For a description of the (Y2) reading plan, see the “About” page.
Acts 26
What did King Agrippa think Paul was trying to do? Who thinks that about you? Paul knew that King Agrippa knew the law and the prophets – their scripture. So he used that in giving his simple testimony, speaking directly to King Agrippa. Along with his personal story, he gave a brief recap of how Jesus fulfilled what the scripture said about the Messiah. In doing so, he connected what Agrippa knew to Jesus. But I don’t think it was Paul who was trying to persuade Agrippa. Paul was merely speaking the truth. It was God who was tugging on the king’s heart. Paul then prayed that the king, and anyone else who might, would respond to that tugging. Speaking to myself here – witnessing to others doesn’t have to be complicated. Simply speak truth to what they already know and pray that God would give them ears to hear.
Lev. 9-10
What had to happen before the glory of the Lord could appear? How does that relate to you? Offerings for sin, atonement, and fellowship all had to be made before God’s glory appeared to His people. It is the same with us. We must confess our sin to Jesus so that He can atone for it. Then we must die to ourselves – set our flesh aside – and abide in Him. Fellowship. Intimate relationship with Christ. It is then that God brings His glory in the form of His Holy Spirit to dwell in us.
Why was God so harsh with Nadab and Abihu? With Aaron? Aaron’s sons offered what was not holy to a holy God. It wasn’t a matter of God’s being harsh with them. It was more of a – to use an analogy – ‘when you mix ammonia with chlorine, you create a deadly gas’ kind of situation. The holy and the unholy do not mix. Instead, holiness consumes the unholy. That is why it was necessary for God to put all the protections in place in order for Him to be able to dwell with His people. They disregarded these protections at their own peril. And so it is with us. If we come before God with our own ‘righteousness’ and our own efforts, we cannot and will not stand. It is only through the protection of Jesus that we can be made acceptable to Him.
As for Aaron and his other two sons, remember that we must be willing to leave behind friends, family, and self to be with God. If we turn from God to cling to those who are unholy, we reject God. Of course I am not saying that we can’t love the lost, whether part of our family or not. Loving the lost is what we are commissioned to do. But it’s that fellowship thing again. And that question of who we serve. We must remain faithful even when those we love don’t.