Azazel

And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the LORD and the other lot for Azazel. And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the LORD and use it as a sin offering, but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the LORD to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel. -Lev 16:8-10

From the Easton Bible Dictionary:
Azazel
(Lev_16:8, Lev_16:10, Lev_16:26, Revised Version only here; rendered "scape-goat" in the Authorized Version). This word has given rise to many different views. Some Jewish interpreters regard it as the name of a place some 12 miles east of Jerusalem, in the wilderness. Others take it to be the name of an evil spirit, or even of Satan. But when we remember that the two goats together form a type of Christ, on whom the Lord "laid the iniquity of us all," and examine into the root meaning of this word (viz., "separation"), the interpretation of those who regard the one goat as representing the atonement made, and the other, that "for Azazel," as representing the effect of the great work of atonement (viz., the complete removal of sin), is certainly to be preferred. The one goat which was "for Jehovah" was offered as a sin-offering, by which atonement was made. But the sins must also be visibly banished, and therefore they were symbolically laid by confession on the other goat, which was then "sent away for Azazel" into the wilderness. The form of this word indicates intensity, and therefore signifies the total separation of sin: it was wholly carried away. It was important that the result of the sacrifices offered by the high priest alone in the sanctuary should be embodied in a visible transaction, and hence the dismissal of the "scape-goat." It was of no consequence what became of it, as the whole import of the transaction lay in its being sent into the wilderness bearing away sin. As the goat "for Jehovah" was to witness to the demerit of sin and the need of the blood of atonement, so the goat "for Azazel" was to witness to the efficacy of the sacrifice and the result of the shedding of blood in the taking away of sin.

Suffering of the Saints - When? Where?

When?
Suffering among Christians began with John the Baptist and continues to the present. The suffering only lasts a little while before God calls us to him (1Pe 5:10). Paul considers this affliction to be "momentary" when compared to the eternity of glory to come (2Co 4:17).

• Mat_11:12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.
• 1Pe_5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
• Heb_10:32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings,
• 2Co_4:17 For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

Where?
Paul experienced persecution and suffering just about everywhere he went (2Ti 3:11). Christians are known to be experiencing suffering throughout the entire world (1Pe 5:9).

• 1Pe_5:9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
• 2Ti_3:11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra--which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.

The Law

Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient. . . -1Ti 1:8-9a

I often hear the response, "That's the Old Testament," when confronting a brother with scripture relating to sin in his life. There's this mistaken notion out there that because Christ came, the Old Testament is completely obsolete and has nothing to say about how we should live our lives.

This belief is an over-extension of Christ's work on the cross. Yes, the ceremonial laws were fulfilled by Christ--we no longer need to sacrifice turtledoves, offer wave offerings, or make atonement for our sins because Christ is our atoning sacrifice. And the legal demands for the people of Israel (e.g., If you're watching your neighbor's bull and it dies from no wrong-doing, sell the bull and split the proceeds) don't apply directly to us with the American legal system. But the moral laws tell us what is acceptable and unacceptable to God, and we must continue to live by these laws. For God is the same today, 2000 years after Christ, as He was 2000 years before He came. The moral law was not erased by Christ's death on the cross.

The other cause of this mistaken belief about the moral laws presented by Moses is an errant view of Old Testament salvation. Many believe the law was given as a means for obtaining eternal life. This was the error of the pharisees that Jesus rebuked repeatedly. The law was not given to be a means unto salvation, rather a guardian to lead us to Christ. It is a mirror to show us the depth of our sin, how far we fall from God's glorious standard. All the saints from Abraham to Paul have been justified the same way, by faith apart from the law. Yet all obeyed the law to make their faith complete.

Excommunication

If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. - 2Th 3:14-15

Oh the depth of this command: "Have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed." Maybe this command wouldn't be so difficult and controversial if we always remembered to include the second verse. Church discipline is an unfortunate necessity. As long as we have humans in our churches, we will continue to have sin that needs to be dealt with. Yes, the penalty of that sin was already taken care of by Christ on the cross. Therefore, the church discipline cannot be seen as punishment, rather an encouragement of sorts. The real goal of removing the disobedient brother from fellowship is to encourage him to obey the Lord, to shock him into realizing the depth of his disobedience, and to act as a means to bring about the sanctification God is working in his life. It must always be done with (tough) love--not as an enemy--but as a brother.

Suffering of the Saints - What?

The form that suffering takes is quite varied. For some suffering may be self-inflicted by choosing to give possessions away to serve others. They may be destitute or wear funny clothes because of love of the Gospel (Heb 11:37). Some receive verbal persecution by being publicly ridiculed (Heb 10:33) and mocked (Heb 11:36). Some experience physical affliction (Heb 10:33) and flogging (Heb 11:36) that does not kill . Many others are imprisoned for their faith (2 Ti 2:9, Heb 11:36) and have everything taken away from them (Phi 3:8) or are driven out of their homeland (1 Th 2:15). Finally, many suffer the ultimate persecution, death, being stoned, sawn in two, and killed with the sword (Heb 11:37).

Verses:

• Heb_11:36-37 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated--
• Heb_10:33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated.
• 2Ti_2:9 [the gospel] for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!
• Phi_3:8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish...
• 1Th_2:15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind

Suffering from Fellow Countrymen

For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind. -1 Thes 2:14-15
Every time I hear a story of Christmas trees being removed from the public square, or a kid being told he can't read his Bible in school, or another corporation banning the phrase "Merry Christmas," I'm shocked. I still believe the lie that Christians should be treated fairly. Well that's not really a lie--Christians should be treated fairly--it's just not going to happen. I'm not naive enough to believe Christians are treated fairly in communist North Korea, or muslim Saudi Arabia, or atheistic Sweden, but come on, this is the U.S.A. Home of the Free and Land of the Brave. The nation of Pilgrims, Puritans, and Abraham Lincoln.

I may never understand why people hate the good news that Jesus sacrificed himself to pay our penalty. But I will trust the Bible when it says I will suffer at the hands of my fellow countrymen. The Christmas child's countrymen crucified him for claiming to be God, so I shouldn't be surprised when my countrymen prefer celebrating Santa Claus to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Unintentional Sins

All the sins listed in Leviticus 4 are unintentional. Unintentional sins are forgiven, but the sinner must acknowledge his sin, confess it to the priest, and have a sacrifice made for his sins. Yes, Jesus came as our eternal sacrifice. That means we don't need to go to a priest to have a bull slaughtered for our sins. But it doesn't change the fact that sin is sin. We still need to acknowledge that our sins are sins. And we still need to confess our sins to whoever can make us right with God. And the role of confessee is He who offered Himself as a sacrifice, not a merely human priest, but the eternal high priest, the Lord Jesus Christ.

I'm curious to see what Leviticus has to say about intentional sins...

A Pleasing Aroma

"It is a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD." - Lev 3:5b

Burning fat, kidneys, and liver is a pleasing aroma. Sure that would smell good on a grill while it's still in the roasting stage. But burning? Burnt fleshy smoke doesn't please human nostrils. This is just one more example of how different God's ways are from our ways.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isa 55:8-9).

Vanity of Vanities

When a person is born anew and experiences repentance, his attitude about Jesus changes. Jesus himself becomes the cetnral focus and supreme value of life. Before the new birth happens and repentance occurs, a hundred other things seem more important and more attractive: health, family, job, friends, sports, music, food, sex, hobbies, retirement. But when God gives the radical change of new birth and repentance, Jesus himself becomes our supreme treasure. - John Piper, What Jesus Demands from the World, p. 44

When I read this passage, my first reaction was pitty for those who are still trapped in believing the things of this world are deeply valuable. Of course, most of these things are good; they're just not the best. Health, family, financial provision, etc. are all wonderful blessings, but they're so fleeting. That's not even to mention things like sports, which though often entertaining, serve no real purpose in life. Oh I love my family--especially my wife and baby daughter--but if that's all I had, my life would be meaningless. It would merely be an 80 year waste of time. Putting hard work into a marriage that will die on my death, or into raising a child who will die in a few decades, is not really significant. The Bible is right--everything under the sun is meaningless, meaningless, meaningless. I like the translations that call it "vanity." All these things are wonderful on the surface, but deep down have no real substance in themselves: vanity.

But enter Jesus into the scene. He is eternal, immortal, everlasting, the Ancient of Days. He is meaning personified. All meaningless things done unto Him suddenly become meaningful. Raising my daughter in the knowledge and fear of the Lord gives meaning to an otherwise vain task. Earning an income to serve the Lord financially becomes a meaningful occupation. And, even sports, when done unto the Lord, can have eternal significance.

Crowns of Boasting

1Th 2:19-20 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy.

Who is my crown of boasting before the Lord? Passages like this challenge me so deeply. On one hand, I'm convicted of my huge lack of Thessalonians in my life. And on the other hand, I'm incredibly encouraged to go preach the word to gain crowns to lay before my Lord.

Seasoned With Salt

Lev 2:13 You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.

Could Jesus be alluding to this passage when he says, "You are the salt of the earth?" I don't think that was his primary meaning in the Sermon on the Mount, but it's an interesting aspect of being salt. What can we learn from this passage in Leviticus about our role as salt? We are to offer ourselves with all our offerings of firstfruits. A heartless offering, no matter how large, if it doesn't have a piece of myself, is an improper offering. This is the point of Jesus' teaching about the woman who offered two small pennies--it was all she had; she gave of herself.