WHENEVER

Next to Moses, Aaron was the most important person in the new nation of Israel. He was appointed as Israel's very first High Priest, their key religious figure who would represent them before God. For this holy, awesome role he was given very special symbolic garments and was told very clearly how to prepare himself, how to ritually cleanse himself for service at the Tabernacle.
If anyone was qualified to enter the presence of God, Aaron was. Yet this is what we read in Leviticus:
"The LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover." 16:2, 3
God wanted Israel to understand - and for Aaron to understand - that He was awesome and holy. Humans  marred by sin (as we all are), must not think they could easily enter His Holy Presence, in whatever way, whenever they wanted. So even though Aaron was most qualified, properly cleansed and properly dressed he must be very, very careful.
I have freely admitted that I read through the book of Leviticus quite quickly each year on my way from Genesis to Revelation. But there are always some places that make me stop, think and rejoice.
So when I read the above verses, and then consider what we followers of Jesus are given, I am filled with gratitude. God has not changed: He is still awesome and holy. Humans have not changed: we are still marred and scarred by our sin and rebellion.
But because of what Christ, our Great High Priest has done, these are God's words to us. 
"Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:16
What an amazing contrast with God's word to Aaron. What amazing grace to us is extended through Christ our High Priest. We have privileged access to God. Don't take if for granted that you can talk to God and He listens - whenever!

JUST WONDERING

I read this morning in Leviticus 10, about the tragic death of Aaron's two sons. The priesthood has just been established for Israel. Aaron is the high priest, his two sons Nadab and Abihu his assistants. They "offered unauthorized fire before the Lord contrary to his command."So God sends fire and they are consumed. Why did God execute them?
Moses reported to Aaron what God said, "Among those who approach me I will show myself holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honoured." 10:3 What seems like very severe punishment is apparently a demonstration by God to impress on his people that He is a holy God and worship of Him is not to be taken lightly.
I wondered today whether what happened to Ananias and Sapphira, recorded in Acts 5, is a parallel event. In Leviticus it is the beginning of worship for the people of Israel. For the church in Acts it is at the beginning of Christian offerings to the Lord. In these two events is God making the same point to His people? Does author Luke want us to see this as a NT parallel? God wants this NT community of faith to know He is holy and cannot be deceived. (Or is it more of a parallel with what is recorded in Joshua 7, as some people feel?) Just wondering.
But regarding the holiness of God, and the fact that He is worthy of our worship in spirit and in truth - about that we don't need to wonder. 

SACRIFICES

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.

GLORY, COWS AND PIGS

I read this morning about the cloud covering the tabernacle when all of the work on it was completed. When that happened, the glory of God filled the tabernacle and even Moses could not enter it. Exodus 40:34 - 35
And I wondered - how would I react and respond if the glory of God were to descend where I am? What would happen to the worship gathering, to the building, to the city, to the country if the glory of God were to truly be seen and felt? And I prayed. "Lord please let your glory shine more brightly when we gather; more brightly in a country where Christ is so little known; in other countries where there is little opportunity to learn of the goodness and glory of God."
We visited with a couple last night who've been in this country for more than a decade. We asked about their NGO work. Both men who lead this small NGO are medical doctors. When they left Europe they brought with them medical supplies and equipment.
When they first travelled to a couple of villages, before offering to help, they wisely asked: "How can we help you? What is the best thing we can do for you?" They received a strong response: "cows". And they asked, "cows"? Fortunately, these doctors, with no farm background had received a brochure from another organization outlining how to help alleviate poverty through a "cow bank."Apparently it provided all of the detailed information these novices needed to begin. They decided that if that was what the villages wanted, cows, not medical help, that is what they would provide.
So they began - not with medicine but with cows. They started with just five families,  giving a cow to each family. The family contract requires that the first calf born is given back to the "bank". From there on, all profits from the cow belong to the family. They have seen wonderful results - families living in mud huts now have been able to build solid, good houses for themselves due to the cow bank.
Two years ago they began to do the same thing with pigs. Due to their large litters, pigs produce results and income much faster than cows. So that pig enterprise is expanding rapidly and dozens of families are eating better, staying warmer, etc.
Why are they in the cow and pig business? To alleviate poverty and by doing so, as Christians, they bring glory to God. Ephesian 1:12; I Corinthians 10:31

GOD, MY FRIEND

Too familiar or too distant? Too formal or too disrespectful? Assuming too much or failing to enjoy what should be ours?
There are some who consider the world as their stage and everyone as their equal in importance. They assume instantly that, no matter a person's position of power or authority, that person would want to be  on a first name basis. They assume that of course God is available, friendly and is simply delighted to know them.
But for many of us, not just an older generation, but those who read Scripture seriously; God is One to be feared, reverenced, honoured and worshipped. He is the One whose presence was so holy, awesome and "dangerous" on Mount Sinai that the Israelites were told not to even touch the foot of the mountain while God's Presence was there. Exodus 19:12, 13; 20:18, 19
In light of this, how great an honour was given to Moses:
"The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend." Ex. 33:11 What a unique privilege God gave to Moses! God of the Universe, God of the nation stoops to speak with Moses as though he was God's friend!
I preach this week on the last half of James 2, in which Abraham is mentioned as an example of faith that was demonstrated by his obedient "works". In that passage, James mentions that Abraham "was called God's friend". James 2:23 (See Isaiah 41:8)
"God is my friend." Such a statement can be very flippant and incorrect. Sounds (to many of us) as very presumptuous, perhaps irreverent and too familiar. Yet if we are living in right relationship with God through Jesus Christ; if we are living by faith in Him and obeying what we are told in Scripture; then we do actually become His friends. This is what Jesus made clear to his first followers.
"You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." John 15:14, 15
We know that the "world runs on relationships." There is nothing better, when you want something done in a company, a bureaucracy or elsewhere, then to have "friends in high places." "It is not what you know but who you know." So relax, trust and obey, whatever your situation. If Christ is your friend, you are very well connected. :)
The old hymn was correct: "What a friend we have in Jesus." To be worshipped, given the highest possible respect and honour; to be absolutely obeyed. Yet He is our best, our eternal Friend! Amazing!

OUTSIDE AND INSIDE

We took a 30 minute walk in the neighbourhood yesterday - New Year's Day for those countries like Vietnam that follow the Lunar calendar. As expected the busy streets of Hanoi were as quiet as the streets of a North American city on Christmas Day. We walked down the narrow street (just two car widths wide) in front of our apartment building. We were able to pause and look down the lanes (two motor bikes wide) running off the street. We stopped to examine a couple of buildings. We could never do that on a normal day without being jostled or bumped by a pedestrian or motor bike. It was nice to be outside and able to walk in a straight line (not dodging a parked motorbike, a sidewalk fruit stand, a minor construction site, a muddy pothole, etc.) The streets and sidewalks in this bustling, crowded city were, for at least one day, very peaceful.
I was reminded in my reading today of God's concern for what comes from inside of us. The verse is found in the midst of the detailed description of how the Tabernacle was to be constructed. It is almost startling to read how specific all of the instructions are, not only regarding this center of worship but also regarding the priests clothing, etc. As you probably know, many Christian books, lectures and sermons have been devoted to exploring the spiritual significance of these directions and guidelines given by God.
However my attention was captured by the first words I read this morning.

“Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give." Exodus 25:2

The phrase "everyone whose heart prompts them to give" seems so "unlegalistic". It is so "relational". It is so New Testament. It is so similar to "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion". II Corinthians 9:7

God gave the law (many laws) to help the nation of Israel understand Him and his expectations. But God never wanted simply outward obedience. This was true long before the OT prophets, long before the Incarnation. From the very first with Adam and Eve, God has wanted his human creations to live and love with Him. He wants our hearts to respond to Him.
The example from Exodus 25 and II Corinthians 9, is heart response demonstrated in giving. But of course what God wants from each of us is a heart response that affects every hour and every aspect of our living. Most important to Him is that we respond to his love for us by loving Him with all of our being. This wonderful truth flows throughout the pages of our Bibles and should flow into every corner of our lives.

EAGLES WINGS

I have often quoted Deuteronomy 33:27 to people walking through pain or sorrow. The inspired words provide a wonderful picture of God's protective care. "The eternal God is our refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." These words for me always generate the picture of a loving parent cradling an infant in firm, protective arms. We can rest, God is saying, in his powerful, loving protection.
The Bible uses a variety of pictures to help us grasp God's care for us. Exodus 19:4 provides another protective, but more energized picture in my mind. God through Moses speaks to the nation of Israel, saying "You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself." Combine that with similar words from Isaiah: "like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions (the outer part of a bird's wings)."Isaiah 32:11
Carried in a parent's arms the infant knows no fear, faces no challenge (in my mind). Carried on eagle's wings is rather more breathtaking, like for example, being taken out of Egypt, pursued by a large well trained army and being miraculously rescued; Breathtaking for those frightened eaglets nudged out of the nest, frantically beating their wings, hearts pumping madly and then caught and kept from falling by their proud, protective, soaring parent.
Everlasting arms - warm and peaceful; eagles' wings - moving us to new places, new growth through significant challenge. Which picture works for you today may depend on what is right now happening in your life. And so it is that the Bible gives us a wealth of pictures and examples to drive home the point we too often forget - or question: Our Father God cares for, protects and watches over His children. Today, I'll take the picture of eagles' wings - but tomorrow ----?