Why was God so hard on Nadab and Abihu? Sure, they tried to incorporate some sort of innovation into the form of worship at the Tabernacle, but did they really deserve to get killed over something like that? Well, in order to understand all this, we need to remember that…

“It’s not my actions, it’s my intentions that matter most. As long as my heart’s in the right place, you shouldn’t judge what I do or say.” Lots of people live according to these kinds of rules. For them, authenticity is the greatest virtue, and hypocrisy is the only real…

“Jesus died to pay the penalty for my sinful actions.” That’s true, but that’s not all that Jesus’ sacrifice did for us. In fact, in the first three chapters of Leviticus, we see sacrifices offered for reasons other than to pay for the sins of the people. In chapter 3,…

Have you ever wondered why there’s so much repetition in the Bible? Chapters 36-39 describe how Bezalel and Oholiab fashioned all the things that were involved in the worship of God – the plated wooden objects, the embroidered textiles, and the objects of cast metal. And then they’re all listed…

Do Christians have to tithe, to give a tenth of our income? Should we tithe on our gross income, or only what’s left after taxes? Do we have to give all of our tithe to the church, or can we use it for other charitable purposes? Behind all of these…

No, there’s nothing we can possibly do to save ourselves. It is God Who graciously enters into covenant with His people (Exodus 34:10), in spite of our rebellion against Him (Exodus 33:3). It is only the mediation of Christ which prevents God from abandoning us altogether – a mediation which…

Jesus is our great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14). So, what does that mean for us? An examination of today’s passage can help us answer that question. What did an ancient priest do? Well, he wore on his shoulders two onyx stones engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel….

How can I enter the presence of God? This is the question that most of the world’s religions ask, and most of them give some sort of ethical answer – do certain things, and avoid other behaviors. The design of the Tabernacle points in a completely different direction. Of course,…

At the Last Supper, Jesus said, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many” (Mark 14:24). But what is the blood of the covenant? And why is it so important to us? Today’s passage shows us, by describing the covenant God made with His people….

What do I have to do to gain divine approval? This question lies at the heart of most of the world’s religions, and virtually all of them believe the answer is doing certain good things or leaving certain bad things undone. How different is the situation in the book of…