Bruno V.’s Journal

Even the Levites, who were ministers, had to tithe to support the Lord's work. No one was exempt from returning to God a portion of what was received. Though the Levites owned no land and operated no great enterprises, they were to treat their income the same as everyone else did by giving a portion to care for the needs of the other Levites and of the tabernacle. Although "tithing" is old testament, this giving principle is still relevant today (2 Corinthians 9:7). God expects all his followers to supply the material needs of those who devote themselves to meeting the spiritual needs of the community of faith.

This punishment for blasphemy (cursing God) seems extreme by modern standards. But it shows how seriously God expects us to take our reationship with him. Often we use his name in swearing, or we act as though he doesn't exist. We should be careful how we speak and act, treating God with reverence. Eventually, he will have the last word.

So, what happened to the 10 commandments? Reading this chapter and other chapters of Leviticus, we can see that there are actually 613 commandments all together. And we thought it was hard just keeping 10! That's why Jesus came - there is no way we can be justified by keeping one or all 613. Through Jesus we are perfect. Through Jesus we are justified. Through Jesus we are saved. Thank you Jesus.

"leprosy" is often used in the Bible as an illistration of sin because sin is also "contagious" and destructive and leads to speration.

This chapter discribes many of the intentional or accidental occurrences that would disqualify a person from worship until they were "cleanesed" or straightened out. A person had to be prepared for worship. Similarly, we cannot live any way we want during the week and then rush into God's presence on Sunday. We should prepare ourselves through repentance and cleansing.

As a display of his mighty power, God sent fire down from the sky to consume Aarons offering. God tends not to display his power in the form of mighty physcial acts (most likely this will come at a later tme again as we read in Revelation). Today, his power works to change the world through the work of belivers. When we realize this, we will begin to see acts of love and faith that are just as supernatural

What were the Urim and Thummim? Little is konw about them, but they were probably precious stones or flat objects that God used to give guidance to his people. The high priest kept them in his pouch attached to his breastplate. Some scholars think the Urim may have been the "no" answer and the "thummim the "yes" answer. Afther a time pf prayer for guidance, the preist would shake one of the stones out of the pouch, and God would cause the proper one to fall out. Another view is that the Urim and Thummim were small flat objects, ecah with a "yes" side and a "no" side. The priest spilled both from his pouch. If both landed on their yes sides, God's answer was positive. Two no sides were negative. A yes and no meant no reply. God has a specific purpose for using this methiog of guidance - he was teaching a nation the principles of followoing him. Our situation is not the same, however, so we must not invent ways like this for God to guide us.

Have you ever sworn to do or not to do something and then realized how foolish your promise was? God's people are called to keep their word, even if they make promises that are tough to keep. Jesus was warning against swearing (in the sense of making voes or oaths) when he said, "let your yes be yes and your no be no. For whatever is more than these is from the evil one Matt 5:37. Our word should be enough. If we feel we have to strengthen it with an oath, something is wrong with our sincerity. The only promises we ought not to keep are promises that lead to sin. A wise and self-controlled person avoids making rash promises.

The sin offering was for those who 1) commited a sin without realizing it or 2) committed a sin out of weakness or negligence as opposed to outright rebellion against God. Different animals were sacrrificed for the different kinds of siin. The death of Jesus Christ was the final sin offering in the Bible (Hebrews 9:25-28 tells us why).

This entire chapter talks about how God not only wants a perfect sacrifice, but he doesn't like fat! He gives specific instructions for a perfect animal sacrifice. I chose this verse because I used it a few times when the "Jehovah's Witnesses" come knocking at your door and a conversation may get started about their "no blood transfusion practice". They point to a few verses but their strongest "proof text" is also in Leviticus - Lev 17:10-12 which explain that they "shall not eat blood." The JW are nutorious for reading the bible with "eisegesis" - a fancy way of saying rather reading scripture for what it really means the give it their own interpetation of the verse i.e. Lev 17:10 is talking about ANIMAL blood, not human blood. So when they bring this topic to your door and "prove it to you" by reading Lev 17:10, simply tell them to hold that page and read Lev 3:17. Then ask them, when was the last time you ate fat? Do you see how these verseses when read IN CONTEXT is talking about animal blood and not human blood? Just planting one seed of doubt may pave the way for another believer to water it.