March 9, Day 68 – Acting Without God’s Authority

"The Lost Tuner" © by Eric C. Stricker - Original Oil on Canvas

Leviticus 17-18; Psalm 31:9-18; Mark 14:17-42

Yesterday, we saw how Leviticus reveals that – even when we desire to do so, and no matter how hard we try – we just cannot keep God’s requirements for obedience or for holiness. This is why God provided the annual day of atonement for the Israelites – a day that contemplates God’s then-future provision for His sacrifice of the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world (cf., John 1:29). Today in Leviticus 17-18, we see that the Israelites “were making sacrifices in the open fields” (verse 5) and “to the goat idols” (verse 7) – actions that were wholly unacceptable. These offerings had to be corrected because they completely by-passed God’s legal requirements for sacrifices (not to mention their blatant idolatry). In this chapter, God reveals three times that “the life of a creature is in the blood,” and that “it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life” (verses 11 and 14). The contemptible practice of eating blood was demonic – a heathen ritual that disregarded the sanctity of human life, which is inviolable. This means that, in reality, human life may not be violated. Only God can give life, and only He can take it. There is something sacrosanct about life that cannot be revoked or destroyed (cf., Genesis 4:10; Genesis 9:6; Hebrews 11:4). In other words, humans have no authority whatsoever to take another human life (except as directed by the Word of God). Anyone who violates this principle does so presumptuously on his or her own illicit authority. We must remember that acting without God’s authority did not work out very well for Nadab and Abihu (cf., Leviticus 10:1-2).

In Leviticus 18, we read about God’s establishment of moral laws that govern purity in sexual relationships. This chapter begins with, “You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you” (verse 3). I don’t know of a biblical declaration that would more clearly explain God’s desire for the absolute purity of His people than this statement. The Israelites must keep themselves separate from all those things that make people unclean. This chapter is self-explanatory – requiring little comment – but begging for lots of obedience today. After 430 years of suffering down in the garbage heap of Egypt, the Israelites had enough of it, and God removed them from their wallowing in all that Egyptian filth. When they enter Canaan, they are commanded not to regress. Unfortunately, much of our own culture today is no different from the evil practices of Egypt or Canaan. God separated the Israelites from all that for a reason – He wanted them to exemplify His holiness and purity before the rest of the world – that the rest of the world might be attracted to Him through their purity and holiness. I daresay He expects the same from us.

Psalm 31:9-18 is prophetic and anticipates the future suffering and death of Christ. We notice how appropriately David’s words point in advance to the agony of our Lord: “I am the utter contempt of my neighbors; I have become like broken pottery, for I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side; they conspire against me; deliver me from my enemies … save me … for I have cried out to you” (verses 11, 13, 15, and 16). Only the Holy Spirit could endow David to pen these words about the future Son of David – so many years in advance of His death. Thank God for the inspiration of Scripture!

Today, in Mark 14:17-42, we read about the Lord’s Supper, and in this section, the first thing we notice is disloyalty – followed by disappointment, distress, and denial – all leading up to the Lord’s death. Jesus says, “One of you will betray me” (verse 17). What a heartbreaking announcement! In Gethsemane, Jesus explains how all this happens: He says, “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” (verse 38). Our spirits and our flesh are at war with each other. Sin’s entrance into the universe was so destructive that it drastically affected all creation everywhere – from the seemingly infinite to the infinitesimal. Although our spirits are everlasting and therefore indestructible, sin resulted in our temporal flesh rising up arrogantly and exercising both false authority and war against our eternal souls (cf., Galatians 5:17). As a result of sin, sometimes our flesh – contrary to God’s established order for things – convinces our spirits to do things that we hate, and we don’t even know why (cf., Romans 7:15). All of this confirms our need for purity and holiness.