Bits and Pieces – 120th Edition – June 26, 2022

     The first chapters of Leviticus are taken up with the detail of the five offerings – The burnt, meat, peace, sin, and trespass offerings. All these offerings speak of Christ and His work of redemption.  The burnt offering [Lev.1:3]. occupies a prominent position and pictures Calvary. Let us learn its unmistakable lessons.

     The first lesson is that man is separated from God by reason of his sin.  When he fell in sin, the communion between God and man was broken.

     The second lesson is that God speaks to man through a mediator.  Moses acted as mediator between God and Israel, and a greater than Israel is here, even Jesus Christ.

     The third lesson is that God demands a blood sacrifice.  It may seem unpleasant to proud man, but God as the Creator has the right to dictate the terms of reconciliation.  Such extreme measures speak of the extremity and heinousness of man’s sin.

     The fourth lesson is that the burnt offering pictures Calvary.  The sacrificial animal or bird was a male.  The first Adam brought death.  The last Adam brought life.  It was “without blemish,” speaking of the sinlessness of Christ.  It was to be “of the herd,” telling us of the accessibility of the sacrifice.  Christ is near all that call upon Him.

     The offerer “put his hand upon the head” [v4] of the victim, identifying his sin with the sacrifice.  The sinner’s touch always brings death.  It was killed “for him,” teaching us the truth of the substitutionary sacrifice.  It was to be a voluntary offering, teaching the voluntary nature of Christ’s death on the cross.  It was to make ‘at-one-ment,’ to reconcile lost sinners to God.  Let us rejoice this day in Christ our Saviour.  We are not worthy of the least of His mercies, but He has blessed us with the greatest.

     Moses spent forty years in Egypt, thinking he was somebody.

     Then he spent forty years in the wilderness finding out he was nobody.

     Then, he spent another forty years leading the Exodus, learning what God could do with a somebody who was a nobody!

     The Jewish nation had its genesis in Abram or Abraham, with whom God made a covenant to be His holy people [Genesis 12:1ff]. He was born circa 1996 B.C. The word Hebrew, Son of Eber, first appears when Genesis 14:13 speaks of “Abram the Hebrew.”  The word Jew, synonymous withHebrew, first appears in 2 Kings 16:6, and originally was applied to all those who came back to Judah from the captivity.  Eventually it was applied to all Israelites throughout the world.

     The first converts to Christianity were actually Jewish [Acts 2:41].   Apart from possibly Luke and Acts, Jews, converted and otherwise, produced the whole Bible.  The disciples were Jews, Paul was a Jew and our Saviour was also a Jew.

     Has God cast off His ancient people?  Paul asked that very question.  He answered “God forbid.” [Romans 11:1ff].  The name Christian was first used in Antioch in Syria [Acts 11:22].  What, therefore, should the attitude of Gentile Christians be to unbelieving Jews?

     They should be thankful to God for the legacy He gave them.  God did not have to save Gentiles, but He did.  Some Jews are saved, “a remnant according to the election of grace” [Romans 11:5].  Many Jews are in nature’s darkness.  Paul, a Jew, said, “the rest were blinded” [v7].  Gentile Christians should pray that blinded Jews would come to the light, and recognize their Messiah, Jesus Christ.

     For the first time since 2019 the Whitefield Christian Schools held full graduation services for grades 8 and 12.  The Covid pandemic is the reason why we had to improvise recently.

     On Thursday night 23 Grade 12 students graduated and on Friday night 18 Grade 8 moved up to grade 9.  This is the first year when all the grade-8s moved up to 9.  Most years a few students move to other locations but not this year.

     2021-2022 has been a good year for Whitefield, with the exception of the sudden death of collegiate math teacher Jennifer Browett. The staff members are to be commended for their excellent work.  Do pray continually for staff, students, and parents that the schools will always be “a school of Christ.”

     To be held on the church grounds, Friday, July 1, 2022, at 5.00 pm. All welcome.