The Bible Project @ Kelsey

DAY 39 We're finishing our 3rd book of the Bible today!  Congratulations.  And tomorrow you're finishing the 40th day of reading.  If you've kept up with your daily readings, by now you've created a habit of reading the Bible.  Once it becomes a part of what you do, reading scripture isn't that difficult anymore. Great job, and happy reading! DAILY READINGS Leviticus 26-27 & Psalm 39 DAILY NOTES Leviticus 26 The chapter outlines the rewards for following God and the consequences for not following God. Following God seems to offer Psalm 23ish feelings (See verse 6), but the some of the other language seems harsh.  God plagues the people?   If you are familiar with any of the rest of the Old Testament, you may notice how these words from Leviticus play out so many times throughout the history of God's people. Leviticus 27 If you're reading the final chapter of Leviticus and wondering, "Where did this come from?" that me...

DAY 38 DAILY READINGS Leviticus 24-25 & Psalm 38 DAILY NOTES Leviticus 24:13-16 How important is the "Name"?  If you someone blasphemes the Name they are to be put to death. In the particular case mentioned, only those who heard the man blaspheme the Name were to stone him.  From that point forward, if someone blasphemes the Name, the whole congregation does the stoning.   Leviticus 25:1-7 The land even gets a sabbath. Leviticus 25:13-17 The Jubilee made sure that no one could be overpowered among the people.  No one would have to have debt built up over them.  Things would be restored.   The word jubilee comes from the Hebrew word for a ram's horn.  Verse 10 says that the people are to "proclaim liberty throughout the land..."  Imagine a ram's horn being used to announce the jubilee has come! Leviticus 25:25-55 The concern is that people are not taken advantage of.  God's people are not to prof...

DAY 37 DAILY READINGS Leviticus 21-23 & Psalm 37 DAILY NOTES Leviticus 21 Priests were to keep a higher standard of living among the people. They couldn't be blemished.  Talk about great expectations. Leviticus 22 Even though the offerings were available to the priests, they could not merely receive them.  Whoever might eat of what was brought by the people would have to be clean.   The offerings must not be blemished at all. Leviticus 23 Sabbath Passover Festival of unleavened bread Offering of first fruits A sheaf is a bundle, or an armful. Festival of weeks Festival of trumpets Day of atonment Festival of booths Psalm 37 Focus your life on doing good, not on what others do. God will handle those who do evil.  We must trust God to do so. Our steps are kept by God. Keeping our ways upright ensures that God brings salvation. OTHER OBSERVATIONS The oft-repeated phrase in today's reading is "I am the Lord." ...

DAY 36 Hopefully, by reading through Leviticus, you'll notice that there aren't many areas of our life that don't matter to God.  When someone joins a United Methodist congregation, we ask them to serve Christ through the church with their prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness.  A simple way I explain that to potential members is that their commitments covers every area of their life. And that's what seems to be part of the goal of passages like today's.  All our life belongs to God.  All of our life we are commit to God, and keep holy. DAILY READINGS Leviticus 19-20 & Psalm 36 DAILY NOTES Leviticus 19:2 God's expectations of holiness is directly related to God's own holiness. Leviticus 19:9-10 A way to take care of the poor is built into the holiness of the people.   Leviticus 19:34 A reminder to the people that they're exodus from Egypt should soften their hearts to other people who have come among them.  They are...

DAY 37 DAILY READINGS Leviticus 16-18 & Psalm 35 DAILY NOTES Leviticus 16 Notice the holiness of the sanctuary inside the curtain. If Aaron were to come "just at any time" he would die. Atonement for the sanctuary must be made because of the "uncleannesses of the people." God is making a way to forgive their sin. Aaron has to be made ready, along with the holy place, the tent of meeting and the altar. Then the offering can be made. The goat bears the iniquities and transgressions of the people and is then sent in the wilderness. Yes, this is where we get the idea of a scapegoat.  Leviticus 17 The people are to make their offerings before God. If an animal is slaughtered anywhere but the sanctuary, it's as if they've committed murder.  The eating of blood is prohibited.  Leviticus 18 A vivid reminder of what God is trying to do. The people knew a way of living in Egypt. They are to let go of that life and live as God is instru...

DAY 34 Have you ever attended a class or participated in a presentation where the speaker simply read directly from a script? That's not always bad, but they've also given you the script!  So, you're reading what they're reading and nothing new is coming out of it.  That's not a class I want to attend. I feel like today's reading could be like that.  I don't have much to add to what's being said about leprous purification rituals and what to do when a man or woman has bodily discharge. Here's a better idea for today.  You read it and let me know what you have questions about.  If this passage is new to you, there are no bad questions.  If you're reading it again, how do make sense of what these rituals mean? Your turn! DAILY READINGS Leviticus 14-15 & Psalm 34 DAILY NOTES Leviticus 14:1-32 Ritual cleaning for a leprous person. The passage also contains instructions for someone who cannot afford the animals required for the o...

DAY 33 This isn't the first time we've heard about clean/unclean animals.  Remember the animals prepared to put on the ark?  Still, when we get to reading about clean/unclean things in the Bible, a common question comes about, "Why?" Why are some animals unclean and some not?  Why does it matter to God what we eat?  Why do we need these distinctions? Good questions.  There have been many theories.  There are few, if any, explanations in the Bible.  We just have to be willing to read it, and appreciate the people's pursuit of purity and holiness. Let's get to it. DAILY READINGS Leviticus 11-13 & Psalm 33 DAILY NOTES Leviticus 11 Notice 3 words: unclean, detestable and defile.   This chapter deals with what foods and animals are clean/unclean. If someone comes in contact with anything unclean, they become unclean, too.  Verse 43 sums it best, "You shall not make yourselves detestable....you shall not defile yourselves...

DAY 32 We're reading about Aaron and his sons being ordained as priests today.  We've already read what they will do, but today they will actually do it. Make sure to watch today's video .  The Bible Project does a great job of explaining what the priests' role is and how the offerings and clean/unclean designations function in the worship of God's people. DAILY READINGS Leviticus 8-10 & Psalm 32 DAILY NOTES Leviticus 8:5 Moses emphasizes that what is about to be done has already been prescribed by God.  He and the people are following what God has commanded to be done. Leviticus 8:6 The first step toward ordination was the washing with water.  Surely we see a parallel to our idea of water baptism. Notice that throughout the remainder of the chapter the text repeatedly identifies Moses as the one who is performing these acts of ordination over Aaron and his sons.   Leviticus 8:23 Interesting that the ear lobe, thumb and big t...

DAY 31 Great job finishing your first month of reading the Bible!  Whether you are already in the habit of reading everyday or this is something new for you, Psalm 1 reminds us that those " whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. " We're 1/12 of the way through! DAILY READINGS Leviticus 5-7 & Psalm 31 OBSERVATIONS It seems easy to fall into an unclean category.  A way to read unclean is unholy.  So, you can imagine why that is such an important theme.  Indeed, there are provisions for when you become unclean without even knowing it!  I wonder if there was a level of anxiety that people felt, worrying they would be unclean. Notice, though, that there is always a way back.  That is, if you're unclean, these provisions can rectify your standing before...

DAY 30 We're starting the book of Leviticus, the Priests' Manual.  Today's readings is the first 4 chapters which you'll find have a rhythm that makes them fairly easy to follow.  The best way to make sense of the prescribed offerings is to write down what they are and a brief statement about how they're prepared. Notice what is important the holiness of the people. Don't forget to take time to watch today's video .  It outlines the book in a DAILY READINGS Leviticus 1-4 & Psalm 30 DAILY NOTES Leviticus 1 Offering of livestock Leviticus 2 Grain offering Leviticus 3 Sacrifice of well being Leviticus 4 Sin offering for anointed priest, congregation, ruler or individual OTHER OBSERVATIONS In reading the final chapters of Exodus and the openings chapters of Leviticus, we notice there is attention to detail.  This seems to matter to God.  We might wonder what the real value of it all is and why should we read about it....