Reflections: 12-11-2007

All Scripture citations are taken from New Living Translation, Second Edition (NLT).

• Leviticus 21
  

  Everyone had their tasks to share in these rituals for the Almighty God. The priests were not excluded. Even they had rules to follow regarding what makes them ceremonially clean or otherwise. Priests had high standards regarding the observations for holiness, but the high priest's were higher. Since we Christians
  

  
  

  • No descendant of Aaron who has a defect may approach the altar to present special gifts to the LORD. Since he has a defect, he may not approach the altar to offer food to his God. (v. 21)
    
    • As the priests felt God's physical presence more than the rest of the Israelites, their physical attributes must also be found to have no defects, not that they were labelled unclean unless specified otherwise. It is therefore important for the line of priests from Aaron's descendants to be perfect, since they were God's representative.
      

      
      

• Leviticus 22
  

  Part of this chapter is a continuation of these ordinances from the previous chapter for the priests to observe. In the middle of this chapter, guidelines for worthy and unworthy offerings are mentioned.
  

• Proverbs 11
  

  
  

  • The godly can look forward to a reward, while the wicked can expect only judgment. (v. 23)
    

    
    

  • The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. (v. 25)
    

• Luke 4
  

  After Jesus was baptised by John, the Holy Spirit led Him towards the wilderness for 40 days in preparation for His ministry, with attempts of temptation by Satan were thwarted. Recorded also in this chapter was Jesus' rejection in His own locality. Jesus casting out demons, with Him healing many people, and His continued preaching were also recorded in this chapter.
  

  
  

  • Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, "If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, 'He will order his angels to protect and guard you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.'" Jesus responded, "The Scriptures also say, 'You must not test the LORD your God.'" (vv. 9-12)
    
    • We have here an insight of a spiritual battle between Jesus and Satan. If the Word is the Sword of God, in these verses Satan is also using God's word to tempt Jesus into doing what He must not, twisting it to address his own devious schemes. We are shown here the Father of Lies at his work against Jesus Christ, with the former actually quoting from Psalms 91: 11-12. It is this kind of deception that is hard to counter that will make us confused when clouded from God's True Word, assuming that we remain ignorant to what Scriptures have written. But this kind can only be controverted by God's True Word making daily maintenance of the Scriptures in our lives. We are shown here an example of what Jesus did to counter Satan's deception by quoting from Deuteronomy 6: 16. Satan's best deceptions can only be countered by having one's faith put in God alone and loving Him with all one has (his heart, mind, soul and strength). Remember that insight on loving the Lord with all your mind? It is calling forth stock Bible knowledge, living it within us, as we use it in defence of one's faith in Him and in defence against these temptations and deceptions.