March 21 ▪ Day 80

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 13:20
Exodus 29–30
Luke 9
Psalms 80

Verse Focus (Proverbs 13:20)

Walk with the wise and become wise,
     for a companion of fools suffers harm.

Meditation

Proverbs 13:20 has long been a favorite proverb of mine. As I memorized it in high school, the NIV of 1978 says, “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” Since I desired to become wise myself, this proverb guided both my thinking and my choice of friends. It’s very simple: if you want to be wise, then hang out with people who are wise.

But this proverb is about more than just becoming wise (or avoiding harm by being with fools). It’s about becoming like the people you associate with — for good or ill, we start to model the thinking and the behaviors of those with whom we spend a lot of time. This principle may not be part of our conscious thinking, but we all know that it is true. How many times does the story of someone who has gotten into trouble begin with the words “he started to hang out with the wrong crowd”?

The effect is intensified in real-life relationships, but we also become like the people we spend time with virtually, through books and entertainment. This is yet another reason why it’s critical to spend time with God on a daily basis. We need that renewal and we need the perspective of Scripture to help us discern right from wrong in all the different situations we will face within a day.

Of course, it’s not possible or even desirable to insulate ourselves from all fools. We are meant to be salt and light. We will walk with the unwise and the ungodly — the question is, are we also closely connected to our churches? Do we have active, growing relationships with wise and godly people? Or have we let the balance of relationships in our lives get out of whack?

Father God, thank you that we can become wise almost by osmosis — by hanging out with wise and godly people. Please help transform our relationships and our lives so that we are walking in wisdom. Help us to be more and more like Jesus in all that we say and do, through the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Exodus 29 covers the ordination of Aaron and his sons, and the process by which all future priests are to be ordained. The ordination ceremony lasts for seven days. Three main sacrifices are made each day that are specific to the ordination: one bull and two rams. Unleavened bread — a grain offering of “choice wheat (v. 2)” accompanies these animal sacrifices. The bull is a sin offering for the priests — the fatty parts are burnt on the altar, but the rest of the bull is burnt outside the camp. After atonement for sin has been made by the offering of the bull, the first ram becomes a burnt offering. In a burnt offering, the entire animal is burnt on the altar. Burnt offerings symbolize submission to God, and so the entire animal is consumed by fire. Finally, in the third main sacrifice for consecration, the second ram is sacrificed. This “ram of ordination” is a type of peace offering — in these, a portion is “waved” before God and becomes a burnt offering, another portion is “waved” before God and then is given to the priests (or, in the case of Aaron’s ordination, to Moses), and the remainder is eaten by the ones who are offering this particular sacrifice — in this case, by the priests who are being ordained. They eat the peace offering along with the grain offering in a communal, sacrificial meal.

Aaron and his sons must first wash in water to be cleansed. They don their priestly vestments, and then are anointed with special oil. As each sacrifice is made, they must lay their hands upon the head of the animal being sacrificed. What happens to the blood depends on what type of sacrifice it is. For the bull — the sin offering — some of the blood is put on the horns of the altar, but the bulk of it is poured out at the base of the altar. For the first ram — the burnt offering — the blood is put on the sides of the altar. For the ram of ordination, some of the blood anoints each priest-to-be (right ear, right thumb, and right big toe), while the rest is dashed against the sides of the altar. Finally, some of the blood from the altar is mixed with the special anointing oil and sprinkled onto the the priests who are being ordained and onto their vestments.

What strikes me about the Old Testament laws about sacrifice is how very personal and intimate it was. They place their hands on the head of each animal — touching the very one that will die in their place. Through the sacrifices of these animals, they receive atonement, they are consecrated, and they become at peace with God. As they are ordained, the blood is placed on their right ears, their right thumbs, and their right toes — symbolically, this is the whole person: what one thinks, what one does, and where one goes. Devastatingly intimate. Very powerful.

The other thing that Scripture makes clear is that this process is special — it makes them holy. No one else is allowed to eat of the final sacrifice of ordination because the food itself has become holy. If any is left over to the next day, it cannot be eaten but must be burnt up — again, because it is holy. Also, strangely enough, not only must the priests be consecrated, but the altar itself needs to be consecrated and become holy (v. 37). It’s not clear to me whether or not the altar needs a sin offering for itself, or whether the sin offering that the priests-being-ordained offer is sufficient.

In addition to this special process for ordination, chapter 29 also covers the daily offerings that will be made hereafter by the priests and Levites for the entire community. Each day there will be two lambs for a burnt offering — one in the morning, and one in the evening. Each lamb will be accompanied by a small grain offering and a small drink offering — the lamb, the grain, and the wine all together will be consumed by fire: a “pleasing aroma.”

Exodus 30 continues the discussion of daily offerings by talking about the altar of incense. A special blend of incense is to be used in the sanctuary; it is holy and cannot be used in other situations. Every single morning, the high priest will attend to the lamps in the holy place. As he dresses the lamps, he will offer incense on the altar of incense. This will be repeated in the evenings. However, once a year, the high priest will perform a “rite of atonement” — adding some of the blood from the community’s sin offering on the day of atonement to the horns of the altar of incense.

In addition to the altar of incense in the holy place of the tabernacle, there is also a bronze basin that is to be placed between the tabernacle and the altar. The priests must wash their hands and their feet before entering the tabernacle or before ministering at the altar “so that they may not die (v. 20).”

Chapter 30 details the ingredients of the special anointing oil and the special incense, but is clear that this specific recipe is holy and only for religious use. Those who copy the sacred oil or perfume will be “cut off from the people.” Oddly, the sweet spices of the incense are to be “seasoned with salt” (v. 35). As most incense is not made with salt, it likely has a symbolic meaning — perhaps to remind the Israelites of the salt of the covenant.

Finally, chapter 30 also details a special offering that the men are required to make whenever they are counted in a census. As they are registered, each man must pay a “ransom” for his life to the LORD. He is to pay a half-shekel to the sanctuary — roughly 0.2 ounces of silver — to make atonement for himself and his life “so that no plague may come upon them for being registered (v. 12).” Notably, the Scripture is very clear that all the men’s lives are of equal worth before the LORD: “The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less (v. 15).”

Luke chapter 9 begins with Jesus sending out the 12 apostles to both proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. Luke mentions how Herod is perplexed by the news about Jesus and his identity, and then he goes on to relate the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. Peter confesses Jesus as the Messiah; Jesus begins to teach about his upcoming death and resurrection. Jesus is transfigured on the mountain. He heals a boy with a demon. Again, he tells his disciples that he will be betrayed. He tells them that the least among them will be the greatest and that whoever is not against them is for them. He rebukes James and John for wanting to call down fire upon a Samaritan town that did not welcome them. Finally, the chapter details a few interactions between Jesus and some who might follow him.

Some of these are familiar stories by now, although some are new to us. Luke’s detail about the Sons of Thunder wanting to rain down fire from heaven upon a Samaritan village is a new story, but it helps us to understand why Jesus gave James and John their nickname.

I noticed in the story of the transfiguration, verse 31 says that they “were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.” This is the only one of the synoptic gospels that tells us what Jesus, Moses, and Elijah were talking about. It makes sense that they would be discussing the upcoming Passion of Christ, although the use of the word “departure” in the NRSV translation seems a little odd. As I dig deeper, I find out that the Greek word being used here is actually a form of exodos — meaning an exit, a going out, a departure from a place, an exodus or the Exodus, or death itself. So Jesus, Moses, and Elijah were speaking about Jesus’ exodus — literally, his death, but metaphorically the Final Exodus, the deliverance of God’s people from sin and death. I love how this story reminds us what is really going on with Christ’s Passion by its very word choice!

When God speaks to the disciples through the cloud in the transfiguration, he commands them to listen to Jesus. The very next day, Jesus says to them in verse 44, “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands.” I ponder this. Is it these words in particular that God wanted the disciples to hear? Or was God referring to all of Jesus’ teaching? It also strikes me how Luke phrases Jesus’ warning. The other gospels mention not only the upcoming betrayal, but also the death and resurrection. But because this one only mentions betrayal, it makes me think more about that and why it would be important for them to realize that Jesus would be betrayed.

I think, in the other gospels, when I read Jesus’ warnings of betrayal, death, and resurrection, I lose sight of the “betrayal” part because the death and then the resurrection both so overshadow it. Betrayal — to truly be betrayal — doesn’t that imply a close friend? Or at the very least, someone you trust? Didn’t it imply that it would be one of the 12 disciples? Scripture tells us that the disciples didn’t really understand what Jesus was saying to them. Is it possible that these words were actually the seed that planted the idea of betrayal into Judas’ mind?

I love verse 51: “When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.” Jesus was resolved. He knew what awaited him, yet he was determined to fulfill his purpose.

The chapter closes with three vignettes — discussions between Jesus and potential disciples. In the first and the last incident, someone comes to Jesus to tell him that he or she will follow him. And Jesus’ response is a warning — it is not easy to follow Christ, and one must count the cost. In the middle story, it is the other way around — it is Jesus who makes the initial approach. Jesus tells the man to follow him. But the man’s response is qualified; he wants to go bury his father first. The final interaction is similar in that the man wants to say goodbye to those in his house before he follows Jesus — and this is almost exactly what Elisha asked of Elijah in 1 Kings 19 before Elisha became Elijah’s disciple. Jesus’ response is a cryptic warning. And, of course, we do not know what happened in any of these situations. Did any of them become Jesus’ disciples? Or did they think the cost was too high?

Psalm 80, attributed to Asaph, is a prayer for Israel’s restoration. I love the repeating refrain in verses 3, 7, and 19. Each time the psalmist prays for God’s face to shine on the people, he uses a different address. First, O God. Then, O God of hosts. Finally, O LORD God of hosts. “Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.”

Father God, we do pray for your face to shine upon us. We need your blessing; we need your salvation. Father, our world is hurting. People are lost. There is such hatred and division. Send forth your Holy Spirit. Bring revival and awakening to this land!

Thank you that Jesus was resolute. Even though he knew what was waiting for him in Jerusalem, he was determined to accomplish your will. Thank you for his Exodus. Thank you that he is our Passover sacrifice, and that in Christ we have peace with you and eternal life.

Father, as we read in your Scripture all the laws that made up civil and religious life for ancient Israel, please help us to understand how these things foreshadowed what Christ accomplished for us. Help us to grow in love, faith, and wisdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.