Thursday, February 27, 2014

Thurs.’s Devo. - Being Ready for a Holy God

Lev. 20:22-22:16, Mark 9:1-29, Ps. 43:1-5, Priests were not permitted to marry a woman who had practiced prostitution or divorced their husband. Since the law is spiritual, marriage is a symbol of union with God or salvation. If Jesus is our priest then our marriage with Christ must be holy. He has never been anything other than God, so He is not a prostitute, nor has he offered himself to anyone but us, so He is not a divorcee. If we are priests unto God, the same applies. God must be our only love. If we choose to be married to anyone but God then, like the priest’s daughter who defiles herself, we must burn in hell. Along with judgment, God always extends mercy. In Lev. 22:10-13 we read that if a priest buys a slave, or a slave is born in his household, that slave may eat his food. Jesus is our priest and we are bought with the price of his blood. When we have been redeemed, we are able to eat of God’s Word and live. If we are a Gentile Christian, then we are the slave born in his household. If the priest’s daughter that is divorced and defiled decides to come back and live with her father, then she may eat this food. This is the picture of the prodigal son who leaves his father’s teachings but comes to his senses and returns. God’s forgiveness and mercy always trump over his judgment. Time in the Bible is like bread crumbs or clues. Verse 2 in Mark is one of those clues: “after six days”. This means after the sixth day in God’s calendar or after 6,000 years or at the end of time. In the story, Jesus transfigures himself and shows him his glory in a cloud. At the end of time we will see Jesus come down out of heaven in a cloud and all will see his glory. Jesus was giving them a sneak preview. Lord, thank you for your Word. It is the picture of You. May we be a holy bride when you return.

No comments: