Read: Leviticus 22:17-23:44; Mark 9:30-10:12; Psalm 44:1-8; Proverbs 10:19
God was specific about the sacrifices. They were to represent our offerings to the Lord. First Peter 2:5 says that we are to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. He goes on to explain what these spiritual sacrifices are: to abstain from fleshly lusts, be honest in our conversations, be submitted to the laws of the land and the leaders that God has put in authority. We are to honor all men, love our fellow Christians, fear God, and honor the President. We are to be good employees even if our employers are mean and unreasonable. Our life and our opinion and rights are what we sacrifice to the Lord. It needs to be without grumbling and complaining. That is not an easy sacrifice!
God gave the Israelites seven feasts that would be road markers and mark times of God moving on the earth. The first three feasts are Passover, Unleavened Bread and First Fruits. They occur in the spring around the barley and wheat harvest. They represent our salvation, sanctification and power to rise up and walk in the Spirit. The feasts were to be rehearsals they were to do every year and some years they would be divine appointments. These first three feasts were fulfilled when Jesus came to earth. He died on Passover, becoming the sacrificial lamb. He was in the grave on Unleavened Bread representing our sanctification. He rose on First Fruits being the first to rise from the dead. Pentecost was fifty days after Passover and God sent his Holy Spirit to man representing the seed that was harvested. Three thousand souls were harvested on the Pentecost after Jesus rose from the grave. The next three feasts have yet to be fulfilled. They are Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement and Feast of Tabernacles. Jesus will come for his bride on Trumpets, the Tribulation will happen on the days of Atonement and Jesus will return on Tabernacles.
Yesterday, when we read about the Transfiguration, the disciples wanted to build booths for Elijah and Moses because it was the Feast of Tabernacles and they thought they were staying.
In Mark, Jesus tried to tell them what was coming but they didn’t want to hear it. They wanted to believe he was going to Jerusalem to usurp the throne and set up his earthly kingdom. They were concerned with their position. Jesus explained that they needed to stop thinking the way to promotion was through position. It is through humility. It is not a competition with other Christians, other churches, or other ministries. We are all on the same team and all have a different flavor to offer to the world.
Jesus talked about divorce which is one of the most misunderstood teachings. He first told the Pharisees the law. It said that to divorce a man must give his wife a certificate of divorcement which gave her legal freedom and rights. In the days of Jesus, men were not doing this so the wife was not legally divorced. To remarry, she would be committing adultery since she was not divorced from her first husband. The men were not taking care of their first wife legally or respectfully. Even God divorced Israel to marry a Gentile wife. One day, he will redeem Israel and marry her again.
Lord, help us not to be legalistic about your laws, but understand that the law of love supersedes all laws.
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