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Daily Bible Study

February 3, 2019 Bible Study — The Ordination Of Aaron

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I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Leviticus 8-9.

Today’s passage describes Moses ordaining Aaron and Aaorn’s sons as priests.  There were two parts to the ordination.  Moses dressed Aaron and his sons in the garments which had been made for them as priests.  Once they were dressed in their priestly garments, Moses annointed the Tabernacle, its furnishings, and each of them. Then Moses offered a sin offering for Aaron and his sons, a burnt offering, and an ordination offering.  Once Moses was done offering these sacrifices he had Aaron and his sons sit vigil at the entrance to the Tabernacle for seven days and nights.  On the eighth day they began to serve as priests, offering sacrifices on behalf of the rest of the people of Israel.

The passage seems to imply that the sacrifices Moses offered were all done on one day, but I wonder.  First of all, looking at what was involved in those sacrifices seems challenging for one man to perform in one day.  Second, since it appears that Aaron and his sons only ate their portion of the sacrifices, what did they eat from the 3rd through 7th day of their vigil (earlier, God commanded that those portions not be eaten after the second day)?  It is possible that Moses spread the sacrifices out over the seven days of the vigil, or that other sacrifices were offered over that time period. 

I really wanted to focus on the vigil which Aaron and his sons sat.  They spent seven days thinking about what it meant to be called out to represent the people before God.  Each of us would benefit from sitting such vigils to meditate on what it means to serve God as followers of Christ.  Not necessarily for seven days, but a weekend now and again would serve us well (and I will not argue against spending seven days on such an endeavor).  I will note that Aaron went from making a gold calf for the people to worship to the High Priest before God in a relatively short period of time.

Daily Bible Study

January 28, 2019 Bible Study — Moses and the Gold Calf

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I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Exodus 30-32.

Today’s passage continues with instructions for making furnishings for the Tabernacle.  In the middle of this God gave the command for what was referred to as the Temple Tax in the Gospels.  The most important element of this tax was that it would apply equally to everyone, rich and poor.  Everyone had an equal share in the maintenance of the Tabernacle.  This tax was to be collected whenever the leaders felt it necessary to conduct a census of the fighting men of Israel.  The tax, and the count, only applied to those men who were over 20 years of age.  There are references to this elsewhere, but here is one of the places that a man was not eligible to be part of the Israelite Army until after his 20th birthday.

The story of the gold calf in today’s passage contains some elements which I never noticed before.  It seems to me that there are either missing details, or the order of events was different than the order in which they are written.    When Moses came down the mountain and saw the people reveling in worship of the idol, he smashed the stone tablets which God had given him.  Next it tells us that he burned the gold calf, ground it into powder, mixed the powder with water, and made the Israelites drink it.  Then it tells us that he stood at the entrance to the camp and called for those on the Lord’s side to join him.  It says that all of the Levites joined him and he told them to go through the camp from one end to the other killing everyone.

However, the passage tells us that only about 3,000 people died that day.  Now thinking about this from a perspective of how stories get told and of how things are likely to happen allows us to see how this discrepancy would occur.  The first point on that I want to make is to remind everyone that writing was laborious and writing materials expensive.  So, one did not simply discard what one had written and start over if you realized that you had left something out.  You added it on where you were at.  I am not quite sure what exactly happened here, but it seems likely that Moses smashed the tablets and called for those who were on the Lord’s side to join him before destroying the gold calf.   From there I am not quite sure.  Perhaps those who died were those who resisted Moses’ destruction of the gold calf, or perhaps it was those who refused to drink the concoction he made out of it.  My initial thought was the latter, but further thought makes me believe it was the first.

 

Daily Bible Study

January 10, 2019 Bible Study — Laban and Jacob, Two Peas In a Pod

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I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Genesis 29-30.

Once again we have a biblical story about a man taking more than one wife, and once again it goes badly.  However, before I get into that I want to take note of Laban’s response when he hears the story of why Jacob had come to him.   “You really are my own flesh and blood!”  Laban recognized in Joseph the same trickery and cunning which he himself exercised.  This really sets the stage for the relationship between Jacob and Laban over the next many years, each trying to outmaneuver the other.  The first round went to Laban when he got Jacob to marry Leah.  However, Jacob did not exactly lose since he got Rachel as his wife was well (however badly that went for him).  The next round went to Jacob, despite the fact that Laban cheated him by removing the spotted and speckled goats and the black sheep from the herd after agreeing that those would be Jacob’s.  Despite this, Jacob was able to manipulate the breeding of the sheep and goats so that the herds he tended produced large numbers of speckled and spotted goats and black sheep.

Meanwhile Jacob had domestic bickering as his wives fought for his attention and were jealous of each other.  Rachel, the love of Jacob’s life, blamed him for her inability to have children, while Leah counted coup with each child she bore.  Then Rachel and Leah made it worse by introducing other women to the equation.  

Daily Bible Study

December 28, 2018 Bible Study — Some people will reject God, no matter what

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I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Revelation 9-12.

As the fifth and sixth trumpets sound, each announces a new terror upon the earth.   There is significance to John’s descriptions of the first and second terror, but what I find most telling is that John writes that those who did not die also di not turn from their evil deeds.  Watching the world around me, I see the mindset which leads to such behavior.  In the 1980s, when the AIDS crisis first reared its ugly head and little was known about how it was transmitted, people resisted the idea that people should avoid the behaviors which had been shown to turn the chance of contracting the disease from improbable to likely.  I use that as an example, yet I see people do the same thing on a smaller scale with other things as well: they are unwilling to turn from their sins to God even when the terrible consequences of their sins are obvious.<br>

Between the sixth and seventh trumpets, John recounts an episode which is clearly influenced by the writings of Ezekiel.  First John was given a scroll to eat, which was sweet in his mouth but, unlike the scroll which Ezekiel ate in his vision, sour in his stomach.  Then, also reminiscent of Ezekiel, John measured the Temple.  Neither of these similar elements are intended to mean the same thing as they did in Ezekiel, just as the four horsemen earlier in this letter did not carry the same meaning as the four horsemen in Ezekiel.  Rather they borrow symbolism from those earlier uses to give them deeper symbolic meaning than another image might convey. 

Daily Bible Study

December 27, 2018 Bible Study — A vision with symbolism galore

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I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Revelation 4-8.

I always struggle with what to make of the vision which John describes here.  It is filled with symbolism from beginning to end, but I am unclear what many of the symbols mean.  Many people strive to interpret it as a prophecy regarding the end of the world, but today’s passage does not seem to me to be that.  Rather, it seems to be a vision concerning the state of the spiritual world as it exists today.

John starts with the description of God’s throne room. The glory and majesty of the throne and all around it are overwhelming.  I am sure there is meaningful symbolism in the emerald glow which surrounds God’s throne, but I do not know what it is.   Then we have the 24 thrones with the 24 elders sitting upon them.  I am sure that the fact that 24 is twice 12 is part of the significance of that number, with 12 being the number of the tribes of Israel and the number of the Apostles…and that may be why 24.

Then we have the presentation of the scroll.  There was no one in all of heaven and earth who was worthy to open the scroll until Jesus died and was raised from the dead.  Here once again John tells us that Jesus and God are One, yet different:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Blessing and honor and glory and power
    belong to the one sitting on the throne
    and to the Lamb forever and ever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Both Jesus and God are equally deserving of glory and honor and power. In addition, John describes how the living beings and the elders worshiped the Lamb in the same manner which they worshiped the One seated on the throne.

 

Traditionally, the four horsemen are interpreted as riding forth together.  Yet, as I read it today they seem to ride forth successively.  First, the white horse rides out to win battles and gain the victory.  After that, the red horse rider rides out to bring war to all of the earth.  The third and fourth riders naturally follow after the second.  Widespread famine and hardship follows where there is war and battle.  Famine leads to disease and death.  

Which brings me to one of the messages in this passage which I do understand.  The rich and powerful believe that they are sheltered from the coming destruction.  John’s vision tells us that only those who are faithful to God will be sheltered, and even they will experience suffering.

This entry is longer than I prefer, but I need to cover this last piece of the passage.  After the seventh seal is broken, John’s vision begins to truly enter into a description of the end times.  I am unsure how much of this describes distinct events and how much of this is figurative about those days.  However, John describes how at the end of time seven trumpets will sound, one at a time.  As each trumpet sounds disaster will strike Creation.   It will be a time of great terror, but John reminded us just before he started describing this that those who put their faith in God can be sure of how it will end.

 

 

 

Daily Bible Study

December 26, 2018 Bible Study — Have we lost our enthusiasm for the Lord?

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I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Revelation 1-3.

In the introduction to his letter to the seven Churches of Asia (Asia Minor), John gives us a description of God and Jesus which shows us that they are One.  Yet, despite being One, they are different.  God is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.  Jesus is the First and the Last, the Living One who died but is alive for eternity.  Both of them are the One who <strong>IS</strong>, who <strong>ALWAYS WAS</strong>, and who <strong>IS STILL TO COME</strong>.  I can think of no way to easily express better that for God time is no constraint.  He is present both at the beginning and at the end (not “was present” and “will be present”), and at every point in between.  Yet, He understands the passage of time.

Often times I have seen people talk or write that each of the seven Churches represent archetypes of Church, “which one is YOUR congregation?”  However, I realized today that there is only three types listed here.  There are variations between those that fall into each of these categories, but only three categories.  There are three Churches which have lost their enthusiasm: Ephesus, Sardis, and Laodicea.  There are two Churches which tolerate false teachers: Pergamum and Thyatira.  And there are two Churches which are faithful in the face of opposition:  Smyrna and Philadelphia.

I think it is worth looking at the Churches which have lost their enthusiasm in more detail.  Laodicea is neither an enthusiastic, energetic group who strive to get everyone excited, nor a solid, pragmatic group which sees it through to the end.  Sardis is living in the past.  They have a reputation for doing good things, but they are not doing them anymore.  They are just going through the motions.  Finally, Ephesus is still doing good things, but has lost the love which motivated them in the first place.  They no longer act out of love, just routine. 

Daily Bible Study

December 25, 2018 Bible Study — Three takes on loving others in the face of false teaching

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I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Merry Christmas!

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 John, 3 John, and Jude.

How appropriate that 2 John is part of the reading for Christmas Day, the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus.  John writes that we should have nothing to do with those who teach that Jesus never had a physical body.  The context here makes clear that he is referring to those who claim to be followers of Christ and teach that Jesus was purely a spiritual being, or that He was merely an ideal with no actual physical existence.    No matter how good and beneficial we may find the rest of their teaching we should not support their preaching in any manner.  Interestingly enough, John writes that following God’s command to love one another will lead us directly to avoiding such people.<br>

In his third letter, John writes that we should be hospitable to and support those who travel around teaching the Gospel.  The context makes it clear that John is referring to those who follow the example of Paul, traveling around and preaching the Gospel to nonbelievers.  In addition to encouraging those to whom he is writing for their faithfulness in supporting such preachers, John condemns a local Church leader who actively opposes those who travel around preaching to nonbelievers.   In his second letter, John wrote that we should have nothing to do with those who preach a false Gospel, but here in his third letter he makes clear that does not apply to those who preach true Gospel.  In many ways, it would be more elegant if these two letters were reversed.<br>

Jude writes an explicit condemnation of those who teach that God’s grace means that we can live immoral lives without concern.  He writes that such people’s only concern is their own desire.  They are not seeking to better others, but to satisfy themselves.  They tell us repeatedly how wonderful they themselves are and use flattery to convince others to go along with their teaching.  Such teachers cause division by demeaning those who question their teaching while offering flattery to those who are still trying to discern the truth of what they say.  If we wish to be faithful to Christ, we should, on the other hand, build up those whose faith we perceive as weak or wavering, encouraging them to more closely follow God’s truth.

Daily Bible Study

December 23, 2018 Bible Study

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I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Peter 1-3.

Peter gives us a short and easy guide for how we should live our lives in chapter 1 verses 5 to 9. I use the NIV for this because it seems slightly more concise.  Peter reiterates what James and Paul have said elsewhere; having faith is not enough.  Our faith must inspire us to action.  In particular, Peter tells us that our faith should lead us to be good.  Or, as he puts it,  we need to add goodness to our faith.   However,  over time we will realize, or, at least, we should, that seeking to do good is not enough.  We need to actually know that our actions have good results.  At that point we need to seek knowledge.  As we come to know more about God’s will, we will learn that we need to exercise self-control.  A natural consequence of self-control is perseverance.  As we persevere   our actions will become not just good, but godly.  As we exercise godliness we will come to have an affection for others.  Here the NLT provides an insight, it translates this as “brotherly affection”.  Which tells me that it is like the feelings a brother has for his siblings, slightly protective and desiring the best for them assuming that they will feel likewise, but not dependent on them doing so.  Perhaps you have seen the families where one sibling demonstrates that affection for their sibling, only to be repeatedly hurt when the other sibling fails to reciprocate?  Well, that is what we will experience from time to time.  Which leads us to actual godly love.  We no longer assume that others will return our good feelings about them and act for their benefit anyway.  

I wrote the above as if it “just happens”, that each step automatically follows the one before.  But Peter makes it clear that we must actively choose to add knowledge to goodness, self-control to knowledge, perseverance to  self-control, godliness to perseverance, brotherly affection to godliness, and love to brotherly affection.   The fact of the matte is that if we fail to take the next step we will fall back to the previous one until even our faith is lost.  I had intended to write something about what Peter says about false teachers and the Second Coming, but this is already too long.  Please read that part for yourself.

 

Daily Bible Study

December 19, 2018 Bible Study — Living By Faith

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I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Hebrews 10-11.

The writer here dismisses the idea that the concept of being saved by grace means that I can go on sinning without consequence.   While I cannot earn my salvation, faith in God means that I seek to overcome my sinful nature and act according to His will.  The writer than goes on to give us examples of people who have lived by faith.  All of these people acted on faith that God would grant them a better life after resurrection.  The writer points out one basic thing, in order to come to God we must have faith that God does indeed exist.  This is important.  While I can make a logical case for God’s existence, I cannot prove that He exists.  Sooner or later, each of us will need to make that leap of faith and put our faith in God’s existence.  The writer makes a second important point in this passage.  If you truly have faith in God, then you will embrace any suffering which comes as a result of living according to that faith in the knowledge that doing so will result in God’s will and a better life after the resurrection. 

Daily Bible Study

December 18, 2018 Bible Study — Jesus, High priest after the order of Melchizedek

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I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Hebrews 6-9.

The writer tells us that Jesus is the High Priest of God’s new covenant with mankind, a covenant which replaces the one He made with the people of Israel.   Under this new covenant, Jesus is a priest in the order of Melchizedek, not the order of Aaron.  The writer makes the point that Jesus made His sacrifice once for all time and does not need to make additional sacrifices.  Under the old covenant, only the high priest could enter into the presence of God, and that only once a year after offering up the yearly sacrifice.  Jesus sacrificed Himself so that we can enter into God’s presence at all times.    As a result of this change, God enters into our hearts and minds and writes His laws there.  Under the old covenant, the high priest made sacrifices in the earthly copy of the Tabernacle.  Under the new covenant, Jesus, the new High Priest, made His sacrifice in the Heavenly original Tabernacle.