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Leviticus Chapter 1

The book of Leviticus is one of the most important books in the Old Testament. This book is a set of rules that God gave to Moses, so that His Hebrew children could learn how to live pleasing unto God. This book is the third that Moses wrote. It is the third of the Pentateuch (5 books).

These laws, God gave to Moses for the people, are not just religious laws, but civil laws as well. If the people live up to these laws, there would be no need for a king to rule over them. God wanted to fellowship with His people. He made a way for them to approach Him through sacrifice and obedience.

In Leviticus, we see the day to day progression of these Israelites. We will see as long as they worship God, they stay in good standing with Him. It is only when they wander from His instructions that they have trouble.

The Hebrew title of Leviticus is Wayyiqra, which means (and He called). It is also known as the (law of the priests), and the (law of offerings). In the Septuagint, it is titled Leuitikon, which means (that which pertains to the Levites). The name Leviticus indicates that it is connected with the tribe of Levi.

These laws were definitely given to Moses. The Hebrews were camped at the foot of mount Sinai, when Moses received these laws, which would later be called the law of Moses. They covered religious obligations, civil laws, moral laws, and even covered financial and dietary laws. A people could live just by these laws and do very well. God really wanted to be the only King these people needed.

These Levitical laws were given to Moses about one year after the first Passover. It would actually be about the first part of the second year of their wanderings.

In our study here, as in the other studies, we are looking into the spiritual meaning of the Scriptures. We will see types and shadows of Jesus in the offerings and sacrifices. Just as in the book of Hebrews, we see Jesus Christ as our High Priest. He (Jesus), is our perfect sacrifice for all time. Thank goodness we do not have to keep up with all the sacrifices today. It would be a full time job. We see Jesus as the Passover Lamb, we see Him as the Bread, we see Him taking our sin upon His Body, that we might take on His righteousness.

If there is a theme, that we are to partake of in this book of Leviticus, it would be (Be ye holy, for I am holy). God is the holy God. A sinful person cannot approach God. We are allowed to approach Him, when we are covered in the blood of the prefect Lamb, His precious Son Jesus Christ. Only when we are washed in that blood are we allowed to approach the Father. Our life is in the blood of the Lamb. We are partakers of death, until we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. He is life. If we are full of Jesus, then we are full of life.

In Leviticus we see God teaching His chosen people how to live up to their being His chosen. We must look carefully at this book. We too, are the called of God. We must learn what is expected of the called of God. This is for all of God's people, but even more so for those called into the ministry. God brought them out of Egypt (the world). Have we really left Egypt (the world), or are we still trying to cling to the world with one hand, and have God with the other? We have to leave Egypt before we can head for the Promised Land.

We can learn the ways of God in this series of lessons, but it is a special thing to be able to walk with God. He fellowships with the pure in heart only.

We sing a praise song that says (Open my eyes Lord, I want to see Jesus. To reach out and touch Him and say that I love Him. Open my ears Lord and help me to listen, open my eyes Lord I want to see Jesus). To understand Leviticus, we must open our heart and let the Holy Spirit tell us the hidden messages contained here.

In these lessons watch for two keys. Access to the Father and the Holiness of God. The word Holy occurs 80 times in this book. God will also establish in this book the special times of worship. Look in each one of these and see Jesus. Offerings and feasts will all be types and shadows of our Lord Jesus. Look for Jesus in the high priest and look for believers in the priests. The symbolic meanings are tremendous in this book.

God is a God of order. In Exodus, He gave instruction for the building of the Tabernacle. Now Moses receives the instructions for the form of worship conducted in the tabernacle. Each sacrifice has a specific purpose. I say one more time, try to see the message God has for us in each of the feasts and sacrifices.

Leviticus 1:1 "And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,"

"The Lord called unto Moses": Leviticus begins where Exodus left off. No sooner did the glory cloud come down to rest on the tabernacle in the concluding verses of Exodus, then God instructed Moses with the content in Leviticus. The question of how to use the tabernacle in worship is answered here by an audible voice from the Divine Glory over the ark in the Holy of Holies (compare Exodus 40:34; Num. 7:89; Psalm 80:1).

"Tabernacle of the congregation": This is so named since it was the place where Israel would gather to meet the Lord (compare Exodus 25:8, 22; 26:1-37; and see Exodus chapters 25-32), for a detailed description of the tabernacle.

This very first verse leaves absolutely no doubt who these laws were given to, and no doubt at all who gave them. Lord in the verse above, is Jehovah, which means self existent or eternal One.

Leviticus 1:2 "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, [even] of the herd, and of the flock."

"Speak unto the children of Israel": This is essentially revelation with reference to their spiritual life, for all the descendants of Jacob, who was also called Israel (compare Gen. 32:28).

"If any man of you bring": These were completely voluntary and freewill offerings with no specific number or frequency given (1:3). The regulation excluded horses, dogs, pigs, camels, and donkeys, which were used in pagan sacrifices, as well as rabbits, deer, beasts and birds of prey. The sacrifice had to be from the offer's herd or he had to purchase it.

"An offering": The Pharisees manipulated this simple concept so that adult children could selfishly withhold the material goods which would help their parents, under the guise of Corban, that it was dedicated to the Lord (compare Mark 7:8-13).

"Bring an offering": All sacrifices described in this book typically point to Jesus Christ, who gave Himself without spot unto God. They are thus predictive figures called types. Aaron the high priest also typifies Christ, our high priest (Heb. 4:15; 5:4-6; 9:7-14).

"Herd, and of the flock": These terms refer to the cattle (1:3), sheep, or goats (1:10), respectively. Only domestic animals could be sacrificed.

We remember, from the study in Exodus, that the people were so frightened by the voice of God, that they had begged Moses to talk to God for them. The chain was God speaking to Moses and then Moses speaking to the people. The message Moses was to give the people was from God. Moses was just the mouth to bring it. This offering above seems to be a voluntary offering, because of the word [if]. One of the pleasing things that the patriarchs did everywhere they went was build an altar to God. God is pleased when man tries to please Him. We remember in Genesis, that Cain's offering was unacceptable to God, but Abel's offering of the flock was acceptable. Man, worshipping through offerings and sacrifices, was as if he were offering himself to God. The shedding of the blood of the animal symbolized the offering of his life to God.

Leviticus 17:11 "For the life of the flesh [is] in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it [is] the blood [that] maketh an atonement for the soul."

When the sacrifice was burned up, it symbolized the fact that the person sacrificing had totally committed themselves to God. The end result of sacrificing and making offerings is to put ourselves into a closer moral relationship with God. We Christians do this through accepting Jesus as our sacrifice. These Hebrews did it through sacrificing animals. The blood of animals, or even sinful man, could never do away with sin. The only thing it could do was cover it up. The person still had a guilty conscience. The only way to have a clear conscience is to be washed in the blood of Jesus Christ [the Lamb of God].

Hebrews 10:4 "For [it is] not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins."

Leviticus 1:3 "If his offering [be] a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD."

The concept of a "burnt sacrifice" is presented first for significant reasons. It expressed "dedication". The term means "that which ascends", that is, to Yahweh. The entire sacrifice was consumed by fire on the altar, so that it was also described as the "whole burnt offering". Of the other sacrifices, part was burned and part was eaten by the priests or even by the offeror himself; but all the burnt offering ascended to God in flame and smoke. Thus, the Israelite was taught that entire consecration is essential to true worship. The offerings were graded in value so that even the poorest worshipers who were conscious of their spiritual need might find access to God by coming in complete devotion. The offering was to be "a male without blemish", indicating we are to bring the best we have to Him. The phrase "of his own voluntary will" is best translated "that he may be accepted". The proper place to offer the sacrifice was "at the door of the tabernacle", that is, in the court near the brazen altar, not at home or elsewhere.

This burnt sacrifice, as we said before, symbolizes the total commitment of the person sacrificing. This is to be done of their own free will, not of obligation. Salvation is offered to everyone, but we must accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord of our own free will. God does not require it of us. It is our decision whether we commit our life to God or not. The reason this is a male without blemish is because it is a type and shadow of Jesus (the Lamb of God). It shows the sin free (without blemish), life of Jesus. It was offered at the door of the tabernacle, because the first step to salvation is repentance. Just inside the door was the bronze altar. Bronze symbolizes judgement. We are all guilty of sin, before we repent and accept Jesus as our substitute for our sin. The person bringing this animal for sacrifice was placing his guilt on the head of this animal. The blood that was shed symbolized turning his life over to God. The key here is he came to God of his own free will. The blood sacrifice and the burning of the animal, showed his dedication to God.

Leviticus Chapter 1 Questions

1. The book of Leviticus is a book of ______ that God gave Moses.

2. Who wrote Leviticus?

3. What are the five books of Moses called?

4. If the people live up to these laws, there will be no need for what?

5. God made a way for them to approach Him through what 2 things?

6. When do God's people get into trouble?

7. What is the Hebrew title of Leviticus?

8. What is another name it is known by?

9. The name Leviticus indicates that it is connected with what tribe?

10. Where were they camped when God gave these laws to Moses?

11. What different things did these laws cover?

12. Who did God want to be Israel's King?

13. At what time were these laws given to Moses?

14. We will see types and shadows of Jesus in the _____________and ____________.

15. In the book of Hebrews, we saw Jesus as whom?

16. Name at least 3 things we will see Jesus as in Leviticus?

17. What does the author believe is the theme of Leviticus for believers?

18. How is the only way that we can approach Father God?

19. Our life is in the _______ of the Lamb.

20. What are we partakers of before we accept Jesus as our Savior?

21. If we are full of Jesus, we are full of ______.

22. What is God teaching His chosen people in Leviticus?

23. Have you and I really left Egypt "the world"?

24. What must we do before we can head for the Promised Land?

25. Who are the only people God fellowships with?

26. What must we do to really know what God is saying to us in Leviticus?

27. What 2 keys are we to watch for in Leviticus?

28. How many times does the word holy appear in Leviticus?

29. Offerings and feasts are all what?

30. What lets us know that God is the God of order here?

31. Where did God call to Moses from?

32. What root word did Lord come from in verse 1?

33. What does the name mean?

34. Why were the people not hearing from God direct?

35. What one word in verse 2 lets us know this is a voluntary offering?

36. What did the patriarchs do everywhere they went that pleased God?

37. What did the blood of the animal being shed symbolize for the one who was sacrificing?

38. When the sacrifice was totally burned up, what did it symbolize?

39. What was the desired end result of sacrificing and offerings?

40. What is the only thing that can clear the conscience of man?

41. Why must this offering in verse 3 be a male?

42. Why must it be without blemish?

43. Why was it important that it be a freewill offering?

44. Why did he place his hand on the head of the animal he was about to kill?

Leviticus Chapter 1 Continued

Leviticus 1:4 "And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him."

"Put his hand upon the head": This symbolic gesture pictured the transfer of the sacrificers sin to the sacrificial animal and was likely done with a prayer of repentance and request for forgiveness (compare Psalm 51:18-19).

"Make atonement" The word means "cover". The psalmist defines it by saying, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered" (Psalm 32:1). Theologically, the "atonement" of the Old Testament covered sin only temporarily, but it did not eliminate sin or later judgment (Heb. 10:4). The one time sacrifice of Jesus Christ fully atoned for sin, thus satisfying God's wrath forever and insuring eternal salvation (compare Heb. 9:12; 1 John 2:2). Even to those who put saving faith in God for their redemption before Christ's death on the cross (compare Rom. 3:25-26; Heb. 9:15).

"For him": This was a substitutionary sacrifice that prefigured the ultimate substitute, Jesus Christ (compare Isaiah Chapter 53, see note on 2 Cor. 5:21).

When the person making the offering puts his hand on the animal's head, it is as if he is placing his sin on the animal. This is exactly what happened when Jesus took our sin upon His body on the cross. In both instances, there is a substitute for the real sinner. Atonement is an interesting word. It means (to cover). It also means to cancel. The difference in the animal's blood being shed for the sin of the person and Jesus shedding His blood for our sin, is covered in these meanings. The animal's blood cannot do away with sin; it can only cover sin. The sin is still there, just covered by the blood. There cannot be a clear conscience following. In the case of the blood of Jesus, His blood cancels our sin out. There is no longer any sin and we have a clear conscience toward God.

Hebrews 10:4 "For [it is] not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins."

Jesus took our sin upon His body on the cross that we might take His righteousness on. The most beautiful statement in verse 4 above is (it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him). Praise God, He accepted the substitute, and there is no need for further sacrifice for our sin. Jesus paid it all.

Leviticus 1:5 "And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that [is by] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation."

"He shall kill": Making vivid and dramatic the consequences of sin, the person offering the sacrifice killed and butchered the animal (compare verse 6).

"Aaron's sons": This refers to the immediate descendants of Aaron, i.e., Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar (compare Exodus 28:1). In the beginning, there were 5 priests, including Aaron, who served as the High-Priest.

"Sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar": The slaying of the animal set forth symbolically the transfer of sin and guilt from the offeror to the sacrifice itself. The animal bore the penalty for sin, for "the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). The sacrifices represented the final and efficacious sacrifice of Jesus, shedding His blood to make full and complete atonement for sin (see Psalm. 40:6).

We look at the killing of this animal and realize it was necessary to reconcile the person to God. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission for sin.

Hebrews 9:22 "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."

The first step into salvation is repenting of sin. Just inside the door of the tabernacle was the brazen altar. This brazen altar was the altar symbolizing judgement, since it was made of bronze. We must first realize we are guilty of sin and then ask forgiveness for the sin on the way to God. The life is in the blood. This blood must flow to bring us life.

1 John 1:7 "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

Leviticus 1:6 "And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces."

Flay in the verse above, means to spread out hostilely or to strip. The entire burnt offering symbolized what the Father God does to sin. God the Father cannot look upon sin; His wrath burns it up. This is why at one moment during the crucifixion, Jesus cried out to the Father, "Why hast thou forsaken Me"? At that moment that Jesus symbolically took the sin of the entire world upon His body, the Father turned away. This shows God the Father cannot look upon sin, without totally burning it up. Jesus became the perfect sacrifice for sin at the shedding of His blood. From this day forward there was to never be any more sacrificing in the world. Jesus' sacrifice was sufficient for all time for everyone. I believe this is why God allowed the temple in Jerusalem to be destroyed, to stop the sacrificing of animals. Jesus was flayed for believers.

Leviticus 1:7 "And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire:"

The priests are to put the fire upon the altar, because they offered the sacrifice upon the altar. This applies to the first burnt offering which was offered upon the newly-erected altar, since afterwards the fire was always burning, and was never allowed to go out (Lev. 6:13).

"And lay the wood": No other fuel but wood was allowed for the altar, and no one was allowed to bring it from his own house, but it had to be the wood of the congregation (compare Neh. 10:34; 13:31). It had to be of the best kind; worm-eaten wood or timber from pulled-down buildings was not allowed.

Not even the high priest would eat of the meat of this offering. This animal was to be totally consumed by the fire.

Leviticus 1:8 "And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that [is] on the fire which [is] upon the altar:"

"The fire which is upon the altar": Fire usually indicates wrath, judgment, and punishment. The fire here suggests the consuming wrath of God that comes upon the animal and not the offeror. That the bullock was totally consumed teaches that Christ's sacrifice completely satisfied the demands of divine justice.

Again, here, we see that even the meat must be placed exactly in order. The fat was for a sweet smelling savor to the Lord.

Leviticus 1:9 "But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, [to be] a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD."

"Wash": This allowed the one sacrificing to cleanse the animal of excrement and thus make it clean.

"A sweet savor": The pleasant smell of burning meat signified the sacrifice of obedience which was pleasing to the Lord. While the costly ritual recognized God's anger for sin committed (compare 1:13, 17), the penitent heart behind the sacrifice made it acceptable. That was far more significant than the sacrifice itself (compare Gen. 8:21; 1 Sam. 15:23). This is the first of 3 freewill offerings to please the Lord. Compare the grain offering (2:2) and the peace offering (3:5).

This indicated God's satisfaction with the offerings and the propitiation for sin that He accepted, thus satisfying and placating the righteous judgment and wrath of God. They pointed typically to the redemptive work of Christ, whose personal sacrifice to the Father was a "sweet aroma" that satisfied the righteous judgment of God upon sin.

This washing just shows that God will not accept an unclean offering. Ministers today could take a lesson from this. Of course, this entire offering symbolizes Christ's sacrifice for us.

Leviticus 1:10 "And if his offering [be] of the flocks, [namely], of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish."

"Sheep, or of the goats ... a male without blemish": A sheep or lamb without blemish typified the perfection and submission without objection that our Lord manifested, as He was "brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and ... openeth not his mouth" (Isa. 53:7).

The importance of this being a male, is because it symbolized the offering Jesus made, and Jesus was of male gender in His flesh on the earth. The lamb must be a male, young enough not to have been with a female. It was to be without blemish. The very reason that Jesus' legs were not broken on the cross was to fulfill the Scripture of having no broken bones.

John 19:36 "For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken."

Another Scripture shows the necessity of not breaking a bone of the offering.

Numbers 9:12 "They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it."

This offering was to be burned completely up. No one was to eat any of it. God the Father cannot look upon sin; He will burn it up. This is the symbolism seen here. The burnt sacrifice was sacrificed right inside the door of the outer court of the tabernacle. The way to God is indicated by doing this. The first step a person must make on the way to God, is realize they are a sinner, and repent. When we do this, the next step is to transfer our sin over to Jesus, by accepting Him as our perfect sacrifice. It is no longer necessary to pay for our sin with our own blood. He (Jesus), shed His blood for us. He became our substitute when He took our sin upon His body on the cross and we took on His righteousness on our body. The penalty for sin is death; praise God! Jesus' body died that we might live.

Leviticus 1:11 "And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar."

This and other kinds of sacrifices were killed "on the side of the altar northward" (Lev. 6:25 7:2). Because here seems to have been the largest and most convenient place for that work, the altar being probably near the middle of the east end of the building, and the entrance being on the south side. So the north side was the only vacant place. Besides, this might design the place of Christ's death, both more generally, to wit, in Jerusalem, which was:

"On the side of the altar northward" (Psalm 48:2). And more specially, to wit, on Mount Calvary, which was on the north and west side of Jerusalem.

We must remember from our Exodus teaching, that the priests symbolize those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. The high priest symbolized the pastor of the church. We also see in this above a type and shadow that we can apply to our present day church. The sinner brings the animal to the outer court and places his hand upon the animal's head. He symbolically transfers his sins to the animal in so doing. This is the very thing we have done when we receive Jesus as our perfect sacrifice; we have transferred our sin to Him, as we said before. In this Scripture above, it shows that usually the first dealing with a sinner is not done by the pastor of the church, but by someone who is a believer in Jesus; a Christian. This altar here that is spoken of, is not in the Holy of Holies, it is in the outer court. It is the bronze altar. Bronze means judgement. The way to God, as we said before, is through repentance. This altar comes before baptism. Aaron's sons ministered in the outer court. They put the blood on this altar of judgement, and the blood of the animal makes the person acceptable to God. Lay Christians bring prospects for the Christian faith to the church and then the minister preaches salvation to them. The sheep (believers in Christ), produce sheep. The pastor (shepherd), leads, guides, and feeds them after they come.

In this lesson, we have repeated ourselves quite a bit, but we must thoroughly understand these symbols before we go on. One of the most important lessons that we are to see in this, is that God Himself set up these sacrifices. This was being the way for sinful man to approach the Holy God. In the garden of Eden, after the sin of Adam and Eve, God sacrificed an animal and made garments for them out of the hide. In the burnt offering above, the only thing that was not completely burned up was the hide of the animal, which was given to the priest. Cain and Abel were a very good example that to be able to approach God, blood must be shed. Cain's offering was unacceptable, because no blood was shed. I could go on and on, but I am sure you see the significance of the shedding of blood. Please keep in mind the types and shadows as we see Jesus in all the sacrifices and offerings. The person killing this sacrifice was admitting his sin.

1. Who was to kill the offering for the burnt offering?

2. Where did he place his hand before he killed the animal?

3. What did this symbolize?

4. How does this resemble what Jesus did for us on the cross?

5. What 2 meanings does atonement have?

6. What difference is there between, what Jesus did for us when He shed His blood for us, and the blood shed of the animal?

7. What does Hebrews chapter 10 verse 4 tell us about animal's blood?

8. What does the author believe is the most beautiful statement in Leviticus 1:4?

9. Who sprinkles the blood on the altar in verse 5?

10. Where is the altar located that the burnt offering is made on?

11. Why was it necessary to kill the animal?

12. Without the ___________ of ________ there is no remission of sin.

13. What is the first step we must take for salvation?

14. What did the brazen altar symbolize?

15. The life of the flesh is in the _____.

16. In 1 John 1:7, we read that what cleanseth us from all unrighteousness?

17. What does the word flay mean in this lesson today?

18. God the Father cannot look upon sin, He will ______ ___ ____.

19. Why did Jesus cry out from the cross "Why hast thou forsaken me?"

20. Why does the author believe God allowed the temple in Jerusalem to be destroyed?

21. Who was to put the fire upon the altar?

22. What was the fat of the animal to the Lord?

23. What does the washing of the legs and inward parts of the animal teach us about our offerings today?

24. Why is it important for this animal to be a male?

25. What is the penalty for sin?

26. Who are the priests symbolic of?

27. Who is usually the first contact with a sinner?

28. If the sinner is brought to the church by the believers, what is the job of the pastor?

29. Who set up sacrifices?

30. What were their purpose?

31. Give the first example in the Bible of animal sacrifice?

32. What is the only thing the high priest keeps of the burnt offering?

Leviticus Chapter 1 Second Continued

In the first of this lesson, I would like to go over again a few of the highlights we have already learned. We need to get all of this down deep into our understanding, that we might better appreciate what Jesus did for us when He was crucified on the cross.

We know that the burnt offering was to be made just inside the tabernacle of the congregation. We could view it as the entrance of the church. We know that the animal had to be perfect with no blemishes. The animal must be brought by the person seeking God.

We saw in a previous lesson how the person bringing the animal had to place his hand upon the animal's head, symbolically placing his own sins on the animal. We also learned, that blood must be shed for the remission of sin.

Hebrews 9:22 "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

These 2 Scriptures show us the seriousness of sin. Sin must be paid for by death through the shedding of blood. This animal was the substitute for this sinner as Jesus Christ was our substitute. In the case of Jesus this debt was paid for all mankind who will accept it for all time.

The blood of an animal cannot do away with sin, only cover the sin. The blood of Jesus Christ destroyed sin for those who follow Jesus. Jesus took our sin upon His body, and we took on His righteousness, when we wash in His blood.

In the burnt offering, the only thing that was not completely burned up was the hide of the animal, which was given to the priest. Isn't it interesting that God sacrificed an animal in the garden of Eden and made garments to cover Adam and Eve out of the hide? Praise God! Our garment of white is washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Our covering (righteousness of Christ), was provided for us by our Savior Jesus Christ and will never wear out. Just as this burnt offering opened the way for these people to worship God, Jesus opened the way for the Christian to be in fellowship with God.

Leviticus 1:12 "And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that [is] on the fire which [is] upon the altar:"

The perfection of these Old Testament sacrifices prefigured the sinlessness of Christ, who was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separated from sinners" (Heb. 7:26; compare 9:24).

The first thing that jumps out at me in this is the fact that the person bringing the offering is helped by the priest. The priest sets everything in order. Remember, this animal being offered symbolizes this person's life of sin. This old life must be destroyed. The wood symbolizes worldliness, and it too, will be totally burned up. When a person first seeks God, they usually need help and direction to keep them in the path. The priest here, is like Christian leaders and friends who help us sort out things when we first come to the Lord. We need their guidance to get us started.

Leviticus 1:13 "But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring [it] all, and burn [it] upon the altar: it [is] a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD."

As he did the bullock (Lev. 1:9).

"And the priest shall bring it all": All the parts to the ascent of the altar, as the Jews interpret it. All the parts and pieces of it, even the very wool on the sheep's head. And the hair on the goat's beard, their bones, sinews, and horns, and hoofs, all were burnt, as it follows.

"And burn it on the altar, it is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord" (see notes on Lev. 1:9).

LORD in the verse above is JEHOVAH, The Eternal One, or The One Who Exists. This was a very strong name the Hebrews used for God. This offering pleases God (sweet savor). This brings to mind the rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who comes home. These next 2 Scriptures let us know how much it pleases God for someone to be saved.

Luke 15:7 "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance."

Luke 15:10 "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."

We must, also, look at the washing of the unclean parts of this animal. This says to me that unclean gifts are not acceptable unto God. Ministers should not take unclean gifts from donors, if they know they are unclean. We can also see in this offering in the other elements, water, blood and Spirit. We know that this offering shows us a shadow of Jesus. The fire symbolizes God or the Spirit. The water is represented by the water in the washing and the blood is present in the animal. Let us look at two more Scriptures that show us the importance of all three.

1 John 5:6 "This is he that came by water and blood, [even] Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth."

1 John 5:8 "And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one."

This burnt offering then, is not only an acceptable offering to God, but opens the way to fellowship with God.

Leviticus 1:14 "And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD [be] of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons."

As it might be for the poorer sort, who could not offer a bullock, nor a sheep, or a lamb (Lev. 5:7).

"Then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons": The Jewish writers all agree, that the turtles should be old, and not young, as the pigeons young, and not old. So the Targum of Jonathan, Jarchi, Aben Ezra and Gersom. The latter gives two reasons for it, because then they are the choicest and easiest to be found and taken. No mention is made of their being male or female, as either would do. Or of their being perfect and unblemished, as in the other burnt offerings. But if any part was wanting, it was not fit for sacrifice, as Maimonides observes. These creatures were proper emblems of Christ, and therefore used in sacrifice. Whose voice is compared to the turtle's, and his eyes to the eyes of doves (SOS 2:12). And who is fitly represented by them for his meekness and humility. And for his chaste and strong affection to his church, as the turtledove to its mate, and for those dove like graces of the Spirit which are in him.

The only reason this offering would be of a fowl, would be because the offeror was poor and could not offer more. God does not excuse the poor from making offerings, but does allow them to give less according to their ability to pay. This is such a beautiful symbolic meaning here. This type of fowl is a messenger. The dove also, symbolizes the Holy Spirit. This implies that the thoughts of man should soar above the earthly and be stayed upon the heavenly. Each person dedicating their life to God should be His messenger.

Leviticus 1:15 "And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn [it] on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar:"

"The priest ... wring off": Unlike the livestock being killed by the one offering the sacrifice, the bird was killed by the priest.

All of the burnt offerings show a shadow of Christ. I would say this would be the sorrowful Christ. This blood being wrung out shows the violent manner that Jesus shed His blood. It is wrong to believe that Jesus' blood was spilled. It was no accident that He shed His blood for us.

Leviticus 1:16 "And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes:"

"Crop ... feathers": This refers to the neck or gullet of a bird where food was stored.

"East part ... place of the ashes": This was the closest side to the entrance of the tabernacle compound and provided for the easiest removal of the ashes outside (compare 6:10-11).

This casting away of the feathers, shows me the fact that Jesus' robe was cast off before His crucifixion. To perfectly humiliate Him, they took His robe off. In this we see the humiliation of Jesus on the cross.

Leviticus 1:17 "And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, [but] shall not divide [it] asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that [is] upon the fire: it [is] a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD."

One wing being on one side, and the other on the other side.

"But shall not divide it asunder": The body of the bird, though it was cleaved down in the middle, yet not parted asunder, nor any of its wings separated from it. The Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it, "but shall not separate its wings from it". This denoted, that though, by the death of Christ, his soul and body were separated from each other, yet the human nature was not separated from his divine Person. The personal union between the two natures still continuing. Nor was he divided from his divine Father, though he was forsaken by him, yet still in union with him as the Son of God. Nor from the divine Spirit, by which he offered up himself to God, and by which he was quickened. Nor from his church and people, for whom he suffered, they being united to him as members to their head.

"And the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire": In like manner as the ox, sheep, or goat were burnt. According to the Misnah, the priest went up the ascent (of the altar), and turned round about the circuit. When he came to the southeast horn, he cut its head (or nipped it) with his nail, over against its neck, and divided it, and squeezed out its blood by the wall of the altar, and turned the part nipped to the altar, and struck it at it, and rubbed it with salt, and cast it upon the fires. Then he went to the body and removed the crop and its feathers (or dung), and the entrails that came out along with it, and threw them into the place of ashes. He cleaved but did not divide asunder, but if he divided it was right, then he rubbed it with salt, and cast it upon the fires.

"It is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord" (see notes on Lev. 1:9).

We can see in this spreading wide the wings and placing it upon the wood in one piece; the body of Jesus on the cross. Jesus' arms were spread out as the wings of this dove were and placed upon a wooden cross. Jesus made the statement, that in this He glorified the Father. I would like to quote 3 Scriptures that show that in this God the Father was pleased and glorified.

John 12:28 "Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, [saying], I have both glorified [it], and will glorify [it] again."

John 17:1 "These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:"

John 17:5 "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."

There is no need to add to this, it says it all.

Leviticus Chapter 1 Second Continued Questions

1. Where was this burnt offering to be made?

2. What could this be viewed as, that pertains to us?

3. Who brought the animal to be sacrificed?

4. What was the symbolic meaning of the person making the offering placing his hand upon the head of the animal to be sacrificed?

5. What is the only permissible thing, that can take sin away?

6. The wages of sin is ________.

7. What one word describes what this animal was, for the person bringing it?

8. What happened to the hide of the animal?

9. When God killed an animal in the garden of Eden, what did He do with the hide?

10. What is the Christian's covering?

11. Where did the priest lay the offering after he had cut it up?

12. What does the wood of the altar symbolize?

13. The priest in verse 12, reminds us of whom?

14. What parts of the animal must be washed before burning?

15. LORD, in verse 13, is whom?

16. What does this offering being a sweet savor, let us know about the offering?

17. Where do we find the Scripture that says there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth?

18. What message should we receive about unclean gifts here?

19. In 1 John 5:8, what 3 things bear witness in earth?

20. When is the only time acceptable to bring a fowl for a burnt offering?

21. What is this fowl mentioned here symbolic of?

22. The Dove specifically symbolizes Whom?

23. Where should the thoughts of man be?

24. What does the blood being wrung out of the fowl show us about the crucifixion of Jesus?

25. What shadow of Jesus' crucifixion does the plucking of the feathers and throwing them at the foot of the altar show?

26. Why were the wings of the fowl spread open and placed on the wood?

27. Where are the Scriptures found that say this glorifies the Father and Jesus?

Leviticus Chapter 2

Verses 1-16: The meaning of a word changes in the course of time, and we have just such an instance here. The "meat offering unto the Lord" was the one offering that did not consist of "meat". It was the "meal offering", an offering of grain or cereals made of fine flour. The word translated "meat" means in Hebrew simply a "present". The primary idea of this offering is that of a gift presented to God as an act of worship. Yet, because this offering was the product of the soil and the result of human labor, it symbolized the consecration to God of the fruit of one's labor. This was in the form of food and indicated that all our toil or our activities should be dedicated to God (compare Eccl. 2:24-25; 1 Cor. 10:31).

The ingredients included are significant. The "oil" was not only a usual constituent of daily food, but has been recognized as a symbol of the Holy Spirit. People who are dedicated to God can expect the power of His Spirit to guide, aid, and empower them on a daily basis. "Frankincense" was incense of high quality. It was white like the manna (Exodus 16:14; Num. 11:8), and symbolized prayer and praise. As one offered to God the work of his hands, it was sanctified by continual petition and thanksgiving. The "memorial of it" was burned before the Lord; the remainder was given to the priest as his support. His ministry was absolutely necessary if offerings were to be made. In (6:14-23), it is prescribed that a meal offering shall be presented by the priest for the whole people of Israel every morning and every evening. The reference to "salt" indicates that the act of sacrifice was a reminder of the eternal covenant relationship between the worshiper and his God. A "covenant of salt" was indissoluble (Num. 18:19). It began as necessary to a proper meal, but because an emblem of fidelity in the Near East, and thus the "salt of the covenant".

Leviticus 2:1 " And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be [of] fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:"

"Meat offering": As the burnt offering, typified Christ in His death, the meal offering typifies Him in life. It speaks of His loving and living obedience through a spotless life, dedicated to God and satisfying the demands of the law (Matt. 3:15). Without leaven, typifying malice, wickedness and erroneous doctrine (1 Cor. 5:6-9; Matt. 16:12), the bread symbolized the consecration of one's life and substance (Lev. 2:14). Jesus used the unleavened bread during the Passover to symbolize His body, broken for us (1 Cor. 11:23-24), an act which is memorialized by the Lord's Supper in this Church Age. Oil usually signifies the Holy Spirit, given to Him without measure (John 3:34). Frankincense, a sweet resin used in perfumes and burned for its pleasant aroma, speaks of spiritual dedication and communion (see. Mal. 1:11; Rev. 5:8; 8:3-4), exemplified in Christ's life and ministry.

This "meat offering" really had no animal flesh in it. This offering accompanied the burnt offering. We must recognize right here from the beginning, the symbolic meaning of these elements. These elements above are the elements used in making bread. Jesus is the Bread of life. Notice these 2 following Scriptures which say that very thing.

John 6:35 "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."

John 6:51 "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

This statement, that this bread is His flesh, just might be the reason this offering is called the meat offering. Fine flour indicates that this is the best. We must not offer God second best. This oil here, symbolizes the Holy Spirit. Jesus was full to overflowing with the Spirit of God. Frankincense made a sweet odor before God. Frankincense was given Jesus at His birth, which recognized Him as the Bread and burnt offering. He was our atonement.

Leviticus 2:2 "And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, [to be] an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD:"

"Handful": Unlike the whole burnt offering (1:9), only a representative or memorial portion was given to the Lord.

This was the task of the priest. The handful that he took and burnt upon the altar has the technical and significate name of the memorial. It acted as a memorial before God, in the same way as Cornelius's prayers and alms.

Acts 10:4 "Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God".

Being something which should cause God to think graciously of the offeror. The frankincense is not mixed with the flour and the oil and the salt, as a constituent element of the offering. But is placed upon them, and is all of it burnt in "the memorial," symbolizing the need of adding prayer to sacrifice, that the latter may be acceptable to God.

Notice here, that the tithe of this flour, oil, and frankincense was not eaten by anyone, it was an offering to God. The rest of this was given to the priests, who are symbolic of the Christians. The Christians are to partake of this bread. This burning of a portion of this on the fire, is to glorify God. The remainder, which was given to the priests, shows the great sacrifice of Jesus' body on the cross for the Christians.

Matthew 26:26 "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed [it], and brake [it], and gave [it] to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body."

You see the Bread was symbolic of Jesus' body. Jesus' sacrifice of His body, on the cross, glorified the Father and provided the Bread of life for the believers.

Leviticus 2:3 "And the remnant of the meat offering [shall be] Aaron's and his sons': [it is] a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire."

"Aaron and his sons": Unlike the brunt offering (1:9, 13, 17), this offering supplies provision for the priests.

Which not only shows the care taken by the Lord for the maintenance of the priests, from whence the apostle argues for the support of ministers of the Gospel (1 Cor. 9:13). But denotes that such who are made priests unto God by Christ, have a right to feed upon Christ the meat offering by faith. Who is that altar and meat offering, which none but such have a right to eat of.

"It is a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire": Some offerings with the Jews were only holy things, or, as they call them, "light" holy things, comparatively speaking. Others were heavy holy things, or most holy. Or, as it is in the original, "holiness of holiness", the most holy of all.

These Bread remnants should be eaten by the minister (who Aaron represents), and the Christians (who his sons represent). This is, perhaps, speaking of communion.

Matthew 4:4 "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

Another meaning for this could very well be that, the minister and all Christians should partake of the Bread (Bible). It is of utmost importance to study the Bible every day. We cannot live without this spiritual food.

Leviticus 2:4 "And if thou bring an oblation of a meat offering baked in the oven, [it shall be] unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil."

This is another kind of meat offering, or in another form. The former was only fine flour and oil mixed together, and frankincense put on it. But this was made up into cakes, and baked in an oven, and not in anything else, according to the Jewish tradition. He that says, lo, upon me be a meat offering baked in an oven, he may not bring that baked otherwise. And this meat offering was made into cakes and wafers, and then baked, as follows. And:

"It shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil". Which according to the Jews were made after this manner; the priest put the oil into a vessel before the making of it, then put the fine flour to it, and put oil upon it, and mixed it, and kneaded it, and baked it. Then cut it in pieces, and put oil upon it, and mixed it. And again, put oil upon it, and took the handful, and it was the fourth part of an hin of oil that was divided into the several cakes. The cakes, they say, were obliged to be mixed, and the wafers to be anointed. The cakes were mixed, but not the wafers, the wafers were anointed, but not the cakes. The oil denoted the grace of the Spirit of God in Christ, and in his people. And being unleavened, the sincerity and truth with which the meat offering, Christ, is to be upon.

The fact that this Bread (whether baked in an oven or served separately), must be without leaven, because leaven symbolizes sin. Jesus was without sin. In fact, He was Holy. This offering therefore must be Holy, and without leaven. The oil here again, symbolizes the Spirit.

Leviticus 2:5 "And if thy oblation [be] a meat offering [baked] in a pan, it shall be [of] fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil."

Which had no edge or covering, and the paste on it hard, that it might not run out.

"It shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil": Signifying the same as before.

It does not matter how this Bread is prepared, it must be without leaven. This just states over and over the importance of being without sin. This (mingled with oil), just means to be totally under the control of the Holy Spirit. This means that Jesus was the Son of the Spirit of God. Jesus did not have an earthly father; His Father was God the Spirit. The fine flour speaks of the evenness (balance), of His (JESUS') character.

Leviticus 2:6 "Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon: it [is] a meat offering."

Pouring oil on bread is a common practice among Eastern people, who are fond of broken bread dipped in oil, butter, or milk. Oil only was used in the meat offerings, and probably for a symbolic reason. It is evident that these meat offerings were previously prepared by the offeror, and when brought, the priest was to take it from his hands and burn a portion on the altar.

When Jesus served the bread and wine to the disciples, He broke it and then served it. Jesus' body was broken for you and me. This indicates that there is plenty to go around.

Matthew 14:19 "And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to [his] disciples, and the disciples to the multitude."

We see in this Scripture from Matthew, the abundance of this Bread. There were 12 baskets full left over. God fed the Israelites in the wilderness every day with this Bread. We studied in Exodus that the multitude on their way to the Promised Land were about 3 million. The Bread (Jesus), is sufficient for everyone. We must not just read the Bible, but let the Holy Spirit teach us the meaning. The Word (bread), must be consumed along with the Holy Spirit, to satisfy our needs.

Leviticus 2:7 "And if thy oblation [be] a meat offering [baked] in the frying pan, it shall be made [of] fine flour with oil."

It is asked, what difference there is between the pan, and the frying pan? the frying pan has a cover, but the pan has no cover. The frying pan is deep, and its works (or paste), flow, or are thin, but the pan is extended, and its works (or paste), are hard or stiff. Which Maimonides explains thus, the frying pan is a deep vessel, which has a lip or edge round about it, and the paste which is baked in it is thin and flows. The pan is a vessel which has no lip or edge, and therefore its paste is hard or stiff, that it flows not. Now all these acts of mixing the flour, and kneading, and baking, and frying, and cutting in pieces, as well as burning part on the altar, signify the dolorous sufferings of Christ when he was sacrificed for us. To be both an atonement for our sins, and food for our faith.

"It shall be made of fine flour with oil. As the other sort of meat offerings before mentioned.

Oblation means something brought near the altar, or a sacrificial present. The main thing to be learned in the verse above, I believe, is that if you fry, it must be in oil not animal fat.

Leviticus 2:8 "And thou shalt bring the meat offering that is made of these things unto the LORD: and when it is presented unto the priest, he shall bring it unto the altar."

Either to the tabernacle, the house of the Lord, or to the Lord's priest, as it follows.

"And when it is presented to the priest": By the owner of it.

"He shall bring it unto the altar": To the south west horn of the altar.

In this verse, we see the priest symbolizes our great High Priest Jesus Christ. To approach God, we must come to Jesus. Jesus opened the way to the Father for us, as the priest makes the offering for the person here. Jesus Christ is our only mediator.

Leviticus 2:9 "And the priest shall take from the meat offering a memorial thereof, and shall burn [it] upon the altar: [it is] an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD."

That is, a handful of it; as of the fine flour (Lev. 2:2). So of the pieces of that which was baked, whether in the oven, or pan, or frying pan.

"And shall burn it upon the altar": The memorial or handful.

"It is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord (see notes on Lev. 1:9).

This memorial (meat offering), speaks of the death of the body of Jesus Christ on the cross for us. In the very next verse, we will see the Bread, Jesus, feeding the living. The life of Christ is the living Bread. We Christians have life, because we partake of the Bread of life (Jesus Christ our Lord). In this next verse, see ministers in the priest and Christians in the sons of the priest.

Leviticus 2:10 "And that which is left of the meat offering [shall be] Aaron's and his sons': [it is] a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire."

Not burnt with fire.

"Shall be Aaron's and his sons'": The high priest took his part first, and then the common priests.

"It is a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire (see notes on Lev. 2:3).

Two very important things happened in Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. It glorified the Father (sweet savor), and it brought life to all who would believe. This Bread, we have been looking at here, is symbolic of the body of Christ. All must eat of this Bread to have everlasting life.

John 6:53 "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you."

I have one question for you. Have you eaten of this living Bread?

Leviticus Chapter 2 Questions

1. What 3 elements made up this meat offering?

2. The meat offering accompanied what offering?

3. What do these 3 elements symbolize?

4. Who is the Bread of life?

5. Where are the 2 Scriptures found that call Jesus the Bread?

6. This offering is called a meat offering, why is it not called a bread offering?

7. We must offer God our ______ not our second ______.

8. The gift of frankincense at Jesus birth recognized Jesus as what?

9. The person bringing the meat offering to the tabernacle should turn it over to whom?

10. What was the offering of part of this on the fire called?

11. Who do the priests symbolize in this?

12. Why is a portion of this burned on the fire?

13. What did Jesus call the bread that He broke and gave the disciples when he fed them Passover?

14. What were 2 of the things the sacrifice of Jesus' body on the cross did?

15. Who was the remnant of the meat offering given to?

16. Who does Aaron represent in verse 3?

17. Who do Aaron's sons represent?

18. Man shall not live by bread alone but by what?

19. How often should Christians study the Bible?

20. Christians cannot live without ___________ food.

21. What does leaven represent?

22. Why must this Bread be unleavened?

23. What does it mean when it says mingled with oil?

24. When Jesus fed the multitude with the 5 loaves and 2 fishes, what did He do before He passed the bread?

25. How large was the multitude that was fed on the way to the Promised Land?

26. The Bread must be consumed along with what to satisfy the needs of the Christians?

27. What does oblation mean?

28. For the Christian to approach God, we must come to ________.

29. What does the memorial meat offering speak of?

30. The remainder speaks of what?

31. Who is the Bread of Life?

32. Who did the death of Jesus' body on the cross bring life to?

33. Have you eaten of this living Bread?

Leviticus Chapter 2 Continued

We have been studying about the meat offering just inside the tabernacle door. We have mentioned this several times before, but it is of no use at all to study the Old Testament, unless you can see Jesus. As we look at all the sacrifices and offerings, we will be able to see Jesus in them all. The meat offering actually contains the elements of Bread. We mentioned that, probably, the reason it is called the meat offering is that the Bread actually symbolizes the body of Jesus.

Matthew 26:26 "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed [it], and brake [it], and gave [it] to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body."

Mark 14:22 "And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake [it], and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body."

We can easily see that the Bread and Jesus' body are one and the same. Let us continue with the study now by reading:

Leviticus 2:11 "No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the LORD made by fire."

This applies to the offering of 2:4-10, all which were to be burned on the altar.

"No ... leaven ... honey": Both yeast and honey were edible foods, but were never to be used with a grain offering, since both could induce fermentation, which symbolized sin (see note on 2:4).

We see, in the verse above, that leaven is not to be used in the meat offering. As we said before, leaven symbolizes sin. Jesus' body was free from sin. Jesus was the only person who ever lived upon the earth free from sin. In fact, He was holy. Sin is an abomination to God. To burn leaven on the altar would make a repulsive odor, not a sweet smelling savor. Honey, as well as leaven, is something to please the flesh, not the spirit of man. God will not accept worldly offerings. The things we do for God must not be for worldly fame. The offerings we make must be to please God alone.

Leviticus 2:12 "As for the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them unto the LORD: but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savor."

This applies to the offering of 2:14-16, which was not to be burned on the altar, but rather roasted by the worshiper (verse 14), before going to the tabernacle.

There is a great deal of difference between the meat offering and the firstfruits offering. The meat offering represents the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ on the cross. The firstfruits celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. You can easily see that first fruits are for man. It would be alright to use leaven and honey in firstfruits, since it is pleasing to man.

1 Corinthians 15:20 "But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the firstfruits of them that slept."

1 Corinthians 15:23 "But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming."

Leviticus 2:13 "And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt."

"The salt of the covenant": This was included in all of the offerings in 2:4-10, 14-16 since salt was emblematic of permanence or loyalty to the covenant.

Salt is a preserver. Many times salt was used to confirm a covenant with God. I will give just one example of that practice here, when God made a covenant with David.

2 Chronicles 13:5 "Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, [even] to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?"

When salt was added to this offering, it showed that it was for all of eternity. The sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross was for all generations to come. It was the ultimate sacrifice and there would be no need for any more sacrifices. Jesus called the believers the salt of the earth. Christians must be the preserver of all that is true and good.

Matthew 5:13 "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men."

In this Scripture, above and in the 6th chapter of Hebrews, you can see how terrible it is for a Christian to go back into the world after confessing belief in Jesus. Salt keeps decay away, so it is a true preserving. Salt symbolizes incorruption. I could go on and on about the good references about salt, but we will get into more on it later.

Leviticus 2:14 "And if thou offer a meat offering of thy first fruits unto the LORD, thou shalt offer for the meat offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, [even] corn beaten out of full ears."

"Of thy first fruits": These would be offered at the Feast of Firstfruits (23:9-14), and the Feast of Weeks (23:15-22).

This meat offering has one thing the other did not. This offering is from the first corn of the season. Even before providing for their own family, the first corn was given to God. This is truly giving the best and first to God. I have said so many times that God wants all of you. He must have 100%, or none at all. That is what I see in the first of the harvest being given to the Lord. Christians should practice Firstfruits in their offerings to God. We give to God in anticipation of earnings. Others wait until they know what their earnings are and then give one tenth of that. Firstfruits is one thing that separates Christians from others. We Christians even worship on the first day of the week, instead of the last day of the week.

Leviticus 2:15 "And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it [is] a meat offering."

"Frankincense": A gum resin with a pungent, balsamic odor, used in the tabernacle sacrifices.

Jesus was not only born with the Holy Ghost as His Father, but was filled with the Spirit of God. The oil in these offerings shows the continuous presence of the Holy Spirit in the ministry of Jesus here on the earth. The frankincense, here and in all of the offerings, shows that God the Father is pleased with everything that Jesus did. All the actions of Jesus on the earth glorified the Father and were a sweet smell to God. This is the sweet smelling savor.

Leviticus 2:16 "And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, [part] of the beaten corn thereof, and [part] of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: [it is] an offering made by fire unto the LORD."

That which is taken out of it for a memorial, the same with the handful of fine flour and cakes of the meat offering.

"Part of the beaten corn thereof": Or that which was ground in a mill.

"And part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof": As was done in the other meat offerings.

"It is an offering made by fire unto the Lord" (see Lev. 2:2).

This portion of the offering that was burned on the fire was offered to God by the priest. It was completely burned up, not eaten by anyone. This beaten corn is symbolic of the beaten body of the Lord Jesus Christ. The oil is not just any oil, but the holy oil, symbolic of the Holy Spirit of God. The frankincense sends a sweet fragrance to God and it symbolizes that all glory goes to God. We see, in all of this, that we must totally commit ourselves to God. It is very important to do as Jesus did, and say with Jesus, not my will but thine Oh! LORD.

We have been looking at two offerings that go hand in hand. The meat offering and the firstfruits offering go together. We can see in this that the crucifixion would not be complete without the resurrection from the grave.

We must see in all of this that total commitment to God is the only thing pleasing to God. God must be first. We must dedicate all work that we might do to the glory of God. The bread (Word of God), is the staff of life. Bread is not a pleasant food, but a food of necessity. The Bread (Jesus Christ), takes care of all our needs. It is by grace we are saved, not of our good works. The blood of Jesus Christ reconciles us to the Father. To sum this lesson up, we would say that we must serve a Holy God with clean hands and a pure heart, bringing gifts acceptable unto Him.

Leviticus Chapter 2 Continued Questions

1. Where was the meat offering given?

2. If the Old Testament is to be useful to us, who must we see in it?

3. The meat offering actually contains the elements of what?

4. Why is it called the meat offering, if it contains no meat?

5. The Bread and Jesus' ________ are one and the same.

6. What 2 things were never to be part of the meat offering?

7. What does leaven symbolize?

8. What do honey and leaven have in common?

9. Why were honey and leaven acceptable in the firstfruits offering?

10. What did firstfruits symbolize?

11. What did the meat offering symbolize?

12. The firstfruits was for ______.

13. When does 1 Corinthians 15:23 tell us the Christians shall be resurrected?

14. Every oblation of the meat offering shall be seasoned with what?

15. What was used many times to confirm a covenant of God with man?

16. What Old Testament character did we give an example of sealing an agreement with salt?

17. How long was this agreement for?

18. How long was the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross good for?

19. In Matthew chapter 5 verse 13, what did Jesus call the believers?

20. What chapter in Hebrews tells of the terrible fate of those who turn away from salvation in Jesus and go back into the world?

21. Incorruption is symbolized by what?

22. What should Christians practice in their gifts to God?

23. Worshipping on the first day of the week practices what?

24. What shows the continuous presence of the Holy Spirit in these offerings?

25. What does the frankincense show about the Father in these offerings?

26. The memorial offering was eaten by whom?

27. Which 2 offerings go hand in hand?

28. The crucifixion of the Lord would not be complete without what?

29. All work that we might do must be dedicated to whom?

30. How could you sum up this lesson?

Leviticus Chapter 3 Continued

We are examining the peace offerings. This is an offering of thanksgiving. This offering can be either a male or female of the herd. All of the fat is to be burned on the bronze altar as a sweet smelling savor to the Lord. The blood belongs to God as well and must be sprinkled on the altar by the priests. We discovered in the last lesson that the tail (rump), of the sheep must also be offered to God, because it was fat.

Leviticus 3:10 "And the two kidneys, and the fat that [is] upon them, which [is] by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away."

The same direction is given here as about the bullock of the peace offering (see note on Lev. 3:4).

This is a very important lesson here to be learned about the fat. Perhaps it is telling us that we should watch our diet and not let our flesh cause us to be a glutton. We have spoken before about Satan worshippers partaking of blood. Perhaps the spiritual meaning of believers not partaking of blood means that we should be peacemakers and not warmongers. We should be interested in saving life, not in destroying life. It is interesting to me that the priests, the person who brings the offering, and God are all to partake of this offering. To me this indicates fellowship of the believer with God: if you will, in the breaking of bread (sharing a meal).

Leviticus 3:11 "And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: [it is] the food of the offering made by fire unto the LORD."

"The food": The sacrifice was intended to symbolized a meal between God and the one offering it, where peace and friendship were epitomized by sharing that meal together.

The fact that God's part of the offering was completely burned up, shows His consumption of His part of the feast.

Leviticus 3:12 And if his offering [be] a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD.

"Then he shall offer it before the Lord": In the same place and manner as the bullock and the lamb.

This is an interesting thing to have as an offering. Even to associate the Lord Jesus with a goat almost seems sacrilegious. But remember, this offering does not foreshadow the flesh of Jesus. This shadow of Jesus in this goat, perhaps, has to do with the fact that this goat gave his life so that the rest of the flock would be spared. Jesus gave His life that all others might be saved. Even though the flesh of Jesus is not foreshadowed in the peace offering, Jesus is foreshadowed as Savior.

John 11:50 "Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not."

John 18:14 "Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people."

It had been taught from the beginning that one should die for the people. In this, only this goat that was chosen from the flock to die that the others might live, foreshadows Jesus' dying that all who would believe might live.

Leviticus 3:13 "And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about."

His right hand, according to the Targum of Jonathan. As before; the same directions are given for the killing of it, and for the sprinkling of its blood, as in the offerings of the bullock and lamb.

On the goat as well, we see the person offering laying his hand upon the goat to make the goat's blood represent him before God. Had the goat's blood or these other animal's blood not been shed, then the blood of the person would have been required. The blood of the animal was in place of the blood of the person. All of this was preparing the way for mankind to believe that Jesus represented each of us to God: and more than that, it was acceptable to God. One of the most vivid examples of this was when Abraham took his son Isaac to the mount to sacrifice him, and God stayed his hand and provided a substitute.

Genesis 22:13 "And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind [him] a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son."

Leviticus 3:14 "And he shall offer thereof his offering, [even] an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that [is] upon the inwards,"

The same rules are laid down about taking the fat off of several parts as in the sacrifice of the bullock. But nothing is said of the fat of the rump and tail, as is said of the lamb.

We covered this in a previous lesson, but God thought enough of it to repeat it, so we must look at it again to drive the lesson home. We see repeated over and over that the fat belongs to God. It is not enough that the fat was not to be eaten, but it was to be burned on the altar. The odor of the fat burning was a sweet savor to the LORD (Jehovah). The first mention of fat being offered to the Lord was when Abel offered to the Lord.

Genesis 4:4 "And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:"

Leviticus 3:15 "And the two kidneys, and the fat that [is] upon them, which [is] by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away."

The parts that God required would not be what any of us would regard as the choice part of the meat. Perhaps, the training that these Hebrews gave their children passed down to our customs today. The spiritual lesson that I see in this is that God wants the inner man. To truly be a follower of the Lord, we must give Him our innermost being.

Leviticus 3:16 "And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: [it is] the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savor: all the fat [is] the LORD'S."

Which shows that not the fat only, but the inwards and the kidneys, were burnt also. So Maimonides says, that the priest salted the parts, and burned them upon the altar. And the priests might not have the breast and shoulder (which were what belonged to them), until the parts were burnt.

"It is the food of the offering made by fire": Which the Lord ate of, or accepted of.

"For a sweet savor": As a type of the sweet smelling sacrifice of Christ, with which he is well pleased.

"All the fat is the Lord's": That is, all that was upon the parts mentioned in the several sacrifices of peace offerings, which was to be taken off and burnt. Though the Jewish writers understand it of all fat in general, and so interpret the law that follows.

We see in this Scripture that these items burned on the altar, are food for God. This bears out what we said about God, the priests, and the offeror all sharing in the food this animal provides.

Leviticus 3:17 "[It shall be] a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood."

"Eat neither fat nor blood": The details given in the chapter distinctly define which fat was to be burned and not eaten, so that whatever adhered to other parts or was mixed with them might be eaten. As with many facets of the Mosaic legislation, there were underlying health benefits also.

The word perpetual in the verse above, means everlasting, eternal and beginning of the world without end. Statute here means custom, manner, ordinance, and site. This leaves no doubt that this request from God is still in effect today. God's people are never to eat fat or blood.

14. In Genesis who did God provide a substitute for to keep him from sacrificing his son?

17. Where was the first mention in the Bible of the fat of the animal being offered to God?

18. What is the spiritual message in the fact that God wanted the innards of the animal?

Leviticus Chapter 4

Leviticus 4:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

The laws contained in the first three chapters, seem to have been delivered to Moses at one time. Here begin the laws of another day, which God delivered from between the cherubim.

It is important to remember that the people had been so frightened by the voice of God, that they had asked Moses to talk to God for them. We see here, that Moses is receiving the message from God for the people, as well as for himself.

Leviticus 4:2 "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD [concerning things] which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them:"

"Ignorance": The intended meaning is to stray into a sinful situation, but not necessarily to be taken completely by surprise (Num. 15:30-31), illustrates the defiant attitude of intentional sin.

"Not to be done ... against any": Sins of commission.

This statement tells us a great deal about sin. What you and I classify as sin, is not the only sin. God has a much higher standard about sin. Sins of ignorance happen many times with a brand new Christian. One of the things that quickly comes to mind in the discussion of sin is the Ten Commandments. When Jesus was speaking to the young man who wanted to know what he must do to be saved, the young man said he had kept the Ten Commandments from his youth. Jesus was pleased with the response, but He said, one thing you lack. You can easily see that just keeping the Ten Commandments is not enough. God looks upon the heart. Man must operate with a clear conscience and a pure heart. Jesus also said, if you look upon a woman to lust, you have committed adultery in your heart. With God (not man), just the desire in your heart to sin is sin. We will see over 600 ordinances in these next lessons. It is not humanly possible to keep up with all of them on a daily basis; and yet, if one is not properly done, it is sin. Somehow, there had to be a way out of all this, and that is what this lesson is all about.

Leviticus 4:3 "If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering."

"Priest that is anointed" (see Exodus 29:29 and Lev. 16:32), which defined this person as the High-Priest.

"According to the sin of the people": Only the High-Priest, due to his representative position, was capable of this type of guilt infusion. For example, Achan had brought about the defeat of Israel when he held back the spoils, but the entire nation was not executed, as was his family (compare Joshua 7:22-26).

We see in this, that the priest was a flesh and blood human being and he made mistakes too. This is not just any priest, this is speaking of the high priest, because it says the priest that was anointed. This appears that he might have even been bringing a message to the people that would cause them to sin. At any rate, his sin was associated with their sin (sin according to the sin of the people). A minister who sins, not only hurts himself, but the whole congregation. If you notice the offerings as we go along, you will note that the offering the anointed priest made was of greater value than the others. Jesus explains this very well when He said the following from Luke.

Luke 12:48 "But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few [stripes]. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more."

You see, the priest should know better than the people, so his offering should be more. We look at the statement (young bullock without blemish), so casually. This was serious business. This bullock must be the very best of the herd. This must be a male animal, it must not have any broken bones, it must be young enough not to have been with a cow. We could go on and on, because everything about this animal had to be perfect. This bullock was a shadow type of Jesus Christ's body.

Leviticus 4:4 "And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head, and kill the bullock before the LORD."

As the bullock of the burnt offering (see notes on Lev 1:3).

"And shall lay his hand on the bullock's head": The Targum of Jonathan says his right hand (see notes on Lev. 1:4).

"And kill the bullock before the Lord": At the door of the tabernacle. That is, in the court, as Gersom observes. All this is typical of the imputation of sin to Christ, and of his death.

The only place of forgiveness for sin, is before the LORD, so he killed the animal before the LORD. Here again, we see the sin transferred to the bullock when he laid his hand upon the head of the animal. This, of course, is a type and shadow of Jesus, the head of the body of Christ, taking the sin of all who would believe upon His body on the cross. We could say that our sin was on His head. Sin must die. The bullock was killed, the body of Jesus also died. The wages of sin is death. Death of the substitute in both cases paid the price for the sinner. The difference, we have mentioned so many times, is that the animal's blood could not do away with sin, it could only cover it. Jesus' blood abolished sin, for all who will believe.

1 John 1:7 "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

Leviticus 4:5 "And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock's blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation:"

Let out and received into a basin. This he did himself, and not another, for he offered for himself, and the blood was to make atonement for him.

"And bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation": Out of the court where the bullock was slain, into the holy place, where were the vail that divided between the Holy of Holies, and the altar of sweet incense, after mentioned. He actually went into the Holy Place.

As we said, the priest that is anointed is the high priest. Only the high priest must dare go into the Holiest place.

Leviticus 4:6 "And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the veil of the sanctuary."

"Seven times": The number of completion or perfection, indicating the nature of God's forgiveness (Psalm 103:12).

"The veil of the sanctuary": The veil marked the entry into the very presence of God in the Holy of Holies.

The number 7, as we have mentioned before, means spiritually complete. This sprinkling of the blood seven times then, shows that the blood is the reconciling factor, and the work is complete in it. This veil of course, is the veil which separates the holy place and the Holy of Holies. Inside the veil is a type and shadow of heaven and the throne of God.

Leviticus 4:7 "And the priest shall put [some] of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which [is] in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which [is at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation."

"Altar of sweet incense" (see Exodus 30:1-10). This altar was in the tabernacle proper before the veil. It was so close to the ark that Hebrews speaks of it as actually being in the Holy of Holies (Heb. 9:4). This altar was also sprinkled with blood on the Day of Atonement (Exodus 30:10).

"Altar of the burnt offering": The altar in the courtyard on which blood was normally splashed.

To put the blood on the horns of the altar, symbolized that the power is in the blood. We know that all through these studies we have recognized that the symbolic meaning of the horns is strength and power. The smoke that rises from the altar of incense is symbolic of the prayers of the saints. The power of the prayers that we send heavenward is in the shed blood of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. When we pray, we are to pray in His name and by the power of His blood. The remainder of the blood was poured out at the foot of the bronze altar where the burnt offering was made. This blood would be absorbed by the earth. Jesus shed His blood for the whole earth.

Leviticus 4:8-10 "And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that [is] upon the inwards," "And the two kidneys, and the fat that [is] upon them, which [is] by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away," "As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering."

When the priest had killed the bullock, and sprinkled and poured the blood, as before commanded. He then cut up the bullock, and took out its inwards, and put them in a vessel. And salted them, and strewed them on the fires, and burnt them. And the fat of them, as he did with the sacrifice of the peace offerings. So that what is here said, and in the two next verses. (Lev. 4:9), is the same with what is ordered concerning them in (Lev. 3:3; see notes on 3:3; 3:4; 3:5). Jarchi and Gersom both observe that they agree, that as one brings peace into the world, so does the other.

I dare not separate these 3 verses. They are so tied together in the type and shadow they show us of Jesus. I have said so many times, that the body of Jesus was just a house for Jesus while He was on this earth dealing with mankind. The Spirit within that body was God. The Word of God took on the form of flesh and dwelt among us. He was Immanuel (God with us). The body was as all men who walked the earth. That is why He was born of woman; so that He might relate to all of us who are in flesh. Jesus took on the form of flesh that He might purchase His creation with His blood. To truly understand what I am saying here we must read John chapter one over and over. I will quote a few Scriptures that prove beyond a shadow of doubt that we are His creation.

John 1:1-3 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." "The same was in the beginning with God." "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

It was important for Him to take on the flesh, that He might be tempted in all areas we are tempted in, and yet He was without sin.

Notice in the verses from Leviticus above, that it was not the inner being that God was displeased with. You see, that which was inside the flesh of Jesus never stopped pleasing God. When Jesus took on the sin of the world, He took the sin upon His body, not into His body. The body of Jesus Christ died upon the cross, not the Spirit within that body. Jesus commanded His Spirit to leave the body and go to the throne of God.

Luke 23:46 "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost."

You see, just as the offering of the bullock was divided here, so was the body and Spirit of Jesus at death. The bullock's insides are burned as a sweet smelling savor to God in the tabernacle, and the body is carried outside the city wall to be burned. There is a separation of the Spirit and body of Jesus here at the crucifixion. God turned away from the sin on Jesus' body; He did not turn His head from His Son within that body. On Him was laid the iniquities of us all.

Leviticus Chapter 4 Questions

1. How were these instructions passed to the people?

2. Why had they asked Moses to intercede for them with God?

3. What kind of sin is verse 2 speaking of?

4. When a person thinks of the sins they should not commit, what immediately comes to mind?

5. What does God look on to see if you are sinning?

6. Jesus said a man who looks upon a woman to lust has committed what sin?

7. How many ordinances will we get into in Leviticus?

8. How do we know the priest in verse 3 is the high priest?

9. What should this priest bring for sacrifice for his sin?

10. What were some of the qualifications of this animal supposed to be?

11. What was the name of this offering?

12. What happens many times when the minister sins?

13. What do we learn from Luke 12:48?

14. Who was the bullock a type and shadow of?

15. Where should the bullock be killed?

16. Our sin was upon the head of ________.

17. What does 1 John 1:7 teach us about Jesus?

18. Who is the only one who would dare to go into the Holy of Holies?

19. How many times was the blood sprinkled before the Lord?

20. What does that number symbolize?

21. What is, inside the veil, a type and shadow of?

22. Why was some of the blood put upon the horns of the altar?

23. What does the smoke that rises from the altar of incense symbolize?

24. What did the remainder of the blood being poured at the foot of the bronze altar indicate?

25. The _______ ____ _____ took on the form of flesh and dwelt among us.

26. Why is it so important to read the first chapter of John over and over?

27. What actually died upon the cross?

28. Where do we find the Scripture that explains that Jesus commanded His Spirit to leave His body and go to the Father?

29. What of the bullock offered was a sweet smelling savor to God?

30. What does that have to do with Jesus?

31. What happens to the flesh of the bullock?

32. When God turned away from Jesus on the cross, what was He really turning away from?

Leviticus Chapter 4 Continued

In the previous lesson, we have been looking at the sin offering. This is a very important offering. The flesh offered in this offering is a shadow of the flesh of Jesus Christ. We noted in the last lesson, how Jesus took the sin of all the world upon His body on the cross at Calvary. Though His flesh became sin, that sin might die on the cross, the Spirit within that body was God the Son.

Leviticus 4:11 "And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung,"

"Dung": This term identifies the major internal organs of an animal, including the intestines' waste content.

Leviticus 4:12 "Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt."

"Carry forth without the camp": This was a symbolic gesture of removing the sign from the people (compare Heb. 11:11-13 in reference to Christ).

The act of carrying "forth without the camp unto a clean place" and then being burned with "fire" seems to distinguish it from the burnt offering. Both were holy, but their meaning might have been confused. One symbolized dedication, the other expiation. Both were acceptable to God. "Three examples of offenses that required a sin offering are given (in 5:1-13). The first is that of one who withholds evidence by failing to "utter it". He had to "confess that he hath sinned" and then make appropriate restitution (6:5). The second offense involved contact with either unclean animals or persons (compare chapter 11). The third example was one in which someone pronounced aloud ("with his lips"), any kind of rash oath, perhaps without realizing fully the implications of what was being said. The combination of "evil ... good", is an ancient expression denoting totality. Hence the phrase could be translated "a rash oath to do anything at all" (compare 5:1-7).

We must remember here, that this is the sin offering. This animal's flesh is accursed, because it took the sin on its body.

Galatians 3:13 "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that hangeth on a tree:"

The flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ took upon it the curse that belonged to us. This flesh which represented the sin of the whole world, must die. It is strange that all the time it was accursed it was also holy. The flesh of Jesus was holy, yet He took our curse upon His body, that we might receive His righteousness.

1 Peter 2:24 "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."

Verses 13-21: Sacrifices for the sin of the congregation were to follow essentially the same procedure as that for the sin of priests (4:3-12).

Leviticus 4:13 "And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done [somewhat against] any of the commandments of the LORD [concerning things] which should not be done, and are guilty;"

The sin offering was not a voluntary sacrifice, as were the three sweet savor oblations in chapters 1-3. This offering was required of all: priests (verses 3-12), the congregation as a whole (verses 13-21), rulers (verses 22-26), and common individuals (verses 27-35). It made atonement for sins done "through ignorance" (bishgagah) or unintentionally or inadvertently. A sin of this type may result from two causes: negligence or ignorance. Either the perpetrator knows the law but unintentionally violates it, as in the case of accidental homicide (Num. 35:22-28; Deut. 19:4-10; Joshua 20:2-6, 9); or he acts without knowing he had done wrong. Some illustrations of these sins would be: (Gen. 20:9; Abimelech's complaint to Abraham). And (Num. 22:34); Balaam: "I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me". In opposition to these sins are those committed with a "high hand" (Num. 15:30), for which there is no atonement by any means of sacrifice (Heb. 10:28).

Leviticus 4:14 "When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation."

Any of the commandments of the Lord forbidding such a thing to be done.

"Is known": Is made known to them by the priest, or any other, so that they are convinced that what has been done is wrong, though done through ignorance.

"Then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation": The same offering with that of the anointed priest, he being, as Aben Ezra on the place observes, equal to all Israel.

The first thing we must note here, is that the offering for sin for the whole congregation is no more than the offering just the priest had to offer for his sin. This tells me again, how much more severe is the punishment for those who sin with full knowledge.

I believe a message that we must see in this pertains to our day as well. We have allowed materialism to become a god for us. Our people are not speaking up against the filth that is on the television and in the movie houses. Many things are being done in the name of art and are being accepted by Christians, even inside the church. We could say then, that we are sinning by omission. We should stand up against these things, if we are to be found not guilty in God's sight. The very same things that God found wrong in Leviticus are still wrong in His sight. Have we forgotten that we serve a holy God? We must repent; as a country and as believers in Christ.

2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

America, and most of the known world, have wandered away from God. Come back to Him now while there is still time. Read your Bible, and find out what God's plan for your life is. So much is being done in the church today in the name of art. Re-examine your stand on these things. Judgement begins in the house of God.

1 Peter 4:17 "For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God?"

Are we showing enough respect for a holy God?

Leviticus 4:15 "And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the LORD: and the bullock shall be killed before the LORD."

These must be two at least, some say three, and some say five; the more generally received notion is, that they were three of the Sanhedrim; though the Targum of Jonathan makes them to be the twelve rulers of the twelve tribes.

"And the bullock shall be killed before the Lord": In the court near the altar of burnt offering, either by a priest, or Levite, or by a butcher, as the above Targum expresses it.

These elders here, are twelve men who have been chosen to represent the whole group. Twelve, you remember from a previous lesson is the number which represents the whole; such as the 12 apostles. They were all to lay their hands upon the head of the bullock, thereby transferring the sins of all the people on the bullock.

Leviticus 4:16 "And the priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullock's blood to the tabernacle of the congregation:"

That is, the chief priest, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan explain it.

"To the tabernacle of the congregation": As he brought the blood of his own bullock (Lev. 4:5). From there to the (Lev. 4:16), an account is given of the same rites to be observed in the sin offering, for the congregation, as for the anointed priest (see notes on Lev. 4:6; 4:7; 4:12).

We have mentioned before, that the priest that is anointed, is the high priest in authority at present.

Leviticus 4:17 "And the priest shall dip his finger [in some] of the blood, and sprinkle [it] seven times before the LORD, [even] before the veil."

"And sprinkle it": It was not to be poured out there, but sprinkled only. For the cleansing virtue of the blood of Christ was sufficiently represented by sprinkling. It was sprinkled seven times. This signified the perfect satisfaction Christ made, and the complete cleansing of our souls thereby.

Leviticus 4:18 "And he shall put [some] of the blood upon the horns of the altar which [is] before the LORD, that [is] in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which [is at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation."

The priest then took the blood into the holy place, where, after dipping his finger in it seven times, he sprinkled the drops seven times before the veil. This done, he returned to the court of the priests, and ascending the altar, put some portion upon its horns; then he poured it out at the foot of the altar.

We touched on all of this when we dealt with the sin offering for the priest. We see that the offering for sin does not vary. We will touch again on one or two points here. The high priest first offered for himself, but then he offers for the congregation. Remember 7 means spiritually complete. We also know that the symbolic meaning of putting the blood on the horns is (power in the blood). The blood being poured out at the foot of the altar shows this blood is for all the earth, for whosoever will accept it as their sacrifice.

Leviticus 4:19 "And he shall take all his fat from him, and burn [it] upon the altar."

The fat was the only part of the animal which was offered on the altar; for the carcass, with its appurtenances and internal organs, were carried without the camp, into the place where the ashes were deposited, and there consumed with fire.

This fat being burned, made a sweet savor to God. We remember this represents the fact that Jesus glorified the Father in the crucifixion. Jesus was obedient to the Father even unto death.

Leviticus 4:20-21 "And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them." "And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned the first bullock: it [is] a sin offering for the congregation."

Let us never forget, that this sin offering, is a type and shadow of what Jesus did for us on the cross. (One for all), had been taught even in the Old Testament. We will see from the following Scripture that the Jews had been taught from the beginning, that one should die for all.

John 11:49-50 "And one of them, [named] Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all," "Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not."

Just as in the Scripture, one should die that the whole congregation might live. We know that the Jews gave several reasons why Jesus was not to be crucified inside the city wall, but the real reason, which they were apparently unaware of, was the fact that He was the sin offering and had to fulfill every aspect of that offering.

Leviticus Chapter 4 Continued Questions

1. The flesh in the sin offering symbolizes what?

2. Jesus for a moment on the cross, became what for us?

3. What was the Spirit within that body of Jesus?

4. Where was the flesh of this bullock to be burned?

5. This animal's flesh is ___________, because it took the sin on its body.

6. Galatians 3:13 tells us that Christ redeemed us from what?

7. We being ______ to sins, should live unto _________________.

8. By whose stripes are we healed?

9. What are some of the conditions of the sin in verses 13 and 14?

10. What is our society allowing to become a god?

11. What does the author believe is the answer for all people?

12. Where does judgement begin?

13. What shall the end be for those who obey not the gospel?

14. Who lays their hands upon the offering for the congregation?

15. Why were there twelve instead of some other number?

16. Who brings the bullock's blood to the Holy Place?

17. How many times does he sprinkle the blood before the Lord?

18. What does the putting of the blood on the horns symbolize?

19. Why did he pour the left-over blood at the foot of the altar?

20. What does the burning of the fat do?

21. What is the sin offering, here?

22. What was the name of the high priest who said that it was expedient for one to die for all?

23. What was the real reason that Jesus was crucified outside the city wall?

Leviticus Chapter 4 Second Continued

We have been looking at the sin offering in the last few lessons. We saw that the sin offering for the priest was the same offering as the offering for the whole church. In this lesson, we will look at the sin offering of a ruler, and the sin offering of the common people. We could relate this to our governors, mayors, senators, representatives, or even the president. We will find that their offering is different. Perhaps this is because the ruler affects the lives of all the people he represents. A good ruler will carry out the will of God, while he is in office. We find most politicians not seeking God's will, but the will of those who put him in office. Little do they realize that the powers that be, are there because God put them there, not the people.

Verses 22-26: These are sacrifices for the sin of a ruler. The blood of the sacrifice was not sprinkled in the Holy Place, as for the priest or congregation (4:6, 17), but only on the altar of burnt offering.

Leviticus 4:22 "When a ruler hath sinned, and done [somewhat] through ignorance [against] any of the commandments of the LORD his God [concerning things] which should not be done, and is guilty;"

Or "prince", the "nasi". One that is lifted up above others in honor, power, and authority, or that bears the weight of government. The word comes from one which signifies to lift up, or to bear. It may be understood of a governor of a family, or of a tribe, as Aben Ezra observes. And so in the Talmud it is said, it means the prince of a tribe, such as Nachson the son of Amminadab, prince of the tribe of Judah. Maimonides says a king is designed, over whom none has power. And so Gersom on the place, who observes, that David the king is called a prince (Ezek. 34:24).

"And done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord his God": The phrase, "his God", is here added, and is not used neither of the anointed priest, nor of the congregation, nor of one of the common people. Only of the prince, to show, that though he is above others, God is above him, and he is accountable to him. He is his God, of whom he is, and by whom he rules. Wherefore if he breaks any of his commandments, though ignorantly, he must bring a sacrifice for it.

"Concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty": Of transgressing negative precepts, which are as binding on him as others.

In this verse above, we see that this ruler believed in God; (the Lord his God). We must also see that this is not a deliberate sin, but a sin through ignorance. The third thing we must see is that he really did sin and he is guilty.

Leviticus 4:23 "Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish:"

Or rather, "and if his sin", etc. Either by means of others informing him of it, or of himself calling to mind what he has done, and considering it to be a transgression of the law.

"He shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish": His offering was to be a "kid of the goats". A fat and a large one; because, as Baal Hatturim observes, he ate fat things every day. And to distinguish it from the offering of one of the common people; and "without blemish"; as all sacrifices were, that they might be typical of the offering of Christ without spot.

When I see a goat, it reminds me of the separation of the sheep and goats in heaven. Perhaps the offering of this goat here tells us that the ruler is a ruler in worldly things, not so much the spiritual things. He is possibly not of the sheepfold. The sheep follow the great Shepherd Jesus Christ. This above is a male goat which has horns. The horns, of course denote strength. A goat's horns would denote world power. We see that possibly, this is a sin against the world and not of the congregation.

Leviticus 4:24 "And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD: it [is] a sin offering."

His right hand, as the Targum of Jonathan (see notes on Lev. 1:4).

"And kill it": Not the prince, but the priest after mentioned, or the butcher, as the same Targum. That is, the priest shall kill it; for it was not lawful for any out of that office to kill the beast.

"In the place where they kill the burnt offering before the Lord": In the court on the north side of the altar (see Lev. 1:11).

"It is a sin offering": An offering for his sin of ignorance, or "sin". So Christ our offering is said to be (2 Cor. 5:21).

We see that the goat is to be killed just inside the tabernacle of the congregation at the bronze altar. This ruler, even though he rules in things of the world, is still answerable to God for the way he governs. There is no one on this earth, who does not have to answer to a higher power. The most powerful king in all the world has to answer to God for his actions. This sin offering then is possibly, for his sins in regard to the way he governs.

Leviticus 4:25 "And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put [it] upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering."

With the finger of his right hand, as the Talmudists observe, and Gersom on the place. The priest first received the blood into a basin or ministering vessel, and then dipped the finger of his right hand into it, that next the thumb.

"And put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering": The four horns of it. In this there was a difference between the sacrifice of the anointed priest and of the congregation, and this of the ruler. The blood of the former was put upon the horns of the altar of incense, this upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering.

"And shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering": The South bottom of it. The order of the priest's proceeding in putting the blood was different from that used in putting it on the horns of the altar of incense. Here he first put the blood upon the southeast horn, then upon the northeast, next upon the northwest, and then upon the southwest. And upon the bottom of that horn where he finished, he poured the remainder of the blood, which was the southern bottom.

One of the most apparent differences in this offering is that the blood is not carried into the presence of God, as the other 2 were. I see in this, that this is a worldly matter, not a heavenly matter. We see in the other offerings that the blood was taken to the veil of separation and sprinkled 7 times before the Lord. This was to make mankind able to go into the presence of the Father. This is not done in this instance. The blood is applied to the horns where the burnt offering is made. This then, would indicate that this offering is for the outer court.

Blood on the horns indicates the power of this ruler, in dealing with the people, is ordained of God. This was not for man to go to heaven, but had to do with this earth. I cannot help but think that this has to do with the thousand year reign of Jesus Christ on the earth. He will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords, here on the earth for 1000 years.

Revelation 17:14 "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him [are] called, and chosen, and faithful."

Revelation 19:16 And he hath on [his] vesture and on his thigh a name written," KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."

Revelation 20:6 "Blessed and holy [is] he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."

Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. We see the blood not only applied on the horns of the altar, but poured out at the base of the altar on the ground. We still see the substitute of the goat's blood for the sin of the ruler. Jesus shed His blood for the whole earth. We see this in the blood being poured out at the foot of the altar and being absorbed in the earth. Horns denote strength, and we see by this that the strength here is from God.

Leviticus 4:26 "And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him."

Of burnt offering, that is, the priest shall do it.

"As the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings (see Lev. 3:3).

"And the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin": In a typical way, directing to the great sacrifice of Christ, which is the only real atonement and propitiation for sin. The Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions, render, "the priest shall pray for him": for the pardon of his sin.

"And it shall be forgiven him": Not for the prayers of the priest, nor for the sacrifice offered up, but for the sake of Christ. The antitype of such sacrifices, and when faith was exercised on him. Or the meaning is, he shall not be punished for it.

This fat burned, is a sweet savor to God. We see that this offering is accepted by God. We know that this offering does not open the veil into the most Holy Place, as in the other offering. It appears that this offering is for blessings of this earth, since the blood was not sprinkled 7 times before the veil. God accepts this offering and the one who offered is forgiven. Blessings from God can be two-fold. The right hand blessing was always a spiritual blessing and was really a promise of eternal life in heaven. The left hand blessing was a blessing for the earth. The patriarchs blessed their children and grandchildren in this manner. Possibly, the two sons of Abraham, Isaac and Ishmael, were the best example of this. Isaac was known as the son of the spirit and Ishmael was the son of the flesh. Both were blessed, but Isaac's blessing was for all generations of believers in the Spirit. Ishmael's blessings were just for the earth.

Leviticus 4:27 "And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth [somewhat against] any of the commandments of the LORD [concerning things] which ought not to be done, and be guilty;"

Or, "if one soul of the people of the earth". That is, a single person, and so is distinguished from the congregation, one of the common sort of people. However, is neither a high priest, nor a prince, or king, but either a common priest, or Levite, or Israelite. No man is free from sin; all sorts of persons, of all ranks and degrees. High and low, rich and poor, men in office, civil or ecclesiastical, or in whatsoever state of life, are liable to sin. And do sin continually, either ignorantly or willingly. And Christ is a sacrifice for all sins and for all sorts of sinners.

"Whilst he doeth somewhat": etc. (see notes on Lev. 4:2; 4:13; 4:22).

Common in the Scripture above means country, earth, grounds, world, or wilderness. This seems strange, but it gives meaning to this Scripture. The people mentioned in the Scripture above then would be earthly people. They are Israelites however, since these are Israel's descendants who left Egypt headed for the Promised Land. We might think of these, in our day, of people who say they are Christians, but really are not interested in God's purpose for life. They are caught up in the world so much that their belief in Christ is secondary to them. They would not find it necessary to study God's Word, or to get personally involved in His work. It would be really easy for them to sin without knowing they were sinning, since they had not studied the Bible very much.

Leviticus 4:28 "Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned."

So that he is convinced that he has sinned.

"Then he shall bring his offering": To the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to the priest there:

"A kid of the goats": A young goat.

"A female without blemish": And so inferior to the offering of the ruler or prince. For the characters of men are aggravations of their sins, and sacrifices were to be in some measure answerable to them, and suitable to their circumstances.

"For the sin which he hath sinned": To atone for it in a typical way.

Notice in these sin offerings, how the priest was required to bring the most offering. Then notice the congregation, who knew the will of God was required to bring the next best offering. The ruler brought a lesser gift than the priest, and now the common people brought an even lesser offering. The ruler's offering had to be more, because his sin affected more people than just the common people. A female animal had less strength than a male animal, and would therefore be correct to bring in this instance, since the ruler was stronger than the common people. Regardless of how poor a person was; he still must bring an offering to the Lord. The shedding of blood was required for a sin offering always. Even though this goat is a female, the shed blood of this animal cleansing from sin still shadowed the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not necessary for a shadow to be the exact same as the one it shadowed. It must just remind us of the one being shadowed. Notice also that even this lesser offering must be without blemish.

Leviticus 4:29 "And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering."

His right hand, as the Targum of Jonathan. Not the priest that shall offer it, but the man that has sinned, that brings it, thereby confessing his sin, and transferring it to the sacrifice.

"And slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering": That is, on the north side of the altar.

We see one more time, the transfer of the sin to the animal, by the laying of the hand upon its head. The shed blood is the price to be paid for the sin of the person.

Leviticus 4:30 "And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put [it] upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar."

So that all the preceding actions, the bringing the offering, the putting the hand upon the head of it, and slaying it, were done by the man that sinned. Of this and what follows here and in the next verse (Leviticus 4:31; see notes on Lev. 4:25; 4:26).

This is the same as the offering for the ruler. The power is in the blood.

Leviticus 4:31 "And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn [it] upon the altar for a sweet savor unto the LORD; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him."

(See notes on Lev. 4:25-26).

This offering again, is the same as the offering for the ruler. God accepts this fat burned as a sweet savor to God.

Leviticus 4:32 "And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish."

As he might if he would. The Jews observe, that in all places a lamb is put before a goat, as being more excellent in its kind. But here it is mentioned after, which shows, they say, that they are equally alike.

"He shall bring it a female without blemish": Typical of Christ the Lamb of God, without spot and without blemish (1 Peter 1:19).

This again, is just showing that these common people were not required to bring as valuable a gift as was required for the ruler. We also can look and see that there were fewer restrictions on the common people, than on the ruler. To rule requires self-denial and a stricter way of life than for the common people.

Leviticus 4:33 "And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering."

On the head of the lamb, as on the head of the goat. Even his right hand, as the above Targum, as before.

"And slay it for a sin offering, in the place where they kill the burnt offering": For if it was not slain for a sin offering, but for something else. Or on any other account, as for a burnt offering, it was not right.

Leviticus 4:34 "And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put [it] upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar:"

(See notes on Leviticus 4:25-26).

Leviticus 4:35 "And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him."

(See notes on Leviticus 4:25-26).

In each of these verses about the offerings of the common people, the offering is the same, except a female goat or sheep could be offered, whereas for the ruler, it must be a male goat. We do not see instructions in this to take the animal outside of town to burn the meat, as we did in the case of the congregation's and the priest's offering.

Leviticus Chapter 4 Second Continued Questions

1. How did the sin offering for the priest differ from the sin offering for the congregation?

2. Describe a good ruler. Who in our society today could we relate the ruler to? Who do most politicians today try to please?

3. In verse 22, what tells us that this ruler believes in God?

4. His sin must not be a deliberate sin, but a sin of ______________.

5. He has not been falsely accused, he is __________.

6. What is the sin offering the ruler should bring?

7. What does the author believe shows that his rule is a worldly rule?

8. Horns denote what?

9. A goat's horns then would denote what?

10. Are rulers in high authority exempt from worshipping God?

11. Where is the 2 places the priest put the blood of the animal?

12. What is one of the most apparent differences with this offering and the offering of the priest and the congregation?

13. Blood on the horns indicate that this ruler's power comes from where?

14. How many years will Jesus reign on the earth?

15. What will be His title then, when He comes to reign?

16. Who are the blessed and holy in verse 6 of Revelation chapter 20?

17. Without the shedding of ________, there is no remission of sin.

18. What was to be burned on the altar of the sin offering of the ruler?

19. What kind of blessing was the right hand blessing?

20. What kind of blessing was the left hand blessing?

21. In the Old Testament, what 2 sons were a good example of the right and left hand blessing?

22. What does the word, common, mean in Leviticus chapter 4 verse 27?

23. How can we relate the common people here and the people of our day?

24. What was the offering the common people could bring?

25. How is it permissible for this female goat's blood to shadow the blood of Jesus?

26. What is done by the person offering the goat that shows the transfer of the person's sin to the goat?

27. Who was to put the blood of the animal on the horns of the altar?

28. For the common people, what type of lamb was permissible to bring?

29. What instructions had been omitted in the sin offering for the ruler and common people that had been included in the sin offering for the priest and the congregation?

Leviticus Chapter 5

We have been studying in the last lessons, sins of ignorance, now we will get into another type of sin and the offerings made for them.

Verses 1-13: Dealing with unintentional sins continues with an emphasis on sins of omission (verses 1-4). Lambs/goats (verse 6), birds (verses 7-10), or flour (verses 11-13), were acceptable sacrifices.

Verses 1-5: This call to confession named a few examples of violations for which penitence was the right response:

(1) Withholding evidence (verse 1);

(2) Touching something unclean (verses 2-3); and

(3) Rash oath making (verse 4).

Leviticus 5:1 "And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and [is] a witness, whether he hath seen or known [of it]; if he do not utter [it], then he shall bear his iniquity."

"The voice of swearing ... witness": "A witness who did not come forward to testify was sinning when he had actually seen a violation or had firsthand knowledge, such as hearing the violator confess to the sin.

This lesson will deal more specifically with sin than the last few lessons. The Scripture above seems to indicate a concealment of knowledge. To witness a crime and not report it would possibly be the sin above. In our courts today, to conceal that type of evidence could make you an accessory to the crime. We can easily see from this, that when we see a crime committed, we must report it. To not report a sin in the verse above, would cause you to be guilty, as well as the person who committed the crime. And you would have to be forgiven the same as the one committing the crime.

Leviticus 5:2 "Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether [it be] a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and [if] it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty."

Meaning an Israelite, for only such were bound by this law, which pronounced a person unclean that touched anything that was so in a ceremonial sense. This is the general, including whatsoever by the law was unclean. The particulars follow:

"Whether it be a carcass of an unclean beast": As the camel, the coney, the hare, and the swine (Lev. 11:2).

"Or a carcass of unclean cattle": As the horse, and the ass, which were unclean for food, and their dead carcasses not to be touched (Lev. 11:26).

"Or the carcass of unclean creeping things": Such as are mentioned in (Lev.11:29).

"And if it be hidden from him": That he has touched them; or the uncleanness contracted by touching, he having inadvertently done it. Or being ignorant of the law concerning such uncleanness.

"He also shall be unclean": In a ceremonial sense, by thus touching them.

"And guilty": Of a breach of the command which forbids the touching of them. This is by way of prolepsis or anticipation. For as yet the law concerning unclean beasts, and creeping things, and pollution by touching them, was not given. Jarchi and Gersom interpret this guilt, of eating of holy things, and going into the sanctuary when thus defiled. In the Jewish Misnah it is said, the word "hidden" is twice used, to show that he is guilty, for the ignorance of uncleanness, and for the ignorance of the sanctuary.

Carcase means dead body. If the animal died of its own volition (was not killed), then it possibly was diseased. If we look carefully into all of these instructions, we will see that God did everything for a specific reason, and it was usually for the benefit of man. If a person accidently touched it, the person could still take a disease from it. You can see why this instruction was given. We will get into the way a person could purify themselves when they touched a carcase in a later lesson.

Leviticus 5:3 "Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness [it be] that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth [of it], then he shall be guilty."

The dead body of a man, or the bone of a dead body. Or a grave, or any menstruous person.

"Whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal": Not morally, but ceremonially.

"And it be hid from him": He is not sensible that he has touched any thing ceremonially unclean.

"When he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty": Acknowledge his guilt, and offer a sacrifice for it, as after directed.

This just specifies, that the same procedure is to be taken with a dead man as was taken with the dead animal. It goes even further in stating that the man does not have to be dead. Any uncleanness, such as an issue of blood, would be under this ruling as well. We know today how important this is, because of all the diseases that are transferred from one person to another through blood, or in some cases just by touching them, such as shaking hands. Many in our society today have been so frightened of germs that they are afraid to go out of their house for anything. God does not want us to live in fear, but He does want us to practice cleanliness.

Leviticus 5:4 "Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with [his] lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever [it be] that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth [of it], then he shall be guilty in one of these."

"Swear" "Speaking thoughtlessly" suggests a reckless oath for good or bad, i.e., an oath the speaker should not or could not keep.

We are cautioned by Jesus not to swear at all in the following two verses.

Matthew 5:34 "But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:"

Matthew 5:36 "Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black."

The very best policy, is to do just what Jesus said. Don't swear, and then you will not be held accountable for what you swear. One of the most terrible oaths taken in the Bible is Herod's in the next few verses.

Matthew 14:6-11 "But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod." "Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask." "And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger." "And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded [it] to be given [her]." "And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison." "And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought [it] to her mother."

This is one oath that Herod wished he had never taken. Do not take an oath lightly.

Verses 5-13: Like the burnt offering, the required sin offering provided options for the poor if a lamb was too expensive.

Leviticus 5:5 "And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these [things], that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that [thing]:"

"He shall confess": Confession must accompany the sacrifice as the outward expression of a repentant heart which openly acknowledged agreement with God concerning sin. Sacrifice minus true faith, repentance, and obedience was hypocrisy (compare Psalm 26:4; Isa. 9:17; Amos 5:21-26).

Leviticus 5:6 "And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin."

"Trespass offering": This special ceremony concerns sins involving dishonesty, theft, deceit, or lying to cover up other sins. The guilty party, if repentant, can receive forgiveness, but is expected to make restitution. Christ died for our sins of ignorance, our unintentional sins as well as our intentional sins (6:1-7). All sin can be forgiven through His sacrifice, but true and sincere repentance should result in restitution.

The very first thing a man or woman should do, then or now when they have sinned, is to confess the sin and ask for forgiveness. In the case of the Jews, who were under the law, there was a specific offering to be made. They would come to the tabernacle and place their hands on the head of the offering, confess their sin publicly, and then ask for forgiveness. He would kill the offering (in this case a female lamb or goat). Their prayer for forgiveness would be very similar to one we might pray today. They might say: Lord forgive me, for I have sinned, please accept my prayer and bring me into right standing with God. You may read more detail in Numbers, on these sins and their offerings (Numbers chapters 5, 6, and 7 go more into detail on this). In Numbers, you find that this sinner might be male or female.

Leviticus 5:7 "And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the LORD; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering."

He is not possessed of a lamb, nor able to purchase one.

"Then he shall bring for his trespass which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the Lord": Either the one or the other. These were common, and in great plenty in the land of Israel, as Maimonides observes. Which was the reason of their being ordered, since they could be gotten cheap. The turtledoves were larger, as the Targum of Jonathan calls them, being older, and the pigeons lesser, being young. Or the one were grown, and not little, and the other little, and not grown, as the Jewish writers observe. And either of them were proper emblems of Christ in his purity, innocence, and meekness, by whom an atonement is made both for the rich and poor.

"One for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering": One of the turtle doves or pigeons, whichever were brought, was offered up as a sin offering, and the other that remained was offered up as a burnt offering. So that the poor man had two sorts of offerings out of what he brought, when the rich had but one. And may denote the completeness of his sacrifice, and the full atonement made by it (see note on 1:3-17).

When this speaks of not being able, it means they are poor. A sin offering is not a freewill offering. It is a required offering for sin. They must bring something, even if it is a fowl. The sins in the previous verses are very different, but all are sin and must be atoned for. To keep company with a robber, or even worse, makes you a robber by witness. To casually swear to something could be avoided by not speaking rashly. To be in close association with killing diseases could make you very sick. You can easily see from this that, all of these particular warnings that are given to mankind are for his own benefit.

Leviticus 5:8 "And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer [that] which [is] for the sin offering first, and wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide [it] asunder:"

Either two turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

"Who shall offer that which is for the sin offering first": That which is chosen for it, as the Targum of Jonathan. And this choice was made, not by the priest, but by the man that brought the offering. Who separated it, and said, lo, this is a sin offering, and after that said, lo, this is a burnt offering. The sin offering was offered first, which was to make atonement for sin. And then the burnt offering, to denote the divine acceptance of it. And so, Ben Gersom observes, it was proper to offer the sin offering first, to atone for his sin, that after he (God), was appeased this way, he might receive his gift. For the burnt offering was as a gift. Jarchi compares it to an advocate, who first goes in to appease, and when he has appeased, the gift goes in after him.

"And wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide it asunder": Be it a turtledove or a young pigeon, so it was to be served. The head was not to be separated from the body, but was nipped by the nail of the priest "in" the neck, as it might be rendered. Over against the neck, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan render it. The hinder part, or what is behind the throat, as Jarchi and Ben Molech interpret it. So that the part which was nipped was the neck. And this nip was made so large, as that the blood was let out by it, as appears from the following verse (Lev. 5:9). And yet the head was not divided from the body. The head hung by a piece of skin on the back part. Of the manner of performing this, and the mystery of it (see notes on Lev. 1:15).

We went into this in detail in a previous lesson, but I will say again here, that this shadows Jesus Christ our Savior. Jesus had no broken bones. This fowl will be offered with its wings open wide on the wood, with no bones broken.

Leviticus 5:9 "And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it [is] a sin offering."

Or "wall". It is asked, "what is the wall at which the rest of the blood is wrung out? This is the lower wall, namely, the half of the height of the altar below, under the thread (of scarlet that goes round the middle of the altar). That the rest of the blood may be squeezed at the bottom of the altar, and because of this the sin offering of the fowl is below, "that is, the sprinkling of its blood. And so Ben Gersom observes; from hence we learn, says he, that the sprinkling of the sin offering of the fowl was in the lower part of the altar. And I think this sprinkling, adds he, was not in the length, but in the breadth.

"And the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar. The blood sprinkled was that which dropped from it when nipped by the priest. This here was squeezed out by him, and was shed at the foot of the altar. So that the altar had all the blood, and nothing but the blood of the fowl, all the rest belonged to the priest. This might be an emblem both of the drops of blood which fell from Christ in the garden, and of the shedding of his blood upon the cross, whereby remission of sin was obtained, and atonement made.

"It is a sin offering": An offering whereby sin was typically expiated and stoned.

We see the symbolism of the blood He shed for all who are on the earth, by the blood being wrung out at the foot of the altar. The earth swallowing up the blood, shows that Jesus died for whosoever will in all the earth.

Leviticus 5:10 "And he shall offer the second [for] a burnt offering, according to the manner: and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him."

That is, the second turtledove or young pigeon, after the other was made a sin offering. And the manner according to which this was offered was not according to the rite or manner of the bird chosen first for a sin offering, as the Targum of Jonathan. But according to the burnt offering of the fowl in (Lev. 1:15), so Jarchi and Ben Gersom.

"And the priest shall make an atonement for him, for his sin which he had sinned, and it shall be forgiven him": Upon the atonement made; and so forgiveness of sin with God proceeds upon the atonement made by the blood of Christ (Heb. 9:22). God never took one step towards it, without a regard to Christ the propitiation for sin. He promised it with a view to him. There is no instance of pardon under the Old Testament but in this way. And God always has respect to Christ in pardon, it is for his sake. And this way of forgiveness best provides for the glory of the divine perfections. There can be no better way, or infinite wisdom would have used it. There could be no other way, considering the council and covenant of peace. To pardon, without atonement and satisfaction, is not consistent with the purity, justice, and veracity of God. And to observe this great truth, the phrase is afterwards frequently repeated.

The word atonement in the Scripture above, I would remind you means to cover or cancel. The blood of an animal can only cover the sin. The blood of Jesus Christ cancels sin out. In the case of this sinner, he or she will have to come back every time they sin, but the Christian is forgiven for all his sins at once. Jesus sacrificed once for us that we might be made His righteousness.

Leviticus Chapter 5 Questions

1. In Leviticus 5:1, if a person heard someone swearing and did not report it, who was guilty?

2. What type sin would this be classified as?

3. In our day, if a person is with another person who commits a crime and does not report it to the authorities, what crime is the witness guilty of?

4. What are the unclean things listed in verse 2?

5. What is a carcase?

6. What was, possibly, the reason that God said not to touch dead animals?

7. The instructions for touching a man or woman, was not just about touching a dead body, but also what?

8. What are some of the ways diseases are caught today?

9. God does not want us to live in fear, but to practice ________________.

10. Who cautioned us not to swear?

11. Who made an oath, and then greatly regretted it in the Bible?

12. What was the awful consequence of his oath?

13. Why did he not take back the oath?

14. Where do we find the Scriptures that tell us not to swear at all?

15. What is the first thing he must do, if he realizes he has sinned?

16. For the sin offering here, is it permissible for the offering to be a female?

17. How were they to confess their sins?

18. If they were to pray, what would be the first thing they would admit to God?

19. Where can you find more detailed information on this sin offering?

20. What is the only reason the person would be allowed to bring a lesser offering?

21. From verse 7, what could be substituted for the offering?

22. A sin offering is not a _______ ______ ____________.

23. Who must the sinner bring this offering to, in verse 8?

24. How will this fowl be offered?

25. What 2 things will the priest do with the blood?

26. What 2 things does the word atonement mean?

27. It shall be ________________ him

Leviticus Chapter 5 Continued

In the previous lesson, we have been studying the sin offering for being eyewitness to a sin and not reporting it, the sin of swearing, and the sin of being in contact with an unclean thing. We know that the offering varied according to the ability of the sinner to pay. We will now see that this lesson deals with the very poor who can hardly pay anything. These offerings were all blood offerings.

Leviticus 5:11 "But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put [any] frankincense thereon: for it [is] a sin offering."

Which is supposing a man to be in the poorest circumstances he can well be. And such is the grace and goodness of God, that he has provided for the atonement and forgiveness of the poorest, as well as of the rich.

"Then he that hath sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering": Which is an omer (Exodus 16:36), and is as much as a man can eat in one day, as Aben Ezra remarks. "Ephah": About 6 gallons.

"He shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon": To distinguish it from the common meat offering, which had both (Lev. 3:1). And to make it as easy, and as little chargeable to the poor as possible, both oil and frankincense being things of value. And some think that these were prohibited, to show that atonement and forgiveness. And even the salvation of men, are not owing to grace in them. Comparable to oil, or to their prayers, signified by frankincense, and so to any or all of their duties, but to Christ alone, and his atoning sacrifice. Or these were forbidden, because emblems of joy and gladness, and therefore not so proper at a confession of sin, and humiliation for it. Or rather to show how disagreeable and offensive sin was to the Lord, being contrary to grace, of which oil was an emblem, and far from being acceptable to him, which frankincense might signify. And therefore being prohibited, might denote how unacceptable, yea nauseous, sin is to him; which agrees with the reason given. "Put no oil ... frankincense": Contrast the grain offering (2:2).

"For it is a sin offering": And therefore must not be honored, as Jarchi. Or must have everything removed from it that is beautiful and amiable, as Ben Gersom, such as oil and frankincense.

Even though there is no blood evident in this offering of bread, it does not eliminate the fact that there is no remission of sin except by the shedding of blood. We discussed in a previous lesson, that this is a type and shadow of Jesus Christ (The Bread). The shadow has no blood, but the person it shadows does. Jesus is the Bread of life. His body was spoken of as bread. Jesus was our sin offering when He was crucified on the cross. This is unleavened bread, which is the only kind that can symbolize the sinless body of Christ. Jesus shed His blood for us.

Leviticus 5:12 "Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, [even] a memorial thereof, and burn [it] on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: it [is] a sin offering."

The flour just as it was, not kneaded and made into a cake, as appears by what follows.

"And the priest shall take his handful of it": As much of the flour as he could hold in one hand.

"Even a memorial thereof": To bring to mind his sin, and the goodness of God in admitting of an offering for it, and forgiving it upon that.

"And burn it on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the Lord": In the same manner as other burnt offerings were made.

"It is a sin offering": Or an expiatory sacrifice for sin.

Leviticus 5:13 "And the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him: and [the remnant] shall be the priest's, as a meat offering."

By burning the handful of flour brought by him, as an emblem of the painful sufferings of Christ, whereby he made atonement for the sins of his people.

"As touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these": For whatsoever sin he had committed in any of the above cases (Lev. 5:1).

"And it shall be forgiven him": Upon the foot of the atonement made (see notes on Lev. 5:10).

"And the remnant shall be the priest's as a meat offering": The whole tenth part of an ephah of fine flour was the priest's, excepting the handful he took and burnt. Just as in the case of a common meat offering (Lev. 2:3).

We see clearly here, that the minister of the church is supposed to live of the offerings brought to the church. Notice also that the priest (preacher), is to help the sinner that comes to the church, and that is without exception. When the sinner comes with a repentant heart, the preacher prays for him or her, and then praise God, his sins are forgiven. This memorial of this that is burned on the altar is very pleasing to God. It shows the sincerity of the repentance.

Verses 5:14 - 6:7 (see 7:1-10), for the priests' instructions. The trespass or guilt offering symbolized an atonement for sin unknowingly committed where restitution was possible. Like the sin offering (4:1 - 5:13), this one was compulsory. For sins against the Lord's property, restitution was made to the priest (5:14-19), while restitution was made to the person who suffered loss in other instances (6:1-7).

Leviticus 5:14 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

Out of the tabernacle of the congregation (Lev. 1:1), he continued to speak to him.

"Saying": As follows in the next verse.

I believe this sudden break here back to who is giving these directions, and to whom they are given, is to show us this is not something Moses just came up with but are God's wishes. These laws are many times called the law of Moses, when in fact, they are the law of God.

Leviticus 5:15 "If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering:"

In the sacrificial system in general, different animals were designated for different offerings according to their relative value. A bull was considered the costliest offering because the Hebrew people raised them for meat. Rams were needed for servicing ewes, so they too were a significant offering.

"Shekel of the sanctuary": This amounted to 20 gerahs (Exodus 30:13; Lev. 27:25; Num. 3:47), or 2 bekas (Exodus 38:26), which is the equivalent of four-tenths of one ounce. God fixed the value of a shekel.

The trespass offering and the sin offering, I do not believe to be the same. This trespass offering seemed to be a sin of omission of the duties toward God. In the sin offering, it seemed the offering was for a specific sin; and in the trespass offering, it seemed they were sacrificing for cleansing of their attitude toward God. This would be like a backslider praying to be forgiven for backsliding.

Silver means redemption, as we have said in so many of these lessons. This sacrifice should be of sufficient value, so as to compensate for the neglect of the person's duties to God. The trespass offering carried a penalty of 20% for failing to pay on time. It seemed that this could be owed to the temple, or to other believers. In this, the person had to make restitution for what he had neglected to do previously. When a person did not pay their tithes and offerings, it was as if they planned to rob God. If people today were fined 20% above their tithes and offerings that they had not brought to the temple, there would be enough ready cash to evangelize the whole world.

Leviticus 5:16 "And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him."

"Add a fifth part": The offender was required to make a 120 percent restitution, which was considerably lower than that prescribed elsewhere in the Mosaic law, e.g. (Exodus 22:7, 9). Perhaps this is accounted for by a voluntary confession in contrast to an adjudicated and forced conviction.

Notice that after the person makes amends for the wrong he or she has done, God forgives them. This should be good news for all the backsliders, God will take you back if you truly repent and try to make amends for the harm you have done.

Leviticus 5:17 "And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist [it] not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity."

Respecting holy things: though he wist it not. Or did not know that he had transgressed a negative command.

"Yet he is guilty, and shall bear the iniquity": Be chargeable with guilt, and is liable to punishment, and must make an atonement and satisfaction for it (see Luke 12:48).

We see in this that ignorance is no excuse. Here in the United States, that is probably more so than any other place on the globe. Bibles are readily available at all book stores. A person has no excuse for not knowing the will of God in their lives. Read your Bible and find the will of God for yourself. In some countries of the world, it is not possible to buy a Bible, even if you had the money to buy it. It is up to us, who are so blessed to see that these people have the privilege of owning a Bible. We must send Bibles to those places at all cost. We are our brother's keeper.

Leviticus 5:18 "And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his ignorance wherein he erred and wist [it] not, and it shall be forgiven him."

(See notes on Leviticus 5:15).

"With thy estimation for a trespass offering to the priest": Along with the offering was to be brought an estimate of whatsoever damage had been done through the breach of any of the commands of God. Where damage could take place, that so recompense be made as before directed. Or else the ram brought was to be valued, and examined whether it was worth two shekels of silver, as before explained (see notes on Lev. 5:15). But no fifth was required as in the former cases.

"And the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his ignorance wherein he erred, and wist it not, and it shall be forgiven him" (see notes on Leviticus 5:10). This is what the Jews call "Asham Talui", or guilt-offering.

As we have said so many times in these lessons, this ram typifies Christ. It must be without blemish, as He was perfect in every way. God does not want second best, He wants you to be sold out to Him and bring Him the best you have.

Leviticus 5:19 "It [is] a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the LORD."

An offering for a trespass committed.

"He hath certainly trespassed against the Lord": Though committed ignorantly, and therefore an offering must be brought. For no sin of any kind must be overlooked, passed by, or forgiven, without a sacrifice, or without atonement made by sacrifice. Or, "he shall offer a trespass offering to the Lord", or before the Lord, as Onkelos. Or before the Word of the Lord, as Jonathan. And Maimonides out of Siphri observes, that whereas it is said, a trespass or trespass offering to the Lord, it was not lawful for the priests to eat of it.

Trespass was translated from "asham" which means fault. It is our fault, if we do not do as God has instructed us to do. LORD in this is Jehovah, the self-existent One. Sins may be different in that they usually involve other people, but trespass is directly disobeying God. One more time, I believe trespass differs from sin in that trespass is overlooking the things of God that we are obligated to do. It is a trespass of omission rather than commission, which is sin. When we pray we ask God to forgive us of our trespasses and sins. You can easily see; they are not the same.

Leviticus Chapter 5 Continued Questions

1. What was the only reason the offering for sin could vary?

2. What was the offering that the very poor were to bring?

3. Why was this offering not to be covered with frankincense?

4. Who is the Bread that can be a sin offering?

5. The shadow has no ________ but the person it shadows has ______.

6. What type of offering was Jesus for us when He was crucified?

7. This handful that the priest burned was spoken of as what?

8. What should the minister of the church live on?

9. Who is the minister of the church to help?

10. What shows the sincerity of the repentance in verse 12?

11. Who was giving all of this information to Moses?

12. These laws are many times called the law of Moses, but whose laws are they really?

13. For a trespass against God or the sanctuary, what was the offering to be brought, if the person could afford it?

14. How did the trespass offering differ from the sin offering?

15. What does silver symbolize?

16. How could you relate the trespass offering to our day?

17. What kind of a penalty was to be paid on a neglected gift payment?

18. If everyone in our society today would pay up on their tithes and pay 20% interest, what would we be able to do?

19. In verse 16, what wonderful promise was given, if they did as God instructed them?

20. God will accept backsliders back, but what must they do first?

21. Is ignorance a legitimate excuse with God?

22. Why must the people in the United States send Bibles all over the world?

23. Who does the ram typify in this offering?

24. What does trespass in these verses mean?

25. LORD, in verse 19, is whom?

26. One more time, how does the trespass differ from the sin offering?

Leviticus Chapter 6

Verses 1-7: While all sins are against God (compare Psalm 51:4), some are direct (5:14-19), and others are indirect, involving people (6:1-7), as here. These violations are not exhaustive, but representative sample used to establish and illustrate the principle.

Leviticus 6:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

Continuing his speech with him, for the same law of the trespass offering is still discoursed of, only with respect to different persons.

"Saying": As follows.

We notice from this brief statement, that the LORD (JEHOVAH), was the one giving the instructions. Even though Moses wrote the book of Leviticus, he did not speak of himself as me in the above verse, because he did not want any doubt to arise, who this message was given to.

Leviticus 6:2 "If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbor in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbor;"

"And commit a trespass against the Lord": It will be seen that the trespass against God is, strictly speaking, a violation of the rights of a neighbor's property. As fraud and plunder are most subversive of social life, a crime of this sort is described as an insult to God, who is the founder and sovereign ruler of his people.

"In that which was delivered him to keep": To deposit valuable property with a neighbor was, and still is, a common practice in the East where no responsible establishments exist for the reception of private treasure. Hence, when a man went on a journey, he concealed his precious things underground. This was connected with the danger of forgetting the spot where they were hidden, when search and digging had to be resorted to. This not only accounts for the fact that treasure is called in Hebrew by a name which denotes hidden, or things which men are in the habit of hiding underground, but explains such allusions as "hidden riches of secret places" (Isa. 45:3). "And searchest for her as for hid treasure" (Prov. 2:4). "Dig for it more than for hid treasure" (Job 3:21). To avoid this danger, men entrusted their treasure to the custody of a neighbor. It is to this practice which the text before us refers. And it is from this practice that the apostle took the expression when he declares, "I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day" (2 Tim. 1:12; see also Lev. 6:14, 1 Tim. 6:20).

"Or in fellowship": Literally, or in something that is placed in the hand. That is, put in his hand, a deposit. It is similar in nature to the trust mentioned in the preceding clause, for which reason it is not repeated in the general recapitulation of the offences in (Lev. 6:4-5).

"Or in a thing taken away in violence": Having specified two cases of embezzlement in connection with things voluntarily handed over to the defrauder. Two other frauds are adduced, in which the offender possessed himself of his neighbor's property by violence and extortion.

Leviticus 6:3 "Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein:"

Who having found anything lost, at once concludes it his own, and converts it to his own use, never inquiring after the proprietor of it, or taking any method to get knowledge of him, and restore it to him. But so far from that, being suspected of finding it, and charged with it denies it. Maimonides gives a reason why a lost thing should be restored, not only because so to do is a virtue in itself praiseworthy, but because it has a reciprocal utility. For if you do not restore another's lost things, neither will your own be restored to you.

"And sweareth falsely": Which is to be understood, not of the last case only, but of all the rest, or of anyone of them, as it follows.

"In any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein": By unfaithfulness in a trust, cheating, defrauding, lying, and false swearing.

Leviticus 6:4 "Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found,"

These offences have to do with moral sins against one's neighbor, or friend. These sins would not be ceremonial sins against God. Jesus reminded us of the seriousness of these trespasses in the following verses.

Matthew 5:23-24 "Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;" "Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."

The thing that stands out clearly in these verses, is the need to make the offense right with the person you offended, before you come to offer in the tabernacle. Soul means a breathing creature. This is used so that there would be no question whether all would be subject. A female can trespass against her neighbor the same as a male. You can read a more detailed explanation (in Exodus chapter 22:7-13), on this subject. When teaching this lesson, turn there and read the explanation. These verses go into detail about the things that you are taking care of for someone else. We read a more detailed explanation of things we find, and what we are to do with them in the next 3 verses.

Deuteronomy 22:1-3 "Thou shalt not see thy brother's ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother." "And if thy brother [be] not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it, and thou shalt restore it to him again." "In like manner shalt thou do with his ass; and so shalt thou do with his raiment; and with all lost thing of thy brother's, which he hath lost, and thou hast found, shalt thou do likewise: thou mayest not hide thyself."

We must see in this that anything thy brother has lost should be returned to him, even if it is a billfold full of money. Jesus taught that we are not to swear at all, but to swear a lie would be doubly serious. In all of this, we are to make amends to the person we offended, before God will accept the trespass offering. God will not overlook this trespass. We must go to the person offended and make it right, and then go to the tabernacle and offer our offering.

Leviticus 6:5 "Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, [and] give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering."

In all of the above cases, in which he had committed a trespass and denied it, and to the denial adds a false oath, and yet after all acknowledges it.

"He shall even restore it in the principal": Whatsoever he has embezzled, or cheated another of, or detained from the right owner, the whole of that was to be restored.

"And shall add the fifth part more thereto": To the principal (see Lev. 5:16). But Maimonides says, this was an instruction to add a fifth to a fifth.

"And give it unto him to whom appertaineth": As, to his neighbor, who had deposited anything in his hands. Or his partner, he had any ways wronged; or whomsoever he had defrauded in any respect; or the proprietor of lost goods.

"In the day of his trespass offering": When he brings that, but restoration must first be made. The Targum of Jonathan renders it; in the day he repents of his sin. and so Aben Ezra interprets it, "in the day he returns from his trespass;" when he owns and confesses it, is sorry for it, and determines to do so no more. Maimonides observes, that one that takes away anything by violence (which is one of the cases supposed), is not fined so much as a thief. He only restores the principal. For the fifth part is for his false oath. The reasons of which are, because robbery is not so frequently, and is more easily committed, and is more open, and against which persons may guard and make resistance, and the robber is more known than a thief who steals secretly (see Exodus 22:1).

You can see here, that not only must the person repay, but must add 20% more for the trouble they caused their neighbor. After all this is done, then they can go to the tabernacle and make a trespass offering, to make this right with God.

Leviticus 6:6 "And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest:"

That is, to the tabernacle of the Lord, to the altar of the Lord in it, and to his priest ministering therein, as it follows.

"A ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering unto the priest": The same offering that was ordered for a trespass through ignorance (Lev. 5:16). Typical of the sacrifice of Christ offered up both for sins of ignorance and willful transgressions. For his blood cleanses from all sin (see note on Lev. 5:16). The phrase "with thy estimation", used there also (Lev. 5:16), is here interpreted by Ben Gersom of two shekels, the value the ram was to be of, brought for the trespass offering. The priest served as an appraiser to give appropriate value to the goods in question.

Leviticus 6:7 "And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein."

By offering the ram he brought, by which a typical, but not real atonement was made. For the blood of bulls and goats, of sheep and rams, could not take away sin; but as they were types of Christ, and led to him, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

"And it shall be forgiven him, for anything of all that he hath done, in trespassing therein": Any and every one of the above sins, with all the aggravations of them, were forgiven, upon the atonement made. Though they were so enormous; and, indeed, all manner of sin is forgiven for Christ's sake, except the sin against the Holy Ghost.

You can easily see how expensive this trespass can be. Not only would the person have to give 20% extra to the one he offended, but would be required to bring an offering to the tabernacle, also. It is much better and in fact, less expensive to just go ahead and do the right thing at first and not have to do all of this. The best promise in all of this is, it shall be forgiven him. This reminds me of people who cheat on their income tax. When you are caught, you have to pay a penalty above the tax owed. Why not just do right at first and save all the hassle? We will jump away from this train of thought now and get into the law of the offerings.

Verses 6:8 - 7:38: These were laws of sacrifice for the priesthood. (Leviticus 1:1 - 6:7), has dealt with 5 major offerings from the worshiper's perspective. Here instructions for the priest are given, with special attention to the priests' portion of the sacrifice.

Leviticus 6:8 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

Here begins a new subject, and if our Bibles were rightly divided, it ought to begin a new chapter. As in Junius and Tremellius, who join the first seven verses of this chapter to the former. Indeed, according to the Jewish division, the twenty-fifth section of the law begins here.

It seems that every time we begin a new thing, Moses reminds us that God gave him these rules for the people. These laws are divine in nature. Every one of them served a purpose. At the time these laws were given, Israel did not have a king. God was their King.

Leviticus 6:9 "Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This [is] the law of the burnt offering: It [is] the burnt offering, because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it."

"Upon the altar all night": This resulted in the complete incineration of the sacrifice, picturing it as totally given to the Lord, with the smoke arising as a sweet aroma to Him (1:7, 13, 17).

The very first thing that we must see in this, is the fact that this was not just a suggestion of what they might do, but was a commandment of God. On the burnt offering, they were not to let the fire go out at all, but were to keep it burning until the offering was completely burned up. Aaron and his sons were to wear their linen garments while this offering was being made. This was a very holy offering, and they were to be attired properly while it burned. If you need to read again about the lamb being offered every evening, it can be found (in Exodus 29:38 on). Remember, the burnt offering was to be totally burned up, except for the hide which was given to the priest. Remember also, the burnt offering showed that the individual had turned themselves over completely to God. My favorite saying that says the same thing is: Make Jesus Christ your Lord and not just your Savior. Total commitment to God is all He will settle for. He does not want 50% of you, He wants all of you.

Leviticus 6:10 "And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar."

A garment that was just the measure of his body, and exactly fitted it. It was a sort of a shirt, which he wore next his body, and reached down to his feet. And in this he always officiated, and was an emblem of the purity and holiness of Christ our high priest. Who was without sin, and so a fit person to take away the sin of others, by offering up himself without spot to God.

"And his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh": To cover his nakedness; that indecency might be prevented, and that he might not be exposed to ridicule. And though these two garments are only mentioned, yet the wise men say the word "put on", includes the bonnet and the girdle. For the removing of the ashes from the altar, which is the thing he was to be thus clothed to do, was done in the four garments, though the Scripture mentions but two.

"And take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed, with the burnt offering on the altar": This was the first thing the priests did in a morning, and which in later times they cast lots for, and the first lot was for this service, and which was performed very early.

"And he shall put them beside the altar": At the corner of the altar, as Aben Ezra, on the east side of it. So says Jarchi, the priest takes a full censer of the innermost consumptions (that is, of the innermost parts of the sacrifice reduced to ashes), and puts them in the east of the rise of the altar.

Notice the linen garment. To handle the things of God, the priest should be free from sin. The linen garment indicates freedom from sin. This linen garment was not worn outside the tabernacle. The linen garment was not to be contaminated with the world. We have discussed it before, but the plain linen garment was worn when the priest was representing the people to God. The fancy garment with the jewels on the breastplate was worn when the high priest was representing God to the people. No flesh at all was to be showing on the priest, and that is why the linen breeches were worn.

Leviticus 6:11 "And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place."

Those before mentioned, he is said to put on.

"And put on other garments": Not common garments or lay-habits, but what the priests wore when they were not on duty.

"And carry forth the ashes": When these, gathered on a heap, had become large, as Jarchi says, and there was no room for the pile of wood, they carried them out from there. And this, he observes, was not obligatory every day. but the taking of them up, as in the preceding verse (Lev. 6:10), they were bound to every day. And these they carried:

"Without the camp, unto a clean place": For though they were ashes, yet being ashes of holy things were not to be laid in an unclean place. Or where unclean things were. As the burnt offering was a type of Christ in his sufferings and death, enduring the fire of divine wrath in the room and stead of his people. So the carrying forth the ashes of the burnt offering, and laying them in a clean place, may denote the burial of the body of Christ without the city of Jerusalem. Wrapped in a clean linen cloth and laid in a new tomb, wherein no man had been laid (Matt. 27:59).

The priest is to never wear the ceremonial clothes outside the tabernacle. He would change his clothes to street clothes before he left the tabernacle. The ashes would be carried without the camp. This burnt offering had been totally consumed, and the remains carried out of the camp. Jesus paid it all outside the city wall for us.

Leviticus 6:12 "And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings."

There were three fires, or piles of wood for fire continually. The first was a large one, on which the daily sacrifice was burnt. The second less, and called the pile of the incense, because they took from it fire in a censer to burn the morning and evening incense. And the third was only for preserving the fire that it might not go out.

"And the priest shall burn wood in it every morning": Until the fourth hour of the day, according to the Targum of Jonathan. That is, unto ten o'clock in the morning.

"And lay the burnt offering in order upon it": Both morning and evening, and as often as any sacrifices of that kind were offered up.

"And he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings": That which was upon the inwards and covered them, and upon the kidneys, and flanks, and caul of the liver (see Lev. 3:3-4).

This altar was to have wood on it burning continuously, because there would be an offering on the wood every morning and every night. Each time before the offering was to be made, the priest laid fresh wood sufficient to burn the entire animal.

Leviticus 6:13 "The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out."

"Ever be burning": The perpetual flame indicated a continuous readiness on the part of God to receive confession and restitution through the sacrifice.

This fire was to burn continuously. It was never to go out. God wants us to worship Him forever after, when we once commit our lives to Him. We must not let our fire go out either. The walk with God must be a daily walk. In fact, it must be a never ending walk. The best way to stay in right standing with God, is to go to Him in prayer at least 2 times a day. Christianity is a walk through life with Jesus.

Leviticus Chapter 6 Questions

1. Who spoke unto Moses to give these instructions?

2. Why did Moses not say me when referring to himself?

3. In chapter 6:2, what is the sinner called?

4. Name several ways a person could sin in lying to a neighbor.

5. What kind of swearing is spoken of in verse 3?

6. What was required of the sinner to do, if he was guilty of a trespass against his neighbor?

7. Are the sins spoken of here moral sins or ceremonial sins?

8. Explain the difference in a moral sin and a ceremonial sin.

9. In Matthew 5:24, what does Jesus tell us to do before we bring an offering to God in the temple?

10. What is the clear lesson taught in this?

11. What is the definition of soul in these verses?

12. Why was the word soul used instead of man?

13. Where in Exodus, can we find more on taking care of someone else's property?

14. Where do we find a more detailed explanation about things we find, and what we are to do with them, than here in Leviticus?

15. What should we do, if we find a billfold full of money?

16. To swear a _____ would be doubly serious.

17. What should we do first, before we go to God, if we have done wrong against our neighbor?

18. What % of interest should be paid when you cheat your neighbor?

19. What should be brought to the temple for a trespass offering?

20. Who should he present the offering to?

21. What must be the condition of the ram?

22. What is the best promise made to the offender in all of this?

23. What does Moses remind us of every time we change to a different subject?

24. These laws are _________ in nature.

25. Who was Israel's King?

26. What one word, in Leviticus 6:9, lets us know this was not an option with the priests and high priest?

27. When were the all linen garments worn by the priest?

28. When did the priest wear the garment with the breastplate of stones on it?

29. What was the only part of the burnt offering which was not burned up?

30. When the ashes were taken out of the camp, what did the priest wear?

31. How often did the priest put wood on the altar?

32. Our walk with God must be a _______ walk.

Leviticus Chapter 6 Continued

Verses 14-18: The priests were to display reverence in eating what was left over of the "meat offering", doing so in a "holy place" (the tabernacle "court") with "unleavened bread" (1 Cor. 9:13).

Leviticus 6:14 "And this [is] the law of the meat offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD, before the altar."

Or the rules to be observed concerning that, for which, though directions are given (Lev. 2:1). Yet is here repeated with some additions to it.

"The sons of Aaron shall offer it before the Lord": Being brought unto them by the children of Israel.

"Before the altar": Or at the face of it, for what was properly offered was burnt upon it, as in the following verse (Lev. 6:15). For it should be rather rendered "in", or "on the altar"; the face of it is the top of it, on which every sacrifice was offered, and not before it.

A great portion of the grain offered in the meat offering is consumed by Aaron and his sons who are priests. Just a small portion of the grain is offered to be burned. One very important thing about this grain offered, is that it must not have leaven mixed with it. We discussed in a previous lesson how this actually foreshadowed the body of Christ and must be kept without sin (leaven). Jesus Christ, the Bread of life, was holy. Those who eat this bread take on the righteousness of Christ. They take on His righteousness.

Leviticus 6:15 "And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which [is] upon the meat offering, and shall burn [it] upon the altar [for] a sweet savor, [even] the memorial of it, unto the LORD."

"Handful" (see note on 2:2).

The memorial here, is a remembrance of what God has done for them. We will see in the following Scripture what Jesus had to say about this bread.

Luke 22:19 "And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake [it], and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me."

In the instance of this flour, oil, and frankincense, we would not be able to get a clear picture by just looking at these 3 elements without looking at the One they foreshadow. Jesus' life on this earth was a sweet savor to the Father. As we said in a previous lesson, somehow the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross glorified the Father. We do not now understand all of this, but all of this is a beautiful shadow of what Jesus did for you and me. Oil, as we have said so many times, indicates the Holy Spirit. The frankincense always accompanied the meat offering into the tabernacle. The frankincense at Jesus' birth, recognized Him as the meat sacrifice. Remember, the gold recognized Him as God, the frankincense recognized Him as the meat sacrifice, and myrrh recognized Him as the groom of the bride of Christ. Read more on this in the gospels.

Verses 16-18: Unlike the burnt offering, the meat offering provided food for the priests and their male children, i.e., future priests.

Leviticus 6:16 "And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it."

"In the holy place": This was to be eaten only in the courtyard of the tabernacle.

This also is a repetition of a former lesson, but God thought it important enough to mention twice, so we must too. This bread that they are to eat symbolizes the Word (Bible). Remember, Aaron in this particular situation symbolizes the preacher, and the sons symbolize the believers in Christ. This then is telling us to read our Bible. He emphasizes over and over again, that we are to keep leaven (sin), out of our life. Notice also, that the Word is to be consumed in the tabernacle (church). So many churches have forgotten why we come to church. Church should be a place where the Word of God is consumed, not a playground for all sorts of worldliness.

Leviticus 6:17 "It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it [unto them for] their portion of my offerings made by fire; it [is] most holy, as [is] the sin offering, and as the trespass offering."

Which, as it was a type of Christ, may denote his sincerity both in doctrine, life, and conversation. And as it may respect the offeror, may signify his uprightness and integrity, and his being devoid of hypocrisy and insincerity.

"I have given it unto thee for their portion of my offerings made by fire": This was part of the provision made for the maintenance of the priests, as it was but just that they that ministered at the altar should live of it. And the rather, as the priests and Levites had no portion and inheritance in the land of Israel. And therefore, must be supported in another way, which the Lord took care of.

"It is most holy, as the sin offering, and as the trespass offering": As they, so this being devoted to sacred uses, what were not consumed upon the altar belonged to the priests, and were their perquisites, nor might they be appropriated to the use of any other.

We see from this, that this offering had a portion going to the priest. All of these offerings are most holy as they represent the sacrifice Jesus made for us. Not only the offering would be holy, but all who put this in their body would be made holy by the Bread.

Leviticus 6:18 "All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. [It shall be] a statute for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of the LORD made by fire: every one that toucheth them shall be holy."

And they only, for none but they might eat in the Holy Place, and therefore these holy things that were to be eaten there, were only eaten by them. What might be eaten by the priests in their own houses, their wives and daughters ate of, but in the Holy Place only their males, and a male was one that was thirteen years of age.

John 6:27 "It shall be a statute for ever in your generations, concerning the offerings of the Lord made by fire. "A statute to last till the Messiah should come, the true meat or bread offering; and the bread he gave was his flesh. And he that eats of it shall not die, but live for ever.

"Everyone that toucheth them shall be holy": Signifying, that no one ought to touch them but a holy person, one devoted to holy services, the priests and their sons; or "whatsoever" toucheth them. The dishes they eat those offerings out of, or the knives they cut them with, were not to be used for anything else.

This seems to be a difficult statement, but Aaron and his sons (the priests), were in the temple. This bread was not to be taken out of the temple. This bread was actually for the high priest and for his sons the priests. Not only does Aaron represent the minister in the church, but in the greater sense, he represents Christ. The priests, in the same sense, would represent all Christians. The symbolism we must see in this, is that the Bible (Word), Bread was furnished by Christ, and was for the minister of the church (who Aaron represents). And the believers in Christ (who Aaron's sons represent). Worldly people can read the Bible every day and not be able to understand. The Bible is written for believers. The Holy Spirit helps us understand.

Verses 19-23: The priests were worshipers too and were not exempt from sacrifice. Their own "daily meat offering" was to be "wholly burnt", unlike the meat offering of the people.

Aaron, as High-Priest, was to make a daily meat offering at morning and night on behalf of his priestly family.

Leviticus 6:19 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

The new law, which is here introduced with this special formula (see Lev. 6:8), gives directions about the meat offering which the high priest is to bring on his consecration to the pontifical office (Lev. 6:19-23). It naturally follows the sacrificial instructions given for the priests in the preceding section.

Moses put this in again, to leave no doubt where these instructions came from.

Leviticus 6:20 "This [is] the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the LORD in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night."

That is, of such of them as succeeded him in the high priesthood, as appears from (Lev. 6:22). So Aben Ezra, of him, or of one of his sons in his room. Though some think the common priests offered the following oblation at the time of their initiation into their office, though they were not anointed as the high priest was, nor obliged as he to continue the offering daily.

"Which they shall offer unto the Lord in the day when he is anointed": When he, or any of his sons in his stead, were anointed, for as yet he himself was not (see Lev. 8:2). Some, as Aben Ezra observes, think that "in", is instead of "from", and that the sense is, that Aaron, or his successor, and every of them, were to offer the following offering perpetually from the time of their being anointed. And put into the office of the high priest, and which certainly was the case, as appears by what follows:

"The tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat offering perpetual": Which was an omer, and as much as a man could eat in one day. And this the high priest offered every day, as long as he lived, or was in his office. And that at his own expense, as Josephus says, not altogether, but in the following manner.

"Half of it in the morning, and half of it at night": So that this constantly returned as the morning and evening sacrifices did, and followed them. Jarchi says of this, that it was the common meat offering at the consecration of a priest, but the high priest offered it every day. And it appears from the Misnic writers that this meat offering consisted of twelve cakes, the same number as those of the showbread. The same phrase, a "perpetual statute", being used of one as the other. And six of these were offered in the morning, and six at evening. And this as the daily sacrifice had the same mystical meaning, and respected the continual efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ.

The part that was to be burned for an offering to God was one tenth, or a tithe. Half of it would be burned at the morning sacrifice and half at the evening sacrifice. Aaron and his sons were the only ones anointed to help with the things of God. We need to touch on the sons of Aaron a little more here. All believers in Christ are sons of the Father.

1 John 3:1-2 "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

The "we" above include all believers' male and female, just as all believers in Christ are the bride of Christ (male and female). The followers of God in the Old Testament were only servants of God. Under the New covenant with Jesus, we are God's sons. I will quote just 2 more Scriptures which make our Sonship perfectly clear. God the Father has a name that only His children can call Him, the world dare not call Him by this name. The name Abba is reserved for just His children to call Him.

Romans 8:15 "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

Galatians 4:6 "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father."

Leviticus 6:21 "In a pan it shall be made with oil; [and when it is] baked, thou shalt bring it in: [and] the baked pieces of the meat offering shalt thou offer [for] a sweet savor unto the LORD."

With oil olive, as the Targum of Jonathan. The pan in which it was made was a vessel that had no covering, nor hollow in the middle, nor any lip or edge. But was a plane, and extended, and the dough made on it was hard and stiff, that it might not run off. In the temple was a chamber of those that made the cakes, where, as Bartenora observes, was prepared the meat offering. Which the high priest offered, one half in the morning, and the other half in the evening.

"And when it is baked, thou shalt bring it in": Not thoroughly baked, but very little, as says Josephus. Hastily, so that it swells, and rises up in bubbles. Jarchi says, the flour was first mixed in hot water, and after that it was baked in an oven, and then fried in a pan.

"And the baked pieces of the meat offering shalt thou offer for a sweet savor unto the Lord": Or the meat offering cut in pieces shalt thou offer, as both the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem. The twelve cakes were broken each into two, and twelve halves were offered in the morning, and twelve at evening. The manner in which it was done was, the priest divided every cake into two by measure, so that he might offer half in the morning, and half in the evening. And he took the halves and doubled every one of them into two, and broke them, until he found every broken piece doubled into two. And he offered the halves with half the handful of frankincense in the morning, and in like manner in the evening. This may have respect to the body of Christ being broken for us, whereby he became fit food for faith, and an offering of a sweet smelling savor to God.

We can easily see from this that this offering to God was of the bread baked in the oven.

Verses 22-23: "The priest ... anointed in his stead": The High-Priests who succeed Aaron are in view here.

"Wholly burnt": The priests' offering was to be given completely, with nothing left over.

Leviticus 6:22 "And the priest of his sons that is anointed in his stead shall offer it: [it is] a statute for ever unto the LORD; it shall be wholly burnt."

The successor of the high priest.

"It is a statute for ever unto the Lord": Which he by an everlasting statute appointed to be offered to him by every high priest, until the Messiah should come.

"It shall be wholly burnt": Of a common meat offering only a handful was burnt, and the rest was the priest's (see Lev. 6:15).

We must see in all of this that God has always, and will always have a provision for mankind where they can come to God. God's provision never stops. Jesus fulfilled every one of these offerings and sacrifices for the believers, and opened the way to the Father for us, when He sacrificed His body on the cross. Aaron's son here, is a specific son who has been anointed to take Aaron's place, as high priest after Aaron.

Leviticus 6:23 "For every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten."

Wherefore the priest that offered this for the high priest got nothing by it: he served him free gratis.

"It shall not be eaten": Neither by himself, nor any other priest. The priests by eating the offerings of the people bore their iniquities, and made atonement for them (Lev. 10:17). But the priests might not eat their own sacrifices, to show that they could not bear their own sins, and make atonement for them. And this proves the insufficiency of the legal sacrifices, and the need there was for one to arise of another order to take away sin. And it is thought by some to be typical of the active obedience of Christ. Every day yielded to the law and will of God, and is perfect, as the word here signifies, and to be distinguished from "a burnt offering".

This is when the priest is offering for himself. It would not be right for the priest to share in the offering, if it is one he has made for himself. In all of this, it seems to be pointing to the fact that the grace of God is so much better than the keeping of the law. It screams out that God has always wanted to fellowship with man. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, we can come boldly to the throne of God. Jesus gave us power of attorney to use His name. In fact, He made us joint heirs with Himself.

Romans 8:17 "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together."

Leviticus Chapter 6 Continued Questions

1. What type of offering is the grain that is offered in verse 14?

2. Who consumes a great deal of the offering of grain?

3. Why must this grain not have any leaven mixed with it?

4. Those who eat of this Bread take on what?

5. What is the memorial mentioned in verse 15?

6. What did Jesus say the Bread was in Luke chapter 22 verse 19?

7. What must we be able to see in these lessons on Leviticus for them to be useful for us to study?

8. Jesus' crucifixion _____________ the Father.

9. What is the oil in all of these sacrifices symbolic of?

10. When the wise men brought frankincense to Jesus at His birth, what did it symbolize?

11. What did the Gold they brought Jesus recognize Him as?

12. Where were Aaron and his sons to eat the bread?

13. What does the eating of this Bread teach the Christians?

14. A portion of this bread went to whom?

15. All who partook of this offering would be ________.

16. Why was it mentioned that this was to be eaten by the males of Aaron's family?

17. Who are the two that Aaron represents in all of this?

18. Aaron's sons represent whom?

19. Give 2 other names we call the Bible?

20. Who is the Bible written for?

21. What percentage of the bread was offered to God on the fire?

22. When was it offered?

23. What are all believers in Christ called?

24. Who are the bride of Christ?

25. What special name for the Father is for only believers to call Him?

26. How does the Christian's sonship differ from Christ's Sonship?

27. How long does God's provision for His followers last?

28. What does the author think screams out in these lessons?

29. What does Romans 8:17 tell us that we are with Jesus, if we are believers?

Leviticus Chapter 6 Second Continued

These last few verses (in chapter 6), have to do with the sin offering. Let us just look into this, even before we start the verses. We know that Jesus Christ was the sin offering for all believers. We also know that He took our sin upon His body, that we might receive His righteousness. The sin offering was for sins that had been committed against God Himself. A sin of this nature would be much more serious than some of the lesser offenses we have been studying. I have said it before, but it is very important for us as Christians to see Jesus in this sin offering.

It is a very serious thing to decide to believe in Jesus and decide to live and work for Him the rest of your life. Before we decide to do such a thing, we must count the cost. Lot's wife lost her life, after she had been saved from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, by looking back. I will show you just one Scripture here that tells us the seriousness of looking back, after we have begun with God.

Luke 9:62 "And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

We are warned in another Scripture to count the cost before we begin.

Luke 14:27- "And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple." "For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have [sufficient] to finish [it]?"

Luke 14:33 "So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple."

Whatever job God has called you to do, and you have accepted the call, you must continue to do until God says stop.

We have been speaking of the high priest and his sons, the priests, in these lessons. God has made those He called (the Christians), to be priests. I will give you 2 examples of Scriptures where the believers in Christ are called priests.

Revelation 1:6 "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

Revelation 5:10 "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."

Notice that kings and priests are not capitalized here. In the next Scripture, you will see that Jesus becomes the King, and we are His subordinate kings.

Revelation 17:14 "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him [are] called, and chosen, and faithful."

We are priests in the sight of God, if we are believers. We notice in all of this, that this offering must be eaten in the sanctuary. This means, to me, that the things of God are not to be mixed with the things of the world. We have our life, our very being, hidden in Him. He is our life.

Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

The things dedicated to God are holy and must not be contaminated by things of the world. Worldliness has no place in the church. We are to be holy for God is holy.

Verses 24-30: "All the males among the priests shall eat thereof" suggests that in some instances, members of the priests' families would eat the sacrifices too; although in this case, the priest alone was commanded to eat his portion.

"The sin offering" (see notes on 4:1 - 5:13).

Leviticus 6:24 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

As is indicated by the special formula, this introduces a new law, or rather a more expanded law than the one contained (in Leviticus 4:1-5), giving more precise directions to the priests about the sin offering of the laity (Lev. 6:24-30).

A new thought begins here, and Moses wants it clearly understood that this message is from God. LORD here of course, is Jehovah.

Leviticus 6:25 "Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This [is] the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the LORD: it [is] most holy."

Or the rules to be observed concerning that, besides what had been already delivered in (Lev. 4:1).

"In the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the Lord": And that was on the north side of the altar (see Lev. 1:11; see notes on 1:3-17). And so Aben Ezra and Ben Gersom observe, that the place of slaying every sin offering was the north. And some have observed that Mount Calvary, where our Lord was crucified, lay pretty much to the north of Jerusalem (see Psalm 48:2).

"It is most holy": Sacred to the Lord, offered up to him, and accepted by him, and typical of the most pure and holy sacrifice of Christ. Who was made sin, and an offering for sin, in the place of his people. "Most holy" (see note on 2:3).

The location seems to be important here. This animal will be killed just inside the door of the tabernacle. Jesus is the door that we enter to come to fellowship with God. Jesus also, is this offering. The altar spoken of here is the bronze altar of judgment. We have all been judged guilty of sin and worthy of death before we come to Jesus Christ our Savior. Remember again, that the person bringing the animal places their hand upon the animal's head to transfer the guilt of sin on the animal. The animal's blood is then shed to pay the penalty for sin. Blood is the only payment acceptable unto God. This animal becomes the substitute for this person who has sinned, just as Jesus became our substitute. The sin was paid in full by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Our offering (Jesus Christ), was most holy. He took our sin that we might become holy in the sight of God.

Leviticus 6:26 "The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in the holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation."

"Priest ... eat": The priest putting the offering on the brazen altar could use it for food, if the sacrifice was for a ruler (4:22-26), or the people (4:27-35).

We have dealt with this before, but I would like to show you one Scripture here.

John 6:53 "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you."

Verses 27-28: Instructions on the cleanness of the priest's garments as they relate to blood.

Leviticus 6:27 "Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy: and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment, thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in the holy place."

None but holy persons, such as were devoted to holy services, even the priests and their sons, might touch and eat of the flesh of the sin offering. All that did so were sacred persons. And even what were used in eating it, dishes and knives, were to be put to no other use, not to any common service, or for anything but holy things. Which was done to keep up a veneration for the sacrifices. And especially for the great sacrifice they typified, the sacrifice of Christ, whose flesh is meat indeed. And whoever eats of that by faith dwells in Christ, and Christ dwells in him (John 6:55).

"And when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment; the garment of the priest that slays and offers it.

"Thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in the holy place": It was not to be carried out of the tabernacle, and washed elsewhere, but in the sanctuary. Either at the laver, where the priests washed their hands and feet, or in some room in the court for that purpose. This was done to preserve an esteem and value for the blood of the sacrifice, as typical of the precious blood of Christ.

It appears that sometimes the priest, in the preparation of the offering, would accidently drop some blood on the garment. He was to wash the garment inside the holy place. The garment was holy, because it had come into contact with the offering. Notice also, that the priests and the high priest were holy. They were not to get involved with worldly things. They were to be separated unto God.

2 Corinthians 6:17 "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you,"

Christians, you cannot have one foot in the world and the other foot in heaven. You must choose between the world and God.

Leviticus 6:28 "But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden shall be broken: and if it be sodden in a brasen pot, it shall be both scoured, and rinsed in water."

That being porous, the liquor in which the sin offering was boiled might soak into it, and the smell of it be retained, and therefore, as such vessels were not very costly, they were ordered to be broken. But where the broken pieces were carried and laid, the Jewish writers are at a loss about. For, those vessels which had served for holy uses, should be laid in an open public place and exposed, they thought was indecent. And as there might be in a course of time great quantities broken, so it would look very disagreeable and unseemly to have them lie in heaps in the sanctuary. They therefore have framed a miracle, and conceit that they were swallowed up in the ground where they were laid.

"And if it be sodden in a brazen it shall be both scoured and rinsed in water": Brass, being more valuable, must not be destroyed. And besides the liquor could not soak into that, and whatever scent it retained was easily and soon removed by scouring and rinsing. The former was with hot water, and the latter with cold, as Ben Gersom affirms.

This is a beautiful example of how things, or people dedicated to God, must not participate in worldly things. In an earthen vessel, it would be impossible to keep the things out of the pores of the vessel, so God said break them to keep them from being contaminated. In the case of the bronze pot, it could be scraped and cleaned so that it would not mix things used in it.

Leviticus 6:29 "All the males among the priests shall eat thereof: it [is] most holy."

As of the meat offerings (Lev. 6:18), and this shows that not the single priest that offered only ate of it (Lev. 6:26). But his male children, and not those only, but those of other priests then upon duty, or in the court.

"It is most holy (see notes on Lev. 6:25).

We dealt with this before, but so no one can say they did not know, we will go through it again. The priests were symbolic of all believers in Christ (both male and female). All believers in Christ are spoken of as sons of God, just as all believers both male and female are the bride of Christ. You might say, well how can this be? With God there is no male and female. The only time we will have a gender is for our stay on this earth in the flesh. We are male and female on the earth to procreate life with God. We are spirit beings with a different kind of body than we had here on the earth. First I will give the Scripture that says with God there is no male or female.

Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

Now let me give you the Scriptures that say we will have a different kind of body in heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:42-45 "So also [is] the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:" "It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:" "It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam [was made] a quickening spirit."

Leviticus 6:30 "And no sin offering, whereof [any] of the blood is brought into the tabernacle of the congregation to reconcile [withal] in the holy [place], shall be eaten: it shall be burnt in the fire."

"No sin offering ... eaten": Those sacrifices made on behalf of a priest (4:3-12), or the congregation (4:13-21), could be eaten.

We dealt with this fully, when we looked at the sin offering. We remember that for this particular offering, the offering was burned up except for the hide. The hide was given to the priest.

Leviticus Chapter 6 Second Continued Questions

1. Who was the sin offering for all believers?

2. He took our sin upon His body that we might take on His ________________.

3. Who had these sins been committed against?

4. Who must we see in these sin offerings?

5. What must a person do before deciding to totally commit to follow Christ?

6. Who lost her life when she looked back?

7. What is the message in Luke 9:62?

8. Who did Jesus say could not be His disciple?

9. When can you stop doing the job God called you to do?

10. In Revelation 1:6, what 2 things are the Christians called?

11. In Revelation 5:10, we read that we shall reign where?

12. Who is Jesus called in Revelation 17:14?

13. In the same verse, the Christians are called 3 things, what are they?

14. What does the author believe is meant by eating in the sanctuary?

15. What has no place in the church?

16. Where will the animal be killed for the sin offering?

17. Who opened the door that we Christians might fellowship with God?

18. What is the only payment for sin acceptable unto God?

19. What one word tells what Jesus was for us?

20. What does. John 6:53 say that we must do to have life in us?

21. Why was the garment the priest wore holy?

22. Where do we find the Scripture that tells us to be separate?

23. Why was the earthen vessel to be broken after being used in this offering?

24. What had to be done to the brazen vessel?

25. The males (in chapter 6:29), represented whom?

26. All believers in Christ are spoken of as ____ of God.

27. Who are the bride of Christ?

28. Where do we find the Scripture that says there is no male or female, because ye are all one in Christ Jesus?

29. There is a ____________ body, and there is a _____________ body.

30. The first Adam was a living soul: the last Adam was a ______________ ________.

Leviticus Chapter 7

Verses 1-10: More details are given for the "trespass offering", including the requirements for the priest who ate these sacrifices and further instructions concerning the priestly portion of the "burnt" and the "Meat" offerings.

The trespass or guilt offering (see notes on 5:14 - 6:7).

(Verses 7-10), provide a brief discussion on what may be eaten by the priest.

Leviticus 7:1 "Likewise this [is] the law of the trespass offering: it [is] most holy."

Or the various rites and rules to be observed at the offering of it. The persons for whom it was to be made are described in the two preceding chapters (Lev. 5:1). Both such that sinned through ignorance, and knowingly, and here the place and parts of the offering, and how to be disposed of, are declared.

"It is most holy": Wholly devoted for sacred use, either to the Lord, or to his priests. There were some things the Jews call light holy things, and others most holy in the highest degree. Of this sort was the trespass offering (see note on 2:3).

All of this has been dealt with in detail in a previous lesson, but we can always find another lesson in all of these rituals of service to God. The one thing that stands out to me, in all of this is that all of this is done to bring man into right standing with holy God. Praise God, Jesus took care of all of this for the Christian. Jesus fulfilled every aspect of all of these offerings at once when He gave His body in sacrifice for all who would believe. I have said before, but I think it bears repeating, that the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem was allowed by God to stop the people from continuing to sacrifice. Jesus did it all. His sacrifice was the ultimate sacrifice which took the place of all sacrifices. His sacrifice one time was for all time for everyone who would believe. If you believe that Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, there is no more need to sacrifice.

Leviticus 7:2 "In the place where they kill the burnt offering shall they kill the trespass offering: and the blood thereof shall he sprinkle round about upon the altar."

"In the place where they kill the burnt offering shall they kill the trespass offering (see Lev. 1:11).

"And the blood thereof shall he sprinkle round about upon the altar": On the upper part of it. There was a scarlet thread that was drawn around the altar in the middle, the blood of some of the sacrifices was sprinkled below it. And some above it, as was the blood of the trespass offering.

About the only thing that we need to point out here is, the blood in this particular instance was not put on the horns of the altar. In most of the sin offerings, the blood was applied to the horns of the altar, but in this trespass offering, it will be sprinkled all around on the altar. Horns denote power, as you remember.

Leviticus 7:3 "And he shall offer of it all the fat thereof; the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards,"

To the Lord, that being claimed by him, as in the peace offerings of the herd, and of the flock, whether a bullock or cow, a lamb or a goat (Lev. 3:3). And in the sin offering of the bullock (Lev. 1:8).

"And the rump, or tail, which of sheep and rams, for the trespass offering, was very large and fat in those countries (see notes on Exodus 29:22, Lev. 3:9).

"And the fat that covereth the inwards": Called the "omentum".

Leviticus 7:4 "And the two kidneys, and the fat that [is] on them, which [is] by the flanks, and the caul [that is] above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away:"

Which are usually covered with fat.

"Which is by the flanks": Or rather that which is "upon" them; for this respects not the situation of the kidneys, nor the fat upon them, but the fat which is upon the flanks. As distinct from that, and where there are great collops of it (see Job 15:27).

"And the caul that is above the liver": The lobe upon the liver, according to the Septuagint.

"With the kidneys, it shall he take away": All the fat before mentioned, together with the kidneys, were to be taken away from the ram of the trespass offering, and burnt, as follows.

Leviticus 7:5 "And the priest shall burn them upon the altar [for] an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it [is] a trespass offering."

Fat taken off of the several parts before mentioned. And the kidneys which were to be:

"For an offering made by fire unto the Lord": And was acceptable to him, being typical of the offering of Christ. Which is a sweet smelling savor, bearing the fire of divine wrath in the room and stead of his people.

"It is the trespass offering": An offering for a trespass committed, to make atonement for it. And this part of it, the burning of the fat, was properly the offering to the Lord, all the rest were the priest's, as follows.

We went into great detail in a previous lesson in this series on why the inward parts were to be burned. The fat of course, was always burned. Here is just one statement to remind us. The body of Jesus Christ took on the sins of the whole world. The Spirit within that body was God. The Spirit of God within the body of Jesus was always Holy. The Spirit of Jesus was always desiring to please the Father. These inward parts here that make a sweet savor to God, are like the Spirit of God within Jesus' flesh. The Spirit of Jesus glorified the Father in everything He did on earth. The sweet smelling savor symbolizes the glorifying of the Father by Jesus.

Leviticus 7:6 "Every male among the priests shall eat thereof: it shall be eaten in the holy place: it [is] most holy."

Of the flesh of it, after the fat was taken off and burnt. The rest belonged to the priests and their sons, and to them only, not to their wives and daughters.

"It shall be eaten in the holy place": In the court of the tabernacle, in some apartment in it, for that purpose, as afterwards in the temple. It was not to be carried home to their houses, for all in the family to partake of, only the priests and their sons were to eat of it.

"It is most holy": And therefore none but such who were devoted to holy services might eat of it. Only sanctified persons, true believers, who are made priests unto God, have a right to eat of the altar Christ, or, can eat his flesh in a spiritual sense, and feed upon him by faith, and receive nourishment from him (Heb. 13:10).

Remember from the previous lesson that, the priests (male), represents all Christians, male and female.

John 1:12 "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:"

Notice in the following Scripture, who are the sons of God.

Romans 8:14 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."

All believers in Christ, male and female are also the bride of Christ. (In Galatians 3:28), you may read where there is no male or female with God.

Leviticus 7:7 "As the sin offering [is], so [is] the trespass offering: [there is] one law for them: the priest that maketh atonement therewith shall have [it]."

"One law for them" both mean that whatever the priest was allowed from the "sin offering", he could have from the "trespass offering" (5:5-6; see note on 6:26).

We must not forget; that these priests eating the flesh of the animal sacrificed as a substitute, is a shadow of us believers in Christ eating the flesh of our substitute (Jesus Christ). Let me repeat the Scripture one more time, so that we will not forget it.

John 6:53 "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you."

We see from this the significance of the priests (who symbolize the Christians), eating the flesh of the sacrifice.

Leviticus 7:8 "And the priest that offereth any man's burnt offering, [even] the priest shall have to himself the skin of the burnt offering which he hath offered."

In which the flesh was wholly burnt, and nothing of it remained to requite the priest for his trouble, as in other offerings.

"Even the priest shall have to himself the skin of the burnt offering, which he hath offered": In some cases, the skin itself was burnt, and then he would have nothing (see Lev. 4:11). But in others the skin was reserved for the priest. There seems to be an emphasis upon the phrase "to himself", and may signify, that though in other things other priests might partake with him, yet not in this. And so Maimonides observes, that the skin was not given to every priest, but to him that offered the sacrifice. And elsewhere he says, the skins of light holy things are the owner's, but the skins of the most holy things are the priest's.

Let me remind all of us, the importance of this hide. God made a covering for Adam and Eve of the hide of the animal God killed in the garden. The blood of Jesus is our covering (if we are a Christian). God has always provided a covering for man.

Leviticus 7:9 "And all the meat offering that is baked in the oven, and all that is dressed in the frying pan, and in the pan, shall be the priest's that offereth it."

Or "every meat offering", whether dressed in one way or another, and which was done in one or other of these three ways. Of which this was one, baked in an oven heated for that purpose.

"And all that is dressed in the frying pan": Such as we call pancakes.

"And in the pan": Which was different from the frying pan. It seems to be what was set upon a hearth made hot, and soon baked (see notes on Lev. 6:21). Of these three different ways of dressing the meat offering (see Lev. 2:4).

Leviticus 7:10 "And every meat offering, mingled with oil, and dry, shall all the sons of Aaron have, one [as much] as another."

Rather it should be rendered "or dry"; that is, as Jarchi interprets it, that has no oil in it. The meat offering in common, let it be dressed in what way whatsoever, was mingled with oil. But in the poor man's offering for sin, which was as a meat offering, no oil was to be put upon it (Lev. 5:11). But whether the offering was with or without oil, moist or dry, it;

"Shall all the sons of Aaron have, one as much as another": It was to be equally divided among them. Or a priest offering it at one time, was to have the same as another priest at another time. It was always alike, all that remained, except the handful that was burnt, was the priest's.

Again here, let us remember that the meat offering had no animal flesh. The things that make bread were the emblems of the meat offering. The meat offering was called meat, because it symbolized the body of Jesus Christ (the Bread of life).

Mark 14:22 "And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake [it], and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body."

In the next verse, Jesus calls Himself the Bread from heaven.

Verses 11-36: The peace offering (see notes on 3:1-17). The purposes for the peace offering are given (in verses 11-18). Special instructions which prevented a priest from being "cut off" (verses 19-27), and the allotment to Aaron and his sons (verses 28-36), are enumerated.

Verses 11-15: A peace offering for thanksgiving shall also be combined with a grain offering (see 2:1-16). The meat had to be eaten that same day, probably for the reason of health since it would rapidly spoil. And for the purpose of preventing people from thinking that such meat had some spiritual presence in it, thus developing some superstitions.

Leviticus 7:11 "And this [is] the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the LORD."

Some other laws and rules respecting the oblation of them. In (Lev. 3:1), an account is given of what they should be, both of the herd and flock, and of the burning of the fat of them. And here the several sorts of them are distinctly observed, what should be offered with them, and the part the priest should have of it, and when the flesh of them should be eaten.

This peace offering reminds us that the only true peace is in Jesus. The peace offering always was after the other offerings, and was given in praise and thanksgiving for what God had done for us through His Son Jesus Christ. We are saved by grace, not by our works. After studying these offerings in the Old Testament, we should be even more thankful for the great, completed work that Jesus did for all who would believe. This peace offering just shows what blessings are in store for those who choose Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Leviticus 7:12 "If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried."

Which Jarchi restrains to the wonderful deliverances of seafaring persons, of travelers, and of such as have been confined in prison, or have labored under violent diseases and disorders of body. And so Aben Ezra seems to understand it only of thanksgivings on account of being delivered out of distress. But it might be for the common mercies of life, or any particular mercy or instance of divine goodness a man was sensible of, and thought proper in this way to make an acknowledgment of it.

"Then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving": Which, if of the herd, was either a bullock or a cow; and if of the flock, was either a lamb or a goat.

"Unleavened cakes mingled with oil": Ten of them, according to the Jewish writers. The measure of flour, of which they were made, were, as Jarchi says, five Jerusalem seahs or pecks. Which were six of those used in the wilderness, and made twenty tenths or omers. An omer being the tenth part of an ephah. The oil they were mingled with, as to the quantity of it, was half a log. A fourth part of it was for the cakes, hastily baked, (said in the latter part of this verse to be fried). An eighth part for those baked, (intended in this clause), and an eighth part for the wafers next mentioned.

"And unleavened wafers anointed with oil": These were a thinner sort of cakes, made without leaven as the others. But the oil was not mixed with the flour in the making of them, but put upon them when made. And therefore, said to be anointed with it; there were also ten of these.

"And cakes mingled with oil of fine flour, fried": These were such as were hastily and not thoroughly baked (Lev. 6:21). Or, as Jarchi and Ben Gersom, they were mixed and boiled with hot water, as much as was sufficient. Or, according to Maimonides, were fried in oil; and there were ten of these, in all thirty.

I see in this, the continual thanksgiving that we should be giving God. He has blessed us so abundantly, far above what we could ask or think. How can we ever thank Him enough?

Leviticus 7:13 "Besides the cakes, he shall offer [for] his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings."

"Leavened bread": Contrast the unleavened grain offering (see 2:11).

In a previous lesson, we mentioned that the leavened bread allowed here is because this offering pleases man. We see in these last lessons, not only the offerings which symbolize the crucifixion of Jesus, but the resurrection as well. The promise for the believer that brings him or her peace, is the hope of the resurrection.

Leviticus 7:14 "And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation [for] a heave offering unto the LORD, [and] it shall be the priest's that sprinkleth the blood of the peace offerings."

That is, one out of the unleavened cakes, and out of the unleavened wafers, and out of the cakes fried, and out of the cakes leavened. Lo, says Aben Ezra, four at least, and the truth is, adds he, there were ten. And so Maimonides says, the priest took out of all the four cakes, one out of every sort, as it is said, "and of it he shall offer one".

"And it shall be the priest's that sprinkleth the blood of the peace offerings": That is, that part of the cakes and bread, which is offered as a heave offering to the Lord, was the portion of the priests. And so Maimonides says, "the bread waved (rather heaved), with the thank offering was eaten by the priests, and the rest of the bread by the owners."

Leviticus 7:15 "And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the morning."

Having given directions about the cakes and bread that went along with the peace offerings, offered in thankfulness for mercies received. Instructions are next given about eating the flesh of them. And the order is, that that;

"Shall be eaten the same day that it is offered": Partly by him that brought them, and his family, and partly by the poor he was to invite to eat thereof. And also by the priests and Levites, who were to have their share of it (see Deut. 12:11).

"He shall not leave any of it until the morning": Which was ordered to encourage liberality to the priests, Levites, and others, since all must be eaten up before morning. According to the Jewish canons, they might eat it no longer than midnight; by that time, it was to be all consumed. And it is said, the wise men made a hedge to the law to keep men from sin.

One of the things that Christian ministers can take from this is, that communion should not be held over to the next service. We should eat all the remaining bread that was offered at the communion service and drink all of the remaining fruit of the vine that was poured out for serving. We should not pour it back in the bottle or put the bread back in the box. All that was prepared to serve must be consumed. Most all these offerings have been dealt with in detail in a previous lesson. Anything you might desire to know, in addition to the mentioned things here, refer back to the place they were previously mentioned.

Leviticus Chapter 7 Questions

1. What one thing does the author believe is the message throughout these offerings?

2. Why does the author believe God allowed the temple in Jerusalem to be destroyed?

3. What did Jesus' sacrifice of Himself do for all who will believe?

4. Where shall they kill the trespass offering?

5. What happened to the blood of the trespass offering?

6. What was the peculiar thing about where the blood of this offering was put?

7. What do horns denote?

8. What was burned in this offering for a sweet savor to God?

9. What was always burned in all the offerings?

10. The ______ of Jesus Christ took on the sins of the world.

11. These inward parts that make a sweet savor to God are like what within Jesus' flesh?

12. Who was to eat of the meat of the offering?

13. Who do these male priests represent?

14. From John 1:12, who may become the sons of God?

15. Which Scripture tells us there is no male or female with God?

16. Leviticus 7:7 says who shall eat of the offering?

17. These priests eating the flesh of the offering symbolize whom?

18. Who gets the skin of the burnt offering?

19. Of what did God make Adam and eve a covering for their bodies?

20. What is the covering for Christians?

21. What was the meat offering really?

22. Who is the Bread?

23. In what Scripture does Jesus call Himself the Bread from heaven?

24. Where is the only true peace found?

25. What two things was the peace offering?

26. Why was the leavened bread allowed in verse 13?

27. What two things do these offerings show us that Jesus did?

28. What is the promise made to believers in Christ that brings them peace?

29. What message for Christian ministers can be found in verses 14 and 15?

Leviticus Chapter 7 Continued

Verses 16-18: "Vow ... offering": The priest could eat the meat the same day or next day, but eating on the third day brought punishment.

Leviticus 7:16 "But if the sacrifice of his offering [be] a vow, or a voluntary offering, it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice: and on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten:"

Be on account of a vow made, as, that if he was favored with such and such benefits, or delivered out of such and such troubles and distresses, then he would offer such a sacrifice.

"Or a voluntary offering": Without any condition or obligation. What from the mere motion of his mind he freely offered. Not being directed to it by any command of God, or under any necessity from a vow of his own, and without any view to; any future good to be enjoyed. Aben Ezra describes both the one and the other thus: A "vow" which he uttered with his lips in his distresses, a "voluntary offering", which his spirit made him willing to bring. A sacrifice to God neither for a vow nor for thanksgiving.

"It shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice": That is, it shall be begun to be eaten then, and if all is eaten up it is very well. But they were not obliged in either of these cases, as in the preceding, to eat up all, and leave none to the morning. For it follows:

"And on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten": Some of it, if thought fit, and could not be conveniently eaten, might be kept till the day after the sacrifice, but no longer.

It seems this offering varies from the other offerings in that this is a voluntary offering, and not a required offering. Of course, all the thank offerings were not required, but they were for a special thing God had done and were expected. This offering here is not expected, just done because the person loves God. The fact that this was a voluntary offering, gave a little more lee-way to the person offering and allowed for two days for it to be consumed. The vow offering would be showing that the vow made to God was completed. The voluntary offering would be a thanks praise to God. This would not necessarily be for any specific thing, but just to praise God for His activities in their life.

Leviticus 7:17 "But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burnt with fire."

What remained of it uneaten on the second day, and was kept till the third.

"Shall be burnt with fire": That it might neither corrupt, nor be put to superstitious uses, nor be of any profit in any respect. That so distrust of the care of Providence might be discouraged. Perhaps some respect may be had in the type to the resurrection of Christ on the third day, having seen no corruption.

Flesh carried over to the third day would certainly be spoiled, in the days when there was no refrigeration. The best thing to do with it would be to burn it up, so no one would be poisoned by it. In many of these offerings, we will see that God takes care of man.

Leviticus 7:18 "And if [any] of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it shall be an abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity."

Any part of it, even the least.

"It shall not be accepted": As a sacrifice well pleasing to God; he will take no delight in it, or express any satisfaction therein. But, on the contrary, reject it with abhorrence.

"Neither shall it be imputed to him that offereth it": The Targum of Jonathan adds, for merit or righteousness. It shall not be accounted a righteous action, or the offeror receive any benefit by it.

"It shall be an abomination": To God, the flesh being kept so long, through a sordid and miserly disposition.

"And the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity": It shall not be forgiven him; he shall bear the punishment of it.

In all the offerings, we have seen that God will not accept things that are rejects. All the animals had to be the best. You can easily see why God would not count it a sacrifice to give Him, in a burnt offering, something that was ruined. We really know that someone who eats bad meat does bear the iniquity. They become very sick.

Verses 19-21: To be "cut off" was to be completely excluded from the community life of the Israelites and removed from God's covenant, either through banishment or execution (Gen. 17:14). Such harsh punishment was always the consequence when a person failed to treat what was holy with proper reverence (Heb. 10:26-31). Paul encouraged believers to demonstrate the same type of reverence and self-examination before partaking of the Lord's Supper (1 Cor. 11:27-29).

Leviticus 7:19 "And the flesh that toucheth any unclean [thing] shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof."

That is, the flesh of the peace offerings. Should it be touched by any unclean person, man or woman. That was so in a ceremonial sense, being menstruous, or having touched anything unclean. Or touched by any unclean creature, as a dog or the like. As it might be while carried from the tabernacle to any of their tents or houses.

"It shall be burnt with fire": That no profit might be had of it; and this was to make them careful in carrying it from place to place.

"And as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof. That are clean in a ceremonial sense; as all that are clean in an evangelic sense. Through the blood and righteousness of Christ, may, by faith, eat his flesh and drink his blood. Jarchi observes, that whereas it is said (Deut. 12:27), "thou shall eat the flesh". Some might object and say, that none might eat of the peace offerings but the owners of them. Therefore, it is said here, "all that be clean shall eat". Not the owners only, nor the priests and Levites only, but whoever the offeror should invite to eat thereof, provided he was clean.

As I have said so many times during these lessons, so many of these ordinances are for the good of man. Notice the burning with fire is not in offering to God. This meat is not good for anything or anyone. The peace offerings were to thank God for fellowshipping with man. When we take of the communion table, we are really remembering and thanking Jesus for making it possible for us to fellowship with the Father. There is peace with God and man, and man should be thankful for it. The shed blood of Jesus Christ is what reconciled us to the Father. When mankind is at peace with God, we are saying that we trust in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross to save us. We are told over and over in the words of Jesus, not to fear, but have faith. The Scripture in John which says; Let not your heart be troubled, makes us know that it is within our power not to worry. Fear is the opposite of faith. Have faith and pray for more faith every day. Learn to trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. He is our only hope. Thank Him for the wonderful payment He made in our stead.

Leviticus 7:20 "But the soul that eateth [of] the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that [pertain] unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people."

That are offered up to him, and so are holy, and therefore not to be eaten by unholy persons. Or by any;

"Having his uncleanness upon him": A person that has an issue running out of him, a gonorrhea (see Lev. 15:2).

"Even that soul shall be cut off from his people": Be disfranchised as an Israelite, be debarred the privileges of the sanctuary. Or be cut off by death before the usual time and term of man's life. So those that eat and drink unworthily in the supper of our Lord, where his flesh is eaten and his blood drank, eat and drink damnation to themselves (1 Cor. 11:29).

We Christians are warned not to eat the communion unworthily in the following verse.

1 Corinthians 11:27 "Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink [this] cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord."

These following Scriptures can say it far better than I could ever express it.

Psalms 24:3-5 "Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?" "He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully." "He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation."

The Lord Jesus Christ took our sin upon His body on the cross, and in turn clothed us with His righteousness, if we have accepted Him as our Savior. Christians have been cleansed from all sin, but as long as we live in a house of flesh, that flesh will desire to sin. For a Christian to please God, our spirit has to rule over our flesh. We must not fall to fleshly temptation, nor should we touch (associate with), the unclean.

Leviticus 7:21 "Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean [thing, as] the uncleanness of man, or [any] unclean beast, or any abominable unclean [thing], and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which [pertain] unto the LORD, even that soul shall be cut off from his people."

Person or thing, the dead body of a man, or the bone of a dead body, or a grave in which it was laid.

"As the uncleanness of man": The issue that runs from a profluvious person (see Lev. 15:2).

"Or any unclean beast": That was so by the law ceremonial (see Lev. 11:4).

"Or any abominable unclean thing": Which the Targum of Jonathan interprets of every unclean reptile (see Lev. 11:20).

"And eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the Lord, even that soul shall be cut off from his people (see notes on Lev. 7:20).

The message for the believers in this is found in the 6th chapter of Hebrews. This Scripture above is speaking of those who have been cleansed and are permitted to eat of this meat. We have said so many times that this is a shadow of those who are Christians eating of the flesh of Jesus. After we have eaten of this Holy One, and then go back into a sinful way of life, and start fellowshipping with those of the earth (the unclean), that soul shall be cut off from God.

Hebrews 6:4-6 "For [it is] impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost," "And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come," "If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put [him] to an open shame."

Leviticus 7:22 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

This formula introduces a fresh communication made to the lawgiver (Lev. 7:22-27). Containing explanations and restrictions of the precept laid down in (Lev. 3:17), about the fat and blood of animals. The section before us, therefore, supplements and expands the previous law upon the same subject. Just as the foregoing section supplemented and expanded the regulations about the different sacrifices.

Again, we are reminded here where this message originated and to whom it was given.

Leviticus 7:23 "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat."

Putting them in mind, by repeating to them the laws concerning fat and blood (Lev. 3:17).

"Ye shall eat no manner of fat": If any creature fit for food, whose flesh otherwise may be eaten, and particularly;

"Of ox, or of sheep, or of goats": Creatures used in sacrifice. Though this is not to be restrained to such of them, and the fat of them that were sacrificed. Whose fat was claimed by the Lord as his, and was burnt on his altar. But this is to be understood of the fat of these creatures when killed for their common use, for the food of them and their families. The fat even of these was not to be eaten. That which was not separated from the flesh, but mixed with it, might be eaten, but not that which was separated.

Oxen and sheep and goats were animals that were sacrificed to God many times. God reminded Moses to remind the people that they were to eat no fat from the type of animals that were offered to God. The fat and the blood were reserved for God.

Leviticus 7:24 "And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it."

Of any disease, and is not regularly killed.

"And the fat of that which is torn with beasts": With wild beasts.

"May be used in any other use": As in medicine, for plasters, or for making candles. Or for greasing of anything to make it smooth and pliable, or the like.

"But ye shall in no wise eat of it": Such carcasses themselves were not to be eaten of, and one would think their fat in course must be unlawful. But however, to prevent the doing of it, this particular law was given. And those that broke this were doubly guilty, as the Jews observe. Once in eating things that died of themselves, or were torn with beasts, and again by eating the fat of them.

These animals would be unfit for sacrifice to God. He allowed them to use this fat for purposes other than consumption (eating), by man.

Leviticus 7:25 "For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, even the soul that eateth [it] shall be cut off from his people."

As oxen, sheep, rams, or goats. Meaning not only the fat of those that are offered, but the fat of all those of the like kind.

"Even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people" (see notes on Lev. 7:20). Maimonides observes, that the punishment of cutting off is enjoined for the eating of fat, because men used to count it delicious. For which reason also God would honor his sacrifices with it. And he further observes, that the fat of the intestines contains too much fatty acids, hinders digestion, generates gross and frigid blood, hence it is much better it should be burnt than eaten. And that blood and what dies of itself are of difficult digestion, and of bad nourishment. Wherefore the latter is forbidden in (Lev. 7:24). And the former in (Lev. 7:26), of the punishment for eating fat.

This is stealing the things of God for your own personal use. This sin would be against God Himself. This would be a deliberate act of defiance toward God. It would even be like trying to say we are equal with God. Many false teachers today are saying that man, who is saved by Jesus Christ, is equal with God. This is false. We Christians are not equal with God. We are His servants, who have been adopted into His family. We share in the inheritance, because Jesus purchased our right to the inheritance for us, but we will never be a god.

Leviticus 7:26 "Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, [whether it be] of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings."

Of any of the above creatures, or any other, even of any clean creature, and much less of an unclean one.

"Whether it be of fowl or of beast": Of all sorts and kinds. Jarchi thinks, the words being thus expressed, the blood of fishes and locusts is excepted, and so lawful to eat.

"In any of your dwellings": This shows that this law is not to be restrained to creatures slain in sacrifice in the tabernacle, and to the blood of them. But to be understood of all such as were slain in their own houses for food, and the blood of them.

All blood belongs to God. Many devil worshippers today drink blood in their meetings. If nothing else told of their terrible error, this should. God has forbidden man to drink or eat blood throughout the Bible. Even in the New Testament, one of the ordinances is to eat no blood.

Acts 21:25 "As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written [and] concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from [things] offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication."

This is the law of the early church, but notice, they must refrain from the taking of blood by eating or drinking it.

Leviticus 7:27 "Whatsoever soul [it be] that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people."

The Targum of Jonathan adds, of any living creature, that is, of any while it is alive. For the Jews always interpret the law (in Gen. 9:4), of the member of a living creature torn off from it, and its flesh with the blood eaten directly.

"Even that soul shall be cut off from his people": Maimonides observes, that to some sorts of food that cutting off is threatened, particularly to blood. Because of the eager desire of men to eat it in those times, and because it precipitated them to a certain species of idolatry. He means that of the Zabians, of which (see note on Ezek. 33:25). Of the true reason of the prohibition of eating blood under the law (see Lev. 17:10).

There is great freedom in Christianity, but notice that there were a few things so abominable to God, that they will not be overlooked. God will still hold a person responsible for drinking or eating blood.

Leviticus Chapter 7 Continued Questions

1. The vow, or the voluntary offering, could be eaten when?

2. Why was this variation from the normal allowed?

3. What did the vow offering show?

4. What was to be done with anything left to the third day?

5. What would happen to flesh unrefrigerated by the third day?

6. In many of these offerings, God was doing what?

7. What was any of the flesh eaten on the third day to God? One word.

8. What happens to a person who eats bad meat?

9. What were they to do with flesh that touched any unclean thing?

10. Why could not the burning of this spoiled flesh be an offering to God?

11. The peace offerings were for what purpose?

12. When we take communion as Christians, what are we doing?

13. What reconciled the Christians to the Father?

14. What is the opposite of faith?

15. In what book in the Bible did Jesus say; Let not your heart be troubled?

16. What will happen to those who eat of the flesh, while they are unclean?

17. Where do we find the dangers of Christians taking of communion unworthily?

18. Who shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord, or stand in His holy place?

19. If we are believers, Jesus took our sin upon His body and clothed us with what?

20. We Christians have been cleansed from all sin, but still have to overcome what?

21. How can a Christian please God?

22. What is the message for believers in verse 21?

23. What will happen to the soul who goes back into a sinful way of life, after they have been saved and filled with the Holy Ghost?

24. Why is the verse; "And the LORD said unto Moses, saying," repeated so much?

25. Why were the ox, sheep, and goat named specifically when God said not to eat their fat?

26. Why were they allowed to use the fat in verse 24, for other purposes other than eating it?

27. What is verse 25 speaking of?

28. What false teaching is being passed off as being Christian?

29. Who are the Christians in Christ?

30. What do many devil worshippers in our day do, that is an abomination to God?

31. What does Acts 21:25 tell us about the law of the early church?

32. There is great ____________ in Christianity

Leviticus Chapter 7 Second Continued

Verses 28-36: This summary of sacrifices from the preceding chapters is a reminder that Yahweh prescribed these offerings as an act of mercy, to enable His people to approach Him and please Him. All these offerings were fulfilled in the perfect sacrifice of Christ on the cross.

Leviticus 7:28 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

At the same time the above laws were delivered; for what follows relates to the sacrifice of the peace offerings.

"Saying": As follows.

When we see this statement made by the LORD, we know we begin a new train of thought. Remember, LORD here means Jehovah.

Leviticus 7:29 "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, He that offereth the sacrifice of his peace offerings unto the LORD shall bring his oblation unto the LORD of the sacrifice of his peace offerings."

"Offerings ... sacrifice": The worshiper made a peace offering from his sacrifice so that the Lord received the blood (verse 33), and the fat (verse 33). The priests received the breast (verses 30-31), and the right thigh (verse 33). The worshiper could use the rest for himself.

As I have said so many times, we must see a message for Christians in this, if we are to benefit by studying these offerings. We mentioned this before, but it bears repeating again. The only peace any of us have is the peace that Jesus brings us. Jesus is THE KING OF PEACE. He is our peace.

Ephesians 2:14 "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us];"

The He, in this Scripture, is Jesus. We are saved by grace and nothing else, but those who are truly saved want to work for God. There are 3 Scriptures (in James 1), I would like to quote here in regards to this.

James 2:18 "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works."

James 2:20 "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"

James 2:26 "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."

Verses 30-32: "Wave offering": This was a symbolic act indicating the offering was for the Lord. Bread (Exodus 29:23-24), meat (Exodus 29:22-24), gold (Exodus 38:24), oil (Lev. 14:12), and grain (Lev. 23:11), all served as wave offerings. Another type of offering was the heave offering. Jewish tradition portrayed the wave offering as being presented with a horizontal motion and the heave offering with a vertical motion, as suggested by (Lev. 10:15).

Leviticus 7:30 "His own hands shall bring the offerings of the LORD made by fire, the fat with the breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved [for] a wave offering before the LORD."

That is, such parts of the peace offerings as were to be burnt with fire, as the fat on several parts described in (Lev. 3:3). The owners of the offerings were to bring them in the manner as will be presently observed.

"The fat with the breast, it shall he bring": The fat to be burnt, and the breast for the priest and his sons, as in the following verse (Lev. 7:31).

"That the breast may be waved for a wave offering before the Lord": How this waving was performed (see notes on Exodus 29:24), particularly with respect to these peace offerings it was thus. If a thank offering, the priest takes of the bread brought with it (one cake) out of ten, and lays it with the breast, the shoulder, and the inwards, and waves all upon the hands of the owners, on which he puts the fat. Then the breast and the shoulder above (i.e. upon the fat), then the two kidneys, and the caul, and the liver above them. And if there was any bread, he put it over them, and waved all, putting his hand under the hands of the owner.

One thing we must remember in this and all other offerings; this has to be a deliberate act of the offeror. Just as each person, coming to Christ, has to desire to come to the Lord. The Lord Jesus does not just save everyone; the person being saved has to desire to be saved. I believe that is what is intended above, when it says (His own hands). Salvation is individual. Salvation is for whosoever will. We have to desire salvation to receive it. God will not overrule our will and save us. Salvation comes to those who turn their will over to God's will. We must be willing to be saved. There is something man has to do to be saved. In an act of our own will, we must believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior.

Acts 16:31 "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."

When the offering was waved before the LORD, even though it was not burned up, it was first offered to God. Things Christians give to the church, even though it pays the preacher's salary, are offerings to God.

Leviticus 7:31 "And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall be Aaron's and his sons'."

Of burnt offering, even the fat upon the inwards, the two kidneys, the flanks, the caul, and liver.

"But the breast shall be Aaron's and his sons": Which being waved before the Lord for a wave offering, was the Lord's, and so was given to his priests to eat of, for the service done by them. It being but reasonable that they that serve at the altar should live of it. And thus, with other things, a maintenance was provided for the priests and their families. As it should also to be for Gospel ministers under the present dispensation.

We see in this that it is not wrong for the servants of God to live of the gifts brought to God. God has His portion, but the ministers also, may partake of the gifts of God.

1 Corinthians 9:13-14 " Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live [of the things] of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?" "Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel."

Leviticus 7:32 "And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest [for] a heave offering of the sacrifices of your peace offerings."

Whether of an ox or a cow, a lamb or a goat.

"Of the sacrifices of your peace offerings": Which were of either of these creatures. The Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it, "the right arm from the shoulder to the elbow." The breast being the seat of wisdom, and the shoulder of strength. Some think this denotes Christ as the wisdom and power of God unto his people, his priests. Who have all their knowledge and strength from him. And who bears them on his heart and on his shoulder.

The priest was to have the best offering, after it was heaved (dedicated), to God. The right side was always the best blessing. The heave offering was waved from side to side while being lifted up and down. Even though this was not burned as a sweet savor, this heaving showed that it was offered to God.

Leviticus 7:33 "He among the sons of Aaron, that offereth the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, shall have the right shoulder for [his] part."

Who sprinkled the blood of them upon the altar round about, and burnt the fat upon it, which were rites enjoined to be observed (Lev. 3:2).

"Shall have the right shoulder for his part": His particular part and share, because of his service. Aben Ezra remarks, that the right shoulder was given to him that sprinkled the blood, and the breast to all the priests. And Jarchi observes, that he that was fit for sprinkling the blood, and burning the fat, and went out an unclean person in the time of sprinkling the blood, or burning the fat, had no part in the flesh.

In this offering, the best was given to the priest who offered the blood of this offering. The word that was translated shoulder here, means to run. On an animal all four legs are used to run, so it could have been any of them. It really does not matter which leg it was. It does matter that it was from the right side, which was the better of the blessings. It would have been an honor to offer the blood, and probably meant that it was the son who was directly in line to be the high priest after his father.

Leviticus 7:34 "For the wave breast and the heave shoulder have I taken of the children of Israel from off the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons by a statute for ever from among the children of Israel."

These two parts were particularly pitched upon and selected.

"From off the sacrifices of their peace offering": The rest being allowed the owners, besides what were burnt.

"And have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons, by a statute for ever from among the children of Israel": As long as the priesthood lasted, even to the coming of the Messiah, in whom all these sacrifices would have their accomplishment and their end.

The priests were a family who had no inheritance in the land. They were to live of the things of God. They were to be a separated people who depended entirely upon the Lord. The tribe of Levi actually took the place of the first born in each family. This offering that was theirs was for ever. If you look at their counterpart in our society today, they would be the ministers.

Leviticus 7:35 "This [is the portion] of the anointing of Aaron, and of the anointing of his sons, out of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, in the day [when] he presented them to minister unto the LORD in the priest's office;"

Of his being anointed to the priestly office. This is the part allotted and assigned him for the execution of it. This is the reward, as Aben Ezra interprets it, of his faithful performance of it. Namely, his having the wave breast and heave shoulder of the peace offerings, and a cake out of every one of the unleavened cakes, together with the leavened bread. Besides other perquisites from other offerings.

"And of the anointing of his sons": The successors of him in the priest hood. The Targum of Jonathan adds, above all their brethren the Levites.

"Out of the offerings of the Lord made by fire": Out of such whose fat on the several parts of them was burnt with fire, such as the peace offerings were.

"In the day when he presented them to minister unto the Lord in the priest's office": When they were ordered to be taken out from among the children of Israel, and to be consecrated to, and invested with, the priest's office. As they were by Moses, and presented by him unto him as his priests. At that time the above portion was assigned them, as follows in the next verse.

Aaron and his sons did not choose this job for themselves, but were called of God for this purpose. Ministers could take a lesson from this today. If God did not call you to the ministry, you should not preach. No one should choose the ministry for a profession. The only way God will accept you as a minister is, if He called you. Ministry is a calling, not a profession.

Leviticus 7:36 "Which the LORD commanded to be given them of the children of Israel, in the day that he anointed them, [by] a statute for ever throughout their generations."

Whenever they brought their offerings to be offered up by them, such parts thereof were ordered to be allowed them as theirs.

"In the day that he anointed them": Or from the day they were anointed of Moses, by the direction of the Lord. From that time, they had a right and claim to the above things, out of the sacrifices brought, so Aben Ezra. "He anointed them" (see 8:30). And this was;

"By a statute for ever throughout their generations": In all successive generations, unto the coming of the Messiah, which would put an end to their priesthood. Thus, the Lord provided for the maintenance of his ministers, till that time came. And since it has been the ordinance of Christ, that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel (1 Cor. 9:13).

To try to preach without the anointing of God, would be a disaster. My own personal belief is that God sets persons aside for His ministry from their birth. Sometimes a person may be a long time in answering the call, but it is there from birth. It seems as if God protects those He has called with a special protection all of their life.

Verses 37-38: Moses gives a summary conclusion of (1:3 - 7:36).

Leviticus 7:37 "This [is] the law of the burnt offering, of the meat offering, and of the sin offering, and of the trespass offering, and of the consecrations, and of the sacrifice of the peace offerings;"

"This is the law of the burnt offering": As delivered (Leviticus 6:9);

"Of the meat offering (as in Leviticus 6:14);

"And of the sin offering (as in Leviticus 6:25);

"And of the trespass offering (as in Leviticus 7:1);

"And of the consecrations; of Aaron and his sons to the priest's office (as in Lev. 6:20).

"And of the sacrifice of the peace offerings" (as in this chapter, Leviticus 7:11), for this is only a recapitulation of the several laws respecting these things before observed.

"And of the consecrations": This refers to the offerings at the ordination of Aaron and his sons (see 8:14-36; Exodus 29:1-46).

We see from this that, God provides for those in His service by the unique way of sharing in the gifts offered to Him. These offerings are for man to be able to fellowship with holy God. As we said at the beginning of (chapter 7), all the offerings and the consecrations and the sacrifices are fulfilled for the Christian by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Leviticus 7:38 "Which the LORD commanded Moses in mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their oblations unto the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai."

Or "by" or "near" Mount Sinai. For the above laws were not given to Moses when on the mount, but after the tabernacle was erected. And out of it, as appears (from Lev. 1:1), and to which what follows agrees.

"In the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their oblations unto the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai". Where they were when the above laws were delivered to them, and which wilderness had its name from the mount near to which they now were. And where the tabernacle was pitched, from where the Lord spoke. And so the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it, "in the tabernacle which they made for him in the wilderness of Sinai". There they were ordered to offer their oblations of every sort, as before directed. It should be observed, that this is understood of the command given in the wilderness to offer sacrifices, but not of the sacrifices themselves then offered. Which were not done while there (see Jer. 7:22).

We see these laws were given to Moses at Mount Sinai. They were to be kept forever by God's people. Physical Israel kept these in the physical. Spiritual Israel (Christians), keep all of these when they accept Jesus as the final fulfillment of them all. Jesus fulfilled the law when He gave His body on the cross as our substitution. Thank God, His sacrifice was sufficient for all time for all who will believe. How can you neglect so great a gift? Accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord today. Christians have a hope that the rest of the world does not have. We have the hope of the resurrection.

Leviticus Chapter 7 Second Continued Questions

1. Where is the only real peace found?

2. Why should a Christian study about these offerings?

3. Ephesians 2:14 tells us what?

4. What are we Christians saved by, and nothing else?

5. Faith without works is _______.

6. The body without the spirit is dead, so faith without ________ is dead also.

7. What does the statement "his own hands" say to us?

8. Who is salvation offered to?

9. What must we do to be saved?

10. What did the waving of the offering indicate?

11. What lesson can we learn from 1 Corinthians 9:13-14?

12. Why was the right shoulder mentioned specifically?

13. Describe how the heave offering was made?

14. What did the heaving of this offering show?

15. Who was the best of the offering given to?

16. What does the word shoulder literally translate?

17. Which of the sons was probably the one who offered the blood?

18. What were the priests and their families to live of?

19. The tribe of Levi actually took the place of whom?

20. Who would be the counterpart of these priests today?

21. Who decided Aaron and his sons would be priests?

22. What lesson could modern ministers take from this?

23. Who should choose the ministry for a profession?

24. Ministry is a _______, not a ___________.

25. To try to preach without the ____________ ___ _______, would be a disaster.

26. What purpose did these offerings have?

27. How do the Christians fulfill these offerings and consecrations?

28. Where did Moses receive these instructions?

29. Compare physical Israel and spiritual Israel in all of these offerings

Leviticus Chapter 8

In the last few lessons, we saw God through Moses, training Aaron and his sons in the way all of the offerings were to be made. At the time this was done, the head of each house operated as the priest of his family. Someone may ask, why the family of Aaron was chosen to be the priestly family? The first born son of each family was God's. God worked out a system where each first born son could be purchased back from God by paying the silver shekel of the temple. When Moses came down the mountain with the 10 Commandments, Moses told them all that were on God's side to come to him.

The tribe of Levi came to Moses. At that moment, God decided the priestly tribe would be the tribe of Levi. From the tribe of Levi, God chose Aaron and his sons to be the first high priest and priests to carry on the work in the tabernacle. In the last few lessons, we have seen the things Aaron and his sons were instructed on. Notice, that they were not instructed on how to make a living, or how to conduct worldly lives. They were taught the works of God. Ministers today being taught for the ministry should be taught more Bible and less finance and psychology. Enough said, now we will get on with the lesson.

Verses 1-36: Aaron and his sons were consecrated before they ministered to the Lord. The consecration of Aaron and his sons had been ordered long before (see notes on Exodus 29:1-28). But is here described with all the ceremonial details as it was done after the tabernacle was completed and the regulations for the various sacrifices enacted.

Leviticus 8:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

The following section or paragraph, relating to the consecration of Aaron and his sons, was delivered, according to Jarchi, seven days before the setting up of the tabernacle. But to me it seems to have been delivered after the setting it up, since it was out of the tabernacle that the Lord said all those things recorded in the preceding chapters. And after he had given out the laws concerning sacrifices. Then he renewed the order for the consecration of Aaron and his sons, that they might offer them.

"Saying": As follows.

If we will notice in all this, Moses was God's earthly agent at this time. In fact, we will see Moses in the next few verses acting in the position of God's ordained high priest, in the ordination of Aaron and his sons. Remember, the training these separated men had, was in the ways of God.

Leviticus 8:2 "Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a bullock for the sin offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread;"

"The garments" (see notes on Exodus 28:1-43).

"The anointing oil": Oil was used for ceremonial anointing (8:12, 30).

"Sin offering" (see notes on 4:1 - 5:13, especially 4:3-12).

God gives Moses specific instructions on exactly what he will need in the ordination services. Moses and Aaron must have everything needed ready for the services. In the gathering of the proper materials for this ordination, I see that before a person is ordained of God to be a minister, much preparation is necessary. A person must carefully weigh the cost before beginning. The call of God is without repentance, so we must be sure before we decide to embark on this road.

Leviticus 8:3 "And gather thou all the congregation together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation."

That is, the heads of the tribes and the elders of the people, as Aben Ezra interprets it. For the whole body of the people, and every individual of them, could not be got together.

"Unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation": Taking this for the whole court itself, as it sometimes is. Though no doubt on this occasion as great a number was convened as well could be admitted into the court, or about it. To be spectators and witnesses of the solemn investiture of Aaron and his sons with the priestly office.

This is not to be done privately. This should be an event for all the congregation to witness. You remember, Jesus was baptized in the river Jordan where many had come to be baptized. The congregation must be aware of who God had ordained to lead them, before they would follow his instructions. It is wonderful to be a leader, but the people have to be willing to follow, before you can lead them.

Leviticus 8:4 "And Moses did as the LORD commanded him; and the assembly was gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation."

He convened Aaron and his sons, and the heads of the people, at the door of the tabernacle, and came himself. And brought with him the garments, the oil, and sacrifices, even everything necessary for the consecration.

"And the assembly was gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation": And this was, according to the Targum of Jonathan, on the twenty third day of the month Adar or February. But it rather seems to be later, some time in the beginning of Nisan or March, and before the Passover began (see Num. 9:1).

Notice in all of this, that Moses does exactly as God has instructed him. These are gathered at the entrance, you will note.

Leviticus 8:5 "And Moses said unto the congregation, This [is] the thing which the LORD commanded to be done."

Having convened them, he opened to them the reason of their being called together, which was not done of himself, but by divine direction.

"This is the thing which the Lord commanded to be done": Namely, what follows, concerning the consecration of Aaron and his sons to be priests. And the investiture of them with that office, attended with various rites and ceremonies to be performed, of which they were to be witnesses.

You may remember from the Exodus teaching, that the people feared God greatly, and they had asked Moses to talk to God for them. They were used to hearing from God through Moses. Then it must be Moses to tell them that a new day has dawned, and now they will have new instructions on how to approach holy God. Moses reminds them that this is not instructions from himself, but from the LORD through him.

Leviticus 8:6 "And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water."

Presenting their bodies a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1), Aaron and his sons were officially anointed and appointed to their priesthood. By comparison, Jesus needed no preliminary sacrifices, as He had no sin.

This washing them with water is very similar to baptism. This is washing the ways of the world off of them. This removing the earth from Aaron and his sons was the first step to being ordained of God to do the work He has called them to do. Notice at the beginning of Jesus ministry, even though He had no sin, the ceremonial washing (baptism), was performed. We Christians must be washed in the blood of the Lamb of God (Jesus), before we can put on our robe of righteousness. Even in becoming a Christian, the heart must be prepared (we must repent of our sins). Then we are baptized (buried with Christ, and rise to new life in Him). Then, we are ready to witness for Him.

Leviticus 8:7 "And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound [it] unto him therewith."

To the laver which was in the court of the tabernacle.

"And washed them with water": To show that they should be clean that bear the vessels of the Lord, and offer the sacrifices of the people. All that are in public office in the house of God ought to have both clean hands and a pure heart. To hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience, and to be of a pure and holy conversation. And indeed, all that are made kings and priests to God, as all the saints are, they are washed from their sins in the blood of Jesus (Rev. 1:5).

At the baptism of Jesus, we saw the Dove descend upon Him. Jesus already was full of the Spirit of God within His flesh before baptism, but now He was clothed with the Spirit, as well. God the Father confirmed Jesus' ordination when the voice came from heaven and said

Matthew 3:17 "And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

This coat, put on the priest, was his robe of authority from God. It also was his covering. This robe was of fine white linen, which symbolizes righteousness. This is the same type of white linen that the Christians will wear in heaven (washed in the blood of the Lamb). The girdle was a sash made to hold this robe tight to the body of the priest. The ephod was like a vest that went over the robe. The vest had two onyx stones at the shoulders with the twelve tribes of Israel engraved on them. The priest carried the people on his shoulders. Underneath the onyx stones was a pocket of Gold which held the stones. Gold symbolizes God. This shows me that this tribe was on the high priest's shoulder, but God was there also to undergird and strengthen the high priest for this great task.

This ephod, or vest, was held together with golden chains. So much gold here tells me that the strength of the high priest was in God. On this ephod was the breast plate a span wide and a span long which held 12 stones which represented the 12 tribes of Israel. This tells me that all 12 tribes were not just on the shoulders of the high priest, but on his heart, as well. These stones were also, mounted in Gold. We Christians must be set in Jesus also. The Israelites must be stayed on God (this is what the mounted in gold shows), for the priest to help them. There was a pouch on this ephod between the vest and the heart of the high priest. God would speak through the Urim and the Thummim to the people.

I believe God spoke to the people through the heart of the high priest. I also believe for a minister to be effective in bringing the message of God to the people, God must press into the heart of the minister and speak through the heart of the minister. Even Jesus said He spoke the words of the Father.

John 14:10 " Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works."

I believe in the garment of the high priest; God is showing us that first you must be called to be a minister of God's Word. The next step is to study the Bible and prepare yourself to handle God's Word correctly. The washing shows the putting off of the world and everything of it. Then the ordination begins. God gives the minister the white linen garment of righteousness. A minister must be separated from the world and must live a separated life. They also must be righteous in God's sight. They must be willing to take the whole congregation on their shoulders with the help of God. They must keep the congregation on their heart. The minister must draw strength from God to hold this congregation together. The minister must decide from the beginning, that the message must be God's message that God has placed on the heart of the minister. No ministry based on any other system can ever work. This is God's plan, not man's. One of the most important things in the ministry is to be endowed with power from on High through the baptism (dedication), in the Holy Spirit of God. The power of the minister and his message is when God speaks to the people through them.

Luke 12:11-12 "And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and [unto] magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:" "For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say."

I will say one more time, that to minister is a call of God, not a vocation.

Leviticus Chapter 8 Questions

1. Who was the priest of the family, before God established the Levitical priesthood?

2. How could a family buy back their first born son from God?

3. It is not in today's lesson, but what does silver symbolize?

4. Why did God choose the tribe of Levi to be the family who ministered in the sanctuary?

5. Who was chosen out of the family of Levi to be the high priest?

6. Who were to assist him in the sanctuary?

7. What type of instruction had Aaron and his sons received?

8. What lesson can ministers of our day receive from this?

9. What position was Moses filling before Aaron was ordained?

10. What was to be taken to the sanctuary with Aaron and his sons?

11. What lesson can we modern day ministers receive from Moses and Aaron preparing to bring the needed things to the sanctuary?

12. Where was the congregation to be gathered for the ordination?

13. Why was it necessary for the congregation to see this ordination?

14. It is wonderful to be a leader, but the people must be willing to ___________ before you can lead them.

15. Why did Moses tell the people, this is the thing which the LORD commanded to be done?

16. Why had the people asked Moses to speak to God for them?

17. What was the first thing Moses did to Aaron and his sons?

18. What can we relate this washing to?

19. Why was Jesus baptized?

20. What is the very first thing a person must do to come to God?

21. What does water baptism for a Christian symbolize?

22. What was the order Moses dressed him?

23. What did the Dove descending on Jesus at His baptism, symbolize?

24. What at Jesus' baptism showed that Jesus was ordained of the Father to minister?

25. What was the coat that was put on the priest symbolic of?

26. What was the priest's robe made of?

27. What does white linen mean?

28. What was the ephod similar to?

29. What was on the shoulder of the ephod?

30. What did this symbolize?

31. What does gold symbolize?

32. How was the ephod held together?

33. The strength of the high priest was in whom?

34. What was on the breastplate?

35. What was the shape of the breastplate?

36. What spiritual meaning can we see in the stones of the 12 tribes being on the breastplate?

37. What did the mounting of the stones in gold mean?

38. God spoke to the people through the ________ ___ _____ _______ _________.

39. What was the pocket called that went behind the breastplate?

40. A minister of God must be _________, it cannot be a ____________ with him.

41. What is one of the most important requirements in ministering?

Leviticus Chapter 8 Continued

Leviticus 8:8 "And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim."

The "Urim and the Thummim" are thought to have been carried in a pocket in the High-Priests ephod. It is uncertain exactly how they worked, but some scholars believe these two special stones were flat on one side and rounded on the other, and when they were cast to the ground, God would reveal an answer: either yes (perhaps both landing flat side down), or no (perhaps both landing rounded side down), or no answer at all (if they did not land on the same side).

A feature on the breastplate of the High-Priest by which God's people were given His decision on matters which required a decision (see note on Exodus 28:30).

In our study on Exodus, we went into what the Urim and Thummim meant, but it bears repeating here. The Urim means lights, and the Thummim means perfections. These symbolize complete truth. My own personal belief is that in this Urim and Thummim, there was a very precious diamond with the unspeakable name of God engraved on it. When the breastplate was tightened, the stone pressed into the heart of the high priest, and God spoke to the people through the heart of the high priest. A better way to say, in the breastplate, would be in the pouch behind the breastplate. The Urim and Thummim was not on the same side of the breastplate as the 12 stones of the tribes of Israel. The twelve stones were on the outside for all to see, the Urim and Thummim was on the underside. Jesus Christ is the perfect Light of the world. We can also see in this earthly high priest, a shadow of the eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ our LORD.

Leviticus 8:9 "And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, [even] upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the LORD commanded Moses."

Which was made of fine linen, and was a wrap of that of a considerable length about his head (Exodus 28:39).

"Also upon the mitre, even upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate": Which was put upon the forehead of the high priest. Reaching from ear to ear, and was fastened to the mitre with a blue lace. And had on it this inscription, "holiness to the Lord" (Exodus 28:36), and is here therefore called:

"The holy crown": Denoting both the sanctity and the dignity of the high priest. And typical of Christ, who is holiness itself. And to his people, and is now crowned with glory and honor, being a priest upon the throne. Hence the Jews speak of the crown of the law, and of the crown of the kingdom, and of the crown of the priesthood. And this, as all the rest, was done;

"As the Lord commanded Moses": All these were made according to the divine order, and were put on in the manner and form he directed him. Of the mystery of the mitre and the crown (see notes on Exodus 28:39; 28:36; 28:37).

Mitre comes from the word (mitsnepheth), and it means a tiara or an official turban. This mitre, along with the robe showed the authority of the high priest. The gold plate on the forehead of the high priest meant that the high priest was to keep God ever before him. It also meant that the mind of the high priest should be stayed on God. This gold on the front of the forehead symbolized the power and authority of God in the ministry of the high priest. In all of this, Moses keeps reminding them that God gave these instructions.

Ministers, we should not be wasting God's time and our time on finances, and government. That is someone else's concern. The minister is the spiritual leader of the congregation. The spiritual needs of the congregation should be our priority. This is a holy calling, as you can easily see from the garments of the high priest. When the high priest was ministering in the things of God, He was totally separated from worldly things.

Leviticus 8:10 "And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that [was] therein, and sanctified them."

Which Bezaleel had made, according to the directions which Moses had given him, and he had received from the Lord. This Moses brought with him to the door of the tabernacle, as he was ordered (Lev. 8:2). And now he took it and made use of it as follows:

"And anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein": The altar of incense, the candlestick, and table of showbread.

"And sanctified them": Separated and devoted them to sacred use and service.

The very first thing we must see here, is that this is not just any oil. This is special oil for the purpose of anointing. Let's look back in Exodus and see that this oil is holy ointment.

Exodus 30:23-28 "Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred [shekels], and of sweet cinnamon half so much, [even] two hundred and fifty [shekels], and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty [shekels]," "And of cassia five hundred [shekels], after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin:" "And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil." "And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony," "And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense," "And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot."

We need to see in this that not only the building is to be anointed, but everything and everyone in it. The sanctuary, set aside for worshipping God then or now, should be kept holy. The oil ministers use in the church today to anoint people or the holy things of the sanctuary is pure olive oil, which symbolizes the Holy Spirit of God. We should not use just any oil, because the oil itself must be holy.

Leviticus 8:11 "And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify them."

The altar of burnt offering. The order for anointing it is given in (Exodus 30:28), but in that no directions are given for the manner of doing it by sprinkling. Nor the number of times it was to be sprinkled. Hence Jarchi confesses his ignorance, and says, "I know not how it was ordered about these sprinklings;" but no doubt Moses was instructed of God in what manner to anoint it, and how often. And the number seven may denote the perfect unction of it, and made it a fitter type of Christ, who received the unction of the Spirit without measure.

"And anointed the altar, and all its vessels": Pans, shovels, basins, flesh hooks, and fire pans.

"Both the laver and his foot": Which was for the priests to wash at. And very probably this was done before Moses brought Aaron and his sons there and washed them (Lev. 8:6). Since it seems most proper that it should be consecrated before used, as it follows:

"To sanctify them": Set them apart for sacred use.

We know that the sprinkling seven times, symbolizes that this made it spiritually complete. We have spoken before that to sanctify something means that it has been set aside for God's purpose. Things in the sanctuary then, or in our sanctuaries now, should not be used for other things. These things have been set aside for God's purpose. We must not mix the world in God's house. God's house is holy.

Leviticus 8:12 "And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him."

"To sanctify him": This act was to ceremonially set Aaron apart from the congregation to be a priest unto God, and from the other priests to be High-Priest.

Notice here, that Aaron was set aside for God's work in this sanctifying. He was empowered by the Holy Spirit of God to minister in the anointing. The oil poured on Aaron's head was in such abundance that it ran down his face and even to the hem of his garment. This symbolizes his total dedication to God. You may say, how do you know this ran down to his hem? It was not sprinkled, it was poured. The word translated poured here, means overflowed, in some instances.

Leviticus 8:13 "And Moses brought Aaron's sons, and put coats upon them, and girded them with girdles, and put bonnets upon them; as the LORD commanded Moses."

His four sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. He ordered and directed them to come there, or sent proper persons to fetch them. Or from one part of the court, where they were, he might accompany them there.

"And put coats upon them, and girded them with girdles": Which were made of fine linen (Exodus 39:27). And the coats being made long to reach down to the ankles, needed girdles, especially when in service, that they might perform it more expeditiously.

"And put bonnets on them": Which were made of fine linen also, and differed from the mitre of the high priest only in the manner of rolling up the linen.

"As the Lord commanded Moses": As all the above things were made, so they were all put on, according to the directions Moses received of the Lord, who was faithful in his house, with respect to everything he enjoined him (Heb. 3:2).

In the high priest Aaron, we were seeing a shadow of Jesus, the great High Priest. As in many of the types and shadows, we were also seeing the office of a pastor of a church. Now we will be looking at the sons of Aaron, who symbolize the Christians. The garment here, will be different. There will be no breastplate, or ouches of gold with the 12 tribes on the shoulder. These coats are made of white linen, the same as the garments we Christians will be wearing in heaven. These coats of linen symbolize the righteousness that the Christian takes on as a covering, after Jesus took our sin upon His body. The priests will not have the responsibility of carrying the congregation on their shoulders, or their heart. Christians do have on a garment of authority, but this authority is to use the name of the High Priest and minister in His name. Just as Aaron's son's authority is through Aaron the high priest, so the authority of the Christian is in the name of Jesus. We have power of attorney to use the name of Jesus, and Aaron's sons minister under the supervision of their father. The fact the girdle was on them, showed the presence of God. We see in the bonnet, which was white linen, the covering of pure thoughts. We also see the beauty of holiness in these bonnets. There was no gold on this bonnet, as there was under the mitre that Aaron wore.

Exodus 28:40 "And for Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty."

There is really no need to add to this Scripture, it explains the bonnets. Let us look at two Scriptures about the Christian's covering for the head, since these priests symbolize the believers in Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 "But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation."

Ephesians 6:17 "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:"

White linen symbolizes righteousness in Christ. This linen bonnet could easily be thought of as the helmet of salvation then.

To summarize this lesson, we must realize the significance of these priests and the high priest to our churches today. Remember that in this particular Bible study, we are looking at the spiritual message that is to be found in each of the verses. Go back through this lesson again, and see if we Christians and the pastors of our churches are living up to this high calling of God. If not, what are we going to do about it?

Leviticus Chapter 8 Continued Questions

1. What is this particular lesson about?

2. In what order was Aaron dressed?

3. What does Urim mean?

4. What does Thummim mean?

5. What do these two words symbolize, that can be summed up in one word?

6. What does the author believe was in the Urim and Thummim?

7. What does the author believe was engraved on it?

8. How did God speak to the people?

9. Who is the Light of the world?

10. Who is a shadow of the eternal High Priest Jesus Christ?

11. What was put on Aaron's head?

12. What was on Aaron's forehead?

13. What does mitre really mean?

14. The mitre, along with the robe of Aaron, showed what?

15. What 2 things did the gold plate on the forehead mean?

16. What warning to present day ministers can we see in the mitre and the gold on the forehead?

17. From the garments of the high priest, we see that the call of a minister to work for God is a _______ calling.

18. What did Moses anoint, besides Aaron?

19. Could Moses use any oil for this anointing? Explain

20. Why do Christian ministers today use pure olive oil to anoint with?

21. The sanctuary, then or now, must be kept _______.

22. How many times did Moses sprinkle the altar?

23. What does this number tell us?

24. What does the word sanctify mean?

25. How did Moses anoint Aaron?

26. What does the word that was translated here "poured" mean?

27. The oil going from the top of Aaron's head to the hem of his garment meant what?

28. What did Moses put on Aaron's sons?

29. How did the coat and other garments vary from Aaron's garments?

30. What was different about the bonnet Aaron's sons wore and the mitre Aaron wore?

31. In Aaron, what 2 shadows do we see?

32. In Aaron's sons who do we see a shadow of?

33. Who, besides Aaron and his sons, will wear white linen garments of righteousness?

34. How do the responsibilities of Aaron and his sons vary?

35. What authority do the Christians have?

36. What head covering are the Christians to put on?

37. What is the sword of the spirit?

38. What significance does this lesson hold for Christians and Christian leaders?

39. Are you as a person living up to the high calling of God?

Leviticus Chapter 8 Second Continued

Verses 14-17: (See notes on 4:3-12).

Leviticus 8:14 "And he brought the bullock for the sin offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sin offering."

To the tabernacle, into the court of it, to the altar of burnt offering there. That is, he caused it to be brought thither as he was ordered (Exodus 29:10).

"And Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sin offering": Their right hands, according to the Targum of Jonathan, which is not improbable, thereby as it were transferring their sins to it, and confessing them over it. Acknowledging their guilt, and that they deserved to die, as that creature would. Which was to be a vicarious sacrifice for sin, and whose blood was to purify and sanctify the altar, at which they, sinful men, were to serve.

Leviticus 8:15 " And he slew [it]; and Moses took the blood, and put [it] upon the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation upon it."

Not Aaron, nor any of his sons, who as yet were not fully consecrated and installed into their office. But Moses, as follows:

"And Moses took the blood": Which was received into a basin when the bullock was slain.

"And put it upon the horns of the altar round about with his finger": Upon the four horns of the altar, which were at the four corners of it. And dipping his finger into the blood, he besmeared the horns with it, and drew it about with his finger here and there. And so is said to be done round about the altar, as these horns were.

"And purified the altar": Or cleansed it. Not from moral guilt and pollution, which it was incapable of, but from all ceremonial pollution it might be supposed to have.

"And poured the blood at the bottom of the altar": The rest of the blood he did not use about the horns.

"And sanctified it": Separated it from common to sacred use.

"To make reconciliation upon it": That it might be fit to have sacrifices offered on it to make atonement and reconciliation for sins. For which reason, it was necessary it should itself be pure and holy, in such sense it was capable of being so.

It is the shed blood which reconciles to God. We went into great detail in an earlier lesson on the significance of these things. I will just touch on a few here, since it is repeating an earlier lesson. In that lesson, we learned that the laying of the hands on the head of the animal, was symbolically transferring sin to the animal. No forgiveness was possible without the shedding of blood, and this animal becomes the substitute for Aaron and his sons. I will remind you that horns symbolize power. This animal is not only taking care of the sins of Aaron and his sons, but the blood is cleansing the altar. Remember in a previous lesson, the blood at the foot of the altar, which was swallowed up by the earth, symbolized the blood of Jesus that was shed for all the earth. We mentioned in the last lesson that everything in the sanctuary, as well as the sanctuary itself, was set aside for God's purpose from this moment on, and would not be used for worldly events. Since this sanctuary symbolizes our church building today, this should tell us something.

Leviticus 8:16 "And he took all the fat that [was] upon the inwards, and the caul [above] the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and Moses burned [it] upon the altar."

Called the "omentum".

"And the caul above the liver": The lobe upon the liver, as the Septuagint; or "the caul" and "the liver", so says Jarchi. The liver separately, for he took a little of the liver with it, the caul.

"And the two kidneys, and their fat, and Moses burned it upon the altar": The fat of these several parts, which has been often observed was done. And in imitation of which, the same has been done by the Persians and their Magi, as related by Strabo and others. And by the Romans, to which Persius refers. And these several parts are generally covered with fat in fat creatures, and especially sheep, as Aristotle observes.

It is important to remember again, that these inward parts, symbolize the inward parts of Jesus. These elements make a sweet smelling savor to God when they are totally burned up. Jesus glorified the Father in His crucifixion. The flesh of Jesus was as a man, but inside He was Immanuel (God with us).

Leviticus 8:17 "But the bullock, and his hide, his flesh, and his dung, he burnt with fire without the camp; as the LORD commanded Moses."

Aben Ezra observes, that some say that he did this himself. And others, that it was done by orders, that is, he ordered others to do it, which seems probable enough (see note on 4:11).

"As the Lord commanded Moses (Exodus 29:14).

This symbolizes the flesh of Jesus, which became cursed for us, when He took the sin of the whole world upon His body. Just as Jesus was crucified outside the camp, this offering was totally burned up outside the camp. Jesus fulfilled every aspect of these Old Testament sacrifices and offerings. There are several things we must look at in all of this. Moses is still acting as high priest here. This flesh is not eaten, but burned. Aaron and his sons have not begun to minister in the sanctuary at this point. There would be no one to eat the meat. This blood offering was to purify, not only Aaron, but his sons and the altar. After this offering, Aaron will be ceremoniously clean.

Verses 18-21: (See notes on 1:3-17).

Leviticus 8:18 "And he brought the ram for the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram."

One of the two he was ordered to take (Lev. 8:2).

"And Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram": As they had done before on the head of the bullock (see Lev. 8:14). Their right hands, as the Targum of Jonathan, and that at the same time.

Leviticus 8:19 "And he killed [it]; and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about."

That is, Moses killed the ram, as the Septuagint version expresses it.

"And Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about": As he did the blood of the bullock (Lev. 8:15).

After the sin offering, Aaron would be clothed with righteousness, like we are when we put our sin on Christ and receive His righteousness. Now after this burnt offering, Aaron will be holy in the sight of God. We dealt with all of this in the burnt offering in an earlier lesson. This brings peace and confidence to Aaron.

Leviticus 8:20 "And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses burnt the head, and the pieces, and the fat."

Cut off its head and quartered it.

"And Moses burnt the head, and the pieces, and the fat": Even all of it, as the following verse shows.

Leviticus 8:21 "And he washed the inwards and the legs in water; and Moses burnt the whole ram upon the altar: it [was] a burnt sacrifice for a sweet savor, [and] an offering made by fire unto the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses."

The one being taken out, the other cut off.

"And Moses burnt the whole ram upon the altar": It was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet savor, and an offering made by fire unto the Lord. As the Lord commanded Moses (see Exodus 29:18).

We went into the washing of the inward parts and the legs in another lesson, but we will just touch on it here. God will not accept an unclean offering. The most important part of our coming to the LORD, is that we are cleansed inside. We have talked before about how God will not settle for anything less than a pure clean heart. Many people profess to be followers of God, and from the outside looking on they are, but God looks at the heart of man. God wants us to be clean from the inside out.

Leviticus 8:22 "And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram."

Or "filling", or "fullness's". Because, as Jarchi says, these filled and perfected the priests in their priesthood. This was the finishing and consummation of their consecration. What is said in this and the three following verses (Lev. 8:23), is the same as is ordered (Exodus 29:19), and needs no further explanation (see notes on Exodus 29:19; 29:20; 29:21; 29:22).

This second ram, is actually a peace offering. When a ram is offered for a peace offering, it is called the ram of consecration.

Verses 23-24: "Right ear ... right hand ... right foot": Using a part to represent the whole, Aaron and his sons were consecrated to listen to God's holy Word, to carry out his holy assignments, and to live holy lives.

Leviticus 8:23 "And he slew [it]; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put [it] upon the tip of Aaron's right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot."

Before casting forth the blood round the altar in the usual manner, Moses took a portion of the blood and put some of it on the right extremities of each of the priests. This, being performed with the blood of the peace-offering, has been supposed to figure the readiness of the priest who is at peace with Yahweh to hear with the ear and obey the divine word. To perform with the hand the sacred duties of his office. And to walk with the feet in the way of holiness.

This probably seems silly to some, but I personally believe it is one of the most vivid instructions in the Bible for people who are called of God to minister. Remember, from the statement above, that this is the offering of consecration to God. Notice the three things that were consecrated to God. Always, the right side was the spiritual blessing. The right ear being consecrated to the LORD would mean that the priest being consecrated would listen to clean things. His hearing would be cleansed by the blood. The thumb of his right hand being anointed with the blood, would indicate that everything he put his hand to do would be clean through the blood. Then this priests work for the LORD would be a pure, holy work. This priest should not do anything except God's work. We see in this great toe of the right foot of this priest being anointed, that the walk of the priest anointed must be holy. This should be a good example for all those who are called to minister for God. We must not stay and listen to unholy conversation, everything we do should be a godly task, and our walk should be holy as well. Have we consecrated ourselves to this extent?

Leviticus 8:24 "And he brought Aaron's sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about."

Having performed these symbolical acts upon the high priest, Moses now repeats the same in the case of the four ordinary priests. The right members were chosen for these symbolical acts because they are represented as the strongest, and are therefore most able to execute the will of God (see also Exodus 29:20). The cured leper had the same parts of the body touched with the blood of the trespass offering (see Lev. 14:14-17).

The thing that we must see in this is that the priests, sons of Aaron, also were anointed with the blood of consecration on their right ear, the thumb of their right hand, and their great toe of their right foot. The sons of Aaron are types of the believers in Christ. We must see in this that all Christian's walk, work, and hearing must be stayed on God. I have said so many times in these lessons, that Christianity is a daily walk. If we are true Christians, our desire will be to be Christlike. When you are saved, you become a brand new person in Christ. Old habits and sins have passed away.

Leviticus 8:25 "And he took the fat, and the rump, and all the fat that [was] upon the inwards, and the caul [above] the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right shoulder:"

After the sin offering and burnt offering had been presented on their behalf, this was their peace offering. By which they declared the pleasure which they felt in entering upon the service of God and being brought into close communion with Him as the ministers of His sanctuary. Together with their confident reliance on His grace to help them in all their sacred duties.

This says to me that when I became a Christian, I was not just clean on the outside, but everything within me was cleansed also. I think these following Scriptures say it all.

2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

A person who is saved in Jesus Christ is a separated person consecrated to the life Christ desires for them. You cannot be a true Christian and be involved in worldly things.

Leviticus 8:26 "And out of the basket of unleavened bread, that [was] before the LORD, he took one unleavened cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and put [them] on the fat, and upon the right shoulder:"

Moses was ordered to take (Lev. 8:2).

"That was before the Lord": Being brought to the tabernacle, where now the Lord had taken up his residence.

"He took one unleavened cake": Which had no oil in it or upon it.

"And a cake of oiled bread": Which was mixed and tempered with oil.

"And one wafer": Which was anointed with oil.

"And put them upon the fat, and upon the right shoulder": Of the ram of consecration, which he took from it, and laid the cakes uppermost upon them.

Leviticus 8:27 "And he put all upon Aaron's hands, and upon his sons' hands, and waved them [for] a wave offering before the LORD."

The fat and the right shoulder, with the cakes upon them.

"And waved them for a wave offering before the Lord" (see notes on Exodus 29:24).

Leviticus 8:28 "And Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt [them] on the altar upon the burnt offering: they [were] consecrations for a sweet savor: it [is] an offering made by fire unto the LORD."

After they had been waved before the Lord.

"And burnt them upon the altar, upon the burnt offering": Of the other ram; or after that burnt offering, as Jarchi. Who observes, that we do not find that the shoulder of peace offerings was offered in any place but this, it belonged to the priest. But this being at the consecration of the priests, it was offered to the Lord by Moses, to whom it seems to have belonged, as the breast also. But that was not burnt, but eaten. And the same writer affirms, that Moses ministered all the seven days of the consecration in a white shirt, or surplice. And that he might wear a linen coat, as priests did, is not improbable, since he now officiated as one.

"They were consecrated for a sweet savor": Acceptable to the Lord, and so the priests, Aaron and his sons likewise, on whose account they were made.

"It is an offering made by fire unto the Lord": The fat, the shoulder, and the cakes.

We know that Jesus is the Bread. We see that Aaron and his sons lifted the bread up to heaven and waved this offering before the Lord. The following Scriptures show that the disciples and we who claim to be believers have handled the Word of God.

1 John 1:1-3 "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;" "(For the life was manifested, and we have seen [it], and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)" "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship [is] with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."

Leviticus Chapter 8 Second Continued Questions

1. Who laid their hands on the offering in verse 14?

2. Where did Moses put the blood in verse 15?

3. What reconciles us to God?

4. What did the laying of the hands on the animal symbolize?

5. What is this animal for Aaron and his sons?

6. What did the blood being poured at the foot of the altar symbolize?

7. What in the sanctuary, was set aside for God's purpose?

8. What does the sanctuary symbolize?

9. What lesson can we learn from this?

10. What did Moses do with the fat from this bullock?

11. Who did Jesus glorify in His crucifixion?

12. The flesh of Jesus was as ______, but the inside of the flesh was ______________.

13. What does Immanuel mean?

14. What of the bullock, was burned without the camp?

15. The flesh of Jesus became ___________ when it took our sin upon it?

16. Who is Moses acting as, in these ceremonies?

17. Why do Aaron and his sons not eat this flesh?

18. The first ram was brought for what kind of offering?

19. After the sin offering, Aaron would be clothed with what?

20. What does the washing of these inward parts show us?

21. What kind of heart does God want His followers to have?

22. The second ram brought was called the ram of _________________.

23. What is this second ram offering really?

24. What three parts of Aaron's body did Moses put the blood on?

25. Why was this the right side and not the left?

26. What did putting the blood on the right ear symbolize?

27. What did putting the blood on the thumb of the right hand symbolize?

28. What did the putting blood on the great toe of the right foot symbolize?

29. Were Aaron's sons touched with the blood on their right ear, right big toe and on the thumb of their right hand?

30. What message is in this for we Christians.

31. Christianity is a daily _______.

32. What does Galatians 2:20 say about the life of a Christian?

33. If any man be in Christ, he is a _____ ____________.

34. If you are involved in worldly things, you cannot be a ______________.

35. Who is the Bread?

36. What does the Scripture mean by handling the Word of God?

37. Where do we find the Scriptures that tell us the answer to 36?

Leviticus Chapter 8 Third Continued

Leviticus 8:29 "And Moses took the breast, and waved it [for] a wave offering before the LORD: [for] of the ram of consecration it was Moses' part; as the LORD commanded Moses."

Of the ram of consecration.

"And waved it for a wave offering before the Lord": This Moses seems to have waved with his own hands, and not upon the hands of Aaron and his sons. Putting his under them, as in the wave offering of the fat, shoulder, and cakes, and for which the following words seem to give a reason (see note on 7:30-32).

"For of the ram of consecration it was Moses's part": The breast of it was his.

"As the Lord commanded Moses (see Exodus 29:26).

This is to be eaten of Moses, after it was waved before the LORD. You remember that Moses was fulfilling the office of high priest in these ceremonies, so he was to eat this breast that had been waved before the LORD.

Leviticus 8:30 "And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which [was] upon the altar, and sprinkled [it] upon Aaron, [and] upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon his sons' garments with him; and sanctified Aaron, [and] his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him."

Which was sprinkled upon the altar round about (Lev. 8:24). And these two seem to be mixed together, since it follows.

"And sprinkled it upon Aaron": etc. (see notes on Exodus 29:21).

As we have said in these lessons before, Aaron was a shadow not only of the ministers in the church, but his primary shadow was of Christ the great High Priest. The main difference shown in this particular verse is that Aaron's anointing was of this earth and was a partial anointing. Jesus was the fullness of the godhead bodily, and was not High Priest for a season, as Aaron was, but the High Priest forever. The priesthood of Jesus is not limited to this earth, but is for heaven as well.

Leviticus 8:31 "And Moses said unto Aaron and to his sons, Boil the flesh [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and there eat it with the bread that [is] in the basket of consecrations, as I commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons shall eat it."

After he had offered the bullock, the two rams, and cakes of unleavened bread for the consecration of them.

"Boil the flesh at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation": The remainder of the flesh of the ram of consecration, which was all but the fat, the shoulder, and the breast.

"And there eat it with the bread that is in the basket of consecration": What was left of that, there being one cake of a sort taken out of it and burnt.

"As I commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons shall eat it" (see Exodus 29:32).

Remember again, that this second ram was the ram of consecration. It was really the peace offering. We must not lose sight of the fact that these sons of Aaron are shadows, or representatives, of all Christians. We also, noted that this flesh of the ram and the bread are symbolic of the flesh of Jesus.

John 6:53 "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you."

Here again, we see that not only the ministers are to take of the Bread of Jesus, but all believers in Christ are to take of it as well.

Leviticus 8:32 "And that which remaineth of the flesh and of the bread shall ye burn with fire."

Until the next morning, which could not be eaten by Aaron and his sons.

"Shall ye burn with fire": That it might not be corrupted, nor put to common nor superstitious uses.

This is not to be mishandled, since it represents the flesh of Jesus. Ministers can take note of this as well. When we put out the Bread or the Fruit of the vine for communion, we are not to put what is left over back for another time. What has touched the serving trays must be consumed by the minister and the person who prepared it, or burned in the fire.

Verses 33-36: To emphasize the importance of following God's law, Aaron and his sons remained inside "the door of the tabernacle of the congregation" for the seven days of consecration. Their failure to obey the law would lead to death.

Leviticus 8:33 "And ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation [in] seven days, until the days of your consecration be at an end: for seven days shall he consecrate you."

Which was the time of their consecration, so long it lasted. And they had provision enough every day from the ram of consecration, whose flesh they were to boil and eat. The Jewish writers are puzzled where they should ease nature, since the place was holy. But the orders are not to be considered as so strict but that they might go in and out, though they were not to stay long, or to attend to any other business. And it was always necessary there should be some upon the spot, keeping the Lord's charge in their turns. And it was always requisite that they should also sleep alternately. For it cannot be thought that they should be all this time without rest, any more than without food.

"Until the days of your consecration be at an end": Which were to continue so long.

"For seven days shall he consecrate you": That is, Moses, who here speaks of himself in the third person, as appears from (Exodus 29:35). Aben Ezra observes, that the word "end" is wanting, and that the sense is, at the end of seven days he shall consecrate you, finish their consecration. All the seven days he was doing it, and at the end of the seventh concluded it.

This seven day period shows that his dedication to the service of the sanctuary was complete. This also shows total separation from the world. Seven as you remember, means spiritually complete.

Leviticus 8:34 "As he hath done this day, [so] the LORD hath commanded to do, to make an atonement for you."

The same were to be repeated every day until the seven days were ended. So Jarchi and Aben Ezra.

"To make an atonement for you, of the business of the day of atonement": And say, that it may be learned from hence that the high priest was obliged to be separate (from his own house and family), seven days before that. And so, the priest that burned the red heifer; and the same is observed by other Jewish writers. But this refers to neither of these cases, but to the present consecration of Aaron and his sons. And the making atonement by sacrifice for them, and the sanctification of them to minister in the priest's office.

The instructions that God had given Moses, have been carried out to the letter. This is what we must remember as well. Do it God's way. All the schemes we figure up in our mind to help our ministry will not help. Do it God's way, and it cannot fail. His way is perfect.

Leviticus 8:35 "Therefore shall ye abide [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the LORD, that ye die not: for so I am commanded."

"Keep the charge of the LORD": The commandment of God ordered Aaron and his sons to do exactly as the Lord had spoken through Moses. Disobedience would meet with death.

Abide means to continually stay. We can see in the position at the door of the sanctuary, the fact that the ministers of the Word of God are not in heaven (holy of holies). Neither are they in the world (outside the gate of the tabernacle). The minister, (who Aaron represents), and the Christians, (who Aaron's sons represent), are actually on their way to heaven, but not there yet. All we who profess to be Christians, may be in the world, but we are not of this world. Our ultimate destination is heaven.

1 John 2:15-17 "Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." "For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." "And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

This tells the position of the minister and the believers in Christ. The minister's duty is to guard the entrance of the sanctuary. The work of the LORD is not a part time job. If you are acceptable to God, you must be a Christian 24 hours a day, seven days a week. God will not settle for less. In the next few verses, Christians are instructed on how to watch while they are still on earth.

1 Thessalonians 5:4-8 "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." "Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness." "Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober." "For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night." "But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation."

To me, one of the saddest parables in the Bible, is the parable of the 10 virgins. Spiritual virgins are all believers in Christ. This tells me that all ten of the virgins were believers. Five were ready, and five were not, when the call came. I believe this shows us the condition of Christians today. It doesn't matter whether they are the head of a church, or just a member. Remember with me one more time, that Aaron represents the leaders of the church and his sons represent the believing congregation. We read in the last Scripture above from Leviticus, "Abide, that ye die not. What could cause them to die? They could die if they step back into the world or let the world come in at the door. I will not belabor this, but we see the world creeping into the church today. We see many of our leaders going in and out to the world, and then coming back into the church. The warning if we do that, is DEATH. Will you be one of the five virgins that has watched and kept your lamp burning, or will you be one of the five who tired waiting for the LORD and let your lamp burn out?

Leviticus 8:36 "So Aaron and his sons did all things which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses."

They submitted to have them done to them, and for them, what was done on the first day of their consecration, all the rest of the days. And they kept within the tabernacle all that time as was enjoined them.

To obey is better than sacrifice.

1 Samuel 15:22 "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams."

God is sending a warning to our churches and their people today in these verses here in Leviticus. I can just hear some of you saying how ridiculous to study the Old Testament to know how to live today. What do the Scriptures themselves say about this?

1 Corinthians 10:11 "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."

I said at the beginning of these lessons in Leviticus, it would be of no use at all to study this book of the Old Testament, if we could not see instructions for living pleasing lives before God today. Chapter 8 has taught us what our churches, and all who believe in the LORD should do today.

Leviticus Chapter 8 Third Continued Questions

1. Leviticus chapter 8 verse 29 says that what part of the offering was for Moses?

2. What was to be done with this breast of the animal, before it was given to Moses?

3. What 2 things did Moses sprinkle on Aaron and Aaron's sons?

4. What else did Moses sprinkle besides Aaron and his sons?

5. What 2 was Aaron a type and shadow of?

6. Who were Aaron's sons' representative of?

7. What was the main difference between Aaron's anointing and Jesus' anointing?

8. What were Aaron's sons to do, before they ate the flesh?

9. What was to be eaten with the flesh?

10. What do both the flesh and the Bread represent?

11. The second ram offered was a ram of ________________.

12. What type offering was this really?

13. In John 6:53, what 2 things must you do to have life?

14. Who is communion for?

15. What was to be done with any flesh left over?

16. What lesson can ministers get from this?

17. How long are Aaron and his sons to stay at the door of the tabernacle?

18. What does this period of time tell us about this consecration?

19. What does abide mean?

20. What 2 places do we see from verse 35 that ministers are not?

21. What in the tabernacle represents heaven?

22. Where pertaining to the tabernacle represents the world?

23. Christians are ____ the world, but not ____ the world.

24. In 1 John 2:15, we are warned not to love what?

25. If you do love this forbidden place, what is not in you?

26. What 3 things are specifically mentioned that are bad in the world?

27. How many hours are all believers to be stayed upon God?

28. In 1 Thessalonians Christians are called children of the ________.

29. We Christians are not to sleep, but do what 2 things?

30. What is the breastplate Christians should put on?

31. What is the helmet we should wear?

32. What does the author believe is one of the saddest parables in the Bible?

33. In the parable, who are the virgins?

34. What does this tell us about our present church?

35. What does the Scripture tell us that these happenings are for those upon whom the end of the world are come?

36. Which of the ten virgins do you fall into?

37. Why should believers in Christ study the Old Testament?

Leviticus Chapter 9

Verses 1-24: This chapter relates the inauguration of the tabernacle service. Aaron first offered a "young calf for a sin offering" and "a ram for a burnt offering" for himself. He had already been washed, clothed, and anointed for service. Thus, it might seem surprising that he is so soon to offer up a sin offering. Yet this is a reminder of our need of daily cleansing from sin due to its defilement. The "young calf" was unique; for no other person at any time was such a sacrifice needed. It is possible that the connection is with his preparing a golden calf (in Exodus chapter 32). The burnt offering symbolized his need for consecration wholly to God. For the people in addition to a sin offering and a burnt offering, there were to be presented a "meat" [grain] "offering" and "a sacrifice of peace offerings". The "grain offering" symbolized the consecration to God of the fruit of one's labor. It indicated that all of their toil or activities should be dedicated to God. And the "peace offerings" conveyed the concept of fellowship and communion with God.

Leviticus 9:1 " And it came to pass on the eighth day, [that] Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel;"

When the seven days of consecration were ended, as Ben Gersom. The day following them, so soon was Aaron called to the execution of his office. And so, both the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi make it to be the eighth day of the consecration. Or the day after the anointing of Aaron and his sons, and which they both say was the beginning. Or first day of Nisan, the day the tabernacle was erected by Moses. But that seems to have been set up before the consecration. Rather this was, as Aben Ezra says, the eighth day of the month Nisan or March, and was the eighth day of the consecration. Which began at the first day, on which day the tabernacle was set up (Exodus 40:2).

"That Moses, called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel": Aaron and his sons to enter upon their office, by offering sacrifices for themselves, and for the people, and the elders to be witnesses thereof.

The number 8, throughout the Bible, means new beginnings. Just as a son was circumcised on the eighth day of life, we find that Aaron was completely consecrated for the priesthood on the 8th day. Aaron was in his days of consecration 7 days and now on the eighth day, he will take on the office of high priest. From the eighth day on, Aaron will be carrying on the office of high priest in the tabernacle. At first, Moses will still be advising Aaron of God's will, but Aaron will be handling the offerings as high priest. The elders of Israel were called, so they would realize it was God's will for Aaron and his sons to take care of the people's needs toward God in the tabernacle. Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week. Grace is a new beginning in Christ. An Old Testament account which strongly speaks of new beginnings, is the account of Noah, his wife, his 3 sons, and their wives. These 8 would start over again to populate the earth. I think all of this leaves no doubt that 8 means new beginnings.

Leviticus 9:2 "And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young calf for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer [them] before the LORD."

In the presence of the people of Israel.

"Take thee a young calf for a sin offering": One not exceeding a year old (as in Lev. 9:3). But this was not for the sin of making the golden calf only, to which the Jewish writers restrain it. But for all other sins of his, which it was necessary should be expiated before he offered sacrifices for the sins of others.

"And a ram for a burnt offering": Being a strong and innocent creature, was a proper emblem of Christ, the Lamb of God that takes away, by his sacrifice, the sins of men.

"Without blemish": This character belongs, as Aben Ezra observes, both to the calf and ram, which were both to be without spot. And so, proper types of Christ the Lamb without spot and blemish, free both from original and actual sin.

"And offer them before the Lord": On the altar of burnt offering, which stood in the court of the tabernacle near where Jehovah was. To whom every sacrifice for sin was to be offered, being committed against him, and whose justice must be satisfied for it.

The biggest difference here, is that Aaron will be the one to offer the animal, not Moses. Because Aaron is not fully trained in all of this, Moses will direct the next several offerings. We notice in this the guiding hand of Moses, but the actual killing and offering is done by Aaron.

Leviticus 9:3 "And unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, saying, Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, [both] of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering;"

That is, Aaron should speak to them, for being now high priest, Moses had no more to do with the sacrifices of the people. But it was incumbent on Aaron to call upon them to bring them to him such as the Lord by this law required of them.

"Saying, take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering": This creature fitly represented Christ as made sin, and an offering for sin, instead of his people.

"And a calf, and a lamb": Both of them, as before observed, were proper emblems of Christ in his strength and innocence. Sometimes called the fatted calf, and frequently the Lamb of God (Luke 15:23; John 1:29).

"Both of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering": Denoting the tenderness of Christ, his spotless purity, and painful sufferings.

Leviticus 9:4 "Also a bullock and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD; and a meat offering mingled with oil: for today the LORD will appear unto you."

An offering being made for the atonement of sin, and the gift of a whole burnt offering accepted by the Lord upon that. Peace offerings were to be sacrificed thereupon. One part of which belonged to the Lord, as the fat and the blood; another part to the priest, as the shoulder and the breast. And the rest to the owners to make a feast with, expressive of the peace and joy which arise from the expiation and atonement of sin. By the great sacrifice of Christ, in commemoration of which a feast is kept by the Lord's people.

"And a meat offering mingled with oil": With oil olive; each of these offerings are treated of in the preceding chapters, where an account is given of them, and the mystery of them explained.

"For today the Lord will appear unto you": Or "And today", as in (Lev. 9:6) so Noldius. For this is not observed as a reason why the sacrifices were to be offered, but as a promise of the divine appearance, as an encouragement thereunto. And may have special respect to some visible splendor and luster of the divine glory more than ordinary. And particularly to the fire that should come out from before the Lord, and consume the sacrifice (Lev. 9:24). And so, Ben Gersom interprets it. And this being on the eighth day of the consecration of the priests, may lead our thoughts to the day when our great High Priest rose from the dead, the day after the seventh. Or the Jewish Sabbath, even on the eighth day, or first day of the week, on which he made frequent appearances to his disciples (see Mark 16:9).

This coming and bringing these offerings to the door of the tabernacle by the people, is saying they have accepted Aaron as the high priest. Up until this time, you remember, they would only listen to Moses. You remember from previous lessons, that the high priest was to offer for himself first, so that God would allow him to offer for the people. The high priest's sins must be offered for, before he would be worthy to offer for the people. Ministers must be clean in the sight of God, before they can minister the things of God to the people. In some churches in recent days, we have seen ministers with sins in their lives trying to minister to the people. God calls this the blind leading the blind. Let us read the reference Scripture and see what happens when the blind lead the blind.

Matthew 15:14 "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."

We will not get back into the meaning of each of these offerings here, as we have thoroughly covered them in a previous lesson. I believe in the statement (I will appear before you), has to do with God wanting us to seek contact with Him. The Scripture says where 2 or 3 gather in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Leviticus 9:5 "And they brought [that] which Moses commanded before the tabernacle of the congregation: and all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD."

That is, Aaron and his sons, and all the children of Israel, as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it. All the above sacrifices they brought into the court of the tabernacle to be offered up.

"And all the congregation drew near, and stood before the Lord": That is, the elders of Israel, who were called together (Lev. 9:1). The heads of the tribes who represented the people. As many as well could be admitted into the court no doubt was to be spectators of Aaron and his sons officiating first in their new office. And to see their own sacrifices offered. And they stood over against where was the symbol of the divine Presence. And the Targum of Jonathan says, they stood with a perfect heart. And no doubt but they were heartily sincere and upright in their sacrifices, as they had been in their donations toward the building the tabernacle, and providing things belonging to it. And they stood with all humility, reverence, and devotion.

In our society today, we hear people (who claim to be Christians), saying that they do not need to go to church. This is a trick of the devil. The Scriptures tell us to gather in the LORD's name.

Hebrews 10:25 "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

We must all stand before the LORD on judgement day. It would be much better, if we stand before Him now, so that He will claim us as His own then. We see in the Scripture above that not just a few came, but the entire congregation.

Habakkuk 2:20 "But the LORD [is] in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him."

Leviticus 9:6 "And Moses said, This [is] the thing which the LORD commanded that ye should do: and the glory of the LORD shall appear unto you."

Namely, what they had done, bring the creatures and things for sacrifice they had.

"And the glory of the Lord shall appear unto you": Either Christ, the brightness of his Father's glory, in a human form, as a presage of his future incarnation, as he frequently did. Or some more than ordinary refulgence of glory breaking out of the Holy of Holies. Where God had now taken up his dwelling between the cherubim. Or, as Aben Ezra explains it, the fire that should go out from him, and consume the sacrifice. Which would be a demonstration of his presence with them, and of his acceptance of the sacrifice.

We sing a chorus at our church which says (I want to see Jesus). How can we see God?

Matthew 5:8 "Blessed [are] the pure in heart: for they shall see God."

Glory in the verse above, means splendor. This will perhaps, be the Shekinah glory of God. When we appear before the LORD, we must be pure in our heart. Even though we Christians are forgiven, we should still have a repentant heart.

Leviticus 9:7 "And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar, and offer thy sin offering, and thy burnt offering, and make an atonement for thyself, and for the people: and offer the offering of the people, and make an atonement for them; as the LORD commanded."

This is only observed to show, that as Aaron did not take upon him this office of himself. But was called unto it, and invested with it, by the appointment of God. So, neither did he enter upon it but through the call of God by Moses, in the sight of the congregation.

"Go unto the altar, and offer thy sin offering, and thy burnt offering": The young calf and ram.

"And make an atonement for thyself and for the people": First for himself, and then for the people. For, as Aben Ezra says, a man cannot atone for another until he is pure from all sin. Which is a character only to be found in Christ, our great High Priest. And so, a proper person to atone for and take away the sins of others. Hence the priests under the law, with their sacrifices, could never take away sin really, only typically. And this shows the imperfection of the Levitical priesthood, that the priests of that order were obliged to offer first for their own sins. This our high priest, of another order, needed not to do (see Heb. 7:27).

"And offer the offering of the people, and make atonement for them": Typical of the true and full atonement made by Christ, when he offered himself without spot to God.

"As the Lord commanded": Aaron to do, and as he commanded Christ, his Son and our surety. The antitype of Aaron (John 10:18).

We went into great detail in the first few lessons in Leviticus about how these offerings opened the way to the Father. If you will, these sacrifices and offerings reconciled them to God. Jesus, who is our sacrifice and offering, opened the way to the Father for us. The curtain to the holy of holies tore from the top to the bottom when Jesus' body died on the cross. This tearing of the curtain was not of man's doing. It was opened by Jesus for all who will believe.

Matthew 27:51 "And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;"

Atonement, above, means to cover or cancel. In the case of the offerings Aaron made, it covered; in the case where Jesus offered Himself, it cancelled the sin.

Leviticus 9:8 "Aaron therefore went unto the altar, and slew the calf of the sin offering, which [was] for himself."

Of burnt offering, freely and cheerfully, at the direction and introduction of Moses. Who acted in this affair in the name of the Lord.

"And slew the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself": Which was to be offered first, as it was proper it should, that, atonement being made for his sins, his after burnt offering might be accepted with God. And he be fit to offer the sacrifices of the people. The calf he slew on the north side of the altar, where all the sin offerings and burnt offerings were slain (see Lev. 1:11).

We see from this that Aaron gave his offering first, so that he would be worthy of making the other offerings for the people.

Leviticus 9:9 "And the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him: and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put [it] upon the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar:"

The blood of the calf of the sin offering, which they had received in a basin when it was slain.

"And he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar. The four horns of it, as Moses had done at his consecration, which was an example to him (Lev. 8:15). This was typical of the blood of Christ, to which persons may have recourse from the four quarters of the world for atonement and pardon.

"And poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar": What remained after he had put what was proper on the horns of it.

The only thing we need to remember here, is that the horns show power or strength. The strength lies in the blood of Jesus.

Leviticus 9:10 "But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of the sin offering, he burnt upon the altar; as the LORD commanded Moses."

The Septuagint version is, "he offered them".

"As the Lord commanded Moses (see Lev. 4:8).

We remember from previous lessons that the fat, blood, and inward parts all belong to God. They are burned as a sweet savor to God.

Leviticus 9:11 "And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp."

With common fire, for the fire from the Lord came only upon the altar. Which perhaps may be the reason of this expression being used when anything was burnt without the camp, and not on the altar (see Exodus 29:14). Jarchi observes, that we do not find a sin offering burnt without the camp but this. Which is a great mistake (see Lev. 4:11).

The one important thing to remember here is that this flesh is symbolic of Jesus body which was offered outside the city wall.

Leviticus 9:12 "And he slew the burnt offering; and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled round about upon the altar."

The ram, which was for himself also. This he slew at the north side of the altar (Lev. 1:11).

"And Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood": Which they had received into a basin, when it was slain.

"Which he sprinkled round about upon the altar": As he had seen Moses do before him (Lev. 8:19).

We dealt with these offerings in great detail in the first few lessons of this study. If you cannot remember the significance, go back and review those lessons. Aaron, even though he was to be high priest, had sinned and needed forgiveness, just as his sons did, and just as the congregation did. Aaron is a shadow of the great High Priest, Jesus Christ our Savior. The difference in Aaron and the person of Jesus which he shadowed, was that Jesus had no sin to be forgiven for.

Leviticus 9:13 "And they presented the burnt offering unto him, with the pieces thereof, and the head: and he burnt [them] upon the altar."

After it was cut in pieces, as the ram of the burnt offering was by Moses (Lev. 8:20). And so it was done to this, as appears by what follows.

"With the pieces thereof, and the head, and he burnt them upon the altar": The Septuagint version is, "he put them on the altar".

Leviticus 9:14 "And he did wash the inwards and the legs, and burnt [them] upon the burnt offering on the altar."

As Moses also had done (Lev. 8:21).

"And burnt them upon the burnt offering on the altar": Upon the pieces, and the head, before mentioned. Said to be burnt, or "after" the burnt offering, after they were burnt. The Septuagint version is as before.

I would just like to bring one thing to your remembrance here. The washing was because God would not accept an unclean offering. Aaron did as he had been instructed.

Leviticus Chapter 9 Questions

1. On what day did Moses go back and call Aaron?

2. What is the Biblical meaning of the number 8?

3. What day was Aaron's consecration into the priesthood complete?

4. What position in the priesthood would Aaron hold?

5. Why were the elders called to the tabernacle?

6. What day of the week did Jesus rise from the grave?

7. Grace is ___ _____ _______________ in Christ.

8. What Old Testament account speaks of new beginnings?

9. In Leviticus 9:2, what were the offerings Aaron was to make?

10. When does Aaron actually begin to do the offerings?

11. What wonderful thing had God promised the people after they made these offerings to Him?

12. What are the people saying they have accepted in bringing the offerings to the tabernacle?

13. Who had the people been used to speaking to God for them up until Aaron was named as high priest?

14. What do the Scriptures call ministers with sins trying to minister to their congregation?

15. What happens when the blind lead the blind?

16. What is intended by God saying "I will appear before you"?

17. Where do we find the Scripture that says where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them?

18. Where are we told in the Scriptures to gather in His name?

19. How can we see God?

20. Even though we Christians are forgiven, we should have a ______________ heart.

21. Who is directing Aaron in what he should do?

22. What reconciled the people of the Old Testament to God?

23. Who tore the curtain in the temple from the top down?

24. What 2 things does atonement mean?

25. Whose offering did Aaron make first?

26. What do the horns of the altar symbolize?

27. What 3 things of the animals always belonged to God?

28. Why was the flesh of this animal burned outside the camp?

29. What was the major difference in Aaron the high priest and Jesus the High Priest?

30. Why were the inwards washed before they were offered?

Leviticus Chapter 9 Continued

Leviticus 9:15 "And he brought the people's offering, and took the goat, which [was] the sin offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for sin, as the first."

To the altar, having offered his own first.

"And took the goat, which was the sin offering for the people, and slew it": Where he had slain his own.

"And offered it for sin, as the first": The first offering he offered for himself, which was of the same sort.

In this lesson, I will not get into every little detail about what each item symbolizes. We dealt with those things in a previous lesson. I will however, remind all of us about some of the important differences in each offering. The most important thing to remember here, is that the offering for the entire congregation was the same as for the priest. This again, indicates that the priest will pay a higher price for his sins, because he sinned in knowledge.

Leviticus 9:16 "And he brought the burnt offering, and offered it according to the manner."

The calf and the lamb (Lev. 9:3).

"And offered it according to the manner": Judgment, ordinance, and appointment of God respecting that sort of offerings (see Lev. 1:1).

The thing that stands out to me in this is, that Aaron has learned his lesson well, and he is doing the offerings in the proper order.

Leviticus 9:17 And he brought the meat offering, and took a handful thereof, and burnt [it] upon the altar, beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning."

Made of fine flour, with oil and frankincense put upon it (see Lev. 2:1).

"And took a handful thereof, and burnt it upon the altar" (see Lev. 2:2).

"Beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning": The daily morning sacrifice, which was not to be omitted on account of these extraordinary sacrifices, both for the priest and for the people. Or "after the burnt sacrifice of the morning"; for no sacrifice was offered up before that: so Jarchi.

We must not forget that the meat offering had no animal flesh involved. It contained the elements to make bread. Jesus is the Bread of life. Jesus spoke of His flesh as the Bread.

This Scripture in John makes it very clear why this offering of bread is called meat. It symbolizes the flesh of Jesus.

Leviticus 9:18 "He slew also the bullock and the ram [for] a sacrifice of peace offerings, which [was] for the people: and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar round about,"

That they might feast, rejoice, and be glad that atonement was made for their sins, and their gifts and sacrifices accepted of God (see Rom. 5:11).

"And Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood": Of the peace offerings, the bullock and the ram, which they had received into a vessel as they were killing them.

"Which he sprinkled upon the altar round about": As he did with the blood of his own burnt offering (Lev. 9:12).

The important thing to remember is, that Jesus is our peace.

Ephesians 2:14 "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us];"

Leviticus 9:19 "And the fat of the bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that which covereth [the inwards], and the kidneys, and the caul [above] the liver:"

Which in all offerings was the Lord's, and was burnt (see Lev. 3:16).

"The rump": Or tail of the ram. Which in those countries was very large, and had a great deal of fat upon it (see notes on Exodus 29:22; Lev. 3:9).

"And that which covereth the inwards": Called the "omentum".

"And the kidneys, and the caul above the liver": And the fat that was upon each of these. Ben Gersom observes, that the kidneys and liver are mentioned last, to show that they were laid uppermost in waving (after directed to), that the owners might be stirred up, or moved by these things.

Leviticus 9:20 "And they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar:"

Both of the bullock and of the ram, while they were waving.

"And he burnt the fat upon the altar": After having been waved.

The fat in every offering was God's. The rump here, was actually the fat tail of the animal. The fat and all of these inward parts were to be burned as a sweet savor to the LORD. The breast was not burned here. It was just the fat and inwards burned.

Leviticus 9:21 "And the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved [for] a wave offering before the LORD; as Moses commanded."

The breasts of the bullock and the ram, and the right shoulders of them both.

"Aaron waved for a wave offering before the Lord": Which was given to him as his part of the peace offerings, after they had been thus waved before the Lord. Whereby an acknowledgment was made that he was Lord of all, and had a right to all they had. In token of which these parts were given to his priests towards their maintenance.

"As Moses commanded (see Exodus 29:27).

This waving of the breast and shoulder was raising it up to God in offering, that God might bless it for their consumption later. The priest would eat this breast after it was properly cooked such as boiling or baking.

Leviticus 9:22 And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.

After he had offered the above sacrifices both for himself and them. The manner of the priests lifting up their hands when they blessed is thus described. In the provinces, the priests lifted up their hands to their shoulders, and in the sanctuary above their heads. Excepting the high priest, who did not lift up his hands above the plate of gold. But R. Judah says, the high priest lifted up his hands above the plate, as it is said (Lev. 9:22). The modern Jews describe it thus: they lift up their hands to their shoulders, and they lift up the right hand somewhat higher than the left. Then they stretch out their hands, and part their fingers, and frame them so as to make five airs. Between two fingers and two fingers one air, and between the forefinger and the thumb, and between the two thumbs. They spread out their hands so, that the middle (or palm) of the hand may be towards the earth, and the back part of it towards heaven. Aaron lifted his hands upwards, signifying from whence he implored the blessing, and towards the people on whom he desired it might descend. In this was a type of Christ, who, after he had offered himself a sacrifice for the sins of his people, when he was risen from the dead and about to ascend to heaven, blessed his disciples (Luke 24:50). In Christ, the saints are blessed with all spiritual blessings. By him they are procured for them, through his blood, sacrifice, and satisfaction. And he ever lives to make intercession for the application of them to them (see Eph. 1:3).

"And came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings": From the altar with joy, as the Targum of Jonathan. Being glad he had done his service with acceptance. He is said to "come down", there being a rise or ascent to the altar, which, as Aben Ezra observes, was three cubits high, and therefore it is with propriety said he came down. Which he did as soon as he had made an end of offering all the sacrifices.

Up until this time, all blessings of God spoken on the people had been done by Moses. Now Aaron is taking on his job as high priest. He is speaking a blessing that actually came from God, but God used him to speak it. This lifting up his hands toward heaven showed that Aaron knew where his power came from. All of the offerings had foreshadowed the sacrifice that Jesus would make for us all. This sin offering showed the placing of the sin on the one being offered. Our sins were placed on Jesus and He became our substitute (in the sin offering). In the burnt offering, we see Christ offered up to God (a sweet savor to God). I believe the statement (not my will but thine), is covered in this offering, as we said earlier in this lesson. Jesus is our peace. We could say in the peace offering, not by works, but by grace am I saved. All of these offerings are made in a short time period. It is impossible to separate them totally. They all symbolize some aspect of what God did for all believers through Jesus Christ.

Leviticus 9:23 "And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people."

They went out of the court where the altar of burnt offering stood, and where Aaron had been offering the sacrifices. And they went into the Holy Place, where stood the altar of incense, the showbread table, and the candlestick. And it is probable Moses went in with Aaron there to show him how to offer the incense, to order the showbread on the table, and to light and trim the lamps of the candlestick. And so Jarchi observes, that he went in to teach him concerning the business of the incense. But it may be, it was also to pray for the people, as the Targum, and for the Lord's appearance to them, as was promised and expected. And that fire might descend on the sacrifices as a token of acceptance of them, as Aben Ezra notes.

"And came out, and blessed the people": Aaron had blessed them before, but now both Moses and Aaron blessed them. Atonement being made by the sacrifice of Christ, and law and justice thereby fully satisfied. Christ and the law agree together in the blessing of the Lord's people. The way was hereby made for the communication of blessings to them, consistent with the law of God, and his holiness and justice (Gal. 3:10).

"And the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people": Some visible signs of his glory, some very great splendor or luster, or breaking forth of his glory. Or Christ, the glory of the Father, appeared in a human form, as a pledge of his future incarnation, when all the above sacrifices, which were types of him, would have their accomplishment. And this being immediately upon the offering of them, may signify that the glory of God greatly appears in the sacrifice and satisfaction of Christ, and in the redemption and salvation of his people in that way (Psalm 21:4). And the glorious and gracious presence of God is enjoyed by his people, in consequence of the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ, which was signified by the mercy seat, from whence the Lord communed. And it is through Christ, his blood and sacrifice, saints have access to God, and fellowship with him (Eph. 2:18).

We sing a little chorus at our church which says (I want to see Jesus). I believe that is the desire of all true believers in Christ. I refuse to worship in any church where the presence of God is absent. We know that the presence of God was in the sanctuary in the Holy of Holies. Remember, the congregation could not go into that area. The presence of Moses and Aaron here, shows the people that God speaks through them both. This glory spoken of here I believe, is the Shekinah glory of God. In this the people would not see the face of God, but a great presence of light. This Light would be the same Light that Paul encountered on the road to Damascus when his life was totally transformed.

Acts 9:3 "And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:"

We know that man cannot see the face of God and live. This is a presence of God that cannot be denied, such as a very bright light. Many times throughout the Bible, God has appeared to someone. Usually he appears in some form of fire, or smoke made by fire, or a light.

Leviticus 9:24 "And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: [which] when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces."

Either from heaven, or from the Holy of Holies, where was the symbol of the divine Presence, and Jehovah had now taken up his residence.

"And consumed upon the altar the burnt offering, and the fat": according to Aben Ezra, the burnt offering of Aaron, and of the people, and of the daily sacrifice. For so it is written, besides the burnt offering of the morning (Lev. 9:17). And the fat of the calf and ram of Aaron, and of the goat, ox, and ram of the people, which though they were laid upon the altar at the time of their offering. Yet it is thought by some they were not burnt till now. Yet, with respect to the persons for whom this sacrifice was offered, it denotes acceptance of it, that it was an offering by fire, and of a sweet smelling savor to God. His law and justice being satisfied, and having honor done them. Concerning this fire, and the perpetual burning of it (see notes on Lev. 6:12; 6:13).

"Which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces": Aaron blessing them, and the appearance of the glory of God unto them, no doubt, gave them joy and pleasure, as the spiritual blessings by Christ, and the gracious presence of God do to his people (Psalm 103:1). But what filled them with joy unspeakable was the acceptance of their sacrifices, as typical of the sacrifice of Christ, and atonement by it, which made them shout. And the court to ring with it; and yet fell down on their faces with all reverence and humility, under a sense of the divine Majesty being so near unto them, in this sensible token of his presence.

There was fire already present on the altar for these offerings. Generally, the fire under the offerings would take the period of a full day to consume the offering. This was an unusual fire then. Look in the following verse what God calls Himself.

Hebrews 12:29 "For our God[is] a consuming fire."

This fire that totally consumes this offering then is the fire of God, which came from the Holy of Holies and consumed these offerings. This very same thing happened when Solomon dedicated the great temple in Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 7:1 "Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house."

This is the very same thing that happened to Moses, Aaron, and the people here. God was so pleased, that He overwhelmed them with His presence. His immediate consumption of the offering showed that He was greatly pleased with their offering. One more time that I think shows this same thing so strongly, is when Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to call fire from heaven. If they had consumed the offering with fire, they would win. If Elijah's God consumed his offering, they were all to follow Elijah's God. Let us see what happened.

1 Kings 18:19-39 "Now therefore send, [and] gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table." "So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel." "And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD [be] God, follow him: but if Baal, [then] follow him. And the people answered him not a word." "Then said Elijah unto the people, I, [even] I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets [are] four hundred and fifty men." "Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay [it] on wood, and put no fire [under]: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay [it] on wood, and put no fire [under]:" And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken." "And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress [it] first; for ye [are] many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire [under]." "And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed [it], and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But [there was] no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made." "And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he [is] a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, [or] peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked." "And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them." "And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the [time] of the offering of the [evening] sacrifice, that [there was] neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded." "And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD [that was] broken down." "And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:" "And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed." "And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid [him] on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour [it] on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood." "And he said, Do [it] the second time. And they did [it] the second time. And he said, Do [it] the third time. And they did [it] the third time." "And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water." "And it came to pass at [the time of] the offering of the [evening] sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou [art] God in Israel, and [that] I [am] thy servant, and [that] I have done all these things at thy word." "Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou [art] the LORD God, and [that] thou hast turned their heart back again." "Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that [was] in the trench." "And when all the people saw [it], they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he [is] the God; the LORD, he [is] the God."

The effect of the extreme presence of God is always the same. They fall on their face to worship Him. This manifestation is so great; it leaves no doubt that this is God. Read the rest of 1 Kings chapter 18 of to get the full story.

To sum up this lesson, Moses has followed God's instructions. Aaron is installed as high priest. God is pleased, and the people realize this is God's plan, and not man's plan.

Leviticus Chapter 9 Continued Questions

1. What was different in the people's offering and the priest's offering?

2. What lesson can we learn in this?

3. What is strange about the meat offering, being called meat?

4. What do the elements of the meat offering make up?

5. Who is the Bread?

6. What does the offering of bread as a meat offering symbolize?

7. Who is the Christian's peace?

8. The fat in every offering belonged to whom?

9. The fat burned made a ________ ________ to God.

10. What did the waving of the breast symbolize?

11. Who had spoken the blessings of God to the people, before Aaron was ordained?

12. What did the fact that Aaron raised his hands toward heaven symbolize?

13. Jesus was our ____________ for our sin, in the sin offering.

14. Jesus was a sweet savor unto God for us in which offering?

15. In which offering was Jesus our peace?

16. What is the desire of every true Christian?

17. Where was the presence of God ordinarily, in the tabernacle in the wilderness?

18. What does the author believe the glory of the LORD to be?

19. Who did this glory appear to?

20. What did Paul see, when the glory of the LORD appeared to him?

21. What did the Fire do that came out in front of the people?

22. What effect did this have on the people?

23. What happened when Solomon had finished praying, when the temple in Jerusalem was dedicated to God?

24. What did this immediate consumption of the offering by God show the people?

25. What false god did Elijah and the real God discredit on Mount Carmel?

26. How many prophets of Baal prayed to their false god?

27. How long did they pray?

28. Did their long prayer help?

29. What other obstacle did Elijah place before God?

30. What happened when Elijah prayed to the real God?

31. What effect did this have on the people?

32. Sum up this lesson.

Leviticus Chapter 10 Continued

Verses 8-11: The tabernacle priests were not to "drink wine or strong drink" before conducting their sacred duties, because they were more likely to make serious errors that might lead to their death, as Nadab and Abihu had done (Prov. 20:1).

Taken in its context, this prohibition suggests that intoxication led Nadab and Abihu to perform their blasphemous act (compare Prov. 23:20-35; 1 Tim. 3:3; Titus 1:7).

Because he was a prophet, Aben Ezra says. But the reason rather seems to be, because he was the High-Priest, and now invested with his office, and in the execution of it. And therefore, the following law respecting the priest's drinking of wine was given. Some say, as the same writer observes, that God spake to him by Moses; but it rather seems that he spoke to Aaron immediately. According to Jarchi, this order was delivered to him as a reward for his silence, and to do honor to him on that account.

Notice the change in who the LORD speaks to here. We have been reading over and over (the LORD spoke to Moses), but here He speaks directly to Aaron. This is because Aaron is the anointed High-Priest. Now God would speak to the people through Aaron the High-Priest.

Leviticus 10:9 "Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: [it shall be] a statute for ever throughout your generations:"

As the command that the priests are to abstain from any intoxicating liquors when performing their sacred functions follows so closely upon the death of Nadab and Abihu. The opinion obtained as early at least as the time of Christ that there is a connection between the specific sin and the general law. That the two sons of Aaron drank wine to excess when they offered strange fire, and that the present prohibition is based upon that circumstance. Accordingly, the Apostle enjoins that a bishop "must not be given to wine," that "deacons must not be given to much wine" (1 Tim. 3:2-3). A similar law existed among the ancient Greeks and Persians, enjoining the priests to abstain from wine.

"Nor strong drink": The word (shēchār) here rendered strong drink, is the general name of intoxicating drinks, whether made of wheat, barley, millet, apples, dates, honey, or other fruits.

"When ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation": Better, when ye go into the tent of meeting. The Palestinian Chaldee adds here, "as thy sons did who died by the burning fire." The same precept is repeated in (Ezek. 44:21), "Neither shall any priest drink wine when they enter into the inner court." The injunction that on these particular occasions the priests are to abstain from taking it clearly implies that, ordinarily, when not going into the tent of meeting. That is, when not performing their sacred functions in the sanctuary, they were not forbidden to use it if required.

This is the Scripture that makes many believe that Nadab and Abihu were drinking in the sanctuary when God struck them dead. They had been eating their part of the offering, and it is not too wild a speculation that they were probably washing it down with a little wine. The truth of the matter is that most people cannot stop with just a glass of wine and usually become intoxicated. The best way not to get drunk, is not to take the first drink. The entire sanctuary was a very holy place. No drinking at all should have taken place here. All strong drink was forbidden to the priests while they were serving in the sanctuary. God tells Aaron directly, here, that (strong drink will never be allowed), in the sanctuary. There are several instances in the Bible when strong drink brings disaster. Lot got drunk, and each of his daughters slept with him and committed incest. The families these 2 girls had from these babies were always at odds with God.

Genesis 19:33-36 "And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose." "And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, [and] lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father." "And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose." "Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father."

In a drunken stupor, Lot had done what he would have never done had he known what he was doing. Alcohol harms those who get involved in its use then, or now. Most all the ordinances God has placed on man are for man's benefit.

Leviticus 10:10 "And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;"

That being sober they might be able to distinguish between the one and the other. Which a drunken man, having his mind and senses disturbed, is not capable of. As between holy and unholy persons, and between holy and unholy things. Particularly, as Aben Ezra interprets it, between a sacred place and one that is common, and between a holy day and a common week day. The knowledge and memory of which may be lost through intemperance. And so, that may be done in a place and on a day which ought not to be done, or that omitted on a day and in a place which ought to be done.

"And between unclean and clean": Between unclean men and women, beasts and fowls, and clean ones. And between unclean things in a ceremonial sense. And those that are clean, which a man drinking liquor may be no judge of. Hence, as the above writer observes, after this section follow laws concerning fowls clean and unclean, the purification of a woman after childbirth, the leprosy in men, garments and houses, and concerning menstruous persons. All which the priests were to be judges of, and therefore ought to be sober.

If drinking is bad for the world, then it is terrible for those who are the called of God. Alcohol causes confused thought. A person who has been drinking does not have full control of himself and would probably make the wrong decision many times. Holiness requires separation from all worldly things. Alcohol is very definitely worldly.

Leviticus 10:11 "And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses."

"Teach the children of Israel": It was essential that alcohol not hinder the clarity of their minds, since the priests were to teach God's law to all of Israel. They were the expositors of the Scripture, alongside the prophets who generally received the Word directly from the Lord. Ezra would become the supreme example of a commendable priest (Ezra 7:10).

We see that the responsibility to teach the people the things of God has been taken off Moses, and is now on Aaron. It is Aaron's responsibility to teach the congregation the way to live day to day in a way pleasing unto God. We have spoken before about the difference in an evangelist and a pastor. One of the pastor's duties is to teach the people to live daily lives pleasing unto God. We see from this that Aaron is to do the job of a pastor of the church now. God gave them these statutes through Moses. Moses gave them the instructions, but Aaron is to see that they keep them from day to day. In this, you can see the role of the evangelist in Moses and the role of pastor in Aaron.

Leviticus 10:12 "And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it [is] most holy:"

Of the burning, as the Targum of Jonathan. Who survived his other two sons that were burnt, who remained alive. Not being concerned with them in their sin, and so shared not in their punishment.

"Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the Lord made by fire": For all but the handful that was burnt of that kind of offerings belonged to the priests (see Lev. 6:14). This meat offering, according to Jarchi, was the meat offering of the eighth day. That is, of the consecration, or the day after it was finished, on which the above awful case happened (Lev. 9:17). And also the meat offering of Naashon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah, who offered his offering first at the dedication of the altar, on the day the tabernacle was set up. Which he supposes was on this day (see Num. 7:1). Now these meat offerings were not as yet eaten, and which may be true of the first of them, wherefore Aaron and his sons, notwithstanding their mourning, are bid to take it.

"And eat it without leaven beside the altar": The altar of burnt offering in the court of the tabernacle, as directed (see notes on Lev. 6:16).

"For it is most holy": And so might be eaten by none but holy persons, such as were devoted to sacred services, and only in the holy place, as follows. Within hangings, where the most holy things were eaten, as Jarchi. That is, within the court of the tabernacle, which was made of hangings.

In this message, Moses continues the service that had been interrupted by the death of Aaron's 2 sons. Notice, Moses reminds them not to sin in the eating of the meat offering, lest they too might die. In other words, he says do it exactly the way you were instructed and do not add to or take away from the instructions. We see from the verse above, Aaron has 2 more sons Eleazar and Ithamar.

Leviticus 10:13 "And ye shall eat it in the holy place, because it [is] thy due, and thy sons' due, of the sacrifices of the LORD made by fire: for so I am commanded."

Not in that which was properly so called, but in the court of the tabernacle. At the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, as Aben Ezra. In some apartment there; for it was not to be carried out of the sanctuary, and eaten in their own houses or tents, as others might, after mentioned.

"Because it is thy due, and thy sons' due, of the offerings of the Lord made by fire": And not any others. Neither his wife nor his daughters, nor any other related to him, or whom he might invite, as in other cases, might eat of it. This none but he and his sons might eat of, and nowhere else but in the sanctuary.

We remember from the earlier lessons that this was the part Aaron and his sons were to eat of the offering. They were to live of the things of the sanctuary.

Leviticus 10:14 "And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place; thou, and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee: for [they be] thy due, and thy sons' due, [which] are given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel."

The breast of the peace offerings that was waved, and the shoulder of them that was heaved before the Lord. These were given by him to the priests, towards the maintenance of their families (Lev. 7:34). And they might be eaten anywhere, provided the place was clean from all ceremonial pollution, and in which there were no polluted persons, as leprous ones. They were to be eaten within the camp, as Jarchi observes, where lepers came not. For, as he adds, the light holy things, such as these were, might be eaten in every city. And so it is said in the Misnah, and by the commentators on it.

"Thou and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee": These were not restrained to him and his sons only. As the meat offerings, and the flesh of the sin offerings were, but were common to the whole family.

"For they be thy due, and thy sons' due": For their service of the sanctuary, and by the appointment and direction of the Lord.

"Which are given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel": Of which (see Lev. 7:1). These are said to be "given out" of them, for the whole was not given, only the breast and shoulder. And after the fat was burnt, the rest belonged to the owners, with which they kept a feast of joy and thankfulness.

The quarters that the family lived in is the place intended, but even in this place there must not be anything or anyone that would cause it to be unclean. As we said before, the priest's family was to live of the things of the tabernacle.

Leviticus 10:15 "The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave [it for] a wave offering before the LORD; and it shall be thine, and thy sons' with thee, by a statute for ever; as the LORD hath commanded."

Not the priests, but the owners to the priests (Lev. 7:29). With the offerings made by fire of the fat. Upon the inwards, kidneys, and caul of the liver, which was all burnt.

"To wave it for a wave offering before the Lord": The shoulder was lifted up, and the breast waved to and fro before the Lord of the whole earth. And towards the several parts of it, to show and own his right to all they had. And then they were given to the priests as a token of it.

"And it shall be thine, and thy sons with thee": Both the shoulder and the breast.

"By a statute for ever": To be observed as long as the ceremonial law and Levitical priesthood lasted. Even to the end of the Jewish age and economy, and the coming of the Messiah.

We will remember one thing in particular about this offering, which we have covered in other lessons. The heaving and waving of this before the Lord was thanking God for this and other blessings He had provided.

Verses 16-20: "Moses" was initially "angry" with Eleazar and Ithamar when he discovered they had "burnt" the entire carcass of the people's sin offering (9:15), instead of eating it as prescribed (6:26), until Aaron explained that the tragic events of the day had eradicated their hunger. God had mercy on them because they had done everything else properly.

Leviticus 10:16 "And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron [which were] left [alive], saying,"

The Targum of Jonathan says, "three goats were offered on that day. The goat of the new moon; of the sin offering for the people; and of the sin offering. Which Naashon the son of Amminadab offered at the dedication of the altar. Aaron and his sons, it adds, went and burnt these three. Moses came and sought, etc. "Jarchi also speaks of three goats offered, but says that only one was burnt, the goat of the new moon. And so Ben Gersom, who gives this reason for the diligent search after it, because it was always to be offered up, and was not a temporary affair, as the others were. But it rather seems to be the goat of the sin offering for the people, for it is not certain that the other goats were offered on this day, but this was (see Lev. 9:15). Now according to the law, the flesh of this goat was not to be burnt, but to be eaten by the priests in the holy place (see Lev. 6:25). Moses now suspecting that Aaron and his sons, through their grief for the death of Nadab and Abihu, had neglected the eating of it, sought diligently after it, and so it proved.

"And, behold, it was burnt": As they had no appetite to it themselves, they burnt it, that it might not be eaten by any others, for none but they might eat it, and that it might not corrupt.

"And he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron, which were left alive": When their two elder brothers were killed with lightning for doing what was not commanded, which should have made them more observant of the laws of God, to do that which was commanded them. And though they were spared, and survived their brethren, yet they transgressed, in burning the sin offering of the people, when they should have eaten it. Jarchi observes, that he expressed his anger not to Aaron, but to his sons. Which he did for the honor of Aaron, laying the blame not on him, who was overwhelmed with grief, but on his sons.

In the confusion, when the 2 sons of Aaron had been killed of God, a grave error had been made in the offering Aaron had made. The sin offering which should have been eaten by the priest, had been burned. The error was, that Aaron had not eaten the meat of this offering for the congregation. Possibly in the commotion that followed the death of 2 of Aaron's sons there was a mistake made. Aaron took the blame upon himself for not seeing this done properly. He was so disturbed about his sons defiling the sanctuary, that he just overlooked this detail.

Leviticus 10:17 "Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it [is] most holy, and [God] hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD?"

The sin offering was one of the most holy things, and therefore to be eaten only in the sanctuary. Though this was not the fault they are here charged with that they had eat it, but not in the Holy Place. For they had not eaten it at all, but burnt it, as appears from the preceding verse. This is what they are blamed for particularly, though they are reminded of the whole law concerning it, that it was to be eaten by them. And that it was to be eaten in the Holy Place, the reason of which is given. But they had not eaten it anywhere.

"And God hath given it to you, to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the Lord?" For by eating the sin offering, or sin itself, as it is in the original text (see Hosea 4:8). They made the sins of the people, for whom the offering was, in some sense their own. And they bore them, and made a typical atonement for them. In which they were types of Christ, who was made sin for his people, took their sins upon him, and by imputation they were made his own. And he bore them in his own body on the tree, and made full satisfaction and atonement for them. Now since the eating of the sin offering of the people was of so great importance and consequence, the neglect of it by the priests was very blameworthy.

We see from this that, the ceremonial value of the priest eating this is what is concerning Moses. The minister of the congregation certainly does take the sins of the people on themselves as this states here. The main thing I see in this, however, is that Jesus the High Priest, has born the iniquity of us all. Jesus our High Priest is our atonement.

Leviticus 10:18 "Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within the holy [place]: ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy [place], as I commanded."

When that was the case, indeed, the flesh of the sin offering was not to be eaten, but burnt (see Lev. 6:30). But this was not the case now, and therefore its flesh should have been eaten, and not burnt.

Moses has seen the wrath of God devour two of Aaron's sons this day, and he is reminding Aaron of the seriousness of what he has done.

Verses 19-20: Aaron's explanation for their failure to eat their portion of the offering was grief rather than defiance; thus, Moses' anger was relieved. Good leaders learn to balance fault and penalty; some mistakes merit grace than severe consequences.

Leviticus 10:19 "And Aaron said unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD; and such things have befallen me: and [if] I had eaten the sin offering today, should it have been accepted in the sight of the LORD?"

For what Moses had said was said in his presence, though not addressed to him directly, but to his sons. And he was sensible that he was pointed at, and that if there was any blame in this affair, it lay as much or more on him than on his sons. And therefore, he takes it upon him to give an answer, and to excuse the fact as well as he could.

"Behold, this day they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord": That is, the people of Israel had brought a kid of the goats for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb for burnt offering. And he and his sons assisting him, had offered them for them. Even on the very day his two eldest sons were removed by death in an awful manner.

"And such things have befallen me": At this very time, soon after the above sacrifices were offered, happened the death of his two sons. Which occasioned great anguish and distress, grief and sorrow, so that he could not eat of the sin offering. He had no appetite for it, and if he had, he thought in his present circumstances it would not have been right, as follows.

"And if I had eaten the sin offering today, should it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord? He being a mourner. The Jews say a high priest may offer, being a mourner, but not eat. A common priest may neither offer nor eat. And which they illustrate by this passage, that Aaron offered and did not eat, but his sons did neither.

Aaron gives his excuse for his actions here. He first defends the 2 remaining sons, by saying they have offered their sin offering. Then Aaron says, that because his other 2 sons sinned so great a sin in the sanctuary, he was not sure God still wanted him to eat the flesh of the offering. All of these statements are understandable under the circumstances.

He rested satisfied with his answer, either because he thought it reasonable, seeing the letter of the law often times yields to necessities or great accidents (2 Chron. 30:18; Matt. 12:3-4). Or at least because the things alleged were mitigations of his fault, and he would not add affliction to the afflicted, but rather defer the debate of it to a fitter opportunity.

In this we see that Moses accepts Aaron's excuses. Moses, it seems, was still in the position of authority over Aaron. It was in his (Moses' power), to excuse the oversight.

Leviticus Chapter 11

Verses 1-47: This section contains further legislation on the consumption of animals. Abel's offering hints at a "post-Fall/pre-Flood" diet of animals (Gen. 4:4). After the Noahic flood, God specifically had granted man permission to eat meat (Gen. 9:1-4), but here spelled out the specifics as covenant legislation. All of the reasons for the prohibitions are not specified. The major points were:

(1) That Israel was to obey God's absolute standard, regardless of the reason for it, or the lack of understanding of it; and

(2) Such a unique diet was specified that Israel would find it difficult to eat with the idolatrous people around and among them.

Their dietary laws served as a barrier to easy socialization with idolatrous peoples. Dietary and hygienic benefits were real, but only secondary to the divine purposes of obedience and separation.

Verses 1-8: Of the four-legged animals, only those with a divided hoof that also chewed the cud were permissible to eat. This included cattle, sheep, goats, and deer and excluded camels, rabbits, and pigs. The prohibition against eating "their flesh" also meant not touching their "carcase". Even the carcasses of clean animals were considered unclean (11:39-40; Deut. 14:3-8).

Leviticus 11:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,"

The one being the chief magistrate, and the other the high priest, and both concerned to see the following laws put into execution. According to Jarchi, the Lord spoke to Moses that he might speak to Aaron; but being now in office, and one part of his office being to distinguish between clean and unclean, the following discourse is directed equally to him as to Moses.

"Saying unto them": As follows.

Leviticus 11:2 "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These [are] the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that [are] on the earth."

For to them only belong the following laws, and not unto the Gentiles, as Jarchi rightly observes. These were parts of the ceremonial law, which was peculiarly given to them, and lay, among other things, in meats and drinks.

"These are the beasts that ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth": They are not particularly mentioned here, but they are in (Deut. 14:4). And they are these ten: The ox, the sheep, and the goat, the hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois. Of all (see notes on Deut. 14:4-5). Here's only some general things are observed to describe them by, as follow.

We will be studying in this lesson the dietary laws that God sent down to His chosen people. In the practice of the Mosaic law, it was very important what you ate and drank. Under grace all things are clean for the Christian, if they are prayed over before they are eaten.

1 Timothy 4:4-5 "For every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:" "For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer."

We also know about the sheet lowered from heaven, and Peter directed to kill and eat things that he had classified as unclean.

Acts 10:11-15 "And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:" "Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air." "And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat." "But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean." "And the voice [spake] unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, [that] call not thou common."

In giving this lesson on the dietary laws, I am not saying that we are to keep them today. I will, however, try to point out the obvious reasons God has given these ordinances.

Verses 3-23: This section is repeated in (Deut. 14:3-20), in almost exact wording. The subject matter includes animals (verses 3-8), water life (verses 9-12), birds (verses 13-19), and insects (verses 20-23).

Leviticus 11:3 "Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, [and] cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat."

That is, whose hoof is parted and cloven quite through. For there are some creatures that have partitions in their feet, but not quite through, they are parted above, but underneath are joined together by a skin. Wherefore both these phrases are used to describe the beasts lawful to be eaten. For such are all horned cattle; nor are there any cattle horned forbidden to be eaten.

"And cheweth the cud among the beasts, that shall ye eat": Who having no upper teeth cannot thoroughly chew their food at once, and therefore bring it up again out of their stomachs into their mouths and chew it over again, that it may be better prepared for digestion in the stomach, and so yield better nourishment. And this makes the flesh of such creatures fitter for food. And these creatures have more stomachs than one. The ventricles for rumination are four.

This would probably be better understood, if we knew that clovenfooted meant a claw, or a split hoof. It also means to split or tear and fissure. I do not believe that God was restricting these animals for the reason most believe. I believe that God was telling His family which animals He made for food and which animals were on the earth for other purposes.

Leviticus 11:4 "Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: [as] the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he [is] unclean unto you."

The camel has a divided foot of two large parts, but the division is not complete and the two toes rest on an elastic pad.

The camel was obviously made by God for transportation for the desert people. The one thing that makes you know for sure that was God's purpose for this animal, is the fact that the camel can go many days without water. This would be a tremendous advantage in the desert. We studied in the book of Genesis that animals were made for the use of man. In the first chapter of Genesis beginning at the verse 20 all the way to the end of the chapter, you will read why God made the animals, fowls etc. God prepared the earth and everything on the earth, and then made man, after He had prepared the earth and made it habitable for man.

"Verses 5-6: "Coney ... hare": While not true ruminating animals, the manner in which these animals processed their food gave the distinct appearance of "chewing the cud".

Leviticus 11:5 "And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he [is] unclean unto you."

"The coney": The Old English name for a rabbit. It bears some resemblance to the guinea-pig or the marmot, and in its general appearance and habits (Prov. 30:26; Psalm 104:18). It might easily be taken for a rodent. But Cuvier discovered that it is, in its anatomy, a true pachyderm, allied to the rhinoceros and the tapir, inferior to them as it is in size.

"He cheweth the cud": The Hyrax has the same habit as the hare, the rabbit, the guinea-pig, and some other rodents, of moving its jaws when it is at rest as if it were masticating. The rodents were familiarly spoken of as ruminating animals, just as the bat was reckoned among birds because it flies (see Lev. 11:19). And as whales and their congeners are spoken of as fish, when there is no occasion for scientific accuracy.

We would probably understand this a little better if we knew what the word coney means. This means a rock rabbit. A few years ago, many people learned the hard way why God had included this animal in the group of unclean. Rabbit fever became a threat to those who ate rabbit. Even today those who hunt rabbit, will not eat them at certain times of the year.

Leviticus 11:6 "And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he [is] unclean unto you."

Or, "though he chews" it.

"But divideth not the hoof, he is unclean to you": And so not to be eaten; so Plutarch says, that the Jews are said to abstain from the hare, disdaining it as a filthy and unclean animal. And yet was in the greatest esteem with the Romans of any four footed beast, as Martial says. Moses, as Bochart and other learned men observe, is the only writer that speaks of the hare as chewing the cud. Though they also observe, that Aristotle makes mention of that in common with those that do chew the cud, namely a "coagulum" in its stomach. His words are, "all that have many bellies have what is called a coagulum or runnet, and of them that have but one belly, the hare;" only that. This creature being prone to lust, may be an emblem of lustful persons, who give up themselves to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness (Eph. 4:19). The "hare" in this verse may be an animal that is now is extinct but was alive at the time of Moses. Its only other mention is in (Deut. 14:7).

Leviticus 11:7 "And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he [is] unclean to you."

"The swine": Though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted. Here, again, the description is not according to anatomical analysis, but to ordinary appearance. The pig appears to be cloven-footed, and it would be misleading to give any other account of his foot in ordinary speech. But scientifically speaking, he has four toes. The prohibition of the use of swine's flesh does not arise from the fear of trichinosis or other disease, but from the disgust caused by the carnivorous and filthy habits of the Eastern pig.

Pork is very dangerous to eat, if it is not thoroughly cooked. At the time these ordinances were given, there was not nearly as good a way to cook meat as we have today. There was no refrigeration at all. I am sure God took all of this into account when He said do not eat swine. The swine has always been thought of as dirty, not only on the outside, but because of the food it ate as well.

Leviticus 11:8 "Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they [are] unclean to you."

Meaning, not of swine only, but of the camel, coney, and hare.

"And their carcass shall ye not touch": Which must not be understood of touching them in any sense. For then it would have been unlawful for a Jew to have rode upon a camel, or to take out and make use of hog's lard in medicine. But of touching them in order to kill them, and prepare them for food, and eat them. And indeed, all unnecessary touching of them is forbidden, lest it should bring them to the eating of them. Though perhaps it may chiefly respect the touching of them dead.

"They are unclean to you": One and all of them. For as this was said of each of them in particular, so now of all of them together. And which holds good of all wild creatures not named, to whom the description above belongs, and which used to be eaten by other nations.

The carcase of any dead animal should not be touched, because you have no idea what killed it, and many diseases can be spread by carelessly touching them. A swine wallows in the mud and from the physical point would certainly be unclean. This however, is speaking more of a defilement than a physical touch.

Leviticus 11:9 "These shall ye eat of all that [are] in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat."

"Fins ... scales": Much like the cud and hoof characteristics, the "no fins and scales" guidelines ruled out a segment of water life commonly consumed by ancient people.

Leviticus 11:10 "And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which [is] in the waters, they [shall be] an abomination unto you:"

Such as eels, lampreys, etc.

"Of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters": The former of these are interpreted by Aben Ezra and Ben Gersom of little fishes that have but a small body, and such as are created out of the waters. And the latter, of such as are produced of a male and female; or, as Maimonides explains it, the one signifies the lesser creatures, such as worms and horse leeches. The other greater ones, sea beasts, as sea dogs, etc.

"They shall be an abomination to you": Not only unclean, and so unfit to eat, but to be had in abhorrence and detestation, as being exceeding disagreeable and unwholesome. And, as a learned man observes, to these prohibited in general belong all those animals in lakes, rivers, or seas, which are of a slow motion. And which, because of the slow motion of their bodies, do not so well digest their food. And for that may be compared with four footed beasts that have but one belly, and so unwholesome as they.

Fish, such as bass and crappie (which have scales), prefer live bait when you are trying to catch them. On the other hand, catfish are scavengers and will eat anything. The slick skin fish, all are the fish who eat the garbage in the waters. I believe God made each fish for its own purpose. Now there are fish farms, where catfish are raised just for food and they are fed well and do not have to live like a scavenger. Perhaps in the restrictions of animals, fish, and fowl that God said was okay to eat, was so that we would not be eating things that would make us sick.

Leviticus 11:11 "They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination."

This is repeated again and again, to deter from the eating of such fishes, lest there should be any desire after them.

"Ye shall not eat of their flesh": Here mention is made of the flesh of fishes, as is by the apostle (1 Cor. 15:39). Aben Ezra observes, that their wise men say, this is according to the usage of words in those ages.

"But you shall have their carcasses in abomination": Not only abstain from eating them and touching them, but to express the utmost aversion to them.

Leviticus 11:12 "Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that [shall be] an abomination unto you."

Which is repeated that they might take particular notice of this law, and be careful to observe it, this being the only sign given.

"That shall be an abomination unto you": The Targum of Jonathan says, that not only the flesh of such fish, but the broth, and pickles made of them, were to be an abomination. This law of the Jews is taken notice of by Porphyry, who says, it is forbidden all the Jews to eat horse flesh, or fishes that lack scales, or any animal that has but one hoof.

I am thoroughly convinced that this is because they will eat just anything, and you might take a disease because of their practices of being a scavenger.

Leviticus 11:13 "And these [are they which] ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they [are] an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,"

"Among the fowls": Rather than unifying characteristics as in the hoof-cud and no fin-scales descriptions, the forbidden birds were simply named.

The ossifrage here, is a bird of the eagle or vulture species. The ospray was a sea eagle. All of these eat dead things.

Leviticus 11:14 "And the vulture, and the kite after his kind;"

Perhaps it might be better if the version was inverted, and the words be read, "and the kite, and the vulture, after his kind". And the last word is by us rendered the vulture in (Job 28:7). And very rightly, since the kite is not remarkable for its sight, any other than all rapacious creatures are. Whereas the vulture is to a proverb. And besides, of the vulture there are two sorts, as Aristotle says, the one lesser and whiter, the other larger and more of an ash color. And there are some that are of the eagle kind, whereas there is but one sort of kites. Though Ainsworth makes mention of two, the greater of a ruddy color, common in England. And the lesser of a blacker color, known in Germany, but produces no authority for it. However, these are both ravenous creatures. And of vultures he reports, that they will watch a dying man, and follow armies going to battle, expecting prey (see notes on Matt. 24:28).

Leviticus 11:15 "Every raven after his kind;"

The red raven, night raven, the water raven, river raven, wood raven, etc. This also includes crows, rooks, pies, jays, and jackdaws. The raven was with the Heathens sacred to Apollo, is a voracious creature, and so reckoned among unclean ones, and unfit for food. Nor does the care that God takes of these creatures, or the use he has made of them, contradict this (see Job 38:41).

Leviticus 11:16 "And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckoo, and the hawk after his kind,"

It is generally supposed the ostrich is denoted by the original word.

"The nighthawk": A very small bird, with which, from its nocturnal habits, many superstitious ideas were associated.

"The cuckoo": Evidently some other bird is meant by the original term, from its being ranged among rapacious birds. Dr. Shaw thinks it is the safsaf; but that, being a grass eater and gregarious bird, is equally objectionable. Others think that the sea mew, or some of the small sea fowl, is intended.

"The hawk": The Hebrew word includes every variety of the falcon family. As the goshawk, the jerhawk, the sparrow hawk, etc. Several species of hawks are found in Western Asia and Egypt, where they find inexhaustible prey in the immense numbers of pigeons and turtledoves that abound in those quarters. The hawk was held pre-eminently sacred among the Egyptians. And this, besides its rapacious disposition and gross habits, might have been a strong reason for its prohibition as an article of food to the Israelites.

Leviticus 11:17 "And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,"

Or horned owl, as some render it. The common barn owl, which is well known in the East. It is the only bird of its kind here referred to, although the word is thrice mentioned in our version.

"cormorant": Supposed to be the gull. (see on Deut. 14:17).

"The great owl": According to some, the Ibis of the Egyptians. It was well known to the Israelites, and so rendered by the Septuagint (Deut. 14:16; Isa 34:11). According to Parkhurst, the bittern, but not determined.

Leviticus 11:18 "And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,"

Found in great numbers in all the countries of the Levant. It frequents marshy places, the vicinity of rivers and lakes. It was held sacred by the Egyptians, and kept tame within the precincts of heathen temples. It was probably on this account chiefly that its use as food was prohibited. Michaelis considers it the goose.

"The pelican": Remarkable for the bag or pouch under its lower jaw which serves not only as a net to catch, but also as a receptacle of food. It is solitary in its habits and, like other large aquatic birds, often flies to a great distance from its favorite haunts.

"The gier eagle": Being here associated with waterfowl, it has been questioned whether any species of eagle is referred to. Some think, as the original name racham denotes "tenderness," "affection," the halcyon or kingfisher is intended. Others think that it is the bird now called the rachami, a kind of Egyptian vulture. Abundant in the streets of Cairo and popularly called "Pharaoh's fowl". It is white in color, The size like a raven, and feeds on carrion. It is one of the foulest and filthiest birds in the world. (see on Deut. 14:17).

Leviticus 11:19 "And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat."

A bird of benevolent temper and held in the highest estimation in all Eastern countries. It was declared unclean, probably, from its feeding on serpents and other venomous reptiles, as well as rearing its young on the same food.

"The heron": The word so translated only occurs in the prohibited list of food and has been variously rendered; the crane, the plover, the woodcock, and the parrot. In this great diversity of opinion nothing certain can be affirmed regarding it. Judging from the group with which it is classified, it must be an aquatic bird that is meant. It may as well be the heron as any other bird, the more especially as herons abound in Egypt and in the Hauran of Palestine.

"The lapwing, or hoopoe. Found in warm regions, a very pretty but filthy species of bird. It was considered unclean, probably from its feeding on insects, worms, and snails.

"The bat": The great or Ternat bat, known in the East, noted for its voracity and filthiness.

If I would closely investigate, I would probably say that perhaps no civilized peoples of the earth eat these fowls. These are all in the class of the vulture in their choice of food. God thought of everything when He made the earth, and He made some of these fowl to eat the dead animals on the highway. They are our clean-up crew if you will. We always try to see the spiritual lesson in all the verses we read. I see in this, that God wants His people to abstain from any and everything that might connect them with worldliness in any way. We all want to live in divine health and these Israelites were no different from us on this point. They were to be a separated people. One of the things that set them apart, was the fact that they rigidly conformed to the wishes of God on the matter of clean and unclean. They never questioned why. God said it was an abomination, so they left it alone. We believers in Christ need to have that type of separation to our LORD today. If Jesus said don't do it, don't. We want to know the reason for everything. True faith in Jesus Christ is when we learn to trust the Lord in everything, even if we do not understand why right now.

Leviticus 11:20 "All fowls that creep, going upon [all] four, [shall be] an abomination unto you."

Or rather "every creeping thing that flies". For what are designed are not properly fowls, but, as the Jewish writers interpret them, flies, fleas, bees, wasps, hornets, locusts, etc. So the Targum of Jonathan, Jarchi, Ben Gersom, and Maimonides.

"Going upon all four": That is, upon their four feet, when they walk or creep.

"These shall be an abomination to you": Not used as food, but detested as such.

Leviticus 11:21 "Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon [all] four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth;"

This describes the locust (verse 22), which was allowed for food.

Which are after described and named.

"Of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four": Even though it is a creeping thing that flies and goes upon four feet, provided they are such.

"Which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth": There is a double reading of this clause. The textual reading is, "which have not legs".

The main thing we need to learn from this, is that all of this was under the Mosaic law. All things are clean for Christians, if we pray over the food before we eat it. Some of the things in this lesson are not too good for your health. We need to take care of our body. Our flesh should be controlled by our spirit. If we would study these laws, and watch our diet and take care of the body God gave us for our use on this earth, we could do much more for God. We need to realize that we are not our own. We have been bought with a price (Jesus' blood). Our body is the temple of the Holy Ghost.

1 Corinthians 6:19 "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"

Leviticus Chapter 11 Questions

. In the beginning of this chapter, who did God speak to?

2. What laws are in this chapter?

3. In the Mosaic law, what 2 things were very important that were taught in this lesson?

4. What things are clean to eat under grace?

5. What 2 things sanctify our food?

6. Who did God tell to kill and eat things that were forbidden in the Mosaic law?

7. What God hath cleansed, call not thou ___________.

8. What does clovenfooted mean?

9. In these ordinances, God was telling His people what about animals?

10. What was the camel obviously made for?

11. What, about the camel, tells us that was its purpose?

12. What were animals made for?

13. How did God prepare the earth for man?

14. What does coney mean?

15. What disease caused the people to become cautious about what time of the year they ate wild rabbit?

16. If pork is eaten, not thoroughly cooked, what can happen to you?

17. Why should you not touch the dead carcase of an animal?

18. Which fish are scavengers?

19. What is the ossifrage?

20. What do the eagle, ossifrage, and the ospray have in common?

21. All of the fowls mentioned in verses 14 through 19 could be classed as vulture in their choice of _____.

22. God wants His people to abstain from what?

23. What is true faith in Jesus Christ?

24. What is the main lesson, for the believer, to be learned in studying these dietary laws?

25. We are not our own, we have been _________ ______ ___ _________.

26. Know ye not that your body is the _________ ___ _____ _______ ________.

Leviticus Chapter 11 Continued

Leviticus 11:21 "Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon [all] four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth;" (This has been purposely repeated).

Leviticus 11:22 "[Even] these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind."

The four following ones, which seem to be no other than four sorts of locusts.

"The locust after his kind": This is the common locust, called by the name of Arbeh, from the great multiplication and vast multitudes of them. The phrase, "after his kind", and which also is used in all the following instances, signifies the whole entire species of them, which might be eaten.

"And the bald locust after his kind": Which in the Hebrew text is Soleam, and has its name, as Aben Ezra suggests, from its ascending rocks. But since locusts do not climb rocks, or have any peculiar regard for them, rather this kind of locust may be so called, from their devouring and consuming all that come in their way. From the Chaldee word which signifies to swallow, devour, and consume. But why we should call it the bald locust is not so clear, though it seems there were such, since the Jews describe some that have no baldness, which the gloss explains, whose head is not bald.

"And the beetle after his kind; which is another sort of locust called Chargol, and should not be rendered a beetle, for no sort of beetles are eatable. Nor have legs to leap withal, and so come not under the general description given of such flying, creeping things, fit to eat.

"And the grasshopper after his kind": This is another, and the fourth kind of the locust that might be eaten": Its name is Chagab, from the Arabic word Chaguba, "to vail", locusts vailing the light of the sun.

The difference between these several sorts is with them this: The Chagab has a tail, but no bunch; Arbeh neither bunch nor tail; and Soleam has a bunch, but not a tail; and Chargol has both bunch and tail. Maimonides reckons up eight sorts of them fit to eat; and these creatures were not only eaten by the Jews, but by several other nations.

I repeated verse 21 from the last lesson, to make a complete statement here. In the part of the world, where the Israelites lived, beetle, locust, and grasshopper were eaten regularly. These were not only eaten when they were in desperate situations, but were actually thought of as a delicacy. Personally, I have never eaten anything like this, but in many parts of the world today these are still served as a delicacy.

Leviticus 11:23 "But all [other] flying creeping things, which have four feet, [shall be] an abomination unto you."

Excepting the four sorts before mentioned, wherefore we rightly supply the word "other".

"Which have four feet; or more; the Vulgate Latin version adds, "only", but wrongly; for those that have more are unclean, and forbidden to be eaten, excepting those in the preceding verse. And most creeping things that fly have six feet, as the locusts themselves, reckoning their leaping legs into the number. Though it may be observed, that those creatures that have six feet have but four equal ones, on which they walk or creep. And the two foremost, which are longer, are as hands to them to wipe their eyes with, and protect them from anything that may fall into them and hurt them. They not being able to see clearly because of the hardness of their eyes, as Aristotle observes, and particularly it may be remarked of the fly, as it is by Lucian, that though it has six feet it only goes on four, using the other two foremost as hands. And therefore, you may see it walking on four feet, with something eatable in its hands. Now all such creatures that have four feet or more, excepting the above, shall be an abomination unto you; abhorred as food, and abstained from.

Verses 24-43: A person could also become "unclean" by touching a "carcase", or reptiles, or anything on which a reptile might fall. Cleansing was accomplished by washing in water, although some unclean items had to be broken. To be only "unclean until the even" (as against a week, as with Miriam (in Num. chapter 12), suggests a lighter offense.

This section deals with separation from other defiling things.

Leviticus 11:24 "And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even."

That is, for eating them; or should they eat them they would be unclean.

"Whosoever toucheth the carcass of them shall be unclean until the even": Not only he was unclean that ate them, but he that even touched their dead bodies was reckoned unclean. They might not go into the tabernacle, nor have conversation with men, nor eat of the holy things, which were forbiddeen men in any uncleanness. And though there is no mention of his washing himself, it may be understood, this being a short or concise way of speaking, as Aben Ezra observes. Who adds, that it was necessary that he should wash himself in water. Which was typical of washing and cleansing by the grace and blood of Christ, without which a man cannot be cleansed from the least sin, and pollution by it. And may signify that during the legal dispensation there was no proper cleansing from sin, until the evening of the world, when Christ came and shed his blood for the cleansing of it.

It seems that out of all the insects that fly and walk, just the ones of the locust family were permitted to be eaten. Come to think of it, who would want to eat a fly, or mosquito, or any of the other flying pests we spray to get rid of? There is nothing dirtier, in my opinion, than a roach. We could understand with no problem God restricting them in use for the table.

Leviticus 11:25 "And whosoever beareth [ought] of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even."

That carries them from one place to another, out of the camp, city, village, or house or field where they may lie. And though this is done with a good design, as being offensive or infectious, yet such a one;

"Shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even": From whence both Jarchi and Aben Ezra infer, that the pollution by hearing or carrying is greater than that by touching. Since such a man, so defiled, was obliged to wash his clothes as well as his body. So saints, that have contracted pollution by any manner of sin, are to wash their garments and make them white in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:14).

Mosquitoes carry malaria, among other things, and you can see it would not be good to touch them. These ordinances are just good common sense rules that God has made to help man. We watch out for our children and try to keep them safe. God cares more for us than we do for our children. Why would He not give these ordinances to protect us from destroying ourselves?

Verses 26-27: These prohibited animals would include horses and donkeys, which have a single hoof, and lion and tigers, which have paws.

Leviticus 11:26 "[The carcases] of every beast which divideth the hoof, and [is] not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, [are] unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean."

As the camel.

"Nor cheweth the cud": Though it may divide the hoof, as the swine. And on the other hand, such as may chew the cud, and yet not dividing the hoof, as the coney and hare. For the Scripture here, as Aben Ezra observes again, uses a short and concise way of speaking. These;

"Are unclean unto you": To be reckoned by them such, and neither to be eaten nor touched.

"Everyone that toucheth them shall be unclean": Until the evening; and obliged to washing, though not expressed. This is not to be understood of touching them while alive, as some Sadducees or Karaites' understand it, according to Aben Ezra. For camels, horses, mules, etc. might be, and were rode upon, and so touched. But this is speaking of them when dead, or their carcases, as is rightly supplied in the beginning of the verse. And the Jewish writers understand this of the flesh of the carcass only, not of the bones, horns, and hoofs, which, they say, do not defile, only the flesh. This is repeated from (Lev. 11:8).

Leviticus 11:27 " And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on [all] four, those [are] unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even."

Or "the palms" of his hands; meaning such creatures, whose feet are not divided into two parts. But into many, like the fingers of a hand, as apes, lions, bears, wolves, foxes, dogs, cats, etc.

"Among all manner of beasts that go on all four": This is added, to distinguish them from fowl, such as are clean. Who walk but on two feet, though their feet are divided into fingers or talons, and may be called hands on which they walk.

"These are unclean unto you": And as they might not be eaten, so neither touched, as follows:

"Whoso toucheth their carcass shall be unclean until the even" (see notes on Lev. 11:24).

Those animals that have paws, would be all animals from the cat family. This also includes dogs and wild animals like bear. These warnings just go into greater detail than those mentioned earlier. Some animals eat things like grass and do not eat flesh. Other animals do not eat anything but flesh. God made each animal for its specific use on this earth. We need to learn what God's purpose was for each animal and use them for that purpose only.

Leviticus 11:28 "And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they [are] unclean unto you."

Carries it upon any account, from place to place.

"Shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even": As he that bore the carcasses of any of the flying creeping things (Lev. 11:25).

"They are unclean to you": Even the carcasses of the one and of the other; and to all the Israelites, men, women, and children, as Aben Ezra observes.

As we said before, a carcase is the body of a dead animal. It died for some reason. You can catch a disease from an animal the same as from another human. This washing of the clothes is another common sense precaution. Any germs in the clothes probably would be lost after washing. In our day when so many dread diseases are around, we should be very careful to always wash our hands after coming in contact with animals, or even after we have shaken hands with a stranger. In the hospitals, nurses wear gloves when they are caring for patients to keep from catching the Aids virus and other dreaded diseases.

Leviticus 11:29 "These also [shall be] unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,"

These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth. As distinguished from those creeping things that fly, these having no wings. And which were equally unclean, neither to be eaten nor touched. Neither their blood, their skin, nor their flesh, as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it. And the Misnic doctors say that the blood of a creeping thing and its flesh are joined together. And Maimonides observes, that this is a fundamental thing with them, that the blood of a creeping thing is like its flesh. Which in Siphre (an ancient book of theirs), is gathered from what is said in (Lev. 11:29). "These shall be unclean", etc., hence the wise men say, the blood of a creeping thing pollutes as its flesh. The creeping things intended are as follow:

The weasel: however, all agree is rightly interpreted "the mouse"; which has its name in Hebrew from its being a waster and destroyer of fields. An instance of which we have in (1 Sam. 6:5; see notes). So that this sort may be chiefly intended, though it includes all others, who are distinguished by their colors, the black, the red, and the white. As a learned physician expresses it, eats almost everything, gnaws whatever it meets with, and, among other things, is a great lover of swine's flesh, which was an abomination to the Jews. Nor does it abstain from dung, and therefore it is no wonder it should be reckoned among impure creatures. and yet we find they were eaten by some people (see Isa. 66:17). Especially the dormouse; for which the old Romans made conveniences to keep them in, and feed them, and breed them for the table.

The last in this text, "the tortoise", means the land tortoise; it has its name from the shell with which it is covered, this word being sometimes used for a covered wagon (Num. 7:3). There are various kinds of them, as Pliny and other writers observe. A tortoise of the land kind is esteemed a very delicate dish. The Septuagint version renders it, the "land crocodile", which, is approved of by Bochart: and Leo Africanus says that many in Egypt eat the flesh of the crocodile, and affirm it to be of good savor. Its flesh is white and tender, and tastes like veal.

Leviticus 11:30 "And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole."

And the ferret. Whatever creature is here meant; it has its name in Hebrew from the cry it makes. And so the ferret has but one note in its voice, which is a shrill, but small, whining cry. It is used to drive rabbits out of their holes. The Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions render the word by "mygale", the weasel mouse, or "mus areneus" of the Latins, the shrew or shrew mouse. It has something of the mouse and weasel, from whence it has its name in Greek, being of the size of the one, and the color of the other.

"And the chameleon": This is a little creature like a lizard, but with a larger and longer head. It has four feet, and on each foot three claws. Its tail is long; with this, as well as with its feet, it fastens itself to the branches of trees. Its tail is flat, its nose long, and made in an obtuse point. Its back is sharp, its skin plaited and jagged like a saw, from the neck to the last joint of the tail, and upon its head it hath something like a comb. In other respects, it is made like a fish; that is to say, it has no neck. What is said of its living on air, and changing color according to what it is applied, are now reckoned vulgar mistakes. But whatever creature is here meant, it seems to have its name in Hebrew from its strength, wherefore Bochart takes the "guaril" or "alwarlo" of the Arabs to be meant. Which is the stoutest and strongest sort of lizard, and is superior in strength to serpents, and the land tortoise, with which it often contends.

"And the lizard": So Jarchi interprets the word by a "lizard". It has a larger letter than usual in it, that this creature might be taken notice of, and guarded against as very pernicious, and yet with some people it is eaten. Calmet says, there are several sorts of lizards, which are well known. There are some in Arabia of a cubit long, but in the Indies there are some, they say, of twenty-four feet in length. Dr. Shaw says, that he was informed that more than 40,000 persons in Cairo, and in the neighborhood, live upon no other food than lizards and serpents. Though he thinks, because the chameleon is called by the Arabs "taitah", which differs little in name from "letaah", here; that therefore that, which is indeed a species of the lizard, might, with more propriety, be substituted for it.

"And the snail": So the word is rendered by Jarchi, on the place, and by Kimchi, and Philip Aquinas, and David de Pomis, in their lexicons. And these creatures, though forbidden to the Jews, yet are not only used for medicine, but also for food by many. Snails of several kinds, we are told, are eaten with much satisfaction in Italy and France. In Silesia they make places for the breeding of them at this day, where they are fed with turnip tops, etc. And carefully preserved for the market. And the Romans took care of them in the same manner. Bochart thinks a kind of lizard is meant, which lies in sand, called by the Arabs "chulaca", or "luchaca", because the word here used signifies, in the Talmudic language, sandy ground.

"And the mole": And so it is interpreted by Onkelos and Jarchi here, and by David de Pomis, and Philip Aquinas, in their lexicons. The same word is used for a certain sort of fowl, which we translate the "swan" (Lev. 11:18), but here of a creeping thing. Whatever is intended by it, it seems to have its name from its breath. Either in a contrary signification, if understood of the mole, which either holds its breath, or breathes not while underground. Or from its breathing more freely, wherefore Bochart takes it to be the "chameleon". Which, as Pliny says, is always gaping with its mouth for air. And it has been a vulgar notion, though a wrong one, that it lives upon it. The Targum of Jonathan interprets it by the "salamander"; now whoever ate any of the above eight creeping things, according to the Jewish canons, was to be beaten.

The only visible difference in these and the unclean we read about in the previous verses, is that these go on their belly, they do not fly. Many of the things in this category, such as snail are eaten today. These are not forbidden to those who speak the Word and pray over everything they eat. Food is cleansed by the Word and prayer.

Leviticus 11:31 "These [are] unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even."

Unfit for food, and not to be touched, at least when dead, as in the next clause. That is, these eight sorts of creeping things before mentioned, as the Targum of Jonathan expresses it, and these only, as Maimonides says.

"Whosoever doth touch them when they are dead shall be unclean until the even": For touching them while alive did not defile, only when dead. And this the Jews interpret, while they are in the case in which they died, that is, while they are moist. For, as Ben Gersom says, if they are so dry, as that they cannot return to their moisture, they do not defile. For which reason, neither the bones, nor nails, nor nerves, nor skin of these creeping things, defile. But, they say, while the back bone is whole, and the bones cleave to it, then a creeping thing is reckoned moist, and while it is so it defiles.

Leviticus 11:32 "And upon whatsoever [any] of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether [it be] any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel [it be], wherein [any] work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed."

Any of the above eight creeping things, that is, of their flesh. For as for their bones, nails, nerves, and skin, as before observed, being separated from them and dry, they do not defile.

"Whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack": Every wooden vessel, as the Targum of Jonathan; and all sorts of clothes, of woolen, linen, or silk, and all sorts of skins, excepting skins of sea beasts. For these, according to the Jews, received no pollution. And also sacks or sackcloth, made of goats' hair, and the like.

"Whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done": Any tool or instrument made use of by any artificer in his trade, or any vessel wrought by him.

"It must be put into water": Dipped into it, even into forty seahs of water, according to the Targum of Jonathan. And which is to be understood, not of any working tool, or finished vessel only, but of any vessel of wood, raiment, skin, or sack, before mentioned.

"It shall be unclean until the even": Even though put into water and washed.

"So it shall be cleansed": In the above manner, by being put or dipped into water; or "afterwards", as the Septuagint, when it has been dipped and the even is come, and not before.

As we have mentioned throughout these lessons, these instructions were given for the benefit of man. These things mentioned here, are just very good health practices. The Israelites were not as well learned on germs and how they are passed on, as our society today. I believe these laws were like (rules for living a healthy life).

Leviticus 11:33 "And every earthen vessel, whereinto [any] of them falleth, whatsoever [is] in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it."

Any of the above eight reptiles, should they by chance fall into the midst an earthen vessel.

"Whatsoever is in it shall be unclean": If it only by falling touched the outside of it, it was not unclean; but if it fell into it, then whatever was contained in it was unclean. For, as Jarchi says, an earthen vessel does not pollute or receive pollution, but from the air of it, from its inside.

"And ye shall break it": Other vessels might be put into water and rinsed, and so be cleansed, but earthen vessels, being of no great value, were to be broken in pieces. An emblem this, as Ainsworth suggests, of the dissolution of our bodies, which are as earthen vessels, and of the destruction of sin thereby, and of the entire removal of it by death.

An earthen vessel could not be properly washed and freed from germs. The only thing to do to get rid of the germs then, would be to break it.

Leviticus 11:34 "Of all meat which may be eaten, [that] on which [such] water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every [such] vessel shall be unclean."

Which otherwise is lawful to eat and fit for food, whether herbs, or whether the flesh of clean creatures.

"That on which such water cometh shall be unclean": That is, such water as is put into an unclean vessel, become so by the fall of any unclean reptile into it. Wherefore such water poured out upon any sort of food, clean and fit to eat, or that is put into such water, to be dressed, it becomes unclean and unfit to eat. For the vessel, being unclean, defiles the water, and the water defiles the food. Jarchi interprets this of water in general, which coming upon anything eatable, prepares it for uncleanness. "We learn (says he) that no food is fit and prepared to receive defilement until water comes upon it once; and after it is come upon it once, it receives defilement for ever, even though it becomes dry." But the former seems to be the true sense.

"And all drink that may be drank in every such vessel shall be unclean": Whatever otherwise might be lawfully drank, yet being put into such a vessel, into which any unclean reptile was fallen, or being in it when it fell into it, became unclean and not fit to be drank. And those liquors which receive uncleanness, and make meats unclean by coming on them, according to the Misnic doctors, are these seven: dew, water, wine, oil, blood, milk, and honey.

This is speaking of the earthen vessel above. It is easy to see that anything in the earthen vessel that had been contaminated would also be contaminated, since you could not wash the earthen vessel and remove the germs.

Leviticus 11:35 "And every [thing] whereupon [any part] of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; [whether it be] oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: [for] they [are] unclean, and shall be unclean unto you."

Before the Scripture seems to speak of anyone of the reptiles perfect, that falling upon anything should pollute it. But here of any part of them, though ever so small, which should, through any accident, fall and light upon anything, even that would render it unclean and unfit for use.

Whether it be oven, or ranges of pots": The one to bake bread in, and the other to boil flesh in, as Aben Ezra observes.

"They shall be broken down": And no more made use of for baking and boiling.

"For they are unclean, and shall be unclean to you": Were made hereby unfit for use, and should not be used. The Jewish writers explain the phrase, "to you", meaning to your necessity. That which they had need of, but now should not use nor receive advantage from. Even "to you"; all men, women, and children, as Hiskuni interprets it. All this was ordered to create in them an abhorrence of these creatures, and to make them cautious of eating and touching them. And careful that they come not nigh, or touched, or fell upon anything, since it would give them so much trouble, as well as occasion loss.

This just shows how the germs can be carried from the carcase, and anything it touches would be contaminated. This is just stating again, that anything the dead body falls on, that cannot be washed up, has to be done away with. I remember when I was a child, if you went to see someone with a disease like typhoid, you had to go to a place away from everyone, take a bath and burn your old clothes you wore in the room where the patient was. There would be fresh clothes that had not been in contact with the disease to put on. I really believe this is what God is saying here. It has just been in the last few years, that Doctors and nurses wore masks in the operating room. Until modern cleanliness standards were incorporated into hospital regulations, many people died from infections, rather than the illness they were being doctored for.

Leviticus 11:36 "Nevertheless a fountain or pit, [wherein there is] plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean."

"A fountain or pit": The movement and quantity of water determined the probability of actual contamination. Water was scare also, and it would have been a threat to the water supply if all water touched by these prohibited carcasses were forbidden for drinking.

You can easily see why running water would wash the contamination away. Just to sum up this lesson, I would say a loving God cared so much for His children that He not only gave them laws to preserve their soul, but gave them laws of cleanliness to help them live healthy lives here on earth.

Leviticus Chapter 11 Continued Questions

1. What 3 insects from the locust family were permitted to be eaten?

2. What were they thought to be?

3. If you touched the carcase of an unclean thing, you were unclean until when?

4. What instructions were given about clothing when you touched the unclean thing?

5. What insect is well-known for carrying malaria?

6. What are these ordinances of cleanliness really?

7. Not only were they not to eat unclean animals, but were not to ________ them as well.

8. Name some of the animals that go upon their paws.

9. How do the eating habits of animals vary?

10. What should we learn about animals and their purpose?

11. What is a carcase?

12. What advantage is it to wash your clothes after you have touched a dead animal?

13. Why are so many nurses in hospitals wearing gloves today when they care for their patients?

14. Name the things in the mouse family forbidden to eat.

15. Why would an earthen vessel, that had been in contact something unclean, have to be broken?

16. Many years ago, when people visited those with very contagious diseases, they did what, with their clothing they had worn in the presence of the sick person?

17. Until modern cleanliness standards were installed in hospital rooms, what unexpected thing did many patients die of?

18. Why would a fountain or pit not be contaminated?

19. God loved His people so much that He not only gave them laws to preserve their soul, but laws of cleanliness, why?

Leviticus Chapter 11 Second Continued

Leviticus 11:37 "And if [any part] of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it [shall be] clean."

That which is selected from the other seed in order to be sown, and which is laid by and laid up for that purpose. Should the carcass, or any part of the carcass of a creeping thing fall upon a heap of it, into a vessel in which it was put, as a dead mouse or the like.

"Yet it shall be clean": Be fit for use and sown in the earth; because being cast into the earth, and dying and quickening there, and then springing up again in stalk and ear, it would go through various changes before it became the food of man. The Targum of Jonathan describes it, such as is sown in its dryness. Or being dry; for if it was wetted it was unfit for use, as follows.

We know that when a seed falls into the ground, it dies. and the new plant which comes from the seed, can produce beautiful fresh products. It is amazing to me, that a seed can be planted in a place covered with fertilizer, and the fruit the plant brings forth is clean and sweet. There is a process of death and life here that mortal man does not understand. The reason the seed above is not unclean, is that it will never be eaten in its present form. The new seed that comes from this dead seed will be perfectly clean.

Leviticus 11:38 "But if [any] water be put upon the seed, and [any part] of their carcase fall thereon, it [shall be] unclean unto you."

Either accidentally or on purpose. Whether on sowing seed, and with water with which they water the field, as Aben Ezra interprets it. Or on seed used for food, by steeping it in water, as sometimes wheat is, and boiled. And whether it is water or the rest of the liquors, and whether they are put on the seed, or the seed falls into them, it matters not. As Jarchi says:

"And any part of their carcass fall thereon": That is, on the seed. Though Aben Ezra observes, some say upon the water. The Targum of Jonathan adds, in its moisture, or while it is wet. And so may be thought to be more susceptible of impurity from the touch of a dead reptile, or any part of it, and which would render it unfit for sowing or eating, until it was dried and cleansed. Yea, Jarchi says, if it falls thereon, even after it is dried:

"It shall be unclean unto you": Unfit for use.

If water got on the seed, it would probably cause it to sprout, and the contamination would be soaked into the seed.

Leviticus 11:39 "And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even."

Any clean beast, as the ox, sheep, goat, deer, etc. What, if rightly killed, is very lawful to eat of. But if it died of itself through any distemper, or was torn by the wild beasts, so the Targum of Jonathan:

"He that toucheth the carcass thereof shall be unclean until the even": Not the bones, nerves, horns, hoofs, or skin, as Jarchi observes. These might be handled, because some of them, at least, were wrought up into one instrument or another, by artificers, for use and service, but the flesh of them might not be touched. Whoever did touch it was ceremonially unclean, and might not go into the sanctuary, or have conversation with men, until the evening of the day in which this was done.

Leviticus 11:40 "And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even."

For though it might be eaten, if rightly killed, yet not if it died of itself, or was strangled, or torn to pieces by wild beasts.

"Shall wash his clothes": Besides his body, which even he that touched it was obliged to.

"And be unclean until the even": Though he and his clothes were washed, and he might not go into the court of the tabernacle, or have any concern with holy things, or conversation with men.

"He also that beareth the carcass of it": Removes it from one place to another, carries it to the dunghill, or a ditch, and there lays it, or buries it in the earth.

"Shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even": From whence, as before observed by the Jewish writers, uncleanness by bearing is greater than uncleanness by touching, since the former obliged to washing of clothes, not so the latter. So Jarchi here; and yet still was unclean until the evening, though he had washed himself in water, as Aben Ezra notes. And so says Jarchi, though he dips himself, he has need of the evening of the sun.

Even clean animals have a possibility of carrying diseases when they die, and in that case, the people would not be permitted to eat them. This then, has to be an animal that was killed on purpose for some reason or other. It would also be an animal where someone quickly cut its throat, so the blood would drain. Hebrews were forbidden to eat blood. Even if all these things were done, the person who was preparing the meat would get very nasty in the process. They would need to wash themselves and their clothes to get rid of the dirt they had gotten preparing it.

Leviticus 11:41 "And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth [shall be] an abomination; it shall not be eaten."

Nothing is called a creeping thing, as Jarchi says, but what is low, has short feet, and is not seen unless it creeps and moves. And "every creeping thing" comprehends, as Aben Ezra and Ben Gersom observe, the eight creeping things before mentioned (Lev. 11:29). And mention is made of them here, that they might not be eaten, which is not expressed before. And being described as creeping things "on the earth", is, according to Jarchi, an exception of worms in peas, beans, and lentiles. And, as others observe, in figs and dates, and other fruit. For they do not creep upon the earth, but are within the food. But if they go out into the air, and creep, they are forbidden.

This would include snakes, lizards, in fact all reptiles. These are such an abomination to God, that the devil was in the form of a snake in the garden of Eden. We will see in the next few verses from Genesis that God cursed the serpent above all other animals.

Genesis 3:14 "And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou [art] cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:"

Satan (symbolized by the serpent), is the enemy of mankind and will be always.

Genesis 3:15 "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

We realize that the spiritual meaning of that Scripture is speaking of the followers of Jesus being the enemy of the devil and his crowd.

Leviticus 11:42 "Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon [all] four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they [are] an abomination."

Jarchi's paraphrase is, "whatsoever goeth", as worms and beetles, and the like to them, "upon the belly". This is the serpent; and to go upon the belly is the curse denounced upon it (Gen. 3:14). This and every such creature are forbidden to be eaten. As there are others who either have no feet, or what they have are so short, that they seem to go upon their belly. And yet, as horrible and detestable as the serpent is, it has been the food of some, and accounted very delicious.

"And whatsoever goeth upon all four": That is, whatsoever creeping thing. For otherwise there are beasts that go upon all four that are clean and fit to eat. But this is observed to distinguish this sort of creeping things from those that go upon their belly, and from those that have more feet, as in the next clause. Jarchi particularly instances in the scorpion.

"Or whatsoever hath mere feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth": Such as caterpillars, and particularly the Scolopendra, which the eastern people call Nedal. So Jarchi says, this is Nedal, a reptile which hath feet from its head to its tail, called Centipedes; and the Targum of Jonathan is, "from the serpent, to the Nedal or Scolopendra, which has many feet." Some of them, have seventy-two, thirty-six on a side, and others eighty-four; some fewer, but all have many.

"Them ye shall not eat, for they are an abomination": Abominable for food, and to be had in the utmost aversion.

As I said, this includes all vermin that crawl on their belly. It seems, to crawl on the belly, was part of the curse God put on the serpent.

Leviticus 11:43 "Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby."

With any creeping thing that flies in the air, excepting the four sorts of locusts (Lev. 11:22). And with any creeping thing in the waters (Lev. 11:10). Or with anything that creeps on the land, by eating any of them. Which being abominable for food, would make the eater of them so to God, he thereby breaking a command of his.

"Neither shall you make yourselves unclean with them": By touching and bearing them, as with dead beasts, so with dead flies and the like.

"That ye should be defiled thereby": In a ceremonial sense.

This is just a broader statement about not eating, or coming into contact with abominable things. Sometimes by association, they could become abominable themselves. It is broad enough to cover all the things in detail that were possibly not mentioned above.

Verses 44-45: Sanctify yourselves ... be Holy, for I am Holy": In all of this, God is teaching His people to live antithetically. That is, He is using these clean and unclean distinctions to separate Israel from other idolatrous nations who have no such restrictions, and He is illustrating by these prescriptions that His people must learn to live His way. Through dietary laws and rituals, God is teaching them the reality of living His way in everything. They are being taught to obey God in every seemingly mundane area of life, so as to learn how crucial obedience is. Sacrifices, rituals, diet, and even clothing and cooking are all carefully ordered by God to teach them that they are to live differently from everyone else. This is to be an external illustration for the separation from sin in their hearts. Because the Lord is their God, they are to be utterly distinct.

In verse 44, for the first time the statement "I am the Lord your God" is made, as a reason for the required separation and holiness. After this verse, that phrase is mentioned about 50 more times in this book, along with the equally instructive claim, "I am holy". Because God is holy and is their God, the people are to be holy in outward ceremonial behavior as an external expression of the greater necessity of heart holiness. The connection between ceremonial holiness carries over into personal holiness. The only motivation given for all these laws is to learn to be holy because God is holy. The holiness theme is central to Leviticus (see 10:3; 19:2; 20:7, 26; 21:6-8).

Leviticus 11:44 "For I [am] the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I [am] holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."

Their Lord, and therefore had a right to enjoin them what laws he pleased concerning their food. And their God, their covenant God, and therefore would consult their good, and direct them to what was most proper, convenient, and wholesome for them.

"Ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy, for I am holy": That is, separate themselves from all other people, and be distinct from them, by using a different diet from theirs. As their Lord and God was different from all others, so called. And thus, by observing his commands, and living according to his will, and to his glory, they would be holy in a moral sense, as they ought to be. Who were under the peculiar care and notice of a holy God, and so highly favored by him. And particularly by attending to the above laws concerning food, they would be kept from mixing with, and having conversation with the Gentiles. And so be preserved from falling into idolatry, and continue a holy people. Serving and worshipping the Lord their God, and him only. And which seems to be a principal view as to religion, in delivering out the above commands.

"Neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth": Which is repeated to keep them at the utmost distance from these things, and to fill them with an aversion to them, that they might be careful to avoid them. There is no penalty annexed to these laws, but the breach of them making them unclean. Thereby they were debarred the use of the sanctuary, and of holy things, and of the conversation of men, for that day. But, according to the Jewish writers, such transgressions were punishable with stripes. Jarchi observes out of the Talmud, that he that eateth "putitha" (a small water reptile), was to be beaten four times. And if an ant or pismire five times, and if a wasp or hornet six times.

God repeats, in no uncertain terms, who He is and that the people will conform to His wishes. We have said numerous times, that sanctify means to set aside for God's purpose. They should be glad to do these things, that they might be called His. God expected no more from them, than He did of Himself. He said, I AM HOLY. He shows them the way they can be holy, and then tells them they must be holy. These people were being taught to be clean. It is important for the body to be clean, but the real cleanliness God was trying to teach them and us, is cleanliness of the spirit. Cleanliness of the inner man, was the real message. Man was made in the image of God, that He might fellowship with man. These Hebrews, here, were descended from Abraham in the flesh. Christians are descendants of Abraham through faith.

Galatians 3:29 "And if ye [be] Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

This is their Father, and our Father, giving instructions on how to live pleasing unto Him. Defile, in the verse above, means to pollute or make unclean. God wants His family to be a separated people, not caught up in the things of the world. There is a message in this for Christians, as well. We are to separate ourselves from the world. Let's take a look at what the Christians must be like for our Savior to come back for us.

Ephesians 5:27 "That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

Leviticus 11:45 "For I [am] the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I [am] holy."

He had brought them out of it, and was now bringing them on in the wilderness towards Canaan's land, in order to settle them there. And this is observed, to show what obligations they lay under to him to observe his commands. For since he had done such great things for them, it became them to be obedient to him in all things. And the more, since his end herein was, as he observes to them;

"To be your God": To make it appear that he was their God, and they were his special people, whom he had chosen for himself above all people upon the earth. That he was their King and their God, to protect and defend them, to provide for them, and take care of them, and bestow all good things on them proper for them.

"Ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy": Separate from all others as he was, living holy lives and conversations, agreeably to his will made known to them. In imitation of him who had chosen and called them to be his people. For, since holiness is his nature, it becomes them who are his house and family, his subjects and people.

This statement here could be because in Egypt, nearly every animal was worshipped. My own thoughts on this however, is that God has brought them out of the world, that they might serve Him. Egypt is a type of the world. He took them out of the world, that He might take them to the Promised Land. The very same thing is true with believers today. When we decide to follow Jesus, we are no longer of this world. We have no permanent dwelling place on this earth. To head for the Promised Land with God, we too must leave Egypt. Abraham was looking for a city made by God. We, too, must look for that city that cometh down from God out of heaven (New Jerusalem). Have you left Egypt (the world), yet? When you do, God will lead you to the Promised Land.

Leviticus 11:46 "This [is] the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:"

Clean and unclean, what were to be eaten, and what not.

"And of the fowl" (Lev. 11:2), the unclean ones, which are particularly mentioned that they might be avoided. All others excepting them being allowed (Lev. 11:13).

"And of every living creature that moveth in the waters": All sorts of fish in the sea, rivers, ponds, and pools, such as have fins and scales. These were to be eaten, but, if they had neither, were forbidden (Lev. 11:9).

"And of every creature that creepeth upon the earth": Eight of which are mentioned particularly, which, when dead, defiled by touching. And all others are forbidden to be eaten (Lev. 11:29). Together with such creeping things that fly, excepting those that had legs above their feet to leap with (Lev. 11:20). This is a recapitulation of the several laws respecting them, though not in the exact order in which they are delivered in this chapter.

Leviticus 11:47 "To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten."

Whether of beasts, fish, fowl, and flying creeping things.

"And between the beast that may be eaten, and the beast that may not be eaten": The former clause takes in all in general, this instances in a particular sort of creatures. And the first mentioned of which, that might be eaten, are, that part the hoof, are cloven footed, and chew the cud. And that might not, that chew the cud, but divide not the hoof, or divide the hoof, but chew not the cud.

And now, by such like descriptions and distinctions of the creatures treated of, the Israelites would be able to make a difference between the one and the other, and know what was to be eaten, and what not.

The one thing we must see in these laws of the diet, God had the welfare of His people in mind when He gave these restrictions. Sometimes it seems as if the restrictions God has made are unfair; don't you believe it. God loves you. He loved you so much, He sent His son to save you. Every restriction is for our benefit.

GOD LOVES YOU, HE WANTS TO SAVE YOU, LET HIM!

Leviticus Chapter 11 Second Continued Questions

1. Why was the sowing seed clean, even though something unclean touched it?

2. What happens to a seed when it falls into the ground?

3. What did the author find amazing about plants, and where they grow?

4. There is a process of what here, that mortal man does not understand?

5. Why did the seed become unclean, if it got water on it?

6. What must immediately be drained from an animal, for it to be allowable for food?

7. Why is this so?

8. Verse 41 tells us that what is an abomination?

9. What are included in these creeping things?

10. What was cursed above all the animals?

11. What was the devil in the form of in the garden of Eden?

12. When God cursed the serpent to crawl on its belly, what else felt the same curse?

13. What are these Israelites cautioned of in Leviticus 11:43?

14. What does the word, sanctify, mean?

15. "Be ye _______, for I am _______."

16. What is the real cleanliness God is trying to teach here?

17. If ye are Christ's, then are ye ____________ seed.

18. What does defile mean?

19. We are to present ourselves a glorious church without what?

20. What was worshipped in Egypt?

21. God has brought them out of the world that they might ________ Him.

22. What must we believers do, before we can head for the Promised Land?

23. What is the one message we must see loud and clear in these dietary laws?

24. Every restriction is for whose benefit?

Leviticus Chapter 12

Verses 1-8: This chapter involves purification after childbirth, for the mother was considered to "be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity". The "separation for her infirmity" is a reference to her menstrual period (verse 5). This is more fully explained in 15:9-24. This legislation deals with the secretions that occur when giving birth, which made the mother unclean. So chapter 15, dealing with bodily secretions, provides the context for chapter 12. Verse 7 says she will "be cleansed from the issue of her blood". This is the third mention. Why should a woman become unclean by bearing children? Reproduction is essential to the survival of the human race, yet intercourse made both Israelite man and wife ceremonially unclean (15:18).

Why should any discharge make a person unclean? The Bible gives no explicit answer. Some say it was a reminder that sin is transmitted to each person at birth. Others say that every bodily discharge is a reminder of sin and death. It is also suggested that a bleeding or discharging body lacks wholeness and is therefore unclean. Loss of blood can lead to death, the antithesis of normal, healthy life. Anyone losing blood is at least in danger of becoming less that perfect and therefor unclean. In any case, the woman was to bring "a burnt offering" and "a sin offering" indicating her total dedication and surrender to God and the admission of her sin and need for a covering.

The theme of this chapter is not personal holiness but ritual purification for the mother. Nothing here teaches or implies that human sexuality is "dirty", that pregnancy is defiling, or that babies are impure. On the contrary, Scripture presents children as blessings from God (Psalms 113:9; 127:3-5; 128:3; Prov. 17:6; Matt. 19:14).

Leviticus 12:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

The laws in the preceding chapter were delivered both to Moses and Aaron, but what follows in this only to Moses. But inasmuch as the priest had a concern in it, it being his business to offer the sacrifices required by the following law, it was no doubt given to Moses, to be delivered to Aaron, as well as to the people. R. Semlai remarks, that as the creation of man was after that of the beasts, fowls, fishes, etc., so the laws concerning the uncleanness of men are after those relating to beasts, etc. And they begin with the uncleanness of a new mother. Because, as Aben Ezra observes, the birth is the beginning of man.

"Saying": As follows.

Leviticus 12:2 "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean."

For this law only concerned them, and not other nations of the world.

"If a woman have conceived seed": By lying with a man, and so becomes pregnant, and goes on with her pregnancy until she brings forth a child. The Jews from here gather, that this law respects abortions. That if a woman has conceived and miscarries, eighty one days after the birth of a female, and forty one after a male, she must bring her offering. But the law seems only to regard such as are with child, and proceed to the due time of childbirth, whether then the child is born alive or dead.

"And born a man child": Which is, generally speaking, not only matter of joy to the mother, but to the whole family (see John 16:21). Then she shall be unclean seven days; and be separate from all company. Except those whose presence is necessary to take care of her in her circumstances, and do what is proper for her. And even these became ceremonially unclean thereby. Even her husband was not permitted to sit near her, nor to eat and drink with her.

"According to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean": The same number of days, even seven, she was unclean on account of childbirth, as she was for her monthly courses. Called here an infirmity or sickness, incident to all females when grown up, at which time they were separate from all persons. And the case was the same with a new mother (see Lev. 15:14).

This is a ceremonial uncleanness. In a difficult to understand way, this has to do with the birth of all who are believers. We have seen throughout these lessons in Leviticus, strong spiritual messages to the church. I see in this that we are all born in sin. We are not born lost as some teach, just uncommitted. We are born a fleshly man. This man of flesh is the first birth of man. Man is first flesh, then born of the spirit. To truly understand what I am saying here, a person must truly study (1 Corinthians beginning with chapter 15:42 and go to the end of the chapter). Just one reading will not implant this message, you must read it at least 6 times. Pray while you are reading, that the Holy Spirit reveals to you the meaning. The fact that this man and this woman had a child is not sin. God had instructed Adam and Eve to have children. God would not tell you to do something that was sin.

Genesis 1:28 "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

This happened before the incident in the garden of Eden. The sin in the garden of Eden was disobeying God, not the fact that they had children. I will show you, again, that having children (if you are married), is not sin. God told Noah and his sons to be fruitful and multiply. I say, again, God would not tell them to do something that was sin.

Genesis 9:1 "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth."

I could go on and on, but there is no need for that here, the point is made. Two married people producing children is not sin.

The fact that the woman who has a man child is unclean 7 days, has to do with the 7 days that Aaron and his sons were to wait at the door of the tabernacle to be acceptable to God. This was a time of consecration. The beautiful thing that happened when Mary conceived in her flesh of the Holy Spirit of God could never have been classified as sin, yet Jesus was not circumcised until the eighth day. Eight means new beginnings. This new beginning on the eighth day is like the day our spirit is born. Jesus' number is 8. He is our new beginning. This circumcision on the eighth day is like the new birth in Christ. Our new life begins the day we accept Christ as our Savior. The sign that an Israelite man has accepted God was on the eighth day when he is set aside for God by circumcision. The woman in the Bible is symbolic of the church. This seven days of separation is the same as the seven days of separation for the high priest. The church is born in us (we become the church), when we accept new life in Jesus. The seven (1000 year days), of the earth is also symbolized in this 7 days of consecration. We are waiting outside the door to heaven 7000 years, and then the new beginning is here.

Leviticus 12:3 "And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised."

"Eighth day": Joseph and Mary followed these instructions at the birth of Christ (Luke 2:21).

"Circumcised": The sign of the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 17:9-14), was incorporated into the laws of Mosaic cleanness (compare Rom. 4:11-13). For a discussion on circumcision (see notes on Jer. 4:4).

Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day.

Luke 2:21 "And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb."

The baby Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day and named Jesus. He was not dedicated in the temple until the 40^th day. We will see this as we go on.

Leviticus 12:4 "And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled."

That is, so many more, in all forty. For though at the end of seven days she was in some respects free from her uncleanness, yet not altogether. But remained in the blood of her purifying, or in the purifying of her blood, which was more and more purified, and completely at the end of forty days. So with the Persians it is said, a new mother must avoid everything for forty days. When that time is passed, she may wash and be purified; and which perhaps Zoroastres, the founder of the Persian religion, at least the reformer of it, being a Jew.

"She shall touch no hallowed thing": As the tithe, the heave offering, the flesh of the peace offerings, as Aben Ezra explains it, if she was a priest's wife.

"Nor come into the sanctuary": The court of the tabernacle of the congregation, or the court of the temple, as the same writer observes. And so with the Greeks, a pregnant woman might not come into a temple before the fortieth day, that is, of her delivery.

"Until the days of her purifying be fulfilled": Until the setting of the sun of the fortieth day. On the morrow of that she was to bring the atonement of her purification, as Jarchi observes (see notes on Lev. 12:6).

The issue of blood that women have every month, and at childbirth is a cleansing for their bodies. No woman should think of herself as being a nothing, because this happens to her. There is no life without the shedding of blood. Women are chosen of God to pro-create life. Husbands and wives are one in God's sight. The creation of life in God's plan, is beautiful. The new life, is a blessing to the husband and wife, but is also a blessing for God. The natural functions of the body are one of the great mysteries of life. Every time a new baby is born, it lets us know God has not given up on mankind. This 40 day period of separation from the holy things is for cleanliness' sake and just simply because God said to do it. Forty throughout the Bible is a time of testing. Perhaps this is the time the woman should take before beginning to function in her usual role. Jesus was carried to the temple on the 40th day for his dedication.

Luke 2:22 "And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present [him] to the Lord;"

The natural function of the woman's body has usually stopped by the 40th day after a male child is born. and it would be alright for her to come back to the temple. We will find in another lesson that anything that could be construed as uncleanness, would keep the person from attending services in the sanctuary.

Leviticus 12:5 "But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days."

"Two weeks ... threescore and six days": Apparently mothers were unclean twice as long (80) days after the birth of a daughter as a son (40 days), which reflected the stigma on women for Eve's part in the Fall. This stigma is removed in Christ (see notes on 1 Tim. 2:13-15).

The time for the cleansing for the birth of a female child is definitely twice as long. Boy babies were circumcised on the 8th day, which as we said in a previous verse, was a sign of accepting God. Since a girl baby is not circumcised, then the purification would be different also. To say that this longer time for purification was because girls were more sinful is slightly ridiculous. With God there is no male or female. The only time there is a gender is for the procreation of life on this earth. As we have said over and over in these lessons, the woman symbolizes the church. The 40 days for the purification of having a man child symbolized the 40 years wandering in the wilderness on the way to the Promised Land. The church of Jesus Christ was not established on the way to the Promised Land. Could the 80 days required for the female child symbolize the 40 years in the wilderness to establish a people of God, and then the 40 days Jesus ministered on the earth after He resurrected from the tomb, to establish the church? The church of the Lord Jesus Christ was not established during the wilderness wanderings, but that had to be the beginning. The church was truly launched when Jesus returned to the Father in heaven and promised to send the comforter. Jesus was seed of the woman, and not of the man.

Genesis 3:15 "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

There was the age of the law (physical Israel), then there was the age of grace (spiritual Israel). The time of testing for the physical house was 40. The time of testing for the spiritual house was 40. Forty and 40 make 80. There could not have been grace, except it had been preceded by law. Then the woman (church), takes 80 days for purification, 40 days for the law and 40 days for grace.

Leviticus 12:6 "And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:"

"Burnt offering ... sin offering": Thought the occasion was joyous, the sacrifices required were to impress upon the mind of the parent the reality of original sin and that the child had inherited a sin nature. The circumcision involved a cutting away of the male foreskin, which could carry infections and diseases in its folds. This cleansing of the physical organ so as not to pass on disease (Jewish women have historically had the lowest incidence of cervical cancer), was a picture of the deep need for cleansing from depravity, which is most clearly revealed by procreation, as men produce sinners and only sinners. Circumcision points to the fact that cleansing is needed at the very core of a human being, a cleansing God offers to the faithful and penitent through the sacrifice of Christ to come.

These offerings were not for direct sin, but if you will, inherited sin of the flesh. This sin is really not this mother's sin, but Eve's sin, which was not a deed but an inheritance. This burnt offering was as devotion to God. The sin involved was not her own sin, but sinful nature of all of humanity, until the new birth in Christ. Jesus was dedicated to God on the 40th day of His mother's purification.

Luke 2:22 "And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present [him] to the Lord;"

Leviticus 12:7 "Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This [is] the law for her that hath born a male or a female."

Upon the altar of burnt offering.

"And make an atonement for her": For whatsoever sin in connection with or that attended childbearing. As typical of the atonement by Christ both for sin original and actual.

"And she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood": In a ceremonial sense, and according to that law be pure and clean.

"This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female": Enjoined her, and to be observed by her. And though now with the rest of the ceremonial law it is abolished. Yet it has this instruction in it; that it becomes women in such circumstances to bring the freewill offerings of their lips. Their sacrifices of praise, and in a public manner signify their gratitude and thankfulness for the mercy and goodness of God vouchsafed to them. In carrying them through the whole time of childbearing, and saving them in the perilous hour.

As I said before, the uncleanness was of a ceremonial nature, rather than of a spiritual nature. We will get into the issue of blood in another lesson.

Leviticus 12:8 "And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean."

"Turtledoves ... pigeons": Compare (Lev. 1:14-17; 5:7-10). These were the offerings of Joseph and Mary after Christ's birth (compare Luke 2:24), when they presented Jesus as their firstborn to the Lord (Exodus 13:2; Luke 2:22). Birds, rather than livestock, indicated a low economic situation, though one who was in total poverty could offer flour (5:11-14).

The mother of Jesus brought two turtledoves and 2 young pigeons.

Luke 2:24 "And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."

To sum this up, we see the birth of all of Christendom in this lesson through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Leviticus Chapter 12 Questions

1. Who did God give the law to, about the purification of the woman after childbirth?

2. How many days shall she be unclean after the birth of a son?

3. What kind of uncleanness is this?

4. We have seen strong spiritual messages to the __________ in Leviticus.

5. We are born in _____, not born _______.

6. Man is first flesh, then _________.

7. Where should you read over and over to get the full lesson on the flesh and spirit of man?

8. How do we know that the man and woman did not sin in having a child?

9. God would not tell you to do something that was _____.

10. What was the sin in the garden of Eden?

11. Two married people having children is not _____.

12. What parallel does the seven days of uncleanness represent?

13. Jesus was circumcised on what day?

14. What does the number eight mean?

15. This circumcision on the eighth day is like what in Christ?

16. Who is our new beginning?

17. The woman, in the Bible, is symbolic of what?

18. When is the church born in us?

19. We have been waiting outside the door to heaven how long?

20. What day was Jesus named?

21. What day was Jesus dedicated in the temple?

22. How many days could the mother not enter the temple after the male child was born?

23. What is the purpose of the issue of blood that women have?

24. What is the number 40 symbolic of?

25. What was the difference in the time of separation for a maid child and a male child?

26. The woman symbolizes what?

27. The 40 days of purification for a male child symbolized what?

28. When was the church of the Lord Jesus Christ truly launched?

29. Why did it take 80 symbolic days for the church of the Lord Jesus Christ to be launched?

30. What type of sin was this offering in the temple for?

Leviticus Chapter 13

Verses 1-59: Actually chapters 13 and 14 go together. They have a threefold division, each introduced by "The Lord spake unto Moses [and Aaron]" (13:1; 14:1, 33), and closed by "This is the law for ..." (13:59; 14:32, 54). Serious skin disease in men and clothing is dealt with (in 13:1-59). It details its diagnosis and treatment. Ritual cleansing after the cure of serious skin disease is described (in 14:1-32). And (14:33-57), relates to serious skin disease in houses: diagnosis, treatment, and cleansing. The Hebrew word translated "leprosy" comes from a root meaning "to become diseased in the skin", and is a generic term for severe skin disorders, including Hansen's disease, rather than a specific description. In Old Testament usage, it was extended to include mold or mildew in fabrics, as well as mineral eruptions on the walls of buildings, and possibly dry rot in the fabric of such structures. The Hebrew is technical in character, and the passing of time has obliterated the original meaning of the terms used. The individual under consideration was to "be brought unto Aaron the priest", and if indeed infected he was to be pronounced "unclean". A man pronounced unclean by the priest then began a terrible separation, for he would "dwell alone; without the damp" (compare 2 Kings 7:3), which was actually a living death. He was cut off from spiritual fellowship with the covenant people, and in a real sense would be without hope and without God in the world.

I will tell you right from the beginning, there are 2 kinds of leprosy. One leprosy (the physical), you can see with your eyes, but there is also a leprosy of the spirit. Even though you cannot see the leprosy of the spirit, it does not make it any less deadly.

Verses 1-8: The infected person was isolated for as long as two weeks to allow the symptoms time to improve.

Leviticus 13:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying,"

Aaron is addressed again, though left out in the preceding law, because the laws concerning leprosy chiefly concerned the priests, whose business it was to judge of it, and cleanse from it. And so, Ben Gersom observes, mention is made of Aaron here, because to him and his sons belonged the affair of leprosies. To pronounce unclean or clean, to shut up or set free. And, as Aben Ezra says, according to his determination were all the plagues or strokes of a man, who should be declared clean or unclean.

Leviticus 13:2 "When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh [like] the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests:"

"Bright spot": This probably refers to inflammation.

"Leprosy": This is a term referring to various ancient skin disorders that were sometimes superficial, sometimes serious. It may have included modern leprosy (Hansen's disease). The symptoms described (in verses 2, 6, 10, 18, 30 and 39), are not sufficient for a diagnosis of the clinical condition. For the protection of the people, observation and isolation were demanded for all suspected cases of what could be a contagious disease. This biblical leprosy involved some whiteness (verse 3; Exodus 4:6), which disfigured its victim but did not disable him. Naaman was able to exercise his functions as a general of Syria's army, although a leper (2 Kings 5:1, 27). Both Old and New Testament lepers went almost everywhere, indicating that this disease was not the leprosy of today that cripples. A victim of this scaly disease was unclean as long as the infection was partial. Once the body was covered with it, he was clean and could enter the place of worship (see verses 12-17). Apparently, the complete covering meant the contagious period was over. The allusion to a boil (verses 18-28), with inflamed or raw areas and whitened hairs may refer to a related infection that was contagious. When lepers were cured by Christ, they were neither lame nor deformed. They were never brought on beds. Similar skin conditions are described (in verses 29-37 and verses 38-44), concerning some inflammation from infection. The aim of these laws was to protect the people from disease, but more importantly, to inculcate into them by vivid object lessons how God desired purity, holiness, and cleanness among His people.

This has great spiritual thoughts in it. If this illness is just physical, why do they not take the person with it to a physician? It is very unusual to take a person to the high priest, before you take the patient to a doctor for a physical problem. The sons of Aaron, as well as Aaron, were to judge the matter of whether the person had leprosy. It seemed that any raw sore, such as a boil, must be examined to determine whether or not it was leprosy.

Leviticus 13:3 "And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and [when] the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight [be] deeper than the skin of his flesh, it [is] a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean."

Whether it be a swelling, scab, or a bright spot that appears, and judge of it by the following rules, and none but a priest might do this.

"And when the hair in the plague is turned white": It arising in a place where hair grows, and which hair is not naturally white, but of another color. But changed through the force of the plague. And there were to be two hairs at least, which were at first black, but turned white, so Jarchi and Ben Gersom. And these hairs, according to the Misnah, must be white at bottom; if the root (or bottom) is black, and the head (or top) white, he is clean. If the root white, and the head black, he is defiled. For hairs turning white is a sign of a disorder, of weakness, of a decay of nature, as may be observed in ancient persons.

"And the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh": Appears plainly to view to be more than skin deep, to have corroded and eat into the flesh below the skin.

"It is a plague of leprosy": When these two signs were observed, hair turned white, and the plague was more than skin deep, then it was a plain case that it was the leprosy of which see notes on (Matt. 8:2; 8:3; Luke 5:12). This was an emblem of sin, and the corruption of nature, which is an uncleanness. And with which every man is defiled, and which renders him infectious, nauseous, and abominable. And of which he is only to be cured and cleansed by Christ, the great High Priest, through his blood, which cleanses from all sin. The above signs and marks of leprosy may be observed in this. The white hair denoting a decay of strength (see Hosea 7:9). May be seen in sinners, as in the leper, who are without moral and spiritual strength to keep the law of God. To do anything that is spiritually good, to regenerate, renew, convert, and sanctify themselves, or to bring themselves out of the state of pollution, bondage, and misery, in which they are. And, like the leprosy, sin lies deep in man. It is in his flesh, in which dwells no good thing, and in which there is no soundness. It does not lie merely in outward actions, but it is in the heart, which is desperately wicked. For the inward part of man is very wicked.

"And the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean": And so, should be obliged to rend his clothes, make bare his head, put a covering on his upper lip, and cry, unclean, unclean. He must dwell alone without the camp, and at a proper time bring the offering for his cleansing, and submit to the several rites and ceremonies prescribed (Lev. 13:45).

Notice, that leprosy as well as sin, is a disease of the flesh. When this sin or disease has gone into the person, the priest declares them unclean. One of the requests we all make to Jesus, is wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow, or (take my spiritual leprosy).

Leviticus 13:4 "If the bright spot [be] white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight [be] not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up [him that hath] the plague seven days:"

The Targum of Jonathan is, white as chalk in the skin of his flesh": But other Jewish writers make the whiteness of the bright spot to be the greatest of all, like that of snow (see notes on Lev. 13:2).

"And in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white": Though it be a bright spot, and be very white, yet these two marks not appearing, it cannot be judged a leprosy, at most it is only suspicious. Wherefore:

"Then the priest, shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days": In whom the bright spot is, and of whom there is a suspicion of the plague of leprosy, but it is not certain. And therefore, in order to take time, and get further knowledge, the person was to be shut up from all company and conversation for the space of seven days. By which time it might be supposed, as Ben Gersom observes, that the case and state of the leprosy (if it was one), would be altered. And Aben Ezra remarks, that most diseases change or alter on the seventh day.

We know that 7 means spiritually complete. It is easy to understand, just as Aaron and his son's had to wait at the door 7 days to be ceremonially clean for work in the sanctuary, these people wait 7 days to be declared physically clean. This seven days, this person is neither declared to have leprosy nor to be clean. When Aaron waited at the door 7 days, he was neither high priest, nor released to go into the world. In both cases, this is a period of waiting to be accepted.

Leviticus 13:5 "And the priest shall look on him the seventh day: and, behold, [if] the plague in his sight be at a stay, [and] the plague spread not in the skin; then the priest shall shut him up seven days more:"

In the day, and not in the night, as Maimonides, but not on the seventh day. If it happened to be on the Sabbath, then it was put off till after it. And, according to the Jewish canons, they do not look upon plagues in the morning, nor in the evening, nor in the middle of a house, nor on a cloudy day, nor at noon, but at the fourth, fifth, eighth, and ninth hours.

"And, behold, if the plague in his sight be at a stay": It appears to the priest, according to the strictest view he can take of it, that it is in the same state and condition it was, neither better nor worse.

"And the plague spread not in the skin": Is not greater or larger than it was, though not less.

"Then the priest shall shut him up seven days more": Such abundant care was taken, lest after all it should prove a leprosy.

Leviticus 13:6 "And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day: and, behold, [if] the plague [be] somewhat dark, [and] the plague spread not in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean: it [is but] a scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean."

On the second seventh day, at the end of a fortnight from his being first presented to him, and shut up.

"And, behold, if the plague be somewhat dark": The spot be not so bright, or so white as it was at first. Though Aben Ezra observes, that indeed many wise men say, that is as signifying dark, and the testimony or proof they bring is (Gen. 27:1). But according to my opinion, adds he, the word is the reverse of to spread. And the sense is, if the plague does not spread itself in another place. And so some translators render it "contracted", or "contracts itself": and this seems best to agree with what follows.

"And the plague spread not in the skin": But is as it was when first viewed, after waiting fourteen days, and making observations on it.

"The priest shall pronounce him clean": That is, from leprosy, otherwise there was an impure disorder on him, a scabious one.

"It is but a scab": Which is the name, Jarchi says, of a clean plague or stroke, that is, in comparison of the leprosy. Otherwise such cannot be said with any propriety to be clean. Ben Gersom better explains it, it is a white scab, but not of the kind of leprosy, although it is found as the whiteness of the bright spot. But there are not seen in it the signs of leprosy, the hair is not turned white, nor has the plague increased.

"And he shall wash his clothes, and be clean": For seeing he was obliged to be shut up, as Jarchi observes, he is called unclean, and stood in need of dipping. That is, his body and his clothes into water. So, the people of God, though they are justified by the righteousness of Christ, and are pronounced clean through it. Yet since they have their spots and scabs, they have need to have their conversation garments continually washed in the blood of the Lamb.

In some very unusual way, this first 7 days of waiting here, symbolizes the time of the law. The 14 days; the two periods of 7 days, symbolize the waiting for grace to come. Notice at the end of this 14 days, he is washed and made whole. When we are washed in the blood of the Lamb, we are made every whit whole. Our sin (leprosy), is gone.

Leviticus 13:7 "But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin, after that he hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen of the priest again:"

Or "in spreading spread". Spreads, and proceeds to spread more and more.

"After that he hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing": Even after he had been viewed upon the first presentation of him to him, and after he had been twice seen by him by the end of two weeks, in which he was shut up. And after he had been pronounced clean, and had washed his clothes for his purification.

"He shall be seen of the priest again": Either he shall go to him of himself, or be brought to him, to be reviewed and pass under afresh examination.

Leviticus 13:8 "And [if] the priest see that, behold, the scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it [is] a leprosy."

Is not at a stay, as when he looked at it a second and third time.

"Then the priest shall pronounce him unclean": A leprous person; to be absolutely so, as Jarchi expresses it. And so, obliged to the birds (to bring birds for his cleansing), and to shaving, and to the offering spoken of in this section, as the same writer observes.

"It is a leprosy": It is a clear and plain case that it was one, and no doubt is to be made of it, it is a spreading leprosy. As sin is; it spreads itself over all the powers and faculties of the soul, and over all the members of the body. And it spreads more and more in every stage of life, unless and until grace puts a stop to it.

We see in this a hopeless situation. The priest tried, but there was no change.

Leviticus 13:9 "When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest;"

He has all the signs of it, and it is pretty manifest both to himself and others that it is upon him.

"Then he shall be brought unto the priest": By his friends and neighbors, if he is not willing to come of himself. A sinner insensible of the leprosy of sin, and of his unclean and miserable state through it, has no will to come to Christ the great High Priest for cleansing. But one that is sensible of it, and of Christ's ability to help and cleanse him, will come freely and gladly, and importunately seek to him for it. Though indeed such a one is brought by powerful and efficacious grace to him, yet not against, but with his full will (see John 5:40; compare with Matt. 8:1).

Leviticus 13:10 "And the priest shall see [him]: and, behold, [if] the rising [be] white in the skin, and it have turned the hair white, and [there be] quick raw flesh in the rising;"

Look at him, and closely and narrowly inspect and examine his case.

"And, behold, if the rising be white in the skin; this is another appearance of the leprosy. The preceding was a bright spot, and the scab of it; but this a rising or white swelling in the skin, as white as pure wool, as the Targum of Jonathan.

"And it have turned the hair white": To the whiteness of an egg shell, or the film of it, as the same Targum. That is, hath turned the hair of another color, into white which was before black.

"And there be quick raw flesh in the rising": Or swelling; or "the quickening" or "quickness of live flesh" either such as we call proud flesh, which looks raw and red. Or sound flesh, live flesh being opposed to that which is mortified and putrid. For either the hair turning white, or quick raw flesh, one or the other, and one without the other was a sign of leprosy, so Jarchi observes. Even this is a sign of uncleanness, the white hair without the quick flesh, and the quick flesh without the white hair. This may seem strange that quick and sound flesh should be a sign of the leprosy and its uncleanness. Though it should be observed, it is such as is in the rising or swelling. And in things spiritual, it is a bad sign when men are proud of themselves and have confidence in the flesh. When in their own opinion, they are whole and sound and need no physician. When they trust in themselves that they are righteous, and boast of and have their dependence on their own works. He appears to be in the best state and frame that cried out as David did, that there is "no soundness in his flesh" (Psalm 38:3).

Leviticus 13:11 "It [is] an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not shut him up: for he [is] unclean."

An inveterate one, of long standing and continuance, an obstinate one, not to be cured by medicine. As this sort of leprosy was, and therefore the person was sent not to a physician, but to the priest. The leprosy of sin is an old disease, brought by man into the world with him, and continues with him from his youth upwards, and nothing but the grace of God and blood of Christ can remove it.

"And the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not shut him up": There being no doubt at all of it being a leprosy. And of his uncleanness, and therefore no need to shut him up for further examination, but to turn him out of the camp till his purification was over.

"For he is unclean": In a ceremonial sense, and was obliged to the law for cleansing, such as after given.

In diseases, you would call this a chronic disease, which is past the contagious stage. In the spiritual realm, this would be a habitual sinner. By this time, the person is so hideous from the disease (sin), that no one will come near them anyway. There is no need to lock them up. I am not saying in this that leprosy is caused by sin. I do not know. I am saying that leprosy in the flesh is symbolic of leprosy of sin in the inner man, in his spirit.

Leviticus 13:12 "And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of [him that hath] the plague from his head even to his foot, wheresoever the priest looketh;"

Or, if flowering it flowers. The man that has it on him looks like a plant or tree covered with white flowers, being spread all over him in white swellings, bright spots or scabs, as it follows.

"And the leprosy cover all the skin of him that hath the plague, from his head even to his foot": Such a one as the leper was that came to Christ for healing, said to be full of leprosy (Luke 5:12). And such in a mystical sense is every sinner, whether sensible of it or not. Even from the Crown of the head to the sole of the foot, full of the wounds, bruises, and putrefying sores of sin (Isa. 1:6).

"Wheresoever the priest looketh": That is, he cannot look anywhere upon any part of him but he sees the signs of the leprosy on him. And from whence the Jewish writers gather, that a priest that inspects leprous persons ought to have a clear sight, and to have both his eyes, and that the inspection should not be made in a dark house.

Leviticus 13:13 "Then the priest shall consider: and, behold, [if] the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce [him] clean [that hath] the plague: it is all turned white: he [is] clean."

Look upon it, and well weigh the matter in his own mind, that he may make a true judgment and pronounce a right sentence.

"And, behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh": From head to foot, so that no quick, raw, or sound flesh appear in him.

"He shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague": Not clean from a leprosy he is covered with; but that he is free from pollution by it, and under no obligation to bring his offering, or to perform, or have performed on him any of the rites and ceremonies used in cleansing of the leper.

"It is all turned white": His skin and flesh with white bright spots, scabs and swellings, and no raw and red flesh appears.

"He is clean": In a ceremonial sense. This may seem strange, that one that had a bright spot, or a white swelling, or a scab that spreads, a single one of these, or here and there one, should be unclean. And yet, if covered over with them, should be clean. The reason in nature is, because this shows a good healthful inward constitution, which throws out all its ill humors externally, whereby health is preserved. As we see in persons that have the measles or smallpox, or such like distempers, if they stick in the skin, and only here and there one rises up in a tumor, and to a head, it is a bad sign. But if they come out kindly and well, though they cover the whole body, things are very promising. The mystical or spiritual meaning of this is, that when a man sees himself to be a sinful creature, all over covered with sin, and no part free. And disclaims all righteousness of his own to justify him before God, but wholly trusts to, and depends upon the grace of God for salvation. And the righteousness of Christ for his acceptance with God. He becomes clean through the grace of God and the blood and righteousness of Christ.

The only way to explain this, is with a statement from the New Testament.

Luke 5:12-13 "And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on [his] face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." "And he put forth [his] hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him."

I believe the statement (full of leprosy), is the connection between the two. The only help for someone full of sin, or leprosy, is for Jesus to wash them and make them whole.

Leviticus 13:14 "But when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean."

Between the white spots, scabs, or swellings, or in the midst of them.

"He shall be unclean": Be pronounced unclean, and be subject to all the prescriptions of the law concerning lepers.

Leprosy is not a very contagious disease, but is contagious when the sore is open and running.

Leviticus 13:15 "And the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be unclean: [for] the raw flesh [is] unclean: it [is] a leprosy."

Or when he sees it, the person being brought to him to be viewed.

"And pronounce him to be unclean": Or shall pronounce him to be unclean.

"For the raw flesh is unclean": Made a man so in a ceremonial sense (see notes on Lev. 13:10).

"It is a leprosy": Wherever any quick raw flesh appears in a swelling.

It is a horrible task, but it is the duty of the leader of the church to point out sin to their members. Just as the leprosy here, sin must be dealt with.

Leviticus 13:16 "Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed unto white, he shall come unto the priest;"

Changes its color, from redness, which is in raw flesh.

"And be changed unto white": And does not look ruddy as flesh in common does, nor red and fiery, as raw and proud flesh, but is white, of the same color with the swelling or scab.

"He shall come unto the priest": Again, and show himself, even though he was before by him pronounced clean.

Leviticus 13:17 "And the priest shall see him: and, behold, [if] the plague be turned into white; then the priest shall pronounce [him] clean [that hath] the plague: he [is] clean."

Review him, and examine him thoroughly.

"And, behold, if the plague be turned into white": The raw flesh in the swelling, which looked red, is become white.

"Then the priest shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague": That was supposed to have the plague of leprosy; but upon a review, and on this change of things, has not, he shall declare him free from it.

"He is clean": And under no obligation to the laws and rites concerning it.

This reminds me so much of what Paul did in the books of Corinthians. There was a terrible sin in the church, and Paul told them to remove the person who had sinned so badly. Then (in 2 Corinthians), after the person repented, Paul told the church to take him back into the fold.

Leviticus 13:18 "The flesh also, in which, [even] in the skin thereof, was a boil, and is healed,"

Or hot ulcer, by which, says Maimonides you may understand any stroke by a stone, stick, or iron, or any other thing. And in the Misnah, it is asked, what is an ulcer (or boil)? A stroke by wood, stone, pitch, or hot water. All that is from the force of fire is an ulcer.

"And is healed": By the use of medicine, and the part, in all appearance, as well and as sound as ever.

Leviticus 13:19 "And in the place of the boil there be a white rising, or a bright spot, white, and somewhat reddish, and it be showed to the priest;"

In the place where the boil was, a white swelling appears.

"Or a bright spot, white, and somewhat reddish": White and red mixed, as the Targum of Jonathan. and so Aben Ezra interprets the word "reddish", of the bright spot being mixed of two colors, or part of it so. And such a mixed color of white and red, Gersom observes, is usual in a swelling. And adds, we are taught how to judge of these appearances, according to a tradition from Moses. Which is this: take a cup full of milk, and put in it two drops of blood, and the color of it will be as the color of the bright spot, white and reddish. And if you put into it four drops, its color will be as the color of the rising (or swelling) reddish. And if you put into it eight drops, its color will be as the color of the scab of the bright spot, more reddish. And if you put into it sixteen drops, its color will be as the color of the scab of the swelling, very red. Hence it appears, says he, that the bright spot is whitest with its redness, and after that the swelling. And next the scab of the bright spot, and then the scab of the swelling. But Bochart is of opinion that the word is wrongly rendered "reddish". Which, he thinks, contradicts the account of the bright spot being white. And especially as the word for "reddish" has its radicals doubled, which always increase the signification. And therefore, if the word bears the sense of redness, it should be rendered "exceeding red". Which would be quite contrary to the spot being white at all. Wherefore from the use of the word in the Arabic language, which signifies white, bright, and glittering (see notes on Lam. 4:7). He chooses to read the words, "or a bright spot, white and exceeding glittering". But this word we render reddish and white, being read disjunctively (Lev. 13:24). Seems to contradict this observation of his.

"And it be shewed to the priest": To look upon and pass his judgment on it.

Leviticus Chapter 13 Questions

1. What 2 kinds of leprosy does this lesson deal with?

2. Explain the difference in the 2.

3. Who did the Lord give these instructions to?

4. What do the Scriptures describe as being like leprosy?

5. Who should a person suspected of leprosy be brought to?

6. If this is just speaking of physical leprosy, why do they not take the patient to a _____________?

7. For what reason was the new raw sore examined?

8. Who pronounced the person clean or unclean?

9. Leprosy is a disease of the ________.

10. How many days was the person to be shut up, before determining whether he is clean or not?

11. What does the number 7 mean?

12. Why did Aaron and his sons have to wait 7 days at the door of the sanctuary?

13. Explain the similarity of the time Aaron waited, and the time the person suspected of leprosy waited.

14. In what way does the 14 day wait resemble Christianity?

15. What makes the person whole?

16. Leviticus 13:7 describes what?

17. How can you compare chronic disease to sin?

18. What does chronic leprosy, or habitual sin, do to the face?

19. The only help for someone full of sin, or leprosy, is what?

20. When is leprosy contagious?

21. What is a task of the leader of the church, that none of them enjoy?

22. Who in the New Testament, dealt with the same sin 2 different ways?

23. How did this happen?

Leviticus Chapter 13 Continued

We will continue on with the leper from the last lesson. We had decided that this is not only speaking of a physical disease but spiritual, as well.

Leviticus 13:20 "And if, when the priest seeth it, behold, it [be] in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white; the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it [is] a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil."

And has thoroughly viewed it and considered it.

"Behold, it be in sight lower than the skin": Having eaten into and taken root in the flesh under the skin.

"And the hair thereof be turned white": Which are the signs of leprosy before given (Lev. 13:3).

"The priest shall pronounce him unclean": Not fit for company and conversation, but obliged to conform to the laws concerning leprosy.

"It is a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil": Which was there before. This is an emblem of apostates and apostasy, who having been seemingly healed and cleansed, return to their former course of life. And to all the impurity of it, like the dog to its vomit, and the swine to its wallowing in the mire (Prov. 26:11). And so their last state is worse than the first (Matt. 12:45). As in this case; at first it was a boil, and then thought to be cured, and afterwards arises out of it a plague of leprosy.

We have been discussing the similarity between leprosy as a disease, and sin. Sin is spoken of as corruption. This is always a repulsive thing. The examining of this by the high priest is like the leader of the church examining the actions of someone who has erred. Was the thing they did in ignorance, was it a sin done with no intent of harm, or was it a sin from within? If this sin was a sin formed in the inside of man, then we see the worst kind of sin. This type sin, would separate the person from the flock. The leader of the church must decide which type of transgression this is. Is the sin to be forgiven and just go on, should there be some kind of restitution to the offended, or should the sinner be cut off from the flock?

Leviticus 13:21 "But if the priest look on it, and, behold, [there be] no white hairs therein, and [if] it [be] not lower than the skin, but [be] somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days:"

Upon a person in a like case as first described, having had a boil, and that healed, and afterwards a white swelling, or a bright spot in the place of it.

"And, behold, there be no white hairs therein": Not two hairs turned white, as Gersom interprets it.

"And if it be not lower than the skin": The bright spot not lower than the skin; not having got into the flesh, only skin deep. The Targum of Jonathan is, not lower in whiteness than the skin. For the bright spot is described as white, and so the rising or swelling (Lev. 13:19).

"But be somewhat dark": Or rather "contracted"; to which spreading is opposed in the next verse (see notes on Lev. 13:6).

"Then the priest shall shut him up seven days": To wait and see whether it will spread or not. A boil and burning, the Jews say, make a man unclean in one week, and by two signs, the white hair, and the spreading. By the white hair, both at the beginning and at the end of the week after dismissal, and by spreading at the end of the week after it.

To look at this spiritually, this would be like the head of the church, telling the sinner to make restitution to the person wronged and come back to the church. The head of the church would then decide whether this person is truly repentant, and whether he would recommend him being brought back in as a member of the church.

Leviticus 13:22 "And if it spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it [is] a plague."

Upon viewing it on the seventh day, though it is not expressed, the swelling or bright spot; or "in spreading spread" (see notes on Lev. 13:7). Which Ben Gersom interprets, not of the skin of the flesh, but of the ulcer.

"Then the priest shall pronounce him unclean": Even though there are no white hairs in it, nor is it lower than the skin, yet is not at a stand or contracted, but spreading.

"It is a plague": Or stroke. It is one sort of a leprosy, and such a one as makes a man unclean in a ceremonial sense.

Leprosy is probably the most dreaded disease. In some cases, great portions of flesh fall off. This is the description of rampant sin as well. Especially when it sweeps through a church. The head of the church has to remove a habitual sinner from the membership to keep the sin from overwhelming the other members.

Leviticus 13:23 "But if the bright spot stay in his place, [and] spread not, it [is] a burning boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean."

Continues as it was when first viewed.

"It is a burning boil": But not a plague of leprosy.

"And the priest shall pronounce him clean": As clear of a leprosy, and so not bound by the law of it, though attended with an inflammation or burning ulcer.

Sometimes a person is accused of sin, when they are not guilty. The head of the church has to decide, whether this just looks like sin on the surface, or if this is really sin. Just because a person is accused of sin is not enough, there must be proof for the head of the church to move upon it.

Leviticus 13:24 "Or if there be [any] flesh, in the skin whereof [there is] a hot burning, and the quick [flesh] that burneth have a white bright spot, somewhat reddish, or white;"

Or "a burning of fire": It is asked, what is a burning? That which is burnt with a coal or with hot ashes; all that is from the force of fire is burning. That is, whatever sore, pustule, or blister, is occasioned by fire touching the part, or by anything heated by fire.

"And the quick flesh that burneth have a white bright spot, somewhat reddish, or white": The Targum of Jonathan is, a white spot mixed with red, or only white. And so Aben Ezra interprets the last clause: this seems to set aside Bochart's interpretation of the word "adamdemeth", which we render "somewhat reddish". And be, very white, bright, and glittering since white is here opposed unto it. Though it may be, the sense is, that the flesh burnt has a bright white spot in it, exceeding glittering. Or however, at least, a white one. By the "quick flesh" that burneth. Gersom says, is meant the weak, the tender flesh which is renewed there, after it is healed from the purulent matter in it.

Leviticus 13:25 "Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, [if] the hair in the bright spot be turned white, and it [be in] sight deeper than the skin; it [is] a leprosy broken out of the burning: wherefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it [is] the plague of leprosy."

And examine it, whether it has the marks and signs of a leprosy or not, such as follows.

"Behold, if the hair in the bright spot be turned white": Which before was black, or of another color from white. And is now, turned into the whiteness of chalk, as the Targum of Jonathan.

"And it be in sight deeper than the skin": The same Targum is, "and its sight or color is deeper in being white like snow, more than the skin". But this respects not the color of it, as appearing to the sight, but the depth of the spot, going below the skin into the flesh. Which, with the change of hair, are the two signs of leprosy (Lev. 13:3).

"It is a leprosy broken out of the burning": Which sprung from there, and what that had issued in.

"Wherefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean": A leper, and to be treated as such.

"It is the plague of leprosy": Being a plain case, according to the rules by which it was to be judged of.

This sin mentioned here is more than skin deep. This is something very serious in nature. Christians, whose desire of their heart is to do right, will not have sin imputed to them.

1 John 2:1-2 "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:" "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world."

Habitual sin is a sin of the heart, and Jesus will not take care of habitual sin for us. The sickness has gone too deep when the sin is habitual.

The Scripture (in Hebrews chapter 6), and the (Scripture above in Leviticus), where the person is declared unclean, are both speaking of someone who habitually sins after they have been saved.

Leviticus 13:26 "But if the priest look on it, and, behold, [there be] no white hair in the bright spot, and it [be] no lower than the [other] skin, but [be] somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days:"

On the hot burning and bright spot in it, in another person.

"And, behold, there be no white hair on the white spot, and it be no lower than the other skin": Why the word "other" should be supplied I know not, any more than in (Lev. 13:21).

"But be somewhat dark": Or "contracted" (see notes on Lev. 13:21).

"Then the priest shall shut him up seven days": As in the case of the burning boil or hot ulcer, as in (Lev. 13:21).

Leviticus 13:27 "And the priest shall look upon him the seventh day: [and] if it be spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it [is] the plague of leprosy."

When that is come, any time on that day; not needing to wait until the end of it, or till, the seven days are precisely up. The same is to be understood in all places in this chapter where the like is used.

"And if it be spread much abroad in the skin": In the space of seven days.

"Then the priest shall pronounce him unclean": It is the plague of leprosy: according to the law. So that it was necessary, in such a case for him to conform to it in order to his cleansing.

Leprosy in the beginning, is a hidden disease. Sometimes the first indication that a person had it, would be a harmless looking little bump would surface. Many times, for literally years, that would be all you would see. Then when you least expect it, the thing would burst into a full blown sore. Sin is sometimes hidden for a long time, then all of a sudden, it will show its ugly face. We may hide our sin from the world, but the great High Priest (Jesus), knows all about our sin, and some time we will have to stand before Him and be judged.

Leviticus 13:28 "And if the bright spot stay in his place, [and] spread not in the skin, but it [be] somewhat dark; it [is] a rising of the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him clean: for it [is] an inflammation of the burning."

If, after being shut up, seven days, it appears that the spot is no larger than when it was first viewed, but is as it was, and not at all increased.

"But it be somewhat dark": Either not so bright as it was, or more contracted.

"It is a rising of the burning": Or a swelling of it, a swelling which sprung from it, and nothing else.

"The priest shall pronounce him clean": From the leprosy, and so set him at liberty to go where he will, and dwell and converse with men as usual.

"For it is an inflammation of the burning": Or an inflammation or blister occasioned by the burning, and no leprosy.

We can see here very clearly, that the High Priest is the final Judge. He is the only one that can declare us saved or unsaved. Many professing Christians will be surprised, when He says get away from me I never knew you (as in Matt. 7:23).

Leviticus 13:29 "If a man or woman have a plague upon the head or the beard;"

Any breaking out in those parts a swelling, scab, or spot, on a man's beard or on a woman's head. Or on the head of either man or woman. Or on a woman's beard, if she had any, as some have had, though not common.

Leviticus 13:30 "Then the priest shall see the plague: and, behold, if it [be] in sight deeper than the skin; [and there be] in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it [is] a dry scall, [even] a leprosy upon the head or beard."

The person on whom it is shall come or be brought unto him; and he shall look upon it and examine it.

"And, behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin": Which is always one sign of leprosy.

"And there be in it a yellow thin hair": Like the appearance of thin gold, as the Targum of Jonathan. For, as Ben Gersom says, its color is the color of gold; and it is called thin in this place, because short and soft, and not when it is long and small. And so it is said, scabs make unclean in two weeks, and by two signs, by thin yellow hair, and by spreading. By yellow hair, small, soft, and short. Now this is to be understood, not of hair that is naturally of a yellow or gold color, as is the hair of the head and beard of some persons. But of hair changed into this color through the force of the disease. And so Jarchi interprets it, black hair turned yellow. In other parts of the body, hair turned white was a sign of leprosy, but here that which was turned yellow or golden colored. Aben Ezra observes, that the color expressed by this word is, in the Ishmaelitish or Arabic language, the next to the white color.

"Then the priest shall pronounce him unclean": Declare him a leper, and unfit for company, and order him to do and have done for him the things after expressed, as required in such a case.

"It is a dry scall": Or "wound", as the Septuagint version; "nethek", which is the word here used. Jarchi says, is the name of a plague that is in the place of hair, or where that grows. It has its name from plucking up. For there the hair is plucked away, as Aben Ezra and Ben Gersom note.

"Even a leprosy upon the head or beard": As the head is the seat of knowledge, and the beard a sign of manhood, and of a man's being arrived to years of discretion. When wisdom and prudence are expected in him. This sort of leprosy may be an emblem of errors in judgment, of false doctrines and heresies imbibed by persons, which eat as does a canker. And are in themselves damnable, and bring ruin and destruction on teachers and hearers, unless recovered from them by the grace of God.

The primary difference in this case, is that the hair turns yellowish red, rather than white. Looking at this from the spiritual standpoint, we could see in the beard; age, or someone who has been a believer for a long time. The head could possibly mean someone of authority in the church. Judgement begins at the house of God. In the verse above, it appears to me that the person did not come to the high priest to be examined, but the high priest noticed this problem and mentioned it. Again, this is a deep-seated sin, because it was deeper than the flesh.

Leviticus 13:31 "And if the priest look on the plague of the scall, and, behold, it [be] not in sight deeper than the skin, and [that there is] no black hair in it; then the priest shall shut up [him that hath] the plague of the scall seven days:"

As it may appear in another person, brought to him for inspection and examination.

"And, behold, it be not in the sight deeper than the skin. It does not seem to be got into the flesh, or lower than the skin.

"And that there is no black hair in it": Or, "but no black hair in it". For, as Jarchi says, if there was a black hair in it, he would be clean, and there would be no need of shutting up. For black hair in scalls is a sign of cleanness, as it is said (Lev. 13:37). It would be a clear case that such a man had no leprosy on him. For black hair is a token of a strong and healthful constitution. And there could remain no doubt about it, and it would require no further trial and examination. Ben Gersom says it means two black hairs; and further observes, that black hair in the midst of a scall is a sign of cleanness; but this being wanting.

"Then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague of the scall seven days": From the time of his viewing the scall; and so Ben Gersom, this is the seventh day from the time of looking upon the scall.

This must be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, if this is an elder or leader who has been accused.

1 Timothy 5:19 "Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses."

This has to be proven beyond a shadow of doubt.

Leviticus 13:32 "And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the plague: and, behold, [if] the scall spread not, and there be in it no yellow hair, and the scall [be] not in sight deeper than the skin;"

To see whether it has got any deeper, or spread any further, and has any hair growing in it. And of what color, that he might be also able to judge whether it was a leprosy or not.

"And, behold, if the scall spread not": Was neither gotten into the flesh, nor larger in the skin.

"And there be in it no yellow hair": That is, a thin yellow hair, for such only, as Ben Gersom observes, was a sign of leprosy in scalls (as in Lev. 13:30). And the same writer observes, that "and" is here instead of "or", and to be read, "or there be in it no yellow hair". Since a scall was pronounced unclean, either on account of thin yellow hair, or on account of spreading.

"And the scall be not in sight deeper than the skin": But be just as it was when first looked upon.

Leviticus 13:33 "He shall be shaven, but the scall shall he not shave; and the priest shall shut up [him that hath] the scall seven days more:"

His head or beard, where the scall was, as Aben Ezra. And so, Ben Gersom, who adds, the law is not solicitous whether this shaving is by a priest or not; so it seems any one might shave him.

"But the scall shall he not shave": That is, the hair that is in it, but that was to continue and grow, that the color of it might be easily discerned at the end of seven other days. According to the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, he was to shave round about it, but not that itself. Jarchi says, he was to leave two hairs near it, that he might know whether it spread. For if it spread it would go over the hairs, and into the part that was shaven. When it would be a clear case it was a spreading leprosy. Now, that there might be an opportunity of observing this, whether it would or not, the following method was to be taken.

"And the priest shall shut up him that hath the scall seven days more": By which time it would be seen whether there was any increase or decrease, or whether at a standstill. And of what color the hair was, by which judgment might be made of the case.

Judgement of sin many times must be postponed until all the facts are in and the accused has a chance to defend himself. This being shaven could have a number of implications. It could be that even the very appearance of evil was to be removed. The shaving of the head could also be a momentary loss of authority, until the accusation died down. The seven still means spiritually complete. This waiting seven days here could also mean, until the church is satisfied there is no sin, only the appearance of sin. We are cautioned to not give even the appearance of evil. This would be doubly important for people in authority.

Leviticus 13:34 "And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the scall: and, behold, [if] the scall be not spread in the skin, nor [be] in sight deeper than the skin; then the priest shall pronounce him clean: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean."

That is, according to Ben Gersom, on the thirteenth day from the first inspection of him by the priest.

"And, behold, if the scall be not spread in the skin, nor be in sight deeper than the skin": Neither appears spread on the surface of the skin, nor to have eaten into the flesh under it. Also, no thin yellow hair, though it is not expressed, for that made a person unclean, though there was no spreading.

"Then the priest shall pronounce him clean; free from leprosy.

"And he shall wash his clothes, and be clean": There was no need to say he shall wash them in water, as Aben Ezra observes, that is supposed. And then he was looked upon as a clean person, and might go into the sanctuary, and have conversation with men, both in a civil and religious way, and not defile anything he sat upon.

This is a reprieve. The cleanliness of this leader is because the robe has been washed in the blood of the Lamb and made every whit whole. Sometimes, just for appearances sake, the person might be re-baptized.

Leviticus Chapter 13 Continued Questions

1. What 2 kinds of disease have we decided these lessons on leprosy are about?

2. What does the statement (lower than the skin indicate)?

3. What is sometimes called corruption?

4. When someone is accused of sin in the church, what 3 ways will the leader judge the sin?

5. Which one is the worst kind of sin?

6. What are the three punishments for the three transgressions?

7. How long shall the priest shut him up for, if the priest is not certain of his leprosy?

8. What is probably the most dreaded disease?

9. What is one of the terrible things that might happen to a leper in the last stages of leprosy.

10. What does the head of a church have to do to a habitual leper?

11. Why must that be done?

12. Sometimes a person is accused of sin, when they are not _______.

13. A person cannot be thrown out of the church on hearsay, what must happen first?

14. The sin in verse 24 and 25 is more than _____ _____.

15. Who will not have sin imputed to them?

16. Who is the Christian's advocate with the Father?

17. What is habitual sin?

18. What do we learn from Hebrews chapter 6 about habitual sin?

19. Leprosy, in the beginning, is a ________ disease.

20. We may hide our sin from the world, but who always knows?

21. Who is the great High Priest who will eventually judge all?

22. Who declares everyone either saved, or unsaved?

23. What does a beard mean symbolically?

24. What does the head mean symbolically?

25. Where does judgement begin?

26. What does first Timothy 5:19 teach us?

27. Why does judgement need to be postponed sometimes?

28. What things could the shaving of the head mean?

29. What would be doubly important for the leaders of the church to do?

Leviticus Chapter 13 Second Continued

In the last few lessons, we have been studying about leprosy and its spiritual meaning (sin). We will pick up the lesson now in:

Leviticus 13:35 "But if the scall spread much in the skin after his cleansing;"

After he has been declared clean by the priest. For it was possible that it might spread after this, though so much precaution had been used, and so much time taken to observe it, with this (compare 2 Peter 1:9).

Leviticus 13:36 "Then the priest shall look on him: and, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not seek for yellow hair; he [is] unclean."

Again, and which is no less than the fourth time. For notwithstanding his being pronounced clean, he was still subject to the inspection of the priest, if any alteration appeared.

"And, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin": Which was a certain sign of a leprosy.

"The priest shall not seek for yellow hair": Or be solicitous about that, whether there is any or not. For either one or the other of these signs were sufficient to determine the case.

"He is unclean": And so to be pronounced.

We decided in a previous lesson, that this is a leader of the church under accusation. The spreading in the skin means that whatever sin this is; it has become a habit. When sin takes a person over to the extent that the sin becomes a habit, the sinner's heart gets hardened, and they soon do not count anything they do sin. This would be pretty bad.

1 Timothy 4:2 "Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;"

This is the first step to total destruction.

Leviticus 13:37 "But if the scall be in his sight at a stay, and [that] there is black hair grown up therein; the scall is healed, he [is] clean: and the priest shall pronounce him clean."

If in a few days, or in a short space of time after this, it should appear that the scall is at a full stop, and does not spread any further at all.

"And that there is black hair grown up therein": Which is a sign of health and soundness, and so of purity. Yea, if it was green or red, so be it, it was not yellow, according to Jarchi, it was sufficient.

"The scall is healed": From whence it appears that it had been a leprous scall, but was now healed, an entire stop being put to the spread of it. And though yellow hairs might have appeared in it, yet, as Gersom observes, two black hairs having grown up in it, it was a clear case that the corruption of the blood had departed, and it had returned to its former state.

"He is clean, and the priest shall pronounce him clean": He was clean before, and is the reason why he pronounces him so. Wherefore it is not the sentence of the priest, but the truth of his case that makes him clean. Teaching, as Ainsworth observes, that the truth of a man's estate, discerned by the word and law of God, made the man clean or unclean, and not the sentence of the priest, if it swerved from the law.

This person has really repented and turned away from sin. Just as new life (black Hair), has come up inside of this sore, new life has been rekindled in this sinner's heart. The fact that this sore is not spreading shows that this person is no longer practicing this sin. The sin is not spreading. The church leader, in this case would say, He is forgiven. Let us take him back into the fold.

Leviticus 13:38 "If a man also or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright spots, [even] white bright spots;"

One or the other, for the law concerning leprosy respected both.

"Have in the skin of their flesh bright spots": And them only; not any rising or swelling, nor scab, nor scall, nor boil, nor burning, only bright spots, a sort of freckles or blemish.

"Even white bright spots": These, Ben Gersom observes, are white spots, but not plagues. And which were in whiteness inferior to the four species of the plague of leprosy, the white spot, the white swelling, and the scab of each.

Leviticus 13:39 "Then the priest shall look: and, behold, [if] the bright spots in the skin of their flesh [be] darkish white; it [is] a freckled spot [that] groweth in the skin; he [is] clean."

Upon the man or woman that has these spots, and upon the spots themselves, and examine them of what kind they are.

"And, behold, if the bright spots in the skin of their flesh be darkish white": Their whiteness is not strong, as Jarchi observes; but dusky and obscure, or "contracted". Small white spots, not large and spreading.

"It is a freckled spot that grows in the skin": A kind of blemish, which the above writer describes as a sort of whiteness which appears in the flesh of a ruddy man.

"He is clean": From leprosy. This is observed, lest a person that is freckled and has a blemish should be mistaken for a leprous person. As every man that has some spots, failings, and infirmities, is not to be reckoned a wicked man.

Since the people are more likely to have leprosy who live in a desert area, where there is much sunshine, it is not unusual for someone to be freckled. Again in this, the person may appear to sin, but on closer examination, they are not sinning.

Leviticus 13:40 "And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he [is] bald; [yet is] he clean."

That is, from the back part of his head, from the crown of his head toward his neck behind.

"He is bald": In that spot of the head where the hair is fallen off. And it denotes such a baldness as is occasioned by that. For it signifies one that had hair, but it is fallen off. Whereas the baldness after spoken of is thought by some to be of such who never had any hair. Though others will have it, that this intends a person bald all over. But it seems plain from what follows, that it designs one whose hair was fallen off behind, and was bald on that part only. And it may be observed, that this is only said of a man, not of a woman. Because, as Aben Ezra remarks, she has much moisture in her, and therefore her head does not become bald. Hair being like grass, which flourishes in moist places.

"Yet is he clean": From the leprosy, or from the scalls, as Jarchi observes. Because he is not judged by the signs of the head and beard, which are the place of hair. But by the signs of leprosy in the skin of the flesh, i.e. by the raw flesh and spreading.

Leviticus 13:41 "And he that hath his hair fallen off from the part of his head toward his face, he [is] forehead bald: [yet is] he clean."

That is, from the crown of his head towards his forehead and temples, the fore part of his head. And so the Misnic doctors distinguish baldness, which is from the crown of the head descending behind to the channel of the neck. And that here mentioned, which is from the crown of the head descending to his face and forehead, over against the hair above.

"He is forehead bald": To distinguish him from him that is bald behind.

"Yet is he clean": As the other: these cases are observed, that it might not be concluded that every man that shed his hair or was bald either before or behind was a leper, because the hair of a leper used to fall off from him. If he had not the other signs of leprosy, and which were the sure and true signs of it before mentioned.

Baldness is not a sign of leprosy. Baldness on a man's head is hereditary. If your father was bald, then you will be bald in all probability. Baldness was not common among the Israelites, and for a man to be bald, would make himself suspect.

2 Kings 2:23 "And he went up from thence unto Beth-el: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head."

We see from this Scripture in Kings, that it was certainly not something someone wanted. He was laughed at for having a bald head. From the spiritual sense, we could say that the person this symbolizes perhaps, has some superficial habit that is not pleasing to others, but yet is not sin. Perhaps, this person thinks about things that are not in his best interest. More than sin, we would call these blemishes in their character.

Leviticus 13:42 "And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white reddish sore; it [is] a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or his bald forehead.

Or, "but if there be", or, "when there shall be", or shall appear to be.

"In the bald head, or in the bald forehead, a white reddish sore": White and red mixed, as the Targum of Jonathan. Having something of both colors, neither a clear white nor thorough red. Though, according to Bochart, it should be rendered "a white sore exceeding bright" (see notes on Lev. 13:19).

"It is a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or in his bald forehead": The signs of which were raw flesh and spreading. So it is said in the Misnah, "those two sorts of baldness defile in two weeks, by two signs, by quick raw flesh and by spreading." If there was the bright spot and no quick flesh, then he was to be shut up seven days, and looked upon at the end of them. And if there was either quick flesh or a spreading, he was pronounced unclean. But if neither, he was shut up seven days more. And if either of the above signs appeared he was pronounced unclean, if not he was set free.

Leviticus 13:43 "Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, [if] the rising of the sore [be] white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh;"

The white reddish sore.

"And, behold, if the rising of the sore": Or the swelling of it.

"Be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead" (see notes on Lev. 13:42).

"As the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh": As (in Lev. 13:2); having the signs of the leprosy there given. Anyone of them, excepting the white hair, which in this case could be no sign, there being none. Jarchi's note is, according to the appearance of the leprosy (said in Lev. 13:2). And what is said in it is, it defiles by four appearances, and is judged in two weeks. But not according to the appearance of the leprosy said of the boil, and burning, which were judged in one week. Nor according to the appearance of the scalls, of the place of hair, which do not defile by the four appearances, the rising or swelling, and the scab of it, the bright spot, and the scab of that.

Leviticus 13:44 "He is a leprous man, he [is] unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague [is] in his head."

And so to be pronounced and accounted. Only a leprous man is mentioned, there being no leprous women, having this sort of leprosy. Their hair not falling off, or they becoming bald.

"The priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean": As in any other case of leprosy.

"His plague is in his head": An emblem of such who have imbibed bad notions and erroneous principles. And are therefore, like the leper, to be avoided and rejected from the communion of the saints (Titus 3:10). And shows that men are accountable for their principles as well as practices, and liable to be punished for them.

The beginning of sin is in the mind. Evil thoughts bring evil deeds. A person who looks at pornography, will eventually do some of the things they fantasize while reading this filthy literature. This pronouncing this man unclean, it seems, is even more serious. He is pronounced not just unclean, but utterly unclean. To me, this sin would be some sort of perversion. Our society is sick in their minds. They have watched X-rated, R-rated, and even P. G. rated movies and television, until it has perverted their thinking. The horrible rock music has planted down deep all sorts of lyrics that encourage sin. This person can see no wrong in any of these things. Remember, anything your eyes see, and anything your ears hear, becomes a part of you. It is recorded in that little thing we call a brain. Look at the following Scripture that lets us know we are in control of what goes into our mind.

1 Peter 1:13 "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;"

My suggestion to all is, to guard your mind carefully. Turn off any movie or T.V. program that has bad language, or has explicit sex scenes. Or, in fact, any of them that do not teach good moral character. Read 2nd Timothy chapter 3 to tell what time element we are living in now. This person with this sickness, is so sick, that they call good evil and evil good. I really believe Matthew says it the best.

Matthew 6:23 "But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great [is] that darkness!"

This then is a sin that began in the imagination of man, and became a horrible sin. The following tells how God feels about perverted minds.

Romans 1:28 "And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;"

Verses 45-46: A "leper" was not allowed to live in "the camp". The law demanded that anyone with this disease must be removed from the general population and cry, "Unclean, unclean so that others could avoid him or her. The sadness of those who suffered in this way was incalculable.

Leviticus 13:45″ And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean."

"Unclean, Unclean": Here are the symbols of grief and isolation. This same cry is heard from the survivors of Jerusalem's destruction (compare Lam. 4:15).

Leviticus 13:46 "All the days wherein the plague [shall be] in him he shall be defiled; he [is] unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp [shall] his habitation [be]."

Reckoned an unclean person, and avoided as such.

"He is unclean": In a ceremonial sense, and pronounced as such by the priest. And was to be looked upon as such by others during the time of his exclusion and separation, until he was shown to the priest and cleansed, and his offering offered.

"He shall dwell alone": In a separate house or apartment, as Uzziah did (2 Chron. 26:21). None were allowed to come near him, nor he to come near to any. Yea, according to Jarchi, other unclean persons might not dwell with him.

"Without the camp shall his habitation be": Without the three camps, as the same Jewish writer interprets it. The camp of God, the camp of the Levites, and the camp of Israel. So Miriam, when she was stricken with leprosy, was shut out of the camp seven days (Num. 12:14). This was observed while in the wilderness. But when the Israelites came to inhabit towns and cities, then lepers were excluded from there. For they defiled, in a ceremonial sense, every person and thing in a house they came into, whether touched by them or not. So Bartenora observes, that if a leprous person goes into any house, all that is in the house is defiled, even what he does not touch. And that if he sits under a tree, and a clean person passes by, the clean person is defiled. And if he comes into a synagogue, they make a separate place for him ten hands high, and four cubits broad, and the leper goes in first, and comes out last. This law concerning lepers shows that impure and profane sinners are not to be admitted into the church of God. And that such who are in it, who appear to be so, are to be excluded from it. Communion is not to be had with them. And that such, unless they are cleansed by the grace of God, and the blood of Christ, shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven. For into that shall nothing enter that defiles, or makes an abomination, or a lie (see 1 Cor. 5:7; Rev. 21:27).

It would really be dangerous to associate with a person practicing this perversion. We become like those we are around and this would be a terrible thing to catch. Perversion produces perversion. The best thing to do, is to have nothing to do with that person. Even in our liberal society, perversion is against the law. You could get arrested and sent to jail. Certainly, in the eternal realm, God will not look the other way at this sort of sin. This will separate you from God and from true believers who want no part of this terrible sin.

Verses 47-59: Deals with garments worn by infected persons. In addition to serving as physicians, the priests also conducted the inspection for unclean garments and houses (14:33-53).

Leviticus 13:47 "The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, [whether it be] a woollen garment, or a linen garment;"

Whether this sort of leprosy proceeded from natural causes, or was extraordinary and miraculous, and came immediately from the hand of God, and was peculiar to the Jews, and unknown to other nations, is a matter of question. The latter is generally asserted by the Hebrew writers, as Maimonides, Abraham Seba, and others. But others are of opinion, and Abarbinel among the Jews, that it might be by the contact or touch of a leprous person. Indeed, it must be owned, as a learned man observes, that the shirts and clothes of a leper must be equally infectious, and more so than any other communication with him. And the purulent matter which adheres thereunto must needs infect; such who put on their clothes.

"Whether it be a woollen garment or a linen garment": And, according to the Misnic doctors, only wool and linen were defiled by leprosy. Aben Ezra indeed says, that the reason why no mention is made of silk and cotton is because the Scripture speaks of what was found then in use as (in Exodus 23:5). Wherefore, according to him, woollen and linen are put for all other garments.

Leviticus 13:48 "Whether [it be] in the warp, or woof; of linen, or of woollen; whether in a skin, or in any thing made of skin;"

When these are woven and mixed together, it seems difficult, if not impossible, to judge whether the plague of leprosy was in the one or in the other. One would think it should be unavoidably in both. Wherefore Castalio renders the words, whether "in the outer part of it, or in the inner". In the outside or inside, or what we call the right side or the wrong side of the cloth. But to me it seems that the warp and woof, whether of linen or woollen, are here distinguished not only from garments made of them, but from the cloth itself, of which they are made. And even to be considered before they are wrought together in the loom. And, according to the Jews, when upon the spindle.

"Whether in a skin, or anything made of skin": That is, whether in unwrought skin, which is not made up in anything, or in anything that is made of skins, as tents, bottles, etc. But skins of fishes, according to the Jewish traditions, are excepted. For so they say, sea skins, i.e. skins of fishes, are not defiled by plagues (of leprosy). For which the commentators give this reason, that as wool and linen are of things which grow out of the earth, so must the skins be. That is, of such animals as live by grass, that springs out of the earth. But if anything was joined unto them, which grew out of the earth, though but a thread, that received uncleanness, it was defiled.

Leviticus 13:49 "And if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it [is] a plague of leprosy, and shall be showed unto the priest:"

Either of these two colors were signs of leprosy in garments. But it is not agreed whether stronger or weaker colors are designed. The radicals of both these words being doubled, according to some, and particularly Aben Ezra, lessen the sense of them. And so our translators understand it. But, according to Ben Gersom, the signification is increased thereby, and the meaning is, if it be exceeding green or exceeding red. And this is evidently the sense of the Misnah; garments are defiled by green in greens, and by red in reds, that is, by the greenest and reddest. The green, the commentators say, is like that of the wings of peacocks and leaves of palm trees, and the red like crimson or scarlet. And now these garments or skins, in which the green or red spots appeared, must be white, and not colored or dyed. The canon runs thus; skins and garments dyed are not defiled with plagues (of leprosy). A garment whose warp is dyed, and its woof white, or its woof dyed, and its warp white, all goes according to the sight. That is, according to what color to the eye most prevails, whether white or dyed.

"Either in the warp or in the woof, or in anything of the skin": The same held good of these as of a garment, or anything else made of them.

"It is a plague of leprosy": It has the signs of one, and gives great suspicion that it is one.

"And shall be shewed unto the priest": By the person in whose possession it is, that it may be examined and judged of whether it is a leprosy or not.

We know that when we are free from sin, we wear a robe of linen, washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Jude 1:23 "And others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh."

The Scripture in Jude here, shows what soils the garment. It is the flesh. The flesh of man causes him to sin. In the Scriptures above from Leviticus, and this one from Jude, we see that it does not matter how fine and expensive the clothing is, it can be contaminated by the evil person wearing it. All of the materials mentioned above are materials of some sort or the other, but the only garment that makes you and me acceptable before God, is the white linen garment of the righteous. This white linen garment has been washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ (the Lamb), and has become whiter than snow.

To sum up this lesson today, we would see the importance of the cleansing of our thoughts. The mind is evil, before it is cleansed by Jesus. In fact, the mind is spoken of as the enemy of God.

Romans 8:7 "Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."

The carnal mind is a mind that is constantly thinking of things of the earth. To be what Jesus would have us to be, we must crucify the desires of the flesh and the carnal mind, and let Jesus come inside of us and live through us.

The final statement is to have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:16 " For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."

The we, that have the mind of Christ, are the Christians.

Leviticus Chapter 13 Second Continued Questions

1. What is the spiritual meaning of leprosy?

2. What type of person are verses 35 and 36 telling about?

3. The spreading in the skin means what spiritually?

4. Where do we find the Scripture that says "Having their conscience seared with a hot iron"?

5. What is a sign that the man is clean in verse 37?

6. What is meant spiritually by the black hair growing?

7. The fact that the sore is not spreading shows what spiritually?

8. Describe a freckle spot.

9. Baldness is not a sign of __________.

10. In 2 Kings 2:23, how was this bald headed man treated?

11. More than sin, we would call baldness where there is no sore, what?

12. The beginning of sin is in the ____.

13. If a person watches pornography, what will happen to him?

14. The uncleanness of the bald man, who has a sore, is called one more word that shows perversion of the mind is terrible, what is it?

15. What are some of the things modern society is doing that causes a sick mind?

16. Anything you see, and anything you hear, becomes a _______ of _____.

17. Wherefore gird up the loins of your _______.

18. Where do we find the Scriptures that warn of the evil day we are living in?

19. We read that God turned them over to a ____________ mind, who did not retain God in their knowledge.

20. What would happen to a person who fellowshipped with someone who had a perverted mind?

21. What one word describes our uncleanness today?

22. When we are free from sin, what will our robe be made of?

23. What makes it white?

24. What soils the garment?

25. Besides our deeds, what must we clean up to please God?

26. The carnal mind is enmity against _____.

27. Who has the mind of Christ in them?

Leviticus Chapter 13 Third Continued

We have been studying in the last few lessons about leprosy.

Leviticus 13:50 "And the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up [it that hath] the plague seven days:"

The green or red spot in the garment, etc.

"And shut up it that hath the plague seven days": The woollen or linen garment, the warp or the woof, or skins, and those things that were made of them.

We have discussed, over and over, that 7 stands for spiritual completeness. This period of time then is to see the truth about this person. Is this person truly a sinner as it appears, or is he a true believer?

Leviticus 13:51 "And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, [or] in any work that is made of skin; the plague [is] a fretting leprosy; it [is] unclean."

To see whether there is any alteration in it in that space of time.

"If the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of skin": The green and red spot be spread more and more in either of them. Whether the color remains the same or not, or be changed, the green into red, or the red into green. Yet if there was a spreading, it was a sign of leprosy. According to the Jewish canon, if the plague was green and spread red, or red and spread green, it was unclean. That is, as Bartenora explains it, if it was red in the size of a bean, and at the end of the week the red had spread itself to green. Or if at the beginning, it was green like a bean, and at the end of the week had spread itself to the size of a shekel, and the root or spread of it was become red.

"The plague is a fretting leprosy": According to Jarchi, a sharp and pricking one, like a thorn. Which signification the word has in (Ezek. 28:24). Ben Gersom explains it, which brings a curse, corruption, and oldness into the thing in which it is; an old "irritated, exasperated" leprosy. As Bochart, from the use of the word in the Arabic tongue, translates it.

"It is unclean": And the garment or thing in which it is.

The word fretting in this particular Scripture, means bitter, cause to embitter, or painful. From the spiritual standpoint, our garments that we wear could perhaps mean the immediate surroundings. Such as those of your own household, or those who live nearby. We sometimes become embittered by these very people that mean the most to us. Sometimes we cause them to be bitter as well. Nothing hurts as deeply as a loved one gone wrong. There are so many things that embitter us, or cause us to embitter others. We spoke of it in the previous lesson, but what we put into our brain affects our life. A person could get caught in a job that was not morally sound, and it could embitter them. I really believe the worst thing to embitter a person, to my recollection, has been people turned against the church because of hypocrites in the church. It seems the bitterness of this sort is the hardest to stop. Too many times we forget that the things we do might run someone away from God and make them bitter.

Leviticus 13:52 "He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woollen or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is: for it [is] a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire."

That there may be no more use of it, nor profit from it. And this was done without the city, as Ben Gersom asserts.

"Whether in warp or woof, in woollen or in linen, or anything of skin, wherein the plague is". All and either of them were to be burnt.

"For it is a fretting leprosy" (see notes on Lev. 13:51).

"It shall be burnt in the fire": Which may teach both to hate the garment spotted with the flesh. And to put no trust in and have no dependence on a man's own righteousness. Which is as filthy rags, and both are such as shall be burnt, and the loss of them suffered, even when a man himself is saved, yet so as by fire (1 Cor. 3:15).

The sin of bitterness is possibly the hardest sin of all to get rid of. This I believe, is what intended by burning this up, so there will not be anything left to spring up again. Bitterness has even been known to cause crippling disease.

Hebrews 12:15 "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you], and thereby many be defiled;"

Bitterness destroys the person who is bitter. Give it to Jesus, and let Him burn it out of your soul.

Leviticus 13:53 "And if the priest shall look, and, behold, the plague be not spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin;"

On the seventh day as before, after shutting up.

"And, behold, the plague be not spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin": But is at an entire stay, that it may be hoped it is not a fretting leprosy. So, when men do not proceed to more ungodliness, as wicked men commonly do, but there is a stop put to their vicious life and conversation, it is a hopeful sign of future good.

Leviticus 13:54 "Then the priest shall command that they wash [the thing] wherein the plague [is], and he shall shut it up seven days more:"

The priest did not wash it himself, but ordered others to do it. And this was either the part in which the plague was, or the whole garment or skin in which it was. Which may be typical of the washing of the garments of men in the blood of Christ, which cleanses from all sin (Rev. 7:14).

"And he shall shut it up seven days more": The garment or skin in which the leprosy was, or suspected to be. To see what alteration would be made by that time through the washing. Whether the color would be altered, or whether it would spread any more or not.

This separation for the seven days is the same as in the other times it was mentioned. The separation is to see if the washing will be sufficient to remove this sin. We are told, if we have anything against anyone, to leave our gift and go and make it right and then come back and offer.

Matthew 5:24 "Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."

It is a very dangerous thing to take communion with bitterness in our heart toward anyone.

1 Corinthians 11:27-30 "Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink [this] cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord." "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of [that] bread, and drink of [that] cup." "For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." "For this cause many [are] weak and sickly among you, and many sleep."

We can see from all this; how serious it is to hold a grudge.

Leviticus 13:55 "And the priest shall look on the plague, after that it is washed: and, behold, [if] the plague have not changed his color, and the plague be not spread; it [is] unclean; thou shalt burn it in the fire; it [is] fret inward, [whether] it [be] bare within or without."

That is, on the second seventh day, or thirteenth day from his first inspection of it.

"And, behold, if the plague has not changed its color": And the plague be not spread, it is unclean, thou shalt burn it in the fire. If it remains just as it was at first, very green or very red, and has not diminished of its color at all. Nor changed from one color to another, although it should not have spread itself, yet it is defiled, and to be burnt without the camp, as before. That which spreads itself here and there, it is to be burnt.

"It is after inward, whether it be bare within or without": That is, whether it be threadbare on the wrong or right side of the garment. The nap being eaten off by the leprosy; which shows it to be a fretting, eating, and corroding one. In the Hebrew text it is, "in the boldness of the hinder", or "in the baldness of the fore part". They are the same words which are used of the boldness of the back part and fore part of the head (Lev. 13:42). The nap being off either of the outer and right side of the cloth, or of the inner and wrong side, made it look like a bald head, whether before or behind.

The best way to say this, in the spiritual realm, is to say we must crucify our flesh that our spirit might live.

Galatians 5:24 "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."

This bitterness from within must be destroyed.

Leviticus 13:56 "And if the priest look, and, behold, the plague [be] somewhat dark after the washing of it; then he shall rend it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof:"

Is become of a weaker color, either not quite so green, or not quite so red as it was. Or is "contracted", and does not spread itself (see notes on Lev. 13:6); but is rather become less.

"Then he shall rend it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof": That is, that piece which has the plague in it, and burn it. As Jarchi says; that so the whole may not be lost, which is otherwise pure, and clean, and free from any infection. The manner of expression confirms what I have observed on (Lev. 13:48). That the warp and woof are considered as separate things, and as before they are woven together, or wrought into one garment. This rending out may denote the denying of ungodliness and worldly lusts. The parting with right eye and right hand sins, and having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.

The explanation of this can be found in Jesus' own words when He said, if a member of your body keep you from God, do away with it.

Matthew 5:29-30 "And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast [it] from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell." "And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast [it] from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell."

This seems so drastic, but we must not miss heaven at any cost.

Leviticus 13:57 "And if it appear still in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it [is] a spreading [plague]: thou shalt burn that wherein the plague [is] with fire."

After the piece has been rent out, in another part of the garment, etc. Where before it was not seen.

"It is a spreading plague": Or leprosy; a flourishing one, as the word signifies, a growing and increasing one.

"Thou shalt burn that wherein the plague is with fire": According to Aben Ezra, only that part in which the plague was. But Jarchi says the whole garment; with whom Ben Gersom seems to agree. Who reads the words, thou shall burn it, with that in which the plague is. The whole garment, skin, warp, or woof, along with the part in which the leprosy is.

I almost hate to comment on this. If all efforts fail, then they are lost. The fire of hell is the sure outcome of this individual.

Leviticus 13:58 "And the garment, either warp, or woof, or whatsoever thing of skin [it be], which thou shalt wash, if the plague be departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and shall be clean."

After it had been shut up seven days, and viewed by the priest again. If the plague be departed from them: upon a review of them.

"Then it shall be washed the second time, and shall be clean": And so reckoned even thoroughly clean, and used. This denotes the thorough washing and cleansing of sinners by the blood of Jesus (see Psalm 51:2). This washing was by dipping; and so the Targum renders it; and Jarchi observes, that all washings of garments, which are for dipping, they interpret by the same word.

This washing certainly has to do with the washing in the blood of the Lamb. We see in the Scriptures that it is by blood and water. Both are to be washed in, to be Jesus'.

1 John 5:6 "This is he that came by water and blood, [even] Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth."

We see in this, that baptism in water is not enough, we must be washed in the blood of the Lamb and made white as snow. This is when we repent (turn from our wicked ways), and begin a new life in Jesus. We receive His robe of righteousness when He takes our sin. We certainly get the best end of this trade.

Leviticus 13:59 "This [is] the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woollen or linen, either in the warp, or woof, or any thing of skins, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean."

"To pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean": The primary purpose of this legislation was to assist the priest in determining the presence of contagious skin disease. The language of the passage indicates disease that affects the clothes as it did the person. This provided more illustrations of the devastating infection of sin and how essential cleansing was spiritually.

The main thing that we must remember in this, is that these garments symbolize the flesh of mankind. Our flesh is our worst enemy. The lust of our flesh is the cause of our sin. Sin is anything that displeases God, or the breaking of the law.

1 John 3:4 "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."

This is not just any law, but the law of God. God has given us a substitute for our sin, Jesus Christ the Righteous. It is our own fault if we wind up in hell. God made provision for us, but we must avail ourselves of it.

Leviticus Chapter 13 Third Continued Questions

1. How long is the one suspected of leprosy shut up?

2. What truth is trying to be determined by this time of separation?

3. What does the word fretting mean?

4. What is meant spiritually by the garments?

5. What is about the worst hurt that we feel?

6. What are some of the things that could happen to you and make you bitter?

7. Why are many people bitter toward the church?

8. What is to be done with a garment of fretting leprosy?

9. What does Hebrews 12:15 say about bitterness?

10. Who does bitterness destroy?

11. What is the washing in Leviticus 13:53 symbolic of?

12. What does Matthew 5:24 teach about bitterness?

13. What might happen to you, if you took communion with bitterness in your heart?

14. What does Leviticus 13:55 tell us we must do?

15. I am crucified with _________.

16. I live by the faith of the ______ ____ ______.

17. If thy right eye offend thee, _______ ___ _____.

18. If thy right hand offend thee, _____ ___ _____.

19. If all efforts fail to cleanse a person, then they are _______.

20. What did the 2 washings indicate?

21. How can we be washed in the blood of the Lamb?

22. What is the main thing to remember in this lesson?

23. What is our worst enemy?

24. What is the cause of our sin?

25. Sin is the transgression of the _____.

26. What law is this?

27. Who is our Substitute for our sin?

Leviticus Chapter 14

Verses 1-57: The occasion on which a person was cured of his skin disease or leprosy was of considerable significance. It marked his unexpected restoration to fellowship with his family and the community as a whole, and brought him back into a relationship with God's sanctuary.

The reference to "two birds alive and clean" typified the renewed state of cleanness in the healed person. Clean animals were characteristic of the holy Israelites, who were exhorted continually to remain in this condition of body and mind. "One of the birds" [should] "be killed" ... and he "shall let the living bird loose into the open field" is symbolic of the new life for the cleansed leper.

He was to offer three unblemished lambs successively as a guilt offering, a sin offering, and a burnt offering. He now had to renew his relationship with the God of the covenant. The smearing of blood by the priest on the "right ear, thumb", and "great toe" was the same action taken (in Lev. 8:24), for the consecration of Aaron and his sons. The cleansed man should hear God's voice, should perform works of righteousness with his hands, and should walk in God's ways.

The tragedy of leprosy lay not so much in personal sin as in isolation from community life and worship. The real message of the legislation is that any type of uncleanness separates the believer from God. Leprosy is symbolic.

Leviticus 14:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

In order to deliver the same to Aaron, who, and the priests his successors, were chiefly to be concerned in the execution of the law given.

"Saying": As follows.

We see here a chain of command in this message being transferred from God, to Moses, to Aaron, to Aaron's sons, and then to the people.

Leviticus 14:2 "This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest:"

"The law of the leper": The sense of this law is a prescription, not for healing from leprosy and other such diseases, but rather for the ceremonial cleansing, which needed to be performed after the person was declared clean.

"Leper ... brought unto the priest": In (Matt. 8:4 and Luke 17:14), Jesus is seen instructing healed lepers to follow God's law and go to the priest for appropriate ceremonies and offerings. In the present dispensation, those healed may go directly to Jesus our High-Priest with thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6).

As we said in a previous lesson, just being accused of leprosy, did not mean you had leprosy. Someone accused of sin is not always sinning either. This has to be judged by the priest, just as someone accused of sin, must be examined by the church. Notice this was the law and not just a request. If this has nothing to do with sin, tell me why he must come to the church? A person who is sick, does not have to sacrifice because they are sick, unless that sickness is spiritual.

Leviticus 14:3 "And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, [if] the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper;"

"Out of the camp": The leper was not allowed to return to society immediately. Before the person could enter the camp, some priest skilled in the diagnoses of disease needed to examine him and assist with the ritual of the two birds (verses 4-7).

This inspection is not to be made publicly before the congregation. We could take a lesson from this. Someone who is accused of sin, which should remove them from the body of believers, should not be questioned before all of the congregation. We will see from the following two Scriptures how important it was for any accusation to be backed up by two or three witnesses.

1 Timothy 5:19 "Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses."

Hebrews 10:28 "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:"

These eyewitnesses must bring the matter before the proper authorities, and they would decide the outcome. In verse 3 above, they are found to be clean (innocent). In the case above, they might have been declared unclean at first, but now they are clean. This could be someone innocent, or it could be someone forgiven, which is in essence the same thing.

Verses 4-7: The bundle of cedar and hyssop tied with scarlet included the living bird. It was all dipped 7 times into the blood of the killed bird mixed with water to symbolize purification. The bird was then set free to symbolize the leper's release from quarantine.

Leviticus 14:4 "Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive [and] clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:"

These objects provided symbolic cleansing for a person who had been healed of leprosy. "Cedar wood" was a durable and decay-resistant wood. A "scarlet" cord was probably used to tie the hyssop branch to the wood as a symbol of the sacrificial blood that brought victory over sin and death. "Hyssop" was an herb used for flavoring, fragrance and medicinal purposes.

It is very interesting that there is no definition of the word that was translated hyssop which is a wild shrub of uncertain identity whose twigs were used for sprinkling in ancient Jewish rites of purification. We can safely assume that this was a plant with some sort of foliage at the top. It was probably a bushy plant. The following 2 Scriptures will bear this out.

John 19:29 "Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put [it] upon hyssop, and put [it] to his mouth."

Hebrews 9:19 "For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people,"

There are ten more times the hyssop is mentioned and all of them mentioned that the top would have held enough liquid to use it as a spreader. Cedar wood has a very aromatic smell; it also is like an antiseptic. Scarlet is red and symbolizes blood. This piece of scarlet was used to bind the cedar wood and the hyssop together. This is an offering of purification. The two birds will have different fates. One will be killed, and one released.

Leviticus 14:5 "And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:"

That is, shall command another priest to kill one of them, or an Israelite, as Aben Ezra. And who also observes, that some say the leper, or the butcher, as the Targum of Jonathan. The killing of this bird, not being a sacrifice, might be done without the camp, as it was, and not at the altar, near to which sacrifices were slain, and where they were offered. And this was to be done;

"In an earthen vessel over running water": This vessel, according to the Jewish traditions, was to be a new one, and a fourth part of a log of running water was to be put into it. And then the bird was to be killed over it, and its blood squeezed into it. And then a hole was dug, and it was buried before the leprous person. And so it should be rendered, "over an earthen vessel", as it is in the Tigurine version, and by Noldius. For how could it be killed in it, especially when water was in it? The killing of this bird may have respect to the sufferings, death, and bloodshed of Christ, which were necessary for the purging and cleansing of leprous sinners. And which were endured in his human nature, comparable to an earthen vessel, as a human body sometimes is (see 2 Cor. 4:7). For he was crucified through weakness, and was put to death in the flesh (2 Cor. 13:4). And the running or living water mixed with blood may denote both the sanctification and justification of Christ's people by the water and blood which sprung from his pierced side. And the continual virtue thereof to take away sin, and be free from it. Or the active and passive obedience of Christ, which both together are the matter of a sinner's justification before God.

Leviticus 14:6 "As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird [that was] killed over the running water:"

And dispose of it as after directed; for there was a use for that.

"And the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop": Which were all bound up in one bundle, but whether the living bird was joined to them is a question. According to Jarchi they were separate, the bird by itself, and the cedar wood, etc. By themselves; they were neither bound together nor dipped together. And Ben Gersom is very distinct and expressive; we learn from hence, says he, that three were bound up in one bundle, but the living bird was not comprehended in that bundle. But according to the Misnah they were all joined together, for there it is said, he (the priest), takes the cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop, and rolls them up with the rest of the scarlet thread. And joins to them the extreme parts of the wings and of the tail of the second bird and dips them. And this seems best to agree with the text, as follows.

"And shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water": That is, into the blood of it as mixed with the running water in the earthen vessel, which together made a sufficient quantity for all these to be dipped into it. Whether separately, first the living bird, and then the cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop, or all together. The bird that was kept alive was a type of Christ, who as a divine Person always alive, and ever will be. He is the living God, and impassable. The dipping of this living bird in the blood of the slain one denotes the union of the two natures in Christ, divine and human, and which union remained at the death of Christ. And also shows that the virtue of Christ's blood arises from his being the living God. The dipping of the cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop, into the same blood, signifies the exercise of the several graces of the Spirit upon Christ, as crucified and slain. And their dealing with his blood for pardon and cleansing, as faith and hope do. And from whence love receives fresh ardor and rigor.

Leviticus 14:7 "And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field."

With the hyssop fastened to the cedar stick, with the scarlet wool or thread bound about it, dipped into the blood and water in the earthen vessel. To which the psalmist alludes (Psalm 51:7). The Egyptians had a great notion of "hyssop", as of a purifying nature, and therefore used to eat it with bread, to take off the strength of that. Upon what part of the leper this sprinkling was made is not said. The Targum of Jonathan says, upon the house of his face, that is, upon the vail that was over his face. But in the Misnah it is said to be on the back of his hand. And so Gersom, though some say it was on his forehead. And sprinkling was typical of Christ's blood of sprinkling, and of the application of it, and of sharing in all the blessings of it. And this was done seven times, to denote the thorough and perfect cleansing of him. And of every part, every faculty of the soul, and every member of the body, and that from all sin, and the frequent application of it. The last mentioned writer says, at every sprinkling there was a dipping. And that the sense is, that he should sprinkle and dip seven times, as Naaman the Syrian leper did in Jordan. But of the washing of the leper mention is afterwards made.

"And shall pronounce him clean": From his leprosy, and so fit for civil and religious conversation, to come into the camp or city, and into the tabernacle.

"And shall let the living bird loose into the open field": As a token of the freedom of the leper, and that he was at liberty to go where he pleased. The Misnic doctors say, when he came to let go the living bird, he did not turn its face neither to the sea, nor to the city, nor to the wilderness, as it is said. "But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open field" (as in Leviticus 14:53). The Targum of Jonathan here adds, if the man should be prepared to be smitten with the leprosy again, the live bird may return to his house the same day, and be fit to be eaten. But the slain bird he shall bury in the sight of the leper. Some say, if the bird returned ever so many times, it was to be let go again. This may be a figure of the resurrection of Christ from the dead, and of his justification upon it, as the head and representative of his people. And of their free and full discharge from guilt, condemnation, and death, through him. And of his and their being received up into heaven, and whither their hearts should be directed, in affection and thankfulness for their great deliverance and salvation (see 1 Tim. 3:16).

One bird is killed, and the blood allowed to drain into the water. Then the living bird, and the mop made with the scarlet thread wrapping around the hyssop and the cedar wood, shall be dipped in the blood and water and sprinkled on the person being cleansed. This is done 7 times to make it spiritually complete. Then the bird which remains alive is released (set free), like the scapegoat in a previous lesson. Not water alone, but by water and blood, he is set free.

1 John 5:6 "This is he that came by water and blood, [even] Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth."

1 John 5:8 "And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one."

The fact that the water is running water in the verses above, lets us know that this is the living water. When Jesus was crucified on the cross for you and me, He shed His blood and they pierced his side that the water might flow from His body. We are set free by the water and the blood. We had been dead to sin, before the Lord Jesus restored us to the living. These two birds symbolize death and life. This leper was as good as dead, before he was set free.

Leviticus 14:8 "And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days."

"Out of his tent": The movement was progressive until finally he could enter and dwell in his own tent, giving dramatic indication of the importance of thorough cleansing for fellowship with God's people. This was a powerful lesson from God on the holiness He desired for those who lived among His people. This has not changed (see 2 Cor. 7:1).

This seven day waiting period is very similar to the 7 days the priest and his sons waited at the tabernacle door. Sinners cry out to Jesus, wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. Our garments must be washed in the blood of the Lamb (Jesus Christ). His washing in water symbolizes water baptism. Hair symbolizes power. This could possibly be the fact that we have no power to save ourselves. It is only by the grace of God that we are saved.

Leviticus 14:9 "But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean."

After he was first brought to the priest, and cleansed by the two birds, taken and used for him as directed, and he had been shaved and washed.

"That he shall shave all his hair": A second time, whatsoever was grown in those seven days.

"All off his head, and his beard, and his eyebrows": Even all his hair he shall shave off. Not only the hair of the parts mentioned, but all other, the hair of his feet also. As Aben Ezra notes, who observes, that some say, the hair of his arms, and thighs, and breast. And so according to the Misnah, this was a second shaving. For it is said, "in the seventh day he shaves a second time, according to the first shaving."

"He shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean": This was also repeated on the seventh, both the washing of his clothes, and the dipping of him in water. After which he was accounted clean, and was neither defiled nor defiling, and might go into his own tent or house. And into the tabernacle, and offer his offerings, and partake of the privileges of it, at least some of them, even the same day. According to the tradition he may eat of the tithes. And after sunset he may eat of the heave offerings, and when he has brought his atonement he may eat of the holy things.

This has to be total, surrender to God.

Verses 10-20: As part of the leper's ceremonial cleansing ritual, trespass or guilt (5:14 - 6:7), sin (4:1 - 5:13), burnt (1:3-17), and grain (2:1-16) offerings were to be made.

Leviticus 14:10 "And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour [for] a meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil."

"On the "eighth day" after his birth, every Hebrew male was circumcised. Here, that day represents the leper's rebirth into the covenant community of faith. Because sickness and death are a result of man's sin, a sacrifice is the means for the cleansed leper to enter into full fellowship in the community.

"One log of oil": Less than one pint.

Eight of course means new beginnings. This man is beginning his life again. It appears the man had to bring the same offerings he would have brought for a sin. This makes me believe that leprosy symbolized sin. This is not just an illness, but is sin of some sort.

Leviticus 14:11 "And the priest that maketh [him] clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the LORD, [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:"

By the above rites and ceremonies, and the after sacrifices offered.

"Shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things before the Lord": The two male lambs, and the ewe lamb. And it seems also the meat offerings, and the log of oil. But these Ben Gersom excepts, and when the leper, with these, is said to be set or presented before the Lord. This must not be understood of his being introduced, into the tabernacle, had of his being placed in the court itself. For as yet, as Jarchi says, he was "Mechoser Cippurim", one that needed expiation, and therefore, till that was done, could not be admitted. But he was set;

"At the door of the tabernacle of the congregation": At the eastern gate, which afterwards, when the temple was built, was called the gate of Nicanor. And lay between the court of the women and the court of the Israelites. Thus, everyone that has received favors from the Lord, by restoration of health, or by deliverance from dangers, or be it in whatsoever way it will, should present himself and his sacrifice of praise unto him. And his case should be presented in a public manner before the congregation of the saints by the minister of it, in token of gratitude and thankfulness for mercies received.

We discussed the symbolisms of this offering in a previous lesson, so we will not get into it here. We will just say that the leper had been unable to come close to God. Now he will be restored. You remember, in the other offerings, that this type of offering was always made at the door of the tabernacle, at the bronze altar. The priest made the offering for the person, after the person had placed his hands on the animal's head for the animal to become the substitute for his sin. Remember one more time, that the meat offering was made up of elements that make bread. Jesus is the Bread of life.

Leviticus 14:12 "And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them [for] a wave offering before the LORD:"

One of the male lambs brought by the leper for his offering.

"And offer him for a trespass offering": For though the leprosy itself was a disorder or disease, and not sinful, yet the cause of it was sin. A trespass against God, and therefore a trespass offering must be offered. Which was typical of Christ, whose soul was made a trespass offering (Isa. 53:10); where the same word is used as here.

"And the log of oil" (see notes on Lev. 14:10).

"And wave them for a wave offering before the Lord": Heaving of them up and down, moving of them to and fro towards the several parts of the world, east, west, north, and south. Even both the log of oil, and the male lamb for the trespass offering, and that alive, as Jarchi observes, and so says Maimonides (see notes on 7:30-32).

Leviticus 14:13 "And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering [is] the priest's, [so is] the trespass offering: it [is] most holy:"

The priest, or the butcher, as the Targum of Jonathan. The slaughterer, the priest appointed for that service. At which time both the hands of the leper were laid upon it, as says the Misnah. For though the leper might not go into the court as yet, the sacrifice was brought to the door of the tabernacle for him to put his hands on it. So Maimonides relates; the trespass offering of the leper is brought to the door, and he puts both his hands into the court, and lays them on it, and they immediately slay it.

"In the place where he shall kill the sin offering in the holy place": In the court of the tabernacle, on the north side of the altar, as Jarchi observes (see Lev. 1:11).

"For as the sin offering is the priest's, so is the trespass offering": And to be eaten by him and his sons in the holy place, and by none but them (see Lev. 6:26).

"It is most holy": Which is the reason why none else might eat of it. Typical of Christ the most Holy, whose flesh is only eaten by true believers in him, made priests unto God by him.

Remember that the waving of the offering was offering first to God. The meat of these animals were properly prepared for the priest. We remember the blood, fat, and inward parts belonged to the LORD. The priest would be worthy to do this, because he had offered for himself earlier. Read the earlier lessons on this book to get the details on these offerings. One more thing we must never forget; Jesus is the Lamb.

Leviticus 14:14 "And the priest shall take [some] of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put [it] upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:"

According to the Misnah, two priests received the blood of it, one in a vessel and the other in his hand. He that received it in a vessel went and sprinkled it upon the wall of the altar (or top, as Maimonides). And he that received it in his hand went to the leper, and the leper having dipped himself in the chamber of the lepers, went and stood in the gate of Nicanor.

"And the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot": As was done at the consecration of the high priest (see notes on Exodus 29:20; Lev. 8:24). Now as the leper stood at the door of the tabernacle without the court, he was obliged to put in his head, his right hand, and his right foot, in order to have the blood put on them by the priest, who was in the court. And these were put in either separately one after another, or together. The tradition runs thus, he (the leper), thrust in his head, and (the priest) put (the blood) upon the tip of his ear. His hand, and he put it upon the thumb of his hand. His foot, and he put it upon the great toe of his foot. And the application of the blood to these parts showed that the leper had now a right to hear the word of God, to partake of all privileges, to touch anything without defiling it, and to go into any house or company where he thought fit. He was now at full liberty.

More evangelically these things may signify the sanctification and cleansing of those parts, and of the whole man by the blood of Christ. And particularly may signify, that as the ear is unclean, uncircumcised, and unsanctified in a leprous sinner and even there are hearing sins in the best of men, the ear is sanctified, and hearing sins removed by the blood of Christ. And as the right hand, being the instrument of action, may denote the evil works of men, and even since the most righteous performances of the best of men are attended with sin, the blood of Christ, which cleanses from all sin, had need to be put upon them. And whereas the conversation of them, which the foot may be an emblem of, is sinful and vain, it is by the blood of Christ that they are redeemed from it. And the influence of that blood sprinkled on the conscience will oblige and constrain men to live and walk soberly, righteously, and godly.

I will just say again here, that the blood on the right ear symbolizes the cleansing of his hearing. The blood on the thumb of his right hand symbolizes that all of his work must be clean. The blood on his big toe of his right foot symbolizes that his walk must be clean. In the next lesson, we will see why we need the Holy Spirit so much in our lives.

Leviticus Chapter 14 Questions

1. What was the chain of command shown in 14:1?

2. In verse 2, we read this is what law?

3. Who must the leper be brought to for inspection?

4. Someone, accused of sin today, must be brought before whom?

5. When must sickness be sacrificed for?

6. Should the examination be public or private?

7. An accusation must be by how many witnesses?

8. Where do we find the Scripture that covers accusing an elder?

9. What happened to those who despised Moses' law under three witnesses?

10. The person to be cleansed had to bring two ______ alive, and ______ wood, and ________, and _________.

11. What was hyssop?

12. Name 2 other Scriptures where hyssop is mentioned?

13. What are two interesting things about cedarwood?

14. What does the scarlet symbolize?

15. What type of an offering is this?

16. Where will the bird be killed?

17. How many times shall he sprinkle upon him?

18. What shall be done with the live bird?

19. How was the mop made?

20. What does this bird being released remind us of?

21. We are set free by the ________ and the ________.

22. What do these two birds symbolize?

23. What does verse 8 tell us that the one being cleansed must do?

24. How long must he tarry outside his tent?

25. What time is this 7 days similar to in the temple?

26. What does his washing in water symbolize?

27. What does hair symbolize in the Bible?

28. What does all this shaving and washing show?

29. On the eighth day, what is he to offer?

30. Leprosy symbolizes _____.

31. Why did the person making the offering put his hands on the animal's head?

32. Who does the meat and bread of these offerings belong to?

33. Where, on the person offering, does the priest put the blood?

34. What do these symbolize?

Leviticus Chapter 14 Continued

In the last lesson, we were studying about the person who was being cleansed after being suspected of leprosy. We had just finished with the priest putting the blood on the right ear, his thumb on his right hand, and on his right big toe. Remember this was done to cleanse the hearing, cleanse the work he does with his hand, and cleanse his walk. Also, that this was not the priest's body being cleansed, but a member of the congregation.

Leviticus 14:15 "And the priest shall take [some] of the log of oil, and pour [it] into the palm of his own left hand:"

With his right hand, as the Targum of Jonathan adds.

"And pour it into the palm of his own left hand": But in the original text it is, "pour it into the palm of the priest's left hand". And it is a question, whether he or another priest is meant. The Misnah is clear for it, he (the priest) takes of the log of oil and pours it into the palm of his fellow (priest), but if he pours it into his own palm it is sufficient.

The oil, throughout the Bible, symbolizes the Holy Spirit. This was not just any oil, but the holy anointing oil. The priest pours part of this anointing oil into the palm of his left hand.

Leviticus 14:16 And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that [is] in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the LORD:

The finger of his right hand, the forefinger of it.

"In the oil that is in his left hand": Either that is in his own left hand, or in the left hand of a fellow priest.

"And shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord": That is, over against the house of the Holy of Holies, as Jarchi, where Jehovah dwelt. But standing at the same time at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, which was eastward, and so he looked westward to the Holy of Holies. According to the Misnah, that for every sprinkling there was a dipping. That as often as he sprinkled, so often he must dip his finger in the oil. And not that he might dip his finger once, and of that sprinkle two or three times; for the finger must be dipped seven times. This may denote the thanksgiving of the leper for his cleansing, proceeding from the grace of God, and the Lord's gracious acceptance of it.

We know that this sprinkling of the oil before the Lord is showing the strengthening power of the Holy Ghost. Seven as we have said over and over, means spiritually complete. The power to live the new life that this ex-leper has, is through the Holy Spirit.

Leviticus 14:17 "And of the rest of the oil that [is] in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering:"

That was either in the hand of the priest that was cleansing, or in the hand of his fellow priest. Such of it as was left after some of it had been sprinkled seven times before the Lord.

"Shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot": Signifying that these parts in the leprous sinner need to be sanctified by the grace of the Spirit of God, comparable to oil, with which all the Lord's people are anointed. And is that unction they receive from the Holy One, their great High Priest. By this the ear is sanctified so as to hear the word, so as to understand it and mix it with faith. And the thumb of the right hand having oil put on that, may signify that the actions of good men are influenced by the Spirit of God. Who works in them both to will and to do, and without whose grace they can do nothing in a spiritual manner. And the great toe of the right foot, the instrument of walking, being anointed with the same. May denote that it is through the grace of God saints have their conversation in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, and as becomes the Gospel of Christ (see note on 8:23-24). The oil was to be put:

"Upon the blood of the trespass offering": That is, upon the place of the blood of it (as in Lev. 14:28). Which is, as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it, the place in which he put at first the blood of the trespass offering. For the Jewish writers observe, that the log of oil depended on the trespass offering. For if the flood of the trespass offering was not first sprinkled, the sprinkling of the oil was of no avail. This shows that the blood of Christ, is the foundation of men's receiving the grace of the Spirit, and that it is owing to that it is bestowed upon them. The application of his grace follows redemption by the blood of Christ. Who gave himself to redeem them from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. And for whomsoever expiation is made by the blood of Christ, they are sanctified by the Spirit of Christ.

This oil goes on top of the blood that had been put on previously. Just as the blood cleansed his hearing, working, and walking with God, now the oil empowers him to keep his hearing clean and to work the work God would have him do. And helps him walk in his new life, empowered by the Holy Ghost.

Leviticus 14:18 "And the remnant of the oil that [is] in the priest's hand he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD."

"Pour upon the head": This would not have been understood as an anointing for entry into an office, but rather a symbolic gesture of cleansing and healing. Here could be a connection with the New Testament directive to anoint the sick for healing (Mark 6:13; 16:18; James 5:14).

This oil poured in abundance on his head, shows that the Holy Spirit will guide him into all truth. The Holy Spirit is his teacher and guide. Even his thoughts will be guided by the Holy Spirit.

Verses 19-20: Three offerings completed the sacrificial procedure:

(1) The sin offering" of one ewe lamb (14:10);

(2) A "trespass offering" of a male lamb (14:12); and

(3) "The burnt offering" (the other male lamb of 14:10), accompanied by "the meat offering".

Leviticus 14:19 "And the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness; and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering:"

This was the ewe lamb, according to the rite of every sin offering, as Aben Ezra says. And was typical of Christ, as all such offerings were, who was made sin and a sin offering for his people.

"And make an atonement for him that was to be cleansed from his uncleanness": For it seems the atonement was not perfected by the trespass offering and all the preceding rites. But a sin offering was necessary both on account of moral uncleanness, the cause of the leprosy, and of ceremonial uncleanness by it.

"And afterward he shall kill the burnt offering": The other male lamb. The burnt offering for the most part following the sin or trespass offering as a gift by way of thankfulness, atonement being made for sin by the other offerings. Which also was typical of Christ, as all burnt offerings were.

Leviticus 14:20 "And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean."

The meat offering which belonged to that, and went along with it, even one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil. But no mention being made of any meat offering with the other offerings already offered. The trespass offering and the sin offering; some say, as Aben Ezra observes, that the whole meat offering, consisting of three tenth deals of fine flour, was offered with the burnt offering. Which must be a saving to the priest, if he only burnt one handful of it, as in other cases, the rest falling to his part.

"And the priest shall make an atonement for him": These offerings still furthering of it, and sending to perfect it, and did complete it.

"And he shall be clean": In a typical and ceremonial sense.

We discussed in the previous lesson, that the reason why these offerings were made, was because this leprosy symbolized sin. After these offerings were made, this person would be back in fellowship with God and the congregation. We have gone into this type of offering several times, so we will not go through this again here.

Verses 21-32: People who were "poor" had to bring a male lamb for the trespass offering, the same as any other Israelite. The sin and brunt offerings could be made with less expensive animals, indicating that the poor person had the same value as a rich person. There was nothing special about the animals used for sacrifices, except that they had to be "clean". A person was not forgiven more when bringing a more valuable animal.

Leviticus 14:21 "And if he [be] poor, and cannot get so much; then he shall take one lamb [for] a trespass offering to be waved, to make an atonement for him, and one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering, and a log of oil;"

As three lambs, and three tenth deals of fine flour.

"Then he shall take one lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make an atonement for him": One male lamb, and was excused the other male lamb for a burnt offering, and the ewe lamb for a sin offering. But a lamb he must bring. A type of Christ the Lamb of God, for without his blood and sacrifice there is no atonement for rich or poor, but for both thereby.

"And one tenth deal of flour mingled with oil for a meat offering": Instead three tenth deals; this abatement in the several kinds of offerings was a great indulgence to the poor, and an instance of God's goodness to them. That they might not be pressed above measure, and yet share the same benefits and advantages as the rich.

"And a log of oil": Here was no abatement in this, nor was there need of any. Half a pint of oil, in a country which abounded with it, might be bought for a small price. However, the grace of the Spirit, signified by oil, is to be had freely of Christ. And in as large a quantity by a poor man as by a rich man. And is equally necessary to the one as to the other, who are all one in Christ Jesus (see Gal. 3:28).

The only thing we need to make special note of here, is that a lesser offering is acceptable from the poor, but they are not exempt from offering.

Leviticus 14:22 "And two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering."

As good as he can get for his money, or his money he is possessed of will purchase. But if he was not able to purchase these of the better sort, the best he could get would be acceptable. So indulgent, kind, and merciful was God to the poor in this case. These were instead of the other two lambs required of those that were able to bring them, and answered all the purposes of them.

"And the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering": One of the turtledoves or one of the young pigeons should be for the one, and the other for the other. So that the poor man had as many offerings for his atonement and cleansing as the rich, and his expiation and purgation were as complete as theirs.

Leviticus 14:23 "And he shall bring them on the eighth day for his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the LORD."

Which supposes him to have gone through all the rites and ceremonies of cleansing throughout the seven days, from his first appearance before the priest": Such as his being sprinkled with the cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet. Dipped in the blood of the slain bird, mixed with running water. The shaving off of his hair, and washing his flesh and clothes in water. All which being done, on the eighth day he was to bring his lamb for a trespass offering. And one tenth deal of fine flour, for a meat offering. And two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.

"Unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord": Where the rich man also and his offerings were presented (see notes on Lev. 14:11). And the same rites are enjoined for the cleansing of the poor leper as the rich one (in Lev. 14:23). Of which see the notes on (Lev. 14:12). Signifying that they are not exempt from duty, or abridged of any privilege on account of poverty. The persons and services of the people of God being equally acceptable to him, whether rich or poor.

The main thing we must take note of here, is this is to be done on the eighth day. Eight means new beginnings. This will give this offeror a new beginning, as if it is the first day of his life. He was dead in sin (leprosy), now he has been given new life.

Leviticus 14:24 "And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them [for] a wave offering before the LORD:"

Or, shall offer them as the offering that is shaken to and fro (see notes on Lev. 14:12).

The waving is an offering to the LORD. This will be for the priest.

Leviticus 14:25 "And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall take [some] of the blood of the trespass offering, and put [it] upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:"

See notes (on Lev. 14:13).

"And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering" (see notes on Lev. 14:14).

Leviticus 14:26 "And the priest shall pour of the oil into the palm of his own left hand:"

See (notes on Lev. 14:15).

Leviticus 14:27 "And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger [some] of the oil that [is] in his left hand seven times before the LORD:"

See (notes on Lev. 14:16).

We will remember one more time, that the blood on the ear cleanses his hearing, the blood on the right thumb cleanses his work, and the blood on the right big toe cleanses his walk. The oil (symbolic of the Holy Spirit), empowers him to hear God's will, to work God's work, and to walk the walk God has chosen for him.

Leviticus 14:28 "And the priest shall put of the oil that [is] in his hand upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the place of the blood of the trespass offering:"

See (notes on Lev. 14:17).

Leviticus 14:29 "And the rest of the oil that [is] in the priest's hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make an atonement for him before the LORD."

See (notes on Lev. 14:18).

This again shows the importance the Holy Spirit plays in empowering him to live victoriously in the life God has chosen for him.

Leviticus 14:30 "And he shall offer the one of the turtledoves, or of the young pigeons, such as he can get;"

See (notes on Lev. 14:22).

Leviticus 14:31 "[Even] such as he is able to get, the one [for] a sin offering, and the other [for] a burnt offering, with the meat offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the LORD."

See (notes on Lev. 14:22).

Again, here we must note the statement (such as he can get). As we said, this has to do with the ability of the one offering to pay. It does not excuse the offering, just allows a lesser gift from those who are poor.

Leviticus 14:32 "This [is] the law [of him] in whom [is] the plague of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get [that which pertaineth] to his cleansing."

The former part of the chapter contains an account of the laws, rites, and ceremonies of a leper who was able to bear the expenses of them. This latter part respects such laws, rites, and ceremonies, that belonged to him.

"Whose hand is not able to get that which pertained to his cleansing": As the three lambs and three tenth deals of fine flour, and therefore one lamb, and one tenth deal of fine flour. And two turtles or two young pigeons, were admitted of in the room of them, in consideration of his poverty. The Jewish canons respecting the cases of a poor and rich leper are these: if a poor leper offers the sacrifice of a rich man, it is very well. But if a rich leper offers the sacrifice of a poor one, it is not sufficient. If a poor leper offers his sacrifice and he becomes rich, or if when rich, and he afterwards becomes poor, all goes after the sin offering. That is, as they explain it, if a man when he offers his sin offering is poor, and so his offering is of a turtle or pigeon, though he should become rich he must finish the offering of the poor, by bringing for a burnt offering one of the fowls. And so if he was rich, and offered the sin offering out of the lambs, though he should become poor, he must offer the burnt offering of the same. But the trespass offering is generally pitched upon as the rule in which the poor and the rich were equal. And Maimonides says, all goes after the trespass offering. As if at the time of slaying the trespass offering he is rich, he must finish the offering of a rich man, but if poor he must finish the offering of a poor man. It may be observed that a great deal of notice is taken of a leper, and strict inquiry made into the nature of leprosy, and the various signs of it given. And a great deal to do about the cleansing and expiation of him. All which shows what notice God takes of leprous sinners, and what a diligent scrutiny should be made into the evil nature of sin, and what a provision God has made for the cleansing and atonement of sinners by the blood and sacrifice of his Son. Which is here typified by all sorts of offerings, the sin offering, the trespass offering, the burnt offering, and the meat offering.

In this lesson, we have been looking at the leprosy of an individual. This leprosy was of a spiritual nature, in that the person had been separated from God and was not allowed to fellowship with the congregation, until the leprosy (sin), was cleansed from the individual.

Leviticus Chapter 14 Continued Questions

1. Where did the priest put the oil from the log of oil?

2. What does the oil symbolize throughout the Bible?

3. What does the sprinkling of the oil before the LORD show?

4. The power to live the new life for the ex-leper is how?

5. What three places shall the oil be placed on the person?

6. Just as the _______ cleansed the leper, the ____ empowered him to live the new life.

7. What was to be done with the rest of the oil in the priest's left hand?

8. What did placing the oil on his head symbolize?

9. What offering shall the priest make that is his atonement?

10. Why were these offerings made for the person plagued with leprosy?

11. What offering is accepted for him, if he is poor?

12. What is to be done with the trespass offering?

13. Are the poor exempt of offering?

14. What day shall he bring these offerings for his cleansing to the priest?

15. What does the number eight mean?

16. He was dead in _____.

17. What is the waving of the offering?

18. Where shall the blood of the trespass offering be put?

19. What shows the importance of the Holy Spirit in empowering him to live victoriously?

20. What does the statement "such as he can get" tell us?

21. In this lesson, we have been looking at the leprosy of whom?

22. Why had this person been separated from the congregation?

Leviticus Chapter 14 Second Continued

Verses 33-57: This section covers contaminated houses which most likely involved some kinds of infectious bacteria, fungus or mold.

Also, this section is an extension of the law concerning clothing and personal articles (13:47-59). Since the passage also refers to houses made of "stone" and not the tents in which the people lived at the time, these laws referred to the people's future residences in the "land of Canaan".

Leviticus 14:33 "And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,"

At the same time as the above laws were delivered concerning the leper, and the cleansing of him, or however immediately upon that. The affair of the leprosy of houses being what belonged to the priest to examine into and cleanse from.

"Saying": As follows.

Leviticus 14:34 "When ye be come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession;"

"I put the plague of leprosy": God's sovereign hand is acknowledged in the diseases that were in Canaan (compare Exodus 4:11; Deut. 32:39). He had His purposes for these afflictions, as He always does. Uniquely, in Israel's case, they allowed for object lessons on holiness.

A leprous plague could also affect a "house". As with a leprous garment (13:47-59), this probably refers to a form of mildew, mold or fungus.

This particular plague would not immediately apply to the children of Israel out here in the wilderness, because they did not live in houses. They lived in tents, while on their way to the Promised Land. This is a principle that God is teaching them, as well as being literal. We see from this that the Promised Land was a gift to them by God. Notice, that God put this plague of leprosy in the house. We must look deeper and see the spiritual lesson here. This house could be a dwelling, it could be the temple, or it could be their country, or it could be the people themselves.

Leviticus 14:35 "And he that owneth the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, It seemeth to me [there is] as it were a plague in the house:"

As soon as he observes any sign of leprosy in it, or which gives him a suspicion of it.

"Saying, it seemeth unto me there is as it were a plague in the house": He must not say expressly there is one, how certain whatsoever he may be of it, because the matter must be determined by a priest.

The most important thing I see in this is that the owner of the house is to report the suspicion of leprosy. If this is the temple or our modern church, the person in authority, such as the pastor or elder would be responsible to report the first sight of sin. In the case of the country, the prophet should warn the head of the country.

Leviticus 14:36 "Then the priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest go [into it] to see the plague, that all that [is] in the house be not made unclean: and afterward the priest shall go in to see the house:"

Clear it of all persons and things. Everybody was obliged to go out of it. And all the furniture of it, and all the household goods in it, were to be removed from it.

"Before the priest go into it to see the plague": That all that is in the house be not made clean. As would be the case should the priest view it, and pronounce it unclean before the removal of them. Agreeably to which is the Jewish tradition, before a priest comes to see the plague, not anything in the house is defiled. But after he is come to see it, even bundles of sticks, and of reeds, are defiled, which are not reckoned under the uncleanness to be removed. So that this was a kindness to the owner of the house. That his loss might not be so great as it otherwise would be, if he did not take care to get his goods out previous to the inspection of the priest.

"And afterward the priest shall go in to see the house": To examine it, to see whether the signs of leprosy are in it.

This examination should not be done with an audience. The best way to split a church wide open, is to bring the appearance of evil up before the whole congregation. This type of problem, should be handled by the board of the church and the pastor. These Israelites can be thought of as God's house. We believers also are part of God's house. I would tend to believe that this is possibly speaking of the congregation, more than one person. In the following Scriptures, you will see how believers, and prophets make up the wall of the house with Jesus Christ as the Cornerstone.

Ephesians 2:19-22 "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;" "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone];" "In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord:" "In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."

Leviticus 14:37 "And he shall look on the plague, and, behold, [if] the plague [be] in the walls of the house with hollow strakes, greenish or reddish, which in sight [are] lower than the wall;"

"Greenish or reddish": The disease would appear to be some sort of contagious mildew. Leprosy (Hansen's disease), as we know it today, is not the problem here since it is a disease related to the human senses, i.e., the destruction of feeling due to the dysfunction of the nerves. It is not known to be contagious either, and it couldn't be developed in a house. The matter of cleansing such houses in delineated (in verses 38-53).

Leviticus 14:38 "Then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days:"

This 7 day period of waiting is to see if the suspicion was ungrounded, or to allow a short time for this problem to right itself. Plague is like an infection. I believe this is just giving a time to the one who is examining this, to determine if there is any need for doing anything.

Leviticus 14:39 "And the priest shall come again the seventh day, and shall look: and, behold, [if] the plague be spread in the walls of the house;"

On the seventh day from his shutting of it up, he shall open it again, go into it, and observe in what condition it is.

"And, behold, if the plague be spread in the walls of the house": The hollow strakes are become deeper, or the colored spots are become larger. Spreading was always a sign of leprosy, both in the bodies of men, and in garments.

Leviticus 14:40 "Then the priest shall command that they take away the stones in which the plague [is], and they shall cast them into an unclean place without the city:"

1 Peter 2:5 "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."

I believe the stones spoken of here are the believers, who make up the temple. You can easily see why it would be necessary to remove a stone that might infect all the stones. This would be removing one member who was causing all to doubt. A false doctrine being brought to the church, or someone encouraging immorality in others, would be another reason you would have to remove them.

Leviticus 14:41 "And he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they shall pour out the dust that they scrape off without the city into an unclean place:"

All the walls on each side, and at each end, and every stone in them. Which, though they had no appearance on them, yet should there be any infection in them, which as yet was not seen, it might be removed, and a spread prevented.

"And they shall pour out the dust that they scrape off without the city, into an unclean place": The scrapings they were to put into some vessel, and carry them thither and pour them out, or into a cart, and there throw them. That they might lie with other rubbish, and not be made use of any more. Where trash was cast, and other filth, that the people might not be infected by them.

To me this looks as if there would need to be some cleansing to the ones who were left. In the case there had been a false doctrine taught, there would need to be strong teaching to cleanse the thoughts of those who had heard the false message. Here are a few Scriptures that explain it better than I can.

Psalms 51:7 "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."

Psalms 79:9 "Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake."

In the next Scripture, we see that it is sometimes necessary to remove the person causing the problem.

Ezekiel 20:38 "And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD."

The filth that is removed from each one must never be allowed to stay and start the trouble again. These last 2 Scriptures say it all.

2 Timothy 2:21 "If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, [and] prepared unto every good work."

Hebrews 9:14 "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

Leviticus 14:42 And they shall take other stones, and put [them] in the place of those stones; and he shall take other mortar, and shall plaster the house.

From elsewhere, such as are sound and whole.

"And put them in the place of these stones": Such as will exactly answer them, as to number and size, and so fill up the space vacant by the removal of the other, and support the building.

"And he shall take other mortar, and plaster the house": The master of the house was to do this, or take care that it was done. But others by the order of the priest, as they took away the tainted stones, put others in their place.

These new stones are new believers who take the place of those who were removed. After they are brought in, the church is re-plastered to make them part of the building.

Verses 43-53: If the "plague" was eradicated, the priest would perform ceremonies similar to those for the cleansed person. If not, the dwelling was to be destroyed ("break down the house"), and the person who lived and ate there was to "wash his clothes".

Leviticus 14:43 "And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plastered;"

In the above signs of it.

"After that he hath taken away the stones": Which were infected, or ordered them to be taken away.

"And after he hath scraped the house": So that there seemed to be no remains of the plague.

"And after it is plastered": To prevent if possible any return of it, but in vain.

Leviticus 14:44 "Then the priest shall come and look, and, behold, [if] the plague be spread in the house, it [is] a fretting leprosy in the house: it [is] unclean."

On the seventh day of the second week. Though, according to Maimonides, this was at the end of the third seven day, or on the nineteenth day from his first inspection into it. The seventh day being reckoned for the last of the first week, and the first of the second, and so on.

"And, behold, if the plague be spread in the house": After all the above precaution is taken.

"It is a fretting leprosy in the house": Like that in the garment (see notes on Lev. 13:51).

"It is unclean": And so not to be inhabited.

Leviticus 14:45 "And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the mortar of the house; and he shall carry [them] forth out of the city into an unclean place."

Order it to be pulled down, and demolished entirely. That is, the priest shall give such orders. But Gersom thinks this was to be done by the owner of the house, and that he was to do it himself, and have no associate with him in it.

"The stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the mortar of the house": And, according to the Jewish canons, a house was not defiled with the plague of leprosy, unless it had in it stones, and timber, and dust, or earth. A house which had not stones, timber, and dust in it, and the plague appeared in it, even if anyone after that brought in stones; timber, and dust, it was clean.

"And he shall carry them forth out of the city unto an unclean place": Such materials were not to be made use of to rebuild that house, or to be employed in the building of any other. This house may be an emblem of a visible church of God on earth, which is often in Scripture compared to a house. As that signifies both an edifice and a family, and is sometimes called the house of the living God. And into which sometimes the leprosy of immorality and profaneness gets and spreads, or of errors and heresies, which creep in unawares, spread themselves gradually, and sometimes very fast, and eat as do a canker, and are very troublesome and defiling.

And which God permits to enter in, that they which are approved might be made manifest. Now when this is the case, or there is any appearance of it, the priests, the ministers of the Lord, are to be told of it, who are to examine into it, and rebuke sharply, as the case requires. And care is to be taken that the infection spread not. The tainted stones, immoral or heretical persons, are to be removed from the communion of the church, and others to be put in their place, as may present. Such as are dug out of the common quarry of nature, and separated from the rest of the world, and are hewn and squared by the Spirit and grace of God, and are become lively stones. Such are to be added to the church for the support and increase of it. Sharp reproofs are to be given to those who are incorrigible, which may be signified by the scraping of the house. And forgiveness, tenderness, and love, that covers a multitude of sins, are to be shown to those who truly repent, of which plastering may be an emblem. But if, after all, the above disorders in principle and practice spread, and they appear to be incurable, then the house is pulled down.

The church-state or candlestick is removed out of its place. And this may be illustrated in two instances, first in the Jewish church, which is sometimes called the house of Israel, and in which great corruptions prevailed, especially in the times of Christ and his apostles. And all means of reformation then being ineffectual, it was utterly destroyed, their ecclesiastical state, and all the ordinances of it. The temple, the house of God, was demolished, and not one stone left upon another (Matt. 24:2). And next in the church of Rome, once a church of God, a temple of his, where antichrist rose up and sat, and has by him been overspread with the leprosy of immorality, false doctrine, superstitious and idolatrous worship. And at times God has been emptying it, or removing his own people out of it, and will do so again before the utter destruction of it. Which is hastening on. When it will be utterly demolished, as Babylon its emblem was. So that a stone of it shall not be taken, either for foundations or for a corner (Jer. 51:26). This also may be applied to the earthly houses of our tabernacles, in which the leprosy of sin is so deeply rooted, that, until they are dissolved, it will never be removed, notwithstanding all the means made use of for the mortification of the deeds of the body.

This has to do with a body of believers who continue with the false doctrine after the people who started it are removed. This body of believers should be disbanded, because as long as the church stays together, they will spread this false doctrine. I fully believe this is why God allowed the temple in Jerusalem to be destroyed. The people would not stop sacrificing, even though Jesus had fulfilled the sacrifice forever when He was crucified.

Leviticus 14:46 "Moreover he that goeth into the house all the while that it is shut up shall be unclean until the even."

The utmost of which were three weeks, as Jarchi observes. During the time a house was shut up, no man might enter it. If he did, he;

"Shall be unclean until the evening": Might not have any conversation with men until the evening was come, and he had washed himself. Nay, according to the Misnah, if a clean person thrust in his head, or the greatest part of his body, into an unclean house, he was defiled. And whoever entered into a leprous house, and his clothes are on his shoulder, and his sandals (on his feet), and his rings on his hands, he and they are unclean immediately. And if he has his clothes on, and his sandals on his feet, and his rings on his hands, he is immediately defiled, and they are clean.

Leviticus 14:47 "And he that lieth in the house shall wash his clothes; and he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes."

Which is more than bare entrance into it, and might be supposed the more to be infected by it, and therefore obliged to the washing of himself, and his garments.

"And he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes": If he stayed no longer than while he ate half a piece of wheaten bread he was clean. But not if he stayed so long as to eat a like quantity of barley bread, and sat down and ate it with food.

Anyone who had taken part in these services where these false doctrines had been brought, must seek God all over again and wash in the blood of the Lamb, as if he or she had never been saved.

Leviticus 14:48 "And if the priest shall come in, and look [upon it], and, behold, the plague hath not spread in the house, after the house was plastered: then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed."

That is, on the seventh day of the second week of its being shut up.

"And, behold, the plague hath not spread in the house, after the house was plastered (see notes on Lev. 14:42).

"Then the priest shall pronounce the house clean": Fit to be inhabited, and so no more to be shut up, but free for use as before.

"Because the plague is healed": The infection being wholly removed by taking out the stones, scraping, and plastering the house, and so an entire stop put to the spread of it.

We see in this church, that the removing of the troublesome stones worked. This church is clean; their doctrine is sound. The new members (stones), are helping.

Leviticus 14:49 "And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:"

The priest, or by his fellow priest, as Aben Ezra, though some interpret it of the master of the house. In (Lev. 14:49), an account is given of the manner of cleansing a leprous house, which is the same with that of cleansing a leprous man (see notes on Lev. 14:4-7).

"Two birds": The birds here indeed are not described as "alive and clean" (Lev. 14:4). But both are plainly implied and the house is said to be cleansed with the blood of the slain bird, as well as with the living bird. And it was the upper door post of the house which was sprinkled seven times with it, but there were no sacrifices offered. In this case, as in the cleansing of the leper, the atonement for it was made by the other rites. Which were sufficient to render it habitable again, and free for use, either of the owner or any other person.

"And cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: (see notes on Lev. 14:4).

Leviticus 14:50 "And he shall kill the one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water:"

See notes on (Lev. 14:5).

Leviticus 14:51 "And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times:"

See notes on (Lev. 14:6).

"And sprinkle the house seven times": See notes on (Lev. 14:7).

Leviticus 14:52 "And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet:"

See notes on (Lev. 14:4).

Leviticus 14:53 "But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean."

See notes on (Lev. 14:7).

To sum this up; we see a church that had problems purging out the evil. In the last few verses, they have rededicated the church to God. They are, again, in good standing with God.

Leviticus 14:54 "This [is] the law for all manner of plague of leprosy, and scall,"

The leprosy in general in the bodies of men, and of that in particular which was on the head and beard, and went by the name of the scall (Lev. 13:29). In (Lev. 14:54), is a recapitulation of the several laws and rules relating to leprosy of all kinds, delivered in this and the preceding chapter.

Leviticus 14:55 "And for the leprosy of a garment, and of a house,"

Of which (see Lev. 13:47).

"And of a house": Largely treated of in this chapter (Lev. 14:34).

Leviticus 14:56 "And for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot:"

Which were three sorts of leprosy in the skin of man's flesh (see notes on Lev. 13:2).

Leviticus 14:57 "To teach when [it is] unclean, and when [it is] clean: this [is] the law of leprosy."

"To teach when it is unclean ... clean": The priest needed instruction in identifying and prescribing the course for disease such as that described herein, to teach people the importance of distinguishing holy things.

We can see in the last few lessons, that it must first be determined if it was leprosy. The disease could have been some minor skin disease. We see that whether the leprosy was of the person, his garments or his house, it all symbolized sin. We have also been looking into the ways to rid the leprosy, so that a person could get back into good standing with God.

Leviticus Chapter 14 Second Continued Questions

1. When was the law of the leprosy of the house to be in effect?

2. Why was it not in effect immediately?

3. What kind of message is God bringing here besides the literal we can see?

4. The Promised Land was a ______ to them from God.

5. What are some of the things this house could be?

6. Who must report the leprosy of the house?

7. Who would be this person who reports it in our church today?

8. In verse 36, what is the first thing they are to do, before the priest goes in?

9. This examination should not be done in front of an _____________.

10. In a church, who should handle this type of problem?

11. Who make up the wall of God's house?

12. Ephesians 2:19 calls believers what?

13. Who is the chief Cornerstone?

14. We are a habitation of God through _____ ________.

15. How long shall the priest shut up the house?

16. What is this 7 days for?

17. What is this plague like?

18. What does the priest do, if the plague is spreading?

19. What kind of stones are the believers called?

20. We are an _______ priesthood.

21. What are 2 of the things that could be thought of as leprosy in the church?

22. Where should they put the scrapings that came off the stones?

23. Why would there need to be strong teaching in a church that had had this problem?

24. Chapter 79 of Psalms says to purge what away?

25. What must we do to be a vessel of honor?

26. How does God purge away our sins?

27. What should be put in the place of the removed stones?

28. Who are these new stones?

29. What shall be done, if the plague spreads after the cleansing?

30. Why did God allow the temple in Jerusalem to be destroyed?

31. What shall be done after the house is declared clean?

Leviticus Chapter 15

Verses 1-33: The literary structure of this chapter balances two types of discharge, chronic and intermittent, dealing with both sexes, making four specific cases. Verses 2-15 relate to a chronic discharge in the male, a "running issue out of his flesh". The verb means "to flow" and is taken to mean from the organs of generation, although the exact nature of the disease is not known. Some suggestions have been hemorrhoids or gonorrhea. The latter is based upon the Greek version of the Old Testament (Septuagint), and most commentators accept this diagnosis. The striking thing about the uncleanness associated with these discharges is that not only the affected person became unclean, but also people and objects that came in contact with him, and these in their turn could become secondary sources of uncleanness.

Thus, it was much more "infectious" than the uncleanness of skin diseases dealt with (in chapters 13 and 14), or unclean animals (in chapter 11). For example, any "bed" (verse 4-5), chair (verse 6), or "saddle" (verse 9), became unclean and also a source of secondary pollution. The phrase "under him" (verse 10), indicates something he has sat upon. "Spit" (verse 8), also polluted. It seems he was still able to live at home and was not driven out into the wilderness like those afflicted with serious skin disease (in 13:45-46), nor did he have to undergo the elaborate cleansing rituals described (in chapter 14). When he recovered, he simply had to wait "seven days ... wash ... and ... offer" the two cheapest sacrifices. One for a "sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering". Verses (16-18), contain regulations governing an occasional emission of semen. The "seed of copulation" (Literally "outpouring of seed"), in intercourse (verse 18), or at other times (verses 16-17), also caused pollution (compare Exodus 19:15; Lev. 22:4; Deut. 23:10-11; 1 Sam. 21:5; 2 Sam. 11:11). No sacrifice was required, but the man and woman had simply to wash and wait until evening (verse 16-18). The practical effect of this legislation was that when a man had religious duties to perform, whether this involved worship or participation in God's holy wars, sexual intercourse was not permitted. Verses (19-24), relate to women and the intermittent discharges associated with menstruation. Then certain rules governing a chronic emission are dealt with in (verses 25-30).

The last section relates to a discharge of blood outside the normal period of menstruation (verse 25), such as that which the woman mentioned in the Gospels suffered (Mark 5:25; Luke 8:43). Sacrifices are required here because, like childbirth (chapter 12), skin disease (chapters 13 and 14), and gonorrhea (15:2-12), the uncleanness lasted more than a week. The purpose is cited in (verse 31): "Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness". The precise verb form used here occurs only five other times, each referring to the vows of the Nazarite (Num. 6:2; 3, 5, 6, 12). Those who were unclean could not participate in divine worship in the tabernacle (compare Exodus 19:10, 12, 15, 21; Lev. Chapter 10; 17:16; 19:8; 20:18; 22:9).

Leviticus 15:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying,"

Aaron is spoken to as well Moses, because some of these purifications, after mentioned, depended on the priest. As the affair of profluvious men and women as Gersom observes.

"Saying": As follows.

Verses 2-15: Males could become unclean through a discharge. The discharge describes something unusual, likely stemming from some sort of disease or illness. Whatever the afflicted man touched or spat on was also unclean.

These verses describe secretions related to some disease of the male sexual organs. After he became well, he was required to make both a sin and a burnt offering (verse 15).

Leviticus 15:2 "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, [because of] his issue he [is] unclean."

From whence we learn, says the above mentioned writer, that these uncleannesses were only usual among the children of Israel, not among the Gentiles. That is, the laws respecting them were only binding on the one, and not on the other.

"And say unto them, when any man": Which the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases, a young man, and an old man.

"Hath a running issue out of his flesh": What physicians call a "gonorrhea", and we, as in the margin of our Bibles, "the running of the reins".

"Because of his issue, he is unclean": In a ceremonial sense, though it arises from a natural cause. "But if not from any criminal one, from a debauch, but from a strain, or some such like thing. The man was not defiled, otherwise he was; the Targum of Jonathan is, "if he sees it three times he is unclean;" so the Misnah.

We are told in Scripture that out of the issue of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Matthew 12:34 "O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh."

Luke 6:45 "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh."

I mentioned these Scriptures, because it appears to me, this sin is a sin of the inner man. The issue that comes from the man is unclean, so he is unclean. In the physical sense, this would be caused probably by some sexually transmitted disease. In the spiritual sense, this would be a sin involving the Holy Spirit of God. The thing that makes sex sin so bad for the believer, is that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit of God. This would be classed as ceremonial uncleanness and would cause this person not to be able to come into the temple of God.

Leviticus 15:3 "And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue: whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from his issue, it [is] his uncleanness."

Or the sign of it, by which it may be judged whether he is unclean by it or no.

"Whether his flesh run with his issue": Or salivates, or emits a flow of matter like a saliva, or in the manner of spittle.

"Or his flesh be stopped from his issue": With it, or because of it; because it is gross, as Jarchi says, it cannot come forth freely.

"It is his uncleanness": Whether it be one or the other, he is reckoned on account of it an unclean person. This was an emblem of the corruption and vitiosity of nature. And of all evil things that are in or flow out of the evil heart of man, which are defiling to him (see Matt. 15:18).

This is a highly contagious disease. Sin is highly contagious as well. The strong message I get here, is this is a disease within his body.

Leviticus 15:4 "Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean."

Which he constantly makes use of. So the Targum of Jonathan, which is peculiar to him, and appointed and appropriated for him to lie upon. Jarchi says, every bed that is fit to lie upon, thou is appropriated to another service. But, he adds: meaning is, which he shall lie upon (or continue to lie upon). For it is not said, which he hath laid upon, but which he lieth upon, and is used by him continually. According to the Misnah, a man that has an issue defiles a bed five ways, so as to defile a man, and to defile garments; standing, sitting, lying, hanging, and leaning:

"And everything whereon he sitteth shall be unclean": Which is appropriated to sit upon. And so the Targum, as before, what is his proper peculiar seat? What he is used to sit upon, and is fit for that purpose. And it is observed by some Jewish writers that a vessel that is not fit to sit upon is excluded. As if a man was to turn up a bushel, or any other measure, to sit upon it (see Titus 1:15).

We see in this, that any contact with anything would pass on this disease. The sinner contaminates everything around him. He spoils everything he has anything to do with.

Leviticus 15:5 "And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe [himself] in water, and be unclean until the even."

Is unclean. According to the Misnah, a bed defiles a man seven ways, so as to defile garments. standing, sitting, lying, hanging, and leaning, and by touching, and by bearing.

"Shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water; in forty seahs of water, as the Targum of Jonathan.

"And be unclean until the even": Be unfit for conversation with other men till the even, though both his body and clothes are washed.

In the physical sense, a person could catch this type disease by casual contact. In the spiritual sense, to fellowship with someone, who is deep into sin, could cause the person to be a sinner by association. We are cautioned not to fellowship with those of unbelief.

2 Corinthians 6:14 "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?"

Ephesians 5:11 "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them]."

If we make contact with these things unaware, we should clean ourselves up immediately. This is for the physical and spiritual.

Leviticus 15:6 "And he that sitteth on [any] thing whereon he sat that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe [himself] in water, and be unclean until the even."

Shall be unclean, even though he does not touch it. Jarchi says, though there should be, as he adds, ten things or vessels one upon another, they all defile because of sitting, and so by lying.

"Shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even": As in the preceding case (see notes on Lev. 15:5).

This disease in the physical, is many times transmitted by using the same bathroom facilities. In the spiritual sense, to sit would indicate that you remained a while. We must be careful to choose our friends. Many problems we find ourselves in, are caused by following someone we thought was a friend. In crime, this would be called being an accessory to a crime.

Leviticus 15:7 "And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe [himself] in water, and be unclean until the even."

Shall also be unclean, even any part of his flesh, or member of his body. The Jewish canon is, he that toucheth one that has an issue, or he that has an issue touches him, or anyone moves him that has an issue. Or he moves him, defiles food, and drink, and washing vessels by touching. But not by bearing; and particularly touching the issue itself is instanced in, and such a man's spittle, etc. are defiled.

"Shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even": As before (see notes on Lev. 15:5).

It would be even more possible to take this disease, because of the direct contact of touching.

Leviticus 15:8 "And if he that hath the issue spit upon him that is clean; then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe [himself] in water, and be unclean until the even."

Not purposely, which is not usual for a man to do, and whenever it is done, nothing is more affronting. But accidentally, when, as Aben Ezra expresses it, he spreads his spittle, and it falls upon a clean person. And under this, as Gersom observes, is comprehended whatever is brought up by coughing, as phlegm, or flows from the nose, or is pressed out of it. And so Maimonides: and this may denote all corrupt communication which proceeds out of the mouth of evil men. Whether immoral or heretical, which not only defiles the man himself, but those he converses with; for evil communication corrupts good manners.

"Then he shall wash his clothes": etc. As in the foregoing instances (see notes on Lev. 15:5).

This would not only be spitting, but coughing or any other way of transmitting fluid from the infected body to the uninfected. The disease mentioned here could be transmitted by kissing as well. You can see the seriousness of this, in that he not only washes his body, but also his clothes.

Leviticus 15:9 "And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean."

When he rides upon any beast, horse, ass, or camel, whatever is put upon the creature. And he sits upon it, the saddle, and whatever appertains to it, the housing and girdle.

"Shall be unclean": And not fit for another to use, but be defiling to him, as follows.

Leviticus 15:10 "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."

Either when lying along, or sitting, or riding (as in Lev. 15:4). Various are the traditions of the Jews concerning these things. If one that has an issue and a clean person sit together, in a ship, or on a beam, or ride together on a beast, though their garments do not touch, they are unclean.

"And he that beareth any of those things": That carries any of the above things from place to place, as his bed, his seat, his saddle, or anything on which he has lain, sat, or rode.

"Shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even" (see notes on Lev. 15:5).

You can easily see from this, that anything that came in contact with this issue of infection could be a carrier for the disease. In our day, the great fear is AIDS. They tell us it is not transmitted by casual contact. There has not been time to do sufficient testing to determine that beyond a shadow of a doubt. We do know that many people have caught the disease through blood transfusions. Nurses giving shots, and taking blood samples wear gloves to prevent getting the disease. I believe this would be classified as a plague. It also appears that God has sent the plague. The original cases were sexually transmitted. Most of the early patients were homosexuals and lesbians. God calls this an abomination before him. He rained fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah for this same abomination. What makes us think that this is not a judgement of God?

Leviticus 15:11 "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."

Not only he that touched him that had the issue, but whomsoever, and indeed whatsoever he touched. As the Targum of Jonathan, the Septuagint, and Arabic versions, were unclean (see notes on Lev. 15:4).

"And hath not rinsed his hands in water": Which is to be understood, not of the man that is touched, but of him that toucheth. And is interpreted by the Jewish writers, generally, of bathing the whole body. According to Aben Ezra, the simple sense is, every clean person, whom he that hath an issue touches and hath rinsed his hands, he is indeed unclean, but not his garments. And if his hands are not rinsed his garments are unclean. And this is as he that touches all that is under him. Wherefore it follows:

"He shall wash his clothes": that is, if a man is touched, as the Targum of Jonathan, and not a thing, as directed and prescribed in the above cases instanced in. All which are designed to instruct men to abstain from conservation with impure persons in doctrine and practice.

We know the seriousness of this, because of God going into such detail here. The best way to get away from any infection is to wash with soap and water.

Leviticus 15:12 "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."

That it might not be made use of afterwards. Which was ordered, that they might be careful what they touched who were in such circumstances. According to Gersom an earthen vessel received no uncleanness but from the middle, though he owns the law does not distinguish between the middle and the outside. Wherefore Jarchi is of opinion, that if the back or outside of it was touched, it was unclean, and to be broken.

"And every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water": And after that be used. What should be the reason why an earthen vessel defiled by touching should be broken, and a wooden vessel defiled in the same way should not, but be rinsed and cleansed. When an earthen vessel might as well be rinsed and fit for use as that, is not easy to say. It depended upon the will of the lawgiver. According to Ainsworth, the one may signify the destruction of reprobate persons, the other the cleansing of penitent sinners.

An earthen vessel would retain the infection, because it would have penetrated into the vessel. It must be broken to stop the spread of infection. It appears it could be safely washed off of a wooden vessel.

Leviticus 15:13 "And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean."

That is, it is ceased from him, as the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi explain it. For otherwise, according to the ceremonial law, he was not yet cleansed, until he had done everything next prescribed. But when he perceived there was an entire stop put to his disorder.

"Then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing": By which time it would appear whether he was thoroughly rid of it or not. And these seven days, as Jarchi observes, must be seven pure days, quite free from pollution, and continued in a constant course, without interruption. For, as Gersom says, if he saw any impurity in anyone of these days it did not come into the account. Nay, according to Maimonides, he must begin to number again from the day of the last appearance.

"And wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water": Typical of the fountain opened in Christ to wash in for sin and uncleanness. Even the fountain of his blood, which cleanses from all sin; and in which both the persons and garments of the saints are washed and made white.

"And shall be clean": In a ceremonial sense. As all that are washed from their sins in the blood of Christ are clean in a spiritual and evangelical sense.

This seven days of separation is to make sure he is rid of the infection.

Leviticus 15:14 "And on the eighth day he shall take to him two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before the LORD unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the priest:"

Having on the seventh done as before directed.

"He shall take to him two turtledoves, or two young pigeons": Of his own, or purchase them. This was the meanest offering that was brought, and of the least expense. And which, in other cases, the poorer sort was allowed to bring, but here it was the offering of poor and rich.

"And come before the Lord unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation": Not into the tabernacle, where he was not admitted till the sacrifice was offered, and atonement made; but he was to stand at the door of the tabernacle, at the eastern gate. And so fronting the west, where stood the Holy of Holies, the place of the divine Majesty. He is said to come before the Lord, presenting himself to him to be cleansed.

"And give them unto the priest": The two doves or pigeons, to be offered for him according to the usual rites.

This person has been as good as dead. The community would have nothing to do with him for fear of taking the disease. Now on the eighth day he has a new beginning. He is preparing to re-enter society. This disease was caused by sin, so he must sacrifice to get back into fellowship with God and man.

Leviticus 15:15 "And the priest shall offer them, the one [for] a sin offering, and the other [for] a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD for his issue."

As in the case of a new mother who is poor, and of a poor leper (Lev. 12:8).

"And the priest shall make atonement for him before the Lord for his issue": Which, though not in itself sinful, yet might be occasioned by sin, for which the atonement was made. Or, however, it was a ceremonial uncleanness, and therefore a ceremonial expiation must be made for it. Typical of the atonement by the blood and sacrifice of Christ, by which all kinds of sin are expiated and removed.

We have gone into this several times, so I will not repeat the meaning here. We do know that the only way to get free of sin is by the shedding of blood. That is done here. The 2 fowls are his substitute for his sin.

Leviticus Chapter 15 Questions

1. When a man has a running issue out of his flesh, he is ___________.

2. Out of the issue of the _______ the mouth speaketh.

3. Where can we find the Scripture that tells us the above?

4. This sin seems to be a sin of the ________ _____.

5. In the physical sense, this issue is possibly what kind of disease?

6. What is the terrible thing about sex sin of a believer?

7. What kind of uncleanness are we talking about here?

8. What is the strong message we are seeing here?

9. What happens to the bed he lies on?

10. What would happen to you, if you touched his bed?

11. What does this show us about catching this disease?

12. To associate with a person this deep in sin could cause you to be a sinner by ______________.

13. If we come in contact with them unintentionally, what should we do?

14. To sit on something contaminated would indicate what?

15. Touching the person with the issue would be worse because of the _________ contact.

16. Besides spitting, what does verse 8 include?

17. How could a person become a carrier for this disease?

18. In our society today, what is the great fear?

19. How were the first cases of AIDS transmitted?

20. What is the best way to get this infection off your hands?

21. Why would it be necessary to break the earthen vessel?

22. When he that has the issue is clean and washed, how many days must he wait?

23. What is this waiting period for?

24. What does this eighth day symbolize?

25. What is the only way to get free from sin?

Leviticus Chapter 15 Continued

Verses 16-18: This passage refers to ceremonial uncleanness; it does not suggest that sexual intercourse within marriage is impure. Because intercourse involves bodily fluids, the husband and wife were to wash afterward for purification. In this case, no sacrifices were required for cleansing, only washing in water.

These verse refer to natural sexual gland secretions for which no offerings were required.

Leviticus 15:16 "And if any man's seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even."

Not in lawful cohabitation, nor voluntarily, but involuntarily, as Aben Ezra observes. Not through any disorder, which came by an accident, or in any criminal way, but through a dream, or any lustful imagination. What is commonly called nocturnal pollution.

"Then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even": And so the Egyptian priests, when it happened that they were defiled by a dream, they immediately purified themselves in a laver. So, the Jewish priests did when the like happened to them asleep in the temple (see Deut. 23:10).

Copulation has to do with a sexual act. The seed for life comes from the man. This is what is spoken of here. Even though this is a natural act between man and woman, they will be unclean and must wash. Their uncleanness lasts for the rest of that day.

Leviticus 15:17 "And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even."

Or that is made of skin, which a man wears, or lies upon (see Lev. 13:48).

"Whereon is the seed of copulation": Or on any other, for, as Gersom says, there is the same law concerning the rest of vessels, seeing this is a principal uncleanness, and defiles vessels. And perhaps the law makes mention of these, because it is more apt to be found on them.

"Shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even (see Jude 1:23).

This is just speaking of general hygiene.

Leviticus 15:18 "The woman also with whom man shall lie [with] seed of copulation, they shall [both] bathe [themselves] in water, and be unclean until the even."

It seems to respect any congress of a man and woman, whether in fornication or adultery, or lawful marriage. And particularly the latter. For though marriage is honorable and holy, and carnal copulation in itself lawful. Yet such is the sinfulness of nature, that as no act is performed without pollution. So neither that of generation, and by which the corruption of nature is propagated, and therefore required a ceremonial cleansing.

"They shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even": So Herodotus reports, that as often as a Babylonian man lay with his wife, he had used to sit by consecrated incense, and the woman did the same. And in the morning they were both washed, and did not touch any vessel before they had washed themselves. And he says the Arabians did the like. And the same historian relates of the Egyptians, that they never go into their temples from their wives unwashed (see Exodus 19:15).

The seed of copulation implanted in the woman's womb, is a mystery no human truly understands. Sometimes when everything is just right, the woman will conceive and bring forth a child 9 months later.

Verses 19-30: While a woman's irregular "discharge" mandated an offering", ordinary, monthly discharges such as menstruation were not associated with sin or wrongdoing, and therefore no offering was required. Cleansing was commanded, however, because in that era, bathing and washing clothes were infrequent, and a failure to clean up might lead to disease. Contemporary readers should view these rituals as protective rather than punitive.

Verses 19-24: These verses concern the natural menstrual discharge of a woman for which no offerings were required.

Leviticus 15:19 "And if a woman have an issue, [and] her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even."

Having finished, as Aben Ezra observes, what was to be said of the male, now the Scripture begins with the female, whose issue, of a different sort, is thus described.

"And her issue in her flesh be blood": Or, "blood be her issue in her flesh". Not in any part of her, but in that which by a euphemism is so called, in the same sense as the phrase is used of men (Lev. 15:2). And so, it distinguishes it from any flow of blood elsewhere, as a bleeding at the nose, etc.

"She shall be put apart seven days": Not out of the camp, nor out of the house, but might not go into the house of God.

"Whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even": The same as one that had touched a man that had an issue (Lev. 15:7). The pollution of the one reached to the same things as that of the other. And so, in the Misnah, they are put together, and the same is ascribed to the touch of the one as of the other. It may be understood of everything as well as of every person.

Each month a woman has an issue of blood. This blood is actually a cleansing process. This usually lasts several days, and this is the purpose in being put apart for seven days. Women usually feel bad during this time. We know of the woman in the Bible who had an issue of blood 12 years. She spent all of her living trying to get better. The bad thing about this issue was that during that period of time she could not go to the temple. This long term issue affected her physically by weakening her body, and affected her spiritually in that she could not go to the temple. This is a personal thing with a woman, it would really not be correct for anyone to touch her during this time. We must also take note, that if a woman did not have this cycle of the issue of blood, there would be no babies born. Without the shedding of her blood, there would be no new life that babies bring. That is the very reason that Sarah having a baby after this time had passed for her, made it a very large miracle.

Leviticus 15:20 "And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean."

During her being apart from her husband, with whom she might be, and do all offices for him, but not lie with him. And whatsoever she lay upon during this time, bed or couch, and the clothes upon them, were unclean.

"Everything also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean": Chair, stool, etc. as is the case of a man (Lev. 15:4).

Leviticus 15:21 "And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe [himself] in water, and be unclean until the even."

The same thing that is said of a profluvious man, and so in (Lev. 15:22).

Leviticus 15:22 "And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe [himself] in water, and be unclean until the even."

Which was appropriated to her to sit upon, as the Targum of Jonathan, which was her proper and peculiar seat, what she usually sat upon. Such were obliged to wash their clothes and bathe, as in all the above cases (see Lev. 15:5).

Leviticus 15:23 "And if it [be] on [her] bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even."

That is, if any person or thing should be upon her bed or seat. A vessel on her bed, or a vessel upon a vessel, as Aben Ezra expresses it.

"When he toucheth it": That person or thing that should be on her bed or seat, as well as touch her bed or seat.

"Shall be unclean until the even": In a ceremonial sense; so defiling was a woman in such circumstances, and to whom the Scriptures often compare unclean persons and things. And Pliny speaks of menstrual cycles as very infectious, or worse, to various creatures and things, in a natural way.

This is speaking of close association with the blood of this woman, as it was with the issue of the man. The same rules apply in both situations.

Leviticus 15:24 "And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean."

A husband who had intercourse with his wife during her menstrual period was unclean for a week. The issue here is not prohibition due to sin but uncleanness.

This would be if the blood of the woman were on him, then he would be unclean seven days.

Leviticus 15:25 "And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she [shall be] unclean."

Not an ordinary but an extraordinary one. Not within that time, but out of it, and which continued three days at least. So the Targum of Jonathan, and sometimes many years. As the poor woman Christ cured, which she had had twelve years (see notes on Matt. 9:20).

"Or if it run beyond the time of her separation": Beyond the seven days of her separation, and so out of the usual way and time of it. Whereby it appears to be somewhat extraordinary and unusual.

"All the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation": All the while it was upon her, be it ever so many days or years, she was kept apart from her husband, and in all respects in the same condition and circumstances, as in the seven days of her separation because of her monthly courses.

"She shall be unclean": As long as it is upon her, and neither be admitted to her husband's bed. Nor to the house of God, which made her condition a very deplorable one.

The seven days were chosen, because under natural circumstances she would be finished with her monthly cycle. As long as she is still in the way of women, whether a week, month or years, she is classified as unclean. She would be turned away from the church for this time, as well as being avoided by her friends and family.

Leviticus 15:26 "Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation."

As defiled and as defiling as that (Lev. 15:20).

"And whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation": As such were when she was in that condition (see Lev. 15:20).

She is ceremonially unclean. This is not a sin that she has done, but is in fact, part of every woman's life from her teens until sometime after she is 50 years of age. It would have been more important to stay away from embarrassment then. There is much progress in handling this monthly problem today. Life is in the blood, and in some mysterious way, this causes life.

In another mysterious way, the woman is cleansed with the blood each month.

Leviticus 15:27 "And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe [himself] in water, and be unclean until the even."

Her bed and seat. The Septuagint version is, "that toucheth her" (see Lev. 15:19).

"And shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even": Let it be observed, that in all the above passages, where it is said, "he shall bathe himself in water". The Targum of Jonathan adds, in forty seahs or pecks of water. For this was done by dipping the body all over.

We see that the washing of water is the cleansing power.

Leviticus 15:28 "But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean."

The disease is healed, or a stop is put to it; there are no signs of it remaining.

"Then she shall number to herself seven days": From the time she observed it to cease.

"And after that she shall be clean": Having bathed herself according to the usual manner of unclean persons, for their cleansing. When she would be fit to be admitted to her husband, though not as yet into the tabernacle, until she had offered her offering next directed to.

This is the same time as the man with the issue. There are 2 separate things here though. This is a natural happening with the woman that is beyond her control.

Leviticus 15:29 "And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation."

From the cessation of her issue, and the healing of it. At least from the time she began to number for her cleansing.

"She shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons": The same as the man that had an issue was obliged to bring. Now this is to be understood not of a woman that had an ordinary issue, or her monthly courses. For this would have been both troublesome and expensive to have brought every month. But of a woman that had labored under an extraordinary one. Though some think every menstruous woman was obliged to this offering.

"And bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation": Where the man that had an issue brought his (see notes on Lev. 15:14).

Leviticus 15:30 "And the priest shall offer the one [for] a sin offering, and the other [for] a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness."

As in the case of a man that had an issue, the offerings of one and the other were the same and for the same purpose (see notes on Lev. 15:15). There being a legal uncleanness in their case, atonement must be made by sacrifice, typical of the atonement of Christ, who by himself has purged our sins. The design of these several laws concerning uncleanness by issues, was to set forth the filthiness of sin arising from the corruption of human nature. Particularly the pollution of fleshly lusts, and the necessity of purification from them by the grace of God, and blood of Christ. And of holiness of heart and life, in order to a near approach to God, particularly in public worship, as the next words suggest.

Remember, this is not a sin she has done. This is ceremonial uncleanness. This is inherited sin if you will.

Verses 31-33: In all these instructions, God was showing the Israelites that they must have a profound reverence for holy things; and nothing was more suited to that purpose than to bar from the tabernacle all who were polluted by any kind of uncleanness, ceremonial as well as natural, physical as well as spiritual, In order to mark out His people as dwelling before Him in holiness, He required of them complete purity and didn't allow them to come before Him when defiled, even by involuntary or secret impurities. And when one considers that God was training a people to live in His presence, it becomes apparent that these rules for the maintenance of personal purity, pointing to the necessity of purity in the heart, were neither too stringent nor too minute.

Leviticus 15:31 "Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that [is] among them."

Or because of it, and while they are in it, as from other persons, even their nearest relations, and from the house of God, as the next clause shows. Or teach them, by observing the above laws and rules, to separate themselves, and that they be careful and cautions to keep themselves apart while in such impurities. And the children of Israel are only made mention of, because these laws are only binding upon them. With their proselytes and servants, free or not free, but not upon Gentiles (see notes on Lev. 15:2).

"That they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them": From whence it appears, that men and women, in the above circumstances, might not go into the tabernacle. And it was chiefly to prevent their access to it that these laws were given, for the greater reverence and honor of it. And that for such persons to enter there was a pollution of it, and the punishment was cutting off, or death. And for one to die in his impurity, without purification and sacrifice, was a dreadful thing, and to be deprecated, and to be guarded against by an observance of the above laws. But the Jews now say, that forasmuch as the reason of these precepts was, because such persons were forbidden to enter into the temple, that being destroyed, all these precepts of uncleanness are ceased also.

We see in this, that the children of Israel were a separated people. They must not even give the appearance of evil. The primary thing being taught here, is that a woman in this condition should not be allowed in the sanctuary.

Leviticus 15:32 "This [is] the law of him that hath an issue, and [of him] whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith;"

In (Lev. 15:32), is a recapitulation of the several laws in this chapter, as of a man that has a "gonorrhea".

"And of him whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith": Involuntarily, that suffers a nocturnal pollution.

Leviticus 15:33 "And of her that is sick of her flowers, and of him that hath an issue, of the man, and of the woman, and of him that lieth with her that is unclean."

Her monthly courses, for these are a sickness (Lev. 20:18). And make a woman languid and faint, as the word is rendered (Lam. 1:13). Or to be in pain, as some render it here. And pains are reckoned among the signs of them by the Misnic doctors.

"And of him that hath an issue, of the man, and of the woman": Of both, whether the one or the other.

"And of him that lieth with her that is unclean": Though her own husband.

This is speaking of the sickness of all flesh. This sickness is a disease of the flesh inherited from Adam and Eve. This is not voluntary sin; this is inherited sin in the flesh.

Romans 7:25 "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."

As long as we are in flesh, temptations come. Our biggest enemy is our flesh. We must overcome the flesh.

Romans 6:19 "I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness."

Romans 8:8-9 "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."

Romans 8:12-13 "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh." "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live."

Praise God we believers in Christ are not under the law, we are of grace.

Leviticus Chapter 15 Continued Questions

1. What does copulation have to do with?

2. If a man's seed of copulation go out from him, what shall he do?

3. How long does his uncleanness last?

4. Chapter (15:17), is speaking of general ___________.

5. How long shall the woman be separated out when she has an issue of blood?

6. What is the woman's loss of blood each month?

7. How many years did the woman in the Bible have an issue of blood?

8. What was one of the very bad things that happened to her during the 12 years?

9. If a woman did not have this cycle of the issue of blood, there would be no ________ _______.

10. What made the miracle of Sarah having a baby during her old age even more of a miracle?

11. Everything she comes in contact with, during her days of separation, becomes _______.

12. How long shall the man be unclean, if any of her blood touches him?

13. Was 7 days the only time she might be classified as unclean for the issue of blood?

14. What type of uncleanness is this?

15. Life is in the ________.

16. Washing of the water is the ___________ power.

17. This is a natural function of the woman's _____.

18. What shall she take to the priest at the end of the 7 days of separation?

19. What two offerings will the priest make for her?

20. What is the primary lesson being taught about the woman's separation?

21. This is a sickness of all ________.

22. This is not voluntary sin, this is ____________ sin.

23. With the mind I serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of ___.

24. They that are in the flesh cannot _________ _____.

25. We are in the Spirit, if what happened?

26. If ye live after the flesh, ye shall _____.

27. If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye _______ ______.

Leviticus Chapter 16

Verses 1-34: This chapter comprise the ceremonial and theological pivot on which the entire Book of Leviticus turns. Even though today the temple and sacrificial systems have disappeared, the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur ), remains the holiest day in the Jewish year. The introduction to the chapter is given (in verses 1 and 2), with an emphasis on safeguarding the sanctity of the Most Holy Place, as Aaron was forbidden "that he come not at all times into the Holy Place ... before the mercy seat". The Hebrew phrase translated here "come not at all times" could imply a total prohibition against entry, but the context makes it clear that with proper precautions the high priest may enter the Holy Place once a year. The translation "not to come whenever he chooses" gives the meaning clearly. The reason Aaron could not enter the Holy Place is that it housed the ark on which the mercy seat was found. This was where God came to His people in the heart of the tabernacle, hidden in a cloud (Exodus 40:34-35).

The "mercy seat" likely means "lid" or "cover". The notion of a seat was derived presumably from (Psalm 99:1), which speaks of God sitting between the cherubim as on a throne. The lid with its surmounting cherubim served as a cover for the ark (see discussion of the "mercy seat"; Exodus 25:17). If Aaron did not enter only when God prescribed, he would "die". First, Aaron made "atonement for himself, and for his house". The Hebrew word (kiper), has at least three possible meanings that are held among conservative scholars.

The first, coming for the Akkadian verb kuppuru, is "to cleanse" or "wipe". This fits those contexts where the altar or the sanctuary is the direct object of the verb and the action involved smearing the altar with blood (verse 33).

The second meaning is "to make atonement" and would be derived from the Hebrew koper meaning "ransom price". A koper is the money a man condemned to death could pay to escape the death penalty (Exodus 21:30; Prov. 6:35).

The third possibility is that it means "to cover", so as to "appease" (compare Gen. 32:20). The verb appears 16 times in the 34 verses. Aaron is said to "make an atonement for himself, and for his house" (verse 6), and also "for the holy sanctuary ... the tabernacle of the congregation ... for the altar ... the priests ... and for all the people of the congregation.

The meaning and significance of the word "scapegoat" (used in verses 8, 10, 26), has caused much speculation. The Hebrew is laazazel, which is "to, for Azazel". While some scholars have viewed Azazel as a desert demon, following nonbiblical Jewish literature, others have taken it to mean "Complete Destruction" or "Rocky Precipice". However, its common meaning, "Goat of Departure", best fits the context. Just as the two birds represent death and cleansing, so the two goats have the same symbolism here. One represents substitutionary death and the other ( azazel), represents the carrying away of sins. Thus, man is justified and his sins are expiated. This principle of vicarious atonement and newness of life finds its fullest expression in Christ, the divine Lamb, who takes away human sin by His death (compare John 1:29). From Levitical usage, the term "scapegoat" is still employed to describe a person who takes the blame for some misdemeanor committed by another individual or group.

Leviticus 16:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;"

That is, either immediately after their death, and so this chapter would have stood in its natural order next to the tenth. Or else after the above laws concerning uncleanness on various accounts were delivered out, designed to prevent the people entering into the tabernacle defiled. Whereby they would have incurred the penalty of death. Wherefore, as Aben Ezra observes, after the Lord had given cautions to the Israelites, that they might not die. He bid Moses to caution Aaron also, that he might not die as his sons died. These were Nadab and Abihu.

The death of the two sons of Aaron (compare Lev. 10:1-3).

We remember from a previous lesson that 2 sons of Aaron brought strange fire into the temple, and a fire came out from God and killed them. We must remember that they had been instructed on the holiness of God, and they disregarded that. We mentioned several things the strange fire could have been. One of the things most scholars believe it was, was that they were drinking alcoholic beverages. We also remember that Aaron was not allowed to grieve for them, or to bury them. He was separated for the things of God, and their cousins came and got them in their coats.

Leviticus 16:2 "And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy [place] within the veil before the mercy seat, which [is] upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat."

Common priests went every day to burn incense on the golden altar in the part of the tabernacle sanctuary outside the veil, where the lampstand, table and bread of the Presence were. None except the High-Priest was allowed to enter inside the veil (compare verse 12), into the Holy Place, actually called the Holy of Holies, where the ark of the covenant rested. This arrangement was designed to inspire a reverence for God at a time when His presence was indicated by visible symbols.

"Appear in the cloud": This cloud was likely the smoke of the incense which the High-Priest burned on his annual entrance into the Holy of Holies. It was this cloud that covered the mercy seat on the ark of the covenant (see verse 13).

"The mercy seat" (see Exodus 25:17-22). It literally means "place of Atonement" and referred to the throne of God between the cherubim (compare Isa. Chapter 6). It is so named because it was where God manifested Himself for the purpose of atonement.

We remember that Moses and Aaron had the same mother and father; Amram and Jochebed. They were of the tribe of Levi. Aaron could not go into the holy of holies whenever he wanted to, even though he was the high priest. To go into the holiest place without God's permission would be certain death. The presence of God was in the holiest place in the cloud above the mercy seat. The veil separated the holy place and the Holy of Holies. We will find that this veil symbolizes the flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember, that everything in the Holy of Holies must be pure gold or 24 karet pure gold overlay. Where God dwelled must be holy. Gold means the purity of God. This warning could have been given to Aaron just after the death of his sons.

Leviticus 16:3 "Thus shall Aaron come into the holy [place]: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering."

"Sin ... burnt offering": For these offerings brought by Aaron the High-Priest (see notes on 4:1 - 5:13; 6:24-30 and 1:3-17, 6:8-13), respectively. The bull was sacrificed first as a sin offering (16:11-14), and later the ram as a burnt offering (16:24).

Aaron will not only represent himself before God, but will be the entire congregation's representative as well. Of course, this young bullock symbolizes the Lord Jesus Christ who was our sin offering. Jesus took our sin upon His body that we might receive His righteousness. The ram for the burnt offering is also symbolic of the Lord as our burnt offering. We remember that Abraham was about to offer his son Isaac to the Lord, when God stopped him and gave him a ram substitute.

This ram will be totally burned up as a sweet savor to the Lord. Remember, this offering shows the total surrender to God by the person being offered for. In the sin offering Jesus is our Savior, in the burnt offering He is our Lord.

Leviticus 16:4 "He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these [are] holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and [so] put them on."

For a description of the priests' normal clothing (see Exodus 28:1-43 and Lev. 8:6-19). He wore them later for the burnt offering (compare verse 24). These humbler clothes were less ornate, required for the Day of Atonement to portray the High-Priest as God's humble servant, himself in need of atonement (verses 11-14).

When Aaron is representing God to the people in the sanctuary, he wears the fancy garment of the high priest. You remember that garment was the one with the breastplate with the 12 stones. It also had the ouches of gold on each shoulder with the twelve tribes of Israel engraved on the stones. The high priest carried the people he represented on his shoulders and on his heart at all times. When the high priest appears in the Holy of Holies before God for his sins and the sins of the people, he wears a very different garment. The garment the high priest wears when he presents the people and himself before God, is very plain. The linen in the garment in the britches, and in the mitre shows righteousness. This washing of his body, before he puts on the garment, symbolizes water baptism. When we receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are baptized in water and we put on the robe of righteousness that Jesus provided for us. We read in Revelation that this robe is so white, because it has been washed in the blood of the Lamb. This garment the high priest wears, shows that we stand before God with nothing cleansing us, but the blood of Jesus. We stand in the robe of all believers that Jesus has provided. No flesh must be showing. Flesh has been left behind. We are a Spirit man.

Verses 5-10: The Day of Atonement rituals featured two goats: a "sin offering" and a "scapegoat". The first was sacrificed to cleanse the Holy Place from the sins of Israel that had tainted it (16:15-19). The high priest would take blood from this goat and sprinkle it on the "mercy seat" (Heb. 9:13-14). Then he would place his hands on the second goat, confess Israel's sins, and send it into the wilderness as a sign of the removal of sin. Both animals symbolized Christ (Heb. 7:27-28; 9:7). The Hebrew verb kiper ("to cover"), refers to the mercy seat and is the root of (Yom) Kippur (23:26-32). Jesus "covered" (made atonement), and "took away" people's sins.

Leviticus 16:5 "And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering."

"Two ... goats" (see 16:7-10, 20-22). One animal would be slain to picture substitutionary death and the other sent to the wilderness to represent removal of sin.

"One ram": Along with the High-Priest's ram (verse 3), these were to be offered as burnt offerings (verse 24).

He not only takes a sacrifice of the goats and a ram for us, but takes one for himself as well. Notice that the offering for the high priest is the same as the offering for the whole congregation. We must also see that the daily sacrifices were not enough. The fact that this offering was made just one day a year foreshadows the fact that Jesus would make one perfect offering for all time for everyone.

Verses 6-28: The following sequence describes the activities of the High-Priest and those who assisted him on the Day of Atonement:

The High-Priest washed at the basin in the courtyard and dressed in the tabernacle (verse 4).
The High-Priest offered the bull as a sin offering for himself and his family (verses 3, 6, 11).
The High-Priest entered the Holy of Holes with the bull's blood, incense and burning coasts from the altar of burnt offering (verses 12-13).
The High-Priest sprinkled the bull's blood on the mercy seat 7 times (verse 14).
The High-Priest went back to the courtyard and cast lots for the two goats (verses 7-8).
The High-Priest sacrificed one goat as a sin offering for the people (verses 5, 9, 15).
The High-Priest reentered the Holy of Holies to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat and also the Hoy Place (compare Exodus 30:10, verses 15-17).
The High-Priest returned to the altar of burnt offering and cleansed it with the blood of the bull and goat (verses 11, 15, 18-19).
The scapegoat was dispatched to the wilderness (verses 20-22).
Afterward, the goat keeper cleansed himself (verse 26).
The High-Priest removed his special Day of Atonement clothing, rewashed, and put on the regular High-Priest clothing verses 23-24).
The High-Priest offered two rams as burnt offerings for himself and the people (verse 3, 5, 24).
The fat of the sin offering was burned (verse 25).
The bull and goat sin offerings were carried outside the camp to be burned (verse 27).
The one who burned the sin offering cleansed himself (verse 28).

Leviticus 16:6 "And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which [is] for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house."

Though theologians tend to use the term atonement to summarize Christ's work on the Cross, it occurs only in the Old Testament (Rom. 5:11 is better translated "reconciliation"). And only relates to one part of what was accomplished for us, that is, the cover of our sins. This word probably means "cover", and is first used where Noah is commanded to cover the ark with pitch (Gen. 64). Just as the ark was a "type" of Christ in saving His people from judgment (Heb. 11:7), the "cover" within and without emphasized the means whereby our salvation is secure. That is, our sins are covered by the blood of Christ. This covering of sin is an expression of God's love for mankind (Prov. 10:12). When a Christian hears about another's failing, he should both forgive and forget the event. All believers should follow Christ's example and seek to build up the fallen one, rather than follow the natural inclination to engage in gossip (Prov. 17:9; see (Gen. 6:14; Lev. Chapter 16; Lev. 16:30).

We must see in this, that his offering for himself and his household must be made first, before he would be worthy to make offering for the congregation.

Leviticus 16:7 "And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation."

The sin offering for the people, a proper emblem of Christ. This creature being clean and fit for food, denoting the purity of Christ, and his being suitable and wholesome food, as his flesh is to the faith of his people.

"And present them before the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation": At the east of the court, and the north of the altar, as the Misnah. So that their faces were towards the west, where the Holy of Holies, the seat of the divine Majesty was.

Leviticus 16:8 "And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat."

"The scapegoat" (compare verses 10, 26). This goat (literally Azazel or "escape goat"), pictured the substitutionary bearing and total removal of sin which would later by fully accomplished by Jesus Christ (compare Matt. 20:28; John 1:29; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 1:4; 3:13; Heb. 9:28; 10:1-10; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2; and see notes on verses 20-22).

In the Old Testament, guidance was obtained by the casting of "lots". This practice also appears in the New Testament (Acts 1:26), but Jesus told the disciples that when the Holy Spirit came, He would lead them in truth instead (John 14:16-17).

We remember in the 2 goats, that one represents death and the other represents life. We are dead in sins and trespasses, until we accept Jesus as our perfect sacrifice. The animal that is killed represents the fact that we were dead in sin. The scapegoat represents life. We have been set free to live for Jesus. These goats are offered before the brazen altar at the door of the tabernacle.

Leviticus 16:9 "And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD'S lot fell, and offer him [for] a sin offering."

Alluding to the manner of taking out the lot by the high priest, who, when he took it out, lifted it up with his hand. And then let it down, and put it on the head of the goat; after which he brought it to the altar to be sacrificed.

"And offer him for a sin offering": An offering for the sins of the people, as a type of Christ, who made his soul an offering for sin for his people. But this was not done by Aaron until he had brought and killed the sin offering for himself. After which we read of killing this sin offering for the people (Lev. 16:11). Wherefore some take this offering here to be no other than a setting apart or devoting the goat for this service.

Jesus was our substitute, just as this goat was their substitute. Just as Jesus shed His precious blood for payment of our sin, this goat would shed his blood to pay for their sin.

Leviticus 16:10 "But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, [and] to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness."

"Make an atonement": The day of Atonement necessitated two goats, one allowed to live and go free, signifying that Christ took away our sins. The other was slain on the altar, the blood being taken into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled on the mercy seat above the Ark of the Covenant. This signified that Christ shed His blood, then presented Himself in heaven to appear in the presence of God for us.

This goat being set free and driven into the wilderness with the sins on him, show the life we receive in Jesus. The high priest laid his hands upon the goat confessing the sins of the people and then released the goat, and drove him into the wilderness. Both of the goats made up the sin offering.

Leviticus 16:11 "And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which [is] for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which [is] for himself:"

In the same manner, and is to be understood in the same sense as in (Lev. 16:6).

"And shall make atonement for himself and for his house": By a confession of words, as the Targum of Jonathan adds, and which Jarchi calls the second confession. For the same was made, and in the same words as before (see notes on Lev. 16:6).

"And shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself": Which was a type of Christ. The creature itself was, being strong for labor, and patient in bearing the yoke. Christ had a laborious service to perform, the work of man's redemption. And he was strong for it, able to go through it. And did not only readily take upon him the yoke of the law, and became obedient to every command of his divine Father, but even to death itself, the death of the cross. The kind of sacrifice was a sin offering, and such Christ in soul and body was made for his people. In order to which, as this sacrifice, he was put to death.

The priest could not go into the holy of holies without blood for his sins and the sins of the people. This bullock is killed at the brazen altar, the blood from the animal will be brought into the holy of holies. We have mentioned this over and over, but it is very important to remember that the blood of animals can only cover sin. The blood of Jesus Christ does away with sin.

Leviticus 16:12 "And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring [it] within the veil:"

"Within the veil" (see note on verse 2). The veil separated all from the holy and consuming presence of God. It was this veil in Herod's temple that was torn open from top to bottom at the death of Christ, signifying access into God's presence through Jesus Christ (see Matt. 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45).

The smoke from the incense burning will separate Aaron from the full view of God. The presence of God is in the holy of holies. When he put the sweet incense on the coals, the smoke made a veil where he could not see the face of God.

Leviticus 16:13 "And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that [is] upon the testimony, that he die not:"

"Cloud" (see note on verse 2).

"Upon the testimony" The Testimony included the tablets of stone, upon which were written the Ten Commandments (Exodus 25:16; 31:18), located in the ark under the mercy seat.

If he entered without blood, or in any way did not fulfill all the requirements of God, he would die. The mercy seat covered the ark of the covenant and the Spirit of God hovered in the smoke above the mercy seat. The Holy of Holies was closed off to everyone except the high priest, and was even closed to him except for one time a year. Thank goodness, Jesus opened the way into the very presence of God for all believers when he was crucified.

Matthew 27:51 "And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;"

This veil had kept all out, except the high priest. The veil symbolized the flesh of Jesus. We can go boldly before the Father now in the name of Jesus.

Leviticus 16:14 "And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle [it] with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times."

"Seven times": This number symbolically indicated completion or perfection (compare verse 19).

This sprinkling 7 times on the mercy seat symbolizes the complete work of mercy that Jesus gave all who will believe. This blood sprinkled completed the sacrifice for sin for that year for the priest and the congregation. The blood of the perfect Lamb (Jesus Christ), completed the sacrifice for all time for all who believe

Leviticus Chapter 16 Questions

1. What had happened to 2 of Aaron's sons, when they offered before the Lord?

2. Why had the LORD killed them?

3. Who came, and got, them and buried them?

4. Who did the LORD call Aaron in verse 2?

5. Where did God say He would appear?

6. What did He warn Aaron not to do?

7. Who were Moses' parents?

8. What separated the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies?

9. What did this veil symbolize?

10. What shall Aaron come into the holy place with?

11. Who will Aaron represent before God?

12. Jesus took our ____ upon His body that we might receive His _________________.

13. What was the substitute God had provided for Abraham instead of his son Isaac as a sacrifice?

14. This offering shows the complete ______________ to God by the person being offered for.

15. In the sin offering, Jesus is our _________.

16. In the burnt offering, He is our ______.

17. What shall Aaron wear in the holiest place?

18. What does the white linen symbolize?

19. Before he puts on the garment, what shall he do?

20. In the holiest place, Aaron is representing _____ __________ to _____.

21. When Aaron was representing God to the people, what did he wear?

22. After we Christians are baptized, what do we put on?

23. What is offered for a sin offering for the congregation?

24. What does the fact that this offering inside the veil is made just one time a year foreshadow?

25. Whose offering must be made first?

26. What is the fate of the two goats?

27. How does Aaron determine which goat shall die?

28. What does the scapegoat symbolize?

29. Who was the substitute for the Christian?

30. What symbolism can we see in the goat being set free in the wilderness?

31. Why did Aaron carry the censer full of coals and the incense into the holiest place?

32. What happened to the veil between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, when Jesus was crucified?

33. How many times was Aaron to sprinkle the blood before the mercy seat?

Leviticus Chapter 16 Continued

We began the study of the way the offering is made in the Holy of Holies in the last lesson. The only one permitted to go into the Holy of Holies is Aaron, the high priest, and him only one time a year. Every detail must be carried out to the letter, or God will kill him. He learned this the hard way when 2 of his sons carried strange fire into the tabernacle, and God killed them.

Leviticus 16:15 "Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that [is] for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, 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:"

That upon which the lot came for the Lord (Lev. 16:9). The high priest having sprinkled the blood of the bullock, came out of the most Holy Place, and went into the court of the tabernacle to the altar of burnt offering. And on the north side of that slew the goat for the sin offering, the place where all such were killed (see Lev. 1:11). This was a type of Christ, of his being slain, and made an offering for the sins of his people.

"And bring his blood within the vail": It being received into a basin, as before the blood of the bullock was, he took it, and with it went in a third time into the most Holy Place.

"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": It should be rendered "toward the mercy seat" it is by Noldius (see notes on Lev. 16:14).

The offering of the blood of the bullock in the last lesson, was to make him acceptable to God to bring the blood of the sin offering into the holiest place for the congregation. Symbolically it was as if the sins of the people were under this blood that he sprinkled. We have said it before but it bears repeating, this blood sprinkled could not clear the conscience of the person being offered for. It could only cover the sin, not do away with it. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can clear the conscience.

Leviticus 16:16 "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."

"Atonement for the Holy Place": The object of this solemn ceremony was to impress the minds of the Israelites with the conviction that the whole tabernacle was stained by the sins of a guilty people. By those sins, they had forfeited the privileges of the presence of God and worship of Him, so that an atonement had to be made for their sins as the condition of God remaining with them.

We see that even the tabernacle must be sacrificed for, because the place that it was set up was in the midst of a sinful people. Just as Aaron had to sacrifice for himself first, and then for the people. God is a holy God.

Leviticus 16:17 "And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy [place], until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel."

"Himself ... his household ... congregation": The Day of Atonement was necessary for everyone since all had sinned, including the High-Priest.

Not only could no one except Aaron go into the holiest place, but there could not any of the congregation even be in the tabernacle when Aaron was in the holiest place. Any error in the way the offering was made, could cause death.

Leviticus 16:18 "And he shall go out unto the altar that [is] before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put [it] upon the horns of the altar round about."

The golden altar, the altar of incense, which stood in the Holy Place without the vail, over against the most Holy Place, where Jehovah dwelt. And so is said to be before him. And according to (Exodus 30:10); once a year Aaron was to make an atonement on the horns of it. With the blood of the sin offering, which plainly refers to this time, the Day of Atonement.

"And make an atonement for it": Where incense was daily offered up, signifying the prayers of the saints. Which having many failings and imperfections in them, yea, many sins and transgressions attending them, need atonement by the blood of Christ, of which this was a type.

"And shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat": He takes the blood of the bullock, and the blood of the goat, and mixes them together. The account given of this affair in the Misnah is; he poured the blood of the bullock into the blood of the goat. And then put a full basin into an empty one, that it might be well mixed together. And having so done, he did as follows:

"And put it upon the horns of the altar round about": Upon the four horns which were around it; and it is asked in the Misnah, where did he begin? At the northeast horn, and so to the northwest, and then to the southwest, and (ended), at the southeast. At the place where he began with the sin offering on the outward altar, there he finished on the inward altar, and as he went along he put the blood on each horn, which was the atonement for the altar.

The cleansing of the altar itself must be done with blood. We mentioned before that the blood on the horns symbolizes that the power was in the blood.

Leviticus 16:19 "And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel."

This was done with his right finger, or forefinger, as the Targum of Jonathan. And seven times, to denote the perfect cleansing of the altar with it. Jarchi observes, that after he, the high priest, had put the blood upon the horns of it, he sprinkled of it seven sprinklings on the top of it. The Misnah says, upon the pure place of it. That is, upon a place of it, from whence the coals and ashes were removed, and where the gold appeared.

"And cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel": By sprinkling the blood upon it. Jarchi's note is, "and cleanse it" from what was past, "and hallow it" for time to come.

Again, we see that the 7 times completes the cleansing. The holiness of God is very evident.

Verses 20-22: This "sin offering of atonement" portrayed Christ's substitutionary sacrifice (verses 21-22), with the result that the sinner's sins were removed (verse 22; see notes on Isa. 52:13 - 53:12), for another discussion of these truths. Christ lived out this representation when He cried from the cross, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matt. 27:46).

Leviticus 16:20 "And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy [place], and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:"

That is, the Holy of Holies. By carrying in the blood of the bullock, and of the goat there, and sprinkling them as before observed.

"And the tabernacle of the congregation": The great court where the people met, and where the altar of burnt offering stood.

"And the altar": The altar of incense in the Holy Place. And so all the parts of the tabernacle were reconciled and atoned for, even the Holy of Holies, the Holy Place, and the court of the people. All the work the day of atonement, we are told, was done according to the order prescribed, and that if anything was done before another, it was doing nothing. Thus, for instance, if the blood of the goat went before (or was sprinkled before), the blood of the bullock, he must return and sprinkle of the blood of the goat after the blood of the bullock. And if before he has finished the putting (of the blood) within, the blood is poured out (that is, at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering), he shall bring other blood, and return and sprinkle anew within. And so in the temple, and at the golden altar, for every atonement is by itself.

"He shall bring the live goat": That which remained alive after the other was slain, as it was to do, according to the lot that fell upon it Lev. 16:10). This was brought to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, whither the high priest went, and performed the following rites.

Verses 21-22: "Hands of the head of the live goat": This act was more than a symbolic gesture; it was a picture of the ultimate "substitutionary atonement" fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ (compare Isa. 53:5-6; 10:12; see note on 2 Cor. 5:21).

Leviticus 16:21 "And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send [him] away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:"

With the imposition of "both his hands." A phrase which only occurs in this ceremony. The high priest indicated in the most solemn manner possible that the animal was intended both for the priesthood and for the laity.

"Confess over him": The form of confession used on this occasion in later times was: "O Lord, Thy people, the house of Israel, have transgressed, they have rebelled, they have sinned before Thee. I beseech Thee now absolve their transgressions, their rebellion, and their sin that they have sinned against Thee. As it is written in the law of Moses Thy servant, that on this day he shall make atonement for you to cleanse you from all your sins, and ye shall be clean."

"Putting them upon the head of the goat": By this imposition of hands, and the confession, the high priest transferred the sins of the nation to the goat. He then turned to the people, and declared, "Ye shall be clean."

"Send him away by the hand of a fit man": Literally, a timely man, or a man at hand. Tradition says that the man was appointed for this work the year before.

We mentioned earlier, that the blood of these animals could only cover the sin. It could not clear the conscience. In these verses above, Aaron puts both of his hands on the live goat. While both his hands are on the head of the live goat, he confesses all the sins of the people. Just as the other animal shed his blood to cover the sins, this live goat will be sent into the wilderness bearing the sins out of their sight. Both animals symbolize what Jesus has done for us. He shed His blood for us, and he put our sins away from us as far as the east is from the west. They have been put into the sea of forgetfulness.

Leviticus 16:22 "And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness."

Where it would never be seen, and from whence it would never return more. And so was a proper type of Christ, who has borne all the sins of all his people in his own body on the cross, and all the punishment due unto them. And so has made full satisfaction for them, and has removed them from them, as far as the east is from the west, and out of the sight of avenging justice. So that when they are sought they shall not be found, nor shall they ever return unto them, or be brought against them any more (see Isa. 53:12).

"And he shall let go the goat in the wilderness": That is, the man that was appointed to have taken him there.

There was no real way to completely do away with their sin. Only Jesus Christ's sacrifice for us has done away with our sin. All of these things they did, were just a shadow of what He would do for all who would believe. The shadow resembles the thing it shadows, but is not perfect in detail.

Leviticus 16:23 "And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy [place], and shall leave them there:"

Having been into the most Holy Place a fourth time, as the Jews say, to fetch out the censer and the incense cup. Wherefore the Jewish writers observe, that this verse is not in its proper place. So Jarchi from the Rabbins says, the whole section is in its order, excepting this, which was after the sacrifice of his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people. And the burning the inwards of the bullock and the goat, which were done without in the golden garments. And then he dipped himself, and washed his hands and feet, and stripped and put on the white garments. And went in to fetch the incense cup and the censer, with which he offered in the inmost place (the Holy of Holies).

"And shall put off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the Holy Place": The Holy of Holies, that is, as Jarchi interprets it, after he had brought it (the censer) out, then he clothed himself with the golden garments for the daily evening sacrifice. And this was the order of the services (on the Day of Atonement). The daily morning sacrifice (was performed) in the golden garments. The service of the bullock and of the goat, and the incense of the censer, in the white garments. And his ram, and the ram of the people, and some of the additions, in the golden garments. And the bringing out of the incense cup and the censer in the white garments. And the rest of the additions, and the daily evening sacrifice, and the incense of the temple, on the inward altar, in golden garments. And the order of the Scripture, according to the services, so it was.

"And shall leave them there": In one of the chambers of the tabernacle. As afterwards, in the temple, where they were laid up, never to be used more, as say the Jewish writers, Ben Gersom, and others. Hence we learn, says Jarchi, that they were obliged to be laid up, and he, the high priest, might not minister in these four garments on another Day of Atonement.

These linen garments were special garments to be used only in the presence of God. When Aaron had completed his work in the Holy of Holies, he must remove these garments and put on the garments that he ministered to the people in. Remember, no one was in the tabernacle while Aaron was ministering in the Holy of Holies, so it would be no problem to change into the other garments.

Leviticus 16:24 "And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people."

In the court of the tabernacle of the congregation, where, as Aben Ezra says, they spread fine linen for him. And this washing was no other than the dipping of his whole body in water. And if our Lord was baptized on this day, as some have thought, before observed, whose baptism was by dipping (Matt. 3:16). There will appear in this a great likeness between the type and the antitype.

"And put on his garments and come forth": Put on his golden garments, and come out of the place where he had washed himself. To the court, where was the altar of burnt offering. All which may be an emblem of Christ's putting off the pure and spotless garment of the flesh, in which he appeared in a low estate, and made atonement for sin. And of his burial, which the washing of the flesh may point at, being what was used of the dead, and which washing in baptism is a figure of. And of his resurrection from the dead, when God gave him glory, and he appeared in a glorious body, signified by his golden garments put on again.

"And offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people": His ram, and the people's ram. And the bullock of the people, and their seven lambs, as it is written (Num. 29:8). So Aben Ezra, first his own, and then the people's, which order was before observed in the sin offerings.

"And make an atonement for himself, and for the people": Which though properly made by the sin offerings, and the carrying the blood of them into the most Holy Place. Yet these were the completing of it, being the last of the services peculiar to the Day of Atonement.

These offerings were made at the bronze altar, just inside the tabernacle of the congregation.

Leviticus 16:25 "And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar."

The brazen altar of burnt offering. And so says Jarchi, on the outward altar. For of the inward (i.e. the altar of incense) it is written, ye shall not offer upon it strange incense, nor a burnt offering, nor a meat offering. And this fat he explains to be what was on the inwards of both the bullock and the goat. And so, says Aben Ezra, the fat of the bullock for the sin offering, and the fat of the goat for a sin offering, and also the fat of the kid of the goat, which, was a sin offering for the priest (Num. 29:11). This fat was burnt at the same time the burnt offerings were offered in (Lev. 16:24).

The fat was always the Lord's. This burning of the fat made a sweet savor before the LORD.

Leviticus 16:26 "And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp."

The man that let go the goat which served for a remover of sins is to wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh before he comes into the camp. This is not ordered on account of any special defilement attaching to the scapegoat, but only because it had been the symbolical sin-bearer, and therefore conveyed legal uncleanness by its touch. The man who bore the flesh of the goat to be burnt had to do exactly the same thing (verse 25). Both he who led away the goat, and he who burned the parts of the sin-offerings had to purify themselves. They who went out of the camp during a religious solemnity incurred uncleanness; hence, the need of purification.

The purpose in washing his clothes and himself, would be so that none of the contamination from the sin on the animal would remain on him. He would not want to bring sin back into the camp.

Leviticus 16:27 "And the bullock [for] the sin offering, and the goat [for] the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy [place], shall [one] carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung."

"Without the camp": This represents the historical reality of Christ's death outside of Jerusalem (compare Heb. 13:10-14).

This complete destruction of these animals without the camp, symbolizes the fact that Jesus was crucified for us outside the city wall. The complete destruction of them symbolizes the complete work that Jesus did for us. Jesus held nothing back, when He paid our debt.

Leviticus 16:28 "And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp."

In forty seahs of water, as the Targum of Jonathan. That is, every one of those that burnt them, as Aben Ezra observes. For these being sin offerings, and had a connection with the sins of men, for whom they were offered. The persons concerned in the carrying and burning of them were equally defiled, and needed washing, as the man that led and let go the goat into the wilderness.

"And afterwards he shall come into the camp": And have the liberty of conversation with men in civil and religious things, but not till evening. So long as he was defiled; and according to the Misnah from the time they got without the walls of the court. And after washing and bathing, and when the evening was come, they were clean; and might go where they pleased.

Here, again, this washing showed that they brought nothing back into the camp with them. They were ceremonially clean.

Leviticus 16:29 "And [this] shall be a statute for ever unto you: [that] in the seventh month, on the tenth [day] of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, [whether it be] one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:"

"Seventh month": Tishri is Sept./Oct.

"Afflict your souls": This act of denying oneself was probably with respect to food, making the Day of Atonement the only day of prescribed fasting in Israel's annual calendar.

This is speaking of the Day of Atonement. On our calendar this would be approximately October. Why we say approximately is because their months begin on the change of the moon. Their first month Abib is approximately our April. This was one of the most important days of their year. We must remember, that each year they had to do all of this again. Their atonement just lasted one year. Thank goodness, our atonement in Jesus Christ is forever.

Leviticus 16:30 "For on that day shall [the priest] make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, [that] ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD."

"Atonement": More than half of the occurrences of the word Atonement in Scripture are found (in Leviticus chapter 16), which describes the most important day on the Hebrew calendar, Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). This annual holy day celebrated the covering of national sins by the offering of two goats to God, one killed and the other driven into the wilderness. In the ceremony, the priest entered the Holy of Holies to present the blood of the slain goat to God. When he came out, the nation knew their sins had been covered for another year. Christ fulfilled this "type" in that He offered His own blood to God (Heb. 9:14). The type of the priest returning from the Holy Place to those whose sins were covered will be fulfilled when Christ returns for those who have been redeemed by His blood. For the Christian, this is a blessed and purifying hope (Titus 2:12-13; 1 John 3:3).

"Clean from all your sins" (see Psalm 103:12; Isa. 38:17; Micah 7:19). This day provided ceremonially cleansing for one year, and pictured the forgiveness of God available to all who believed and repented. Actual atonement was based on cleansing through the sacrifice of Christ (compare Rom. 3:25-26; Heb. 9:15).

The only thing I have to say about this is that this cleansing was temporary. Our cleansing in Jesus blood is forever.

Leviticus 16:31 "It [shall be] a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever."

From all servile work, as before observed. Typical of a cessation from the performance of sinful works. At least from a sinful course of life, and from a dependence on works of righteousness, when a man is brought to believe in Christ. And in the atonement which he has made (see Heb. 4:3).

"And ye shall afflict your souls by a statute for ever": As long as the ceremonial law, and its statutes and ordinances lasted, which were to be until the time of reformation. And till that time came, once a year, on the Day of Atonement, they were to keep a severe fast, here called an afflicting of their souls. And in this respect this day differed from the seventh day Sabbath, which was rather a festival than a fast. The time of Christ's sufferings, and of his being a sacrifice for the sins of his people, was a time of great affliction to his disciples. Then it was the children of the bridegroom fasted, he being taken from them. And true humiliation for sin, and repentance of it, are occasioned and influenced by a view of a suffering Savior. And atonement by him; and this may denote also, that such that believe in Christ, and in his atonement, must expect afflictions and troubles in this world.

In this, we see that this is a time for a person to examine himself and be cleansed for the sins of the last year.

Verses 32-34: The work of the priest on the Day of Atonement to cleanse Israel's people from sin pointed toward the far greater work of Jesus on the cross and His once-for-all sacrifice (Heb. 10:19-22).

Leviticus 16:32 "And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, [even] the holy garments:"

Whom God shall anoint, or shall be anointed, that shall succeed in the high priesthood, as Aaron's sons did, the eldest of them, and none but such were anointed.

"And whom he shall consecrate": Or fill his hands, by putting the sacrifices into them (see notes on Exodus 28:41; 29:9; 29:24). By which, and by anointing him, and clothing him with the priestly garments, he was consecrated and installed into his office. In order;

"To minister in the priest's office, in his father's stead": A son of a high priest was always preferred to any other, and to him it of right belonged to succeed his father in his office. And such a one, thus consecrated;

"Shall make the atonement": On this Day of Atonement. Not a common priest, but the high priest only. So Jarchi observes, this expiation of the Day of Atonement was not right but by a high priest. For the whole section is said concerning Aaron, and therefore it must needs be said of a high priest that comes after him, that should be as he was.

"And shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments": That is, on the Day of Atonement; in which clothes all the service peculiar to that day, as it was done by Aaron, so it was to be done by all his successors.

We see in this, that the priesthood is hereditary. The high priest, before he leaves office, is to consecrate one of his sons to take his place as high priest. The son would have been acting as priest in the temple prior to his consecration to the LORD. The linen clothes are mentioned again here, so that there would be no doubt about this garment of the high priest being holy. The high priest is never to alter the garments. The fancy garments are for representing God to the people. The linen garments are to be worn by him when he presents himself and the people to God.

Leviticus 16:33 "And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation."

The Holy of Holies, just in the same manner as Aaron had done (Lev. 16:16).

"And he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation": The court of the tabernacle, and the Holy Place, and all in them, as Aaron did, in the places referred.

"And for the altar" (see Lev 16:18).

"And he shall make an atonement for the priests": For himself and for his family, and for all the priests, as Aaron did by his bullock of the sin offering (Lev. 16:6).

"And for all the people of the congregation": The whole body of the Israelites, and with them the Levites, as Aben Ezra observes. For they are not called priests; indeed, every priest was a Levite, but not every Levite a priest. Wherefore these were included not among the priests, but in the congregation of Israel. These several atonements, according to Ben Gersom, were separate and distinct, and did not hinder one another, or interfere with one another.

I will mention one more time, that the holy sanctuary and the tabernacle needed to be atoned for, because they were in the midst of a sinful people. The priest and the people were still in the flesh, so they needed atoning.

Leviticus 16:34 "And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses."

"Once a year": The better sacrifice of Jesus Christ was offered once-for-all, never to be repeated (compare Heb. 9:11 - 10:18). Upon that sacrifice all forgiveness of sin is based, including that of Old Testament believers.

As long as the law was in effect, this had to be done once a year. Praise God! we are living by the grace of God. We are saved and cleansed from all unrighteousness by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Leviticus Chapter 16 Continued Questions

1. Who was the only person permitted to go into the Holy of Holies?

2. The goat of the sin offering is for whom?

3. Where did the priest put the blood of the goat for the sin offering?

4. Symbolically it was as if the sins of the people were under what?

5. This blood could only ________ the sin.

6. Only the blood of _______ ________ can clear the conscience.

7. Why must the tabernacle be sacrificed for?

8. Who can be in the tabernacle while Aaron is in the holiest place?

9. Who did Aaron make atonement for?

10. What was meant by the blood being put on the horns of the altar?

11. How many times did he sprinkle the blood on the altar?

12. Why does Aaron place both of his hands on the head of the live goat?

13. How does the live goat get to the wilderness?

14. What does verse 22 tell us the goat bears for the people?

15. Where does Aaron remove his holy garments?

16. After Aaron removes the holy garment, what does he do?

17. Who is the burnt offering made for?

18. What was to be done with the fat of the offering?

19. The person who took the scapegoat to the wilderness must do what before coming back into the camp?

20. Where will the bullock and the goat be carried to be burned?

21. What day and month should they afflict their souls?

22. Approximately what time on our calendar is this?

23. How long is this statute in effect?

24. How does another high priest take office?

25. When could they stop this offering?

Leviticus Chapter 17

The laws in this chapter deal with various problems connected with sacrifice and eating meat (compare 7:26-27; and 11:39-40). In particular, they explain the special significance of blood in the sacrifices (especially verses 11-14). This situation involved the prohibition of killing animals without offering them to the Lord as the words "bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle ... to offer it unto the Lord" clearly show. The penalty for such an offense was for that man to "be cut off from among his people". The phrase "to be cut off", seems to indicate he will be punished by God directly (Exodus 30:33; Lev. 7:20-27; 20:17-18). The motive underlying this severe law is given (in verses 5-7): to prevent sacrifices to the "devils" (demons). The Hebrew term "seirim" is problematic, but usually means "goats". The word referred to demons that were supposed to haunt areas of the wilderness (Isa. 13:21; 34:14). The allusion here is to the kind of goat worship practiced in Lower Egypt, a form of idolatry with which the Israelites had evidently had some contact (compare Joshua 24:14). The cult had flourished in the eastern delta region, and part of its abhorrent rituals involved goats copulating with women devotees. No offerings were to be offered outside of the tabernacle either (verses 8-9).

Verses 17:1 - 22:33: Holiness issues that pertain to the individual are enumerated.

Verses 1-9: The Lord warns against sacrificing anywhere other than at the door of the tabernacle of meeting (compare verses 5-7).

Leviticus 17:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

After he had given him the law about the Day of Atonement, and the rites belonging to it.

"Saying": As follows.

Leviticus 17:2 "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,"

Who were now constituted priests. The business of whose office it was to offer the sacrifices of the people, ordinary and extraordinary.

"And to all the children of Israel": Who were all under obligation to sacrifices at certain times. Under whom may be comprehended the Levites, who were not priests. And the strangers that sojourned in Israel, for these are concerned in the following law.

"And say unto them": Which is spoken to Moses, who was to say what follows to Aaron. And by him to his sons, and by his sons to the people of Israel, and by them to the strangers.

"This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded": Ordered to be observed as his will and pleasure by every one of them.

"Saying": Namely, what follows.

In this particular situation, God tells Moses to tell Aaron, and instead of Aaron telling his sons and the children of Israel, Moses is to tell them. This would probably be very important for each of them to know. Possibly if it went down the chain of command from God to Moses, to Aaron, to Aaron's sons, and then to the children of Israel, some of the important details might be lost.

Leviticus 17:3 "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,"

Whether high or low, rich or poor.

"That killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat in the camp": Which are particularly mentioned, as Gersom observes, because of these the offerings were. For the law respects the killing of them not for common food, but for sacrifice, as appears from the following verses. For this law was to be a statute for ever, whereas in that sense it was not, and could not be observed, especially when they were come into the land of Canaan. Nor would it have been decent or convenient to have brought such vast numbers of cattle every day to be killed at the door of the tabernacle. And must have made the service of the priests extremely laborious to kill them, or even to see that they were killed aright.

"Or that killeth it out of the camp": Which furnishes out another reason against the same notion, since it was not usual to kill for common food without the camp, but in their own tents within it. Whereas to sacrifice without the camp was commonly done.

Leviticus 17:4 "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:"

"Blood shall be imputed": An unauthorized sacrifice could result in death.

This does not mean that they could not kill and eat an animal from their herd. It does mean, if this animal is to be sacrificed unto the LORD, it must be killed at the tabernacle door as they had been previously instructed. If they kill the animal (to be sacrificed), any other place than the tabernacle, they will have offended God. This is such a serious offence, that the person doing this will no longer be considered an Israelite. The blood belongs to God.

Leviticus 17:5 "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."

We see from this verse, that there is no question that this does not mean the slaughter of an animal to eat, but means the sacrifice of an animal. An animal to be sacrificed to God must be brought to the sanctuary and sacrificed in the exact manner in which God had told them to sacrifice. This offering could bring peace when done properly, thus the peace offering. God had provided a place for the sacrifice, no other place would be acceptable. The priest alone was to handle the blood of the animal. Every sacrifice shadowed some part of the great sacrifice Jesus made for us all, this is why it could not be altered in any way. Do it God's way, or not at all.

Leviticus 17:6 "And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the LORD [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savor unto the LORD."

The altar of burnt offering (Lev. 1:5).

"At the door of the tabernacle of the congregation": Near to which it stood (see Lev. 1:5).

"And burn the fat for a sweet savor to the Lord": The fat that covered the inwards, the kidneys, the flanks and caul of the liver (see Lev. 3:3).

We see from this verse above that the blood and the fat, which belonged to God alone, had to be handled by just the priest. We have discussed before that the shedding of blood is the only way to do away with sin. Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. The burning of the fat made a sweet savor to God. This pleased God.

Leviticus 17:7 "And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations."

"Devils": The word in the original is the "shaggy goat" of (Lev. 4:23). But it is sometimes employed, as here, to denote an object of pagan worship or a demon dwelling in the deserts (2 Chron. 11:15; Isa. 13:21; 34:14). The worship of the goat, accompanied by the foulest rites, prevailed in Lower Egypt. And the Israelites may have been led into this snare while they dwelt in Egypt.

"After whom they have gone a whoring": Idolatry being a spiritual adultery, a forsaking of God, who had taken them into a conjugal relation, and been as a husband to them, and cleaving to idols, which were as paramours (see Jer. 31:32).

"This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations": Not only this of not sacrificing to devils, but all before commanded. Particularly that they should bring their sacrifices to the priest, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

We see that the whoring here, is of a spiritual nature. The heathens had sacrificed to their false gods in the fields. This is what is spoken of here. God is a holy God. He should never be confused with these false gods. That is just what would have happened, if they had killed the animal for sacrifice in the field. God had a specific thing that must be done with the blood. The animal killed in the field would most surely lose some of its blood out there in the field.

Leviticus 17:8 "And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsoever man [there be] of the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice,"

To Aaron and his sons, and to the children of Israel (as in Lev. 17:2).

"Whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel": Belonging to that nation, and to any of its tribes and families. Of whatever age; as a young man or an old man, as the Targum of Jonathan. Or of whatsoever rank, class, and condition in life.

"Or of the strangers which sojourn among you": That is, of the proselytes among them. Not the proselytes of the gate, who were not admitted to offer sacrifice on the altar of the Lord. And if they were, they could not for non-compliance with this law be cut off from the Jewish church and commonwealth. Of which they were no part, only suffered to dwell among them. But partook of none of their privileges. But this is to be understood of proselytes of righteousness, such as embraced the Jewish religion. And submitted to all the rituals of it, and had communion with the body of the people. And shared in all the immunities of their civil and church state, and so liable in case of any real practice to be cut off from them.

"That offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice": Any other sacrifice besides a burnt offering, as a sin offering, or a trespass offering, or a peace offering.

Leviticus 17:9 "And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer it unto the LORD; even that man shall be cut off from among his people."

In a public manner, by one of the priests of the Lord. By which it might appear that he did not take upon him to be a priest himself, nor to offer it to an idol.

"Even that man shall be cut off from his people": From being one of them, and having communion with them, and sharing in their privileges. Or by death, either by the hand of the civil magistrate, or rather by the hand of God. So Jarchi, his seed shall be cut off, and his days shall be cut off. That is, he shall die childless, and in the midst of his days, a violent and premature death. Also (see notes on Lev. 17:4).

This would be false worship. Many of our churches today have wandered away from the way of worship that God wants. False worship of any kind, whether unintentional or not, is unacceptable unto God. We must be very careful with new doctrines that pop up here and there. Every spirit should be tried to see whether it be of God, or not, before we adopt it into our worship services. The next few Scriptures tell us how we can tell if the spirit is of God, or not.

1 John 4:1-3 "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:" "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world."

Verses 10-16: As a direct consequence of limiting the slaughter of animals to the tabernacle, the blood of these animals could not be "eaten", that is, drunk or eaten in meat which had not been drained of blood. This principle results in what the Jews called "kosher" meat. The importance is underscored emphatically, the prohibition occurring six times in five verses (verses 10-14). Noah was to avoid the blood in (Gen. 9:4). Violation of this law involved the guilty in being "cut ... off from among his people", presumably by a divinely initiated act (verse 4). "For the life of the flesh is in the blood:" Most translations and commentators regard the preposition "in" in this phrase as expressing essence and therefore they omit it in translation. Thus, "the life of the flesh is the blood". So construed (verse 11), virtually identifies the life of an animal with its blood.

At a basic level this is obvious: when an animal loses its blood, it dies. Its blood, therefore, gives it life. By refraining from eating flesh with blood in it, man is honoring life. To eat blood is to despise life (compare Gen. 9:4-6). The sanctity of human life is associated with not eating blood. Thus, one purpose of this law is to teach respect for all life. Shed blood constituted visible evidence that life had indeed been offered up in sacrifice. Only as atonement is linked with death, represented by shed blood, and not life set free, would it appear to become efficacious in the covering of human sin. Thus, the second reason for the ban is given as "I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul" (verse 11).

Leviticus 17:10 "And whatsoever man [there be] of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people."

That is by birth an Israelite, of every age, sex, or condition, as before.

"Or of the strangers that sojourn among you": Proselytes of righteousness, for the following law was only obligatory on such, and upon Israelites. As appears from its being lawful to give or sell that which dies of itself to a stranger. That is, to a proselyte of the gate, or to a Heathen (Deut. 14:21).

"That eateth any manner of blood": That is, as Ben Gersom interprets it, of beasts and birds, concerning which the prohibition only is, according to him. For as for the blood of others there was no obligation, nor were any guilty on account of them. Particularly the blood of fishes, and of locusts, or human blood. The blood of a man's teeth, which a man might swallow without being guilty of the breach of this law. Some restrain this to the blood of the sacrifices before treated of. But Jarchi observes, lest any should think, because it is said, it is "the blood that maketh the atonement for the soul". That a man is not guilty only on account of the blood of sanctified things, therefore it is said "any manner of blood".

"I will set my face against that soul that eateth blood": Signifying how greatly he should be provoked thereby. How much he should resent it, how exceedingly displeasing it would be to him, and what severity might be expected to be exercised towards him for it. For dreadful it is to have the face of God set against a man (see Psalm 34:16). Maimonides observes, that this form of speech does not occur in any third precept besides these two. Concerning idolatry or sacrificing a son to Moloch (Lev. 20:3). And eating blood; because eating of blood gives an occasion to one species of idolatry, worshipping of devils (see Lev. 19:26).

"And will cut him off from among his people": Which confirms the above sense of the phrase of cutting off as expressive of death by the hand of God (see notes on Lev. 17:4).

We have been told over and over that the blood belongs to God. A person that eateth the blood would be as if he were calling himself god. We are not god. We are His servants.

Verses 11-16: The shedding of "blood" is necessary for forgiveness of sin. The New Testament affirms this truth (Heb. 9:22).

"For the life of the flesh is in the blood": This phrase is amplified by "its blood is identified with its life" (17:14). Blood carries life sustaining elements to all parts of the body; therefore, it represents the essence of life. In contrast, the shedding of blood represents the shedding of life, i.e., death (compare Gen. 9:4). New Testament references to the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ are references to His death.

When Christ died, He shed His blood to redeem us. He poured out His life (1 Peter 1:18-20).

"Blood that maketh an atonement": Since it contains the life, blood is sacred to God. Shed blood (death), from a substitute atones for or covers the sinner, who is then allowed to live.

Oxygen, the body's most critical nutrient, is carried through the "blood". The human body can live on when all other parts of the body fail, but when the heart stops, death is inevitable. That is why atonement was made through blood. The Old Testament sacrifices that had to be offered each day pointed toward the ultimate, once for all blood sacrifice of Christ.

Even in Noah's time God had warned not to eat blood.

Genesis 9:4 "But flesh with the life thereof, [which is] the blood thereof, shall ye not eat."

This was so important that God warned them over and over not to eat the blood. I will show another Scripture on this and then go on.

Deuteronomy 12:23 "Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood [is] the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh."

This is possibly why the Jews found it so repulsive when Jesus told them to eat His flesh and drink His blood. This was not a literal statement that Jesus said, but symbolic of partaking of the life that Jesus provided for all who would believe.

John 6:54 "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

The bread was symbolic of the flesh of Jesus, and the wine was symbolic of the blood of Jesus. We see that our real life comes when we partake of Jesus. He is our life.

Leviticus 17:12 "Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood."

Great or small as Jarchi observes, for the reason above given. Which, though not expressed before, was the true reason of this law, which had been given before, and now repeated (see Lev. 3:17).

"Neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood": Any proselyte of righteousness; this is not observed before.

This does not mean that you cannot eat meat after the excess blood has been drained off. The meat properly cooked, after draining off the excess blood is certainly supposed to be eaten.

1 Timothy 4:1-3 "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;" "Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;" "Forbidding to marry, [and commanding] to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth."

We can easily see from this that, we are to eat meat. It is a doctrine of devils to teach not to eat meat. The next verse shows that it is, in fact, the flesh of an animal when it calls it creature.

1 Timothy 4:4 "For every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:"

Possibly one of the reasons the religious people of Jesus' day were turned off was when Jesus said they must eat of His flesh and drink His blood.

John 6:53 "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you."

They were so caught up in the law that they did not realize that Jesus was speaking of the bread symbolizing His flesh and the fruit of the vine symbolizing His blood. They were not actually drinking His blood and eating His flesh. He just meant that to have life eternal, we must partake of Him. He is our life.

Verses 13-14: It was customary with heathen hunters, when they killed any game, to pour out the blood as an offering to the god of the hunt. The Israelites, to the contrary, were enjoined by this directive and banned from all such superstitious acts of idolatry.

Leviticus 17:13 "And whatsoever man [there be] of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust."

This form of speaking, which is often used in this chapter, is still observed to point out the persons on whom the law is obligatory, Israelites and proselytes of righteousness.

"Which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten": That is, clean beasts and fowls, such as by a former law are observed. And this excepts unclean ones, as Jarchi. But includes all clean ones, whether wild or tame, that may be taken and killed though not taken in hunting. But such are particularly mentioned, because not only hunting beasts and fowl were common, but because such persons were more rustic and brutish and, being hungry, were in haste for their food. And not so careful about the slaying of the creatures, and of, taking care about their blood.

"He shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust": That it might not be eaten by men, nor licked up by beasts and that there might be kept up a reverend esteem of blood, being the life of the creature. And this covering of it, as Maimonides tells us, was accompanied with a benediction in this form, "Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, who hath sanctified us by his precepts. And hath given commandment to us concerning covering of the blood." And the same writer elsewhere gives us another reason of this law, that the Israelites might not meet and feast about the blood, as the Zabians did. Who, when they slew a beast, took its blood and put it into a vessel, or into a hole dug by them, and sat and feasted around it (see Lev. 19:26).

You can see the proper thing to do with the blood of an animal that you kill to eat, is to put the blood back into the earth.

Leviticus 17:14 "For [it is] the life of all flesh; the blood of it [is] for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh [is] the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off."

Of every animal.

"The blood of it is for the life thereof": For the production, preservation, and continuance of life. That on which life depends, as Jarchi observes.

"Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh": Of beasts or birds, whose flesh was fit for food. But their blood was not to be eaten, for the reasons before given.

"For the life of all flesh is the blood thereof": Which is repeated, that it might be observed and taken notice of, as that in which the force of the reason lay for giving this law.

"Whosoever eateth it shall be cut off": By death, whether he be an Israelite or a proselyte of righteousness. Wherefore if this law was now in force, its penalty also would be continued, whereas it is not, and which shows the abrogation of it. Also (see notes on Lev. 17:4).

So many satanic cults around the world today are literally drinking the blood of animals. We read that forever man is not to drink blood. The blood belongs to God. Our life is in the hands of God as well. These satanic cults, doing this terrible thing, have cut themselves off from God.

Verses 15-16: This cleansing was necessary because these animals would not have had the blood drained properly (compare Exodus 22:31; Deut. 14:21).

Leviticus 17:15 "And every soul that eateth that which died [of itself], or that which was torn [with beasts, whether it be] one of your own country, or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe [himself] in water, and be unclean until the even: then shall he be clean."

Through any disease upon it, or by means of any other creature seizing upon it and worrying it, or was not lawfully killed. If a man ate ever so little of it, even but the quantity of an olive, it was a breach of this law. Which is connected with the preceding, there being a similarity between them, because such creatures must have their blood in them. Not being regularly let out, and so eating of them would offend against the above law. It is very probable, as Grotius thinks, that Pythagoras took his notion from hence, and strictly enjoined his followers to abstain from all animals that died of themselves, as Laertius and Aelianus relate. And which Porphyry suggests, was what universally obtained among men.

"Or that which was torn with beasts": Though not dead, yet ready to die, and so unfit for food (see notes on Exodus 22:31).

"Whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger": A native of Israel, or a proselyte of righteousness. For as for any other stranger he might eat of it (Deut. 14:22).

"He shall both wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water": In forty seahs of water, as the Targum of Jonathan, dip himself all over.

"And be unclean until the even": And so, have no conversation with men in civil or religious things.

"Then shall he be clean": When he has washed his garments, and bathed himself, and the evening is come, and then shall be admitted to society as before. This is to be understood of one who ignorantly eats of the above things, not knowing them to be such. Otherwise, if he did it presumptuously, he was to be punished.

Something that died of itself would probably be diseased. You can see that this prohibition would be for man's own good.

Leviticus 17:16 "But if he wash [them] not, nor bathe his flesh; then he shall bear his iniquity."

Neither wash his clothes: nor bathe his flesh. If he is negligent, and does not take care to make use of these ablutions.

"Then he shall bear his iniquity": His guilt shall remain on him, and he shall suffer the punishment the law exposes him to. Either by the hand of God, or the civil magistrate, which is due to persons that enter into the sanctuary in their uncleanness, or eat of holy things. For not washing his body the punishment was cutting off, and for not washing his garments, beating, as Jarchi says.

The washing is to purify. The purifying of the animal is for sanitation reasons. All sorts of germs would be on an animal not washed. Then the washing of himself would also be to purify. Without being purified, you would continue to be unclean.

Leviticus Chapter 17 Questions

1. What is different about how God wanted this message given to the people?

2. What is intended in verse 3 about killing an ox or goat?

3. When a person shed blood improperly, what happened to him?

4. Where is the only place proper to kill an animal for sacrifice?

5. Who was the only one permitted to handle the blood of the sacrificed animal?

6. Where does verse 6 tell us he is to sprinkle the blood?

7. What is he to burn, that makes a sweet savor to the LORD?

8. What is the only way to do away with sin?

9. What is the whoring in verse 7?

10. Who had sacrificed to their false gods in the field?

11. Was this restriction just for the Israelites?

12. What about false worship that is unintentional?

13. How can we try the spirits and know whether they are of God or not?

14. Any spirit that denies that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is what?

15. What happens to those who eat blood?

16. The life of the flesh is in the _________.

17. What is the blood upon the altar for us?

18. Who was warned in Genesis 9:4 not to eat blood?

19. Why did the Jews find it repulsive, when Jesus said to drink His blood?

20. Was Jesus speaking of literal blood when He said this?

21. What was symbolic of Jesus' flesh?

22. What was symbolic of His blood?

23. Where do we find the Scripture that says, it is a doctrine of devils to forbid to eat meat?

24. What one word in these Scriptures let us know that this is animal flesh?

25. How are they to dispose of the blood of animals that are killed for food?

26. The life of all flesh is the _______ thereof.

27. What is one thing satanic cults are doing that is really terrible?

28. Why should you not eat of something that died of itself?

29. What is washing to do?

30. What two things must be washed, before you may eat of this flesh?

Verses Attention now shifts from the matter of ceremonial defilement and its removal to the question of moral impurity and its consequences. The literary structure is interesting in that it resembles the basic form of the vassal or suzerainty treaties of the kings of the ancient Near East. The vassal treaties were made between a great king and a people whom he wished to bring under his rule. He usually identified himself in the preamble; thus here, â€œI am the Lord your Godâ€ (verses 2, 4-5; and Exodus 3:15; 6:2-4). Then he stated his generosity to previous vassals in a passage dealing with historical retrospect (compare verse 3). â€œAfter the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dweltâ€ would remind them that He had redeemed them from bondage. Then the basic stipulation(s) that comprised the agreement would be cited as in â€œdo my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk thereinâ€ (verse 4), followed by the detailed stipulations (compare verses 6-23). A section of blessings and cursing was then given. The blessings occur in the shortened form in verse 5 (â€œwhich if a man do, he shall live in themâ€), while the curses appear in verses 24-30), starting with â€œdefile not ye yourselves in any of these things â€¦ that the land spew not you out also â€¦ as it spewed out the nations that were before you.

He continued speaking to him, after he had delivered to him the laws respecting the Day of Atonement, and the bringing of the sacrifices to the door of the tabernacle. And particularly concerning the Israelites not worshipping devils, as they had done in Egypt. The Lord proceeds to deliver out others, the more effectually to guard against both the immoral and idolatrous practice, of the Egyptians and Canaanites.

Leviticus 18:2 â€œSpeak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God.â€

To the heads of their tribes, that they might deliver to them the following laws. Or Moses is bid to publish them among them, either by word of mouth, or by writing, or both.

â€œAnd say unto them, I am the Lord your Godâ€: With which they were to be introduced. Showing the right he had to enact and enjoin such laws, since he was Jehovah. The Being of beings, and from whom they received their being. Their sovereign Lord and King, who had a right to rule over them, and command what he pleased. And also, the obligation they lay under to him to regard them, and yield a cheerful obedience to them, since he was their God. Not only that had made them, but had redeemed them out of Egypt. And who had made a covenant with them, and had taken special care of them, and had bestowed many wonderful favors on them. And for this purpose is this phrase often used in this chapter, and very frequently in the next.

We find in the first 2 verses here that God is saying to the people, Remember I am your God. You must do the ordinances that I have set down. I am the only God for you. This message was not given through Aaron, but through Moses. This in itself showed the importance of none of this being lost in too many mouths.

Leviticus 18:3 â€œAfter the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.â€

â€œDoings of the landâ€: Repeating the sexual practices or customs of the Egyptians and Canaanites was forbidden by God.

We have discussed over and over in these lessons; how important it is for Godâ€™s people to be a separated people. Egypt was a type of the world. In Egypt, and in Canaan, they worshipped false gods. We may be in the world, but we must not be of the world, if we are to be called Godâ€™s people. These ordinances that God is giving His people here in Leviticus, are enough to live peaceable lives pleasing to God. They will not need the laws of these heathens that are based on worldliness. We are warned over and over not to be fellowshipping with those of the world.

2 Corinthians 6:14 â€œBe ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?â€

Leviticus 18:4 â€œYe shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I the LORD your God.â€

â€œI am the LORD your Godâ€: This phrase, used over 50 times, assets the uniqueness of the One True and Living God, who calls His people to holiness as He is holy, and calls them to reject all other gods.

God states again why they should follow Him. He is their only God. Notice the â€œwalk thereinâ€. We Christians too, must walk in our salvation after we receive it. The last few lessons we have been studying, have shown us the ordinances pertaining to the ceremonial laws. In this lesson we will get into the moral laws of God.

Leviticus 18:5 â€œYe shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I the LORD.â€

â€œWhich if a man do, he shall live in themâ€: Special blessing was promised to the Israelites on the condition of their obedience to Godâ€™s law. This promise was remarkably verified in particular eras of their history, in the national prosperity they enjoyed when pure and undefiled religion prevailed among them. Obedience to Godâ€™s law always insures temporal blessings, as this verse indicated. But these words have a higher reference to spiritual life as indicated by the Lord (compare Luke 10:28), and Paul (compare Rom. 10:5). Obedience does not save from sin and hell, but it does mark those who are saved (compare Eph. 2:8-9; see notes on Rom. 2:6-10).

God has given these laws to man to help him lead a pleasing life before God. If a man keeps these laws, he will be able to live in peace with his neighbors. These laws are sufficient in themselves, there is no need for other laws to govern Godâ€™s people. This is mentioned in the New Testament, as well.

Romans 10:5 â€œFor Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.â€

We have discussed the word righteousness before. It means in right standing with God. For these Israelites here, the only way to be in right standing with God, is to keep the law. The way a Christian becomes in right standing with God, is to receive the righteousness of Jesus Christ. He (Jesus), took our sin on His body, and clothed us in His righteousness.

Verses 6-20: This section contains a warning against incestuous and illicit sexual unions. â€œShall approachâ€ is a euphemism for sexual intercourse (compare Gen. 20:4; Isa. 8:3). It is explained by â€œto lie withâ€ (20:11), and â€œto takeâ€ as a wife (20:21), and â€œto uncover the nakednessâ€ (verse 14). All four phrases mean the same thing. â€œAny that is near of kin to himâ€ is literally â€œto all remainder of his fleshâ€. Thus, the parties were so close, that one was the remainder of the other. â€œTo uncover their nakednessâ€ is a phrase describing intercourse within marriage and outside of it. Because the husband and wife are â€œoneâ€, (Gen. 2:24), to uncover the nakedness of one partner was equivalent to exposing the other partner.

The following cases of incest are enumerated: sex with oneâ€™s mother (verse 7), stepmother (compare Reuben with Bilhah; Gen. 35:22); Absalom with Davidâ€™s wives (2 Sam. 16:21-22; verse 8), sister (verse 9), granddaughter (verse 10), half-sister on the fatherâ€™s side (verse 11), paternal aunt (verse 12), maternal aunt (verse 13), paternal uncleâ€™s wife (verse 14), daughter-in-law (verse 15), brotherâ€™s wife (verse 16), stepdaughter or step-granddaughter (verse 17), or a wifeâ€™s sister (verse 18). The last situation (verse 18), seems to forbid marriage to a second sister while the first is alive.

To have sexual relations during the menstrual period (verse 19), was forbidden. Perhaps this was due to the sacredness of the blood (chapter 17), and also that God is total Lord, so that no man can claim total rights to a woman without limitations.

Leviticus 18:6 â€œNone of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover nakedness: I the LORD.â€

In verse 6, God is telling His people not to have sexual relations with anyone who is closely related to them. In the next few verses we will find out who the near kinsman are. God makes it very clear that this is not an ordinance of Moses here, this is Godâ€™s law. Incest (sexual relations within a family), is devastating our society. God makes it very clear in this chapter of Leviticus that it is unacceptable in His sight. We read that 25% of all the children in our society have been sexually abused by members of their own family. This is an abomination, not only to God, but to moral man as well.

Leviticus 18:7 â€œThe nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.â€

By uncovering a fatherâ€™s nakedness is not meant anything similar to what befell Noah. Which Ham beheld with pleasure, and the other two sons of Noah studiously and with reverence to their father, covered him. Nor any practice of a son with his father; as Gersom interprets it. But the same is meant by both phrases, and the words are by many interpreters thus rendered, â€œthe nakedness of thy father, that is, the nakedness of thy mother thou shalt not uncoverâ€. For what is the motherâ€™s is the fatherâ€™s, and uncovering the one is uncovering the other. Wherefore the mother only is made mention of in the next clause, where the reason of this prohibition is given.

â€œThe nakedness of thy father, or of thy motherâ€: This is but one fact, though expressed two ways, as appears from (Lev. 18:8, compared with Lev. 20:11). The expression imports, that such an action is doing the greatest dishonor to oneâ€™s father and mother.

This is directly forbidding sexual relation by parents and children. This also includes homosexual and lesbian acts. There is an instance of this very thing in Genesis. Lotâ€™s daughters got him drunk and slept with their father. The ancestors from these sexual acts produced very worldly people. This happened before the giving of the law. It would be impossible to break Godâ€™s law, before He had given the law. It did not however, keep the results of such a union from bringing less than godly people. You may read this terrible story (in chapter 19 of Genesis). The Ammonites and the Moabites were the results of this evil union of father with daughters. The restriction (in verse 7) above, is that you must not have sexual relations with your father or mother, period.

Leviticus 18:8 The nakedness of thy fatherâ€™s wife shalt thou not uncover: it thy fatherâ€™s nakedness.

â€œThy fatherâ€™s wifeâ€: Actually a stepmother is in mind here (compare verse 7).

This verse above extends this ordinance to the stepmother as well. Even though the stepmother is not blood relation to the son or daughter, there should not be sexual relations with her, because she belongs to your father. She is your mother by your father marrying her.

Leviticus 18:9 â€œThe nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, born at home, or born abroad, their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.â€

To lie with one in so near a relation is exceeding criminal, and for which the law curses a man (Deut. 27:22). And to marry her is not lawful. For though it was necessary for the propagation of mankind that a man should marry his sister, for who else could Cain and Abel marry? Yet afterwards, when there was an increase of mankind, and there were people enough remote from each other, it became unlawful for persons in such near ties of consanguinity to marry with each other. Though the Egyptians did, in imitation of Isis and Osiris, and so the Persians, following the example of Cambyses.

â€œThe daughter of thy father, or the daughter of thy motherâ€: Whether she is a sister both by father and motherâ€™s side, or whether only by the fatherâ€™s side and not the motherâ€™s, as Sarah was to Abraham (Gen. 20:12). Or only by the motherâ€™s side and not the fatherâ€™s.

â€œWhether she be born at home or born abroadâ€: Not whether born and brought up in his and her fatherâ€™s house, or born and brought up in another place and province. Though there were some, as Aben Ezra observes, that so interpreted it, according to the sense of the word in (Gen. 50:23). But rather the sense is, as that writer gives it, whether born according to the law of the house of Israel, after espousals and marriage, or without it. That is, whether begotten in lawful marriage or not. Whether a legitimate offspring or spurious, born in adultery and whoredom, whether on the father or motherâ€™s side. So, the Targum of Jonathan, whom thy father begat of another woman. Or of thy mother, or whom thy mother bore or brought forth, of thy father, or of another man.

â€œEven their nakedness thou shalt not uncoverâ€: Neither lie with, or have carnal knowledge of, nor marry one or the other.

This ordinance is not just for your blood relation full sister or brother, but for your half brother and sister as well. In the case of Abraham and Sarah, the law had not been given, so they were not breaking Godâ€™s law. Abraham and Sarah were half brother and sister.

Leviticus 18:10 â€œThe nakedness of thy sonâ€™s daughter, or of thy daughterâ€™s daughter, their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs thine own nakedness.â€

A man might not marry his granddaughter, whether a descendant of his son or of his daughter, nor any further off descending from him in a right line. Not his great-granddaughter, and so on. And if he might not marry his granddaughter, much less his own daughter, as Jarchi observes, for the relation is still nearer. Therefore, that being prohibited, this in course must, though not mentioned.

â€œEven their nakedness thou shalt not uncoverâ€: Neither debauch nor marry such a one.

â€œFor theirs is thine own nakednessâ€: Which sprung from his, being the descendants either of his son or daughter. The Targum of Jonathan is, â€œfor they are as thy nakedness,â€ his own flesh and blood.

This now extends to the granddaughter. There shall be no sexual relations between grandparents and grandchildren.

Leviticus 18:11 â€œThe nakedness of thy fatherâ€™s wifeâ€™s daughter, begotten of thy father, she thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.â€

This also is speaking of a half sister or brother. There shall be no sexual relationship between half or whole brothers and sisters.

Leviticus 18:12 â€œThou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy fatherâ€™s sister: she thy fatherâ€™s near kinswoman.â€

His aunt by his fatherâ€™s side, an instance of which we have in Amram (Exodus 6:20). And Maimonides says, an aunt was forbidden whether she was a fatherâ€™s sister in lawful wedlock or in fornication.

â€œShe is thy fatherâ€™s near kinswomanâ€: Or, the rest of thy father; the residue of his flesh, one of the same flesh and blood with him. Wherefore, as he could not marry her himself, so his son likewise was too near akin to enter into such a relation with her.

Leviticus 18:13 â€œThou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy motherâ€™s sister: for she thy motherâ€™s near kinswoman.â€

Which is the same relation as before, an aunt by the motherâ€™s side. Wherefore, if such a marriage was unlawful, this must also, and for the same reason.

â€œFor she is thy motherâ€™s near kinswomanâ€: The same phraseology is used here as in the preceding verse (see notes on Lev. 18:12). And by the same rule a woman might not marry her uncle, whether by father or motherâ€™s side, the relation being the same. And this reaches to great-uncle and great-aunt.

Both of the above Scriptures forbid sexual relations with an aunt, whether an aunt on the motherâ€™s side or the fatherâ€™s side.

Leviticus 18:14 â€œThou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy fatherâ€™s brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she thine aunt.â€

Which Gersom understands of committing sodomy with him, on which account he was doubly guilty. Partly because of lying with a male, and partly because of uncovering the nakedness of his fatherâ€™s brother. But it rather seems at first sight as if the sense was, that a woman should not marry her fatherâ€™s brother, that is, her uncle. As a man might not marry his aunt, whether by father or motherâ€™s side (as in Lev. 18:12). But Jarchi directs to a better sense than either, when he asks, what is his nakedness? In answer to which he recites the following clause as explanative of it.

â€œThou shall not approach to his wifeâ€: In the use of the bed, as the Targum of Jonathan adds, that is, to lie with her, her husband being living, or to marry her, he being dead.

â€œShe is thine auntâ€: Even as a fatherâ€™s or motherâ€™s sister, only they are aunts by blood, this by marriage or affinity.

The above Scripture forbids a person from having sexual relations with an uncle, or with his wife. The wife would be an aunt by marriage.

Leviticus 18:15 â€œThou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she thy sonâ€™s wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.â€

Shall not be with her in his sonâ€™s lifetime, or marry her after his death.

â€œShe is that sonâ€™s wifeâ€: And so one flesh with him, and who is of the same flesh and blood with his father, and therefore the nearness of the relation forbids such incestuous copulation or marriage.

â€œThou shall not uncover her nakednessâ€: Or have carnal knowledge of her, whether in the life or after the death of his son, even then marriage with her is not lawful.

This would be forbidden, not from the problem of her being a near kinswoman, but in respect for your son. She belongs to your son. She did not marry you, she married your son. They two became one flesh.

Leviticus 18:16 â€œThou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brotherâ€™s wife: it thy brotherâ€™s nakedness.â€

Neither debauch her nor after the death of the brother marry her. That is, unless he dies without issue; and then, by another law, he was obliged to marry her (Deut. 25:5). Hence the Targum of Jonathan adds; by way of explanation. â€œIn the life of thy brother, or after his death, if he has children.â€ But then that law was but an exception from this general rule, and so did not make it void in other respects, but bound it the more strongly. And besides, it was a special and peculiar law to the Jews, until the Messiah came to make it manifest of what tribe and family he came. And the reason of it ceasing, the law itself is ceased, and so neither binding on Jews nor Gentiles. Hence John the Baptist boldly told Herod to his face, that it was not lawful for him to have his brotherâ€™s wife (Matt. 14:3). And even such marriages were condemned by the heathens.

â€œIt is thy brotherâ€™s nakednessâ€: That is, his wife is, being by marriage one flesh with him, and his brother being so to him, the relation is too near to intermarry. And more especially when there is issue by the first, which connects them strongly.

It was forbidden to have sexual relations with your brotherâ€™s wife while the brother was living. If the brother died and there were no children, you were to marry the brotherâ€™s wife and raise a child in the dead brotherâ€™s name.

Deuteronomy 25:5-6 â€œIf brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husbandâ€™s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of a husbandâ€™s brother unto her.â€ â€œAnd it shall be, the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.â€

Leviticus 18:17 â€œThou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her sonâ€™s daughter, or her daughterâ€™s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; they her near kinswomen: it wickedness.â€

That is, if a man marries a woman, and she has a daughter, which is the manâ€™s daughter-in-law, after the death of his wife he may not marry this daughter. For this daughter is of the same flesh with her mother, who became one flesh with the man she married, and therefore his relation to her daughter is too near to marry her.

â€œNeither shalt thou take her sonâ€™s daughter, or her daughterâ€™s daughter, to uncover her nakednessâ€: Not any of her granddaughters, either in the line of her son or daughter; that is, might not lie with either of them. Or marry them, and much less then marry her own daughter, these being a further remove from her.

â€œFor they are her near kinswomenâ€: One or other of them, even every one of them. â€œThe restâ€ and residue â€œof herâ€, of her flesh, who together made one flesh with her. And therefore not to be married to her husband, either in her life, or after her death.

â€œIt is wickednessâ€: A very great wickedness, abominable in the sight of God, and to be detested by man as vile and impious. It is whoredom, as the Targum of Jonathan renders it.

It is forbidden to have sexual relations with any woman and her daughter, or her granddaughter. When you enter into sexual relations with a woman, she becomes part of your flesh. You two become one flesh. Her children and grandchildren become your children and grandchildren by marriage.

Leviticus 18:18 â€œNeither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex , to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life .â€

â€œIn her life timeâ€: The principle on which the prohibitions are made changes slightly. Instead of avoiding sexual involvement because it would violate a relational connection, this situation defaults to the principle of one person at a time, or while the other is still alive, i.e., it forbids polygamy. Commonly in Egyptian, Chaldean, and Canaanite culture, sisters were taken as wives in polygamous unions. God forbids such, as all polygamy is forbidden by the original law of marriage (see Gen. 2:24-25). Moses, because of hard hearts, tolerated it, as did others in Israel in the early stages of that nation. But it always led to tragedy.

This forbids a man to marry two sisters at once. When your wife is dead, then you are permitted to marry her sister. I believe (in her life time), shows that it is permissible to marry her sister after she is dead.

In all of the moral prohibitions of marrying or having sexual relations with near kinsmen, it is not only to please God, but to keep down insanity in families. In many cases when even first cousins marry, there is a high percentage of insanity in their children.

6. We may be ___ the world, but we must not be ___ the world, if we are to be Godâ€™s people.

9. What lesson can we Christians take from the statement â€œwalk thereinâ€?

14. Jesus took our _____ upon His body. We were clothed with His _________________.

17. How many children are sexually abused by members of their family in America today?

24. Name several of other near kinsman that it is forbidden to have sexual relations with.

25. When was it forbidden to have sexual relations with your brotherâ€™s wife?

28. What advantage other than pleasing God, is there in not marrying near kinsman?

Leviticus 18:19 â€œAlso thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.â€

â€œTo uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleannessâ€: In her monthly courses. And the time of her separation from her husband on that account was seven days (Lev. 15:19). If a man lay with a woman when in such circumstances, they were both to be cut off from their people (Lev. 20:18). And such an action is reckoned among sins, and uncleanness of the worst sort (Ezek. 22:10).

This is a restriction even to those who are married. We studied in a previous lesson that the womanâ€™s uncleanness usually lasted for 7 days. The husband is forbidden to have sexual relations with his wife during this time. If the issue of blood is for a longer period of time, they are forbidden for the full time of the issue. This also includes the 40 days after a male child is born to her, or 80 days after a female child is born to her.

Leviticus 18:20 â€œMoreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighborâ€™s wife, to defile thyself with her.â€

â€œTo defile thyself with herâ€: Not only adultery is a defiling a manâ€™s wife, as it is sometimes called, but the adulterer defiles himself. All sin is of a defiling nature, but especially this, which defiles a man both in soul and body, and brings a blot and stain upon his character, which shall not be wiped off (Prov. 6:32).

This is covered in the 10 commandments. The penalty for adultery was death by stoning. They were both to be stoned to death, if the woman was willing in this act of adultery.

Leviticus 18:21 â€œAnd thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I the LORD.â€

God expressly prohibited the terrible practice of sacrificing a child to a deity (Deut. 18:9-12). Some neighboring peoples sacrificed their children to the god â€œMolechâ€. The penalty for this heinous sin was death (20:2-5).

It was the practice in the worship of Molech to sacrifice your children. There are 2 kinds of adultery, and both are forbidden by God. We read about physical adultery in verse 20 above. I believe what is intended here is spiritual adultery. The worship of false gods, of which one is Molech, is forbidden. Not only was the person not to worship a false god, but was not to dedicate their children to that false god. Any time you worship another god other that the real God, you have profaned Godâ€™s name.

Leviticus 18:22 â€œThou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it abomination.â€

By carnal knowledge of them, and carnal copulation with them, and mixing bodies in like manner. This is the sin commonly called sodomy, from the inhabitants of Sodom, greatly addicted to it, for which their city was destroyed by fire. Those that are guilty of this sin, are, by the apostle, called â€œabusers of themselves with mankindâ€ (1 Cor. 6:9).

â€œIt is abominationâ€: It is so to God, as the above instance of his vengeance shows, and ought to be abominable to men, as being not only contrary to the law of God, but even contrary to nature itself. And what is never to be observed among brute creatures.

This is speaking of homosexual activities. Homosexuality is not only a sin; it is an abomination to God. The best way to explain this is with another Scripture.

Romans 1:27 â€œAnd likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.â€

Romans 1:28 â€œAnd even as they did not like to retain God in knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;â€

Leviticus 18:23 â€œNeither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it confusion.â€

A female one, as Aben Ezra notes, as a mare, cow, or ewe, or any other beast, small or great, as Ben Gersom. Or whether tame or wild, as Maimonides; and even fowls are comprehended, as the same writers observe.

â€œNeither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down theretoâ€: That is, stand before a beast, and by a lascivious and obscene behavior solicit the beast to a congress with her. And then lie down after the manner of four-footed beasts, as the word signifies, that it may have carnal copulation with her. For a man to lie with a beast is most shocking and detestable, but for a woman to solicit such an unnatural mixture is most horrible and astonishing.

â€œIt is confusionâ€: A mixing of the seed of man and beast together, a blending of different kinds of creatures, a perverting the order of nature. And introducing the utmost confusion of beings, from whence monsters in nature may arise.

Many satanic cults in our country today are practicing bestiality. We are told by some, that bestiality is how the disease AIDS came to America. This type of act would certainly bring down the wrath of God. To perform a sexual act with an animal brought certain death. The animal was killed and the person, also.

Leviticus 20:15 â€œAnd if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.â€

For a man or a woman to have sex with an animal, is not only an abomination to God, but to moral man as well.

Verses 24-30: To violate these prohibitions would entail being â€œvomited outâ€ of the land, which happened when they were led into their captivities.

Leviticus 18:24 â€œDefile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:â€

In incestuous copulations and marriages, in adultery, corporeal and spiritual, and bestiality.

â€œFor in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you. That is, the seven nations of the land of Canaan, which God was about to eject out of their land to make room for the Israelites. And that on account of the above shocking vices which abounded among them. So that in some sense the land they dwelt upon was defiled by them, and called for vengeance on them, as even loathing its inhabitants, as afterwards suggested.

We find from this Scripture that nations which allow this type of sin, will be judged severely by God. You see that God was so angered by this type sin that the nations practicing these sins were overthrown.

Leviticus 18:25 â€œAnd the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.â€

â€œTherefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon itâ€: Or punish the inhabitants that are on it for their sins.

â€œAnd the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitantsâ€: As a stomach loaded with corrupt and bad food it has taken in, nauseates it, and cannot bear and retain it, but casts it up, and never receives it again. So the land of Canaan is represented as loathing its inhabitants, and as having an aversion to them, and indignation against them, and as not being able to bear them. But entirely willing to be rid of them and throw them out of their places in it, never to be admitted more, being as nauseous and as useless as the cast of a manâ€™s stomach (see Rev. 3:16).

Just as Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for the sin of homosexuality, God will not allow a nation to stand which allows these horrible sins. We studied in the book of Exodus, how God dealt severely with the land of Egypt. We will see in future lessons how God gave the lands over to the Israelites. We are told that God gave them time to repent of their wickedness, and when they did not repent, he destroyed them and gave their land to another.

Leviticus 18:26 â€œYe shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit of these abominations; any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:â€

Before observed to them, whether of a ceremonial nature, and enjoined them according to his sovereign will and pleasure. Or of a moral nature, and founded in justice and equity, and so worthy of their regard, and obligatory upon them. As well as in their own nature they recommended themselves to their regard, as being the reverse of those loathsome and abominable things.

â€œAnd shall not commit any of these abominationsâ€: Such as incest, adultery, idolatry, and bestiality, which are in themselves abominable things. Execrable to God, and to be detested by men.

â€œNeither any of your own nationâ€: That belonged to any of their own tribes, or should be born to them in the land of Canaan when they came thither, and were properly natives of it.

â€œNor any stranger that sojourneth among youâ€: Any proselyte, and especially a proselyte of righteousness, who conformed to the Jewish religion. And had laid himself under obligation to do everything that was binding upon an Israelite.

Notice that some sins are called abominations before God. These are things utterly forbidden of Godâ€™s people. If they keep the statutes of God, they will be blessed. If they do not, they will be cursed as the other nations that God has destroyed before them.

Leviticus 18:27 â€œ(For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which before you, and the land is defiled;)â€

The then present inhabitants of Canaan, who dwelt in it before the Israelites came into it. These were guilty of unclean copulations, of incestuous marriages, of fornication and adultery, and of bestiality and idolatry.

â€œWhich were before youâ€: Lived in the land before them, had long dwelt there, but now about to be cast out for their sins. And therefore, they who were going to succeed them should take warning by them, lest, committing the same sins, they should be cast out likewise.

The men of the land that have done this are not only speaking of Egypt, but of the lands that God will utterly overthrow and give to the Israelites. We will see in future lessons, the destruction of many of these people. In many instances the reason God does not allow them to live, is because He does not want His people picking up their evil ways.

Leviticus 18:28 â€œThat the land spew not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spewed out the nations that before you.â€

By sinning on it, and so rendering it obnoxious to the curse of God, as the whole earth originally was for the sin of man. And so be cast out of it, as Adam was out of paradise, and as the Israelites might expect to be cast out of Canaan, as the old inhabitants of it had been.

â€œAs it spewed out the nations that were before youâ€: Which for the certainty of it is spoken of as done, though it was as yet future. And what the Lord did is ascribed to the land, the more to aggravate their crying, sins, and abominations, for which the land mourned, and which it could not bear.

God reminds them, that just because they are His chosen people, does not mean that they can get away with this type of sin. If they fall into this type of sin that God calls an abomination, He will destroy them as well.

Leviticus 18:29 â€œFor whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit shall be cut off from among their people.â€

Before particularly forbid, any of them, be it which it will, they all being very heinous and vile, and especially these last mentioned.

â€œEven the souls that commit themâ€: Whether male or female, as Jarchi observes. For the above things concern them both for the most part, however some one, and some another. And though most, if not all the said crimes are committed by the members of the body. Yet since under the influence and direction of the soul, the commission of them is attributed to that, and the punishment threatened respects both.

â€œShall be cut off from among the peopleâ€: Be removed from their church state, and deprived of ecclesiastical privileges. And from their civil state, and reckoned no more of the commonwealth of Israel. And if known and convicted, to be punished by the civil magistrate, and if not, by the immediate hand of God.

Hebrews 10:30-31 â€œFor we know him that hath said, Vengeance unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.â€ â€œ a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.â€

It is not the devil who will punish those who commit these abominations, it is God. If you were to fall into the hands of the devil, you could pray to God for help, but there is nowhere to go when God punishes you.

Leviticus 18:30 â€œTherefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that commit not of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I the LORD your God.â€

Whatever the Lord appointed them and commanded, whether contained in this chapter, or elsewhere.

â€œThat ye commit not anyone of these abominable customsâ€: For attending to the ordinances of God, and a close in them, they would be preserved from the commission of such abominable things, and giving in to such detestable customs as before warned against.

â€œWhich were committed before youâ€: By the inhabitants of Canaan; and by the punishment on them for them they might be deterred from doing the same.

â€œAnd that ye defile not yourselves thereinâ€: For though the land is so often said to be defiled, yet, properly speaking, and chiefly, it was the inhabitants that were defiled by their abominable customs. And so would the Israelites also, should they observe the same, and thereby become abominable in the sight of God, and incur his displeasure, and be liable to his vengeance.

â€œI am the Lord your Godâ€: Who had a sovereign authority over them, and a right to give out what commands he pleased, both negative and affirmative. And to whom they were under obligations to obey, as the God of nature and providence. From whom they had their beings, and were supported in them, and as their covenant God, who had bestowed special and spiritual favors on them.

We see that these things God has forbidden must not be done under any circumstances. God destroyed the lands where the people practiced such abominable things as homosexuality. America, wake up. Homosexuality is not an alternate life style. It is an abomination before God. The wrath of God could even fall on our nation, if we do not repent and turn back to God. The answer is not for just a few people to repent, but for the whole nation to repent before it is too late.

2 Chronicles 7:14 â€œIf my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.â€

To sum this up, I would say that if we are professing Christians, we must completely stay away from this kind of sin. Not only must we not be involved in it ourselves, but we should condemn it in others. Wake up America. God is a holy God. God will not permit those who call themselves Christians to participate in the evil that is so prevalent in our society. If we do not clean up our land, God will do it for us. The only answer to the problems we see in our society today, is national revival. Drugs, alcohol, perversion and all sex sins can be cured by people truly seeking the will of God in their lives. Study your Bible and find out what Godâ€™s will is for your life. Then live the life that God has chosen for you. God is not only our Judge, but a loving and forgiving God. Seek Him, and you will find happiness that you never knew existed.

4. Where is â€œthe not lying carnally with thy neighborâ€™s wifeâ€ found, other than in this Scripture?

15. To have sex with an animal is not only an abomination to God but to ________ ______, as well.

17. In verse 25, what word is used to show the violent throwing out of people for this terrible sin?

About the same, or quickly after he had delivered the above laws to him. And there are many in this chapter, which were before given, and here repeated.

Leviticus 19:2 â€œSpeak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God holy.â€

Chapter 18 dealt with holiness in sexual behavior: this chapter deals with holiness in social ethics. â€œYe shall be holyâ€ for I the LORD your God am holy: This certainly could be termed the motto of Leviticus. â€œHolyâ€ (qadosh) and its cognate terms, for example, sanctify and holiness occur 152 times in Leviticus (about 20 percent of the total occurrences in the Old Testament). Israelâ€™s fundamental calling was to be a â€œholy nationâ€ (Exodus 19:6). They were to be â€œseparated from sinâ€ and â€œto cling unto the Lordâ€. Godâ€™s holiness served as the model for â€œall the congregationâ€. Jewish scholars have seen in the material of this chapter a counterpart of the Ten Commandments, the precepts of which are recapitulated as follows. The first and second in verse 4; the third in verse 12; the fourth and fifth in verse 3; the sixth in verses 16; the seventh in verse 29; the eighth and ninth in verses 11-16; and the tenth in verse 18.

The first thing we need to notice, here, is that this is not just for the ministerial staff. This message is for the whole congregation. Again, God does not want this misunderstood, so He tells Moses to directly tell the congregation, instead of it going through the usual channels. The word â€œholyâ€ when it is used as a noun, it sometimes is translated God, angel, saint. From all of this, we can see that the word holy means above sin. Righteous is a similar word with an entirely different meaning. Righteous, in the Old Testament, means just or lawful. In the New Testament, righteous means innocent. The way we attain righteousness is by receiving the righteousness of Christ. When we accept Him as our Savior, He puts His robe of righteousness on us. This puts us in right standing with God. To walk holy is an entirely different thing. This means after we receive our righteousness, we walk above sin. We walk in holiness. God is holy, if we are trying to be like Him, we must walk holy lives too.

Verses 3-4: In addition to the fifth commandment, the fourth (19:3b), the first (19:4a), and the second (19:4b), were commanded as illustrations of holy behavior (compare Exodus 20:3-6; 8-11).

Leviticus 19:3 â€œYe shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I the LORD your God.â€

Reverence â€œhis mother, and his fatherâ€: The fifth commandment (compare Exodus 20:12), to honor oneâ€™s father and mother is amplified by the use of a different word, â€œreverenceâ€. Because they revered (an attitude), they could then honor (an action).

Holiness begins in the home. Children who â€œrevereâ€ their â€œmother and fatherâ€ are far more inclined to revere God than those who disrespect their parents.

The fear that is mentioned here, has to do with respect. Strongâ€™s Concordance says it means to revere. This means then, to hold your Mother and Father in great respect. The keeping of the Sabbath has a two-fold purpose. One is to have one day a week to worship God with no distractions. The other purpose for Sabbath was so that man would rest one day in seven. Jesus explained the second reason in the following Scripture.

Mark 2:27 â€œAnd he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:â€

Leviticus 19:4 â€œTurn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I the LORD your God.â€

From the one only true and living God to them that are not gods, as the word used signifies, who are nothing. For, as the apostle says, an idol is nothing in the world (1 Cor. 8:4). Is of no worth and value, of no consequence and importance, and of no avail and usefulness to its devotees. Wherefore to turn from the true God to such as these is the greatest stupidity, as well as wickedness. Or â€œlook notâ€ at them for help or assistance, for they are not able to give it. And to look at them so as to view them attentively, and consider their likeness, the Jews say is forbidden. And even in the heart and mind, as Aben Ezra observes, to have respect unto them was not right; or in the thoughts, as Gersom.

Nor make to yourselves molten godsâ€: Of gold, silver, or brass, melted and cast into a mold, as the golden calf was, to which respect may be had. These laws have a respect unto the first and second commandments (Exodus 20:3).

â€œI am the Lord, your Godâ€: Who only is to be worshipped, and who has forbid the making and worshipping any image, molten or graven, and who will therefore resent idolatry of every sort, and punish for it.

These people have just been delivered from Egypt, where many gods were worshipped. God brought them out with a mighty hand, after He had discredited the false gods of Egypt. The land they are about to go into also worships false gods. God does not want them to fall into the worship of these false gods. He reminds them, again here who He is by saying (I am the LORD your God). We must remember that just a very short time earlier, they had made a golden calf to worship while Moses was gone to get the 10 Commandments. God destroyed this molten calf. He reminds them not to make this mistake again. The word which was translated idols here, means nothings. That is a correct statement since an idol has no power.

Leviticus 19:5 â€œAnd if ye offer a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, ye shall offer it at your own will.â€

Which were of three sorts, a thanksgiving, a vow, and a voluntary offering (Lev. 7:11). The latter seems to be here meant, as appears by what follows.

Ye shall offer it at your own willâ€: A voluntary freewill offering, of their own accord, and not by force, as Aben Ezra. And in such offerings they were left to their liberty to offer what they pleased, it might be of the flock, or of the herd, a male or a female (Lev. 3:1). The Targum of Jonathan is â€œfor your acceptation.â€ That is, that should be offered, and in such a manner as to be accepted of you with God. Which sense is countenanced by (Lev. 19:7); and becomes acceptable, when what follows about eating them is attended to.

We studied in a previous lesson about the peace offering. The peace offering shadows the grace that is provided all who believe. Just as salvation is of our own free will, this peace offering was of their own free will. The peace offering really shows our fellowship with God. This possibly has to do also with the freewill offering which is actually a peace offering itself.

Leviticus 19:6 â€œIt shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the morrow: and if ought remain until the third day, it shall be burnt in the fire.â€

The meaning is, that if it could be, it was best to eat it all up the same day it was offered. But if not, the remainder was to be eaten on the next day, but by no means to be kept any longer. This shows that that sort of peace offering is intended, which was either a vow or a voluntary offering (Lev. 7:16). And the Jews gather from hence, that sacrifices were to be slain in the day, and not in the night.

â€œAnd if ought remain unto the third, it shall be burnt with fireâ€: As it is ordered (Lev. 7:16).

That so the owner might have no profit by it, and therefore be under no temptation to keep it longer than the fixed time.

The peace offering that could be eaten on the second day as well as the first, was the freewill offering. Even though the person is allowed to eat of this offering two days, it is not to be taken lightly. Remember, this symbolizes the peace which the Lord Jesus brings to all who will accept Him as Savior and LORD.

Leviticus 19:7 â€œAnd if it be eaten at all on the third day, it abominable; it shall not be accepted.â€

â€œIt is abominableâ€: It is as any common thing, as if it was no sacrifice. Yea, as if it was corrupt and putrefied flesh. Nay, as what is abominable to God: and therefore it follows.

â€œIt shall not be acceptedâ€: Of the Lord, but rejected, his will not being attended to.

Leviticus 19:8 â€œTherefore that eateth it shall bear his iniquity, because he hath profaned the hallowed thing of the LORD: and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.â€

Be chargeable with sin, be pronounced guilty, and endure the punishment, which is cutting off (Lev. 7:20).

â€œBecause he hath profaned the hallowed thing of the Lordâ€: The flesh of the peace offerings, by keeping it longer than the fixed time for it, when it was liable to corruption and putrefaction. For after the inwards and the fat of them were offered, as Aben Ezra says, the flesh was holy, and to be eaten as a holy thing. And within the time the law required, or otherwise it was profaned and polluted.

â€œAnd that soul shall be cut off from among his peopleâ€: Be deprived of his civil and religious privileges, or be punished by the hand of the civil magistrate, or else by the immediate hand of God.

Since this symbolizes the peace that the Lord Jesus brings each of us, it must be treated with great respect and value. To just let it lay around a third day would show great disrespect. The burning of it on the third day would at least make a sweet savor to God. I believe communion elements are like this. Since the bread and the fruit of the vine represent the body and the blood of Jesus, they should be treated with great respect. They should be totally consumed, or burned in the fire. They should not be held over for another time.

Verses 9-18: This contains five sections with five precepts relating to holiness in everyday affairs:

Verses 9-10: This was the law of gleaning (compare 23:22; Deut. 24:19-22), a practice seen in Ruth 2:8-23.

The law had a special provision for â€œthe poor and the strangerâ€, permitting them to â€œgleanâ€, the leftover crops from the fields and the fallen â€œgrapesâ€ in the vineyards (23:22; Deut. 24:19-22; Ruth 2:2-23). When possible, Godâ€™s people should enable the poor to provide for their own needs with dignity.

Leviticus 19:9 â€œAnd when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.â€

Of the land of Canaan, when come into it, which having sown, and it was harvest. Either barley or wheat harvest, or both, and especially the latter, to which reaping seems best to agree.

â€œThou shall not wholly reap the corner of the fieldâ€: But a part was to be left for the poor. This follows upon the peace offerings: and, as Aben Ezra observes, as the fat of them was to be given to God. So somewhat of the harvest was to be given for the glory of God to the poor and stranger.

â€œNeither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvestâ€: Ears of corn which fall from the hand or sickle of the reaper, or in gathering the reaps to bind up in sheaves. In the above treatise, it is asked, what is a gleaning? That which falls in reaping. If the reaper reaps his handful, or plucks up a handful, and a thorn strikes him, and it falls out of his hand to the ground, lo, it is the ownerâ€™s. But if out of the middle of his hand, or out of the middle of the sickle, it is the poorâ€™s.

Leviticus 19:10 â€œAnd thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I the LORD your God.â€

Or cut off the little clusters which are, as Aben Ezra observes, like an infant, as the word signifies.

Infant clusters, which were small in comparison of the large ones, as infants are to men. Those which had but a grape or two, or very few upon them, were not to be cut off, but left for the poor. And Gersom says, if the whole vine consisted of such clusters, it all belonged to the poor.

â€œNeither shall thou gather every grape of thy vineyardâ€: Every particular single grape; these were such as were left on the vine after the large clusters were gathered, and a man upon viewing it again might not gather such as had only a single grape or two upon them. For the Misnic doctors say, two grapes or berries make a â€œperetâ€ (the word here rendered â€œevery grapeâ€), but three do not. So that if there were three grapes upon a cluster it was the ownerâ€™s, and might be gathered, but if fewer, then it belonged to the poor. Or this may be understood also of such single grapes that fell to the ground in gathering, which might not be taken up by the owners, but were to be left to the poor.

â€œThou shall leave them for the poor and strangerâ€: For the poor Israelite, and the stranger that sojourns with you, as Aben Ezra interprets it. The stranger intends a proselyte, not a proselyte of the gate, but a proselyte of righteousness, as Gersom and it is a rule laid down by Maimonides. That every stranger spoken of concerning the gifts of the poor is no other than a proselyte of righteousness. One that has been circumcised upon embracing the Jewish religion, and agreeing to conform to all the laws and rituals of it. Though the same writer observes, that they do not restrain the poor of the Gentiles from these gifts, but they are in general included among the poor of Israel.

â€œI am the Lord your Godâ€: That gave them fields and vineyards, and times of harvest, and vintage, and blessed them with fruitful seasons, and therefore had a right to require such things of them. And they were in duty and gratitude bound to observe his commands. And this shows his regard unto, and concern for the poor, and that he is the father and patron of them.

God is teaching the importance of having charity toward those less fortunate than themselves. Over and over in the Scriptures, we are told to care for the widows and the fatherless. God also warns that we are not to be greedy, but willing to share what we have been blessed with. One thing America has going for itself, is that we have been generous in feeding the hungry peoples of the world. Jesus said to even feed your enemy.

Romans 12:20 â€œTherefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.â€

There is no sin in having more than your neighbor. The sin comes when you see his need and do not try to help him.

1 Timothy 6:17-18 â€œCharge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;â€ â€œThat they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;â€

Verses 11-18: The command to â€œlove thy neighbor as thyselfâ€ (Matt. 5:43; 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31, 33; Luke 10:27; Rom. 13:9; Gal. 5:14; James 2:8), is expanded to â€œlove him as thyselfâ€ (19:34). These laws promote honesty, fair treatment, and community harmony as well as â€œjusticeâ€ in a court of law for both â€œthe poorâ€ and â€œthe mightyâ€.

Leviticus 19:11 â€œYe shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another .â€

â€œYe shall notâ€: Based on the Ten Commandments (Exodus chapter 20), this teaching against stealing and lying is reemphasized by Jesus (in Matthew 19:18-19), in speaking to the rich young ruler.

The Bible repeatedly condemns lying (Prov. 12:22; Eph. 4:25), as well as deceit (â€œdeal falselyâ€).

When you deal falsely and lie one to another that is a type of stealing. This is actually in the 10 commandments, but I believe that God is saying here, that there are many types of stealing. He also says donâ€™t do any type of stealing at all.

Leviticus 19:12 â€œAnd ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I the LORD.â€

Or â€œto a falsehoodâ€. To any of the above cases. As that a man has not the deposit of anotherâ€™s in his hands, when he has. Or that such a man owes him so much money, when he does not, or any other false thing. Stealing, dealing falsely, lying, and false swearing, are mentioned together, as following one another, and as tending to lead on, the one to the other. As Jarchi observes; â€œif thou stealest, this will lead thee on to deal falsely, and then to lie, and after that to swear.â€ And who further remarks, because it may be thought a man is guilty only because of the proper name (of God he may swear by). Therefore, to comprehend all the surnames (or epithets of God, such as gracious, merciful, etc.) it is said, â€œye shall not swear by, my name falselyâ€. Every name which is mine, by which he is called. And so Gersom, any epithet or attribute of his, or any word or phrase by which he is described, as he that made the heavens. Or that dwelleth in the heavens, or liveth for ever and ever, and the like. And the word being of the plural number, ye shall not swear, takes in, as Aben Ezra thinks, him that causes to swear, as well as him that swears.

â€œNeither shall thou profane the name of thy Godâ€: Through swearing falsely by it, or through any rash or vain oath in common conversation. Not only perjury in a court of judicature, but all profane oaths, curses, and imprecations are forbidden. As breaches of the third command, which this refers to (see notes on Exodus 20:7).

â€œI am the Lordâ€: Whose name is holy, and who can and will revenge every abuse of it in a profane way, and to the injury of men.

Matthew 5:34-36 â€œBut I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is Godâ€™s throne:â€ â€œNor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.â€ â€œNeither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.â€

Swearing is a serious thing, but to swear falsely in Godâ€™s name would be even worse.

Leviticus 19:13 â€œThou shalt not defraud thy neighbor, neither rob : the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.â€

â€œWages â€¦ shall not abide with thee all nightâ€: Hired workers were to be paid at the end of a work day. Unsalaried day workers depended on pay each day for their sustenance. See notes on Matt. 20:1-2.

God calls His people to fairness, instructing employers to pay a workerâ€™s â€œwagesâ€ right away (Deut. 24:14-15). The Israelites did not always obey this law (Jer. 22:13).

We find here another type of stealing. Stealing is not just against Godâ€™s law, but manâ€™s law as well. Not only is it the right thing to do not to steal, defraud or rob, but if you do these things, you could find yourself in jail as well. The punishment that man allots for these sins is nothing compared to what God would have in store for you. When a person works for wages, they expect to be paid.

Matthew 20:2 â€œAnd when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.â€

Matthew 20:9 â€œAnd when they came that about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.â€

In this parable of Jesusâ€™, the workers were paid exactly what they agreed to work for, without delay.

Leviticus 19:14 â€œThou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I the LORD.â€

â€œDeaf â€¦ blindâ€: Israelâ€™s God of compassion always demonstrated a concern for the disabled.

When we see a deaf person or a blind person, we should have mercy on them. It is only by the grace of God that we are not that blind person or deaf person. Some believe that things like this are punishment for sin, but Jesus proved this not to be so in the following Scriptures.

John 9:1-3 â€œAnd as passed by, he saw a man which was blind from birth.â€ â€œAnd his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?â€ â€œJesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.â€

4. When the word that was translated holy, here, is used as a noun, what are some of the words it is translated to?

16. The peace offering that could be eaten on the first or second day was, also, called what offering?

Leviticus Chapter 19 Continued

Leviticus 19:15 â€œYe shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor.â€

The prohibitions against â€œinjustice in judgmentâ€ (19:35), and partiality toward the â€œpoorâ€ or the â€œmightyâ€ are not only wise (Prov. 24:23; 28:21), but they derive from the character of the Lord Himself (Deut. 1:17; 10:17; 16:19; 32:4).

So many people in our society today have gone overboard in siding in with the poor people. In the Scripture above, we are told to judge righteously. It should not matter whether a person is poor or rich, when we are judging a matter. Judgment should be made impartially by weighing out the facts. Jesus taught not to be a respecter of persons. Many people are swayed in judgment by a personâ€™s great wealth. Possibly when they do that, they are expecting something in return. To judge the rich or the poor, because of their position in life, is wrong. We should judge anything by what is right and that only.

Acts 10:34 â€œThen Peter opened mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:â€

If God is no respecter of persons, then neither should we be a respecter of persons.

James 2:9 â€œBut if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.â€

Leviticus 19:16 â€œThou shalt not go up and down a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor: I the LORD.â€

â€œStand against the blood of thy neighborâ€: This refers to doing anything that would wrongfully jeopardize the life of a neighbor.

One of the most important reasons to receive the Holy Spirit of God, is so that God will have control of the evilest part of your body (the tongue).

James 3:6 â€œAnd the tongue a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.â€

The tongue is evil, until we turn it over to God. I will quote a few Scriptures from Proverbs on talebearers. They explain much better than I can.

Proverbs 18:8 â€œThe words of a talebearer as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.â€

Proverbs 20:19-20 â€œHe that goeth about a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.â€ â€œWhere no wood is, the fire goeth out: so where no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.â€

You should never do anything against your neighbor. Jesus said to love your neighbor.

Mark 12:31 â€œAnd the second like, this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.â€

Leviticus 19:17 â€œThou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him.â€

Although no hatred may be expressed either by words or deeds, yet being in the heart is a breach of the sixth command (see Matt. 5:21). And of this a man may be guilty, when he does not attempt to save the life of his neighbor. Either by bearing a testimony for him, or by delivering from danger, as preserving him from drowning, from wild beasts and thieves (as in Lev. 19:16). Or when he does not reprove him for sin, as in the next clause. But suffers him to go on in it to his ruin, either of which by interpretation is a hatred of him.

â€œThou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighborâ€: For any sin committed by him, though secretly, yet known. Which rebuke should be private, and repeated as may be found necessary, and given gently in meekness and tenderness.

â€œAnd not suffer sin upon himâ€: Unconvinced of, not repented of and persisted in, which may prove of fatal consequence to him. And therefore to let him alone, and go on in it without telling him of it, and reproving him for it. That would be so far from acting the kind and friendly part, and showing him love and respect. That it would be an evidence of hating him at heart, at least it might be strongly suspected. Or, â€œand not bear sin for himâ€; become a partner with him in his sin, and so become liable to bear punishment for it. Which is a strong reason for reproving sin, in a proper manner, lest we should be partakers of other menâ€™s sins (see 1 Tim. 5:20).

Jesus said if you hate your brother in your heart, you have committed the sin of murder in your heart. Notice there are two thoughts in the verse above. The second thought is if your brother has done something against you, go to him and settle it with him. If he wonâ€™t listen, then you take someone with you. If even that does not work, then bring it before the church.

Matthew 18:15-17 â€œMoreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.â€ â€œBut if he will not hear take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.â€ â€œAnd if he shall neglect to hear them, tell unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.â€

Leviticus 19:18 â€œThou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I the LORD.â€

â€œThou shalt love thy neighbor as thyselfâ€ was central to Old Testament law and one of the two primary commandments (Matt. 22:39).

Jesus called this the â€œsecond commandmentâ€, after first loving God (Matt. 22:37-40; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 10:25-28).

Romans 12:19 â€œDearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.â€

We must be kind to all people, even those who are not kind in return. That is what makes us Christians. A Christian, is someone who is a believer in and a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. The following Scriptures are what Jesus said about this very thing.

Matthew 5:44-45 â€œBut I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;â€ â€œThat ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.â€

Romans 12:20 â€œTherefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.â€

Why should we do this? Because God said to do it. When you love your neighbor as yourself, you have fulfilled Godâ€™s law the way He intended.

Verses 19-29: This section addresses nine areas. The first warns against mixing cattle (Gen. 30:37-40), selective mating). The breeding of different kinds of cattle to enrich the bloodline and produce hybrid species, seed, or materials in garments (verse 19). Perhaps this prohibition was given to instill reverence for the order of nature set by God, or to prevent sterility that comes with hybrids. Or due to the fear that the Israelites might imitate abnormal sexual unions and ultimately indulge in the orgiastic rites of Canaanite religion. Second, slavery and concubines were regulated in the case of an engaged girl (verses 20-22). The third law reminded the Israelite that he was to serve God before he was to serve himself (verses 23-25). God has the power to cause fruit to appear on the trees in their season. Then follow six commands referring to various heathen practices that holy men and women were to avoid. They include:

(4) Cutting the hair and beard in connection with pagan mourning rites (verse 27);

Offering of hair were presented in the Astarte-Tammuz religion of Syria and among various Arabian tribes. The unceasing growth of hair was thought to result from the presence of a mysterious vital force within it, and it was thus considered an effective means for influencing the will of the deity. Making bodily incisions also occurred apart from the context of mourning in the attempt to procure the favor of the deity by means of an offering of blood (compare 1 Kings 18:28).

Leviticus 19:19 â€œYe shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.â€

That is, the following ordinances, which though not of the same high moral nature as the precepts laid down in the preceding verses, are yet necessary to attain to holiness. The Holy God has made everything â€œafter its kindâ€ (Gen. 1:11-12; 1:21; 1:24-25). And has thus established a physical distinction in the order of His creation. For man to bring about a union of dissimilar things is to bring about a dissolution of the Divine laws and to act contrary to the ordinances of Him who is holy, and to whose holiness we are to attain.

â€œCattle gender with a diverse kindâ€: Such co-mixtures would not only contravene the Divine order of things, but would lessen the abhorrence of the crime prohibited in (Lev. 18:22-23). The use, however, of animals produced from such mixtures was not forbidden. Hence we find that mules were largely employed by the Jews (2 Sam. 13:29; 18:9; 1 Kings 1:33; 1:38; 10:25; 18:5; Ezra 2:66). These hybrids were either the issue of parents voluntarily coming together without the aid of the Israelites, or were imported from other countries. This law is binding upon the Jews to this day in every country where they happen to live, whether in Palestine or out of it.

Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kindâ€: This was prohibited, partly, to restrain the curiosity and boldness of men, who might attempt to amend or change the works of God. Partly, that by the restraints here laid even upon brute creaturesâ€™, that men might be taught to abhor all unnatural and unlawful lusts. Partly, to teach the Israelites to avoid mixtures with other nations, either in marriage or in religion. Which also may be signified by the following prohibitions. See of this and the next (Deut. 22:9-11). These mixtures may have been characteristic of some idolatrous practices.

â€œA garment mingled of linen and woollenâ€: Although this precept, like the other two with which it is associated, was in all probability designed to root out some superstition, it seems to have had a further meaning. The law, it is to be observed, did not prohibit the Israelites wearing many different kinds of cloths together, but only the two specified. And the observations and researches of modern science have proved that â€œwool, when combined with linen, increases its power of passing off the electricity from the body. In hot climates, it brings on malignant fevers and exhausts the strength. And when passing off from the body, it meets with the heated air, inflames and excoriates like a blisterâ€ (see Ezek. 44:17-18).

God does not say you can keep my statutes if you want to. He says, you will keep them. If we do not keep His statutes, we will feel His wrath. Verse 19 above is teaching a very special lesson on separation. The following Scripture is one of the most important separations that God would have.

2 Corinthians 6:14 â€œBe ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?â€

I believe the not letting cattle gender with another kind is like having a buffalo and a cow have a beefalo. It is as if we are trying to improve on Godâ€™s creation. God did not make any mistakes, when he made the different things. The mingled seed could mean so many things. I believe the Scripture has a literal meaning not to mingle seed, but I believe it has a spiritual meaning as well. The seed is called the Word of God. We must not mix Christianity with other religions. We should keep it pure. In this Scripture, it also appears to me that this means that God has made people, foods, and Christianity, the way He wants it. We should leave Godâ€™s creation alone. This does not mean that one seed is not as good as another. It means God made it the way He wants it, leave it alone. Fine linen has to do with righteousness.

Revelation 19:8 â€œAnd to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.â€

Verses 20-22: In the case of immorality with a betrothed slave, the couple was to be punished (possibly by scourging), but not killed. Afterward, a trespass or guilt offering (see notes on 5:14 â€" 6:7), was to be rendered with appropriate reparation. This is an exception to the norm (compare Deut. 22:23-24).

Leviticus 19:20 â€œAnd whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that a bondmaid, betrothed to a husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.â€

Has carnal knowledge of her. A man and woman are expressed, signifying those that are of age. Aben Ezra observes, that according to the mystical exposition of these words, this same carnally lying is as of different kinds. Of a free man with a bondwoman, and so follows upon the above law and in connection with it: the woman is described as one.

â€œThat is a bondmaidâ€: Either meaning a Canaanitish maid, as Jarchi, or an Israelitish one, as Aben Ezra, whom her father had sold (Exodus 21:7).

â€œBetrothed to her husbandâ€: To a Hebrew servant, as Jarchi, or who was promised marriage, either by her master or his son, as Aben Ezra (Exodus 21:8).

â€œAnd not at all redeemed, nor freedom given herâ€: Or redeemed and not redeemed, as Jarchi. Or, as the Targum of Jonathan, not yet redeemed with an entire redemption (or wholly redeemed) with silver, nor a writing of her freedom given her, part of the redemption price being paid. But not the whole; so that she was, as Jarchi and Ben Gersom express it, half a bondmaid and half free.

â€œShe shall be scourgedâ€: And not him, as the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi remark. Though the Vulgate Latin version renders it, â€œboth shall be beatenâ€. And the original text does not clearly determine it whether one or both should be scourged, since it may be rendered, â€œthere shall be a scourgingâ€. And seeing both were guilty of sin, it is reasonable to suppose that both should be scourged.

â€œThey shall not be put to death, because she was not freeâ€: Otherwise adultery was punished with death of both parties, when committed with a woman married to a husband (Deut. 22:22). And she a free woman, but this not being so, were not guilty of death, because, as Jarchi says, her espousals were no espousals, whereas they would have if she had been free, and so have been guilty of death. This difference the law made between a bond and free woman, but in Christ Jesus and under the Gospel dispensation there is no difference (Gal. 3:28).

This is speaking of a man having sexual relations with his slave girl. This reminds me so much of the bondwoman that bore Abraham a son (Ishmael).

Galatians 4:23 â€œBut he of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman by promise.â€

This bondwoman, nor her master, would be killed for the act of adultery because she had been bought by him and was his servant. Notice they will be punished, but not as severely as death which was the usual punishment for both when they committed adultery. Scourging could be stripes received in whipping. There could be up to 40 stripes. There would be an investigation to see if the woman was willing, before she would be whipped. If she was not willing, she would not be whipped.

Leviticus 19:21 â€œAnd he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, a ram for a trespass offering.â€

To the priest of the Lord, to offer it for him. He, and not she, as the Targum of Jonathan has it (see notes on Lev. 19:20).

â€œUnto the door of the tabernacle of the congregationâ€: Where all offerings were to be brought (Lev. 17:4).

â€œEven a ram for a trespass offeringâ€: Which was the usual creature for such a sacrifice (Lev. 5:15). The woman was not obliged to bring any, she being a bondmaid. And so, having nothing of her own, but what was her masterâ€™s, her circumstances are considered, and scourging was sufficient.

Leviticus 19:22 â€œAnd the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the LORD for his sin which he hath done: and the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him.â€

â€œWith the ram of his trespass offering before the Lordâ€: Presented before him at the door of the tabernacle, and offered up on his altar.

â€œFor his sin which he hath doneâ€: Or â€œsinnedâ€, which is so expressed, according to Jarchi, to take in his sin, whether done ignorantly or presumptuously.

â€œAnd the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven himâ€: Upon the atonement made, as all the sins of Godâ€™s people are forgiven through Christ, upon the foot of his atoning sacrifice (see Heb. 9:22).

A trespass was less than a full-fledged sin, but was indeed wrong. This is still a sin, but not as bad a sin. We have already covered the offerings for trespass in a previous lesson. We do not find any fine for the slave girl being paid to the person she has promised to marry. This is probably because the slave girl was possibly promised to another slave that was owned by the man who committed the trespass.

To sum up this lesson, we might say that God is absolute. He has a way that is above the ways of man. Life would be a whole lot simpler for all of us, if we would just do things His way. Everything in this world was created by God for a specific purpose. We should find what that purpose is, and not try to change things to fit our purpose. His plan works, our plans fail.

31. Why were they not stoned to death, since that is the usual punishment for adultery?

35. Why was the man not made to pay the person the bondwoman was betrothed to, for his loss?

Verses 23-25: â€œCount the fruit thereof as uncircumcisedâ€: They could not eat from the fruit trees of Canaan for 4 years after entering the Land because the fruit of the first 3 years was to be considered unclean, and the fourth year the fruit was to be offered to the Lord. Some gardeners say preventing a tree from bearing fruit in the first years, by cutting off the blossoms, makes it more productive.

Leviticus 19:23 â€œAnd 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.â€

â€œAnd shall have planted all manner of trees for foodâ€: Such that brought forth fruit that was eatable, as figs, grapes, olives, etc. So that all such trees as did not bear fruit fit for manâ€™s food came not under the following law. Nor such as grew up of themselves and were not planted. Nor such as were planted for any other use than for fruit. Nor such as were planted by the Canaanites before the Israelites came into their land. For so say the Jews, what were planted for a hedge or for timber are free from the law. And add, at the time our fathers came into the land, what they found planted was free. What they planted, though they had not subdued it (the land), was bound.

â€œThen ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcisedâ€: Not fit to be eaten, but to be taken off and cast away as the foreskin of the flesh.

â€œThree years it shall be as uncircumcised unto you, it shall not be eaten ofâ€: Which was a provision partly for the benefit of fruit trees newly planted. Whose fruit, when they first bear, gardeners frequently take off immediately, and do not suffer them to grow to any perfection. By which means a tree will grow stronger, and will bear more and better fruit another year. And partly for the health of man, which physical reason is given by Aben Ezra. Who observes that the fruit that comes unto the third year there is no profit by it, but is hurtful. And chiefly because, as it is proper that the first fruits should be given to the Lord before any is eaten. So it is right that it should be given seasonably, and when it is brought to its perfection. Three years were to be reckoned, as Jarchi and Ben Gersom say, from the time the tree was planted.

A fruit tree takes at least three years of growth without fruit to make it strong and healthy. They probably wouldnâ€™t have over 2 or 3 pieces of fruit anyway. The first crop of fruit, just like the first crop of the field belongs to God. This is teaching the practice of firstfruits.

Leviticus 19:24 â€œBut in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the LORD .â€

Separated and devoted to the service of God, to be given to the priest, or to be bought again of him. Wherefore the Targum of Jonathan adds, at the end of the verse, â€œredeemed from the priestâ€, a redemption price being given to the priest. And, as Jarchi observes, as the tithe was not eaten without the walls of Jerusalem, but by redemption, even so likewise this.

â€œTo praise the Lord withalâ€: For his abundant goodness in blessing and making the trees fruitful, and bringing their fruit unto perfection. And by devoting the first fruits to God, his name was praised and glorified, as well as by eating them with joy and gladness before the Lord in Jerusalem.

The fruit that is from the tree on the fourth year is to be carried to the sanctuary and offered as a firstfruits offering. The high priest and his family will eat this fruit.

Leviticus 19:25 â€œAnd in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I the LORD your God.â€

â€œThat it may yield unto you the increase thereofâ€: May be so abundantly blessed, and produce so large an increase as to answer the three yearsâ€™ want of any fruit from it. And the dedication of the fruit of the fourth year to the Lord.

â€œI am the Lord your Godâ€: Who has promised this increase, is both able and faithful to make it good.

Of course, 5 means grace. This fruit is a blessing from God. In this Scripture, we see that God will bless this crop, if His instructions are followed.

Verses 26-31: Here, pagan religious customs are forbidden, including mourning rites (19:27-28), cultic prostitution (19:29), and necromancy (19:26, 31; Deut. 18:11-12).

â€œTattoos have been found in most cultures worldwide and dating as far back as 3200 B.C. Their use among Mediterranean and Egyptian people is probably what led to their prohibition, along with â€œcuttings in â€¦ flesh for the deadâ€. These cuttings were something like present day piercings but with occult associations.

Leviticus 19:26 â€œYe shall not eat with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.â€

â€œEnchantmentâ€ Attempting to tell the future with the help of snakes and clouds was a common ancient way of foretelling good or bad future. These were forbidden forms of witch-craft which involved demonic activity (see note on Deut. 18:9-12).

We have been told over and over that the blood belongs to God. As I said in a previous lesson, this does not mean that you cannot eat meat after it is cooked. It does mean that all meat must have the blood drained to make it edible. Satanic cults in our day are drinking blood. This is not just sin, but an abomination before God. Enchantment here means magic, or telling the future. Things such as all types of mind control fall into this category. Fortune tellers fall into this category as well. Even hypnotism falls into this category. Observers of times are those who study astrology. Horoscopes fall into this category. Astronomy is not evil, but astrology is. We should not depend on any power other than God to direct us. Palm reading also, falls into this realm. We can easily see the mistakes that many people around us are making, practicing these things. Our newspapers and magazines are filled with horoscopes telling your future, nearly every town has palm readers. Even transcendental meditation falls into the realm of enchantment. How long will God tolerate this type of sin? Some churches have jumped over the line of faith and are actually practicing mind control.

Deuteronomy 18:10 â€œThere shall not be found among you that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, that useth divination, an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,â€

Verses 27-28: These pagan practices were most likely associated with Egyptian idolatry and were therefore to be avoided. The practice of making deep gashes on the face and arms or legs, in times of grief, was universal among pagans. It was seen as a mark of respect for the dead, as well as a sort of propitiatory offering to the gods who preside over death. The Jews learned this custom in Egypt and though weaned from it, relapsed into the old superstition (compare Isa. 22:12; Jer. 16:6; 47:5). Tattoos also were connected to names of idols, and were permanent signs of apostasy.

Leviticus 19:27 â€œYe shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.â€

The extremities of the hairs of the head, round about, on the forehead, temples, and behind the ears. This is done, as Jarchi says, when any one makes his temples, behind his ears, and his forehead alike, so that the circumference of his head is found to be round all about, as if they had been cut as with a bowl. And so the Arabians cut their hair, as Herodotus reports (see notes on Jer. 9:26).

â€œNeither shall thou mar the corners of thy beardâ€: By shaving them entirely. Jarchi and other Jewish writers say, there are five of them, two on the right, as Gersom reckons them, one on the upper jaw, the other on the nether, and two over against them on the left, and one in the place where the nether jaw joins the right to the left, the chin. The same observes, that it was the manner of idolaters to do the above things. And Maimonides is of opinion that the reason of the prohibition is, because the idolatrous priests used this custom. But this law does not respect priests only, but the people of Israel in general. Wherefore rather it was occasioned by the Gentiles in common cutting their hair, in honor of their gods. As the Arabians did, as Herodotus in the above place relates, in imitation of Bacchus, and to the honor of him. And so with others, it was usual for young men to consecrate their hair to idols. But inasmuch as such practices were used on account of the dead, as Aben Ezra observes, it seems probable enough that these things are forbidden to be done on their account, since it follows.

It appears that this was practiced by Arabians as a form of worshipping a false god. This is not found in the Bible, but in a history book of that time. The Hebrews sometimes cut their hair and beard as a form of mourning.

Leviticus 19:28 â€œYe shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I the LORD.â€

Either with their nails, tearing their cheeks and other parts. Or with any instrument, knife, razor, etc. Jarchi says, it was the custom of the Amorites, when anyone died, to cut their flesh. As it was of the Scythians, as Herodotus relates, even those of the royal family. For a king they cut off a part of the ear, shaved the hair round about, cut the arms about, wounded the forehead and nose, and transfixed the left hand with arrows. And so the Carthaginians, who might receive it from the Phoenicians, being a colony of theirs. They used to tear their hair and mouths in mourning, and beat their breasts. And with the Romans the women used to tear their cheeks in such a manner that it was forbidden by the law of the twelve tables, which some have thought was taken from hence. And all this was done to appease the infernal deities, and to give them satisfaction for the deceased. And here it is said to be made â€œfor the soulâ€, for the soul of the departed, to the honor of it, and for its good. Though the word is often used for a dead body.

â€œNor print any marks upon youâ€: Aben Ezra observes, there are some that say this is in connection with the preceding clause. For there were some who marked their bodies with a known figure, by burning, for the dead. And he adds, and there are to this day such, who are marked in their youth in their faces, that they may be known. These prints or marks were made with ink or black lead, or, however, the incisions in the flesh were filled up therewith. But this was usually done as an idolatrous practice. So says Ben Gersom, this was the custom of the Gentiles in ancient times, to imprint upon themselves the mark of an idol, to show that they were his servants. And the law cautions from doing this, as he adds, to the exalted name (the name of God). In the Misnah it is said, a man is not guilty unless he writes the name, as it is said (Lev. 19:28). Which the Talmudists and the commentators interpret of the name of an idol, and not of God.

â€œI am the Lordâ€: Who only is to be acknowledged as such, obeyed and served, and not any strange god, whose mark should be imprinted on them.

The prophets of Baal cut themselves trying to get their gods to answer them, when Elijah challenged them. It did no good to cut themselves, because it did not bring an answer from their false god.

Deuteronomy 14:1 â€œYe the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.â€

In Jeremiah chapter 48 and in lamentation, all of these things are done, but it is done by heathen people. We see that people have taken this Scripture above very lightly. Men and women are having tattoos done all over their bodies. The Scripture says, donâ€™t print anything on your body. Our body is not our own to do with as we wish. Our body belongs to our Creator. He just let us borrow it for our stay here on the earth.

Leviticus 19:29 â€œDo not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.â€

â€œProstitute thy daughterâ€: Even the pagans of ancient Assyria at this time forbade such horrendous means of monetary gain.

In Thailand today, we hear that parents of little girls are selling them for a few hundred dollars into prostitution. This is to me, one of the most horrible abuses of children that there could be. The excuse that these people give for selling their little girls into prostitution is the poverty they live in. I am saying little girls, but our society has become so sin sick that this now includes young boys as well. This is not just in Thailand, it really is everywhere, even here in the United States perhaps but only on a smaller scale. The whole world is full of wickedness. Television and movies promote a lot of this. Now movies are parental guidance or X-rated or R-rated. Very few movies are being made that are classed as family movies. We must stop this degradation of our land. God will not look the other way forever.

Verses 30-37: Four new injunctions are added in this section: The children are cautioned:

All four have the refrain â€œI am the LORDâ€. Verse 37 summarizes the whole chapter.

Leviticus 19:30 â€œYe shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I the LORD.â€

By attending to the worship and service of God on Sabbath days. They and their children would be preserved from the idolatry of the Gentiles, and all the filthy practices attending it.

â€œAnd reverence my sanctuaryâ€: And not defile it by such impurities as were committed in the temples of idols. The sanctuary being a holy place, sacred to him whose name is holy and reverend. And where was the seat of his glorious Majesty, and therefore not to be defiled by fornication or idolatry. Or by doing anything in it unseemly and unbecoming (see notes on Mark 11:16).

â€œI am the Lordâ€: Who had appointed the observance of the Sabbath day, and dwelt in the sanctuary, and therefore expected that the one would be kept and the other reverenced, and neither of them polluted.

God has set aside one day in 7 to worship Him. So many people find a thousand and one other things to do to keep them away from Godâ€™s house on this earth. Every time you hear someone say, I could not come to church, because. You hear one of these excuses. I do not read exceptions in the Scripture above. Reverence in the sanctuary is almost a thing of the past. I hear people say that some of the things they are doing in the church is art. Art has its place, but its place is not in church. We should enter the sanctuary in a Spirit of worship. We should not eat or drink in the sanctuary. It should be quiet in the sanctuary. God is a holy God. We must conduct His services His way, not our way to entertain the people. The time in the sanctuary should be a time to fellowship with God. It should not be a time when we are entertained to please our flesh.

Leviticus 19:31 â€œRegard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I the LORD your God.â€

â€œFamiliar spiritsâ€: Mediums are humans who act as â€œgo-betweensâ€ to supposedly contact/communicate with the spirits of the dead, who are actually impersonated by demons (compare 20:6, 27).

There are 9 different Scriptures in the Bible where God came against those with familiar spirits and wizards. In many cases, they were driven out of the land. Nearly all of these Scriptures speak of these as being part of Satanic worship. These familiar spirits are like demons. They communicate evil. Wizards include people who get information and power from the devil, instead of from God.

Leviticus 19:32 â€œThou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I the LORD.â€

â€œRise â€¦ honorâ€: Showing respect for the older man acknowledges Godâ€™s blessing of long life and the wisdom that comes with it (compare Isa. 3:5).

The word hoary has to do with grey hair caused by old age. This is just saying that a person should have respect for those of old age. Knowledge through experience comes with old age. Many young people would do well to listen to the voice of experience. Fear thy God, has to do with showing great reverence for God.

Leviticus 19:33 â€œAnd if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him.â€

Ben Gersom, and others, understand this of a proselyte of righteousness, who was circumcised, and in all things conformed to the Jewish religion. But it may be interpreted of a proselyte of the gate, who was not an idolater, since he is described as one sojourning with them. And indeed, of any stranger, who for a time was providentially cast among them.

â€œYe shall not vex himâ€: With hard and grievous words, upbraiding him with his former ignorance and idolatry. And saying unto him, as Jarchi observes, yesterday thou was a worshipper of idols, and now thou comest to learn the law. Nor distress him by any means in business, or with law suits (see notes on Exodus 22:21).

Leviticus 19:34 â€œ the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I the LORD your God.â€

Especially if a proselyte of righteousness. For then he enjoyed the same privileges, civil and religious, the Israelites did. For there was one law for them both (Exodus 12:49).

â€œAnd thou shalt love him as thyselfâ€: And show it by doing all the good things for him they would have done for themselves in like circumstances.

â€œFor ye were strangers in the land of Egyptâ€: And therefore, knew what hardships such were exposed to. And it became them to put on bowels of compassion, and show pity to those in the same condition. And particularly consider, as Jarchi suggests, that they were idolaters there also. And therefore, ought not to upbraid strangers with their former idolatry.

â€œI am the Lord your Godâ€: Who showed kindness to them when strangers in Egypt, and had brought them out of that land. And therefore, ought to obey his commands, and particularly in this instance.

They should remember that just a short time before they were strangers in a foreign land. They should be nice to strangers. I can sympathize with you better if I have walked the same path as you.

Leviticus 19:35 â€œYe shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.â€

This is repeated from (Lev.19:15); in order to lead on to some other laws and instructions. Though Aben Ezra thinks this is said in connection with the preceding words, and in reference to the stranger, agreeably to (Deut. 1:16). But Jarchi refers it to what follows concerning weights and measures, and observes, that a measurer is a judge. And if he acts deceitfully, he perverts judgment, and does that which is detestable and abominable. And is the cause of the five following things said of a judge. He defiles the land, and profanes the name of God, and causes the Shekinah or divine Majesty to remove. Or causes Israel to fall by the sword, or carries them captive out of their land.

â€œIn meteyard, in weight, or in measureâ€: The first of these, according to Jarchi, signifies the measure of land, of fields, etc. And so likewise of anything that is measured. Not only by the rod or line, but by the yard or ell, as cloth and other things. Whether broad or narrow, that are measured in their length. And the second may respect the weight of all sorts of things that are weighed in scales, as money in former times, as well as various sorts of goods. And the last has respect to the measure of both dry and liquid things, by the bushel, peck, quart, pint, etc.

Meteyard means measurement. In other words, be honest when you measure, when you weigh anything, and fill the measuring cup to overflowing. The following is what Jesus said about this very thing.

Matthew 7:2 â€œFor with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.â€

Leviticus 19:36 â€œJust balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.â€

â€œephah â€¦ hinâ€: These dry and liquid measures respectively were equal approximately to 4 to 6 gallons and 6 to 8 pints.

The term rendered honest in Hebrew is the principal term for â€œrighteousnessâ€. The laws concerning â€œjust balancesâ€ and â€œweightsâ€ are important both for fairness in commerce and for understanding an important biblical concept. Scales and weights that were â€œrighteousâ€ conformed to a standard that satisfied the Lordâ€™s demands.

For many people the only way they know God is by Christians they do business with. Christians should not be like the rest of the world, cheating to get ahead. Everything we do should show that we are trying to be like Jesus our Savior. The best sermon any of us can give is the life we live in front of others. Remember, Egypt is a type of the world. He says here, I have brought you out of the world, live like my followers.

Leviticus 19:37 â€œTherefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I the LORD.â€

Delivered in this and the preceding chapters, and elsewhere. Whether ceremonial or judicial, or moral, as there were of each, which had been delivered to them. And which are all comprehended in these two words, â€œstatutesâ€, or ordinances. Which were the determinations of his sovereign will, and of mere positive institution. And â€œjudgmentsâ€, which were such laws as respected their civil or religious conduct, formed according to the rules of justice and equity. â€œAllâ€ and every one of which were to be â€œobservedâ€, taken notice of, and regarded, in order to be put in practice, as follows.

â€œAnd do themâ€: Act according to them, in civil, moral, and religious life.

â€œI am the Lordâ€: Who enjoined all these things, and had a right to do so. And expected obedience to them, which it was right that they should give.

We notice from this that, God wants us to have a totally different life style than the world. A short way to say this, that He said in another Scripture, is (Be ye holy for I am holy).

1. The fruit of trees is counted as uncircumcised for how many years after planting?

9. Name some of the things that we should not do that are classified as observing times.

13. What false prophets, in the Old Testament, cut themselves trying to get their false god to answer them?

17. What does the author think is the cause of some of the moral failure in our country?

26. Why is it important for Christians to have just weights, measures, and to give full portions in their dealings with others?

Leviticus Chapter 20

Verses 1-27: Here capital and other grave crimes are discussed. Many of the same issues from Chapters 18 and 19 are elaborated, with the emphasis on the penalty paid for the violation. This chapter deals with holiness in worship (verses 1-8, 27), and holiness in family relations (verses 9-26).

The laws in earlier chapters (specifically chapters 18 and 19), addressed would be offenders and specific actions, but the ones in this chapter address the entire community and give specific punishments for certain crimes, most of which receive "death" (Exodus 21:12-17). These harsh penalties were essential to prevent sin from infecting God's people.

Leviticus 20:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

After he had delivered the above laws to him in the preceding chapter, he added penalties, to many of them. Or declared what punishment should be inflicted on the transgressors of them.

"Saying": As follows.

Verses 2-8, 27: The death penalty was prescribed for those who fell into Molech worship, which was forbidden (in 18:21). Death by stoning was also required for goring oxen (Exodus 21:28-31), necromancers (verse 27), blasphemers (24:16; 1 Kings 21:10-13), Sabbath breakers (Num. 15:35-36), idolaters (Deut. 13:10; 17:5), intransigent children (Deut. 21:21), and adulterous brides (Deut. 22:21, 24). Turning to "familiar spirits" and "wizards" would incur similar judgment. God's people were to "sanctify" themselves (set themselves apart from the world), and "be ... holy", because He was the One "sanctifying them".

Leviticus 20:2 "Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever [he be] of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth [any] of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones."

"Giveth any of his seed unto Molech": Molech, the Ammonite god of the people surrounding Israel, required human (especially child), sacrifice (see note on 18:21).

Molech had been mentioned in a previous lesson. Molech is a false god. To worship Molech, or allow your children to worship this false god, is committing spiritual adultery. This crime is punishable by death. This should be a public killing, and the method would be stoning. All the people were to stone him, to show that all the congregation disapproves of this crime against God.

Leviticus 20:3 "And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name."

To worship false gods, was a very grievous sin before God. The very first of the 10 commandments says,

Exodus 20:3 "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

Jesus said the most important commandment was to love God.

Mark 12:30 "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment."

To worship a false god, is to commit spiritual adultery. In the next Scripture, you will see that all believers in Christ must be chaste virgins in the spirit.

2 Corinthians 11:2 "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present [you as] a chaste virgin to Christ."

Those who follow other gods are not chaste virgins in God's sight. In the following Scripture, we will see what God requires of the church (all who believe in Christ).

Ephesians 5:27 "That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

The only way we can do this is to stay faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Leviticus 20:4 "And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not:"

That is, the people of the house of Israel, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan. If the friends, relations, and neighbors of such a man, though they know what he is about to do, or has done, yet they shut their eyes willfully, or look another way. Or, however, wink and connive at his wickedness, and will not discover him, and bear witness against him. Or if a court of judicature, before whom he comes, does not take the evidence of his crime, nor condemn for it. Or are negligent in punishing him as the law directs, a gift having blinded their eyes, or they careless and remiss in their duty.

"When he giveth his seed unto Molech": A crime so heinous and abominable.

"And kill him not": Do not bring witness against him, so as that he may be put to death. Or do not upon the evidence given, condemn him to death. Or do not take care to have sentence executed, by stoning him to death.

Verses 5-6: "Cut him off": This means to kill. It is synonymous with "put to death" (in verse 9).

Leviticus 20:5 "Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people."

That man that sees him do the fact, and winks at it, or the judge that connives at him, and will not condemn him, as well as the man that has committed the iniquity.

"And against his family": Either the family of the witness, who could and should have testified against him, or of the judge negligent of his office, or of the man himself, whose family must be privy to so shocking an action, and were abettors of it, and aiders and assisters in it. And so Onkelos renders it, "and his helpers".

"And will cut him off": The head of the family, whether judge, witness, or the criminal himself.

"And all that go a whoring after him": That commit the like idolatry after his example, and encouraged to it by the connivance of others at it. Speaking figuratively of spiritual idolatry.

"To commit whoredom with Molech": That is, idolatry, which is spiritual whoredom, and often so called in Scripture, and with great propriety. For since God had espoused these people to himself, and was their husband, as he was from the time of his bringing them out of Egypt, and making a covenant with them (Jer. 31:32). And their sacrificing to and serving other gods being a breach of their matrimonial covenant with him, it was no other than whoredom in a spiritual sense, for which he threatens to cut them off.

"From among their people": By an immature death, even all that were guilty of such abominable actions, or made themselves accessory to them, by any ways conniving at them, either as judges or witnesses.

Notice the word whoredom in the verse above. You can easily see, as we said in the verse above, that to worship a false god, whether Molech or any other, is to commit spiritual adultery. We are the bride of Christ, to follow after any other would be spiritual adultery. This is so serious, that to know of someone committing spiritual adultery and not reporting it is a serious crime as well. Perhaps one reason this is so is because, if you do not report it, you would be saying it is alright. In the Old Testament, the father was the agent for the whole family. We can see that to neglect reporting this, would be as if he were telling his family and the world, that it was ok to commit this sin. This would make him an accessory to the sin.

Leviticus 20:6 "And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people."

The Lord strictly forbad occult practices (19:31), and consistently condemned "familiar spirits" (20:27), commanding the death penalty for those who consult them. Trafficking with Satan in any form is dangerous.

"Familiar spirits ... wizards" (see note on 19:31). "Spiritists" refers to demons (compare 20:27).

We will find that the first king of the Israelites (Saul), had this very thing happen to him when he disobeyed God and sought help from those with evil spirits. We have gone into this in a previous lesson. I will touch one more time, on who these are. Palm readers, witches and warlocks, hypnotists, and those who tell fortunes. This also includes all sorts of mind control believers. All of these things are very dangerous to get involved in. So many people today innocently get involved with some of the above and with horoscopes as well. We should not seek answers to life's problems from anyone but God.

Verses 7-8: "The Lord which sanctify you" is a translation of a divine title that means "Yahweh Who Makes You Holy". While the people had to "sanctify" themselves and keep God's "statutes", God was the One who ultimately sanctified them. The process of any believer being conformed into His image is a cooperative process: His people participate in the work, but only God accomplishes it.

Leviticus 20:7 "Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I [am] the LORD your God."

By abstaining from such impious and idolatrous practices, and separating themselves from all that gave into them, as well as by observing the holy commandments of the Lord. Otherwise internal sanctification is not the work of man, but of the Lord himself (as in Lev. 20:8).

"And be ye holy": Or a separate people from all others in worship and conversation.

"For I am the Lord your God": Who is a holy God, and therefore it became them to be holy, in imitation of him (Lev. 19:2).

Sanctify means to cleanse. We are to cleanse ourselves of worldly things and follow the living God. God is the answer to all of life's problems. Be ye holy, means that we must walk in our salvation after we receive it. Notice (I Am), the LORD, and God in the verse above. We are to be holy, because He is holy. This does not mean that we might unknowingly sin sometime, it does mean that the desire of our heart is to live perfectly before God.

Leviticus 20:8 "And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I [am] the LORD which sanctify you."

Not only those respecting the above things, but all others, which would be a means of preserving them from sin, and of promoting holiness in their lives and conversations.

"I am the Lord which sanctify you": Who had separated and distinguished them from all other people on earth, and who had given them holy laws, as the means of holiness. And who only could and did sanctify internally, by his Spirit and grace, such or them as were sanctified in heart, as well as outwardly.

This at first glance, looks like it is the same as the one above. Notice here who makes us in right standing with God. God Himself sets us aside to follow him (sanctify).

Verses 9-10: The Ten Commandments required children to honor their parents and prohibited "adultery" (Exodus 20:12, 14). The penalty for violating either commandment was death (20:10; Exodus 21:17). God's laws show how seriously He takes marriage and family.

Leviticus 20:9 "For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood [shall be] upon him."

"Cursed his father or his mother" (quoting this verse and Exodus 20:12). Jesus stresses the spirit as well as the letter of honoring one's parents, by exposing the practice of claiming that what children might provide for elderly parents could instead be donated as a gift to someone else or an institution, such as the temple (see Matt. 15:1-6). This made the word of God of none effect through human tradition or practices.

Doing the very opposite of the command to honor or to revere (compare 19:3), had fatal consequences (see Mark 7:10), where Jesus referred to this text.

The only thing that I can see in this is that a child's very existence is because of their father and mother. We are also taught to show great respect for our parents. They are in authority over us until we are grown. We must honor them all our lives. They two are what we are. Many of our traits come from our parents. Next to God, our parents love us more than anyone. They want to see us do well.

Verses 10-20: Here are the punishments for violating the prohibitions of sexual sins detailed (in 18:1-30; see Deut. 22:13-30).

Leviticus 20:10 "And the man that committeth adultery with [another] man's wife, [even he] that committeth adultery with his neighbor's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death."

Which is a breach of the seventh command (Exodus 20:14).

"Even he that committeth adultery with his neighbor's wife": Which is only an explanation of the former clause; though the Jewish writers, as Jarchi and Ben Gersom, say this is so expressed to except the wife of a stranger, or a Gentile. But it means whether a Gentile or an Israelite. And which may be confirmed by the instance of Phinehas slaying a prince of Israel, that lay with a Midianite woman (Num. 25:6).

"The adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death": On account of her that is espoused, by strangling, with a hard napkin within a soft one. And on account of her that is married, by casting stones. Even both the adulterer and adulteress, as the Targum. And the Jews say, strangling was thus performed. They that were strangled were fixed up to their knees in dung, and then they put a hard napkin within a soft one. And rolled it about his neck, and one drew it to him this way, and another drew it to him that way, until he expired. And there is no unlawful copulation punished with strangling, according to Maimonides, but lying with another man's wife. And who observes, that the death which is spoken of in the law absolutely, that is, without specifying any kind of death, is strangling. But stoning seems rather meant, agreeably to (Deut. 22:24).

Adultery involves the flesh. It is a very bad sin, especially for a believer in Christ, because the Spirit of God dwells within us. Then a Christian who committed adultery would include the Holy Spirit in their sin. You can easily see how bad this sin is. Spiritual and physical adultery were both punishable by death. If the woman was not a willing participant, then she was not killed. This death was by stoning, showing the utter contempt of those who commit such sin.

Leviticus 20:11 "And the man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall be] upon them."

Whether she be his mother, or another woman, as the Targum of Jonathan. That is, whether she is his own mother, or a stepmother, or whether he did this in the lifetime of his father, or after his death. Or whether she was betrothed or married, it mattered not. According to the Jewish tradition, this is a breach of the law (Lev. 18:8); and a man guilty of this.

"Hath uncovered his father's nakedness": And which is a foul and shameful piece of wickedness. The penalty follows.

"Both of them shall be put to death": By casting stones on them, as the Targum of Jonathan adds. For, as before observed, wherever the following phrase.

"Their blood shall be upon them": Stoning is meant; and so, according to the Misnah, all those were to be stoned, after mentioned, of whom this phrase is used.

Genesis 35:22 "And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard [it]. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:"

1 Chronicles 5:1 "Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he [was] the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright."

We find in these two Scriptures the horrible consequences of sleeping with your father's wife. This with Reuben happened before the law was given, or they would have been stoned to death. Even though there was no law, conscience should have told them that this was wrong. The father's wife belongs to him alone. The son that would do such a thing would be sinning against himself, against God, against the wife, and against his father.

Leviticus 20:12 "And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood [shall be] upon them."

His son's wife, whether in the lifetime of his son, or after his death, or whether she was espoused or married, according to the above tradition.

"Both of them shall surely be put to death": It being a breach of the law in (Lev. 18:15); and this is the penalty annexed to it, even death.

"They have wrought confusion": Have been guilty of a shocking and shameful mixture, as Jarchi and Ben Gersom. As well as confounded the degrees of relation and affinity.

"Their blood shall be upon them": It being a capital crime, their, blood shall be shed for it. They shall be found guilty of death by stoning, as the Targum of Jonathan.

In a previous lesson, we got into the moral wrong in this. Now we see that this is so bad that it is punishable by death. In (chapter 38 of Genesis), we see this terrible act in Judah and Tamar. Read and see the outcome. This would be a sin against God and your son.

Leviticus 20:13 "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall be] upon them."

Is guilty of the sin of sodomy, this is a breach of the law in (Lev. 18:22).

"Both of them have committed an abomination": He that lies, and he that is lain with, both consenting to perpetrate the abominable wickedness. Which may well be called an abomination, being contrary to nature, and more than brutish. For nothing of that kind is to be found among brutes.

"They shall surely be put to death": If he that is lain with is not forced, as Aben Ezra observes.

"Their blood shall be upon them": Be slain by stoning, as the above Targum.

Abomination in the verse above, means disgusting. This is more than just a sin. Homosexual activity is so disgusting to God, that it is the one sin where God turns them over to a reprobate mind.

Romans 1:27-28 "And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet." "And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;"

Homosexuality is not an alternate life style; it is a disgusting sin unto God. They were not just put to death, but their blood was upon themselves for such a disgusting sin.

How can we view this so lightly today? GOD NEVER CHANGES.

Leviticus Chapter 20 Questions

1. What awful false god is mentioned in verse 2?

2. What was the punishment for giving your children to this false god?

3. Was this punishment just for Israelites who committed this sin?

4. What is worshipping a false god really?

5. Why was everyone to stone them?

6. Which of the ten commandments covers false gods?

7. What did Jesus say was the first commandment?

8. What must all believers in Christ be?

9. What is meant by this statement?

10. Whose bride are the Christians?

11. What happens to those who refuse to kill someone who has been worshipping Molech?

12. What one word, in verse 5, tells us this is spiritual adultery?

13. In verse 6, who does God set His face against?

14. Who was the first king of Israel?

15. What terrible sin did he commit?

16. What are some modern practices that are covered in familiar spirits?

17. Why did God say "sanctify yourselves"?

18. Who sanctifies us?

19. What shall surely happen to anyone who curses mother or father?

20. What is the punishment for those who commit adultery with another man's wife?

21. Why is it worse for a Christian to commit adultery?

22. What did the stoning death show the world?

23. What happened to Reuben, when he slept with his father's concubine?

24. Why was Reuben not killed for this sin?

25. Someone who slept with his father's wife would be sinning against whom?

26. Who were the two in Genesis 38, where the father slept with his daughter-in-law?

27. What was the usual punishment for this sin?

28. What one word does God call the sin of homosexuality?

29. In this particular verse, what does abomination mean?

30. God turns those who commit this sin over to a _____________ _______.

31. Is homosexuality, an alternate life style?

32. How can we view this so lightly today?

Leviticus Chapter 20 Continued

Leviticus 20:14 "And if a man take a wife and her mother, it [is] wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you."

Marry both the one and the other, or commit uncleanness with them, they consenting to it.

"It is wickedness": Abominable wickedness, shocking and detestable. There are other things, which also are wicked and not to be done, but this is extremely wicked, wickedness to a high degree.

"They shall be burnt with fire, both he and they": The man, the mother and her daughter both being married together to him, or both consenting to his lying with them. Otherwise, if one of them was first his wife, it was not reasonable that she should be put to death. And therefore some interpret "they", one of them, as Jarchi observes, one or other of them. And so Aben Ezra explains it, this or that. If the mother was his wife, the daughter was to be burnt. And so on the contrary, if the daughter was his wife, the mother was to be burnt. According to the Targum of Jonathan, they were to be burnt by pouring lead into their mouths. And so the manner of burning is described in the Misnah. They that are to be burnt are fixed in dung up to their knees, then they put a hard napkin within a soft one, and roll it about the neck. One draws it one way, and another draws it another way, until he opens his mouth. Then they take hot melted lead, and pour it into his mouth, which goes down into his bowels and burns them.

"That there be no wickedness among you": Of such kind, continued, countenanced, and pass unpunished. This punishment was to be inflicted, to deter persons from it. The law against it is in (Lev. 18:17).

In all of these verses (in chapter 20), we have already dealt with the fact that these are very serious sins. This is a list of the punishments that should be carried out for each sin. I don't believe that the method of killing these people, that verse 14 deals with, is to burn them at the stake. They were probably stoned to death and then their dead bodies were burned. Not only does God deal with the sin and its punishment, but He also tells us why the punishment is so harsh. It is very important to God, as we mentioned in the last lesson, to have a holy people. This is a sin of the flesh. Worldly people sometimes are involved in this type sin. God wants His people to be overcomers of the world. Someone who pretended to be a follower of God, and was involved in this type sin, would have to be destroyed to keep this sin from spreading through the congregation.

Leviticus 20:15 "And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast."

A sin quite unnatural, exceeding shocking and detestable and forbidden (Lev. 18:23).

"He shall surely be put to death": By stoning, as the Targum of Jonathan adds. And this is the death such are condemned to in the Misnah.

"And ye shall slay the beast": With clubs, as says the Targum of Jonathan. The reasons given in the Misnah, why the beast was to be slain, are, because ruin came to the man by means of it, and that it might not be said, as it passed along the streets, that is the beast for which such a one was stoned. Aben Ezra says it was to be slain, that it might not cause others to sin.

This is called bestiality. Many satanic cults practice this very thing today. This is a very serious sin. God made man above the animals, to rule over them. Man was made in the image of God. What a terrible blow to God, for a person to lower themselves to this type sin. Animals do not have a soul. For a man to do such an awful sin, would be to say that he regarded his soul as nothing. Even I can agree with the punishment of death.

Leviticus 20:16 "And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall be] upon them."

In order that the beast may lie with her, and solicit it to commit such an action with her (see Lev. 18:23).

"Thou shall kill the woman and the beast": The woman by stoning, and the beast with clubs, as the Targum of Jonathan. And this for the same reasons as before, as well as to prevent monstrous births.

"They shall surely be put to death": Both the one and the other, and not spared.

"Their blood shall be upon them": They are guilty of a capital crime, a crime which deserves death. This must be understood of the man that lies with a beast, and of the woman. For as for the beast itself, as it is not capable of sinning, so not of guilt, in a proper sense.

This is the very same sin as the one (in verse 15 above). The only difference is the fact that this is a woman committing this sin. What a horrible sin. You can easily see why God would never allow this type of union. The only answer is death for both, and the second death awaits the woman involved here.

Leviticus 20:17 "And if a man shall take his sister, his father's daughter, or his mother's daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it [is] a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister's nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity."

"Incest was condemned, and offenders were to be "cut off in the sight of their people". The fact that David did not properly punish his son Amnon for raping David's daughter Tamar caused severe consequences later (2 Sam. chapters 13-15).

This is speaking of indecent exposure. It does not appear that they have actually been involved in the sex act, but it is certainly against all Christian principles. Ham got into a great deal of trouble by looking at the naked body of his father.

Genesis 9:22-9:25 "And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without." "And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid [it] upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces [were] backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness." "And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him." "And he said, Cursed [be] Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren."

You can easily see the seriousness of this type of sin. God's people must have high morals. He will not permit low morality among His people.

Leviticus 20:18 "And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people."

Her monthly courses, which make her weak and languid, which is forbidden (Lev. 18:19). This is not to be understood of a man's lying with his wife ignorantly, when in such a condition, for this being the case, he was only unclean seven days (Lev. 15:24). Whereas this made him and her liable to cutting off, as in an after clause. But of his lying with her, knowing this to be the case with her, and of which she could not be ignorant, and therefore both liable to the same punishment. Or else of any other man lying with her, or of any man lying with any woman, married or unmarried, being in such circumstances.

"And shall uncover her nakedness": That is, have carnal knowledge of her.

"He hath discovered her fountain": From whence her issue of blood flows. And she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood; freely and willingly, as Aben Ezra observes. For if she had been forced, he alone would have been cut off. But both these phrases put together show agreement in this matter, that they both had knowledge of her case, and both consented to commit the sin.

"And both of them shall be cut off from among their people": By death, either by the hand of the civil magistrate, the case being known and proved, or else by the hand of God being known by mortality or the pestilence, as the Targum of Jonathan. Or they should die childless (see notes on Lev. 20:17).

We covered this in a previous lesson on the woman with the issue of blood. A woman's normal monthly cycle at the most will usually be for 7 days. This was the time regarded as her time of uncleanness. The only difference we see here, is the punishment for this sin. The punishment would be that they would be cut off from their people.

Leviticus 20:19 "And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister, nor of thy father's sister: for he uncovereth his near kin: they shall bear their iniquity."

An aunt either by mother or father's side, against which the law is (Lev. 18:13).

"For he uncovereth his near kin": As an aunt is to a man, and so an uncle to a woman, and both equally criminal. For it is a rule that holds good in all those cases, though not expressed, that what is binding upon one sex is upon the other, being in the same degree of relation, whether of consanguinity or affinity.

"They shall bear their iniquity": Both" of them, as the Vulgate Latin version, the man and his aunt, and so a woman and her uncle.

"The guilt of their sin shall be upon them, and the punishment of it be inflicted on them": Either they should be cut off from their people, as before, or be childless, as in the following instances.

This too was dealt with as a serious sin in a previous lesson. We see from this that guilt and a conscience bothering them would be the major punishment.

Leviticus 20:20 "And if a man shall lie with his uncle's wife, he hath uncovered his uncle's nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless."

His uncle being dead, and he marry her, which is forbidden (Lev. 18:14).

"He hath uncovered his uncle's nakedness": His wife's, which was his, and therefore the kindred too near for a man to marry in, and such a copulation must be incestuous.

"They shall bear their sin": Both" of them, as the Vulgate Latin, as before (Lev. 20:19). The punishment of it, as follows.

"They shall be childless": Which Jarchi and other Jewish writers interpret, if they had any children at this time, that is, by a former marriage, they should die and be buried before them. Which was reckoned a great punishment (see Jer. 22:30).

For a Hebrew, to be childless was thought of punishment from God in all instances. It was, in fact, considered a disgrace. Children were considered a blessing from God. To be childless then, would be a painful punishment.

Leviticus 20:21 "And if a man shall take his brother's wife, it [is] an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless."

To his wife, whether in his life, as the Targum of Jonathan adds, or whether after his death, unless when there is no issue, then he was obliged to it by another law (Deut. 25:5). Which is now ceased, and the law in (Lev. 18:16); here referred to, stands clear of all exceptions.

"It is an unclean thing": Or a "separation" from which a man should remove and keep at a distance, as from menstruous women, of whom this word is used. And so denotes that it is by all means to be avoided, as an abominable and detestable thing. And it is observed that of all copulations it is only used of this. And the Jewish writers, as Aben Ezra and others, observe that this case is somewhat like that of a menstruous woman, who in the time of her separation is unlawful, but when out of it lawful. And so, in this case, a brother's wife might not be taken, he being alive. But after his death she might, if she had no son, according to the law before referred to, but that is now abolished.

"He hath uncovered his brother's nakedness": His wife's, which was his brother's; which through nearness of kin, he ought not to have done. And the same holds good of a wife's sister, the relation being the same.

"They shall be childless": They shall have none by such a marriage or copulation, and die without any. And as this supposes the brother's wife to have children by her first husband, or otherwise while the Jewish law lasted, it would not have been unlawful to marry her husband's brother. The meaning may be, that these should die before them, or rather, as some think, those that might be born of such a marriage should not be reckoned legitimate, and so not inherit.

In the case of the brother's death, we will find that the brother is to take his wife and raise a son in his brother's name. That is possibly, what this means here. If the brother is living, however, then the man and his brother's wife would be childless as punishment for the sin.

Verses 22-26: Verses (22-24 are similar to 18:24-30). The command to distinguish between the clean and the unclean indicates that God had separated Israel from the people; a holy God must have a holy people.

Leviticus 20:22 "Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spew you not out."

"Spew you not out": God told Israel repeatedly that remaining in the land required obedience to the Mosaic Covenant (compare 18:25, 28).

Leviticus 20:23 "And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them."

Nation seems to be put for nations, for there were seven nations cast out for them. Though the Canaanites may be intended, being a general name for the whole. Some think the Amorites are meant, who were a principal nation, and notorious for their wickedness. Hence we often meet with this phrase in Jewish writings, "the way of the Amorites", as being exceeding bad, and so to be avoided, and by no means to be walked in (Gen. 15:16).

"For they committed all these things": Were guilty of all the idolatries, incest, and uncleanness before mentioned, and forbid under severe penalties.

"And therefore I abhorred them": The sins committed by them, being so abominable and detestable: their persons, though the creatures of God, were had in abhorrence by him. And this he showed by casting them out of the land. And hereby it is suggested, that, should they, the Israelites, be guilty of the like, they also would be rejected and abhorred by him. The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan are, "my Word abhorred them," Christ, the eternal Word (Psalm 45:7).

God is reminding these Hebrews (children of Israel), that He is bringing them into a land that is already inhabited. The only reason God is allowing these Hebrews to overcome and utterly destroy the people before them, is because the people before them are worldly people who are so disgusting to God (abhorred). The people in the land had been given a time to repent, and they did not repent. Now they will be destroyed and the land given to these Hebrews (Israelites). The Israelites must obey God and live godly lives, or they themselves will be destroyed, and God will give their inheritance unto another who will obey.

Leviticus 20:24 "But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I [am] the LORD your God, which have separated you from [other] people."

Promised it unto them, as he had to their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and also to them. Or he had said the above things unto them, that they, observing them, might possess the land of Canaan, and continue therein. Which is the sense of the Targum of Jonathan: The Jews say, that the right of inheritance belonged to them, from Shem the son of Noah, whose portion it was, and which they gather from Melchizedek being king of Salem, whom they take to be Shem. And they say, the Canaanites only dwelt in it to make it better, till they should come and inherit it.

"And I will give it unto you to possess it": In whose gift it was, and who had a right to dispose of it. And could give them a good title to it, and secure them in the possession of it.

"A land that floweth with milk and honey": Abounding with all good things, with all the comforts of life, with everything both for necessity and delight (see Exodus 3:8).

"I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people": Had chosen them above all people, to be a special and peculiar people to him. Had distinguished them by his favors, and had given them particular laws and ordinances, to observe and walk according to them, different from all other nations, which it became them carefully to regard.

God has always wanted a people who would be totally devoted to Him. The land promised to these Israelites would be a land that was abundant in the necessities. The promise was a land of milk and honey. God even promises the Christians wonderful things, if we seek Him first.

Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Those who follow God are to be a separated people. We are not to be like the rest of the world.

Galatians 5:16 "[This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh."

God's people are in the world, but are not of the world. We will see, in the next few verses, how we must conduct ourselves toward the world.

1 John 2:15-16 "Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." "For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."

Leviticus 20:25 "Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean."

The ten clean ones, as Aben Ezra observes. And all the rest that are unclean, according to the law before given (Lev. 11:3). By using the one for food, and not the other. And so the Targum of Jonathan, ye shall separate between the beast which is fit for food, and that which is not fit for food.

"And between unclean fowls and clean": And which the same Targum interprets, what is unfit to eat and what is fit, even all that are particularly mentioned as unclean, and not fit for food (in Lev. 11:13). And all the rest not excepted to as clean and fit for food, which was one way and means God made use of, to separate them from other nations, and so preserve them from their idolatrous and evil works.

"And ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground. That is, by eating them, contrary to the command of God, which would make them abominable in his sight (see Lev. 11:43). Every sin or transgression of this law being so to him.

"Which I have separated from you as unclean": Which by law he had commanded them to abstain from the use of, as unclean, and not fit to be eaten.

This physical house of Israel is to be a separated people. They are to observe the laws of God, every one. We will find a very similar request of the spiritual house of Israel (Christians), in the following verse.

1 Peter 2:9 "But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:"

As I have said so many times before, it would be of no use to study Leviticus, unless the Christians could find Jesus and themselves in it. They were to obey these laws and ordinances that were written down. We Christians are to be obedient to the high calling of Jesus Christ. We, too, must walk holy before our LORD.

Leviticus 20:26 "And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD [am] holy, and have severed you from [other] people, that ye should be mine."

Separated from all unclean persons and things, and devoted to his service, and obedient to all his commands. And so live holy lives and conversations, according to his will, and to his honor and glory.

"For I the Lord am holy": And therefore they, his people, should be like him, and imitate him. And observe those things which are agreeable to his holy nature and will, and yield a cheerful obedience to his holy precepts.

"And have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine": Which is a very forcible argument. A strong motive, and which laid them under great obligation to obedience and holiness.

How wonderful to be called His. The LORD JESUS CHRIST has chosen us Christians out to be His bride. Will you be like the five wise virgins, or will you be among the five virgins who let the oil run out of their lamp? It is enough to know that He is coming again to make us His bride. Do not give up so near the goal. We sing a song that says: "We'll work till Jesus comes". Will you be found working? Or will you be like so many who have tired of waiting, and have begun to sleep?

Leviticus 20:27 "A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood [shall be] upon them."

Or the spirit of Python or divination (see Lev. 19:31). Such as the damsel had (in Acts 16:16). A woman is here particularly mentioned, though before included in the above law. Because, as Aben Ezra says, such sort of practices was more frequently committed by women. To which Maimonides adds another reason, because men have a natural clemency towards the female sex, and are not easily prevailed upon to put them to death. Therefore, the law says, "thou shall not suffer a witch to live" (Exodus 22:18).

"Or that is a wizard": A knowing one, who pretends to a great deal of knowledge of things. As of lost or stolen goods, and even knowledge of things future, and imposes upon persons, and cheats them of their money they give for information. Such:

"Shall surely be put to death": And not spared through favor and affection. The death they are to be put to follows.

"They shall stone them with stones": Until they are dead. Of the manner of stoning (see notes on Acts 7:58).

"Their blood shall be upon them": They are worthy of death, and they shall suffer it. This phrase following upon the former, the Jews gather from hence, that, wherever it is used, it is to be understood of stoning (see notes on Lev. 20:9).

This is so serious that it is mentioned over and over. Witches and warlocks are very prevalent in our society today. How sad that most of us just look the other way and allow this to go on. We mentioned earlier how Saul (the first king of Israel), was dethroned by God for consulting someone with a familiar spirit. We cannot stress enough, do not go to palm readers, do not read your horoscope, do not practice any type of mind control. Stay away from wizards. Do not seek help in anything connected with these evils. God is the answer to all your problems. You will find help by reading His Word.

Leviticus Chapter 20 Continued Questions

1. What is the sin called, if a man takes a wife and her mother?

2. What is the punishment for each of the people involved in this sin?

3. What does the author believe is the method used to carry out this punishment?

4. Not only does God deal with the sin and with the punishment, but He tells us what?

5. God wants His people to be _____________ of the world.

6. If a man lie with a beast, He shall surely be put to _________.

7. What is this type of sin called?

8. Man was made in the ________ of God.

9. If a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down there to, what shall be done to the woman and the beast?

10. What was the punishment for a man seeing the nakedness of his sister?

11. What would be the way of saying this in modern language?

12. Which one of Noah's sons got into trouble by seeing his father's nakedness?

13. What happened to this son, because of this sin against his father?

14. How many days was a woman considered unclean each month?

15. What was the punishment for uncovering the nakedness of an aunt?

16. How did Hebrews feel about being childless?

17. When was it alright to marry your brother's wife?

18. What was the punishment for taking a brother's wife, while the brother was living?

19. Why were they to keep all of God's statutes and judgements?

20. Why had God abhorred the nations that would be driven out before the Hebrews?

21. What does abhorred mean?

22. If the Israelites do not obey God, what will happen to them?

23. What was the Promised Land to be flowing with?

24. Walk in the ________ and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

25. Love not the ________.

26. What three things mentioned in 1 John 16:2, are of the world?

27. The physical house of Israel was to be what?

28. What does 1 Peter 2:9 say the Christians are?

29. What does God say we must be in verse 26?

30. Who is the bride of Christ?

31. A _____ or a _________ that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death.

32. How is the only way to get solutions to our problems?

Leviticus Chapter 21

Leviticus 21:1 "And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people:"

"Defiled": Coming into contact with a corpse (Num. 19:11), or being in the same room with one (Num. 19:14), made one unclean. The exceptions were the dead from the priest's own family (verses 2-4).

In this chapter, we will see that the priests and high priest were not as other men. They were set aside for God's work. The ministry had to come first above everything. The defilement in this Scripture, is a defilement that is only connected to the priesthood. I say one more time, this is not for the entire congregation, but for the priesthood. The message is given to Moses by the LORD, and was to be given to the priests by Moses. The defilement was handling a dead body, or mourning for the dead.

Leviticus 21:2 "But for his kin, that is near unto him, [that is], for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother,"

For such he might be defiled and mourn, or be where they were, and take care of, and attend their funerals. This clause some take to be general, of which the particulars follow, as Aben Ezra. But others take it to be the first particular excepted, and instanced in, and intends his wife. For it may be rendered, as by some, "for his flesh", or "the rest of him", the other part of himself, his wife, which is his other self, and one flesh with him. And so Jarchi and others observe, there is no flesh of his, but his wife. And if she is not intended here, she is not expressed elsewhere, though must be supposed, because it is allowed the priest to defile himself for other relations not so near. And it is plain from the case of Ezekiel, that a priest might mourn for his wife (Ezek. 24:15). He being forbid it, shows his case to be an extraordinary one, and that ordinarily it was admitted. Otherwise there would have been no need of a particular prohibition of him.

"That is, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and his brother": R. Alphes adds, "and his wife". These being all near relations, and for whom natural affection would lead and oblige him to mourn, and show a concern for their death, and to take care of their funeral. This is to be understood of common priests; for as for the high priest, he might not mourn, or be concerned for either of these.

Leviticus 21:3 "And for his sister a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband; for her may he be defiled."

That is, his sister by both father's and mother's side, as Aben Ezra. Though, according to Gersom, his sister by his father's side, and not by his mother's side, is meant. But, according to Alphes, by his mother's side. Perhaps this may signify not nearness of kin, which is expressed by being his sister, but nearness of place, for, being unmarried, she remained unto her death in her father's house.

"Which hath had no husband": Neither betrothed to one, for then she would have been nigh to her husband, and not her brother. And therefore he might not pollute himself for her, as Gersom observes; nor married to him. For such a one he might not defile himself, even though she might have been rejected or divorced by her husband, as the same writer says.

"For her may he be defiled": For a pure virgin that had never been betrothed nor married to a man, and had never departed from her father's house. And so, had no husband to mourn for her, and take care of her funeral, and so for all the rest before mentioned. And which Jarchi says is a command, and not a bare sufferance or allowance, but what he ought and was obliged to do. And so it is related of Joseph, a priest, that his wife died in the evening of the Sabbath, and he would not defile himself for her. And his brethren the priests obliged him, and made him defile himself against his will.

We see in this, an exception for very close members of the family. The priests should not do this for servants or friends, but was allowed to mourn for very close members of the family. In the case of Aaron's two sons who brought strange fire into the temple, Aaron was not allowed to mourn or even remove their bodies from the tabernacle. They had angered God, and God had justly killed them. In most cases however, when a close relative died, the priests could mourn their death.

Leviticus 21:4 "[But] he shall not defile himself, [being] a chief man among his people, to profane himself."

Which is not to be understood of any lord or nobleman or any chief ruler or governor of the people. For the context speaks only of priests, and not of other personages. Besides, such might defile themselves, or mourn for their dead, as Abraham did for Sarah. Nor of any husband for his wife, for even a priest, as has been observed, might do this for his wife, and much more a private person. Nor is there any need to restrain it, as some Jewish writers do, to an adulterous wife, which a husband might not mourn for, though he might for his right and lawful wife. But there is nothing in the text, neither of a husband, nor a wife. The words are to be interpreted of a priest, and either of him as considered as a person of eminence, consequence, and importance, and sons giving a reason why he should not defile himself for the dead. Because he was a principal person among his people to officiate for them in sacred things. Wherefore if he did not take care that he was not defiled for the dead, which might often happen. He would be frequently hindered from doing his office for the people, which would be attended with ill consequence to them. And therefore the above cases are only excepted, as being such that rarely happened. Or rather the words are to be considered as a prohibition of defiling himself "for any chief", or principal man, lord, ruler, or governor, among his people. Even for such a one he was not to defile himself, being no relation of his.

"To profane himself": Make himself unfit for sacred service, or make himself a common person. Put himself upon a level with a common private man, and be no more capable of serving at the altar, or doing any part of the work off priest, than such a one.

Verses 5-6: God people are not supposed to "sorrow as others who have no hope" (1 Thess. 4:13); even the believer's grief should glorify God. Thus, the priests must not mourn the way pagans did, shaving heads ... beards, or making cuttings in their flesh (19:27-28; Deut. 14:1). Any association with pagan practices would "profane the name of God" and make them unfit to present the offerings at the altar.

Leviticus 21:5 "They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh."

"Baldness ... corner ... cutting in their flesh": These were the superstitious marks of grief (see note on 19:27-28; compare 1 Kings 18:28).

We see in this, that even though they were allowed to mourn, they could not go to extreme with that mourning. They were leaders of the community, and should set a good example. The shaving of the head and the cutting of themselves was a worldlier practice, which should not be indulged in by the priests or the high priest. Christians should not go to the extreme grieving either. We are not like the world. We have hope of the resurrection. With a Christian, it is not a final parting, but a separation for a while.

Leviticus 21:6 "They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, [and] the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy."

"The bread of their God": The phrase appears 5 times (in Lev. Chapter 21; compare verses 8, 17, 21-22). It most likely refers to the bread of the Presence in the Holy Place (compare Exodus 25:30; 39:36; 40:23; Lev. 24:5-9).

We see in the Scripture above, why they were not to do this. They were to minister in the temple. During this time of their ministering, they would be in close association with the things of the temple. They must not touch holy things with unclean hands. We covered in a previous lesson, the length of time a person would be unclean after touching a dead body. Ministering, then or now, is not to be taken lightly.

Verses 7-8: The priest was allowed to marry, but only in the purest of circumstances. A holy marriage union pictured the holy union between God and His people (see 21:13-14). The priests were to be living models of that holy union. Compare Paul's words regarding pastors in (1 Tim. 3:2, 4; Titus 1:6).

Leviticus 21:7 "They shall not take a wife [that is] a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he [is] holy unto his God."

By the former is meant a common whore, that prostitutes herself to any one through lust or for gain. And by the latter one whose chastity is violated, but either unwillingly, that has been forced and ravished. Or else willingly, being enticed, persuaded, and prevailed upon, but did not make a practice of it. This seems to be the true sense of the words: but the Jewish writers understand them differently. By a "whore" they suppose is meant one that is not an Israelite woman, that is not born of an Israelite. At least of an Israelite woman, as proselytes or freed persons. For they say there are no whores but such, or one that lies with such persons, she may not marry with. As such as are guilty of cutting off, or any of the Nethinim (the name given to the Temple assistants), or spurious persons, so Jarchi. And by a "profane" person they think is meant such as are born of those that are rejected, as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it. That is, that are either born of incestuous marriages, such as are forbidden (Lev. 18:1). Or that are born of those that are rejected in the priesthood. Or whom a priest might not marry, as the daughter of a widow, by the high priest, or the daughter of one divorced, by a common priest, which is the sense of Jarchi.

"Neither shall they take a woman put away by her husband": Which was, in these and later times, common for any offence, when the crime of adultery was not pretended. But this always supposed something bad or amiss, and made such a woman suspected of having done an unseemly thing. Therefore, priests were forbidden to marry such persons. The Targum of Jonathan adds, "or by her husband's brother;" and so takes in one that has loosed the shoe, as the Jews call her, who being left without issue, her husband's brother refused to marry her. And therefore, she plucked off his shoe, and spit in his face (see Deut. 25:7). Such a one a priest might not marry, according to this paraphrase, and other Jewish writers, and if he did was to be beaten.

"For he is holy unto his God": Separated from common persons, and devoted to the service of God. And therefore, not to be defiled with such sort of women, or to lie under any scandal or reproach through such, marriages.

We can see from this that it is terribly important that a person in the ministry have a godly spouse. A married minister could not be a very good example to their congregation, if their mate was a worldly person. When a man takes a wife, they two become one flesh. To be one with an unfaithful wife would not be speaking very highly of the minister. Notice also, that the person a priest or a minister marries must not use profanity. What a person is, comes out of their mouth when they speak. Priests, high priests, and ministers today must live godly lives. They are to set an example for the people they are leading.

Leviticus 21:8 "Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the LORD, which sanctify you, [am] holy."

In thought and word, as Aben Ezra. By thinking and speaking well of him. Should esteem and reckon him a holy person, being in a sacred office, and honor him as such. And do all that can be done to preserve him from unholiness and impurity, and particularly from marrying with improper and unsuitable persons. Such as would bring a scandal on him and his sacred office. This seems to be spoken to Moses, and so to the civil magistrate in succession, who were not to suffer such marriages to take place in the priesthood. And were not only to persuade from it, but to exercise their authority, and oblige them to put away such wives, and if they refused, to use severity. So Jarchi, "thou shalt sanctify him". Whether he will or not. If he will not put her away, beat him and chastise him until he does put "her away" (see Ezra 2:62).

"For he offereth the bread of thy God": Meaning not the showbread he set in order before the Lord every week, but the various gift and sacrifices which were offered to God by him, and were acceptable to him as his food. And therefore, he ought to be holy that drew nigh to God, and was employed in such service (see Lev. 21:6).

"He shall be holy unto thee": In thy account and estimation, and for thy service to offer holy sacrifices, and therefore should be careful of his holiness to preserve it.

"For I the Lord, which sanctify you, am holy": in his nature, works, and ways, and who had separated them from all other people to be a holy people to him. And therefore, they that ministered in holy things for them should be holy likewise.

We have mentioned this so many times before, but sanctify means to set aside for God's purpose. The bread in the Scripture above was the bread that was offered in the tabernacle. I see a message in this for ministers of today. The true Bread is the Word of God. The person bringing the Word of God to the people must be separated from the world and its trappings. It is terribly important for the person bringing the Word to be righteous (in right standing with God). High priests and priests then, and ministers now, are representing God to the people. They should (as near as possible), be Christlike. Some people will never be closer to knowing God, than the God you show them in your life. Is Christ truly living in you? Are you truly in Christ? Is the following Scripture true in your life?

Leviticus 21:9 "And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire."

The priests' children were to live a holy life. The common punishment of stoning (compare Deut. 22:21), is replaced with burning by fire (compare 1 Tim. 3:4; Titus 1:6).

This is a terrible sin for anyone's child to do, but for the daughter of a priest it is even more terrible. Not only must the priest, but his family as well, live godly lives. It is not enough to stone her to death, but she must be burned up so that no memory of the sin remains.

Verses 10-15: Here is a summary of the standards for the High-Priest which were the highest and most holy in accord with his utmost sacred responsibility.

Leviticus 21:10 "And [he that is] the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;"

"Shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes": Acts associated with mourning or anguish (compare the violation in Christ's trial; Matt. 26:65; Mark 14:63).

Leviticus 21:11 "Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;"

That is, into a tent or house where any dead body lies, as Jarchi and Aben Ezra interpret it. For whoever went into such a place was unclean seven days. And so long therefore a High Priest, should he enter there, would be prevented doing the duty of his office (see Num. 19:14). This was aped and followed by the Heathens in later times. So, among the Romans, the "Flamen Dialis", or high priest of Jupiter, might not go into a place where a dead body was burnt or buried, nor touch any. And it was a custom with them, as Servius tells us, to put a branch of cypress at the door of a house where a dead body was, that a high priest might not enter through ignorance, and be defiled.

"Nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother": By entering into the tent or house where they lay dead. Or by touching them, or attending the funeral of them, or by concerning himself about it. And there was no need to mention his son or his daughter, his brother or his sister. For if he was not to defile himself for any of his parents, much less for any of those which are excepted in the case of a common priest (Lev. 21:2). The Jews do indeed make one exception in the case of a High Priest, and that is, that if he meets with a dead body along the way, he was obliged to defile himself for it and bury it. And so among the Romans, though it was a crime for a High Priest to look upon a dead body, yet it was reckoned greater, if, when he saw it, left it unburied.

Leviticus 21:12 "Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God [is] upon him: I [am] the LORD."

To wit, to attend the funerals of any person. For upon other occasions he might and did commonly go out.

"Nor profane the sanctuary of his God": By deserting the service of it, on any account, and particularly on account of the dead. By departing from it to go after them, and by entering into it again before the time, when so defiled.

"For the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him": The anointing oil, which was a crown of glory, and gave him a superior dignity to others. Which it became him to be careful not to debase by any of the above things. Or "the crown and the anointing oil", so some supply the word. And both the golden plate or the holy crown, as it is sometimes called, and the anointing oil were upon him. Which showed him to be a very dignified person, a sort of king as well as a priest, and so a type of Christ, who is a priest upon his throne (Zech. 6:13).

"I am the Lord": Whose High Priest he is, and who command him all these things, and expect to be obeyed in them.

We see in this verse of Scripture, an even further separation. The High Priest, when the anointing oil was upon him, was not to even participate in mourning for even the close members of his family. Once the High Priest had begun his time of serving in the sanctuary, he was not to leave for any reason, until that time was over. His separation was even more exacting than the priests. Even for the funeral of his father or mother, he was not allowed to leave the sanctuary, until he had fulfilled his duties.

Leviticus 21:13 "And he shall take a wife in her virginity."

One, and not two, or more, as Ben Gersom observes. And so Maimonides says, a High Priest might never take two women together; for it is said, "a wife", or "woman", one, and not two. And so it is explained in the Talmud. For though polygamy was practiced by the Israelites, and even by the common priests, yet these writers suppose it was by no means allowed to a High Priest. Among the Egyptians, though they took as many wives as they pleased, their priests, married but one; and so a minister of the New Testament is to be the husband of one wife (1 Tim. 3:2). And this wife that the High Priest was to take was to be a "virgin". One that not only had never known a man, but that was never betrothed to any. Yea, according to the Talmudists, who was not quite ripe for marriage. Or the time of her puberty not fully completed, which was the age of twelve years. Within, or somewhat before that time, the High Priest was to marry her, that it might be out of all doubt that she was a pure virgin. Since it is said, "in her virginity", within the time of her puberty, before it was quite up. This, by many, is thought to be an emblem of Christ and his church. As he was typified by the High Priest, so the church by the virgin he married, which is espoused to Christ as a chaste virgin (2 Cor. 11:2).

Leviticus 21:14 "A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, [or] a harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife."

By this the High Priest was not only forbidden to marry the widow of an ordinary Israelite, or even the widow of a priest, but, according to the Jewish canons. A virgin who had been betrothed to another man, and whom she lost by death before they were married. If he, however, became engaged to a widow before he was elected to the pontificate, he could marry her after his consecration.

"Or a divorced woman, or profane, or a harlot": Whether by a priest, or a common Israelite. And indeed, if a common priest might not marry such a person, much less a High Priest. Or profane anyone born of those that were not fit for priests to marry, as the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi (see notes on Lev. 21:7). "Or a harlot": A common prostitute.

"Those shall he not take any or either of them, to be his wife": Which are forbid in order to maintain the dignity of his office, and a reverence of it. There seems to be a gradation in these instances, he might not marry a widow, which was forbidden no other man. And if not such a one, much less a divorced woman, still less a profane person, and least of all an harlot.

"But he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife": Not only of his tribe, but of all Israel.

We see another separation here. The High Priest must marry only someone who was a virgin of his own people. The priests, however could marry a widow or a stranger living in their land. We must remember right here that the High Priest is symbolic of Jesus (our High Priest). Jesus is coming back for a bride who is a chaste virgin. The church (all believers), must be true to Jesus alone. The fact that the church must be a virgin, is in the spirit. The church must have no other gods. The priests represent the Christians. We must remember also, that adultery can be in the physical realm, or in the spiritual realm. Spiritual adultery, is when a person worships another god, who is not the true God.

Leviticus 21:15 "Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the LORD do sanctify him."

By marrying any such persons, whereby his children, born of them, would lie under disgrace, and be unfit to succeed him in the priesthood. Or by marrying among mean persons, or by marrying them too such as were unlawful, and would be a disparagement to them.

"For I the Lord do sanctify him": Separate him from all others, to the high and sacred office of the high priesthood. And am concerned for his honor and holiness. And therefore it became him to observe these laws and rules, and abstain from such disagreeable marriages.

We see from this that, much of what we are is passed on to our children. It is important for the leaders not to even give the appearance of evil. Children from ungodly relationships seldom have much to be proud of.

Verses 16-23: "Blemish": Just as the sacrifice had to be without blemish, so did the one offering the sacrifice. As visible things exert strong impressions on the minds of people, any physical impurity or malformation tended to distract from the weight and authority of the sacred office, failed to externally exemplify the inward wholeness God sought, and failed to be a picture of Jesus Christ, the Perfect High-Priest to come (compare Heb. 7:26).

Leviticus 21:16 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

After he had spoken to him of the holiness of the priests, that they should not defile themselves, neither with the dead nor with impure marriages. He proceeded to add some things concerning blemishes in their bodies, which rendered them unfit for the service.

"Saying": As follows.

Leviticus 21:17 "Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever [he be] of thy seed in their generations that hath [any] blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God."

Who being the high priest, it was incumbent on him, at least at this time, to see that the laws and rules relating to the priesthood were observed. And particularly to examine carefully who were and who were not to be admitted to serve in it.

"Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations": Or, "a man of thy seed", for this only respected his male seed. Females of his seed had no concern in the following laws; but his sons, in all successive ages and generations, to the coming of the Messiah, had, whether High Priests or common priests.

"That hath any blemish": In any part of his body, particularly such as are after mentioned.

"Let him not approach to offer the bread of his God": Neither go into the Holy Place, to set the showbread in order there, nor to offer any sacrifice upon the altar. So Josephus explains this law; that a priest should be perfect, and if he labored under any defect, should not ascend the altar, nor enter into the temple. This was imitated by the Heathens. Romulus ordered that such as were weak and feeble in any part of the body should not be made priests. The Jewish priests were types of Christ, who is holy, harmless, without spot and blemish. And through whose blood and righteousness all who are made priests by him are not blamable. Without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. And a Gospel minister, bishop, or pastor, ought to be unblemished in his life and conversation (Titus 1:6). And there are some who think that the blemishes of the mind and of the life are rather here meant than those of the body.

Verses 18-20: Twelve defects that would bar a person from carrying out the priestly duties are enumerated (later Judaism expanded the list to 142). A "flat nose" most likely means "split" as it is a passive participle and has this idea in (Isa. 11:15). "Crookbacked" has been interpreted to mean "brow or forehead". Others take it as 'hunchback" and make it a reference to spinal tuberculosis, citing a model suffering like this for an ancient Egyptian tomb (2700 - 2200 B.C.), of Mitri at Saqqara. "Dwarf" actually means "thin, small", used of incense (16:12), or cows (Gen. 41:3-4). Its association with "crookbacked" may not be accidental if related to tuberculosis. The reference to "stones broken" seems to refer to an ailment of the testicles.

Leviticus 21:18 "For whatsoever man [he be] that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous,"

This part of the verse is simply an emphatic repetition of the same declaration at the end of the last verse to introduce the examples of the bodily blemishes which disqualified the priests for the service at the altar. A similar law obtained among the Greeks and Romans, that a priest should be perfect in all his parts.

"A blind man": During the second Temple, this was not only interpreted to be partial blindness on both eyes, or on one eye, but was taken to include any blemish in the eye or in the eyelid. Of which the administrators of the Law enumerate twenty-six cases, nineteen in the eye and seven in the eyelid.

Or a lame": This was understood during the second Temple to refer to any imperfection in the gait of the priest, which might show itself in twenty different ways.

"Or he that hath a flat nose": Of the nasal deformity no less than nine different illustrations are given.

"Or any thing superfluous": That is, one member of the body more stretched out or longer than the others, or out of proportion, as an eye, shoulder, thigh, leg, etc.

Leviticus 21:19 "Or a man that is broken-footed, or broken-handed,"

That has any of the bones or joints in his hands and feet broke, or when they are distorted, and he is clubfooted. Or his fingers crooked and clustered together. And such a man could not be fit to ascend the altar, and lay the sacrifice in order upon it. And may be an emblem of such as are awkward or disorderly in their walk and conservation. And to every good work and action unfit, and so unfit for their master's use.

Leviticus 21:20 "Or crookbacked, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken;"

That has a protuberance, or bunch upon his back, one that we commonly call "hunchbacked". The Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase it, "whose eyebrows lying cover his eyes". And so Jarchi, interprets it, the hair of whose eyebrows is long and lying. And so other Jewish writers understand it of some deformity about the eyes, the hair of the eyebrows being thick and heavy over them.

"Or a dwarf": One of a small stature, as Aben Ezra, as generally hunchbacked persons are. And so unfit to attend the altar, being scarce able to reach up to it. And do the business of it, as well as must make a very mean appearance. But the above Targums understand this also of some blemish about the eyes, paraphrasing it "or he that has no hair on his eyebrows".

"Or that hath a blemish in his eye": A mixture, a confusion, or rather a suffusion in it, as the above Targum. In which, as one of them says, the white is mixed with the black, and with which agrees what is said in the Misnah. Where it is asked, what is the confusion or suffusion?

"Or be scurvy or scabbed": Both these were kinds of ulcers, according to the Jewish writers. Particularly Jarchi, who says of the first, that it is a dry scab within and without. And of the other, that it is the Egyptian scab, which is moist without and dry with it; and so the Targum of Jonathan.

"Or hath his stones broken": This is differently interpreted in the Misnah, and by other Jewish writers. Some say it signifies one that has no testicles, or only one; so the Septuagint and the Jerusalem Targum. Others, whose testicles are broken or bruised, so Jarchi. Or are inflated, so Akiba, Aben Ezra, and the Targum of Jonathan. Some understand it of an "hernia" or rupture. All which may in a moral and mystical sense signify either some defect in the understanding, or vices in the heart or life, which render unfit for public service in the sanctuary.

Leviticus 21:21 "No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God."

Whether a high priest or a common priest that lies on him anyone of the above blemishes. And which the Jewish writers make to amount to the number of one hundred and forty. And which they reckon, so many in one part of the booty and so many in another, till they make up the said number. And whoever had any might not;

"Come nigh to offer up the sacrifices of the Lord made by fire": The burnt offerings on the altar, to which he might not approach, and the meat offerings, and the fat, and the incense.

"He hath a blemish": In one part of him or another; and though but one.

"He shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God": This is repeated for the confirmation of it, and to show how determined the Lord was in this matter. And how much he should resent it in any that should be found guilty of the breach of those rules, and so it is designed to deter from attempting it.

Leviticus 21:22 "He shall eat the bread of his God, [both] of the most holy, and of the holy."

That part of the sacrifices which was appropriated by the Lord to the priests, for the maintenance of them and their families. For though their natural infirmities disqualified them for service, yet they did not become hereby impure, either in a moral nor ceremonial sense. And might eat of the sacrifices, which impure persons might not. And so the tradition is, blemished persons, whether their blemishes are fixed or transient, may divide and eat, but not offer. These being priests, and having no inheritance, nor any way of getting their livelihood, provision is made for them that they might not perish through their defects in nature. Which were not voluntary and brought upon them by themselves, but by the providence of God. And such were allowed to eat;

"Both of the most holy and of the holy": There were things the priests eat of, which were most holy, as what remained of the meat offerings, and of the sin offerings, and of the trespass offerings. Which only the males of the priest's family might eat of. And that only in the holy place. And there were others less holy, the lighter holy things, as the Jews call them. As the wave breast, and heave shoulder, and the tithes and firstfruits, which were eaten of by all in their families. Their daughters as well as their sons, and in their own houses. Now of each of these might the blemished priests eat (see Num. 18:9), etc.

Leviticus 21:23 "Only he shall not go in unto the veil, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the LORD do sanctify them."

So far as to the vail, which divided between the holy and the Holy of Holies. That is, he shall not go into the Holy Place which was before the vail. Not to set the showbread upon the table there, nor to light and him the lamps in the candlestick. Nor to offer incense on the altar of incense, which stood in it. Some render it "within the vail", where only the High Priest might enter once a year. But if he had any blemish on him he might not, nor might such a one be a High Priest.

"Nor come nigh unto the altar": As not to the altar of incense in the Holy Place, so neither to the altar of burnt offering in the court of the tabernacle. That is, so as to officiate there. But though they might not be employed in such sacred service, the Jews in later times have found business for them to employ them in. And that was worming the wood, or searching the wood for worms, which was used in the burning of the sacrifices. For we are told, that at the northeast corner (of the court of the women), was the wood room. Where the priests that had blemishes wormed the wood.

"Because he hath a blemish": Either fixed or transient. One of those particularly expressed, or any other. For the Jews suppose there are others implied besides those expressed, which disqualified for service.

"That he profane not my sanctuaries": If a High Priest, the Holy of Holies; if a common priest, the Holy Place, and the court of the tabernacle.

"For I the Lord do sanctify them": The vail, to which blemished priests might not go. And the altar, to which they might not come nigh. Or rather, the sanctuaries or Holy Places, where they might not officiate. Which God had separated and devoted for sacred uses, and were not to be defiled by any.

We see in this that the High Priest was a type of Christ. He was to be without blemish of all types, because he shadowed Jesus (the eternal High Priest). Jesus was holy and without blemish. The person who was the only one allowed to go inside the veil, was the High Priest. It seems that the sons of Aaron, or any other High Priest who had a blemish of any kind in their body could not hold the office of High Priest. They could eat of the bread given to the High Priest and his family from the offerings. They could not represent Christ who was without blemish. The perfect Lamb of God (Jesus Christ our Lord), is foreshadowed here. Praise God, He was perfect in every way.

Leviticus 21:24 "And Moses told [it] unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel."

What God had said to him concerning the priests defiling themselves for the dead, both common priests and High Priest. And concerning their marriages and their blemishes; that they might be careful not to transgress the laws and rules given them concerning those things.

"And to all the children of Israel": To the heads of the tribes and elders of the people, and by them to the whole, that they might know who were fit, and who not, to put their sacrifice into their hands, to offer for them. Jarchi thinks this was to warn the Sanhedrim concerning the priests, whose business it was to examine and judge who were fit for service and who not. For so we are told, that in the chamber Gazith, or of hewn stone, the great Sanhedrim of Israel sat and judged the priests, and rejected some and received others.

To me, this just shows that Moses was an obedient servant of God. Whatever God told him to do and say, he did. Moses did not alter one word, but gave the message as accurately as possible.

Leviticus Chapter 21 Questions

1. Who was the message given to in verse one?

2. The priests and High Priest were not as other _____.

3. What had to come first in their lives?

4. What is this defilement in verse one?

5. What members of the family were there exceptions made for?

6. What sin had Aaron's two sons committed that displeased God?

7. What happened to the first two sons of Aaron?

8. Verse 4 tells us that the ________ ___ could not defile himself.

9. What three things were specifically mentioned that they were not to do while mourning?

10. Why should Christians not go to extremes mourning?

11. In verse 6, why was the priest to remain holy?

12. They shall not take a wife that is a ________ or __________.

13. What is terribly important for the spouse of a minister to be?

14. What does sanctify mean?

15. What is the true Bread?

16. High priests and priests then, and ministers now, are representing whom?

17. If the daughter of a priest is a whore, what shall be done to her?

18. What are several things mentioned in verse 10 that further state this is the high priest?

19. Whose requirements were even more exacting than the priest's?

20. The high priest must marry a woman who was a ________.

21. Could she be from another foreign tribe?

22. Who were the priests allowed to marry, that were forbidden to the High Priest?

23. Who do the priests represent?

24. Who does the High Priest represent?

25. What are the two kinds of adultery?

26. What were some of the blemishes specifically mentioned that a high priest could not have?

27. What was one thing priests could do that had these blemishes?

28. Where could a priest with these blemishes absolutely not go?

29. Who was this High Priest a type of?

30. What does verse 24 tell us about Moses?

Leviticus Chapter 22

Verses 1-33: This chapter continues the emphasis from chapter 21. The concept of the Lord as the sanctifier is continued in 22:9, 16, and 32, marking off three distinct sections:

(1) Impediments to eating priestly food;

(2) The relatives' right to priestly food; and

(3) Physical impediments to sacrificial use of animals.

The Aaronites are reminded that they, too, can become defiled ceremonially, just like any other member of the congregation. Purity is mandatory for those officiating at the sacrifices. If a priest approaches "having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence" (verse 3).

These are additional instructions on ceremonial cleanness for the priests, beginning with a death threat (verse 3, "cut off"), to those who might violate these rules.

Verses 1-16: These ordinances regarding problems in presentation, in personnel and in accidents reveal how seriously the Lord viewed the sacrifices. Priests were not permitted to minister if they were "unclean". They also had to ensure that only priests and their families ate the offering, "no stranger" was permitted to do so. Unintentional consumption of the priestly food could be forgiven with a "trespass offering" (5:14-19), but an intentional lack of regard for the holy things of God would cause one to "be cut off from" God's "presence" or even death.

Leviticus 22:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

Immediately after he had spoken concerning blemishes in priests, and in a continued discourse signifying, that though priests that had blemishes might eat of the holy things. Yet neither they, nor even such who had not any, if they were under legal impurity, might eat of them.

Leviticus 22:2 "Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name [in those things] which they hallow unto me: I [am] the LORD."

The priests; the children of Israel or the common people are not mentioned. As having no concern in the following laws about eating holy things.

"That they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel": Both from offering their lawful sacrifices, which was the business of their office when pure, and chiefly from eating that part of them which was their due, and was allowed them. Neither of these they were to do. Particularly the latter, when they were in any uncleanness, as the following words show.

"And that, they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me": Which the children of Israel set apart and devoted to his service. Which they would do, by eating their part of them when unclean, and thereby show little reverence to that holy name to which they were devoted.

"I am the Lord": Who is holy himself, and whose holy things these are, and will be sanctified by those that draw nigh unto him.

The only way that I can understand this, is if they have been defiled or made unclean, then the priests or high priest are not to function in his usual duties until his uncleanness is gone. When they are ceremonially unclean in any way, they are not to handle the holy things of God.

Leviticus 22:3 "Say unto them, Whosoever [he be] of all your seed among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I [am] the LORD."

Whether male or female, in all succeeding ages, as long as the ceremonial law lasted. For females as well as males of the families of the priests ate of the holy things, provided they had no uncleanness on them, but if they had, they might not eat.

"That goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the Lord": That approaches to any of the sacrifices which the children of Israel have devoted to the Lord. Either to offer them, or even to touch them, and particularly to eat of them. And so Jarchi and Ben Gersom observe, that this going or drawing near is no other than eating. For touching only, a man was not guilty of cutting off.

"Having his uncleanness upon him": Through a leprosy, or running issue, or touching any unclean person or thing, as the following words explain it.

"That soul shall be cut off from my presence": Excluded from the sanctuary, and the service of it, where the presence of God was. Or be removed out of the world by death, either by the civil magistrate, or by the hand of God, by an immediate death, by the pestilence, as the Targum of Jonathan.

"I am the Lord": That will avenge the breach of such a law, able to inflict such punishment, and faithful to accomplish every word of his, whether in a way of threatening or promise.

In this verse, we can see what the punishment would be for committing this sin (This separation was not for just a short time, but was a permanent situation). This would be showing lack of respect for the things of God.

Leviticus 22:4 "What man soever of the seed of Aaron [is] a leper, or hath a running issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean. And whoso toucheth any thing [that is] unclean [by] the dead, or a man whose seed goeth from him;"

A young, or an old man, as the Targum of Jonathan, and indeed man or woman. For the wives and daughters of the priests. If in this, and other circumstances following, might not eat of the holy things until cleansed, who otherwise might (see Lev. 13:2).

"Or hath a running issue": A gonorrhea, whether man or woman (Lev. 15:2).

"He shall not eat of the holy things until he be clean": He might eat of the tithes, but not of the wave breast, or heave shoulder.

"And whoso toucheth any that is unclean by the dead": Not only that touched the dead, which made unclean, but that touched any person or thing that was made unclean by it.

"Or a man whose seed goeth from him": Involuntarily when asleep, in a dream, and through a lustful imagination (see Lev. 15:16).

Leviticus 22:5 "Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath;"

Jarchi thinks this respects the measure or quantity of what is touched, as if but the quantity of a lentil or small pea (see Lev. 11:29-38).

"Or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath": As of a leper, or a dead man. Jarchi interprets it of the latter, and of the quantity which defiles, which is that of an olive. Who also observes, that the phrase, "whatsoever uncleanness", includes touching a dead man or woman, a menstruous woman, and a new mother.

Leviticus 22:6 "The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water."

Which is the time fixed by the several laws for such uncleanness (see Lev. 11:31).

"And shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water": In forty seahs of water, as the Targum of Jonathan. Yea, when the evening is come, he may not eat of the heave or wave offerings, until he has dipped himself all over in water. Nor should any eat of the Lord's supper under the New Testament, but such as are first baptized in water.

We see, in these few verses above, the length of time that the priests would be unclean for this type of situation. We also see the necessity of washing when they had come into contact with something, or someone, who was unclean.

Leviticus 22:7 "And when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things; because it [is] his food."

"He shall be clean": In the same manner, much water is not made unclean by a small contamination. Time was essential for ceremonial purification.

The high priest and his family live of the things of the temple. We can easily see the necessity for them being restored to eating of this food as soon as possible.

Leviticus 22:8 "That which dieth of itself, or is torn [with beasts], he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I [am] the LORD."

Whether fowls or beasts, and even clean ones, which, had they been killed in a proper manner, were fit to cut. But dying of themselves, or torn to pieces by other birds or beasts of prey, might not (see Ezek. 44:31).

"He shall not eat, to defile himself therewith": Being impure food, at least in a ceremonial sense, and not fit to be eaten. These things were forbidden to a common Israelite, and much less might a priest eat of them (see Lev. 17:15).

"I am the Lord": Who enjoined this, and expects to be obeyed.

Leviticus 22:9 "They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest they bear sin for it, and die therefore, if they profane it: I the LORD do sanctify them."

The observance of my word, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, of his word of command. Either respecting the not eating of such creatures that died of themselves, or were torn by beasts. Or else the not eating holy things in uncleanness, so Jarchi and Gersom. But Aben Ezra thinks the sanctuary is referred to, which was to be kept by the priests, and which seems to agree with what follows.

"Lest they bear sin for it": The sanctuary, by neglecting it, and so be charged with the guilt of sin, and be obliged to bear the punishment of it.

"And die therefore if they profane it": By going into it in their uncleanness, and eating of the most holy things there when in such circumstances. And die by the hand of God, as Jarchi and Ben Gersom interpret it. As Nadab and Abihu did, and even in like manner, by fire (Lev. 10:1). And so the Targum of Jonathan, "lest they die by flaming fire."

"I the Lord do sanctify them": The priests, who were separated from others, and devoted to his service, and therefore ought to be holy. Or the holy things separated for the use of the priests, but not to be eaten in their uncleanness. The Arabic version renders it, "do sanctify that", the sanctuary, and therefore it should not be profaned, but be kept pure and holy.

The ordinances for the priests would be different than for the congregation, because they were serving in the sanctuary. To sin against God, by a priest would be a defilement punishable by death.

Verses 10-11: "Buy any soul with his money": This portion of the sacrifice assigned to the support of the priests was restricted to the use of his family. However, an indentured servant or slave was to be treated as one of the priest's family, pertaining to eating the consecrated food. See the laws of release, which show this to be a temporary indenture (25:10; Exodus 21:2-11; Deut. 15:12-18).

Leviticus 22:10 "There shall no stranger eat [of] the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or a hired servant, shall not eat [of] the holy thing."

"Stranger": No "outsider", that is, one who was not of priestly stock, might eat the holy food, unless he had been incorporated into the priest's family. Simply to live with the priest or to work for him (verse 10), was not enough, but the slave could be bought, in which case he was considered a member of the family (verse 11).

Leviticus 22:11 "But if the priest buy [any] soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat."

Whether any of his own nation, who sometimes, when become poor, were obliged to sell themselves. Or a stranger, as the Targum of Jonathan; one of another nation, a Canaanitish servant, as Jarchi. Now these being his own purchase, and always to abide with him, became part of his family, and so might eat of the provisions of it. And it is from hence the Jews gather, as Jarchi and Gersom, that his wife might eat of the holy things, because bought with his money. But there is a better reason to be given for that, for of whatever family she was before, whether of the priests or not, by marriage she became a part. Yea, a principal of his family, being one flesh with him, bearing the same name, and entitled to all the privileges of his house.

"And he that is born in his house": They shall eat of his meat; whether male or female, as Aben Ezra. These are children of handmaids, as Jarchi, that were bought with his money. And these children being born of them, became his property, and part of his family, and so had a right to the provisions of his house. All this may teach us, that the holy ordinances of the Gospel are not to be administered to strangers, persons destitute of the grace of God. Nor to such as are not of the family or church of God, but too such as are bought and redeemed with the blood of Christ, the high priest, and are born again of his Spirit and grace.

In the previous verses, we have read under what conditions the priest could not eat of the things of the sanctuary. Now we are getting to just who can eat of the things of the sanctuary. We have been told in a previous lesson that the high priest, the priests and their families were to live of the things of the sanctuary. But how far does this go? In the verses above, we see that a stranger could not eat. In (verse 11 above), we see that someone bought with money becomes part of the family and can eat. Even the children of servants who were bought, would also be able to eat. To buy a servant then made that servant part of your family. Isn't it interesting that Jesus bought the Christians with a price, and we have become part of the family of God. We are adopted children of the Father and joint heirs with Jesus. This verse following shows that we are adopted.

Romans 8:15 "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

Romans 8:17 "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and jointheirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together."

Leviticus 22:12 "If the priest's daughter also be [married] unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things."

Not to a Heathen, but to any Israelite, that is, a common man, or a layman, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan. One that is not a priest; but is married either to a Levite, or an Israelite, as Jarchi.

"She may not eat of an offering of the holy things": The heave shoulder or wave breast, etc. Being removed into another family by marriage, she is not reckoned of her father's family, and so had no more a right to eat of the holy things.

The reason for this is, if she is married to a stranger, that makes her a stranger as well since she and her husband are one flesh.

Leviticus 22:13 "But if the priest's daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father's house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father's meat: but there shall no stranger eat thereof."

If her husband be dead, or if living, and she is put away by him, whether a Levite, or an Israelite.

"And have no child": By him, as the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi add, nor is with child by him.

"And is returned to her father's house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father's meat": Not of all, or any part, only of some. Of the heave offering, but not of the shoulder or breast, which is the tradition of the wise men, as Maimonides relates. The Jewish canon concerning such a person runs thus; the daughter of a priest, married to an Israelite, may not eat of the heave offering. If he dies, and she has a son by him, she may not eat of the heave offering. If she is married to a Levite, she may eat of the tithes. If he dies, and she has a son by him, she may eat of the tithes. If she is married to a priest, she may eat of the heave offering. If he dies, and she has a son by him, she may eat of the heave offering. If her son by the priest dies, she may not eat of the heave offering. If her son by the Levite dies, she may not eat of the tithes. If her son by an Israelite, she may return to her father's house, as it is said (Lev. 22:13).

"But there shall no stranger eat thereof": As not anyone of another nation, so not anyone of another family beside the priest's. No, not the son of a priest's daughter by an Israelite, which some think is principally intended. And so Aben Ezra remarks this is said of a son, if she had any, and upon whose account she herself might not eat.

We see in this Scripture that the explanation above is true. When she lives at home with her father and has no husband, she is part of the father's family, and can eat of his food. The fact that the stranger cannot eat of these things is because these things are holy.

Leviticus 22:14 "And if a man eat [of] the holy thing unwittingly, then he shall put the fifth [part] thereof unto it, and shall give [it] unto the priest with the holy thing."

Either not knowing that it is a holy thing, or the heave offering, or anything of that kind. Or else is ignorant of the punishment of such an action, as Gersom observes. And this is to be understood of any man that was not a priest, or was not of the priest's family, even any common Israelite. So the Targum of Jonathan, a man of Israel, or an Israelite, one of the common people.

"Then he shall put a fifth part thereof unto it": A fifth part of the value of what he has eaten, to an equivalent for the whole. That is, he shall pay the full value for what he has eaten, and a fifth part besides.

"And shall give it to the priest with the holy thing": The meaning is, that he shall give the fifth part to the priest, with the equivalent for what he has eaten. For he could not give the holy thing itself, but a compensation for it. According to Gersom, he was to give the principal to the priest, for the holy thing he ate of, and the fifth part of its value. The Jewish canon, concerning this matter, runs thus. He that ignorantly eats the heave offering pays the principal, and the fifth part. And the same, either he that eats, or drinks, or anoints. And whether the heave offering be clean or unclean, he pays the fifth, and the fifth of the fifth. And he does not pay the heave offering but of common things, rightly ordered, and they become a heave offering, and the compensation of it. And if the priest would forgive, he may not.

A person who ate of this unwittingly, would be committing a trespass, as if he had found it and not returned it. This would be subject to 20% penalty. This all belonged to the priestly family. They must be restored for their loss.

Leviticus 22:15 "And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer unto the LORD;"

By causing or suffering strangers to eat of them; so Jarchi. Referring the words to the priests, who should be careful that strangers ate not of sacred things. Or by the strangers themselves eating them, whereby they were profaned and used as common things.

Leviticus 22:16 "Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy things: for I the LORD do sanctify them."

The punishment of sin. Either the strangers:

"When they eat their holy things": The holy things belonging to the priests, which they permitting them to do, suffer them to be liable to the punishment incurred thereby, or else the priests themselves. So the Septuagint version renders the word "themselves"; and in like manner Jarchi interprets it.

"For I the Lord do sanctify them": Both the priests, to whom the holy things belong, and the holy things for their use. And the use of their families, and them only.

We know that David, when he and his men were very hungry, ate the showbread in the sanctuary. God excused them, because they were very hungry and had no other place to get bread. In a circumstance as this God would allow this. Possibly, God allowed this because David was the anointed of God. We do see here though, that things given for God's use should not be used for personal things.

Verses 17-22: This section discusses unacceptable sacrifices, beginning with a general statement about free-will offerings (22:18, 21). The prohibition against defective sacrificial animals (22:22-25) is similar to those excluding priests with deformities (21:18-20).

Leviticus 22:17 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

At the same time; for having said many things concerning the holiness of priests, whose business it was to offer sacrifices, he adds various things concerning the nature, condition, and circumstances of the sacrifices they were to offer.

"Saying": As follows.

Leviticus 22:18 "Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever [he be] of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt offering;"

The priests, whose work it was to offer sacrifices, and therefore it behooved them to know what kind and sort were to be offered by them, when brought to them.

"And unto all the children of Israel": Who were to bring the sacrifices, and for whom they were to be offered, and therefore should be acquainted with the nature and kind of what would be acceptable to God, and what not.

"And say unto them, whatsoever he be of the house of Israel": This phrase includes women and servants, and even Gentiles, as say the Jewish writers, who may vow vows, and make voluntary gifts, as well as the Israelites.

"Or of the strangers in Israel": Those of other nations that dwelt there, either proselytes of the gate, or proselytes of righteousness, so Ben Gersom. And Aben Ezra observes, that the text speaks of the stranger, because there is some reason in the vows and freewill offerings of an Israelite and stranger, as follows:

"That will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the Lord for a burnt offering": The wise men, as Aben Ezra observes, distinguish between a vow and a freewill offering. Every vow is a freewill offering, but every freewill offering is not a vow. And though these were both of them sorts of peace offerings, yet they were not received from Gentiles under that notion, but as burnt offerings. Because they were offered in devotion to God, and not to be eaten by Israelites. A Gentile that brings peace offerings, they offer them as burnt offerings, because the heart of the Gentile is towards heaven.

Verses 19-21: Sacrificial animals had to be "without blemish" or defect, as befitting a holy God. Christ was the ultimate sacrificial Lamb, perfect in every respect (Mal. 1:7-14; Heb. 9:17; 1 Peter 1:19), and the only one permanently "acceptable" to God.

Leviticus 22:19 "[Ye shall offer] at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats."

For vows and freewill offerings were at their own option, and depended on their own will and pleasure. And when offered should be with a willing mind, and from their whole heart. Or "for good will to you"; as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan. Or for gracious, acceptation, that is, that they might be well pleasing to God, and acceptable in his sight. So Jarchi; in order to which the following direction was strictly to be observed.

A male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats": Bullocks, sheep, and goats, were the only sorts of beasts, out of which sacrifices were taken, and those that were for burnt offerings were always to be males, and unblemished (see Lev. 1:3). But for other offerings, as peace offerings and sin offerings, females might be used (see Lev. 3:1). Fowls are not mentioned, though burnt offerings were of them, because it was not required in them, only of beasts, that they should be males, and without blemish. For, as Jarchi observes, these were not rejected on account of a blemish, only for want of a member.

There are some beautiful symbols in this. Notice, that the offering is not restricted to just the house of Israel, but is to whosoever will. This offering is symbolic of the beautiful offering that Jesus made for all of us. We Christians, like the offerors above, must of our own free will accept this offering as our payment. Notice too, that this offering was to be without blemish. Jesus was without blemish, and since this symbolizes the great sacrifice that He made for us, it must also be without blemish. We have gone into the offerings so many times, we will not do that here.

Leviticus 22:20 "[But] whatsoever hath a blemish, [that] shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you."

Which is the general rule, the particulars of which are after given, and which has been imitated by the Heathens. The Egyptians, as they only sacrificed the males of beeves, so they were very curious in examining them, that they might be entirely pure and perfect. And it was a custom among the Romans, that such sheep should be chosen for sacrifice, in which there was nothing wanting; and so, among the Grecians." For it shall not be acceptable for you; be grateful to God, and accepted by him on their account. If blemished (see Mal. 1:13).

One more time, this shadows Jesus as the Lamb of God and must be free from all blemish.

Leviticus 22:21 "And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish [his] vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein."

This, as Ben Gersom observes, is distinguished from a burnt offering. For though it was to be perfect, and without blemish, yet not obliged to be a male as that (Lev. 3:1). This was either by way of thanksgiving for mercies received (Lev. 7:12). Or;

"To accomplish his vow": Made in any distress, that if God would deliver him, then he would offer such a sacrifice.

"Or a freewill offering": Either on account of favors received, or in order to obtain them. Which sacrifice, whether;

"In beeves or sheep": Whether in bullocks or sheep, under which are comprehended goats, both being of the flock (Lev. 22:19).

"It shall be perfect to be accepted": Perfect in all its parts, not only in those that are without and obvious to view, but in those that are within. Wherefore the Jewish writers say, if it had but one kidney, or the spleen was consumed, it was unfit for the altar. Wherefore, in order to be an acceptable sacrifice to God, it was to be complete in all respects.

"There shall be no blemish therein": Which is repeated for the confirmation of it, and that it might be observed. Such sacrifices were typical of Christ, the immaculate Lamb of God, who offered himself without spot to him (1 Peter 1:19). And shows that no sacrifice of man's can be so acceptable to God as to atone for him, since none of theirs are perfect, and without blemish.

Leviticus 22:22 "Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the LORD."

Which is "blind" of one eye, or both. And so the Egyptians, as they would not sacrifice any of their oxen that had any blemishes on them, and were of a different color, or changed in their form, so likewise such that were deprived of either of their eyes. Some, as Aben Ezra observes, restrain that which is "broken" to its being broken in the head. But others interpret it of any fracture of the foot, as well as the head, and even of the tail, side, or rib. That which is maimed some understand of that whose foot is broken, as Aben Ezra also remarks.

"Or having a wen": Or full of warts, as others. The Targum of Jonathan is, whose eyes are smitten with a mixture of white and black. And so Gersom interprets it of a like defect in the eye, in the white of the eye. For he says, if it was in the black or pupil of the eye, the eye would be blind.

"Or scurvy or scabbed": The same of those in men (see notes on Lev. 21:20).

"Ye shall not offer these unto the Lord": Any creatures defective in any of these instances. Three times this is said, as Jarchi observes, to make them careful concerning the sanctification of them, and concerning the slaying of them, and concerning the sprinkling of their blood.

"Nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the Lord": A burnt offering on the altar of burnt offering, or burn the fat of them upon it.

God will not accept second best. The most important reason any offering must be perfect however, was because the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ (shadowed here), was perfect.

Leviticus 22:23 "Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer [for] a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted."

That has either more members than it should have, as five feet, or two gristles in an ear, as Gersom says. Or has fewer than it should have; or, as Jarchi, that has one member longer or shorter than another. As the leg or thigh; according to the Targum of Jonathan. That is redundant in its testicles, or deficient therein. The Septuagint version is, that hath its ear or its tail cut. And so the Vulgate Latin version.

"That mayest thou offer for a freewill offering": For the repair of the sanctuary or temple, as Jarchi and Gersom. Money, or the value of the sacrifices, might be given to the priests for that use, but according to them might not be offered upon the altar. But it rather seems to be an exception to the above law, and allows of the sacrifice of them for freewill offering, though not for a vow, as it follows:

"But for a vow it shall not be accepted": Because the other was according to a man's will and pleasure, and he might bring what he would on that account. But when he made a vow that he would offer such a sacrifice, it must be of creatures that were perfect, and without blemish.

It seems there was some leniency shown, when it was a freewill offering instead of a required offering.

Leviticus Chapter 22 Questions

1. Who was Moses to give the message to in verse 2?

2. If the priest has been unclean for any reason, he is not to function in his usual duties, until when?

3. What happens to his seed who go unto the holy things while unclean?

4. Who does verse 4 say cannot eat of the holy things?

5. What are some of the things that make the priest unclean?

6. Whosoever touches something unclean, shall be unclean until __________.

7. What must the person who had touched something unclean, do after he had waited the proper length of time, before he could eat of the holy things?

8. Verse 7 tells us why it is necessary for him to eat the holy things, why is it?

9. Who lives of the things of the temple?

10. What are two things he must never eat?

11. Who sanctifies them?

12. To sin against God, if you were a priest, would be punishable by ________.

13. What three are mentioned in verse 10, who cannot eat of the holy things.

14. Why is it permissible for someone, who was bought by the priest, to eat of holy things?

15. Who live of the holy things?

16. What are Christians allowed to call the Father, that shows they are His adopted children?

17. What does Romans 8:17 say we have in common with Jesus, if we are Christians?

18. Why would the priest's daughter, married to a stranger not be able to eat of the holy things?

19. Why can a daughter, who has been divorced or widowed, eat the holy things?

20. If a man eats unwittingly of the holy things, what shall he do?

21. Offering is not restricted to the house of Israel, but is open to _____________ ______.

22. Why must this offering be without blemish?

23. What are some blemishes mentioned in verse 22 that are not acceptable?

24. There is some leniency shown in what offering?

Leviticus Chapter 22 Continued

Verses 24-25: Castration of animals was not to be practiced in Israel, and no castrated animals were to be offered under any circumstance, even those brought from foreigners (verse 25). Men in similar condition were forbidden even to worship with the congregation in ancient Israel (Deut. 23:1). Castration damaged God's good creation. Holiness was symbolized in wholeness (Gen. 1:22, 28; 8:17).

Leviticus 22:24 "Ye shall not offer unto the LORD that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make [any offering thereof] in your land."

The Targum of Jonathan is, whose testicles are pressed and bruised, and whose nerves are corrupted and bruised, and so most Jewish writers interpret it.

"Neither shall you make any offering thereof in your land": Any offering of any sort, either burnt offering or peace offering, or any other. Or ye shall not do, that is, any such thing as here suggested, not bruise, or crush, or break, or cut the testicles of any creature. So the above writers.

You can easily see how it would be no sacrifice at all, to give an animal that was already ruined. God will accept only the very best. All of these offerings, in one sense or another, shadow the offering that Jesus made of Himself for all mankind. Jesus was without blemish. Anything that shadowed Jesus, would also have to be without blemish.

Leviticus 22:25 "Neither from a stranger's hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption [is] in them, [and] blemishes [be] in them: they shall not be accepted for you."

That is, from a Gentile, a proselyte of the gate, who had renounced idolatry, and was willing to offer sacrifice to the true God. But what had such defects and blemishes in them as before described the priest might not take of his hands, and offer on the altar of God. And this is the rather observed, because on the one hand the Gentile might think such sacrifices would be acceptable, since he might have been used to offer such to idols. And on the other hand, the priest might think such would do well enough for Gentiles, though not for Israelites.

"Because their corruption is in them": Or they are corrupt through being bruised, crushed, broken, or cut.

"And blemishes be in them": Which seems to be added to explain the former, and may have respect to all the blemishes before named, and whatsoever is included in them. For though there are but here mentioned, the Jews reckon no less than fifty.

"They shall not be accepted for you": To make atonement for you; Jarchi says, or "from you", the priests. They shall not be accepted of the Lord from their hands, and so be of no avail to the offerors, nor to those for whom they are offered.

Strangers were permitted to make offerings to the Lord, but they must observe the same instructions as the Israelites when they made an offering. I believe also that in the verse above, there is an indication that an Israelite was not to bring an offering that he had received from a stranger, because he would not be familiar with the offering. He would not possibly know whether this animal was of the quality required of God. Just because this offering was from a stranger did not eliminate the fact that it must be the very best he had.

Leviticus 22:26 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

At the same time, as before, in a continued discourse, the subject being of the same kind, relating to sacrifices.

"Saying": As follows.

Again, we must note that every time a new subject is brought up, Moses reminds us again, where these instructions came from.

Verses 27-28: No animals younger than eight days were to be offered in sacrifice (compare Exodus 22:30), nor was a cow or an ewe to be killed with her young on the same day, whether for sacrificial purposes, as in some pagan cults, or for ordinary food consumption. This was in harmony with law prohibiting such wasteful practices as taking a bird as well as its eggs (Deut. 22:6-7), or the indiscriminate destruction of trees (Deut. 20:19-20). In all these matters the main purpose was that God's name should be hallowed (Matt. 6:9; Luke 11:2), by His elect people.

Leviticus 22:27 "When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the LORD."

Those three are only mentioned, because they were only made use of in sacrifice, to which this law refers.

"Then it shall be seven days under the dam": Whether a calf, or a lamb, or a kid of the goats; it was not to be taken from its dam and killed, either for food or sacrifice, before it was seven days old. A good reason is to be given, namely, that Christ, the type of all the sacrifices, was not to be offered, or suffer death in his infancy. Which Herod contrived, but at man's estate. And to show that no man is fit to be a propitiatory sacrifice, through weakness and inability, being unable to stand before the justice of God, only Christ, in whom is perfection of strength.

"And from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the Lord": Become an acceptable burnt offering to God. So Pliny says, that the young of sheep are fit for sacrifice on the eighth day, and of an ox on the thirtieth day (see Exodus 22:30).

Dam in the verse above was translated from a word that means mother. Then what we see in this is that any of the above mentioned animals could be offered from the time they were 8 days old. It does not mean that the animal must be very young. It just means that any time after it is 8 days old, it is old enough.

Leviticus 22:28 "And [whether it be] cow or ewe, ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day."

Or "an ox or sheep", for this law, as Aben Ezra says, respects both male and female, and neither the one nor the other with their young might be slain. Though Jarchi says, the custom is concerning the female, for it is forbidden to slay the dam and its son, or daughter. But it is not the custom concerning males, wherefore it is lawful to slay the father and the son.

"Ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day": Or, "it and its son", the young, whether of a cow or ewe, and whether it be male or female. Though Gersom observes, that this law takes place only in the dam and its female young, and not in the father and the son. For it is not manifest, in many animals, who is their father, wherefore he is not guilty of stripes, if the father and his son are slain in one day, even though it is known it is its father. The reason of the law seems to be, to encourage mercy and pity, and to discourage cruelty.

This is simply being kind, not to kill the baby and the parent at the same time. Even though animals are for the use of man upon the earth, we should not be cruel to them.

Leviticus 22:29 "And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer [it] at your own will."

Which was a sort of peace offering, distinct from freewill offerings and vows before spoken of.

"Offer it at your own will": Just what they pleased, whether a bullock, a sheep, or a goat, and whether a male or female. These were left to their own option, or for acceptation to you, as the Targum of Jonathan, and so Jarchi. That is, it was right in them, and they ought to be careful to offer it in such manner, that it might be acceptable to God. By observing the rules given concerning it, particularly what follows.

This type of offering is not an obligation, but an offering of thanks to God. Any offering that is not an obligation, would be of the person's own free will.

Leviticus 22:30 "On the same day it shall be eaten up; ye shall leave none of it until the morrow: I [am] the LORD."

Which is the law concerning it (see notes on Lev. 7:15).

"Ye shall leave none of it till the morning": Of another day, as the Vulgate Latin version adds. And much less the fat of them, and the most holy things, as Ben Gersom observes. The one being to be burnt upon the altar, the other to be eaten by the priests.

"I am the Lord": Who has made this law, and expect it will be observed.

Let us look back at the offering for thanksgiving in an earlier chapter.

Leviticus 7:15 "And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the morning."

We remember from a previous lesson, that the meat of this offering was shared by the priests and the person making the offering. The blood, fat and innards belonged to God. This offering was not to restore fellowship with God, but to thank Him for the fellowship they already had. I want to say one more time, this is not an obligation, but a freewill offering. This type offering is rated with the peace offering. Certainly, this will bring peace to the offeror.

Verses 31-33: The motive behind obedience to God was His holy nature and grace in delivering the nation.

Leviticus 22:31 "Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I [am] the LORD."

Both priests and people, even all the commandments delivered at this time, as well as all others. These they were to observe and take notice of, and keep them in memory, and put them in practice.

"I am the Lord": (see note on Lev. 22:30).

We see in this very short verse, that God requires obedience. He not only says (keep His commandments), but He says why it is necessary. He is the LORD. We find an interesting Scripture that says even above sacrifice, we must obey God.

Leviticus 22:32 "Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I [am] the LORD which hallow you,"

"I will be hallowed among the children of Israel": Jesus makes hallowing, or keeping God's name holy and revered, the first request in the Lord's Prayer (Matt. 6:9; Luke 11:2).

By transgressing the laws of God, particularly by offering blemished sacrifices, or before the proper tithe. Or by slaying the dam and its young on one day; for, as Aben Ezra observes, this is said to the sons of Aaron.

"But I will be hallowed among the children of Israel": By his priests among them, and by themselves. Conforming to all the precepts, and particularly the last mentioned, which respects them, and their eating up the peace offerings the same day.

"I am the Lord which hallowed you": Had separated them from all other people, and had given them holy laws to walk by, through the observance of which they would be at least externally holy.

There are so many ways to profane His holy name. We found very quickly what happened to the two sons of Aaron who profaned His name in the holy place. Fire came from the altar and destroyed them. This is a vivid example of that, but in our day, in our churches we are profaning the holy name. We have gotten into this so many times before, but we must remember, so I will say it again. There are 2 houses of Israel. The Hebrews are the physical house of Israel, and all believers in Christ are the spiritual house of Israel. The physical house of Israel was punished many times for forgetting to hold the name of the LORD above all others. God would be with them, as long as they remembered to follow Him alone, and to reverence Him alone. So many times, they would turn away from worshipping the true God, and then the LORD would allow them to get into all sorts of problems, so they would seek Him again. Every time they repented, God forgave them and blessed them again.

Our churches today have forgotten that we serve a holy God. Are we profaning His name, when we give Him less than our very best? The most important question I might ask all of us, are we doing it God's way or our way? Are we guarding the Word of God, making sure it is not changed in any way? Do we have a reverent fear of the LORD? Are the services in the church, a sweet, sweet sound in His ear? Would God be pleased with the amount of time we spend finding out what His will is in our life, by studying the Bible daily? Does God feel welcome in our services? Are we aware of His presence in every service?

We must not play games with God. The only reason a person should go to church is to fellowship with God and His people, and to study His Word, so that we will know His will. We should look forward to that fellowship, and not dread going to church. Is the LORD really the love of your life? We must all examine ourselves and make sure Jesus Christ is not only our Savior, but our LORD as well.

Leviticus 22:33 "That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I [am] the LORD."

Whereby he showed himself to be their covenant God and Father, who had a kind and gracious regard unto them. And which laid them under obligation to fear, serve, and worship him as their God.

"I am the Lord": That hath sovereign right unto them, and claim upon them, and therefore they ought to be subject to his will, and observe his laws ordinances.

The Hebrew descendants of Jacob (Israel), were brought out of Egypt with the mighty hand of God, to serve Him. The verse above specifically says why they were brought out. They were in captivity in Egypt for about 400 years. There is another side to this verse above. Egypt is symbolic of the world. As we said above, the spiritual house of Israel is (all believers in Christ). Christians, as well as these Hebrews, must leave Egypt (the world), behind before they can head for the Promised Land. Christians, we must not stay caught up in the things of this world, if we plan to make it to our Promised Land (heaven). We must realize that our home is no more this earth. We should be like Abraham, who was looking for a city whose maker is God.

2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

We need to leave the old life behind and let Christ live in us. When we are baptized in water, we bury the old man, and rise to new life in Christ.

I will ask just one more question. What is more important to you, what the world thinks, or what God thinks? Think on this.

Leviticus Chapter 22 Continued Questions

1. In verse 24, what were things they were not to offer?

2. Why would this not be a correct offering?

3. Were strangers permitted to offer to God?

4. What was the difference in the offering for a stranger?

5. Why does Moses keep saying who this message comes from?

6. What does the word that dam was translated from, mean?

7. How old was the minimum age an animal had to be to be offered?

8. What was the restriction mentioned in verse 28?

9. What lesson can we Christians learn from this restriction?

10. This offering was to be made of their ____ _______ ______.

11. Who eats of this thanksgiving offering?

12. This offering was not to bring the person offering back into fellowship with God, but was for what?

13. Why were all of these Hebrews to keep God's commandments?

14. What is better than sacrifice?

15. What are some of the ways they profaned the name of God?

16. Are we doing it God's way, or our way?

17. Would God be pleased with the time we spend studying our Bible each day?

18. What are the only reasons a person should go to church?

19. Is Jesus Christ your ________, as well as your Savior?

20. Why did God bring them out of Egypt?

21. What is Egypt a symbol of?

22. Christians must leave Egypt, before they can go to the ____________ _______.

23. Where is the Christian's Promised Land?

24. If any man be in Christ, he is a new ____________.

Leviticus Chapter 23

Verses 23:1 - 27:34: Holiness issues that pertain to the nation collectively are outlined.

Verses 1-44: This section comprises a list of the holy seasons in the Israelite religious calendar, including the three great celebrations of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. Beginning with Sabbath observance, the list concluded with the joyous Feast of Tabernacles, with its emphasis on God's deliverance of captive Israel from Egypt.

This chapter lists, in order by date, the seven "feasts" of Israel: "Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Weeks, Trumpets, Day of Atonement", and "Tabernacles". The Feast of Purim was established after the events described in (Esther 9:17-32), long after Moses. The Hanukkah celebration was established even later and is described in the non-canonical books (of 1 and 2 Maccabees).

(Numbers chapters 28 and 29), describe the offerings presented on these days.

This section points to days which are sacred to the Lord. After the Sabbath (verse 3), the feasts are given in the order of the calendar (verses 4-44).

Leviticus 23:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

Much about the same time as before. And having delivered to him various laws concerning the holiness of the people of Israel, who were to serve him, and of the holiness of the priests, that were to minister in holy things to him. And of the purity and perfections of their sacrifices, he here appoints various times and seasons, for the more special worship and service of him.

"Saying": As follows.

Leviticus 23:2 "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, [Concerning] the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim [to be] holy convocations, [even] these [are] my feasts."

"Feasts of the Lord" is the term used in the expression "tent of meeting" (moed); thus, they are large assemblies of the people taking place at set times, and as "holy convocations", they are celebrated at the tabernacle. The description of these events as feast (hag, which means "pilgrim feast" or simply "holiday", i.e., a day or season of religious joy), indicates their joyful character, and demonstrates that not all the gatherings within the sanctuary precincts were necessarily solemn or filled with foreboding.

"Proclaim to be holy convocations": These festivals did not involve gatherings of all Israel in every case. Only the feasts of:

(1) Unleavened Bread;

(2) Weeks; and

(3) Tabernacles required that all males gather in Jerusalem (compare Exodus 23:14-17; Deut. 16:16-17).

These feasts are really days set aside as holy days. I believe this includes the daily, weekly, monthly, as well as special feast days. Some of the festivals, or feasts, that quickly come to mind are the Feast of Trumpets, Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, Day of Atonement, and Feast of Tabernacles. Of course, there were daily offerings, Sabbath, and New Moon festivals. These were times to remember the blessings God has bestowed upon His people. These are very holy times. All people who worship choose days that are important to keep holy. Each one of these festivals are recognized for a separate reason, which we will cover in these lessons. These are not times we have chosen as holy days, but days God has chosen as holy days.

Leviticus 23:3 "Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day [is] the sabbath of rest, a holy convocation; ye shall do no work [therein]: it [is] the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings."

"The "Sabbath" followed the pattern of God's rest from creative activity (Gen. 2:3), and it was to be set apart (Exodus 20:11). This sanctity was reinforced in the manner of giving manna in the wilderness (Exodus 16:5, 23-30). Two lambs were sacrificed on the Sabbath, as opposed to one on the other days of the week (Num. 28:9, 19). In the New Testament, the "first day of the week" (Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:2; Acts 20:7; Rev. 1:10), commemorating Christ' resurrection, replace the Jewish Sabbath as a regular period for Christian worship.

In six days God created the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested. This set the pattern for the time of work and the time of rest to be observed on this earth. Convocation, in the Scripture above, means public gathering. Sabbath, in the Scripture above, means intermission. God established this intermission from work for the good of man, as well as having a day set aside to worship Him. Jesus explains this in:

Mark 2:27 "And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:"

The Sabbath Moses spoke of here, was to be observed from sunset Friday until sunset Saturday. This was observed on the last day of the week, or the 7th day.

Verses 4-22: Three events were commemorated in Mar./Apr.

(1) Passover on the 14^th (verse 5);

(2) Feast of Unleavened Bread on the 15 ^th - 21^st (verses 6-8); and

(3) Feast of Firstfruits on the day after the Sabbath of Unleavened Bread week (verses 9-14).

Leviticus 23:4 "These [are] the feasts of the LORD, [even] holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons."

What follow besides the Sabbath mentioned.

"Which ye shall proclaim in their seasons": The proper times of the year, the day or days, and month in which they are to be observed. These were to be proclaimed by the priests with the sound of trumpet. Namely, what follows, for they are put together, which had been before for the most part singly delivered.

This is not speaking of just Sabbath, but is speaking of all the festivals, as well. When we were in Israel, the beginning of Sabbath was proclaimed by three blasts on the ram's horn. These holy times were to be observed by all, not just the High Priest and the priests.

Verses 5-8: The "Passover" commences the "Feast of Unleavened Bread", celebrating the Lord's deliverance of Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 12:14-20; 43-49; 13:3-10; Num. 28:16-25). These feasts occur in March or April, and are followed by the Feast of Firstfruits.

Leviticus 23:5 "In the fourteenth [day] of the first month at even [is] the LORD'S passover."

The "Passover" goes back to (Exodus 12:1-28), and commemorated the deliverance of the enslaved Israelites from Egypt by a mighty act of divine redemption. The event served as a wonderful illustration of the redemption Christ accomplished at Calvary (John 1:29; 1 Cor. 5:7): He was the offering without blemish (Exodus 12:5; 1 Peter 1:19), the Lamb who had to be killed (Exodus 12:6; John 12:24, 27), whose blood had to be applied (Exodus 12:7; Heb. 9:22).

The first month of their religious year was Nisan which is approximately the same as our April. I say approximately, because they did not observe the same time as we do today to change a month. Every complete change of the moon proclaimed a new month. Their months were about 28 days long. The LORD's Passover was a time to remember the night in Egypt, when death passed over the Hebrew's homes which had the blood of the lamb over the door. In all of Egypt, those who did not have the blood over the door, lost the first born of both man and beast. To remember this special night, each Passover, Jewish families eat the Passover supper. The animal is roasted and they eat bitter herbs and unleavened bread with the meal. We go into this in greater detail in other lessons. I would like to say that we Christians have a Passover Lamb. His name was Jesus Christ our LORD. When we are washed in His blood, we receive eternal life. Jesus, not only ate Passover with the disciples, but was in fact the Passover Lamb Himself. Both His eating and His being the Passover Lamb occurred between sunset and the next sunset. Both things occurred on the day Passover was celebrated.

Leviticus 23:6 "And on the fifteenth day of the same month [is] the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread."

The "feast of unleavened bread" began on the evening of Passover (Exodus 12:6, 8), and lasted for seven days. On the first day, homes were to be cleared of leaven and a "holy convocation" was to be called (Exodus 12:16). This week was concluded with another convocation. The rituals are described in (Numbers 28:16-25). This, along with the Feasts of Pentecost (Weeks), and Tabernacles, had the character of pilgrimage celebrations. All adult males in Israel were required to observe these three great feasts (Exodus 23:17; Deut. 16:16). Unleavened Bread and Passover are usually considered as one feast. By this feast, Israel not only expressed heartfelt joy for the Lord's deliverance, but was reminded of its devotion to the Law (Exodus 13:9) and the implications of covenant relationship.

The unleavened bread symbolized the body of Jesus which was without sin. Unleavened means free from sin. Jesus is the Bread. Jesus took our sin on His body that we might receive His righteousness. This Feast of Unleavened Bread was an extension of eating unleavened bread of the Passover. Unleavened Bread continued 7 days beyond Passover. We have been reminded that 7 means spiritually complete. The Unleavened Bread of the Passover was eaten in a ceremonial meal. The week of Unleavened Bread is to be observed even in ordinary meals eaten that week.

Leviticus 23:7 "In the first day ye shall have a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein."

That is, on the first of the seven days of the feast of Unleavened Bread, even the fifteenth day of the month Nisan. This was separated from the other days of the festival, and more particularly devoted to religions exercises (see Exodus 12:16).

"Ye shall do no servile work therein": Such as agriculture, or any manufacture or mechanical business. Which they and their servants were at other times employed in. But they might bake bread, and boil or roast their meat, and walk abroad, which they might not do on their Sabbaths. And therefore, it is so expressed as to distinguish it from the work forbidden on that day.

This time of separation from work and the things of the world gave them a time when they could remember that God had made them His people, and they were to live holy lives. This Unleavened Bread reminded them of the necessity to live without sin.

Leviticus 23:8 "But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day [is] a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work [therein]."

A burnt offering was to be offered unto the Lord on every one of the seven days, which were two young bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs. Besides a meat offering, and a goat for a sin offering (Num. 28:19).

"In the seventh day is a holy convocation, ye shall do no servile work therein": As on the first day, that was on account of the Israelites going out of Egypt. And this is said, on account of Pharaoh and his host being drowned on it (see notes on Exodus 12:16).

We remember from previous lessons, that offerings made by fire showed total dedication to God. Notice the beginning and the end of this week were holy days. We must not only begin with God, but we must end with Him as well.

Verses 9-14: The Feast of Firstfruits celebrated the first grain harvest of each year, the barley harvest, by commemorating Yahweh's faithfulness to His people. The priest waved the "sheaf of the Fristfruits ... before the Lord" as the people's pledge that what belonged to Him would be given back to Him. The offering of the Firstfruits coincided with Christ's resurrection (1 Cor. 15:23).

Leviticus 23:9 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

At the same time, for what follow are the other feasts and holy convocations before spoken of.

"Saying": As follows.

Verses 10-14: "Sheaf of the first fruits": A "sheaf" was actually an "omer", about two quarts, presented to the Lord on the second day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The "waving" by the priest before the Lord may have involved making the sign of the cross. This token offering was accompanied by burnt, grain, and drink offerings. The ceremony acknowledged God as the real author of all the land's crops by making a representative presentation of the crops to Him, thereby consecrating them. The concept of firstfruits is popular in the New Testament: referring to the earliest converts as the firstfruits of the Spirit (Rom. 8:23). To the Jews as precursors of the Christian church (Rom. 11:16); to individual believers (Rom. 16:5); to Christ as the firstfruits of resurrection (1 Cor. 15:20); to believers born again by the Word of God (James 1:18); and to the group that had been redeemed as firstfruits (Rev. 14:4).

Leviticus 23:10 "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:"

What is next observed, it being incumbent on them to do what is enjoined.

"When ye be come into the land which I give unto you": The land of Canaan, which God had given by promise to their fathers and to them. And which they were now going to inherit. As yet they were in a wilderness, where there was no sowing nor reaping, nor any harvest. So that the following law, though now given, could not take place till they came into the land of Canaan.

"And shall reap the harvest thereof": The barley harvest, which was about this time, the month Nisan, and which had the name Abib, from the barley being then in the ear (see Exodus 9:31); for the wheat harvest was not till seven weeks after.

"Then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest": To with it as after directed. This is called an omer in the text, which was the tenth part of an ephah (Exodus 16:36). And so Jarchi interprets it here; according to the Jewish writers, when the sheaf was reaped, the corn was beat out and winnowed, and dried by the fire, and then ground in a mill. And an omer, or a tenth part of an ephah of the flour of it was taken, and oil and frankincense put upon it. A handful of which being put upon the altar, the rest was the priest's. And with this pretty much agrees the account Josephus gives, who says, on the second day of unleavened bread, which is the sixteenth (day of Nisan), of the fruits they have reaped they take a part. For they do not touch them before, accounting it just to honor God first, from whom they receive the plenty of these things. And bring the firstfruits of the barley after this manner, having dried the handful of ears, and bruised them, and cleansed them from the bran. They bring to the altar a tenth part to God, and casting one handful of it on the altar, they leave the rest for the use of the priests. And from here forward it is lawful to reap publicly and privately.

It appears that firstfruits of the grain were to be offered in conjunction with unleavened bread. The first and best of the harvest was chosen and put in a sheaf, and brought, and waved before the Lord. No one was to eat any of the harvest, until the first had been given to God. This would be dedicating the whole crop to God. It is interesting to note, that no crop which had been fertilized or artificially watered would be acceptable for this firstfruits offering. God had promised His people that their crops would do well, as long as they worshipped Him alone.

Leviticus 23:11 "And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it."

Or the omer of barley. This was done by the priest in the tabernacle and temple, where the presence of God was. And that before the handful of it was put upon the altar; which agitation or waving was, as Gersom says, towards the cast; it was moved to and fro, backwards and forwards, upwards and downwards, to make an acknowledgment to the Lord of heaven and earth. That the fruits of the earth and the plentiful harvest were of him, and to give him the praise and glory of it.

"To be accepted for you": Of the Lord, as a thanksgiving to him. For the harvest now ripe, and the appointed time of it, and the plenty thereof. And that the remainder might be sanctified and blessed to them, and they have leave to gather it in, which they had not till this was done.

"On the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it": After the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, which was a Sabbath, or day of rest, as appears from (Lev. 23:7). Or upon the sixteenth day of the month. And this was the first of those fifty days, in the close whereof was the Feast of Pentecost.

This sheaf of grain that was offered was showing that all the crop really belonged to God. It is through the blessings of God, that bountiful crops are produced. Any farmer will tell you, that by the grace of God, they have a good crop. The persons (usually three men), who went and brought in the sheaf of grain were not breaking the Sabbath. It was permissible to go and get the sheaf for the offering in the temple. Actually Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Firstfruits of the harvest happened approximately the same time. Jesus was the Passover Lamb, Jesus was the Unleavened Bread, and He is the First Fruits of God's harvest.

Leviticus 23:12 "And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf a he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD."

Besides the daily sacrifice of the morning and evening, and the additional offerings made on every one of the seven days of the feast of unleavened bread.

"A he lamb without blemish of the first year, for a burnt offering unto the Lord": Typical of the perfect and immaculate Lamb of God, whose sufferings are fitly signified by a burnt offering. And which were endured at the time he became the firstfruits of his people, and sanctified them.

We have gone into this more fully in another lesson, but I will touch on just a few things here. Of course, the fact that this is a he lamb is because it shadows the body of Jesus, and therefore must be a male. A male lamb that is one year old has never been with a female lamb. This indicates the fact that Jesus never married. This was a burnt offering showing that Jesus paid it all for us. All of these offerings here, seem to overlap. That is exactly what Jesus did for all of us in that one offering of Himself. Jesus did not just fulfill one or two of these offerings, but He fulfilled them every one, in the perfect sacrifice of Himself. This sacrifice of Himself was to do away with all other sacrifices. His sacrifice was for all time for everyone who would believe and accept Him as our sacrifice.

Leviticus 23:13 "And the meat offering thereof [shall be] two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD [for] a sweet savor: and the drink offering thereof [shall be] of wine, the fourth [part] of an hin."

The usual measure of flour to a meat offering was one tenth deal (Exodus 29:40). But here it is doubled. Some Jewish writers say one tenth was on account of the lamb that was offered at this time, and the other as was suitable for a meat offering. But the true reason seems to be, because it was on account of the fruits of the earth and the plenty thereof. And therefore, a double measure of fine flour mixed with oil was required as a token of gratitude. For thankfulness ought to be in proportion to mercies.

"An offering made by fire unto the Lord for a sweet savor": A handful of it was burnt upon the altar, and was received with acceptance by the Lord, and the rest was eaten by the priests (Lev. 2:2).

"And the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin": Which was the common quantity for a drink offering (Exodus 29:40). For, as Jarchi observes, though the meat offering was doubled, the drink offering was not. The reason of which seems to be, because these offerings were on account of the harvest and not the vintage. The Targum of Jonathan calls it wine of grapes, to distinguish it from wine that might be made of other things, but not to be used in drink offerings, only the pure juice of the grape.

We touched on this also in an earlier lesson, but I would like to remind all of us of just a few highlights of this. The meat offering did not contain flesh, but was made up of the elements used in making bread. Jesus is the Bread of Life. This was called a meat offering, because it shadowed the flesh of Jesus. This is one of the few places where the drink offering is mentioned. This wine symbolizes the blood of Jesus. The Bread symbolizes His body.

John 6:53 "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you."

Matthew 26:26-28 "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed [it], and brake [it], and gave [it] to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body." "And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave [it] to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;" "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

We have said this before, but it is very important to remember that God is a Spirit. If God was the author of the Bible, as I believe He was, then the only way to truly understand the Bible is through the Spirit.

Leviticus Chapter 23 Questions

1. What were the feasts of the LORD called in verse 2?

2. Name some of the holy days.

3. What were the people to remember in these festivals?

4. Who decided which days were holy?

5. ___ days shall work be done.

6. What is the 7th day?

7. What set the pattern for 6 days of work and one day for rest?

8. What does convocation mean?

9. What does Sabbath mean?

10. What did Jesus say about the Sabbath in Mark?

11. In recent years in Jerusalem, how is Sabbath proclaimed?

12. Who was to observe these holy times?

13. When is the LORD's Passover to be observed?

14. What was the first month of the religious year for the Jews?

15. What signaled a new month?

16. What did Passover remind them of?

17. What were they to eat at Passover?

18. Who is the Christian's Passover Lamb?

19. How does Jesus save our lives?

20. How could Jesus eat the Passover supper and be the Passover Lamb?

21. When did unleavened bread officially begin?

22. What does unleavened mean?

23. What does the number 7 mean spiritually?

24. What did this time of rest allow them to do?

25. When did firstfruits occur?

26. What was offered as firstfruits?

27. What peculiarity did the crop where the sheaf of grain was taken have?

28. What was to be done with the sheaf of grain?

29. How are bountiful crops produced?

30. What three festivals happened about the same time?

31. What was to be offered at the same time as the sheaf being heaved unto the LORD?

32. Why must the lamb that was offered be a he?

33. What was meant by this lamb being under one year of age?

34. Is it correct to sacrifice now? Why?

35. What was peculiar about the meat offering?

36. Why then, was it called a meat offering?

37. How does the author believe is the only way to truly understand the Bible?

Leviticus Chapter 23 Continued

Leviticus 23:14 "And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: [it shall be] a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings."

That is, they were not allowed to make bread of the new corn, as Aben Ezra and Gersom explain it; for they were obliged to eat unleavened bread at this time. But it might not be made of the new corn, until the above offering was made. They were not allowed to parch any of the grains of corn, and eat them, even they might not pluck and eat the green ears, though of ever so small a quantity. The Jews say, if it was the quantity of an olive of either of these, a man was to be beaten for it.

"Until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God": Which includes all the offerings on this account. The offering of the firstfruits, the offering of the male lamb, and the meat offering and the drink offering. Until these were offered up, the new corn might not be eaten in any form.

"It shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations": Until the Messiah came, who is the substance of these shadows.

"In all your dwellings": Not at Jerusalem only, but in the several parts of the land of Canaan. As Ben Gersom says, whether in the land, or without the land. And in the land of Israel, until the beginning of the night of the seventeenth of Nisan.

We talked about the importance of the first fruits offering in the previous lesson. It was very important not to eat of the harvest before this offering was made. The entire crop was blessed by the first of the foodstuff being offered to God. This firstfruits offering of the sheaf of corn and other early crops was symbolic of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus fulfilled the first fruits feast when He rose from the grave. Jesus was the first to rise from the dead. Jesus actually purified all the human race for resurrection when He rose from the grave.

1 Corinthians 15:20-23 "But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the firstfruits of them that slept." "For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead." "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." "But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming."

Jesus' resurrection is a surety that we believers, also will rise.

Verses 15-22: The Feast of Pentecost occurred 50 days after the Feast of Firstfruits (thus Pentecost in Greek), and was regarded by later Jewish authorities as the complement or conclusion of the Passover celebrations, since it followed the latter by seven weeks. It lasted for only one day (Deut. 16:9-12), and was a joyous occasion when the entire nation gave thanks to a gracious heavenly Father for His abundant gifts of food. This was symbolized by two loaves "baked with leaven" (verse 17), and presented to the Lord, along with sacrificial animals, cereal gifts, and drink offerings. The feast reminded the Israelites that God's care and control reached into every area of life, making no distinctions between material and spiritual blessings. Pentecost symbolized the thankfulness of a people who were not only grateful for the firstfruits of the grain harvest but who looked forward to the culmination of the harvest season in the fall. On the Feast of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was first poured out on the apostles (Acts 2:1-4).

The "Feast of Weeks", celebrating the harvest (Exodus 34:22; Num. 28:26-31; Deut. 16:9-10), was one of the three great festivals the Hebrew people later celebrated in Jerusalem. Because it required "50 days" from the Passover Sabbath, it was also called "Pentecost", meaning fiftieth. During the Pentecost following the resurrection of Christ, the church was born (Acts chapter 2).

"Fifty days": The Feast of Weeks (May/June), dedicated the Firstfruits of the wheat harvest (compare Exodus 23:16; Num. 28:26-31; Deut. 16:9-12). It occurred on the 50^th day after the Sabbath preceding the Feast of Firstfruits. It is also known as the Feast of Harvest (Exodus 23:16), and Pentecost, Greek for 50 (Acts 2:1).

Leviticus 23:15 "And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:"

Not the seventh day Sabbath in the Passover week, nor the whole feast of Unleavened Bread, but the first day of it, which was a holy convocation. A Sabbath in which no servile work was to be done (Lev. 23:7). And it was from the day after this, even the sixteenth of Nisan, that the following count was to be made. So the Targum of Jonathan, after the first feast day of the Passover. And Josephus is very clear in it, that Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks, was the fiftieth day from the sixteenth of Nisan, when the above offerings were made.

"From the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering": Which plainly points out the express day from whence the count was to begin. Even on the day when the sheaf of the firstfruits of the barley harvest was offered.

"Seven sabbaths shall be complete": Or seven weeks, that is, forty-nine days; and hence, Jarchi says, we learn that the count began from the evening, or otherwise the weeks would not be complete. And Gersom thinks the day in which the sheaf was offered is included in the days counted. For the count began from the day after the first of the Passover, and lo, seven days are seven weeks of days, which make forty-nine days.

Leviticus 23:16 "Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD."

Or weeks, forty-nine days being counted, the following was the fiftieth day, or Pentecost.

"Shall ye number fifty days": From whence this feast had the name of Pentecost (Acts 2:1). All in Israel were obliged to number those days, except women and servants. The manner of doing it was this; on the night of the second (day of the Passover), after the evening prayer, they began to number. But if anyone forgot to number at the beginning of the night, he went and numbered all the night. For the commandment is for everyone to number by himself, and he ought to number standing, and to bless first, and number the days and weeks. How? On the first day he says: This is one day, until he comes to seven days, and then he says, this is the seventh day, which is one week. And on the eighth day he says" This is the eighth day, which is one week and one day, and so till he comes to the fourteenth. Then he says: This is the fourteenth day, which make two weeks. And in this way he numbers, and goes on until the forty ninth day.

"And ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord": That is, of new corn, as the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi explain it, and this was of wheat. For it was the offering for the wheat harvest, which was offered on the fiftieth day from the offering of the sheaf or omer of the barley harvest.

Fifty days later, is the feast of Pentecost mentioned above. The feast of Pentecost was fulfilled by the Spirit of God baptizing the 120 with the baptism of the Holy Ghost or fire. This is the fulfillment of Jesus telling the disciples, He would send the Comforter. This new meat offering, mentioned (in verse 16 above), is the Feast of Pentecost. Another way to say this would be the feast of fifty days. This new meat offering was fulfilled in the earnest of the Spirit at Pentecost.

Ephesians 1:13-14 "In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise," "Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory."

Fifty days after the Exodus out of Egypt, the law was given at Sinai. What the law had not been able to do, the baptism of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost here would do. This baptism would empower these to continue with the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Leviticus 23:17 "Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven; [they are] the firstfruits unto the LORD."

Out of their habitations in the land of Canaan. And not out of those without the land, as Jarchi observes. And indeed, out of no particular habitation, because it was at the public expense. But they were brought from some part of the country or another, even the quantity of two tenth parts of an ephah. Or two omers of wheat flour made into two loaves, which were to be, and were waved before the Lord, and hence so called. And are the same with the new meat offering, or rather bread offering, made of the new corn, in the preceding verse, so Jarchi.

"They shall be of fine flour": Of wheat flour, the finest of it, of which all meat or bread offerings were made. And this was particularly on account of the wheat harvest, and therefore it was proper that the finest of the wheat should be used on this occasion (see notes on Lev. 2:1). Each loaf or cake, according to Maimonides, was seven hands' breadths long, four hands' breadths broad, and four fingers high.

"They shall be baked with leaven": The common meat offering was unleavened, part of which was burnt on the altar, where no leaven might be burnt (Lev. 2:4). And from there it may be concluded that no part of these loaves was to be burnt, but the whole of them fell to the share of the priests.

"They are the firstfruits unto the Lord": Which he claimed as his, and gave unto his priests. And it was but right and just he should have them, as an acknowledgment of all coming from his hands, and as expressive of gratitude for them, and for the sanctification of the rest. Therefore, this is called the feast of the firstfruits of wheat harvest (Exodus 34:22).

At Pentecost, firstfruits were to be again offered to the Lord. The difference in this firstfruits offering here, was that it was the first of the wheat harvest. This was offered with leaven. This was also accompanied by a sin offering. Christians were not free from sin, until they were cleansed by Jesus. Jesus Christ was the firstfruits during feast of Unleavened Bread. Christians are certainly represented here, where there is an offering for sin. Jesus is called firstfruits, as we said in a previous verse. Christians are also called Firstfruits in Romans. The Firstfruits at Pentecost was the Firstfruits of the wheat. The great harvest of the wheat (Christians), is at the end of the world.

Matthew 13:30 "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."

Matthew 13:36-38 "Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field." "He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;" "The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked [one];"

To get the full impact of this, read the rest of this chapter. Then Pentecost is the Firstfruits of the harvest of the wheat at the end of the world. Pentecost is the earnest of the harvest of the wheat at the end of the world.

Leviticus 23:18 "And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be [for] a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, [even] an offering made by fire, of sweet savor unto the LORD."

That is, with the two wave loaves, the meat or bread offering: and besides these, one young bullock, and two rams. In (Num. 28:27), it is two young bullocks, and one ram. And Aben Ezra suggests, that this was at the will and option of the priest, whether one bullock and two rams, or two bullocks and one ram. But according to Maimonides, these sacrifices were distinct from them. They are sacrifices of the day, as being a feast day, and these belonged to the loaves.

"They shall be for a burnt offering unto the Lord, with their meat offering, and their drink offering": Each of the said beasts were offered unto the Lord on the altar of burnt offering, and burnt thereon. And to every beast they offered, there was a meat offering and a drink offering. The meat offering consisted of three tenth deals, or omers, of fine flour, to a bullock. Two to a ram, and one to a lamb. And the drink offering was half an hin of wine to a bullock, the third part of one to a ram, and a fourth part to a lamb, as Jarchi observes. Which appears from (Num. 28:12).

"Even an offering made by fire of a sweet savor unto the Lord": An acceptable burnt offering to God.

This is a list of the technical things to be done at this offering. Notice, these animals were to be sinless (without blemish), and they were to be of the first year. The 7 lambs show the complete work that Jesus did for all of us. Just as the sacrifice Jesus made for all of us glorified the Father, so these too, were a sweet smelling savor to Him.

Leviticus 23:19 "Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings."

Which was for the sin of the whole congregation, typical of Christ, whose soul was made an offering for sin. In virtue of which all other sacrifices become acceptable to God, and believers enjoy the fruits and blessings of divine grace.

"And two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings": Which Gersom says were the most holy things, and were only slain in the north, and only eaten by males, as the rest of the holy things. And are the only peace offerings of the congregation that were offered throughout the whole year.

Leviticus 23:20 "And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits [for] a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest."

The two loaves called the two wave loaves (Lev. 23:17). With which were waved the two lambs of the peace offerings; and these alive, as Jarchi and Ben Gersom intimate. The Jewish doctors dispute, whether, in waving, the lambs were put above the bread, or the bread above the lambs. Which some reconcile by observing, that the bread was put by the side of the lambs.

"For a wave offering before the Lord": Being waved this way and that way, upwards and downwards, and towards the several quarters of the world. Showing that the fruits of the earth were owing to the providential goodness of God everywhere.

"With the two lambs": Not that all the above sacrifices were waved, or any part of them, along with the lambs, but the wave loaves, and they were waved together, as one wave offering to the Lord.

"They shall be holy to the Lord for the priest": Both the loaves and the lambs, these were separated and devoted wholly to the Lord, and to be eaten by his priests. The peace offerings of a single person were light holy things, as Jarchi says. But the peace offerings of the congregation, as these were, are the most holy things, and so to be eaten only by the priests, and by the males only, in the court of the tabernacle.

We have dealt fully with these offerings in a previous lesson. One thing we will remind ourselves of here, is that even though these offerings that were waved before God and not burned up, they were still offered as unto God. The priest and his family lived of the things of the sanctuary. Gifts that are used in the normal function of the church are still gifts to God.

Leviticus 23:21 "And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, [that] it may be a holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work [therein: it shall be] a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations."

This proclamation was made by the priests with the sound of a trumpet, that the people might observe that this fiftieth day. Or day of Pentecost, which was devoted to sacred service, and that they were called to holy exercises in it.

"Ye shall do no servile work therein": What was not necessary for food, as Ben Gersom observes, but what was necessary on that account, as kindling a fire, etc. might be done (see Lev. 23:7). For this was to be kept in like manner as the first and seventh days of the feast of Unleavened Bread. The general design of which was to express thankfulness for the appointed weeks of the harvest, and to honor the Lord with the firstfruits of the increase of the earth. And the Jews say, as Ben Gersom observes, that this fiftieth day, being reckoned from the sixteenth of Nisan, fell upon the sixth of Sivan, on which day, they say, the law was given. Which is another reason for the observance of it. And it is remarkable, that on this same day the Word of the Lord went out of Zion, and the law or doctrine of the Lord, even the everlasting Gospel, went out of Jerusalem. Published by the apostles of Christ to the people of all nations (Acts 2:14). When they were favored with the firstfruits of the Spirit, after our Lord's ascension to heaven, and receiving gifts for men, which he now in an extraordinary manner bestowed on his disciples (Acts 2:1). And which were the firstfruits of all others, after to be given forth in the course of time, and of the effusion of the Spirit in the latter day. And when there was a number of souls converted, as the firstfruits of after conversions among Jews and Gentiles (Acts 2:41). And particularly of the conversion of the Jews in the latter day, and of the harvest of souls in the end of the world (Matt. 13:30).

"It shall be a statute for ever all your dwellings throughout your generations": So long as they dwelt in the land of Canaan, and had their harvest in it, even until the Messiah came, in whom all those types and figures had their accomplishment.

This day is to be treated as Sabbath. No work is to be done on this day at all. The Hebrews were to keep these statutes forever. The only time that would be permissible to stop sacrificing, would be when Jesus became the perfect fulfillment of all sacrifice for all time for everyone at Calvary.

Leviticus 23:22 "And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I [am] the LORD your God."

This law is repeated from (Lev. 19:9). And as Aben Ezra observes, the Feast of Weeks being the feast of the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, it is repeated. That they might not forget what God had commanded them to do at that time, namely, to leave somewhat for the poor. And the Jewish writers observe, that this law, being put among the solemn feasts of the Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles, and the beginning of the year, and the Day of Atonement, teaches, that he that observes it, and leaves the corner of the field and the gleanings to the poor. It is as if he built the sanctuary, and offered his sacrifices in the midst of it. But a much better reason may be given for it, which was, to teach them that when they expressed their thankfulness to God, they should exercise charity and liberality to the poor.

"Thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest" (see notes on Lev. 19:9).

"Thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your God" (see notes on Lev. 19:10).

This that was left in the field was for the widow and the stranger in the land. This was a way of helping someone in need without the person who received the help feeling like a lesser human. God had made arrangements for those in need. There is a beautiful story of this very thing in the book of Ruth. Ruth was a widow and was gleaning for herself and her mother-in-law. We find that not only did God provide for the physical needs of Ruth and Naomi in this, but Ruth and Boaz married each other. You will find them in the genealogy of Jesus in the flesh. God reminded the people, when He told them to leave some for the strangers and the poor, that He was in fact the reason they had a good crop.

Verses 23-43: Three events were commemorated in Sept./Oct.

(1) Feast of Trumpets on the 1^st (verses 23-25);

(2) Day of Atonement on the 10^th (verses 26-32); and

(3) Feast of Booths or Tabernacles on the 15 ^th-21^st (verses 33-43).

Verses 23-25: The Feast of Trumpets was one of three festivals that occurred in the seventh month (Tishri, September/October). It was to be a Sabbath", or day of rest, when trumpets were blown to assemble the congregation (Num. 10:10). It signaled the beginning of the civil new year, Rosh Hashanah. In the postexilic period, the Torah was generally read in public in an atmosphere of rejoicing and celebration. The people were reminded of God's mercies, which would sustain them through the new year if they obeyed His covenant.

Leviticus 23:23 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

At the same time, in a continued discourse, concerning some other days, which were to be observed in a sacred manner.

"Saying": As follows.

Verses 24-25: The "seventh month" on the Hebrew calendar is September or October on standard calendars. The Feast of Trumpets mentioned here (known in modern times as Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year), is the first of three festivals during this season (Num. 29:1-6), and signals a month-long "Sabbath" rest. The others are the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles.

Leviticus 23:24 "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first [day] of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation."

For all the people of Israel were concerned in the following precept, and obliged to observe it, even priests, Levites, Israelites, proselytes, and freed servants. Though other servants, and women, and children, were not obliged to hear the sound of the trumpets, and which were blown not in Jerusalem only, but in all cities and towns where the Sanhedrin was. And it was the hearing of them the people were bound unto. And not less than nine distinct soundings were they obliged to hear. To which perhaps respect is had in (Psalm 89:15).

"In the seventh month": The month Tisri, as the Targum of Jonathan. Which was the seventh from the month Nisan or Abib. Which was appointed the first month of the year, on account of the Israelites coming out of Egypt in it. Otherwise, before, this month Tisri was the first, and so it still continued. For the fixing the years, and settling the sabbatical and jubilee years, and for the planting of trees and herbs.

"In the first day of the month shall ye have a sabbath": Not entirely as the weekly Sabbath, in which no manner of work at all was to be done, but in which no servile work was to be done. And was observed in like manner as the first and seventh days of Unleavened Bread, and the day of Pentecost (Lev. 23:7).

"A memorial of blowing of trumpets": I.e., solemnized with the blowing of trumpets by the priests. Not in a common way, as they did every first day of every month (Num. 10:10). But in an extraordinary manner. Not only in Jerusalem, but in all the cities of Israel. This seems to have been instituted to solemnize the beginning of the new year, whereof as to civil matters, and particularly as to the jubilee, this was the first day. Concerning which it was fit the people should be admonished, both to excite their thankfulness for God's blessing in the last year, and to direct them in the management of their civil affairs. And to put a special honor upon this month. For as the seventh day was the Sabbath, and the seventh year was a sabbatical year; so God would have the seventh month to be a kind of sabbatical month. For the many Sabbaths and solemn feasts which were observed in this more than in any other month. And by this sounding of the trumpets in its beginning, God would quicken and prepare them for the following Sabbaths, as well that of atonement and humiliation for their sins, as those of thanksgiving for God's mercies.

"A holy convocation": On which the people were called together to holy exercises. And so the Jews observe it to this day. For after they return home from attendance to the blowing of the trumpets in their synagogues, they sit down to meat, and spend the rest of the day in hearing sermons, and in other religious exercises.

This is what we call the Feast of Trumpets. This occurs at approximately October first on our calendar. Of course, since their month falls on the new moon, it would not always be on that exact date, but it will be near that date. This trumpet would be the silver trumpet which assembled the people. Silver means redemption. It is interesting to note that a trumpet will be blown to assemble the people in the heavens to meet with our Lord Jesus Christ when He calls us home.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep." "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:" "Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

It is very interesting to me, that this happens on the 7th month. Seven, you remember, means spiritually complete. Many believe that the catching away of the Christians from the earth will occur on the Feast of Trumpets. This, Feast of Trumpets, certainly could symbolize the calling of the believers to assemble with their Lord. Perhaps, on some Feast of Trumpets, our Lord will blow the silver trumpet of redemption in the sky and we will gather there with Him.

Leviticus Chapter 23 Continued Questions

1. What must be done, before eating bread or parched corn?

2. What blessed the entire crop?

3. What did the firstfruits offering during the period of Unleavened Bread symbolize?

4. Who is called firstfruits in 1 Corinthians 15:20?

5. As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made _______.

6. Jesus' resurrection is surety of what to the believer?

7. When is feast of Pentecost celebrated?

8. What is another thing that feast of Pentecost might be called?

9. What is the earnest of the Christian's inheritance?

10. When was the law given at Sinai?

11. What did the Holy Spirit do that the law could not?

12. What would the baptism in the Spirit equip them to do?

13. Why is the bread offered in this Pentecost offering leavened?

14. What is the difference in firstfruits at Pentecost and firstfruits at unleavened bread?

15. What book in the Bible calls the Christians firstfruits?

16. What foodstuff was offered at firstfruits at Pentecost?

17. What are the Christians called at the harvest at the end of the world?

18. How many lambs were offered in verse 18?

19. What does the number of the lambs show us about Jesus?

20. What other 2 offerings are mentioned in verse 19?

21. What does the waving of the offering show us?

22. Of what did the priest and his family live?

23. What were the special instructions given on harvesting?

24. What book of the Bible has a beautiful story about gleaning fields?

25. What month was the memorial of the blowing of trumpets held?

26. What was the trumpet made of that assembled the people?

27. What does the 4th chapter of 1 Thessalonians tell us about gathering people?

28. When do a large number of people believe the catching away of the Christians will be?

Leviticus Chapter 23 Second Continued

Leviticus 23:24 "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first [day] of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation."

Verse 24 is being shown again as it goes with verse 25.

Leviticus 23:25 "Ye shall do no servile work [therein]: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD."

Only such as was necessary for dressing food, but not any manual work, such as servants were employed in on other days, as agriculture or any mechanic business.

"But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord": A burnt offering, and what that was may be seen in (Num. 29:1).

This seventh month of the religious calendar was the first month of the civil year. This was a holy festival, and there was to be no servile work. Servile means work of any kind. The LORD here is Jehovah.

Verses 26-32: The annual Day of Atonement pointed to the forgiveness and cleansing of sin for the priests, the nation, and the tabernacle (see notes on 16:1-34).

For more on the "Day of Atonement" (see Num. 29:7-11).

Leviticus 23:26 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

This phrase, which is a kind of preface to each precept, seems to be used to distinguish one from another, as the preceding one from the Feast of Pentecost. And here, the Day of Atonement from that of the blowing of the trumpets. And afterwards, the Feast of Tabernacles from the Day of Atonement. The reason why it is not used before the Feast of Pentecost seems to be, because, as Aben Ezra observes, that depended upon the wave sheaf, and was reckoned from it.

"Saying": As follows.

Leviticus 23:27 "Also on the tenth [day] of this seventh month [there shall be] a day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD."

Tisri, the same as before, answering to part of our September, and part of October.

"There shall be a day of atonement": For all the sins of the year past (see Lev. 16:29).

"It shall be a holy convocation unto you": When they should be called together for the exercise of holy duties.

"And ye shall afflict your souls": Their souls, by repentance, contrition, and humiliation for sin, and their bodies by fasting. And, as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it, "by abstaining from eating and drinking, and the advantage of bathing and wiping, and the use of the bed and sandals." Hence called the fast (Acts 27:9; see notes on Lev. 16:29).

"And offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord": A burnt offering, of which see (Num. 29:8).

Jesus is the atonement for the Christian. The number ten has to do with world government. We see from the ten and the seven here, that these people must be cleansed from worldliness through the sacrifice, and would be spiritually complete in God's view. The day of atonement was the day the priest went into the Holy of Holies and carried the blood. God was not available at their beckon call. Even the high priest, who went into the Holy of Holies, did not really get to see God. The smoke in this place obscured perfect view of God. This temple curtain separating God from the people, and from the priests, and the High Priest, was torn from the top to the bottom at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus. When the curtain was torn from the top to the bottom, all believers in Christ were given access to the Father. This curtain actually symbolized the flesh of Jesus. Christians now have access to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ.

Mark 15:38 "And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom."

The name of Jesus Christ gives us access. The people made sacrifices all through the year, but this was a time when the blood of the sacrifice would be carried into the Holy of Holies by the High Priest. The Israelite's access was through the high priest who represented them before God. He was their mediator. Christians' mediator is Christ the LORD.

I Timothy 2:5 "For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;"

Hebrews 3:1 "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;"

Leviticus 23:28 "And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it [is] a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God."

No more than on the weekly Sabbath.

"For it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God" see notes on Lev. 16:30). Aben Ezra's note is, "for you only." That is, for the Israelites, and not the Gentiles. But the atonement of Christ, the antitype of this, was not for the sins of the Jews only, but for the sins of the whole world, of all his people in it (1 John 2:2).

Leviticus 23:29 "For whatsoever soul [it be] that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people."

That is, as the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem explain it, which can fast and does not fast. For a sick person, and a child under nine years of age, were not obliged to fast on this day.

"He shall be cut off from among his people": By an untimely death, by the hand of God. The Targum of Jonathan says, by the pestilence.

A person who would not participate in Day of Atonement would still be walking in their sin. Whoever rejects Jesus as their perfect atonement, will not be among the saved. We shall all stand before Jesus as Judge. The very day we stand before Him, we will either be condemned, or saved. Those who do not accept the perfect atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, will (without question), be lost. We must believe in our heart, and confess with our mouth, the Lord Jesus to be saved.

Leviticus 23:30 "And whatsoever soul [it be] that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people."

Any sort of work whatever. For, as before observed, it was to be kept as strictly as the weekly Sabbath.

"The same soul will I destroy from among his people": With the pestilence, as the above Targum. It seems to be but another phrase for cutting them off, and to signify the same thing.

We see that this day was a holy day. It was to be treated as Sabbath, no work at all was to be done on this day.

Leviticus 23:31 "Ye shall do no manner of work: [it shall be] a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings."

Which is repeated, that it might be observed, and to show how strictly God required this day should be kept. And how careful men should be of breaking the command in this respect, and how much he should resent it if they did.

"It shall be a statute for ever, throughout your generations, in all your dwellings": Unto the coming of the Messiah, who, by the atoning sacrifice of himself, would answer to this law, and put an end to it.

We see that this day separated to God was not just an ordinary day of rest. This was a day to think on God and what He had done for them. This was the tenth day of the seventh month. The number ten in the Hebrew language means riches. We can see in these two numbers here, that the riches that are worth having are the riches in the spirit. These people had the wealth of being forgiven of their sins by God. They must think on this on this special day each year. They must never forget the provision that God had made for the forgiveness of their sin. We Christians should also think on the greatest gift ever given to any man. We should think on the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ toward us, which makes us the wealthiest people in the world. This free gift from Jesus gives us the greatest wealth, which is eternal life in Him.

Leviticus 23:32 "It [shall be] unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth [day] of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath."

See notes on (Lev. 16:31). And this is thought by some to be the Sabbath spoken of in (Isa. 58:13).

"And ye shall afflict your souls; in the ninth day of the month at even": The fast was to begin at the close of the ninth day, and to continue to the end of the tenth. He begins to fast and afflict himself at the evening of the ninth next to the tenth. And so at the going out of it he continues in his affliction a little while of the night of the eleventh, next to the tenth, which is confirmed by what follows.

"From even unto even shall ye celebrate your sabbath": Which some understand of the Sabbath in general. But it seems to have a particular respect to the Sabbath of the Day of Atonement, which was to last from the evening of the ninth to the evening of the tenth day.

This being repeated three times here, shows us the seriousness of always remembering the gift of forgiveness.

Verses 33-44: The "Feast of Tabernacles" was also referred to as "The Feast of Booths". It was seven days in length and concluded with a holy convocation (verse 36). During the week, the people lived in booths or huts made of boughs (Neh. 8:14-18), or branches of palms, willows, or other native trees. It served as a reminder of the way in which the Israelites wandered about in the wilderness after the Exodus, living in tents and temporary shelters. God had provided for them in bringing them out of Egypt and through the wilderness (23:43). There were 189 animals sacrificed (Num. 29:12-38). It also celebrated the autumn harvest of fruits, "when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land" (verse 39), and olives (Exodus 23:16). According to (Zech. 14:16), it will be observed during the Millennium. Thus, the Feast of Tabernacles marked the climax of the religious year when a thankful people entered fully into the anticipated promises, resting fully in the God who had supplied their needs.

Leviticus 23:33 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

Concerning the feast of tabernacles here repeated and enlarged upon.

"Saying": As follows.

Leviticus 23:34 "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month [shall be] the feast of tabernacles [for] seven days unto the LORD."

Giving them directions about keeping a feast, in which the whole body of them had a very special and particular concern.

"The fifteenth day of this seventh month": The month Tisri or September.

"Shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord": I.e., of tents, or booths, or a shady garden alcove with sides and a roof formed by trees or climbing plants trained over a wooden framework. This feast was appointed principally to remind them of that time when they had no other dwellings in the wilderness, as it is expressed (Lev. 23:43). And to stir them up to bless God as well for the gracious conduct and protection then afforded them, as for their more commodious and secure habitations now given them. And secondarily, to excite them to gratitude for all the fruits of the year newly ended. Which were now completely brought in, as may be gathered from (Lev. 23:39; Exodus 23:16; Deut. 16:13-14). See an instance of this feast in (Neh. 8:16).

One of the other names this feast is known by is Festival of Tents. Two more names are Feast of Ingathering and Festival of Jehovah. There are so many things this festival symbolizes. We know during this time, these people were not to live in their homes, but make booths to live in. This reminds us of Abraham, who gave up his home in Ur of the Chaldees to wander, living in tents, seeking a city whose maker is God. The children of Israel wandered also living in tents, seeking their Promised Land. We Christians, too, are wandering through this life, seeking that same city that Abraham sought for. Fifteen has all sorts of wonderful meanings. Fifteen is three times five. Three means God and five means grace. By the grace of God, we will tabernacle with Him in heaven. This place is not my home; I'm just passing through. We must not get too satisfied with this earth and its things. Our Home is in heaven with Jesus, if we are truly Christians. Some people use this Scripture, to say that we will not be raptured into heaven, until after the seven years of tribulation on the earth. Others use it to say that we will be raptured at the beginning of the seven years of tribulation. I do not believe either is what God would have us glean from this. One other thing that would be interesting to note here, is the 7-1000 year days the earth will accomplish, before we enter our Promised Land (heaven), to stay with Jesus. There is a very interesting Scripture in Zechariah chapter 14 about the Feast of Tabernacles.

Zechariah 14:16-19 "And it shall come to pass, [that] every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles." "And it shall be, [that] whoso will not come up of [all] the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain." "And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that [have] no [rain]; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles." "This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles."

I just put this in for you to contemplate on, read the rest of the 14th chapter of Zechariah.

Leviticus 23:35 "On the first day [shall be] a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work [therein]."

When they should be called together to holy exercises, to prayer, praising, and reading the law. And at this present time they observe this day, by rising early in the morning and going to the synagogue, where they sing and pray much. And everyone takes a bundle of branches of palm tree, olive, etc. in the right hand, and a pome citron in the left, and says: Blessed be thou, O Lord our God, the Lord of the world, who has sanctified us by thy precepts, and hath commanded us to carry the palm tree bundle. Then they shake it, and give a great shout, according to (Psalm 96:12). All which they frequently repeat on this day, as well as bring out the book of the law, attended with various ceremonies, and read some passages in it.

"Ye shall do no servile work therein": As on the first and seventh days of Unleavened Bread, the Day of Pentecost, and of the blowing of trumpets; but what was necessary for preparing and dressing food might be done.

The one thing that they were allowed to do on this day was to cut the branches to build their shelter with. They also were allowed to sacrifice. In fact, on the first day of this festival they were to offer 13 bullocks, 2 rams, 14 lambs, and one goat.

Leviticus 23:36 "Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be a holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it [is] a solemn assembly; [and] ye shall do no servile work [therein]."

A burnt offering. What this was, and how many were offered on each day (see Num. 29:13).

"On the eighth day shall be a holy convocation unto you": As on the first day (see notes on Lev. 23:35).

"And ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord": Which was different from that on all the other days, being one bullock only (Num. 29:35).

"It is a solemn assembly": Of all the people, when they were gathered together before the Lord. Some render the word used a "restraint" or "detention", and interpret it of restraining or detaining them from servile work, as in the next clause, so Aben Ezra and Gersom. But this sense seems to make that clause unnecessary and is never used elsewhere where that is.

"Ye shall do no servile work therein": As on the first day (see notes on Lev. 23:35).

This is a very interesting thing about Feast of Tabernacles. The offerings were lowered each day of the bullocks until the 7th day, only 7 were offered and on the eighth day only one was offered. Could this possibly show that these offerings would all be fulfilled in the one offering of Jesus Christ our Lord? I have mentioned it before, but I personally believe that God allowed the Temple in Jerusalem to be destroyed, to stop the people who professed belief in Jesus to stop sacrificing. Jesus did it all for all time to come at Calvary. There is no need for further sacrifice. He paid it all. Eight in the Bible, symbolizes new beginnings. It is also the number of the Lord, whom we have our new beginning in.

Leviticus Chapter 23 Second Continued Questions

1. What day had God set aside as a memorial of blowing trumpets?

2. Were they allowed to work on this day?

3. How was the offering that was to be made on this day described?

4. This seventh month of the religious year was the first month of what?

5. Who did God give these instructions to?

6. What day was to be Day of Atonement?

7. Who is the atonement for the Christian?

8. What does the number 10 symbolize?

9. What does the use of the 10 and the 7 in the Scripture show us?

10. What special thing did the high priest do on Day of Atonement, that was not done at other times?

11. What blocked the high priest from perfect view of the presence of God in the Holy of Holies?

12. What was the purpose of the veil separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies?

13. When was that veil of separation torn?

14. What did the tearing of the veil from the top to the bottom do for the Christians?

15. Where do we find the Scripture that tells us that the veil was torn from the top to bottom?

16. What gives the Christian access to the Father?

17. Who represented these Israelites, before the Father?

18. Who is the Christian's mediator?

19. What happened to those who would not observe Day of Atonement?

20. How can we relate the rejection of observing Day of Atonement to Christians?

21. Who condemns us, or saves us at judgement?

22. What must we do to be saved?

23. What happened to those who worked on that day?

24. How long was this statute for?

25. Explain what they were expected to do on this day.

26. What does the number ten in the Hebrew language stand for?

27. What is the greatest wealth that we can have?

28. Why are these instructions repeated three times?

29. What day is Feast of Tabernacles?

30. What are some of the other names this Feast is known by?

31. Where were the people to live during this festival?

32. What are some other events in the Bible this festival brings to mind?

33. What are some of the things some people believe this 7 day period symbolizes?

34. What do we read in Zechariah about Tabernacles?

35. What is an interesting thing about the bullocks that are offered on the seven days and then on the eighth day?

36. What does the author believe this might symbolize?

37. What does the number eight in the Bible symbolize?

38. Who is the Christian's new beginning?

Leviticus Chapter 23 Third Continued

Leviticus 23:37 "These [are] the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim [to be] holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:"

Besides the Sabbath, as Gersom observes; even the Passover, the seven days of Unleavened Bread the Day of Pentecost, the day of blowing the trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles.

"Which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations": As they had been directed (Lev. 23:2).

"To offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord": Which is explained by;

"A burnt offering, and a meat offering": Which went along with it.

"A sacrifice": Which the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan call the sacrifice of holy things. According to Gersom it was the sacrifice of the peace offerings. But rather it seems to be the sacrifice of the sin offering, which was ordered along with the rest in all those feasts.

"And drink offerings": Which also accompanied the meat offerings.

"Everything upon his day": There being different sacrifices on one day than on another. Everyone was to be offered peculiar to the day as was ordered, of which (see Num. 28:29).

We have been studying the Feast of Tabernacles in the previous lesson, and will continue on with that in this lesson. We notice in all of these feasts, that God's timetable is perfect. We will also see that the One we know as Jesus Christ fulfilled each of these feasts that we have already studied about, and He will fulfill every one of them in God's timetable. These holy convocations were a time of special prayer of thanks for all of the blessings He had provided. From the spiritual stand point, we can see in all of these feasts, that all of the promises God made Abraham and through Abraham, the believers certainly will all be fulfilled. This celebration was a time of rejoicing for the bountiful harvest, and in fact, for all the blessings God had bestowed on this people. Christians have much to rejoice for as well. We have been given the greatest gift that anyone can ever receive. We have received eternal life in Jesus. These booths that were their dwelling places for a short time during the celebration; remind us of how temporary the dwellings on this earth are. Our habitation is really in heaven with God. We are only camping here, until our heavenly home is prepared for us. Just as we have said in a previous lesson, this festival time was also, a time of complete rest. Jesus is our burnt offering, He is our meat offering, (He is the Bread), and He is our drink offering. This offering of rejoicing is a remembrance of God as our provider. This is very similar to the communion that Jesus spoke of in the next few verses.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the [same] night in which he was betrayed took bread:" "And when he had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me." "After the same manner also [he took] the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink [it], in remembrance of me." "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come."

Leviticus 23:38 "Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD."

The seventh day Sabbaths, which were of his appointing, and sacred to his service and worship. On which, when any of the feasts fell, it did not hinder the observance of them, or the offering of the several sacrifices on them. Nor were those of the Sabbath to be omitted on the account of them.

"And beside your gifts": Either of the whole congregation, or of a private person, which they thought well to give of their own good will on these festivals, over and above the sacrifices enjoined.

"And beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the Lord": Which seem to explain what is meant before by gifts.

Gifts and freewill offerings, you remember, were not requirements, but were done out of love and appreciation for God. Tithes are requirements. You have not really given anything to God, until after the tithes are given. Things over and above 1/10 are gifts to God. We see from above, that keeping these special feasts were not sufficient to do just in themselves, the Sabbaths must be kept also. This reminds me so much of many Christians today who come to church just on special occasions, like Mother's day, and neglect the gathering together weekly.

Leviticus 23:39 "Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day [shall be] a sabbath, and on the eighth day [shall be] a sabbath."

The month Tisri or September, the same month, and the same day of the month before observed. Only another end and use of this feast is remarked, which was to give thanks for the fruits of the earth gathered in, as follows.

"When ye have gathered in the fruit of the land": The barley, wheat, oil and wine, and all others. This being now autumn, when the several fruits were ripe and gathered.

"Ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days": Not different from that before mentioned, but the same. One design of which is here suggested, to give thanks for the fruits of the earth. Hence this feast is sometimes called the Feast of Ingathering (Exodus 23:16). As another use of it is after mentioned, to commemorate the children of Israel dwelling in booths in the wilderness.

"On the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath": Because on both there was a cessation from servile work (Lev. 23:35).

Actually this feast lasts 8 days, because of the Sabbath on the beginning and the end of the celebration. This is the harvest festival. This symbolizes the harvest when Jesus comes for the Christians in:

Revelation 14:14-16 "And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud [one] sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle." "And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe." "And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped."

We also see in the following verse, Jesus separating the Christians from the unbelievers.

This 7 days here, is one thing that makes some believers think that the Christians will be taken to heaven before the seven years of tribulation.

Leviticus 23:40 "And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days."

Which the three Targums interpret, of citrons. And so Jarchi and Aben Ezra; and the Jews are so tenacious of observing this, that in those countries where this fruit grows not, they will send for it from Spain, where there is plenty of it.

"Branches of palm trees": Which were very common in the land of Judea, and especially about Jericho (see John 12:13). The Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem call them "lulabs", which is the name the Jews give to the whole bundle they carried in their hands on this day.

"And the boughs of thick trees": Which the Targums and Jewish writers in general understand of myrtles, being full of branches and leaves.

"And willows of the brook": A sort of trees which delight to grow by brooks and small streams of water: These, according to the Jewish writers, were not taken to make their booths of, though that seems to be the use of them from (Neh. 8:15). But to tie up in bundles, and carry in their hands. The citron in their left hand, and a bundle made of the other three sorts of boughs of trees in the right hand, which they called the "lulab".

"And ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days": Because of the blessings of his goodness bestowed upon them in the plentiful harvest and vintage they had been favored with. And in remembrance of past mercies, showed to their fathers in the wilderness. Giving them food and drink, and guiding and protecting them with the pillar of cloud and fire. And at the same time, also, thankful for the different circumstances they were in, having cities, towns, and houses to dwell its, and fields and vineyards to possess. when their fathers lived in a wilderness for forty years all together. And especially such of them who expressed their joy before the Lord, who had any knowledge of this being a type of the Messiah that tabernacled in human nature. They had the promise of, to be their spiritual Redeemer and Savior. These seven days are kept by the Jews now, chiefly in carnal mirth. And so for ages past, as by carrying the above boughs in their hands, and going round about the altar with them, and, shaking them, and crying Hosanna. And by making use of all sorts of music, vocal and instrumental, piping, dancing, leaping, skipping, and various gestures. Even by persons of the highest rank, and of the greatest character for sobriety.

The branches, in the Scripture above, remind us again, that Jesus is the vine and we are the branches.

John 15:4 "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me."

This, rejoicing before the LORD 7 days, speaks of the completed spiritual work. Truly at the harvest of the believers, the work will be completed.

Leviticus 23:41 "And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. [It shall be] a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month."

Every year it was to be kept for the space of seven days, beginning on the fifteenth and ending on the twenty second of the month Tisri or September.

"It shall be a statute for ever in your generations": Until the Messiah should come and tabernacle among men. The substance of this shadow, on whose coming it was to flee away.

"Ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month": Which is repeated for the confirmation of it, and that no mistake might be made.

It would be the time to take a week of rest and celebration at the completion of the harvest. This time set aside for the purpose of reflecting on the past year and thanking God for the bountiful harvest, is like remembering the perfect work of salvation Jesus did for us at Calvary.

Leviticus 23:42 "Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:"

So that it seems they were not obliged to dwell in them on the eighth day, which was a holy convocation, a Sabbath in which no servile work was to be done as the first (Lev. 23:36). The eighth day was a day by itself, a sort of an appendage to the feast of tabernacles, when they went into their houses again, and kept it as a holy day. And perhaps principally in giving thanks for the ingathering of the fruits of the earth, to which this seems to be appropriated from (Lev. 23:39). According to the Jewish writers, they did not go out of their booths until they had dined in them on this day. And as they went out used to say, "may it be the will of God that we may be worthy the next year to dwell in the booth of Leviathan." That is, to feast with the Messiah in the world to come. And to those days the Jews have added a ninth, which they call "the joy of the law", and which they keep for joy of having finished the reading of the law. Which being divided into as many sections or lessons as weeks in the year, were so ordered to be read as to be finished at this time.

"All that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths": The Targum of Jonathan is, "all the males in Israel, and even the little ones, that do not need their mothers, sit in the shades blessing their Creator, when they enter there." And, according to the Misnah, women, servants, and little ones, are free from the booths (i.e. are not obliged to dwelt in one). But a little one, who hath no need of its mother, is obliged to dwell in the booths. And elsewhere it is said, that sick persons, and such as wait upon them, are not obliged. Nor messengers upon any business, nor travelers and watchmen in cities, and keepers of gardens and orchards. If such travel, or keep watch in the day, they are obliged to be in them at night. And if in the night, then they are to dwell in them in the day. Jarchi says, that everyone born in Israel comprehends proselytes, who were bound by this law.

Leviticus 23:43 "That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I [am] the LORD your God."

Which by the providence of God the Israelites were obliged to make for themselves to dwell in.

"When I brought them out of the land of Egypt": For the very first place they came to, when they departed from thence, was called Succoth, from the booths they there built.

"I am the Lord your God": Who brought them out of Egypt, made them to dwell in booths in the wilderness, and enjoined them the observance of the feast of tabernacles in memory of it, in which he expected to be obeyed.

We see that the LORD explains the reason for this yearly festival in the verse above. He does not want them to ever forget that it was the mighty hand of God that brought them out of Egypt. They had no permanent dwelling in their wilderness wanderings. Just as Abraham had no permanent dwelling place after he left Ur of the Chaldees. Abraham was looking for a city whose maker was God. These Israelites, led by Moses, were looking for their Promised Land. We Christians are looking for heaven. It is all the same. We have no permanent dwelling place here on this earth. Abraham, believed God, and it was counted unto him righteousness. These Israelites had to believe there was a Promised Land, to receive it. We must believe that Jesus is our door to heaven, or we will not go to heaven.

Leviticus 23:44 "And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD."

The several feasts before recited, the order of them, the manner of observing them, and the time.

This just reminds us once again, that Moses declared the message God had for this people the exact way God gave it to him. Let me say one more time, Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of these festivals.

Leviticus Chapter 23 Third Continued Questions

1. What were they to proclaim the feasts of the LORD to be?

2. What offerings are mentioned in verse 37 of Leviticus chapter 23?

3. Who fulfills all of the feasts?

4. What were these convocations a special time for?

5. What was the rejoicing in celebration of?

6. What is the greatest gift anyone can receive?

7. How is this festival in verse 37 similar to communion for the Christians?

8. What did Jesus say symbolized His body?

9. When we Christians drink the fruit of the vine and eat the communion bread, what are we remembering?

10. Verse 38 says these feasts are to be kept besides what?

11. When can you say you have given to God?

12. When is one special time when those who profess Christianity come to church?

13. What day of what month were they to celebrate the completing the harvest?

14. How many days did this festival last?

15. What does this harvest festival symbolize for Christians?

16. Where do we find the Scripture that says "Thrust in thy sickle and reap"?

17. Where, in Matthew, do we read to let them grow together until the harvest?

18. What is typical of the separation of the believers and non-believers in the above Scripture?

19. What are these booths to be made of?

20. The branches remind us of what about Jesus and the believers?

21. How many days in a year is this festival to be kept?

22. Who shall dwell in the booths?

23. Why does the LORD want them to celebrate at this festival time?

24. Who declared the festivals to the children of Israel?

Leviticus Chapter 24

Verses 1-23: The material in the chapter centers on two points:

(1) Laws of the Holy Place in relation to the lampstand (verses 2-4), and the bread of the presence (verses 5-9); and

(2) Laws concerning blasphemy, including the offense (verses 10-12), the judgment of God (verses 13-22), and the execution by the people (verse 23).

Verses 1-9: These are additional instructions for the tabernacle relating to the lamps (verses 1-4), and the bread (verses 5-9; see Exodus 25:31-40; 27:20-21; 37:17-24; and Exodus 25:23-30; 39:36; 40:23 respectively.

Verses 1-4: The "pure candlestick" provided light in the tabernacle, which had no openings for natural light. Hammered out of pure gold and made in one piece, this piece had a central shaft and six branches (Exodus 25:31-39; 30:7-8; 37:17-24; 40:24-25). The seven "lamps" were fueled by "pure oil olive" (Exodus 27:20-21), and were to burn "continually".

Leviticus 24:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

After he had delivered to him the laws concerning the purity of the priests, and the perfection of the sacrifices they were to offer, and concerning the feasts the people were to keep, he spoke to Moses of some other things which concerned both people and priests.

"Saying": As follows.

Leviticus 24:2 "Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually."

Moses was the chief magistrate under God, and being clothed with authority from him, had power to command the children of Israel to do what the Lord required of them.

"That they bring unto thee pure oil olive, beaten, for the light": This was to be at the public expense, and it belonged to the community to supply the priests with oil for the light of the candlestick in the temple (Exodus 25:6). And this oil was not to be any sort of oil, as train oil, or oil of nuts, almonds, etc., but oil of olives. And not any sort of that, but the purest, which was the first that was taken from them. It seems there were three sorts, the first of which was pure, and this beaten in a mortar, and not ground in a mill (see notes on Exodus 27:20).

"To cause the lamps to burn continually": The lamps in the golden candlestick, which were seven (Exodus 25:37). Or "the lamp", in the singular number, as it is in the original text. The western lamp, which is said to be always kept lighted, from which the rest were lighted when out. Though the oil was undoubtedly for the supply of the lamps, that they might burn always, night and day. Or from night to night, as Jarchi. And both on Sabbath days and working days, as the Targum of Jonathan.

Olive oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit of God. This olive oil, could not be contaminated in any way, and thus was beaten instead of being pressed in the olive press. I have mentioned it before, but the olive press was called a gethsemane. This olive oil in the lamp was very important. Jesus is the Light of the world, and it would be very important for this to be pure oil. John the Baptist, baptized with water, but the baptism of Jesus was with the Holy Ghost and fire. This oil (Holy Spirit), was never to run low, because it was to fuel the light continuously. This light, which was symbolic of Jesus' Light, was never to go out. The candlestick in the temple was fueled by this pure olive oil and was to never go out. We know that the candlestick, and the light it produces, symbolize the Light of Jesus. When a person receives this Light of Jesus, it is very important to keep fueled with the Holy Spirit of God (pure olive oil). One of the most vivid descriptions in the Bible about letting the oil go out of your lamp, is the parable of the ten virgins.

2 Corinthians 11:2 "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present [you as] a chaste virgin to Christ."

Ephesians 5:18 "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;"

Leviticus 24:3 "Without the veil of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually: [it shall be] a statute for ever in your generations."

That is, on the outside of the vail which divided between the Holy Place and Holy of Holies. And which was before the ark in which the testimony or law was.

"In the tabernacle of the congregation": Which the apostle calls the first, namely, the Holy Place in which the candlestick, with its lamps, stood (Heb. 9:2).

"Shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning, before the Lord continually": That is, the lamp or lamps, or candlestick, in which they were, or the light of them. His business was, and so every priest's that succeeded him, to supply the lamps with oil. To dress and snuff them, that they might burn clear, and burn always. And that before the Lord, in the presence of the Lord.

"It shall be a statute for ever in your generations": Until the Messiah should come. The true light, which would put out all such typical ones, and by his Gospel spread light in all his churches throughout the world (see notes on Exodus 27:20-21).

This candlestick, which was just outside the veil leading to the holy of holies, was made of pure Gold and had seven flutes on it. The candlestick and the light were both symbolic of the Light of Jesus. The olive oil, which fueled the light was symbolic of the Holy Spirit. To keep the Light of God burning in our churches, the Holy Spirit must reveal the Truth to the church. The Holy Spirit is Teacher and Guide. Without the Spirit of God in the church, it would be a dead church. It could not even be a church that knew the truth without the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit is our Teacher. Knowing the Truth comes through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit makes the Word more understandable.

Psalms 119:105 "Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

John 17:17 "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."

We can easily see that it is almost impossible to separate the Word, the Truth, and the Spirit. They are all three involved in the life of a real believer in Jesus Christ. The Word brings Life. The Truth brings Life. The Spirit brings Life. You can easily see the connection.

Leviticus 24:4 "He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the LORD continually."

"Pure candlestick": Actually, it was a "lampstand" (Exodus 27:20-21), that was put in the Holy Place, which otherwise would have been completely dark. Some have seen the lampstand as typical of Israel, which, in God's purpose, was meant to be a light to the ancient Near Eastern nations. But the true light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to His people Israel, is Jesus Christ (Luke 2:32; compare Matt. 5:16; Eph. 5:8; Phil. 2:15).

The word (order), in the Scripture above means to arrange. There were seven flutes on this candlestick, remember. It was the high priest's job to see that all of this was done properly, and was not forgotten. The fueling with pure olive oil must be done once in the morning and once in the evening. The Light was never to go out. Notice the word (pure), in the verse above. It was pure gold, which showed the Godhead of Jesus.

Verses 5-9: Display of the showbread (bread of the Presence), was a perpetual sign of worship, along with the fire on the altar (6:12), and the incense the priest burned morning and night in the Most Holy Place (Exodus 30:8). The "bread", signifying Jesus as the Bread of Life, was replaced on each Sabbath. "Pure frankincense", one of the gifts given to young Jesus by the wise men from the East (Isa. 60:6; Matt. 2:11), was poured over the loaves as a "memorial".

Leviticus 24:5 "And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake."

"Twelve cakes": These represented the 12 tribes of Israel, in the same way as the two onyx stones, each engraved with six names, served as "stones of memorial for the sons of Israel" (Exodus 28:9-12). Like circumcision (Gen. 17:13, 19), and the Sabbath (Exodus 31:16), the bread of the presence symbolized the "everlasting covenant" (verse 8), between God and Israel (Psalm 105:10); Rom. 11:26-29).

Each loaf was made with 4 quarts of flour.

Each of these loaves of bread had at least 6 pounds of flour in them. This would make the twelve loaves weigh over 70 pounds. This must be fine flour, because these loaves of bread symbolized the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ. Jesus is not only the eternal Light, but is the eternal Bread as well. We must feed upon the Word, which is our Bread.

John 6:35 "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."

There were twelve loaves, indicating there was Bread for each of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Leviticus 24:6 "And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD."

The twelve cakes.

"Six on a row": Not by the side of each other, but six upon one another.

"Upon the pure table": The showbread table, so called because overlaid with pure gold, and kept clean and bright (Exodus 25:24).

"Before the Lord": For this stood in the holy place, in the same place as the candlestick did, which has the same position (Lev. 24:4). Of the mystical and typical sense of these cakes (see notes on Exodus 25:30).

Notice that with God, not only is it important to bake twelve cakes, but the order that they were set on the Table was important as well. Notice the word (pure), again here. This Table symbolizes Jesus, as well as the Bread did. It is a golden table, which indicates God, in this case God the Word. This Table and the Bread on it both symbolize Jesus. He is before God in heaven always representing you and me.

Leviticus 24:7 "And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon [each] row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, [even] an offering made by fire unto the LORD."

Two cups of frankincense, in each of which was a handful of it, and which were set by each row of the cakes, as Jarchi observes.

"That it may be on the bread for a memorial": Or "for the bread", instead of it, for a memorial of it. That being to be eaten by the priests, and this to be burned on the altar to the Lord, as follows.

"Even an offering made by fire unto the Lord": Not the bread that was after a time taken away, and eaten by the priests, but the frankincense.

Frankincense always accompanied the meat offering. This is why one of the gifts that was brought to Jesus at His birth was frankincense. The frankincense recognized Jesus as the meat offering. This Bread, as we have said so many times, represents the flesh of Jesus.

The memorial spoken of here, is the remembrance of Jesus' great sacrifice for all of us. The communion we take in church is the remembrance. Jesus explains it clearly in:

1 Corinthians 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me."

Some of the bread covered in frankincense was burned unto the LORD, the other part of the bread was eaten in the temple by the priest and his sons. The fact that this bread was offered each week, shows us clearly that we should be consistent in our giving as well. We should not give just now and then, but regularly. May I also state, that it is no good at all to give, unless it is given freely from the heart. God would be very pleased with this offering made by fire. This type offering was for Him alone. Since it was burned up, no one except God would benefit by it. The other bread, eaten by the priests, shows that ministers' needs must be taken from the offerings.

Leviticus 24:8 "Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, [being taken] from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant."

That is, the priest or priests then ministering, who should bring new cakes and place them in the above order. Having removed the old ones, which was done in this manner. Four priests went in, two had in their hands the two rows (of bread), and two had in their hands two cups (of frankincense). Four went before these, two to take away the two rows (of the old bread), and two to take away the two cups (of frankincense). And they that carried in stood in the north, and their faces to the south and they that brought out stood in the south, and their faces to the north. These drew away (the old bread) and they put them (the new). And the hand of the one was over against the hand of the other, as it is said, "before me continually" (Exodus 25:30). That is, at the same time the hands of the one were employed in taking away, the hands of the other were employed in setting on. So that there was always bread upon the table.

"Being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant": God requiring it of them, and they agreeing to give it, as they did, either in meal or in money. For this was at the expense of the community.

We can see that the giving of their share of the offering, was not an option with them. They must bring their share of the offering to God, to remain in covenant relationship with God. If they broke their side of the covenant, God was no longer in covenant with them.

Leviticus 24:9 "And it shall be Aaron's and his sons'; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it [is] most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute."

"They shall eat it in the holy place": Normally only the priests in actual service at the time could eat of the twelve loaves of bread from the table of showbread in the ancient Tabernacle. Jesus, citing how David and his men, hungry and weary, ate the sacred bread on the Sabbath (Luke 6:1-4), answered His Pharisaical critics. They had questioned His disciples' plucking "ears of corn" on the Sabbath to satisfy their hunger, thus "working". Jesus enunciated a higher law when He announced, "the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath (Luke 6:5).

We went into great detail about exactly how this meat offering was to be handled in an earlier lesson. We will not go into that in detail here, but will just remind ourselves of a few important aspects. Aaron's and his sons'; just means that whoever is high priest at the time of the offering and his sons are to eat their part of the bread. This bread being presented before the LORD made it holy. It was not to be taken out of the Holy Place. This bread is for the minister (High Priest), and all believers in Christ (the sons of the High Priest). The world has rejected their opportunity to eat of this bread, when they rejected Jesus as Savior. Not only is the bread holy, but those who eat of it are made righteous in the sight of God. Have you eaten this Bread (accepted Jesus as your Savior)? If not, I recommend that you not delay.

Leviticus Chapter 24 Question

1. What type of oil were the children of Israel to bring for the light?

2. When was the light to burn?

3. Who is olive oil symbolic of?

4. Why were these olives beaten instead of being pressed out to make the oil?

5. What is the name for an olive press in Israel?

6. Who is the Light of the world?

7. What was the difference in the way John the Baptist baptized and the way Jesus baptized?

8. What is one of the most vivid illustrations in the Bible of someone letting their oil run out?

9. Where do we find the Scripture that tells us to be filled with the Spirit?

10. Where was this candlestick located?

11. How long was this statute to last?

12. How many flutes were on the candlestick?

13. What metal was it made of?

14. What must be done to keep the Light of Jesus in our churches?

15. What are two of the things the Holy Spirit does for the believer?

16. What kind of a church would you have without the Spirit?

17. Knowing the truth comes through what?

18. Where do we find the Scripture that says "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet"?

19. In John 17:17, we see the Word is ________.

20. What three things are almost impossible to separate, because they all bring Life?

21. What does the word "order" mean in verse 4?

22. Who was in charge of seeing that the candlestick was properly cared for?

23. How often was the candlestick filled with olive oil?

24. What does the word pure mean in verse 4?

25. How many cakes were baked for the table?

26. Approximately how much did each of these cakes weigh?

27. Why did this have to be made with fine flour?

28. How was the bread to be placed on the table?

29. What did the fact that this was a golden table show us?

30. What, besides the bread, was to be put on the table?

31. What type of an offering was this offering?

32. Why did the wise men bring frankincense to Jesus at His birth?

33. Who is the Living Bread?

34. What is the communion that we take in church?

35. What shows us that we should be consistent in our giving?

36. What must they do to stay in covenant with God?

37. Where was Aaron and his sons to eat the offering?

38. Who is the Bread for in our day?

39. Have you eaten of the Bread of Life?

Leviticus Chapter 24 Continued

Verses 10-23: The law regarding the penalty for blasphemy (cursing God), is unique because it was demonstrated with a story. The penalty of "death" fit the crime because blasphemy insults a holy and perfect God (Exodus 22:28).

Verses 10-14, 23: "And the son": Here is another historical example of blasphemy along similar lines as the Nadab and Abihu account (10:1-2). The blasphemer was one of the many other people. The people transferred the guilt of them all to him.

Leviticus 24:10 "And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father [was] an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish [woman] and a man of Israel strove together in the camp;"

Whose name, and the name of his mother, are afterwards given.

"Whose father was an Egyptian": This circumstance seems noted, partly to show the danger of marriages with persons of wicked principles. And partly by this severity against him who was a stranger by the father, and an Israelite by the mother. To show that God would not have this sin go unpunished among his people, whatsoever he was that committed it.

"Went out among the children of Israel": Went out of Egypt with them, according to the Targum of Jonathan. And so was one of the mixed multitude, which came from thence with them, which is not improbable. Some say he went out of Moses's court of judicature; but it is more likely that the meaning is, he went out of his tent, so Aben Ezra, Into the midst of the camp, to claim his rank and place among the people of Israel. Though the Jewish writers, as Jarchi and Aben Ezra, take this phrase, "among the children of Israel", to signify that he was a proselyte, and became a Jew, or had embraced the Jewish religion in all respects.

"And this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp": Which man of Israel, according to the Targum of Jonathan, was of the tribe of Dan, as was the mother of the man he disagreed with. What they fought about is not easy to say.

Leviticus 24:11 "And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name [of the LORD], and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name [was] Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:)"

"Blasphemed the name of the Lord, and cursed": The verb translated "blasphemed" actually means "to pierce" with the intent of debilitating a person. The word cursed means to declare someone to the "contentless" or without significance, and thus to deny that he has any power. The guilty person here did not pronounce a curse in our sense of the word, but rather attacked the Lord's holy nature and declared Him to be without content or significance. He was apparently one of the "mixed multitude" (Exodus 12:38; Num. 11:4).

God warned His people over and over, not to marry those who were not Israelites. This man was not allowed to be one of the congregation, because his father was not an Israelite. The regulation was in effect until the third generation. This set this young man aside as an outcast from the beginning. You could easily see how he would get into an argument with this man of Israel. There is however, no excuse for him blaspheming the name of the LORD and cursing. We possibly can see here that he did not believe in the God of Israel. It is good to notice that blaspheming and cursing were two different things. To blaspheme God, is possibly the worst sin a person could commit. At the time that this happened, the law had not been given concerning this, and Moses did not know exactly what the punishment for this crime should be. Just because his mother was of the tribe of Dan, would not save him. The Scripture does not say whether this man was taught in the ways of God or not. If he were not taught in the ways of God, part of the blame for this sin would be his mother's. We do know that she displeased God, when she married a man from Egypt. God did not want His people mixing and marrying with worldly people.

Leviticus 24:12 "And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be showed them."

"And they put him in ward": There were no jails in Israel since incarceration was not a penalty for crime. They had merely restrained him, probably in a pit of some sort, until they could establish his punishment. Punishments were corporal, banishment, or, in severe cases, death. Those who lived through the punishment worked to secure restitution for those they had violated.

Moses knew that this was a terrible sin, but he did not know just how God wanted him punished. He had them to hold him under arrest, until he could hear from God. Moses never presumed things pertaining to God. He waited, so that the punishment of this man would be pleasing unto God.

Leviticus 24:13 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

From off the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies, where he had promised to meet him and commune with him about anything he should inquire of him, as he did at this time.

"Saying": As follows.

Leviticus 24:14 "Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard [him] lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him."

"Lay their hands upon his head": By this act, the people transferred to him whatever guilt might have accrued to the community. His subsequent death then atoned for his own and his hearers' sin. The sinner bears full personal responsibility (verse 15).

These that heard him curse and blaspheme God are eye witnesses. The reason they are to lay their hands on his head, is to place the blame upon him. This stoning by the entire congregation shows their utter disapproval of what he has done. The punishment for this crime was not set by Moses, or the witnesses, or the congregation, but by God Himself.

Leviticus 24:15 "And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin."

On this occasion, and gave them some laws and rules concerning the above affair, and other things.

"Saying, whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin": Which some understand of anyone of another nation, that cursed the God he used to serve in his own country. But it can hardly be thought that a law should be made by the one only living and true God, to preserve the honor and credit of false gods, when he is so jealous of his own glory. And those are spoken of in Scripture with the greatest contempt, as dunghill deities, and are actually cursed (Jer. 10:11). But they are rather to be interpreted of judges and all civil magistrates, who, as Aben Ezra observes, are sometimes called Elohim or gods (Psalm 82:1). And the rather, as it is probable this man had cursed his judges, and so this is a distinct sin from what follows. And not only the manner of expressing it, but the punishment of it, seem to be different. For the phrase, "to bear his sin", is used where the punishment is not expressly declared. And is by Jarchi and others interpreted of cutting off from his people, but in what way is not certain. Whereas the punishment of a blasphemer of God is before and after clearly expressed (see Lev. 20:19).

Since there had not been a law given concerning this, the law was given right here to clarify the punishment for this offence. Notice (whosoever), which covers strangers as well as Israelites. Notice that verse 15 is separate in that the sin there was cursing God. In the next verse, we see the penalty for blaspheming god.

Leviticus 24:16 "And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, [and] all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name [of the LORD], shall be put to death."

Or, "but he that blasphemeth", etc., from whence the Jews gather, that the name Jehovah must be expressed, or it is no blasphemy; so Jarchi. But it is not using or expressing the word Jehovah that is blasphemy, but speaking ill and contemptuously of God. With respect to any of his names, titles, and epithets, or of any of his perfections, ways, and works.

"He shall surely be put to death": No mercy shall be shown him, no reprieve or pardon granted him. Hence it is said, there is no atonement for it, by repentance, or chastisements, or the day of atonement. So blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is not forgiven, neither in this world nor in that which is to come (Matt. 12:31).

"And all the congregation shall certainly stone him": Shall have no pity on him, nor spare him, but stone him till he dies.

"As well the stranger as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death": Even a proselyte of the gate, a Gentile that sojourned among them, uncircumcised, and did not profess the Jewish religion, as well as a proselyte of righteousness, and an Israelite born. Yet, if he blasphemed the God of Israel, was to lose his life without any mercy shown him.

For someone not to stone the person committing this terrible sin, would be as if they were condoning the sin. God leaves no doubt at all that this is to cover everyone, even those who were not Hebrews among them. This was done to remove those who would cause a falling away from God. God requires total obedience.

Matthew 22:37-38 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." "This is the first and great commandment."

Leviticus 24:17 "And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death."

With the sword, as the Targum of Jonathan adds. Which restrains it to any man of the children of Israel, but wrongly. For the original law respects any man whatever (Gen. 9:6); and so it does here (see notes on Exodus 21:12).

We see in this that a person who thought someone had blasphemed could not just go out and kill him. The killing of the blasphemer by stoning was after several persons had been eyewitnesses and it was a punishment carried out by the entire congregation, not just by one person. We see in this repeating of this law that killing or murder was punishable by death. A life for a life.

Leviticus 24:18 "And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast."

Pay for it, give the value of it, or another as good as that instead of it, as follows.

"Beast for beast": Or "soul for soul"; life for life. That is, a living one for that the life of which is taken away, and one in every way as good as that.

This is speaking of another's beast. When you kill someone else's animal, it must be restored.

Leviticus 24:19 "And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbor; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;"

Does him any hurt or mischief, causes any mutilation or deformity in him by striking him.

"As he hath done, so shall it be done unto him": Not that a like damage or hurt should be done to him, but that he should make satisfaction for it in a pecuniary way. Pay for the cure of him, and for loss of time, and in consideration of the pain he has endured. And the shame or disgrace brought on him by the deformity or mutilation. Or for whatever loss he may sustain thereby (see notes on Exodus 21:18-19).

Leviticus 24:20 "Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him [again]."

Compare (Matt. 5:38). This law of retaliation established the principle that the punishment should fit the crime, but not go beyond it.

"Eye for eye, tooth for tooth": This is one of three passages in the Old Testament setting out the so-called lex talionis (compare Exodus 21:23-25; Deut. 19:21), a fundamental principle of biblical and Near Eastern law. It means that punishment must be proportionate to the offense. This phrase seems to have been just a formula. If a slave lost an eye, he was given his freedom (Exodus 21:26). The man who killed an ox had to pay its owner enough for him to buy another (verse 18). Only in the case of premeditated murder was such compensation forbidden (Num. 35:16-21). Then the principle of "life for life" must be literally enforced, because man is made in the image of God (Gen. 9:5-6).

God's justice for sin demanded our death; this is the punishment that fits the crime (2 Kings 14:6; Rom. 6:23). God did not do away with retributive justice to redeem us, but rather sent Christ to His death on the cross to be our substitute (Isa. 53:12; 2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus told His disciples to "resist not evil", but to reach out even to the wicked in patience, love, and forgiveness (Matt. 5:38-42). This does not mean that punishments should no longer fit the crime, or that sin and wickedness do not have consequences for the offender in society. What it means is that it was never right to use this verse in Leviticus to claim a right to personal revenge on one that has injured us.

These sins are less than murder. The punishment is made to fit the crime.

Leviticus 24:21 "And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death."

The same as in (Lev. 24:18), which is repeated for the confirmation of it. And that it might be observed, though Jarchi takes it to be a different law. Before, he says, it speaks of him that kills a beast, here of him that makes any wound or bruise in it, which he must make good. And it must be allowed that the manner of expression is different. There it is, he that smites the soul of a beast so that it dies, here only he that smites a beast, though it dies not. Yet having some damage done it, satisfaction must be made.

"And he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death": Or he that smites a man, though he does not kill him, as Jarchi observes, only makes a wound or bruise in him. Because it is not said, the soul of a man, as before. But such damages did not require death, but satisfaction in another way, as in (Lev. 24:19).

The difference in the death of an animal and the death of a man is evident in the punishment. Man was made in the image of God. There is no way you can pay for a man's life. The animal is property, or wealth of a man. The main thing here would be to restore the loss he felt in the death of the animal.

Leviticus 24:22 "Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I [am] the LORD your God."

Respecting the above things, blaspheming of the name of God, taking away the life of man, or of any beast, and of doing damage to either.

"As well for the stranger as for one of your own country": The above laws were binding upon proselytes as well as Israelites. And proselytes of the gate as well as proselytes of righteousness, though the Jews commonly restrain it to the latter.

"For I am the Lord your God": Whose name is holy and reverend, and ought not to be blasphemed. And who is the Maker and preserver of man and beast, and made these laws respecting them, and expected they should be obeyed. Especially by the children of Israel, whose covenant God and Father he was, and they under the greatest obligation to serve and obey him.

We see from this, that just because they were God's people did not give the Israelite any special privileges when he sinned. The punishment was the same for the stranger as it was for the Israelite. God is God of all. The law was given at this time just to the Israelites, but God is God of all.

Leviticus 24:23 "And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses."

As the Lord had commanded him.

"That they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones": Which were the instructions God had given to Moses upon inquiring his mind and will about this matter.

"And the children of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses": They took the blasphemer, and led him out of the camp, put their hands on him, and stoned him with stones till he died.

As soon as the punishment for blaspheming and cursing God was given to Moses by God, Moses had the punishment carried out. Remember the reason Moses had waited was because no law had been given to cover this situation. Moses waited until God told him what the punishment should be. We could learn a lesson from this. We should not rush ahead to decide the outcome of something, before we hear from God.

Leviticus Chapter 24 Continued Questions

1. What nationality was the father of the son of the Israelitish woman?

2. What 2 sins did the son commit, while he was striving with the man of Israel?

3. Who did they take the man to, for sentencing?

4. From what tribe of Israel was the mother of this son who sinned?

5. Why was this man not allowed to be part of the congregation?

6. Are blaspheming and cursing different sins?

7. What is possibly the worst sin a person can commit?

8. Who was possibly partly to blame for the man's sin?

9. Why did Moses not pass sentence on the man immediately?

10. Why was it important for the ones who heard him curse to put their hands on his head?

11. Who was to stone him to death?

12. Who was to be killed for cursing God?

13. What was the punishment for killing a man?

14. What was the punishment for killing a beast?

15. What was the punishment for injuring others?

16. Why was there a difference between killing a man and killing a beast?

17. How did the law differ for a stranger?

18. When did they kill the man for blaspheming?

19. What lesson can we learn from all of this

Leviticus Chapter 25

Verses 1-55: Proper care for the Lord's property is prescribed for the sabbatical year (25:1-7), and the Jubilee year (25:8-55).

Verses 1-18: The phrase "I am the LORD your God" closes each of the three sections of this chapter (verses 17, 38, 55). After the introduction (verse 1), the Jubilee is discussed as it relates to:

(1) A Sabbath for the land (verses 2-22);

(2) The redemption of the property (verses 23-38);

(3) And the redemption of slaves (verses 39-55).

The major concerns of the chapter are related in the words and phrases such as "jubilee, return ... unto his possession", "thy brother be waxen poor" (verse 25), and "fear thy God". The main purpose of these laws was to prevent the utter ruin of debtors. The basic theme was the liberation of that which was bound.

Verses 1-7: This involves revitalization of the land. The seventh year of rest would invigorate and replenish the nutrients in the soil. Whatever grew naturally was free to all for the taking (verses 6-7).

In addition to a Sabbath day, Israel observed a Sabbath year - "the seventh year ... a sabbath of rest unto the land", to remind the people that their land was a gift from the Lord that ultimately belonged to Him. The instructions for the sabbath year served to restore the social order, allowing those who had become poor to escape their poverty.

Leviticus 25:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying,"

Not when Moses was with the Lord on that mount forty days, but after he came down from there. Even after the tabernacle was set up, while the children of Israel where encamped about that mountain, and before they took their journey from there. For they continued some time in the wilderness of Sinai, and here it was the Lord spoke to Moses. For the words may be rendered "by" or "near Mount Sinai". And so Josephus says, the following laws were delivered to Moses, when Israel was encamped under Mount Sinai.

"Saying": As follows.

Leviticus 25:2 "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD."

What follows, being what the whole body of the people would be under obligation to observe, and therefore must be delivered to them all, at least to the heads and elders of the people, and by them to the rest.

"When ye come into the land which I give you": The land of Canaan, and until they came there, the following law concerning the sabbatical year could not take place. And as Maimonides says, it was only used in the land of Israel, and nowhere else, according to this text. And that both before and after the temple was built.

"Then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the Lord": This was a very peculiar arrangement. Not only all agricultural processes were to be stopped every seventh year, but the cultivators had no right to the soil. It lay entirely fallow, and its spontaneous produce was the common property of the poor and the stranger, the cattle and game. This year of rest was to invigorate the productive powers of the land, as the weekly Sabbath was a refreshment to men and cattle. It commenced immediately after the Feast of Ingathering. And it was calculated to teach the people, in a remarkable manner, the reality of the presence and providential power of God.

Since this law was separated from the other laws given at mount Sinai, it was important to state here that this was also given at mount Sinai. It would be impossible to let the land rest before they owned any land, so of course this law was to be in force after they came to the Promised Land. The sabbath was not only for the people and the land, it is also associated with the 6000 years of the earth in a state of work, and then the 1000 years of rest during the millennium reign of Jesus Christ.

Leviticus 25:3 "Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof;

Under which is comprehended everything relating to agriculture, both before and after sowing.

As fertilizing the land, ploughing and harrowing it, treading the corn, reaping and gathering it in (see Exodus 23:10).

"And six years thou shall prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof": Which is not to be restrained to vineyards only, but to be extended to oliveyards, orchards and gardens. And to the planting and cultivating of them, and gathering in the fruits of them.

Leviticus 25:4 "But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard."

From all tillage of it, from planting and cultivating any sort of trees in it. And even from digging pits, ditches; and caves, as say the Jewish writers. And this was typical of that rest which believers enter into under the Gospel dispensation. And of the rest in the new Jerusalem state, and especially in the ultimate glory. Not only from the labors of the body, but of the mind. Through sin, Satan, doubts and fears, and through conflicts with various enemies, and when even all spiritual labors and services will be at an end but that of praise.

"A sabbath for the Lord": For his honor and glory, to ascertain his property in the land, to show the power of his providence. And display his goodness in his care of all creatures, without any means used by them.

"Thou shalt neither sow thy field nor prune thy vineyard": Under which are comprehended all acts of agriculture. Which respect the cultivation of vines, olives, figs, and, according to the Misnah, there were some instruments which it was not lawful to sell to an artificer in the seventh year. Such as a plough, with all belonging to it, a yoke, a fan, a spade. But he may sell him a scythe, or a sickle, or a cart, and all its instruments. And which the commentators interpret of one that is suspected of working in that year. The house of Shammai say, a heifer that ploughed might not be sold that year.

The land is God's and the fullness thereof. This sabbath of rest for the land certainly drives home the fact, that God wants us to set aside a time for nothing but worshipping Him and rest for our body. This also lets us know that God has a schedule that we must abide by. As we said in a previous lesson, for the covenant of blessings from God to be activated in their lives, or in fact in our lives, this time of worshipping God must be observed.

Leviticus 25:5 "That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: [for] it is a year of rest unto the land."

That which sprung up of itself from grains of corn, shed in the harvest of the preceding year, without any ploughing or sowing. He might reap it, but not as at other times, the whole of it, and gather it as his own property. But only somewhat of it in common with others for his, present use.

"Neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed": Which was on this year forbid to be dressed. The grapes of which he might gather in common with others, but not as in other years, all of them, and as peculiarly his own. The words may be rendered, "the grapes of thy separations". Either such as in other years he used to separate for himself, and forbid others gathering them, but now made them common; Or which he did not labor in the cultivation of, but abstained from it.

"For it is a year of rest unto the land": Which is repeated, that it may be observed.

Perhaps this was to be for the widows, orphans, and strangers passing by. The Israelite was strictly forbidden to even gather that which grew voluntarily.

Leviticus 25:6 "And the sabbath of the land shall be meat for you; for thee, and for thy servant, and for thy maid, and for thy hired servant, and for thy stranger that sojourneth with thee,"

That is, that which grew up of itself of the land, or on trees, vines, olives, etc. undressed, should be the meat or food on which they should live that year. And this comprehends everything that is fit for food, and also for drink, and for anointing. And even for the lighting of lamps, as in the Misnah.

"For thee, and for thy servant, and for thy maid": The owner of the fields and vineyards, he and his family, wife, children, and servants, might eat of the fruits of them in common with others". For whereas it is elsewhere said (Exodus 23:11). "That the poor of thy people may eat". This is observed here, lest anyone should think the rich are forbid eating them, as Jarchi remarks.

"And for thy hired servant, and for the stranger that sojourneth with thee": Which the same writer interprets of Gentiles. The food of this year was common to masters and servants, to rich and poor, to Israelites and Gentiles. All had an equal right unto, and share therein. Which might be an emblem of the first times of the Gospel, in which all things were had in common (Acts 4:32). And typical of the communion of saints in things spiritual. In salvation by Jesus Christ, common to Jews and Gentiles, high and low, bond and free. In the free and full forgiveness of sins by his blood. And in justification by his righteousness, which is unto all, and upon all them that believe. For there is no difference; in the participation of faith, and other graces. Which are alike precious, and in the enjoyment of promises, privileges, and ordinances, and even of eternal life itself.

The food provided by this bountiful harvest the year before will be sufficient for the owner of the land's family and all of his servants, and all of these other people listed in the verse above. It appears also, that all of these people took a year of rest as well. This would give them plenty of time to hear the law completely read again, and then to think upon the things of God. It should, also teach them, that God truly is their provider, and not just the work that they did in the fields provided the food. Except God bless the harvest, there would not be a crop anyway.

Leviticus 25:7 "And for thy cattle, and for the beast that [are] in thy land, shall all the increase thereof be meat."

The former signifies tame cattle, such as were kept at home, or in fields, or were used in service. And the latter the wild beasts of the field.

"Shall all the increase thereof be meat": For the one, and for the other. Jarchi remarks, that all the time a wild beast eats of the increase of the field, the cattle may be fed at home. But when it ceases to the wild beast of the field, then it ceases to the cattle at home. Nay, the Jews are so strict in this matter, that they say that when there is no food for the beasts in the field, men are obliged to bring out what they have in their houses (see Isa. 11:6).

The reproduction of cattle and other animals, is directly brought about by God. We see from this that this type of animal is put on the earth, so that man will have meat to eat.

Verses 8-55: The Year of Jubilee involved a year of release from indebtedness (verses 23-38), and bondage of all sorts (verses 39-55). All prisoners and captives were set free, slaves released, and debtors absolved. All property reverted to original owners. This plan curbed inflation and moderated acquisitions. It also gave new opportunity to people who had fallen on hard times.

Verses 8-17: The fiftieth year was the "Year of Jubilee". As in the Sabbath year, the land would lie fallow. It was also a year of "liberty", when all property was returned to its original owners. These are general instructions for Jubilee.

Leviticus 25:8 "And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years."

Or weeks of years. And there being seven days in a week, and a day being put for a year, seven weeks of years made forty nine years. The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, and Jarchi, interpret it seven "shemittas", or sabbatical years. And a sabbatical year being every seventh year, made the same number.

"Seven times seven years": Or forty nine years, as follows.

"And the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be forty and nine years": Just such a space of years there was between each jubilee, which, as afterwards said, was the fiftieth year. So as there were a seventh day Sabbath, and a fiftieth day sabbath, the Day of Pentecost, so there were a seventh year Sabbath, or sabbatical year, and a fiftieth year Sabbath.

Seven, as we have mentioned so many times, is a spiritual number. These seven sevens would just magnify the spirituality of this time. We see then, that during these 49 years, work was to be done only 42 of the years.

Leviticus 25:9 "Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth [day] of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land."

"The trumpet": This was blown on the tenth day of the seventh month to start the 50^th year of universal redemption.

This blowing of the trumpet would pronounce the beginning of the Year of Jubilee. This is the seventh month by the spiritual calendar. This was also the first month of their civil calendar. Day of Atonement, which we dealt with in a previous lesson, was an extremely important time for these Israelites. This was the one time of the year when the High Priest carried the blood into the Holy of Holies for the sins of the people and for his own sins, as well. We find from the statement (throughout the land), that this was not just a local celebrated day, but all must observe this day. This jubilee would be a new beginning for those who will be set free.

Leviticus 25:10 "And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout [all] the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family."

Not only must they let the land lie fallow, but the people were allowed a one-year break from their labor. Those bound by a work contract were released from their commitments and there was the release of indentured servants.

"Proclaim liberty" is the Hebrew deror, and is related to the Akkadian anduraru - "freedom, liberty". It is a technical expression referring to the release of Hebrew Slaves and of property every 50 years in the Year of Jubilee. "This verse is inscribed on the American Liberty Bell. God owned the land, "for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me" (verse 23), and thus Israel was not to build up a landed aristocracy. The land would be distributed to Israel by lot, which depicted that God apportioned it according to His will. Chapter 25 prohibits anyone from selling himself or his land permanently. (Isa. 5:8 and Amos 2:6), depict violations of this law. Isaiah uses the term "release" in the famous passage (Isa. 61:1), announcing good news to the afflicted, including a proclamation of "liberty" to captives. This text, anciently portraying the reversal of Jerusalem's material and spiritual fortunes, was quoted by Christ in the synagogue in Nazareth with reference to His own ministry (Luke 4:18-19).

The only reference to such a release in Israel's history occurred during the reign of Zedekiah, when Jerusalem was under Babylonian siege (ca. 587 B.C.).

This is total restoration. Not only are they set free, but their land is returned to them as well. Hallow means to make clean. This could be ceremonially clean, as well as physically clean.

Leviticus 25:11 "A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather [the grapes] in it of thy vine undressed."

Which, clearly shows, that not the forty ninth year was the year of jubilee, as many learned men have asserted. Chiefly induced by this reason, because two years would come together in which were no sowing or reaping. but that God, that could cause the earth to forth fruit for three years (Lev. 25:21). Could make it bring forth enough for four years. And in order to make their sentiment agree with this passage, they are obliged to make the foregoing Jubilee one of the fifty, and begin their account from there. But this could not be done in the first account of the Jubilee. Of the name (see notes on Lev. 25:9).

"Ye shall not sow": In the Year of Jubilee, which shows also that this could not be the forty ninth year, which of course being a sabbatical year, there would be no sowing, reaping, etc. And so this law or instruction would be quite needless.

"Neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed. As in the sabbatical year (see notes on Lev. 25:5). The same with respect to these things being observed in the Year of Jubilee. As in that; and so Jarchi observes that the same that is said of the sabbatical year is said of the Jubilee. Two holy years being found next to one another, the forty ninth year the sabbatical year, and the fiftieth year the jubilee.

Leviticus 25:12 " For it [is] the jubilee; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field."

Men being restored to their liberty, possessions, and families, it must be matter of joy to them. And therefore, this year was to be separated from all others, and devoted to the ends and uses before mentioned. And men were to live upon the spontaneous productions of the earth, without any tillage of land, or cultivation of vines, etc.

"Ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field": They were not to reap corn, and gather grapes and olives, and bring them into their barns and storehouses, as in other years. But were to go out every day into their fields, and gather for present use, and all were common to all sorts of men, and to cattle, as in the sabbatical year (see notes on Lev. 25:7).

It seems that there was a separation between using this foodstuff for a cash crop, and just eating it. It appears that it was alright to eat the food that voluntarily grew, but not to harvest it. The stranger, the widow, or any who did not have food, could eat it also.

Leviticus 25:13 "In the year of this jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession."

In the beginning of it, as Aben Ezra, though not on the first day of Tisri, but the tenth day. The day of atonement, when the trumpet was blown.

"Ye shall return every man unto his possession": Which is repeated from (Lev. 25:10). The reason of which, the Jews say, is to include gifts, and which, according to them, are like sales, and returned in the Year of "Jubilee". That is, if a man gave his estate in possession to another, he returned to it, in the Year of Jubilee. Equally as if he had sold it. And therefore they observe the same phrase is twice used by Moses, to include gifts. But perhaps the truer reason is, because this was a special business done at this time, and of great importance. The word "return" being so often used, may serve to confirm the sense of the word "Jubilee", given previously (see notes on Lev. 25:9).

It appears that this was not an option. This was law for the Israelites. The land was purchased for the amount of time left in the jubilee. I would suppose, it was more like a lease than a sale.

Verses 14-16: The Jubilee year had an effect on the value of land, which was to be considered in all transactions.

Leviticus 25:14 "And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbor, or buyest [ought] of thy neighbor's hand, ye shall not oppress one another:"

Any estate or possession, house or land, at any time before the year of jubilee.

"Or buyest ought of thy neighbor's hand": Of movable goods, as the Targum of Jonathan interprets it. And so, other Jewish writers restrain this to goods which are bought by hand, and delivered from hand to hand. And so they think that fields, and servants, which they say are like to fields, are excluded hereby. But it seems to refer to anything saleable, and chiefly to fields and vineyards, as the following verses show.

"Ye shall not oppress one another; the buyer giving too little, or the seller requiring too much": No advantage was to be taken, either of the necessity of the one, or the ignorance of the other. But a fair bargain was to be made, and the full value given, neither too much nor too little. The Jews by "neighbor" understand an Israelite, and not a Gentile. Not that there might be no buying and selling at all between Jews and Gentiles. Or that the former might oppress and defraud the latter, though not an Israelite. But lands and inheritances might not be sold at all to Gentiles, only to Israelites.

Leviticus 25:15 "According to the number of years after the jubilee thou shalt buy of thy neighbor, [and] according unto the number of years of the fruits he shall sell unto thee:"

That is, reckoning how many years had passed since the last jubilee, and how many there were to come to the next. And so give as many years' purchase as were yet to come.

"And according to the number of years of the fruits he shall sell unto thee": Only care was to be taken. That as many years as were sabbatical ones, which were not years of fruit, should be deducted out of the account by the seller. Since these were years the buyer could have no profit by the estate, and therefore it was not reasonable that such years should be reckoned into the purchase. And hence the Jewish writers gather, that when a man had sold his field, he could not redeem it in less than two years. Because a number of years cannot be less than two, and that if even the buyer agreed to it, it might not be done.

Leviticus 25:16 "According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it: for [according] to the number [of the years] of the fruits doth he sell unto thee."

More was to be asked and required, and should be given for an estate, when, for instance, there were thirty years to the year of jubilee, than when there were but twenty.

"And according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it": If it wanted but five, or six, or ten years unto it, then, in proportion, less was to be insisted upon and given.

"For according to the number of the years of the fruits doth he sell unto thee": Which also must be considered, how many years of tillage of land, and cultivation of vineyards, etc. There were in the account, and how many sabbatical years to be deducted. For only according to the number of fruit years was the estate to be valued and sold.

Leviticus 25:17 "Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I [am] the LORD your God."

"You shall not therefore oppress one another": No one should take advantage of or abuse another person, because cruelty is against the very character of God. Penalties for crime were to be swift and exact.

All of this is saying, that within the 50 years before another jubilee, there would be 42 crops. The amount of money for the use of the land then should be determined by what the crop would produce before another jubilee. If it was just 5 years to jubilee, pay for the number of crops produced in that 5 years. He was trying to teach them that they were brothers, and as brothers, they should have compassion one for another. The main reason for them obeying God, is because they feared Him. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

Verses 18-22: Naturally, the Israelites would be apprehensive after two successive years of neither planting nor harvesting crop's. God promised blessing "in the land" for obedience: freedom from want and war (26:3-13; Deut. 28:1-14), including enough crops "in the sixth year" to carry over for "three years, an astonishing promise!

God's provision in the year of no planting was given, which on a smaller scale had been true for the Sabbath day during the Exodus (compare Exodus 16:5).

Leviticus 25:18 "Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety."

These and all others he enjoined. By which tenure, even obedience to all his commands, moral, ritual, and judicial, they were to hold the land of Canaan, and their possessions in it. Which is intended in the next clause.

"And ye shall dwell in the land in safety": Without any fear of enemies, or of the neighboring nations about them seizing upon them, and distressing them. And Jarchi observes, that it was for transgressing the sabbatical year that Israel was carried captive, which he thinks is intimated in (2 Chronicles 36:21). And that the seventy years' captivity in Babylon were for the seventy sabbatical years that had been neglected.

Leviticus 25:19 "And the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety."

That is, continually, and even in the seventh year, the sabbath of rest. For the land, though not manured, ploughed, and sowed, nor the vines, olives, and fig trees pruned, yet shall yield fruit as in other years, the Israelites observing the statutes and judgments of God.

"And ye shall eat your fill": Feel no want of provisions, but have fullness of everything as at other times. And never make a scanty meal, having sufficiency and plenty of all things.

"And dwell therein in safety": Not fearing enemies, nor being disturbed by them, nor carried captive.

The main lesson to be learned in this, is the fact that God will keep the covenant with them, and bless them if they keep the statutes He has placed upon them. He reminds them of some of the blessings they will receive when they keep His statutes. They will never go hungry, and they will dwell in the land safely. The following Scriptures say it best.

Psalms 37:25 "I have been young, and [now] am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."

Proverbs 16:7 "When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him."

Verses 20-21: "Bring forth fruit for three years": When the important query was asked, God responded by promising to supply enough to last.

Leviticus 25:20 "And if ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase:"

Such as are of little faith, disbelieve the promise, and distrust the providence of God, and take thought for tomorrow. And indulge an anxiety of mind how they shall be provided with food in the sabbatical year ordered to be observed. In which there were to be no tillage of land, nor pruning of trees.

"Behold, we shall not sow": That being forbidden.

"Nor gather in our increase": Neither the barley, nor the wheat, nor the grapes, nor olives, nor figs, into their houses and barns, to lay up for stores, as in other years. Though they might go out and gather in for present use in common with others. Now if any should put the above question, as it was very likely some would, in such a view of things, the answer to it follows.

Leviticus 25:21 "Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years."

Upon their fields, vineyards, and oliveyards, and make them exceeding fruitful, more than in other years. All fruitfulness at any time depends upon the blessing of God, and follows upon it, but is more visible and observable when there is an exceeding great plenty.

"And it shall bring forth fruit for three years": And thus God blessed the sixth year with such a plentiful increase as was sufficient for time to come, until a new crop was gathered in. As he had blessed the sixth day with a double portion of manna, for the supply of the seventh.

We see that God is proving to them, over and over again, that He is their provider. God is saying here, that if they will keep this sabbath for the land, they will not lose any of their crop at all. God will have the crop on the 6th year to bring three times as much as it would on an ordinary year. This would be a beautiful year of rest, that they would not have to be thinking of the commercial side of life. They could rest and keep their minds and hearts stayed on God.

Leviticus Chapter 25 Questions

1. Where was Moses, when God spoke to him in verse 1?

2. When was the practice of the sabbath of the land to be carried out?

3. What does the author believe this rest of the land to be associated with?

4. What two things are specifically mentioned not to do in verse 4?

5. The land is ______ and the fullness thereof.

6. What message does this sabbath for the land drive home to believers?

7. For the covenant of God to be activated in their lives, what must they do?

8. Was it O.K. to reap the voluntary growth?

9. What does the author believe, perhaps, the crop was for?

10. How was the owner of the land to live in sabbath year?

11. Who was the owner of the land obligated to feed, besides his immediate family?

12. What would this year of rest give them plenty of time to do?

13. Who was their real provider, and ours?

14. The reproduction of animals is brought about by whom?

15. Why were cattle and like animals put on the earth?

16. What does the number 7 mean spiritually?

17. What was to happen at the passing of seven of these seven years?

18. What year was the jubilee?

19. What day was the trumpet of jubilee to sound?

20. What other celebration was on this same day?

21. What did the blowing of the trumpet proclaim?

22. What does the statement "throughout the land", tell us?

23. What one word describes how they were to treat the year of jubilee?

24. What wonderful thing happened to a slave on jubilee?

25. What happened to the land on jubilee?

26. What does hallow mean?

27. How was the price of the land determined, since it went back to the original owner on jubilee?

28. What had God warned them not to do to their neighbor?

29. In a 50 year span, how many crops could be produced?

30. What was God trying to teach these people about their land?

31. What is the beginning of wisdom?

32. What is the main lesson to be learned in all of this?

33. Where do we find the Scripture that says "I have never seen the righteous forsaken, or his seed out begging bread"?

34. When does God make a man's enemies to be at peace with him?

35. How did God answer the question, what will I eat the seventh year?

Leviticus Chapter 25 Continued

Leviticus 25:22 "And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat [yet] of old fruit until the ninth year; until her fruits come in ye shall eat [of] the old [store]."

Sow the land in the eighth year, and likewise dress their vines, olives, etc.

"And eat yet of the old fruit": Even in the eighth year, of the old fruit of the sixth year, as the Targum of Jonathan adds.

"Until the ninth year; that is, as Jarchi explains it, until the feast of tabernacles of the ninth, which was the time that the increase of the eighth came into the house. For all summer it was in the field, and in Tisri or September was the time of gathering it into the house. And sometimes it was necessary to provide for four years on the sixth, which was before the sabbatical year, the seventh. For they ceased from tilling the ground two years running, the seventh and the jubilee year. But this Scripture is said concerning all the rest of the sabbatical years. These encouraging promises, one would have thought, would have been placed more naturally after the account of the sabbatical year that followed (Lev. 25:7). But the reason of their being inserted here seems to be, because in the Year of Jubilee they were neither to sow nor reap, nor gather in the grapes of the undressed vine, as in the sabbatical year (Lev. 25:11). Wherefore those things are said for encouragement at the one time as at the other. Since it might easily be concluded, that he that could provide for them every sixth year for three years to come, could once in fifty years provide for four.

"Until her fruits come in, ye shall eat of the old store": Some of which came in March, as barley. Others in May, as the wheat, and others in August and September, as the grapes, olives, etc. Which was the time of ingathering several fruits of the earth, and of finishing the whole.

In the last lesson, we were learning about the jubilee. In the seventh year, they were not only to rest that year, but on jubilee as well, which was the fiftieth year. God had promised, if they would follow His commands, he would keep His covenant with them.

On the 48th year their crop would be so bountiful, that they would have 3 years supply of food to carry them through this time of rest. At the end of jubilee, they were to plant their crops again. They would be cared for by the store of food from the year that provided the 3 years' supply.

Verses 23-34: Various regulations regarding real estate are outlined.

Because the land belonged to God, the Israelites could not permanently sell their inherited portion. If a person had to sell his land, it was returned to him in the Year of Jubilee.

Leviticus 25:23 "The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land [is] mine; for ye [are] strangers and sojourners with me."

"For the land is mine": God owns the earth and all that is in it (compare Psalm 24:1). The people of Israel were, in fact, only tenants on the land by the Lord's grace. Therefore, ownership of property was temporary, not permanent.

The land could only be sold for the amount of time left until jubilee. All the land reverted to the original owner at jubilee. The land really was just on loan, or as we would say (long term lease).

Leviticus 25:24 "And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land."

Which they should possess in the land of Canaan, whatever part of it any of them should enjoy.

"Ye shall grant a redemption for the land": That is, whenever any estate in it was sold through necessity, the buyer was obliged to grant a liberty to the seller to redeem it, when it was in his power to do it, or any or his relations, especially after two years. So Jarchi observes, he that sells his possession may redeem it after two years, either he himself or he that is near akin to him, nor can the buyer hinder it (see notes on Lev. 25:15).

The land was definitely not to be sold for an extended period. Each sale would have to bear a clause that the land would revert to the original owner on jubilee.

Leviticus 25:25 "If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away [some] of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold."

Is brought very low, greatly reduced, and is in mean circumstances. Hence Jarchi says, we learn, that no man may sell his field, unless his distress presses him and forces him to it. For, as Maimonides observes, a man might not sell his estate to put money into his purse, or to trade with, or to purchase goods, servants, and cattle, only food.

"And hath sold away some of his possession": Not all of it, as Jarchi remarks. For the way of the earth or custom of the world teaches, that a man should reserve a field (or a part), for himself.

"And if any of his kin come to redeem it": Come to the buyer and propose to redeem it, by giving what it was sold for, or in proportion to the time he had enjoyed it.

"Then shall he redeem that which his brother sold": Nor was it in the power of the purchaser to hinder him, or at his option whether he would suffer him to redeem it or not. Such a one was an emblem of our "goel". Our near kinsman and Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ, who came in our nature into this world to redeem us, and put us into the possession of the heavenly inheritance. Nor was it in the power of any to hinder his performance of it, for he is the mighty God, the Lord of Hosts is his name.

This is a further exclusion that was to be in every transaction. If a person because of poverty had to sell their land, there was a clause stating, if he or some of his relatives could raise the money to buy it back, he could. This was a conditional sale. They were to have compassion for each other, and help each other. This was one of the things that separated these people from the world. The world dealt hard and would not sell back, but an Israelite thought of his brother's needs before his own.

Leviticus 25:26 "And if the man have none to redeem it, and himself be able to redeem it;"

That is, none of kin that was able or willing to redeem it. Otherwise no doubt there were persons in the land able to do it at any time. But none he was in connection with, or from whom he could expect such a favor.

"And himself be able to redeem it": Or if his hand has got, and he has found a sufficiency for his redemption, as the Targum of Jonathan. Not that he has found anything that was lost, as Chaskuni glosses it, but by one providence or another. By the blessing of God on his trade and business, is become rich, and it is in the power of his hand to redeem the possession he had sold, he might do it. But, as the same writer observes, he might not borrow and redeem, but must do it with what he had got of his own since the time of sale, and which is also the sense of others.

Leviticus 25:27 "Then let him count the years of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; that he may return unto his possession."

How many years had passed since it was sold? How many it had been in the hands of the purchaser, and how many were yet to come to the year of the jubilee, by which means the price of redemption might easily be settled. Thus, for instance, if the years were alike and there was just half the time gone, then half of the price it was sold at was repaid to the purchaser. And if not alike, then in proportion to what had passed and were to come.

"And restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it": For the years that were yet to come. If, as Jarchi says, he has eaten of or enjoyed the fruit of the field three or four years, deduct the price of them from the account, and take the rest. This is the meaning, "and restore the overplus", out of the price of the sale, according to what is eaten, and give it to the buyer. Maimonides explains it thus; that if there were ten years to the year of the jubilee, and the field was sold for a hundred pieces, if he that bought it has eaten of it three years, then the seller that redeems it must give him seventy pieces, and he must restore his field. If he has eaten of it six years, he is to give forty pieces, and the other restores him the field. In the Misnah it is put thus; if he sells it (his field), to the first for a hundred pence, and the first sells it to a second for two hundred, he must not reckon but with the first, as it is said, "unto the man to whom he sold it". If he sold it to the first for two hundred, and the first sells it to a second for a hundred, he shall not count but with the last, as it is said, "to a man". I.e. to the man which is in the midst of it, or is possessed of it. Nor may he sell it for a distant time, that he may redeem it near, nor when in a bad condition, that he may redeem it when in a good one. Nor may he borrow to redeem it, nor redeem it by halves.

"That he may return to his possession": And enjoy it again.

As we read in a previous lesson, they were to deal fairly with each other. They were not to charge each other interest, or want the better end of the deal. They were to figure out how many harvests would come and pay an equal portion of the time left until jubilee.

Leviticus 25:28 "But if he be not able to restore [it] to him, then that which is sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubilee: and in the jubilee it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession."

The overplus, or give him what is in proportion to the time he has had it, and yet to come.

"Then that which is sold shall remain in the hand of him that bought it until the year of the jubilee": Continue in his possession, and he shall enjoy all the benefit of it till that year comes.

"And in the jubilee it shall go out": Out of his hands or possession; or "he shall go out". The purchaser shall go out of what he has bought, and shall have no more possession of it. But it shall come into the hands of the seller, and that without money, as the Targum of Jonathan adds.

"And he shall return unto his possession": The seller, and enter upon it and enjoy it as his own property, as before he sold it.

This is just saying, if he cannot raise the money to buy it back, he can wait and get it back at jubilee.

Leviticus 25:29 "And if a man sell a dwelling house in a walled city, then he may redeem it within a whole year after it is sold; [within] a full year may he redeem it."

Which was so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun, as Jarchi.

"Then he may redeem it within a whole year after it is sold": Any time within the year he pleased, either he or any near of kin to him. And if they would, on the day it was sold, or any time after within the compass of the year, even on the day in which the year ended. In this such a house differed from fields, which could not be redeemed under two years (see notes on Lev. 25:15).

"Within a full year may he redeem it": From the time it was sold, paying what it was sold for. This is to be understood, Maimonides says, of a solar year, which consists of three hundred sixty five days. And within this space of time such a house might be redeemed.

Leviticus 25:30 "And if it be not redeemed within the space of a full year, then the house that [is] in the walled city shall be established for ever to him that bought it throughout his generations: it shall not go out in the jubilee."

Either by the seller or any man of kin to him.

"Then the house that is in the walled city shall be established for ever to him that bought it, throughout his generation": After twelve months were elapsed it was not redeemable by any, but to be held by the purchaser and his heirs for ever.

"It shall not go out in the jubilee": From the purchaser or his heirs, to the seller or his heirs. For houses were not like lands. The gift of God, and held under him, but were built by men, and were their absolute property. And therefore, they could dispose of them, and they that bought them could hold them after the above mentioned time. Nor was there any danger of confounding tribes and families by retaining them. This law was made to encourage persons to settle in walled towns, to make and keep them populous, and to make owners of them careful not to sell them. The Jewish canon is this; when the day of the twelfth month is come, and it (the house), is not redeemed, it is absolutely his. Whether he bought it or whether it was given him, as it is said (Lev. 25:30). And if in the beginning of the day of the twelfth month he (the purchaser) hides himself, that it may be confirmed to him or be his absolutely. Hillel, the elder, ordered that he (the seller), should put his money in the chamber (belonging to the Sanhedrim), and break open the door, and go in. And when he would, he (the purchaser), might come, and take his money. But otherwise, if he suffers this time to pass it is irredeemable, nor will the year of jubilee help him. The Jews except the city of Jerusalem from this law, because, they say, that does not belong to any tribe.

We see that houses in cities are under a total different set of rules. The year of grace, if you will, is to see if the person selling is content without the house. This is a little like the law of truth in lending in our time. There is a period of grace to make sure the person is satisfied with the deal. Many older people in our society today are selling their longtime homes. Sometimes it would be good if they could have a year to think it over, before the deal would be final forever. Sometimes, if they could, they would get their old house back. There are so many memories that they would stand a few inconveniences. At any rate, this selling of the house in a city was a final sale after one year. The house would not be returned to the original owner at jubilee.

Leviticus 25:31 "But the houses of the villages which have no wall round about them shall be counted as the fields of the country: they may be redeemed, and they shall go out in the jubilee."

As there were many in the days of Joshua, the Scripture speaks of. The Jews suppose that such are meant, even though they were afterwards walled.

"Shall be counted as the fields of the country": And subject to the same law as they.

"They may be redeemed": At any time before the year of jubilee, and if not, then;

"They shall go out in the jubilee": To the original owners of them, freely, as Jarchi says, without paying anything for them.

A house with acreage, or a house in the country, fell into the same law as acreage. It would be restored at jubilee.

Leviticus 25:32 "Notwithstanding the cities of the Levites, [and] the houses of the cities of their possession, may the Levites redeem at any time."

The six cities of refuge, and forty two others. These and the houses in them are excepted from the above law, and only they; not such as they might purchase elsewhere. Wherefore it follows:

"And the houses of the cities of their possession": Which were in cities possessed by them, and which was their possession, and given them as such.

"May the Levites redeem at any time": They were not restrained to a year, as houses in walled towns, but they might redeem them as they pleased or could. And if they did not redeem them within the year, they might redeem them afterwards, even years after, at any time before the year of jubilee. So it is said in the Misnah the priests and the Levites sell always, and they redeem always, as it is said (Lev. 25:32). On which one of the commentators says "they sell always", not as the Israelites, who cannot sell less than two years before the jubilee; but the Levites can sell near the jubilee: "and they redeem always". If they sell houses in walled cities, they are not confirmed at the end of the year, as the houses of Israelites. And if they sell fields, it is not necessary they should remain in the hands of the buyer two years, but they may redeem them immediately if they will. This redemption was peculiar to the Levites. For if an Israelite has an inheritance from his father's mother, a Levite, he might not redeem according to the manner Levites did, but according to Israelites. And so a Levite that inherited from his father's mother, an Israelite, was obliged to redeem as an Israelite and not as a Levite. For this perpetual redemption respected only houses that were in the cities of the Levites.

Leviticus 25:33 "And if a man purchase of the Levites, then the house that was sold, and the city of his possession, shall go out in [the year of] jubilee: for the houses of the cities of the Levites [are] their possession among the children of Israel."

"Cities of the Levites": Compare (Num. 35:1-8; Joshua chapter 21).

We see one exception to the house in town. Since the tribe of Levi had no land inheritance, their house was part of their inheritance, so they had a right to redeem it any time. If they were not financially able to redeem it, they received it back at jubilee. It was, in effect, their land.

Leviticus 25:34 "But the field of the suburbs of their cities may not be sold; for it [is] their perpetual possession."

"The fields": These were fields that the village/city-at-large used to grow crops.

The cities or the land surrounding the city, which would someday be part of the city, could not be sold. This is very similar to an individual in a church cannot sell the church. This city belonged to all the Levitical tribe to use as long as they lived. The Levite's work was in the sanctuary, or temple. They were not to work in the fields. They lived of things of the sanctuary.

Verses 35-38: Instructions on dealing with the poor are outlined.

A Hebrew was prohibited from exacting "interest" from a fellow Hebrew, but he could charge interest to someone from another country (a "stranger"), who borrowed money. The rich were not to oppress the poor but were to show compassion instead, based on God's compassion to Israel. Unfortunately, this law was not always followed (Neh. 5:1-13).

Leviticus 25:35 "And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: [yea, though he be] a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee."

"He be a stranger, or a sojourner": The law required gleanings (leftovers after harvest), for the Israelite as well as the stranger (compare 19:9-10; 23:22; Deut. 24:19-21).

We see the teaching about families here. They were to help each other, not turn them out to the world. The following is a New Testament teaching on the same thing.

1 Timothy 5:8 "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel."

We must never turn our brothers and sisters away when they are in need.

Leviticus 25:36 "Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee."

"Usury of him, or increase": Usury or excessive interest was prohibited for all (Psalm 15:5). Even fair interest was otherwise prohibited in dealing with the poor (see notes on Deut. 23:19-20; 24:10-13). The basics of life were to be given, not loaned, to the poor.

Usury in the Scripture above, means interest on a debt. They were not to try to make money of this brother who is already in bad financial shape. They were to help each other.

Leviticus 25:37 Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase.

Lend him money, expecting and insisting upon a large interest for it. This is to be understood of persons in poor and necessitous circumstances, of which the text only speaks. Otherwise, if persons borrow money to gain by it, to carry on a greater trade, or to make purchase with it, it is but reasonable that the lender should have a share of profit arising from thence.

"Nor lend him thy victuals for increase": By which it should seem that those two words, used in (Lev. 25:36). Though in the main they signify the same thing, yet may be distinguished, the one as concerning money, the other food. And which latter is not to be given by way of loan to a person in want of it, but freely. As for instance, if a man gives a poor man a bushel of wheat, on condition he gives him two for it hereafter, this is lending or giving his victuals for increase.

In other words, feed him and don't charge him later for the food. It seems that any money loaned to him was to be loaned without interest. This is his brother. He is not to leave him in worse shape by charging interest on the loan.

Leviticus 25:38 "I [am] the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, [and] to be your God."

"To give you the land of Canaan": The Lord cites His generosity in giving them a land that was not theirs as a motive for their generosity toward their countrymen.

We see from this that God reminds these people, what you have and what you are is because God blessed you. God has gone into covenant with these people to bless the people. The only thing they have to do is to believe God and keep His commandments. We Christians are in covenant relation with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our covenant was sealed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Our part of the covenant, we must keep is spoken of in:

Romans 10:9-13 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." "For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him." "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

1. What year were they to plant a crop again after the jubilee?

2. What will they eat of until the crop comes in?

3. What year was jubilee?

4. Why was the land not to be sold forever?

5. What did the Lord call the Israelites in verse 23?

6. What happened to the land at jubilee?

7. What clause was in all land sales by the Israelites?

8. Who could redeem the land for them, if they were very poor and sold the land?

9. What would be the redemption price, if he could raise the money to buy it back?

10. If he was too poor and could not redeem it, when did he get his land back?

11. How long did a person have to redeem a dwelling house in a city?

12. What happened, if they did not redeem it in this period of time?

13. Houses that were not inside a walled city were treated as what?

14. The houses of whom were exceptions to the rules about the houses inside walled cities?

15. Why were the rules different for them?

16. Why could the fields of the suburbs of their cities not be sold?

17. What can we relate this to today?

18. What does 1 Timothy 5:8 teach us?

19. What is usury?

20. Could they charge their relative for what he ate?

21. What 3 things did God remind these people of (in verse 38)?

22. Who are we Christians in covenant relation with?

23. What are we obligated to do to keep the covenant with Him?

Leviticus Chapter 25 Second Continued

Verses 39-55: The principles for dealing with slavery are laid out.

Verses 39-46: The enslavement of a fellow Hebrew ("brethren"), was to be rare; if servitude was unavoidable, it was to be handled with grace and kindness, treating that individual as a hired worker rather than as a "slave". Gentile slaves ("strangers"), were exempt from the restrictions detailed here, so they could be enslaved for life and inherited as "property".

Leviticus 25:39 "And if thy brother [that dwelleth] by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant:"

The above laws and instructions seem designed to prevent such extreme poverty as obliged to what follows. Namely, a brother being sold either to an Israelite or to a stranger, by relieving his wants or lending him money. But when these were insufficient to support him, and keep him from sinking into the lowest state of distress and misery, then he was obliged to be sold, as follows.

"And be sold unto thee": Either by himself, being ready to starve and perish, or by the Sanhedrim, having stolen something, as Aben Ezra observes. In such a case the civil magistrate had a power of selling a man (Exodus 22:3).

"Thou shall not compel him to serve as a bondservant": Such as were Heathens, and bought of them, or taken in war and made slaves of. But an Israelite sold was not to serve as they, either with respect to matter or manner, or time of service. Such as were bondmen were put to the hardest service, the greatest drudgery, as well as what was mean and reproachful, and were used in the most rigorous and despotic manner. And were obliged to serve for ever, and were never released. But a brother, an Israelite, sold to another through extreme poverty, was not to be put to any low, mean, base, and disgraceful service. By which it would be known that he was a servant, as Jarchi notes. Such as to carry his master's vessels or instruments after him to the bath, or to unloose his shoes. But, as the same writer observes, he was to be employed in the business of the farm, or in some handicraft work. And was to be kindly and gently used, rather as a brother than a servant, and to be freed in the year of jubilee.

Leviticus 25:40 "[But] as a hired servant, [and] as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, [and] shall serve thee unto the year of jubilee:"

Who is hired by the day, or month, or year. And, when his time is up, receives his wages and goes where he pleases. And while a servant is not under such despotic power and government as a slave is.

"And as a sojourner": An inmate, one that dwells in part of a man's house, or boards and lodges with him, and whom he treats in a kind and familiar manner. Rather like one of his own family than otherwise.

"He shall be with thee": As under the above characters, and used as such. This the Jews refer to food and drink, and other things, as they do (Deut. 15:16). And say that a master might not eat fine bread, and his servant bread of bran. Nor drink old wine, and his servant new. Nor sleep on soft pillows and bedding, and his servant on straw. Hence, they say, he that gets himself a Hebrew servant is as if he got himself a master.

"And shall serve thee unto the year of the jubilee": And no longer; for if the year of jubilee came before the six years were expired for which he sold himself. The jubilee set him free, as Jarchi observes. Nay, if be sold himself for ten or twenty years, and that but one year before the jubilee, it set him free, as Maimonides says.

Whether you are for slavery or not, does not enter into this lesson. At the time this was written, it was the practice to have slaves. We see from the verse above, that Hebrews who were sold into slavery to their Hebrew brothers, were to be treated as brothers. They were not to be treated like the Roman slaves or the Egyptian slaves. In this God is reminding them that all men are His. The Hebrew would serve up to seven years, or if jubilee occurred earlier, they were freed at jubilee. Not only were they freed from slavery, but their land was returned to them as well. They would be back on equal footing at jubilee.

Leviticus 25:41 "And [then] shall he depart from thee, [both] he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return."

His sons and daughters, and his wife also, who is included in himself. If a man had a wife and children when he sold himself, or married afterwards, with his master's consent, he was obliged to maintain them. Though they were not sold to him, nor properly his servants, and so had a right to go out with him.

"And shall return unto his own family": His father's family, and that of his near relations. Having been out of it during his time of servitude, and which the year of jubilee restored him to (Lev. 25:10).

"And unto the possession of his fathers shall he return": The estate his father left him by inheritance, and which he was obliged to sell in the time of his poverty. Or which fell to him since by the death of his father. To this also he was restored in the year of jubilee, as is expressed in the text referred to.

We see from this a further separation. Even though a child had been born to him in captivity, the child still belonged to the man who was freed. In fact, his whole family was freed with him. He and his family would move back on to the land of his inheritance at jubilee.

Leviticus 25:42 "For they [are] my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen."

"For they are my servants": The spirit of Old Testament slavery is revealed in these words. God, in effect, ordered that slaves be treated like family, i.e., better than employees, because they are His slaves which He redeemed out of the slave markets of Egypt. God owned not only the land (verse 23), but also the people.

Leviticus 25:43 "Thou shalt not rule over him with rigor; but shalt fear thy God."

Those who are in authority over others are not to treat their subordinates harshly (with "rigor"), but according to the fear of God. This remains an important verse for those in positions of leadership of any kind.

These people were God's. In fact, all of humanity are God's servants. If they ruled over their brother harshly, they would have to deal with God, whose servant they were.

Verses 44-46: "Of the heathen that are round about you": These slaves included people whom Israel was to either drive out or destroy (i.e., slavery was a humane option), and those who came to Israel in the Exodus from Egypt.

Leviticus 25:44 "Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, [shall be] of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids."

Such it seems were allowed them, if they had need of them. But if they had them, they were to be not of the nation of Israel, but of other nations. This is an anticipation of an objection, as Jarchi observes. If so, who shall I have to minister to me? The answer follows, they;

"Shall be of the heathen that are round about you": Of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids": That is, of the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, and Syrians, as Aben Ezra. That were their neighbors, that lived round about them, of any but the seven nations, which they were ordered utterly to destroy. Wherefore Jarchi observes it is said, "that are round about thee"; not in the midst of the border of your land, for them they were not to save alive (Deut. 20:16).

Of the heathen that are round about you. These are to be purchased to do the necessary work. They were not permitted to buy any slaves from the seven nations who were in the midst of them, and whom they were ordered to destroy.

An Israelite could own slaves who were not Israelites. That is what bondwoman or bondman means. They had no special privileges. A bondman would be their property.

Leviticus 25:45 "Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that [are] with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession."

The uncircumcised sojourners as they are called in the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan. Proselytes of the gate, such of the nations round about who came and sojourned among them, being subject to the precepts given to the sons of Noah respecting idolatry, etc. But were not circumcised, and did not embrace the Jewish religion.

"Of them shall ye buy": For bondmen and bondmaids.

"And of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land": But, as the Targum of Jonathan adds, are not of the Canaanites. Though the Jewish writers say, that one of the nations that lies with a Canaanitish woman, and begets a son of her, he may be bought for a servant. And so if a Canaanitish man lies with one of the nations, and begets a son of her, he may also be bought for a servant.

"And they shall be your possession": As servants, as bondmen and bondmaids, and be so for ever to them and their heirs, as follows.

These bondmen or bondwomen were actually the possession of the person who purchased them. They were their property as long as they lived in most cases. These bondmen and bondwomen could not be Israelites. They had to be of another nationality. Even though an Israelite was poor and had to work for another Israelite, they were brothers and must be treated as such.

Leviticus 25:46 "And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit [them for] a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigor."

Which they might leave them at their death to inherit, as they did their estates and lands.

When the person died that owned the bondman or bondwoman, the bondman or bondwoman were to be given to the family of their owner. This was part of their inheritance, just as a piece of land was.

Verses 47-55: This section deals with an alien who has an Israelite slave.

A person could be redeemed from bondage (25:48), from poverty (25:25), or from widowhood (Deut. 25:5-6). The redeemer was a family member who agreed to marry the widowed woman or to buy back the enslaved person or the mortgaged property, providing help and security in adversity.

Leviticus 25:47 "And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee, and thy brother [that dwelleth] by him wax poor, and sell himself unto the stranger [or] sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger's family:"

An uncircumcised one, as the Targums. A proselyte of the gate, who by living among and trading with the Israelites, might grow rich and wealthy in money. At least so as to be able to purchase a Hebrew servant, though not his lands, which he might not buy.

"And thy brother that dwelleth by him wax poor": Comes into low circumstances, and is reduced to great poverty, even extreme poverty. For only in such a case might he sell himself to an Israelite, and much less to a stranger, if this was not the case. Jarchi suggests, as in the phrase, "by thee", points at the cause or occasion of the sojourner or stranger becoming rich. His nearness unto, or cleaving to all Israelite. And so here the phrase, "by him", directs to the cause or occasion of the Israelite's becoming poor. His being near and cleaving to the sojourner or stranger. But they seem rather to be used, to show the reason of the poor Israelite falling into the hands of a rich sojourner. They being near neighbors to one another, and having a familiarity, the following bargain is struck between them.

"And sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee": The uncircumcised sojourner, as the Targum of Jonathan.

"Or to the stock of a stranger's family": Or "root", one that sprung from a family. Which some understand of one, who though he be descended from such a family, was now rooted among the people of God, and incorporated into the commonwealth of Israel. And yet such a one could not detain a Hebrew servant longer than the year of jubilee. But the Jewish writers generally interpret it of an idolater.

Leviticus 25:48 "After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him:"

"Redeem him": Redemption, a contractual agreement which existed in the slave culture, offered the potential for emancipation to indentured individuals under certain conditions. Slaves could be bought out of slavery or some other sort of indentured status by family members or other interested parties who would pay the ransom price.

Leviticus 25:49 "Either his uncle, or his uncle's son, may redeem him, or [any] that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him; or if he be able, he may redeem himself."

"Nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him": The verse refers to Israelites who, in poverty, sold themselves into slavery for survival. A near kinsman could redeem and grant to the slave again his freedom by paying an appropriate price. This is the basis for the redemption of Ruth by Boaz (Ruth 4:1-12). It is also a type of Christ, our Kinsman-Redeemer who paid the supreme price on the cross to redeem out of the slave market of sin, all who will come to Him and receive Him.

We see from this that many times people who were not Israelites who were living as neighbors to the Israelites, were successful and sometimes bought an Israelite, who was poor. In this case, the sale would be conditional. The Israelite could be redeemed at any time, he or some of his relatives, could raise the money to buy him back.

Leviticus 25:50 "And he shall reckon with him that bought him from the year that he was sold to him unto the year of jubilee: and the price of his sale shall be according unto the number of years, according to the time of a hired servant shall it be with him."

That is, either the man himself should reckon with him, or whoever undertook to redeem him.

"From the year that he was sold to him unto the year of jubilee": And so count how many years he had served, and how many were yet to come. And by this it appears, that one thus sold was not released at the end of six years, or the sabbatical year did not free him.

"And the price of his sale shall be according to the number of years": Whether more or fewer, as after explained.

"According to the time of a hired servant shall it be with him": The time of service he had served his master shall be reckoned, as if he had been hired for so much a year. And according to the number of years he had been with him, so much per annum was to be deducted from the original purchase. And the rest to be made for his redemption to him that bought him.

The price of the Israelite, even though a stranger had bought him, would be figured by the number of years until jubilee, when he would have to be set free anyway. If the Israelite had been sold to another Israelite, he would go free after 7 years or at jubilee. The difference when a stranger bought him, was that he would not be set free until jubilee. The Israelite could not be sold for a bondman or bondwoman. They were to be treated as servants, not bond people.

Verses 51-54: "Price of his redemption": The cost of buying him out of slavery was affected by the Jubilee year, when he could be set free.

Leviticus 25:51 "If [there be] yet many years [behind], according unto them he shall give again the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for."

To the year of jubilee, and more than he had served.

"According unto them he shall give again the price of his redemption, out of the money that he was bought for": Suppose, for instance, when a man sold himself, there were twenty years to the year of jubilee. And he sold himself for twenty pieces of money, gold or silver, be the value what it will. And when he comes to treat with his master about his redemption, or a relation for him, and he has served just as many years as there are to the year of jubilee, ten years. Then his master must be paid for the price of his redemption ten pieces of money. But if he has served but five years, and there are fifteen to come, he must give him fifteen pieces. And so in proportion, be the years more or fewer, as follows.

We see that the person who bought him, would be paid the full price, if most of the time was still left until jubilee.

Leviticus 25:52 "And if there remain but few years unto the year of jubilee, then he shall count with him, [and] according unto his years shall he give him again the price of his redemption."

Fewer than what he has served, then the less is given for his redemption. Thus, for instance, in the above supposed case, if he has served fifteen years, and there remain but five to the year of jubilee.

"Then he shall count with him, and according unto his years shall he give him again the price of his redemption. As in the fore mentioned case, he shall give him five pieces of money. And thus the law of justice and equity was maintained between the buyer and seller, the purchaser and the redeemer. In a like righteous manner, the people of God are redeemed by Christ.

We see that if the time was a short time, the price would be figured according to the time left before jubilee.

Leviticus 25:53 "[And] as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him: [and the other] shall not rule with rigor over him in thy sight."

Being redeemable every year, and upon his redemption might quit his master's service, as a hireling may. And the price of his redemption to be valued according to the years he served. And as if he had been hired for so much a year; as well as he was to be treated in a kind and gentle manner, not as a bondman. But as if he was a hired servant, as follows.

"And the other shall not rule with rigor over him in thy sight. The person he is sold unto, his master, a sojourner or stranger, he might not use a Hebrew he had bought with any severity. For if a Hebrew master might not use a Hebrew servant with rigor, it was not by any means to be admitted in the commonwealth of Israel for a proselyte to use one in such a manner. And that openly, in the sight of an Israelite his neighbor. He looking on and not remonstrating against it. Or acquainting the civil magistrate with it, who had it in his power to redress such a grievance, and ought to do it.

Israelites belong to God. They were not to be treated like the stranger's property, even though he had bought him. He was to be as a paid servant.

Leviticus 25:54 "And if he be not redeemed in these [years], then he shall go out in the year of jubilee, [both] he, and his children with him."

The Targum of Jonathan supplies the text as we do, in any of the years from the time of his sale to the year of jubilee. And so Aben Ezra interprets it, in the years that remain to the jubilee. But he observes there are others that say, by the means of those above mentioned. That is, by his nearest of kin, or by himself. For the word "years" is not in the text, which may be supplied, either with "years" or "relations". And so the Vulgate Latin, Septuagint, and Oriental versions read, "by these" means, things or persons.

"Then he shall go out on the year of jubilee": Out of the house and service of him that bought him, he shall go out free and freely. Without paying anything for his freedom, having served his full time unto which he was bought.

"Both he and his children with him": And his wife too, if he had any, who, was comprehended in himself, and whom, both wife and children, his master was obliged to maintain during his servitude.

As we said a little earlier in this lesson, the Israelite belonged to God. He could not be sold for ever. Even though the stranger was not an Israelite, he had to abide by the rules of the Israelite in this situation. This land belonged to the Israelites. God had given it to them. This stranger was living in the Israelites' land. He must abide by the laws of Israel.

Leviticus 25:55 "For unto me the children of Israel [are] servants; they [are] my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I [am] the LORD your God."

The Israelites emancipated from Egypt by God were all God's servants; therefore, they were to treat their own slaves with the same grace and generosity as God had granted them.

God had paid the price for them, when He brought them out with a mighty hand from Egypt to this land of promise. These are God's chosen people. God is the God of everyone, but the Hebrew (Israelite), was His people that He chose to give the law to. In Romans, we read over and over (to the Jew first and then to the Gentile). These are God's people. He is their protector.

Leviticus Chapter 25 Second Continued Questions

1. Those who bought another Israelite for a servant was not to treat them as what?

2. How long shall he serve thee?

3. What else happened to the Hebrew that was freed?

4. Who shall he be able to take with him, when he is freed?

5. Where shall he go when he is freed?

6. Why did God say, they were not to be sold as bondmen?

7. God warned not to rule over them with ________.

8. Who was it alright to have as bondmen?

9. What was the difference in a bondman and a servant?

10. What was a bondman really?

11. Could bondmen be passed down from generation to generation?

12. Was it possible for a stranger to buy a Hebrew?

13. Who could redeem him?

14. The sale would be ______________.

15. How would they figure the price of redemption?

16. If it was a long time to jubilee, what was the price?

17. Who do Israelites really belong to?

18. Why did the stranger in the land have to abide by God's law?

19. Where had God brought the Israelite out from?

20. Who are God's chosen people?

Leviticus Chapter 26

Verses 1-46: This chapter is a collection of blessings on those who keep the law and of curses on those who do not. A collection of such blessings and curses was the usual way to close a major legal text in biblical times. The main section of Deuteronomy ends with a similar series of blessings and curses (Deut. Chapter 28). We also find this pattern in (Exodus 23:25-33 and Joshua 24:20). It is a pattern that occurs outside the Bible in literature spanning the first three millennia B.C. Legal collections (such as the laws of Ur-Nammu, Lapit-Ishtar, and Hammurapi); Babylonian boundary stones; and Hittite, Aramean, and Assyrian treaties typically conclude with a section of blessings and curses. Such threats could be implemented as part of the superstitious belief of people in the ancient Near East. But for Israel, there was no doubt that the God who wrought the mighty act of deliverance at the Red Sea and judged the Egyptians and Pharaoh, could carry out such ominous threats or blessings.

The covenant blessings for obedience (26:3-13), and curses for disobedience (26:14-39), are elaborated. A provision for repentance is also offered (26:40-45).

Verses 1-2: Certain prohibitions precede the blessings proper (verses 3-13).

"Idols": The Hebrew term conveys the idea of "to be weak, deficient" and then is used primarily in Scripture to describe vain objects of worship, that is, the gods of this world, whether literal idols, riches, or deceitful men.

"Graven Image: This was forbidden (in Exodus 20:4), and was a cultic representation of deity such as has been found at several sites in Canaan.

"Standing image": It was apparently made of stone and probably intended to comprise a tangible indication of the presence of El or Baal, the two principal deities of Canaanite religion.

The "image of stone", or "figured stone", would no doubt have contained some carved picture of a Canaanite deity. There was one unearthed at Ugarit (Ras Shamra), depicting Baal hurling thunderbolts, which dates about 1800 B.C. The "keeping of the Sabbath" and "reverence" for "my sanctuary" would be the best means of forestalling the corruptions of Canaanite religion.

Verses 1-2: A representative summary of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17), was set forth as the standard by which Israel's obedience or disobedience would be measured.

Leviticus 26:1 "Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up [any] image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I [am] the LORD your God."

"Idols ... graven image ... standing image ... images of stone": There were forms of pagan idol worship at that time. Although idols today often look different than these, the Lord forbids His people in any age to worship any god other than Himself. Israel's neighbors used all of these devices for the worship of their gods.

This is just another way of stating part of the Ten Commandments. Idols from the Scripture above, is translated from the word el-eel, which means good for nothing or of no value. Another way of saying it would be "nothings". One of the best examples in the Bible, about how important it is not to bow to an idol or a false god, is Daniel. He even went to the lions' den rather than bow down. Another very good example is Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; who were thrown into the fiery furnace, because they would not bow to an idol or false god. God protected them, because they made a stand for the one true God. None of them were harmed. It is bad enough to make a false image, but to bow down to it would be even worse. Would you (at the threat of death), still not bow down to a false god or idol? In the end times, many will be faced with just that problem. One thing that I have said so many times, that helps me so much is; we must worship the Creator and not any of His or our creations. The Elohim God; God the Father, God the Word, and God the Holy Spirit, who are all one in Spirit are the only God to worship. All others are false.

1 John 5:7 "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."

Leviticus 26:2 "Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I [am] the LORD."

The seventh day Sabbaths, and the seventh year sabbaths; especially the former are meant. In which religious worship was given to the one true and living God. And therefore, the observance of them is strictly enjoined. And hence this law follows closely upon the former, though Aben Ezra restrains it to the sabbatical years, or seventh year sabbaths, as he applies the sanctuary in the following clause to the jubilee year, which is said to be holy (Lev. 26:12). Supposing that this refers unto and stands in strict connection with the laws of the preceding chapter, concerning the sabbatical (Lev. 25:1), and jubilee years (Lev. 25:8).

"And reverence my sanctuary": By attending in it, and on the worship in it, with reverence and godly fear (see Lev. 19:30).

"I am the Lord": Who had a right to such religious worship, and to command such things, in which he ought to be obeyed, his sabbaths kept, and sanctuary reverenced. "And reverence my sanctuary", by attending in it, and on the worship in it, with reverence and godly fear (see Lev. 19:30).

Notice first of all who this all belongs to; God. It is His sabbath. It is His sanctuary. Even we are His. To not obey His wishes would be to disobey the very God that made us. It is so little for Him to ask that we keep His Sabbaths. Sabbath, for the physical house of Israel, was Saturday. We Christians do not forget either, but we practice firstfruit remembrance on Sunday. To not reverence, then, brought swift punishment. The best example of that, was the fire coming from the altar and killing Aaron's 2 sons. We do not see this type of manifestation of disapproval in our sanctuaries today from God. Perhaps, it is because God has moved out of many of these sanctuaries where He is not reverenced. The sanctuary should be a place set aside where we can go and meet with God. Jesus opened the way for all believers to come to God. Sanctuary means a consecrated place. Reverence means to hold in very high esteem. If this sanctuary belongs to God, then the way we can please God in it, is to do what He desires in this special place of His. Have we come to church to please Him or to please ourselves? Why do we go to church? Have we come to humbly bow before our LORD? Have we come to fellowship with Him, and to be a sweet, sweet sound in His ear? Did you come to church to meet with the LORD in His Word? If you came to be entertained, or so the neighbors could see you at church, or for any other fleshly reason, you should have stayed at home. The Sanctuary should be a place set aside 24 hours a day 365 days a year where you can go and fellowship with God. The sanctuary has one purpose; we should not use it for worldly things. The sanctuary is holy.

Verses 3-13: There are three divisions of blessings (verses 4, 6, 11), and each is prefaced with "I will give". They include material prosperity (verses 3-5), victory over the nation's enemies (verses 6-9), the assurance of God's presence in the land (verses 11-12), and the dignity of personal freedom (verse 13). The mention of God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt would be a guarantee that the great King who initiated the covenant with His people would be able to perform all that He promised. The assurance of God's presence encouraged Moses in Exodus chapters 3 and 6 and was a source of strength for many generations (Isa. 11:1-16; Ezek. 36:28; 37:24-27; see Matt. 28:20 and Hebrews 13:8).

Leviticus 26:3 "If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;"

Both moral, ceremonial, and judicial, which had been delivered unto them, and now completely recorded in this and the preceding book. For what follows in the two next are chiefly repetitions of what are contained in these.

Leviticus 26:4 "Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit."

Among Yahweh's blessings if the Israelites walked in His ways would be "rain". Agrarian Israel would be dependent on rainfall from heaven rather than a great river, as Egypt was on the Nile.

If the rains did not come at the right times, the people experienced crop failure and famine (compare 1 Kings chapters 17 and 18).

Everyone wants to receive the blessings of God, but few want to admit that there is a part we each have to pay, to receive these blessings. The "if" (in verse 3 above), hinges on a great deal. You might even say, that life and death hinge on that "if". Blessings if you keep them, and curses if you do not. I can just hear some of you saying right now, but we are not under the law. We are not, but after we receive the gift of salvation through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we must walk in that state of being saved. We cannot choose to go back into the world. Notice in the verse above, "walk in my statutes". You see, the believers' life is a walk. Just as these of the physical house of Israel must walk keeping God's statutes, we must walk in the salvation we have received. We read so much today about not having to keep the commandments of God to be saved. Look with me at a few New Testament Scriptures, which all say that we must keep His commandments.

Matthew 19:17 "And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? [there is] none good but one, [that is], God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."

John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments."

John 15:10 "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love."

1 John 3:22 "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight."

1 John 5:2 "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments."

There are many more, but I will give just one more.

Revelation 14:12 "Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."

Notice in the verse above from Leviticus, just what some of these blessings are. It will rain at the right time and just the right amount. You will have a bountiful harvest of not only the fields, but of fruit as well. Looking at that spiritually shows me that the fruit of the spirit as well, will be abundant in your life.

Leviticus 26:5 "And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely."

Signifying that there should be such plentiful harvests of barley and wheat. The first of which began in March, as would employ them in threshing them out unto the time of vintage, which may be supposed to, be in the month of July. For on the twenty ninth of Sivan, which was about the middle of June, was the time of the first ripe grapes, as appears (see notes on Num. 13:20). And that they should have such quantities of grapes on their vines, as would employ them in gathering and pressing them until seedtime. Which was usually in October (see Amos 9:13).

"And ye shall eat your bread to the full": Which is put for all provisions. And the meaning is, they should have plenty of food, eat full meals. Or however, what they ate, whether little or much, should be satisfying and refreshing to them, having it with a divine blessing.

"And dwell in your land safely": Would have no need to go out of it into other lands for the sake of food, and would be in no danger from enemies invading them and carrying off their substance. Plenty without safety would not be so great a blessing as with it, since, though they had it, they might be deprived of it, wherefore security from enemies is promised.

We see in this that the harvest will be so great, that they will just have time to get in all the harvest, before it is time to plant again. There will be a tremendous abundance of food. Look in Egypt when Joseph did exactly what God had told him to do, there was a bountiful abundance of food in Egypt, when all the surrounding countries were starving. Obedience to God, brings bountiful blessings then or now. Notice the statement, "dwell in your land safely"

Proverbs 16:7 "When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him."

Verses 6-10: After promising abundant food (in 26:4-5), God promised a time of "peace and protection, both from natural predators and human enemies.

Leviticus 26:6 "And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make [you] afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land."

"Evil beasts" Dangerous animals such as lions and bears existed in that area. Joseph's brothers claimed that such an animal had killed him (Gen. 37:20).

This peace spoken of here, can only come from the King of Peace. This peace, is freedom from fear of people or animals. There will be no terror by night or day. Faith is the opposite of fear. If we have faith in God and His Word, it brings perfect peace. When there is no war, then men have more time for hunting wild beasts. The world today needs to see the last part of this come true. There will be no war. Jesus said it the best in the next Scripture.

John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

The only real peace, then or now, is in God.

Leviticus 26:7 "And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword."

"Chase your enemies": God provided victories repeatedly in the conquest of Canaan (compare Joshua chapters 8-12).

Leviticus 26:8 "And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword."

Which, had it been in proportion to the other number, should have been two thousand, as in (Deut. 32:30), where there is a proportion observed. This is only a proverbial expression, signifying that a very few, under the blessing of divine Providence, should get the advantage over a large number, and oblige them to retire. And pursue them closely: instances we have of large bodies of the enemy being defeated by a small number of Israelites (Judges 7:21), and even many by a single person or two (1 Sam. 14:13).

"And your enemies shall fall before you by the sword" (see notes on Lev. 26:7).

The enemy will run from them, because the enemy cannot fight them and God too. The enemy will be well aware that this type of victory is from God.

Psalms 91:7 "A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; [but] it shall not come nigh thee."

The protection here is supernatural. The enemy knows it cannot win against God, so they run.

Leviticus 26:9 "For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you."

"Make you fruitful, and multiply you ... establish my covenant with you": What God commanded at Creation and repeated after the Flood was contained in the covenant promise of seed (Gen. 12:1-3), which He will fulfill to the nation of Israel as promised to Abraham (Gen 15:5-6).

A covenant is more than just an agreement. A covenant is made by passing through the opening between an animal cut in two. So a covenant is sealed with blood. The "if", we spoke of earlier, has been explained in detail. God will keep his side of the agreement, "if" the people keep their side of the bargain. Blessings come from obedience to God. One of the blessings they were to receive, was children. We see above, they will have many children. We have mentioned in these lessons before, that the Hebrews thought it to be a curse not to have children.

Leviticus 26:10 "And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new."

What is very old, corn of three years old, as Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it. Such plenty should they have that it would be so long consuming.

"And bring forth the old because of the new": Out of their barns and granaries, to make room for the new, which they should have great quantities of, and scarce know where to put them. And therefore, should empty their treasures and garners of the old, and fill them with new. Or they should bring them forth out of their barns into their houses, to make use of themselves. Or into their markets to expose to sale, being under no temptation to withhold against a time of scarcity in order to make more of it (see Prov. 11:26). Now all these temporal blessings promised may be emblems of spiritual things, and might be so understood by such who were spiritually enlightened. As of the rain of divine grace, and the blessings of it, and of the doctrines of the Gospel, sometimes compared thereunto (Deut. 32:2). And of great fruitfulness in grace and good works, and of internal peace in the minds of good men, and of their safety and security from spiritual enemies. Of fullness of spiritual provisions, even of things new and old, and which are laid up for them (SOS 7:13). Thus, promises of a spiritual nature more manifestly follow.

Verses 11-13: God's covenant promise to His people included His presence among them (Exodus 6:2-9), visually represented by the "tabernacle" (Rev. 21:3).

Leviticus 26:11 "And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you."

Which God had directed them to make, and they had made, and also erected. But here he promises to fix and establish it among them, that so it might continue as a place for the public worship of him. And where he would take up his residence, and grant them his presence. So the Targum of Jonathan, "I will put the Shekinah of my glory among you."

"And my soul shall not abhor you": Though in themselves, and because of their sins, loathsome and abominable. The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan are, "my Word shall not abhor you." And the whole may have respect to Christ, the Word made flesh, and tabernacling among them. The tabernacle being a type and emblem of the human nature of Christ, in which the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, and is the true tabernacle which God pitched and not man (John 1:14).

In (verse 10 above), God promised that before their food from the last year is gone, they will have another bountiful harvest. God promised also to tabernacle with them, if they would follow His commandments.

Revelation 21:3 "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God."

God's desire is to fellowship with mankind, but He is holy. If we are to fellowship with Him, we must be holy too.

Leviticus Chapter 26 Questions

1. What does Leviticus 26:1 prohibit?

2. What does the word mean that idol was translated from?

3. Who faced the lions' den, because he would not bow down to an idol or false god?

4. Who were the three men who faced the fiery furnace, rather than bow to a false god or idol?

5. What happened to these brave men?

6. What is worse than making a false god?

7. What does the author keep reminding all of us that helps us understand this?

8. Who are the three that bear record in heaven?

9. "Ye shall keep my _________________.

10. "And ____________ my sanctuary.

11. Who does the Sabbath and the sanctuary belong to?

12. What is a good example of the swift punishment of those who did not reverence the sanctuary?

13. Wonder why there is not swift punishment in sanctuaries now for lack of reverence?

14. What does sanctuary mean?

15. What are some good reasons for coming to church?

16. What are some reasons for coming to church, that probably would not please God?

17. How many hours should the church sanctuary be set aside for God to meet with His people?

18. What does God promise to reward them with, if they walk in His statutes and keep His commandments and do them?

19. There are blessings, if you _______ _____ __________________.

20. There are curses, if you do not _______ _____ __________________.

21. The believers' life is a ________.

22. Are Christians obligated to keep God's commandments?

23. "If ye love me, _______ my commandments.

24. What is meant by the threshing reaching unto the vintage?

25. What do we read in Proverbs 16:7 that brings the blessing of your enemies living at peace with you?

26. The peace spoken of in verse 6, can only come from whom?

27. How many shall five chase?

28. How is a covenant made?

29. What seals the covenant?

30. What is meant by old store?

31. Where does Revelation 21:3 say that the tabernacle of God is?

32. How can we fellowship with holy God?

Leviticus Chapter 26 Continued

Leviticus 26:12 "And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people."

"Your God ... my people": The promise of an intimate covenant relationship with the God of the universe is given (compare 2 Cor. 6:16).

We have been studying in the last lesson of the blessings they would receive if they walked in God's statutes and kept His commandments. The presence of God has always been apparent where people love and follow God. One of the greatest promises (in my opinion), is the fact that He will be their God. If we keep His commandments, He will be our God. The following two Scriptures tell the wonderful relationship that a true believer has with God.

Romans 8:15 "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

Galatians 4:6 "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father."

Not only, will God walk with us and be our God, but we are actually accepted into His family as His adopted children. Notice (in verse 12 above), that He is not only our God, but we are His people. I have said it before, but I think it is hard to separate Physical Israel which (verse 12), is speaking to, and spiritual Israel which is all believers in Christ.

Galatians 3:29 "And if ye [be] Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Leviticus 26:13 "I [am] the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright."

Who, having done that, was able to fulfil the above promises. And which may be considered as an earnest and pledge of them, as well as be a motive to the Israelites. And an obligation upon them to obey the commandments of God, and walk in his statutes.

"That ye should not be their bondmen": This was the end of their being brought out of Egypt, that they might be no longer in a state of bondage to the Egyptians. Nor to any other, but to serve the Lord their God, by whom they were delivered. As those who are redeemed by Christ from worse than Egyptian bondage. From sin, Satan, and the law, are redeemed. That they might not be the servants of any, but be a peculiar people, zealous of good works to serve the Lord Christ.

"And I have broken the bands of your yoke": Which fastened it on their shoulders, that is, set them at full liberty, from the yoke of all their enemies. Particularly the Egyptians, who made their lives bitter in hard bondage, making the yoke of it heavy upon them. As Christ has broken the yoke of spiritual enemies from off the shoulders and necks of his people (Isa. 10:27).

"And made you go upright": Who before stooped under the yoke, as well as were of dejected countenances. But now were made to walk in an erect stature, as the Targum of Jonathan, and so Jarchi and Aben Ezra. Or in liberty, as Onkelos (see Gal. 5:1); and with heads lifted up and countenances cheerful.

We went into this (in chapter 12 of Leviticus), how the man child was born on the way to the Promised Land. The man child represents the physical house of Israel and also, the law that was given unto them. This journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, birthed the nation of Israel as the people of God. They had nothing to do with the freedom from being bondmen in Egypt. God was their deliverer.

In (verses 13-39), the exile of the people is predicted. In 722 B.C., the 10 northern tribes went into captivity to be followed by Judah in 586 B.C. (compare 2 Chron. 36:20-21).

Verses 14-39: These punishments will repay disobedience. This section of curses follows the pattern of the ancient Near Eastern treaties, in that it was much larger in number than the enumerated blessings. The "terror" would consist of "consumption", a general term that might include dysentery, cholera, typhoid fever, typhus fever, malaria, tuberculosis and various types of cancer. "The burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart" (causes life to wane), may be a reference to gonorrheal blindness. "Then I will punish your seven times more for your sins" indicates that these judgments are looked upon as God's discipline (Deut. 8:5; Psalms 38:1; 94:12; Prov. 3:11-12; Jer. 30:11; 31:18; Zeph. 3:2, 7; Heb. 12:5-11).

Amos laments that, despite judgments of famine and drought, disease and defeat, "Yet have ye not returned unto me" (Amos 4:6, 8-11). The reference to "seven times" (verses 18, 21, 24, 28), seems to be a round number for repeated punishments (compare Psalms 79:12; Prov. 24:16; Isa. 4:1).

The book of Revelation portrays a series of sevenfold judgments overtaking the world in the last days (Rev. chapters 5-16). "And I will break the pride of your power", indicates that quite often prosperity leads to pride and self-confidence (Deut. 8:11-19; 32:15).

Judgment cuts a man down to size and reminds him that his well-being really depends on God. The "heaven as iron", indicates no rain and "earth as brass" (bronze), indicates no crops (compare Haggi 1:9-11). All of these curses were sent by God as "a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant". Which is best interpreted, "And I will bring the sword upon you to avenge the breaking of the covenant" (Judges 2:11-15; 2 Kings 17:7-23; Isa. 10:5-19: Luke 19:42-44).

Here the Lord lists the punishments for disobedience: terror, disease, famine, and subjection to their enemies. "I will scatter you among the heathen"; foreshadows the exile at the hands of the Assyrians and then the Babylonians, a circumstance that would bring sabbath to the land (26:34-35).

Leviticus 26:14 "But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments;"

To his commandments, as the rule of their duty. And to his promises, as an encouragement to it, or to his prophets and ministers. Explaining and enforcing his law, and exhorting to a cheerful obedience to it. So the Targum of Jonathan, "if ye will not hearken to the doctrine of them that teach my laws;" which was the sin of the Jews in later times, for which captivity and other calamities befell them (Jer. 7:25).

"And will not do all these commandments": Which he had delivered to them by Moses. Whether moral, ceremonial, or judicial, recorded in this book and in the preceding. Even all of them were to be respected, attended to, and performed. For the law curses everyone that does not do all things it requires (Gal. 3:10).

Leviticus 26:15 "And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, [but] that ye break my covenant:"

"Break my covenant": By disobeying the commandments and the various laws of the Mosaic Covenant, Israel broke this conditional covenant. Unlike the ultimate provisions of the unconditional covenant made with Abraham, all blessings in the covenant of Mosaic law were conditioned upon obedience (compare Lev. 26:25).

They had a choice, just as we have a choice. They did not have to follow God. If they did not however, they would not know the blessings of God either. I want to stress here, that they have the choice. God would not force Himself upon them. God will offer salvation to us, but He will not go against our will and save us. We must want to be saved for God to save us. In the next few verses, we will see some of the consequences of not following God.

Leviticus 26:16 "I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it."

"Consumption": Perhaps tuberculosis or leprosy is in view (the subject of much legislation in Lev. Chapters 13 and 14), but no certain identification is possible.

"Your enemies shall eat it": They will be conquered by their enemies at a time when those enemies will enjoy Israel's harvest.

There is no peace in the world. This terror is because they have no help in time of trouble. It was a foolish thing then, to turn away and not obey God. In fact, it is even more terror today to not follow in God's ways. The threat of nuclear war has the world literally scared to death, just to name one terror. We read just how frightening it will be on the earth before the LORD comes back.

Luke 21:26 "Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken."

Consumption is a lung disease that has to do with breathing. The word that was translated consumption here, does not have a translation other than consumption. Ague means inflammation. This must be a terrible inflammation, if it causes blindness. This sorrow of heart is because there is no hope for them. This life is very short and full of trouble and sorrow, if there is no hope of the resurrection. As if the troubles in the body and mind are not enough, the ground will not produce for the person who rejects God. Even the little crop that does come will be eaten by others.

Leviticus 26:17 "And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you."

Exert his power, and stir up his wrath and indignation against them, as enemies of his, to cut them off (see Psalm 34:16). Which is the reverse of having respect to them (Lev. 26:9).

"And ye shall be slain before your enemies": As they were sometimes by the Philistines and others.

"And they that hate you shall reign over you": As did the Chaldeans and Babylonians (see Psalm 106:41).

"And ye shall flee when none pursueth you": Of such fearful spirits should they be. And filled with such dread and terror of their enemies, so contrary from what is promised them on their obedience (Lev. 26:8).

We see in this person who has chosen the world over God, a person most miserable. Fear would cause a person to flee when no one followed. To be out of fellowship with God brings many problems. We see worldly people away from God, being overrun and destroyed by these very Israelites this message is given to, when they take the Promised Land away from heathen people.

Leviticus 26:18 "And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins."

If such corrections by diseases of body, and by giving them up into the hands of their enemies, should be ineffectual to reform them. And bring them to obedience to the statutes and commandments of God, but should continue in their disobedience to him, and rebellion against him.

"Then I will punish you seven times more for your sins": That is, abundantly more, with sorer punishments, and these more frequently repeated.

To whom much is given, much is required. These Israelites were given the law, and the opportunity to be God's people. Any sin that they would commit would be in full knowledge. The punishment being so great, is because they deliberately turned their back on God and sinned even with full knowledge that they were sinning.

Leviticus 26:19 "And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass:"

Which the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi interpret of the sanctuary, which they were proud of, trusted in, and boasted of. But was broke or destroyed, first by Nebuchadnezzar, then by the Romans. But it may rather signify their country, the glory of all lands for its fruitfulness, which for their sins should become barren, as follows. Or the multitude of their forces, and the strength of their mighty men of war, in which they put their confidence. It may take in everything, civil and ecclesiastical, they prided themselves with, and had their dependence on. Thinking themselves safe on account of them, but should be broken to shivers, and be of no service to them.

"And I will make your heaven as iron": So that neither dew nor rain shall descend from thence to make the earth fruitful. But, on the contrary, a heat should be reflected, which would parch it, and make it barren.

"And your earth as brass": That the seed could not be cast into it, nor anything spring out of it. For the service of man and beast, so that a famine must unavoidably follow.

God had offered them blessings above all the people around them. If their pride keeps them from following Him, then He will break their pride. If the heavens would not give forth her rain, this would be what the heaven and the earth would seem like. God will get their attention somehow. All through this, notice that the withholding of rain is in God's hand, and not in Satan's. The earth and the fullness thereof is God's.

Leviticus 26:20 "And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits."

In endeavoring to till the ground, to plough, or sow, or to dig about the vines or olives, and prune them.

"For your land shall not yield its increase": Produce corn, and bring forth grass, the one for the use of men, the other for the use of the cattle, and therefore both must starve.

"Neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits": Such as vines, olives, figs, pomegranates, etc. Which were very plentiful in the land of Judea, and on which they much lived, and on which their more comfortable subsistence at least depended (see Hab.3:17). All this is the reverse of (Lev. 26:4).

Your physical strength is nothing compared to God. All of the strength in the world cannot make the earth produce, if God tells it not to.

Leviticus 26:21 "And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins."

To his mind and will, to his laws, commands, and ordinances. Showing no regard unto them by a walk and conversation agreeably to them, but neglecting and breaking them continually. Or by chance, as the Targum of Jonathan, not with any intention and design to obey the Lord, and to honor and glorify him. But in a careless and indifferent manner, having no regard to the law of God. Only now and then, as it happens, act according to it, but having no concern for the honor and glory of God.

"And will not hearken unto me": To his voice in his laws and his precepts, or by his prophets, exhorting them to obedience to them.

"I will bring seven times more plagues upon you, according to your sins": Greater and sorer punishments still. And these more frequently repeated, and in proportion to their transgressions of his righteous laws.

Just as God sent the 10 plagues on Egypt, and He will send them upon His people who continuously sin. The world will see plagues, even worse than the 10 plagues on Egypt, at the time of the wrath of God. How wonderful to see again in these last few lessons, that those who follow God's statutes will not feel the wrath of God.

Leviticus 26:22 "I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your [high] ways shall be desolate."

"High ways shall be desolate": The activity on a nation's roadway, i.e., messengers, merchants, and people traveling, reflected the well-being of that country. This is a picture of extreme economic siege.

This appears, if you are looking with physical eyes, that this is very cruel of God to do this. Remember though, they have a choice to avoid all of this, if they keep God's statutes. While they are off fighting in wars, the beasts will multiply and become a menace to their families. The condition of the unbelieving throughout history has been one of desperation.

Leviticus 26:23 "And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me;"

Corrected and amended by these punishments, be prevailed upon to return from their evil ways to the Lord, and walk in his commandments, and keep his judgments, and do them.

"But will walk contrary unto me (see notes on Lev. 26:21).

Leviticus 26:24 "Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins."

Opposing himself unto them as their enemy, fighting against them in his providence. Whetting his sword, bending his bow, and causing the arrows of his wrath and vengeance to fall upon them. Or behaving towards them in a careless and indifferent manner, not regarding what befell them. Showing no peculiar concern for them, or as exercising any particular providence over them. But as if everything came by chance to them, which was the language of their actions, if not of their lips.

"And will punish you yet seven times for your sins": Add fresh corrections, and these greater than before, and more numerous in proportion to their aggravated transgressions.

When I read of all the earthquakes, storms, A.I.D.S. and so many other terrible things happening in our society today, I believe God is trying to get us to repent and turn to Him. It is so evident that nature is out of control. God is the controller of nature, as we have been reading here. Even the ozone covering could be restored by God, if we would see our necessity to repent and turn to God. Do you suppose the terrible brutality against the Jews and the threat of total destruction of the world we live in is the punishment to seven times, because we have chosen not to follow God?

Leviticus 26:25 "And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of [my] covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy."

"Avenge the quarrel of my covenant": God's retribution for Israel's breaking the conditional Mosaic Covenant is pledged.

War upon them by the sword of their enemies. They that use and kill with the sword, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; their neighbors that delighted in war, and bore an implacable, hatred unto them. And gladly embraced every opportunity of shedding their blood, and ravaging their country.

"That shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant": The covenant made with them at Sinai, which they transgressed, and for which vengeance would be taken on them in this way. God so ordering it in his providence, though the enemy meant it not (Isa. 10:5).

"And when ye are gathered together within your cities": From the fields and villages, fleeing from the enemy invading and destroying, to their fortified towns and cities for safety.

"I will send the pestilence among you": Which shall destroy those that escaped the sword, and thought themselves safe in a strong city. And even the very soldiers in the garrisons, who were set for the defense of the city.

"And ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy": So many being taken off by the pestilence, there would not be a sufficient number to defend the place. And therefore obliged to give it up, by which means those that escaped the pestilence would fall into the hands of the enemy.

Leviticus 26:26 "[And] when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver [you] your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied."

Brought a famine, at least a scarcity of provisions upon them. Deprived them of bread, the staff of life, by which it is supported. Or however made it very scarce among them, so that they had hardly a sufficiency to sustain nature, and perhaps the blessing of nourishment withheld from that (see Isa. 3:1).

"Ten women shall bake your bread in one oven": For want of wood, according to Jarchi. Or rather through scarcity of bread corn, they should have so little to bake every week, that one oven would be sufficient for ten families. Which in a time of plenty each made use of one for themselves. And so Aben Ezra says, it was a custom in Israel for every family to bake in an oven by themselves, which they ate the whole week. Ten is a certain number for an uncertain, and denotes many, as in (Zech. 8:23). Making and baking bread was the work of women in the eastern countries, as we find it was particularly among the Persians, and continues to this day among the Moors and Arabs.

"And they shall deliver you your bread again by weight": There being not enough for everyone to eat what they pleased, but were obliged to a rationed allowance. Therefore, everyone in the family should have their share delivered to him by weight (see Ezek. 4:16).

"And ye shall eat, and not be satisfied": Not having enough to eat to satisfaction. Or what they did eat, God would withhold a blessing from it for their nourishment, the reverse of (Lev. 26:5).

This is a prophecy of the time when there will hardly be any grain to bake into bread.

Leviticus 26:27 "And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me;"

To his commands, and to his prophets sent unto them time after time. And all his corrections and chastisements being ineffectual to reform them, and make them obedient to him.

"But walk contrary unto me" (see notes on Lev. 26:21).

Leviticus 26:28 "Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins."

As in (Lev. 26:24). With this addition, in fury; being greatly provoked, and highly incensed. That no regard was had to him, neither to his commands, nor to his corrections. And therefore, would be determined to stir up his wrath, and pour out the fury of his indignation on them, which must be terrible.

"And I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins": Add new and many more chastisements, and that in hot displeasure, for their sins. And the repetition or doubling of the phrase, "I, even I, will do it", denotes the certainty of it. And that he will do it himself, and his hand should be visible in it. And they should feel the weight of it, and be obliged to own that these were punishments inflicted by him for their sins.

You can see from this, that all these things happened unto them to make them turn back to God. If they will not repent and turn to His ways, He has no choice but to bring 7 times the problems upon them as before. The following Scripture says it all.

Nahum 1:6 "Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him."

There is only one answer to this dilemma. REPENT.

Leviticus Chapter 26 Continued Questions

What does the author believe to be one of the greatest promises?
What does Romans 8:15 tell us of the relationship of Father God and the Christians?
What special name can only God's children call Him?
Whose seed are we, if we believe in Christ?
In verse 13, God reminds them that He brought them out of where?
The man child in of Leviticus chapter 12 is symbolic of whom?
Who was the deliverer for these people?
What is the complete turnaround in verse 14?
Whose choice was it for them to follow God, or not to follow God?
What terrible things would be brought on them, if they did not follow in God's ways in verse 16?
What does Luke 21:26 tell us of the condition of the world in the end?
What is consumption?
What is ague?
Who shall reign over them, if they decide not to obey God?
What would cause one to flee, when no one is following?
Verse 18 says, they will be punished how many times for their sin, if they choose not to repent and follow God?
God will make the heaven as what to them?
What will the earth be as to them?
Will all of this affect their crops?
How many plagues did God bring upon Egypt?
Why should we not look at these plagues God sent as cruelty?
The author believes what terrible things happening today is God trying to get His people to repent?
Who is bringing all of these terrors?
What is verse 26 a prophecy of?
What had all of these terrible things happened for?

Leviticus Chapter 26 Second Continued

Leviticus 26:29 "And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat."

"Eat the flesh": There will be widespread famine in the land and thus the people will even resort to cannibalism, which actually came to pass (compare 2 Kings 6:28-29: Jer. 19:9; Lam. 2:20; 4:10).

This would be an unusual thing for a Hebrew to do, because they thought of having children as one of the great blessings. Cannibalism would show the total degradation of their society. In the lesson just before this one, we find that God brought plagues upon His own people to try to get them to repent and follow His statutes. Sin has a way of getting worse and worse with every sin. The person gets callused to sin and ceases to feel guilty of sin.

Leviticus 26:30 "And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you."

"High places": These were natural shrines for the worship of idols. Solomon disobeyed God by worshiping Him on the high places (1 Kings 3:4), and not long afterward, he was serving the gods of his foreign wives (1 Kings 11:1-9).

High places were the favorite places for the worship of false gods. The sun god was just one example of these false god worship practices. In many cases, they practiced human sacrifice. If they will not stop this type of false worship themselves, God will intervene and destroy these places Himself. He will, also, destroy the people involved in this type of worship. The root word that was translated abhor is "gaal" and means contempt or loathing. This means then that, if they will not change, God will detest them.

Verses 31-35: All this occurred in the terrible invasion of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 B.C. by the Assyrians and the destruction of the southern kingdom of Judah in 605-586 B.C. by the Babylonians. In the case of Judah, it was a 70-year captivity to rest the Land for all the Sabbath years that had been violated (see 2 Chron. 36:17-21).

Leviticus 26:31 "And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savor of your sweet odors."

By suffering the enemy to besiege them, enter into them, and plunder them, and destroy the houses in them. And reduce them to the most desolate condition, as Jerusalem, their metropolis, was more than once.

"And bring your sanctuaries unto desolation": The temple, so called from the several apartments in it, the court, the Holy Place, and the most holy. Or rather both sanctuaries or temples are intended. The first built by Solomon, and destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar; the second rebuilt by Zerubbabel, and adorned by Herod, and reduced to ashes by Titus Vespasian. The Jews understand this of their synagogues, which were many both in Jerusalem, and in other parts of their country, but cannot be intended, since it follows.

"And I will not smell the savor of your sweet odors": Of their incense offered on the altar of incense; or the savor of their offerings, as the Targum of Jonathan. Of their burnt offerings, and the fat of their other offerings burnt on the altar of burnt offering. Signifying, that these would not be acceptable to him, or he smelled a savor of rest in them (see Gen. 8:21). Now these were only offered in the temple, not in synagogues.

Even if they do continue to worship the true God along with their evil practices, God will not accept their sweet smelling savor offering to Him. Even their cities shall be destroyed by God. Sodom and Gomorrah was a good example of such a city being destroyed by God.

Leviticus 26:32 "And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it."

The whole country of Judea, cities, towns, villages, fields, vineyards, etc. Through the ravage and plunder of the enemy; and they being driven out of it, and carried captive from it. And so, the land left untilled, and become barren and unfruitful.

"And your enemies which dwell therein": Having destroyed them, or cast them out, and sent them into other countries. And took possession of their land in their place.

"Shall be astonished at it": At the desolation of the land, that such a fruitful country, a land flowing with milk and honey, should be turned into barrenness, for the wickedness of its inhabitants, and shall be amazed at the judgments of God upon them and that.

Leviticus 26:33 "And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste."

As with a fan (Jer. 15:7). So they were at the time of the Assyrian and Babylonish captivities. Some were carried to one place, and some to another, some fled to one place, and some to another. And they are at this day scattered among the several nations of the world.

"And will draw out a sword after you": Draw it out of its scabbard, and with it pursue after them, when fleeing or going whither they should not. As the remainder of the Jews in Judea sought to go to Egypt, contrary to the will of God (Jer. 42:16; see Lev. 26:25).

"And your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste": For want of men to till the one, and inhabit the other.

This very thing happened to the Jews when God scattered them all over the world. The Jews are beginning now to go back to their homeland. That was prophesied also in the Word.

Leviticus 26:34 "Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye [be] in your enemies' land; [even] then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths."

The sabbatical years, or seventh year sabbaths. When, according to the law in the preceding chapter, it was to rest from tillage (Lev. 25:2).

"As long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies' land": So long it should lie uncultivated. At least in part, there not being a sufficient number left to till it in general, or as it should be. This was the case during the seventy years' captivity in Babylon.

"Even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths": Or complete them, as Aben Ezra, which is a bitter sarcasm upon them for their neglect of observance of the law concerning the sabbatical years. But now the land should have its sabbaths of rest whether they would or not. And it seems as if it was on account of this sin, as well as others, that they were carried captive. And it is remarkable, if what Maimonides says is right, that it was at the going out or end of a sabbatical year, that the first temple was destroyed, and the Jews carried captive, and endured a seventy year captivity. Which some say was because they had neglected seventy sabbatical years (see 2 Chron. 36:21).

We have studied in the lessons prior to this one, how important it was to God for the land to rest. One of the excuses that the people used for not celebrating the Sabbaths of the land was because they did not know where to begin. I would say that is a flimsy excuse. God will rest the land and have His Sabbaths, even if He has to do it with the land being desolate.

Leviticus 26:35 "As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it."

"Because it did not rest in your Sabbaths": By implication, because they had violated the Sabbath repeatedly. This violation became the basis of the later 70 year Babylonian captivity (compare 2 Chron. 36:20-21).

For each 50 years that they did not practice sabbath and jubilee, God would let it lie desolate 8 years.

Leviticus 26:36 "And upon them that are left [alive] of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth."

In the land of Judea, or rather scattered about among the nations. Suggesting that these would be comparatively few.

"I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies": Or "a softness"; so that they should be effeminate, pusillanimous, and cowardly, have nothing of a manly spirit and courage in them. But be mean spirited and faint hearted, as the Jews are noted to be at this day, as Bishop Patrick observes. Who also adds, "it being scarce ever heard, that a Jew listed himself for a soldier, or engaged in the defense of his country where he lives."

"And the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them": Either the sound of a leaf that falls from the tree, as the Targum of Jonathan, or which the wind beats one against another, as Jarchi, which makes some little noise. Even this should terrify them, taking it to be the noise of some enemy near at hand, just ready to fall on them. Such poor faint hearted creatures should they be.

"And they shall flee as fleeing from the sword": As if there were an army of soldiers with their swords drawn pursuing them.

"And they shall fall when none pursueth": Fall upon the ground, and into a fit, and drop down as if dead, as if they had been really wounded with a sword and slain (see Prov. 28:1).

In most of the countries where the Israelite has fled to, they have been oppressed. They have been shunned and looked down on by many. In world war 2, about one sixth of the Jews alive were killed by orders from Hitler. Surely (verse 36 above), is describing just such a holocaust.

Leviticus 26:37 "And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies."

In their hurry and confusion, everyone making all the haste he can to escape the imaginary danger. Or "a man upon his brother"; his friend, as Aben Ezra interprets it. Having no regard to relation and friendship, every one endeavoring to save himself. There is another sense which some Jewish writers give of this phrase, and is observed by Jarchi. Which is, that everyone shall fall for the iniquities of his brother. For all the Israelites say, they are sureties for one another; but the former sense is best.

"As it were before a sword, when none pursueth": As if a sword was drawn and brandished at them, just ready to be thrust in them. Filling them with the utmost dread and terror, and yet at the same time none in pursuit of them.

"And ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies": No heart to resist them. No strength nor spirit to oppose them, and defend themselves but be obliged to surrender their cities, themselves, their families and goods, into the hand of the enemy.

Leviticus 26:38 "And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up."

The 10 tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel never returned directly from captivity (see 2 Kings 17:7-23; see note on Acts 26:7).

Leviticus 26:39 "And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them."

Such as were not taken off by any public calamity, as the sword or pestilence should gradually diminish and melt away like wax before the fire. And die in and for their iniquities in an enemy's country (see Ezek. 24:23).

"And also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them": Or for the iniquities of their evil fathers, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan. They treading in their steps, and doing the same evil deeds. Whereby they filled up the measure of their fathers' sins, and brought upon them deserved punishment (Matt. 23:32).

All of this came about, because they did not follow God's statutes and commands. They were an idolatrous nation. God had warned them, but they did not heed the warning. I am concerned about God's people today. Many are following more and more the ways of the world, and forgetting God. God never changes. His ways are beyond our finding out. The people of the U.S. and the world must repent and come back to true worship of God, or we too, will face the wrath of God. We know that with these Hebrews they did die in a foreign land by the millions in Germany and other parts of the world. People of God, we better wake up. Read the Bible every day and find out what the will of God for your life is. After you have found out what His will is, do His will. With God you can repent, and he will hear. Time is running out, repent today and turn back to God.

Verses 40-46: The promise of punishment is given as "discipline" and its goal is restoration. Judgment does not prove that God has rejected His people. Rather He punishes them because they are His own (Amos 3:2). Thus, "if they shall confess their iniquity ...if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity", God promises to "remember my covenant with Jacob ... Isaac ... and ... Abraham". What this remembering will mean in practice is not spelled out here, but (Deuteronomy chapter 30), explains that it will mean restoration to the Land of Promise and prosperity. The land and the covenant were all a vital part of the covenant (in Exodus 6:8). "And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for a heritage" (a possession or inheritance).

Verses 40-42: "They shall confess ... then will I remember my covenant": God's covenant was rooted in the relationship He had initiated with His people. True repentance would be honored by Him.

Even in these punishments, the Lord who is rich in mercy promised to restore the nation if its people would "confess their iniquity". God always responds to true repentance with forgiveness. He would also save a remnant of His chosen people.

Leviticus 26:40 "If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me;"

The Targum of Jonathan adds, "in the time of their distress;" which might serve to bring their sins to remembrance, and them to a confession of them. Not only of their own sins, but of their fathers' also. Acknowledging thereby that they had been guilty of sinning against God for a long course of years past. And that God had been long suffering towards them, and bore much with them before he brought his judgments on them, which were just, and what they righteously deserved. And such a confession Daniel made (Dan. 9:4). And the words may as well be rendered absolute as conditional, or better. And as a prediction of what would be done by them when in captivity and distress, "and they shall confess their iniquity". With shame and sorrow, with repentance for it, and abhorrence of it. Or otherwise, if the confession was only verbal and hypocritical, it would not be acceptable.

"With their trespass which they trespassed against me": Along with their own iniquities, and those of their fathers, they should confess. Their trespass against the Lord would be acknowledged by them; which seems to design some particular and grievous sin committed by them. By which perhaps is meant their idolatry, a capital sin, directly against God. And what those people were prone unto. "And that also they have walked contrary unto me". To his mind and will, to his laws, commands, statutes, and ordinances, disregarding him and them, as if enemies to him. Or "by chance" (see notes on Lev. 26:21).

Leviticus 26:41 "And [that] I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:"

Showed no regard unto them, as if he took no care of them. Or in a providential way concerned himself for them, but let what would befall them. Yea, came out in the way of his judgments against them, as if he was an enemy to them (see notes on Lev. 26:24).

"And have brought them into the land of their enemies": Should acknowledge the hand of God in it, that he himself brought them out of their own country into an enemy's land, as Assyria, Babylon, and other nations. And that this was not the chance of war, or owing to the superior power or skill of their enemies. But to the just judgment of God upon them for their sins, who on that account delivered them up into the hands of their enemies.

"If then their uncircumcised heart be humbled": Their foolish proud heart, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan. It signifies a sinful, wicked, hard, and impenitent heart, brought to a sense of sin, to repentance and humiliation for it. Jarchi interprets it, "or if their uncircumcised heart", etc. (as in Exodus 2:23). And observes another sense of the word, "perhaps their uncircumcised heart", etc. Not only would in words confess their sins, but be truly humbled at heart for them.

"And they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity": Take it well at the hand of God. Bear it patiently without murmuring, or thinking themselves hardly dealt by, but freely owning it is less than their iniquities deserve. Or complete and finish the punishment of their sins, as Aben Ezra, which upon their humiliation should be put an end to, and cease. Jarchi takes the word in the sense of atonement and pacification, as if by their chastisement their sins were expiated, and God was pacified toward them. But rather it denotes the free and full pardon of their sins, manifested to them upon their repentance and humiliation for sin.

Leviticus 26:42 "Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land."

"Jacob ... Isaac ... Abraham": The reverse order is a look in retrospect as opposed to the actual historical sequence.

God wants to forgive and restore His people to right standing with Him. He sent His precious Son Jesus Christ to save them and us. Notice in the verse above, that He mentions Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This in itself, shows that as long as they were following in His ways, the covenant was in effect. We Christians are part of the Abrahamic covenant with God. We are heirs with him of the covenant.

Galatians 3:29 "And if ye [be] Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Our covenant relationship is made perfect in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Leviticus 26:43 "The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes."

This seems to refer to a second time, when this should be the case of the land of Judea again, as it was when subdued by the Romans. And the Jews were carried captive from it, and so it was left by them, as it has been ever since.

"And shall enjoy her sabbaths, while lieth desolate without them": Shall be as in the sabbatical years, uncultivated, neither ploughed nor sown, nor reaped. And thus the land of Canaan, though once so very fruitful, is now desolate and barren, being without its former inhabitants. And so it is like to be until it is restored to them again.

"And they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity": That is, when made sensible of their sins, and particularly of their iniquity of rejecting the Messiah. They will not think it hard that they have been punished in so severe a manner, but own the righteous hand of God in it, and be humble under it. And confessing their sins with true sorrow and repentance for them, looking at him whom they have pierced, and mourn, shall have the free and full remission of their sins applied unto them.

"Because, even, because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes": Despised and abhorred Christ, his doctrines and ordinances. Which was the reason of their being carried captive out of their land, when it was forsaken by them, and lay desolate as to this day. Especially with respect to any benefit of it enjoyed by them. And which, when they are sensible of, will be a reason of their accepting the punishment of their iniquity so readily. And not murmur at the hand of God upon them, or reflect on his dealings with them. But freely and fully confess their sins, that he may be justified in all that he has done.

Leviticus 26:44 "And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I [am] the LORD their God."

I will have on them, in or through my Word, as the Targum of Jonathan. Notwithstanding their many and great sins and transgressions, and the sad and miserable condition they were brought into by them. The Lord would have mercy on them and be gracious to them, through Christ and for his sake, and convert and save them (see Rom. 11:26). The Jews, as Fagius tells us, wonderfully delight themselves with this passage, and read it with the greatest joy and pleasure, and with an elevated voice. Concluding from hence that they shall certainly return to their own land. And because the first word in this verse is in sound the same as the Germans use for an "ape". They call this paragraph "the golden ape", and say, when this shall be fulfilled the golden age will take place with them. A very learned man has written a dissertation upon it. When;

"They shall be in the land of their enemies": Of the Romans and other nations, among whom they have been disposed ever since the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus.

"I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly": For though they have been cast away by the Lord out of their land, and from being his people, and enjoying either the civil or religious privileges they formerly did. And though they have been cast off with abhorrence, and had in great detestation by him, for their sin of rejecting the Messiah, as appears by the punishment inflicted on them. Yet not so as to make an utter end of them as a body of people. For, notwithstanding their dispersion everywhere, and their long captivity, they remain a distinct people from all others, which seems to forebode something favorable to them.

"And to break my covenant with them": Which he will not do, even his promise of the future call and conversion of them, and of their return to their own land.

"For I am the Lord their God": Their covenant God, and a covenant keeping God (Rom. 11:27).

God does not have to explain to you and me why He forgives them and restores them. He is God.

Jeremiah 31:34 "And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."

We see similar Scriptures in Hebrews.

Hebrews 8:10-12 "For this [is] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:" "And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest." "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more."

Leviticus 26:45 "But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I [am] the LORD."

Or rather, "remember to them". To their good and benefit, for their profit and advantage, not for their desert and merit or for any worth or worthiness in them. This covenant respects not the covenant made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (as in Lev. 26:42); but with their fathers. Either at Sinai, or rather in the plains of Moab (Deut. 29:1). For it follows:

"Whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the Heathen, that I might be their God": Whom he brought out of great bondage and distress in Egypt, with a high hand and outstretched arm, and in the sight of the Egyptians. Who were not able to oppose it, yea, because of their plagues, were urgent for it. And in the sight of all the nations round about, who heard of the wonderful power of God in the deliverance of his people. And this he did that he might appear to be their covenant God, who had taken them into covenant with him, and had taken them under his care and protection". And would be still their King and their God. And who also, in like manner, it may be here suggested, would deliver the people of the Jews out of their present exiled and captive state and condition in the sight of the whole world. And declare himself their covenant God and Father.

"I am the Lord": Whose will is sovereign; whose power is uncontrollable. Who is a covenant keeping God, faithful to his promises, and able to perform them.

This is a beautiful example of the grace of God toward His people. The last few verses have been speaking prophetically of the grace through Jesus Christ that fulfills the law for the people. This grace is for physical Israel (Hebrews), and spiritual Israel (all believers in Christ). Praise God! What we could not do in our weakness, Jesus did for us on the cross. All He ever wanted to be, was their God.

Leviticus 26:46 "These [are] the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses."

Much of the content of Leviticus came during Moses' two "forty day and night" visits to Sinai (compare Exodus 24:16 - 32:6; 34:2-28; Lev. 7:37-38; 25:1; 27:34).

This is a summation to let them and us know where these laws came from, who was ordained to bring them, and where they were given.

Leviticus Chapter 26 Second Continued Questions

1. Why would it be such an unusual thing for a Hebrew to practice cannibalism?

2. Why would God destroy their high places?

3. What does the word abhor mean?

4. What was one of the terrible practices of worship they did in the high places?

5. What would God do to their cities?

6. Where did God say He would scatter them to?

7. When would the land enjoy its sabbath of rest?

8. For each 50 years that they had not practiced Sabbath, how many years would it lie desolate?

9. In what war was nearly 1/6 of all the Jews killed?

10. What ruler ordered their death?

11. Why did all of these terrible things happen to these Hebrews?

12. Find out what the ______ ____ ______ is in your life.

13. What must these Israelites do to get back into good standing with God?

14. What covenant will God remember and forgive them?

15. Where do we find the Scripture that says we Christians are part of the covenant that God made with Abraham?

16. What does Jeremiah 31:34 say that God will do for them?

17. What two places will God put His laws for them?

18. He will be to them a _____.

19. They will be to Him a _________.

20. Their sins and iniquities will I remember ____ ________.

21. Who did God give these laws and statutes to?

22. Where were these laws and statutes given?

Leviticus Chapter 27

Verses 1-34: Standard legislation is given for dedicated persons, animals, houses, and lands.

The final chapter deals in detail with vows, dedications and tithes. The major sections are:

(1) Vows involving the people and animals (verses 2-13);

(2) The dedication of houses and lands (verses 14-24); and

(3) Miscellaneous regulations about vows including the standard payment (verse 25), the treatment of the firstborn (verses 26-27), the ban (verses 28-29), and then tithes (verses 30-33).

The vows could consist of offering service at the tabernacle of:

(1) Persons;

(2) Cattle;

(3) Houses; and

(4) Fields.

Verses 1-34: The concluding chapter includes rules for redeeming people (27:2-8), animals (27:9-13), houses (27:14-15), and fields (27:16-25) that had been dedicated to Yahweh. If someone vowed any possession or property to the Lord's use, and extra "one-fifth" of its value had to be paid to "redeem" it, or get it back (27:9-25). A "firstborn" animal could not be dedicated to God because it already belonged to Him (Exodus 13:2).

Leviticus 27:1 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"

After he had delivered the body of laws in the preceding chapter, which by the close of the last seem to have been finished. But here some rules and instructions concerning vows are given, which a man was not obliged to make, but which he did of his own freewill and good pleasure.

"Saying": As follows.

Verses 2-7: Make a ... vow": This sets the gift apart from the rest of his household and possessions as a gift to the Lord and His service.

Leviticus 27:2 "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When a man shall make a singular vow, the persons [shall be] for the LORD by thy estimation."

This being an affair which only concerned them. For the Jewish writers say, by this phrase, the children of Israel, Gentiles are excluded.

"When a man shall make a singular vow": An unusual, an uncommon one, a very distinguished one, and even what is wonderful, as the word signifies. As when a man, through uncommon zeal for God and his service, devotes himself, or his children, or his cattle, or his houses or fields, to the Lord. The word "man", the Jewish writers say, includes every male, and even a Gentile. Yea, it is said all estimate and are estimated, vow and are vowed, priests, and Levites, and Israelites, women and servants.

"The persons shall be for the Lord by thy estimation": That is, when a man has vowed himself or another person to the Lord, the priest shall declare the amount at which the person vowed is to be redeemed.

This last chapter of Leviticus is about the seriousness of making vows to God. These Israelites, many times made vows to God, when they were asking something from God. We see in the verse above, that a person could vow their own selves to God. This was a practice of the Israelites. They knew that they could be redeemed from God for a certain figure that God had set for each person. We Christians have been redeemed from sin and death by the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Silver shekels were used as redemption money, because silver means redemption.

Verses 3-8: The most basic kind of vow was to dedicate oneself to the service of God as Absalom did in exile (2 Sam. 15:8), or as the psalmist (Psalm. 116:14-18). The present verses merely state the rules in accordance with which a person dedicated by vow could be redeemed. This involved a special tariff similar to that paid for the redemption of the firstborn offspring of animals and human beings (Exodus 13:13; 34:20; Num. 18:15). The basis for the difference in the valuation of men and women in the special vows in this chapter was simply the value of their services in the tabernacle. People who had been "vowed" to serve in the tabernacle could be "redeemed" from fulfilling this vow at certain rates. It had no relationship to intrinsic worth. One of the chief occupations of the sanctuary was the slaughtering and offering of animals, and in the wilderness, of disassembling and transporting the tabernacle. This it is easy to see that the service involving heavy manual work made the value of the service of men in the prime of their life much costlier to replace once they had been vowed to this work. This is clearly stated in verse 8 as "according to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him.

Leviticus 27:3 "And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old, even thy estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary ."

The estimation of the man himself that vowed, or of the priest for him, was not left to be made by either of them at their pleasure. But was to be made according to the following rules, in proportion to the age a person was of to be estimated.

"Of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old": The account begins with these, because men of an age from the one to the other are fittest for labor. And therefore to be set at the highest price, as they are in the next clause.

"Even that estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary": These shekels were to be of the full weight, according to the standard that was kept in the sanctuary, and were the highest price that was set upon any. And this was paid equally by all of the same age, whether rich or poor. Hence it is said, "in estimations there is nothing less than one shekel, nor more than fifty (see note on 5:15).

Leviticus 27:4 "And if it [be] a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels."

That is, of the same age, full twenty years of age, and not more than sixty.

"Then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels": The price of a servant (Exodus 21:32). The reason of this difference of estimation between a man and a woman is, because the woman is the weaker vessel, and her labor and service of less importance and worth, such as spinning, washing, etc.

Leviticus 27:5 "And if [it be] from five years old even unto twenty years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels."

Not that one of five years old is supposed to vow or to make an estimation. But one grown up, that says, the estimation of this little one, who is five years of age, be upon me. And such a one was bound to pay the value of him, which is as follows.

"Then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels": These were valued at a less price than the former, partly because, generally speaking, there are more that die between the age of five and the age of twenty years than between twenty and sixty. And partly because within that time they are not capable of so much work and service as in the latter. And it may be observed, that the females of this age are not valued in proportion to the females of the other. The estimation of these being just half that of the males, whereas that of the other is more than half. The reason is, that women above twenty years of age, their service bears, a better proportion to that of men, than that of young women to young men under twenty.

Leviticus 27:6 "And if [it be] from a month old even unto five years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy estimation [shall be] three shekels of silver."

That is, if a man devotes his child to the Lord within such an age, and says, the estimation of this my son or my daughter be upon me. Then he was to pay the value, as next directed. For one under a month old no estimation was to be made. The Jews say, "one less than a mouth old may be vowed, but not estimated."

"Then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver": Somewhat more than ten shillings of English money.

"And for the female thy estimation shall be three shekels of silver": About seven shillings, which is the least value put on any. And though the lives of male or female at this age are equally uncertain, and the service of either of little worth when near the full time fixed. Yet the preference is given to the male, as being of the more perfect kind, and its life generally most desirable.

Leviticus 27:7 "And if [it be] from sixty years old and above; if [it be] a male, then thy estimation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels."

When man is almost past his labor, and it is high time to leave off business.

"If it be a male, then thy estimation shall fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels": It may be observed that there is not the disproportion between a man and a woman in old age as in youth, with respect to the estimation of them. The reason of which is, because there is but little difference in their labor and service. Nay, sometimes the woman is most useful and serviceable. For when a man, through age, is quite worn out and his labor gone. An older woman is capable of managing the affairs of the family, and is of great use and service, either by directing and advising, or by doing. So Jarchi observes, when persons come to old age, a woman is nearly to be reckoned as a man, and quotes a proverb of theirs. An old man in a house is a broken potsherd in the house (some interpret the word, a snare or stumbling block, that is in the way). An old woman in a house is a treasure in a house, a good sign in a house, of great use in the management of the affairs of the family.

We see from this, that the very old and the very young were priced less than for a full grown person. This was because they were not capable of working as hard as an adult. The price of a female of equal age of a male was less, because they were not as physically strong to work as the male.

Leviticus 27:8 "But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall present himself before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him."

If he is so poor that he is not able to pay the value that is set upon him, according to the rules before given.

"Then he shall present himself before the priest": That has made the estimation, according to the above directions, observing the difference of years, and of male and female. But if a person could not pay the said sums that were appointed, he might apply to the priest, and tell his case.

"And the priest shall value him": Put a price upon him he is able to pay, as follows.

"According to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him. He was to examine into his circumstances, and as they appeared to him he was to put a value on him, which was to be paid, but not less than, a shekel. For if he could not pay that, it was to remain as a debt until he could. And it was the ability of him that made the vow that was to be inquired into, and according to which the estimation was to be made, and not of him that was vowed. So it is said in the Misnah, "ability is regarded in the one who vowed, and years in the vowed, and estimations in the estimated, and according to the tithe of the estimation. Ability in the one who vows, how? A poor man that estimates a rich man, pays the value of a poor man. And a rich man that estimates a poor man, pays the value of a rich man. If he is poor and afterwards becomes rich, or rich and afterwards poor, he pays the price of a rich man. But the sense which Jarchi gives is, that a priest in such a case was to judge according to what a man has. And so order him to pay, but was to leave him so as he might live, a bed and pillow, and working tools. And if he had an ass he might leave him that.

A person who was unable to pay the set amount for redemption, would be priced by the priest. They would have to pay the amount the priest thought them capable to pay. They were not exempt from paying, because they were poor, but their price was figured on their ability to pay.

Leviticus 27:9 "And if [it be] a beast, whereof men bring an offering unto the LORD, all that [any man] giveth of such unto the LORD shall be holy."

That is, it such a creature is devoted. Which is of that kind which are used in sacrifice to the Lord, such as bullocks, sheep, goats, rams, and lambs.

"All that any man giveth of such unto the Lord shall be holy": Shall be set apart to sacred uses, and not applied to profane or common uses. But either were for the use of the altar or of the priests. Or the price of them for the repair of the sanctuary, according as they were devoted.

Something vowed to God, became holy because it had been dedicated to Him. It did not matter whether it had been delivered to the temple or not. It became God's, when it was vowed.

Leviticus 27:10 "He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good: and if he shall at all change beast for beast, then it and the exchange thereof shall be holy."

Some think these two words signify the same, but Abarbinel makes them different. According to him, to "alter" is for one of another kind, as one of the herd for one of the flock, or the contrary. And to "change" for one of the same kind.

"A good for a bad, or a bad for a good": Or, as the Targum of Jonathan, "that which is perfect for that which has a blemish in it, or what has a blemish in it for that which is perfect." A change might not be made neither for the better nor for the worse, but the creature devoted was to be taken as it was. If not fit for sacrifice it was to be sold, and its price put to other uses. For, as Abarbinel observes, whatsoever was devoted to sacred use was never to be put to any profane one. And this was also to teach men not to be hasty and fickle in such things, but to consider well what they did, and abide by it. For if such alterations and changes could be admitted of, a man after he had vowed might through covetousness repent, and bring a bad one instead of a good one. Or, under presence of bringing a good one instead of a bad one, might bring a bad one and say it was good, as Bechai observes. Even one worse than he had brought, thinking to impose upon the ignorance of the priest. And indeed, if he was sincere in it, and had a mind to bring a better than what he had vowed, it was not allowed of. If he made any change, though it was for the better, he was to be beaten, as Maimonides affirms.

"And if he shall at all change beast for beast": Whether of the same or of a different kind, or whether for better or worse.

"Then it and the exchange thereof shall be holy": Both of them were to be the Lord's, and appropriated to sacred use, of one sort or another. Either for sacrifice or for the priest's family, or the price of it for the repairs of the sanctuary.

This is just saying that things vowed to God cannot be taken back, unless they are unclean. Instead of getting the first animal back in trade, they would now both belong to God. Let us depart for a moment, here and use an example of Ananias and Sapphira to show the seriousness of vowing things to God, and then not doing what you vowed. There are a number of lessons to be learned in this. They were not required to vow at all, they did it of their own free will. They did not have to promise all the money from the sale. They could have given whatever portion they wanted to. The sin involved is not keeping the vow to God, and even worse, lying about the price of the land. Notice also, that each of them sinned. She would not have been guilty of sin, if she had told the truth. She was not guilty, because of her husband's sin, but because of her sin. Each was punished individually for their own sin. The main lesson we are to learn in this, is keep your vows to God, and never lie to God. Look for these lessons in the following Scriptures.

Acts 5:1-10 "But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession," "And kept back [part] of the price, his wife also being privy [to it], and brought a certain part, and laid [it] at the apostles' feet." "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back [part] of the price of the land?" "Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." "And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things." "And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried [him] out, and buried [him]." "And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in." "And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much." "Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband [are] at the door, and shall carry thee out." "Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying [her] forth, buried [her] by her husband."

Leviticus 27:11 "And if [it be] any unclean beast, of which they do not offer a sacrifice unto the LORD, then he shall present the beast before the priest:"

Any creature, excepting a dog, the price of which was not to be brought into the house of the Lord. Besides oxen, sheep, goats, rams, and lambs. Though some understand it even of such that have blemishes on them, and so not fit to be offered unto the Lord; so Jarchi and others.

"Then he shall present the beast before the priest": To be viewed, examined, and judged of as to its worth, and a value put upon it, that it might be sold or redeemed, as no other but a beast might. So it is observed birds, wood, frankincense, and ministering vessels, have no redemption, for it is only said a beast.

Leviticus 27:12 "And the priest shall value it, whether it be good or bad: as thou valuest it, [who art] the priest, so shall it be."

Put a price upon it according to its worth, as it shall appear to him.

"As thou valuest it, who art the priest, so shall it be": That shall be the price at which it shall be sold. Not to the owner or devotee of it, for he must give more, as appears from (Lev. 27:13). But, as Jarchi observes, to all other men who come to purchase it.

If by accident a man has brought an unclean animal to the priest to pay his vow to God, the priest shall determine whether it is unclean or not. If it is unclean it would belong to the priest.

Leviticus 27:13 "But if he will at all redeem it, then he shall add a fifth [part] thereof unto thy estimation."

Unclean animals could be vowed into service, even though they could not be sacrificed. If, however, the man preferred to keep his animal, he could redeem it for 20 percent more than the priest's valuation.

If the man desires to buy it back from the priest, he must add 20% to the estimated value for the priest's trouble.

Verses 14-15: Houses were subject to a penalty of one-fifth the evaluation price if the original owner decided to redeem what he had vowed.

Leviticus 27:14 "And when a man shall sanctify his house [to be] holy unto the LORD, then the priest shall estimate it, whether it be good or bad: as the priest shall estimate it, so shall it stand."

Shall set it apart for sacred service, devote it to holy uses, so that it may be sold, and the money laid out in sacrifices, the repairs of the temple, etc. Under this any other goods are comprehended, concerning which the Jews say, "he that sanctifieth his goods, and his wife's dowry is upon him, or he is a debtor. His wife cannot demand her dowry out of that which is sanctified, nor a creditor his debt. But if he will redeem he may redeem, on condition that he gives the dowry to the wife, and the debt to the creditor. If he has set apart ninety pounds (English), and his debt is a hundred, he may add a penny more, and with it redeem those goods, on condition he gives the wife her dowry and the creditor his debt. Whether he sanctifies or estimates his goods, he has no power over his wife's or children's clothes, nor over colored things, died on their account. Nor on new, shoes he has bought for them, etc. "Again it is said, "if anyone sanctified his goods, and there were among them things fit for the altar; wine, oil, and fowls, R. Eliezer says, they might be sold to those that need any of that kind. And with the price of them burnt offerings might be bought, and the rest of the goods fell to the repair of the temple:"

"Then the priest shall estimate it whether it be good or bad": Shall examine it of what size and in what condition it is. Whether a large well-built house or not, and whether in good repair or not. And accordingly set a price upon it.

"As the priest shall estimate it, so shall it stand": According to the price he shall set upon it, it may be sold. Whoever will give it may purchase it, excepting the owner or he that has sanctified it, he must pay a fifth part more, as follows.

A person usually needed their house to live in, so they usually redeemed the house. The price of redemption was set by the estimation of its value by the priest.

Leviticus 27:15 "And if he that sanctified it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth [part] of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be his."

A house set apart for holy uses might be redeemed, either by another paying the price set upon it by the priest, or by the original owner of it paying a fifth part more. And this was the case, whether of houses in walled cities or in villages. So Maimonides says, "he that sanctifies his house, whether it be one of those in walled cities, or of those in villages, it may be always redeemed. He that redeems one out of the hand of holiness (or which has been sanctified), if it is a house in a walled city, and remains in the possession of the redeemer twelve months, it is absolutely his. But if it is a house in the villages, and the jubilee comes, and it is in the possession of the redeemer, it returns to its owner in the jubilee." But if the owner of it had a mind to redeem it after he had devoted it:

"Then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be his": That is, he was to give a fifth part more for the house than it was valued at by the priest, or than another might have it for. The reason of which was, to make men careful how they sanctified or vowed their houses or goods. And that it might be certain that the full value was given for it, the worth of which the priest might not know so well as the owner, and the latter, being willing to give the price set by the former, might give suspicion of it. Wherefore, in order to have the full price of it with certainty, and to set a high value on things devoted, the owner was to give a fifth part more than the estimation of it. Thus, for instance, if a house thus devoted was valued by the priest at the price of a hundred pounds (English), the owner was obliged, if he would redeem it, to give an hundred twenty pounds.

Here again, if the person who vowed the house wanted it back, he must pay 20% over the estimated value for the trouble the priest went to.

In all of this, and in the next lesson, we must see that these were not requirements from God to do. These were voluntary vows. Once they were made they must be kept. This is like a minister called of God. The person called has the option to answer the call or not, but once the call is answered, it would be a serious thing to go back on the promise. A minister must count the cost, before he or she answers the call. Lot's wife learned the hard way not to look back to the old life with longing. She was turned to a pillar of salt when she looked back. Two very important lessons to get from this lesson. (1), Do not make hasty vows to God. (2), After the vow is made, you must keep it.

1. What is chapter 27 of Leviticus all about?

2. Why were vows made to God?

3. What was the price we Christians were redeemed from sin and death for?

4. Why was the redemption money made of silver?

5. What was the price of a male between the age of 20 and 60?

6. What was the price of a female of the same age?

7. Why were the very young and the very old less?

8. What was one reason the redemption money could be less?

9. Who set the redemption price in these special cases?

10. Beasts dedicated to God became _______.

11. Who were the 2 people in the Bible, who vowed a vow to God, and then lied about the price?

12. What happened to them?

13. Were they obligated to make this vow?

14. Could they have vowed part of the money without sinning?

15. Was the woman guilty, because her husband lied?

16. Who did Peter say they lied to?

17. Just exactly what was the sin they committed?

18. What happened, if you accidentally offered an unclean animal?

19. Was it possible to redeem it?

20. What would be the redemption price?

21. Who set the redemption price for the house that was vowed?

22. Why was 20% added to the price to buy it back?

23. What were the 2 main lessons we can learn from this lesson?

Leviticus Chapter 27 Continued

Verses 16-29: The dedication of land was complex, since under the Year of Jubilee legislation such property reverted to the original owner at that time. The owner could redeem it by adding 20 percent to its value in relation to the approaching Year of Jubilee. If he failed to redeem it, or sold it in secret after having devoted it to the Lord, it would actually become the property of the priests at the Year of Jubilee. The firstlings of clean animals belonged to God in any event (Exodus 13:2), and therefore could not be vowed to the sanctuary (verse 26). Blemished ("unclean") animals could be redeemed by paying the usual 20 percent premium. (Exodus 34:20), prescribed that the firstborn unclean animals should either be ransomed by a lamb or be killed. The "devoted thing" was a more solemn and irreversible vow than an ordinary dedication. Anyone or anything devoted to the Lord could not be ransomed. This would certainly discourage irresponsible acts of piety, as these sacrifices were regarded as the exclusive property of the Lord. This same word was the usual one to invoke the ban in wars against the native inhabitants of Canaan. In divine judgment, all of Israel's enemies and their property were devoted to the Lord (Num. 21:2; Deut. 7:2; 1 Sam. chapter 15). It was also applied as a judicial sentence against idolaters (Exodus 22:20; Deut. 13:15; see Joshua chapter 7), which was the sin of Achan in taking the devoted thing.

Leviticus 27:16 "And if a man shall sanctify unto the LORD [some part] of a field of his possession, then thy estimation shall be according to the seed thereof: a homer of barley seed [shall be valued] at fifty shekels of silver."

That which he enjoyed by inheritance from his father, to distinguish it from a field of his own purchase, as in (Lev. 27:22). And which might be devoted, not all of it, but a part of it. Partly that he might have something to live upon, or to improve for a livelihood for himself and family, and partly that estates might not be alienated entirely from their families and tribes in which they were.

"Then thy estimation shall be according to the seed thereof": Not according to the field, the goodness or badness of that, one field being good and another bad, as Jarchi observes. But according to the quantity of seed which it produced, or rather which it required for the sowing of it.

"A homer of barley seed shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver": And here we must carefully distinguish between an "omer", beginning with an "o", and an "homer", beginning with an "h"; not observing this has led some learned men into mistakes in their notes on this place. For an "omer" was the tenth part of an "ephah" (Exodus 16:36); and an "ephah" is but the tenth part of an "homer" (Ezek. 45:11). Which makes a very great difference in this measure of barley, for a homer of it contained ten ephahs or bushels. And even according to this account a bushel of barley is rated very high, for ten bushels at fifty shekels. Wherefore as an ephah, the tenth part of a homer, contained three seahs or pecks, and which some call bushels. Then a homer consisted of thirty bushels, which brings down the value of it down. But the truth of the matter is, that the value of barley for sowing is not ascertained, as our version leads us to think. For the words should be rendered, if the "seed be a homer of barley", it, the field, shall be valued "at fifty shekels of silver": If the field take so much seed to sow it as the quantity of an homer of barley, then it was to be rated at fifty shekels of silver. And if it took two homers, then it was to be rated at a hundred shekels, and so on.

A homer was dry weight of about all a beast of burden could carry. We see that this would be a large amount of seed, so the 50 shekels of silver is understandable. The weight of the seed to plant the land could be used to determine how much the land would produce.

Leviticus 27:17 "If he sanctify his field from the year of jubilee, according to thy estimation it shall stand."

The very year, as Aben Ezra, while it is current, or when it is past, and he immediately sanctifies it for a holy use. And one comes to redeem it, as Jarchi says, as soon as ever it is devoted, and a priest has valued it, and there is a purchaser of it.

"According to thy estimation it shall stand": What price whatsoever the priest set upon it, that it was to go at, and he that had a mind to purchase it might have it for it. Unless it was he that devoted it, and then he was to give a fifth part more, as afterwards expressed.

Leviticus 27:18 "But if he sanctify his field after the jubilee, then the priest shall reckon unto him the money according to the years that remain, even unto the year of the jubilee, and it shall be abated from thy estimation."

Some years after it, more or fewer. Or it may be, when half way towards another jubilee, or nearer.

"Then the priest shall reckon unto him the money according to the years that remain, even unto the year of the jubilee": Thus, for instance, if it only required a homer of barley to sow it, and the whole value of it from jubilee to jubilee was but fifty shekels of silver. Then supposing it to be sanctified in the middle of the fifty years, or at twenty-five years' end, it was to be reckoned at twenty-five shekels, and sold for that money. And so in proportion, reckoning a shekel for a year.

"And it shall be abated from thy estimation": Not the Year of Jubilee, but a shekel for every year was to be deducted from the original value of fifty shekels. According to the number of years that had passed or were to come.

It appears from this, that the price was paid each year. The priest would have to estimate the value of the redemption.

Leviticus 27:19 "And if he that sanctified the field will in any wise redeem it, then he shall add the fifth [part] of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be assured to him."

Is desirous of it, and determined upon it at any rate, repenting that he had parted with it in this manner.

"Then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation to it": The Jerusalem Targum is, the fifth part of the shekels of silver. That is, if he has a mind to redeem it, and is resolved on it, as soon as he has sanctified it, then, besides the fifty shekels of silver it is rated at, and might be sold for to another. He must pay a fifth part thereof, that is, ten shekels more, for reasons before given (Lev. 27:15).

"And it shall be assured to him": Remain firm and stable with him, abide by him, and he in the possession of it as his property. Ever after, as if he had never sanctified it.

We find that this is figured the same way as the house was estimated. If he bought the vow back, he must add 20% to the value to cover the trouble of the priest.

Leviticus 27:20 "And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have sold the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more."

He that sanctified it, does not care to give for it the settled price of the fifth part besides, but chooses it should be disposed of for the uses he devoted it to.

"Or if he have sold the field to another man": That is, either the original owner having bought it and sold it again, or rather the priest. The treasurer, as Jarchi, who had the disposal of it, for the uses and purposes for which it was devoted, when sold by him.

"It shall not be redeemed any more": It was not in the power of him that sanctified it to make a purchase of it again. The buyer of it might not sell it to him again, for otherwise, by that means, he might come at it cheaper than the law directs. Besides, there is another reason for it, which is suggested in (Lev. 27:21).

Leviticus 27:21 "But the field, when it goeth out in the jubilee, shall be holy unto the LORD, as a field devoted; the possession thereof shall be the priest's."

Out of the hand of him that bought it.

"Shall be holy unto the Lord, as a field devoted": Though it went out of the hand of the purchaser, it did not return to him that sanctified or devoted it. But was separated to sacred uses for the service of the Lord. For every devoted thing, whether of man, beast, or field, was most holy to the Lord (Lev. 27:28).

"The possession thereof shall be the priests": It did not return to the treasurer of the sanctuary, who had sold it to another for the repair of the temple, as Jarchi observes. But as a devoted field it was given to the priests, as it is said, "everything devoted in Israel shall be thine" (Num. 18:14). And even this was divided, as he says, between the priests of that ward or course that happened to be on the Day of Atonement of the jubilee year. But in case it never was redeemed, but remained sanctified in the Year of Jubilee, the priests did not possess it without paying for it. And so the Jewish canon says: "the jubilee comes, and the field is not redeemed, the priests enter into it, and pay the price of it." On which one of the commentators observes, when anyone has redeemed it, the money becomes sacred for the repairs of the temple. And when the jubilee comes, it goes out (i.e. of the hands of the purchaser), to the priests freely. But if it is not redeemed, the priests must pay the price of fifty shekels, and take it. And if even it was bought by a priest before out of the hands of the treasurer, it went from him to his brethren the priests, in the Year of Jubilee. The rule is this, "if any of the priests redeem it, and, lo, it is in his possession, he may not say, seeing it goes out to the priests in the Year of Jubilee, lo, it is in my possession, lo, it is mine, but it shall go out to all his brethren the priests.

This land will not go back to the original owner at Jubilee. It was devoted to God and not redeemed, so it belongs to the priest at jubilee.

Leviticus 27:22 "And if [a man] sanctify unto the LORD a field which he hath bought, which [is] not of the fields of his possession;"

With his own money, of some person in poverty and distress, who was obliged to sell it, and which, according to a former law, returned to the original proprietor in the Year of Jubilee.

"Which is not of the fields of his possession": Which he has not by inheritance from his fathers. Jarchi observes, there is a difference between a field bought, and a field possessed. For a field bought is not divided to the priests in the Year of Jubilee, because a man cannot sanctify it but until the Year of Jubilee. For in the Year of Jubilee it would go out of his hands, and return to the owner. Wherefore if he comes to redeem it, he must redeem it with the price fixed for the field of possession. The Jewish doctors are divided about a field bought of a father by a son, whether it is a field of purchase or of possession.

Leviticus 27:23 "Then the priest shall reckon unto him the worth of thy estimation, [even] unto the year of the jubilee: and he shall give thine estimation in that day, [as] a holy thing unto the LORD."

The priest was to estimate the field of purchase sanctified, and set a price upon it according to the best of his judgment. And give it to the person that sanctified it, or whoever would redeem it. And this estimate was made, according to the number of years there were to the Year of Jubilee.

"And he shall give thine estimation in that day": The price set upon the field by the priest immediately, either the sanctifier, but without adding the fifth part (as in Lev. 27:19). So Maimonides observes, or any other purchaser.

"As a holy thing unto the Lord": To sacred uses, as the repairs of the temple, etc., to which the purchase money was appropriated.

Land that was bought from another man is only this man's land until Jubilee. He would pay redemption money for only the time he would be using this land.

Leviticus 27:24 "In the year of the jubilee the field shall return unto him of whom it was bought, [even] to him to whom the possession of the land [did belong]."

Not to him that sanctified it, whether he redeemed it or not. Nor to him that bought it of the treasurer of the temple after it was sanctified. But to the original proprietor and owner of it, of whom he bought it that sanctified it, for so it follows.

"Even to him to whom the possession of the land did belong": Which was a possession of his he had by inheritance from his fathers, and therefore, according to the law of the Year of Jubilee, was then to return to him. And could be retained no longer, nor even converted to holy uses. For as it is said in the Misnah, "a field of purchase goes not out to the priests in the Year of Jubilee; for no man can sanctify a thing which is not his own." As what he had purchased was no longer his than to the Year of Jubilee. And therefore could not devote it to sacred uses for any longer time.

In this case, the land vowed was not part of his inheritance. At Jubilee it would have to return unto the man he had bought it from.

Leviticus 27:25 "And all thy estimations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs shall be the shekel."

The shekel kept in the sanctuary, which was the standard of all shekels. Not that there was a shekel in the sanctuary different from the common one. For every shekel ought to have been as that, of the full weight and worth of it. And the estimation was to be according to such a shekel, and the money paid in such, even in full weight.

"Twenty gerahs shall be the shekel": Which the Targum of Jonathan calls "meahs" or "oboli. Scarce so much, and weighed near eleven grains, as Bishop Cumberland has calculated (see Ezek. 45:12).

Everything was redeemed with a silver shekel or shekels. A shekel was 20 gerahs. The gerahs weighed about 13.7 grains and was worth about 3 cents. Remember, a penny was about what a man made for one day's work.

Leviticus 27:26 "Only the firstling of the beasts, which should be the LORD'S firstling, no man shall sanctify it; whether [it be] ox, or sheep: it [is] the LORD'S."

"The firstling": The firstborn already belonged to the Lord (Exodus 13:2), so the worshiper could not dedicate it a second time.

This is just stating that a beast which was born first already belonged to God, you could not vow something to God, that already belonged to Him. All firstborn belonged to God. A firstborn son was bought back from God. The Levitical tribe took the place of the firstborn males to God.

Leviticus 27:27 "And if [it be] of an unclean beast, then he shall redeem [it] according to thine estimation, and shall add a fifth [part] of it thereto: or if it be not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to thy estimation."

This is to be understood, not of the firstling of unclean creatures in common. Which were to be redeemed with a lamb, and not with money, according to the estimation of the priest, and a fifth part added to that. But of such as were sanctified, or vowed, for the reparation of the sanctuary, as Jarchi notes.

"Then he shall redeem it according to thine estimation": The price the priest should set upon it, how much it was worth in his judgment.

"And shall add a fifth part of it thereto": To the price, set upon a fifth part of that over and above the sum. This the sanctifier, or he that made the vow, was obliged to pay, if he thought fit to redeem it.

"Or if it be not redeemed": By him, he does not choose to give the price, and the fifth part.

"Then it shall be sold according to thy estimation": To another man, without the fifth part, that chooses to purchase it. And then the purchase money was laid out for sacred uses.

We found in the previous lesson, that to buy the unclean animal back, you would have to add 20% to the price of the animal. If it was not redeemed, the money it was sold for belonged to the priest.

Verses 28-29: What was "devote onto the Lord" (set aside for exclusive use), including those things "which shall be devoted of men", was given over to Him for destruction and could not be redeemed. That "a man shall devote unto the Lord" meant it was consecrated for holy use at sacred places.

Leviticus 27:28 "Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD of all that he hath, [both] of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing [is] most holy unto the LORD."

This is a different vow from the former, expressed by "sanctifying". For though "sanctifying" and "devoting" were both vows, yet the latter had an execration or curse added to it. By which a man imprecated a curse upon himself, if that itself, which he devoted, was put to any other use than that for which he devoted it. Wherefore this sort of vow was absolute and irrevocable, and what was vowed was unalienable. And therefore not to be sold or redeemed as afterwards expressed, whereas things sanctified might.

"Of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed": But must be put to the use for which it was devoted. This must be understood of such as were his own, and he had a right to dispose of. Which were in his own power, as Aben Ezra interprets the phrase, "of all that he hath". If of men, they must be such as were his slaves, which he had a despotic power over. Such as he could sell, or give to another, or leave to his children for a perpetual inheritance (Lev. 25:46). And could dispose of as he pleased, and so devote to the service of the priests.

"Every devoted thing is most holy unto the Lord": And therefore not to be appropriated to any use but his, nor to be meddled with, not even touched or handled by any but the priests. As the most holy things that were eatable were only to be eaten by them.

Leviticus 27:29 "None devoted, which shall be devoted of men, shall be redeemed; [but] shall surely be put to death."

"None devoted ... shall be redeemed": A person under the ban, like Achan (in Joshua chapter 7).

We see in this that the Levitical tribe, who were dedicated to work in the temple, could not be redeemed. They belonged to God. Clean animals that were dedicated to God were His and could not be redeemed from God. A message in this for believers is that we are not giving to God, until we have already given our tithes. The amount we give over the 10% owed to God is a gift.

Verses 30-33: The tithe, comprising 10 percent of all the produce, is regarded as the offering due from the people to the true owner of the land (25:23). If the tithe were to be redeemed, the normal 20 percent premium was to be paid to the priests. This chapter points out that holiness is more than a matter of divine call and correct ritual. It actually requires the total consecration of a man's life to God's service. It involves giving oneself, one's family, and all on one's possessions to God.

Verses 30-32: "Tithe": This general tithe was given to the Levites (compare Num. 18:21-32). This is the only mention of tithe or 10 percent in Leviticus. However, along with this offering, there were two other Old Testament tithes which totaled about 23 percent annually (compare the second tithe Deut. 14:22; and the third tithe every 3 years Deut. 14:28-29; 26:12).

To fail to give faithfully and generously is to rob God of what is rightfully His and limit one's blessings. Because Israel was a theocracy, religious and civic aspects were combined, so the "tithe" (Deut. 14:22-23; Mal. 3:10; Luke 11:42), used in sacrifices, also helped support the government infrastructure.

Leviticus 27:30 "And all the tithe of the land, [whether] of the seed of the land, [or] of the fruit of the tree, [is] the LORD'S: [it is] holy unto the LORD."

Of which there were various sorts, the first tithe, the tithe out of the tithe, the second tithe, and the poor's tithe, which are generally reduced to three, "The first tenth part of all increase I gave to the sons of Aaron, who ministered at Jerusalem. Another tenth part I sold away, and went, and spent it every year at Jerusalem: "So Maimonides says," after they had separated the first tithe every year, they separate the second tithe, as it is said (Deut. 14:22). And in the third year, and in the sixth, they separate the poor's tithe, instead of the second tithe:" So that, properly speaking, there were but two tithes, though commonly reckoned three. The tithes of all eatables were given to the Levites every year, and a tenth part of that given by the Levites to the priests. And the second tithe was eaten by the owners. Instead of which, according to the above writer, in the third and sixth years it was given to the poor, and called theirs. Of this second tithe, Jarchi interprets this law, and so does Maimonides.

"Whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's": Is to be given to him as an acknowledgment of his being the proprietor of the land. And that all the increase of it is owing to his blessing, and therefore is given in way of gratitude to him. The former of these takes in all sorts of corn that is man's food, as wheat and barley. And the latter wine and oil, and all sorts of fruits that are eatable. For it is said to be a general rule, that whatever is for food, and is preserved (having an owner, and not being common), and grows up out of the earth, is bound to tithes.

"It is holy unto the Lord": The first tithe was eaten by the priests and Levites only. And the other before the Lord in Jerusalem only, and that by clean persons.

We see again here, that the tithe is not a gift to God. It is His by obligation. You cannot give Him something that already belongs to Him.

Leviticus 27:31 "And if a man will at all redeem [ought] of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth [part] thereof." To redeem the tithe of any thing would cost the redeemer 20% extra. If you remember, this was the interest to pay when a person had neglected their tithe, also.

Of his own, and not his neighbor's, as Jarchi observes. For if he redeemed the tithes of his neighbor, but did not add a fifth part, which he was obliged to do if he redeemed his own, as follows.

"He shall add thereunto the fifth part thereof": Besides giving the value for what part of his tithes he redeemed, he gave a fifth part of that sum over and above. As, supposing the tithe was worth fifty shillings, then he gave that, and ten shillings more, and so in proportion. The use of this redemption, as Jarchi suggests, was, that he might have liberty of eating it in any place. For he understands it of the second tithe, as before observed, and which was to be eaten at Jerusalem.

Leviticus 27:32 "And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, [even] of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD."

Of oxen and sheep, as the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem. For this law only concerns such, as Maimonides observes, for none but clean beasts were tithed, though the firstlings of unclean beasts were to be redeemed.

"Even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord": Which being slain, the blood and fat were to be offered the altar, and the flesh eaten by the owners, as Jarchi observes. Who adds, this is not reckoned with the rest of the gifts of the priesthood. And we do not find it was given to the priests. The "rod", under which these are said to pass, is either the shepherd's rod, as Aben Ezra, under which they passed morning and evening, when led out or brought in, as in (Jer. 33:13). Or the rod of the tither. The manner of tithing, as described by Maimonides, was this; "he gathers all the lambs and all the calves into a field, and makes a little door to it, so that two cannot go out at once. And he places their dams without, and they bleat, so that the lambs hear their voice, and go out of the fold to meet them. As it is said, "whatsoever passeth under the rod"; for it must pass of itself, and not be brought out by his hand. And when they go out of the fold, one after another, he begins and counts them with the rod, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and the tenth that goes out, whether male or female, whether perfect or blemished, he marks with a red mark, and says, this is the tithe. "The time of tithing the cattle was on the first of Elul or August. For so it is said, "the first of Elul is the beginning of the year for the tithing of beasts." When they tithed all that were born the preceding year. But we are elsewhere told, there were three times for tithing beasts. Fifteen days before the Passover, (which was the last of Adar or February), and fifteen days before the Pentecost, and fifteen days before the Feast of Tabernacles. Which was the last of Elul or August. And these tithings were made for the sake of those that went up to these feasts, that it might be certain the cattle sold and eaten were tithed.

This is just stating that not only a tenth of your money is God's, but a tenth of everything you own.

Leviticus 27:33 "He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed."

In a good or bad state of health, fat or lean, perfect or blemished. But take it as it is, be it what it will.

"Neither shall he change it": Neither for the better nor the worse, no alteration was to be made, but the beast was to be taken as it came.

"And if he change it at all, then both it and the change shall be holy": Be sacred to the Lord, and for his use and service. This was done to restrain men from making any alteration, since if they did, both the one and the other were taken from them. Whether this change was of the herd with the flock, or of the flock with the herd. Or of lambs with goats, or goats with lambs. Or of males with females, or of females with males. Or of perfect with blemished ones, or of blemished ones with perfect ones.

"It shall not be redeemed": From whence the Jews gather, that a tithe beast was not to be bought and sold, whether blemished or unblemished.

Again here, anything given to God becomes holy.

Leviticus 27:34 "These [are] the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai."

Meaning either what are contained in this chapter, or rather in the whole book, which he delivered to Moses.

"For the children of Israel": To be observed by them, priests and people. And these were given to him.

"In Mount Sinai": Either when upon it, or rather when near it. In the wilderness of it, after the tabernacle was set up, and the Lord spake to him out of that (see Lev. 1:1).

The entire book of Leviticus are commandments that God gave Moses at mount Sinai to give to the Israelites. They must keep all of these commandments to keep the covenant with God.

Thank you for taking the time to read this Bible study. My prayer to God is that I have not altered in any way the lessons He intended us to learn from this book. May God richly bless you and continue to encourage you to study His Word.

Leviticus Chapter 27 Continued Questions

1. How was the estimation for the redemption money from field be figured?

2. What was a homer?

3. How was the price of the field paid, probably?

4. The land, that was not redeemed, went to whom?

5. Who did the land go back to when the land vowed was bought from another?

6. What type of metal was everything redeemed with?

7. How many gerahs was a shekel?

8. What did the gerar weigh?

9. What was a day's wages for a man?

10. The firstborn animal already ___________ ____ ______.

11. Who took the place of the firstborn of the men?

12. Why could the devoted things not be vowed?

13. What lesson can we Christians get from this?

14. The tithe is God's by _____________.

15. What % interest did they have to pay for not paying their tithe?

16. Who gave these commandments to Moses?

17. Who were these commandments for?

18. What is the entire book of Leviticus all about?

19. How could they stay in covenant relation with God?

20. Did you learn anything you did not already know in Leviticus?

Leviticus 1	Leviticus 10	Leviticus 19
Leviticus 2	Leviticus 11	Leviticus 20
Leviticus 3	Leviticus 12	Leviticus 21
Leviticus 4	Leviticus 13	Leviticus 22
Leviticus 5	Leviticus 14	Leviticus 23
Leviticus 6	Leviticus 15	Leviticus 24
Leviticus 7	Leviticus 16	Leviticus 25
Leviticus 8	Leviticus 17	Leviticus 26
Leviticus 9	Leviticus 18	Leviticus 27