Thoughts on the readings for March 14th (Leviticus 22, Psalms 125, 126, 127, Luke 5)

Leviticus 22 completes the description for the requirements of the priests. Verses 1-9 tell of the processes for the priests to reverently eat of the holy things associated with the offerings. Verses 10-13 spoke of those holy things which the families of the priests were allowed to eat. Verses 14-16 describes the need for a trespass offering to be made if a person ate of the holy things unintentionally. Verses 17 to 20 outlines the need for a perfect animal to be presented as a burnt offering. Note Malachi’s rebuke to those who offered a blemished animal – Malachi 1 verses 8-9. Verses 21-25 tell of matters associated with the peace offering. As this offering spoke of fellowship with the LORD it was essential that the animal offered was physically perfect. Verses 26-28 tell about the age requirement for an animal to be offered. Verses 29-33 repeats the holiness required to be shown by the offerer and that the provider of the sacrifice was to be truly thankful when offering to their God.

Psalm 125 describes the surrounding strength and enveloping protective arms of the LORD around His people and city of Jerusalem. The understanding of this coupled with the trust of the faithful sustained the city’s residents during the Assyrian siege. And for that trust the Almighty delivered them and brought to them that seemingly impossible peace.
Psalm 126 tells of the restoration of Jerusalem and those who experienced the deliverance felt that it was so unbelievable that it was just like a dream. Their terror was turned to joy and laughter. The saved inhabitants sought opportunity to praise and extol their great and glorious God. They had sown scarce and precious seed in tears, but Yahweh had blessed His people Israel so that they would reap an abundant harvest.
Psalm 127 reveals the secret for peace and blessings from our Sovereign. Jerusalem’s watchmen we’re wary and terrified. The city’s defences were useless without the Yahweh’s oversight of and care for His people. Anxiety is removed by taking all our cares and concerns to our Father in prayer – Philippians 4:5-7. Slavery or death seemed inevitable to the Jerusalem’s residents, but God would bless the faithful with sons and daughters. Faithful sons are like true arrows which will be directed into the hearts of the Father’s enemies. I’m sure many faithful believers have felt the encouragement when our families become actively involved in the service of the Almighty as Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 15 verse 58.

Luke records in his 5th chapter the call of fishermen to become Jesus’ Apostles. Peter, Andrew, James and John were mending their nets, but they are miraculously given an incredible catch when they obey our Lord. Their job from now on was to catch men for the Gospel. We too are charged to catch men and women for the kingdom: Mark 16:15-16. The chapter records the next miracle as the curing of a leper, who totally believes In Jesus’ power to make him “whole”. The leper’s only question was would the Lord be willing. The cleansed leper is sent to the priests as a testimony that our Lord Jesus Christ is sent from God. Crowds gather to Jesus and are healed. The power of God was ever present to heal those with responsive hearts. Luke speaks of the faith of a paralytic man and his four friends, who against all odds find a way for faith to save their paralysed friend. This healing provokes indignation from the religious authorities. Jesus had designed this to demonstrate the link between Christ’s miracles and him being the Son of God (called in Luke’s record “the Son of Man”). Then we read of the call of Levi, or Matthew, who is a hated collector of excise. We read of a dispute arising among the Apostles about fasting. Jesus tells his Apostles that the reason his disciples did not fast was because the bridegroom was with them. Christ says that when the Bridegroom is taken away then they would fast. Lastly the Lord gives two parables about why Jesus’ teaching was not palatable to the inflexible Jewish religious leaders. The enemies of our Lord were set in tradition and were incapable of receiving Jesus’ saving message. Let us make sure that we have hearing ears.