Safety in the Lord

Leviticus 26

When you were younger you probably were like me and when you were around your parents you felt safe and secure. I know when I would hold their hand, nothing could get me. I knew when I was in their presence they would watch after me. I remember one time my dad told me to stay put when we were outside and I did not listen to him and started to wonder off. It was when I would wonder off that bad things would happen. I would get hurt or I would get scared because of something. I needed to be in the presence of my father or mother for my well being.

God views Israel as his child and gives them protection as well as guidance. In this chapter of Leviticus we see that God desires for Israel to be in his presence but they need to follow after the guidelines that God established for them.

Obedience is following after God

In verses 1 through 13 we see what good will happen to those who follow after God. He will bless them and their land. He will be with them and they will overcome every enemy. God says, “He will make his dwelling among them.” God wants fellowship with his people. God desires for his people to follow after him. He was not wanting Israel to follow after him just because there is a blessing but he wanted them to know that his way is the best way; it is the safest way. He ends that section with, “I am the one that brought you out of the land of Egypt where you were once slaves. Israel needed to be reminded of how God had worked for them and set them free and that he will continue to work for them.

Disobedience is not good

God gives them the other side of the coin. If they disobey his commandments then they will face the consequences. There will are several mentioned in this section of Leviticus. They will face disease, fear and panic. Their sin will be visited sevenfold. Not only will God bring hardships on them, they will face their enemies and lose. They will run with the sword being chased after them. The strongest of all the consequences would be the one where God relents his anger upon them and separates himself from them. He would scatter them among the nations and will not be there. This section is somewhat prophetic because it happens to Israel. Babylon comes into their history and scatters them. They leave their land in desolation.  

God’s Grace

In verses 40 through 45 we see God showing some grace and mercy. This section shows that when they are disobedient but realize their faults even when they are in captivity or in distress he will remember them and have favor on them. God could have easily said, “Dont mess up because there is no turning back.” Instead he says, “When you do mess up and you realize your sin, I am here.”

Have you ever taken a test and you did horrible on it.  You knew that you cannot go back on that test, it is too late, the grade is marked in red and that is the end. That horrible red mark that the teacher would leave on your test that you would have to show your parents. Have you ever had a teacher let you retake a test so you can get a better grade? Oh man, I love those teachers because they would give me a second chance. Sometimes I knew I did not deserve that second chance because it was my fault for the bad grade because I did not study. That is grace given to us. In this section of Leviticus it is easy to look at the conditional agreement that God was giving Israel but we need to not overlook how he would be there for them even when they mess up and sin. We have a greater image of this in Christ. Jesus died for us to have eternal life. He died for our past, present, and future sins. He knows that we as believers will mess up and do some stupid things even when we say that we are Christians. But there is safety in the Lord when we come to him when we mess up. The only thing is that we should desire to stay in his presence and never leave. It is true when you are not in God’s presence you do have fear and do not have peace. There is true safety in the Lord.

Year of Jubilee

Leviticus 25

In America we celebrate different holidays, like the most recent Memorial Day. It is a day honoring and remembering those who have died in service for our nation. We have Independence Day coming up July 4th, which we celebrate our independence as a nation. The Israelites had many different celebrations and one of those was called the Year of Jubilation. This was not a once a year type of celebration, it was set apart on the 50th year. This only happened 2 times a century.

Year of Jubilee

The year of Jubilee is also a year of redemption. It was a time for many things to be redeemed. The land was to lay at rest and not be sowed. The land will produce what it produces but let it rest. The people of Israel are to be just in their business. In the Jubilee year everyone returns to their land of inheritance. The people were told not to take advantage of one another. We read in verses 23-38 that the Israelites needed to deal faithfully with one another because they are his stewards.

We are God’s stewards, every thing that we have has been given to us by God. What income we do get, God has allowed us the opportunity to receive. God has given us blessings of life and food to eat. We are held responsible with what we do with it. Israel was to give back a house to the one who purchased it because of debt owed. They were also required to release those who were slaves in the year of Jubilee. It was the year that their debt was forgiven. They would be released from the bondage of slavery.

Our Jubilee

The Year of Jubilee happened to redeem people and have their attention drawn to God’s grace. When people took care of the land and other people they were showing how God has provided for them and takes care of them on a daily basis. We have a different type of Jubilee to look forward to. It is when we will be with Christ and his 2nd coming. In Luke 4:17-19 Jesus was reading from the book of Isaiah. This section was talking about the beginning of the year of true Jubilee which was in Jesus’ earthly ministry. Jesus only read the first part of that section which was about preaching the good tidings and proclaiming liberty. The section that Jesus did not read was the fulfill of the promise to comfort, and to give. Jesus was pointing to that his earthly ministry was the beginning but the true Year of Jubilee will happen when he returns to conquer the world. We are redeemed and that is how we have experienced the Year of Jubilee. We have been set free from sin and from death because of what Jesus did for us. 

Priestly Regulations

Leviticus 21

The job of a priest was one of the highest positions in Israel. They were called to be an example to the people by how they lived. They also had a higher code of conduct that they needed to follow. They had the responsibility of handling the sin of the people. If they were not clean then the people could not become clean. They needed to make sure they were always right with the Lord.

Funerals

The priest was not able to partake in funeral services unless it was for a close relative. The reason was because dead bodies were unclean and a priest was to remain clean because they needed to be the one offering the sacrifices for the people. This may sound harsh but they needed to obey what God requires about being clean. Nothing unclean can come into the court of God and a priest was required to be clean in order to be present before God. Leviticus 21:6 tells us why, “They must be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God.”

Priests were allowed to marry. Verse 4, commentators have wondered what it means to make a husband among himself because they needed to be married and have children so that the men of his household will one day become priests too. Some interpret this verse referring to a husband who would have lost someone in their family and must not act like the other husbands of the household would act. Part of the different mourning rituals would be shaving parts of the head, shaving the corners of their beards, and mutilation of the body. These customs were practiced by Canaan and God did not want his leaders following after their customs. 

Marriage

The priests could marry but the woman they marry must have never been with a man before. They needed to make sure even their spouse was undefiled because it would carry onto them. This shows how husband and wife need to be pure together.

The Chief Priest

The high priest or chief priest was one who was over all of the other priests. He has a greater responsibility than the priest. Since he has more responsibility he needs to make sure he follows what God has required more so. He is required not to profane God and with mourning of the death of a loved one he must stay clear. He can not let his hair go crazy or tear his clothes which is a sign of mourning for the Jews. He can not leave the sanctuary because his obligation is to the service of the Lord. 

I would compare the Old Testament priests to all believers because we are called to live differently than this world. We are called to be a light and salt to the earth. We are the example and we must follow what Christ has given us to live by. We may not have the restrictions like the priests did, but we still need to make sure we do not cause other people to stumble (1st Corinthians 10:32). How do you live your life? Is it one that shows the glory of God? Do you show the glory of yourself? We must try to be aware of how we live because there is always someone watching.  

Consecrate Yourself

Leviticus 20 

There is a saying that goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans.” I don’t know if you have ever heard that statement but it usually is said so one can fit in their surroundings. God desires for his people to not be conformed to the customs of the surrounding nations. Israel would be around several nations, the Canaanites as well as all the other nations ending with ite. These nations would worship man made idols as gods. They would do some intense things as a form of worship and one of those things would be offering their children up as a sacrifice to that idol.

In this chapter God tells Moses about the severity of the punishment if a parent offers up their child as a sacrifice. They shall be put to death.  Not only will this be required of people to do but then God personally says, “He will set his face against that person. He is saying that whoever does that will personally have to deal with Him, God. I do not know about you but that would be a pretty scary thing.

Not only will God put his face against the parents who offer their child up as a sacrifice but he will do it also to those who go to mediums, sorcery, wizards etc. Even in this time they did have witchcraft. The goal was not that the people would not see what else is out there but that they would set themselves apart and be a light to the other nations. These laws were for their safety but also so they could keep their relationship with God. In verse 7 it says, “Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. He was reminding Israel that He is the only God and what these other nations do is false worship. If they gave into false worship they were forsaking the real God. It would be like if I was given a car to have as my own to drive, but I did not want that car; instead I want the car that is in the picture in the paper and thought this car is what is going to take me from place to place. I would be forsaking the real car for a fake car.

Today

We may not have parents in America giving their children up to be killed to some idol. We do know that we as believers are called to be set apart from the customs of this world. Today it may not be idol worship but what about purity? We may not have to deal with giving in to witchcraft (even though people still do today) but we have to deal with money and possessions.  Romans 12:2 tells us not to be conformed to this world but by the renewing of our minds we will be transformed. Israel was called to be set apart because God is holy and requires those that are in fellowship to be the same. They were also to be different so they could be the good, right example to the surrounding nations. They were to be a light to them. We are called to be the light to this world (Matthew 5:14-16). When we do not conform to this world we are being the light. Some people will hate on it, others desire it. May we be faithful to what God has called us to be in this world which so desperately needs the light.

Set Apart

Leviticus 18

God brought Israel out of Egypt and want them to be set apart and different from the surrounding nations. They were commanded to not act like the Egyptians or act like those in Canaan. The reason why people should want to is people they are God’s people and he is their God. If they follow them; he shall live by them.

 Chapter 18 is an important chapter for Israel to know that how the following information is not to be copied. They were to follow these rules for not only their protection and cleanliness but also so they can be a good example to the world. We are called to treat each other with not only respect but we should be looked at with purity. It is important for a guy to make sure he respects girls or girls respect the boys. The idea of is not just respect but viewing each other with an attitude of purity. Start now with treating each other with purity.

It says in verse 28 the land will vomit you out if you make it unclean. Here it is being said about the practicing of the abominations that were said in chapter 18. God’s view is that this sexual immorality that happens makes the earth unclean. In order for you not to give in is that you give yourself to the Lord.

Today we may not have specific details but we do live in a day and age that what the Bible says is not important. The world may say this or that is right but what does the Bible say. Romans 12:2 tells us not to be conformed to the world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by the testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. The goal is not to be anti-social or live in a cave and never talk to anyone in this world. We are called to be set apart but to be an example to the world in how live. Are you an example? Do you follow the way of the world? 

The No, No’s of sacrifice

Leviticus 17

Before I got my license I always would think how stupid some traffic laws were. I would wonder why you could not go in and out of a carpool line when there is a solid line. I did not know why it was important to not speed. I did not know why I had to wear a seatbelt, I thought they were uncomfortable. It turns out why all these laws were important, and they were made to protect me as a driver as well as to protect others who would be driving around me. There are many laws regarding Israel and even regarding specific details that need to be followed for the offering up of sacrifices.  There are many mentions of sacrifice and blood throughout Leviticus. In this specific chapter we see the consequence and importance of where to offer your sacrifice as well as the consequence and importance of not eating blood. As these laws were made, it was for Israel to understand the seriousness of sin, but also God is holy and sacrifices for the forgiveness of sin could not be done half-hearted. 

Sacrifice wherever I want 

No domestic animal could be killed outside of the tabernacle. In verses 3-7 we see that it was a law that no Israelite or person among the Israelites can kill a sheep, ox, or goat anywhere except the tabernacle. The reason why was that these animals were for sacrifice purposes. They could kill a wild animal but could not just kill a domestic animal because they felt like it. You may be thinking about what if you got hungry? You may be thinking that you were hungry how would you eat some meat. You would have to go to the tabernacle and offer your sheep or goat or ox up as a burnt offering where the priest would kill it in the approved way and then sprinkle the blood. You would receive back flesh to eat from your animal. Remember that the burnt offering was mentioned in chapter 1. If someone disregarded the rule, the result would be being cut off from Israel. A person would be separated and could no longer live among the people. It says in verse 4 that the bloodguilt would be upon that man. He has shed blood so he was guilty of that.   What about if I killed an animal because I was hungry but did not go to the temple for the proper sacrifice, I just offered the sacrifice myself in the field? In verses 8-9 we see that it was banned. There are other places in scripture were we see people offering sacrifices to God outside of the tabernacle (1st Kings 18 on Mt. Carmel). The reason was that it was not to copy or seem to be offered to a false god or demon. Another reason was because God gave specifics, if I did not want to obey the specifics then I was disobeying God.  

What about blood?

If someone ate blood they would face the consequence of being separated from Israel. Blood has a very important theme in Israel’s life. Blood was the life force of someone. When blood was shed, then their life was ending.  In verse 14 that is explained how important blood was not just to sacrifice but what the view of blood for a living creature. In a detailed look, if someone was eating the blood they were despising life, but if they did not eat the blood they would be honoring life. To be more detailed, they were not allowed to drink the blood of an animal or eat of the meat without the blood being properly drained. The main reason for this rule was because the altar was made for the use of blood. It was built for blood to be sprinkled upon and placed upon and to drain upon so that sins could be covered. To make atonement means to pay a ransom. Sin is death which was the price, the blood was to pay for death not to happen upon the person asking for atonement. Since animal blood atones for human sin, it is sacred and man should not consume what is sacred.The issue really was about obedience. Here God stated a law which needed to be obeyed. If you did not take this law seriously then you would bring the consequence upon yourself. Today God desires for us still to obey him, but we are not weighed down with the following of these rules. This is because Jesus died as our ultimate sacrifice and God is pleased with that. We do not have to worry about killing an animal not in the temple or having to even offer up a sacrifice. Amen