Category: “Listening to God” Devotional

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Leviticus+012

Leviticus 12（ESV）

 

1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If a woman conceives and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days. As at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. 3 And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 Then she shall continue for thirty-three days in the blood of her purifying. She shall not touch anything holy, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed. 5 But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation. And she shall continue in the blood of her purifying for sixty-six days.

 

6 “And when the days of her purifying are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb a year old for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering, 7 and he shall offer it before the Lord and make atonement for her. Then she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, either male or female. 8 And if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.”

 

 

REFLECTION

1. Today’s passage is about regulations concerning childbirth women.
2. The uncleanness was not caused by childbirth, but by the discharge of blood and fluids. Women stayed home until the days of uncleanness had passed.  Many think that this regulation was actually for the protection of women to give them time for recuperation.  The event of childbirth is risky, and life is really beyond human control.  Did it really take twice as long to become clean after giving birth to a girl?  Here, it very likely reflected a social preference for males in ancient society.  But after the days of purification, there was celebration for the woman’s re-entering into the community.  The offerings for ritual purification spoke of the sacredness of life and concern for it.
3. Blood reflects an ancient understanding of the mystery of life. Blood was also tied to forgiveness and thus held sacred qualities.  When we understand that life is sacred, mysterious, and fragile, we accept the value of our own lives, our spiritual life will be enriched as well.

 

 

PRAYER

God, thank You for protecting me with Your holy word as You protected the ancient Israelites with Your holy laws.  “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law.” (Ps 119:18)

 

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Leviticus+011

Leviticus 11（ESV）

 

41 “Every swarming thing that swarms on the ground is detestable; it shall not be eaten. 42 Whatever goes on its belly, and whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has many feet, any swarming thing that swarms on the ground, you shall not eat, for they are detestable. 43 You shall not make yourselves detestable with any swarming thing that swarms, and you shall not defile yourselves with them, and become unclean through them. 44 For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground. 45 For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”

46 This is the law about beast and bird and every living creature that moves through the waters and every creature that swarms on the ground, 47 to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean and between the living creature that may be eaten and the living creature that may not be eaten.

 

REFLECTION

1. God required men to be holy inside as well as outside. For outside cleanness may cultivate inner holiness.
2. Ch 11-15 are a manual of Purity, which include verses of this chapter, to remind us of the covenantal context and the call to holiness.
3. When I was a new Christian I became involved in a little Baptist church that took an approach to Christian faith that was similar to Israel’s separation laws. We had lists of things that a Christian should and should not do; things that set us apart from others.  Teens carried red-covered Bibles to high school.  None of us went to movies, smoked, danced, drank alcohol, or uttered a cuss word.  We all came to church two times on Sunday and on Wednesday nights as well.

Despite what some may think, it wasn’t a burden for me to live by those rules.  I followed them joyfully, for in that same church I found warmth, acceptance, nurture, enthusiasm, commitment, fervent prayer, and an honest caring for one another as well as for the eternal destiny of our neighbors.

It was only later that I came to realize the truth.  Our very real “separation” wasn’t defined by the do’s and don’ts at all.  What really made us different and set us apart as a true community of God’s people on earth was the warmth, the caring, and the commitment that we shared as we met to love Jesus and each other.

The death of Jesus canceled the regulations that governed Israel, and made them irrelevant for us today.  But God’s people are still supposed to be different, set apart from all others.  And the difference God truly cares about is a difference marked by the love, the caring, and the commitment I experienced in that first church I joined, so long ago.  (Larry Richards)

3. What kind of a “separated” believer am I? What is my church’s “separated” mark?

 

PRAYER

Oh, Lord, I long for such faith community. Help me and everyone at my church so that we will be “marked by the love, the caring, and the commitment” and be different from those around us.  Make our church such a “separated” community that Your name will be manifested and many will be drawn to You.

 

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Leviticus+010

Leviticus 10（ESV）

 

1 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’” And Aaron held his peace.

 

4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Come near; carry your brothers away from the front of the sanctuary and out of the camp.” 5 So they came near and carried them in their coats out of the camp, as Moses had said. 6 And Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar his sons, “Do not let the hair of your heads hang loose, and do not tear your clothes, lest you die, and wrath come upon all the congregation; but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning that the Lord has kindled. 7 And do not go outside the entrance of the tent of meeting, lest you die, for the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you.” And they did according to the word of Moses.

 

8 And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, 9 “Drink no wine or strong drink, you or your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. 10 You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean, 11 and you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the Lord has spoken to them by Moses.”

 

 

REFLECTION

1. This passage describes the consequences of blaspheming sacred office.
2. In both verses 9:24 and 10:2, “fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed…”. 9:24 continues: “…the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.”  10:2 continued this way:” …them (Aaron’s two sons), and they died before the LORD.”    What a stark contrast.
3. Here and there in OT – including v6 in this chapter – there are references to God being angry with his people. It is important to note that in Scripture God’s anger is always evidence of His concern, His involvement, His commitment to His people.  God isn’t indifferent to us.  He isn’t unconcerned about us.  He isn’t judicially objective about us.  He created us, saved us, and has plans for us.  A painfully achieved, deeply experienced redemption has been enacted so that we can experience the love of God.  And that love is a jealous love that tolerates neither rivals nor rebellion nor negligence.
4. How do I respond to this “jealous and loving” God?
5. Trust And Obey – www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjWV_Kuxd2s

 

 

PRAYER

Re-acquaint myself with this God of jealousy and love.  Put down all my puzzlements, disturbances, and uneasiness, and ask God to show me his everlasting love and restoring grace after judgment for my rebellion and unfaithfulness.

 

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Leviticus+009

Leviticus 9（ESV）

 

1 On the eighth day Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel, 2 and he said to Aaron, “Take for yourself a bull calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without blemish, and offer them before the Lord. 3 And say to the people of Israel, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both a year old without blemish, for a burnt offering, 4 and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the Lord, and a grain offering mixed with oil, for today the Lord will appear to you.’” 5 And they brought what Moses commanded in front of the tent of meeting, and all the congregation drew near and stood before the Lord. 6 And Moses said, “This is the thing that the Lord commanded you to do, that the glory of the Lord may appear to you.” 7 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Draw near to the altar and offer your sin offering and your burnt offering and make atonement for yourself and for the people, and bring the offering of the people and make atonement for them, as the Lord has commanded.”

 

 

 

REFLECTION

1. This passage describes Aaron’s first sacrifice.
2. After the seven days preparation, the priests began their ministry by offering a series of sacrifices, first for themselves, and then for the people.
3. The sequence of these sacrifices is significant. First was the sin offering which speaks of atonement.  Second was the burnt offering which speaks of personal, voluntary dedication of oneself to God.  Third was the fellowship or peace offering speaks of wholeness and thanksgiving.  How does reviewing this sequence renew my relationship with God?
4. In the article “Cheap Grace”, it talks about certain situations with the believers: wanting forgiveness but not repentance, baptism not obedience, a believer not disciple, sin offering not burnt offering…… What about me?

 

 

PRAYER

Use this hymn as my prayer response for today.  Read/sing slowly; take note of my feelings and responses.

 

1. What shall I give Thee, Master?  Thou who didst die for me.
   Shall I give less of what I possess, Or shall I give all to Thee?

Refrain:

Jesus, my Lord and Savior; Thou hast giv’n all for me;
Thou didst leave Thy home above to die on Calvary.
What shall I give Thee, Master?  Thou hast giv’n all for me;
Not just a part or half of my heart,  I will give all to Thee.

 

2. What shall I give Thee, Master?  Thou hast redeemed my soul;
   My gift is small but it is my all—  Surrendered to Thy control.
3. What shall I give Thee, Master?  Giver of gifts divine!
   I will not hold time, talents or gold— For everything shall be Thine.

 

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Leviticus+008

Leviticus 8（ESV）

 

22 Then he presented the other ram, the ram of ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 23 And he killed it, and Moses took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. 24 Then he presented Aaron’s sons, and Moses put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. And Moses threw the blood against the sides of the altar. 25 Then he took the fat and the fat tail and all the fat that was on the entrails and the long lobe of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat and the right thigh, 26 and out of the basket of unleavened bread that was before the Lord he took one unleavened loaf and one loaf of bread with oil and one wafer and placed them on the pieces of fat and on the right thigh. 27 And he put all these in the hands of Aaron and in the hands of his sons and waved them as a wave offering before the Lord. 28 Then Moses took them from their hands and burned them on the altar with the burnt offering. This was an ordination offering with a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord. 29 And Moses took the breast and waved it for a wave offering before the Lord. It was Moses’ portion of the ram of ordination, as the Lord commanded Moses.

 

 

REFLECTION

1. Sacrifice is the main task of priests.
2. This chapter records the impressive ordination ceremony of Aaron and his sons. It serves to emphasize the importance of the Old Testament priesthood and the awesomeness of the priests’ privilege.  The priests, their garments and everything they would use in serving the Lord were set apart wholly for God’s service.
3. During the priest’ ordination service Moses took the blood of a ram and placed some of it on the lobe of the priests’ right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the big toe of the right foot. Those who serve God must be ready to hear His voice, to devote every effort to God’s service, and to walk in the Lord’s ways.
4. The pattern hold true for believer-priests today. If we are to worship God with our service, we must listen to Him, work to achieve His ends, and maintain personal holiness by obedience.

 

 

PRAYER

Use this hymn as my dedication offering as being a “believer-priest.”  More verses may be added to this hymn as a way of dedicating anything I own that I’m willing to offer as a fragrant sacrifice to God.

 

Take my life and let it be

1. Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
   Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.
2. Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.
   Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.
3. Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.
   Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise
4. Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.
   Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.

 

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Leviticus+007

Leviticus 7（ESV）

 

11 “And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings that one may offer to the Lord. 12 If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the thanksgiving sacrifice unleavened loaves mixed with oil, unleavened wafers smeared with oil, and loaves of fine flour well mixed with oil. 13 With the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving he shall bring his offering with loaves of leavened bread. 14 And from it he shall offer one loaf from each offering, as a gift to the Lord. It shall belong to the priest who throws the blood of the peace offerings. 15 And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten on the day of his offering. He shall not leave any of it until the morning. 16 But if the sacrifice of his offering is a vow offering or a freewill offering, it shall be eaten on the day that he offers his sacrifice, and on the next day what remains of it shall be eaten. 17 But what remains of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burned up with fire. 18 If any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offering is eaten on the third day, he who offers it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be credited to him. It is tainted, and he who eats of it shall bear his iniquity.

 

 

REFLECTION

1. The instructions here is more in detail than previous corresponding ones.
2. The Hebrew notion of thanksgiving is closely tied to praise. The worshiper recounts the story of how God has delivered or blessed and as a part of the rejoicing brings a fellowship offering.  Christian’s spiritual life is not an unbroken and constant growth; it includes periods of flatness and stagnation.
3. Why do I need to remember and recount how God has acted in my own past? When I sense God’s great blessings, what will I do?  What impact would this have on my spiritual growth?
4. Count your Blessings – www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fMjgS4vu4o

 

 

PRAYER

Dear Lord, help me to see your work in me in the past so that I may know how to count my days.  I will rely on the redemption of your precious blood to live a holy life, pleasing in your sight.

 

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Leviticus+006

Leviticus 6（ESV）

 

8 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 9 “Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering. The burnt offering shall be on the hearth on the altar all night until the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it. 10 And the priest shall put on his linen garment and put his linen undergarment on his body, and he shall take up the ashes to which the fire has reduced the burnt offering on the altar and put them beside the altar. 11 Then he shall take off his garments and put on other garments and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place. 12 The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not go out. The priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and he shall arrange the burnt offering on it and shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings. 13 Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.

 

 

REFLECTION

1. The emphasis of this section is the regulations for priests.
2. The priests are instructed to offer burnt offerings morning and night, and to keep the fire on top of the altar overnight and to ensure that the fire does not go out. This illustrates the divine presence continuing with the community.  God’s holy flame is also in each believer’s life.  When the Holy Spirit enters into our heart, he lights this fire for us to walk with him and to grow in his grace.  Recognizing that God is present in us gives us faith to seek forgiveness and to be reconciled with him.  Then, our life will be full of enthusiasm and energy to work for him.
3. Have I ever experienced God’s lighting and fanning the holy fire in my heart? Recall the incident, what was I feeling then?
4. Is the flame big or very weak? Why?

 

 

PRAYER

Consuming Fire – www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iT0IvcEHjM

 

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Leviticus+005

Leviticus 5（ESV）

 

1 “If anyone sins in that he hears a public adjuration to testify, and though he is a witness, whether he has seen or come to know the matter, yet does not speak, he shall bear his iniquity; 2 or if anyone touches an unclean thing, whether a carcass of an unclean wild animal or a carcass of unclean livestock or a carcass of unclean swarming things, and it is hidden from him and he has become unclean, and he realizes his guilt; 3 or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort the uncleanness may be with which one becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and realizes his guilt; 4 or if anyone utters with his lips a rash oath to do evil or to do good, any sort of rash oath that people swear, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and he realizes his guilt in any of these; 5 when he realizes his guilt in any of these and confesses the sin he has committed, 6 he shall bring to the Lord as his compensation for the sin that he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin.

 

 

REFLECTION

1. The characteristic of guilt offering is compensation. It is to fulfill the guilty debt with God and with men.
2. The excuse, “I didn’t mean to,” has been used widely by all ages of people. Some even say if the acts which caused harm were not performed as a conscious, intentional violation of God’s known will, no sin was involved.  And, he is not responsible for the damage.
3. This passage of Leviticus and that in Chapter 4 calls on us to reevaluate our view of sin and of responsibility. Again and again the text says, “If anyone ‘sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the law’s commands,’ he is guilty.”
4. We are fully responsibility for our actions, for our unintentional violations of God’s law, and for any unintentional hurts we inflict on others. In God’s sight, these are sins.  We can’t be close to God or to others if we keep on excusing sinful acts by whining.  God makes a point of these sins because, when we confess them and make right the harm we’ve done, God is ready to forgive.
5. When am I most likely to think or say “But I didn’t meant to”? How else might I respond in that situation?

 

PRAYER

Recall a time when I did use this excuse.  Take a moment now to consider my sins and the harm I might have created, then confess it to God.

 

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Leviticus+004

Leviticus 4（ESV）

 

13 “If the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they do any one of the things that by the Lord’s commandments ought not to be done, and they realize their guilt, 14 when the sin which they have committed becomes known, the assembly shall offer a bull from the herd for a sin offering and bring it in front of the tent of meeting. 15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the Lord, and the bull shall be killed before the Lord. 16 Then the anointed priest shall bring some of the blood of the bull into the tent of meeting, 17 and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord in front of the veil. 18 And he shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar that is in the tent of meeting before the Lord, and the rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 19 And all its fat he shall take from it and burn on the altar. 20 Thus shall he do with the bull. As he did with the bull of the sin offering, so shall he do with this. And the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven. 21 And he shall carry the bull outside the camp and burn it up as he burned the first bull; it is the sin offering for the assembly.

 

 

REFLECTION

1. Read the passage in a very soft voice, maybe even a whisper. Focus on each word and listen intently to each word while reading.
2. We might be tempted to believe that Leviticus is a confusing and irrelevant book, but it has some direct implications for our lives. In Leviticus, we find specific rules and regulations from Yahweh, given to distinguish his people, the nation of Israel, from every other culture.  God commanded the offering of many different types of sacrifices.  Each of these served a specific purpose for interaction with God.  For example, a sin offering was given for confession, forgiveness, and cleansing.
3. Why do you think God prescribed offerings to be done in such a unique way? Is he cruel to require that animals be killed to make offerings to him?  Why or why not?  Why don’t we do these types of sacrifices today?
4. Why does God take sin so seriously? When we sin, what sort of sacrifices are we required to bring to God?
5. Worthy Is The Lamb – www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMsihDoX3uM

 

PRAYER:

Ask God to help me understand the severity of my own sin.  Thank God that he sent Jesus, the Lamb of God, to come and be the sacrifice for my sins.

 

As I drive, walk, work, and relax, whisper under my breath, “Thank you, Jesus,” each time I remember the sacrifice he made for my sins.

 

Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Leviticus+003

Leviticus 3（ESV）

 

12 “If his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before the Lord 13 and lay his hand on its head and kill it in front of the tent of meeting, and the sons of Aaron shall throw its blood against the sides of the altar. 14 Then he shall offer from it, as his offering for a food offering to the Lord, the fat covering the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails 15 and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins and the long lobe of the liver that he shall remove with the kidneys. 16 And the priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering with a pleasing aroma. All fat is the Lord’s. 17 It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, in all your dwelling places, that you eat neither fat nor blood.”

 

 

REFLECTION

1. Peace offering is a personal offering. Through it, the offerer demonstrates his thanksgiving, devotion and dedication to the Lord.  It also shows the harmonious relationship between God and man as well as man and his neighbor.
2. The “peace offering” is also translated as “fellowship offering.” It concludes with worship and the joining of family or friends in a sacred meal of the meat not burned on the altar.
3. Christians often speak of joyful communal meals such as those associated with the “fellowship offering.” In thanksgiving services or love feasts at church or homes, believers gather to share and encourage one another.  Then relationships with God and people are deepened.
4. Though to a great extent our spiritual lives are experienced as individuals, spiritual growth takes place in a community of believers. The goal of our cell groups is to develop genuine Christian relationships and to encourage spiritual growth in order to build up the body of Christ.
5. What is my cell experience? Is there any way we can intentionally grow in order to deepen our relationship with God and with each other?

 

 

PRAYER

Thank God for my cell group and my church where I enjoy warm fellowship and genuine encouragement.