“‘These are the birds you are to regard as unclean and not eat because they are unclean: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, any kind of black kite, any kind of raven, the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe and the bat. – Leviticus 11: 14-19

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 30, 2018): Leviticus 11

Author Anthony Hincks offers this bit of proverbial wisdom; “Eat from a carcass that has been left out, and thou shall feast on maggots, and worms.” I am not sure how hungry I would have to be to enjoy some roadkill stew, but I can’t imagine partaking of the food in anything less than the last-gasp situation to stay alive. The reality is that animal flesh begins to decay immediately upon death. Our meat is slaughtered and then treated and cared for from the time of death until the meat is sold and we prepare it to eat. Any break in that chain presents us with serious health risks.

Leviticus, at times, tends to present the reader with lists. And part of the problem with lists is that it is hard to extrapolate from a list to some sort of general rule. With lists, we sometimes do not understand the underlying reasons for the prohibition, or the command. We don’t know why something is wrong, but just that it is. And for some, that knowledge is enough.  But the reality is that we struggle in our attempts to understand whether the immorality of the action is something that is limited to geography and time or something that continues to be a danger to our contemporary lives.

So in Leviticus, we have general rules that can be followed for both animals and fish, but when it comes to birds, we are just presented with a list. And the list leaves the reader with the task of deciding whether birds prohibited for consumption is just the twenty included in the list, other Rabbis have increased the list of prohibited birds to thirty, or whether there is a more general rule that might be applied. In an attempt to find a more general rule, it has been noted the birds listed are indiscriminate eaters and that many of them are partakers of their form of roadkill stew, or at the very least, they are predators and eaters of meat.

In our modern world, maybe we are beginning to realize that while we humans are omnivores, meaning that we often eat both plants and animals, if we are going to eat meat, the best sources of meat for our consumption are herbivores, or animals that eat only plants. While, from a producer’s standpoint, mixing animal proteins in with the grain that feeds the animals we eat can help with growth and fattening up of our meals, what is best for our health is a food source that consists of plants and animals who eat plants

If it is the presence of animal flesh in the diets of these birds is the common factor, then it is possible that grain fed poultry is not just a modern preference, but that it is a biblical priority. And how we feed the animals we intend to consume may be seen as a moral issue. But then again, this whole argument is developed from a list, and that must also be taken into account.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 12

Aaron replied to Moses, “Today they sacrificed their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD, but such things as this have happened to me. Would the LORD have been pleased if I had eaten the sin offering today?” – Leviticus 10:19

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 29, 2018): Leviticus 10

“Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad.” The words belong to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and speaks to our private sorrows. With depression rampant in our society, often we miss the signs of sadness and depression because we are suffering ourselves. It never ceases to amaze me how often, because of our private pain, we refuse to acknowledge the pain of others. I know that I am guilty. Our pain is so real and so vivid that often we cannot acknowledge that others are suffering too. It is not that we have emotionally gone cold, but just that we are suffering under the emotional heat of intense sadness. And yet, our stories have to continue.

The story of Nadab and Abihu count among maybe one of the saddest encounters in the scripture. The sons of Arron offered unauthorized fire before God; to this day we really don’t totally understand what that might mean. But they put incense in a censer and offered it to God or used it in a profane or secular manner. It seems obvious from the discussion that follows that there was confusion here between what was holy and what was common. And in the presence of God, the two men offered something common rather than sacred. Also from the discussion that followed, it would seem that the boys may have been drinking, and therefore their judgment was clouded. But we really don’t know. All we know for sure was that they offered an unauthorized offering to God and that they died for their sin.

And that Aaron, their father and the High Priest of the nation, was not allowed to mourn their deaths. God had forbidden any outward sign of mourning and sadness. Maybe such behavior in the sight of the people would have indicated that Aaron believed the actions of God to be wrong. And maybe Aaron did. I am not sure that God ever asks us to agree with his actions, only that we follow him. There have been moments in my life when I have inwardly questioned God. And so, Aaron’s sons died, and Aaron was commanded not to do any of the normal things that a grieving parent would do. He was to present himself as the High Priest of the people and do his duty as he did on any other day.  And sometimes, we have all been in exactly that situation. Our pain and our sadness are all too real, and yet life has to continue, and we stuff our sadness down into a place where no one can see it.

But then the time for the sin offering arrived. And the sacrifice was made, and part of the sacrifice was intended to be consumed by the Priests. But at this moment, Aaron did not partake of the meal. Moses is upset with his brother and comes to question why. Aaron responds that while he would outwardly serve in the Temple on this day, inwardly he was consumed by his sorrow. And so, while he refrained from doing the outward actions of grief, he would partake of the inward actions. Today, he would fast as he mourned the death of his sons. And Aaron was confident that God would affirm him in this time of mourning. In his fasting, Aaron was confiding his secret sorrow into the hands of his God. And Aaron was confident that God would understand his deep sorrow.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 11

They took the things Moses commanded to the front of the tent of meeting, and the entire assembly came near and stood before the LORD. – Leviticus 9:5

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 28, 2018): Leviticus 9

Mystery writer Agatha Christie commented that “One doesn't recognize the really important moments in one's life until it's too late.” Sometimes she is right. I think back to the special moments that I have spent with my children and recognize the truth of the statement. We let the moments pass without realizing how important those moments might have been. But, sometimes, the moments are all too clear.

Early in the Television series “The Crown” the writers of the drama tried to capture one of those important moments. The young Princess Elizabeth was visiting Kenya in place of her father who was at home recovering from surgery. She is having a good time, although she seems to recognize how out of step she and her husband, Philip, are with Kenyan culture. It is a moment for which she seems unprepared. And then her dad dies. In the Television drama, it seems that everyone knows what has happened, except Elizabeth. But finally, the news catches up with her as well. She came to Kenya as a Princess, but she leaves the African nation as a Queen. And as the car pulls out of the remote Kenyan village, the people, both great and small, come to the side of the road just to watch the car of the Queen of the United Kingdom pass. It was a moment. And somehow even in this remote African place, they seemed to recognize the moment.

Did it really happen that way? I have no idea. It would be great to sit down with the Queen and her Prince and ask that question. Maybe she would not even remember; all that would be contained in her memory was the awful grief of that day. But now, we recognize the moment.

The priests were about to begin their ministry. They were going to take the sin offering prescribed in the newly formed law and make the sacrifice at the entrance to the newly constructed Tabernacle. They were about to cross over a threshold into a different future, one constructed around the law. And as they prepared to make the sacrifice, the people gathered to be witnesses of the moment that was about to happen.

In my mind, I can see the crowd as they gathered. I am not sure that many would actually get to see the moment that was about to take place. After all, I have attended parades, and even at over six feet tall you have to be part of the first few rows to see what is going on. But they gathered recognizing the moment; the beginning of a ministry that God had designed for them, reminding the people that God had been with them and would continue to be present as the nation moved into an uncertain future.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 10

Moses then said to Aaron and his sons, “Cook the meat at the entrance to the tent of meeting and eat it there with the bread from the basket of ordination offerings, as I was commanded: ‘Aaron and his sons are to eat it.’ – Leviticus 8:31

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 27, 2018): Leviticus 8

There is a biological principle that we sometimes seem to forget. In biology, there are essentially two processes: we are either growing or dying. While we spend a lot of energy trying to “stay the same” or “maintain status quo,” that is not within the range of possibilities. Biology dictates that we either grow or die.

And I think biology works as a good illustration of our spiritual lives. Spiritually, we are either growing or dying. And the reality is that we often decide which process it is with which we are engaged. I wish spirituality was like breathing; it just seemed to happen. But even breathing isn’t necessarily automatic. There are many other things with which we need to be involved (eating, exercising, getting proper rest) in order keep the breath going in and out.

Aaron and his sons, who form the first generation of what we understand to be the Aaronic priesthood, were consecrated for their positions through a ritual sacrifice and ritual washing making them clean. But then the next stage of the consecration was that they would move to the entrance of Tabernacle, where the people could see them, and eat. And in many ways, this ritual meal was an illustration for the people about their spiritual lives.

First, eating has to do with maintaining life. The wages of sin might be death, and an animal had died within the consecration process, but we are meant to live. The Vulcan salute of “Live Long and Prosper” is exactly what God wants for us. And that means that we must eat.

Eating is personal. When I am too busy, friends often offer to do something for me. And maybe there are things that they can do, but eating is not one of them. I have to eat. You eating does not maintain my life. Spiritually, we have to eat. We have to do it. We have to read that book, consider that blog. We have to get into the process of reading from the scripture, even if we do not always understand what we are reading. When we consume of the Bible and spiritual reading, we grow instead of die.

Eating is internal. The food is of no use to us if it is just smeared over the outside of our bodies. If it is not consumed, it does us no good. In the same way, we need to internalize the words and the directives of God. Unless they become ours, they will never do us any good.

Eating is active. It is an action, just as our faith can never be allowed to be simply a passive part of who we are. Our faith needs to be part of the action.

Eating arises out of a sense of need. I get it, we eat for many different reasons. I have a friend who is an emotional eater. His eating patterns change around his emotional circumstances. I am not. I am a stomach eater. I eat because I am hungry. If we are in serious about our relationship with Christ, there will arise from within us a spiritual hunger that we must feed. To not feed it, will mean that we have started the process of dying.

God wants us to live and to make a difference, and at least part of that means is that we have to possess a healthy appetite for the things of God. It is time to eat.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 9

The same law applies to both the sin offering and the guilt offering: They belong to the priest who makes atonement with them. – Leviticus 7:7

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 26, 2018): Leviticus 7

“Who are you to judge the life I live? I know I'm not perfect - and I don't live to be - but before you start pointing fingers ... make sure your hands are clean!” There are days when I understand these words from Bob Marley from an emotional point of view. And today is one of those days. An email this morning started off my day on a negative note. Someone was making it clear that I have failed. And I have. I have made choices, and I have to live with some of the choices that I have made. Did I fail this person? Maybe. I did not live up to their expectations of what I should do. But at the same time, I am not sure that I could have lived up to their expectations, and still gotten the things done that needed to accomplish in my professional life. Marley’s words “I know I’m not perfect – and I don’t live to be” seems to speak from where I find myself at this moment. It is not that I try to sin, but I do fail on multiple levels. And sometimes I experience guilt for reasons that are false.

The reality is that the Mosaic Law sets out a standard to which we will never be able to live up. The Mosaic Law represents perfection, and all of us know that we are not perfect. There will always be a gap both between the law and our behavior, as well as between other people’s expectations and our behavior. The last part of Marley’s comment is equally meaningful, and something that I hope my accuser understands. None of us make our accusations from a point of perfection. When we point at others, we all do it with hands that are not clean.

So the Law of Moses, as well as the laws of other ancient belief systems, offers a system of release from the reality that we are imperfect people. And that mechanism of release is through sacrifice. If you have sinned or even if you are just feeling the guilt of possible sin, or guilt that is placed on you because you have not measured up to someone’s expectations, the guilt could be released by bringing a sacrifice to the Tabernacle, and later, into the Temple. Your sacrifice is given to the priest, who stands in the gap between you and God and makes atonement for your sin, releasing you from your guilt. You no longer have to suffer because of your imperfection because your sacrifice has been given to the one who “stands in the gap.”

As Christians, Jesus takes the place of both our sacrifice and our priest. Guilt, then, becomes a useless emotion because our confession results in our forgiveness; the sacrifice has already been offered. But maybe the shortcoming of our belief system is that, especially within the Protestant Church, while our sins are forgiven, we seldom get to hear the words.

So let me speak them over you right now.

Hear these words from Jesus, I mean, really hear them:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

So go forward into today in the power of your God, the Lord Almighty,

who forgives you and loves you. Amen.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 8

Every grain offering of a priest shall be burned completely; it must not be eaten.” – Leviticus 6:23

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 25, 2018): Leviticus 6

“Boxing was not something I truly enjoyed. Like a lot of things in life, when you put the gloves on, it's better to give than to receive.” The words belong to “Sugar” Ray Leonard. It is interesting that one of the best boxers, pound for pound, of all time never really enjoyed the sport for which he is remembered. But most of us who have at least watched a fight would agree with Leonard’s quote of the apostle Paul. It is much better to give than to receive.

As we move through the various sacrifices that were commanded of Israel, we find that there were various reasons and ways of bringing an offering into the Tabernacle, and later the Temple. Some sacrifices were offerings for sin and would be completely burned. Others were fellowship offerings or grain offerings, and of these, a portion of these was to be burned, while another part was to be either shared with the priest or given to the priest and his family to eat. And in this process, it is easy to see the people giving, and the priests receiving the offering of the people. Sometimes, the sin offering was offered to God for all of the people, which presumably would include the priests who offered the sacrifice to God. But what about other sacrifices.

A grain offering was essentially an offering of thanksgiving. It was not an offering to cover sin because there was no blood being offered. The people brought their offerings, expressing their thankfulness to the priests. And the priest, in turn, burned a portion of the offering, and then accepted the rest and consumed it, without yeast, right in the temple.

But this changed when it was a priest bringing his offering of thanksgiving. If the offering was brought by a priest, then it was burned in totality, and none of it was to be given to the priests in the temple.

Admittedly, I struggle a bit with a parallel for the present day church. As a pastor, I bring my offering into the church the same as any other worshipper. Everything goes into the same pot, and out of that pot, we pay for the expenses and ministries of the church. But my offering is used in the same manner as anyone else’s offering. And maybe that isn’t quite right. Maybe my offering should be separated and used specifically for ministries outside of the church walls. Maybe my gifts of thanksgiving should be treated differently. I am not quite sure logistically how that might work, but it might be food for thought for those of us who spend our time within the walls of the contemporary church. After all, our offerings are a chance for us to give, and not just receive.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 7

They must make restitution for what they have failed to do in regard to the holy things, pay an additional penalty of a fifth of its value and give it all to the priest. The priest will make atonement for them with the ram as a guilt offering, and they will be forgiven. – Leviticus 5:16

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 24, 2018): Leviticus 5

I had a discussion this past summer with a person I had met on the beach about e-books, or more specifically, e-book pricing. At the time I was reading from a Kobo, and he was reading from a Kindle. And as we were discussing our e-books, he mentioned that the reason why he had chosen Kindle was that he had found that, on average, the price of books through Amazon, the maker of the Kindle, were lower than they were through Barnes and Noble or Indigo or other booksellers. My leaning towards the Kobo was because it is based on an industry standard reading platform and accepts books from a wide variety of available booksellers, while Kindle only accepts books available from Amazon.

But my friend was right. I have found that books bought through Amazon are, in fact, cheaper than those available through Barnes and Noble, Kobo, or other booksellers. But I know I can also get them even cheaper through the Kobo price guarantee. The idea is that if I find a book cheaper than Kobo is willing to sell it to me for, and to find that lower price I usually look to Amazon, then they will refund the difference, plus a penalty for being more expensive. I get that Kobo hopes that most people who buy from them won’t bother to check, but I do and submit the email that results in a refund (which only takes me a couple of moments to complete.) As a result, I get the book I want, on the reading platform that I want, and for a price lower than Amazon.

The price guarantee in itself is also standard. Most companies that offer it are willing to refund the difference, plus pay a premium for having a higher price. Again, the companies are not necessarily all that sure that they have the lowest price. They are hoping that the guarantee will comfort the buyer that they are getting the best price and that they will make the purchase, and never really check for a better price. In a “brick and mortar” selling world it is probably a smart gamble, but in the online world, the comparison is too easy – especially if you happen to know where to look.

It is this principle that also finds its way into the Mosaic Law. There is no doubt that God knows of our transgressions even when we don’t. But again, even when it comes to our spiritual lives, ignorance is no excuse for our violation. And so Israel is instructed to come with their sacrifices as soon as they recognize their sin. But beyond that, they were expected to pay a premium to the priests to make restitution for their error.

As Christians, we understand that Jesus is our sacrifice for our sin. But we sometimes forget that the idea of restitution still belongs to us. It is not enough to be forgiven if we are not willing to go beyond and pay restitution to those we have hurt. Even though the sacrifice has already been made on our behalf, the idea of consequences for our action is still valid. And those consequences still have to be paid.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 6

When a leader sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the commands of the LORD his God, when he realizes his guilt and the sin he has committed becomes known, he must bring as his offering a male goat without defect. – Leviticus 4:22-23

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 23, 2018): Leviticus 4

As I sat in court with a friend waiting for his case to come before the judge, I watched a cringe-worthy performance as a senior man tried to fight his speeding ticket. He had some excuses for why he was speeding. The first was that he didn’t realize what the speed limit was, essentially arguing that his sin was unintentional. The excuse was immediately shot down by the judge, ignorance of the law is not an excuse for breaking it. Attempt number two was that the radar equipment was not properly maintained and therefore his recorded speed was incorrect. The officer who had issued the ticket was in the courtroom and had the reports with him that stated that the radar gun had been calibrated the morning of the incident. Once again, the defense motion was dismissed.

But the senior man was not quite done. His third attempt to get the ticket dismissed was to admit that he knew he was speeding, but that he had diabetes and had left home without his medication, and he was speeding home to get it because he was beginning to feel sick and was about to pass out. I think I visibly sank in my chair with this last admission. There were a couple of things wrong with this third attempt. First, he had already denied speeding. With this third admission, he was telling the court that his first two attempts to get out of the ticket were lies. His credibility was shot, although it was evident that he didn’t understand that. The second problem with this third defense was that he was admitting before a judge that he was driving in an impaired condition. No, he had not been drinking. But driving a car when you are about to pass out because of illness is no less illegal. I wanted to stand up and walk up to the man and tell him to cut his losses and go and pay the ticket because this could get quickly out of hand.

In defense of the judge, I think he ignored the man’s last statement. He declared that the ticket was valid, and instructed the man to go and pay it. I think it could have ended much worse and I don’t think that the man had any understanding of how badly his moment before the judge had gone.

When we sin, the reaction we see is often, deny, deny, deny. Maybe it is just the most natural reaction. It is so much easier to say that “I didn’t do that” than to admit that we are flawed. And this is even more true when our sin is unintentional. Our reaction is often that if I didn’t know it was wrong, then I can’t be held responsible. The reality, as is repeated on some crime shows I have watched over the years, is that ignorance of the law is not an excuse for breaking the law.

But this is magnified when a leader sins. No matter who we are, we need to admit our failings. And that includes when our sin is unintentional. When the time arrives that we realize that we have sinned, we need to step forward and pay for the sin, and not simply try to have it excused. The procedure listed in Leviticus is similar to the procedure for the unintentional sin of a nation or a priest, but it was important enough to have a distinct entry within the Law of Moses. As leaders, we need to set the example and own up to our sins and mistakes, both the intentional and the unintentional.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 5

You are to lay your hand on the head of your offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall splash the blood against the sides of the altar. – Leviticus 3:2

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 22, 2018): Leviticus 3

I began to watch “Jurassic World I” with my grandsons a few weeks ago. We didn’t get too far into the movie before we switched over to Marvel movie featuring some of their favorite superheroes – roll Spiderman, Iron Man, and Captain America. But later I decided to re-watch “Jurassic World.” I have always enjoyed the Jurassic movies, even the worst of them, and I hadn’t watched “Jurassic World I” in a couple of years. So I sat down to watch the movie.

There is a scene in the movie where Owen, played by Chris Pratt, places his hands on the side of one of the Raptors, with which he had already been working, in an attempt to calm the dinosaur. And because of the previous relationship between the trainer and the Raptor, the act seems to work, and the animal is calmed.

So as I read these words in Leviticus, my mind slipped back to the scene in “Jurassic World” and the calming of the Raptors. And as I imagined this ancient practice, I wonder if this isn’t part of the reasoning behind the procedure. Most of us don’t offer sacrifices anymore. In fact, most of us have no connection with the animals that make up the food that we eat. But, repeatedly, the Bible seems to provide us with a picture of a relationship between the one offering the sacrifice and the animal that was being sacrificed. It is not just that the sacrifice is something with which you have an economic stake, but we are to have a relational stake in the sacrifice as well. This animal is one that you remember attending the birth and helped to nurse through the early days of its life. It is an animal that you invested time and emotional energy into through the past months. And now, as the animal’s life is brought to an end as a “stand in” for your sin or your broken relationships, you are still there, calming the animal that knows you as you place your hands on the creature’s head, and the priests prepare to take its life.

We get that our sacrifices cost, but sometimes we miss the emotional connection. I used to be part of a church that twice a year took up an “Alabaster Offering” which went to the construction of churches, schools, and hospitals in areas of the world where these buildings are in need. The offering came to be “collecting change that you acquire in a box for missions.” But that was never the intention of the offering. Building on Mary’s sacrifice of her expensive bottle of Alabaster perfume by pouring it out on the feet of Jesus, the offering was intended to be a sacrifice of something that we wanted and giving the equivalent currency to charity. I really want the latest gaming console, but I am not going to buy it. Instead, I will give the money for the building of a school in a poor area of the world that can’t afford to build it on their own. I will make do with the old gaming console that I already own. It is an emotional sacrifice of something I want so that I can give to where the money is needed.

And that just might what is missing in our giving to charity. Often we give what we really don’t need, rather than sacrificing something that we want, or something that we have a relationship with, to atone for our sins – and for our broken relationships with the world that surrounds us.        

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 4

… and take it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the flour and oil, together with all the incense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. - Leviticus 2:2

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 21, 2018): Leviticus 2

German theologian Eckhart von Hochheim (c. 1260 – c. 1328 C.E.), maybe better known as Meister Eckhart, commented that “if the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” While I think maybe Eckhart might be practicing a little hyperbole with the statement, I do agree that we underestimate the importance of saying thanks.

I was in a local mall recently when I ran across a young boy attempting to get on an escalator. He just couldn’t get himself to make that first step. Mom, accompanying an even younger sibling, was already half-way up the escalator, calling back encouragement to what I think must be her eldest child. But the boy couldn’t make that first step.

Unsure how I was going to be received by the child, most children seem to see me as big and intimidating, I walked up behind the boy and said “We can to do it, One, two three, step.” The boy grabbed my hand and stepped with me onto the escalator. He did not let go of my hand as we road up the movable stairway and we celebrated his accomplishment. As we neared the top, I said, to him “Are you ready to step off?” and he smiled and said “Yep.” I repeated the one, two three, step one more time and we stepped off of the escalator together. “I said we did it!” The boy echoed the sentiment back to me “We did it! We did it!” and then left to join mom who was already heading off to do her shopping. What was absent in the whole experience was any kind of recognition from mom about what had just happened. No thank you, maybe a hint of smile as her child raced over to her, but that was it.

I know, I didn’t change the world by helping one little boy ride an escalator, but the thought that crossed my mind was that in offering a simple “thank you” even over the most modest things in life is to acknowledge that we are all on this journey together. Even strangers, at times, stand in need of each other. Saying thank you acknowledges that connection.

There were so many sacrifices in early Israel that we can be forgiven for getting confused. But each sacrifice had a purpose. For the redemption of sin, a blood sacrifice was necessary. An animal would be brought into the tabernacle and killed, the blood made atonement for the sin. In practice, it was confirmation of the words of Paul in Romans 6; “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Something always dies because of our actions and inability to do what was right in the eyes of God. 

A grain offering does not provide blood. Therefore, it cannot be used as a sacrifice for sin. What a grain offering does is say thank you. It is an offering to God that recognizes his connection with all of life. The grain offering says thanks for the seed, for the rain and the sun that makes the seed grow, and for the health and the strength to work the land and bring a harvest. A grain offering offered thanks for that harvest that provides food for now and seed for the next year.

The grain harvest is nothing more than a prayer of thankfulness. But the world works a lot better with a little thanksgiving to share around.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 3

The LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting. He said … Leviticus 1:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 20, 2018): Leviticus 1

I recently bought an omnibus, a collection of novels written by the same author and continuing a single story, and sat down to read the collection of novels. What was supposed to be a collection of three separate novels contained within the same cover, turned into something much more. Each of the novels was subdivided into parts. Each part had different cover pages and chapter lists. And in each section of the novels, there were more than ten in the omnibus; there was a chapter list that began with chapter one. None of this is highly unusual, I have read other works that were constructed similarly. But what made this omnibus different was that none of the parts, or novels, had an ending. The conclusion of a part, or even a novel, sometimes seemed to happen mid-conversation. As each part or novel drew to a close, I became more and more apprehensive about what I was going to run into at the end of the novel. Would the novel end in any way, or was I going to be left in the middle of a conversation like a television cliffhanger?

Now, I get that not all novels conclude in the same manner. Not all writers feel the need to tie everything up in a nice bow for the reader. But I still feel that there should be some note of completion, and this work seemed to have none. (When I came to the end of the omnibus, I did find a conclusion. But the ending produced the impression that this was just a long novel and not an omnibus.)

At the beginning of the Tanakh, or the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament, we have an omnibus of sorts. We call them the “Books of Moses” of which there are five: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The first four tell a story of the beginnings of the human race. The last, Deuteronomy, is a collection of Moses’s final sermons preached at the end of the wilderness wanderings. But in Genesis, we start with Adam and Eve and continue through to the story of Joseph in Egypt. Genesis contains the tale of the Patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It concludes with the death of Jacob and the reunion and healing of the relationship between Joseph and his brothers. And here there is an end.

About four hundred years pass between the ending of Genesis and the beginning of Exodus. Exodus tells the story of the descendants of Jacob leaving Egypt. It tells the beginning of the story of God giving the Law to Moses. It concludes with the construction of the Tabernacle. These words form the conclusion of the book of Exodus.

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels (Exodus 40:34, 36-38).

And once again, we have a conclusion to this part of the story. With the completion of the Tabernacle, we feel there is a completion to the tale. God has brought them out of Egypt safely into the desert. There is another story, but the story of the Exodus has concluded.

And while four hundred years passed between the end of Genesis and the beginning of Exodus, no time passes between the end of Exodus and the beginning of Leviticus. But now we have simply entered into a new era for Israel; it is the era of the Tabernacle.

So as Leviticus opens, God begins to speak from within the tent that the craftsmen of Israel have built. And a new story begins.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 2

So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels. – Exodus 40:38

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 19, 2018): Exodus 40

In the seventies, the drama/comedy M*A*S*H dominated our television screens. The show spoke openly about issues that we didn’t often want to talk about in our society. Racism, the role of women, war and peace, and the destruction and death that war often brought with it were continually examined by the doctors and nurses of the 4077 M*A*S*H. And every once in a while, the team had to bug out because the enemy was getting too close to the hospital, reminding the viewer that the M in M*A*S*H stood for mobile. The idea was revolutionary. By making the hospital mobile, they could bring the hospital closer to the front where the soldiers were being hurt. Travel time was shortened, and it was easier to get the soldiers from the battlefield to the place where they could get the help that they needed. But sometimes that meant that when the flow of the battle changed, the doctors and nurses of these mobile hospitals found themselves in more danger than their counterparts back in the city hospitals.

We have an important parallel here between the Tabernacle and these M*A*S*H units. The Tabernacle was designed to be mobile. It would go wherever the people would go. Unlike the Temple that would replace it, the Tabernacle would move with the people, and it would often be in places of danger. The mobility of the Tabernacle made this place of worship different from other Temples of its day. It was still ornate and beautiful as other Temples were and it was still a place of worship, but this worship site moved to wherever the people needed it to be.

It has been noted that most of the important battles won by Israel occurred during the time of the Tabernacle. David dreamed of the Temple, and Solomon built it, and the majesty of Israel decreased during the Temple era until both the Temple and the nation was gone.

In his defense in front of the Sanhedrin, Stephen mourned the loss of the days of the Tabernacle. And the fact that the Tabernacle was mobile seemed very important to him.

“Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the covenant law with them in the wilderness. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen. After receiving the tabernacle, our ancestors under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them. It remained in the land until the time of David, who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. But it was Solomon who built a house for him.

“However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands (Acts 7:44-48).

That last phrase is important. I think that Stephen believed that the Mobile Tabernacle was a better representation of God than the Temple could be because the Temple was stuck in one place. God cannot be contained. He is mobile, and Lord over all of the earth.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 1

They made the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. – Exodus 39:2

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 18, 2018): Exodus 39

I don’t like uniforms. I have worked with people who came to work every day wearing a suit and tie that often identified them and their position. That was their uniform. I am much more likely to show up at work wearing a sweatshirt and track pants, especially if I am not expecting to meet with anyone. If I have a board meeting or a denominational meeting, then sometimes, a real emphasis on sometimes, I grab a shirt and tie out of my closet in the morning. But if left to my preferences, a sweatshirt and pair of track pants work fine for me.

Having said that, while I am moving away from any kind of uniform or standard of dress, our culture is beginning to shift towards it, especially for non-profits. The problem is one of identification. When I am walking down the street, I tend to blend in with the rest of humanity. I am very comfortable being one of the masses. So when I stop and talk to that elderly lady out cutting her grass, or joke with a senior out on his walk, or high five with that teenager excited about passing an exam, I am not wearing a clerical collar, and there is nothing that identifies me outwardly as a pastor. And for insurance purposes, that is a problem. The easiest solution is wearing name tags, which I am also not that fond of, but it is becoming a necessary evil. In practice, this is becoming essential for those people on the front lines meeting the visitor as they enter the building.

The Ephod was a kind of uniform. It eventually came to identify a priest who was actively ministering before God. It was also used for inquiring of God about future events. But the ephod was not a form of complete clothing. It was usually worn with something else under it. In this, it was almost more of a name tag. It, worn over other clothes, identified someone working on behalf of God.

And so, when David danced wearing an ephod as the Ark of the Covenant was brought into Jerusalem, and his wife complained that he was dancing “half-naked” (2 Samuel 6:20). Often I have heard this incident described as “David dancing in his underwear,” but that isn’t quite right.  It seems likely that David was dancing with just the ephod on, this partial outer garment, not caring about who was watching. In the mind of David, the others really didn’t matter. His attention was focused solely on his God.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Exodus 40

The total amount of the gold from the wave offering used for all the work on the sanctuary was 29 talents and 730 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel. – Exodus 38:24

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 17, 2018): Exodus 38

J. M. Barrie in “Peter Pan” writes that “Dreams do come true, if only we wish hard enough. You can have anything in life if you will sacrifice everything else for it.” In this case, the sacrifice is more important than the wish. Unfortunately, most of us live in a culture that does not value sacrifice. We want what it is that we want, and we want it now. We will pay the bill later. And we do. The reason why most of us are low on cash and live with credit cards that are maxed out is because we have never valued sacrifice. Everyone has the potential to be a millionaire and to retire as a multi-millionaire, even if we have never had six-figure incomes. But that eventuality is dependent on whether or not we are willing to sacrifice.

Others have sacrificed wealth to participate in a career that pays us in other ways. But no matter our choice, often what we are willing to sacrifice has a lot to do with where we end up.

Our faith requires sacrifices from us as well. Sometimes that sacrifice comes in the form of attitudes and behaviors. As followers of Christ, we believe in loving others even when we do not feel like loving them. We believe in racial equality, no matter what the opposition might say. I believe that the Bible speaks very plainly about gender equality, even though there exist people within the church that might disagree with me. These are some of the very real sacrifices that we make for God. And our actions hopefully portray our sacrifices.

And we make monetary sacrifices as well. We give the church offerings so that they can carry out the work of Christ in our communities. I am encouraged when the church uses its financial resources to reach out beyond the walls of the building to make a difference in the community. But sometimes, I admit that I struggle with churches who spend enormous sums of money on ornate decorations and additions for their buildings, while the needs of the community are ignored. For me, the building is only a tool to be used to accomplish the directives of Christ in our communities. The church building needs to be kept in good condition, and that in turn becomes part of our testimony. But, how ornate we make our churches sometimes remains a painful question.

So I struggle with passages like this one. Setting a value on something like the gold that was used in the building of the tabernacle is a hard thing to do; we have no idea of the value of gold in the antiquity. But the metal was precious. And part of the reason why it was donated was that the people wanted to give their best to God. And gold was “the best.”

According to our modern standards, the amount of gold used on the Tabernacle was about 2,030 pounds or about 920 kilograms. With the price of gold as I write this, that amounts to almost 40 million dollars (USD). The people sacrificed so that they could build a tent for their God that was just as majestic and the Temples their neighbors were building for their gods. And while people like me might have questioned the expense, it was the best that the people could provide, and they wanted to sacrifice to give of their best for their God.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Exodus 39

Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. – Exodus 37:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 16, 2018): Exodus 37

The Ark of the Covenant continues to capture our imaginations. The Ark was essentially a box that was forty-five inches long and twenty-seven inches wide and high. In recent culture, and to some extent early understanding, the box possessed magical powers, although in reality probably nothing like that given to it by Steven Spielberg in “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” It was essential to the Temple worship because it was believed to be the seat of God here on the earth.

I have discussed in this blog some of the theories that exist around whether the Ark still exists, hidden away in some corner of our world. Traditions exist that argue that the ark was stolen by the Babylonians at the time of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Or the Ark was hidden in the caves below the Temple on Temple Mount by Jeremiah just before the destruction of Jerusalem. Or maybe it was spirited away by Solomon to what is now Ethiopia and given as an inheritance to Menelik I, the supposed child of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, and replaced in Jerusalem by a clever forgery.

What we sometimes miss is that there is also a biblical passage, sort of, that describes exactly what happened to the Ark. The biblical passage is found in the deuterocanonical book of “2 Maccabees.” According to Maccabees, a report existed at the time of the Maccabean revolt that described Jeremiah’s instructions to those who were leaving Jerusalem just before the fall of the city.

'The same document also describes how the prophet, warned by an oracle, gave orders for the tent and the ark to go with him, when he set out for the mountain which Moses had climbed to survey God's heritage. On his arrival, Jeremiah found a cave-dwelling, into which he put the tent, the ark and the altar of incense, afterwards blocking up the entrance. Some of his companions went back later to mark out the path but were unable to find it. When Jeremiah learned this, he reproached them, "The place is to remain unknown," he said, "until God gathers his people together again and shows them his mercy.”

                                                2 Maccabees 2:4-7

Deciphering the passage, according to the author of Maccabees, the Ark of the Covenant was taken by the Prophet, Jeremiah, along with the tent, which we believe is the original Tabernacle. But Jeremiah did not hide them on Temple Mount. Instead, spirited everything away from the city and hid it on the mountain that Moses died on, which would be Mount Nebo in present-day Jordan.

According to Maccabees, there is also a warning and promise to treasure hunters about this sacred box of Israel. The Ark is hidden, and it will never be found until the time when “God gathers his people together again.” And we can interpret these words to mean that the Ark will not reappear until the Temple is once again built on Temple Mount although, in the context of Maccabees, the original author probably meant that the Ark would be revealed when Israel became independent and Zerubbabel’s Temple was once again consecrated.

But the Ark was not found during the Maccabean independence, and we are still waiting for the appearance of the sacred box of Israel. Waiting for the day when God gathers his people and re-establishes his Temple in Jerusalem.        

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Exodus 38

So all the skilled workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done.” – Exodus 36:4-5

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 15, 2018): Exodus 36

Most people who run departments that receive money from some general budget to operate know that the one guiding principle is that you need to spend all that you receive. The reasoning behind the spending is that if you don’t spend it, you might not get the next year when the budget comes out, and next year you might need what you didn’t need in the current year. And so departments can sometimes be accused of spending money extravagantly, all because they want to make sure that they receive the money that they need in the next round of the budgeting process.

But the spending also means that sometimes needs go unaddressed because money is misallocated. Taxes continue to rise not because more money is needed, but because the money is not spent where it is needed. And under these conditions, there never seems to be enough.

“Not enough” is the truth of every ministry of which I have been apart. There is never enough money to do the things that we feel need to be done. There is never enough to care for each homeless person, or for every program that reaches out to disadvantaged youth – or even the myriad of children and youth programs to take care of the needs of our own youth.

Two amazing things seem to be taking place in this passage. The first is that there is more than enough donations to run the ministry. The reality is that, when God moves, and his people are obedient, we never have to worry about possessing enough in his church. The problem is that, for various reasons, we are often not obedient in our giving. And sometimes our disobedience is a direct result of the spending at the very top of the ministry chain. We have all seen the abuses of some pastors. The extravagant housing and the demand for private planes, or some other toy that is required for the ministry. Disobedience in the way that funds are spent often results in disobedience from the ones who donate the funds. But when we are obedient and good stewards of the money donated, and those within the ministry are obedient with their donations, the result is that there is enough to move the ministry forward, and to care for the “least of these” within our care. With most things, religious and secular, when the system is not abused in some way, the result is usually “enough.”

And that brings us to the second amazing thing in this passage. There was no abuse. Those responsible for the Tabernacle refused to hoard resources. They didn’t worry about unforeseen expenses, or whether they would get enough of what they needed in the future. They didn’t take from the funds to advance their own financial position within the community. They simply said “thanks for all that you have given. We have enough. And we will tell you when that changes.”

The idea of “enough” is the dream. And I am convinced that it is possible, but first, we all have to be obedient – both with the giving and with the spending.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Exodus 37

He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers. – Exodus 35:35

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 14, 2018): Exodus 35

One of the greatest lies of American culture is that you can be whatever it is that you want to be. It is simply not the truth. There are many things that I cannot do, and would not be able to do even if I spent all the time I had available to me to learn what is necessary to complete the task. The truth is that I have gone down many of those roads, often actively rejecting the very things for which I seem to have a natural aptitude. In these attempts, I have failed. And for a number of people within my circle of influence, I see people either trapped in a career for which they are ill-suited, often careers that they chose on a strictly on an economic basis, or people who bounce from job to job searching for the right fit, chasing rainbows they will never be able to catch. All while rejecting the things that they are really good, and often enjoy, doing.

We are not blank slates waiting for our education and experiences to write the story of our lives. Each one of us arrives on this planet preloaded for a difference that we can make if we are willing. This difference begins with understanding our strengths, and our weaknesses. And we will never make a difference if all we do is strengthen our weaknesses, even though that seems to be the choice that many of us make. Success is reserved for those who are willing to strengthen the areas where they are already preloaded to be strong. And it is this knowledge of self that we need to maximize.

As Moses explains to Israel what is about to happen with the construction of the tabernacle, part of what he focuses on is that there are some, like Bezalel and Oholiab, who have the natural ability that is needed in the construction process. Others, ones who can be taught to maximize their natural abilities, will also be chosen for the process. But all who are chosen will be somehow gifted by God.

God is still gifting us, allowing us to make the most of the abilities that have been preloaded into our beings. We can’t be whatever we want to be. We are simply not built that way. But we can make a difference by making the most of who God has designed us to be; and building on the gifts that God has already given us, as he prepares us to be difference makers in our corner of the world.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Exodus 36

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. – Exodus 34:29

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 13, 2018): Exodus 34

With just a glance at Michelangelo’s sculpture of Moses reveals that something is not quite right. Like, what are those two things sticking out of his head? “The Horns of Moses” are the subject of many debates among historians and art scholars. And yes, they are most definitely horns. Moses in paintings and sculptures sometimes appears with his horns, and sometimes he is without them. But there is no argument that the horns, at least to contemporary eyes, make Moses seem less of a prophet and more of a demon.

So, where did this idea of horns on the Lawgiver originate? Again, even this is up to debate, but the simplest explanation is that the horns of Moses are a hilarious mistranslation of Exodus 34:29 (Or even verses 30 and 35) from the Latin Vulgate. According to the mistranslation, Moses had horns. In the New International Version, the translation says that Moses’s “face was radiant.” According to the King James Version, this verse is translated into “the skin of his face shone,” but according to the Latin Vulgate, Moses’s face had horns, which has resulted in horns on top of Moses’s head as presented by Michelangelo, and horns on the head of Moses on many other Medieval imaginations of the Lawgiver's appearance.

Sometimes, we get it wrong. Maybe the most important lesson that Michelangelo teaches us with the horn-headed Moses is to remember that any translation is vulnerable. There are no perfect translations of the Bible. And part of the translation process is an artful shaping of the words and an attempt to imagine what it was that the original writer was trying to tell us. So, whenever in doubt, check another translation and see how they translated the passage. Another perspective on how other translators have viewed the Bible gives us depth into the passage and hopefully steers us away from imagining Moses with horns.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Exodus 35

Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. – Exodus 33:7

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 12, 2018): Exodus 33

There is so much to respect about the life of Supreme Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. From her early rejection by the establishment, her concerted effort throughout her career to be a voice for “the least of these,” her hardworking nature, and her love affair with her husband Marty, this little woman has been a force to be reckoned with throughout the length of her life. But part of that power originates from the fact that she has been a voice from within the struggle. Within the life of this often stern looking little lady, beats the heart of a champion looking out for the beaten down and abused because that is who she is. She understood the struggle long before she became an advocate for those, admittedly mostly women, who were being beaten down by our culture and society. And for that, she has found immense respect even from among those who disagree with her view about the law (enter Justice Anthony Scalia). And in all of this, there is something special that needs to be celebrated.

God had given Moses a vision of the Tabernacle. But the Tabernacle was going to take time to build and get ready, and Moses was not willing to wait for the construction to be completed. So he decides to set up a tent where he would worship, and invite the community to come and worship with him, inquiring of God about the struggle and the questions that arise out of that struggle.

And according to the custom of the day, Moses set up his “Tent of Meeting” away from the community. Sanctuaries were often built a distance away from the communities that they served in the ancient world. People would have to walk out away from the Community to get to God. And they came faithfully, just to be near the Tent. But the placement of his “Tent of Meeting” might also be considered his failure. His decision to conform to the world around him removed the uniqueness that existed in his God when compared to the gods of the other nations. After all, this was the God who would become known as Immanuel, “God with us.” God’s desire was not that he would be segregated away from the people, but rather that he would dwell in their midst.

When the Tabernacle God had commanded Moses to build was completed, it would not be placed some distance away from the people that it served. God’s tabernacle would be placed at the center of the community, with the tribes gathering around it. God desired to exist in the midst of the struggle, and in the form of Jesus, to experientially understand our rejection and our pain. He is the rejected and the “least of these,” his message is spoken from within our midst, and so he understands when that is the way that we feel. 

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Exodus 34