One Year Bible, February 28

LEVITICUS 22:17-23:44
These feasts of the Lord gave revelation to the fact that God has, indeed, "according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:" (2 Pet 1:3) The feasts, in their day, preserved their faith, preserved unity, and promoted fellowship. Now our gathering at the Church does that.

Passover, or the Feast of Unleavened Bread - was a time that they cleansed the whole house of leaven (type of uncleanness). God expects them to completely separate themselves from Egypt and live a total separated life (not isolated, but distinctive).

Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks - Exactly 50 days from Passover, they were "endued with power from on high" at the receiving of the Law, the enablement to live separated, distinctive lives.

Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles - Trumpets called them to 10 days of repentance in preparation for the Day of Atonement, which was the one day a year that the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies to put the blood on the Mercy Seat of the Ark. That was a day of cleansing, purification and sanctification. They fasted to "afflict the soul". Five days later they celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles (booths or tents), also called Feast of Harvest, Feast of Ingathering. It was characterized by joy, fellowship, rest, ingathering, restoration, unity. It came hot on the heels of harvest and became known as "the feast".

INTERESTING REVELATION: The New Testament explains the first two very clearly: Passover is compared to our being born again and brought out of the world. Pentecost is compared to our being baptized in the Holy Spirit and empowered for Christian living. But what is the Feast of Tabernacles? It is a celebration of the entire story of redemption, beginning with the Exodus. Deut 16:14-15 tells us that the main characteristic is JOY. It was the first feast celebrated back in the Land in Neh-Ezra, where it says, "The joy of the Lord is our strength!" Joy is a mark of maturity, and is the unifying factor of our character. It is a fruit of the spirit, which comes with MATURITY. If this feast were to be fulfilled in the future, and Jesus has not already fulfilled it, then we should still be observing it! But on the day of that Feast, Jesus released "rivers of living water"(John 7:37-39) to flow out from us in ministry. I believe the Feast of Tabernacles is experienced in the mature believer who is oriented to God's complete purpose in our lives. It is fitting that there are 70 offerings then, more than all the other feasts put together!

RESPONSE:   This is a lot, but so is Christianity when it is lived out. Jesus fulfilled all the feasts in this life, and we celebrate them when we walk in our redemption, every time we live by the power of the Holy Spirit, every time we minister by the Holy Spirit, every time we pour out love on someone. Eph 1:4 says we are the sacrifice that is "without blemish" - "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:" Sometimes that is hard to take in - no more shame, but the freedom to be vulnerable before God.

MARK 9:30-10:12
More of the implications of the Cross: Success comes by a willingness to be last; everyone goes head of you. Success as a Christian comes by doing deeds "in His Name". (It will enhance Jesus, not you.) Success comes to those who do not neglect others, but take people seriously ("causing a little one to sin..."). Success comes to those who judge themselves and deal drastically with sin and temptation ("cut it off”). ("Salt with fire" is to judge ourselves.) In other words, "lose your life".

Speaking of "losing you life", what about marriage and divorce? Obviously the person asking this question is trying to stir up trouble! Divorce makes public our "hardness of heart." The purpose of marriage is to make two people ONE. You don't have a life of your own any more - you are a part of "one-flesh, one-spirit" and this relationship is higher than any other. Marriage is a process of God blending two people into one. He uses one against the other to break down resistances, to soften them and make them holy, with the added thrill of being ONE.

RESPONSE:    The most important character trait of a married person is adaptability. Some people never adapt to another person and they miss out on the best part of being married - being made one. We must think in terms of "us" and "we" and "our". That's part of the thrill of being married! Jesus wants to demonstrate His great love for us through marriage. He is committed for life to us. He promises never to divorce us like He did Israel (Jer 3:8; Heb 13:5). Just like I don't make unilateral decisions in our marriage, I don't want to make them without Jesus either. Sometimes I "forget", and then I reap the consequences of chaos and disorder.

PSALM 44:1-8
Another "Maschil" - A Psalm meant to teach us something! This one teaches us that "in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Rom 8:37) This means that we come out of a situation with more than we went in with! Even though our hearts may be right and we are depending on the Lord, we will suffer. There are many reasons for that: the usual one being that we don't have all the information about what is actually going on. God works in the background many times and we don't always see it. Remember: what we call "evil" isn't necessarily evil to God. Most of the time, what we call "evil" or "unjust" is something that makes our flesh uncomfortable or afraid. "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Cor 4:17-18)

PROVERBS 10:19
A fool talks too much! If a person keeps on talking, he will eventually sin with his mouth, thinking up stuff to say. You don't have to tell people everything you know.

RESPONSE:   I think there has been too much written about why "good people" suffer without looking at what the Bible actually says about it. It is a pagan belief that says we should never suffer. Escapism is pagan. Christians are "living sacrifices". We are not anyone's victims, we give our lives as a sacrifice to God to use as He sees fit. Martyrdom used to be considered a privilege. When we "go the distance" for God, He will always make it worth our while, either in this life or in the next. God, help me to remember this...the next time.