February - 1
WHERE IT ALL BEGINS
God banished him . . . [and] placed . . . cherubim . . . to guard the way to the tree of life. Genesis 3:23-24
Our reflections on the book of Leviticus need to begin with the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve enjoyed complete fellowship with God, with one another, and with the world around them. Life in God’s presence was very good. But Adam and Eve’s sin changed all that.
Banished from God’s presence, neither they nor any of their descendants looked for a way back to God. But God did. Through many and different ways God brought his people close to him. After giving the people his law for daily living at Mount Sinai, God’s holy presence descended from Sinai to dwell in the tabernacle, a tent God designed for staying with his people in all their travels. The camp around the tabernacle was almost like the Garden of Eden: a good place to live with God in re¬newed holiness. From the tabernacle God gave Moses the words that make up the book of Leviticus. Through Moses God instructed the people on how to enjoy his holy presence again.
Through many and different ways God has come even closer to his people today. Through the finished work of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-2), the Holy Spirit of God dwells in the hearts of people everywhere who are called to be his disciples. As disciples of Christ today, let us hear the holy words of God in Leviticus and discern in them God’s wisdom for living in Christ today.
PRAYER
Thank you, Lord God, for bringing us into your holy presence again. Help us to live holy, faithful lives through the power of your Spirit in us, for Jesus, our Savior’s sake. Amen.
我们要思想利未记，便要从伊甸园的故事开始，当时亚当和夏娃很享受与神、与对方，以及与世界和谐共处的生活。与神一起的生活，好得无比。可是，亚当和夏娃犯罪后，一切都改变了。
在被打发出伊甸园后，他们及他们的子孙，没有一人寻找方法回到神那里，只有神这样作。神在西乃山向百姓颁布日常生活的律例后，便从西乃山降临，住到会幕中。会幕是神亲自设计，作为祂与百姓旅途中同行时，祂自己所居住的一个帐棚。而会幕附近所扎的营，几乎和伊甸园一模一样，它是与神同住，重新过圣洁生活的好地方。神在会幕中向摩西所说的话，便是利未记的内容。神透过摩西指示祂的百姓如何再次享受祂神圣的同在。
今天，神透过各种方法与祂的子民更亲近。借着耶稣基督已作成的工（希伯来书1:1-2），神的灵已居住在所有门徒心里。今天，我们作为基督的门徒，让我们聆听神在利未记所述说的圣言，并从中领略活在基督里的智慧。
祷告
主神啊，感谢祢再次带领我们进入祢圣洁的同在里。求祢帮助我们靠赖圣灵在我们里面的能力，为耶稣我们的救主，过圣洁和忠心的生活。阿们。