Wednesday

My Observations 020911

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Reading Numbers 1 – 3 today.

Today I want to consider verses 11 – 13 of chapter 3,

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ‘And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be Mine;  because “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ‘And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be Mine;  because all the firstborn are Mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto Me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: Mine shall they be: I am the LORD.'”  Numbers 3:11-13 (KJV)

In beginning the book of Numbers we find that it is named correctly for they are numbering or counting the people.  In particular they are counting the males of each of the twelve tribes from the age of twenty up.  The total number comes up to 603 thousand plus.  That is only males 20 years of age and above.  By looking at these numbers we get an idea of the multitude of people who were being led through the wilderness following their deliverance from Egypt.  If we were to just think of each male having a wife that would equal 1.2 million people.  If we add only one child, then, we are nearing 2 million people.  Moses and Aaron had a large task and work to do.

Now, let’s get to the above verses.

Back in Egypt on the day of deliverance the Passover had begun with the shedding of the blood of many lambs; their blood put on the door posts and lintels of each Jewish home as commanded by the LORD.  The Word of the LORD was that every firstborn in the land of Egypt would die.  Israel would not be untouched by this, unless, they obeyed God and applied the blood in God’s prescribed manner.  In doing so the firstborn of Israel were saved from this angel of death.

God redeemed the firstborn of Israel.  They are His.  In order not to take every firstborn for Himself; He took the Levites as the tribe which would serve Him as priests and servants to the people in the tabernacle.  This was an honor and a burden for the Levites.  They were consecrated to the LORD for the task.  They were assigned their duties in raising the tabernacle, and in taking it down; and transporting it when they moved by God’s leadership through the cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night.

One thing that stands out clearly in the above text is that God states, “The Levites shall be Mine”.  Of the firstborn the LORD says, “All the firstborn are Mine”.  As we read the Scriptures; especially the Old Testament; we will find and emphasis placed on the firstborn son.

Jesus Christ is not just the firstborn Son of God, but His only born Son.  It is through this only born Son that we have a High Priest, eternal in Heaven, seated at the Father’s right hand, interceding for His own.

“Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.”  Hebrews 8:1-2

Remember to read Numbers 1 – 3 for today.

-Tim A. Blankenship

My Observations 020211

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Today’s Bible Reading is for Leviticus 8 – 10

There are three things I want us to see in today’s reading.  The first two have to do with the fire of God found in verses 23 and 24 of chapter 9; at least the first three verses of chapter 10 and verses 16 – 20 of the same chapter.

The fire of God is very repetitious; and usually when God’s word repeats something it is due to the fact of God’s making a very clear statement.  It matters.  It matters very much.  Part of the reason that it matters is because of God’s holiness, power, and you could even add His awe-inspiring ways.  It is enough to strike fear into the heart of those who would follow Him, believing Him.

There are many today who are teaching that God does not desire us to fear Him; but I beg to differ with that.  We should shudder at the thought of offending the Creator GOD who has made all things and even sustains them by His own power (Colossians 1:17)

“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.  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.”  Leviticus 9:23-24 (KJV)

It is a fear and reverence which realizes a greater power and presence than one’s self.  It is a fear that causes one who is loved by Him and loves Him to seek to know Him better; and to get closer to Him.

The tabernacle is starting its operation with the  offering, the glory of the LORD appears to all the people.  Fire comes out from before the LORD and consumes the burnt offering and fat.  Where did the fire come from?  It came from God, the LORD.  The people who witnessed this marvelous event were awe-struck and fell on their faces.   Ever an act of humility, reverence, and worship.  They recognized the presence and power of God.

Many times when we see God move in a powerful way there are some so eager to see it again, that they will try and manipulate the act of God all over again.  This may be what happens with Nadab and Abihu in 10:1-2,

“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.  And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.”  Leviticus 10:1-2

“Strange fire” had been offered to the LORD by Aaron’s two sons.  What this entailed is not fully explained in the text.  There have been several suggestions:  1) is that they were intoxicated and that is why the warning of verse 9 is given concerning the drinking of wine; 2) that they may have made their own concoction for a fiery event of their own.

It really seems to me that the event of the last two verses of chapter 9 leading up to these verses in chapter 10 may suggest that they were so zealous and eager to see this miraculous event again that they violated God’s clear direction on entering the tabernacle and the offerings that God showed Himself strong for His righteousness.  This clearly made an impact on the people and Aaron.

From this we go to verses 16-20 where we find that God’s commandment concerning the “goat of the sin offering”:

“And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron which were left alive, saying, ‘Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD? Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within the holy place: ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded.’  And Aaron said unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD; and such things have befallen me: and if I had eaten the sin offering to day, should it have been accepted in the sight of the LORD?  And when Moses heard that, he was content.” Leviticus 10:16-20

It seems that Eleazar and Ithamar had not taken the meat of the sin offering  to eat it as God’s commandment had said.  They had broken the commandment to do so.  Moses was rightly angry with the sons.  Aaron has quickly stepped in behalf of his sons and spoke of the grief of the day.  Their may have been fear in Aaron’s and his son’s minds and heart for the events and what they had witnessed God doing as well as grief  over losing his two sons. When Moses heard Aaron’s grief he went no further with the issue, thus we see the mercy of God.

When fire comes out from God; it must come from God alone.   When we – God’s people – try and manipulate the power of God; or try and imitate the power of God strangely; ie., in our own flesh;  for our own benefit, or notoriety; then, why should we be shocked to see God claim it for Himself.  I believe it was Charles H. Spurgeon who said, “God will not allow His children to sin successfully”.

Someone has said, “When we fear God; we need fear nothing else.”  The right fear of God; not a fear that keeps us from God; but the fear that draws us to Him for salvation, solace, peace, and His glory will cause us to fear nothing the world can throw at us.

The fire of God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29).

Join us in reading Leviticus 8 – 10

-Tim A. Blankenship

My Observations 012611

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Today’s Bible reading consists of Exodus 25 – 28…

Chapter 25 introduces us to the Divine design of the tabernacle in the wilderness by which God the LORD of hosts was to dwell among His people on their journeys through the wilderness to the promised land.  The first of the articles given is the “Ark of the covenant” made of wood, probably acacia wood and built into a box with God’s own dimensions and overlaid with pure gold.  The second piece is the “mercy seat” which is made of pure gold, no wood involved.

It is quite possible, since this is of heavenly design that we see the divinity and humanity of Christ in this design made of wood and gold.  The wood of course representing the human and gold the divine.

There is also given us the design of the “Table of shewbread” made of wood and gold in the dimensions given by God to Moses, and the “Candlestick” or “Menorah” as the Hebrews call it today.  All of these holy pieces were designed by holy God and were to be built just as God said.

Chapter 26 shows us the making of the inner part of the tabernacle “walls?” to be made of fine twined linen white, and using linen of blue, purple and scarlet thread woven in to make the special heavenly designs embroidered in to make it a beautiful sight to behold.

There is also the making of the veil which divided the “holy place and the most holy place”.  It was made of blue, purple and scarlet linen.  This is the veil which was divided in the temple in Jerusalem when Jesus Christ was crucified and died for the sins of the world; making a way for all who will believe to enter God’s own dwelling place.

Chapter 27 shows us the design of the altar of burnt offering.  To many this might seem a horrid place.  A place of great stench.  A bloody place.  And by our reckoning it was.  It tells us there must be; because God is holy, just and righteous; and we are unholy, unjust and unrighteous; there must of necessity be a way for us to have peace with God.  That is possible only through the shed blood of innocence.  The innocence of Jesus Christ is what we must see.

Chapter 28 we receive the design of the garments of the priests.  They were made of gold and blue, purple and scarlet linen.  There is much that could be written about the priestly garments, but I would need to do much more study on it.

One of the things that is great about being a Christian is that we have no need of the ark of the covenant, or any of the tabernacle to enter into the presence of God.  That is made possible through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Believe Him and live forever.

Today’s Bible reading is Exodus 25 – 28  read and enjoy.

-Tim A. Blankenship

As Good As Already There

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Looking at the High Priestly prayer of our Lord and Savior once again we are reminded of the Son addressing His Father in our behalf.

“Father, I will  that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me: for Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world.”  John 17:24 (KJV).

Those whom the Father has given the Son are all who have come to faith in Jesus Christ through the work of the Spirit of God.  The requests of the Son, Jesus is first of all that we may be with Him where He is.  Jesus is in the presence of the Father.  He is in the will of the Father.  He is fulfilling the will and glory of the Father.  His final and eternal place is in glory, His glory, and with us with Him and in Him.

Peter, James, and John were three who had the privilege of seeing the glory of Jesus, even before He died on the cross and was raised to life again.  See Matthew 17.    This glory was what Jesus had with the Father even before the world was created.  He had the glory of the Father; as He claims; “Before the foundation of the world”.

That is the place He has prayed for those who believe Him; to be.  Are you as good as there; right now?  By faith in Jesus alone, you are.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Sanctify Them Through Thy Truth

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Do you have a special place where you like to go just for the beauty and the quiet?  Most people do I believe.  I know that I have some.  There are times I go and take a walk beside the creek.  I enjoy it as it flows along, especially over the shallow and swifter parts, it makes a noise that only the Creator could use to still a troubled mind.  That is a special time.  A special place.  It is almost a sanctuary.  A protected place, set apart for only the ones who will appreciate it.
In Jesus’s prayer and as He prayed, He asked that His disciples be “sanctified”, ie., set apart, called out for special service, even protected for the glory of the Father.  Here is the verse for the study –

“Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth.”  John 17:17 (KJV).

In the process of being made more like Jesus.  That is really what ’sanctification’ is all about.  It is also a protected place, a special place, and Jesus is asking the Father to see to it that we become like Him.  It is implied here that the way of our sanctification is through the Word which we have written to us in the Bible.  The Bible is God’s Word.  It is His truth.  We cannot be made more like Jesus except through the Word of truth.
It is a daily washing of the feet and hands as they have been in the world.  The picture is given in the Old Testament Tabernacle.  There was a large brass bowl with water in it, where the priests needed to stop upon entry of the Eastern Gate, and there wash their feet and hands, so they were sanctified upon entering the holy place.  Jesus’s prayer is that we might be clean, and be made more like Him.
To become more like Him we must stay in His Word daily, pray  in His  name, and be obedient to His will.
Be sanctified through the truth.  Jesus has prayed for it.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Not Of This World

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I believe with all my heart that Jesus is still praying for His disciples – those who are following Him – today.  The Lord’s Prayer of John 17 is such a wonderful and powerful prayer.  It is an assuring prayer, and should be a motivator to inspire us as we pray.

Last time as we looked at verse 15 we saw that Jesus prayed that His followers not be taken out of this world, but that the Father “Keep them from the evil”.  Jesus intended His followers to be an example of godliness to the world, and we cannot do that if we become isolated and separated from everyone else.

The request we look at today is quite simple and somewhat of a statement completing the last request:

“They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”  John 17:16 (KJV).

Jesus came into the world in the likeness of sinful men, but yet, without sin.  He came into the world as one of us, but not of the world.  He came from another place.  A place of glory and splendor.  He left all of that to come and redeem us unto Himself.  He is not of this world

In the Revelation of Jesus Christ there is a phrase which is used several times, …them that dwell upon the earth” (3:10; 6:10; 11:10; 13:8, 12, 14; 14:6;) and another similar to it, …the inhabiters of the earth” (8:13; 12:12).  These references are of course speaking of those who have no heart for God and His Son Jesus Christ.

Those who follow Him, Jesus says, ‘are not of the world’.  Not of this world we have been born again to walk in a new life, a changed life, no longer tied to the temporal things.  The heart of a believer is tied to the things of the glory of Jesus.  We are not of this world; we are still in this world, and for the purpose of showing forth the glory of Jesus our Lord and Savior.

-Tim A. Blankenship

David’s Christ

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“And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David? 36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. 37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.”  Mark 12:35-37

The scribes would profess and teach that the “Messiah” was the “Son of David”, but they were not acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah.  What was their problem?  In the Psalms David calls the Messiah, “Lord” (Ps. 110:1).  The Pharisees, scribes, and Sadducees [religious leaders] were rejecting Jesus as the Christ [Messiah].  Therefore, Jesus is putting forth a lesson they must hear and learn.  If the Messiah is the Son of David, and Jesus is the fulfillment of the coming of Messiah, then He must also be Lord and God in flesh.

Jesus is not disagreeing with the premise that the Messiah is the “Son of David”, but He is strengthening it.  In Psalm 110 verse 1 David is acknowledging the Messiah as Lord.  “The LORD [Father God] said unto my Lord [Messiah/Christ]…”.  In this passage Jesus is declaring the Messiah’s deity, and thus, His own deity.

The religious leaders did not believe the Messiah would be anything more than just a man, and that was the reason for Jesus’ question.  If David is recognizing the Messiah as Lord, then He is more than “just a man”; more than “just the son of David”; He is the incarnate [in the flesh] God.

-Tim A. Blankenship

I Kept Them In Thy Name

/ Tim A.

This prayer of Jesus’s  is the most beautiful and majestic of Scriptures.  It must be because it is prayed by our Maker.

Jesus continues praying as though He has finished the task for which He came to do, and that was always to do the Father’s will, and all the way to the cross of His death.  He prays,

“While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy name: those that Thou gavest Me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.” John 17:12 (KJV)

Jesus’s prayer is as though His work is finished; past tense.  “While I was with them”, and He has not gone to the cross yet.  He prays as though it was already done.  The gift of salvation, grace, mercy, is as good as finished, because He asked for it.  He has kept and will keep.

There is one exception.  One has been lost, and that is the “son of perdition” – the son of wickedness; the son of the devil.  And, this was so that Scripture might be fulfilled.

You and I can rest assured today that all Scripture either has been fulfilled, is being fulfilled, or will be fulfilled concerning you and me.  We need never fear that anything will ever take us out of the Father’s hands, when we are  in the way of the Lord Jesus Christ, ie., His death, burial and resurrection.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Ashamed To Ask A King

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Wouldn’t it be great if every citizen of the United States of America was ashamed to ask our government anything, but for those things which, God requires of government?  It would indeed.  And the government would be in much better shape financially.

Our trust, as Christians, is in God; not government.  We cannot trust the gov to provide  our health care, nor any of our financial security.  These are areas we trust our Lord to provide by giving us strength for the day to do our jobs; creative minds to better ourselves; and a good motivation for helping our fellow man.

The answer for the problems of the USA is not more gov; but more of God and trusting Him through His Son Jesus Christ.

Nehemiah – the king’s cupbearer has written,

“Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.  For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.  So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.”  Ezra 8:21-23 (KJV)

When we boast of a great God, bigger than any Government, bigger than any king; then, we ought to be ashamed to call on any government aid to do the LORD’s will.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Glorify The Lord

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Glorify the Lord.  Now that is a grand statement, and it is one that describes how our lives are to be.  The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”  How can we who are born sinners, then, glorify the Lord?  Of ourselves we cannot.

“I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.”  John 17:4 (KJV).

Now that is a bold statement coming from a man who some would say, and are saying that He is not deity.  No mere man could make such a claim, but Jesus does in His prayer to the Father.  How could He make such a claim were He not equal with the Father?  He could not.  It would be the height of pride and arrogance for anyone else to say such a thing.  It would be next door to blasphemy.

To glorify the Lord would be to be obedient to Him in all things, and fulfill every thing that God has for you and me to do.  There would be no disobedience.  There would be no mistakes.  There would be a life completely “Sold out” to doing the Father’s business.  Jesus has lived a life of complete obedience to all the Father had for Him to do, and all the way to Calvary; the cross of sacrifice.

The desire of every Christian is to live for the glory of the Lord.  The only way of doing that is to live the life of Christ in you, the hope of glory.  We do that by realizing that it was by the sacrifice of the life of Jesus that God has reconciled us to Himself, and given us means to glorify Him in Jesus.

Tim A. Blankenship

The King and Offenses

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We last saw Jesus speaking of receiving children, and whoever receives one of them in His name receives Him; but what about those who offend?

“But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!”
Matthew 18:6-7 (KJV)

Jesus tells us that it would be better for that person to drown, than for that person to live.

This is a reference to those who would attack and abuse those who are the followers of Jesus Christ.  There is also much to be concerned with small children as well.

As Christians we should know that there are going to be those who wish us harm and who will seek to defraud us.  We can see it going on every day with special rights given to some groups, with unholy agendas.  This is expected, but certainly not our desire.  Jesus did say, “In the world you will have tribulation…” and I am fairly certain that included the offenses of the wicked.

Our response can be and should be to pray for those who offend us.  For their salvation, for God to intervene in a glorious way for His honor and glory.  And forgive them.

-Tim A. Blankenship