The Assembly Called (Lev. 8:1-5)

8/22/2008 11:07 AM

My Worship Time           Focus:  The assembly called

Bible Reading & Meditation               Reference:  Leviticus 8:1-5

          Message of the verses:  1 ¶  Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2  "Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments and the anointing oil and the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams and the basket of unleavened bread, 3  and assemble all the congregation at the doorway of the tent of meeting."  4  So Moses did just as the LORD commanded him. When the congregation was assembled at the doorway of the tent of meeting, 5  Moses said to the congregation, "This is the thing which the LORD has commanded to do.’”

            I now begin a new chapter in Dr. Wiersbe’s book and this chapter goes from Leviticus chapter eight to chapter ten.  There is a new topic in this chapter and that topic is “A Kingdom of Priests.”  This section will cover the priesthood of Israel and that is the Levitical Priesthood. In the book of Exodus chapter nineteen and verse six it says, “and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.’”  In this chapter God has given the entire nation of Israel the opportunity to become priests and a holy nation that was to go out into the world and tell others about God, however they would not do this and so God chose the tribe of Levi to have the priesthood in and Aaron from this tribe to be the High Priest of Israel and the priesthood would come from Aaron and his children.

            I must admit that whenever I read this story of how the priesthood was established that I knew in my heart that there was more about it that I did not know.  Israel had blown their chance to have a kingdom of priest because of sin and also because of fear, fear and fright of God, not trusting Him when He came to them on the mountain.  It is healthy to have a revenant fear of the Lord, but the fear that these people had was fright, so frightful were they that they did not want anything to do with God, but wanted Moses to take care of speaking to God.

            The first subtitle in this chapter of Dr. Wiersbe’s book is entitled “Submitting to God’s authority and the first subtitle under that is today’s lesson “The assembly called.” 

            God, through Moses, called a public meeting to begin the process of ordaining Aaron as the first high priest of Israel.  This was not done in the dark but was done so all the people could be involved in it.  Now there were probably in excess of one million people in the nation of Israel at this time and so it is probable that the leaders of each tribe were the closest to the official ceremony, but all of the people could participate in this event.  Aaron and his sons were being set apart for ministry and this is a very serious thing to do, just as it is a very serious thing for pastors and missionaries to be set apart for the ministry of the Gospel today and that is why it is to be a public event wittinessed by the people of God and God too.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Although because of a previous marriage I could never become of Pastor I can try to live a life that is pleasing to God and take advantage of all of the opportunities that He gives me to teach and to tell others about the Lord Jesus Christ, how He has changed me and given me a new life in Christ.  I have a desire to do so too.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1. Be available to tell others about the good news of the Gospel.
2. Put on the spiritual armor.
3. Give myself to the Lord for service and worship today.
4. Trust the Lord to guide my path today.

Memory verses for the week:                      Review of Exodus 20:1-6

1. Then God spoke all these words, saying,
2. I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3. You shall have no other gods before Me.
4. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.
5. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children on the third and forth generation of those who hate me,
6. but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love me and keep my commandments.

8/22/2008 12:12 PM