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EVERY DAY

February

January

Jan/FEB 2013

Leviticus Derek Tidball

Hebrews 7–13 David Coffey

PLUS …

Weekend reflections on the Psalms, and the Big Picture by Philip Greenslade

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Derek Tidball Derek Tidball was Principal of London School of Theology (formerly London Bible College, where he began teaching in 1972) from 1995—2008. He became a Vice-President of the Evangelical Alliance in 1995 and was elected Chairman of the Council of the Evangelical Alliance in 2004. He has served as pastor of two Baptist churches and was Head of the Mission Department of the Baptist Union, and President of it in 1990—91. Derek is the author of 20 books, is a regular preacher and has delivered the Bible Readings at Spring Harvest, Keswick and other Bible conventions internationally.

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David Coffey David Coffey OBE is the Global Ambassador for BMS World Mission and Chairman of Spurgeon’s College Council. He was President of the Baptist World Alliance for five years from 2005—2010. David has visited 80 countries in all the continents, but he has a particular interest in the Middle East and seeks to strengthen the work and witness of the churches of the Arab world. His human rights visits include China, Egypt, Cuba, Russia, Azerbaijan and Vietnam. David has been married to his wife Janet for 46 years, and they have two adult children and four grandchildren. His interests are soccer, music and political biography.

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Philip Greenslade Having originally trained for the Baptist ministry, Philip has over 30 years’ experience in Christian ministry. He has worked with CWR since 1991 in the areas of biblical studies, pastoral care and leadership. With his passion for teaching God’s Word, he offers a refreshing and challenging perspective for all those who attend his courses. Close to Philip’s heart are the long-running Bible Discovery Weekends. Course Director for CWR’s recent postgraduate programme in Pastoral Leadership, Philip is currently leading a Pastoral Care course focused on Christian identity and vocation. He is the author of several books including God’s Story, Voice from the Hills and Ministering Angles.

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Copyright © CWR 2007, 2012 First published 2007 by CWR. This edition published 2012 by CWR, Waverley Abbey House, Waverley Lane, Farnham, Surrey GU9 8EP, UK. CWR is a Registered Charity – Number 294387 and a Limited Company registered in England – Registration Number 1990308.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of CWR. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are from the Holy Bible: New International Version (NIV), copyright © 2001, 2005 by Biblica. Used by permission of Biblica®. Other versions: ESV: The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, published by HarperCollins Publishers © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. NLT: Holy Bible New Living Translation, © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc. RSV: Revised Standard Version, © 1965, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. The Message: Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

AV: The Authorised Version.

Concept development, editing, design and production by CWR Cover image: sxc/Jason Smith Printed in England by Linney Print

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JANUARY introduction

Leviticus Derek Tidball It’s strange how attitudes change. Today Leviticus is one of the most despised books in the Bible because people – usually those who’ve never read it – assume it’s full of outdated and discriminatory rules. Yet the Israelites viewed it very differently. To them it was vitally important because it set out their lifestyle as God’s people. It showed them (1) how they were to please God, (2) how to overcome any breach of relationship with Him, and (3) how they were to be different from people around them.

The key theme is found in 11:44, 19:2 and 20:26. The Israelites were to ‘be holy’ because ‘I am the Lord your God’. Although holiness works itself out differently in our world, the goal of being holy is as binding on us as it was on them, as 1 Peter 1:16 makes clear.

Leviticus is a very orderly book, suggesting that priests might have helped to write it. Chapters 1–7 deal with sacrifices, 8–10 with Aaron’s priesthood, 11–15 with matters of purity, 16 introduces the Day of Atonement, and 17–27 deal with ethical issues. These last chapters, known as the Holiness Code, cover a string of contemporary issues, such as families and sex, crime and punishment, poverty and wealth, and welcoming the immigrant. (See my Crossway Bible Guide, Discovering Leviticus, or The Message of Leviticus [both IVP] for help with details.) Far from being outdated, Leviticus presents us with the unchanging heart of God, and teaches us still how to be His holy and distinctive people.

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Tues 1 Jan Leviticus 1

Wholly belonging to God

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t’s no accident that the first offering about which God speaks (vv.1–2) is the burnt offering. This offering came to be offered twice daily and for many different reasons, for instance to confirm a vow or offer thanks. But it is not because of its frequency that it is mentioned first. This is the only offering that was totally incinerated, and it symbolises the way in which God’s people belong, not in part, but completely to Him. So it takes priority because it represents the Israelites’ default position: they were entirely and absolutely God’s people.

The first part of Leviticus teaches truth through describing dramatic ritual that is full of meaning. Curiously, we don’t know what words the priests spoke. So it’s the details of the rituals that are revealing. They tell us the offering had to be perfect, for nothing but the best is good enough for God (v.3). We see that it was never more than a substitute for the worshippers themselves, conveyed by the ritual of laying on of hands (v.4). We learn that worshippers could not worship by remote control since they had to kill,

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skin and cut up the sacrificial victim (vv.5–6). We see the importance of blood being shed, signifying a life laid down (see 17:11). And we discover that the offering had to be prepared and cleansed (vv.6–9). There was no room for sloppiness in approaching their covenant God. One of the outstanding features of this offering is its inclusiveness. God makes it possible for rich and poor to worship Him on an equal footing. The rich could slaughter a bull (vv.3–9), the poor need not do more than capture a bird in the air (vv.14–17), whereas those in between could offer a sheep or goat (vv.10–13). None are hindered from approaching God because of their financial state. This offering was all about acceptance by God (vv.3–4), and anyone could be accepted if they offered with integrity the sacrifice that represented their life as being wholly at the Lord’s disposal. Contemporary worship may take a different form but, in essence, it demands nothing less.

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Leviticus 2 Wed 2 Jan

A pleasing aroma

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he grain offering seems the poor relation among the offerings and, in truth, was always accompanied by one of the other offerings. No animal is sacrificed.

Rather, the fruit of agricultural labour is offered to God. The offering could take various forms. It could be uncooked flour (vv.1–3) on which olive oil and incense were poured. It could be an offering already cooked beforehand (vv.4–11), providing it was of the finest flour. Or it could be the firstfruits of the harvest (v.12). None of the offerings were to contain yeast or honey (v.11), either because the former causes corruption or because both are living substances and, as Gordon Wenham says, ‘only dead things can be burned on the altar of sacrifice’*. Salt is a necessary ingredient as it stands for the covenant Israel had entered into with God (v.13).

What do these offerings stand for?

The title of the offering in Hebrew is simply the word for ‘gift’. Here people are giving a gift, or tribute, to their sovereign Lord. Three times the portion burnt is called ‘a memorial portion’

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(vv.2,9,16). It serves as a reminder of the covenant Israel had entered into with God. Much of the offering is eaten by the priests (vv.3,10), and is a means by which they were fed. It also denotes bringing something of the fruit of our labour to the Lord. Our work should be an act of worship. But, unlike Cain, mentioned in Genesis 4, we need to present our offerings with the right attitude.

Overall, the key theme is presenting God with something pleasurable to Him – ‘a pleasing aroma’ (vv.2,9). The aroma was caused by the presence of incense or the delightful smell of fresh baking. This is the image Paul picks up in 2 Corinthians 2:15, where he speaks of being ‘to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing’. In addition to offering our work as an act of worship, it is important to please God by spreading the gospel.

*Gordon Wenham, The Book of Leviticus (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1979) p.70.

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Thurs 3 Jan Leviticus 3

A celebration meal

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t’s easy to get confused about the Old Testament sacrifices, not least because the same offering may be called by a number of different names, as with this third offering. Principally, it is called either the fellowship or the peace offering (since its Hebrew name comes from the same root as shalom, peace). But it has also been called a communion offering, a shared offering, or an offering of wellbeing. Part of our difficulty lies in understanding why the Israelites offered it. In 7:11–21 we see it expressed thanks to God, sealed a vow, or simply professed one’s love for Him. It seems particularly associated with phases in life when God’s blessing is enjoyed. Overall, its purpose seems to have been to deepen the communion between God and the worshipper.

Like the first two, this third offering is voluntary. But, if offered, there were instructions to be carefully followed. Because it was occasional, the option of offering a bird is not given.

But a bull or cow (v.1), sheep (v.6) or goat (v.12) was acceptable. The ritual of identification and slaughtering

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was the same as for the burnt offering (vv.2,8,13). The priest would then splash the blood around the altar (vv.2,8,13). However, this time only the internal organs and fat of the animal – considered to be the most highly prized parts – were burnt on the altar since it was thought they belonged to God alone (vv.3–4,9–10,14–15).

The rest of the animal was cooked and enjoyed by the priests and the worshippers and their families in a celebratory meal, with God, as it were, acting as the host (7:12–21). The food was not to be stored for any length of time, as a reminder of their dependence on God’s provision.

When the surrounding nations offered sacrifices they thought their gods were hungry and in need of feeding. The God of Israel has no such need since He made and owns the whole of creation, as Psalm 50:9–12 claims. Rather, the fellowship offering was chiefly a free expression of gratitude, a ‘sacrifice of praise’ that Hebrews 13:15 calls on Christians to offer continuously.

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Leviticus 4:1–5:13 Fri 4 Jan

What to do when you sin

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his offering is a testimony to the amazing provision of God’s grace. It stipulates what to do when Israelites sinned ‘unintentionally’. That strikes fear in the heart of many, and wisely so, but the terminology covers most sin. What this offering doesn’t do is provide a remedy for those who flagrantly rebelled against God. The range of sin covered here is wide. Sins of omission are spoken of in 5:1, whereas 5:2–6 speaks of sins of commission, whether of a ritual or a moral kind. The regulations are designed to draw people near to the forgiving God (see 4:20, 26,31).

Often we complain there is one law for the rich and another for the poor.

Here the law does distinguish between various classes of people – but not to let the powerful off more lightly. The priests are mentioned first (4:3–12).

If they sinned they were required to offer the costly sacrifice of a young bull. Next, if the whole community fell into collective sin, again a young bull was required (4:13–21). Then come the leaders. Their penalty was the offering of a male goat (4:22–26).

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Finally, ordinary individuals are mentioned. They were to sacrifice a less costly, but no less significant, female goat (4:27–35). But God is so concerned all should be able to receive forgiveness that if even a young lamb was too expensive, a couple of doves or pigeons could be offered instead (5:7–10). And if that proved too much, then a (large!) cup of flour would do (5:11–13). Truly there is ‘a wideness in God’s mercy’.

To make effective atonement several things were necessary – and still are – namely, realisation of guilt (4:13,22,27), the ministry of an anointed priest (4:5,16,25,30), the death of the sacrifice (4:4,15,24,29), and the pouring out of blood (4:6–7,16–18,25,30). When today we realise our guilt we need not stand condemned, but rather remember that God has given us in Christ a great High Priest who made atonement for us by shedding His blood so that we might be forgiven. Hebrews 9:11–28 provides a wonderful commentary on these verses.

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WEEKEND Psalm 119:73–80

Gaining a good testimony Popular opinion sometimes wrongly assumes that the Old Testament is a boring compendium of arcane and ancient religious rules and regulations. No doubt the book of Leviticus falls an early victim to this unthinking prejudice.

To all this the psalmist offers his vigorous protest. For him God’s law is not a yawn but a delight (v.77b)! The more he delves into it, he tells us, the more he is learning to relish the Maker’s instructions (v.73). The God who made us surely knows best how we function.

Hopefully, others will enjoy seeing a model of how humans should live (v.74). Humanness develops, he assures us, through respecting the Lawgiver’s decisions and accepting God’s dealings with us as a sign of His covenant faithfulness (v.75a). Uncomplaining acceptance of adversity speaks eloquently of trust in God’s commitment to His people (v.75b). Being comforted by the covenant Lord’s promises, and staking all upon them, others will learn how to live by faith (v.76).

Not for the psalmist the mistake of setting law against grace, for

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he prays to receive mercy through enjoying God’s law (v.77) and, again contrary to popular opinion, does not find obedience to God inhibiting but fulfilling. Facing flagrant injustice, the psalmist loses the lust for retaliation by meditating on God’s Word (v.78). Flummoxed by falsehood, he takes refuge in truth.

For him integrity matters more than image and he wants to ‘live whole and holy … with my head held high’ (v.80, The Message).

What a picture this is of a sturdy, resilient, reflective and joyful believer. Do such people still exist, I wonder? I pray that somewhere God is still making such saints, albeit as yet unrecognised and out of fashion.

One day, I wager, when the really hard times come, when the flashy roadshow that now passes for evangelicalism grinds to a halt and we grow tired of celebrity Christianity, God-starved believers will hear a rumour of such saints and will beat a path to their door (vv.74,79).

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CWR Ministry Events Please pray for the team

Date

Event

Place

10 Jan – 21 Mar

Developing Pastoral Care Waverley Abbey House Andy Peck, Philip Greenslade (Christian Vocation) (six Thursdays) and Lynn Penson

12 Jan

Counselling Training Enquirers’ Morning WAH

Counselling Training Team

19 Jan

Insight into Assertiveness

Chris Ledger

26 Jan

Transformed by the Presence of Jesus WAH

Liz Babbs

28–31 Jan

Marriage on Track (for the Salvation Army)

WAH

Andrew & Lynn Penson

8 Feb

Bible Text to Engaging Sermon

WAH

Andy Peck

15–17 Feb

Bible Discovery Weekend

WAH

Philip Greenslade

19 Feb

Insight into Bullying

WAH

Helena Wilkinson

20–21 Feb

Managing Conflict

WAH

Hilary Turner and Liz Moles

28 Feb

Christ Empowered Living

Pilgrim Hall

Mick & Lynette Brooks

WAH

Presenter(s)

Please also pray for students and tutors on our ongoing BA in Counselling programme at Waverley and Pilgrim Hall and our Certificate and Diploma of Christian Counselling and MA in Integrative Psychotherapy held at London School of Theology.

For further details and a full list of CWR’s courses, phone +44 (0)1252 784719, or visit the CWR website at www.cwr.org.uk Pilgrim Hall www.pilgrimhall.com

www.cwr.org.uk

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Mon 7 Jan Leviticus 5:14–6:7

Making restitution

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he guilt offering has both similarities with and differences from the previous sin offering (4:1–5:13). Like that offering it is obligatory in certain circumstances, and requires the offering of a perfect animal as a blood sacrifice (5:15,18).

Unlike the instructions concerning the sin offering, the focus here is neither on the ritual procedures nor on sin in general. This offering concerns certain sins, and requires the offender to pay an additional penalty of a fifth of the animal’s value by way of restitution (5:16).

What sins are in view? Three are mentioned. (1) The sin of misusing sacred objects – the ‘holy things’ (5:15).

(2) The sin of disobedience towards God’s law, perhaps in particular the laws regarding the tabernacle (5:17). As in much contemporary law, ignorance is not an acceptable defence (5:17).

(3) The sin of carelessness towards one’s neighbour (6:1–5), whether or not the negligence is compounded by trying to cover it up later. Each of these demonstrates a thoughtless attitude that leads to a breach of trust. The

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guilt offering is designed to underline the importance of taking responsibility for one’s actions (5:17) rather than living unaware of what God and others might reasonably expect. This offering encourages trustworthiness and rules out a blasé attitude to life.

It is also significant that the offering classes offences towards God and towards one’s fellow human beings as the same. Loving God and loving one’s neighbours are both required (Matt. 22:34–40). Indeed, you cannot properly do the one without the other.

While, like the sin offering, this offering speaks about the blessing of forgiveness through the sacrifice of a substitute, it goes beyond that. The payment of compensation ensures that grace does not become cheap. It reminds us that sin costs, and those we sin against are treated most justly when we recompense them for what we have ‘stolen’ from them. The story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1–10) gives us a wonderful example of the salvation that comes when sin is fully atoned for in this way.

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Leviticus 6:8–7:38 Tues 8 Jan

The sacrifices revisited

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efore Leviticus leaves the sacrifices, it goes over the ground again in order to answer questions the priests might have had about their conduct of them. Earlier instructions had been given to the people.

These are addressed to ‘Aaron and his sons’ (6:8). This explains why the offerings are listed in a different order. The fellowship offering comes last, after the ‘most holy’ offerings (6:17), because even lay folk participated in eating it.

The instructions are composed of a series of minute details. For example, they tell the priests what to wear and how to dispose of ashes (6:10–11).

They insist that the fire is to be kept burning perpetually (6:12–13). They stipulate the ingredients and arrangement of the offerings (6:12,15,19–21; 7:3–5,12–14). They set out how spilt blood is to be dealt with and how vessels and utensils are to be cleaned (6:27–28). They specify when food from the altar was to be eaten (7:15–18).

They give guidance for when rules are infringed (7:19–21). And so on.

While all this may look arcane, it really isn’t. Any food manufacturer,

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shop or restaurant would have detailed instructions about handling food today.

But there is one important difference.

What lies behind today’s regulations is the question of health. And health may be one of the reasons why God gave these and later instructions about clean and unclean food to Israel (see 11:1–47). We cannot be sure, because the text tells us that the primary reason God gave these instructions was holiness.

Look at how many different ways the concerns of holiness are mentioned in these verses. God is holy, that is altogether majestic in His purity, and these instructions underline the importance of approaching Him with care. We dare not enter the presence of a holy God in a casual manner. We need a perfect Priest to help us sinful beings approach Him. These verses gently warn us about the folly of spiritual carelessness (eg, 7:18–21). Sadly, chapter 10 highlights the warnings with a tragic story.

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