Apr 14

“His own hands shall bring the offerings of the LORD…” Leviticus 7:30

Under Old Testament ceremonial law, offerings and sacrifices were to be made unto Yahwah for various reasons. Some of these were animal sacrifices, brought to the priests to be slaughtered, and offered as sin offerings unto the Lord. The priest placed certain portions of the offering, into the hands of the individual whose offering it was, and in turn he would ‘wave’ them before the Lord. This was significant of relinquishing the gift unto God and of abandoning the sin associated with the sacrifice. Portions were then burned, and other portions became food for the priests and their families. The entire sacrificial system was set up by God for Israel, to foreshadow the ultimate sacrifice of Christ at Calvary. It was in a type, to represent the offering of the ‘Lamb of God’, which takes away the sin of the world. As we come to the cross, inspect its horror and yet admire its glory, we recognise that it is through Jesus alone that our sins can be forgiven, covered and taken away! Like the offering giver of old, we must relinquish, not so much the offering, for that has been given by God, on our behalf, but ourselves.  It is in this willing abandonment of our desires, preferences and self to God that we are able to take upon us the salvation, the Saviour has supplied for us. This giving over is known as repentance in the Bible. It is a willing turning away from our sin and ways and accepting the path God has set for us. Repentance is the surrender of the reins of our lives to God, and turning away from the sins which have beset us. By this action we are saying that we will no longer insist on our wants or the desires of our flesh, but that from here on we will observe and obey the law of God and do His will. No one else can do this for us, we must come before the Lord ourselves and ‘with our own hands’ so to speak, bring this offering of self, unto the Lord. Repentance precedes the forgiveness of our sins in the waters of baptism, and the regeneration and new life we are imparted through the infilling of the Spirit of God!

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion

Jan 23

"…thou shalt overlay it with brass.” Exodus 27:2

Moses was obedient to do as God commanded him in the building of the tabernacle and all the items of its furniture, taking no shortcuts, nor re-interpreting the commands, for the sake of comfort or ease. The brazen altar was a place of sacrifice, a place where symbolically sin was judged. It is interesting that this altar which was constructed in wood should be overlaid with plates of brass. No doubt this made it resistant to the fire, which would otherwise destroy the timber, but it also has a greater and deeper purpose and meaning. Brass as a metal in scripture is often significant of hardship, judgement and punishment. Jesus fulfils all the typology of the tabernacle and sacrifices associated with it. In this piece of furniture, we see the hardship He suffered, in the punishment which He personally took on our behalf, because our sins were judged in Him. We see also the strength, lustre and resistance of the brass to the fire of sacrifice, representing the glory, majesty and overcoming of Christ at Calvary. God in great wisdom and in so many ways, communicated through types and shadows, His great and ultimate plan to bring redemption and salvation to fallen man. His plans and purposes were laid out from eternity, and established from everlasting, for He knows the end from the beginning. The smallest detail in what God does and commands us to do, may hold great implication and carry great weight. As Moses was obedient, we too should follow carefully the mandates and directions of God in our lives, much more than our immediate situation may be at stake!

http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion