Glorious Liberty--Day 59 Through the Bible

                                     This beautiful butterfly has a lifespan of approximately one month at best.
                                                                 The Year of Jubilee is a topic in our study today.  
                                                You will learn in this blog that the Bible tells us the entire creation  
                                                                                    is waiting  for liberation!                

February 28

Before finishing the blog, I took a walk on this blustery, snowy morning. (If I allow the weather to hinder my walk, I tend to find other excuses not to walk even in good weather.) During my walk, I heard an unfamiliar “squawk” as I made my way up a hill, and then a loud swooshing of wings. As I looked up, I saw wild turkeys leaving the tops of the trees. These trees are very tall. I know turkeys roost at night, but had no idea how high. I watched as the large birds flew out of sight and had never seen them fly such a long distance.  This brought to mind one of the subjects of today’s study—that of liberty.

The year of Jubilee (the 50^th year) was to be consecrated and liberty proclaimed throughout the land for all its inhabitants. This 50^th year was to bring freedom from debt and the bondage of servitude, and land was restored to its original owners. God told Israel in Leviticus 25:23, “The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me”.

God is working out a plan that will restore not only man, but the entirety of creation. We see in Romans 8:19-23, that God’s creation is waiting for something. Verses 19, 21 say, “For the earnest expectation of the creature (the Greek word for creature can be translated “creation”) waits for the manifestation of the sons of God.. . .Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God”. (Isaiah 11:6-9 tells of a time of peace in the future when the wolf will dwell with the lamb and there will be an unprecedented time of peace for man and beast.)

God’s Feasts that were covered in the previous chapter are a type of God’s plan from start to finish—from Passover to the 8^th day--the "last great day" of the Feast of Tabernacles, spoken of by Jesus in John 7:37.  Verse 22-23 of Romans 8 continues, “For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, that is, the redemption of our body”.

It is questionable whether a Jubilee year was ever observed in Israel. Most Bible scholars seem to believe that it was never celebrated. Israel struggled with unbelief and disobedience leading to their 40 year trek in the wilderness and was unable to follow God after their entrance into the Promised Land. Our flesh, as theirs, is corrupt and it is impossible to experience true liberty without the new birth. And as it says in Romans 8, even we who are born again groan as we wait for the redemption of our bodies.

We are living in a time when things are being shaken. During our study in Leviticus, the phrase “I am the Lord Your God” appears over and over. In the days ahead, we would do well as believers to keep this truth in the fore front of our minds. God says that He will shake everything that can be shaken—“that those things which cannot be shaken may remain” (Hebrews 12:27). This study helps root us and ground us in the Word of God, which can never be shaken.  

It gives us hope and comfort to know that God has a plan of liberation for all His creation. We briefly get a glimpse of this need as we see fear reflected in the eyes of a rabbit as he flees for safety. And to think that that little rabbit “waits for the manifestation of the sons of God”! He doesn’t this, but God does. As we live in anticipation of this day, may we be reminded not to oppress one another, as God instructed in Leviticus. God is aware there is a tendency in human nature to do just that. God specifically mentions not charging a brother interest (usury), but to “fear the Lord”.

The Psalmist asks God to, “Save Your people, and bless Your inheritance; shepherd them also, and bear them up forever” (Psalm 28:9). Proverbs 10:19-21, certainly applies today, “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver…the lips of the righteous feed many”. As we continue to live in a world held in bondage, may we follow Jesus’ example of getting alone with God. We are not without a Shepherd! There is safety and rest when we dwell in the secret place of the Most High and abide under His shadow (Psalm 91:1).

Even as Jesus suggested to the disciples, we have the capacity to give the worn-out multitude “something to eat”. Living in bondage is demoralizing. We notice the sad faces around us every where we go. God has liberated us to give the hope of the Gospel to our fellow man—the Good News that liberation is possible! He has left us in the world (John 17:15), to spread the good news and share this hope with others until He returns. As the day approaches, may we see ourselves sojourning with God in the land that belongs to Him. May we be faithful in telling others that the day of spiritual Jubilee has dawned and the day of complete liberation for all creation is coming!

Position Toward God Revealed--Day 50 Through the Bible

                            The mountains of Western NC are filled with opportunities for photographers. 

                                     God is revealed in His Word as the Creator of this beautiful butterfly. 

                                               In our study today,  He is also revealed as the Holy God who holds 

                                         our lives in His hands. He is more than worthy of our respect and worship!

February 19

What is my position regarding God? What is your position?

Each scripture passage for today reveals an attitude or position toward God.

The most important reason for reading and studying the Bible is to learn who God is.

It is a blessing to have our own personal copy of the Bible and to study on our own. We will individually answer to God for the position we hold toward Him (Romans 14:12).

The congregation of Israel was on their faces because they had witnessed the fire of God devour an offering on the altar of the tabernacle. In the next verse, the sons of Aaron offer “profane fire” before the Lord. Why were they not on their faces? The Bible does not reveal exactly why God devoured them with fire, however, verses in the passage offer clues. God had not commanded them to do what they did. The very next words God spoke following the death of Aaron’s sons are also revealing:

“By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified” (Leviticus 10:3) The actions of Aaron's sons evidently revealed their underlying attitudes. Also in this passage, the Lord tells Aaron, “Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die. . .that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, unclean and clean. . .” This sounds like they may have been intoxicated (which would also reveal an attitude toward God and their service as priests).

When Aaron's sons were killed by God, everyone present was very careful in what they did next. As their father, Aaron must have been devastated to witness the death of his sons at the hand of God. However, after hearing what God said about regarding Him as holy and that He must be glorified before all the people, the Bible tells us, "So Aaron held his peace" (Leviticus 10:3). The bodies were removed from the tabernacle. Moses warned Aaron and his remaining sons not to uncover their heads or tear their clothes, signifying grief, lest they die. Neither could they leave the tabernacle because the anointing oil of the tabernacle was upon them and they could die if they left. This was indeed a tragic scene!

Commentaries give different thoughts on why God destroyed Aaron's sons, the priests. We might be tempted to just brush this incident aside and say it doesn’t concern us any way because “it's in the Old Testament”. However, we are warned in the New Testament, in Revelation 22:18-19, not to add to or take away from what God has written in this prophecy. He says otherwise “God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. . .God shall take away his part from the Book of  Life, from the holy city, and from the things that are written in this book”. God does not change (Malachi 3:6). He is the same Holy God today as is revealed in the Old Testament.

Hebrews 10:31 reminds us: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”. Having just read about this incident in Leviticus, I think we can better understand what the writer of Hebrews was saying. In Acts 10:34, we are told, "God is no respecter of persons". So why did God not kill David when He entered the Temple and ate the showbread reserved for the priests (Matthew 12:3-4)? Today's reading in Psalms may help shed some light on this as it reveals David’s attitude toward God: “O my God, I trust in You"; 

"lead me in Your Truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation”. David had a close relationship with God. Evidently, unlike the sons of Aaron—David held God in high regard. David committed horrible sins, however, he went down in (Bible) history as a man after God's own heart (I Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22). God is revealed in His Word as Holy. We are told not to even use His name in vain (Exodus 20:7). The verse goes on to say, "for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain". David's position toward God is evidently one to be mimicked. (The Book of Psalms provides us with tremendous insight into David's heart as well as templates for prayer and examination of our own hearts.)

In Proverbs 9, this woman’s attitude toward God is also revealed by her actions. She is described as “simple, and knows nothing”. She is evidently not concerned about breaking God’s laws or about the life she is living before God and the affect she is having on others. She doesn’t see beyond present pleasures, and she obviously knows nothing about what God says regarding virtues for women. It is sad that many professing believers know little about God and live contrary to His Way. However, this can be changed at any time through awareness, repentance, and getting into His Word.  Daily study of the Bible sets us on a path of learning about God that can change our lives!

In Mark chapter 1, the unclean spirit recognized Jesus as “the Holy One of God” and was fearful. Unfortunately, in the realm of humanity and in too many cases, God is not even acknowledged to this extent. Further into the chapter, Jesus’ position toward God is once again illuminated by the fact that Jesus got up a long time before day break, went to a solitary place and there prayed to His Father. With the fear of God fresh in our minds, today would be a good day to take the time to prayerfully examine the position we ourselves hold toward God!