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February 28

Reading 1 - Leviticus 3 & 4

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3 v. 9 - The rump of a sheep was an eastern delicacy, and the temptation would be to leave a little bit and keep it for yourself. The concept of sacrifice was, and still is, an absolute affair - even a 99% sacrifice is not enough, and so they were told to take it 'hard off by the backbone - remove every little bit and give it all to God. This 100% sacrifice runs right through - and ultimately of course to the one who gave his all and didn't deserve to die. Isa.53:10, Rom.12:1, Heb.12:2,3.
Peter Cresswell
4 v 3 - It seems that the sin referred to here to which the anointed priest might fall is the one of a sin of ignorance mentioned in the previous verse. These sacrifices took place for specific sins it seems, rather than for a 'blanket forgiveness'. Maybe we should bear this in mind in our prayers as we ask God for forgiveness. God requires us to recognise and correct specific sins, and confess them, not just to Him, but to each other, which I suspect we find much harder. Sharing problems together is one thing, but sharing our own knowledge of our own faults is quite another. Jas.5:16 says we should do this that we might be saved by the prayers of those righteous men that we tell.
Peter Cresswell

3:1 The peace-offering. The whole work of Christ in relation to the believer's peace is here in type.
He made peace, Colossians 1:20
proclaimed peace, Ephesians 2:17
and is our peace, Ephesians 2:14
Colossians 3:15 draws together both aspects of the peace offering which was also a thank offering - see Revised Version margin.
3:2 'lay hands' a mark of association with the sacrifice.
3:6 That the offering from the flock could be male or female shows that either a man or woman can be at peace with God.

4:2 If a soul sin through ignorance
4:3 If a priest that is anointed sin
4:13 If the whole congregation sin through ignorance
4:22 When a ruler hath sinned through ignorance
4:27 When any one of the common people sin through ignorance
Notice that of the five categories covered in this chapter the priest is singled out as different. It seems that he is unable to sin through ignorance. This is because he was the mouthpiece of God as far as the law was concerned. He should know what was required. Therefore he could not sin through ignorance. We are a 'holy priesthood' 1 Peter 2:5 so we cannot plead ignorance for our sins. It is our obligation, as it was the priests, to know the law of Christ and apply it.
4:21 'without the camp' Jesus suffered 'without the camp' Hebrews 13:13 showing that 'without the camp' actually is signifying that these things portray the future work of Jesus outside the scope of the Law of Moses.
Peter Forbes

ch 3 - There were different peace offerings that could be offered. They are listed as:
:7 a lamb
:12 a goat.
The basic instructions are contained in vs1-5 and then the specific details for the different animals are listed under the heading for the animal.

ch 4 - Consider the different types of sin categories that are listed in this chapter and reflect on how the categories might fit into our way of living today. It is not that we have different offerings but it is valuable to think about the different situations that we might find ourselves in and the different types of sin that we may commit.
Peter Forbes

3:7 & 12 Often the offerer is given a choice as to what he offers. Likewise with us. We do not all have to do the same things in service to our God. We can all make our own sacrifice in service - but whatever we do it has to be perfect.

4:2 The ignorant sin was when the person did not realise what they had done. It maybe answers to those times when we on the spur of the moment do something wrong and then immediately repent - in contrast to the sin which is carefully planned and executed.
Peter Forbes

FACE UP TO SIN

We all sin. The Bible tells us quite plainly that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3 v 23). But when we sin it can be hard to own up to it, to admit that we have done wrong. Human nature dictates that we try to cover up our sin, make excuses or even hide from it and convince ourselves that it is alright or that we haven't done anything wrong.

The sin offering cuts right through all those feelings of denial. It puts the responsibility right back onto us as the offering is carried out. "Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness," we read in Hebrews 9 v 22. And so the sinner had to provide a live female goat or lamb in perfect condition for the sin offering. He then had to lay his hand on the head of the animal. This was to acknowledge that the animal and he were united - the lamb represented the sinner. Then the lamb was to be slaughtered taking the fate that we deserve. It was a perfect animal and did not deserve to die, but it bore the sin of the one who offered it and it's life was taken.

The sin offering, then, emphasized the fact that we do sin, that we must face up to and acknowledge our sin and that we deserve to die. But thanks be to God who has given the Lord Jesus Christ to be the perfect offering for sin: "The lamb that takes away the sin of the world." (John 1 v 29).
Robert Prins

Reading 2 - Psalm 104

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v.4 - There is a depth of meaning here which is hard to fathom for the human mind. Here are some references that might help - 'Who maketh his angels spirits' - Acts 23:8, quoted in Heb1:7, and also then v.14. - 'ministers a flaming fire' - Ex.3:2, Acts 7:30, 2Kings 2:11, 6:17, Exe.1:13
Peter Cresswell
v.20-23 - We do well to remember that all things are created by the power of God, and this includes the trials and temptations which we might associate with darkness.
Peter Cresswell
Psalm 104 :19 this seeming casual comment about the sun and moon is a reflection on the ordered nature of the creation when God set the sun and moon for seasons. Such a seemingly simple thing like the rising of the sun and the course of moon should, as we see them, cause us to appreciate the wisdom of our God.
Peter Forbes
The various similes that the Psalmist makes about God and His creation remind us of the greatness of God. That we need things we can see and understand to appreciate our Father, Also in identifying Him with elements of creation we are forced to realise that God is not distant from His creation but intimately tied up with it. So consequently the Psalmists meditation :34 causes him to be 'glad'. Are we 'glad' that God created the world? Or is it simply a doctrine to preach in opposition to the theory of evolution?
Peter Forbes
:6-9 Here the Psalmist makes a number of references to the flood narrative

Above the mountains Genesis 7:19
At thy rebuke Genesis 8:1
Cover the earth Genesis 9:11
Peter Forbes

Reading 3 - 1Corinthians 12 & 13

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12v.3 - Our ability to understand and confess that Jesus is the Lord comes by the Holy Spirit, we are told here - we learn it from God's breathed-out word. The contrast between the believer and the non-believer is so clear - 1John 4:2,3, 1Co.16:22, Matt.16:16,17, 2Cor.3:5
Peter Cresswell

12 -So, following on from last year's comment, we see that rather than developing unity in the ecclesia the spirit gifts generated envy and dispute. This was because they had their own estimation of the worth of different gifts based on their own wisdom.

13 - So Paul addresses the problem of dispute and human wisdom by saying that the gifts are of no value without the manifestation of Christian 'love'
Peter Forbes