February 25 (Leviticus 14; Psalm 52; Luke 16)

Summary

Podcast Summary: Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry Episode: February 25, 2025
Scripture Readings: Leviticus 14; Psalm 52; Luke 16
Host/Author: Crossway

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Introduction

In the February 25th episode of "Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry," listeners embark on a spiritual journey through three significant passages: Leviticus 14, Psalm 52, and Luke 16. The episode intricately weaves together Old Testament laws, poetic reflections, and New Testament teachings, providing a comprehensive exploration of faith, morality, and divine principles.

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Old Testament Focus: Leviticus 14 - Ritual Cleansing and Purity Laws

Timeframe: 00:01 - 07:33

The episode begins with a detailed reading of Leviticus 14, which outlines the procedures for cleansing a person afflicted with leprosy. The chapter emphasizes the importance of ritual purity and the community's role in maintaining holiness.

Key Points:

• Cleansing Process: The afflicted individual must undergo a series of purification steps, including sacrifices of birds, cedarwood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop (00:01). The priest plays a pivotal role in this process, symbolizing God's intervention in restoring purity.

• Economic Considerations: Leviticus 14 also addresses different offerings based on one's financial capability, highlighting a compassionate approach to religious obligations (01:57). This ensures that the laws are inclusive, allowing both the wealthy and the poor to seek purification.

• Household Purity: The text extends to communal living, detailing how a leprous disease in a house should be handled to prevent contamination of the community (05:59). This underscores the interconnectedness of individual and communal holiness.

Notable Quotes:

• "The priest shall make atonement for him before the Lord." (02:03) – Emphasizing the role of the priest in mediating between the individual and God.

• "This is the law for him in whom is a case of leper's disease, who cannot afford the offerings for his cleansing." (07:33) – Highlighting the law's accessibility regardless of one's economic status.

Insights: Leviticus 14 serves as a metaphor for spiritual cleansing, illustrating the meticulous process required to restore one's relationship with God. The detailed rituals symbolize the depth of commitment and the lengths one must go to attain purity.

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Poetic Reflection: Psalm 52 - Condemnation of Deceit and Assurance of God's Justice

Timeframe: 08:01 - 08:54

The reading transitions to Psalm 52, a poignant denunciation of deceit and malicious intent. The Psalmist contrasts the wickedness of the deceiver with the enduring steadfast love of God.

Key Points:

• Denouncement of Evil: The Psalmist criticizes Doeg the Edomite for his malicious actions against David, portraying deceit as a weapon against the righteous (08:01-08:24).

• God's Vindication: Assurance is provided that God will ultimately dismantle the evil schemes of the deceitful, offering comfort to the righteous (08:24).

Notable Quotes:

• "Your tongue plots destruction like a sharp razor." (08:14) – Illustrates the destructive power of deceitful speech.

• "But God will break you down forever. He will snatch and tear you from your tent." (08:23) – A declaration of divine judgment against the wicked.

Insights: Psalm 52 serves as a timeless reminder of the destructive nature of deceit and the certainty of divine justice. It encourages believers to trust in God's unwavering love and righteousness, even in the face of treachery.

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New Testament Teachings: Luke 16 - The Parable of the Unjust Steward and Teachings on Wealth

Timeframe: 08:54 - 10:00

Concluding the episode, the Gospel reading from Luke 16 presents the Parable of the Unjust Steward, offering profound lessons on wisdom, stewardship, and the ephemeral nature of wealth.

Key Points:

• Shrewdness vs. Righteousness: Jesus commends the manager's shrewdness in securing his future, contrasting worldly wisdom with spiritual insight (08:57-09:20).

• Faithfulness in Stewardship: Emphasizes the importance of being faithful with worldly resources as a precursor to being entrusted with true riches (09:21-09:35).

• Detachment from Material Wealth: Jesus warns against serving two masters, highlighting the impossibility of serving both God and money simultaneously (09:36-09:55).

• Eternal Consequences: The narrative culminates in the fate of the rich man and Lazarus, illustrating the eternal repercussions of one's earthly actions and attitudes towards wealth (09:56-10:00).

Notable Quotes:

• "You cannot serve God and money." (09:56) – A stark warning about divided loyalties between spiritual and material pursuits.

• "If you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?" (09:21) – Highlights the principle of stewardship and its implications for spiritual inheritance.

Insights: The Parable of the Unjust Steward serves as a cautionary tale about the transient nature of wealth and the importance of prioritizing eternal values over temporal riches. It challenges listeners to evaluate their relationship with money and to seek faithfulness in all areas of life.

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Conclusion

The February 25th episode of "Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry" offers a profound exploration of biblical principles concerning purity, deceit, and stewardship. By traversing the intricate laws of Leviticus, the emotional resonance of the Psalms, and the practical teachings of the Gospels, listeners are encouraged to cultivate a life of holiness, integrity, and faithful management of God's blessings. The episode serves as a compelling reminder of the enduring relevance of Scripture in guiding moral and spiritual conduct.

Transcript

[Reader]

A reading from the book of Leviticus. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, this shall be the law of the leprous person. For the day of his cleansing, he shall be brought to the priest, and the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priests shall look. Then, if the case of leper's disease is healed in the leper's person, the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed 2 live clean birds and cedarwood and scarlet yarn and hyssop. And the priests shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthenware vessel over fresh water. He shall take the live bird with the cedar wood and the scarlet yarn and the hyssop and dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. And he shall sprinkle it seven times on him who is to be cleansed of the leper's disease. Then he shall pronounce him clean and shall let the living bird go into the open field. And he who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes and shave off all his hair and bathe himself in water. And he shall be clean. And after that he may come into the camp, but live outside his tent. Seven days. And on the seventh day, he shall shave off all his hair from his head, his beard and his eyebrows. He shall shave off all his hair. And then he shall wash his clothes.

[Responder]

And bathe his body in water.

[Reader]

And he shall be clean. And on the eighth day, he shall take two male lambs without blemish and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish, and a grain offering of 3/10 of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil and one log of oil. And the priest who cleanses him shall set the man who is to be cleansed and these things before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And the priests shall take one of the male lambs and offer it for a guild offering along with the log of oil and wave them for a wave offering before the Lord. And he shall kill the lamb in the place where they kill the sin offering and the burnt offering in the.

[Responder]

Place of the sanctuary.

[Reader]

For the guilt offering, like the sin.

[Responder]

Offering, belongs to the priest, it is most holy.

[Reader]

The priest shall take some of the blood of the guilt offering. And the priest shall put it on the lobe of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. Then the priest shall take some of the log of oil and pour it into the palm of his own left hand and dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand and sprinkle some oil with his finger seven times before the Lord. And some of the oil that remains in his hand the priest shall put on the lobe of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot on top of the blood of the guilt offering, and the rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed. Then the priest shall make atonement for him before the Lord. The priest shall offer the sin offering to make atonement for him who is to be cleansed from his uncleanness. And afterward he shall kill the burnt offering, and the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean. But if he is poor and cannot afford so much, then he shall take one male lamb for a guilt offering to be waved to make atonement for him. And a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering and a log of oil. Also two turtledoves or two pigeons, whichever he can afford. The one shall be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering. And on the eighth day he shall bring them for his cleansing to the priest to the entrance of the tent of meeting before the Lord. And the priest shall take the lamb of the guilt offering and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord. And he shall kill the lamb of the guilt offering. And the priest shall take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the lobe of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. And the priest shall pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand and shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the Lord. And the priest shall put some of the oil that is in his hand on the lobe of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. And the place where the blood of the guilt offering was put, and the rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed to make atonement for him before the Lord. And he shall offer of the turtledoves or pigeons, whichever he can afford, one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering along with a grain offering. And the priest shall make atonement before the Lord for him who is being cleansed. This is the law for him in whom is a case of leper's disease, who cannot afford the offerings for his cleansing. The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, when you come into the land of Canaan, which I give you for a possession, and I put a case of leprous disease in a house in the land of your possession, Then he who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, There seems to me to be some case of disease in my house. Then the priest shall command that they empty the house before the priest goes to examine the diseased, lest all that is in the house be declared unclean. And afterward the priest shall go in to see the house, and he shall examine the disease. And if the disease is in the walls of the house with greenish or reddish spots, and if it appears to be deeper than the surface, then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house and shut up the house seven days. And the priest shall come again on the seventh day. And look, if the disease has spread in the walls of the house, Then the priest shall command that they take out the stones in which is the disease. And throw them into an unclean place outside the city. And he shall have the inside of the house scraped all around. And the plaster that they scrape off they shall pour out in an unclean.

[Responder]

Place outside the city.

[Reader]

Then they shall take other stones and put them in the place of those stones. And he shall take other plaster and plaster the house. If the disease breaks out again in the house after he has taken out the stones and scraped the house and plastered it, then the priest shall go and look. And if the disease has spread in the house, it is a persistent leprous disease in the house it is unclean. And he shall break down the house, its stones and timber, and all the plaster of the house, and he shall carry them out of the city to an unclean place. Moreover, whoever enters the house while it is shut up shall be unclean until the evening. And whoever sleeps in the house shall wash his clothes. And whoever eats in the house shall wash his clothes. But if the priest comes and looks, and if the disease has not spread in the house after the house was plastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, for the disease is healed and for the cleansing of the house he shall take two small birds with cedar wood and scarlet yarn and hyssop, and shall kill one of the birds in an earthenware vessel over fresh water, and shall take the cedar wood and the hyssop and the scarlet yarn along with the live bird, and dip them in the blood of the bird that was killed, and in the fresh water, and sprinkle the house that seven times. Thus he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the fresh water, and with the live bird, and with the cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet yarn. And he shall let the live bird go out of the city into the open country, so he shall make atonement for the house, and it shall be clean.

[Responder]

This is the law for any case.

[Reader]

Of leprous disease, for an itch for leprous disease in a garment or in a house, and for a swelling or an eruption, or a spot to show when it is unclean and when it is clean. This is the law for leper's disease. A reading from the Book of Psalms to the choirmaster Emasciel of David. When Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, David has come to the house of Ahimelech.

[Responder]

Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day. Your tongue plots destruction like a sharp razor. You worker of deceit. You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah, you love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue. But God will break you down forever. He will snatch and tear you from your tent.

[Reader]

He will uproot you from the land of the living.

[Responder]

Selah the righteous shall see in fear and shall laugh at him, saying, see the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction. But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. I will thank you forever because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good. In the presence of the godly.

[Reader]

A reading of the Gospel according to Luke.

[Responder]

He also said to the disciples, there was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called him and said to him, what is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer Be manager. And the manager said to himself, what shall I do? Since my master is taking the management away from me, I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses. So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, how much do you owe my master? He said, a hundred measures of oil. He said to him, take your bill and sit down quickly and write 50. Then he said to another, and how much do you owe? He said, a hundred measures of wheat. He said to him, take your bill and write 80. The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much. And one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. The Pharisees, who were lovers of money heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. And he said to them, you are those who justify yourselves before men. But God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. The law and the prophets were until John. Since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the law to become void. Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery. And he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery. There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. And in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame. But Abraham said, child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things and Lazarus in like manner, bad things. But now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this between us and you, a great chasm has been fixed in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us. And he said, then I beg you, Father, to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them lest they also come into this place of torment. But Abraham said, they have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. And he said, no, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent. He said to him, if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.