Daily Bible Portion (Monday)
Daily Bible Portion – 2 of 7
"AFTER THE DEATH"
(Weekly Reading>>Leviticus 16:1-18:30, Ezekiel 22:1-16, Hebrews 9:6-28, Romans 3:19-28; 9:30-10:13, 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, 2 Corinthians 2:1-11; 14-17)
The Scapegoat
The second goat was kept alive and brought before the assembly. Aaron, as High Priest, laid both hands (representing the Two Houses of Israel: the House of Judah and House of Israel) on the head of the goat and confessed over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites. This ritual symbolized the transference of sin and guilt from the Children of Israel to the goat, after which it was sent with a designated man into the wilderness (Leviticus 16:21-22).
As believers in Jesus we are to examine our altar (heart daily). God's Day of Atonement (Feast of Yom Kippur) is eternally set once a year throughout all our generations for the whole assembly (church) to personally examine their hearts corporately. This means the feast still exists and never stops. The only difference today being that the animal sacrifices have stopped as Christ has fulfilled the law of sin and death. The way to the law of life is opened to us with the path made straight for us by His Spirit. We can now have victory over our sins through Jesus who made the importance of Yom Kippur and the keeping of it today even more relevant. This Day is not, and never has been, for salvation purposes but for a cleansing process (sanctification) to consecrate the corporate heart of His children once a year.
We are learning to embrace Day of Atonement even more so now that Christ has made the way for us to approach the Most Holy Place. Paul said,
"Through the law [Yahweh's teaching and instruction] we become conscious of sin." "I would not have known what sin was except through the law" [His teaching and instruction – Torah – The Gospel] (Romans 3:20; 7:7).
Before Day of Atonement approaches, we are to recognize where we missed the mark (sinned), take responsibility by renouncing it and repent for having participated in it. These sins are called transgressions. For example: a personal sin of sexual immorality is a corporate sin that will contaminate the whole assembly. If tolerated, the whole body of believers will incur the guilt for that sin in the assembly, Church, fellowship, or at home, which in turn affects the Land of Israel - wherever the elect gathers. Secondly, we repent for the sins that we have participated in that have been passed on to us from the third and fourth generation through our ancestors. These sins are called iniquities. And thirdly, we also repent for any sins committed since coming into salvation.
As believers, have we sinned since becoming born again? According to Romans (written to believers) we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of Yahweh. If we say we have not sinned then we lie and make Yeshua out to be a liar. If we have sinned, the principles in Leviticus say we need to repent personally and cleanse the Altar of Incense (our heart). This is attended to on a daily basis and also once a year on Day of Atonement(Yom Kippur) for the corporate repentance. This obedience to His word fulfills all righteousness (His right-ways), and is how the Bride prepares for the Bridegroom (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:9).
Christ's blood is the eternal sacrifice that delivers us (called salvation). Now our sanctification process begins. Salvation and sanctification are separate. It is up to us to rid ourselves of the impurities in our lives (physically and spiritually) that may have come to us through our ancestors, as well as issues that we may have built up in us since our salvation. It is our job to keep all contamination far from us. This is called sanctification/circumcision of the heart. Pursing this action is called sanctification of the soul.
Leviticus 16 is Christ's teaching and instruction to believers, those who have already been atoned for by Christ's blood. We see the incense is to be placed on the altar of incense in the midst of the fire. If we are consecrated (have circumcised hearts), we will always have fire burning on the altar/heart. We are commanded not to let the flame go out. This is the place we lift our praises before Him. We are not to offer common prayers on the altar of incense. Day of Atonement is likened to God trimming our wick so our lamp does not go out. We are to observe this Day every year throughout all generations to keep the fire burning brightly. This light represents His work in our hearts (Exodus 30:1-10; Leviticus 16: 12-16).
One example in Scripture of this cleansing process is the story of Hezekiah, King of Judah. His father Ahaz had desecrated the temple consequently it was no longer in use. This caused God's fierce anger to fall upon the nation of Israel. At the age of twenty-five, Hezekiah opened the doors of the temple of God, then gathered in the priests and the Levites. He instructed them to consecrate themselves in order that they might consecrate the temple and remove all defilement from the sanctuary (2 Chronicles 29:1-36; 30-31).
It was Hezekiah's intention to restore the covenantal relationship of the nation of Israel to God. At the time the House of Israel and the House of Judah were at war with each other. To bring restoration Hezekiah first set about restoring the temple and its sacrifices, thus turning God's fierce anger away from the Israelites. This is still how we are to return and restore the covenant and the temple in our hearts today, and this is also how the land of Israel will be restored to peace once again.
continues tomorrow...
"AFTER THE DEATH"
(Weekly Reading>>Leviticus 16:1-18:30, Ezekiel 22:1-16, Hebrews 9:6-28, Romans 3:19-28; 9:30-10:13, 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, 2 Corinthians 2:1-11; 14-17)
The Scapegoat
The second goat was kept alive and brought before the assembly. Aaron, as High Priest, laid both hands (representing the Two Houses of Israel: the House of Judah and House of Israel) on the head of the goat and confessed over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites. This ritual symbolized the transference of sin and guilt from the Children of Israel to the goat, after which it was sent with a designated man into the wilderness (Leviticus 16:21-22).
As believers in Jesus we are to examine our altar (heart daily). God's Day of Atonement (Feast of Yom Kippur) is eternally set once a year throughout all our generations for the whole assembly (church) to personally examine their hearts corporately. This means the feast still exists and never stops. The only difference today being that the animal sacrifices have stopped as Christ has fulfilled the law of sin and death. The way to the law of life is opened to us with the path made straight for us by His Spirit. We can now have victory over our sins through Jesus who made the importance of Yom Kippur and the keeping of it today even more relevant. This Day is not, and never has been, for salvation purposes but for a cleansing process (sanctification) to consecrate the corporate heart of His children once a year.
We are learning to embrace Day of Atonement even more so now that Christ has made the way for us to approach the Most Holy Place. Paul said,
"Through the law [Yahweh's teaching and instruction] we become conscious of sin." "I would not have known what sin was except through the law" [His teaching and instruction – Torah – The Gospel] (Romans 3:20; 7:7).
Before Day of Atonement approaches, we are to recognize where we missed the mark (sinned), take responsibility by renouncing it and repent for having participated in it. These sins are called transgressions. For example: a personal sin of sexual immorality is a corporate sin that will contaminate the whole assembly. If tolerated, the whole body of believers will incur the guilt for that sin in the assembly, Church, fellowship, or at home, which in turn affects the Land of Israel - wherever the elect gathers. Secondly, we repent for the sins that we have participated in that have been passed on to us from the third and fourth generation through our ancestors. These sins are called iniquities. And thirdly, we also repent for any sins committed since coming into salvation.
As believers, have we sinned since becoming born again? According to Romans (written to believers) we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of Yahweh. If we say we have not sinned then we lie and make Yeshua out to be a liar. If we have sinned, the principles in Leviticus say we need to repent personally and cleanse the Altar of Incense (our heart). This is attended to on a daily basis and also once a year on Day of Atonement(Yom Kippur) for the corporate repentance. This obedience to His word fulfills all righteousness (His right-ways), and is how the Bride prepares for the Bridegroom (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:9).
Christ's blood is the eternal sacrifice that delivers us (called salvation). Now our sanctification process begins. Salvation and sanctification are separate. It is up to us to rid ourselves of the impurities in our lives (physically and spiritually) that may have come to us through our ancestors, as well as issues that we may have built up in us since our salvation. It is our job to keep all contamination far from us. This is called sanctification/circumcision of the heart. Pursing this action is called sanctification of the soul.
1 Peter 1:8-11 "Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end[goal] of your faith - the salvation of your souls. Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them [the prophets] was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
Leviticus 16 is Christ's teaching and instruction to believers, those who have already been atoned for by Christ's blood. We see the incense is to be placed on the altar of incense in the midst of the fire. If we are consecrated (have circumcised hearts), we will always have fire burning on the altar/heart. We are commanded not to let the flame go out. This is the place we lift our praises before Him. We are not to offer common prayers on the altar of incense. Day of Atonement is likened to God trimming our wick so our lamp does not go out. We are to observe this Day every year throughout all generations to keep the fire burning brightly. This light represents His work in our hearts (Exodus 30:1-10; Leviticus 16: 12-16).
John 1:9 "That [Jesus] was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world."
One example in Scripture of this cleansing process is the story of Hezekiah, King of Judah. His father Ahaz had desecrated the temple consequently it was no longer in use. This caused God's fierce anger to fall upon the nation of Israel. At the age of twenty-five, Hezekiah opened the doors of the temple of God, then gathered in the priests and the Levites. He instructed them to consecrate themselves in order that they might consecrate the temple and remove all defilement from the sanctuary (2 Chronicles 29:1-36; 30-31).
2 Chronicles 29:15 "They [priests] went in to purify the temple of Yahweh as the king had ordered following the word of Yahweh given them by Moses."
It was Hezekiah's intention to restore the covenantal relationship of the nation of Israel to God. At the time the House of Israel and the House of Judah were at war with each other. To bring restoration Hezekiah first set about restoring the temple and its sacrifices, thus turning God's fierce anger away from the Israelites. This is still how we are to return and restore the covenant and the temple in our hearts today, and this is also how the land of Israel will be restored to peace once again.
continues tomorrow...