Leviticus 8-11

Day 35

I give up! I just plain give up!  Why bother getting up early before the kids because all it does is wake up JJ!  ARGH!!!  My alarm went off and HE woke up!  ARGH!  I didn't know Mickey Mouse Clubhouse came on at 6:30am....we USUALLY watch it at 8:00am!  NOT today!!!   ARGH!  I'm sounding like a pirate...better just type! 

Chapter 8   Here we have Aaron and his sons being ordained.  Just like that--they were ordained.  Offer up a bull calf,  a ram or two and some unleavened bread, put on some fancy clothes and they're good to go. WHAT?  They didn't quit their teaching job, leave their family and friends to go to 3 years of seminary first and gain 100 pounds during the stress of it it all and have to be interviewed every year to defend their calling and answer countless theological answers as to who they believe God is and why we are here and spend sleepless hours writing papers and studying and maybe catching a nap in the back of their car between classes only to be appointed to preach when they'd rather teach and ended up getting married anyway? Hum......they didn't have any fun did they?!  :)  

The Levites as a whole are called to care for the tabernacle but Aaron and his descendants are called to be priests. God chose Aaron in spite of himself.  Just like us!  This is just an example of God calling flawed and broken people to places of leadership. The Urim and Thummin mentioned in verse 8 "is a parchment enscribed with the 72 letter name of Hashem (God) and was placed in the pocket of the fold of the Chosen (breastplate). This breastplate contained the 12 stones, one for each shevet (tribe) of Bnei Yisroel."  SEE PIC BELOW!  :)   

Chapter 9  The priests begin their ministry by holding an inauguration service in the tabernacle. All the people have been summoned to convene at the tent of meeting (tabernacle). Once again, Aaron is instructed to offer a sin offering and a burnt offering.  If anything emphasizes the sheer tedium and the repetitious nature of the sacrificial system.....it must surely be impressed upon Aaron by now!  It is on me! Mercy!!  :)  The purpose of these offerings are very clear: for today the Lord will appear to you" and "so that the glory of the Lord may appear to you."  God's very presence will be made known!!!  His glory will always be present in the tabernacle.  The people are gathered to worship the Lord.....worshiping the Lord is communion with God!!  Experiencing God's presence!!!  Sometimes we miss God's glory because we are too focused on the sermon, the music or a prayer.......The people saw God's glory and "shouted for joy and feel facedown!"  THAT was worship! :)

Chapter 10  In case you don't believe God to do what He says He will do, read this chapter!  Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, did something contrary to God's command.  So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and they died! POOF!  Just like that.  On what might have been the happiest day for Aaron, the celebration--the ordination, here are his sons....tragically consumed by holy fire from the Lord!  OH MY!!!!!  God just didn't like it that they lit their censers the wrong way. God was very specific to his instruction.  And poor Aaron...he was stunned into silence!  

Chapter 11  Clean and unclean.  Wash your hands, take a bath and don't eat the forbidden food!  We have a long list of what they can eat and can't eat....weasel, lizard and geckos are on the "don't eat list!"  Lucky for us!!!  :)  But the bottom line....God is holy so we should be holy and being holy means being clean!  

Lessons learned:  Food laws are expression for a call to holiness.  The laws were meant to make themselves distinguished from other people.  Be holy and set apart from God and let Him call you.  Inspite of yourself!  

Thy will be done.......