Tag: sacrifice
Cover to Cover Reading: Joshua 10:16-13:33 Focus: Joshua 11:20 One of the greatest difficulties that people have wrestled with in regards to the character of God is his wrath. In hope to reconcile this God of wrath and judgment, many people have attempted to reject or re-interpret these actions recorded, particularly, in the book of Joshua. Some have attempted to separate the Old Testament God from the New Testament God, to separate the God of wrath and the God of love. Yet, then you begin to move into the realm of dualism, which is completely contradictory to the position of…
Cover to Cover Reading: Numbers 14:1-16:35 Focus: Numbers 15:22-36 With children, when they make a genuine mistake, parents are gentle and understanding. However, when they deliberately disobey or cause trouble, parents need to discipline them. One of the hardest things for parents is to draw the fine line between grace and discipline; especially when the genuine, unintentional mistakes are quite serious in matter. The sudden outburst of frustration is not what the child needs, but rather understanding even when accompanied by a firm, yet gracious, rebuke. However, discipline must be made firm, even when gracious, that a child recognises the…
Cover to Cover Reading: Leviticus 20:1-22:33 Focus: Leviticus 22:17-33 I used to have a violin teacher in high school, a Russian violin teacher, who was never satisfied with my progress (catalysed by my lack of practice and apathetic attitude towards her). Without fail each week she would have an episode, “No, no, no. Not like that! (*insert unintelligible Russian*) Like this! Like this!” or something of similar effect. Suffice to say, while I progressed, it was simply not good enough for her. (When you realise that we had students in the Melbourne Youth Orchestra, with calibre that high…you just can’t…
Cover to Cover Reading: Leviticus 1:1-4:35 Focus: Leviticus 1:1-4:35 As one reads through the details of the various sacrifices, one can’t help but notice that it paints the picture of nothing short of a slaughterhouse. Let’s not try and avoid the fact, the act of atonement for humanity’s sins is a bloody one. Any offering that involved animals would involve death. It is a sobering thought to be reminded that sins before God is not something to be taken lightly.
Cover to Cover Reading: Exodus 12:1-14:31 Focus: Exodus 12:21-23 Let’s get straight to the point. Half the time when we read the Old Testament, it’s hard to understand how everything fits. The stories are nice, but sometimes they just seem like myths and legends of an ancient peoples. Then there’s the laws and we are grateful for the foundations that they have set for much of the Western world, until you find weird laws about what you can eat and what do when there’s mould in your house…? Then you get into the mystical prophecies and people have tried to…
