As God Commanded

So Aaron and his sons did all the things that the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses.

--Leviticus 8:36  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 21, 2013 of Psalm 37:21-28; Acts 6; Leviticus 7:28-9:6.

In Leviticus, basically a manual for the priests and Israelites, Moses records how God gave His chosen people specific and precise instructions for the proper way they could atone for their sins and be forgiven.  Different payments and/or sacrifices for the different offenses and sins are clearly defined by God and described by Moses in this account.  Included are the sacrifices and rituals to install Aaron and his sons, of the house of Levi (as is Moses), into the priesthood, and the rituals and sacrifices they are to perform for the children of Israel from then on.  No one but Moses, who was an old man of over 80 years at this point, heard God, yet all the people, including his brother Aaron and his sons, were willing to follow what God commanded through Moses, by his hand.

God made the ultimate sacrifice on all our behalf by giving up the perfect, spotless Lamb, His only Son, Jesus, to atone for our sins that we may be forgiven.  No one heard God's words by Jesus, who commanded us only to believe, and to love one another.  Aaron and his sons and all the children of Israel believed Moses.  Why do we find so much difficulty believing Jesus?  Forgive us, Lord!  Amen.

Heavenly Father, thank You for offering up the perfect sacrifice on our behalf, to atone for our sins.  Thank You for giving us the one true Way to salvation, through Your Son, Jesus.  Forgive us when we have trouble believing Him, when we fail to follow the path He laid, when we disobey His great commandment.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.