Personal Devotions
Notes from Mark's personal Bible reading and meditation
With a goal to apply one truth from each day's reading to my life that day
Dec 30, 2024, 3:40 AM
Passage Read: Leviticus 23-26
Meditation Verses: 24:12-14
Thought
At the time of this incident, they had at least the ten commandments and had been warned against taking the name of the Lord in vain. Perhaps much more of the Law had been given at this point, but not the penalty of a blasphemer.
Dec 29, 2024, 4:36 AM
Passage Read: Leviticus 19-22
Meditation Verses: 19:17-18
Thought
It is hatred to not rebuke your neighbor frankly and clearly, and it's a sharing in his guilt. It can also be like seeking revenge against them or bearing a grudge against them. These two sets of commands are bookended by the instructions to not hate a neighbor but love them.
Dec 28, 2024, 4:39 AM
Passage Read: Leviticus 15-18
Meditation Verse: 18:25
Thought
The wickedness of the people defile their land, and when God punishes the land, it tries to get rid of the things that actually brought sin upon it. The land didn't sin, so why would God punish it?
Dec 27, 2024, 4:41 AM
Passage Read: Leviticus 11-14
Meditation Verses: 14:34-35
Thought
It's interesting that God takes responsibility for the mark of leprosy in the house. What about in clothing or on a person? The Lord is sovereign over all and does control or oversee all that happens in the earth.
Dec 26, 2024, 4:43 AM
Passage Read: Leviticus 7-10
Meditation Verse: 10:3
Thought
Those who represent the Lord, those who draw nearest to Him, must hold closest to His Word and ways. He is holy and His holiness will be on display to those who draw nearest to Him, but that means those that draw nearest to Him must be most diligent to know and treat Him with the utmost honor.
Dec 25, 2024, 12:14 AM
Passage Read: Leviticus 3-6
Meditation Verse: 5:4
Thought
Anyone who thoughtlessly swears any oath, whether good or evil, is guilty of sin and must offer a sacrifice. It did not matter if he was aware of it or not. As soon as he is made aware, he must seek the Lord's forgiveness and offer sacrifice.
Dec 24, 2024, 12:16 AM
Passage Read: Exodus 39 - Leviticus 2
Meditation Verses: Leviticus 1:11-13
Thought
This aspect of the priest's job sounds pretty gruesome. They're not unlike a butcher, except they're only cutting the offering into smaller parts for burning, not carving it up to sell as meat. Killing, draining blood, skinning, cutting it into sections, gutting, cleaning, burning.
Dec 22, 2023, 1:10 AM
Passage Read: Leviticus 27 - Numbers 3
Meditation Verses: Leviticus 27:14-15
Thought
To consecrate something to the Lord is to lose ownership of it to the Lord. You could still use it, but it technically belonged to the Lord, even to the point where in the year of Jubilee actual control and ownership would pass to the priests. If the one who consecrated the item to the Lord wanted it back, to have full control and ownership, he had to pay a fifth more than the original valuation to buy it back from the Lord.
Dec 21, 2023, 1:11 AM
Passage Read: Leviticus 23-26
Meditation Verses: 26:40-45
Thought
The Lord promises ever increasing punishment on the people if they refuse to obey Him and turn away from His statutes. He promised to send punishment, and if that doesn't turn them back in humility to Him and His ways, He will increase their punishment, again and again, until they are driven out of their land and living in fear in the land of their enemies. Yet even then He promises not to forget His covenant with their forefathers.
Dec 20, 2023, 1:12 AM
Passage Read: Leviticus 19-22
Meditation Verses: 19:16-18
Thought
This section of commands speaks of loving a neighbor. We are not allowed to hate a neighbor or plan any evil against him. No vengeance, no slander, no grudge, no character assassination. If he has done wrong or done evil, he surely must be rebuked, but he may not be hated in any way. To love him is to point out his error, but not to plot evil against him or rally others to hate him.