Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 13-24

We start off this week with a warning regarding a prophet that rises up OR Dreamer of dreams

Don’t let them lead you to another god.

“Have no other gods before ME”

• Signs and wonders are not the markers of a true prophet – it’s not an authentication of a true prophet of Yahweh.
  • Remember back to Pharoah’s magicians in the book of Exodus… they had occultic powers that allowed them to perform signs and wonders.
  • Antichrist and false prophet – will perform signs and wonders….
• Death penalty is the just judgement for such a false prophet – anyone who was deceiving God’s people
• “So you shall purge the evil from your midst.”

*We can’t be naïve to think, that we could never do this… we have to be aware of the voices that we’re listening to. Scripture tells us that faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of God…. Our ears are gates to our faith being built up and our faith being destroyed. If we’re listening to voices that plant doubt into what God’s Word says and what God’s word means… take for example God’s words on gender and marriage… culture has looked to re-interpret God’s Word to “mean” something else… that we can still be a “Christian” and live certain ways…. Beware of he false teachers and prophets leading you away from the Word of God.

We can’t pick and choose what verses we want to believe and follow and what we don’t, and still call it Christianity. Careful of the false god of Christianity that is made in the image of man, and not the revered Word of God.

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 1-12

Genesis – The Book of Beginnings

Exodus – The Birth of a Nation

Leviticus – The Laws of the Nation

Numbers – The Wilderness Wanderings

- we we finished last week which covered a span of a 40 year period of when the Israelites were brought out of Egypt, until the point where they were camped across the Jordan River, across from Jericho

- The book of Deuteronomy is considered Moses’ last 24 hours before he dies – essentially made up of 3 farewell speeches. (approx. 2 ½ hours for the 3 speeches)

-Words by Moses through the Holy Spirit, and likely Joshua helped him write it down and potentially

-Torah – The Law

-Deuteronomy means “second law” = the people needed a reminder to trust God and obey Him

-chapter 31:10-11[read] – to be read every year in full during the Feast of Tabernacles

Scripture Reading: Numbers 25-36

This week starts with men indulging in sexual immorality with Moabite women - yoking themselves with Baal of Peor.

Why did they do this?

• We have to look ahead, to discover that Balaam told Balak a strategy to lead the men of Israel away.
• Numbers 31:6 The counsel of Balaam – caused them to commit trespass against the Lord and there was a plague across the people. Balaam tried and tried to curse Israel, but the Lord would not let him.
• When it comes to schemes of the enemy, there is always a way out from temptation. James tells us that it’s our own sinful desires that lead us astray…. If we do not have a renewed mind, in Christ, we are easily led astray into our fleshly desires… just like the men of Israel
  • Teaching of Balaam is spoken of throughout the scriptures many times, most importantly by Jesus Himself. (Rev. 2:14)

Scripture Reading: Numbers 13 – 24

We started this past week off with a very familiar story to most of us.

12 men, 1 leader from each tribe of israel, sent to search the land of Canaan– they were designated to travel approx. 240 miles – spend 40 days seeing what was in the land, and to bring back a report.

We get to the report of the spies and while the land flowing with milk and honey, and the large grapes are great examples of the good that’s in the land. Focus on the enemy overpowered 10 of the spies, succumbing to fear of their enemy, instead of remembering Who they were fighting for.

Scripture Reading: Numbers 1-12

The book of Numbers is part of the Torah- the first 5 books of the Bible. Written by the Holy Spirit through the human hand of Moses.

The Jews call the book of Numbers :

Bamidbar (בְּמִדְבַּר), meaning "In the Wilderness"

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Scripture Reading: Leviticus 19-27

“The LORD is Holy”. Again we see this theme continue and be prominent in this weeks scripture reading.

“You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.” So since God is Holy, His people should be marked as Holy too… their day-to-day living should be Holy.

If you mark in your Bibles, I would encourage you to highlight or underline every place the phrase “I am the LORD” occurs in this chapter( Lev 19).

Captial LORD = Jehovah “the Existing ONE” – the Proper name given for the One True God

Scripture Reading: Leviticus 10-18

Leviticus 1-7 we were introduced to the different types of offerings.

Chapters 8,9,10 are about the Priesthood.

• A Priest is a person who represents man before God.
• A Prophet speaks for God to man.
• Jesus is both a Prophet and a Priest.

We are a royal priesthood.

• We are sanctified - “by the washing of the water by the Word” – Eph. 5:26
• Judicially washed by the Blood of Jesus – Legal Judgement – we are justified by the blood but sanctified by the WORD.

The Church today is a Priesthood – Hebrews 8:1; 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 5:10,1:6 (But not after the Aaronic Priesthood, because Jesus is our High Priest who is in the order of Melchizedek… so the church’s priesthood is by higher order)

The book of Leviticus is the 3rd book of the Law, written by the Holy Spirit through Moses.

The word Leviticus has Greek roots, meaning “concerning the Levites”. In Hebrew, the book is called Wayikra (וַיִּקְרָא), meaning "And He called” – which is the very first words of the Book.

Approximately 90% of the Book of Leviticus is God speaking. Many people have Bibles that have Red Letters – referencing when Jesus speaks in the New Testament. Here in Leviticus is mostly God speaking…. So while it is the book where most people typically stop there reading plan, because the details seem strange to us and over our heads… they’re important because God is speaking!

Finishing the book of Exodus last week, we know that the Tabernacle has now been constructed, and the sacrificial system is to be implemented next for the nation of Israel. A system that would allow a Holy God to continue to live amongst an unclean people. Providing provision for them to draw near to Him.

The system of sacrifices stood at the heart of the Mosaic covenant because human beings were unable to fully keep God’s law. Since perfect obedience was beyond reach, sin required atonement, and God provided sacrifice as the means to address their guilt. Every offering or sacrifice that we see in Leviticus carried purpose and meaning, ultimately anticipating the flawless and final sacrifice that Christ would make through His death on the cross (Hebrews 7:27; 9:11–28).