This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&h) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418
HERE
Bro. Bruce's commentary for the book of Genesis is
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just mail your request for COMMENTARY ON GENESIS to the address above.
LEVITICUS
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually.
3 Without the vail of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually: it shall be a statute for ever in your generations.
4 He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the LORD continually.
There is a very interesting symbolism here. The oil represents God's
5 And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake.
6 And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD.
7 And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
8 Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant.
9 And it shall be Aaron's and his sons'; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute.
The showbread represents a providential God. The twelve loaves symbolize God
10 And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp;
11 And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:)
12 And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them.
13 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
14 Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.
15 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.
16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death.
23 And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses.
Notice that verse 23 is included in this discussion of verses 10 - 16.
17 And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.
18 And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast.
19 And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;
20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.
21 And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.
22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.
This law God gave was to apply to all of the Israelites and whoever they allowed within their country.
Please continue to follow along in Bible study with us.
CHAPTER 24
Holy Spirit of course, and the lamp represents our Lord, Jesus Christ Who
is the "Light of the world."
Notice that the lamp is to be burning "continually" (verse 1). As God's Light,
Jesus is always showing the way. God wants that symbolic representation of
His light to be constantly burning.
Aaron, the priest, is to keep that light burning - just as Jesus, our High Priest
keeps God's light burning always.
But the people are to bring the oil. Christ IS the Light of the world,
but people must be FILLED with His light and come to God by His presence.
caring for each tribe, and ALL the people. The showbread is literally caalled
the "bread of face," meaning that God has His face TOWARD the people.
Notice that the bread is for the priests. Again, let me point out that Revelation 1:6
tells us that all born-again Christians are priests of God today.
God provides our food both spirtually and physically.
Deuteronomy 8:3 says in part, "...man doth not live by bread only, but by every word
that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live."
Jesus is the "..living bread" (John 6:51). And the Bible is the living Word from God to
our Spirits. When we observe the Lord's Supper, we remember, and are renewed.
God's table is always full. Come and dine!
The problem stated here is one with which we are all too familiar today: defying God.
This young man "blasphemed" Jehovah. He took God's name in vain, and did it on purpose.
Before we look critically at the punishment we should remember that this was defiance
of Almighty and Holy God. To blaspheme is simply to say that God is "of no effect," or
to call Him a liar.
Now, let's look at the circumstances in which this occurred. There was strife because of a son
by a mixed marriage. Just what the discussion may have been we are not told. But we are
told that this young man was angry enough to blaspheme God. By this we should learn that anger is
only one letter away from danger.
Proverbs 17:14 says, "The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off
contention before it be meddled with."
When water is allowed to seep through one little crack in the dam, it will eventually wash away the spot
until it totally breaks the dam. Therefore, get away from strife at its beginnning.
Now, let's look at the punishment of this young man. The people acted responsibly by wanting to know the
mind of the Lord in this matter (verse 12). And quite quickly, God gave them His will - a congregational
STONING of they young man!
Why? Will we ever know why? People are committing this same sin today all over the world and particularly
in America. Why doesn't God have THEM stoned?
Truthfully, we HAVE God's mind on the matter. This law was originally given to the Israelites.
In America (and most other countries as well) most of our laws are acceptance of these laws. For instance,
the law of murder, theft, adultery, etc.
But THIS law is not in our lawbooks. NOW is perhaps the time when we should ask WHY?
If this law were in our lawbooks, millions of people's vocabulary's would be severely limited!
And I think THAT might be a good thing!
And the law was to be justly administered after proper adjudication: "...breach for breach, eye for eye,
tooth for tooth...," etc.
This is commonly referred to as the law of "lex talionis," or the law of retaliation. It is JUST
to inflict a wrongdoer with the same injury he has imposed upon another.
Let me include a reminder here - the nation of Israelites was to apply this law to ALL who came into
their country.
Shouldn't ALL our laws be applied to all people who live in our country?