Mon.’s Devo - The Purification of the Levites

Read: Numbers 8:1-9:23; Mark 13:14-37; Psalm 50:1-23; Proverbs 10:29-30 When they set up the menorah they were to set it up so that the light would reflect forward. The menorah was the representation of revelation knowledge given from heaven. It was to reflect onto the priests and light their way in the Holy Place just like the revelation knowledge of God’s Word and his Holy Spirit lights our path. The Levites were to take the place of the first born so they went through a purification ceremony. They shaved their entire body, washed their clothes and were sprinkled with the water of purification. They brought animal and grain offerings to the Lord. The people of Israel played their hands on them transferring their sin to the Levites. Then the Levites put their hands on their animal sacrifices transferring the sins of the people and their own sins to the animals. They would then stand before Aaron and Aaron would raise his hands in a gesture of offering the Levites to the Lord. One day, Jesus would take the place of the Levites and offer himself as a sacrifice and atonement for our sins. Now the Levites were clean and could serve with Aaron and his sons in the Tabernacle. The Passover was to be celebrated on the fourteenth of Nisan, their first month in the religious calendar every year. If they had touched a dead person or were some way unclean then they could wait till the next month and celebrate the Passover. If they just refused to celebrate it and had no excuse then they would be cut off from the community of Israel. Passover represented salvation. They were saved from the slavery of Egypt and its pagan worship. We are saved from our sin and the evil world we live in. To not be saved means you are cut off from spending eternity in the community of heaven like they were cut off from being a part of the community of Israel. When they stopped to camp, the cloud would cover the Tabernacle during the day and become a pillar of fire at night. When the cloud moved, they knew it was time to move. In Mark, Jesus was explaining the signs of the end. He was at the part about the Great Tribulation. When we see the Antichrist set up pagan worship in the new Temple God’s followers will know it is time to flee to the hills because it is about to get very hard for Christians. The anguish will be greater than any time in the history of the world. God has shortened those days so that a remnant will be able to survive. Lord, thank you for the light of your Word that goes before us to prepare us for the future.

Sun.’s Devo - The Nazarite Vow -

The Nazarite vow was a special vow made to the Lord. It would last as long as it was set by the person or in the case of Samson and John the Baptist it was set by the Lord for life. They were never to cut their hair during that time or drink wine or any alcoholic drinks. We can look at Samson and see what happened to him when his vow was broken and his hair was cut. He lost the power of his vow and was thrown in prison. His ministry was over for the time being. John the Baptist kept his vow and ushered in the Messiah. He ended in prison also and lost his life but his reward was not on this earth. The Nazarite could also not go near a dead body. This was a serious vow so even if someone dropped dead beside them the vow would have to be started over from that day. He would have to shave his hair and let it grow again. That was what happened to Samson when he was put in prison. His vow was started over and his hair began to grow again. He ended up killing more Philistines in his death than he had in his life. Samson received his reward in heaven also. The day the Tabernacle was dedicated, the tribal leaders arrived with six wagons full of the offerings each tribe was to offer. They all offered the exact same thing on their own designated day for 12 days. The wagons would be used by the Levites to carry the poles and tents for the Tabernacle. They were assigned to the Gershonites and the Merirites. The Kohath’s didn’t need a wagon because they carried the furniture and it was to be carried on poles on the the shoulders of the priests. Remember how David brought the Ark of the Covenant on a wagon and when it almost fell off a man reached out to keep it from falling? The man was instantly killed. David stopped the caravan and the Ark stayed there until he could figure out what he did wrong. He read in the law about how to carry the ark. He came back with the priests and they carried it on their shoulders into Jerusalem. In the gifts the tribes brought were silver platters, gold containers of incense, and animals. These would be kept by the Levites to be used throughout the year for the sacrifices. When Moses went into the Tabernacle to speak with the Lord, he would hear the voice of the Lord speaking to him from the Ark. In Mark, Jesus gave the comparison of the rich teachers of the law who looked holy and the poor widow who gave everything. She gave more in proportion to all the others. As Jesus and his disciples were leaving the Temple, they commented on the beauty of the Temple. Jesus said it would one day be torn down and completely demolished. The disciples asked him when it would happen. Instead of telling them the answer, Jesus told him what the signs would be that led up to it. The Kingdom of God keeps dates by events. There would be wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes and famines. God’s people will be turned over to the government and this will be their opportunity to tell about the gospel of Christ. Family members would turn against one another and cause some to be killed. But, those who endure to the end will be saved. May the Lord bless us and protect us. May the Lord smile upon us and be gracious to us. May the Lord show us his favor and give us his peace.

Sat.’s Devo - The Three Divisions

Read: Numbers 4:1-5:31; Mark 12:18-37; Psalm 48:1-14; Proverbs 10:26 The Levites were divided into three divisions: the Kohath’s, the Gershonites and the Merarites. We are divided into three divisions : body, soul and spirit. The Kohath’s were responsible for the most sacred objects the Spirit. There were specific instructions of how to tear down the Tabernacle and what each piece of furniture was wrapped in for travel. The Ark was first covered with the veil then goatskin and blue cloth. The Table of Shewbread was covered with blue cloth then scarlet cloth, then goat skin. The Menorah was wrapped in blue cloth, then leather. The altar of incense table was covered in blue cloth then goatskin along with the furnishings. The brazen altar was covered in purple cloth, then the utensils then goatskin. I can’t help but think that we are the Temple of the Holy Spirit and this Tabernacle is in us. The goatskin being our skin and the blue and red and purple cloths being our blood, vessels and corpuscles. I would think that the Ark would be in our hearts, the shewbread having to do with our mouths and what we eat spiritually. The Menorah being our eyes and how we see spiritually. The brazen altar being our bellies and our whole digestive system. It has to do with how we process information and what is created inside us and reproduced on the earth or expelled as waste. The Kohathites were in charge of all these sacred pieces and were under Eleazar. Kohath means “waiting and obedient” and Eleazar means “God is helper”. When we are waiting on the Lord and obedient to him then God helps us carry out his will on the earth. All of the pieces of the Tabernacle are in working operation in our lives. The next group was the Gershonites. They were responsible for carrying the loads and general service. Gershon means “outcast”. They were to move the equipment. These would be the systems in our body that are closest to our main organs. The Merari division were just in charge of carrying loads. They were in charge of the soul Merari means “bitter”. They carried the emotions and the thoughts and desires. I wonder if the Gersonites felt like outcasts since they had a lesser responsibility than the Kohaths and if the Merari clan was bitter because all they did was carry loads. The Merari clan was like the body - the bone structure that carries the load and everything that has to do with the body. God thought they were all important and made sure their names were recorded. God gave instructions for cleansing the camp of sin and evil. He was also keeping infection from spreading. The site and infectious had to camp outside of the camp. He dealt with issues of their heart and had them make right the wrongs between one another. As the body of Christ, we all have different functions and some seemingly are more important. If we find ourselves just “carrying the load” while others are enjoying the better places will we get bitter or feel like outcasts are will we function as a body and realize that we all share the same reward. A special test was given for jealousy. If a man thought his wife was being unfaithful and had no witness, she would be brought to the priest and made to drink bitter water. The bitter water was made from the dust of the Tabernacle floor and holy water. If she was guilty then her stomach would swell like she was pregnant but there would be no baby. Her womb would shrink and she would be barren. If she was innocent then nothing would happen to her belly and she would be fertile. The same goes for us. If we defile our relationship with our husband, Jesus, we can look like we are pregnant with God’s work, but we will produce no fruit and not be able to bring life. But, if we are faithful to him then he will let us see the fruit of our labors. In Mark, the Sadducees who didn’t believe in the resurrection came to Jesus and asked him a question to trick him into saying whether there was a resurrection or not. Jesus bypassed their question and went straight to the point. He proved that there was a resurrection and also that they were in error. I’m sure they didn’t like that. Another religious leader realized how well Jesus had answered that question and asked him what was the most important commandment given by God. Jesus told him to love God and then love people. The man agreed and Jesus told him that he was not far from the Kingdom of God. Jesus went to the Temple and was teaching. He asked them why they believed that the Messiah would be David’s son when David called the Messiah his Lord. Jesus was stirring the wheels of their minds to think for themselves not what they had been taught all their lives. Most of the teachers of their day didn’t know what they were talking about. Lord, may we rejoice to do your will no matter how small or seemingly unimportant. May we live to see the fruit of our labors.

Fri.’s Devo - The Sign of the Cross

Read: Numbers 2:1-3:51; Mark 11:27-12:17; Psalm 47:1-9; Proverbs 10:24-25 The tribes marched in the sign of the cross. The bottom of the cross went first with Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. The top of the cross was Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin and the sides were Reuben, Simeon, and Gad on one side and Dan, Asher and Naphtali on the other. In the middle of the cross was the Levites and the Tabernacle. They camped in this order also. Aaron and his sons and the Levite tribe were in charge of the Tabernacle. Levi had three sons: Gerson, Kohath and Merari. The Gershonites camped west of the Tabernacle and their job was to carry and set up the tent and all the curtains. The Kohath’s camped south of the Tabernacle and were in charge of the things that had to do with the Ark itself and all its furnishings. The Merari clan camped north of the Tabernacle and were responsible for the frames and all the equipment to build the base for the Tabernacle. Moses and Aaron and their sons camped east of the Tabernacle at its entrance. God had told the people that every first born son and animal was his but he substituted the Levites for the first born and their animals for their first born animals. There were not enough Levites to exchange for every first born son of all the tribes. They were lacking 273 Levites so God told Moses to collect redemption money for them. They would be worth 5 pieces of silver a piece. Moses was to collect this money and give it to Aaron and his sons. Everyone needed to be redeemed to be saved just like all who want to be redeemed from the curse of the law have to be redeemed through the cross of Christ. Everything they did was pictures to teach a greater lesson to us now. In Mark, they tried to trick Jesus by asking him whose authority was he under to do such things as miracles. He turned the trick on them and asked them whose authority did John come under. They couldn’t answer for fear of the arousing the people against them so Jesus told them he wouldn’t answer their question either. Then Jesus told the parable about the man who planted a vineyard, built a wall around it and dug a pit for pressing the grapes. He leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. When it was time to harvest the grapes he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. Instead of giving it to the servant the tenant farmers beat him up. The owner sent others and they were either beaten or killed. He finally sent his son thinking they would respect him but they murdered him and threw his body out of the vineyard. Jesus asked them what they thought the tenant farmer should do. He should come and kill the farmers and lease the vineyard to others. The Pharisees knew he was talking about them. They were with wicked tenant farmers who had killed the prophets and would now kill God’s son. Instead of repenting, this just made them more determined to kill Jesus. Since they couldn’t get Jesus on terms of the law, they decided to get him on something that would pit the Romans against him so they came up with a question about taxes. They asked Jesus was it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not. Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and asked them to bring him a Roman coin. He asked them whose picture and title was on it. Then he told them to give Caesar what belongs to him and give God what belongs to Him. Once again, his answer amazed them. Lord, thank you that you give us an answer for everything Satan brings against us. You are the answer to everything we are facing and you are the cornerstone of our existence. Thank you!

Thurs.’s Devo - Jesus Entered Jerusalem

Read: Leviticus 27:14-Numbers 1:54; Mark 11:1-26; Psalm 46:1-11; Proverbs 10:23 If a person dedicated a house to the Lord, the priest would come and access its value. If the person later wanted to buy it back he would pay that price plus 20%. If it was land that he wanted to dedicate, the value would be assessed according to the amount of seed required to plant it. All prices varied according to how close it was to the next Jubilee. The closer it got to jubilee, the less the land would be worth. The only way this fair system could work was for the priests to be honest and God-fearing. When the priests became corrupt and self-seeking, this system became very corrupt. If you think of this in terms of the house meaning a person and the field being a ministry then it would be of greater value to the Lord for a person to be saved at an early age or for a ministry to be long standing. More people would be affected. But if a person got saved on their death bed, they would go to heaven but the years of effectiveness on the earth will be less. It doesn’t mean we are loved less but our years of service to the Lord are what are being valued here. On the first day of the second month, they were told by God to number the warriors. That day would be 15 days after Passover and 25 days before Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks. Since Pentecost represents the giving of the Spirit and the entering into spiritual warfare it would make sense that the warriors would be selected beforetime. Leaders of each tribe were selected and the warriors of each tribe were counted and recorded. They were chosen according to their age and ability. The tribe of Levi was not counted because their job was to carry and protect the presence of the Lord - the Tabernacle. In Mark, Jesus entered into Jerusalem on the tenth of Nissan. It was the same day that Moses told the Israelites to select their lamb. It would be kept until the fourteenth and during those days in between, they would be examining it to make sure it was unblemished (Exodus 12:3). Jesus entered to be examined by the religious leaders and the political leaders and they would all say he was innocent. The people all around Jesus as he rode the donkey into Jerusalem were singing the Hallel, which were Psalms 113-118. They carried palm branches and waved them. If they were on the road where the pascal lamb - the one lamb that would die for the whole nation was walking, they would lay down their palm branches for him to walk on. They did this for Jesus. Jesus went straight to the Temple and cleansed it. This had to be done to prepare the Temple for his death. In the houses of the people, they were busy removing the yeast from their houses in preparation for Unleavened Bread Feast. Jesus was cleansing his house of the yeast. Jesus passed by the fig tree he had cursed on his way back into town the next day. The disciples pointed out that it was withered and dead. Jesus told them that if they had faith they could bring down a mountain. The only thing that can hinder this is unforgiveness. Lord, help us to forgive those who have hurt us and used us. Forgive us as a nation for turning against you and your laws. Help us to rebuild on You as our foundation.

Wed.’s Devo - Redemption

Read: Leviticus 25:47-27:13; Mark 10:32-52; Psalm 45:1-17; Proverbs 10:22 Even if an Israelite sold themselves to be the slave of a foreigner or temporary resident, they still retain the right to be bought back. They may be bought back by a brother, uncle, cousin or anyone from their extended family. The price will be determined by how close it is to the next jubilee. They must not treat them unfairly or consider them their own. The Israelites are the Lords and will be free in the Year of Jubilee. We are all slaves or a foreigner, Satan and sin. If we are chosen of God to be his then we are an Israelite. We are bought back the day someone tells us about Jesus and we choose to become his. That is our redemption day. The final Jubilee will be when Jesus returns. The next command he told them had to do with idols. They were to only worship the Lord and keep his Sabbath days of rest and have no other images or sacred pillars or sculptured stones in their land. If they did this then the blessings of life would be theirs. They would have rain when they needed it for their crops and their crops would be more than enough to last till the next harvest. There would be peace in their land and they would sleep without stress or fear. They would easily defeat their enemies. He would give them a good reputation and give them pride in their heritage. They would be fertile and multiply on the earth. If they refused to listen to the Lord and follow his laws then the opposite would happen. They would waste away with sickness and sorrow. Their work will be in vain because the enemy would steal it. God would become their enemy and strike them seven times for their sins. Their enemies would take revenge upon them. Their food supply would be destroyed and rationed. They will eat the flesh of their own sons and daughters. Their shrines and sacred pillars would be destroyed. They would be scattered throughout the earth and the cities would become desolate and lie in ruins. The land would finally enjoy its Sabbath’s. The people would live in fear of their enemy. Once God’s people confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors for betraying the Lord, and humble themselves, God would remember his covenant with them. They would pay for their sins and the land would remain desolate until it enjoys all the Sabbath rests it was denied and then God would remember his covenant. If they vowed themselves or their children to service of the Lord, then they could buy them back. A man ages 20-60 was worth 50 shekels of silver, A woman that age: 30 shekels. A boy ages 5-20 was worth 20 shekels where a girl that age was worth 10. A boy between the ages of one month and 5 years was worth 5 shekels where a girl that age was worth 3. A man older than 60 was worth 15 shekels and and woman 10. If you could not afford the amount needed you could go to the priest and let him set an affordable price. An animal could be given but to buy it back you must pay its price plus 20 percent. This could be a great argument against the doctrine of once saved, always saved. Sin always comes at a cost. In Mark, Jesus laid out to his disciples just what was about to happen. They clearly didn’t get it and it was obvious when James and John asked Jesus to sit in places of honor when he came into his kingdom. Jesus told them they didn’t understand what suffering it would take to sit in those places. They assured Jesus that they were willing to go through the same suffering he did. Jesus agreed that they would suffer for his sake but only God could give promotion. The other ten disciples heard about what James and John had asked and were indignant so Jesus called them all together. He told them that in God’s kingdom, the leader was not like a worldly leader but like him. He came to serve not to be served and that is how they were suppose to be. Jesus then gave sight to a blind man of Jericho. The blind man followed Jesus. Jesus had come to bring people out of darkness into light. Lord, may we continue your great work of awakening people to your light.

Tues.’s Devo - The Year of Jubilee

Read: Leviticus 24:1-25:46; Mark 10:13-31; Psalm 44:9-26; Proverbs 10:20-21 The menorah in the Holy Place was to be lit all the time from pure olive oil brought by the people. Twelve flat loaves of unleavened bread were to be laid out every week on the Table of Shewbread. These loaves were to be eaten by the priests every day. They were made of two quarts of flour each so they were big enough to last all week. They were stacked six to a stack each loaf representing a tribe. Eating from this bread represented them living by the law. An incident happened where a man was fighting with another man and one of them cursed the name of the Lord. The guilty man had an Egyptian father and an Israelite mother. They put the man in custody till they could hear what God had to say about it. He told Moses to take the man outside the camp and have all that heard the man’s blasphemy put their hands on his head, sending his curse back to him. Then the whole community was to stone him. God gave other instructions about murderers of men and animals and consequences for harming another person. The general rule was an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. When they got to the land that the Lord was giving them they were to let the land rest in the seventh year. They were to not plant or prune their vineyards during that year. During that Sabbath year they were to eat what the land produced on its own. They were to count seven of these Sabbath years and when it got to the fiftieth year they were to have a special celebration on the Day of Atonement. A ram’s horn was to be blown and that year would be called a jubilee year. In the Year of Jubilee, all the land would be returned to the original owner. This was to be taken into account when selling land. It was worth more if it was bought many years from a jubilee year and worth less the closer it got to that year. Land was never sold on a permanent basis because God was the owner of the land and they were only tenant farmers for him. If they did need to sell their land they were to first ask a family member to buy it. If he couldn’t then he could sell it to another but his goal was always to buy it back. It would return to him at the Year of Jubilee. The only exception was if you bought a house in a walled city. Then the transaction was permanent. The exception to that rule only applied to the Levites who always had the right to buy back land that had been allotted to them. The land around Levitical cities could never be sold it was their permanent land. God promised to bless the sixth year so much that they would have enough for the seventh year. If an Israelite had to sell himself as a slave, he was to be treated as family if another Israelite bought him. At the Year of Jubilee he was free to go home. If a foreigner was bought as a slave he was considered property that would stay in the family forever. These laws are still in effect. I wonder how our lives would be different if we observed them? In Mark, a man came running up to Jesus asking what he could do to inherit eternal life. Jesus perceived that he was a man of the law so he told him to follow the law. He told Jesus he did. Jesus felt compassion for him because here was a man who perceived that it took more than just following the law to have eternal life. So Jesus gave him something to do that he knew he wouldn’t do. He told him to sell all he had and take up the cross and follow him. The man left sad and grieved. Jesus told his disciples that it was hard for a man that had riches here on earth to enter the kingdom of God. He wasn’t sayin it was hard for a wealthy man to enter the kingdom but it was hard for a man who put his trust in his riches to enter into the kingdom. Then he gave the secret the man had really asked but he left too soon for him to hear it. He said with man it is impossible but with God all things are possible. It wasn’t something we can do to enter eternity with God it is who we are. If we are dead to ourselves and have taken up the cross of Christ then it is easy to enter the kingdom. The reward for giving up everything on this earth is a hundredfold in the world to come. Lord, may we freely give all for your kingdom. May we enter into your Jubilee.