Still blogging our way through Murray M’Cheyne’s Bible Reading plan…

Exodus 30

Ex 30 talks about incense – which is like prayer for Christians. Rev talks of the prayers of the saints being golden bowls of incense.

The day of atonement was a once a year sacrifice for Israel. Jesus has made a once for all sacrifice for the new Israel.
The census tax was once a year – it was a true “flat tax” – where everybody paid the same amount, whether they were rich or poor. In this sense, it is not a pattern for our giving for us. Christian giving should be proportional, under the principle that we should give in proportion to our blessing. (1 Corinthians 16:2)

ii. Instead of a pattern of our own giving, this money is a picture of the cost of our own redemption. “The rich were not to give more, the poor not to give less; to signify that all souls were equally precious in the sight of God, and that no difference of outward circumstances could affect the state of the soul; all had sinned, and all must be redeemed by the same price.” (Clarke)

Everyone had to pay their own redemption money. No “lump sum” for every member of the tribe or family could pay it. You can’t buy someone else’s salvation. Everyone needs to come to Christ for their own free gift of forgiveness.

The anointing oil recipe of v22-33 is fascinating! It was for anointing priests not perfume – anyone copying it for perfume was to be booted out. It was for anointing not making us smell nice. Oil is a symbol of the Spirit who makes us a sweet aroma of life to some, but the smell of death to others.

Proverbs 6

Don’t be indebted to your neighbour.
Don’t be lazy
Don’t have a bad mouth
Don’t lack sense and commit adultery.

All good wisdom for life.

John 9

Jesus heals a blind man – take a listen to Peter Collinson’s sermon
No formulae for healing – Jesus did it lots of different ways – this is perhaps the weirdest.
You will be persecuted for your faith.
Sometimes a simple answer “I don’t know, but I know Jesus and He loves you” is the best.

Galatians 5

Christ has set us free – stand firm in that freedom! Don’t go back to being a slave of the law.
Don’t use your freedom to satisfy the flesh v13 – i.e. sin.
When we walk by the Spirit, we don’t gratify the flesh.
The spirit will grow great fruit in our lives – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. So crucufy the flesh, the old you, put it to death and walk by the Spirit, following his prompting and leading.