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Leviticus 26 - 27 and Psalm 65

2/11/2012

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         In this last reading from the book of Leviticus, Yahweh describes the dynamic that will govern the entire history of Israel in the books we have yet to read: the Israelites will receive abundant blessing when they keep the covenant with Yahweh, and they will be punished severely if they disdain it.
         Leviticus 26:1-3 briefly summarizes all of the obligations of the covenant.  It does not mean that the prohibition of idolatry, keeping the Sabbath and reverence toward the sanctuary are the only laws that matter; they simply are a concise way of referring to all of the covenant, underlining the obligations most closely related to Yahweh Himself.  The blessings of Leviticus 26:4-13 deal with prosperity and security, all in fulfillment of the covenant with Abraham.  The apex of blessing echoes Genesis 17:7: “[I] will be your God, and you shall be my people” (Leviticus 26:12).
         The curses of Leviticus 26:14-39 are shocking, but only because the sins of the Israelites will have been shocking.  It will be a complete rejection of Yahweh Himself.  Listen how He is identified personally with everything He says in His covenant: “But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments, if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant…” (Leviticus 26:14-15)  “If you walk contrary to me…” (Leviticus 26:21, 23, 27)  Therefore the punishment will be a personal reaction to Yahweh: “Then I will do this to you…  I will set my face against you…  I also will walk contrary to you, and I myself will strike you…  I will walk contrary to you in fury…” (Leviticus 26:16, 17, 24, 28)  The Being who redeemed them with so much strength in Egypt will divert His power to punish His people justly, not only for having disobeyed but for having rejected Yahweh Himself.
         In Leviticus 27, we see an important connection with chapter 26.  Yahweh will be faithful to His word on promised blessings and punishments in chapter 26; the Israelites must be faithful to their word, too.  They must fulfill their vows.  But if they have declared a vow lightly and later repent for having said it, in some cases Yahweh in His mercy allows them to redeem the person, animal, house or land that they have dedicated.
         As we reflect on both chapters, we can give thanks to Yahweh for His faithfulness.  He fulfills His word.  He concedes Leviticus 27 to the Israelites in His mercy because He recognizes their weaknesses, our common inclination toward pride in promising much and declaring great things that afterwards we cannot fulfill.  But notice that there is no chapter here on the conditions in which Yahweh can get out of fulfilling His word!  He always is faithful to fulfill His “vows”.  He joyfully fulfills His abundant promises for blessing, and with great pleasure He walks in a close relationship with His people: “I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you.  And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people” (Leviticus 26:11-12).  He also fulfills His promises to punish and discipline.  And He always will listen when His people repent: “If then their uncircumcised heart is humbled and they make amends for their iniquity, then I will remember my covenant with Jacob, and I will remember my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land… When they are in the land of their enemies, I will not spurn them, neither will I abhor them so as to destroy them utterly and break my covenant with them, for I am the LORD their God.  But I will for their sake remember the covenant with their forefathers, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 26:41-42, 44-45).
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Leviticus 23 - 25 and Psalm 54

2/9/2012

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         In another demonstration of holiness, the Israelites will follow a calendar of religious celebrations different from those of their neighbors, a calendar that reminds them of Yahweh’s past blessings, encourages them to celebrate His present faithfulness and directs them to look toward His future fulfillment of His promises.
         We find it in Leviticus 23:
         The most basic celebration of all is the Sabbath: “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation.  You shall do no work.  It is a Sabbath to the LORD in all your dwelling places” (Leviticus 23:3).  Notice that the Israelites cease from work this day, meet with other believers and dedicate the day to Yahweh.  Notice also that this celebration coincides with the seventh day of creation in Genesis 2:1-3 (as we saw in Exodus 20:11).  There is no planetary phenomenon or earthly observation that forms a basis for a week of seven days, only the work of creation.  Therefore, in its most basic sense, the Israelites give thanks to Yahweh for creation and for their lives, for this great gift of His mercy on which all the rest of His blessings depends.
         “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the LORD’s Passover” (Leviticus 23:5).  Perhaps it surprises us, in a book as detailed as Leviticus, that a festival as important as the Passover is mentioned in only one verse.  But it makes sense if we remember the “algebra” of the Mosaic Law: this was explained in detail in Exodus 12, so there is no need to repeat it.
         “And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread” (Leviticus 23:6).  Again we find little explanation of this festival because it was explained to us in Exodus 13.
         “When you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest” (Leviticus 23:10).  This feast is celebrated the day after the Sabbath, after Passover, and the first ripened grains of barley are given in thankfulness for all the harvest that is about to ripen.
         “You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering.  You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath.  Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the LORD” (Leviticus 23:15-16).  In this Feast of Weeks, the Israelites celebrate the close of the wheat harvest and present two loaves of bread baked with leaven as firstfruits to the LORD among other offerings.  From the Greek translation of the 50 days that are counted, this festival is also known as Pentecost.
         “In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation” (Leviticus 23:24).  The trumpets call the people to thankfulness and rejoicing for the end of the fruit harvest and to self-examination and repentance to request the rain needed for next year’s planting.
         “Now on this tenth day of the seventh month is the Day of Atonement.  It shall be a time for you of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the LORD” (Leviticus 23:27).  We saw this celebration, called Yom Kippur, in detail in Leviticus 16.
         “On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths to the LORD… You shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook… You shall dwell in booths for seven days… that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt” (Leviticus 23:34, 40, 42, 43).
         Therefore, besides the Sabbath every seventh day (what we call Saturday), Leviticus 23 lists seven annual festivals to Yahweh.  But that’s not all, because Yahweh commanded them to hold festivals for cycles of years: “When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall keep a Sabbath to the LORD.  For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its fruits, but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the LORD.  You shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard” (Leviticus 25:2-4).
         And in seven cycles of seven years, the celebration becomes even more special: “Then you shall sound the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month.  On the Day of Atonement you shall sound the trumpet throughout all your land.  And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants.  It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan” (Leviticus 25:9-10).  The debts of all Israelites are erased; the families that have sold their land inheritance because of economic pressures can now receive them again.  Everyone has the opportunity to start anew, spiritually for the Day of Atonement and economically for the Year of Jubilee.
         And a common denominator to all of these festivals is rest – complete rest to unite with the community, focus on Yahweh and thank Him for His blessings, past, present and future.  As we continue to read the Bible this year, we will watch the development of this special theme, the future rest that Yahweh promises.
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Leviticus 20 - 22 and Psalm 134

2/9/2012

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         In today’s reading, Yahweh presents the Canaanites spiritual history of degeneration, an example the Israelites need to avoid, and He calls them to the holiness and integrity that should define them in their new land.
         Leviticus 20 has a lot in common with chapter 18 where Yahweh warns the Israelites, “You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you.  You shall not walk in their statutes” (Leviticus 18:3).  Now in Leviticus 20 He points to the source of Canaanite perversity: “Any one of the people of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech shall surely be put to death.  The people of the land shall stone him with stones” (Leviticus 20:2).  From the source of Canaanite idolatry that insults and violates one of the most basic family relationships (parents and children), every kind of perversity described in Leviticus 18:6-24 and 20:9-21 has burst forth.
         Therefore, the Israelites must not tolerate even the simplest forms of Canaanite idolatry: “If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people” (Leviticus 20:6).  Instead, the Israelites must be firmly rooted in Yahweh, in a living and transforming relationship with Him that puts holiness into practice: “Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God.  Keep my statutes and do them; I am the LORD who sanctifies you” (Leviticus 20:7-8).
         If they keep Yahweh’s commandments, they will be blessed materially and spiritually: “You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey.  I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples…  You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine (Leviticus 20:24, 26).  But if they follow the path of Canaanite idolatry, they will fall into the same kind of perversions as the Canaanites and eventually, the same condemnation: “You shall therefore keep all my statutes and all my rules and do them, that the land where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out.  And you shall not walk in the customs of the nation that I am driving out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I detested them” (Leviticus 20:22-23).
         The key people who will prevent the Israelites from taking the path of Canaanite idolatry are the priests.  Their example in holiness will shepherd the rest of the people in Yahweh’s path; therefore the next two chapters, Leviticus 21 – 22, are dedicated to the priests’ life and ministry.  While Canaanite mediums and necromancers practice every kind of perversity even in their family relationships, Israelite priests will allow their holiness and devotion to Yahweh shine forth in those same relationships (Leviticus 21:1-15).  Additionally, they will not permit any Israelite with a physical defect to exercise priestly functions (Leviticus 21:16-24).  They will administer the material goods of their ministry with integrity (Leviticus 22:1-16).  And they will ensure that every offering of the people is approved of by Yahweh, a holy demonstration of their devotion to Him (Leviticus 22:17-30).  As they fulfill their ministry in holiness and integrity, the priests will shepherd the people into a new era for the land of Canaan, one that will replace the scandalous history of its previous inhabitants: “You shall not profane my holy name, that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel.  I am the LORD who sanctifies you, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God (Leviticus 22:32-33).
         In the same way, if we want our brothers and sisters in Christian churches today to avoid idolatry, scandalous living, lying, materialism and perversion, the holy example of their pastors and leaders must shepherd them in the path of the Lord’s blessing.  That is Yahweh’s plan for His people from Leviticus on: that they follow the holy example of their shepherds.
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Leviticus 17 - 19

2/7/2012

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         Now that the book of Leviticus has commanded the sacrifices of the Day of Atonement for the recovery and preservation of the sanctity of the tabernacle, Leviticus 17 seals the integrity and exclusivity of the sacrifices through the laws regarding blood.  The entrance to the tabernacle is the only place where the Israelites can present their sacrifices (Leviticus 17:3-5).  The high priestly badge saying “Holiness to the LORD” cannot be duplicated anywhere else.  The restrictions on the shedding of blood should put an end to private idolatrous sacrifices and the establishment of any other religious center that would compete with the tabernacle (Leviticus 17:7).  The prohibition on the consumption of blood also will guarantee that believers have an ongoing sensibility to its use on an individual level.  Above all, it teaches us that Yahweh is the Author of life, and blood can be shed only with His approval.
         Leviticus 18 looks beyond the tabernacle and prepares the Israelites to preserve their holiness when they reside in Canaan.  On a much larger scale than the tabernacle, the Israelites can pollute even the whole land of Canaan if they imitate the practices of its former residents.  Therefore every Israelite, individually and as a family, will keep the laws of sexual purity.
         And Leviticus 19 reveals a list of laws similar to the ones we say in Exodus 21 – 23: almost all of them are related in some way to the Ten Commandments and the two Greatest Commandments (one of which appears here: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18)).  But others are more difficult to categorize: one clarifies the consumption of the peace offering (Leviticus 19:5-8); another identifies an additional case requiring the guilt offering (Leviticus 19:20-22).  One prohibits the mixture of animals, seed or fibers for cloth (Leviticus 19:19), and another declares rules for the harvest of fruit trees in the Promised Land (Leviticus 19:23-25).  Two protect the integrity of the body made in Yahweh’s image (Leviticus 19:27-28).  But in general, nearly all the laws in this chapter have the goal of limiting the desires of complete consumption, of oppressing the weak or of taking advantage of others’ weaknesses for one’s own advance.  And refraining excessive and unjust desires is a first step to loving one’s neighbor.
         And in this way we can generalize and unify many of the laws given in these three chapters: they impose limits on the shedding of blood, on sexuality and on excessive or unjust desires.  If Yahweh’s people keep them, the renewal, spiritual cleansing and sanctification that they experienced on the Day of Atonement will continue like a national treasure for the rest of the year.
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Leviticus 15 - 16 and Psalm 130

2/7/2012

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         Today we read about one of the most important tabernacle rites, the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) in Leviticus 16.
         Its importance is highlighted at the end of the chapter: “For on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you.  You shall be clean before the LORD from all your sins (Leviticus 16:30).  Remember that the sin offerings were for the atonement of involuntary sins (Leviticus 4:2, 13, 22, 27; 5:15).  What remedy was available for intentional sins, then?  And what would devout worshipers do when they had to suffer the effects of tabernacle contamination from a few hardened sinners who had no desire to repent?  What could they do to get rid of the ritual contamination left by the sins of others like Nadab and Abihu?  Yahweh’s merciful answer is found in the Day of Atonement.
         All those who afflict themselves (that is, who truly repent and deny themselves carnal pleasure to focus sorrowfully on their sin), will find atonement on that day.  They will find forgiveness and renewal to begin a new year.  And complete atonement will reach even the tabernacle itself: “He shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly” (Leviticus 16:33).  All of the tabernacle, all the priests and all the people will be clean and consecrated like new.
         Notice that there are several important differences with the rituals and sacrifices that we have seen up to this point.
         At the beginning, Aaron does not wear the high priest’s holy clothing; instead, he wears holy linen clothes (Leviticus 16:4).  According to many commentators, that represents the humility with which he will go before Yahweh and ask His forgiveness for his own sins and those of the people.  He will dress again in the high priest’s beautiful robes when he presents the burnt offerings for himself and the people at the end of the ritual (Leviticus 16:24).
         As he is dressed humbly, he presents a total of five sacrificial animals: two for himself and his household (the bull for a sin offering and the ram for a burnt offering) and three for Israel (two male goats for the sin offering and a ram for the burnt offering).  First, he must make atonement for himself and his household with the bull as a sin offering before he can offer sacrifices on behalf of Israel (Leviticus 16:6).
         After the atonement for his own sin and impurities, Aaron takes the two male goats for Israel and presents them before Yahweh at the entrance to the tent of meeting: “And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the LORD and the other lot for Azazel” (Leviticus 16:8).  Azazel is not the name of some god but the transcription of a Hebrew word which means “the male goat that departs”.  The first goat will be sacrificed as a sin offering for the people; the second, “shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness” (Leviticus 16:22).
         Now Aaron continues to make atonement for himself and his household through the only ritual which brings blood into the Most Holy Place.  (In fact, it is the only ritual in which someone has permission to enter the Most Holy Place except for taking down the tabernacle and moving the ark during the travels in the desert!)  With a cloud of aromatic incense for protection from Yahweh’s devastating holiness, Aaron enters the Most Holy Place to sprinkle blood on and in front of the mercy seat (the cover of the ark, unseen by him because of the cloud) seven times with the blood of the bull for his atonement (Leviticus 16:11-14).
         He leaves the tabernacle for the entrance to the tent of meeting (of course, he must wash his hands and feet at the bronze basin when he passes it).  And he returns with the blood of the male goat chosen by Yahweh (and of course, he washes his hands and feet again when he passes the bronze basin).  He enters the most holy place just like the first time, but now he uses the blood of the male goat to atone for the sin of the people (Leviticus 16:15).  “Thus he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel and because of their transgressions, all their sins.  And so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which dwells with them in the midst of their uncleannesses” (Leviticus 16:16).
         After making atonement for all the sanctuary, the tent of meeting and the altar, Aaron puts two hands on the head of the remaining male goat (normally one hand is placed on the substitute’s head, but this animal will not be sacrificed).  He confesses all the iniquities and transgressions of the people of Israel, not just their unintentional sins.  And the animal is taken far away, carrying all of their sins, to a remote area where it will not return to the people (Leviticus 16:20-22).
         Afterwards, washed again and dressed in the clothing of the high priest, Aaron presents two rams as burnt offerings, one for him and one for the people (Leviticus 16:24).  And he completes the earlier sin offering of the other male goat (Leviticus 16:25, 27).
         The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) will be a yearly ritual.  Passover will be an annual reminder of Yahweh’s redemption of His people; Yom Kippur will make atonement so that the relationship between Yahweh and His people can be kept holy and pure (Leviticus 16:34).
         And for Christians, the ritual and sacrifices of the Day of Atonement have great meaning because they have been fulfilled once for all by our Lord Jesus Christ.  If you have time today, read Hebrews 9:1 – 10:18 in the New Testament to see the fulfillment of the Day of Atonement in the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross for all of our sin and defilement.
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Leviticus 13 - 14

2/5/2012

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         Yesterday we saw that the laws on cleanness and uncleanness teach us about the eternal characteristics of Yahweh’s holiness: His holiness is complete, whole, perfect, healthy, and life-giving with no association with death, sickness or impurity.  Leviticus 13 – 14 confirms this lesson.  The laws on leprosy and other forms of contamination show that Yahweh’s holiness abounds in life and never has the appearance of death.
         First, we must notice that the purpose of these laws is not public health and hygiene.   Although they deal with a disease (or with a few diseases), never once does the Bible say that they are for the prevention of sickness in others.  Their purpose is ritual cleanliness.  This is evident in that: 1) there are no instructions to evaluate other infectious diseases, and 2) the priests never try to cure it; they only examine the sick person to identify the disease and, if he is cured, to present the required sacrifices so he can be reintegrated into Israelite worship.  If the main purpose of these laws were health, Yahweh would have spoken of many contagious diseases and given instructions on how to heal them.
         Why, then, is there so much interest in ritual cleanliness and leprosy, only one kind of sickness?  Because if the skin breaks out in leprosy, it appears to be a corpse.  That is what will disturb Aaron when his sister Miriam has the disease: “Let her not be as one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother’s womb” (Numbers 12:12).  Leprosy and related skin diseases are different from others because they give the appearance of death, and nothing that appears dead will be accepted before the holy Author of life.
         Thanks be to God, leprosy and related skin diseases were not necessarily a death sentence.  As Leviticus 14 testifies, Yahweh by grace can heal the sick, and those restored to health also can be reintegrated to the community of believers.
         While the world that does not know Yahweh may feel an attraction toward death, show it reverence or even try to imitate it in styles of dress, makeup or celebrations, Yahweh’s people celebrate the life that overcame death, the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He guarantees our victory over death: “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).  Therefore we Christians celebrate the holiness of our Lord Jesus Christ and avoid all appearances of our defeated enemy.
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Psalm 99 and Leviticus 11 - 12

2/4/2012

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         What a shock it is to read Leviticus 11 after all that study of the tabernacle and the sacrifices!  At first glance, it seems like we’ve opened another book.
         Therefore, we’re going to get our bearings first in relation to the rest of the “algebra” of the Mosaic Law.  There is a detail in Leviticus 10 that has prepared us for this new section of the law.  It takes place after the deaths of Nadab and Abihu for offering unacceptable fire before Yahweh.  Here for the only time in the entire book of Leviticus, Yahweh speaks directly and exclusively to Aaron; this underlines the importance of what He is about to say (Gordon J. Wenham, The Book of Leviticus, Eerdmans, 1979).  It says, “And the LORD spoke to Aaron, saying, ‘Drink no wine or strong drink, you or your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die.  It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations.  You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean, and you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the LORD has spoken to them by Moses” (Leviticus 10:8-11).
         That is, one of the principle functions of the priests, besides serving as mediators for the people before Yahweh’s Presence, is teaching them to discern between the holy and the common, the clean and the unclean, in their daily lives.  This way the people will be prepared to live in holiness so that they don’t fall into the same kind of judgment as happened to Nadab and Abihu.
         And that leads us into this next section of the Mosaic Law, the laws concerning cleanliness and uncleanliness, that appear in Leviticus 11 – 16.
         In today’s reading we see two very different topics.  In Leviticus 11, all the animals, sea creatures, insects and reptiles native to the region are categorized as clean or unclean.  Leviticus 12 describes uncleanliness related to childbirth.
         As you read Leviticus 11, keep these observations in mind:
         1. Notice that the unclean animals, sea creatures, insects and reptiles are not somehow “evil”.  Yahweh created them, He saw that it was good, and He blessed them all on the fifth and sixth days of creation in Genesis 1.  Their identification as unclean in Leviticus 11 is not an issue of good and evil, nor does it concern sin, but ritual cleanliness or uncleanliness.  Someone who touches them becomes temporarily and ritually unclean, not guilty of sin. They must wash its contamination and wait until evening, but they do not have to bring a sacrifice to the tabernacle and shed the blood of a substitute to seek forgiveness.
         2. Notice that this constant evaluation of all living creatures that the Israelites will come into contact with is intended to awaken a sensitive conscience toward the issues of ritual cleanliness or uncleanness.  They cannot approach other cultures for friendship or to share a meal without first closely evaluating what they are going to eat.  Every relationship with their environment and their neighbors must be examined cautiously to discern its impact on their relationship with Yahweh, the most important relationship of all.
         3. As these laws limit the contact that Israel will have with its neighbors, they should testify to them about Yahweh.  The news will spread among their neighbors, “Look; there are some Israelites.  They don’t eat this; they won’t touch that…”  And it is hoped that they can say afterwards, “They don’t do it because they’re devoted to their holy God who doesn’t tolerate impurity.”
         4. And this observation leads us to the main point of all these laws regarding ritual purity: they teach us about Yahweh’s holiness.  Notice how everything in Leviticus 11 that is permitted is complete, whole and perfect while everything prohibited is incomplete, partial or associated with death.  Obedience to these laws should communicate to the Israelites: Yahweh is complete, whole and perfect; His glory is not incomplete, partial nor associated with death.
         Or to summarize it in one word: Yahweh is holy: “For I am the LORD your God.  Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.  You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground.  For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God.  You shall therefore by holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44-45).
         Keep these observations in mind, too, as you read Leviticus 12:
         1. Human reproduction is not “bad” or “sinful”.  With a blessing, God commanded us to reproduce and created us with the ability to do so (Genesis 1:28).
         2. The woman’s uncleanness is not for having reproduced but for the flow of blood in giving birth, a flow that will continue to some degree for the days and months after giving birth (therefore the mother is considered unclean but the children she gave birth to are not).  The flow of blood is not associated with Yahweh’s holiness because He defines and emanates life, while the flow of blood represents loss of life, or sickness or weakness.  Therefore the flow of bodily fluids here and in the following chapters contaminates, and the Israelite who comes in contact with them must wash himself and wait until he can approach the holiness of Yahweh’s presence in the tabernacle again.  In the case of a woman who has given birth, since her contamination was over a long period of time, she must present sacrifices that are more effective toward removing prolonged impurity.
         3. Notice the purpose of these sacrifices in the last verses of the chapter.  It doesn’t say, “She shall be forgiven”, as we read several times in Leviticus 4 regarding the sin offering.  Here it says, “She shall be clean” (Leviticus 12:8).
         A valid question is: Do we Christians follow the same laws today?  It is an excellent question, one that deserves a detailed response because it touches an essential topic on the relationship between the Old and New Testaments, but for lack of time, I’ll answer briefly: No.  While the characteristics of Yahweh’s holiness (complete, whole, perfect, healthy, life-giving, unrelated to death nor sickness nor impurity) are eternal, the laws through which we recognize His holiness have changed.  For example, Jesus declared that all foods are clean (Mark 7:19).  That was confirmed in Peter’s vision in Acts 10:11-16.  Ephesians 2:14-18 teaches that Jesus Christ through His cross broke down the wall of separation between Jew and Gentile to unite them into one new man in Him.  And at the same time, we are commanded, “But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15-16, quoting Leviticus 11).  Therefore we live in a holy manner, with a conscience sensitive to the topic of purity and impurity, not according to the laws that we are reading today in Leviticus 11 and 12, but according to what we will read in the New Testament.
         But that doesn’t mean the laws of Leviticus 11 and 12 are useless.  On the contrary, as we just saw: they teach us about the eternal characteristics of Yahweh’s holiness.  Also, as an important secondary teaching, they are very instructive in knowing other cultures.  When we interact with people from other cultures to testify of the good news of Jesus Christ, we want to know them well.  What do they consider clean, and what do they consider impure?  What interactions do they allow between men and women?  How do they treat the sick and the weak?  What laws govern their sense of identity and separation from others?  These are considerations of great importance if we want to communicate clearly and effectively the love, redemption and holiness of God through Jesus Christ.
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Leviticus 8 - 10

2/3/2012

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         Up to this point in our readings of the “algebra” of the Mosaic Law, we’ve seen the Ten Commandments and other laws that command us to love Yahweh will all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Exodus 20 – 23).  More recently we have read all the instructions for the tabernacle (Exodus 25 – 40) and the sacrifices that the Israelites will offer there (Leviticus 1 – 7).  In today’s reading, the consecration of the priests in Leviticus 8 – 10, we see these last two sections, the tabernacle and the sacrifices, in motion.
         Remember that we read the instructions for the consecration of Aaron and his sons as priests in Exodus 29; now they are fulfilled.  Notice that Moses prepares them by washing them, dressing them and anointing Aaron (along with the tabernacle), all in obedience to what Yahweh commanded (Exodus 29:4-9; Leviticus 8:5-13).
         The first day, the sacrifices begin with a bull for the sin offering (Leviticus 8:14-17).  This is the first sacrifice in the history of the tabernacle!  Their consecration continues with the ram of burnt offering (Leviticus 8:18-21), followed by the ram of ordination.  With this last one, Aaron and his sons are consecrated with blood in a manner similar to the bronze altar, and Moses offers the animal similar to a peace offering (but eaten only by the priests-to-be, with the anointing oil and blood sprinkled over them; Leviticus 8:22-32).
         In agreement with what Yahweh commanded in Exodus 29, the new priests would not leave the entrance to the tent of meeting for seven days.  Every one of those seven days they will offer a bull for a sin offering to sanctify them and the altar (Exodus 29:35-37).
         The eighth day is a great event with all Israel present.  Moses gives the instructions for the sacrifices, but Aaron serves as priest for the first time: “Draw near to the altar and offer your sin offering and your burnt offering and make atonement for yourself and for the people, and bring the offering of the people and make atonement for them, as the LORD has commanded” (Leviticus 9:7).
         Aaron obeys everything in order: he offers a sin offering for himself (Leviticus 9:8-11), then a burnt offering for himself (Leviticus 9:12-14); then a sin offering for the people (Leviticus 9:15) and a burnt offering for the people (Leviticus 9:16).  He presents the grain offering for the people, and fulfills the morning burnt offering (Leviticus 9:17).  And to finish, he presents the ox and ram as peace offerings for the people (Leviticus 9:18-21).  He has completed all the facets of atonement, sanctification, surrender, thanksgiving, consecration and celebration, and: “Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them, and he came down from offering the sin offering and the burnt offerings and the peace offerings” (Leviticus 9:22).
         And Yahweh gave His approval: “The glory of the LORD appeared to all the people.  And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces (Leviticus 9:23-24).  Glory be to God!
         Let’s pause for a moment to notice the significance of this event.  In Exodus 40, Yahweh’s Presence fills the temple after its construction.  Now Aaron and his sons are consecrated as priests, and Yahweh gives His approval by appearing and consuming the sacrifices that had been placed.  They now are consecrated to guarantee a living and continuous relationship between Yahweh and His people.  They are acceptable mediators between The Holy One and His people who need forgiveness of their sins and contamination.  They are approved guides to direct the community in holiness, thanksgiving and proper celebration before Yahweh.  Without the priests, the tabernacle is a holy, beautiful place where the Presence of Yahweh dwells; now with the priests, the whole nation can enter a living, holy and continuous relationship with Him.
         All of that makes the deaths of Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10 more shocking.  In the very day of their consecration, the fire of Yahweh’s judgment burns forth to consume them for their disobedience.  Aaron and his remaining sons cannot approach them nor touch their bodies nor weep for them: as consecrated men, their mediation for the people of Israel must outweigh even their most profound feelings and family obligations.
         In the conversation between Aaron and Moses at the end of Leviticus 10, we see the impact of the contamination of sin.  According to Moses, Aaron’s remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, should have eaten a part of the goat of the sin offering for the people (Leviticus 10:16).  He has a right to insist on this rule (Leviticus 6:25-26; notice that the sentence: “Behold, its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary” in Leviticus 10:18 does not imply non-compliance on the part of Eleazar and Ithamar, as if they should have taken the blood there but didn’t; it says there is no ritual obstacle to their eating part of the sacrifice, in accordance with Leviticus 6:30).  His anger is in agreement with the letter of the law in Leviticus 6:25-30.
         But Aaron insists that they should not eat it.  Today many understand Eleazar and Ithamar’s silence and Aaron’s declaration, “Such things as these have happened to me” (Leviticus 10:19) as an opening for a psychological interpretation of the verse: Aaron and his sons don’t eat because they’re sad.  But I believe that some of Jacob Milgrom’s observations in his commentary Leviticus: A Book of Ritual and Ethics (2004, Augsburg Fortress) are much more perceptive.  The sin offering and burnt offering were accepted by Yahweh, but the deaths of Nadab and Abihu occurred afterwards, and their sin contaminated the tabernacle.  How could they eat the sin offering when the tabernacle remained impure because of this recent sin?  How could Yahweh be pleased by Aaron’s eating a sacrifice that sanctifies the bronze altar when the altar of incense, the holier object, remains impure?  Now they must perform a more effective sacrifice… and that is precisely what Yahweh will command them to do in Leviticus 16 (Milgrom, Leviticus, 100).  Moses is satisfied with his response (Leviticus 10:20).
         How glorious and dangerous it is to approach Yahweh’s holiness!  The New Testament warns us, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.  For we all stumble in many ways” (James 3:1-2).  Just like Aaron’s fear of Yahweh at the end of Leviticus 10, may His holiness be our primary concern in every facet of our ministries, and may we do nothing outside of the blood of our Substitute that covers us.
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Leviticus 6:8 - 7:38

2/3/2012

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         Today’s reading goes back and refers to all of the main sacrifices that we’ve already read about in Leviticus.  It gives the priests some additional laws for each sacrifice.  And for us, it serves as a good review of the last two readings.
         Leviticus 6:8-13 goes back to the topic of the burnt offering that we saw in Leviticus 1.  The person that offered the sacrifice already would have gone back to his tent, but the priest’s work has not finished yet.  In the long hours that follow, he keeps the fire burning until the whole sacrifice has been consumed, and then he carefully moves the ashes to a holy place outside the tabernacle.  He’s also faithful to put wood on the fire each morning even though nobody sees it nor applauds him for doing it.  He should be faithful in this holy work behind the scenes so that God’s forgiveness and a living relationship with Him is always accessible to His people.
         Leviticus 6:14-18 goes back to the topic of the grain offering that we saw in Leviticus 2.  In one verse it summarizes how the offering is presented (Leviticus 6:15), and now it adds the rules about the priests’ consumption of the remainder.
         Notice that Leviticus 6:19-23 describes another kind of grain offering: the ordination offering or grain offering of the priest.  From the day that they are consecrated, the priests themselves present a grain offering, half in the morning and half in the evening, every day.  That is, the priests are going to guide the people through their own obedient example in giving offerings to Yahweh.
         Leviticus 6:24-30 goes back to the topic of the sin offering in Leviticus 4.  Here we find out that the priests eat a part of the sacrifice in the tabernacle courtyard; that is how they demonstrate that the sacrifice has been accepted by Yahweh (Leviticus 6:26, 29; notice that they do not share the meat with the person who presented the offering, one of the distinctive parts of the peace offering).  But at the same time that there is an approach or familiarity with the sin offering in that a priest eats a part of it, there also are detailed instructions that underline the holiness of the blood from the offering (Leviticus 6:27-28).  That is, Yahweh’s forgiveness of sin and its contamination is available and easily accessible, but may it never be considered routine or common.  All atonement for sin and its contamination entails a holy substitution by blood, and this privilege should not be undervalued.
         Leviticus 7:1-10 goes back to the topic of one kind of sin offering, the guilt offering or restitution offering that we read about in Leviticus 5:14 – 6:7.  As in the sin offering, the priest will eat a part of the sacrifice, and the blood will be treated as something most holy.
         Leviticus 7:11-36 goes back to the topic of the peace offering that we saw in Leviticus 3.  It gives more detail about the part of the offering that will be for the priests’ consumption, and it emphasizes the holiness of the meal and everyone who participates in it.
         Then Leviticus 7:37-38 lists them again as a closing summary.  Do you remember some of the main characteristics of each one?
         The burnt offering: the most basic sacrifice for the atonement of sin, burned completely, accessible to all – rich or poor.
         The grain offering: an offering without blood, in thanksgiving for Yahweh’s provision; a handful of fine flour is burned (with incense in some cases) and the rest is given as a provision to the priests.
         The sin offering: the sacrifice for certain types of unintentional sin; it is for forgiveness of sin and to purify the tabernacle from contamination.  The blood is put on the horns of an altar according to the authority of the sinner, and the priest eats a part of the sacrifice (unless it is for his own sin).  The holiness of the blood is emphasized.
         The guilt offering: A category of the sin offering in which the sinner also gives compensation for his sin.
         The ordination sacrifice: A category of the grain offering given daily only by consecrated priests, one half in the morning and the other half in the evening.
         The peace offering: The sacrifice shared among Yahweh, the priests, the one presenting the offering, his family, and those he invites; it is a holy meal in fellowship with Yahweh.
         If we have read and reflected on these sacrifices, we can do the following:
         1.  Identify the sacrifices that the Israelites practiced in the tabernacle, but even more so:
         2.  Realize the multifaceted relationship that a believer has with Yahweh.  It includes forgiveness by the shed blood of a substitute, repentance from every kind of sin and voluntary or involuntary contamination, restitution given to those who have suffered damage from our sins, complete surrender of one’s life to Yahweh, thanksgiving for daily provision, consecration to serve God and celebration together with Him and His people.
         In this way, I hope that our reading of Leviticus 1 – 7 has greatly enhanced our personal relationship with Yahweh through faith in Jesus Christ, the One who shed His blood on the cross as our Substitute for the forgiveness of our sins and for our birth to a living relationship with Him.
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Levítico 4 - 6:7

2/2/2012

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         The reading today concentrates on the sacrifices for sin.  We see an impressive variety of cases that require purification and the means by which the Israelites obtain it.
         Before beginning to examine the sacrifices themselves, it will be useful for us to see a list of sins for which there is no sacrifice in the Old Testament: the “resolution” of these sins is through the death of the offender.  Again Allen P. Ross helps us in his book Holiness to the Lord: A Guide to the Exposition of the Book of Leviticus (Baker Academic, 2002):
         Against the first commandment: sacrifice to or worship of other gods (Leviticus 20:3; Deuteronomy 17:2-7), witchcraft (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 20:6), false prophecy (Deuteronomy 13:5; 18:20).
         Against the third commandment: blasphemy (Leviticus 24:14, 16, 23).
         Against the fourth commandment: working on the Sabbath day (Exodus 31:14).
         Against the fifth commandment: injuring or cursing one’s father or mother (Exodus 21:15, 17; Leviticus 20:9), being stiff-necked or rebellious against the voice of one’s parents (Deuteronomy 21:18-21).
         Against the sixth commandment: murder (Leviticus 24:17, 21).
         Against the seventh commandment: adultery (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22); rape (Deuteronomy 22:25); fornication (Deuteronomy 22:21); incest (Leviticus 20:11, 14).
         Against the eighth commandment: kidnapping (Exodus 21:16).
         Against the ninth commandment: testifying falsely against someone in any of the cases described above (Deuteronomy 19:16, 19, 21).
         Once again, any of these intentional sins against the Ten Commandments cannot be forgiven by the sacrifices that we are going to read about today (Ross, Holiness, 130).  They must result in the death of the sinner, or as in the case of David in his adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah, he must be forgiven by declaration of God Himself (2 Samuel 12:13).
         Remember, too, that the burnt offering of Leviticus 1, the most basic sacrifice of the Israelite system, is offered for the atonement of sin.  So when we begin Leviticus 4, we are reading about sacrifices for certain types of sins.  First we read, “If anyone sins unintentionally in any of the LORD’s commandments about things not to be done” (Leviticus 4:2).  Notice that these are not premeditated sins; the sinner committed them unintentionally.  But notice, too, that even though the sin was committed unintentionally, it still incurs guilt before God.
         The sin offerings in Leviticus 4 are similar to the burnt offering of Leviticus 1: the offender must identify an appropriate animal, with no defect; the sinner must lay a hand on the victim; the shedding of the blood of the victim plays a central role.  But some important differences stand out, too:
         1.  In the case of a sin of the anointed priest, the blood must be brought into the tabernacle to sprinkle the veil seven times and anoint the horns of the incense altar with it, then the remainder is poured out at the base of the bronze altar (Leviticus 4:5-7).
         2.  Instead of burning the entire animal as in the burnt offering, only the fat and some internal organs are burnt, just like the peace offering (Leviticus 4:8-10).
         3.  All the rest is taken out of the tabernacle to be burned in an ash heap in a ceremonially clean place (Leviticus 4:11-12).  The priest doesn’t keep the hide of the animal as in the burnt offering; he will not receive any benefit from having sinned!  Sin and its contamination must be carried far from the holy place of God.
         Notice too that there are some differences if the sinner is the congregation of Israel (Leviticus 4:13), a leader in Israel (Leviticus 4:22) or a person with no authority to govern (Leviticus 4:27):
         1.  If the sin is committed by the congregation of Israel, the elders put their hands on the head of the sacrificial bull (Leviticus 4:15).
         2.  If a leader sins, he brings a male goat instead of a bull, and the priest puts the blood on the horns of the bronze altar; it is not taken into the tabernacle (Leviticus 4:23, 25).
         3.  If a person without authority to govern sins, he can bring a female goat or female sheep without blemish (Leviticus 4:28, 32); the blood is put on the bronze altar also, not taken into the tabernacle (Leviticus 4:30, 34).
         These sacrifices teach us a lot about the impact of sin, about the contamination or impurity that it brings.  First, notice that a main concern about these sins is the contamination of the tabernacle.  When the people sin, the tabernacle itself becomes impure; it must be purified with blood on the horns of its altars.  Second, as the sinner has greater rank and authority, his sins contaminate the sanctuary more.  The relationship of the entire people with Yahweh can be put at risk because of the sins of its leaders.  Therefore the sacrifice for sin must be effective enough to purify even the holiest places from the contamination of sin.
         Third, what a blessing it is to have Yahweh, the forgiving God, as Lord!  Although unintentional sins greatly contaminate the people, by the blood of the sacrifice poured out, Yahweh tells us: “They shall be forgiven… he shall be forgiven… he shall be forgiven… he shall be forgiven” (Leviticus 4:20, 26, 31, 35).  Sin and its contamination are taken away from the place of relationship with Yahweh, to such a degree that the psalmist can celebrate, “As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12).  Glory be to God!

         Some additional notes: Notice that the sacrifices described in Leviticus 5 and 6:1-7 specify and extend these sacrifices for sin:
         Leviticus 5:1-4 clarifies four cases in which a sinner must present a sacrifice for sin in agreement with what we read in Leviticus 4.
         Notice that Leviticus 5:5 requires the confession of sin in these four cases along with the sacrifice.
         Leviticus 5:7-13 explains how to do the sin offerings in the midst of poverty.
         Leviticus 5:14-16 explains compensation that is added to the sacrifice in the form of silver shekels when there is an unintentional sin regarding the holy things of Yahweh.
         Leviticus 5:17-19 applies this even in situations of ignorance of the holy things.
         Leviticus 6:1-7 describes the sacrifices and the compensation that will be given for sins of theft, false witness or carelessness regarding another’s possessions, cases like we saw in Exodus 22:1-15.
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    Ken Kytle serves as pastor of Iglesia bautista La fe en Cristo near Atlanta, Georgia.

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