FEBRUARY 16 READINGS…Numbers 8:1-9:14 & Leviticus 1:1-3:17.
In today’s readings the Lord gives further instruction to the Israelites concerning how His people were to approach Him through their worship and sacrifices. Again, we are reminded that this whole system was established by the Lord. Both worship, and sacrifices were determined by the Lord…also how the people were to bring their sacrifices to the Lord, and how the priest were to treat the sacrifices, was also determined by the Lord.
Those who would serve in the tabernacle and represent the people before the Lord needed to be prepared and made right in order to serve. The Lord had already set the tribe of Levi aside to serve as His priestly tribe. These men would serve that Lord as active priest from the age of 25 to the age of 50. These men represent the whole nation of Israel, in that they would be the “first born” …which always belonged to God, since the time that God took the first born of the nation of Egypt. These priests were to be consecrated before the Lord in preparation for them to serve in the tabernacle. This consecration prepared them to handle the offerings and the sacrifices brought by the nation of Israel.
Once the tabernacle was set up and the priest consecrated the people would begin to bring the required offerings and sacrifices. The priest could not handle the offerings and sacrifices to the Lord any way they wanted to…but they were to do so as the Lord required. The Lord once again declared the importance of the Passover observance as the people would experience their first Passover in the wilderness…they were required to observe Passover every year, or be cut off from the nation. The Lord gave specific instruction concerning three offerings…the burnt offerings, the grain offering, and the peace offering.
It is my hope that as you have read you have noticed that there never was a time when God was not in control. That is the same it is supposed to be for us today in the church. Church, worship, and giving has never been about what we as people have decided we are going to bring before and to God. Biblically, it has always been about coming before our Holy God in the way He requires…it can legitimately be said that if we don’t come to God His way, we cannot come before God.
Please share any insights you have from today’s readings.
TOMORROW’S READINGS…Leviticus 4:1-6:30.
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