February - Reading 16

I would like to recommend two books that were invaluable in understanding the types and shadows we have read in Exodus and now into Leviticus.

The first is The Tabernacle, the Priesthood and the Offerings by Henry W. Soltau.

The second is The Law of the Offerings by Andrew Jukes.


Psalm 38 was my morning prayer today. Though I sin, and many times I am acutely aware of my sins, I seek to do good, and it is because I seek to do good that I am reviled and persecuted.


In Matthew we are presented with yet another allegorical interpretation of the OT, that John the Baptist is Elijah.


The goes Paul that trouble-maker again.

 

Psalm 38 is a psalm of penitence. We do not know what sin or sins caused David to feel so entirely guilty as this. He is associating a very painful illness or disability with this sin and guilt, however, and is begging God for relief.

He may have been foolish in a battle or even a personal encounter of some kind, for he says in verse 5 that his woulds are festering and are loathsome. In verse ten he says his heart pounds and his strength is failing.

And, just as we find today, those who are his enemies are more than ready to take advantage of the situation and are actively plotting his downfall as king. He says clearly that he is in no position to do anything about this, feeling like a deaf-mute in his helplessness. And so he throws his entire trust and fate into God's hands, pleading at the end of the Psalm for God to rescue him quickly.

MATTHEW:
You have three witnesses there, Peter, James and John. Then you have the testimony of the two, Moses and Elijah. And then the supremacy of the One, Jesus Christ.
Peter recalls that moment on the mountain in 2 Peter 1:16-18 and in the following verses, ties in that incredible moment with the Scripture's prophecies which were given by God through men. In the King James and the New King James, the emphasis in Peter's writing is on the supremacy of prophecy despite the experience of witnessing the Transfiguration, but the NIV translators evidently saw the writing as being more indicative of the support of the Transfiguration for the prophetic Scriptures. Either way, Peter is tying in the Transfiguration with prophecy itself.

The way Jesus appeared at this time was evidently the same way Paul saw Him during the Damascus Road confrontation and bears resemblance to the Jesus that John also saw in Revelation 1:16, although at the Transfiguration Jesus was not yet in his Resurrected Body.

Also interesting is the fact that the Disciples were not panicky when they saw Moses and Elijah, but fell to the ground terrified at the sound of God's voice out of the Glory Cloud. This is something we see throughout the Bible: the reaction of absolute fear when confronted by the holiness and glory of God. It makes the claims of certain 'preachers' who say they talk to Jesus while shaving or talk to an 80 or 90 foot Jesus seem like the shams they are.

Something really interesting as well -- Peter, James, and John seemed to have recognized Moses and Elijah immediately. We have no record of any introductions being made!

The end of this passage is the place where Jesus identifies John the Baptist as Elijah who was to come, but thereis also the cryptic statement in verse 11 that "To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things." which is evidently still in the future!


ACTS
It is interesting to see the way God works through people to accomplish His own ends. Paul was to go to Felix, and so God got him there by way of the threats of the Jews. If they had known what their threats would end up doing, they would have all gone home and eaten and had plenty to drink!


LEVITICUS
These chapters all deal with the requirements regarding various offerings and their preparation. There is something very interesting to note in chapter 4, however. This chapter has to do with unintentional sins.
Look at who is involved:

v. 2 -- "a person"
v. 3 -- "the anointed priest"
v. 13 -- the whole congregation of Israel
v. 22 -- a ruler or leader
v. 27 -- the common people

In other words, no one was immune from unintentional sins. God will always see sin in our lives, whether or not He makes us aware of it. This chapter points out that when this sin is brought to our attention, something has to be done about it. It needs to be taken to the Lord for forgiveness.

In addition, it should be mentioned that in Hebrews in the New Testament, Christ is said to be the one sacrifice for all sin. Thus, unintentional sins by anyone, child or adult, are already covered by Christ. So one cannot lose one's salvation over this matter, but one can break fellowship with God through these sins, so it is very important to pay close attention to the Holy Spirit so that we can immediately take to the Lord any sins He brings to our attention, thus allowing Him to restore our fellowship with Him.


God bless you all.

Barry and Helen