Keep the Fire of the Lord Burning

Keep the Fire of the Lord Burning

Date: Dec. 14, 2021

Passage

Leviticus 24:1-23 (ESV)

1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil from beaten olives for the lamp, that a light may be kept burning regularly. 3 Outside the veil of the testimony, in the tent of meeting, Aaron shall arrange it from evening to morning before the LORD regularly. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. 4 He shall arrange the lamps on the lampstand of pure gold before the LORD regularly.

5 “You shall take fine flour and bake twelve loaves from it; two tenths of an ephah shall be in each loaf. 6 And you shall set them in two piles, six in a pile, on the table of pure gold before the LORD. 7 And you shall put pure frankincense on each pile, that it may go with the bread as a memorial portion as a food offering to the LORD. 8 Every Sabbath day Aaron shall arrange it before the LORD regularly; it is from the people of Israel as a covenant forever. 9 And it shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place, since it is for him a most holy portion out of the LORD’s food offerings, a perpetual due.”

10 Now an Israelite woman’s son, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the people of Israel. And the Israelite woman’s son and a man of Israel fought in the camp, 11 and the Israelite woman’s son blasphemed the Name, and cursed. Then they brought him to Moses. His mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan. 12 And they put him in custody, till the will of the LORD should be clear to them.

13 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 14 “Bring out of the camp the one who cursed, and let all who heard him lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him. 15 And speak to the people of Israel, saying, Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin. 16 Whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him. The sojourner as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.

17 “Whoever takes a human life shall surely be put to death. 18 Whoever takes an animal’s life shall make it good, life for life. 19 If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to him, 20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him. 21 Whoever kills an animal shall make it good, and whoever kills a person shall be put to death. 22 You shall have the same rule for the sojourner and for the native, for I am the LORD your God.” 23 So Moses spoke to the people of Israel, and they brought out of the camp the one who had cursed and stoned him with stones. Thus the people of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses.

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 24:4

He shall arrange the lamps on the lampstand of pure gold before the LORD regularly.

Verses 1-9 teach us about the light and the bread in the Tabernacle. The tent had many layers and it was very dark. The Lord commanded that the golden lampstands always be kept burning so that the way to the Lord was always illuminated. Spiritually, we must be a light to the Gentiles filled with the light of life Jesus kept burning through the Holy Spirit. Next, twelve loaves of bread made of the finest flour should be present before the Lord. It was a beautiful symbol of God’s provision for his people and desire for fellowship with them. It also looks forward to Jesus the bread of life, who truly sustains and satisfies us. The lights are on and the table is set. Let us come to the Lord and have fellowship with him.

Verses 10-23 tell the story of a half-Egyptian and half-Israelite man who cursed God’s name. God commanded that a blasphemer be put to death. He continues to give more directions for a just penalty system. The Lord places the higher value on the life of a person versus an animal, curtailing people’s materialism. He also teaches an eye for an eye, which is to check vengeance, not to justify it. Moreover, the Lord protects foreigners from inequality under the law. The Lord wants us to be just and be a light to a vengeful world.

Prayer: Prayer: Father, help me to walk in your light and practice your justice with wisdom and respect for life. May your light shine out from me today.

One Word: One Word: A fire burning in our hearts for God

The Lord’s Judgment

Micah 1:1-16

Key Verse: 1:2

The Coming Destruction

  Hear, you peoples, all of you;
    pay attention, O earth, and all that is in it,
  and let the Lord GOD be a witness against you,
    the Lord from his holy temple.

Today's Question

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IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT