Was Israel to live holy lives? Did holiness include how they treated parents, Sabbath, idolatry, peace offerings, the poor, telling the truth, immigrants, stock breeding, clothing quality, sex, harvesting fruit, pagan practices, the elderly, foreigners, and honesty in business? How holy are our lives? Let’s look at a discussion of holiness in Leviticus 19.
How important was holiness to God under the old covenant?
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.’” (Leviticus 19:1-2 NKJV)
How did honoring parents, Sabbath keeping and avoiding idolatry make for holy living?
Each of you must show great respect for your mother and father, and you must always observe my Sabbath days of rest. I am the Lord your God. Do not put your trust in idols or make metal images of gods for yourselves. I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:3-4 NLT)
How were peace offerings to be holy? Was it also a meal?
When you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh, you shall offer it so that you may be accepted. It shall be eaten the same day you offer it, and on the next day. If anything remains until the third day, it shall be burned with fire. If it is eaten at all on the third day, it is an abomination. It will not be accepted; but everyone who eats it shall bear his iniquity, because he has profaned the holy thing of Yahweh, and that soul shall be cut off from his people. (Leviticus 19:5-8 WEB)
How could they treat the poor and immigrants in a holy manner?
When you harvest your land’s produce, you must not harvest all the way to the edge of your field; and don’t gather up every remaining bit of your harvest. Also do not pick your vineyard clean or gather up all the grapes that have fallen there. Leave these items for the poor and the immigrant; I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:9-10 CEB)
How were truth telling and fulfilling promises holy living?
Do not steal or tell lies or cheat others. Do not misuse my name by making promises you don't intend to keep. I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:11-12 CEV)
What were some practical ways to be holy in showing love to a neighbor?
You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning. You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord. You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord. You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:13-18 ESV)
Are quality stock breeding and clothing ways to be holy?
You are to keep My statutes. You must not crossbreed two different kinds of your livestock, sow your fields with two kinds of seed, or put on a garment made of two kinds of material. (Leviticus 19:19 HCSB)
Can an engaged person be both holy and sexually unfaithful?
When a person has sexual relations with a woman servant who is engaged to another man, but she has not been completely redeemed nor has her freedom been granted to her, there is to be an inquiry, but they won’t be put to death, since she has not been freed. The perpetrator is to bring his guilt offering to the Lord at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting—that is, a ram as a guilt offering. Then the priest is to make atonement for him with the ram as a guilt offering in the Lord’s presence on account of his sin which he has committed, but which will be forgiven him. (Leviticus 19:20-22 ISV)
Was holiness applicable even to harvesting fruit only when the tree was ready?
And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised: three years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you: it shall not be eaten of. But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the Lord withal. And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:23-25 KJV)
Was it holy to avoid common pagan practices like eating blood, shaping beards, cutting the body, prostituting daughters, profaning Sabbaths and witchcraft?
You shall not eat anything with the blood nor interpret omens or soothsaying. You shall not round off the side-growth of your heads nor harm the edges of your beard. And you shall not make any cuts in your body for the dead nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am Yahweh. Do not profane your daughter by making her a harlot, so that the land will not fall to harlotry and the land become full of lewdness. You shall keep My sabbaths and fear My sanctuary; I am Yahweh. Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am Yahweh your God. (Leviticus 19:26-31 LSB)
Is it holy to treat the elderly and foreigners well and to be honest in business?
You shall stand up in the presence of the grayheaded and honor elders, and you shall fear your God; I am the Lord. When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God. You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measurement of weight, or volume. You shall have accurate balances, accurate weights, an accurate ephah, and an accurate hin; I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt. So you shall keep all My statutes and all My ordinances, and do them; I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:32-37 NASB)
Are we Christians also to be holy in all that we do?
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16 NIV Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2)
Was Israel to live holy lives? Did holiness include how they treated parents, Sabbath, idolatry, peace offerings, the poor, telling the truth, immigrants, stock breeding, clothing quality, sex, harvesting fruit, pagan practices, the elderly, foreigners, and honesty in business? How holy are our lives? You decide!
Sexual Morality (Leviticus 18)
How serious is God about sexual immorality? Were sexual perversions one reason why the previous inhabitants lost their land? Did they also practice child sacrifice? Are we also to avoid sexual sins? Let’s look at Leviticus 18.
Whose law was Israel to follow, that of surrounding nations or God?
Yahweh said to Moses, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘I am Yahweh your God. You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived. You shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. You shall not follow their statutes. You shall do my ordinances. You shall keep my statutes and walk in them. I am Yahweh your God. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances, which if a man does, he shall live in them. I am Yahweh. (Leviticus 18:1-5 WEB)
Is sexual intercourse allowed with a close relative?
No one is allowed to approach any blood relative for sexual contact: I am the Lord. You must not uncover your father’s nakedness, which is your mother’s nakedness. She is your mother; you must not have sexual contact with her. You must not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness. You must not have sexual contact with your sister—regardless of whether she is your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether born into the same household as you or outside it. (Leviticus 18:6-9 CEB)
What are some other specific examples of a close relative with whom sex is forbidden?
Don't disgrace yourself by having sex with your granddaughter or half sister or a sister of your father or mother. Don't disgrace your uncle by having sex with his wife. Don't have sex with your daughter-in-law or sister-in-law. And don't have sex with the daughter or granddaughter of any woman that you have earlier had sex with. You will be having sex with her closest relatives, and that would make you unclean. As long as your wife is alive, don't cause trouble for her by taking one of her sisters as a second wife. (Leviticus 18:10-18 CEV)
What are some other examples of sexual misconduct according to God’s law? Was child sacrifice included in this list?
You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness while she is in her menstrual uncleanness. And you shall not lie sexually with your neighbor's wife and so make yourself unclean with her. You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. And you shall not lie with any animal and so make yourself unclean with it, neither shall any woman give herself to an animal to lie with it: it is perversion. (Leviticus 18:19-23 ESV)
Were these sexual malpractices one reason why God punished those nations by taking away the right to their land?
Do not defile yourselves by any of these practices, for the nations I am driving out before you have defiled themselves by all these things. The land has become defiled, so I am punishing it for its sin, and the land will vomit out its inhabitants. But you are to keep My statutes and ordinances. You must not commit any of these detestable things—not the native or the foreigner who lives among you. (Leviticus 18:24-26 HCSB)
Would Israel likewise lose their land if they committed any of these sexual perversions?
because the inhabitants of the land did all of these detestable things and by doing so defiled the land before you. So you are not to let the land vomit you up because of your uncleanness as it is vomiting the nations that were here before you. Anyone who does any of these detestable things—whoever the person may be—is to be eliminated from contact with his people. Therefore, keep my injunctions so that you won’t practice these detestable things that have been done before you, and so that you won’t be defiled in them. I am the Lord. (Leviticus 18:27-30 ISV)
Is changing the qualifications for elders without God’s authority from “the husband of one wife” (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:6), to celibacy one possible reason for the gross sexual misconduct in the Roman church?
Nevertheless, to avoid fornication [sexual immorality], let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. (1 Corinthians 7:2 KJV)
What are the four things that the early church commanded gentiles to obey?
But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, having decided that they should keep from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from sexual immorality. (Acts 21:25 LSB)
Was a man who had sex with his father’s wife removed from church?
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and sexual immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, namely, that someone has his father’s wife. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst. (1 Corinthians 5:1-2 NASB)
Did this have a happy ending? After a time out, was the man able to be restored to the church?
The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. (2 Corinthians 2:6-8 NIV)
How serious is God about sexual immorality? Were sexual perversions one reason why the previous inhabitants lost their land? Did they also practice child sacrifice? Are we also to avoid sexual sins? You decide!
Whose law was Israel to follow, that of surrounding nations or God?
Yahweh said to Moses, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘I am Yahweh your God. You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived. You shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. You shall not follow their statutes. You shall do my ordinances. You shall keep my statutes and walk in them. I am Yahweh your God. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances, which if a man does, he shall live in them. I am Yahweh. (Leviticus 18:1-5 WEB)
Is sexual intercourse allowed with a close relative?
No one is allowed to approach any blood relative for sexual contact: I am the Lord. You must not uncover your father’s nakedness, which is your mother’s nakedness. She is your mother; you must not have sexual contact with her. You must not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness. You must not have sexual contact with your sister—regardless of whether she is your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether born into the same household as you or outside it. (Leviticus 18:6-9 CEB)
What are some other specific examples of a close relative with whom sex is forbidden?
Don't disgrace yourself by having sex with your granddaughter or half sister or a sister of your father or mother. Don't disgrace your uncle by having sex with his wife. Don't have sex with your daughter-in-law or sister-in-law. And don't have sex with the daughter or granddaughter of any woman that you have earlier had sex with. You will be having sex with her closest relatives, and that would make you unclean. As long as your wife is alive, don't cause trouble for her by taking one of her sisters as a second wife. (Leviticus 18:10-18 CEV)
What are some other examples of sexual misconduct according to God’s law? Was child sacrifice included in this list?
You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness while she is in her menstrual uncleanness. And you shall not lie sexually with your neighbor's wife and so make yourself unclean with her. You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. And you shall not lie with any animal and so make yourself unclean with it, neither shall any woman give herself to an animal to lie with it: it is perversion. (Leviticus 18:19-23 ESV)
Were these sexual malpractices one reason why God punished those nations by taking away the right to their land?
Do not defile yourselves by any of these practices, for the nations I am driving out before you have defiled themselves by all these things. The land has become defiled, so I am punishing it for its sin, and the land will vomit out its inhabitants. But you are to keep My statutes and ordinances. You must not commit any of these detestable things—not the native or the foreigner who lives among you. (Leviticus 18:24-26 HCSB)
Would Israel likewise lose their land if they committed any of these sexual perversions?
because the inhabitants of the land did all of these detestable things and by doing so defiled the land before you. So you are not to let the land vomit you up because of your uncleanness as it is vomiting the nations that were here before you. Anyone who does any of these detestable things—whoever the person may be—is to be eliminated from contact with his people. Therefore, keep my injunctions so that you won’t practice these detestable things that have been done before you, and so that you won’t be defiled in them. I am the Lord. (Leviticus 18:27-30 ISV)
Is changing the qualifications for elders without God’s authority from “the husband of one wife” (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:6), to celibacy one possible reason for the gross sexual misconduct in the Roman church?
Nevertheless, to avoid fornication [sexual immorality], let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. (1 Corinthians 7:2 KJV)
What are the four things that the early church commanded gentiles to obey?
But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, having decided that they should keep from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from sexual immorality. (Acts 21:25 LSB)
Was a man who had sex with his father’s wife removed from church?
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and sexual immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, namely, that someone has his father’s wife. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst. (1 Corinthians 5:1-2 NASB)
Did this have a happy ending? After a time out, was the man able to be restored to the church?
The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. (2 Corinthians 2:6-8 NIV)
How serious is God about sexual immorality? Were sexual perversions one reason why the previous inhabitants lost their land? Did they also practice child sacrifice? Are we also to avoid sexual sins? You decide!
Eating Blood (Leviticus 17)
Why did God require all sacrifices be made at the tent of meeting? Was it partly to discourage pagan offerings? Why did God forbid eating blood? Is it a toxic health risk? Does it still apply? Let’s consider Leviticus 17.
Where were the Israelites required to make any sacrifices?
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them; This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, saying, What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp, And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people: To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the Lord, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them for peace offerings unto the Lord. (Leviticus 17:1-5 KJV)
Were some sacrificing to demons? What would happen to those who did not sacrifice at the tent of meeting?
And the priest shall splash the blood on the altar of Yahweh at the doorway of the tent of meeting and offer up the fat in smoke as a soothing aroma to Yahweh. And they shall no longer sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat demons with which they play the harlot. This shall be a perpetual statute to them throughout their generations. Then you shall say to them, ‘Any man from the house of Israel, or from the sojourners who sojourn among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice, and does not bring it to the doorway of the tent of meeting to offer it to Yahweh, that man also shall be cut off from his people. (Leviticus 17:6-9 LSB)
Could they or any foreigners in residence eat blood?
‘And anyone from the house of Israel, or from the strangers who reside among them, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats the blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.’ Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, ‘No person among you may eat blood, nor may any stranger who resides among you eat blood.’ So when anyone from the sons of Israel, or from the strangers who reside among them, while hunting catches an animal or a bird which may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with dirt. (Leviticus 17:10-13 NASB)
What was the reason that they could not eat blood? What were those who ate anything found dead required to do?
because the life of every creature is its blood. That is why I have said to the Israelites, “You must not eat the blood of any creature, because the life of every creature is its blood; anyone who eats it must be cut off. Anyone, whether native-born or foreigner, who eats anything found dead or torn by wild animals must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be ceremonially unclean till evening; then they will be clean. But if they do not wash their clothes and bathe themselves, they will be held responsible.’” (Leviticus 17:14-16 NIV)
Was this an ancient prohibition long before the covenant at Sinai?
But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. (Genesis 9:4 NKJV)
Is not eating blood, like blood sausage and blood pudding, still required of Christians? Did the apostles write to gentiles about this?
For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements: You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell. (Acts 15:28-29 NLT)
Why did God require all sacrifices be made at the tent of meeting? Was it partly to discourage pagan offerings? Why did God forbid eating blood? Is it a toxic health risk? Does it still apply? You decide!
Where were the Israelites required to make any sacrifices?
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them; This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, saying, What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp, And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people: To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the Lord, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them for peace offerings unto the Lord. (Leviticus 17:1-5 KJV)
Were some sacrificing to demons? What would happen to those who did not sacrifice at the tent of meeting?
And the priest shall splash the blood on the altar of Yahweh at the doorway of the tent of meeting and offer up the fat in smoke as a soothing aroma to Yahweh. And they shall no longer sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat demons with which they play the harlot. This shall be a perpetual statute to them throughout their generations. Then you shall say to them, ‘Any man from the house of Israel, or from the sojourners who sojourn among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice, and does not bring it to the doorway of the tent of meeting to offer it to Yahweh, that man also shall be cut off from his people. (Leviticus 17:6-9 LSB)
Could they or any foreigners in residence eat blood?
‘And anyone from the house of Israel, or from the strangers who reside among them, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats the blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.’ Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, ‘No person among you may eat blood, nor may any stranger who resides among you eat blood.’ So when anyone from the sons of Israel, or from the strangers who reside among them, while hunting catches an animal or a bird which may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with dirt. (Leviticus 17:10-13 NASB)
What was the reason that they could not eat blood? What were those who ate anything found dead required to do?
because the life of every creature is its blood. That is why I have said to the Israelites, “You must not eat the blood of any creature, because the life of every creature is its blood; anyone who eats it must be cut off. Anyone, whether native-born or foreigner, who eats anything found dead or torn by wild animals must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be ceremonially unclean till evening; then they will be clean. But if they do not wash their clothes and bathe themselves, they will be held responsible.’” (Leviticus 17:14-16 NIV)
Was this an ancient prohibition long before the covenant at Sinai?
But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. (Genesis 9:4 NKJV)
Is not eating blood, like blood sausage and blood pudding, still required of Christians? Did the apostles write to gentiles about this?
For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements: You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell. (Acts 15:28-29 NLT)
Why did God require all sacrifices be made at the tent of meeting? Was it partly to discourage pagan offerings? Why did God forbid eating blood? Is it a toxic health risk? Does it still apply? You decide!
Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16)
Does the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur, reconciliation, covering over) teach us that animal sacrifices did not permanently remove sin but were reminders of sin? Did Yom Kippur remind people that even the priests were but sinful men who needed an offering for their sins? Do we through Jesus now have permanent atonement and access to the Holy of Holies? Let’s look at Leviticus 16.
Is there a greater mystery here that we, who are tainted with worldly values cannot understand? Is God’s understanding of justice very different to ours?
The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the Lord and died, and the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. (Leviticus 16:1-2 ESV)
What was required of Aaron before entering the holy of holies? Is this a reminder that every minister of God still sins?
Before entering this most holy place, you must offer a bull as a sacrifice for your sins and a ram as a sacrifice to please me. You will take a bath and put on the sacred linen clothes, including the underwear, the robe, the sash, and the turban. Then the community of Israel will bring you a ram and two goats, both of them males. The goats are to be used as sacrifices for sin, and the ram is to be used as a sacrifice to please me. (Leviticus 16:3-5 CEV)
Literally meaning the “entire removal” what was the purpose of the Azazel or escape goat? Did it picture the entire removal of sin and guilt? Was it a symbol of complete forgiveness?
Aaron will present the bull for his sin offering and make atonement for himself and his household. Next he will take the two goats and place them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. After Aaron casts lots for the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other for azazel, he is to present the goat chosen by lot for the Lord and sacrifice it as a sin offering. But the goat chosen by lot for azazel is to be presented alive before the Lord to make purification with it by sending it into the wilderness for azazel. (Leviticus 16:6-10 HCSB)
What offerings were to be made on the Day of Atonement? Is this a reminder that every minister’s household also still sins?
Aaron is then to bring the bull for a sin offering for himself, thus making atonement for himself and his household. He is to slaughter the ox for himself. Then he is to take a censer and fill it with coals from the fire on the altar in the Lord’s presence. With his hands full of spiced and refined incense, he is to bring it beyond the curtain. Then he is to place the incense over the fire in the Lord’s presence, ensuring that the smoke from the incense covers the Mercy Seat, according to regulation, so he won’t die. He is to take blood from the ox and sprinkle it with his forefinger toward the surface of the Mercy Seat. Then he is to sprinkle the blood on the surface of the Mercy Seat with his forefinger seven times. (Leviticus 16:11-14 ISV)
What were they to do with the goat of the sin offering? Is this a reminder that a whole congregation still sins?
Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. (Leviticus 16:15-16 KJV)
How does blood make atonement? Does it symbolize Jesus in some way? Is this a reminder that every altar is still tainted by sin?
Now when he goes in to make atonement in the holy place, no one shall be in the tent of meeting until he comes out, that he may make atonement for himself and for his household and for all the assembly of Israel. Then he shall go out to the altar that is before Yahweh and make atonement for it. And he shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar on all sides. With his finger he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it seven times and cleanse it and set it apart as holy from the uncleanness of the sons of Israel. (Leviticus 16:17-19 LSB)
What was the purpose of the live Azazel or scapegoat?
When he finishes atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall offer the live goat. Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the wrongdoings of the sons of Israel and all their unlawful acts regarding all their sins; and he shall place them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands ready. Then the goat shall carry on itself all their wrongdoings to an isolated territory; he shall release the goat in the wilderness. (Leviticus 16:20-22 NASB)
What was Aaron to do a second time and what could that be for? Is this a reminder that even after performing his duties, every minister also still requires forgiveness of his sins?
Then Aaron is to go into the tent of meeting and take off the linen garments he put on before he entered the Most Holy Place, and he is to leave them there. He shall bathe himself with water in the sanctuary area and put on his regular garments. Then he shall come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and the burnt offering for the people, to make atonement for himself and for the people. He shall also burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar. (Leviticus 16:23-25 NIV)
What was the man who released the scapegoat to do? Is this a reminder that even after fulfilling his duties in the assembly, such a man is still tainted by sin?
And he who released the goat as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp. The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be carried outside the camp. And they shall burn in the fire their skins, their flesh, and their offal. Then he who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp. (Leviticus 16:26-28 NKJV)
Was this fast day also a day of complete rest for the people?
“On the tenth day of the appointed month in early autumn, you must deny yourselves. Neither native-born Israelites nor foreigners living among you may do any kind of work. This is a permanent law for you. On that day offerings of purification will be made for you, and you will be purified in the Lord’s presence from all your sins. It will be a Sabbath day of complete rest for you, and you must deny yourselves. This is a permanent law for you. In future generations, the purification ceremony will be performed by the priest who has been anointed and ordained to serve as high priest in place of his ancestor Aaron. He will put on the holy linen garments and purify the Most Holy Place, the Tabernacle, the altar, the priests, and the entire congregation. This is a permanent law for you, to purify the people of Israel from their sins, making them right with the Lord once each year.” Moses followed all these instructions exactly as the Lord had commanded him. (Leviticus 16:29-34 NLT)
Is there an atonement that once for all reconciles us to God?
By his grace they are justified freely through the redemption that is in the Messiah Jesus, whom God offered as a place where atonement by the Messiah’s blood would occur through faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because he had waited patiently to deal with sins committed in the past. (Romans 3:24-25 ISV)
Does the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur, reconciliation, covering over) teach us that animal sacrifices did not permanently remove sin but were reminders of sin? Did Yom Kippur remind people that even the priests were but sinful men who needed an offering for their sins? Do we through Jesus now have permanent atonement and access to the Holy of Holies? You decide!
Is there a greater mystery here that we, who are tainted with worldly values cannot understand? Is God’s understanding of justice very different to ours?
The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the Lord and died, and the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. (Leviticus 16:1-2 ESV)
What was required of Aaron before entering the holy of holies? Is this a reminder that every minister of God still sins?
Before entering this most holy place, you must offer a bull as a sacrifice for your sins and a ram as a sacrifice to please me. You will take a bath and put on the sacred linen clothes, including the underwear, the robe, the sash, and the turban. Then the community of Israel will bring you a ram and two goats, both of them males. The goats are to be used as sacrifices for sin, and the ram is to be used as a sacrifice to please me. (Leviticus 16:3-5 CEV)
Literally meaning the “entire removal” what was the purpose of the Azazel or escape goat? Did it picture the entire removal of sin and guilt? Was it a symbol of complete forgiveness?
Aaron will present the bull for his sin offering and make atonement for himself and his household. Next he will take the two goats and place them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. After Aaron casts lots for the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other for azazel, he is to present the goat chosen by lot for the Lord and sacrifice it as a sin offering. But the goat chosen by lot for azazel is to be presented alive before the Lord to make purification with it by sending it into the wilderness for azazel. (Leviticus 16:6-10 HCSB)
What offerings were to be made on the Day of Atonement? Is this a reminder that every minister’s household also still sins?
Aaron is then to bring the bull for a sin offering for himself, thus making atonement for himself and his household. He is to slaughter the ox for himself. Then he is to take a censer and fill it with coals from the fire on the altar in the Lord’s presence. With his hands full of spiced and refined incense, he is to bring it beyond the curtain. Then he is to place the incense over the fire in the Lord’s presence, ensuring that the smoke from the incense covers the Mercy Seat, according to regulation, so he won’t die. He is to take blood from the ox and sprinkle it with his forefinger toward the surface of the Mercy Seat. Then he is to sprinkle the blood on the surface of the Mercy Seat with his forefinger seven times. (Leviticus 16:11-14 ISV)
What were they to do with the goat of the sin offering? Is this a reminder that a whole congregation still sins?
Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. (Leviticus 16:15-16 KJV)
How does blood make atonement? Does it symbolize Jesus in some way? Is this a reminder that every altar is still tainted by sin?
Now when he goes in to make atonement in the holy place, no one shall be in the tent of meeting until he comes out, that he may make atonement for himself and for his household and for all the assembly of Israel. Then he shall go out to the altar that is before Yahweh and make atonement for it. And he shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar on all sides. With his finger he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it seven times and cleanse it and set it apart as holy from the uncleanness of the sons of Israel. (Leviticus 16:17-19 LSB)
What was the purpose of the live Azazel or scapegoat?
When he finishes atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall offer the live goat. Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the wrongdoings of the sons of Israel and all their unlawful acts regarding all their sins; and he shall place them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands ready. Then the goat shall carry on itself all their wrongdoings to an isolated territory; he shall release the goat in the wilderness. (Leviticus 16:20-22 NASB)
What was Aaron to do a second time and what could that be for? Is this a reminder that even after performing his duties, every minister also still requires forgiveness of his sins?
Then Aaron is to go into the tent of meeting and take off the linen garments he put on before he entered the Most Holy Place, and he is to leave them there. He shall bathe himself with water in the sanctuary area and put on his regular garments. Then he shall come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and the burnt offering for the people, to make atonement for himself and for the people. He shall also burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar. (Leviticus 16:23-25 NIV)
What was the man who released the scapegoat to do? Is this a reminder that even after fulfilling his duties in the assembly, such a man is still tainted by sin?
And he who released the goat as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp. The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be carried outside the camp. And they shall burn in the fire their skins, their flesh, and their offal. Then he who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp. (Leviticus 16:26-28 NKJV)
Was this fast day also a day of complete rest for the people?
“On the tenth day of the appointed month in early autumn, you must deny yourselves. Neither native-born Israelites nor foreigners living among you may do any kind of work. This is a permanent law for you. On that day offerings of purification will be made for you, and you will be purified in the Lord’s presence from all your sins. It will be a Sabbath day of complete rest for you, and you must deny yourselves. This is a permanent law for you. In future generations, the purification ceremony will be performed by the priest who has been anointed and ordained to serve as high priest in place of his ancestor Aaron. He will put on the holy linen garments and purify the Most Holy Place, the Tabernacle, the altar, the priests, and the entire congregation. This is a permanent law for you, to purify the people of Israel from their sins, making them right with the Lord once each year.” Moses followed all these instructions exactly as the Lord had commanded him. (Leviticus 16:29-34 NLT)
Is there an atonement that once for all reconciles us to God?
By his grace they are justified freely through the redemption that is in the Messiah Jesus, whom God offered as a place where atonement by the Messiah’s blood would occur through faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because he had waited patiently to deal with sins committed in the past. (Romans 3:24-25 ISV)
Does the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur, reconciliation, covering over) teach us that animal sacrifices did not permanently remove sin but were reminders of sin? Did Yom Kippur remind people that even the priests were but sinful men who needed an offering for their sins? Do we through Jesus now have permanent atonement and access to the Holy of Holies? You decide!
Unclean Discharges (Leviticus 15)
Apart from foods, childbirth, skin diseases, mold and mildew, were there other ways to become unclean under Mosaic law? Would we call this simple quarantine today? Let’s look at Leviticus 15.
Could a man’s bodily discharge be a cause for concern regarding infection?
The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When any man has a discharge from his body, he is unclean. This is uncleanness of his discharge: Whether his body secretes the discharge or retains it, he is unclean. All the days that his body secretes or retains anything because of his discharge, he is unclean. Any bed the man with the discharge lies on will be unclean, and any furniture he sits on will be unclean.” (Leviticus 15:1-4 HCSB)
What precautions were people to make regarding touching a discharge?
Any person who touches his bed is to wash his garments and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. Whoever sits on any object on which the one with the discharge has sat is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. Whoever touches the body of someone with a discharge is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. Whoever has a discharge and spits on someone who is clean, then he is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. (Leviticus 15:5-8 ISV)
What about anything that the man with the discharge touches?
And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean. And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even: and he that beareth any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and hath not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water. (Leviticus 15:9-12 KJV)
What was to happen when the man with the discharge was healed?
Now when the man with the discharge becomes cleansed from his discharge, then he shall count off for himself seven days for his cleansing; he shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in running water and will become clean. Then on the eighth day he shall take for himself two turtledoves or two young pigeons and come before Yahweh to the doorway of the tent of meeting and give them to the priest; and the priest shall offer them, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf before Yahweh because of his discharge. (Leviticus 15:13-15 LSB)
What was a man to do about any seminal emissions?
Now if a man has a seminal emission, he shall bathe all his body in water and be unclean until evening. As for any garment or any leather on which there is a seminal emission, it shall be washed with water and be unclean until evening. If a man sleeps with a woman so that there is a seminal emission, they shall both bathe in water and be unclean until evening. (Leviticus 15:16-18 NASB)
How should a woman handle quarantine during her monthly period?
When a woman has her regular flow of blood, the impurity of her monthly period will last seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean till evening. Anything she lies on during her period will be unclean, and anything she sits on will be unclean. Anyone who touches her bed will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening. Anyone who touches anything she sits on will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening. Whether it is the bed or anything she was sitting on, when anyone touches it, they will be unclean till evening. (Leviticus 15:19-23 NIV)
How should a woman handle quarantine for her menstrual flow if anything unusual happens?
And if any man lies with her at all, so that her impurity is on him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean. If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, other than at the time of her customary impurity, or if it runs beyond her usual time of impurity, all the days of her unclean discharge shall be as the days of her customary impurity. She shall be unclean. Every bed on which she lies all the days of her discharge shall be to her as the bed of her impurity; and whatever she sits on shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her impurity. Whoever touches those things shall be unclean; he shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. (Leviticus 15:24-27 NKJV)
What should take place once the woman’s bleeding stops?
When the woman’s bleeding stops, she must count off seven days. Then she will be ceremonially clean. On the eighth day she must bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons and present them to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle. The priest will offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. Through this process, the priest will purify her before the Lord for the ceremonial impurity caused by her bleeding. (Leviticus 15:28-30 NLT)
There are many possible reasons for bodily discharges, but are two of the more common reasons seminal emissions and a woman’s monthly?
Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, so they will not die in their uncleanness when they defile my tabernacle that is among them. This is the law of him who has a discharge, and of him who has an emission of semen, so that he is unclean by it; and of her who has her period, and of a man or woman who has a discharge, and of him who lies with her who is unclean. (Leviticus 15:31-33 WEB)
What kind of discharge can make us spiritually unclean?
The food you put into your mouth doesn't make you unclean and unfit to worship God. The bad words that come out of your mouth are what make you unclean. (Matthew 15:11 CEB)
Apart from foods, childbirth, skin diseases, mold and mildew, were there other ways to become unclean under Mosaic law? Would we call this simple quarantine today? Are we spiritually clean? You decide!
Could a man’s bodily discharge be a cause for concern regarding infection?
The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When any man has a discharge from his body, he is unclean. This is uncleanness of his discharge: Whether his body secretes the discharge or retains it, he is unclean. All the days that his body secretes or retains anything because of his discharge, he is unclean. Any bed the man with the discharge lies on will be unclean, and any furniture he sits on will be unclean.” (Leviticus 15:1-4 HCSB)
What precautions were people to make regarding touching a discharge?
Any person who touches his bed is to wash his garments and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. Whoever sits on any object on which the one with the discharge has sat is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. Whoever touches the body of someone with a discharge is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. Whoever has a discharge and spits on someone who is clean, then he is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. (Leviticus 15:5-8 ISV)
What about anything that the man with the discharge touches?
And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean. And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even: and he that beareth any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and hath not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water. (Leviticus 15:9-12 KJV)
What was to happen when the man with the discharge was healed?
Now when the man with the discharge becomes cleansed from his discharge, then he shall count off for himself seven days for his cleansing; he shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in running water and will become clean. Then on the eighth day he shall take for himself two turtledoves or two young pigeons and come before Yahweh to the doorway of the tent of meeting and give them to the priest; and the priest shall offer them, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf before Yahweh because of his discharge. (Leviticus 15:13-15 LSB)
What was a man to do about any seminal emissions?
Now if a man has a seminal emission, he shall bathe all his body in water and be unclean until evening. As for any garment or any leather on which there is a seminal emission, it shall be washed with water and be unclean until evening. If a man sleeps with a woman so that there is a seminal emission, they shall both bathe in water and be unclean until evening. (Leviticus 15:16-18 NASB)
How should a woman handle quarantine during her monthly period?
When a woman has her regular flow of blood, the impurity of her monthly period will last seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean till evening. Anything she lies on during her period will be unclean, and anything she sits on will be unclean. Anyone who touches her bed will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening. Anyone who touches anything she sits on will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening. Whether it is the bed or anything she was sitting on, when anyone touches it, they will be unclean till evening. (Leviticus 15:19-23 NIV)
How should a woman handle quarantine for her menstrual flow if anything unusual happens?
And if any man lies with her at all, so that her impurity is on him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean. If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, other than at the time of her customary impurity, or if it runs beyond her usual time of impurity, all the days of her unclean discharge shall be as the days of her customary impurity. She shall be unclean. Every bed on which she lies all the days of her discharge shall be to her as the bed of her impurity; and whatever she sits on shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her impurity. Whoever touches those things shall be unclean; he shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. (Leviticus 15:24-27 NKJV)
What should take place once the woman’s bleeding stops?
When the woman’s bleeding stops, she must count off seven days. Then she will be ceremonially clean. On the eighth day she must bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons and present them to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle. The priest will offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. Through this process, the priest will purify her before the Lord for the ceremonial impurity caused by her bleeding. (Leviticus 15:28-30 NLT)
There are many possible reasons for bodily discharges, but are two of the more common reasons seminal emissions and a woman’s monthly?
Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, so they will not die in their uncleanness when they defile my tabernacle that is among them. This is the law of him who has a discharge, and of him who has an emission of semen, so that he is unclean by it; and of her who has her period, and of a man or woman who has a discharge, and of him who lies with her who is unclean. (Leviticus 15:31-33 WEB)
What kind of discharge can make us spiritually unclean?
The food you put into your mouth doesn't make you unclean and unfit to worship God. The bad words that come out of your mouth are what make you unclean. (Matthew 15:11 CEB)
Apart from foods, childbirth, skin diseases, mold and mildew, were there other ways to become unclean under Mosaic law? Would we call this simple quarantine today? Are we spiritually clean? You decide!
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