Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 5:11-31.  Here is a link to this Scripture – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+5&version=NASB

I quote the following verses.

“11 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘If any man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him, 13 and a man has intercourse with her and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband and she is undetected, although she has defiled herself, and there is no witness against her and she has not been caught in the act, 14 if a spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife when she has defiled herself, or if a spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife when she has not defiled herself, 15 the man shall then bring his wife to the priest, and shall bring as an offering for her one-tenth of an ephah of barley meal; he shall not pour oil on it nor put frankincense on it, for it is a grain offering of jealousy, a grain offering of memorial, a reminder of iniquity.

16 ‘Then the priest shall bring her near and have her stand before the Lord, 17 and the priest shall take holy water in an earthenware vessel;  and he shall take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water.  …

27 When he has made her drink the water, then it shall come about, if she has defiled herself and has been unfaithful to her husband, that the water which brings a curse will go into her and cause bitterness, and her abdomen will swell and her thigh will waste away, and the woman will become a curse among her people. 28 But if the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, she will then be free and conceive children.

29 ‘This is the law of jealousy:  when a wife, being under the authority of her husband, goes astray and defiles herself, 30 or when a spirit of jealousy comes over a man and he is jealous of his wife, he shall then make the woman stand before the Lord, and the priest shall apply all this law to her.  31 Moreover, the man will be free from guilt, but that woman shall bear her guilt.’”  Numbers Chapter 5:  Verses 11-17 and 27-31.

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The consequence of secret adultery in today’s Scripture of the wasting away of the thigh reminds me of Psalm 32:3-4.

“3 When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away
Through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer.  Selah.”   Psalm 32:3-4.

But, there is hope!

“5 I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”;
And You forgave the guilt of my sin.  Selah.”    Psalm 32:5.

“6 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.
7 You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance.  Selah.”  Psalm 32:6-7.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 5:5-10.

“5 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Speak to the sons of Israel, ‘When a man or woman commits any of the sins of mankind, acting unfaithfully against the Lord, and that person is guilty, 7 then he shall confess his sins which he has committed, and he shall make restitution in full for his wrong and add to it one-fifth of it, and give it to him whom he has wronged.  8 But if the man has no relative to whom restitution may be made for the wrong, the restitution which is made for the wrong must go to the Lord for the priest, besides the ram of atonement, by which atonement is made for him.  9 Also every contribution pertaining to all the holy gifts of the sons of Israel, which they offer to the priest, shall be his.  10 So every man’s holy gifts shall be his;  whatever any man gives to the priest, it becomes his.’”  Numbers 5:5-10.

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The emphasis of today’s Scripture on restitution reminds me of the story of Zaccheus and how gladly Zaccheus offered restitution.  And yet, there is a surprise ending.

“He (Jesus) entered Jericho and was passing through.  And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus;  he was a chief tax collector and he was rich.  Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature.  So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way.  When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”  And he hurried and came down and received Him gladly.  When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”  Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.”  And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”  Luke 19:1-10.

Zaccheus was not saved, because he offered restitution, even way beyond what was required.

Zaccheus was saved, because he was one of the elect which Jesus meant by the phrase “son of Abraham”.  Zaccheus was saved, because Jesus was the Faithful One Who sought out and saved all of the elect who were lost.

We have a lot of duties, but we are not saved because we offer to fulfill those duties or even do in fact try to do them.

We read a lot of Scripture and go to church a lot, but we are not saved because we do so.

We may confess and make restitution, but God is the One Who seeks and saves, Who redeems and restores. 

“The Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold.”    Job 42:10.

“Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!  When the Lord restores His captive people, Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad.”  Psalm 14:7.

“He restores my soul;  He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.”  Psalm 23:3.

“The Lord will sustain him upon his sickbed; In his illness, You restore him to health.”  Psalm 41:3.

“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.”  Psalm 51:12.

“O Lord God of hosts, restore us;  Cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.”  Psalm 80:19.

““At that time I will bring you in, Even at the time when I gather you together;  Indeed, I will give you renown and praise Among all the peoples of the earth, When I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” Says the Lord.”  Zephaniah 3:20.

“So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing;  and they glorified the God of Israel.”  Matthew 15:31.

Our faith is not in ourselves, but rather, our faith is in the Faithful One.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 5:1-4.

“1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the sons of Israel that they send away from the camp every leper and everyone having a discharge and everyone who is unclean because of a dead person.  3 You shall send away both male and female;  you shall send them outside the camp so that they will not defile their camp where I dwell in their midst.”  4 The sons of Israel did so and sent them outside the camp;  just as the Lord had spoken to Moses, thus the sons of Israel did.”    Numbers 5:1-4.

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The physical defilement in today’s Scripture leads us too consider spiritual defilement and how such defilement causes us to be alienated from the holiness of God.

And, our spiritual defilement is not just a sickness, Reformed Doctrine summarizes our spiritual defilement as “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.  We are not just sick;  we are dead in sin.

“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.

“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.” Ephesians 2:12.

“… you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,”  Colossians 1:21.

In ourselves, we have no hope.  We are separate, alienated, and dead in sin.  But, in God, we have 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.  For by grace you have been saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:4-8.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”  Ephesians 2:13.

“yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—”  Colossians 1:22.

Reformed Doctrine is pleased to proclaim this hope we have in God summarized by “TULIP”,  the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Article 7.   Election is the unchangeable purpose of God, whereby, before the foundation of the world, he hath out of mere grace, according to the sovereign good pleasure of his own will, chosen, from the whole human race, which had fallen through their own fault, from their primitive state of rectitude, into sin and destruction, a certain number of persons to redemption in Christ, whom he from eternity appointed the Mediator and Head of the elect, and the foundation of Salvation. 

This elect number, though by nature neither better nor more deserving than the others, but with them involved in one common misery, God hath decreed to give to Christ, to be saved by him, and effectually to call and draw them to his communion by his Word and Spirit, to bestow upon them true faith, justification and sanctification; and having powerfully preserved them in the fellowship of his Son, finally, to glorify them for the demonstration of his mercy, and for the praise of his glorious grace; as it is written:  “According as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love; having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved,” Ephesians 1:4,5,6. And elsewhere: “Whom he did predestinate, them he also called;  and whom he called, them he also justified;  and whom he justified, them he also glorified,” Romans 8:30.  Canons of Dordt FIRST HEAD OF DOCTRINE  Of Divine Predestination.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers chapter 4.  Here is a link to this Scripture – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+4&version=NASB

I quote the following verses.

“4 This is the work of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of meeting, concerning the most holy things.

5 “When the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and they shall take down the veil of the screen and cover the ark of the testimony with it;  6 and they shall lay a covering of porpoise skin on it, and shall spread over it a cloth of pure blue, and shall insert its poles.  7 Over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall also spread a cloth of blue and put on it the dishes and the pans and the sacrificial bowls and the jars for the drink offering, and the continual bread shall be on it.  …

24 This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and in carrying:  25 they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the tent of meeting with its covering and the covering of porpoise skin that is on top of it, and the screen for the doorway of the tent of meeting, 26 and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the doorway of the gate of the court which is around the tabernacle and the altar, and their cords and all the equipment for their service; and all that is to be done, they shall perform.  …

31 Now this is the duty of their loads, for all their service in the tent of meeting: the boards of the tabernacle and its bars and its pillars and its sockets, 32 and the pillars around the court and their sockets and their pegs and their cords, with all their equipment and with all their service;  and you shall assign each man by name the items he is to carry.  33 This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service in the tent of meeting, under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.”  …”  Numbers Chapter 4:  Verses 4-7 and 24-26 and 31-33.

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“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.  And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.  There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.”  1 Corinthians 12:4-6.

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.  It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”  Colossians 3:23-24.

“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”  Colossians 3:17.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10.

“So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;  for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:12-13.

“… Christ in you, the hope of glory.  We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.  For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.”  Colossians 1:27-29.

Last minute cruise.  Next devotion, God willing, will be next Tuesday, June 10, the day after my birthday.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers Chapter 3.  Here is a link to this Scripture – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+3&version=NASB

I quote the following verses.

“1 Now these are the records of the generations of Aaron and Moses at the time when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. 2 These then are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.  3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he ordained to serve as priests.  4 But Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord when they offered strange fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children.  So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron.

5 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi near and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him. 7 They shall perform the duties for him and for the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, to do the service of the tabernacle. 8 They shall also keep all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, along with the duties of the sons of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.  9 You shall thus give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the sons of Israel.  10 So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons that they may keep their priesthood, but the layman who comes near shall be put to death.”

11 Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Now, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every firstborn, the first issue of the womb among the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall be Mine.  13 For all the firstborn are Mine; on the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, from man to beast.  They shall be Mine;  I am the Lord.”   …

39 All the numbered men of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the command of the Lord by their families, every male from a month old and upward, were 22,000.

40 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Number every firstborn male of the sons of Israel from a month old and upward, and make a list of their names.  41 You shall take the Levites for Me, I am the Lord, instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the sons of Israel.”  42 So Moses numbered all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, just as the Lord had commanded him;  43 and all the firstborn males by the number of names from a month old and upward, for their numbered men were 22,273.

44 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel and the cattle of the Levites. And the Levites shall be Mine;  I am the Lord.  46 For the ransom of the 273 of the firstborn of the sons of Israel who are in excess beyond the Levites, 47 you shall take five shekels apiece, per head; you shall take them in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), 48 and give the money, the ransom of those who are in excess among them, to Aaron and to his sons.” 49 So Moses took the ransom money from those who were in excess, beyond those ransomed by the Levites;  50 from the firstborn of the sons of Israel he took the money in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary, 1,365.  51 Then Moses gave the ransom money to Aaron and to his sons, at the command of the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.”  Numbers Chapter 3:  Verses 1-13 and 39-51.

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Isn’t 22,000 close enough to 22,273? 

Moreover, you have 22,000 good Levites to swap for 22,273 ordinary firstborns.  Certainly, that is a fair exchange! 

I guess not.

“For the ransom of the 273 of the firstborn of the sons of Israel who are in excess beyond the Levites, you shall take five shekels apiece, per head;  you shall take them in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), and give the money, the ransom of those who are in excess among them, to Aaron and to his sons.”  Verses 46-48.

Today’s Scripture leads us to consider “Limited Atonement”, the “L” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Many lazily and wrongly think that Christ died for all and that Christ did not die for anyone particularly but just for everybody.  They don’t care to reason that if Christ died for everyone then all would be saved.  They just like that comfortable thought that Christ loves everybody and that it is up to the individual man to determine for himself whether or not he will be saved by his own free-will.  They also don’t think it out that it may be a bad idea to put salvation in the hands of totally depraved men dead in sin.

But, today’s Scripture emphasizes the exactness of redemption.  22,000 is not close enough to 22,273.  There is an exact number of firstborns to be redeemed.

“For the redemption of his soul is costly, …”  Psalm 49:8.

Payment is due for exactly 273 souls.

“So Moses took the ransom money from those who were in excess, beyond those ransomed by the Levites;  from the firstborn of the sons of Israel he took the money in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary, 1,365.  Then Moses gave the ransom money to Aaron and to his sons, at the command of the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.”  Verses 49-51.

Article 8.   For this was the sovereign counsel, and most gracious will and purpose of God the Father, that the quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious death of his Son should extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them alone the gift of justifying faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation: that is, it was the will of God, that Christ by the blood of the cross, whereby he confirmed the new covenant, should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and language, all those, and those only, who were from eternity chosen to salvation, and given to him by the Father; that he should confer upon them faith, which together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, he purchased for them by his death; should purge them from all sin, both original and actual, whether committed before or after believing; and having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at last bring them free from every spot and blemish to the enjoyment of glory in his own presence forever.  Canons of Dordt SECOND HEAD OF DOCTRINE  Of the Death of Christ, and the Redemption of Men Thereby.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers Chapter 2.  Here is a link to this Scripture – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+2&version=NASB

I quote the following verses.

“1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2 “The sons of Israel shall camp, each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ households;  they shall camp around the tent of meeting at a distance.  …

34 Thus the sons of Israel did;  according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so they camped by their standards, and so they set out, every one by his family according to his father’s household.”  Numbers Chapter 2:  Verses 1, 2 and 34.

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“Standard” is defined by Merriam-Webster online dictionary – http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standard  One of the definitions for “standard” which seems to be the meaning of the use of “standard” in today’s Scripture is:  “a conspicuous object (as a banner) formerly carried at the top of a pole and used to mark a rallying point especially in battle or to serve as an emblem“.

We see the use of this meaning of “standard” in the following Scripture.

“10 Go through, go through the gates,
Clear the way for the people;
Build up, build up the highway,
Remove the stones, lift up a standard over the peoples.
11 Behold, the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth,
Say to the daughter of Zion, “Lo, your salvation comes;
Behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.”
12 And they will call them, “The holy people,
The redeemed of the Lord”;
And you will be called, “Sought out, a city not forsaken.”  Isaiah 62:10-12.

There are those Reformed denominations, churches, and believers who seem embarrassed that they are “Reformed”.  They hide or minimize their Reformed Doctrine.  They pretend like they are like every other Christian denomination, church, or Christian.

But, praise God, there are those Reformed denominations, churches, and believers who are proud that they are “Reformed”.  They lift up their Reformed Doctrine as a standard (in the banner sense) for all to see.   They joyfully rally around their identification as “Reformed” as a sports team joyfully rallies around its name and colors.

And these Reformed denominations, churches, and believers who are proud that they are “Reformed” conspicuously lift up their standard over the peoples and say:  “Lo, your salvation comes;  Behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.”  And, they joyfully proclaim how they are saved through “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Today’s devotion comes from Numbers Chapter 1.  Here is a link to this Scripture – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+1&version=NASB

I quote the following verses.

“1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, every male, head by head 3 from twenty years old and upward, whoever is able to go out to war in Israel, you and Aaron shall number them by their armies.  4 With you, moreover, there shall be a man of each tribe, each one head of his father’s household.  …

44 These are the ones who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, with the leaders of Israel, twelve men, each of whom was of his father’s household.  45 So all the numbered men of the sons of Israel by their fathers’ households, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war in Israel, 46 even all the numbered men were 603,550.

47 The Levites, however, were not numbered among them by their fathers’ tribe.  48 For the Lord had spoken to Moses, saying, 49 “Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, nor shall you take their census among the sons of Israel.  50 But you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings and over all that belongs to it.  They shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it; they shall also camp around the tabernacle.  51 So when the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down;  and when the tabernacle encamps, the Levites shall set it up.  But the layman who comes near shall be put to death. 52 The sons of Israel shall camp, each man by his own camp, and each man by his own standard, according to their armies.  53 But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there will be no wrath on the congregation of the sons of Israel.  So the Levites shall keep charge of the tabernacle of the testimony.”  54 Thus the sons of Israel did;  according to all which the Lord had commanded Moses, so they did.”  Numbers Chapter 1:  Verses 1-4 and 44-54.

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“What is your number?” asks financial institutions on TV peddling their retirement investment programs.

Number can refer to the total amount of dollars needed for retirement.  Number can refer to credit score needed to get a loan or a preferable interest rate.  Number can refer to SAT score needed to get into a particular college.  Number can refer to the total number of soldiers needed to win a battle.  Numbers are important.  In a sense, they are a measure of man.

But, the highest number is not always best.  More important than the measure of man is the infinite measure of God.  To be chosen by God is more important than to be more numerous or better than most.

“The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.  Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments;  but repays those who hate Him to their faces, to destroy them;  He will not delay with him who hates Him, He will repay him to his face.  Therefore, you shall keep the commandment and the statutes and the judgments which I am commanding you today, to do them.”  Deuteronomy 7:7-11.

“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God;  the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”    Deuteronomy 7:6.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;  for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God;  you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”  1 Peter 2:9-10.

Our number may be low.  But, God still chose us.

“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;  but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.  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 1:26-31.

In fact, our number is real low.  Reformed Doctrine teaches us that our number is zero through “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

But, there is hope!

God provides all that we need from “Unconditional Election” to “Limited Atonement” to “Irresistible Grace” to “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Today’s Scripture comes from Leviticus Chapter 27 which mostly concerns a great amount of detail for different valuations of persons and property to determine the amount needed for redemption.  Here is a link to this Scripture –  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+27&version=NASB

I quote the following verses to give one sample.

“Now if a man consecrates his house as holy to the Lord, then the priest shall value it as either good or bad; as the priest values it, so it shall stand.  Yet if the one who consecrates it should wish to redeem his house, then he shall add one-fifth of your valuation price to it, so that it may be his.”  Leviticus 27:14-15.

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Today’s Scripture points us to meditate on the fact that redemption did not occur without payment of the purchase price and that the purchase price was costly.  But, if it was paid, then the person or property was truly redeemed.

Furthermore, today’s Scripture should make us appreciate even more Christ’s purchase of our redemption with His own blood.

“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”  Acts 20:28.

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace”  Ephesians 1:7.

“knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.”  1 Peter 1:18-19.

“And they *sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals;  for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”  Revelation 5:9.

Finally, today’s Scripture should lead us to consider that Christ did not shed His blood for everyone, but only for God’s elect whom He intended to redeem.  If Christ did shed His blood for everyone, then everyone would be saved.  But, Christ shed His blood for only those “purchased for God”.  They may be “from every tribe and tongue and people and nation”, but they are not everyone.  This is “Limited Atonement”, the “L” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Today’s devotion comes from Leviticus 26:40-46.

“40 ‘If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their forefathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also in their acting with hostility against Me— 41 I also was acting with hostility against them, to bring them into the land of their enemies—or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that they then make amends for their iniquity, 42 then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac,  and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land.  43 For the land will be abandoned by them, and will make up for its sabbaths while it is made desolate without them.  They, meanwhile, will be making amends for their iniquity, because they rejected My ordinances and their soul abhorred My statutes.  44 Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, nor will I so abhor them as to destroy them, breaking My covenant with them;  for I am the Lord their God.  45 But I will remember for them the covenant with their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God. I am the Lord.’”

46 These are the statutes and ordinances and laws which the Lord established between Himself and the sons of Israel through Moses at Mount Sinai.”   Leviticus 26:40-46.

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Much doctrine is based on what man claims:  “Look at me!  Look at my free-will!  History is established by what I do!” 

In sharp contrast, Reformed Doctrine is based on Scripture, the words of God, which states:  “Look at Me!  Look at My will!  History is My story of what I am doing!  I am the LORD!”

We see this focus on God in today’s Scripture.  “Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, nor will I so abhor them as to destroy them, breaking My covenant with them;  for I am the Lord their God.  But I will remember for them the covenant with their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God.  I am the Lord.’”  Verses 44 and 45.

We also see this focus on God in Deuteronomy 4:31:  For the Lord your God is a compassionate God;  He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.”

We also see this focus on God in Hebrews 8:10.

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
After those days, says the Lord:
I will put My laws into their minds,
And I will write them on their hearts.
And I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”

“Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24.

“Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other;  I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure‘; Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country.  Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.”  Isaiah 46: 9-11.

Throughout Scripture, we see that “Salvation belongs to the Lord”.  Psalm 3:8.

We see this in Isaiah 59:15-17.  “Yes, truth is lacking; And he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey.  Now the LORD saw, And it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice.  And He saw that there was no man, And was astonished that there was no one to intercede;  Then His own arm brought salvation to Him, And His righteousness upheld Him. He put on righteousness like a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head;  And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle.”

We see this in Isaiah 63:4-5.  “For the day of vengeance was in My heart, And My year of redemption has come. “I looked, and there was no one to help, And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold;  So My own arm brought salvation to Me, And My wrath upheld Me.”

We see this in Isaiah 52:10.  “The LORD has bared His holy arm In the sight of all the nations, That all the ends of the earth may see The salvation of our God.”

Consider that if God controls the smallest details of life on earth so that not even a sparrow falls to the ground apart from the will of God (Matthew 10:29), then do you really think that God is giving up any control over salvation to alleged man’s free will?  Are sparrows more important than the salvation of man?  No, God saves according to His purpose according to His choice, not because of works or even the will of man.  Salvation does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy on whom He desires.  See Romans 9:11-18.

From beginning to end, Reformed Doctrine is delighted to show “Salvation belongs to the Lord.” from “Unconditional Election” to “Limited Atonement” to “Irresistible Grace” to “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L” “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Today’s devotion comes from Leviticus 26:14-39.  Here is a link to this Scripture – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+26&version=NASB

I quote the following verses.

“14 ‘But if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, 15 if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, 16 I, in turn, will do this to you:  I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that will waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away;  also, you will sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies will eat it up.  17 I will set My face against you so that you will be struck down before your enemies; and those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when no one is pursuing you.  18 If also after these things you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.  19 I will also break down your pride of power;  I will also make your sky like iron and your earth like bronze.  20 Your strength will be spent uselessly, for your land will not yield its produce and the trees of the land will not yield their fruit.

21 ‘If then, you act with hostility against Me and are unwilling to obey Me, I will increase the plague on you seven times according to your sins.  22 I will let loose among you the beasts of the field, which will bereave you of your children and destroy your cattle and reduce your number so that your roads lie deserted.

23 ‘And if by these things you are not turned to Me, but act with hostility against Me, 24 then I will act with hostility against you;  and I, even I, will strike you seven times for your sins.”     Leviticus 26:14-24.

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Today’s Scripture vividly displays the consequences of disobedience to the LORD.

“27 Behold, the name of the Lord comes from a remote place;
Burning is His anger and dense is His smoke;
His lips are filled with indignation
And His tongue is like a consuming fire;
28 His breath is like an overflowing torrent,
Which reaches to the neck,
To shake the nations back and forth in a sieve,
And to put in the jaws of the peoples the bridle which leads to ruin.
29 You will have songs as in the night when you keep the festival,
And gladness of heart as when one marches to the sound of the flute,
To go to the mountain of the Lord, to the Rock of Israel.
30 And the Lord will cause His voice of authority to be heard,
And the descending of His arm to be seen in fierce anger,
And in the flame of a consuming fire
In cloudburst, downpour and hailstones.”  Isaiah 30:27-30.

And, as bad as all of these listed these consequences are, there is a worse consequence of disobedience to the LORD.

“I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.  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 12:4-5.

Man may not like being subject to God’s sovereign authority and almighty power, but God will not release His grip, and He will punish all disobedience.

“1 Why are the nations in an uproar
And the peoples devising a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8 ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”  Psalm 2:1-9.

So, what should our response be to this fair warning?

10 Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
11 Worship the Lord with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
12 Do homage to the Son (Jesus Christ), that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”  Psalm 2:10-12.