The halfbaked Bard

Lev:26 first describes about the blessings to the nation Israel if they obey and then the curses if they do not pay heed to the covenant. Lists a huge no. of curses if Israel denies following Him and His statutes. But at last when they realize their sin and returns back to Him, crying out, humbling themselves, the Lord says He will remember His covenant again. Not that He had forgotten and He had to be reminded, but that He is faithful and true to His own self that He would still remember the covenant even though they were unfaithful and rebelling. Despite all the rebellion and retorting that the nation Israel had towards God, the promise and faithfulness of God is that He would not utterly reject or despise them. The word reject means - to dismiss as inadequate, unacceptable and faulty. A God who promised His covenant relationship with the children of Israel will not change what He has promised. His sticking on to His promise is not dependant on Israel's rebellion. Why

Lev:26:13b I broke the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk with your head held high. We were slaves to the prince of this earth. That bondage is broken and we can walk with head held high. Not with pride but with dignity. We now have an identity in Christ. As children of God, heirs of God, co-heirs with Christ. John:1:12 Rom:8:17 Yes Nothing can seperate us from God's love. Rom:8:38 I am His - Song of songs:2:16

I was wondering why this nation Israel was so much taken care of by God as the Apple of His eye. Was not that simple act of faith and obedience by their father Abraham outnumbered by their own disobedience and rebellion and retorting? It was not because Israel was the greatest nation at that time. Deutr:7:7 V:8 says the reason for choosing them was simply that the Lord loves you. 1John:4:19 We love because He first loved us. Their inbetween acts of disobedience and rebellion did not deter Him from continuing to love them. And His plan of redemption of the entire mankind was to be fulfilled through them. Logically in human point of view it is irrational to have chosen Israel over other nations without any significant acts of faithfulness from them. Aren't the others worth it? Why only Israel? Why not India? Why not the US? Or the most powerful nation at that time, Egypt? But will Israel ever ask that? Why us? God could have chosen any other nation other than us. After th

You are only foreigners and tenants farmers working for me. This verse has to sink deep into our hearts. Nothing we own in this world is ours at all. Not the house we live. Not the car or any other possession of ours. Not our husband or wife. Not our children. Not our job. All things we think we possess actually belong to God. And we are stewards and tenants to look after them for God. That will be the solution to all our problems to hoard and being possessive. To our inability to give. We are working for Him who wants to give to the needy. What should prevent us? Dear one, do you know what you really possess? Ps:119:57 You are my possession Lord [CEB] Gen:15:1 I am your very great reward. That is the same reason why He proposed in Matt:6:19-21 Don't store up treasures here on earth Store up treasures in heaven Wherever you treasure is there your heart will be also. Just like a foreigner who wants to ultimately go back to his homeland, let us live our lives on earth set

If you give the land rest in the 7th year, The Lord will bless you with a large crop in the 6th year so much so that you would enjoy that in the 7th, 8th and even in the 9th year. This is what we read in Lev:25 Whatever is needed for you - Jehovah Jireh Lev:26 again tells about the blessings of obedience and curses of disobedience. But In new testament we see something more. We see a God who is fully open to give from His resources. 2Pet:1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness. Matt:7:11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him. Matt:6:30 If God cares so wonderfully for wild flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why this difference? Because the obedience has already been completed on the Cross and we have all been accepted into the family. Our God will take care. He is in contro

What is your stand when others take advantage of you? When you are being dealt with injustice in your life? Always being abused and bullied by that one particular person even for smaller things? Always being talked to with contempt by that senior at work? Promotion with held? Salary hike delayed unduly? Always being dealt unfairly and unjustly? Are you being taken advantage at home even? Dear one, have you asked "Why me always?" 🔹Be willing to accept and not resist. If you try to resist, frustration will ebb and ultimately will overflow as anger either to the offender, straining the relationship or may be to your loved ones. Be willing to accept that nothing happens without God's foreknowledge. All things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Rom:8:28 🔹Secondly having a serving heart rather than a heart to be served. The son of man has come to serve and not to be served. When you think people around you are he

Lev:25:17 Show your fear of God by not taking advantage of each other. Taking advantage of each other has become the routine norm of the system. At work do I make my subordinates do things? At home do I make my children do things which actually I can do? Cheating in business or partnerships. Doing anything for the sake of gaining a little more money - at the cost of someone else's loss. What about relationships? Our dependants and those who love us, our very own family. Do we take them for granted? The Word says, show your fear of God by not taking advantage of each other. Which means taking advantage of each other in any way is because you don't fear God. You do not realize that the Lord's watching. This chapter in Leviticus tells about the Sabbath year and Jubilee year where you are supposed to give your land rest. And when you sell your property the value is decided based on the no. of years left for the Jubilee year. Then comes this verse. The value of hones

A fracture for a fracture, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Whatever anyone does to injure another person must be paid back in kind. Lev:24:20 The rules were all to the core and just. The offender had to be dealt with the same way the sufferrer had to face without any compromise. A just judge is right in punishing the same way. And anything against the Holy God had to be dealt with more seriously. The Lord being the victim and because the Lord is holy - the punishment is graver. Blaspheming against the name of the Lord was punished by stoning to death. The name of the Lord is analogous to the Lord Himself, His very being, His very own self. In the Old testament, it is the outward expression of sins and their just punishments described. But in reality we understand through the New testament, a sin in your heart, ie with a wrong motive is considered as sin at par with those physical expressions. Looking lustfully at a woman is adultery. Being angry is equal to murderin

Lev:24:2 Keep the lamps continually burning. One of the permanent job required of Aaron and his sons was to make sure they keep the lamps in the lampstands in front of the Tabernacle burning continually - day and night shifts were employed. The responsibility was the priest's to keep it burning. A God who brought down fire 🔥 from the heavens to burn down Elijah's altar, is He not able to burn this lamp continuously? But God wanted man to take up responsibility. To keep your lamp burning is your responsibility dear one. How do I grow in my relationship with God? It is by investing in knowing Him.  Imagine the first time you feel in love - you wanted to know more of her, you wanted to talk to her, you wanted to tell her more about you, everything concerning you. This wanting to spent time with her was motivated by love.  To be rich in your relation with God, you need to invest more, for investing more you need to be motivated by love and for being motivated by love y

The festival of shelters or festival of Sukkoth is celebrated for seven days after the day of atonement. In 2020 it was from Oct 2nd to Oct 9th. During this time for seven days they are expected to live outside in little shelters - to remind each new generation of Israelites that God made their ancestors live in shelters when He rescued them from the land of Egypt. Heb:11:13 (about the stalwarts of faith). They did not pay much heed to things in this earth because they agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. V:16 They were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. Phil:3:20 says our citizenship is in heaven. So dear ones, how do we live? Do we live as if this is our homeland? Hoarding everything possible? Do we live lives with focus on this world? Where our treasure is there our heart will be also.

In the day of atonement, Israel is advised to deny yourself - in few versions it is described as fasting. That is the exact truth about fasting. Why do you fast? Are you trying to please a cruel hearted Father by deny food to yourself and torturing your body?  Are you trying to grab attention of a sleeping God?  Are you trying shout aloud by not eating, when you think God cannot hear what you pray? Fasting is not to get things done in an authoritative or aggresive way. Similar to the servants of baal in Elijah's times. Here in these passages in Leviticus none depicts fasting as a channel of approval from God. It is not a key to accomplish your desires. Everywhere here it is related to worshipping God. The very essence of fasting is this - I'm trying to tell my body that God is more important for me than my body, than my needs, than me myself. Now what if physically because of ailments I'm not able to fast? Who said fasting is of food alone? It can be a digital f

Festival of first harvest and festival of harvest is to express gratitude to God of what He has done.  Acknowledging it is God who did this, it is God who blessed us with our daily needs. The festival of unleavened bread proclaims about Jehovah Nissi. The festival of first harvest and harvest proclaims about Jehovah Jireh. When Jesus taught to pray, He taught us to trust in God for our daily needs. - Give us this day our daily bread. We need not ask God to bless us with luxury. More than what we need. Pro:30:8-9 Don't make me either rich or poor. Just give me enough food for each day. If I have too much I might reject you and say I don't know the Lord. if I am poor I might steal and disgrace the name of my God. If we have luxury, our trust will be set in the money we have, about our future and about our family. I am not against investing or insuring. But that the amount of money you reserve shouldn't even cross your mind when you think about your family's fu

Festival of unleavened bread 🍞 and Pass over was celebrated of the rememberance of the day of deliverance of Israelites from Egypt. A day of rememberance of what the Lord has done for them in the past. To remember the days how He hath delivered them. List at least five things that the Lord has done for you. And if possible the dates or months. Set a reminder on your calendar. That whole day let it be a reminder of what the Lord has done. A healing, an exam, a deliverance.

Do not bring shame on my Holy name Lev:22:32 Many fathers consider it shameful when their children behave in a way they do not expect or want to, especially in the public. - Their general demeanour. - The way they talk to others. - The way they express themselves in social media - If they engage in Public fights and quarrels. - Academic performance, Jobs, Marriages. Children are always expected to live upto their father's standards. Probably the world has become so corrupt that we cannot look at this without a frowned eyebrow. Human rights and individual identity and freewill and choices all just barge into the scene. But when the Word says (infact God Himself), there cannot be any miscue. There cannot be any misinterpretation. On one side if I proclaim to be a child of God and on the other side I harbour vengeance and bitterness, or struggles in lustful sins or anger outbursts or public fistfights or any sort of material or virtual addictions, I bring shame to the Holy

Do not present an animal with defects because the Lord will not accept it on your behalf                                                     Lev:22:20 You must not offer an animal that is blind, crippled or injured or that has a wart, a skin sore or scabs. Such animals must never be offered on rhe altar as special gifts to the Lord.                                                     Lev:22:22 It is a general rule that the animal that is offered to the Lord has to be without a defect, blameless and blemishless. I remember a story heard a long time back. A man is acquitted for a crime and he has to either face a capital punishment or pay the penalty of a sum of money. If he has neither money nor assets, his only option is to ask someone. Of course he wouldn't ask anyone whom he is sure not to have that money 💰. But he would rather ask someone whom he is sure to be able to give him. And is definitely kind enough to give him. You and I do not have holiness. And you can be

A consistent expression that we see in Leviticus chaters 20,21 and 22 is - I am the one who makes you holy. Amidst the flury of dos and don'ts the Lord repeatedly hits this point " I the Lord am Holy and I am the one who makes you holy. These rules and regulations are not to make us holy. These are written so that we would understand the standards of God. Following these rules doesn't make you holy. It just makes you a glorified sinner. It is God's presence in our hearts that make us holy and thence we have to urge to lead a holy life. Not vice versa. Let's make this crystal clear. Not your will power. Not your strong desire  Nor you determination Jer:23:6 Jehovah TSIDKENU. the Lord is my righteousness. 2Cor:5:21 .... So that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. God the Father looks at us and all He sees is Christ's righteousness. It's like seeing through blue sunglasses, everything is blue. - an imperfect allegory but it explains q

The high priest is never allowed to tear his garments( Lev:21:10) because it is the priestly garment that he wears and has to be dealt with due respect and holiness. With reference to Jesus' trial before the Council, Caiaphas is seen to tear his clothing in horror saying  "blasphemy" Was he that passionate for the things of God? That he considered blasphemy as something extremely guilty but not having reverence to God's commands? Well I feel he was blaspheming God infact and not Jesus - to be precise! If he was so pious and religious as he was showing off, being the high priest, he would have known that a high priest is not supposed to tear his priestly garments. He thought he was close to God in the Most Holy Place, but forgetting the very Holy God standing in front of him in person. He thought he could protect God by judging guilty any blasphemy against God, but forgetting his responsibility as the high priest. He thought his heart was close to God, but

Spiritual prostitution is one crude term that God Himself uses against idol worship. Which means going after broken cisterns leaving behind the source of living water Jer: 2:13 It is trusting in something other than God Himself. It can be the job security that you have. It can be your ancestral inheritance or money in your bank. It can be your family, your children. The greatest of all commandments according to Jesus is to love your God with all your heart. Anything short of this is broken cistern. Anything short of this is prostitution dear one. Sorry for being so blunt today. If I love anything or someone more than I love God, it's prostitution, because that's how God sees us for he designed us otherwise. Who is the one whom you mostly love on this earth? The finger always points to your own very self. There has not been any other idol in our lives greater than you yourself in your life, dear one. All what I do or think is to satisfy that craving in me.  We have placed in our

“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭1:32‬ ‭NIV   Mary (being a person who treasures everything in her heart) could have many times thought in her mind again and again in the whole lot of Jesus’ life about this. That He would be great and the throne of king David would be given unto Him. Each time it would have been difficult for her to accept the rejection He had to face and finally death on the cross. But at one point of time she would have definitely come to terms with her thought process and finally realise the truth and the very purpose of her son’s coming. She would at one point of time have accepted that He has really come to die for her sins as well and the throne of David which was promised to her child was not of this world at all. But when she realised this truth and the very essence of Jesus’ coming she would have had great peace.  God’s plans are indeed not of this world my dear

Lev:19:1 You must be holy because I the Lord your God, am holy. An urge to live a holy life is not for rewards that we can claim in heaven. But that is because we point to a God who is holy. Just as a signpost. Just like a label denoting the quality of a product inside. Duplicate names of products are easy to find out in the market. But once we get to see the product or taste it, we realize it is bogus. Because the quality is compromised. A life loving the God who saved us. A life living for the one who loved us with an everlasting love. A life pointing to God. Where does my life to point to?

Lev:17:11 It is blood given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible. That is why earlier in Lev 17, they are being urged to sacrifice the animal in the right place, ie in the entrance of the Tabernacle. And not anywhere else inside or outside the camp. That is why a blameless animal is essential rather than any animal. And that is how death on the cross is significant. At the cross blood was given in exchange of life. John the Baptist declares about Jesus "Behold the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world" 1 John 2:2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.  Propitiate means to appease. To please God. The penalty that we were supposed to face because of our sinfulness was taken upon himself on the cross.  He who knew no sin, became sin for us Whether you believe it or not. That's the truth. If you believe and appropriate that He died for you, then it's a process of purif

Lev:18:3 Do not act like the people in Egypt where you used to live or like the people of Canaan where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life. The concepts in Egypt and Canaan were different, but they had one thing in common. That they were detestable in the eyes of the Lord. It was these practises that God warns Israel of. The evil practised which had become so common( cf: Lev:10:10) that just imitiating their way of life was considered sinful in God's eyes. God is asking us, as children of God, to seperate us from the corrupt practises of the world. Be it imitating the common daily routine, or committing the vilest of offences. Sin always remains something which God abhors. God is very serious about sin. It is not something which can co exist with God. Am I serious about sin? If not, why? Because there is no love. If I love God I will hate sin. Even the smallest one. I will have the mind of God to be serious about sin. Dear one. There will be that ach

Two male goats were required for the purification of the Israel nation. One for sin offering. One for being sent to the wilderness. The latter was called scape goat. Why two? Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Heb:9:22.  So the former deals with the penalty of sin. God could have easily made a new rule and said all are forgiven. But he stuck to his very own rule. He continued to be himself. That's why he had to shed his last drop of blood on the cross. The second one takes away the sin from us. Psalm:103:12 He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. Chorus of a casting crowns song goes like this. Jesus, can you show me just how far the east is from the west? 'Cause I can't bear to see the man I've been Rising up in me again In the arms of your mercy I find rest You know just how far the east is from the west From one scarred hand to the other. Micah:7:19 You will trample our sins under your feet and throw the

  The tenth day of the seventh month has to be kept seperated as complete rest. You are to deny yourself. Offerings of purification to be given. This is a permanent law for you.   Lev:16 Rest-denial-purification. Finding rest in God is denial of your own evilish and selfish desires, denial of whatever the corrupt world has to offer. And that is our purification. Isa:30:15 (NLT) Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. Be still. Stop Running amok. The rat race is burdensome. Find rest. When your feet hits the bottom, Let you face rest in His bosom. When things are getting tough. The soft yet strong arms hug you. When things go unplanned, clarity comes Trust in the plans to prosper you. Come crisis. Be still, be calm. Come ye who are weary and heavy laden. I will give you rest.- Jesus Christ.

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭2:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬ http://bible.com/111/luk.2.14.niv  His favour rests... its such a blessing to be favoured by God Himself. Magnificient God to look on this wretched man with favour.  Who is man that you are mindful of him...??  “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.” ‭‭John‬ ‭6:44‬ ‭NIV‬‬ http://bible.com/111/jhn.6.44.niv  It is the Father who draws us to him. Be glad. Be at peace because we have found favour in His eyes. It’s a privilege. It is called favour because it is not something which we deserve or is something which we can gain by our deeds. For it is said all our righteous deeds are like filthy rags before him. There is nothing we could have done to gain his favour. Cuz His standards are so high and we as humans will never be able to meet it! No matter how holy we might seem to be......

After the daily toil I find myself in my mother's lap I do my experiences unfoil Before I used to have a nap A mother is the absolute place of comfort To forget about the bitter happenings of life A feeling of that sort Will one never acquire anywhere else I share with her things of pain and sorrow She comforts me again and again She aspires me of the morrow And says "no pain no gain" The happenings that give me joy I share with her always Like a child happy to see his toy I'm happy and enjoy with her always O God I thank you for a mom like this Tis true 'bout the saying That God couldn't reach everywhere And that's why He created mothers. It's been nearly 21 years since I wrote this, my first ballad. Amature as it looks, it conveys the message. But the Bible says "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!" Very difficult to comprehen

Ephron was one of our great grandfathers. Who lived in Hebron even before Abraham came. He was part of the Hittite community (that we are) who lived in the land which overflows with milk and honey even before God of Israel promised it to His children. When Abraham’s wife died, being a sojourner, he was in want of a land or cave to bury his beloved wife. It was Ephron who sold his cave in Macpelah to him(though he was very much willing to give it away to his friend) Esau, Abraham’s grandson married wives from our community later.  We were so happy when the children of Israel came back from Egypt after years of torture. After all we both can trace our ancestry to Issac at least. We are sort of cousins. When they occupied the Canaan and we were in the border and God allocating the promised land as advised to Joshua, He was kind enough to include us as well. What a privilege? The Hittite community has been blessed along side Israel. We have been also been having the share of bl

  “And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them. But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭3:18-20‬ ‭NIV‬‬ How do you respond to criticism.? Do you take it to heart as from God and repent? Or do you get offended and are filled with anger? It's upto us. How do we respond?

As a teacher of the Law in Jewish community I always meticulously did what my law demanded. What my Torah taught me. And I made sure I taught the common man too. But this man has been different. He taught with authority. As if He is from God. Why is He different? We taught an eye for an eye, a hand for a hand. But He teaches to show the other cheek as well. We taught love your father and mother, your neighborhood and your friend. Love your God is what we taught. But He says love your enemy. We taught do not commit adultery. He tells do not look lustfully at a woman. We taught do not murder. He says do not be angry and not call another one Raca. We taught , be in important places, projecting yourself especially in synagogues be in the most prominent places to worship YHWH. But He says give importance to others. We taught to give heavy alms and God will bless you. He says that poor widow who gave two shekels gave more than the other one who gave a bag full. How has He got the

As a process of purification of a person, he brings lambs for a guilt offering and olive oil for purification. The priest will apply the blood of the lamb on the lobe of right ear, thumb of right hand and big toe of of the right foot. He also applied some of the olive oil in the same areas. When Jesus is washing the feet of the disciples, Peter could never agree to his teacher washing his feet. Jesus says a powerful statement in that conversation. A person who is bathed all over does not need to wash - to be entirely clean. The Israelites had to bath first and then go through this process of being ceremonially clean. But not according to Jesus. What the blood of Jesus does for us? Acts:20:28 - bought Col:1:20 - made peace Eph:1:7 - forgiveness of sins Heb:9:14 - cleanse our conscience 1 John:1:7 - purifies us from all sin Heb:10:19 - confidence to enter the Most Holy place Heb:13:12 - make us holy Rev:1:5 - freed us from our sins. Rev:7:14 - washed Rom:5:9 - justified 1Pet: