April 26 ▪ Day 116

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 16:9
Leviticus 8–9
Acts 13
Psalms 116

Verse Focus (Proverbs 16:9)

In their hearts humans plan their course,
     but the LORD establishes their steps.

Meditation

Our verse focus today, Proverbs 16:9, says in the ESV, “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” In some ways, this proverb is the perfect example of free will versus God’s sovereignty. We choose. We plan. But God still ordains what happens. I actually find this proverb to be very comforting, since I can only control what I plan to do. I don’t have control over how the world responds to my actions — but God does. God is the one who establishes me in the right paths. He makes my steps firm and steady. And He gives my route permanence.

Today’s proverb is also related to the one we looked at just a few days ago, Proverbs 16:1, which says, in the ESV, “The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.” In both proverbs, we learn that humans have the ability to make choices, to dream, to hope, and to plan — but both proverbs also tell us that the results of our plans are in God’s hands. Hallelujah!

Father God, thank you that you are the one who makes my way certain. I’m so glad that you do establish my steps, that you guide me and watch over me and help me. Thank you for your steadfast love in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Leviticus 8 and 9 describe the consecration of Aaron and his sons, and how Aaron took on the responsibilities as priest. Back in Exodus 29, we read some of these details of what should be done to ordain a priest; now, in Leviticus — now that the Tabernacle as actually been finished — Moses goes ahead and ordains Aaron and his sons to the priesthood.

First, Moses calls the entire congregation together. Next, Aaron and his sons are bathed in water, and dressed in the priestly garments. I was a little surprised to realize that the congregation actually witnessed them washing and dressing — I’m sure something was done to protect modesty, but when we read about these steps in Exodus I had assumed that those kinds of details would have been done in advance, or done privately of the public ceremony. The fact that this was part of the public ceremony shows me that it was important for the people to see the cleansing and the putting on of priestly dress as part of what made them suitable to minister before the LORD. Washing we understand — there’s no shortage of symbolism there! And the priestly garments were special, too. I guess there’s symbolism about being clothed in God’s glory.

After this, Moses consecrates the entire Tabernacle with the anointing oil, also consecrating the altar and the various implements, and finally consecrating Aaron and his sons. Then comes the sin offering. The priests-to-be lay their hands upon the bull; Moses kills it, and then distributes the blood — some consecrates the altar, but most is poured out at the base of the altar. Moses burns the fat portions, but the bulk of the sin offering — because this is being offered for priests — gets burned outside the camp.

Next comes the ram for the burnt offering, followed by the ram of ordination. As Moses burns the burnt offering on the altar, we are told that it is a “pleasing aroma, a food offering for the LORD (v. 21).” We’ve heard before about burnt offerings being a pleasing aroma, but this is the first time we’ve heard Scripture calling it a “food offering for the LORD.” It strikes me as odd, since we know, of course, that God doesn’t really need food — but I guess the point of offering food is to honor the One who provides us with food.

With the ram of ordination, that’s when Moses does the whole thing about anointing the right ear lobe, the right thumb, and the right big toe. The intimacy of this act continues to amaze me. Also the symbolism — what I hear, what I do, and where I go is all for the LORD. The priests offer a wave offering of portions of the ram of ordination, and then these portions are burnt up. Moses receives a portion, too, but the rest of the ram of ordination is given to the priests being ordained. Moses tells them to boil the remainder and eat it in the court of the Tabernacle. They must stay inside the Tabernacle area for the next seven days until the days of ordination are completed.

On the eighth day, Moses calls Aaron and his sons together, along with the elders of the people (as opposed to the entire congregation), and directs them to begin the sacrifices. First, the priests must offer a sin offering and a burnt offering for themselves; then they will officiate over the sin offering, burnt offerings, and fellowship sacrifices of the people. Moses tells them in verse 4, “Today the LORD will appear to you.” Aaron now sacrifices each animal, with his sons assisting him. Verses 23 and 24 tell us, “And the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.”

Acts 13 tells us of the first missionary journey that Saul — also known as Paul — goes on. The Holy Spirit has the church at Antioch set aside Barnabas and Saul for this journey. Verse 3 tells us, “Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.” It is important to recognize not only the divine direction for this trip, but also that the church took care to seek God’s will through fasting and prayer before commissioning them to go.

On Cyprus, Paul encounters a Jewish magician and false prophet named Bar-Jesus. Paul denounces him for his wickedness and deceit, and curses Bar-Jesus to three days of blindness, saying, “And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” This is shocking and fascinating at the same time. We are used to the apostles doing miracles of healing, but we haven’t seen them using supernatural power to discipline someone before. It is notable that this is the same thing that Paul himself went through after he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. So even though this sounds very harsh, it may have been Paul’s attempt to give Bar-Jesus an experience that could allow him time for self-reflection, to potentially alter the trajectory of his life.

Barnabas and Paul next travel to Antioch in Pisidia. I found this confusing, since they started from Antioch — but they are two different cities. This map that I found on the Internet may be useful for understanding this particular chapter: https://think-biblically.com/images/Journey1.2.jpg. When the two men arrive in Iconium at the end of the chapter, they will have traveled 575 miles thus far on the first missionary journey.

Verse 13 notes that John (also called Mark, even though the text doesn’t remind us of that here) left Barnabas and Paul behind and returned to Jerusalem. This detail will feature in a later conflict between the two men.

In Antioch in Pisidia, Barnabas and Saul went to synagogue on the Sabbath. And Paul preached the gospel message. I was struck by verse 37 — one of the important details of the message Paul gives is that Christ did not “see corruption (v. 37).” Rather than saying, “Jesus is alive!” as we might say, Paul stresses that Jesus would not experience decay as David and all their ancestors had experienced decay. He also talks about salvation in a slightly different manner, saying in verse 39, “Everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.”

Although many people were very interested in the message that Paul gave, the Jewish leaders became jealous when they saw the huge crowd that came to hear Paul on the next Sabbath day. They stirred up enough trouble, however, that Paul and Barnabas declared that hereafter they would direct their message to the Gentiles. This was, of course, a significant turning point in the expansion of the church.

Psalm 116 praises God for a recovery from danger or illness. The psalmist begins by saying, “I love the LORD.” I love the LORD because He hears me and He rescues me. What is more personal than this?

Today, as I read the psalm, I was struck by verse 12. “What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me?” asks the psalmist. Notably, the answer is two-fold. First, the psalmist will “lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the LORD.” Secondly, he will fulfill his vows “in the presence of all his people.” I see the first as being evangelism — speaking of how one has been saved, and continuing to call upon the LORD. The second is equally important, as it talks about our role within the church community. We no longer vow freewill offerings that would be sacrificed in the temple as the psalmist might have done, but this verse speaks to the public nature of the thanksgiving. Thanksgiving that is entirely private misses out on what we owe to God — which is to be thankful in the presence of God’s people.

Verse 15 is always poignant as well. Even though the psalmist has been rescued from the “cords of death,” he acknowledges that God treasures His people. “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” This verse has been and continues to be a comfort in sorrow.

Father God, thank you that you care when we are ill or in danger. Thank you that you do rescue us from death. Even though we die, we know that you will raise us again when Christ returns. Thank you for the promise of eternal life, and for the assurance we have in your Word. Thank you also for your Scripture. May your Holy Spirit continue to speak to us as we read through Leviticus and Acts. In Jesus’ name, Amen.