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67 “it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life.”

 Leviticus 17:11

 Blood is precious for it is the wellspring of our life. God is very particular about the treatment of blood and the shedding of blood. The shedding of blood makes atonement for the soul. This is the holy law of God and is the reason why so many animals had to die in the Old Testament times. It was to remind the people of the great atonement that was coming in the form of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 God stipulated that if someone kills another and sheds their blood then that person forfeits their own life. Life for life, for the blood is precious to God. Also the law of God declares that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. This should lead us to see how deep dyed sin is and how serious it is to sin against the law of God. Sin ruins everything and we must hate it fully. Only through the death of a perfect sacrifice can sin be expunged. The death of our Lord Jesus made full atonement for our sin and all the sin of His precious people. We are dear to Him and He was willing to go through such blood shedding to bring us near to Himself and near to God.

“Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”

 Romans 5:11

Let us rejoice that our sin is paid for and the blood has been shed that saves us.

 

 

66 “The goat shall carry all their iniquities on himself …”

Leviticus 16:22

 Such is the mercy of the Lord that the people did not have to bear their own iniquities but were provided for by the Lord. We in our day can look back and see the provision that was made for the saints of the past and know that we have been provided for too. The sacrifices of the animals were a living picture of the sacrifice of Christ that they could look forward to in faith. So we also look back in faith at the great sacrifice for sin that was made by Jesus. He is our great sin-bearer and has paid the price of our sin completely,so that there is nothing more for us to do but believe and receive that blessing of full salvation.

 Just as the scapegoat bore away the sin of the people into the wilderness, so our sins are sent far away from God into His forgetfulness so that we can go free.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

 Romans 8:1

 Our precious Saviour has bourn away all our punishment and pain in His own body on the tree so that we can be fully forgiven and become part of the kingdom of God. He is the heavenly scapegoat who has carried away all our iniquity and purged us clean and causes us to walk worthy of the Lord. All the glory is His for He has procured it on our behalf and so we glorify His name above all. Let us walk worthy today and ever seek to please Him who we love.

 

65 “Moses took some of the anointing oil, and some of the blood which was on the altar, and sprinkled it on Aaron…”

Leviticus 8:30

As we are priests to God, so we are set aside for godly and holy living. Moses had to sanctify to God all who were going to serve Him in the holy Tabernacle. God stipulated that the cleanliness comes through the shed blood of the sacrifice and the sprinkling of the blood on the priest that made him whole and clean. So also we are justified through the shed blood of the sacrifice of Christ that we might be holy before the Lord and be in His presence. We have the anointing of the Holy Spirit who gives us joy and peace in God and gives us the ability to relate to God who is holy. The blood purifies us and makes recompence for our sin and brings us into the close fellowship with God that we need.

 We must earnestly seek the purity of the Holy Spirit in our lives and seek to be obedient and loyal servants to the Lord. Aaron was set apart for service and so are we. Our highest powers are to serve the Lord with great gladness and to come before Him with great joy. We cannot come without the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the shed blood of the sacrifice.

“…by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

 Hebrews 10:10

 We are lost and unclean without this sacrifice and we must daily draw near to Him who we love to receive cleaning for our sin and be made worthy to serve.

 

64 “As for the meat, everyone who is clean may eat it;”

Leviticus 7:19

The blood of Christ in the everlasting covenant makes us clean. We can eat bountifully of the Word of God for we are washed and made right with God. Let no one take away our holiness and render us unworthy servants. We must be vigilant to the temptations of the evil one and the novelties that move us in this sin sick world. We must keep ourselves in the love of God and feed our souls with good food, keeping away from the pull of the flesh and the demands of the body and fleshly mind.

 The sacrifice that was made to the Lord was to be maintained as a clean offering. It must not be contaminated by the godless effect of sin and death. Those who were sanctified to the Lord could eat it provided they kept themselves clean from the effects of the sin around them. So also with us. We must stay away from temptation and sin and set straight paths for our feet that we might please our Lord and enjoy the delights of His Word.

“Also delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 37:4

 As we delight in the Lord and His law, so we are kept clean and able to worship and serve with true and redeemed hearts. Let us keep to the truth of the Word of God and not be pulled back to the traps of this vain world. Let us not seek novelty but be grounded in the truth and be able to wield it like a sword.

 

63 “Or if anyone swears rashly with his lips…”

 Leviticus 5:4

 We must watch or words and thoughts very carefully to do all that is pleasing to the Lord and not according to ourselves or this world. It is easy to become complacent and allow the cares of life to take us away from the Lord and we begin to entertain wrong thoughts and ideas. Our mind is apt to wander, and we must bring all under the reign of our Saviour King for if we are guarding our minds then our lips will follow suit. We will not speak rashly or without the salt of the Holy Spirit and holiness will be in our words.

 If we search the Scriptures, we will find ample reason to stay close to the Lord for that is the place of peace and pardon. We do not depend on ourselves but on the might and faithfulness of the Lord who will keep us in all circumstances and make us right with Him. We must guard our words carefully and bring all under God’s way.

“Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles”

 Proverbs 21:23

 Let us ask the Lord to put a guard on our mind that we will be faithful servants and become good at casting out all wrong thoughts and confessing to Him. Let us keep a short account with the Lord and watch out words carefully.

 If we do fail, there is restitution with the Lord and He will abundantly pardon. Let us grasp hold of His mercy and walk with Him though our day.

 

62 “Every offering of your meal offering you shall season with salt.”

Leviticus 2:13

 Every offering of the meal of our lives, we make before the Lord, and should be seasoned with the salt of holiness. We do not come before the Lord on our own merits but on the merits of Christ and in the light of the covenant God made to save us and redeem us from sin. We cannot come to God on our own merits or with the tainted deeds that we daily perform, but must have the salt of the goodness of Christ in our offerings to the Lord.

“You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.”

 Matthew 5:13

 When we come to Christ in repentance and faith we receive the salt of His holiness that makes us fit to stand before the Lord or to come to the mercy seat in prayer. Only in the imputed righteousness of Christ can we come to God. We have no standing in ourselves but must be hidden in the holiness of our Saviour. We must remain in that love and not waver in our daily tasks as we live for Him. If our holiness is not practiced, then we have no standing before the Lord. Those who fall away cannot again be renewed, accept for the righteousness of Christ. Only He can make us worthy and keep us day by day, Let us pray for a constant desire for that holiness and to stay faithful each day.

 Holiness to the Lord is our daily desire…Let us live in holiness of life.

 

61 “He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering,”

 Leviticus 1:4

 The stipulation for the burnt offering was very precise. It had to be a male from the herd or flock, without blemish or lack. The offering had to be offered freely, without compulsion or regret. The recipient placed his hand on the head of the offering to confess sin and so the offering brought satisfaction for the forgiveness of sin. The death of the pure animal made atonement for the sin of the people and so they would be regarded as right before God.

 We also have a lamb, slain before the foundation of the world, who is our Saviour. Jesus came to be the pure sacrificial offering the redeem His people from the punishment for sin. By believing on Him we gain access to God and the forgiveness we need.

 The blood was sprinkled so that it was an efficacious sacrifice for the sin and so that the sin could be paid for. The transfer of guilt was very important and we see that in the offering of our Lord Jesus on the cross. He took the punishment, the guilt and the shame for us so that we might go freely to heaven and be His children.

“For the law, having a shadow of the good to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near.”

 Hebrews 10:1

Come let us draw near for the price is paid. Jesus is the sufficient sacrifice for our sin.

 

60 “You shall bring in the table, and set in order the things that are on it.”

 Exodus 40:4

God is a God of order and orderliness and not chaos. He requires that His worship is carried out according to His ways and not our own ideas. The whole of Exodus chapter 40 is the prescription of the Lord as to how Moses was to set up the Tabernacle for worship. All the items had to be in the right location and all the tables furnished with what the Lord required.

 So it is for us today. We do not come into the sanctuary of the Lord any old way, but all is ready for worship of the Lord of heaven and earth. He is our dearly loved Father, but we must reverence Him and come with awe to His being so that we worship Him in Spirit and truth.

 The songs we sing and the prayers we offer should be full of reverence and prayerfulness to Him who made us and has given us the wonder of spiritual life. We can come to Him with great gladness and thankfulness that He has saved us from worldliness and sorrow and made our hearts to sing.

 Church is not a party or a free for all of expression, but all done in order and with thought and dignity.

“Let all things be done decently and in order.”

1 Corinthians 14:40

 Let us ensure we are worshipping God in the way that pleases Him.

 

 

59 “All the wise-hearted men among those who did the work made the tabernacle…”

 Exodus 36:8

 The New King James Bible translates “wise-hearted” as “gifted Artisans” God chooses all those who He wants to work on the building and decoration of the Tabernacle and God chooses those who are going to make and decorate all the intricate workings of His designs. There is work for all kinds of people and the artistic people are not left out of the service of God. God deliberately gifts people to work in his service indeed He invites us to ask for gifts of service so that we share in the glory of His work.

 We can find ourselves thinking that those who serve in the background are not as important as those in the frontline, but this Scripture dispels such a thought as God honours all those who serve Him in truth. Those who serve as Artists and designer are put there by God’s will and gifted according to His purposes. Whatever our calling, we remain faithful to the Lord whether seen or unseen, we serve Him with all our gifted power and see His work increase and people are blessed.

“You shall speak to all who are wise-hearted, (Artistic designers) whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom…”

 Exodus 28:3

 Even the robes of the Priests were made with exquisite detail and Artistic flare. God honours all those who can do such things and they are given a place in the work of God.

 

58 “They came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted…”

 Exodus 35:22

 The work of the Lord was to go forward with the support of the people of God. They came to give to the Lord with willing hearts and minds subdued to His commands. Everyone came, men and women, and willing gave of their treasures, gold jewelry that could be used for the work of the Lord.

“Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

 2 Corinthians 9:7

 God does not just require our goods, but that we give in a right spirit that glorifies Him and reflects our deep love for our God. God gives everyone resources and it is up to us to sort out our giving back to God and ensure that we are keeping the whole command of God and not just keeping everything for our own use. It is easy to think that we will not manage if we give to God but if we honour God in our giving, He will honour us and bring us into an open space and great blessing. This is not prosperity gospel but the love for God that gives and gives.

 God is looking for His people to honour Him and give Him of their best and make sacrifices for Him. It is part of our spiritual worship and a sign of our devotion to the Lord. Let us sort out our incomings and outgoings and make sure we are giving to God as we should and supporting His work in our local church.