A few years ago as I was reading about the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Booths, and all the animal sacrifices required, I thought about a funny thing that happened years before and how a sarcastic teenager reminded me about the cost of our redemption.
Also, what does a law about keeping our word have to say about God’s view of authority and how do we demonstrate our obedience in this area to our children and others?
Check out today’s post to find out the answers.
Welcome, to “God’s Word Day by Day.” This year I’ve added a couple of new features. First, check out the “Free Resources” tab at the top. You’ll find a downloadable, printable PDF with “Going Deeper Study Questions” for each day’s post and a list of all the Bible readings so you can check them off as you go. You’ll also find the daily posts on YouTube. The daily emails now have a link to both these Soul Survival posts and the YouTube videos. If you’re not already signed up, you can do it here.
Today’s Readings:
Numbers 29 & 30
Psalm 34.15-22
Proverbs 11.30-31
Mark 14.27-54
Redemption, the Cross & Sarcastic Teenagers
Numbers 29 & 30:
Out of the Mouths of Babes & Teenagers
A few years ago as I read chapter 29 about the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Booths, and all the animal sacrifices required, I thought about a funny thing that happened years before.
The church we attended at the time had built a life-sized version of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness. Church members dressed in biblical costumes escorted visitors through it and explained each section, piece of furniture, and implement and how they related to Christ. It was a great educational experience and an opportunity to present the gospel. It also included some interactive moments. At one point, visitors were invited to place a small piece of wood on the altar of burnt offering.
The Tabernacle was set up each year during our annual Christmas pageant. The pageant which was a production in itself included live animals, among them several lambs and some little goats who were penned up outside awaiting their entrance.
One family, including a teenage daughter, walked through the Tabernacle and observed all the interactive displays. It was obvious the daughter was less than enthusiastic about this educational trip with her parents.
When one of the lambs started bleating, she looked me in the eye and with the tone only teenagers can pull off said, “If someone says, ‘pick up a gerbil and throw it on the altar,” I’m outta here!”
I smile every time I think of her comment. But the truth is most of us with our Western sensibilities today would be shocked over the sheer number of animals killed to carry out the requirements of the sacrificial system of worship.
The Cost of Our Redemption
We must be careful, however, not to lay our human opinions over something God designed in part to be a powerful picture of the cost of our redemption. But those sacrifices, as bloody and costly as they were, could never do away with sin, only cover it temporarily. They had to be remade week after week, month after month, and year after year.
As we approach Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter, we need to remember the significance of what Jesus did on the cross. He was the Final Sacrifice, the Perfect Lamb of God. He lived the sinless life we never could and then suffered and died the death we deserved. His shed blood was the cost of our redemption.
We need to be careful not to let that get lost in candy bunnies and Easter eggs.
Truth & Authority
Numbers 30 covers the “Law of Vows.” God takes truth and honoring our word seriously. Jesus said, “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’” (Matt. 5.37).
And Ephesians 4 says that we are to put off lying and speak truth. Lying is pictured as part of our old sinful nature (Eph. 4.22-25).
But God not only takes speaking the truth seriously, He takes respect for authority seriously, too. Part of the “Law of Vows” said if a woman still lived in her father’s house or if she was married, her father or husband could overrule what she vowed. While this may be another opportunity to allow our Western sensibilities to be offended, God is neither unfair nor biased against women. The point here is about authority.
Not Under the Law
While we’re not under the law, our respect for authority is still important to God whether in our marriages and families, in the workplace, or in other areas of life (Eph. 5.22-6.9; Rom. 13.1-7).
We need to teach our children the importance of respect for authority, too. That means teaching them to respect their teachers, the police and other civil authorities, and even the other parent where divorce has taken place.
We should teach them both by instruction and by example. That means we must show respect to our spouses (& ex-spouses), their teachers and school officials, civil authorities, and our bosses.
Authority, however, stops when the other person asks us to sin. Sin would include both sins of omission (not doing what God clearly commands) or co-mission (doing something God commands us not to do). In those cases, we have a Higher Authority—God and His Word.
Ephesians 5.21 says we’re to submit to one another in “the fear of God.” “The fear of God” is a very important part of that verse. Even the command to children says children are to obey their parents “in the Lord” (Eph. 6.1). “Fear” or respect for God and obedience to His Word is always the greater authority. But before we refuse to submit to any authority, we need to be sure it is because of a clear violation of Scripture, not just our own opinion or desires.
And now a few thoughts about today’s other readings:
Psalm 34.15-22:
God’s Care of the Righteous
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry (v. 15).
Though God sees everyone and everything all the time, He has His eye on the righteous in a special way.
… ‘But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.’ (Is. 66.2).
Proverbs 11.30-31:
Winning Souls
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise (v. 30).
Matthew Henry in his commentary says, “This shows what great blessings good men [and women] are … contributing to the support and nourishment of the spiritual life in many …” He goes on, “He that is wise, by communicating his wisdom, wins souls, wins upon them to bring them in love with God and holiness, and so wins them over into the interests of God’s kingdom among men.”
That’s an endeavor with eternal fruit!
Mark 14.27-54:
Not My Will But Yours
And He said, ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will’ (v. 36).
As Jesus faced the greatest trial in the universe, He prayed that there might be another way, but He chose to submit His will to His Father’s, knowing it was the only way for you and me.
How can we do any less than to submit our will to His, as well?
Lord, help each of us today to submit to Your will whether it’s showing respect for authority or as we go through some test or trial. Help us to think deeply this Easter season about the wretchedness of our sin and the price Jesus was willing to pay so we could be forgiven and accepted as Your sons and daughters. Help us to be wise men and women, winning souls for eternity in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Coming Up:
In the coming days, we’ll talk about blame shifting and how it hurts us and look at social and spiritual pollution and rottenness that can infect our hearts. We’ll also talk about how God says we can sometimes act “dumb as an ox?”
I hope you’ll sign up so you don’t miss them.
Blessings as you grow in Christ,
Donna ♥
Note about this post:
I began blogging through the Bible in 2012 and have done so every year since then. These posts are the product of many edits and additions throughout those years. Some days I make major changes, other days fewer.
A while ago, I read Jen Wilkin’s book None Like Him about the attributes of God. One is His incomprehensibility. In it, she says, “God is incomprehensible. This does not mean that he is unknowable, but that he is unable to be fully known.”
I have found that to be true each year as I’ve gone back through the Bible. Sometimes I find myself feeling as if a passage just appeared there for the first time. I’m reminded that no matter how many times we read through the Bible, we have only scratched the surface. I hope you feel the same.
Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26.14)
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