I would rather work
with five people who really believe
in what they are doing
rather than five hundred
who can’t see the point.
– Patrick Dixon
Author Archives: WhittleThinker
Payments for Sins (Leviticus 3,4,5,6,7)
Bible Summary:
God gives Moses detailed regulations for fellowship, unintentional sins (by the High Priest, the whole community, the ruler or one of the common people), sins, repayments, burnt, and grain offerings, including animals to offer and steps to take in each case. A guilty person must confess the sin and bring the required animal offering, which the priest will offer as sacrifice for the man’s sins.
Sins include witnesses not showing in court when summoned, someone touching anything humanly or ritually unclean, like dead animals, and someone making a careless vow. Repayment offerings are to include the repayment plus an extra 20 percent. And, if anyone eats the fellowship offering without being ritually clean will no longer be one of God’s people.
My Thoughts:
Chance for Redemption: God gives the people of Israel opportunities to make amends for their wrongdoing by making offerings to receive forgiveness for their sins.
Unclean: This is the first reference in the Bible to uncleanliness. Keeping food clean may be what saved them from the plagues that killed so many in Egypt. The unclean here sound like the Untouchables of India who handle the dead.
First Late Fee: God introduces the first late payment fee of 20%. Luckily it is only a flat fee now, unless you have a low balance.
Believe: Tebow wins with 316 passing yards
The big question is – would God really favor one football team? He seems to as Tim Tebow put up 316 passing yards yesterday to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL wild card playoff game in “Mile High” stadium.
The 316 yards matches an often quoted Gospel passage John 3:16 which reads, “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die, but have eternal life.”
I watched most of the game on TV and caught a glimpse of a sign held by a Denver fan which read “Believe, Believe, Believe” and Denver fans are believing today. I mean, what are the chances? Going into overtime, Tebow needed 80 yards passing to reach the 316 number and got it in one strike to Demaryius Thomas to seal the win.
Look out New England Patriots, you never know what God has in store this Saturday.
We promise according to our hopes
We promise according to our hopes,
and perform according to our fears.
– François de La Rochefoucauld
Warren Buffett to sing at Chinese New Year
Warren Buffet, the investment guru, is to sing by video during China’s Spring Festival gala that kicks off the Chinese New Year on January 23rd. Who thought he could sing and play guitar? Read the whole Warren Buffett to perform for China over Chinese New Year story at Reuters.
It is interesting that we place people into one category and forget they are so much more. Warren is a husband, a father, a grandfather, plays bridge, follows Nebraska football, and I am sure many other great things besides an investment guru. From the “Personal life” section about Warren Buffett at Wikipedia.
Jesus says not to break promises (Matthew 5: 33-37)
Bible Summary:
Jesus tells the crowd at the Sermon on the Mount to not break a promise or swear a vow by God or heaven, just say ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
My Thoughts:
Promises: Jesus distinguishes between a vow and a promise. It seems a vow – where you swear to God – is much more binding, though we are still not to break our promises. I guess if you promise something, you can get out of it for extenuating reasons, but a vow you must do everything in your power to complete it – including risking your life.
Military, Firefighters and Police: I guess the best examples are the men and women who serve in the military and as firefighters and police officers. They have made a vow to protect the citizens and are willing to risk their lives. They do not run away, but push through the fear to save others. Thank you all for this vow to keep us safe!
Offering Grain and Bread to God (Leviticus 2)
Bible Summary:
People offering grain to God must first grind it into flour and then place olive oil and incense on it before giving it to the priest. If the offering is bread, whether baked in an oven, on a griddle, or in a pan, it must be made without yeast. The priest is to burn part of the offering on the altar and then keep the rest. The people are also to offer the first grain of the harvest to God each year, salted to represent the covenant with God.
My Thoughts:
I never knew they had ovens, griddles and pans 3500 years ago in which to make unleavened bread. I guess I always knew about the brick ovens, but not the pans.
Bread: the offering of bread during the religious ceremony goes back to Moses? I never really connected that. This is so eye opening and interesting.
Salt Preserves: I believe the salt in the grain “preserves” the covenant with God just as much as it preserved the grain. Salt has been important to the history of humans for thousands of years. Next time you grab some food, look at the sodium content to see how much salt is in your food.
Rules for Burning Sacrifices (Leviticus 1)
Bible Summary:
God gives Moses rules for the Israelites to follow when offering sacrifice. The animal – cow, sheep, goat or bird – must be without defects. Upon presentation at the entrance of the Tent of God’s presence, the man is to touch the animal’s head and the offering will be accepted as a sacrifice to take away his sins. The animal will be killed; the priest will throw the blood against the altar; and then they will burn the animal. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to God.
My Thoughts:
God through Moses establishes specific rules for the Israelites to live by, including sacrificing animals to Him. Sounds like the roasted beef smelled good!
Bible Translation: I never realized the Old Testament mentioned “take away his sins,” so I looked up Leviticus 1:4 in fifteen different Bibles at Bible.com plus Catholic.org and that language is never used. The most common translation is “make atonement for him”. This shows how different translations can add to the confusion of discussing the Bible.
Note: I am using the Good News Bible, Catholic Study Edition.
Curbing Racy Entertainment in China
President Hu Jintao reduces the number of racy programs in China, focusing instead on shows that “promote traditional virtues and socialist core value.” It seems China is experiencing the temptations Jesus warned us about 2000 years ago. The question is if this is from the “westernization” President Hu warns about or a generational difference, the president is 69. Read the full China claims success in curbing racy entertainment story at Reuters.
Jesus teaches about adultery and divorce (Matthew 5: 27-32)
Bible Summary:
During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says that even looking at a woman and wanting to possess her is committing adultery. He then says if your right eye or hand causes you to sin, then you should throw it away. It is better to lose an eye or limb instead of having your whole body thrown into hell. He also says a married person can only divorce if his or her spouse is unfaithful; otherwise the person is guilty of causing the spouse to commit adultery.
My Thoughts:
Marriage is Sacred: Jesus makes a very graphic point about married people not looking at (pluck your eyes out) or touching (cut off your hands) other people than their spouse. He also says divorce is only justified if the other person is unfaithful.
Obviously, marriage was very sacred back then and adultery was a crime punishable by stoning. What a dramatic difference to our day-in-age where over half the marriages end in divorce. I guess the couples are “punished” through divorce court and are a little more cautious the second time around.
Communication: Remember when you first met and just could not stand being away from each other. You asked all about your spouse-to-be: family history; likes and dislikes; favorite color, movie, flowers, sweets, etc. You asked questions, you probed to find out his or her hopes, dreams, and concerns. You listened intently – to every word.
We grow comfortable in marriage, many times too comfortable where we plop down on the couch exhausted after a long day at work and shuttling the kids to activities, too tired to even speak. We turn on the TV and “tune out” until bedtime. If this is you, make changes today.
- Sneak a love note in her purse.
- Schedule time alone with him. Yes – I said “schedule” and stick to the appointment like “having to” take the kids to practice.
- Turn off the TV at least once a week.
- I’ll have to come up with some more ideas later, but you get the point.