Hanoi note: Jan and I went for a walk mid-afternoon today, the sixth day of the Lunar New Year. Finally stores are open, at least 70 - 80% of them. For many it was a solid seven days closed, for others it was a five day closing so that whole families could be together. Too bad we in Canada and the USA could not turn the clock back to when all stores were closed for at least one or two days at Christmas and Easter. Is there ever even a 24 hour time period when all but emergency operations were closed down? So although it was a little inconvenient, we applaud this tradition that puts families before commerce and shuts down for a week.
I read through Leviticus 1 to 7 today that describes the variety of major sacrifices and how they were to be offered by Israel. The two recurring phrases I love in those chapters are; 1. "an aroma pleasing to the Lord" (at least 3 times in chapters one and two). (compare Philippians 4:18) Of course the Israelites and we know that God is Spirit. It is not describing the Lord as having a physical nose and smelling the sacrifice. Rather it is an "anthropomorphism" (always liked that word); meaning to help our understanding, God is described in human terms. Literally, God is pleased when Israel offers the proscribed sacrifices.
2. The recurring (7 times at least) phrase in chapters 4 and 5 is, "will be forgiven". If the people of Israel properly offered the sacrifice of a bull, a goat, a lamb, two little birds or, if very poor, some flour, God promises they "will be forgiven."
They didn't know what we know, that God would forgive them when sacrifices were offered, because one day the Great Sacrifice, the Lamb of God would come. His future sacrifice made there sacrifices effective for forgiveness. So tomorrow, Sunday, we gather again to praise God for the Sacrifice that guarantees we have been and will be forgiven.
I read through Leviticus 1 to 7 today that describes the variety of major sacrifices and how they were to be offered by Israel. The two recurring phrases I love in those chapters are; 1. "an aroma pleasing to the Lord" (at least 3 times in chapters one and two). (compare Philippians 4:18) Of course the Israelites and we know that God is Spirit. It is not describing the Lord as having a physical nose and smelling the sacrifice. Rather it is an "anthropomorphism" (always liked that word); meaning to help our understanding, God is described in human terms. Literally, God is pleased when Israel offers the proscribed sacrifices.
2. The recurring (7 times at least) phrase in chapters 4 and 5 is, "will be forgiven". If the people of Israel properly offered the sacrifice of a bull, a goat, a lamb, two little birds or, if very poor, some flour, God promises they "will be forgiven."
They didn't know what we know, that God would forgive them when sacrifices were offered, because one day the Great Sacrifice, the Lamb of God would come. His future sacrifice made there sacrifices effective for forgiveness. So tomorrow, Sunday, we gather again to praise God for the Sacrifice that guarantees we have been and will be forgiven.
No comments:
Post a Comment