Thurs.’s Devo - The Substitute

Read: Numbers 8:1-9:23; Mark 13:14-37; Psalm 50:1-23; Proverbs 10:29-30 God told Moses that when he set up the menorah, he was to make the light shine forward because God always speaks of our future. He wants to shine his revelation and light our way into our future. Satan always puts the light on our past and reminds who we were. God sees who we are going to be. *** There was a special ceremony for purifying the Levites. They were sprinkled with water and their whole body was shaved and washed. After they were clean, they were to present a young bull and a grain offering with oil and a second bull for a sin offering. The people were to lay their hands on the Levites and Aaron would present them to the Lord as a special offering from the people. Then the Levites were to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls and burn them on the altar. This set the Levites apart from the people. *** Now the Levites were the substitutes for all the first born of Israel. God shows this substitution principle all through scripture. The ram was given as a substitute for Isaac. Judah offered himself as a substitute for Benjamin in the story of Joseph. Jesus was given as a substitute for us. They would make sacrifices to purify the people so that no plague would strike them when they came to the tabernacle to worship the Lord. *** The Levites were to serve at the age of 35 and retire at 50. Fifty is the number for Jubilee where everyone is redeemed and goes free. *** A year after they left Egypt, God instructed them to celebrate the Passover on the same day they had first celebrated it in Egypt. If in the future they were unclean at that time because they had touched a dead body or were gone on a journey and could not be there, they were allowed to celebrate it the next month on the fourteenth. If they refused to celebrate the Passover they would be cut off from the community of Israel and suffer the consequences of their guilt. If foreigners wanted to join in the celebration they should be allowed to do this. *** From the day the Tabernacle was set up the cloud of God’s glory covered the Tabernacle. When it lifted and moved they were to break camp and follow whether it was day or night. When it lingered in a spot for a time, they were to stay also. They only moved when it moved. *** In Mark, Jesus continues the answer to the question his disciples asked him about the signs of the destruction of Jerusalem. He told them that when they saw the sacrilegious objects standing in the Temple then they must flee to the hill. This will be a time of anguish and turmoil. Many false Christs and prophets would arise and everything on earth and in the heavens would be shaken. *** Then they will see the Son of Man coming ion the clouds with power and glory. He will send his angels to gather his chosen ones. Jesus warning was to stay awake and on guard because no one knows the day or hour this will happen. *** Lord, may we only move when you move. Thank you that you light our path and shine your revelation on us. May we walk in the light as you are in the light and have fellowship with you. Thank you for being a substitute for us and dying in our place.