May 19, 2024, Day 1 of Week 8

Daily Dose of Hope

May 19, 2024

Day 1 of Week 8

Scripture:  Leviticus 8-11; Psalm 110; Hebrews 4

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the daily devotional and podcast that complements New Hope Church’s daily Bible reading plan.  Today is Pentecost Sunday.  As Christians, Pentecost is the day we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2.  Pentecost was originally a Jewish harvest celebration, specifically to commemorate the beginning of the wheat harvest.  It was called the Feast of Harvest or the Feast of Weeks.  It was for that reason that so many people had gathered in Jerusalem in Acts 2, When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.  I would encourage you to read through the rest of Acts 2 and see the miracles that occurred that day.  As Christ-followers, we don’t celebrate Pentecost as a harvest day but as the day the Holy Spirit came and changed everything!  From that point forward, the Spirit of the Living God would reside within believers.  Think about it, the same power that raised Jesus lives in us.  There is power in that!

Okay, let’s move on to our Scripture reading for today, beginning with Leviticus.  We read about Aaron and his sons being ordained as priests and beginning their ministry. Their first act is to sacrifice a bull calf and a ram as a sin offering to the Lord.  It is worth mentioning that the last time Aaron was the main character in the text, he allowed the people to make a golden bull calf to which they bowed down and worshiped.  God could have taken his life then and there but instead we see God's great mercy.  Rather than death for allowing idolatry, Aaron is now high priest.  Aaron is now the representative for the people before God, responsible for the sacrifices that atone for the sins of the community and individuals-a hugely important task.   

But then we move to chapter 10.  It’s here we abruptly moved from joy to horror.  Up until this point, everything has been done just as the Lord commanded.  But here, we find two of Aaron's sons bring unauthorized fire before the Lord.  What does this mean?  Most likely, they brought fire from an unholy place outside the sanctuary and then presented it before the Lord.  Maybe they had the attitude that fire is fire.  Who cares?  I think we should mention that their behavior wasn't simply a slip-up; this wasn't an accident but an intentional disregard for what God commanded.  It demonstrated irreverence before a holy God, possibly like a Christian pastor adding some kind of cult ritual to a service of communion.  As Christians, we like to worship God with gladness and joy; he is Abba Father, daddy, we are comfortable with him.  All of this is wonderful.  But we also have to remember that he is still holy God.  He is powerful, he has all authority on heaven and earth, he is the God of all.  Thanks to Jesus, we get to have a relationship with holy God.  We get to walk hand in hand with him.  At the same time, how important it is for us to remember that God's holiness is real.  There always needs to be some level of reverence, deep respect for the God who was and is and is to come, the God who deserves our utmost worship, veneration, and awe.

Take time to read Psalm 110.  We won’t be discussing it today except to say it was written by King David and it is considered messianic prophecy.  As you read through it, can you find the verses that speak to the coming of Jesus Christ? 

Hebrews chapter 4 begins with a discussion about entering God’s rest. Moses and Joshua tried to lead the Israelites into God’s rest but the people disobeyed and did not receive it.  But Jesus is superior to both Moses and Joshua because he provides a better way to receive God’s rest. What is meant here by rest is the experience of salvation and dependence on God, rather than on one’s own works.  

Christians are born again when they say yes to the free gift of grace.  It’s not about anything we do but rather who we trust.  Jesus has provided the way to receive this wonderful rest.  As one matures in faith, rest might be thought of as unbroken fellowship with God.  As I read this, I can’t help but be reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you.  Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”  I don’t know about you, but I can use this kind of rest! 

I do want to take some time to point out verse 12, For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.  This is a verse that’s familiar to many of us, but what does it have to do with rest?  

Because God’s Word is alive and powerful, those who listen to it can receive God’s rest.  The Word of God gives us everything we need to know about receiving salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  It provides all we need to know about being in fellowship with God.  The Bible is a living book to those who believe in Jesus.  It provides the means to learn about God but also the way to get to know God.  We meet Jesus Christ on the pages of Scripture!  Because the Word of God is active, alive, and powerful, it also has the ability to penetrate deep within our soul.  It’s like a sharp scalpel, with the ability to cut out the cancerous parts of our lives so we can be healed and whole.  As we read God’s Word, our own thoughts, desires, temptations, and sins, come to light.  The Holy Spirit convicts us of them, and points us toward Jesus.  How often have you been reading Scripture and you just knew that you needed to make some adjustments in your own heart and life?

Let’s chat again tomorrow.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki