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.
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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