Leviticus 21-24 Holiness, justice and mercy

"Holy to their God", "holy", "I am The Lord" are all repeated expressions. We must remember God's oiliness and who He is and thus behave accordingly.

A number of these sins would be classed as not so serious by many. God sees each as defiling and enough to separate us from Him. They are all serious and require atonement. My sins likewise, no matter how small I feel they are are serious and need sorting before God.

Ch 23 Feasts:

Passover

Feast of unleavened bread - rest, do no regular work, do not eat, make sacrifices

Feast of weeks - present lambs, rams, bulls, goats as sacrifices, do no regular work

Feast of trumpets - do no regular work

Day of atonement - deny yourself, do no work

Feast of tabernacles - do no work, make sacrifices, rejoice before the Lord, live in booths,

The various feasts have similarities of sacrifice and rest. They express devotion to God in giving what we have and giving up what we can.

NT parallels of the feasts:

Passover - communion 1 Cor 5:7-8

Pentecost (Feast of Weeks) - when the Spirit came Acts 2:1-4

Feast of Tabernacles - great multitude before the Throne - Rev 7:9-10

 

Ch24:1-9 Pure & continually - vital themes in our worship and service

God's holiness, justice and mercy are presented in these chapters all together

 

Leviticus 17-20 I am the Lord

Ch 17:
Israel was to realise that God had His ways that things were to be done - He was to be obeyed and trusted.  The reminder is there that the sacrifice is before the Lord.

The life of the creature was in the blood - hence it was strictly forbidden.  It was there to make atonement for oneself.

Ch 18:
Israel must keep the Lord's commands, because He is the Lord - He decides what is right and what is wrong.

The holiness of God is exhibited in this chapter, which explains the extermination of the Canaanites later.  It is to do with obedience to Him, entirely.

Ch 19-20  The holiness of God is given as the grounds for obedience.  Do we need more?

These commands remind us that there is no other God before God.  Do I truly believe and act on this?

Leviticus 13:47-16 Rules & regulations

13:47-59

Sin contamination in habits and practices is considered serious & far-reaching.  It is not to be tolerated or ignored.

The leper in the NT had to be cleansed from the defilement of his leprosy - you need to be a completely new creation.

Sin is serious - wherever it is found, whatever its form, it defiles.  Ch 15 is all about the defilement of secret sins.  It pollutes everything around it and needs cleansing and atonement as with the other sins.

The order of ceremonies for the day of Atonement:

With a young bull for a sin offering
Put on the sacred linen tunic w/ linen undergarments, tie the linen sash, put on the linen turban.
Take 2 male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.
Offer the bull for his (Aaron's) own sin offering
Take the 2 goats & present them before The Lord
Cast lots for the goats - one to be for the Lord, and the other as a Scapegoat
Offer the goat for The Lord, release the scapegoat into the desert.

Take a censer full of burning coals from the altar & 2 handfuls of incense, to take behind the curtain
Put the incense on the fire.
Take some of the bull's blood and put on his finger 7 times.
Slaughter the goat, take its blood behind the curtain.
Sprinkle the bull's blood on the atonement cover.

God is very particular about how He is to be approached.  Sin is to be fully removed through substitution.  Humans are to show their full penitence and remorse for their sin.

Leviticus 9-13:46 Cleansing and atonement

Leviticus 9 Aaron's first offering was the sin offering and the burnt offering to make atonement for him and the people.  Mercy needed to come through the atoning blood.

The offering was accepted and God showed His acceptance by showing His glory to all people.

Ch 10
Nadab and Abihu offered unauthorised fire before the Lord - therefore the fire came out and consumed them.  He is not to be messed with.  He chooses how things will be done and will reign supreme.

Ch 11

There are things that God considers holy and pure, and others that are considered unholy and impure.

The coming of God to dwell among them brought a change in behaviour - they were to be different people.

Mark 7:14-23 shows that Jesus was declaring foods clean to eat & saying these distinctions were no longer binding.

Ch 12-13

The child still had to be circumcised to be considered a Jew.

The plague of leprosy and the plague of sin both contaminate and exclude.  As believers, we need to deal with our sin and be made clean.

Leviticus 4-8 Instructions for sacrifice

Ch 4

The sin offering is for unintentional sins.  The blood is what makes atonement for our sins.

The blood is shed, the blood is spread and poured out, which show that sin must be punished - there must be blood shed.

Ch 6

Neither the sacrifice or the fire was to fail.  We must remember that Jesus will never fail.

Ch 7:11-21  Spontaneous gifts of their love for God

A fellowship offering as an expression of thankfulness

A fellowship offering as a result of a vow or freewill offering

We bring a sacrifice of praise to God.  

Ch 8

Aaron & his sons came before Moses to be sanctified.  Then the ram.  

The blood of the ram was sprinkled on the Priests.  This was a reminder of them offering themselves before God.  

2 Timothy 4 A Crown of Righteousness Awaits, Leviticus 1 & 2

Ch 4:

Paul urges Timothy to fulfill his calling - to preach the Word, to do so discharging all the duties of His ministry.

Paul is aware of the past  - He cannot change what has gone, but also sure of the future.  He knows the day is coming when God will judge all.

Leviticus 1

The 2 outstanding features of the burnt offering:
Without defect v3, 10
Pleasing to the Lord v9, 13

The burnt offering was to make atonement for their sins (v4), it was to please the Lord, (v9, 13, 17).

Heb 7:26 shows that Jesus is the blameless sacrifice, possessing perfection.

The fellowship offering sacrificed blood, showing devotion to the Lord.  Every part was offered to the Lord, with none remaining.  Is this the way I come to God?

2 Timothy 1-3 The pattern of ministry, a reminder of the gospel

Ch 1

Paul is certain of his calling and the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.
He is sure of his legacy in Timothy.
He is sure of his gifting in God.
He is certain of the privilege of suffering for the gospel.
His knows for certain the promises of the gospel of Jesus.

The demands & cost of Christian ministry.  Paul's counsel & exhortation:

Fan into flame the gift God has given you.
Don't be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me His prisoner.  Join together in suffering for the gospel.
What you have heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.
Guard the good deposit entrusted to you (with the help of the Holy Spirit).

The Christian home is vital in bringing sincere faith into our children's lives.  cf 1:5, 3:14-15

Ch 2

v1-13  Be strong in grace, entrust what you have heard to others, who will be qualified to teach others, endure hardship.  Be hard-working.

Remember Jesus Christ.

v14-26  A Christian should seek to present themselves as a workman before God, approved and unashamed, correctly handling the word of truth.

Ch 3

The evil traits listed here are a characteristic of godlessness.  As Christians, we are to be godly.  Live a godly life in Christ Jesus.

v14-17

The Bible is able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ.  It is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, training in righteousness, so you are fully equipped for every good work.