Daily Text and Bible Reading: Saturday, February 1 [Press play below]
Press play below to hear today's Bible Chapters: Leviticus Chapter 1 through 4
Examining the Scriptures Daily
Saturday, February 1
I will listen to you. Jeremiah 29.12.
When King Hezekiah was extremely sick, he begged Jehovah to help him recover. In response, Jehovah healed him.
[Quotation] 2 Kings 20.1 through 6: In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came and said to him, “This is what Jehovah says: ‘Give instructions to your household, for you will die; you will not recover.’” 2 At that he turned his face to the wall and began to pray to Jehovah: 3 “I beg you, O Jehovah, remember, please, how I have walked before you faithfully and with a complete heart, and I have done what was good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah began to weep profusely. 4 Isaiah had not yet gone out to the middle courtyard when Jehovah’s word came to him, saying: 5 “Go back and say to Hezekiah, the leader of my people, ‘This is what Jehovah the God of David your forefather says: “I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Here I am healing you. On the third day you will go up to the house of Jehovah. 6 I will add 15 years to your life, and I will rescue you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for the sake of David my servant.”’” [End Quotation]
On the other hand, when the apostle Paul pleaded with Jehovah to remove his “thorn in the flesh,” Jehovah did not remove the problem.
[Quotation] 2 Corinthians 12.7 through 9: just because of receiving such extraordinary revelations. To keep me from becoming overly exalted, I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan, to keep slapping me, so that I might not be overly exalted. 8 Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it would depart from me. 9 But he said to me: “My undeserved kindness is sufficient for you, for my power is being made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly, then, I will boast about my weaknesses, in order that the power of the Christ may remain over me like a tent. [End Quotation]
The apostles James and Peter both faced death at the hands of King Herod. James was put to death, while Peter was miraculously rescued.
[Quotation] Acts 12.1 through 11: About that time Herod the king began mistreating some of those of the congregation. 2 He put James the brother of John to death by the sword. 3 When he saw that it was pleasing to the Jews, he also went on to arrest Peter. (This was during the days of the Unleavened Bread.) 4 He seized him and put him in prison, turning him over to four shifts of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out before the people after the Passover. 5 So Peter was being kept in the prison, but the congregation was intensely praying to God for him. 6 When Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping bound with two chains between two soldiers, and guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. 7 But look! Jehovah’s angel was standing there, and a light shone in the prison cell. Hitting Peter on the side, he woke him, saying: “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off his hands. 8 The angel said to him: “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” He did so. Finally he said to him: “Put your outer garment on, and keep following me.” 9 And he went out and kept following him, but he did not know that what was happening through the angel was real. In fact, he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 Going past the first sentinel guard and the second, they reached the iron gate leading into the city, and this opened to them by itself. After they went out, they made their way down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. 11 And Peter, realizing what was happening, said: “Now I know for sure that Jehovah sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s hand and from everything that the Jews were expecting to happen.” [End Quotation]
We may wonder, ‘Why did Jehovah save Peter but not James?’ The Bible does not say. What we can be sure of is that Jehovah’s ways are “never unjust.”
[Quotation] Deuteronomy 32.4: The Rock, perfect is his activity, For all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness who is never unjust; Righteous and upright is he. [End Quotation]
At times, we may be faced with an outcome we did not expect. But because we trust that Jehovah’s answer to our prayers will always be loving and just, we do not question the way he chooses to answer us.
[Quotation] Job 33.13: Why do you complain against Him? Is it because he did not answer all your words? [End Quotation]
Watchtower November 2023 page 21 paragraph 6
Today's Bible Chapters: Leviticus Chapter 1 through 4
1.1 And Jehovah called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying:
1.2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘If any one of you would present an offering to Jehovah from the domestic animals, you should present your offering from the herd or from the flock.
1.3 “‘If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he should present a sound male animal. He should present it of his own free will before Jehovah at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
1.4 He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted in his behalf to make atonement for him.
1.5 “‘Then the young bull must be slaughtered before Jehovah, and the sons of Aaron, the priests, will present the blood and sprinkle the blood on all sides of the altar, which is at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
1.6 The burnt offering should be skinned and cut into pieces.
1.7 The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire.
1.8 The sons of Aaron, the priests, will arrange the pieces of the offering with the head and the suet over the wood that is on the fire on the altar.
1.9 Its intestines and its shanks will be washed with water, and the priest is to make all of it smoke on the altar as a burnt offering, an offering made by fire of a pleasing aroma to Jehovah.
1.10 “‘If his offering for a burnt offering is from the flock, from the young rams or the goats, he should present a sound male.
1.11 It is to be slaughtered at the north side of the altar before Jehovah, and the sons of Aaron, the priests, will sprinkle its blood on all sides of the altar.
1.12 He will cut it up into pieces, and with its head and its suet, the priest will arrange them over the wood on the fire on the altar.
1.13 He will wash the intestines and the shanks with water, and the priest will present all of it and make it smoke on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire of a pleasing aroma to Jehovah.
1.14 “‘However, if he offers birds as a burnt offering to Jehovah, he will present his offering from the turtledoves or the young pigeons.
1.15 The priest will present it at the altar and nip off its head and make it smoke on the altar, but its blood should be drained out on the side of the altar.
1.16 He should remove its crop and its feathers and throw them beside the altar, to the east, to the place for the ashes.
1.17 He will split it at its wings without dividing it into two parts. Then the priest will make it smoke on the altar over the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire of a pleasing aroma to Jehovah.
2.1 “‘Now if someone presents a grain offering to Jehovah, his offering must be fine flour, and he should pour oil on it and put frankincense on it.
2.2 Then he will bring it to the sons of Aaron, the priests, and the priest will take a handful of the fine flour and oil and all its frankincense, and he will make it smoke as a token offering on the altar, an offering made by fire of a pleasing aroma to Jehovah.
2.3 Whatever is left of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons as something most holy from Jehovah’s offerings made by fire.
2.4 “‘If you present a grain offering that has been baked in the oven, it should be of fine flour, unleavened ring-shaped loaves mixed with oil or unleavened wafers spread with oil.
2.5 “‘If your offering is a grain offering from the griddle, it should be of fine, unleavened flour mixed with oil.
2.6 It should be broken into pieces, and you are to pour oil on it. It is a grain offering.
2.7 “‘If your offering is a grain offering prepared in a pan, it should be made of fine flour with oil.
2.8 You should bring the grain offering that was made of these to Jehovah, and it will be presented to the priest, who will bring it near to the altar.
2.9 And the priest will lift off some of the grain offering as a token offering and make it smoke on the altar as an offering made by fire of a pleasing aroma to Jehovah.
2.10 What is left of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons as something most holy of Jehovah’s offerings by fire.
2.11 “‘No grain offering that you present to Jehovah should be leavened, for you must not make any sourdough or honey smoke as an offering made by fire to Jehovah.
2.12 “‘You may present them to Jehovah as an offering of the firstfruits, but they must not be brought to the altar as a pleasing aroma.
2.13 “‘Every grain offering you make is to be seasoned with salt; and you must not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be missing from your grain offering. Along with every offering of yours, you will present salt.
2.14 “‘If you present the grain offering of the first ripe fruits to Jehovah, you should present new grain roasted with fire, coarsely crushed new kernels, as the grain offering of your first ripe fruits.
2.15 You are to put oil on it and place frankincense on it. It is a grain offering.
2.16 The priest will make it smoke as a token offering, that is, some of the coarse grain and oil along with all its frankincense, as an offering made by fire to Jehovah.
3.1 “‘If his offering is a communion sacrifice and if he is presenting it from the herd, whether a male or a female, he should present a sound animal before Jehovah.
3.2 He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering, and it will be slaughtered at the entrance of the tent of meeting; and Aaron’s sons, the priests, will sprinkle the blood on all sides of the altar.
3.3 He will present part of the communion sacrifice as an offering made by fire to Jehovah: the fat that covers the intestines, all the fat that surrounds the intestines,
3.4 and the two kidneys with the fat on them that is near the loins. He will also remove the appendage of the liver along with the kidneys.
3.5 Aaron’s sons will make it smoke on the altar on top of the burnt offering that is placed on the wood that is over the fire; it is an offering made by fire as a pleasing aroma to Jehovah.
3.6 “‘If his offering is from the flock for a communion sacrifice to Jehovah, he will present a sound male or a female animal.
3.7 If he is presenting a young ram as his offering, then he will present it before Jehovah.
3.8 He will lay his hand on the head of his offering, and it will be slaughtered in front of the tent of meeting. Aaron’s sons will sprinkle its blood on all sides of the altar.
3.9 He will present the fat from the communion sacrifice as an offering made by fire to Jehovah. He will remove the entire fat tail near the backbone, the fat that covers the intestines, all the fat that surrounds the intestines,
3.10 and the two kidneys with the fat on them that is near the loins. He will also remove the appendage of the liver along with the kidneys.
3.11 And the priest will make it smoke on the altar as food, an offering made by fire to Jehovah.
3.12 “‘If his offering is a goat, then he will present it before Jehovah.
3.13 He will lay his hand on its head, and it will be slaughtered before the tent of meeting, and Aaron’s sons must sprinkle its blood on all sides of the altar.
3.14 The part he will present as his offering made by fire to Jehovah is the fat that covers the intestines, all the fat that surrounds the intestines,
3.15 and the two kidneys with the fat on them that is near the loins. He will also remove the appendage of the liver along with the kidneys.
3.16 The priest will make them smoke on the altar as food, an offering made by fire for a pleasing aroma. All the fat belongs to Jehovah.
3.17 “‘It is a lasting statute for your generations, in all your dwelling places: You must not eat any fat or any blood at all.’”
4.1 Jehovah went on to say to Moses:
4.2 “Tell the Israelites, ‘If someone sins unintentionally by doing any of the things that Jehovah commanded should not be done:
4.3 “‘If the anointed priest sins and brings guilt on the people, then he must present a sound young bull to Jehovah as a sin offering for the sin he committed.
4.4 He will bring the bull to the entrance of the tent of meeting before Jehovah and lay his hand on the bull’s head, and he is to slaughter the bull before Jehovah.
4.5 Then the anointed priest will take some of the bull’s blood and bring it into the tent of meeting;
4.6 and the priest will dip his finger in the blood and spatter some of the blood seven times before Jehovah in front of the curtain of the holy place.
4.7 The priest will also put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of perfumed incense, which is before Jehovah in the tent of meeting; and he will pour all the rest of the bull’s blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
4.8 “‘He will then remove all the fat of the bull of the sin offering, including the fat that covers the intestines and the fat that surrounds the intestines,
4.9 and the two kidneys with the fat on them that is near the loins. And he will remove the appendage of the liver along with the kidneys.
4.10 It will be the same as what is removed from a bull of the communion sacrifice. And the priest will make them smoke on the altar of burnt offering.
4.11 “‘But as for the skin of the bull and all its flesh along with its head, its shanks, its intestines, and its dung—
4.12 all the rest of the bull—he will have it taken to the outskirts of the camp to a clean place where the ashes are discarded, and he will burn it on wood in the fire. It should be burned where the ashes are discarded.
4.13 “‘Now if the entire assembly of Israel has become guilty by committing a sin unintentionally, but the congregation was unaware that they had done something that Jehovah commanded them not to do,
4.14 and then the sin becomes known, the congregation must present a young bull for a sin offering and bring it before the tent of meeting.
4.15 The elders of the assembly will lay their hands on the bull’s head before Jehovah, and the bull will be slaughtered before Jehovah.
4.16 “‘Then the anointed priest will bring some of the bull’s blood into the tent of meeting.
4.17 The priest is to dip his finger into the blood and spatter some of it seven times before Jehovah in front of the curtain.
4.18 He will then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar that is before Jehovah, which is in the tent of meeting; and he will pour all the rest of the blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
4.19 He will remove all its fat and make it smoke on the altar.
4.20 He is to do to the bull just as he did to the other bull of the sin offering. That is how he will do it, and the priest will make atonement for them, and they will be forgiven.
4.21 He will have the bull taken to the outskirts of the camp and will burn it, just as he burned the first bull. It is a sin offering for the congregation.
4.22 “‘When a chieftain unintentionally sins by doing one of all the things that Jehovah his God commands should not be done and has become guilty,
4.23 or if he becomes aware of a sin that he has committed against the commandment, then he must bring a sound young male goat as his offering.
4.24 He will lay his hand on the head of the young goat and slaughter it in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered before Jehovah. It is a sin offering.
4.25 The priest will take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and he will pour the rest of its blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering.
4.26 He will make all its fat smoke on the altar like the fat of the communion sacrifice; and the priest will make atonement for him for his sin, and it will be forgiven him.
4.27 “‘If any one of the people of the land sins unintentionally and becomes guilty by doing one of the things that Jehovah commands should not be done,
4.28 or if he becomes aware of a sin that he has committed, then he should bring a sound young female goat as his offering for the sin he has committed.
4.29 He will lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter the sin offering in the same place as the burnt offering.
4.30 The priest will take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and he will pour all the rest of its blood at the base of the altar.
4.31 He will remove all its fat, just as the fat is removed from the communion sacrifice, and the priest will make it smoke on the altar as a pleasing aroma to Jehovah; and the priest will make atonement for him, and it will be forgiven him.
4.32 “‘But if he offers a lamb as his sin offering, he should bring a sound female lamb.
4.33 He will lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it as a sin offering in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered.
4.34 The priest will take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and he will pour all the rest of its blood at the base of the altar.
4.35 He will remove all its fat the same way that the fat of the young ram of the communion sacrifice is removed, and the priest will make them smoke on the altar on top of Jehovah’s offerings made by fire; and the priest will make atonement for him for the sin that he has committed, and it will be forgiven him.