Leviticus: The People of a Holy God

Recap/Background

Context:

Israelites LEFT EGYPT

ARRIVED @ MT. SINAI

10 COMMANDMENTS

Last Time: TABERNACLE CONSTRUCTION— EARTHLY DWELLING PLACE!

Ref. P.P.

Timeframe:

LEVITICUS OCCURS WITHIN 1 MONTH of TABERNACLE CONSTRUCTION

B4 PEOPLE LEAVE for PROMISED LAND in NUMBERS

Purpose:

GOD TOOK ISRAEL OUT of EGYPT

THROUGH LAW—TAKES EGYPT OUT of ISRAEL

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Main Idea:

Leviticus shows how a sinful people could approach a holy God and live distinctly as His covenant people.

Chapters 1–16: WORSHIP & ATONEMENT (sacrificial system and priesthood).

LEVITICUS = “CONCERNING LEVITES” from GK.

(NOT SUPER COMPREHENSIVE TITLE)

Chapters 17–27: HOLY DISTINCTIVE LIVING

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I. Introduction: “And He Called” (Lev. 1:1)

Leviticus 1:1 (ESV)

1 The Lord called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying,

GOD CALLS to MOSES — TENT of MEETING (TABERNACLE)

Background, Hebrew Title: WAYYIQRA’ (“And He Called”)

Key Point: LEVITICUS SHOWCASES GOD’S INITIATIVE

GOD = MAKING TERMS of HIS COVENANT

C.C. FEEL OVERWHELMED W/ LEVITICUS?? REMEMBER — ALL GOD’S IDEAS, TERMS, LAWS, ETC.

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Significance: GOD = HOLY GOD.... PEOPLE MUST COME B4 HIM,, on HIS TERMS...

Isaiah 6:1–5 (ESV)

1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.

2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”

4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

**NOTICE REPETITION: “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY” —EMPHASIS.

HE’S PERFECTLY HOLY!

(Q) ISAIAH’S REACTION?? (V5) WOE is ME!

Transition: SIMILAR SCENE in REVELATION:

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Revelation 4:1–11 (ESV)

1 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”

2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne.

3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.

4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads.

5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God,

6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind:

7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight.

8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever,

10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

AGAIN—HOLY,, HOLY,, HOLY!

THIS = the GOD WHO CONDESCENDED to DWELL in TABERNACLE—

—NOT to BE TREATED CASUALLY!

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Holiness Defined: Hebrew QADOSH (“holy”) ((92 times in LEVITICUS!)) means:

“marked off

“set apart”

“withdrawn from common use.”

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Quote, Theologian, Millard Erickson:

“There are two basic aspects to God’s holiness. The first is his uniqueness. He is totally separate from all of creation.”[1]

“The other aspect of God’s holiness is his absolute purity or goodness. This means that he is untouched and unstained by the evil in the world. He does not in any sense participate in it.”[2]

GOD = PERFECTLY UNIQUE,, ENTIRELY PURE… LEVEL ALL of HIS OWN...

the HOLINESS of GOD is the BASIS for the SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM

& MORAL LAWS of LEVITICUS

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II. The Priestly System and Offerings (Lev. 1–7)

FIRST CHUNK (CH. 1-16) OVERVIEW LARGELY PRIESTLY DUTIES

Leviticus shows how a sinful people could approach a holy God...

CH. 1-7 = SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM:

WORSHIPER’S ROLE

& PRIEST’S ROLE

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Five Types of Offerings:

Burnt Offering: MOTIVE,, NOT SPECIFIED...

Atonement,

thanksgiving,

penitence,

or self-dedication (Lev. 1:4).

Distinguishing Factor: “WHOLE” BURNT OFFERING

NO LEFTOVERS—FOR ANYONE!

**CONFUSING—ALL SACRIFICES WERE “BURNED”**

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Grain Offering: ACCOMPANIED OTHER OFFERINGS

often for petition or praise.

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Peace Offering: EXPRESSES FELLOWSHIP W/ GOD;

**ONLY ONE WHERE WORSHIPER PARTAKES of SACRIFICIAL ANIMAL** (Lev. 7:15–16).

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Sin Offering: DEAL W/ UNINTENTIONAL SINS/ IMPURITY

CULMINATED W/ DAY of ATONEMENT

LEFTOVERS WENT to PRIEST

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Guilt Offering: SIMILAR to SIN OFFERING

UNINTENTIONAL SINS W/ HOLY THINGS?

SLIGHTLY MORE SERIOUS? — SACRIFICE = MORE COSTLY…

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ALSO—DAY of ATONEMENT— FOCUS on NEXT TIME...

Purpose, Atonement (kaphar): Means “COVERING” SIN/DEFILEMENT THROUGH SACRIFICE...

Quote, LBD: “Atonement is one of the few theological terms with roots in the English language.

It is the process by which two (typically estranged) parties are made “at-one” with each other”[1]

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Cost of Sacrifice: OFFERINGS REQUIRED VALUABLE DOMESTIC ANIMALS

SACRIFICES COULDN’T BE WILD ANIMALS

COULDN’T BE BLEMISHED ANIMALS

SACRIFICES = KILLED BY WORSHIPER—NOT the PRIEST!

PRIEST OFFERED THEM AFTER WORSHIPER KILLED.

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(Q) SHOWS COSTLINESS of SIN, DOESN’T IT?

Transition: PRIESTS OVERSAW SACRIFICES—

ALSO, THEIR ROLE to TEACH:

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III. Priest’s Role, Continued

Leviticus 10:10–11 (ESV) spoken to AARON & PRIESTS—

10 You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean,

11 and you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the Lord has spoken to them by Moses.”

Three Ritual States:

Holy,

clean,

unclean.

**Unclean worshippers couldn’t go to Tabernacle until cleansed**

TOUCHING DEAD BODY, ANIMAL/PERSON

SEX

CHILDBIRTH/WOMAN’S CYCLE

—> ALL REFLECTION of GOD’S HOLINESS

Transition: The PRIESTS to SET an EXAMPLE, SOMETIMES…IT DIDN’T GO GOOD.

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NADAB & ABIHU Leviticus 10:1–3 (ESV)

1 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them.

2 And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.

3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’ ” And Aaron held his peace.

GOD TOOK THIS STUFF SERIOUSLY!

v3—THOSE NEAR— I’LL BE SANCTIFIED

GNT (v3): “ALL WHO SERVE ME MUST RESPECT MY HOLINESS”

Priest’s Duties: FACILITATE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SINFUL PEOPLE & HOLY GOD—

— SET EXAMPLE—TEACH

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Transition: STANDARDS of PEOPLE—SPEND MOST TIME HERE.

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IV. Living as God’s Holy People (Lev. 17–27)

Leviticus shows how a sinful people could approach a holy God… and live distinctly as His covenant people.

LEV. 11:44-45

Leviticus 11:44–45 (ESV)

44 For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground.

45 For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”

GOD’S PLAN— PEOPLE REFLECT HIS HOLINESS (DISTINCTNESS)

L. Context: CONCERNING WHAT PEOPLE ATE!

GOD’S LAW— COMPREHENSIVE! ADDRESSING EVERY AREA of LIFE!

BEING in COVENANT W/ GOD = NOTHING “OFF-LIMITS” to HIM!

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Leviticus 18:1–5 (ESV)

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, I am the Lord your God.

3 You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes.

4 You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God.

5 You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.

GOD’S DESIRE for DISTINCTIVENESS

HOLINESS MEANS SEPARATE, SET APART

NOT LIKE EGYPT—OR CANAAN

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L. Context: SEXUAL PRACTICES & IDOLATRY

C.C. “CROTCH CHRISTIANITY” CRITICISM of EVANGELICALS’ STANCE

GOD CARES WHAT YOU DO WITH EVERYTHING!

PRESENT CULTURE STANDS AGAINST GOD— NOTHING = OFF-LIMITS

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Leviticus 18:24–30 (ESV)

24 “Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean,

25 and the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.

26 But you shall keep my statutes and my rules and do none of these abominations, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you

27 (for the people of the land, who were before you, did all of these abominations, so that the land became unclean),

28 lest the land vomit you out when you make it unclean, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.

29 For everyone who does any of these abominations, the persons who do them shall be cut off from among their people.

30 So keep my charge never to practice any of these abominable customs that were practiced before you, and never to make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God.”

Context: AGAIN—CONTEXT = SEXUAL SIN!

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Leviticus 19:1–2 (ESV)

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

2 “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

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Leviticus 20:7–8 (ESV)

7 Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.

8 Keep my statutes and do them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you.

L. Context: IDOLS, MEDIUMS, NECROMANCERS

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Leviticus 20:22–26 (ESV)

22 “You shall therefore keep all my statutes and all my rules and do them, that the land where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out.

23 And you shall not walk in the customs of the nation that I am driving out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I detested them.

24 But I have said to you, ‘You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey.’ I am the Lord your God, who has separated you from the peoples.

25 You shall therefore separate the clean beast from the unclean, and the unclean bird from the clean. You shall not make yourselves detestable by beast or by bird or by anything with which the ground crawls, which I have set apart for you to hold unclean.

26 You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.

L. Context: AGAIN,, FOLLOWING SEXUALITY & FOOD LAWS.

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Leviticus 22:31–33 (ESV)

31 “So you shall keep my commandments and do them: I am the Lord.

32 And you shall not profane my holy name, that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel. I am the Lord who sanctifies you,

33 who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the Lord.”

NOT PROFANING—CONCERNING “ACCEPTABLE OFFERINGS”

GOD DIDN’T WANT LUCKY the 3-LEGGED GOAT!

WITHOUT BLEMISH,,, the BEST!

LOW OFFERINGS INDICATED a LOW ESTEEM for GOD...

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SUM. CH. 26:

BLESSINGS for OBEDIENCE,

CURSES for DISOBEDIENCE,

PROMISES w/ REPENTANCE

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Transition: SO HOW MUCH DOES this APPLY to US as N.T. BELIEVERS?

BELIEVERS STRUGGLE W/ THIS

SOWING MIXED SEEDS in a FIELD?

MIXED MATERIAL in GARMENTS?

AREAS SCHOLARS DEBATE & I DON’T HAVE IT ALL FIGURED OUT—

— HERE’S SOME THOUGHTS...

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V. New Testament Connections

I. Christ’s Fulfillment: JESUS FULFILLED SACRIFICIAL & CEREMONIAL ASPECTS of LAW

Romans 10:4 (ESV)

4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Matthew 5:17 (ESV)

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

THESE THINGS FIND THEIR FULFILLMENT in the MESSIAH...

Hebrews 10:1–4 (ESV)

1 For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.

2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins?

3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.

4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Hebrews 10:11–12 (ESV)

11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,

CHRIST = ONCE & FOR ALL TIME SACRIFICE for SINS

WE APPROACH GOD on HIS TERMS—JESUS.

JESUS = “THE WAY”

Consider: TABERNACLE = SERIOUS??

HEAVEN = FAR MORE SERIOUS!!

JESUS FULFILLED SACRIFICIAL—

**LIKEWISE CIVIC LAWS = FOR “NATIONAL ISRAEL” NOT NECESSARILY TODAY....

I DON’T ENFORCE “EYE for an EYE” // STONE ADULTERERS in CHURCH

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II. DESPITE THIS...GOD STILL HAS MORAL EXPECTATIONS

(Q) SO WHICH LEVITICAL LAWS DO WE OBEY??

HELPFUL to LOOK @ N.T. INTERPRETATION of O.T. —COMMANDS THAT SHOW UP AGAIN.

EARLY CHURCH HAD to HASH OUT MUCH of THIS! —CIRCUMCISION ESPECIALLY!

Repeated Commands:

SEXUAL PURITY

AVOIDANCE of IDOLATRY

LOVING NEIGHBOR & GOD

**FIELDS & CLOTHES?? NOT SO MUCH.

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Main Point: N.T. BELIEVERS = STILL CALLED to BE HOLY as GOD is HOLY

1 Peter 1:14–16 (ESV)

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,

15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,

16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

PETER QUOTES LEVITICUS & APPLIES it TO BELIEVERS!

Ephesians 1:4 (ESV)

4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

CHOSEN— to BE HOLY & BLAMELESS

1 Thessalonians 4:7 (ESV)

7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.

L. Context: AVOIDING SEXUAL SIN!

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Disclaimer: FRUIT—NOT ROOT,, of SALVATION

Example: HOLINESS CHURCHES SEEM to MIX THIS UP

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SAVED BY GRACE—NOT WORKS,, NOT PERSONAL HOLINESS

Galatians 2:21 (ESV)

21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

YET—GOD STILL CARES HOW WE LIVE!

Comprehensive Scope of Leviticus: SHOWS US GOD CARES ABOUT EVERYTHING

DIET — CLEAN & UNCLEAN

WORK—FARMING

SEX-LIFE — W/ WHOM

DRESS —FABRICS

RELATIONSHIPS

OFFERINGS

NO EXCEPTIONS in LIFE...

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Specific Challenge: CULTURAL DISTINCTION

HOLINESS = SEPARATENESS

LIVE in HOSTILE WORLD— HATES GOD

ISRAEL CALLED to BE SEPARATE from EGYPT/CANAAN

CHURCH —CALLED to BE SEPARATE from the WORLD

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—>> I DON’T GET MY STANDARDS of RIGHT & WRONG

....from the WORLD, NEWS, POLITICS—

....BUT GOD’S WORD

EVEN B4 MY CONSCIENCE—GOD’S WORD. — ONLY UNMOVABLE BEDROCK.

IT DOESN’T NEED to CHANGE— I NEED to CHANGE.

CLOSING:

Romans 12:1–2 (ESV)

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

OFFER YOURSELF— WHOLLY to GOD & HIS SERVICE— BURNT OFFERING!

NO LEFTOVERS/RESERVATIONS!!

Testimony: CHRIST HAS CHANGED

TASTE in MOVIES

TASTE in MUSIC

MONEY-MANAGEMENT

PARENTING

HUSBANDING

MY VOCABULARY

CHRIST LEAVES NO STONE UNTURNED...

Closing Challenge: HAVE YOU TOLD GOD SOMETHING is “OFF-LIMITS” LATELY?

Quote: R.C. Sproul: He’s either “Lord of all or not Lord, at all.”

Closing Questions/Reflections??

Close in Prayer