Life in the Desert - Leviticus 17-27 - The Holiness Code

Lev 17: Sacrifice and Blood

17:1-9 The Place of Sacrifice Specified

To prevent worshiip of demon goat idols.

17:10-16 The Eating of Blood Prohibited

1. The life principle is centered in the blood.

2. The LORD chose blood for atonement.

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Lev 18: Pagan Sexual Acts Outlawed

18:1-5 Not as Egypt or Canaan. I am the LORD.

18:6-18 Forbidden to “uncover the nakedness of” (have relations with): one’s mother, step-mother, sister, granddaughter, half-sister, aunt, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, wife’s daughter or granddaughter, or his living wife’s sister.

18:19-23 Not during woman’s monthly cycle; no adultery; no child sacrifice; not male with a male (abomination); not with an animal (perversion).

18:24-30 “Lest the land vomit you out.”

Lev 19: Holy Daily Conduct Demanded

Note these repeated words: “I am the LORD.”

19:1-2 Holiness in every part of life. Because …

19:3-4 Father and mother. Sabbaths. No idols.

19:5-8 Eating the sacrifice of peace offerings.

19:9-18 Regard for poor. Ethics. Honesty. No cruelty. No partiality. No  slander. No hatred or vengeance. Work it out! Love neighbor as self.

19:19 Consistency and unity.

Lev 19: Holy Daily Conduct Demanded

19:20-22 Relations with concubines. Penalty.

19:23-25 Fruit holy in 4th year. Eaten in 5th.

19:26-29 No omens, fortune-telling, (pagan) disfigurement, cuts, tattoos, dtrs as prostitutes.

19:30-37 Sabbaths and sanctuary. No mediums or necromancers (who call up the dead). Respect for the gray-headed elderly. Treatment of the sojourner same as the native. Love the sojourner as yourself, because you were strangers in Egypt. Honest measurements.

Lev 20: Punishments for Sin Listed

20:1-5 Offering children to Molech.

20:6-8 Using mediums, necromancers.

20:9 Cursing father or mother.

20:10-21 Committing sexual immorality.

Some cases: “They shall be put to death.”

Others: “… cut off” from God’s people.

20:22-27 Summary and reminder: Obey [1] lest the land vomit you out, [2] because of the good land you are given, [3] God set you apart.

Lev 21: Holiness of Priests Required

21:1-9 Requirements for All Priests Given

21:10-15 Requirements for High Priest Given

21:16-24 Disqualifying Blemishes Listed

Lev 22: Holiness of Offerings Required

22:1-9 Priest alone allowed to eat of the sacred offerings, but not if ceremonially unclean.

22:10-16 Only those fully in the priest’s family could share in eating the sacred offerings. Any other person who ate it by mistake was to make restitution with equivalent food plus a 20% fine.

22:17-30 Acceptable offerings were to be males without these specific blemishes or defects.

22:31-33 Sanctify, do not profane My name. I sanctify you. I saved you. I am the LORD.

Lev 23: Sabbath, Feasts Regulated

23:1-3 Sabbath Law

23:4-8 Passover, Unleavened Bread

23:9-14 Firstfruits

23:15-22 Feast of Weeks (Pentecost)

23:23-25 Feast of Trumpets

23:26-32 Day of Atonement

23:33-44 Feast of Tabernacles

Lev 24: Lamps and Bread; Blasphemy of the Name

24:1-4 Lamps: olive oil, continually burning

24:5-9 Bread of the Presence: 12 loaves, set out each Sabbath, for Aaron and sons in a holy place

24:10-16 Blasphemy, a Capital Sin

Son of Israelite mother and Egyptian father

Witnesses lay their hands on his head.

Entire congregation stones him.

24:17-23 Lex talionis (Law of Retribution)

Penalty fit the crime, no more or less.

Lev 25: Sabbath Year, Year of Jubilee

25:1-7 Sabbatical Year

Land had a “Sabbath” rest from cultivation.

Began at time of sowing (Fall) each 7th year.

Voluntary produce would be enough for all. No systematic harvest. All, including the poor, ate.

25:8-55 Year of Jubilee

Every 50th year – property restored to original Israelite family owners; slaves freed. Liberty!

         25:35-46 Kindness to the Poor

Lev 26: Rewards and Punishments

26:1-13 Promises for Obedience

Rain, produce, peace, military victory.

The LORD to dwell and walk among, with you.

26:14-46 Penalties for Disobedience

Panic; disease; defeat; pestilence; drought; cannibalism; destruction of religious centers, cities, and land; exile to a foreign land.

If you confess and repent in that foreign land, the LORD to remember His covenant and restore.

Lev 27: Vows, Dedications, and Tithes

27:1-8 Valuation of Dedicated Persons

One could dedicate himself or a member of his family. Since a non-Levite could not serve in the sanctuary, he made a payment to the sanctuary.

27:9-13 Dedicated Animals

27:14-25 Dedicated Real Estate

27:26-29 Objects Excluded

27:30-33 Tithes

27:34 Summary of Leviticus

Household Laws for Children: Lamentations of the Father (Humorous Adaptation)

As we study Leviticus, you may enjoy this humorous adaptation of "biblical" language that a father uses to explain the rules to his children at home. It is written by Ian Frazier.

Of the beasts of the field, and of the fishes of the sea, and of all foods that are acceptable in my sight you may eat, but not in the living room. Of the hoofed animals, broiled or ground into burgers, you may eat, but not in the living room. Of the cloven-hoofed animal, plain or with cheese, you may eat, but not in the living room. Of the cereal grains, of the corn and of the wheat and of the oats, and of all the cereals that are of bright color and unknown provenance you may eat, but not in the living room. Of the quiescently frozen dessert and of all frozen after-meal treats you may eat, but absolutely not in the living room. Of the juices and other beverages, yes, even of those in sippy-cups, you may drink, but not in the living room, neither may you carry such therein. Indeed, when you reach the place where the living room carpet begins, of any food or beverage there you may not eat, neither may you drink. But if you are sick, and are lying down and watching something, then may you eat in the living room.

Laws Concerning Food and Drink; Household Principles; Lamentations of the Father by Ian Frazier 

Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideastour/humor/frazier-full.html

And if you are seated in your high chair, or in a chair such as a greater person might use, keep your legs and feet below you as they were. Neither raise up your knees, nor place your feet upon the table, for that is an abomination to me. Yes, even when you have an interesting bandage to show, your feet upon the table are an abomination, and worthy of rebuke. Drink your milk as it is given you, neither use on it any utensils, nor fork, nor knife, nor spoon, for that is not what they are for; if you will dip your blocks in the milk, and lick it off, you will be sent away. When you have drunk, let the empty cup then remain upon the table, and do not bite it upon its edge and by your teeth hold it to your face in order to make noises in it sounding like a duck; for you will be sent away.

When you chew your food, keep your mouth closed until you have swallowed, and do not open it to show your brother or your sister what is within; I say to you, do not so, even if your brother or your sister has done the same to you. Eat your food only; do not eat that which is not food; neither seize the table between your jaws, nor use the raiment of the table to wipe your lips. I say again to you, do not touch it, but leave it as it is. And though your stick of carrot does indeed resemble a marker, draw not with it upon the table, even in pretend, for we do not do that, that is why. And though the pieces of broccoli are very like small trees, do not stand them upright to make a forest, because we do not do that, that is why. Sit just as I have told you, and do not lean to one side or the other, nor slide down until you are nearly slid away. Heed me; for if you sit like that, your hair will go into the syrup. And now behold, even as I have said, it has come to pass.

Laws Pertaining to Dessert

For we judge between the plate that is unclean and the plate that is clean, saying first, if the plate is clean, then you shall have dessert. But of the unclean plate, the laws are these: If you have eaten most of your meat, and two bites of your peas with each bite consisting of not less than three peas each, or in total six peas, eaten where I can see, and you have also eaten enough of your potatoes to fill two forks, both forkfuls eaten where I can see, then you shall have dessert. But if you eat a lesser number of peas, and yet you eat the potatoes, still you shall not have dessert; and if you eat the peas, yet leave the potatoes uneaten, you shall not have dessert, no, not even a small portion thereof. And if you try to deceive by moving the potatoes or peas around with a fork, that it may appear you have eaten what you have not, you will fall into iniquity. And I will know, and you shall have no dessert.

On Screaming

Do not scream; for it is as if you scream all the time. If you are given a plate on which two foods you do not wish to touch each other are touching each other, your voice rises up even to the ceiling, while you point to the offense with the finger of your right hand; but I say to you, scream not, only remonstrate gently with the server, that the server may correct the fault. Likewise if you receive a portion of fish from which every piece of herbal seasoning has not been scraped off, and the herbal seasoning is loathsome to you, and steeped in vileness, again I say, refrain from screaming. Though the vileness overwhelm you, and cause you a faint unto death, make not that sound from within your throat, neither cover your face, nor press your fingers to your nose. For even now I have made the fish as it should be; behold, I eat of it myself, yet do not die.

Concerning Face and Hands

Cast your countenance upward to the light, and lift your eyes to the hills, that I may more easily wash you off. For the stains are upon you; even to the very back of your head, there is rice thereon. And in the breast pocket of your garment, and upon the tie of your shoe, rice and other fragments are distributed in a manner wonderful to see. Only hold yourself still; hold still, I say. Give each finger in its turn for my examination thereof, and also each thumb. Lo, how iniquitous they appear. What I do is as it must be; and you shall not go hence until I have done.

Various Other Laws, Statutes, and Ordinances

Bite not, lest you be cast into quiet time. Neither drink of your own bath water, nor of bath water of any kind; nor rub your feet on bread, even if it be in the package; nor rub yourself against cars, nor against any building; nor eat sand.

Leave the cat alone, for what has the cat done, that you should so afflict it with tape? And hum not that humming in your nose as I read, nor stand between the light and the book. Indeed, you will drive me to madness. Nor forget what I said about the tape.

Complaints and Lamentations

O my children, you are disobedient. For when I tell you what you must do, you argue and dispute hotly even to the littlest detail; and when I do not accede, you cry out, and hit and kick. Yes, and even sometimes do you spit, and shout "stupid-head" and other blasphemies, and hit and kick the wall and the molding thereof when you are sent to the corner. And though the law teaches that no one shall be sent to the corner for more minutes than he has years of age, yet I would leave you there all day, so mighty am I in anger. But upon being sent to the corner you ask straightaway, "Can I come out?" and I reply, "No, you may not come out." And again you ask, and again I give the same reply. But when you ask again a third time, then you may come out.

Hear me, O my children, for the bills they kill me. I pay and pay again, even to the twelfth time in a year, and yet again they mount higher than before. For our health, that we may be covered, I give six hundred and twenty talents twelve times in a year; but even this covers not the fifteen hundred deductible for each member of the family within a calendar year. And yet for ordinary visits we still are not covered, nor for many medicines, nor for the teeth within our mouths. Guess not at what rage is in my mind, for surely you cannot know.

For I will come to you at the first of the month and at the fifteenth of the month with the bills and a great whining and moan. And when the month of taxes comes, I will decry the wrong and unfairness of it, and mourn with loud groaning and bitter tears, and rend my receipts. And you shall remember that I am that I am: before, after, and until you are twenty-one. Hear me then, and avoid me in my wrath, O children of me.

Life in the Desert - Leviticus 11-16 - Cleanness and Atonement

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Leviticus: A Holy God, Therefore a Holy People

Lev 11:45 For I am the LORD who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy.

Life in the Desert – Leviticus 11-16 – Cleanness and Atonement

Lev 11: Clean and Unclean Creatures

11:1-8 Land animals

11:9-12 Fish

11:13-19 Birds

11:20-23 Winged insects

11:24-40 Carcasses

11:41-43 Swarming things

11:44-45 “For I am the LORD.”

Lev 12: Childbearing Mothers

Unclean (not sinful) due to the loss of blood.

1. The woman is to remain unclean for 7 days (for a male child) or 14 days (for a female);

2. She then enters a time of 33 days (male) to 66 days (female) as she is being purified; and

3. Finally, she brings a burnt offering and a sin offering. The priest makes atonement for her.

No sin. Ritually unclean. So needing atonement.

Lev 12:8 If poor … Cf. re: Jesus in Luke 2:21-24.

Lev 13: Leprous Diseases: Diagnosis

Heb. ‏צָרָעַת‎, ṣārāʿath - any eruptive skin disease, such as psoriasis, urticaria (hives), favus (which produces honeycomb-shaped crusts), and leukoderma (white patches on the skin).

13:1-8 Basic symptoms; exam. Hair white? How deep? Spreading? “Unclean” ritually (no sin).

13:9–17 Severe, chronic skin condition. Raw flesh, oozing, red, and active. Easily recognized. No quarantine needed. Priest declares unclean.

Lev 13: Leprous Diseases: Diagnosis

13:18-23 A boil

13:24-28 A burn

13:29-37 Itching

13:38-39 Leukoderma

13:40-44 Baldness

13:45-46 So - torn clothes, unadorned head, beard and mouth covered. OT signs of mourning (Ezek 24:17, 22; Mic 3:7). Here: one is ritually dead. Cf. Luke 17:12–13, where lepers “stood at a distance” and called for help from Jesus.

Lev 13: Leprous Diseases: Diagnosis

13:47-59 Leprous garments

Causes include various molds or fungi.

Symptoms: greenish or reddish color.

Isolate it 7 days. Recheck.

If it has spread, burn it.

If it has not spread, wash it. Isolate. Recheck.

If no change, burn it.

If faded, tear that part out.

If gone, wash it again. Now it is clean.

Lev 14: Leprous Diseases: Readmission

Steps taken to restore and resolve uncleanness.

14:1-9 Two live birds, cedar, scarlet yarn, hyssop.

Kill 1st, sprinkle blood, release 2nd, wash, shave.

14:10-20 Offerings: sin, burnt, grain. Restored.

14:21–32 Concessions to the poor. Birds rather than expensive large animals. 2/3 less grain.

14:33–57 Infected houses. Mold, mildew, fungus.

Lev 15: Bodily Discharges

15:1-18 Male Discharges

Abnormal, from diseased male organs.

Contagious: bed, seat, body, spit, saddle.

7 days. Bathe, wash. Sin offering, burnt offering.

Normal male emission: unclean until evening.

15:19-30 Female Discharges

Normal monthly flow: unclean 7 days.

Abnormal: unclean as long as it lasts. Then 7 …

15:31-33 Conclusion / Purpose: “Lest they die …”

Lev 16: The Day of Atonement

Yom Kippur

16:1-10 The High Priest’s Preparation

16:11-14 The High Priest’s Sin Offering

16:15-19 The People’s Sin Offering

16:20-22 The People’s Scapegoat

16:23-28 The Rest of the Ceremony

16:29-34 Additional Instructions

Procedures on the Day of Atonement

This list is taken from the MacArthur Study Bible.

1) The High-Priest (HP) washed at the basin in the courtyard and dressed in the tabernacle (v. 4).

2) The HP offered the bull as a sin offering for himself and his family (vv. 3, 6, 11).

3) The HP entered the Holy of Holies (HH) with the bull’s blood, incense, and burning coals from the altar of burnt offering (vv. 12, 13).

4) The HP sprinkled the bull’s blood on the mercy seat 7 times (v. 14).

5) The HP went back to the courtyard and cast lots for the two goats (vv. 7, 8).

6) The HP sacrificed one goat as a sin offering for the people (vv. 5, 9, 15).

7) The HP reentered the HH to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat and also the Holy Place (cf. Ex 30:10; vv. 15–17).

8) The HP returned to the altar of burnt offering and cleansed it with the blood of the bull and goat (vv. 11, 15, 18, 19).

9) The scapegoat was dispatched to the wilderness (vv. 20–22).

10) Afterward, the goatkeeper cleansed himself (v. 26).

11) The HP removed his special Day of Atonement clothing, rewashed, and put on the regular HP clothing (vv. 23, 24).

12) The HP offered two rams as burnt offerings for himself and the people (vv. 3, 5, 24).

13) The fat of the sin offering was burned (v. 25).

14) The bull-and-goat sin offerings were carried outside the camp to be burned (v. 27).

15) The one who burned the sin offering cleansed himself (v. 28).

Fulfilled in Christ: Hebrews 7:23-10:39

Lev: many priests.

Lev: repeated sacrifices, not really removing sin.

Lev: mortal priests, had to be replaced.

Lev: priests took blood not their own.

Lev: priests needed sacrifice for their own sin.

Lev: merely outward cleansing.

Lev: reminder of sins daily, annually.

Lev: shadow or facsimile of the real thing.

Lev: tabernacle just an earthly copy.

Life in the Desert - Leviticus 1-10: Sacrifices and Priestly Ordination

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Leviticus: A Holy God, Therefore a Holy People

Lev 11:45 For I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy.

Leviticus: Facts

Name = “pertaining to the Levites.” But …

Moses as inspired human author. Noted 56 times.

Time duration: roughly a month between the erection of the tabernacle (Ex 40:17) and the departure from Sinai (Num 10:11).

“Holy” (adj., noun, and verb forms) – 152 times.

Sacrifice – the price of sin and atonement.

Substitution – the innocent in place of the guilty.

Sabbath Rest and Year – order, rest, and health.

Sanctification – set apart for Him from the world.

Leviticus: Principles

Ritual regulations (Lev 1-16) and moral/ethical commands (Lev 17-27) are not to be separated. Acts of worship and acts of conduct fit together. The rituals reflect and express the morals.

Leviticus (OT) parallel to Hebrews (NT).

The sacrificial system has been fulfilled in Christ, yet illustrates many aspects of His sacrifice. (cf. Heb 9:1–14, 24–28; 10:1–14).

OT/NT: High priest, altar, lamb without blemish, blood, sacrifice, atonement, scapegoat.

Leviticus: Broad Outline

1-10 - Offerings

11-15 - Ritual Cleanness

16-17 - Day of Atonement

18-22 - Moral Holiness

23-25 - Worship Calendar

26-27 - Additional Instructions

Leviticus 1-10: Sacrifices and Priestly Ordination

Leviticus 1-7: Five Major Offerings

First the offering itself, then the priest’s role.

1:1-17; 6:8-13 – The Burnt Offering

Purpose not specified. Used for thanksgiving, penitence, vows, and self-dedication.

Most costly, 100% whole. Male without blemish.

Hand on the head.

Atonement: removing of sin, appeasing wrath.

Sheep / goat: Kill, throw blood, flay, cut, burn.

Birds: wring head, tear wings, but not sever.

A pleasing aroma. Eph 5:2; Phil 4:18

2:1-16; 6:14-23 – The Grain Offering

Purpose not specified. Honor God, owner of all?

Fine flour, oil, costly frankincense, and salt.

Uncooked (2:1-3) or cooked (2:4-10).

Only a handful was actually burned.

Memorial portion, asking God to remember them.

Bread: from oven, griddle, or pan.

Remaining part given to the priests.

Leaven or honey - no. Salt - yes. Mk 9:49-50

3:1-17; 7:11-36 – The Peace Offering

Purpose: to achieve, express fellowship with God.

Bull. Only fatty parts burned, not “whole.”

Like filet mignon, most succulent and savory.

Offerer not allowed to eat the fat or the blood.

Fat: given to the LORD. Blood: for atonement.

Goat: process very similar.

4:1-5:13; 6:24-30 – The Sin Offering

For unintentional, careless, negligent sin.

4:1-12 If the anointed priest sins.

Bull’s blood sprinkled 7 times in front of the veil.

Remaining blood poured out at base of altar.

Some parts burned, the rest taken out of camp.

4:13-21 If the whole congregation sins.

Elders lay hands on bull; then it is killed.

4:22-35 If a tribal leader sins.

Male goat w/o blemish. Blood applied, poured.

“He shall be forgiven.”

4:1-5:13; 6:24-30 – The Sin Offering

4:27-35 If anyone else sins.

Female goat or lamb without blemish. Blood applied, poured. He shall be forgiven.

5:1-6 Specific reasons: not giving testimony; becoming ritually unclean; rash oaths.

Realize guilt, confess sin, bring sin offering.

5:7-13 Allowance for lower economic levels: two turtledoves or pigeons, or 1/10 of an ephah of fine flour. (Ephah = about 6 gallons).

5:14-6:7; 7:1-10 – The Guilt Offering

Possible distinctions from sin offering:

Guilt offering involved a breach of faith.

Guilt offering involved restitution and reparation.

6:8-7:38 – Priest’s Role, Handling Offerings

7:37-38 – Summary

“The law … which the LORD commanded Moses on Mount Sinai.”

Sacrifices Christians are to Offer

Rom 12:1-2 Your bodies a living sacrifice.

Rom 15:16 Paul’s “offering” of the Gentiles.

Phil 2:17 Poured out as a drink offering.

Phil 4:18 Gift = fragrant aroma, accept’ sacrifice.

2 Tim 4:6 Poured out as a drink offering.

Heb 13:15-16 Praise, thanks, deeds, sharing.

1 Pet 2:5 Holy priesthood, spiritual sacrifices.

Rev 5:8; 8:3-4 Prayers as incense rising.

Leviticus 8-10: The Priesthood

8:1-36 – Ordination of Aaron and His Sons

7 parts, marked by “as the LORD commanded.”

8:1-4 Preparation: items, entire assembly.

8:5-9 Washing and clothing: glorious attire.

8:10-13 Anointing: oil on tabernacles, altar, etc.

8:14-17 Sin offering to purify priesthood, altar.

8:18-21 Burnt offering: ram for Aaron and sons.

8:22-29 Peace offering: 2nd ram for installation.

8:30 2nd anointing: sprinkling oil on Aaron, etc.

8:31-36 Meal of covenant ratification.

Leviticus 8-10: The Priesthood

9:1-24 – First Tabernacle Service

After 7 days of ordination, daily sacrifices begin.

9:7-14 First, atonement for the priests.

9:15-21 Then, atonement for the people.

From removing sinfulness (by the sin offering), to underscoring their petitions and praises (by the burnt offering), to fellowship (peace offering).

9:22-24 Aaron as the new mediator with Moses.

The LORD miraculously sends fire to consume the animals, showing His approval of all.

Leviticus 8-10: The Priesthood

10:1-20 – Nadab’s and Abihu’s Sin, Death

10:1-3 Aaron’s oldest sons. Sin of presumption. “Strange” fire, not as prescribed. Unauthorized worship violates God’s holiness and glory.

10:4-7 Moses says, in effect: “You represent the LORD and must uphold His standards.”

10:8-11 No alcohol. Distinguish. Teach.

10:12-15 Priests to eat food after it was offered.

10:16-20 Aaron’s remaining two sons failed to eat it! Aaron: “Would the LORD have approved?”