Mon.’s Devo - Cleansing from Sin -

Read: Leviticus 14:1-57; Mark 6:30-56; Psalm 40:1-10; Proverbs 10:11-12 To be cleansed from leprosy, the person would be brought to the priest to be examined outside the camp. He would give the priest two live clean birds, cedarwood, scarlet yarn and hyssop. The priest would kill on of the birds in an earthenware vessel over fresh water. He would then take the live bird and dip it in the blood of the bird and sprinkle the man seven times and pronounce him clean. He would then set the living bird free to go into the open field. He would then wash his clothes and shave his hair and bathe in water. He was allowed into the camp but had to stay outside his camp for 10 days. One the seventh day he was to shave off all his hair even from his head, eyebrows and beard and wash his cloths and bathe in water and then he would be clean. *** On the eighth day he was to take two male lambs that were spotless and one ewe lamb a year old and a grain offering to the priest. The priest shall take his offering and wave it before the Lord, kill the sin and guilt offering and put the blood of the guilt offering on the lobe of the right ear, the right thumb and his big toe of his right foot. He shall also do with with oil. *** Then the priest would offer the offerings on the altar to be burnt. (Other less expensive offerings were acceptable for the poor.) Then the man will be clean. Phew! That is a lot. Thank God we don’t have to do that every time we sin. *** Everything the man brought to the priest were present at the cross. The birds both represent Jesus. The first was killed in an earthen vessel. Jesus was the earthen vessel that came to earth to die as a man to become our faithful high priest. The bird that was set free was also Jesus who bore our sins and carried them as far as the east is from the west. The man was shaved of all his hair on the seventh day to show that on our final day, we will stand before the Lord spotless and sinless. *** On the eighth day, which represents our glorious new day in the new world, we will rejoice because of all God has forgiven us. Everything we hear, put our hands to do, and our walk will be completely cleansed and anointed with God’s Spirit. *** Remember when Jesus healed the lepers and told them to go and present themselves to the priests. He wanted them to see this act of cleansing and relate it to what was going to happen to him in the very near future. *** The same process was done if leprous disease was found in the house. The house would represent a church or a family. The stones or sin or false doctrine would need to be cut out and done away with. Paul had to do that in several churches like the one in Galatia. *** In Mark, the apostles returned from their mission trip and told Jesus all the things they did and saw. Jesus wanted to take them away to rest but the crowds followed them. When Jesus saw the people and how hungry they were for the truth, he began to teach them. *** It was late in the afternoon so the disciples told Jesus to send them home so they could eat. Jesus told them to give them something to eat. They told Jesus it would take 200 days wages to feed this crowd. So Jesus asked them how much they had. They came up with five loaves and two fish. Jesus commanded everyone to sit in groups of fifty. He took what he had and lifted up to heaven and blessed it. Then he began breaking it and giving it to the disciples. Everyone ate their fill and there were twelve baskets left over. If God asks something of us, it is because he knows we have what he is asking. He has given us everything we need to be godly and follow him. He multiplies our little and makes it a lot. God’s provision is more than enough! *** Immediately after they had gathered the left-overs, Jesus had his disciples leave in a boat to Bethsaida. He dismissed the crowd and went up to the mountain to pray. Later that night he saw that his disciples were fighting the waves, so he walked out on the sea meaning to pass them by. But they saw him and thought he was a ghost. He told them to have peace, it was him. The minute he got into the boat, the waves stopped. They were utterly amazed. *** They came to the land where they had delivered the demoniac and then were begged to leave. This time they brought everyone to see him and to heal all their sick. The demoniac’s testimony had prepared them to accept Jesus. *** Lord, teach us to know your ways because they are not our ways. May we have faith to believe the impossible.