THE LORD SPOKE (February 19)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Leviticus 22-23

Everybody celebrates holidays. In every land and in every generation mankind has identified certain days as special for a variety of reasons, many of them good. But never has there been a better motivation than that given in Leviticus 23 for the seven “feasts of the Lord”. These seven holidays literally belong to Him, in contrast to men’s holidays.

The Hebrew word translated “feasts” in Leviticus 23:4 is mo’edim and comes from a root word for “time” or “signal”. Thus the meaning is closer to “appointed times”. It’s like something you’d write down in your date book as an appointment you didn’t want to miss. Imagine that! God wants to keep certain appointments with His people on a regular basis.

The seven holidays are each treated elsewhere in Scripture but this is the only place where all seven are discussed together and in sequence. These “holy convocations” (mikra’im, another name for them used in the Bible) tell a story and their order and timing is significant. Indeed, it has been orchestrated by God Himself.

Here are several observations to help you see the significance of these holidays:

1. They are given by the Lord to the Jewish people, God’s chosen nation.
2. They are based on a lunar year and were closely related to the agricultural cycle. Several of the holidays focus on the spring and fall agricultural seasons.
3. The seven feasts have great typological significance in the major events of the story of redemption. They foretell the story of Jesus! Beginning at the Cross where He died for our sin (Passover) and ending at the glorious establishment of His kingdom at the second coming (Tabernacles), they all relate sequentially to specific events in the Messianic story.
4. Because of the spiritual realities to which these feasts point, their significance transcends the Jewish context. Gentiles too are invited to “meet” with God, for every blessing we anticipate has come out of the Abrahamic, Davidic, and New Covenants. These feasts all point to that very fulfillment of the Savior’s purpose and love for us. To deny this, or even to neglect this, is a great spiritual blunder.

The rapture of the Church, the judgment of the wicked, the salvation of Israel, and the establishment of the messianic Kingdom are portrayed in close detail in these holidays. That’s good reason to study them with care.


New Testament: Luke 6

They were out to get Him. If it hadn’t been this, it would have been something else. But getting Him on Sabbath-keeping seemed to be an easy way. After all, if His disciples were picking grain (harvesting), rubbing it in their hands (threshing), and eating the whole kernels (grinding), that’s three strikes against them already. It shouldn’t be hard to catch Him too.

But all He did that week was talk. They weren’t expecting the David thing. No quick answers came to mind when He pulled that one out and turned it into a question for them. And who could possibly say that the Son of Man (i.e. the Messiah) was not the Lord of the Sabbath. Of course the Messiah would keep the Sabbath perfectly.

So, they should have seen it coming. As they prepared their trap for the next Sabbath, they “were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus” (vs. 7) and they planted a crippled man in the synagogue. Then they “watched closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.” But He turned things around again. Instead of debating what was unlawful on the Sabbath (they were good at that part), He asked them what was lawful. Was it right to do good? to save life?

“He looked around at them all” (vs. 10), but all He saw was sullen silence because they knew the right answer but couldn’t bring themselves to say it. They were so caught up in their resistance to Him that they could no longer support true truth if it came from His mouth. They’d become blind in their sinful opposition.

What really blew them away was that He healed this man without lifting a finger. It He’d only reached out and touched him, or made mud to put on him, or told him to take up his mat and walk - anything like that - they could have condemned Him for “breaking” the Sabbath (or at least their rules about the Sabbath). But He did it by His words alone and it made them furious.

Their fury blinded them all the more. Instead of rejoicing with the man whose hand was restored, they went straight back to plotting. Ugly isn’t it? So tell me, why do people still come into the Lord’s presence week after week with malice in their hearts. How can they see His handiwork and still bear grudges, squabble over non-essentials, and criticize others who are doing something right?

Let’s look deeply into God’s Word, ask for His help, and determine to be different.

THE LORD SPOKE (October 8)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Isaiah 56-58

Blessed [how happy] is the man...who keeps the Sabbath.... (Isaiah 56:2)

Are we supposed to keep the Sabbath? You’ve probably had it pointed out to you that of all the Ten Commandments, this is the one that is not repeated in the New Testament. But do we base a decision such as this on what is not said? Consider the following:

1. This is a creation ordinance. From the beginning of time, the first week of creation, it was a pattern established by none other than God Himself (Gen. 2:2). He, who certainly did not need to rest, set the example by setting aside one day in seven as different (“holy” = sanctified, set apart for the Lord’s use) from the others.
2. The Hebrew verb shabbat means “cease”, “stop” or, “rest”. It’s this verb form that appears in Genesis 2:2-3 and only later did it become known as the Sabbath. The noun form was eventually substituted for “the seventh day”.
3. It is of major significance that when the Sabbath command is given in what we call the “Ten Commandments” (see Ex. 20:11), it says to “remember” this day. While that means “keep it”, it also implies that this was something that existed previously and needed to not be forgotten. In other words, keep doing it or get back into the habit of doing it again.
4. The Law of Moses made the seventh day of the week the official Sabbath for Israel but the principle of taking a shabbat at the end of six days of work is a pattern that is fixed in God’s creation permanently. Even in Exodus 20, the justification given for this pattern is that God made us to get our work done in six days because we need the seventh day to rest - to cease from our labors. (By the way, if you can’t get your work done in six days that means either that you are not working properly during those six days or else you are trying to do more than God has planned for you.)

So, does this need to be repeated in the New Testament in order to be true for us today? No. The setting aside of one day in seven to cease our labors and turn our attention to the Lord is an essential part of our constitution, our well-being, and our relationship with the Lord.

Must it be the seventh day? or should it now be Sunday? Neither of those positions can be proven from Scripture. So does that mean we should chuck the whole thing? Absolutely not! This is a biblical mandate for all time and for all people. How are we to “keep” a shabbat? That will vary almost infinitely according to each individual but it is something you must establish and observe between you and your God, who expects it of you.

Check out Isaiah 58:13-14!


Psalms 43-44

It’s the third stanza of a song that begins in the previous psalm, but Psalm 43 has a stand-alone message also. The psalmist cries out for God’s mercy and deliverance. He had gotten so low, he was about to give up. His “soul was downcast”. Do you know the feeling? From those depths, he pleads with the Lord to lift him up by His light and truth (Ps. 43:1-3).

He looked in the right direction! He turned to God as his stronghold. His soul ached for that refuge. He longed to be in God’s presence. “...Bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell” (Ps. 43:3b). Joy and delight flooded his soul when he put his hope in God.

Oh, that we would remember this. In those times of distress, open your Bible and listen for the Lord to speak. Let Him lift your soul. Let Him return your joy and delight.

Lord, the light of your love is shining;
In the midst of the darkness, shining.
Jesus light of the world shine upon us,
Set us free by the truth you now bring us.
Shine on me. Shine on me.

Shine, Jesus, shine;
Fill this land with the Father’s glory.
Blaze, Spirit, blaze;
Set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river, flow;
Flood the nations with grace and mercy.
Send forth your Word,
Lord, and let there be light.

Lord, I come to your awesome presence,
From the shadows into your radiance;
By the blood I may enter your brightness,
Search me, try me, consume all my darkness.
Shine on me. Shine on me.

As we gaze on your kindly brightness,
So our faces display your likeness.
Ever changing from glory to glory,
Mirrored here may our lives tell your story.
Shine on me. Shine on me.

THE LORD SPOKE (January 31)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Exodus 22-23

If you have 300 crooks and 1 policeman, who’s right? Truth or righteousness is not determined by the size of the crowd or by the loudness of their cry. Majority rule can only be taken so far. There is a Standard to which all else must be submitted.

So when our text says, “do not follow the crowd in doing wrong” (Ex. 23:2), there’s a good message there for us. It’s not just the whining junior higher who says, “But Mom, everybody else is doing it or wearing it, or going to it” that needs this message. I need it whenever I’m swayed by public opinion or by politically correct thinking to go against any teaching of Scripture. Do not follow the crowd!

In what follows, God gives instructions to the Israelites to help them follow His way and not the way of the crowd.

Ex. 23:2-9 - laws regarding justice and mercy

Perversion of justice is a detestable thing because it is so contrary to God’s own character. Several quick statements in this section are right on target for our society today: do not show favoritism, do not deny justice to the poor, do not acquit the guilty, do not accept a bribe, do not oppress an alien. [Maybe we should hurry on to something else....]

Ex. 23:10-13 - keeping the Sabbath

[Ah, that’s better.] A day off so we can work some more. We even work at our play. We rarely, if ever, take a shabbat - a cessation of our normal activities in order to rest and restore our energies. A day belonging to the Lord. One day in seven that puts us back on an even keel, that slows down the frantic pace of our squirrel cage, that lets our soul catch up to our body again.

Ex. 23:14-19 - the Pilgrim Festivals

Three special annual holidays were intended for instruction and remembering God’s wonderful intervention in our lives in the past. Every year Passover (Pessach), Pentecost/First Fruits (Shavuot), and Tabernacles (Sukkot) were God-ordained memorials, given to provide the fathers an opportunity to instruct their children in God’s ways. Nothing will help more in teaching them how to not follow the crowd.

Ex. 23:20-33 - entering the Land

God’s guiding hand (in this case an angel - vs. 20) is always there to show us the way. Sometimes it’s “a still, small voice”. Sometimes it’s circumstances. Always it’s found in Scripture. He shows us the way to remain in His presence and enjoy Him. Just as the Israelites were led into the Land with definite and clear instructions, we’re shown what God expects of us.

Are you listening to Him?


New Testament: Mark 3

It’s interesting that the first reason given for why Jesus’ chose twelve disciples was “that they might be with him” (Mk. 3:14). In part, that was so they could have some time with Him but it’s also very true that He wanted to have time with them. They were His friends. Can we say He needed them? Later in the Gospel story we’ll see that Jesus had many more disciples. At one point He appointed seventy-two (Lk. 10). Many more than that followed Him also. But He had a group of twelve who were “with Him” continuously during the last 3+ years of His life on earth. He poured Himself into them but He also drew strength from their company. You’re not much of a teacher if you don’t have anyone to teach and these were His talmidim. The Hebrew word for “disciple” is today the primary word for “student”.

But it goes beyond that. Among the Twelve, Jesus had an “inner circle” of three. Jesus had an “inner circle”?? Doesn’t that smack of favoritism? Yes, maybe it does. But none of the other nine were ever made to feel inferior to these three. Each of the Twelve knew he had Jesus’ ear whenever he wanted to speak. Each knew he could lean on Him completely. Each felt he was very special to Him.

In a sense, it’s like your own children. Do you remember that burning love you had for your firstborn? It was so strong that you were just a little afraid when the birth of number two came along. Would you ever be able to divide your love so you could love that one too without diminishing your love for the first one? You could never love that one any less. But then you found that you didn’t “split your love” between two. Love expanded to include both without diminishing one whit for either. Jesus loved all His disciples and each one no doubt felt that he was the special object of His love.

In that inner circle of Peter, James, and John there was one disciple who was known as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. John occupied a special position in Jesus’ affections. Yet even when the disciples argued among themselves about who was the greatest (Mk. 9:33f - by the way, notice how they’re still at it in the next chapter - 10:35f), there’s no indication that John won the title handily. Each of the disciples thought he was in the running and had a good chance at being chosen as Top Dog. Ah, doesn’t that just illustrate the incredible love of Jesus for us all?

But let’s go back to that first thought. Jesus, though He is God, needed His friends. We’ll never fully understand it this side of Glory but He still needs our love and friendship too. Aren’t you glad? Don’t you love Him?!