Numbers 29:1-40  Offerings for Various Occasions, Part 2

[Study Aired November 27, 2023]

Introduction

This week’s study on chapter 29 is the continuation of the offerings that the Lord expected from the people of Israel. In today’s study, the focus is on the offering at the Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement and Feast of Booths. To help us understand what we are being taught in Numbers chapter 29, let’s take a look at what these feasts were and their spiritual significance.

The Feast of Trumpets is one of the seven feasts appointed by the Lord which began on the first day of the seven month which marks the beginning of the Jewish civil calendar. The festival derived its name from the command to blow trumpets. The word “trumpet blasts” is translated from the Hebrew word “teruah” which means a shout or ‘a blowing.’ The feast marks the start of ten days of consecration before the Lord with the tenth day being the day of atonement and the fifteenth day being the beginning of the festival of booths.  During this feast of Trumpets, no one is required to work. It is important to note that this feast also marks the end of the agricultural year for the people of Israel. The blowing of the trumpets on the first day of the month heralded a solemn time of preparation for the Day of Atonement. This preparation time was called “Ten Days of Repentance.”

Spiritually speaking, the first day of this feast marks the beginning of a new age where the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. This shall be heralded by a shout from the Lord and the death in Christ shall rise.

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 
1Th 4:18  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

As indicated, the feast of Trumpets marks the start of a ten-day period in preparation for the Day of Atonement. According to Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, atonement means God has provided a way for humankind to come back into harmonious relationship with Him. What all this means is that the ten-day period before the Day of Atonement represents the thousand-year reign when humankind’s sins become full. Remember that the number ten means the fullness of the flesh. The Day of Atonement signifies the start of the work of the fire of God’s word where God has provided a way for humankind to come back into harmonious relationship with Him through the agency of Christ and His Christ.

2Sa 14:14  For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him. 

The Feast of Tabernacles or booths takes place on the 15th of the Hebrew month Tishri which was the seventh month. The feast begins five days after the Day of Atonement, and it is celebrated for seven days. During each day of the feast, the people of Israel were to offer a sacrifice made by fire to the Lord. At the beginning of the feast of booths, there is a holy convocation where the people rest from their work. The Feast of Tabernacles therefore begins with a Sabbath day of rest. During the eight days of the feast, the Israelites would dwell in booths or tabernacles that were made from the branches of trees. This feast is one of the three feasts which the Jews were required to observe each year by going to appear before the Lord in the place which He shall choose.

Lev 23:40  And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. 
Lev 23:41  You shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 
Lev 23:42  You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, 
Lev 23:43  that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.”

Deu 16:16  “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths. They shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed.
Deu 16:17  Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God that he has given you. 

The fact that the feast of booths takes place five days after the Day of Atonement implies that it is by grace through faith that we are saved. The seven-day celebration of the feast is to show us the complete period of our lives when we come out of the world (Egypt). The people of Israel living in booths for the seven days of the feast is to let us know the temporariness of our commitment to the Lord when we leave Egypt. 

In a discussion with Brother Mike about this study, this is what he said which is very insightful:

“Hos 11:1  When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
Hos 11:2  As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images. 

Our rod of iron will not be appreciated for very long, just like Israel when they came out of Egypt. Their gratitude lasted for three days until their first trial and then they wanted to go back to Egypt.

The eighth day is called “the great day of the feast” where Jesus says “If any man comes to me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters” signifying the work of the elect in the great white throne judgment/lake of fire/ second death. It is here that “the eighth is of the seven and goes into perdition” which ‘perdition’ of our old man produces the new man in all who are in the lake of fire. It is the eighth day of the feast which signifies the “all in all”.”

1Co 15:27  For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 
1Co 15:28  And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Presently, however, the feast of trumpets represents the time in our lives that the Lord comes into our lives with a shout or trumpet (word of His mouth) to begin the destruction of our old man or flesh. 

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 
2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

From the perspective of the present, we can say that the Day of Atonement signifies the beginning of what the Lord takes us through to be united with Him and to prepare the way for all humanity to also be joined to Christ later. As Christ died as one of the two goats presented before Aaron on the Day of Atonement, we represent the other goat (scapegoat) that is presented to the Lord alive and set free in the wilderness to complete the suffering of Christ.

Lev 16:7  And he (Aaron) shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 
Lev 16:8  And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 
Lev 16:9  And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. 
Lev 16:10  But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. 

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: 

Through the suffering we endure as we learn righteousness, we become united with the Lord as we dwell in Him and Him in us.  

Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

In today’s study, we shall look at what we are to offer during these festivals appointed by the Lord. Ultimately, what we are to offer as a burnt offering to the Lord is presenting our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to the Lord. However, offering our bodies as living sacrifices does not happen in one day. We go through a process in order to offer our bodies as living sacrifices. These offerings at various feasts help us to understand what the Lord takes us through in order to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to the Lord.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Offerings for the Feast of Trumpets

Num 29:1  And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you. 
Num 29:2  And ye shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without blemish: 
Num 29:3  And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram,
Num 29:4  And one tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs: 
Num 29:5  And one kid of the goats for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you: 
Num 29:6  Beside the burnt offering of the month, and his meat offering, and the daily burnt offering, and his meat offering, and their drink offerings, according unto their manner, for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.

As indicated earlier, the sounding of the trumpet is translated from the Hebrew word “teruah” which means ‘a shout’ or ‘a blowing.’ The coming of the Lord with a shout in our lives marks the complete period of our lives where we were dead spiritually (signified by the seventh month). This coming of the Lord is to cause us to hear His words, signified by the sounding of the trumpet to us.  

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 
2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 

This is the period of our lives where we learn to rest from our own works as indicated by the command to cease servile works during this feast of trumpets. 

Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 
Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 
Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

The feast of trumpets begins our judgment or fiery trials as we gradually draw away from the standards of this world. That is when we can offer ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to the Lord – a sacrifice made by fire as Christ had already laid the foundation for us by offering Himself as our sin offering. The meat offering of flour in verse 3 which was mingled with oil symbolizes what we have received from the Lord as He opens our eyes and ears to see and hear the spiritual significance of His words. This implies that offering ourselves as living sacrifices can only be accomplished when we are endowed with the knowledge of the Lord’s words. It is this offering which serves as a sweet savor to the Lord.

Pro 4:5  Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Pro 4:6  Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. 
Pro 4:7  Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 
Pro 4:8  Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. 
Pro 4:9  She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

Offerings for the Day of Atonement

Num 29:7  And ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month an holy convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work therein: 
Num 29:8  But ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD for a sweet savour; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year; they shall be unto you without blemish: 
Num 29:9  And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals to a bullock, and two tenth deals to one ram,
Num 29:10  A several tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs: 
Num 29:11  One kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering of it, and their drink offerings.

The Day of Atonement represents our reconciliation with God. This is after Christ has come to us with the spirit of His mouth and the brightness of His coming. The tenth day of the seventh month, which is the Day of Atonement, shows us that it is when our flesh reaches its fullness that Christ comes to us to reconcile us to God. His coming to us is to judge us as we offer ourselves as a burnt offering which is a sweet savor to the Lord. As we indicated in the previous study, the young bullock, the ram, and seven lambs of the first year which were offered, represent us, His elect. The seven lambs of one year signify that the complete number of the elect of every generation who offer themselves as living sacrifices to the Lord are all of one mind. The meat and the drink offerings signify that it is through the spiritual knowledge of His words (flour mingled with oil) that we can offer ourselves as sacrifices pleasing to the Lord and also to offer our service of love to the people of the Lord. All of this is possible because the Lord has laid down His life for us as the goat for the sin offering. 

Php 2:17  Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.
Php 2:18  Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me. (ESV)

2Ti 4:6  For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. (ESV) 

Offerings for the Feast of Booths

Num 29:12  And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days:
Num 29:13  And ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD; thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year; they shall be without blemish: 
Num 29:14  And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto every bullock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth deals to each ram of the two rams, 
Num 29:15  And a several tenth deal to each lamb of the fourteen lambs: 
Num 29:16  And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering. 
Num 29:17  And on the second day ye shall offer twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without spot: 
Num 29:18  And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
Num 29:19  And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering thereof, and their drink offerings. 
Num 29:20  And on the third day eleven bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish; 
Num 29:21  And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
Num 29:22  And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.

The feast of Booths starting on the fifteenth day of the seventh month signifies our new lives when we come out of the world (Egypt). The burnt offering that we offer during this period of our walk is different for each day. The difference is in the number of bullocks that are offered each day. The number of bullocks decreases each day by one, but the rams and lambs are the same each day for the seven days. In the Old Testament, it was those who were physically rich that had cattle or bullocks. This implies that spiritually, bullock represents spiritual riches.

Gen 13:1  And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. 
Gen 13:2  And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.

The decreasing number of bullocks in the burnt offering each day during the feast of booths is therefore to show us the decreasing appreciation of the rule of the Lord during this period of our lives when we have left the world but found ourselves in Babylon. It is usually the leaders of the people who have the physical riches to offer a bullock as sacrifice. This tells us that it is our leaders in Babylon who have lost their bearings regarding their appreciation of the rule of the Lord which causes us to also go astray. 

2Pe 2:12  But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; 
2Pe 2:13  And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; 
2Pe 2:14  Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: 
2Pe 2:15  Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 
2Pe 2:16  But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet. 
2Pe 2:17  These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. 
2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

The burnt offering for the first day of this feast consists of thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year. The number thirteen signifies rebellion. This rebellion against the Lord is caused by the old man or our flesh within us. That is why our old man must be dealt with through our fiery trials. 

On the second day, our burnt offering consists of twelve bullocks. The number twelve represents Christ and also means foundation. What this tells us is that although we have started our walk with Christ, we are still carnal as we are controlled by our flesh. Thus, we are not able to appreciate the Lord’s rule in our lives. 

1Co 3:1  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 
1Co 3:2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 
1Co 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 
1Co 3:4  For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

On the third day, the number of bullocks offered reduces to 11 which signifies the ruin and disintegration of the perfection of the flesh. What this means is that our lack of appreciation of the rule of Christ in our lives is the opportunity the Lord is seeking to destroy our flesh in the fullness of time. 

Num 29:23  And on the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish: 
Num 29:24  Their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:
Num 29:25  And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering. 
Num 29:26  And on the fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without spot: 
Num 29:27  And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: 
Num 29:28  And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering. 
Num 29:29  And on the sixth day eight bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish: 
Num 29:30  And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: 
Num 29:31  And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering. 
Num 29:32  And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish: 
Num 29:33  And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: 
Num 29:34  And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.  

On the fourth day, ten bullocks are offered as burnt offerings together with two rams and fourteen lambs. The number ten means completion of the flesh. At this point in our walk, we have come to see the fullness of our flesh and have come to understand that of ourselves, we can do nothing. 

Joh 5:30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

The fifth day offering consisted of nine bullocks, two rams and fourteen lambs. The number nine indicates God’s judgment. Our appreciation of the Lord at this stage of our walk continues to decrease, paving the way for the Lord’s judgment of our old man or flesh in order for us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord. 

The sixth day sacrifice was made up of eight bullocks, two rams and fourteen lambs. The number eight means new beginning or new man. What this implies is that as fleshly beings (significance of the sixth day), it is through the judgment of the Lord that our old man or flesh dies, giving way to the new man after Christ. 

The seventh day sacrifice consisted of seven bullocks, two rams and fourteen lambs. At this point in our walk with Christ, our appreciation of the Lord has reached its lowest point. We have fallen completely and needed the Lord to intervene in our circumstance. As the saying goes, the darkest hour is just before dawn. Our deliverance is very close at this point as the Lord is about to come with the breath of His mouth and His brightness to start the process of destroying the old man within us. 

Isa 60:1  Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 
Isa 60:2  For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 
Isa 60:3  And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

The Eighth Day

Num 29:35  On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn assembly: ye shall do no servile work therein: 
Num 29:36  But ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: one bullock, one ram, seven lambs of the first year without blemish: 
Num 29:37  Their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullock, for the ram, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: 
Num 29:38  And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering. 
Num 29:39  These things ye shall do unto the LORD in your set feasts, beside your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meat offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings. 
Num 29:40  And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the LORD commanded Moses. 

As indicated earlier, the number eight means new beginning or the new man. Presently, this is the period when we are dominated by our new man. At this point in time, we become fully united with Christ, having one mind (one bullock for sacrifice) and resting fully in Him. That is when we shall be enabled by the Lord to offer all kinds of offerings that are holy and acceptable to the Lord.

This period also refers to the sanctifying work of the elect during the lake of fire age in bringing all humanity to Christ. 

May His name be praised forever!! Amen!! 

Numbers 28:1-31  Offerings for Various Occasions, Part 1

[Study Aired November 20, 2023]

Num 28:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Num 28:2  Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season.
Num 28:3  And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering. 
Num 28:4  The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even; 
Num 28:5  And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil. 
Num 28:6  It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD. 
Num 28:7  And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the LORD for a drink offering.
Num 28:8  And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even: as the meat offering of the morning, and as the drink offering thereof, thou shalt offer it, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD. 
Num 28:9  And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof: 
Num 28:10  This is the burnt offering of every sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering. 

Monthly Offerings

Num 28:11  And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot; 
Num 28:12  And three tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one bullock; and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one ram; 
Num 28:13  And a several tenth deal of flour mingled with oil for a meat offering unto one lamb; for a burnt offering of a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD. 
Num 28:14  And their drink offerings shall be half an hin of wine unto a bullock, and the third part of an hin unto a ram, and a fourth part of an hin unto a lamb: this is the burnt offering of every month throughout the months of the year. 
Num 28:15  And one kid of the goats for a sin offering unto the LORD shall be offered, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering. 
Num 28:16  And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the LORD. 
Num 28:17  And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. 
Num 28:18  In the first day shall be an holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work therein: 
Num 28:19  But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you without blemish: 
Num 28:20  And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil: three tenth deals shall ye offer for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram; 
Num 28:21  A several tenth deal shalt thou offer for every lamb, throughout the seven lambs: 
Num 28:22  And one goat for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you.
Num 28:23  Ye shall offer these beside the burnt offering in the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering. 
Num 28:24  After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: it shall be offered beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering. 
Num 28:25  And on the seventh day ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work.

Offerings for the Feast of Weeks

Num 28:26  Also in the day of the firstfruits, when ye bring a new meat offering unto the LORD, after your weeks be out, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: 
Num 28:27  But ye shall offer the burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of the first year; 
Num 28:28  And their meat offering of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto one bullock, two tenth deals unto one ram, 
Num 28:29  A several tenth deal unto one lamb, throughout the seven lambs; 
Num 28:30  And one kid of the goats, to make an atonement for you.
Num 28:31  Ye shall offer them beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, (they shall be unto you without blemish) and their drink offerings.

Introduction

Today’s study on chapter 28 is about offerings that the Lord expected from the people of Israel. Specifically, the study deals with the daily sacrifice, the offering on the sabbath and new moons, the offerings on the Passover and on the day of first fruits. In the scriptures, the Lord expected the people of Israel to offer different sacrifices at the appointed times. There were basically five types of offerings or sacrifices the Lord expected from the people of Israel – the burnt offering, the meat or grain offering, the peace offering, the sin offering and the trespass offering. It is worth noting that the burnt, grain and peace offerings were voluntary. However, the sin and trespass offerings were mandatory.  Each offering requires an animal, fruits or grain which are split into portions, usually two or three, with the third portion being kept by the person making the offering.

Lev 1:3  If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.

The burnt offering was a voluntary one, and it expresses the offeror’s thanksgiving, worship, devotion and commitment to God. It also atones for unintentional sin. The people of Israel offer bulls, rams, sheep, goats, pigeons or turtle doves. These animals and birds are burnt completely without any of the meat given to the offeror.

The grain offering was also a voluntary one. In this case, the worshiper offers up the fruit of the field in the form of a cake or baked bread. The grain offering was accompanied by a drink offering of wine. This type of offering expresses gratitude and thanksgiving, recognizing the Lord’s favor, unmerited goodwill and provision toward the person making the sacrifice. Priests could partake of a portion of this offering, but they had to eat it within the tabernacle.

The peace offering was the third voluntary offering which expresses thanksgiving, but it also emphasized fellowship, as it was followed by a shared meal. Regarding this offering, the priest receives part of the meat of the animal that was waved, hence the name “wave” or “heave” offering.

The sin offering was mandatory, and it has to do with an atonement for sins committed and cleansing for defilement. Depending on the financial situation of the offeror, one can offer a female goat, and the poor can offer fine flour. In the case of an offering for the whole congregation, a young bull was used. 

The trespass offering is also mandatory with a ram as the required animal. The people of Israel offered this type of sacrifice as atonement for unintentional sins against someone else that required reimbursement and recompense. It was also a cleansing offering from defiling sins or physical illnesses and conditions. 

The question is, “What is the Lord teaching us, His elect, with all these offerings?” It is to teach us that the Lord wants us to have a healthy relationship with Him. However, before this relationship can be established, it is of necessity that our sins be atoned for, since all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of the Lord. That is why Jesus has to come as the sacrificial animal to atone for our sins and to establish our relationship with God through Him. Jesus therefore represents all the animals and the food and drinks we offer as sacrifice. This is what was said of the Lord when He came in the flesh to atone for our sins. 

Heb 10:1  For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.
Heb 10:2  Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 
Heb 10:3  But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 
Heb 10:4  For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 
Heb 10:5  Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; 
Heb 10:6  in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. 
Heb 10:7  Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” 
Heb 10:8  When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 
Heb 10:9  then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 
Heb 10:10  And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 
Heb 10:11  And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 
Heb 10:12  But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 
Heb 10:13  waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 
Heb 10:14  For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 
Heb 10:15  And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
Heb 10:16  “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,”
Heb 10:17  then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”

This is what the Lord requires of the people of Israel, but it could not be achieved under the law of Moses until Christ’s sacrificial death. 

Deu 10:12  “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 
Deu 10:13  and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good?

The prophet Micah affirmed what the Lord requires when he made the following statement:

Mic 6:6  “With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
Mic 6:7  Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” 
Mic 6:8  He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

In view of the offering of our Lord as our sacrificial lamb, what we are required to do is to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to the Lord, holy and acceptable to Him. This implies that we do not conform to the standards of this world. This is the spiritual sacrifice that we are to offer:

Rom 12:1  I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Rom 12:2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Our study today therefore highlights the spiritual implications of the offerings for the various occasions.

The Daily Offerings

Num 28:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 28:2  Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season. 
Num 28:3  And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering. 
Num 28:4  The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even; 
Num 28:5  And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil. 
Num 28:6  It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD. 
Num 28:7  And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the LORD for a drink offering. 
Num 28:8  And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even: as the meat offering of the morning, and as the drink offering thereof, thou shalt offer it, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

The old generation who died in the wilderness were given this command about how they were to offer sacrifices to the Lord in Exodus 29.  Since the people of Israel in this case constitute a new generation, they needed to be reminded of how they were to worship the Lord as they embark on their journey to possess the land. The Lord’s commandments regarding offerings are to teach us, His elect, how to serve the Lord acceptably in this wilderness of life. In verse 3, the two lambs to be offered daily represent the Lord’s elect who serve as witness of Him. What is significant is that the lambs must be one year old.  The following verses of scripture show us the significance of the first year:

Exo 40:17  In the first month in the second year on the first day of the month (one year old), the tabernacle was erected. 

Num 9:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,
Num 9:2  Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season. 

Jer 52:31  And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison,

What this means is that when we begin to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to the Lord, we can be offered as lambs for a meat and drink offering to the Lord. In other words, it is when we come out of prison (like Jehoiakim) and our temples (bodies) are going through the cleansing process by the Lord; that is when we can become lambs to be offered to God.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

According to these verses, this offering of ourselves as living sacrifices is to be done daily as long as we live in this tent of our bodies. What we are to offer daily to the Lord in the morning and in the evening as a sweet savor for a meat offering and a drink offering are two lambs of a year old. Each of the lambs are to be offered together with a tenth of an ephah of finest flour mixed with a quarter of a measure of oil from pressed olives and a quarter of wine measure. Regarding the meat offering, the biblical use of meat refers to solid food as opposed to drink.  The first occurrences of meat in the Bible are found in Genesis where the Lord gives every herb bearing seed and the fruit of a tree for meat. Thus, the use of fine flour for a meat offering is appropriate in this context.

Gen 1:29  And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

The meat offering is the offering of a “living sacrifice” which the elect are required to offer. That was the sacrifice that our Lord Jesus Christ gave during His earthly ministry.

Joh 4:34  Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 

Joh 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

Spiritually, the drink offering signifies our service of love to the people of the Lord, as demonstrated by Apostle Paul as follows: 

Php 2:17  Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.
Php 2:18  Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me. (ESV)

2Ti 4:6  For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. (ESV) 

Offering our bodies as living sacrifices entails going through fiery trials as shown in Numbers 28:2 where sacrifices are made by fire. The sanctifying work of the Lord involves cleansing our temples, which are our bodies, through our fiery trials so that we can become a sweet savor to the Lord.

1Co 3:12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 
1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

It is this sacrifice made by fire as we offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to the Lord and our service of love to the people of the Lord that facilitate our Lord meeting and speaking to us.

Exo 29:42  This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.
Exo 29:43  And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory. 
Exo 29:44  And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest’s office.
Exo 29:45  And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.
Exo 29:46  And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their God.

The Lord dwelling with us is predicated on the fact that we are able to offer ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to Him as we labor for the Lord’s people.

2Co 6:16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 
2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 
2Co 6:18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Here in Corinthians, we are given further information about the condition under which our Lord comes to dwell in us. We must do away with our idols of the heart and come out from Babylon completely. Although physically we have left Babylon, there are still some aspects of their doctrines that may linger in our heavens which represent the unclean thing. However, our confidence is in the fact that whatever the Lord starts, He is able to finish!!

Sabbath Day Offerings

Num 28:9  And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof:
Num 28:10  This is the burnt offering of every sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.

The sabbath day offerings refer to our sacrifices when we have come to rest in Him. This sacrifice is the same as the one we are to offer daily. However, it is worth noting that in the case of the sabbath offering, the flour for the meat offering must be two-tenths instead of a tenth with respect to the daily one. This shows us that when we come to rest in Christ, we are given to know more about the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. As a result, we are able to offer more of the meat offering in our service to the Lord.

Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Monthly Offerings

Num 28:11  And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot; 
Num 28:12  And three tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one bullock; and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one ram; 
Num 28:13  And a several tenth deal of flour mingled with oil for a meat offering unto one lamb; for a burnt offering of a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.
Num 28:14  And their drink offerings shall be half an hin of wine unto a bullock, and the third part of an hin unto a ram, and a fourth part of an hin unto a lamb: this is the burnt offering of every month throughout the months of the year.
Num 28:15  And one kid of the goats for a sin offering unto the LORD shall be offered, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.

As indicated, the monthly offerings were very considerable. It consists of two bulls, a ram, and seven lambs. This was offered in addition to the meat-offering, drink offering and sin offering. It is insightful to note that the two bulls represent the elect as witnesses of Christ with one ram signifying the unity of the elect as they all have the mind of Christ. The seven lambs represent the complete elect from every generation. This implies that all elect from every generation must have one mind (the mind of Christ) to become a living sacrifice to the Lord. That is when we become witnesses of Christ.

1Co 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

With each bull, the meat offering consists of three-tenth of an ephah of finest flour mixed with oil. In the case of the ram, the meat offering has two-tenth of an ephah, mixed with oil while that of each lamb is accompanied with a meat offering of a tenth of an ephah of finest flour mixed with oil. What all of these imply is that as we mature in Christ over time, we are given more spiritual resources with our eyes opening more and our ears hearing more of the truth of the word of the Lord. This is accomplished through our fiery trials. We are therefore able to conform less to the standards of this world and therefore we are able to please the Lord more with our spiritual worship of offering our bodies as living sacrifices to the Lord. This is illustrated with the vision of Ezekiel where he saw water from the temple rise gradually until it became a river. Our spiritual worship becomes more pleasing to the Lord as we grow in the spiritual riches of His words.

Eze 47:1  Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.
Eze 47:2  Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.
Eze 47:3  And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.
Eze 47:4  Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.
Eze 47:5  Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.

Passover Offerings

Num 28:16  And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the LORD. 
Num 28:17  And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. 

The number fourteen means spiritual progress. Thus, the fourteenth day of the first month for the observation of the Passover signifies the time in our lives where we have progressed spiritually and are having the same mind of Christ (significance of the number 1). It is this time of our lives that we come to appreciate how the Lord has washed us of our sins with His blood such that He has passed us over from spiritual death. In other words, we are like a bird that has escaped from the snare of the fowler. 

Psa 124:6  Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth! 
Psa 124:7  We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped!
Psa 124:8  Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

On a positive note, the number fifteen signifies a period in our lives where we are given a new life in Christ as the Lord delivers us from our flesh.

2Ki 20:6  and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David’s sake.”

This period of our lives is like a feast where the Lord prepares a table of unleavened bread before us to eat for the complete period of our lives here on earth. The unleavened bread symbolizes the truth of His words.

Num 28:18  In the first day shall be an holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work therein:
Num 28:19  But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you without blemish:
Num 28:20  And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil: three tenth deals shall ye offer for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram; 
Num 28:21  A several tenth deal shalt thou offer for every lamb, throughout the seven lambs:
Num 28:22  And one goat for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you.
Num 28:23  Ye shall offer these beside the burnt offering in the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering. 
Num 28:24  After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: it shall be offered beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering. 
Num 28:25  And on the seventh day ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work.

During this period of our walk in Christ, we are to find rest in Christ. This means that we cease from our own strivings as we walk with the Lord. 

Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 
Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. 

Having progressed spiritually and having the assurance that the Lord has passed over us, we are to continue to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to the Lord. In this case, as a result of the spiritual riches we have received from the Lord through His words, we are able to offer wholly, our bodies as living sacrifices that are pleasing to the Lord. This is achieved through our fiery trials (significance of sacrifice made by fire) which causes us to die daily as we offer a sweet savor to the Lord.

Eze 20:41  I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.

2Co 2:15  For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

Offerings for the Feast of Weeks

Num 28:26  Also in the day of the firstfruits, when ye bring a new meat offering unto the LORD, after your weeks be out, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work:
Num 28:27  But ye shall offer the burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of the first year;
Num 28:28  And their meat offering of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto one bullock, two tenth deals unto one ram, 
Num 28:29  A several tenth deal unto one lamb, throughout the seven lambs; 
Num 28:30  And one kid of the goats, to make an atonement for you.
Num 28:31  Ye shall offer them beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, (they shall be unto you without blemish) and their drink offerings.

What these verses tell us is that as the firstfruits of the Lord, we are to have a holy convocation. In other words, we are to come together. It is during our meetings that a new meat offering is given to the Lord through what every joint supplies. The new meat offering in this case represents the revelation of His words. It is through our gathering together that we find rest in Christ through what every joint supplies. We therefore become enriched spiritually to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to the Lord.

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

May the Lord continue to purge us of everything of the flesh, so that we can offer our bodies as living sacrifices to Him. Amen!!

Gospels In Harmony – The Widow’s Offering

Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple and the Sign of His Coming – Mat 24:1-14, Mar 12:41-13:13, Luk 21:1-19

[Study Aired August 3, 2021]

Mar 12:41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury,
Luk 21:1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
Mar 12:42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
Mar 12:43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
Luk 21:4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
Mat 24:1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
Luk 21:5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts,
Mar 13:1 as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!
Mat 24:2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you,
Luk 21:6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Mar 13:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
Luk 21:7 saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?
Mat 24:3 and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Mat 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Luk 21:8 and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.
Luk 21:9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
Luk 21:10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
Luk 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
Luk 21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.
Mat 24:9 and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake,
Mar 13:9b for a testimony against them.
Mar 13:10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
Luk 21:14 Settle it therefore in your hearts,
Mar 13:11a when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate:
Luk 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
Mar 13:11b but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
Luk 21:16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
Mar 13:12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.
Mar 13:13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Luk 21:18 there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Luk 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Our first set of scriptures gives us a contrast between the “rich men” and the “certain poor widow”. These represent the old man and new man within each of us.

Mar 12:41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury,
Luk 21:1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
Mar 12:42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
Mar 12:43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
Luk 21:4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.

As the old man, we give only what we have in abundance. An example of this would be telling someone that you will pray for their need although you have a way to fulfill that need. Prayer alone is good, but you are not filling up what they are lacking if you have what they need and only pray. On the other hand, the new man gives “of her penury casting in all the living” the new man has. The new man gives everything to satisfy what is lacking in the body of Christ.

Col 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

The word ‘behind’ in Colossians 1:24 is the same word translated as ‘penury’ in Luke 21:4. Here are a few more verses using this Greek word husterema G5303.

1Co 16:14-18 Let all your things be done with charity. I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,) That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth. I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied. For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such.

2Co 11:9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

2Co 8:1-15 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

2Co 9:6-15 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

The widow, representing a member of the body of Christ, will “fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ” by being a living sacrifice.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Being a member to the body of Christ, we must be as this widow and give all of our living and not just of our abundance.

Continuing with our scriptures.

Mat 24:1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
Luk 21:5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts,
Mar 13:1 as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!
Mat 24:2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you,
Luk 21:6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

The disciples are still focusing on the things of the flesh, but Christ uses this moment, speaking in parables, to shed light of the things to come by telling them things they are not able to understand for now.

We are the temple that must be thrown down.

Mar 4:13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

Joh 16:12-13 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

1Co 3:16-23 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

The following scriptures are questions everyone desires to know. However, the answers are not what the old man desires to live out.

Mar 13:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
Luk 21:7 saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?
Mat 24:3 and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Mat 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Luk 21:8 and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

Who are these deceivers?

2Co 11:1-4 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

2Co 11:13-15 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

These deceivers are the religions of the world where we have been and are now coming out. That was the beginning of our journey into the kingdom of God. We were deceived and deceitful. Christ now goes on to explain what happens next.

Luk 21:9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
Luk 21:10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
Luk 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
Luk 21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.
Mat 24:9 and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake,
Mar 13:9b for a testimony against them.
Mar 13:10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.

We were just told that all these things must happen first. The nation rising against nation, the great earthquakes, the famines and pestilences are all happening within us while we are in Babylon. We are caused to go into Babylon in order for us to be deceived. Then we receive the truth so that we can be cast out of Babylon.

Continuing with our verses.

Luk 21:14 Settle it therefore in your hearts,
Mar 13:11a when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate:
Luk 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
Mar 13:11b but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

Neither “take no thought” no “premeditate” happens when we receive the truth. It is Christ’s truth given to us because His thoughts are not our thoughts. Isaiah tells us about our transformation out of Babylon.

Isa 55:1-8 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Here are the last verses for today’s study.

Luk 21:16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
Mar 13:12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.
Mar 13:13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Luk 21:18 there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Luk 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

This is what is written in our books: a life in the flesh of destruction through judgment by a fiery trial but a life in the spirit of mercy, peace and joy.

1Pe 4:12-19 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Gal 5:19-26 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

[Study Aired August 4, 2020]

Luk 17:11-19 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

In our last study we reviewed what leprosy is and how it is confirmed. Leprosy represents sin, especially the sin of self-righteousness. Also, we saw that it is the priests who are given the ability to recognize the leprosy. We are the priests of God. In the body of Christ, the elders have been given the charge to seek out the ‘leprosy’ within the body of Christ. This study will show us how to be cleansed of this sin. Steven presented a study of Leviticus chapter 14:1-32 on how the Leper is cleansed that we reviewed. Here is the link: Awesome Hands – Part 118 Spiritual Leprosy

I will highlight a few things in that study, and then we will look at the second step of the cleansing process, which is the cleansing of the house.

Laws for Cleansing Lepers

Lev 14:1-7 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest: And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper; Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water: As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water: And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field. 

There is a process involved for a priest of God and the infected to go through in order for a leper to be cleansed. In verse 7 the priest pronounces the infected as CLEAN, but that is only the beginning of the work which must be done in order to implement the steps needed to fully cleanse the leper.

Notice, “becoming clean” is a process of continuously cleaning yourself in different ways and different levels of cleanliness. A passage of time also requires the application of cleanliness again.

Lev 14:8-9 And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days. But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean. 

Several times now we have read that “that he may be clean” and “he shall be clean” after having read that he is already “pronounced clean”. So, why are the next steps needed?

There are seven days required so far in order for a leper to “tarry abroad out of his tent” or to have “seven sprinkles of blood” to be pronounced clean, so what can be gathered on why we are being given specific periods of time in order for certain steps to be quantified?

Knowing that the number 7 represents the completion of judgment, we can see that when we consider leprosy is a fleshly disease, there must be a connection between the offerings being made for the leper, the blood involved in the cleansing and the completion of judgment on the flesh.

The connection is that these animal sacrifices are always done for a “lawless and disobedient people”, but the sacrifice that covers us in blood is only the BEGINNING of our walk, and it is still an absolutely crucial and required one.

1Tim 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

Heb 12:23-24 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

Lev 14:10-20 And on the eighth day he [the restored leper] shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil. And the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD: And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering is the priest’s, so is the trespass offering: it is most holy: And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot: And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand: And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the LORD: And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering: And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD. And the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness; and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering: And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean. 

Take note that in these sets of verses all the offerings made are offered by the “restored” leper, except for the peace offering. Even more revealing is that the trespass offering is done differently here with lepers.

Namely, the animal in the trespass offering did not need to have value that was as high was normal when a sin was committed. The trespass offering is waved by the priest, whereas normally this is not the case since the offeror normally waved it. Also, oil was presented with the trespass offering.

These details might be a bit perplexing if we only see this as a physical leper. However, we know that the physical things we see are representative of spiritual realities. Though the leper does not necessarily commit a trespass in order to need to offer a trespass offering, we know the Lord requires this offering. This should tell us that there is more going on than meets the eye, so to speak.

Lev 14:21-22-32 And if he be poor, and cannot get so much; then he shall take one lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make an atonement for him, and one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering, and a log of oil; And two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering. And he shall bring them on the eighth day for his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the LORD. And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD: And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot: And the priest shall pour of the oil into the palm of his own left hand: And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the LORD: And the priest shall put of the oil that is in his hand upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the place of the blood of the trespass offering: And the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make an atonement for him before the LORD. And he shall offer the one of the turtledoves, or of the young pigeons, such as he can get; Even such as he is able to get, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meat offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the LORD. This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get that which pertaineth to his cleansing. 

All this shows us that there is a proper process of becoming free of our self-righteousness. We must be examined and once we discover self-righteousness, there must be sacrifice. Eventually we will be able to apply this following Psalm to ourselves.

Psa 26:1-12 A Psalm of David. Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide. Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth. I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked. I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD: That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes. But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me. My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD. 

We are to examine ourselves, but as we know, it is actually the Lord examining us.

1Co 11:26-28 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

Here is the second part of the cleansing of leprosy – the cleaning of our houses.

Lev 14:33-34 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, When ye be come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession; 

Notice the Lord puts the plague of leprosy in our house.

Lev 14:35-44 And he that owneth the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, It seemeth to me there is as it were a plague in the house: Then the priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest go into it to see the plague, that all that is in the house be not made unclean: and afterward the priest shall go in to see the house: And he shall look on the plague, and, behold, if the plague be in the walls of the house with hollow strakes, greenish or reddish, which in sight are lower than the wall; Then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days: And the priest shall come again the seventh day, and shall look: and, behold, if the plague be spread in the walls of the house; Then the priest shall command that they take away the stones in which the plague is, and they shall cast them into an unclean place without the city: And he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they shall pour out the dust that they scrape off without the city into an unclean place: And they shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones; and he shall take other morter, and shall plaister the house. And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plaistered; Then the priest shall come and look, and, behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a fretting leprosy in the house: it is unclean.

Christ spoke the following parable giving us a clue as to what the plague of leprosy and house represent.

Luk 11:24-26  When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

Lev 14:45 And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the morter of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place.

Our house must be broken down because of our rebellion of the self-righteousness of our old man constantly trying to convince us we are in control.

Isa 30:8-14 Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever: That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon: Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant. And he shall break it as the breaking of the potters’ vessel that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit.

Lev 14:46-48 Moreover he that goeth into the house all the while that it is shut up shall be unclean until the even. And he that lieth in the house shall wash his clothes; and he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes. And if the priest shall come in, and look upon it, and, behold, the plague hath not spread in the house, after the house was plaistered: then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed.

Our self-righteousness is removed by being washed. Our stony heart will be removed.

Eze 36:22-27 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Once again it takes sacrifice to complete the cleansing.

Lev 14:49-53 And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: And he shall kill the one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water: And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times: And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet: But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean. 

Lev 14:54-57 This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy, and scall, And for the leprosy of a garment, and of a house, And for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot: To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy.

This is to teach us when we are unclean and when we are clean. All this is what we experience first in order to rid ourselves of the leprosy within us. In turn, it is teaching us how to rule the rest of mankind in the ages to come.

Rev 2:26-27 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. 

[Study Aired 4/13/2020]

This is the second of the five types of offerings which Christ fulfills for us and in us. 1) burnt, 2) meat (meal), 3) peace, 4) sin, 5) trespass. There are two sub-types: the first three are sweet-smelling savors, and the last two are not sweet-smelling savors. This offering is just one part of the revealing of the “secret hidden from the ages:”

Col 1:26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: [the ability to ‘do the things I say’]

There are three categories within each of the five types except for this offering. 1) herd, 2) flock, and 3) fowl.  These offerings are the revelation of “Christ in you the hope of glory.”

This offering differs from all the others in that there is not a life being given. So, there is no herd, flock or fowl categories in this offering. Instead it has four parts of one offering: it was composed of 1) flour, 2) oil, 3) frankincense and 4) salt. Each of these parts reveals more of what is Christ in you. All three are “fruit of the ground” and therefore represent what man, who was made out of the ground, made of the dust of the earth through “Christ in him”, owes to God in service to his fellow man. The meat offering being of the fruit of the ground represents our good works which we perform in our flesh. However, these ‘good works’ are not a “sweet savor” if they are not offered upon a burnt offering. Consequently, we have these phrases in God’s Word:

Lev 23:18  And ye shall [on the day of Pentecost] offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD.

Num 29:2  And ye shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; one young bullock, one ram, [and] seven lambs of the first year without blemish:
Num 29:3  And their meat offering shall be of  flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram,

Ezr 7:17  That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which [is] in Jerusalem.

Jdg 13:19  So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.

The Law of the Meat Offering

Lev 2:1  And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be [of] fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:

“Fine flour” means that this offering has been “crushed to powder.”

Mat 21:44  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Luk 20:18  Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

What is the difference between ‘falling on the stone and being broken’ and ‘the stone falling on you and grinding you to powder?’ Here is that difference:

Rom 9:31  But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
Rom 9:32  Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone;
Rom 9:33  As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

“Believing on Christ” is ‘doing the things I say.’ It is becoming ‘fine flour’ with no unevenness. It is to become completely malleable in the hands of the Potter to be “made anew”.

Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

The meat offering was what Cain presented to God. However, Cain had not “done well” (Gen 4:7). He had not done ‘the things which I say’. Cain had not obeyed God’s instructions concerning how to approach God. God had already covered Adam and Eve with the skins of animals to show them how to properly cover their nakedness. Yet Cain saw no need to bother with shedding blood. He may have had to go to his brother to get a lamb. That was a humility Cain could not bear. Foreshadowing the death of Christ, which was to come, Cain killed God’s anointed rather than obey God’s instructions concerning how God was to be approached and satisfied:

Gen 4:1  And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.
Gen 4:2  And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Gen 4:3  And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
Gen 4:4  And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
Gen 4:5  But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
Gen 4:6  And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen?
Gen 4:7  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee [shall be] his desire, and thou shalt rule over him [over sin].

“The fruit of the ground” was what God had given man at this time as man’s nourishment:

Gen 1:29  And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which [is] upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which [is] the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

However, “the fruit of the ground” does not satisfy God. What does satisfy God is the burnt offering, which requires the shedding of blood. God’s portions which satisfy and nourish Him were not to be eaten by man at that time. It was not until after the flood that God gave man meat to eat. And even then, He reserved the blood to himself:

Gen 9:3  Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
Gen 9:4  But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.

“You shall rule over him” is a prophecy of Cain’s, and all men’s, ultimate destiny through the sacrifice of Christ for which Cain saw no need. “If you do well” means ‘if you do the things I say.’ Cain had not done as he had been instructed. Cain was the original King Saul, who was instructed to kill all the Amalekites and their animals, but he decided he knew how to better approach God than God knew. King Saul unilaterally decided to keep the cattle and women and King Agag. But King Saul’s good works, like our good works when those works are out of us and not through the burnt offering, not through Christ, become “as filthy rags” before God.

Isa 64:6  But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

“Our [most insidious and hard to detect] iniquities” are “our righteousnesses.” They are not called our unrighteousnesses; they are called “our righteousnesses,” our ‘blamelessness according to the righteousness which is in the law.’ They “are as filthy rags” and have taken us away” from the presence of our God.

Lev 2:2  And he shall bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD:
Lev 2:3  And the remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’: it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.

Aaron and his sons represent Christ, our priest:

Heb 7:12  For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

His handful (Lev 2:2) represents His claim upon our entire lives just as the tithe represented God’s claim upon Israel’s entire life (Gen 47:24-26). All the shadows of the Old Testament represent Christ.  This offering represents His claim upon our entire life as a life in service to our brothers. We present our entire bodies as living sacrifices to God:

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

This offering is the type and shadow of Christ in us being ground to powder so as to be of service to our fellow man is a way which is a sweet-smelling savor to God.

Lev 2:1 And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:

The meat offering is the second of the five types of offerings. 1) burnt, 2) meat (meal) 3) peace, 4) sin, and 5) trespass.

The meal offering consists of four ingredients 1) “finely ground flour” with 2) oil, and 3) frankincense and 4) salt. We have covered the significance of an offering which does not include the shedding of blood, an offering of the “fruit of the ground.” That ‘fruit of the ground’ represents the offering of our flesh:

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

The fact that part of this offering is not burnt but is given to the priests shows us that this is an offering whose emphasis is our debt to our fellow men who we are to see as Christ:

Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them [the sheep] on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed [thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink?
Mat 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]?
Mat 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

So, the sheep on His right hand, who feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, take in strangers, clothe the naked, visit the sick and come to the prisoners, are the meat offering.

The oil of this offering shows us the spirit of Christ in us. But it is a certain part of Christ in us. This is Christ in us as “finely ground flour… of the fruit of the ground.” It is Christ being ground to powder for us. It is also Christ being ground to powder in us. It is us being ground to powder for Christ’s body which is the church:

Col 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

What do we see here in Colossians? How can anyone say that there is something “behind of the afflictions of Christ? Isn’t Paul blaspheming? Did not Christ say, “It is finished?”

Joh 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

How then can Paul say: “I… fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church?”

Paul can say this because Paul knew that it wasn’t really him who was filling up those afflictions at all. Paul knew his Bible, and Paul had the mind of the spirit (1Co 2:16). Paul knew what this verse was all about:

Exo 20:25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.

Our works, without acknowledging the need and efficacy of the burnt offering, pollute our meat offering. While this offering shows us what Christ accomplishes in being bruised and crushed to powder for us, it also shows us that this is accomplished through us by having Christ in us. This is the only offering which is not a blood offering. It is an offering of the fruit of the ground. It represents what and how the fruit of the ground is given in service to God. It represents our good works toward our fellow man, who is also Christ. And the fact that it must never be offered without a blood offering tells us that our good works alone cannot save us. The fact that it is always offered with a shed blood offering tells us that our good works are not our works at all. They are rather ‘Christ in us.’

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by [my own efforts of keeping] the law [for the lawless], then Christ is dead in vain.

Whose works are they if they are worked in us?

Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course (‘aion’) of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of [our own] works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Is “in the ages to come” an ‘Is, Was and Will Be statement? What say the scriptures?

1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
1Co 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

The fact that “the ends of the ages… are come… upon [us]” tells us that the phrase “the ages to come” is indeed an ‘is, was, and will be’ statement, which will be applicable to every man in every generation of mankind.

The following words of Isaiah’s prophecy are part of the words of Christ which shall “never pass away” (Mat 24:34-35):

Isa 53:10  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Isa 53:11  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Isa 53:12  Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

“Bruised… put to grief… the travail of His soul”, [and having] his soul poured out unto death”, that is the meat offering. It is bruised to please His Father and to atone for our sins:

Isa 28:28 Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.
Isa 28:29 This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

“Bread corn is bruised.” That is what we are if we are to be of service to our brothers. We must “fill up in our bodies what is behind of the afflictions of Christ, for His body’s sake which is the church.” That is the finely ground and even consistency of the meat offering. It was not just “finished” 2000 years ago on His cross. It ‘Is, Was and Will Be’ being “finished… in our bodies, for His body’s sake which is the church.”

Christ suffered, not just from His enemies. He suffered from His own apostles who left Him to whatever the Jews and the Romans wanted to do to Him. What that “two horned beast [which], looked like a lamb, but spoke as a dragon” (Rev 13:11), wanted was Christ’s death, and the seven headed beast which the two-horned beast rode upon (Rev 17:1-3), was willing to accommodate her.

What is missing in the false doctrine of a ‘substitutionary atonement’ is the Biblical doctrine stating there is something yet lacking in the afflictions of Christ.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind [Greek, lacking] of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

The reason this part of the gospel is so little understood is that Christ Himself is so little understood. How few it is who appreciate the depth of the Truth of these words:

Mat 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Mat 25:45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Act 22:7  And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 22:8  And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

Christ did not die for us so we would not have to suffer and die. That is a lie from the depths of the ‘bottomless pit’, the carnal mind of man. Christ died for us so we could die with Him:

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

We are not called to be physically blessed in this life. Rather our calling is to suffer with Christ:

Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Php 1:29  For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

Christ Himself made His doctrine on this matter clear beyond any question:

Mat 10:24  The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
Mat 10:25  It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

Luk 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

Joh 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

1Jn 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one [of his father the Devil – Joh 8:44], and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
1Jn 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
1Jn 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
1Jn 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

Second ingredient – Oil

The second ingredient in the meat offering is oil – “he shall pour oil upon it.” What does oil signify in scripture?

Act 2:16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
Act 2:17 (a) And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:

Oil is not mentioned in the burnt offering. In the burnt offering the spirit is signified by water:

Lev 1:9 But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, [to be] a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Here is the ‘oil’ being poured out on the ‘flour:’

Luk 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

Here is what that ‘oil’ generates:

Luk 4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

Luk 4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
Luk 4:15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
Luk 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

What He reads in the synagogue tells of what He does under the anointing of the ‘oil,’ the spirit:

Luk 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

The spirit is mentioned in this offering of our bodies to Christ in service to our fellow man, as oil, because it is in service to one another that the smoothing and healing effect of oil is needed to heal the wounds we find or inflict on one another:

Luk 10:34 And went to him [one of the least of these my brothers], and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

Here is the one verse which best describes the meat offering:

Act 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

What was the result of Him “going about doing good?”

Luk 4:28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
Luk 4:29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

All who present themselves to God to be given Christ in them will always be “the bruised corn,” the meat offering.

Third ingredient – Frankincense

The third ingredient is frankincense, “…and put frankincense thereon:” But look what is said in connection with commanding this ingredient to be part of the meat offering:

Lev 2:11 No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the LORD made by fire.

No leaven and no honey were ever to be burnt in any offering made by fire unto the Lord. Why is that? Why is frankincense to be burnt on the altar of the Lord, but leaven and honey are never to be burnt on the altar?

The reason is that both honey and leaven corrupt and puff up when submitted to heat. Frankincense, on the other hand, is a most precious and fragrant and enduring perfume whose scent is released when heated. That is the symbolism of Christ in us as the meat offering, and it is contrasted with the sweetness of honey which is in many of us until we are put through the fire of God’s words. Then all our sweetness, like honey and leaven, begins to ferment and sour immediately. Our sweetness must never be placed on the altar of God. Here is a story which gives the contrast of incorruptible, enduring, fragrant frankincense to the never to be burnt on God’s altar, honey and leaven:

1Sa 15:1 Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.
1Sa 15:2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
1Sa 15:3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
1Sa 15:4 And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
1Sa 15:5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.
1Sa 15:6 And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
1Sa 15:7 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah [until] thou comest to Shur, that [is] over against Egypt.
1Sa 15:8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
1Sa 15:9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all [that was] good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing [that was] vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
1Sa 15:10 Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying,
1Sa 15:11 It repenteth me that I have set up Saul [to be] king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.
1Sa 15:12 And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal.
1Sa 15:13 And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed [be] thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD.
1Sa 15:14 And Samuel said, What [meaneth] then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
1Sa 15:15 And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.
1Sa 15:16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.
1Sa 15:17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?
1Sa 15:18 And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.
1Sa 15:19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?
1Sa 15:20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

King Saul is our own self-righteous old man. We convince ourselves that our ways are much better than God’s ways. To our old man these words…:

1Sa 15:3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. [Meaning simply, clean up your life!]

…Are turned into these self-righteous actions:

1Sa 15:21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.
1Sa 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
1Sa 15:23 For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from [being] king.

These words are not for Samuel and Saul. They happened unto them and they are written for us:

1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
1Co 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

How can I say that these experiences were not for those who experienced them?

1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

King Saul’s life was lived and recorded by the prophets to “minister… unto us”, and “not unto themselves”.

1Sa 15:24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
1Sa 15:25 Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.
1Sa 15:26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.
1Sa 15:27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.
1Sa 15:28 And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.
1Sa 15:29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.
1Sa 15:30 Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God.
1Sa 15:31 So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the LORD.
1Sa 15:32 Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.
1Sa 15:33 And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.
1Sa 15:34 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.
1Sa 15:35 And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.

This story portrays the corrupting leaven and honey within us while we are in Babylon where we “fear the people” more than we fear God. Such actions are never to be offered with fire on the altar of God.

King Saul, within us is contrasted with Christ in us. It is contrasted with the enduring, sweet, fragrance of frankincense, that part of Christ within us which seeks to please His Father over everything else in this life. That is a life of “praying without ceasing (1Th 5:17). That is what smells so good to our Lord as a part of Christ as the meat offering:

Psa 45:7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Psa 45:8 All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.
Son 1:3 Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.

Who are “the virgins?”

2Co 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

This is the virgin who says:

Son 1:13 A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.
Son 1:14 My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi.

The frankincense also symbolizes the prayer of these ‘virgins’, “the prayers of the saints:

Rev 5:8  And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

Rev 8:3  And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
Rev 8:4  And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.

It is for God that Christ is all these things which the meat offering symbolizes in us and for us.

Fourth ingredient – Salt

The fourth and final ingredient in the meat offering is salt:

Lev 2:13 And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.

All meat offerings had to be seasoned with salt: “Every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt.” Notice the next part of this same verse: “neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering”.

When anything is intended to be understood as lasting and being preserved it is called “a covenant of salt.” Salt both “seasons”, and salt also preserves.

Num 18:19 All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee.

That is why it is emphasized in this offering that there must be no leaven offered by fire on the altar of the Lord. Leaven is contrasted with salt. Leaven corrupts, and salt preserves: “neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering”.

Leaven, on the other hand, is used like this in scripture:

Luk 12:1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Mat 16:6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

Mar 8:15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and [of] the leaven of Herod.

Paul gives us this admonition using the word ‘salt’:

Col 4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Speaking with grace means that you understand how God works with His children, correcting and disciplining His chosen few. When this is so, our words are “seasoned with salt” and are not distasteful to the hearer. “Fitly spoken” words are words spoken “with grace [and] seasoned with salt:”

Pro 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

The meat offering differs from the burnt offering in that it is not all burnt:

Lev 2:2 And he shall bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests: and he [the priest] shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD:
Lev 2:3 And the remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons‘: it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.

The priest takes a handful of the flour and of the oil and all the frankincense to burn on the altar to the Lord. “And the rest of the meat offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons.“

While it is not all burnt like the burnt offering, it is all consumed with nothing going to the offerer. Here is what the meat offering is:

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable [Greek: divine] service.

Christ in us is our meat offering, and He Himself feeds His priests:

1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Psa 132:15 I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.

Who is “her poor?” Look at the preceding verses:

Psa 132:13 For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.
Psa 132:14 This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.

Where does God desire to dwell for ever?

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

So, the meat offering, with its flour, its oil, its frankincense and its salt is intended to be consumed for the most part by man, it is nevertheless “for the Lord.” We may tend to do what we do for recognition of others. Christ in us does it all for God:

1Th 2:5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:
1Th 2:6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

The last thing we need to know about this offering is how it differs from the wave sheaf at Pentecost.

Lev 2:12 As for the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them unto the LORD: but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savour.

What is the “oblation [offering] of the firstfruits? It is mentions in Lev 23:

Lev 23:15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:
Lev 23:16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
Lev 23:17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.

This offering was to be “burnt on the altar for a sweet savour” just the wave sheaf on the marrow after the sabbath during the days of unleavened bread was to be burnt on the altar.

Lev 2:14 And if thou offer a meat offering of thy firstfruits unto the LORD, thou shalt offer for the meat offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears.
Lev 2:15 And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is a meat offering.
Lev 2:16 And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, part of the beaten corn thereof, and [part] of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

The reason why the meat offering of the days of unleavened bread is to be burnt upon the altar as a sweet-smelling savor is that is ‘first fruit’ is Christ. As “a kind of firstfruits” we, too, are a sweet savor to the Lord, even though we are offered “with leaven” on the day of Pentecost.

Lev 23:16  Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
Lev 23:17  Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.
Lev 23:18  And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD.

1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

We are also a ‘kind of first fruits’:

Jas 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

We are a “kind of firstfruits” but meat offering of Pentecost is the only offering which is mixed with leaven:

Lev 23:17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.

The “bread of the firstfruits” was to be offered with the burnt offering. It was to be offered with fire on the altar. Read it again:

Lev 23:16  Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
Lev 23:17  Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.
Lev 23:18  And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD.

Leaven could not be offered with fire on the altar to the Lord:

Lev 2:11 No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the LORD made by fire.

What is this all telling us is the difference between the offering of the firstfruit at “the morrow after the sabbath” and the offering of the firstfruit at the day of Pentecost 50 days later? Here is the difference:

Phi 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Phi 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Phi 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

As opposed to this:

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Christ in us is our meat offering accepted as a sweet savor and burnt upon the altar to God, but the offering contrasting us with Christ is also a sweet savor, but it is “Baked with leaven” on the day of Pentecost. Christ is all of these in us. As a sweet savor His is our meat offering. “The bread of the firstfruits… baken with leaven, is also “waved… with … a sacrifice of peace offering… unto the Lord:

Lev 23:19  Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.
Lev 23:20  And the priest shall wave them [the two lambs of the peace offering] with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest.

Christ is both our sweet savor and our sin offering. He is all these things, and He is doing all of this in us:

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Luk 14:34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
Luk 14:35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 

“He that has ears to hear, let him hear”. Three times Jesus uses “salt” in a parable. Here are the other two times which will help us to understand the meaning of this parable. This parable in Luke is right after Christ’s parable of “the cost of discipleship”. The context of Matthew is from the sermon of the mount right after speaking about changing the laws of Moses, and Mark’s context is Christ discussing the temptations of sin.

Mat 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
Mat 5:2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
Mat 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Mat 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Mat 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Mat 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Mat 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Mat 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Mar 9:42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
Mar 9:43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Mar 9:44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Mar 9:45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Mar 9:46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Mar 9:47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
Mar 9:48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Mar 9:49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.
Mar 9:50 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

Remember these parables are explaining the things of the Kingdom of God. Christ’s disciples are the “salt of the earth”.

Luk 14:34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
Luk 14:35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

“Salt is good”. What and who is salt representing?

Mat 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

Mat 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth:

If we “are the salt of the earth”, then is there someone that is the salt of heaven?

Col 4:1 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
Col 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
Col 4:3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
Col 4:4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
Col 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
Col 4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

1Pe 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
1Pe 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
1Pe 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
1Pe 3:11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
1Pe 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
1Pe 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
1Pe 3:16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

Salt represents the disciples of Christ and the words of healing within them.

2Ki 2:20 And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.
2Ki 2:21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.
2Ki 2:22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.

Psa 107:20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

Spiritually speaking, salt is those people who have the Word within them, which words are healing.

Luk 14:34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
Luk 14:35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

“But if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?” Can the salt gain back its savor?

Heb 5:11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Heb 6:2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Heb 6:3 And this will we do, if God permit.
Heb 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

“It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out.” 

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 

I found the following study written by Larry Groenewald. It was posted on the site two years ago, which will add to our understanding of this parable. The link to that study. is here.

[Quote] The Spiritual Significance of Salt

As Christ’s firstfruits, we are still living in fleshly bodies with earthly honey and leaven, being humbled and shown our wretched earthly condition by God’s fiery words (Romans 7). Even in this state, while we are being set free from all earthly entanglements and attachments, we are indeed the good salt to those in whatever situation we are placed by God, even as we go through much tribulation daily to be an offering “unto the Lord”!

Lev 2:12 As for the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them [the honey or leaven] unto the LORD: but they [the honey or leaven] shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savour.
Lev 2:13 And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.

Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Col 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

A few of the natural attributes of salt come to mind. We indeed understand and apply these spiritually (Rom 1:20), which your study also highlighted beautifully:

Salt is not always visible in food, but what a difference it makes! It emphasizes the foundation and growth of the faith of Christ in us to affect everything and everyone in our lives. God’s spiritual salt (us) brings healing and salvation!

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Heb 11:2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Col 4:5 (NKJV) Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.
Col 4:6 (NKJV) Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

2Ki 2:19 And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren.
2Ki 2:20 And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.
2Ki 2:21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.
2Ki 2:22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.

Rom 11:16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

Salt preserves freshness. The life of Christ in us is giving us a new and fresh Godly approach to everything we encounter, even when others see things totally differently:

Num 13:30 (NKJV) Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”
Num 13:31 (NKJV) But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.”

Num 14:24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it. 

Num 14:6 (NKJV) But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes;
Num 14:7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land.
Num 14:8 If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’

Salt binds together in the sense that it spreads throughout the whole meal (The positive application of leaven also connects here = “one event for all”/the whole “lump” will be holy). The one spirit of the Father drags us into the Christ and elevates us to the one mind of the Christ, being “seated in heaven” through grace and faith (Eph 2:6-10). We learn how to be very careful with the salt (Jas 2:13).

Num 18:19 All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee. 

2Ch 13:5 Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?

Mar 9:49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.
Mar 9:50 Salt is good; but if the salt becomes saltless, with what will you season? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.

Gal 5:14 For all the Law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Gal 5:15 But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed by one another. [End of quote]

I will end with these scriptures for your consideration.

Luk 14:34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
Luk 14:35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Deu 11:13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,
Deu 11:14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.

Joh 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

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Awesome Hands - part 118 Discussion

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Awesome Hands – Part 118

“Spiritual Leprosy”

July 5, 2017

Spiritual leprosy is a topic that isn’t very complicated to grasp, but it is a topic which has components which are very hard to recognize and counter in our lives. While physical leprosy is easy to detect, it is spiritual leprosy that needs a “trained eye” to discern.

In our study today, we are continuing down the path of discovering the awesome hands of the Lord and how He works in our lives to reveal that we all, in our given time, have been given spiritual leprosy. However, our High Priest is able to recognize it and is also able to provide the steps needed to cleanse ourselves.

Our verses for consideration today are found in the fourteenth chapter of Leviticus.

Cleansing a leper

The first thing to know about leprosy is that it can be healed. Otherwise, the Lord would not have made an entire chapter to be recorded to show us that there is a process for leprosy to be healed. Many people in ancient times believed this disease to be incurable.  Today, even modern medicine can treat physical leprosy, and depending on the severity, it can be cured with antibiotics.

However, spiritual leprosy is a disease that will produce spiritual death in us if we are not careful to examine and exterminate that source of the issue.

Remember, leprosy is a FLESH disease, and as such it is to be viewed as something that is produced by the old man in us. Why am I making this comparison? Just as that old serpent was given “dust” as his nourishment, those who are “of your father the devil” also find that “dust” or “the things of the flesh” are their nourishment.

Gen 3:14  And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

Psa 44:25  For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.

We are going to look over most of the chapter in Leviticus 14 in order to know what leprosy is and how to combat it. Specifically, this study will concentrate on how to CLEANSE leprosy once it is recognized for what it is.

Lev 14:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 14:2  This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest:
Lev 14:3  And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper;
Lev 14:4  Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:
Lev 14:5  And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:
Lev 14:6  As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:
Lev 14:7  And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.

Notice that there is a process involved for a priest of God and the infected to go through in order for a leper to be cleansed. In verse 7, the priest pronounces the infected as CLEAN, but that is only the beginning of the work that must be done in order to fully implement the steps needed to fully cleanse the leper.

Notice, “becoming clean” is a process of continuously cleaning yourself in different ways and different levels of cleanliness. That passage of time also requires the application of cleanliness again.

Lev 14:8  And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days.
Lev 14:9  But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean.

Several times now we have read that “that he may be clean” and “he shall be clean” after having read that he is already “pronounced clean”. So, why are the next steps needed?

Notice, there are seven days required so far in order for a leper to “tarry abroad out of his tent” or to have “seven sprinkles of blood” to be pronounced clean, so what can be gather on why we are being given specific periods of time in order for certain steps to be quantified?

Knowing that 7 represents the completion of judgment, we can see that when we consider that leprosy is a fleshly disease, there must be a connection between the offerings being made for the leper, the blood involved in the cleansing and the completion of judgment on the flesh.

The connection is that these animal sacrifices are always done for a “lawless and disobedient people”, but the sacrifice that covers us in blood is only the BEGINNING of our walk, but it is still an absolutely crucial and required one.

1Ti 1:9  Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Eph 2:17  And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

1Pe 1:2  Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

Rev 1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Now that we can see the connection to judgment of the flesh, and the covering of ourselves by the blood of Christ, what then is needed to continue in this process of cleansing? The first set of cleansing steps allowed the leper back into the camp, but not back into his HOUSE/TENT. Now, we must take care of the house.

Lev 14:10  And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil.
Lev 14:11  And the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
Lev 14:12  And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD:
Lev 14:13  And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering is the priest's, so is the trespass offering: it is most holy:
Lev 14:14  And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:
Lev 14:15  And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand:
Lev 14:16  And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the LORD:
Lev 14:17  And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering:
Lev 14:18  And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD.
Lev 14:19  And the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness; and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering:
Lev 14:20  And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean.

Notice in these sets of verses that all the offerings made are made by the “restored” leper except for the peace offering. Even more revealing is that in the trespass offering is done differently here with lepers.

Namely, the animal in the trespass offering didn’t need to have value that was as high as normally when a sin was committed. The trespass offering is waved by the priest, whereas normally this is not the case since the offeror normally waved it. Also, oil was presented with the trespass offering.

These details might be a bit perplexing if we only see this as a physical leper. However, we know that the physical things we see are representative of spiritual realities. Though the leper doesn’t necessarily commit a trespass in order to need to offer a trespass offering, we know the Lord requires this offering. This should tell us that there is more going on than meets the eye so to speak.

Lev 14:21  And if he be poor, and cannot get so much; then he shall take one lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make an atonement for him, and one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering, and a log of oil;
Lev 14:22  And two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering.
Lev 14:23  And he shall bring them on the eighth day for his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the LORD.
Lev 14:24  And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD:
Lev 14:25  And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:
Lev 14:32  This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get that which pertaineth to his cleansing.

What understanding and knowledge then can we take away from this physical plague sent to the flesh of the one who is infected? What can we learn, more than what we’ve already touched on, about leprosy in it’s spiritual form and application?

Mat 8:1  When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
Mat 8:2  And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
Mat 8:3  And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Mat 8:4  And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Then in Mark we see the story given more details:

Mar 1:40  And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
Mar 1:41  And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.
Mar 1:42  And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.
Mar 1:43  And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away;
Mar 1:44  And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
Mar 1:45  But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.

Leprosy is a plague of uncleanness. That is why the leper asked to be cleansed, and out of Jesus’ own mouth we see that He gave the leper cleanness.

In practical application today, we know that we are sent into the world just as Jesus is, because as He is so are we.

2Co 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2Co 10:6  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
2Co 10:7  Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
1Jn 4:18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
1Jn 4:19  We love him, because he first loved us.
1Jn 4:20  If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
1Jn 4:21  And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

If loving God is equivalent to showing God the love of God, doesn’t this extend to our brothers?

1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

This may sound controversial when you first hear me say it, but whosoever is BORN OF GOD overcomes the WORLD. Who overcomes the WORLD? How do we know who it is that overcomes the WORLD?

Let the scriptures say so:

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, EVEN OUR FAITH.

Therefore, faith is BORN of GOD. It is a GIFT. Therefore, the faith given to us by God, born of God, overcomes the world.

What is in the world? What does the world consist of that needs to be overcome?

2Jn 1:5  And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
2Jn 1:6  And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
2Jn 1:7  For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

Act 17:24  God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
Act 17:28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Act 17:29  Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

I ask again what is in the world, the world which we are all OF naturally?

1Jn 2:9  He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
1Jn 2:10  He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
1Jn 2:11  But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
1Jn 2:12  I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.

"Steven, you’re quoting random scriptures but not answering your own question", you may be saying.

The buildup is intense! I write to you all how it is spiritual leprosy is dealt with and CURED.

1Jn 2:13  I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
1Jn 2:14  I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

You might now be asking yourself how spiritual leprosy is connected to these verses at all. After all, leprosy is not mentioned at all here. However, it is indeed buried below the surface when connected with “all that is in the world”.

When we are told the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind and that the second is like unto it, love your neighbor as you love yourself, we should take heed on how it is we do this. When we know that the scriptural definition of what the love of God is to keep His commandments, then we can start to connect the spiritual dots with how it is we identify and cure spiritual leprosy.

Leprosy in the flesh is a physical disease that separated the leper from all of society. It was a death sentence which lasted many years most times in isolation. This is the same for spiritual leprosy. Just as with physical lepers, spiritual lepers need a priest.

We are all being raised up as kings and priests in training, and we all have Jesus as our High Priest. Therefore, as He is a priest, so are we priests. As such, when someone comes to us or is made known to us to have something pertaining to the WORLD that needs to be dealt with, there is a weapon at our disposal that allows as to OVERCOME the spirit of leprosy.

Leprosy in the spirit will always be something that pulls on our flesh in some way and all that is in the world pertaining to our carnal mind. As we love God with all we have, we too must love our neighbor by keeping the commandments of God.

We do this by BELIEVING that the Lord is Faithful to heal us. We ask for healing, believing it will happen, and one day in the Lord’s timing, it WILL HAPPEN. Obviously, we yearn for it to happen now in this present aion, but we say nevertheless thy will be done as well.

1Jn 2:29  If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

Tit 3:1  Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,
Tit 3:2  To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.
Tit 3:3  For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
Tit 3:4  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Tit 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Tit 3:6  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Tit 3:7  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Tit 3:8  This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
Tit 3:9  But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
Tit 3:10  A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
Tit 3:11  Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.

This is how we love one another and offer to help minister to the cure of spiritual leprosy.

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Awesome Hands - part 117 Discussion

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Awesome Hands – Part 117

"Strange Fire"

June 23, 2017

As we all know, life can be demanding at times. Of course, we know it is the Lord working all of the details out, and one of the most fulfilling feelings is knowing the Lord is WORKING WITH US, as the body of Christ, to fulfill His will in the kingdom of God.

As with all emotions and feelings however, we must bring them into subjection to Christ and make sure that we are not offering strange fire to the Lord in our exuberance to serve Him.

During this study, we are going to examine just how it is we can and do offer strange fire unto the Lord, and how and why we want to avoid doing so.

Do and Don’t

You’ll have to forgive me for the lengthy introduction of the verses for consideration today, but I want to read all of the surrounding context of the verses so that we can set the stage for the verses we are considering.

Our verses today are found in Leviticus 9 and 10. We have covered in length the various commandments given to the Israelites and the priests concerning the offerings to the Lord. Now, we are going to see these offerings in full swing as Aaron and his sons participate in the holy commandments of the Lord.

Lev 9:1  And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel;
Lev 9:2  And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young calf for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the LORD.
Lev 9:3  And unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, saying, Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering;
Lev 9:4  Also a bullock and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD; and a meat offering mingled with oil: for to day the LORD will appear unto you.

Here we see confirmation that when we do what the Lord commands, we will be in the very presence of the Lord. What a glorious position to be in. At this point, we aren’t without faith questioning whether or not the Lord will make Himself known to us. Rather, this is a time in our walk and life where we know the Lord is working with us.

Lev 9:5  And they brought that which Moses commanded before the tabernacle of the congregation: and all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD.
Lev 9:6  And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commanded that ye should do: and the glory of the LORD shall appear unto you.
Lev 9:7  And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar, and offer thy sin offering, and thy burnt offering, and make an atonement for thyself, and for the people: and offer the offering of the people, and make an atonement for them; as the LORD commanded.
Lev 9:8  Aaron therefore went unto the altar, and slew the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself.
Lev 9:9  And the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him: and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar:
Lev 9:10  But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of the sin offering, he burnt upon the altar; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Lev 9:11  And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp.
Lev 9:12  And he slew the burnt offering; and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled round about upon the altar.
Lev 9:13  And they presented the burnt offering unto him, with the pieces thereof, and the head: and he burnt them upon the altar.
Lev 9:14  And he did wash the inwards and the legs, and burnt them upon the burnt offering on the altar.

We’ve covered these details in various other studies, so I will not cover them here. The thing to take note of is that these verses have been written so that we can see that Aaron and his sons ARE PERFORMING the commandments of the Lord as they have been instructed. Nothing more and nothing less.

Continuing:

Lev 9:15  And he brought the people's offering, and took the goat, which was the sin offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for sin, as the first.
Lev 9:16  And he brought the burnt offering, and offered it according to the manner.
Lev 9:17  And he brought the meat offering, and took an handful thereof, and burnt it upon the altar, beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning.
Lev 9:18  He slew also the bullock and the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people: and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar round about,
Lev 9:19  And the fat of the bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that which covereth the inwards, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver:
Lev 9:20  And they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar:
Lev 9:21  And the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave offering before the LORD; as Moses commanded.
Lev 9:22  And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.
Lev 9:23  And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people.
Lev 9:24  And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

It is at this point that we must pause and wonder upon the work the Lord has done in the lives of all the people of God, specifically the Israelites whom we are reading about today and spiritually the Jews inwardly whom we all consist of.

We are reading about the culmination of the work of the Lord up until this point, of calling a weak and beggarly slave nation to be His people, giving them His commandments, and the Lord making His presence known and felt to all those to whom He has freed.

I am sure every one of us relates to this happening in our lives or else we wouldn’t be participating even now in the body of Christ. Indeed, the Lord is good to us!

Isn’t it funny how fast a wonderful breeze on a hot day comes and goes?

All the people have just been given another miracle by the Lord of a miraculous fire coming to consume the offerings the Lord says are necessary for us to be His people, and ALL the people saw it and fell on their faces in worship!

Isn’t this what we all sincerely hope and pray for? To be His people and to feel His love in presence of this being the case? Sure it is!

I am here to tell you all today that this is the EXACT moment we must be on FULL ALERT. Why? Because your flesh in the way!

Yes, that is right. YOU and your old man carnal thinking are in the way of the VERY THING you spiritually long for. The fruit of your flesh WILL cause the Lord to depart of you if you are not aware of what can potentially happen as you are on the peak of a spiritual mountain with the Lord.

Now enters your fruit which must be dealt with.

Lev 10:1  And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.
Lev 10:2  And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

Nadab and Abihu are the first sons mentioned as being born to Aaron, so I am going to mention them the same way. From what we know of the old man, this two represent the old man in all of us who exuberantly want to serve the Lord in our own way and style.

It’s quite revealing to see how Nadab and Abihu react following the Lord’s fire working for all to see. Their flesh wants to be part of the show! What better way to be a part of the show than to show that we too can present fire for all the people to see? We’ll just “offer it to the Lord” and the Lord will accept it, right?

Wrong!

The answer of the Lord is swift and immediate. The Lord will have NO FLESH glory in His presence.

1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.

In the sense of “pecking order”, Eleazar and Ithamar are younger and waited for instruction before doing anything. Of course, that is rather easy when you see your two brothers struck down before you for not listening and doing against the commandments of the Lord.

Lev 10:6  And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled.
Lev 10:7  And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses.

What then is the lesson we should take away from this story? On the surface, it is easy to conclude that we do not want to offer strange fire to the Lord else we will be put to death. Underneath the surface however, what exactly DID Nadab and Abihu do that caused the Lord to devour them?

Notice, they offered strange fire and it was FIRE of the Lord that devoured them.

Lev 10:2  And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

So, it is incumbent upon us to learn about what they did so that we can avoid it.

Here is the definition of the “strange” fire offered to the Lord:

Strong’s Concordance:

H2114
zûr
zoor
A primitive root; to turn aside (especially for lodging); hence to be a foreigner, strange, profane; specifically (active participle) to commit adultery: - (come from) another (man, place), fanner, go away, (e-) strange (-r, thing, woman).
Total KJV occurrences: 77

Brown-Driver-Biggs:

H2114
zûr
BDB Definition:
1) to be strange, be a stranger
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to become estranged
1a2) strange, another, stranger, foreigner, an enemy (participle)
1a3) loathsome (of breath) (participle)
1a4) strange woman, prostitute, harlot (metonymy)
1b) (Niphal) to be estranged
1c) (Hophal) to be a stranger, be one alienated
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: a primitive root

Deu 32:16  They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.

Pro 5:20  And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
Pro 5:21  For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.
Pro 5:22  His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.

Isa 1:4  Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

There are many more examples, but these are examples of the same word being used in other verses.

To use strange fire was simply the act of committing adultery against the Lord. It’s the same as being with a strange woman, a prostitute or harlot and therefore becoming alienated from the Lord through these actions.

How can we, as the people of God, avoid offering fire to the Lord that will be “strange fire”, adulterous fire, so that we can have Life remain within us?

It may seem completely contradictory, but we ourselves CANNOT avoid offering strange fire unto the Lord. However, we can be comforted knowing the Lord is working with us and we are avoiding strange fire when we ONLY use His fire.

What exactly am I talking about? We need not go any further than scripture to understand this whole concept and to remain confident we are in the presence of the Lord.

How do we know we are in the presence of the Lord?

Deu 4:24  For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

Heb 12:29  For our God is a consuming fire.

Jesus was asked to show the disciples the Father and what we His reply?

Joh 14:5  Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Joh 14:8  Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Joh 14:9  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
Joh 14:10  Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
Joh 14:11  Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

See, the Words of the Lord are not His own as are the Words we carry to others because we do not carry our OWN Words. We carry the Words of the Lord and those Words are the works of the Lord.

If they are our words and our works, then they are as “FILTHY RAGS” and are represented us unrighteousness.

Isa 64:6  But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

How can we ourselves KNOW that we are not presenting strange fire to the Lord? God is a consuming fire. We need to be presenting non-strange fire, i.e. the fire of the Lord, to the Lord, so how can we KNOW for sure that we are doing this?

What is the CONSUMING FIRE of the Lord?

Isa 33:14  The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
Isa 33:15  He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

Joh 12:35  Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

To be in the presence of the Lord is to understand WHO the Lord is and WHERE he is.

Mat 25:34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:37  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Mat 25:38  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Mat 25:39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Of course these words have physical applications to our lives, but they are so much more applicable spiritually to us who have eyes that see and ears that hear that what we are really doing when we offer Fire unto the Lord, is FEEDING the Lord IN OTHERS with the Words of Life! We are healing the sick with those Words, we are feeding the hungry and thirsty with those Words. We are smashing down walls and slaying giants in the lands of others WITH those WORDS!

This may seem very presumptuous of me to say, but it is true nonetheless because the Words are NOT my Words and the Works are not MY WORKS. If they are, then I will be DEVOURED with the Fire of the Word because out of my own mouth I will be judged.

God is a consuming Fire. This simple concept takes on a whole new meaning when we know what the Lord is using us, His faithful and spiritual kings and priests (all of His body), to do within His Kingdom!

Luk 17:20  And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luk 17:21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
Luk 17:22  And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

Here is what it means to present the Fire of the Lord to the Lord as an offering in the presence of the Lord.

Deu 9:1  Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven,
Deu 9:2  A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak!
Deu 9:3  Understand therefore this day, that the LORD thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the LORD hath said unto thee.
Deu 9:4  Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee.
Deu 9:5  Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Deu 9:6  Understand therefore, that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people.
Deu 9:7  Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD.
Deu 9:8  Also in Horeb ye provoked the LORD to wrath, so that the LORD was angry with you to have destroyed you.
Deu 9:9  When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water:
Deu 9:10  And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the LORD spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.
Deu 9:11  And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the LORD gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant.
Deu 9:12  And the LORD said unto me, Arise, get thee down quickly from hence; for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves; they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image.

These verses should be a sobering reminder that we are who we are due to the Lord’s will in our lives. It is nothing of ourselves and all of Him.

With that being said, I want to challenge everyone who reads or hears the following words to remember them forevermore.

What day are you living in right now if it is not the very day of the Lord? Can you be present with me either physically or spiritually and SHOW me yester day?  I conclude you cannot. Can you show me to morrow? I submit to you that this is impossible with men.

However, you can show me today as I, too, can show you today. When you lay your head down to rest at night, you are doing so NOW, today. When you awake in the morning and begin to live another day, the day you are living is, in Truth and fact, today.

So, I submit to you that TODAY is the day of the Lord. The Lord is present with you today!

“Thou are to pass over the Jordan THIS DAY” is not something that only happening to the Israelites a very long time ago. In fact, it happens to us all each and EVERY “to day” that we are given.

When you look in the mirror you will recognize that what I say to you is the Truth. So, what are you going to do with this information?

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Jas 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Jas 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Jas 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

When we look in the mirror as Christians we should be seeing TWO MEN because that is INDEED what we are looking at. We are the reflection in the mirror made plain as day by the Lord so that we can REMEMBER who it is we ourselves are. However, then there is the man who will walk away from the mirror and continue to live in the world on a DAILY BASIS.

When you look in the mirror, remember that it is not you who had anything to so with you being where you are now with the Lord, but do NOT let that dishearten you. Rather, also reflect that you are a Son of God NOW.

What does that mean as it pertains to our study today about strange fire?

The Lord is always present today within all the situations, experiences and interactions we have will EVERYONE around us. We should be living our lives, doing all that we are doing, to glorify the Lord.

There are many days where we FALL and fail at glorifying the Lord, but not because we ourselves do it. Those days are written in our books before we were ever born.

Rather, how we view and then proceed from those days of falling is HOW we glorify the Lord EVEN in those moments. We MUST always have lips of thanksgiving knowing that the Lord is working it all for good.

Let’s now “go out to the Jordan” of the world we live in and conquer the giants the Lord has put in our way to slay. Believe you can do it because you can with the Lord doing the works in you.

Otherwise, you wouldn’t SEE the giant that needs to be slain! Also know that you are the Light of the world to all those around you, and you are being sent before them to ACT and LIVE the Words of Life the DWELL within you.

Truly, today is the ONLY day you have left because tomorrow is not promised. Live accordingly.

1Co 10:31  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Exo 24:17  And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.

Hi, Can I ask what fatling of the herd would mean? Thanks for this ministry it so interesting.

Hi M____,

Thank you for your question.

You ask, “what fatling of the herd would mean?”

I typed the word ‘fatling’ into my e-sword search box, and I found only one entry:

Isa 11:6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

However, when I highlighted my KJV+ module this is what I found:

H4806
מְרִיא
merı̂y’
mer-ee’
From H4754 in the sense of grossness, through the idea of domineering (compare H4756); stall fed; often (as noun) a beeve: – fat (fed) beast (cattle, -ling).

When I highlighted my KJC module this is what I found:

H4806
מריא
merı̂y’
Total KJV Occurrences: 13
fat, 4
1Ki_1:9, 1Ki_1:19, 1Ki_1:25, Amo_5:22
cattle, 3
1Ki_1:9, 1Ki_1:19, 1Ki_1:25
beasts, 2
Isa_1:11, Amo_5:22
fatlings, 2
2Sa_6:13, Eze_39:18
fatling, 1
Isa_11:6
fed, 1
Isa_1:11

I have highlighted the duplicates which are most always in the KJC module entries. So this word appears only ten times, and it always refers to a clean animal which has been fattened up to be offered to the Lord. While being offered to the Lord, the person making the offering generally also partook of the meat of the sacrifice.

However, the fat was always the Lord’s:

Exo 29:22 Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat and the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and the right shoulder; for it is a ram of consecration:
Exo 29:23 And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the LORD:
Exo 29:24 And thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons; and shalt wave them for a wave offering before the LORD.
Exo 29:25 And thou shalt receive them of their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour before the LORD: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

“The fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them” indicate the good heath of this sacrifice. A “fatling” is not a neglected or defective, sick, lame, blind or unwanted sacrifice as some had offered to the Lord:

Mal 1:8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.

Mal 1:13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD.

Our Lord is not at all pleased with us when we give Him our second, third, fourth, etc. best. What He want of us is our very best as Abel brought to the Lord:

Gen 4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

In the New Testament our Lord wants us to offer our very bodies as a living sacrifice in His service:

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

The fruit of such a life is to learn to think and act as Christ Himself:

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

That is the answer to your question. Christ wants us to serve Him and His body with our whole heart and not be guilty of offering Him our spare time, if we have any spare time. The fact is that Christ will not be found by anyone who is not seeking Him with a whole heart:

2Ch 15:15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.

Jer 3:10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.

God does not play mind games with us, and we sure cannot do so with Him. He wants the fatling for Himself, because “the fatling” symbolizes the best we have to offer in service to our Lord.

I hope this answers your question. I have said it many times; our old man asks of His Lord, ‘What is permissible?’ But our new man asks only ‘What is commendable?’

Your brother who is seeking to be a whole hearted daily fatling sacrifice in our Lord’s service,

Mike

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Awesome Hands – Part 115

“Thy brothers blood crieth from the ground”

April 21, 2017

Our previous study left us looking at how it is we, as the body and bread of Christ, participate with Jesus Christ in going to the altar, table and cross of the Lord so that “through death” Life can come forth.

This Life in Jesus, also involves many facets that aren’t apparent to most of the world because they have been hidden in scripture and by the Spirit of God.

In our study today, we are going to move to our next set of verses which shows us just how important the blood of Jesus is but also how it is we deal with the blood of Jesus within our everyday lives.

The verses for consideration today are found in Leviticus 7.

Lev 7:25  For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people.
Lev 7:26  Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings.
Lev 7:27  Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
Lev 7:28  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 7:29  Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, He that offereth the sacrifice of his peace offerings unto the LORD shall bring his oblation unto the LORD of the sacrifice of his peace offerings.
Lev 7:30  His own hands shall bring the offerings of the LORD made by fire, the fat with the breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before the LORD.
Lev 7:31  And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall be Aaron's and his sons'.
Lev 7:32  And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for an heave offering of the sacrifices of your peace offerings.
Lev 7:33  He among the sons of Aaron, that offereth the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, shall have the right shoulder for his part.

As with most of scripture, there is a lot being said within a few verses, and when that is coupled with spiritual types and shadows, there can be an overwhelming amount of extra information that doesn’t always rise to the surface without a little digging.

There are a few points of interest I would like to cover in this study as it pertains to the verses we just read, and of course there is more that can be said beyond what will be covered in this study.

When I read about “blood”, “peace offerings”, “fire”, “wave offerings”, “heave offerings” and the altar, I tend to be a little intrigued at what could be gleaned from all of these topics being mentioned together within a few verses.

As many of you know, I have written about these very topics within the context of the “Awesome Hands” series, but I am going to bring those topics all together in this study in a much more condensed version, Lord willing. However, this will all be familiar if you’ve read those studies, but it should also provide a way to gel them all together nicely in why it matters for us.

“Thy brothers blood crieth from the ground”

When you look at Leviticus 7:25-27, these verses are mentioned before “And the Lord spoke with Moses…”. When we see this phrase, it usually indicates to us another “session” or transition that the target has with the Lord; in this case Moses. I say “session” because right before verse 28 we are being told of different commandments pertaining to the other offerings, and then we are given new information about what “blood” represents. “Blood” is going to be somewhat of the focus of this study.

Before this “new information” concerning blood is recorded in Leviticus 7, we have some other very significant events happen with blood, so we are going to mention those here for a little context.

Gen 4:7  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
Gen 4:8  And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
Gen 4:9  And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
Gen 4:10  And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
Gen 4:11  And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;
Gen 4:12  When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
Gen 4:13  And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
Gen 4:14  Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
Gen 4:15  And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
Gen 4:16  And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

This story is, of course, the story of the first murder in scripture. Notice that Cain is cursed from the earth, and scripturally speaking, Cain’s seed after him will be cursed to not gain the strength of the “earth” either. We know that the physical application of this applies but so, too, does the spiritual.

As with any story, we have both men being discussed, and the new man, in type, has had His blood shed so that the EARTH has opened “her mouth” to receive the blood of “righteous” Abel.

When you start to put together that since the foundation of the world the Lord has been establishing His people to rule with Him, then these stories start to speak much more to what our purpose of living life is today. We are all in training for something much more glorious than anything this life itself and alone has to offer.

“Shed no blood”

Our next significant mentioning of blood as we build up to Leviticus is found with the story of Joseph and his brothers selling him as a slave. Those verses are found in Genesis 37.

Gen 37:18  And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
Gen 37:19  And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.
Gen 37:20  Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
Gen 37:21  And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.
Gen 37:22  And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.
Gen 37:23  And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;
Gen 37:24  And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
Gen 37:25  And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
Gen 37:26  And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
Gen 37:27  Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.
Gen 37:28  Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

And then a few verses later we see:

Gen 37:31  And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;
Gen 37:32  And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no.
Gen 37:33  And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.

This familiar story is one that shows us the plan of God in full effect on the seed of the free woman versus the seed of the bondwoman. Though Joseph and his brothers are not directly mentioned as representing these two groups, we know that they do from the “sum of thy Word”.

Again, we see the “earth” being used of God to “swallow” up the new man, in type, as represented by Joseph. Additionally, we see that blood is directly connected to the earth in that blood is used to deceive Jacob into thinking that Joseph is dead while Joseph is actually alive.

There is much more to this story, but for this study’s purposes we are going to move to the next example of blood being mentioned found in Genesis 49.

Gen 49:1  And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.
Gen 49:2  Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.

Gen 49:8  Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee.
Gen 49:9  Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
Gen 49:10  The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
Gen 49:11  Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:
Gen 49:12  His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.

When we hear or read the words “last days” we should immediately be brought into remembrance that these are very significant clue words into what is being talked about.

In this story we have Jacob telling his twelve sons what it is that shall happen with each of their tribes. There is so much being said here in just a few verses that a whole study could be dedicated to breaking them apart, and it would barely touch the surface on what is contained here.

However, for the sake of this study, we will concentrate on just a few points.

Judah’s prophesy of what he and his tribe shall represent is very revealing for the true spiritual Jews who are God’s children, and it is important to grasp this so that, as God’s children, we can draw on the strength that can be found in these Words of Life.

The power of God rests upon His children and has freely been given to them. Do you believe this and believe you are a child of God? Are you a son of God now? The rod of authority will not depart from you if you know you are a son of God.

The foal mentioned in verse 11 is significant in several ways since it is the same word translated as “ass” elsewhere in scripture.

Since Christ comes from the tribe of Judah, and this prophecy is about the coming “Shiloh” or savior, it is interesting to note that Christ comes riding on a donkey that was tied to a vine.

See, the beast that is given a deadly wound and then healed has ALWAYS been tied to the vine since the foundation of the world.

Mat 21:1  And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
Mat 21:2  Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.
Mat 21:3  And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
Mat 21:4  All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
Mat 21:5  Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

Zec 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

Joh 15:1  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

We have always been tied to the vine. We are a peculiar people indeed but very scattered. Not only are we scattered geographically in most cases, but much more importantly, we are scattered among the nations of the earth that dwell within us.

While one of us may have conquered one nation of depression, with Christ in us doing the work, others in the body still struggle with the war that rages in the heavens. While one of us may have conquered the land of addiction, many others of us may still be trying to stop using pain medicines, stop smoking, stop viewing inappropriate material on the internet, etc.

Indeed we are scattered on the earth, and that is exactly why we must be in fellowship with one another. Christ is the Head who sits upon His shoulders. Christ is the Head who rides upon the donkey who has always been tied to Him, the vine.

However, there is a time that we, as His body, realize that this truly does come at a price, and the price is the blood of Christ; the new man.

Indeed, even the waters will be turned to blood in our hearts and minds. The very thing that gives us hope, the Word of God as represented in water, will be brought into remembrance as bringing DEATH TO ALL OF US.

That is where we find ourselves in Exodus 7, the next mentioning of blood before our verses found in Leviticus.

Exo 4:1  And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.
Exo 4:2  And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
Exo 4:3  And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
Exo 4:4  And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
Exo 4:5  That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
Exo 4:6  And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.
Exo 4:7  And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.
Exo 4:8  And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.
Exo 4:9  And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.

Continuing, we see this come to pass in the water bring turned to blood as a plague on Egypt.

Exo 7:17  Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.
Exo 7:18  And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river.
Exo 7:19  And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone.
Exo 7:20  And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.
Exo 7:21  And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.
Exo 7:22  And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said.

The magicians can always simulate the blood of Christ with their enchantments. Yep, you heard me correctly. The blood of Christ can be simulated and faked by the magicians who claim to have the power of God.

Sure, they may not directly make these bold claims, but in their actions they certainly convey the concept. The rod of authority, the scepter, is given to those that are from the spiritual tribe of Judah, the house of God.

When you couple this together with the water of the Nile being turned into blood by the rods given to Moses and Aaron, then it is easy to conclude that these actions have significant importance.

The first plague upon Egpyt, which affected both the Egyptians and the Israelites, was turning water into blood. Likewise, the first miracle done by Christ, as recorded in scripture, was Jesus turning water into wine.

Before you look at this miracle as NOT being blood but wine, I present to you Exhibit A.

Mat 26:26  And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
Mat 26:27  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
Mat 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Mat 26:29  But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

Ahh, how intriguing it is!

We are now brought full circle around to what communion with the Life of Christ is all about and how this all relates to Leviticus.

In Leviticus we see the Israelites being given very specific commandments on how to participate in the various offerings being mentioned. However, we want to participate in these offerings spiritually, and we want to be living a life with whatever time remains for us in such a way that this participation is relevant and out there for the world to see.

The world of Christianity just celebrated Easter, a very pagan-oriented holy day holiday, and they didn’t flinch in their ignorance of what they are doing. Truly, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event to happen to all of humanity as it relates to the meaning of Life!

Let’s connect this to Paul’s writing on 1 Corinthians.

1Co 11:23  For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
1Co 11:24  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
1Co 11:25  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
1Co 11:26  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
1Co 11:27  Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
1Co 11:28  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
1Co 11:29  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
1Co 11:30  For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
1Co 11:33  Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, TARRY ONE FOR ANOTHER
1Co 11:34  And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

How does all of this connect to the verses in Leviticus which we started with in this study?

Lev 7:27  Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

Wow, there is so much contained in this one verse! The life is in the blood! The Israelites were forewarned that they would be cut off from “their people” if they ate any manner of blood, but we see Christ TELLING us to DRINK HIS BLOOD.

Let me ask all of you if you have been cut off from your people for daring to JUDGE YOURSELF and drink the blood of Christ. When you drink the blood of Christ, you are GUILTY of the BODY and the BLOOD of the Lord.

Isn’t it interesting that Paul tells us all about the blood and body of Christ, moves to judgment, and then moves directly back to WAIT FOR EACH OTHER? That is followed up by “if a man is hungry let him eat at home”.

Now, I ask you what “home” are we to think about here. Sure there is a physical and outward application, but there is also a Holy Spirit inspired “house of God” that we need to consider.

The body of Christ does not go to the world, which worships other gods named “Ishtar” or “Eostre” or any other variation through the ages; for example, on Easter, for gaining sustenance to maintain the Life within them.

The body of Christ cannot EAT at the altar of devils and the altar of the Lord. I ask again what is the altar of the Lord?

The altar of the Lord is where we go to receive Life THROUGH death. Judging yourself means that YOU and I, Steven Crook, must pick up our cross and follow Christ to His. It means we must participate in seeing our lives consumed in His. It means we find meaning in living a life that will produce the fruits of the spirit by having fruit of our lives fall to the ground and die first so that Christ can increase.

When we start taking ourselves a lot less seriously, then our lives begin to have room for Christ to grow in them. If you consider what is able to be tempted by the devil in you, it is mostly items that have to do with YOU individually. If you take the 'YOU' out of the equation, Jesus increases, and He will give you victory over the flesh, eyes and pride of life that is in the world within you.

The importance of the blood of Christ is that the authentic blood can be seen when Christ is your covering and the garment you wear is Him. This garment can be SEEN by others because LESS of you is seen, and more of Christ Jesus is available to shine through from within you.

Jesus Christ’s ACTIONS and WORKS showed the Father to all around Him and likewise Christ Jesus is shown by His works in us to decrease “US”.

I conclude this study with these verse which sum up this study.

2Co 4:3  But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
2Co 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
2Co 4:5  For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
2Co 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
2Co 4:9  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
2Co 4:10  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
2Co 4:11  For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
2Co 4:12  So then death worketh in us, but life in you.