King James Daily Bible Study: Removing The Blemishes
Date: Wednesday February 09, 2011
Chapters: Leviticus 22-23
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-february-9
Details of Today's Reading: The laws concerning the priests, their families, and the offerings, the feasts of the Lord, the Sabbath, Passover, offering of first-fruits, feast of Pentecost, feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the feast of Tabernacles .

Hello My Friend/Guest,
The word blemish is defined as an imperfection, defect, mark, or flaw, a stain, or something tarnished. Even a tiny blemish can ruin something beautiful. Sin is a blemish, a mark that can leave a pretty good stain on a person, even if it is tiny. Quite often when asked the question, “Do you admit you are a sinner?” the reply is, “Well, I can not say that I am a sinner, I am a good person, I try to always do the right thing.” The truth is no matter how good we try to be, we have all sinned. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” - Romans 3:23. Whether it was today, yesterday, or forty years ago, we all have blemishes from sin, even the tiniest of blemishes constitutes as being a sinner. There is only one person that has never sinned and that is Jesus Christ. How? He is God in the flesh, He is perfect. He was not born into the world like you and I, He chose to enter it as a baby. Remember, Jesus, who is God and the Word, was here before the earth was even thought of. “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” - I John 5:7.

Why do I need to know this? Because Jesus Christ gave us a way out of the endless animal sacrifices and ceremonies needed to remove the blemishes for good. “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” - Hebrews 9:12-14. Although we should, being good has nothing to do with being redeemed, only by believing in and personally asking Jesus to save you are you redeemed, and we need to only ask Him once. Praise God!

Aaron and his sons were commanded to keep away from the holy gifts of the children of Israel, which were consecrated (cleansed) for God, that they might not profane the holy name of God by defiling them with any blemishes that they may have encountered.

“Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me: I am the LORD. Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD...Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath; The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water. And when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things; because it is his food.”- Leviticus 22:2,3,5-7.

This should be a reminder to all of us that we need to ask God to bless the food that He has blessed us with before we eat it. I love to cook and when I do I have a habit of tasting the food as I go to make sure it is seasoned well, more often than I realize I forget to ask God to bless that taste test. We need to give God thanks for even the tiniest of blessings, it shows Him that we really are thankful for even the little things. “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:5-7.

It was not uncommon for the Israelites to have feasts to the Lord in honor of thanksgiving. In fact, God commanded it, now, they were not forced to participate, but whoever chose to participate needed to do it wholeheartedly. God even invited the strangers to participate, but all had to do it of their own free will.

“Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt offering; Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats. But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you. And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein. Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the LORD.” - Leviticus 22:18-22.

When offering an offering they had to do it willingly and the offering had to be without any blemishes, this is a way of God saying, “If you are going to choose to follow me then give yourself to me wholeheartedly.” I heard someone once say that following God is not of our own free will, that is just absurd, God will not force anyone to do anything. God truly does love everyone He created, but He will never force Himself upon you. Have you ever been madly in love with someone yet they wanted nothing to do with you? You tried everything to get that person to see how much you love them, but the more you tried the further they got? Well, that is how God feels when He tries to show us His love and we reject Him. So, instead of getting hurt He backs off and lets the person come willingly, leaving subtle hints along the way. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” - II Peter 3:9.

There is nothing like a feast to bring people together, whether it is for fellowship, celebration, or mourning, food is a big part of any gathering. The Feasts of the Lord were observed as reminders of the freedom, gifts, and miracles that God had given to the Israelites as He protected, provided, and fulfilled His promises to them. These were not ordinary feasts, they were sabbath days used to atone and reflect on the freedom, provisions, and hope that only God could give.

“Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings. These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.” - Leviticus 23:2-4.

Today, we no longer have to observe these feasts with all the sacrifices or the Sabbath, in fact, we have new feasts to observes as well, but we should not wait until these holy days come around before we go to God with all of our sins, and remember that Jesus Christ removed all the blemishes of sin in our lives. “And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.” - Luke 22:19,20.

Jesus Christ Revealed: Today Jesus is revealed through the seven great Feasts of the Lord. “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.” - Romans 5:10,11.

Thanks and God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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