Getting through the maze . . .

 

 

READ:  Leviticus 21-24

We are sitting in an airport waiting for our flight. A taxi brought us here, wearing masks because of our city’s bylaws. They stay in place until we reach our destination due to airport and flight rules. When we arrived, a self-serve kiosk took our information and printed out luggage tags. The conveyer belt was not working so we had to take our suitcases to the oversize check-in where they were scanned before allowed on the plane. Our Nexus cards got us through the inspection area a bit quicker but because of my pacemaker, I didn’t go through the scanner and had a thorough pat-down before retrieving my belongings from the conveyer belt. We found our gate and now relax until our flight is called.

I read the above chapters earlier and cannot help but compare the rituals of the OT sacrificial system with our morning’s experience. What if I had to go through the same travel routine every time I wanted to go out of my home, even to the grocery store or to visit a neighbor?

For the people of God, these Leviticus laws and regulations applied to all of life and to everyone, priests and lay persons as well, every day and for every part of their lives. Just an example or two:

Say to them (the priests), ‘If any one of all your offspring throughout your generations approaches the holy things that the people of Israel dedicate to the Lord, while he has an uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from my presence: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 22:3)

A lay person shall not eat of a holy thing; no foreign guest of the priest or hired worker shall eat of a holy thing, but if a priest buys a slave as his property for money, the slave may eat of it, and anyone born in his house may eat of his food. If a priest’s daughter marries a layman, she shall not eat of the contribution of the holy things. But if a priest’s daughter is widowed or divorced and has no child and returns to her father’s house, as in her youth, she may eat of her father’s food; yet no lay person shall eat of it. And if anyone eats of a holy thing unintentionally, he shall add the fifth of its value to it and give the holy thing to the priest. They shall not profane the holy things of the people of Israel, which they contribute to the Lord, and so cause them to bear iniquity and guilt, by eating their holy things: for I am the Lord who sanctifies them. (Leviticus 22:10–16)

There were various rules for various people. Some were the same; some varied according to that person’s status or position in the community. Some people have their bags searched; others don’t. All are carefully inspected including their identity and fitness to travel.

Adding another stipulation, what was offered as a sacrifice had to be perfect. How tempting to slaughter the worst of the flock or herd, culling them out and keeping the best but God did not ask for that:

And when anyone offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to the Lord to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering from the herd or from the flock, to be accepted it must be perfect; there shall be no blemish in it. (Leviticus 22:21)

I try to imagine life then, with these complex and onerous rules. It must have been much more demanding than getting on an airplane to travel these days, even considering the complications added by Covid.

Of course the freedom we have to go where we want to go has been affected by the pandemic, but no longer do the people of God go through scanners, examinations, questions and searches before travel nor do we need to experience the same spiritual rituals and sacrifices for sin that God’s OT people experienced. Jesus Christ died once for all, setting us free from the laws that no one could keep anyway. Not only did He die in our place, He lived through the same temptations we do. We would like to bail out, escape the rules, just do what we want, but He said, “Not my will but thine be done.”

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:17–18)

Some chaff under the rules and will not wear a mask and express impatience continually. If our lives were about OT rules, we would all die young. But now, because of Jesus who is perfect and without sin,  our lives can be about living in the freedom of forgiveness and never-ending love. Again, I am so thankful!

 

Temptation

Today’s devotional tells me that there is no sin in being tempted. Sin happens when I yield to temptation. I’m very glad this is true, particularly because yesterday’s temptation nearly tipped me over.

Someone accused me of something that was a total figment of their imagination. My first thought was that I must defend myself. My next thought was retaliation. Then I decided to make sure there was no shred of truth to the accusation. After prayer and listening for a word from the Lord, my conscience was clear. Not long after that, my blood pressure started to rise again.

Earlier in the day, our ladies’ Bible study group discussed the idea of sin being like tipping over. Someone said that she’d experienced situations where the temptation was strong, but the desire to fight it was also powerful. In that battle, she felt like she was on tilt. We joked a bit, even using words like feeling “tipsy” to describe this very serious struggle. After that accusation happened, this word picture jumped back to mind and helped me remember that I must stay upright.

Sometimes temptation hits without warning and I dismiss it. Sometimes I give in before realizing that it was pulling on me. This time I felt the pull, but I also felt the power of God as I prayed for grace to stand. Several minutes passed where it seemed I was standing on one leg. However, the Holy Spirit came alongside to help me. Soon the desire to strike back changed to compassion and the Lord gave me a deep concern for my accuser’s spiritual well-being.

This does not happen every time. Sometimes, as I already said, I am blind-sided and tip over before I realize what hit me. Sometimes the temptation is more appealing to me than being like Jesus, so I make a choice and give in. Yet I am aware that this is not what God wants or provides. He says . . .  

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

This verse first lets me know that I am not alone in my temptations. Everyone struggles with them. However, God knows my heart and what tests I can pass. He also provides a way to stand, to escape the temptation. This way is not firm resolve nor even trying harder. Nothing of my own efforts will rescue me. Only Jesus can do that. 

Therefore (Jesus) had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:17–18)

Jesus walked this way before I did. He knows all about false accusations. Mockers accused Him then and they still say shameful lies about Him. In all of that, He remains sinless. Because He lives in me, I can rely on Him to help me. I do not need to give into temptation. Even though the enemy of my soul wants me to disobey God, God is stronger. He is able to control what comes at me. Nothing can tempt me without His permission.

God also supplies a way of escape. This escape is not will power (or won’t power). It is the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. Because of Him, I can put myself in His hands and let Him meet all accusations and any other type of temptation. This is what it is like to have a Savior. He saves me. I totter and struggle, but by calling out to Him, I also experience being able to say no to sin and yes to God.

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Lord, yesterday’s challenge proved again that You are faithful. I’d love to be protected from people who want to harm anyone who loves You, but I know that will not happen. Jesus did not escape such abuse and neither will I. In this experience and with the temptation to retaliate, I learned that I can teeter on the edge, but You are totally faithful. You pulled me back and kept me from tipping over.