Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 23:22-38
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.
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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“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.”