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March
1
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Reading 1 - Leviticus 5 & 6
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Peter Cresswell
Peter Cresswell
5:1 - 5 It is interesting that the touching of a dead body or unclean thing is associated with a dishonest witness. 5:16 making amends by adding 'a fifth thereto' advertises that God is affronted by sin and this needs to be acknowledged.
6:11
'put off' 'put on' also see Leviticus
16:23 This marks the change that should take place in our lives consequent
on appreciating the requirements of the gospel.
Romans 13:12 Ephesians 4:22 - 24 Colossians 3:9 - 10
Peter Forbes
5:1 The voice of swearing is the basis on which there is the appeal [Matthew 26:63] to Jesus commanding him to answer the question 'tell us whether you are the Christ'.
6:2
We might think that being dishonest to our neighbour by not mentioning
that we have found something that they had lost :3
wrongs our neighbour. Actually it is an offence to God.
Peter Forbes
5:11 There is a progression from a lamb (:6) right down to 'flour'. The sacrifice is determined by the financial status of the sinner. Thus we see that no matter what little we have to give we are expected to make an offering to God. So it is no good saying that we have no 'talents' as an excuse for not working for God -everyone has something that they can offer and we are all obliged to offer something.
6:20-23
In outlining details of the offering for the priest when he was consecrated
we are given more information to add to what was done when the tabernacle
was erected and Aaron and his sons consecrated. (Leviticus
8)
Peter Forbes
Reading 2 - Psalm 105
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Peter Cresswell
Peter Cresswell
The Psalms are seen in 1 Chronicles 16 in this way
1 Chronicles 16:8-22 Psalm 105:1-15
1 Chronicles 16:23-33 Psalm 96
1 Chronicles 16:35-36 Psalm 106:47-48
As can be seen whilst the whole of Psalm 96 is reproduced in 1 Chronicles 16 only parts of Psalms 105 and 106 are found in the chronicles account.
Peter Forbes
Continuing the theme introduced last year that this Psalm was part of David's song of praise when he brought the ark to Zion. :28-36 lists the plagues of Egypt. However notice that the Psalm does not have them in the same order as Exodus
| Exodus Order | Psalm 105 Order |
| 1 | 9 |
| 2 | 1 |
| 3 Lice | 2 |
| 4 | 4 |
| 5 Murrain | 7 |
| 6 Boils | 8 |
| 7 | 10 |
| 8 | |
| 9 | |
| 10 |
However
the Psalm omits the three plagues which are named. Why is this?
Peter Forbes
This
Psalm should be read with Psalm 106. This Psalm speaks of the things that
happened. Psalm 106 comments about the rebellion. So this Psalm sets the
scene so that Psalm 106 can draw the lessons.
Peter Forbes
The thing the stirred the Psalmist to praise the LORD, sing to him, give him thanks and glory, and to rejoice in him was when he remembered the wonders God had done, the miracles and judgements he had pronounced. When he thought of how small and weak Israel were to begin with and how God had led them through seemingly impossible situations, how he had done miracles to make them his special people, the Psalmist was filled with thanks and praise for his awesome God.
Sometimes it is good to take a look back in our lives and to see how God has worked his plan out in us. We can see the circumstances he worked in our lives that caused us to be receptive to him. We can see how he has done miracles to keep us safe or to bring us to the position we are in now. We can see how he has blessed us in understanding his word and drawing closer in our relationship with him.
In another place we read that God has prepared good works in advance for us to do, and maybe we can see how we have been developed by his plan and the works he has had us do. And when we see it all (or even some of it) we will be able to praise the LORD with the Psalmist.
Robert Prins
If we ever lack the confidence that God is actively at work in our lives, one of the best things we can do is to look back to the past and see the undisputed times that God has been at work in the lives of his servants. This chapter is a prime example. The Psalmist goes through many of the major events in the history of Israel, showing how God was so actively at work in the lives of his people. No doubt this has been a huge encouragement to many Jews ever since the time this Psalm was written. Even in the dark times when they thought that God had forgotten them, they could read this (or better still, sing it) and be encouraged to know that even in the dark times God is in control.
We can do the same, although we have the advantage of being able to look at the lives of so many more amazing people through an extra 4000 years or so from the finish of this Psalm. We can look at instances where God was at work in times of persecution of true believers, at times when the truth was brought back into the open, or at times when God has moved us, influenced our circumstances or performed miracles.
So let's look back, whether at our own lives or at the lives of others, and be encouraged to know that God is still just as active in our lives today.
Robert Prins
As we consider the life of Joseph from the narrative perspective of Genesis, we can see that neither Joseph, his family, nor anyone in Egypt, had any inkling of God's big plan. Yet Psalm 105 tells the same story from God's point of view. God was in control. He knew what was going to happen, and he was aware of what was going on. The way it happened for Joseph was that he was sold as a slave, promoted to become a ruler of Egypt, and then the famine came. From God's perspective the order was different. God called for a famine and then sent Joseph to Egypt.
The difference between our perspective and God's perspective is that God can see the end from the beginning. He is outside the restrictions of time. We, however, only see events in the order in which they take place because we are bound by time.
There were more than ten years when people - Joseph, Jacob, and Joseph's brothers, would have been asking themselves, "What is God's plan?" They would not have understood the strange events that happened to them. Looking at it either from hindsight or from God's perspective, we can see how it all fitted in.
Are there things in our lives we don't understand? Maybe we will later. But for now we can be sure that our lives are part of God's plan. He knows the big picture.
Robert Prins
Reading 3 - 1Corinthians 14
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v.12
- This chapter
is presented in the context of spiritual love, being the 'more excellent
way' of ch.12:31,
described in ch.13.
In this context the love which we have should cause is to excel in the
edifying of each other. That all may 'profit withal' - ch.12:7.
We are exhorted to do it correctly too - that 'all things be done
unto edifying' ch.14:26,
and this, with the rest of the chapter, sets the correct context
for that much misused verse at the end of the chapter - v.40
Peter Cresswell
Peter Forbes