Lev. 8: 24 MEV- He brought the sons of Aaron, and Moses put some of the blood on the tips of their right ears, and on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet.
My first thought was– what is the significance of the right? The only thing I could think of was the sheep and the goats, where the sheep went to the right (believers), and the goats to the left (unbelievers). Therefore, I am thinking of the right signifying someone who believes in God and is accountable to God. Then the placing of blood on the ear, the thumbs, and the toes was also puzzling to me at first. but then I wondered: What if it mattered to God what God’s people heard? What God’s people touched? and where God’s people went? And to make it more modern: What God’s people wrote or typed to others? If it matters to God, then it should matter to me! God called Aaron and his sons to be set apart and be Holy. I am no different.
Lev. 09:23-24 MEV – Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out, they blessed the people, and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. A fire came out from before the LORD, and it consumed the burnt offering and the fat that were on the altar. When all the people saw this, they shouted and fell on their faces.
I can only imagine how wonderful to see the glory of the LORD, and also how terrifying to see the fire that came out before the LORD. The bible says they shouted. Can you hear it? I can! But in my head it sounds more like a hallelujah, that turned into a gasp, and then, they fell on their face! I think it was both in awe and in fear. Maybe that is just how GOD wanted it!
BUT, one verse later…….
Lev. 10:1-2 MEV Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, and put incense in it, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He did not command them to do. Then a fire came out from the LORD and devoured them and they died before the LORD.
What were they thinking? Didn’t they just witness the power of God. Verse 24 said all people saw. God has clearly shown He was a GOD of detail and order. And God clearly meant for everything He said to be followed down to the letter of the law. Did not Moses make that clear? But we will never know what they were thinking because that is the last thing they did, and the last thing they will be remembered for. What if. the last thing I did, is what I would be remembered for, would I still do it?
Lev. 10:3b MEV And Aaron held his peace.
How hard this must have been. Yet he knew his sons disobeyed God. There was nothing he could say, only to learn from his son’s mistakes. As a parent, this is a hard lesson to learn.
Lev. 10:10-11 MEV so that you may differentiate between what is holy and common and between what is unclean and clean. And, so you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes that the LORD has spoken to them by the hand of Moses.
Unfortunately, today these lines have become very blurred. Also, my fear of God has been made common, not Holy. I see Him as my friend, my helper, and my provider….and He is all that, but, I have lost sight that, if I cross the lines, at any time, a fire can come out before God and consume me. Maybe not literally, but lots of things could consume me and draw me away from God. God doesn’t want me to be afraid to approach Him, for He wants an active, daily personal relationship with me. But what He does want, is for me to respect and honor His ways. He wants me to have the Holy courage and the Holy boldness to come out from the world and be separate from them. If I am not supposed to do the unclean things of this world to satisfy my needs or wants, then I can trust that God will supply a clean way to meet my needs and wants. If I do it any other way, it makes me blend in with the world. God calls for me to be Holy, because He is Holy!
Psalm 110:3 MEV Your people will follow you in the day of your battle: on the holy mountains at dawn of the morning, the dew of your youth belongs to you.
I realize this chapter is talking about Jesus, leading His people to God. But the same applies to me. Do I realize who my people are? How they watch what I do, and follow me? Will I lead them to the Lord, or will I lead them into the hands of destruction. I must make every effort to lead my people to victory, to lead them in God’s ways of doing things, not the world’s . To lead them to Jesus, so that He can lead them to God.
Hebrews 4: 1 MEV Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest remains, let us fear lest any of you should seem to come short of it.
Since I have believed, I have entered God’s rest. But I still need to fear God and respect His ways. He knows my motives and thoughts and intents. He sees all, yet I can come before Him to obtain mercy and find grace to help in my time of need. The bottom line from today’s readings is that our actions matter to God. It is all decided day by day, choice by choice. Do I choose live clean or unclean? Do I believe Jesus or the world? I saw an acronym for the word faith: Forsaking All, I Take Him! In my opinion, Jesus is worth many times more than anything this world offers. He offers eternal treasures, the world offers temporary pleasures. I choose to be clean.
Dear Heavenly Father, I see from your word that you want us to come out from among the world and be clean. How different this world would be if all your believers were like this. Lord help me to be strong, and be bold. Help me to be clean. Your ways are higher than mine. You are holy, I am not. So, I can only do what you help me to do. Help me God, every single second of every single day! Help me to uphold your ways, one day at a time. In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN!
Carol (carolvorwe)
Sixty-six books in a year 