Old Testament reading: Leviticus 1-3
With the completion of the tabernacle and its furnishings come the laws related to offerings for which these things were made. Leviticus is a copy and shadow of heavenly things to come (Heb 8:5). In it are found the laws of sacrifice and offering by which Israel could receive remission of sins (though not in the absolute sense – Heb 10:4). Each chapter in today’s reading provides the details of three offerings made by Israel: the burnt offering, the grain offering, and the peace offering. The burnt offering pertained to blood sacrifices made for sin, as atonement is made for the offerer (v 4). The grain offerings were made as a thanksgiving for God’s provision of the produce of the earth. Note how the offering of grain was to be of fine flour, the primary ingredient for making bread. Bread was the essence of daily sustenance (cf Matt 6:11). The peace offering was an offering of blood, but doesn’t appear to be made on behalf of sin, but rather as a thanksgiving for the reconciliation provided by God.
New Testament reading: Luke 23-24
This is a great follow up text to our Old Testament reading, as it tells of Jesus Christ, who might be pictured in all of the three earlier sacrifices. He is the sacrifice offered for sins (cf Heb 9:26-28). He is the Bread of Life (John 6:48). He is our peace (Eph 2:14). Concerning today’s text, the Great Commission given in Luke’s account speaks of repentance and remission of sins (24:47). This is the third and final account of the Great Commission. In the three, taken as a whole, we find the apostles commanded to preach the gospel (Mark 16:15), those who truly believed (Mark 16:16) would repent (Luke 24:47) and be baptized (Mark 16:16) for the remission of sins (Luke 24:47), thus becoming disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19). This is exactly what we find in Acts 2. Peter preached the gospel (Acts 2:22-36), with those believing (Acts 2:37) being told to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Those who gladly received this word were baptized and added to the number of the disciples (Acts 2:41). Oh that men would preach today what Peter and the apostles preached at Pentecost!
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