A Message From Karen: Sanctity of Blood

Tuesday's Devotion (5-29-07)

Leviticus 17 - The Sanctity of Blood

Lev.17: 1-4; God is prohibiting sacrifice outside the tabernacle telling the Israelites that it must be done at the tabernacle and only by the appointed priests. By bring it to the door of their tabernacle place because in the pagan world at that time, it was customary to offer sacrifice wherever one pleased. Otherwise the guilt of bloodshed shall be imputed to that man. God provided them with a centralized place of worship, so the Israelites were not allowed to offer sacrifice any way they pleased - they had to come to the tabernacle and have their sacrifice administered by the priests. If they disobeyed, they would be cut off from among the people - exiled from their community.

This command runs completely contrary to the way most people come to God in our culture. The modern world is characterized by an entirely individualistic way of coming to God, where each person makes up their own rules about dealing with God as they see Him. Many Americans' experience and views on religion is about their own faith and how it operates in their life such as they can't remember the last time they went to church. This instinct for an individualistic, set-your-own-rules religion is given free reign in our modern world.

Lev.17:5-9; the right way for the Israelites was to bring sacrifice - to the tabernacle, through the priest. God was reproving the one's that did by saying "They shall no more offer sacrifices to demons": There was a spiritual reality behind the pagan gods, but the reality was really demonic. In sacrificing to Baal, Ashtoreth, and others, they really worshipped demons. That man shall be cut off from among his people: The demonic background to sacrifice justified this severe punishment of open idolatry.

Paul says essentially the same thing in 1 Corinthians 10:20-21: Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's Table and of the table of demons. There is a sense in which all worship that is not directed to God is directed to the devil and his demons.

In the Old Testament God's instructions provided an atonement to cover their sins by God's faithfulness. God in His mercy provided atonement for us to our sins washed away through/by the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ. We must not take the sanctity of the Lord's blood for granted. My prayer for you today is that you will enter into the holly of holiness by the blood of Jesus, receiving all that God has for you. We no longer have to rely on a priest to come before the presence of God. Christ Jesus died for our sins that we could have the privilege to come before the Lord at anytime. Christ is our mediator and bridge to our Father God, because Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice—Himself so we could have salvation from our sins and have the opportunity to have fellowship with the Father through His Son Jesus Christ. Come and drink of the living water that your spirit can be filled with an endless spring of joy. Praise God. God bless you and may your joy be full. By committing your life to the Lord your life will change, it will have meaning and a purpose. God will do all the changes in you as you submit your life to Him. God is changing us like a potter molds and shapes his clay, into a beautiful image that is pleasing to Him. By reading your bible it gives us insight to who Christ is and who you will be fashioned after. We have a whole eternity to get to know the Lord, but for now God reveals to us daily in His Word who He is. Each day as I read my bible God speaks to my heart and shows/reveals to me something new. Our bible is the living word that keeps us nourished spiritually as we read it daily. The bible teaches us how to live, how to pray and how to follow after God in the path of righteousness. God has destiny for us and all the answers we seek in life are in God, for He is our all.

God bless