Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Leviticus 22:17-33.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2022&version=NASB1995

I quote only the following verses.

“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘Any man of the house of Israel or of the aliens in Israel who presents his offering, whether it is any of their votive or any of their freewill offerings, which they present to the LORD for a burnt offering— for you to be accepted—it must be a male without defect from the cattle, the sheep, or the goats.  Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it will not be accepted for you.  …

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “When an ox or a sheep or a goat is born, it shall remain seven days with its mother, and from the eighth day on it shall be accepted as a sacrifice of an offering by fire to the LORD.  But, whether it is an ox or a sheep, you shall not kill both it and its young in one day.  When you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the LORD, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted.  It shall be eaten on the same day, you shall leave none of it until morning;  I am the LORD.  So you shall keep My commandments, and do them;  I am the LORD.

“You shall not profane My holy name, but I will be sanctified among the sons of Israel;  I am the LORD who sanctifies you, who brought you out from the land of Egypt, to be your God;  I am the LORD.”  Leviticus 22:17-20 and 26-33. 

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The subject of the first paragraph of today’s Scripture, namely the command that offerings to God be without defect, is worth repeating, and we covered that theme in the March 8, 2023 devotion that these verses and many other verses point to Christ and pound the table that He was without defect.  In addition, we can use this first paragraph to meditate that we should bring our best to the LORD. 

The next paragraph reminds us that offerings to God must be done in kindness with thanksgiving.  It is summed up in the phrase:  “you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted.”  In the following Scripture, there is a warning against a superficial attempt to satisfy God without considering overall what is good and acceptable.  “He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.  For Moses said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER’;  and, ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER, IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH’;  but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, given to God),’ you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother;  thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down;  and you do many things such as that.”  Mark 7:9-13.  

The last paragraph commands us to not profane the LORD’S holy name.  Profaning the LORD’S holy name should be abhorrent to us.  The LORD is both Almighty God and our Heavenly Father.  

First, the LORD is Almighty God.  The LORD’S sovereignty rules over all (Psalm 103:19), including the authority and power to cast people into hell.  “But I will warn you whom to fear:  fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell;  yes, I tell you, fear Him!”  Luke 12:5.

Second, the LORD is our Heavenly Father.  There are many Scriptures which speak of the loving care of our Heavenly Father.  Here are some.  

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”  Ephesians 1:3-6.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”  Ephesians 2:4-7.

“For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba!  Father!”  Romans 8:15.

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”  Romans 8:32.

But, despite these excellent reasons to not profane the LORD’s holy name, we still need and get help!

“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went.  I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst.  Then the nations will know that I am the LORD,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight.  For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land.  Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean;  I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.  Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you;  and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.  You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers;  so you will be My people, and I will be your God.  Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness;  and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I will not bring a famine on you.  I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations.  Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations.  I am not doing this for your sake,” declares the Lord GOD, “let it be known to you.  Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel!”  Ezekiel 36:22-32.

The above Scripture sharply informs us that the LORD Himself will protect His own name.

“… I will be sanctified among the sons of Israel;  I am the LORD who sanctifies you, who brought you out from the land of Egypt, to be your God;  I am the LORD.”  Verses 32-33.

“9 “Pray, then, in this way:

‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 ‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-10.

Today’s devotion comes from Leviticus 20:9-21.  Here is  link to these verses – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2020&version=NASB1995

I quote only the following verses.

“‘If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.  If there is a man who lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness;  both of them shall surely be put to death, their bloodguiltiness is upon them.  If there is a man who lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death;  they have committed incest, their bloodguiltiness is upon them.  If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act;  they shall surely be put to death.  Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.  If there is a man who marries a woman and her mother, it is immorality;  both he and they shall be burned with fire, so that there will be no immorality in your midst.  If there is a man who lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death;  you shall also kill the animal.  If there is a woman who approaches any animal to mate with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal;  they shall surely be put to death.  Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.”  Leviticus 20:10-16. 

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It should not need to be stated, but to avoid those who want to focus on the death punishment as a means to dismiss this Scripture, the New Testament makes it clear that the Church has neither the duty nor the authority to literally kill those who do any of these things.  Rather, the State alone has the authority to render the death punishment, and the Church has the duty to only remove the wicked person from the Church.  

Regarding the first point that the State alone (not the Church) has the authority to render the death punishment, consider Romans 13:1-4.  I will quote only the following part.  “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.  …  for it is a minister of God to you for good.  But if you do what is evil, be afraid;  for it does not bear the sword for nothing;  for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.”  Romans 13:1 and 4. 

Regarding the second point that the Church has the duty to only remove the wicked person from the church, consider the following Scripture.   

“It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife.  You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.

…

I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people;  I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.  But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one.  For what have I to do with judging outsiders?  Do you not judge those who are within the church?  But those who are outside, God judges.  REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES.”  1 Corinthians 5:1-2 and 9-13.

Today’s devotion comes from Leviticus 20:1-8. 

“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “You shall also say to the sons of Israel:

‘Any man from the sons of Israel or from the aliens sojourning in Israel who gives any of his offspring to Molech, shall surely be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him with stones.  I will also set My face against that man and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given some of his offspring to Molech, so as to defile My sanctuary and to profane My holy name.  If the people of the land, however, should ever disregard that man when he gives any of his offspring to Molech, so as not to put him to death, then I Myself will set My face against that man and against his family, and I will cut off from among their people both him and all those who play the harlot after him, by playing the harlot after Molech.

‘As for the person who turns to mediums and to spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.  You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the LORD your God.  You shall keep My statutes and practice them;  I am the LORD who sanctifies you.”  Leviticus 20:1-8.

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Beware of dismissing this Scripture through thinking on either side of the spectrum.  On one side of the spectrum, we may dismiss this Scripture thinking:  “I would never, ever, engage in human sacrifice!”  And, on the other side of the spectrum, we may dismiss this Scripture thinking:  “I am a spiritual person who has gifts.”  One who uses “divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead” was called “detestable” by the LORD in Deuteronomy 18:9-14.

It helps us to humble ourselves and first consider Who God is as The Almighty Sovereign God and then who we are as humans.  

God named Himself as “the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God”.  See Exodus 34:14.  

“You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.  You shall not worship them or serve them;  for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”  Exodus 20:4-6.

“You shall fear only the LORD your God;  and you shall worship Him and swear by His name.  You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you, for the LORD your God in the midst of you is a jealous God;  otherwise the anger of the LORD your God will be kindled against you, and He will wipe you off the face of the earth.”  Deuteronomy 6:13-15.  

“For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”  Deuteronomy 4:24.

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.  Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”  Ephesians 2:1-3. 

“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are:  immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  Galatians 5:19-21.

But, there is hope!

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”  Ephesians 2:4-7. 

“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”  1 Corinthians 1:30-31.

“… Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing;  but that she would be holy and blameless.”  Ephesians 5:25-27. 

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.  …  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  against such things there is no law.  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”  Galatians 5:16 and 22-24.

“…  I am the LORD who sanctifies you.”  Verse 8.  

Today’s devotion comes from Leviticus 19:33-34.

“‘When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.  The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt;  I am the LORD your God.”  Leviticus 19:33-34.

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“You shall not oppress a stranger, since you yourselves know the feelings of a stranger, for you also were strangers in the land of Egypt.”  Exodus 23:9.

“Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard;  you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger.  I am the LORD your God.”  Leviticus 19:10.

“There shall be one standard for you;  it shall be for the stranger as well as the native, for I am the LORD your God.’”  Leviticus 24:22.

“There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel with the women and the little ones and the strangers who were living among them.”  Joshua 8:35.

“The LORD protects the strangers;
He supports the fatherless and the widow,
But He thwarts the way of the wicked.” Psalm 146:9.

“Thus says the LORD, “Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor.  Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow;  and do not shed innocent blood in this place.”  Jeremiah 22:3. 

“Thus has the LORD of hosts said, ‘Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother;  and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor;  and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.’”  Zechariah 7:9. 

“Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another;  for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.  For this, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”  Love does no wrong to a neighbor;  therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”  Romans 13:8-10.

“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat;  I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink;  I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;  naked, and you clothed Me;  I was sick, and you visited Me;  I was in prison, and you came to Me.’”  Matthew 25:34-36.

“remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”  Ephesians 2:12-13. 

“Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers;  and they have testified to your love before the church.  …”  3 John 1:5-6.