Tag: Pentateuch

Tuesday – Pentateuch

January 27th, 2026

Reading – Leviticus

“But the internal organs and the legs must first be washed with water. Then the priest will burn the entire sacrifice on the altar as a burnt offering. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.”

‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Apparently, God likes barbecue!

Okay, that’s not what this passage is really about, but if you are a meat eater, think about that aroma.

When my work territory used to include the town of Louisville, CO, I loved doing calls in that little downtown area in the afternoon. There is a barbecue restaurant there that smokes all its meat in big smokers behind the restaurant. On days when there is little or no wind, the few square blocks of that little downtown fill with a heavenly aroma.

Think of that aroma or some other you love, fresh bread, or cookies, a quality coffee first thing in the morning, you name it.

That pleasant feeling you get when you get carried away with that fragrance, that’s what our repentance feels like to God.

That’s how much He enjoys being able to spend time with us because we have allowed Jesus to make us clean.

What is your favorite aroma?

How do you smell today?

Have you accepted that fragrance of grace from Jesus?
January 20, 2026

January 20th, 2026

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Exodus 39-40

Highlight Verses:

“So the people of Israel followed all of the Lord’s instructions to Moses. Then Moses inspected all their work. When he found it had been done just as the Lord had commanded him, he blessed them.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭39‬:‭42‬-‭43‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The people of Israel obeyed and they were blessed.

Last night in Student Ministry, we talked about obedience.

I specifically asked the high school guys who were not brought up in church what they thought of when they heard the word obedience (the church guys all related it to obeying God’s commands because they love Him and trust Him).

The non-religious response was “dog training.”

I thought that was an awesome response. And it illustrates how many think of obedience to God.

Some get in their heads that obeying God is like a dog obeying a master to make it easier to control them. It’s no wonder that people would wander from faith if they think like that.

But God is a Father.

With a Father’s love, He has given us commandments and scriptural guidelines to help us get the most out of this life.

We obey because we trust that He knows what’s best for us.

We love God. But respect and trust are why we obey His commands.

And when we do, we are blessed.

What one command have you not trusted God enough that you don’t obey it consistently? There could be more but pick one.
What would help you to trust God in that act of obedience?
January 13, 2026

January 13th, 2026
Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Exodus 37-38

Highlight Verse:

“Then he made the sacred anointing oil and the fragrant incense, using the techniques of a skilled incense maker.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭37‬:‭29‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It’s easy to read through these chapters and gloss over them as describing obsolete objects of Old Testament worship.

Keep in mind that, while we no longer worship at the Tabernacle or the Temple, the objects they made for their worship represent different aspects of our relationship with God.
- The Ark represents the presence of God and His relationship with us.
- The Lamp-stand represents the light of God guiding our way to Him.
- The Altar represents Christ’s sacrifice for us.
I could go on but I would like to focus on the incense altar.

I grew up in the ‘70s. Incense was popular.

The moment you entered a room where incense had burned, you could tell immediately.

While there are different opinions, I rather liked the scent of most incense. It brought a sweet spicy aroma to every part of the room. It covered less pleasant smells and brought pleasant thoughts of loved ones to mind.

In the Tabernacle, the incense was representative of the prayers of believers.

It was meant to be a pleasing aroma to God as the prayers of His people pleased Him.

With that in mind, let’s let today’s verse remind us to send up a pleasing aroma of prayer to God.

Feel free to offer prayers in the comments. They can be prayers of praise and worship or requests.
Please keep personal details out of the comments for your safety and the safety of others as this is a public forum. (No “gossip prayers” or detailed confessions. Keep those in your personal conversations with God).
December 30, 2025

December 30th, 2025

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Exodus 33-34

Highlight Verse:

“And I will send an angel before you to drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭33‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Even after the Israelites worshipped a golden calf, God still was willing to make a way for them.

He was ready to deliver the promised land to them on a platter. All they had to do was go there and trust Him to hand it to them.

He took a step back from them and gave them Moses and Aaron to be a go between since; to put it in overly simple terms, they drove Him nuts.

Of course, they didn’t literally drive Him crazy as that is impossible.

But it was becoming abundantly clear that their propensity to sin was not compatible with His holy nature.

He dearly loved them, so much so that He put priests in place so He could maintain a relationship with them and started arranging the path for the Messiah to come establish a face-to-face relationship between God and man.

Of course, we’re going to learn later how they didn’t trust God for safety as they entered the promised land (almost).

But let’s be honest; how often do we trust Him that deeply?

If God loved this rebellious people so much, how much does He love those who have a direct relationship with Him through trusting in the sacrifice of Jesus.

Considering He gave up His Son for us, I’d say that love has no bounds.

In what ways are you trusting that God has everything under control?
What tends to get in the way of that faith for you?
December 23, 2025

December 23rd, 2025

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Exodus 32

Highlight Verse:

“Aaron saw how excited the people were, so he built an altar in front of the calf. Then he announced, “Tomorrow will be a festival to the Lord!””
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭32‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Aaron was the high priest and brother of Moses.

But he lacked the close relationship with God that Moses enjoyed.

He may have thought he was doing a good thing by making the golden calf.

From our perspective, it’s easy to say, “What on earth was he thinking?”

Clueless, impatient people swayed him.

And perhaps the lure of power tempted him.

And he messed up big time.

If you are going to lead people, especially in the context of faith, it is important to cultivate a close relationship with God and with people who are wise in the faith.

Those who follow only the popular trends and ideas end up leading social clubs rather than the family of God.

Do the people you look to for spiritual leadership cultivate a close relationship between themselves and God?
If you are in leadership (or aspire to it), what are you doing to cultivate a close relationship with God?
December 16, 2025

December 16th, 2025

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Exodus 30-31

Highlight Verse:

“Like a skilled incense maker, blend these ingredients to make a holy anointing oil.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭30‬:‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This chapter contains formulas for both incense and anointing oil.

I had a pastor friend once who followed the formula for the anointing oil – and it smelled good, very good.

But wait, wasn’t that formula meant to be reserved for the priests and the temple?

Yes. Yes, it was.

And ever since Jesus’ sacrifice, we who have accepted His salvation are the priests and the temple rolled into one.

Just as Jesus’ sacrifice makes us pleasing in God’s sight, the idea of incense is to represent us being a pleasing aroma to God as well.

Just imagine stepping into a friend’s home and getting hit with the aroma of fresh baked bread or cookies. Or maybe for you, it’s stepping onto the patio for the aroma of meat cooking in a smoker.

Either way, it is a wonderful aroma that draws you in closer to its source.

Today, if we wear the incense of salvation and the aroma of anointing,

we will bring delight to God’s heart, not to mention joy to ourselves.

Have you ever been anointed for ministry? Tell us about it?
If not, what ministry would you want to be anointed for?
December 9, 2025

December 9th, 2025

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Exodus 28

Highlight Verses:

““Next make a medallion of pure gold, and engrave it like a seal with these words: Holy to the Lord. Attach the medallion with a blue cord to the front of Aaron’s turban, where it must remain. Aaron must wear it on his forehead so he may take on himself any guilt of the people of Israel when they consecrate their sacred offerings. He must always wear it on his forehead so the Lord will accept the people.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭28‬:‭36‬-‭38‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Hebrew word used for Priest here implies a “base” or “support.”

They were there to support the people of Israel in the presence of the Lord.

The problem was they fell far short of the perfection needed for the job. That’s why they had to wear their elaborate clothes and gold medallion, and gems. They served as a symbol to set them apart as holy that the sacrifices they offered could be accepted by God.

They were imperfect people with an imperfect system that required continuous sacrifices to build a bridge between the people and God.

But it pointed to Jesus, the perfect priest.

Jesus provides the support for us to be able to gain and maintain a relationship with God.

With the perfect sacrifice He gave, we need no other priests. We can now have a direct relationship with God.

Which of the priestly garments stands out the most to you?
What do you think the significance of that garment is?
December 2, 2025

December 2nd, 2025

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Exodus 27-28

Highlight Verses:

“Insert the poles through the rings on the two sides of the altar. The altar must be hollow, made from planks. Build it just as you were shown on the mountain.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭27‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You might be thinking that I chose the wrong verses. These are mundane instructions.

To that I would say that these verses among others in today’s reading show that God was a practical engineer.

The details of the designs He ordered for the temple and the priestly garments all make sense when you think about them.

The altar and tables had rings for carrying them with poles. They were hollow so they would be light enough to be carried.

In a very practical way, God was an engineer (who happened to make the practical beautiful).

He was practical when he designed us as well. Even the rules He gave us all have practical uses for us to have better lives.

What that tells me is that, while we already know that God can be trusted for spiritual matters, He can be trusted for practical matters as well.

Have you ever tried to solve all your practical problems on your own, thinking God wasn’t interested in them?
How do you think God would solve your practical issues?
November 25, 2025

November 25th, 2025

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Exodus 26

Highlight Verse:

““Make another curtain for the entrance to the sacred tent. Make it of finely woven linen and embroider it with exquisite designs, using blue, purple, and scarlet thread.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭26‬:‭36‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The theme for today’s reading seems to be to give your best and most beautiful for the house of God.

In fact, passages like this are sometimes cited to encourage people to wear their “Sunday best” clothing to church.

I don’t think this passage applies directly to that, though it’s not a bad idea. Honestly, for me it’s nice blue jeans and a good inspiring T-shirt for church in the hope that it helps newcomers feel more at-ease.

I would say that this passage supports the idea of bringing our best to God and His ministry.

In other words, ministry should not be an afterthought.

We should do whatever we can to lead people to Jesus.

This, of course, should start at home. We should never neglect time with our families.

The problem is that many people neglect ministry, leaving it to “professionals” rather than taking on their own portion of it.

We were meant to be partners in the work of God, not consumers.

We should give our best efforts to bring about the best change in the lives of those around us.

If you do, don’t be surprised at the blessings that will come your way as well.

Are you plugged into ministry at church or in another group?
In what ways have you been blessed as you do your part?
November 11, 2025

November 11th, 2025

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Exodus 23

Highlight Verses:

““If you come upon your enemy’s ox or donkey that has strayed away, take it back to its owner. If you see that the donkey of someone who hates you has collapsed under its load, do not walk by. Instead, stop and help.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭23‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I once ticked off a coworker inadvertently.

It’s a long irrelevant story but, suffice it to say, he did everything he could to snub me and undermine me at work.

While I couldn’t fully understand his reasoning, I made an effort to be friendly and helpful whenever I could.

It took over a year, but eventually, we were on friendly terms.

I wouldn’t call us besties but, in the end, we got along pretty well.

I don’t know if that is exactly what these verses are talking about.

I do know that God wants us to treat everyone with respect and generosity.

Everyone.

Including those we don’t get along with.

Maybe especially those we don’t get along with.

Both Jesus and Paul confirmed this in the New Testament. (Matthew 5:44, Romans 12:20).

Is there someone who could use your help that you have been avoiding?
What would happen if you started helping them?

Tag: Pentateuch

Apparently, God likes barbecue!

Think of that aroma or some other you love, fresh bread, or cookies, a quality coffee first thing in the morning, you name it.

That’s how much He enjoys being able to spend time with us because we have allowed Jesus to make us clean.

The non-religious response was “dog training.”

With a Father’s love, He has given us commandments and scriptural guidelines to help us get the most out of this life.

We love God. But respect and trust are why we obey His commands.

I could go on but I would like to focus on the incense altar.

In the Tabernacle, the incense was representative of the prayers of believers.

With that in mind, let’s let today’s verse remind us to send up a pleasing aroma of prayer to God.

Even after the Israelites worshipped a golden calf, God still was willing to make a way for them.

But it was becoming abundantly clear that their propensity to sin was not compatible with His holy nature.

Considering He gave up His Son for us, I’d say that love has no bounds.

But he lacked the close relationship with God that Moses enjoyed.

And he messed up big time.

Those who follow only the popular trends and ideas end up leading social clubs rather than the family of God.

I had a pastor friend once who followed the formula for the anointing oil – and it smelled good, very good.

Either way, it is a wonderful aroma that draws you in closer to its source.

we will bring delight to God’s heart, not to mention joy to ourselves.

They were there to support the people of Israel in the presence of the Lord.

They were imperfect people with an imperfect system that required continuous sacrifices to build a bridge between the people and God.

With the perfect sacrifice He gave, we need no other priests. We can now have a direct relationship with God.

You might be thinking that I chose the wrong verses. These are mundane instructions.

In a very practical way, God was an engineer (who happened to make the practical beautiful).

What that tells me is that, while we already know that God can be trusted for spiritual matters, He can be trusted for practical matters as well.

The theme for today’s reading seems to be to give your best and most beautiful for the house of God.

I would say that this passage supports the idea of bringing our best to God and His ministry.

We were meant to be partners in the work of God, not consumers.

I once ticked off a coworker inadvertently.

It took over a year, but eventually, we were on friendly terms.

I do know that God wants us to treat everyone with respect and generosity.