Apr 17th

Leviticus 21     Ecclesiastes 4     Psalms 26-7     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Rules for Priests :  as we read this chapter the rules and regulations for the Israelite priesthood seem hugely complicated, strict and demanding, and maybe we think “how can this be relevant to us today…”  

Verses 16 – 23 seem particularly hard about anyone with a defect or disfigurement, but perhaps this is a further reminder that the priest had to match as closely as possible the perfect God he served.   

This surely leads us on to Jesus – the one perfect sacrifice, made once and for all upon the cross.

Paul reminds us that the old covenant is just that – the old covenant, and quoting from Jeremiah, we read in Hebrews 8:8 “the time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant … and it will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers.”   Hebrews 4:14 goes on to say, “therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God.”

One of the great riches of reading some of the harder parts of the Old Testament is knowing its fulfilment in Christ in the New Testament   This is one such passage!

(member of congregation)

Apr 16th

Leviticus 20     Ecclesiastes 3     Psalms 25     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Here we see more laws, particularly in preparation for the time when the Israelites would go into the promised land, where child sacrifice was an accepted part of pagan worship, and the renewal of God’s call for them to be pure and holy    God is a God of love and of life, and all he gives here are practices that lead to health, happiness and wholeness.    Sexual guidelines are given to preserve our emotional and mental health, to protect and honour the state of marriage and the family – not to be a spoilsport!

Looking into the future is strictly forbidden, and specifically mediums and spiritualists are mentioned, as God is not the source of their information.  God has given us all we need to guide our way in His word – the bible, and with the help of the Holy Spirit we have all we need.

Some of the punishments here may seem hard to us, but we remember again that God is a Holy God and He requires us to be holy too.

(member of congregation)