Thoughts on the readings for February 27th (Leviticus 1, 2, Psalm 103, 1 Corinthians 11).

Galatians 3:24 says that the Law was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. Whereas Exodus gives a broad framework of the Law Leviticus provides a detailed outline of the requirements of the Law; and implicitly shows the inadequacy of Law. One of the best books on Leviticus is brother John Martin’s – The Schoolmaster Leviticus – available from CSSS books. I would like to quote from the author’s preface. “…They learned that ‘the law is not of faith’. Law engendered the view ‘I do, I get’, while faith taught that ‘God has done what I cannot do’, so inspiring obedience out of love.
But the law had its purpose to serve. In the very strivings to keep its injunctions, it served to emphasise the hopelessness of human endeavour left to itself. It was added for this purpose until faith came. The exhibition of that faith arrived in the person of God’s own Son, so Jesus Christ is the end of the law to every one that has faith. Being released from the bondage of the law, they were now free, not to do as they would, but to do as they should. Love was to be the energy of their faith,the power of appreciation and love of God that could do all things impossible by compulsion of law.” Leviticus 1 deals with laws for burnt offerings. It is fitting that this law is first mentioned as it speaks of a totally devoted life to God. The Hebrew word for the burnt offering is the word “olah” which means the ascending offering – that which goes up with acceptance to God. It is this offering that a young man whom Jesus loved spoke, when he said that to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our mind, and with all our soul, and with all our strength; and to love our neighbour as ourself is more than whole burnt offerings. In Leviticus the offerers were to place their hand on the head of the animal to be offered, thereby acknowledging that the animal represented themselves. The slain animal was divided into parts. and every part was to be placed on the altar and burnt completely.
Chapter 2 outlines the grain offering. This too was to be an altar offering of fine flour mingled with incense and olive oil. Unlike the burnt offering a portion of this offering was reserved for the priests. The Hebrew word for this offering is “mincah”. The Hebrew word means “to apportion”, or “to donate” – it spoke of giving to God from our own free will. This offering told of the faithful labour of our hands being sincerely offered to our Sovereign. Malachi tells of a time when every place throughout the entire world this offering will be offered to the LORD (Malachi 1:11). Every altar offering was to be seasoned with the salt – speaking of the covenant and of sincerity (Colossians 4:6; Luke 14:34-35;
Mark 9:49-50).

Psalm 103 is a Psalm of David in which he reminds his listeners of the untold blessings we receive from our Maker. David encourages himself through his remembering of Yahweh’s stedfast covenant love. Our Sovereign has preserved our life and will ultimately deliver us from the grave. The LORD’s favour is always to His children. We need, verse 7, to like Moses understand the ways of Yahweh and not just see His acts, which were the only things the faithless Israelites saw. Read verses 8-10 aloud and think about what it means to you. David is quoting from Exodus 34:6-7. Which describes the character of our gracious Father. David’s response is the same as that of Moses in verse 8 of Exodus 34; and it should evoke the same gratitude in us. God’s mercy and grace exceed His justice (Romans 11:22-23; James 2:8-13). Verse 11 tells of the LORD separating us from the guilt of our sins to an immeasurable extent – as far as the east is from the west. Why does He do this? It is because He is a Father who knows, loves and pities His children. And He knows our frail and transient state
(verses 14-16). The prophet Isaiah picks up these thoughts in chapter 40 and the Apostle Peter quotes from Isaiah in 1 Peter 1:22-25. Despite our pitiful and insignificance in the eyes of our Creator His compassion for His family is unfailing. This encourages us to be devout and loving children who are motivated by His faithfulness. The LORD’s angelic hosts, who are the ministers (servants) to those “who would be the heirs of salvation” (Hebrews 1:14), are among the throng who extol the Sovereign of the universe. They are referred to at the conclusion of Psalm 103 and again in Psalm 104:4, where their work is described. The Almighty’s ways have always triumphed and will ultimately conquer the entire earth. For this reason let us thank the LORD with a grateful heart.

In 1 Corinthians 11 Paul proves that our Almighty Sovereign’s purpose is evident in the creative work of His angels and the hierarchy that this established. God is supreme, a theme that will be expanded in chapter 15; under Him is His Divine Son – who stands as the head and archetype of the entire creation. Next, in the creative order comes the man, then the woman. Paul points out that there is a mutually dependent relationship in Christ between husband and wife. However, as an acknowledgment of the creative order in the work of the angels, it’s important for the women to worship acknowledging the principle that women should worship with their heads covered. The Apostle then speaks of practices that were incongruous in the context of the celebration of the Lord’s memorial supper of bread and wine. He urges that self examination is imperative to the receiving of the emblems of our Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. And so the great Apostle declares that before we take the bread we need to scrutinise ourselves. None of us take the emblems with a sense of worthiness – we acknowledge that we are weak, erring and struggling with our mortality and the ravages that sin has brought on our fallen condition and our proneness to sin with which we wrestle on a daily basis. But the important thing is that we continue to strive against sin relentlessly. This we do in remembering our Lord’s offering: Hebrews 12:1-11. Surely those who have given up fighting against sin will be condemned with the world. Brother Thomas exquisitely says of the breaking of the bread on page 296 of Elpis Israel: “for to eat his flesh is to digest, and make a part of our mental selves, the truth concerning the kingdom of God and Jesus Christ.”