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Sabbatical and Jubilee

Today’s Reading: Leviticus 24-25; Psalms 81; Hebrews 9

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

In the beginning of the Bible in Genesis, God worked and toiled for six spans of time that we equate with days. On the seventh day, God rested and observed what he had created. He took a pause. God stopped for a moment and enjoyed the view and the fruits of his labor. He was at peace with creation. He was absorbing and settling in his relationship with all he made.

In Leviticus 25, Moses is given rules and guidance from God directly on Mt Sinai. As we observe in the preparation of the law, God is giving us a guide to live by. The Sabbath is expanded. The Sabbath is also observed on a yearly (seven years) and then every seventh- rotation of the seven years (49 years) , which God granted as the 50 years described as Jubilee.

God is putting these set times as a guide for us to breathe. This is a time that we must reflect and observe with each other and commune with each other. I have witnessed in myself that there are times that I am constantly working and trying to the next level. I will push myself to my limits and not take a break and see what’s around. The Sabbath reminds me of the times that I have traveled over the years. I love to explore and hike. Sometimes you get into the groove and want to get to the destination, but the journey and the sights that you see on the way is the true essence of the journey. God created the Sabbath so that we can have a glimpse of the awesomeness that he is surrounding us on our journey of life.

God created the Sabbath to allow us to have relationships. He knew that we are a focused group of individuals. Once we are committed to something that interests us, we will not stop until it is achieved. God created the Sabbath to allow us to create and maintain our relationships with our creator, with others, and with ourselves. If we don’t have these time-outs or pauses then we would not stop to think and interact with each other.

I know that some are very skeptical of this Sabbatical year. They are wondering where would the money or resources come from during this year of rest.

“Therefore you shall do my statutes and keep my rules and perform them, and then you will dwell in the land securely. The land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and dwell in it securely. And if you say, ‘What shall we eat in the seventh year, if we may not sow or gather in our crop?’ I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, so that it will produce a crop sufficient for three years. When you sow in the eighth year, you will be eating some of the old crop; you shall eat the old until the ninth year, when its crop arrives.“

‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭25‬:‭18‬-‭22‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God will not only provide enough resources for you in the present year that you are producing, but he will also provide enough resources for the following year and the next as you come out of the sabbatical. He is in it for you and the relationships that you have.

God is in it for you to prosper and multiply and recharge and refresh yourself. He has many things in store for you if you acknowledge him. He wants more than ever to have you happy and healthy. Let us look in our lives and see where we can take rest and enjoy the celebration that God has in store for us.

That’s Ridiculous

Leviticus 21-23, Hebrews 8

Warren buffet has 10 rules for investing. When you read them, you will agree that they make total sense. In fact, they are not even hard. Look for yourself:

Invest in what you know
Focus on company quality
Seek value
Be patient
View market fluctuations as opportunities
Invest for the long term
Reinvest profits
Avoid debt
Build a concentrated portfolio
Know when to sell

Just think, you could be a billionaire too, if you follow these simple rules. Take one look at my bank account and you will see how good I am at following these “simple” rules. If only there was another way.

Wait, what if there was? What if someone came to you and said, hey, I have a better way. A new deal. I am going to wipe away all those rules. Instead of the rules, all you have to do is follow me. Give me all of your attention and I will take care of you. Just believe. Would you do it?

Isn’t this exactly what Jesus did? Nobody could keep the rules – the law – so, he changed them. Once and for all, he eliminated the need for priests and intermediaries, providing a direct pathway to God himself. He dispenses with the sacrifices too. Instead, Jesus “is the one who mediates for us.” But that is not all. Jesus provides “a far better covenant with God, based on better promises (Hebrews 8:6 (NLT)).” These better promises include mercy for our iniquities and their complete erasure from God’s heart (Hebrews 8:11).

For many, this promise is too much. It’s easier to believe in the law. Sure, the failure rate is brutal, but at least I have control over it. The new way is tougher. Not because of what I have to do but because of what I don’t have to do. and If I can’t physically do things, I have to rely on one thing; faith. Do you believe it?

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 (ESV)

A Better Order

Today’s reading is Leviticus 19-20 and Hebrews 7.

I listen to a podcast my company publishes and a gentleman who is commonly on there likes to say, “I’m a fan of interesting things.” For me, I would put our reading today in Hebrews 7 about Melchizedek in the category of ‘interesting things.’ We first learn about Melchizedek in Genesis 14:17-20 when Abraham meets him and gives him one tenth of everything after winning a big victory in battle to rescue his nephew Lot and the people of Sodom. If you are like me, you may have read this in Genesis before and not really understood the significance of this King Melchizedek and who he was. We find out later in Psalm 110:4 that the Messiah will come from his order (or pattern) and in our reading today in Hebrews 7 we learn about some of the uniqueness of Melchizedek. The timing of this assigned chapter in Hebrews to me for this post is also interesting since our small group is currently reading Learn the Bible in 24 Hours by Chuck Missler where he discusses this topic and where I received some of my information. I was not familiar with this previously and found it particularly fascinating when it was covered in his book.

What is so unique about Melchizedek? We are told in Genesis 14:17-20 that he is both a king and a priest. That may not mean much to most of us, but it does to Bible scholars and others with great biblical knowledge. Centuries later Jewish priests came from tribe of Levi and the order of Aaron. They were not kings. One was never both a priest and a king. We know from the Old Testament the Messiah and king would come from the tribe of Judah in Genesis 49:10 and then later in Revelation 5:5. But, Melchizedek was both the king of Salem and a priest which is unique. Psalm 110:4 tells us the Messiah will be “a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” The Messiah will be both our king and high priest.

The writer of Hebrews expands on this and its importance. He states Melchizedek, king of Salem from Genesis, has no ancestral line and is from eternal descent (Hebrews 7:3). Priests from the tribe of Levi or the order (pattern) of Aaron were born and died and while they took sacrifices for the atonement of their sins and their people’s sins, we are told here in Hebrews 7 this was imperfect and not sufficient because they were mortal. We needed a better atonement and covenant for the forgiveness of our sins from a Messiah who was not from a mortal order (pattern) of Levi/Aaron, but from the eternal order (pattern) of Melchizedek. This is described throughout Hebrews 7, but you can look particularly at Hebrews 7:21-24 and Hebrews 7:26-30.

I mentioned early I would put this in the category of ‘interesting things.’ Remember that Jerusalem did not exist when Abraham lived, but most scholars agree Salem, where Melchizedek was king, is now Jerusalem and the valley of Shaveh where they had this encounter is right next to Jerusalem. I did not find this highlighted in any of my research, but personally I find it interesting that Melchizedek brought Abraham bread and wine (Genesis 4:18) which was later what Jesus would say was representative of his body and blood given on the cross in the Last Supper and Communion which we take as a reminder still today. Abraham also gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything (Genesis 4:20), even though a tithe, 1/10 of everything, was not mentioned until the law was given to Moses later in Leviticus 27:30.

As we close this learning about the order of Melchizedek out, it is important that we underscore again what the author of Hebrews wanted us to know which my brother Chad highlighted in his post from Monday (https://www.biblejournal.net/2024/02/19/our-daily-walk/). Although Jesus was from the eternal order of Melchizedek, we know he came down to be with us as human and even as high priest we are told in Hebrews 4:14-15 He can sympathize and understands all the challenges and temptations we face. Yet, Jesus did not sin which makes him the perfect propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:1-2). For this, let us give thanks and celebrate Him today!

Anchor

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,
Hebrews 6:19

Each time I have read the verse above, read a devotional about this verse, or hear a sermon about it, I resonate with the anchor symbolism. I remember as a young child boating with my Dad on the Illinois River and learning all things nautical. One of my favorite memories as a young adult is when my family was boating on the shores of Lake Michigan. We “beached” the boat as far into the shore as possible and then set the anchor in the sand. The anchor was tight and holding strong as began our decent down the beach. After we had traveled a distance my dad looked back at the boat and asked, “does it look like the boat is moving?” We all agreed that the anchor had loosened its grip in the sand and the boat was floating away from shore. We took off running back down the beach. My dad waded out into the water and was able to jump on the boat and pull it back up to the shore. We reset the anchor this time making triple sure that it was secure and not slipping.

In Biblical times, anchors on boats were not lowered into the ocean. Instead, a sailor would leave the boat and secure the anchor on shore to keep it from floating away. Instead of worrying about their boats floating away the sailors made sure that the anchor was secure.

Just like the anchor on a boat, we have the same hope in Jesus. He steadies our souls and secures us. This hope is a trust that God will fulfill His promise. We have hope because He has given us both a promise and an oath.

Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confided it with an oath.
Hebrews 6:17

The Lord cannot lie. We read of the promise He made to Abraham in verse 13. After Abraham waited patiently, he received what was promised to him (verse 15). This is an assurance to us that God does what He promises He will do.

When we put our trust in God, He promises to be our anchor. We are forever secure and tethered to Him. Our hope is firm and secure because God has promised on oath to fulfill His Word. No matter what comes against us in this world, we can be assured that our anchor does not slip, we can stand firm and trust in the Lord.

Levititcus 15-18, Psalm 31, Hebrews 6

Our Daily Walk

Today’s Readings: Leviticus 8-11, Psalm 110, and Hebrews 4

Hebrews 4:14-16 were verses that I had previously boldly underlined in my Bible.

“14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

I want to focus on verse 15, so, I asked myself the question, “What are the most practical things we can learn from the time Jesus spend on earth?”

The time Jesus spent on earth provides numerous lessons that are relevant to our daily lives. Here are some of the most practical things we can learn:

Love and Compassion: Jesus consistently demonstrated love and compassion towards all people, regardless of their background or circumstances. We can learn to love others unconditionally and show compassion to those in need.
Forgiveness: Jesus taught the importance of forgiveness and modeled it through His interactions with others. Learning to forgive others, as well as ourselves, can lead to greater peace and reconciliation in our relationships.
Humility: Jesus exhibited humility by serving others and putting their needs above His own. We can learn to humble ourselves, serve others with kindness, and avoid prideful attitudes.
Faith: Jesus repeatedly emphasized the power of faith and encouraged His followers to trust in God’s provision and promises. Strengthening our faith can help us overcome challenges and experience greater peace and joy.
Prayer: Jesus frequently prayed and taught His disciples the importance of prayer. Developing a regular prayer life can deepen our relationship with God and provide strength and guidance in difficult times.
Simplicity and Contentment: Jesus lived a simple lifestyle and taught His followers not to be consumed by material possessions. Learning to be content with what we have and prioritize spiritual riches over worldly wealth can lead to greater fulfillment.
Perseverance: Jesus faced many trials and challenges during His earthly ministry but remained steadfast in His mission. We can learn to persevere in the face of adversity and trust in God’s faithfulness to see us through difficult times.
Hospitality and Generosity: Jesus welcomed all people with open arms and generously shared His time, resources, and love. Practicing hospitality and generosity towards others can foster deeper connections and reflect Christ’s love in tangible ways.
Obedience to God’s Will: Jesus always sought to do the will of His Father and submitted Himself to God’s plan, even when it was difficult. Learning to surrender our own will and align our lives with God’s purposes can bring greater fulfillment and purpose.
Eternal Perspective: Jesus taught about the importance of prioritizing eternal matters over temporary concerns. Keeping an eternal perspective can help us navigate life’s challenges with hope and confidence in God’s promises.

By incorporating these practical lessons from Jesus’ time on earth into our lives, we can grow in our faith, character, and relationships, and become more like Him in our daily walk.

Faith in Action: Learning to Listen and Believe

A work colleague and friend (we’ll call him Matt) and I were having a good conversation before a nice meal on a business trip. Matt tried to call me a few days prior while I was at church. I declined the call and later sent a quick message asking if he was alright (since it was strange that he was calling me on Sunday morning). I also conveyed that I was at church so I couldn’t answer.

We’d not seen each other in a while so it was great to catch up in person. Matt openly states that he is “not religious”; as part of this, he has felt wounded by people who have referred to themselves as Christians who have behaved with rules and/or judgment first as opposed to Christ’s love first.

Matt wears his heart on his sleeve and doesn’t shy away from difficult conversations. He said, “I didn’t know you were religious”. When I asked him what he meant, he mentioned the text message. The door was opened so I shared some of my faith journey and also made it a point to apologize to him for the wounds that he’s felt. I also admitted some of my failures as a Christian and shared that only Jesus was perfect in the way he loved people.

Later that evening I received a disturbing work-related email and I immediately became upset, worried, and even a bit angry. Then it hit me. Here I am being given the opportunity to share the reasons for my faith, yet I so easily went into panic over one email. Where was my faith in that moment?

I felt God convicting me and reminding me what was going on and that this was another example for me to trust Him alone. It opened the door again for me to confess to Matt: This is the kind of thing that I’m prone to worry about, but then my faith reshapes my attitude and pulls me through. My faith didn’t solve the problem, it merely transformed my fear into peace.

We all have a “Matt” in our lives. Don’t stop praying for opportunities to share!

I was inspired to share this story today based on one line from Hebrews 3 verses 15-19 in The Message (MSG) version as the chapter closes out:

They never got there because they never listened, never believed.

The Israelites, even though God had done so much for them, didn’t make it to the promised land based on one simple statement. Never listened, never believed. That was my conviction because even with all the prayer, studying, attending church, and other great stuff, if I don’t listen or believe, what’s it all for? It is a reminder that the world is watching and in difficult situations, will our responses show worry and unbelief, or peace and belief?

Pray for doors to open today to share your faith and the reasons you believe. This is a prayer God is ready to answer.

The Thing I Seek Most

Leviticus 1-3, Psalm 27, hebrews 2

What do you want? What would make you happy? Go ahead, make a list. My list is dominated by relationships and money. Those things, I think, will bring the happiness and fulfillment my soul is searching for. I can break my want list down a little further and get vacations, cars, furniture, promotions, and health. Now, consider your prayers. How are your prayers shaped by what you want? If I am honest, this is where most of my prayers are focused. They stand in stark contrast to the prayer of David in Psalm 27.

The one thing I ask of the Lord—

the thing I seek most—

is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,

delighting in the Lord’s perfections

and meditating in his Temple. Psalms 27:4 (NLT)

There is something that David figured out that I often miss. He knew that living in the presence of God, every day, was the only thing needed. In God’s presence, fear is eliminated, protection is provided, and confidence rendered. While those things are great, David understands that there is more to fulfillment. He delights in simple moments contemplating the beauty of the Lord.

Defeating Discontentment

Today’s Readings Exodus 35-37, Psalm 96, Philippians 4

There are so many things that grab our attention daily. The world has so many things that can make us discontent. The newer version of a car, the newest style of clothes, a new job, an upgraded look to match the TV, new friends, a new car, or a different significant other. Just about all we see daily can leave us in a discontented state. Discontent can take your joy and bring you anxiety, leading to fear.

It’s hard to find people who are content with where they are. ( I know I suffer myself.)

Know that the human heart cannot be satisfied without God.

Philippians 4:1, “Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

“But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

Paul is in jail, on death row…still, he is content.

In verse 11 Paul is saying, “I’m satisfied, I have enough.” And saying you have enough is saying, “God, I am content with what You’re now doing in my life.” In other words, it’s really an act of worship to be content. You are bowing before the Lord and saying,

The familiar words of Psalm 23 begin this way: “The Lord,” or, “Yahweh is my shepherd, I shall not want.” A satisfied heart should be the experience of every believer because God promises to satisfy us with everything we need.

May we shine as lights by being content with God’s plan today and in the future.

In God’s Presence

Today’s Reading: Exodus 32-34; Philippians 3

Exodus 34:1- 10

The Lord said to Moses, “Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2 Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain. …4 So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone. 5 The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands,[a] forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” 8 And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. 9 And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

The presence of God. This is one of the most profound encounters of God in the Old Testament. One of the first encounters of God is when God connects with Abraham and Jacob. But this one is where God actually makes an appointment with Moses and gives him an assignment.

Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2 Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain.

The next thing that happens is God comes down from Heaven and walks in front of Moses. Moses is in the official presence of God. He is one of the first persons to see and interact with God at this level. Moses had previously been in the presence of God at the burning bush, but now he is actually standing with God. Let this sink in for a minute. He is physically in the presence of God. As we read more in the chapter, he spends 40 days with God and the time that he has spent with God is evident on his face. His face showed such a glow that he had to actually wear a veil to dampen the glow of the Holiness that he encountered.

This is just one of those passages that makes you feel in awe of the relationship between Moses and God. But then I remember that Christ has come and given us the same opportunity to have this relationship with God. We may not be able to be in the physical presence as Moses, but we are in the spiritual presence of God continually. When you are in this relationship, you are able to show the presence of God in all of your work and your life.

Let us pray that our life can be a reflection of God that others may see it on your face as with Moses.

Be Blessed

Not What You Think

Exodus 28-31, Phil 2

What is humility? Google says that humility is “a low or modest view of oneself.” I don’t like that. Humble people can still be confident. God never asks us to take a low view of ourselves. How could he? Remember, he created us in his image!

Another, common definition says that “humility is not thinking less about yourself, it’s thinking about yourself less.” That’s better than Google, but it is still weak. It lets me off the hook. It makes me think that I can be humble, and maintain my position, my dignity and my status. This is not what the Bible says.

Perhaps the best definition of humility comes from Philippians 2:8. It equates humility to obedience. It reads, “And being found in human form, [Jesus] humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” In short, humility is obedience. That is a very demanding definition. It’s obedience, even when it costs us everything. Jesus was robbed of his position, his dignity and his status. That did not stop him. He also lost his life.

Or, did he?

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:39 (ESV)