We are coming to the last chapter in Leviticus. This book has been a very interesting topic to study and discuss. I hope it has been as helpful to you as it has to me.

Personally; I feel as if I have grown spiritually from teaching this study. My eyes have been opened wider to the fact that the Torah (Old Testament) contains all that we need to live a Christian life. People who say the Old Testament isn’t about Jesus must not be thinking very hard. Symbolic pictures of The Messiah have jumped off the pages of the scriptures all the way through our study and they have been given in vivid living color as we have studied the building of the wilderness tabernacle.

It has become vivid and clear in this study of Leviticus that God was forming the foundation for His people to know Christ from the very beginning of ancient times; even before the time of The Incarnation of Christ.

INTRODUCTION

Thank you for joining in on our every-Thursday bible study called COME AS A CHILD. We are wrapping up our study of the Book of Leviticus today and we will briefly discuss Chapter 27 before addressing the fact that we are beginning our study of the Book of Numbers next Thursday.

If you missed last week’s lesson you may review it here: THE REWARD FOR DISOBEDIENCE – COME AS A CHILD – LESSON 236.

OBEDIENCE TO THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD

Another thing that has been obvious while studying the Book of Leviticus is the fact that the ten commandments were given to us for a good reason. It wasn’t about God controlling and standing over us; they were given for our own well-being and to teach us the best ways to live life here on planet earth.

Who would know this fact better than the One who created life and all of the earth?

God wasn’t giving us hard rules to follow just for the fun of it. He wasn’t playing a game. He was looking out for our best interests and welfare.  Perhaps this is the reason He let those poor Israelites wander through the desert for 40 years instead of three weeks.  Out there in the wilderness they had to learn the importance of knowing and keeping God’s Commandments.

Those Israelites needed proper instructions about life!  They had to learn to trust God alone for their substance and existence.  Just as the Christians of today must also do.  It is scary when we look around and observe how many of today’s culture and people groups are not following the ways of God.  We continuously see that they are taking wrong turns and detours; turning to their own ideas and thoughts instead of following the solid wisdom of God.

COMING OUT OF THE SPIRITUAL WILDERNESS

Many of us are still out there in that spiritual wilderness.

God has given us all that we need; we just haven’t put those things into practice in our daily lives.

How many people do you know today who call themselves Christians but never observe Sabbath? The example was given to us long ago when those people of God’s chosen nation were just being formed into a nation

Think just a bit further; how many people do you know today that are putting everything, material, spiritual and philosophical, in front of the presence of God in their lives?

Who do you know that still offers up prayers and sacrifices before God daily?

How many of us are actually worshiping other false gods instead of bowing before the God of Israel by accepting and doing His commandments?  Maybe you think that salvation is all that matters; and that may be true; however, salvation is a commitment to God and His ways.  The Son of God who brings us salvation always considered and kept God’s commandments.  We are called to follow Him in all that we do.

How many people are truly considering the sin in their lives and trying to change and live in a holy manner?

Do you know anyone who truly keeps God’s feast and festivals and holy days?

What is more important to most people; the traditions of the world or God’s holy days?

WE ALL FALL SHORT

I’m not bringing these things up to point fingers.

We all belong in the answer to these questions. We ALL are guilty.

Most people living in the modern world have long forgotten God’s instructions to Israel way back there in the wilderness. This is the pattern though that He gave to each of us (beginning with Israel as the first example) to follow. This is how God showed the whole world how to live before Him and how to be holy.

It isn’t impossible when you know Jesus!

Being holy isn’t about being perfect and following a set of rules by rote motions.

Being holy is having a sincere heart that is full of love for God, a heart that wants to please Him by living before Him in the ways that He has commanded we all should live.

WHEN GOD ENJOYS A MOMENT OF SILENCE

Now we have reached the part in our study where God has said all that He will say.

It is time for the people to move on and live out the things that He has taught them.

From this point forward we will see how this works out for them. I hope it works out better for us; because these people; much like those of the world today were quick to forget.

At the end of this last chapter of Leviticus God has finished giving His people an instituted way to live.

God takes a pause here; like a moment of silence.  He has said everything He will say to those who may or may not listen.

Then He takes a deep breath and recognizes those who HAVE been listening all along; those who love Him and serve Him every single day with their lives and all that they have to give.

THE FAITHFUL NEVER GO UNNOTICED BY GOD

God goes on in the very last chapter of Leviticus to explain how those who have not needed instructions, those who have dedicated themselves voluntarily to God’s service, are to live out their lives.

The common people have been given instructions simply because they live in ignorance and do not always understand the ways of God. There is always a group that rises above this way of life; a group of people who understand God’s instructions and dedicate their lives, possessions and time to following them with their whole hearts. They desire to attain holiness not out of survival needs; but out of a selfless love for God.

This last chapter of Leviticus pertains to how such generous and loving people are to be treated by others in the community and the rules such people need to follow after making above average vows to God.

Some vow a little; some vow a lot; some vow everything they have to offer. God gave Moses the rules for dealing with this.

GOD CARES FOR THOSE WHO KEEP THEIR VOWS TO HIM

Probably to prevent people from making empty and/or foolish vows; God assigned a corresponding task for each of the vows that people made to Him.   People were valued according to their usefulness in service to the tabernacle. Those who could do more were valued as worth more.

If a person making a vow changed their mind and wanted to be released from their vow; a redemption price could be paid.  The money would go to the care and repair of the tabernacle.  This redemption price was based upon the value of the service being rendered by the vow for the care of the sanctuary of God.  If someone wanted to vow to render a service that didn’t need to be fulfilled; they could satisfy their vow by paying the redemption price instead.

 A MODERN VERSION OF SUCH SERVICES

People still make such vows today.  Some people take holy vows and live secluded lives within holy orders; such as nuns or friars in a monastery. Their lives are devoted to prayer and service to God within His Sanctuary.

Others dedicate their properties to churches, or their children are given (dedicated) to God after their birth until the age of accountability.

Others become missionaries working for organizations who devote themselves to converting remote cultures and civilizations to God.  More serve their homeland through the priesthood or by becoming a deacon, or even simply by volunteering their time and efforts to cleaning the local Sanctuary where they worship.

There are women who devote themselves to raising their children to live Godly lives in the world.  There are men who vow to be the best fathers and husbands in order to bring honor and glory to God.  There are those individuals who make financial contributions regularly in order to supply their churches with operating money.

All of these things God said in Leviticus 27 could still apply in certain situations and circumstances today.

SIMPLY GOD LOOKING AFTER HIS PEOPLE

Mostly God wanted to be sure that the people who were voluntarily devoted to Him were looked after and taken care of according to their service and devotion.

God did not want any unwilling volunteers in His service.

God did not want any willing volunteers to be overlooked or undervalued by mankind.

He was simply instructing the humans living in those times on how to be human and rise above common thinking and acting.

WHEN ALL WAS SAID AND DONE

Now every base was covered.

The people, devoted or not, were going into the promised land. From here on out every man would answer to God for his actions and his heart.

Life for The Children of God living in the wilderness was about to change.

God had every intention of bringing them safely, instructed and prepared into the land that He had promised to Abraham so many long years ago.

Now it was up to the people.

COMING TO THE BOOK OF NUMBERS

We have studied the journey through the wilderness to this promised land  as it has been written by Moses in the Book of Leviticus.

Next we will look at the Book of Numbers.

In this Book of Numbers we will get a clear picture of who actually made it through the journey and into the land of promise.

I’ll warn you that at times The Book of Numbers will seem like a repeat of all we studied in the book of Leviticus; but at the same time it will have subtle differences that will help us get a more clear understanding of the things we have already studied.

God seems to know that we humans often remember more when it is repeated numerous times.

Don’t be discouraged about the repetitive nature of the facts in Numbers; as it will anchor the thoughts that we discovered in Leviticus and help us to get a more focused overall picture in our minds of what actually happened out there in that vast wilderness before God brought those of His people who made it through to the promised land.

So buckle your seat belts; we are off on the journey through the Book of Numbers next!

Keep reading these posts every Thursday to stay with us as we walk through the bible together.

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