Old Testament reading: Leviticus 24-25
Could you live without receiving a paycheck for an entire year? Leviticus 25 teaches us about the Sabbath year, wherein every seventh year the Jews were to leave their land fallow for an entire year. However, they were allowed to eat what grew of itself as needed, but were forbidden to harvest it. When one thinks of it, and as verse 22 says, it was really nearly three years until normal farming operations were back to normal. Corn would have been planted in the spring of the 8th year, but it takes 6 months for full maturity. Wheat would not have been planted until the fall of the 8th year, meaning its harvest would not take place until the summer of the ninth. Then there is the year of Jubilee, wherein every 50th year was also a Sabbath year. That meant no planting or harvesting in the 49th and 50th years. Also, all land purchases were returned to the original possessor. (I did not use the word “owner” as the Lord claimed ownership of all the land in verse 23). Surely there is not only a lesson of faith here, but also one of living within our means and saving for lean years.
New Testament reading (John 19-21)
John’s account of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus is unique among the four accounts. There are numerous details and conversations that aren’t found in the synoptics. These may be discussed later, but I want to focus on John’s simplicity and restraint in recording the most important event in the history of man, both in everything that preceded it and all that might come after. John 19 gives testimony to the inspiration of the Bible. Man has added many fanciful accounts to the scourging and death of Jesus. For example, in the movie, The Passion of the Christ, the producer included Catholicism’s doctrine of the 14 stages of the cross. Many Catholic buildings depict this embellishment in the stained glass windows of their sanctuaries. In contrast, the biblical account shows great restraint and reservation in the minimal and essential details provided. How would you write an account of the death of your closest friend? John was “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” Yet John did not “go overboard” (if such were possible) when recording the events of Jesus’ suffering and death. John’s restraint certainly points to Divine guidance.
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