Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today, our passages are Leviticus 16:29–18:30; Mark 7:24–8:10; Psalm 41:1-13; and Proverbs 10:15-16. The readings are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson.
Leviticus 16:29-18:30 (The Message)
29-31 "This is standard practice for you, a perpetual ordinance. On the tenth day of the seventh month, both the citizen and the foreigner living with you are to enter into a solemn fast and refrain from all work, because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. In the presence of God you will be made clean of all your sins. It is a Sabbath of all Sabbaths. You must fast. It is a perpetual ordinance.
32 "The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father is to make the atonement:
He puts on the sacred linen garments;
33 He purges the Holy of Holies by making atonement;
He purges the Tent of Meeting and the Altar by making atonement;
He makes atonement for the priests and all the congregation.
34 "This is a perpetual ordinance for you: Once a year atonement is to be made for all the sins of the People of Israel."
And Aaron did it, just as God commanded Moses.
32 "The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father is to make the atonement:
He puts on the sacred linen garments;
33 He purges the Holy of Holies by making atonement;
He purges the Tent of Meeting and the Altar by making atonement;
He makes atonement for the priests and all the congregation.
34 "This is a perpetual ordinance for you: Once a year atonement is to be made for all the sins of the People of Israel."
And Aaron did it, just as God commanded Moses.
Leviticus 17
Holy Living: Sacrifices and Blood
1-7 God spoke to Moses: "Speak to Aaron and his sons and all the Israelites. Tell them, This is what God commands: Any and every man who slaughters an ox or lamb or goat inside or outside the camp instead of bringing it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting to offer it to God in front of The Dwelling of God—that man is considered guilty of bloodshed; he has shed blood and must be cut off from his people. This is so the Israelites will bring to God the sacrifices that they're in the habit of sacrificing out in the open fields. They must bring them to God and the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and sacrifice them as Peace-Offerings to God. The priest will splash the blood on the Altar of God at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and burn the fat as a pleasing fragrance to God. They must no longer offer their sacrifices to goat-demons— a kind of religious orgy. This is a perpetual decree down through the generations. 8-9 "Tell them, Any Israelite or foreigner living among them who offers a Whole-Burnt-Offering or Peace-Offering but doesn't bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting to sacrifice it to God, that person must be cut off from his people.
10-12 "If any Israelite or foreigner living among them eats blood, I will disown that person and cut him off from his people, for the life of an animal is in the blood. I have provided the blood for you to make atonement for your lives on the Altar; it is the blood, the life, that makes atonement. That's why I tell the People of Israel, 'Don't eat blood.' The same goes for the foreigner who lives among you, 'Don't eat blood.'
13-14 "Any and every Israelite—this also goes for the foreigners—who hunts down an animal or bird that is edible, must bleed it and cover the blood with dirt, because the life of every animal is its blood—the blood is its life. That's why I tell the Israelites, 'Don't eat the blood of any animal because the life of every animal is its blood. Anyone who eats the blood must be cut off.'
15-16 "Anyone, whether native or foreigner, who eats from an animal that is found dead or mauled must wash his clothes and bathe in water; he remains unclean until evening and is then clean. If he doesn't wash or bathe his body, he'll be held responsible for his actions."
10-12 "If any Israelite or foreigner living among them eats blood, I will disown that person and cut him off from his people, for the life of an animal is in the blood. I have provided the blood for you to make atonement for your lives on the Altar; it is the blood, the life, that makes atonement. That's why I tell the People of Israel, 'Don't eat blood.' The same goes for the foreigner who lives among you, 'Don't eat blood.'
13-14 "Any and every Israelite—this also goes for the foreigners—who hunts down an animal or bird that is edible, must bleed it and cover the blood with dirt, because the life of every animal is its blood—the blood is its life. That's why I tell the Israelites, 'Don't eat the blood of any animal because the life of every animal is its blood. Anyone who eats the blood must be cut off.'
15-16 "Anyone, whether native or foreigner, who eats from an animal that is found dead or mauled must wash his clothes and bathe in water; he remains unclean until evening and is then clean. If he doesn't wash or bathe his body, he'll be held responsible for his actions."
Leviticus 18
Sex
1-5 God spoke to Moses: "Speak to the People of Israel. Tell them, I am God, your God. Don't live like the people of Egypt where you used to live, and don't live like the people of Canaan where I'm bringing you. Don't do what they do. Obey my laws and live by my decrees. I am your God. Keep my decrees and laws: The person who obeys them lives by them. I am God. 6 "Don't have sex with a close relative. I am God.
7 "Don't violate your father by having sex with your mother. She is your mother. Don't have sex with her.
8 "Don't have sex with your father's wife. That violates your father.
9 "Don't have sex with your sister, whether she's your father's daughter or your mother's, whether she was born in the same house or elsewhere.
10 "Don't have sex with your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter. That would violate your own body.
11 "Don't have sex with the daughter of your father's wife born to your father. She is your sister.
12 "Don't have sex with your father's sister; she is your aunt, closely related to your father.
13 "Don't have sex with your mother's sister; she is your aunt, closely related to your mother.
14 "Don't violate your father's brother, your uncle, by having sex with his wife. She is your aunt.
15 "Don't have sex with your daughter-in-law. She is your son's wife; don't have sex with her.
16 "Don't have sex with your brother's wife; that would violate your brother.
17 "Don't have sex with both a woman and her daughter. And don't have sex with her granddaughters either. They are her close relatives. That is wicked.
18 "Don't marry your wife's sister as a rival wife and have sex with her while your wife is living.
19 "Don't have sex with a woman during the time of her menstrual period when she is unclean.
20 "Don't have sex with your neighbor's wife and violate yourself by her.
21 "Don't give any of your children to be burned in sacrifice to the god Molech—an act of sheer blasphemy of your God. I am God.
22 "Don't have sex with a man as one does with a woman. That is abhorrent.
23 "Don't have sex with an animal and violate yourself by it.
"A woman must not have sex with an animal. That is perverse.
24-28 "Don't pollute yourself in any of these ways. This is how the nations became polluted, the ones that I am going to drive out of the land before you. Even the land itself became polluted and I punished it for its iniquities—the land vomited up its inhabitants. You must keep my decrees and laws— natives and foreigners both. You must not do any of these abhorrent things. The people who lived in this land before you arrived did all these things and polluted the land. And if you pollute it, the land will vomit you up just as it vomited up the nations that preceded you.
29-30 "Those who do any of these abhorrent things will be cut off from their people. Keep to what I tell you; don't engage in any of the abhorrent acts that were practiced before you came. Don't pollute yourselves with them. I am God, your God."
7 "Don't violate your father by having sex with your mother. She is your mother. Don't have sex with her.
8 "Don't have sex with your father's wife. That violates your father.
9 "Don't have sex with your sister, whether she's your father's daughter or your mother's, whether she was born in the same house or elsewhere.
10 "Don't have sex with your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter. That would violate your own body.
11 "Don't have sex with the daughter of your father's wife born to your father. She is your sister.
12 "Don't have sex with your father's sister; she is your aunt, closely related to your father.
13 "Don't have sex with your mother's sister; she is your aunt, closely related to your mother.
14 "Don't violate your father's brother, your uncle, by having sex with his wife. She is your aunt.
15 "Don't have sex with your daughter-in-law. She is your son's wife; don't have sex with her.
16 "Don't have sex with your brother's wife; that would violate your brother.
17 "Don't have sex with both a woman and her daughter. And don't have sex with her granddaughters either. They are her close relatives. That is wicked.
18 "Don't marry your wife's sister as a rival wife and have sex with her while your wife is living.
19 "Don't have sex with a woman during the time of her menstrual period when she is unclean.
20 "Don't have sex with your neighbor's wife and violate yourself by her.
21 "Don't give any of your children to be burned in sacrifice to the god Molech—an act of sheer blasphemy of your God. I am God.
22 "Don't have sex with a man as one does with a woman. That is abhorrent.
23 "Don't have sex with an animal and violate yourself by it.
"A woman must not have sex with an animal. That is perverse.
24-28 "Don't pollute yourself in any of these ways. This is how the nations became polluted, the ones that I am going to drive out of the land before you. Even the land itself became polluted and I punished it for its iniquities—the land vomited up its inhabitants. You must keep my decrees and laws— natives and foreigners both. You must not do any of these abhorrent things. The people who lived in this land before you arrived did all these things and polluted the land. And if you pollute it, the land will vomit you up just as it vomited up the nations that preceded you.
29-30 "Those who do any of these abhorrent things will be cut off from their people. Keep to what I tell you; don't engage in any of the abhorrent acts that were practiced before you came. Don't pollute yourselves with them. I am God, your God."
Mark 7:24-8:10 (The Message)
24-26From there Jesus set out for the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house there where he didn't think he would be found, but he couldn't escape notice. He was barely inside when a woman who had a disturbed daughter heard where he was. She came and knelt at his feet, begging for help. The woman was Greek, Syro-Phoenician by birth. She asked him to cure her daughter.27He said, "Stand in line and take your turn. The children get fed first. If there's any left over, the dogs get it."28She said, "Of course, Master. But don't dogs under the table get scraps dropped by the children?"29-30Jesus was impressed. "You're right! On your way! Your daughter is no longer disturbed. The demonic affliction is gone." She went home and found her daughter relaxed on the bed, the torment gone for good.31-35Then he left the region of Tyre, went through Sidon back to Galilee Lake and over to the district of the Ten Towns. Some people brought a man who could neither hear nor speak and asked Jesus to lay a healing hand on him. He took the man off by himself, put his fingers in the man's ears and some spit on the man's tongue. Then Jesus looked up in prayer, groaned mightily, and commanded, "Ephphatha!—Open up!" And it happened. The man's hearing was clear and his speech plain—just like that.36-37Jesus urged them to keep it quiet, but they talked it up all the more, beside themselves with excitement. "He's done it all and done it well. He gives hearing to the deaf, speech to the speechless."
Mark 8
A Meal for Four Thousand
1-3 At about this same time he again found himself with a hungry crowd on his hands. He called his disciples together and said, "This crowd is breaking my heart. They have stuck with me for three days, and now they have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they'll faint along the way—some of them have come a long distance."4His disciples responded, "What do you expect us to do about it? Buy food out here in the desert?"5He asked, "How much bread do you have?""Seven loaves," they said.6-10So Jesus told the crowd to sit down on the ground. After giving thanks, he took the seven bread loaves, broke them into pieces, and gave them to his disciples so they could hand them out to the crowd. They also had a few fish. He pronounced a blessing over the fish and told his disciples to hand them out as well. The crowd ate its fill. Seven sacks of leftovers were collected. There were well over four thousand at the meal. Then he sent them home. He himself went straight to the boat with his disciples and set out for Dalmanoutha.
Psalm 41:1-13 (The Message)
Psalm 41
A David Psalm
1-3Dignify those who are down on their luck; you'll feel good—that's what God does.
God looks after us all,
makes us robust with life—
Lucky to be in the land,
we're free from enemy worries.
Whenever we're sick and in bed,
God becomes our nurse,
nurses us back to health.
4-7 I said, "God, be gracious!
Put me together again—
my sins have torn me to pieces."
My enemies are wishing the worst for me;
they make bets on what day I will die.
If someone comes to see me,
he mouths empty platitudes,
All the while gathering gossip about me
to entertain the street-corner crowd.
These "friends" who hate me
whisper slanders all over town.
They form committees
to plan misery for me.
8-9 The rumor goes out, "He's got some dirty,
deadly disease. The doctors
have given up on him."
Even my best friend, the one I always told everything
—he ate meals at my house all the time!—
has bitten my hand.
10 God, give grace, get me up on my feet.
I'll show them a thing or two.
11-12 Meanwhile, I'm sure you're on my side—
no victory shouts yet from the enemy camp!
You know me inside and out, you hold me together,
you never fail to stand me tall in your presence
so I can look you in the eye.
13 Blessed is God, Israel's God,
always, always, always.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
God looks after us all,
makes us robust with life—
Lucky to be in the land,
we're free from enemy worries.
Whenever we're sick and in bed,
God becomes our nurse,
nurses us back to health.
4-7 I said, "God, be gracious!
Put me together again—
my sins have torn me to pieces."
My enemies are wishing the worst for me;
they make bets on what day I will die.
If someone comes to see me,
he mouths empty platitudes,
All the while gathering gossip about me
to entertain the street-corner crowd.
These "friends" who hate me
whisper slanders all over town.
They form committees
to plan misery for me.
8-9 The rumor goes out, "He's got some dirty,
deadly disease. The doctors
have given up on him."
Even my best friend, the one I always told everything
—he ate meals at my house all the time!—
has bitten my hand.
10 God, give grace, get me up on my feet.
I'll show them a thing or two.
11-12 Meanwhile, I'm sure you're on my side—
no victory shouts yet from the enemy camp!
You know me inside and out, you hold me together,
you never fail to stand me tall in your presence
so I can look you in the eye.
13 Blessed is God, Israel's God,
always, always, always.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Proverbs 10:15-16 (The Message)
The Road to Life Is a Disciplined Life
15 The wealth of the rich is their bastion;
the poverty of the indigent is their ruin.
16 The wage of a good person is exuberant life;
an evil person ends up with nothing but sin.
15 The wealth of the rich is their bastion;
the poverty of the indigent is their ruin.
16 The wage of a good person is exuberant life;
an evil person ends up with nothing but sin.
the poverty of the indigent is their ruin.
16 The wage of a good person is exuberant life;
an evil person ends up with nothing but sin.
Thought for the Day
“Jesus answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, "Love others as much as you love yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39 - Contemporary English Version) It's not rocket science. We're called to love God and to love others. Therefore, if our application of the law leads to anything other than loving action, then our interpretation and application is simply wrong.
Quote for the Day
British film producer, educator, environmentalist and former member of the House of Lords, David Puttnam wrote, “There is no education system in the world - none at all - that's better than its average teacher.”
“Jesus answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, "Love others as much as you love yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39 - Contemporary English Version) It's not rocket science. We're called to love God and to love others. Therefore, if our application of the law leads to anything other than loving action, then our interpretation and application is simply wrong.
Quote for the Day
British film producer, educator, environmentalist and former member of the House of Lords, David Puttnam wrote, “There is no education system in the world - none at all - that's better than its average teacher.”
Joke for Today
The banker fell overboard from a friend's sailboat.
The friend grabbed a life preserver, held it up, not knowing if the banker could swim, and shouted, "Can you float alone?"
"Obviously," the banker replied, "but this is a heck of a time to talk business."
A Prayer Request
As Christians, we can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Below is the need that we're laying before God today.
That people stop expressing their frustration through violence.
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