Friday, October 9, 2020

SEXUAL PURITY

Today’s Reading: Leviticus 17-18

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).

 

An Ibex on the run in Ein Gedi, Israel.  First Samuel 1:1-2 tells us of David hiding from King Saul here at Ein Gedi, the place of “the rocks of the wild goats.”

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: Leviticus 18:5

You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.

 

The words “I am the Lord” appear 18 times in today’s and tomorrow’s readings. God is establishing His infinitely high moral standards in the minds of a people who have just come out from Egypt, where they practised the abominations mentioned here. Let me point out again that persons were not called “abominable”…their acts were. There is nothing new here. The very things that today corrupt society and destroy people and families are described in Moses’ writings. In our key verse, just before a long list of immoral acts, God promises, once again, that just as sin leads to death, obedience leads to life. It’s clear that God hates sexual sin, and it is also clear that He has made provision for the forgiveness of all sin. The words “cut off” could be understood, for example, as the imprisonment of a convicted pedophile. The sacrifices we read so much about were pictures of the final and complete Sacrifice for sin offered by our Lord Jesus.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, give me a loathing for sin and, at the same time, an intense practical love for the sinner. That includes my sin and myself. As the man of whom Jesus spoke prayed, “Lord, be merciful to me a sinner,” and was made righteous before You, so I pray this prayer often. Thank You for this prayer that You guarantee, from the mouth of Jesus, will restore and maintain my relationship with You, O Holy God. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Those words, “I am the Lord,” remind me of standing beside the Sea of Galilee with my Middle-Eastern son-in-law. He told me of the significance of the 153 fish the disciples caught in John 21:11. His first language is Arabic, his second is Hebrew, and his third is English. He explained how in Hebrew, each letter has a numerical value, and “Ana Elohim” (“I am the Lord”) comes to 100, 50, and 3. Peter and the other disciples, who would have attended synagogue schools, knew exactly what the risen Christ was communicating. My son-in-law is an ordained minister in the Nazareth Baptist Church, and I’ve checked this out with Hebrew scholars. We’ll be moving to the Gospel of John in nine days. Don’t get discouraged in Leviticus! How about you and I click right now and read that portion about the 153 fish…John 21:1-14. A lady told me the other day that it was not Leviticus where she got bogged down in her reading; it was Numbers. Something to look forward to, right?

Yours for the blessing of going back and forth between the Old and the New Testaments,

David

P.S. [Originally written October 9, 2016]  Below is a photo of Norma-Jean and me at Thanksgiving a few years ago. We were about to partake of a delicious turkey dinner with some of our family. Also our granddaughter, Hannah Jean Shaheen, M.D., was married recently to a fine young businessman Dan Fuller. I’m rejoicing in God’s goodness that He allowed me to be released from the hospital in time to participate in their wedding ceremony. The second photo below is of Grandpa serving them communion. Rev. Ron Mainse officiated the ceremony.

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11 thoughts on “Friday, October 9, 2020

  1. I realize God is giving direction from a son’s point of view, i.e. to your father… to your mother… but I can’t understand why God does not outline (except generally in vs. 6): do not have sexual relations with your daughter, when every other relationship is stipulated. I can’t imagine living back at that time. Experiencing breakfast by the sea with Jesus in John 21:1-14–was divine. As always, feeling blessed by today’s message and teaching; great photos. His amazing love be upon us, fellow saints in the Lord.

    Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
    Romans 12:10 NIV

    Love One Another, Yancy lyric video
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkhiN2OcqBw

    • Beverlee… you have an inquiring mind!
      After reading your comment I read the chapter again…verse 15 does say….daughter in law…but as you point out, daughter is not mentioned.

      Oh what a miracle, what a gift that a holy perfect God has come down to save us weak sinful human beings!
      May many more hear His voice today and listen to His teachings!

      I am so grateful for David Mainse’s insight!

  2. Thank You, Father, for all Your children. Bless them and help them to be fruitful and multiply throughout this 🌎. Keep Your ✋ on them and Your Spirit and Your Word in them, so they can overflow with Your grace and Truth to people everywhere. May You be magnified and glorified over all this Earth, in Jesus’s great name, amen

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