2 Birds, 1 Stick, Red Thread, and a Branch

"Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:

And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:

As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:

And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field. " - Leviticus 14:4-7

What's this with the birds (not just one but two), the thread (it must be red), a stick (it must be Cedar), and a branch (it must be hyssop)?! It all seems arbitrary until we see Jesus!

THE PLAYERS:
Two Birds - Jesus and us. Christ set aside his glory to become one of us - completely human.¹

Ceder Wood - The cross - Christ's and ours.²

Scarlet Thread - Thread representing what keeps us bound, Scarlet representing, sin³. It is our sin that binds us, breaks our relationships, and keeps us from living free.

Hyssop - Used for sprinkling sacrificial blood, water, or whatever on the people and things around the altar⁴ - God's blessings, His word, and His will are to be applied to our daily living, not just kept as theory.

Earthen Bowl - The real, tangible, physical world in which we live.⁵

Running Water - Life, activity, constant motion.

THE ACTION:
One bird killed, his blood gathered in an earthen bowl over running water - Jesus sacrificed on the cross at a point in time and a real place while life moved on and many never noticed.

Second bird, stick, thread, and branch dipped in the sacrificed bird's blood - Our lives, our daily trials,⁷ our many sins, are to be touched by Christ's sacrifice.⁸ His "blood" is to be applied to us and all we are or hope to be and do.

Second bird release - When touched by Christ's work on the cross we are set free from sin's bondage, released to live a full, abundant life!⁹

See, those laws are not arbitrary at all - the whole Bible is a book about one man - Jesus the Christ.¹⁰

- fritz

1 - Hebrews 2:14
2 - Luke 9:23
3 - Isaiah 1:8
4 - Numbers 19:18
5 - 2nd Corinthians 4:7
7 - Luke 9:23
8 - Hebrews 9:11-12
9 - John 8:36
10 - Hebrews 8:1-6, Hebrews 9:9

Quenching Bitterness

"Joseph said ... Don’t be afraid ... You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish ... the saving of many lives." - Genesis 50:19b-20

Actions from others turn sweet, kind youth into cynical, bitter, revengeful, old before their time people.

There is a way to avoid that for one's self, Joseph in the Old Testament did by employing three (3) life principles:

1. Living in the fear of God;

2. Recognizing God used even the very wrong and painful deeds of others to work a blessing;

3. Choosing to live for God's purposes instead of one's own.

- fritz

Voices beyond Death

"And [God] said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground." - Genesis 4:10b

The Bible has always taught this physical life is NOT all there is. An early example of this was Abel, who's blood cried out to God when he was violently murdered.

His blood cried out before God for the justice and caused the perpetrator, Cain, to be banished from God's presence.

Jesus' blood also cried out when he was violently murdered. But it cried for the opposite,

The murder of Jesus, unlike Abel's—a homicide that cried out for vengeance—became a proclamation of grace. - Hebrews 12:24b (MESSAGE)

Our sins were the cause of his death but we, the perpetrators, are brought by that sacrifice of Christ into the presence of God.

What a deal!

- fritz

Not Excused but Cleansed

"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." - David (Psalm 51:7)

David sinned, a man died, and a woman lost her baby.

His request for forgiveness reflects something we sometimes forget - God doesn't offer excuse but cleansing.

"Hyssop" is a small bush with a very specific use in the David's day. It was used to sprinkle blood for cleansing. First used at the passover to put lamb's blood on the door post, it continued to be used for sprinkling blood on lepers, various instruments for God's service, and people - all with the idea of cleaning.

David wasn't asking to be excused for his actions but to be cleansed.

Jesus is our sacrifice. Like the passover lamb, his blood is figuratively sprinkled on our lives to save us from eternal death and to cleanse us from our sins.

God offers not to excuse but to cleanse.

- fritz

Releasing from Animosity

"[D]eliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword" - Psalm 17:13b

There are wicked people in this world over which we have little control - people who would do us harm if they could, and sometimes do.

But the Psalmist makes an important declaration by calling them God's sword.

Terrorists, self serving politicians, conspirators, even bosses from the place it doesn't snow, are not in control of God's people, God is!

This means I don't have to be afraid of them. I can pray, help those whose job it is to protect us, and trust God. Jesus said,

"I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do." - Luke 12:4

This also means they are not mine to judge, hate, or wish them harm.

I think this is how Elizabeth Elliott was able to return and share Christ to the very jungle villages of those who killed her husband.

When we see Christ in control of our lives, and are surrendered to his purposes, animosity ebbs away.

- fritz

Example of hope

"Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people. And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah" Genesis 25:8-9

I am encouraged that after being rivals, and though their people groups are still are at odds, Isaac and Ishmael matured enough to put away their differences and work together.

There is hope.

- fritz