Leviticus 10:1–7 DEVOTIONS

Computer scientists recently used new techniques to read a 1,500-year-old text known as the Ein Gedi scroll. Because it had been badly burned, archaeologists had been afraid to open it lest it crumble into dust. So researchers at the University of Kentucky used X-ray scan data and special software to digitally “unwind” the scroll—and read the first verse of Leviticus, “The Lord called to Moses and spoke to him.”

This is what the Lord spoke . . . “In the sight of all the people I will be honored.” Aaron remained silent.

LEVITICUS 10:3

The book of Leviticus sets forth God’s Law, His instructions to the nation of Israel. The main purpose of these instructions was to ensure that God’s people could be in a relationship with Him and that God was shown proper respect. The consequences of failing to do so were serious and often deadly. That’s what happened in today’s reading (vv. 1–2). Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu offered “unauthorized fire” at the altar of the Lord. Immediately the fire of God consumed them. Not even priests—especially not priests!—could get away with disregarding God’s instructions and dishonoring His name (v. 3).

Aaron’s silence in this episode was an acknowledgment of guilt. His sons’ motives are unknown to us—drunkenness may have been involved (see the warning in v. 9)—but no reason or rationalization could justify their disobedience. For Aaron to keep his mouth shut was the only appropriate response to Moses’ rebuke.

Furthermore, by staying on duty at their priestly posts while the bodies were disposed of, Aaron and his remaining sons demonstrated that God took precedence over mourning for family (vv. 4–7). This might seem harsh, but it was necessary and proper to show the Israelites the absolute importance of obeying God and worshiping Him rightly.

APPLY THE WORD

When we count the cost of discipleship, following Christ is more important than family responsibilities and relationships. Skipping church during sports season to attend the kids’ games, lying to cover-up a relative’s wrongdoing, or taking lavish vacations while refusing to give financially to support the Lord’s work all turn family into idolatry (Luke 14:26).

PRAY WITH US

Again, our prayers go to God for the staff of Facilities Maintenance: Carl Bjerga, John Addison, Joshua Burkhardt, and Matthew Morris. May God bless their work of repair, replacement, and preventative maintenance of MBI’s equipment and facilities.

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Revelation 19:11–21

Many people gather at Christmas or Easter to hear a performance of the oratorio Messiah by George Frideric Handel. A highlight of the piece is the “Hallelujah” chorus, which acclaims Jesus as “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” Anyone who has heard the work cannot read today’s verses without hearing Handel’s resounding music.

Now that the invitation has been issued, the bridegroom appears. But He does not come to take the hand of His bride but rather to make war on the beast. He will overthrow him with “the breath of his mouth” and destroy him “by the splendor of his coming” (2 Thess. 2:8). Jesus does not come alone: “The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean” (v. 14). Their clothing identifies them as the redeemed. Did you notice that when Jesus finally comes, His bride is already with Him?

Once Jesus appears, an angel issues an invitation to a different kind of wedding feast. This one is addressed to the birds, pictured like carrion circling above the battlefield expecting to feast on the corpses below: “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small” (vv. 17–18).

Like the invitation to the wedding of the Lamb, this invitation is issued before the final blow falls. Indeed everything we have read in the past few chapters has been prelude to this announcement of Christ’s victory, the celebration over Babylon’s fall, and the invitation to the Lamb’s wedding. In other words, the victory dance is done before the battle has even been fought.

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The enemies of God gather against Christ to no avail. The beast and the false prophet are thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur and their followers are killed. Notice that no details of the battle are given. That is because there were none. Jesus defeats them with glory of His presence and His word. What an honor to be part of His redeemed people!

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Revelation 12:1–17

After the August 1945 surrender of Japan, which ended World War II, a number of Japanese soldiers refused to stop fighting. Some did not believe that the news of the surrender was accurate. Others simply refused to accept it. The last known holdout did not surrender until 1974.

In the same way, the announcement of the kingdom in the previous chapter does not end hostilities. The struggle continues as a great sign appears and a battle ensues.

The “woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head” (v. 1) is likely a sign of Israel, and the child would be Jesus—Israel’s promised Messiah. The woman is followed by “an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads” (v. 3). The dragon, identified as the devil in verse 12, attempts to destroy the child but is thwarted. The child is “snatched up to God and to his throne” and the woman is given a place of protection (vv. 5–6).

The battle depicts Satan’s last-ditch attempt to take heaven by force (vv. 7–9). His defeat at the hands of Michael and his angels illustrates his weakness. Satan knows what this defeat means (v. 12). Victory is beyond reach, and his doom is imminent. He will attempt to vent his anger upon Israel. When his efforts to do so are thwarted, he will turn his attention to “the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus” (v. 17).

These three descriptions use symbolic language to link historical events with those that are yet to come. But the verdict is already in—and Satan himself knows it.

APPLY THE WORD

God’s faithfulness in the past tells us what to expect from Him in the future. If you keep a spiritual journal or prayer record, review past entries to see how God has answered prayer and provided for you. When you face trials and uncertainties, hold on to the truth that God has worked in your past and He will be faithful in your future.

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Revelation 11:1–19

After terror attacks on September 11, church attendance spiked. “People thought this type of crisis of national significance would lead people to be more religious, and it did,” Mark Chaves, a professor of sociology at Duke University, observed. “But it was very short-lived. There was a blip in church attendance and then it went back to normal.” A single event doesn’t usually affect a society’s religious practice, and today’s passage is evidence that multiple events may not make a difference, either.

The temple in our passage today most likely refers to a reconstructed temple. The act of measuring the temple is clearly symbolic and seems to indicate something about the nature of God’s unfolding plan. Clearly events are following a divinely set timetable.

Scholars are divided about the identity of the two witnesses. The most reasonable approach is to take the text at face value. These two unnamed prophets bear witness in Jerusalem, perform miracles, and are killed by the beast who comes up from the abyss. Their martyrdom sparks a celebration; people gloat over their deaths and send one another presents. The subsequent resurrection of these two prophets after three-and-a-half days will be accompanied by a great earthquake that will destroy a tenth of the city and kill seven thousand people. Those who survive will “give glory to the God of heaven” (v. 13).

The stage is set for the final act of this redemptive drama. It begins with the sounding of the seventh trumpet, announcing the arrival of the Messiah’s kingdom (v. 18). In an antiphonal response, the temple in heaven opens to display the Ark of the Covenant, along with flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a severe hailstorm.

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Scripture says that one day every knee will bow before the Lord (Phil. 2:10). Will you bow out of love and praise, or will it take the power of God’s judgment to force your knee to bend? Accept His invitation to follow Him, and receive the blessing of His promise to be with you until the end of the age (Matt. 28:20).

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Revelation 6:1–8

Popular culture has widely appropriated ideas of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. It was the nickname of the Notre Dame football team’s backfield in 1924. Rock band Metallica used it as the title for a song. The Four Horsemen made a brief appearance in the movie Hellboy: The Fury and appear in more than one Marvel comic story line. They were even featured in an episode of The Simpsons. All this may blunt the force of our encounter with them in Revelation 6.

The Four Horsemen issue forth from the first four of the seven seals on the scroll mentioned in chapter 5. Each horseman represents a mode of divine judgment, which is progressive. The horseman who conquers is followed by the horseman who takes peace from the earth (v. 4). He gives way to a black horse with scales in his hands who brings want (vv. 5–6). The fourth horseman is the most terrifying: “I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth” (v. 8). And this is only the overture. Three more seals will follow and from the seventh seal will come another series of seven judgments.

We must remember that the Four Horsemen are not merely a cultural trope. They point to real events that will take place at the end of the age. These events are not random disasters. Only the Lamb can break the seals and set them in motion. They are an execution of divine judgment that will eventually culminate in God’s ultimate victory.

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The descriptions of the terror unleashed by the Four Horsemen should sober us, but we should not miss a key lesson here: God is in control. The stage is being set for Christ’s return and the establishment of His kingdom. The same is true on a smaller scale in our individual lives. Jesus is the gatekeeper of everything that enters our lives.

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Revelation 4:1–11

In recent years many books claim to describe a visit to heaven, usually the result of a near-death experience. Some skeptics view these accounts as fiction, and others attribute them to chemical changes in the dying brain. In a few cases the authors have admitted they made it all up.

Today’s passage is different. John doesn’t describe a near-death experience but rather a vision of the heavenly throne room that he had while “in the Spirit” (v. 2). What John sees is similar to other visions recorded in Scripture by Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. The phrase “after this” in verse 1 signals a shift in focus from John’s present to things that will take place in the future (cf. Rev. 1:19).

In his vision John saw a throne with someone sitting on it. This unnamed figure who is clearly divine “had the appearance of jasper and ruby” (v. 3). The throne was encircled by a rainbow and surrounded by twenty-four other thrones. This number suggests the twelve Patriarchs of Israel and the twelve Apostles, though the text does not specifically identify them.

Thunder and lightning emanated from the throne and seven blazing lamps stood before it to represent the fullness of God’s Spirit. John also saw four “living creatures” (v. 6) whose description resembled the cherubim of Ezekiel

1:4–24 and whose cry echoed that of the seraphs of Isaiah 6:3. Whenever these beings gave glory to God, the twenty-four elders lay their crowns before the throne and declared God’s worth.

This is the first of several scenes of heavenly worship. The images may seem strange, for they are intended to describe a heavenly reality in earthly terms. But what is clear is that God is at the center of all heavenly worship.

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Worship is not a mode of entertainment. It’s not merely our preferred musical style for church. It is a combination of experiencing God’s presence and praising His worth. The hymn “Crown Him with Many Crowns” by Matthew Bridges attempts to capture the essence of this scene from our passage today. Why not find it in a hymnal and read or sing it?

PRAY WITH US

Moody’s campus library provides our students, faculty, and staff with a wealth of resources. We are grateful for the expertise and faithful service of the staff: April Nelson, Ashley Smith, Blake Walter, and Christine Cherney. Will you pray for them today?

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Revelation 3:1–6

A man walking home at 2 a.m. in Dulwich, England, happened to notice a girl asleep at the top of an inactive crane. It turns out she was a sleepwalker and had climbed 130 feet up and 40 feet across to get there. Sleepwalking is more common than one might think. According to one recent study, 8.4 million Americans—nearly 4 percent of all adults—sleepwalk each year.

The problem Jesus highlights in the church at Sardis could be characterized as spiritual sleepwalking. Sardis had once rivaled Smyrna and Ephesus, but its best days were now in the past. And the church in that city had a reputation for being alive, but was in fact dead (v. 1). It had the motions of a living church but lacked the vitality of the Spirit. This church had started well but had failed to follow through. As a result, Jesus found its deeds “unfinished” (v. 2).

Jesus commanded the church in Sardis to wake up and remember what they had “received and heard” (v. 3). This is the language of biblical tradition (see 1 Cor. 11:2, 23; 15:2–3). The way to break out of spiritual lethargy is to recall the truth of Scripture, hold fast to it, and repent.

Jesus promised to come to this church like a thief and catch those who were spiritually asleep (see Luke 12:39–40; 1 Thess. 5:2, 4; 2 Peter 3:10; Rev. 16:15). Despite some similarity in language, this warning likely does not refer to the Second Coming. It is a promise to discipline this church in a way that will be both certain and unexpected.

And those in Sardis who were spiritually alive need not be afraid. Jesus promised that they would be dressed in white, and their names would never be erased from the book of life (v. 5).

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This is a sober warning for the church. Do we rely more on systems and structures than we do on God’s Spirit? Do you appreciate your church because it has exciting programs or because people are growing in the fruit of the Spirit (see Gal. 5:22–23)? It is possible to appear to be a “successful” church when we are really in spiritual decline.

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Revelation 2:18–29

In recent years, debates have flared up over the limits of free speech. Should anyone be given a platform, no matter his views? Can someone attempt to silence a person whom she finds dangerous or threatening? Some observers condemn the students for their intellectual intolerance, while others argue that reprehensible ideas should not be tolerated.

Are there limits to tolerance? The Bible’s answer is yes. When it comes to the church, some practices should not be tolerated. The same is true for doctrine. False teaching should not be tolerated but must be rooted out. The church in Thyatira had permitted a false teacher who claimed to possess the gift of prophecy to mislead others. This had opened the door to both sinful practices and false teaching. Jesus nicknamed this false teacher “Jezebel,” after the wicked queen who killed the true prophets of Israel and enticed God’s people to worship Baal (v. 20; see 1 Kings 19).

The nature of Jezebel’s teaching was what Jesus had condemned in Pergamum. She claimed to reveal secret truth, enticing her followers to eat meat sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality. God had “tolerated” her ministry for a time, but only in order to give her a chance to repent (v. 21). Now the time for patience was over.

Jesus promised to “cast her on a bed of suffering” and “strike her children dead” (vv. 22–23). To a culture that values tolerance, this response seems harsh. But Jesus understood the destructive nature of her teaching and the vulnerability of this church. The cultural environment in Thyatira was so toxic that the only command Jesus gave to those who had not yet succumbed to Jezebel’s false teaching was to “hold on” until His return (v. 25).

APPLY THE WORD

False teaching opens the door to immoral practice, and moral compromise is frequently justified by modifying biblical doctrine. Consider what beliefs or practices you have been willing to tolerate that might lead you away from the truth. Take the opportunity from God that Jezebel refused: repent from sin and hold on to Jesus.

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Revelation 2:12–17

The motto of Scotland’s Clan MacLeod is “Hold fast.” This could be the church’s motto. To be faithful we must hold fast to what we believe. More importantly, in order to be faithful we must hold fast to Jesus Christ. This can be hard to do when others around you compromise.

In the church in Pergamum, some claimed to be Christians but held to the teaching of Balaam, “who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality” (v. 14). In other words, they tried to fit in with pagan culture. They ate food that had been sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality, probably as a result of attending pagan worship services.

Pagan worship was so entrenched in Pergamum that Jesus called it the place “where Satan has his throne” and the city “where Satan lives” (v. 13). Poverty-stricken Christians were tempted to participate in pagan festivals because free food was provided. Unfortunately, in addition to eating the food they also engaged in pagan worship and the sexual immorality that often accompanied it.

Jesus offered the example of Antipas. Church tradition says he was appointed bishop of the church by the apostle John and was eventually burned to death on a pagan altar. Jesus also reminded the church of His power, describing Himself as the one “who has the sharp, double-edged sword” (v. 12). The one who judges pagans also disciplines His church, and Jesus threatened to turn this double-edged sword against all who followed the example of the Nicolaitans instead of Antipas (v. 16).

To those who overcame the temptation to compromise their faith for the sake of a meal, Jesus promised to give “the hidden manna” (v. 17).

APPLY THE WORD

Have you been taking small steps away from the path of faithfulness? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any of your rationalizations or excuses for compromising your faith. Think of godly examples who can encourage you, and hold fast by God’s grace. Choose to be fed by Jesus’ manna rather than chastened by His sword.

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2 Corinthians 5

Francis Chan, pastor and author of Crazy Love, said this about the reputation of Christ-followers: “The world is not moved by love or actions that are of human creation. And the church is not empowered to live differently from any other gathering of people without the Holy Spirit. But when believers live in the power of the Spirit, the evidence in their lives is supernatural. The church cannot help but be different, and the world cannot help but notice.”

In today’s passage, Paul contrasts our earthly existence with the heavenly, observing that when we live out our faith as God’s new creation, we will be viewed as “different” by the world. He says, “If we are ‘out of our mind,’ as some say, it is for God” (v. 13). This contrast between the old and the new is evident to others and a result of the transformation we experience in Christ.

We have heard stories of believers who chose forgiveness when from an earthly perspective it did not seem to make sense. Paul explains that Christians experience a pull between these two contrasting worlds. The earthly “tent” is our present condition, our physical body. But in Christ, we are a new creation and long for heaven (v. 2).

We are called to live by faith and not merely by sight (v. 7). We exist on this earth and in an earthly body, but our heavenly destination changes everything. Christ’s love enables us to follow the path of forgiveness. It persuades others to believe (v. 11). Paul rejoices that, because of Christ, “the old has gone, the new is here!” (v. 17). Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin for us, that we could be made righteous in Him (v. 21). Is it any wonder that we are considered “out of our mind” for God?

APPLY THE WORD

Has anyone ever called you crazy for a decision based on your belief in Christ? It should not surprise us when heavenly motivated decisions are questioned or even scorned by those who prioritize the things of this earth. We are indeed heavenly citizens and we operate by different rules. Ask God to keep you heavenly minded today.

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2 Corinthians 2

After a gunman killed 26 worshipers at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, the pastor preached a message of forgiveness. Pastor Frank Pomeroy, whose teenage daughter had also been killed in the attack, said, “We have the freedom to take that building that was attacked, transform it with the love of God into a memorial to remind everyone that we will never forget. And if anybody knows me, what is my verse? Love never fails.”

The pastor preached a message of the freedom to choose between hate and love. Do we react to sin with rage and anger, or do we choose the path of forgiveness?

Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians addresses a number of difficult church disciplinary situations. Wrong had been done within the church, and someone had offended and been punished. But rather than continue to condemn and hold a grudge against the offender, Paul advises the church that the punishment itself was sufficient, and “now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him” (v. 7). This forgiveness was an expression of their Christian love and fellowship: “I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him” (v. 8).

The impulse to refuse to forgive the offender, Paul pointed out, is from Satan himself, who wants to “outwit us” (v. 11). A lack of forgiveness causes division and pain to linger. The path of forgiveness instead provides healing and restoration.

While the human urge is to hold on to hatred, forgiveness becomes part of our regular practice as believers because we are part of the triumphal procession of Christ (v. 14). This stunning willingness to forgive does not go unnoticed by the world; it is an “aroma” that points them to God Himself (v. 15).

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Do your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers smell the sweet fragrance of Jesus’ forgiveness in your life, or the stench of harsh judgment and refusal to extend mercy to others? Prayerfully consider whether your next conversation, meeting, or social media post can share the “aroma that brings life” to those around you (v. 16).

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Ephesians 1:1–14

After a hit-and-run driver killed her son, Donna Holcomb felt God move in her heart to forgive the driver, Marvin Carter. As the young man left the courtroom, she promised to write to him in prison. “Someone has to start making a difference in his life,” she said. “More than anything, this is about understanding that holding anger or animosity isn’t going to do anything but hurt us.” Her willingness to forgive led to healing for both, so much so that he began addressing his letters to “Mama Donna.”

In our passage today, Paul says that repentance and forgiveness are given freely to us as children of God. In Christ, we have “every spiritual blessing” (v. 3). We are adopted and have become sons and daughters of God, who chose us before the creation of the world and loved us (vv. 4–5). Within this relationship we find lavish, unexpected, and complete forgiveness. No matter how terrible we may feel about our sin, God has the power and desire to forgive us and restore our relationship with Him.

And forgiveness is a part of God’s perfect plan, “the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will” (v. 11). When we put our hope in Christ alone, our lives are transformed for His glory (v. 12).

Notice the words used to describe the security of our relationship with Christ: “When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” (vv. 13–14). Our future is guaranteed. Our relationship with God is secure, based on a deposit and a promise. This transforms our lives into vessels of God’s love for His glory.

APPLY THE WORD

In your notebook or spiritual journal, go through the passage today and make a list of all emotions and actions attributed to God. For instance, He blessed and chose us and lavished His grace on us. After you’ve finished, use your list to praise and thank Him for who He is and all He has done for you. What riches He has given us!

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Acts 3:11–26

The words repent, repentance, and repented are mentioned more than 100 times in the Bible, from the Old Testament to the New Testament. The practice of repentance involves more than just feeling bad about what we have done. It means changing our path. It requires both acknowledging what we have done wrong and turning in a new direction.

Today’s passage follows Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. Just as He promised in our reading yesterday (see John 20), we see the disciples exercising the power of the Holy Spirit, and it shocked everyone in attendance. Peter and John healed a lame man, a beggar at the temple gate (vv. 1–10).

Notice Peter’s response to the critics, “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you?” (v. 12). They should have recognized Jesus, since the prophets had foretold His coming. Peter made it clear that the power they displayed in healing this man did not originate with them; it came directly from Jesus, the Son of God. He directed their attention away from this physical healing to an even more important topic: their spiritual healing. Rather than being shocked at these miracles, they should recognize that this power to heal comes from Jesus Christ. Through the work of the Messiah, they could repent and turn from their sins.

Repentance before the Lord will result in two blessings. First, our sins are forgiven, “wiped out” from the ledger. Second, we will be spiritually refreshed from the dark, barren bondage of sin (v. 19). When we repent of our sins and turn to God, we have the testimony of the long line of prophets confirming that Jesus makes it possible for us to be blessed with fellowship with the Lord.

APPLY THE WORD

Do you long for a time of refreshing in your faith? Consider today if the issue is repentance. What sin are you holding on to, unwilling to take to God for forgiveness? We are instructed to repent from our sins and turn to God. Repent today and follow God’s leading in your life. Ask Him to renew you. You are promised a time of refreshing.

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Matthew 9:1–8

To be forgiven changes us. Nelson Mandela spent decades imprisoned by his political enemies. Upon his release in 1994, he chose to devote his life to helping the people of South Africa forgive one another: “As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.”

For the next few days, we’ll study how Jesus teaches us to forgive. In today’s passage, Jesus offers both physical and spiritual healing. Just after Jesus arrived by boat, He was approached by several men carrying a paralyzed man lying on a mat. The effect of the physical healing was obvious—at their request, Jesus healed the paralyzed man, and the previously incapacitated man was able to walk home (v. 7). But before healing the man physically, Jesus healed him spiritually—forgiving his sins.

This act of forgiveness and spiritual healing angered the religious leaders. They did not object to a paralyzed man being healed, but they drew the line at Jesus’ declaration of forgiveness: “This fellow is blaspheming” (v. 3). To blaspheme means to show irreverence for God or to disrespect the sacred. When Jesus said He forgave the man’s sins, they thought Him presumptuous. How could He claim to do the work God alone could do?

Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Which is easer: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?” (v. 5). We might also ask, which healing is more necessary? Jesus had the power to free the man from physical pain, but He also had the authority to forgive his sin and heal him spiritually. The crowd was “filled with awe” and praised God after seeing this miraculous display of forgiveness (v. 8).

APPLY THE WORD

When we pray and bring our requests to God, we often focus on our physical need, such as physical illness or financial needs. While these are worthy concerns, we should also be mindful that God’s healing power extends far beyond our external needs. He is the One who can heal our hearts and forgive our sins. Praise Him today!

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Psalm 103

In his book A Grief Observed, C. S. Lewis said, “Can a mortal ask questions which God finds unanswerable? Quite easily, I should think. All nonsense questions are unanswerable. How many hours are in a mile? Is yellow square or round? Probably half the questions we ask—half our great theological and metaphysical problems—are like that.”

We might ask another unanswerable question: How far is the east from the west? The answer, of course, is that the distance is so far that we, in our human limitation, can’t imagine it. The psalmist is giving thanks for the unimaginable vastness of God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness.

Our God has the power of forgiveness. He heals us (v. 3). He redeems us, paying our debt and rescuing us from death (v. 4), and He satisfies our desires, crowning us with love (v. 5).

The psalmist remembers God’s actions concerning Moses and the nation of Israel. God was patient with them, loved them, saved them, and forgave them. We can be assured that He will also forgive us. We are His children, and God loves us like a heavenly Father (v. 13).

The psalmist contrasts the temporary nature of humankind with the eternal nature of God. While our lives are like grass that withers and dies, God’s love lasts from “everlasting to everlasting” (v. 17). This should align our hearts with the God who can remove our transgressions from us, taking them as far as the east is from the west. Human measurements fail to accurately describe how God alone can so completely remove our transgressions. The God who created us and loved us has the capacity and intention to forgive us.

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Sometimes it may feel like your sins will follow you forever and will never truly be forgiven. Today’s passage offers that assurance. When you ask for God’s forgiveness, He will grant it. Picture your sin, tied into a package, and being taken as far as the east is from the west. It is too far to return. God has perfectly and forever forgiven you.

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2 Chronicles 6:12–39

After buying her morning paper, Patricia Machin returned home to learn that her husband had been killed by a careless driver. Following the accident, she wrote a letter offering forgiveness to the driver, Brian Williamson: “However bad this accident was for me, I realize it was 1,000 times worse for you.” Patricia recognized the extraordinary blessing of offering forgiveness.

To be forgiven is indeed an extraordinary gift, modeled for us by God Himself. For the next five days, we’re going to explore how forgiveness is a blessing. Today’s passage transcribes Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the temple. He knelt, with his hands extended toward heaven, and addressed God: “There is no God like you in heaven or on earth” (v. 14). He praised God’s greatness, and declared that this earthly temple—no matter how grand—could not contain Him (v. 18).

Recognizing the exalted nature of God and the earthly nature of God’s people, Solomon asked that God hear their prayers—and when He hears their confessions, that He would forgive them (v. 21). Notice how often Solomon makes the plea in these verses: “hear from heaven and forgive” (vv. 25, 27, 30, 39). No matter what circumstances might afflict God’s people, they must come to the Lord and plead for His forgiveness.

God cannot ignore sin, but He also extends the blessing of forgiveness. This gift of forgiveness is not for the purpose of enabling us to persist in sin; rather, forgiveness gives us the blessing of being able to follow God and serve Him. “Forgive, and deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone know the human heart), so that they will fear you and walk in obedience to you” (vv. 30–31).

APPLY THE WORD

You have been given the extraordinary gift of forgiveness. Confess your sins to God, knowing that He hears you from heaven. When you are finished, thank Him for the blessing of His forgiveness. How wonderful to know that God not only knows us but also has promised to forgive us. This should increase our desire to serve Him well.

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Luke 22:1–23

Jesus inaugurated the Lord’s Supper, also called the Eucharist or Communion, during His last Passover meal with His disciples. Today, Christians continue to observe the Lord’s Supper as part of corporate worship. Partaking together of the bread and the cup, which represent Christ’s body and blood, reminds us of our life together as the spiritual body of Jesus. This is made possible only because of who He is and what He has done for us.

Today’s passage describes Jesus’ final Passover meal with disciples in the hours preceding His death. It was the first day of Passover, also called the Festival of Unleavened Bread, which commemorated God’s deliverance of Israel from bondage in Egypt (see Exodus 12). As part of their rescue, an unblemished lamb had to be killed and its blood applied to the doorposts. The firstborns within houses with the blood applied would be spared from death.

The meal began with a somber announcement. Jesus declared that one of the Twelve would betray Him. Each of the disciples proclaimed his innocence, but Jesus persisted. Then, while they were eating, Jesus broke a piece of bread, distributing it to His disciples: “This is my body given for you” (v. 19). He distributed a cup of wine, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (v. 20).

Jesus was identifying Himself as the Lamb who delivers us from the bondage of sin. His blood would be shed, and all those who trust in His work of redemption will be saved from sin and death. Only through His blood can we find forgiveness (see Matt. 26:28). In an echo of Exodus 12:24, Jesus instructed His disciples to participate in this Lord’s Supper in “remembrance of me” (v. 19).

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Participation in the Lord’s Supper is more than consuming the elements of the bread and the cup. We should remember that Jesus was the spotless Lamb who died in our place to save us. We should be thankful that the offering of His blood makes it possible for us to be forgiven. And we should renew our commitment to live as His body, the church.

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Joshua 24:14–28

Martin Luther said, “Forgiveness is God’s command.” Though we may agree that forgiveness is a central principle of Christianity, we also often struggle to practice it. Many of us resist forgiving those who have hurt us.

Why must we forgive? Why must we be forgiven? We’ll examine the biblical answers to those questions in our study this month, in which we’ll learn that forgiveness is a gift we receive and a gift we offer.

In today’s passage, the people of Israel were asked whether they would choose to serve God or the other gods that they have allowed into their homes. As they had made their way from Egypt into the Promised Land, they had grown increasingly tolerant of foreign gods and practices. Joshua urged them to reject the false gods from Egypt and Arabia that they had accumulated and make a choice about which deity they would trust: “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. . . . But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD” (v. 15).

The people seemed shocked and even offended by Joshua’s suggestion. Of course they will serve God! But Joshua reminded them of God’s character. They serve a God who will not tolerate partial allegiance. He is both “holy” and “jealous” (v. 19). In His holiness, God will not tolerate disobedience, and Joshua warned the people that God would not forgive their rebellion (v. 19). In this context, the word forgive means to “bear with” or “live with.” God would not allow sin to continue unchecked.

God will not ignore our choice to rebel against Him. When we sin against a holy and just God, we are in desperate need of forgiveness. But He offers us the invitation to choose to follow Him.

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On this Easter Sunday, confess your sins to God. We have been given an amazing gift: the forgiveness of sin! The celebration of Jesus’ resurrection is the perfect time to begin a study on the forgiveness offered to us through His death and resurrection. Rejoice that we have a Savior who forgives our sins and guarantees for us eternal salvation.

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Malachi 2:10–16; 3:16–4:6

One prolific writer has said that books are built on good beginnings and endings. The collection of books that comprise the Minor Prophets more than exceed this criteria for good endings!

The twelve prophets—some of priestly or royal lineage, some of common vocation, some with little biographical information available to us now—wrote over the course of centuries. Some predicted the judgment of God’s people during times of prosperity; others declared the devastation of exile; still others (like Malachi) ministered during the time of rebuilding. But despite their differences, the twelve prophets—minor only in length, not importance—have followed a common thread: sinners in the hands of a merciful God find His astonishing, relenting love.

At the beginning of the month, we began in Hosea with the picture of Israel as God’s unfaithful wife. At the end of our study, we’re left with the foreboding sense that not much has changed. The people still struggle to obey God fully. They’ve intermarried with the pagan nations surrounding them, some divorcing their own wives to do so. They’ve neglected proper observance of the sacrificial rites in the temple (2:11–12). They’ve robbed God by refusing to bring the appropriate tithes and contributions to the temple. Can Israel really turn over a new leaf of righteousness?

She can’t—which is what makes the prophecy regarding the coming of Elijah so critical. God must send a final prophet, a prophecy fulfilled in John the Baptist (see Matt. 3:1–12; 11:13–15). His mission was to point toward a final, faithful prophet, priest, and King—Jesus Christ. He alone can heal our incurable hearts of rebellion. He alone can—and will—save us.

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The prophets longed to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ, which they understood only dimly (see 1 Peter 1:10–12). The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has made it possible for God to relent from judgment and show mercy, and His Spirit within us cures our rebellion, pride, and idolatry. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

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Zechariah 5:1–11

In The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer explored the distinction between “cheap” and “costly” grace. Cheap grace requires no real contrition or repentance. It says that people will be forgiven regardless of their desire to be delivered from sin. Costly grace, on the other hand, “is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner.” Such grace cost God the life of His own Son.

Bonhoeffer didn’t want people to simply believe in Christ; he wanted them to follow Him. And this is always what God has intended for His people—not just mental assent to the right doctrines but rather faith expressed as obedient love. As a primary Old Testament example, in Deuteronomy 28 and 29, God’s people are poised to enter the Promised Land after 40 years of wilderness wandering. God tells them to follow Him. He would bless their obedience and curse their sin.

In the first part of today’s reading, we see two specific sins that God will judge and even curse: stealing and swearing falsely (vv. 3–4). Stealing is condemned by the eighth of the Ten Commandments (You shall not steal), and swearing falsely is prohibited by the third of the Ten Commandments (You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God). Each of these commandments reveals the two vital aspects of God’s Law: maintaining a right relationship with God and maintaining a right relationship with our neighbor (see Exodus 20).

Now that Israel had returned home, they were to renew their pledge of obedience to God’s Law. God’s grace is free, but it must not be taken for granted. As a sign of God’s blessing, wickedness, as represented by the woman in the basket, will be removed to the land of Shinar, which is Babylon (vv. 5–11).

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We cheapen grace when we do not take seriously God’s commands to obey Him. We cheapen grace when we persist in sin and think that God’s love excuses our rebellion. If you have been guilty of this, repent. Thank God for His costly grace, which accepts our repentance and offers us forgiveness through the death and resurrection of His Son.

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