April 25 ▪ Day 115

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 16:8
Leviticus 6–7
Acts 12
Psalms 115

Verse Focus (Proverbs 16:8)

Better a little with righteousness
     than much gain with injustice.

Meditation

Today’s proverb is similar to a couple of others that we looked at earlier this month. Proverbs 16:8 says, “Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.” On April 13th and 14th (Days 103 and 104), we looked at Proverbs 15, verses 16 and 17:

¹⁶Better a little with the fear of the LORD
     than great wealth with turmoil.
¹⁷Better a small serving of vegetables with love
     than a fattened calf with hatred.

The Bible teaches us that “a little” beats abundance every time, so long as that “little” is paired with righteousness. Indeed, abundance itself is not worth having when it gets paired with trouble, discord, hatred, or injustice.

But today we are considering what it means to have “much gain with injustice.” Business owners are in a position to make decisions about justice that will impact the bottom line. Those that choose to pay their employees a fair and living wage will likely garner less profit. This is what God would rather we choose, as compared to many companies that maximize profit by having their manufacturing done overseas so that they can pay their employees less.

Most of us, of course, are not business owners. But we are consumers. And to me, this proverb speaks of ethical buying. Do you pay attention to the business practices of the companies you patronize? Do you buy from companies that have ethical practices? I have slowly been changing my food buying habits — for example, I try to buy only eggs that come from free-range chickens. But I’ve got a long ways to go still, especially when it comes to buying clothing that is manufactured ethically. But at least being aware that we contribute to justice or injustice by what we purchase and from whom is a first step.

Father God, give us a passion for justice and help us to “do the right thing” in as many ways that we can. Help us to be ethical consumers. If we are business owners, let us make decisions based on what is right rather than on what simply costs us less. In all things, help us to value your opinion more than we value money and possessions. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Leviticus 6 continues yesterday’s discussion of guilt offerings, turning to the kinds of offenses that one person may commit against another. Robbery, oppression, lying about deposits or about property that you found that doesn’t belong to you — for these offenses, you would restore what belongs to the other person, adding a fifth to the value, and then you would present a guilt offering to the LORD.

Then the chapter turns to the types of offerings previously discussed and discusses them again; however, this time round the Scripture considers these offerings from the point of view of the priests. First, we learn that the priests are to keep the fire on the altar of burnt offerings burning all night long — indeed, it is to burn perpetually.

Second, we learn that grain offerings have a memorial portion that is burnt, but the rest is given as food for the priests. It is to be shared among all the sons of Aaron; however, it is holy and can only be eaten in a holy place — that is, in the court of the Tabernacle. Any male son of Aaron and his descendants may eat of the Israelites’ grain offerings. However, should a priest proffer a grain offering, then the entire grain offering must be fully burnt.

Sin offerings were to be given to the priest that performs the sacrifice; however, this seems to refer to sin offerings from ordinary people since chapter 4 specified that sin offerings for priests, the entire congregation, or for rulers were to be burned outside the camp. Also, this assumes that the fat portions are first burned and the sin offering must be eaten in a holy place — that is, in the court of the Tabernacle. The priest who has the sin offering may share the meal with any of the males among the priests.

Leviticus 7 continues the discussion of offerings from the point of view of the priests. We learn that the priest who presides over a burnt offering may keep the skin of the animal that was offered (v. 8). The portion of the grain offering that belongs to the priests is handled differently depending on whether it is baked, grilled, or fried, or whether it is choice flour. If it is a prepared bread, then the grain offering belongs to the priest who officiates over the grain offering. On the other hand, choice flour is “shared equally among all the sons of Aaron (v. 10).” Similar to the sin offering, the priest who presides over a guilt offering gets to eat the flesh of the guilt offering after the fat portion has been burnt, so long as it is eaten in a holy place. Again, the meal may be shared with any of the males among the priests.

The rules for fellowship sacrifices are a little more complicated. Partly because fellowship sacrifices were also accompanied by a variety of grains and bread, both unleavened as well as leavened. But also because it depends on why the fellowship sacrifice is being offered. If it is for thanksgiving, then the meat can only be eaten on the same day. If, on the other hand, the fellowship sacrifice was the result of a vow or a freewill offering, then the meat could also be eaten on the second day. Under no circumstances could meat from sacrifices ever be eaten on the third day (v. 18).

In all fellowship sacrifices, the breast meat was given to the entire priesthood for them to eat, whereas the right thigh was given to the priest officiating the sacrifice. The rest of the meat would be eaten by the person(s) offering the fellowship sacrifice.

The chapter also details some other rules about sacrifices, such as in verse 19, “Flesh that touches any unclean thing shall not be eaten.” Additionally, if a person is ritually unclean, then they are not allowed to eat from a fellowship sacrifice. Again, there is the prohibition against eating fat (although fat could be used for other purposes), and the prohibition against eating blood.

As I read these chapters today, I found myself thinking of Zacchaeus. Guilt offerings required restitution of an additional 20% on top of the value of the item being restored. In Luke 19:8, when Zacchaeus is moved to restore the tax money that he had defrauded, he commits to giving fourfold — 400%, instead of the 120% the law might have required. It makes me appreciate all the more what a difference Jesus makes!

Of course, we haven’t finished reading Leviticus yet, but with all the emphasis on the priestly men, I began to wonder how the women in priestly families got fed. Did they have to have their own fellowship sacrifices so that they could have meat to eat? They were excluded from eating any of the flesh of sin offerings, guilt offerings, and other people’s fellowship sacrifices. I know there are regulations somewhere in the Pentateuch because I remember reading them, but those types of questions will not be answered in today’s reading.

Another thing I tell myself to keep in mind, when reading all these laws about offerings and sacrifice, is that this is how people obtained meat to eat back then. They didn’t have butcher shops or grocery stores. Until they entered the Promised Land, no families would butcher their own meat. In ancient times — not just in Israel — when animals were slaughtered so that people could eat meat, it was done within the context of religious worship. That’s why it was such a big issue for the early church about eating meat offered to idols. That’s how the meat was obtained — it was offered to an idol, the animal was slaughtered, and then there was meat to eat. In larger metropolitan areas, that meat might find its way to a market, but it had first been sacrificed in the name of some god or other.

The persecution of the church that began on the same day that Stephen was stoned to death continued up until some time after Saul’s conversion (Acts 9:31). Then, the church had peace for a time and the number of believers continued to grow and multiply. However, in Acts 12, we learn of more trouble. King Herod “laid violent hands (v. 1)” on some of the believers. He kills James the apostle (brother of John, son of Zebedee), and arrests Peter.

Verse 3 tells us that this happened during the “days of Unleavened Bread.” In other words, this was happening on the first year anniversary of when Christ was crucified and resurrected. Peter is rescued miraculously, and goes to the house of “Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark (v. 12).” This John/Mark is the man believed to have written the Gospel of Mark. We have the amusing story of the servant Rhoda, who was so flustered at seeing Peter at the gate that she forgot to let him inside. The fact that Mary owned this house and that she had a servant tells us that she was a moderately wealthy woman, and that John/Mark also came from a wealthier background than many of the disciples.

After Peter relates the story of his escape from prison, he tells the believers, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers (v. 17).” Since we just learned that James the son of Zebedee was killed by Herod, this is a little confusing until you remember that there was a second apostle named James — James, the son of Alphaeus. Peter also could have been talking about James, the half-brother of Jesus, since he was a prominent leader in the church in Jerusalem. (Personally, I think Peter probably did mean James the brother of Jesus, but the identification of James is not something that makes much difference to believers today.)

Despite the trouble Herod caused the church, he becomes the subject of divine retribution. An angel of the LORD strikes him dead for his arrogance when some supplicants liken him to God. This supernatural aspect of Herod’s death seems part and parcel of the signs and wonders that accompanied the early church.

As the chapter ends, we learn that Barnabas and Saul return to Antioch (after having been in Jerusalem for Passover), accompanied by John/Mark.

What verse 9 tells us about Peter is pretty fascinating. When Peter was being rescued by the angel, he didn’t know what was happening was actually real — he “thought he was seeing a vision.” Throughout the Bible we read of people who have dreams or visions from God. And, of course, we remember the vision Peter had in Joppa where God communicated his acceptance of the Gentiles. But what gets me about this instance is that Peter was unable to distinguish the difference between a vision and reality. I’ve occasionally had dreams that I believe were sent by God; however, I’ve never had trouble knowing that it was a dream. Dreams just seem to operate with a different kind of logic and rules as compared to reality. So it’s somewhat mind-boggling for me to think about how vivid Peter’s visions must have been that he had trouble understanding that what was happening was real. (Of course, the other interpretation may simply be that Peter was half asleep when the angel got him up and moving, so part of his mind still was dreaming.) Still, it’s interesting.

As you know, many Bible publishers will add section headings to Scripture to help people navigate the pages. If you’re leafing through the pages trying to find a particular parable, this can be very helpful. Although these section headings are not part of the Scripture itself, they are quite useful for understanding the content of the various sections. The ESV has titled Psalm 115 as “To Your Name Give Glory.” The title that the CSB gives is similar: “Glory to God Alone.” The NRSV titles Psalm 115 as “The Impotence of Idols and the Greatness of God.” In a similar vein, the NKJV says, “The Futility of Idols and the Trustworthiness of God.”

Psalm 115 gives an extensive list of how ridiculous idols are — they can’t speak, can’t see, can’t hear, can’t smell, can’t feel, and can’t walk. They are useless. And lifeless. Verse 8 is particularly striking, saying, “Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.” So idol worshipers become blind, deaf, unfeeling, and immovable. Their spirits die.

We, however, are called to trust in the LORD. He has given the earth “to the children of man (v. 16).” Verse 17 jumps out at me. “The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who go down into silence.” It is the living who praise the LORD. That is our job — to “bless the LORD from this time forth and forevermore (v. 18).” Hallelujah!

Father God, I praise you for your faithfulness and mercy. Thank you for giving me life and breath. Thank you for placing me in a world filled with mountains and oceans and birds and flowers — so much natural beauty. Thank you for the sunshine; thank you also for rain. Mostly, Father, I’m grateful for Jesus Christ — the Passover sacrifice that makes me clean in your sight. Thank you for bringing me into the family of God. In Jesus’ name, Amen.