June 14 – Weekend Passage

Genesis 22

The Offering of Isaac

22 Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance. Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.

Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” 13 Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. 14 Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.”

15 Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived at Beersheba.

20 Now it came about after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21 Uz his firstborn and Buz his brother and Kemuel the father of Aram 22 and Chesed and Hazo and Pildash and Jidlaph and Bethuel.” 23 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah; these eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah and Gaham and Tahash and Maacah.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB © The Lockman Foundation (www.lockman.org)

Thoughts About What We’re Reading…

The Ultimate Day of Atonement

As we read Leviticus we have to be ever mindful of the fact that salvation is not earned through the obedience of the law.  Obedience is the proper response to the salvation God has provided.

It is helpful to read through passages in Hebrews to fully understand Leviticus and why Jesus is the greater priest and the greater, perfect atoning sacrifice.

Let’s take the Day of Atonement described in Leviticus 16.  Known today as Yom Kippur, the Jewish People still consider this to be the holiest day of the year, a day of atonement and repentance.

But here in our story, despite all the law and regulations described in Leviticus, sins and impurities remained and defiled the camp and the Lord’s holy dwelling among His people.

God therefore provides the ceremony of the Day of Atonement, to cleanse the tabernacle and the camp of these sins and impurities.

The heart of the ceremony consisted of three rites: purification offerings to cleanse the tabernacle (16:11–19), the scapegoat to bear the Israelites’ sins out of the camp (vv. 20–22), and burnt offerings to emphasize the atonement made that day (vv. 23–24).

For these rites to be effective, it was important that the Israelites had repentant hearts (vv. 29, 31).

As we move through the Lent season in preparation of Easter weekend, we are reminded of Jesus’ crucifixion, the ultimate Day of Atonement.

In reflection and fulfillment of the purification offerings, He cleansed our sin by means of His own blood (Hebrews 9:12, 14, 24).

In reflection and completion of the sign of the scapegoat, He bore our sins away (Hebrews 9:28).

In reflection and fulfillment of the burnt offerings, He made atonement for us.

We look to him with hearts that not only mourn and repent of our sin but that also rejoice that His sacrifice cleanses us so completely that we can draw near to God with the full assurance that He accepts us completely (Hebrews 10:19–22).

Amen!

Until next time…keep reading…
Jim

Excerpts taken from the Gospel Transformation Study Bible. 

Thoughts About What We’re Reading…

Holy is the Lamb – Lent 2014

We did it!  We finished another book – Exodus. God has delivered His people, made a covenant, and established a theocracy. We have the Sabbath, the Law (which included the Ten Commandments), and the Tabernacle. As the book comes to an end, God is with the nation of Israel, His chosen people.  He is guiding them on to the promised land, as part of the promise given to Abraham back in Genesis 15.

Today we began the Book of Leviticus.  I like that we are we starting this book as we begin our season of Lent in preparation of the upcoming Easter celebration.

Leviticus deals with the severity of sin and God’s grace. “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2) NASB

The writer of Hebrews relied on the images of Leviticus in describing the person and role of Jesus Christ: the sacrifice, priesthood, and the Day of Atonement (Hebrews 4:14–10:18).

In Leviticus, we learn how it is God’s desire that His holiness be reflected in the life of His covenant people Israel. Studying Leviticus gives us a deeper devotion to Jesus Christ, a stronger worship of God, and a better understanding of daily Christian living.

The Gospel Transformation Bible describes it like this:

“In order to read Leviticus well we must therefore remember these two things:(1) the many ways that Jesus has become the far greater priest who intercedes for us on the basis of his perfect and far greater atoning sacrifice; and (2) that obedience to God’s law is not meant to earn his salvation but to be an appropriate response to the salvation he has so richly provided.”

As we read through Leviticus, during this Lent season, let’s focus on how every offering and sacrifice gives us understanding of the price Jesus (the Lamb of God) paid, that we might be forgiven, consecrated, and separated.

Holy is the Lamb!

Until next time…keep reading…
Jim