(103) 13 April : Proverbs 12v23 / Leviticus 21-22 / Psalm 26v4-7

BEGIN WITH PRAYER

"Lord open my eyes and my heart."

Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, yor family, your church and the world.

Wisdom to chew on

Proverbs 12:23

Understanding to grow in

We have already seen that as those in closest proximity to God, priests are required to be particularly pure. So the laws applying to them are stricter. And respect for the offerings and cleanliness laws is critical. Disrespecting the former “profanes” God’s name by suggesting he is unholy. Ignoring the latter is to treat his requirements “with contempt” (22v9). The whole point to the regulations we’ve been studying is to bring home God’s utter perfection, purity, orderliness and otherness, and so the great privilege and wonder that he would dwell amongst Israel, and the need for Israel herself to be holy. Interestingly, the very elaborate nature of the sacrificial system therefore affirms how utterly important obedience to God’s law in totality is. His rule is to govern every detail of our lives as the diversity of Israel's laws has shown. By his blood Christ has cleansed us as his holy priesthood so that we can serve God without the ritualistic concerns of this chapter (Rev 5v9-10). But as you read consider the ways we can nevertheless profane his name by not following his instructions.
Leviticus 21-22

Finish this reading by pausing to ask yourself:

1) What’s the main thing it teaches me about God or his purposes in Christ? Then praise him for this.

2) What’s the main thing it teaches me about his will for me or the world? Then pray that home.

Devotion to offer up

You could read this aloud and perhaps as a springboard to further prayer.

Psalm 26:4-7

·       For introductions to the various Bible books click here.

·       To consult Matthew Henry’s concise commentary click here.