Today’s reading: Lev 1:1–3:17, John 7:1–13, Song 5:10–12

Today’s theme: A pleasing aroma

A common theme in Leviticus is the pleasing aroma which comes from sacrifices done in the right way and with the right heart before God. Jesus is the ultimate pleasing aroma and our lives should bring God pleasure and glory too. There should be a distinct sell to our lives that pleases God and causes the world to hate us as we bear witness to the truth.

Leviticus 1:1–3:17

A pleasing aroma

but its entrails and its legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall burn all of it on the altar, as a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD. Leviticus 1:9 (ESV)

This term “a pleasing aroma” comes up a lot in Leviticus. It shows that the sacrifices that were made brought God pleasure and were a way of averting God’s righteous anger and appealing to His grace.

It also shows that if the sacrifices do not please God (like in Isaiah where God says He is sick of the heartless sacrifices) then they are dead and without effect.

Ultimately this all points to Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross which God was pleased with as mentioned in Ephesians 5:2.

Seasoned with salt

You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt. Leviticus 2:13 (ESV)

The salt of the covenant represents the durability and eternal nature of God’s covenant as salt is a preservative. Leaven and honey on the other hand cause fermentation and decay so could not be accepted as part of a burnt offering.

The peace offering

“If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offers an animal from the herd, male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD. Leviticus 3:1 (ESV)

The peace offering (also known as the offering of well being and the fellowship offering) was one where peace was made between the person making the sacrifice and God as both would partake of the offering in fellowship.

Again this all points to Jesus, the ultimate peace offering, He removes the offence and brings peace between God and believers. See Colossians 1:20 and Ephesians 2:15.

John 7:1–13

Hold up God’s standard to the world

The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. John 7:7 (ESV)

We should be like Jesus, we should hold up the standard of God’s truth to the world which is automatically a testimony that what they do is evil. This will cause us individually and as a people to be hated. We should rejoice in this as we identify with Jesus.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

The Gospel Coalition on John 7

Today’s reading: Exod 39:1–40:38, John 6:52–71, Song 5:5–9

Today’s theme: Finish the work

Today we see an important theme, we must set our hearts to finish whatever work the Lord has given us to do with the sustaining power that Jesus provides.

Exodus 39:1–40:38

Finish the work

Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished, and the people of Israel did according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses; so they did. Exodus 39:32 (ESV)

It is great to read that the work was finished in accordance with God’s instructions. We should avoid procrastination and have a mind to finish the mission / work.

Reward for finishing

And Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it; as the LORD had commanded, so had they done it. Then Moses blessed them. Exodus 39:43 (ESV)

Moses blessed the people for completing the work. God rewards us too when we complete the tasks He has for us to do. What work do you have to do?

God with us

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Exodus 40:34–35 (ESV)

Moses had asked God to go with him and the people, this was God’s answer. He asked them to build a temporary house so that He could dwell among them.

The cloud was a physical manifestation of God’s presence. This had a lot of meaning to a people travelling through a hot desert where clouds and shade were welcomed.

God’s presence has moved from the great Mount Sinai, to the tent of meeting and now finally to the tabernacle. This all points forward to God dwelling in us as His house through His Holy Spirit.

John 6:52–71

Sustained by Jesus

As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. John 6:57 (ESV)

If we feed on Jesus, we will have eternal life, sustained by Him. Our appetite should be for Jesus.

Stand with Jesus

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:68–69 (ESV)

Our response should be the same, despite being ridiculed and mocked for our faith in Jesus we must stand with and for Jesus with complete resolution.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

Desiring God on Work & Vocation

Today’s reading: Exod 37:1–38:31, John 6:25–51, Song 5:1–4

Today’s theme: God sovereignly saves

We see a glimpse of the sovereign majesty of God in the gold used in the Tabernacle. We then see the sacrifice of Jesus in the bronze. Both of these themes are reconciled in the invitation to salvation which goes out to all and the reality of God sovereignly saving the elect as a gift from the Father to the Son. This should cause us to rejoice in love, security and hope.

Exodus 37:1–38:31

Gold for the King

And he overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold around it. Exodus 37:2 (ESV)

All the gold used in the building of the tabernacle points to God’s majesty, kingdom and sovereignty as King.

Jesus took our judgement

He made horns for it on its four corners. Its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze. Exodus 38:2 (ESV)

Bronze speaks of judgement and points to Jesus taking our judgement through His sacrifice on the cross.

John 6:25–51

Jesus the bread of life

Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” John 6:27 (ESV)

We should not have our views and goals limited to this life and temporary materialism. Instead we should work and pour our energy into getting the everlasting, sustaining food that will give us eternal life and be our eternal reward…Jesus, the bread of life.

Jesus satisfies

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. John 6:35 (ESV)

Jesus brings us the ultimate satisfaction.

Gifts from the Father

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. John 6:37 (ESV)

We (disciples of Jesus) are gifts from the Father to His Son. In this verse we can also see God’s predestined plan to save the elect and the security found in coming to Jesus.

God sovereignly saves us

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:44 (ESV)

God is sovereign over salvation and those that are saved. Without God’s initiation of drawing someone to Jesus, no one could be saved. We would not come in our own will as we are bound under sin and do not desire God naturally. God is glorified in saving us.

All are invited

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. John 6:47 (ESV)

The invitation to believe goes out to all, it is not limited to rich, poor, Jewish, Non Jewish etc.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

TGC on John 6

Today’s reading: Exod 35:1–36:38, John 6:15–24, Song 4:14–16

Today’s theme: Heartfelt generosity

We must not allow ourselves to be robbed of the blessing to biblical giving by thinking of our giving to God in the same way we think about paying an electricity bill. Many of us are neither joyful or resentful, we are simply indifferent because the bill is a rightfully owed duty. God does not desire this sort of heartless giving.

The modern church’s emphasis on tithes (10% of earnings set aside for God) can leave some feeling short changed (robbed from the joy of biblical giving). People think of giving to God like a bill when in fact the tithe itself is not spoken of in the New Testament. Jesus doesn’t want just 10%, He wants what it represents which is everything!

In this spirit, our giving should not be limited to an indifferent 10% utility bill, we should joyfully give all we can to the glory of God from genuinely generous hearts. If we do not give it joyfully, God doesn’t want it and we will never truly benefit from our giving either.

Exodus 35:1–36:38

Be genuinely generous

Take from among you a contribution to the LORD. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze; Exodus 35:5 (ESV)

We should be generous from our hearts with our money, time and skills for God’s glory.

Serve from the heart

And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the LORD’s contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. Exodus 35:21 (ESV)

Our service should be from the heart, not just duty or rule keeping.

Serve with joy

And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the LORD had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. Exodus 36:2 (ESV)

God puts the skills and intelligence in our minds but our hearts must be stirred to joyfully use them for Him.

Provide for the work

for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more. Exodus 36:7 (ESV)

If we all give generously and don’t limit ourselves to just 10% for example, then there will be great provision for the Lord’s work.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

Desiring God on Giving

Today’s reading: Exod 33:1–34:35, John 6:1–14, Song 4:9–13

Today’s theme: Intimacy with God

One of the key themes in the bible is God’s relational nature and His desire to abide in relationship with His people. We should seek to pursue an intimate, face-to-face relationship with God. This relationship is not so personal that it is detached from the teaching of scripture or from the community of the church, in fact, without God’s word, fellowship and service in the body of Christ, our “personal” relationship with God is suspicious.

Rather than use the term ‘personal’ which is open to abuse by those who want God on their own personal terms, we should use the word ‘intimate’. We should have an intimate relationship with God in accordance with His word.

Exodus 33:1–34:35

Face to face with God

Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent. Exodus 33:11 (ESV)

God calls us all to enjoy His presence in close fellowship and relationship with Him, as He spoke to Moses face to face. We should have a heart to stay in God’s presence, like young Joshua.

God responds to true relationship

And the LORD said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” Exodus 33:17 (ESV)

Again the Lord responds to Moses’ intercession, not because of the greatness of his prayer, but because Moses had a relationship with God. We should desire God’s presence to be with us also.

Desire to know God

Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” Exodus 33:18 (ESV)

Moses wanted to know God more and so should we.

Undeserved grace

And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. Exodus 33:19 (ESV)

Thank God today that He has chosen to be gracious and merciful to you, He is not obligated to be gracious to any of us, so we should be grateful.

Who is the Lord?

The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” Exodus 34:6–7 (ESV)

This tells us so much about who God is and how He operates.

Spiritual adultery

and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods. Exodus 34:16 (ESV)

Idolatry is spiritual adultery.

Pray that the veil is removed

Whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, Exodus 34:34 (ESV)

2 Cor 3:7-18 gives some great commentary on this. We should pray for the Jews, that the veil is removed and that they would see Jesus as Messiah.

John 6:1–14

Put your trust in God

Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” John 6:7 (ESV)

It is easy to fall into this type of faithless pragmatism, thinking only in physical terms about a problem. We should boldly and radically put our faith in God.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014

Additional resources

Desiring God on John 6