Holiness: Priests, Beasts, & Feasts

Following are my notes from last week's study on Holiness.

Holiness: Priests, Beasts, & Feasts
Leviticus 21-24:9

There are some here who can tell you that I tend to look for life analogies everywhere. My analysis of the worth of a movie usually has something to do with reality and whether there were teaching moments. As I read through these 3+ chapters, I saw a lot of historical information about regulations regarding how the Israelites (and those “foreigners” who chose to leave their people, believe God, and worship with Israel) were to live their lives. But I also saw a lot of life lessons for us today.

We’re going to read the passage all at once. That will give you the historical nature. Then a large portion of the following discussion will center on application for us today.

Leviticus 21:1-24:9

Previous chapters have dealt with the holiness of the common person. This next chapter deals with the holiness of priests. They are held to a higher standard as a result of their occupation.

Chapter 21 – Priests

v.1-8: Do not engage in activity that makes you unclean according to the laws that we’ve discussed over the last few weeks. (Remember that those who believe in Jesus are considered priests. We should also be abstaining from activities that lead us to be unholy before the Lord.)

v. 9: Teach your children to abstain from activities that defile. There are consequences to living outside of God’s instruction.

v. 13-15: Marriage: Do not marry an individual who will, by their lifestyle, cause you to sin; marry someone who is “from your own people” which means “marry someone who shares your faith and is actively living it.”

v. 16-23: For a priest, having a physical defect was symbolic of not being complete/not perfect. As a result, the person could not present sacrifices which must be unblemished. Notice however, that God still loves and cares for the individual; he can still partake of the provision for the priesthood. This requirement passed away with the passing of the sacrificial system. The one who presents our sacrifice, Jesus, is completely whole and perfect.

Chapter 22

v. 1-9: Don’t come near sacrificial offerings if you are unclean. That is, Do not pretend to be living for God just to impress people or to hide sin. It’s a farce; a lie. God has already said that we are not to be lying; to do so makes us unholy before Him (cf. Chapter 19).

Beasts

v. 10-16: Reiteration of how God uses sacrificial offerings to care for priests. Violation of the laws surrounding this is a sin. Restitution must be made for violation according to laws already given.

v. 17-28: When you make an offering to the Lord, it needs to be sin-free. Imperfection in an animal is symbolic of sin. Likewise, misrepresentation of our offerings is sinful. As an example, turn to Acts 5:1-11. This couple did not sin in that they brought before the Lord an offering that was a portion of their earnings. They sinned in that they brought the offering and claimed it was the entirety of their earnings. As a result, their offering was not sin-free.

v. 29-33: When you sacrifice, do it right. Notice that all through these two chapters, again God has reiterated numerous times, “I am the LORD”. Living as one who is holy means living without sin. Living without sin means knowing Jesus and following Him. Our lives are to honor Him.

Feasts
See handout.

Chapter 23

v. 3: Sabbath – a day to rest, rejuvenate, refocus, and intentionally honor God.

v. 4-8: Passover and Unleavened Bread

A time to remember the time when the first born of the Israelites was spared from death because the angel of death “passed them over” if their house was covered by the blood of the lamb.

v. 9-14: Firstfruits

This concept recurs throughout Scripture. When making an offering to God, it should be the “first part” or the best (the first of the fruit of your labor). There is a commercial running on TV and radio right now about Olathe Sweet Corn. The ad says that this particular farm hand picks the first ear of corn because it is the sweetest, juiciest, best. These are the only ears of corn sent to that particular store. These are their firstfruits. This is to be a lasting ordinance for generations to come. Ahem, that’s us.

v. 15-21: Feast of Weeks

Bring the first fruits of the harvest as an offering. Somewhere near the beginning of harvest.

v. 22: When harvesting (that is, in every day life), care for the poor.

v. 23-25: Feast of Trumpets

A day set aside to worship.

v. 26-32: Day of Atonement

Chapter 16 outlines the regulations surrounding this day. This is a once a year sacrifice for the community as a whole. There are sins of the individual, which are represented by individual sacrifice. But there are also sins of a community and for those, Israel repented and sacrificed here.

v. 33-34: Feast of Tabernacles

End of the harvest. Note, when making offerings here, it is to be over and above the usual offering. Don’t violate your vows or commitments by redirecting gifts intended for one individual, ministry, organization. Rather, when a new or one-time opportunity comes up to give, make that gift over and above your usual giving. (example: Memorial gifts)

This is also a time to remember the Exodus and to give thanks for another year of God’s faithful and promised provision in the Promised Land.

Chapter 24

v. 1-9: Oil and Bread set before the Lord
Lamps burned at night but not during the day.

12 loaves possibly represent 12 tribes and God’s sustainment of His people.