I discovered that I have jumped ahead in the Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. So today I just wanted to share something from Monday's reading that I missed! Did you know that not very many people understood what Jesus actually came to do, and that some thought He was crazy? Mark 3:20-22:
20 Then He went to a house [probably Peter's], but a throng came together again, so that Jesus and His disciples could not even take food.
21 And when those who belonged to Him (His kinsmen) heard it, they went out to take Him by force, for they kept saying, He is out of His mind (beside Himself, deranged)!
22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, He is possessed by Beelzebub, and, By [the help of] the prince of demons He is casting out demons.
So His family thought He was crazy and the religious leaders accused Him of being demon-possessed! Remember that 2 Timothy 3:12 says this:
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
People will not always understand US either! They CAN'T if they are not born again and not meditating on God's Word! That's why we are to be involved in a local church, so that we can have like-minded people to fellowship with and who will support us! That's what Jesus meant when He said THIS in verses 32-35:
33 And He replied, Who are My mother and My brothers?
34 And looking around on those who sat in a circle about Him, He said, See! Here are My mother and My brothers;
35 For whoever does the things God wills is My brother and sister and mother!
Exodus 27 shows Moses receiving instructions for building the Altar for the burnt offerings. Verses 1-7:
1 AND MAKE the altar of acacia wood, five cubits square and three cubits high [within reach of all].
2 Make horns for it on its four corners; they shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze.
3 You shall make pots to take away its ashes, and shovels, basins, forks, and firepans; make all its utensils of bronze.
4 Also make for it a grate, a network of bronze; and on the net you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners.
5 And you shall put it under the ledge of the altar, so that the net will extend halfway down the altar.
6 And make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood overlaid with bronze.
7 The poles shall be put through the rings on the two sides of the altar, with which to carry it.
Here are a few pictures of replicas. It MAY have looked like this!
I am SO glad that WE live under a new and better covenant! No more sacrifices will ever have to be made for OUR sins! They were dealt with, once and for all, when Jesus BECAME sin with OUR sin! Thank YOU, LORD JESUS!
Shalom in Him!
