by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Numbers 1, 2
The first census is taken of the men who are able to fight. God is preparing the Israelites for battle.
The leader of each tribe was to step forth and represent his tribe to Moses and Aaron. They were then to account for all of the able-bodied men over 20 years of age, as these were the ones who would go out and take the land God was giving them There was then detail about the order of tribes and which should go first.
Each tribe was to have its own standard, and they were to camp together around that standard.
My husband has been doing some teaching recently on the unity God is seeking for His church. God wants us to honor each other, not focusing on the doctrinal differences, but on what we have in common, namely Jesus. (more…)
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Leviticus 21, 22
The Lord wants holiness! The priests and the sacrifices are to be perfect, pure, and holy.
Once again, all of these admonitions were to eventually bring them to understand God’s perfect Lamb, without spot or wrinkle.
Matthew 28
There is a song which starts out, “There is a line drawn through the ages.” Every time I read about the resurrection of Jesus, that’s what comes to mind. Indeed, that line has been drawn.
On one side of the line, God was teaching and training in an attempt to have men look toward a day when His perfect Lamb would be slain once for all. They couldn’t understand it, but they heard about it anyway.
They learned about a coming King, Messiah, and they thought that one day, this King would come to rule Israel and even the world. They were expecting great pomp and extravagant showmanship.
That’s not what they got. In fact, when the true Messiah came, He was hard to see. Only the spiritual could see Him. He was born to an ordinary family in a tiny town, and raised up in a simple craft – carpentry. His kin folks saw that He could understand the Hebrew writings really well, but other than that, He just seemed like a “nice boy.”
As the Master’s earthly ministry developed, there were tremendous signs and wonders, and great authority in His teaching, but something just didn’t seem quite right. Shouldn’t the King be parading around in priestly robes, with mighty display of position? Shouldn’t He be avoiding interaction with the common people – especially the sinners?
Jesus just couldn’t be the One – or could He? The spiritual ones began to have their eyes opened. The prideful seemed to get blinder and blinder. Until the day – God’s day. God’s time, when He drew the line of the ages and Jesus stepped across.
What a tremendous day that must have been to His believers. Having been shocked and dismayed over the last few days, they suddenly saw the purpose of God unfolding in such brilliance. Jesus had risen from the dead.
They didn’t understand it all, but they knew one thing. He was the Messiah! He was the One they had been looking for.
Now that He had stepped over the line, the world would never be the same. It would take a while before the new dispensation could be revealed.. In fact, it’s still being revealed, but the new era was ready to begin. One more thing had to happen. Jesus had to sprinkle the Mercy Seat in heaven with His blood, and then He could send His Holy Spirit to the earth to live in the hearts of men.
The most significant events of history were unfolding before the eyes of His people. Shock waves were being sent out across the land!
A New Day!
![Read The Bible Through, Feb 16]()
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Leviticus 19, 20
Our culture, for all of its faults, is blessed to have a history of Judeo-Christian values. There are common sense parameters we live by because of this rich heritage. They just seem “normal.”
However, when we look at the Jew as they were starting out as a nation, such a heritage was not there. They had no Bible, no Jesus, nor any understanding of God’s plan and purpose. To keep them on track, God had to be very strict. Just as stern punishment might be required to keep a small child out of the street, these people needed harshness in order to follow God’s requirements for life.
He sternly warned them about opening themselves up to demonic forces. At that time, they couldn’t understand about demons, so He didn’t talk about them. However, He warned against any of the practices of witchcraft, sorcery, idolatry, or mediums. Those were practices which would allow the devil to trample freely through their lives. If they would follow His admonitions, they would stay safe even if they didn’t understand all that they were doing. (more…)
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
We finally come to catch up day! Hopefully, this will bring us up to speed.
Up to Leviticus 16
When we walk into Leviticus cold, it can be very confusing. All the offerings, with such specificity. What’s up?
However, when we look at it through the eyes of the New Testament, things become somewhat clearer. Hebrews says that the Law has the “shadow of the good things to come, and not the image.” These sacrifices were to lead the people to an understanding of the True Sacrifice, which would someday come. If all of this tutelage had not gone before, God’s people would never “get” the sacrifice of Jesus as God’s perfect Lamb.
There are detailed instructions for each offering and sacrifice, but certain requirements are constant. If it’s an animal sacrifice, it is to be perfect. No spot or blemish. It is to be the first born or the finest. All of this points to the perfect Lamb of God, which is to come.
If the offering is grain, there is to be no leaven. In other words, pure, pure, pure! The sacrifices to God were to be the finest, purest, and best. Like Jesus! (more…)
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Exodus 23-28
We are still reading about the laws which were given to the people through Moses. Chapter 23 starts out with laws I call “attitudes of justice.”
The Hebrews are not supposed to make false reports against each other, or take bribes, or oppress strangers. Neither are they to be partial to someone just because they are poor.
All of these laws are familiar to us today, as we attempt to be honorable people.
In 23:14, we are introduced to three feasts which are to be instituted. We will hear about these several times in the Old Testament. I think of them as a way of introducing the Jews to the experiences Jesus , the Savior, would lead us into.
The first feast is the Passover, preceded by the Feast Of Unleavened Bread. This feast represents the born again experience, when we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. He is the Passover Lamb sent by God for the final sacrifice. When they observe Passover, they are pointing to that fact.
The second feast is the Feast Of Pentecost. (They have other names for it: Feast of Harvest or Feast of First fruits). In the Christian life, this represents the Day of Pentecost, when Jesus waved the First Fruits before the Father.
These first fruits were the new believers who had received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts. The Holy Spirit entered the hearts of the people and they became empowered to be the witnesses of Jesus to the world. By the way, this happened on the Jewish Day of Pentecost.
The third feast is The Feast Of Ingathering (or the Feast of Booths, or Feast of Tabernacles). This feast represents the believer’s walk closely with the Lord – worshiping, praising, and living for Jesus in the new covenant.
The Lord then reminds the people that He will send an angel before them and they must obey this angel. He will lead them to the new land, the promised land.
Imagine yourself being a part of this group. Every day must have been full of surprises, as they were introduced to God’s concepts. He was obviously full of great power, but sometimes he must have seemed very strict. He had to be strict. He was leading these people into a new life – a life filled with tremendous blessing, but also tremendous responsibility.
Tomorrow there will be more on the pattern of the tabernacle. Lots of symbolism there also.
Matthew 21: 1-22
Wasn’t Jesus bold? When you think about the fact that so many Pharisees and Sadducees were following Him and harassing Him, His boldness was amazing. he never flinched; He just grew bolder.
As Jesus was to enter Jerusalem, He sent for what He needed – a donkey and a colt, so that He might ride on them.
Later as we read in the Old Testament, we will see how the Ark of the Covenant would be carried amidst praise. During that time in history, the Ark represented the glory of God. As He made His entrance into Jerusalem in this way, Jesus was showing the people that He was the glory of God. He was being praised and honored by those who cried out Hosanna.
He then proceeds to drive the money changers from the temple. They were defiling the temple by using every opportunity to make a profit. Their hearts weren’t toward the purpose of the sacrifices; they just wanted the money for the doves.
Verse 15 is interesting. When the chief priests saw what “wonderful things” He had done, and the children who were praising Him, they “became indignant.” Can you say, “jealous?”
I am skipping the Fig Tree episode here, because I like the Mark account so much.
Abundant Blessings.
Suellen Estes
Numbers 1, 2
