The Bible nailed me. I remembered my recently forgotten promise, and “guilty” when it dawned on me I forgot to pay my children for a chore they did. I instantly located four quarters. At breakfast I announced to my children, “I have something for you.” My eight year old son quickly responded: “I know. You’re going to pay us our fifty cents!” I may have forgotten, but he certainly did not!

The guilt vanished the moment I handed over the money. It felt good to pay my debt. It was definitely worth a buck. Freedom from guilt is priceless... worth any amount of money.

The Tabernacle was a mobile worship center for God’s people during the wilderness journey following their mass exodus from Egypt. Moses built the Tabernacle according to the pattern God gave him on Mount Sinai. It covered a space of ground rectangular in shape and approximately ½ the size of a football field. The open air boundaries were established by a heavy linen fence nearly 8 feet high. Only priests from the tribe of Levi were allowed to enter behind the first veil through “the gateway of the court.”

“Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom,” (Matthew 27.50).

The 80-20 rule was named after Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto who, in 1906, noted that 80% of Italy’s income was collected by 20% of Italy’s population. The 80-20 ratio also held true for the distribution of Italy’s property. Pareto found that 20% of the population owned 80% of the country’s land.

This podcast is an overview of week 6 in the Word Traveler Bible reading plan and covers the following chapters in the Old and New Testaments: Exodus 35 – 40; Leviticus 1 – 12; Matthew 26 – 28; Mark 1 – 2. 

Aaron did not trust his own instincts. He over-thought the situation and carefully made the wrong decision. By contrast, Moses’ snap decision was the right one:

“And [Moses] took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it,” (Exodus 32.20). 

The problem with hard hearts, stiff necks, and rigid people is… they’re fragile. They break too easily. Like the Ten Commandments inscribed on tablets of stone, they are easily shattered. Paul referred to this problem as “the ministry of death”…

“Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory… will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?” (2nd Corinthians 3.7a, 8).  

The High Priest Aaron wore an ephod vest of precious jewels in his ritualistic devotional practice at the Tabernacle in the wilderness of Sinai over fourteen hundred years before the birth of Christ. 

The names of the tribes of Israel were engraved on two onyx stones which were embedded in settings of gold and attached to the shoulder straps of Aaron’s ephod. Aaron bore “their names before the LORD on his two shoulders” whenever he came into the presence of God, (Exodus 28.9-12). 

“You… know how it feels” to be one because you were one (Exodus 23.9). Therefore, don’t oppress the alien or stranger. 

You know what it’s like to be on the outside looking in. This experience should compel you to be compassionate, inclusive, invitational, warm, friendly, and welcoming toward outsiders. Your membership in the community of faith is a gift. If you can belong, anyone can. The Church of Jesus Christ is not an exclusive club. You’re no more or less deserving than anyone else. We are ambassadors of love in Jesus’ name. Authentic concern for the welfare of everyone (in or out of the body of Christ) is a hallmark of every true believer.

The life of a wolf may seem glamorous and sexy. But a leash in the hands of a trustworthy master is the good life. I’ll take a dog’s life.

This podcast is an overview of week 4 in the Word Traveler Bible reading plan and covers the following chapters in the Old and New Testaments: Exodus 18 – 34; Matthew 21 – 25.