Daily Morning Watch

April 26, 2022

In Bible times, people did not have the understanding we do today of diseases, medicine, or sanitation. God made many precise laws about cleanliness, many of which we shall see. He also gave precise instructions about disease. Here are some details about how to know if something was chronic or not. It’s important to understand these were various chronic diseases called leprosy; not all were what we call leprosy today. Why do you think He made the priests responsible for these things?

April 25, 2022

Some of the rules God gave have been used as excuses by men to think that women are unclean or unholy. Over the centuries, there has been a lot of that. God did not say any such thing! He loves His daughters just as much as His sons and seeks both to protect their health and also to give them some time off when they are new mothers. Also, as in other laws, you can see God’s mercy in making different offering requirements for rich and poor.

April 24, 2022

This is still an important chapter to us today. We do not believe God simply gave these laws as arbitrary rules for the Israelites alone. We believe there were and are important health reasons for the distinctions made in this chapter. If you do some research, you can learn very important reasons for these health rules. For example, shellfish are given the job of cleaning up the waste that flows from the continents into the seas. We don’t want to eat that! Can you find other health reasons for these distinctions?

April 23, 2022

Nadab and Abihu, two of the newly consecrated priests, apparently thought they were now special and didn’t have to obey instruction. First, they got drunk, then they used ordinary fire to burn incense, instead of the heavenly fire God had provided. That fire became their death. How sorrowful God must have been to lose two of His priests so soon after the sanctuary system began! How can we be sure not to fall into that kind of presumptuous sin?

April 22, 2022

For the first time as a consecrated, ordained priest, Aaron offers the sacrifices, first for himself and his own sin, then for the people. Step by step, he follows the directions he has been given from God, through Moses. To show them that they have done rightly and pleased God, God sends His own heavenly fire to consume the offering. This heavenly fire is now the fire that must be kept burning in the tabernacle from now on. What must that have been like? Would you have shouted with the rest of the people?

April 21, 2022

Just imagine what this must have been like! For months, the people have been preparing, building the tabernacle, making the holy priestly clothing, learning the ways to do the sacrifices. Now, for the first time, they experience it. Aaron and his sons, set aside with their descendants to be priests before God, go through the rituals, then sit in front of the doorway and eat the consecrated food. How do you think they felt?

April 20, 2022

This chapter lists again, in summary form, the ways that the offerings are to be divided up among God, priests, and people. Mixed in with the other regulations are things that have to do with health. Notice again how God says not to eat fat or blood. He is very strict about it—whoever does is cut off from their people. There are also regulations about not touching unclean things. People then didn’t know about germs as we do now. But God did! What do you think of His rules?

April 19, 2022

We have seen that many offerings brought to the temple were partly for the support of the priests. But what about the offerings they offered? All of those were for God alone. All consecrated priests and their families could eat from the offerings (except sin offerings, and never blood or fat) but their own offerings, which were the best of what was brought, were all for God.

April 18, 2022

Everybody makes mistakes. Often our mistakes are simple missteps and are not sin. If you trip over someone’s foot, you say you’re sorry, and they may say, “Oh, it’s okay!” But often our mistakes are sinful, even if they were unintended. Perhaps you say something that you meant to be good-natured teasing, but someone’s feelings are hurt by it. God says those things are sinful, too, and they require forgiveness. It’s not “okay.” You have to confess, ask forgiveness, and hope the person will forgive you. Is there anyone you need to ask forgiveness from, or anyone you need to forgive?