49 days after the passover
Moses led the chosen people out of Egypt. It is celebrated as the Passover. The Jews count the days after that for 49 days. Then they celebrate Shovuot = "weeks" = Pentecost. They celebrate the receiving of the ten commandments. The law was given to the people through Moses. In Acts, we read that the Jews were gathering on that day. They were celebrating Shovuot. We call it the Day of Pentecost.
Jesus was crucified during the week of the Passover ( sorry if I am not explaining it exactly). After he was resurrected, he spent time with the disciples and others for 40 days before he ascended. (The Jews must have been counting days to prepare for Shovuot, I would think.) Then the Day of Pentecost = Shovuot came, and they received the Holy Spirit!
Just like God's presence never left the Jewish people in the desert (by the pillar of fire and the cloud in Exodus, and by the fire and the smoke in Leviticus), Jesus never left the disciples! Even after the resurrection Jesus was with his people, and right after he ascended, the Holy Spirit was sent down! Now he has been within us since then.
I had never thought of the time frame until today. It is awesome.
This coming Sunday is the Day of Pentecost for Christians. It started this evening for the Jewish people and Messianic people. Thought I don't want to disrespect either of the groups, my heart is with both groups. I would have liked to go to join some group tonight, and I will celebrate on Sunday also. If the church doesn't mention it, I will do so in my private time. This Sunday is also the Global Day of Prayer. I didn't know that such thing existed. I think there will be a gathering near my church. I am planning to attend. To be a little part of the whole world like this will be a privilege.
Jesus was crucified during the week of the Passover ( sorry if I am not explaining it exactly). After he was resurrected, he spent time with the disciples and others for 40 days before he ascended. (The Jews must have been counting days to prepare for Shovuot, I would think.) Then the Day of Pentecost = Shovuot came, and they received the Holy Spirit!
Just like God's presence never left the Jewish people in the desert (by the pillar of fire and the cloud in Exodus, and by the fire and the smoke in Leviticus), Jesus never left the disciples! Even after the resurrection Jesus was with his people, and right after he ascended, the Holy Spirit was sent down! Now he has been within us since then.
I had never thought of the time frame until today. It is awesome.
This coming Sunday is the Day of Pentecost for Christians. It started this evening for the Jewish people and Messianic people. Thought I don't want to disrespect either of the groups, my heart is with both groups. I would have liked to go to join some group tonight, and I will celebrate on Sunday also. If the church doesn't mention it, I will do so in my private time. This Sunday is also the Global Day of Prayer. I didn't know that such thing existed. I think there will be a gathering near my church. I am planning to attend. To be a little part of the whole world like this will be a privilege.
Ordination/consecration/filling
Leviticus 8:22, 28, 29, 31, 33
22And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram. (KJV)
ordination (NIV, NAS)
consecration and ordination (Amplified)
consecration (KJV)
According to the Blue Letter Bible, the word for consecration/ordination ("millu" in Hebrew) is this.
According to the Strong's Dictionary, the Hebrew word "millu" also means "filling." Interesting.
F.B. Meyer says:
I suppose then that those who receives more requires better sacrifices. Didn't Paul say something like this??
The priests were set aside for 7 days.
Thank you, LORD.
22And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram. (KJV)
ordination (NIV, NAS)
consecration and ordination (Amplified)
consecration (KJV)
According to the Blue Letter Bible, the word for consecration/ordination ("millu" in Hebrew) is this.
According to the Strong's Dictionary, the Hebrew word "millu" also means "filling." Interesting.
F.B. Meyer says:
Consecration, according to the Hebrew word, means "filling the hand." Too many of us suppose that the consecrated soul renounces all - nay, it receives all. The nets are full of fish; the baskets are full of the broken peices; the soul is full of grace and glory.
I suppose then that those who receives more requires better sacrifices. Didn't Paul say something like this??
The priests were set aside for 7 days.
Thank you, LORD.
Command (or Give an order) #2
Explaining things in simple ways is my favorite way of learning. Bibles and commentaries for kids taught me a lot. Sometimes I think of a cartoon series called The Flying House ( want to see Youtube?) I watched with my kids sometimes. I try to put myself in situations in the Bible. Sometimes I can see things more clearly.
In Leviticus 6, the LORD told Moses to keep the fire going on the alter (verse 9). This is the group of people who are used to seeing and following the fire at night and cloud (different, but looks like smoke -- something white in the sky) during the day.
Exodus 13:21-22 (English Standard Version)
21And(A) the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.
Now they are staying in one spot and they still see the fire at night and white stuff in the sky during the day. If I were used to going through the desert by the fire and the cloud, I would think that my eyes would associate the fire and the cloud with God's holy presence. Interesting, I thought.
In Leviticus 6, the LORD told Moses to keep the fire going on the alter (verse 9). This is the group of people who are used to seeing and following the fire at night and cloud (different, but looks like smoke -- something white in the sky) during the day.
Exodus 13:21-22 (English Standard Version)
21And(A) the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.
Now they are staying in one spot and they still see the fire at night and white stuff in the sky during the day. If I were used to going through the desert by the fire and the cloud, I would think that my eyes would associate the fire and the cloud with God's holy presence. Interesting, I thought.
Command! (Tzav)
Leviticus 6:8-8:36 ...."Command!" is what the LORD told Moses.
Chapter 6 is more detail about the sacrifices we read in Chapters 1 - 5.
Chapter 6 is where we read about Urim and Thummim...something I have been wondering about for a long time. What are they? I read that they meant 'light and perfections'.
Some commentaries I read don't mention Urim and Thummim so much. Mysterious...
Chapter 6 is more detail about the sacrifices we read in Chapters 1 - 5.
Chapter 6 is where we read about Urim and Thummim...something I have been wondering about for a long time. What are they? I read that they meant 'light and perfections'.
Some commentaries I read don't mention Urim and Thummim so much. Mysterious...
song of the week 5/12
Vayikra #2
Leviticus
Chapter 1 Burnt offering
Chapter 2 Grain offering
Chapter 3 Peace offering
Chapter 4 Sin offering
Chapter 5 Guilt offering
The suggested reading portion from the NT is from Hebrews 10 and 13. It was powerful
Hebrews 10:1-14 (New Living Translation)
" 1 The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2 If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.
3 But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. 4 For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 That is why, when Christ[a] came into the world, he said to God,
“You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings.
But you have given me a body to offer.
6 You were not pleased with burnt offerings
or other offerings for sin.
7 Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God—
as is written about me in the Scriptures.’”[b]
8 First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). 9 Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. 10 For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.
11 Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. 14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy."
And Hebrews 13:10-16 (New Living Translation)
Chapter 1 Burnt offering
Chapter 2 Grain offering
Chapter 3 Peace offering
Chapter 4 Sin offering
Chapter 5 Guilt offering
The suggested reading portion from the NT is from Hebrews 10 and 13. It was powerful
Hebrews 10:1-14 (New Living Translation)
" 1 The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2 If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.
3 But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. 4 For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 That is why, when Christ[a] came into the world, he said to God,
“You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings.
But you have given me a body to offer.
6 You were not pleased with burnt offerings
or other offerings for sin.
7 Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God—
as is written about me in the Scriptures.’”[b]
8 First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). 9 Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. 10 For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.
11 Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. 14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy."
And Hebrews 13:10-16 (New Living Translation)
Book of Hebrews in NT
The letter to the Hebrews is interesting, but it is more interesting after reading Leviticus.
God never really wanted the sacrifice, but sacrifice brought by our sincere hearts. It is the sincere hearts of repentance and genuine love to approach God that He really wants. One commentary on Leviticus (Jewish) said that God accepted the sacrifice with the repentant heart. So it is clear to the Jewish point of view, too. The fact that God wants our sincere heart is not just for Christians.
There have been many incidents like this that surprised me. Surprised because the things I thought were "for Christians who was in the New Covenant, thus different from the Old Testament, thus away from the Jewishness" were actually very similar to some Jewish teachings ( if the teaching is from the Bible itself).... So what is this 'legalism' that we associate with the OT that has developed among us - both Jews and Gentiles? Two people can do the same work and one can be 'legalistic' and the other can be doing it out of his/her genuine love, don't you think?
I am not sure where I am going with this blog today but those were my thoughts.
Of courser Jesus as the Messiah is the key between OT and NT. But if both Jews and Christians claim that our God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, the image of God from the OT may be due to the "culture" the Jewish people developed beyond the Scriptures and it may be due to the way it is translated. We need to read the OT, too. After all, when Paul said to read the Scripture, he must have meant OT because he wrote the NT.
God never really wanted the sacrifice, but sacrifice brought by our sincere hearts. It is the sincere hearts of repentance and genuine love to approach God that He really wants. One commentary on Leviticus (Jewish) said that God accepted the sacrifice with the repentant heart. So it is clear to the Jewish point of view, too. The fact that God wants our sincere heart is not just for Christians.
There have been many incidents like this that surprised me. Surprised because the things I thought were "for Christians who was in the New Covenant, thus different from the Old Testament, thus away from the Jewishness" were actually very similar to some Jewish teachings ( if the teaching is from the Bible itself).... So what is this 'legalism' that we associate with the OT that has developed among us - both Jews and Gentiles? Two people can do the same work and one can be 'legalistic' and the other can be doing it out of his/her genuine love, don't you think?
I am not sure where I am going with this blog today but those were my thoughts.
Of courser Jesus as the Messiah is the key between OT and NT. But if both Jews and Christians claim that our God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, the image of God from the OT may be due to the "culture" the Jewish people developed beyond the Scriptures and it may be due to the way it is translated. We need to read the OT, too. After all, when Paul said to read the Scripture, he must have meant OT because he wrote the NT.
