KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Monday, February 27, 2017
Chapters: Numbers 8-10
Message: A Living Sacrifice
Hello My Friend,
Sacrifice; To offer to God in homage or worship, by killing and consuming an animal, either as an atonement for sin, to procure favor, or to express thankfulness. Thank God that today we no longer have to bring a lamb or some other kind of animal to atone for our sins, seek God’s favor, or express our thankfulness in the blessings He has given us, we just need Jesus as He became the sacrifice that would make all that permanent. Now, since God gave His life He expects a different sacrifice from those who want Him in their lives, a living sacrifice. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” – Romans 12:1-2.
“And be not conformed to this world:” Conform; Made to resemble, to reduce to a likeness in manners, opinions or qualities. Now, that is an understatement, we are not to resemble the world, and yet Christians all over the world look more like the world than many who live in the world. God makes us different for a reason, and it is not to keep us from enjoying life, it is so we can be the most effective in serving Him. Now that Aaron and his sons were consecrated to be able to receive the sacrifices offered from the people it was time to cleanse the Levites first so they could perform the duties administered to them for the service of the tabernacle.
“And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean. Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering. And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together: And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites: And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD. And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for the Levites. And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD. Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.” – Numbers 8:7-13.
“and offer them for an offering unto the LORD.” One of the best and most rewarding duties we will ever have is one in which we offer ourselves as a living sacrifice for God. I do not know why He chooses us to be His eyes, ears, and mouth, but I do know that He has a reason for where He puts us, no matter what position it is that He gives us. “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” – John 15:16.
The Passover; a time for atonement, reflection, and thanksgiving to God for saving their lives and setting them free. According to the Law, any person who touched dead flesh, animal or human, was deemed unclean and had to distance himself from everyone for seven days until he was cleansed. There were certain men who were defiled by human corpses, probably in the form of a burial, and could not eat the Passover meal on the day appointed. So, these men approached Moses and asked why they had to be excluded from the observance since they were doing their duty, and after Moses spoke to God, this was His response.
“Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the LORD. The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it. But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the LORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin. And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.” – Numbers 9:10-14.
“ye shall have one ordinance,” There is only one way to worship God, it always has been, and that is to give ourselves wholeheartedly to Him, those who truly want to worship the Almighty and only living God will bring their offering to Him, and today that offering is Jesus Christ. The second we believe in what Christ has done (Him becoming the Passover Lamb who would replace all this), and receive Him as our Saviour we are accepted by God, and not only that we become one of His people. Jesus bared our sins at the cross, he took every one of them and removed them when He became the sacrifice for our atonement, and this was for all, Jew and Gentile. “Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;” – Romans 2:9-12.
It had been over two years that Israel was set free and embarked on their journey to the promised land. During that time God gave the commands and laws, had Moses and the people build the Tabernacle, and chose Aaron and the rest of the Levites to serve in His ministry. The time had come for the camp to move forward and head to the promised land, first, God commanded Moses to make two silver trumpets.
“Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee. When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward. When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys. But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations. And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.” – Numbers 10:2-9
“and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God,” Keep in mind that we when chose Christ He chooses us, and by doing so we become one of His very own. We are going to mess up, we are going to get ourselves into trouble sometimes, even if it is only with wicked thoughts, but He promises to never leave nor forsake us even if we do mess up. You see, the Holy Spirit was their guide the entire journey, when He walked, they walked, when He stood, they stood. When they were threatened with war, He was their protection and victory, that was as long as their let Him lead them. When we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, He will steer us in the right direction all the time, now, we may have to take a detour or rest along the way, but thanks to God’s GPS, He will always take us where He wants us to be. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.” – John 16:13,26,27.
Jesus Christ Magnified: Today Jesus is revealed through the Passover and the golden candlestick. Jesus is the only Light of our dark, sinful world, and by His becoming the Passover sacrifice we are passed from death to life. “But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:” – II Timothy 1:10.
Today’s Prayer: God, You have called us to serve You in many ways, from Your ministry to secular jobs, we are to show the world Your Son by our godly example. Lord, give us Your power to be faithful and honorable servants, to represent You in and out of the church with integrity, and to encourage all we come in contact with to follow us to the promised land. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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