Weird Laws in Leviticus 11-17

1) Circles of Increasing Holiness

a. The Holy of Holies – the presence of God – high priest

b. The Tent of Meeting/Tabernacle

c. The Camp

d. The Wilderness (world)

e. Definition of Holiness – complete, perfection, wholeness, set apart/special, order

2) Holistic Holiness – Every Christian a Theologian/

a. Purity in food (11)

i. The food laws are the most well known, the most distinctive to this very day of the Jewish people, and probably the least understood.

ii. The purpose is clear but the reasons are opaque v. 11:44-47

iii. 4 reasons

1. arbitrary – only God knows (rabbi in Year of Living”)

2. Cultic assoc. w/ pagan cultures

a. Actually they sacrificed many of the same animals

3. Hygenic – popular explanation today

a. Some clean worse then unclean, no hint in scripture

4. Symbolic

a. A rather subjective explanation. Illustration of righteous vs. sinful – chewing on cud = meditate on law. (I tend to think for personal piety this can be formative but should be understood as normative or absolute.)

b. In what is clean and unclean is a symbol of Holiness/cleanness which is represented by wholeness/normality.

c. Animals that transgress normal motion are unclean

i. Fish to the sea, fins and scales are "most normal / birds to the air / hooves to the land, contra paws (literally in Hebrew "hands") which are not the "most normal"

ii. Swarm – chaotic motion

iii. Birds of prey eat blood, which is forbidden

d. Threefold division

i. those that are unclean, those clean, those for sacrifice

ii. ills. Of mankind

iii. outside camp – majority of Israel – priests

5. All dead animals make you unclean, b/c death is contrary to life and thus holiness. Only touching not eating

iv. New Testament – Acts 10, 15; 1 Cor. 8-10; Rom 14;

1. distinction between clean and unclean food obsolete because the distinction between Jew and Gentile is obsolete

2. These are constant reminders of redemption. Every meal you are reminded that you belong to Jesus and kingdom of heaven, not the world

b. Purity in Childbirth (12:1-8)

i. Seems conflicting?

1. Children are a blessing, procreation is encouraged

2. No where does it say the child is unclean!!!!

3. Only the mother is made unclean

4. Woman unclean due to loss of blood and afterbirth which could last for many days and weeks.

ii. Why a girl longer than a boy?

1. We honestly don't know but my guess it that in contrast with the surrounding cultures Judaism treated women much better. Other contemporaries had a similar practice, and some still do it today in Africa. Also, too much of a contrast with surrounding cultures could potentially be seen as a sign of weakness to those male dominated societies. For example, total egalitarianism is probably difficult to do initially when ministering to a Muslim culture. (Somebody can research that hypothesis and get back to me some day)

2. status of women?

3. potential evidence discharge lasts longer but not 2x

iii. Application – give thanks for the birth of a child

c. Purity in the surface, skincare and drywall (13-14)

i. V. 13:1-3 – to be examined by priest to determine uncleanness not to diagnose or to heal

ii. Not leprosy, mistranslation of the King James due to greek word confusion

iii. V. 13:45-46 – Tearing of clothes, missed up hair, covering facial hair. This is not advice for being cool or the grunge era. It may sound like a basic young recovering from a hangover or basically some college dude or still living in his mom’s basement. At some point this became attractive… Instead it means…

1. signs of mourning since they will be cut off from the community.

2. side note, except for the modern secular world, being separated from the community has always been seen as a terrible loss, the need to get away may be good for rest and recovery but by no means is to be encouraged because people bother you. That is likely due to sin and sinful attitudes.

iv. An unclean person would be socially dead

1. varying levels of seriousness of disease was varying levels of separation from community

v. Mildew was considered akin to skin disease, abnormalities in the surface of one’s home just like the same in one’s skin

vi. Unlike other cultures – priest not a physician, healing could come only from God alone sought through prayer (james 5)

vii. Prescription for becoming clean outlined in 14

viii. Application

1. holiness and perfection are important and slight deviations in one’s walk is correctable but longs ones may show you to be outside the camp, i.e. not a Christian

2. In NT Christ comes to us to seek and save the lost, those outside the camp

3. Instead we no longer isolate ourselves from the sick, but we seek them out to bring them healing and ultimate salvation through Jesus Christ.

4. Because Jesus has made us permanently clean, we are now able to go to anyone, anywhere and spread cleanness, that is holiness. The holiness of Jesus is contagious!

d. Purity in Sex (15)

i. V. 15:1-7 – he is unclean and everything he touches

ii. What the heck is a “discharge”?

1. origin is sexual organs, even grosser than you probably first imagined.

2. The guy is a walking germ and is in needed of serious cleansing, a powerwasher or something

3. most likely gonorrhea, though other modern STDs probably would have qualified too

4. natural discharges like menstruation or wet dreams merely required taking a bath, which you should do anyway because its just gross not too. Its called hygene!

a. Uncleanness establishes boundaries of action, but as long as these are not transgressed no guilt is incurred.

b. A person is not a sinner because she had a period or he woke up with defiled boxers

c. The incur sin when they break the rules

iii. Why?

1. Restrain sexual behavior

a. The dude with STDs is confined to his house instead of spreading his junk around like a parasite

b. Prostitution would be socially unacceptable

c. Women would not be abused during times of war since sex the night before worship or battle is forbidden.

d. Young boys and girls who have not learned self control start practicing immediately

2. Menstration

a. Actually rare because women married young and had lots of kids, so it affects single teenage girls the most

b. Also, a teenage boy with raging hormones won’t interact with a girl he doesn’t know well for fear of being unclean.

iv. Application – show restraint in relationship with the opposite sex. Keep your paints on!! Keep your motives pure and learn how to be friends with the opposite sex before you even think about getting serious with anyone.

e. Explaining Blood being forbidden (17)

i. Consumption not transfusion

ii. It is intended for atonement but ultimately Christ’s blood makes us clean and drinking it symbolizes our unity with him

iii. Animals to be sacrificed must be done in the tabernacle to avoid the goat idol. (17:5,7)

3) Application of all these laws

a. God desires absolute purity in all aspects of life

b. You need to discern between good desires and bad desires, between sinful thoughts, reactions, and deeds and good ones

c. God desires to make us whole, complete and pure. Worship of him helps this come about in us through the atonement of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit.

d. Levitical laws encouraged uniformity.

i. NT is multi-racial and multi-cultural, these things are culturally defined so moral aspects of internal attitudes, motives, thoughts, are the source of action. We must be internal pure if we expect to be externally pure.

ii. Holiness begins with the heart not where you shop, what you eat, or who your friends are.

4) Obtaining Total Purity (16:1-2) (should have been a separate sermon)

a. The Day of Atonement

i. Follows the death of Aaron’s sons, the whole tabernacle and the holy of holies must be cleansed

ii. Once a year sacrifice

b. The differences

i. Aaron presents a bull for himself and his household

ii. He takes all his fancy high priest clothes off, takes a bath, and puts on simple white linen clothes

iii. He presents two goats, one for sacrifice and one as the scapegoat, determined by casting lots

iv. He takes a censer, or coal from the alter for sacrifices and lets its smoke fill the HOH. So he won’t die by being able to gaze upon the presence or the face of the LORD

v. Here he sprinkles blood in the HOH not before the veil as in the sin offering for priests (Lev 4)

vi. After the sacrifices, he lays hands on the goat, confesses the sins of the whole nation and “some guy” takes it into the wilderness (i.e. outside the camp where sin, death, chaos, reign)

c. A special day (16:29-34)

i. Deny yourselves

ii. No one is to work

iii. Atonement will be made for you. The whole nation is cleansed! Everyone is covered by the blood so that God’s presence may remain among us.

iv. Jesus is our once for all sacrifice. Our high priest superior to Aaron and superior to the animal sacrificed. Through placing our faith and trust in Jesus, confessing and repenting of our sins we are permanently cleansed from all sin, wickedness and defilement.

v. In Revelation 19:8 the saints in heaven are clothed in clothes similar to Aaron on the day of atonement. We will be in the very presence of God for a all of eternity, having been cleansed from all sin. We will all be equal in the site of God.

d. Application

i. Because of Jesus, God’s presence, his Holy Spirit dwells with us continuously.

ii. Therefore, it becomes even more crucial for us to discern what is clean and unclean, what is common and what is holy.

iii. We need to always be on guard against sinful motives, attitudes, and actions. They must be put to death and cleansed by the spirit that we may continue to walk in God’s presence.

iv. We need to constantly examine ourselves and the surrounding culture so we can discern the difference between holy things and unholy things.

v. You should pursue purity and integrity in the things you do.

1. In how you handle food. Fasting is encouraged and eating whenever and whatever you feel like is reflect uncleaness. Show restraint and self control. Eat slowly that you may enjoy what God has given you.

2. In all sexual things. Respect and revere life. Sex is not just for enjoyment and a natural impulse to give in to because “you ain’t nothing but mammels.” A lie. Show self-control and restraint, even in marriage. It should be free and frequent but do not disrespect your spouse and demand it when you want it. That is selfish, childish, and not loving. Marriage is not to be look forward to so you can “do it” whenever you like. Stupid. Sex is not only a great expression of love and the unity of a man and woman, but the product of it is a family. God created this to be the only appropriate situation for a family to exist. If you are not ready to be a parent, keep your freaking pants on! Do not spread you junk around carelessly but be modest and pure in how you approach sex. Be careful how you discuss it and with whom you discuss it.

3. Your home also reflects the integrity and purity you have. Keep it clean. Don’t be a bum who doesn’t pick up after themselves. Practice cleaning your house and in the like manner learn to clean your heart. Do it regularly.

4. goat idol – Worship should be done appropriately. Do not confuse pagan acts of worship with holy, pure, true worship of God.

5) Regen Reflection

a. What are ways in which you think purity can be expressed in what you eat, wear, or conduct yourself with the opposite sex, or in how you organize you home?

b. Discuss how Christ enables you to obtain total purity in all aspects of your life.

c. What are some possible ways we as Christian should conduct ourselves to show visibly purity and holiness that is different from the rest of the world? What is one thing you intend to do to make it clear you are a Christian to your friends and neighbors?