Day 54, Chronological Bible Study
Timeline. Map. Go to today’s Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): Leviticus 21–23 Our Lives are a Tribute Gutzon Borglum designed and was in charge of sculpting the presidential images of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln in granite on Mount Rushmore near Keystone, South Dakota. They are monumental tributes to the greatness of these presidents. If we do this as a tribute to mortal men, what should we do as a tribute to our Almighty and Faithful Eternal God? He doesn’t want us to sculpt him in granite or any other substance, leading us to idolize stone images. He wants us to remember him in other ways. How? Israelite Priests are a tribute to his holiness In today’s Bible reading, we learn that the priests are not only to require others to follow the instructions of the LORD to be holy—their own lives serve as a tribute to his holiness. God’s requirements for the priests are much more stringent than the other Israelites. Because of their service’s holy realm, the priests are set apart from all uncleanness and dedicate themselves to God. Even their physical form must be completely whole. Their offerings to God must be holy sacrifices without defect or blemish and offered in prescribed ways. This requirement is so the LORD’s name is not profaned (meaning disrespected), and the priests won’t suffer punishment for dishonoring him before the Israelites (Leviticus 21:6; 21:10-12,21-23; 22:2,9,20). His people need to know that they must reverence the LORD—He is Holy and Sovereign! God has ordained ministers as spiritual leaders in today’s churches. He holds them accountable to set the example in revering God and obeying completely as he directs (Revelation 1:10–3:22). With much responsibility comes much accountability. Christians are tributes If we are Christians, we are also priests but of a different order. We are not priests by inheritance (like the sons of Aaron) but by God’s grace (Revelation 1:5b-6). We should be tributes to God’s holiness—the LORD has chosen us, saved us from our sins, and made us righteous in his sight. Now, it’s our duty and privilege to set an example in godliness. How do we honor him before others? Are we careful in how we speak of the LORD? Do we give him the highest respect, honor, and worship, or do we speak of God with reverence on Sunday and profanity on Monday? Do we show the LORD the highest honor in the way we worship, exercise our gifts, and conduct our personal lives and business? This is what God wants, and we honor him when we provide good examples for others to follow. Ceremonial Feasts are tributes to God’s faithfulness. Besides their priestly service, we learn the Israelites visually demonstrate their honor for the LORD in their ceremonial feasts. The feasts begin with a Sabbath (a day of rest from all labor). The Sabbath is a day of a sacred assembly, and it honors the LORD who instituted it (Exodus 20:8-11). The Israelites weren’t to do any work at all on these days. The LORD wants their undivided attention, and the Sabbath gives the Israelites time to prepare their hearts and minds for worship. Today, we Christians obey Christ and live by grace, not the law of Moses. While we may not observe an official Sabbath day’s rest (Matthew 12:1-13; Romans 14:5-6a), one day of rest per week is good for our bodies and minds, and it honors the LORD who gave it. The Passover Feast The Passover commemorates Israel’s deliverance from bondage. It begins the fourteenth day of the first month of Nissan (or “Abib,” Exodus 34:18),which is late March or Early April. Their week-long celebration is comparable to our Good Friday and Easter week. Christians traditionally believe Christ died on the cross on Good Friday, delivering us from the bondage of sin. On Easter Sunday, he arose from the dead. The Feast of Unleavened Bread The next day after Passover (the fifteenth day), the Feast of Unleavened Bread begins. It lasts for seven days. The Israelites eat bread without leaven (yeast), commemorating their hasty exit from Egypt (Exodus 12:16-20). It was then that they began a new life with God. In Jesus’ day, he said, “Beware of the Pharisees’ leaven,” meaning false teaching (Matthew 16:12). God uses leaven as a symbol of sin because it increases in size and consequences. Like the Israelites, when God delivers us, we need to depart quickly from our wrongdoings and walk in the newness of life. (more...). The Feast of Firstfruits The next feast is the Wave Offering or the Feast of Firstfruits. From the early barley harvest, the Israelites bring sheaves and wave them before the LORD. Sacrifices accompany the grain offerings, and the Feast of Firstfruits implies more yield to come. In thankfulness, we, too, should offer the first fruits of our labor, having faith God will supply all our needs and bring at least sufficient fruit for our labors (Proverbs 3:9-10). The Feast of Firstfruits also has a spiritual correlation. Jesus Christ would later come to earth as a baby, perform miracles as God’s Son, suffer betrayal and crucifixion, and resurrect from the dead. He becomes the first fruit of those who will later arise from the dead with eternal life 1Corinthians 15:20-23). Feast of Weeks Fifty days after the Feast of Firstfruits is the Feast of Weeks, and this is the celebration of the first wheat harvest. Again, there is a spiritual correlation between the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) and Jesus Christ. In Acts 2:1-41, Luke, a physican in Jesus' day records what happened at Pentecost. Fifty days after the Feast of Firstfruits, the Holy Spirit of God would come and empower the disciples to speak in different languages. This gospel would spread to those nations. Daily, they would reach many people until it numbered 5,000 Jewish converts in Jerusalem. Feast of Trumpets and Tabernacles (Day of Atonement and Thanksgiving) On the first day of the seventh month (Tishri), the Feast of Trumpets announces the coming Day of Atonement (on the tenth). This day is a time of spiritual cleansing in the fall season (October-November). A celebration follows, which we might liken to our Thanksgiving, the Feast of Ingathering (of their harvest). A trumpet blast will one day sound Jesus Christ’s coming when he gathers up (raptures) church-age believers into heaven (Hebrews 9:27-28). The Day of Atonement may also foretell the time when Israel will repent and again be God’s chosen and blessed nation. This spiritual renewal will happen at the beginning of Christ’s millennial reign (Zechariah 12:9-11 and 13:1). The harvest celebration continues with the Feast of Tabernacles. On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, the Israelites make decorative booths or tabernacles (small tent-like structures) of palm branches. They live seven days in these little huts to remember how they lived when God brought them up out of Egypt. For forty years, God took care of them in the wilderness, protected them, and blessed them. Someday, we will celebrate all the ways our Savior has led us home to heaven. Praise God! Discussion Christian leaders and ministers are held accountable for setting the example of holiness and reverence for God. Are ordinary Christians off the hook? Why or why not? . Should Christians observe a Sabbath day? Why or why not? . What can the Feast of Trumpets be likened to? Name at least one and explain your choice. . Focus Verse 1Peter 3:15 (NIV) “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” Endnote: 1. The use of trumpets in the Bible. A loud trumpet blast (or more accurately, a rams' horn) blew when God wanted to get the attention of all the 2 million plus Israelites in the dessert. A trumpet blast signaled the movement of the camp by their divisions. Trumpet blasts sounded to warn the people of an approaching attack, and trumpets sounded as a battle charge to encourage the troops. Trumpets sounded at the different feast days and the year of Jubilee, announcing the coming events, and they sounded in celebration when new kings took their thrones. 2. Many insights into the regulations for priests and the appointed feasts were gained through The Bible Knowledge Commentary of the O.T. by Walvoord and Zuck, © 1985, pp. 204-208.
Write a private prayer response to today’s Bible study: Enter your prayer here: Sample Prayer Please send your comments to me, Rod, the author Looking Ahead: To be holy requires Discipline, yes, but it also requires Fairness and Grace. Find out more in our Next Lesson. Previous Lesson  |  Next Lesson Back to top of page Return to Chronological Bible Studies main page Go to Scriptures main page Go to Topics main page Go to Home page re-edite 2-26-22

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