52 - God reminds Israel to keep Passover.

Kathleen's thoughts

Leviticus 22,24 Numbers 5,6,9,24

God gives Moses instructions and requirements for animal sacrifices.

Leviticus 24 Speaks on using the Lord's name in vain., (blasphemy) Verse 16 Whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord is to be put to DEATH; the whole community must stone him.

Today the name of the Lord is used so freely and at times in such a provocative way it's shocking!

Murder is murder and you were put to death.

Jealousy is the root of all evil. Jealousy of a husband. This is an eye opener in what happens to a woman if she is found to be in an adulterous situation - A frightening situation to be in and how she is cursed but if she is innocent all is well.

Numbers 6: 22-27

My favourite verse.

The Lord bless you and protect you'

the Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you;

the Lord look with favour on you and give you peace.

In this way they will put My name on the Israelites and I will BLESS THEM.

Numbers 9: 4-14

So Moses told the Israelites to observe the Passover, and they observed it in the fist month on the fourteenth day at twilight in the wilderness of Sinai. The Israelites did everything as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Blessings

52- His Holy Name

Chareen's Thoughts:

• Leviticus 22:31-32 So shall you heartily accept My commandments and conform your life and conduct to them. I am the Lord. Neither shall you profane My holy name [applying it to an idol, or treating it with irreverence or contempt or as a byword]; but I will be hallowed among the Israelites. I am the Lord, Who consecrates and makes you holy, 
• Leviticus 24:15-16 And you shall say to the Israelites, Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin. And he who blasphemes the Name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him; the stranger as well as he who was born in the land shall be put to death when he blasphemes the Name [of the Lord]. It is a serious thing to use His holy name in vain.
• Leviticus 24:19-20 And if a man causes a blemish or disfigurement on his neighbor, it shall be done to him as he has done: Fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he has caused a blemish or disfigurement on a man, so shall it be done to him. Jesus said: You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, Do not resist the evil man [who injures you]; but if anyone strikes you on the right jaw or cheek, turn to him the other one too. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your undershirt (tunic), let him have your coat also. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two [miles]. Give to him who keeps on begging from you, and do not turn away from him who would borrow [at interest] from you. Matthew 5:38-42  
• I found this verse interesting today especially in the light of allowing other cultures to practice their own set of laws when their populations grow in the land because of political correctness: Leviticus 24:22 You shall have the same law for the sojourner among you as for one of your own nationality, for I am the Lord your God.  
• Numbers 5:6-7 Say to the Israelites, When a man or woman commits any sin that men commit by breaking faith with the Lord, and that person is guilty, Then he shall confess the sin which he has committed, and he shall make restitution for his wrong in full, and add a fifth to it, and give it to him whom he has wronged. What an excellent verse to remember and teach to our children and one another.  When we sin we are breaking faith with our Lord and these are the steps the Lord wants us to follow.
• Numbers 5:11-31 An interesting look at the treatment of a woman if she commits adultery or if she commits adultery and her husband does not know but feels jealous.  The Lord would curse her and close her womb.

The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;

The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;

The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).Numbers 6:24-26



Blessings

Chareen

51 - Be holy because, the Lord your God, am holy.

Kathleen's thoughts

Leviticus 19,20,21,22.

This book of the Bible is the most amazing read. One can fully understand why this year of the Lord 2012 is so corrupt and walking in deadly sin. We are doing all the things God says we must not do.

1. Firstly God says we are to KEEP HIS STATUES! Do we or don't we?
2. Honour our mother and our father
3. Do not turn to idols or foreign gods for yourselves
4. Do not eat food that is prepared after or on the 3rd day it is a repulsive thing

When it concerns our soil and planting - God has given us instruction how to plant and harvest

1. Reaping harvest - not to reap to the very edge of the field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.
2. Vineyard must not be stripped bare or gather its fallen grapes
3. All this is so the poor and the foreign resident can collect and have food. Food for thought...these days they tell you, you are stealing if you do that...Very sad indeed!!
4. Do not oppress your neighbour or rob him
5. Do not curse the deaf...Make fun of them or put a stumbling block in front of the blind.
6. Do not unjustly judge
7. Do not prefer the rich over the poor - this is very common in society. One will serve the rich before going forward to serve the poor. Extremely sad!
8. Do not hate your brothers in your heart
9. Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against your community but to love your neighbour as your self. Just as Jesus said "And the second is like unto it. You shall love your neighbour as yourself" Matthew 22:39 (KJ)
10. Do not turn to mediums or consult spiritists
11. This one I just love YOU ARE TO RISE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE ELDERLY AND HONOUR THE OLD
12. Foreigners lives within your land we are not to oppress them we are to love them as ourselves and treat them with respect.
13. DO NOT MAKE GASHES ON YOUR BODIES FOR THE DEAD OR PUT A TATTOO ON YOURSELVES look around and almost everyone has a tattoo on themselves and some of the markings are so demonic.
14. Don't debase your daughter into prostitution.
15. When selling goods DO NOT steal by giving short on the product you selling.
16. This one is very interesting and especially if you listen to God in the planting of your food trees.

• When you come into the land and plant you are to consider the fruit forbidden.
• It will be forbidden to you for three years;it is not to be eaten.
• In the fourth year all its fruit must be consecrated as a praise offering to the Lord
• But in the firth year you may eat its fruit.
• In this way its yield WILL INCREASE FOR YOU.

Disobedience.

Consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. Keep My statutes and DO THEM. I am the Lord who sets you apart.

Do not curse your mother or father If you do this the blood is on your own head,

A man must not have sexual intercourse with another man it is an ABOMINATION

In this chapter Sex is to between a married couple and not outside marriage with sisters aunts uncles cousins and family and worst still with animals!

Priestly instructions

The main one here is a priest is NOT to make himself ceremonially unclean in anything he does. Chapter 21 is all about what he is allowed to do and not to do according to his lifestyle he must lead.

1 Cor. 6: 11 (KJ) And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of God.

Blessings.

51- Guidance for Godly living.

Chareen's Thoughts

Guidance for Godly Living

• Leviticus 19:2 ...You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.
• Leviticus 19:3 Each of you shall give due respect to his mother and his father, and keep My Sabbaths holy. I the Lord am your God.
• Leviticus 19:1-37 is a summary of the conduct of the Lords people.
• Leviticus 19:11 You shall not steal, or deal falsely, or lie one to another.
• Leviticus 19:14 You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall [reverently] fear your God. I am the Lord.
• Leviticus 19:15 You shall do no injustice in judging a case; you shall not be partial to the poor or show a preference for the mighty, but in righteousness and according to the merits of the case judge your neighbor.
• Leviticus 19:16 You shall not go up and down as a dispenser of gossip and scandal among your people, nor shall you [secure yourself by false testimony or by silence and] endanger the life of your neighbor. I am the Lord.
• Leviticus 19:17 You shall not hate your brother in your heart; but you shall surely rebuke your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him.
• Leviticus 19:18 You shall not take revenge or bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
• Leviticus 19:19 You shall keep My statutes. You shall not let your domestic animals breed with a different kind [of animal]; you shall not sow your field with mixed seed, neither wear a garment of linen mixed with wool.
• Leviticus 19:23-25 We are to plant fruit trees and not eat fruit for the first three years, fourth year give it to the Lord and in the 5th year we may start to eat it.  God promises to increase our yield if we do this. But in the fifth year you may eat of the fruit [of the trees], that their produce may enrich you; I am the Lord your God.
• Leviticus 19:28 You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead nor print or tattoo any marks upon you; I am the Lord. Interesting verse.  Why is it many Christians tattoo themselves with christian verses / pictures ??  yet the word of the Lord is clear do not do it.
• Leviticus 19:30 You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary. I am the Lord. Great verse. One of the ways we can reverence the Lords sanctuary is to dress well as a sign of respect.  I remember as a little girl we always wore our Sunday best to church.  Today you can go to church and some of us are dressed as though we are about to go to the beach.  ??
• Leviticus 19:31 Turn not to those [mediums] who have familiar spirits or to wizards; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God. Have you ever read your star sign ? Have you ever read the week ahead ? We are defiled by reading these things.  Stay away from palm readers etc. What programs do we watch on TV, how do they measure up in relation to this verse ?
• Leviticus 19:32 You shall rise up before the hoary head and honor the face of the old man and [reverently] fear your God. I am the Lord. One of the things that sadden me deeply is to see how badly the elderly are treated in our day.  The elderly are to be honoured according to the Lord.
• Leviticus 19:34 But the stranger who dwells with you shall be to you as one born among you; and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God. Challenging verse.  Applicable to us today just as much as to them then.  Our Egypt is our state before Christ.  Foreigners anyone not a Christian.  Even more so those who are literal foreigners.  How often do we make a mockery of those who are not blood of our own nation. We mimic their accents and if their skin tone/facial features are different we look down on them.  The Lord asks us not to do this.
• Leviticus 19:35 You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in measures of length or weight or quantity. I wish more people lived by this verse it really annoys me when I buy something and feel like I have been cheated.

It amazes me as I read God's punishment for different sins.  Most were death. Leviticus 20:7-26

• Verse 9 Everyone who curses his father or mother shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or mother; his blood guilt is upon him. Disrespect carried the penalty of death.  Respecting our parents is an important thing before the Lord
• Verse 10 - 12 Adultery = death
• Verse 13 Homosexuality = death
• Verse 14 Polygamy = death
• Verse 15-16 Bestiality = death
• Verse 17 Incest = disgrace and being cut off 
• Verse 18 - 21 Sexual consequences

 Leviticus 21:1-24 Instructions to priests and High Priests. verse 7 is of interest to me: They shall not take a wife who is a harlot or polluted or profane or divorced, for [the priest] is holy to his God. because later on as an illustration of God's love for Israel He asks the prophet Hosea to marry a harlot.

Wow great reading today.  If you have children or are a new Christian Leviticus Chapter 19 is an excellent summary outlining godly living.

Blessings
Chareen

PS found a very interesting article on word definitions:  What is Sodomy ?

50 - Law and the Feasts of Israel

Kathleen's thoughts

Leviticus 18,20 & 23

Sexual Intercourse - When we look at today's generations and the road it's taking is not very savoury. Intercourse and perversion has always been there but the Law of God in the Biblical days were very strict and somewhere along the line it's becoming more and more OK to do what we feel is right for us and it does not matter what God says. The instructions in chapter 18: 1-30 is clear cut you are not to have sex with anyone who is not your wife or husband. God tells us not to defile ourselves by these practices by sleeping around with mother father sister brother aunts cousins or any of the family they are your relatives! God says we have to keep his statues and ordinances you are not to commit any of these abominations. Any person who does these abominations must be cut off from his people.

Turning to Mediums and child sacrifices is forbidden.

This is a eye opener. Molech is a fire god practised in Canaan, sacrificing children. Rather scary. In Lev: 20: 6 Whoever turns to mediums or spiritist and prostitutes himself with them, I will turn against that person and cut him off from his people. Verse 27. A man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist must be put to death. They are to be stoned; their blood is on their hands.

FEASTS OF THE LORD

1. SABBATH
For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there must be a Sabbath of complete rest, a sacred assembly. You are not to do any work it is a Sabbath to the Lord wherever you live.

2. PASSOVER FEAST
Passover to the Lord comes in the first month, at twilight on the fourteenth day of the month It's the festival of Unleavened Bread to the Lord is on the fifteenth day of the same month.

3. FEAST OF WEEKS/PENTECOST
Commemorating the first fruits of harvest.

4. THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS
The beginning of the civil year. and in the NT is the coming again of the Lord Jesus.

5. THE ATONEMENT
A day of remembrance when the his priest made confession of all the sins of the past year and this is made in the Most Holy Place.

6. THE FEASTS OF BOOTHS/TABERNACLE
Commemorating life in the wilderness,k Thanksgiving for the harvest and the last feast of the religious year. NT The rule and reign of Christ.

The purpose of these feasts was a spiritual one for God to meet with His people.

Jesus entering Jerusalem

Verse 40 of Lev: 23 On the first day you are to take the product of majestic trees - palm fronds, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook- and rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days.

Now we know why the people of Jerusalem laid palm leaves down and waved when Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem.
 John 12: 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him. And as they went they kept shouting Hosanna! Blessed is He and praise to Him Who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!

Blessings

49 - Leprosy - Mildew

Christ cleansing a leper
by Jean-Marie Melchior Doze, 1864

Kathleen's thoughts.

Leviticus 13,14,15

The law about this disease is rather a frightening disease! The Biblical era had to live outside the city as they were unclean and had to walk around calling out "unclean, unclean" There mouth had to be covered too. God was telling us that through our mouths infection spreads.

Mildew

This is a subject that today's generation should take note of. I often see on National TV people complaining about their home full of Mildew. God tells us in His Word that it's considered a contaminated area and it's unclean. In the Biblical days they had to move out of their homes and the priest had to examine the property. It took seven days and if the Priest went back and the mildew had grown and there was red and green Mildew the building had to be cleaned out by taking the bricks and mortar in the infected area and have it replaced and then another 7days of waiting then the priest would go back and if it had regrown the mildew through that the building or place had to be demolished and burnt outside the city.

Why don't we follow God's instructions in all this?

Food for thought!

Blessings.

48 - Laws given to Moses and Aaron for the people

Kathleen's thoughts

Leviticus 11, 12, 13.

Food

I found this reading most interesting with the different foods we are allowed to eat and yet today's society eat but everything and then wonder why we are getting sick. We all love bacon (pork) but it is considered unclean. Shell fish - considered unclean but today its the most celebrated foods in festive seasons. Shell fish is full of toxins - they scavengers of the sea bed.

Have you ever looked at a cockroach and a Lobster they look alike. Cockroaches and pigs are scavengers of the ground. In other words it's Gods way of keep the seabed and earth clean.

Cleansing after childbirth.

A interesting insight to a woman's menstrual & childbirth anatomy.

After giving birth to a male she is unclean for 7 days female is 14 days. To continue her purification from bleeding is for 33 days for a boy and a girl is 66 days.

Sores.

God has seen to everything and when you read Leviticus its like a medical dictionary guideline to all our health issues. Take for instance this. The hair in a infected area that is turning white is is a skin disease - infection. Dr's need to read the word to find out what is happening to their patients they might just find the wonderful cure for all diseases. There are many more instructions to our daily living.

Blessings.

47 - Atonement for sins

Kathleen's thoughts

First I want to apologize for not being on the blog for the past 3 days I have been away but at the same time have done my readings and put pen to paper the old fashion way.

Leviticus 4,5,6,7,10

1. Sin offering for the congregation
2. Sin offering for the ruler and for any of the people
3. Concerning sin offering - This offering is Most Holy
4. Concerning various sins
5. Concerning Sins against the Lord - is a Restoration offering
6. Concerning Sins against the neighbour
7. Concerning guilt offering - No this is the law of the Restitution offering - it is especially Holy
8. Instructions to Aaron and his sons about offerings. You and your sons are not to drink wine or beer when you enter the tent of meeting.

1 Peter 3:18 "For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring you to God, after being put to death in the fleshly realm but made alive in the spiritual realm"

Blessings

50 - Feasts unto our Lord

Shofar for the Sabbath
Yemenite Jew

Chareen's Thoughts

• Leviticus 18:3-4 You shall not do as was done in the land of Egypt in which you dwelt, nor shall you do as is done in the land of Canaan to which I am bringing you; neither shall you walk in their statutes. You shall do My ordinances and keep My statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God. This verse brought to mind one in the New Testament Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]. 
• Leviticus 18:1-30 is all about who you may marry and who not to marry.  It also details wrong s*xual practices which the Lord calls an abomination.

The Feasts of the Lord:Leviticus 23:4 These are the set feasts or appointed seasons of the Lord, holy convocations you shall proclaim at their stated times:

• Sabbath Leviticus 23:1-3
• The Passover: The Feast of Unleavened Bread; the Offering of First Fruits Leviticus 23:4-14
• The Feast of Weeks/Pentecost Leviticus 23:15-22
• The Feast of Trumpets Leviticus 23:15-22
• The Day of Atonement Leviticus 23:26-32 
• The Feast of Booths / Tabernacles Leviticus 18

If you want to know more about the feasts and their meanings / fulfillment for us as Christians and how we can celebrate and use them as reminders for our families I highly recommend Martha Zimmermans book: Celebrating the Feasts. Kindle edition.

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]. 

Blessings
Chareen

For Further Reading

• This coming week on Wednesday marks the beginning of lent.  If you are looking for Reading Plans and Devotionals head on over to Bible Gateway.com.
• The Tabernacle: A Picture of Christ
• The Festival of Unleavened Bread at Bible Research.org
• Chag HaMatzot - Festival of Unleavened Bread over at Hebrew 4 Christians.com
• What does the Feast of Unleavened Bread mean for Christians over at The Good News.
• Festival of Harvest over at Truth of Yahweh
• Feast of Tabernacles over at Key Way
• Shabbat 101 over at My Jewish Learning. (Sabbath)
• Jewish Feasts. 

49 - Cleanliness

Christ cleansing a leper
by Jean-Marie Melchior Doze, 1864

Chareen's Thoughts

• Today I am reading Leviticus 13 continued - 15
• Leviticus 13:47-59 is about fungi / mould / mildew in clothing. 
• Leviticus 14:33-53 Specific step by step instructions in what to do if a house has mold / fungi.  It was to be inspected. Left alone to monitor growth for a week.  If no growth the section was removed to outside the city.  New wood /plaster / stone laid.  If no fungi appears then the house is inhabitable. If growth reappears the house was condemned and destroyed. The level of the Lords care for His people amazes me.  These days we are encouraged to clean and keep.  To use mold cleaners etc.  His solution was destroy it.  Burn it condemn the item. Today research has shown that these types of fungi cause all sorts of health issues and is one of the leading causes of asthma. I wonder why we do not follow His care plan any longer ?  Why do we find more toxic chemicals to deal with this issue ?
• Leviticus 14:1-32 is about skin disease and leprosy. Leprosy is a chronic, infectious disease involving the skin and nerves.  
• Leviticus 15 concerns specific instructions for cleanliness concerning men / woman / skin / menstruation / s*xuality.  As I read this I realised that a lot of what the Lord commanded is how the medical fraternity conduct themselves to prevent the spread of disease.  He was caring for the Israelites and making sure they stayed healthy and prevented disease spread.  Our God is so good.

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cured ... Matthew 8:3
 Blessings
Chareen

For Further Reading:

• About Leprosy over at PubMed Health
• Facts about Leprosy over at ILEP
• Dr Paul Brand changed the lives of lepers and revolutionised the treatment of the disease.  He discovered that leprosy is not a flesh eating disease.  I highly recommend his  biography Ten Fingers for God.  The life and work of Dr Paul Brand by Dorothy Clarke Wilson.
• Mildew vs Mold  excellent comparison chart
• Mold Types - Black, Toxic and Mildew
• Treating mold naturally.
• Health risks of mold and mildew in your home.
• Is Household Mold worsening your asthma ? Great article discussing prevention and diagnosis.
• Household mold doubles kids asthma.
• Mold.  This is by far the best page I have found.  It has tons of links.  Well worth a look.

48 - Do NOT defile yourselves

Chareen's Thoughts:

• I am reading Leviticus at the moment.  I wondered where the book got it's name from. The english name of the book finds it's roots in greek and latin in reference to the Levites.  It is not, however a manual exclusive to the priesthood as it speaks about the roles and duties of the people as well as the priests and the temple.
• Todays reading is about clean and unclean animals and food Leviticus 11.
• I found verse 16 interresting because it lists the ostrich as unclean and not to be eaten.  Ostrich meat has of recent times been advertised as healthy meat to eat yet the bible lists it as a not to eat meat.
• Leviticus 11:31-46 contains rules of unclean.  This is an interresting read in relation to what we know today about microbial disease and how they spread.  Through out history the Jewish population has not suffered from as many diseases because of these easy rules. 
• The Lord is very specific in His list verse 47 To make a difference (a distinction) between the unclean and the clean, and between the animal that may be eaten and the animal that may not be eaten.
• His reasons for these injunctions are clear: Verse 44 - 45 For I am the Lord your God; so consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am holy; neither defile yourselves with any manner of thing that multiplies in large numbers or swarms.For I am the Lord Who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God; therefore you shall be holy, for I am holy.
• Leviticus 12 is about childbirth etc. 
• Verse 3 And on the eighth day the child shall be circumcised. Research has shown that the level of vitamin K in the body is it's highest point on day eight.  After this it lowers to it's normal range.  It takes seven days for the flora in the gut to populate after birth and create vit K neccessary for the baby's blood to clot properly.  I read some interresting research showing that is rare for Jewish women to suffer from cervical cancer and this fact has been atributed to the act of circumcising of their male population. You can read more about the research here and here.
• Verse 4 - 5 is about being unclean for 33 or 66 days depending on the sex of her baby.  This too is interresting.  It has been found that hormone levels are different in women depending on the sex of the baby.  If a woman has a daughter it takes twice as long for her hormones to settle as it does after having a son.
• Leviticus 13 is about skin diseases and whether you are clean or unclean.  

 Blessings
Chareen

For Further Reading:

This is by far the best book I have read in relation to the food we eat and the bible.  Dr Russell is a christian MD who shares with you his journey on finding out what the bible has to say about Healthy Living.  In the book he shares with you three principles to use in choosing what you eat.  Part I deals with the question: If we were created perfect why are we sick ?  Part II is where he  shares three principles to use when choosing your food. In Part III he shares with you about the different foods.  I found this interresting because he shows what scripture has to say, then he has a section on what research has shown in relation to the food item being discussed. Purchase from: Christian Book, Book Depository, Koorong. What the bible says about healthy living cook book sample.

The Makers Diet is written by Jordan Rubin.  Jordan share his personal testomony of being critically ill to being totally healthy following the Makers Diet.  The interresting thing with this book is Jordan talks about your health on three levels: body, mind and soul.  Great read and contains a good step by step.
Purchase from Book Depository, Koorong and Christian Book.
Website: The Makers Diet
The story behind the book.
Makers Diet Resources 

The Bible Cure is written by Dr Reginald Cherry MD. From the back of the book: In the Bible Cure. Dr. Cherry presents and irrefutable case: Woven into the Bible are hidden health clues that only recently have been validated by scientific and medical research. Dr. Cherry's warm and inviting style will help you to grasp these hard to understand medical concepts, and the miraculous testimonies of his own patients will build your faith in a God who heals. There are a few books dealing with specific illnesses and what to use naturally to help your body.

Purchase from: Christian Book, Book Depository, Koorong.
Read his blog. and website Pathway to Healing.

• Kosher foods over at Wikipedia
• Kashrut: Jewish Dietary Laws over at Judaism 101
• Kosher: Jewish Food
• Kosher Food over at My Jewish Learning.
• Jewish Recipes over at Jewish Recipes.org
• A list of Jewish/Kosher Food Blogs over at Pragmatic Attic.

46 - The wonderful offerings

Kathleen's thoughts

Leviticus 2,3,4,6&7

What have we learnt from these readings that God's instructions according to the 5 main Levitical offerings are to be adhered to without question.

Leviticus 2:2 The priest will take a handful of fine flour and oil from it, along with all its frankincense, and will burn this memorial portion of it on the altar, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

This aroma is today when we in fervent prayer it's a pleasing aroma to the Lord

 One of the things that stuck out for me is the unleavened bread of fine flour and mixed with pure oil. Break it into pieces and pour oil on it.

And then the most important is the the salt with the first fruits. Each grain offering is to be seasoned with salt. You MUST NOT OMIT FROM YOUR GRAIN OFFERING THE SALT OF THE COVENANT WITH YOUR GOD. Leviticus 2:13

Jesus said in Matthew 5:13 "Ye are the salt of the earth.

The Bible teaches us that we, as Christians, are to be salt in the world. We are to be a seasoning , a preservative and a cure in a word full of sin and hatred toward God and the things of God, 
I found an article titled: A Covenant of Salt Do read this it is worth the read.

Then we come to what we are not allowed to eat. Leviticus 3:17 All fat belongs to the Lord. This is a permanent statute throughout your generations wherever you live; you MUST NOT EAT ANY FAT OR ANY BLOOD.

The other that stood out is in Leviticus 7: 17 But what remains of the sacrificial meat by the third day must be burned up. It also says its repulsive.

Think of today when we store meat or anything in the fridge it must not be eaten after the 3rd day. It becomes slimy and hence food poison.

Food for thought! God's word is true and just , we need to listen and let it be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

Blessings.

46 - Be seasoned with Salt

Chareen's Thoughts:

• Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings Leviticus 2:13 Salt a symbol and part of a covenant 
• The priest shall burn them on the altar as food, offered by fire, for a sweet and satisfying fragrance. All the fat is the Lord's. It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations in all your dwelling places, that you eat neither fat nor blood. Leviticus 3:16-17 I found this verse interesting in that the LORD says All the fat is His. It made me think about the health issues we face in relation to fat in our diets.  A few years back I remember reading What the Bible says about Healthy Living and in there Dr Rex Russel sites some interesting research on the fat of animals.  He shared that all the pesticides and chemicals are stored in the fat of meat and not the flesh. This is an excellent read for anyone wanting a better understanding of the medical background on the food injunctions given by the Lord.

Salt in Scripture:

• Jesus says of salt in Matthew 5:13 You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste (its strength, its quality), how can its saltiness be restored? It is not good for anything any longer but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men.
• Everyone will be salted with fire. “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” Mark 9:49-50
• Let your speech at all times be gracious (pleasant and winsome), seasoned [as it were] with salt, [so that you may never be at a loss] to know how you ought to answer anyone [who puts a question to you]. Colossians 4:6
• Salt is used in the bible in covenants:  Example II Chronicles 13:5

Did you know that in the days of Jesus salt was as valuable as gold?  Roman soldiers used to be paid in salt. Based on this, we have the familiar phrase that a person is "worth their salt", meaning worth the wages they receive.

Reading about the sacrifices and all the regulations to be followed I felt rather overwhelmed for the Israelites and was wondering what it all means for me today ? 

I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship Romans 12:1 (Amplified Bible)
Blessings
Chareen

45 - The book of Leviticus is the book of law

Kathleen's thoughts

Leviticus 1,6,7,17

These scriptures today are about the laws given to Moses to Aaron and his sons about the sin offerings and the atonement for the priests and the Israelites.

Leviticus 16... Moses was told by God that Aaron is not allowed to come whenever he wants into the holy place behind the veil in front of the mercy seat on the ark or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.

Verse 34 This is to be a permanent statute for you to make atonement for the Israelites once a year because of all their sins.

Leviticus 17... 10. Anyone from the house of Israel or from the foreigners who live among them who eats any blood. I will turn against that person who eats blood, 11 For the life of a creature is in the blood. and I have appointed it to you to make atonement on the altar for your lives, since it is the lifeblood that makes atonement...Therefore I say to the Israelites; None of you and no foreigner who lives among you may eat blood.

Leviticus 1:9 A fire offering is a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

One thing I have noticed through these scriptures is that God is very clear on cleanliness especially when the Priest enter the Tent and holy place. The garments that were used in the tent of meeting never left that area the Priest had to take their garments off. Because it was holy unto the Lord.

The five main Levitical offerings

1. Burnt offering = dedication

2. Grain offering = Thanksgiving

3. Fellowship offering = Fellowship

4. Sin offering = Cleansing

5. Restitution offering = Reconciliation

Blessings