Chronological Bible Blog

February 23rd Chronological Bible Readings

Leviticus 20:1-22:33
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~ Listen to today's Scripture on ESVBible.org ~

You'll notice lately that I've been punting over to Bob on many of the Leviticus chapters.   I'm honestly not finding as much time as I'd like to spend on study & prep as I'd like lately. But, I also think Bob's writings on Leviticus are powerful - and so here he is on Leviticus chapter 20 at this link.  Actually, one quick powerful note on Leviticus 19:18 (from yesterday's readings) - "Never seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD."  Jesus quoted the underlined portion of this Leviticus verse as we see in Matthew 22:36-40: ""Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?" Jesus replied, " `You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."

In Leviticus chapter 20 verses 23 & 24 we read - "Do not live by the customs of the people whom I will expel before you. It is because they do these terrible things that I detest them so much. But I have promised that you will inherit their land, a land flowing with milk and honey. I, the LORD, am your God, who has set you apart from all other people."  These verses are another reminder that God's laws to the Israelites were given to set them apart from the pagans surrounding them and in Canaan.  God's laws were given to differentiate what is right and wrong, in comparison to the pagan immoral customs.  I wonder about this in our modern world today.  As followers of Jesus, do you think we should be "set apart" from what the modern world tells us to do & how to live?  Should we or should we not be living by the customs of our modern world?  How are you living your life today?  If someone examined your life, would they see that you are set apart from the customs of our modern world?  Bob Deffinbaugh's commentary on Leviticus chapters 21 & 22 is at this link. 

Worship God:  Today's readings in Leviticus reminded me of Josh Wilson's song "I Refuse:"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIv_zkOC97Q

Do you refuse to say another empty prayer? Click here and pray for real!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own." Leviticus 20:26 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you are living a set apart life, wholly pleasing to the LORD.

Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.

p.p.s. Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.p.p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today. Thanks!

February 22nd Chronological Bible Readings

Leviticus 17:1-19:37
~ Click here to read today's Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~ // Mobile Site Link
~ Listen to today's Scripture on ESV Online.org ~

Bob Deffinbaugh at bible.org's commentary on Leviticus chapter 17, "The Preciousness of Blood," is at this link.   A quote from Bob from this link - "The Israelite of old learned from Leviticus, as nowhere else up to that point in time, the preciousness of blood to God. How much greater value does blood take on for the New Testament saint, whose blessings are all a result of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. As Harrison summarizes the matter, "The blood is the life of the flesh (Lev. 17:11), and it is through the atoning blood of Christ that the believer receives redemption (I Pet. 1:18-19), forgiveness (Eph. 1:7), justification (Rom. 5:9), spiritual peace (Col. 1:20), and sanctification (Heb. 13:12)."

Leviticus 18 is primarily a chapter about forbidden sexual practices.  However - before we get to those - I think verses 1-5 are incredibly powerful as God reminds the Israelites that he is their God - and that he has set them apart from the pagans surrounding them - and that his laws must be obeyed by the Israelites - "Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say this to your people, the Israelites: I, the LORD, am your God. So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life. You must obey all my regulations and be careful to keep my laws, for I, the LORD, am your God. If you obey my laws and regulations, you will find life through them. I am the LORD."  As I read this I see the compassionate nature of God throughout history.  The laws were so much better than the pagan ways of the nations surrounding Israel.  The laws were better.  More compassionate than immorality to be sure.  Check out again Bob Deffinbaugh on Leviticus chapter 18 verses 1-5 titled "Obedience—The Obligation of Being Owned" at this link.  And below is one of my favorite obedience cartoons... :)

For the rest of Leviticus chapter 18 I'm going to punt once again over to Bob Deffinbaugh at bible.org at this link.   Here's a quote from Bob at this link - "Leviticus 18:6-29 has a very simple structure and message. Its intent is to define the boundaries of godly human sexual relationships. There are three of them, which I call the inner, middle, and outer boundaries of godly sexuality. Verses 6 through 18 define the “inner boundary,” prohibiting sexual relationships with close relatives. Verses 19 and 20 define the “middle boundary,” which limits sexual relations within marriage and prohibits them outside marriage. Verses 21 through 23 define the “outer boundary” of unnatural sexual relations. Verses 24 through 29 tell us about God’s judgment upon a nation that crosses these boundaries. They clearly tell us that God’s judgment for sexual sin is all nations, not just the covenant nation of Israel."

Today in Leviticus chapter 19 we read about holiness!  What a tiny but powerful little word - holy.  This chapter is of interest to me in that I continue to struggle with the call to holiness in my life.  I understand grace.  I get grace.  I'm good at receiving grace...  :)  But holiness?  Well, that's a bit trickier for me personally.  I guess where I am at these days in my walk with the Lord is really trying to balance grace and holiness.  I know we are saved through grace, not works - but, I also believe there is a call to holiness in our lives once we have received that gift of grace.   You know I love Bob Deffinbaugh's writings over at bible.org.  I think Bob's writings on Leviticus chapter 19 titled "How to Spell Holy" at this link is up there with some of his best stuff.  Please check out this link, and make sure you scroll down to read about Bob's take on "perversions of holiness" - 1. stained glass holiness 2. positional holiness 3. equating holiness with the miraculous 4. isolational holiness 5. holiness by redefinition.  Great stuff!

Worship God:  Today's readings in Leviticus 18 reminded me of Rebecca St. James's song "Wait for Me:"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooAi3KJ5I-s

Have you been waiting to meet God? Click here and wait no longer!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy." Leviticus 19:2 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray for holiness in your life.

Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.

p.p.s. Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.p.p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today. Thanks!

February 21st Chronological Bible Readings

Leviticus 14:33-16:34
~ Click here to read today's Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~ // Mobile Site Link
~ Listen to today's Scripture on ESVBible.org ~

Today in Leviticus chapter 14 we read about cleansing from skin diseases and treatment of contaminated houses.  I found the treatment of the mildew in the houses quite fascinating - with verse 45 telling us about the ultimatum for a house if the mildew reappears: "It must be torn down, and all its stones, timbers, and plaster must be carried out of town to the place designated as ceremonially unclean."  This chapter again goes into the clean & the unclean.  If you didn't get chance to read the bible.org commentary on Clean & Unclean from Leviticus chapters 12 through 15, you may want to take a few minutes to read it at this link.   Verses 52 & 53 today: "After he has purified the house in this way, he will release the living bird in the open fields outside the town. In this way, the priest will make atonement for the house, and it will be ceremonially clean."

Today in Leviticus chapter 15 we read about bodily discharges...  Anyone want to be the guest blogger on this chapter today?  :)  I am thinking today is a good day to share with you some of Bible.org's essays on the topic of sex.  (though sex is only mentioned briefly in this chapter, still seems appropriate)  Check out Bob Deffinbaugh's "Sex and the Spiritual Christian" at this link. (it's not based on this chapter but 1 Corinthians 7)   Daniel Wallace with bible.org has comments on Biblical views of sex at this link.  And then Bob Deffinbaugh again at bible.org has commentary on the relationship between spirituality and sexuality at this link. 

In Leviticus chapter 16 we read about the Day of Atonement.  Ever wonder where the term "scapegoat" came from?  Now you know!  This chapter.  Check out verses 20-23 about the scapegoat - "When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the Tabernacle, and the altar, he must bring the living goat forward. He is to lay both of his hands on the goat's head and confess over it all the sins and rebellion of the Israelites. In this way, he will lay the people's sins on the head of the goat; then he will send it out into the wilderness, led by a man chosen for this task. After the man sets it free in the wilderness, the goat will carry all the people's sins upon itself into a desolate land." There was also the other goat which was sacrificed.  I read a commentary that said that both of these 2 goats foreshadowed Jesus' death - that Jesus was both sacrificed for atonement for our sins and Jesus is our permanent scapegoat.

 

In verse 34 we read – “This is a permanent law for you, to make atonement for the Israelites once each year." You’ll notice the “once a year” wording in this verse. Contrast this with Jesus’ “once for all” sacrifice discussed in Hebrews chapter 10 verses 12 – 14 – “But when this priest (Jesus) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” For further study on Jesus’ “once for all” sacrifice, please read Hebrews chapters 10 and 9. Bible.org's commentary on Leviticus chapter 16 & "The Day of Atonement" is at this link. 

Worship God:  Today's readings in Leviticus about the Day of Atonement reminded me of Phil Wickam's song "True Love:"

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL7Uo__ss7g

Have you received True Love in your life? Click here for the Truest Love of all time!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites." Leviticus 16:34 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you have received atonement for your sins through your saving faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.

p.p.s. Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.p.p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today. Thanks!

February 20th Chronological Bible Readings

Leviticus 12:1-14:32
~ Click here to read today's Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~ // Mobile Site Link
~ Listen to today's Scripture on ESVBible.org ~

Today in Leviticus chapter 13 we read about contagious skin diseases and mildew.  Quite a chapter! It does make sense to me that this level of detail is given by God on these topics.  These instructions were health instructions for the community of Israel as a whole.  The NIV Study Bible notes that "the ceremonially unclean were excluded from the camp (the area around the tabernacle and courtyard), where the Israelites lived in tents.  Later, no unclean persons were allowed in the temple area, where they could mingle with others."  I look at this from the standpoint that they did not have medicines back then to heal people of these contagious diseases - and as such, the only way to keep the diseases from spreading to the entire population was to isolate the sick.  I know this doesn't sound compassionate on the surface... but was there a better option at that time?  In the New Testament we read about Jesus curing people of leprosy, which was a couple of thousand of years later.  It's obvious that skin diseases were a major issue in Moses' day and through Jesus' day - as was mildew during Israel's rainy season of October through March - particularly along the coast and by the Sea of Galilee where it is very humid.  Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Leviticus chapter 13 begins at this link and you'll see a few "Next Commentary" links at the bottom of each page to take you through the chapter.

On a side note, leprosy, or Hansen's disease, is still in existence in our world today, though at much lower incidence rates than ever before.  It is a sad disease to learn about...  I did a google image search on the word leprosy and was pretty shocked by the pictures.  The World Health Organization's website says this - "Today, diagnosis and treatment of leprosy is easy. Essential work is being carried out to integrate leprosy services into existing, general health services. This is especially important for communities at risk for leprosy, which are often the poorest of the poor and under-served. Full control of leprosy has eluded mainly in some parts of Angola, Brazil, India, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nepal, and United Republic of Tanzania."  More info on leprosy in our world today is at the World Health Organization's website at this link.

All of a sudden now these 3 verses about Jesus and leprosy in Matthew chapter 8 verses 1 through 3 really stand out to me... - "When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”  Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cured of his leprosy."

YouTube:  Per our readings in Leviticus today, below is a brief documentary about Hansen's disease:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TMsXG-AOto

Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.

p.p.s. Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.p.p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today. Thanks!

February 19th Chronological Bible Readings

Leviticus 9:1-11:47
~ Click here to read today's Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~ // Mobile Site Link
~ Listen to today's Scripture on ESVBible.org ~

Today in Leviticus chapter 9 we read about Aaron & his sons beginning their priestly ministry.  I liked verse 24 as a closing verse to this chapter: "Fire blazed forth from the LORD's presence and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When the people saw all this, they shouted with joy and fell face down on the ground."  I think what this verse does for me is to really confirm that all of the Offerings we are reading about in Leviticus were ordained by God at that time and that what we are reading about in Leviticus is truly part of God's story.  Not that I ever doubted this fact - but, when you read about God consuming the offering in fire in such a dramatic fashion, you realize that God was fully pleased with the priest's and the people's obedience.  The Offerings are part of God's story - and are foreshadowing the final Offering of Jesus on the cross.  Do you believe the Offerings are a part of our spiritual history?

In Leviticus chapter 10 we read about the disobedience of Nadab and Abihu.  You'll recall 2 days ago that we read in Leviticus Chapter 6 verse 13: "Remember, the fire must be kept burning on the altar at all times. It must never go out."  Commentaries state that the fire was never to go out because the fire was started by God.   Humans were not to bring man-made fire to the altar, or they would die.  I realize that this can seem like a very harsh punishment for disobedience. Commentaries suggest that because Nadab and Abihu were in such high spiritual leadership positions, their disobedience carried the risk of leading many people astray.  One commentary at this link suggests that Nadab and Abihu may have been intoxicated on wine, based on God's subsequent instruction for priestly worship in Leviticus 10:9 - "You and your descendants must never drink wine or any other alcoholic drink before going into the Tabernacle. If you do, you will die." It may help to remember that we saw disobedience from others earlier in the Bible - and we'll see disobedience again later in the Bible - without the consequence of immediate death.  But, in this case, disobedience brought death.  Think about the risk of disobedience in our lives today.   Yeah, sure, maybe we can get away with something dangerous/disobedient 9 times out of 10 - but, there is always the risk that perhaps the 10th time could prove lethal.  So - why take the risk of disobedience at all?  Is it worth it?  Ever?

Today in Leviticus chapter 11 we read about ceremonially clean and unclean animals for the Israelites.  The One Year Bible Companion commentary on this chapter today states that "there were several reasons for this restricted diet - 1. to ensure the health of the nation.  The forbidden foods were usually scavenging animals that fed on dead animals; thus disease could be transmitted through them.  2. to visibly distinguish Israel from other nations. The pig, for example, was a common sacrifice of pagan religions. 3. To avoid objectionable associations.  The creatures that move about on the ground, for example, were reminiscent of serpents, which often symbolized sin."

Verses 20-22 mention of eating locusts reminded me of John the Baptist: "You are to consider detestable all swarming insects that walk along the ground. However, there are some exceptions that you may eat. These include insects that jump with their hind legs: locusts of all varieties, crickets, bald locusts, and grasshoppers. All these may be eaten."  Commentary at bible.org on "The Clean & the Unclean" from Leviticus chapter 11 is at this link, and from chapter 12 is at this link.  And yes, in theory, this is a grasshopper in the image below.  It's clean! :)

Today in chapter 11 verse 44 we read: “After all, I, the LORD, am your God. You must be holy because I am holy.” How does this verse speak to you? Do you think about being holy? Do you want to be holy? Zondervan shares the following commentary on this verse – “Holiness is the key theme of Leviticus, ringing like a refrain in various forms throughout the book. The word “holy” appears more often in Leviticus than in any other book of the Bible. Israel was to be totally consecrated to God. Her holiness was to be expressed in every aspect of her life, to the extent that all of life had a certain ceremonial quality. Because of who God is and what he has done, his people must dedicate themselves fully to him.” Check out Peter quoting from this Leviticus verse in 1 Peter 1 verses 13-16 – “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”” How do these verses speak to you? Do you think about being holy? Do you want to be holy?

Worship God:  Our readings in Leviticus 11:44 today reminded me of the Michael W. Smith song "You Are Holy:"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt9hWMufODY

Do you know our Holy God? Click here for Holiness!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy." Leviticus 11:44 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray for holiness in your life, through your saving faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.

p.p.s. Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.p.p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today. Thanks!