Act 10:11-15 MKJV
(11) And he saw the heaven opened and a certain vessel like a sheet coming down to him, being bound at the four corners and let down to the earth;
(12) in which were all the four-footed animals of the earth, and the wild beasts, and the reptiles, and the birds of the heaven.
(13) And a voice came to him, saying, Rise, Peter! Kill and eat!
(14) But Peter said, Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.
(15) And the voice spoke to him again the second time, What God has made clean, you do not call common.
This is a confusing passage. God is teaching Peter a lesson about love and avoiding prejudice. The Torah is very specific about clean versus unclean (Greek akathartos), but what exactly is 'common' (Greek koinos)?
That which was unclean in a Levitical sense was to be abstained from; avoided altogether. Lepers were unclean. Those things which were common were things 'unhallowed' or ordinary. To the Jewish mind of that period, anything 'heathen' or Gentile was common, but not necessarily unclean.
God is telling Peter not to call cleansed things common. He is not saying that He has cleansed unclean things. The disconnect was that the Jews had placed Gentiles in the common category, despite the fact that the Torah never classified Gentiles as either unclean or common. In fact, Paul wrote "there is nothing common of itself" (Rom 14:14). Torah specifically says:
Lev 19:34 MKJV
(34) The stranger that dwells with you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself. For you were strangers in the land of Egypt. I am Jehovah your God.
The Jews relied on an oral law - one passed along from generation to generation. This was not written down and many had their own 'takes' on this law. Peter said this:
Act 10:28 MKJV
(28) And he said to them, You know that it is an unlawful thing for a man, a Jew to keep company with or to come near to one of another nation. But God has shown me not to call any man common or unclean.
By 'unlawful', Peter referred to the oral law, as Torah said no such thing. The mingling of seeds was forbidden according to Torah, and so was the mixing of nations (intermarriage with heathen nations), as Israel was a Holy Nation. Oral law, however, took this further than God did.
Act 10:34-35 MKJV
(34) Then Peter opened his mouth and said, Truly I see that God is no respecter of persons;
(35) but in every nation he who fears Him and works righteousness is accepted with Him.
Showing posts with label Leviticus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leviticus. Show all posts
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
The Divine Mirror
The results of the Old Covenant and the New Covenant appear to mirror each other. Here is a very simplified example:
In the time of Moses, if you had leprosy and you touched someone, that 'someone' became unclean. However, Jesus implemented a mirror image that showed Him touching a leper, and the leper became clean. See the mirror?
Here is a much more complex example:
Lev 14:35-36 MKJV
(35) and if he that owns the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, A plague is seen by me in the house;
(36) then the priest shall command that they empty the house before the priest goes to see the plague, so that all that is in the house may not become unclean. And afterwards the priest shall go in to see the house.
(48) And if the priest shall come in and look, and, behold, the plague has not spread in the house after the house was plastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean because the plague is healed.
(49) And he shall take two birds to cleanse the house, and cedar-wood, and scarlet dye, and hyssop.
(50) And he shall kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water.
(51) And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet dye, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times.
(52) And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet.
(53) But he shall let the living bird go out of the city into the open field, and make an atonement for the house. And it shall be clean.
The "house" in this case was a real house, or stone dwelling. But it's also the same word for 'temple', which Jesus used interchangeably with our 'physical body'. Basically... this could be a passage about our physical body being sick with a plague. So what just happened?
The body is sick so the priest comes:
Jas 5:14-15 MKJV
(14) Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
(15) And the prayer of faith will cure the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up. And if he has committed sins, it will be forgiven him.
The body is sick so priest comes:
In the time of Moses, if you had leprosy and you touched someone, that 'someone' became unclean. However, Jesus implemented a mirror image that showed Him touching a leper, and the leper became clean. See the mirror?
Here is a much more complex example:
Lev 14:35-36 MKJV
(35) and if he that owns the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, A plague is seen by me in the house;
(36) then the priest shall command that they empty the house before the priest goes to see the plague, so that all that is in the house may not become unclean. And afterwards the priest shall go in to see the house.
(48) And if the priest shall come in and look, and, behold, the plague has not spread in the house after the house was plastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean because the plague is healed.
(49) And he shall take two birds to cleanse the house, and cedar-wood, and scarlet dye, and hyssop.
(50) And he shall kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water.
(51) And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet dye, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times.
(52) And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet.
(53) But he shall let the living bird go out of the city into the open field, and make an atonement for the house. And it shall be clean.
The "house" in this case was a real house, or stone dwelling. But it's also the same word for 'temple', which Jesus used interchangeably with our 'physical body'. Basically... this could be a passage about our physical body being sick with a plague. So what just happened?
The body is sick so the priest comes:
- the house is cured
- the sacrifice is made, while the plague is carried to the Dead Sea
- the house is anointed
Jas 5:14-15 MKJV
(14) Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
(15) And the prayer of faith will cure the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up. And if he has committed sins, it will be forgiven him.
The body is sick so priest comes:
- the house is anointed
- the sacrifice has already been made (Jesus), who carried our sins as far as the east is from the west (notice Lev 14:49: cedar, scarlet, and hyssop), but is here claimed by the prayer of faith
- the house is cured
Monday, May 03, 2010
Nothing Left on the Third Day
Lev 7:18 MKJV
(18) And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of the peace offerings is eaten at all the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed to him who offers it. It shall be an abomination, and the soul that eats of it shall bear his iniquity.
The book of Leviticus is difficult to read, but it gets infinitely more interesting when you start to run everything through the Jesus-filter. All of the Tanakh's references to sacrifice somehow point to Jesus, and this is no different.
It was Jesus Himself who said:
Joh 6:54-55 ESV
(54) Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
(55) For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
In the case of verse 18, none of the sacrifice could be left by the third day. Is this a clue that Jesus raised from the dead on the very dawn of day three? After all we know that He bore NO iniquity whatsoever.
Who offered this sacrifice? Jesus Himself, for He laid down His own life, and He is our high priest. What kind of sacrifice did He make? All of them including the peace offering - rolled into one. Everything required by God, Jesus fulfilled.
So what?
We, too, are to render ourselves living sacrifices. We, too, are to be resurrected on the third day - because He was. We are at the dawn of the third millennial day since Jesus went to prepare a place for us. The question is, which part of the third day does God check to see if there is any part of the sacrifice left?
(18) And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of the peace offerings is eaten at all the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed to him who offers it. It shall be an abomination, and the soul that eats of it shall bear his iniquity.
The book of Leviticus is difficult to read, but it gets infinitely more interesting when you start to run everything through the Jesus-filter. All of the Tanakh's references to sacrifice somehow point to Jesus, and this is no different.
It was Jesus Himself who said:
Joh 6:54-55 ESV
(54) Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
(55) For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
In the case of verse 18, none of the sacrifice could be left by the third day. Is this a clue that Jesus raised from the dead on the very dawn of day three? After all we know that He bore NO iniquity whatsoever.
Who offered this sacrifice? Jesus Himself, for He laid down His own life, and He is our high priest. What kind of sacrifice did He make? All of them including the peace offering - rolled into one. Everything required by God, Jesus fulfilled.
So what?
We, too, are to render ourselves living sacrifices. We, too, are to be resurrected on the third day - because He was. We are at the dawn of the third millennial day since Jesus went to prepare a place for us. The question is, which part of the third day does God check to see if there is any part of the sacrifice left?
Friday, April 23, 2010
Wash It, Then Burn It
Lev 1:4-9 LITV (4) And he shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it is accepted for him to make atonement for him. (5) And he shall kill the son of the herd before the face of Jehovah. And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall bring near the blood and sprinkle the blood on the altar all around at the opening of the tabernacle of the congregation. (6) And he shall skin the burnt offering, and shall cut it into pieces. (7) And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. (8) And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall arrange the pieces, with the head and the fat, on the wood on the fire, which is on the altar. (9) And he shall wash its inward parts, and its legs, with water. And the priest shall burn as incense the whole of it on the altar for a burnt offering, a fire offering of soothing fragrance to Jehovah.
This is an incredible passage. It immediately raises questions, most of which begin with 'why'.
Why did he lay his hand on the head of the sacrifice? In the Old Testament, the priest transferred the sin of himself or the people upon the sacrifice by laying his hand upon his head. If you do a search on this throughout the Old Testament, you'll notice it was NEVER good when God's hand was upon a person or a people. "...and God's hand was heavy upon Pharaoh."
In the New Testament, when the priest laid hands upon someone, life was transferred. Healing. What (who) was the difference? Jesus. It was truly a divine reversal. To that point, the Law stated separation from lepers. Grace stated healing for lepers. Again... Jesus!
Next... WHY! Why cut a sacrifice into pieces, take the legs and take out some of the inner organs... wash them... and throw them on the fire? Because any sacrifice to God must be clean on the outside AND on the inside. No dirt! No sin! Again... lets shift to the time of Jesus.
Joh 13:6-10 LITV
(6) He then came to Simon Peter. And that one said to Him, Lord, do You wash my feet?
(7) Jesus answered and said to him, What I am doing, you do not yet know. But you will know after these things.
(8) Peter said to Him, You may in no way wash my feet to the age. Jesus answered him, If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.
(9) Simon Peter said to Him, Lord, not my feet only, but also the hands and the head.
(10) Jesus said to him, The one having been bathed has no need other than to wash the feet, but is wholly clean. And you are clean, but not all.
Do you see it? It's the same picture. We are to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God. Peter was such. But Peter had need to be washed - by the Priest. Peter was already clean on the inside - as only Jesus can make us. So Peter says, "If you must, then, Lord wash all of me!" And what did Jesus say? "Peter... I don't NEED to wash all of you. Only that which has been in contact with the world." The feet!
Don't miss the point, though. It wasn't really about Peter's gnarly feet. It was a demonstration to Peter that once made clean by Jesus, we are truly clean. However we can all get pretty dirty in our worldly dealings. The trials of life hammer us... get us down... make us... tired. They drive wedges between us and God that keep us from drawing near to Him. You might call them 'virtual wedges', because nothing truly separates us from God once we are His. It's a perception that the enemy uses. The cure? To get our feet washed. We do this for our brethren because Jesus did it for us. We are... priests.
Monday, September 21, 2009
If The Frog Croaks
Leviticus 11:29-36 LITV
(29) And these shall be unclean to you among the swarming things which swarm on the earth: the weasel, and the mouse, and the great lizard according to its kind,
(30) and the gecko, and the monitor, and the lizard, and the sand lizard, and the barn owl.
(31) These are unclean to you among all which swarm; anyone who touches them in their death is unclean until the evening.
(32) And anything on which any one of them falls in their death is unclean, whether of any vessel of wood, or garment, or skin, or sack; any vessel in which work is done shall be caused to go into water, and shall be unclean until the evening; then it shall be cleaned.
(33) And any earthen vessel into the midst of which any one of them falls, whatever is in it shall be unclean, and you shall break it.
(34) And of all the food which may be eaten, that on which such water falls shall be unclean, and all drink that may be drunk in any such vessel shall be unclean.
(35) And anything on which any part of their dead body falls shall be unclean; an oven or hearth shall be broken down; they are unclean; yes, they are unclean to you.
(36) But a fountain or a well, a collection of water, shall be clean; only that touching the dead body is unclean.
Our pastor commonly tells us that we are to be rivers, not lakes. Water has to keep moving in order to keep the dead flushed out of it. The scripture above describes just that. If something dies in a clay pot, you must destroy the pot. If it dies in a fountain, the fountain is still clean.
This also describes our spiritual condition. There is a difference between stumbling and being lame (always stumbling). If we are spiritually dead, we are headed for destruction. Our earthen vessel bodies cannot - on their own accord - make themselves clean again. But with the Living Water of Jesus within us, even sin cannot make us unclean. Yes, we may stumble, but we get back up without pulling up 'lame'.
The devil uses guilt as a great weapon against the Christian trying to walk in Christ. He would have every Christian believe they are simply lame. Remember, guilt is always from the devil if you are in Christ. By the way, the last thing he wants to do to a lost person is make them feel guilty. If guilt has plagued your walk, realize that you've been a target. Move on in victory!
(29) And these shall be unclean to you among the swarming things which swarm on the earth: the weasel, and the mouse, and the great lizard according to its kind,
(30) and the gecko, and the monitor, and the lizard, and the sand lizard, and the barn owl.
(31) These are unclean to you among all which swarm; anyone who touches them in their death is unclean until the evening.
(32) And anything on which any one of them falls in their death is unclean, whether of any vessel of wood, or garment, or skin, or sack; any vessel in which work is done shall be caused to go into water, and shall be unclean until the evening; then it shall be cleaned.
(33) And any earthen vessel into the midst of which any one of them falls, whatever is in it shall be unclean, and you shall break it.
(34) And of all the food which may be eaten, that on which such water falls shall be unclean, and all drink that may be drunk in any such vessel shall be unclean.
(35) And anything on which any part of their dead body falls shall be unclean; an oven or hearth shall be broken down; they are unclean; yes, they are unclean to you.
(36) But a fountain or a well, a collection of water, shall be clean; only that touching the dead body is unclean.
Our pastor commonly tells us that we are to be rivers, not lakes. Water has to keep moving in order to keep the dead flushed out of it. The scripture above describes just that. If something dies in a clay pot, you must destroy the pot. If it dies in a fountain, the fountain is still clean.
This also describes our spiritual condition. There is a difference between stumbling and being lame (always stumbling). If we are spiritually dead, we are headed for destruction. Our earthen vessel bodies cannot - on their own accord - make themselves clean again. But with the Living Water of Jesus within us, even sin cannot make us unclean. Yes, we may stumble, but we get back up without pulling up 'lame'.
The devil uses guilt as a great weapon against the Christian trying to walk in Christ. He would have every Christian believe they are simply lame. Remember, guilt is always from the devil if you are in Christ. By the way, the last thing he wants to do to a lost person is make them feel guilty. If guilt has plagued your walk, realize that you've been a target. Move on in victory!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The Harvest of the End-time
The bible speaks of the end-time when God says He will pour His Spirit out upon all flesh. This is happening, and it's an incredible thing to watch. Christians who are truly watching and discerning the signs of the times are excited. Just today, this article came to my attention from a buddy: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/130501
Soon, by all appearances, Israel will stand alone. Of course, she is never alone.
Many believe that a rapture of the church will occur - a harvest of barley - before the time of tribulation on earth begins. By that viewpoint, soon thereafter another great harvest will begin - a harvest of wheat. Finally, during the worst of that time of 'great' tribulation, there will also be a final harvest - the grape harvest.
There are Christians that simply sit back and wait for the sky to fall, content to take their salvation to the bank when the time comes. Meanwhile, they lounge at home and flip channels, not caring that people are dying lost every day. For so many, the end is today.
It would do us all well to note that during the harvest, God instructed the reapers to leave the corners of the field for the poor (Lev 23:22). That is a very troubling prospect when we are dealing with a harvest of souls. The implication is that... all are not harvested at the same time. Good-times theologeans have a hard time with that.
My own observation is that the corners of the fields are the parts closest to the rest of the world. That begs the question: what part of the field do I hang out in? The part closest to the edge or well-into the center?
Soon, by all appearances, Israel will stand alone. Of course, she is never alone.
Many believe that a rapture of the church will occur - a harvest of barley - before the time of tribulation on earth begins. By that viewpoint, soon thereafter another great harvest will begin - a harvest of wheat. Finally, during the worst of that time of 'great' tribulation, there will also be a final harvest - the grape harvest.
There are Christians that simply sit back and wait for the sky to fall, content to take their salvation to the bank when the time comes. Meanwhile, they lounge at home and flip channels, not caring that people are dying lost every day. For so many, the end is today.
It would do us all well to note that during the harvest, God instructed the reapers to leave the corners of the field for the poor (Lev 23:22). That is a very troubling prospect when we are dealing with a harvest of souls. The implication is that... all are not harvested at the same time. Good-times theologeans have a hard time with that.
My own observation is that the corners of the fields are the parts closest to the rest of the world. That begs the question: what part of the field do I hang out in? The part closest to the edge or well-into the center?
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