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Leviticus 22ESV

 

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to Aaron and his sons so that they abstain from the holy things of the people of Israel, which they dedicate to me, so that they do not profane my holy name: I am the Lord. 3 Say to them, ‘If any one of all your offspring throughout your generations approaches the holy things that the people of Israel dedicate to the Lord, while he has an uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from my presence: I am the Lord. 4 None of the offspring of Aaron who has a leprous disease or a discharge may eat of the holy things until he is clean. Whoever touches anything that is unclean through contact with the dead or a man who has had an emission of semen, 5 and whoever touches a swarming thing by which he may be made unclean or a person from whom he may take uncleanness, whatever his uncleanness may be— 6 the person who touches such a thing shall be unclean until the evening and shall not eat of the holy things unless he has bathed his body in water. 7 When the sun goes down he shall be clean, and afterward he may eat of the holy things, because they are his food. 8 He shall not eat what dies of itself or is torn by beasts, and so make himself unclean by it: I am the Lord.’

 

REFLECTION

  1. Rules for sacrifices
  2. This chapter is addressed Aaron and his sons through Moses and begins with a warning to treat the sacred offerings with respect. These instructions also operate from the notion that sacrifice should not be a casual thing.  The best is to be given to God.  Sacrifice is not an opportunity to get rid of cast-off animals.  What is given to God is to be without blemish.  With all the demands in life, it is often difficult to keep our relationship with God as the priority.  Moses’ instruction to Aaron and his sons is a reminder to us as well:  giving our best to God is a sacrificial commitment that creates spiritual growth; giving God the leftovers of our life leads to spiritual stagnation.
  3. If I take the Holy God seriously and examine my interaction with God, my service at church and cell group, what would I change? What about my donations to church, how would that be affected?  Why?

 

PRAYER

Stay quiet in the presence of the Holy God.  Continue to reflect on the second question above and wait for the revelation from the Holy Spirit.  End this time with an interactive prayer with God: ”You are the holy God, therefore I……”.  Repeat it as the Holy Spirit reveals.  Continue to sit for a little longer, enjoy this time with Him.