Day 51: Israel's Worship of God

Today's readings: Exodus 39-40, Leviticus 27, and Psalm 83.

I. Today's reading in Exodus begins with the making of priestly garments, and the work was finished (39:1-43). In the last chapter, Moses erected the Tabernacle with all the furnishings constructed according to God's command (40:1-33). After this, "the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle" as God visibly came to dwell with His covenant people (40:34-38).

Thus, the Book of Exodus concludes.

II. In the final chapter of Leviticus, the last regulations on votive offerings are given. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

Regulations apply both to voluntary offerings of people, animals, houses, and lands (27:1-25) and mandatory offerings of firstling animals, devoted persons and things, and tithes (27:26-33). Such gifts were given over to the priests of the Tabernacle. Items that could be redeemed (= bought back and reclaimed by the person who vowed them) are assessed for their monetary value, with a 20 percent fee added (27:13...). Several regulations in the chapter only take effect when the Israelites become landowners in Canaan. (p. 222)

With this, one of the most difficult books of Scripture for modern Christians finishes. 

III. Psalm 83 is one of lament. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

The poet urges God to take action (83:1) against hostile nations that seek Israel's demise (83:2-8), just as he vanquished Israel's enemies in the days of the Judges (83:9-12). Pleas are made for divine retribution (83:13-17), although humiliation rather than obliteration is desired for adversaries - the hope being that judgment will cause all to acknowledge the Lord as the one true God (83:18)... (p. 902)

That's all for today!

Day 50: Sacrificial Offerings

 Today's readings: Exodus 37-38, Leviticus 26, and Psalm 82.

I. Today's reading in Exodus begins with Bezalel making the Ark of the Covenant (37:1-9). Then, he made the Table of the Bread of the Presence (37:10-16), the Lampstand (37:17-24), and the Altar of Incense along with the anointing oil and incense (37:25-29). In the following chapter, we are given descriptions of other things Bezalel also made, from the Altar of Burnt Offering (38:1-7), to the Laver and the Court (38:8-20), to various materials for the Tabernacle (38:21-31).

II. In Leviticus chapter 26, we are told of blessings and curses depending upon Israel's keeping of the covenant with God. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

Obedience to the covenant will bring peace, prosperity, and protection in Canaan (26:3-13), while disobedience will bring distress, devastation, and death (26:14-39). Both lists build to a climax: the ultimate blessing is the Lord's presence among the Israelites (26:11), and the ultimate curse it Israel's exile among the nations (26:33), where many of the people will perish away from the Promised Land (26:38)... (p. 220)

III. Psalm 82 is one of legal sentencing and a plea for justice. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

The scene is a divine courtroom where the Lord presides as Judge (82:1). On trial are the corrupt judges of Israel, who are guilty of favoring the wicked and denying justice to the poor and powerless (82:2-4). For this, they are sentenced to death (82:7), despite the exalted titles that attach to their office ("gods" in 82:6)... (p. 901)

That's all for today!

Day 49: The Year of Jubilee

 Today's readings: Exodus 35-36, Leviticus 25, and Psalm 81.

I. Moses reminds the Israelites about God's command about the Sabbath (35:1-3), invites the people to freely give gifts for the Tabernacle (35:4-9), calls for skilled workers to construct it (35:10-19), and the Israelites respond generously (35:20-29). Finally, the skilled master craftsmen Bezalel and Oholiab are acknowledged by Moses for the building of the Tabernacle (35:30-35).

In the next chapter, the actual construction of the Tabernacle is described.

II. Leviticus 25 lays out laws for sacred time, land use, and social justice in Israel, centered on trust in God and restoration:

• The Sabbath Year: No sowing or harvesting for profit, but whatever grows naturally is shared by everyone (owners, servants, foreigners, even animals). The land itself is treated as belonging to God (25:1-7). This sounds like a wise command to prevent overusing the soil. It also helps the Israelites to trust in the Lord to provide for them.
• The Jubilee Year: Every 50 years, private land is returned to original family owners, Israelite slaves are freed, people return to their ancestral property, and all sales of land are really long-term leases based on the number of years until the next Jubilee (25:8-17). I'm not even sure how this would work in our modern world if still required.
• The people are to trust that the Lord will provide for them (25:18-22) and all land belongs to God, with none of it being permanently sold (25:23-28). Rules are given for houses in walled cities and in villages, with the Levites having special protections for their cities and property (25:29-34).
• Israelites who fall into poverty shall be cared for, with no usury allowed (25:35-38).
• Rules given for the treatment of slaves, both Israelites and foreigners (25:39-55).

III. Psalm 81 is one of prophetic exhortation. The subtitle given to it, "God's Appeal to Stubborn Israel," gives one an idea of that. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

It opens with a call to divine worship (81:1-5b); it includes a brief remark from the Psalmist, who received instruction from God by divine inspiration (81:5c); and it features the words of this divine message, which admonishes Israel to respond faithfully to God's voice (81:6-16). (p. 900)

That's all for today! 

Day 48: God's Presence

 Today's readings: Exodus 33-34, Leviticus 24, and Psalm 80.

I. God is angry about the apostasy of the Israelites with the Golden Calf and commands them to leave Sinai without any ornaments, which they did (33:1-6). Next, the Tent of Meeting is described, "apparently a prototype of the Tabernacle," where Moses used to "converse with God before the sanctuary itself was erected" [Ignatius, 167] (33:7-11). We then get a scene of Moses interceding for the Israelites, pleading with God, who graces him with showing him His goodness (33:12-23). 

With regards to Moses' intercession, the BIY Companion, Vol 1,  notes:

Moses stands before God interceding for the people, prefiguring Jesus in his mediation. The Bible makes it clear that the people of Israel are not unique because of their own goodness or giftedness above other nations.  They are the Chosen People because God entered into a covenant with them. Moses says that if God does not continue to be with them - the one thing that makes them distinct - they will become extinct. (p. 104)

In the next chapter, God commanded Moses to bring two new tablets up Mt. Sinai so He could write upon them the Ten Commandments as from the original (34:1-9). After this, God renewed the covenant with Israel, warning them against idolatry among other things (34:10-28). Upon returning to the people, Moses, with the two tablets and the "skin of his face shone" from his conversation with God, which frightened the Israelites, who had to be reassured (34:29-35).

II. In Leviticus chapter 24, God commands that "pure oil" shall be for the Lamp and the Bread for the Tabernacle shall be of "fine flour" (24:1-9). Then a story of a man who cursed the Name of God is stoned to death, showing how such blasphemy is to be punished by Israel (24:10-23).

III. Psalm 80 is one of lament. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

It mourns that Israel has been overrun by invaders. The psalm wrestles with the mystery that God is ultimately behind Israel's suffering insofar as he allowed this to happen (80:4-5, 12), despite his care for Israel in the past (80:8-9). The relationship between God and Israel is compared to a Shepherd and his flock (80:1) as well as a Farmer and his vine (80:8-11). Its plea is heard in the refrain: "restore us, O God" (80:3...). (p. 899)

That's all for today!

Day 47: The Golden Calf

 Today's readings: Exodus 32, Leviticus 23, and Psalm 79.

I. The Israelites, fearing that Moses had been lost on Mt. Sinai when he seemed to take too long up there, returned to idolatry. The Golden Calf was constructed to be their god, "who shall go before us" (32:1). In some ways, it's not too surprising that a people who came from 400 years in idolatrous Egypt would turn back like this, but Aaron, encouraging or enabling such blasphemy (32:2-6)? The Lord's high priest? The man who went with Moses and witnessed much that God had done for the Israelites? That IS shocking! 

Needless to say, God is not pleased (32:7-10), but was merciful to the Israelites after Moses interceded for them (32:11-14). Yet Moses, coming down from Mt. Sinai and seeing the Golden Calf, hurled the stone tablets with the covenant from God and broke them, along with destroying the offensive idol (32:19-20). Aaron gave a weak excuse for his part in this (32:21-24), and then took the sons of Levi to slay many of the idolaters in the encampment (32:25-29). After this, he went back up Mt. Sinai to try and "make atonement for [their] sin," which intercession was accepted by God (32:30-34). Finally, while not destroying all the Israelites for their grave sin, the chapter does end with this chilling line: "and the Lord sent a plague upon the people, because they made the calf which Aaron made" (32:35).

The BIY Companion, Vol 1, comments on this episode:

God invites us to walk in faith in the midst of uncertainty, yet we often grow tired of waiting and try to take matters into our own hands... We too can turn to idols, turning things that are good into "ultimate" things to feel like we are in control. We make these things our "god." [...] We all have broken hearts that God is trying to reach... The world is uncertain and so are our lives. When we are tempted to put our faith in things we can control, God says, "You can't control me, but you don't have to because I love you." (p. 102)

II. In Leviticus chapter 23, a liturgical calendar of feasts is given for Israel. The Ignatius Bible notes:

It includes a weekly observance of rest every seventh day (Sabbath) and seven yearly feasts observed every spring (Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Weeks) and fall (Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Booths)... Each of these sanctified segments of times is a religious holiday to be celebrated by the entire covenant community... (p. 213)

III. Psalm 79 is one of deep lament. Israel had lost basically everything. Babylon had conquered Judah and Jerusalem, destroying much and killing many. A sad psalm, and one can almost hear the complete anguish and fervent pleas of the Psalmist.

That's all for today!

Day 46: Set Apart for God

 Today's readings: Exodus 30-31, Leviticus 22, and Psalm 115.

I. In Exodus chapter 30, a command to make the Altar of Incense is given (30:1-10), then an annual tax of half a shekel for maintaining the Tabernacle is outlined (30:11-16), followed by the Bronze Laver for purification (30:17-21), and finally, anointing oil and incense to be used for consecration (30:22-38).

We see in the beginning of the next chapter an extraordinary calling by God of specific craftsmen, Bezalel and Oholiab, for constructing what God has commanded (31:1-11). I say that this is "extraordinary" because it's rather unusual to have the actual names of craftsmen from so long ago to survive to this day. The benefactors are almost always named, but usually not those who labored to build a precious item. 

The Sabbath Law is next given, with observance being a sign of the covenant between God and His people (31:12-17).

Finally, the two stone tablets with the Ten Commandments "written with the finger of God" were given to Moses (31:18). Interestingly, the Ignatius Bible notes this as to perhaps why there were two tablets:

Based on parallels with Near Eastern treaties, where both parties kept the records of the stipulations, it is possible that the two tablets of the Law were duplicate copies of the covenant agreement. If so, each tablet has a full listing of the Ten Commandments, one for Yahweh and the other for Israel (CCC 2056-58). (p. 164)

II.  In Leviticus chapter 22, "Aaronic priests must handle sacred foods properly," and acceptable offerings to God must be "without blemish" (p. 212).

III. Psalm 115 is one of praise for God, while idolatry is strongly condemned. Israel is called on to trust in God (115:9-11), and the impotence of worthless idols is mocked (115:4-8).

That's it for today!

Day 45: Pray for Priests

 Today's readings: Exodus 29, Leviticus 21, and Psalm 119:121-176.

I. In today's reading from Exodus chapter 29, the ordination of priests in the Old Testament is outlined. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

Moses will be the head celebrant who performs the induction ceremony over the course of seven days (29:35). During the week, Aaron and his four sons will be washed with water (29:4), clothed with priestly vestments (29:5-9), anointed with oil (29:7), and sanctified by a series of animal and cereal offerings (29:10-34). These actions are meant to transfer them from the profane world into the realm of holy service. Set apart in this way, the priests will be held to a higher standard of moral and ceremonial purity than the laity of Israel (Lev 10:8-11; 21:1-7) (CCC 1539-41). (p. 161)

II. In Leviticus chapter 21, strict requirements, as well as standards of conduct and living, are placed upon priests of the Old Testament to keep them in holiness before the Lord. As these priests are considered to foreshadow those of the New Covenant, though the specifics differ, they too are called to uphold high moral standards in service to the Lord. Sadly, though, some fall into grave sin, like many of us among the laity. 

The BIY Companion, Vol 1, notes:

The priests of the New Covenant are ordained to lead the people in worship. They are called to be intercessors. Priests are called to be holy and live in a certain way. While we have heard of the grave sins of some priests, every priest - like every disciple of Christ - fails in many small ways to honor the Lord. At times, every Christian fails to live up to the call to be holy as the Lord God is holy. (p. 98)

III. The final verses are given for Psalm 119. In this portion of the longest psalm, the same central theme continues: a deep love for God’s law, combined with a plea for deliverance and perseverance.

Let my supplication come before you;

    deliver me according to your word. (119:170)

That's all for today!

Day 44: Priestly Garments

 Today's readings: Exodus 27-28, Leviticus 20, and Psalm 119: 57-120.

I. Exodus continues with instructions from God on how the Altar of Burnt Offering is to be constructed (27:1-8), the Court and all its hangings are to be made (27:9-19), and the oil to be used for the Lampstand, which is to be tended by Aaron and his sons" (27:20-21). In the next chapter, the priestly vestments are outlined, including the ornate Breastplate of Judgement worn by Aaron, the high priest (28:15-30).

II. In Leviticus chapter 20, a list of offenses is given, all calling for the death penalty according to God's Law. They include child sacrifice (a truly abominable crime), cursing one's parents, adultery, incest, homosexual relations, bestiality, and sorcery. Seems rather harsh on the one hand, but some of these crimes are so monstrous (like child sacrifice) as to warrant such a consequence.

III. In Psalm 119:57-120, the Psalmist continues with a deeply personal section, it seems, focusing on total devotion to God’s law, repentance, and a holy fear of the Lord. It reflects a soul that has chosen God as its “portion” and is striving to live faithfully.

That's all for today!

Day 43: The Ark of the Covenant

 Today's readings: Exodus 25-26, Leviticus 19, and Psalm 119:1-56.

I. In Exodus chapter 25, God commands Moses to collect from the Israelites offerings for the Tabernacle that He will instruct him to build. Then a description of the Ark of the Covenant, containing the Ten Commandments or covenant within, the Table for the Bread of the Presence, and finally, the Lampstand.

What stands out to me is the following:

• The Israelites are essentially nomadic at this time, which is why each item is described as having poles to carry it when they move around. 
• They had no Temple at that time, so the Tabernacle stood in for what they would build later.
• The descriptions of the Tabernacle and furnishings probably sounded a bit familiar to the Israelites, coming from the pagan practices they were used to. Only, all this is to take what may seem familiar and redirect them to the One True God.
• God has no need of gold or fine furnishings; all this is to take what man considers worthy of precious value and use it to honor the One True God as well as redirect them to Him. As beautiful as the Tabernacle may have seemed to them, the Temple later, and even our finest cathedrals and churches today, pale in comparison to the majesty of God's own handiwork in Creation (Mt 6:28-30).
• The mercy seat on the Ark sounds almost like a throne to me for the Most High God.

In chapter 26, God gives specific details on how the Israelites are to construct the Tabernacle and install a curtain or veil, shielding the Holy of Holies where the Ark resides, from the rest of the tent.

II. In Leviticus chapter 19, God gives instructions to Moses on how the Israelites are to live in holiness in their daily lives. In their relations with their families and neighbors, as well as their relations with God. Then, a shortened version of the Ten Commandments and instructions previously given to Moses are recalled. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

In these ways, Israel is called to "love" others - not only their kin (19:18) but also non-Israelites who dwell among them. (p. 207)

III. Psalm 119:1-56, we are given the first third of a very long psalm that is one of wisdom and praise for God's law. 

That's it for this Holy Saturday and tomorrow is Easter or Pascha - Christ is truly Risen!