One Year Bible, March 1

LEVITICUS 24:1-25:46
Shewbread: The shewbread is a daily reminder that we are holy people who serve a holy God. The fact that the holy table was never for a moment left without some loaves lying on it, is a symbol of man' unbroken dependence on God. In this context, to scoff at the Name of Jehovah (blasphemy) is an act of unholy defiance, and is worthy of death.

Jubilee: Every 7th year was a Sabbath of Rest and after 7 of these Sabbaths, the next year (50th year) was Jubilee, when Liberty was proclaimed throughout the Land. In Luke 4:18-19 Jesus called it "the Acceptable Year of the Lord". It is a year of restoration, release, rest, and plenty. Everything went back to its original owners and slaves were released. It points to the work of Jesus Christ to deliver mankind from the curse and returning him to dominion over the earth. Because everything was evaluated by its distance from Jubilee, it is also a picture of our walk with the Lord. The value of external things were less and less as they drew closer to Jubilee, because they returned to the original owner that year. The closer we get to Jesus (Who is our Jubilee), the less value everything else has. (For example, a house sold with 50 years until Jubilee might be worth $100. With 25 years left until Jubilee, it is now worth only $50. At five year until Jubilee it will be worth only $5.)

RESPONSE:    "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Deut 8:3) God is our Source of Life, and every word He has spoken is our food. So, to dishonor Him with our words is just plain self-destructive. It is interesting to note that the man who cursed God's Name, has had his own name eliminated from the story.  Blasphemy against God is not just a few ill-spoken words, but it undermines the very foundation of His mercy. Blasphemy is an act of violence toward God. It is compared to blasphemy of the Holy Spirit which resulted in spiritual death, and which was defined as attributing His acts to the Evil One, which would be the opposite of His great mercy. Instead of wondering which words are considered blasphemy, why not just stay away from even sneaking up on it? Just let all your words about God be about His goodness and His greatness.

MARK 10:13-31
The Child and the Ruler: The Kingdom of God is received by the childlike (not the child-ish). Children are uncomplicated and teachable. The Rich young ruler who came to Jesus was childlike in that he was teachable. But, wealth creates a concern for secondary values and this destroys simplicity. Jesus referred to "treasure in heaven." Remember, your heart follows your treasure (area of concern). Treasures are hooks that motivate us and steal our hearts and our focus. I must never indulge in earthly desires at the expense of "treasure in heaven". As far as what the rich young ruler would have "given up" - Jesus also said that no one gives up anything that isn't paid back either in this life or in the next.

RESPONSE:   Jesus said that it is impossible for the rich to be saved, except for God (V.27). Even a rich person has to acknowledge that they are wretched and miserable and need the Lord. The Bible says that Jesus looked at that rich young man and "loved him". It must have pained Jesus to see him walk away. I hope this wasn't the end of his story. If he would just come to Jesus, he would see that he really hasn't given up anything at all! Jesus is really all we need. He is the Source of Life.

PSALM 44:9-26
The present situation is desperate. This reads like the 21st Century Church in many countries. We have just beginnings of this kind of persecution in the U.S., but other countries have it much worse. Joshua 11:20 says, "For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses."  Partial victories are dangerous because the pockets of rebellion can burst out at any time when we aren't ready. Sometimes I think that the Western World has been living in partial victory for hundreds of years and it's time to draw the enemy out into the open so it can be confronted and destroyed. Just so there is no misunderstanding: the real enemy is the spirit of Antichrist. Notice: I said "SPIRIT". I am not referring to a particular person, but a spirit that works to thwart the will and purpose of God. It is anything that is anti-Christian, or instead-of-Christian. Psalm 44 states that, even so, we are "more than conquerors".

PROVERBS 10:20-21
How do we put value on people? A righteous man is useful for something. A wicked man is worthless, so anything he has to say is worthless too. The words of the righteous "shepherds" (original language for "feeds") many - leads them to nourishment. And the original language says that the fool dies because he has no heart, meaning he is empty-headed and has within himself the seeds of destruction.

RESPONSE:  The American media, for the most part, hates Christians and want us to be embarrassed to live our Christian convictions. They have made us "a scorn and a derision" a "byword".  In some countries, "we are counted as sheep for the slaughter." My peace comes from knowing that God is in charge, and that He WILL avenge us, either in this life or the next. That we are living according to Truth that is eternal. That even when I made to feel "out of touch", it never touches my peace or my joy.