Bible Mountain

Daily Scripture Reading Numbers 3:38-51

Roger Dombach — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 10:00:34 GMT

Leo learned his grandfather’s 8-acre farm outside Austin was headed for auction in late 2024 because of $47,000 in back taxes, unpaid since the old man’s death. The county had already posted the notice. In addition, there were overgrown fields, a sagging barn, and a leaky roof. Everything his grandfather had built was one missed deadline from becoming someone else’s flip.

Leo was a burnt-out app developer who’d spent years coding tools that helped corporations jack up rents. The guilt hit harder than the numbers. He quit his job the same week, sold his truck and gaming PC, and cashed out his savings. It still wasn’t enough.

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For fourteen brutal months he lived in a borrowed camper on the property and worked freelance coding gigs until 3 a.m. to pay the tax installments. Days were spent clearing brush by hand, patching roofs in the rain, and learning plumbing from YouTube tutorials. He ate rice and beans. He slept four hours a night.

The back taxes became his obsession. Every extra dollar went straight to the county treasurer. Neighbors called him a fool for fighting a lost cause. Online skeptics said it was just content.

However, in spring 2026 he made the final payment. The lien was lifted. The same week, the old peach trees bloomed heavily. He had successfully redeemed the farm from foreclosure.

The Israelites spent 400 years living in Egypt, some of them as slaves. Yahweh brought plagues upon the Egyptians and redeemed the Israelites from slavery (see Exodus 6:6). The final plague was the death of all the firstborn of Egypt. Because of that plague, all the firstborn animals of Israel belonged to God and were sacrificed. All the firstborn of man also belonged to Yahweh, but they were not sacrificed; they were redeemed (see Exodus 13:15). The third chapter of Numbers explains how they were redeemed, and is an illustration of the redemption we have received from our slavery to sin and lawlessness.

The early part of the third chapter of Numbers explains that the tribe of Levi had responsibility for the service of the tabernacle. Anyone outside the tribe of Levi who came near to help was to be put to death. The middle part of the chapter explains that Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Each group was assigned a place in the camp and a role in caring for and moving the tabernacle. The Gershonites camped on the west side, the Kohathites on the south side, and the Merarites on the north side.

Num. 3:38 ¶ Now those who were to camp before the tabernacle eastward, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, are Moses and Aaron and his sons, keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary for the responsibility of the sons of Israel; but the outsider coming near was to be put to death.

The entrance to the tabernacle faced east, toward the sunrise. Thus, Moses, Aaron, and the sons of Aaron camped on the east side of the tabernacle because Aaron and his sons were the priests.

Num. 3:39 All the numbered men of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the command of Yahweh by their families, every male from a month old and upward, were 22,000.

The middle part of the third chapter of Numbers tells us about the census that determined there were 22,000 Levites.

Num. 3:40 ¶ Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Number every firstborn male of the sons of Israel from a month old and upward, and make a list of their names.

Take note of the word “firstborn” and the phrase “a month old”. This is the second census of the Israelites. The first census, recorded in the first chapter of Numbers, counted all the males aged 20 and over in order to determine the size of their army. This census only counted all the firstborn males. This count was necessary because all the firstborn males belonged to Yahweh (see Exodus 13).

Num. 3:41 And you shall take the Levites for Me, I am Yahweh, instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the sons of Israel.”

Notice the word “instead”. The firstborn of Israel belonged to Yahweh. However, Yahweh took the entire tribe of Levi in place of all the firstborn. In other words, the Levites redeemed all the firstborn of Israel. Serving as the keepers of the tabernacle was how the Levites lived out the fact that they belonged to Yahweh.

Num. 3:42 So Moses numbered all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, just as Yahweh had commanded him;

Num. 3:43 and all the firstborn males by the number of names from a month old and upward, for their numbered men were 22,273.

Look at the number 22,273. That was the number of the firstborn males of Israel. However, verse 39 tells us there were only 22,000 Levites, which meant there were 273 fewer Levites than were necessary to redeem all the firstborn males of Israel.

Num. 3:44 ¶ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Num. 3:45 “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel and the cattle of the Levites. And the Levites shall be Mine; I am Yahweh.

Num. 3:46 For the redemption price of the 273 of the firstborn of the sons of Israel who are in excess beyond the Levites,

Num. 3:47 you shall take five shekels apiece, per head; you shall take them in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs),

Num. 3:48 and give the money, the redemption price of those who are in excess among them, to Aaron and to his sons.”

Take note of the word “redemption”. The 273 firstborn males who were in excess of the 22,000 Levites were redeemed with money since there were not enough male Levites to redeem all the firstborn males of Israel.

Num. 3:49 So Moses took the money of the redemption price from those who were in excess, beyond those redeemed by the Levites;

Num. 3:50 from the firstborn of the sons of Israel he took the money in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary, 1,365.

Num. 3:51 Then Moses gave the money of the redemption price to Aaron and to his sons, at the command of Yahweh, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

When Yahweh killed all the firstborn of Egypt, He claimed all the firstborn of Israel as His. However, He took the tribe of Levi in place of the firstborn of Israel and assigned the Levites oversight of the tabernacle.

Likewise, humans are slaves to sin and lawlessness. However, Jesus gave Himself for us and redeemed us from all lawlessness. Therefore, we should deny worldly desires and live sensibly, righteously, and godly (see Titus 2:12).

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”

Daily Scripture Reading Numbers 3:14-37

Roger Dombach — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 10:01:23 GMT

Alex Rivera worked in an office that ran on glorious chaos. Papers towered on every surface, the shared drive was a mess of files named “Draft_Final_v12_REALLYFINAL,” and meetings rarely started on time because no one could find the conference room key. Empty coffee cups and takeout boxes littered the break room. “We’re a creative company!” the boss always said with a proud smile.

One week, a major client needed a full proposal by Monday. The project lead had misplaced the brief weeks earlier. When Alex asked for the latest numbers, his coworker just shrugged: “It’s somewhere on the drive.” Alex spent two exhausting days hunting through outdated spreadsheets and vague emails. By Friday night, the office was empty except for him. He printed everything, spread papers across tables, and worked until midnight trying to piece it together.

Some people like chaos. Others descend into chaotic environments because they don’t have good organization skills. The Bible does not specifically command us to be organized, but it does tell us to strive for Godliness. In order to do that, we have to know God. Today’s passage illustrates that God likes order. Since that is the case, then perhaps orderliness is a characteristic of Godliness.

When Yahweh killed the firstborn of Egypt as one of the plagues that forced Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery, He sanctified to Himself all the firstborn of Israel (see Exodus 13). At Mount Sinai, Yahweh claimed the descendants of Levi as His own in place of all the firstborn. Then Yahweh assigned the Levites to care for the tabernacle and perform all the work involved in carrying out the sacrificial system.

Num. 3:14 ¶ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,

Num. 3:15 “Number the sons of Levi by their fathers’ households, by their families; every male from a month old and upward you shall number.”

Take note of the command to number the sons of Levi. Since the Levites were substitutes for all the firstborn, it was necessary to know how many Levites there were.

Notice the age that was to be counted. When Moses numbered all the other tribes, he only counted the males who were aged 20 and above (see Numbers 1:3). That was because the census of all Israel was intended to determine the size of their army. When Moses numbered the Levites, he counted all males aged one month and above because the purpose of this census was to determine the number of males that could serve as substitutes for the firstborn of all Israel.

Num. 3:16 So Moses numbered them according to the word of Yahweh, just as he had been commanded.

Num. 3:17 These then are the sons of Levi by their names:

Gershon and Kohath and Merari.

Num. 3:18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families:

Libni and Shimei;

Num. 3:19 and the sons of Kohath by their families:

Amram and Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel;

Num. 3:20 and the sons of Merari by their families:

Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers’ households.

Num. 3:21 ¶ Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimeites; these were the families of the Gershonites.

Num. 3:22 Their numbered men, in the numbering of every male from a month old and upward, even their numbered men were 7,500.

Num. 3:23 The families of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle westward,

Look at the words “camp” and “westward”. Just as the 12 tribes were assigned places around the camp so that the Israelites would camp in an orderly manner, so too the Levites had their places around the tabernacle. The opening of the tabernacle was toward the east (see Exodus 27). The Levites were divided into the Gershonites, the Kohathites, and the Merarites. The families of the Gershonites camped on the west side of the tabernacle, meaning they camped behind the tabernacle.

Num. 3:24 and the leader of the fathers’ households of the Gershonites was Eliasaph the son of Lael.

Num. 3:25 ¶ Now the responsibility of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting involved the tabernacle and the tent, its covering, and the screen for the doorway of the tent of meeting,

Num. 3:26 and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the doorway of the court which is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords, according to all the service concerning them.

Just as the Levites were assigned specific places within the camp, so too each group of Levites was assigned a specific set of responsibilities with regard to the tabernacle. The sons of Gershon were given responsibility for the curtains that formed the courtyard around the altar and tent of meeting.

Num. 3:27 ¶ Of Kohath was the family of the Amramites and the family of the Izharites and the family of the Hebronites and the family of the Uzzielites; these were the families of the Kohathites.

Num. 3:28 In the numbering of every male from a month old and upward, there were 8,600, keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary.

Num. 3:29 The families of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the southward side of the tabernacle,

The word “southward” tells us the Kohathites camped on the south side of the tabernacle.

Num. 3:30 and the leader of the fathers’ households of the Kohathite families was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.

Num. 3:31 Now their responsibility involved the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, and the utensils of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the screen, and all the service concerning them;

The Kohathites were responsible for the items inside the tent of meeting.

Num. 3:32 and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was the chief of the leaders of Levi and had the oversight of those who keep the responsibility of the sanctuary.

Num. 3:33 ¶ Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites; these were the families of Merari.

Num. 3:34 And their numbered men, in the numbering of every male from a month old and upward, were 6,200.

Num. 3:35 And the leader of the fathers’ households of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They were to camp on the northward side of the tabernacle.

The word “northward” tells us the Merarites camped on the north side of the tabernacle.

Num. 3:36 Now the appointed responsibility of the sons of Merari involved the boards of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its bases, all its equipment, and the service concerning them,

Num. 3:37 and the pillars around the court with their bases and their pegs and their cords.

The sons of Merari were responsible for the boards and other items that supported the tent of meeting.

We see in Numbers 3 that Yahweh required the Israelite camp to be organized. Each family group within the Levites had their assigned place in the camp and their assigned duties when the Israelites broke camp and traveled through the wilderness. Since God likes orderliness, then we should consider that perhaps orderliness is a characteristic of Godliness.

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Daily Scripture Reading Numbers 3:1-13

Roger Dombach — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 10:01:43 GMT

Aiden was a kind-hearted Christian who hated conflict. More than anything, he wanted people to like him and see Jesus as loving and welcoming. So when he started his new job at a progressive marketing firm, he made a quiet decision. He told himself, “I’ll be the nicest Christian they’ve ever met.”

At first it felt righteous. When his coworkers mocked the Bible during lunch, Aiden just smiled and said, “Jesus was all about love, right?” When someone asked his opinion on sexuality, he replied, “I just want everyone to feel accepted and valued.” His answer made people smile and pat him on the back. “You’re not like those other Christians,” they said. Aiden felt warm inside. “This must be what it means to be salt and light” he told himself.

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One evening his small group Bible study was discussing truth and love. Aiden shared, “I think we focus too much on being right and not enough on being kind. Jesus met people where they were.” The group nodded politely, but his friend Rachel gently quoted Ephesians 4:15 which talks about “speaking the truth in love.” Aiden brushed it off. “That verse is so often weaponized,” he said. Feelings felt safer than hard verses.

Months passed. His coworker Maya was in a same-sex relationship and asked Aiden to attend her wedding. Aiden felt a knot in his stomach. He knew what Scripture said, but he also saw the tears in Maya’s eyes when she talked about how many Christians had rejected her. “I don’t want to make her feel unloved,” he reasoned. He went to the wedding, clapped, and posted a smiling photo with the caption “Love wins.”

That night he opened his Bible and landed on 2 Timothy 4:3-4 which talks about people who gather teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. The words stung, but he quickly closed the book. “God understands my heart” he thought.

Then came the crisis.

At work, a new campaign promoted something Aiden knew was clearly sinful. His boss asked him to write the copy. Aiden hesitated. His coworkers gathered around his desk, encouraging him: “Come on, Aiden. Don’t be judgmental. We’re all about inclusion here.” The room was full of expectant, hopeful faces. He felt their desire for acceptance like a heavy blanket.

He wrote the copy.

That weekend, during worship at church, the lyrics “I surrender all” caught in his throat. He realized he hadn’t surrendered his reputation, his need to be liked, or his fear of making people uncomfortable. He had surrendered truth instead.

Many Christians want to get along with our society. They want Christianity to be palatable and appealing. However, a concept that appears frequently in the Bible is sanctification. Sanctify means to set apart and make holy.

When Yahweh struck down all the firstborn of the land of Egypt, He sanctified the firstborn of all Israel, meaning all the firstborn belonged to Him. The third chapter of Numbers explains how the Levites were set apart to serve in the tabernacle as a way of replacing all the firstborn of Israel. This is a picture of the sanctification that needs to happen in the lives of every Christian. We need to be set apart from the world around us.

The first chapter of Numbers records a census that was taken of all the tribes of Israel except the tribe of Levi. The second chapter specifies how the tribes were to arrange themselves when they camped and when they marched. The third chapter gives instructions regarding the tribe of Levi.

Num. 3:1 ¶ Now these are the generations of Aaron and Moses at the time when Yahweh spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.

Num. 3:2 These then are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

Num. 3:3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he ordained to minister as priests.

Num. 3:4 But Nadab and Abihu died before Yahweh when they offered strange fire before Yahweh in the wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron.

This incident is recorded in Leviticus 10.

Num. 3:5 ¶ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Num. 3:6 “Bring the tribe of Levi near and have them stand before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him.

Num. 3:7 And they shall keep his responsibility and the responsibility for the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, to perform the service of the tabernacle.

Num. 3:8 They shall also keep all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, along with the responsibility of the sons of Israel, to perform the service of the tabernacle.

The role of the tribe of Levi was to care for the tent of meeting.

Num. 3:9 You shall thus give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the sons of Israel.

Num. 3:10 So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons that they may keep their priesthood, but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”

Anyone who was not part of the tribe of Levi was prohibited from helping the Levites.

Num. 3:11 ¶ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Num. 3:12 “Now, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every firstborn, the first offspring of the womb among the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall be Mine.

Look at the word “instead”. When Yahweh struck down all the firstborn of the land of Egypt, He sanctified the firstborn of all Israel, meaning all the firstborn belonged to Him (see Exodus 13). However, at Mount Sinai, Yahweh claimed the tribe of Levi instead of all the firstborn.

Num. 3:13 For all the firstborn are Mine; on the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, from man to beast. They shall be Mine; I am Yahweh.”

Notice the word “sanctified”. When Yahweh struck down the firstborn of Egypt, the firstborn of Israel were sanctified to Yahweh, meaning they were set apart and belonged to Him. At Mount Sinai, Yahweh substituted the Levites for the firstborn, meaning the Levites were set apart to perform all the duties necessary in the tabernacle and tent of meeting. This is a picture of how Christians are set apart and sanctified.

Right before His crucifixion, Jesus asked the Father to sanctify all believers in the truth because the world would hate all believers and believers are not of this world (see John 17:13-19). This is part of the teaching we see throughout the New Testament that Christians should be different from non-believers.

Many Christians want to get along with our society. They want Christianity to be palatable and appealing. Many Christians compromise with the world in an effort to gain supposed converts to Christianity.

Christians should represent Christ well, and we should work to have a good reputation. However, that does not mean we should compromise on truth or morality. We are sanctified. That means we are different and we should act differently.

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Daily Scripture Reading Numbers 2:1-34

Roger Dombach — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 10:01:00 GMT

The service started normally enough. The worship team opened with “How Great Is Our God,” and for about forty-five seconds everything felt right. Then Jake, the usually quiet sound guy, decided the drums needed to be “more anointed” and cranked the volume up. Mrs. Whitaker yelled, “Turn that racket down before the Lord leaves the building!”

During the announcements, Brother Carl stood up to talk about the upcoming men’s breakfast. He got exactly six words out—“Sausage will be provided by—” before his wife grabbed the microphone and corrected him: “Turkey sausage, Carl. We talked about this.” Someone in the back yelled, “Just do both!” and the whole place erupted in applause.

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Pastor Dale finally wrestled the service back on track and began his sermon. Five minutes in, the power went out. The lights, the projector, the sound system—everything died. For ten glorious seconds the sanctuary was completely silent except for the hum of the emergency exit signs. Someone started clapping. Then someone else started singing “This Little Light of Mine” a cappella. Within thirty seconds the entire church was on their feet, singing every children’s song they could remember at the top of their lungs while waving their phones like flashlights.

When the power finally came back on, the worship leader was so moved he shouted, “Forget the sermon—let’s just have church!” The band kicked in again, this time with no setlist. They played for forty-five minutes straight. People danced.

At 12:37 p.m.—forty-seven minutes past the normal end time—Pastor Dale walked back to the pulpit, sweating and grinning. He looked at his perfectly prepared notes, now completely irrelevant, and said:

“I had three points and a poem… but apparently the Holy Spirit had other plans.”

Some modern Christians want church services to be free and spontaneous. However, the New Testament tells us church services need to be done properly and orderly because God is a God of order. The second chapter of Numbers illustrates God’s desire for order.

The first chapter of Numbers tells us about a census that was taken at Mount Sinai. At the direction of Yahweh, Moses gathered leaders from each tribe and counted all the male Israelites aged 20 and older. The purpose of the census was to determine how many soldiers Israel could deploy into battle. Since the Levites were in charge of the tabernacle, they were not expected to go to war; thus, they were not counted in the census.

Num. 2:1 ¶ Now Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

Num. 2:2 “The sons of Israel shall camp, each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ households; they shall camp around the tent of meeting at a distance.

Look at the words “standard” and “banners”. Just as each country in the 21st century has a flag which represents their country, so too the various families in each tribe had banners which were unique to them and identified them.

Notice the words “around” and “at a distance”. The first chapter of Numbers tells us the Levites camped around the tabernacle (see Numbers 1:53). Chapter two tells us the rest of the tribes camped around the Levites and not next to the tabernacle.

Num. 2:3 Now those who camp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah, by their armies, and the leader of the sons of Judah: Nahshon the son of Amminadab,

The words “east” and “toward the sunrise” tell us the tribe of Judah camped east of the tabernacle. Modern society has a north-up orientation. Maps are designed with north at the top. We think of north as being up. Ancient societies oriented themselves toward the sunrise. I have some maps of biblical Israel that were designed with east at the top instead of north at the top to reflect their eastern orientation.

When Jacob blessed his sons before his death, he decreed that the tribe of Judah would be the lead tribe (see Genesis 49:8-10). The placement of the tribe of Judah on the east, which was the top, reflects their position as the lead tribe of Israel.

Num. 2:4 and his army, even their numbered men, 74,600.

Num. 2:5 Those who camp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar, and the leader of the sons of Issachar: Nethanel the son of Zuar,

Num. 2:6 and his army, even his numbered men, 54,400.

Num. 2:7 Then the tribe of Zebulun, and the leader of the sons of Zebulun: Eliab the son of Helon,

Num. 2:8 and his army, even his numbered men, 57,400.

There are four points on a compass: east, south, west, and north. Since there were 12 tribes, the tribes were organized into four groups of three. The tribes of Issachar and Zebulun were grouped with Judah to camp on the east side of the tabernacle.

Num. 2:9 The total of the numbered men of the camp of Judah: 186,400, by their armies. They shall set out first.

Take note of the sentence “They shall set out first.” These instructions not only dictated which tribe camped where, they also dictated the order of march when Israel was on the move. Since Judah was the lead tribe, they went first.

When God led Israel through the wilderness, they did not camp and move haphazardly. Instead, everything was very orderly. Each tribe had their place.

Some people within Christianity want church services to be free and unencumbered by restraints. They want to be “led by the Holy Spirit”. However, the New Testament instructions to the church reflect God’s desire for order. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul specified that the men had to take turns speaking because God is not a God of confusion, but of peace and order (see 1 Corinthians 14:33). He explicitly stated that all things need to be done properly and in an orderly manner (see 1 Corinthians 14:40), just as the Israelites camped and moved in an orderly manner.

Num. 2:10 ¶ “On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben by their armies, and the leader of the sons of Reuben: Elizur the son of Shedeur,

Num. 2:11 and his army, even his numbered men, 46,500.

Num. 2:12 And those who camp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon, and the leader of the sons of Simeon: Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai,

Num. 2:13 and his army, even their numbered men, 59,300.

Num. 2:14 Then the tribe of Gad, and the leader of the sons of Gad: Eliasaph the son of Deuel,

Num. 2:15 and his army, even their numbered men, 45,650.

Num. 2:16 The total of the numbered men of the camp of Reuben: 151,450 by their armies. And they shall set out second.

The tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad camped on the south side of the tabernacle. They were second in the order of march.

Num. 2:17 ¶ “Then the tent of meeting shall set out with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps; just as they camp, so they shall set out, every man in his place by their standards.

The first chapter of Numbers tells us the tabernacle was in the center of the camp and the Levites camped around it. When Israel broke camp and marched through the wilderness, the Levites, carrying the tabernacle, were in the middle of the order of march.

Num. 2:18 ¶ “On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim by their armies, and the leader of the sons of Ephraim: Elishama the son of Ammihud,

Num. 2:19 and his army, even their numbered men, 40,500.

Num. 2:20 Next to him shall be the tribe of Manasseh, and the leader of the sons of Manasseh: Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur,

Num. 2:21 and his army, even their numbered men, 32,200.

Num. 2:22 Then the tribe of Benjamin, and the leader of the sons of Benjamin: Abidan the son of Gideoni,

Num. 2:23 and his army, even their numbered men, 35,400.

Num. 2:24 The total of the numbered men of the camp of Ephraim: 108,100, by their armies. And they shall set out third.

Num. 2:25 ¶ “On the north side shall be the standard of the camp of Dan by their armies, and the leader of the sons of Dan: Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai,

Num. 2:26 and his army, even their numbered men, 62,700.

Num. 2:27 Those who camp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher, and the leader of the sons of Asher: Pagiel the son of Ochran,

Num. 2:28 and his army, even their numbered men, 41,500.

Num. 2:29 Then the tribe of Naphtali, and the leader of the sons of Naphtali: Ahira the son of Enan,

Num. 2:30 and his army, even their numbered men, 53,400.

Num. 2:31 The total of the numbered men of the camp of Dan was 157,600. They shall set out last by their standards.”

Num. 2:32 ¶ These are the numbered men of the sons of Israel by their fathers’ households; the total of the numbered men of the camps by their armies, 603,550.

Num. 2:33 The Levites, however, were not numbered among the sons of Israel, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

Num. 2:34 Thus the sons of Israel did; according to all that Yahweh commanded Moses, so they camped by their standards, and so they set out, every one by his family according to his father’s household.

Some Christians want spontaneity when they go to church. They do not care if services descend into chaos. However, God is a God of order. Just as the Israelites camped and moved in an orderly manner through the wilderness, so too God instructs that our church services need to be proper and orderly.

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Daily Scripture Reading Numbers 1:30-54

Roger Dombach — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 10:01:57 GMT

From time to time, it is necessary for a country to draft men into the military and force them to fight on behalf of their country. This usually happens in times of all-out warfare when the fate of the nation is at stake. Some countries are so small and vulnerable that they have decades-long practices of forcing all men to serve in the military for a couple of years.

Having said that, many countries offer exemptions to military service. Farmers are often exempted, because the society still needs to eat. Sometimes college students are exempted. The issuing of exemptions can become quite controversial because the wealthy and powerful might pull strings to exempt their children, giving their children an unfair advantage not enjoyed by those who are not wealthy or connected.

Another type of exemption which has some Biblical basis is a religious worker exemption. In other words, in time of warfare, Pastors are not drafted to fight because serving the spiritual needs of a population is as important as having farmers to supply the physical needs of the population. The book of Numbers contains an example of exempting religious workers from military service.

The book of Numbers opens with the Israelites in the wilderness of Sinai, about one year after they had been freed from their slavery in Egypt. The tabernacle had been erected and they had received the Mosaic Law, which gave them a culture and a religion. The first action recorded in the book of Numbers is a census. Yahweh told Moses to count all the males who were twenty years old or older. The purpose was to count all the men who were able to go out to war.

Yesterday, we read the first part of the results of the census. The tribe of Reuben had 46,500 men. Simeon had 59,300. Gad had 45,650, while Judah had 74,600, and Issachar had 54,400.

Num. 1:30 ¶ Of the sons of Zebulun, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war,

Num. 1:31 their numbered men of the tribe of Zebulun were 57,400.

Num. 1:32 ¶ Of the sons of Joseph, namely, of the sons of Ephraim, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war,

Num. 1:33 their numbered men of the tribe of Ephraim were 40,500.

Num. 1:34 ¶ Of the sons of Manasseh, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war,

Num. 1:35 their numbered men of the tribe of Manasseh were 32,200.

Take note that the descendants of Joseph were divided into the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. That is because Jacob had claimed the sons of Joseph as his own children (see Genesis 48:5). Throughout the rest of the Old Testament, the scriptures do not refer to the tribe of Joseph. It refers to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. Ephraim and Manasseh were equal to their uncles.

Num. 1:36 ¶ Of the sons of Benjamin, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war,

Num. 1:37 their numbered men of the tribe of Benjamin were 35,400.

Num. 1:38 ¶ Of the sons of Dan, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war,

Num. 1:39 their numbered men of the tribe of Dan were 62,700.

Num. 1:40 ¶ Of the sons of Asher, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war,

Num. 1:41 their numbered men of the tribe of Asher were 41,500.

Num. 1:42 ¶ Of the sons of Naphtali, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war,

Num. 1:43 their numbered men of the tribe of Naphtali were 53,400.

Num. 1:44 ¶ These are the ones who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, with the leaders of Israel, twelve men, each of whom was of his father’s household.

Num. 1:45 So all the numbered men of the sons of Israel by their fathers’ households, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war in Israel,

Num. 1:46 even all the numbered men were 603,550.

The total number of men aged twenty or older was over 600,000. If every man had a wife and two children, the total population would have been around 2.5 million people.

Num. 1:47 ¶ The Levites, however, were not numbered among them by their fathers’ tribe.

Take note that the tribe of Levi was not counted.

Num. 1:48 Yahweh had spoken to Moses, saying,

Num. 1:49 “Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, nor shall you take their census among the sons of Israel.

Num. 1:50 But you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony and over all its furnishings and over all that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall attend to it; they shall also camp around the tabernacle.

Since the tribe of Levi was assigned to be the priestly tribe and to have oversight of the tabernacle, they were exempted from military service.

Today, when countries enact compulsory military service, there are often exemptions. There are numerous categories of people who may be excused from having to serve in the military. When Moses took the census at Mount Sinai to determine the size of the army, the only exemption was for the Levites, the religious workers.

Num. 1:51 So when the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle encamps, the Levites shall set it up. But the layman who comes near shall be put to death.

Look at the word “death”. Only the Levites could touch the tabernacle to take it down or set it up. If a layman attempted to help, he was to be put to death.

Num. 1:52 And the sons of Israel shall camp, each man by his own camp, and each man by his own standard, according to their armies.

Num. 1:53 But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony so that there will be no wrath on the congregation of the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall keep charge of the tabernacle of the testimony.”

Even the layout of the camp was designed to keep laymen away from the tabernacle. The Levites camped around the tabernacle, and then the rest of the tribes camped around the Levites. This not only protected the laymen from unauthorized contact with the tabernacle, it also protected the Levites and the tabernacle. If anyone attacked the camp of Israel, they would have to fight through the other tribes in order to get to the Levites and the tabernacle.

Num. 1:54 Thus the sons of Israel did; according to all which Yahweh had commanded Moses, so they did.

Just as Yahweh exempted the Levites from going out to war, so too many countries today exempt certain categories of people from compulsory military service. The Bible does not give instructions as to which categories of people in modern times should be exempted from having to fight in war. However, since Yahweh gave an exemption to the Levites, who were the religious workers in the nation of Israel, then it is reasonable to conclude that religious workers should be exempt in our day as well.

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Daily Scripture Reading Numbers 1:1-29

Roger Dombach — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 10:00:33 GMT

When I was in middle school, I had a teacher who advocated that women should participate in combat. His reasoning was that it only takes 10 pounds of pressure to pull a trigger, and any woman has the ability to do that; therefore, in his mind, there was no reason women cannot serve in combat.

It is true that women can pull triggers. However, it is very naive and clueless to think that the only thing required to fight a war is to pull a trigger. Soldiers march long distances, and carry dozens of pounds of gear, in order to get themselves into a position where pulling a trigger can accomplish something that has military value. Fighting a war requires much more strength and endurance than simply exerting ten pounds of pressure to pull a trigger.

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Besides the physiological issues of warfare, there is also a moral issue. The Bible commands husbands to love their wives as Jesus loved the church and gave Himself up for the church. The Bible also commands us to take care of widows. The Bible consistently commands men to protect and provide for women. Letting women serve in combat is the opposite of defending them.

Today we start reading through the book of Numbers. The opening chapter is an example of the consistent theme throughout the Bible that men fight wars in order to protect women and children.

Num. 1:1 ¶ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying,

Notice the phrase “Yahweh spoke to Moses”. That phrase appears 47 times throughout the book of Numbers and is a way to divide the book into smaller chunks. The book of Numbers is essentially a series of statements Yahweh made to Moses.

The words “wilderness of Sinai” tell us the Israelites were still at Mount Sinai, which is where the Israelites were at the end of the book of Exodus.

Look at the words “second month” and “second year”. Exodus 19 tells us the Israelites arrived in the wilderness of Sinai in the third month after they left Egypt. Then Exodus 40 tells us the tabernacle was erected in the first month of the second year. The book of Leviticus contains instructions given to Moses regarding how to use the tabernacle. The words “second month” and “second year” in the first verse of the book of Numbers tell us the actions in the book of Numbers start about one year after the Israelites left Egypt.

Num. 1:2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, every male, head by head

The first action in the book of Numbers was to take a census.

Notice the word “male”. Only the males were to be numbered.

Num. 1:3 from twenty years old and upward, whoever is able to go out to war in Israel, you and Aaron shall number them by their armies.

Take note in this verse that only the males twenty years old and older were to be numbered.

The phrase “whoever is able to go out to war” tells us the purpose of the census. The intent of the census was to determine how many soldiers they had. Since the census only counted the males, that means only males were to serve in war.

In recent decades, feminism has insisted that women should be able to serve in combat. They have been so effective in changing the mindset about this that many people today do not grasp the extent to which the modern mindset about women serving in combat is at odds with thousands of years of human history. Throughout history, only men went to fight wars.

There is a physiological reason for this. Male bodies are faster and stronger than female bodies, so females are at a huge disadvantage in warfare. That is why males need to protect females.

Some people point to the U.S. military, which has women in combat positions, and argue that females are able to hold their own in combat. What they are ignoring is the extent to which the U.S. has a massive military advantage due to technology. If the modern U.S. army went up against another country with equivalent technology and equipment, the female vulnerability in combat would be exposed very quickly.

Num. 1:4 With you, moreover, there shall be a man of each tribe, each one head of his father’s household.

Num. 1:5 These then are the names of the men who shall stand with you:

of Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur;

Num. 1:6 of Simeon, Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai;

Num. 1:7 of Judah, Nahshon the son of Amminadab;

Num. 1:8 of Issachar, Nethanel the son of Zuar;

Num. 1:9 of Zebulun, Eliab the son of Helon;

Num. 1:10 of the sons of Joseph:

of Ephraim, Elishama the son of Ammihud;

of Manasseh, Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur;

Num. 1:11 of Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gideoni;

Num. 1:12 of Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai;

Num. 1:13 of Asher, Pagiel the son of Ochran;

Num. 1:14 of Gad, Eliasaph the son of Deuel;

Num. 1:15 of Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan.

Num. 1:16 These are they who were called upon by the congregation, the leaders of their fathers’ tribes; they were the heads of divisions of Israel.”

Take note also that all the leaders were men.

Num. 1:17 ¶ So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name,

Num. 1:18 and they assembled all the congregation together on the first of the second month. Then they registered by genealogy in their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, head by head,

Num. 1:19 just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. So he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

Num. 1:20 ¶ Now the sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war,

Num. 1:21 their numbered men of the tribe of Reuben were 46,500.

Num. 1:22 ¶ Of the sons of Simeon, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, their numbered men, according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war,

Num. 1:23 their numbered men of the tribe of Simeon were 59,300.

Num. 1:24 ¶ Of the sons of Gad, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war,

Num. 1:25 their numbered men of the tribe of Gad were 45,650.

Num. 1:26 ¶ Of the sons of Judah, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war,

Num. 1:27 their numbered men of the tribe of Judah were 74,600.

Num. 1:28 ¶ Of the sons of Issachar, their genealogical registration by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, whoever was able to go out to war,

Num. 1:29 their numbered men of the tribe of Issachar were 54,400.

Many people in modern society believe women should serve in combat. However, just as God instructed Moses to count the males who were able to go out to war, so too the New Testament teaches that males are to provide for and protect females. James 1:27 talks about visiting widows in their distress. Ephesians 5:25 tells husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for the church. 1 Peter 3:7 reminds husbands that their wife is a weaker vessel. War is an activity for males, not females.

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Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 27:14-34

Roger Dombach — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 10:01:41 GMT

In the hill country of Ephraim, during the days of the Judges, lived a man named Eliab. His family had struggled for years with poor harvests and raiding bands from the east. One autumn, as the olive trees bent low with fruit, Eliab stood among them and prayed.

“Yahweh, if You will bless this season so that my family has enough to eat and seed for next year, I will set apart this entire olive grove to You. It shall be holy to Yahweh. No longer will it belong to me, but to Your sanctuary.”

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The harvest that followed was the most bountiful in memory. Eliab’s wife and children rejoiced as baskets overflowed with oil and fruit. True to his word, at the next festival Eliab brought the priest to the grove.

“I have made a difficult vow,” he declared. “This grove is now set apart to Yahweh.”

The priest valued the mature grove according to the Law: twenty years of produce, the age of the trees, and the quality of the soil. The total came to four hundred shekels of silver.

Eliab’s heart tightened. Four hundred shekels was a great sum. Yet he had promised. For one full year the grove belonged wholly to Yahweh. Its oil went to the sanctuary lamps and offerings. His family ate from other fields and trusted God for provision.

As the next harvest approached, Eliab realized how much he missed working those specific trees. He returned to the priest.

“I wish to redeem the grove the Lord has accepted.”

The priest replied, “Then you must add one-fifth to its value.”

Eliab paid the four hundred shekels plus eighty more—four hundred and eighty in total. With joy he carried the heavy bag of silver to the sanctuary, then walked back to his now-redeemed grove.

Israelites in Old Testament times frequently made vows to God. They promised to give God something in exchange for God doing something for them. The 27th chapter of Leviticus contains rules that govern vows.

Lev. 27:14 ¶ ‘Now if a man sets his house apart as holy to Yahweh, then the priest shall value it as either good or bad; as the priest values it, so it shall stand.

Lev. 27:15 Yet if the one who sets it apart as holy should wish to redeem his house, then he shall add one-fifth of your valuation price to it, so that it may be his.

Lev. 27:16 ¶ ‘Again, if a man sets apart as holy to Yahweh a portion of the fields of his own possession, then your valuation shall be proportionate to the seed needed for it: a homer of barley seed at fifty shekels of silver.

Lev. 27:17 If he sets apart his field as holy from the year of jubilee, according to your valuation it shall stand.

Lev. 27:18 If he sets apart his field as holy after the jubilee, however, then the priest shall calculate the price for him proportionate to the years that are left until the year of jubilee; and it shall be deducted from your valuation.

All land reverted to its original owner in the Year of Jubilee. The valuation of a field was relative to the length of time left until the next Year of Jubilee.

Lev. 27:19 If the one who sets it apart as holy should ever wish to redeem the field, then he shall add one-fifth of your valuation price to it so that it may stand as his own.

Lev. 27:20 Yet if he will not redeem the field, but has sold the field to another man, it may no longer be redeemed;

Lev. 27:21 and it will be that when it reverts in the jubilee, the field shall be holy to Yahweh, like a field that is devoted; it shall be for the priest as his possession.

Lev. 27:22 Or if he sets apart as holy to Yahweh a field which he has bought, which is not a portion of the field of his own possession,

Lev. 27:23 then the priest shall calculate for him the amount of your valuation up to the year of jubilee; and he shall on that day give your valuation as holy to Yahweh.

Lev. 27:24 In the year of jubilee the field shall return to the one from whom he bought it, to whom the possession of the land belongs.

Lev. 27:25 Every valuation of yours, moreover, shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary. The shekel shall be twenty gerahs.

Lev. 27:26 ¶ ‘However, a firstborn among animals, which as a firstborn belongs to Yahweh, no man may set it apart as holy; whether ox or sheep, it is Yahweh’s.

Lev. 27:27 But if it is among the unclean animals, then he shall ransom it according to your valuation and add to it one-fifth of it; and if it is not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to your valuation.

Lev. 27:28 ¶ ‘Nevertheless, anything which a man devotes to Yahweh out of all that he has, of man or animal or of the fields of his own possession, shall not be sold or redeemed. Anything devoted to destruction is most holy to Yahweh.

Land that was vowed to Yahweh could be redeemed, but other possessions could not be redeemed.

Lev. 27:29 No one who may have been devoted among men shall be ransomed; he shall surely be put to death.

Lev. 27:30 ¶ ‘Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, belongs to Yahweh; it is holy to Yahweh.

Lev. 27:31 If, therefore, a man wishes to redeem part of his tithe, he shall add to it one-fifth of it.

Lev. 27:32 For every tenth part of herd or flock, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to Yahweh.

Lev. 27:33 He shall not inquire whether it is good or bad, nor shall he exchange it; or if he does exchange it, then both it and its substitute shall become holy. It shall not be redeemed.’”

Lev. 27:34 ¶ These are the commandments which Yahweh commanded Moses for the sons of Israel at Mount Sinai.

There are some examples of making vows throughout the Old Testament.

Before going into battle, Jephthah vowed that if he returned victorious, then whatever came out of his house to meet him upon his return would be offered as a burnt offering. When he returned, his daughter, his only child, was the first to greet him (see Judges 11).

Hannah was a barren woman and vowed that if Yahweh gave her a son, then she would give her son to Yahweh. Yahweh gave her a son named Samuel and Samuel was taken to live in the tabernacle after he was weaned (see 1 Samuel 1).

By the time Jesus came to earth in the first century AD, the Jews were abusing the practice of vows. They were saying things like, “Whoever swears by the sanctuary, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the sanctuary is obligated.” (see Matthew 23:16). Jesus condemned that as blindness.

While making deals with God was common in Old Testament times, it is not common in the church age. That is because the New Testament prohibits the practice.

Jesus Himself, in His Sermon on the Mount, said to not make oaths. Instead, we should speak honestly. If we make a promise, then we should fulfill that promise whether or not we made a vow or put the promise in writing. People should be able to rely on our word.

Likewise, the book of James prohibits us from making vows or swearing oaths. Our yes should mean yes and our no should mean no. Once again, the point is people should be able to rely on our word.

Here are some questions to ponder.

How well do people trust your word?

When you make a promise, do you deliver?

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Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 26:40 - 27:13

Roger Dombach — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:01:48 GMT

One day at lunch, some coworkers were talking about their children. One mother told stories about her daughter playing soccer and being able to run just as fast as the boys. After she had finished, a male coworker asked, “At what age will biology kick in and she won’t be able to keep up with the boys anymore?”

The woman replied, “I don’t believe that will ever happen.”

The male asked, “Do you believe she will be able to run as fast as the boys when they are seniors in high school?”

She replied, “Yes, I do.”

Despite centuries of evidence that men are stronger and faster than women, some people refuse to accept this biological reality. The Bible does not state whether or not women can physically keep up with men, but the 27th chapter of Leviticus contains a rule that reflects the biological differences between men and women.

The 26th chapter of Leviticus opens by reinforcing core commands such as rejecting idols, keeping the Sabbath, and revering the sanctuary. Then verses 3-13 promise prosperity and safety to the Israelites if they obey the laws of God. In contrast, verses 14-39 assure the Israelites that if they choose to disobey Yahweh, then they will suffer consequences. Starting in verse 40, Yahweh promises grace if Israel repents after a season of rebellion.

Lev. 26:40 ¶ ‘If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also how they walked in hostility against Me—

Notice the word “If”. Verses 40-41 are the first half of an if/then statement.

Lev. 26:41 I also was walking in hostility against them, to bring them into the land of their enemies—or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that they then make up for their iniquity,

Lev. 26:42 then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land.

Take note of the word “then”. Verse 42 is the second half of the if/then statement.

Yahweh had made a covenant with Abraham and promised that Abraham’s descendants would possess the land of Canaan (see Genesis 15:18). That promise was passed along to Isaac (see Genesis 26:3) and then to Jacob (see Genesis 28:13). The early part of Leviticus 26 warned Israel that disobedience would result in them being exiled from the land. But in verses 40-42 Yahweh assured Israel that when they repented, He would remember His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and bring the Israelites back to the Promised Land after their exile.

Lev. 26:43 For the land will be forsaken by them and will make up for its sabbaths while it is made desolate without them. They, meanwhile, will be making up for their iniquity because they rejected My judgments and their soul loathed My statutes.

Lev. 26:44 Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, nor will I so loathe them as to bring an end to them, breaking My covenant with them; for I am Yahweh their God.

Lev. 26:45 But I will remember for them the covenant with their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God. I am Yahweh.’”

Lev. 26:46 ¶ These are the statutes and judgments and laws which Yahweh has given to be between Himself and the sons of Israel by the hand of Moses at Mount Sinai.

Lev. 27:1 ¶ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

This verse indicates Yahweh was turning to a different topic.

Lev. 27:2 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When a man makes a difficult vow, he shall be valued according to your valuation of persons belonging to Yahweh.

Lev. 27:3 If your valuation is of the male from twenty years even to sixty years old, then your valuation shall be fifty shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary.

Males were valued at fifty shekels.

Lev. 27:4 Or if it is a female, then your valuation shall be thirty shekels.

Females of the same age were valued at thirty shekels. This raises the question of why males were valued higher than females.

Lev. 27:5 If it be from five years even to twenty years old then your valuation for the male shall be twenty shekels and for the female ten shekels.

Whereas males over the age of twenty were valued at fifty shekels, males under the age of twenty were only valued at twenty shekels.

Females between five and twenty were half the value of males of the same age.

In addition to wanting to know why males had a higher valuation, this verse also raises the question of why adults were valued higher than children.

Lev. 27:6 But if they are from a month even up to five years old, then your valuation shall be five shekels of silver for the male, and for the female your valuation shall be three shekels of silver.

Infants had a lower valuation than children. In contrast to male children over the age of five who were valued at twenty shekels, male infants under the age of five were valued at five shekels. Female infants under the age of five were valued less than male infants of the same age and less than female children over the age of five.

Lev. 27:7 If they are from sixty years old and upward, if it is a male, then your valuation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels.

Elderly people had a lower valuation than adults who were in the prime of life.

The valuation was not based on males being superior to females or on one age being superior to another age. Instead, the valuation was based on the ability to perform productive work. Male Israelites between the ages of twenty and sixty were in the prime of life and could work faster and harder than females or males of other ages. The value of the work they could perform in one day was greater; thus, they as a person had a higher valuation.

This reflects a reality that is still true today. Males are faster and stronger than females. This has always been the case throughout all of history. It will always be true.

Lev. 27:8 But if he is poorer than your valuation, then he shall be presented before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to the means of the one who vowed, the priest shall value him.

Lev. 27:9 ¶ ‘Now if it is an animal of the kind which men can bring near as an offering to Yahweh, any such that one gives to Yahweh shall be holy.

Lev. 27:10 He shall not replace it or exchange it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good; or if he does exchange animal for animal, then both it and its substitute shall become holy.

Lev. 27:11 If, however, it is any unclean animal of the kind which men do not bring near as an offering to Yahweh, then he shall present the animal before the priest.

Lev. 27:12 And the priest shall value it as either good or bad; as you, the priest, value it, so it shall be.

Lev. 27:13 But if he should ever wish to redeem it, then he shall add one-fifth of it to your valuation.

Many people today want to deny that there are physical differences between the sexes. However, males have always been faster and stronger than females, which gives males the ability to produce more work in the same amount of time. Just as the Mosaic Law recognized this difference and valued people accordingly, so too modern people should accept this fact of life and live life accordingly.

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Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 26:21-39

Roger Dombach — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 10:01:39 GMT

Patrick grew up going to church on a regular basis. He learned all the Bible stories and the rules by which Christians are to live. But on his 28th birthday, he rejected it all. He decided he was done with God. He wasn’t going to follow God’s rules.

The Ten Commandments became a to-do list. He lied to close business deals, cheated on his wife, and put himself before God. He pursued wealth, cars, houses, vacations, and women. He mocked those who still practiced any sort of religion. He proclaimed that religion was a crutch for weak people.

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One day his wife left him and took the kids with her. Business partners sued him. He started feeling fatigued, and then was diagnosed with a serious illness. Patrick went outside, looked up at the sky, and yelled, “If You are real, then strike me down. I reject You and every command You ever gave.”

Many people throughout history have intentionally rejected God. In fact, humans naturally do not want to acknowledge the existence of God because we don’t want to obey Him. We want to live by our own rules. Yahweh warned the Israelites that rejecting Him would result in severe consequences. Some of those consequences happened in Old Testament times. This is a warning to us that punishment awaits us if we also reject Him.

The 26th chapter of Leviticus opens with a command to reject all forms of idolatry. Then verses 3-13 detail the blessings for obedience. Submission to Yahweh would result in abundant harvests, peace, and military victories. On the other hand, verses 14-20 explain that disobedience would be punished with terror, disease, failed crops, and military defeat.

Lev. 26:21 ¶ ‘If then, you walk in hostility against Me and are unwilling to obey Me, I will increase the plague on you seven times according to your sins.

Look at the word “hostility”. The warning in this and the following verses is not in regard to accidental disobedience. This is about intentional and willful disregard of Yahweh’s guidelines for life.

Notice also the word “unwilling”. The Israelites who were at Mount Sinai had a choice. They could choose to obey or disobey God’s commands. Those who chose to disobey would be afflicted with plague.

Lev. 26:22 And I will send out among you the beasts of the field, which will bereave you of your children and cut down your cattle and reduce your number so that your roads lie desolate.

Lev. 26:23 ¶ ‘And if by these things you do not accept My discipline, but walk in hostility against Me,

Lev. 26:24 then I will walk in hostility against you; and I, even I, will strike you seven times for your sins.

Lev. 26:25 I will also bring upon you a sword which will execute vengeance for the covenant; and when you gather together into your cities, I will send pestilence among you so that you shall be given over into enemy hands.

Take note of the word “sword”. Yahweh threatened to bring defeat upon them if they did not obey. This happened between 800 BC and 500 BC when the Assyrians and then the Babylonians conquered the Israelites.

Lev. 26:26 When I break your staff of bread, ten women will bake your bread in one oven, and they will bring back your bread by rationed weight so that you will eat and not become full.

Lev. 26:27 ¶ ‘Yet, if in spite of this you do not obey Me, but walk in hostility against Me,

Lev. 26:28 then I will walk in wrathful hostility against you, and I, even I, will discipline you seven times for your sins.

Lev. 26:29 Further, you will eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters you will eat.

Lamentations 4:10 informs us that women boiled their own children because the siege of Jerusalem was causing a famine.

Lev. 26:30 I then will destroy your high places and cut down your incense altars and give your corpses to lie on the corpses of your idols, for My soul shall loathe you.

Lev. 26:31 And I will give your cities over as a waste and will make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not smell your soothing aromas.

Lev. 26:32 And I will make the land desolate, so that your enemies who inhabit it will themselves feel desolate because of it.

Lev. 26:33 You, however, I will scatter among the nations and will draw out a sword after you, as your land becomes desolate and your cities become waste.

The warnings in verses 30-33 were fulfilled when the Babylonians conquered Judah and carried the Jews to Babylon as exiles. When they were carried away, the land became desolate.

Lev. 26:34 ¶ ‘Then the land will make up for its sabbaths all the days of the desolation, and you will be in your enemies’ land; then the land will rest and make up for its sabbaths.

Lev. 26:35 All the days of its desolation it will observe the rest which it did not observe on your sabbaths, while you were living on it.

During the exile, the land was desolate and allowed to rest (see 2 Chronicles 36:20-21).

Lev. 26:36 As for those of you who may remain, I will also bring weakness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies. And the sound of a driven leaf will pursue them, and even when no one is pursuing they will flee as though from the sword, and they will fall.

Lev. 26:37 They will therefore stumble over each other as if running from the sword, although no one is pursuing; and you will have no strength to stand up before your enemies.

Lev. 26:38 But you will perish among the nations, and your enemies’ land will consume you.

Lev. 26:39 So those of you who may remain will rot away in their iniquity in the lands of your enemies; and also in the iniquities of their fathers they will rot away with them.

Very early in human history, Yahweh observed that “the evil of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5). Paul wrote in Romans 1 that the existence of God is evident to everyone, but many people suppress that truth.

Just as the Israelites suffered consequences if they chose to be hostile to Yahweh, so too any human will suffer punishment if they choose to reject God and His commands. Everyone will be recompensed for every deed done in the body whether good or bad (see 2 Corinthians 5:10). The 20th chapter of Revelation tells us about the final judgment. All the dead will stand before the throne of God and be judged for all their deeds. Anyone whose name is not written in the book of life will be thrown into the lake of fire. Rejecting God has consequences.

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Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 26:1-20

Roger Dombach — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 10:01:14 GMT

Marcus Hale was a practical man. At forty-two, he had built a successful logistics company through sharp deals and hard work. Every Sunday his wife invited him to church, but Marcus always replied the same way:

“Obeying God, not obeying God — it doesn’t matter. There are no cosmic rewards for being good and no lightning bolts for doing wrong. Life is just cause and effect in the natural world. I’ll take my chances.”

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He was not cruel, just indifferent. When his accountant suggested inflating numbers to cut taxes, Marcus shrugged and signed. When a longtime employee fell on hard times and quietly asked for a small loan, Marcus refused. “Pull yourself up,” he said, echoing the old line. When his wife begged him to forgive his estranged brother, Marcus laughed. “Why should I? He doesn’t deserve it, and God certainly isn’t keeping score.”

Some people are indifferent to God’s commands. They don’t live as if there are any rewards or consequences for obeying our Creator. However, the 26th chapter of Leviticus specifies the benefits and punishments that awaited the Israelites when they entered the Promised Land based on how well they obeyed Yahweh. Likewise, the New Testament explains the rewards and punishments we can expect depending on whether or not we obey the commands given us by God.

After specifying rules regarding land ownership, poverty, and slavery, rules which are found in Leviticus 25, Yahweh issued the following rules, promises, and warnings.

Lev. 26:1 ¶ ‘You shall not make for yourselves idols, nor shall you set up for yourselves a graven image or a sacred pillar, nor shall you place a carved stone in your land to bow down to it; for I am Yahweh your God.

Lev. 26:2 You shall keep My sabbaths and fear My sanctuary; I am Yahweh.

Lev. 26:3 If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to do them,

Notice the word “If”. This verse is the first half of an if/then statement. If the Israelites obeyed the statutes and commands of Yahweh, then they could expect that which is listed in the following verses.

Lev. 26:4 then I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will give forth its produce and the trees of the field will give forth their fruit.

The first word of this verse is “then”. Verses 4-13 are the rewards the Israelites would receive if they obeyed Yahweh. Essentially, they would experience prosperity.

Lev. 26:5 Indeed, your threshing will last for you until grape gathering, and grape gathering will last until sowing time. You will thus eat your food to the full and live securely in your land.

Lev. 26:6 I shall also give you peace in the land so that you may lie down, with no one making you tremble. I shall also eliminate wild beasts from the land, and no sword will pass through your land.

The Israelites were promised prosperity if they obeyed Yahweh. This promise was given to the Israelites. It does not apply to Christians in the church age. There are many modern preachers who preach a health and wealth prosperity gospel, but this passage should not be used to justify that philosophy.

Lev. 26:7 But you will pursue your enemies, and they will fall before you by the sword;

Lev. 26:8 and five of you will pursue one hundred, and one hundred of you will pursue ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword.

Yahweh would protect the Israelites and give five men the ability to defeat one hundred of their enemy.

Lev. 26:9 So I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will confirm My covenant with you.

Lev. 26:10 And you will eat the old supply and clear out the old because of the new.

Lev. 26:11 Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not loathe you.

Lev. 26:12 I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.

Lev. 26:13 I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you would not be their slaves, and I broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.

Lev. 26:14 ¶ ‘But if you do not obey Me and do not do all these commandments,

Take note of the word “but”. This creates a contrast.

Once again we see the word “if”. This is the first half of another if/then statement.

Whereas verses 3-14 promised what would happen if the Israelites obeyed Yahweh, the following verses describe what would happen if the Israelites did not obey.

Lev. 26:15 if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul loathes My judgments so as not to do all My commandments and so break My covenant,

Lev. 26:16 I, in turn, will do this to you: I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that will waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away; also, you will sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies will eat it up.

Failure to obey Yahweh would result in the opposite of prosperity.

Once again, these verses applied to the Israelites. They do not apply to modern Christianity and should not be used to justify a health and wealth philosophy.

Lev. 26:17 And I will set My face against you so that you will be defeated before your enemies; and those who hate you will have dominion over you, and you will flee when no one is pursuing you.

Lev. 26:18 If also after these things you do not obey Me, then I will discipline you seven times more for your sins.

Disobedience would result in discipline.

Lev. 26:19 I will also break down your pride of strength; I will also give your sky over to become like iron and your earth like bronze.

Lev. 26:20 And your power will be spent uselessly, for your land will not give forth its produce and the trees of the land will not give forth their fruit.

Many people are indifferent to obeying God. They do not think there are any rewards for doing so nor consequences for not doing so. However, just as the Israelites were rewarded with earthly prosperity for obedience, or the lack of prosperity for disobedience, so too we are promised rewards and consequences based on whether or not we obey God.

When Paul wrote to the church at Rome, he warned them that everyone will stand before the judgment seat of God and give an account (see Romans 14:10-12). When he wrote to the church at Corinth, he also warned them about appearing before the judgment seat of Christ. In that passage he specifically stated that we will be recompensed for our deeds done in the body, whether good or bad (see 2 Corinthians 5:10). There are rewards and consequences for obeying and disobeying our Creator.

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Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 25:35-55

Roger Dombach — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:01:19 GMT

Harold stepped out of the downtown bank, his tailored coat sheltering him from the cold weather. The sidewalks were wet from rain. At the corner, an old man sat on the sidewalk holding a sign that read: “Lost my job. Anything Helps. God bless.”

Harold looked briefly at the beggar and then walked right past him. As he walked away, Harold said to himself, “Every man has to pull himself up by his own bootstraps. My father suffered hardship, but never asked for a handout. I have what I have because I worked hard for it. Charity only creates dependency.”

It is true that charity can create dependency, but that doesn’t mean we should never be charitable. In fact, throughout Bible history, Yahweh consistently commanded His people to help the poor. One example is Leviticus 25.

The middle of the 25th chapter of Leviticus contains instructions regarding the ownership of land and houses. If an Israelite became poor and needed to sell his land, then he and his kinsman-redeemer had the right to buy it back. If that never became possible, then the land became his again in the Year of Jubilee.

On the other hand, if a man became poor and sold a house inside a walled city, then he only had one year to redeem it. After that the ownership transferred permanently.

Lev. 25:35 ¶ ‘Now if a brother of yours becomes poor and his means with regard to you falter, then you are to sustain him, like a sojourner or a foreign resident, that he may live with you.

Take note of the word “sustain”. The Israelites were commanded to sustain a brother who became poor.

Lev. 25:36 Do not take usurious interest from him, but fear your God, that your brother may live with you.

Look at the words “usurious interest”. One way to help a poor man is to lend him money at 0% interest.

Lev. 25:37 You shall not give him your silver at interest nor your food for gain.

Lev. 25:38 I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.

Lev. 25:39 ¶ ‘If a brother of yours becomes so poor with regard to you that he sells himself to you, you shall not subject him to a slave’s service.

Lev. 25:40 He shall be with you as a hired man, as if he were a foreign resident; he shall serve with you until the year of jubilee.

One option a poor man had was to sell himself as a slave. If that happened, the owner had to treat him as a hired man. The slavery ceased at the year of jubilee.

Lev. 25:41 He shall then go out from you, he and his sons with him, and shall return to his family, that he may return to the possession of the land of his fathers.

The reversion of the ownership of the land to the original owner in the year of jubilee prevented permanent poverty.

Lev. 25:42 For they are My slaves whom I brought out from the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold in a slave sale.

Lev. 25:43 You shall not have dominion over him with brutality, but you shall fear your God.

Don’t miss the word “brutality”. Israelites were prohibited from treating each other brutally.

Lev. 25:44 As for your male and female slaves whom you may have—you may acquire male and female slaves from the nations that are around you.

Lev. 25:45 And also you may acquire from the sons of the foreign residents who sojourn among you, from them and their families who are with you; as for those whom they have begotten in your land, they also may become your possession.

Lev. 25:46 You may even give them as an inheritance to your sons after you, to receive as a possession; you can use them as permanent slaves. But in respect to your brothers, the sons of Israel, you shall not have dominion over one another with brutality.

The rules regarding owning other people were different depending on whether they were Israelites or foreigners.

Lev. 25:47 ¶ ‘Now if the means of a sojourner or of a foreign resident with you becomes sufficient, and a brother of yours becomes so poor with regard to him as to sell himself to a sojourner who resides with you or to the descendants of a sojourner’s family,

Lev. 25:48 then he shall have redemption right after he has been sold. One of his brothers may redeem him,

Lev. 25:49 or his uncle or his uncle’s son may redeem him, or one of his blood relatives from his family may redeem him; or if he prospers, he may redeem himself.

Once again we see that an Israelite had the right to redeem himself or be redeemed from slavery.

Lev. 25:50 He then with his purchaser shall calculate from the year when he sold himself to him up to the year of jubilee; and the price of his sale shall correspond to the number of years. It is like the days of a hired man that he shall be with him.

When an Israelite sold himself to a foreigner, it was not a permanent sale. He always became a free man in the year of jubilee.

Lev. 25:51 If there are still many years, he shall return part of his purchase price in proportion to them for his own redemption;

Lev. 25:52 and if few years remain until the year of jubilee, he shall so calculate with him. In proportion to his years he shall return the amount for his redemption.

Lev. 25:53 Like a man hired year by year he shall be with him; he shall not have dominion over him with brutality in your sight.

Foreigners were also prohibited from treating an Israelite brutally.

Lev. 25:54 Even if he is not redeemed by these means, he shall still go out in the year of jubilee, he and his sons with him.

Lev. 25:55 For the sons of Israel are My slaves; they are My slaves whom I brought out from the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.

Charity can create dependency, but that doesn’t mean we should never be charitable. Just as Yahweh commanded the Israelites to help their fellow Israelites who became poor, so too helping the poor is a theme throughout the Bible.

Multiple proverbs teach the concept that kindness to needy people is kindness to God Himself (see Proverbs 14:31 and 19:17). One of the Psalms of Asaph contains a command to protect the poor (see Psalm 82:3-4). The prophet Isaiah reminded the Israelites that giving food to hungry people was a method of fasting (see Isaiah 58:6-7).

Jesus blessed the poor (Luke 6:20) and preached the gospel to them (Luke 4:18). He declared that giving food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, and clothing to the naked was the equivalent of doing it to God (see Matthew 25:34-40).

Shortly after the day of Pentecost, the new believers in Jerusalem who had wealth sold property and possessions in order to give help to those who were without (see Acts 2:44-45). The apostles appointed seven men to make sure the Hellenistic widows were included in the daily serving of food (see Acts 6:1-7). When the prophet Agabus predicted a famine, the believers in Antioch sent money to help the disciples in Jerusalem (see Acts 11:27).

James wrote that if a Christian blesses a destitute man without giving him material help, then his faith is dead (see James 2:14-17). Likewise John wrote that if a Christian has material goods and does not give some of it to people who need it, then the love of God is not in him (see 1 John 3:17).

It is good to avoid creating dependency, but we must help those who have need. We need to find the balance where we help those who genuinely need help without creating a mentality of entitlement and dependency.

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Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 25:18-34

Roger Dombach — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 10:00:34 GMT

Ethan loaded the last box into his old, rusty car and hugged his mother goodbye. At twenty-one, he was moving three hours away from home for his first real job after college. His parents assured him he would do fine.

When he arrived at his new home, he opened utility accounts, bought some used furniture, and went to the grocery store. After putting his food in the refrigerator, it hit him. He was now responsible for paying his own expenses. Also, his car needed some repairs. He felt a weight descend upon him. That night he went to bed worrying that he would not be able to earn enough money to pay all his living expenses.

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Humans naturally worry about having enough money to buy the food and clothing that is needed. However, God has consistently promised throughout history that He will provide our needs. Today’s passage is one example.

The first half of Leviticus 25 tells us God instructed the Israelites that upon entering the Promised Land, the land itself must be allowed to rest every seventh year. For six years the Israelites were permitted to sow fields, prune vineyards, and harvest crops, but in the seventh year they were to observe a year-long Sabbath rest.

Also, after seven cycles of sabbath years, they were to observe the Year of Jubilee. Every 50th year, they were to blow a ram’s horn on the Day of Atonement and proclaim liberty throughout the land. Everyone was to return to their ancestral land. Planting, reaping, and harvesting were also prohibited during the Year of Jubilee.

This meant land sales were regulated as temporary leases based on the number of years remaining until the next Jubilee. It prevented exploitation.

Lev. 25:18 ¶ ‘You shall thus observe My statutes and keep My judgments, so as to do them, that you may live securely on the land.

Lev. 25:19 Then the land will yield its fruit, so that you can eat your fill and live securely on it.

Lev. 25:20 But if you say, “What are we going to eat on the seventh year if we do not sow or gather in our produce?”

Take note of the anticipated question. If the Israelites were not allowed to plant or harvest for two years, then they would want to know what they would eat. This is a reasonable question. It is a question humans have asked throughout history. People naturally worry about being able to make ends meet.

Lev. 25:21 then I will command My blessing for you in the sixth year that it will bring forth the produce for three years.

Lev. 25:22 So you shall sow the eighth year and eat old things from that produce, eating the old until the ninth year when its produce comes in.

Yahweh promised that He would provide enough abundance in year six that the Israelites would have enough from that year to last for several years.

Yahweh has always provided what His people need. When the Israelites left Egypt and began wandering through the wilderness, Yahweh provided manna on the ground to feed them (see Exodus 16). David wrote that Yahweh was his shepherd; therefore, he did not want (see Psalm 23). When Elijah went to the brook Cherith, Yahweh sent ravens to sustain him (see 1 Kings 17).

The New Testament speaks on this topic. Jesus commanded us not to worry because, just as our heavenly Father feeds the birds of the air, so too He can feed us (see Matthew 6). Paul wrote that God will meet all our needs (see Philippians 4:19).

Lev. 25:23 ¶ ‘The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are but sojourners and foreign residents with Me.

Lev. 25:24 Thus for every piece of land of your possession, you shall provide for the redemption of the land.

Lev. 25:25 ¶ ‘If a brother of yours becomes so poor he has to sell part of his possession of land, then his nearest kinsman redeemer is to come and redeem what his brother has sold.

Lev. 25:26 Or in case a man has no kinsman redeemer, but recovers his means and finds sufficient payment for its redemption,

Lev. 25:27 then he shall calculate the years since its sale and return the balance to the man to whom he sold it, and so return to his possession of land.

Lev. 25:28 But if he has not found sufficient means to return it to himself, then what he has sold shall remain in the hands of its purchaser until the year of jubilee; but at the jubilee it shall revert, that he may return to his possession of land.

These provisions provided a way to help those who needed help, but at the same time, the requirement to return all land to its original owner in the Year of Jubilee prevented the exploitation of the poor.

Lev. 25:29 ¶ ‘Likewise, if a man sells a house for habitation in a walled city, then his redemption right remains valid until a full year from its sale; his right of redemption lasts a full year.

Lev. 25:30 But if it is not redeemed for him within the space of a full year, then the house that is in the walled city passes permanently to its purchaser throughout his generations; it does not revert in the jubilee.

The ownership of houses in walled cities could be permanently transferred, but land outside a walled city could not be permanently sold.

Lev. 25:31 The houses of the villages, however, which have no surrounding wall, shall be considered as open fields; they have redemption rights and revert in the jubilee.

Lev. 25:32 As for cities of the Levites, the Levites have a permanent right of redemption for the houses of the cities which are their possession.

Lev. 25:33 What, therefore, belongs to the Levites may be redeemed, and a house sale in the city of their possession reverts in the jubilee, for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession among the sons of Israel.

Lev. 25:34 But pasture fields of their cities shall not be sold, for that is their perpetual possession.

We humans naturally worry about having enough money to buy the food and clothing we need. However, just as Yahweh promised to provide food even when the Israelites allowed the land to rest, so too God has consistently promised throughout history that He will provide our needs. Jesus commanded us not to worry about our food and clothing. Paul reassured us that God will provide all we need.

How much do you worry about finances?

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Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 24:17 - 25:17

Roger Dombach — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 10:01:52 GMT

Pastor Michael was gifted, charismatic, and ambitious. When he planted a church in a large, growing city, he dedicated himself to working as hard as possible in order to make the church plant a huge success. He worked seven days a week. Vacations were very rare. When his wife encouraged him to take some time off, he brushed her off, saying there was too much ministry to do.

For the first several years, his work ethic paid dividends. The church grew very large and successful. They established many programs and hired multiple staff members. For a while, it seemed like the church would grow forever.

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However, Pastor Michael began having some health issues. His wife told him he was working too hard. When he finally went to the doctor, his doctor told him the same thing. He refused to listen. He insisted that if he stopped working so hard, the church would decline.

One day he was in his office and collapsed. He was taken to the hospital. His recovery took a long time. In fact, his health had failed so completely that he never returned to full-time employment.

Humans need rest. Resting was a requirement in the Mosaic Law. The twenty-fifth chapter of Leviticus tells us that even the land was to be allowed to rest. While the New Testament does not specifically tell us when and how often to rest, it makes it clear that rest should be a priority.

Following the instructions for the holy festivals in Leviticus 23, chapter 24 contains regulations for regular Tabernacle worship. God commanded the Israelites to keep the golden lampstand burning continually with clear olive oil and to set out twelve loaves of the Bread of the Presence on the golden table every Sabbath, to be eaten only by the priests.

The narrative then records a tragic incident: a half-Israelite man blasphemed the Name of Yahweh during a fight. He was placed in custody until God declared the penalty. The punishment was death by stoning for blaspheming God’s holy name, a rule that applied equally to native Israelites and foreigners.

Lev. 24:17 ¶ ‘If a man strikes down the life of any human being, he shall surely be put to death.

Lev. 24:18 And the one who strikes down the life of an animal shall make restitution for it, life for life.

Lev. 24:19 If a man injures his neighbor, just as he has done, so it shall be done to him:

Lev. 24:20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; just as he has injured a man, so it shall be inflicted on him.

Lev. 24:21 Thus the one who strikes down an animal shall make restitution for it, but the one who strikes down a man shall be put to death.

Lev. 24:22 There shall be one standard of judgment for you; it shall be for the sojourner as well as the native, for I am Yahweh your God.’”

Lev. 24:23 Then Moses spoke to the sons of Israel, and they brought the one who had cursed outside the camp and stoned him with stones. Thus the sons of Israel did, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

Lev. 25:1 ¶ Yahweh then spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai, saying,

This verse indicates that chapter 25 shifts to a different topic.

Lev. 25:2 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you come into the land which I am giving to you, then the land shall have a sabbath to Yahweh.

Lev. 25:3 Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its produce,

Lev. 25:4 but during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to Yahweh; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard.

Notice the word “rest”. Just as the Israelites were commanded to rest every seven days, so too the Israelites were told to allow the land to rest every seven years.

The New Testament does not require us to allow the land to rest. Therefore, farmers are not sinning if they plant crops every year. However, in recent years there has been concern about modern agricultural practices and the declining quality of our food supply. We should consider the possibility that allowing the land to rest every once in a while may be part of the solution. If nothing else, this passage should teach us that the land must be cared for, not merely used.

Lev. 25:5 What grows of its own accord from your harvest you shall not reap, and your grapes of untrimmed vines you shall not gather; the land shall have a sabbatical year.

Lev. 25:6 And the sabbath produce of the land shall be for food; for you and your male and female slaves and your hired man and your foreign resident, those who sojourn with you.

While the Israelites were not allowed to harvest what grew on unpruned grave vines, they could eat anything the land produced on its own.

Lev. 25:7 Even your cattle and the beasts that are in your land shall have all its produce to eat.

Lev. 25:8 ¶ ‘You are also to count off seven sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years, so that you have the time of the seven sabbaths of years, namely, forty-nine years.

Lev. 25:9 You shall then sound a ram’s horn abroad on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the day of atonement you shall sound a horn all through your land.

Lev. 25:10 You shall thus set apart as holy the fiftieth year and proclaim a release through the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, and each of you shall return to his own possession of land, and each of you shall return to his family.

In addition to letting the land rest every seven years, the fiftieth year was an additional year of rest. It was also the year when everyone would return to their ancestral land.

Lev. 25:11 You shall have the fiftieth year as a jubilee; you shall not sow; you shall not reap what grows of its own accord; you shall not gather in from its untrimmed vines.

Lev. 25:12 For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to you. You shall eat its produce out of the field.

Lev. 25:13 ¶ ‘On this year of jubilee, each of you shall return to his own possession of land.

Lev. 25:14 If you make a sale, moreover, to your companion or buy from your friend’s hand, you shall not mistreat one another.

Lev. 25:15 Corresponding to the number of years after the jubilee, you shall buy from your companion; he is to sell to you according to the number of years of produce.

Lev. 25:16 In proportion to the extent of the years you shall increase its price, and in proportion to the fewness of the years you shall diminish its price, for it is the number of crops it produces that he is selling to you.

Lev. 25:17 So you shall not mistreat one another, but you shall fear your God; for I am Yahweh your God.

Many humans are ambitious and want to be successful in life. Perhaps they are building a business, a church, a non-profit, or their career. Regardless of their pursuit, there is a temptation to work non-stop in order to achieve their goals.

However, just as the Old Testament required the Israelites to rest and allow the land to rest, so too the New Testament encourages us to rest. We see this in the life of Jesus.

One day, when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He and His disciples got in a boat to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. While crossing the sea, Jesus fell asleep. (see Matthew 8:18-24).

On another occasion, after a period of intense ministry, Jesus and His disciples were surrounded by so many people they didn’t have time to eat. Jesus took His disciples to a desolate place so they could rest. (see Mark 6:30-32)

There was a time when Jesus passed through Samaria on His way from Judea to Galilee. He came to the city of Sychar and sat down by the well because He was weary from the journey. (see John 4:1-6).

If the Israelites needed to rest, if the land needed to rest, and if Jesus needed to rest, then so do we.

How do you make sure you get rest?

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Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 23:39 - 24:16

Roger Dombach — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 10:01:31 GMT

Jeremy was very active in church. He ran the sound booth every Sunday, participated in every work day, and volunteered for multiple mission trips. He earned many compliments for his strong work ethic.

However, he could not control his tongue. One day at work, a coworker made a mistake during a presentation. At the next break, Jeremy blurted out, “That guy has the IQ of a houseplant.” When his wife suggested they visit his Aunt Rachel, he instantly said, “She is fake and annoying.” When he arrived home from work one day and supper was not ready, he immediately scoffed at his wife, saying, “You can’t plan ahead.”

The Bible warns us about our tongues. The tongue is very difficult to control. Many people speak before they think and say things they should not say. However, we should not just brush that off as something other people just have to accept. There are consequences for saying things we should not say. Leviticus contains a grave example of how our tongues can get us into trouble.

The twenty-third chapter of Leviticus opens with God instructing Moses to declare the appointed festivals of the Lord—holy convocations for Israel. It begins with the weekly Sabbath, followed by the spring feasts of Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the offering of Firstfruits, and the Feast of Weeks fifty days later. The instructions include harvest offerings and provisions for the poor.

The chapter then moves to the fall festivals, which are the Feast of Trumpets, the solemn Day of Atonement, and the initial instructions for the seven-day Feast of Tabernacles.

Lev. 23:39 ¶ ‘On exactly the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of Yahweh for seven days, with a rest on the first day and a rest on the eighth day.

Lev. 23:40 And on the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees, palm branches and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall be glad before Yahweh your God for seven days.

Lev. 23:41 You shall thus celebrate it as a feast to Yahweh for seven days in the year. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month.

Lev. 23:42 You shall live in booths for seven days; all the native-born in Israel shall live in booths,

Lev. 23:43 so that your generations may know that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.’”

Lev. 23:44 So Moses spoke to the sons of Israel the appointed times of Yahweh.

Lev. 24:1 ¶ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

This verse indicates that chapter 24 shifts to a different topic.

Lev. 24:2 “Command the sons of Israel that they bring to you clear oil from beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually.

Lev. 24:3 Outside the veil of testimony in the tent of meeting, Aaron shall keep it in order from evening to morning before Yahweh continually; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations.

Lev. 24:4 He shall keep the lamps in order on the pure gold lampstand before Yahweh continually.

Lev. 24:5 ¶ “Then you shall take fine flour and bake twelve cakes with it; two-tenths of an ephah shall be in each cake.

Lev. 24:6 And you shall set them in two rows, six to a row, on the pure gold table before Yahweh.

The construction of this table is described in Exodus 25. These verses in Leviticus explain how the table was to be used.

Lev. 24:7 And you shall put pure frankincense on each row that it may be a memorial portion for the bread, even an offering by fire to Yahweh.

Lev. 24:8 Every sabbath day he shall set it in order before Yahweh continually; it is an everlasting covenant for the sons of Israel.

Lev. 24:9 And it shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place; for it is most holy to him from the offerings to Yahweh by fire, his portion forever.”

The bread was exclusively for the priests. However, 1 Samuel 21 records a time when David was fleeing from Saul and needed food. The priest gave this bread to David because that is all the food available. Jesus used that incident to point out the inconsistency of the teachings of the Pharisees (see Matthew 12).

Lev. 24:10 ¶ Now the son of an Israelite woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the sons of Israel; and the Israelite woman’s son and a man of Israel struggled with each other in the camp.

Look at the phrase “whose father was an Egyptian”. We often think of the Israelites as a racially pure people group. However, we see in this verse that some of the Israelites were part Egyptian.

Don’t miss the words “struggled with each other”. There was some sort of confrontation in the camp.

Lev. 24:11 And the son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name and cursed. So they brought him to Moses. (Now his mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.)

Look at the words “blasphemed the Name and cursed”. The only accusation against this man was what he did with his tongue.

The phrase “the Name” refers to the name “Yahweh”.

The third commandment found in Exodus 20 prohibited taking the name of God in vain. This man did not take God’s name in vain, but the Israelites knew blaspheming the name was equally serious.

Lev. 24:12 And they put him in custody so that the command of Yahweh might be made clear to them.

Since the man blasphemed the name, but did not take it in vain, the Israelites were unsure what to do.

Lev. 24:13 ¶ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Lev. 24:14 “Bring the one who has cursed outside the camp, and let all who heard him lay their hands on his head; then let all the congregation stone him.

Lev. 24:15 And you shall speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If anyone curses his God, then he will bear his sin.

Lev. 24:16 Moreover, the one who blasphemes the name of Yahweh shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The sojourner as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.

Yahweh made it clear that blaspheming His name was just as bad as taking His name in vain. The punishment for blaspheming the name of Yahweh was death. Keep in mind, stoning was used to punish words. Words are merely sounds that come out of people’s mouths, but those sounds can be very harmful and serious.

James wrote that no one can tame the tongue (see James 3:8). It is very easy to blurt out statements that we later regret. However, James also said if we don’t bridle the tongue, then our religion is worthless (James 1:26). Furthermore, our tongue is the member that defiles our bodies (see James 3:6). We Christians must control our tongue. We should not allow ourselves to say anything and everything that comes to our mind.

Is your tongue under control or out of control?

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Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 23:22-38

Roger Dombach — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:01:12 GMT

Thomas was known as the best carpenter in Cedar Ridge. He had earned that reputation by doing flawless work, on time, and within budget. All his customers knew that when he promised something, he would deliver.

One day, a pastor invited Thomas to attend church. Thomas very politely declined the invitation, but inside he was scoffing. He didn’t believe in God. He felt he was doing quite fine on his own. He had a great business and a great reputation. Thomas believed that prayer and religion are for weak people.

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The natural inclination of most people is to resist God. We don’t want to submit to God and obey Him because we want to be our own boss. Today’s Bible reading is one of many passages that extols the necessity and advisability of humbling ourselves before our Creator.

The 23rd chapter of Leviticus lists the appointed times when the Israelites were required to have holy convocations. Every Sabbath was a rest day. They were also supposed to rest on Passover and Unleavened Bread, both of which were in the first month of the year. Yahweh required a holy convocation at the beginning of harvest and the end of harvest.

Lev. 23:22 ¶ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, moreover, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field nor gather the gleaning of your harvest; you are to leave them for the afflicted and the sojourner. I am Yahweh your God.’”

This is a repeat of a command found in Leviticus 19:9.

Lev. 23:23 ¶ Again Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Lev. 23:24 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month on the first of the month you shall have a rest, a memorial by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.

Look at the word “seventh”. Passover was in the first month, and this blowing of trumpets was in the seventh month. Today, this blowing of trumpets is called Rosh Hashanah. The Hebrew term “Rosh Hashanah” means “New Year” which is odd since it happens in the seventh month. My understanding is that this is the beginning of the civil year, while Passover is the beginning of the religious year.

Having multiple new years is similar to our society starting the calendar year in January, starting the school year in September, and a business starting its fiscal year in April.

Lev. 23:25 You shall not do any laborious work, but you shall bring an offering by fire near to Yahweh.’”

Lev. 23:26 ¶ And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Lev. 23:27 “On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and bring an offering by fire near to Yahweh.

Focus on the word “humble”. Chapter 23 lists multiple times when the Israelites were to have holy convocations. The Day of Atonement is the only one where they were specifically told to humble themselves.

Lev. 23:28 And you shall not do any work on this same day, for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before Yahweh your God.

Lev. 23:29 If there is any person who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people.

This is the second time we see the word “humble” used in regards to the Day of Atonement.

Lev. 23:30 And as for any person who does any work on this same day, that person I will cause to perish from among his people.

Lev. 23:31 You shall do no work at all. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your places of habitation.

Lev. 23:32 It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall humble your souls; on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening until evening you shall keep your sabbath.”

This is the third time the Israelites were commanded to humble themselves on the Day of Atonement.

Humility does not come naturally to people. Pride is our default attitude. We particularly do not want to humble ourselves before God. However, God has always valued humility.

Deuteronomy 8 tells us Yahweh led Israel through the wilderness for 40 years to humble them. After David sinned with Bathsheba, he wrote Psalm 51 in which he said God values a broken and contrite heart. Through the prophet Isaiah, Yahweh said He will look upon one who is humble and contrite of spirit (see Isaiah 66:2).

When Jesus came to earth, He was humble in heart (see Matthew 11:29). Jesus extolled those who humble themselves as children (see Matthew 18:4). James commanded us to humble ourselves in the presence of the Lord (see James 4:10). Peter commanded us to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God (see 1 Peter 5:6).

Lev. 23:33 ¶ Again Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Lev. 23:34 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths for seven days to Yahweh.

Lev. 23:35 On the first day is a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work of any kind.

Lev. 23:36 For seven days you shall bring an offering by fire near to Yahweh. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation and bring an offering by fire near to Yahweh; it is a solemn assembly. You shall do no laborious work.

Lev. 23:37 ¶ ‘These are the appointed times of Yahweh which you shall proclaim as holy convocations, to bring offerings by fire near to Yahweh—burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each day’s matter on its own day—

Lev. 23:38 besides those of the sabbaths of Yahweh and besides your gifts and besides all your votive and freewill offerings, which you give to Yahweh.

We humans do not want to humble ourselves before God. But just as the Israelites were commanded to humble themselves on the Day of Atonement, so too we Christians need to humble ourselves before God because God values a broken and contrite heart.

What is an area of your life where you need to humble yourself before God?

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Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 22:32 - 23:21

Roger Dombach — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:01:44 GMT

Mary arrived at church at 10:35 AM. The service had started at 10:30. She grabbed a latte at the coffee bar and slipped into the back row. She pulled her phone out of her purse and posted a note on social media claiming how much she loved her church.

After the singing, she began scrolling on her phone during the message. From time to time, she focused on the sermon long enough to come up with the content of another social media post. As soon as the sermon was over, she left the building during the final song in order to beat the traffic out of the parking lot.

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Mary appears to be a faithful church attendee. Physically, she is in church most weekends. However, her mind is usually elsewhere. There is nothing in her attitude or behavior that indicates she has any sense of the holiness of God.

We will see in today’s passage that Yahweh required the Israelites to gather together multiple times a year. He used the word “holy” to describe those gatherings. The gatherings were holy because Yahweh Himself is holy.

Likewise, Yahweh commands Christians to gather together. Since Yahweh is holy, and we gather together in the name of the holy Jesus, perhaps we should be intentional about treating our gatherings as sacred and holy.

The 22nd chapter of Leviticus specifies the characteristics of acceptable sacrifices. Animals brought to Yahweh needed to be without blemish. The Israelites could not offer their worthless animals to Yahweh. They had to bring their best.

Lev. 22:32 ¶ “And you shall not profane My holy name, but I will be treated as holy among the sons of Israel; I am Yahweh who makes you holy,

The word “holy” appears three times in this verse. Yahweh’s name is holy. Yahweh Himself is holy. The Israelites are holy.

Lev. 22:33 who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be your God; I am Yahweh.”

Lev. 23:1 ¶ And Yahweh spoke again to Moses, saying,

Lev. 23:2 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘The appointed times of Yahweh which you shall proclaim as holy convocations—My appointed times are these:

A convocation is a gathering. Yahweh was specifying the times the Israelites were required to gather together.

Don’t miss the word “holy”. The gatherings of the Israelites were not simply called convocations. They were called holy convocations. They were special and needed to be treated as special.

Lev. 23:3 ¶ ‘For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any work; it is a sabbath to Yahweh in all your places of habitation.

The Sabbath was identified as a holy convocation. The Sabbath was not merely a day of rest. It was a holy day of rest.

The emphasis in this verse is on resting, not on gathering in the same building. Nevertheless, by the time of Christ, going to the synagogue on the Sabbath was a standard practice in Judaism.

Lev. 23:4 ¶ ‘These are the appointed times of Yahweh, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at the times appointed for them.

Lev. 23:5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the Passover of Yahweh.

The Passover commemorated the night Yahweh struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.

Lev. 23:6 Then on the fifteenth day of the same month there is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to Yahweh; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.

Lev. 23:7 On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not do any laborious work.

Lev. 23:8 But for seven days you shall bring near an offering by fire to Yahweh. On the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall not do any laborious work.’”

The Feast of Unleavened Bread lasted 7 days, but resting was only required on the first and last days.

Lev. 23:9 ¶ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Lev. 23:10 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you enter the land which I am going to give to you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest.

Don’t miss the word “first”. The first of the harvest went to Yahweh. Human tendency would be to fill the storehouses first and then give some to Yahweh. However, Israel was required to do the opposite. The first of the harvest went to Yahweh and after that they started filling their storehouses.

Lev. 23:11 And he shall wave the sheaf before Yahweh for you to be accepted; on the day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.

Lev. 23:12 Now on the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb one year old without blemish for a burnt offering to Yahweh.

Lev. 23:13 Its grain offering shall then be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering by fire to Yahweh for a soothing aroma, with its drink offering, a fourth of a hin of wine.

Lev. 23:14 Until this same day, until you have brought in the offering of your God, you shall eat neither bread nor roasted grain nor new growth. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your places of habitation.

The Israelites could not eat any of their harvest until they had taken their offering to Yahweh.

Lev. 23:15 ¶ ‘You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete sabbaths.

Lev. 23:16 You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh sabbath; then you shall bring a new grain offering near to Yahweh.

Lev. 23:17 You shall bring in from your places of habitation two loaves of bread for a wave offering, made of two-tenths of an ephah; they shall be of a fine flour, baked with leaven as first fruits to Yahweh.

Lev. 23:18 Along with the bread you shall bring near seven one year old male lambs without blemish and a bull from the herd and two rams; they shall be a burnt offering to Yahweh, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to Yahweh.

Lev. 23:19 You shall also offer one male goat for a sin offering and two male lambs one year old for a sacrifice of peace offerings.

Lev. 23:20 The priest shall then wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering with two lambs before Yahweh; they shall be holy to Yahweh for the priest.

Lev. 23:21 On this same day you shall make a proclamation as well; it shall be a holy convocation for you. You shall do no laborious work. It is to be a perpetual statute in all your places of habitation throughout your generations.

Just as the Israelites had required convocations, so too Jesus commanded believers to gather together. And just as the Israelite convocations were holy, so too church gatherings must be orderly.

Paul criticized the Corinthians because when they gathered for the Lord’s Supper there were divisions among them. Furthermore, some people were getting drunk while others went hungry. It appears the wealthy people in the congregation had no concern that some of their members barely had enough food to eat.

Paul also told the Corinthians that their gatherings had to be orderly. Multiple people speaking at once was not permitted. The gift of tongues was only allowed when someone was able to interpret the language. That way everyone could be edified.

Paul also wrote an entire letter to Timothy that is devoted to explaining how Christians ought to behave in the household of God.

Furthermore, multiple verses in the New Testament use the word holy in regard to our lives as Christians and our gathering together as believers. Romans 12:1 tells us to present our bodies as holy sacrifices. Paul told the Romans to greet one another with a holy kiss (Romans 16:16). 1 Corinthians 3:17 tells us we are a holy sanctuary of God. Ephesians 1:4 says God chose us to be holy. Paul wrote in Colossians 1:22 that Jesus presents us holy and blameless.

If our bodies are holy sanctuaries of God, and if Jesus intends to present us as holy, perhaps when we gather together as a church we should behave in a holy manner and in a manner that conveys the holiness we should aspire to achieve.

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Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 22:10-31

Roger Dombach — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 10:00:40 GMT

Ted was very wealthy and owned many businesses and properties. Most of his assets were solid, profitable enterprises. However, one of his businesses was the local newspaper. The newspaper was still profitable, but since print media was losing readers to the internet, Ted knew this was an asset that was going to become unprofitable and start declining in value. Rather than fight the inevitable, Ted donated the newspaper to a local church. He then claimed a huge tax deduction on an asset that would be worth very little in a few short years.

It appeared that Ted made a huge financial sacrifice to support a local church. The reality was that Ted knew the asset was about to decline in value, so Ted did not make much of a sacrifice. It only appeared that he did so. People in Ted’s community may have been impressed by Ted’s generosity, but today’s passage warns us that Yahweh is not so easily impressed.

Aaron and his descendants were set apart to serve as priests. They were given a portion of the sacrifices as their food. The 22nd chapter of Leviticus explains who could eat of the sacrifices and when. The first 9 verses specify states of uncleanness during which the priests could not eat the holy food.

Lev. 22:10 ¶ ‘No layman, however, is to eat the holy gift; a foreign resident with the priest or a hired man shall not eat of the holy gift.

Look at the words “layman”, “foreign resident”, and “hired man”. These were individuals who were prohibited from eating the holy gift. A hired man was prohibited even though he worked for the priest.

Lev. 22:11 But if a priest buys a person as his property with his money, that one may eat of it, and those who are born in his house may eat of his food.

Notice the word “buys”. A slave was bound to the priest in a way a hired man was not. Thus, the slave was allowed to eat the holy gift.

Lev. 22:12 If a priest’s daughter is married to a layman, she shall not eat of the contribution of the holy gifts.

Lev. 22:13 But if a priest’s daughter becomes a widow or divorced, and has no seed, and returns to her father’s house as in her youth, she shall eat of her father’s food; but no layman shall eat of it.

Lev. 22:14 But if a man eats a holy gift unintentionally, then he shall add to it a fifth of it and shall give the holy gift to the priest.

Lev. 22:15 They shall not profane the holy gifts of the sons of Israel which they raise up to Yahweh,

Lev. 22:16 and so cause them to bear punishment for guilt by eating their holy gifts; for I am Yahweh who makes them holy.’”

Lev. 22:17 ¶ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

This verse tells us Yahweh was moving to a different topic.

Lev. 22:18 “Speak to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘Any man of the house of Israel or of the sojourners in Israel who brings near his offering, whether it is any of their votive or any of their freewill offerings, which they bring near to Yahweh for a burnt offering—

Take note of the word “votive”. A votive offering was an offering brought as the result of a vow. For example, when Jacob fled from his brother Esau, and was on his way to Haran, he saw Yahweh in a dream. In the morning Jacob vowed that if God would be with him and bring him back, then Yahweh would be his God and he would give a tenth of his possessions to Yahweh. The tenth that Jacob gave to Yahweh would have been a votive offering.

Verse 18 also has the word “freewill”. A freewill offering was voluntary.

Lev. 22:19 for you to be accepted—it must be a male without blemish from the cattle, the sheep, or the goats.

Look at the word “accepted”. Even when the offering was voluntary, it still had to meet certain criteria.

Ponder the words “without blemish”. Yahweh expected the Israelites to bring their best.

Lev. 22:20 Whatever has a defect, you shall not bring it near, for it will not be accepted for you.

An animal with a defect was not acceptable as a sacrifice.

Lev. 22:21 And when a man brings a sacrifice of peace offerings near to Yahweh to fulfill a special vow or for a freewill offering, of the herd or of the flock, it must be without blemish to be accepted; there shall be no defect in it.

Lev. 22:22 Those that are blind or fractured or maimed or have a running sore or eczema or scabs, you shall not bring near to Yahweh nor make of them an offering by fire on the altar to Yahweh.

Animals that were maimed or ill were not worth anything as animals. Thus, it didn’t cost an Israelite anything to sacrifice a maimed animal. This prohibition on sacrificing maimed animals prevented the Israelites from sacrificing their worst animals, which were useless anyway, and then pretending they had given God something that had value.

When King David sinned and needed to make a sacrifice, Araunah offered to donate the bull and wood. However, David insisted on paying for it because he refused to offer a burnt offering which cost him nothing (see 2 Samuel 24:24).

As we live our lives, we should ask whether we are actually serving God in a way that costs us something. Do we sacrifice time and money, or do we merely give God our leftovers? Are we willing to do something hard for God, or do we merely do things we enjoy and pretend we are doing it for God?

Lev. 22:23 Now in respect to an ox or a lamb which has an overgrown or stunted member, you may offer it for a freewill offering, but for a votive offering it will not be accepted.

Lev. 22:24 Also anything with its testicles bruised or crushed or torn or cut, you shall not bring near to Yahweh, and you shall not do thus in your land,

Lev. 22:25 nor shall you bring near any such thing from the hand of a foreigner for offering as the food of your God; for their corruption is in them, they have a defect; they shall not be accepted for you.’”

Lev. 22:26 ¶ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Lev. 22:27 “When an ox or a sheep or a goat is born, it shall remain seven days with its mother, and from the eighth day on it shall be accepted as a sacrifice of an offering by fire to Yahweh.

Lev. 22:28 But, whether it is an ox or a sheep, you shall not slaughter both it and its young in one day.

Lev. 22:29 And when you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to Yahweh, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted.

Lev. 22:30 It shall be eaten on the same day; you shall leave none of it until morning; I am Yahweh.

Lev. 22:31 So you shall keep My commandments and do them; I am Yahweh.

We live in a prosperous society, so it is easy to give God a lot of money. However, are we really making a sacrifice, or do we merely give God our excess?

On the other hand, most people are very busy today. It often is a sacrifice to carve out multiple hours to serve God in some capacity.

It is possible to donate time and money to God, and appear to be making a sacrifice, without actually doing anything that is difficult or costly. While our friends and neighbors may be deceived, God knows whether or not we truly made a sacrifice.

What do you do for God that is a true sacrifice because it actually costs you something?

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Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 21:16 - 22:9

Roger Dombach — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:01:53 GMT

Jake was upset. The nominations for elder had been released, and Jake was not on the list. He believed that was very unfair. He volunteered countless hours at church teaching and serving. He found it very easy to connect with people and encourage them. He was a natural leader. The biggest reason he was not chosen to be an elder was because he had divorced his first wife many years ago, before he was a Christian. It was not fair that he was prohibited from an office because of a choice he made before he knew the ramifications of that choice.

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People naturally want life to be fair. However, today’s passage teaches us that God is not always fair. The first 15 verses of Leviticus 21 established high standards of conduct the priests needed to follow. They could not defile themselves when a person died. Furthermore, when they got married, they had to choose wives that met certain high criteria. The rest of the 21st chapter lists qualifications for serving as priest that often were beyond the control of the potential priest. This meant some Levites were prevented from serving in the priesthood due to choices they did not make.

Lev. 21:16 ¶ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Lev. 21:17 “Speak to Aaron, saying, ‘No man of your seed throughout their generations who has a defect shall come near to offer the food of his God.

Take note of the word “defect”. A Levite with a defect was not allowed to offer the food to God.

Lev. 21:18 For no one who has a defect shall come near: a blind man or a lame man or he who has a disfigured face or any deformed limb,

Lev. 21:19 or a man who has a broken foot or broken hand,

Lev. 21:20 or a hunchback or a dwarf, or one who has a defect in his eye or eczema or scabs or crushed testicles.

Verses 18-20 define what verse 17 means by a man with a defect. In many cases people suffer these defects through no fault of their own. Some people are born blind or lame.

Lev. 21:21 No man among the seed of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall approach to bring near the offerings to Yahweh by fire; since he has a defect, he shall not approach to bring near the food of his God.

Verse 21 defines what a Levite with a defect was not allowed to do. Essentially, a handicapped person could not serve as a priest. It seems unfair that a descendant of Aaron who was born with an incurable defect would never be permitted to serve in the tabernacle. This illustrates that Yahweh is not always fair, meaning life is not always fair.

Lev. 21:22 He may eat the food of his God, both of the most holy and of the holy,

Lev. 21:23 only he shall not go in to the veil or approach the altar because he has a defect, so that he will not profane My sanctuaries. For I am Yahweh who makes them holy.’”

Focus on the phrase “I am Yahweh who makes them holy.” Yahweh is holy. His perfection is beyond our comprehension. Those who follow Yahweh will never attain perfection here on earth, but we should strive to do so.

The standards for being a priest were intentionally high in order to set a high standard for all the Israelites to follow.

Lev. 21:24 So Moses spoke to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel.

Lev. 22:1 ¶ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Lev. 22:2 “Tell Aaron and his sons to be careful with the holy gifts of the sons of Israel, which they set apart to Me as holy, so as not to profane My holy name; I am Yahweh.

Lev. 22:3 Say to them, ‘If any man among all your seed throughout your generations comes near to the holy gifts which the sons of Israel set apart as holy to Yahweh, and he has an uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from before Me; I am Yahweh.

Not only did the sons of Aaron need to be free of physical defects in order to bring the holy gifts near to Yahweh, so too, they needed to be free of uncleanness.

Lev. 22:4 No man of the seed of Aaron, who is a leper or who has a discharge, may eat of the holy gifts until he is clean. And if one touches anything made unclean by a corpse, or if a man has a seminal emission,

Don’t miss the fact that a descendant of Aaron who suffered any of this uncleanness could not eat any of the food which was available to the priests.

Lev. 22:5 or if a man touches any teeming things by which he is made unclean or any man by whom he is made unclean, whatever his uncleanness,

Lev. 22:6 a person who touches any such thing shall be unclean until evening and shall not eat of the holy gifts unless he has bathed his body in water.

Lev. 22:7 But the sun will set, and he will be clean. And afterward he shall eat of the holy gifts, for it is his food.

Lev. 22:8 He shall not eat an animal which dies or is torn by beasts, becoming unclean by it; I am Yahweh.

Lev. 22:9 They shall therefore keep My charge so that they will not bear sin because of it and die thereby because they profane it; I am Yahweh who makes them holy.

Take note of the word “die”. Failure to obey these commands could have resulted in death. Yahweh is holy; therefore, the priests needed to live by very high standards, even when those standards were not fair.

Just as life was not always fair for the descendants of Aaron, so too, life is not always fair today. The New Testament contains many rules that are not fair. One simple mistake early in life can permanently make a man ineligible to be an elder. Getting married is a lifelong commitment. If someone marries the wrong person, he cannot undo the marriage. He is stuck with the ramifications of that marriage for the rest of his life.

God’s rules are not designed to be fair. Instead, God’s rules are designed to give us an opportunity to demonstrate our love for God. When we obey God’s commands, we demonstrate that we love God.

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Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 20:22 - 21:15

Roger Dombach — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 10:01:15 GMT

Some congregants in Grace Church wanted Tom to be an elder because he was very generous, friendly, and approachable. They believed he would be excellent at creating a sense of family within the congregation. They argued that since his divorce happened many years ago, the standard should be “currently faithful in his marriage” instead of “husband of one wife”.

Other people wanted Harry to be an elder because he was a successful businessman and would be able to generate church growth. When it was pointed out that his business ethics were a little questionable, his supporters insisted that since Harry was generally respected, this was good enough. He did not need to be above reproach.

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Just as the New Testament specifies the qualifications for being an elder, so too the Mosaic Law specified the standards for being a priest. The standards were not based on being fair or capitalizing on who had the most talent. Instead, the standards were based on being holy. That should be our mindset as we think about who should be an elder in the 21st century.

Near the beginning of the 20th chapter of Leviticus, Yahweh told the people of Israel to be holy. Then Yahweh listed a variety of acts the Israelites had to avoid. Most of the commands in this chapter prohibited forms of idolatry and various sexual acts.

Lev. 20:22 ¶ ‘You shall therefore keep all My statutes and all My judgments and do them, so that the land to which I am bringing you to inhabit will not vomit you out.

Look at the word “vomit”. This word communicates the disgusting nature of disobedience.

Lev. 20:23 Moreover, you shall not walk in the statutes of the nation which I will cast out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I have loathed them.

The word “loathed” also indicates Yahweh’s attitude toward disobedience.

Lev. 20:24 Hence I have said to you, “You yourselves shall possess their land, and I Myself will give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey.” I am Yahweh your God, who has separated you from the peoples.

Take note of the word “separated”. There are many verses in which Yahweh told Israel to be different and separate from the nations around them.

Lev. 20:25 You are therefore to separate between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean; and you shall not make yourselves detestable by animal or by bird or by anything that creeps on the ground, which I have separated for you as unclean.

Part of being separate and different was distinguishing between the clean and the unclean.

Lev. 20:26 Thus you shall be holy to Me, for I Yahweh am holy; and I have separated you from the peoples to be Mine.

Obeying Yahweh’s rules would have identified the Israelites as being followers of Yahweh.

Lev. 20:27 ¶ ‘Now a man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.’”

Lev. 21:1 ¶ Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: ¶ ‘No one shall defile himself for a dead person among his people,

Don’t miss the word “priests”. The rules in the rest of today’s passage only applied to the priests.

Touching a dead person made an individual unclean. Even though dead bodies needed to be buried, and someone needed to do it, the priests were not allowed to engage in that activity. Verse 1 says they could not defile themselves.

Lev. 21:2 except for his blood relatives who are nearest to him, his mother and his father and his son and his daughter and his brother,

Lev. 21:3 also for his virgin sister, who is near to him because she has had no husband; for her he may defile himself.

Take note of the word “except” in verse 2. Verses 2-3 list the times it was permissible for a priest to deal with a dead relative and make himself unclean.

Lev. 21:4 He shall not defile himself as a relative by marriage among his people, and so profane himself.

Lev. 21:5 They shall not make any baldness on their heads nor shave off the edges of their beards nor make any cuts in their flesh.

Lev. 21:6 They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they bring near the offerings to Yahweh by fire, the food of their God; so they shall be holy.

Don’t miss the significance of this verse. Since the priests were the ones who brought the offerings to Yahweh, they had to live by higher standards than the rest of the Israelites.

Lev. 21:7 They shall not take a woman who is profaned by harlotry, nor shall they take a woman divorced from her husband; for he is holy to his God.

Lev. 21:8 Therefore, you shall set him apart as holy, for he brings near the food of your God; he shall be holy to you; for I Yahweh, who makes you holy, am holy.

Lev. 21:9 Also the daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by harlotry, she profanes her father; she shall be burned with fire.

Many people today may be revolted by this concept. When a daughter of a priest defiled herself, she also defiled her father. Modern society encourages the attitude that children should be free to express themselves in any way they desire. Modern society is attempting to eradicate any guilt and shame over behavior and lifestyle choices.

Lev. 21:10 ¶ ‘And the priest who is the highest among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil has been poured and who has been ordained to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes;

Lev. 21:11 nor shall he approach any dead person nor defile himself even for his father or his mother;

The high priest had even higher standards than all the other priests. No matter how much a high priest loved his parents, he was not permitted to defile himself when his parents died. Even approaching their dead body would have defiled him.

Lev. 21:12 nor shall he go out of the sanctuary nor profane the sanctuary of his God, for the dedication of the anointing oil of his God is on him; I am Yahweh.

Notice the word “anointing”. The priesthood was hereditary. Therefore, when a high priest died, his son was immediately ordained as his successor. That meant the son, who was now in the process of being ordained, could not approach the dead body of his father because that would defile him.

Lev. 21:13 And he shall take a wife in her virginity.

Lev. 21:14 A widow or a divorced woman or one who is profaned by harlotry, these he may not take; but rather he shall take a virgin of his own people as a wife,

The high priest was required to marry a virgin. Take note of the word “widow”. Overall, it was permissible for Israelites to marry widows. However, the high priest was not allowed to marry a widow. This reinforced the concept that the high priest had to live by the highest standards.

Lev. 21:15 so that he will not profane his seed among his people; for I am Yahweh who makes him holy.’”

God has always allowed widows to marry again, and it has always been permissible for men to marry widows. However, Israel’s high priest was not allowed to marry a widow because he had to live by a higher standard, even when the standards seemed to be unfair.

The same is true of church elders. The New Testament specifies very high standards for being an elder. Sometimes this excludes men who would otherwise be good leaders. However, God’s main concern in selecting elders is not finding men with the most leadership talent. Instead, his concern is choosing good, effective leaders who meet the highest ethical standards.

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Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 20:1-21

Roger Dombach — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 10:00:34 GMT

Samuel had been a Christian for many years. He read the Bible faithfully and believed wholeheartedly that it is the Word of God. He was involved in a prison ministry and got to know a convicted murderer named Roman. Roman had been sentenced to death. After many delays and hearings, the state finally scheduled Roman’s execution date.

Samuel was conflicted. On the one hand, he knew murder is a serious offense against people and against God. He was aware that there are many instances in the Bible where God demanded people be put to death. On the other hand, the New Testament teaches grace and mercy.

Many Christians today are conflicted about capital punishment. They have trouble believing a good God would want us to put anyone to death. However, Yahweh frequently prescribed the death penalty. If He was not hesitant to demand it, perhaps we should be less hesitant to use it.

After Noah and his family came off the ark, Yahweh told them, “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed” (see Genesis 9:6). This was a clear call to use the death penalty against murderers. Yahweh repeated this requirement in the Mosaic Law and listed many other sins for which the punishment was death. As we read this passage, notice how many times the punishment was death.

Lev. 20:1 ¶ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Lev. 20:2 “You shall also say to the sons of Israel: ¶ ‘Any man from the sons of Israel or from the sojourners sojourning in Israel who gives any of his seed to Molech shall surely be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him with stones.

Notice the name “Molech”. 1 Kings 11:7 identifies Molech as an idol of the sons of Ammon. The Ten Commandments and other passages clearly prohibited idolatry, which this verse does as well. This verse is also explicit that the punishment for giving children to Molech was death. The method of execution was stoning.

Lev. 20:3 I will also set My face against that man and will cut him off from among his people because he has given some of those who are his seed to Molech, so as to defile My sanctuary and to profane My holy name.

Death was called for because giving seed to Molech defiled Yahweh’s sanctuary and profaned His name.

Lev. 20:4 If the people of the land, however, should ever turn a blind eye to that man when he gives any of those who are his seed to Molech, so as not to put him to death,

Lev. 20:5 then I Myself will set My face against that man and against his family, and I will cut off from among their people both him and all those who play the harlot after him, in playing the harlot after Molech.

Look at the word “harlot”. Idolatry was akin to harlotry.

Lev. 20:6 ¶ ‘As for the person who turns to mediums and to spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.

Look again the use of the word “harlot”. Essentially, occultism is a form of idolatry.

Lev. 20:7 Therefore, you shall set yourselves apart as holy and be holy, for I am Yahweh your God.

Lev. 20:8 And you shall keep My statutes and do them; I am Yahweh who makes you holy.

Lev. 20:9 ¶ ‘If there is anyone who curses his father or his mother, he shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother. His bloodguiltiness is upon him.

Cursing father or mother was more than simply using bad language when talking to them. A curse was a formal method of demanding that something bad happen to someone. The punishment for cursing parents was death.

Lev. 20:10 ¶ ‘If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

The Mosaic Law demanded that adulterers be put to death. Contrast that with the amount of adultery that takes place in our world today. Modern society barely even recognizes adultery as a problem.

The following verses demand death in the case of incest. While modern society doesn’t use capital punishment in the case of incest, at least for the most part modern society is opposed to incest.

Lev. 20:11 If there is a man who lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness; both of them shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.

Lev. 20:12 If there is a man who lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death; they have committed perversion. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.

Lev. 20:13 If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.

Take note of the word “abomination”. That is Yahweh’s attitude toward homosexuality.

Lev. 20:14 If there is a man who marries a woman and her mother, it is lewdness; both he and they shall be burned with fire so that there will be no lewdness in your midst.

In this case the method of execution was burning. Not only was the death penalty required, the Mosaic Law also prescribed painful methods of execution.

Don’t miss the phrase “so that there will be no lewdness in your midst”. The reason for using the death penalty was to remove lewdness and make sure the lewdness was not tolerated. Tolerating lewdness can lead to more lewdness.

Lev. 20:15 If there is a man who lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; you shall also kill the animal.

Lev. 20:16 If there is a woman who approaches any animal to mate with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.

Lev. 20:17 ¶ ‘If there is a man who takes his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the sons of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he bears his guilt.

Lev. 20:18 If there is a man who lies with a menstruous woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her flow, and she has uncovered the flow of her blood; thus both of them shall be cut off from among their people.

Lev. 20:19 You shall also not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister or of your father’s sister, for such a one has made naked his blood relative; they will bear their guilt.

Lev. 20:20 If there is a man who lies with his aunt, he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness; they will bear their sin. They will die childless.

Lev. 20:21 If there is a man who takes his brother’s wife, it is an impure act; he has uncovered his brother’s nakedness. They will be childless.

Many Christians today are conflicted about capital punishment. They have trouble believing a good God would want us to put anyone to death. However, Yahweh frequently prescribed the death penalty.

After Noah and his family came off the ark, Yahweh told them, “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed” (see Genesis 9:6). This command has never been rescinded, so it is still in force today.

The Mosaic Law listed multiple offenses for which the punishment was death. However, Christians are not bound by the Mosaic Law, so we should not turn to the Mosaic Law to demand or justify capital punishment.

A very pertinent verse about the death penalty in the church age is found in Romans 13. That chapter tells believers to submit to the government authorities. Then it says the following about the government: “for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword in vain, for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil” (Romans 13:4).

This verse tells us government is a servant of God. The phrase “bear the sword” is a reference to force and putting people to death. Part of the purpose of government is to eliminate people who practice evil.

After the flood, Yahweh stated that murderers should be put to death. He never rescinded that command. Paul taught that part of the purpose of government is to use the sword to bring wrath on evildoers. Murderers are evildoers. This is a strong argument that government should give the death penalty to murderers.

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