What does it look like to be blessed by God? What does it look like to not be? Leviticus 26 gives you a pretty in-depth window. And in the context of Israel, the NOT part came to pass in the coming years.
But do we heed any of those warnings?
Do we think God has changed now that Jesus Christ has come?
We may not have to fulfil all the laws, but does that make them not worthy of paying any attention to?
God help us understand what it means to be yours, in the full expression as the sons of God.
From Leviticus 21
From Leviticus 21 all the way to 27 I continue to see themes; ultimately these are showing us something about what God expects.
– the words ‘without blemish’ are very frequent
– offerings without blemish
– giving of ‘first fruits’ – or the first, best part of their ‘income’
By the time you get to Lev 27 he is dealing with the tithe because God is the one that has helped him to earn, to live, all the things.
‘Don’t talk about money’ they say…
Money is such a sensitive issue for people. And I guess, if you are holding yourself back from believing that miracles happen, that God is a supernatural God, he has never changed, then you’ll always be the one who holds tightly to their money and is reluctant to give.
Can we lay things at the feet of Jesus?
One decision I made a long time. When I give, I give to God. I give towards fulfilling the purposes of God, not to a stagnant, even comfortable thing. When I give towards God, I’m not there watching where that money has gone, and holding people to account. No. That is in God’s hands. He saw my heart, my attitude. The gift is for him. The responsibility is on others what happens to that.
Of course overall, when I give it is by the Spirit, it is my commitment to the vision of the gospel, and I’ve trained myself to give even when I ‘need it’. To choose faith over the balance sheet. To choose Gods work over my assets.
And I can tell you, those beautiful beautiful things of Leviticus 26 are real.
But thank God for Jesus that he was the perfect sacrifice, without blemish, so that anyone who came to him, is made new, this is why healing is part of the gospel, why the power of God is an intrinsic part.
If you’re not in the space of the miracle working power of God, then may I suggest you dive deep into those scriptures, into prayer and into making it a priority to get around the place or people where it does.
A gospel without power, is it the gospel at all?
Tomorrow Numbers! What a cracker!
