Daily Encouragement

January 31, 2010 - The Visible Presence Of God

Meditation on Exodus 40

Even though the Israelites had failed to be faithful to the covenant they pledged to God at Mt. Sinai, God was gracious to grant them a second chance. He renewed the covenant with them and instructed Moses to remake the two tablets of the Ten Commandments which he broke because of the idolatry of the people. Through the interceding of Moses, God even agreed to provide them with His own presence throughout their journey to the Promised Land. The Israelites had a true repentance. They even cast off all their jewelry on their body. They also freely donated all the materials and labor for the construction of the tabernacle for worship as well as God's sanctuary in the wilderness. Moses carefully recorded the construction of all the tents, boards, sockets, veils and furniture as well other materials for the tabernacle as God had instructed them.

Then finally in this chapter, the whole tabernacle was finished and the priests were consecrated. God did confirm his presence with them by having the pillar of cloud filling the tabernacle. At night, the cloud would turn into pillar of fire above it. This condition was visible before the Israelites throughout their journeys. If the cloud was lifted up, it was a signal that the people should break camp and march forward. (v. 34-48)

This manifestation of God’s presence with His people was marvelous and comforting. I believe it served as an indication that we do need the presence of God in this world. The congregation of Israelites was an assembly of God, they were a forerunner of the church. God dwelt in the midst of their tabernacle. We also need to build churches today to manifest the presence of God. He has promised His presence with us in Matthew 28:20. As the church meet together visibly to praise the Lord, pray together, take the Lord's supper and baptize people, we show the presence of God!

February 1, 2010 - Total Commitment

Meditation on Leviticus 1

The book of Leviticus teaches us about the holiness of God and His requirement of our holy living. Chapter one to seven describe the regulation for five offerings the Israelites could bring to God. Each offering foreshadows an aspect of Christ's sacrifice on the cross for us.

In chapter one, the details of the burnt offering was presented. This offering was voluntary. Depending on the economic condition of the person who brought the offering, he could offer a bull, a goat, a sheep, a goat, young pigeons or turtledoves. The animal must be without blemish and cleansed completely. This showed that Christ who offered himself on the cross was sinless. The person who offered the sacrifice must put his hand on the head of the animal to show that the atonement is applied to him. And finally the sacrifice was burnt. The sweet aroma represented God's acceptance. It represented that Christ has given himself to us completely on the cross. (Ephesians 5:2) And God was well pleased.

As Christ has offered himself all on the altar, we too should offer ourselves all to live for Him. (Romans 12:1-2)

February 2, 2010 - Made To Be Sin For Us

Meditation on Leviticus 4

This chapter describes the procedure for sin offering. If they discovered that they had sinned, different person of different position should offer different kind of animal prescribed whether it was a bullock, a male goat, or a female goat which had no blemish. In chapter 5:1-13, it says that a poor person could offer two turtle doves, or two young pigeons or just fine flour. As the person offered the sacrifice to be burnt, his sins would be forgiven. If the offering was an animal, it should be killed and some of the blood was to be put on the horn of the altar. The rest of the blood would be poured at the base of the altar. In some cases, the blood was to be sprinkled seven times on the veil of the tabernacle and put some on the horn of the altar of incense (which signified prayers).

All these actions foreshadowed the restoration of relationship between God and man through the blood of Christ. And the sinner's prayer would be answered again because of the forgiveness of sins by the shedding of blood. (Hebrews 9:22)

As the offenders put his hand on the animal and confessed his sins, the animal became sin for him and was offered to God by fire. That was a type of Jesus, the Lamb of God who bore our sin and offered himself to God on the cross for us. "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV)

February 3, 2010 - Preparation For Service

Meditation on Leviticus 8

Before the priests could begin their official function, they need to be thoroughly consecrated and prepared. Aaron and his sons must be washed by water and wear their sets of holy garments. The wearing of the High Priest was glorious and magnificent which was a type of the beauty and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to Exodus 39, all the priests had to wear robe of fine linen which was a representation of the believers' covering of the robe of righteousness in Christ.

They all had to be anointed with holy oil. (a symbol of the Holy spirit) They had to offer sin offering, burnt offering and peace offering which signified that they had confessed their sins, committed themselves totally to God and was ready to have fellowship with God. They were also consecrated specially by having the blood of the lamb put on their right ears, the thumbs of the right hands and on the big toes of the right feet. The spiritual lessons of these would be the dedication of the believers to hear God's voice, to serve him with our hands and to walk according God's way.

All the materials in the sanctuary were to be consecrated for the Lord's service also. Then the priests were to present a wave offering by holding in their hands bread on top of fat and of right thigh and wave before the Lord. This could be a picture that Jesus was the bread of life who gives us strength to serve Him with our best.

Finally the priests were to eat together with the High priest in front of the tabernacle for seven days before they began their holy service. This signified that Christians had to have close fellowship with the Lord Jesus to prepare for their service. May we all who want to serve God in a special ministry do have such kind of preparation, consecration, and dedication.

February 4, 2010 - You Shall Be Holy

Meditation on Leviticus 11

The theme of this chapter can be summarized in verse 44, "For I am the LORD you God. Consecrated yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am holy..." (NASB)

The dietary laws God gave to the Israelites were to show them that they were separated from the heathen who worshiped animals as well as eating all kinds of animals and crawling things. They were to be different and worshiped the only true God, Yahweh. (LORD)

These old laws also indicated to them what animals and insects were considered clean and what were unclean. They were to obey God's ordinance absolutely because they were God's people.

Obviously, some of these laws were for their health reason. In those days without modern mechanism for cleaning some of the food from the forbidden animals could be full of diseases or germs. God was trying to protect them and made them healthier. And the laws concerning cleaning were so important for them to avoid contamination.

Holiness demands cleanliness and purity and loyalty. That is what God wanted His people to observe. Today in the New Testament, Jesus emphasized the cleanness of the heart rather than food. Peter was commanded to eat animals that were considered unclean. (Acts 10:10-14) All things are sanctified after prayers and thanks. So we can eat them, Paul said. (1 Timothy 4:4)

February 5, 2010 - Yom Kippur

Meditation on Leviticus 16

The great Day of Atonement described in this chapter is the most important message in Leviticus. This day is still kept by the Jewish synagogue once a year. It is called the Yom Kippur. This special day is to ask for the forgiveness of sins for all the people of God.

Indeed this account in Leviticus was a foreshadow of the atonement of Jesus on His cross for our sins. The high priest, Aaron was the only one who could enter the holy of holy in the tabernacle to offer atonement for the people. He had to take off his glorious garments and put on the white linen. This signified Jesus' laying aside of His glory to be made like His brethren in order to atone for us. (v. 4, 24, 32) Jesus alone could atone for our sins.

While Aaron had to offer sin offering for himself, Jesus was better than him because He was sinless.

Aaron had to offer two goats for atonement. One was killed for sin offering. The other was called scapegoat. After Aaron laid both of his hands on the head of the live goat, confessed over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, it was sent away and released into the wilderness. This was a very important and special picture that our sins are to be forgiven completely and not to be remembered any more.

Notice also the frequent mention of the sprinkling of blood of the sacrifice. Only through the shedding of blood of Jesus on the cross can we have the forgiveness of sins.

Today we can rest in the finished work of Christ. But we need to afflict our souls during the Communion confessing our sins. (v. 29; 1 Corinthians 11:27-32)

February 6, 2010 - Commanded to Love

Meditation on Leviticus 19

Put the LORD first and love your neighbor are the two themes in this chapter. These two are similar to Jesus' greatest commandments in Matthew 22:37-39.

When God was their priority, the Israelites were to be holy, honor their parents, keep God's Sabbath, offer peace offering and share it with others so it could be acceptable to God. (v. 1-8) Their first fruit belonged to God. (v. 24) They were to avoid divination and soothsaying and should not practice the heathen's custom of shaving and tattooing. (v. 26-28) They should give no regard to medium and familiar spirit. (v. 31) But they had to honor God's sanctuary and observe all God's statutes and judgments. (v. 30, 37)

The second most important commandment for them was clearly spelled out in verse 18b, "...but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD." As a result all the others verses in this passage dealt with specifically how they should treat their fellow citizens and family members. Specially in verse 34, it was commanded this, "But the strangers who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God." (NKJV)

So here in the Old Testament, we were commanded how to love God and our neighbors in detail.