HOW PEOPLE GOT RIGHT WITH GOD BEFORE JESUS
CHRIST VOLUNTARILY GAVE HIS LIFE AS A SACRIFICE
FOR SIN.
How they used to get right with God is based on
the book of Leviticus written about 1446 B.C. or
about 46 lifetimes ago. Quotes are from the
N.I.V. Bible and our comments are in brackets.
BURNT OFFERINGS.
Sacrifices could be a young male bull without
defect, a male sheep or goat without defect, a
dove or pigeon.
Males without defect signified the best, most
valuable sacrifice that could be afforded. Even
the poorest person could sacrifice by offering a
bird.
The shedding of the animal's blood in death
vividly reminded the offerer of the costliness
and death result of his sin and God's undeserved
forgiveness in accepting the substitute death of
the innocent animal. It ought to have made a
person think twice before sinning. The sight and
smell of smoke ascending as the sacrifice was
totally burnt ought to have aided worship,
prayer and 100% dedication to the Lord. These
fire offerings were "an aroma pleasing to the
Lord."
(Chapter 1)
GRAIN OFFERINGS.
Grain offerings in the form of fine flour or
cakes made without yeast or honey and with oil,
incense and salt, could be brought to the
priests for an offering by fire, an aroma
pleasing to the Lord.
(Chapter 2)
FELLOWSHIP OFFERINGS.
Fellowship offerings were similar to burnt
offerings (Chapter 1), female sacrifices being
permitted but not birds. Peace between God and
man and man's inner peace was signified.
(Chapter 3)
The procedure for unintentional sin was as
follows:
________________________________________________
Who Sinned The priest The whole
Community
________________________________________________
Sacrifice needed Young bull Young bull
without defect
________________________________________________
Method Priest lays Elders lay
hands on its hands on its
head. head.
Priest kills Elders kill
it. it.
Sprinkle blood Same as
in front of priest.
curtain -
sanctuary.
Put blood on " "
incense altar
horns.
Pour rest of " "
blood at burnt
offering altar.
Burn fat on " "
burnt offering
altar.
Burn rest " "
outside camp.
________________________________________________
Procedure for unintentional sin (continued):
________________________________________________
Who Sinned A leader A Community
Member
________________________________________________
Sacrifice needed Male goat Female lamb or
without defect. goat without
defect.
________________________________________________
Method Leader lays He lays hands
hands on its on its head.
head.
Leader kills He kills it.
it.
Put blood on Same as
on incense leader.
altar horns.
Pour rest of " "
blood at burnt
offering altar.
Burn fat on " "
burnt offering
altar.
________________________________________________
(Chapter 4)
SIN OFFERINGS.
Sins of withholding testimony (in a legal
dispute), touching unclean things, and
thoughtless oath taking brought guilt, which had
to be confessed and a penalty paid. The penalty
was a female lamb or goat or, if unaffordable,
two young pigeons or, if unaffordable, 2 litres
of fine flour. Brought to the Lord as a sin
offering the priest followed God's specified
ritual in making atonement for the sinner.
(Getting the sinner back to AT ONE MENT with
God. The ritual involved shedding of blood and
death of living sacrifices and burning). And
thus the sinner was forgiven.
GUILT OFFERINGS.
Unintentional sins regarding the Lord's holy
things (wrongdoing against the Lord) called for
the penalty of a ram without defect of specified
value. Then he had to add 20% to that value and
give both to the priest who made atonement for
him with the ram as a guilt offering and he was
forgiven.
Anyone who was guilty and therefore responsible
for unintentional sins in breaking the Lord's
commands, had to bring a ram from the flock
without defect and of proper value. Then the
priest made atonement for him and he was
forgiven. (Chapter 5)
Sins and UNFAITHFULNESS TO THE LORD by deceiving
a neighbour (cheating, lying, stealing, swearing
falsely etc.) brought guilt and what was taken
had to be restored plus 20% of its value on the
day he presented his guilt offering.
As a penalty he had to bring to the priest, THAT
IS TO THE LORD, his guilt offering of a ram
without defect and of proper value. Atonement,
forgiveness, removal of guilt resulted.
BURNT OFFERINGS.
Priests had to leave these on the altar all
night. The fire had to be kept burning
continually. Priests had to wear specified linen
clothes to remove burnt offering ashes, replaced
with other clothes to take the ashes outside the
camp to a place ceremonially clean.
GRAIN OFFERINGS.
Aaron's sons had to bring them before the Lord,
in front of the altar, take a handful of fine
flour, oil and incense and burn it as an aroma
pleasing to the Lord. They could eat the rest,
without yeast in the holy place, the courtyard
of the Tent of Meeting. Like sin offerings and
guilt offerings, it is most holy.
When Aaron or any of his descendants were
anointed as priests, an offering of
approximately 2 litres of fine flour, half in
the morning and the rest at evening, was made as
a grain offering. Prepared with oil on a
griddle, well mixed, broken in pieces, it had to
be burned completely (none eaten) as the Lord's
regular share, a pleasing aroma to the Lord, on
the day of anointing. The son to succeed him as
anointed priest prepared it.
SIN OFFERING.
These had to be slaughtered before the Lord
where burnt offerings were slaughtered. The
offering priest ate it in the holy place, the
courtyard of the Tent of Meeting. Touching its
flesh made one holy. Blood spattered on a
grament had to be washed in a holy place. A clay
pot used had to be broken and a bronze pot
scoured and rinsed with water.
But any sin offering whose blood was brought
into the Tent of Meeting to make atonement in
the holy place was not to be eaten, but burned.
(Chapter 6)
GUILT OFFERINGS.
Guilt offerings were slaughtered where burnt
ones were and blood sprinkled against all sides
of the altar. All fat had to be burnt. Males of
priests' families could eat the rest of the
offering in a holy place. Likewise sin and guilt
offerings belonged to the priest who made
atonement with them. Oven baked and pan or
griddle cooked grain offerings belonged to the
priest who offered it and grain offerings mixed
with oil or dry belonged equally to all the sons
of Aaron.
FELLOWSHIP OFFERINGS.
When these expressed thankfulness to the Lord,
with them had to be brought cakes of bread made
without yeast and mixed with oil, wafers made
without yeast and spread with oil and cakes of
fine flour well kneaded and mixed with oil. He
also had to offer cakes of bread made with
yeast. These contributions to the Lord belonged
to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the
fellowship offering. He had to eat it the day
offered.
But when the offerings were the result of a vow
or freewill offering it could be eaten on the
day or the next day but any left then had to be
burned.
Meat touching anything ceremonially unclean
could not be eaten. It was burned. Those
ceremonially clean could eat other meat. But
anyone unclean or touching something unclean who
then ate meat of the fellowship offering
belonging to the Lord was cut off from his
people.
It was forbidden to eat the fat of cattle, sheep
or goats, or the blood of birds or animals.
Anyone eating blood or the fat of animals from
which an offering by fire to the Lord could be
made was cut off from his people.
The offerer brought fellowship offerings to the
Lord with his own hands waving the breast and
fat before the Lord as a wave offering. The
priest burnt the fat but the breast and right
thigh were for the priest.
So these were the regulations about burnt,
grain, sin, guilt, ordination and fellowship
offerings which the Lord gave Moses on Mt.
Sinai.
(Chapter 7)
The Lord told Moses to bring Aaron and his sons,
garments, anointing oil, a bull, two rams, bread
made without yeast and gather the whole assembly
to the Tent of Meeting.
He did so, washed Aaron and his sons, putting
tunic, sash, robe, ephod, waistband, breastpiece
with urim and thummim and turban with gold plate
on Aaron.
Moses anointed the Tabernacle, contents and
Aaron's head with anointing oil so consecrating
them. He put tunics, sashes and headbands on
Aaron's sons.
He then presented the bull for the sin offering.
Aaron and sons laid hands on its head. Moses
slaughtered the bull and put its blood on the
horns of the altar to purify it, pouring the
rest at its base. He burned the fat, but the
rest of the bull he burned outside the camp as
the Lord commanded.
He then presented the ram for the burnt
offering, Aaron and sons laying hands on its
head. Moses slaughtered it and sprinkled its
blood on all sides of the altar. He burned the
head, pieces and fat, a pleasing aroma as the
Lord commanded Moses.
He then presented the other ram for the
ordination, Aaron and sons put hands on its head
and Moses slaughtered it. He then put blood on
right ear, right thumb, and big toe of right
feet of Aaron and sons. He sprinkled blood
against the altar on all sides. Fat, bread made
without yeast, a cake of bread, and one made
with oil and a wafer he put on fat portions and
right thigh. He put all these in Aaron's and
sons' hands to wave before the Lord as an
ordination offering. He took his share, the
breast and waved it as a wave offering.
He took anointing oil and blood from the altar
and sprinkled Aaron and sons to consecrate them
and their garments.
He then told Aaron and sons to cook the meat at
the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and eat it
there with the bread from the ordination
offering, burning the rest. He told them not to
leave the entrance to the Tent of Meeting for 7
days when their ordination was completed. All
this was commanded by the Lord to make atonement
for them. Disobedience meant death. Aaron and
sons did what the Lord commanded through Moses.
(Chapter 8)
On the eighth day Moses summoned Aaron, his sons
and the elders. He told Aaron to offer a bull
calf as a sin offering and a ram as a burnt
offering, both without defect. Then tell the
Israelites to bring a male goat for a sin
offering, a calf and a lamb a year old without
defect for a burnt offering and a ram for a
fellowship offering together with a grain
offering mixed with oil. "For to-day the Lord
will appear to you."
They took all to the front of the Tent of
Meeting and the entire assembly came near and
stood before the Lord. Moses said "This is what
the Lord has commanded you to do, so that the
glory of the Lord may appear to you."
Moses called Aaron to the altar to sacrifice sin
and burnt offerings to make atonement for
himself and the people.
So Aaron slaughtered the calf as a sin offering,
the burnt offering, the goat for the people's
sin, the grain offering, the fellowship
offering, wave offerings, all according to the
regulations.
Then he lifted his hands and blessed the people
and stepped down. Moses and Aaron then went into
the Tent of Meeting, coming out they blessed the
people and the glory of the Lord appeared to
all.
Fire came down from God's presence and consumed
the burnt offerings. All the people shouted for
joy and fell face down.
(Chapter 9)
Two of Aaron's sons broke the rules and offered
unauthorised fire before the Lord. So fire came
out from the presence of the Lord and consumed
them.
Moses told Aaron, "This is what the Lord spoke
of when He said:
'Among those who approach me
I will show myself holy
In the sight of all the people
I will be honoured.'"
Aaron remained silent.
Moses had the bodies, still in their tunics,
taken outside the camp. He told Aaron's sons not
to show signs of mourning or leave the entrance
to the Tent of Meeting or the Lord would be
angry with the whole community. Relatives and
Israel could mourn. Aaron and sons were told not
to drink wine or fermented drink whenever they
went into the Tent of Meeting or they'd die.
They were to distinguish between the holy and
common, the clean and unclean and to teach the
Israelites God's laws and word.
He told Aaron and two remaining sons to eat the
grain offering left over without yeast beside
the altar. Their sons and daughters were
authorised to eat breast and thigh of the wave
offerings,in a ceremonially clean place.
Moses found that the goat sin offering had been
burned and not eaten as instructed and was angry
with the two remaining sons.
Aaron asked whether the Lord would have been
pleased if the sin offering had been eaten that
day. This satisfied Moses.
(Chapter 10)
The Lord told Moses and Aaron to tell the
Israelites which creatures were clean and edible
and which were not:
-Animals with completely divided split hooves
that chew the cud, are clean.
-Camels, rock badgers, rabbits, and pigs are
unclean. Their meat must not be eaten or
carcasses touched.
-Of creatures living in the water those with
fins and scales could be eaten and were
clean.
-Unclean birds were the eagle, vulture, black
vulture, red kite, raven, horned, desert,
little, white and great screech owls, gull,
hawk, cormorant, osprey, stork, heron,
hoopoe and the bat.
-Flying insects are unclean, except for
locusts, katydids, crickets and
grasshoppers.
-Unclean ground animals were the weasel, rat,
great lizards, gecko, monitor lizard, wall
lizard, skink and chameleon.
Touching the unclean made one unclean 'til
evening and the clothes of such a one had
to be washed.
If an unclean creature died, whatever it
touched was unclean, it had to be put in
water and it would be unclean 'til evening.
Cooking pots touched by them had to be
destroyed, along with food or water in
them.
But springs or cisterns for collecting water
remained clean.
If an animal that could be eaten died and was
touched, the person doing so was unclean
'til evening.Eating any of it or picking it
up meant washing the clothes and being
unclean 'til evening.
God continued,Do not defile yourselves by any of
these creatures. I am the Lord your God,
consecrate yourselves and be holy because I am
holy. I am the Lord who brought you up out of
Egypt. You must distinguish between the unclean
and the clean.
(Chapter 11)
After giving birth a woman was ceremonially
unclean for between 7 and 14 days. There were
between 33 and 66 further days (time depending
on the baby's sex) when she could not touch
sacred things or go to the sanctuary. These were
the days of her purification after which she
brought to the priest at the Tent of Meeting her
burnt and sin offerings. After the priest made
atonement for her she was ceremonially clean.
(Chapter 12)
Those with skin diseases had to come to Aaron or
a son for examination. If it appeared to be an
infectious disease he was declared ceremonially
unclean. If not he was put in isolation for 7
day periods, examined and finally declared
either clean (in which case he had to wash his
clothes) or unclean.
Similar regulations identified and dealt with
clothing or leather work contaminated with
mildew.
(Chapter 13)
The Lord gave Moses these instructions for the
ceremonial cleansing of diseased persons:
-Priest goes outside camp and examines him.
-If healed of infectious skin disease the
priest:
-Gets two live clean birds, cedar wood,
scarlet yarn and hyssop.
-Has one bird killed over fresh water in
clay pot.
-Dips live bird with cedar wood scarlet yarn
and hyssop in blood of killed bird over
fresh water.
-Sprinkles one to be cleansed 7 times and
pronounces him clean.
-Releases live bird.
-To be ceremonially clean the cleansed person
must:
-Wash clothes.
-Shave all hair.
-Bathe with water.
-After this he may come into the camp and:
-Stay outside his tent 7 days.
-On 7th day shave all hair.
-Wash his clothes.
-Bathe himself, then he is clean.
-On 8th day bring:
-Three undefiled yearling lambs, two male,
one female.
-About 6.5 litres of fine flour mixed with
oil (for a grain offering).
-About .3 litres of oil.
-The priest who pronounces him clean:
-Presents him and his offerings to the Lord
at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
-Offers a male lamb as a guilt offering and
with the oil waves them before the Lord
as a wave offering.
-Slaughters the lamb in the holy place (this
offering belongs to the priest).
-Puts its blood on lobe of cleansed person's
right ear, on his right hand thumb and
big toe of right foot.
-Puts oil on his left palm, dips his right
forefinger in it and:
-Sprinkles before the Lord 7 times.
-Puts some on cleansed person's right ear
lobe, right hand thumb and right foot
big toe.
-Puts rest of oil in his palm on head of
one being cleansed to make atonement for
him.
-Sacrifices the sin offering.
-Sacrifices the burnt offering together with
grain offering.
-Thus makes atonement for him and he is clean.
If the person being cleansed is poor he brings
instead of the above:
-One male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved
to make atonement for him.
-About two litres of fine flour mixed with oil
for a grain offering.
-About three litres of oil.
-Two doves or two young pigeons, one for a sin
offering, one for a burnt offering.
On the eighth day he brings them for his
cleansing to the priest at the entrance to the
Tent of Meeting, before the Lord.
Then the priest:
-Takes the guilt offering lamb with the oil
and waves them as a wave offering.
-Slaughters the guilt offering lamb and:
-Puts its blood on the lobe of the right
ear, thumb of right hand and big toe of
right foot of the one being cleansed.
-Pours oil into his left palm and:
-With right forefinger sprinkles it 7 times
before the Lord.
-Puts some on ear lobe, right thumb and
right toe as described previously.
-Puts the rest of the oil in his palm on
the head of the one to be cleansed.
-Sacrifices the doves or young pigeons one as
a sin offering, the other as a burnt
offering, with the grain offering.
This is how the priest makes atonement before
the Lord for the one to be cleansed.
The Lord told Moses and Aaron to follow these
rules after entering the Promised Land and
finding He put a spreading mildew in a house:
-The owner tells the priest.
-Priest orders house emptied before he
examines it.
-Priest examines house. If mildew greenish or
reddish deeper than walls' surface he:
-Orders house closed for 7 days.
-Inspects on 7th day.
-If mildew has spread he:
-Orders contaminated stones thrown
into unclean place outside town.
-Has all inside walls scraped and
material dumped into unclean place
outside town.
-Has stones replaced and new plaster
put in place.
-If mildew reappears, priest examines again:
-If it's spread he has the house torn
down and taken outside town to an
unclean place.
-Anyone going into the house while it is
closed is unclean 'til evening.
-Anyone who sleeps or eats in the house
must wash his clothes.
-But if the priest examines and finds mildew
hadn't spread after the house was
replastered he:
-Pronounces the house clean.
-To purify it he:
-Takes two birds, cedar wood, scarlet
yarn and hyssop.
-Kills one bird over fresh water in
clay pot.
-Takes cedar wood, hyssop, scarlet
yarn and live bird, dips them in
blood of dead bird and fresh water
and sprinkles house 7 times.
-Then releases the live bird.
This way he makes atonement for the house
and it is clean.
(Chapter 14)
The Lord told Moses and Aaron to tell the
Israelites that bodily discharges bring about
uncleanness of:
-His bed:
Anyone touching it must wash his clothes,
bathe in water and be unclean 'til evening.
-What he sits on:
Anyone sitting on or touching this must
wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be
unclean 'til evening.
-Anyone touching him must wash his clothes,
bathe with water and be unclean 'til
evening.
-Ditto if he spits on anyone!
-Anyone he touches without (first) washing his
hands must wash his clothes, bathe in water
and be unclean 'til evening.
-Clay pots he touches must be broken and
wooden articles rinsed with water.
When he is cleansed of his discharge he must:
-Count off 7 days for ceremonial cleansing.
-Wash his clothes, bathe himself with fresh
water and be clean.
-On the 8th day:
-Take two doves or young pigeons.
-Come before the Lord to the Tent of
Meeting.
-Give the birds to the priest who
sacrifices them as:
-A sin offering.
-A burnt offering.
Thus making atonement before the Lord for
the man.
For an emission of semen he must:
-Bathe whole body with water.
-Be unclean 'til evening.
-Wash clothing or leather affected and it's
unclean 'til evening.
-When resulting from lying with a woman:
-Both must bathe with water.
-Both unclean 'til evening.
A woman's period brings 7 days' impurity.
-Anyone touching her is unclean 'til evening.
-Whatever she lies or sits on then is
unclean.
-Anyone touching her bed or what she sits on
must wash their clothes, bathe with water
and be unclean 'til evening.
-If a man lies with her and her monthly flow
touches him he will be unclean for 7 days
and any bed he lies on will be unclean.
-If her discharge continues beyond her period
she continues to be unclean while it
lasts and all the above regulations
apply.
-When she is cleansed from her discharge she
must count off 7 days then she is
ceremonially clean.
-On the 8th day she must take two doves or
young pigeons and bring them to the
priest at the entrance to the Tent of
Meeting.
-The priest sacrifices one for a sin offering
and the other for a burnt offering. Thus
atonement is made for her before the
Lord.
YOU MUST KEEP THE ISRAELITES SEPARATE FROM
THINGS THAT MAKE THEM UNCLEAN, SO THEY WILL NOT
DIE IN THEIR UNCLEANNESS FOR DEFILING MY
DWELLING PLACE WHICH IS AMONG THEM.
(Chapter 15)
The Lord told Moses (after the death of Aaron's
two sons for wrongly approaching the Lord) that
Aaron was not to come whenever he chooses into
the most holy place behind the curtain in front
of the atonement cover on the Ark or else he
will die, because I appear in the cloud over the
atonement cover.
But the way for him to approach was:
-After bathing with water.
-With a young bull for a sin offering for
himself.
-With a ram for a burnt offering for himself.
-Clothed in - linen undergarments.
- sacred linen tunic.
-With sash around waist.
-With linen turban on.
-With two male goats for a sin offering for
the Israelite community.
-One ram for burnt offering for the Israelite
community.
-Offering the bull for a sin offering making
atonement for himself and his household.
-Presenting the two goats before the Lord at
the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and
casting lots, one for the Lord and the
other for the scapegoat.
-Sacrificing the Lord's as a sin offering.
-Presenting alive before the Lord the
scapegoat for making atonement in
sending it into the desert.
-Bring and slaughter the bull for his own sin
offering to make atonement for himself and
-Take a censer of burning coals from the
altar before the Lord and two handfuls
of finely ground fragrant incense and take
them behind the curtain.
-Put the incense on the fire before the Lord
and the smoke of the incense will conceal
the atonement cover above the Testimony so
that he will not die.
-With his finger sprinkle the bull's blood on
front of the atonement cover and seven
times before the atonement cover.
-Slaughter the goat for a sin offering for
the people, take its blood behind the
curtain and do the same as with the
bull's blood. THIS WAY HE WILL MAKE
ATONEMENT FOR THE MOST HOLY PLACE BECAUSE
OF THE UNCLEANNESS AND REBELLION OF THE
ISRAELITES, WHATEVER THEIR SINS HAVE BEEN.
-He is to do the same for the Tent of Meeting
which is among them in the midst of their
uncleanness.
No one is to be in the Tent of Meeting
from when he goes in to make atonement in
the most holy place until he comes out,
having made atonement for himself, his
household and the whole community.
-He then shall come out and make atonement
for the altar that is before the Lord
putting bull's and goat's blood on its
horns and sprinkling it with blood seven
times with his finger to consecrate it
from the uncleanness of the Israelites.
-Then he brings the live goat, lays both
hands on its head, confesses the
WICKEDNESS AND REBELLION OF THE ISRAELITES
- ALL THEIR SINS, puts them on the goat's
head and sends it away into the
desert in the care of a man who
is appointed for the task to carry on
itself all their sins to a solitary place.
-Then he goes into the Tent of Meeting,
removes the linen garments and leaves them
there, bathes himself with water in a holy
place and puts on his regular garments.
-He then comes out and sacrifices the burnt
and sin offerings for himself and the
people, making atonement for both.
-The man who released the scapegoat must wash
his clothes and bathe himself in water
before he may return to the camp.
-Carcasses of the bull and goat offerings
must be burned outside the camp. The man
who burns them must wash his clothes and
bathe himself in water before returning to
the camp.
On the tenth day of the seventh month you must
deny yourselves and do no work. This day of
atonement is a Sabbath of rest. It's the day
atonement is made to cleanse you.
(Chapter 16)
The Lord said to Moses tell Aaron, sons and
Israelites that all sacrifices must be brought
to the priest, THAT IS TO THE LORD, at the
entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
They must no longer sacrifice in the open fields
nor to goat idols to whom they prostitute
themselves. If they do they are to be cut off
from the Lord's people.
Likewise any Israelite who eats blood will be
cut off from his people. For the life of a
creature is in the blood and I have given it to
you to make atonement for yourselves on the
altar. IT'S THE BLOOD THAT MAKES ATONEMENT FOR
ONE'S LIFE.
Before taking any meat its blood must be first
drained from it.
Anyone eating anything found dead or torn by
wild animals must wash his clothes and bathe in
water and be ceremonially unclean 'til evening.
(Chapter 17)
The Lord said to Moses, tell the Israelites I am
the Lord your God. Don't do as you used to do in
Egypt nor as they do in the land of Canaan where
I am bringing you.
Obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees
which include no sex with:
-Your mother.
-Your father's wife.
-Your sister.
-Your father's or mother's daughter.
-Your son's or daughter's daughter.
-The daughter of your brother's wife.
-Your father's or mother's sister.
-Your father's brother's wife.
-Your daughter-in-law.
-Your brother's wife.
-Both a mother and her daughter.
-A woman and her son's or daughter's daughter.
-Your wife's sister as a rival wife.
-A woman during her monthly period.
-Your neighbour's wife.
-An animal.
-A man as with a woman. THIS IS DETESTABLE.
Do not sacrifice your children to Molech.
This is how the nations and land I am going to
drive out before you became defiled. So I
punished it for its sins and the land vomited
out its inhabitants.
And the same will happen to you unless you keep
my decrees.
Anyone doing these things will be cut off from
my people.
Keep my requirements. No more of your former
detestable customs. Don't defile yourself with
them. I am the Lord your God.
(Chapter 18)
The Lord told Moses to tell the whole assembly
of Israel to BE HOLY BECAUSE I, THE LORD YOUR
GOD, AM HOLY.
-Respect mother and father.
-Observe my sabbaths. I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD.
-Don't turn to idols.
-Don't make idols/gods for yourselves. I AM THE
LORD YOUR GOD.
-Sacrifice fellowship offerings so they will be
accepted.
Eat it on the day of sacrifice or the next
day. Any leftovers 'til the third day must be
burned. If eaten, the person doing so must be
cut off from his people.
-When reaping, don't go to the edges of your
fields or gather the gleanings of your
harvest. Don't go over your vineyard a second
time or pick fallen grapes.
Leave them for the poor and the alien.
I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD.
-Do not steal.
-Do not lie.
-Do not deceive one another.
-Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane
it. I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD.
-Do not defraud your neighbour or rob him.
-Do not withhold the wages of a hired man
overnight.
-Do not curse the deaf of make the blind stumble
but FEAR YOUR GOD. I AM THE LORD.
-Do not pervert justice, show partiality to the
poor or favouritism to the great but judge
your neighbour fairly.
-Do not slander others.
-Do not endanger your neighbour's life.
-Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke
him frankly.
-Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge but love
your neighbour as yourself. I AM THE LORD.
-Keep my decrees.
-Do not mate different kinds of animals.
-Do not plant your field with two kinds of
seeds.
-Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of
material.
-If a man sleeps with a slave girl promised to
another man who has not yet ransomed her or
given her freedom, the man must bring a guilt
offering to the Lord. Thus atonement is made
for him and his sin forgiven.
-When you enter the land and plant fruit trees,
the first three years' fruit are forbidden
for eating. The 4th year's fruit is holy, an
offering of praise to the Lord. In the 5th
year fruit may be eaten. In this way your
harvest will be increased. I AM THE LORD YOUR
GOD.
-Do not eat meat with the blood still in it.
-Do not practise divination or sorcery.
-Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head
or the edges of your beard.
-Do not cut your bodies for the dead or wear
tattoos. I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD.
-Do not make your daughter a prostitute or the
land will turn to prostitution and
wickedness.
-Observe my sabbaths and revere my sanctuary. I
AM THE LORD YOUR GOD.
-Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists.
They'll defile you. I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD.
-Rise in the presence of the aged, show them
respect, and revere your God. I AM THE LORD.
-Don't mistreat aliens. Love them as yourself
for you were aliens in Egypt. I AM THE LORD
YOUR GOD.
-Do not use dishonest standards re length,
weight or quantity. I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD
WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF EGYPT.
-Keep all my decrees and all my laws. I AM THE
LORD.
(Chapter 19)
The Lord told Moses to tell the Israelites:
-Anyone sacrificing his child to Molech must be
put to death by stoning. Those who fail to
stone him God will cut off from their people
for prostituting themselves to Molech. The
man has defiled God's sanctuary and profaned
His holy name.
-I'll set my face against anyone prostituting
themselves by following mediums and
spiritists and cut him off from his people.
-Death was the penalty for:
-Cursing father or mother.
-Adulterers and adulteresses.
-A man sleeping with his father's wife.
-A man sleeping with his daughter-in-law.
(perversion).
-A man sleeping with a man (detestable).
-A man marrying both a woman and her
daughter.
-A man or woman having sex with an animal.
-Being cut off from their people was the penalty
for:
-A man marrying his sister and having sex (a
disgrace).
-A man and woman having sex during
menstruation.
-Sexual relations with your mother's or father's
sister was forbidden, both being held
responsible.
-Childlessness was the penalty for:
-A man sleeping with his aunt.
-A man marrying his brother's wife.
CONSECRATE YOURSELVES AND BE HOLY (SET APART
FROM THE COMMON), BECAUSE I AM THE LORD YOUR
GOD. KEEP MY DECREES AND FOLLOW THEM. I AM THE
LORD WHO MAKES YOU HOLY.
DO THIS IN THE LAND I'M BRINGING YOU TO. BUT IF
YOU ADOPT THEIR CUSTOMS WHICH I ABHOR, THE LAND
WILL VOMIT YOU OUT, JUST AS IT'S GOING TO VOMIT
THEM OUT.
BUT I SAID TO YOU, YOU WILL POSSESS THIS LAND, I
WILL GIVE IT TO YOU AS AN INHERITANCE, A LAND
FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY. I AM THE LORD YOUR
GOD, WHO SET YOU APART FROM THE NATIONS. YOU
MUST THEREFORE MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE
CLEAN AND UNCLEAN (TO HELP YOU I'VE SPECIFIED
CLEAN AND UNCLEAN ANIMALS AND BIRDS).
YOU ARE TO BE HOLY TO ME BECAUSE I, THE LORD, AM
HOLY AND I HAVE SET YOU APART FROM THE NATIONS
TO BE MY OWN.
(Chapter 20)
The Lord said to Moses, Speak to the priests,
the sons of Aaron and say a priest must not:
-Make himself ceremonially unclean and defile
himself for any relative who dies (except for
close relatives, such as mother, father, son
or daughter etc.).
-Shave his head or the edges of his beard or cut
his body.
-Marry a woman defiled by prostitution or
divorced.
And if a priest's daughter becomes a prostitute,
she disgraces her father and must be burned on
the fire.
Priests must be holy to their God because they
present the offerings made to the Lord by fire,
the food of their God, they are to be holy.
Consider them holy because I the Lord am holy -
I who make you holy.
The High Priest, the one who has had anointing
oil poured on his head and ordained to wear
priestly garments must not:
-Let his hair become unkempt.
-Tear his clothes.
-Enter a place where there is a dead body.
-Make himself unclean, even for father or
mother.
-Leave the sanctuary of his God or desecrate it.
-Marry anyone but a virgin.
Aaron's descendants with any defect (blind,
lame, disfigured, deformed, crippled, hunchback
or dwarf, with eye defect, sores, or damaged
testicles) were not to come near to offer the
food of his God, the offerings made by fire to
the Lord. He may eat the most holy food of his
God, as well as the holy food, but not go near
the curtain or approach the altar and so
desecrate my sanctuary. I am the Lord who makes
them holy.
(Chapter 21)
The Lord told Moses to tell Aaron and sons to:
-Treat Israelites' sacred offerings with respect
so they will not profane my holy name. I AM
THE LORD.
-Cut off from the Lord's presence, any
descendant who is ceremonially unclean and
yet comes near the sacred offerings the
Israelites consecrate to the Lord. I AM THE
LORD.
-Prevent any unclean descendant eating the
offerings until he is cleansed, e.g. unclean
because of:
-An infectious skin disease.
-Bodily discharge.
-Touching a:
-Corpse.
-Person with an emission of semen.
-Crawling thing.
-Eating anything found dead or torn by wild
animals.
Such a one must bathe himself with water
and be unclean 'til sundown. Then he is
clean and may eat offerings.
-Prevent anyone outside the priest's family
eating the sacred offering. A slave bought
with money by the priest or born in his
household may eat his food. If a priest's
daughter doesn't marry a priest she can't eat
the sacred food. But if she is widowed or
divorced with no children and returns to live
with her father she may eat the food. But no
unauthorised person may eat it.
-Get restitution of his offering plus 20% from
anyone who eats a sacred offering by mistake.
Priests must not desecrate the sacred
offerings the Israelites present to the Lord
by allowing them to eat them and so bring on
them the guilt requiring payment.
I AM THE LORD WHO MAKES THEM HOLY.
-Ensure burnt offerings are a male without
defect from cattle, sheep or goats in order
to be accepted.
An ox or sheep that is deformed or stunted is
acceptable as a freewill offering but not if
it's in fulfillment of a vow.
-Accept calves, lambs or goats 8 days old or
more as offerings made to the Lord by fire.
But a cow or sheep must not be slaughtered
with its young on the same day.
-Ensure thank offerings are sacrificed in such a
way they will be acceptable. It must all be
eaten the same day.
KEEP MY COMMANDS AND FOLLOW THEM. I AM THE LORD.
DO NOT PROFANE MY HOLY NAME. I MUST BE
ACKNOWLEDGED AS HOLY BY THE ISRAELITES. I AM THE
LORD, WHO MAKES YOU HOLY AND WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT
OF EGYPT TO BE YOUR GOD. I AM THE LORD.
(Chapter 22)
The Lord told Moses to tell the Israelites to
keep these solemn assemblies:
The Sabbath:
-Six days are for work, the 7th is the
Sabbath of complete rest.
-A day of solemn assembly.
The Passover and Unleavened Bread:
-Begins at twilight on the 14th day of the
1st month.
-On 15th day the Lord's Feast of Unleavened
Bread begins.
-For 7 days you must eat the bread made
without yeast.
-On the first day hold a solemn assembly and
do no regular work.
-For 7 days present an offering made to the
Lord by fire.
-On the 7th day hold a sacred assembly and do
no regular work.
Firstfruits:
-When you enter the land I am going to give
you and you reap its harvest, bring to the
priest a sheaf of the first grain of your
harvest.
-He is to wave it before the Lord on the day
after the Sabbath.
-That day you must offer a burnt offering to
the Lord of a lamb a year old without
defect.
-With a grain offering of about 4.5 litres of
fine flour mixed with oil. An offering to
the Lord by fire - a pleasing aroma.
-And its drink offering, about 1 litre of
wine.
-You must not eat any bread, roasted or new
grain until the very day you bring this
offering to the Lord.
Feast of Weeks:
-From the day after the Sabbath, the day you
brought the sheaf of the wave offering,
count off 7 full weeks up to the day after
the 7th Sabbath.
-Then present an offering of new grain to the
Lord.
-Bring two loaves made of about 4.5 litres of
fine flour, baked with yeast, as a wave
offering of firstfruits to the Lord.
-Also bring seven male lambs a year old
without defect, one young bull and two
rams. This will be a burnt offering to the
Lord.
-Together with their grain and drink
offerings - an offering made by fire, an
aroma pleasing to the Lord.
-Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin
offering.
-And two lambs each a year old for a
fellowship offering.
-The priest is to wave the two lambs before
the Lord as a wave offering together with
the bread of the firstfruits.
-That day you are to proclaim a solemn
assembly and do no work.
-When reaping the harvest do not reap to the
very edges of your field or gather the
gleanings. Leave them for the poor and the
alien.
I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD.
Feast of Trumpets:
-On the 7th day of the 7th month you are to
have a day of rest, a sacred assembly
commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no
regular work.
-Present an offering made to the Lord by
fire.
Day of Atonement:
-The tenth day of the 7th month is the Day of
Atonement.
-Hold a sacred assembly, deny yourselves and
present an offering made by fire to the
Lord.
-Anyone who works or doesn't deny himself on
that day must be cut off from his people.
-From the evening of the 9th day of the month
until the following evening you are to
observe the Sabbath.
Feast of Tabernacles:
-On the 15th day of the 7th month after you
have gathered the crops of the land, the
Lord's Feast of Tabernacles begins. It
lasts for 7 days.
-The first day is a sacred assembly. Do no
regular work.
-For 7 days present offerings made by fire to
the Lord.
-On the 8th day hold a sacred assembly and
present an offering made to the Lord by
fire. It is a day of rest.
-It is the closing assembly. Do no regular
work.
-On the first day take choice fruit from the
trees and palm fronds, leafy branches and
poplars, rejoice before the Lord for 7
days.
-Live in booths for 7 days so your
descendants will know I had the Israelites
live in booths when I brought them out of
Egypt. I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD.
Offerings on these appointed feasts are in
addition to those for the Lord's Sabbaths, vows,
gifts and freewill offerings.
(Chapter 23)
The Lord said to Moses, Command the Israelites
to bring clear oil of pressed olives to keep the
lamps in the 7 branched lampstand in the holy
place of the Tent of Meeting alight continually.
-Also take fine flour and bake 12 loaves of
bread using about 4.5 litres for each
loaf.
-Set them in two rows, six in each row on the
table of pure gold in the holy place.
-Along each row put some pure incense as a
memorial portion to represent the bread
and to be an offering made to the Lord by
fire.
-This bread is to be set before the Lord
regularly, Sabbath by Sabbath.
-It belongs to Aaron and sons, who are to eat
it in a holy place, because it is a most
holy part of the regular share of the
offering made by fire to the Lord.
The son of an Israelite mother and an Egyptian
father blasphemed God's name during a fight with
an Israelite.
-They brought him to Moses and put him in
custody 'til God's will was made clear.
-The Lord told Moses to take him outside the
camp.
-All who heard him are to lay hands on his
head.
-Then the whole assembly is to stone him.
-This was to be standard punishment for
anyone blaspheming the name of the Lord.
-Death was the penalty for taking another
human life.
-Restitution was the penalty for taking the
life of another's animal.
-An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth
was the penalty for injuring a neighbour.
I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD.
So they stoned the blasphemer as the Lord
commanded Moses.
(Chapter 24)
The Lord said to Moses on Mt Sinai, Tell the
Israelites about:
The Sabbath Year:
-When you enter the land I am giving you it
must observe each 7th year as a Sabbath
rest to the Lord.
-No sowing or reaping or harvesting in that
year.
-Whatever the (untended) land yields will be
your food.
The Year of Jubilee:
-After 7 Sabbath years on the 50th year, have
the trumpet sounded all through the land
on the 10th day of the 7th month, the Day
of Atonement.
-Commemorate the year and proclaim liberty to
all the land's inhabitants.
-It's a jubilee for you, each is to return to
his own family and property.
-No sowing, reaping or harvesting, eat only
what's taken directly from the fields. The
jubilee is to be holy to you.
-When buying or selling property, calculate
the price based on the number of years to
jubilee, i.e., many years = higher price,
few years = lower price because what is
being bought or sold really is the number
of crops.
Do not take advantage of each other BUT
FEAR YOUR GOD. I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD.
-Obey my laws and the land will yield its
fruit and you will live in safety.
-Trust me, don't sow on the 7th year and I'll
provide so much extra each 6th year that
you'll have enough until the harvest of
the 9th year (planted in the 8th year)
comes in.
-The land must not be sold permanently
because the land is mine AND YOU ARE BUT
ALIENS AND MY TENANTS.
-So if your countryman becomes poor and sells
his land:
-His nearest relative should buy it
back.
-If this isn't possible and he prospers
and can buy it back, he pays the
buyer the original price less the
value of the number of years' use the
buyer has had.
-But if he can't do this the land
becomes his again in the year of
Jubilee.
-If a man sells a house in a walled city, he
can buy it back anytime in the 1st year.
If not, it is the buyer's property
permanently - even in the year of Jubilee.
-But houses in villages without walls are
considered to be open country. They can be
redeemed (as for open country) and are
returned in the Jubilee.
-The Levites always have the right to redeem
their houses, and they are returned in the
Jubilee. But their pasture land must not
be sold, it's their permanent possession.
-If a countryman becomes poor and cannot
support himself, help him so he can
continue to live among you:
-Don't take interest from him but FEAR
YOUR GOD.
-Don't sell him food at a profit.
I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD WHO BROUGHT YOU
OUT OF EGYPT TO GIVE YOU THE LAND OF
CANAAN AND TO BE YOUR GOD.
-If he sells himself to you, do not make
him work as a slave. Treat him as a
hired worker until the year of
Jubilee when he and his children are
free to return to their own land.
BECAUSE THE ISRAELITES ARE MY SERVANTS
WHOM I BROUGHT OUT OF EGYPT THEY MUST
NOT BE SOLD AS SLAVES, OR RULED
RUTHLESSLY. BUT FEAR YOUR GOD.
-Slaves are to come from surrounding nations
or temporary residents living among you.
-If an alien or temporary resident becomes
rich and a poor countryman sells himself
to them, he retains the right of
redemption:
-A relative may redeem him.
-If he prospers he may redeem himself.
-The price is based on the number of
years to the Jubilee based on the
rate paid a hired man.
-You must see that his owner does not
rule him ruthlessly.
-If not redeemed he is released in the
year of Jubilee.
FOR THE ISRAELITES BELONG TO ME AS
SERVANTS WHOM I BROUGHT OUT OF EGYPT. I
AM THE LORD YOUR GOD.
(Chapter 25)
Rewards for Obedience:
-Do not make idols or place a carved stone on
your land to bow down before it. I AM THE
LORD.
-Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for
my sanctuary. I AM THE LORD.
-If you follow my decrees and carefully obey
my commands I will:
-Send seasonal rain.
-The ground will yield its crops and the
trees fruit.
-You'll eat all the food you want and -
-Live in safety in your land.
-You'll have peace and no fear.
-You'll defeat enemies - 5 of you will
chase 100 of them.
-I'll look on you with favour, make you
fruitful, increase your numbers and
keep my covenant.
-I WILL PUT MY DWELLING PLACE AMONG YOU,
AND I WILL NOT ABHOR YOU. I WILL WALK
AMONG YOU AND BE YOUR GOD AND YOU WILL
BE MY PEOPLE.I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD WHO
BROUGHT YOU OUT OF EGYPT, SO THAT YOU
WOULD NO LONGER BE SLAVES. I BROKE THE
BARS OF YOUR YOKE AND ENABLED YOU TO
WALK WITH HEADS HELD HIGH.
Punishment for Disobedience:
-But if you won't listen to me and carry out
my commands, reject my decrees and abhor
my laws and so violate my covenant then:
-I will bring on you sudden terror and -
-Wasting diseases and fever to destroy
your sight and drain your life.
-You'll plant seed and your enemies will
eat it.
-You'll be ruled by those who hate you.
-You'll flee though no one is pursuing.
IF AFTER ALL THIS YOU WILL NOT LISTEN TO ME
THEN:
-I'll punish you for your sins 7 times
over.
-I'll break down your stubborn pride.
-I'll make the sky above like iron, the
ground beneath like bronze.
-Your strength will be spent in vain - no
crops, no fruit.
IF YOU REMAIN HOSTILE TO ME AND REFUSE TO
LISTEN TO ME THEN:
-I'll multiply your afflictions 7 times
over as your sins deserve.
-Wild animals will rob you of children
and cattle and make you so few your
roads will be deserted.
IF IN SPITE OF THESE THINGS YOU DO NOT
ACCEPT MY CORRECTION BUT CONTINUE TO BE
HOSTILE TO ME THEN:
-I'll be hostile to you and afflict you
for your sins 7 times over.
-I'll bring the sword on you to avenge
your breaking of the covenant.
-I'll send a plague when you withdraw to
your cities and enemies will capture
you.
-I'll cut off your bread, you'll eat but
not be satisfied.
IF IN SPITE OF THIS YOU STILL DO NOT LISTEN
TO ME BUT CONTINUE TO BE HOSTILE TO ME THEN
IN MY ANGER I WILL BE HOSTILE TOWARDS YOU
AND PUNISH YOU FOR YOUR SINS 7 TIMES OVER.
-You'll eat the flesh of your sons and
daughters.
-I'll destroy your high places, cut down
your incense altars and pile your dead
on the lifeless forms of your idols.
-I'll abhor you, turn your cities into
ruins, lay waste your sanctuaries and
your land.
-I'll take no delight in your offerings.
-I'll scatter you among the nations, draw
my sword and pursue you.
-Then the land will be desolate and be
able to enjoy the rest it did not have
during the Sabbaths you lived in it.
-I'll make the hearts of those left so
fearful in the land of their enemies
that the sound of a windblown leaf
will put them to flight.
-They'll run and fall though no one is
pursuing.
-You'll not be able to stand before your
enemies, you'll perish among the
nations, you'll waste away in the land
of your enemies because of your sins.
BUT IF THEY WILL CONFESS THEIR SINS AND THE
SINS OF THEIR FATHERS, THEIR TREACHERY AND
HOSTILITY TO ME, WHICH MADE ME HOSTILE TO
THEM, SO I SENT THEM INTO THE LAND OF THEIR
ENEMIES, THEN, WHEN THEIR UNCIRCUMCISED
HEARTS ARE HUMBLED AND THEY PAY FOR THEIR
SIN:
-I'll remember my covenant with Jacob,
Isaac and Abraham and I'll remember
their land.
-They'll pay for their sins because they
rejected my laws and abhorred my
decrees.
-But in spite of this, when in the land
of their enemies I will not reject
them completely, breaking my covenant
with them.
I AM THE LORD THEIR GOD.
-But for their sake I will remember the
covenant with their ancestors I
brought out of Egypt in the sight of
the nations to be their God. I AM THE
LORD.
These are the decrees, laws and regulations
the Lord established on Mt Sinai between
Himself and the Israelites through Moses.
(Chapter 26)
The Lord said to Moses, Tell the Israelites:
-If anyone makes a special vow to dedicate
persons to the Lord by giving equivalent
values, these are:
Age-years Weight of Weight of
silver for silver for
a male a male
20 - 60 .6 kg .3kg
5 - 20 .2 kg .1 kg
1 mth - 5 yrs 55 grams 35 grams
60 yrs/more 170 grams 110 grams
- Anyone too poor to pay presents the person
to the priest who sets a value
according to what he can afford.
-If an animal is vowed it's acceptable
as an offering to the Lord and it
becomes holy:
-He cannot exchange it for another
one.
-If he substitutes another they
both become holy.
-If it's ceremonially unclean, the
priest will judge its quality and
set its value.
-If the owner wishes to redeem it he
must add one-fifth to its value.
-If a man dedicates his house the priest
sets its value.
-If he wants to redeem it he must
add 20% to its value.
-If a man dedicates part of his family's
land its value is set according to the
amount of seed required for it.
.6 kilogram of silver for 200 litres
of barley seed.
-If he dedicates it in the year of
Jubilee the set value remains.
-If he dedicates it after the
Jubilee the priest determines the
value according to the years to
the next year of Jubilee.
-If the man wants to redeem it he
must add 20% to its value.
-If he doesn't or if he has sold it
to someone else it can never be
redeemed. In the year of Jubilee
it becomes holy, the property of
the priests.
-If a man dedicates a field he has
bought (not family's land) the
priest sets its value up to the
year of Jubilee. The man pays
this as holy to the Lord. In the
year of Jubilee the land reverts
to the person he bought it from.
-Since all firstborn belong to the
Lord they can't be dedicated to the
Lord.
But if it's an unclean animal he
may buy it back at its set value
plus 20%.
If he doesn't redeem it it's to be
sold at its set value.
-But nothing a man owns and devotes to the
Lord (irrevocable giving) can be sold or
redeemed. It is most holy to the Lord.
No person devoted to destruction may be
ransomed, he must be put to death.
-10% of everything from the land (grain,
fruit, livestock etc.) is holy to the Lord.
To redeem it 20% must be added to its
value.
If anyone makes a substitution, both the
animal and its substitute become holy and
can't be redeemed.
(Chapter 27)
HERE ARE SOME MAIN POINTS FROM LEVITICUS.
1. This is a summary of the main sacrifices:
Burnt Offerings:
-Voluntary acts of worship.
-Atonement for unintentional sin.
-Expression of devotion, commitment and
complete surrender to God.
Grain Offerings:
-Voluntary act of worship.
-Recognition of God's goodness and
provision.
-Showing devotion to God.
Fellowship Offerings:
-Voluntary act of worship, thanksgiving
and fellowship (included communal
meal).
Sin Offering:
-Mandatory atonement for:
-Specific unintentional sin.
-Confession of sin.
-Forgiveness of sin.
-Cleansing from defilement.
Guilt Offering:
-Mandatory atonement for unintentional sin
requiring restitution plus 20% fine.
-Cleansing from defilement.
The sequence of the sacrifices is important,
namely:
-First, deal with sin (sin, guilt
offerings).
-Second, commit self to God wholly (burnt
and grain offerings).
-Third, fellowship or communion between
the Lord, the priest and the
worshipper (fellowship offering).
2. The sacrificial system may seem gruesome to
our minds but consider its immense values.
A. The sinner had to select a living valuable
possession to get rid of his sin.
Can't you picture a Jew (ESPECIALLY a Jew)
looking at his flock in the morning and
saying "There's no way I'm going to sin
to-day and lose one of these I've sweated
to acquire and come to know as
individuals."
B. He had to personally kill a valuable and
possibly loved possession. As the blood
poured out of the innocent animal and it
died in his sight the message was:
-Sin is that serious.
-It should have been you.
It ought to have made him stop and think
SERIOUSLY about committing further sins.
It ought to have made him VERY grateful
that a perfect holy God, who otherwise
would have no relationship with him (a
sinner) had BY GRACE or UNDESERVED FAVOUR
spared his life and accepted the
substituted animal's life.
In other words, anyone with "half a brain"
when plunging the knife into the innocent
animal should have said to himself. "It
should have been me. THANK GOD it isn't."
All this should have happened but it
didn't. The Jews preferred sin to God and
suffered the consequences.
No amount of animal blood was going to
solve the problem so God came Himself in
the person of Jesus Christ. the "knife"
fell, the blood flowed. The one perfect
final sacrifice.
So for all the world's people the way stood
open to become God's children, members of His
family.
And the Christian church was born.
Which (in general) has proved itself no
better than the Israelites at taking sin
seriously and obeying God.
So, at the time of writing in l998, after two
great warnings (2 world wars) and teetering
on the brink of the final holocaust during
the cold war, one concludes the time is short
for Christians and people everywhere to
realise that unless they:
-Believe God is REAL - that this is HIS
world.
-Take all sin seriously and
-100% repent of it and
-100% obey God's word
which simply means giving Jesus Christ
100% rule of each life so He, in us, can
love God 100% and neighbours 100%.
Then God's inevitable judgment will fall and
the world's darkest age will result. (Matthew
24:21)
So, dear reader, act on the above NOW.
C. The sacrifices were open to the community -
PUBLIC. Another reason to think twice (or
more!) before sinning.
D. RESPONSIBILITY had to be taken for sin. None
of to-day's "cop out" excuses were allowed.
E.G. It's not my fault I'm a criminal.
My deprived childhood is to blame.
Etc. etc. - Ad infinitum!
E. The outcome was at-one-ment with God,
forgiveness, removal of guilt and a
clear conscience - AND a heightened
awareness of THE SERIOUSNESS of sin. A
very healthy outcome - wholeness in the
fullest sense of the word for the
individual.
3. God was RIGHT THERE in the Tent of Meeting in
the centre of the camp as an act of grace and
love. BUT everything highlighted His PURITY
AND HOLINESS. He was to be taken SERIOUSLY,
held in 100% respect and reverent awe. They
all saw God's fire consume the burnt offering
made to Him.
So when a couple of priests "got too big for
their 'dog collars'" up they went in a burst
of holy fire. And all the camp was aware of
what happened to them - in case anyone missed
the point. (See also Chapter 24).
Though God in the person of the Holy Spirit
will dwell inside a true believer and be
present when a few meet (church) He will not
be treated as an easy going mate. And it's
for your own good. Respect, honour, be in awe
of Him and you'll want nothing to do with
what offends and upsets Him - namely YOUR
sin. And you'll be free, complete, whole and,
like Him, a HOLY person.
Like an eagle God has designed you to soar
high. But sin, like a weight tied to an
eagle's legs will keep you flapping around in
the dirt of the earth.
4. Great emphasis was put on the distinction
between what was clean and unclean. This was
meant to keep the focus on sin and
uncleanness versus holiness and cleanness.
Reader, you are going to have to take this
seriously too.
5. The annual Day of Atonement (Chapter 16)
sacrifice offered everyone a new start. It
pointed forward to the "once for all"
sufficiency of Christ's death on the cross.
6. You are to be holy because the Lord is holy.
This means set apart for God's use. It does
NOT MEAN going along with what is socially
acceptable in Australia in many Christian
churches in 1998. It's a sure formula for
"crucifixion" and ridicule. But HEAVEN OR
HELL is the issue here NOT POPULARITY.
What this means practically is well set out -
see for example Chapter 19.
7. With only pots, pans, tents and herds and God
actually in the "big tent" or out front
leading them by His column of fire or cloud,
the Israelites were nomads totally dependent
on God. It was a great chance to "get it
right" unhindered by materialism. They were
true pilgrims. So must you and I be, trust in
possessions kills faith in God. If there's
ANYTHING you wouldn't give up for God RIGHT
NOW confess it as a sin - a lack of faith.
Now, were you "fair dinkum" about that?
8. The seriousness of sin was highlighted as it
should be.
9. In the mad pace of 1998, keeping the Sabbath
as A DAY OF COMPLETE REST is an important
way of obeying God's word (not in a fearful
legalistic sense but with a GREAT SIGH OF
RELIEF). THANK YOU LORD! I need this to
focus on you - and survive to face the next
week.
10. Unchecked sin is like a virus - it pollutes
everything and everyone. Even the land
itself suffers (chapter 15).
11. As a believer in Jesus Christ you belong to
God as a servant because He brought you out
of your particular Egypt and He is THE LORD
YOUR GOD.
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