:38 We remember that this is one of the verses scattered through the book which confirms that the details contained were spoken at Sinai.

All fat belongs to the LORD (Lev 3:16).  This constituted all the inward parts (Lev 3:14,15).  This would indicate that the LORD is interested in the inward (spiritual) man to serve Him (Rom 7:22).
 
No fowl was offered for the peace (fellowship) offering.
 
Only the peace (fellowship) offering used leavened bread (v.13).
During the public peace offering at the Feast of Pentecost, leavened bread was used (Lev 23:17).

Brother John Martyn explains it this way: This fact helps to explain the inclusion of leaven, for Pentecost was typical of that period of history when the Christian ecclesia was established and a multitude of the servants of corruption were saved by the sacrifice of Christ (Acts 2:1,38).  Under this offering, God typically set forth the offer of fellowship with Himself.  The inclusion of leaven was a gentle reminder that the prerequisite for fellowship with God could never be human perfection, but the exercise of the grace of God (Rom 8:12).
 
The peace (fellowship) offering allowed for the sacrifice of less-than-perfect cattle (Lev 22:23), but only in the case of a freewill offering and not for a vow.

 The "Peace Offering", like the other sacrifices, was very carefully proscribed by God.  Nobody could bring any old thing.  If you gave to God it had to be just as God directed. I'm sure there's a lesson in that
somewhere for us, too.

7:16     Even though a thank offering had to be eaten the same day the vow could be eaten the next day as well. This teaches that vows are long term commitments to God.

We are introduced to the trespass offering in this chapter, we are told that there is one law for both the sin dffering and the trespass offering (V.7). Why are the two offerings so distinct from each other?

V.11,12,16,17,18 - The peace or fellowship offering perhaps echos a future relationship of imperfect followers having a fellowship with Christ (the mediator between God and man  1Tim 2:5). We have the expression of thankfulness, the concept of freewill (perhaps an echo of Christ freely yielding to his Father's will or the freewill to follow Christ and have fellowship?), the flesh on the third day being burned perhaps foreshadowed Christ's mortal body being exchanged for a purified body at the third day.

7:19    A simple point really. Uncleanness if transferable. If we associate with unclean things our mind are contaminated. That is what is being taught in this detail of the effect of the sacrifice touching something unclean. – 1Cor 15:33

The trespass offering involved forgiveness for a wrong done to others. A ram was used as an offering, but no blood was put on the horns of the altar (Lev 5:15). Furthermore, the wrongdoer had to add 20% to his compensation toward the wronged person (Lev 5:16).

7:10 The description here of the fact that the priests had part of the sacrifices is one area which forms that basis for 1Cor 10:18

V.38 In the KJV, the word oblations (sacrificial gift) comes from the Hebrew word korban. The Pharisees twisted the idea of korban to allow a man to avoid his responsibilities towards his parents (Matt 7:11).

7:17 This is one of a number of times where remains were to be burned ‘on the third day’. It is as if the law of Moses is telling us that the sacrifices under the law will be of no value after the third day – the resurrection of Jesus.

Psalm 106  Together with yesterday's reading, we have a look at Israel's history from Israel's response. What a sorry sight we have. We see the severity of God, V.29; 32 but we must not overlook His longsuffering mercy. V.44 

Thus continues the catalog of Israel's misdeeds contrasted by the everlasting mercy of Yahweh (v.43-46).

Notice how the psalmist anguishes in his association with the nation (v.6).  Do we anguish over our community, or are we just content to consider our journey as an individual endeavor?  Clearly, we are a collective with individual responsibilities (1Cor 12:12-27).

106:1   ‘O give thanks … for ever’  is also found in 1Chron 16:34, when David brought the ark to Zion.  Given that – see yesterday’s comments – that this Psalm was written as a consequence of bringing the ark to Zion we should be looking to explore the relationship between this Psalm and the bringing of the ark to Zion.

Israel witnessed the mighty power of Yahweh, had a boost in faith, and then soon forgot (vs.12,13).  This is rather like the man who looks at himself in a mirror and then forgets what he looks like: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was (James 1:24).  Let us not let down in faith.  This can only be accomplished by daily reading the Bible, the Word of God (Rom 10:17).

Moses stood between Yahweh and man as a savior (v.23).  He acted as a type of Christ who is the mediator between God and man (1Tim 2:5).  The role of Christ, as mediator, is not to plead our cause to God, but to bring God into our lives. 

106:8 We must resist the temptation to think that God saves because of our status. He saved Israel for ‘His name’s sake’.

106:2 The rhetorical question ‘who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord?’ is not an empty question. However there are men and women who can speak f the acts of God – those who have been enlightened by the word of God and have seen His hand at work in their lives.

106:6-7 David associated himself with the people in saying ‘we have sinned’ and then he introduces another example of Israel not understanding God at work in their lives when they were in Egypt and the wilderness. This makes the point very clearly that the history of Israel is a valid example for exhortation.

Demons/devils

I. There is mention of "demons" in the NIV while the KJV uses the term "devils". In the Old Testament this refers to idols (8163, 7700) and pagans, who worshipped idols, believed in these demon gods Psa 106:36-37.  The KJV in the Old Testament refers to "devils" 4 times.

II. In the New Testament the Greeks believed "demons" ["daimonion", "daimonizomai" (to be possessed by demons), "dakno" (to bite), (1140, 1139, 1142)] caused various illnesses. Demons were used to describe certain diseases, from the ancient superstition that diseases were attributed to the malignant influence of the spirits of dead heroes. Casting out devils or demons in the New Testament meant to cure a disease. Christ used the vernacular of the times, much as we might use lunatic or moon struck.

III. Examples of New Testament illnesses described as demon possession:

    A. blind and dumb - Matt 12:22 (NIV "demon", KJV a "devil" - if literal, how many devils are    there?).

    B. insanity, possible schizophrenia - Mark 5:1-6,12 (vs 12 in the KJV "all the devils" - if literal, how many devils are there?).

    C. epilepsy - Mark 9:17-27 (they didn't have modern understanding of medicine etc. to treat illnesses in those days).

    D. arthritis - Luke 13:11-17.

    E. return to sanity - Mark 5:15.

IV. God (not the devil, devils, or demons) is the source of all power - Isa 45:7;Job 1:21;Job 2:10.

106:16-17 This is a reference to the uprising of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.

The thesis of this chapter clearly quashes the erroneous notion that the soul floats off to Heaven at death.

Christ will return to earth (1Cor 15:23).  Why would He need to do that if souls rise to meet him in Heaven?

The dead will rise (1Thess 4:16).  Those who are found acceptable will be immortalized (v.52,53) and given new bodies (v.35-38).  And so, the reward for the faithful is here on earth with the Lord Jesus.  Their bodies will become spiritual ones which will permit them to live forever in the presence of Yahweh.

15:35-36  The question that might be asked ‘how are the dead raised up’ was not asked out of general interest. Rather it was designed to undermine the teaching of the bodily resurrection. There is no profit in discussing the question for example, where will the raised get their clothes from. That it will happen is sufficient.

Vs.23-28 Paul provides a synopsis of events that will occur when the Lord Jesus returns to the earth.

When Jesus returns:

-He will set up His Kingdom and rule the earth from Jerusalem (Dan 2:44; Mic 4:2).

-He will put down those who oppose Him (Psa 2:9).

-Then a reign of peace and prosperity will ensue (Psa 72:16; Isa 11:1-9; Zech 8:4,5).

-Towards the end of the Kingdom age, a rebellion will occur that shall be quashed (Rev 7:10).

-A judgement will be made on those mortals who have lived during through the Kingdom period (Rev 20:11-13).

-Those accepted by the Lord will be immortalized and join the saints who were immortalized before the Kingdom age began.

-Then the last enemy, death, will be destroyed (v.26).

-At this point Jesus will hand back the throne to His Father (v.24).

-Then shall Jesus and the immortalized saints all be subject to God (v.28).

-Thus, the state of God-manifestation will be achieved for eternity.

It is said that the Jewish farmers cut their “firstfruits” and took the sheaf to God, on the morning after the Passover weekend. We know that this was scheduled for “the morrow after the sabbath” in Lev 23:11, and I understand that this was traditionally the Sunday after:- the Passover was killed (Thursday), the 1st day of Unleavened Bread (Friday), the normal Sabbath (Saturday). What a lovely climax to that deliverance weekend, that Christ should rise on the date when the “firstfruits” were offered to God (1Cor 15:23).

15:25 In speaking of ‘all enemies under his feet’ Paul draws together Psa 110:2 and Psa 8:6

15:1   Paul now reminds the brethren and sisters that he is not preaching some new doctrine. It is what he taught them before – it seems he is saying this because there are some in the ecclesia who have modified their beliefs but think it is Paul who has changed his teaching.

There are a couple of passages in this chapter which should be clarified.  The first is in v. 29.  The expression baptized for the dead is believed by some groups to be an opportunity to ensure the salvation of those who have died by being baptized for them as a substitute.  This is a highly heretical error.  All examples in the scripture of baptism are by individuals for the salvation of themselves and no one else.  Baptized for the dead is a reference to those believers who have died and who are now being replaced by new believers.  Paul is saying that if the old believers are not going to rise from the dead, then what is the point of the new believers being baptized, because they are not going to be resurrected either.  But, of course, the thrust of Paul's thesis is that all baptized believers will surely be raised.

The second passage is in v. 52 where we read: and the dead shall be raised incorruptible.  This appears that the dead will emerge from the ground already in a immortal state.  But then that clause is followed by: and we shall be changed.  The point of Paul's argument is that the chosen shall be raised and then changed to incorruptibility (Immortality).  This is dependent upon acceptance at the judgement seat at which we must all stand (Rom 14:10).  If we were automatically raised to immortality, then why would we need to appear at the judgement seat?

15:1 ‘Wherein we stand’ forces the Corinthians to realise that what he is speaking to them about is actually part of what they should believe. As we work through the chapter we realise that in speaking about the resurrection Paul is dealing with a doctrine which some in Corinth did not actually believe in, or had a confused understanding of.

15:9-10 In speaking of himself as ‘the least of the apostles’ Paul is not exhibiting false modesty. There were in Corinth those who were ‘puffed up’. Paul has already established his apostolic credentials in the letter but now he is showing that even though he was an apostle he stood among them through the sacrifice of Christ covering his is rather than just as an apostle.