Psalm 36

 It is by God's light that we see light, to see the truth, but our conceit, our pride, keeps us from seeing our own sins. How true. It is so easy to see the faults in others and miss them in ourselves. What is the problem? We are the problem. This is why we need God so desperately. He can show us our sin but also he shows us our worth. Either focus is a problem. If we only see our sin then we can't come to God and see our worth. If we only see our worth then we can't see the sin that separates us from God. God is the one who can show us the whole truth. 

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Leviticus 2

 Like the Burnt and Peace offering, the Grain offering was a volunteer offering to God. The words used to describe it convey the idea that it is an inferior giving something to a superior. I note that this offering might have aided those who wanted to give more to show their devotion to God but didn't have the animal to sacrifice. It is also interesting that these volunteer offerings are just that volunteer. God didn't demand total surrender of them, yes He wanted it but didn't make it mandatory. God didn't require that they from their hearts submit to Him as their superior but wanted it. God even in what was to be a nation under God and by God's rule gave man the freedom to choose him fully, just as he does today.  

Though this offering was volunteered it wasn't to be given any way the giver decided, there was still a specific way God wanted the a freewill offering given. Yes, God gives us freedom to choose Him but not freedom on how we do it.

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Leviticus 1

 In verse 9, there is the command which we will see repeated concerning the burnt offerings, that the inward parts of the animal were to be washed before offering them to God. The burnt offering was a free-will offering that gave the entire animal to God. Other offerings had a portion of the meat returned to the person offering it, making the offering not just a sacrifice to God but a blessing to the one giving it. Not so with the burnt offering in it, the person offering it got nothing back. So why wash the inner parts? and if the inner parts needed washing why not the outside of the animal?  The answer I say is best summed up in something Jesus said in Matthew 23:26 "Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean." David pleads to God in Psalm 51:10 "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." God was showing the people that when they offered themselves fully to God they needed to be cleaned up on the inside. 

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Isaiah 44

 In this chapter, we see a term for Israel that is rarely used, Jesurun. It means "upright one" and according to some scholars is a term of affection. Others see it as God saying "Gentlemen" as what that would mean in old English. Whichever way you look at it God is giving the people of Israel a title which at times doesn't match their actions at all.  However, God has promised to blot out their sins and thus we could say that due to God's work, they match the name they have been given. 

God in the New Testament has promised this forgiveness for whoever calls on him, Romans 10:9-13. God will restore us the people he wants us to be, the bearers of His image. 

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Job 39

 

In the middle of this chapter, God speaks of the things that a horse can be trained to do. Horses can be trained to charge into battle, to respond when the horn is blown, and even to ignore the sword coming its way. Man can train a horse to do these but what man is really doing is training the horse to do what it can do when we want it to do. Men can't train horses to fly, why? They don't have wings. We can't teach horses to breathe water, they aren't designed to do that. Yes, what horses under the control of men and women can do is amazing, but God originally gave them those abilities we use. We can brag about what we did but at the end of the day, we just used what God created. We have nothing really to brag about. 

Galatians 1

 I usually enjoy reading biographies and what I have noticed is what appears to be differences in the telling of events what is emphasized and what is left out. I just started reading a book about the life of Ulysses S. Grant. The author pointed out how other writers seem to skip over some of the more honorable parts and others the embarrassing parts. I'm still reading so I will find out if what he will do. However, what does this have to do with Galatians? The reading of this chapter seems to tell a different story than what is said in Acts and the truth is it isn't. What Galatians is doing is giving the emphasis Paul thinks is important to the argument he is making that the gospel he has preached isn't something man-made, but from God. The emphasis Luke is making in Acts is quite different and therefore does not include this part of Paul's life. Some of course have used this to "prove" that the Bible is full of errors and was created by men alone. Of course, if it was written later and scholars wrote the Bible to suit their purposes, then wouldn't they have corrected this? Of course, they would have. It's left unchanged even though some then as now realized it seems not perfectly in line because they were wanted what written to be passed on even if some would criticize it.  

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Psalm 35

 

God will contend for his people. We don't always see the fight or how God will move but he will bring those who trust in Him into His salvation. Some may see David's cry as wrong wanting God to destroy and kill his enemies but the truth of the matter is that is the ultimate fate of those who fight against God. Yes in this world it may seem that they have the victory but the day will come when everything will change and God will make it all right. 

The difference between humanity and God is that God's preferred method of defeating His enemies is to change their hearts and turn them to His side. The greatest example of this in the Bible, I believe, is Saul of Tarsus who became the Apostle Paul. What happens to the enemy? You could say God did strike him down, but only to raise him up to fight for the side of God in a new way. Yet, this is what God offers to all of mankind, a way to change and join the right side.