work are areas the Spirit should infiltrate and permeate. See Digging Deeper below.

31:13-19 God repeats and emphasizes only one of the Ten Commandments, the fourth, about the Sabbath, since it is the sign of the covenant. Treating it as common resulted in being cut off and death. It's tough for a dead person to be blessed.

31:18 The tablets were a testimony/witness to the covenant God made with Israel, and placed in the ark of the covenant/testimony. So much for these being man's ideas. People prone to lying, think everyone lies and makes up stories.

Application: Does the Spirit of Truth fill/control/permeate your desires and Day-Timer?

Prayer: Lord, I ask that Your Spirit would fill every area of my life, so the work of my life would accomplish Your design and desires. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

God in a nutshell: God uses people to accomplish His purposes, but those He uses must first be separated from what they were and dedicated to whole-burnt-offering obedience. He is pretty specific about what He requires. The greater the service, the greater the requirements, but He does compensate His servants well. God provides reminders to His people, but ritual is no substitute for a real relationship with Him.

Us in a nutshell: We have a tendency to forget where we've come from, and what God has done for us, thus taking God for granted, and setting ourselves up for discipline. Participation in Biblical corporate worship provides a partial corrective, but a personal daily dedication to doing things God's way works wonders.

Where to Go for More:

Truthbase.net

Filled with the Spirit & Spilling all Over

Walk by the Spirit in Dependent, Fruitful Victory

See part III. of the sermon Holy Priests Offer Pleasing Sacrifices:

The Poor Saints Guide to Big Ticket Sacrifice 

Genesis 4-5 Do You Give God What He Likes?

Psalm 2:1-12 The Wise Kiss The Son

2:1 “Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take counsel together, against Yahweh, and against His Anointed, saying, 3 "Let’s break Their bonds apart, and cast Their cords from us." 4 He who sits in the heavens will laugh. The Lord will have them in derision. 5 Then He will speak to them in His anger, and terrify them in His wrath: 6 "Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion."

7 I will tell of the decree. Yahweh said to me, "You are My son. Today I have become Your father. 8 Ask of Me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel."

10 Now therefore be wise, you kings. Be instructed, you judges of the earth. 11 Serve Yahweh with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all those who take refuge in Him."

Observations: 2:1-12 After God finishes laughing at the kings of the earth seeking to rebel against Him, He will level them with His judgment. God has a plan to submit them under His Son, the Davidic King, (and eventually the Messiah). Emperors (called Suzerains) would install a king over a territory (called a Vassal) to rule on their behalf. Ancient Near East archaeology has uncovered a number of Suzerain-Vassal treaties. The process of becoming a vassal was likened to becoming a son, who owed filial (son-like) fidelity and loyalty to the “father.” The “father had covenant obligations (hesed) to the “son” as well, such as protecting him. Part of hesed was looking out for each other's interests. When God made the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7) with David, He portrayed Himself as the Suzerain and David (and his faithful descendants) as the vassal. An unfaithful vassal was deposed (deprived of power, and “put to death” sometimes literally, or metaphorically). When the Messiah is installed in Zion, He will rule rebels with a rod of iron, and destroy those who don't submit. Therefore the wise course of action is to serve Yahweh, and His Son with fear and trembling. Usually one kissed the feet of the ruler as an act of obeisance. On the flip side, those who sought humble refuge in Him would be blessed (see Psalm 1).

Application: It is wise to fear and submit to God's rule of our lives, otherwise the rod of iron will descend.

Prayer: God, may I be a faithful and loyal subject of Yours, and thus an object of Your blessing rather than wrath. Thanks for making such a relationship possible. Amen.

Proverbs 1:10-14 Just Say "No"

1:10 “My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent. 11 If they say, "Come with us, Let’s lay in wait for blood; let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; 12 let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit. 13 We’ll find all valuable wealth. We’ll fill our houses with spoil. 14 You shall cast your lot among us. We’ll all have one purse."

Observations: 1:10 Just say “no” if sinners entice you. Abstinence works, if our value system and will have been trained to discern and choose good and eschew evil. The regular reader of Proverbs would immediately see that what's suggested in 1:10-14 is not good and brings God's punishment and pain (fear of God anyone?). This accurate world view keeps us from sin; when it get's foggy, we're likely to stumble.

1:11-13 Satan sells sin by appealing to our basic desires for power, pleasure, and possessions. Unless we have purposed and ingrained in our thinking that it is God who meets our needs, we are susceptible to Satan's enticements. Depriving people of life and property violates the rule of law, but evil folks get a kick out of being rebellious and exercising godlike power. What kind of evolved pond scum would think that killing innocent people for their purse is a good thing? Sinners think there is safety in numbers, and the naïve fool-in-training thinks that if everyone is doing it and profiting in the short term, it must be OK. Think again.

Application: Don't hang around people you don't want to be like, because you will become like them, and suffer their fate.

Prayer: God, help me unmask the deceptions of sin and embrace the value system You've revealed for me. Amen.

Genesis 4 What's the first thing God said to man after kicking him out of the Garden?

4:1 "The man knew Eve his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man with Yahweh’s help.” 2 Again she gave birth, to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 Cain brought an offering to Yahweh from the fruit of the ground. 4 Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat. Yahweh looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but He didn't look with favor on Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and the expression on his face fell. 6 Yahweh said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen? 7 If you do right, won't you be accepted? But if you do not do right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must master it." (HCS Bible)

Observations: Verse 7 is so important that we need to pause and soak it into every fiber of our being. Note the first thing God said (not the questions, which just clue Cain into the reality that his worth and value are compromised by his incorrect values and actions). Verse 7 sets the tone for human life outside the Garden. Acceptance by God, and consequently feeling good about ourselves is a function of doing the right thing; that would include mastering sin, thru transforming our desires. If we don't, sin will eat our lunch, and then us. See more under Digging Deeper below.

Application: If you're wallowing in the swill of sin and self-pity, do what's right and master sin. See "Sanctification: It Ain't Gonna Reign No More" on Truthbase.net. Memorize Romans 6.

Prayer: God, thank You that You spell out what we need to do and make available the grace to do it. Show me how to master sin and live the spiritually victorious life, which pleases You. Amen.

Genesis 4 Sibling Rivalry and Retribution

4:8 "Cain said to Abel, his brother, “Let’s go into the field.” It happened when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him. 9 Yahweh said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?” He said, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 Yahweh said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to Me from the ground. 11 Now you are cursed because of the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 From now on, when you till the ground, it won’t yield its strength to you. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth.”

13 Cain said to Yahweh, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, You have driven me out this day from the surface of the ground. I will be hidden from Your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth. It will happen that whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 Yahweh said to him, “Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” Yahweh appointed a sign for Cain, lest any finding him should strike him. 16 Cain went out from Yahweh’s presence, and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden."

Observations: It's interesting that God didn't kill Cain, but let him live with the consequences of his sin, even mitigating them a bit in response to Cain's complaint (v15). It's also surprising that Cain was concerned about his separation from God (v14), even though God hadn't mentioned it. Sin results in severed relationships. Forgiveness restores them.

Questions: What's difficult about your life? Is it a consequence of your attitude or actions?

Genesis 4 Looking for Worth in the Wrong Places

4:23 "(The great, great, great grandson of Cain), Lamech said to his wives....”listen to my speech, for I have slain a man for wounding me, a young man for bruising me. 24 If Cain will be avenged seven times, truly Lamech seventy-seven times.”

Observation: There are two Lamechs in these chapters. This one is the bad guy descended from Cain. He gets his worth and value from having more and being more important than others, two wives, 10-fold vengeance, no mention of a relationship with God (probably didn't have one). There are lots of Lamechs around today.

4:25 "Adam knew his wife again. She gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, “for God has appointed me another child instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” 26 There was also born a son to Seth, and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on Yahweh’s name."

Observations: The chapter has bookends (similar material at beginning and end). “Knew” is more than a euphemism for sex. It implies that intimacy is more than a physical act. The OLB lexicon will tell you that Seth means compensation; God made it up to her. There is an Enos(h) and an Enoch (5:24). Both have a “religious” comment about them (calling on God; walking with God; one leads to the other.)

Genesis 5 Adam Dies (finally) and Enoch Disappears

5:1 "This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in God’s likeness. 2 He created them male and female, and blessed them, and called their name “Adam,” in the day when they were created. 3 Adam lived one hundred thirty years, and became the father of a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. 4 The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he became the father of sons and daughters. 5 All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, then he died.

24 (The great, great, great grandson of Seth) Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. 27 All the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty-nine years, then he died. 28 Lamech lived one hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of a son, 29 and he named him Noah, saying, “This same will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, because of the ground which Yahweh has cursed.” 32 Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth."

Observations: God's promise that men would die is being fulfilled. Note that there are ungodly and godly people. (Lamech and Enoch, same generation.) Noah's father would have known Adam.

Digging Deeper: What's up with the long lives? After the flood, people start living “normal” life spans.