September 2

Journey-through-the-Bible-with-us

READING FOR SEPTEMBER 2, 2024: LEVITICUS 19, LUKE 20, PSALM 89:38-52                                God tells Moses to get everyone together. What’s so important that everyone needs to hear it together? As people of God, they are now to be holy (set apart) because God is holy. If we are at all interested in Methodism, we should know this emphasis was perhaps the main contribu- tion John Wesley made to the church. The first move toward holiness as God’s people was not developing an otherworldly expression, but obeying the commandments: revere parents, keep the sabbath, and don’t make idols.  The reason?  God is our Lord (whom we obey completely).

This chapter has loads of laws listed. Groups of these laws are punctuated with a statement illustrating Divine Command Theory: “I am the Lord your God.”  We learn lots about how God related to Israel, but what are we do about these laws for our own holiness today? Theology Professor Jay Sklar offers a way to place these laws in categories to help us interpret and obey them. Let‘s look at vs. 18: ”You shall not take vengeance, nor hold any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself.“   Do we see this command repeated in the New Testament? Only seven times. This is a Category 1 law. Not only is the underlying value still applicable but it should be literally obeyed by us. Verse nine states, “You shall not reap to the very edges of your field...you shall leave them for the needy."  Since we don‘t live in an agrarian culture, this law doesn‘t apply to most of us, but the principle to help the needy, especially in ways that include their own effort, still applies to us. This is a Category 2 law.   

We find a reference to peace offerings (vs. 5-8), which Jesus fulfilled at the cross. This is a Category 3 law. Notice, though, those who profane God’s holiness will be cut off from the people of God. This is still biblical practice for the church: “Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the evil person from among yourselves” (1 Cor. 5:12-13). In verse 31 God says not to seek a medium. Later in chapter 20 we learn the penalty is death. The punishment would be in Category 4, but mediums are still demonic spirits (Acts. 16:18). Don’t let jokes about shrimp and mixed fabric cause us to ignore Leviticus.

In verse 37, God reminds Israel that He saved them from Egypt. Because He saved us from sin and death, we now have the obligation and the empowerment of the Spirit to be Holy.

READING FOR SEPTEMBER 2, 2024 CONTINUED: LUKE 20, PSALM 89:38-52                           LUKE 20 Imagine the privilege of hearing Jesus teach in the temple. He is the greatest teacher of all time after all. What was His topic when He taught? Verse one said it was the Gospel. How sad it is that some churches never teach the Gospel and don’t even know what it is. Certainly, the chief priests, scribes, and elders weren’t interested in the Gospel.  Threatened as they were, they asked Jesus, who gave Him the authority to teach? Whenever Christianity is attacked, the challenge will usually focus on the identity and mission of Jesus.  Jesus did not answer these skeptics because they had rejected the truth already given them by John the Baptist. Let’s be certain we know Jesus is God the Son, who came to earth as a man to live a sinless life, take all our sins upon Him as the one-time sacrifice for us, died and rose again to defeat death, sin, and Satan. When we believe this and trust Him as Lord, we are saved. Parable of the Vine-Growers. In a way Jesus did answer the skeptics through this story:

  • Main point—Jesus is God’s son who was rejected but will return to judge those who reject HIm. 
  • Who’s who—Planter is God; growers are scribes/chief priests; slaves are prophets; Son is Jesus. 
  • Application—God has repeatedly given us truth. We in our selfishness rejected it but will be judged.

Since Jesus claimed to have ultimate authority, these skeptics thought they might create problems for Jesus with the Roman government over taxes. Jesus replied His authority was in a different sphere and that taxes, but not one’s soul, was delegated to the government. Next the Sadducees (who didn’t believe in life after death) developed a ridiculous hypothetical question about levirate marriage. Jesus said the premise of their question was wrong because there isn’t marriage in heaven and their underlying belief was wrong because God is God of the living. Jesus gave them a brain teaser: How can the Christ be both David’s son and his Lord? Of course, it’s only possible through God’s Son becoming a man in David’s line. Finally, he gave the people and us a warning: watch out if religious folks parade their self-importance.

PSALM 89:38-52 Ethan was so positive in verse 37 about David’s throne being established forever. Now, a few words later, he claims God has repudiated the covenant He forged with David. Verses 38-48 are a litany of the different ways Ethan sees God abandoning David: You have covered him with shame ... Will Your wrath burn like fire?” (vs. 45-46). But Jesus also, “endured the cross, despising the shame... who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself” (Heb.12:2-3).  Ethan’s next to last thought is an honest lament without much hope: “How I carry in my heart the taunts of all the many peoples, with which Your enemies have taunted, Lord, with which they have taunted the footsteps of Your anointed” (vs. 50-51). Then, he just reasserts His faith in God: “Blessed be the Lordforever! Amen and Amen” (vs. 52). Yet, because of the suffering of and taunts against God’s ultimate anointed One, we have a reason to “celebrate in hope of the glory of God” (Rom. 5:2). “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him” (Rom. 5: 8-9).