249th Week, Leviticus Chapters 10-14 (Click on title for Video Introduction)

 Click on title for Video Intro

Monday Leviticus Chapter 10

Leviticus 10

Verse 1-2

Jeanie Boldt

Verse 1-2:  Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to His command. So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.

THOUGHT

It did not take long for the sin to enter the priestly family. After a great experience with the Lord, beware of the enemy’s attack. Elijah ran away after the great victory at Mount Carmel, and Jesus was tempted after His baptism at the Jordan. Great blessings sometimes mean great temptations.

Eleven times in Chapters 8-9 you find the phrase “the Lord commanded”.  Nadab and Abihr did what the Lord had NOT commanded, and the fire of God killed them. (Hebrews 12:29 “for our God is a consuming fire.”) At the beginning of new periods in redemptive history, God judged sin in a dramatic way so that the people would learn to fear Him.

Have you thought about the things in your life that you do wrong? Are there days when you feel like you did not live as if the Lord Jesus were right beside you? Do you ever fuel the fire when love, grace and mercy should instead be extended? If God were to judge you at the end of the day in a dramatic way, would you live or die?

Thank God that He has given us forgiveness through the saving grace of Jesus. However, do you feel at times He has made it too easy? May we all be held accountable for our actions. May we show a sense of responsibility to the Lord, ourselves, family, workmates and friends.

PRAYER

Father, please forgive us for putting things before You. Help us not to abuse the privilege of being a child of God. Instill in us the sense of Christian responsibility. Help us to remain close to You and follow Your advice. Clothe us with Your armor each day so that we know how to fight the wrong earthly sins. Keep us from growing careless about obeying You, Your commands and Your guidance. May we realize that we place ourselves in danger when we consciously or carelessly disobey. May the Holy Spirit direct me this week as I lead the SS. Thank you for the strength and accountability of these people. AMEN

Tuesday, Leviticus Chapter 11

Leviticus 11

Verse 47

Jeanie Boldt

Verse 47: You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.

THOUGHT

I will tell you right now. I would have starved to death had I lived back then. I would have been afraid to have gotten one of the laws mixed up and done the wrong thing. Father God, give me quail and manna that way I hopefully would not have gotten it mixed up.

This chapter focuses on the concept of “clean” and “unclean” in the area of food. Although the laws certainly served a practical hygienic purpose, there was also a spiritual one. Other nations might be able to do those things, but the Jews could not. One person’s carelessness could affect many people.  

If they wanted to be pleasing to God, the people had to exercise discernment. The dietary laws were temporary, but the principle is permanent.  Believers must have discernment and avoid what is unclean.

We don’t have laws about what to eat and what not to eat. However, perhaps we need to. Obesity is a problem in our country. We do know the foods that are harmful to our body. I can name many health conditions that require certain foods. These foods are chosen because it is good for the body. All of us are individuals. We know the things that become habitual, work against a certain health issue we have or pleasure items and not nutritional ones. We have choices now. I pray that we eat what is the best for us.

PRAYER

Father God, I am ever so grateful that I do not have to worry much about the instructions You gave Your people on food. Teach us to treat our body as a temple of God and choose what is best. We know with Your help we can do this.  We Love You, Jesus.  AMEN

Wednesday, Leviticus Chapter 12

Leviticus 12

Verse 7b

Jeanie Boldt

Verse 7b:  These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl.

THOUGHT

The Lord once again gave specific rules after childbirth. The lady was considered ceremonial unclean. This did not mean sinful or dirty. Because of the female’s body secretions occurring during and after childbirth, this made the woman unclean and unprepared to enter the pure surroundings of the tabernacle. The Lord wanted to keep worship and the birth of children completely separate. The Israelites worshiped God as their loving Creator and Provider, and they thanked Him for safe childbirth.

I wonder what the Lord would think now. Gosh, we have it set up so the whole family can be in the room for the birth and celebration. Ladies can come with the newborns days after delivery and worship the Lord. I think this continues to show the contrast in the ways of the world then and the actions of the world now. We must praise Him for the miracle He gave us to produce such a loving bundle of joy and how much love a child brings to the family.

PRAYER

Father, please continue to bless the reading of this book in Your Word. Help us to understand all that was asked of Your people from You. Again we thank You and praise You for how we can celebrate the birth of a child now in a Christian household. Thank You for all our children, grandchildren and great

grandchildren. We lift up all of the marriages represented and ask for You to surround them with Love, Joy and Peace.  AMEN

Thursday, Leviticus Chapter 13

Leviticus 13

Verse 46

Jeanie Boldt

Verse 46:  As long as he has the infection he remains unclean. He must live alone; he must lie outside the camp.

THOUGHT 

Oh my goodness, I could write many situations here that would make your heart cry.  Yes, there are skin diseases that need to be isolated from others such as scabies, lice, staph infections, herpes, some fungus, condyloma, warts and many more. However, there are many skin diseases that can make a person look quite bad but yet not have one ounce of fear of transfer. They include acne, psoriasis, eczema, allergic contact dermatitis, vitiligo, tinea, skin cancer, age spots, birthmarks, moles, lentigos and skin tags. These are just a few that I see each and every day at the office. Some of these people suffer so severely and can be not only physically but emotionally affected. They know that with the lesions people may not want to look at them or touch them. Relationships are hurt, and self-esteem is gone. I know at times when I see a teenager who is suffering from severe cystic acne come in; I know in my heart that school must be really tough for him. He must be undergoing much teasing and reticule. After putting them on treatment, their personality changes, and self-esteem sky rockets as their peers accept them. Praise God we can do something about it now. 

But just think back to the time of Moses and Aaron, these people were completely moved outside the camp and told to leave them alone. How sad is that!!! I am sure we would have found that some were not even contagious.  Psoriasis people who suffer from thick plaques of scales have to think twice about what they wear so that what they wear will cover it and show no signs of flakes. There is much time involved when creams must be applied just to make it look as good as it does now.  The medication is very expensive, and they must remain on it forever.

Salt Shakers, please have compassion on those that are affected from skin disease. I know my eye goes to unusual lesions and conditions because that is my job. But I pray that I will not stare or consider them unclean. I just pray that somehow my message may be that there is treatment for many of the symptoms or removal and laser treatments available for most visible conditions. The skin is the largest organ of the body, and when someone has beautiful clear soft looking skin, we look and admire it. I pray that those who are not as blessed and have been born with birthmarks or skin disease or scars from surgery or accident or skin cancer, that we will please have compassion and accept them as they are. I pray we will never leave anyone completely alone or put them outside our camp.

PRAYER

Father. I thank You for my job and the knowledge I have in Dermatology. I love it so. Thank You for the physicians that I work for and the treatments You have given to us to help those with problems of the skin. May we accept people as they are when we look at them and rejoice with what lies inside their soul. I am glad that we live in this time so that my family will not have to hear them shout, “Unclean! Unclean!”  Thank You for the blessings You have given us far more than we deserve. AMEN

Friday, Leviticus Chapter 14

Leviticus 14

Verses 7b

Jeanie Boldt

Verse 7b:  Then he is to release the live bird in the open fields.

THOUGHT

The ceremony for restoration for the healed leper pictures our Lord’s work of redemption. Jesus went outside the camp to meet us and to die for us. He identified Himself with the outcasts. Whatever is infected with leprosy - it is fit for the fire, but He rescued us. We can compare the diseased skin lesions as sin. They would spread and not get any better. Then Jesus Christ came.  We received forgiveness of sins, and the body is healed and clean once again. 

Is there a sin that is eating you alive? Maybe not on the outside but how about on the inside? Do you experience jealousy easily, how about lust, selfishness, addiction, anger, placing things before our God, speaking badly of others, impatience, having too big of an ego, feeling sorry for ourselves, not remembering those less fortunate than us or not being in the Word or stillness of God? Any of us could be suffering from any of these but with Jesus as our Savior, we will fly free. Birds don’t belong in clay jars; they ought to be flying in the heavens. This is a picture of our Lord, when He took upon Himself a human body that He might die for our sins. Their turning the living bird loose pictured His resurrection from the dead.

God has made us “kings and priests” through the blood of Christ. Hallelujah, what a Savior!!!

PRAYER

Father in Heaven, Thank You for being the God of our universe and for  understanding all the pain and suffering that we go through here on earth. Jesus, we love You for Your sacrifice that You gave to us all. Oh, how we love You for it. Please forgive us for those unclean areas in our lives. Help us to fly free and clean. May we begin our day on our knees for guidance and surrender. I love my family. Hear their prayers and keep them safe and healthy. AMEN