Daily Notes & Observations is a 365-part series that follows a chronological daily Bible reading schedule and contains a short article based on something found in the text for each day. This material is also available in paperback.

February 20, 2012

A Daughter Eating of Her Father’s Food (2/20)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Leviticus 22-23.

In Leviticus 22, instructions were given regarding who could and could not eat of the gifts that were offered to the Lord. One of these rules affected the daughters of the priests:

“If a priest’s daughter is married to a layman, she shall not eat of the offering of the gifts. But if a priest’s daughter becomes a widow or divorced, and has no child and returns to her father’s house as in her youth, she shall eat of her father’s food; but no layman shall eat of it” (Leviticus 22:12-13).

A rule was given that no layman was to eat of this food that was dedicated to the Lord. This food was reserved for the priests. A priest’s daughter could eat only under certain conditions.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: , ,
February 19, 2012

"Leave Them for the Needy" (2/19)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Leviticus 19-21.

Sadly, helping the poor is a contentious issue in our society. It is not so much that people do not want to help the poor – most good, moral people want help to be provided. The issue is over how to best help the poor and whether this help should come from individuals, churches, charities, or government agencies.

The Law of Moses contains a way to help the poor and the stranger among the people. While we do not live under the same Law or with the same circumstances, there are principles that should help us determine how we can best help those in need.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: , , ,
February 18, 2012

"You Shall Keep My Statutes" (2/18)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Leviticus 16-18.

As God gave His Law to Moses to pass down to the people, He explained how the people were to conduct themselves compared to the other nations.

“You shall not do what is done in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do what is done in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their statutes. You are to perform My judgments and keep My statutes, to live in accord with them; I am the Lord your God. So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the Lord” (Leviticus 18:3-5).

There are a couple lessons to be learned from this passage. First, God’s people are obligated to live according to His standard, not the world’s standard. You must follow the Lord, even if those around you do not. Paul writes, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).
Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: ,
February 17, 2012

“When You Enter the Land of Canaan” (2/17)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Leviticus 14-15.

The Law of Moses contained very specific instructions regarding leprosy and those who had the disease. It can be tempting for us today to quickly skim over these sections, but there are still lessons to be learned.

“The Lord further spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: ‘When you enter the land of Canaan, which I give you for a possession, and I put a mark of leprosy on a house in the land of your possession, then the one who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, ‘Something like a mark of leprosy has become visible to me in the house’” (Leviticus 14:33-35).

The main point of this passage has to do with a priest inspecting a house for leprosy. But a statement is made in passing that can help reinforce our faith in God’s promises.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: , ,
February 16, 2012

"Be Holy, For I Am Holy" (2/16)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Leviticus 11-13.

“For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth. For I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44-45).

This chapter goes into great detail showing the Israelites which animals were clean and which ones were unclean. One of the reasons for these commands was so the Israelites would be a peculiar people, distinct from the nations around them. When God called them out of Egypt, He set them apart as His people. Therefore, they were to be holy just as God is holy.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: , ,
February 15, 2012

One Unauthorized Action (2/15)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Leviticus 8-10.

“Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord” (Leviticus 10:1-2).

The account of Nadab and Abihu is an excellent example of the need to do those things which God has authorized and refrain from those things which He has not. But this event is not without a context. This happened during the time when Aaron and his sons – which included Nadab and Abihu – were consecrated and sacrifices were offered to God. Notice some of the phrases that describe what was done during these events:
Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: , ,
February 14, 2012

"If He Cannot Afford a Lamb" (2/14)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Leviticus 5-7.

If one of the Israelites under the Law of Moses sinned, he was to offer a sacrifice.

“He shall also bring his guilt offering to the Lord for his sin which he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin” (Leviticus 5:6).

Specific instructions were given regarding this sacrifice. But what if one did not have this to sacrifice? Would he be exempt? Would be unable to have atonement made for his sins? No, God made a provision for one who was not able to produce this sacrifice.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: , ,