V.5 "Twelve cakes" For the shewbread, as previously appointed Exo 25:30 The cakes were baked by the Levites, the flour being furnished by the people 1Chron 9:32, 1Chron 23:9 The oil, wine , and salt being the other incredients. Lev 2:13 

The twelve loaves of bread were to be a memorial for Israel (v. 5-8).  They would, naturally, become mouldy and so would have to be replaced by new loaves each Sabbath day.  This, like the lamps, was a continual service.  We are like the shewbread in that we need to be (spiritually) renewed. That is the reason for meeting around the table of the Lord each week, to remember Him who is the incorruptible bread of life.

The commandment to fill the lamps with olive oil, and to bake the holy
  bread out of "fine flour" had to be kept right from the beginning, in the wilderness
Lev 24:2-9. The Israelites must have brought out sufficient from Egypt to keep
  the Tabernacle supplied for 40 years.  How precious it would be in the sight of
  the priests, whose job it was to maintain the light and the bread before God!
  There's a useful lesson for us there, too.

24:2-6   We see the word ‘pure’ 4 times in these verses. The light of the gospel and the spiritual food we give must be ‘pure’ – that is uncontaminated by man’s reasoning. 

24:2,5 The linking together of the oil for the lamps and the shewbread in this chapter draws together two separate elements from the Exodus record. Exo 27:20speak of the oil and Exo 25:30 speaks of the shewbread. Thus we see these two separate elements of the law of Moses as recorded in Exodus are actually related to each other when it comes the service of the tabernacle.

24:15  Here is an example of a case where a specific law is enunciated as a direct consequence of a prior action. The boy cursed God and a law was instituted which became a universal law.

The penalty given here for blasphemy seems very harsh. But this incident has more to it than we initially suspect. Checking "blasphemy" in a concordance we see this is the very first occurrence of it in the bible. So the first thing to note is that this didn't happen often. This is backed up by v12 - the judges didn't know what to do because this was the first case of its kind in the nation of Israel.

Following the other occurrences this word, we find it's used to describe someone who openly challenges the God of Israel's ability to save His people. One noteworthy example is Assyria who sent an army to taunt the God of Israel (Isa 36:2,4,19,20). This is described as blasphemy by God (2Kin 19:20-22) and culminated in Him destroying their whole army. Likewise Goliath's taunts defied God and culminated in the destruction of his army. So it was the same with this man in our chapter. He fought with a man of Israel (v10) and in the process apparently cursed God and called into question His ability to save. Perhaps he had beaten his opponent and taunted him with "where is your Almighty God now? He couldn't even save you from me!" Such an attitude was an open and deep rooted contempt for God, and undermined the fragile society God was nurturing.

24:10 When Israel were in Egypt they were slaves. It might seem strange that the Egyptian married her whilst in Egypt but this must be so even though there was a mixed multitude – Exo 12:38- which would include Egyptians that came out of Egypt with Israel. As the child was old enough to blaspheme and Israel had been in the wilderness for less than three years he must have been born in Egypt.

What's in a name?  A name certainly identifies a particular person.  But, in Yahweh's case, His Name is the memorial Name of Israel's God.  It carries with it present and future components of His will and character.  The Name should only be said in recognition of its meaning, and in reverence and fear. There is no need to avoid saying His Name, if those factors are present.  Indeed it is a privilege.  The Jews have clammed up and to this day refuse to speak His Name.  This is false reverence, as their actions largely do not constitute a faithful following.

24:17-21 These laws follow on directly from the law that one who curses God must be killed. Thus we see that whilst Israel were commanded to kill in certain circumstances that should not be taken as licence to kill whenever they wished.

Psalm 131 David provides a powerful warning about trying to understand things beyond what is revealed. It is so easy to speculate or worry about things which we are not told. So many of the arguments we have can stem from speculation, using non Biblical language, about things we are not told. David says that the 'weaned child' mentality that he had should be ours.

Psalm 132 This Psalm shows that David was thinking about the resting place for the Ark whilst he was a shepherd boy in Bethlehem. 'Ephratah' (v6) is Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). David left Bethlehem around the time he killed Goliath - as a young man. So we see that David's desire to put the ark in Zion was not something that he thought of when he was king. Rather it was the driving force in all his life. - Maybe this is why he is called 'a man after [God's] own heart' (Acts 13:22)

Psalm 133 In likening the anointing of Aaron to unity the Psalmist is showing that there is more than simply ritual in the deals of the law of Moses. Maybe we should look for other indications of the importance of fellowship in the Law of Moses?

Psalm 134 A call to the priests to think about the majesty of God. It must have been so easy just to view working in the temple as just another job. The call to think about the majesty of God was necessary to correct the balance. Likewise we have to realise that whilst we routinely go to the meeting that we are involving ourselves in very important matters.

Psalm 132 - In linking bringing the ark to Zion and :11 the promise of the one who would sit upon God's throne David shows us that we should see a relationship between the bringing of the ark to Zion and the promises of 2 Samuel 7.

133:1 Unity is such an important issue that it forms the first thing that Paul speaks of when describing a living sacrifice [Romans 12] and amongst all the problems the Corinthian ecclesia had it was the first thing he addressed - 1 Corinthians 3.

134:3 The Lord who had created the universe is quite capable of providing blessings to His servants. A certain belief in creation provides the confidence to believe that God will work in our lives.

131:1-2 Even though the Psalmist sees himself as mature he does not elevate himself in his own eyes.

132:6 In saying that he heard about the ark at Ephratah - Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) the Psalmist shows that David was thinking that the ark should be in Zion even when he was a shepherd boy in Bethlehem - before he was anointed king or had killed Goliath.

133:1 In likening unity to the anointing of the high priest we see the way in which true unity will come - through the work of our high priest, Jesus Christ.

134:2 'lifting up … hands' is a recurring theme with respect to prayer (Psalm 28:2 63:4 141:2 1Timothy 2:8)

131:3 Hoping in the Lord is to be contrasted with thinking highly of oneself. :1 ‘my heart is not haughty’ demonstrates this.

132:2 The ‘mighty God of Jacob’ is the God of the blessings (Gen 49:24)

133:3 There is debate as to where the judgement will be – Sinai or Jerusalem.  However we should think on a broader basis than this. How is the blessing of ‘life for evermore’ achieved in Zion? Is it not through the birth of a man in Zion Psa 87:6 – and this is not to say that Jerusalem is the place of judgement. It is the association with the things of Zion that bring that blessing.

134:3 In speaking of blessing out of Zion the Psalmist is echoing the ideas of Psalm 133 which has fellowship as the basis for the blessing being given.

What a strange phrase there is in Psa 134:1! "Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD". What does it mean? Who would go into the house of the Lord at night?

There was only one function that could be performed in the temple at night, but we don't find it stipulated in the Law. We find it in the words of Solomon (1Kin 8:29, 2Chron 6:20), and Nehemiah (Neh 1:6). The only thing that could be done in the house of the LORD at night (whilst the doors were shut and guarded) was prayer! So the Psalmist is saying that by prayer to God, we may stand in His house, wherever we are. It is those who pray by (or on) their beds that are described as being in the sanctuary v2. This is significant for us who have no earthly temple to go to.

132:8  This Psalm speaks of David’s desire to bring the ark to Zion. This verse is quoted by Solomon – 2Chron 6:40 – when he dedicated the temples which was what david wanted to build when he was planning to bring the ark to Zion – 2Sam 7:25

The psalmist's humility and mind & spirit

The psalmist aim in life was to be humble, regardless of the situation that was alloted to him. The love of God which was reigning in the heart, subdued the self-love which can easily overtake us. The psalmist was well reconciled to every condition the Lord placed him in.

As a child is at the disposal of his mother's arms, we must become as little children as well (in the arms of God) Matt 18:3

Let us quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord under every condition & trial of life

132:9 The Psalmist’s desire that the priest would be clothed with salvation is an idea taken up by Isa 61:10– speaking of those who will inherit the kingdom through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

UNITE

There is something special about unity that goes well beyond the scope of just agreeing with each other. The two illustrations the Psalmist gives us about unity give us some fascinating insights. "It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes." (Psa 133:2)

As well as being good and pleasant, unity is a priestly action. A lot of different examples could have been used to describe unity, yet it was the annointing oil on the high priest that was chosen. It was the symbol of God's blessing on his chief servant that teaches us of unity. When we make the effort to live in unity with each other, God looks on us as he looked on his high priest in the Tabernacle.

The other illustration is that unity "is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion." (v.3) Then the psalmist adds, "For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life for ever more." (v.3) In God's sight our unity with each other is as refreshing and cleansing as the dew. It is also life giving, just like the dew gives life to God's creation. And just as the dew covers the whole ground, so our unity affects everyone around us. Unity is so important to God that it has his special blessing of life for ever more.

God's word should not be a source of contention, but of love and encouragement. As God's people we must make every effort to unite.

132:17 In speaking of the horn of David budding we see a concept with is taken up in the rest of the Old Testament, for example Jer 23:5, 33:15

7:3  The ‘elders’ ask Jesus to heal the centurion’s servant but the Pharisees object to Jesus healing on the sabbath! There must have been some arguments between the elders of the synagogue and the Pharisees who came from Jerusalem!

The harlot who came to Jesus obviously hadn’t planned to weep (Luke 7:36-50). No-one plans to cry. She had gone home and picked up her most prized (and possibly her only) possession. She brought the alabaster box with her, obviously intending to give it to Jesus. As she stood at His feet, knowing she was in the presence of the Son of God, and also surrounded by a number of prominent citizens, suddenly her emotions got the better of her, and she started to cry. Her sobs and her tears continued, and she began to realise what was happening. No-one had washed the Master’s feet, and her tear drops were leaving terrible streaks down His dusty feet. She had to do something, quick. Grabbing her long hair, she used that as a towel, and dried His poor dirty feet. (This would have made her hair really matted and unpleasant, but that didn't mmater to her.) She then kissed His feet in a real act of worship. And then an idea struck her. She broke the expensive box to release the perfumed ointment, pouring it over His tired feet.  It was the best present she could give to this wonderful Man. And He gave her a present, too. He forgave her sins, which were many.

7:35 In saying ‘wisdom is justified of her children’ Jesus is saying that the works of a man show what he is really like. The ‘wise’ – Jesus and John showed their wisdom by their actions. The Jewish leders showed their foolishness by their actions.

7:2      This is the essence of the gospel. The servant answers to Israel – spiritually dead. The centurion is the caring master. Whilst he could replace this servant he loved that servant and so wanted to save him.

7:8 In comparing himself to Jesus saying ‘I also under authority’ he is recognising that just as his authority came from his appointment by Rome Jesus did not act on his own authority but was working at the sanction of a higher authority.

7:21 In quoting Mal 3:1 Jesus gives us the authority to see John’s ministry in the prophecy of Malachi. Now Malachi’s message is directed to ‘the priests’ – Mal 2:1 etc: - John was not just telling people that Jesus was coming He witnessed against the religious authorities right from the beginning of his work – Matt 3:7