Intro to Leviticus:

Let’s be honest, many of us avoid Leviticus. Perhaps we do this because we do not understand the beautiful depth of this book. So let me set the stage:

In the book of Genesis, God created man in perfection and had daily fellowship with him. However, by chapter 3, man had rebelled against God, and the relationship was broken. But, God! From chapter 3 onward, God lays out His plan to redeem and save us. In the rest of Genesis, we learn about a faithful God who keeps His promises. In Exodus, we learn how God frees His people from slavery and desires fellowship with them, to lead and sanctify them. And in Leviticus, we learn how sinful man can approach God, who is holy, and worship Him.

Moses, the author of Leviticus, highlights the sinful nature of man and the need to walk in holiness to maintain fellowship with the Lord. The word holy means “clean, blameless, unblemished, or set apart” (Dr. Constable), and it occurs over 150 times in Leviticus. (https://soniclight.com/tcon/notes/pdf/leviticus.pdf). The Levitical system of sacrifices was created by God to show man their need for a Savior. It emphasizes the sinful nature of man and his need to continually offer sacrifices to atone for sin so that fellowship with God can be restored. It also shows the incomplete nature of the animal sacrifices, ultimately pointing them to the Lamb of God who would come to pay for sin once and for all.

The book of Leviticus contains all three: moral, civil, and ceremonial laws for the Hebrew nation to follow. The Lord is calling them to be set apart from the other nations, to live in holiness because God is holy. We, this side of the cross, are not bound to the civil and ceremonial aspects of the Law. However, the moral Law still points us to our need for a Savior and the joy of walking in obedience. Holiness is ultimately a matter of the heart: a heart set apart for God who is faithful, holy, and deserving of our worship.

**For more information about reading biblical Laws and the different kinds of laws, watch this video from the Bible Project.

** For a helpful chart of the sacrifices listed in Leviticus: https://solascriptura-tt.org/Diversos/Sacrificial-System.The-5-Sacrifices-In-Leviticus.pdf. You can print this off for your reference.

August 1: Leviticus 1

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. Note: In verses 1-2, the Lord is speaking to Moses and is laying the groundwork for offerings. Notice there is no specific offering mentioned in these 2 verses, only what type of animals to use in any offering.
2. In verses 3-9, what is the offering called? What animal is used for the offering, and what is its condition? In verses 3-4, what are the two purposes of bringing the offering? What is to be done with the blood? What part of the animal is burned on the altar? What is the result of the offering (v9)?
3. In verses 10-13, what is the offering called? What animal is used for the offering, and what is its condition? What is to be done with the blood? What part of the animal is burned on the altar? What is the result of the offering (v9)?
4. In verses 14-17, what is the offering called? What animal is used for the offering? What is to be done with the blood? What part of the animal is burned on the altar? What is the result of the offering (v9)?
5. Ponder: The one who brought the burnt offering did so to be accepted before the Lord and to make atonement for their sins. The entire animal was offered up, signifying the person’s whole commitment to the Lord. It was a voluntary offering, an act of worship, and, as a result, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Read Romans 6:12-13. As believers, on this side of the cross, how can we be a pleasing aroma to the Lord? How does this lead you to pray?
6. For more insight into the burnt offering: https://www.gotquestions.org/burnt-offering.html.

August 2: Leviticus 2

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. In verses 1-3, what type of offering is described in this chapter? What will the priest do with the offering?
2. In verses 4-10, what are the three ways the grain offering can be prepared?
3. In verses 11-13, what should be left out of a grain offering? What should be included in every grain offering?
4. In verses 14-16, what else was acceptable to use as a grain offering besides fine flour?
5. Ponder: Why salt? The priests were to receive a portion of the grain offering for their food. Salt was a preservative that helped food last longer. God provided for all their needs as they depended on Him. For the one giving the offering, the grain offering symbolized reliance on the Lord for the work of their hands and thankfulness for His provision. Read Proverbs 3:9-10 and Philippians 4:19. How can we offer the work of our hands to the Lord in dependence and thanks? How does this lead you to pray?
6. For more insight: https://www.gotquestions.org/grain-offering.html.

August 3: Leviticus 3

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. In verses 1-5, what type of offering is described in this chapter? What part of the animal is offered as a food offering to the Lord? What will the priest do with the offering?
2. Is this offering required or voluntary? Hint: “if”.
3. When a peace offering was made, a portion of it was given back to the Lord as a food offering. How is the food offering described? What animals are acceptable for this offering?
4. Ponder: the peace offering was a voluntary, personal offering of worship. The offerer chose this offering as a way of celebrating what the Lord had done for them. Read Romans 5:1, Colossians 1:20-22, and Ephesians 2:14. What has the Lord done for you? How does this lead you to worship?
5. For more insight: https://www.gotquestions.org/peace-offering.html

August 4: Leviticus 4

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. The next offering described is the sin offering, which covers chapters 4:1—5:13. In verses 1-2, what specific type of sin is described in this chapter?
2. The rest of the chapter describes the details for the sin offering and the various people who may sin unintentionally. Here are the common steps to take for the sin offering: What animal is to be offered? Where is the bull to be killed? How many times must the blood be sprinkled in front of the veil of the Lord? Where is the rest of the blood placed? What is done with the fat, kidneys, and liver? What is done with the rest of the bull?
3. When someone sins unintentionally, what must they realize before the sin offering is made? What is the outcome of the sin offering? (Hint: vs 20, 26, 31, and 35).
4. Ponder: Why sprinkle the blood in front of the veil 7 times? The number 7 in Scripture represents completion. The blood was the only way to have their sins atoned for and to receive forgiveness in completion, for that sin. Think about how many times you sin in a day! Now multiply that by thousands of people, the Israelites. If they were supposed to offer a sin offering every time they sinned, what would the front of the veil and the altar look like? A bloody mess for sure. Imagine you were there, watching all these sacrifices and offering your own. How would this have impacted you? What would you think of your sin?
5. Read John 1:29 and Hebrews 10:1-18. How do these verses lead you to praise the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world?” Have your sins been removed? If you are unsure, please reach out to us at info@gracepointefc.org. We would love to help you know for sure!
6. For more insight: https://www.gotquestions.org/sin-offering.html.

August 5: Leviticus 5

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. In verse 1, what is the unintentional sin mentioned? Ponder: how does our culture view this responsibility?
2. In verses 2-3, what happened to the person who unknowingly touches something unclean? Ponder: What would this have communicated to the people about the importance of keeping oneself untainted by unclean things of this world? What happens to us today when we engage in the things of this world? Read Romans 12:1-2. How can we be set apart from that which is unclean?
3. In verse 4, what type of rash oath does this verse consider an unintentional sin? Ponder: How important is our speech? Read Psalm 141:3. How does this lead you to pray?
4. In verses 5-13, the Lord commands the people to make a sin offering and a burnt offering for their unintentional sin. Ponder: how is God’s grace displayed in the type of animal offered? What economic status did one have to have to be forgiven?
5. In verses 14-19, what do you notice about the type of sacrifice needed for the unintentional sin against the holy things or God’s commandments that is different from the above section? Ponder: how seriously does God take the holy things and His commandments?
6. Note: The holy things were likely anything dedicated to the Lord. According to Dr. Constable, “The phrase evidently refers to anything dedicated to God by the Israelites, including the tabernacle, its furnishings, the offerings, houses, lands, and tithes of the people (cf. ch. 27).3 Violating these holy things would have involved eating holy food (cf. 22:14), taking (stealing or even moving) dedicated things from their rightful places, and perhaps failing to fulfill a dedicatory vow, or failing to pay a tithe.” (https://soniclight.com/tcon/notes/pdf/leviticus.pdf).

August 6: Leviticus 6

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. In verses 1-7, what type of intentional sin is described, and who is it against? What were the steps the one who sinned must take to be forgiven?
2. Note: In the rest of the chapter, the Lord lays out the law of each offering: burnt offering (8-13); grain offering (14-18); priestly anointing day offering (19-23); and sin offering (24-30).
3. In verses 8-13, how long should the fire burn on the altar? What was the priest to wear, and where did he take the ashes? Ponder: In the Old Testament times, an Israelite would meet with God, receive forgiveness, and worship Him through the offerings. In light of this, why might God have made the commandment to keep the fire burning constantly? What does this say about the Israelites’ need and God’s grace? Read I John 1:8-10. What does this say about our need and God’s available grace? How does this lead you to pray?
4. In verses 14-30, laws concerning the grain offering, the priestly anointing day offering, and the sin offering are described, with an emphasis on when the priests may or may not eat of the offering. Ponder: The priests had many responsibilities when leading the people, and God’s provision for them was to eat of some of the offerings. How does Deuteronomy 18:1-5 shed light on God’s provision for the priests? Read 1 Corinthians 9:13-14 and Galatians 6:6. God still provides for those who serve and teach through the provision of His people. How does this shed light on our responsibility to support and pray for our pastors?

August 7: Leviticus 7

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. In this chapter, we have two more laws for offerings: the guilt offering and the peace offering. In verses 1-10, the guilt offering, what portion of the animal is offered, and what portion is available to eat by the priests? What is the guilt offering compared to? For more insight: https://www.gotquestions.org/trespass-offering.html.
2. Verses 11-18 describe the peace offering. What are the three reasons a peace offering might be given? Who was to eat of the peace offering?
3. In verses 19-27, what were the three things prohibited from eating? In verses 28-36, what portion of the peace offering was set aside for the priests?
4. Ponder: In verses 19-27, it describes the importance of being clean before one could eat from the sacrifices of the peace offering. It even goes on to say that anyone who is unclean or eats something unclean, when eating of the sacrifices, is to be cut off. If anyone ate the fat or the blood of the sacrifice, they were to be cut off. God took this very seriously, and the Israelites were to as well or risk being cut off.
   
   This side of the cross, we are not bound to the laws and sacrifices as they were in the Old Testament times. They had to offer sacrifices continually to repair their relationship and commune with God. For us, Jesus was our sacrifice, once for all. Those who have received His gift of salvation have been washed clean permanently, eternally! We will never be cut off once we have received Christ’s gift of salvation. We have a right relationship with God, not based on our own goodness, but based on Christ’s. He cleansed us. In light of this, how does Hebrews 20:19-25 encourage us to live? If you have not received His gift of salvation, or are unsure of how to receive this gift, please email us at infor@gracepointefc.org or call 517-265-7997. We would love to talk with you! How does this lead you to pray?

August 8: Leviticus 8

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. In this chapter, we see the ordination of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood for the nation of Israel. As you read this chapter, slow down and imagine the scene as the of days of the ordination are described. In verses 6-9, how does Moses prepare Arron and his sons? In verses 10-13, what does Moses anoint with oil, and why?
2. In verses 14-17, what offering was given? What did it purify, and why? In verses 18-21, what offering was given? In verses 22-29, what offerings were given and why? Note: Moses put some of the blood of the 2nd ram, the ram of ordination, on the ear, right hand, and right big toe of Aaron and his sons. This symbolized the need to hear from the Lord, carry out their priestly duties, and walk in righteousness before the Lord.
3. In verse 30, what needed to be consecrated?
4. In verses 31-36, the last part of the ceremony was the meal. How many days in a row were they to perform this ceremony? What would happen if they failed to obey and complete what the Lord had commanded? In this chapter, how many times do you see the phrase, “as the Lord commanded?”
5. Ponder: The ordination ceremony required Aaron and his sons to be cleansed from their sins and set apart for the service of the Lord. Read Hebrews 9:11-14 and I Peter 2:9. What has Christ done to offer cleansing to us? What does he call us? What are we called to do? How does this lead you to pray?

August 9: Leviticus 9

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. This chapter is so good! Slow down and savor. Aaron, having been cleansed and ordained in chapter 8, now enters into his role as high priest for the people. Moses is instructing Aaron and his sons on their duties, as commanded by the Lord. In verses 1-7, what type of offerings should be made? Who is to bring the offerings (hint: who is “to take"? Who is gathered in front of the tent of meeting to observe the offerings? For what purpose are the offerings and sacrifices made?
2. In verses 8-22, to what extent did Aaron obey?
3. In verses 22-24, what is the first thing Aaron did after completing the sacrifices? What did Moses and Aaron do next? Where did the glory of the Lord appear? What did the Lord do to the sacrifices? How did the people respond?
4. Ponder: When did the glory of the Lord appear: during the sacrifices or afterwards? Read Psalm l51:16-17. What does the Lord desire? There is a right way to approach God; He is Holy, but is our outward appearance of obedience what He really wants? Read 2 Chronicles 16:9. Is your heart wholly the Lord’s? How does this lead you to pray?
5. Ponder: What would it have been like to see the glory of the Lord? Today, we walk by faith, but one day we will see by sight! Come, Lord Jesus, come!

August 10: Leviticus 10

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. In our reading yesterday, we saw the priests and the people do all that the Lord commanded. The glory of the Lord descended before the people, and they worshiped. In chapter 10, verses 1-3, what caused the death of Nadab and Abihu? Ponder: Nadab and Abihu were the sons of Aaron. They would have been very involved with the ordination ceremony for 7 days. What does their sin reveal about their heart toward the Lord and His commands?
2. In verses 4-11, what were the two things Moses told Aaron and the others concerning what was to be taken outside the camp and what was not? What were the three actions that could lead to death? How does verse 10 shed light on why disobedience would lead to death? Ponder: What was the significance of “outside the camp”? Read Deuteronomy 23:14 and Hebrews 13:11-12. The Old Testament laws were a picture of what Christ would do for us. He was the sin offering, outside the camp, dying in our place.
3. After the sobering events of the day, what does Moses instruct Aaron and the priests to do in verses 12-15? In verses 16-20, why is Moses upset? Ponder: Why do you think Moses was so focused on what the priests were supposed to eat and where?
4. Ponder: God’s commandments are to be taken seriously. God established the sacrificial system and the work of the priests to be a picture of things to come. The Law would be like a tutor, which would show the people their sinfulness and need for a Savior. In the case of Nabab and Abihu, their flippant actions and disregard for the holiness of the Lord led to their immediate death. The Lord was setting the standard and revealing the seriousness of sin and rebellion. While we live in the age of Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf, does God take sin any less seriously? Read I Peter 1:13-19. As believers, if our motivation for obedience is not fear of death, since Christ has made this atonement for us, what is our motivation? How does this lead you to pray?

August 11: Leviticus 11

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. Who is speaking in this chapter? According to verse 2, what is the topic of the chapter?
2. In each of the following sections, what type of creature is being discussed:
3. Verses 3-8
4. Verses 9-12
5. Verses 13-19
6. Verses 20-23
7. In each of the above sections, why were some of the creatures not to be eaten?
8. In verses 24-43, what actions would cause a person to become unclean?
9. In verses 44-45, what were the Israelites told to do and why? In verses 46-47, what was the reason given for the laws regarding the creatures of the earth?
10. Ponder: While we don’t know exactly why God designated these specific animals as either clean or unclean, the point of the passage is that the people were asked to obey God: to be holy, as He is holy. In our own lives, there are times we do not understand why God asks us to do something, but we are called to obey. Where in your life do you need to obey God, even without fully understanding why? How does this lead you to pray?

August 12: Leviticus 12

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. Note: Within the Law, there were ethical/moral laws and ceremonial laws. Moral laws were given to convict the Israelites of their personal sin, which separated them from God. Ceremonial laws were not necessarily about sin, but laws about such things as clean and unclean foods, sacrifices, and what made people unclean or unclean. Clean and unclean were terms used to describe ritual impurity. Ritual impurity was not about sin, but was about being in contact with the effects of living in a sinful world (for example, death and disease). Every single Israelite would have experienced being unclean frequently in their life.
2. In verses 1-4, how long was the woman considered unclean after a male birth? When is the male to be circumcised? How long was she to wait to be purified? What were the restrictions during the purifying timeframe?
3. In verse 5, how long was the woman considered unclean after a female birth? How long was she to wait to be purified?
4. In verses 6-8, when the days of purification were complete, how did she become ceremonially clean?
5. Ponder: There are many views on why the chapter has different unclean days for the birth of a female child versus a male child. The one that seems most plausible reveals the grace of God. Since the son was to be circumcised on the 8th day, ending the unclean period after 7 days would have given the mother the ability to attend the circumcision. The female child obviously did not get circumcised and so the mother received a longer unclean timeframe. Consider what this would have allotted the new mother: days to weeks of recovery, bonding with the child, and rest without the guilt or pressure of all the duties of a wife and homemaker. In later chapters, we will see how being unclean affected the person’s daily life.
6. Ponder: How does this chapter help us see God’s care, love, and grace for people in their most vulnerable times of life? Read Matthew 11:28-30. How does Jesus care, love, and display grace to us? How does this lead you to pray?

August 13: Leviticus 13

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. Let’s just agree, this chapter is long and a little boring — at first glance. However, it’s rich in theology, so let's dive in! As you read verses 1-44, who determines when someone is clean or unclean? In verses 45-46, what regulations must the diseased person follow? In verses 47-59, what must happen to diseased clothing?
2. Ponder: This chapter has rules to help stop the spread of infectious diseases, but if it’s only about disease, then why are the priests deciding between clean and unclean? To understand this question, we need to know where the disease came from in the first place. Consider the following questions:
3. Read Genesis 1:31. How does God describe everything He has made?
4. Read Genesis 3:8-9. Who did Adam and Eve hear in the Garden? Before their sin, they enjoyed the presence of the Lord. They could talk with Him and walk with Him. Once they sinned, what did they do?
5. Read Genesis 2:15-17. What did God say would be the result of eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? This is the first time death is mentioned. As a result of sinning against God, Adam and Eve were put outside the Garden of Eden. All humanity will now suffer distance from the Lord, death, and disease; the effects of sin on humanity and the world. Every sickness or disease is not necessarily a direct result of someone’s personal sin, but it is a direct result of when sin and rebellion entered the world through Adam and Eve.
6. Read Leviticus 1:4. What was the reason for offering a burnt offering? From the moment Adam and Eve sinned, the Lord has been slowly revealing His plan to redeem mankind and the world so that they can be accepted into God’s presence again.
7. Therefore, our chapter for today is reminding the people of Israel of the results of sin in our world. As the priests declared someone unclean, it would be a strong reminder of the effects of sin and the need to be cleansed to be accepted into the Tabernacle, where the presence of the Lord dwelt.
8. Read Revelation 21:1-5. When Jesus returns, for those who have accepted His salvation, death and disease will be no more! Those who have been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, will once again enjoy His presence forever! How does this lead you to pray?

August 14: Leviticus 14

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. In verses 1-7, what law is being described? How does the priest learn about the leper? How are the two birds used? In verses 1-9, what must the healed leper do to be allowed back in the camp?
2. In verses 10-20, what must the leper bring to the priest? What must the priest do for the leper for him to be clean? In verses 21-32, what provision is made for the poor?
3. In verses 33-34, what is one way a home might become diseased? In verses 36-57, if the house is pronounced clean, what does the priest do to declare it clean? How are the two birds used?
4. Ponder: The law of leprous cleansing was not curative, but for ritual cleansing. How is the progression of contamination in a home, where a spot of leprosy was found, like festering sin in your life? What is its end if left unchecked? How does this lead you to confess your sins to Jesus, our high priest?
5. Consider what aspects of life they could re-enter once they were cleansed. How would the cleansing have brought them joy? Since Jesus is our great high priest, we no longer need to confess our sins to an earthly priest. However, the Bible does recommend confessing sins to one another. Read James 5:16. How can confessing sins to one another bring healing to our lives? How does this lead you to pray?

August 15: Leviticus 15

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. This chapter addresses the private areas of the female and male bodies. What is the unclean timeframe for natural discharges of the body? What is the unclean timeframe for abnormal discharge of the body?
2. When a person was cleansed of their discharge, what did they need to do to receive atonement? In verse 31, what did the Lord want them separated from? What might cause them to die?
3. Ponder: Is this chapter saying sexual intercourse or menstruation is a sin? Of course not, that would contradict Genesis 2, where God tells man and woman to be fruitful and multiply. Remember, this section refers to ritual uncleanness, which is not due to their sin, but to the overarching effects of sin on a fallen world. God cares about all parts of our lives, even the private actions we take. God demonstrated His care for physical health when the results of sin manifested in illness. God also cared about the woman’s natural function of menstruation and provided for her rest during this time. He cared deeply for His people. He gave them instructions for their protection, to set them apart from the way the Canaanites worshiped their foreign, false gods. Followers of false gods made sexual acts part of their worship, but the One True God was establishing how different He was. Read verse 31 again and Exodus 25:8. God was coming to them, to dwell among them. He was establishing for His people how to be set apart and not defile the tabernacle where He dwelt, lest they die.
4. Read 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. While we are not under the same laws as the Israelites, God still comes to us and dwells with those who are His children. What an amazing truth to ponder. The God of everything loves you so much! How does this lead you to worship and honor Him in your life? How does this lead you to pray?

August 16: Leviticus 16

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to Gold in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. The Day of Atonement took place six months after the Passover. What is the consequence for approaching God in the wrong way? (Cross-reference chapter 10:1-3).
2. In verses 6-10, what is the difference between the two goats?
3. In verses 11-14, the Mercy Seat was inside the Holy of Holies, the place where God’s presence dwelt. What would happen to the priest if he did not follow God’s instructions? Why does atonement need to be made? How many things are covered under the atonement? Ponder: What is the extent of sin’s impact?
4. In verses 20-22, what is confessed onto the head of the live goat? Where is the goat taken?
5. In verses 23-28, for whom or what is the priest to make atonement? In verses 29-34, what are the people to do on the day of atonement? What is the reason for the Day of Atonement? How long is this statue to be honored?
6. Ponder: This chapter has a chiastic structure, which means it has a similar beginning and ending. In verses 11-19 and 23-28, we see the sacrifices being made to make atonement for the people. How would this emphasize to the people the seriousness of sin and the need for atonement before entering the presence of the Lord? How often would they need to go through this process of atonement?
   
   In a chiastic structure, the emphasis is found in the middle verses of the pattern. For this chapter, it is verses 20-22, the scapegoat. (Note: The word “Azazel” means entire removal, or scapegoat.) A scapegoat is someone who takes the blame for something they did not do, so that someone else can go free. The people would watch as their sins that had been placed on the scapegoat were led out of the city, never to be seen again. Read Hebrews 9:11-28 and John 1:29. (It’s long, but it will be worth it!) Who is Jesus? What has He done for those who place their faith in Him? How does this lead you to pray?

August 17: Leviticus 17

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit) from this Psalm? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. Note: Scholars often refer to chapters 17 through 27 as the “Holiness Code.” Its focus is on the holiness of individuals and how the Lord cares about every aspect of their lives.
2. In verses 1-7, the people were making sacrifices outside the camp. Why is this a problem? Hint: Who were they sacrificing to?
3. As you read the remainder of the chapter, look for the reasons why all people were forbidden to eat the blood of an animal. What did blood represent, and how was it associated with atonement? What was to be the punishment if they did not obey (vs 4, 9-10, and 14).
4. Ponder: The blood of an animal is its life, and without blood, an animal dies. In Genesis 2:17, the Lord commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of Good and evil, and if they ate of it, their punishment would be death. It did not take long for sin to overtake them, and they ate. God did not immediately kill them, but He did kill an animal to provide clothing, a covering for them, because of their sin. In Exodus and Leviticus, God continued to paint a vivid picture of their need for death to cover sins as He established the Law and the sacrificial system. In our reading today, we saw the seriousness of the blood that must be shed to make atonement for sin. Read Ephesians 1:7 and Hebrews 7:27. How do these verses shed light on why God would place such an emphasis on the blood? How does it impact you to consider our sin and all God did to make atonement for us? How does this lead you to pray?
5. For more insight: For more information on the goat demon: https://www.gotquestions.org/idols-demons.html and https://www.gotquestions.org/blood-is-the-life.html.

August 18: Leviticus 18

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. According to verses 1-5, what must Israel not do? What phrase is repeated 3 times in these verses? In our culture, we often see the mantra of “do what feels good to you.” How does this repeated phrase contradict our culture’s mantra and set the standard for the rest of the chapter and our lives?
2. When you read the list of commands in this passage, notice that many of the commands are directed toward the men of Israel, but not all. Male leadership in Israel was evident throughout the Bible. This did not mean men were more important than women; all people are made in the image of God. However, God did assign different roles to males and females (This could be a whole study in and of itself!). Ponder: How might the way God addresses the males in this chapter place accountability of honoring God with our sexual conduct on the shoulders of men? But, at the same time, God cares about female sexual conduct as well and holds women to the same standard. Remember in verse 2, we see these commands are for everyone. Oh, how our world needs to understand this chapter!
3. As you read this chapter, what does God call these actions? (Vs 17 and 26-30) What would be our modern-day terms for the actions we see in this chapter? How does our culture view some of these forbidden sexual actions? In Hebrews 13:4, it says, “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” Everything listed in this chapter is sexually immoral and adulterous. The bible is clear that all sex outside the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman is sinful.
4. Ponder: As you read and meditate on this chapter, what in it challenges you? (Perhaps a specific command surprises you, or stands in contradiction to the popular sexual ethics of our day.) Speak or journal a prayer to God about what you’re feeling as you read this chapter. Thank Him for providing you the wisdom in His Word to live wisely, and ask Him to help you believe that God’s ways are truly the way to satisfaction and flourishing. He is the Lord your God.
5. Ponder: All of us have pain and things we regret in our pasts, whether our sin was along the lines described in this chapter or in a different area of life. When we feel the depths of our depravity in light of God’s truth, how do 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and 1 John 1:9 challenge and encourage us?

August 19: Leviticus 19

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. This chapter is a mix of ceremonial (having to do with sacrifices and ritual impurity), civil (rules for how to govern Israel and their laws), and moral laws (having to do with universal principles of right and wrong). If you did not have time to watch this video yesterday, here it is again: video from What’s in the Bible explaining the different categories of the Law.
2. Re-read Leviticus 19:1-2. What is the overarching principle that unites the instructions in this chapter? As you read each instruction in Leviticus 19, consider: How would obeying this instruction have allowed Israel to display God’s holiness in a pagan culture?
3. As you read this chapter, you’ll notice that certain instructions are “punctuated” with “I am the LORD.” The entire point of the Law was to reveal God’s character, specifically His holiness. As you read these instructions, consider: What does the fact that God thought THIS instruction was important tell you about Him? What does He value?
4. Ponder: You might also notice that many, if not all, of the 10 Commandments are mentioned or referenced in this chapter. (A fun challenge: try to spot all 10!) Why might God have felt the need to repeat Himself? Why might this be significant, or what might this teach us about our need to read and re-read God’s Word?
5. Ponder: Many of the commands in this chapter likely had to do with Israel’s responsibility to be different than the Canaanites and Egyptians. They believed you had to appease the gods by engaging in some practices that the true God called abominations. Their practices were called sin and were so egregious that the land “vomited out its inhabitants.” (re-read Leviticus 18:24-30, where this was just discussed!). These instructions also served an important distinctive purpose: Israel was to display their continual trust in the God who worked for them, unlike the Canaanite gods who needed to be goaded into “action.” Do your ways of solving problems and seeking God’s intervention in your life demonstrate an attitude more like the Canaanites (if I do something God will move) or more like what God calls us to in this chapter (trust in God’s perfect provision for your life)? What is one practical step you can take today to trust and rely on God? How does this lead you to pray?

August 20: Leviticus 20

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to the Lord in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. As you read this chapter, note what kinds of sins are mentioned as being punishable by death in ancient Israel. Who do these sins most seem to harm or offend? Why do you think God viewed these sins so severely?
2. Why do you think God prescribed such a harsh punishment for these sins? What was the danger of allowing these sins to remain and be imitated by others? (See verse 22-24, 26 for help with this question.)
3. Ponder: Leviticus 20 is an excellent example of the civil elements of the Old Testament Law. In this chapter, God gives Israel a list of offenses that are mentioned in other places in Leviticus, but here, He specifically prescribes how the leaders of the community should punish these offenses. However, we modern Christians in America might feel about the severity of these punishments, this chapter makes clear a theme throughout the whole Bible - ALL our sins lead to death (Romans 6:23). Whether the sins in this chapter are ones you’ve committed or not, how does this chapter impress on you the severity of your own sin? How does it make you grateful for God’s desire and plan to redeem us from death through Jesus?
4. Speak or journal a prayer to God, confessing your own sins and thanking God for sending Jesus to fulfil the Law in your place. Reflect on the good news that when we confess our sins, we are forgiven and cleansed (1 John 1:8-10).

August 21: Leviticus 21

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. Leviticus 21 contains special instructions for the priests of Israel, those who would lead Israel in their ritual worship of God and represent God’s presence among the Israelites. Because of their privileged position and role, they had an even higher expectation of holiness (both moral and the ritual/symbolic kind).
2. While the Israelites would “make themselves unclean” (coming in contact with a dead body) by preparing the body of a deceased relative and attending their funeral, what were God’s requirements for His priests, according to verses 1-4?
3. What other symbols of being “set apart” from the pagan priests and regular Israelites were required for priests in Israel, according to verses 5-8?
4. Were these expectations just for the priests? In verse 9, who else is required to be holy?
5. What extra requirements did God place on the High Priest in verses 10-15?
6. Verses 16-21 describe physical conditions that kept a descendant of the priests from actively serving in the Tabernacle. Remember that being “without defect” was also a requirement for the animal sacrifices (we read this in Leviticus 1). As you consider how physical infirmity symbolizes our world’s sinful, broken state, why do you think God wanted those who served as priests to have bodies that were “whole?”
7. Ponder: Even though physical infirmities kept certain males from the priestly line from serving in the tabernacle, what gracious gift did God give them, according to verses 22-23? What does this tell you about God’s heart to restore what’s broken?
8. Ponder: Read Isaiah 35:1-10, a beautiful picture of the wholeness that God intends to one day bring again to our world. How does this passage give you hope as you live in a world broken by sin and often made more difficult by things like death, mourning, disease, and physical disabilities? How does this lead you to pray?

August 22: Leviticus 22

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. Leviticus Chapter 22 continues the topic started in the previous chapter, special instructions for God’s priests. It also moves on to a few more details about the kinds of animals that are acceptable to God as sacrifices.
2. While the priests always had the position of being God’s priest, their ability to function in that role was sometimes temporarily limited by certain things. In verses 1-8, what sorts of things could temporarily keep a priest from serving?
3. What, according to verse 9, seems to be the “heart-level” sin God is warning against? Why does this matter to God?
4. What people, other than the priests themselves, were also invited into this deeper fellowship with God by enjoying the food offered to God, according to verses 10-13?
5. Verses 14-16 describe what someone should do if they accidentally ate what was only for the priests. Why would this person need to make restitution for this food? (Hint: Who did it ultimately belong to, and what would eating it wrongly symbolize?)
6. Verses 17-30 describe more general rules about sacrificial animals that applied to all Israelites, not just priests. What sorts of things disqualified an animal from being offered as a sacrifice? Why do you think God required most of their offerings to be without defect? What could offering such an animal, versus an injured one, imply?
7. Ponder: Temporary ritual uncleanness and sinful contempt could limit the priests’ ability to be physically close to God in His tabernacle. Similarly, a Christian’s sin can hinder our fellowship (our feeling of closeness) with God. Being a Christian means being united to God as His Child; that’s a position we always have. But there are certainly times when our sin has caused us to lack intimacy with Him. Consider a time in your life when you felt distant from God. What helped you to draw nearer to Him in fellowship? What principles can you draw from this passage that could help you to deepen your fellowship with God?
8. Ponder: The high standards for both the priests and sacrifices described in Leviticus 21 and 22 foreshadowed our totally-perfect High Priest and true sacrifice, Jesus (see Hebrews 7:26-28 and 9:11-14). His perfection has now transferred to those of us who have believed in Him as a grace we have not earned (Ephesians 5:25-27). And through His Holy Spirit, He is truly cleansing us and making us into His image day by day! How do these truths make you want to pray to God? Speak aloud or journal your prayer of worship and gratitude to Him.

August 23: Leviticus 23

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. Leviticus 23 lists six sacred holidays Israel was to participate in yearly. But notice first, God repeats His instructions about the Sabbath (v. 3). How is the Sabbath connected to each of the following festivals? Read the chapter again, looking specifically for this connection, and make note of what you learn.
2. Each of the festivals, while providing real spiritual lessons for ancient Israel, also foreshadows beautiful truths about our Savior:
3. The Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread remembered how God freed Israel from slavery in Egypt (read Exodus 12:1-28 for details about this festival). According to Matthew 26:17-30, what significant event occurred on the night of a Passover meal? How did Jesus give this festival new significance?
4. Leviticus 23:9-14 gave Israel instructions for a one-time festival, which they were to celebrate when He led them into the promised land. Before they could enjoy any of the harvest of their new land, what were they to present to the Lord? Why do you think this would be spiritually significant for them? (Read 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 - what is the spiritual significance of this festival for Christians today?)
5. Leviticus 23:15-22 describes the Festival of Weeks, or Pentecost, which would take place 50 days after the Passover. This festival was one focused on thanksgiving and gratitude for how God had provided and fulfilled His promises to Israel. Read John 14:16-20 and Acts 2:1-4. What promise did God fulfill at Pentecost in the New Testament that we Christians can still thank Him for today?
6. Leviticus 23:23-25 briefly mentions the Festival of Trumpets, which signified the beginning of the month in which the Day of Atonement took place. Verse 26-32 then describes this day, focusing on what the people were to do, rather than what the priest did on this day (as you read in Leviticus 16). Compared to other festival days’ instructions to not rest, how many verses did God devote to emphasizing this instruction for this festival? Why do you think God particularly emphasized this on the Day of Atonement? (Read Ephesians 2:8-9 for help with this question.)
7. Last, Leviticus 23:33-44 describes the Festival of Tabernacles or “booths.” What was the purpose of this festival, according to v. 42-43? This festival celebrated how God provided for Israel in the wilderness, but also how God would “tabernacle” (which means “dwell” or “dwelling place”) among them as His chosen people. What ultimate good news in our future does this festival point us to? (Read Revelation 21:1-5)
8. Ponder: A repeated theme in these festivals was a time of rest, relying on God, and demonstrating trust in His provision through resting from work and offering Him the firstfruits. In what areas of your life do you most struggle to trust God (your finances, time, family, future)? What might it look like for you to purposefully demonstrate trust in God’s provision by offering Him the sacrifice of your “firstfruits”? How could you embrace God’s invitation to “rest” in this area of your life?
9. How do you want to praise God for this chapter of Scripture and the good news about Jesus it gives us?

August 24: Leviticus 24

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. The first half of Leviticus 24 is another set of instructions for sacred items in the Tabernacle.
2. What two parts of the tabernacle are described in v. 1-4 and 5-9? How often were the priests to interact with these objects?
3. Both the Lampstand and the Table of Showbread were to represent Israel’s presence with their Holy God. Was there ever a time that the lamp would not be lit or the table would be without bread? What would this have represented to Israel?
4. The second half of Leviticus 24 describes a situation in the camp that demonstrated the danger of being a sinful person trying to live near a holy God (a major theme of Leviticus!).
5. What sin did the man in this account commit?
6. What was the punishment for this sin? What other sins did God choose to remind Israel of in this moment that earned a similar punishment?
7. In Leviticus 24:17-22, what distinctions can you draw between humans, animals, Israelites, and non-Israelites? What do the different punishments imply about how God views these things? Who or what does God value?
8. Ponder: Though Israel could only be symbolically in God’s presence through the Lampstand and Table of Showbread, what has changed for Christians today, and how? (Read Hebrews 10:19-25) How could you live more in light of these truths today?
9. Ponder: How do God’s principles of justice and valuing those made in God’s image (all equally) prompt you to pray for the lawmakers of our country?
10. God prescribed “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” in ancient Israel as a way to limit the severity of their punishments (in the ancient world, the law was often “death for an eye!”). But by the New Testament (and in our hearts today), this can be seen as a license for revenge. What does Jesus tell us that Christians should do in these situations? (Read Matthew 5:38-42). How can you surrender yourself to God’s justice today?

August 25: Leviticus 25

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. The major subject of this chapter is the physical land of the promised land, and the food it produces to sustain the Israelites. According to verses 23 and 55, to whom does the land of Canaan and the people of Israel ultimately belong? Keep this in mind as you read God’s instructions to Israel for how to care for the land and the people.
2. Read Leviticus 25:1-7 and 18-22. How often was Israel to let the land lie fallow and rest from agricultural work? What did God promise He would do for them if they trusted Him by obeying this instruction?
3. Read Leviticus 25:8-17 and 23-33. What things would get returned to their ancestral owners on the year of Jubilee, and what would not? How would this practice remind them who ultimately owned the land? How does this demonstrate God’s grace for His people?
4. The rest of Leviticus 25 outlines specific instructions God gave to protect the poor related to the Year of Jubilee.
5. According to verses 35-43 and 47-55, how were the Israelites and rich foreigners to treat poor Israelites? How were they to treat the foreigner and stranger among them?
6. Leviticus 25:44-46 allowed for a more lasting form of slavery in Israel, which can be surprising to us modern Christians. It’s important to remember that God was limiting the already-in-practice tradition of slavery in the ancient world, not prescribing it. He had already told Israel that they could not mistreat anyone (see Lev. 19:18, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”). The Law was God’s first word on many areas of life and sinful practices, not His last. (Consider the different ways that Jesus reinterpreted and restated the Law in the Sermon on the Mount!) For deeper study: Read the book of Philemon for an example of how the Holy Spirit prompted Paul to emphasize the equality of all people, even slaves.
7. Ponder: When you consider your property (whether a house, land, or smaller items), do you often stop to consider that they are first and foremost not yours, but God’s? How would it change your life to treat everything you owned as something you “rent” or “steward” from God?
8. Ponder: Like the relatives who could redeem (pay the price to set free) an enslaved Israelite before the year of Jubilee, Jesus came to redeem us who were slaves to sin and buried under our debt to God (see Romans 8:1-2 and Colossians 2:13-14). What does this truth make you want to say to God? Journal your prayer to Him in worship.

August 26: Leviticus 26

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. Leviticus 26 is a rich chapter displaying God’s holiness AND His grace. He makes many promises in this chapter (both good and bad). If you are a visual person, taking a piece of paper to make a chart of God’s promised “blessings” and “curses” in v. 1-35, so that you can more easily compare the parallelism between the two, is strongly recommended! (This will take some time, but it will be very fruitful, I promise!)
2. Look at Leviticus 26:13-14: Why should Israel obey God and enjoy His blessings?
3. As God describes the consequences of rejecting His covenant, there is a clear progression (note verses 18, 21, 23-24, and 27-28). Based on this repeated line, is God warning, “If Israel sins against me, all of these things will happen to them without any way to stop it”? What hope is implied here based on these verses and what we know of God’s character?
4. Ponder: Verse 36-39 is a desolate picture of where we end up when we try to do things on our own without relying on or obeying God. Can you relate to the emotions described in this paragraph, in a time when you were far from God?
5. Ponder: Such good news! What hope does God offer to rebellious Israel in verses 40-45? Though these promises were written to ancient Israel, and not to us modern-day Christians, God’s Character remains the same and is so beautifully seen in the grace He offers us in Jesus. How does God promise to respond when we confess our sins? (See 1 John 1:9) Take advantage of this promise to you right now and experience the joy of His mercy and forgiveness!

August 27: Leviticus 27

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. Leviticus 27, as a fitting end to this book about living with a holy God, ends in a kind of worship. God gives Laws regulating how Israel could dedicate things to God out of their gratitude for His presence and promises. None of the vows described in this chapter are required by God, but freely offered by the Israelite. Vows to God were usually not life-long, which is why this chapter describes the process of “buying back” these things and people from God. These instructions would have emphasized for Israel the “weight” of their words - just like God was faithful to His promises and took them seriously, they shouldn’t make flippant vows to God. He expected the people to fulfill the vows they made.
2. Ponder: Read vs. 26-27 and 29-33. After talking about things people could voluntarily devote to God, He reminds them that there are some things that are already owed to Him. The tithe, the dedication of firstborns, and the fact that certain places/people in Canaan were devoted to destruction reminded Israel again that they were only “renters” of what was truly God’s. The entire book of Leviticus had emphasized a life of self-dedication to the Lord in response to what He has done for them.
3. And what about us? Read Romans 8:31-39. As those who have been given every good thing from God, what would change in your life if you dedicated your whole life to God out of gratitude for what He’s given you? How does this lead you to pray?

The city of Colosse was located about 100 miles east of Ephesus and was under Roman rule. The city was comprised of Greeks, Phrygians, and some Jews. The mixture of ungodly influences of the culture around them led to a misunderstanding of who Christ was and how He called believers to live. Paul most likely wrote this letter while imprisoned in Rome. He had never met the believers in Colosse, but felt a strong urge to write to them and combat false teaching that was creeping into the church. So, Paul wrote the book of Colossians to clarify the supremacy and complete sufficiency of Christ. Like the city of Colosse, our culture is filled with false teaching about Christ, His deity, and His exclusive ability to save sinful people. He is the world’s only hope!

August 28: Colossians 1

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. The book of Colossians is written to the believers in Colosse. In verses 1-8, how does Paul describe these believers? What is the source of their love for the saints?
2. In verses 9-14, what does Paul pray the believers will be filled with? What does He pray will be the outcome of this filling? Where does our power come from? Why does Paul want them to have power? What has the Lord transferred us to by the forgiveness of our sins?
3. In verses 15-20, Paul describes the supremacy of Christ. What does the little word “all” tell you about Christ? What do you see in this section that would declare the deity of Christ?
4. In verses 21-23, what was the previous condition of the believer, and what did Christ do to change this?
5. In verses 24-29, what is the mystery that has now been made known? (Hint: what did God choose to make known?)
6. Ponder: Paul’s prayer in verses 9-14 is a beautiful prayer to pray for yourself and others. Take a moment and pray this back to God. In the prayer, Paul wants believers to be full of the knowledge of God, which he elaborates on in verses 15-20. In verse 29, Paul stated he toils, struggling, but with Christ’s energy working powerfully in Him. What aspect of the sufficiency of Christ, listed in verses 15-20, do you need to be reminded of and rest in as you face your day? How does this lead you to pray?

August 29: Colossians 2

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. In verses 1-5, Paul lays out his purpose for the whole book. What type of assurance does he want their hearts to reach? What does he want their heart to have assurance of? What is hidden in Christ? Why is he telling them this information? Note: notice the types of arguments they will be facing are persuasive and plausible, not outrageous at face value. All the more reason to truly know the word of God!
2. In verses 6-7, when we see the word “therefore,” we always want to ask what it is “there for.” Look at verse 5; what does Paul rejoice in? So, since they are in good order and firm in their faith, “therefore,” what does he want them to do?
3. In verses 8-15, what might take the believers captive? How is Christ described in verse 9? The rest of this section reminds the believers of their completeness in Christ. Paul states they were dead in their sins. How were they made alive?
4. In verses 16-23, why is the “therefore,” “there for?” This section focuses on three false teachings that place the focus on man for spiritual growth versus the sufficiency of Christ. In verses 16-17, the false teachers were focusing on outward actions of legalistic obedience as the proof of one’s right standing before Christ. In verses 18-19, the false teachers were pointing people to mysticism: the act of self-denial for the sake of spiritism, worship of angels, pursuit of visions, and a focus on experience without reason. In verses 20-23, the false teachers were encouraging a turning to the elemental spirits of the world. These were false doctrines that implied Christ was not enough, and a person needed to perform acts of self-denial to be saved. As you read this section, what do these false teachings have the appearance of? What do they have the inability to stop? Lastly, in verse 19, where does true growth come from for the believer?
5. Ponder: Sadly, nothing has changed in over 2,000 years. There are still false teachings in our world that have the appearance of godliness, but are leading others astray. Read Matthew 24:24, 1 John 4:1, and 2 Corinthians 11:13-15. Who do you turn to for your spiritual growth? How are you doing at discernment for who you follow online, on podcasts you listen to, or the books you read? I’m not saying there are no good resources out there, but do we have discernment to recognize false teaching? Remember, it is persuasive and plausible, so how can we know? Paul is making the argument that Christ, His word, is supreme! If you’ve read this far, you are digging into God’s word! He will grow you and give you true wisdom and discernment! How does this lead you to pray?
6. For more information on elemental spirits: https://www.gotquestions.org/elemental-spirits.html.

August 30: Colossians 3

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. This is such a rich chapter! In verses 1-4, where should our minds be focused and why? Challenge: memorize verse 2.
2. In verses 5-16, we see a contrast between what you are to put to death (off) and what you are to put on. I encourage you to make a list for these two categories. Here is an example to get you started:
   
   
   
   What binds all the things you are to put on (V14)? What will be the result of putting these on (v 15)? In verse 16, how important is the word of God for our lives?
3. According to verse 17, no matter what we do, how are we to do it? In verses 18-22 and 4:1, what are the “whatever you do” areas of life in which Paul draws our attention? Add these items to your lists above of put off or put on. In verses 23-24, we see a repeated phrase from verse 17: “Whatever you do…” How are we to work? Who are we serving?
4. Ponder: If you completed the columns for Put off and Put on, prayerfully read through each, asking God to convict you of any area you need to put off and any area you need to put on. Write down what the Lord is showing you and ask Him to grow you in this area.
5. Ponder: Why do you think God put in verse 25? Is it easy to put off the old self and put on the new, particularly when someone is wronging you? How does the world react when they are wronged? In every area of life, are we to act and react according to the new self only when the other person deserves our “new self” response? Who are we serving when we choose “put on” the new self?
6. Ponder: How might verses 24-25 relate to verses 1-4? How does setting our minds on eternity encourage us to serve the Lord in whatever we do? What awaits us? How does this lead you to pray?

August 31: Colossians 4

Pray: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

1. What do you learn about God (The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit)? His thoughts, ways, or actions toward us, as His creation? How can you respond to God in prayer and praise?

Dig Deeper:

1. Note: Verse 4:1 was included in yesterday’s reading, and the rest of the chapter continues Paul’s instructions to the church at Colosse as well as his parting comments.
2. In verses 2-4, how are we to continue in prayer? How were they to specifically pray for Paul? Ponder: Is this a common prayer you pray for yourself or others? How could this kind of prayer change your life and our world?
3. In verses 5-6, how are we to walk toward outsiders (those who are not of the faith)? What is the result of speaking with grace, “seasoned with salt”? “Seasoned with salt” has the meaning of wisdom revealed in one’s speech. (In context: putting on Christ’s wisdom in our speech). Verse 6 is another great verse to memorize from Colossians.
4. As you read verses 7-18, pay close attention to what is said about the people listed. If you were a believer in Colosse, facing false teachers and perhaps a little shaken by Paul’s letter to raise your awareness of false teaching, how would this list of believers impact you? How would it impact you to read verse 12?
5. Ponder: If someone were describing you to fellow believers, what would be said of you? Would they say of you, you:

“Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord” 1:10
“Have full assurance of understanding and knowledge of God” 2:2
“No one has deluded you” 2:4
“Set your mind on things above where Christ is” 3:1-2

“Put to death what is earthly and put on the new self” 3:5-4:1
“Whatever you do, it is for the Lord” 3:17
“Speak with grace and wisdom” 4:6

We will not be perfect in this life; this is why we desperately need a Savior. However, the pattern of our life as believers should be growth, learning daily to walk in a manner pleasing to Him who saved us. Not because our works make us acceptable to God, Christ did this on the cross, but growth out of the gratitude of our changed hearts who love Him. Read Colossians 3:10. Does it say we are renewed or are being renewed? The verb tense matters! We are in the process of being renewed day by day. How can we pray for ourselves and others, that God, who has reconciled us through the blood of Christ, would help us continually grow so that “whatever we do, in word or deed, we would do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (3:17). How does this lead you to pray?