FEB 24- TODAY’S READINGS IN THE ONE YEAR BIBLE
Leviticus 15-16:28 | Mark 7:1-23 | Psalm 40:11-17 | Proverbs 10:13-14
NEW TESTAMENT READING: MARK 7:1-23
JESUS- OUR PURITY
One of the benefits of reading through the One Year Bible is that we read a daily portion from both the New Testament and the Old Testament and can readily see how they correlate together. It has been said:
The New in the Old Concealed
The Old in the New Revealed.
We can see how busy the Holy Spirit is in the Book of Leviticus prefiguring the person and work of Jesus in the sacrifices and offerings. The Spirit was communicating through the laws of cleansing, the required sacrifices for making amends for sin, and the rituals of the priesthood, a shadow image of what was to come in the New Covenant- the perfect atoning sacrifice and saving life of Christ.
“All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Tim 3:16)
“For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev 19:10)
The writer of the Book of Hebrews, referring to the Messianic prophecy of Psalm 40, affirms that the sacrifices and offerings in the Old Mosaic Covenant prefigured what would be presented to God on our behalf in the offering of the body of Christ on the cross.
Hebrews 10:5-10 (NASB)
5 Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, "SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME; 6 IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE. 7 "THEN I SAID, 'BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.'" 8 After saying above, "SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them" (which are offered according to the Law), 9 then He said, "BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL." He takes away the first in order to establish the second. 10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
5 Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, "SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME; 6 IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE. 7 "THEN I SAID, 'BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.'" 8 After saying above, "SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them" (which are offered according to the Law), 9 then He said, "BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL." He takes away the first in order to establish the second. 10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
The inspired Old Covenant laws were prophesying the requirements for reconciliation between a holy God and sinful men. These are perfectly fulfilled in Christ.
Today’s reading from the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament is particularly relevant to what we have been reading of the cleanliness laws from the Book of Leviticus in the Old Testament.
Mark 7:1-2 (NASB) The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come from Jerusalem, 2 and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed.
The Pharisees are outraged that the disciples of Jesus were not strictly conforming to their traditions based on the laws of cleanliness. Mark offers an explanation to his predominantly Roman audience knowing that they were largely unfamiliar with the Jewish laws and traditions:
Mark 7:3-4 (NASB) 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; 4 and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.)
The Pharisees wanted to discredit the ministry of Jesus by implying that the behavior of His disciples was not in conformity to the Law.
Mark 7:5 (NASB) 5 The Pharisees and the scribes *asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?"
The problem was not that the disciples were eating with dirty hands. It was that they did not perform a ceremonial washing before their meals.
There were a variety of laws and traditions for ritual cleansing for situations in which Israelites would come in contact with the unclean. You will remember that if a person had an infectious skin disease such as a boil, rash or sores, or if a person came in contact with a dead animal or human being, or mildew on their clothes, articles in their home or their house itself, if they had any kind of bodily discharge or ate meat from an animal considered unclean, they would be considered ritually impure. This meant that they were not permitted to worship God with the community until they were pronounced clean.
There were a variety of laws and traditions for ritual cleansing for situations in which Israelites would come in contact with the unclean. You will remember that if a person had an infectious skin disease such as a boil, rash or sores, or if a person came in contact with a dead animal or human being, or mildew on their clothes, articles in their home or their house itself, if they had any kind of bodily discharge or ate meat from an animal considered unclean, they would be considered ritually impure. This meant that they were not permitted to worship God with the community until they were pronounced clean.
Tim Keller helps to put these ceremonial laws in perspective in his book, “King’s Cross”:
“Such strenuous boundaries seem harsh to us, but if you think about it, they are not as odd as they sound. Over the centuries, people have fasted from food during seasons of prayer. Why? It’s an aid for developing spiritual hunger for God. Also, people of various faiths kneel for prayer. Isn’t that rather uncomfortable? It’s an aid for developing spiritual humility. So the washings and efforts to stay clean and free from dirt and disease that were used by religious people in Jesus’ day were a kind of visual aid that enabled them to recognize that they were spiritually and morally unclean and couldn’t enter the presence of God unless there was some kind of spiritual purification.
If you are going to meet with somebody who is particularly important to you—for that big date or important job interview— you wash, you brush your teeth, you comb your hair. What are you doing? Getting rid of uncleanness, of course. You don’t want a speck or stain on you. You don’t want to smell bad. The cleanness laws were the same idea. Spiritually, morally, unless you’re clean, you can’t be in the presence of a perfect and holy God”. (Tim Keller, King’s Cross, p.71)
Jesus certainly agreed with the fact that we are all in need of cleansing before God. But He disagreed with them about the source of uncleanness.
Mark 7:14-16 (NASB) 14 After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, "Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. 16 ["If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."]
And then Jesus explains what truly needs cleansing. A diet of Kosher foods cannot make him clean. Nor can unclean food defile him. It is the heart that is the source of defilement. It is the heart that needs purification.
Mark 7:21-23 (NASB) 21 "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. 23 "All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man."
The disciples ask for a further explanation of His one sentence parable:
And He said to them, "Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?" (Thus He declared all foods clean.) (Mark 7:18-19)
Mark gives another rare editorial explanation to his predominantly Romans readership—. Jesus was at this time declaring that all foods were clean.
The Mosaic regulations regarding the need for cleansing were visual object lessons to highlight what is needed to approach a holy God. The Psalmist put it this way:
Psalm 24:3-4 (NASB) 3 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully.
The laws of cleansing, like food, enter the body and leave the body without the power to cleanse the heart of its defilement. Jesus’ parable shows that it bypasses the heart altogether.
External conformity to purification regulations and rituals do not deal with the soul. Religion, politics, ethics, self-help makeovers, behaviorism, social programs, all prescribe the “outside-in” approach to life change. They do not work because what causes our problem works from the “inside out”- the sin nature. Jesus came to give us an “inside out” solution for life change- His life.
Mark writes: Thus He declared all foods clean.
Tim Keller gives a helpful insight:
“It doesn’t read, ‘Jesus said all foods were clean.’ If it did, then maybe the meaning would be, ‘Jesus says you don’t need to worry so much about these foods, everything is all right, go ahead, eat them.’ Jesus would be saying that the cleanliness laws were an outdated idea, and let’s get beyond them. He would be giving an authoritative opinion of the subject.
But that is not what happened. It reads, ‘Jesus DECLARED’. Jesus PRONOUNCED. Greek experts and scholars agree: Jesus is saying, AS OF NOW I MAKE THESE FOODS CLEAN. I called the world into being; I called the storm to a halt; I called a girl back from death. And now I call all foods clean. In order to understand the magnitude of this, you have to remember that Jesus has an incredible high regard for the Word of God. He considers it binding, even on himself...What He is saying here is that THE CLEANLINESS LAWS HAVE BEEN FULFILLED— that their purpose, to get you to move toward spiritual purification, has been carried out. The reason you don’t have to follow them as you once did is that they’ve been fulfilled.”
JESUS has come to be OUR PURITY before God. He gives HIS PURE LIFE for us on the cross TO REMOVE OUR IMPURITY in the sight of God and then He gives His life to us in resurrection power through the Holy Spirit TO PROGRESSIVELY PURIFY OUR HEARTS. The Holy Spirit gives us new birth with a new life and a new heart with a new nature.
OLD TESTAMENT READING: Leviticus 15-16:28
DISCHARGES AND UNCLEANNESS
Leviticus 15 deals with rituals of cleansing for bodily discharges for men and women. There is a reminder in this chapter that our procreative powers have been affected by the curse. There are tensions, struggles, bothersome pains, malfunctions and messes involved with human sexuality. God is the author of sex.
There are many passages in the Bible that celebrate the beauty of sanctified sex in marriage and the virtues of male and female sexuality. But this passage reminds us that God’s purpose is to bring cleansing and healing to EVERY area of our lives. There are natural and unnatural discharges from sexual organs. The word ‘unclean’ here does not mean ‘sinful’. We are to guard the gift of our sexuality from being perpetually contaminated by sin. Therefore it is to be surrendered to God for its sanctified use and blessing. God made us intensely sexual creatures and wants His good and joyful purposes for our sexuality to be preserved.
God created humankind, male and female. And He said it was good. The complementariness of the sexes is good. God created sex for the enjoyment of married couples as well as for reproducing children (being fruitful and multiplying). Our sexuality was created to be subject to God’s love and control and to serve His purposes. Our sexuality is linked to our spirituality. God is interested in the whole of our lives, public and private. He is the Lord of the bedroom and the boardroom.
We can be grateful that today we don’t have to be occupied with these ceremonial procedures but see them in the context of the purpose for which they were given to Israel. God is holy and He calls His people to take seriously the fact that they were to be holy. How wonderful it is to hear the good news that God’s demands for holiness; the heart cry for purity and the laws of cleansing are all fulfilled in Christ.
DAY OF ATONEMENT
Leviticus 16 describes the greatest day in the Hebrew calendar- The Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. This is a very public event that takes place once every year as part of the autumn feasts. There were series of offerings to atone for sins— a ram as a burnt offering; a bull as a sin offering for Aaron himself, the High Priest and His family (16:6); and two goats, one as a sin offering for the people, and one which would be the designated ‘scapegoat’ (16:15). The blood of the sacrificed animals would be taken into the tent of meeting and beyond the veil to the inner sanctuary to be sprinkled seven times on the mercyseat over the Ark of the Covenant and beneath a cloud of incense. As we read the Book of Hebrews in the New Testament we understand how this powerfully pictures the finished work of redemption accomplished by Christ through His atoning sacrifice on the cross (Hebrews 9:6-14). The blood would also be taken to the outer court and applied to the horns of the altar, once again sprinkled seven times with his finger, to provide atonement for the Holy Place itself.
THE SCAPEGOAT
Once the atoning sacrifices were offered and the blood sprinkled upon the mercyseat and altar, Aaron laid hands on the live goat and confessed over it all the iniquities and transgressions of the people. The sins are symbolically transferred to the scapegoat and then sent away with the scapegoat into the wilderness “by the hand of a man who stands in readiness” (another picture of Christ).
The goat bearing all the iniquities of the people is taken to a ‘no man’s land’, the wilderness of God’s forgetfulness, a solitary land where it is released.
Aaron then washes once again and offers the rams as burnt offerings for himself and the people.
READING THROUGH THE BOOK OF PSALMS
PSALM 40- In this Messianic Psalm we have the prophecy that links the Old Testament sacrifices and offerings to their fulfillment in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Psalm 40:6-8 (NASB) 6 Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired; My ears You have opened; Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required. 7 Then I said, "Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. 8 I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart."
The Lord is mindful of us in all of our afflictions, Our prayer is that in all things He will be magnified!
Psalm 40:16 (NASB)
16 Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let those who love Your salvation say continually, "The LORD be magnified!"
16 Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let those who love Your salvation say continually, "The LORD be magnified!"
PRAY FOR THE WORLD-
This year we are praying for every nation on earth using the book, “Operation World” (www.operationworld.org) as our guide. It is available at New Life Community Church in Concord and online.
Today we continue to pray for the Arab nations in political crisis, for those recovering from the earthquake in New Zealand and the floods in Australia.
Pray for the gospel work among the unreached people in Australia.
Here is a link for that you can use as a prayer guide.
OPERATION WORLD also notes among today’s prayer requests:
Australia’s role as regional peacekeeper and stable democracy is a blessing to many Pacific and Asian countries (Timor, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, others). Thank God for the wherewithal and willpower to save lives abroad, and pray that this role would bond Australians together and establish stability overseas. Attitudes toward refugees and asylum seekers are strained by the constant inflow of people.
The precarious ecology is overexploited, in urban settings as much as in rural ones. Australia’s ecology is possibly the most fragile of any continent, and with the years-long drought and increasing use of land and water, serious ramifications for the future must be addressed. It may be that the land itself fails, even if Australian society succeeds. Government and grassroots efforts to preserve Australia’s environment are, however, admirable in their scope and commitment. Pray for wisdom in conservation and stewardship
Pastor David
So, naturally, we proclaim Christ! We warn everyone we meet, and we teach everyone we can, all that we know about him, so that, if possible, we may bring every man up to his full maturity in Christ. (Colossians 1:28, J.B. Phillips paraphrase)
New Life Community Church, Concord, MA 10742
Meeting Sundays at 10:30 AM at the Emerson Umbrella for the Arts, 40 Stow Street, Concord MA
Mailing Address: Post Office Box Five, Concord, MA 01742
Church Offices: 35 Bypass Rd. Lincoln, MA 01773 978-369-0061
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