Day 32: Leviticus 7, 8 and 9

If anyone who is unclean eats any meat of the fellowship offering . . . Anyone who touches something unclean . . . and then eats any of the meat of the fellowship offering belonging to the Lord must be cut off from their people (Leviticus 7:20, 21).

When I read this passage, I have to admit it makes me think: God is so strict. I mean, being excommunicated for what basically amounts to unwashed hands?

But maybe the attitude problem isn’t God’s. Maybe it’s mine. Could it be that I don’t take seriously enough God’s holiness and his desire for me to reflect that holiness?

After the exiles return to Jerusalem, the prophet Haggai confronts the priests: If . . . that fold [of your garment in which you are carrying consecrated meat] touches some bread or stew . . . does it become consecrated? (Haggai 2:12). The answer is no. Then he turns it around: If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled? (2:13). The answer is yes. Apparently, in this analogy, uncleanness spreads passively by contact. Holiness is never passive… never follows the path of least resistance.

[Our fathers] disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness (Hebrews 12:10). God intentionally works holiness into our lives. But it’s a gift. He won’t force it on us if we don’t want it.

TODAY’S MEDITATION

Is there anything in your life you’ve dismissed as insignificant, but God calls sin?

Day 31: Leviticus 4, 5 and 6

When anyone sins unintentionally… (Leviticus 4:2).

When Leviticus uses the phrase sins unintentionally, it might be better rendered as wanders away into sin, or does wrong. Ignorance of the law was no excuse. If anyone engaged in actions or behaviors and only later found out those things were infractions of the law, he was (they were) still guilty. The real difference between the sin offering and the guilt offering was that the sin offering was for more general sins, while the guilt offering included restitution for harming or injuring another person.

Whether between persons, or between humanity and God, these laws are for maintaining relationship and restoring that relationship once it has been broken.

An interesting component of this passage is the concept of community sin. Too often we think of sin as only the individual’s offense rather than allowing for sin shared by an entire community. The church is not innocent of wrongdoing. Whether it’s the crusades, the Inquisition, genocide of native peoples in the name of manifest destiny, dehumanizing women, races, religions and now gays and lesbians, or our misguided attempt to force an Evangelical system of government on the rest of America [3]; the church… the Christian community is not innocent.

There are sins for which our communities (countries, political parties, religions, denominations, ethnic groups, congregations, genders, etc.) need to repent.

TODAY’S MEDITATION

How will you, as a member of the church, encourage or facilitate repentance in (or on the part of) your Christian community this week?

Day 30: Leviticus 1, 2 and 3

Season all your grain offerings with salt (Leviticus 2:13).

The inclusion of salt in grain offerings was probably linked to salt’s preservative properties. In the absence of their Egyptian Frigidaires, the traveling Israelites preserved their food supplies with salt. Salt in the grain offering signified the lasting nature of the covenant between Israel and Yahweh.

One of the attributes of humans is that we have long memories when someone offends us and short memories when we make a promise. As the years pass, our firm commitments lose their significance and seemingly don’t hold as much weight as they once did.

By adding salt to their offerings, the people of Israel were reminding themselves that they could trust God to keep his promises. These laws were traditionally enacted at Sinai where Israel camped the first year after leaving Egypt. Seventy years later in his farewell address, Joshua reminds the nation that God has been faithful from the time of the exodus right up to when each family received their promised inheritance in Canaan. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled (Joshua 23:14).

And perhaps God was reminding them it was also important for them to keep their promises. Salt does more than raise our blood pressure and flavor our food. In Israel’s case it was intended to reinforce their commitments.

TODAY’S MEDITATION

Do you need to forget an offense? Do you need to remember a promise? Ask God’s help to follow through with a promise this week.

Day 29: Exodus 37, 38, 39 and 40

When Moses set up the tabernacle, he put the bases in place, erected the frames, inserted the crossbars and set up the posts (Exodus 40:18).

During their nine months camped at Sinai, the people of Israel have gathered materials, woven fabrics, tailored priestly garments, and built the tabernacle and everything that goes with it. Their accomplishments are a testimony to the benefits of working cooperatively with others focused on the same goal.

All the Levites had a part in the creative process, either in construction or as craftspeople. And after the creative work was complete, there was still something significant for everyone to set their hands to.

I seriously doubt it was actually Moses who set up the tabernacle, putting the bases in place, erecting the frames, inserting the crossbars and setting up the poles. There were teams responsible for all those tasks. And yet who gets the credit? Moses.

Any good leader knows that when his team accomplishes something grand, even though he might get the credit, it’s really the people working behind the scenes who deserve the accolades. We only know the names of a scattered few craftsmen who contributed to the work of the tabernacle, but there must have been at least hundreds. Just as 90% of an iceberg sits beneath the surface of the water and is not visible to the casual observer, there are many unseen, unsung people who are deserving of our thanks when things go right.

TODAY’S MEDITATION

Who will you say thank you for (and to) today?

Day 28: Exodus 34, 35 and 36

Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin (Exodus 34:9).

Twice in the previous two chapters, God refers to Israel as stiff-necked. The first time (32:9) he was informing Moses on Mt. Sinai of the people’s sin in creating the golden calf. His intention was to destroy the nation and start over with a people from the line of Moses himself. Moses stood between God and the people, pleading for their lives.

The second time occurred after the dust from the first storm had settled. God told Moses he would send an angel ahead of them to drive out the present inhabitants of the Promised Land, but that because of them being stiff-necked, he would not go with them. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you (33:5). I guess that’s what happens when an irresistible force meets a stiff-necked object.

In chapter 34 with things put right, Moses celebrates God’s mercy and faithfulness. We included his words (34:6,7) in our Day 26 discussion. Then Moses makes his request: If I have found favor in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance (34:9).

No sense in arguing; we know how we can be. Been there, done that. It may take a lifetime for us to learn to submit.

TODAY’S MEDITATION

Reflect on some occasions lately when you’ve been stiff-necked. Could it be time to submit to God’s work in your life?

Day 27: Exodus 31, 32 and 33

Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened (Exodus 32:14).

1 Samuel 15:29 reads: [God] does not lie or change his mind. One of the classic attributes of God is his immutability – the idea that God does not change. Some have taken this so far as to mean that God never changes his mind, because that would prove he is imperfect – the idea that he was either wrong before or after he reformulated his opinion – picture me with a perplexed look on my face.

That kind of thinking doesn’t bode well for the Israelites. After the golden calf fiasco, it sounds like God was ready to wipe his chosen people off the face of the earth. Then Moses interceded for them and God relented. Isn’t relented another way of saying changed his mind?

When the biblical writers state that God doesn’t change his mind, they are referring to his character. His character is constant. Who God was yesterday is who God will be tomorrow. We don’t have to worry about him forgiving us today, and then taking it back a week from now, because that would be inconsistent with his character.

The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness . . . forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished (Exodus 34:6,7).

TODAY’S MEDITATION

Ask yourself: Would I rather have a God who cannot change his mind… ever, or a God who responds to the prayers of his children whom he loves with an everlasting love? And if God does respond to his children’s prayers, what does that mean for your prayer life?

Day 26: Exodus 28, 29 and 30

Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord (Exodus 28:29).

This is a good lesson for any pastor, elder, deacon, Sunday School teacher, ministry volunteer, parent, sibling, boss, employee and anyone else I’ve left out. Part of Aaron’s official high-priestly garb, in addition to the ephod (similar to a vest), robe, tunic, turban and sash, was a breastpiece. Attached to the breastpiece were twelve stones, each engraved with the name of one of the tribes of Israel. On Aaron’s shoulders were two more stones, each one engraved with the name of six tribes. Here it is referred to as the breastpiece of decision.

On those days when he might not have felt like fulfilling his duties before God, he would be reminded by the stones on his chest and shoulders that in neglecting these things he was not only affecting himself, but neglecting his responsibilities to God’s people. And when he entered the Holy Place, the stones would remind him that he was there not only for himself, but as a representative of thousands.

Maybe we don’t represent thousands when we enter the Holy Place of God’s presence, but someone needs our prayers. God has surely placed at least one name on our hearts.

TODAY’S MEDITATION

Whose names are written on your heart when you go before the Lord in prayer? Is God laying someone’s name on your heart for whom to pray?