SUNDAY
SCHOOL CLASSES FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2025
The Kingdom of Priests, a
Holy Nation
Printed Text: Exodus 19:1-14
Devotional Reading: Leviticus 19:1-10
Background: Exodus 19
March 9, 2025
Pitching
a Tent (A Space for God)
Printed Text: Exodus 25:1-9; 26:1, 31-37
Devotional Reading: John 4:13-26
Background: Exodus 25-27
March 16, 2025
The
Ordination of Priests
Printed Text: Exodus 29:1-9, 31-37
Devotional Reading: Psalm 133
Background: Exodus 29:1-37; Leviticus 8:1-36
March 23, 2025
Offering
a Sweet Aroma to God
Printed Text: Leviticus 1:3-17
Devotional Reading: Romans 12:1-89
Background: Leviticus 1:1-17; 6:8-13
March 30, 2025
The
Day Atonement
Printed Text: Leviticus 16:11-19
Devotional Reading: Psalm 40:9-17
Background: Psalm 40:9-17
Zoom Sunday School Classes – 2 March 2025, 09:00 AM EST
Meeting ID: 848-9423-0612
Pass Code: 669872
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84894230612?pwd=Zk1ESitzbGZwTlJyV21UZXY5aTVPZz09
The Kingdom of Priests, a Holy Nation
Printed Text: Exodus 19:1-14
Devotional Reading: 1 Timothy 1:12-17
Background: Psalms 9, 10
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Daily
Bible Readings |
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AIM FOR
CHANGE:
KNOW the nature and basis of this mutual covenant made between God and
the people of Israel.
APPRECIATE the need for respect and commitment in covenants we make; and
COMMIT to doing a better job of keeping our promises to God and others.
BACKGROUND:
The theme of the book of Exodus is redemption. Originally, Jacob moved to Egypt to escape
starvation, but his descendants eventually became slaves under a cruel Pharaoh
(Exodus 1:8-14). Exodus chronicles the
history of the Israelites from slavery to freedom and the many events that
occurred during their stay in the wilderness.
God, aware of the Israelites' plight, selects Moses to lead the
trek from bondage to freedom. Moses, in
this way, serves as a type of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and Saviour. God tells Moses that He is aware of the
Israelites' dilemma and will lead them to a better land. That land is described as one "flowing
with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:16-17), referring to a place where the nation's
needs (milk) and desires (honey) will be fulfilled.
After three months of trials and testing (Exodus 15-19), the
Israelites arrive in the wilderness of Sinai and camp before Mount Sinai. Almost immediately, Moses goes to meet with
God. He receives specific instructions
to remind the Israelites of their recent deliverance and protection. He must remind the Israelites that God
expects them to obey His voice and keep His covenant (Exodus 19:5). If they do, they will be His covenant people
(vv. 5-6).
LESSON COMMENTARY:
A Promise Keeper (Exodus 19:1-4)
1In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth
out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.
2For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert
of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the
mount.
3And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of
the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the
children of Israel;
4Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on
eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
When Moses initially encounters God (Exodus 3), he is unaware that
God is a promise keeper. But he soon learns that what God promises, He
delivers. That's important to know, since every covenant is limited to its
provisions and hinges on the parties' ability to perform them. For example, it
would be futile to enter a million-dollar contract with a pauper, fully knowing
that party would never be able to provide the monies promised. As Creator of
heaven and Earth, God has the resources and power necessary to fulfill His part
of the agreement. He not only makes promises, but keeps them as well.
By the time the Israelites arrive at Mount Sinai, it is clear that
God is committed to His Word. Despite the Israelites' unfaithfulness on many
occasions, including storing up more manna than was directed (16:20), God
remained faithful.
At Mount Sinai, God makes it clear that: He (1) alone delivered
them from slavery (v. 4), (2) He brought them out for the purpose of serving
Him (v. 4), (3) He had specific requirements for their continued relationship
with Him (v. 5), and (4) He would ensure an even better future (v. 6). God
presents these points to the Israelites on the heels of their redemption. After
only three months of freedom, they could easily remember their recent bondage
and God's miraculous provision. They also could have faith that God would keep
these promises just as He had kept the promise to free them from Egypt.
Call to Obedience (Exodus 19:5)
5Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my
covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for
all the earth is mine:
God's call to obedience was not an arbitrary one. First, as the Creator of all mankind, He knew
the sinful nature of fallen humanity.
Second, He had witnessed the Israelites' repeated disobedience to the
instructions that Moses received from God and gave to the people. Third, God demands that His chosen people
follow Him with a whole heart by serving Him alone and obeying His words.
As former slaves, the Israelites understood what it meant to serve
a master or overseer and the many restrictions that doing so entailed. That God commanded only that they obey His
voice and follow His commandments must have seemed a light burden compared to
what they had formerly experienced. It's
also possible, however, that the idea of following by one's heart, instead of
being forced to obey at the hands of a cruel taskmaster, would likely have been
difficult for people seeking to stretch the bounds of their freedom. The Israelites would soon learn that
obedience is not a head matter, but a heart matter. To fully follow God, the Israelites had to be
committed to serving Him. They had to do
it willingly, not because a cruel taskmaster was forcing them to do it. They would have to do it out of love, not
fear.
1.
Why do you think obedience is so important to God (Exodus 19:5)?
A New Identity (Exodus 19:6-8, NRSV)
6And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.
These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
7So Moses came, summoned the elders of the people, and set before
them all these words that the LORD had commanded him.
8The people all answered as one: "Everything that the LORD has
spoken we will do." Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD.
As slaves, the Israelites were likely physically and verbally
abused. They were dependent on the
benevolence of a cruel Pharaoh who feared they would outnumber the Egyptians
and overthrow his kingdom (Exodus 1:9-10).
They were lightly esteemed and could never hope to earn positions of
respect or affluence.
Then God redeemed them and bestowed a new identity on the entire
nation. No longer would they be lowly
subhumans worthy of little regard or treated as animals and worked to
death. Imagine how they must have felt
when God promised to make them a "kingdom of priests, and a holy
nation" (19:6)! God now declares
that, to Him, the Israelites are special.
Basically, at Mount Sinai, God affirms the covenant, assuring
Israel of His care and provision while giving them a new identity. If the nation would collectively perform its
responsibilities, it would become a "kingdom of priests, and a holy
nation." Cherished and protected,
Israel would be God's "peculiar treasure," preferred over all other
nations of the earth. In other words,
compared to those nations, the Israelites would become highly favored by God
and treated as special.
Such language makes it clear that God had exclusive plans for
Israel that did not cease with the crossing of the Red Sea. As He proved with that miracle, God has the
needed power and provision to assure the Israelites' longevity and
prosperity. Again, however, the promise
is conditional, hinging on Israel's obedience to the covenant.
As Christians, we are heirs to the promise of a new identity. The apostle Peter points this out (1 Peter
2:9-10). Like the Israelites, we must
embrace this new identity, shedding the "old man" of sin that entices
us to disobey God's call to obedience.
They answered as one man, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. Oh that there had been such a heart in them! Moses, as a mediator, returned the words of the people to God. Thus Christ, the Mediator, as a Prophet, reveals God's will to us, his precepts and promises; and then, as a Priest, offers up to God our spiritual sacrifices, not only of prayer and praise, but of devout affections, and pious resolutions, the work of his own Spirit in us.
The People Directed to Prepare to Hear the Law
(Exodus 19:9-14, NRSV)
9Then the LORD said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a
dense cloud, in order that the people may hear when I speak with you and so
trust you ever after." When Moses had told the words of the people to the
LORD,
10the LORD said to Moses: "Go to the people and consecrate them
today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes
11and prepare for the third day, because on the third day the LORD
will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
12You shall set limits for the people all around, saying, 'Be
careful not to go up the mountain or to touch the edge of it. Any who touch the
mountain shall be put to death.
13No hand shall touch them, but they shall be stoned or shot with
arrows; whether animal or human being, they shall not live.' When the trumpet
sounds a long blast, they may go up on the mountain."
14So Moses went down from the mountain to the people. He consecrated
the people, and they washed their clothes.
The solemn manner in which the law was delivered, was to impress
the people with a right sense of the Divine majesty. Also to convince them of their own guilt, and
to show that they could not stand in judgment before God by their own
obedience. In the law, the sinner
discovers what he ought to be, what he is, and what he wants. There he learns the nature, necessity, and
glory of redemption, and of being made holy.
Having been taught to flee to Christ, and to love him, the law is the
rule of his obedience and faith.
DISCUSS THE MEANING
1. Why do you think God used
the term "peculiar treasure" (v. 5)?
2. Why do you think it was
important for the covenant to be in written form (24:4, 7)?
3. Moses sprinkled the blood
on the people (Exodus 24:8). What impact do you think the sprinkled blood had
on their hearts and minds?
LESSON IN OUR SOCIETY
The mutual agreement between God and the people of Israel reminds
us that we should do all we can to live up to our covenant relationship with
God by honoring our commitments.
Reality television shows have become extremely popular. Unfortunately, the success of a contestant on
many of these shows hinges on how effectively he or she can "rat" on
another contestant or ruthlessly compete.
No promise is sacred; any promise can be broken in the pursuit of fame,
success, and money. What message do you
think such shows send concerning making and keeping promises? How can Christians use such shows to start a
meaningful dialogue with an unbeliever about the importance of keeping promises
or the consequences of breaking promises?
Given your previous actions, if you were the star of a reality
television show, would other contestants predict that you would be the promise
keeper or the promise breaker? How do
you plan to continue or change that reputation?
Zoom Sunday School Classes – 9 March 2025, 09:00 AM EST
Meeting ID: 848-9423-0612
Pass Code: 669872
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84894230612?pwd=Zk1ESitzbGZwTlJyV21UZXY5aTVPZz09
Pitching a Tent (A Space for God)
Printed Text: Exodus 25:1-9; 26:1, 31-37
Devotional Reading: John 4:13-26
Background: Exodus 25-27
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KEEP IN MIND:
"And have them make me a sanctuary, so that I may dwell among them." (Exodus 25:8, NRSV).
AIM FOR
CHANGE:
CATEGORIZE the types of offerings that God specified.
COMPARE God’s instructions to Moses with the New Testament.
BACKGROUND:
In the context of today’s lesson,
Moses had gone up Mount Sanai and entered the cloud of God’s presence, God gave
him instructions for a tabernacle, for the items to fill it, and for the
ministry of the priests. These
instructions span Exodus 25-31. God
desired to grant access to His holy presence, but that required a systematic
approach to prevent anything profane from entering the tabernacle.
The narrative of Scripture as a
whole can be summarized according to the ways that God mediates His presence to
His creation. After banishing humans
from the Garden of Eden, where God himself walked, He set in motion a plan to
restore the relationship that had been broken.
LESSON COMMENTARY:
Offerings for the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:1-9,
NRSV)
1The LORD said to Moses:
2Tell the Israelites to take for me an offering; from all whose
hearts prompt them to give you shall receive the offering for me.
3This is the offering that you shall receive from them: gold,
silver, and bronze,
4blue, purple, and crimson yarns and fine linen, goats' hair,
5tanned rams' skins, fine leather, acacia wood,
6oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the
fragrant incense,
7onyx stones and gems to be set in the ephod and for the
breastpiece.
8And have them make me a sanctuary, so that I may dwell among them.
9In accordance with all that I show you concerning the pattern of
the tabernacle and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.
God chose the people of Israel to be a peculiar people to himself,
above all people, and he himself would be their King. He ordered a royal palace to be set up among
them for himself, called a sanctuary, or holy place, or habitation. There he showed his presence among them. And because in the wilderness they dwelt in
tents, this royal palace was ordered to be a tabernacle, that it might move
with them. The people were to furnish
Moses with the materials, by their own free will. The best use we can make of our worldly
wealth, is to honour God with it in works of piety and charity. We should ask, not only, What must we do?
but, What may we do for God? Whatever
they gave, they must give it cheerfully, not grudgingly, for God loves a
cheerful giver, 2 Co 9:7. What is laid out
in the service of God, we must consider well given; and whatsoever is done in
God's service, must be done by his direction.
There are three things in these
directions to be noticed. The first is
their object — which is making a sanctuary.
"Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." The primary idea of the Tabernacle therefore
is, that it was the dwelling-place of God.
As remarked upon Ex. 15: 2, God never dwelt on earth with His people
until after the Red Sea was crossed — until redemption in figure was
accomplished. He visited Adam in the
garden, appeared to and communicated with the patriarchs; but until He had
redeemed His people out of Egypt, nothing is said of making a sanctuary in
which He might dwell. The Tabernacle was
a proof of redemption, and the sign that God had brought a redeemed people into
relationship with Himself, He being the Centre round whom they were
gathered. Such is God's thought in
redemption. He will not only, according
to His own purposes, save His people, but also, according to His own heart, He
desires to have them in a place of nearness, gathered around Himself — Himself
their God, and they His people. We know
in result how imperfectly, through the people's failure under responsibility,
the desires of His heart were realized. Still He had His sanctuary in their
midst, both in the wilderness and during the kingdom in the Christian
dispensation His people themselves form His house; in the millennium He will
have another material sanctuary at Jerusalem; and finally, in the eternal
state, the holy city, new Jerusalem, will come down from God out of heaven, and
form upon the new earth the tabernacle of God with men. (Rev. 21: 2, 3.) Then
the counsels of God's heart will be displayed in their consummated perfection,
and, inasmuch as the former things, with all the sorrows connected with them
through man's sin, will have passed away, there will be nothing to hinder the
full, perfect, and blessed enjoyment arising out of the unhindered flow of
God's heart to His people, and their hearts to Him, and from His perfect
manifestation, and their perfect worship and service. But the type of all this
is found in this sanctuary, which Israel was instructed to make that God might
dwell among them.
The Design of the Tabernacle (26:1, 31-37, NRSV)
1Moreover you shall make the tabernacle
with ten curtains of fine twisted linen, and blue, purple, and crimson yarns;
you shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them.
31You shall make a curtain of blue,
purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen; it shall be made with
cherubim skillfully worked into it.
32You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold,
which have hooks of gold and rest on four bases of silver.
33You shall hang the curtain under the clasps, and bring the ark of
the covenant in there, within the curtain; and the curtain shall separate for
you the holy place from the most holy.
34You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the covenant in the
most holy place.
35You shall set the table outside the curtain, and the lampstand on
the south side of the tabernacle opposite the table; and you shall put the
table on the north side.
36You shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue,
purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen, embroidered with
needlework.
37You shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay
them with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five bases of
bronze for them.
After
describing the construction of the tabernacle’s contents in Exodus 25:10-40,
Exodus 26:1 begins with specifications of the tabernacle’s construction
itself. Linen is made from the fibers of
the flax plant. The size of these ten
curtains is noted in 26:2.
The
inclusion of cherubim is a new detail. Cherubim are angelic attendants of
God. They are mentioned dozens of times
in the Old Testament but never in the New Testament. The ark of the covenant was constructed to
feature two cherubim of gold on its cover.
A
vail, or curtain, separated the holy place from the most holy place. It was hung upon pillars. This vail was for a
partition between the holy place and the most holy; which forbade any to look
into the holiest of all. The apostle
tells what was the meaning of this vail, Heb 9:8. That the ceremonial law could not make the
comers thereunto perfect, nor would the observance of it bring men to heaven;
the way into the holiest of all was not made manifest, while the first
tabernacle was standing. Life and
immortality lay hidden till they were brought to light by the gospel; which was
signified by the rending of this vail at the death of Christ, Mat 27:51. We have now boldness to enter into the
holiest, in all acts of worship, by the blood of Jesus; yet such as obliges us
to holy reverence. Another vail was for
the outer door of the tabernacle. This
vail was all the defense the tabernacle had. God takes care of his church on
earth. A curtain shall be, if God please
to make it so, as strong a defense to his house, as gates of brass and bars of
iron. With this typical description of
Christ and his church before us, what is our judgment of these matters? Do we see any glory in the person of Christ?
any excellence in his character? anything precious in his salvation? or any
wisdom in the doctrine of the cross? Will our religion bear examination? and
are we more careful to approve our hearts to God than our characters toward
men?
DISCUSS THE MEANING
1.
In what ways can art and architecture be a way for you to honor
and worship God?
2.
Has your understanding of worship changed because of this
lesson? If so, how?
3.
How would you respond to the claim that buildings such as temples
or sanctuaries are necessary for the presence of God?
4.
What steps do you take to ensure you cheerfully give to God? What obstacles prevent you from giving to
God? How do you deal with these
obstacles?
LESSON IN OUR SOCIETY:
Christian adults must appreciate how
the holiness of God is honored through the design of worship spaces. Church buildings are constructed differently,
and their unique designs are usually based on the particular needs of each
congregation and their approach to worship.
In many cases, church buildings may have been purchased by new or
developing congregations, and the existing design might hinder their
needs. A congregation needing a large choir
loft may have purchased a church that was constructed with a different type of
choir loft. Nonetheless, what must not
be lost is that while appreciating and respecting the edifice, the building is
not the church. We, the people, are the
church of Jesus Christ.
Zoom
Sunday School Classes – 16 March 2025, 09:00 AM EST
Meeting ID: 848-9423-0612
Pass Code: 669872
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84894230612?pwd=Zk1ESitzbGZwTlJyV21UZXY5aTVPZz09
The Ordination of Priests
Printed Text: Exodus 29:1-9, 31-37
Devotional Reading: Psalm 133
Background: Exodus 29:1-37; Leviticus 8:1-36
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Bible Readings |
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KEEP IN MIND:
"And you shall gird them with sashes and
tie headdresses on them; and the priesthood shall be theirs by a perpetual
ordinance. You shall then ordain Aaron and his sons." (Exodus 29:9, NRSV).
AIM FOR
CHANGE:
COMPARE and CONTRAST ordination/consecration in the Old testament with its value and
practices in the New Testament.
PLAN to serve as a member of the Christian’s holy and royal priesthood
according to 1 Peter 2:5, 9.
DEFINE “ordination” in the sense of “consecration.”
BACKGROUND:
This chapter
gives an account of the form and order of the consecration of Aaron and his
sons to the priestly office; preparatory to which Moses is ordered to take a
young bullock, two rams, bread, cakes, and wafers unleavened, and bring them
and Aaron and his sons to the door of the congregation, where the ceremony was
to be publicly performed, and which began with washing them, Exodus 29:1 and
then proceeded by putting on the priestly garments directed to be made in the
preceding chapter, first on Aaron, who also was anointed, Exodus 29:5 and then
upon his sons, Exodus 29:8 after which the bullock and the two rams were to be
slain, and orders are given what was to be done with their blood, and the
several parts of them, as well as with the cakes and wafers.
Exodus 29:10 and
directions are given to make these wave and heave offerings, Exodus 29:24 and
that the garments of Aaron's should be his son's that succeeded him, Exodus
29:29, and that the flesh of the ram of consecration with the bread should be
eaten by Aaron and his sons and no other, Exodus 29:31, the altar also where
they were to officiate was to be cleansed, sanctified, and an atonement made
for it, Exodus 29:36 after which two lambs every day, morning and evening, were
to be offered on it in all succeeding generations, Exodus 29:38, and the
chapter is closed with a promise that the Lord would meet with the children of
Israel at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and would sanctify
the tabernacle, and dwell among them, and be their God, Exodus 29:43.
LESSON COMMENTARY:
Preparing For Ordination (Exodus 29:1-9, NRSV)
1Now this is what you shall do to them to
consecrate them, so that they may serve me as priests. Take one young bull and
two rams without blemish,
2and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and
unleavened wafers spread with oil. You shall make them of choice wheat flour.
3You shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, and
bring the bull and the two rams.
4You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of
meeting, and wash them with water.
5Then you shall take the vestments, and put on Aaron the tunic and
the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and gird him with
the decorated band of the ephod;
6and you shall set the turban on his head, and put the holy diadem
on the turban.
7You shall take the anointing oil, and pour it on his head and
anoint him.
8Then you shall bring his sons, and put tunics on them,
9and you shall gird them with sashes and tie headdresses on them;
and the priesthood shall be theirs by a perpetual ordinance. You shall then
ordain Aaron and his sons.
Consecration is the act of setting
apart something or someone for a sacred purpose. It involves dedicating an object, person, or
place to the service and worship of God, often through specific prayers, rites,
and ceremonies. In a biblical context, consecration
signifies the separation from unclean things and emphasizes sanctification,
holiness, or purity. This term is
particularly associated with Christianity and Judaism, where it denotes a
formal dedication to divine service.
In
the Bible the word consecration means “the separation of oneself from things
that are unclean, especially anything that would contaminate one’s relationship
with a perfect God.” Consecration also
carries the connotation of sanctification, holiness, or purity.
The
importance of being consecrated or pure in our relationship with God is
emphasized in an incident in the book of Joshua. After forty years in the wilderness, the
children of Israel were about to cross over the Jordan River into the Promised
Land. They were then given a command and
a promise: “Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the
LORD will do amazing things among you’” (Joshua
3:5).
The
people of God were commanded to bathe and change their clothes; the married
couples were to devote themselves wholly to the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:1-6). The significance of this command was that in
ancient times water was considered a luxury and wasn’t used often for personal
hygiene. The bathing and changing
clothes symbolized making a new beginning with the Lord. The picture here is that sin is defilement (Psalm 51:2, 7), and we have to be cleansed before we
can truly follow God. Upon consecrating
themselves, the children of Israel were assured of God’s promises.
The modern definition of ordination
is “the installation of clergy” or “the act of granting pastoral authority or
ecclesiastic power.” Usually, we think
of an ordination service as a ceremony in which someone is commissioned or
appointed to a position within the church. Often, the ceremony involves the
laying on of hands.
However, the biblical definition
is a little different. The word ordain
in the Bible refers to a setting in place or designation; for example, Joseph
was “ordained” as a ruler in Egypt (Acts 7:10); the steward in Jesus’ parable
was “ordained” to oversee a household (Matthew 24:45); deacons were “ordained”
to serve the Jerusalem church (Acts 6:1-6); and pastors were “ordained” in each
city in Crete (Titus 1:5). In none of
these cases is the mode of ordination specified, nor is any ceremony detailed;
the “ordinations” are simply appointments.
Acts 13 includes a good example of
a ministerial appointment: “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting,
the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which
I have called them.’ So after they had
fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. The two of them, sent on their way by the
Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia” (vv. 2-4).
In this passage, we note some key facts: 1) It is God Himself who calls
the men to the ministry and qualifies them with gifts (Acts
20:28; Ephesians 4:11). 2) The
members of the church recognize God’s clear leading and embrace it. 3) With prayer and fasting, the church lays
hands on Paul and Barnabas to demonstrate their commissioning (Acts 6:6; 1
Timothy 5:22). 4) God works through the
church, as both the church and the Spirit are said to “send” the missionaries.
Paul regularly ordained pastors
for the churches he planted. He and
Barnabas directed the appointment or ordination of elders “in each church” in
Galatia (Acts 14:23). He instructed
Titus to “appoint elders in every town” on Crete (Titus 1:5). Titus himself had been ordained earlier, when
“he was chosen by the churches” (2 Corinthians 8:19). In the above passages, the ordination of
elders involves the whole congregation, not just the apostles. The Greek word used in 2 Corinthians 8:19 for
Titus’s appointment and in Acts 14:23 for the choosing of the Galatian elders
literally means “to stretch forth the hands.”
It was a word normally used for the act of voting in the Athenian
legislature. Thus, the ordination of church leaders involved a general
consensus in the church, if not an official vote. The apostles and the congregations knew whom
the Spirit had chosen, and they responded by placing those men in leadership.
When God calls and qualifies a man
for the ministry, it will be apparent both to that man and to the rest of the
church. The would-be minister will meet
the qualifications set forth in 1 Timothy 3:1-16 and Titus 1:5-9, and he will
possess a consuming desire to preach (1 Corinthians 9:16). It is the duty of the church elders, together
with the congregation, to recognize and accept the calling. After that, a formal commissioning
ceremony—an ordination service—is appropriate, though by no means
mandatory. The ordination ceremony
itself does not confer any special power; it simply gives public recognition to
God’s choice of leadership.
The People Directed to Prepare to Hear the Law
(Exodus 26:1, 31-37, NRSV)
35Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his
sons, just as I have commanded you; through seven days you shall ordain them.
36Also every day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for
atonement. Also you shall offer a sin offering for the altar, when you make
atonement for it, and shall anoint it, to consecrate it.
37Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar, and consecrate
it, and the altar shall be most holy; whatever touches the altar shall become
holy.
The renewal of
these ceremonies on the return of every day in the seven, with the intervention
of a Sabbath, was a wise preparatory arrangement, in order to afford a
sufficient interval for calm and devout reflection (Heb 9:1; 10:1).
They were
engaged from day to day in offering the appointed sacrifices, the greatest care
was to be taken to keep the altar properly cleansed—to remove the ashes, and
sprinkle it with the prescribed unction that, at the conclusion of the whole
ceremonial, the altar itself should be consecrated as much as the ministers who
were to officiate at it (Mt 23:19). It
was thenceforth associated with the services of religion.
DISCUSS THE MEANING
1.
Define “ordination.” Define “consecration.”
2.
Compare and contrast ordination/consecration in the Old testament
with its value and practices in the New Testament.
3.
How
much authority should a pastor have over a church?
LESSON IN OUR SOCIETY:
Paul regularly
ordained pastors for the churches he planted.
He and Barnabas directed the appointment or ordination of elders “in
each church” in Galatia (Acts 14:23). He instructed Titus to “appoint elders in
every town” on Crete (Titus 1:5). Titus
himself had been ordained earlier, when “he was chosen by the churches” (2
Corinthians 8:19). In the above passages, the ordination of elders involves the
whole congregation, not just the apostles. The Greek word used in 2 Corinthians
8:19 for Titus’s appointment and in Acts 14:23 for the choosing of the Galatian
elders literally means “to stretch forth the hands.” It was a word normally used for the act of
voting in the Athenian legislature.
Thus, the ordination of church leaders involved a general consensus in
the church, if not an official vote. The
apostles and the congregations knew whom the Spirit had chosen, and they
responded by placing those men in leadership.
When God calls
and qualifies a man for the ministry, it will be apparent both to that man and
to the rest of the church. The would-be
minister will meet the qualifications set forth in 1 Timothy 3:1-16 and Titus
1:5-9, and he will possess a consuming desire to preach (1 Corinthians
9:16). It is the duty of the church
elders, together with the congregation, to recognize and accept the calling.
After that, a formal commissioning ceremony—an ordination service—is
appropriate, though by no means mandatory.
The ordination ceremony itself does not confer any special power; it
simply gives public recognition to God’s choice of leadership.
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Offering a Sweet Aroma to God
Printed Text: Leviticus 1:3-17
Devotional Reading: Romans 12:1-89
Background: Leviticus 1:1-17; 6:8-13
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KEEP IN MIND:
"But its entrails and its legs shall be
washed with water. Then the priest shall turn the whole into smoke on the altar
as a burnt offering, an offering by fire of pleasing odor to the LORD. If your gift for a burnt offering is from the
flock, from the sheep or goats, your offering shall be a male without blemish.." (Leviticus 1:9-10, NRSV).
AIM FOR
CHANGE:
COMPARE and CONTRAST the expectation of an unblemished sacrifice with that of 1 Peter
1:19.
IDENTIFY God’s key expectations for burnt offerings.
BACKGROUND:
The major theme of Leviticus is worship. Moses introduced this
theme in the later chapters of Exodus, but he developed it more fully in
Leviticus. The book reveals how sinful redeemed Israelites could enjoy a
continuing relationship with the holy God who dwelt among them. It also reveals
how they could maintain that relationship and express it through worship.
The sacrificial system in Israel bridged the gap between God and
man adequately, but it was only a temporary solution to the problem of human
estrangement from God. Jesus Christ provided a superior sacrifice for sin that
satisfied God completely (Heb. 10:8-10; 1 John 2:2). Animals could never
completely atone for human sin. God required the death of a human being who was
a sinless sacrifice to do that. The writer of the Book of Hebrews compared
these sacrifices at length in Hebrews 9 and 10.
Two of the
sacrifices dealt with commitment to God (the burnt and the meal), one dealt
with communion with God (the peace), and two dealt with cleansing from God (the
sin and the trespass).
The most basic
difference between these offerings was that some were primarily for worship
(soothing) and the rest were primarily for expiation (non-soothing). The first three offerings were "soothing
aroma" offerings. The last two also
go together because they were not soothing aromas. The first three were offerings of worship
that were a sweet aroma to God because they were made in communion and to
celebrate communion with the Lord. Each
of these offerings reveals what is essential for or what results from a
relationship between a redeemed sinner and a holy God. The last two were offerings of expiation for
sin and were therefore not a sweet savor to God. These two offerings reveal how to restore a
broken relationship between a redeemed Israelite sinner and a holy God; they
were for communion with God.
LESSON COMMENTARY:
The Offering from the Herd/Flock (Leviticus
1:3-13, NRSV)
3If the offering is a burnt offering from
the herd, you shall offer a male without blemish; you shall bring it to the
entrance of the tent of meeting, for acceptance in your behalf before the LORD.
4You shall lay your hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it
shall be acceptable in your behalf as atonement for you.
5The bull shall be slaughtered before the LORD; and Aaron's sons the
priests shall offer the blood, dashing the blood against all sides of the altar
that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
6The burnt offering shall be flayed and cut up into its parts.
7The sons of the priest Aaron shall put fire on the altar and
arrange wood on the fire.
8Aaron's sons the priests shall arrange the parts, with the head and
the suet, on the wood that is on the fire on the altar;
9but its entrails and its legs shall be washed with water. Then the
priest shall turn the whole into smoke on the altar as a burnt offering, an
offering by fire of pleasing odor to the LORD.
10If your gift for a burnt offering is from the flock, from the
sheep or goats, your offering shall be a male without blemish.
11It shall be slaughtered on the north side of the altar before the
LORD, and Aaron's sons the priests shall dash its blood against all sides of
the altar.
12It shall be cut up into its parts, with its head and its suet, and
the priest shall arrange them on the wood that is on the fire on the altar;
13but the entrails and the legs shall be washed with water. Then the
priest shall offer the whole and turn it into smoke on the altar; it is a burnt
offering, an offering by fire of pleasing odor to the LORD.
This section of
Leviticus, and the whole book, opens with the statement "the LORD called
to Moses" (v. 1). This is the third time that we read of the LORD calling
to Moses in this way: in addition to the burning bush incident (Exod. 3:4), and
on Mt. Sinai (Exod. 19:3). Having taken possession of the tabernacle, God now
gave orders to His servant from that audience chamber. All of the revelations
that follow these announcements are very significant. The burnt offering expressed the offerer's complete consecration
to Yahweh and God's complete acceptance of the worshiper.
However,
this offering also made atonement for the offerer (cf. John 1:29). As such, it forms the foundation of the
entire sacrificial system of Israel. The
priests offered a burnt offering every morning and every evening, and more
frequently on holy days, as a public offering.
Leviticus
begins with the good news of the way for redeemed Israelites, who were still
sinners, to find acceptance with God. "As we will observe, sacrifice
often, but not always, focuses on the blood of the victim. It is the death of the sacrificial victim
that renders the rite effective, and the manipulation of the blood highlights
the death that stands in the place of the sinner who offers it." Whereas both the offerer and the priest could
slaughter the animal sacrifice, only the priest could sprinkle its blood. Note several distinctives of this offering.
1. It was a soothing aroma (or sweet savor; vv. 9, 13, 17). God was happy to receive this sacrifice
because it was an offering of worship as well as payment for sin. It gave Him pleasure. God saw the offerer as a worshiper as well as
a guilty sinner. The offering was to be
without any blemish, which was also true of the sin and trespass
offerings. This indicated that the
offerer was presenting the best to God who is worthy of nothing less (vv. 3, 10). This offering satisfied God's desire for the
love of His redeemed creatures as well as His offended justice. This offering satisfied God by its wholeness
quantitatively and qualitatively. The
Israelite worshiper offered a whole spotless animal in place of himself. And, as a public offering, the priest offered
it in place of the nation. "The
requirement that the animal be male [v. 3] was on the one hand related to the
fact that these were of greater value than females, as was of course also the
case in breeding. On the other hand, it
was also based on the thought that, being physically stronger, they had more
power."
The “laying on
hands” involved close contact, and through it the person presenting the
offering gave expression to the fact that he could not do without the
animal. “Atonement contains the ideas of
cleansing by means of sweeping away."
The offerer gave up a life on the altar.
God has always claimed life as His own.
In slaying this animal, the offerer was symbolically saying that he was
giving the life that God had given him back to God, its rightful owner. Giving one's life to God is not an act of
great sacrifice. It is simply giving
back to God what already belongs to Him.
The animal perished completely, consumed in the fire on the altar (v.
9), except for the skin, which went to the priest (7:8). This symbolized the comprehensive nature of
the offerer's consecration to God—his or her total subjection to the Lord. Perhaps God excluded the skin to focus
attention on the internal elements, the real person. God deserves the surrender of the entire
person, not just a part.
The Offering of the Birds (Leviticus 1:14-17,
NRSV)
14If your offering to the LORD is a burnt
offering of birds, you shall choose your offering from turtledoves or pigeons.
15The priest shall bring it to the altar and wring off its head, and
turn it into smoke on the altar; and its blood shall be drained out against the
side of the altar.
16He shall remove its crop with its contents and throw it at the
east side of the altar, in the place for ashes.
17He shall tear it open by its wings without severing it. Then the
priest shall turn it into smoke on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire;
it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire of pleasing odor to the LORD.
Some
commentators suggest that each type of animal bore characteristics shared by
man that made it an appropriate substitute (e.g., strong, foolish, flighty,
etc.). The dove was the sacred animal of
the fertility goddess, Ishtar-Astarte, so offering it would have been regarded
as an abomination by Israel's pagan neighbors.
Moreover, they washed the entrails and legs of the animals in water (vv.
9, 13). This washing probably symbolized the need for internal purity.
They did not
wash the birds. Perhaps they were
regarded as clean already. The offerer
pressed his hand on the animals but not on the birds. In summary, the burnt offering was an act of
worship in which the Israelite offered to God a whole animal. The fire on the altar completely consumed it
as a substitute for the offerer and as a symbol of his total personal
self-sacrifice to God. These sacrifices
were voluntary on the Israelite's part.
Its main function was to atone for man's sin by propitiating God's
wrath. In the immolation burning of the
animal, God's judgment against human sin was symbolized and the animal suffered
in man's place. The worshiper acknowledged his guilt and responsibility for his
sins by pressing his hand on the animal's head and confessing his sin.
DISCUSS THE MEANING
1.
Which motivates you to worship: the “where” or the “how?”
2.
What are some ways to ensure that you offer “the best” to Christ?
3.
In what ways can you discharge your new-covenant priestly role
(see Isaiah 61:6; 1 Peter 2:5)?
4.
What can you do to help others understand the foreshadowing nature
of Levitical sacrifices?
5.
How do you respond to the claim that the book of Leviticus
LESSON IN OUR SOCIETY:
The lamb was
accepted as the ransom price for the guilty man. The daily use of the sacrifice in the worship
of the temple and tabernacle was a constant reminder of man's sinfulness and
God's holiness. As the Lamb of God,
Christ offered His life as an act of worship to God as well as a payment for
sin (Luke 23:46). His life was spotless
(John 8:46; 1 Pet. 2:22; Phil. 2:6, 8).
Christians need to remember our need for daily forgiveness, confess our
sins, and purpose to walk in God's ways (cf. 1 John 1:7-9). The LORD accepts with pleasure whoever comes
into his presence by substitutionary atonement through the shedding of blood.
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The Day Atonement
Printed Text: Leviticus 16:11-19
Devotional Reading: Psalm 40:9-17
Background: Psalm 40:9-17
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KEEP IN MIND:
“Thus he shall make atonement for the sanctuary, because of
the uncleanness of the people of Israel, and because of their transgressions,
all their sins; and so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which remains with
them in the midst of their uncleanness.”
(Leviticus 16:16, NRSV).
AIM FOR
CHANGE:
EXPLAIN the significance of the Day of Atonement.
COMPARE and CONTRAST the Day of Atonement with Jesus’ sacrifice.
BACKGROUND:
In Leviticus, the laws of God
are given not to the priests or high priest, but directly to His servant
Moses. Moses serves as the mediator
between God and His people. In his role
as prophet, Moses’ position is higher than that of the high priest. Distinctions between clean and unclean, holy
and unholy are made clear in Leviticus.
When God dwelt on Mt. Sinai, Moses needed to approach the Lord. Now that God dwelled among the Children of
Israel, the high priest needed to show this same reverence and requirement of
purity. God’s specific instructions
about exactly how and when the high priest could enter into His presence are
emphasized in Leviticus 16.
LESSON COMMENTARY:
Sin Offering for the High Priest (Leviticus
16:11-14)
11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering,
which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his
house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:
12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire
from off the altar before the Lord,
and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:
13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may
cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:
14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle
it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat
shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.
Now
we encounter the greatest expression of God’s care and concern for the Children
of Israel. God now provides instructions
to His people on how to obtain pardon for sins committed against Him and one
another, and one another, and enter into communion with Him. This should not be surprising since man was
created to walk in daily fellowship with God.
Through Adam’s sin in the Garden, mankind was thrust from the face of
God. The sin in our lives not only
separates us from God, but its very memory also undermines our confidence to
approach until He has cleansed us from all our defilement. In these verses, our attention should
immediately be drawn to the fact that only the high priest can perform the
atonement sacrifice.
The
role of the high priest was special. He
was appointed to offer gifts and make sacrifices for sins. That Aaron, or the high priest, is instructed
to perform this atoning sacrifice for himself and his own household
demonstrates the clear separation between the human priesthood and Jesus. This atoning was necessary for the human
priests because they were capable of sinning.
Jesus, the perfect High Priest was incapable of sin. Because the human high priest was susceptible
to sin, we read that hi9s first obligation was to offer a sacrifice of a bull
for himself and his household. After
putting coals and incense inside the veil of the Holy of holies, the high
priest also sprinkles the sacrificed bull’s blood on and in front of the mercy
seat.
1. What
can or should Christians bring to the Lord in light of sins forgiven?
2. What
do the meticulous instructions regarding the work of the priest on the Day of
Atonement have to say about providing ministry today, if anything?
Sin
Offering for the People (Leviticus 16:15-16)
15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is
for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as
he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and
before the mercy seat:
16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because
of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their
transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the
congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.
The Day of Atonement was for
atoning of all the Children of Israel’s sins and failures, and allowing for God
to dwell among them. Only on this day
was the high priest allowed to enter into the veiled Holy of Holies, the
holiest of areas, without risking death.
While sin separates man from God, His love does not want this separation
to remain. In these next verses, the
high priest now sacrifices a goat as a sin offering for the people.
This sacrifice of the goat
represents the blood sacrifice required to satisfy the righteousness and
justice of God on behalf of the people.
In Judaism, sacrifices are no longer offered since the temple no longer
exists, but Yom Kipper remains a day of repentance which is coupled with
fasting as a way of expressing humility and remorse before God and
community. Thus, God no longer requires
sacrifices in Judaism, only a humble heart.
It is important to understand that God’s love cannot be expressed unless
His justice is satisfied. That is
exactly what Jesus’ death on the cross did; as His son’s tortured body hung on
the cross, God poured out all of His wrath against sin on Jesus. Jesus’ death freed God to show ahis love to
us. If Jesus had not died, then we would
never have known the depth of God’s love and His forgiving grace.
1. How
does the merciful atonement extended to you by Christ affect your extension of
mercy to others? How should it?
2. How
does the merciful atonement extended to you by Christ affect your extension of
mercy to others? How should it?
3. What
sinful uncleanliness do Christians grapple with most? How do we help them?
Atonement
for the Holy Place (Leviticus 16: 17-19)
17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the
congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he
come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and
for all the congregation of Israel.
18 And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord, and make an atonement for it; and
shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put
it upon the horns of the altar round about.
19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger
seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children
of Israel.
One purpose of the Day of
Atonement was to cleanse the tabernacle of the uncleanliness introduced into it
by the unclean worshippers. The rituals
we see here allowed for God’s continual presence among His people.
For the second time, the high
priest enters the Holy of Holies and sprinkles the blood of the goat on and in
front of the mercy seat and over the alter.
Now we see that he is atoning not only for the people, but also the
place itself. For both Jews and
Christians, it is no longer the Old Testament temple or tabernacle, but our
entire beings that are the tabernacles are the tabernacles in which God dwells. For Christians, the sacrifice of Jesus atoned
for our sins and cleansed our tabernacles, our bodies, souls, and spirits, in
the sight of God.
1. How
can the corporate aspects of the Day of Atonement be applied to the church, if
at all?
DISCUSS THE MEANING:
1.
In
this chapter of Leviticus, we see that the Day of Atonement only occurred once
each year. Until the death of Jesus
Christ, even the high priest was restricted from God’s direct presence, save
this one time of year. Why do you think
this was?
2.
In
what ways can the corporate aspects of the Day of Atonement be applied to the
church, if any?
3.
What
modern ministry tasks would you be better at working alone, if any?
4.
What
are some spiritual guardrails you can erect to ensure you are not in rebellion
against God?
LESSON IN
SOCIETY:
All too often Christians
struggle with the notion of forgiveness.
They say that they know that God has forgiven. They insist that they know God’s Word is true
and that they understand that Jesus’ death on the cross paid the debt for their
sins. However, they struggle under the
burden of guilt and shame from what they have done in the past. This sense of shame from what they have done
in the past. This sense of shame hampers
our praise, inhibits our prayers, and prevents us from being able to worship God
in spirit and truth. We must remember
that this uncertainty is only a trick of the enemy. Paul called them “the fiery darts of the
wicked” (Ephesians 6:16). Satan wants us
to believe that we are unworthy and that God does not fully love and accept
us. Nothing could be further from the
truth. When the blood of Jesus was shed
on Calvary, the punishment for all our sins was paid once and for all. He died so that we might be worthy to stand
in the presence of God, forever, and never be separated from His presence
again.
NEXT WEEK LESSON: April 6, 2025
Christ’s
Once – For All Sacrifice
Printed
Text: Hebrews 9:23-28
Background
Text: Hebrews 9:23-10:25
Devotional
Reading: Mark 10:41-45
SOURCES:
Achtemeier, Paul J. Harper's Bible
Dictionary. 1st ed. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985.
Allen, David L., Hebrews: An
Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture, Volume 35, The New
American Commentary, Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2010.
Biblical Studies Press: The
Brown, Raymond E., S. S., Joseph A.
Fitzmyer, S. J.; Roland E. Murphy, O Carm. The
Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968.
Dummelow, J. R., M.A. Rev. The One Volume Bible Commentary. New
York: The Macmillan Company Publishers, 1961.
Durham, John I.,
Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 3, Exodus. Nashville: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 2015
Hartley, John E., Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 4 Leviticus.
Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2015.
James Orr,
M.A., D.D., International Standard Bible
Encyclopedia, Electronic Edition, Parsons
Technology, Inc., Cedar
Rapids, Iowa 1998.
Keck Leander E., The New Interpreter's Bible Commentary, Volume I: Introduction to the Pentateuch,
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy,
New York: Abingdon Press, 2015.
Keck Leander E., The New Interpreter's Bible Commentary, Volume XII: Hebrews,
James, 1&2 Peter, 1, 2, 3 John, Jude, Revelation, New York:
Abingdon Press, 1998.
Lane, William L., Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 47B, Hebrews.
Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2015.
Morris, William, ed., Dictionary of the English Language, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1981.
Rooker, Mark F., Leviticus: An Exegetical
and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture, Volume 3, The New American
Commentary, Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000.
Spence-Jones, H.
D. M. (Hrsg.): The Pulpit Commentary: Exodus Vol II. Bellingham, WA: Logos
Research Systems, Inc., 2004
Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Hrsg.): The
Pulpit Commentary: Leviticus. Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.,
2004
Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Hrsg.): The
Pulpit Commentary: Hebrews. Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.,
2004
Strong, James, Strong’s Hebrew and Greek
Dictionaries, Electronic Edition STEP Files, QuickVerse, a division of
Findex.com, Inc., Omaha, Nebraska. 2003.
Stuart, Douglas
K., New American Commentary 2, Exodus: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition
of Holy Scripture. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2015.
Vine, W.E. Vines Complete Expository
Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Edited by Merrill F. Unger and
William White Jr., Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1996.