Leviticus 4:1-5:19, Mark 2:13-3:6, Psalm 36:1-12, Proverbs 10:1-2
Today is the 17th day of February, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian and it is awesome to be here with you today as we continue this journey of a lifetime, across a year through the Bible, deeper into one another’s lives, growing roots, together through our experience in the Bible. And so, let’s take that next step forward. We’re reading from the New International Version this week. Today, Leviticus chapters 4 and 5.
Commentary:
Okay so, in the book of Leviticus we are learning about the different sacrifices for different things and one of the primary things is the sin offering. And we can watch these instructions, they are very detailed on how to do what needs to be done and we can look at it as antiquated or barbaric or old or bloody, or any of the things and we could go like, is God just power-hungry here, like He just wants all these animals to be slaughtered and burned and sacrificed to Him because He likes that stuff. Let’s pause, take a step back so, that we can see what He wants. If there is no sin, there is no need for sacrifice. What God wants is no sin because sin separates us from God. The sin offering is for the one who has sinned and anyone going through this process because it’s tedious and it would take a bunch of time and you would actually have to go out to your flock and choose the smallest one. So, in every way, this act, tedious though it may be, time-consuming though it may be, is a continual reminder of what sin does. Because in this brand-new culture being formed in the wilderness, God wants them to be holy because He is holy. So, there is no way to depend on the fact that they could become sinless in their own strength. There was going to be sin. Sin continues to exist in this world today, but that is indeed what makes the good news of the gospel so important to us, with Christ being the final sacrifice in the sacrificial system, through Christ, we can become sinless because He covers us. Sin is no longer held against us. We can confess it, we do not have to sacrifice for it, but as we watch these things unfold in Leviticus and throughout the rest of the story, especially here in the law where we’re watching all of the things that are gonna shape them, we should begin to see or realize that everything that is being woven into the tapestry of this newly emerging culture, is pointing them to God. Their source of life and warning them against things that will destroy that bond or covenant or break that covenant. The Bible tells us that sin leads us to destruction and to death, that is what God does not want and God paid a price, very dear, to rescue us from it. And as an example, from the Scriptures about how off, how upside down, how backward things can get, we only need to look at what we read today from the gospel of Mark. Jesus is healing on the Sabbath day. That’s against the rules, the rules as they had interpreted the rules. Jesus asked the question, is it lawful, like what’s lawful on the Sabbath, to do good or to do evil, to save a life or to kill? They didn’t answer that question, Jesus heals this man and as it is told in the gospel of Mark, once the man was healed and restored, they went out and began to plot how they might kill Jesus. So, in response to God restoring a person, because he did not interpret the law the way that they had customarily interpreted it and we know that from the gospel of Mark because Jesus said the Sabbath was made for man, not the man for Sabbath, so the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. They rejected all of this, the signs, the wonders, the explanation, or revelation and plotted how they might kill Jesus. I think we could agree that that’s really twisted, sin can twist you to the degree that you can’t even see what God is doing right in front of your face, sin is not only working against God in your life it’s working against God period. And what is the mission of God, if we could call it that, it is to restore you and sin can’t be a part of that restorative process. So, when we watch these sacrifices being implemented and kind of laid down in writing because we are reading the rules right, the laws and the laws aren’t always riveting narrative stories, they’re laws and rules and how to obey them. But God isn’t thirsty for animal blood. If He’s thirsty, it’s for righteousness, it’s for holiness because this is freedom. So, let’s remember that as we continue our journey.
Prayer:
Father, we thank You, we thank You for all of the Scriptures and all of the stories and all of the way that things have unfolded. But at the center of it all, there is this willingness inside of our hearts to rebel against what we know is right and this is sin and it, it is only going to one place, that is demonstrated over and over in the Scriptures. But what is also demonstrated over and over in the Scriptures is that You will not surrender us, You come for us, You rescue us and then You remind us that separation from You is something we want to have nothing to do with. And so, although we may not have to sacrifice an animal as a reminder all of the time, sin still does what sin does. Thankfully so does the sacrifice of Jesus. And so, may we walk in our freedom as you lead us by the power of Your Holy Spirit into freedom, onto the narrow path that leads to life. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
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And that’s it for today, I’m Brian, I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.
Prayer and Encouragements:
Heavenly Father, Lord God, I want to thank You so much for Your love, You grace, and Your mercy. You are a God that does exceedingly, abundantly above all that any of us could ask or think. And Father, we just want to thank You, praise You, magnify Your name, worship You, for You are Holy. Thank You for Jesus, thank You for Your son and Jesus, for Your willingness to come. Thank You so much for doing more than we could ever imagine, giving us access to eternal life. Oh Father, thank You for Your son and Your Holy Spirit. Dear God, that you would anoint each of us with Your Spirit, that You would impower us through Your word that we hear, that we read, through the presence of Your Holy Spirit, transforming us. Empowering us to let go of those things that are not of You. And to embrace those things that You want to have us do in our lives. Breaking those bonds and embracing those truths of Your victory, Your freedom, Your deliverance. Dear God, whatever the needs are of those who are hearing this prayer, family, finances, emotional, relational, professional God, spiritual. Dear Father, I praise You, that You are everywhere present at the same time and that You know us, deeply, intimately because You are our creator. Thank You for answering our prayers. Amen.
Hello, Daily Audio Bible family. This is Patrick from Malta, I’m here with my wife Maria. I was tracking when we started listening, it was actually 2007 but we’ve been kind of on and off and have just come back to it at the beginning of this year, the 1st of January. I remember back then, writing to Brian to tell you how I felt you really nurture a community of love, even just by telling people you love them. And I can see how that’s just spread and grown. For anyone back there in 2009, I was writing to you to tell you my thoughts on how the community had grown and what a blessing it was and it’s grown even bigger and stronger. And I just really love the community work that you’re doing. And I love the fact that there’s a genuine community of people that love one another, care for each other, pray for one another. And we listen to those prayers and they’re as much a blessing to hear those as it is to hear the scriptures. And I just want to say, my wife Maria wants to say something. Well, today’s Valentine’s Day, right, 14th of February. And we don’t really celebrate it, do we? But I just want to ask the Lord to fill your heart with his love today afresh. May we, as we continue through the scriptures this year, as we continue in community, just know the love of God. Yes, that’s my prayer. And for all those prayers I hear so many broken people and suffering, there’s a richness in the suffering. And I just pray the Lord is with you in that suffering and comfort you with His love and come through and answer you. We love you all and bye from Malta. Bye.
Hello family, this is KD out of Atlanta. I’m calling in to give a praise report and an update and to say thank you for everyone who prayed for me. I went to the do doctor the other day and I did acupuncture so; it did help out with the pelvic issues and I’m feeling better. It’s only been a day or so but I’m feeling better. Also, for those who prayed for me back, I think it was around Christmas time or slightly before Christmas, when I prayed for my business to do better. So, it’s slowly picking up. It’s picking up but I just wanted to give everybody that update and to thank them for the prayers on that. And also, just to say that while I was going through all that I had, I’ve just been doing some self-evaluating and I kinda learned a lesson in this and it’s everything that I’m going through. My business is doing very bad, it’s a staffing company, people weren’t working or whatever. So, I was just trying to make it happen, you know, trying to. And what it taught me was that I just got to trust God. God is my source, not my business, not any of that, not the amount of people I have or anything, God is my source. And I have to trust and believe that He will do what He has always done. He has never failed me. He has always provided. He has always made sure that my family had so, I’ve heard in the community prayer a lot of people who are going through things and stuff. Trust and believe that God will see you through. ___ on His word. It is just so…
This is Candance from Oregon and I just have to say that I’m really grateful to the DABer who often tells us, the God who is able to save you and me will be able to save our children. I just love that, that’s really a bit of encouragement to me. My son, is finally, it looks like, this very moment as I speak, getting himself ready, talking to HR where he works so that he can put himself into drug and alcohol treatment. And you know, this will be where he can’t work. It’ll be from 7am to 7pm every day for at least two weeks. So please pray with me. Lord, I pray for Micah. Thank You that he has arrived at this decision and I pray that the hold that alcohol has had on him for over a decade, would now be cast into the pit of hell, along with all of its lies and destruction. And that what Micah will come into life that’s truly life and be done with this. I pray that he will find the natural high of being outside in the sunshine and going on hikes and enjoying friendships and all that life is meant to be, that You have given us Lord. Rather than the lies that alcohol has told him all this time. I pray that he’ll be involved in his community, in his church and most of all Lord, moment-by-moment with You. And I ask this in Jesus’ name.
Hey guys, it’s Val in Vegas. Today’s my birthday, it’s February 15th and I’m not feeling that great. I want to pray right now for everyone that is suffering from COVID or any upper respiratory issue. We need You Father. God, just one breath from You can heal our lungs, Lord. Father, we love You. I pray for healing for everyone listening to this Lord and a special prayer for upper respiratory issues, Lord. There’s nothing like not being able to breath Lord. Blow Your breath on us Father and heal our bodies Lord, like only You can God. Father, ___53rd chapter of life. The greatest thing about it is I’m taking you with me. I know that you’ll never leave me or forsake me. Heal my body, Lord and everyone listening Father God. In your precious and mighty name. We love You Jesus. Amen.